change and a fried apple pie

"No regrets." This is a phrase that goes through my head every time I have a big decision to make.  Weighing the options of the path ahead with the inevitable choices of things left behind.  This is especially difficult with regards to relationships.  Because so much of our lives revolve around those we interact with day after day.  There are those who inspire new ideas and stir passion within us.  Some people “sharpen” us through their personalities, sometimes revealing positive or negative things about us. 

Recently, with the acceptance of a new position in another company, I will no longer have the privilege of working with my fellow comrades whom I have grown to enjoy so much.  In the nature of this workplace, where you hit the ground running, there is seldom time for leisure “talk”.  Conversations are intermittent, like bullets shot out in passing, and since my workplace revolves around cooking, it is usually food related. There is never a day that goes by where ideas of new food combinations or recent culinary attempts good or bad are shared.  Jules, a fellow blogger (and amazing photographer) is always trying something new and to my great enjoyment usually brings in a sample or two to try.

With the onset of fall the fragrance of mulled cider wafts throughout the workplace, and has sparked many a conversation about other possible uses for the mulling spices.  Just the other day, our culinary director Rochelle came up with a spoon in her hand and told me to “open up”.  It was an ice cream base that she had infused with the mulling spices, creating a delicious crème anglaise that perfumed my head with cinnamon, allspice and star anise.  Lovely. 

There are many more folks I will also miss and all have a special place in my heart.  But the one whom I will look back on most and smile is my boss.  Probably the best descriptor of him is from a line in the movie Forrest Gump.  Forrest shares his moms’ idea of what life is likened: a “box of chocolates”.   In that, from day to day “you never know what you’re going to get”.  This has been my boss.  At one moment he’s a hurricane, ranting about and the next breaking out into show tunes (he has a very good singing voice by the way).  Working with him has caused my purchasing of antacid to go up dramatically.  But truth be told, I will miss him terribly.

So as a new chapter is beginning and I have the day off.  I think I will make some fried apple pies and a batch of Rochelle’s Spiced Vanilla Ice Cream to serve on the side.  Reflecting on the experiences and joys I’m leaving, but also looking forward to the adventure ahead. 

“Life is a journey along a bitter-sweet trail.  Sorry you faced the delivery of a difficult message today; we are so excited you are joining our team! Together through hard work, sense of true purpose and fun, we will assure this decision is the best one.”  

(A text I received from my new boss when I told her I officially gave my notice)

No regrets.

Shannon

Bourbon Fried Apple Pies 

inspired by Sam Beall

Fried pies, also called half-moon pies or mule’s ears are a well loved southern favorite.  Traditionally dried fruit, especially dried apples are used for the filling,  but since it is the height of apple season using some unique heirloom varieties found at the farmers' market or even the reliable Granny Smith are a fine option in breaking tradition.

For best results, make the pies ahead of time and freeze them on a tray.  They fry best when frozen.

1 Tbsp. unsalted butter

½ cup (packed) light brown sugar

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tsp. vanilla

¼ cup Bourbon (optional)

4 tart apples, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

1 large egg

1 recipe sweet pastry dough (recipe below)

3 cups vegetable oil

Ice cream, for serving (optional)

In a medium skillet over medium heat combine the butter, sugar, and cinnamon.  Boil for about 5 minutes, until very thick and caramelized.  Remove from the heat and carefully stir in the Bourbon; the mixture may sputter.  Return the pan to medium heat and cook, stirring, for another 3 minutes.

Add the apples and swirl the pan or stir gently to coat the apples with the liquid.  Cook for 5 minutes more, or until the apples start to soften.  Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature; refrigerate if not using within an hour or two.

When you’re ready to assemble the pies, beat the egg and add a couple of tablespoons cold water together until smooth.  Set aside.  Strain the apple mixture through a fine-mesh strainer to remove the solids from the liquid.  Set both aside in separate bowls.

On a floured surface, roll out a quarter of the dough to a thickness of 1/8 inch.  With a 4-inch round cutter, cut out circles and transfer them to a parchment lined surface.  Brush the circles all over with the egg wash.  Spoon a tablespoon of the apple mixture and a little sauce onto the bottom half of each circle.  Fold the top of each down to cover the filling, making half moon shapes.  Using the tines of a fork or your fingers, press down on the edges to seal the pies.  If the dough begins to get to soft, stick it in the refrigerator for a few minutes or so to firm up a bit.

Transfer them to a rimmed baking, still on the parchment, being careful that they don’t touch each other.  Place the baking sheet in the freezer for 4 to 5 hours, until the pies are solidly frozen.  Once frozen, the pies can either be cooked immediately or transferred to resealable plastic bags and kept frozen for a month.

