Fruit and Custard Tart

There's been a time or two in the history of my blog that I've lamented my lack of tart pan ownership.  I shall lament no more.  Thanks to my local Goodwill, I own not one, but two!  And I was able to create such yumminess as this.

 I found the recipe at a site called Organic Tuscany Cookbook, where they also refer to it as crostata di frutta.  I think if you say it that way before you eat it, half of the fat and calories are removed. 

I actually had a lot of fun working the dough...

 mount "egg"-suvius

  

....in fact I think the dough enjoyed it too.

Had a little difficulty getting the darned thing on my plate.  No difficulty at all getting it into my face. 

  

Recipe time:

For the rich shortcrust
500g (1 lb) plain (all-purpose) flour
300g (10 oz) butter
200g (7 oz) sugar
4 egg yolks
Zest of 1 untreated lemon
For the custard
125 g (4 oz) sugar
500 ml (1 pint) milk
4 egg yolks
2 tablespoons flour
1 fresh vanilla pod (I just used a bit of vanilla extract)
250 ml (1/2 pint) whipping cream
Fruit to cover (that will not go black) e.g. strawberries, kiwi, figs, raspberries etc.
 

For the rich shortcrust
Line an ovenproof tart dish with baking paper.
On a wooden work surface, mix together the flour, sugar and butter, cut into little pieces. Rub the butter into the flour and sugar, until it is completely worked in. Work lightly so that the butter does not melt.
Make a mound out of this mixture and make a well in the center. Add the eggs yolks and lemon zest (careful not to grate the bitter pith in too!)
Work the ingredients together, first with a fork, then with your hands, until you have a smooth, soft pastry dough.
Wrap the pastry dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes (ideally 2 hours, especially in warm weather).

Preheat the oven to 160°C/320°F.
When the pastry has rested in the refrigerator, roll out to the size of the tart dish, cover with more baking paper and weigh down with dry beans, rice, or another, smaller, baking dish. This will prevent the pastry rising. You should try and achieve a 1 cm (half-inch) thickness. If you have pastry left over, use to make delicious cookies!
Bake at 160°C/320°F for 15-20 minutes, until the pastry is golden. u Remove the beans etc and baking paper and allow to cool.

For the custard
Split open the vanilla pod and place in a saucepan with the milk. Bring to the boil gently.
In a large bowl, vigorously beat the egg yolks with the sugar until the result is light in colour and frothy.
Add the flour and beat well.
Add the milk gradually, (remove the vanilla pod, scraping the seeds back into the milk) beating constantly with a whisk.
Slowly reheat, stirring constantly only in one direction until quite thick. The custard will thicken even more once it cools. Allow to cool, covering with clingfilm/saran wrap to avoid a skin forming.

To assemble
Fold whipped cream into the cooled custard. Fill the base with this and decorate with fruit.
This pie is best enjoyed at room temperature soon after it has been made, i.e. not refrigerated.
 

Just for kicks and giggles, here's a picture of a really odd dish I made yesterday.

I won't blather on about my excess of butternut squash (but there's a lot of them).  In my search for something different to do with them, I ran across Giada's recipe for Butternut Squash Lasagna. 

Yeah.

Shoulda known right then to stop before I started.

In all fairness, it wasn't bad.  It was just...strange. 

Think sweet potato pie meets cheesy noodles. My daughter kept saying "it tastes like pie!"  And coming out of the oven it smelled quite heavenly.  Just not something I think we want to eat for dinner again.   

 

Asian Style Short Ribs & Nanaimo Bars

*If you haven't already done it, haul your platypus over to this post for my little cookbook freebie*

 This first one is a beautiful and easy recipe I found at One Perfect Bite.  To me it was sort of like roast beef kicked up a notch with a bit of an Asian flair. Oh well, it's yummy. That's all that matters.

I loved it served over rice with a side of peas in those steamer bags you just zap in the microwave for a few minutes.  Dinner is served!

