Pecan Pie: it's still legal after Thankgiving

I know Thanksgiving is over but I still have a few related recipes to share.

 

I have been searching for a really good pecan pie recipe, I wanted one that doesn't use corn syrup. I make my famous almond toffee without it, why not my pecan pie. Agave works beautifully for both.

We found this recipe from the Food Network, Genna made it for Thanksgiving.

She has already requested that we make it again at Christmas, that's how good it is.
The orange zest is such a great accent, it helps cut that heavy sweetness.


Pecan Pie

Ingredients

6 tablespoons butter
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon brandy
1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup agave nectar
3 large eggs
1/ 3/4 cups pecans, some broken up

1 pie crust

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F with a baking sheet on the middle rack.

2) Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small, heavy saucepan over medium heat.

3) Add the brown sugar, whisking until smooth.

4) Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla,brandy,orange zest, salt, and agave nectar.

5) Lightly beat the eggs in a medium bowl, then whisk in the butter and brown sugar mixture.

6) Put the pecans in the pie shell and pour the butter and brown sugar mixture evenly over them.

7) Place on the hot baking sheet and bake until the filling is set, 50 minutes to 1 hour.

8) Cool for 1 hour before slicing and serving.

Very Ginger Cake with Caramel Topping

This ginger cake would make a great dessert for Thanksgiving if you are willing to step away from the traditional pie extravaganza. This cake can be made several days ahead of time, which can help the busy cook on turkey day.

I love the caramel topping so much I make is by itself to serve on ice cream. Last year I gave it as gifts for the holidays.

Here is a tip for grating the large amount of  fresh ginger this cake requires: freeze it first !!

Very Ginger Cake with Caramel Topping

Ingredients

The Cake

• . 1 cup canola oil
• . 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• . 1/2 cup golden brown sugar, packed
• . 1 cup molasses
• . 3 large eggs
• . 1/2 cup peeled and finely grated fresh ginger (about 4 ounces)
• . 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour + more to flour pan
• . 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• . 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• . 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• . 2  tablespoon powered ginger
• . 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• . 2 teaspoons baking soda
• . 1 cup boiling water

The Caramel Sauce

• . 1 cup golden brown sugar, packed
• . 1/2 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter + more to grease pan
• . 1/2 cup whipping cream
• . 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1) For the Cake:

Preheat oven to 325°. With room-temperature butter, grease a 12-cup Bundt pan with a paper towel, smearing butter into all the pan's crevices as well as the center tube. Add spoonfuls of flour and holding the pan over the sink, rotate it to coat it with flour. The inside tube will not be completely coated. Knock excess flour into the sink by tapping the pan lightly.

2) In a large bowl, whisk together oil, sugars and molasses until combined. 

3) Add eggs and mix until smooth. 

4) Now it's time to grate the ginger. I love the mirco-grater for this job. And if your fresh ginger is frozen as mentioned earlier, it's an easier job. 

5) Whisk in ginger to incorporate.

6) If you have the whole nutmeg it worth to grate it fresh. A tiny grater does the trick.

7) Add that nutmeg to another large bowl, with the flour, cinnamon, cloves, powered ginger and salt, mix together.

8) Add flour mixture to molasses mixture until combined. 

9) Stir baking soda into boiling water.

10) Mix baking soda water into batter until blended.

11) Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. 

12) Bake for 50-60 minutes or until sides begin to pull away from pan and a toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean. Remove to a rack and cool in pan for 15 minutes.

For the glaze: 

1) In a small saucepan, stir brown sugar, butter, whipping cream and salt over medium-high heat until mixture comes to a boil. 

2) Reduce heat to medium-low and stir until smooth, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.

You can do it two ways: 

     Invert cake onto rack over a baking sheet. Using a small skewer, pierce holes all over top of warm cake. Very slowly pour glaze over top, allowing it to be absorbed before adding more. Cool cake at least 1 hour. Serve warm or at room temperature. 

   Or just make the caramel sauce and pour it warm over each slice of cake as it is served.

Thanksgiving ideas...

I realize that most of you may have your menus already planned...but I did want to post a few easy and tasty versions of classic Thanksgiving day dishes just in case. There won't be any photos since I have yet to make them myself this year.

To honor the true spirit of this holiday I wanted to share what I am thankful for.

• Living in such a bountiful area, we are so lucky to have so much fresh, local and  organic food here on the Central California Coast.
• Having a career as a massage therapist that I still love to do after over 30 years.
• Best of all, a wonderful family and amazing friends who love and support me in so many ways.

Here are a few recipes we will be making for our feast !!

Cornbread stuffing
My sister makes this cornbread stuffing, it may be my favorite part of the whole meal ( except for maybe the pies ;-)

4-6 days before Thanksgiving I make a pan of cornbread( see my recipe cornbread), and when it is cool, I cut it into cubes (about 1/2").  I let the cubes sit around and get stale or dry them out in the oven.

When ready to make the stuffing, toss with cubes:

1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

1 cup cut up dried apricots

1 green bell pepper cut into thin, 1-2" strips

anything else you'd like

salt & pepper to taste

Add both melted butter and turkey/chicken/veggie stock until stuffing is desired moistness.  

I use more melted butter than stock.

Place in glass baking dish and bake for 35-45 minutes. 

Candied Yams

6 to 8 servings

I discovered this recipe years ago in Martha Stewart's Living magazine. It has become a staple at our Thanksgiving table. The fresh rosemary makes the dish, it helps to cut the sweetness of the maple syrup.

This dish can be baked ahead of time then reheated just before serving.

2 1/4 lbs. small yams, peeled and  cut into inch thick wedges.

1 1/2 cup apple cider

1/2 cup maple syrup

3 to 4 springs fresh rosemary

3 Tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375 F

Place the potatoes in a enamel pot or cast iron skillet with a lid.

Add the maple syrup, apple cider and toss gently.

Tuck in the rosemary and dot with pieces of butter, sprinkle with salt.

Bake for 45 minutes covered, remove cover and toss gently.

Bake for 15 to 30 minutes more depending on how tender you want them.

Cranberry Sauce with a twist.

Please, please, please make your own cranberry sauce, it is SO EASY there are not many excuses.You can make it ahead of time in 15 minutes !!

Here is the basic recipe:

In a saucepan place:

one 12 ounce bag of fresh cranberries

one cup water

one cup sugar

Stir together to dissolve the sugar. Bring to a boil and cook for about 10 minutes until the cranberries burst. That's it, refrigerate until you want to use it. Now wasn't that simple ??

There are many way to give cranberry sauce that added boost.

The most common way is to use orange juice instead of water and add orange zest.

There are also lots of fresh cranberry relish recipes. I am going to try one this year, I'll let you know how it turns out.

My favorite twist, use red wine instead of the water and add a small muslin bag with 1 cinnamon stick, 2 whole cloves and 2 whole allspice. Add the spice bag once the mixture has come to a boil and remove it once the cranberries are done cooking. This cranberry sauce has an amazing subtle richness I love.

This year I am making that pumpkin cheesecake tart I just posted as well as the traditional pecan pie.

Hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving whatever you cook up !!