Summer brings memories of circus, fairs, carnivals, street festivals, fleas, farmers markets and the foods that go along with them.

I’m talking Corn Dogs, Fried Dough (Fry Bread), and the sweet & salty Kettle Corn that you thought you could only have on a hot summer afternoon, while standing in line for the Tilt-A-Whirl!

Kettle Corn, made on a large-scale for the fairs & festivals, usually involves a dedicated machine, with big copper pots.  However, Kettle Corn is really easy to make at home.  The trick is to constantly shake the pot.  Constantly.  And remove the pot when the kernels are popping every 2-3 seconds, and then keep shaking.

It does take a bit of practice to get this right — the sugar can burn too easily, if the heat is too high.  Make sure you are on a medium setting, and use an old pot – one that has seen  better times.  Burned sugar happens and it is a pain to clean.

I hope you enjoy this as much as we always have :)

Homemade Kettle Corn

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup popcorn kernels
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, stir in the sugar and popcorn. Cover and shake the pot.

Keep shaking the pot during the entire cooking process, to help keep the sugar from burning.

When the popping slows to every 2-3 seconds, remove the pot from the heat, and continue to shake until the popping has stopped. This will really keep the sugar from burning.

Pour the popcorn into a large bowl, salt to taste, and stir to break up any clumps, and allow to cool.

Once cool, store in ziplock bags…if you have any left ;)

Enjoy!

Variations:

• Use brown sugar, for a “caramel corn” taste
• Add in a teaspoon of cinnamon
• Add in 2 teaspoons maple flavoring, and 1/3 cup of walnuts
• Add in two tablespoons of your favorite hot sauce.  After you’ve poured out the popcorn, sprinkle with Cayenne Pepper

Living in New York, there is absolutely no possibility of getting around eating numerous types of cheesecake — New York Style, Italian Style, French — creamy, gritty, sweet, savory.  As is usual for recipes, there are so many increidbly good variations, you just have to find one that suits your fancy.

The version here is somewhat light, not overly dense and incredibly creamy.  I serve it with a light raspberry sauce over top, but choose your favorite topping.

As is with most custards, in my opinion, this will taste even better after being refrigerated overnight.  It ripens, as it were.  Hey..it’s cheese, after all.

Enjoy!

Cheesecake, just out of the oven, and looking yummy, even if it is an awful picture..lol

Cheesecake

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons butter, melted
4 eight ounce packages of cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup milk
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1/4 cup flour

Before you start this recipe, please bring the cheese, eggs & sour cream up to room temp. I let them sit on the counter for about 1 hour or so.

Heat the oven to 350 F (175 C). Using shortening or butter, grease the 9 inch springform pan.  Put a pan of hot water into the oven.  I usually just use a 2 quart sauce pan, placed in the very back of the oven, filled with hot water.

Next….Melt the butter, and then in a small bowl, mix it until it’s combined well. Dump this into the middle of your springform pan, and spread evenly. Press the mixture with the bottom of a spoon, packing the cracker mix down. If you like, press a bit of the cracker up the sides a bit.

In a large mixing bowl, mix the cream cheese, sugar and milk together until smooth. Add in the eggs one at a time, incorporating each egg well into the mix. Add in the sour cream, and vanilla. Lastly, add in the flour. Mix well, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl to get everything well incorporated.

Pour the mix into the springform pan, and allow it to sit on the counter for about 5 minutes, until all the bubbles have risen to the top.

There are three options here for baking the cake:

• Put the cake directly into the oven to bake.
• Put the cake pan into a waterbath, and bake. (If you are using a springform pan, wrap the exterior of the pan in a few layers of foil, to keep the water out of the cake, and the cake in the pan).
• Put the cake directly into the oven to bake, with a pan of water on a lower rack.

I will admit that I do not always use a water bath, nor put a pan of water in the oven at all. I just put it to the oven.   However, because this “cake” is really a custard, it will have more of a tendency to crack, and the water bath (as well as the small bit of flour in the cake), will help to keep that from happening.  I have always put a pan of water on a lower rack while the cake baked. Your choice.

So.. choose how you would like to bake this… and then do so for 1 hour at 350F.

Once the hour is up, turn off the oven and let the cake cool there, with the door closed, for 5-6 hours. The better the cake cools, the more evenly it cools, the less cracking will happen.

Keep refrigerated for up to a week. Or, cut into slices, and freeze for up to a month.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Pie

Quick and easy to make, this ice cream cocktail can be “spiffed up” to be super fancy, or something just to surprise the kids on a spring or summer day.

Orange Juice & Vanilla Ice Cream Cocktail, for the Kids

Orange Juice & Vanilla Ice Cream Cocktail, for the Adults

Use any of the “Orange” flavored liquor that’s on the market.  Cointreau, Grand Mariner, Absolute Mandrin, etc.

