KPK COOKS!

Pumkin pie is one of our favorite pies!  This puts a nice twist on it.

Ingredients:

• I 29 oz can of pumkin
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 3 eggs 
• 1 box yellow cake mix
• 1 c. chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans) 
• 1 c. sugar 
• 1 can evaporated milk
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 
• 1 c. butter, melted

Directions:

Line a 9 x13 inch pan with waxed paper. Mix pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugar, eggs, salt, and cinnamon together in a bowl and then pour into pan. Sprinkle cake mix over pumpkin mixture.  Spread nuts over mixture. Pour melted butter evenly over nuts. Bake 350 degrees for 1 hour. Cool one hour and invert pan onto platter. Peel off waxed paper. Serve with whipped cream. 

I discovered meyer lemons about a year ago, but I did not think there was a big difference between plain old lemons and meyer’s lemons. I was absolutely wrong. They are different (combination of lemon and tangerine, how can you beat it) make the best lemon meringue pie ever! Unfortunately for me, living in the Northeast, they are hard to find.  When I do find them I stock up. I am now researching more recipes to use meyer lemons in! 

Graham cracker crust:

• 1 1/4 c. graham crackers, crushed 
• 1/4 c. sugar 
• 5 tablespoons butter, melted 

Combine all ingredients and press crumb mixture on bottom and up the sides of a 9 inch pie plate. Bake in 350 degree oven for 8 minutes.  Cool. 

Filling:

• 1/1/2 c. sugar
• 1/4 c. and 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 c. and 1 tablespoon meyer lemon juice 
• 1/2 cold water
• 5 egg yolks (save whites for meringue)
• 2 tablespoons butter 
• 1 1/2 c. boiling water 
• 1 teaspoon grated meyer lemon peel

Combine sugar, cornstarch, salt, juice and cold water in saucepan. Mix well. Add egg yolks and butter. Slowly add boiling water and cook over medium heat until boiling. Cook for 2 minutes. Add peel. Pour into graham cracker shell and cool for a bit. 

Meringue:

• 5 egg whites
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tarter
• 1/2 c. sugar 

Beat egg whites until soft peeks form. Add cream of tarter and gradually add sugar. Beat until stiff peeks. Top pie with meringue and bake at 350 for 5 minutes or until brown on top. Refrigerate for a few hours before serving.   

When I think of sangria I think of white wine and summer.  Well, now we can have sangria in the winter! 

Spiced Simple Syrup:

• 2 c. water 
• 1 c. sugar
• 2 - 3 cinnamon sticks 
• sliced orange peel 
• 1 inch peeled fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon whole cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon whole peppercorns 

Combine water, orange peel, ginger, cloves and peppercorns and bring to a boil. Stir in sugar and boil until reduced a bit and syrupy (15 minutes). Let cool, strain and store.

Sangria:

• 1 750 ml red wine (I use Pinot Noir)
• 1/2 c. spiced simple syrup
• Juice of one orange
• 1/4 c. rum 
• 1/4 c. grand marnier
• sliced oranges, apples and pears

Combine in a pitcher and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Enjoy!

As everyone knows, I am always on the look out for new xmas cookie recipe and I am pretty picky. This is good enough to make my list!

Makes about 3 dozen

Ingredients: 

• 3 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 sticks butter (8 oz) at room temperature
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 molasses
• 36 miniature peanut butter cups chilled (Reese’s)
• Confectioners sugar for rolling

Directions: 

In medium bowl mix together flour, soda. Whisk in ginger, cinnamon, pepper and salt. Using mixer, cream butter, sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in egg and mix in molasses. Scrape down bowl and add flour mixture in two batches, mixing on low until combined. Turn dough out on to large piece of wax paper or plasitic wrap and form a ball.  Chill for one hour. Preheat oven to 350. Working with 1 tablespoon of dough at a time, mold dough around each peanut butter cup to enclose completely. Bake until tops are slightly crackeled, 12 – 14 minutes. Transfer cookies on to rack and cool 5 minutes.  Roll cookies in confectioners sugar then return to rack to cool completely. 

I found this in Cooking Light magazine and my family loves it and I do not believe they know it is “light.”  Oops, they will know now! You can always fatten this up a bit if you like.

Ingredients:

Serve with pita chips or baked tortilla chips

• 1 (16 oz.) can of fat-free bean dip (I use regular)
• 1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 c. reduced fat sour cream
• 1 c. salsa
• 1 c. (4 oz. reduced fat Mexican blend or cheddar cheese

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Combine beans, spread in 8 inch square baking dish. Spread sour cream over beans, top with salsa and cheese. Cover and bake for 20 minutes.

