There is something magical about a pecan pie. It seems to be the perfectly balanced dessert. Gooey & crunchy; sweet & salty; simple & complex – it is one of those dishes I can’t ever turn down.
This super easy recipe uses pre-made pie crust and will have them clamouring for more. Give it a try!
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Southern Pecan Pie
Adapted from Guy Fieri for Food Network Magazine
Serves: 8
Ingredients:
1 sheet refrigerated piecrust (half a 15-ounce package)
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 1/3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
2 cups toasted pecan halves
Freshly whipped cream, for serving
Preparation:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Unroll the piecrust and place in a 9-inch pie plate. Fold the overhang under and crimp the edge with a fork or your fingers.
- Whisk the corn syrup, brown sugar, salt, butter and vanilla in a medium bowl. Lightly beat the eggs in a small bowl, then whisk into the corn syrup mixture.
- Finely chop 1/2 cup pecans and spread evenly over the piecrust. Roughly chop another 1/2 cup pecans and mix into the corn syrup mixture, then pour the filling into the crust. Arrange the remaining 1 cup pecans on top in a decorative pattern.
- Bake the pie until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Cool completely on a rack. Serve with whipped cream.
Filed under: Recipe on December 23rd, 2010 | Comments Off on Southern Pecan Pie
Everything about this recipe was deliciously good. The sauce was very similar to one you’d find on take-out Orange Chicken. However, served on medium-rare beef it was refreshingly light and flavourful. The scallions and red pepper flakes add the necessary punctuations to counterbalance the sweet sauce.
I served it alongside rice but it would go great with some stir-fry noodles of just about any kind.
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Tangerine Beef with Scallions
Adapted from Food Network Magazine
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds beef tri-tip steak or similar
1 tangerine
4 scallions, sliced, plus more for garnish
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons sugar
3 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch of red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons orange preserves
Preparation:
- Pierce the steak with a fork several times on each side. Remove a 2-inch strip of zest from the tangerine, halve the fruit and squeeze the juice into a resealable plastic bag. Add the zest, scallions, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, garlic, pepper flakes and 1/4 cup water to the bag and mix well. Add the meat, seal the bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate overnight.
- Preheat the broiler with a broiler pan in place. Remove the steak from the bag and reserve the marinade. Pat the meat dry and place on the preheated broiler pan. Cook, without turning, until the meat is golden brown, about 10 minutes for medium-rare. Let rest 5 to 10 minutes before slicing; reserve the drippings.
- Meanwhile, boil the marinade in a small pot over medium-high heat until slightly thickened. Stir in the orange preserves and the drippings from the meat. Slice the meat against the grain and top with scallions. Serve with the sauce.
Filed under: Recipe on December 16th, 2010 | Comments Off on Tangerine Beef with Scallions
I’ve always steered away from making ravioli as I always though it would be too much work. When I came across this recipe for a pumpkin version it was just too tempting.
This dish worked out perfectly. It uses wonton wrappers for the ravioli, so it’s really no fuss. The delicious pockets of savoury pumpkin, tossed with melted butter, shaved Parmesan and freshly chopped herbs made this a delight to the senses. Give it a try, you’ll be amazed how easy it is!
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Pumpkin Ravioli
Adapted from Foodland Ontario
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
1 cup pumpkin purée
1 tablespoon butter, cut into tiny pieces
1 1/2 teaspoon cornmeal
1 teaspoon crumbled dried sage
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and pepper
36 wonton wrappers
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley
Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
Preparation:
- In a medium bowl, combine pumpkin purée, butter, cornmeal, sage, thyme, salt and pepper to taste.
- Working with 6 wrappers at a time, brush edges lightly with egg. Place 1 heaping teaspoon of pumpkin mixture in the centre of each. Fold each wrapper over into a triangle and press the edges to seal well. Place on a baking sheet and
- cover with damp tea towel. Repeat with remaining filling and wrappers.
- In a large pot of boiling water, cook the ravioli in 4 batches, until tender, about 4 to 5 minutes per batch. Remove with a slotted spoon; gently toss with butter and parsley. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.
Filed under: Recipe on December 7th, 2010 | Comments Off on Pumpkin Ravioli
