Salted Caramel Sauce

This Christmas I decided to make homemade gifts to give out to family and friends. I wanted to create something different than cookies or jams or baking mixes. So, I made salted caramel sauce instead. I saw the recipe on Food and Wine magazine and I couldn't believe how easy it was. I followed the recipe as it was written, but my only change is that I used gray salt instead of fleur de sel. Don't worry if your salt doesn't completely melt. I think that's what I like most about this sauce because small, salt crystal stay suspended in the sauce and they make love to your mouth once you eat it straight out of the jar or warmed up and drizzled over some vanilla ice cream.

INGREDIENTS (makes 2 cups)

• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel

DIRECTIONS

Put the sugar in a large saucepan and pour the water all around. Add the vanilla bean and seeds and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved.

Using a wet pastry brush, wash down any crystals from the side of the pan. Cook without stirring until a deep-amber caramel forms, about 5 minutes. Gently swirl the pan to color the caramel evenly.

Remove the pan from the heat and add the cream. When the bubbling subsides, bring the sauce to a boil and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the hardened caramel is dissolved. Discard the vanilla bean. Stir in the fleur de sel and let cool.

After it cooled, I poured the sauce into clean, sanitized half pint Ball mason jars and closed the lid very tightly. Then I created a custom labels and gave it out as gifts. I'm such a DIY mom!!!

Lime Pie or "Pay de Limón"

I'm into "easy" homemade recipes now. I just don't have the time to prep and cook like I used to and taking care of a rambunctious 3 year old by myself sometimes makes it difficult to plan out a fabulous recipe. But, that is not to say I am not cooking. I actually cook a lot more now, specially since I don't want my child to be eating too much junk or processed food. However, my recipes tend to be your homemade chicken nuggets, fish sticks, a gazillion ways to make macaroni, and other kid-friendly recipes.

Nevertheless, I thought of this recipe only because there was a sale on limes at my store (30 limes for .99 cents). These are your typical, Mexican limes, which look kind of Key Limes--they are very small, but they have the flavor of regular, large green limes. Only difference is that the little Mexican ones are a lot juicier and actually have seeds in them. So, I'm not calling this a Key Lime pie, but a distant, Mexican cousin of an American favorite dessert.

Note: although I only used one can of sweetened condensed milk (other recipes called for two!), this pie is very rich and sweet so just a small slice goes a long way.

INGREDIENTS (makes one 9" pie)

• 2 large egg whites
  
• 4 large egg yolks
  
• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
  
• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice (Mexican or regular limes at your store)
  
• 1 tsp. lime zest
  
• 1 Graham cracker crust or homemade graham cracker crust
  
• Whipped cream (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.


In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or a large mixing bowl with a whisk or hand mixer, beat the egg whites until they hold stiff peaks.


In a large mixing bowl whisk together the egg yolks, lime zest and sweetened condensed milk. Add the lime juice and whisk until combined. Gently fold in about 1/3 of the egg whites to lighten the mixture then add the remaining egg whites and fold until just evenly combined.

Gently spread the mixture in the prepared crust and bake until just set in the center, about 20 minutes.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely then refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. Before serving, garnish with whipped cream (if using).

Rustic Mixed Berry Crostata

I have become a Fresh and Easy groupie. If you don't know what Fresh and Easy is, it's a wonderful low-cost food market where they make a lot of their foods organically and sell fruits and veggies at pretty much farmer market prices...so this place is wonderful for someone who is on a budget, like me! The only problem is that sometimes they have such great deals like a bag of grapes or a box of strawberries for .98 cents!

Anyway, last week I found I had a container of blueberries, a pound of strawberries and some blackberries in the fridge and there is only so much berries Stella and I can eat, so I decided to make this crostata before the berries spoiled. The original recipe was in the NYT and they only used strawberries, so my only change was combinining a variety of berries. I have to say this is pretty much the easiest baking I've done. A crostata is basically like a free form pie, so there no wrong or right way to do it. And, yes, it did get a little messy on my part but sometimes that the fun part, specially when I have my 20-month old helping me.

INGREDIENTS

Pastry (makes two crostatas)

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Grated rind of one lemon (optional)
• 2 sticks (1/2 pound) very cold unsalted butter, diced
• 6 tablespoons ice water

DIRECTIONS

Place flour, sugar and salt in a food processor. Pulse a few times to blend. Transfer to a bowl, add butter and mix with your fingers to coat the butter with the flour. Return to processor; pulse 12-15 times. With processor on, add ice water. Continue pulsing until dough is just about to come together.

