Links to Various Dessert Recipes Online

I just discovered that Philadelphia makes a ready made cheescake filling. Why bother about the crust? Just eat the filling.

I have to agree. I don't really like pie crusts, just the fillings. The other family members do like pie crusts, so I indulge them. If it were just me, I'd make crustless pies. What would those be called? Puddings? Custards? Compotes?

While we're at it, cookie dough from the store is much better raw than cooked. And since the stuff is made from pasteurized eggs, the dough is safe to eat when raw. So there.

Where'd you find this for the other recipes, please, ma'am?

As Erin wrote, it's from David Lebovitz' blog.
The recipe link is http://www.davidlebovitz.com/archives/recipes/

Cheesecake brownies:
http://www.davidlebovitz.com/archives/2008/10/cheesecake_brownies.html

Dulce de Leche brownies:
http://www.davidlebovitz.com/archives/2006/06/dulce_de_leche.html

I have Ripe for Dessert and it's good.

Erin, would you mind doing a mini-review? The recipes on the blog look both good and do-able without too much fuss. Except for his chocolate book, I haven't been able to find his books locally to look at. I've requested them from the local library, but it will take a while before I get them. The previous book, Room for Dessert, has, umm, disappeared from several of the local libraries. I have an inter-library loan request out, but who knows how far the book thieves have roamed?

My current favorite dessert cookbook is the Moosewood Dessert cookbook, followed by the Fannie Farmer baking book. We're always up for adding more good cookbooks to our collection.

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Pickled Green Tomatoes (from jp)

Pickled Green Tomatoes (from jp)
This crunchy, sour pickle comes from Eastern Europe and is popular in North America, where it is an essential item in any good delicatessen.

Yields about 2 pints, keeps 1 year refrigerated.  Serve with meat, cheese, or with drinks.

2 lb green tomatoes
2-3 fresh or dried red chilies
a few sprigs of dill
2-3 bay leaves
1-1/2 tbsp mustard seed
1 tbsp black peppercorns
4-5 cloves
4 cups cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
4 tbsp honey or sugar
1 tbsp salt

Lightly prick each tomato in several places with a wooden toothpick. Arrange in hot, sterilized jars with the chilies, dill, bay leaves, and spices.

Put the vinegar, water, honey or sugar, and salt in a noncorrosive saucepan.  Bring to a boil and boil rapidly for 5 minutes, then remove from the heat and let stand until warm.

Pour the warm vinegar into the jars.  If there is not enough liquid to cover the tomatoes, top off with cold vinegar then seal.  The tomatoes will be ready to eat in 1 month, but improve after 2-3 months.

jp

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Green Tomato Preserves (from jp)

Green Tomato Preserves (from jp)

Here is a green tomato preserve recipe from an old edition of the Settlement Cookbook.  On the same page are recipes for things like Russian-style radish preserves and Rhubarb/Fig preserves, so edibility by modern palates is not guaranteed.

1 quart sliced green tomatoes
1 quart sugar
1 lemon, grated rind and pulp
1 stick cinnamon

Place tomatoes in skillet.  Add sugar, lemon rind and pulp, and cinnamon.  Let stand several hours to draw juice.  Cook until tomatoes are thick and clear.  Pour into hot, sterilized glasses [canning jars] and seal.

This cookbook has several more recipes that include green tomatoes -- things like chowchow, spanish pickle (piccalilli), green tomato relish (mock mince meat), and a green tomato pickle.  They seem similar to recipes I've already given.

jp, hoping that no critical typos have snuck in

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Green Tomato Chutney 2 (from jp)

Green Tomato Chutney (from jp)

Here's a green tomato chutney recipe from Preserving by Oded Schwartz. He doesn't follow the latest food safety guidelines, so process or refrigerate if you're nervous.  This book has quite the variety of weird and wonderful preserves of all kinds.  I'm also including its pickled green tomato recipe.

This sweet and sour version of a classic recipe is well worth trying. Green tomatoes are notoriously difficult to peel, so if, like me, you do not mind tomato skin in your chutney, there is no need to peel them.

Makes about 3 pints, shelf life 1 yr if heat processed.  Serve as an accompaniment to mature cheese or add to sandwiches.

