Ms. Desserts

It's the (post) holiday season, so I suppose that means it's time for me to share some dessert recipes. I did 5 desserts in 5 days this year; yes I'm fatigued. I let Poppers take care of the main courses and I came in for the big finish. 

Christmas Eve featured Bananas Foster Bread Pudding with Caramel sauce. What a treat! Compliments of Emeril, this wasn't too hard to make and is a real find if you like bananas. 

Christmas Day we had munched on Pumpkin Banana Mousse Pie (Ina Garten), which was already a hit at Thanksgiving. I also tried my hand at a Cranberry Upside Down  Cake from Baking Illustrated. Aside from being tasty, this is possibly the most festive looking dessert you could make for the Season.

In my family, we have an extra holiday on Dec 26: my grandmother's birthday. Since she loves Harry & David Pears so much, I did the Pear and Nutmeg Upside Down Cake. 

Last, but not least, I made Peanut Butter & Chocolate Shortbread for a family friend. I'll let you know how that one was received. I will say I snuck a corner and wouldn't have minded another spot of shortbread. 

Bananas Foster Bread Pudding with Vanilla Ice Cream and Caramel Sauce

Emeril Lagasse

Serves 8-10

9 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

6 firm-ripe bananas, peeled and cut crosswise into 3/4 inch slices

1/4 cup banana liqueur

1/2 cup dark rum

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

3 cups heavy cream

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

6 cups (1/2-inch cubes) day-old French bread

Vanilla ice cream

Caramel sauce (recipe follows)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 10 by 14-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the butter and set aside. 

Melt the remaining 8 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 cup of the brown sugar and the cinnamon and cook, stirring until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Add the bananas and cook on both sides, turning, until the bananas start to soften and brown, about 3 minutes. Add the banana liqueur and stir to blend. Carefully add the rum and shake the pan back and forth to warm the rum and flame the pan. (Or, off the heat, carefully ignite the rum with a match and return to the heat.) Shake the pan back and forth, basting the bananas, until the flame dies. Remove from the heat and let cool. 

Whisk together the eggs, remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar, the cream, milk and vanilla in a large bowl. Add the cooled banana mixture and bread and stir to blend thoroughly. Pour into the prepared baking dish and bake until firm, about 50 minutes to 1 hour. Cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes. 

To serve, scoop the pudding onto dessert plates. Top each serving with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream, drizzle with caramel sauce and serve immediately. 

Caramel Sauce

Makes a generous 3/4 cup

3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons water

1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup whole milk

Combine the sugar, water and lemon juice in a medium heavy saucepan and cook, stirring over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves. Let boil without stirring until the mixture becomes a deep amber color, 2 to 3 minutes, watching closely so it doesn't burn. Carefully add the cream (it may splatter), whisk to combine and remove the heat. Add the milk, 2 tablespoons at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. 

Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature before serving. Sauce will thicken as it cools. 

Cranberry Upside Down Cake

Cook's Illustrated: Holiday Baking

Serves 8

Topping

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 cups (12 ounces) cranberries fresh, or thawed from frozen

3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cake

1/4 cup blanched slivered almonds

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon table salt

1/2 cup whole milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

3 large eggs, separated

For the Topping

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 9-inch round cake pan, line with parchment round, and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add cranberries, sugar and jam and cook until cranberries are just softened, about 4 minutes. Strain cranberry mixture over bowl, reserving juices. 

Return strained juices to empty skillet and simmer over medium heat until syrupy and reduced to 1 cup, about 4 minutes. Off heat, stir in vanilla. Arrange strained berries in single layer in prepared pan. Pour juice mixture over berries and refrigerate for 30 minutes. 

For the Cake

Process almonds and 1/4 cup flour in food processor until finely ground, about 10 seconds. Add remaining 3/4 cup flour, baking powder, salt and pulse to combine. Whisk milk, vanilla extract and almond extract in liquid measuring cup. In stand mixer fitted with flat beater, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in egg yolks, 1 at a time, until combined. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with 2 additions of milk mixture.

