Crustless Pumpkin Pie

CRUSTLESS LIBBY'S FAMOUS PUMPKIN PIE Ingredients:
2 cups canned pumpkin or 1 15oz. can Libbys pure pumpkin
1 12 oz. can evaporated milk
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 large eggs
whipped heavy cream (optional)

Make the Pie:
        Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9 inch round glass pie plate with cooking spray or melted butter. Set aside.
        Add all of the ingredients into a blender. Blend until smooth about 1 minute, and pour into the prepared dish.
        Place the dish onto a baking sheet and bake in the center of the oven for 55-6o minutes until a knife inserted close to the center comes out clean.
        Cool completely. Top with a dollop of whipped cream.

Makes 8 servings. YUM!


LESSONS Learned:
1. Use pure canned pumpkin--in a lot of cases the "pumpkin" in those cans is actually some kind of large sweet squash such as hubbard or butternut. And forget the whole fresh pumpkin thing--steaming, mashing, and draining---I've done it and it's never worth all that effort. Stick to the can.
2. You could gild the lily by changing up the spices, or adding 2 Tablespoons of brandy, rum, or an orange liqueur. But at my holiday table, I never want any of my flavors to change or it doesn't officially feel like Thanksgiving.
3. This doesn't have to be a pie. You could make it in a square pan and cut it into square servings, or bake them in single portions in ramekins.
4. The whipped cream is mandatory for me.

Pecan Diamonds

PECAN DIAMONDS (originally from a 1970's Family Circle magazine)
For the shortbread base:
1/3 cup (5 1/3 Tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened (I use Land 'o Lakes)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour (I use Heckers)
pinch salt

For the pecan topping:
8 Tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/3 cup dark brown sugar, packed
3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1/3 cup honey
2 Tablespoons heavy cream
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans

Make the shortbread base:
     Place the rack in the center of the oven, and preheat it to 375 degrees. Butter or spray with cooking oil an 8" x 8" square pan, (I like a glass pyrex one). Cut out a 12 " x 12" square piece of parchment, and cut 3 " diagonal slits into each corner. Fit the parchment into the pan, (You may have to tweak it a little to fit). Set aside.
     In a medium bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until well combined. Add the egg, combine, and then stir in the flour. You can knead the dough a few times to get the flour incorporated.
     Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 13-15 minutes, until the dough is slightly puffed no longer shiny. Remove the pan from the oven and turn the temperature down to 350 degrees.

Make the pecan topping:
     In a small heavy bottomed saucepan, add the butter, 2 sugars and honey. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil, and continue to boil for 2 1/2 minutes more.
     Remove the pot from the stove and stir in the heavy cream. Be careful, because the mixture will bubble up. Return the pot to the heat and boil for 1 minute more. Remove from the heat and stir in the pecans, completely coating them. Immediately pour the mixture over the shortbread base. You can gently nudge the pecans around to more evenly redistribute them if you like. Bake for exactly 25 minutes. The topping will not be quite set, but will set up as it cools. Cool completely. Cut into diamond shapes. I cut diagonal lines 1 " apart and then vertical lines 1" apart to create the diamond shape. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Makes about 64 small cookies. YUM!


LESSONS Learned:
1. Make sure to butter or spray the pan with cooking spray before you line it with the parchment and then again after.
2. Don't over-bake the shortbread crust. It will still have time to bake more with the topping.
3. With the pan still slightly warm, you can gently lift the cookies out of the pan, parchment and all and place them directly onto a cutting board. Just let them COOL COMPLETELY before cutting them into cookies.
4. I like to cut off about 1/2" around all 4 edges first, so that all the cookies look uniform.

Extreme Creamed Corn

EXTREME CREAMED CORN with a SIMPLE MUSHROOM RAGU
INGREDIENTS:
For the Creamed Corn:
2 pounds of fresh corn kernels, cut from about 8 ears of corn
3 1/2 cups water
------------
3 Tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon salt or more to taste
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

For the Mushrooms:
1 pound button mushrooms, sliced about 1/8th inch thick
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste

Make the Creamed Corn:
        Place the corn kernels and water in a sealed container in the fridge overnight or for up to 2 days.
        When ready to use, place the corn kernels, their soaking water and the salt in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Place strainer over an heatproof bowl and drain the corn, saving the cooking liquid. Add the corn kernels to the bowl of a food processor and process for about 3 minutes. You want the kernels to be broken down. If it becomes too thick to process, add the cooking liquid a Tablespoon at a time.
        Return the mixture to the pot, add the butter, and more salt if desired, and heat through. If the mixture is too dry, add more of the cooking liquid. Alternatively, if it's too thin cook for a few more minutes.

Make the Mushrooms:
        In a large saute pan, heat the oil and add the mushrooms with a pinch of salt. Cook over medium high heat until the mushrooms have released their liquid. Then continue cooking until very browned stirring frequently, about 5-8 minutes. Season with more salt and serve over the corn.

Makes 4-6 servings. YUM!


