Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Mushroom and Blue Cheese Quiche




If you can make cupcakes, a quiche will be a piece of pie. NOT!!! I totally messed this recipe up once. I was bitterly disappointed. It was underdone and inedible. I cried because I was so upset that I wouldn't get to consume the delicious smelling thing I'd been baking for the past 35 minutes. But I didn't give up. A few nights later I tried again successfully. I looked up baking times and adjusted the recipe I'd found at Cooking.com

RECIPE INGREDIENTS
For Crust:
1 recipe Basic Pastry Crust Dough I, shaped into 3/4-inch-thick round, chilled
Buy a Marie Callender's frozen pie crust

For Filling:
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup chopped onion
8 ounces crimini, oyster, shiitake or other mushroom caps (see headnote), thinly sliced
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced

1 1/4 cups crumbled blue cheese
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon (scant) salt
Pinch of ground black pepper



DIRECTIONS
FOR CRUST: Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Roll out dough on wax paper to 12-inch-diameter round. Invert dough into 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Trim dough overhang to 1 inch. Fold overhang in and press, forming double-thick high-standing sides. Pierce crust all over with fork. Freeze 30 minutes. Line crust with foil; fill with pie weights. Place tart pan on baking sheet and bake crust until sides begin to set, about 20 minutes. Remove foil and pie weights. Bake crust until cooked through and pale golden, piercing with fork if crust bubbles, about 10 minutes longer. Cool crust in pan on cooling rack. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F.
Bake pie crust at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes.


FOR FILLING: Melt butter in medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in mushrooms. Cover and cook until juices form, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Stir in vinegar and garlic. Simmer uncovered just until juices evaporate, about 5 minutes. Cool mushroom mixture completely.
Sautéing.

Place crust in tart pan on heavy large baking sheet. Spoon mushroom mixture evenly over bottom of crust. Sprinkle half of blue cheese over.


I used Laughing Cow blue cheese for reduced fat (and cost). 

 Whisk cream, eggs, parsley, salt and black pepper in medium bowl to blend. 

Whisking. 
Slowly pour custard over fillings. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake quiche on baking sheet until puffed and golden brown, 20 minutes at 425 degrees and then 25 minutes at 375 degrees.

Transfer quiche to platter. Cut into wedges and serve warm.

Holla!

Monday, August 16, 2010

Cupcakes a la mode



Frosting that looks like ice cream! I saw this idea online from a bakery in Australia called Sugadeaux. I don't remember how I came across the image. The bakery puts something in their frosting called Chocolate Crackle. I opted for Heath toffee and almond bits in my frosting.


I used an entire bag of the Heath bits in a batch of standard vanilla frosting on top of the very easy, very delicious One Bowl Chocolate Cake cupcakes (same kind I used for the strawberry chocolate cupcakes in an earlier post). I chilled the icing to get it to set so it would be easy to scoop out with a little cookie scoop. The ratio of frosting to cupcake is perfect! 

Monday, August 9, 2010

Chocolate Truffle No Bake Pie

Look at that caramel seeping out.

Recipe courtesy of Women's Day. Gina saw the no bake dessert recipes at that link and thought we should try one. I'm hoping to try them all because they all look ridiculously delicious and easy.


Recipe Ingredients

    • 1⁄2 cup pecan pieces, toasted and coarsely chopped
    • One 6-oz ready-to-fill chocolate-flavored crumb crust
    • Caramel Layer
    • 3⁄4 cup (5 oz) individually wrapped caramels (17 squares), unwrapped
    • 1⁄4 cup canned evaporated milk (not sweetened condensed)
    • Truffe Layer
    • 1-1⁄2 cups (9 oz) semisweet chocolate chips
    • 1 cup heavy (whipping) cream
    • 3 Tbsp stick butter

Recipe Preparation

    1. Sprinkle pecans on crust.2. Caramel Layer: Heat caramels and evaporated milk in a heavy saucepan over low heat or in a bowl in microwave, stirring often until caramels melt and mixture is smooth. Pour over pecans.3. Truffle Layer: Heat chocolate chips, cream and butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat or in a bowl in microwave, stirring until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Pour over Caramel Layer and refrigerate about 4 hours until set.4. To serve: Pipe or spoon on whipped cream.Garnish with sweetened whipped cream.


I did buy a shortbread pie crust to put the pie in. It was good but too thin. I like a thicker, crunchier crust so next time I'd make my own even though that's more work and I'm really lazy.


I toasted the pecans in the oven for 7 minutes at 350. That was plenty of time in my oven.



I used Trader Joe's fleur de sel caramels. No, my local TJ's doesn't carry those year 'round. Yes, I did save ONE lone box of them from Christmas. (They were good through October.)

The chocolate truffle layer was soooo rich, even for me and my sweet tooth.



Have to let it chill for 4 hours before eating.

Chocolate puddle!


Next time I make this, I'd halve the truffle layer and increase the caramel layer by 50%. And maybe throw in a few more toasted pecans. Yessssss!





I still have so many recipes and photos to post and I need to hurry and get them posted because my Animal Crossing: City Folk game should be in the mailbox any day now and I won't have any spare time then!

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Broccoli Cheddar Cornbread

Okay so we have a guest baker this time and it's my boyfriend, Bryan!


Not only is he the lead singer and guitarist for one of the most amazing LA based bands, Just Off Turner (www.justoffturner.com) but he's also a hell of a cook. He adapted this recipe from that Down Home With the Neelys show on Food Network. His mom also makes a similar dish and you know when it's a mom recipe, it's gonna be good! It was a huge hit with everyone at a brunch we went to! NOTE- this recipe calls for a cast iron skillet but if you don't have one (and why DON'T you? They're amazing!) then you can always use an 11 by 17 inch baking dish.


Broccoli Cheddar Cornbread
  • 2 boxes corn muffin mix (like Jiffy)
  • 2 eggs
  • 2/3 cup of buttermilk or regular milk
  • 14 ounce bag of frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
  • 1 white onion, chopped
  • 1/2 stick butter
  • 8 ounce container cottage cheese
  • 1.5-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

-Preheat the oven to 375. Now you're going to melt the butter in a cast iron skillet. Saute the onions and broccoli until soft.




While you've got that going, prepare the cornbread mix according to the directions. This is where the milk and eggs come in. Bryan used buttermilk instead of regular milk and it came out delicious but you can use whichever you like really. Also, if you have a favorite cornbread mix, feel free to use that. The first time he made it he used the Trader Joe's brand but we both liked the Jiffy better.

I mean it DOES say America's Favorite.
Next, add the cottage cheese to the cornbread mixture. This is going to make it really moist and yummy! Now add in the cheddar cheese. Feel free to add a little more or less cheddar depending on how cheesy you want it. 

I like mine as cheesy as a Nic Cage movie!
Now pour the cheesy deliciousness that is the whole cornbread mixture into the cast iron skillet with the broccoli and onion and mix everything around. Sprinkle more cheddar cheese on top. Now put it all in the oven.

Now bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until it's a golden brown color on top. Get ready for a collage of yummy!


Yay! Thanks to Bryan for the recipe. Repay him by checking out some of his amazing music! Link again: www.justoffturner.com

If you want to be a guest baker, just send us a message on our facebook page or post a comment! http://www.facebook.com/pages/BaketyBakeBake/134901399874475?ref=ts