I cheat

Yup, it’s true.  I cheat.  Oh, I can make a pie crust.  But, I still cheat.

My pie crust is fine, adequate, passable, acceptable.  But, it’s not outstanding.  Besides which, I’d rather spend the time it takes to make a great pie crust doing something else.  I don’t know…sleep? read? clip recipes out of magazines?  So, I cheat.

 

I use Trader Joe’s Gourmet Pie Crust.  It comes two rolls in a box.  You can find it in the freezer section.

 

While I’m browsing (trolling) in the freezer section, I also pick up a couple of packages of their fancy berry medley.  And, since I have both pie crust and berries, why NOT make a pie?  Who needs a “real” reason to make pie?

 

One of the recipes I clipped out of Gourmet magazine (back in 2003) was their Three-berry Pie with Vanilla Cream.  Using that as a starting point, I make my own version of a Triple Berry Pie.  Give it a try – whether you make your own pie crust or not.

 

 

Triple-Berry Pie

INGREDIENTS

1	cup granulated sugar
3	T cornstarch
2	T quick-cooking tapioca
¼	t kosher salt
2	pkgs Trader Joe’s frozen Fancy Berry Medley (blueberry, blackberry, raspberry)
2	Trader Joe’s pie crusts (the come two in a box)
1	large egg, lightly beaten
1	T sanding sugar

DIRECTIONS
1.  Put a large baking sheet in middle of oven and preheat oven to 450°F.

2. Whisk together granulated sugar, cornstarch, tapioca, and salt, then toss with berries.

3. Roll out 1 piece of dough (keep remaining piece chilled) on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 13-inch round and fit into pie plate. Trim edge, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Chill shell while rolling out dough for top crust.  Roll out remaining piece of dough on lightly floured surface with floured rolling pin into an 11-inch round.

4.  Spoon filling into shell, then cover pie with pastry round and trim with kitchen shears, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Press edges together, then crimp edge decoratively. Brush top of pie with egg and sprinkle all over with sanding sugar. Cut 3 steam vents in top crust with a small sharp knife.

5.  Bake pie on hot baking sheet in middle of oven 15 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 375°F and continue to bake until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling, about 45 minutes more.

6.   Cool pie on a rack at least 3 hours before serving to allow juices to thicken slightly (filling will still be juicy).

Not necessarily healthy

Not everything vegetarian is tasteless and good for you.  Some vegetarian dishes are splendidly yummy and not necessarily healthy.  Now that we have that out of the way, let's just focus on the yummy factor and ignore the not necessarily healthy bit.

First, a question:  What do sautéed onions, cottage cheese, and Special K cereal have in common?  You wouldn't think that they would have anything in common, right?  Well, I can promise you that they do have something in common and it may not be what you are expecting.

When I think of an after church home-cooked meal, no vegetarian table would  be complete without Special K Loaf.  You have that puzzled look on your face right now, don't you.  Never heard of it?  Well, let me explain.  Don't laugh until you've heard me out.  If you've never tried it, you don't know if it's yummy or not.

Some people will try to tell you that Special K Loaf is like a vegetarian meatloaf.  It is NOT like meatloaf - vegetarian or otherwise.  It isn't like anything.  It is unique.  What seems to be a random collection of ingredients turns into a delicious entrée.  Who would guess that cottage cheese, eggs, nuts, butter, onions and breakfast cereal would co-habitate and morph into an entrée?  Mm-mm-mm!  It does.  It most certainly does!

Let's talk about shape; I don't make mine in a loaf shape.  I use a nice large glass casserole baking pan...mainly because I always double the recipe since it disappears so fast.  And what doesn't disappear on round one, most certainly disappears on round two (as sandwiches).

Next, everyone thinks they have "the" recipe for Special K Loaf. I promise you, they are all wrong.  The recipe I am sharing here is "the" recipe.

Mrs Brodeur ran the cafeteria at my high school and provided most of the tried and true recipes that it served.  Don't laugh.  This was no ordinary cafeteria at no ordinary school.  This school was in Singapore, at church headquarters.   Missionaries sent their teens from all over Asia, Southern Asia, and a few from Africa to this school.  The school, teachers, administrators, and fellow students were our "family" away from home.  The very wise administration of the school knew that if they kept the students happy, the parents would be happy.  So, they made sure that our cafeteria served up the best home-style food that could be found outside of our homes.  Mrs Brodeur was talented, organized, fun, and much-loved by those who knew her.  I suspect many of us alumni have her recipes tucked away in our recipe boxes.  That woman knew how to make meals delicious!

