A Princess Tea Party! ~ Caramel/Banana Sauce Recipe

A Princess Tea Party! Cupcakes were made in my mini-muffin tray and piped frosting in the pastry bag w/tips.

Tartlets were made using our mini-tartlet tray.

I slightly thawed some strawberry ice-cream and then re-froze it in the Charlotte Tray. I piped whipping cream in our pastry bag w/tips and topped with a cherry. The cupcake was made in the Fluted Tray.

Recipe:

CARAMEL/BANANA SAUCE

Tools:

Medium Flared Saute Pan

Heat Resistant Spatula

Santoku Knife

Bamboo Cutting Board

Ingredients:

½ C. heavy whipping cream (must be heavy)

¼ C. butter (not margarine)
½ C. brown sugar
½ C. white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Pinch of salt

Bananas (diced)

Bring all ingredients (except bananas) to a boil in Demarle Difference pan, reduce heat and simmer for 5-7 minutes. When cooled slightly, add bananas and stir gently to coat with sauce.

Photo: Brownies in Checkerboard Mold

Thanks to Brooke Warren for this gorgeous photo of Brownies baked in the Checkerboard Mold!

Tips for Baking Bread

1) Use good yeast (I was using an old jar of yeast and when I got a new one, life was beautiful again) and refrigerate it after opening. I'm not familiar with using "packages" of yeast.

2) I preheat the oven on the lowest temp (around 130 deg) and then turn off the oven. This is where I set my dough to rise so that there is no ventilation and it's warm. So, when my dough is done mixing, I spray or grease a bowl for it to rise in and then cover it with a Silpat (or saran wrap - sprayed) and set it in the oven. My dough rises beautifully - it did not do this previously when I had it on the counter.

3) When adding water mixtures, make sure it's not too hot - you can "kill" the yeast if it's too hot. The Honey Oatmeal Bread recipe from Shelley says to make sure the mixture is between 120 and 130 deg. Use a candy thermometer to know for sure.

4) Remember that when kneading dough (before you set it to rise), it needs to scrape the sides of the bowl clean; you really cannot over-knead bread dough; the more kneading the better (I've been told). If it's too sticky, keep adding flour until it forms a good ball and scrapes the sides clean.

5) Don't give up! You will find a recipe that works for you and your family and you will perfect it and love it!! I promise!! There's nothing like fresh bread from your own kitchen . . .

Teddy Bear Pancakes

By: Shelley Hart

Prep Time: 5 min.

Cooking Time: 15-20 min.

Yield: 9 servings

TOOLS:

Mixing Bowl

Spoon and Spatula

Teddy Bear Tray OR Tray of Choice

Medium Perforated Baking Sheet

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups all purpose flour

3 Tbsp. sugar

3 tsp. double-acting baking powder

1 1/8 tsp. salt

2 eggs

2 cups milk

(for thicker pancakes, use only 1 cup milk)

4 Tbsp. vegetable oil

butter or margarine for basting

top with maple syrup, honey, preserves, or apple butter, if desired.

Place Teddy Bear Tray on Perforated Baking Sheet. In Mixing Bowl, mix first 4 ingredients. In small bowl, beat eggs slightly; stir in milk and oil; add to flour mixture and stir just until flour is moistened. Pour batter (or spoon) into Teddy Bear tray. Place in oven, center rack position and bake on 350 degrees F for 15-20 min. or until firm. Baste with butter for last minute if golden brown is desired. Let cool slightly and unmold. Serve with preserves or warmed syrup.

Variation: Put a Tbs. of syrup into the center of each teddy bear pancake before baking . . .