Turn dough out onto a well-floured cutting board. Roll into a ball, cut in half and form two disks. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for about an hour. (Freeze one disk for later use).

Filling:

• 1 ½ – 2 pounds (roughly two quarts) of strawberries, rinsed, hulled and thickly sliced, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries, or any combination of berries you prefer.
• ¼ to ½ cup sugar, depending on sweetness of berries
• 1 Tablespoon flour
• Squeeze of lemon juice

DIRECTIONS

Mix ingredients together. Drain any extra liquid just before using.

To assemble:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Roll pastry disk into an 11-12 inch circle on a lightly floured board. Dough should be approximately 1/8 inch thick.

Place dough on baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Mound berry mixture in center of dough, leaving a 1½- inch border. Fold pastry over fruit, pleating it to make a rough edge. Don’t worry about cracks; some juice will leak out during baking.

Brush crust with a beaten egg mixed with a bit of water.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until crust is golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes, then carefully transfer to a cutting board. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Plum Tart

I had a bunch of new recipes I made during the last few months and I was about to post them when, poof!, all my pictures disappeared. All my food porn is gone! I just have to figure out a way to recover them, so instead I made this dessert tonight. 

I watched the Barefoot Contessa make this a few weekends ago on the Food Network and it looked ridiculously simple. And it is. A couple of notes, though: 

1. Use very ripe (almost over ripened) prune plums. The more ripe they are, the more juice they'll give out making the tart sweet and tart at the same time. 
2. I made mine in a cake pan and my plum tart was a little over-cooked, so for sure I recommend a tart pan. I think I need to invest in a good tart pan for myself.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), diced
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 pounds firm, ripe Italian prune plums, pitted and quartered lengthwise

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine the flour, walnuts, and sugar in a large bowl. Add the butter and the egg yolk. Mix, either by hand or with an electric mixer, until crumbly.

Press 1 1/2 cups of the crumb mixture in an even layer into the bottom of a 9 1/2-inch springform or tart pan. Arrange the plums in the pan, skin side down, to form a flower pattern; begin at the outside and work your way in.

Sprinkle the rest of the crumb mixture evenly over the plums. Bake the tart for 40 to 50 minutes, or until it's lightly browned and the plum juices are bubbling. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and transfer the tart to a flat plate. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Nutella Caramel Hazelnut Brownies

Source: bell alimento

I was looking for recipes that had Nutella as an ingredient and look at what I found? Nutella Caramel Hazelnut Brownies! Don't these look divine? The recipe is from bellalimento.com. My mouth is watering already. 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 large fresh eggs
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter - room temp.
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• pinch salt
• 1/4 cup Nutella - melted
• 1/4 cup Caramel Sauce- melted
• Hazelnuts

DIRECTIONS 

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Into a mixing bowl add your flour, baking powder, salt & cocoa powder. Using a whisk, mix together & set aside. Into your stand mixer add the sugar & butter & mix together until creamy. Add in eggs one at a time and mix well. Add in your vanilla. GRADUALLY add in your flour mixture until it’s well combined. Batter should be thick and sticky.

Spray an ovenproof 8 x 8 dish with cooking spray. Place a piece of parchment paper (slightly larger than your dish to allow for handles) inside. It will adhere to bottom of dish. Take HALF of your brownie batter & smooth it on top of the parchment paper. Take your caramel sauce and spoon it on top of brownie mixture covering entire layer of brownie. Place the remaining brownie batter on top smoothing it out. Place in oven and bake for 30-40 minutes until sides are firm and center is no longer giggly.

Allow brownies to cool completely before removing. Cut your brownies to your desired size using a serrated knife. Make a small indentation with your finger into each brownie. Take your melted Nutella and drizzle over the tops of the brownies. Garnish with the hazelnuts.

Read more: http://www.bellalimento.com/2010/03/14/nutella-caramel-hazelnut-brownies/#ixzz0noULpCDk

Irish Soda Bread (with currants)

As you all know, I am not a baker let alone a bread maker. I leave that job for my husband. But since he is away and I was having a craving for soda bread, I had to make it myself. I was very close to buying a ready made bread mix at the store; all I had to do was add water, but when I saw Ina Garten make this bread on her show, I figured I would give it a try. I used butter instead of shortening in my recipe but the outcome was still good. What I really like about this recipe is that in less than an hour you can have freshly baked soda bread for your family.

