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Chocolate Cream Pie

Chocolate Cream Pie

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Yield: One 9” pie
King Arthur Baking

A true diner classic, Chocolate Cream Pie is a head-turning treat, and just the thing for lovers of both chocolate and pie. The crust is prebaked, then filled with a cooked, cooled chocolate filling. Topped with lightly sweetened whipped cream, it’s the perfect combination of crispy crust, dense chocolate-y filling, and ethereal cream garnish. This is a tall pie with a generous amount of filling. You can customize the chocolate flavor to your taste, by using bittersweet, semisweet, milk chocolate, or any combination of these that you like.
Prep 1 hr 30 mins Bake 25 mins Total 4 hrs 25 mins

Crust

  • 1½cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
  • ½tsp salt
  • ¼cup vegetable shortening
  • 4TBS unsalted butter, cold
  • ⅛-¼cup ice water

Filling

  • 2TBS unsalted butter
  • 1⅓cups semisweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1tsp vanilla extract
  • ⅔cup granulated sugar
  • 3TBS cornstarch
  • 2TBS unsweetened cocoa, Dutch-process or natural
  • 1tsp espresso powder, optional; for richer chocolate flavor
  • ⅛tsp salt
  • 3large egg yolks
  • 1cup heavy cream, divided
  • 2cups milk

Topping

  • 1cup heavy cream
  • ¼cup confectioners’ sugar
  • ½tsp vanilla extract

Make the crust: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Work in the shortening until it’s in lumps the size of small peas.

Dice the butter into ½” pieces and work it into the mixture until you have flakes of butter the size of your fingernail. Add the water 2 TBS at a time, mixing with a fork as you sprinkle the water into the dough.

When the dough is moist enough to hold together when you squeeze it, with no floury patches or bits of dry pastry in the bottom of the bowl, transfer it to a lightly floured work surface. Fold it over on itself three or four times to bring it together completely, then pat it into a disk ¾” thick, rolling the disk to smooth its edges.

Bake the crust: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9″ pie pan that’s at least 2″ deep.

Roll the pastry into a 13″ circle. Transfer it to the prepared pan and trim the edges so they overlap the edge by an inch all the way around. Tuck the edges up and under, and flute or crimp them. Put the lined pie pan in the refrigerator to chill for 10 minutes.

Line the crust with foil or parchment paper and fill it with pie weights or dried beans. Bake the crust for 20 minutes. Remove it from the oven, and gently remove foil or parchment with the weights or beans. Return the crust to the oven for 10 to 20 more minutes, until it’s golden-brown all over. If the edges of the crust start becoming too brown, cover them with a pie shield, or strips of aluminum foil. Remove the crust from the oven and cool completely.

To make the filling: Place the butter, chopped chocolate, and vanilla extract in a 2-quart mixing bowl; set aside.

In a medium saucepan off the heat, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, cocoa, espresso powder, and salt. Add ½ cup of the heavy cream, whisking until the mixture is smooth and lump-free. Whisk in the egg yolks.

Place the saucepan over medium heat, and gradually whisk in the remaining ½ cup cream and milk. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly as the mixture thickens; boil for 1 minute. The temperature of the mixture will be around 200°F after 1 minute.

Remove the pan from the heat and pour the mixture over the reserved chocolate and butter. Whisk until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.

Pass the filling through a strainer into a bowl to remove any lumps. You can use the back of a ladle, a flexible spatula, or a wooden spoon to stir it through the strainer. Scrape the underside of the strainer occasionally with a clean spatula to help the process along.

Place plastic wrap or buttered parchment paper on the surface to prevent a skin from forming, and chill thoroughly. A shallow metal bowl with more surface area will chill the filling most quickly.

To make the topping: Place the heavy cream in a chilled mixing bowl. Whip until the whisk or beaters begin to leave tracks in the bowl.

Add the sugar and vanilla and whip until the cream holds a medium peak.

To assemble: Spoon the cooled filling into the cooled, baked pie crust. Level the top with the back of a spoon or an offset spatula. Spoon or pipe the whipped cream on top. Note: If you’re not planning on serving the entire pie at once, top individual slices with a dollop of whipped cream just before serving.

Chill the pie until ready to serve. For best slicing, refrigerate the pie overnight before serving.

