Boston Cream Pie

I always wondered why Boston Cream Pie is called pie and not cake.  This is what Google had to say about it.

Boston Cream Pie History:

Cooks in New England and Pennsylvania Dutch regions were known for their cakes and pies and the dividing line between them was very thin. This cake was probably called a pie because in the mid-nineteenth century, pie tins were more common than cake pans. The first versions might have been baked in pie tins. Boston Cream Pie is a remake of the early American"Pudding-cake pie."

1856 - The Parker House Hotel (now the Omni Parker House Hotel), claims to have served Boston cream pies since their opening in 1856. French chef Sanzian, who was hired for the opening of the hotel, is credited with creating Boston cream pie. This cake was originally served at the hotel with the names Chocolate Cream Pie or Parker House Chocolate Cream Pie. This was the first hotel in Boston to have hot-and-cold running water, and the first to have an elevator.

1996 - The Boston Cream Pie was proclaimed the official Massachusetts State Dessert on December 12, 1996. A civics class from Norton High School sponsored the bill. The pie beat out other candidates, including the toll house cookie and Indian pudding.

Usually made with sponge cake, but I like this method.

http://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.ca/2014/06/bakery-style-cake-from-box.html

Once your cake is baked and cooled, make the filling.

I used Dr. Oetker pudding mix (43 g/1.5 oz size), but any pudding mix will do. Just replace the milk it calls for with 10% cream. Cool in fridge.

Place the bottom layer on a plate or cake board and top with the pudding.

I kept about 1/2 cup of the pudding for another use (to eat !) because it looked like that would be too much between layers.

Now gently place the next layer on top and refrigerate while you make the chocolate glaze.

Take 225 g (about 1/2 tub) prepared chocolate frosting.  Add 1/2 cup chocolate chips.

Microwave for about 30 seconds, stirring after every 10 seconds.

Now take the cake out of the fridge and work quickly as the glaze will start to set.

Keep refrigerated until ready to eat.

You might also like:

http://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.ca/2014/06/rich-chocolate-layer-cake.html

http://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.ca/2014/06/chocolate-strawberry-shortcake.html

http://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.ca/2014/06/chocolate-butter-sauce-for-cupcakes.html

Rich Chocolate Layer Cake

Bake a chocolate cake using this method:

http://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.ca/2014/06/bakery-style-cake-from-box.html


Vanilla icing:

1 tbsp butter or marg
1 tbsp butter flavoured Crisco
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp 10 % cream
1 cup icing sugar

Whisk all together and spread on top of bottom layer.  

Now for the chocolate frosting whisk together:

1/2 cup honey Greek yogurt
3 tbsps cream cheese
1  1/2 cups chocolate chips  (melted and cooled 20 mins)

Frost your cake and garnish with grated chocolate and raspberries.

You might also like:

http://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.ca/2014/06/boston-cream-pie.html

http://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.ca/2014/06/chocolate-strawberry-shortcake.html

http://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.ca/2014/06/chocolate-butter-sauce-for-cupcakes.html

Bakery Style Cake from a Box

I've seen this method all over the place and finally decided to try it.  It's pretty good!  Start with any boxed cake mix you like. No name or name brand....it doesn't matter. 

Add an extra egg than what they call for on the box, replace the oil with melted butter, replace the water with half & half (10 %) cream and add 2 tsp vanilla.

It seems to give you a little more batter.  I made 2  - 8 inch rounds and 6 cupcakes out of each mix.  In the picture below you can see that  2  of the 8 inch rounds are a bit deeper and 2 more shallow, but that was just for a recipe I was trying.

(I'll freeze the cupcakes for later when I'll be posting a cupcakes and chocolate sauce recipe. Stay tuned.)

Oh and here's a little trick you might not have known about for cutting a cake for layering.  Take a length of string, wrap it around the cooled cake where you want it sliced, cross it over and gently pull.

It'll go right through the cake, I find alot easier than a knife,

and you're ready to make your layer cake!

You might like to try:
⬇️

http://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.ca/2014/06/boston-cream-pie.html

⬇️

http://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.ca/2014/06/rich-chocolate-layer-cake.html

⬇️
http://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.ca/2014/06/chocolate-strawberry-shortcake.html

⬇️
And here's that cupcakes with chocolate sauce recipe

http://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.ca/2014/06/chocolate-butter-sauce-for-cupcakes.html

Get all your Product out of those Pump Bottles !

Those pump bottles are convenient.  But doesn't it bug you when you know there's more in the bottle but the pump won't let you have any more of it.  Sometimes the top unscrews and you can turn it upside down to get the balance out.  But this method here lets you get every last drop out and some of your products cost you alot of money.  Who doesn't want to save money?