INGREDIENTS (makes one loaf)

• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 6 tablespoons solid shortening such as Crisco (I used unsalted butter)
• 2/3 cup currants mixed with 1 tablespoon of flour
• 2 teaspoons caraway seeds
• 1 cup buttermilk

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and sugar. Using a pastry blender or fingertips, work the shortening into the flour until the consistency is the same as that of small peas. Stir in the raisins and caraway and mix to distribute evenly. Gradually stir in the buttermilk, 1/4 cup at a time, using only enough to allow the dough to come together. Knead the dough for 1 to 2 minutes. Shape the dough into a round loaf and place on a greased baking sheet. Cut an X on the top and over the sides of the loaf. Bake for 45 minutes or until the bread sounds hollow when tapped. Cool on a rack.

Cinnamon Pecan Buns

This recipe is an ode to my husband, and Stella's daddy, Matt. He made these pecan buns before he was sent out to sea and they were spectacular. The pecan buns were so soft and gooey, and so very delicious. These are specially good with a hot cup of coffee. If you make these, make sure you have a lot of people around to help you eat them. The buns are so much better eaten warm, right after you bake them. We miss you and we love you, Matt. Come home soon!

INGREDIENTS (makes about 15 buns)

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 3/4 cup pecans
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest (optional)
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Brush the bottom and side of a 10-inch springform pan with half of the melted butter.
2. In a food processor, combine the pecans with the brown sugar, cinnamon and kosher salt; pulse until the nuts are almost finely ground. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and sprinkle a scant 3/4 cup over the bottom of the prepared pan. Wipe out the food processor.
3. Add the cottage cheese, buttermilk, egg yolk, granulated sugar, vanilla and orange zest to the processor and puree until smooth. In a medium bowl, combine the 2 1/4 cups of flour with the baking powder, baking soda and fine salt; whisk to mix. Add the flour mixture to the processor and pulse just until the dough comes together; it will be quite soft and sticky.
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and gather it into a smooth ball. Roll out the dough to an 11-by-16-inch rectangle, flouring the work surface as necessary. Brush the dough with the remaining melted butter, leaving a 1/2-inch border all around. Sprinkle on the remaining pecan-sugar mixture.
5. Working from a long side, roll the dough into a tight cylinder and cut it into 1-inch slices. Arrange the slices cut side up in the prepared pan. Bake the buns in the middle of the oven for about 25 minutes, until lightly browned on top and slightly firm to the touch. Transfer the pan to a rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the inside of the pan to loosen the buns. Remove the springform ring. Invert the buns onto a plate and carefully remove the bottom of the pan. If any of the pecan mixture sticks to the pan, simply scrape it onto the buns. Serve warm.

Caramel Pecan Bars

Last Christmas I received a magazine subscription to Food & Wine magazine. Although the magazine has so many great recipes, it seems that their end-of-year issues tend to have the most delicious recipes, probably so that their readers can make them for the holidays.

This recipe is straight out of the magazine and, like a science experiment, nothing was changed or tweaked. The bars are slightly gooey yet crunchy. If you want the bars to be slightly less gooey, you can place them in the fridge. The recipe says it makes 16 bars, however they are quite sweet that we cut them into smaller pieces and we got more like 24 bars.

INGREDIENTS

Crust

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes
• 1/4 cup ice water
• 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar

Topping

• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
• 1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon curry powder (optional)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 pound pecan halves

DIRECTIONS

1. Make the crust: In a food processor, pulse the flour with the sugar and salt. Add the cubed butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle on the ice water and vinegar and process until the crumbs are evenly moistened. Turn the crumbs out onto a sheet of wax paper and knead just until the dough comes together. Pat the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate until slightly chilled, about 15 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 375°. Line the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper. Roll out the dough between 2 sheets of wax paper to an 11- by-15-inch rectangle (1/4 inch thick). Trim the dough to a 9-by-13-inch rectangle and place it in the baking pan. Cut the remaining dough into 3/4-inch-wide strips and press them up the side of the pan to form a rim all around. Refrigerate the dough until firm, about 30 minutes.
3. Line the dough with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for about 25 minutes, until the dough is just set. Remove the parchment paper and weights and bake the crust for about 12 minutes longer, until lightly golden and set. Let cool.
4. Make the topping: In a large saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, honey and salt and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until foamy and slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Add the curry powder (if using) and cream and cook, stirring occasionally, until a candy thermometer inserted in the caramel registers 240° (soft ball stage), about 10 minutes longer. Add the pecans and cook for 2 minutes longer. Pour the filling over the crust, spreading it evenly. Bake for about 15 minutes, until the crust is golden and the topping is bubbling. Let cool completely. Slide the parchment onto a cutting board. Cut into bars and serve.

