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The Great Chocolate Cream Pie Experiment

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After a less than perfect day at work all I could think of was chocolate cream pie.  A few days before this I had seen the movie Julie and Julie and all I could think of was the scene where Julie Powell who has also had a bad day decided to make chocolate pie.  “One thing I know for certain, if you add eggs yolks to chocolate, it gets thick.” She says while her husband eats the chocolate cream filling as it spills from the bowl into the pie shell.  All he wants to know is how long before it’s ready.
What I needed to know was how to make the filling.  After some searching and tweeting with my fellow food blogger friends I found a recipe that I thought would work with what I had on hand.
I did a search to see if I could find the chocolate cream pie recipe that was in the movie.  I did find a site http://www.movierecipes.net/2009/12/chocolate-pie/ that says it had one based on the movie but I should have known it wasn’t since the photo they used was one of a piece of cake not pie.  But I tried it anyway…..


The basis of the pie is thickened cocoa and sugar that you add egg yolks and milk to.  It’s all cooked on top of the stove then cooled and poured into a pie crust.  Sounds simple enough? Yeah, I thought so too.  But for some reason it just didn’t work for me.
My first step was to make the graham cracker crust.  There is some debate as to whether you should use a baked pie shell or a graham cracker crust.  To me this is all personal preference, and I prefer a graham cracker crust.  They’re easy enough to make.  Put broken graham crackers, sugar and some melted butter into a food processor until the mixture becomes easy to form. 
Put the graham cracker crumbs into a pie shell and firm it down.  I’ve found using the bottom of a measuring cup helps.
Now it was time to make the filling.  I had only 2 large eggs and the recipe called for 3.  
 I followed the recipe to a “T” up until adding the egg yolks.  Since I only had 2 large ones my husband decided he would go to the store and get more eggs.  The pudding was starting to thicken while he was gone but I decided to add the last egg yolk.  That’s when it all went wrong.  After I added the last egg yolk, the filling stopped thickening all together.  Not sure why.  I took the filling off the stove and let it cool, still did not thicken. 

 

So I took the heavy cream that I going to whip for the topping and whipped it and added it to the filling.  Better but still not set.
The next day I tried some.  Couldn’t slice it, it was too loose so I took a spoon and scooped some out.  Couldn’t even take a photo of it, it looked like a spoonful of pudding on a plate.  But it did taste good.  So lesson learned.  Sometimes when you want something so badly and you get it, maybe it’s not what you should have had in the first place. Or maybe even if it’s not perfect it’s okay as long as it tastes good.
Here’s the recipe I used.  If you dare try it, please feel free to let me know your results.
3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1/3 cup flour
1 cup sugar
3 egg yolks
1 cup water divided
2/3 cup milk
2 Tablespoons butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
baked pie crust or graham cracker crust – 9 inch
1. Mix cocoa and flour in the top of a double boiler over hot water and whisk in about half of the water, just enough to make a smooth paste.
2. Blend in the sugar and the beaten egg yolks and add the remaining water and milk.  Cook over low until thick; add butter and vanilla.  Pour into pie crust.  Top with whipped cream  and chill thoroughly.
Cook time: 15 minutes — Serves 8.
I cooked my pudding for a lot longer than 15 minutes and it still didn’t get thick.  I guess the next time I want chocolate pie I’ll head over to the frozen case or try again using a box of old fashioned cooked pudding.
Have an cooking experiment you’d like share?
Have a fool proof chocolate cream pie recipe?



Mamatoga Monday- Thanksgiving Traditions Sometimes Change

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Thanksgiving is one the most special and unique of holidays.  It’s time for family to come together and spend time enjoying each other’s company and catching up on each other’s lives around the table.  Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays. Although my family was never one of those families that held hands and told each other why we were thankful.  But we did share lots of food and laughs around the table together.

Our Thanksgivings have changed over the last 7 years or so.  My father and mother have both passed away and we made our major life change and moved over 1500 miles away from our hometown.  But all in all we’ve created new traditions, with our smaller family of just the 4 of us.  I usually make some sort of appetizers, this year will be stuffed mushroom caps and a soup, probably French onion or pumpkin.  

