Peanut Butter and Julie

Cranberry-Port Sauce with Dried Figs

I know that many times in life it is tempting to take the easier route.  We are all very busy and sometimes we just don't have the time  or energy to devote to certain things.  That being said, is the eyesore that is pictured to the right really necessary (double-click on it to enlarge)???   I mean honestly, yes, it's funny looking and can definitely serve a purpose, perhaps as a centerpiece for the "Kids' Table", but do you really want to serve this to your guests who have crossed six states to spend one day with you??  I didn't think so.

Fortunately, I have a recipe for cranberry sauce that requires very little time, effort (only one ingredient to chop!),  or attention.  It can be made as far as a week ahead of time, and it will taste so much better on your after-Thanksgiving turkey sandwich than a slice of that jellied stuff.  The dried figs in the sauce add a sweetness that complements the Port and fresh rosemary.  It turns out a beautiful jewel tone--you can be proud to put this version on your Thanksgiving table.  This recipe is so straightforward that I only have a few of my usual tips to offer you:

• If you don't have any Port on hand, feel free to substitute a red wine (recommend Pinot Noir or Cabernet) for a similar product.
• The dried figs can be found alongside the raisins and dried cranberries in your grocery store

Cranberry-Port Sauce with Dried Figs

Makes about 3 1/2 cups

1 2/3 cups ruby Port

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

10 dried black Mission figs, stemmed and coarsely chopped

1 six-inch long sprig of fresh rosemary

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 12-ounce bag fresh cranberries

3/4 cup sugar

Combine the first six ingredients in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil, stirring until the brown sugar dissolves.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.  Discard the rosemary.  Mix in the cranberries and the 3/4 cup sugar.  Cook over medium heat until the liquid is slightly reduced and thickened and the berries burst, stirring occasionally, 6-8 minutes.  Cool and transfer to a bowl.  Cover and keep refrigerated until ready to use.  Can be served chilled, heated, or at room temperature.

Maple Pumpkin Pie with Gingersnap Crust

When thinking about which desserts I was going to post prior to Thanksgiving, one option that I considered was to take the less traditional route and make a pumpkin bread pudding, pumpkin mousse, or even pumpkin profiteroles.  But then I realized that having a Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie might be viewed as inexcusable by some of you, and I certainly don't want to ruffle any feathers this early in my blogging career.  This is the best pumpkin pie that I have ever tasted.  This recipe takes your normal run-of-the-mill pumpkin pie and, as Emeril would say, "kicks it up a notch" with some pure maple syrup.  The maple syrup adds a deeper and richer flavor that is complemented with the very easy pecan and gingersnap crust (you can breathe a sigh of relief--no pastry crust to deal with in this one!).  Yes, as an ingredient maple syrup costs a little bit more, but for special occasions, it's definitely worth it and makes all of the difference.  This recipe only requires about 20 minutes of your time in the kitchen (not including baking time, of course), which makes it even better!  Here are my notes regarding the recipe:

• If you can't find Grade B maple syrup, then go ahead and use Grade A or Fancy.  I will however, forbid you to use the "fake" stuff (no offense, Aunt Jemima).  Not only would it taste different, it wouldn't work.  You can usually find Grade B at a store like Whole Foods.
• If you don't own a candy thermometer, you can still make this recipe.  The syrup will have reached "soft ball stage" when a drop forms a soft ball when put in a cup of cold water.  Start testing after about 5 minutes of boiling.  The recipe will still work if you are a little bit off, so don't panic!
• The crust can be made one day prior to the filling.  For me, the easiest way to make the crust is by using a food processor.  I finely grind the cookies, pecans, sugar and salt together, and then I sprinkle the melted butter over the mixture and pulse until evenly coated.
• If the crust starts to get too dark when the filling is baking, cover the rim loosely with foil to shield it.
• If you have any extra pie filling, pour it into a ramekin and bake it alongside the pie until set.  This way, you can "test" your work prior to sharing it with everyone else!

Maple Pumpkin Pie with Gingersnap Crust

For Crust:

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus additional for buttering pie plate

Flour, for dusting

1 cup finely crushed gingersnap cookies (about 20-25 2-inch cookies)

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

2 tablespoons sugar

Generous pinch of salt

Place the oven rack in the center position and preheat the oven to 350F degrees.  Butter and flour a 10-inch glass or ceramic pie plate, knocking out excess flour.    Toss together all crust ingredients in a bowl with a fork until the crumbs are moistened, then press evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate.  Bake the crust for 6 minutes, then cool on a rack. 

