Caramel Pecan Pie

My attempt at Caramel Pecan Pie served a la mode

I have been craving pecan pie for weeks now but didn't want just any pecan pie. I was in the mood for a piece of deep dish gooey caramel pecan pie. I was thinking about this kind of pecan pie because I grew up in southeast Ohio and there were many amazing pie bakers in the area. One of my mother's friends made this pecan pie that had caramel in it and I just loved it. I haven't had anything like that in years so I tried to come up with the recipe. I pie ended up tasting soooo good but was a bit more gooey than I remember. I think I may have needed to bake the pie for just a little while longer and on lower heat....but the only issue was really the consistency because everyone loved how it tasted.....especially with the vanilla bean ice cream we served with it. We also didn't cool the pie in the fridge which could have helped the pie set better....but I like my pie warm so that was not an option for me. Maybe some of you out there could tweak the recipe a bit and let me know what you came up with to make this a perfect caramel pecan pie!

Avesta's Caramel Pecan Pie

1 cup white sugar
1 1/2 cups light corn syrup
4 large eggs
1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup of caramel chips

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups pecans (I left some of them in halves and coarsely chopped the other half)

1 unbaked deep dish pie shell

In a medium saucepan bring the sugar and corn syrup to a boil for about 3 minutes. Lower the heat and add the caramel chips, mix until they start to melt. Turn the heat off, and add the pecans, butter and vanilla and mix well then set aside to cool. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat the eggs lightly and slowly pour the cooled syrup mixture into the eggs, stirring constantly. Once the mixture is completely mixed together, pour into the unbaked pie shell. I put foil around the edges of my pie for the first 45 minutes so that they would not burn.

Bake in a 350°F oven for about one hour or until set.

You can make your own crust or buy a pre-made one (just make sure it's a good deep crust) I sprinkle a little flour in the bottom of my crust.I used caramel chips that I found near the chocolate chips, but you can also use caramel candies.
I used 2 cups of pecans because I love lots of pecans in my pie!
It looked so good even before I baked it and the smell was amazing!

Andes Chocolate Chip Cookies

That's not mold...that's the green minty goodness of Andes Mints.

I don't know about you but I ADORE Andes Mints. I don't know if there is anything better that comes in that small of a package! I don't know why I love them so much (besides the fact that they are delicious!)...but I do know that if I get Andes Mints after a meal at a restaurant I am so happy! I love putting one in my mouth and just letting it melt...there really is no better experience than that....well maybe...but it's pretty close! :)

I had my servers give them to customers with their checks for awhile at my restaurant but that only lasted about six months. I think between me and my servers...my after dinner mints bill became quite pricey...so that was the end of the Andes Mints at Avesta Eclectic Cuisine! I try to not have them in the house either because again...I eat them all! But when it comes to holiday season...they're in a bowl everyday around our house! I feel like I can pop one of those babies in my mouth everyday...all day...all month long and not worry about it! Well...it's the holidays for goodness sake!

So a few weeks ago I found Andes Mints chips in my local grocery store. I almost died! I was so excited and when I looked at the back of the package they had a recipe for cookies on it. I also heard from a few friends that the recipe was really good....sooooo...I decided to make them! All I can say is now I have a new love....those cookies are not only damn good...they are addictive! And I figure they freshen your breath so after a nice garlicky meal...it's good to eat one...right?!?!
The recipe is so easy because it's basically one step...then add the mints and bake! So Easy!

It was hard not eating all those yummy Andes baking chips!
Looks like chocolate chip cookie dough...right?
But it's so much more than just a chocolate chip cookie! (not that I don't love chocolate chip cookies...but this cookie is special!)

So here's the recipe for those oh so yummy cookies from the Andes company themselves!

(if you can't find the Andes chips just buy the Andes Mints and either pulse them in a food processor or chop them up with a sharp knife. I did that long ago with a brownie recipe and it worked out great!

Andes Crème de Menthe Chunk Cookies
Servings: 4 Dozen
Preheat oven to 350

• 1/2 cup salted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 package (10 oz) Andes® Creme de Menthe Baking Chips or Andes® After Dinner Mints, coarsely chopped
• 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

Blend butter, sugars, baking soda, baking powder, vanilla and eggs until mixed.
Stir in baking chips or chopped candy and then flour.
Chill at least one hour in refrigerator.

Measure out approximately 1 ounce of dough.
Raise oven rack one level above middle and baking on non-stick cookie sheets.
Bake at 350-degrees for approximately 8-10 minutes.
Cool on pans for two minutes before removing.

They turned out just perfect....don't you think?

Make some for your holiday party....or office...make them for gifts....make them for the teachers at school....just make them....and you will be loved by all!

Heavenly Chocolate Chip Cookies!

I have the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe!

These just may be the perfect chocolate chip cookie!

Avesta's Chocolate Chip Cookies

preheat oven to 375 degrees
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cake flour (this is important in this recipe)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups softened butter (3 sticks, unsalted)
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 bag milk chocolate chips
1/2 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

Start by mixing both flours, baking powder & baking soda in a large bowl. I like mixing with a large fork, it just seems to combine the ingredients well for me.

Then beat the sugars and butter until really creamy. Once the mixture is nice and creamy, add the eggs and vanilla and beat again. Don't beat too much though, just until eggs and vanilla are blended in. If you don't have a stand mixer, just beat in a bowl with a hand mixer.

Once the sugars and butter are nice and creamy, slowly add the flour mixture and mix until well blended.

