Cranberry Lemon Galette with the BEST Pie Crust RECIPE!!

Today's Tuesday with Dorrie from Dorrie Greenspan's Baking From My House To Yours, is a simple rustic type of pie~a galette.  This is my first galette, and it was so simple and easy to make.   This Galette is a scrumptious combination of sweet and tart, so, so good!!  Dorie you have done it again!! Delicious!

I didn't have a lime, it was supposed to be a Cranberry Lime Galette but I only had a lemon, so that is what I used.  I also substituted homemade strawberry jam for the raspberry jam.  I believe in working with what I have on hand!  :)  Simple substitutions like this do not really alter the recipe much in my opinion.  Sure the taste will be slightly different but the principle is the same.

I baked my Galette on my stone cookie sheet.  The stone prevents the crusts from burning, ie. the cookies, galette, or whatever I'm baking.

I love Dorie's pie crust, but I have a recipe I love even more.  My cousin from WI gave me this little cookbook from the Sheboygan Christian School (they are famous for their pies!) and I make the crust from this home grown book~100 Years Of Butter & Love.

Here is my pie crust recipe, enjoy it with your favorite pie.  I'm sure you'll be baking one up here pretty soon as we are just one week away from Thanksgiving!

Pie Crust 
Makes enough for two pie crusts.
4 C. flour
1 T sugar (optional)
2 tsp salt
1 3/4 C. butter
1/2 C. water
1 T vinegar
1 lg. egg
Mix together flour, sugar and salt.  Add butter and mash with a pastry blender until crumbly.  In a small bowl beat water, vinegar and egg.  Combine the two mixtures, stirring with fork.  Divide for rolling.  Works best if chilled about 30 minutes.  Roll out on floured surface or between parchment paper to prevent sticking.

The crust does not taste at all like vinegar, once cooked.  It has a wonderful consistency and is easy to work with.  Rose Levey Beranbaum author of The Pie and Pastry Bible says "The vinegar helps relax the dough with out loosing the flakiness, making it easier to roll, shrink less and be more tender."  She is also the author of The Cake Bible.

If you would like the recipe for the Galette look here at Celestial Confections blog, she picked the delicious recipe this week!

Not-Just-For-Thanksgiving Cranberry Shortbread Cake

This shortbread cake is perfect for this time of year.  The flaky sugar cookie crust is scrumptious and the cranberry center is a nice compliment.  It's pretty easy to put together.  I used a spring-form pan and that worked great for me. 

If you want to try it check out a Singleton in the Kitchen's great blog!  Or look in Dorie Greenspan's cookbook Baking From My House To Yours page 208-209.

Carmel Pumpkin Pie- with nuts or without?

I started with a whole pumpkin.  It's the season isn't it?  It's so easy to do.  Next, I grabbed the leftover pie dough from the fridge (we made quiche this week).   I rolled this out and put it in my deep pie dish.  Little did I know this was too much room. The crust fell over just a little bit during baking because it was too high.  Still tasted good though.  I ended up making the filling in my Kitchen Aid mixer because that seemed the easiest way to break up the pumpkin.

The filling called for homemade caramel.  This was my first time making caramel and I loved it!  I have made candied pecans so it was similar to that.  I was so excited I hollered from the kitchen when I finished, and my husband didn't get it.

So Tasty!!  I made homemade whipped cream ahead of time and it was a little cold when I took it out of the refrigerator.  That is why it looks a little "lumpy" in the picture.

I love nuts, my kids don't.  So, I ended up sprinkling buttered, toasted pecan pieces on one half of the pie and leaving the other plain.  Everyone's happy.  If you want to see this recipe check out Mortensen Family Memoirs, or you can find it in Dorrie Greenspan's book Baking From My House To Yours, pg. 322-323.  

Double Apple Bundt Cake

A simple, apple Fall cake.  I skipped the raisins but did add toasted pecan pieces.  

It smelled delicious!!  I ended up giving this to a friend that is going through some tough times.  I thought it would be fun to cheer their family up.   

This weeks recipe was picked by Honey Muffin, check out her blog for the recipe or you can find it in Dorie Greenspan's book Baking From My House To Yours.

Hope you enjoy this one!