For Pie Filling:

1 cup Grade B maple syrup

2 cups canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling!)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup heavy cream

2/3 cup whole milk (do not use skim or 2%)

2 large eggs

Raise the oven temperature to 375F degrees.  In a 3 quart heavy saucepan, gently boil the maple syrup until the temperature reaches about 225 degrees on a candy thermometer (soft ball stage); cool slightly.  In a medium bowl, whisk together pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, salt, cream, milk, and eggs, and then gradually whisk in the maple syrup.  Pour the filling into the cooled gingersnap crust.  Bake the pie in the middle of the oven for 1 hour or until the filling is set but the center still shakes slightly.  The filling will continue to set as the pie cools.  Transfer the pie to a rack to cool completely.  Serve with some sweetened whipped cream.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

This recipe is one that I always have on hand in my refrigerator.  I used to make a traditional hummus, which is still a favorite, but this recipe is even easier to make, and usually takes me about 5 minutes to whip up.  I am also a big fan of the spice cumin, which is a predominant flavor in this hummus (I usually end up doubling or tripling the amount indicated in the recipe).  If you aren't familiar with cumin, chances are you will recognize it as soon as you taste it.  It is used in many ethnic dishes, especially in Latin American, Moroccan, and Middle Eastern cooking.  This would be a good healthy dip to serve for your guests along with pita chips (see note below) and crudites.  A few notes:

• I originally made this recipe using a raw red pepper, which I charred, and then added to the other ingredients. It is MUCH easier to just buy the jar of roasted red peppers packed in water and estimate the equivalent of one pepper to add.
• Tahini is a sesame seed paste, which can usually be found in the ethnic foods or health foods aisles of your grocery store.
• This recipe keeps well for up to one week, so you can make a double (or triple!) batch.
• The hummus would also make a great spread for a vegetarian wrap or sandwich.
• Regarding the pita chips, my personal favorite kind is a brand that I recently discovered called Stacy's.  If you haven't had the opportunity to try these, run, don't walk, to the nearest Costco (where they sell them in huge bags), Target, or Whole Foods and buy some.  They come in several different flavors, but the best ones are the "Simply Naked" or plain.  They taste oh-so-good with this hummus.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Makes about 2 cups

Ingredients:

1 roasted red pepper (about 1/2 of a 12-ounce jar of roasted red peppers)

2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons tahini

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 19-ounce can garbanzo beans (chickpeas)

2 garlic cloves, quartered

Place bell pepper and all of the remaining ingredients in a food processor or mini chopper; process until smooth.  Enjoy with pita chips or crudites.

Wild Rice Stuffing with Dried Cherries, Apricots, and Pecans

This recipe produces a stuffing that is both delicious and beautiful to present to your guests.   Although less traditional than bread-based stuffing, it can be baked inside the bird or on its own in the oven (I personally have never baked any of my stuffings inside the turkey, but I know that this is very much an individual preference, so I'm not even going to try to make a recommendation as to what you should do).  I'll have my variation on the traditional stuffing posted in a week or so, so you will have two to select from.  This dressing recipe will also work throughout the year as a versatile side dish.  Here are my notes:

• The recipe calls for a long grain and wild rice blend.  If you can't find them already mixed together, then by all means purchase them separately and measure 1 1/4 cups each.  In this case, you will need to read the individual cooking times on the instructions, as you might need to start cooking the wild rice 10-15 minutes prior to adding the long grain.  Wild rice usually takes a bit longer.
• If you don't have dried cherries available, dried cranberries or Craisins will work very nicely.
• Regarding the fresh vs. dried thyme, refer to my note about using fresh or dried herbs in my Spinach-Artichoke Dip posting (also posted today).
• This recipe can be prepared one day ahead of time, and then reheated, covered with buttered foil, in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes.

