Crustless Sweet Potato Pie with Pumpkinseed Crunch

Crustless Sweet Potato Pie with Pumpkinseed Crunch

WHAT?! Pie without the crust?! Blasphemer! Yes, I know. I am a huge fan of pie crust, and have been known to bake extra pieces of the crust just to dip into my filling while I bake ( I did not say I was proud of that fact, just that it was true). However, I hate pre-made crusts and crusting takes forever and obscene amount of utensils to make it perfect, and after all the time and patience I have found it still is inconsistent whether it will turn out pretty or not. Therefore, I do this for dinner parties because individual ramkins make you look chic and sophisticated, and the lack of a crust means you get to eat twice as many without the caloric overload (or I suppose you could just be healthy and eat just one, but that's just crazy talk).

Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 pounds of sweet potatoes, baked, and mashed (but not overmashed)
- 2 Lg. eggs
- 1 Lg. egg white
- 1/2 cup (or 3/4 if you like it really sweet) maple syrup (the good stuff from Vermont!)
- 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp. grated nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 2 Tablespoons of raw sugar
- 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds (not salted)

Directions:
Preheat to 375.

Whisk mashed sweet potato with whole eggs, 1 egg white, maple syrup, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Spoon into individual ramkins. Sprinkle with raw sugar. Bake in middle of oven until it doesn't look jiggly (check at 20-25 mins).

Spray foil with cooking spray. Toast pumpkin seeds in skillet with 1 Tablespoon of maple syrup for 1-2 mins until golden. Spread on foil and let cool in a layer. When ramekins are done, crumble seeds over each to garnish.

*Can also whip 1 cup cream with a little vanilla and cinnamon and dollop or serve on the side.

*This also works well for any pumpkin pie recipe. Just watch the ramekins b/c they bake differently in different ovens.

Organic Caramel Popcorn

The All Organic Recipe for Perfect Organic Caramel Popcorn!!!

I've done it ladies! Whilst ignoring the large amounts of reading that has slowly been piling up over the weekend, I have focused my energy on a new feet: I have officially found the perfect recipe for organic caramel popcorn. Now, I know there is organic corn syrup out there, but I just plain
don't trust it! The corn industry scares me with their popsicle ads. So, I have developed my own recipe for caramel corn without the use of it. I must admit the measurements might be off a little (mainly because I made it up as I went along).


I will also give the instructions for the perfect way to make popcorn because again I am distrusting of the microwave popcorn industry also. Basically, I am 3 steps away from living in my own farm house right outside of a no-name town next to the unibomber, but at least I will be eating well and plan to outlive everyone. I literally did not have a single unpopped kernel using this method!

The Perfect Way to Make Popcorn:

Ingredients:
1/3 cup unpopped popcorn kernels
3 Tblsp. popcorn oil (or olive/grapeseed oil if you wish)
1 tsp. salt
*1-2Tblsp. butter to taste
*Big-ass NONSTICK pot (I use the same pot for the caramel. MIne is 8 1/2 Quarts)

Directions: (taken from Simplyrecipes.com)
Heat the oil in a 3-quart saucepan on medium high heat.

Put 3 or 4 popcorn kernels into the oil and cover the pan.

When the kernels pop, add the rest of the 1/3 cup of popcorn kernels in an even layer. Cover, remove from heat and count 30 seconds. This method first heats the oil to the right temperature, then waiting 30 seconds brings all of the other kernels to a near-popping temperature so that when they are put back on the heat, they all pop at about the same time.

Return the pan to the heat. The popcorn should begin popping all at once. Once the popping starts, gently shake the pot by moving it back and forth over the burner. Try to keep the lid slightly ajar to let the steam from the popcorn release (the popcorn will be drier and crisper). Once the popping slows to several seconds between pops, remove the pan from the heat, remove the lid, and dump the popcorn immediately into a wide bowl.

If you are adding butter, you can easily melt it by placing the butter in the now empty, but hot pan. Salt to taste.

and now....

Organic Caramel Popcorn
*There are two versions. The first allows for chewy, hot off the stove caramel corn, and the other is akind to firmer, crispy caramel corn much like cracker jack, so use the oven if you like crispy, leave it alone for softer corn. The crispy tends to be a little grainer, so if you don't distrust the corn industry, go ahead and substitute corn syrup for the honey and agave.

