lemon bars

It was a four way stop dilemma, we all arrived the same time

I yielded to the man to the right of me and he yielded it right back to mine

Well, the yield went around and around and around till Pamela finally tried

Just then the man in the light blue sedan hit Pamela’s passenger side.

“The Accident” by John Prine

It’s about damn time that I posted another recipe…how about a dessert?

For the crust:

Ingredients:

1 cup flour
1 stick of cold butter, cut into small pieces
¼ cup powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F
2. Cut cold butter into flour and powdered sugar
3. Press into a 9×9 pan
4. Bake until light brown, about 15-20 minutes

For the filling:

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 rind of lemon, grated
2 eggs, beaten
3 tablespoons flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 cup sugar

Directions:

1. Beat all of the ingredients together, pour on baked crust
2. Bake at 350 F until light brown, about 20-25 minutes
3. While still hot sprinkle with ¼ cup powder sugar

crazy pineapple torte

My baby don’t stand no cheatin’, my babe

Oh yeah she don’t stand no cheatin’, my babe

Oh yeah she don’t stand no cheatin’,

She don’t stand none of that midnight creepin’

My babe, true little baby, my babe

“My Babe” by Little Walter

Its crazy because Elissa’s grandma says so.

Ingredients:

1 cup brown sugar
20 oz. can crushed pineapple (undrained)
1 ¼ cups water
1 package plain yellow cake mix
1 stick butter, thinly sliced
½ cup walnuts, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven at 350 F
2. Put the brown sugar in the bottom of an ungreased 9×13 pan
3. Pour pineapple with juice over brown sugar
4. Top with water
5. Sprinkle dry cake mix on top of water
6. Top with butter and walnuts
7. Bake for 1 hour

If there is anyone out there that reads this blog and has Wisconsin roots, I would love your recipes and suggestions.

Some previous posts on food from my favorite state:

Brandy Old Fashioned Sweet

Bratwurst, cooking

Bratwurst, making

Cheese curds

Egg roll, Wisconsin style

Potatoes, Escalloped with ham

Potato Salad, German

Sauerkraut

Summer sausage

Torte, Chocolate Eclair

Torte, Crazy Pineapple

Torte, Poppy Seed

chocolate eclair torte

Let me tell you ’bout a girl I know

She is my baby and she lives next door

Every mornin’ ‘fore the sun comes up

She brings me coffee in my favorite cup

That’s why I know, yes, I know

Hallelujah, I just love her so

“Hallelujah I Love Her So” by Ray Charles

This dessert is a favorite of the Hemauer children, my mom hates it because she thinks it’s trashy. I don’t use all of the pudding mix, I discard (eat) about ½ cup because if you use all of it it is not the right proportion.

Ingredients:

Graham crackers (About 14 rectangles, divided)
2 large packages instant vanilla pudding
3 cups whole milk
1 1/2 sticks of butter
5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (Ghiradeli)
5 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 unpacked cups of powdered sugar, sifted

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, mix pudding and milk, discard about ½ cup of the mixture, set aside
2. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt butter over low heat, mix in cocoa powder and water
3. Remove butter mix from heat stir in vanilla extract and powdered sugar
4. Place half of the graham crackers at the bottom of a 9×13 dish
5. Spread half of the pudding mix over graham crackers
6. Layer with the rest of the graham crackers
7. Spread the remaining pudding over the crackers
8. Evenly pour the chocolate mixture over the top of the pudding
9. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours

If there is anyone out there that reads this blog and has Wisconsin roots, I would love your recipes and suggestions.

Some previous posts on food from my favorite state:

Brandy Old Fashioned Sweet

Bratwurst, cooking

Bratwurst, making

Cheese curds

Egg roll, Wisconsin style

Potatoes, Escalloped with ham

Potato Salad, German

Sauerkraut

Summer sausage

Torte, Chocolate Eclair

Torte, Poppy Seed

pumpkin pie

We are the theater, they are the people

Dressed up to be seated, looking upwards and dreaming

We’re the projectors, we’re hosting the screening

We’re dust in the spotlights, we’re just kind of floating

“Slapped Actress” by The Holdsteady

I have been making Thanksgiving dinner for the past five years. The menu changes slightly every year, but there are two items that I never deviate from, bourbon pecan pie and pumpkin pie. I have already shared the pecan pie recipe, so I’d like to share my other favorite.  This recipe is based on a Paula Deen concoction, so, as to be expected, there is an ample amount of butter and cream cheese.  The cream cheese adds a nice, velvety texture without making it taste like cheese cake.

Special thanks to Naomi for creative assistance on the pie.

