Pioneer Woman’s Mother-in-Law’s Christmas Rum Cake

I first tried this cake when my friend Leslie baked this for me one christmas. The recipe she had did not use pecans, but when I looked for it on the PW's website she had it with pecan. With pecan or not, this is absolutely decadent and definitely one of those cakes that belongs to a christmas meal

Ingredients

•  FOR THE CAKE:
• 1 box (about 18 Oz.) Yellow Cake Mix
• 1 package (3.5 Oz.) INSTANT Vanilla Pudding Mix
• 4 whole Eggs
• 1/2 cup Cold Water
• 1/2 cup Canola Oil
• 1/2 cup Rum (dark Or Light Is Fine)
• 1 cup Chopped Pecans
•  Brown Sugar (optional)
•  _____
•  GLAZE
• 1-1/2 stick Butter
• 1/4 cup Water
• 1-1/2 cup Sugar
• 3/4 cups Rum

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 F.

Grease and flour a bundt cake pan. Sprinkle nuts over bottom of pan. If desired, sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of brown sugar over the nuts.

Mix all cake ingredients together. Pour batter into pan over nuts. Smooth out ’til the top is even. Bake for 1 hour, or a little less if the pan is black. Do not overbake!

Glaze:

While cake has ten minutes to go, make the glaze.
Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in water and sugar. Boil for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Turn off flame and pour in rum. Stir to combine and reheat for 30 seconds.

Remove cake from oven. Immediately drizzle 1/3 of the glaze on the bottom (top) of the cake. Allow to sit for five minutes. Invert the cake onto a serving plate. Prick surface a hundred times with a fork (gently, please.) Slowly drizzle remaining rum glaze all over the top of the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides. Cool to room temperature before serving to ensure glaze has soaked in.
Eat. Enjoy. And don’t feel guilty. It’s Christmastime!

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/12/christmas-rum-cake/

Zuppa de Toscana, my lighter version of the Olive garden soup

Ingredients

• 6 medium spicy Italian sausage
• 2 table spoon oil
• 1 medium onion
• 2-3 cloves of garlic chopped
• 2 large russet baking potatoes/ yukon potatoes washed with skin on, sliced in half, and then in 1/4 inch slices
• 2 , 8 ounce can of chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg ( optional)
• 2 cups milk
• salt to taste
• one big bunch of Kale ( approximately 2 cups chopped)

Preparation

1. In a large stockpot, add oil and heat till the oil is hot. Add the finely chopped onions and garlic  to the oil and fry till translucent.
2. Remove casing of the sausages and extract the sausage meat. Keep aside.
3. When the onions are done, add the thinly sliced potatoes and cook till the potatoes are slightly brown.
4. Add the sausage meat to the mixture  in the stockpot and allow the meat to brown.
5. When the meat has browned, add the chicken broth and water. Bring to boil.
6. When the mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat and let the soup simmer for 5- 10 mins till potatoes are cooked.
7. Add Kale to the soup along with the milk. Let it cook for 2-3 mins
8. Add nutmeg right before you switch off the heat.

Note: This is a very light and nutritious soup ( healthy version, but not compromised on taste), if you like it thicker, substitute one cup of milk for 1 cup of half and half .

Maureen's Pecan Pie

When it comes to choosing pies, Pecan has always been a favorite. While I usually go pick the biggest pie I can find from Costco, this year I decided to make my own. My friend Maureen shared a slice of her pie with us and it was just heavenly! What made it even better is that it had light corn syrup so was probably a little bit lighter on the calories.

Ingredients

• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 packed brown sugar
• 3 eggs, beaten 
• 1/3 cup (2/3 stick) butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 heaping cup finely chopped pecans
• 1 unbaked pie crust

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine the corn syrup, sugar, the brown sugar, the eggs, butter, salt, and vanilla. Whisk the mixture until it's totally combined. 

Place the chopped pecans in the bottom of the pie crust, and then pour the sticky mixture right over the top.

Cover the pie in foil and place it on a baking sheet. Bake the pie for 35 minutes. Remove the foil, then bake for 25 to 30 minutes more, being careful not to burn the crust or pecans. (If it seems to be browning too quickly, cover it with foil again.) 

The pie should not be overly jiggly when you remove it from the oven. If it is, just continue baking it in 5-minute intervals until it's done.

Let the pie cool before slicing it into wedges.

