Ingredient: unsalted butter

Salmon Galette w/ Cornmeal Crust

If you have never tried a little cornmeal in your pastry crust, now is the time. The texture really is amazing. Tender and flaky, you will have a hard time going back to a traditional crust.

We all know that what separates a good quiche from a great one is the pastry crust. No matter how good the filling is, if the pastry is undercooked or overcooked, then the quiche becomes one of ‘those’ kind of meals. Cornmeal adds a touch of nutty flavor to the tart shell which makes this a great choice to use for both savory and sweet pies.

Despite its notoriety for being the key ingredient in cornbread, cornmeal is not a one-note ingredient. Cornmeal’s vibrant color and flavor brighten up many dishes and it creates a light, crispy crust when baked. 

Since I started making cornmeal pastry years ago, it has become my go-to for sweet, savory and ‘in between’. In this quiche, it pairs extremely well with the salmon and veggies.

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 Salmon Galette w/ Cornmeal Crust
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword salmon quiche w/ cornmeal crust
Servings
Ingredients
Sour Cream Cornmeal Pastry
Filling
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword salmon quiche w/ cornmeal crust
Servings
Ingredients
Sour Cream Cornmeal Pastry
Filling
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Cornmeal Pastry
  1. In a small bowl, combine sour cream & ice water; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar & salt. Using a pastry blender or fingertips, cut in butter until mixture resembles BOTH coarse crumbs & small peas. Sprinkle the cold sour cream mixture over dough, I Tbsp at a time, tossing with a fork to evenly distribute it. After you have added all the sour cream mixture, dough should be moist enough to stick together when pressed; if not, add additional cold water, 1 tsp at a time. DO NOT overwork dough.
  2. Press dough into a disk shape & wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. The dough can be kept in the refrigerator for a day or two or it can be wrapped airtight & frozen for a month. When ready to use, thaw, still wrapped in refrigerator.
Filling
  1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
  2. In a container, lightly beat eggs & add cream, dill, mustard spices & basil paste. Combine well.
  3. Roll out chilled pastry on a lightly floured surface into a 13-inch circle. Transfer pastry to a pie plate, leaving rough edges overhang dish.
  4. Spoon salmon into shell followed by leeks, red pepper & corn. Pour cream mixture over all then fold the rough pie edges into galette. Brush pastry edges with egg wash & bake until custard is set when a knife is inserted near center & pastry is baked, about 40-50 minutes.
  5. Remove galette from oven, allow to sand a few minutes, then slice & serve or serve at room temperature.
Recipe Notes
  • Brion & I really enjoyed this galette with tartar sauce as a condiment.

Savory Dutch Baby Pancakes

I’m sure you are probably quite familiar with the Dutch Baby or German pancake. I have featured them on the blog numerous times over the years.

A cross between a pancake and a crepe, a Dutch baby begins with the thin pancake-like batter which is poured into an oven proof dish. When it cooks it starts to rise and puff up. When the edges of the pancake are brown, it is ready to come out of the oven. The center is perfect for adding either sweet or savory ingredients.

The recipe is a basic, universal one that can be adapted in a number of different ways. For example, you could add berries or other fruit to the batter or omit the sugar and vanilla and make a savory version with veggies and different spices.

We haven’t had a Dutch baby meal for a long time so I’m making a savory ones with zucchini, mushrooms & some Italian chicken sausage. Should be good!

