Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle

This Thanksgiving I decided to make something different for dessert that I thought most everyone would enjoy, and they did! It was a Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle. I will say that the next time I make this, and there will be a next time, I will layer them in Individual Trifle Bowls
I think that the presentation is beautiful in one large bowl however, unless you have an army of people that you're serving you won't make a dent in the trifle. Thus, leaving a half eaten bowl of a luscious dessert that's difficult to store.

I think arranging the ingredients in individual trifle bowls or deep small glasses with or without a stem would suffice and quite frankly wouldn't take much more time to prep for. If you're not looking for the WOW factor of presenting this dish you could even layer it in a 9x13 glass bowl.

This dessert turned out so delicious! The colors layered together look like fall and although brown isn't the most appetizing color of food, this dish was scrumptuous.

I combined several recipes that I've used before plus a recipe for the Guinness Gingerbread Cake in Nigella Lawsons new book, Nigella Kitchen: Recipes from the Heart of the Home A great book with lots of wonderful recipes.

This Gingerbread Cake is so good and moist. Although finding Lyle's Golden Syrup wasn't easy, I did find it at Global Foods here in St Louis, and it can be ordered online as well. You could substitute it with a light molasses but after tasting Lyle's Golden Syrup I would definitely try to locate it in your area or order it. It had a smooth rich buttery taste, nothing that I had ever tasted before. It's well worth it to find it.

In addition, I had planned to make a homemade pumpkin pudding and was certain I had all the ingredients on hand. However, when I went to put them together I noticed I didn't have enough of one ingredient. So I used 2 packages of instant vanilla pudding that I had on hand, then added the pumpkin pie filling and doctored it up a bit as you can see below in my recipe. It turned out as good as homemade.

The whipped cream filling and topping I make this way, so that it holds up and doesn't collapse. It's perfect for fillings and quite tasty.

I hope that if you try this recipe, you will love it just as much as my family and friends did. In fact, it improves with flavor as the days go by without the gingerbread getting soggy.

Here's my recipe:

Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle
serves 15-20


Guiness Gingerbread Cake

Ingredients:

•1 1/4 sticks 10 (tablespoons) butter, plus some for greasing
•1 cup golden syrup (such as Lyle's)
•1 cup (packed) plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
•1 cup stout (such as Guinness), which I used
•2 teaspoons ground ginger
•2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
•1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
•2 cups all-purpose flour
•2 teaspoons baking soda
•1 1/4 cups sour cream
•2 eggs
•1 rectangular aluminium foil pan or cake pan, approximately 13 by 9 by 2-inches

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Line your cake pan with aluminium foil and grease it, or grease your foil tray.

Put the butter, syrup, dark brown sugar, stout, ginger, cinnamon and ground cloves into a pan and melt gently over a low heat.

Take off the heat and whisk in the flour and baking soda. You will need to be patient and whisk thoroughly to get rid of any lumps.

Whisk the sour cream and eggs together in a measuring jug and then beat into the gingerbread mixture, whisking again to get a smooth batter.

Pour this into your cake/foil pan, and bake for about 45 minutes; when it's ready it will be gleamingly risen at the centre, and coming away from the pan at the sides.

Let the gingerbread cool before cutting into slices or squares.

Pumpkin Pudding:

2 boxes vanilla instant pudding (3 1/8 oz size)
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin pie filling
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp pure vanilla

Prepare vanilla pudding according to package instructions.

Combine pudding with the pumpkin pie filling. Fold in brown sugar and spices. Cover and chill.

Whipped Cream Filling and Topping:

4 cups chilled heavy cream
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla

Beat cream with sugar and vanilla using mixer until it holds soft peaks.


Assemble trifle:

Put half of gingerbread cubes in 2 quart trifle bowl. Top with half of pumpkin pudding, then half of the whipped cream. Repeat layering once more with all of remaining gingerbread, pudding, and cream. Chill at least 2 hours before serving. Best if assembled the same day.


Note:

Gingerbread (uncut) can be made up to week ahead. Wrap in parchment paper followed by a layer of plastic wrap and stored in an airtight container in a cool place. Gingerbread will keep for a total of two weeks.

Trifle, can be made a day ahead but will look best if prepped the day you serve it.

Garnish:

With Crumbled Gingersnap cookies, Crystallized ginger or candied pecans

Trifle can be made in a large trifle dish, Individual Trifle Bowls or deep glasses.

Enjoy!

ALERT! Thanksgiving Foods can be Toxic to your Dog!