• 3  tablespoons  canola oil, divided
• 1/4  cup  all-purpose flour
• 2  pounds  boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1  teaspoon  salt, divided
• 5  cups  chopped onion (about 3 onions)
• 1  tablespoon  tomato paste
• 4  cups  fat-free, lower-sodium beef broth
• 1  (11.2-ounce) bottle Guinness Stout
• 1  teaspoon caraway seeds
• 1/2  teaspoon  black pepper
• 1 1/2  cups  (1/2-inch-thick) diagonal slices carrot (about 8 ounces)
• 1 1/2  cups  (1/2-inch-thick) diagonal slices parsnip (about 8 ounces)
• 1  cup  (1/2-inch) cubed peeled turnip (about 8 ounces)
• 2  tablespoons  finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Place flour in a shallow dish. Sprinkle beef with 1/2 teaspoon salt; dredge beef in flour. Add half of beef to pan; cook 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove beef from pan with a slotted spoon. Repeat procedure with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil and beef.

2. Add onion to pan; cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomato paste; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in broth and beer, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Return meat to pan. Stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, caraway seeds, and pepper; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Uncover and bring to a boil. Cook 50 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add carrot, parsnip, and turnip. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and bring to a boil; cook 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Sprinkle with parsley.

I found this cookie in the Boston Globe one year and have made it one of our xmas cookies.  My husband renamed them “Christmas Dinkies” and when you make them you will know why.  When people ask me what they are I sometimes slip and call them by the wrong name!  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cup flour 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 3/4 cup margarine or butter 
• 1 egg 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 6 oz. package semi sweet chocolate chips 
• Chocolate Coating (recipe follows) 
• 2 cups chopped walnuts 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat together butter, sugar, egg and vanilla in large bowl until well mixed. Blend in flour and salt. Stir in 6 oz. chocolate chips. Shape dough on lightly floured surface into 2 x1/2 inch logs. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 12 - 15 minutes. Cool on wire racks. 

Dip ends of cookies into Chocolate Coating; roll ends in chopped nuts. Place on waxed paper until set.

Chocolate Coating: Melt together 1 12 oz. package of semi sweet chocolate chips and 1/4 cup margarine in top of double boiler over hot water; stir until blended and smooth. If mixture is too thick, add more margarine 1 tablespoon at a time until it is a good consistency. 

My girls beg me to make this dish. I am a good cook so I always guessed at the ingredients and have also made a lighter calorie version.  I learned something, there are some recipes you just can not try to do this to. I made this for the first time Erin (daughter) and all her girl friends the night before she ran her first half marathon to raise money for the Dana Farber.  Also the first time I got pink hair extentions to support breast cancer.  Got this from a local TV station show WHDH “The Dish.”  Great recipe and week!

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup oil
• 1/4 stick butter 
• 1/4 cup chopped garlic (less if using fresh)
• 1qt hvy cream (I used light and thought it was fine)
• 8 cups broccoli florets (steamed for 3 minutes, just aldente) 
• 3 cups cut up cooked chicken 
• 3 cups artichoke hearts
• pinch of salt
• pinch of pepper
• pinch of granulated garlic
• 3 cups Parmesan
• 7 cups of ziti cooked aldente (just shy of two boxes) 

Instructions:

Make sure your veggies are strained of excess water. On low/medium heat, add your oil and butter and heat until the butter melts. Add your garlic and saute until it just starts to turn light brown (about 2min). Add your broccoli florets and stir for about 2 min. Then add your cream, and heat until it just starts to slightly boil. Add your chicken and keep stirring about 2 min. Add your Artichoke hearts, salt, pepper, granulated garlic and let it simmer about 2 min. Put in your ziti and stir into the pot followed by the Parmesan and shut off. Continue stirring for a couple min, so the cream and Parmesan do not stick or burn in the pot. Place in large rectangular pan. For this size dish, you can also try using a disposible aluminum pan, largest size. I sprinkled it with a bit more parmesan cheese. Bake 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until bubbly.  

I have been searching for just the right apple crisp recipie and think I just found it on the King Arthur flour web site!  I made this for a dinner party last night and got great reviews. Fall is here in New England and nothing like apple crisp!

Filling: 

• 9 cups sliced apples 
• 1/4 c. rum or apple cider (I think you know what I chose!)
• 1/2 c. brown sugar (add more if your apples are tart) 
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger
• 3 tablespoons flour 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Peel and slice apples 1/4 inch thick.  Add rest of the ingredients and stir.  Place in 8 x 11 baking pan.  

Topping:

• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 c. oats
• heaping 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 c. brown sugar 
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 c. cold butter
• 1/2 c. chopped walnuts or pecans

 Mix together flour, oats, salt, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder.  Add butter and cut in to make a crumble mixture.  Spread over apples.  Bake 55 to 60 minutes in 350 oven.  Done when bubbly.  Of course you should serve this with nothing but Brighams vanilla ice cream!