Bonnie the Baker – A Cooking & Baking Blog

I’m not a huge fan of key lime pie.  I had a bad slice for my first slice and that ruined it for me.  I hate when that happens.  If I eat a food and then get sick after, it will take me years to eat it again.  So years have passed, and I suddenly had this craving for Key Lime pie.  A good friend of ours said he found this recipe on epicurious, so I modified it a bit and voila!

The best part about this ice cream is that it tastes creamy and delicious like an ice cream, but it sits like a sorbet.  Catch my drift?  It’s not too heavy, but it’s not too light.  It’s perfect.  On an unrelated note, we’ve been watching Master Chef and I love Whitney.  Remember when she quoted Mohammed Ali and said she “floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee?”  Well welcome to this in ice cream form.  Full of flavor yet so light, it’s easy to enjoy more than one scoop.

I hope you enjoy this as much as we did over here at the Lewis household.  And here is a freezing and storing tip:  after you make it in the maker, freeze it in a bread pan for about 4-8 hours.  Remove from freezer for about 10 minutes to let soften.  If you are ready to eat, dig in.  But, also, now it’s ready to be stored more permanently.  I use these ice cream containers from Sur la Table.  So scoop the ice cream in there and it will stay this consistency.  These containers really are air tight so if you place the ice cream in right after it’s churned, it wont freeze properly.  Enjoy!

Key Lime Pie Ice Cream (adapted from epicurious.com)

2 cups whole milk

1cup heavy cream

4 large egg yolks

2/3 cup of sugar

2 small limes, juiced

3/4 cup rolled out cinnamon cookies or graham crackers

Whisk egg yolks in medium bowl and set aside to get to room temperature. Place the whole milk and heavy cream into large sauce pan and turn on heat to medium low.  Add in sugar.  Mix until sugar is dissolved. The temperature should be about 170 degrees.  Remove pan from heat and use a ladle to add a small amount of the warm milk mixture to the eggs.  Whisk together.  Place pan back on heat and in a slow and steady stream, whisk in egg yolk mixture.  Be sure to do this fast otherwise scrambled eggs will form. Turn heat up to medium and constantly stir until the mixture becomes thick enough to coat the spoon, do not let it boil. The temperature should be about 185 degrees, enough to cook the eggs. Turn off heat and allow mixture to cool to room temperature.

While it’s cooling, juice two limes into a small bowl and set aside.  Use a rolling pin to roll cookies or graham crackers into small pieces, but not powdered form. Set aside. Once mixture is cooled, whisk lime juice into ice cream base.  Pour into ice cream maker that has been frozen according to manufacturer’s instructions.  Let churn for about 35 minutes, or until desired consistency is reached.  When churning process is over, remove ice cream bowl and stir in cookie crumbs.  Either serve immediately or follow freezing suggestion above.

Ring. Ring. Rin–

Mom: Hi! What are you doing?

Me:  Trying to figure out what to bring to a friend’s house for dessert.  I was going to make waffle cookies but then I got the idea that I needed to make little “butter cubes” out of frosting and yellow coloring and place them on the center of every cookie.  Or perhaps something that looked like a fried egg and all of that seemed like lots of work, so I just gave up.  I think I’ll just buy some cookies.

Mom: That sounds crazy.  Just sprinkle some powdered sugar on it and call it a day.

Done and done.

I really had these ambitions of decorating these waffle cookies super cute, but frankly I’m tired.  I’m 6 months pregnant, working, and feeling exhausted. So powdered sugar it is.  And I’m happy with how they turned out.

I saw these on a baking blog awhile ago and I keep wanting to try them.  They are perfect for the summer because you don’t have to heat up the oven at all, and the waffle iron is generally easy to use.    A few tips though:  be patient.  I burned myself twice making these because once the iron says the time is up, you must open it up and let it sit for a good 60 seconds.  This gives the waffle cookies time to harden a bit and therefore easier to take out.  If not, you can burn yourself on a piece of chocolate or the side of the iron.

These cookies will be thicker than normal cookies, and have more of a cake-like texture than a cookie texture.  They still taste delicious and because they look like waffles, then why not have them the next day for breakfast?

That chocolate burn hurts.  I feel like it was a subliminal message to me to what it was doing to my thighs and to stop shoving broken cookies in my mouth.

You can use almost any kind of recipe, but I chose peanut butter chocolate chip.

