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Peach Cobbler

From CI’s The Best Recipe

Filling:
2 lbs peaches (about 6 medium) peeled, pitted, and cut into 1/2″ slices
2 tsp cornstarch
1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar (depending on how sweet the fruit is)
pinch cloves
1 tsp vanilla (I tend to forget this)
1 tbs brandy (I leave this out)

Topping:
10 oz flour (2 cups)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbs sugar (divided)
4 oz butter (one stick), chilled, cut into 8 pieces
2.5 oz shortening (4 tbs), chilled
1/3 to 1/2 cup milk

Heat oven to 400F

Combine the filling ingredients, place in 9″ square pan. Bake ~20 minutes until the fruit is bubbly.

Meanwhile, make biscuit topping:

combine flour, baking powder, salt, and 2 tbs sugar in food processor. Pulse to combine. Add butter, pulse five times. Add shortening, pulse until flour is pale yellow and resembles coarse cornmeal.

Turn the flour mixture out into a bowl and fold in 1/3c milk, adding more milk if necessary. (I use the bowl and spoon from the peaches…a touch of peach and sugar in the biscuits won’t hurt anything!) Reserve any remaining milk for the next step.

Turn the dough out onto the counter or a cutting board and pat into an 8″ circle. Cut out nine rounds and place on top of the fruit filling. Brush biscuits with milk and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake for 25 minutes or until the biscuits are golden brown & delicious. Cool ten minutes and serve.

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Raised Waffles

Raised Waffles

Use a large mixing bowl…the batter will double in volume.
Put ½ cup warm water in the bowl and sprinkle with one package dry yeast

Let stand to dissolve for 5 minutes

Add:
2 cups milk, warmed
½ cup (I stick) butter, melted
1 teas. Salt
1 teas. Sugar
2 cups flour
To the yeast mixture and beat until smooth and blended

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand overnight at room temperature.

Just before cooking the waffles, beat 2 eggs and add ¼ teas. Baking soda and stir until well mixed.
The batter will be very thin.
Pour about ½ to ¾ cup batter into a very hot waffle iron and bake until they are golder and crisp.
The batter will keep well for several days in the refrigerator.

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Fresh Blueberry Sauce

1/3 c sugar
1 Tbs cornstarch
1 Tbs cold water
12 oz blueberries
1 Tbs lemon

Combine cornstarch and water in a small bowl.

Combine 6 oz blueberries & sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring and mashing until the berries are mostly broken down. Add cornstarch and boil for one minute until thickened. Turn off heat, stir in remaining 6 oz and lemon juice.

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Triple Caramel Cake

3 c heavy cream, divided
2.5 c sugar, divided
6 oz butter
4 eggs, room temp
10 oz cake flour (8 oz)
1.5 tsp baking powder
.25 tsp salt

Caramel:

Heat 2 cups of cream to a simmer, either in a saucepan or in the microwave.

Put one cup sugar in a heavy medium size saucepan over medium heat. Let the sugar melt, stirring the melted parts around so it doesn’t burn. When it gets a deep amber, take it off the heat and add the cream slowly…it will foam up. Return to the heat, bring to a boil, and cook gently for about five minutes. Any clumps of sugar will dissolve as you cook it.

Keep one cup out for the cake, put the rest in the refrigerator.

Cake:

Heat oven to 325F and spray a 12c bundt pan with Pam w/ flour.

Cream the butter with 1.5 cups sugar; add the eggs one at a time. Sift or whisk together the dry ingredients and add alternately with the caramel, starting and ending with the dry ingredients.

Bake 35-40 minutes until a skewer comes out clean; let rest for ten minutes on a rack and then unmold and cool.

Whip the last cup of cream and swirl in some of the caramel sauce.

Serve cake with sauce and whipped cream.

NOTE: The original recipe called for all-purpose flour and my mom and I discovered that with cake flour the cake will fall. THIS IS A GOOD THING. The cake comes out dense and delicious. When it doesn’t fall it doesn’t taste nearly as good. Towards the end of the baking time if it hasn’t fallen yet slam the oven door or pick up the pan and drop it a few inches to ensure it falls.