The scent, and flavor of maple is one of my favorites.  I like to make oatmeal, with a touch of maple flavoring; add it to apples just before baking; warm milk with maple flavoring is just yummy, and numerous other recipes.

This one I made today.  I’ve made “blondies” many times.  I usually use chocolate chips and pecans.  But today I decided to use walnuts, white chocolate chips, and maple flavoring.

Maple Walnut Blondies

1 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans)
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks butter, melted and cooled (not cold)
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
2 eggs
4 teaspoons maple flavoring
6 ounces white chocolate chips (I use Guittard, if possible)

If you have the time, roast the nuts on a baking sheet at 350 for bout 15 minutes.  Cool before using.  If not, no worries.  Roasting gives deeper flavor, as the oils are already released. 

Line a 13×9 baking pan with foil, and then spray or grease well. 

Mix together flour, baking powder and the salt in a bowl and put to the side.

In a larger mixing bowl, combine the butter and brown sugar, and whisk together until smooth.  The sugar will still be grainy, but the mix will look smooth. 

Add in the eggs and maple flavoring and mix well.

Add in the flour mixture.  Don’t over mix — just mix until blended.  You don’t want this to be gluey or doughy.

Add in the nuts and chips.  Pour into the baking pan.  Bake at 350, between 22 and 26 minutes, until the top is shiny and cracked.  It should be a light golden brown.  Be careful not to over bake these, as they get dry and crumbly, and aren’t all that great. 

Allow to cool for about 15 minutes, and then lift from the pan by the foil edges.  Allow to cool and then cut into small squares. 

If you have any left over chocolate, melt it, and then before cutting into squares, drizzle over the top of the blondies.  Melt the chips in the microwave for 30 seconds, remove, stir, and repeat in 30 second increments, until the chips have melted.  Stir in between every time.  Then, using a fork, dip the fork into the chocolate and drizzle over the blondies.  Allow to cool, and then cut into squares.

Variations:

• Use Pecans and Chocolate
• Add in coconut (the unsweetened kind)
• Use the above recipe, with vanilla in place of the maple
• Use Hazelnuts and Hazelnut chips (I can only occasionally find these at the health food store)

This recipe is really similar to Williams-Sonoma.  I didn’t use dark or semi sweet chocolate, though, as I had milk-chocolate chips in the house already.  I also could not find “Peppermint” extract in any of my local markets, so I ended up using a genera “Mint” extract.

The original recipe has you melting the chocolate over a double boiler.  I find that to be a bit fussy, and so stick to the microwave method.  The trick to melting chocolate in the microwave is to stir it every 30 seconds, or it can burn or separate.

I made this for New Years Eve and everyone loved it.  Yummmy goodness!

Peppermint Bark

12 ounce bag chocolate chips, any – dark, semi or milk
16 ounce bag white chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/2 cup peppermint candy, crushed

Preheat the oven to 250F (121C).

Crush the peppermint candy.  I used about 10 candy canes when I did this.  I tried crushing these with a wooden mallet, and then ended  up putting the candy into a ziplock, and getting out the hammer!!  Do what works for you.

Line a 9×13 pan (cake pan) with foil.  Let the foil hang over the edges and wrap it around.  Spray the foil with non-stick spray, or, using vegetable oil, spread the oil lightly over the bottom of the pan, as well as the sides.

Pour in the chocolate chips and spread them out evenly.  Try to put them in as evenly as possible the first time, so you don’t get oil on the top of the chocolate.  Place the pan in the oven for 5 minutes.  Remove from the oven.  The chips will look glossy, but will be melted.  Spread the chocolate out evenly.  Place in the refrigerator until firm – 20-30 minutes.  Remove from the refrigerator and allow to sit for 10 minutes.  Remove any condensation that may occur with a paper towel.

Once the chocolate has been out for the 10 minutes, place the white chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl.  Place in the microwave for 30 seconds.  Remove.  Stir.  Replace and set for another 30 seconds.  Do that until the chocolate has melted.  Add in the peppermint extract and stir well.

Once the white chocolate has melted, pour it over the chocolate in the pan, and spread evenly.  Sprinkle with the crushed peppermint.   Refrigerate about 1 hour.  Lift the foil out of the pan and remove the excess peppermint and the foil.  Break or cut this into pieces.  For a more “formal” look, cut it into 2 inch wide strips.   You can store this in a cool, dry place for a couple of weeks or longer in the refrigerator.  Place the pieces in a container, layer with parchment paper and store tightly sealed.  This makes about 2 pounds.

Variations:

Replace the peppermint extract and peppermint candies, using a variation below:

Almond Bark – Use 1/2 teaspoon almond flavoring, and 1/2 cup of blanched, chopped (or sliced) almonds.