When ready to serve the pies, place the oil in a large skillet and heat of high heat until a pinch of flour sprinkled into the oil immediately bubbles (but doesn’t spit) and begins to brown, or a deep-fry thermometer registers 350°F.  Take the pies out of the freezer and fry a few at a time in the oil, turning them once, for about 5 minutes, until golden brown around the edges and the filling is heat through.

Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.  Repeat until all the pies are cooked.  Serve them warm with scoops of ice cream on the side.

makes 16 to 18 pies, enough for 8 to 10 servings 

Sweet Pastry

makes pastry for one 9-inch pie or one 10-inch tart

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup cake or pastry flour

½ cup confectioners’ sugar

¼ tsp. salt

8 Tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 large eggs

1 large egg yolk

Place the all-purpose flour, cake flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine.  Add the butter and pulse until the pieces of butter are the size of small peas.  In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and yolk together; pour them over the flour mixture and pulse until the mixture forms large clumps.

Scoop the dough out of the processor onto a floured surface (I am really enjoying using a floured pastry cloth for rolling out dough); knead a few times, just until the dough is smooth.  Form the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic.  Refrigerate for a least 30 minutes, or up to 2 days; the dough can also be frozen for up to 6 months and defrosted overnight in the refrigerator prior to using.

Rochelle's Spiced Vanilla Ice Cream

makes 1 quart

3 cups heavy cream

2/3 cup sugar

1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped out

3 Tbsp. mulling spice mix put into a cheesecloth "purse"

Heat the cream, sugar, vanilla seeds and the mulling spice “purse” in a small saucepan only until the sugar is dissolved.  Be sure not to let the mixture come to a boil.  Once the sugar has dissolved, remove from heat and let set for about 20 minutes to allow the mulling spices to infuse the cream mixture.  Stain into a bowl, cover, and chill very well.  Freeze the mixture in an ice cream freezer according to the manufacturer’s direction.  Spoon into a freezer container and allow to chill in the freezer for a few hours.  Allow to soften before serving.

    

and the winner is...

“It’s a pie!”  “No, it’s a cake!”  This was the argument I somehow got in the middle of when I asked the culinary director and her assistant at my workplace for the pumpkin cheesecake recipe that has been such a hit lately.  They were getting into the process, what is in it that makes it a pie or for that matter a cake.  I really don’t know what the final decision was, and honestly, I didn’t really care.  Thankfully though, I did get the recipe and a disgustingly huge slice to take home for snacking on that night after work.  

This pumpkin cheesecake has a gingersnap cookie crust that is so buttery, it just melts in your mouth.  The filling has of course cream cheese (a boat load), pumpkin, some spices and a splash of bourbon, just because it sounds good.  It is so creamy and delicious, and the pumpkin adds a beautiful color as well. The topping, which I think just makes this “pie” is the praline top.  A pecan, brown sugar, butter mixture that is baked until bubbly, hardens as it cools and then is crumbled on top to give an extra texture and flavor bump. It is so good.

This recipe serves twelve, so invite the gang over, and call it whatever you want, they won’t care.  They’ll just think you’re a rock star!

Enjoy!

Shannon

Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake

from Bon Appetit

For praline
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans

For crust
2 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs (about 9 ounces)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

For filling
4 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
4 large eggs
1 15-ounce can solid pack pumpkin
3 tablespoons bourbon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Make praline:

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line baking sheet with foil. Stir sugar and butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until sugar melts and mixture comes to boil; boil 1 minute without stirring. Mix in pecans. Spread mixture on prepared baking sheet. Bake until sugar syrup bubbles vigorously, about 8 minutes. Cool praline completely. Break into pieces. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight.)

Make crust:

Preheat oven to 325°F. Stir cookie crumbs and cinnamon in medium bowl to blend. Add butter; stir until crumbs are moistened. Press onto bottom and 1 inch up sides of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Bake crust until set, about 8 minutes. Cool. Double-wrap outside of pan with heavy-duty foil. Place in large roasting pan.

Make filling:

Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until smooth. Beat in flour and spices. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Beat in pumpkin, bourbon and vanilla. Transfer to crust.

Pour enough hot water into roasting pan to reach 1 inch up sides of springform pan. Bake cake in water bath until center is just set, adding more water to roasting pan as needed, about 1 hour 45 minutes. Remove cheesecake from water. Cool in pan on rack. Remove foil. Run small sharp knife between cake and pan sides. Chill until cold; then cover and chill overnight.

Release pan sides. Place cake on platter. Sprinkle praline over, leaving 1-inch plain border at edge. Cut cake into wedges.


Serves 12

stages

I wasn't planning on posting today. You would think after November’s marathon of blogging I would be relieved and move on to other things that are piling up.

