Carrot Soup (Pure and Simple)

This is one of my most favorite soup recipes.  It's about as simple as it gets.  There are a couple variations but this is my "tried and true".  I swear when I make this for company, they think it's so much more complex and fancy than it really is. 

• 2-4 Very large carrots sliced (If they are organic DON'T PEEL THEM)
• 2 Yellow onions peeled and sliced
• 1.5-2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• Filtered Water
• 1/2-1 Tbsp. Salt
• 1-2 Tbsp. Sugar
• Creme Fraiche, Sour Cream, Greek Yogurt, or heavy cream

1. In a medium to large pot, melt butter and sautee onions and carrots until onions are translucent.  If there's more time, caramelize the onions a little. 
2.  Pour water over carrots and onions to cover. 
3.  Bring to a boil then turn down the heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes or, until the carrots are soft.
4. Pour this mixture into a blender (Usually, it takes 2 batches) and pulverize.  
5. You may need to return this to the pot, add more water for desired consistency and reheat.
6. Serves about 4. (2 cup serving size)

Dallop desired cream into soup and stir.  This goes fantastic with a frittata or quiche.  If one isn't concerned with blending meat and dairy.....chicken broth can replace the water, salt and sugar. Any type of broth will do but I recommend something pure, natural, and delicious!  One could also blend using a food mill.  I think using the blender adds a little more creamy texture to it. 

Graham Cracker Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

This Friday night for Shabbat, it's "get rid of Chametz" theme. So for after service noshing, it's gonna be a carb overload. For anyone who is not familiar with Jewish Passover, or the word Chametz. Here's a completely cliff notes version. During passover, Observant Jews rid their homes of Chametz or, any leavened bread. This includes crackers, bread, cake, cookies, flour or, other wheat products that aren't made of Matzo and deemed Kosher for Passover. If a person is very observant, they kick spring cleaning up a notch for sure! For more details and history, click on this.

This film shows an Ethiopian-Israeli Passover clip from Shalom Sesame

Another one for anyone wanting a good laugh.....this is a great video

Our cat has been missing for almost a week now and there's a camping trip that I'm getting the boys ready for tonight so, I needed something quick and easy. Enter Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

This is a "simple as pie" recipe and for the most part requires things that I usually have on hand.

These turned out great and reminded me of a recipe that will most likely stay a mystery. I know that my grandmother made these fabulous graham cracker bars that my Dad loved. With her passing went the recipe and our family has been on a constant mission to find something like it.

Every time I roll out with a new graham cracker concoction I think about my grandmother. I was a product of a blended family. Although it had it's challenges, having extra grandparents wasn't one of them. This grandmother became my grandmother when my mother remarried. Although she was technically a step-grandmother, she was a real grandmother in every sense of the word. I consider myself very blessed because it wasn't until 9-10 years later until they had another grandchild. I had them all to myself and I think I truly was to them, in many ways, their first grandchild. These were the classic grandparents who watched me during the Summer time when my parents worked and I was out of school. They knew every single goody I liked and made sure to stock pile their pantry. This grandmother taught me cooking, tips on laundry and cleaning, how to crochet....which I've long forgot, made sun tea in the Summer, and showed me the joys of gardening. There are many things that remind me of this grandmother: the smell of Dove soap, my favorite pink afghan that she made for me, and Graham cracker bar recipes.

Pop!

To quote the president: "Yes we can!".....make popcorn in the microwave without buying special microwave popcorn. Maybe I should have stamped "sucker" on the top of my forehead but it really didn't occur to me that I could do this. I thought that the white-little-skinny-old man had some magical patented component in their paper bag that could make popcorn in the microwave. I mean, it's really convincing especially since the bag has to be placed "just right" ('THIS END UP') or it will explode my microwave...... right? So, imagine my amazement when all of my core beliefs about microwave popcorn where just thrown out the window?! That's right, a plane brown paper lunch bag and some popcorn kernels are all you need. (and of course your choice seasoning). It took a little trial and error the original recipe I found called for 1/2 cup kernels. I really did end up with popcorn exploded all over my microwave. Just not enough room in the bag for all of that. I also tried the butter flavor in a bottle. Stupid me looked at the label after purchasing....120 calories per Tbsp. vs. 102 calories in Tbsp. of butter....unless a person has IBS I say, "BUTTER IS BETTER"

Yes, I could purchase my own popcorn popper but, honestly, I'm too cheap for that. So far this has been my favorite combo. I'd very much like to try something different and lower in calories. A few weeks ago I tried lime and salt flavor. Not something I created just bought a box of it. (Again with the white-skinny-old-guy brand)So flippin' yummy.