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Yellow Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache Frosting

From Cook’s Illustrated

Makes 12 cupcakes. Published January 1, 2003.

These cupcakes are best eaten the day they are made, but unfrosted extras will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. To double the recipe, use 3 whole eggs and 2 yolks, and double the remaining ingredients.

Ingredients
For Cupcakes
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (7 1/2 unces)
1 cup granulated sugar (7 ounces)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
1 large egg , room temperature
2 large egg yolks , room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For Frosting
1 cup heavy cream
8 ounces semisweet chocolate , chopped

Instructions

1. For Cupcakes: Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin/cupcake tin with paper or foil liners.

2. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add butter, sour cream, egg and egg yolks, and vanilla; beat at medium speed until smooth and satiny, about 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula and mix by hand until smooth and no flour pockets remain.

3. Divide batter evenly among cups of prepared tin using a #20 disher (3 Tbs.) Bake until cupcake tops are pale gold and toothpick or skewer inserted into center comes out clean, 20 to 24 minutes. Use skewer or paring knife to lift cupcakes from tin and transfer to wire rack; cool cupcakes to room temperature, about 45 minutes.

4.For Frosting: Bring cream to boil in small saucepan or in microwave. Place chocolate in medium bowl and pour boiling cream over. Cover with foil and let stand 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cool and slightly firm, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

5. Transfer cooled chocolate mixture to bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment; whip mixture at medium speed until fluffy and mousse-like and forms medium-stiff peaks, about 2 minutes.

6. Spread 2 to 3 generous tablespoons Chocolate Ganache Frosting on top of each cooled cupcake; serve.

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Classic Green Bean Casserole

Serves 10 to 12. Published November 1, 2006.

The components of the casserole can be prepared ahead of time. Store the bread-crumb topping in an airtight container in the refrigerator and combine with the onions just before cooking. Combine the beans and cooled sauce in a baking dish, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. To serve, remove the plastic wrap and heat the casserole in a 425-degree oven for 10 minutes, then add the topping and bake as directed. This recipe can be halved and baked in a 2-quart (or 8-inch-square) baking dish. If making a half batch, reduce the cooking time of the sauce in step 3 to about 6 minutes (1 3/4 cups) and the baking time in step 4 to 10 minutes.
Ingredients
Topping
4 slices white sandwich bread , each slice torn into quarters
2 tablespoons unsalted butter , softened
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 cups canned fried onions (about 6 ounces)
Beans and Sauce
Table salt
2 pounds green beans , ends trimmed, and halved
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound white button mushrooms , stems trimmed, wiped clean, and broken into 1/2-inch pieces (see illustrations below)
3 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
Ground black pepper
3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
Instructions

1.

1. FOR THE TOPPING: Pulse bread, butter, salt, and pepper in food processor until mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about ten 1-second pulses. Transfer to large bowl and toss with onions; set aside.
2.

2. FOR THE BEANS AND SAUCE: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Fill large bowl with ice water. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large Dutch oven. Add 2 tablespoons salt and beans. Cook beans until bright green and crisp-tender, about 6 minutes. Drain beans in colander and plunge immediately into ice water to stop cooking. Spread beans on paper-towel-lined baking sheet to drain.
3.

3. Add butter to now-empty Dutch oven and melt over medium-high heat until foaming subsides. Add mushrooms, garlic, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper; cook until mushrooms release moisture and liquid evaporates, about 6 minutes. Add flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in broth and bring to simmer, stirring constantly. Add cream, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until sauce is thickened and reduced to 3 1/2 cups, about 12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4.

4. Add green beans to sauce and stir until evenly coated. Arrange in even layer in 3-quart (or 13 by 9-inch) baking dish. Sprinkle with topping and bake until top is golden brown and sauce is bubbling around edges, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

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Hush Puppies

Ingredients

* 6 cups peanut oil
* 1 1/2 cups self-rising cornmeal (can sub 1.5c cornmeal, plus 1 Tbs baking powder)
* 1/2 cup self-rising flour
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 small onion, chopped
* 1 cup buttermilk
* 1 egg, lightly beaten

Directions

Using a deep pot, preheat oil for frying to 350 degrees F.