(Adapted from Better Homes and Garden)

1/4 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup honey

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flower

1 12 oz bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

olive oil spray (or other non-stick spray)

waffle iron

Beat butter and peanut butter on medium speed until combined.  Add sugar, honey, baking soda, and baking powder.  Scrape the side of the bowl and beat until combined.  Add in vanilla and egg, and then flower little by little.  Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl and allow batter to be fully mixed.  Fold in one bag of chocolate chips.  Plug in waffle iron so that it begins to warm up.  As soon as it is ready, open and spray both top and bottom with the non-stil oil of your choice.  Use a spoon to measure out a scoop of cookie dough for each section of the waffle iron.  Spread out lightly, making sure that the batter is touching in all places.  I found that a little batter goes a long way, and that a huge clump of cookie dough is harder to cook all the way through.  It’s ok if the batter does not spread to the outer edges of the iron, just the middle of each section is fine.  Close the iron as you would for a waffle, and wait for the ready light to come back on.  When it does, open back up and allow waffles to sit for a good 60 seconds.  Gently use a a knife, fork, or thin spatula to pick up the edges of the cookies and see which section is ready to come out first.  You will know because it will lift easily.  Move to cooling rack and let cool completely.  Repeat until batter is gone.  Make sure to spray between each batch.

This morning before work I decided to prepare beef stew in the crockpot.  A delightful idea until the smell of the stew is overwhelming and I keep going back to try some bites.  Cy can’t get home soon enough.

Ill post this recipe soon. In the mean time, I’m going to buy some fresh bread for dipping.

The sweet and salty combination is genius.  Someone once told me that the reason that  Lays potato chips are so darn good is because their recipe has the perfect ratio of salty and sweet to make your taste buds craving more of each.  So then, you just keep. on. eating. The whole bag.  Or maybe it’s just me.  But yeah, the combo is genius.  It tricks your taste buds and you just can’t get enough.

I made this ice cream months ago and am just now getting around to posting it.  I really think that dark chocolate is a must here.  Milk chocolate just would not taste good with the cumin.  Anyway, let me know if you like this.  It’s a good mix of salty and sweet, and really satisfying.  A friend of mine tried it, was a little unsure and then kept digging her spoon in it until she scraped the bowl.  Mission Accomplished.

Dark Chocolate Cumin Ice Cream

2 cups heavy cream

2 1/2 cups milk

5 large egg yolks

1 cup sugar

1 large bar dark chocolate

2 tablespoons cumin

2 cinnamon sticks

Place 2 cups milk and all the heavy cream over low heat with sugar and stir until sugar dissolves.  Whisk egg yolks in a steady stream into cream/milk/sugar blend and be careful not to make scrambled eggs!  Once yolks are fully mixed, and mixture is warm, add cumin and cinnamon sticks.  Stir slowly for another 15 minutes, turning the heat up to medium.  After the ice cream begins to take on the color of the cinnamon and cumin, remove form heat and let cool for one hour.   Once the hour is up, remove the cinnamon sticks from your ice cream base. Pour into ice cream maker that has been frozen according to manufacturer’s instructions.  While it’s churning, place chocolate bar and 1/2 a cup of milk (adding slowly) into small saucepan.  Let chocolate melt and create a sauce. After freezing, layer ice cream into container alternating with the chocolate sauce.  Because it is relatively hot, it will form a few chunks and a bit of a swirl.  I liked this.  If your prefer to have only a swirl, make the sauce earlier and let cool a bit before you add it to the ice cream. Let me know how you like it!

It’s Thursday, a few more days left in the week and this week already has lots of offer.  In no particular order:

1.)  My first issue of bon appetit came.  After about 6 months of promising to come and come with a free apron, they finally delivered.  But no apron.  Oh well, the mag is here, and the rest will be dealt with later!

2.) My husband and I get to go with my family on vacation to Del Mar, CA this week and we can’t WAIT for days of beaches and good food.

3.) We had an ultrasound today and the baby is a perfectly healthy, long-legged boy!  We are so excited and feel so blessed.

All of these reasons is why I had enough energy to get myself into the kitchen and make a recipe from my bon appetit: Mint Butter Thins.

This recipe calls for a glaze, but in an effort to not open a fresh container of heavy whipping cream just for a glaze, I opted for reduced fat milk.  And I deyed it because I was in a blue mood, and I think I got more on the counter than I did on the actual cookies.

I’m about to dip these cookies in some tea because frankly they are delicious.  They have a hint of mint and I may try making them with lavender extract instead next time.

We are so very excited for the news, and feel so blessed that the baby is so healthy!  December can’t come soon enough, but until then, we shall enjoy our cookies, beaches, and sun tans.

Mint-Glazed Butter Thins (adapted from bon appetit)

3/4 cup of sugar

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract, divided

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons (or so) of milk

Position oven racks in the upper and lower third of the oven.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly spray two cookie sheets.  Mix together the first four ingredients together plus 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract and salt in a large bowl until fluffy.  Beat in flower.

Place powdered sugar into medium bowl, and using a tablespoon to measure, measure and roll up dough into balls.  Roll balls in powdered sugar until coated and place on baking sheet.  Use a flat-bottom cup to push balls into rounds.  Bake for 8 minutes, switch racks and then bake for 9 minutes more or until edges become golden brown.