I'd like to try something like this on my own. Again, a 1/4 cup kernels is about 200 calories plus butter.....that's over 300 calories....dieticians help me out here! Somehow I need to get the calories down. 1/4 cup kernels after it's been popped fits in my ramen bowl. It's a good snack and I think the size is right for one person. Maybe I'm wrong but any less than this and I'm gonna be reaching for something more to eat.

Brown lunch bag
1/4 cup popcorn kernels
1 Tbsp. butter
1/8 tsp popcorn salt

• Watch these guys carefully because it will burn quick!
• Place kernels in paper bag and fold paper bag several times. Don't staple the bag. (Metal & Microwaves don't mix!).
• Place the bag standing up in the microwave.
• At my microwave set at 900W, it takes about one minute and twenty seconds. Again, listen to it and find out what works with your microwave.
• Melt butter for 15-20 seconds in the microwave after popcorn is popped.
• Open bag of popcorn, drizzle with butter, close bag again and shake up.
• Open bag, sprinkle with salt close bag and shake up again.
• Pour in to a bowl for aesthetics and enjoy.

Nicki's Vegetarian Chili

I've been on this vegetarian recipe kick for a while. I'm trying to come up with my very own recipes for things. It started when I tried to be more observant of Jewish kosher laws. It can be difficult because....well, I'm in Germany and, bratwurst is GOOD. Lately though, I realizing that having a mostly vegetarian diet is just easier when it comes to keeping kosher. Plus, it can be a lot healthier. This so far has been my favorite combination for chili. I'm not so sure about the nutritional information but maybe some other reader genius could figure it out for me. I know that most likely the sodium content is high because of all the canned beans but it's easy and with two young kids, that's what I need.

Nicki's Veggie Chili

1 carrot, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper (or 2 depending on your preference I use one cause, it's cheaper)
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 cans of kidney beans
1 can black beans
1 28oz. can of tomato
1 can of chopped green chilies (I use a small can of Old El Paso)
2 teaspoons of cumin
1 teaspoon of chili powder
2 Tablespoons of oil (for sauteing)
Shredded Cheese or Sour Cream (Optional)


We are a mild tongued family for the most part. (at least my kidlets are) The canned green chilies add some flavor but no real spice. If you'd like it spicier use a tablespoon or so of chilies in adobo sauce. It adds more heat and has a nice smokey flavor.

In a large pot, saute all the vegetables until tender (about 5-10 minutes). Add spices and stir them in with the vegetables. Then place all of the canned beans, tomato and chilies in with the vegetables and stir to combine. Simmer for 20 minutes or more depending on your preference of vegetable consistency. Serve with shredded cheese on top or just plain.

I'd imagine this is pretty healthy. Again, sodium might be an issue for some. In which case, try dried beans (3 cups of kidney & 1 cup of black--cooked and water according to preference) also, an easy way to cut the sodium is to look at the content of sodium in different brands of canned items. One can of tomatoes that I used had double the sodium of another brand.

This makes about six 2-cup servings and it's pretty inexpensive. I'll have to price everything out once I have a chance. Once one has the recipe down, it takes 30 minutes or less to get everything done and on the table. If a person is using dried beans it takes much longer (possibly can be an overnight thing to prep the beans) I usually have most of these items in the house. The celery I usually have on it's last leg before I decide that I should probably make use of it before it ends up in compost. My husband loves this recipe. He's not vehemently against this whole vegetarian exploration.....just weirds him out a bit but, he's getting better. The idea that it can be cheaper at the grocery store is turning him.

Chai Tea Latte Ice Cream

I am a self proclaimed Trader Joe's addict. I love their stuff. Mike's parents sent us a Christmas care package several years ago from TJ's and it had a can of Trader Joe's Spicy Chai Latte mix. YUMMY! Mike loves Chai Latte's from Starbucks. We thought this would save us a little $$$ by making our own. Now that we are hooked on yet another TJ product, I decided to experiment. I love Ice Cream and I love Chai Tea.....what if I made it into an ice cream flavor.

As my ice cream maker churns away in the other room, I am quickly typing away my first or, beginner recipe of this fabulous flavor. Because the mix also has a dairy powder in it, the ice cream is coming out super creamy. I was worried that it would be grainy with the addition of sugar but, it's hasn't gotten gritty so far.