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Corned Beef and Cabbage IP

Corned Beef and Cabbage IP

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Yield: 4 Servings
One try, then moved to Almost Deleted.
Under seasoned and the veg were overcooked. Be worth trying using the ingredients and seasoning from the regular Corned Beef and cutting the veg cook time to 2 to 5 minutes.

  • 3-3½lb ready-to-cook corned beef, preferably flat-cut
  • 1¼cups semi-dry white wine, such as Riesling
  • 1lb red or Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces
  • 2-3large carrots (about ½ lb), peeled and cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces
  • ½small head green or savoy cabbage (about 1 lb), core left intact, cut into 4 wedges
  • Flaky sea salt, if necessary
  • Black pepper

Remove the corned beef from its packaging in the sink and reserve the spice packet. Rinse the beef well under cold running water and pat it dry with paper towels. (If you don’t rinse the brine off the meat, it will be too salty.) If there is a substantial fat cap on top of the beef, you can place the beef on a cutting board and trim most of it, if you’d like. (The fat will not completely render away during cooking.) Be sure to leave at least a thin layer of fat on top, about ⅛- to ¼-inch thick, to keep the meat moist.

Put the corned beef into the pressure cooker with the fat cap facing up. Add the wine and the spices from the packet. Cover and set steam valve to sealed position. Cook on high pressure for 60 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes, then release the remaining pressure manually.

Open the lid. Drop the potatoes and carrots into the liquid that surrounds the beef. Lay the cabbage wedges on top. Cover and set steam valve to sealed position. Cook on high pressure for 15 more minutes.

Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then release the remaining pressure manually. Open the lid. Using tongs, remove the cabbage wedges, potatoes and carrots to a serving platter.

Let the corned beef rest for 5 to 10 minutes then slice it against the grain into ½-inch slabs. Place the beef slices on the serving platter alongside the vegetables and drizzle everything with a little bit of the cooking liquid. Taste the vegetables, and season them with flaky sea salt, if necessary. (The beef will not need to be seasoned with salt.) Season the beef and vegetables to taste with black pepper.

Szechuan Lo Mein

Szechuan Lo Mein

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Yield: 3 to 4 Servings
Scott Nowell

This should bring delight to your taste buds, then tears to your eyes. Zha Cai is Szechuan preserved vegetable, usually mustard root. Get is at an Asian market.

  • 1lb fresh lo mein noodles
  • ½lb chicken breast, cut into strips
  • 8oz mushrooms, halved or cut into bite-size pieces
  • ½cup carrot, cut on the diagonal
  • ½cup broccoli, cut on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces
  • ½cup baby corn
  • 2oz (about ¼ cup) minced preserved vegetable (ya cai or Zha Cai)
  • 1onion, shredded
  • 1clove garlic, minced
  • 1TBS soy sauce
  • 2TBS hot bean sauce
  • ½tsp salt
  • 5TBS cooking oil

Marinade:

  • 1tsp Shaoxing wine
  • 1tsp soy sauce
  • 1tsp cornstarch

Sauce:

  • ½cup stock
  • 1tsp soy sauce
  • 1TBS chili oil
  • 1tsp ground Sichuan peppercorns
  • 1tsp sugar
  • 1tsp sesame oil
  • 2tsp cornstarch


Marinate chicken:

Mix marinade ingredients. Marinate chicken for at least twenty minutes. While marinating chicken, mix sauce ingredients. Set aside.

Parboil noodles in a pot of boiling water for three minutes. Drain.

Heat wok. When heated, add 1 TBS of oil. Add garlic and chicken and stir-fry. When done, remove from the wok to a platter.

Reheat the wok and add 1 TBS of oil. Add mushrooms, onions, carrot, broccoli, baby corn and Zha Cai and stir-fry until tender and crisp. Sprinkle ½ tsp of salt over the vegetables and mix it in.

Remove the vegetables to a platter. Clean out the wok with a paper towel. Heat wok again and add 3 TBS cooking oil.

Place noodles in the wok, using chopsticks to break them up. Add 2 TBS hot bean sauce and 1 TBS soy sauce. Stir-fry until the noodles are heated through. Add cooked chicken, shrimp and all the vegetables. Re-stir sauce mixture and add. When it comes to a boil, test and adjust the seasoning if desired, then remove and serve.