Microwave Kettle Corn

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp Water
1/3 Cup Sugar
1/3 Cup Popcorn Kernels
¼ tsp. Salt

Demarle Tools:
Large Round Mold
Octagonal Silpat
Heat Resistant Spatula

Directions:
Pour water and sugar in Large Round Mold and swirl around until mixed together well. Cook in microwave for 2 minutes on High. Add popcorn kernels to hot sugar syrup and swirl around again to coat all the popcorn. Place the Octagonal Silpat on top of the Large Round Mold and cook for approx. 4 minutes on High. Every microwave cooks different, so be sure to listen to the popcorn and as soon as it slows down remove from the microwave. (It will burn if left in too long.) Quickly sprinkle salt while mixing with your Heat Resistant Spatula to evenly coat. Enjoy!

Make Ahead Meals ~ Enchilada Pie

I always make a double batch of everything I make so that I can freeze it and have a meal ready to go for those crazy dinner nights! Be sure to read the freezing instructions below . . .

Enchilada Pie ~

Make your filling (a double batch) - Email me for recipe - it's in one of our cookbooks . . .

Set Flexipans on Perforated Baking Sheet. Line 2 Flexipans with broken tortillas, put in filling and cheese.

You can either bake one and freeze one, bake them both, or freeze them both!

For Freezing ("Raw Casserole" - Unbaked):

After the Flexipan is filled with the ingredients, let stand and cool on counter to room temperature. Cover it with plastic wrap (or Silpat) and set in fridge for 1/2 hour. Then transfer it to the Freezer (on the Perforated Baking Sheet).

FYI: Following the procedure above (cooling on counter and setting in fridge before the freezer) decreases the amount of moisture in your casserole/pie so that it bakes firmly - you don't want a soggy mess when you go to bake it in the future . . . I've tried it and it works!

I let mine freeze overnight and then remove from the freezer.

Unmold frozen casserole/pie . . .

Either place in baggie (if it fits) or wrap with plastic wrap.

And place back in the freezer for a "rainy day!" When you're ready to bake it, take it out and place back in the mold (frozen) and let thaw either in the fridge or on the counter - bake as usual.

Baked Tamale

Pound ground beef OR shredded chicken
1 Can Tomatoes (14 oz)
2 Tablespoon Chili powder OR
5 Teaspoon Ground ancho (pasilla) chile
PLUS
1 Teaspoon Cumin AND
1/4 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1 Garlic clove, crushed
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Black olives

CORN MEAL DOUGH:
4 Cups Corn meal
2 Teaspoon Salt
8 Cups Water
2 Eggs, well beaten
4 Tablespoon Butter


In large Gourmet Frying Pan, sauté beef in pan until brown. Add tomatoes, chili powder, garlic, salt and olives. Cook 15 minutes.Place Demarle mold of your choice on perforated baking sheet and line bottom with 1/2 Corn Meal Dough (see below). Add meat mixture and cover with remaining 1/2 Corn Meal Dough. Bake 20 minutes at 325'F. or until browned.

CORN MEAL DOUGH:
Add corn meal and salt to water in Large Flared Saute Pan. Bring to boil and cook over medium heat until thick, 5−10 minutes. Add eggs and butter. Stir well.

This is great served with Sour Cream!

What's for Dinner?

Roasted Veggies are always a quick fix to dinner ideas . . . simply cut veggies of choice and season with your favorite seasonings. I like to add sweet potato (thinly sliced) to our mix with a drizzle of olive oil. Roast at 350 degrees for approx. 30 min. Baked on the Grande Flexipat on the Large Perforated Baking Sheet. Be sure to cut veggies so that the ones that take longer to bake are cut thinner than those that bake quickly.

Chicken and rice casserole is another quick fix to dinner ideas. It's okay that this one cannot be "turned out;" simply use a spoon to serve. You'll be thankful that the clean-up is much easier than using a glass cooking dish! My favorite mold for family-sized casseroles is the Sunflower Mold. When it's necessary to cover the casserole, I use my Medium Silpat for the cover.

Chinese Steamed Eggs

My Mother-In-Law always steamed us the most wonderful egg breakfast dish in bamboo steamers in China ~ a healthy and delicious way to start the day!

