Hubby asked for a carrot cake for his birthday, so I looked up a recipe. I think I'll be keeping the one I found on the Food & Wine magazine website, but I made a few minor changes.




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My Great-Aunt Helen passed away just over 9 years ago last month. She was well known for her wonderful cooking and housekeeping as she kept my grandmother's home while she worked (and thank goodness too because my grandmother couldn't make grilled cheese.)

Aunt Helen would NOT give up her rice pudding recipe and I am desperate to make it for my brother for New Year's. The one time I caught her making it she made me run to the store for a can of Sweetened Condensed Milk.

The Description:
1) The rice pudding was baked in long-low flat aluminum foil pans (easy cleanup.)
2) She always made two, one with a custard on top and one without.
3) The rice pudding was not very "wet".
4) The flavor was absorbed in the rice, there was not much "pudding" surrounding the rice itself.
5) The RP was scoop-able and the rest of the rice pudding didn't fall in on itself.
6) She always used black raisins in it.

The most "visually" accurate image I have found is from allrecipes.com and I am attaching the link. Can anyone think of how to get the same consistency with sweetened condensed milk?

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/baked…

Anyone know how to make an egg custard for the top?

I been wanting to play wit fresh figs for a while. Finally got the chance and this is what I came up with to do with some of them. Gluten Free and turned out really good.

Peach and Fig Crumble With Quinoa-Oat Topping

2 pounds peaches cut in slices
12 oz figs, stemmed and cut in quarters
1/3 pack brown sugar, preferably organic
1/4 teaspoon each cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamon (fresh ground)
1/3 cup Frangelico (hazelnut liqueur)
2 tablespoon arrowroot

1. In a large bowl, mix together the peaches, figs, sugar, spices and fragelico. Cover and let sit for one to two hours, in or out of the refrigerator.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 by 13 baking dish. Whisk the arrowroot into the juice, and scrape the fruit and all of the juice into the baking dish. Set the baking dish on a baking sheet for easier handling, and place in the oven. Bake 35 minutes until the fruit is bubbling and the liquid syrupy.

3. Spread the crumble topping over the peach mixture in an even layer. Bake 30 minutes, or until the fruit is bubbling and the topping is nicely browned. Remove from the heat, and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Quinoa-Oat Crumble Topping

This topping can be used to make any number of delicious, gluten-free crumbles.

2 1/2 cups gluten-free rolled oats
3/4 cup quinoa flour (grind quinoa in a spice mill to make the flour)
1/4 cup flax seed
1/2 cup hazelnut meal
2/3 cup unrefined turbinado sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt (to taste)
6 ounces (12 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with parchment. Place the dry ingredients in a food processor fitted with the steel blade, and pulse several times to combine. Add the butter, and pulse until the butter is evenly distributed throughout the grain mix. The mixture should have a crumbly consistency.

2. Spread the topping over the parchment-covered baking sheet in an even layer. Place in the oven, and bake 15 minutes. Rotate the pan front to back, stir the mixture and bake another 15 minutes until nicely browned. Remove from the heat, and allow to cool. You can keep this in the freezer for several weeks in an airtight container or freezer bag.

Yield: Makes a little over 4 cups, enough for one crumble serving eight made in a 9 by 13 baking dish.

In keeping with the theme of my previous post, I bring you another KFP recipe. This one is a family favorite that's also super easy to make.

Before you go too far, though, one important note: this IS a gebrochts recipe, so if you generally refrain from eating any form of wet matzah during Passover, this is not the recipe for you.



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Wanna see what I looked like when I was 6? Head on over to Elfie's Edibles to find out!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful and joyous Pesach celebration!

It may not be fall yet, but that won't keep you from falling in love with these pumpkin bars. I know I did <3

This is a recipe that one of my students asked me for after I brought them to class to celebrate the end of their paper writing.

You'll want to try it!

For more scrumptious photos, hop on over to my blog!



Because really, who could resist that gooey, frosty, pumpkin spiced center--even if it is spring?

Frosty Pumpkin Streusel Magic Bars

Adapted from Bakers Royale

Yield: 9×9-inch baking pan

Ingredients:

• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs


• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted


• 1/3 cup white sugar


• 1.5 teaspoons cinnamon


• 1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk


• 3/4 heaping cup pumpkin puree


• 1 teaspoon cinnamon


• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg


• 1/4 teaspoon ginger


• 1 large apple or 1.5 medium apples, peeled and chopped (I used Fuji)


• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut


• 1 cup white chocolate chips


• 1 recipe streusel topping (below)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9×9-inch baking pan and set aside.


2. In a large mixing bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, white sugar, and 1.5 teaspoons cinnamon until mixture is completely moistened. Press lightly but evenly into bottom of prepared pan.


3. In a large mixing bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk, pumpkin, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Pour evenly over the graham cracker crust. Sprinkle apples, coconut, white chocolate chips, and streusel over the top of the mixture; press ingredients lightly into the top so that they stick.


4. Bake in preheated oven 32-37 minutes, until center is mostly but not completely set. (If it’s still gooey, that’s perfectly fine–it will firm up a bit in the freezer).


5. Allow to cool slightly at room temperature, then pop the batch into the freezer for 30 minutes for easier cutting. Cut into bars; store leftovers in freezer.


6. NOTE: Alternatively, you can bake these bars 3-5 minutes longer than the listed baking time. This will result in bars that can be stored and served at room temperature.

Streusel topping:

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour


• 6 tablespoons brown sugar


• 1 teaspoon cinnamon


• 1/2 teaspoon salt


• 6 tablespoons butter or margarine


• 1/4 cup pecans, chopped

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Cut in butter and rub through with your fingers until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Use as streusel topping for pumpkin magic bars, muffins, breads, or anything you’d like!

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These cookies are a old favorite in my family.

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I love apples. I really do. I'll eat anything with apples in it even if it contains other ingredients I usually avoid - apple strudel is a good example of this. I carefully scrape out the custard and then attack the rest of it like there's no tomorrow. This is why every time I come across a recipe for apple cake or apple muffins I think I've found the best. recipe. ever.

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Moist and tender, heartwarming muffins flavored with brown sugar and spice. A cinch to make too!

Lots more pictures and more at The Alchemist.


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