Pumpkin soup- recipe in previous post.



Then this year I’ve decided to order my Thanksgiving dinner from a local grocery store – Hannaford.  Sounds a little strange for someone who writes a food blog to order out her Thanksgiving dinner but this year we had extenuating circumstances.  My mother in law had been in the hospital and my husband wasn’t sure if he would be here in NY with us or in MO with her for Thanksgiving. So I thought it would be more practical to order the dinner as well as simpler too.

 I would have loved to make a big turkey with my mom’s recipe for sage dressing along with loads of fresh baked breads and tons of pies, but it just didn’t seem realistic this year.  Sometimes life gets in the way of traditions.  Sometimes new traditions are born out of life’s happenings.  Our daughter was born the week before Thanksgiving which meant that it wasn’t practical for me to host the dinner all by myself so we did it pot luck style.  My mom made the turkey and dressing which became a tradition for many years after that.  I made the bread and the pies and others were responsible for all the other sides.  This always worked for us.   When we decided to have the dinner at my sister’s house, which was about 30 minutes away, we would pack up the roaster filled with the cooked turkey and dressing along with the fresh baked breads and pies.  




It was all we could do not to pull over and have a picnic, the delicious scent was too much. I still have the roaster that my mom made the turkey and dressing in along with the recipe and have used it on many Thanksgivings.
Since my parents have passed away, we’ve moved and children have had children (my brother and sister both have grandchildren) new traditions have been born out of necessity.  We’re not as close as we once were.  We’ve raised our families with 1500 miles between us, but still on Thanksgiving I still feel my family near me.  The four of us sit here at our table in NY and through the power of the internet we can “talk” to our families on our computers.  Share what we ate, share what’s been happening, even see the newest members of the family.  I know it’s not the same as being there, but it’s close.  Just like ordering my Thanksgiving dinner – not the same as cooking it, but it’s close.
Next Monday I’ll have a review of the dinner with pictures.

Hope everyone has a blessed and wonderful Thanksgiving.  
Remember: Wear your stretchy pants!
































Thanksgiving Starter — Curried Pumpkin Soup

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It’s that time again — Thanksgiving.  Every foodies favorite holiday.  Food Network and their blog FN Dish decided to celebrate by asking foodies to share their favorite Thanksgiving recipe and to “pull up a chair” to their virtual Thanksgiving table.  After this post there will be links to the participants and their recipes, so that you can pull up a chair with us.

My family prefers a traditional Thanksgiving, especially since we moved so far from our family and friends and haven’t had Thanksgiving with our extended family in five years.  When we lived in St. Louis with our family a traditional Thanksgiving consisted of roast turkey (made by my mom) and sage stuffing (also made by my mom), home made bread (made by me), pies – usually pumpkin, pecan, apple and possibly chocolate (also made by me) and then all the sides — green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes (usually made by my brother in law), and various other vegetables.  I love cranberry sauce, but I prefer the kind that comes out of the can and stays in the shape of the can.  Gross to some people, a fond childhood memory for me.
But in recent years we’ve expanded our Thanksgiving horizons and have added a few new traditions.  One of those being pumpkin soup.  I’ve made pumpkin soup with cream, with craisin and apple topping and most recently curried.
When my husband said that he needed an appetizer for his office Thanksgiving pot luck I thought that this soup might be the perfect choice.
I did an internet search to come up with a basic pumpkin soup recipe that I could give my own twist — the way I like to cook.  I found one on www.epicurious.com that had some exotic ingredients but the basic soup I could do.

