Pecan Pie Squares

Here's what's in these crazy-good (and dangerously easy to eat) dessert bars:

Butter.  Flour and sugar.  Butter.  Butter.  Butter.  Honey, pecans.  Butter, butter, butter, and butter.  A little more butter.  And some heavy cream.

(You know, to lighten it up a little.)

The crust is light as air (thanks to the butter!), and the gooey pecan topping is it's match made in heaven. 

First we'll make the crust...

You can either use a food processor fitted with a steel blade or a pastry blender.  (Two forks work well, too.)

Process some flour, powdered sugar, and TWO WHOLE STICKS of butter together,

until it resembles fine crumbs.  

And said crumbs stick together when pressed.

Transfer the crust ingredients to a greased 9 x 13-inch pan.

This is my version of a peaceful Japanese garden.

My fingers are my rake.  

After that relaxing activity, press the crust into the pan.  

 And bake it at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  

While it's baking, melt 11 MORE tablespoons of butter in a saucepan.

Add 1/2 cup honey 

(tip:  grease the measuring cup first, and the honey will slide right out).

Now add 3 tablespoons of heavy cream.

And 1/2 cup of brown sugar.

Whisk it well until it looks like this:

Then stir in the pecans (3 cups).

Remove the baked crust from the oven,

and spread the pecan mixture over it.

Return dish to the oven and bake for 25 minutes. 

It will emerge perfectly browned and lovely.

Serve alone or with a generous scoop of French Vanilla ice cream. 

Here's the printable recipe.

Pecan Pie Squares
Makes about 24 large squares

Crust:
2/3 cup confectioners' sugar (powdered sugar)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter

Pecan Topping:
2/3 cup (about 11 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup honey
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 1/2 cups shelled pecans, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350.  Generously grease a 9 x 13-inch pan with butter.

Combine sugar and flour in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade (or in a large bowl with a pastry blender or two forks).  Add butter, pulsing the processor until fine crumbs form.  Pat crust into prepared baking pan.  Bake for 20 minutes; remove from oven.

While crust is baking, prepare topping.  Melt butter in a medium saucepan.  Add honey (grease the measuring cup to make the honey easily slide out...), cream, and brown sugar.  Whisk together until thoroughly combined.  Stir in pecans, coating them well.  Spread pecan mixture over the crust.  Return pan to oven and bake for 25 minutes more.  Cool completely before cutting into squares. 

From:  The Silver Palate Cookbook:  Delicious Recipes, Menus, Tips, Lore from Manhattans' Celebrated Gourmet Food Shop

Thanksgiving Menu Ideas

A few menu ideas for the upcoming Thanksgiving celebration:

Sweet Potato Pone

Cornbread Dressing

Maple-Glazed Carrots

Cranberry-Citrus Sauce


Pumpkin Log with Ginger Buttercream

Turkey Brine

Green Bean Bundles

Baked Apple-Pear Chutney

 

Classic Yeast Rolls

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Kolaches

Happy Thanksgiving!

Pumpkin Log with Ginger Buttercream

I've been wanting to make this for years but have been intimidated by the thought of rolling a cake in a dishtowel.

But I did it.

And it was easy!

And so very yummy.

Ina Garten is a culinary hero of mine, and I especially love her cookbook entitled Back to Basics: Fabulous Flavor from Simple Ingredients.  I very slightly adapted her "Pumpkin Roulade with Ginger Buttercream" recipe below; I hope you will try it.

I think I'm going to make this Maple Cream Sauce to serve with the pumpkin roll.  (Because at this point, worrying about consuming too many calories is pointless.)

Happy Thanksgiving, friends. 

May there be an abundance of peace and joy gathered around your Thanksgiving table.

Here's the printable recipe.

Pumpkin Roll with Ginger Buttercream
For the Cake
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom*
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup canned pumpkin (not pie filling)
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar, plus extra for dusting

For the Filling
16 ounces Italian Mascarpone cheese
1 1/4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/4 cup minced dried crystallized ginger (not in syrup)**
Pinch of kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Grease a 13 x 18 x 1-inch sheet pan.  Line the pan with parchment paper and grease and flour the paper.

In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, and salt and stir to combine.  Place the eggs and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium-high speed for 3 minutes, until light yellow and thickened.  With the mixer on low, add the pumpkin, then slowly add the flour mixture, mixing just until incorporated.  Finish mixing the batter by hand with a rubber spatula.  Pour into the prepared pan and spread evenly.  Bake the cake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the top springs back when gently touched.