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 Savory Dutch Baby Pancakes
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course Main Dish
Cuisine European
Keyword savory Dutch baby pancakes
Servings
Ingredients
Dutch Baby Pancakes
Fillings
Course Main Dish
Cuisine European
Keyword savory Dutch baby pancakes
Servings
Ingredients
Dutch Baby Pancakes
Fillings
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Dutch Baby Pancakes for 2
  1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
  2. In a bowl, whisk eggs & milk. Add flour & whisk until incorporated. Whisk in parmesan cheese, sliced scallions, parsley, thyme, salt & pepper. Set aside.
Filling
  1. Heat oil in a skillet. Add onions & sauté until translucent. Add zucchini & sauté for 3-5 minutes until zucchini is tender. Season with salt & pepper. Transfer to a bowl. Add another 2 teaspoons of oil to skillet. Add mushrooms & sauté for 5-7 minutes. Cook until mushrooms are tender & most of the moisture has cooked off. Season with salt & pepper; transfer to another bowl. Keep filling ingredients warm will you bake the Dutch Baby pancake,
  2. Add 1 tsp of oil to skillet. Add sliced chicken sausage. Cook until browned. Transfer to another bowl. Add vegetable broth to skillet; whisk in flour & seasoning. Bring to a simmer while whisking until mixture thickens. Remove from heat & keep warm.
Bake /Serve
  1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
  2. Melt 4 Tbsp butter in a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Once the butter is melted & the skillet is hot, pour in the batter. Carefully transfer the skillet to preheated oven & bake 25 minutes, The Dutch Baby will puff up during cooking, but once it's removed from the oven & starts to cool it will deflate slightly.
  3. When Dutch Baby is cooked, remove from oven & place some of the chicken sausage in it then top with the veggies & the remainder of chicken sausage. Ladle sauce over top & sprinkle with grated cheese & fresh thyme. Serve immediately.

Pork Medallions w/ Wild Mushrooms & Mustard Cream

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Many of the best holiday traditions involve food — and New Year’s is no exception. Not only is it the final celebration of a long holiday season, but it’s also a moment to celebrate the end of a year and the beginning of a new one. When January 1st arrives each year, people across the globe turn to New Year’s Day foods said to bring good fortune, long life, love, and more in the coming year. No matter the events of the previous 12 months, many of us look at the holiday as a chance for a fresh start.

Eating pork is just one of the many foods considered to be lucky. Pigs symbolize progress. Some say it’s because these animals never move backward, while others believe it’s all in their feeding habits (they push their snouts forward along the ground when rooting for food). They are also rotund, symbolizing a fat wallet ahead. The meat itself is fattier than other cuts of meat, making this New Year’s Eve food both tasty and a symbol of prosperity. 

Here in Canada we have so much to be grateful for. I guess if we think further, the most important wish would be for world peace.

HEALTH & HAPPINESS TO EVERYONE IN THE COMING YEAR!

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 Pork Medallions w/ Wild Mushrooms & Mustard Cream
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword pork medallions w/ wild mushrooms & mustard cream
Servings
Ingredients
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword pork medallions w/ wild mushrooms & mustard cream
Servings
Ingredients
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
  1. Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large, heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the mushrooms and 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 6 minutes.
  2. Wipe out the skillet. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in the skillet over high heat until hot. Sprinkle the pork medallions generously with salt and pepper. Sear over medium-high heat, turning once halfway through, until browned, about 12 minutes for medium. Transfer the pork to a platter.
  3. Add the shallots to the skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring, until golden, about 3 minutes. Add the mustard and heavy cream and bring to a boil, cooking until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the parsley. Spoon the sauce on a plate; place the medallions on the sauce and scatter the mushrooms over top. Garnish with additional parsley, if desired.

Krispy Chocolate ‘Eyeballs’/ Halloween Brownie Bites

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

While trick-or-treating has been a tried and true modern Halloween tradition, historians say the origins of kids begging their neighbors for food may date back to ancient Celtic celebrations or even a long-lost Christmas custom. Halloween customs, such as wearing disguises to ward off ghosts and offering food to appease malevolent spirits, were brought to Canada in the mid-to-late 1800s by Irish and Scottish immigrants. North America’s first recorded instance of dressing in disguise on Halloween was in Vancouver, British Columbia, in 1898, while the first recorded use of the term trick or treat was in Lethbridge, Alberta, in 1927.

Every Halloween, children on the hunt for candy dress up in costumes, knock on doors and ask homeowners the infamous question: ‘Trick or Treat?’

Lethbridge historian Belinda Crowson said research has confirmed the term ‘Trick or Treat’ was first documented in the Lethbridge Herald on Nov. 4. 1927.

Hallowe’en provided an opportunity for real strenuous fun. No real damage was done except to the temper of some who had to hunt for wagon wheels, gates, wagons, barrels, etc., much of which decorated the front street. The youthful tormentors were at back door and front demanding edible plunder by the word ‘trick or treat’ to which the homeowners gladly responded and sent the robbers away rejoicing.

