I love William & Sonoma

 

I love to go to Williams - Sonoma! They always have the coolest finds! Well this week I was in there and spotted my new "Have To Have" (as my husband calls them). It is a pocket pie mold. They have a star one too! But I loved the heart. I went to their site and got this recipe. They are so fun to make you have got to try them. And aren't they the cutest "Have to Haves" you have seen in a while!
These individual pies are simple to prepare using our pocket pie molds. With their luscious cherry filling, the tasty treats are a perfect snack to enjoy at home or on the go.
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt, plus a pinch
2 Tbs. plus 1/2 cup granulated sugar
16 Tbs. (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch dice
6 to 8 Tbs. ice water
1 1/2 Tbs. cornstarch
2 cups fresh or frozen pitted sour cherries, thawed and drained if frozen
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 egg, lightly beaten with 1 tsp. water
Coarse sugar for sprinkling
Vanilla ice cream for serving (see related recipe at left)
Directions:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat together the flour, the 1 tsp. salt and the 2 Tbs. granulated sugar on low speed for 10 seconds. Add the butter and beat until the mixture resembles coarse meal, about 30 seconds. Increase the speed to medium-low and beat for 1 1/2 minutes more. Add the 6 Tbs. ice water, reduce the speed to low and beat for 20 seconds. The dough should hold together when squeezed with your fingers but should not be sticky. If it is crumbly, add more water, 1 tsp. at a time, and beat for 5 seconds after each addition. Divide the dough in half, wrap with plastic wrap and shape each into a disk. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
In a saucepan, whisk together the 1/2 cup granulated sugar, the cornstarch and pinch of salt, then add the cherries and vanilla. Set over medium-high heat and cook until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Let the filling cool.
Let the dough stand at room temperature for 5 minutes. On a floured surface, roll out 1 dough disk into a round 1/16 to 1/8 inch thick. Brush off the excess flour. Using a pocket pie mold, cut out 8 of each shape (4 solid and 4 with the decorative cutout). Reroll the dough scraps, if necessary, and cut out more shapes. Repeat with the remaining dough disk.
Place a solid dough shape in the bottom half of the cutter and gently press the dough into the mold. Fill the center with 1 to 2 Tbs. cherry filling and brush the edges of the dough with some of the egg wash. Top with a shape with a decorative cutout. Press the top half of the cutter down to seal and crimp the edges of the pie. Remove the pie from the mold and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. Freeze the pies for 30 minutes.
Preheat an oven to 400°F. Brush the top of the pies with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling is gently bubbling, about 20 minutes. Transfer the pies to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream. Makes about 8 pocket pies.

You can get them online at: http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/9175274/index.cfm?clg=80&bnrid=3212101&cm_ven=Shopping&cm_cat=Become&cm_pla=default&cm_ite=default

I am now off to surf the web for more pocket pie recipes! I am sure ther are alot of different ones I can use my "Maker" with.....Don't you?

 

Where Would You Love to Cook Today

 

http://www.stonegableblog.com

 

I just love the Kitchen over at Stonegable.

I really love the island, it has a tone of room for preparing meals and doing great holiday displays.

Her blog is a great one to visit often. It is a very inspiring blog.

 

Well let get to what to make:

 

As I have been blogging around I came across a great blog with wonderful recipes, but the one that really caught my eye was:

Banana Bundtlets with Maple & White Chocolate Icing

from http://www.somewhatsimple.com

 

Don't these look wonderful!

I think this is what I will be giving to all of my neighbors for Christmas this year.

 

Ingredients:

• 5 well-ripened bananas
• 4 eggs
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 3/4 cup applesauce
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp salt
• 4 cups flour

For the Icing:

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 5 Tbsp butter
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 1/2 tsp maple flavor (up to 1 tsp for stronger flavor)
• 1 cup white chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare pans with non-stick spray.
2. In mixer bowl, add eggs and beat well. Add bananas and beat until bananas are mashed and mixture is smooth. Add shortening, applesauce and sugar and combine. Add baking soda, salt and flour and mix well.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
4. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.
5. While banana bread is baking, prepare the icing by adding the sugar, butter and milk to a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir constantly as it comes to a boil, 3-4 minutes. Continue stirring as the mixture boils for 1 minute. Remove from heat.
6. Add the white chocolate chips and maple flavor and stir until the chips are melted and the icing is smooth.
7. Pour slowly over the top of the bundt cakes, allowing it to drizzle down the sides. Cool and enjoy!

