Since it’s the season for Avocados, Lemon.ly created an infographic centered on the healthy benefits of Avocados. Need a snack high in protein or sodium and cholesterol free? Add this alligator pearto your diet! Source: http://lemon...-avocados#
National Avocado Day is celebrated every July 31.The official blog of my youtube channel called "Holidays & Celebrations." Your invited to hang out with me as I go through the daily ups and downs of life. We are all calendar keepers so I like to keep up with Holiday Observances too. So have fun with me as I discuss life, animals, gardening, weird celebrations, food holidays & even holidays you didn't know existed.
Tuesday, July 31, 2018
Send Free Internet Greetings
August Flowers |
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Remind your friends and family about your special events coming up. You can send holiday greeting, birthday greeting or party Invitations. Just click on the links below; pick out your Internet cards and send. It's all FREE so Have Fun!
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- Friendship Day (Aug-5)It's Friendship Day... Time to reach to all your friends who add lots of...
- Hug Month (August)Hey, it's Hug Month! The perfect time to get cozy with your sweetheart...
- Always Live Better Than Yesterday (Jul-31)Always Live Better Than Yesterday is a promise to make each day of our life...
- Romance Day (Aug-11)Hey, it's Romance Day! Time for you all to reach out to your loved ones and...
- July Flowers (July)Water lilies and larkspurs are the July Flowers! So celebrate your special...
- Summer (Jun 21 - Sep 22)Summer's here! It's time to soak up the sun, to hit the beach or to go for a...
- Girlfriend's Day (Aug-1)It's Girlfriend's Day! Celebrate the special bond of friendship that you...
- August Flowers (August)Gladiolus and poppy are the August Flowers! So celebrate your special...
- Smile Month (August)It's Smile Month. A smile is the best perk for the day... The easiest way to...
- Romance Awareness Month (August)It's Romance Awareness Month! So celebrate your love for your sweetheart.
- Sister's Day (Aug-5)The bond one shares with one's sister is very special. Whether elder or...
- Send an Email Day (Aug-9)Hey, it's Send an Email Day! So write emails to connect to your near and...
- Thank You Day (Aug-12)It's Thank You Day! So send thank you cards to the special people who...
Talk Time Tuesday July 31
A very Welcome to all my readers for another talk time Tuesday. Do you know what I'm doing right now? I'm drinking coffee and eating a fried bologna sandwich with mustard for breakfast. Ha!
I have to tell you; I've been reading so much this morning about sandwiches... and looking at so many pictures of sandwiches until I had to fry myself one for breakfast. Tomorrow is the 1st day of August and that means it's National Sandwich Month.
So keep an eye out for some really good sandwich posts ok. I have several planned in celebration of the sandwich. The 1st post will be about the Panini sandwich. I love panini sandwiches in the winter time but I don't usually eat them in the summer. But hey August is National Panini Month too so we gotta-go-with-it right.
Last day for everyone to celebrate Christmas In July. I usually like to post a couple of things in honor of it but I just didn't find the time to do it this year. I had a few peppermint ideas I wanted to share. I guess I will save all I have to say about Christmas for December. Smile~
August 1st is tomorrow and you know what that means for Americans. Hot Hot Hot Weather. A lot of people are going to be hitting the water to stay cool. I know swimming is a great way to beat the heat for sure. They say that August is the most popular time for people to go on vacation too. Personally I like the end of September for my vacation time.
Speaking of the heat.... I want to remind everyone about staying hydrated. Guys we must drink plenty of water when we are out in the heat. I learned the hard way last week. I worked out in the sun doing hard labor for 4 hours and I didn't drink enough water. I knew better but I kept on working. It made me very sick and it gave me the worst headache that lasted for 2 days. I will never do that again! So.... I plan on doing a couple post about prevention and treatment of dehydration. We want to live every day like a Holiday and that's hard to do when we are not at our best. Hey, August is National Water Quality Month too.
Today's the day we say goodbye to National Picnic Month. A new month starts tomorrow but that doesn't mean we have to stop enjoying picnics. Picnics are a happy event that I say needs to continue on. In August I like to stay in the shade and read a lot. On my off days you can find me underneath one of my big trees perched on a comfy picnic blanked, doing a bit of relaxed reading. Talk about happy happy happy. Which reminds me of another holiday ahead of us.
