Pecan Pie Tart

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  I know I ate way too much delicious food for my own good and I need to get back in the gym asap.  But, it's okay that's what the holidays are all about: great food and being with family!

This Thanksgiving holiday I decided to tackle one of the easiest desserts that I have never made, Pecan Pie, and besides for the "oven catastrophe", I think it turned out very well.  I made it in a tart pan, which could have been the problem, but it also was one of the reasons it turned out so well.  The one problem with tart pans (and springform pans), is the bottom is a separate piece from the sides.  So,  if you can imagine all of the batter, or gooey middle, seeping out of the pan and into the bottom of the oven, it burns, and causes a nice, smokey mess.

So, besides for the caramelization I got on the bottom of the oven, the pie turned out very tasty.  I liked this pie better because it wasn't as rich as pecan pie normally is, which gives room for more:)  If you don't want the mess I created in my oven, simply put everything in a regular pie pan, or make sure to put foil underneath the pan and on top of a baking sheet.

This is exactly what I love about baking so much- there are trial and errors, and even though it created a mess, the pie still turned out great!  Being creative in the kitchen can create some of the best desserts and giving your own spin on recipes really makes it your own!

Pecan Pie Tart

For crust:

1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
5 Tablespoons butter
2-3 oz. of pecans
3-4 Tablespoons ice water

In a food processor, blend the flour, salt, and sugar.  Add the butter and pecans until pecans are small pieces and butter looks like pebbles.  Add ice water a Tablespoon at a time until the flour mixture sticks when squeezed together.  Take the flour mixture out of the food processor and knead together until it forms a ball.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

For the filling:

3 eggs, beaten
pinch salt
1 cup sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon of vanilla
4 Tablespoons of butter
1 1/2 cups of pecan halves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Take out pie dough and roll into a large circle until it will fit in the pie pan.

Combine all ingredients for the filling.  Pour into unbaked pie shell and bake immediately.

Bake for about 50-60 mins or until pie is set.

Carrot Cake Bread Pudding

Yes, you read correctly.  Carrot Cake Bread Pudding.

This idea came to me when deciding if I should make carrot cake cookies or

Pumpkin bread pudding. My best friend (and taste tester), Jackie, suggested I combine the two. So here it is. It actually turned out really good! I'm impressed! The best thing about this dessert is there are many different variations, so you can certainly change it up a bit if you like.  

It's less than a week away from Thanksgiving. Do you know what desserts you'll be having on your Thanksgiving table?  Most of you already have your menu all prepped and ready to go.  If I could give one tip to everyone out there it would be to attempt making at least one homemade dessert this year.  First off, it's the perfect time to show off your skills in the kitchen and second, the way the smell floats around the house as the dessert is baking in the oven, is sure to welcome your guests.

Carrot Cake Bread Pudding 

1/2 loaf of stale Challah bread
1 cup grated carrots
5 eggs
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup crushed pineapple
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease an 8x11 baking dish.

Cube the Challah bread into 1/2inch cubes and put into greased baking dish.

In a large bowl, combine grated carrots, eggs, sugar, milk, crushed pineapple, spices, salt, and vanilla extract.  Whisk together until everything is combined.

Pour over bread.  With a rubber spatula, mix the bread and custard mixture until every piece of bread is soaked.

Bake for about 45 minutes or until custard is set.

Tips:
* If you only have fresh bread, you can "stale" the bread yourself.  Just take the cubed bread and place in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes or until the bread is very crisp.
** Try using Challah bread with raisins, if you like raisins in your carrot cake!
*** You can add pecans or walnuts to this dish as well.  Just add them with the bread before the custard mixture is poured over.

Maw Maw's Sweet Potato Casserole Cupcakes

This week, I am cracking down.  Thats right.  What do I mean?  Sweet Potato Casserole Cupcakes, of course.  Everyone knows that it is a staple to have some type of potato dish on the Thanksgiving table.  Rather it be mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, potatoes au gratin (if you like to be fancy), or my favorite, my grandmothers sweet potato casserole.  I can't tell you a time where we made a holiday meal and these weren't on the table.  It's true, sweet potato casserole is a holiday staple in my household.  Even the sweet potato haters can't hate this casserole.  It's a side dish that's a dessert, a dessert that's a side dish!