1-1/2 lb. green tomatoes
1 lb. cooking apples
1/2 lb. onions, coarsely chopped
1 tbsp. salt
3/4 cup raisins (the recipe does not specify what kind of raisins)
2 cups light brown or white sugar
1 cup cider vinegar
grated rind and juice of 2 large lemons
2 tbsp black or yellow mustard seed
2-3 fresh red chilis, seeded and chopped (optional)

For the Spice Bag:

1 tbsp coriander seed
2 tsp black peppercorns
2 tsp allspice berries
1 tsp cloves
2 cinnamon sticks, crushed

Blanch the tomatoes to remove the skin then coarsely chop.  Peel, core, and chop the apples.  Add the peel and cores to the spice bag.

Put the tomatoes, apples, onions, and salt in a noncorrosive saucepan. Bring slowly to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the raisins, sugar, vinegar, lemon rind and juice, and spice bag. Return to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes or until thick.  Add the mustard seed and chilies, if using, mix well, and remove from the heat.

Ladle into hot, sterilized jars, then seal.  The chutney will be ready to eat in 1 month.

jp

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Green Tomato Chutney I (from jp)

Green Tomato Chutney I (from jp)

(from the Moosewood Cookbook, p.73)

The mysterious Indian relish, demystified.  It's only slightly more complicated to make than applesauce.  And you can vary its sweetness, non-sweetness or relative spiciness according to your own taste. Preparation time should include an hour to simmer and several hours (or even days) to ripen.  Chutney will keep, if packaged in a sterile, sealed jar (or refrigerated).  Makes in the neighborhood of a quart.

2 lbs. green tomatoes
2 Tbs. freshly-chopped ginger
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp salt
1 cup honey
1 cup cider vinegar
cayenne to taste

Chop the tomatoes. Combine everything.  Bring to a boil, then simmer 1 hour, stirring now and then.

Cool before packing.

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Green Tomato Caddo Lake Relish (from jp)

Green Tomato Caddo Lake Relish (from jp)

Here is a recipe from my Texas Home Cooking cookbook.  I'm sure you can reduce or eliminate the jalapenos and/or substitute another milder pepper.  This cookbook also has a chowchow recipe that includes green tomatoes. It too adds jalapenos.

A less complex variation on chow chow.  In Caddo Lake fishing camps, this is served with fresh-caught fried fish and hush puppies.)

4 pounds (10-12 medium) green tomatoes
1 pound onions
1 cup chopped fresh jalapenos
2 cups cider vinegar, preferably unrefined
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup pickling salt

Coarsely chop the tomatoes, onions, and jalapenos in batches in a food processor, and reserve.

Combine the vinegar, sugar, and salt in a stockpot, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the vegetables and boil the mixture vigorously for 2-3 minutes.

Spoon the relish into prepared pint canning jars, leaving 1/2" of head-space.

Process the jars in a water bath for 10 minutes.  (Or you could keep them refrigerated if you're worried or don't feel like processing.)

jp

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Green Tomato Pie with Cornmeal Crust (from jp)

Green Tomato Pie with Cornmeal Crust (from jp)

(Recipe from the Fannie Farmer Baking Book, p.87)

Surprisingly, this sweet, spicy pie has no tomato flavor as we know it from soups and salads.  Yellow cornmeal crust lends good color and texture to the tangy green-tomato filling.

a 9" 2-crust pie shell (the recipe recommends 2 recipes worth of a cornmeal dough crust, recipe follows, but you can substitute whatever you think will work well.)

1 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
6 large green tomatoes, sliced 1/4" thick (do not use stem end)
1/2 cup golden raisins
2 tbsp. cider vinegar
3 tbsp butter

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Roll out half the dough and fit it into a 9" pie pan.  Roll out the remaining dough and set it aside on waxed paper or a lightly floured surface.  Cover with waxed paper to avoid drying out.

Put the sugar, flour, salt, cloves, cinnamon, and red pepper together in a shallow bowl. Stir with a fork to mix.

Take one third of the tomato slices at a time, toss and turn them in the sugar mixture so they are evenly coated on all sides. Spread the sugared tomato slices evenly over the dough in the pan, and sprinkle the raisins over all, along with any remaining sugar mixture.

Drizzle on the vinegar, then dot with the butter.  Place the top crust on the tomato slices. Crimp the edges and cut vents in the top.

Bake for about 40 minutes or until the crust is lightly colored and juices are bubbling around the edges of the pie. Remove and serve at room temperature.

Cornmeal Dough
(one 8" pie shell, so double it generously for a 9" two-crust pie)

1 cup flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal, ground fine if possible (you can whirl coarsely ground cornmeal in a blender, if desired)
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
about 3 tbsp water

Combine the flour, cornmeal, and salt, and mix. Add the shortening and cut it into the flour/cornmeal mix until the mixture looks like fresh bread crumbs. Sprinkle on the water a tablespoon at a time, stirring with a fork after each addition. Add just enough water so that the dough remains cohesive when pressed together -- it will be quite soft.