Did any of you know that August is Happiness Happens Month and August 8th is Happiness Happens Day? I don't know where I've been but somehow this observance has slipped right past me for several years now. The purpose of Happiness Happens Month is to share happiness and encourage people to talk and think about happiness. Well that sounds perfect to me! I have to get caught up on this holiday for sure. I'm working on a post that explains about the history and origin of the holiday. I'm pretty excited about sharing one that actually has some factual information to it. lol. Over time, the background history of many holidays are lost. So keep an eye out for it. I'm hoping to have the post ready by August 8th.
I have to tell you; I've been reading so much this morning about sandwiches... and looking at so many pictures of sandwiches until I had to fry myself one for breakfast. Tomorrow is the 1st day of August and that means it's National Sandwich Month.
So keep an eye out for some really good sandwich posts ok. I have several planned in celebration of the sandwich. The 1st post will be about the Panini sandwich. I love panini sandwiches in the winter time but I don't usually eat them in the summer. But hey August is National Panini Month too so we gotta-go-with-it right.
Last day for everyone to celebrate Christmas In July. I usually like to post a couple of things in honor of it but I just didn't find the time to do it this year. I had a few peppermint ideas I wanted to share. I guess I will save all I have to say about Christmas for December. Smile~
August 1st is tomorrow and you know what that means for Americans. Hot Hot Hot Weather. A lot of people are going to be hitting the water to stay cool. I know swimming is a great way to beat the heat for sure. They say that August is the most popular time for people to go on vacation too. Personally I like the end of September for my vacation time.
Speaking of the heat.... I want to remind everyone about staying hydrated. Guys we must drink plenty of water when we are out in the heat. I learned the hard way last week. I worked out in the sun doing hard labor for 4 hours and I didn't drink enough water. I knew better but I kept on working. It made me very sick and it gave me the worst headache that lasted for 2 days. I will never do that again! So.... I plan on doing a couple post about prevention and treatment of dehydration. We want to live every day like a Holiday and that's hard to do when we are not at our best. Hey, August is National Water Quality Month too.
Today's the day we say goodbye to National Picnic Month. A new month starts tomorrow but that doesn't mean we have to stop enjoying picnics. Picnics are a happy event that I say needs to continue on. In August I like to stay in the shade and read a lot. On my off days you can find me underneath one of my big trees perched on a comfy picnic blanked, doing a bit of relaxed reading. Talk about happy happy happy. Which reminds me of another holiday ahead of us.
Did any of you know that August is Happiness Happens Month and August 8th is Happiness Happens Day? I don't know where I've been but somehow this observance has slipped right past me for several years now. The purpose of Happiness Happens Month is to share happiness and encourage people to talk and think about happiness. Well that sounds perfect to me! I have to get caught up on this holiday for sure. I'm working on a post that explains about the history and origin of the holiday. I'm pretty excited about sharing one that actually has some factual information to it. lol. Over time, the background history of many holidays are lost. So keep an eye out for it. I'm hoping to have the post ready by August 8th.
In Closing: That's it for today ya'll. A lot is going on for August and I'm not sure how I'm going to fit it all in but it's going to be fun getting it all done. August is a GREAT month!
Monday, July 30, 2018
Almond Cheesecake with Nut Crust Recipe
Cheesecake is a sweet dessert consisting of one or more layers. The main, and thickest layer, consists of a mixture of soft, fresh cheese (typically cream cheese or ricotta), eggs, vanilla and sugar; if there is a bottom layer it often consists of a crust or base made from crushed cookies (or digestive biscuits), graham crackers, pastry, or sponge cake.
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Almond Cheesecake with Nut Crust Recipe
Nut Crust:
- 1 9 inch springform pan
- 1 1/2 cups finely chopped nuts
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons butter, softened
- Preheat oven to 400ºF
- Place all ingredients in mixing bowl and blend thoroughly
- Press firmly the mixture into the bottom and partially up the sides of a greased springform pan
- Bake for about 6 minutes or until the crust is a light golden brown. Cool before filling
Almond Cheesecake Filling:
- 1 pound cream cheese, softened to room temp.
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/3 cup chopped almonds
- 3 cups sour cream
- Heat oven to 375ºF
- Beat together cream cheese and sugar until fluffy
- Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating thoroughly after each egg
- Add extracts, almonds and sour cream. Mix until well blended
- Pour mixture into prepared crust and bake for 1 hour, or until set. Turn off oven, open the oven door slightly and
cool to room temp. Chill.
