3/4 cup fresh cherries, pitted and chopped, juice reserved
extra chopped cherries for garnish
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
2-4 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
4 slices Cinnamon Raisin bread (about 3/4″ thick)
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips or chocolate curls
1/4 cup sliced almonds
Mix together chopped cherries and reserved juice, ricotta, sugar to
taste and almond extract in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate
until ready to use.
Toast the bread. Spread each slice with the cherry-ricotta mixture
and sprinkle with the chocolate pieces, sliced almonds and extra
chopped cherries.
Thanksgiving is almost upon us, and I have a very resourceful website for ya’ll. It includes holiday humor, suggested videos “to get through the holiday” with a smile on your face, as well as many cooking recipes/tips, decoration ideas, and novel drink notions.
It even has an iPhone application to aid you ladies (or men) in organizing your day. This should help relieve the pressure, as well as organizing your Thanksgiving!
At epicurious.com they offer a delicious, mouth watering recipe for burnt pumpkin pie. If some of you ladies have never tried this, it is not only wonderful but a
2/3 cup fresh pumpkin puree or canned pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup pecan halves
sweetened whipped cream as an accompaniment
Roll out the dough 1/8 inch thick on a lightly floured surface and fit it into a 9-inch (1-quart) pie tin. Crimp the edge of the dough decoratively and chill the shell for 30 minutes.
In a heavy saucepan cook the sugar over low heat, undisturbed, until it is melted, cook it over moderately low heat, swirling the pan occasionally, until it is a deep caramel color, and stir in the corn syrup, stirring the mixture until it is combined well. Add the rum and the butter and cook the mixture for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture cool until it stops bubbling.
In a bowl whisk together the eggs, the vanilla, and a pinch of salt and add the syrup mixture in a stream, whisking. In another bowl whisk together the pumpkin purée and the ginger and whisk in 1 1/4 cups of the egg mixture. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the prepared shell, arrange the pecan halves decoratively on the mixture, and spoon the remaining egg mixture over the pecans. (The pecans will float to the top.) Bake the pie in the middle of a preheated 350°F. oven for 45 to 50 minutes, until the filling is set and the crust is pale golden, let it cook, and serve it warm or at room temperature with the whipped cream.
Makes 1 double-crust or 2 single-crust 9- to 10-inch pies
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water
Directions
In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, salt, and sugar. Add butter, and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, 8 to 10 seconds.
With machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream through feed tube. Pulse until dough holds together without being wet or sticky; be careful not to process more than 30 seconds. To test, squeeze a small amount together: If it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
Divide dough into two equal balls. Flatten each ball into a disc and wrap in plastic. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill at least 1 hour. Dough may be stored, frozen, up to 1 month.