Cherry Almond - use 1/2 teaspoon almond flavoring, 1/3 cup dried cherries, minced, and 1/2 cup blanched, chopped (or sliced) almonds

Maple Walnut Bark – Use 1/2 teaspoon maple flavoring, and 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts

Cranberry & Pistachios – 1/3 cup of dried cranberries, minced, and 1/2 cup of pistachios

Toasted Coconut and Almonds – 1/2 cup blanched, chopped (or sliced) almonds, and 1/3 cup of shredded coconut

Other variations:

Peanut Butter-  Replace the white chocolate, mint and peppermint candies with  16 ounces Peanut butter chips and  1/2 cup salted peanuts

Butterscotch – Replace the white chocolate with peanut butter chips, the chocolate with butterscotch chips, don’t use the peppermint extract, and replace the candy with peanuts and broken pretzels

Enjoy!

Chocolate Covered Peppermint Patties

1 egg white
4 cups powdered sugar (10x)
1/3 cup light corn syrup
3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
cornstarch
12 ounce bag of chocolate chips (either semi-sweet, or milk)

Beat the egg white until frothy, but don’t let it get stiff.

Begin adding the powdered sugar, blending with a mixer, if you have one. A fast whisk if you don’t.

Add in the corn syrup and the peppermint extract. You will need to knead this with your hands — add in more powdered sugar if you need to, until the mix isn’t sticky.

Cover a surface with cornstarch, and roll our the dough until it is about 1/4 inch thick. Using a cookie cutter (think fun shapes for holidays), cut out the dough. If you use a 2 inch cutter, you should be able to get about 20. Set the cut out pieces on a parchment lined baking sheet, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. If refrigerating overnight, cover with plastic wrap.

Meanwhile, melt the chocolate. Use a microwave, and do short 30 second burts, stirring in-between, so the chocolate melts slowly, and isn’t broken.

Remove the peppermints from the refrigerator. Grab a second baking sheet, and line it with more parchment paper. Dip each piece into the melted chocolate (use a couple of forks, drop the piece in, lift out with the forks, and remove the excess chocolate by tapping the bowl. Place the peppermints on the parchment to cool. If this goes slowly for you, reheat the chocolate, again using the 30 second method, until the chocolate is melted again. Continue to dip the peppermints until you are finished. Don’t forget to lick the forks when you are done ;)

Refrigerate the peppermints for 30 or so minutes, or until the chocolate has hardened up. Wrap in candy wraps, and store in a cool dry area for up to 2 weeks.

Lemon Custard Cake for Two

1 egg, separated
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest (reserve 1/4 teaspoon of zest)
1/8 teaspoon salt
Whipped cream, optional

Preheat the oven to 325F (163C).

In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg yolk until light and fluffy.  Add in sugar, milk, flour, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt.  Mix until smooth.

In a second mixing bowl, beat the egg white until stiff peaks form, and then gently fold into the lemon mixture.

Pour the mixture evenly into two ungreased custard cups (6 ounce size).

Using an 8 inch baking pan, place the custard cups into the pan, and then pour boiling water into the pan to until the water comes up on the cups about 1 1/2 inches.

Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until an inserted knife comes out clean, and the cakes are golden.  To serve, place a dollop of whipped cream and garnish with the remaining lemon zest.

We (and by “We”, I mean my son and I), are trying to create some new traditions, and make new memories.  It’s been hard after the divorce to not be saddened by what /was/, and instead, be happy with with /is/.  And so I decided to do some new things this year, one of which is to make some different foods.  This recipe, though I have made it in the past on occasion,  is not something I would normally make.  First, I don’t often use refrigerator rolls, and second, it’s rather too much for the two of us.  But it is Christmas, and I did want new/different foods.

This version of Monkey Bread, aka Pully Bread, Pull Apart Bread, Picky Bread, Pinch Me Cake – whatever you may know it by, (and in the end, whatever it is you choose to call it), is ridiculously silly easy.  With the plethora of names this recipe is known by, there are 1000x that many versions of this recipe.  I bring nothing new to the recipe whatsoever.  It just happens to be what I decided to make, and to share here. Listed below the recipe are a few other versions.

With supervision (the caramel/syrup is just  too hot for little ones), this version of the recipe can be made by kids, and takes only about 10 minutes..maybe 15 minutes from start of prep to entry into the oven.

Quick and Easy Monkey Bread with Pecans

3 12-ounce tubes refrigerator biscuits, or rolls (like the Pillsbury type) (or a double recipe of your favorite yeast bread)
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cinnamon
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans (up to 1 cup, if you like, and I do!!)
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins, dried currants, or dried cranberries (or similar)

Open the tubes and remove the ready-to-bake rolls or biscuits.  The object is to cut each piece into 4 pieces.  I try and remove the rolls from the package all in one full roll, slice longways in half twice, making 4 long pieces, and then pull them apart into the quarter section.