Top with whatever you like or plain. Cherries go great with almonds and so does chocolate. I whipped heavy cream, added vanilla and almond extract, powdered sugar, until the whipped cream was thick. Stiff peaks.
Enjoy
Photographer: James from Boulder, USA / 2.0 license /
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Holidays To Remember:
National Cheesecake Day / July 30
National Pie Day / January 23
National Nut Day / October 22
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Sunday, July 29, 2018
Neapolitan Ragu is a Speciality of Naples
Neapolitan ragù is one of the two most famous varieties of meat sauces called ragù. It is a speciality of Naples, as its name indicates. (The other variety originated in Bologna and is known in Italian as ragù bolognese or ragù alla bolognese.)
The Neapolitan type is made from three main parts: a soffritto, meat, and tomato sauce. However, a major difference is how the meat is used, as well as the amount of tomato in the sauce. Bolognese versions use very finely chopped meat, while Neapolitan versions use whole meat, taking it from the casserole when cooked and serving it as a second course or with pasta. Also, the Neapolitan soffritto contains much more onion compared to the Bolognese. Preferences for ingredients also differ. In Naples, white wine is replaced by red wine, butter by lard or olive oil, and lots of basil leaves are used where Bolognese ragù has no herbs. In the Neapolitan recipe, the content may well be enriched by adding raisins, pine nuts, and involtini with different fillings. Milk or cream is not used, and a relative abundance of tomato sauce in flavour, in contrast to Bolognese use of a minimal amount, is preferred. The tomato season is much longer in more southern Naples than in more northern Bologna. Like the Bolognese, Neapolitan ragù also has quite a wide range of variants, the best known of which is ragù guardaporta (doorman's ragù).
Neapolitan ragù has many similarities with, and may be ancestral to, the Italian-American "Sunday gravy", the primary difference being the addition of a greater variety of meat in the American version, most famously meatballs (whence spaghetti and meatballs), braciole, sausage, and pork chops.
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Resources: wikipedia / cooking.com / Neapolitan cuisine / dictionary.com / photo license
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Today's The Day we Celebrate Lasagna
Today's the day we make homemade lasagna and eat our traditional lasagna meal with our friends and family!
Happy National Lasagna Day everyone!
July 29th is always Lasagna Day
Today is the day! Did everyone go to the grocery store and get the fixings to make lasagna? I gave everyone a heads-up about it when we talked on Tuesday. Well on this day it's traditional to make homemade lasagna and serve it to the family for supper.
I love my lasagna served with homemade garlic bread full of real melted butter and a nice big salad on the side with Italian dressing and blue cheese dressing mixed. What do you guys eat with it? But.... I don't want any coffee or hot tea served with it. lol! Nope, give me a tall glass of milk if I'm at home or a nice glass of wine with it if I'm at an Italian restaurant. Those 2 are my favorite drinks to drink with lasagna.
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Lasagne are wide, flat pasta, and possibly one of the oldest types of pasta. "Lasagne", or the singular "lasagna", commonly refers to a dish made with several layers of lasagne sheets alternated with sauces and other ingredients, such as meats and cheese.
The traditional lasagne of Naples, is layered with local sausage, small fried meatballs, hard-boiled eggs, ricotta and mozzarella cheeses, and sauced with a Neapolitan ragù. Lasagne al forno, layered with a thicker ragù and Béchamel sauce and which corresponds to the most common version of the dish outside Italy, is traditionally associated with Emilia-Romagna. In other regions lasagne can be made with various combinations of ricotta or mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce, various meats (e.g., ground beef, pork or chicken), miscellaneous vegetables (e.g., spinach, zucchini, olives, mushrooms), and is typically flavored with wine, garlic, onion, and oregano. In all cases, the lasagne are oven-baked. (Thank you wikipedia for that regional information)
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Now.... I have never in my life cooked lasagna like the people of Naples cook it. I can't seem to get my head around putting hard boiled eggs in it. ha ha! But I do love the Neapolitan ragu sauce with it. (onion, celery, carrot, meat, tomato sauce, red wine, basil, lard or olive oil) I could just eat the meat sauce and bechamel sauce all by itself with fresh baked bread.
Ok gang! I would love to see pictures of everyone's homemade lasagna. Put your link in comments. Happy Eating!
