How are you ending 2009?

As the sunsets on 2009 and we head into a brand new decade, I realized I just had my last supper for 2009: seared Ahi tuna and shrimp cocktail loving made by my husband.  So tell me what was your final meal for 2010. 

Really.  I'd LOVE to hear your comments.  

I'm looking forward to all the new possibilities for 2010: new goals, new hopes, new recipes, new friends.  

And here's a new adventure for you...take the plunge and don't just follow me....post a comment, send me your favorite recipe of 2009.   

I can't wait to hear from you! 

Happy New Year! from one joyfully tired mom to another  ~ Laurie

Chocolate Cream Pie

Oh do I have a treat for my diary-free friends tonight!  I made some fabulous desserts for Christmas that I am so excited to share with you.  I can't wait to hear how they turn out for you too!

First, I made this incredible chocolate cream pie because this is my dad's favorite dessert, and, oh my! I can't even tell you how long it has been since I have had chocolate cream pie. Well, mainly because it is just that - - a cream pie.  And when's the last time you went to Marie Callendars and asked for a dairy free cream pie. Yeah. That's what I thought.

Girlfriends, get ready to indulge...

First, the crust.  Roll out your favorite pie crust recipe. I was lucky to have my mom work her magic for me:

Now the ingredients for the amazing pie itself.

• 14 oz. coconut milk
• 3 ½ tablespoons corn or potato starch
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 eggs yolks, separated
• 8 oz. dark chocolate 73%, chopped

*** Meringue ***

• 3 egg white
• ¼ tsp cream of tartar
• 3 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla

***Pastry for single crust pie ***

How to:

• Chop up your chocolate and add it to a medium saucepan with the coconut milk.

• Heat coconut milk and chocolate but do not allow to boil.
• In a small bowl separate the egg yolks and white. Set aside the whites for the meringue in another bowl.
• Beat egg yolks and set aside.
• In another bowl mix corn starch and sugar together, then whisk into hot chocolate milk mixture.
• Cook over low to medium heat stirring constantly until thickened. Remove about 1/2 cup of milk mixture and whisk it into the egg yolks. 

• Return that egg mixture back into the rest of the ingredients in your saucepan. Cook another 5-10 minutes on low heat until very thick.
• Remove from heat. Pour into a baked pie shell.
• Whip meringue.
• Cover pie with meringue while filling is still hot, and be sure to bring the meringue all the way to the edges. 

• Bake the pie at 300 degrees for 20-30 minutes until the meringue is light brown. 

• Cool and serve.   

My family was impressed and happily ate the whole dairy free pie! I can't wait to hear from you.

     Rejoicing in the Season! Laurie

Never-Fail Super-Moist Chocolate Cake

A mom recipe...how can you go wrong?    Note:   Do NOT use a mixer, hand mix only.  It will NOT turn out using a mixer.   Don't ask me how I know this, just believe me!

Mix together:
     3 cups flour
     2 cups sugar
     4 Tbsp cocoa
     2 tsp soda   
     A good dash of salt



Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add:
      2 eggs
      2 cups buttermilk  (*See note below for all of us that don't keep buttermilk on hand)
      2 tsp vanilla
      3/4 cup oil

Mix all ingredients together well -
Bake 350    30-35 minutes

(*Buttermilk exchange-  If you don't have this on hand, pour 2 tsp of lemon juice into regular milk and let sit for 10 minutes...works just as well.  Will work with rice milk, too.)


This recipe is what I used for birthday cake pictured below that I made for our Christmas party.   I used this frosting recipe.   All got rave reviews from the crowd eating it.

Christmas Gift Jar Cowgirl Cookies

Here's what I made for teacher gifts this year....

 

Aren't these too fun and fresh!  I picked up the idea from my friend Inger, who got it from Bakerella, who picked it up from a friend...after all, there really is nothing new on the internet...nothing new under the sun.

So I adapted it for me and my friends with fabric and twine. You can do the same for who ever is on your list!  

Ingredients:  

• 1 ⅓ cup all purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup & leveled
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup cooking oats
• ¾ cup m&ms, or less to make it fit
  
• ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, or less to make it fit
  
• ½ cup brown sugar, packed
• ½ cup white sugar
• ⅓-½ cup chopped pecans or less to make it fit
  

Directions:
Start with a 1 quart smooth Ball jar. Layer the ingredients like this:

• First: flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt
• 
Second: oats

• Third: m n m's
  
• Fourth: chocolate chips

• Fifth: brown sugar

• Sixth: white sugar

• Seventh: chopped pecans
  

Pack each level down super, super tightly. Super tight!  I couldn't make it all fit, so I went with just less than 3/4 cup of the chocolates in order to add the sugars and pecans.   Make sure your ingredients are to the top of the lid when you seal it up.

Below is what the gift tag says.... Bakerella has some cute PDF's you can download if you go to her website

Stir all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add: 

• 1 slightly beaten egg

• 1/2 cup butter (melted slightly in the microwave)
• 
1 teaspoon vanilla
• Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Use the back of a large spoon to work it all together. You may even need to use your hands to get everything incorporated.
• Then roll the cookie dough into 1 1/2 inch balls, place on a parchment covered baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven.

