Chocolate Praline Layer Cake

For the cake...
1/2 cup margarine
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1 package Devil's Food Cake mix
1 1/4 cup water
1/3 vegetable oil
3 eggs

For the frosting...
1 3/4 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
Optional: whole pecans or chocolate curls

1. Make the cake.
   1. In a small, heavy saucepan, combine butter, 1/4 cup whipping cream, and brown sugar. Cook over low heat - stirring occasionally - just until butter is melted.
   2. Pour melted mixture into two 9" pans, and sprinkle evenly with chipped pecans.
   3. Prepare cake mix according to instructions.
   4. Carefully spoon the cake batter over the pecan layer.
   5. Bake at 325 degrees for 35 - 45 minutes. Cool 5 minutes.
2. Make the frosting.
   1. In a small bowl, beat 1 3/4 cup whipping cream until soft peaks form.
   2. Blend 1/4 confectioner's sugar and vanilla.
   3. Beat until stiff peaks form.
3. Assemble.
   1. Flip one of the baked cakes onto a serving plate so the praline is facing up.
   2. Top with half of the whipped cream frosting.
   3. Layer the second cake - praline-side-up - on top of the frosted cake.
   4. Top the second cake with the remaining whipped cream frosting.
   5. Garnish with pecans and chocolate curls if desired.
4. Refrigerate.

Carrot Cake

For the cake...
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups grated carrots (~ 2 lbs)
2 teaspoons cinnamon
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup nuts
1/2 cup pineapple
1/2 cup rasins or dates

For the frosting...
8 ounces cream cheese
1 stick margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 box confectioner's sugar

1. Prepare the cake.
   1. Mix dry ingredients.
   2. Add oil and vanilla.
   3. Add eggs one at a time.
   4. Add carrots, nuts, and fruits.
   5. Fill 12 small loaf pans.
   6. Bake for one hour at 350 degrees.
   7. Cool thoroughly.
2. Prepare the frosting.
   1. Mix all ingredients until smooth.

Notes:

• If doubling a recipe, use a 1/2 can of pineapple.
• Adding extra confectioner's sugar to the frosting will help keep plastic wrap from sticking. This is useful for wrapping those bake sale goodies!

Tiny Tim Pecan Tarts

For the crust...
4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups shortening
ice water

For the filling...
3 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup dark corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 Tablespoons flour
1/2 cup chopped pecans

For the finish...
whipped cream

1. Prepare the crust. 
   1. In a large bowl, mix flour and salt.  
   2. Use pastry blender to cut in 1 cup shortening until mix resembles Bisquick...in other words until it seems as if the shortening has just about disappeard.  Now mix in the 1/2 cup shortening until it makes very, very small lumps...now as fine as before but definitely not any big lumps.  
   3. Use a fork to push all this mix to the side of the bowl.  Pour in a little ice water. Use the fork to pull the flour into the water and toss it, adding a little more at a time, until the water is all used up and that bit of dough clumps together.  Set that clump aside and keep repeating until all the flour is mixed into dough.  
   4. Roll out half at a time to a rectangle, 14x10, on a lightly floured surface. Cut out 12 rounds with a 3" cutter.  Fit each round into a tiny muffin cup, pressing firmly against bottom and side.  Re-roll trimmings and cut out to make 36 shells in all.
2. Beat eggs slightly in a medium size bowl.  Stir in sugar, salt, corn syrup, and vanilla, then flour and pecans.  Spoon or pour about 1 tablespoonful into each shell.
3. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes, or until pastry is golden and filling is set.  Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes, then remove carefully. Cool completely.

Serve topped with whipped cream.
Store in a cool, dry place.

Notes from a baker's daughter: My pie crust never comes out as good as Mom's, so I phone it in and use the store-bought stuff.

Christmas Wreaths

Kid-friendly and colorful! When faced with all the decadent, sophisticated desserts at the holiday party, no one believes me when I tell them that the sight of these makes me squeal with delight.

3 sticks margarine
16 oz bag marshmallows
3 tsp food color (or use paste)
3 tsp vanilla
11 oz box corn flakes
1/4 lb red cinnamon candies

1. In large saucepan, melt butter & marshmallows over moderately low heat, stirring constantly.
2. When melted, remove from heat and stir in food color & vanilla.
3. Stir in corn flakes and cinnamon candies.
4. Drop mix one wax paper, one tablespoon at a time.
5. Let stand 30 minutes, until cool.

Russian Teacakes

These light and sweet mouthfuls have always been a staple of the Pineo holiday cookie collection.

1 cup butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp vanilla
powdered sugar for finishing

1. Mix butter, vanilla, and half cup sugar.
2. Work in flour, salt, and nuts until dough holds together. 
3. Shape into 1" balls. Place 1" apart on uncreased sheet. (Balls will stay the same size.)
4. Bake 10-12 minutes or until set but not brown.
5. While warm, roll in powdered sugar. Cool, and then roll in powdered sugar again.

Bourbon Pecan Pie

This is a new twist on an old favorite of mine. As they say, everything is made better with age, and age is made better with booze.

