Homemade Irish Cream

I've never been much of a drinker but I've always loved Bailey's Irish Cream, especially in my coffee after dinner. There's something about the flavor that for me, is the perfect ending to a perfect meal. So of course when I found out I could make Irish Cream I thought why not try it.

Well I couldn't believe how delicious it tasted. In fact, I think it's even better than Bailey's Irish Cream and if I want to I can add as much or as little Whisky to it as I like.

With New Years just 3 days from now, many of us will still have another party to attend. If you're like me, I always like to bring some sort of hostess gift. This homemade Irish Cream makes for a unique gift for the New Year! Who doesn't like Irish Cream?

Whether you serve it straight up on the rocks, over coffee, or even in a milk shake it's amazing! Your guests will be begging you for this recipe.

The best part is, you can make several bottles to give as gifts for a fraction of what it would cost to purchase Bailey's Irish Cream in the store.

So what are you waiting for? Try this recipe today, if not to give as a gift, then for yourself. I'm sure you'll agree with me, it's heavenly!

Oh, and one other thing. If you're not a fan of almond extract try using coconut. It gives it a whole new flavor that you may even like better.

Homemade Irish Cream Liqueur

1 cup of Jameson’s Irish whiskey (or any Irish whiskey you like)
1 (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp. chocolate syrup
2 tsp. instant espresso
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract

Place all ingredients except the whisky in a container and blend. Once blended add the whisky and blend again. That's all there is to it.

Before pouring into bottles you may want to strain the Irish Cream through a fine mesh strainer to be sure there aren't any larger coffee grains left.
















This recipe was able to fill 2 (330ml) Perrier bottles. They come in a 4 pack. I just removed the labels and washed them well. Then using a funnel, pour the Irish Cream into the bottles and tie a bow around it stating what it is, that it needs refrigeration and when it expires.

This is best served after it's had time to chill in the refrigerator. The homemade Irish Cream can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one month. However, it's so delicious I'm sure it won't last that long.

Enjoy!

Christmas Tequila Cocktail

Looking to bring something different for the hostess next time you get invited to that holiday party? Well over this next week I'll share with you some fun alcoholic homemade beverages you can bring that are sure to to bring a smile to their faces.

How about creating a Christmas Cocktail made with Tequila? It's simple to prepare but just needs to be made at least a day ahead. I know, today is Christmas however, if you have the ingredients on hand you can make it and still bring it today advising them to wait until tomorrow to try it. Otherwise, there's no reason you can't have it after Christmas! Afterall, New Years is still 6 days away!

First, you infuse a bottle of silver tequila. (Corzo Tequila, which created this recipe, has the benefit of a decanter-like bottle as well.) Then, you use the infused tequila to make a cocktail—or simply enjoy it straight.

Christmas Tequila Cocktail Gift

Ingredients:

1 part infused tequila (recipe below)
1 part apple juice
1 part simple syrup (recipe below)
4-6 apples for infusion plus apple slices for garnish (you can use all green apples, all red, or a combination)
6-10 cinnamon sticks for infusion

Preparation:

1. Infuse tequila a day in advance. Empty 1/3 of the tequila into a second container (a large glass jar will do). Infuse both the the tequila bottle and the second jar at the same time.

2. Slice apples to fit through mouth of bottle. Add cinnamon sticks. Infuse until ready to create cocktails.

3. Shake ingredients—infused tequila, apple juice and simple syrup—with ice and strain into a martini glass.

4. When the Tequila bottle is drained, refill from the second container.


Simple Syrup Recipe

Granulated sugar does not dissolve easily in cold beverages. Simple syrup makes it easy to add sweetness to drinks. You can make simple syrup easily and keep it on hand, or you can buy organic cane syrup in natural food stores.

Using the proportion of 2 parts sugar to three parts water, fill a bottle almost halfway with sugar; add hot water.

Cover the top and shake well.

Add flavor if desired.

Store in a cool, dry place.

