"Pumpkin" Pie Cake

 I have a simple philosophy when it comes to cooking or baking.  Basically, if I can't have fun in the kitchen, I don't want to play.

I do a lot of same old, tried and true, could make it in my sleep cooking.  As do many of us, but sometimes, well, I just gotta play.

 I decided to play pie with one of the butternut squashes I have in my fridge.   

 Years ago I used to make a pie that made its own crust and tried to find the recipe, but it's disappeared somewhere.  Along with the 6 week bran muffin recipe I used to have.  

Maybe they'll show up someday, giggling at all the fun they had.  

I can dream. 

 I googled and googled and found several references to impossible pies, and none of them were quite right.  

And then TA DA!!!! I found it,  or least a reasonable facsimile.    It was hiding in plain sight in one of my cookbooks.
 

Who woulda thunk it?  

Of course, I did take some liberties with the basic recipe.  

The cookbook is one I absolutely love, it's full of amazing recipes.  I picked it up about 20 years ago in a second hand book store in LA.   This book is falling apart, but I've taped it up and treat it with reverence now.  

The cookbook is called Los Angeles Times California Cookbook. The recipe I based this on is found on page 403, if you're lucky enough to own a copy. It was originally published in 1981.  You can of course find formerly loved copies on Ebay.  

And then I made it, and ummm, it wasn't quite how I remembered it and I had to change the title of this post.  

Cause it was more like a cake, than a pie. 

Delicious, I mean totally delicious, but not a pie.  

I ate it anyway for lunch and breakfast... 

And saved some for later in the freezer.  

Then I felt virtuous for eating a vegetable. 

Hey, every little bit counts. 

And, I never know if I should admit to this or not, but honestly, when it comes to Pumpkin Pie, I can take it or leave it, usually.

I had a hard time not eating all of this at once.  It was just plain satisfying.  

Print

'Pumpkin' Pie Cake

Yield: 4 servings

Author: Sid's Sea Palm Cooking -

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 40 MinTotal time: 50 Min

This cross between a pie and a cake is a perfect bridge for those who can't commit to pie or cake. And is a sneaky way of using up butternut squash.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups cooked butternut squash - or other firm fleshed orange squash
  
• 2 eggs
• 7 oz. Sweetened Condensed Milk
  
• 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice - I make my own
• 1/3 cup Master Mix or buttermilk biscuit mix.

Pumpkin Pie Spice mixture

• 4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves.
• Mix together. 
  

Instructions:

For the Pie Cake

1. Toaster oven at 375 degrees or heat a regular oven to 350 degrees.  Butter or grease either an 8 inch pie pan or two 6 inch pie pans.
2. Use a food processor or an immersion blender to mix the ingredients together along with one teaspoon of the prepared Pumpkin Pie spice.  Reserve the remainder for later use.
3. Pour into prepared pan(s) and bake for 45 minutes in the toaster oven or 40-50 minutes in the regular oven or until the pie cake is done all the way. 
4. Allow to cook and serve with a dollop of whipped cream on top. 
5. You can also do a little sprinkle of the pumpkin pie spice on top of the whipped cream. 

Note: If you want you can also use Pumpkin or any other firm fleshed squash.  Just don't tell the kids, big and small that it isn't pumpkin.  

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All recipes and their respective images are either original or adapted and credited, and are all the sole property of Sid's Sea Palm Cooking © 2011-2020, with all rights reserved thereof.

Check out my cookbooks on Amazon.  All are available as paperbacks or as a downloadable e-book. 
 Simple Shrimp Recipes - 25 + Appetizer, Entree and Dipping Sauces.
 Nibbles and Bites - A Compilation of Appetizers, Canapes and Finger Foods. 
  Hygge - Danish Food and Recipes

Mushroom Souffle Omelette for the Fantastical Food Fight

I know it's fashionable to be a little late, so I'm going to call myself fashionable.
Bad joke, I know.

But I'm here with my version of an Omelette for the Fantastical Food Fight this month.  Sadly, it's the second to last one as our hostess Sarah is going on to better things. 