Without further ado, here is "THE" recipe for Special K Loaf.
 

Special K Loaf

INGREDIENTS

5	eggs, lightly beaten
2	cups cottage cheese
1	cup ground walnuts*
1	stick butter (8 T)
1	medium onion, minced
3	pkts George Washington Broth** (brown)
6	cups Special K cereal

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs together with cottage cheese and nuts.

2. In a skillet, melt butter and then add minced onion.  Sauté over medium heat until onion is translucent and starting to caramelize. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

3. When onion mixture has cooled, add it to the egg mixture.  Stir to blend.  Then add the Special K cereal.  Stir until well combined.

4. Spread evenly in an 8” x 8” glass baking dish***.  Bake in a 325° oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
 

*You can use pecans instead of walnuts, if desired (I don’t desire, but the husband does).

**George Washington Broth is like a loose bouillon powder.  It is vegetarian.  You can substitute beef bouillon cubes, if you prefer.  Or another good vegetarian option is to use “Better Than Bouillon” (vegetarian) paste.

***As mentioned above, I always double this recipe.  So, I sometimes put mine in 9” x 13” glass pan (Pyrex makes a nice one), but more often I use a 10” x 15” glass pan so that the “loaf” is spread out a little thinner (which equals more crust – the best part, in my opinion).

Brown paper packages

“… These are a few of my favorite things!”

Did I catch you singing along?  Or, just humming?  Now, you are probably wondering what this has to do with food.  Before I answer that question, let me pose one to you.  Do we need to have a reason to sing “My Favorite Things”?

I always think of that song when I make this recipe.  Picture it, fresh out of the oven.  Golden brown disk of puff pastry.  Crispy.  Warm.  A wisp of vapor rising.  When you cut into the disk, more vapor rises.  Creamy, gooey, melty Brie cheese begins to ooze out the crack.  Following close behind the ooey-gooey goodness comes the sweet smell of warm honey, apricots, and walnuts.  When you scoop a bit into a spoon and lift to your lips all the wonderfulness bathes your taste buds.  You close your eyes, inhale...

Are you with me now?  Can you see it? Smell it? Taste it?  Feel it?  Quick!  Go gather the ingredients!  Make one!  I promise you'll thank me later. 

 

Oh, before we begin...I must confess:  I blatantly stole this recipe from Pepperidge Farms and made it my own.  You can make it their way, of course.  But I think it's fun to experiment.

 

 

 

Brie en Croute

 

INGREDIENTS

 

1	Egg
1	T water
2	T flour
½	pkg of Pepperidge Farm puff pastry sheets (1 sheet), thawed
½	cup apricot preserves (or seedless raspberry jam)
¼	cup toasted, chopped walnuts
¼	cup honey

 

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Beat the egg and water in a small bowl with a fork.

2. Sprinkle the flour on the work surface.  Unfold the pastry sheet on the work surface. Roll the pastry sheet into a 14-inch square. Spread the preserves and then the honey on the pastry to within 2 inches of the edge. Sprinkle with the walnuts. Place the cheese in the center of the pastry. Fold the pastry up over the cheese to cover. Trim the excess pastry and press to seal. Brush the seam with the egg mixture. Place seam-side down onto a baking sheet. Decorate with the pastry scraps, if desired. Brush with the egg mixture.

3. Bake for 20 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. Let stand for 45 minutes. Serve with the crackers.

 

The original recipe from Pepperidge Farms doesn’t have honey.  Instead they use ⅓ cup Craisins (dried cranberries).  And, they use sliced almonds instead of walnuts.

 

Flavor Variation:  For a savory Brie en Croute, omit the preserves and walnuts.  Stir in ¼ cup sliced almonds, ¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley (or a few sprigs of chopped fresh Rosemary).  Spoon the mixture in the center of the pastry sheet.  Top with the cheese and proceed as directed above.

For Brie en Croute Provençal, omit the preserves and walnuts.  Stir in ¼ cup diced jarred sun-dried tomatoes, 2 T olive tapenade and 2 T toasted pine nuts in a small bowl.  Spoon the mixture in the center of the pastry sheet.  Top with the cheese and proceed as directed above.