Using clean bowl, beat egg whites in stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment on medium-high speed until they hold soft peaks, about 2 minutes. Whisk one-third of whites into batter, then fold in remaining whites. Pour batter over chilled cranberry  mixture and bake until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool cake on wire rack 10 minutes, then run paring knife around cake and invert onto serving plate. Serve.

Peanut Butter & Chocolate Shortbread Bars

Fine Cooking: Cookies

Yields 4 dozen 1 1/2-inch bars

Shortbread Crust

14 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled to just warm

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon table salt

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsalted peanuts, finely chopped

Peanut Butter Filling

1 cup creamy peanut butter (such as Jif)

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Ganache

5 ounces good-quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped (about 1 heaping cup)

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream

Make the Shortbread Crust

Line a straight-sided 13x9-inch metal baking pan with foil, letting the ends create an overhanging edge for easy removal. 

In a medium bowl, stir the butter, sugar and salt. Stir in the flour and peanuts to make a stiff dough. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. prick the dough all over with a fork. Refrigerate the pan for 30 minutes, until the dough is firm. 

Meanwhile, position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 325 degrees. Bake the dough for 20 minutes, then decrease the oven temperature to 300 degrees and bake until the crust is golden-brown all over and completely set, 20 to 25 more minutes. Let the crust cool completely before topping. 

Make the Peanut Butter Filling

Put the peanut butter and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add about half of the confectioners' sugar to the bowl, along with the vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon hot water. Beat on low speed until combined and then on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, about another 1 minute. Beat in the remaining sugar and mix until the mixture is smooth and thick, about 1 minute longer. If the filling seems too stiff, add another 1 tablespoon hot water and beat for another minute. 

With a knife of metal offset spatula, spread the filling over the cooled crust. The filling may not spread, but worry; the ganache will cover it.

Make the Ganache

Put the chocolate in a small heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a boil. Remove from the heat and pour over the chocolate. Let sit for 3 minutes. Stir gently with a rubber spatula  until combined and smooth. 

Spread the ganache over the peanut butter filling with a metal offset spatula to coat evenly. Let the bars sit for at least 3 hours (or refrigerate for 1 hour) to allow the ganache to set before cutting.

Carefully lift the bars from the pan using the foil sides and transfer them to a cutting board. Separate the foil from the bars by sliding a spatula between them. Cut the bars into 1 1/2-inch squares. They will keep at room temperature for one week.

Ginger and Spice and Everything Nice

Well, it's that time of year. Christmas time! You know what that means . . . time for some holiday treats. I like to give little bags of goodies to people I don't buy presents for, but want to give something more than just a card. I find the easiest way is to just make a few treats and put them in festive bags (found at Target, of course). I tried out two new recipes just the other night. Both are from The Best of Fine Cooking Cookies and are good if you want to make them in advance. 

Ginger & Spice Cookies

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

Fine Cooking Cookies, Dec 2008

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Pinch of ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/4 cup shortening

1 1/3 cups granulated sugar

1 large egg

1/4 cup molasses

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt. 

In another large bowl, beat the butter, shortening, and 1 cup of the sugar with a mixer or a wooden spoon until well combined. Add the egg and molasses to the butter mixture; beat well. Add the dry ingredients and mix until well blended, scraping often (if you're using an electric mixer, set it on low speed). 

Shape the dough into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball in the remaining 1/3 cup sugar. Put the bals 2 inches apart on parchment lined baking sheets. Bake until the cookies are lightly browned around the edges and puffed, about 13 minutes. Let the cookies sit for 5 minutes on the sheets and then transfer them to a rack to cool completely. 

Cranberry Streusel Shortbread Bars

Make about 35 1 3/4 inch square bars

Fine Cooking Cookies, Dec 2008

For the Crust and Streusel

1 cup + 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled to just warm

1 cup granulated sugar

3/4 teaspoons salt

2 large egg yolks

3 cups + 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

For the Cranberry Topping

One 12-ounce bag fresh or frozen cranberries, picked over, rinsed and drained

1 cup granulated sugar

Make the Crust

Line a straight-sided 13x9-inch metal baking pan with foil, letting the ends create an overhanging edge for easy removal. 

