Mixed Berry Pavlova

 I have never made a Pavlova and I found this traditional recipe from the The Culinary Institute of America featured on Epicurious. It is filled with a luscious filling of mixed French Pastry Cream and Whip Cream. I used berries because I just love them, but the original recipe suggested mixed berries, kiwi and mangoes.

It is quite lovely in presentation. I would definitely serve this at an elegant dinner party. What I love most is that you can actually make all the components in advance, and just put together last minute.

For meringues:

3 egg whites

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

For filling:

1 1/2 cups pastry cream

1/2 cup heavy cream (Whipped)

Pastry Cream Recipe (Recipe Follows)

2 1/4 cups whole milk 

6 large egg yolks 

2/3 cup sugar 

1/3 cup cornstarch 

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

In medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup milk, egg yolks, 1/3 cup sugar, and cornstarch.

Transfer remaining 1 3/4 cups milk to heavy medium saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add pod. Sprinkle remaining 1/3 cup sugar over, letting sugar sink undisturbed to bottom. Set pan over moderate heat and bring to simmer without stirring.

Whisk hot milk mixture, then gradually whisk into egg yolk mixture. Return to saucepan over moderate heat and cook, whisking constantly, until pastry cream simmers and thickens, about 1 minute. Remove from heat, discard vanilla pod, and whisk cream until smooth. Transfer to bowl and press plastic wrap directly onto surface. Chill until cold, about 4 hours. (Pastry cream can be made ahead and refrigerated, wrapped well with plastic wrap on surface, up to 3 days.)

To serve:  3 to 4 cups assorted seasonal fruit 2 cups raspberry sauce

Make meringues:

Preheat oven to 150°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Using 3-inch-diameter bowl or ring mold as guide, trace 5 circles on each sheet. Turn paper over so markings are on bottom. In large metal bowl, whisk egg whites until frothy. Gradually whisk in sugar, then cornstarch. Attach candy thermometer to bowl and set over saucepan of simmering water. Continue whisking until thermometer registers 130°F. Remove bowl from heat and, using electric mixer, beat mixture at moderately high speed until mixture cools and holds stiff peaks, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to pastry bag fitted with large star tip.

Starting at center and working in spiral outward, pipe meringue onto 1 traced circle. Pipe second layer in ring around edge to form outer wall. Fill remaining circles in same manner.

Bake meringues until dry on outside but still soft inside, about 3 hours. Transfer pan to rack and cool 5 minutes. Peel meringues from parchment and cool completely on rack. (Meringues can be made ahead and stored in airtight container in dry, cool place up to 2 weeks or frozen in airtight container up to 3 months.)

Make filling:

Using electric mixer, beat cream until stiff peaks form.

In large bowl, whisk pastry cream until smooth. Whisk in 1/3 of whipped cream to lighten, then fold in remaining whipped cream.

Raspberry Sauce 

3 1/3 cups fresh or frozen raspberries

2 cups powdered sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

In medium saucepan over moderate heat, stir together raspberries, powdered sugar, and lemon juice. Heat, stirring often, until raspberries begin to release juice. Raise heat to moderately high and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Strain through fine-mesh sieve, pressing on solids to extract all liquid. (Sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated, covered, up to 1 week.)

Assemble and serve:

Transfer each meringue to serving plate and fill with 3 tablespoons pastry cream mixture. Mound fruit on top of cream. Spoon raspberry sauce alongside on plate, and serve immediately.

Lemon Meringue Pie

My Mama loves Lemon Meringue Pie and I often make it for her.  I have a wonderful Mama and I love doing something for her.  She has done so much for me.  Love ya Ma!
 
Lemon Meringue Pie Mama's Oven

Lemon Filling:
6 egg yolks (reserve whites for meringue)
1/2 cup cornstarch
2 1/4 cups water
2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

1 (9-inch) pre-baked pie shell

Use recipe below for quick and easy press in crust or use your own favorite pie crust recipe.
Can use pre-made pie crust just pre-bake or even a graham cracker crust, pre-bake for
10 minutes and cooled.  

1 recipe Meringue, recipe follows

Meringue Topping:
6 egg whites
1 pinch cream of tartar
3 tablespoons sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

In a medium bowl whisk egg yolks, Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine cornstarch, water, sugar, and salt. Whisk to combine. Turn heat on medium and, stirring continuously, bring mixture to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Get your reserved egg yolks that you whisked and slowly (whisking vigorously), add hot mixture to egg yolks to temper eggs. Continuously whisking and add rest of mixture to eggs. Whisk until mixed well.