While the cake is baking, lay out a clean, thin cotton dish towel on a flat surface and sift the entire 1/4 cup of confectioners' sugar evenly over it.  (This will prevent the cake from sticking to the towel.)  As soon as you remove the cake from the oven, loosen it around the edges and invert it squarely onto the prepared towel.  Peel away the parchment paper.  With a light touch, roll the warm cake and the towel together (don't press!) starting at the short end of the cake.  Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, make the filling.  In a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the mascarpone, confectioners' sugar, and cream together for about a minute, until light and fluffy.  Stir in the crystallized ginger and salt.

To assemble, carefully unroll the cake onto a board with the towel underneath.  Spread the cake evenly with the filling.  Reroll the cake in a spiral using the towel as a guide.  Remove the towel and trim the ends to make a neat edge.  Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve sliced.

---------

*I added this...it's not part of Ina's original recipe.
**I didn't have crystallized ginger on-hand, so I substituted 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger.

Country Cornbread Dressing

This recipe blows packaged dressing (including my old favorite, Pepperidge Farm) out of the water.

It takes more time, yes.

I hope you'll agree that it's worth it. 

(Maybe you won't.  And that's OK.  We can still be friends.)

You can bake this dressing days before, refrigerate it, and reheat it (while adding more chicken broth, if necessary, to keep it moist) on Thanksgiving Day.

Raise your hand if less craziness in the kitchen on Thursday sounds good to you.

I really love having all my ingredients chopped, measured and ready to go when I'm cooking.

Like I did here.

I rarely do this, by the way.

But it is fun.

It makes me feel like I'm on the Food Network.

Only I'm here.

In my tiny kitchen.

Wearing pajama pants.

Surrounded by teetering towers of dirty dishes.
---------

You'll need about 6 cups of cubed bread.

I used half a loaf of wheat French bread.

 Slice it.

 Dice it.

Put it on a baking sheet.

And "toast" it in a 200 degree oven for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the butter and saute the vegetables,

bacon, and seasonings in a large skillet for about 10-15 minutes.

Put the toasted bread cubes in a bowl.

Add the crumbled cornbread to the bowl.

Mix together.

There is something deeply therapeutic about doing this. 

Add the vegetable mixture to the bread mixture.

Now, beat 3 eggs and add to the bread/veggie mixture.

Stir it well.

Get some chicken stock.

Can I show you one of my secret weapons?

If you don't have any homemade chicken stock on hand, this is what you need.

So much better than a bouillon cube.

And easier, too.

Now, add enough of the chicken stock (or the cheater stuff) to the bread/veggie/egg mixture.

Turn it out into a well-greased baking dish.

Bake for 1 hour.

Check it while it's in the oven!  Drizzle additional stock over it to keep it moist. 

Enjoy the fruit of your labor. 

Here's the printable recipe.

Country Cornbread Dressing

Serves 8-10

1/2 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
2 large celery stalks, chopped
5 smoked bacon slices, diced
1 tablespoon minced fresh sage
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano (regular oregano works fine)
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 pound smoked ham, coarsely ground
4 cups crumbled cornbread (about one prepared box of Jiffy cornbread)
6 cups French bread cubes
3 eggs, lightly beaten
About 1 1/4 cups chicken or turkey stock, or more as needed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Melt the butter in a heavy 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, celery, bacon, seasonings, and ham.  Saute, stirring often, until vegetables are wilted and bacon is cooked but not browned, about 10-15 minutes.  Place cornbread and French bread in a large bowl.  Pour vegetable mixture over bread; toss to combine.  Stir in beaten eggs.  Add enough stock or broth to make a moist dressing, stirring to break up cornbread and French bread.  Turn the dressing out into a large baking dish or casserole and bake in preheated oven for 1 hour.  Drizzle additional stock (or turkey drippings) as needed to keep the dressing moist.  Serve hot.


*Recipe from Texas on the Plate

Sweet Potato Pone

I am not at all sure why this is called a "pone", as that term typically signifies something made with cornmeal.

But who cares.

This stuff is so delicious it will have people banging their heads on the table.

If you want to make it ahead of time, like I am today (four days before Thanksgiving), make the sweet potato mixture and put it in the baking dish.  Then make the topping.  Store them separately in the fridge.  On the big day, set the dish with the potatoes out on the counter about an hour before you want to bake it (to let it come to room temperature).  Right before you bake it, generously cover it with the topping. 