With a few simple ingredients you can create an amazing soup that will get all your guests ready for the big meal.
To Make Curried Pumpkin Soup You’ll Need:
Olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, grated or minced
1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, grated or finely minced
curry powder
salt
pepper
3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
6 cups of chicken broth or 4 cans
1 large can of pure pumpkin (not pie filling)
1 can Thai coconut milk
In a large stock pot heat enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Turn heat to low sweat the onions until they are translucent. Add the grated garlic and ginger. 
TIP:  To grate the garlic and ginger a microplane works best.  If you don’t have a microplane then mince the garlic as fine as you can using a knife.
Cook until fragrant.  Season with curry powder, salt and pepper.  
TIP: I bought an all ready blended curry powder but you can make your own curry powder blend by combining cumin, corriander and cardamom.
Add the broth and cook the stock for an hour or until the stock is flavorful and rich. Add the pumpkin and stir to combine.  Add the coconut milk.  When the soup is heated At this point the soup can be served or cooled and stored in fridge until Thanksgiving day.
As far as my husband’s pot luck went-  the soup was a big HIT!!!  And it will be at your Thanksgiving get together.
Links from the participants (bloggers, cooks and chefs) of Pull Up a Chair.  You can also tweet about your favorites, your luck with these amazing recipes or to just share your Thanksgiving traditions @pullupachair.  Check out the list.  Lots of amazing recipes to try.
Cocktails, Appetizers, Soups and Salads

Sweet Life Bake:  Pumpkin Margarita
Easy Peasy Organic: Thanksgiving Ginger Cocktail
Dishin and Dishes: Easy Peasy Organic:
Mooshu Jenne:  Green Salad
Jones is Hungry: Roasted Vegetable Salad 

MAINS

My Angel’s Allergies: Cranberry-Glazed Cornish Hens

SIDES

Cafe Terra Blog: Cranberry Pumpkin Stuffing
The Sensitive Epicure:  Oyster Dressing and Gravy
What’s Gaby Cooking: Rustic Herb Skillet Stuffing
The Cultural Dish:  Cranberry Sauce

DESSERTS

I Am Baker:  Pumpkin Cake
Ladles and Jelly Spoons: Not Your Same Old Pumpkin Pie
Daydreamer Desserts:  Cuban Diplomatic Pudding
Daydreamer Desserts:  Cuban Diplomatic Pudding
Thursday Night Dinner:   Red Wine Chocolate Cake
Napa Farmhouse 1885:  Caramel Apple Pie


Mamatoga Monday Recipe-Dinner's Waiting, A Crock Pot Recipe

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The weather is getting cooler but that doesn’t mean that you’re any less busy.  Kids still have activities to be driven to, you have to work and still try to get a hot meal on the table.  The solution?  A crock pot.

There are lots of different dishes that can be made in a crock pot so that dinner is waiting for you when you get home.  With a little planning you can adapt recipes to be cooked in the slow cooker.  What I decided for this blog post was to do Beef Stew in the crock pot.  It’s always a family favorite.
The recipe I used is from the Better Homes and Gardens book called Crockery Cookbook.  There are actually two recipes for beef stew, I used the one that has a little more prep time but will give tips in the recipe to cut down on prep.
I used a roast and cut up one pound of it instead of buying stew meat.  I just couldn’t see the sense in paying $7.99 a pound for stew meat when I could buy a huge roast for $2.49 a pound.

To make Crock pot Beef Stew:

2 Tablespoons flour
1 pound beef or pork stew meat cut into one inch cubes.
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 /2 cups cubed peeled potatoes
2 cups sliced carrots
1 cup celery
1/2 cup chopped onions
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 1/2 cups beef broth

1.  Place the flour in a plastic bag.  (I seasoned the flour with salt and pepper)  Add the meat cubes a few at a time to coat the meat with flour.  In a large skillet brown meat, half at a time in hot oil.

2. Meanwhile in the bottom of a 3 1/3- 4 quart crock pot layer potatoes, carrots, celery and onion.  Add garlic, basil and thyme; add meat.

3. Pour broth into the skillet that you browned the meat in, scraping up the brown bits.  Pour over the ingredients in the crock pot.

4.  Cover; cook on low setting for 7 to 8 hours or on high setting for 3 1/2 – 4 1/2 hours or until meat and vegetables are tender.