Look for more great homemade holiday hostess gifts in the days to come.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

From My House To Yours

MAY ALL YOUR CHRISTMAS WISHES COME TRUE!

Vicki Bensinger

Easy Overnight Caramel Pecan Rolls for Christmas Morning

So you're having your entire family in town for the holidays and their staying at your house. You have a long list of groceries to purchase, food to prepare and you're already exhausted.

Plus, Christmas morning you're serving a HUGE breakfast for everyone. Wouldn't it be nice to do as much of the prepping ahead that you can?

Caramel Pecan rolls seem to be a Christmas morning tradition for so many families. Instead of slaving over making those caramel rolls to go with your egg casserole or fritatta, why not try these Easy Overnight Caramel Pecan Rolls. Not only are they a cinch to prepare but they taste as good as the ones we spend hours rolling out and making from scratch and as good if not better than the ones you might order.

I've been making this recipe for years and it never fails, everyone gobbles them up. So whether you're making them for Christmas morning, a luncheon, or dinner they're sure to be a hit.

I know the ingredients may sound a bit strange but trust me, these are worth trying.

Easy Overnight Caramel Pecan Rolls

1/2 cup chopped pecans

20 frozen, unbaked bread rolls (do not thaw)



1 package (3 1/2 oz.) dry butterscotch pudding (not instant)

1/2 cup unsalted butter

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Butter a 12-inch Bundt pan. Sprinkle bottom of pan evenly with chopped pecans.

Place bread rolls in pan, touching and filling the bottom first, then layering on top.

Sprinkle dry pudding evenly over top of rolls. Set aside.



In a small saucepan, melt butter over low heat, then stir in the brown sugar and cinnamon and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved. Pour butter mixture evenly over bread rolls and pudding mixture.

Leave uncovered and place in a cool oven or on your kitchen counter overnight. (The rolls will rise over the top of the pan.)



When you wake up that next morning, bake the rolls in a 350 degree oven for 25 to 35 minutes. Place a foil lined cookie sheet under the bundt pan to catch any drippings while baking.

Once cooked, remove bundt pan from oven and let cool slightly in the pan.

When ready to serve, place a serving plate over the top of the Bundt pan. Holding the plate and pan together, flip them over so the plate is on the bottom and take off the Bundt pan.

The rolls hold together and are topped with a delicious caramel sauce with pecans. (See photo at the top of this page).

Pull the rolls apart with your hands as you serve them.

Note: Feel free to use walnuts instead of pecans if you prefer.

Enjoy!

Creating Holiday Traditions with Your Children

St Louis Kids Magazine contacted me last week since I teach culinary classes here in town. They wanted to hear my thoughts on the benefits of cooking with children during the holidays and throughout the year. In addition, the traditions or memories holiday baking can create.

Of course, I also shared with them what I felt some of the easiest holiday treats were to make with kids and the recipes.
















I've been teaching culinary classes for 18 years for children and adults. However, my greatest and personal experience was what I learned from cooking with my own children now 21 and 24. They are memories that I'll always cherish and never forget.

You can read the article and what I had to say here. Plus don't forget to try the fun recipes that I share, with your children this holiday.

Holiday Dessert for a Crowd!

I've been so busy lately I barely have time for anything. So last Saturday night when we decided on having a pot luck dinner party with 14 people, I had to come up with a menu that I could prep in advance.

Since I was teaching various culinary classes during the week, plus helping out for the holidays at a kitchen store, I came up with a menu that would allow me to be able to have little to prep on Saturday, especially since I had a class to teach earlier that day.

I decided on a Beef and Salmon dish while the other guests were bringing appetizers, side dishes, and dessert. However, not everyone responded telling me what dish they were bringing and on Thursday I realized I needed to throw together a dessert that would feed a crowd.

I decided to make some Peppermint Bark, a perfect quick sugar fix, along with a Texas Sheet Cake. This cake isn't too chocolatey or sweet but just right. Plus, it's light, airy and feeds a crowd.



