TWD: Devilish Shortcakes

I almost can't believe I'm going to tell you this, but here goes: I need a break from dessert.  The past two months have included more baking than I've done in a while, and I feel like a few day mini-break from butter, sugar, eggs, etc. is in order.  December is almost here, and that means intense Christmas cookie baking will be underway shortly, so it's the perfect time to step away briefly.  I've got a substantial backlog of posts to share so you won't even notice I've stopped baking, but I'm certain my body will thank me :) 



Before I gave my oven a break, I whipped up this week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe, which was chosen by Tania of Love Big, Bake Often - devilish shortcakes.  Over the summer we tried Dorie's recipe for tender (non-chocolate) shortcakes and they ranked among my favorite recipes from her book, so I thought these would probably be terrific too.  As an added bonus, I was pretty sure I could convince Shane to eat them so I wouldn't have to worry about finding someone to take them off my hands.  The shortcakes freeze well (before or after baking) which makes them a nice addition to your freezer stash, something to be popped in the oven when you need a quick dessert fix. 



The recipe was a cinch - whisk together dry ingredients, cut in the butter then add liquid to bring the dough together.  I scaled back to make just 1/4 of the recipe and wound up with 4 fairly large, rustic shortcakes.  I'd been warned by other TWD bakers that the shortcakes weren't very sweet, and they were right.  These shortcakes are essentially chocolate biscuits, and they're the perfect vehicle for any sweet addition you have in mind.  Were I going to eat them, I'd definitely have added berries and whipped cream, but for Shane there was only one way to go - ice cream!  I sandwiched a big scoop of cookies 'n cream ice cream between the cut halves and drizzled with chocolate sauce, and he was a happy guy.   

Many thanks to Tania for hosting this week!  You can find the recipe for the shortcakes on her blog here or on page 425 of Baking: From My Home to Yours.

Apple-Cranberry Pie

I hope you're not sick of apples yet because I have to share at least one more recipe.  It's taking me a long time to get through the 16 pounds of apples I bought back in October!  Luckily, they last for quite a while in the fridge so I haven't felt pressure to bake with apples every weekend.  Once cranberries started appearing in the store about a month ago I began stocking up on those too.  There's a 3-pound bag in my freezer now and I plan to pick up at least one more to get me through the holiday season and the long stretch between then and next year.  Cranberries freeze beautifully and it's such a treat to be able to bake with them year round. 



My stash of apples and cranberries came in handy when I stumbled upon this recipe for cranberry-apple pie in the holiday baking issue of Cook's Illustrated.  I needed a dessert to share at our Thanksgiving celebration with Shane's family, so I had the perfect opportunity to try it out.  I rarely make tried and true recipes when I bring dishes to parties or get-togethers.  It would probably save me a lot of stress and worry if I went with a dish I'd made before that I knew would turn out great, but I'm really averse to repeating recipes (particularly desserts) when there are so many out there I want to try.  New pie recipes make me especially nervous, as I've made more than my fair share of what I like to call soup pie - you know, the ones that you cut into only to find a huge puddle of juices and a soggy crust on the bottom?  I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best with this one.  It was still cooling on the rack in the car on the way down to Shane's parents' house so I had no idea what I'd find when I sliced into it.    



This pie is interesting in that the apple and cranberry fillings aren't combined; instead, they're layered in the crust one on top of the other.  The recipe indicated that the reason behind the separation was to keep the tart cranberries from overwhelming the more subtle apple flavor.  I also thought it looked pretty to keep the bright red cranberries distinct from the pale yellow apples.  Both fillings can be made ahead of time, which actually makes assembly pretty easy, as you could also make the pie dough in advance.  My crust didn't brown as much as I'd have liked in the oven, but the filling was, thankfully, perfect when I cut the first slice.  The cranberry filling is definitely on the tart side, but for me it was a nice counterpoint to the sweet apples and buttery crust.  Precooking the cranberries helps avoid a soggy bottom crust in the pie by ensuring they don't release a lot of liquid while the pie bakes.  Were I to make the pie again, the only thing I'd do differently is to cook the apples for the filling just a bit less - I wish they'd had slightly more texture in the pie.  The combination of flavors makes this a great fall dessert, but also one that would be just as welcome at Christmas as on Thanksgiving, I think :) 

Apple-Cranberry Pie
from Cook's Illustrated

2 cups frozen or fresh cranberries
1/4 cup orange juice
1 cup (7 oz) sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 1/2 pounds sweet apples (6-7 medium), peeled, cored & cut into 1/4" thick slices
your favorite double crust pie dough (there's a nice tutorial here)
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon sugar in the raw

To make the cranberry filling: In a medium saucepan, combine the cranberries, orange juice, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon salt.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the berries have completely broken down and the juices have thickened to a jam-like consistency, about 10-12 minutes.  Remove the pan from the heat, add the water, and let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. 

To make the apple filling: In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon salt and cornstarch.  Add the apples and toss to coat thoroughly.  Microwave the apple mixture on high power for 10-14 minutes, stirring every 3 minutes with a rubber spatula, until the liquid is thick and glossy and the apples have started to turn translucent around the edges.  Let the apple filling cool to room temperature.  (Note: both fillings can be made up to 2 days ahead of time and refrigerated.)

While the fillings are cooling, preheat oven to 425 F.  Place a rack in the lowest position and place a rimmed baking sheet on the rack.  Roll one disk of dough into a 12-inch round on a floured surface.  Line a 9-inch pie plate with the dough.  Spread the cooled cranberry filling in the bottom of the dough-lined pie plate.  Place the cooled apple filling on top of the cranberry layer, mounding it slightly in the center.  Roll out the second disk of dough to a 12-inch round on a floured surface.  Transfer it to the top of the pie plate.  Use kitchen shears to cut through both layers of pie dough, leaving about 1/2-inch overhang.  Fold the dough under itself so that the edge of the fold is flush with the outer rim of the pie plate.  Use your fingers to create a fluted edge or use the tines of a fork to seal the dough.  Brush the top and edges of the pie with the beaten egg white and sprinkle with the sugar in the raw.  Use a sharp paring knife to cut slits in the top crust. 

Bake the pie on the preheated baking sheet until the top is light golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.  Reduce the oven temperature to 375 F and continue to bake until the crust is deep golden brown, about 25-30 minutes longer.  Transfer the pie to a wire rack to cool for at least 2 hours before serving.