Source: Pioneer Woman's cookbook

Rich chocolate mousse ( tasters choice recipe)

Ingredients

• 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
• 3 tbsp butter
• 2 tsp instant coffee
• 1 tbsp water to dissolve the coffee
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Procedure

1. Microwave chocolate chips and butter in a medium , uncovered microwave safe dish for 1 min till the chocolate chips are melted
2. Dissolve coffee in hot water and stir in to melted chocolate.
3. Add vanilla and allow to come to room temperature
4. Whip the cream till stiff peaks form and fold into chocolate mixture
5. Pour into individual cups and refrigerate for 1 hour to set. 
6. Garnish with whipped cream and instant coffee granules ( optional)

Source: http://www.tasterschoice.com/recipes/rich-chocolate-mousse/desserts/30336.aspx

Crab Malai Curry

I did not learn to appreciate crabs till my aunt fromm Kolkatta came to visit us in  Cochin. She insisted on buying some crabs and cooking them. From then on, my brother and I would wait for when Ma would buy crabs and cook this dish. Over the years, I have cooked this multiple times and after many variations, this is the recipe I am most pleased with. Serve over steaming hot rice and enjoy!

Ingredients

• Two whole crabs, cut in to 4 pieces and claws separated
• 2 table spoon maida
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 onion grounded in to a paste
• 1 tablespoon ginger garlic
• 1/2 tsp each of haldi, chilli powder, dhania powder
• 1/4 tsp of cumin powder
• 1 can coconut cream/milk
• 5-6 green chillies
•  1 teaspoon tomato paste
• 3 green cardamom
• 1 stick cinnamon
• 4-5 cloves
• 5 green chillies slit in half
• 1/2 cup oil
• coriander leaves to garnish
• garam masala, bengali style

Directions

• Clean crab thoroughly. dry and then coat with flour and salt. Leave aside.
• Put 1/4 cup oil in a hot wok and let the oil heat. Add crabs and fry lightly on high.
• Remove crabs and drain excess oil on a plate coated with a paper towel. Add the whole spices to the oil , when it splutters, add the onion paste. Fry in medium heat till it is light brown and add the ginger garlic paste. Saute for 30 secs and add tomato paste
• Once this mixture has lost the raw onion smell, add the dry masalas. Add salt to taste ( 1 teaspoon)
• Reduce heat to low and cover the wok , let the juices intermingle . If the paste is too dry, add a little water. Keep watching to make sure the paste does not burn.
• Once the oil starts separating from the paste, add the fried crabs and half the can of coconut milk. Let the mixture simmer at low-med heat for 10 mins. Now add the remaining coconut milk and bring the whole mixture to boil.
• Once it has boiled, add 1 teaspoon bengali garam masala and garnish with coriander leaves.
• The same dish can be substituted with prawns for chingri malai curry. Wash and devein shrimps, add a little turmeric and salt and fry insteadof flour and proceed in similar way. Reduce cooking time as shrimp will cook much faster than crab. simmering for 2-3 minutes is more than enough for shrimp.

Home Style Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

• 6 rusett potatoes/ yukon potatoes
• salt
• 1 stick butter
• 1 can chicken broth

Directions

Boil the potatoes with salt till skin is about to peel, drain water and transfer to a big mixing bowl. Start mashing the peeled potatoes and add the butter  to it. When it is mashed, add broth and use a hand mixer to fluff up the potatoes. Transfer t serving dish. You could additionally add 1/2 cup sour cream and some cheddar cheese, but I like it just plain.

Bread Pudding

Ingredients:

2 cups whole milk (or 2 cups half & half)
1/4 cup butter
2/3 cup brown sugar (light or dark, depending on taste preference)
3 eggs
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups bread, torn into small pieces (french bread works best)
1/2 cup raisins (optional)

Directions:

1. In medium saucepan, over medium heat, heat milk (or half & half) just until film forms over top. Combine butter and milk, stirring until butter is melted. Cool to lukewarm.

2. Combine sugar, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer at medium speed for 1 minute. Slowly add milk mixture.

3. Place bread in a lightly greased 1 1/2 quart casserole.

4. Sprinkle with raisins if desired. Pour batter on top of bread.

5. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 to 50 minutes or until set. Serve warm.

If you make the sauce to put on top of your bread pudding, adjust the brown sugar in the bread pudding recipe. Reduce the amount in the recipe to 1/3 cups dark or light brown sugar (the sauce has the other 1/3 cup in it, in the form of white or light brown sugar).

Bread Pudding Sauce

Ingredients:

1 cup whole milk
2 Tablespoons butter
1/3 cup granulated white sugar (light brown sugar can be substituted)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 Tablespoon flour
dash of salt

Directions:

Mix everything together and bring to a boil for 3 - 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Set aside for 5 minutes, then pour on warm bread pudding. Optional: Add 3 tablespoons of brandy to the sauce while the sauce is warm if you want a rich brandy flavor.