The photos above are what's left at two different angles. The second photo is to show how thin and moist the cake is.

I hope if you make it this holiday, or for any occasion, you and your guests enjoy it.

Texas Sheet Cake
(serves 15-30 depending on slice size)

2 c flour
2 c sugar
½ tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 stick butter
1 c water
4 Tbsp. cocoa
1 c buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs

Place the oven rack in the center. Preheat oven to 400. Grease and flour (or Pam) and 11x17 pan (jellyroll pan).

In a large bowl, sift the flour and add the sugar, salt and baking soda. Stir the ingredients together. Set aside.

In a saucepan, bring the butter, water and cocoa to a boil.

To the large mixing bowl of dry ingredients, add the hot mixture. Then add the buttermilk, vanilla and eggs, beating after each ingredient.

Pour into the jelly roll pan and bake for 20 minutes.


Chocolate Icing

1 stick butter
6 tbsp buttermilk
3 round tbsp. cocoa
1 box sifted confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Bring the butter, milk and cocoa to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar and vanilla at once. Beat until smooth.
Frost while the cake is hot.
Can add chopped nuts if desired.

Enjoy!

Sea Bass with San Marzano Tomatoes

I don't know about you but I'm already feeling the effects of the holidays. With all the cooking and parties to attend laden with a smorgasbord of food, my waistline feels like it's spreading.

Don't get me wrong, I love all the party food, but honestly, last night all I wanted was some fish, something light and healthy. There was one drawback though, I was so tired from running around for days and cooking, that I didn't feel like putting much effort into making a meal.

So I decided to pick up some Sea Bass, a fish I love. It's light, buttery tasting without the butter and filling. I decided to make it like I often do, when I'm tired.

I simply take the Sea Bass, rinse it off, then place it in a foil lined pan. To that I add a can (remember I'm tired) of diced San Marzano tomatoes right over the fish.

San Marzano Tomatoes are the greatest tomatoes if you're using canned - even the Italians swear by it. In fact they are known as probably the most delicious tomatoes in the world! That's a pretty big statement.

I then added a chiffonade of 2 large fresh basil leaves and one clove of fresh garlic crushed on top of the tomatoes. Covered the top with foil and baked it all at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until bubbling.



As always this dish was delicious and effortless! After we ate the fish I rolled up the foil and put it in the trash. Then, I put the pan in the dishwasher and I was done.

Now how simple is that? Anyone can do it. In fact, if you don't like Sea Bass then use whatever fish appeals to you. I promise it will taste great!

Here are the ingredients laid out neatly:

Sea Bass with Tomatoes

4 (6-8 oz.) pieces of Sea Bass
1 large can San Marzano diced tomatoes
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 large pieces fresh basil, cut chiffonade style

That's it. The directions are as posted above.

Tip:

Try to think ahead this holiday season not to over-indulge, otherwise you'll regret it come the new year. This dish is so quick and easy to prepare there's no excuse not to eat healthy.

If you're going to a party, eat a little something before arriving, that way you won't feel ravenous and grab anything and everything to ward of your hunger the second you arrive at the event.

Note about San Marzano Tomatoes:

The San Marzano is an heirloom variety of plum tomato, originally planted in the town of the same name at the base of Mount Vesuvius. The volcanic soil and sunny climate grow tomatoes that are among the most sought-after on earth, with remarkable, sweet, intense tomato flavor. The variety is so good, that a version grown in the U.S., with the generic name San Marzano, is also spectacular—naturally sweet and luscious, with increasingly good distribution. In a marketplace of mediocre tomato sauces, a can of San Marzano tomatoes with absolutely no embellishment can be exquisite. Add some fresh herbs, and enter the gates of heaven. You can go further and add olive oil and garlic for a legitimate sauce; but these tomatoes, served as is, are all the legitimacy one needs. They’re also low calorie—as little as 25 calories per half cup. Be creative in how you use them—think outside the sauce.