I have adapted her recipe to be used with our Large Round Mold and the Octagonal Silpat in the microwave . . . (In smaller portions, you can also use the Small or Medium Round Molds, the Daisy Mold, the Twist Mold, the Oval Mold, or the Fluted Bundt Mold.)

The steamed eggs made an excellent bed for our sausage that I fried in our 10" Gourmet Frying Pan - yes, it's stainless and cleaned up like a breeze! When you have a high-grade stainless piece, it acts like a non-stick pan - no need to be afraid of using our stainless pieces!

Do you recognize the fresh, home-made bread in the back? Check out Shelley's Honey Oatmeal Bread recipe below . . .

Everybody likes their eggs in different consistencies, so the amounts below are not scientific; I don't measure, I just dump and stir . . . so feel free to experiment to your own taste! It's hard to mess this up, so just go for it!

Crack 4 to 6 eggs in the mold of choice and whisk lightly.

Add about 1/4 cup of water (I just hold the mold under the faucet for a few seconds).

Add approx. 2 Tbsp. of oil of choice (for flavor).

Salt and pepper to taste.

Optional:

Add scallions, green onions, garlic, peppers, cayenne, and/or soy sauce (in place of salt).

Place Octagonal Silpat on mold and put in microwave on High for approx. 4 min.

Unmold and garnish with cilantro and/or green onions/scallions. Enjoy!

My Kitchen

Thursday afternoon, I took a look at my kitchen after a day of baking and prepping for a cooking demo for the next day and I just stood staring at my island . . . I could not believe what I was seeing (and smelling)!! Here were two gorgeous loaves of bread cooling in MY KITCHEN! I have never considered myself a bread maker until this month, when I discovered how easy and fun making bread can be! Take a look and see for yourself . . . this could be YOUR KITCHEN! Our products make it so easy to bake professionally and much healthier for our families . . . Enjoy!

Check out our "Breaking Bread Kit" on sale this month!

Honey Oatmeal Bread

Created By: Shelley Hart

Prep Time: 2 hours in advance to allow time for rising.

Cook Time: 22 min.

Yield: 32 servings (16 slices per loaf)

TOOLS:

Large Perforated Baking Sheet (MA500380)

Silform® Bread Tray (SF000295)
DD® Petite Sauce Pan (DD901014)

Mixing Bowl (TA00120)

Stand Mixer with Dough Hook attachment

Rectangular Roul'Pat® (RL006040)

Beechwood Rolling Pin (TA000113)

Magnetic Measuring Trio (GRP00001)

Whisk

Pastry Brush

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups water

1/2 cup honey OR 1/2 cup molasses

1/3 cup butter or margarine

1 cup quick cooking oats

5 1/2 to 6 1/2 cups bread flour

1 1/2 tsp salt

4 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast

2 whole eggs

Cooking Spray

1 egg white

1 tbsp. water

oatmeal

Place the Bread Tray on the Perforated Baking Sheet and set aside. These instructions are based on using a stand mixer. You can also do this by hand in a regular bowl. Place water, honey, and butter in the Petite Sauce Pan and heat over low heat until butter is completely melted and mixture is approx. 120 to 130 degrees F. In stand mixer bowl place oats, 5 cups flour, salt, and yeast. Using the dough hook attachment, blend for about 15 seconds. Continue on low speed and gradually add water mixture to flour mixture. Mix about 1 minute. Add two whole eggs and mix about 1 minute longer. Continue mixing on low speed, adding remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until dough starts to clean sides of bowl. Knead on low speed for about 2 minutes longer. Lightly spray the mixing bowl with cooking spray and place dough in bowl, turning over to grease top as well. Let rise in a warm place, free from draft, about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

Punch dough down and place on the Roul'Pat. Divide the dough into two equal parts. Shape each half into a loaf by rolling into a rectangle approx. 9"x14" with Beechwood Rolling Pin. Starting at short end, roll dough tightly. Pinch dough to seal seam. Place each loaf seam side down on the Silform Bread Tray. Each loaf will fill 2 of the bread shapes on the Silform, giving you two loaves of bread instead of the four shapes on the tray. Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from draft, about 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Beat egg white and water with the Whisk. Brush tops of loaves with egg white mixture using the Pastry Brush then sprinkle with oatmeal. Bake for approx. 22 minutes. Let cool and enjoy!