Here’s the tips for easy prep:

If you don’t want to have to flour the meat and brown it first you can put the meat in the crock pot raw, add the vegetables and seasonings along with a can of either cream of mushroom soup or cream of celery soup, along with a package of dry onion soup mix.  Or you can turn the crock pot up to high and add a slurry with is flour and water (1 tablespoon flour and 1 tablespoon water) then cook the stew for another 5-7 minutes or until thickened.

Variations:
Vegetable broth can be used instead of beef broth.
You can also add 1/2 cup of red wine if you’d like.

I’ll serve mine with biscuits and possibly a salad.

Have a favorite slow cooker recipe?
Need to adapt a favorite recipe for the slow cooker?
After all who wouldn’t want dinner waiting for them when they get home?

Next week: Our Anniversary Dinner

Tricks To Use Up Your (Halloween) Treats

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When my kids were little it was hard to tell the Grandparents not to buy candy for the holidays.  I really didn’t want to have to constantly tell my kids no.  But Grandparents will be Grandparents and we were always trying to find ways to parcel out the candy so that it would last until the next holiday.  Here are a couple of ideas that seemed to work for us.
The Freezer
By taking smaller bags and dividing the candy up we could put them in the freezer and then we could control how much we had available at one time.  Out of sight, out of mind was one of the best ways to get the kids to maybe eat something a little more healthy before they went right for the candy.

Bake with them

Christmas is prime baking time, so why not take some of the Halloween candy and incorporate it into your Christmas goodies?  Brownies, cookies and cakes will be a little more special with some of the chopped candy added to them. Add M&Ms to your cookies instead of chocolate chips.  Add chopped Snicker bars or Twix to your brownies.   Have your kids pick out which candy they want to add to the baked goods, let them get creative.  Then freeze the cookies or brownies for later.  I’d stay away from candy corn but almost anything else can be used.

Smush Ins

On the day after Halloween (All Saints Day) my kids were always off from school, since they went to Catholic school.  So for a treat we would take some of our favorite Halloween candy and vanilla ice cream and create our own special treat.  By letting the ice cream soften a bit you can take a scoop or two and a handful of candy (chopped or not) and by taking a large spoon you can “smush” the candy into the ice cream.  Just think of Cold Stone at home.  This can be done with Easter candy too.  It’s fun for kids to get creative and make their own flavor.
Well that’s a few ideas for using up Halloween candy.  If you have any ways that you use up or store your leftover candy, please feel free to share.

Pumpkin Fall Fest Recipe: Baking a Pie in the Pumpkin

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It’s time for another edition of Fall Fest and this week the topic is pumpkins.  Nothing says Fall like pumpkins. Whether they’re made into a pie, soup, muffins or another family favorite dish, pumpkins are versatile and delicious.
Many years ago before Food Network, before Cooking Channel there were Saturday morning cooking shows on PBS. They featured fantastic cooks like Jacques Pepin and Julia Child.  But there was another cook that I think doesn’t get enough credit — Jeff Smith, also known as the Frugal Gourmet.  He wrote a number of cookbooks along with having his PBS show.  One in particular was called The Frugal Gourmet Cooks American.  Whether or not you agree that there is such a thing as “American” cuisine the recipes in this cookbook are interesting and not very challenging.  On one of his shows he cooked a pumpkin pie in the pumpkin.  How cool is that?!  Looked interesting and easier since there isn’t a crust.  He attributed this dish to the Native Americans.  I guess that’s possible.
Many years after seeing this (it stuck in the back of my head) I decided to try it. It didn’t turn out.  I think it was because I didn’t use a pie pumpkin. It’s very important to use a pie pumpkin and not one that you would carve for a Jack O Lantern.


So here’s the recipe, just in time for Fall baking.  Just think how spectacular it will be for you to put a whole pumpkin full of custard and spices on your Thanksgiving table.

The recipe: 
1 sugar pumpkin 5-7 pounds
2 cups heavy cream
6 eggs
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 Tablespoon molasses
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
2 Tablespoons butter, cut into pieces


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut the top of the pumpkin and set it aside.
Scoop out all the seeds and innards. The seeds can be kept for roasting later.