Stuffed Mushrooms

To those who celebrate, I hope you had a terrific Thanksgiving!  We celebrated part 1 on Thursday with my family and part 2 last night with Shane's family.  Both were lots of fun and filled with great food and family.  In between the two celebrations, I lost my mind and decided to do some Black Friday shopping.  Every year I talk about going out, then Friday morning 3 am rolls around, my alarm sounds and I turn it off and go back to sleep.  This year, though, I dragged myself out of bed - well, off the couch actually, I decided it might be easier to get up if I slept on the couch - and hit a few stores.  I did get some good deals so it was a worthwhile trip, but wow, was I ever surprised by the crowds.  All the stories I'd read about crazy shoppers on Black Friday were definitely confirmed :)


{photo staging on a large rock in my mom's backyard - work with what you have, right? :) }

So, is your fridge stuffed with Thanksgiving leftovers?  We didn't actually take anything home with us from Thanksgiving dinner, so we are sans leftovers (well, aside from the turkey I cooked last weekend).  I think I'm ready to move on to thinking about Christmas and all of the cooking and baking that goes along with the month of December (though I'm not giving up on pumpkin yet - I'll bake with it through at least the next few weeks!).  Whether you're hosting parties, attending parties, making cookie trays or sharing gifts of food, you'll likely be busy in the kitchen at some point in December.  Today, I thought we'd get a jump start on appetizer ideas.  It's nice to have a few easy appetizer recipes in your arsenal and this one fits the bill.  I love make-ahead recipes and these stuffed mushrooms fall into that category too.  You can prep the filling ahead of time and either refrigerate it separately (pop the mushroom caps into a resealable zipper bag, throw them in your fridge and stuff them the next day), or stuff the caps immediately and refrigerate the assembled goodies until you're ready to bake.  Stuffed mushrooms are fun because you can vary the filling in so many ways - this recipe is fairly simple with the filling consisting of the mushroom stems, onion, garlic, cheese and sausage, but you could use whatever makes you happy.  These were a big hit when I shared them at Thanksgiving on Thursday; I'll definitely be whipping them up again at some point this holiday season, though I also have my idea on this french onion soup variation!



Stuffed Mushrooms
adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks

24 oz white button mushrooms (3 of the small blue containers)
1/3 pound hot pork sausage
1 small onion, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup chicken stock (or dry white wine)
8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 egg yolk
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
2-3 tablespoons fresh flat leaf parsley, minced
salt and pepper, to taste

Wipe the mushrooms with a damp cloth to remove any dirt.  Pop out the stems and chop them finely, then set aside. 

In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the sausage completely, stirring occasionally and using your spoon to break it apart.  Once browned, use a slotted spoon to transfer the sausage to a plate to cool.

Add the onions and garlic to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes.  Pour the chicken stock (or wine) into the pan and use a spoon to scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.  Continue cooking for a few minutes, allowing the chicken stock to evaporate.  Add the mushroom stems to the pan as well as 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and pepper, to taste.  Cook the mushroom stems until they are tender and most of the liquid has cooked out.  Remove the mixture to a plate to cool.

In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese and the egg yolk.  Add the Parmesan cheese and stir to combine.  Add the cooled sausage, the cooled mushroom/onion mixture and the parsley and mix until everything is well distributed.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Refrigerate the filling to allow it to firm up - I made mine the night before, but 30 minutes - 1 hour is probably all it needs.

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Mound the filling into the cavity of each mushroom.  Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.  Let rest for a few minutes before serving. 

Cornbread & Sausage Stuffing and Butternut Squash Pie

So, tomorrow is Thanksgiving!  Is everyone ready?  I braved the grocery store this morning to pick up a few things, and surprisingly, it wasn't that crazy.  It was before 9 am though, so maybe it'll get worse as the day goes on.  As I've mentioned before, we're not hosting so I'm not preparing the meal myself.  We'll be eating dinner at my mom's house, and I usually bring one or two dishes each year, generally a dessert and appetizer.  This year I'm thinking stuffed mushrooms and an as yet undecided dessert, though it likely won't be a pie as those are pretty well covered already by others.

I think everyone has one or two dishes they really look forward to on Thanksgiving.  What are yours?  I've been talking to several people about this topic lately, and the most popular answer has been the stuffing.  Now, call me crazy, but stuffing is just about the last thing I put on my plate, if there happens to be any room after I've loaded up on veggies, turkey and cranberry sauce.  It's just never really appealed to me for some reason.  This year, though, I was tasked with making stuffing for our Friendsgiving.  Another of our friends typically makes it, but he had to work, and it was scary trying to step in and fill the void left by his stuffing, which is, in Shane's words, "legendary."  Not being a big stuffing fan, I've never made it, so I wasn't even sure where to start.



After a lot of research (cookbooks, magazines, Google, etc), I decided to try this cornbread and sausage stuffing.  I was surprised by just how easy stuffing is to make; it just takes some patience and time to chop and prep the veggies and herbs.  I used a recipe from Fine Cooking for the cornbread as well, and I'm so glad I did, because it's a new favorite.  Super easy to make, it's cooked briefly in a pan on the stove top and then finished in the oven.  It's unsweetened, and though I generally prefer sweeter cornbread, I absolutely loved this version.  Our friends really seemed to like the stuffing; I received several compliments.  Shane also ate it and liked it, which is saying a lot, as he generally won't try anything with this many veggies, particularly when he's stood in the kitchen watching me chop all of them, as he did with this one.



As I mentioned yesterday, I also wanted to share a butternut squash pie today that might be a welcome addition to your Thanksgiving meal.  I tried this recipe a few weeks ago when I was on a huge butternut squash kick.  It's a nice change from the more traditional pumpkin pie, though still incorporates many of the same spices so it's not vastly different in flavor.  The filling is made almost entirely in the food processor (or blender) so it comes together easily once you've got the pie crust prebaked.  The filling will be warm when you add it to the crust, which reduces the baking time.  If you make the filling in advance, you'll want to rewarm it before baking the pie.  I only caution you this - heed David Lebovitz's advice when he tells you not over-bake the pie - it will absolutely develop a big crack while cooling if you do (yep, I speak from experience).  No worries if it happens though, that's what whipped cream is for :) 

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday filled with delicious food and great friends and family!



