How's that for alliteration?
I've been thinking about pomegranates lately. Never used them, but they are clearly a flavor trend, that and acai. So maybe poaching pears in pomegranate juice. Want to stay away from actual pomegranates as they are intimidating and I think very seasonal.
A pandowdy is a bottomless pie. Top can be pie dough or biscuits. The idea is to cover the fruit filling with dough and after baking, cutting the dough into squares and pressing it into the filling to soak it a little.
Martha Stewart did a pear pandowdy just last fall. Showed it on the Today show and everything. Pillsbury only has one pandowdy recipe and it of course uses whole biscuits laid on top. My idea is to cut the small flaky biscuits into fourths and scattering over the top. Need to work on the filling recipe - diced fresh pears, soak them in the pomegranate juice, probably needs cinnamon and nutmeg.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Monday, January 17, 2011
Trifle Thoughts
Luscious Layers Brownie and Cookie Trifle???
Brownies baked and cut into 1" squares. Layered with Chocolate mousse made with condensed milk, chocolate instant pudding, cool whip. Raspberry layer made with raspberry preserves and frozen raspberries in syrup. Extra Cool Whip layers maybe. Crushed chocolate chip cookies, topped with chocolate ice cream syrup?? Then take chocolate chip cookies and stand them on their edge in a circle around the top. Products needed: brownies, cookies, c milk, raspberry preserves, choc syrup. Wow. Maybe throw in some nuts and/or toffee chips for crunchy texture... don't know if trifles have that.
After some research, yes, a lot use toffee. Also, a lot of backlash over Cool Whip. Maybe: brownie squares, vanilla/french vanilla pudding, cookies, raspberry, chocolate mousse, toffee? No one uses nuts unless the flavor is integral, like hazelnuts.
Brownies baked and cut into 1" squares. Layered with Chocolate mousse made with condensed milk, chocolate instant pudding, cool whip. Raspberry layer made with raspberry preserves and frozen raspberries in syrup. Extra Cool Whip layers maybe. Crushed chocolate chip cookies, topped with chocolate ice cream syrup?? Then take chocolate chip cookies and stand them on their edge in a circle around the top. Products needed: brownies, cookies, c milk, raspberry preserves, choc syrup. Wow. Maybe throw in some nuts and/or toffee chips for crunchy texture... don't know if trifles have that.
After some research, yes, a lot use toffee. Also, a lot of backlash over Cool Whip. Maybe: brownie squares, vanilla/french vanilla pudding, cookies, raspberry, chocolate mousse, toffee? No one uses nuts unless the flavor is integral, like hazelnuts.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Back to Brainstorming
Still very disappointed in the Polka Dot Pull-Apart disaster. Also, Eric's birthday is coming up and I need to start concentrating on that a little more.
Went to Kmart and bought two new jellyroll pans, i.e., 15"x10". For the Tower of Temptation Brownie and Cookie Torte, will need to bake both brownies and cookies in two thin layers, then cut and layer with... what? Chocolate sauce or ganache of some kind, nuts maybe, raspberry preserves maybe, peanut butter maybe, toffee chips maybe. Then top it off with chocolate glaze/ganache that drips down sides - don't want to hide the layers too much. Maybe glaze/ganache can be used using condensed milk. Wanna cram as many products in there as I can!!
Now thinking this would be even easier as a trifle. Quick pillsbury.com search revealed absolutely no trifle Bake-Off recipes. Maybe because it's too easy?? Bake up brownies and cookies, cube or crumble, layer with what? Pudding made from condensed milk?
Went to Kmart and bought two new jellyroll pans, i.e., 15"x10". For the Tower of Temptation Brownie and Cookie Torte, will need to bake both brownies and cookies in two thin layers, then cut and layer with... what? Chocolate sauce or ganache of some kind, nuts maybe, raspberry preserves maybe, peanut butter maybe, toffee chips maybe. Then top it off with chocolate glaze/ganache that drips down sides - don't want to hide the layers too much. Maybe glaze/ganache can be used using condensed milk. Wanna cram as many products in there as I can!!
Now thinking this would be even easier as a trifle. Quick pillsbury.com search revealed absolutely no trifle Bake-Off recipes. Maybe because it's too easy?? Bake up brownies and cookies, cube or crumble, layer with what? Pudding made from condensed milk?
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Polka Dot Pull-Aparts Attempt #1!
The kids are at my in-laws as they are most Thursday nights, so it was time to try out a Bake-Off recipe idea. The first one had to be my best bet, the Polka Dot Pull-Aparts.
I lined the 9" round cake pan bottom with waxed paper. That 9" cake pan looked really small. Maybe I only needed 20 biscuits. I was thinking 30 of the little tiny biscuits that come in the 4-pack. Then I got 3 quart-sized Ziplok bags and put 1/4 cup sugar in each, followed by 4 drops of food coloring, red, yellow and blue. The red looked more like pink, so I put 3 more drops in, but the color didn't change. Oh well. Got the blueberry and apricot preserves out, and found the jar of strawberry jam in the fridge instead of the strawberry preserves which is too chunky. Then got out the biscuits. I'd do 7 each of two flavors and 6 of the last. Then I got a small glass bowl and melted a stick of butter in the microwave.