Wild Rice Stuffing with Dried Cherries, Apricots, and Pecans                                                      Serves 8-10

6      tablespoons butter

1      large yellow onion, chopped

4 1/2 cups canned low-salt chicken broth

3      tablespoons fresh thyme or 1 tablespoon dried thyme

2 1/2 cups long grain and wild rice blend

1      six-ounce package dried apricots, coarsely chopped

1     cup dried tart cherries

1     cup golden raisins

1    cup pecans, toasted, chopped

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add onions and saute until brown, 10-15 minutes.  Add the 4 1/2 cups broth to the saucepan and 1 tablespoon thyme and bring to a boil.  Add the long grain and wild rice mixture to the saucepan and return to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the broth is almost all absorbed, about 30-40 minutes.  Stir  the dried apricots, dried cherries, raisins, and remaining 2 tablespoons thyme into rice mixture; cover and simmer until the remaining liquid has been completely absorbed, about 10 minutes.  Stir the remaining 4 tablespoons butter into the rice.  Mix in pecans.  Season generously with salt and pepper.

To bake stuffing in turkey:  Loosely fill the main cavity with cool stuffing.  Butter a glass baking dish.  Spoon the remaining stuffing into the prepared dish.  Cover with buttered foil, buttered side down.  Bake stuffing in dish until heated through, about 20 minutes.

To bake all of stuffing in the baking dish: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Butter a 13X9X2 inch glass baking dish.  Transfer the stuffing to the prepared dish.  Cover with buttered foil, buttered side down, and bake until heated through, about 30 minutes.

Spinach-Artichoke Dip

Due to some very unwelcome and malicious spyware and viruses which apparently have been residing on my computer, I unfortunately have been unable to post anything for the past two days.  This doesn't mean that I haven't been thinking about you and the rapidly approaching Thanksgiving holiday, so while my computer was down, I refocused my energy in the kitchen.  Now that I think about it, the computer repair guy probably found it a bit odd that I kept taking pictures of my food....  Today I will bring you three, count 'em, three recipe ideas so that I can make up for lost time.  So, without, further ado, let's get cooking!

Anyone who knows me relatively well knows that there are certain foods that I do not like to eat, cook with, or in some extreme cases, be within 50 feet of.  Two of these foods are cream cheese and mayonnaise (the latter of the two has the distinct honor of falling into the "extreme" category).  Yes, I'm afraid this means no cheesecake recipes for Peanut Butter and Julie, but don't worry, I have more than enough fantastic desserts in my repertoire to make up for any cheesecake withdrawal.

Sadly, due to my dislike of the aforementioned ingredients, I have never been able to enjoy the ubiquitous American appetizer, Spinach and Artichoke Dip-UNTIL NOW!  The following recipe omits the usual cream cheese and mayo (and at the same time significantly cuts fat and calories!), but still produces a rich and creamy product.  In fact, it is hard to believe that there is not half and half or cream in the recipe at all!  This would be perfect to serve as an appetizer during the day for the football-watching crowd, along with the Roasted Red Pepper Hummus (today's second recipe).  A few comments:

• The recipe calls for mozzarella, but you can also try Fontina, another mild cheese that melts easily, as a substitution.
• If you like to add a little heat to your recipes, add a generous pinch of cayenne pepper.
• An alternative serving suggestion for this dish, pictured below, would be to  make individual spinach and artichoke gratins as an innovative side dish.  Just divide the filling into 6 oven-proof ramekins set on a baking sheet, and divide the cheese on top.  Broil as directed and serve hot.
• Fresh thyme, fragrant and wonderful as it may be, is one of the more time consuming herbs to work with.  It is quite labor intensive to remove the little thyme leaves from the stems.  I would definitely recommend using dried thyme if you don't want to put in the extra time and effort.  I promise you, the recipe will still be delicious.  Tip: The rule of thumb for dried herbs vs. fresh is to use a 1:3 ratio.  In other words, for every 1 teaspoon of dried herbs, use 3 teaspoons of fresh.  In this recipe, you would use 2 teaspoons of dried thyme.

Spinach-Artichoke Dip

Ingredients:

Two 10-ounce boxes chopped frozen spinach

2 tablespoons butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

Half of a small onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

2 tablespoons flour

2 cups chicken broth

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

One 13.75 ounce can artichoke hearts in water, drained and chopped

1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1 cup freshly shredded mozzarella cheese

1 loaf whole grain baguette, cut into bite-size cubes (optional)

In microwaveable bowl, defrost the spinach in the microwave for 6 to 8 minutes.  Drain the spinach in a kitchen towel or colander and wring dry.  Tear the spinach into small pieces and set aside.  In a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium heat.  Add the garlic and onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the thyme and lemon peel.  Whisk in the flour and cook for one minute.  Gradually whisk in the chicken broth and season with salt, pepper and the nutmeg.  Increase the heat to high and cook, whisking often, until thickened, 6 to 8 minutes.  Stir in the spinach, artichokes, and half of the Parmigiano-Reggiano and mozzarella.  (Recipe can be made 1 day ahead up to this point.  Keep covered in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature prior to continuing.)  Transfer the mixture to a casserole.  Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.  Preheat the broiler.  Broil the dip until bubbly and lightly browned, about 3 minutes.  Serve with pita chips, bread cubes, or crudites.