Get some kind of hack saw out, snips and a spatula. And don't forget the chopping board. (You could probably use a sharp knife instead of a saw)

When you start, be careful.  Get a little notch started before you go sawing away otherwise the saw might slip.

You could probably saw right through it, but I find it easier to snip the last bit.

Hmm.....look at that

Use the spatula to save all that product!

My jar was too little for all the lotion I saved.

One-Pan Chicken, Green Beans & Potatoes

This recipe was quick to prepare and easy to clean up afterwards.  Only one pan !

Below is the original recipe from:

http://www.realsimple.com/m/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/pan-roasted-chicken-lemon-garlic-green-beans-10000000780291/index.html

The family doesn't like too much lemon so I only used 1.  And instead of chicken breasts, I used chicken tournedos.  Bake in the oven for only 40 minutes and you don't have to return the potatoes and green beans to the oven as mentioned below.

Tossing the vegetables and meat separately in the liquid before cooking ensures that everything is covered in flavour.

Serves 4Hands-On Time: 15mTotal Time: 1hr 15m

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 lemons, 1 thinly sliced, 1 juiced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 pound trimmed green beans
• 8 small red potatoes, quartered
• 4 chicken breasts (bones left in, with skin, about 3 1/4 pounds)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Coat a large baking dish or cast-iron skillet with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Arrange the lemon slices in a single layer in the bottom of the dish or skillet.
2. In a large bowl, combine the remaining oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper; add the green beans and toss to coat. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, remove the green beans and arrange them on top of the lemon slices. Add the potatoes to the same olive-oil mixture and toss to coat. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, arrange the potatoes along the inside edge of the dish or skillet on top of the green beans. Place the chicken in the same bowl with the olive-oil mixture and coat thoroughly. Place the chicken, skin-side up, in the dish or skillet. Pour any of the remaining olive-oil mixture over the chicken
3. Roast for 50 minutes. Remove the chicken from the dish or skillet. Place the beans and potatoes back in oven for 10 minutes more or until the potatoes are tender. Place a chicken breast on each of 4 serving plates; divide the green beans and potatoes equally. Serve warm.

Herbed Wienie (or Sausage) Rolls

I am not a big fan of making lunch.  Don't know why...just have a mental block about lunches.  But with not too much effort I made this.  It can also be made to serve as an appetizer.

For a little lunch for two (which can be doubled if you need)

1  1/2 tsp milk
2 heaping tbsps Herb and Garlic cream cheese
4 wieners
4 slices of bread (with crusts cut off)

Take a rolling pin and roll the bread slices so they are a little flattened.  Mix the milk and cheese together and spread on the bread.

Now roll up a wiener in the bread and press the edge to seal. Cut in half. (If making for appetizers, cut diagonally in thirds) Place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Brush with 1-2 tsps melted butter and sprinkle paprika.

They're ready for the oven.

Bake at 400 F for 10 minutes.

A variation is to use sausages.  A little more work, but they are quite good.

8 sausages
8 slices
1 - 125 g softened cream cheese
1 tbsp milk
1 tbsp parsley
1/4 tsp dill
pepper
melted butter
paprika

Cook sausages until golden.  Roll the bread slices with rolling pin.  Mix cheese, milk, parsley, dill and pepper, then spread on bread.  Roll up sausage and firmly press edge. Cook same as above.

This makes 24 appetizers.

Spaghetti Carbonara "Olive Garden" Style

This is a lighter version of traditional carbonara because it uses bechamel (white) sauce in place of heavy cream.  But don't kid yourself.....this is still not a "skinny" meal.  Oh but it's so yummy!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
4 cups milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 lb bacon, cut in squares
1/2 onion, chopped
6 mushrooms, sliced
2 tsp parsley
spaghetti for 4

Start by preparing the white sauce.  Melt the butter in a saucepan and whisk in the flour.

Pour in the milk while whisking to keep the flour from becoming lumpy. (Sorry no photo of this step because I would have needed a 3rd hand!)
Continue whisking about 10 minutes on medium heat until sauce thickens and coats a spoon.

Now you are ready to add the parmesan cheese.  Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
In a frying pan brown the bacon, then add to sauce.

In the same frying pan, using the bacon grease, brown the onion and mushrooms and set aside.

Now cook spaghetti as directed on package.  Keep sauce warm on low heat.
Drain spaghetti and toss with bechamel and bacon.
Top with onions and mushrooms and sprinkle with parsley.

Serves 4