Makeshift Chocolate Pie

I made this strange chocolate pie-type thing yesterday. I took an idea I saw on a forum and ran with it. For the filling, I melted chocolate chips and white chocolate chips. Then I added a bit of peanut butter and some heavy cream. Stirred it all together, then poured it into a graham cracker crust and stuck it in the fridge for awhile. On the forum, they mentioned whipping it after it had cooled, before pouring it into the crust, but I was too lazy for that. I might do that next time, as the filling is a little thick, almost like fudge, but it's still darn good.

Borscht

I've always loved the sound of borscht. It's so fun to say. I've never eaten it, though. So not only is this my first attempt at making it, but it's my first time trying it. The borscht came out chunkier than I imagined. I have always pictured a thin, watery red soup. If this recipe (which I cobbled together from other recipes) is even close to correct, borscht is delicious. The only thing I do not enjoy is that my fingers are now stained a nasty brown from peeling and chopping the beets (which were pulled from my mother's garden). My only adjustment would be to slice the cabbage a bit thinner and cut the strips in half.

Borscht (w/ meat)
4 large beets, peeled and dices (about 4 cups)
4 large carrots, peeled and chopped
1 large potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-in cubes
1 can diced tomatoes
4 cups water
2 bouillon cubes
4 cups beef broth
2 cups cabbage, thinly sliced
3 tbsp dried dill
1 lb stew meat
1 large onion, quartered
3 tbsps red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Sour cream for topping

1. To large saucepan add water, stew meat, bouillon cubes, and onion. Cook about 30 minutes.
2. Add beets, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, and broth. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer. Cook about 30 minutes, or until veggies are tender.
3. Add cabbage and dill. Cook about 20 minutes, til cabbage is tender.
4. Stir in vinegar and season with salt and pepper.
5. Serve in bowls, topped with sour cream. Sprinkle with a little fresh dill if you have it handy.

Spicy Potato Soup

My mom and step-dad plant a ton of potatoes and onions each year, so we're always trying to find new ways to use them. I found this recipe on about.com. It uses spicy sausage, such as andouille or chirizo. Or if you don't like spicy sausage, you can used smoked.



Spicy Potato Soup
3 tbsp butter
1 cup chopped onion
1/2  cup chopped celery
16 oz spicy sausage
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 tsp dried parsley flakes
1 tsp dried basil
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp salt
4 cups chicken broth (or enough to cover potatoes and sausage)
2 pounds potatoes, peeled and diced
1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1. In large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions, celery, and sausage. Saute until onions are tender and sausage is browned (if not pre-cooked).
2. Stir in flour until well-blended.
3. Add chicken broth, green onions, and spices. Stir until blended.
4. Add potatoes and simmer covered for about 25 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
5. Stir in heavy cream and cook for another 2 minutes.

Turkey Jamaican Patties

Jamaican patties are one of my favorite snacks ever. They're so scrumptious and, if seasoned right, they explode with flavor. For those not familiar with Jamaican patties, they're very similar to meat pies and pasties (no, not the things you put on your boobies). Traditionally, Jamaican patties are made with beef. However, I prefer using a poultry of some sort, usually turkey or chicken. I first discovered this yummy substitute the day after Christmas, when I had way too much turkey and mashed potatoes left over. I was craving patties and thought to myself "Why not use turkey instead of beef and mashed potatoes instead of breadcrumbs?" The result was so delicious, I devoured the leftover filling as soon as the patties were in the oven. I hope you enjoy these as much as I do!

Turkey Jamaican Patties

The Pastry
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup cold water
1/2 tbsp curry powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups flour
1 egg, beaten

The Filling*
1 cup turkey, shredded
1 cup mashed potatoes
1 small onion, finely diced
1 hot pepper, diced (Scotch Bonnet is traditional, but poblano works just fine. I often use 1 tsp of cayenne pepper instead.)
1/2 cup broth or water (I usually use water)
1 tsp each of salt, black pepper, and thyme
2 tsps curry powder (most recipes use 1 tsp, but I like my curry)

1.Preheat oven to 400.