Cornbread & Sausage Stuffing
adapted from Fine Cooking

3/4 lb hot Italian sausage (without casings)
3 - 4 tablespoons butter, if needed
2 cups chopped onion
1 1/2 cups finely chopped celery, including leaves
2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)
pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon kosher salt
8 cups cornbread (recipe I used here), cubed
1 cup chopped scallion
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup snipped fresh chives
freshly ground black pepper
1 - 2 cups low sodium chicken broth, as needed

Preheat oven to 350 F.  In a large skillet, brown the sausage over medium heat.  Use a slotted spoon to transfer the sausage to a paper towel lined plate.  Add enough butter to whatever fat is left in the pan from the sausage so you have 5 tablespoons in total.  Add the onion, celery, garlic, thyme, red pepper flakes, and salt.  Cook briefly until the onion is softened, about 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon and scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.  Cool briefly then combine in a large bowl with the cubed cornbread, sausage, scallions, parsley, chives, and pepper.  Toss to combine.

Transfer the stuffing to a baking dish.  I had enough stuffing to fill a 2.5 qt baking dish as well as a 7 x 10.5" rectangular dish.  Pour a cup or two of chicken stock over the stuffing - you want it to be moist, but not mushy.  Bake it covered until heated through, about 45 minutes - 1 hour.  You can remove the foil for the last 15 minutes of baking to allow the top to brown.

Butternut Squash Pie
adapated from Ready for Dessert, by David Lebovitz

2 pounds butternut squash, halved lengthwise, seeds removed
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
4 large eggs
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon brandy or Cognac

one 9- or 10-inch prebaked pie crust

Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment and rub generously with butter.

Place the squash halves on the prepared baking sheet and bake until the squash is tender, about 45 minutes. You should be able to insert a paring knife into the thickest part without meeting resistance. Remove from the oven and decrease oven temperature to 375 F.

In the bowl of a large food processor, pulse the cream, milk, eggs, brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, pepper, nutmeg, salt, vanilla and Cognac or brandy until combined. Scoop the flesh from the warm squash into a measuring cup - you want 2 cups of pulp. Add it to the food processor and pulse until the filling is smooth.

Pour the warm filling into the prebaked pie shell. Bake until the filling is just barely set in the center (it'll be slightly jiggly), about 30-35 minutes. If you overbake, the pie will develop a crack as it cools.

TWD: Almost-Fudge Gateau

Whew, short weeks like this one can really slip away from you can't they?  I had really hoped to share  a recipe for stuffing with you all yesterday, but instead I did something infinitely more fun.  Shane and  I went to the hospital to welcome a new baby into the world!  No, not ours :)  Two of our best friends had their first baby and it was such a joy to be a part of the celebration.  Congratulations Ben & Lauren!  Since I'm running out of time before Thanksgiving, tomorrow I'll be back to share the stuffing recipe as well as a pie that I think would make a great dessert on Thursday, if you're still looking for ideas. 



Today, though, is all about rich, chocolate cake.  Tuesdays with Dorie is doing a rewind this week, which means everyone has freedom to go back and make any recipe they'd like from the book.  I wanted something simple and something that Shane would help eat, and wound up choosing the almost-fudge gateau, a recipe that had been selected before I joined the group.  It's a single layer cake baked in a springform pan topped with a luscious chocolate glaze.  Though it will completely fill your sink with dirty dishes, the recipe is not difficult and can be whipped up fairly quickly.



Two quick notes about my experience with the cake.  First, as my cake cooled, the top developed a really crackly crust (the kind you crave on your brownies - photo evidence below), though oddly mostly on one side only.  Dorie says in the recipe that the cake will sink as it cools (which mine did) but I wonder whether the crackly crust was common for others who've made the cake.  The glaze is actually applied to the bottom of the cake, which was nice and flat, so no worries there.  My second "issue" was with the glaze.  Basically, to make the glaze you melt chocolate then add hot cream to the melted chocolate.  When I added the cream, my glaze got lumpy, and no amount of stirring produced a smooth glaze. 



These issues were definitely more cosmetic than anything else, as the flavor was exactly as Dorie described - moist, dense and very chocolaty.  I knew it would be too rich for me to enjoy more than a bite or two, and it was, but Shane was a fan.  I thought the cake was actually better on the second day.  No matter when you serve it, it'll definitely please chocolate fans.  Nikki of Crazy, Delicious hosted the week this cake was chosen way back in February of 2008.  You can find the recipe here on her blog or on pages 218-219 of Baking: From My Home to Yours. 

Chocolate Pecan Pie

Over the years, we've developed several traditions among our group of friends.  Without a doubt, my favorite is our annual Friendsgiving.  It's a potluck event the weekend before Thanksgiving that's been hosted by the same couple for the past 6 years.  Good friends and good food always make for a good time :)  This year I was tasked with making the stuffing (more on that later this week) and, of course, I also wanted to make a dessert.  This week's Sweet Melissa Sundays, chosen by Jennifer of Oh, Sweet Day, was chocolate bourbon pecan pie and as much as I wanted to participate, I was too nervous to make an untested recipe for Friendsgiving, especially since I was baking at the last minute and wouldn't have time to make a second pie should things go awry with the SMS recipe. 



So although I didn't make the chocolate bourbon pecan pie, I didn't stray far.  Instead, I chose a chocolate pecan pie I'd seen over on Kristin's blog a week ago.  Truth be told, I'm not big on pecan pie, but I know it's a favorite of many and I couldn't resist the concentric circles of pecans Kristin had created atop her pie (which I imitated on mine), they were stunning!  She'd vetted the recipe and declared it a winner so I felt confident it would be a good choice for Friendsgiving.  The pie came together easily with just a few bowls and spatulas.  Unlike many single crust pies, the recipe did not call for pre-baking the crust and while I enjoyed avoiding the hassle of pre-baking, my crust didn't take on much color in the oven.  Were I to make this pie again I might partially bake the crust before adding the filling.  I'm never quite sure what it means when a recipe instructs to bake "just until set" (most say until the filling jiggles "slightly" when the pie plate is tapped, but that doesn't really clarify things much for me) so I was a bit unsure about the baking time for the pie.  I wound up pulling it out at about 55 minutes mainly because the filling was cracking like crazy and seemed set.     



Despite my concerns, the pie was a hit at Friendsgiving!  The nice thing about it, especially for people who dislike nuts, is that the pecans only sit atop the pie so they're easy to avoid.  Adding chocolate to pecan pie definitely ups the deliciousness factor for me.  It was sweet and gooey, rich but not too much so.  It's a pie with a wow factor, and would surely make a great addition to any dessert table at Thanksgiving.     

