Peanut Butter Pie

For the chocolate cookie crust:

30 chocolate wafer cookies (about 6 ounces)
1 tablespoon sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the peanut butter filling with chocolate bottom:

½ cup (3 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
½ teaspoon light corn syrup
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
¾ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 ½ cups heavy cream

For the easy hot fudge sauce:

6 ounces milk chocolate, finely chopped
6 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup heavy cream
¼ cup light corn syrup

Make the chocolate cookie crust:

In a food processor, grind the cookies to a very fine powder. You should have about 1 ½ cups. Put the crumbs in a bowl and stir in the sugar.

Pour the butter over the crumb mixture and mix until well combined. The mixture will feel wet. Turn the crumb mixture out into a 9-inch pie plate and press it into the bottom and up the sides. You can use the back of a large spoon to even out the crust. Put the crust in the refrigerator while you make the filling.

Make the peanut butter filling with chocolate bottom:

Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave oven or in a double broiler. Add the corn syrup and stir to combine. Use a spatula to spread the chocolate in a thin layer on the bottom of the chilled pie crust. Put the crust back in the refrigerator while you make the peanut butter filling.

Put the cream cheese, peanut butter, vanilla, and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until well combined and completely smooth. Set aside.

In a clean bowl, use the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment to whip the cream until soft peaks form. Remove the bowl from the mixer and, with a rubber spatula, gently fold the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture until the mixture is uniform in color.

Pour the mixture into the prepared crust and freeze for at least 4 hours. Once the pie is frozen, you can cover it with aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 days.

Make the easy hot fudge sauce:

Place both chocolates in a medium heatproof bowl and set aside.

In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer over medium heat. Add the corn syrup and stir to combine. Remove from the heat and pour over the chocolates. Let the mixture sit for 2 minutes. Starting in the center of the bowl and working your way out to the edges, whisk the chocolate mixture in a circle until completely smooth. The hot fudge sauce, cooled to room temperature and covered tightly, will keep for 3 days in the refrigerator. Rewarm the sauce in a microwave oven on medium heat for 30 seconds, stir, and repeat until the sauce is warm; or reheat it in a small saucepan over low heat.

Place a frozen piece of pie on a large serving plate and spoon 3 heaping tablespoons of the warm sauce directly over the top of the pie.

Crispy Salmon with Risotto and Slow Roasted Tomatoes

I can't wait to try this recipe from "More Than Burnt Toast"
morethanburnttoast.blogspot.com

Crispy Salmon with Risotto and Slow Roasted Tomatoes

ROASTED TOMATOES

9 plum tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced

RISOTTO

4-1/2 cups fat free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
2-1/4 cups (1/2 inch thick) sliced leek
1-1/2 cups uncooked Arborio rice
1/3 cup dry white wine
6 cups torn arugula or spinach
½ cup half-and-half
¼ cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

SALMON

2 teaspoons olive oil
6 (5-ounce) red sockeye salmon fillets, skinned
½ teaspoon. sea salt
½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

To prepare tomatoes, coat a foil-lined baking sheet with cooking spray. Place tomatoes, cut sides up, on baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 T. oil, sprinkle with ½ tsp. salt, ½ tsp. thyme, ½ tsp. pepper, and garlic. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1-1/2 hours or until very soft and slightly shriveled, turning occasionally.

To prepare risotto, bring broth to a simmer in medium saucepan (do not boil). Keep warm over low heat. Heat 1 T. oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add leek, saute 3 minutes or until tender. Add rice; cook 1-1/2 minutes, stir constantly. Stir in wine; cook 30 seconds or until liquid is nearly absorbed. Stir in 1 cup broth; cook 3 minutes or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring frequently.

Add remaining broth, ½ cup at a time, stirring frequently until each portion of broth is absorbed before adding the next (about 25 minutes). Stir in arugula, half–and-half, cheese, ¼ tsp. salt, and ¼ tsp. pepper.

To prepare salmon, heat 2 tsp. oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle salmon with ½ tsp. salt, ½ tsp. thyme, and ¼ tsp., pepper. Place fillets, skin side up, in pan, cook 5 minutes. Turn fillets over, and cook an additional 2 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

Arrange 3 tomatoe halves, cut sides up, in a spoke-like pattern in centre of each of 6 plates. Mound 2/3 cup risotto in centre of each plate (leaving about 1-1/2 inch edge of tomatoes uncovered). Arrange fillets on risotto. Garnish with sprig of thyme, if desired.

Serves 6

Barb's Pumpkin Cake

2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
2 cups pumpkin puree


Combine sugar, vegetable oil, and eggs in a large mixing bowl; mix well. Sift dry ingredients into a separate bowl; stir into oil mixture, beating well. Stir in pumpkin puree. Pour batter into greased and floured 13X9 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35- 40 minutes.
Frost with whipped cream cheese icing and sprinkle with chopped walnuts

Hot Chocolate Fudge Cakes

3/4 c flour
2/3 c unsweetened cocoa
5 t instant espresso powder
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1/4 c unsalted butter, softened
2/3 c granulated sugar
2/3 c packed brown sugar
1 c egg substitute
1 1/2 t vanilla extract
1 (2.6 ounce) bar dark (71% cocoa) chocolate, finely chopped
2 T powdered sugar

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Sift together flour, cocoa, espresso powder, baking powder, and salt.