In a medium bowl, stir the butter, 3/4 cup of the sugar and the salt. Whisk in the egg yolks. Stir in the flour to make a stiff dough. Transfer about 2 cups of the dough to the prepared pan, and press the mixture evenly into the bottom. Prick the dough all over with a fork. Refrigerate the pan for 30 minute (or freeze for 5 to 7 minutes) until the dough is firm.

Meanwhile, position a rack in the center of the oven and another near the top. Heat the oven to 325 degrees. 

Bake the dough on the center rack until the crust begins to set but does not brown at all on the edges (the center will not be firm yet), about 20 minutes. While the crust bakes, prepare the streusel and the cranberry topping.

Make the Streusel

With your fingers, combine the remaining  1/4 cup sugar with the reserved dough until crumbly. The mixture should hold together when pressed, but readily break into smaller pieces.

Make the Cranberry Topping

In a medium saucepan, bring the cranberries, sugar and 1/4 cup water to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium high and continue to boil until the liquid is reduced to a thick syrup, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture cool for 5 to 10 minutes -- the syrup will continue to thicken as the mixture cools.

Spread the cranberry mixture evenly over the hot crust. Scatter the streusel over the cranberries (don't crumble the streusel too much or the texture will be sandy). Increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake the bars near the top of the oven until the streusel is golden and set, about 25 minutes.  

Set the pan on a metal rack to cool until the crust is completely firm, at least 1 hour. 

When the bottom of the pan is cool, carefully lift the bars from the pan using the foil sides and transfer them to a cutting board. Separate the foil from the bars by sliding a spatula between them. Cut the bars into 1 3/4-inch squares. They will keep at room temperature for one week.

Hurry Up and Wait

To me, this is the motto of the slow cooker. You do your normal meal preparations, which, let's be honest, can get rather rushed, and then wait while it stews in the Crock Pot for 8 hours. I like to use mine on Sunday, when I have time to wait, so that I'm prepared for the week, when I'm in a hurry.

Of course chili is an old favorite for the slow cooker. Which is probably why my cookbook, Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Recipes for Two, dedicates a whole chapter to chili: "The Great American Chili Pot." I made a double recipe since my slow cooker is large, not the 3-quart size for which the book is meant. So far I've eaten it plain, as well as on a baked potato topped with avocado, cheese and sour cream. I (i.e. my tummy) have been quite happy after both versions.

Taking my father's philosophy that chili is a "forgiving dish" I substituted a can of green chilis for the Chipotle in Adobo sauce, since the store was out of that one. I also used Ancho chili powder, since it's all I had around at the time. It probably could have had 2 of the small cans for green chilis, but it came out fine anyway; I also added a can of corn, cumin and a spot of garlic powder when I added the beans to give it some more flavor.

Old-Fashioned Beef and Mushroom Chili with Chipotle
Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Recipes For Two (Beth Hensperger)
Serves 2 with leftovers

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
6 ounces shitake mushrooms (any kind will do though)
1/2 pound lean ground beef
1 tablespoon chili powder, or to taste
1 15.5-ounce can crushed tomatoes in puree
2 tablespoons beer, wine, or water
3 to 4 tablespoons chipotle chili, or to taste (see note below)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 teaspoon sugar or honey
1 15-ounce can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Shredded cheddar cheese for serving
Sliced avocado for serving
Sour cream for serving

In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil and cook the onion, celery and mushrooms until limp. And the ground beef and cook until the meat is brown. Sprinkle with some of the chili powder about half way through cooking. Place in the slow cooker and add the tomatoes and their puree, beer, wine, or water, the rest of the chili powder, the chipotle chili paste, Worcestershire Sauce and sugar or honey. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours, stirring occasionally.

After 4 hours, add the beans, salt, and pepper. Cover and cook for another 3-5 hours. The longer you let it simmer, the better it gets.