Jennifer will share the SMS recipe for chocolate bourbon pecan pie on her blog today.  I still hope to try it eventually, but for now, you can check out the list of bakers this week to see how it turned out for everyone else.

Chocolate Pecan Pie
from Everyday Food, November 2008 (via The Kitchen Sink Recipes)

4 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups light corn syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 recipe Basic Pie Crust, rolled and fit into a 9-inch pie plate
1 cup pecans

Preheat oven to 350 F, with a rack in lowest position. 

 

Add the chocolate to a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of simmering water.  Melt the chocolate, stirring occasionally, until smooth.  You can also melt the chocolate in the microwave - I usually do 30 second bursts at 50% power, stirring after each.  

 

In a medium bowl, stir together (do not whisk) the eggs, corn syrup, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Stirring constantly, gradually add the melted chocolate to the bowl.  Pour the filling into the prepared crust.  Place the pie plate on a rimmed baking sheet then arrange the pecans in one even layer over the filling. 

 

Bake just until set (the filling should jiggle slightly when pie plate is tapped), about 50 to 60 minutes, rotating halfway through.  Let the pie cool completely on a wire rack, at least 4 hours (or up to overnight) before serving.

Butterflied Turkey with Cranberry-Molasses Glaze

When fall rolled around and I started thinking about Thanksgiving, I decided this would be the year I finally roasted my own turkey (we don't host, this was simply for fun/a learning experience - however you want to look at it).  I even put it out there in a post a few weeks ago so I'd be held accountable.  Turns out I know myself pretty well because I started to have second thoughts about the turkey as it came time for me to actually go out and buy one.  Suddenly it seemed like such a monumental challenge.  I couldn't back out though, right?  Not only had I publicly told all of you I'd be making a turkey, but I'd also mentioned it to Shane and he was really looking forward to it.  After visiting 3 stores last week, I finally found a fresh turkey that wasn't 20+ pounds (apparently not many people are making turkeys for just 2 people; for the record, my bird was just under 14 pounds) and got to work.   

I'd decided to try a recipe I'd seen in a recent issue of Cook's Illustrated, mainly because it called for butterflying the turkey before cooking it and that's a method I've become fairly comfortable with in the past few months after making countless chickens in the same manner.  I quickly discovered that butterflying a turkey is a bit harder than butterflying a chicken.  For starters, the turkey was 3-4x bigger than any chicken I've roasted.  That means the bones I had to cut through to remove the backbone were thicker, offering more resistance; an even greater challenge was trying to avoid spreading the raw poultry mess all over the kitchen.  I tried to keep it contained to one cutting board, but the surface just wasn't quite large enough.  I'd love to hear how you prep your turkey - really large cutting board or something else I haven't thought of??



So, long story short, wrangling the bird was not easy.  Everything that came after that though was a piece of cake.  Seriously.  If I'd known it was so easy to roast a turkey I would have done it a long time ago!  The process for this recipe does take a while, but just about all of the time is hands-off while the bird is either roasting or resting.  Don't be concerned if the skin doesn't brown much during the first few hours in the oven.  My skin crisped up beautifully, but it was still pretty light in color.  There's a great tip in this recipe about rubbing the bird with a combination of salt and baking powder before roasting, which really helps to draw out the moisture and aids in getting the skin crispy.  Browning will occur once you apply the glaze and pop the turkey back in the oven at a higher temperature.  One other note - I've included the instructions for the gravy below in the recipe, but I didn't actually make the gravy (laziness) this time so I can't comment on it. 

I thought the finished turkey was stunning - nicely browned with crisp skin.  More importantly, though, it was delicious!  The meat was moist and tender, which I attribute at least in part to the even cooking of the breast and thigh thanks to the butterfly method.  Though the glaze starts with more apple cider than anything else, we found that the cranberry and molasses flavors were the ones that were prominent in the end.  Maybe that shouldn't have been surprising given the name of the recipe :)  The glaze is the perfect combination of tangy and sweet.  I think we've got enough leftover turkey to get us through to Thanksgiving day, if not longer, but I doubt there will be any complaints about that.        
 
Butterflied Turkey with Cranberry-Molasses Glaze
from Cook's Illustrated, November/December 2010

1 turkey (12-14 lb)*, giblets and neck removed
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 large onions, peeled and halved

Glaze
3 cups apple cider
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1/2 cup light molasses
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Butterfly the turkey by first using kitchen shears to cut through the bones on either side of the backbone; remove and discard it.  Then, turn the turkey over and use the heels of both hands to press down firmly and flatten the breastbone. 

Use your fingers or the handle of a wooden spoon to carefully separate the skins from the thighs and breast of the turkey.  Use a skewer to poke 15-20 holes in the fat deposits on the breast halves and thighs.  Flip the turkey over (so the bones are facing you) and rub evenly with 2 teaspoons of salt and  1 teaspoon of pepper.  Flip the turkey back over and rub 1 tablespoon of salt under the skin on the breast and thighs.  Tuck the wings under the turkey then push the legs up to rest on the lower portion of the breast, tying them together with kitchen twine.  In a small bowl, combine the remaining tablespoon of salt, teaspoon of pepper, and 2 teaspoons of baking powder.  Pat the skin dry with paper towels then sprinkle the skin with the baking powder mixture.  Rub the mixture in evenly with your hands.  Finally, transfer the turkey to your roasting pan, skin side up. 

Create a makeshift roasting rack by placing 1 onion half under each breast and thigh (cut side of the onion down) - basically you just want to elevate the turkey off the bottom of the pan.  Allow the turkey to stand at room temperature for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 275 F with a rack in the bottom third.  Roast the turkey until an instant-read thermometer registers 160 F when inserted in the breast and 170 to 175 F when inserted in the thigh, about 2 1/2 to 3 hours.  Remove the pan from the oven and let the turkey rest (in the pan) for at least 30 minutes (or up to 1 1/2 hours).  Raise the temperature to 450 F at least 30 minutes before returning the turkey to the oven.

To make the glaze: While the turkey is resting, add the cider, cranberries, molasses, vinegar, mustard and ginger to a boil in a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is reduced to about 1 1/2 cups, about 30 minutes.  (Keep an eye on the glaze - mine boiled over when I turned my back.)  Strain the reduced glaze through a fine-mesh strainer into a heat-proof measuring cup.  Discard the solids - you'll have about 1 1/4 cups of glaze.  Transfer 1/2 cup of the glaze to a small saucepan; set aside. 