You may like hot pasta recipes.
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Happy National Lasagna Day everyone!
July 29th is always Lasagna Day
Today is the day! Did everyone go to the grocery store and get the fixings to make lasagna? I gave everyone a heads-up about it when we talked on Tuesday. Well on this day it's traditional to make homemade lasagna and serve it to the family for supper.
I love my lasagna served with homemade garlic bread full of real melted butter and a nice big salad on the side with Italian dressing and blue cheese dressing mixed. What do you guys eat with it? But.... I don't want any coffee or hot tea served with it. lol! Nope, give me a tall glass of milk if I'm at home or a nice glass of wine with it if I'm at an Italian restaurant. Those 2 are my favorite drinks to drink with lasagna.
.............................................................................................................................
Lasagne are wide, flat pasta, and possibly one of the oldest types of pasta. "Lasagne", or the singular "lasagna", commonly refers to a dish made with several layers of lasagne sheets alternated with sauces and other ingredients, such as meats and cheese.
The traditional lasagne of Naples, is layered with local sausage, small fried meatballs, hard-boiled eggs, ricotta and mozzarella cheeses, and sauced with a Neapolitan ragù. Lasagne al forno, layered with a thicker ragù and Béchamel sauce and which corresponds to the most common version of the dish outside Italy, is traditionally associated with Emilia-Romagna. In other regions lasagne can be made with various combinations of ricotta or mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce, various meats (e.g., ground beef, pork or chicken), miscellaneous vegetables (e.g., spinach, zucchini, olives, mushrooms), and is typically flavored with wine, garlic, onion, and oregano. In all cases, the lasagne are oven-baked. (Thank you wikipedia for that regional information)
..........................................................................................................................
Now.... I have never in my life cooked lasagna like the people of Naples cook it. I can't seem to get my head around putting hard boiled eggs in it. ha ha! But I do love the Neapolitan ragu sauce with it. (onion, celery, carrot, meat, tomato sauce, red wine, basil, lard or olive oil) I could just eat the meat sauce and bechamel sauce all by itself with fresh baked bread.
Ok gang! I would love to see pictures of everyone's homemade lasagna. Put your link in comments. Happy Eating!
You may like hot pasta recipes.
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Recipe for Ricotta Lasagna
Bake
Homemade
Lasagna
Every
July 29th
for
National Lasagna Day
Ingredients
- 1 lb. sweet Italian sausage
- 1/2 lb. minced (ground) beef
- 1/2 onion, chopped fine
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 3 1/2 Tablespoons sugar
- 1 Tablespoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley (divided)
- 4 cups canned whole tomatoes, undrained, halved, seeds removed
- 12 oz tomato paste
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 Tablespoon salt
- 2 cups ricotta cheese
- 1 egg
- 16 oz package lasagna
- 16 oz package of mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced (a wire cutter is nice for semi-soft cheeses like this)
- about 3 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
Procedure
- Remove sausage casings, and break sausage into small bits.
- Sauté sausage and ground beef in 5-quart saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat with onion and garlic until the meat is browned.
- Add sugar, 1 Tablespoon salt, basil, fennel, pepper, and half the parsley; mix well.
- Add tomatoes, tomato paste and water, mashing the tomatoes a bit. Bring the sauce to a boil then reduce heat and simmer, covered and stirring occasionally for 1 1/2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.
- Cook and drain pasta.
- In a medium bowl mix ricotta, egg, 1/2 teaspoon salt and remaining parsley.
- Assemble your lasagna in a 13" x 9" x 2" roasting pan (listed bottom to top):
- bottom layer of sauce (approx. 1 1/2 cups)
- layer of pasta (overlapping slightly)
- layer of 1/2 the ricotta mixture
- layer of 1/3 of the mozzarella
- sauce layer (again, about 1 1/2 cups)
- layer of grated Parmesan sprinkled over sauce (not so much that the sauce layer is covered entirely)
- layer of pasta
- layer of remaining ricotta
- layer of 1/3 of the mozzarella
- layer of remaining sauce
- layer of sprinkled Parmesan
- layer of remaining mozzarella
- Cover the lasagna with foil and roast 30 minutes covered, then 25 minutes uncovered (or until bubbly and lightly browned). Cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.
