Sticky Buns

Okay.  We've been holding onto this one.  But in the spirit of "almost" spring and a few more cold mornings in our future, we thought we'd share.  Enjoy while being snuggled on the couch under your favorite afghan.  

Sticky Buns

1 bag frozen Rhodes rolls
Crisco, for greasing the pan and rolls
1/4 c cinnamon
1 box of butterscotch pudding
1/2 c (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 c brown sugar

1. Grease bundt pan with crisco.  Grease top of each frozen roll before putting in pan. Place 22-24 rolls evenly in pan.
2. Sprinkle rolls evenly with cinnamon.
3. Sprinkle rolls evenly with 1/2 of the butterscotch pudding packet.
4. In small saucepan, melt butter and brown sugar together. Use low/med heat stirring constantly. It takes awhile to turn into a creamy caramel where the butter and sugar are completely combined, but as with many of our lessons, low and slow!
5. Pour mix over rolls evenly.
6. Cover with light towel and let rise overnight.
7. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes (check at 20).
8. Put a cookie sheet on the rack below in case it oozes caramel.
9. Might need to lower the rack... Depending on how tall they rose... Don't want to burn the top.
10. They're done when the tops are a dark, golden brown.
11. Invert onto large plate.

Suckers

One of the main reasons for this cookbook (besides a central place for our family recipes) is to share the lessons we have learned in the kitchen - so hopefully you all don't make the same mistakes we did.  And to remember them ourselves so we don't repeat them!

I tease Nicole and tell people that she really is the reason for the "mishaps" part of our cooking misadventures.  But, this may very well be the recipe that caused the very first cooking mishap on record:  December 2000 at my friend's house.  Our brother, Matt, and I, were having "holiday recipe sharing" day at our friend, Kim's house.  She had a small apartment (well, frankly, we all did at the time) and had these beautiful crocheted doilies on her dining room table and coffee table.  Her only rule was to NOT get them dirty.

My suckers were easy to do in the other room, out of the way of the others in the kitchen.  I boiled the mixture, put it in a candy storage container to pour it into the sucker molds I had laid out on a cookie sheet...on the doilies.  Well, of course, boiling candy does not do well in plastic.  The bottom melted through and in my genius glory, I put my hand out to catch the candy to prevent a mess.  If I had just let it go, it would have just spilled onto the cookie sheet...mess free.

Instead, I burn my right hand and drag sucker mess from the living room to the kitchen to put my hand under cold water.  Unless that carpet has been replaced since, there is still sucker in it.  Of that I am sure.

Candy surprisingly comes off your skin easily.  And it hurt to keep it in the water.  My soft-spoken friend, Lori, had just been trained in first-aid and CPR and knew to keep it there for as long as possible to stop the burning from continuing.  She was not nice about it either.  And for that I am now grateful.  I kept it under the freezing cold water for over an hour.  I'm sure that's what saved my hand.

Our other friends left to go to the hospital...a family member was there.  I declined a ride to get it checked out, because what would they say?  "You burned your hand, now that will be $50."  No thanks.  The visit to the hospital took longer than planned, so we all ended up over there.  A doctor did look at my hand and gave some free advice.  NOT to pop the blister - and a blister I had.  The size of a soft ball in my hand.  So of course, we popped it.  My dad, husband, and Doctor-To-Be brother all said it was necessary.

Enter blood poisoning.  And a tetanus shot.  And an anti-biotic shot.  Both hurt worse than the burn.  By this time all the nerves were damaged.  I had 3rd degree burns on my hand and 2nd on my fingers.  After physical therapy (which I lovingly called my "cry appointment") three times a week, my hand is good as new.  I can still do an octave on the piano, too!

So, let this be a lesson.  Don't put this into anything plastic.  That might be common sense to all of you, but my young self didn't think of it.  Now, we use Pyrex glass measuring cups with the handle far on the side to pour the mixture into the molds.  And they are DELICIOUS.  Worth every minute!

Suckers

3 3/4 c sugar
1 1/2 c light corn syrup
1 c water
1 tsp food coloring
1 tbsp flavor extract or 1 dram of flavor oil (Wild Cherry is our favorite)
Candy thermometer
Sucker molds
Sucker sticks

Recipe makes about 42 suckers approximately 1 inch in diameter.

1. Arrange molds and sticks onto greased cookie sheet.
2. In a quart sauce pan, stir CONSTANTLY the sugar, corn syrup and water over medium heat until boiling.  Seriously, don't stop stirring.
3. Boil over medium heat without stirring until temperature reaches hard crack (about 310 degrees).  Watch over this carefully.  This goes from perfect to burnt in about 2 seconds.

At this point, you'll need to know what to do and plan for it.  You have to MOVE FAST!  This sets up really quick.  So get ready:

1. Remove from heat.
2. Add flavoring and color.  Stir well.
3. Pour into 2 glass Pyrex measuring cups (We use the 2 cup with large side handle so as not to burn ourselves!)
4. Pour mixture into molds, filling to top of mold.
5. Let set until at room temperature.
6. Store in air-tight container or zip top bags.