Return egg mixture to saucepan, turn heat down to low and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 more minute. Remove from heat and gently stir in butter, lemon juice, and zest until mixed well. Pour lemon mixture into baked pie shell.

Hurry up and start the meringue. Place egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form and then gradually add sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Place Meringue on top of hot lemon filling pie. Make sure meringue completely covers filling and that it goes right up to the edge of the crust. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until meringue is golden. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Make sure pie is cooled completely before slicing.

Yield: topping for 1 (9-inch) pie

Oil Press In Pie Crust

This crust is a perfect crust for pre-baked crust request and savory pies without the sugar. There is no rolling just pressing into pie pan. How easy is that?

2 cups flour

pinch salt

*2 T. sugar only if using for a sweet pie

½ cup vegetable oil plus 2 T.

4T. cold water

Directions:

In a bowl mix all dry ingredients with a whisk. Add all wet ingredient. Mix well and form into a ball.

Wrap with clear wrap.

Place in fridge for ½ hour.

Spray your pie pan heavily with a non stick spray.

This is press in pie crust. Press with your fingers down on dough and spread evenly through pan and up sides. Pinch edges with a decorative design. Add a sheet of parchment and pie weights or dried beans. Bake in a 400 degree oven until golden brown. About 35 minutes.

Plastos Pie

Filled with greens and Greek Feta

Ready for Oven

                                                     

This is what I grew up on and all the grand-kids in my family.  My mother made this and it originates from Greece.  My mother was born in Epirus, Greece.  It basically is a pie made from wild field greens, eggs, cornmeal and feta.  Well, in America I don't have any wild field greens growing in my yard, but if you do, I highly recommend you use them.  I love this pie when zucchini blossoms are in season, chop them up and add them to the mix.  Wow, those blossoms take it to another level.  We call it in my family, ba-sty-hra or something like that.  The easy version is Plastos.

My mother traditionally serves it with a bowl of buttermilk.  You would crumble a piece of room temperature Plastos and add it to the butter milk, touch of salt and pepper, a drizzle of Greek olive oil.  Yummy and healthy!

Now, this recipe is kind of one that you throw in what you have available more or less, but I do recommend green onions, dill, leeks and zucchini blossoms, but hey, if you have chard, arugula, etc.  go ahead and toss it in.  Here is a base recipe to work with below.

Plastos:
All Your Greens:
4 packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed
Can use fresh spinach but just add a lot more it shrinks to nothing
5 to 6 green onions sliced thin
1 sweet onion chopped
3/4 cup chopped dill
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 stalk of leek (white part only) sliced fine
2 cloves garlic grated
5 Zucchini blossoms if available, chopped
* Any kind of greens you have in fridge (Chop them up and toss in)

Cheese Mixture:
1 medium container cottage cheese, more or less
2 cups, more or less crumbled feta
1/2 cup grated cheese (sharp) like romano
* Can add some ricotta or shredded cheeses
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
4 whole eggs (beaten set aside)
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 stick butter (melted set aside)

1 box corn bread mix (such as Jiffy)

Directions:
In a very large skillet, saute onion with olive oil until translucent.  Add all other Green ingredients and saute until everything is soft, but not thoroughly cooked. It should look fresh.

Remove from heat, cool down.  In a large bowl add saute greens and the Cheese Mixture, plus box of corn bread mix.  Mix all ingredients well with a big spoon.

Use a very well oiled round deep dish pizza pan.  I use a 16 inch round.  Drizzle a little extra oil on bottom of pan.   Add entire green/cheese mixture and spread out evenly in pan.  Bake in 375 degree oven for about 1 hour until very golden brown.  Remove from oven and let cool several hours before cutting into squares.  Refrigerate left overs.  

Lemon Poppy Seed Bars

I love lemon bars and this recipe comes from Dede Wilson.  However, I did make some changes.  I added poppy seeds, cut back on sugar and a little extra flour. Her original recipe was awesome, but I just prefer a little less sugar and a slightly thicker lemon filling.  Try hers, try mine it's all good.  Lemon Heaven!