Roll on a lightly floured surface.  The dough may break easily but it is also easily mended.  The dough may be difficult to handle because of its softness.

jp

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Pumpkin Pancakes

Pumpkin Pancakes

1 cup flour (from sprouted wheat berries*)
1 cup buttermilk or yogurt
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp finely grated ginger
1/2 tsp ground allspice (or other favorite pumpkin seasoning)
water as needed

(*If you do not have sprouted flour, combine flour with yogurt the night before to soak.)

Combine all ingredients. Add water to get the proper consistency for pancakes (this varies greatly depending on your pumpkin puree, yogurt vs buttermilk, etc.) You want the pancakes to be able to pour onto the griddle, but not be runny. My goal is always a happy medium, a batter that will form a round circle, but still puff up when cooking.

Best with lots of butter, a sprinkle of cinnamon, and warm maple (not pancake!) syrup.

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Blender Waffles or Pancakes

Blender Waffles or Pancakes

Amounts in (*) makes enough got Two People - (2-3 waffles)
Otherwise makes: Four (4-5 waffles) or 20-24 pancakes

Place in blender; blend at highest speed for 3 minutes:

(3/4) 1-1/2 – 1-3/4 cups buttermilk or kefir (or non-dairy alternative)
(1) 2 tbsp olive oil
(1/2) 1 tsp vanilla extract

(2/3) 1-1/2 cups brown rice or uncooked rolled oats
(or other grain variations, see below)
2/3 cup grain = 1 cup flour or 1-1/2 cups grain = 2 cups flour

The batter should always swirl about a vortex in the blender. If it doesn’t, slowly add more liquid until the hole reappears. This is the secret to light and tender waffles. Batter for pancakes may be thicker, but keep batter relatively thin and keep it churning.

Cover blender; let stand at room temperature overnight or 12-24 hours.

Preheat waffle iron at highest temperature, or griddle on medium high.

Just before baking, add and re-blend on highest speed for 1 minute:

1 egg, optional additional liquid (if batter needs thinning for vortex or churning)

Blend in thoroughly, but briefly (assisted with rubber spatula, if needed):

(1) 2 tsp baking powder
(1/4) 1/2 tsp baking soda
(1/2) 1 tsp salt, to taste

Pour batter onto hot waffle iron, sprayed with olive oil. Bake about 3-1/2 to 4 minutes in waffle iron until crispy.

Grain Variations:
Brown rice or millet – equal parts of each grain
Kamut, spelt, wheat - kamut is a favorite! Combining with kamut and oats is our favorite!
Buckwheat – reduce to 1 cup (4 servings). It expands.
Barley -hulled, not pearled. Reduce to 1 cup (for 4 servings). It expands
Quinoa - Thoroughly rinse quinoa in strainer the night before 1-2 minutes; let stand in bowl of water overnight; drain and rinse about 1 more minute. This removes bitter flavor. Batter will be very thin. Fill waffle iron almost completely to the edges.
Oats - uncooked rolled oats or oat groats
I use oats in combination with other grains. I use 1/2 cup (in recipe for 4) oats, and 1 cup kamut, or half and half in serving 2.

Other additions - throw in some flax seeds!

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Blender Gingerbread Pancakes

Blender Gingerbread Pancakes

1-1/2 cups buttermilk, kefir, yogurt or alternative acid medium
2 tbsp coconut oil or olive oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups raw whole grain (1 cup kamut & 1/2 cup oats is our favorite!) or approximately 2-1/4 cup flour (you can also use brown rice and/or millet for a gluten free alternative- the possibilities are endless!)

Combine the above ingredients in your blender and blend for 3 minutes if using whole grain, or 1 minute if using flour. If you are using flour, you may just want to combine with a mixer. Cover and allow to sit for 12-24 hours.

In the morning, add the following ingredients and blend for 1 minute:

1 egg, optional or additional liquid (just enough til it begins to swirl in a vortex)
3-1/2 tbsp sorghum syrup or molasses
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves

Finally, very briefly blend in the leavening ingredients below:

2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp sea salt
If desired, you can add 1-2 Tbsp ground flaxseed to boast nutrition and fiber.

Prepare the pancakes on a warmed, lightly greased griddle. This recipe makes approximately 15 pancakes

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