Thanksgiving Day is a time to be thankful for everything we have and those around us. Although, while everyone gathers in the kitchen to cook, eat and mingle, oftentimes bits of food may drop onto the ground or you may willingly hand your dog a nibble, not realizing it can be toxic to them.

Keep raisins and grapes out of reach of your dog, as dogs will ingest almost anything. Make sure that all family members are aware of the toxic capability of this food, as well as other foods that have been found to be toxic to pets, such as chocolate, onions, garlic, etc. And if you do discover that your dog has ingested raisins or grapes, act immediately to avoid complicating the situation.

Ingesting raisins or grapes can cause renal failure to your pet and even death. Like most people I know, we are thankful for the wonderful loving relationship we have with our animals.

Don't be careless this Thanksgiving or through the holiday season. Take caution when preparing foods to insure that your beloved friend doesn't get any scraps.

For more information check out this site.

Wishing everyone a Happy and Healthy Thanksgiving that's filled with lots of joy, laughter, family, friends, pets and great food!

Homemade Cranberry Sauce is a Cinch!

With the long list of items on a Thanksgiving menu many people just opt to purchase the cans of Cranberry Sauce or buy some already made at a store. Honestly though, homemade Cranberry Sauce is probably the easiest thing to make. In fact, I think the whole meal is simple, so long as you spread out the cooking. Otherwise, you're just plain exhausted to even enjoy the meal.

My family likes your basic sauce, nothing fancy. This is how I make it and it's perfect everytime. Here's all you need:

Cranberry Sauce
serves 6-8



1 (12 oz) package fresh cranberries, rinsed and stems removed, if any
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup fresh orange juice

Place ingredients in a saucepan



bring to a boil.



Reduce heat and simmer until the cranberries pop, the sauce thickens and reduces slightly.



Turn off the heat and set aside to cool completely.



Then once cooled, cover and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

I made mine today for Thursday. The longer it sits the better it gets. This will keep for a good 2 weeks, refrigerated.

Why bother buying it when it's so simple to make? Plus if you want to doctor it up a bit use brown sugar instead of white and add some orange zest as well.

Enjoy!

How to Make Popovers - Just in time for Thanksgiving!

Ever since I ate a popover many years ago at The Zodiac Restaurant in Neiman Marcus I've been in love with them. These light airy hot little puffs of soft delicate bread captured my heart and palate.

Of course, I'm not the only one. Both my children fell in love with them as well when they dined with me for the first time at Neiman Marcus.

I knew this was something I had to learn to make. So over the years I've tested various ways of making and baking them to finally come up with a version that seems to be tried and true.

Now each Thanksgiving my family insists that I make popovers. They are perfect for the Thanksgiving meal that's typically filled with carbohydrates and fat.

Of course what would Thanksgiving be without some sort of bread at the table? Why not a piping hot, fresh out of the oven, light and airy popover puff? They satisfy that bread craving without filling you up too much.

Many of my clients and friends over the years have asked me how to make popovers. So this year I decided I would put together a video to share with them and all of my viewers. I included every single step plus I've posted the recipe below this video.

I had to shorten the video to fit on my blog and other sites but it's still about 10 minutes long. I know that sounds like a long time but you're sure to get the full details on how to make these luscious puffs.

I hope you enjoy my video on "How To Make Popovers" and have the chance to try them this Thanksgiving.



Perfect Popovers
Makes 12 small or 6 large

Ingredients:

3 eggs, room temperature
1 cup milk, room temperature (I use skim)
3 Tbsp. Canola Oil
1 cup, all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Popover Pan

Instructions for cooking in Convection mode and Bake mode:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees in either convection/bake mode or just bake.

While preparing the batter spray your popover pan with a non-stick cooking spray and place in the oven to heat up.

If eggs and milk are not at room temperature heat eggs (removed from their shell) for approximately 12 -15 seconds and milk for about 20-30 seconds in the microwave.

Whisk eggs, milk and oil together. Sift flour and add to the egg mixture. Add the salt and beat mixture together until it's smooth and free of any clumps.

Take popover pan out of the oven and place a small bit of butter into each popover cup (as shown in the video).

Pour batter 3/4 way full into each popover cup. If you run short and one of the cups is empty add water filling up about 1/2 way.

Place filled pan into the 400 degree oven and bake for:

Convection/Bake 20 minutes

Bake: 30 minutes



(This is how they will look after the first 20-30 minutes)

Then, leaving the oven door closed, reduce heat to 325 degrees.