 

You need one of these per recipe.

Orange-Glazed Steaks

This is one of the greatest recipes we know.  We got it off the internet YEARS ago.  We always use whatever critter our husbands have in the freezer.  Beef, deer, elk, whatever you have will work.

Orange-Glazed Steaks

2/3 c dry red wine (we usually use merlot)
1/2 c fresh orange juice
1/3 c fresh lime juice
1/2 c honey
1/4 c cider vinegar
1/4 c soy sauce
2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic (we use the kind in the jar)
1 tsp finely grated orange zest
1 tsp Tabasco sauce
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
4-6 lbs steaks

1. Lay steaks in a shallow glass baking dish.
2. Mix all marinade ingredients well in a separate bowl, until honey is dissolved.
3. Pour marinade over steaks.
4. Cover and marinade overnight.
5. Bring the steaks to room temperature.
6. Remove steaks from marinade and cook to desired temperature (we usually grill them on the BBQ, but broiling them would work, too).
7. Place the marinade in a large skillet and bring to a boil over high heat.
8. Continue to boil until the liquid is syrupy and mahogany-colored.  Remove from heat.  There should be about a cup of glaze.
9. While cooking the steaks, brush the glaze on both sides of the steaks.
10. You can use remaining glaze for sauce when serving.

p.s.  We have made this dish a LOT and we can never get the glaze to thicken.  These steaks are amazing without adding any glaze upon cooking or serving.  We keep trying the glaze just for principle now.  LOL

p.p.s.  UPDATE 12/3/13:  After making this dish most recently, we have mastered the glaze! 

1. Using a large stock pot, bring glaze to a boil.
2. Turn heat to medium and cook, uncovered for 2 hours for a thick glaze.  For a thinner sauce, 1 hour and 45 minutes.
3. Stir occasionally.
4. This taught us the lesson "LOW AND SLOW".

Thanksgiving Feast - Dessert - Pumpkin Pie

We call this "Don't Eff Up My Pumpkin Pie" recipe.

We love to make pies, but we generally don't have time to create two.  So we usually get the Pumpkin Pie from Costco.  I got really ambitious one year and made the Pumpkin Pie our mother always makes the night before our big dinner.  It turned out amazing.  Travis (who was upstairs in the man cave all day watching shows) said, upon trying a piece, "Where did you get this?"  I said, "I made it."  He said, "No really, where?   You don't even like pumpkin pie."  I said, "No, but you all do.  How is it?"  He said, "Wow, La.  I'm impressed.  It's really good."

Then I got too confident.  The next year, we tried this recipe from Tyler Florence.  To which Travis said, "You'd better not eff up my pumpkin pie."

Pumpkin Banana Meringue Pie

Pie Crust:

2 c all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
5 tsp sugar
Pinch kosher salt
12 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 egg yolks
Ice water

For the filling:

2 whole sugar pumpkins
6 bananas
3 large eggs, plus 1 egg white
1/2 c sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 c heavy cream
Pinch kosher salt

For the meringue topping:

4 large egg whites
6 tbsp confectioners' sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
Pinch salt

Directions

Crust:

1. Combine the flour, sugar and a pinch of salt in a large bowl. 
2. Mix in the cold butter with a pastry blender or your hands until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. 
3. Work in egg yolks and 1 to 2 tablespoons ice water until the dough holds together without being too sticky. If it's still crumbly, add more ice water, 1 teaspoon at a time. 
4. Form into a ball, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
5. On a floured surface, roll the dough into an 11 to 12-inch circle with a floured rolling pin.
6. Ease the dough into a 9-inch pie pan, pressing firmly into the bottom and sides. 
7. Trim the excess dough, then pinch the edges. 
8. Refrigerate until ready to fill.

Filling:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Split the pumpkins down the middle and scoop out the seeds. 
3. Arrange on a roasting tray, cut side up, and roast for 20 minutes. 
4. Remove the pumpkins from the oven and lay bananas (in their skins) around and between the pumpkin halves. 
5. Return to the oven and roast for another 10 minutes. 
6. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before handling, about 5 minutes.
7. Scoop out the pumpkin flesh and add to a food processor. 
8. Peel the bananas and add the flesh to food processor as well. 
9. Add the 3 eggs, sugar, cinnamon, 2 tablespoons butter, nutmeg, heavy cream and salt. Puree until smooth.
10. Put a baking sheet on the bottom oven rack and preheat to 375 degrees.
11. Pour the filing into the prepared pie shell. 
12. Lightly beat the egg white. 
13. Brush the pastry edges with the egg white and sprinkle with a bit of sugar. 
14. Carefully arrange the pie on the preheated baking sheet, lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees and bake it until the pie is set but still jiggles slightly, about 50 minutes. 
15. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.

