Category: Holiday Food

Adaptable Recipes, Holiday Food, Makeover Monday Meals, Weekend Baking Warrior

Monday Makeover Meal Bonus- Puff Pastry

ccanton84

As a divorced mother of two, transitioning from full-time parent to empty-nester was an adjustment while my sons were in college. I didn’t have to cook as much while college was in session, but it was business as usual during their breaks and after they finished grad school.

I’ve embraced life as an empty nester but as someone who likes to be in the kitchen, I had to learn how to scale down my meals and recipes. That’s when I happened up Dessert For Two. Blogger Christine is the author of four cookbooks and has scaled down many recipes for smaller servings, which was right up my alley. I love to bake and puff pastry is one of my favorite things to make and keep in the fridge or freezer.  Christine’s recipe is perfectly sized, fast, and accessible.  I adapted the recipe for dietary restrictions so everyone can make it.

 

Puff Pastry for Two by Dessert For Two adapted by Still A Chick Lit

Ingredients

1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour (gluten-free all-purpose flour, 1 to 1 gluten-free baking blend, white rice, brown rice, or sorghum flour with 1 tablespoon of xanthan gum)

1/4 teaspoon fine salt

10 tablespoons high-quality unsalted butter (5 ounces), cold (unsalted vegan butter)

1/3 cup ice-cold water

Instructions

In a medium bowl, add the flour and salt. Stir to mix.

Next, cube the butter and then add it to the flour bowl. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut the butter into the dough. It will be very crumbly, and you’re done when the butter is in uniform pieces all about the size of peas.

Next, make a hole in the center of the dough and pour in all of the water. Using a fork, stir to combine the dough.

Flour a cutting board and add the dough. Pat it into a rough square. You will still see chunks of butter and it will seem too dry, but do not add extra water. The dough will come together with each roll.

Flour the rolling pin and roll the dough out in front of you into a rectangle about 10″ long. No need to be too precise here.

Fold the bottom third of the dough over the middle of the dough. Fold the upper third of the dough on top of the middle too. Rotate the dough one-quarter turn, and repeat. Use additional flour as needed to prevent the dough from sticking.

Roll out, fold, and turn the dough at least 6 or 7 times.

When done, wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least one hour, or overnight. Dough may be frozen, too.

Roll out with flour for desired puff pastry use.

Note: Although the recipe is easily doubled, Christine advises against tripling the recipe. If you do double the recipe, be sure to divide it in half before you begin your rolling sessions.

If at any time during the rolling process it seems the butter is getting too soft, pop the dough into the fridge for ten minutes or put it in the freezer for five minutes.  It’s critical that the butter remains chilled in order to achieve the flakey texture puff pastry is known for.

Puff pastry can be used for both sweet and savory appetizers and desserts.

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Adaptable Recipes, Breakfast, Holiday Food

Makeover Monday Meal- Christmas Eve Bonus Recipe

ccanton84

 

It’s Christmas Eve, all the presents are wrapped (hopefully) and placed under the tree. Tomorrow morning will be filled with laughter, smiles, kisses, and hugs.  Happy faces are often followed by empty tummies looking for a morning treat.  To make sure that you won’t miss a moment, these make-ahead cinnamon rolls are just the ticket.

This recipe comes to us from Love From The Oven. We adapted the recipe with substitutions for those who have specific dietary requirements. The total hand’s on time for this recipe is thirty minutes to prep and thirty minutes to bake. Moreover, you can make the rolls in the morning as well without too much fuss. Either way, we are sure your family will love them.