Serve the chili in bowls topped with cheese, avocado slices and sour cream.

Note: to make chili paste, pulse chili in adobo sauce in food processor until it becomes smooth; freeze leftovers to use later.

Muffin Madness

Not much can beat a fresh baked muffin on a winter morning. My plan today is to give you a couple different base recipes and you can choose whatever fruit (or chocolates!) you want to add. Just remember to change the zest accordingly. So if you decide on raspberry or cranberry muffins, go with orange zest not lemon. Or for mocha chip, I don't recommend any zest at all! 

The first recipe is from Stonewall Kitchen. I've only made it once, but I have to admit it was rather fabulous. The second is from my coworker and I don't know where it's from originally. These muffins have been referred to as "muffins of perfection." Both are originally blueberry muffin recipes, but they can be changed to whatever fruit/zest you like. The biggest difference between the two is that Stonewall uses buttermilk, while Shelly uses low-fat yogurt. Also, I found Shelly's come out much bigger. 

Blueberry-Buttermilk Muffins

Stonewall Kitchen Cookbook (Jonathan King, Jim Stott, Kathy Gunst)

Makes 18 muffins

Vegetable oil spray for the pans

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 2 teaspoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract (I used 1 teaspoon)

1 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

2 cups fresh blueberries, or 1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Spray 18 regular muffin tins (including the flat surface of the muffin pan) with the vegetable oil spray. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until blended; set aside.

Beat 1 stick of the butter and the granulated sugar together in a stand mixer or using a hand-held mixer fitted with paddle attachment on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla and mix to combine.

Add half of the dry ingredients and mix to combine. Add the buttermilk and mix until smooth. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until just blended. Remove the paddle, and using a spatula, gently fold in the lemon zest and blueberries by hand. Fill the prepared tins about three-quarters full. Bake for 17 minutes.

While the muffins are baking, in a small bowl mix the brown sugar with the remaining 2 teaspoons butter until crumbly. After the muffins have baked for 17 minutes, sprinkle a scant teaspoon of the mixture over the top of each muffin. Bake for another 2 to 3 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes before carefully inverting the tins and tapping out the muffins. Serve warm.

Shelly's Blueberry Muffins

Makes 1 dozen large muffins

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon table salt

10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar, less 1 tablespoon

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups plain low-fat yogurt

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour

Vegetable cooking spray

Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl; set aside.

Beat butter and sugar with electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add lemon zest to butter-sugar mixture. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and mix well. Beat in one-half of dry ingredients. Beat in one-third of yogurt. Beat in remaining dry ingredients in two batches, alternating with yogurt, until incorporated. Toss blueberries with 1 tablespoon flour and fold into finished batter.

Spray twelve-cup muffin tin with cooking spray or coat lightly with butter. Use large ice cream scoop to divide batter evenly among cups. Bake until muffins are golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Set on wire rack to cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove muffins from tin, top with cinnamon sugar topping, if desired, and serve warm.

A Lesson in Minimizing

But not a lesson in minimizing a function. No, this is minimizing the work involved in prepping your meal, compliments of The Minimalist (aka Mark Bittman). The New York Times columnist has so many recipes I didn't know where to begin. But the night before Thanksgiving the Poppers wanted pasta for dinner. And no poultry of course. But there had to be meat. At least he narrowed it down to the "Bread, Noodles and Rice" chapter of Mark Bittman's Quick and Easy Recipes from the New York Times. As I sifted through I settled on Pasta with Sausage. Mark (mmm hmmm we're on a first name basis) offers many variations for his recipes, some of which I took advantage of in this recipe. 

I made this with organic Penne from Trader Joe's and I must say it added a nice touch the dish. Who knew. I'll make a note of the ingredients that were from the variations, as opposed to the original recipe. I also doubled the amount of sausage called for (using 1 pound instead of 1/2 pound). 