Hunan Beef

Hunan Beef

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Yield: 4 Servings
Scott Nowell

I am trying to duplicate the great Hunan Beef at Peking Garden in Carlsbad, CA (closed in 2017) which they describe as: Tender sliced beef sauteed with bell pepper, onion, mushroom in spicy Hunan sauce. I thought it also had zucchini.

Beef:

  • 1lb flank steak

Tenderize: (optional)

  • ¼tsp baking soda
  • 3TBS water

Marinade:

  • 1egg white
  • 1pinch white pepper
  • ¼tsp salt
  • 1-2½TBS of corn starch
  • 1TBS of oil

For the vegetables:

  • 1small green bell pepper
  • 1small red bell pepper
  • 1zucchini sliced ½-inch thick and quartered, optional
  • 8oz mushrooms, quartered
  • 8whole dried chili peppers
  • ½tsp granulated sugar
  • 2TBS hot water
  • ½tsp Chinese black vinegar

Sauce

  • 2tsp chili bean paste, (spicy Doubanjiang)
  • ½cup chicken broth
  • 1½TBS soy sauce
  • 2TBS oyster sauce
  • 2tsp rice wine vinegar
  • 1tsp sugar, optional
  • 2tsp cornstarch

Beef:

Note: Tenderize the beef with a Jaccard before slicing. (optional)

Slice the beef with the blade tilted 45 degrees to get a thin cut through the grain.

Tenderize: (optional)

Mix 1/4 tsp baking soda and 3TBS water in a small bowl. Add beef and let sit for at least 30 minutes.

Marinate:

In a bowl, add the beef, egg white, white pepper, salt, Mix well. Add 1 to 2 TBS of corn starch and mix well. Add 1 TBS of oil and mix again. Set aside for 15 to 30 minutes.

Premix sauce:

Mix all the sauce ingredients together in a small container and set aside.

 Prep:

Cut the bell peppers into ¾-inch dice. Cut the zucchini length wise to quarter, then slice into ½-inch thick pieces. Quarter the mushrooms.

Stir fry:

Heat a wok and add a tablespoon of oil until just smoking. Add beef and stir fry until browned. Remove to bowl.

Add more oil to the wok, then add the bell peppers, zucchini, mushrooms and dried chilies. Stir fry for a minute then add sugar, water and black vinegar. Stir fry until tender crisp. Remove to the bowl with beef.

Sauce:

Mix the sauce a little and then pour into the wok. Cook until thickened and return beef and vegetables to wok and mix to coat. Stir fry to heat through.

Serve.

Cilantro-Lime Rice

Cilantro-Lime Rice

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Yield: 4 (makes about 3 cups)

Epoch Times
  • 1cup long-grain white rice, such as basmati or jasmine
  • 1bunch fresh cilantro
  • 2TBS olive oil
  • 2cups water
  • 1tsp kosher salt
  • 1large lime


Rinse the rice in a fine-mesh strainer under cold water until the water runs clear, about 45 seconds.

Shake off the excess water and set aside.

Finely chop the tender stems and leaves from the bunch of fresh cilantro until you have 1 cup.

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly golden-brown and aromatic, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the water, ½ cup of the cilantro, and salt. Stir to combine and bring to a boil over high heat.

Cover the saucepan and reduce the heat to low and cook for 16 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the rice steam, still covered, for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, juice the lime until you have 2 TBS.

Uncover and fluff the rice with a fork. Add the remaining cilantro and lime juice and stir to combine. Taste and season with more salt and/or lime juice as needed.

Recipe note: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to one week or freeze for up to one month.

Teriyaki Ginger-Glazed Salmon

Teriyaki Ginger-Glazed Salmon

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with Vegetables and Israeli Couscous

Yield: 2 Servings

Adapted from: Nigel Palmer / Home Chef

A subtle kick of ginger mixed with teriyaki glaze is the perfect complement to this tender salmon fillet. Served with sautéed vegetables and Israeli Couscous garnished with toasted pine nuts.