Brush the turkey with 1/3 of the glaze left in the measuring cup.  Return to the oven and roast for 7 minutes.  Remove the turkey from the oven, brush with half of the remaining glaze and roast for an additional 7 minutes.  Finally, brush the remaining glaze on the turkey and roast until the skin is browned and crispy, about another 7-10 minutes.  Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and let rest at least 20 minutes before carving. 

To make the gravy: Remove the onions from the roasting pan.  Strain the liquid in the pan through a fine mesh strainer into a fat separator - you'll have about 2 cups of liquid.  Allow the liquid to settle for 5 minutes then add it to the pan with the reserved glaze, discarding the fat.  Bring to a boil over medium high heat and cook until slightly syrupy, about 10 minutes.  Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter to finish the gravy. 

*I don't see any reason this method wouldn't work on a larger bird.  The main issue would probably be finding a roasting pan large enough to hold the turkey once it had been butterflied.

Cauliflower Gratin

I'm not really that picky when it comes to vegetables.  I'll try most anything once, and there are only a few things I don't like, with green peppers sitting near the top of that list.  That said, there are definitely some veggies I gravitate toward more than others.  Cauliflower?  Well, I think this is only the second time I've had it in my 31 years so that gives you an indication where it ranks.  I guess you could say I've introduced myself gently to this particular veggie.  The first time I prepared it earlier this year, I pureed the cauliflower to make faux mashed potatoes.  Here, we're basically making a really delicious macaroni and cheese but swapping the pasta for cauliflower.  I don't think you can go wrong when you add a creamy sauce, lots of shredded cheese (including my favorite, Gruyere) and a crispy topping to vegetables.  Maybe I'll get brave and try to simply roast my cauliflower in the oven next time I make it, but for now this gratin is the perfect vehicle.  The only thing the dish is lacking for me is color - maybe some fresh herbs sprinkled on top would help or, if you can find them, Deb over at Smitten Kitchen made the gratin with gorgeous purple and orange heads of cauliflower a few years ago.



Cauliflower isn't a veggie traditionally served at my house on Thanksgiving, but if it is at yours, I highly recommend trying this preparation.  The nice thing about a gratin is that you can prep it entirely in advance, stick it in your fridge and just bake it right before you're ready to serve dinner.  It also reheats perfectly if you'd rather go that route.  It might even convert some of your guests to cauliflower fans! 

Cauliflower Gratin
adapted from Barefoot in Paris, by Ina Garten

1 (3-lb) head of cauliflower, cut into large florets
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, divided
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups hot milk
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
3/4 cup grated Gruyere, divided
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup bread crumbs (I used panko)

Preheat oven to 375 F.  In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the cauliflower until tender but still firm, about 5-6 minutes.  Drain and set aside. 

Add 2 tablespoons of the butter to a medium saucepan set over low heat.  Once it melts, add the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.  Slowly add the hot milk to the pan (to avoid dirtying another pot, I microwaved the milk in a 4-cup measuring cup for 2 minutes).  Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking often.  Once the milk begins to boil, whisk constantly for about 1 more minute, or until thickened.  Remove the pot from the heat and add 1 teaspoon of coarse salt, the pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup of the Gruyere, and the Parmesan.  Whisk together until you have a smooth sauce.  

Pour about 1/3 of the sauce over the bottom of a 9-inch round pie plate (an 8x11 baking dish would work too).  Spread the drained cauliflower evenly in the pan then pour the remaining sauce over the top.  In a small bowl combine the bread crumbs and the remaining 1/4-cup of Gruyere.  Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the top of the gratin.  Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and drizzle them over the gratin.  Finally, sprinkle the gratin with salt and pepper.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is browned. 

TWD: Apple Cranberry Galette and Meeting Dorie Greenspan

                  (photo courtesy of Nancy of The Dogs Eat the Crumbs)

Last weekend Shane and I met his parents for lunch to celebrate his dad's birthday.  They'd seen an article about Dorie Greenspan in their newspaper (The Standard Times, for you locals - the article is also online here) and thoughtfully, brought it to share with me.  Later, when we got home, I sat down to read the article, and really enjoyed it.  Dorie visited the author's home and cooked a few recipes from her new book, Around My French Table, with her while they discussed Dorie's background, her hopes for the new book and even our "little" baking group (Dorie had very kind words to share), among other things.  I definitely recommend checking the article out if you have a few minutes.



The thing that struck me most about the article, though, was the author's comment about Dorie's "humble, charming, sunny persona" - she couldn't have been more spot-on.  Last week I was fortunate enough to meet Dorie at the lovely RJ Julia Bookstore in Madison, CT, where she spoke about life in Paris and read from the new cookbook.  Afterward she signed our books and chatted with each of us like we were old friends.  After reading the stories and baking the recipes from Baking: From My Home to Yours for years, I knew Dorie would be delightful, but her warmth and genuine happiness upon meeting each of us blew me away.  It was a real treat.


               Dorie made us delicious sable cookies!  
         (poor quality iPhone pic, but a favorite anyway)

Another highlight of the night was meeting Dorie's delightful husband, Michael, as well as fellow Tuesdays with Dorie bloggers Nancy of The Dogs Eat the Crumbs, Audrey of Food From Books, Mary of Popsicles and Sandy Feet, and French Fridays with Dorie blogger Rebecca of Cooking Lucia Cara.  Lots of thanks to Nancy for being the driving force behind the trip to Madison, CT and to Mary for her hospitality.



Ok, finally, on to this week's recipe, which was selected by Whitney, April and Elizabeth of Celestial Confections: cranberry lime galette.  I love galettes - they're basically rustic, no-fuss pies.  When I read through this week's recipe though, I was bit concerned about how tart it might be with fresh cranberries and lime juice and zest.  Early reports rolled in that the galette was delicious, but quite tart.  I didn't want to sit out, nor did I have time to fuss with trying to sweeten up the recipe, so I just winged it with my own adaptation.  My filling consisted mostly of apples (Gala and Granny Smith), some dried cranberries, lemon juice and zest, brown sugar and some fresh ginger.  I used half of Dorie's single crust pie dough recipe to make a mini galette, which I baked for about 30 minutes.  When it emerged from the oven I brushed the fruit with some of the leftover cranberry filling from last week's shortbread cake (hence, the pinkish/red color) for more cranberry flavor as well as a bit of warmed apricot preserves for shine.