Note:  you'll need to bake the sweet potatoes first.  Depending on their size, that will take about 45 minutes to an hour.

Please, please, please use some parchment paper

beneath the potatoes when you bake them. 

You won't have to scrub the hardened potato goo off the baking sheet.

After the potatoes are done,

set them aside and let them cool off a bit. 

(Or you'll burn your fingerprints off.)

Then, peel them.

I personally find this to be extremely fun.

Just pinch...

then twist and peel.

While the potatoes are still warm, put them in a bowl.

Start mixing in the other ingredients.

Especially the butter.

I love butter.

Add the sugar, eggs, vanilla, and cinnamon.

And mix.

Turn out the mixture into a well-buttered baking dish.

And spread it.

Now make the topping.

Add brown sugar, flour, and butter to a food processor bowl.

Give it a whirl.

Add the chopped pecans.

Give it a few pulses.

Go ahead...sample a spoonful. 

It'll make your knees weak.

Add the topping to the potato mixture, bake at 375 for about 45 minutes.

Prepare to be hoisted on shoulders and carried around the room in appreciation of your culinary efforts.

Here's the printable recipe.

Sweet Potato Pone
(serves 6-8)

3 large sweet potatoes, about 27-30 ounces total
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Topping
1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Lightly butter a 13 x 9 inch baking dish; set aside.

Place the sweet potatoes in a second baking dish and bake in preheated oven for about 40-45 minutes, or until a fork can be inserted into the flesh with ease.  Remove the sweet potatoes and set them aside for a few minutes until they are cool enough to handle.  Lower oven temperature to 375 degrees.  Peel the skin from the potatoes and place them in a large bowl.  Mash the potatoes thoroughly.  Add butter, sugar, eggs, evaporated milk, vanilla, and cinnamon, stirring to blend well and melt the butter.  Turn mixture out into prepared baking dish.

To make the topping, combine brown sugar, butter, and flour in work bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade.  Process until smooth and fluffy.  Add the pecans and process just to blend, using the pulse feature and leaving the pecan pieces fairly intact.

Spread topping over potato mixture.  Bake in preheated oven until set and lightly browned on top, about 45 minutes.  Serve hot.

*From Texas on the Plate by Terry Thompson-Anderson

Maple Glazed Carrots

Despite the encouragement and invitations of friends and family, I avoided Facebook for years, thinking I needed another thing to distract me on the Internet like I needed a hole in my head.  This is still true, but I did finally sign up for Facebook about two weeks ago.  And wow!  I've really been missing out!  I've reconnected with so many people, including childhood and high school friends.  One of those friends, Robin, mentioned to me that she and her family are vegans.  This made me smile because I have many stand-by recipes which are (unintentionally) vegan, and I'm very happy to share them with you all. 

This is a delicious little dish, and a great addition to your Thanksgiving spread.

The Whole Foods Market Cookbook: A Guide to Natural Foods with 350 Recipes is teeming with delicious recipes, including this one. 

Here's the printable recipe.

Maple Glazed Carrots
The Maple Glaze
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 cup orange juice
2 oranges, peeled, seeded, and roughly chopped (or 1 cup of mandarin oranges, drained)
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 pound carrots, cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup chopped parsley

To prepare the maple glaze: place the maple syrup, cinnamon stick, orange juice, and oranges in a sauce pot, and bring to a simmer.  (ENJOY THE AMAZING FRAGRANCE!)  In a separate little bowl, whisk together the water and cornstarch until smooth.  Stir the cornstarch "slurry" into the maple mixture, and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, over low heat, for 30-45 minutes, until thickened.  Strain the glaze to remove the cinnamon stick and oranges.*  Cool the glaze.

Steam the carrots for 5 minutes, or boil in salted water for 6 minutes, just until firm-tender.**

Combine the carrots, maple glaze, salt, pepper and parsley.  Serve immediately.  If you prefer serving the carrots steaming hot, put them in a hot saucepan for a few minutes to heat the glaze through.

*I only removed the cinnamon stick, leaving the oranges in the glaze.  You can remove both if you prefer.

**The cooking time depends on the diameter of the carrots, the uniformity of the slices, and the size of your steamer insert.  I had to steam my carrots for about 12 minutes to get them "firm-tender."  Don't start the "carrot cooking timer" until the water is boiling, creating the steam for the steamer.  If you don't have a steamer and are boiling them, just test the tenderness of the carrots while cooking.  Mushy carrots are uber-gross in this recipe. 

From the Whole Foods Market Cookbook