Cardamom Ice Cream

I had been craving this for quite some time, so I decided to just go ahead and make it!
A simple blend of milk, cream, sugar & cardamom pods produced such a lovely flavor.



There are no step by step photos for this one since it was so easy...and I didn't take any during the process.

• In a medium saucepan heat 2 cups heavy cream, 2 cups whole milk and 15 whole cardamom pods (crushed with seeds exposed) to simmer stirring occasionally. Since my pods were a little older I also opened up about 8 additional ones, ground the seeds with my mortar & pestle and added that to the liquid which produced a perfect cardamom flavor. (I would test the flavor before adding in too much.)

• Simmer for about 5 minutes then remove from heat, stir in 1 1/2 C sugar until sugar dissolves completely.

• Let mixture steep for about 25 minutes then with a fine mesh strainer, strain out the cardamom pods add 1 tsp. vanilla extract and chill base overnight. It is very important to have a VERY cold base. The faster the mix freezes, the smaller the ice crystals will be, and the smoother the texture.

• Pour the mix into your ice cream maker and let run about 25 - 30 minutes until you have a thickened base. Transfer into containers and let freeze until ready to serve.


Enjoy!

xo diane

Gougéres

When I was in Paris this past Holiday season my sister whipped up these little choux pastries called gougéres and they were incredible! I just had to get her recipe & try them myself. They simply melt in your mouth with buttery goodness.



Here are the ingredients for this recipe:



Preheat your oven to 400ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper & set aside.

In a saucepan heat 1/2 C milk, 1/2 C water, one stick of unsalted butter (cut into tablespoons) and a large pinch of coarse salt until boiling.



Add 1 C of all purpose flour and stir it in with a wooden spoon until a smooth dough forms; stir over low heat until it dries out and pulls away from the pan, about 2 minutes.



Move the dough into a mixing bowl; let cool for about one minute. Beat 4 eggs into the dough, one at a time, beating thoroughly between each one***. Add 1 C shredded Gruyére cheese and a pinch each of ground black pepper and ground nutmeg.

***It is important to add the eggs one at a time and wait for them to become incorporated into the dough separately. Don't worry if it looks a little curdled at first, the dough will eventually come together nicely.

Transfer the dough into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2" tip and pipe tablespoon-size mounds onto the parchment paper about 2" apart.



Top with a bit of extra shredded cheese.



Bake for 22 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and puffy. Enjoy!





This recipe makes quite a bit of these little beauties. They can also be filled too. Gougéres freeze well, so once they have cooled completely they can be stored in an air-tight container in your freezer for a few months. To reheat them, place them on a baking sheet in a 350ºF oven for a few minutes until hot.

cheers!
diane

Mussels Mariniere

This is a simple dish to prepare with a huge pay off. With just a few ingredients and only a few minutes of your time, you can make mussels mariniere for yourself or friends.

Here are the ingredients for this dish:
Mussels, butter, shallot, garlic, dry white wine & parsley.


Start by cleaning your mussels making sure to remove the "beard" from them and only keeping the ones that are closed. Rinse them off in cool water and scrub the outside shells with a brush to remove any debris.

Heat a large pan (that has a tight fitting lid) to medium high heat and add equal parts of butter & olive oil to the pan.



Add your sliced shallots and chopped garlic and sweat them for a few minutes until slightly soft. You don't want to brown them.



Now add your white wine & mussels:



Then cover the pot tightly to steam them for about 4 - 6 minutes. You can shake the pan to disperse them evenly.



You'll know the mussels are ready when they all open up. Discard any that do not open! Now add some chopped parsley and toss in the pan a bit.



Serve them with crusty bread (which is essential to sopping up all that great sauce!) and enjoy!




cheers!
xo diane
thepantrychallenge@gmail.com

Banana Crunch Muffins

Often I buy a small bunch of bananas to have as a snack, for breakfast etc. but for some reason, I don't always get around to eating them all before they get too ripe. I like banana bread and all, but wanted an alternative to that, maybe something more individually portioned. So I made these banana crunch muffins. They are SUPER moist (which I don't always get with the banana bread) and have an amazing crunch topping which gives them a little texture as well.

Here are the ingredients you need for this recipe:



Start with preheating your oven to 375ºF. Lightly grease 10 muffin cups or line with muffin papers.

Mix 1 1/2 C flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp baking powder & 1/2 tsp salt in a large bowl.



In another bowl beat together 3 ripe bananas, 3/4 C white sugar, 1 egg (slightly beaten) & 1/3 C melted butter. I used my Kitchen Aid for this with the paddle attachment.



Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened.



Spoon into prepared muffin cups filling about 2/3 of the way.



Here are the ingredients for the crunch topping:



In a small bowl mix together 1/3 C packed brown sugar, 2 TBSP flour, 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon. Cut 1 TBSP of cold butter into the mixture until you have something the consistency of coarse cornmeal.



Sprinkle the topping over the muffin batter.



Bake for 18 - 20 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean. Remove from oven and place onto cooling rack.