BTW the Fantastical Food Fight theme this month is Omelettes.

I've had fun with the group when I've been able to join in, although I don't always make it to the party.
I've made Cantaloupe Salsa for Fish Tacos, a Banana Bundt Cake, some Pecan Pie Tarts, I've even made Ice Cream.   One of my favorites was some Honey Garlic Roasted Carrots, and of course Cookies, this version of a Danish Oatmeal cookie, called Havremakroner.  Can't forget the Eggnog Cake.  
I forgot to mention the Chocolate Cherry Balls.  OMG were they good.  

I wanted to share my version of a Souffle Omelette today though.

I know you're going, a Souffle Omelette really, but take my word for it, it's delicious.   I've actually been making omelettes this way for many years, just didn't know they were called souffle omelettes.  I called them fluffy omelettes.   Who knew? 

This is more of a method to use, rather than a straight up recipe.

Separate the eggs, whites in one bowl, yolks in another.   I've used up to four eggs, and found out the hard way that using more eggs, takes longer to cook, which can detract from the overall experience.

Whisk the egg whites to a soft peak, and set aside. 

Then whisk the egg yolks for a couple of minutes, they'll thicken a little, which is what you want.  
Heat a heavy pan with some non-stick spray over low heat.   
I then add the egg yolks with any seasoning to the egg whites, and fold them together.

 See how fluffy they look? 

   
Pour the egg mixture into the pan. 

At this point I dribble about a teaspoon of water around the outside of the omelette and put a lid on it. the steam helps to cook the top of the omelette.
 
After a couple of minutes, I'll take a little bit of butter and run along the inside of the pan, loosening and lifting the edges of the omelette with a spatula so that the butter can run underneath it.  Place the lid back on the pan and let it continue to cook.  As soon as the top is set, add some sauteed mushrooms and cheese to the omelette and fold over. 

Sprinkle some fresh chopped chives on top and enjoy.  You can see how fluffy the omelette is, and the texture is not the same as a regular omelette either.  I think it's actually better. 

 

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Best Dessert of 2019 - Countdown to 2020

And now to the main attraction? No?
OK, up next is the Favorite Dessert portion of our Countdown to 2020.   I know it said Best Dessert, but I couldn't pick just one.

 
I make, decorate and donate a cake every couple of weeks to our local American Legion.  It's my small way of giving back to the community, because they take the cake, raffle it off and use the proceeds from the raffle to help fund various community endeavors.  I included a couple of my favorite cakes from this year as well.

And it's my little secret that not only do I get to enjoy baking cakes, but I don't have to eat the whole thing.
Not that it's a problem eating cake, but my waistline (what used to be my waistline) doesn't appreciate all those extra calories.
So I pass it on.
Where am I going with this long ramble?
Here, I couldn't pick just one dessert from this year, I had four desserts picked out.
And all of them were equally good.  Really.

If you're into Chocolate and Caramel, this Chocolate Cake with Caramel on top and in between the layers was AMAZING!  I know I just yelled it out. I'm not so fond of chocolate cake but with CARAMEL, OMG it was good.  

Spice Bundt Cake with Lemon Cream and Peanut Brittle on top.   I loved the combo of flavors on this as well.

 another fun one was this Rakott Teszta- a layered noodle dish, similar to a kugel.

And if you still have some Cranberry Sauce, that needs to be used, or just because, try out some of my Cranberry Cheesecake Tarts. 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

All recipes and their respective images are either original or adapted and credited, and are all the sole property of Sid's Sea Palm Cooking © 2011-2019, with all rights reserved thereof.


Check out my cookbooks on Amazon.  All are available as paperbacks or as e-book. 
 Simple Shrimp Recipes - 25 + Appetizer, Entree and Dipping Sauces.
 Nibbles and Bites - A Compilation of Appetizers, Canapes and Finger Foods. Available in both book form and as an ebook.
My cookbook Hygge - Danish Food and Recipes would be a great gift for any foodies in your life. 