In a sense I am relieved, not having the pressure of making sure I post so that I don’t get behind. But it seems that posting everyday has created a habit…doesn’t it take three weeks of doing something regularly to make it a habit?

Well, whatever it is, as I was going about cleaning the “scary” room today to make room for yet another project, my mind was going over a potential blog post idea. You see this morning I did my usual, get up, go into the office and check email and to see the news headlines. I also have been in the habit of checking one particular blog Not Without Salt. The author of this blog was the one who inspired me to do this crazy blogging everyday for a month thing. So I was curious what she posted each day. She was so faithful to the task, that is until the later part of the month and then the posts were slowing down.

I do not know her personally, but apparently, she is a young mom with two little boys that keep her hopping, and as any of us that have children know, they can consume a lot of time. I remember those days. I am in a different stage of life now, with both kids in college. Yes I work, and I’m busy, but it is not as demanding as having little ones under foot.

I was making a favorite family fall soup today and it dawned on me that I started making this soup about 17 years ago, when my kids were young and “under foot”. Looking back, even if they had blogs back then…which they didn’t…I don’t believe I would have been able to keep a blog current. I have to hand it to all these young mom’s out there, blogging or not, they are amazing.

Sometimes I think success in something means doing the best we can with what we have and what stage of life we are in. Success is in the trying, not necessarily the triumph. It is a personal standard, reaching the highest possible goal.

So to me, even though Not Without Salt didn’t get in 30 posts for the National Blog Writing Month, she chose a higher standard, investing in those relationships that really matter.

So for those of you who are investing in your families, cooking, creating memories and traditions, here is a tried and true family favorite from my kitchen to yours.

Enjoy!

Shannon

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

4 tbsp. butter

1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped

6 cups butternut squash (approx. 3 pounds), peeled and cubed

1 cup carrots, peeled and chopped

1 cup parsnips, peeled and chopped

2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves

1 ½ tsp. curry powder

½ cup dry white wine

4 cups chicken stock

1 cup heavy cream

Salt and pepper to taste

Garnish: toasted pepitas, caramelized shallots or garlic croutons are tasty as well.

Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add onion and celery; cook over low heat covered 10 minutes or until limp. Add squash, carrots, parsnips, thyme and curry powder. Cover saucepan and cook 10 to 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.

Add the chicken stock and dry white wine and simmer 20 to 30 minutes. Purée soup in food processor until smooth. Return to saucepan and add cream, salt, and pepper.

Ladle soup into warmed serving bowls and garnish with toasted pepitas, caramelized shallots or garlic croutons.

Serves 4 to 6

it's that time

photo by Hannah Davidson

When I see chestnuts in the market, I know that it is definitely fall and the holidays are fast approaching. These lovely rich leathery brown beauties are the quintessential holiday treat. They conjure up an image of a roaring log fire on a cold frosty day and have been immortalized in a holiday song.

But admit it, most of you: You've never eaten a freshly roasted chestnut.

These meaty, slightly sweet nuts are wonderful in sweet or savory dishes. Chestnuts are a natural for poultry stuffing. They also can be made into cream of chestnut soup, chestnut bread or chestnut pasta; Roasted, boiled, braised or pureed with meat stock; or stir-fried. Chefs prefer to team them with Brussels sprouts, cabbage, mushrooms, onions, carrots or sweet potatoes.

Gourmets enjoy sweet confections such as maroons glaces (chestnuts that have been preserved in a sweet syrup), chestnut puree, chestnut cream, quiches, chestnut torte and chestnut ice cream. Of course, they can be roasted in a fireplace popcorn basket or special chestnut roaster.

When buying fresh chestnuts for roasting, choose those that are firm and heavy for their size, with smooth, glossy shells. Chestnuts are highly perishable. To keep them fresh, store them in a ventilated plastic bag in the crisper of your refrigerator or freeze them for later use.

The easiest way to roast chestnuts is to roast them in an oven. Rinse the chestnuts, then lay them on a towel and pat dry.

Using a strong, sharp paring knife to cut an “X” in the flat size of the chestnut shells. This prevents them from bursting, allows the steam to escape and makes peeling easier.

Place the prepared chestnuts in a single layer on a shallow baking pan. Roast at 375° for about 20 minutes. The sliced part of the shells will curl back.

Remove the chestnuts from the oven and place them in a towel-lined bowl. Wrap the towel over top to cover and keep them tightly covered for 5-10 minutes before removing the shells. Remove the shells while still hot, but cool enough to handle.

Starting at the slit, pull the shell away from the nutmeat. The inside skin will peel away from the chestnut along with the outer shell. If the inner skins do not come off easily, the chestnut is either undercooked or overcooked.

