Ready for Cinco de Mayo

Caramel Flan

Cinco de Mayo is right around the corner. I thought you would enjoy some finished photos of my Caramel Flan.
Buen Provecho!






Served with a little whipped cream, luscious and decadent....

Caramel Flan

Caramel Flan

This is an easy recipe. It does require some time to make though, so start the day before you want to enjoy this dessert. This needs 8 hours to chill, the longer it chills, the creamier it becomes.

You will need:

1 cup white sugar
½ cup bakers’ sugar (superfine)
8 eggs
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup 2% milk
1 ½ tsp. vanilla, or 1 tsp. vanilla combined with ½ tsp. almond extract
10” deep dish pie plate

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In an 8”-10” nonstick skillet, place the one cup of sugar, and over medium heat, stir constantly until sugar has melted. It will be the right color as soon as all the sugar has melted. Immediately pour into your pie plate.

Now, put the ½ cup of bakers’ sugar, along with all the other remaining ingredients into a blender, and blend on low speed for 10 to 15 seconds, just long enough to dissolve the sugar. Pour through a strainer, into the baking dish with the caramel.

Put the lid on the dish, and transfer to a baking dish large enough to hold the pie dish. I use the bottom of the broiler pan. Place in the hot oven. Add boiling hot water to the broiling pan, to come half way up the sides of the baking dish.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, depending on the heat of your oven. This will look done, and with a light touch of your finger, feel slightly firm, like a cake that is almost done, but not quite. However, it will still be quite jiggly when you move it, like hot liquid pudding. Don’t be alarmed. This continues to cook from residual heat, and really firms up in the refrigerator, so don’t be alarmed by how jiggly it is. If you cook it more, it will be like rubber when it cools. Trust me; this is the secret to a good creamy flan.

Let cool on a rack, uncovered, then transfer to the refrigerator to completely chill, uncovered.

When ready to serve, run a small knife around the edges, and turn upside down on to a serving platter. Lift off the pie plate and use a spatula to scrape out any remaining caramel onto the custard.

Slice and serve, with a dollop of whipped cream if you like.

This makes 12 servings, or 8 very generous, and gut busting servings.

Decorative clay bakers are meant to be used in the oven. This one, with its top, is the perfect choice for flan. And baked this way, with the top on, produces a perfect caramel. If you don’t have one, you should buy one. 
Do not cool with the top on, or condensation will ruin your flan. Do not cover in the refrigerator either, for the same reason. Once turned out, leftovers should be covered in the refrigerator.

Sweet and Sour Pork

                             Follow Up


The picture doesn't do this justice. I tried frying some cilantro, the way you fry basil or parsley, and this was not good. Not a pleasant taste, but the sweet and sour pork, as well as the tempura fried asparagus, was wonderful.
The sun is out, so go enjoy your weekend. I know I am.

Tonights Dinner

Well, tonights dinner is Sweet and Sour Pork. At least, for us. It's too good to share. Unless, of course, you would like to put up your own jelly, for that's one of the key ingredients of this dish. I am going to give you the recipe for the jelly. If you decide to make it, let me know.
Last night was left overs. We finished off my Dribble Chicken and watched Avatar. What a great feel good movie. Buy it, it's a keeper.

Now, aren't these pretty jars of

Manzano Pepper Jelly

2-3 large red bell peppers, chopped fine in a food processor, to equal 2 cups
1 Manzano pepper, chopped fine
1 jalapeño pepper, chopped fine
1 Serrano pepper, chopped fine
juice of one lime
zest of 1/2 lime
7 cups of sugar
1 1/2 cups of cider vinegar
1 pouch of liquid pectin
Process peppers and then follow the directions found inside the box of liquid pectin to make your jelly. Process in a water bath for 5 minutes. Let cool and check the seals.
Makes 7 to 8 half pint jars.
This is really wonderful stuff, if you've never had it.
Now, if you care to try the sweet and sour pork, and don't want to make this jelly, you can try and find the green pepper jelly, often found in specialty stores and farmers markets, to use in the following recipe.