LESSONS Learned:
1. Once you get the corn home, take a few minutes to cut the kernels off the cob and add the water. It needs to sit in the fridge overnight anyway. Up to 2 days is ok.
2. Save the cooking water to thin out the corn mixture, just in case. But you probably won't need it.
3. Want to eat your corn now? Skip the soaking part, and make sure to save the cooking water. The unsoaked corn will most likely need some extra liquid when you process it.
4. Both the creamed corn and the mushrooms can be frozen separately for a fresh taste of summer in the winter.
5. Wash those mushrooms! I know what you're thinking-- they'll absorb the water and wiping them with a brush or dry cloth is the only way to go--but Alton Brown disproved that theory.

gingerbread cookies

Martha Stewart's Gingerbread Cookies (slightly adapted)
Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour (I like Heckers)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper (optional, I omit it)
1 large egg
1/2 cup unsulphured molasses

Make the dough:
       In a medium size bowl, sift the flour, baking soda and baking powder. Set aside.
       In the bowl of a stand mixer at medium speed, cream the butter and dark brown sugar. Add the ginger, cinnamon , cloves and salt and mix until well combined. Add the eggs and molasses, mixing to combine.
       At low speed, add the flour mixture and mix just until all the flour is incorporated.
       Divide the dough into thirds, forming into one inch disks. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least one hour or overnight. This can be made and chilled up to one week in advance.

Make the cookies:
       Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line rimmed cookie sheets with parchment.
       On a floured work surface, roll the dough out 1/4 inch thick . Using floured cookie cutters, cut out as many cookies as you can. Re-roll the scraps and cut out once or twice more. Brush off any accumulated flour at the bottom of the cookies before placing them on the cookie sheet. Chill for 15 minutes, and bake for 10-15 minutes, depending on size, until the edges are lightly browned.
       Cool completely before decorating. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
Makes alot!....YUM!

LESSONS Learned:
1. You can make the dough well in advance, up to a week.
2. Make sure the dough is very well chilled. I make flattened one inch disks wrapped in plastic wrap, so it warms up faster and it's easier to roll out.
3. Roll the dough out on a good amount of flour, it's get's sticky fast. And, re-roll the scraps until all of the dough is used up.
4. Use parchment to bake on. Why make it hard on yourself?
5. These cookies will last forever, stored in an airtight container. So if you decide to make them this year, MAKE ALOT!

meatballs

MEATBALLS and TOMATO Sauce (adapted from Daniel Holzman's Meatball Shop)

The Tomato Sauce Ingredients:
1/2 cup good quality olive oil
1 cup medium diced onion
3/4 cup small diced carrot
4 cloves garlic minced
3 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
pinch red pepper flakes
2 28 oz. cans crushed tomatoes ( San Marzano, or Muir Glen)
2-4 Table spoons honey (optional
) 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt or to taste

Make the sauce:
       In a large oven-proof saucepan or Dutch oven heat the olive oil. Add the onions, and carrots. Cook until the onions are softened and translucent, about 8 minutes.
       Stir in the garlic and the tomato paste, and cook about 3 minutes until the paste is lightly caramelized.
       Add the bay leaf, oregano, tomatoes, and the red pepper flakes and bring to a simmer. Cook over medium low heat, stirring occasionally until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Add the honey, if desired, and salt to taste, and keep at a low simmer while making the meatballs.

The Meatball Ingredients:
1/4 cup Italian style dry bread crumbs
2 Tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 large egg
1/4 cup minced onion
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 Tablespoons water
1/2 lb. ground beef
1/2 lb. ground pork

While the sauce is cooking, make the meatballs:
       Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a medium size bowl combine all of the ingredients except the meats. Add the meats and mix with your hands or a fork until well combined. Using a 1 1/2 inch wide ice cream scoop, so they're all the same size, scoop out 20 meatballs, hand-rolling to make them round.
       Add the meatballs to the sauce, and gently spoon some of the sauce over the meatballs. Bring to a boil, cover the pot and place in the preheated oven. Braise for 30-35 minutes, until the meatballs are firm and cooked through. Discard the bay leaf. Serve with extra grated parmesan.

Makes 4-6 servings. YUM!!

LESSONS Learned:
1. A lot of recipes use a combination of beef, pork, and veal, for flavor, fat and tenderness. I have an organic, grass-fed butcher shop up here in Kingston, NY, Fleischers, and they don't sell veal. So I got their Bork--half ground beef and half ground pork. I think I like it better--the veal might make them too tender. But you could substitute the classic meatloaf mix, beef, pork and veal.
2. I like to combine all of the meatball ingredients except the ground meats first. That way I know all of the flavors will be evenly distributed throughout the meat.
3. Buy the tomato paste in a tube for the sauce. You only need a few tablespoons, and you won't waste a whole can.
4. For evenly sized meatballs, use an ice cream scoop to portion out the meatballs. And then hand roll them.
5. If you have a chance to get a recipe for something delicious, Grab IT!