Chocolate Meringue Pie

22 Wednesday May 2013

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messagepartTop off your Memorial Day celebration in style with this crowd-pleasing pie recipe from

Elizabeth W. Gift Baskets

I grew up thinking I wasn’t very fond of chocolate cream pie. My mom was a very good cook, but like many Moms during the 60’s she was seduced by the novelty and convenience of boxed instant pie filling.

All these years later, it was necessity that caused me to pull this recipe out of one of my old recipe files. I needed to make a dessert on the fly and didn’t have a lot of ingredients on hand. This pie can be made from basic pantry supplies and you won’t believe the rich chocolate flavor and silky texture. It bears little resemblance to that awful boxed stuff!

INGREDIENTS

For Pie:

½  cup good quality unsweetened cocoa powder

1/3  cup all-purpose flour

1 ¼ cups sugar

2 ½ cups whole milk

4 egg yolks, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 (9-inch) prepared piecrust, blind baked

For Meringue:

5 egg whites, at room temperature

½  teaspoon cream of tartar

10 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325°. In a large heavy saucepan, combine cocoa, flour, and sugar. Stir in milk and egg yolks. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wire whisk, until mixture comes to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.

2. Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla. Pour mixture into prepared piecrust. In a metal or glass bowl, beat egg whites at high speed with a mixer until frothy. Add cream of tartar, and beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating at high speed for 2 to 4 minutes or until stiff peaks form and sugar dissolves. Add vanilla, beating just until blended.

3. Using the back of a spoon, spread meringue over hot filling, sealing to edge of piecrust. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.

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Stuffed Baby Red Potatoes

13 Monday May 2013

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stuft spuds

The lowly spud takes center stage in this irresistible appetizer recipe from

Elizabeth W. Gift Baskets

It’s hard to mess up a combo of potatoes, butter and cheese. Adapt this basic recipe to your own taste. Add a splash of heavy cream or sour cream, a handful of crumbled crisp bacon, and a sprinkle of chopped fresh chives, if you like. You may wish to add a beaten egg to the mix to bind it, but I prefer this simpler, creamier, sloppier version.

The snack mix in the photo is from one of my past posts. Find it here.

INGREDIENTS

24 small red potatoes (about 2-1/2 pounds)
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1/2 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons dried onion soup mix, or to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Scrub potatoes; place in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain.
When cool enough to handle, cut a thin slice off the top of each potato. Scoop out pulp, leaving a thin shell. (Cut thin slices from potato bottoms to level if necessary.)

2. In a large bowl, mash the potato tops and pulp with the butter and cheese.  Stir in the onion soup mix. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon mixture into potato shells.

3. Place in an ungreased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake at 375° for 12-18 minutes or until heated through.

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Strawberry Wonton Napoleons

01 Wednesday May 2013

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s;berry

Your guests will think you hired a pastry chef when you wheel out dessert made with this easy recipe from

Elizabeth W. Gift Baskets

 These impressive, yet deceptively easy, strawberry and cream stacks are the epitome of easy elegance.

Toss sliced fresh strawberries with a little sugar and allow to macerate for an hour or so. In a frying pan filled with ¼-inch deep hot canola oil, lightly fry wonton wrappers until blemished, golden, and crisp, about 15 seconds per side. Drain on paper towels.

To assemble, layer whipped cream and strawberries between the crisp wonton wrappers on dessert plates to make small stacks. Serve immediately. I like to garnish these with a sprig of fresh mint and/or a dusting of confectioners’ sugar, but alas, forgot to add them before I shot the photo.

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Tahini Dip & Homemade Chips

17 Wednesday Apr 2013

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tahini dip

Perk up the party with this creamy, garlicky dip recipe from

Elizabeth W. Gift Baskets

This earthy dip is delicious with pita chips, crudités, falafel, or as a sauce for a cold lamb sandwich. To make pita chips like the ones I made for the photo, brush whole wheat pita pockets with olive oil, cut into wedges, sprinkle with coarse salt, and bake at 375 degrees for about 10 minutes. Let cool completely.