Using a mixing bowl, stir together the cornmeal, flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the onion. In a small bowl, stir together the buttermilk and egg. Pour the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients and mix until blended. Drop the batter, 1 teaspoon at a time, into the oil. Dip the spoon in a glass of water after each hushpuppy is dropped in the oil. Fry until golden brown, turning the hushpuppies during the cooking process.

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Pan Pizza

(From America’s Test Kitchen)

Toppings
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/8 teaspoon table salt
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (6 ounces)
mushrooms/olives/pepperoni/sausage/etc.

Dough
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (15 ounces)
1 2/3 cups water (13 1/2 ounces), room temperature
1 1/4 teaspoons table salt
1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
1 1/4 teaspoons sugar
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1. Place 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes in fine-mesh strainer set over medium bowl (I use a yogurt strainer). Let sit 30 minutes, stirring 3 times to allow juices to drain. Combine 3/4 cup tomato solids, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and 1/8 teaspoon table salt. (Save remaining solids and juice for another use.)

2. Mix flour, water, and table salt in bowl of stand mixer fitted with dough hook on low speed until no patches of dry flour remain, 3 to 4 minutes, occasionally scraping sides and bottom of bowl. Turn off mixer and let dough rest 20 minutes.

3. Sprinkle yeast and sugar over dough. Knead on low speed until fully combined, 1 to 2 minutes, occasionally scraping sides and bottom of bowl. Increase mixer speed to high and knead until dough is glossy, smooth, and pulls away from sides of bowl, 6 to 10 minutes. (Dough will only pull away from sides while mixer is on. When mixer is off, dough will fall back to sides.)

4. Using fingers, coat large bowl with 1 tablespoon oil, rubbing excess oil from fingers onto blade of rubber spatula. Using oiled spatula, transfer dough to bowl and pour 1 tablespoon oil over top. Flip dough over once so it is well coated with oil; cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let dough rise at room temperature until nearly tripled in volume and large bubbles have formed, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

5. One hour before baking pizza, adjust oven rack to middle position, place pizza stone on rack, and heat oven to 450 degrees.

6. Coat rimmed baking sheet with 2 tablespoons oil. MEASURE THE OIL. I eyeballed it the first time and it stuck badly. Using rubber spatula, turn dough out onto baking sheet along with any oil in bowl. Using fingertips, press dough out toward edges of pan, taking care not to tear it. (Dough will not fit snugly into corners. If dough resists stretching, let it relax for 5 to 10 minutes before trying to stretch again.) Let dough rest in pan until slightly bubbly, 5 to 10 minutes. Using dinner fork, poke surface of dough 30 to 40 times and sprinkle with kosher salt.

7. Bake until spotty brown, 15 to 17 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Using metal spatula, remove pizza from oven, spread tomato mixture evenly over surface, and sprinkle with shredded mozzarella and other toppings. Return pizza to oven and continue to bake until cheese begins to brown in spots, 5 to 10 minutes longer.

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Chocolate Frosting

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2/3 cup cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

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Spaetzle

I’ve never had spaetzle (homemade egg noodles) other than my own, but my husband requested it after spending time in Germany and swears it’s reasonably authentic. I tried once using a box grater and it was a miserable failure. I promptly ordered this spaetzle maker and haven’t tried anything else since. This recipe came in the package.

3 eggs
3 cups (15 oz) flour
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Beat eggs until foamy and then combine with milk.

In a separate bowl, mix together flour and salt.

Add flour mixture to egg mixture and stir until a thick dough comes together.

Fill the square basket of the spaetzle maker and place over a pot of boiling salted water or cooking soup. As you slide the basket back and forth, the tiny dumplings drop into the boiling liquid. When done, they will rise to the surface (about a minute). Use a spider to dip them out into a large bowl and toss with butter. Repeat until all of the dough is used up.