1 cup whole milk
4 scoops of Trader Joe's Spicy Chai Latte Mix
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups cream (about 1 larger carton)

Using an electric mixer, mix whole milk, sugar and TJ's Spicy Chai Latte Mix until well incorporated. I did about 2 minutes (pausing a couple times to scrape the sides) on level 2 with my Kitchen Aid stand alone mixer. Then mix in cream (on low with your mixer! We don't want whipped cream. Although, that does give me another idea!). Pour into your ice cream maker and follow their operation instructions. Then freeze until desired consistency.

This recipe has given me more ideas. I even have one in the works for a Mexican hot chocolate ice cream. I wonder too if I could use almond milk in place of whole milk? Maybe I can leave out the sugar? We shall see!

Day After New Year Sauce

So this would be my technical name for this sauce. Super creamy and if anyone out there is on a resolution to loose weight, they'll have to save this recipe until next year. Got stale champagne from the previous evening? Fret not! This is a simply luxurious sauce. Even without the onion and fennel, it could work marvelously with fish, seafood, chicken, veal, or just pasta.


3 Tablespoons butter
3 Tablespoons flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup champagne
1/2 cup cream
Fennel bulb sliced
Yellow onion sliced
Salt and Pepper to taste (I used white pepper so the specks wouldn't show but really, any type of pepper could be used)

Melt butter large pan then whisk in flour to create a roux. Add chicken broth, champagne, fennel, salt and pepper stir to combine. Bring to a "bubbly" and and simmer on low or med/low for 10-15 minutes or, until veggies are soft. Turn the heat off or remove from heat (if your using an electric burner) and stir cream in. I poured this over my left over roast chicken (2 wings, leg, theigh, and wings plus potato wedges and still had about 2-2.5 cups of sauce left over. This would be fabulous on salmon or any other fish even scallops or shrimp. I'd imagine white wine would work equally as good for this as well. Experiment and enjoy!

Chocolate Sludge

Mike's mother will be happy to know that I found this recipe in the Stuffed Cougar Cooked Book. This book has been in the family for a while. It's one of those great cookbooks that still includes several blessings in the beginning of the book to say at the beginning of a meal. We use it all the time for the Pancake recipe and every once in a while I look through it for something new to make. As the recipe states this is not gourmet, but children and hungry husbands love it. This would make a good dessert for a Halloween party too. Especially if you're able to use Hershey's special Dark Cocoa.

1 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 t. baking powder
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
3/4 cup pecans
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 3/4 hot water
Whipped Cream or Vanilla Ice Cream

Sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, granulated sugar, and 1/4 cocoa. Add mik, vanilla and butter and mix well. Fold in pecans. Pour into buttered 8" square pan Mix 1/4 cup cocoa with brown sugar. Sprinkle over top. Pour hot water over this. DON'T MIX. Bake 40-45 minutes at 350. Serve warm. Serves 6-8.

Easy Chocolate Croissants

This is another one that I made for the party.....I ate about......10 yesterday. They aren't real croissants but for a quick fix they work in a pinch.

• 1 8-count tube refrigerated crescent rolls
• 1/3 cup chocolate chips

Heat oven to 375. Place about 10 chocolate chips on the bottom third of each triangle and roll the dough up around the chocolate. Transfer rolls to a baking sheet. (lined with parchment for easy cleanup) and bake for 12-14 minutes until brown. Serve warm or at room temp. Topped with powdered sugar if desired. An idea a fellow pregnant woman shared with me.

Mayor Koch's Meringues

I made these super sweet cookies with the leftover egg whites that I had after making the above Pineapple Flan. Another Cooking 1-2-3 Recipe. Rozanne Gold at the age of 24 was the chef for New York's Mayor Ed Koch at the Gracie Mansion. She states that these satisfied his sweet tooth.These are very sugary sweet but easy to make and easy to mail in a care package as well. I think I made mine a tad to large the first time around but I think I will attempt these again. The fact that she instructs the reader to "let cool" after spending 12 hours in a cooling oven is beyond me but hey, it works so why knock it? Be sure to preheat your oven!!

3 extra-large egg whites
14 tablespoons sugar
1 1/4 cups miniature chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375F

Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

In bowl of an electric mixer, beat egg whites until frothy. Add a pinch of salt and slowly add sugar. Beat for several minutes, until very stiff and glossy. The mixture should look like marshmallow fluff. Gently fold in chocolate chips and drop onto baking sheet by heaping tablespoons mounding meringue so it is at least 1 inch high.