Crowson says Oct. 31 in Lethbridge used to be a big night of pranks, saying kids would take part in ‘gate night’ where they’d remove gates from yards and hide them around the city. The occasional outhouse was also moved on Halloween night, sometimes onto a streetcar track for it to be pushed down the route by the unknowing driver.

Alberta’s known for many things: the Rocky Mountains, the oil industry, the Calgary Stampede. But you wouldn’t think that it’s also home to one of the most beloved Halloween traditions, that is, trick-or-treating.

Having lived in Lethbridge years ago, for about 25 years, I was not aware that the term trick or treat had originated there until I stumbled on it when I was doing some research … who knew!!

Nevertheless, Halloween has rolled around again so here’s a few treats to enjoy.

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 Krispy Chocolate 'Eyeballs'/ Halloween Brownie Bites
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course dessert
Keyword krispy chocolate 'eyeballs'/ Halloween brownie bites
Servings
Ingredients
Shortbread Crumbs for 'Eyeballs'
Caramel / Chocolate & Rice Crispies
Halloween Brownie Bites
Cheesecake Layer
Course dessert
Keyword krispy chocolate 'eyeballs'/ Halloween brownie bites
Servings
Ingredients
Shortbread Crumbs for 'Eyeballs'
Caramel / Chocolate & Rice Crispies
Halloween Brownie Bites
Cheesecake Layer
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Shortbread Crumbs
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
  2. In a bowl, cream together the butter & sugar until light and fluffy. Add the flour; using your fingers, work together to a crumbly but moist dough. Place mixture in baking pan and press down with the back of a spoon until firm and smooth. Bake shortbread until cooked but not browned, about 12 minutes. Remove from oven, lift out of pan with parchment paper & cool. When cooled, break into pieces & place in a food processor. Pulse to create shortbread crumbs. Set aside.
Caramel / Chocolate
  1. Place a heavy bottomed, non-stick pot, over a larger pot of boiling water. To the top pot add condensed milk, butter & brown sugar. Stir until combined, bring the mixture to a gentle boil, stirring continuously for a full 5 minutes. Add the milk & white chocolate & continue stirring until melted.
  2. Turn off heat under the boiling water. To the caramel/chocolate add shortbread crumbs & rice crispy cereal. With a rubber spatula, combine mixture.
  3. Keeping the pot over the hot water so the mixture doesn't harden to fast, scoop into small balls to form 'eyeballs. Place on a parchment paper lined tray. The scoop I used made about 44 balls. Press candy eyeballs into chocolate balls. If they aren't sticking well, dip them into a bit of white corn syrup first.
Halloween Brownie Bites
  1. Preheat oven to 325 F. Line 30 mini cupcake tins with paper liners.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch & salt. Set aside.
  3. Using a mixer, beat sugar & eggs on high speed for 5 minutes, until it becomes light & pale in color. Melt the butter & add it along with oil & vanilla. Mix on low until combined. Slowly add dry ingredients, continuing to mix on low speed until combined. Put aside about a 1/4 of a cup of the brownie batter to use for decorating. Place a small scoop of brownie batter in each of the mini muffin cups.
Cheesecake Layer
  1. In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar & vanilla extract on high speed for 1 minute. Add the orange food gel & mix until desired color. Then add the egg & mix on low speed. Place a Tbsp of cheesecake batter on top of the brownie batter. Add the 1 1/2 Tbsp HOT water to the remaining 1/4 cup of brownie batter & whisk until combined.
  2. Drizzle the brownie batter over the cheesecake batter in 2 circles (per brownie). With a toothpick draw lines from the center to the outside edge, creating a spider web effect.
  3. Bake for about 20 minutes or until not a lot of batter remains on a toothpick when tested. Cool on a cooling rack completely. Decorate with Halloween spiders, cats, ladybugs etc. These are nice when wrapped in foil & chilled overnight.

Raspberry Swirl Pound Cake

The name ‘pound cake‘ comes from the fact that the original pound cake contained one pound each butter, sugar, eggs and flour. Originally, no leaveners were used in the cake except for the air whipped into the batter. It was only in the 1900’s that artificial leaveners like baking soda and baking powder were added to reduce the density of the cake. Other variations include the addition of flavoring extracts like vanilla and almond or dried fruits such as cranberries or currants. At times, some or all of the butter was substituted by a cooking or vegetable oil to obtain a moist cake.