 

 

Breakfast Casserole

To make you will need:

1 pkg Hash browns with peppers and onions 

8 eggs

12 0z of breakfast sausage (not Links)

2 cups shredded cheese

2 1/2 cups milk

salt and pepper to taste

9 X 13 baking pan

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

I make this the night before and refrigerate over night.

* Cook the hash browns as per cooking directions on package.

* Brown the sausage and crumble.

* Grease 9 X 13 baking pan.

* Lay cooked hash browns on the bottom of the baking pan.

* Cover hash browns with 1/2 of the sausage.

* Cover sausage with 1/2 of the cheese.

* Combine the 8 eggs and 2 1/2 cups milk. whisk and pour evenly over the cheese.

* Add remaining sausage evenly.

* Cover with remaining cheese. 

* Salt and pepper.

* At this point you can cover and put in fridge until morning. The in morning preheat over and just put into oven.

* Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes.

When done the top will be slightly brown and inside will feel firm when you poke it.

I top it with more cheese, salsa and sour cream. And I serve it with fruit.

Facebook 7-up Biscuits

These have been all over facebook and pnterest several times and I even got the recipe from my realtor. I finally tried them and they are so good!

INGREDIENTS:
4 cups Bisquick
1 cup sour cream
1 cup 7-up
1/2 cup melted butter

DIRECTIONS:
Mix Bisquick, sour cream and 7 up.

Dough will be very soft - don't worry

Knead and fold dough until coated with your baking mix.

Pat dough out and cut biscuits using a round biscuit / cookie cutter.

Melt butter in bottom of cookie sheet pan or 9x13 casserole dish.

Place biscuits on top of melted butter and bake @ 425 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until brown.

I found the picture on the internet at https://www.evernote.com

Where Would You Love to Cook Today?

Today I want to cook in my own kitchen. Maybe thats because its so clean....LOL.

My kitchen is where everyone gathers. And its so much fun when we are all together.

My Daughter is a very good cook as well as a blogger too!

She loves Geo Cacheing and her and her main squeeze write the blog

http://livelovecache.blogspot.com/

I love my Daughter Darcey's posole" and so I thought that would be the best recipe to make:

Darcey's Delicious Posole' 

Easy delicious authentic Latino dish. I learned to make this in New Mexico from my extended family when my Grandfather passed away. Over the years I have changed the recipe to make it my own version. Warning: If you start making this, you will be asked to make it all of the time! Picture is without diced tomatoes, once they are added the broth turns a reddish color, tomatoes optional, I prefer it with them. 

 Ingredients:

• 3 cups cooked pork, Make Pork roast first cook roast in 1/4 cupsoy sauce in crock pot, do not drain, once cooked, the meat will shred on own by pushing with a fork, once shredded in the crock pot then add the following:
• 2 tablespoons El Guapo Menudo Mix (It comes in 3/4 oz packages on the Mexican food Isle, is a seasoning packet usually around .80 cents to a dollar)
• 3 Chicken Bouillion cubes (Knorr brand, Caldo Con Sabor De Pollo comes in 8 cube package also on Mexican food isle, usually .69 cents to a dollar)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 teaspoons of minced diced garlic, peeled and diced
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 (4 ounce) cans diced green chili peppers (or 2 fresh green chili’s seeded and diced)
• 1 (23 or 24 ounce) can white hominy, drained and rinsed
• 1can 14.5 oz of diced stewed tomatoes with chilies (optional)
• After you add all ingredients add enough water to cover the hominy
• salt to own taste

Garnishes:

All garnishes are optional after soup is cooked you can add any of the following to top of soup to add great flavor and variety.

• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro (garnish)
• lime wedges (garnish)
• 1 Bag of shredded cabbage or a head of cabbage cut into shreds
• 1/2 cup chopped onions
• 1/2 cup chopped radishes
• 1 cup of shredded cheese (Mexican blend or cheddar)
• Salsa
• Flour Tortillas to dip in soup while eating

Directions:

After preparing the pork roast in the crock pot* *(2-3 lb pork roast placed in crock pot with 1/4 cup soy sauce on low for 4-6 hours, you will be able to determine when the roast is done by pushing on it with a fork. When it falls apart it is done, shred with fork inside the crock pot so it absorbs the juices) After shredded add all of the ingredients. Stir well. Once everything is added make sure you add enough water to cover the hominy. Slow cook for 4-6 hours. You will be able to tell when it is ready when the hominy is soft. After it is cooked serve in bowls and add optional garnishes. I am attaching some pictures to help you see what seasonings you need and what the finished product should look like. Put the roast in crock pot night before on low when you wake up, shred the meat and add the rest of the ingredients. Turn crock pot to low and head out for a day of caching. When you return your house will smell so good and you will have a delicious warm dish to feed your hunger.