Place in oven on middle rack and turn off oven immediately. Leave door closed for 12 hours. Remove from oven and let cool. These can be stored in a tightly-covered tin.

Dark Moist Chocolate Cake

As the Author of Cooking 1-2-3, Rozanne Gold, so eloquently states, "If Original Sin were a cake, this would be it." Her recipes are simple when it comes to ingredients. Because it's flourless, it would make a fantastic Passover cake (just use kosher chocolate of course!) Although she recommends taking the cake out of the fridge for 1 hour before serving, I prefer cutting a stone cold wedge of it and eating it immediately out of the refrigerator. Mike prefers slathering peanut butter on the top or, pressing peanut butter chips into the top on his wedge before eating. Embellish how you like. It's divine.

16 ounces good-quality semisweet chocolate
10 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 extra-large eggs

Preheat oven to 350

Line the bottom of an 8 1/20-inch spring form pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Coat the inside of the pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Chop chocolate into pieces. Cut butter into small chunks. Place chocolate and butter in a double boiler or in a large metal bowl over simmering water, making sure bowl doesn't touch water. Melt, stirring frequently, until smooth. Remove from heat.

Whisk eggs and pinch of salt into bowl of an electric mixer, until mixture triples in volume, about 8 minutes. Fold chocolate mixture into egg mixture with a flexible rubber spatula until completely incorporated.

Pour mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes. The center will still be a little soft. Remove from oven. Let cool at least 30 minutes before cutting. The center will sink a little as it cools. You can refrigerate the cake for up to 2 days (let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour before serving).

Lemon Risotto

The ultimate comfort food!! Really there are no words to describe the yumminess of this recipe.

2 shallots
1 rib of celery
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/3 cups risotto rice , Arborio
approx. 1 quart vegetable stock
zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
needles from 2 small sprigs of fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 egg yolk
4 tablespoons heavy cream
sea salt to taste
freshly ground pepper to taste

Put the shallts and clery into a mini food processor and blitz until they are finely chopped mush. Heat half the butter and oil and the shallot and celery mixture in a wide saucepan, and cook to soften the mixture for about 5 min. making sure it doesn't stick. Mix in the rice, stirring to give it a good coating of oil and butter. Meanwhile, heat the stock in another saucepan and keep in at the simmering point.

Pour a ladleful of stock into the rice and keep stirring until the stock in absorbed. Then add another ladleful and stir again. Continue doing this until the rice is al dente. You may not need all the stock, equally, you may need to add hot water from the kettle.

Mix the lemon zest and rosemary int o the risotto, and in a small bowl beat the egg yolk, lemon juice, Parmesan and cream and pepper.

When the risotto is ready-when the rice is no longer chalky, but still has some bite-take it off the heat and add the bowl of eggy, lemony mixture, and the remaining butter and salt to taste. Serve with more grated Parmesan if you wish, check the seasoning and dive in.

Puffed Oven Pancake

I finally had a chance to try this out once I replaced my 10 inch skillet with one that had a metal handle so, I could easily transfer it from stovetop to oven.

I went on a small hunt for a German Pancake recipe online when I first tried this puffed pastry at The Original Pancake House in San Diego. At this restaurant, it's called The Dutch Baby and, is served to one person. However, in my Better Homes and Gardens book it says it serves 6.......hmmm maybe this is an indication that serving sizes have gotten out of control? Actually, maybe with a large fruit salad on the side this recipe could serve 6. Otherwise, plan on a side for even your family of 4.

It's super easy and makes a great presentation for a small brunch party. I usually top it off with powdered sugar and fresh lemon juice. YUM! It can also be topped off with traditional whipped butter and syrup, honey, jam, fresh fruit, etc.

The main reason I am including this in my blog is that soon, I will be headed off to the states and locked in my mothers kitchen to cook for my younger brother and sister. I don't mind. To me, it's time off while my mom spoils Josh. I'll be putting this blog to good use though considering I can't take my cook books!

2 Tbsp. butter
3 eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 milk
1/4 tsp. salt
3 cups sliced fresh fruit (strawberries, nectarines, pears, or peeled peaches) Powdered sugar or whipped cream. (optional)

1. Place butter in a 10-inch ovenproof skillet. Place in a 400 degree oven for 3-5 minutes or till butter melts. In a medium mixing bowl use a wire whisk or rotary beater to beat eggs till combined. Add flour, milk, and salt. Beat till mixture is smooth. Immediately pour into the hot skillet. Bake about 25 minutes or till puffed and well browned.