Hot Cocoa Bombs- Mini size

Have you ever heard of Mini Hot Cocoa Bombs?
Yeah, neither had I until I picked up a copy of Woman's World and saw them in there and thought
WOW, what a fantastic idea and a great thing to share at Christmas.

I've been buying and reading this magazine for most of my adult life and have gotten some great recipe ideas from them, but I think this is my favorite.
I had to make some, I had to. 

So I made some and twiggled the recipe a touch, but just a bit.
Here are the mini cupcake liners ready to go.

 After filling them with the chocolate mixture

 I had fun piping the little meringue/marshmallow tops and sprinkling them with a little Christmas

 They were just so pretty, I had to keep taking pictures of them.

 See what I mean, and even better, they tasted amazing.

Hot Cocoa Bombs

Yield: 18 servings (makes 2 cups per serving)

Author: Sid's Sea Palm Cooking adapted from Women's World

prep time: 10 Mcook time: 40 Mtotal time: 50 M

These are not only fun to make, delicious to drink, but also make a fun little homemade gift.

ingredients:

• 2 cups 60-percent bittersweet chocolate chips, melted ( I used Ghirardelli brand)
• 3 packets instant hot cocoa mix, without marshmallows
• 1/8 tsp almond extract

Meringue Topping

• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 tbsp + 1 1/2 tsp. meringue powder
• 3-4 tbsp. Water + more if needed
• Christmas theme sprinkles

instructions:

How to make Hot Cocoa Bombs

1. Place some mini cupcake liners into a mini cupcake pan.  I used 18 mini paper cupcake liners. 
2. Melt the chocolate in double boiler over heat.  Whisk in the cocoa powder and almond extract.    Using a mini scoop, put the melted chocolate evenly into the cupcake liners.    Place in the refrigerator until set. 

Meringue topping

1. Sift the confectioner sugar into a bowl and whisk in the meringue powder, as evenly as possible. 
2. Add the water and using a hand mixer, mix at low to medium speed until the mixture forms stiff peaks, this will take a few minutes.  If the mixture seems to dry to mix properly, add an additional tablespoon of water, a teaspoon at a time. 

Assembly

1. Retrieve the set chocolate mixture out of the fridge and place on counter.
2. Place the meringue topping mixture into a piping bag with a large star tip used for piping on cupcakes, like a 1M Wilton. Pipe a rosette on top of each little mini chocolate cupcake.   Sprinkle with the Christmas Sprinkles and set aside for the topping to dry out and set.   Keep in a sealed container until ready to use.

Making the hot chocolate

1. Each mini bomb makes up to 2 cups of delicious hot cocoa.   Simply heat milk to just below boiling.  Remove the wrapper, and place the 'cupcake' into the hot milk and whisk through until the chocolate is totally melted and incorporated into the milk.  Serve immediately.  

NOTE:  I found this very rich.  I did cut down the Almond extract by half, as I thought it would overtake the chocolate.
I also ended up with extra topping, however, your piping methods may vary.  I thought the extra could also be used for topping some other cocoa?  

Created using The Recipes Generator

All recipes and their respective images are either original or adapted and credited, and are all the sole property of Sid's Sea Palm Cooking © 2011-2020, with all rights reserved thereof.

 Looking for ideas for Christmas gifts?   Check out my cookbooks on Amazon.  All are available as paperbacks or as e-book. 
 Simple Shrimp Recipes - 25 + Appetizer, Entree and Dipping Sauces.
 Nibbles and Bites - A Compilation of Appetizers, Canapes and Finger Foods. Available in both book form and as an ebook.
My cookbook Hygge - Danish Food and Recipes would be a great gift for any foodies in your life. Available as a Kindle e book or in paperback.

Havremakroner- Oatmeal Macaroons for #FantasticalFoodFight

It's time for another Fantastical Food Fight hosted by Sara from Fantastical Sharing. 

This time round we're making Cookies.  

I know, it's that time of the year when you make dozens and dozens of cookies. And hand them out as gifts while trying your best not to eat them all.   