I hope you enjoy this recipe!

Holiday Cookie Exchange!

I think the idea of a cookie exchange sounds like so much fun. Although I cook an enormous amount I never seem to have the time to host a cookie exchange. When I do think about having one it's usually too late to organize. Like today! I'd love to put one together but most people already have their plans and quite frankly I'm booked now with culinary classes and other events that I'm not even sure I could find the time to squeeze it in.

However, this morning I happened to run across a site that is strictly devoted to hosting a cookie exchange. I found it fun and fascinating to browse through and thought you might as well.

The site contains information on the Rules of a Cookie Exchange, Sample invitations, Party Games, Recipes, Links and all sorts of fun things. Even photos of people all over the world who have posted their own photos of their cookie exchanges.

Of course there are all sorts of wonderful books at Amazon.com on this subject. So if you're planning on hosting one anytime soon, check out this site or the Amazon link above to purchase some helpful information on the topic.

Next year I am definitely going to plan ahead and host my first cookie exchange. It sounds like a blast!

Happy Baking!

Roasted Campari Tomatoes

The other day I was at the store and saw this wonderful package of Campari tomatoes. I couldn't resist so I put them in my basket and decided I'd figure out what to make with them later.

Then last night I roasted a chicken for dinner and decided that just plain roasted tomatoes sounded great and refreshing to me. So I simply lined a sheet pan with heavy duty foil, rinsed and sliced each tomato in half through the stem, and laid them cut side up on the foil lined sheet pan, drizzling them lightly with extra-virgin olive oil.



I then took a head of garlic and smashed down on it with a knife so that the cloves would all separate. With skins still on I scattered the garlic cloves throughout the pan interspersing them around all the cut tomatoes. I then seasoned them with salt and pepper and put them in a 450 oven for 20-25 minutes.



This is the finished product. Although it doesn't look like the most beautiful dish, the flavor is amazing. It was perfect with the chicken and will be great on a sandwich with the leftover roasted chicken and grilled with some cheese. YUM!

This recipe is simple and delicious! If you like tomatoes I recommend you try it.

iSi Twist 'n Sparkle - Great Holiday Gadget!

There are so many great gadgets to use this time of year. As I had mentioned earlier in October I love the Vacuvin which makes a great gift to bring to a hostess but also one you can use as well.

However, my most recent discovery that I absolutely love is the iSi Twist 'n Sparkle.



Fresh, real, authentic, customized carbonated drinks at the twist of a wrist. The Twist 'n Sparkle is the newest tool from iSi products, that can carbonate practically any beverage of your choice. Juices, iced teas, cocktails, refreshing coolers, and dessert floats...sparkle up whatever you want!

Add a little effervescence to your life with this innovative direct carbonation system. Fun and easy to use, it adds bubbly carbonation to almost any beverage, creating a sparkling refresher. The Twist & Sparkle is exceptionally versatile - try it with everything from lemonade to margaritas.

•Easy-to-use charger adds festive fizz to almost any drink.
•Works with a wide variety of beverages - from lemonade and no-pulp fruit juices to your favorite cocktails and iced coffee drinks.
•Just fill the bottle with your favorite chilled beverage, then insert the sparkling wand and twist to carbonate.

The Twist and Sparkle is available exclusively at Williams Sonoma. Check out this video on how to use and purchase one. Plus check out these sparkling recipes. This is a favorite recipe of mine for adults and this is a fun recipe for the kids, both that I'm definitely going to be sure to create for the holidays.

I think the pomegranate martini is so festive plus try adding some pomegranate seeds to the glass and you've got a a great sparkling holiday beverage!

I don't know about you but at just under $50 it's a great gift and fun gadget you'll want to have for yourself and give as a gift. I love mine so much I've already purchased a couple to give for the holidays.

What are you waiting for? Get the Twist 'n Sparkle today before they're sold out!

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.

Halloween Treats!