Lemon Poppy Seed Bars

Adapted from: Pastry Chef Dede Wilson

Crust:

1 stick unsalted butter, melted
3 tablespoons sugar
Pinch Salt
1 ¼ cups flour
1 Tablespoon poppy seeds

Filling:

1 cups sugar
3 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
2/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 room temperature eggs

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Position rack in center of oven.
2. Line an 8-inch square pan with aluminum foil and coat foil with nonstick spray; set aside.
3. For the Crust: Whisk together the melted butter, sugar, poppy seeds and salt in a medium bowl. Stir in flour just until combined. Pat into prepared pan in an even layer.
4. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or very light brown all over the crust.
5. For the Filling: Best to do this while crust is baking.
6. Whisk together the sugar and flour in a clean bowl, then whisk in the lemon juice.
7. Whisk in the eggs one at a time until combined. When the crust is done, turn the oven down to 325°F, pour filling over crust and bake for about 18 to 22 minutes or until set. Cool pan on rack.
8. Bars are easier to cut if chilled for at least an hour.
9. To cut, first lift edges of foil to bring the bars up and out of the pan.
10. Peel foil down to expose sides of bars. Cut into 16 squares.
11. Bars are ready to serve or store refrigerated in airtight container in single layers for up to 4 days.

Mama's Banana Cream Pudding

Banana Pudding is an American comfort food, as is apple pie. This recipe was given to my mom at a potluck some 40 years ago. It's an oldie but goodie. Enjoy this for holidays, barbeques, birthday parties, etc.....It's that good.

 Mama's Banana Pudding


1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/3 cups ice cold water
1 (3.4-ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
1 tsp. banana extract
4 cups heavy cream
2 T. powder confectioner's sugar
1 (12-ounce) box Nabisco Nilla Wafers
4 to 5 cups sliced ripe bananas 

Using a mixer, beat condense milk, water until mix well at medium speed.  Add vanilla pudding mix and beat for a few minutes until mixed well.  Cover pudding with clear wrap.  Place wrap right on top of pudding as to prevent pudding from forming a skin.  Must be allowed to set for 4 to 5 hours.
 
After pudding has set, using a mixer with whip attachment, whip the heavy cream, powder sugar until stiff peaks form. Remove 1 cup of whipped cream for piping rosettes on top of pudding. Gently fold the pudding mixture into the whipped cream until well blended and combined well.

To assemble the pudding, I use a 10x 12 aluminium disposable pan. Can use a trifle bowl.  Place one-third of the vanilla cookies  to cover the bottom of the pan, then one-third of the sliced bananas and one-third of the pudding mixture. Repeat the layering two times more.  Time to decorate pudding.  Add additional wafers on top with piped reserved whip cream or crush vanilla cookies and sprinkle on top.  

Place pudding in fridge and refridgerate for 6 to 8 hours. Time to serve!

BlueBerry Muffins

Love all berries and I love muffins.  So here you go, this is a no-brainer.  The only thing I do different with all my muffin batters is after mixing, I let them sit out for 1/2 hour before putting into my muffin tins.  This resting period gives you  a higher top muffin. 

BlueBerry Muffins

 I use a jumbo size muffin tin and paper liners.  I yield about 10-12 jumbo size.  

Dry ingredients:

3 1/4 cups flour

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 Tb baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
Pinch salt

Wet Ingredients:

1 1/2 c milk

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 sticks unsalted butter, melted

Add ins:

2 cup fresh blueberries

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 

Line  muffin cups. 

Sift dry ingredients in a large bowl.

In another bowl whisk all wet ingredients and combine wet and dry.  Do not over mix, but make sure everything is incorporated well.  

Add fruit and mix in.  Set aside for 1/2 hour.   

Bake for 20-25 min or until a toothpick comes out clean and tops are golden brown. 


 

Banana Bread

This is absolutely my favorite banana bread.  My family has been making it for years.  It's super moist and gets better the next day.  Enjoy this delicious bread with coffee or tea.  Can be iced with a cream cheese frosting but I just like it plain.  Great as a snack to pack in lunches. 

Banana Bread

WET:
2 1/2  sticks unsalted butter

2 1/3 cups granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla
5 over ripe, pureed ripe bananas

Dry:
3 1/2 cups all purpose bread flour
pinch salt
2 tsp baking soda

4 large whole eggs at room temp (beaten) set a side
optional: 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Directions:
Prepare pans with butter and flour or a non stick spray, use  (3 - 1 qt loaf pans) or use a 10 x 12 aluminum pan with 2 inch sides.

Melt the butter and add the sugar. Mix for a few minutes until sugar starts to dissolve. Add pureed bananas and vanilla.  

Combine the flour, salt, baking soda and nuts. Stir into the butter/sugar mixture.

Add beaten whole eggs to batter and mix well.  

Spoon the batter into the prepared pans. Fill pans no more than 3/4 full.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes or until baked through. Can do toothpick test.  I made this bread in different ovens, and temperature times varied greatly.  Use your judgement. 

Remove from pans after 15 minutes of cooling.  Place on cooling rack.