Adapted from Paula Deen

Ingredients:

8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
2 cups can canned pumpkin (a little over half a large can)
1 cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup half and half
1/ 2 stick melted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon cinnamon
Pre-made pie dough (or home made if you have time for that)

Directions:

1.     Preheat oven to 350 F
2.     For filling beat together the cream cheese and add pumpkin
3.     Add sugar and salt, beat
4.     Add eggs, milk and butter, beat
5.     Add vanilla extract and cinnamon, beat, set aside
6.     Place pie dough in pie pan
7.     Pour filling in the crust, bake for 50 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean

wisconsin roots: poppy seed torte

Going down to the freight yard,

Gonna catch me a freight train.

Going to leave this town

Worked and got to home.

She’s gone, but I don’t worry

I’m sitting on top of the world.

“Sitting on Top of the World” by Howlin’ Wolf

The recipe called for chopped nuts in the graham cracker crust, I used pecans and they hit the spot.  A food processor helps speed up the process for making the crust but I’m sure a rolling pin and zip top bag would do the trick.  The St. John’s Ladies also called for using a double boiler to make the filling, I just constantly stirred the mixture on medium-low heat and it worked fine.

Ingredients:

1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 cup of flour
½ cup pecans, finely chopped
1 stick of butter, melted
1 cup milk
1 cups plus ½ cup sugar
5 eggs, separated, reserving yolk and whites
¼ cup poppy seeds
2 tablespoons cornstarch
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon vanilla
11/2 tablespoons gelatin
¼ cup water
½ teaspoon cream of tartar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 F
2. Combine graham cracker crumbs, flour, pecans, add melted butter until well combined, add mix to a 9×13 inch pan
3. Bake crust for twenty minutes or until golden brown
4. In a small bowl, combine gelatin and water
5. In a small pot over medium-low heat, combine milk, 1 cup sugar, and egg yolks, stir until sugar is dissolved
6. Add poppy seeds, cornstarch, salt and vanilla, stir constantly until the mixture thickens
7. Stir in gelatin mixture, let cool
8. Whisk egg whites, ½ cup sugar, and cream of tartar, until they reach stiff peaks
9. Fold the egg whites into the cooled mix
10. Evenly spread the mixture over the graham cracker crust, place in refrigerator to set up.

If there is anyone out there that reads this blog and has Wisconsin roots, I would love your recipes and suggestions.

Some previous posts on food from my favorite state:

Brandy Old Fashioned Sweet

Bratwurst, cooking

Bratwurst, making

Cheese curds

Potato Salad, German

Sauerkraut

Summer sausage

Torte, Poppy Seed

rice pudding

Twilight falls, evenin’ shadows find

There ‘neath the stars, a maiden, so fair, divine

Lonely there she kneels, and tells the stars above

In her heart is a song, an’ there it belongs

Her undying song of love

“A Maiden’s Prayer” by Willie Nelson

I made this a while back for Elissa and Arjun, not realizing both of them despised rice pudding. I ate about half of it and then got really sick of it. Not that it wasn’t good, but one man can only consume so much rice pudding. I guess next time I’ll have to do some serious surveying and market research or find some friends that aren’t such food divas.

From America’s Test Kitchen

Ingredients:

¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup medium-grain white rice
2 ½ cups whole milk
2 ½ cups half-and-half
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Bring 2 cups of water to boil in heavy-bottomed pot
2. Stir in salt and rice, cover and reduce heat to low, cook until water is absorbed about 15 minutes.
3. Add milk, half-and-half and sugar, increase heat to maintain a simmer
4. Cook uncovered, stirring stirring occasionally until a spoon is just able to stand up in the pudding, about 45 minutes
5. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and cinnamon.
6. Cool before serving

chocolate toffee cashew bars

Well they call me William The Pleaser

I sold opium, fireworks, and lead

Now I’m telling my troubles to strangers

When the shadows get long I’ll be dead

“Lucinda” by Tom Waits

I haven’t done any dessert lately, this lovely recipe comes from my wonderful mother. Have I told you lately how much she kicks ass??? She spent a week in our new home painting walls and ceilings from dusk til dawn.  Seriously, she got less rest during that week than a meth addict on a glass binge. And just like meth…

WARNING: these dessert bars are highly addictive and withdrawals may cause fits of rage, insomnia, and uncontrollable movements.

Makes three dozen bars

Ingredients:

2 (8 oz.) can Pillsbury Refrigerated Quick Crescent Dinner Rolls
1 1/3 cup butter
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 cups salted cashew halves
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375° F
2. Unroll dough into 4 long rectangles, place on ungreased jelly roll pan
3. Spread out dough with your fingers over the bottom to form crust, sealing perforations
4. In a small saucepan, combine butter and brown sugar, boil for 1 minute.
5. Pour evenly mixture evenly over dough
6. Sprinkle with nuts
7. Bake for 14 to 18 minutes or until golden brown
8. Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle wtih chocolate chips
9. Swirl the chips as they melt, leaving some partially melted or whole
10. Cool completely on a wire rack
11. Cut into bars

bourbon pecan pie

And maybe Marlon Brando will be there by the fire

We’ll sit and talk of Hollywood and the good things there for hire

And the Astrodome and the first tepee

Marlon Brando, Pocahontas and me

Marlon Brando, Pocahontas and me

“Pocahontas” by Neil Young

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope everyone has a day full of gorging, naps, booze, and football. Be safe and I will see ya’ll next week.