2. Top with fruit. if desired, sprinkle with powdered sugar or top with whipped cream. Cut into wedges and serve warm. Makes 6 servings.

Peanut Butter Cake

Mike just loves peanut butter. He eats so much, I wouldn't be suprised if it was running through his veins. The one thing he loves better than peanut butter is Reese's Peanut Butter cups. However, it is a close close call.

This Peanut Butter Cake I found in my Paula Deen cookbook is about the moistest peanut butter concoction that I've made. If I can perfect it (mess a little with the peanut butter and frosting), it may become Mike's new Birthday cake!

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons
3 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
2 cups graham cracker crumbs (I've found that it's about 2 out of the 3 packs in the honey graham box)
Peanut Butter to taste (at least 1/2 cup; if using more, decrease shortening by an equal amount)
3/4 cup Crisco shortening
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. milk
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together. Add graham cracker crumbs, peanut butter, shortening, milk, and vanilla. Beat mixture with electric mixer on low until moistened, then beat on medium for 2 minutes. Add egss and beat for 1 minute. Bake in a greased 9X13-inch pan for 30-35 minutes. Do not remove from pan.

Frosting

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
8 Tbsp. (1 stick) butter
1/2 cup milk

Mix all ingredients together. Heat in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Cool slightly. With a wooden spoon handle, poke a few holes in the cake, then pour warm frosting over it.

Cheese Biscuits

This was the first recipe that I tried out of Paula Deen's cookbook, The Lady & Sons. Frankly it was quite appropriate as this is a staple at her restaurant in Savannah. They serve these biscuits to customers while they are waiting to be seated and they are also the first thing to show up on your table after you are seated. It' s rather comical to read the directions calling for tablespoon drops and in the next line advising the reader to use an ice cream scoop. I don't know of many icecream scoops the size of tablespoons! Mind you, I never said that Southern cookin' was health food! I've heard that the true Southern cook isn't thinking about the healthiness of your heart but rather the happiness of it!

These biscuits truely have that crumble factor and are the best biscuits that I've had outside of a Popeye's eatery.... I think they put crack in those biscuits.

2 cups self-rising flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tsp. sugar
1/3 cup Crisco shortening
3/4 cup grated Cheddar Cheese
1 cup buttermilk

Preheat o en to 350 degrees. Mix flour, baking powder, and sugar together using a fork; cut in shortening until it resembles cornmeal. Add cheese. Stir in buttermilk all at one time just until blended. Do not overstir. Drop by the tablespoonfuls (I use an ic cream scoop to give biscuits a nicer shape) onto a well-greased baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.

Mom's Fruit Dip

There are two things that I am just heartbroken about when it comes to Mike. #1 He doesn't like anything with Lemon Flavor or Orange Flavor and #2 He doesn't like "creamy stuff" things like mayonaise, cream cheese, and whipped cream.

This is why I usually don't make this dip unless there's gonna be a party! Everyone in my family requests this fruit dip from my Mom whenever there is going to be a family gathering. My father (my parent's are divorced) after trying this dip at Josh's baptism knew it was my mom's concoction. He recalled my mother sitting in front of the TV snacking on stawberries and a jar of marshmellow cream in hand. I have since tried the latter and thouroughly enjoy it although not as much as this recipe.

• 1 8 oz. package of cream cheese, softened
• 1 jar of marshmellow cream (fluffernutter)
• Orange juice to taste (I use a little under the juice of one orange)

Cream together creamcheese and marshmellow cream with an electric mixer then mix in juice by the teaspoon (or by eye) to taste.

Serve with pineapple, strawberries and/ fruit of choice.

Fettuccine with Leek, Cream and Parmesan Sauce

I've been browsing the library for cook books and they have a fabulous variety of Williams-Sonoma books. This Williams-Sonoma book is very old (Well, not very old.... about 20 years) and written by Mr. Chuck Williams himself! Anyway, this was so good when I made it and farely inexpensive to make. The original recipe calls for fresh pasta..... if you are feeling adventurous, by all means slave away on your own fresh pasta. It does taste awesome when fresh.