At this time if you were cooking in the convection mode switch to BAKE. Cook for an additional 5-15 minutes keeping a close eye on the popovers.

You'll know that they are done when they turn a nice golden brown, as seen in my video and at the top of this page.

Note: You can use a muffin pan if you like, but the popover pan produces a much prettier popover.

Popovers are best when baked just before serving. Serve hot with butter, strawberry butter, pumpkin butter, plain or with whatever you desire.

Enjoy!

Beet Juice and Dementia

Many of us know someone or have a family member who may be suffering from dementia. So when I read this article I thought I would share it with my readers.

Of course, any one of us could suffer from dementia as well, in the years to come. If you knew of a natural remedy to help ward it off wouldn't you consider trying it? I know I would.

This article has shown that drinking beet juice daily can increase blood flow to the brain in older adults,thus combating the progression of dementia.

I found the article very interesting and thought I'd share it with you here.

For help on caring for a loved one that has Dementia or Alzheimers living in your home check out Aging In Place Home Solutions.

I think I'll be heading to the market today to pick up a bottle of Beet Juice. I've never been fond of beets except Golden Beets which I find to be very sweet and I do like Borscht. Hopefully the juice will be tasty.

Culinary Class Poll!

As you know I teach in-home culinary classes through my business At Home with Vicki Bensinger.

Since 2004 when I brought my classes into your home I've had customers ask me when I taught a particular class, could they attend. Since the classes are all privately held in an individuals home I haven't been able to honor that request.

However, recently I've been toying with the idea of hosting a hands on culinary class at a specific location (4-6 times a year) and inviting my customers to join me there.

If I hosted this, would you be interested in attending? If so, which of the classes listed below would you be most interested in OR what type of class would you like to see offered?

This is a small sampling from my culinary class menus.

Knife Skills
Asian Appetizers
Sushi
Mediterranean Feast
Sangria & Paella
Entertaining Menus - offering a choice of one of these entrees'including side dishes and a luscious dessert:
*Stuffed Chicken Breast with Roasted Red Pepper Coulis
*Individual Beef Wellingtons with a Port Wine Sauce
*Sea Bass with Roasted Vegetables

Your feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Class size for these hands on classes would be limited!

I look forward to your reply.

Turkey Day Tips!

Thanksgiving is just 15 days away. It's traditionally the start of the winter holidays and where many of us spend hours on end cooking for family and friends. I love this time of year but many dread it and worry about how their meals are going to turn out and if they'll have enough food for everyone.

Are you always stumped when it comes to how much turkey to order for Thanksgiving? Well, a good rule of thumb is one pound per person. However, if your family is like mine we like to have plenty of leftovers. If you want leftovers as well, figure 1 1/2 pounds of turkey per person. That way you'll have enough to cover you through the weekend, depending on how you eat and even some to share with your guests if you like.










If you've never made a turkey before and are already stressing about the big day - DON'T!!! Making a turkey is the easiest thing in the world to prepare. You basically pop it in the oven and take it out hours later when the inner part of the thigh reaches 180(F)degrees, the breast reaches 165(F)degrees and the juices run clear when pierced.

I always stuff my turkey but many prefer to keep the stuffing on the side, which is perfectly fine. If you also stuff your turkey, make sure to put the stuffing in just before you place the turkey in the oven to avoid any bacteria to grow. You can even heat the stuffing up a bit which some say helps avoid bacteria growth. I've never had a problem stuffing mine though and I've been stuffing my turkey for years. Just be sure your oven has had plenty of time to preheat before setting the bird in the oven.

In addition, if you want to insure you have a moist turkey when it's done, add at least an inch of chicken broth or water in the bottom of the pan.

If you don't have a rack to place your turkey on, then cut up some carrots, celery and potatoes and place them in the bottom of your roasting pan. Then place the turkey on top. The vegetables will act as a rack and while the turkey is cooking it will flavor the veggies and cook them making for a nice platter of turkey and vegetables. In addition, the potatoes will help to thicken the gravy from the liquid that you originally added to the pan. Serve as is, or doctor the drippings for an even more flavorful gravy.

Don't forget to check out my perfect gravy everytime tip!










If you have any turkey questions feel free to email me at vkb2@hotmail.com, post a question on this blog, or go to the Butterball homepage where they offer a host of answers and videos for any question you may have regarding your turkey.

Butterball has a great site and even a 1-800 hotline for you to call on Thanksgiving Day. Whether you're roasting, grilling, frying or smoking your turkey, Butterball.com has the answers 24/7.