I've cut back on my cookie making this year and decided I'd only make one or two kinds but then...

Sara came up with this challenge, and I had to participate. 

First off, we love Oatmeal Cookies in this house, and I usually play with my basic recipe a little.  I take half the recipe, add chocolate chips for the hubs, and then add coconut, nuts, dried fruit, and other good things to the other half, I call them Kitchen Sink Cookies.  

But there is a Danish cookie called Havremakroner, which are a light, crisp oatmeal cookie that tends to get overlooked at this time of year, but is totally delicious, and it's dead easy to make as well.

So for the cookie challenge I present to you these cookies.   I did play with the basic recipe, just a touch, using self-rising flour.  I also 'skinned' the almonds, it softens them somewhat and makes it easier to chop them up.

These cookies also lend themselves to being baked on parchment paper, it's  much easier to 'peel' them off the paper than try to use a spatula to release them from greased cookie sheets.

Havremakroner- Oatmeal Macaroons

Yield: Approx. 5 dozen

Author: Sid's Sea Palm Cooking adapted from Karen Berg Danish Home Baking

prep time: 10 Mcook time: 15 Mtotal time:45M

These light, crisp oatmeal cookies are delight to eat.

ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 cups oatmeal
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2/3 cup  self rising flour
• 1/2 teaspoon  baking powder
• 3 eggs
• 2/3 cup finely chopped almonds- if you remove the skin by pouring boiling water over them, and taking the skin off, they are easier to chop. 

instructions:

How to cook Havremakroner- Oatmeal Macaroons

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees
2. Mix sugar and oatmeal in a bowl.
3. Melt the butter, cool, then pour over of oatmeal sugar mixture.
4. Stir well, then sift in flour and baking powder. Add the eggs and almonds.
5. Drop by small teaspoonfuls onto a parchment covered baking sheet.
6.  Leave lots of space in between the cookies, they spread out a lot.
7. Bake about 15 minutes, or until a golden brown.  Remove from pan, let cool and store in an airtight container. 

NOTE:  These cookies are a very thin, crisp or chewy cookie, depending on the humidity level outside.  They should be crisp and light.  If you let them sit for a couple of minutes after they come out of the oven and removing them from the cookie sheet, they will peel right off of the parchment. 

Created using The Recipes Generator

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

All recipes and their respective images are either original or adapted and credited, and are all the sole property of Sid's Sea Palm Cooking © 2011-2019, with all rights reserved thereof.

Looking for ideas for Christmas gifts? Check out my cookbooks on Amazon. All are available as paperbacks or as e-book.
 Simple Shrimp Recipes - 25 + Appetizer, Entree and Dipping Sauces. Nibbles and Bites - A Compilation of Appetizers, Canapes and Finger Foods. Available in both book form and as an ebook.

My cookbook Hygge - Danish Food and Recipes would be a great gift for any foodies in your life. Available as a Kindle e book or in paperback.

Winter Wonderland Cake for Baking Bloggers

It's time for Baking Bloggers again and the theme this month is Snow.  Sue of Palatable Pastime is our leader but we all voted on a theme for the month.   Rather democratic of us, I must say. 

And I knew right away that I was going to use 7 Minute Frosting on the top to fit in with the Snow theme.
The only question I had was,  what was I going to put underneath the frosting. 
Critical question that.  I mean, I hate to say it, but I can probably eat the whole thing when I make this frosting.  And I was brave as well.  I'd made two batches a couple of weeks ago that totally failed.  And it shook my confidence, a lot.  I've been making this frosting for over 50 years many years and it was my first fail, and not just once, but twice, in a row. sigh.

I figured out what I'd done wrong though and this time it worked.

But onto the cake...
I looked in the pantry for inspiration and what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a lone can of pumpkin hiding by itself, forgotten, overlooked, sitting dejectedly in the rear.  Close by were also some of my faves, dried Cranberries and Pecans.
So, I played.
I've never outgrown my days of making mud pies, but now I use real ingredients and feed them to other people.