The best way to serve these is while they are still warm, either plain or dipped in melted butter with a sprinkling of salt or even cinnamon sugar would be yummy.

Enjoy!

Shannon

work cited

I have never been to a formal culinary school, my “school” has been over the years watching chefs/cooks such as Julia Child, The Frugal Gourmet, even Martha Stewart. I have attempted Martha’s Gingerbread house (multiple times). Although, admittedly they never looked quite as good as hers, I consoled myself in the fact that maybe they were “photoshopped” though they probably were not.

I would rather sit down and read a cookbook than a novel. My teachers have been James Beard, Alice Waters, Nancy Silverton, and Jamie Oliver just to name a few.

I have made many a mistake in my cooking efforts and have been known to get distracted, burn something and then end up getting Chinese take-out instead. It has been a work in progress, but one that I thoroughly enjoy.

In starting this blog, I’ve tried to give credit where credit is due on the recipes given and whether they were taken straight from the originator or slightly adapted. I know there are those chefs out there that like to keep some of their dishes a secret, and that’s fine I guess. But seriously it’s only food and what good is it if we don’t share it.

With that said, the following recipe is mine. But don’t give me too much credit, it came from trying other things like it and then just adding this or that or taking something out I didn’t care for in the dish. This is the type of recipe that you could throw most anything leftover from dinner the night before and it would turn out great.

So without further adieu…here is my version of a Savory Bread Pudding.

Enjoy!
Shannon

Savory Bread Pudding

1 day old French baguette, cut into 1-2 inch cubes
6 large eggs
2 cups ½ & ½ (or milk)
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
a dash of some freshly grated nutmeg
salt & pepper
½ lb. pancetta (have deli cut one large hunk)
2 shallots, sliced thinly
12 oz. asparagus, cut into 2 inch lengths
1 delicata or butternut squash cut into 1-2 inch dice
3 cups cheese grated such as smoked gruyere, Manchego, sharp white cheddar (or whatever you may have left in your fridge)
Olive oil

Heat oven to 375°.
Mix eggs, ½ & ½ (or milk), Dijon mustard, nutmeg and salt & pepper in a large bowl. Toss in bread cubes, let set while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Toss separately the asparagus and squash in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Put asparagus and squash on separate sheet pans. Put in the oven and roast the vegetables until tender. The asparagus if thin won’t take very long, so watch it closely about 6-8 min. The squash will take about 25-30 min. until tender.

While the vegetables are roasting, chop the pancetta into ½ inch dice, put into a preheated sauté pan and let cook over medium heat until fat is rendered and they begin to crisp up, about 10 min. At that time you can add the shallots and cook together until the shallots begin to caramelize. Take off the heat.

Once the vegetables are finished roasting, let cool a bit and then add them to the bread mixture along with the pancetta and shallots. Toss in the grated cheese.

The pudding can then be placed in either a large casserole dish, or 4 individual 2 cup oven safe serving bowls or ramekins.

Bake for 30-40 minutes until the top turns a lovely golden color.
This is a nice side dish with a simple roasted chicken and some fresh lettuces dressed in a light vinaigrette.

Serves 4

dinner

I have never enjoyed shopping for my dinner more than in the last few weeks. The air is crisp…at least in the morning, and the farmer’s market stalls are groaning with root vegetables, cabbages, beets and potatoes. Apples are in abundance and are so juicy; the pears are still a little hard and would probably hurt your gums. I am still finding quince and even some sweet plump figs in small baskets tucked here and there. I also spotted some chestnuts that were quite large and firm, just ready for roasting. But what caught my eye are the squashes; the tiny crinkle-edged patty pans, the striped delicata, long-necked butternuts and others as fat and round as a football. I tend to prefer moderately sized fruit, squashes whose skins a thin enough to cut without resorting to an axe and small enough to bake within an hour. I usually make a soup of some kind or purée for a later use or simply roast them with butter and thyme.

A roast pumpkin is a side order rather than a main dish, though it would be lovely with brown rice and a thick tomato sauce, or incorporated into a savory bread pudding, even some caramelized sausages alongside would be a welcome combination for a cold night.

Enjoy!

Shannon

Roast squash with thyme

4 small to medium squash

2 Tbsp. butter

A glug of olive oil

Fresh thyme

Set the oven to 350°. Cut the squashes in half and scoop out the pulp and seeds from the center. Lay the squashes cut-side up on a baking sheet. Cut the butter into thin slices and put a slice in the center of each squash, together with a little olive oil, a good pinch of thyme leaves, a sprinkling of salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper.

Roast for an hour, checking them occasionally to see how they are doing. You want them to be sweet smelling and the flesh to be totally tender when you pierce it with a knife.

Serves 4