What I'm Reading Right Now

I just finished the Hunger Games trilogy. If you have not read this set of books, you must do so, right now. I'll be waiting here patiently for you to come back, and to let me know what you think of it.

ORANGE COOKIES

Sometimes knowing which recipes to avoid is just as important as knowing which ones are keepers. These cookies are terrible. Do not waste your time with them. They're so bad that I threw them out.

To be called orange cookies, the taste of orange turned out to be undetectable. They have the eggy taste of a poorly executed pound cake, except with a hint of cardboard flavor. Strike that, cardboard has MORE flavor than these cookies. I would have been okay with a subtle orange flavor. I would have rhapsodized about a strong orange flavor that really hit me over the head, but I received neither. I'm posting the recipe so that you'll know to avoid it. Read it, memorize, and then run far, far away from it.


Original Recipe Yield 33 servings


Ingredients

1 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

2/3 cup orange juice

1 tablespoon grated orange peel

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1  teaspoon baking powder

1  teaspoon baking soda

ICING:

2 cups confectioners' sugar

1/4 cup orange juice

2 tablespoons butter (no substitutes), melted

Directions

1.In a mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in orange juice and peel. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture.

2.Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls 2 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10-12 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Remove to wire racks to cool.

3.In a small bowl, combine icing ingredients until smooth; drizzle over cooled cookies.

GINGER JAZZED BROWNIES

This could have been really adult friendly brownie. But, I think that the baking time on the recipe was a typo. All other brownie recipes that I've ever tried, that called for a 9 x 9 pan to be used, have had a baking time of between 45 to 60 minutes. This recipe calls for a baking time of 35 minutes. When I took them out of the oven, they were still very gooey, but I figured they would firm up. After an hour of cooling, the middle was a raw puddle of batter. So, I put them back in the oven for another 30 mins to try to fix the mess. It didn't work. The brownies never did set up.

What a raw mess. The batter tasted good though. I'd give you the recipe, but I think I'll wait and hand it over when I've actually gotten a quality result out of it.

NEW FRIEND

Wanna see a pic of one of my Birthday gifts?

Isn't he cool? I've decided to name him Freddy Undeady.

One Year Old

One year ago today, I gave birth to this blog. It didn't hurt a bit, but it has caused some stretch marks.

OH SO HOT AND CHERRY

These tomatoes are all that's left of the blazing hot summer that I thought would never leave. The "summer of the hole" being in the bag, is a relief. I've spent the past few months putting in extra hours at work, and at home. The dreary slow down that is Fall, is a welcome respite after spending so much time in a state of puddledom. It's been a tough season, full of a lot of change in my life, some of it good, some of it traumatic, so bye-bye heat index of the damned, so long, and thanks for all the tomatoes.

The dark clouds, and the crisp mornings are already putting me in a better mood.

Let's give some more lip service to pie.

Pie somehow became the star of the dessert world. That's fine, I disagree with its stardom, but who I am I to buck hundreds of years of tradition? If I have to eat pie, I'm picky about what flavors I'm willing to spear my fork into. If I'm going to make a pie, I'm even more picky. I'll make apple pies for others, but in my eyes the only true fruit pie is cherry. The mixture of tartness and sweetness sings in your mouth. It works well with so many different toppings, cinnamon crumb, whipped cream, and is one of the few that goes well topped with chocolate ice cream instead of vanilla.

Fresh cherries can be purchased in my area, but they're inveritably Bings. No offense to the Bing variety but they make for a pie that's too sweet. A nice, even balance of sweet and tart cherries do the trick, which is why I like *whispers* canned pie filling. I know, I'm a big supporter of canned pie filling for cherry pie, with caveats. The secret to a great cherry pie, is ditch the goo. You know what I'm talking about. The goo, the gel, the  so called cherry packing product. A can of "extra fruit" pie filling, mixed with a can of tart cherries in juice ensures the right flavor and the right consistency.

This particular pie was made for Mr. Icequeen's co-worker as a going away gift. This co-worker left her job, and her home state to start a new life. New beginnings can be so exciting, a chance to re-invent yourself and re-shape your world, for some it really is the final frontier.

PISTACHIO MOUSSE BROWNIE TORTE

This is my birthday cake, but I didn't make it, my husband did. I can't say enough about the fudgy chocolate layers, the salty, creamy pistacho filling. Wow, this cake was delicious. But, I do have a weakness for pistachios, and pistachio pudding.....and brownies. I've posted the recipe below. Please, make this cake.

Prep Time: 1 Hr


Total Time: 2 Hr 45 Min

Makes: 16



INGREDIENTS:

Cake1box (19.5 oz) Pillsbury® Traditional Fudge Brownie Mix1/2cup CRISCO® Pure Canola Oil1/4cup water3Eggland's Best eggs Mousse1box (4-serving size) pistachio instant pudding and pie filling mix3/4cup cold whole milk1cup cold whipping (heavy) cream1/2cup pistachio nuts, coarsely choppedGlaze1/2cup whipping (heavy) cream4oz semisweet baking chocolate, finely chopped1teaspoon vanilla1teaspoon light corn syrupGarnish1/2cup whipping (heavy) cream2tablespoons powdered sugarReserved 1 tablespoon pistachio instant pudding and pie filling mix

User Rating: DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray bottom of 2 (8-inch) round cake pans with CRISCO® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray. Line bottoms of pans with cooking parchment paper; lightly spray paper with cooking spray.

In large bowl, stir brownie mix, oil, water and eggs 50 strokes with spoon. Spread half of batter (1 1/2 cups) evenly in each pan.

Bake 27 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from edge of pan comes out clean. Cool in pans on cooling racks 10 minutes. Run knife around edge of pans to loosen. Place cooling rack upside down on 1 pan; turn rack and pan over. Remove pan and parchment paper. Repeat with second brownie layer. Place racks with brownie layers in refrigerator to cool completely, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, measure 1 tablespoon of the pudding mix; reserve for garnish. In large bowl, beat remaining pudding mix, the milk and 1 cup whipping cream with electric mixer on high speed about 2 minutes or until mixture is thick and creamy. Stir in nuts. Cover; refrigerate.

Carefully cut each brownie layer horizontally in half, using long serrated knife, to make 4 layers. On serving plate, place 1 brownie layer, cut side down. Spread 1/3 of the mousse (3/4 cup) evenly to edge of brownie. Repeat layering twice, using 2 brownie layers (place cut sides down) and remaining mousse. Top with remaining brownie layer, cut side down. Refrigerate torte while making glaze.

In 1-quart saucepan, heat 1/2 cup whipping cream over medium heat, stirring occasionally, just until bubbles start to form at edge of saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate; stir constantly until smooth. Stir in vanilla and corn syrup; let stand 10 minutes. Stir glaze; spoon over top of torte, allowing some to run down side. Return torte to refrigerator while making garnish.

In medium bowl, beat 1/2 cup whipping cream, the powdered sugar and reserved 1 tablespoon pudding mix on high speed until stiff peaks form. Spoon mixture into decorating bag fitted with star tip and pipe rosettes on top of torte, or spoon dollops of mixture on torte. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving. Cover and refrigerate any remaining torte.