The traditional pan to use is a “bundt pan”.  I don’t happen to have one, so I used a disposable aluminum pan – a double long bread pan

size. (as shown here). Spray well with ‘Pam’, or oil well with vegetable oil and set aside.  You don’t want to use a regular bread pan size as it is too small for this recipe – it needs to be double long.

In a ziplock bag, pour in the 1 cup of sugar, and the 3 tablespoons cinnamon.  Zip it closed and shake it to mix.  Put 1/2 of the cut up biscuits/rolls into the bag, zip to close, and shake until all the pieces are well covered. Put these pieces into the pan.  Get the remaining pieces ready to go, by putting them into the ziplock bag.  Shake them, and leave them in the bag for now.

Meanwhile, put the butter and brown sugar into a saucepan.  Stir often, and then, once the butter and sugar start to melt, stir until the sugar is dissolved.  Boil for about 1 minute.

Once this has boiled, pour 1/2 over the pieces in the pan.  Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of the pecans, and half of the remaining cinnamon.  Cover this with the remaining pieces from the ziplock bag, and pour the remaining half of the butter/brownsugar syrup overtop.  Cover with the rest of the nuts and cinnamon.

Bake at 350F for 40-45 minutes.  Once this is done, remove from the oven and allow to set at least 10 minutes.  Turn out onto a serving dish or platter.  This will be VERY hot, so be careful.

Notes:

• Use walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts — whatever suits your fancy
• I like this with a lot of cinnamon — it just makes it taste so nice — I sprinkle a bit extra over everything ;)
• I’ve doubled this fine, but used a large, deep double cake pan.
• This is good leftover, heated in the oven at 350 for 5-10 minutes.

Other Monkey Bread recipes of interest:

• Alton Brown’s version, Overnight Monkey Bread
• Various versions of Monkey Bread — with lots of variations, from savory, to sweet
• Cooks.com – lots of different versions and ways to make Monkey Bread

Copper Cookie Press

I remember so vividly making spritz cookies (spritzgebäck.) at Christmas every year.  I loved making the tree shaped ones, as well as the stars.  We always made trees, stars, wreaths, and camels.  And always used food coloring — red, green, yellow, and sprinkled them with sugar or decoration. What I especially remember was eating the trees — one little tree ‘section’ at a time, until all that was left was the very tip, where there was a shiny candy “ornament”.

I always enjoyed making spritz cookies, because of the many different shapes that were possible – mostly because I really dislike making rolled out cookies — they take way too long and you are never finished when they come out of the oven — you have to decorate every single one.  Spritz cookies, on the other hand, are yummy tasty, shaped nicely, and handled minimally.  A bonus for Christmas time, imo.

There are quite a lot of cookie presses on the market — everything from electric and battery operated, to hand crank, press, gun, and screw extruders.  I’m most familiar with the type shown here to the left.   The bottom twists off so you can change the shapes easily, and fill quickly.  It’s easy to clean, doesn’t have a ton of moving parts, and if the one I have is indication of the length of time these last, mine is just about 50 years old (my Gram gave it to me about 12 years ago).  Take a look in your mother/aunt/grandmothers cabinets, and you may find one similar to this.  I’ve collected about 40 different shaped disks over the years, so you may find a fun assortment.

Using a old press such as this is simple, but needs a good bit of wrist movement.  Choose the shape you’d like to make, and then fill the cookie press 2/3′rds full, packing the dough.  Insert the screw and tighten.  Place the press on the cookie sheet, and twist one full twist around, and then slightly backwards.  Lift, and then repeat until you’ve filled the cookie sheet.  If the dough is too soft (warm), it will stick.  Put it in the refrigerator for a few minutes (20 or so), and then start again, (careful -  if the dough is too cold, it won’t extrude.)  Press the cookies onto a cool cookie sheet, not one just out of the oven.

Cream Cheese Spritz Cookies (Spritzgeback)

1 cup butter, softened
1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg (yolk only)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

Oven should be set to 350F

Mix butter and cream cheese together well.  Add sugar, and mix until fluffy.  Add egg yolks, vanilla and lemon peel.  Mix well and then gradually add in the flour and salt.

Using a cookie press, press the cookies onto a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake for 12-14 minutes, or until lightly browned.  If you don’t use parchment, just use an ungreased cookie sheet.

Allow to cool about 5 minutes before removing from the cookie sheet, and then remove and cool completely.  These will keep fine in a tightly sealed container or bag, and freeze wonderfully.