I use Ghirardelli Chocolate chips. I love this brand of chocolate but you can use whatever is your favorite brand. You can even chop up your favorite chocolate bars instead of using chocolate chips. I take the bowl off the mixer stand and mix in the chips with a wooden spoon. You can add nuts or white chocolate chips too if you'd like. Once your cookie dough is ready, chill either in the fridge for a few hours or in the freezer for about 30-45 minutes.

I use an ice cream scoop to make my dough balls. These are not small cookies, though if you'd like to make smaller cookies you may, but the cooking time will have to change. Bake the large cookies on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet at 375 degrees for about 10-13 minutes or until nice and golden brown. If you want your cookies to be a bit flatter, after baking for about 5 minutes, pull your cookie sheet out and smash the balls a bit with a spoon and then continue to bake for another 5-8 minutes. I always make half puffy and half flatter so my guests can pick which kind they like better.

Cool cookies before piling them on top of each other so they don't stick.

Is this heavenly or what?

They look and taste just perfect!

Make sure to have a few while they're warm and gooey with a tall glass of milk!

Plantains Foster

The star of the show

And the co-stars

They had a sale on plantains so I decided to buy a couple. I love plantains but rarely use them. Plantains are in the banana family but I guess you're not supposed to eat them raw. They have to be cooked to eat them and as they get riper, they get softer and sweeter. The ones I got were a bit ripe, but that was fine as I wanted to make a dessert with them anyways. I decided to make Plantains Foster...the rum in the cabinet was calling my name.....

They kinda look like banans don't they...

Avesta's Plantains Foster:
2 ripe plantains, cut in half then cut lengthwise
1/2 cup brown sugar
6 tablespoons butter
1/2 orange
1/4 cup spiced rum
butter pecan ice cream (really you have to try it with this ice cream)

Melt the butter and sugar in a heavy skillet over medium heat.

Stir until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is turning golden.

Add the plantains and let them cook without disturbing for 2-3 minutes.

When you turn the plantains over they should be a nice golden brown and are caramelized. Let them cook on the other side for another 2-3 minutes.

Take the pan off the stove and add the rum. If you have a gas stove when you put the pan back on the stove, slightly tip the pan so that the mixture catches on fire. If you have an electric stove then use a long match or long lighter and catch the mixture on fire. Let the flames die out and and cook the mixture for about 2 mintues to let the alcohol evaporate.

I couldn't get the flames in the picture because it's such a quick step and I do all the cooking & photos myself. I'm saving for a better camera & tripod!

Turn the heat off and squeeze the orange juice all over the plantains.

Serve by placing the plantains around a scoop of the Butter Pecan ice cream and drizzling the sauce all over the top. You can top it off with whipped cream if you'd like.

See how nice and carmelized the plantains turned out...that brings out such yumminess!

You must try butter pecan ice cream with this recipe!

A twist on Baklava...

Here's a winner! I have told you all about the fruit trees we've found on our land so this past weekend and week I've been trying out tons of recipes with the apples and peaches we've picked. I was thinking last night that I wanted to make something different so when I looked in my freezer, I saw fillo/phyllo dough and immediately thought that combining the flavors of American Apple Pie and my family's Baklava recipe was the way to go. Everyone loved this new treat I came up with and it's so easy!

Avesta's Apple Baklava:

for apple filling:

4 cups fresh apples, peeled and cubed

1 teaspoon ground cardamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)

1/4 cup honey

1 stick butter (sweet cream, unsalted)

In a large heavy saucepan, combine the butter, sugars and apples together on medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted, slowly stir in the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and let the apple mixture simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the apples are soft. You should have a nice amount of sauce in the pan, this will become the "syrup" for you baklava later. Separate the apples from the syrup and set the syrup aside.

For the baklava nut mixture:

2 cups chopped walnuts

2 teaspoon ground cardamon

1/2 cup granulated sugar

Grind the ingredients in a food processor until well blended. If you want to have a chunkier nut mixture, use the pulse option instead on your processor so the nuts are not ground as much. For the Baklava:

1/2 package of defrosted fillo/phyllo dough

2 sticks melted butter (sweet cream, unsalted)

Nut mixture (recipe above)

Apple mixture (recipe above)

Spread some of the melted butter on the bottom of a baking dish with a pastry brush. Begin the first layer of the Baklava with three sheets of the fillo/phyllo dough then spread half of the apples and half of the nut mixture across the dough, then drizzle about 1/3 of the remaining melted butter on top. Top this with another 3 sheets of fillo/phyllo dough and top with the other half of the apples and nut mixture and 1/2 of the remaining melted butter. Top the second layer with 3 sheets of fillo/phyllo dough and cut your Baklava into whatever size pieces you want. Whenever you make Baklava, always make sure to cut it before baking it as it is much easier because once the fillo/phyllo dough bakes, it becomes crispy and breaks apart really easily which makes it hard to cut into even pieces. Once you've cut your Baklava, use the pastry brush to spread the rest of the melted butter on top. Bake the Baklava for about 45 minutes on 350 degrees. The Baklava is done once the dough is golden brown and crispy so keep an eye on it.

I served the Apple Baklava with vanilla bean ice cream and drizzled the apple syrup on top....talk about delicious! This seriously is the best of both worlds! YUM!Do you see the layers of goodness here? I served it while it was still warm but you can serve it cold or at room temperature and it will still be delicious! I also woke up this morning and had a piece for breakfast with my morning coffee...Oh my....so good!