2 Medium-sized leeks
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 cup cream
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt
Freshly grated nutmeg
10 ounces fettuccine
Additional grated Parmesan cheese

Trim leeks, cutting off most of the green, wash well and slice thin. There should be about 2 cups. Heat butter in the saucepan and gently saute leeks for 4 to 5 minutes until softened but not browned. Add cream, bring to a boil and let bubble for 1 minute. Stir in Parmesan cheese and season to taste with salt and nutmeg.

Cook fettuccine in plenty of boiling salted water until just tentder---20-30 seconds. Drain and immediately combine with sauce. Toss well and serve at once in heated bowls or plates. Serve with additional grated Parmesan cheese.

Serves 4 as a first course.

Potato Laktes

First let me just say that I don't know what kind of goy (I know, goy is harsh but I'm going for shock value!) actually STILL hand grates their potatoes when making potato laktes. No offense to the folks out there who are still in the dark ages when it comes to food processors but, modern technology has made huge strides in the culinary catagory. Let's say this together......FOOD PRO-CES-SOR. Now, isn't that better?

There are many many variations on the classic potato latke or potato pancake. This one I'm trying this year sounded the simplist out of all of them. I'll have to fill you in on how it goes.

6 Large Potatoes
1 Medium onion
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup flour

Process potatoes and onions in food processor and remove excess liquid using cheese cloth or mesh sieve. Heat oil till it pops (Peanut or Canola oil). Fry small spoonfuls until golden brown. Pancakes should be about 2-3 inches in diameter or easy enough to flip with a spatula. Drain and serve hot. ENJOY!

Sweet Potato Bread with Pecans

So, we've just dug up 10 lbs. of sweet potatoes; what's a gaijin mother to do? Make Sweet Potato Bread of course! Now besides making bread out of the Japanese sweet potatoes, they are actually fabulous baked with the skin on and eaten by pulling back the skin and eating the flesh. The Japanese call these Yakiimo (Sounds like Yakeeeemo) I learned in my son's Japanese class that the word Yaki means burnt and Imo is short for sweet potato and that Tori means bird so, Yakitori (that wonderfully BBQ'd meat on a stick) literally means, burnt bird. Not so appetizing when literally translated! Yakiimo (Burnt potato) is something I thought I would have never liked. I wasn't too fond of sweet potatoes back home. The only thing that I do differently than the Japanese when eating Yakiimo is melt some butter on it! This bread is also much better with some butter spread on top. It yields two loafs of bread so, make one for yourself and give one to your neighbor. I promise, they won't complain about your little Bobby throwing balls in the backyard any more!

2 1/3 cups sugar
2/3 cups water
2/3 cup oil
4 eggs
2 cups mashed sweet potatoes
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup coarsely chopped pecansPreheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine sugar, water, oil, eggs, and sweet potatoes and mix thoroughly. Add dry ingredients and mix to combine. Add pecans and mix well. Divide between 2 greased loaf pans and bake for 50 minutes. Cool in pan to room temperature.

Warm chocolate Praline Tart with Caramel, Chocolate Sauce and Vanilla Ice Cream

I call this the recipe from hell!!! It is to die for but is the biggest pain in the butt to make. Seriously, if you are aiming to impress someone, this is the recipe to do it with. Everything is from scratch. The chocolate sauce, the caramel sauce, the chocolate pralines, the vanilla ice cream and the chocolate tart crust. If you have children, it will probably take you about 3 days to make. If you don't have young toddlers running about you can probably get it done in 1 day. When you go shopping, make a list and check it twice because there are a lot of ingredients!!

I got this recipe from an Emeril show so, you can always check it out on http://www.foodnetwork.com/

When I made the crust, the outer edge seemed to be to hard so, I think next time I will make the crust the same throughout rather than doubling up the edges as the recipe suggests. I may also use the recipe for the pralines and add it into some homemade vanilla ice cream as a mix in. YUM!!