INGREDIENTS

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

½ cup well-stirred tahini (Middle Eastern sesame paste)

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

¼ cup olive oil

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

Chopped fresh parsley and cilantro, to taste (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Mash minced garlic and sea salt to a paste. Whisk together garlic paste, ¼ cup water, and remaining ingredients until well combined.

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Strawberry-Goat Cheese Bruschetta

01 Monday Apr 2013

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Celebrate the sweet taste of spring with this refreshing appetizer recipe

from Elizabeth W. Gift Baskets

You’ll want to customize this recipe to suit your personal taste. Chopped fresh basil or thyme are more traditional herbs for this mix, but I happen to love rosemary. Plus, it’s the only herb I have growing right now.

Coarsely chopping the berries rather than slicing them makes this bruschetta easier to eat. I just sliced mine to make the photo prettier. A crack of fresh black pepper and a splash of olive oil could be added and, depending on the ripeness of your berries, you may want to add a tiny bit of lemon zest to brighten the flavors, or a pinch of brown sugar to sweeten. This recipe is a great way to use less-than-perfect berries.

INGREDIENTS

½ cup balsamic vinegar

12 thin slices crusty Italian bread, halved

1 pound strawberries, washed and thinly sliced

1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary, or more to taste

1 cup goat cheese, at room temperature

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat vinegar in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Simmer until reduced by half, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

2. Place bread slices on a baking sheet and toast at 400 degrees until crispy, about 2 minutes per side.

3. Combine strawberries with vinegar reduction and chopped rosemary. Spread goat cheese on toasted bread. Spoon strawberry mixture over cheese topped crostini.

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Grits Spanakopita

19 Tuesday Mar 2013

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spinach-grits

Give the Greek classic a southern twist with this delightful recipe from

Elizabeth W. Gift Baskets

I’m a big fan of Southern Living magazine, especially their recipe ideas. However, I sometimes feel that the actual recipes haven’t been carefully tested. This is a SL recipe and I’ve copied it exactly as printed. While these little appetizers are absolutely delicious and definitely worth trying, I have a few caveats.

1. Pressing chopped spinach between paper towels is a pain. I just squeezed it tightly in my fists over the sink to remove the liquid. 2. Only about half of the panko mixture will actually stick to the grits mixture. The rest falls out all over the counter when you unmold the congealed slab. (I bagged and froze it to bread chicken cutlets with at a later date.) 3. The slab is a little fragile and hard to cut cleanly. I put it in the freezer for about 40 minutes to make it easier to cut.

INGREDIENTS

1 (10-oz.) package frozen chopped spinach

1 cup uncooked regular grits

2 (4-oz.) packages feta cheese, crumbled

1/2 cup finely chopped green onions

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

2 garlic cloves, pressed

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

3/4 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper to taste

2 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

Vegetable cooking spray

DIRECTIONS

1. Thaw spinach; drain well, pressing between paper towels.

2. Prepare grits according to package directions. Stir feta, next 5 ingredients, and spinach into grits. Add freshly ground pepper to taste.

3. Stir together panko and next 2 ingredients; sprinkle half of mixture into a well greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Pour hot grits mixture into prepared pan. Sprinkle remaining panko mixture over grits. Cover and chill 8 hours.

4. Invert chilled grits onto a cutting board; cut into 24 squares. Cut each diagonally into 2 triangles. Coat both sides well with cooking spray.

5. Cook triangles, in batches, on a hot greased griddle or in a nonstick skillet over medium heat 2 minutes on each side or until golden. Place on a wire rack on a baking sheet, and keep warm in a 200° oven up to 30 minutes.

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Banana Pancakes

05 Tuesday Mar 2013

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Keep your PJ’s on, make a fire in the fireplace, and take time for a real breakfast with this family-friendly recipe

from Elizabeth W. Gift Baskets!

I often add a handful of chopped pecans to this batter. I just didn’t have any on hand when I made the ones for the photo. These cakes are divine with butter and maple syrup, but if you want to go totally bananas, sauté sliced bananas in a little butter and brown sugar to make an ooey, gooey warm topping.

INGREDIENTS

(Makes about 12 pancakes)

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon each ground cinnamon and salt

1 egg, beaten

1 cup milk

2 ripe bananas, mashed

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together egg, milk, bananas, melted butter and vanilla.