Here goes, and I have to say that this cake turned out AWESOME!, flavourwise that is.   And while the 7 Minute Frosting didn't quite do what I wanted it to, it still looked decent and tasted great.  

Winter Wonderland Cake

Yield: 12-16 Servings

Author: Sid's Sea Palm Cooking

prep time: 20 Mcook time: 35 Mtotal time: 55 M

This holiday themed cake is perfect for any special occasions or holidays in the winter months. You can bake it in two 9 inch layers or in a bundt pan. Either one is good.

ingredients:

Cake

• 1 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 3 cups self rising flour (if using regular AP flour, add 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder)
• 1 can (15 oz.) canned pumpkin
• 1/2 cup Milk
• 1/2 cup chopped Pecans
• 1/2 cup dried Cranberries
• 1/2  tsp. powdered ginger
• 1 tsp.  Cinnamon
• 1-2 tablespoons Bourbon

Frosting between layers

• 1 can prepared Vanilla Frosting
• 1/2 cup Dried Cranberries
• 1/2 cup Chopped Pecans
• 1/2 ounce Bourbon

7 Minute Frosting

• 2 egg whites
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/4 tsp. Cream of Tarter
• 1 tsp. bourbon ( what was drained from the dried cranberries from the filling)
• green gel food coloring

instructions:

How to cook Winter Wonderland Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, grease and flour two 9 inch pans, or one 10 cup bundt pan.
2. Cream butter and sugar together until light in color.  This ensures that the sugar has incorporated into the butter.  Add the eggs, one at a time and mix in, adding a couple of tablespoons of flour after each egg.  Add the pumpkin and mix in.  Then add half the remaining flour, mix in, then add the milk and finish off with the rest of the flour.    Add the bourbon,  and then fold in the cranberries and pecans.  Pour the batter into two 9 inch pans which have been greased and floured, dividing it evenly between the two.     Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
3. If baking it in a bundt pan, bake at 325 degrees for 55-60 minutes. 

Filling

1. Place the dried cranberries in a small dish and pour enough bourbon over top to cover.  Place in microwave and zap for 30 seconds on high, stir and then zap for another 30 seconds.  Set aside so it can cool.  Drain, reserving the rest of the bourbon for the 7 minute frosting, if desired.
2. Chop the pecans up a little, and mix into the canned Vanilla Frosting, then add the drained and cooled dried cranberries.  
3. Mix well.

7 Minute Frosting

1. Mix ingredients together in a either a heat proof glass bowl or a stainless steel bowl.  Place over simmering  water, making sure the bowl does not touch the water.  Using a hand mixer, beat at high speed for 7 minutes, until the frosting leaves peaks when the beaters are pulled out (turn mixer off first, otherwise you end up wearing the frosting).  Add the reserved bourbon from the dried cranberries, or add 1 teaspoon regular bourbon and mix in.  

Assembly

1. Level off the cakes if desired,  and place onto a plate.  Add a dab of prepared frosting on the center of the plate, and place one layer of the cake onto it, bottom up.   Spread the prepared frosting which has been mixed with the re-hydrated cranberries and pecans, evenly across the cake, pushing some of it to the edges.   Place the other layer on top, bottoms up, and press down a little.   Take out a little of the 7 Minute frosting and add some green gel food coloring to it, tinting it to your satisfaction.  Place into a piping bag, set aside for a few minutes.  
2. Spread the remainder of the 7 minute frosting across the top and sides evenly across the cake.  
3. Using the reserved, green tinted frosting, pipe small trees on top, mounding the frosting slightly, and then using the remainder of the frosting, pipe trees onto the side of the cake.  Three dots for the base, then two dots on top and finishing with a dot for the topper.   Sprinkle some Christmas themed sprinkles around the perimeter of the top of the cake, in a pleasing fashion, in between the 'trees'.
4. This is only a suggestion for decoration, please use your own imagination for decorating. 

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Check out what the rest of the Baking Bloggers made.

Baking Bloggers

Snow

Winter means snow- with snowflakes both outside and in our kitchens!