Spiced Apple Pie

O.K., repeat after me: “I can bake a pie from scratch.  I do not need the help of Marie Callendar, the Pillsbury Doughboy, or Mrs. Smith in order to make a delicious and impressive holiday dessert.”  Very good.  I’m so proud of you.  This will be your mantra as you take on my next recipe: Spiced Apple Pie, from scratch.  Yes, I could have started out with something much easier and worked up to this, but just think, after you tackle this recipe, all of the other desserts that I post will be a piece of cake (sorry, I couldn’t resist the pun).

The Crust

Pie crusts are notorious, in the world of baking, for being difficult to master.  This is my favorite pie crust recipe because it is so easy to work with, it turns out buttery and flaky, and the entire thing is made in the food processor, so your kitchen (and your outfit) isn’t covered with flour at the end.  A few comments:

*        If you don’t have cake flour on hand, you can use all-purpose flour in its place.  Cake flour will just provide a lighter texture in the end.

*        The butter and shortening MUST be cold.  This is important for the flakiness of the pastry. 

*        Apple cider vinegar in a pie crust???  Is this a typo??  No, the vinegar helps to keep the crust tender and easy to work with.  You don’t taste it at all in the end result.

*        If you think you are going to be baking many pies over the holidays, go ahead and make multiple recipes.  This recipe freezes well for a month.

Double Crust Pie Crust

Ingredients:
2          cups flour

2/3       cup cake flour

1/2       teaspoon salt

1/2       cup unsalted butter, cold, in tablespoon sized pieces

1/2        cup cold vegetable shortening, in tablespoon sized pieces

1/2        cup ice water

1          large egg yolk

1          teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Pulse the flours and salt together in the bowl of a food processor for 5 seconds.  Add the butter and shortening and pulse 6-8 times for about 1 second each, just to cut it into smaller pieces.  Combine the water, egg yolk, and cider vinegar in a measuring cup.  Pulsing rapidly, gradually pour the liquid through the processor’s feed tube in a thin stream until the dough forms several large clumps and almost gathers into a ball, 20-30 pulses.  Transfer the dough to sheets of plastic wrap and form two 1-inch thick disks, one slightly larger than the other.  Wrap securely and refrigerate at least one hour.

Pie Filling and Assembly

This is an excellent “base” apple pie filling if you want to be creative and put your own twist on apple pie.  You can add raisins (soak them in rum first to make your pie really popular!), dried cranberries, chopped walnuts or pecans, or whatever else appeals to you, although, I do not recommend parsley.   

*        The protein in the egg white, which is brushed onto the pie shell, helps to seal it so the crust remains crisp.  Nobody likes a soggy pie crust!

*        If you don’t have cardamom on hand you can omit it.  I like to add it for it’s unique flavor that goes well with apples.  You can also experiment with other spices like ½ teaspoon ginger or allspice, or ¼ teaspoon ground cloves.

*        The fluted pie crust sounds much more complicated than it really is. True, it does require extra  time, but it looks so impressive that it is worth the extra effort.  It is also much easier than trying to transfer a large sheet of rolled out dough on top of the filling without ripping it several times.   Think of how proud of yourself you will be when everyone is “oooh-ing” and “aaah-ing” over your pie.  Try it!

*        If you don’t have a fluted cutter (and don’t live close enough to borrow mine), a plain round shape will be fine.  You can always use the rim of a small glass to measure.  Try overlapping other shapes too.

Ingredients:

2 pounds sweet apples (suggest Gala, Cameo, Golden Delicious)

2 pounds tart apples (suggest Granny Smith or Pippin)

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 flour, plus more for dusting

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 large egg, separated

1 tablespoon cream

On a lightly floured work surface, roll the slightly larger disk of dough to 1/8 inch thick. Fit into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate by rolling up around your rolling pin and then unrolling over the pie plate.  Trim the edges flush with rim. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.  Roll the remaining disk of dough (and any scraps) to 1/8 inch thick. Using a 2-inch fluted round cutter, cut out about 70 rounds, re-rolling scraps if necessary. Place rounds on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Core and thinly slice half the apples, and cut the remaining apples into 1-inch pieces.