 

Merry Christmas

 

Cinnamon Rolls by Love From The Oven adapted by Still A Chick Lit

Ingredients

Dough

1/2 cup sugar (Swerve sweetener, Splenda granulated, coconut, turbinado, or raw cane sugar, pulsed finely)

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted (unsalted vegan butter)

1 tsp salt

2 eggs ( 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons Aquafaba, ½   cup silken tofu pureed with ¼  teaspoon baking soda, 2 flaxseed or chia seed eggs, vegan egg replacer=2 eggs, liquid mung bean egg replacer=2 eggs)

 

4 cups all-purpose flour (gluten-free all-purpose flour, 1 to 1 gluten-free baking blend, white rice, brown rice, or sorghum flour)

 

2 packets RAPID RISE yeast (this recipe is based on Rapid Rise yeast, and will not work the same with other varieties of yeast)

1 cup warm milk (dairy: whole milk, 2%, or fat-free) (non-dairy: almond, oat, soy, rice, or light coconut milk)

Filling

1/2 cup salted butter, softened (vegan butter) *

1/2 cup sugar (Swerve sweetener, Splenda granulated, coconut, turbinado, or raw cane sugar, pulsed finely)

 

1/2 cup brown sugar (Swerve brown sugar substitute, Splenda brown sugar substitute, or organic brown sugar)

 

1-2 TBSP cinnamon

Frosting

4 oz cream cheese, softened (dairy: low-fat cream cheese)  (vegan cream cheese such as Vitalife )

4 tbsp unsalted butter **, softened  (vegan unsalted butter)

1 tsp vanilla extract

2-3 tbsp milk (dairy: whole, 2%, fat-free, or light cream) (non-dairy: unsweetened almond, soy, rice, oat, or light coconut milk)

2 cups powdered sugar (Swerve confectioner’s sugar substitute or organic confectioner’s sugar)

1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

Dough

Mix butter, sugar, and salt in a large bowl until well combined. Add egg and mix until combined. Add in flour and Rapid Rise yeast, and stir to combine. Add in milk and mix well until soft smooth dough forms. Turn out on a lightly floured surface. Knead 10-12 times then place into a large bowl that has been well-oiled. Cover and let the dough rise in a draft-free location for at least 30 minutes or until almost doubled in size.

Once risen, punch down the dough and let rest for five minutes. Roll the dough into a 14 x 8-inch rectangle (approximately) on a lightly floured surface. Brush with softened butter for filling. Combine cup sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Sprinkle over buttered dough. Roll up from the long side. Cut into 12 cinnamon rolls.

Place cinnamon rolls in a 13×9-inch pan that has been brushed with butter. At this point, you can cover the rolls with plastic wrap or foil and place the rolls in the fridge to bake the following morning. Or preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and let the dough rise for 30 minutes, then bake.

If placing rolls in the fridge, remove them from the fridge 30-60 minutes prior to the time you will start baking them (60 minutes is best). Let them rest in a warm, draft-free location. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Once the oven is heated, bake the rolls for approximately 20 minutes (or until lightly browned). Remove from oven and frost immediately.

Frosting

Stir together softened cream cheese and softened butter. Add in vanilla, salt, and milk and mix until well combined. Add in powdered sugar and mix until smooth and creamy. If you would like your frosting thicker, add more powdered sugar, one tablespoon at a time and mix well. If you would like a thinner frosting, add more milk, one teaspoon at a time, and mix well, until desired consistency is reached.

Once rolls are removed from the oven, you can frost them immediately or allow them to cool slightly, then frost. Store any leftover rolls in the refrigerator.

Notes

**- You can use salted butter. If you do, omit the added salt

 

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Adaptable Recipes, Food Glorious Food, Holiday Food

Independence Day Desserts

ccanton84
Desserts to top off your celebration

After you’ve had the hotdogs, hamburgers, chicken, ribs, and anything else your family and friends crave, it’s time for dessert. There’s nothing like no-bake desserts to beat the heat. Here are two recipes to end your celebration on a sweet note.

Red, White, and Blue No-bake cheesecake and Black Bottom Chocolate Pie

No-bake red white and blue vanilla cheesecake Martha Stewart adapted by Chamein Canton

  • Easy
  • Prep time 25 minutes
  • Total 40 minutes
  • 10 servings

Ingredient Checklist

15 graham crackers (8 ounces) (Gluten-free graham crackers)

1 stick unsalted butter, melted (vegan butter, or margarine)

3 tablespoons granulated sugar (Swerve sweetener, Splenda granulated, monk fruit sweetener granulated, coconut, raw cane, or turbinado sugar pulsed fine)