Make Ahead

The bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Matt's Oatmeal Cookies

My hubby is the baker in the family and he's perfected this oatmeal cookie. Be warned, though, because they are very addicting. You can use a walnuts or a mixture of walnuts and pecans. Also, he sometimes uses half cup of raisins and half cup of currants in the batter and the cookies simply come out scrumptious.

INGREDIENTS (makes about 30 cookies)

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups quick cooking oats
• 1 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 cup of raisins

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

In a large bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.

In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in oats, nuts and raisins until just blended.

Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Cookies should be at least 2 inches apart.

Bake for about 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool cookies on a wire rack.

Mexican Wedding Cookies

Photo from Kraftfoods.com

These delightful, buttery and flaky cookies are known as Mexican Wedding cookies or Russian Tea Cakes. I was at my friend's wedding last Saturday and she had small favor bags for each guest filled with these cookies. I took 3 and now I wished I would have taken more! These are probably one of my favorite cookies, but I like to receive then rather than bake them only because a couple of years ago I made about 400 of these cookies to give out as favors for my step-dad's retirement party. There are various recipes on the net, but the one below is the one I tried out for the favors and they are so sinfully good, especially when you serve them with tea. Yum!

INGREDIENTS (makes 2 ½ dozen)

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ½ cup confectioners’ sugar, plus more for coating baked cookies
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting hands
• 1 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped into very small pieces (I usually grind them in my mini-food processor)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.

Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar at low speed until it is smooth. Beat in the vanilla. At low speed, gradually add the flour. Mix in the pecans with a spatula.

With floured hands, shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place, 1-1/2 inches apart, on ungreased baking sheets.Continue to dust hands with flour as you make more cookies. Place onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 40 minute, but check them after 30 minutes. My oven cooks very high, so mine were done in 30 minutes. When cool enough to handle but still warm, roll the cookies in additional confectioners' sugar. Cool on wire racks.

Ultimate Ginger Cookie

So I was home sick today (okay, not really sick, but with a slight case of the shingles and I must be quarantined from all babies and elderly people) and was watching the Barefoot Contessa when I saw this recipe on her show. I said to myself, "hey, I have all those ingredients already!" How do I have crystallized ginger, you ask? Well, it just so happens I had some leftover crystallized ginger my sister in law gave me when I first started getting morning sickness (btw, to any new preggies out there, crystallized ginger really works when you're feeling nauseous and gross. Just suck on a little piece). The cookie result: spicy, gingery, crunchy, chewy, did I mention spicy? I'm sending my Matthew a batch because he loves spicy cookies...hmm, maybe that's why he married me?

INGREDIENTS (16 cookies)

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup unsulfured molasses
• 1 extra-large egg, at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups chopped crystallized ginger (6 ounces)
• Granulated sugar, for rolling the cookies

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and salt and then combine the mixture with your hands.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the brown sugar, oil, and molasses on medium speed for 5 minutes. Turn the mixer to low speed, add the egg, and beat for 1 minute. Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula and beat for 1 more minute. With the mixer still on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add the crystallized ginger and mix until combined. Scoop the dough with 2 spoons or a small ice cream scoop. With your hands, roll each cookie into a 1 3/4-inch ball and then flatten them lightly with your fingers. Press both sides of each cookie in granulated sugar and place them on the sheet pans. Bake for exactly 13 minutes. The cookies will be crackled on the top and soft inside. Let the cookies cool on the sheets for 1 to 2 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Homemade Frozen Yogurt

I had my first Pinkberry experience last week and I have to say I really liked their frozen yogurt. I especially liked all the exotic flavors the have to offer, but I thought it was a bit overpriced. Then this week I discovered a restaurant in the food court called the Salad Farm and they sell Greek style frozen yogurt. I tried their version and I have to say it rivals Pinkberry's. I actually liked the Salad Farm's version best because it was much tangier and I am I believer in all things Greek!