Before
After 

Place the clean pumpkin on a baking sheet.
In a mixing bowl cream together the sugar and eggs.  <TIP> It’s always best to use large eggs.  I only had mediums so I used 7 instead of 6. 


I did this step in order to have the sugar dissolved before pouring it into the pumpkin.



Add the rest of the ingredients except the butter to the mixing bowl. 


<TIP> Molasses can be very sticky. It might be a good idea to spray your measuring spoon with cooking spray to make it easier to pour in the molasses.  

Black Strap Molasses



Make sure all ingredients are well combined then pour the custard mixture into the pumpkin.



Top the custard with the butter pieces and place the top back on the pumpkin.  


<TIP> The original recipes said to bake it for 1 – 1 1/2 hours but I found that it took mine closer to 2 1/2 hours and my pumpkin was 5 pounds exactly.  Take the top off about half way and it will help the custard to set.  Don’t cook the pumpkin more than about 2 1/2 hours or it will start to collapse and ooze.



Once the custard is set, let the whole pumpkin cool to room temperature before serving.

Excuse my well-loved baking sheet.  It does work though.



To eat this pie:
Remove the top from the pumpkin.  Take a large, long handled spoon and scoop out the custard getting some of the cooked pumpkin from the sides.  Serve it in a shallow bowl with or without whipped cream.



Granted this isn’t your typical pumpkin pie.  It’s less sweet and there’s no crust.  It’ll take some maneuvering with your spoon to get that perfect bite of custard and pumpkin, but it’s delicious.


Doing something unusual for your Thanksgiving dinner?
Have a family tradition or recipe you’d like to share?
Or maybe an experiment that didn’t quite work?


If you’re looking for more pumpkin recipes look no further.  The links below from the other Fall Fest contributors might be just what you need!


What’s Gaby Cooking: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars
The Cultural Dish:  Pumpkin Waffles
Cooking With Elise:  Pumpkin Chip Scones
And Love It Too:  Creamy Pumpkin Fruit Dip
CIA Dropout:    Pumpkin Panna Cotta With Gingerbread
Haute Apple Pie Girls: Pumpkin Bread Parfait
I Am Mommy:  Pumpkin Pancakes
Dishin and Dishes:  Maple Pumpkin Creme Brulee
Virtually Homemade:  Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins With Pumpkin Seed Streusel
Napa Farmhouse 1885:  Pumpkin Pizza
Daydreamer Desserts: Pumpkin Fattigman
FN Dish:  The Ultimate Pumpkin Soup
Cooking Channel:   Pumpkin Risotto
The Sensitive Epicure:  Pumpkin Whoopie Pies With Molasses Marshmallows
Daily*Dishin: Pumpkin Praline Cheesecake 
ZaikaZabardast:  Pumpkin Jalebi
Mooshu Jenne: Pumpkin Nutella Bread
Big Girls Small Kitchen: Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Loaf

Tummy Warming Corn Chowder

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During my recent class at the CIA, one of the dishes that was made by one of the other teams was Corn Chowder.  After the issue we had with the harissa (way too much was added to the lamb meatballs my team made, making them almost too spicy to eat), I was really looking forward to the corn chowder.  Unfortunately this was also too spicy for me to eat and really enjoy.  So I decided to try my hand at it at home, and this time it had a nice spice to it (not too much) and great flavor.
So for this addition of Mamatoga Recipes I thought I would share this tummy warming chowder just in time for Halloween.  It can be made before the kids go out trick or treating and then warmed up when they are done.  Serve with some bread and it will make a filling dinner.  So filling the kids just might pass up all the treats.
The spice level can be adjusted.  You know what you and your family can tolerate as far as that goes.  But it’s nice to have a little spice to balance out the creamy chowder.
This recipe calls for fresh corn cut from the cob so that you will have the “milk” from the cob that will help thicken the chowder.  I made mine with frozen corn and it worked just fine. This recipe will make 8 servings.  It can be served as a complete, hearty, tummy warming meal, can be a first course or a nice lunch with a sandwich.  But make no mistake this is a filling chowder.
To make the chowder this is what you’ll need:
6 ears of corn, shucked or 4 cups of frozen corn kernels
1 cup heavy cream
2 slices of bacon, minced
1 1/4 cups minced onions
1 cup minced red pepper
1/2 cup minced celery
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
6 cups of chicken broth
3 cups of yellow or white potatoes, diced
3 cups chopped tomatoes, peeled and seeded (I used canned diced tomatoes, drained)
1- 4 ounce can green chilies, drained and chopped
1 cup grated Monterey Jack 
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Tabasco sauce to taste
1 cup corn tortilla strips, toasted, optional
2 Tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped


If using fresh corn, cut the kernels from the cob with a sharp knife, capturing as much of the liquid as possible.  Reserve 3/4 cup of the kernels for later.  If using frozen corn reserve 3/4 cup of the kernels and add the remainder to a food processor with the cream– puree the corn and the cream together.  Set aside.
Cook the bacon in a soup pot over medium heat until crispy.  Add the onion, red pepper, celery and garlic.  Reduce the heat to low and cover.  Cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are tender, about 10-12 minutes.  Add the broth, potatoes and tomatoes.  Bring to a simmer and cook, covered until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.  Skim any fat that may collect on the surface and discard.  



Add the pureed corn and cream and the reserved corn kernels, chilies and cheese.  Cook on low heat just until the corn is warmed, about 5 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper and Tabasco to taste. Serve garnished with tortillas strips and cilantro.


That is the recipe provided by the CIA and found in the Culinary Institute Cookbook.  I’ve followed this recipe pretty much to the letter, after all they are the CIA and know cooking. But I have to say that I have made a couple of modifications.  When the vegetables are cooking, I season then and also add the chilies.  I also found that using the Tabasco can take away from the creamy, lusciousness of the chowder so for a little spice I use Pepper Jack cheese, not only in the chowder but also as a garnish.  If you’d like to follow the recipe verbatim, feel free.  If you want to make your own modifications, go ahead.

The version made at the CIA.


My version

Whichever you choose, this is a delicious, creamy, kid friendly chowder that is quick to make and reheats well.  Not sure if it will freeze just because it never lasts that long at my house.

NEXT WEEK:  Ever wonder what to do with all that Halloween candy?








Fall Fest: Potato Canapés

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Potatoes are one of my family’s favorite vegetables.  But I’m always looking for new ways to cook them. Since there are so many sporting events and parties this time of year I thought why not come up with a party bite using potatoes instead of bread or crackers.  So that’s what I did.  I call them potato canapés and they use all the classic flavors that you think of when you think of potatoes.
This would be great as a use up for leftovers and by no means are these the only ingredients that can be used to create these little bites.  This is really more of a method than a recipe.
Looking for more potato recipes.  Check out the links at the bottom for more recipes from other Fall Fest contributors.

To make the canapés:
You will need baking potatoes.  You should be able to get between 6-10 slices out of each potato depending on the size. Cut them about ½ inch thick.  
Preheat your oven to 425. 
Place the sliced potatoes on a cookie sheet.  You don’t need to oil them, but can sprinkle them lightly with salt. 
Place the potatoes in the oven for about 15-20 minutes.  They will be cooked through but not crispy.  If you prefer, you can cut them thinner and cook them until crispy. But that’s just a preference. 
  Once the potatoes are cooked they are ready to be topped.
Loaded Baked Potato Canapés
 
Top baked potato slices with cooked bacon and cheddar cheese.  Pop them back in the oven until the cheese melts.  Then top them with sour cream and green onions or chives.
Buffalo Chicken Potato Canapés:
Having chicken wings for the big game.  Take a few wings and use them to top your potato canapés.  Remove the meat from the bones and place on the cooked potato slice.  Then top with blue cheese.  Or you could take some leftover chicken toss it with butter and hot sauce and then top the potato slices.  Don’t forget the blue cheese!
Pulled Pork Canapés:

I found this to be a good use up for leftover pulled or BBQ pork.  Top the cooked potato slices with warm pulled or BBQ pork and them add a small spoonful of coleslaw. Great combination.