Topping:

1. Beat the egg whites, powdered sugar, cream of tartar, and a pinch salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer until glossy medium peaks form, being careful not to over beat.
2. Spread the meringue mixture over the top of the pie, covering right to the edges. 
3. Using the back of a spoon press lightly into the meringue and pull up on the spoon to form peaks all over the surface of the meringue (alternatively you can use a piping bag with a large star tip if you choose).
4. To cook the meringue, preheat the broiler with the rack in the highest position. 
5. Put the pie under the broiler and broil until the meringue is set and golden brown, about 7 minutes, watching carefully to avoid burning, as it cooks quickly. 
6. Remove from the broiler and cool before serving.

After it was all done (after burning the meringue the first time, Travis was able to salvage the pie and the second meringue by using his torch to cook it) it was so pretty.  Then I took a bite.  I promptly spit it out.  And then I cried.  It was just AWFUL.  After my reaction, no one else would try it.  It really tasted so bad.  Like pumpkin-banana flavored dirt.  And we ruined Travis's favorite part of this whole meal.  Never again.  If you all are brave enough and try it, do let us know.  We know a couple of things we did wrong (we didn't roast the pumpkin long enough and really...does a homemade crust ever turn out?)

The biggest lesson of this whole feast is this:  Get the can of Libby's Pumpkin puree and follow the recipe on the back (using the Pillsbury pre-made pie crusts).  Our mother has done it for years.  When I made it, it turned out awesome.  It's tried and true.  

 

Thanksgiving Feast - Dessert - Cherry Pie

Most of the recipes we've posted to this point haven't been shared, or tested, by anyone else.  But this recipe has.  Our friend Paige heard about this "mishap" and said she'd been looking for a good cherry pie recipe. And she's made it several times since!

This recipe was the reason for the "Read the recipe all the way through" lesson.  Two years ago, we were very ambitious with about 15 recipes for the meal.  We decided to do this one first so it could it could bake while we prepared other dishes (and we needed to use the oven in "shifts" to get the timing right for everything to be done at once).

First 10 minutes of the big day and Nicole dumps the whole can of cherries into the prepared pie crust.  Without draining it.  "But without the liquid from the can, how does it get so juicy?"  Baking is magical, Nicole.  It just does.

Cherry Pie

1 1/3 c sugar
1/3 c flour
2 cans pitted, red tart cherries, DRAINED
1/4 tsp almond extract
2 tbsp butter
2 Pillsbury Pie Crusts (there are 2 to one box usually)
Red food coloring, optional

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Lay out one of the pie crusts into 9" pie pan, and press to form to the pan.  Set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, stir together sugar and flour.
4. Mix with cherries. 
5. Add a couple of drops of red food coloring, if desired.
6. Pour into pie crust.
7. Sprinkle with almond extract.
8. Pat with butter (evenly spaced)
9. Cover with second pie crust.
10. Seal and flute.
11. Add several slits in top of crust.
12. Cover edge of pie with 2-3 inch thick strips of aluminum so edges won't burn.
13. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
14. Remove foil.
15. Bake for 10-15 minutes longer until crust is brown and juice begins to bubble through the slits.

Tip:  Put large cookie sheet on the shelf under the pie.  Just in case it bubbles over so your oven isn't a mess.  

We serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

What NOT to do.  LOL

YUM!

Baked Fish a la La

Today I learned that Nicole isn't the only reason our cookbook will be named "Cooking Mishaps".

I am a recipe follower.  I am not a recipe creator.  Travis (my husband) can create...a little of this and a little of that...and come up with the most delicious dishes.  Several will be featured in our cookbook (thanks, honey!)  Me, on the other hand.  I can cook ANYTHING and it will be amazing.  As long as I have a recipe.

So the other night, I decided I wanted to make fish.  Travis caught some great pike and it was calling my name.  I searched on Pinterest for a good recipe and found this:

Baked Fish

4 Haddock (Halibut, Tilapia, Pike, or any white, flaky, mild fish) fillets (6-8 oz ea)

For the sauce [I think it was supposed to be a marinade, but I didn't have time for that nonsense]:
3/4 c soy sauce
3 tbsp rice wine vinegar or sherry [I used the vinegar]
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger [I used powdered]
2 tbsp brown sugar
6 cloves crushed garlic [I used minced from a jar]
1 tsp coriander seeds
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly cracked pepper
3 tbsp sesame oil for rubbing on fish [I didn't use that much, maybe a teaspoon per fillet]
[Lemon Juice]
[Crushed red pepper flakes]

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Line glass pan with tin foil.  
3. Rub fillets with sesame oil and season with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes (on both sides).
4. Mix all other ingredients in small bowl. 
5. Pour over fish.  
6. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes until fish is completely white and flaky.

For the first time in my life - I read the list once and decided to make up my own recipe.  I put in parenthesis the changes I made and I have no idea what amounts of each ingredient I used.  I don't even think I could duplicate it. Which is one of the main reasons I don't love the "let's try this" approach.  It's SO good yet not replicable.

I can't believe how good it was.  And I was pretty proud of myself.

And then.

I was humbled.

In my glory, I forgot to turn the burner on the top of my stove off (for the side dish) and then I set the oven mitt on it.  Dang flat top stove that should never pair as a counter top!

Moral of the story?  Follow the recipe.