I remembered that I had an ice-cream maker in the mini-basement and I decided to make my own version of frozen yogurt. Unfortunately, I could not find the Greek yogurt I usually buy as they were out and I'm not a big fan of the Bulgarian yogurt. So I got your regular store bought plain yogurt and strained it (remember 2 cups of plain yogurt will yield 1 cup of strained yogurt). This version came out pretty good, but I can't wait to try it with real Greek-style yogurt.

INGREDIENTS (makes 1 quart)

• 3 cups strained yogurt (see below) or Greek-style yogurt
• 2/3 sugar (if you want yours sweeter, use up to 3/4 cup sugar)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

Mix together the yogurt, sugar, and vanilla. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Refrigerate 1 hour. Freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Note: to make 1 cup of strained yogurt, line a mesh strainer with a few layers of cheese cloth. then scrape 16 ounces or 2 cups of plain whole-milk yogurt into the cheesecloth. Gather the ends and fold them over the yogurt, then refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight. So, for the above recipe start with and strain 6 cups of yogurt.

Recipe from David Levobitz via 101cookbooks.com

Panna Cotta with Strawberry Sauce

Next to flan, this is probably my second favorite custard. What's so great about this dessert is that there is no oven involved. Just a little cooking on the stove top and the rest of it is done in the fridge. Also, this is quite a refreshing dessert because there is not too sugary and the strawberry sauce really makes it quite lush. Anyhoo, if you've never had panna cotta before, I think you'll like this recipe--which came from the Barefoot Contessa herself!

INGREDIENTS (4 servings)

For the panna cotta:

• 1/2 packet (1 teaspoon) unflavored gelatin powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cold water
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, divided
• 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
• 1/3 cup sugar

For the strawberry sauce:

• 1 cup strawberries
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• A few squeezes of fresh lemon juice

DIRECTIONS

In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin on 1 1/2 tablespoons of cold water. Stir and set aside for 10 minutes to allow the gelatin to dissolve.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup of the cream, the yogurt, vanilla extract, and vanilla bean seeds. Heat the remaining 3/4 cup of cream and the 1/3 cup of sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Off the heat, add the softened gelatin to the hot cream and stir to dissolve. Pour the hot cream-gelatin mixture into the cold cream-yogurt mixture and stir to combine.

Pour into 4 (6 to 8-ounce) ramekins or custard cups and refrigerate uncovered until cold. When the panna cottas are thoroughly chilled, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

For the strawberry sauce: Place the strawberries and sugar in food processor and puree. Strain the sauce to a fine sieve to separate from the seeds. Add few drops of fresh lemon juice and refrigerate.

To serve panna cotta: Dip the panna cotta molds, one at a time, into a bowl filled with hot water. Leave for about 5 seconds. Invert onto a serving plate. Press two fingers on the bottom of the mold and then shake slightly to loosen. Carefully remove the mold from the panna cotta. Top the panna cotta with a spoonful of strawberry sauce.

Last Minute Brownies

What do you do when you're invited to a dinner party a couple of hours before it starts and you don't have a dessert to bring? Brownies, of course. It probably would have been just as easy to go buy already baked brownies or desserts, but I had all these ingredients and why waste my gas and money when I could make perfectly awesome brownies at home. I found this recipe from the Hershey.com website. These brownies are more cakey than fudgey and although I didn't frost them (I didn't have powdered sugar) I'm sure they would have been even better.

INGREDIENTS (makes 16 brownies)

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
• CREAMY BROWNIE FROSTING (recipe follows; I didn't put any frosting on my brownies because I didn't have any powdered sugar, but they are just as good!)

DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 9-inch square baking pan.

Stir together butter, sugar and vanilla in bowl. Add eggs; beat well with spoon. In another bowl stir together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; gradually add to egg mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in nuts, if using. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Prepare CREAMY BROWNIE FROSTING; spread over brownies. Cut into squares. About 16 brownies.

CREAMY BROWNIE FROSTING

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
• 3 tablespoons HERSHEY'S Cocoa
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup or honey
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 to 2 tablespoons milk

DIRECTIONS

Beat butter, cocoa, corn syrup and vanilla in small bowl until blended. Add powdered sugar and milk; beat to spreading consistency. About 1 cup frosting.

Date Nut Spice Bread

I was all Ina'd out this Mother's Day. Not only did I host a brunch at Chateau Blaha, but I also made all the food...and three of my recipes were directly from the Barefoot Contessa herself. I find that Ina Garten's recipes are quite exact and they usually turn out very good. On the menu I had scrabbled eggs with roasted asparagus, turkey breakfast patties, a lovely platter of bagels and lox, fruit salad that my sister-in-law made, and this date nut bread with orange zest cream cheese. I'll post the rest of the recipes throughout the week, but below is Ina's date nut bread, which was delish, indulgent and I only have a small slice left at the house.