I started out slicing open each biscuit, stuffing it with 1/4 teaspoon of jam, pinching it closed, trying to form a ball. I decided it was better to slice all the biscuits for that jam flavor at once, then fill them all, then pinch them all closed. More assembly-line that way. Then three biscuits at a time in the butter just for a quick dip, in the bag of sugar, and in the pan. My hands got really messy. Got out a slotted spoon and used that to take the biscuits out of the butter and into the sugar bag, than took them out of the sugar bag by hand. Had to wash my hands and the measuring spoon inbetween flavors, as well as wipe off the cutting board. The paring knife is too small, I think; need a bigger sized blade.
Arranged them all in the pan. The colors are very bright. Set the timer for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes it was just light brown, so I gave it another 3. Took it out, loosened the sides with a knife, flipped it over to a dinner plate. Hm. The blue and yellow had run together to make green. All of the colors bled into each other, actually. I hollered for Mike and he gave his usual half-hearted "yay" which means "I'm acting like I'm happy for you but what do you want?" He grabbed a fork even though I said it was hot. He didn't like how the outside was so crunchy. The monkey bread I made earlier in the week was soft on the outside. He didn't seem to like it. After he left, I poked at it. The biscuits seemed a little raw in the middle and crunchy on the outside. I am not pleased with the results. I still think this is a good idea but I'm not sure what to do next. Blah.
I lined the 9" round cake pan bottom with waxed paper. That 9" cake pan looked really small. Maybe I only needed 20 biscuits. I was thinking 30 of the little tiny biscuits that come in the 4-pack. Then I got 3 quart-sized Ziplok bags and put 1/4 cup sugar in each, followed by 4 drops of food coloring, red, yellow and blue. The red looked more like pink, so I put 3 more drops in, but the color didn't change. Oh well. Got the blueberry and apricot preserves out, and found the jar of strawberry jam in the fridge instead of the strawberry preserves which is too chunky. Then got out the biscuits. I'd do 7 each of two flavors and 6 of the last. Then I got a small glass bowl and melted a stick of butter in the microwave.
I started out slicing open each biscuit, stuffing it with 1/4 teaspoon of jam, pinching it closed, trying to form a ball. I decided it was better to slice all the biscuits for that jam flavor at once, then fill them all, then pinch them all closed. More assembly-line that way. Then three biscuits at a time in the butter just for a quick dip, in the bag of sugar, and in the pan. My hands got really messy. Got out a slotted spoon and used that to take the biscuits out of the butter and into the sugar bag, than took them out of the sugar bag by hand. Had to wash my hands and the measuring spoon inbetween flavors, as well as wipe off the cutting board. The paring knife is too small, I think; need a bigger sized blade.
Arranged them all in the pan. The colors are very bright. Set the timer for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes it was just light brown, so I gave it another 3. Took it out, loosened the sides with a knife, flipped it over to a dinner plate. Hm. The blue and yellow had run together to make green. All of the colors bled into each other, actually. I hollered for Mike and he gave his usual half-hearted "yay" which means "I'm acting like I'm happy for you but what do you want?" He grabbed a fork even though I said it was hot. He didn't like how the outside was so crunchy. The monkey bread I made earlier in the week was soft on the outside. He didn't seem to like it. After he left, I poked at it. The biscuits seemed a little raw in the middle and crunchy on the outside. I am not pleased with the results. I still think this is a good idea but I'm not sure what to do next. Blah.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
More Thoughts
This Bake-Off recipe writing is taking over my brain. I think about recipe ideas all day. The sad thing is that I will come up with an idea, but it's already been done. Even Pillsbury itself seems to be raining on my parade - I recently signed up for their daily emails. The one today was for "all new recipes" that start with a can of Progresso soup! This is obviously what they're looking for from the Bake-Off since the Progresso soups are on List B!!! Argh!
Newest thoughts include doing something with the crescent sheets, pizza dough, or pie crust, draping it over the top of an inverted Bundt pan. Would it work? Make like a half doughnut, scoop something in the middle, then slice into apps? Would need to put something in the hole, like a dip, or maybe just a decoratively carved tomato or glass filled with crudite or something. Maybe baked scallops with canned soup sprinkled with breadcrumbs? Just checked and no Bake-Off scallop recipes at all - surprising. Maybe serve the scallop on a flat crescent roll that looks like a shell? Could maybe take a fork and press the tines to make the shell ridges? That would be cute. Hmm, maybe too expensive.