Ingredients:
4 to 5 pounds beef short ribs
1/4 cup chopped scallions, white and tender green
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice wine (I used rice vinegar)
1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce or sriracha
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons fresh minced ginger
2 teaspoons frsh minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons sesame seeds

Directions:
1) Spray interior of a 5 5o 6 quart crock-pot liner with nonstick spray. Place ribs in crock-pot.
2) Combine scallions, soy sauce, wine, chili garlic sauce, brown sugar, ginger, garlic and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk to combine. Pour over ribs. Cook on LOW until ribs are fork tender, about 6 to 7 hours.
3) Remove ribs to a platter. Tent with foil. Pour cooking liquid into a 1 quart saucepan. Skim off fat. Stir in sesame oil. Mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1/4 cup water. Add to liquid and bring to a boil, cooking until sauce thickens. Spoon glaze over ribs. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Yield: 6 servings

And now these Nanaimo bars.  

I've decided these are a Canadian plot to put every American into sugar stupor so they can cross the border and nationalize our health care.

 that's just a joke, don't get all political on me :)

 I have to admit I screwed up and covered the top with unsweetened chocolate, and realized it at the exact moment when I poured the last drop of it on top.  At first I thought it was ruined, but it turns out it wasn't so bad since that filling layer is SO incredibly sweet, it completely made up for it.

The boy decided to just fork the whole thing to eat it, silly kid.

Here's the recipe I found at Sinful Southern Sweets

 Base:
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup white sugar
5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup toasted coconut

Custard:
1/4 cup butter
2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons vanilla custard powder or instant vanilla pudding
3 tablespoons milk
Topping:
4 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon butter

  Mix 1/2 cup butter or margarine, white sugar, cocoa, egg and vanilla in a heavy sauce pan or double boiler. Stir over low heat until mixture is slightly thickened.
Combine graham crackers, coconut and add to the melted mixture. Mix well and press into buttered 9 inch square cake pan.
Cream 1/4 cup butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla custard powder and milk. Beat until creamy and spread over base.
Refrigerate till hardened.
Melt semi-sweet chocolate with 1 tablespoon butter and smooth over custard icing. Refrigerate. When firm, cut into square bars.
 

Lemon Garlic Chicken Kabobs with Homemade Tzatziki Sauce

If Christine from Cooking with Christine sees this, she'll be thinking "hey, she stole my recipe".  To which I would reply "yes, yes I did."  

I loved this dish and it was pretty easy (for me) since my husband did most of the work on the grill.  The marinade for the chicken gives it a kind of subtle flavor which is good to go with the strong flavor of the sauce.

And that sauce is truly wonderful!  Just don't try to pronounce and sprain your tongue like I did.  I also had my husband throw some pitas on the grill, and served this with some tomatoes and cukes...just delish! 

Here's the recipe:

Lemon Garlic Chicken 

Ingredients:
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Zest of 1 lemon
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 tbsp. minced fresh parsley
1 tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. ground black pepper
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into ¾-inch pieces

Directions:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon zest, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper. Add the chicken pieces to the bowl and mix to coat with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours.

Prepare a medium fire in a grill. If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 20 minutes before use.

Thread the chicken pieces onto skewers and discard the excess marinade. Lightly oil the grill grates. Place the kabobs on the grill, cover, and cook until the chicken is opaque throughout, about 8-12 minutes, turning once or twice during cooking. Transfer to a warmed platter and serve immediately.

Tzatziki Sauce

3 cups Greek Yogurt
Juice of one lemon (about 3 T)
1 garlic clove, chopped
2 medium cucumbers, seeded and diced
about 1 T kosher salt for salting cucumbers
1 T finely chopped fresh dill (can substitute mint leaves for a slightly different version)
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Peel cucumbers, then cut in half lengthwise and take a small spoon and scrape out seeds. Discard seeds. (If you use the small seedless or European cucumbers with few seeds, you can skip this step.) Slice cucumbers, then put in a colander, sprinkle on 1 T salt, and let stand for 30 minutes to draw out water. Drain well and wipe dry with paper towel.

In food processor with steel blade, add cucumbers, garlic, lemon juice, dill, and a few grinds of black pepper. Process until well blended, then stir this mixture into the yogurt. Taste before adding any extra salt, then salt if needed. Place in refrigerator for at least two hours before serving so flavors can blend. (This resting time is very important.)

This will keep for a few days or more in the refrigerator, but you will need to drain off any water and stir each time you use it.
 