Ingredients:
4-5 quarts popped popcorn (a double batch of the above popcorn recipe, unsalted, unbuttered)
2C firmly packed organic brown sugar (light or dark is your choice)
1C (2 sticks) unsalted butter (could probably reduce to 1 1/2 sticks)
3T organic molasses
1T organic honey
1 Tbsp organic agave nectar (*or double honey amount)
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
*Almonds or peanuts if you wish

Directions:

Heat oven to 225 degrees if using oven method.

Combine brown sugar, butter, molasses, honey, agave nectar and salt in a thick-bottomed, pot (aha, big ass pot). Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to a full boil. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until thermometer reaches 250°F or if you don't have one, use a small amount of mixture dropped in ice water until it forms a hard ball (about 12 to 14 minutes). Remove from heat; stir in baking soda. The caramel will foam up a little and turn a lighter color when you add the baking soda.

Pour the popcorn into the pot along with the add-ins if you want them. Using a wooden spoon, stir until all popcorn is coated. Place in oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, stir to more evenly coat the popcorn with the caramel sauce. Return to oven. Continue cooking for 10-15 minutes. Remove from oven. Immediately spread caramel corn out onto waxed paper. Let cool completely. Break into bite-sized pieces. Store in tightly covered container.

Makes about 5 quarts.

Enjoy! Pair with a good, sweet white wine and romantic comedy for the perfect night in, Carly-style.

Liquid Smokin' Turkey Burgers

This is named after a quote from one of the recipes I pillaged from which stated, "if you don't have mesquite seasoning, go ahead and use liquid smoke," as if liquid smoke is so plentiful in all our kitchens, specifically in a kitchen that is so sparse as to not have any kind of BBQ seasons in it, that we can substitute accordingly. This is fast, easy and you can pretty much sub out any of the main ingredients and still be ok (except the meat. That part is somewhat vital to the burger process).

Here is my man cooking over the hot stove. He's very excited about our endeavor, if you couldn't tell. Since I actually refuse to touch any form of raw meat, therefore Ry is put in charge of the cutting, mushing, and grilling of said meat. So credit given to one, Ryan H. A 9 rating by the way. I'm a little proud.



Ingredients:
1 lb of ground turkey (or chicken if you like)
1 jalepeno or red pepper, de-seeded and chopped
1/4 red onion diced
red pepper flakes to taste
1 Tablespoon of minced onion
1 Tablespoon of garlic powder
1 egg
2 Tablespoons of BBQ sauce
1 packet of mesquite seasoning (or if you happen to magically have liquid smoke in the cupboard, I am impressed, go ahead and use that and give yourself a gold star from me!)
1/2 cup of breadcrumbs (optional)
salt and pepper to taste (I like a LOT of crushed black pepper)
4-5 leaves of garlic chives (optional. I had them in the garden, so I used it)
2-4 slices of pepper jack cheese (or packet of shredded cheddar if you don't like pepper jack)

The fixins:
tomato
lettuce
BBQ sauce
...and don't forget the buns, or you'll be like me and have to send your angel of a boyfriend out to get some

Directions, and here's the easy part:
1. Dump everything into a bowl and mush together (with the exception of the jack cheese, unless you wish to tear up in pieces and have melt in the meat, which also is good)! There's probably a right order, but seeing as I don't have time or patience for it, I don't bother so you shouldn't either.

2. Throw on the grill and cook until done. I would guess about 5 mins on each side. When you are 2-3 mins from done, toss the cheese on there so it gets all melty and nice. That's it! Piece of cake! Speaking of which...


****DESSERT BONUS*******

Drunken Strawberries

This is kind of cheap since I am going to make it, but haven't made it yet, but I'll write and let you know how it is!

Ingredients:
1/2 bar Dark chocolate (I mean the real stuff with 70% cocoa)
Leftover wine (doesn't matter if its red or white, depends on your mood). I would recommend a Merlot or a Zinfendel.
Fresh strawberries (or peaches, or whatever is in season)
Vanilla bean ice cream (again, the good stuff with the beans inside! no cheating!)

Directions:
1. Slice up some strawberries and let chill in the freezer while you make the sauce.
2. Melt the chocolate in the pan on low/med heat. make sure to use a chocolate melter or a nonstick pan because cleanup will be awful otherwise.
3. When the chocolate is done melting but before it starts to bubble, pour in the wine. I don't know the exact measurement, but until you reach the thickness you desire. I would say no more than about 1/2-1 cup. You want it to be creamy, not liquid.
4. Take off heat and let cool until it reaches just a touch warmer than room temp.
5. Place cooled strawberries over ice cream, then spoon sauce over everything. Drink rest of wine and watch strawberries become complacent with life :)