I loved the crust portion of the galette - Dorie's pie dough recipe continues to be a favorite in the flavor category.  The filling was tasty- a nice combination of flavors, but a little dry.  Next time I might dot the fruit with butter before baking and see if that helps.  This time, though, a big scoop of french vanilla ice cream did the trick :)  Because the original recipe received such positive reviews I plan to make it soon too, I just need to find some tasters who will appreciate the tartness.  



Thanks to Whitney, April and Elizabeth for hosting this week!  They'll share the recipe on their blog today or you can find it on pages 364-365 of Baking: From My Home to Yours.

Mini Chocolate Velvet Bundt Cakes

Today is National Bundt Day, a food holiday I'm celebrating for the first time this year thanks to Mary, The Food Librarian.  She is the bundt queen, just check out her collection of bundt pans!  For the past two years she's posted 30 bundts in 30 days, with the final bundt going up on November 15th to commemorate National Bundt Day.  She extended an invitation for us all to join her in posting a bundt today and I'm happy to take part.  In a lucky coincidence, we're mailing out goodies for Secret Baker (a monthly event in which a group of us bake treats and send them to one another) today as well, and the theme just so happened to be bundt cakes, so my bundt is a multi-tasker :)



Originally, I'd planned to make this Buttermilk Cake with Spiced Vanilla Icing for National Bundt Day.  It attracted my attention last year in one of my baking magazines because it included my favorite veggie, butternut squash.  I never got around to making it unfortunately so it's on my agenda for squash season this year.  I even suggested the cake to Mary when she put out a request for bundt suggestions last month, and to my surprise she baked it just a few days ago (a stunning cake - I love the flecks of orange from the squash)!  Since she posted it so recently, I decided to find something else to make for today.  It was tempting to bake a cake that included fall flavors, but I kept coming back to this chocolate pound cake so I went in that direction instead.



Rather than bake a full size bundt cake, I made six minis.  This pound cake gets its deep chocolate flavor from cocoa powder, as well as an infusion of espresso.  No worries if you don't like coffee (I don't!), you won't taste it in the final cake; the espresso just enchances the chocolate flavor.  The cake has a really tight crumb yet is still quite tender.  The recipe suggests an optional dark chocolate ganache to dress up the cakes and I debated long and hard about whether to add it.  I wasn't sure how the ganache would hold up in the mail since I was sending the cakes out.  After soliciting some advice on Twitter, I wound up deciding to top just one of the cakes with the ganache.  That way if it didn't hold up, the recipient would still have other cakes to enjoy.  I'd also be able to get feedback from the recipient so I'd know in the future whether ganache topped cakes are a good idea to ship.      



Thanks to Mary for inspiring us all to get excited about bundts!  You can check out the 30 bundts she made last year here, and this year's collection here.  She's planning to do a round up of those who celebrate National Bundt Day today so keep your eye peeled if you're interested.  

Mini Chocolate Velvet Bundt Cakes
from The Art & Soul of Baking, by Sur La Table and Cindy Mushet

1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons, 6 oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups (8 3/4 oz) sugar
1 teaspoon water, at room temperature
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup (5 oz) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (2 oz) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
1/2 cup (4 oz) buttermilk, at room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Spray the wells of the bundt pan thoroughly with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt together.  Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium high speed until very light in color (almost white) and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl.  In a small bowl combine the water and espresso powder, stirring until smooth.  Add the eggs to the bowl with the espresso mixture and beat to blend.  With the mixer on medium speed, add the egg mixture about 1 tablespoon at a time, incorporating each addition fully before adding the next.  Scrape down the bowl occasionally.

With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture (dry, wet, dry, wet, dry).  Beat just until combined.  Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the bowl and make sure everything is well blended.

Distribute the batter evenly among the six wells of the mini bundt pan (about 1/2 cup batter in each).  Bake for 16-19 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Transfer the bundt pan to a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes before turning the cakes out.  Let the cakes cool on the wire rack.

Makes 6 mini bundt cakes

Cinnamon Sugar Biscotti

Biscotti are one of my favorite treats to make around the holidays.  They're good keepers so they make excellent gifts for friends and family.  Plus, there are tons of possible flavor combinations so they're infinitely adaptable.  This particular recipe stood out to me immediately because it was a biscotti recipe that did not include nuts, which is pretty rare among the many biscotti recipes I've seen.  I don't personally like nuts and I'm always a little afraid to put them in treats I'm giving to others, especially if I don't know how they feel about nuts or whether there might be an allergy.  That's not to say I haven't made the recipes that call for nuts and simply omitted them, but it's just nice to see one that was never intended to include them :)  My other big complaint about biscotti?  When they're so hard and crunchy that eating them without a beverage to dunk them in is practically impossible.  Thankfully, you won't have that problem with this recipe.  These biscotti are crunchy, but not dangerously so, and loaded with cinnamon flavor.  I sent most of this batch to Di over at Di's Kitchen Notebook and left the rest in Shane's parents' freezer when I was house sitting last month.  Pulling these photos out of my archives today has left me thinking it might be time to whip them up again.

We woke up this morning to find gorgeous blue sunny skies and promises of temperatures climbing to 60 - practically unheard of for November in New England.  We'll enjoy it while we can because I know it won't be long before we're standing out in freezing temps shoveling snow for hours on end :)  Happy weekend everyone! 



Cinnamon Sugar Biscotti
from Bon Appetit, December 1997  (as seen on Joy the Baker)

2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 325 F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add the egg and then the egg yolk, beating well after each addition.  Mix in the vanilla.  Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing only until everything is incorporated and the dough comes together.

Divide the dough in half.  On the prepared baking sheet, shape each half into a log that is 9 inches long and 1 1/2-inch-wide.  Space the logs at least 4 inches apart.  Brush the tops and sides of the logs with the beaten egg.  In a small bowl combine the cinnamon and sugar for the topping, then sprinkle about 2/3 of it generously on the logs.

Bake until the logs are golden and slightly firm to the touch, about 40-45 minutes.  Remove the baking sheet from the oven but maintain the oven temperature.  Once the logs are cool enough to handle, use a serrated knife to cut each log into 1/2-wide slices on the diagonal.  Place the biscotti cut-side down on the baking sheet and sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon-sugar topping.  Bake the biscotti again until pale golden, about 10-15 minutes.  Remove and cool on wire racks.