One of the most popular variations is the sour cream pound cake. The butter is substituted by sour cream to moisten the cake and also get a tinge of a tangy flavor. Despite all these variations which alter the characteristics and the flavor of the cake drastically, the name pound cake is still used today.

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 Raspberry Swirl Pound Cake
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword raspberry swirl pound cake
Servings
Ingredients
Cake
Cream Cheese Frosting
Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword raspberry swirl pound cake
Servings
Ingredients
Cake
Cream Cheese Frosting
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Cake
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly butter or line pan of choice with parchment paper. (loaf pan or a Bundt pan)).
  2. In a bowl, cream butter & sugar with an electric mixer until pale & fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add salt, vanilla & sour cream.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together flour & baking powder. Combine wet & dry ingredients, then beat on low for about a minute.
  4. Transfer about 1/3 of batter to another bowl. Add raspberry preserves & beat until combined. Add 2-3 drops red gel food color if desired. To remaining batter, add lemon juice & beat until combined.
Assembly/Baking
  1. To preferred baking pan, add a layer of white batter then alternate between pink & white batter. Use a knife to swirl the batters together but don't overdo it or you will end up without a marble effect.
  2. Bake for 60-65 minutes or until a skewer inserted in center of cake comes out clean. If top browns too quickly, lightly cover with a piece of foil paper.
  3. Allow cake to cool in pan for 15 minutes, then remove pan & finishing cooling on a wire rack.
Frosting
  1. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese for about 20 seconds on medium speed. Add powdered sugar & mix to combine well. Drizzle frosting over cooled cake, slice & serve.
Recipe Notes
  • My choice of baking pans were some mini Bundt pans. I thought they made a nice individual presentation.

Baked Churro Cups w/ Strawberry Cream Cheese

Although there are many myths about the origins of the ‘churro’, most people believe there are three realistic stories and in each of them, the original country of churros is different: Spain, China & Ancient Egypt.

First of all, if you are not familiar with churros, they are a sweet snack consisting of a strip of fried dough dusted with sugar or cinnamon and usually served with a small bowl of hot, thick chocolate. Brion & I tasted them for the first time when we were travelling in Spain in the winter of 2014.

The inventor of churros has often been researched, but the truth is that this dessert was created so many years ago, that only a whole country can be named when talking about its beginnings.

Although, today you can find numerous shapes for churros, the traditional one is from Spain, being a large, semi-circle of fried dough. This shape is actually very similar to horns of the ‘churra sheep’ that are native to the Iberian Peninsula.

The relationship between Churros and chocolate is almost inseparable, either in a cup or as a filling. However, this combination is not exclusive because Mexico, Philippines, Argentina & Chile all eat a different kind of churro. In Cuba they created the guava filled churros or eat them with ice cream in different flavors.

As per usual, I’m always looking for a way to have deep fried foods baked. I guess it stems from my many years of being in the commercial food service industry when it seemed everything was deep fried. I resist having to smell or eat anything that has to be fried in hot oil. That being said, here’s my take on a churro dessert that is baked and filling it with some strawberry cream cheese.