Uncooked lasagnas freeze very well so the extra work can be done well in advance. You can make several batches at a time and freeze the extras to thaw out and cook later.
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Saturday, July 28, 2018
Milk Chocolate Pepper Vodka Tart
Big Smile! Now I have never been brave enough to try this recipe myself. I mean.... chocolate, bell peppers and vodka...... really?? But I'm hoping some of my readers will be brave enough to combine these ingredients and post a comment about how it tastes.
Ingredients
Crust
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 2½ cups (12 ounces) bread flour
- 2 roasted red bell pepper, packed in oil
Filling
- 10 ounces milk chocolate, cut into pieces
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup pepper vodka
- 1¼ cups sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1¼ cups (6 ounces) bread flour
Topping
- 1 pint heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup (4 ounces) confectioners' sugar
- ¼ cup pepper vodka
- 12 ounces white chocolate, melted
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
Procedure
Crust
- Place sugar, butter, egg and vanilla in a mixing bowl, and mix at low speed until combined.
- Add flour and mix until incorporated; do not over mix.
- Set the dough on a floured cookie pan and press flat.
- Refrigerate until firm enough to roll out, 45 minutes to an hour.
- After making filling, line an 11-inch cake pan with the crust.
- Line the bottom of the unbaked tart shell with a single thin layer of red bell peppers that have been wiped free of most of the oil.
Filling
- Melt chocolate and butter over low heat in a saucepan.
- Stir in vanilla.
- Take off the heat and add pepper vodka and let cool slightly.
- While the chocolate mixture is cooling, whip the sugar and eggs until light and fluffy.
- Fold into cooled chocolate mixture.
- Sift the flour into this mixture, making sure there are no lumps.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Pour chocolate mixture on top of red bell pepper layer, leaving ¾ inch at the top of pan.
- Bake for about 20 minutes. The center should be soft, similar to a pumpkin pie when it is done.
- Let cool before taking it out of the pan.
- Refrigerate overnight before cutting.
Topping
- Whip cream and confectioners' sugar until peaks are thick, then slowly whip in vodka.
- When vodka is completely mixed in, add melted white chocolate while whisking.
- Refrigerate for 4 hours.
- Top each piece with plenty of whipped cream, sprinkle lightly with nutmeg and enjoy.
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Resources: gone-ta-pott.com / wikipedia / freedictionary / milkchocolateday / recipes / license
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Holidays To Remember
- National Milk Chocolate Day / every July 29
- National Vodka Day / October 4
- National Pepper Month / November
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Friday, July 27, 2018
Creme Brulee also known as burnt cream or Trinity cream
Well here we are looking at dessert recipes again. lol! And I have to say; cream brulee is a favorite of mine. I've always been a fan of any kind of custard type creation and since cream brulee has a caramelized sugar crust on top; it makes it that much better.
Below you will find the recipe / some helpful facts / and a few holiday dates to remember.
Crème brûlée , also known as burnt cream or Trinity cream, is a dessert consisting of a rich custard base topped with a contrasting layer of caramelized sugar. It is normally served at slightly chilled; the heat from the caramelizing process tends to warm the custard producing a cool center. The custard base is traditionally flavored with vanilla, but can have a variety of other flavorings.
Dates to Remember:
Crème brûlée is usually served in individual ramekins. Discs of caramel may be prepared separately and put on top just before serving, or the caramel may be formed directly on top of the custard immediately before serving. To do this, sugar is sprinkled onto the custard, then caramelized under a salamander broiler or with a butane torch.Two styles exist to make crème brûlée. The common format is to create a "hot" custard, traditionally by whisking egg yolks in a double boiler with sugar and incorporate the cream, with vanilla following once the custard is off the heat. Likewise, this can be achieved by tempering the egg yolk/sugar mixture with hot cream, then adding vanilla at the end. There also exists a "cold" method, wherein the egg yolks and sugar are whisked together until the mixture reaches ribbon stage. Then, cold heavy cream is whisked into the yolk mixture followed by vanilla. After the custard is achieved, the mixture is dished into ramekins and the ramekins are placed into a large pan. Hot/boiling water is poured into the pan until it reaches halfway up the ramekin and is placed into the oven until the center is jiggly and the edges set. Pulling the crème brûlée out at this point ensures a perfect, creamy dessert that is unrivaled by most desserts.
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Recipe
These instructions should provide a crackly crust over a cold custard, balanced in sweetness, egg and cream content.
