Pumpkin Pie Bars

Pumpkin Pie just didn't do it for me... till I tried this one. This is now a staple in our home during the holidays!

Pumpkin Pie a la Easy
(PChef)

1-1/4 c. all purpose flour
3/4 c. quick or old-fashioned oats
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. pecans, chopped
2/3 c. butter or margarine, melted
4 eggs
2 cans (15 oz. each) solid pack pumpkin
2 cans (14 oz. each) sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk)
2 t. ground cinnamon
1 t. ground ginger
1/2 t. ground nutmeg
OR use 3 ½ t. of Pampered Chef Pantry Cinnamon Plus—YUM!
1 t. salt
Thawed frozen whipped topping (optional)
Pecan halves (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In CLASSIC BATTER BOWL, combine flour, oats and brown sugar. Chop pecans using FOOD CHOPPER. Add to Batter Bowl.

Melt butter in MICRO-COOKER on HIGH 1 minute or until melted. Add to dry ingredients; mix well. Press mixture onto bottom of STONEWARE BAR PAN. Bake 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, lightly beat eggs in Batter Bowl using STAINLESS STEEL WHISK. Add pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, spices and salt; whisk until smooth. Pour over crust.

Bake 30-35 minutes or until filling is set and knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool at room temperature. Cut into squares; serve using MINI SERVING SPATULA.

Garnish each serving with whipped topping using EASY ACCENT DECORATOR, pecan halves and additional ground cinnamon (or Cinnamon Plus), if desired. Refrigerate any leftover pie squares.

Yield: 24 servings

Roast Breast of Turkey with Apple Scented Pan Gravy

Both Mom and I have made this and it is Excellent! Serve it with Roasted Vegetables such as beets, parsnips, leeks, and baby carrots that have been tossed in Garlic, olive oil, rosemary, and salt before placing in the oven! The variety of colors is stunning!
Thanksgiving 2001

Roast Breast of Turkey with Apple Scented Pan Gravy
(PChef)

Turkey
4 medium leeks, cut into 1/4-inch slices (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 medium Granny Smith apples
1 bone-in turkey breast (5-6 pounds)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 teaspoon Pantry Rosemary Herb Seasoning Mix, divided
Gravy

Reserved pan juices
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) chicken broth



Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut leeks into 1/4-inch slices; place in bottom of Deep Dish Baker. Core and wedge apples using Apple Wedger; add to leeks.

2. Rinse turkey with cold water; pat dry. Place turkey on top of leeks and apples; brush turkey with oil using Pastry Brush. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoons of the seasoning mix. Insert Digital Thermometer into thickest part of breast, not touching bone.

3. Bake 1 hour, 50 minutes to 2 hours, 20 minutes or until thermometer reads 170°F and juices run clear. Remove turkey breast to Oval Carving Platter Set; loosely tent with aluminum foil. Let stand 10 minutes before carving.

4. Meanwhile, for gravy, strain pan juices through small Colander into small Colander Bowl. Reserve pan juices; discard leeks and apples. Skim off 1 tablespoon fat into Small (2-qt.) Saucepan; add butter. Heat over medium heat until butter is melted; add remaining 1/2 teaspoon seasoning mix. Stir in flour using Nylon Spiral Whisk. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until bubbly. Gradually add remaining pan juices (1/2 cup) and chicken broth; bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly.

5. Carve turkey into thin slices using Carving Set; serve with gravy.

Yield: 10-12 servings

Nutrients per serving: (4 ounces turkey, 1/4 cup gravy): Calories 340, Total Fat 19 g, Saturated Fat 6 g, Cholesterol 115 mg, Carbohydrate 5 g, Protein 36 g, Sodium 420 mg, Fiber 0 g

Turkey Cranberry Wreath

I am convinced that this is the BEST way to use up that leftover turkey from Thanksgiving!

Turkey Cranberry Wreath
(PChef)

2 pkg. (235g each) refrigerated crescent rolls
1/2 C. mayonnaise
2 T. honey Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. coarsely ground pepper
2 C. cooked turkey, chopped
1/2 C. celery, sliced
3 T. fresh parsley, snipped
1/2 C. dried cranberries
4 oz. Swiss cheese, shredded (1cup)
1/4 C. walnuts, chopped (optional)
1 egg, separated

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Unroll crescent dough; separate into 16 triangles. With wide ends of triangles toward the center. arrange 8 triangles in a circle on Large Round Stone. Corners of wide ends will touch and points will extend 1 inch beyond of baking stone. Arrange remaining 8 triangles in center. matching ends. Seal seams using pizza roller. (Points will overlap in center; do not seal.)

Measure mayonnaise, mustard and black pepper into a bowl. Grate cheese into a bowl. Mix filling. Scoop filling over seams of dough, forming a circle.

Coarsely chop walnuts; sprinkle over filling. Beginning in center, lift one dough triangle across mixture. Continue alternating with outer triangle, slightly overlapping to form wreath. Tuck last end under first.