Newest thoughts include doing something with the crescent sheets, pizza dough, or pie crust, draping it over the top of an inverted Bundt pan. Would it work? Make like a half doughnut, scoop something in the middle, then slice into apps? Would need to put something in the hole, like a dip, or maybe just a decoratively carved tomato or glass filled with crudite or something. Maybe baked scallops with canned soup sprinkled with breadcrumbs? Just checked and no Bake-Off scallop recipes at all - surprising. Maybe serve the scallop on a flat crescent roll that looks like a shell? Could maybe take a fork and press the tines to make the shell ridges? That would be cute. Hmm, maybe too expensive.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Research Day
Today the whole family piled in the car and went to both libraries in town, the West Branch and Main library downtown. Eric and Lucy went to the children's section and I headed for the cookbooks. I took home two Bisquick cookbooks, Pillsbury "Dough Magic" cookbook, "Best of the Bake-Off" and the 43rd Bake-Off collection.
More inspiration:
1. Petit Fours - sweet layers covered by a glaze. Maybe brownies, almonds, preserves, choc syrup, cookie, covered by choc syrup
2. Terrine. My mother-in-law told me about it. A layered dish make in a loaf pan, pressed slightly, allowed to "gel", then turned out. Lots of layers. Could be sweet or savory.
3. Brownies baked in muffin or mini-muffin cups and turned upside down and glazed.
4. Stuffed breadsticks. Maybe stuffed with drained canned soup. More than just cheese.
More inspiration:
1. Petit Fours - sweet layers covered by a glaze. Maybe brownies, almonds, preserves, choc syrup, cookie, covered by choc syrup
2. Terrine. My mother-in-law told me about it. A layered dish make in a loaf pan, pressed slightly, allowed to "gel", then turned out. Lots of layers. Could be sweet or savory.
3. Brownies baked in muffin or mini-muffin cups and turned upside down and glazed.
4. Stuffed breadsticks. Maybe stuffed with drained canned soup. More than just cheese.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Brainstorming Begins
My mind has been swirling with possible recipe ideas. I need a big chalkboard and color-coded paper and pushpins or something so I can visualize and organize.
1. Polka Dot Pull-Aparts. Biscuits sliced open and stuffed with strawberry, apricot, or blueberry preserves, then resealed, dipped in melted butter, tossed in cinnamon and colored sugar (red = strawberry, yellow = apricot, blue = blueberry), placed in 9" round pan, baked, flipped onto plate, drizzed with glaze, sprinkles on top. A new tradition is born - the celebratory birthday breakfast treat!
2. Old-fashioned stacked canapes. A chocolate version perhaps. Alternating thin layers of brownie, strawberry or raspberry preserves, chocolate syrup, cookie, almonds, mini chocolate chips? Cut into narrow towers and skewed with a party pick. Possible name: "Tower of Temptation"
3. Pasties - drain a Progresso soup and bam! There's your filling of diced meat, potatoes and veggies. Throw on a biscuit/crescent sheet/pie crust, fold up and crimp. Maybe before baking brush on melted butter and sprinkle on breadcrumbs/spices for a kick. Big size for a meal, bite size for appetizers. Maybe call them popovers, turnovers, foldovers instead of pasties.
4. Dress up a Progresso soup with canned tomatoes. Make two breadbowls out of the crusty French loaf can.
5. Brownie pops or cheesecake on a stick - probably not original enough.
6. Something involving the flavor combination of ham and peaches. Not sure about the List A ingredient for this one.
7. Last time I was obsessed about using the Orange Rolls for a savory dish. But rules state that if a glaze comes with the rolls you have to use the glaze. Can't figure out how the glaze fits in. Some kind of pork tenderloin medallion with pineapple and the orange roll, but what to do with the glaze???
1. Polka Dot Pull-Aparts. Biscuits sliced open and stuffed with strawberry, apricot, or blueberry preserves, then resealed, dipped in melted butter, tossed in cinnamon and colored sugar (red = strawberry, yellow = apricot, blue = blueberry), placed in 9" round pan, baked, flipped onto plate, drizzed with glaze, sprinkles on top. A new tradition is born - the celebratory birthday breakfast treat!
2. Old-fashioned stacked canapes. A chocolate version perhaps. Alternating thin layers of brownie, strawberry or raspberry preserves, chocolate syrup, cookie, almonds, mini chocolate chips? Cut into narrow towers and skewed with a party pick. Possible name: "Tower of Temptation"
3. Pasties - drain a Progresso soup and bam! There's your filling of diced meat, potatoes and veggies. Throw on a biscuit/crescent sheet/pie crust, fold up and crimp. Maybe before baking brush on melted butter and sprinkle on breadcrumbs/spices for a kick. Big size for a meal, bite size for appetizers. Maybe call them popovers, turnovers, foldovers instead of pasties.
4. Dress up a Progresso soup with canned tomatoes. Make two breadbowls out of the crusty French loaf can.
5. Brownie pops or cheesecake on a stick - probably not original enough.
6. Something involving the flavor combination of ham and peaches. Not sure about the List A ingredient for this one.
7. Last time I was obsessed about using the Orange Rolls for a savory dish. But rules state that if a glaze comes with the rolls you have to use the glaze. Can't figure out how the glaze fits in. Some kind of pork tenderloin medallion with pineapple and the orange roll, but what to do with the glaze???
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