 And just because it's fun, I'm giving away a few more little cookbooks.  I'm going to drag this out a bit so I glean any recipes out of here first so everyone who wants to has a chance to play.

 

 I'll leave it open until September 3rd, and all you have to do to enter is use the codeword "platypus" in your comment.  I loved the use of "fluffy" that you all came up with in my blogaversary giveaway, so I can't wait to see what you do with platypus :)

 P.S.  I put a couple pictures up of my lunch on my facebook page at one of the places Guy Fieri has visited for "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives"  right here in Glendale AZ.  Check it out!

Butternut Squash Bread

Did I mention our abundance of butternuts?

I roasted one large and one medium-ish squash (split it in two, scoop out seeds, roast at 350 about 40 minutes); ran it through the food processor and got this much puree.

  Kinda made me wish I had a baby so I could feed it homemade baby food.  Not really, it's not worth the sleep deprivation.  

 I was able to make 3 loaves of bread out of the 2 butternuts.  I did one plain, one with slivered almonds on top, and one with slivered almonds and toffee chips.

  It's a lot like pumpkin bread, with just a little bit milder flavor. One can even pretend it's a little bit healthy (minus all the white sugar and processed flour).  Think I'll have a piece for lunch right now!

Butternut Squash Bread (from Food Mayhem) 

7.5 ounces butternut squash puree
1 1/4 cups white sugar
2 extra large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup water
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (325 degrees F with convection). Spray a 9×5 loaf pan with non-stick spray.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together butternut squash, sugar, eggs, oil, and water.
3. In a small bowl, combine flours, baking soda, salt, and spices.  Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients.
4. Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a rack till lukewarm before removing from the pan.
5. After it cools completely, wrap in plastic wrap and it will keep in room temperature for a few days. It actually tastes better the next day.
 

Creme Brulee

I have never in my life had creme brulee. Or not until I made this myself.  And I realize some of the e's in creme brulee are supposed to have doohickeys on them, but it's just not something I feel compelled to do.  

I found this recipe at Allrecipes, and found it easy and delicious.  This is a baked version, and I need to tell you I had to add about 18 minutes to the baking time to get it to set properly.  The reviews at Allrecipes are mixed, but my whole family loved this and I loved how easy it is.  

I don't have a kitchen torch (or any other torch for that matter), so I had to put it under the broiler to burn the sugar topping.  I used brown sugar on two of them and white sugar on the other two.  So obviously the brown sugar ones are the ones that got the color, but both toppings crisped up nicely.  I did like the flavor of the brown sugar ones, though.  

So, since I had to put it under the broiler, it warmed up the whole custard, and I assume it's meant to be served cold.  But having never had it, I didn't know any better and loved it warm.  I suppose I could have chilled it again after the broiling step, but I was ready to dig in!

Enough of all the chatter...here's the recipe!

Ingredients:

2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup white sugar
1 pinch salt 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 egg yolks
4 tablespoons white sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) and line the bottom of a large baking pan with a damp kitchen cloth.
2. Bring a large pot of water to boil. While water is boiling, combine cream, 1/4 cup sugar and salt in saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally 4 to 5 minutes, until steam rises. In a medium bowl, beat egg yolks and vanilla until smooth. Pour hot cream into yolks, a little at a time, stirring constantly, until all cream is incorporated. Pour mixture into four 6 oz. ramekins.
3. Place ramekins on towel in baking dish, and place dish on oven rack. Pour boiling water into dish to halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover whole pan loosely with foil.
 4. Bake 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until custard is just set. Chill ramekins in refrigerator 4 to 6 hours. *I had to add 18 minutes on to this baking time*
5. Before serving, sprinkle 1 tablespoon sugar over each custard. Use a kitchen torch or oven broiler to brown top, 2 to 3 minutes.
 

Monterey Ranch Bread

Ok friends, you definitely need to get your fat stretchy pants out for this one.  This is one carb loaded, butter soaked, cheese laden hunk of fabulosity.  I first saw this at Krista's Kitchen and just knew I had to make it mine.

 This was perfect to dress up our ho-hum spaghetti dinner.  Would have been even more perfect if I hadn't charred the bottom of it a little bit...oh well.  