While baking, take the remaining powdered sugar and whisk in milk until desired texture and thickness is reached.  Take cookies out of oven and place them on cooling rack.  Spoon glaze over cookies while warm.  Let cool.  And enjoy!

A few months back I entered the Chocolate Adventure Contest.  The grand prize is $1,000.  A grand.  Sign me up.  At least for trying.  I mean I honestly didn’t think that I would win, but I can’t deny that I often thought of getting an email informing me of my congratulations that my recipe was oh, so, delicious.  Kind of like how when I swim laps I can often hear the commentator of the Olympics saying “Can you believe she started her swimming career only a few short years ago, when she was pregnant?  In her college swimming pool in which she snuck into?”  Those kinds of thoughts.

But no such prize came from this submission.  And I wont be winning a gold medal for swimming, or really attending the Olympics anytime soon.  But, I had the courage to try and that is what matters.  I may not have won the prize but I enjoyed hours of collaboration and testing with my mom, dad, and husband, as well as multiple evenings of trying this dessert before I came up with the finished product.  And I wouldn’t trade that for anything.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Creme Brulee

1/2 cup granulated sugar

4 egg yolks

1 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

6 ounces semi sweet chocolate baking chunks

1/2 heaping tablespoons natural, creamy peanut butter

1 tablespoon (or so) granulated sugar

Gradually beat the sugar into the egg yolks until they well mixed and double in thickness.  Slowly pour hot cream that has been boiled in a large saucepan into egg mixture, still beating until combined.  Place entire mixture back into saucepan and set over medium heat, stirring constantly until sauce thickens.  Add in chocolate baking chunks, and mix in until fully melted.  Once melted, add in peanut butter, and mix until well combined.  Keep mixing until mixture is thick, and uniform.  Do not allow mixture to boil, and use a thermometer to test degrees, only allowing maximum temperature to reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit.  Remove from heat, continuing to stir, until cooled to almost room temperature.  Divide into four small porcelain ramekins, and place into refrigerator with plastic covering, touching the top of the custard in each dish. After about four hours of chilling, sprinkle a thin layer of granulated sugar on top of each dish, and use a torch (yes a kitchen torch) to just brown the sugar and create a hard shell on top of custard.  Serve immediately.

“Perfect” is such an odd term and one that I don’t use lightly.  So I actually, guess, I should not have used it for this post.  But, this pie is as close to perfect in a pie as one can get.  It’s simple, easy, and the best thing about pies, is that like cake decorating, you can get  pretty darn creative in your decorating.

Get your favorite cookie cutter, or the one for the upcoming holiday, hence the star.  And you will cut away.  Don’t feel like you are using too much pie crust.  There is no such thing.  And if mid bite you feel like you might be, then just add some ice cream on top.  You know, smooth it out.

I am not at all embarrassed to admit that I used two pie crusts for this topping.  That’s right, two.  Embrace that.  If you want to use one, I wont tell.  But seriously, be generous and cut away.

And look at this flakiness. So delicious.  Please make this.  Use fresh peaches, but go ahead and buy the crust.  It’s just plain easier.  Less prep means the sooner you can eat it.

Perfect Peach Pie (adapted from Better Homes and Gardens)

1/2 cup of sugar

2 tablespoons quick cooking tapioca

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

6 cups sliced, peeled fresh peaches.

3 frozen pie crusts.  One for the bottom, two for the cut-out top.

Place frozen pie pastries in room temp until defrosted. In a large bowl stir together sugar, tapioca, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Set aside.  Peel peaches and eat some along the way.  Add the peaches to the filling and fold until all the peaches are covered in the mixture.  Let this sit for about 20 minutes.  Preheat the oven to 375.  Open up pie pastry packages and set aside the one you will use for the bottom.  Combine two of the pie pastries and roll out into one long pastry.  Use cookie cutter and cut out pieces until enough are available to cover  the top of the pie.  Place pie filling into crust, and place pieces of crust on top of filling, layering until you think there is enough.  The peaches will seem overwhelming, and just go with it.  Place pie on cookie sheet and cover the edge of the pie crust to prevent too much browning with foil.  Bake for 25 minutes.  Remove the foil. Bake for another 25-30 minutes until filling is bubbly and the pastry is golden brown.  Cool on wire rack and enjoy every bite.

There are a few dishes that my mom cooked when we were little that will forever remind me of home. And Chicken Divan is one of them.  Comfort food but still pretty healthy, and delicious.  Start with some cooked broccoli and layer the bottom of a casserole dish.

And then make a concoction of condensed cream of mushroom soup, mayo, curry powder and lemon juice.  Mix by hand until combined, and set aside.  I know this sounds crazy, and well, it’s crazy good!