I had some things that I needed to do this morning but had planned that after lunch I was going to make some fun treats to give to the handful of children on our street this evening. There are 8 small kids on the street and they and their parents all know me well. Otherwise, I would never consider baking something for them.

Last year I made them witch cupcakes. This year I had something else that I thought would be fun to give to them when they came trick-or-treating with their parents.

But, to my dismay none of them came. Over the past few years so many of the homes that had kids either moved, grew up or have senior citizens in them that don't open the doors when the kids ring the bell on Halloween. As a result, those families with young children go into subdivisions that have HUGE numbers of children.

So I made these really cute treats that I'd love to share with you. Sadly, the only kids that came to my door were strangers to me, so I couldn't offer them a homemade treat that was unwrapped.

BOO HOO! That's how I felt. Although my halloween snack wasn't difficult to make I was so looking forward to sharing them with my little friends. I guess I'll have to give them to family and friends tomorrow, otherwise my husband and I will end up eating all of them.

Anyway, these little cakes that I made are Halloween Oreo Pumpkin Cheesecakes. You can see in the photo at the top one of the cakes is sliced in half. Inside is an orange halloween oreo that's then covered with a pumpkin cheesecake filling and baked. YUM!

You could do something similar for the holidays with the red icing filled oreos and maybe a peppermint cheesecake or regular cheese cake decorated with a snowman on top, Christmas Tree or other holiday decoration. For today though I did a spider web in celebration of Halloween.

Here's the recipe. They're really quite good.

Halloween Oreo Pumpkin Cheesecakes
Serves 12

Ingredients:

•12 whole Halloween Oreos
•8 ounce pkg. Cream Cheese, softened
•½ cup Granulated Sugar
•½ teaspoon Pure Vanilla
•½ cup Pureed Pumpkin
•1 whole Egg
•¼ teaspoon Cinnamon
•⅛ teaspoon Nutmeg
•2 Tablespoons All-purpose Flour
•1 pinch Salt
•½ cups Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees (F). Spray a 12 muffin tin with non-stick spray. I used the butter variety. Place 1 Oreo in the bottom of each muffin tin. Set aside.

In large bowl, whip cream cheese and sugar together until smooth. Stir in vanilla, pumpkin, egg, cinnamon, nutmeg, flour and salt until combined. Scrape sides of bowl and whip mixture until completely smooth. Spoon mixture evenly over Oreos.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until cheesecakes have set. Remove from oven to cool.

Once cheesecakes are cool enough to handle, remove from muffin tin. Microwave chocolate chips approximately 1 1/2 minutes stirring after 1 minute, then for another 30 seconds until smooth and completely melted. Spoon chocolate into a piping bag with a small round tip.

Pipe melted chocolate in concentric circles on top of cheesecakes. Drag the end of a toothpick through the chocolate to create the look of a spider web, starting in the center and dragging outward. Repeat with remaining cheesecakes. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Simple to make and fun to eat!

Halloween Breakfast Pancakes

This year Halloween falls on a Sunday. Yippee! The perfect day to whip up some dressed up pumpkin pancakes for breakfast or of course you could just go to IHOP.

However if you'd rather spend a quiet morning at home, IHOP has decided to share these tips for making the perfect pumpkin pancakes.

•The batter - Start with your favorite pancake batter recipe and simply add canned pumpkin pie mix.

•Water temperature - When preparing dry pancake mix, it is essential that the water is chilled to less than 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Use ice to bring the temperature of the water down.

•Lumps are good - Do not over mix the pancake batter. Small lumps of flour are what make pancakes tall and fluffy.

•Grill temperature - Use a 350-degree grill and make sure there are no hot or cold spots that can affect cooking time.

•Cook time - The appearance is how you judge when a pancake is ready. When dropping the pancake batter, watch for bubbles to form and for the batter to have a dull appearance. This takes approximately 2.5 minutes. After flipping, cook approximately 2 minutes.

•Pancake topping - Top pumpkin pancakes with whipped cream.