Stay tuned for my upcoming video on how to make Popovers. One of the dishes my family insists I make every Thanksgiving. These light and airy popovers are a cinch to make, beautiful to look at and delicious to eat. My video will be up sometime within the week.

Until then feel free to email me with any of your Thanksgiving Day questions.

Holiday Culinary Classes For Adults & Children

Looking for a fun party idea for you and your friends this holiday season? Need to come up with some creative activities to do with your children while their off school? Consider having an in-home culinary class.



Gingerbread House Making Party (ages 7 and up)

Your kids will love cutting out, baking, constructing and decorating their very own house that they'll be able to display on the mantle for everyone to see. Whether you gather up your family, your children's friends, host a holiday party or birthday celebration, it's sure to be the talk of the town.

Holiday Cookies (ages 7 and up)

Create and bake several unique and delicious holiday cookies that will WOW everyone in this fun class!

Entertaining Menu (Adults)

Show off to your friends what an incredible cook you are by preparing one of my Entertaining Menus. Or, invite your friends to gather around your kitchen while everyone learns these great recipes.

•Individual Beef Wellingtons with Port Wine Sauce
•Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Roasted Red Pepper Coulis
•Sea Bass with Roasted Red Peppers, Corn and Tomato Salsa



With one of many luscious desserts such as Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes to choose from.

This is just a sampling of the entree's I offer that include a host of dishes to go with each one.

For the complete list of menus and pricing please contact me at vkb2@hotmail.com.

French Fridays Roast Chicken for Les Paresseux

Today is French Fridays with Dorie where I among other members of Dorie's cooking club post photos of a recipe that we created from her book. This month we have 4 recipes to prepare where we choose which ones to fix each week. This week I made the Roast Chicken for Les Paresseux.

Les Paresseux are lazy people, and this is a recipe perfect for them - and the rest of us too - because once you put the chicken in the oven, you've got nothing more to do but pull it out when the timer buzzes ninety minutes or so later.

The recipe is so simple to prepare. Although I'm not allowed to share the recipe it's just basically a whole chicken with various veggies and liquid that roast for 90 minutes with a special treat set beneath the chicken as it roasts. YUM!

This is something I could see preparing on a weekly basis especially when time is of the essence and I have other things to do besides stand in front of the stove for two hours.

This recipe along with the one I posted last Friday for Marie-Helene's Apple Cake are from Dorie Greenspans book Around My French Table. The book is stunning with beautiful photos and more than 300 recipes. You owe it to yourself to check out the book or purchase it from Amazon or your local bookstore. The recipes all appear to be user friendly with incredible results.

Next Friday, I'm not sure which recipe I'll select but I'm certain it will taste as good if not better than the others I've tried.

Oh and by the way, feel free to join the cooking club as well. There are no fees or requirements other than purchasing the book to get the recipes. The best part is you meet new foodies, share ideas, and learn lots of great french recipes. You have nothing to lose!

Can You Guess What This Is?

Were you able to guess what's in the photo? Of course, NOT! I bet you thought they were mashed potatoes. Well guess again.

If you're like me you're already thinking how you need to start watching what you eat before the holidays come in full force. I've definitely overdone it with candy just since Halloween which was only 2 days ago. Now I've got to start thinking about my menu for Thanksgiving. The total carb holiday! OMG!

Well here's one way you can reduce that carb intake for those at your table watching their waistlines decrease rather than increase. Try making this unbelieveably delicious Mashed Cauliflower dish. That's right. Mashed Cauliflower.

If I didn't try it for myself I would have never guessed it would have tasted so heavenly. In fact, when I made them this evening I found myself going back for seconds then thirds and finally I had to put them away. Otherwise, I would have eaten what was left. Afterall, there's just two of us now, not a house full. So leftovers go a long way.

This recipe couldn't be easier and rather than loading up on the carbs whether it's for Thanksgiving or any meal for that matter, why not try Mashed Cauliflower? You might even fool your guests, that is, until they take a taste. But I think they'll love them.

Mashed Cauliflower
serves 4

1 medium head cauliflower
1 14 oz. can low sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Cut cauliflower into florets and place in a medium size saucepan.

Pour Broth over cauliflower

Cover and heat to boiling over medium high heat and boil for approximately 20 minutes or until the cauliflower is fork tender. Drain cauliflower well.

Place cauliflower back into the saucepan and mash well with a potato masher or use an immersion blender and blend until smooth. Stir in parmesan cheese and serve.

Surprisingly delicious! Try it - I think you'll like it.