Next time you’re having a get together and want an unusual party bite, try potato canapes.  Your guests will say “Why didn’t I think of that?”

Here are some more creative ways to use potatoes from the Fall Fest Contributors.  Why not try them all?

Taste With The Eyes: Poached Salmon, Lobster Mash, Lentil Gumbo “Gravy”
And Love It Too:  Twice Baked Potato – Paleo Style
What’s Gaby Cooking: Smashed Potatoes
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Chorizo and Potato Tacos
Cooking Channel:  Cozy Up With In Season Potatoes
FN Dish:   Best Potato Casserole Recipes
Cooking With Elise:  The Irish Boxty
CIA Dropout: Potato and Leek Soup
The Sensitive Epicure:  Potatoes Anna With Fresh Thyme and Truffle Salt
Glory Foods:   Chicken Smashed Potatoes


Come back for more Fall Fest Recipes.
Next time it’s all about Pumpkin! and I don’t mean Jack O’ Lanterns!!

Mamatoga Monday Recipe — Halloween Cake Pops

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Here’s another fun food project that can be done with your kids.  Soon there will be lots of breaks from school and holiday vacations with lots of time to fill.  Get your kids in the kitchen and get creative.
By taking a cake mix and some candy melts you and your kids can create some amazing treats.  They’re called Cake Pops. 
Cake Pops are all the rage and with good reason.  They are pretty, fun and delicious.
Making cake pops takes some time but with simple ingredients your kids can make some pretty impressive looking desserts.  For older children this is the perfect rainy day or snowy day activity.  Need a quick and impressive dessert to take to a holiday party or would you like to supply the dessert for a birthday party, or shower? Cake pops could be just what you’re looking for.
    
I made mine for Halloween but they can be made for any occasion or holiday.  Not only can they be made with cake but also with cheesecake, brownies and even chocolate chip cookie dough.
   
To make cake pops this is what you’ll need:
    
1 cake mix, any flavor
1 can frosting or 1 can of sweetened 
condensed milk
lollipop sticks
candy melts
sprinkles, gel icing, confetti or other decorations
wax or parchment paper
Styrofoam block


I chose to use the sweetened condensed milk after reading many times that if you use frosting it make the cake pops overly sweet.  I also saw online that along with the frosting or condensed milk, you can add other flavors like peanut butter or nutella to add more flavor to the cake itself.
Here are the step by step instructions on making the basic cake pop.



    
1.  Bake the cake in a 13×9 pan according to the directions.  I used a cake mix with pudding in it but any cake mix, any flavor will do.  Be sure to use a regular sized cake mix (not a Jiffy) if you  want to a lot of cake pops.  The cake mix will make about 40-50 pops depending on the size of the pops themselves. 
2.  Let the cake cool completely.
3.  Break the cake up into a bowl.    
4.  Add the can of frosting OR ½ cup of condensed milk and combine completely. 
5.  Using a cookie scoop, scoop out the cake and place on a cookie sheet covered with wax paper or parchment.  With dry hands, roll the cake between your two hands until it forms a ball.
6. Place the balls on the covered cookie sheet and place them in the freezer for about 30 minutes. 

7.  While they’re chilling in the freezer, melt the candy melts in the microwave for 30 second intervals stirring in between.
8.  Remove the cake pops from the freezer.  Take a lollipop stick and dip it into the melted chocolate (candy melt) then insert in into the ball about half way.

    
This is the time to shape the pop into whatever shape you would like.  At the end of the post I have lined out the directions for each the mummy, the jack o lantern and the ghosts.
 
11. Now is the time to dip them into the melted candy.  If you are going to decorate them with sprinkles or other decorations, be sure to have them ready.    
Once the pops are dipped into the chocolate it will dry quickly and then the decorations won’t stick.  Be sure to have an adequate amount of chocolate to dip the pops in, sort of like dipping a caramel apple. A spoon or fork can be used to make sure they are completely covered.  