The Pastry
2. Measure flour, curry, and salt into a mixing bowl and combine.
3. Add shortening and butter. Using a fork, mix until big shortening/butter clumps are gone and flour is crumbly.
4. Add water to mixture and combine until a dough forms. You may need to use your hands. If it seems like your flour will not mix in completely, add another tablespoon of water. Do not add more than that, or your dough will be too moist and will fall apart when rolling.
5. At this point, I like to cut the dough into 5 even balls. You will want to get two circles out of each ball.
6. Sprinkle a clean, flat surface with a light layer of flour and roll out your first ball. You want it to be about 1/8" thick. Cut out a 6" circle and lay it aside. Roll it out again and cut out another circle. If you do not have enough dough left in this ball for another circle, roll out your next ball and combine the leftovers from both. Repeat until you have about 10 circles (I usually end up with 9, as I like my crust a bit thicker).

The Filling
7. Heat some olive oil in a skillet and add your onions and pepper. Saute until tender.
8. Add turkey and mashed potatoes. Mix thoroughly.
9. Stir in salt, pepper, thyme, and curry. (Also add cayenne pepper if using that.)
10. Add broth/water and let simmer until liquid is mostly gone, stirring frequently. You want the mixture to be moist, but not runny.

The Patty
11. Spoon 1 to 2 tablespoons of mixture into the center of a pastry circle. Dip your fingers in water and wet the outside of the circle. Fold it over and pinch the sides together. You can use a fork to crimp the edges or just use your fingers. Place on a baking sheet. Repeat until all circles are filled or you run out of filling.
12. Brush the top of each patty with beaten egg.
13. Bake at 400 for 30 minutes or until patties are golden brown.

*This will make extra. It's better to have too much than not enough.

Pumpkin Soup

This recipe is best with a fresh, roasted pumpkin. I've included instructions on roasting a pumpkin at the bottom. If your pumpkin makes more puree than necessary for this recipe, simply freeze the rest. This soup freezes quite well, too. It's fabulous topped with a bit of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt.

Pumpkin Soup
2 tbsp butter
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 can stewed tomatoes
2 cups pumpkin puree
4 cups chicken stock, warmed
Nutmeg
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream
Scallions

1. In large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions and saute for about 5 minutes

2. Add thyme, tomatoes, and pumpkin puree. Bring to a simmer.

3. Stir in warmed chicken stock. Return to simmer. Cook 20 minutes.

4. Puree soup with blender. You may need to do multiple batches, depending on how big your blender is. I use a stick blender and it works beautifully.

5. Season soup with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. If you've never made this soup before, start with light seasoning, taste, and go from there. You don't want to over season your soup. 

6. Stir in cream and return to simmer for just a few minutes. 

7. Ladle soup into bowls and top with chopped scallions. Enjoy!

To roast a pumpkin: Preheat oven to 350F. Cut pumpkin in quarters and clean out seed and other goop. Use a glass baking dish or cover a metal baking dish with aluminum foil. To avoid stickage, brush a little oil or melted butter on the cut sides of the pumpkin and place the wedges face-down in the baking dish. Bake for about an hour or until the pumpkin is soft. Remove from the oven and let it sit until it is cool enough to handle. Remove the pumpkin skin and puree the pumpkin meat until smooth. Rinse and dry pumpkin seeds for use in Pumpkin Seed Brittle (recipe coming soon).

Warm Apple Snack

I invented this little recipe one day when I was craving something sweet. All I had in the house were apples, but I didn't have the energy to make an apple pie.

Warm Apple Snack
1 apple, cored, skinned, and cut into wedges
1 tsp sugar or sugar substitute (I use Splenda)
A sprinkle of cinnamon
1 tbsp butter

1. Melt butter in a pan on the stove.
2. Toss apple wedges with sugar and cinnamon.
3. Add apple wedges to pan, coat with butter, and cook until apples are tender. I like mine to be just on the softer side of crispy, so that they still have a bit of crunch but are warmed all the way through.
4. Apple can be eaten solo, or topped with ice cream, crushed graham crackers, or whatever else suits your fancy.

If anyone has a better name for this recipe, let me know!