Below you will find the recipe / some helpful facts / and a few holiday dates to remember.
Crème brûlée , also known as burnt cream or Trinity cream, is a dessert consisting of a rich custard base topped with a contrasting layer of caramelized sugar. It is normally served at slightly chilled; the heat from the caramelizing process tends to warm the custard producing a cool center. The custard base is traditionally flavored with vanilla, but can have a variety of other flavorings.
Dates to Remember:
- National Cream Brulee Day / July 27
- National Dessert Month / October
- National Dessert Day / October 14
- Eat an extra dessert day / September 4th
Crème brûlée is usually served in individual ramekins. Discs of caramel may be prepared separately and put on top just before serving, or the caramel may be formed directly on top of the custard immediately before serving. To do this, sugar is sprinkled onto the custard, then caramelized under a salamander broiler or with a butane torch.Two styles exist to make crème brûlée. The common format is to create a "hot" custard, traditionally by whisking egg yolks in a double boiler with sugar and incorporate the cream, with vanilla following once the custard is off the heat. Likewise, this can be achieved by tempering the egg yolk/sugar mixture with hot cream, then adding vanilla at the end. There also exists a "cold" method, wherein the egg yolks and sugar are whisked together until the mixture reaches ribbon stage. Then, cold heavy cream is whisked into the yolk mixture followed by vanilla. After the custard is achieved, the mixture is dished into ramekins and the ramekins are placed into a large pan. Hot/boiling water is poured into the pan until it reaches halfway up the ramekin and is placed into the oven until the center is jiggly and the edges set. Pulling the crème brûlée out at this point ensures a perfect, creamy dessert that is unrivaled by most desserts.
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Recipe
These instructions should provide a crackly crust over a cold custard, balanced in sweetness, egg and cream content.
Ingredients
Serves 12.
US | GB | Elsewhere | |
---|---|---|---|
• 6 cups | • 2 1/2 pints | • 1.4 liters | chilled Heavy cream |
• 1 cup | • 9 oz. | • 240 ml | granulated Sugar |
• 2 | • 2 | • 2 | Vanilla pods |
• 18 | • 18 | • 18 | large Egg yolks |
• 12 tsp | • 12 tsp | • 60 ml | Demerara or Turbinado sugar (or regular granulated sugar) |
Procedure
__________________________________________________________________
With the oven rack adjusted to its lower middle position, preheat the oven to 300° F (150°C). Fold a kitchen towel to cover the bottom of a large roasting pan and arrange 12 five-ounce (150 ml) ramekins on the towel. The ramekins should not touch each other, or the side of the roasting pan. If the roasting pan is not large enough, scale down the recipe.
Combine 3 cups of the cream and sugar in a medium saucepan. With a paring knife, halve the vanilla beans lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the saucepan. Submerge the pods in the cream. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Remove the saucepan from the heat and steep the mixture for 20 minutes to infuse the flavor.
Meanwhile, separate the eggs, placing the yolks in a large bowl and storing the whites for another use. Bring a kettle of water to a boil. After the cream has steeped remove the pods and stir in the remaining 3 cups of cream to cool the mixture.
Whisk the egg yolks until they are evenly combined. Add a cup of the cream mixture to the yolks and whisk until combined. Continue adding cups of cream and whisking until evenly colored. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a second bowl. Ladle the mixture into the 12 ramekins.
Place the roasting pan onto the oven rack and pour in boiling water until it reaches 2/3 the height of the ramekins. Do not splash water into the ramekins. Bake until an instant-read thermometer registers 170 to 175°F (77 to 79° C) or until the edges of the custard are set, with a spot in the center about the size of a quarter remaining wiggly. The baking time depends upon the height of the ramekins. If shallow, start checking at 30 minutes. Higher ramekins can take up to an hour to bake.
Remove ramekins from roasting pan and cool to room temperature on a wire rack. Place on a shallow tray, cover with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. Before serving, uncover the ramekins and soak up any condensation with paper toweling. Spread 1 teaspoon turbinado (Demarara) sugar on each, tilting and tapping to spread the sugar evenly. Spread sugar only on the number of ramekins that will be served. The others can be stored for several days in the refrigerator for later use.