• Billowy Gingerbread Trifles from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Christmas Cookie Tree from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Grandma's Meringue Cookies from Our Good Life
• Kourabiedes Greek Cookies With Powdered Sugar from Recipe Pocket
• Mexican Wedding Cookies from The Schizo Chef
• Snow Ball Cupcakes from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Snowy Mountain Cookies from Jolene's Recipe Journal
• Sweet Buttermilk Pie from Food Lust People Love
• White Texas Sheet Cake from Making Miracles
• Winter Wonderland Cake from Sid's Sea Palm Cooking

Looking for ideas for Christmas gifts? Check out my cookbooks on Amazon. All are available as paperbacks or as e-book. Any of them would be a great gift for the foodies in your life

Simple Shrimp Recipes - 25 + Appetizer, Entree and Dipping Sauces. 

Nibbles and Bites - A Compilation of Appetizers, Canapes and Finger Foods. 

Hygge - Danish Food and Recipes . 

Finsk Brød (Finnish bread aka Danish Shortbread Cookies)

I've had a project for a couple of years for my Christmas Cookies.
More of a theme maybe?
I wanted to replicate each of the cookies that you find in the 'blue tin' purporting to be Danish Butter Cookies.
Which is kind of an oxymoron, because all Danish cookies have butter in them, in greater or lesser degrees.

I've been making and enjoying Vanilje Kranse for years, since I was a child in fact.   I love the whole process of making them, and have been sharing them out to friends for years.

 This is just one of the 4 or 5 cookies that you usually find in the tin.   One other one that is common is Finsk Brød.  

Basically it's Danish shortbread, which translated means Finnish Bread, and has lots of chopped almonds on top.  
I like nuts, nuff said.

This year I'm making the following cookie, and trying to replicate my mother's recipe at the same time. 



I used the following recipe, and did it properly, weighed out everything. 

And then promptly ate a few.
I had to taste test them.
And they're also easy to make and put together in a hurry.
Which is a good thing, cause I need to make more.  sigh

Ready to bake

After baking

Cooling off

Cooled and ready to eat

And they've been sampled

  Finsk brød (Finnish Bread aka Danish Shortbread)

Sid's Sea Palm Cooking

Yield: 2-4 dozen depending on size and thickness

Author: Sid's Sea Palm Cooking

prep time: 10 Mcook time: 10 Mtotal time: 20 M

These cookies were always one of my favorites growing up, and when Mom made them, I knew Christmas was just around the corner.

ingredients:

• 375  grams flour (about 2 1/2 cups) best to weigh it
• 1/4 kilo Butter (about 1 cup)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 + cup chopped almonds mixed with 1 tbsp. sugar for topping.

instructions:

How to cook Finske Trestænger

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Mix the flour and sugar together, then cut in the butter, forming a stiff dough.  Roll out to 1/2 inch thickness, cut into strips 1/2 inch wide. then cut those into 1 inch lengths.  
3. Beat egg.  Using a pastry brush, brush the tops of the cookies with the beaten egg and top with the chopped almond/sugar mixture.  Place carefully onto a cookie sheet which was covered with either parchment paper or a non stick silicone baking sheet. 
4. Bake for 10 minutes until lightly browned, remove from cookie sheet, place on rack and allow to cool.
5. If placed in an airtight tin, these cookies will keep for several weeks, if you can stay out of them. 

Created using The Recipes Generator

All recipes and their respective images are either original or adapted and credited, and are all the sole property of Sid's Sea Palm Cooking © 2011-2019, with all rights reserved thereof.

 Looking for ideas for Christmas gifts?   Check out my cookbooks on Amazon.  All are available as paperbacks or as e-book. 
 Simple Shrimp Recipes - 25 + Appetizer, Entree and Dipping Sauces.
 Nibbles and Bites - A Compilation of Appetizers, Canapes and Finger Foods. Available in both book form and as an ebook.
My cookbook Hygge - Danish Food and Recipes would be a great gift for any foodies in your life. Available as a Kindle e book or in paperback.