Toss together apples, lemon zest and juice, sugars, flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom in a large bowl. Brush the interior of the pie shell with a thin layer of the egg white.  Place the filling in piecrust, mounding it in the center (you may have some extra). Dot with the butter.  Whisk together egg yolk and cream in a small bowl and lightly brush edge of the piecrust with this egg wash.  Arrange dough rounds over filling, working in a spiral from the outside in to the center, overlapping them slightly. Lightly brush top of each round with egg wash as you work to help them adhere to one another.  Once the filling has been covered with rounds, lightly brush entire top of pie with egg wash.  Sprinkle top lightly with sugar. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the pie plate on a foil-lined baking sheet to catch any juices. Place pie on middle rack, and bake until crust begins to turn golden brown, about 25 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees, and bake until crust is golden brown and juices are bubbling, about 1 hour, 10 minutes more. Tent with foil if crust browns too quickly. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

Cranberry Maple Nut Cornbread

This recipe is great to make over the holidays, not only because it tastes fantastic (with maple, walnuts, and cranberry, how can you go wrong?), but because of its versatility and the multiple roles that it can play:

• If you don't want to deal with the complication and time involved for a dinner roll recipe, yet you don't want to go the store-bought route, this is a great option for Thanksgiving dinner.  The bread takes mere minutes to mix together and its sweetness will be a complement to all of the savory dishes on the table.  You can keep it in loaf form, or make 12 individual muffins, perfect for a buffet-style feast.
• This recipe can be made up to two weeks ahead of time and frozen, and then defrosted at room temperature.  Make a triple-batch and store extra loaves for future dinners, brunches, or to give as homemade gifts.  Mini-loaves are great gifts as well (and much more economical!).
• Use one of those extra loaves to make a sweet and savory cornbread stuffing.  Cut the loaf into 3/4 inch cubes and let the bread dry out first.  Use it as a base for your favorite stuffing recipe.  Check back at Peanut Butter and Julie  over the next few weeks, and I'll post a few of my favorites.
• Toast leftovers for breakfast or for serving with Roasted Butternut Squash Soup (November 3rd post).  Spread the slices with some good butter or maple cream.

Cranberry Maple Nut Cornbread

Ingredients:

1 cup flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup cornmeal

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

2 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon maple extract

3/4 cup chopped walnuts, plus more halves for topping

3/4 cup dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and spray a 9X5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray.  Whisk the flours, cornmeal, salt, sugar, and baking powder together in a large bowl.  Whisk the buttermilk, melted butter, maple syrup, eggs, and extract together in a medium bowl.  Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just blended.  Stir in the walnuts and cranberries.  Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and, if desired, arrange 8 to 10 walnut halves down the center.  Bake until the top is golden brown and a knife inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean--about 1 hour and 10 minutes.  Tent the loaf with foil if the top browns too quickly.  Let cool in the pan on a rack for about 20 minutes and then turn out onto the rack and let cool completely. Yum!

Orange-Spiced Hot Cider

My first request for a recipe from a reader!  How exciting!  O.K., so it was my brother--Thank you Jay, for being supportive.  Hopefully you are only the first of many more to come.  I think that you speak for many people with you question regarding how to make homemade hot cider, and I think that you will be surprised at how quick and easy this recipe is to make.  You can make a double or triple batch, store it in the refrigerator, and reheat as needed.  This would be great to have on hand for visitors over the holidays along with the Maple-Glazed Pumpkin Doughnuts (recipe from November 2).  A few tips:

• If you have time, you can put all of the ingredients in a slow cooker and heat the mixture over low for 3-4 hours.  The longer the cider simmers, the deeper the flavor will be, and your home will smell wonderful.
• For the orange rind, the best tool to use is a carrot or vegetable peeler.  Firmly grasp the orange and peel towards yourself to get the 2-inch pieces.
• Serve with a cinnamon stick for presentation.

Orange-Spiced Hot Cider

Makes 2 quarts (6-8 servings)

2 quarts apple cider

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon whole cloves

2 cinnamon sticks

1/2 teaspoon allspice berries or 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Pinch of ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 two-inch strips of orange rind (about 1 inch wide)

In a heavy saucepan, combine all ingredients and bring the mixture to a boil and stir until the sugar is dissolved.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20-30 minutes.  Strain the mixture and serve hot.