Place butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed 1 minute. Add granulate and brown sugars, beating until well blended (about 5 minutes). Add egg substitute and vanilla, beating until well blended. Fold flour mixture into sugar mixture; fold in chocolate. Divide batter evenly among 10 (4-ounce) ramekins; arrange ramekins on a jelly-roll pan. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours or up to 2 days.

Preheat oven to 350.

Let ramekins stand at room temperature 10 minutes. Uncover and bake at 350 for 21 minutes or until cakes are puffy and slightly crusty on top. Sprinkle evenly with powdered sugar; serve immediately. Yield: 10 servings

Calories 260
Fat 8.2 g

Creamy Carrot Soup with Scallions and Poppy Seeds

12 servings

2 T butter
3 T extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 quart low-sodium vegetable broth
1 quart water
2 pounds carrots, sliced 1/3 inch thick
6 large scallions, thinly sliced crosswise
2 t poppy seeds
1/2 c heavy cream
1/2 c milk
Salt and freshly ground pepper

In a large pot, melt the butter in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the onion, cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the broth and water along with the carrots and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and simmer over low heat until the carrots are tender, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the scallions and poppy seeds and cook over moderately high heat, stirring until the scallions are softened, about 1 minute.

Working in batches, puree the carrot soup in a blender until smooth; transfer to a clean saucepan. Stir in the cream and milk and simmer over moderate heat, stirring. Season the soup with salt and pepper and ladle into bowls. Garnish with the scallions and poppy seeds and serve.

Make Ahead - The carrot soup can be refrigerated overnight. Reheat gently.

Mashed Potatoes with Crispy Shallots

Another post today... I'm working up an appetite for Thanksgiving...

6 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
4 peeled garlic cloves
2 c canola oil
6 large shallots, thinly sliced (1 1/2 cups)
1 c half-and-half
1 1/2 sticks butter
Kosher salt

In a large pot, cover the quartered potatoes and garlic cloves with cold water and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderate heat until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, heat the canola oil until simmering. Add the shallots in a single layer and cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until they are golden, about 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon transfer the shallots to paper towels to drain.

Drain the potatoes and garlic in a colander, shaking out the excess water. Add the half-and-half and butter to the pot and heat until melted. Remove from the heat. Press the potatoes and garlic through a ricer into the pot and season with salt. Stir and cook over moderate heat until very hot. Transfer the mashed potatoes to a bowl. Just before serving, sprinkle the shallots with salt and garnish the potatoes with the shallots.

Make Ahead The mashed potatoes can be made earlier in the day and kept at room temperature; warm over moderate heat, stirring constantly. The fried shallots can be kept in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat in the over if desired.

Options
Mashed Potatoes with Parmesan Cheese & Fresh Thyme
Omit the shallots. Make the mashed potatoes as directed. Stir 2 tablespoons thyme leaves and 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese into the mashed potatoes and garnish with thyme sprigs just before serving.

Mashed Potatoes with Butternut Squash
Omit the shallots. Mash 3 pounds potatoes with the garlic. Peel and slice one 3 pound butternut squash 1/2 inch thick and roast in a 400 oven for about 25 minutes, until tender. Puree the squash in a food processor and stir into the mashed potatoes.

Fice-Spice Glazed Sweet Potatoes with Walnut Toffee

6 pounds orange sweet potatoes or yams, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
1 c light brown sugar
6 T butter
2 t Chinese five-spice powder
1/4 t freshly grated nutmeg
Salt
Crunchy Walnut Toffee, coarsely chopped (recipe follows)

Preheat the oven to 400. Spread the sweet potato chunks in two 9x13 baking dishes. Add 1 cup of water to each dish, cover with foil and bake for about 25 minutes until the sweet potatoes are barely tender. Pour off any remaining water from the baking dishes.

In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar with the butter, five-spice powder and nutmeg and cook over moderate heat until the butter is melted and the mixture is bubbling, about 4 minutes. Pour the mixture over the potatoes, stir to coat and season with salt. Bake for about 10 minutes, basting a few times until the potatoes are tender and nicely glazed. Sprinkle the walnut toffee over the potatoes and serve.

Make Ahead: The glazed sweet potatoes can be refrigerated overnight. Reheat before topping and serving.

Cruncy Walnut Toffee

1/2 c sugar
1/4 c water
2 T light corn syrup
2 T butter
1/4 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1 c walnuts, coarsely chopped

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, water, corn syrup and butter and bring to a simmer. Cook over moderate heat, swirling the pan a few times, until a light caramel forms, about 4 minutes. Stir in the baking soda and salt. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the walnuts. Quickly spread the toffee on the prepared baking sheet as thinly as possible. Let cool completely. Break into pieces and serve.