Chocolate Babka

A few weeks ago I was catching up on some blog reading when I came across a post from my friend Pamela over at Cookies with Boys for this chocolate babka.  I'd never had babka before, and honestly, I wasn't even sure what it was.  Luckily, a quick description was provided over at King Arthur Flour's site (the recipe source), which explained that babka is a traditional eastern European bread often shaped in a twist and topped with streusel.  This recipe is a simplified version, a good place to start I think.  The pictures drew me in and a quick look at the recipe revealed that it involved sweet yeast dough and chocolate - count me in!  I think I managed to restrain myself for about one day before I jumped into the kitchen and got baking. 



This recipe is not difficult, but here's my one warning - it's time consuming, so I wouldn't advise starting at 10 pm (thankfully I did not do that this time).  Most of the time is inactive - waiting for the dough to rise - so there's not a lot of hands-on work to do.  I think it's the perfect project for a lazy weekend day when you're just going to be lounging around the house.  And the payoff is so worth the effort.  This bread is fantastic!  It's incredibly tender and oh so rich and sweet.  There is cinnamon in both the dough and the filling, and while I didn't think it was overwhelming, I could definitely detect it in the final product (I'm only telling you this as I know some people aren't fans of the chocolate/cinnamon combo - I liked it).  The only changes I made to the recipe were to halve it and skip the nuts.  I'm already planning to make the babka again this weekend so Shane can try it.  I was house-sitting for his parents when I baked it the first time so he missed out on all the fun :)  



Chocolate Babka
from King Arthur Flour

(Note: There are step by step pictures over at King Arthur Flour's site, which are better than anything I'd be able to whip up so head on over there if you'd like to check out the process.)

Dough
1 to 1 1/4 cups lukewarm water*
2 large eggs
6 1/4 cups (26 1/2 oz) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (1 1/8 oz) nonfat dry milk
2 tablespoons instant yeast
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup (3 1/2 oz) sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
10 tablespoons (5 oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
(*Use the greater amount in winter or in a dry climate; the lesser amount in summer or a humid climate.)

Filling
1/2 cup (3 1/2 oz) sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup (1 oz) Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
1/4 cup (2 oz) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup diced pecans or walnuts, toasted if desired

Glaze
1 large egg beaten with a pinch of salt until well-combined

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine all of the dough ingredients, mixing just until everything is moistened.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let the dough rest for 20 minutes.  Then switch to the dough hook and knead the dough until it is soft and smooth, about 7 minutes.  The dough may still be slightly tacky. 

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise until doubled in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Gently deflate the dough, and divide it in half.  Set the pieces aside, covered, while you make the filling.

To make the filling: Combine the sugar, cinnamon, cocoa, and espresso.  Stir in the melted butter.  The mixture will look grainy and oily.

Shape each half of the dough into a 9 x 18, 1/4-thick rectangle.  Spread half of the filling over each rectangular piece of dough, leaving about a one inch border on all sides.  Scatter half of the chocolate chips and nuts over each piece of dough.  Starting with a short end, roll each piece of dough gently into a log, sealing the seam and ends. Place each log into a lightly greased 9" x 5" loaf pan.

Tent each pan with plastic wrap, and let the loaves rise until they're very puffy and have crowned about one inch over the rim of the pan, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.  Toward the end of the rising time preheat oven to 300 F.  

Just before baking, brush each loaf with the egg glaze; pop any air bubbles with a toothpick. Then, cut a deep vertical slash the length of each loaf, cutting through at least 3 layers.  Bake the bread for 35 minutes then tent lightly with foil, and bake for an additional 15 to 25 minutes (for a total of 50 to 60 minutes); the loaves should be a deep-golden brown.  You can verify the loaves are baked through by using an instant-read thermometer to check the temperature in the center of the loaves - it should be at least 190 F.

Remove the loaves from the oven, and immediately loosen the edges with a heatproof spatula or table knife. Let the loaves cool for 10 minutes, then turn them out of the pans onto a rack to cool completely.

TWD: Not-Just-For-Thanksgiving Cranberry Shortbread Cake

This week's Tuesdays with Dorie was selected by my good buddy Jessica of A Singleton in the Kitchen: not-just-for-Thanksgiving cranberry shortbread cake.  With a name like that you'd think I'd have noticed this recipe on one of the many occasions I've sat down with the book and flipped through the pages.  Somehow, though, it's never caught my eye.  Even upon a first read of the recipe, I wasn't terribly intrigued - cranberry jam sandwiched between layers of shortbread - not the kind of recipe that I'd be running to the kitchen to make immediately.  Boy was I ever wrong about this cake though; it may well be my new favorite recipe from Dorie's Baking! 



The first step in making the cake is to make the cranberry jam, which comes together in minutes on top of the stove.  In addition to cranberries, the jam includes orange zest, juice and even the orange segments (I highly recommend cutting the segments over a measuring cup to collect the juice that escapes so you can use it as well).  I cooked the jam with the minimum amount of sugar Dorie suggests, but wound up adding another 1/4 cup afterward as it was just too tart for me.  The aroma of the jam as it cooked was amazing and smelled just like the holidays.  Cranberry and orange pair beautifully and this jam was no exception.



As the jam cools, you can bring together the shortbread dough.  The dough is divided in half and encloses the cranberry filling.  I rolled the bottom layer out some but wound up pressing with my fingers to fit it completely across the bottom of the springform pan.  I was unclear on whether we were to use the entire batch of cranberry jam for the filling and in the end, I didn't.  I spread an even, thin-ish layer that covered the dough completely and stuck the remaining filling in the fridge for another day.  The top layer of dough is rolled and fitted over the jam then just before popping the cake in the oven, it is brushed lightly with water and sprinkled with sugar (I used turbinado sugar). 



I tried my first slice of cake a few hours after I pulled it from the oven.  The sweet, buttery shortbread was a great pair for the slightly tart cranberry filling.  I liked it a lot, but thought it was missing something.  I went back and read Dorie's serving suggestion in the book and found she recommended a scoop of ice cream to go with the cake.  So, the next day I topped my second slice with a scoop of french vanilla ice cream and was blown away - the ice cream completed the dessert for me.  Plus, overnight the texture of the shortbread had become slightly more doughy and 10x more delicious.  I was such a big fan I could easily have eaten this whole cake myself, but instead I shared with Shane's dad who emailed me to say it was a hit at his office too. 