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

2 bars (8 ounces each) cream cheese, room temperature (1 ½ package full-fat cream cheese plus ½ package of light cream cheese, not Neufchatel cheese) (vegan cream cheese)

3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar (Swerve confectioner’s sugar substitute or organic confectioner’s sugar)

1 cup Greek yogurt (full-fat) (coconut yogurt, plain)

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 cup heavy cream, whipped (1 cup full-fat coconut milk or 2/3 cup almond milk with 1/3 cup melted unsalted vegan butter, cooled. With a stand or hand mixer, mix the butter into the almond milk, then add ½  teaspoon of agar-agar or cream of tartar to help the cream get whipped and stabilized.)

2 cups fresh berries

Directions

Instructions Checklist

Step 1

In a food processor, pulse graham crackers until finely ground (you should have about 2 cups). Add butter, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; pulse until combined. Press crumbs evenly onto the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan.

Step 2

In a large bowl and using an electric mixer on high, beat cream cheese until fluffy, 3 minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar, yogurt, vanilla, and a pinch of salt; beat until smooth. With a rubber spatula, fold in whipped cream. Pour cream cheese mixture into crust and smooth top. Cover and refrigerate until firm, at least 8 hours (or overnight).

Step 3

Combine berries and remaining 1 tablespoon granulated sugar; let stand 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the cake; release sides to remove from pan. Top with berries and juices.

Cook’s Notes

When you’re pressing the crumbs into the pan for the crust, use a flat-bottomed measuring cup. It makes it easy to get an even thickness — and to get into the pan’s corners.

Chocolate Black Bottom Pie by Southern Living adapted by Chamein Canton

Serves 8-10

Ingredients

1 (9-oz.) package chocolate wafers (gluten-free chocolate wafers)

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted (vegan unsalted butter)

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

2/3 cup sugar (Swerve sweetener, Splenda granulated, monk fruit granulated sweetener, golden sugar, coconut, turbinado, or raw cane sugar pulsed finely)

3 tablespoons cornstarch

4 egg yolks (1/4 cup soy lecithin or 1/3 cup Aquafaba)

2 cups milk (dairy: 2 cups whole milk, or 1 ½ cups 2% plus ½ cup half and half or light cream) (non-dairy: almond, soy, rice, or light coconut milk)

2 (4-oz.) bittersweet chocolate baking bars, chopped (vegan chocolate)

1 tablespoon dark rum

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups heavy whipping cream (2 cups full-fat coconut milk or 1 2/3 cup almond milk with 1/3 cup melted unsalted vegan butter, cooled. With a stand or hand mixer, mix the butter into the almond milk, then add 1 teaspoon of agar-agar or cream of tartar to help the cream get whipped and stabilized.)

1/4 cup sugar (Swerve sweetener, Splenda granulated, monk fruit granulated sweetener, golden sugar, coconut, turbinado, or raw cane sugar pulsed finely)

Garnish: bittersweet chocolate shavings

Directions

Instructions Checklist

Step 1

Pulse chocolate wafers in a food processor 8 to 10 times or until finely crushed. Stir together wafer crumbs and butter, and firmly press mixture on the bottom, up the side, and onto a lightly greased 9-inch pie plate. Freeze crust for 30 minutes.

Step 2

Whisk together 2/3 cup sugar and 3 Tbsp. cornstarch in a 3-qt. heavy saucepan.

Step 3

Whisk together egg yolks and milk in a small bowl; whisk yolk mixture into sugar mixture in pan, and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, 10 to 12 minutes or until mixture thickens. Cook 1 more minute. Remove from heat.

Step 4

Microwave chocolate in a microwave-safe glass bowl at HIGH 1 1/2 minutes or until melted, stirring at 30-second intervals. Whisk melted chocolate, rum, and vanilla into the thickened filling. Spoon filling into prepared crust. Place plastic wrap directly onto filling (to prevent a film from forming), and chill for 8 to 24 hours.

Step 5

Beat whipping cream and 1/4 cup sugar at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Top pie with whipped cream, and garnish, if desired.

Notes: You can use a pre-made chocolate wafer pie crust to save time.

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