INGREDIENTS (makes 1 loaf)

• 2 cups coarsely chopped dates (10 ounces pitted)
• 1/3 cup orange liqueur (recommended: Cointreau or Triple Sec)
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1 extra-large egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon grated orange zest (2 oranges)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves (I forgot to buy ground cloves, so I used Allspice instead)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (3 oranges)
• 3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans (3 ounces)

For the cream cheese spread:

• 6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon grated orange zest

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottom of an 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 by 2 1/2-inch loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pan.

Combine the dates and orange liqueur in a small bowl and set aside for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar together on medium speed for 1 minute. Scrape down the bowl. With the mixer on low, add the egg, vanilla, and orange zest. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. With the mixer still on low, add the flour mixture alternately with the orange juice to the creamed mixture, beating only until combined. By hand, stir in the dates with their liquid, and the pecans. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

Meanwhile, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese, sugar, and orange zest on medium speed until just combined.

Slice the bread and serve with the orange cream cheese on the side for spreading. Yummers!

Hermit Bars

I made these hermit bars for Matthew. I sent them to him in a care package because apparently these bars hold up pretty well when mailing them to far away places. I had never heard of these bars until one day Matt told me about them. I guess these are very popular in care packages sent to the military. These bars are very easy to make and quite flavorful, too. They are a combination of a soft cookie, a fig newton and gingerbread. Usually packages that I send out to Matt tend to get there in a month, so once he gets them we'll see how they hold up and I hope he likes them!

INGREDIENTS (makes 16 bars)

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup mild molasses
• 3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 egg white (large)
• 1/3 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
• 1/3 cup raisins, plumped and dried (I used 50% raising and 50% currants)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheet with parchment (I used foil and greased it with butter).

Thoroughly stir flour, brown sugar, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon and salt together in a medium size mixing bowl. Make a well in center of flour mixture.

In a small bowl, stir together molasses, butter, vanilla and egg white. Pour mixture into well; stir until well mixed. Stir in toasted pecans and raisins.

Divide mixture in half and shape each half into a 10×2 inch rectangle (approximately). Make sure the rectangles are spaced about 4 inches apart or more on cookie sheet.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until edges seem browned and bars appear set and aromatic. Remove from oven and slide parchment onto a large cutting board. Slice each rectangle cross-wise into 1 ½ inch bars. Let cool completely. Recipe from CookieMadness.net

Mmmm, Cheesecake!

Many moons ago I had the best cheesecake at an Italian restaurant in the North End in Boston. I don't remember which restaurant it was, but I do remember that the cheesecake slice I got was ginormous, it was extremely creamy, the crust to die for, and the sour cream topping was incredible.

I've been looking for a recipe to replicate it, and I was shocked when I found this recipe by Andrew Zimmern (actually, it's his mom's recipe) but you can understand how shocked I was to find it in his blog. This from the man that eats bull testicles and insects for lunch! Anyway, I used a 10" springform pan (lined the outside with foil) for this and baked it in a water bath for the first 40 minutes, but I'm sure if you follow his recipe below it will be just as good. I'm bringing my dad a big piece because he absolutely LOVES cheesecake and we'll see what the thinks!

INGREDIENTS

Crust:

• 4 oz butter (one stick)
• 2 c graham cracker crumbs (about 8 graham crackers)
• 1 c brown sugar
• 1 t cinnamon

Filling:

• 4 eggs, room temperature
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 1⁄2 c sugar (I put in closer to 3/4 cup sugar)
• 24 oz cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 t lemon juice

Topping:

• 1 pint sour cream
• 4 T sugar.
• 1⁄2 t vanilla

DIRECTIONS

For the Crust: Melt butter, mix with other ingredient. Press into pie plate, forming bottom and sides. Since I used a springform pan, I only pressed to form a bottom; using the bottom of a measuring cup works in evening out the crust.

For the Filling: Beat eggs and sugar and mix until well combined. Add cream cheese, vanilla and lemon juice (I also added a 1/2 tsp of lemon zest). Pour into crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Cool 1/2 hour. (I baked my cheesecake in a water bath for 40 minutes).

For the Topping: Mix all ingredients. Spread on top. Bake at 475 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Chill at least overnight to 24 hours.