Chocolate Coffee Break Muffins

This weeks recipe was very simple to make.  I am not crazy about coffee flavored food.  I LOVE coffee don't get me wrong, but when it's in ice-cream or muffins, eh, I could live without it.  So, to make it more pleasing to my palate, I added coco powder ~ 1/2 a cup to the recipe.  It made the muffins taste more like a chocolate biscuit, perhaps I need just a tad more sugar?  They were perfect served up with a little honey butter.  Yum!

This recipe was picked by Rhiani of Chocoholic Anonymous (hopefully the recipe will be posted soon!) or you can find it in Dorie Greenspans' Book, Baking From My Home To Yours on pg 15.

Peanut Butter & Chocolate Crisscrosses

We like chocolate in our peanut-butter.  Yumm!  These little tasty treats were easy to whip up.  Easy Peasy, Old Man Squeezey as my 1st grader likes to say.

To see these cookies again and get the recipe you can check out Jasmine Cuisine who picked our recipe this week.  The first part is in French but if you scroll down you'll get the English version.  She's a French Canadian ya know.  Or you can find the recipe in Dorie Greenspan's Cooking From My House To Yours on page 78.

Hope you had a great Tuesday!  Ours was wonderful and rainy.

Chocolate Espresso Shortcake

This week I made these fun little shortbread cookies.  I mostly followed the recipe as Dorie instructed, but I did make one change- instead of pressing the cookies into a plastic baggie, I ended up pressing the cookies between some parchment paper into a glass baking dish.  It worked out great and I saved a little plastic from going into the landfill.  

I shared these at our Meet and Greet MOPS meeting on Monday and they were a hit!

If you want to make some you can find the recipe on this blog: Life's too short not to eat dessert first  Or in Dorie Greenspan's cookbook Baking From My House To Yours.

Hope you are enjoying the last days of summer!

Oatmeal Breakfast Bread

This scrumptious Oatmeal Breakfast Bread was delicious!  It had the consistency similar to bread pudding, so moist.  I added plump raisins and topped with a sugar pecan crumble.  Upon baking the crumble turned into flaky crispy candied pecans.  It was very tasty.  I took it to Retrouvaille to share with our couples.  This was the last slice!  I saved it to share with you.

Thank you Natalie at Oven Love for picking this weeks recipe!  Check out her blog to find the recipe or find it in Dorie Greenspan's Baking From My Home to Yours. 

Chocolate Ganache Ice Cream

Creamy, decadent, and delicious.  

This is a small bowl with small scoops, because this ice-cream is so rich that is all you need.  Funny Dorie, says we can keep this in a covered container for two weeks.  Like it will last that long.  

I used Callebaut chocolate, and left it with out toppings or filings.  I wanted to try it in all it's splendor first.  I'm not sad.  Find the recipe in Dorie Greenspans' book Cooking with Dorie, From My House To Yours on page 430.  Or check here on  Katrina's blog Baking and Boys.

Hope your summer is going swimmingly!  

Chewy, Chunky Blondies

This has got to be one of the easiest and rewarding recipes ever.  I made them Saturday morning before our Post sessions at Retrouvaille, and took them hot out of the oven to the car.  By the time I got there, they were the perfect temperature for eating.  Warm, soft, and chewy.  I will say they were devoured, and kind of funny to me, the middle ones went first!

I made mine with 2 cups of chocolate chips, 1 cup cookie sized walnut pieces, and 1 cup dried coconut.  I was thinking these would be good with some oats but I didn't have any or that would have went in.  I didn't use the brown sugar.  I use organic sugar, it already has a nice light caramel color from some of the natural molasses that is still in there, and they tasted great!  I ended up baking these for about 7 minutes more than she recommended. They came out perfect.

I also wanted to note, that I love my stand mixer.  I don't think I ever mixed anything long enough with the hand held type I used for years.  Even if I did mix it the recommended amount of time, it was never as fluffy as I can get it in my stand mixer, and that really seems to help with the consistency of my baking.

If you like easy delicious recipes, you should try these!  Look in Dorie Greenspan's book Baking from My House To Yours on page 109 or check Nicole's blog Cookies on Friday for the recipe posted online.

Lots of Ways Banana Cake- Pudding!