Salmon:

  • 2oz teriyaki glaze
  • 26-8-oz salmon fillets

Vegetables:

  • 1TBS ginger, minced
  • 2garlic cloves, minced
  • 2green onions
  • 8oz carrots
  • 4oz snow pea pods
  • 1red Fresno chili or Jalapeno pepper
  • olive oil
  • salt
  • pepper
  • cooking spray

Couscous:

  • ¾cup Israeli couscous
  • ½TBS butter
  • 1shallot, minced
  • ¾cup chicken broth
  • salt, pinch
  • ⅓cup pine nuts (about 3½ oz), toasted (optional)
  • pepper


Prepare the Ingredients:
Preheat oven to 400°F.

If using any fresh produce, thoroughly rinse and pat dry.

Prepare a quarter sheet pan with foil and cooking spray, silpat or parchment.

Peel, trim, and cut carrot on an angle into ¼” slices.

Peel string from snow pea pods. If large, cut diagonally.

Trim and slice white portions of green onions into 1″ pieces.

Thinly slice remaining green onions on an angle. Keep white and green portions separate.

Stem, seed, and slice red Fresno chili into thin rounds. Retain seeds for more spice. Wash hands and cutting board after working with chili.

Mince garlic.

Make Glaze and Prepare Salmon:

Combine teriyaki glaze, ginger and garlic in a mixing bowl. Put half of glaze in a second bowl.

Pat salmon fillets dry, and season flesh side with a pinch of pepper.

Sear and Bake the Salmon:

Place a medium non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tsp olive oil and salmon, skin side up, to hot pan. Sear on one side until golden-brown, 2-4 minutes.

Remove pan from heat and flip salmon so it is skin side down. Transfer salmon to sheet pan and brush or spoon glaze mixture from bowl onto salmon. Roast in hot oven until salmon is firm and reaches a minimum internal temperature of 140°F, 7-10 minutes.

Start the couscous:
Melt 1 TBS butter in a 1-quart sauce pan over medium heat. Add minced shallot and sauté until golden, about 3 minutes.
Add couscous and stir until couscous browns slightly, stirring often, 3 – 5 minutes.  Pay careful attention as the shallots will burn.
Add broth and pinch of salt and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer until couscous is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes.

Start the Vegetables:
Return pan used to sear salmon to medium-high heat. Add 2 tsp olive oil and carrot to hot pan and stir occasionally until lightly browned and starting to soften, 4-5 minutes.

Finish Vegetables:  
Add white portions of green onions to pan and stir occasionally, 2 minutes. Add remaining ginger and garlic, ¼ tsp salt, and a pinch of pepper. Add snow pea pods. Stir often until vegetables are tender but still slightly crisp, 3-4 minutes.

Finish Dish and serve:
Plate dish as pictured, topping salmon with glaze mixture from second bowl and garnishing vegetables with red Fresno rounds (to taste) and couscous with black pepper and entire dish with green portions of green onions. Bon appétit!

Roasted Fingerling or Baby Potatoes

Roasted Fingerling or Baby Potatoes

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Yield: 4 Servings
Scott Nowell

Nice crisp potatoes with a soft, fluffy inside. These roast at a lower temperature which makes them more compatible with other dishes.

  • 1½lb fingerling or baby potatoes
  • kosher salt
  • black pepper
  • 1tsp rosemary
  • 2tsp thyme
  • olive oil

Cut the potatoes in half and soak them in water for around 30 minutes to get fluffy inside while keeping the exterior crispy after roasting.

Preheat the pan. Next, place your roasting pan into the oven at 450°F degrees to heat up. Preheating the pan helps to have crispy potatoes.

Drain the potatoes and then toss them with salt, black pepper, rosemary, thyme, and a heavy pour of olive oil.

Add the potatoes to your preheated roasting pan and turn cut side down.

Place the pan into the oven and roast for 45 minutes or until golden-brown and fork tender.

Beer-Battered Veggies

Beer-Battered Veggies

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Yield: 4 Servings
Adapted from Betty Crocker

If you’re looking for a way to jazz up every day veggies, try this super-tasty recipe. It’s also delicious with green beans, cauliflower, zucchini or yellow squash. Elisha’s in Milford, NH (closed in 2010) served this with ranch dipping sauce.