Ignite a propane blowtorch and caramelize the sugar on each ramekin. Take care to direct the flame away from any ignitable material. Avoid the miniature butane torch since its flame is not adequate for uniform caramelization in a reasonable amount of time, and the finished dish may taste of butane. Re-chill the ramekins for not more than 45 minutes. A longer time leads to softening of the caramelized crust.
Serve and enjoy!
Notes, tips and variations
Without a torch the sugar may also be caramelized in these ways:
- After spreading the sugar over the ramekins, place them as close as you can under a very hot broiler. Watch them closely because this method tends to be uneven and burn. Too long under the broiler can also result in the custard turning into a sort of chunky soup which is not a very appealing texture. Works best with fine granulated sugar.
- Heat the sugar in a saucepan over medium heat without stirring until it starts to melt, then stir with a wooden spoon until caramelization occurs (this is easier to tell with white sugar than Turbinado) and spoon over the ramekins, tilting and rotating them to cover with an even layer.
- Alternately, combine the sugar with half as much water by volume, bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, and cook without stirring 3 to 5 minutes, tilting the pan as required to ensure even caramelization. If the caramel hardens due to cooling, warm over low heat until it is again pourable.
- Regular granulated sugar may also be used for the caramelization process in place of the brown sugar.
- A towel may also be placed into the roasting pan prior to adding the water to help distribute the heat across the bottom of the ramekins evenly as well as insulate the bottoms from the heat coming through the bottom of the pan.
- Make sure that before adding the cream to the egg yolks, the cream has cooled down. If one adds hot cream, the yolks will start to clot, ruining the final product.
- For a healthier version, it is possible to substitute half-and-half or milk for the cream, provided that a few more egg yolks are added for texture.
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References:
Our website / http://www.gone-ta-pott.com/national_dessert_day.html
Perfecting Crème Brûlée (Cook's Illustrated, Nov & Dec 2001) p.22
Perfecting Crème Brûlée (Cook's Illustrated, Nov & Dec 2001) p.22
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Tuesday, July 24, 2018
Talk Time Tuesday July 24
Good Morning Everyone! Happy Talk Time Tuesday!
I've been craving coconut all week so I went to the store and picked myself up a cold coconut cream pie and would you believe.... I also found a coconut caramel creamer for my coffee. Wow! I'm enjoying the whole coconut experience as we speak. What a treat in deed! LOL
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This week
This week I've been bottle feeding a beautiful little baby calico kitten. What a precious little creature and how rewarding it's been to cuddle this sweet little baby. Another perfect creation of God for sure. Her sweet little dark eyes look right at you and her little white paws like to try and play with you. She has given me many smiling moments this week for sure.
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Hobbling About
For the last 2 weeks I've been hobbling about on my foot. I was running in the kitchen while barefooted and ran into the leg of a chair and broke my little toe. Since my foot has been swelling so much; it has not allowed my toe to heal like it should. I'm on my feet at work all day so it has been a hobbling 2 weeks. I seem to be really good at breaking my toes because I've done it quite a few time in my lifetime.
.................................................................................................................
Today's Bible Verse / Ephesians 3:20-21, NKJV
"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen."
God's power works in us by our faith, how we believe. The Bible says that if we have faith the size of a tiny mustard see, we can move mountains. Sometimes we have to remind ourselves of this scripture. "God will do exceedingly abundantly above all we can ask or think." We just have to pull out the "faith move." lol! He is faithful to his word too.
.......................................................................................................................
National Lasagna Day is coming up y'all / July 29
You guys need to go do your grocery shopping today so you will be ready on July 29th to celebrate National Lasagna Day. You all know we have to cook lasagna on that day and post our lasagna pictures over the Internet. I'm working on a post in honor of Lasagna, where I will talk a bit on the facts of lasagna. My plan is to do a second post with a recipe in honor of the day too. You guys I love homemade lasagna! I just wish it didn't take so long to fix it. I'm a huge tomato sauce fan too so lasagna is perfect. Hummm my taste buds are calling! ! !
......................................................................................................................
Now let's talk about chocolate
National Milk Chocolate Day is July 27 and I found this very unusual recipe for milk chocolate and peppers. Ohhh my gosh right!! LOL! Well when I ran across this recipe I knew I had to post it. Now I don't know if I will make this recipe myself but I sure do wish someone reading my blog would brave the challenge because I really want to hear someone describe how it tastes. Keep a look out.
.....................................................................................................................