My recommendation is to make the pie crust and ice cream first (if you're making homemade ice cream) Then while the pie crust is chillin' in the fridge and the ice cream is hardening, you can make the pralines, chocolate and caramel sauce. Without further delay:


6 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup dark corn syrup
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 tablespoon dark rum
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups coarsely crumbled Chocolate Pralines, recipe follows
1 recipe Caramel Sauce, recipe follows
1 recipe Chocolate Sauce, recipe follows
1 recipe Vanilla Ice Cream, recipe follows, or good quality store bought ice cream

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to a 12-inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick. Gently fit the dough into a 10-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom, easing the pastry gently into the bottom and sides. Trim the edges of the dough so that they overhang slightly over the edge of the tart pan, then fold this excess dough over the sides so that the outer edges are almost twice as thick as the bottom of the crust. Press so that the edges are flush with the top of the pan. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and position a rack in the center of the oven. Line the tart shell with parchment paper and pie weights, beans, or rice and bake until set and the edges just begin to firm up, about 15 minutes. Remove the parchment and weights and bake until completely set, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. To prepare the tart filling, combine the sugars and flour in a large bowl and stir to blend. Add the eggs, dark and light corn syrups, rum, vanilla, and salt and whisk to blend. Crumble the pralines evenly over the bottom of the prepared tart shell and pour the filling over the pralines. Bake until the tart is set, 1 hour and 10 minutes to 1 hour and 20 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.

To serve, cut the tart into 8 slices. Spoon about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the Caramel Sauce onto the center of 8 dessert plates and arrange the slices on top. Drizzle each slice with about 3 tablespoons of the Chocolate Sauce and arrange a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream to the side. Serve immediately.

Chocolate Tart Crust:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Pinch salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 large egg, lightly beaten Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, and salt into a large bowl. With your fingers, incorporate the butter pieces into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Mix in the egg to make a soft dough. Flatten the dough into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator to rest for at least 1 hour before using.Yield: 1 (9 or 10-inch tart crust)

Chocolate Pralines:
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup chopped pecans
2 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

Line a large heavy baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil and set aside. Combine the sugars, heavy cream, and butter in a large heavy saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until the sugars have dissolved, about 3 minutes. Continue to cook until the mixture reaches the softball stage, 238 to 240 degrees F on a candy thermometer, 3 to 4 minutes.

Remove from the heat, add the pecans and chocolate chips, and stir vigorously until the pecans remain suspended in the mixture, about 2 minutes. Spoon onto the prepared baking sheet, spreading with the back of the spoon to form a thin layer of uniform thickness. Cool completely and then crumble, as needed. (Alternatively, make individual pralines by dropping the hot praline mixture by the spoonful onto the prepared baking sheet, let cool, and then remove with a thin knife.)

Yield: about 3 cups crumbled pralines

Caramel Sauce:
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup milk Combine the sugar, water, and lemon juice in a medium heavy saucepan. Place over medium-high heat and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Let boil without stirring until the mixture becomes a deep amber color, 2 to 3 minutes, watching closely so it doesn't burn. Carefully add the cream or it may splatter, whisk to combine, and remove from the heat. Add the milk, 2 tablespoons at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. Remove from the heat and allow to cool before using.

Yield: a generous 3/4 cup

Chocolate Sauce:
3/4 cup half-and-half
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 pound semisweet chocolate chips (1 1/3 cups)
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Scald the half-and-half and butter in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the heat. Place the chocolate and vanilla in a medium heatproof bowl. Add the hot half-and-half and let sit for 2 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Serve slightly warm. (The sauce can be kept refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days; rewarm gently before serving.) Yield: 1

Potage Parmentier

More commonly known amongst us Yankees as Potato and Leek soup. This is typically a French soup. Perhaps because in this recipe it calls for leeks and creme fraiche. I was too lazy to make my own, so I just used sour cream. The taste of this soup is similar to eating a baked potato with sour cream and chives on top. Really rich and good for a vegetarian meal when served with salad and, what else.....French bread! This recipe calls for Yukon Gold potatoes. I suppose it would add a nice buttery flavor to the soup. Unfortunately, they don't carry Yukon Golds at the commissary, so I am forced to use ordinary white potatoes. Don't be disheartened....in most cases the soup is usually made with the plain whites.

2 lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes
2 large leeks, about 1 1/4 lbs.
1 cup creme fraiche (or sour cream)

Peel potatoes and cut them into large chunks. Remove roots from leaks adn discard. Trim dark green parts of leeks and set aside. Chop white and lieghter green parts, then rincse thoroughly.
Place potatoes and chopped leeks in a medium pot with 5 cups water and 1 tsp. salt. Bring to a rapid boil. Lower heat and cover pot. Simmer until vegetables are very soft, about 40 minutes.

Puree soup in bowl of a food processor or blender in several batches. Process until very, very smooth. Return soup to pot and whisk in creme fraiche. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Mince green parts of the leeks and garnish bowls of soup.

The book says it serves 6.....I say 4 -5 if it's for a main course.