I grew up with mom making banana bread.  It was best served warm out of the oven with lots of butter.  These are fond memories for me.  My mother is a wonderful cook and baker.  

When I first got married I made lots of fresh muffins and mom's banana bread for my new husband.  He really enjoyed them, the only problem was I made too many.  We got tired of them, and I haven't made them in a long time.  So, when I saw this recipe for banana cake, I was thinking to myself, what can I do with it?

Luckily Dorie Greenspan has lots of suggestions, but I couldn't find just what I was looking for.  My husband loves pudding, so I decided to put the two together.  This is a great combo!

I made homemade Stirred Custard, Fresh Whipped Cream, and layered it with fresh bananas and Banana Cake.  My husband was delighted!  

I had so much I made enough to bring to Girls Night In at Erica's house tonight!

The Banana Coconut Cake.  To me it tasted very similar to regular banana bread, I did add the coconut milk and toasted coconut.  It is very moist and has a wonderful texture.

Check here for the Banana Cake Recipe at Only Creative Opportunities by Kimberly who picked our recipe this week.  Or look in Dorie Greenspan's book Cooking From My House To Yours on pages 204-205.

Stirred Custard

by Better Homes and Gardens, New Cook Book.

3 beaten eggs

2 cups of milk or light cream

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

In a heavy medium saucepan combine eggs, milk or light cream, and sugar.  cook an stir over medium heat.  Continue cooking egg mixture until it just coats a metal spoon.  Remove from heat.  Stir in vanilla.  Quickly cool the custard by placing the saucepan in a sink or bowl of ice water for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Pour custard mixture into a bowl.  Cover surface with clear plastic wrap.  Chill until serving time.  Serve over cake or fruit.  Makes 3 cups (6 servings).

Fresh Whipped Cream

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Place all ingredients into mixing bowl and whip with an electric mixer until firm peaks form.  Keep your eye on the cream, you don't want to over mix it.  

Banana Cake Pudding

1/2 Banana Cake 

5 bananas

Fresh Whipped Cream

Stirred Custard (x2)

1. Cube banana cake and put about half of it at the bottom of a glass bowl.  2. Cut up 2 bananas and layer on top of cake.  3. Spoon Stirred Custard, that has been slightly chilled, over the top.  4. Next layer the whipped cream on top of the custard.  Smooth out the layers, then add another small layer of cake and bananas.  Repeat steps 3 & 4.  I crumbled some cake on the top and decorated with banana slices.

Happy Baking!

Tarte Noire TWD

A chocolate ganache tart, with a sweet cookie crust.  

Beautiful, elegant and simple.  Serve with sliced berries and a dollop of whipped cream, or eat as is.  You won't be disappointed.  

Find the recipe in Baking From My House to Yours on page 351, by Dorie Greenspan, or find it on dharmagirl's blog bliss: towards a delicious life.  

Vanilla Cake

Tuesdays With Dorie

Ok, so I'm out of town, but I was determined to make this weeks cake.  It looks and smells so good, I'm sure we will love it!  It's a good thing my SIL had what I needed to make this work.  Thank you Carolyn!!  Summer time seems to be getting in the way of my baking.

Excuse my pic, it was actually taken w/my cell phone.  Seriously roughing it!  If you want to see this recipe look over at Wendy's blog pinkstripes, or in Dorie Greenspan's book-Cooking from my home to yours.

Dressy Chocolate Loaf Cake

Ah, Tuesdays with Dorie!  I love this recipe!  This cake is easy to put together.  I baked it in a glass loaf pan, the recipe was a little big for my pan, so I made a couple of cupcakes to go with it.  Once cooled the cake is sliced into 3 layers. I filled the layers with some of my homemade strawberry compote, then it's topped with a sour cream chocolate frosting.

I found these organic strawberries at my local grocery store.  As I picked them out, they looked so familiar.  Then I realized, they are the same ones I used to buy at the Monterey, CA, farmers market!  They are super sweet and delicious.  They almost did not make it on the cake!  What an exciting find!

To see the complete recipe look on pages 286-287 in Dorie Greenspan's Baking from my home to yours.  Or  look here at Amy's website Amy Ruth, she picked today's recipe!