This is what it looks like inside. I had to dig right in...so moist & I love the crunchy topping! Enjoy!



cheers!
xo diane

Pumpkin Cheesecake Empanadas with Maple Glaze

I figured with the holidays here I would share with you one of the easiest recipes that I like to make instead of baking a pumpkin pie. Pumpkin Cheesecake Empanadas have a flaky crust with a moist filling and sweet glaze. This recipe makes 16 empanadas.

Here are the ingredients used for this dish:



Heat oven to 350ºF. In a large bowl blend room temperature creme cheese with 2/3 C brown sugar. Gradually add in 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. ground ginger, 1/2 tsp. ground cloves and 2 eggs. Beat until smooth. Add one 15 oz. can of pumpkin pureé and blend until creamy.



Next you need a can of 8 biscuits. Separate your biscuits into 8 individual pieces. Using a serrated knife cut each biscuit in half horizontally to create 16 rounds of dough. (My dough has yellow pieces in it since it was a "butter" flavored biscuit.)



On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece of dough to about a 4" circle.



Spoon about 1 - 2 Tablespoons of filling onto the center of the dough.



Now fold dough in half over filling and crimp edges with a fork to seal. Brush with egg whites. If you didn't want to use glaze on your empanadas you could sprinkle cinnamon sugar on the top before baking.



Here is the first batch ready for the oven.



Bake them for about 15 minutes until golden brown. Allow them to cool for at least 20-30 minutes.



While they are cooling you can make the glaze. In a bowl measure about 1 C. of powdered sugar and slowly whisk in a small amount of maple syrup until you have a nice glaze consistency. (not too thin!)



Using a fork slowly drizzle the glaze over the cooled empanada & enjoy!



I hope you all have a wonderful & safe Thanksgiving!

cheers!
xo Diane

Sinful Dulce de Leche Chocolates

I was talking to my friend Caroline the other night and she was telling me about these turtles she was making with walnuts, home made caramel & chocolate. Well, they sounded so good that I thought I'd take that idea and run with it.

So here's my take on a classic turtle. I used semi-sweet chocolate, home made dulce de leche and toasted hazelnuts.

Here are the ingredients for this dish:



Now, what looks like peanut butter is actually a delicious caramel made from sweetened milk called dulce de leche. Here is the recipe I used to make this amazingly delicious, milky, rich, soft caramel tasting goodness that will become the gooey center of this confection.

This recipe is so simple. In a bowl placed over a pan of simmering water melt 8 oz. of chocolate. This could really be any type of chocolate that you like, but my preference is dark chocolate.



Melt the chocolate slowly and stir it until its nice and smooth.



While your chocolate is melting, you want to line mini muffin tins with lining papers.



Once the chocolate is melted you want to spread a thin layer inside the papers on the bottom and then bring it up the sides a bit.



Next, take a small spoonful of dulce de leche and place it inside the center of the chocolate. (You could also use any type of caramel that you like, but the dulce de leche is so good.)



Now add 2 to 3 whole toasted hazelnuts on top of the dulce and press them down into the caramel. You may use any nut you prefer here; peanuts, almonds, pecans, walnuts etc.



Now top the cups with the remaining chocolate and smooth out.



You can place them in the refrigerator to set for about 30 minutes. Making them in the papers makes it easier to serve or give as gifts. I think my neighbors are in love with me now...



Store them in the refrigerator and enjoy!


cheers!
xo diane
thepantrychallenge@gmail.com

Kale & Sausage Soup with Potatoes & White Beans

I was watching Top Chef last night where Kevin smoked some kale and that was it. I needed to make some kale soup today. The weather literally changed as I was making this beautiful pot of soup so when I finished, it was chilly enough to enjoy it!

So here's my take on this classic soup. Kale, potatoes, cannellini beans, tomatoes, & even some sausage & a bit of bacon in it, which obviously can be omitted for those who are vegetarian. Its quite hearty while still being relatively healthy (if you don't count the meat)

Here are the ingredients for this dish:



You start by cooking your bacon. I chop mine into smaller pieces then remove them with a slotted spoon onto a paper towel once they are nice & crispy.



Next you can brown your sausage in the bacon drippings. Yes, this might add a bit more fat, but don't ever forget that fat = flavor. :) While the sausage is cooking chop your onions, celery, carrot, garlic, potatoes & kale.



Look at how beautiful this kale is!



Remove the sausage from the pot and set aside. Now in the remaining oil in the pan you can sautee your onions, celery & carrot together for a few minutes then add your garlic. Season with salt & pepper.

Once those are slightly soft add 4 cups of broth (either chicken or vegetable) and your potatoes. Let this cook for about 5 minutes.



Now add your chopped tomatoes, can of cannellini beans (rinsed & drained) and kale.



Cook now for another 5 minutes or so, then add back in your sausage. Once that is heated through taste the soup for seasoning. I added a pretty nice sized pinch of red chili flakes to mine...not to add too much heat, but just to boost the flavors of everything up.



Top with some bacon bits and voila!




I can't wait to go have a second bowl now for dinner. Served with some crusty bread and I'm all set! Enjoy!

cheers!
xo diane
thepantrychallenge@gmail.com