Let the access drip off the end.  Don’t worry if the coating isn’t completely smooth.  You’ll get better with practice.  Having the chocolate warm enough that it’s fluid will help keep the coating smooth.  The chocolate can be reheated to make sure that it’s loose to dip.

Once the pops are dipped stick them into a styrofoam block to dry.

To decorate:
Let your imagination run wild with the decorations.  I think that they look best, simply done.  Maybe a drizzle of different colored chocolate and maybe some sprinkles.  The pops don’t have to be round either.  I’ve even seen them in squares.
To make the mummies:
Mold the cake into an oval shape.  Dip it into white melted candy melts.  Put them into the Styrofoam block to dry.  Once they are dry take either a fork or a squeeze bottle and draw lines randomly around the cake pop to simulate the bandages on the mummy.  Add either gel icing for the eyes or use melted chocolate chips.
  
To make the jack o lanterns:
Form the cake into rounds.  Dip them into orange melted candy melts.  Place into the Styrofoam block to dry.  After they’re dry, draw the jack o lantern faces with either black gel icing or melted chocolate chips.  A green tic tac can be used as the stem.
   
To make the ghosts:
Shape the cake into ghost shapes, making a head at the top.  Dip them into white melted candy melts.  Let them dry in the Styrofoam block.  Decorate using either black gel icing or melted chocolate chips.
Here are some tips that might will make making cake pops more fun. 
 –To melt the chocolate (candy melts) use the microwave or over a double boiler.  If you use a double boiler be sure not to get any water in the chocolate.  Water is DEATH to chocolate.  It will seize and you’ll have to throw it away.
–Experiment with different flavors of cake and with different shapes.  The key to cake pops is all in the decorating.  But they don’t to be fancy.  
–If your cake pops feel sticky when you’re trying to shape them, pop them back in the freezer for 20 minutes or so.  They won’t freeze solid and won’t stick to your hands.
–The cake pops will form condensation if they sit out too long at room temperature.  So they will be best if they are made 48 hours before you need them.  They can be wrapped in cellophane and kept in the refrigerator.
–Candy melts, lollipop sticks, styrofoam and icing gel can be bought at A.C. Moore, Michaels and even at Walmart.
I hope this gives you some inspiration and the confidence to give this a try.   



Halloween Goodies, and They Aren't Cookies

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Bread + Glue = Fun





I usually showcase a recipe on Mondays for Mamatoga but this Monday I thought I would do something a little different.

I’ve worked with kids since I was 14 years old, and during that time I’ve come up with some craft ideas that are great for school aged kids.  This is one of the those crafts.  By taking white bread and glue you can make a dough that will dry hard and then can be painted.  You can make decorations, jewelry, ornaments…  a whole host of things.  So here’s step by step directions on how to make this dough.

NOTE: If you have a child who has tactile issues, this probably isn’t the craft for them.

Take the crust from 2 slices of white bread
Tear the bread into small pieces

Add equal parts white glue, Elmer’s works best.  If the dough is too sticky add more bread. If it’s too dry add more glue.

Once the bread and glue are mixed together then take the dough out of the bowl and knead it, either in your hands or on a plastic board.

Once the dough is smooth then pat the dough out onto waxed paper.  The dough can then be cut with cookie cutters for any holiday you wish.

 Or if you’d like you can make beads from the dough.  Just shape them into whatever shape you’d like and put a hole all the way through so that they can be strung later.  The dough can be painted with regular acrylic paint after it’s completely dry which should take anywhere from 4 hours to overnight.

I think these would be cute teacher gifts.  Just hot glue a pin back onto the back.  But I really think it would be cute for homemade Christmas ornaments.  But it’s very versatile.

The ingredients are fairly inexpensive, bread from the outlet store and Elmer’s glue, some plastic cookies and you’re in business.  So before the weather gets bad and the kids are bored and tired of playing in the snow why not stock up to be prepared.

Ever tried this craft?  Have another food related craft idea you’d like to share?