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 Baked Churro Bowls
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course dessert
Servings
MINI CUPS
Ingredients
Churro Bowls
Strawberry Cream Cheese Filling
Course dessert
Servings
MINI CUPS
Ingredients
Churro Bowls
Strawberry Cream Cheese Filling
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Churro Cups
  1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add water, butter, and salt. Bring to a boil and stir until butter is completed melted. Turn off heat and add in flour. Stir until all flour is incorporated and becomes a smooth dough ball. Add in eggs and stir into dough, mixing until dough becomes smooth and uniform again. Scoop dough into a pastry bag.
  2. Preheat oven to 425ºF.
  3. Invert your MINI muffin tin or cake pop pan, so that the bottoms are facing up, and lightly grease the exterior of 21 of the molds. I recommend you space them out, skipping every other mold, so that the bowls aren't too close together. Using a star tip, pipe around the greased molds until you cover the entire mold. Make sure when you are piping that each new circle layer is touching the previous layer, so that there are no gaps. Bake for 25-30 minutes until churros turn golden brown and are crispy. A pool of oil will be puddled at the bottom of the baking pan, but you can ignore that.
  4. Gently remove the churro bowls from the molds and let cool for a few minutes. In a small bowl, mix together sugar and cinnamon. Pour into a Ziploc bag. Place one churro into the bag at a time, moving the churro bowl around in the bag until the exterior of the bowl is completely covered in cinnamon sugar. Repeat with remaining churro bowls. Do not skip the sugar step as your churros will have little flavor without the sugar. I also found that the Ziploc bag method works much better than just simply trying to roll the churro bowls in a bowl filled with the cinnamon sugar. Set aside until your filling is ready.
Strawberry Filling
  1. Pulse softened cream cheese, strawberries & sugar in a food processor until smooth. If berries aren't juicy enough & mixture is too thick, adjust consistency with a few drops of milk. If it is too thin, adjust with a little more cream cheese.
  2. I left my filling fairly runny but make it as stiff as you wish, it will taste great no matter what! Fill churro cups with filling & top with more strawberries - whole or sliced. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
  • Another filling alternative would be some Kahlua & Fresh Fruit:
  • 6 cups fresh fruit
  • 3 Tbsp brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup Kahlua
  • Cut fruit into 3/4-inch pieces & place in a bowl, sprinkle with brown sugar.
  • Add Kahlua; stir gently. Cover & refrigerate 30 minutes to blend flavors.

Plantain Ginger Cake Fingers

Plantains aren’t meant for eating right out of the peel, but they are transformed into a gently sweet dessert when caramelized.

It’s easy to confuse a plantain with a banana because they look so much alike. Both fruits come from the same family of plants. Though they look alike, the biggest differences between bananas and plantains is in their flavor profile, size, skin thickness and how they’re used in the kitchen.

Like bananas, they start green and progress to yellow and then a dark brown-black as they ripen. The darker they are, the sweeter they’ll be. Plantains can be eaten at any stage of ripening, but you’ll need a knife to peel them.

Plantains are starchier and usually larger and tougher than bananas, with a much thicker skin. Very versatile in that they can be boiled, baked or fried.

We grew to like plantains after our extended stay in Ecuador some years ago. Every so often they are a nice treat to have again.

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 Plantain Ginger Cakes
Votes: 2
Rating: 5
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Course dessert
Cuisine American, Cuban
Keyword plantain ginger cakes
Servings
Ingredients
Caramelized Plantains
Cake
Course dessert
Cuisine American, Cuban
Keyword plantain ginger cakes
Servings
Ingredients
Caramelized Plantains
Cake
Votes: 2
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Caramelized Plantains
  1. Slice plantains into slices of equal thickness. In a small saucepan, combine butter & sugar; cook until butter has melted & sugar has dissolved. Cook until syrup has thickened; add sliced plantains. Gently stir to coat plantain well. In the bottom of 8 ramekin baking dishes, arrange overlapping slices. Divide any remaining syrup between them. Set aside.
Cake
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  2. In a bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices & salt.
  3. In another bowl, beat the butter with sugar until light & fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time then the vanilla. Slowly add one third of the flour mixture & half a cup of the coconut milk. Mix until incorporated.
  4. Add the second third of the flour mixture & the other half of the coconut milk. Finish with the final third of the flour mixture. Mix until all the ingredients are well combined. The batter is smooth & fluffy. Pour the batter over the caramelized plantains, dividing it evenly between the ramekins.
  5. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown & a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean. Transfer ramekins to a cooling rack & allow to cool for 10 minutes. Loosen the edges of the cake with a spatula & carefully turn each ramekin upside down onto serving plates.
Recipe Notes
  • For something different, I decided to make my plantain cake in an oblong tart pan so I could cut it in 'fingers'. Use whatever baking dish you chose, the cake is very adaptable.

Turkey Thighs w/ Persimmon Sage Stuffing

Cooking turkey parts instead of the entire bird serves a few purposes. It not only cuts way back on the cooking time but it allows you to cook more of your favorite pieces. For dark meat lovers, roasted turkey thighs are the perfect option as the meat is succulent and flavorful without losing its moistness during the roasting time.