Here's the recipe:

  8 Tablespoons butter, melted
1/2-3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 loaf French bread, split in half lengthwise
4 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (or a blend of Colby Jack, Mozzarella, and Cheddar...basically whatever shredded cheese you have in the house)
1-1/2 cups ranch dressing
Fresh parsley for garnish

Melt butter and stir in garlic powder. Brush on bread with a pastry brush. Place bread under the broiler until it's slightly brown and crispy.

Combine cheese and ranch dressing and divide evenly over bread. Place in a 350o degree oven until cheese is melted, about 8-10 minutes.

Sprinkle with parsley once you remove from the oven. Let sit 5 minutes before slicing.

Did you see those way cool cucumbers on my plate?  

 These, I am told, are Armenian cucumbers.  I had never seen them.  Another one of the fruits of my husband's vegetable garden.  I love how it looks like it's been cut with a cookie cutter :)

He's got one out there that's getting humongous!  Here's a pic, but it's already way bigger than this.

Char Crust Dry-Rub Seasoning Review & CSN winner

A couple of weeks ago I received a box full of awesome Char Crust Dry-Rub Seasoning products.  We do a lot of grilling so I was quite eager to try these.

 The only one I've tried so far is the Roasted Garlic Peppercorn.  We had it on steaks....

And I also covered the chicken I made in the crock pot with it...

The flavor is amazing, and I imagine it would be good on just about any kind of meat from chicken to fish.  I can't wait to try the other flavors too.  Go check them out...their website has a store finder to see if it's sold near you.  And of course you can order direct online.

Now onto the winner of my 2 year blogaversary CSN winner.  I know y'all won't believe this, but when I put the number of entries into the Random Number Generator, the number that popped up was number ONE!  Isn't that funny?  

And I have no proof because I accidentally clicked out of the site before I copied anything but you'll just have to believe me :) 

So number ONE is...

Ally from Sweet and Savory!

Congratulations Ally, I'll contact you soon to get the gift code to you, and thanks for visiting with me, all of you.  I truly enjoy the interaction here in the land of blogs :)

And Now We Are 10

Both kids in double digits now, what the heck?

Happy Birthday girl with her store bought cake.  I wanted to try to make her some sort of fancy cake, but I just ran out of time and energy.

Funny story...I accidentally bought the kind of candles that relight after you blow them out.  They were sparking all over the place and burning down to the cake and we couldn't get the darned things to quit burning...hehe!  That's what she gets for having an over 40 mom who can't read the fine print.

 Silly kids

Birthday Critters 

 I know haven't posted much food lately, so can I get an amen and a hallelujah for risotto?  

However much this recipe makes up is exactly how much I can eat in one sitting!  It's so easy and so delicious...what's not to love!  

Here's the recipe from RachaelRay.com

 Lemon Risotto 

1 quart chicken stock

2 cups water
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 small-medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
1 cup Arborio rice
Zest and juice of 1 large lemon or 2 small Meyer lemons
1/2 cup white wine
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese (a couple of handfuls)
2 tablespoons slivered mint leaves
A handful basil tops, shredded or torn

(I left the previous two ingredients out and used parsley) 

Salt and pepper
 

In a large pot, heat the stock and 2 cups water over medium-low heat.

In a risotto pot or large skillet with rounded bottom, heat the EVOO over medium to medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic to the pan and sauté to soften, 3-4 minutes. Stir in the rice and add the zest of lemon. Heat the rice a minute or two, then add the wine and cook to evaporate. Add in the stock a few ladles at a time and stir for a minute with each addition of stock to develop the starch and creamy aspect. Keep adding the stock each time pan starts to become dry at the edges. The total cooking time will be 18 minutes or so.

When the rice is cooked to al dente, stir in the butter, lemon juice, cheese and herbs. Serve immediately.
 

2 Years and Counting

*contest over, will announce winner Wednesday*

That's how long my little blog has been rolling along.  It's been loads of fun and I've learned so much from all of you, so I'm happy to be able to pass on a fun giveaway to say thanks for keeping me company!  The kind folks at CSN stores have given me the opportunity to select a reader to receive a $60 gift code.  The possibilities are endless...you could choose anything from dinnerware sets to pet supplies.  