Sweet and Sour Pork

1 pork tenderloin, cut into 1" pieces
tempura batter (which can be homemade or use purchased box of tempura batter mix)
1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
1 yellow onion, sliced in half, then cut in strips
1 cup carrots, cut into 1/8 inch slices
1/2 cup green onion (about one bunch), sliced crosswise into 1/8 inch pieces
1/2 cup pineapple chunks
1 cup jasmine rice, cooked according to package directions
corn or peanut oil, enough to deep fry in

Cook rice and keep warm.
Heat oil in deep skillet or wok. Dip pork in tempura batter, and deep fry for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring. Remove to paper towel lined plate.
In separate skillet or wok, stir fry bell pepper, onion, and carrots until cooked crisp tender, using as little oil as possible. Add pineapple, green onion and sweet and sour sauce. Heat through, about one minute. Add battered and cooked pork pieces, toss to coat, and immediately pour over warm rice and serve.

Sweet and Sour Sauce

1 cup Manzano Pepper Jelly
2 Tbsp. dark soy sauce (not regular soy sauce)
2 Tbsp. catsup

Add all ingredients to small saucepan and heat through. Thin with juice from the pineapple can, if you need to, or with chicken broth.

This is the best Sweet and Sour you will ever eat, I can promise you that. You will never want take out again!
May your dinner be as wonderful as mine is going to be....

A Link to the Recipe for Homemade Yogurt

 This is the most delicious, creamy, and mild yogurt I have ever tasted. Nuff said.                        


               Home Made Yogurt made with Lactaid 2% Milk

You will need:

canning jars- 2 8oz. containers with lids and screw tops
a cooking thermometer
Lactaid milk
1 small container of plain yogurt, with active yeast cultures

Sterilize jars in a pot of boiling water for five minutes. Remove jars to clean cloth, and let cool, lid side down. Remove water from heat and put lids and screw tops in water.
Place 2 cups Lactaid milk in a stainless steel pot, and over low heat, heat to 180 degrees, checking with thermometer. Remove from heat, and let the milk cool to 110 degrees.
Stir in 2 Tbsp. of yogurt, that you have pre-measured and allowed to come to room temperature.
Pour into jars, and put the lids on tight.
Place the jars into a 100 degree oven (proof mode) and leave undisturbed for 6 hours. Check the consistency. Leave for another hour, if you want, and check. You can repeat this several times if you want. I took mine out at 7 hours. You can go up to 16, the longer you leave it in, the more sour it will become. I prefer the mild creaminess of the 7 hour ferment.
Remove from oven and place in refrigerator, and chill for at least 8 hours before using.
You can, of course, double or triple this recipe. You just might want to!

Bacon Jam burgers, Yes You Read That Right

Bacon Jam


This is a really unique and addictive recipe, a little reminiscent of Kansas City pulled pork, combined with candied bacon, and turned into a pate',  but different enough to make it kind of special.

1 1lb. package of good, smoky bacon, sliced crosswise into 1” pieces

Note:  if you only have regular bacon, add ½ tsp. Stubbs liquid mesquite smoke to the liquid ingredients

½ yellow onion

½ red onion

2 large garlic cloves, chopped fine

2 oz. / ¼ cup apple cider vinegar, and maple syrup

1 Tbsp. ancho chili powder

½ tsp. powdered mustard

¼ tsp. cayenne

1 tsp. paprika

¼ cup of packed brown sugar

Black pepper, to your taste (I used about 6 grinds of fresh black pepper)

Kosher salt – I had low salt bacon, and I had to add ½ tsp. of salt to bring out the flavors

Cook the bacon in a heavy Dutch oven over medium heat until browned, and just beginning to crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain. Remove all but 1 Tbsp. of the bacon grease, then add the onions to the pot, and cook over low, until the onions are translucent and a little caramelized. Add the garlic, and cook for one minute. Add all the spices, and cook, stirring, for another minute.