  • 1cup AP flour
  • 1¼tsp baking powder
  • ¼tsp salt
  • ¼tsp garlic powder
  • ¼tsp onion powder
  • ¼tsp pepper
  • 2TBS Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1cup regular or nonalcoholic beer
  • 4cups fresh broccoli or cauliflower florets and/or zucchini slices
  • vegetable oil for deep frying
  • ½cup ranch or blue cheese dressing


In large bowl, mix flour, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, cheese and beer with whisk until smooth. Add broccoli and toss until well coated with batter.

In deep fryer or heavy saucepan, heat 2 to 3 inches oil to 375°F. Fry broccoli in batches 2 to 3 minutes, turning once, until golden-brown. Drain on paper towels.

Serve warm broccoli bites with ranch dressing for dipping.

Expert Tips:

Be sure to not crowd the fryer or pan, only frying several florets at a time.

Try beer-battering and deep-frying other vegetables, such as green beans, cauliflower florets or zucchini slices.

Paprika Rubbed Chicken

Paprika Rubbed Chicken

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Yield: 4 Servings
Scott Nowell

Tasty spice rubbed roast chicken pieces. This is very similar to the roast chicken pieces in the deli at King Soopers.  The mix of chicken is up to you. Substitute breasts and wings or use a combination.

For chicken:

  • 4-8legs
  • 4thighs
  • olive oil

For paprika rub:

  • 1TBS Kosher Salt (or table salt)
  • 1TBS Pepper
  • 1½tsp Onion Powder
  • 1½TBS Garlic Powder
  • 1½TBS Smoked Paprika

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Run chicken pieces with olive oil.

Place half of run into shaking bag. Add chicken, two pieces at a time and shake well to coat. Remove pieces to sheet or roasting pan, skin side down, shaking each piece to remove excess rub in the bag.

Repeat for remaining pieces.

Roast chicken for 30 minutes at 400°F. Turn pieces over and roast for an additional 15 to 20 minutes until pieces reach 185°F at thickest point.

Let rest for 10 minutes and serve.

Side dish suggestions:

Vegetables Starches
Sauteed Zucchini Brown Rice
Green Beans Couscous
Asparagus Mashed Potatoes
Broccoli Baked Potato
Noodles
Cheesy Sausage Breakfast Casserole

Cheesy Sausage Breakfast Casserole

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Yield: 8 Servings
https://www.kevinandamanda.com/breakfast-casserole/

This easy Breakfast Casserole recipe is SO cheesy and delicious! And you only need 4 ingredients! It’s perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dinner. It’s so quick and easy to make. You can also prepare everything for this breakfast casserole the night before so all you have to do is bake it the next morning!

  • 1can crescent rolls
  • 1lb mild breakfast sausage
  • 6eggs, beaten
  • 2cups shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Brown sausage in skillet, drain excess grease.

Spread crescent rolls in bottom of 9×13 dish. Top with sausage, then pour eggs over sausage. Generously top with cheese.

Bake at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes.

Can I make this casserole ahead?

If you want to save cooking time in the morning, you can brown your sausage the day before and keep it in the refrigerator until the next day. Then all you do in the morning is put everything together and bake.

Or, if you want to save even more time in the morning, you can prepare everything the night before, cover with plastic wrap and keep in the refrigerator until ready to bake the next morning. This makes it the ultimate go-to breakfast casserole for both those lazy mornings where you just don’t want to get out of bed, or busy mornings with a house full of guests!

Can I freeze breakfast casserole?

This is the perfect casserole for freezing. Bake the casserole according to directions and allow it to cool completely. After it is completely cooled, you can place it in an airtight container or zip top bag. Lay it flat in your freezer for up to a month. You can also cover your baking dish tightly with aluminum foil, then at least two layers of saran wrap.

When you’re ready to reheat the casserole, take it out of the freezer and transfer to an oven safe dish if you froze it in a ziplock bag. If you froze it in the original baking dish, be sure to remove any plastic wrap. Bake the casserole in your oven for about 25 minutes at 350°F, or until the center is warm. No need to thaw. This makes it easy to have on hand for the holidays, too!

How to store and reheat leftovers

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat your casserole, simply microwave it covered, or place it in your oven at 350°F until the center is warm. Have it around for breakfast the next day, or even breakfast for dinner!