Showing posts with label lemon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lemon. Show all posts

Thursday, January 5, 2017

2016 Holiday Season


Seems like from the end of October to the end of December is almost nonstop holiday activities. 
    Thanksgiving I made 5 pies for different people. 3 honey pecan pies one for Nikki's husband. One for a party at Nikki's moms house another for a family party.


One standard pumpkin pie for a aunt that no longer cooks. I made a beginner coconut pie. I had never made one before and I wasn't impressed. All it is is a juiced up vanilla pudding! I didn't have time to do the meringue on this one. 
      Then here comes Christmas ! 

I has 2 parties on the same day. One I needed to take desserts to the other was at a local eatery I had a little over a weeks notice to put designed invitations, round up all those updated addresses, get everything mailed, make the reservations together for 40 or more people!  So I dropped off this  New York style cheesecake recipe from Gretchen's Bakery that met up with my honey pecan pie! It has a vanilla wafer crust, then pecan pie goo with cheesecake poured on top of that . The cheesecake had toasted sliced pecans inside. I used a homemade bourbon vanilla extract I made.  After the top firmed up I put more pecan pie goo on that . 
    I also took this much improved coconut meringue cream pie.

This pie had a gingersnap and coconut crust, about $9 worth of heavy cream, coconut milk, toasted coconut in the filling. It took 5 egg whites for this super tall meringue . I had great fun using Hubby's blow torch on it! The next one I will use a all coconut and butter toasted crust because the ginger was just too strong a flavor. 
    Since this party was also Mexican theme I took Mexican cinnamon cookies and cinnamon and sugar crisps. 
    I missed that party but while I was at the other family event I kept getting texts from the other party with rave reviews on my pies an requests for recipes which I gladly shared. 
     When I finished with the party I had to attend I went back to pick up my dishes. I was really surprised to see there wasn't  any left overs ! Usually you have something to take back. Lol I'm glad they enjoyed it. I for sure know what those folks like! 
    For my own family party Allexcia's family came in. She brought really good BBQ with pork and beans , coleslaw . We made loaded mashed potatoes and home made Mac and cheese. The Mac and cheese was over a pound of noodles, velveta cheeses smoked cheddar cheese, sour cream, heavy cream with panco (sp?) toasted crumbs on top. Tea and sodas for drinks. 
     I made peanut butter frosted Hershey's brownies for grandson. I found out later he liked milk chocolate instead. The other grandson I tried out a new pumpkin pie recipe that needed more cinnamon . Hubby got the pecan pie he liked. Someone else got a lemon meringue pie. Just using juice wasn't lemony enough so I added some organic lemon essential oil to jazz it up. That helped a bunch! Everything was homemade no box mixes used at all. 
       Our grand finally was this beautiful tree ! 

     Christmas presents were great fun but that is a whole new big post!

Love
Ranchmama 



Thursday, November 28, 2013

Extract Fun


Here are eight different extracts I made the first one is 
Lemon on the left then 
Blackberry 
Raspberry 
Coffee 
Strawberry 
Blueberry 
Coconut 
Lime 

I started with the lemon and lime extract from a recipe I found on the net. After that I wanted to get a more exact formula so I used one cup fruit to 2 cups vodka so I would have a formula to work with in the future.
    I never did see how long to let the extracts brew. I read the longer they brew the better the extract. These extracts have been brewing for four months. I can't decide if brewing four months is too long or not. I do know that the smell is very very strong. Since I don't like to drink vodka I'm not about to taste it. LOL
   Now I need to figure out how much to use in the recipe. Since it seems so strong. Do I use a full measure or maybe a half measure.? So maybe next time I use it I'll use the full strength and go from there.
    See the little strainer in front? I didn't have a small tea strainer so when I went to the grocery store all they had was a strainer for you kitchen sink. Well, that seems to work really good I love it. It fits right in my jar or my glasses I'm using to pour the liquid in and I don't have a handle on the way! 
    Next I'm going to try alcohol extracts you know like rum an other flavors. 

Have fun ya'll
Ranchmama