Yamacorn Pasta.

This might sound like a Unicorn but no it’s a Yam and Acorn Pasta. I was asked this morning by one of my twitter followers what was my favorite meal. My answer was that I did not have one. I really enjoy cooking with what is in season and what I have in the home. So my answer was that I enjoy a pumpkin Ravioli in the Fall or a Butternut Squash soup in the Fall but my answer will always change according to what season we are in.  So my biggest pet peeve is throwing away food. I extremely despise the term “leftovers”, and will never use it in my posts. I like to call them 1st overs because it makes it sound like it’s the first time you have ever had this meal. So as you know I had Canadian Thanksgiving about 2 weeks ago and your probably really sick of hearing about it.   But I have a fabulous first over recipe to share with you. You will be using your items that are still around from Thanksgiving. Whipped Cream, Acorn Squash, and Glazed Yams and Brats (optional).

Yamacorn Pasta Ingredients;

1 Cup Whipping Cream

2 halves of Annie’s Glazed yams Chopped about a  half cup

1 Cup of skinned and chopped Acorn Squash Florets (No stuffing)

1 teaspoon All spice

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

½ Cup of grated Parmesan

1 box of Cooked Gluten Free Pasta and set aside.

Take Acorn florets and remove skin and chop into small bite size pieces, do the same with Glazed Yams.

Next heat Olive oil then add Glazed Yams and Acorn and caramelize.

Next add All Spice and then 1 cup of Whipped cream then  half of the Parmesan Cheese.

Toss Pasta with sauce garnish with Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy,

Bon Appetite

Sheila Fretz

Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie

Okay so almost all of my recipes have posted from Canadian Thanksgiving you saw my pie from James Hyde’s Birthday plus my. The only thing that is left is Mrs. Mix It’s famous Pumpkin Pie. I always like to decorate my pies for the appropriate holiday. You will see from looking at this picture that I used Canadian Maple Leaves on the edges for the Pumpkin Pie.

Mrs. Mix It’s Pumpkin Pie Ingredients:

1 Pie Shell made with Sheila Fretz's Famous Pie and Tart Shells

1 Cup of Milk

1 Can of 32 oz   Pumpkin Puree

2 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice

3 eggs.

1 teaspoon Vanilla

Make Pie Shell and place in Pie Pan. Garnish with your favorite mini cookie cutter.

Mix Eggs, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice , puree of pumpkin . Place mixture into a gluten free pie shell.

Cook at 325 degrees for 45 Minutes Covered and an additional 15 minutes uncovered.

Enjoy,

Sheila Fretz

One of James Hydes Favorite Desserts Dutch Apple Pie from Mrs.Mix It

James Hyde and his wife Sue Ling and there son were at my home for James Hyde's birthday and for Canadian Thanksgiving. Some of you might remember James from the Soap Operas such as  "Passions", "As the World Turns" and "Sex in the City" in a guest staring role.  Every year when we celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving we always celebrate James Hyde’s Birthday which is October 9th. This year we made James one of his favorite desserts which is Dutch Apple Pie. Sometimes I even serve Dutch Apple Pie with warm Carmel sauce on top and with a scoop of ice cream. However, this past Sunday we served it with just whipping cream because we were all so full, from Canadian Thanksgiving.  I always try to make this recipe  for Thanksgiving because every one loves a good Dutch Apple Pie.

James Hyde's Favorite Dutch Apple Pie

3 Large Lady Smith Apples sliced ( Pink in Color)

3 Granny Smith Apples sliced

3 tablespoons Corn Starch Gluten free

2 teaspoons tapioca pudding Gluten free

1 cup Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice

1 tablespoon cinnamon

Gluten Free home made Pie and Tart Crust or if you would like the easy way out 

Pillsbury makes a great Gluten Free Pie Crust

Gluten Free Crumble Topping

1 Jar of Carmel Sauce (Optional for drizzling on pie)

TIP Of The DAY: I love my apple slicer they are inexpensive and it brings your children in the kitchen with you to help. Plus it is an easy activity to gets the kids involved, and it encourages them to cook with you. I strongly recommend purchasing; I have the Pinzon Apple and Potato Peeler, Corer, and Slicer and I love it!