As soon as I spot persimmons in the grocery store I can’t resist them. Persimmons are in season between November and February. They are mildly sweet and juicy with a slight crunch reminiscent of a cross between a peach and a pear. Since there is only a short window in which you can enjoy this exotic fruit, persimmons make up for it by working well in both sweet and savory recipes.

In acknowledgement to the USA Thanksgiving today (November 25th), I’m stuffing some turkey thighs with an interesting dressing containing persimmons & fresh sage. I know most people have their own traditional, ‘go-to‘ stuffing recipes, but I’m hoping at least a few will venture from the norm and try a little persimmon in your stuffing. I can assure you, its worth it.

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 Turkey Thighs w/ Persimmon Sage Stuffing
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword turkey thighs w/ persimmon sage stuffing
Servings
Ingredients
Stuffing
Herb Butter
Turkey Thighs
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword turkey thighs w/ persimmon sage stuffing
Servings
Ingredients
Stuffing
Herb Butter
Turkey Thighs
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Stuffing
  1. Preheat oven to 200 F. On a parchment or foil lined baking sheet, spread out the cubes of bread. Bake for about 10 minutes, until lightly toasted yet still pale in color. Set aside. Turn oven off until ready to bake ready to roast thighs if you wish.
  2. In a large saucepan or pot over medium heat, add 1 Tbsp olive oil & 1 Tbsp butter. When butter has melted, add the shallot, celery & leek. Cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, sage, thyme & pepper; cook until mixture is fragrant, about 2 minutes.
  3. Pour in the broth and toss lightly until everything is completely mixed. Give the stuffing a taste & add salt to your personal taste. Fold in the beaten egg & cubed persimmons; toss lightly till combined.
Herb Butter
  1. In a small dish, combine all herb butter ingredients & set aside.
Assembly & Baking
  1. Arrange turkey thighs, skin side down on a work surface so they lay open & flat. Cover with plastic wrap, then pound lightly with a meat mallet to flatten to an even thickness.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  3. Discard plastic wrap; spread stuffing over 2 turkey thighs, leaving a 1/4-inch border around edge. Top each with a remaining turkey thigh. Butter a casserole dish with remaining butter & transfer any leftover stuffing to casserole dish, spreading it out evenly.
  4. Line a roasting pan with heavy duty foil paper. Grease foil on the bottom of pan & place the stuffed turkey thighs in roasting pan. Carefully spread HERB BUTTER over tops of stuffed thighs.
  5. Roast uncovered, basting occasionally, until thighs reach an internal temperature of 180 F. about 2 hours. Cover with foil if top browns too quickly. Bake the extra stuffing for about 30-40 minutes, until the top of the stuffing is golden brown.
  6. Remove turkey thighs from oven, tent with foil & allow to rest for about 5-10 minutes. Slice & serve.

Dutch Apple Pumpkin Cheesecakes

For Canadians, Thanksgiving is just a couple of days away. Even if the basics are the same across the country …. turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes …. every family has their own special twist they put on it somewhere. That could easily come in the form of dessert.

There are few flavors that say autumn better than pumpkin and ginger but why not switch up the traditional pumpkin pie for something extra special. I’m thinking, what’s wrong with combining a number of our favorites in one dessert!

Starting with a gingersnap crust for the base, then a pumpkin cream cheese layer topped with cinnamon apples. The thing with ‘Dutch apple’ (pie) that sets it apart is the crumb/streusel topping. So in keeping with the name of this recipe, I’m making a streusel topping as the final layer of our Thanksgiving dessert. Of course, you can always add a scoop of ice cream.