Pasta with Sausage

Mark Bittman's Quick and Easy Recipes from the New York Times (Mark Bittman)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup onion, minced (variation)

1 shallot, minced (variation)

1/2 pound sweet or hot Italian sausage, removed from the casing

1 can plum tomatoes (variation)

1 pound ziti or other cut pasta

1/2 cup or more freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Put the butter in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and shallot, if using. As the butter melts, crumble the sausage meat into it, making the bits quite small, 1/2 inch or less in size. Add 1/2 cup of water and tomatoes (if using) and adjust the heat so that mixture simmers gently. 

Cook the pasta until it is tender but not at all mushy. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta-cooking water. 

Drain the pasta and dress with sauce, adding some of the reserved cooking liquid if necessary. Taste and add salt and pepper as necessary. Toss with Parmigiano-Reggiano and serve.

Pear Post

Pears are a family favorite in my house. We eat them poached, in pie, in crumbles and in cake. We wait for Christmas to arrive so we can give my grandmother a box of Harry and David Pears and then consume them on her birthday (the day after Christmas).  It's rather nice of her to share. This year, I plan to be the one abducting her pears and using them in my famous Pear and Nutmeg Upside Down Cake. 

I first made this one for Mother's Day, then again for the 4th of July. It's not exactly a summer dish, but it really is just that good. I can only imagine it will be better in the winter. In accordance with family tradition, I use a full tablespoon of vanilla (from Williams Sonoma of course), rather than a measly teaspoon. I found this one on foodnetwork.com, but it's originally from Gourmet Magazine. 

This particular post is a special favor to Sister, who adores this recipe. I even let her help me make it this past summer and now she wants to venture out on her own. Good luck, Sister.

Pear and Nutmeg Upside Down Cake

Gourmet Magazine

Serves 8-10

For the Topping

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

2 large firm-ripe Comice of Bartlett pears

For the Cake Batter

1 cup cake flour (not self-rising)

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla

1/8 teaspoon almond extract

2 large eggs

1 cup milk (I used buttermilk)

Make topping: in a well-seasoned 10-inch cast-iron skillet melt butter over moderate heat until foam subsides. Reduce heat to low. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly onto bottom of skillet and heat, undisturbed, for 3 minutes (not all brown sugar will be melted). Remove skillet from heat.

Peel and core pears and halve lengthwise. Cut 3 pear halves lengthwise into 1/4 inch wedges and arrange wedges, overlapping, around edge of skillet. Cut remaining pear half into 1/4 inch thick slices and fan decoratively in center of skillet. 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

Make cake batter: Into a bowl, sift together flours, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. In another bowl with an electric mixer beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and almond extract. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. With mixer on low, add milk, beating until just combined. Beat in flour mixture in 3 batches until just combined. 

Spoon batter over topping in skillet, spreading evenly, (be careful not to disturb the topping), and bake in middle of oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown and springy to touch. Cool cake in skillet on rack for 5 minutes.  Run a thin knife around edge of skillet. Invert a plate over skillet and invert cake onto plate (keeping plate and skillet firmly pressed together). Carefully lift skillet off cake and replace any fruit that is stuck to bottom of skillet if necessary. 

Serve cake warm or at room temperature.

Oui, Monsieur

Or rather, Croque Monsieur . . . Bake. A new brunch favorite, it's a twist on the French classic. This make-ahead treat was a hit with the family. Perhaps it appeared I slaved over the hot stove, but it's just a fancy grilled cheese with ham that sits in eggs over night. Then I popped it in the oven just before serving. I used Baker's Inn Whole Grain bread, which is a nice, thick, hearty bread. But I'm sure any sort of multigrain bread would do. The recipe calls for regular Dijon, which I used, but I have a feeling whole grain mustard would be an improvement. My ham (Hormell's Honey Ham) was rather thinly slices I thought, so I used 6 slices instead of 3 (but my family is also full of carnivores).

This one comes out of Nigella Express. It's true, I have recipes that aren't from Barefoot Contessa books. The recipes in Nigella Express are as delightful as the cook herself. While I adore Rachel Ray, Nigella's recipes are ACTUALLY 30 minute (or less) meals. They also require very few ingredients; something you don't tend to find in a Rachel meal. 