Ingredients:

Enough pie dough to make one shell
3 large eggs
1 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
2/3 cup light corn syrup
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons bourbon (I prefer Basil Hayden)
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups pecans, toasted in a skillet or in the oven

Directions:

1.    Preheat oven to 350° F
2.    Put dough in pie tin
3.    In a large bowl, whisk eggs
4.    Add brown sugar and whisk
5.    Whisk in vanilla, corn syrup, butter, bourbon, and salt
6.    Fold in pecans
7.    Dump pecan mix into pie crust
8.    Bake pie for 45-55 minutes until set in the center

thanks michael

When you come near to me

I go away

What is not clear for me

I go away

What is not here for me

I go away, I go away, I go away

“When” by Vincent Gallo

These beautiful macarons were delivered courtesy of my good friend Michael Wolf.  Mike had recently ventured to Europe and went through the pain-in-the-ass process of bringing these back to the states and then mailing them to me.  While they were slightly crumbled, they still tasted wonderful.  I couldn’t imagine what these babies were like straight out of the boulangerie.

Thanks Mike, see you at Christmas!

bread pudding with bourbon sauce

This ain’t no party, this ain’t no disco

This ain’t no fooling around

No time for dancing, or lovey dovey

I ain’t got time for that now

“Life During Wartime” by The Talking Heads

The first time I remember having bread pudding was in college…ahhhh yes college…

I went to school in La Crosse, WI at the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse.  The draw for me to La Crosse was the beauty of the bluffs surrounding the Mississippi river, the friendly small-town atmosphere, the lower standards for getting accepted, and the beer. Yes, La Crosse is known as quite the party town,  most activities center around everyone’s favorite adult beverage.

Some beer-centric activities that I can think of off the top of my head:

1. The Oktoberfest celebration, the two weekend festival is kicked off by the tapping of the golden keg and a parade in which it is completely legal to drink anywhere you please along the parade route
2. Blatz vs. Old Style, a party that centers around, duh, the two best cheap beers in the world
3. “The World’s Largest Six Pack”
4. Every Wednesday-Sunday, is the time when college kids (or at least me and my friends) would go to the bars.  Downtown La Crosse is home to over 1 million bars…ok I’m exaggerating, it’s like 900,000.

This list literally took me less than one minute to compile, the beer-tivities in La Crosse are endless…

So where was I going with this? Oh yeah, bread pudding!

Due to the fact that La Crosse is so beer-centric, most of the decent food you will find is at the wonderful watering holes.  The first bread pudding I had was at a bar/restaurant called Buzzard Billy’s, which served up Cajun inspired food. My college years were my formative years for food and cooking so I really didn’t know what bread pudding was yet, to me it sounded nasty.  I was wrong, Buzzard Billy’s served their bread pudding with a wonderful sweet glaze, the pudding was served warm with a side of ice cream.  While I think I only had the bread pudding there three times, it had a lasting impact on my collective dessert memory.

This recipe is adapted from my home girl’s cookbook (Betty Crocker).  If anyone is going to attempt this recipe, you must honor my roots and crack a cheap can of beer while preparing it.

For bread pudding:

Ingredients:

4 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
¾ cup sugar plus 2 tablespoons of sugar
2 ½ cups milk
2 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon plus ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 oz. Challah bead loaf cut into ½ inch slices then 1 ½ inch pieces (about 10 cups)
1 cup of raisins (if desired)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter

For bourbon sauce:

Ingredients:

½ cup butter
2 tablespoons water
1 large egg
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons bourbon

Directions:

1.    Preheat oven to 325° F
2.    Grease 9×13 inch pan with cooking spray or butter
3.    In a large bowl, whisk 4 eggs, egg yolk, ¾ cup sugar until well-blended
4.    Beat in milk, whipping cream, vanilla, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon
5.    Mix in 7 cups of the bread pieces and the raisins, let sit for 20 minutes
6.    Pour bread mix into baking dish, press remaining 3 cups of bread pieces on top
7.    In a small bowl, stir 2 tablespoons sugar and ½ teaspoon cinnamon until blended
8.    Brush top of bread mixture with 2 tablespoons melted butter, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture
9.    Bake for about 1 hour until top is puffed and golden brown
10.    Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt ½ cup butter over low heat, remove heat and let cool for 10 minutes
11.    In a small bowl, mix water and 1 egg, stir into butter until blended (which is still in small saucepan)
12.    Stir in 1 cup sugar, cook over medium low heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture begins to boil, remove from heat
13.    Stir in bourbon, let cool before serving