Sausage Sage Stuffing in the Crockpot

The wonderful thing about this delicious dressing is you make it in the crockpot -  - freeing up oven space;  and you can serve it straight from your crockpot - - one less dish to clean up and stays nice & warm throughout the meal. 

Three ingredients make this a unique dish, but are easily adjustable to your families tastes: rum soaked golden raisins, fresh apples, and sausage.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, melted
• 2 cups celery, chopped
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 1 tsp poultry seasoning
• 1 ½ tsp sage, dried leaf
• 1 tsp thyme, dried
• 1 ½ tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• 2 egg, beaten
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 small apple, diced
• ½ cup golden raisins, optional
• 1/2 cup rum, optional
• 12 cups dry bread crumbs
• ½ to 1 pound cooked pork sausage, optional

Directions:

If using raisins, cover raisins with about 1/2 cup rum and soak the raisins in the rum for at least 15 minutes or until you finish prepping the celery and onions.

If you desire a richer flavor, saute the celery and onions in the butter. Its a huge savory boost, but also more prep time.  Otherwise, mix butter, celery, onion, spices, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Stir to toss.
I've found I love to use the celery stalks with the leafy green intact as it addeds texture and nutrients to the dish.

If using sausage, add cooked sausage to spice mixture.

Add the chopped apples. I love the red flecks of color and texture the peeling adds. If you need to be sneaky about adding the apples, peel them.

Drain raisins, discard rum, and add to mixture. Save the rum and add to your coffee mug later in the evening.

Add beaten eggs and broth and blend together.  Homemade broth from a previously made bird can't be surpassed for flavor! But if you're short on time, I highly recommend this Better Than Bouillon as it keeps fresh in the fridge and mixes quickly in hot water...forget the cubes, that is so last year!

Place bread croutons in crockpot. Pour broth mixture over bread; stir to blend.

Cook on high for 45 minutes then reduce to low for up to 4 hours, or cook on high for 2-4 hours. Stir about once an hour.

Notes:

• You may want to add more broth depending on how moist you like your dressing and depending on what altitude you live at.

• Every crockpot cooks differently, so once you know the heat of yours, adjust the cooking time accordingly.

Molasses Christmas Cookies

No other cookies says "Christmas" to me than these delicious molasses cookies.  My mom made them every year while I was growing up, and I love, love, love the smell of molasses cookies filling the house. Now I get to bake these for my family.

Even better I use Spectrum Organic Shortening and I leave out the transfat.  If you haven't baked with Spectrum, you need to go down the health food aisle and pick up a container for yourself. You won't be disappointed!

So here's how you can bake up a batch for your family tonight!

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup Spectrum Shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup molasses dark
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp cloves, ground
• ½ tsp ginger, ground
  
• ½ tsp salt

Directions:

• Melt shortening in microwave or on stovetop, and let it cool.  Since it is literally freezing here in the NW, I cover mine with plastic wrap and set it outside while I mix the dry ingredients.
  
• Add sugar, molasses, and egg to the melted shortening, and beat well.
• Mix all dry ingredients together and add to liquids.
• Chill for an hour.
  

• Roll in balls, then roll in sugar.

• Space about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. I LOVE my Silpats! Do you use them???
  
• Bake at 375 for 8 minutes for chewy and 10 minutes for crunchy.

These go so fast in my house!

Note: It's really easy to double this recipe, and when I do, I use 1 cup sugar and 1 cup brown sugar.

          ~Christmas Blessings from Laurie

Dutch Baby

Denise's most recent post for Moon Babies made me realize I haven't shared this recipe with you sooner. It's a weekend favorite and so perfect for your holiday guests, especially topped with homemade Berry Syrup or Jam, and sprinkled with "Pixie Dust" (that's what we call powdered sugar at our house). This came from my dear friend Carol in Indiana and I couldn't begin to count the number of times I've made it since she gave it to me years ago.

Also, as a note, it is very easy to make this gluten free (GF) by using the flour of your choice, and dairy free (DF) using rice milk and a butter alternative.  Using flour other than unbleached white flour will give it greater density and not as high of a rise, but the flavor is still just as wonderful.

Prep time:  under 15 minutes easily

Ingredients:
choose your pan size and ingredients to follow

2-3 Qt:  1/4 c butter, 3 eggs, 3/4 cup each milk & flour

3-4 Qt:  1/3 c butter, 4 eggs, 1 cup each milk & flour

4 1/2 Qt: 1/2 c butter, 5 eggs, 1 1/4 cup each milk & flour

5 Qt:  1/2 c butter, 6 eggs, 1 1/2 cup each milk & flour

Directions:

• Place butter in pan and set in oven at 425 degrees and let melt while oven is preheating and you make the batter.
• Mix eggs in blender at high speed for 1 minute.
• Gradually pour in milk.
• Slowly add flour. Mix for 30 seconds.
• Remove hot pan from oven and pour batter into completely melted butter.
• Return hot pan to oven and bake until puffy and well browned, about 20-25 minutes.
• Serve immediately.