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pennie_dreadful) wrote2008-11-26 11:01 am
what i made yesterday
Pumpkin Pie
1 can of unsweetened pumpkin puree
1 can of evaporated milk
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar (white or brown)
9 inch pie crust, unbaked (okay I admit to cheating and using a frozen one. Sue me, I ain't pastry)
Preheat oven to 425F.
Combine sugar and spices, set aside. Beat pumpkin and eggs together; slowly whisk in evaporated milk. Then add in spices. Pour into pie shell, and cover the edges of the crust with foil, so they don't get over browned or burned (experience talking here). Bake at 425 for fifteen minutes, then reduce heat to 350 for 30-35 minutes. You can tell it is done by shaking it, just slightly. If the filling jiggles like jello, it needs to cook more, if not, it's ready. Or you can stick a knife in it and if it comes out clean, it's done. But that messes it up.
This is actually the recipe from the can of Libby's canned pumpkin. I asked my grandmother once what her recipe was, and she confessed she always used the one on the can of Libby's. :/ I admit to being a tad disappointed, but hey, it's good pie, so I guess it doesn't really matter. And I have her recipe for sweet potato pie, and that is not from any can. I just did not have the money for sweet potatoes; I already had the pumpkin so that was what I made.
What I am making tomorrow:
Green Bean Casserole
(This is totally experimental; I have no idea if it will actually be good, but being a student of the culinary arts, come on, I am not just going to throw together a can of condensed soup and canned green beans.)
1 pound fresh grean beans (or frozen if you must, but please, not canned, ew)
2 ounce jar of pimentoes
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (it's good on spinach, so I thought I'd try it with green beans)
1 cup of grated cheese (I'm planning on using swiss, but whatever you like is fine)
French fried onions (my one concession to tradition, heh)
In a medium sized skillet, melt butter, and add flour, cook together about two minutes (this is a roux, and it will thicken the sauce, so this is a very important step). Then slowly whisk in the heavy cream and chicken broth and spices. Bring it just to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until it thickens up. It won't thicken until it reaches the boiling point, but actually boiling it will not be good for the sauce, so after it starts bubbling just the slightest bit, kill the heat and leave it while you prepare the green beans. Now is also the time to taste and see if it needs more salt, etc.
The beans need to be washed, of course, and have the tips cut off, and depending on your preference, either chopped further into smaller pieces, or left whole. I am planning on cutting them down to smaller sizes, for easier eating. Then blanch them in boiling, salted water for two to three minutes. Drain them well, and dump in a casserole dish, maybe an 8x8x4, or therabouts. Also add the pimentoes, and then pour the sauce over them, mix well. Cover with cheese and onions, bake at 400F for, eh, twelve or fifteen minutes.
Those shall be my contributions to the Thanksgiving table tomorrow. LOL, we are too poor to buy a turkey or ham, so we're just having a roasted chicken and whatever anyone else brings.
I'm thankful that even though much, much discouraging shit has happened, I have persevered; I've made some great friends here at school, and I have my cats, after all. I keep telling myself, and believing, that this is only a temporary run of bad luck, and that one day I will finally have the title of professional chef, and I will not be so broke.
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