Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove Cookbook (29 page)
Read Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove Cookbook Online
Authors: Debbie Macomber
S
erve this luscious dessert warm, with ice cream or whipped cream.
Makes 1 pie
1 refrigerated or frozen pie shell, thawed
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks
¾ cup brown sugar
Pinch salt
2 large eggs
½ cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup toasted chopped pecan pieces
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips (1 cup)
1.
Partially bake the pie shell according to package directions. Transfer to wire rack.
2.
Lower oven temperature to 275°F. Place butter in medium heatproof bowl; set bowl over a saucepan filled with just simmering water. Remove bowl from heat once butter is melted; whisk in sugar and salt until blended. Whisk in eggs, corn syrup and vanilla. Place bowl back over simmering water; stir until mixture is warm to the touch. (A candy thermometer should read about 130°F.) Remove from heat; stir in pecans.
3.
Pour warm mixture into warm crust. Evenly sprinkle chocolate chips over filling; gently press the chocolate into the filling with the back of a spoon. Bake 50 minutes. Pie is done when center is just set. Transfer to wire rack to cool, at least 4 hours. Serve pie at room temperature or warm.
TIP
Cooking the filling gently over simmering water prevents the mixture from scorching.
T
raditional pumpkin pie gets a family-friendly makeover with the addition of a graham-cracker crust and cinnamon-spiced whipped cream.
Makes 1 pie
CRUST
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 ½ cups cinnamon graham cracker crumbs (from about 12 crackers)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Pinch salt
FILLING
¾ cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon salt
1 15-ounce can solid pack pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1 ¼ cups heavy cream
2 large eggs, beaten to blend
SPICED CREAM
1 cup chilled heavy cream
¼ cup confectioners’ sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1.
Preheat oven to 350°F; set oven rack to middle position. In food processor, pulse crackers, melted butter and granulated sugar until fine crumbs form. Press mixture over bottom and up sides of a 9-inch tart pan. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until set. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Increase oven temperature to 375°F.
2.
For filling: Whisk ingredients in large bowl. Pour into crust. Bake 45 minutes, until filling is just set. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
3.
For cream: In a large bowl with electric mixer on high speed, beat cream, confectioners’ sugar and cinnamon until it holds stiff peaks. Serve immediately with pie.
TIP
The easy cookie crust can be made one day ahead. The pie can be baked up to 6 hours in advance.
at
8
SANDPIPER WAY
with
Dave and Emily Flemming
I
’ve attended the Methodist church here in Cedar Cove for probably three decades, maybe longer. Through the years pastors have come and gone. Yet of all the ministers who’ve served our small congregation, none has displayed the care and godliness of Dave Flemming. He’s a genuinely kind person who is truly a shepherd to his flock.
I suppose most of you heard about the scandal involving Pastor Flemming. Well, I for one refused to believe he had anything to do with that missing jewelry, and it gives me much satisfaction to say I was right. Thankfully those doubts were all laid to rest—with the help of our sheriff and our local P.I. It all happened very close to Christmas, too. What a gift for the Flemming family that Dave was so thoroughly vindicated!
And speaking of Christmas, one of the inventive ideas Pastor Flemming has brought to our church has been the annual live Nativity scene. It’s a tableau featuring actors, who play all the roles from Mary and Joseph to the shepherds
and Wise Men. And—of particular interest to the children of Cedar Cove—it includes live animals. Grace and Cliff Harding house them in their barn, which is what makes this entire project a possibility.
You’ve probably guessed that Christmas is my favorite holiday of the year. As much as I can, I make my own gifts; it’s one small way to let others know how much I love and appreciate them. Nothing says that like a homemade gift, whether it’s a knitted scarf or mittens, a tin of cookies or a fruitcake….
Dave Flemming’s wife, Emily, does the same thing, although she’s a quilter, not a knitter. And she’s become justifiably renowned for her gift baskets of baked treats, like Sugar Cookies cut in Christmas shapes. Emily’s a fine cook, too, and has a vast recipe collection. No wonder, considering all the weddings, funerals and anniversary parties she’s attended! Her recipe for Beef Wellington isn’t to be missed. Who knew a dish with such a fancy name could be so simple? Ever since Emily wrote out the recipe for me, Beef Wellington has become part of our family Christmas celebration, although I generally prepare it on Christmas Eve, when the whole family comes to our house.
The recipe for the Baked Potato Casserole is one of Emily’s, too. That dish is, in a word,
heavenly
. Like those Super Fudge Brownies I mentioned earlier, it’s best saved for special occasions. One thing’s for sure: I never have to worry about leftovers and you won’t, either.
A few years back, I wrote a seniors’ column for
The Cedar Cove Chronicle
. Jack Griffin talked me into it, and I continued the column until my cancer scare. But now that Ben and I are married, I just don’t have time anymore. I’m telling you all this because of Jack’s Christmas Cookies. I happened to be at the newspaper office the day he brought them in and set them proudly on the counter, along with the recipe, which he wanted me to include in my column. I read it and laughed out loud. I can’t believe he came up with this himself, although he claims he did. Jack is such a tease
it’s hard to know. I should tell you that this easy no-bake recipe is sure to cause lots of comment. (And I’ve discovered it’s
perfect
for making with children!)
I just couldn’t imagine Christmas without all my favorite dishes. A well-prepared meal spells love, and so does serving your family’s traditional favorites. It’s especially nice if other members bring or make something, too—a salad or pie, for example. Emily tells me she really enjoys sharing Christmas dinner preparations with her mom.
Don’t you agree that there’s no better way to celebrate Christmas than sitting at a beautifully set table, surrounded by family and friends?
S
erve this rich appetizer in small slices, either warm or at room temperature. Gruyere cheese adds a more pungent flavor than Swiss.
Serves 10 to 12
FILLING
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1
/
3
cup all-purpose flour
1
2
/
3
cups whole milk
2 cups shredded Gruyere or
Swiss cheese
3 cups frozen artichoke hearts (2 9-ounce packages), thawed and sliced
1 teaspoon dried whole thyme or 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
Salt and pepper
CRUST
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 14-ounce box frozen phyllo pastry (about 16 sheets), thawed
1.
For the filling: Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion; cook 6 minutes, until softened, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle in the flour; stirring until absorbed, about 1 minute. Gradually pour in the milk, stirring until milk is incorporated and sauce thickens. Reduce heat to low and add the cheese, stirring until it melts. Stir in artichokes, thyme, salt and pepper.
2.
For the crust: Using a pastry brush, coat the bottom and sides of a 9-inch spring form pan with some of the melted butter. Preheat oven to 300°F. Brush a phyllo sheet with butter and lay it in the pan, pushing down to fill the pan and draping the edges of the pastry over the sides. Brush another sheet of phyllo with butter and fit in the pan with the edges draping in another direction. Continue to fill the pan with 8 more sheets phyllo, brushing each sheet with butter.
3.
Spoon the filling inside the pie and spread evenly.
4.
Brush the remaining 6 sheets of phyllo one at a time and lay them on top. Turn up all the edges over the pie. It should look rough and crackly. Brush any remaining butter over the top.
5.
Bake 1 ¼ hours, until the phyllo is golden brown and the filling is warmed through. Transfer to wire rack to cool. Carefully release the sides of the pan. Cut into wedges with a serrated knife.
TIP
Phyllo pastry is delicate and dries out quickly. Once you open the package and unroll the pastry sheets, keep them covered with a damp dishcloth while working.