Brown some chicken breasts in a skillet with a bit of olive oil and once they are cooked, place them on top of the broccoli, just like so.  I hardly ever brown chicken but I trust my mom on this one, and she was right!  You will see why.

Pour the soup/mayo/curry/lemon mixture on top of chicken, and don’t worry to much if it is not all the way covered.  This will add moisture and flavor, but pairs so well with the taste of the brown chicken.  Without the chicken being browned, I am sure that this would be too mushy, and not flavorful enough.

Now, turn the oven on to 350 degrees and let it preheat.  In the mean time cut up a few bread crumbs and grate about 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese.  Sprinkle cheese on top as the next layer, with the bread crumbs topping off the casserole.  Finally, put a few thin slices of butter sporadically on top.  Once oven is heated, place inside and cook for 25-30 minutes or until entire dish is warm, cheese is melted and bread crumbs are slightly brown.  Serve immediately and enjoy!

It’s easy, delicious, and full of comfort.  Enjoy!

Mama’s Chicken Divan

2-3 cups of cooked chicken breasts

2 cans condensed cream of mushroom soup

1 cup mayonaise

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon curry powder

2-3 cups broccoli spears (enough to cover the bottom of the pan)

1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

1 cup bread crumbs

a few dollops of butter

Follow directions as given above!

I’ve decided, beyond what the traditionalists say, that it’s officially summer.  And do you know what that means? Doughnut Days.  Each year the family goes on a vacation to Del Mar, CA.  Have you been there?  Go there. And see this.

The view from our wedding site and favorite pic nic site.

And see this.  And then when the races begin, get up early and go to Doughnut Days at the track.  It’s all you can eat doughnuts, a little bit of watching the ponies work out, and lots of fun.

Sprinkles?

Glazed?

Or crumb doughnut.  Is that technical term? Crumb?

Wash those doughnuts down with OJ or,

…way too much cream and sugar.

See those hands and those binoculars?  They belonged to an experience doughnut eater and handicapper.

That expert is my dad.  I think his record for doughnut day is 11 doughnuts.  And do you see those bones?  Yes, not covered by one ounce of fat.  How is this fair or possible?  Don’t ask.  My husband’s the same way.  Can’t. Stand. It.

Watch out.  He’s a serious eater.  One time, he ate an 11 egg omelet with 4 pancakes and 3 strips of bacon, and then dessert.

So you know where I’ll be this summer.  If you stop by Del Mar, please say hi to me and my thighs.  Because with doughnut days, who even knows. But in all seriousness, can you help me get a jumpstart?  What’s your favorite homemade doughnut recipe?  Maybe I’ll have my very own doughnut day at my house.  Just to see if dad can out eat his record.

I’ve never had Blondies until this moment.  I’m a brunette, and so the thought of ditching the chocolate in a brownie seemed like I was buying blonde hair dye to cover up these dark locks of mine.  Which, of course, I have done.

But the truth is, I have nothing against Blondies, or blondes for that matter.  I’ve tried to be one, a blonde that is, and this week I ate a million Blondies.  I could sit here and count them, but frankly you would be shocked and appalled and I might be too.

But what really sealed the deal was a big glass of milk.  Serious.  If you didn’t want a Blondie yet, you will now.

Just look at that.  The perfect dip stays in the milk long enough to let the Blondie become saturated in milk, but not so long that it becomes soggy.  This takes practice.  So try out a few, or a million.

And these, my friends are made with whole wheat flour and a touch of Maple Syrup.  So if that makes you feel better, then great!

P.S. I want everyone to know that I wrote this post while watching Coyote Ugly on TV. And I cried while watching it.  And got goosebumps.

Whole Wheat Maple Blondies adapted from Better Homes and Garden

makes 36 bite-sized Blondies

2 cups light brown sugar

2/3 cup butter

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon maple syrup

2 cups whole-wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Grease the bottom and sides of a 13x9x2 inch baking pan.  In a medium to large saucepan over medium heat and heat brown sugar and butter.  Continue to mix slowly until butter is melted and the butter and brown sugar are smooth.  Remove from heat, stirring.  Whisk together eggs in separate bowl, and pour slowly in a thin stream into butter and sugar mixture.  Be sure to whisky thoroughly as the eggs hit the mixture, as it will still be hot and could cause scrambled eggs to appear!  Once eggs are fully incorporated, stir in vanilla and  1 tablespoon maple syrup.  Place saucepan over medium heat, and stir in flour one cup at a time, followed by baking powder and baking soda.  Now, your batter is ready.

Pour batter into the greased pan, and tap on counter to even out the batter. Pour remaining Maple Syrup in a zig-zag over the top of the batter, so it can bake into the Blondies. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes, or until an insert comes out clean when inserted.  Let cool for a few minutes, and cut while warm.  Enjoy