Croque Monsieur Bake

Nigella Express (Nigella Lawson)

Serves 4-6

6 slices ready-sliced multigrain brown bread

1/3 cup Dijon mustard

4 ounces Gruyere cheese slices

3 slices/3 ounces ham

6 eggs

1 teaspoon kosher salt or 1/2 teaspoon table salt

1/3 cup whole milk

4 tablespoons grated Gruyere, Emmental or Cheddar

Good sprinkling of Worcestershire sauce

Spread the mustard on the bread slices and make sandwiches with the fine slices of cheese and ham. Put each slice of cheese against the mustardy bread, and the ham between them. Make the sandwich and cut each on i half, making two triangles.

Squish the sandwiches into a baking dish approximately 10 1/2 by 8 1/4 inches and 2 1/4 inches deep. 

Beat together the eggs, salt and milk (I measure out the milk into whatever the mustard's been in for maximum flavor penetration) and then pour this over the sandwiches tightly packed in the dish.

Cover the dish with plastic wrap and leave in the fridge overnight.

Next morning, preheat the oven to 400 degrees and take the dish out of the fridge, removing the plastic wrap.

Sprinkle over the grated cheese and Worcestershire sauce and bake in the oven for 25 minutes.

Mmmm . . . Pie

Pumpkin Pie! Pumpkin Banana Mousse Tart to be exact. From who else, but Ina Garten. This one can be found in Barefoot Contessa Family Style. I made this one on Thanksgiving in my efforts to spice up our desserts a bit. The pumpkin pie is usually the least popular on the table . . . would you believe some members of the family don't even like pumpkin pie? Well you see the challenge I had in front of me. Turns out they like pumpkin pie! At least if there's banana and some cream mixed in. Who knew. Not to mention the graham cracker crust. Let's just say the pie was gone by Friday night.

This one comes out lighter with more flavor than your typical pumpkin pie, which I have to admit even I was tiring of the last couple years. You can make it a day or two in advance, which makes it rather convenient. And let's not forget how fancy you'll fell when you create the "double boiler." I used my Corning Ware dish for this part, but any heat proof bowl will do. What would we do without Ina?

Pumpkin Banana Mousse Tart

Barefoot Contessa Family Style (Ina Garten)

Serves 10

For the Crust

2 cups graham cracker crumbs (14 crackers)

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

For the Filling

1/2 cup half-and-half

1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree

1 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3 extra-large egg yolks

1 package (2 teaspoons) unflavored gelatin

1 ripe banana, finely mashed

1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest

1/2 cup cold heavy cream

2 tablespoons sugar

For the Decoration

1 cup (1/2 pint) cold heavy cream

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Orange zest (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter in a bowl and mix well. Pour into an 11-inch tart pan with a removable bottom and press evenly into the sides and then the bottom. Bake for 10 minutes and then cool to room temperature.

For the filling, heat the half-and-half, pumpkin, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water until hot, about 5 minutes. Whisk the egg yolks in another bowl, stir some of the hot pumpkin mixture into the egg yolks to heat them, then pour the egg-pumpkin mixture back into the double-boiler and stir well. Heat the mixture over the simmering water for another 4 to 5 minutes, until it begins to thicken, stirring constantly. You don't want the eggs to scramble. Remove from the heat.

Dissolve the gelatin in 1/4 cup cold water. Add the dissolved gelatin, banana and orange zest to the pumpkin mixture and mix well. Set aside to cool.

Whip the heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and continue to whisk until you have firm peaks. Carefully fold the whipped cream into the pumpkin mixture and pour it into the cooled tart shell. Chill for 2 hours or overnight.

For the decoration, whip the heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and vanilla and continue to whisk until you have firm peaks.  Pipe or spoon the whipped cream decoratively on the tart and sprinkle, if desired, with orange zest. Serve chilled.

Note: if making a day or two ahead, decorate with whipped cream an hour or two before serving.