To play along just leave a comment of any sort, but be sure to include the code word "fluffy" somewhere in that comment.  That way I know you were paying attention :)

 

I'll leave the contest open until next Monday (august 16th) at 10pm.  Why 10pm?  Because I turn into a pumpkin then!  Good Luck! 

Seven Sporadic Questions: The Ungourmet

Here we are, several days into August, and I'll bet you've all been wondering and waiting on the edge of your seats for this month's edition of Seven Sporadic Questions. 

 Don't worry friends, it will be worth the wait as we are visiting with Kim of The Ungourmet.

I've been a follower of Kim's blog for quite some time.  Not only does she have awesome food (I've personally tried a few including the Mini Lime Cheesecakes), but she seems like a genuinely nice person with an effortless charm and ease that I would like to be able to absorb a bit of for myself.  

On with the questions!

1. What inspired you to start blogging?

I stumbled onto the Pioneer Woman’s blog a couple of years ago and just loved it. After a while I began to visit some of her follower’s blogs as well. I decided I should give it a try myself.

2. What's your favorite thing to make for a crowd? 

It’s a rare occasion when I have a chance to cook for more than just my family. I’d have to say cupcakes….or maybe my dad’s famous potato salad.

3. What's your favorite thing to make for just you?

I’m the only one in my family that enjoys fresh tomatoes. I love to fix myself a nice Caprese Salad.

4. If you could invite 3 famous people (living or dead) to dinner, who would they be? Any particular reason? 

1. Leonardo DiVinchi –He was such a brilliant and fascinating human being. 2. Lucille Ball –She is such a funny lady! 3. Ree the Pioneer Woman –She’s fun and seems like such a real and down-to-earth person. Hey, maybe she could bring that sushi chef with her.

5. When you think of your childhood, do any favorite dishes come to mind?

My mom always made the most fantastic enchilada feasts! Oh and she always fixed me a dinner of corned beef and cabbage for my March birthday.

6. What do you have in your kitchen that you just couldn't do without? (besides your stove/oven of course) 

My salad spinner. I use that gadget for everything!

7. What's your favorite part of blogging? Do you think you'll keep doing it for a while? 

I actually have 2 favorite parts of blogging. 1. Learning new things and 2. Meeting fun new friends. Yes, I would like to keep it up for quite a while longer.
 

Two For One

I've got two yummy meals to share with you.  

The first one is Crispy Orange Chicken and I first saw it at Dunkin Cooking the Semi-Homemade way.

I think this is going to become one of my personal favorites.  It was quick to prepare, and we scarfed all down so it must be good!  The only thing I did different was add a big spoonful of orange marmalade to the sauce.  The kids really liked the chicken prepared this way just straight up plain.  I lost count how many times my daughter said how good it was!

Here's the recipe:

 

3 - Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast (cut into cubes)
1 - Egg (beaten)
1 1/2 Tsp. - Salt
1/4 Tsp. - Ground Pepper
1 Tbs. - Vegetable Oil
1 C. - Flour
1 Tsp. - Cornstarch

Glaze:

1 Tsp. - Minced Garlic
1 C. - Orange Juice
1/2 C. - Hoisin Sauce
1/4 C. - Sugar
1 Tbs. - Sesame Seeds
Pinch of Cayenne Pepper

Place the chicken into a bowl along with the egg and oil, stir to combine. In another bowl mix the flour and cornstarch together. Dredge the chicken in small batches in the flour mixture until evenly coated, then cook in a deep fryer set at 375 degrees for 4 minutes then drain on paper towel, continue cooking the chicken until all pieces are fried. While you are cooking the batches of chicken make the sauce, in a sauce pan add a little more oil and sauté the garlic over medium heat just until tender, be careful not to burn it. Add the remaining items and bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes, then turn down to simmer and let reduce until thick, make sure to keep an eye on it and stir constantly so it does not burn. Serve over rice and drizzle sauce over top.

 Secondly, tonight I prepared Alton Brown's version of Chicken Fried Steak. 

 I've been wanting to try to make chicken fried steak for a while because my husband really likes it.  I'm always a little leery though, I think because of the gravy.  But I really liked this gravy...it's not overly thick and milky, probably because it has a lot of chicken broth in it.   