Separate egg over bowl. Beat egg white lightly; brush over dough. Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Yields 10 servings.

Per serving: 363 calories; 17 g protein; 24g fat; 20g carbohydrates; 521 mg sodium

Baby Greens, Pear, Walnut, and Blu Cheese Salad

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 medium shallot, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1/2 cup olive oil

1 5-ounce bag mixed baby greens
2 large ripe pears, halved, cored, thinly sliced lengthwise
1 cup crumbled blue cheese
1 cup walnuts, toasted, coarsely chopped

Whisk first 4 ingredients in small bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in oil. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.

Toss greens in large bowl with enough dressing to coat. Divide greens among 6 plates. Top with pear slices, dividing equally. Sprinkle with cheese and walnuts. Drizzle lightly with remaining dressing and serve.

Makes 6 first-course servings.

Bon Appétit
September 2002
Hot and Hot Fish Club, Birmingham, AL

Sweet Potato Ravioli with Sage Butter Sauce

This recipe is one of my most requested. I love making this in the fall when sweet potatoes are in abundance and it is time to trim back my sage plant for the winter. But, we have also indulged in this in the dead of winter. Everything about it is delicious!


SWEET-POTATO RAVIOLI WITH SAGE BUTTER SAUCE

At the restaurant, the ravioli dough is made in-house. We used purchased wonton wrappers instead, making the recipe faster and easier. Note that the ravioli can be assembled ahead of time and frozen.

Ravioli
2 1-pound red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams)
2 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, room temperature

1 12-ounce package wonton wrappers
1 large egg, beaten to blend

Fried shallots and sauce
1 cup vegetable oil
4 large shallots, cut crosswise into thin rounds, separated into rings
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
8 large fresh sage leaves, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted

For ravioli: Preheat oven to 400°F. Oil rimmed baking sheet. Cut sweet potatoes in half lengthwise; place cut side down on baking sheet. Roast until tender, about 35 minutes; cool. Scoop potato pulp out of skins into small bowl. Spoon 11/3 cups pulp into medium bowl. (Reserve any remaining potato pulp for another use.) Add sugar and butter; mash well. Season filling with salt and pepper.

Line large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place wonton wrappers on work surface. Using pastry brush, brush wrappers with beaten egg. Place 1/2 tablespoon sweet-potato filling in center of each. Fold each wrapper diagonally over filling, forming triangle. Seal edges. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheet. Let stand at room temperature while preparing fried shallots and sauce. (Can be made up to 5 days ahead. Freeze, then cover and keep frozen. Do not thaw before cooking.)

For fried shallots and sauce: Heat vegetable oil in heavy small saucepan over medium-high heat. Working in 2 batches, fry shallots until crisp and dark brown, about 2 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer shallots to paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Cook butter in large pot over medium heat until beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Add sage and red pepper.

Meanwhile, working in batches, cook ravioli in pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 3 minutes. Drain well. Add ravioli to pot with butter sauce; toss to coat. Transfer to plates, drizzling any sauce from pot over ravioli. Top with fried shallots and pine nuts; serve immediately.

Makes 6 (first-course) or 4 (main-course) servings.

Bon Appétit
R.S.V.P.
February 2001

Sweet Potato Bisque with Pear, Lime, and Avocado

When I was living in Orlando, Mom and I used to love going to Truffles and Trifles for Marci Arthur's incredible cooking classes. This is and always has been one of my favorite soups!

SWEET POTATO BISQUE WITH PEAR AND LIME AND AVOCADO

Pears
2 ripe pears
2 cups dry white wine
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Juice of 1 lemon
1/3 cup of Pear Brandy

Peel pears, halve and core. Poach pears in wine, sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice and pear brandy for 10 minutes or until point of a knife pierces pear easily. All to cool in syrup.

Soup
2 pounds of sweet potatoes, peeled and chop into chunks
1 tablespoon of unsalted butter
1 tablespoon minced onion
1 tablespoon chopped carrots
1 tablespoon chopped celery
1/2 teaspoon Herbs de Provence
1/2 jalapeño chili, chopped and seeded
1-1/4 cups chicken stock
3 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons real maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/3 freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
limes and avocado

Peel and chop sweet potatoes, and cook in salted water until soft, after 8 minutes. Drain and place in food processor with steel blade.

While potatoes are cooking, melt butter in small saute pan over medium heat and saute vegetables, chili and herbs until veggies are soft. This will take about 7 minutes. De-glaze pan with 1/4 cup of chicken stock and cook 1 minutes. Add to food processor. (I recommend you divide soup into several batches so it will not spill over from food processor). Add remaining stock and one pear. Puree until smooth. Pour puree into saucepan and add cream, maple syrup, salt, pepper and lime juice. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour into warm bowl and garnish with slices of lime, pears and avocado. Soup can be prepared up to 2 days in advance and reheated slowly uncovered.

Link to the recipe may be found here:
http://www.trufflesandtrifles.com/recipeshow.aspx?NewsID=20