2. Pour liquid ingredients into the mixing bowl and stir with a wooden spoon until the dry ingredients are moistened. Batter will be slightly lumpy.

3. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or spoon the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Cook until pancakes are golden brown on both sides, about 4 minutes. Serve hot.

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Praline Pumpkin Pie

18 Monday Feb 2013

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praline pump pie

Give the classic, easiest-pie-in-the-world-to-make, a nutty twist with this fun recipe from Elizabeth W. Gift Baskets!

If you think pumpkin pie is only for Thanksgiving, I’m here to change your mind. It’s true I developed this recipe during Thanksgiving. I was trying to decide between two of our family favorites, pecan pie and pumpkin pie. The result is this combo. We loved it so much that I now make it year round. For the pumpkin pie part I’ve not found any better recipe than the one on the side of the Libby’s pure pumpkin can. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right? 

INGREDIENTS

1 pumpkin pie baked in a deep-dish pie pan, cooled completely (Recipe here.)

3 tablespoons butter

½ cup brown sugar

1 cup pecan halves

1 tablespoon heavy cream

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add brown sugar and pecans. Cook, stirring until sugar is incorporated and the mixture is smooth, about 3 minutes. Stir in cream; let cool 1 to 2 minutes.

2. Pour mixture over cooled pie. With a spatula, spread mixture over pie. Cool until topping has thickened, about 30 minutes.

 

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Cranberry-Ginger Trifle

06 Wednesday Feb 2013

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Make a sexy Valentine’s Day dessert in a heartbeat with this simple recipe from Elizabeth W. Gift Baskets!

If you want to make this layered dessert recipe even easier, substitute a store-bought filling for the cranberry. Lemon curd, cherry pie filling, fruit jam (warm it up to make it spreadable), pudding, even applesauce will work. It’s pretty hard to mess this one up! Need a trifle bowl? You can find them at Crate & Barrel, K-mart, Bed Bath & Beyond and Macy’s.

INGREDIENTS

2 (12-ounce) bags fresh cranberries

2 ¼ cups granulated sugar

2 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger

1 (8-ounce) bar cream cheese, at room temperature

¼ cup packed brown sugar

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups heavy cream

2 (12-ounce) store-bought pound cakes, cut into ¾ inch slices

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium saucepan, combine cranberries, 2 cups granulated sugar, ginger, and 2 cups water. Bring to a simmer over medium; cook until cranberries begin to burst, 8 to 10 minutes. Let compote cool completely.

2. Make cream filling: Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, brown sugar, remaining ¼ cup granulated sugar, and vanilla on high until well combined. With mixer on medium, gradually add heavy cream; continue beating until soft peaks form.

3. Arrange 1/3 of cake in a 3-quart serving dish. Spoon 1/3 of compote over cake; spread to sides of dish. Dollop 1/3 of cream filling over compote; spread to sides of dish. Repeat twice, ending with cream filling. Cover; refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 1 day.

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Pumpkin-Corn Wontons

31 Thursday Jan 2013

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Add crowd-pleasing crunch to your Super Bowl spread with this Tex Mex appetizer recipe from Elizabeth W. Gift Baskets!

You may want to double this recipe. They go fast! To make a dip for the wontons, combine sour cream with a little lime zest, hot sauce and chopped fresh cilantro.

INGREDIENTS

½ cup canned pumpkin puree

¼ cup frozen corn kernels, thawed

¼ cup grated Parmesan

¼ teaspoon lemon zest

1/8 teaspoon each sugar and chili powder

22 square wonton wrappers

Vegetable oil, for frying

DIRECTIONS

1. Stir together the pumpkin puree, corn, Parmesan, lemon zest, sugar and chili powder. Add salt and pepper to taste.

2. Arrange wonton wrappers on a work surface. Brush the edges lightly with water. Place 1 teaspoon filling on bottom half; fold top half over, gently pressing edges to seal.

3. Heat about ½ inch of vegetable oil in a large skillet to medium high. (Place a wooden skewer in the oil to test the temperature; bubbles should form around it.)

4. Working in batches, lower the wontons into the hot oil with tongs and fry about 1 minute. Flip and fry another 30 seconds, or until light golden. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Serve hot.

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