One of the best things about this recipe is that it's so adaptable.  Dorie suggests an apple filling or any kind of jam you favor, and I think each adaptation would be as delicious as the original.  Many thanks to Jessica for helping me to discover this wonderful cake!  You can find the recipe on her site here or on pages 208-209 of Baking: From My Home to Yours.

Maple-Braised Butternut Squash with Fresh Thyme

When fall arrives I look forward to so many things, and I've talked about several of them here (apples, pumpkin, football Sundays...).  One that I haven't mentioned, which I just might love the most, is butternut squash.  My stepfather grows it in his garden every year and I eagerly anticipate the day he'll drop by with a big bucket of freshly picked squash for me.  If I store the squash down in my basement (think cool and dark) it keeps for quite a while (at least a month), though it rarely lasts that long since I could eat it almost every day without getting sick of it.  Most often, I peel, seed and cube the squash then roast it on a sheet pan in the oven with a little olive oil, salt, pepper and something to add a touch of sweetness - generally either brown sugar, honey or maple syrup.  My other favorite way to cook the squash is to boil it like you would potatoes, until fork tender.  Then I drain the squash and either mash it with my potato masher or give it a quick whir in the food processor, adding butter, brown sugar and maybe cinnamon or nutmeg for flavor.  Either way it's delicious!  



Last week I mentioned trying some savory recipes for Thanksgiving this year, even though Shane and I won't be hosting.  Someday I'm sure we will host the big meal and by then hopefully I'll have a stockpile of tried and true recipes we can turn to.  Since I adore butternut squash so much it was a no-brainer that I'd start with a recipe which incorporated it.  I found this one on Bon Appetit's site, and chose it for its simplicity as well as the technique it uses - braising!  I love braised meat, but I've never braised a vegetable.  Turns out it works wonderfully here with the squash!  The squash tenderizes relatively quickly and is infused with the flavors of the braising liquid - chicken stock and maple syrup.  This recipe was a definite hit here, and one I'd be happy to have grace my table at Thanksgiving :)

One final note - I know people avoid butternut squash because it's a bit of a pain to peel and chop.  If you really don't want to tackle it, most stores sell squash already peeled, seeded and cubed, which certainly makes life easier.  I had to learn to deal with whole squash since, as I mentioned, most of what I eat comes from my stepfather's garden.  I've included instructions and photos below (pretend the lighting in my kitchen wasn't awful the night I took these shots) detailing the way I find easiest to cut my squash.  Hopefully it helps!

Maple-Braised Butternut Squash with Fresh Thyme
from Bon Appetit, November 2010

(Note: I halved the recipe below and it worked just as well, though I did have to shorten the braising time of the squash to about 6 minutes (versus 8-10).)      

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
1 3- to 3 1/2-pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 1/4 cups chicken stock
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Melt the butter in a large, deep skillet set over high heat.  Add the cubed squash and saute for about 1 minute.  Add the chicken stock, maple syrup, thyme, salt, and pepper to the pan.  Bring to a boil then cover the pan and reduce the heat to medium, cooking the squash until it is almost tender, about 8-10 minutes.  Use a slotted spoon to transfer the squash to a large bowl.  Boil the remaining liquid in the pan until thickened, 3-4 minutes.  Return the squash to the skillet and cook until tender, about 3-4 minutes.  Serve.

Ok, so how do you go from whole squash to cubed squash? 



I start with a really sharp chef's knife - it makes a difference here, I promise.  The first thing I do is cut the top 1/4-inch and bottom 1/4-inch from the squash.  Then, I make a cut right above the bulbous part of the squash so I'm left with a long cylindrical piece and the bottom bulbous piece.  I do this mainly because I think it's easier to tackle the next step - peeling - with two smaller pieces than one large one.  I use my vegetable peeler to peel both halves of the squash.  Once peeled, I cut the bulbous piece in half down the middle from top to bottom to expose the seeds and pulp.  I've used various tools to remove the seeds and pulp, but most often go with either a metal spoon or my melon baller (here I used the melon baller, you can see it at the bottom of the photo).  After you've removed the seeds and pulp, it's easy to cut the two halves of the bulbous end as well as the top cylindrical piece into cubes and proceed with cooking the squash.   

SMS: Ginger Custard Pumpkin Pie

This week's Sweet Melissa Sundays was selected by Debbie of Everyday Blessings of the Five Dee's: ginger custard pumpkin pie.  As I sat down to write this post I reflected on the number of variations on pumpkin pie I've made since I started this blog. Two years ago it was the Thanksgiving twofer pie from Dorie Greenspan's Baking - a pumpkin/pecan pie combo, and while I'm not a fan of pecans, this pie was a big hit with everyone else.  I love that it marries two popular holiday pies into one, half the work and all the traditional flavor - brilliant!  Apparently I took a break from pumpkin pie last year - not a single one on the blog - but just last month I was back at it with a caramel pumpkin pie, again from Dorie Greenspan.  Another hit, a really intense, rich take on the original.  And today, yet another pumpkin pie variation, this one includes a ginger custard.  The thing that I find most amusing is that I've never actually baked a good ol', classic pumpkin pie.  Maybe I'll get around to that one next year :)



Our recipe this week was low maintenance and came together easily (putting aside the blind baking of the pie crust, a technique which I still can't seem to master after what feels like a million attempts and advice from some of the most experienced bakers I know.  Nope, I'm not frustrated at all :) )  This week's pie starts by letting fresh ginger and cinnamon sticks steep in a combination of milk and cream.  The mixture is then brought to scalding before being slowly whisked into eggs, sugar and salt to create the custard.  Finally, the filling is completed by whisking the custard into pumpkin puree (I used canned).  I halved the recipe and had enough filling for my 6" pie as well as one small ramekin.  I baked the ramekin for about 30 minutes, while the pie was closer to 50 minutes.  In retrospect, I probably should have taken the pie out a few minutes earlier, since it cracked ever so slightly as it cooled.  I resisted the urge to cover the crack with whipped cream, but it wasn't easy. 



My mom sampled the crustless ramekin and even though pumpkin pie isn't her favorite, she enjoyed it.  I thought it was delicious too - we both agreed the fresh ginger flavor infused into the custard really comes through in the pie, without being completely overwhelming.  I don't think you'll miss any of the other spices traditionally found in pumpkin pie which aren't a part of this recipe.  Many thanks to Debbie for hosting this week!  She will share the recipe for the ginger custard pumpkin pie on her blog today or you can find it on pages 196-197 of The Sweet Melissa Baking Book.