I personally really liked this version of chicken fried steak, and my husband said it was "good" but didn't really rave about it.  

Here's Alton's Recipe, from the Food Network:

Ingredients
2 pounds beef bottom round, trimmed of excess fat
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 whole eggs, beaten
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
Directions

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

Cut the meat with the grain into 1/2-inch thick slices. Season each piece on both sides with the salt and pepper. Place the flour into a pie pan. Place the eggs into a separate pie pan. Dredge the meat on both sides in the flour. Tenderize the meat, using a needling device, until each slice is 1/4-inch thick.(I don't own a needling device, so I just pounded it) Once tenderized, dredge the meat again in the flour, followed by the egg and finally in the flour again. Repeat with all the pieces of meat. Place the meat onto a plate and allow it to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before cooking.

Place enough of the vegetable oil to cover the bottom of a 12-inch slope-sided skillet and set over medium-high heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the meat in batches, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Cook each piece on both sides until golden brown, approximately 4 minutes per side. Remove the steaks to a wire rack set in a half sheet pan and place into the oven. Repeat until all of the meat is browned.

Add the remaining vegetable oil, or at least 1 tablespoon, to the pan. Whisk in 3 tablespoons of the flour left over from the dredging. Add the chicken broth and deglaze the pan. Whisk until the gravy comes to a boil and begins to thicken. Add the milk and thyme and whisk until the gravy coats the back of a spoon, approximately 5 to 10 minutes. Season to taste, with more salt and pepper, if needed. Serve the gravy over the steaks.
 

 Hope y'all have a great weekend!

Raspberry Cream Pie

At the risk of suffering ridicule from a certain friend of mine, I present to you the perfect summer dessert from The Pioneer Woman.  (my friend has pw issues, but she's a little under the weather with the plague or something, so maybe she won't even notice)

This pie is simple, creamy, not too sweet, and just awesome.  Make one today.  And if you want to be a lazy slacker like me, just buy the crust instead of making it out of oreos.  It is still summer for pete's sake, don't do anything that's going to just lead to extra dishes later. 

Here's the recipe

Ingredients:

■25 whole Oreo Chocolate Sandwich Cookies


■4 Tablespoons Butter, Melted

■1 cup (generous) Raspberries

■3 Tablespoons Sugar

■2 containers (6 Ounce Each) Raspberry Yogurt

■1 package (3.4 Ounce) Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix

■1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream

■Extra Raspberries For Garnish

Directions:
To make the crust, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Crust cookies in a food processor (or smash in a Ziploc bag with a rolling pin). Stir in melted butter until all combined. Pour into a regular pie pan and press crumbs all over the pan and up the sides. Bake for 3 to 4 minutes—just long enough for it to set. Cool crust completely.


Place raspberries on a plate or in an empty pan. Smash them with a fork, then sprinkle on 3 tablespoons of sugar. Stir together and allow to sit for 15 minutes.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine raspberry yogurt with the instant vanilla pudding mix (just the powder itself.) Beat on low until combined, about 1 minute. Pour in heavy cream and whip on low for 30 seconds. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula. Turn mixer on medium-high speed and beat for two minutes, or until mixture is thick.

Turn off mixer, then fold in raspberries until just combined. Pour into cooled pie pan and spread evenly. Freeze for two hours, or until very firm. Cut into slices and top each slice with cookie crumbs, dollops of whipped cream, and extra raspberries. Keep in freezer, allowing time to thaw before serving.

Also check this out.  Actual vegetables grown by my actual husband.  We've got butternuts out the wazoo, so if you've got recipes, by all means send them my way.

This was a pretty straightforward preparation of the squash.  I just peeled it and cut it into chunks.  I gave it a head start on cooking by placing it in a dish in the microwave with a bit of water at the bottom, covered it loosely and nuked it about 4 minutes.

Then I drained off the water and tossed the squash with salt, pepper, about 2 tbsp of olive oil, 2 minced garlic cloves, and just a touch of nutmeg. 

Then it was baked  uncovered until the squashies were tender...about 25 minutes.  At this point I tested it and thought it was a tad on the dry side, so I dotted the top of the dish with pats of butter, and a generous sprinkling of parmesan cheese, and put it back in about 4-5 more minutes.  Just delicious!!