IHOP will be serving Pumpkin pancakes through out the month of October.










However, if you're looking for a specific recipe for creating your own spectacular Halloween pancakes here's a recipe you can follow:

Pumpkin Pancakes with Hot Cider Syrup or Spooky Black Cinnamon Syrup
Makes 12 pancakes

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons vinegar

Directions:

1.In a separate bowl, mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar. Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger and salt, stir into the pumpkin mixture just enough to combine.

2.Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Cook until bubbles appear on the surface and the edges look dry. Turn over and cook until golden brown. Serve immediately with syrup of your choice.

Hot Cider Syrup

1 1/2 c. apple cider
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. corn syrup
2 oz. butter
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
Grated rind from 1 lemon
2 apples, peeled, cored & thinly sliced

Directions:

In a small saucepan, combine apple cider, brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon rind. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. Add apples. Heat for several minutes more. Serve over pancakes.



Black Cinnamon Syrup

1/2 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 brown sugar
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup water
Black food coloring

In a saucepan combine white sugar, brown sugar, all-purpose flour and cinnamon. Stir dry ingredients together. Add vanilla extract and water. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally until thickened. Add food coloring until you get to the desired shade. Remove from heat until you are ready to use and place in a squirt bottle to decorate.

Decorating ideas with Black Syrup: spider web, spider, witch, bat, cat, pumpkin face, etc.

Note: If you'd like to decorate your pancakes for Halloween with something other than the syrup try IHOPs design. Using some whipped cream decorate a smile for the mouth and add candy corn on top for the teeth.

Use a strawberry for the nose and whipped cream circles for the eyes with a mini oreo set onto each whipped circle. Now who wouldn't love that?

Looking for more fun? Check out these Halloween Pancake Molds.



Have fun!

French Fridays with Dorie

French Fridays with Dorie is an online cooking group dedicated to Dorie Greenspan‘s newest book, "Around My French Table". The members of this group, me included, are going to cook our way through AMFT one recipe at a time. It is going to be a very tasty adventure. Please feel free to join in!

I've never done a cooking club like this before but a foodie friend of mine Amy cooked her way through "Tuesdays with Dorie" the baking group blog and loved it. Plus I loved reading about the recipes she tried each week.

So when Amy told me about Dorie's new book I thought I'd join in the group. There's no committment, in fact once a week there's a recipe that Dorie assigns based upon what the members vote on. Then on Fridays we post our photo and share our thoughts about the recipe. Of course I can't share the recipe with you but if you want you can order it on Amazon.

Since I just joined the group I've missed a few of the Friday posts that have been baked and tested. This weeks was Marie-Helene's Apple Cake on page 432 in "Around My French Table". The aroma in my house while baking was heavenly and the taste of this cake was decadent and so smooth.

I have to admit that I didn't use apples. We had just received a box of pears from Harry & David so I decided it would be the perfect dish to use them in, and it was. I can only imagine how wonderful it will be when I make it with apples.



The recipe also called for an 8" springform pan. I had a 7", 9", 9.5" and 10". So I decided to use the 7". I was concerned if I used the 9" that the cake would be too thin. The 7" worked out perfectly. However, instead of cooking it for the 50-60 minutes that it stated, I had to cook it for 90 minutes to insure that the center was cooked properly. At around the 75th minute I placed a piece of tin foil over the top of the cake to make sure it didn't brown too much. As you can see it looks perfect.



I also decided that I'd plate it up with a scoop of ice cream and then drizzle it with a balsamic reduction that I made earlier. YUM! That's all I can tell you.



This recipe was so simple and the results were outstanding! If you enjoy this type of group then please join the club, the more the merrier! But, if that's not your cup of tea then you should definitely consider purchasing Dorie's book "Around My French Table". It's beautiful and the recipes all look sensational. I can't wait to try next weeks recipe.

Here's to my first cooking club adventure with French Fridays with Dorie.

Bon Appetit!