Yield: 1 pie

1 cup light corn syrup
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup bourbon
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups lightly toasted pecan halves
1 pie shell

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F
2. Prepare the filling. Put corn syrup and brown sugar in a heavy saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and add the butter, bourbon and vanilla. Let the mixture cool, then add the eggs and whisk until smooth.
3. Fill and bake the pie. Arrange pecan halves on the bottom of the crust, then carefully pour the filling over them. Bake on center rack for 45 minutes, until filling is set, rotating the pan halfway through baking time.
4. Serve with freshly whipped cream or ice cream.

Source: Grand Central Bakery, Seattle

Christmas Beef Wellington

This is a favorite for the Pineo family, served every Christmas, and select Thanksgivings, when we discovered that we preferred it to turkey.  I guess that's because we are turkeys ourselves. 

---

• General
  • 4 pounds beef fillet steak, trimmed
  • salt, to taste
  • pepper, to taste
  • 1 egg
• Butter Pastry
  • 3 3/4 cups sifted flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup butter, cold
  • 2 tablespoons shortening
  • 3/4 cup water

• Duxelles
  • 1 pound mushroom, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup green onion, chopped
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon marjoram
  • 2 teaspoons flour
  • dash pepper
  • 1/4 cup beef broth
  • 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
  • 1/2 cup ham, finely chopped

---

Duxelles: Sauté the mushrooms and onion in butter in a frying pan until liquid evaporates.  Stir in salt, marjoram, flour, pepper, and broth. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil and thickens.  Remove from heat and stir in parsley and ham. Cool.

Butter Pastry: Combine the flour and salt in a bowl and cut in the butter and the shortening until particles are fine.  Add water, 1 Tbs. at a time, to make a stiff dough.  Cover and chill. 
Beef: Place beef on rack in a shallow baking pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast at 425 degrees for 30 minutes. Let stand until cool. 

Roll butter pastry on a floured surface to rectangle about 3" longer than roast and 12 to 13 inches wide. Press Duxelles into pastry, leaving an inch uncovered on all edges. Place beef on pastry.  Moisten pastry edges and enclose beef, pressing edges together firmly. Trim off excess pastry from ends so single layer covers ends of roast. Place roll, seam side down, in a shallow baking pan.  Cut decorations from pastry trimmings and place on top. Brush pastry with egg beaten with 1 Tbs. water. 

Bake at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until browned. Let stand for 15-20 minutes before slicing.

Notes: The crust and duxelles may be prepared the day before.  May use a food processor for both the crust and duxelles.  When searing the beef initially, bake it on a wire rack that can fit into a pan to allow any juices to drain off.  The second time it goes into the oven, bake it on a cookie sheet or a shallow pan.  Use a wide sturdy spatula to lift it onto the serving tray.

Carol's Apple Pie

I know I'm biased, but Mom's apple pie really is the best in the entire universe. It's usually warm out of the oven and served with vanilla ice cream. And even when I try to bake pie using the her tried-and-true recipe, it's just not the same. Maybe it takes the Mom Touch, and decades of practice. But I always try, nonetheless... Thanksgiving wouldn't be the same without it.

---

Crust Ingredients:

• 4 cups flour

• 1 tsp salt

• 1.5 shortening

• ice water

Crust Steps:

1. In a large bowl, mix flour and salt. Use pastry blender to cut in 1 cup shortening until mix resembles Bisquick...in other words until it seems as if the shortening has just about disappeard. Now mix in the 1/2 cup shortening until it makes very, very small lumps...now as fine as before but definitely not any big lumps.

2. Use a fork to push all this mix to the side of the bowl. Pour in a little ice water. Use the fork to pull the flour into the water and toss it, adding a little more at a time, until the water is all used up and that bit of dough clumps together. Set that clump aside and keep repeating until all the flour is mixed into dough.

3. Smooth into one big ball, then cut into 4 smaller balls for 4 crusts. Spread flour lightly on the counter, put one ball on the flour. Lightly flour your rolling pin and roll out.

4. Notes: Can be made in advance and chilled.

Yield: four crusts (i.e., enough for two double-crust pies)

---

Filling Ingredients:

• 5 cups apples, sliced (Favorite apples are Cortland or Rome... I will use McIntosh if I have to but I never use Delicious for baking.  Granny Smith also good.)

• 3 tablespoons tapioca

• 3/4 cup sugar

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

• 1 Tablespoon butter

Filling Steps:

1. Combine all filling ingredients except butter in a large bowl.

2. Roll crust into a circle about an inch larger than the pie pan. I always use glass pans, 9" for most pies, except I use a deep dish glass pan for apple pie.

3. Put your fruit filling into the pan.

4. Cut butter into small bits, and drop them onto the top of the filling.

5. Use some of the ice water to moisten the edge of the bottom crust, where the two crusts will be touching (this helps make a seal so the filling doesn't dry out). Press down on the two crusts to seal them, trim around the pan, about 3/4 to 1" out from the edge of the pan. 

6. Fold the outer edge under so it rests on the rim of the pie pan and then press down on the folded edge to help seal it even more. Use your fingers to flute the edge; thumb and index finger on left hand on the inside of the crust, index finger of the right hand pushing the dough between those fingers to make that wavy fluted edge. 

7. Use a sharp knife to cut steam vents in the top. Use a soft pastry brush to brush milk on top, sprinkle lightly with sugar.

Bake at 425 for about 45 minutes.