Joke For Today
A Medical Lecture on Harmful Foods
'The material we put into our stomachs should have killed most of us sitting here, years ago. The following are just a few examples:
Red meat is full of steroids and dye.
Soft drinks corrode your stomach lining.
Chinese food is loaded with MSG.
High trans-fat diets can be disastrous
Germs in our drinking water.
But, there is one thing that is the most dangerous of all and most of us have, or will eat it.
Can anyone here tell me what food it is that causes the most grief and suffering for years after eating it?'
After several seconds of quiet, a 70-year-old man in the front row raised his hand, and softly said, 'Yeah, ........Wedding Cake.'
Read more on page: http://www.jokesoftheday.net/jokes-archive/2018/07/23/
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Upcoming Holidays as listed on our 123Greeting site!
Don't forget to send out your Internet Greetings to everyone!
I've been craving coconut all week so I went to the store and picked myself up a cold coconut cream pie and would you believe.... I also found a coconut caramel creamer for my coffee. Wow! I'm enjoying the whole coconut experience as we speak. What a treat in deed! LOL
..................................................................................................................
This week
This week I've been bottle feeding a beautiful little baby calico kitten. What a precious little creature and how rewarding it's been to cuddle this sweet little baby. Another perfect creation of God for sure. Her sweet little dark eyes look right at you and her little white paws like to try and play with you. She has given me many smiling moments this week for sure.
...................................................................................................................
Hobbling About
For the last 2 weeks I've been hobbling about on my foot. I was running in the kitchen while barefooted and ran into the leg of a chair and broke my little toe. Since my foot has been swelling so much; it has not allowed my toe to heal like it should. I'm on my feet at work all day so it has been a hobbling 2 weeks. I seem to be really good at breaking my toes because I've done it quite a few time in my lifetime.
.................................................................................................................
Today's Bible Verse / Ephesians 3:20-21, NKJV
"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen."
God's power works in us by our faith, how we believe. The Bible says that if we have faith the size of a tiny mustard see, we can move mountains. Sometimes we have to remind ourselves of this scripture. "God will do exceedingly abundantly above all we can ask or think." We just have to pull out the "faith move." lol! He is faithful to his word too.
.......................................................................................................................
National Lasagna Day is coming up y'all / July 29
You guys need to go do your grocery shopping today so you will be ready on July 29th to celebrate National Lasagna Day. You all know we have to cook lasagna on that day and post our lasagna pictures over the Internet. I'm working on a post in honor of Lasagna, where I will talk a bit on the facts of lasagna. My plan is to do a second post with a recipe in honor of the day too. You guys I love homemade lasagna! I just wish it didn't take so long to fix it. I'm a huge tomato sauce fan too so lasagna is perfect. Hummm my taste buds are calling! ! !
......................................................................................................................
Now let's talk about chocolate
National Milk Chocolate Day is July 27 and I found this very unusual recipe for milk chocolate and peppers. Ohhh my gosh right!! LOL! Well when I ran across this recipe I knew I had to post it. Now I don't know if I will make this recipe myself but I sure do wish someone reading my blog would brave the challenge because I really want to hear someone describe how it tastes. Keep a look out.
.....................................................................................................................
Joke For Today
A Medical Lecture on Harmful Foods
'The material we put into our stomachs should have killed most of us sitting here, years ago. The following are just a few examples:
Red meat is full of steroids and dye.
Soft drinks corrode your stomach lining.
Chinese food is loaded with MSG.
High trans-fat diets can be disastrous
Germs in our drinking water.
But, there is one thing that is the most dangerous of all and most of us have, or will eat it.
Can anyone here tell me what food it is that causes the most grief and suffering for years after eating it?'
After several seconds of quiet, a 70-year-old man in the front row raised his hand, and softly said, 'Yeah, ........Wedding Cake.'
Read more on page: http://www.jokesoftheday.net/jokes-archive/2018/07/23/
..........................................................................................................................................
Don't forget to send out your Internet Greetings to everyone!
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In Closing
Thank you everyone for joining me for Talk Time Tuesday. I hope you all enjoy the rest of your week and I hope you all try to Live Everyday like a Holiday! Spread the power of love everywhere you go so joy is a part of every one's day.
If you want to know more about holidays in our calendar.... visit my website at www.gone-ta-pott.com. I've had this amature site for 17 years now. Wow how time flysss.
Love To All, Pam
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