Parmesan Chicken Fingers

By Nancy Rousso

Using: Demarle Silpat
Demarle Perforated Baking Sheet
Demarle Polymide Spatula
Demarle mixing bowl

Ingredients: Chicken breast (skinned, boned and pounded to about ½ “ thickness) and cut into strips
1/4 milk mixed with 1/2 cup mayo (can use lite or fat free) mixed in ziplock bag
Shredded Fresh Parmesan Cheese
Italian breadcrumbs
Salt, pepper, garlic powder

Marinate chicken in bag with milk & mayo at least 1 hour before cooking - can do overnight

Preheat oven to 400°.

Place Silpat on baking sheet. Mix equal amounts of parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs in mixing bowl. Dip chicken in cheese/breadcrumb mix and coat well.
Place chicken on Silpat and sprinkle excess cheese Bake for 30-35 minutes or until chicken is done.

Almond Parmesan Tilapia

By Nancy Rousso

Using: Demarle Silpat
Demarle Perforated Baking Sheet
Demarle Pastry Brush
Demarle Polymide Spatula

Ingredients: Tilapia (or can substitute other fish, such as grouper) ; approx. 1 filet per person
Shredded Fresh Parmesan Cheese
Olive oil
Thinly sliced almonds (can substitute chopped pecans)
Salt, pepper, garlic powder

Preheat oven to 400°

Rinse fish with water and pat dry with paper towel. Place Silpat on Perforated Baking Sheet and lay fish filets on top of Silpat. Brush both sides of fish with olive oil using Demarle pastry brush. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Sprinkle filets generously with shredded parmesan cheese. Then sprinkle sliced almonds on top. Bake 15- 20 minutes. Remove from Silpat with Polymide or other plastic spatula.

Brazilian Cheese Puffs

Shared by Alisa Gaylord ~ Published February 17, 2009 in FoodDay
Makes 24 appetizers

Ingredients
2 cups tapioca flour (also called tapioca starch; see Note below)
1¼ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup milk
⅓ cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the tapioca flour, salt and cayenne. In a small saucepan, combine the milk and oil and bring just to a simmer. Pour the liquid over the flour mixture and then combine with the mixer's paddle attachment. Let the mixture cool for 5 to 10 minutes.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the cheeses to form a thick, sticky dough. Fill each cup of a Mini-Muffin Flexipan (already placed on the Perforated Baking Sheet) with a heaping tablespoon of the dough. Put the pan in the oven, and bake until the puffs are browned and firm to the touch, 25 to 30 minutes.

Note: Look for tapioca flour (we used Bob's Red Mill brand) at New Seasons and other stores that carry a wide selection of natural foods.

Fruit Squares

By Holly Klees
Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients
1 16.5 ounce roll Pillsbury Sugar Cookie Dough
6 ounces cream cheese
4 ounces vanilla yogurt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 cup assorted sliced fruit and berries
Any combination of fruit that you would like or that is in season. Blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, sliced peaches, kiwi or even bananas.

Directions
Make sure the oven rack is in center position and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place Square Tray on Perforated Baking Sheet.
Cut sugar cookie dough into 12 equal slices.
Place in Square Tray and press down to cover the bottom of each square.
If you wet your fingers it will help to keep the dough from sticking to them.
Bake for 18 minutes or until golden brown.
When done let sit for 5 minutes then take out and cool cookie cups on cooling rack.

In a bowl mix the cream cheese, yogurt, vanilla and lemon zest until blended. Use your heat resistant spatula to fill the pastry bag. When cookie cups are cooled, fill the square indent with the cream cheese mixture, pipe in with pastry bag.
Decorate the top of cream cheese with the berries or sliced fruit you have chosen.
Chill for at least 1 hour before serving.