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 Dutch Apple Pumpkin Cheesecakes
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Dutch apple pumpkin cheesecakes
Servings
Ingredients
Gingersnap Base
Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling
Apple Filling
Streusel
Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Dutch apple pumpkin cheesecakes
Servings
Ingredients
Gingersnap Base
Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling
Apple Filling
Streusel
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Gingersnap Base
  1. Preheat oven to 325 F. Line mini cheesecake pans with paper liners.
  2. In a food processor, add gingersnap cookies & process until you have fine crumbs. Place in a bowl; add butter & mix until fully combined. Evenly distribute the mixture between the mini cheesecake pans. Press each one down firmly & bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven & set aside to cool.
Cheesecake Filling
  1. In a bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla & spice for 1-2 minutes until smooth & creamy. Add in the pumpkin puree & mix until fully combined. Turn mixer to low speed & add egg; beating ONLY till just combined.
Apple Filling
  1. Prepare apples & combine with cinnamon, sugar & flour.
Streusel
  1. In a small bowl, combine oatmeal, flour, brown sugar & cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly.
Assemble & Bake
  1. Evenly distribute the cheesecake filling over the gingersnap crusts. Top with apple filling then spoon an even layer of streusel over each cheesecake cup.
  2. Bake at 325 F. for 10-12 minutes or JUST until cheesecakes are set. Remove from oven & allow to cool at room temperature for at least an hour.
  3. Serve topped with a bit of whipped cream or ice cream if desired.
Recipe Notes
  • I have always loved Dutch 'Speculaas' spice so I used it in all 3 parts of the filling instead of what I listed in the recipe. It has a unique combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, cardamom, aniseed, mace & black pepper.
  • This recipe can be easily halved if 36 is too many for you.

Purple Yam (Ube) Tarts

If you follow our blog, you have probably noticed my love for ube (pronounced ‘ooh-bae’), the starchy vegetable also known as purple yam. This veggie isn’t just any old root vegetable. Although it is similar to taro & sweet potatoes, it is neither. Yams, for one, grow on vines, while sweet potatoes grow underground. Though ube is originally native to the Philippines, its become an international sensation for its unique color and sweet, starchy flavor.

There are endless things you can make with these purple yams. I’m keeping it simple today with some tarts, but I’m going to make a special ‘Breton Shortbread’ pastry for them. It’s hard to describe its texture – kind of a cross between cake & shortbread. When you first take a bite, there is a crispiness to the exterior, but then you reach a dense, almost cake-like interior full of buttery goodness.

Brittany is a region in the North of France, very close to the UK, with which it shares some traditions and cultural aspects. The region is famous for two of its local products: butter & sea salt. Breton is a Celtic language spoken, along with French, in Brittany, which is where this recipe originates.

There are many variations on the classic buttery, sandy-textured French version of shortbread cookies. The beauty of the Breton dough is its ease of mixing and shaping. In addition to using this dough for cookies, it can be used for dessert bases or tart shells as I’m doing today. It seemed like the perfect choice combined with ube jam topped with salty cheese.

Print Recipe
 Purple Yam (Ube) Tarts
Votes: 3
Rating: 5
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Rate this recipe!
Course Brunch, dessert
Cuisine American, Filipino
Keyword purple yam (ube) tarts
Servings
TARTLETS
Ingredients
Ube Tart Filling (BEST MADE A DAY AHEAD OF USING)
Breton Shortbread Tart Shells
Topping
Course Brunch, dessert
Cuisine American, Filipino
Keyword purple yam (ube) tarts
Servings
TARTLETS
Ingredients
Ube Tart Filling (BEST MADE A DAY AHEAD OF USING)
Breton Shortbread Tart Shells
Topping
Votes: 3
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
Tart Filling
  1. In a medium, heavy saucepan, melt butter. Add cocoanut & condensed milks; stir until heated. Add thawed, grated purple yam & combine well. Cook over a low heat.
  2. It is important to stir the mixture often during cooking to prevent it from forming a 'crust'. This process takes about 40-50 minutes until yams are cooked. The mixture should be thick & sticky. Transfer to a glass bowl, cover with plastic wrap (touching the pudding surface) & set aside to cool. Refrigerate until used.
Tart Shells
  1. In a medium bowl, cream butter with sugar, salt & vanilla; add the egg yolk.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour & baking powder; add to creamed mixture. Blend well.
  3. Preheat oven to 375 F.
  4. Divide dough into 48 small portions & place them in silicone muffin pans (it should not be too thick. No need to press the dough down as that will be done after baking).
  5. Bake shells for 12 minutes. IMMEDIATELY after removing the shells from the oven, press the middle of each shortbread with a small pestle. The dough then rises up the sides & a hollow forms in the center for the filling.
Assembly
  1. Fill cooled tart shells with chilled yam filling. Sprinkle with grated Edam cheese. Serve.
Recipe Notes
  • These are best eaten after filling the shells as they will soften overnight.