Add all the liquid ingredients and the sugar, cover and cook on low for 30 minutes. Stir, and continue to cook for another 30 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally. Add ¼ cup of water, if you need to, and continue to cook another 30 minutes. Adjust salt, to taste. Continue cooking another 30 minutes, stirring frequently, to reduce the liquid, until it is thick, and the liquid is almost totally evaporated. It will look like very dark bacon at this point. Total cooking time: 2 hours.

Let cool for 15 minutes, then put it the bowl of your food processor, and pulse 2 to 3 times to chop, until it is chunky, more like a salsa, than smooth. You want this to be a little chunky. Remove to jelly jar. This will keep for 1 week, refrigerated. Makes about one and a half to two cups.

Serving suggestions:

On Triscuits

On a bagel, with cream cheese

Put bacon jam on the bottom half of a hamburger bun, add hamburger patty with melted jack or cheddar cheese, I used both, top with lettuce, with mayo on the top bun. Serve. (see photo)

And as a dip with barbecued potato chips. Yes, this is good, with just a caviar size portion per chip.

Easy Ice Cream

Well, I hope you have an ice cream machine, because you'll want to bring it out and use it this spring. Forget going to those pricey ice cream shops, and make your own gourmet ice cream. My favorite ice creams use a custard base, but this ice cream fudges a little on that.
First, I use a 2% milk. For a little fat, but no cholesterol, I add some coconut milk. For the custard, I use instant vanilla pudding. Add a little more vanilla, and no pre-chilling required. It goes straight into your machine, and voilà! Home made and delicious, served with a little Hershey's chocolate syrup and Buttermilk Caramel Sauce. (That recipe is in the previous post.)
Instant Vanilla Ice Cream

3 cups 2% milk
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup white sugar
1 small pkg. of instant French vanilla pudding

Whisk the ingredients together for two minutes, and pour into ice cream machine that is already running, and let churn for 30 minutes. Scoop out into freezer safe container, and freeze for at least 6 hours.

Not so Good.

Not so good. That's how I'm feeling, and apparently how I'm baking.
I didn't have fresh sweet pototo, so I used canned. It turned out I used 3/4 cup of the batter, to turn into chocolate batter. It needed more milk added, to absorb the cocoa powder. It baked up beautifully. It tasted horrible. But the sauce was still awesome.
So, I'm still glad I shared the caramel sauce with you all. Just don't try it with the sweet potato bundt cake, and don't use canned potato, ever.
Destined for todays trash, but there is always tomorrow. Guess I'll have to try the sauce over vanilla ice cream next.
But my day in the kitchen wasn't a total waste. I baked an artisan loaf of bread, made tempura asparagas to munch on, and a tasty beef stew for dinner, served with a big hunk of bread to sop up the gravy. All of those turned out great.
Now you'll have to excuse me, I need a tissue...

Re-visiting a recipe

I recently made a:

Buttermilk Glaze


Yield: 1 1/2 cups

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1 tablespoon light corn syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Bring first 5 ingredients to a boil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Boil, stirring often, 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla.

I know this sounds a little odd, but....
This was to die for, and started my brain to work on what I could use it for. Oh my, cinnamon rolls? Oh, yes.
Or, how about re-visiting a recipe? Oh, yes.
So, I am going to make the sweet potato bundt cake again, only I am going to take some the batter, probably two cups of it, and add cocoa powder, probably 4 tbsp., and then spread it the center, so you have it appear when sliced. And then, oh yes, when it is warm out of the oven, poke it with a long toothpick, and pour this warm sauce over the pound cake and let it soak in for a few minutes. Then turn the cake out, and drizzle the top of the cake with more of this sauce. Perhaps I will have to double the recipe. It's that good!
I'll let you know how this works with the bundt cake. But I got so excited, I had to share my idea now, and the recipe for the sauce....