I decided to take this baby and make it into a real dessert.  Right now you are probably thinking this is the most disgusting idea.  Why take a perfectly good side dish and turn it into dessert, you ask?  Because why not.  If you like pumpkin or carrot cake, you will like these just as much!  It's a new spin on an old classic.  I bet most of you are thinking, right now, about a new dessert that you want to bring to the Thanksgiving table.  Can't decide between mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes?  Make the mashed potatoes and make these for dessert.  You get the best of both worlds.

Sweet Potato Casserole Cupcakes
Makes 12 Cupcakes

1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/8 cup mashed sweet potato*
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-2 eggs**
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon orange juice
12 large marshmallows



Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line a muffin tin with paper muffin liners and set aside.

In a small bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda.  Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy.  It should look like scrambled eggs.  Add the sweet potatoes and blend together.  Then add the cinnamon and salt.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each.  Beat in the vanilla and orange juice.  Add the flour mixture and beat on low just until everything in combined.  Be careful of over mixing.

Pour into the muffin tin.  Bake immediately for about 18 mins.  Keeping the oven on, pull out the cupcakes and add the marshmallows on top, then continue cooking for about 3-5 mins until the marshmallows get light brown. Take out of oven and with a spoon gently press down on the marshmallows.  Let cool.

*You can buy canned sweet potato puree or you can make your own.  To make your own, just peel and cut about 1-2 large potatoes in large chunks.  Add the potatoes to a pot of water and cook over high heat until the potatoes are tender.  Then drain and mash.

**This recipe can either use one or two eggs depending on how dense you want the cupcakes.  One egg= lighter, airy cake.  Two eggs= more moist, denser cakes.

Variations: Try adding pecans into the mix before baking the cupcakes and sprinkling a little brown sugar on each of the marshmallows before browning them:)

This recipe was adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Sweet Potato Cupcakes Recipe and from my Grandmother's Sweet Potato Casserole Dish

An Apple Pie a Day...Keeps the Sweet Tooth Away!

Apple Pie.  Probably one of the most recognizable American desserts.  That is exactly why I thought it would be the just the right thing to start off my month of Thanksgiving desserts.  This recipe is easy for those that may not have as much time to focus on dessert for the Thanksgiving table!

As I was making this apple pie I thought to myself, this is the perfect dessert for the "non baker" or "non cook"because all you have to do is chop some apples throw them in a bowl with some sugar and spices and pour it into a unbaked pie shell.  The challenging part is making the pie crust from scratch.  So, for those who prefer the easy way or don't have as much time just go to your local grocery store and pick up a package of unbaked pie crusts, then follow my recipe for the filling only.  For those who prefer a little challenge try my recipe for pie crust (I promise it's not that hard). 

Apple Pie
Crust:
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon of salt
2 teaspoons of sugar
2 sticks (1 cup) of cold butter cut into small cubes
6 to 7 Tablespoons of ice cold water

Filling:
5 to 6 golden delicious apples
1 Tablespoon of lemon juice
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
3 Tablespoons of flour
1 Tablespoon of butter, cubed
1 egg
1 Tablespoon of water
1 Tablespoon of sugar

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

For the crust, blend the flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor.  Add the cubed butter and pulse several times until the mixture looks coarse and the butter is pea-sized.  Slowly add a tablespoon of ice cold water until when you squeeze some of the mixture together it sticks.  Be careful not too add too much water.  Put mixture on a clean surface and form together.  Divide the dough in two disks and refrigerate for at least one hour.

For the filling; peel, core, and thinly slice all the apples.  Put in a bowl and add the lemon juice, 1/2 cup white sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar and mix together until all combined.  Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, and flour.  Stir thoroughly to make sure everything is evenly distributed.

Roll out the one of the disks of dough and place at the bottom of a pie pan.  Cut off the extra pieces of dough that hang off the edge.  Fill the pie crust with the apple filling.  Take 1 Tablespoon of cubed butter and place the cubes over the filling.  Take the other disk of dough, roll it out, and place it on top of the filling.  Press the edge of the bottom dough and top dough together.

Take 1 egg and beat it with 1 Tablespoon of water.  Brush on the top of the pie.  Sprinkle 1 Tablespoon of sugar all over the top of the pie.

Bake for about 40 to 50 minutes, until the crust is nice and golden brown.

*Tip 1: Putting the cubed butter and food processor blade and bowl in the freezer about 15-30 minutes before use will create a better crust.  The colder the dough is, the better dough you will have:)

*Tip 2: To add some variations to this pie, you can add walnuts, dried cranberries, or even chocolate chips to the filling!