Take your apples and peel and slice and set aside. then Cut in half if using the peeler and corer.

Next Make your Mrs Mix It’s home made Pie and Tart Crust. Roll it out and place in bottom of pie pan and cut edges off. Sprinkle bottom of pie shell with tapioca pudding.

Next take your apples, flour, cinnamon, orange juice and toss in large bowl then after evenly coated place in Pie Shell.

Next Cover with Crumble topping holding hand on edge and packing down ever so lightly. Cook uncovered for 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Serve Warm with Ice Cream and Carmel Sauce or just on its own.

Bon Appetite!

Enjoy,

Sheila Fretz

Sheila Fretz's Crumble Topping

This is the crumble that I use for a lot of my recipes including  My First Post- Blueberry Pomegranate Cobbler. However the recipe for My First Post- Blueberry Pomegranate Cobbler I divided the recipe in half. This is the full recipe which will do a whole pie or a cobbler.

Crumble Ingredients

1/2 pound butter (2 Sticks)

3 cups Oats

1 cup Brown sugar

1 1/2 cup flour

Take butter and cut into cubes

Add flour, oats, and sugar and take off your rings because this involves your hands to mix. Mix and knead until well mixed together it should form clumps of the crumble just like 1st picture at the top of post.

Enjoy adding this to your favorite, Pie Tart or Crumble.

Bon Appetite!

                        Sheila Fretz                         

Glazed Yam- by Neighbor Annie

As you know we just celebrated Canadian Thanksgiving and my neighbor Annie's was so kind to share her recipe for glazed Yams. When we have Canadian Thanksgiving every year we try to include our neighbors who have relatives that live in Canada. My friend and neighbor Annie has a sister who lives in the Toronto area of Canada. So needless to say of course we included Annie and her family in our celebration.

Recipe Prepared by Annie for Mrs. Mix It

 Glazed Yam Ingredients:
12 small yams, similar in shape, scrubbed
2 tablespoons Vegetable oil
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup syrup
1 cup sweetened cranberries
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)


Boil yams in a large pot for 20 minutes. Drain and cool.


Peel the yams, and cut them in half lengthwise.


Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Brown the yam halves, two minutes each side.

 　 

Arrange the yams


Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes before serving.


Bon Appetite

Spicy Date in a Blanket

The other night I went to ladies night out at one of my daughters friends, parents home; and I  had a great time! This is a great idea everyone brings either a appetizer, dinner item, dessert or drink. There were about 30- 40 Moms there from Kindergarten to 4th or 5th grade. It was so much fun. The best part is you are not allowed to talk to the Moms that you know! You are only allowed to speak to people in other grades or classes that you do not know.
 My daughter has been going to the same school since kindergarten, however, I still do not know all 250+ families who attend the school and it was fun to meet parents who had kids in other grades. A lot of the Moms at my daughter school know that I have the cooking underwriter website. So they always ask if I will create something fun to bring to"Ladies Night Out". So I created spicy dates in a blanket with jalapeno jack cheese a spicy sweet appetizer.

Spicy Date in a blanket Ingredients:
36 Medjool Dates pits removed
36 small pieces of jalapeno Monterrey Jack Cheese
1 tub of Gluten Free Pizza Dough by Pillsbury rolled out and cut in strips

Take dates and remove pits slice down the center.

Insert spicy jalapeno Monterrey jack cheese.

    

Next roll pizza strip around date making an x in center.

Bake at 350 degrees on a silpat for 10 min.

Bon Appetite,


Enjoy,

Sheila Fretz

Easy Pie

I too love to bake from scratch, but when it comes to making Cherry pie filling, I do not want to spend 2 hours in the kitchen. I do not like pitting the cherries, then taking the cherries, and making a  pie filling. So when it comes to making Pies and tarts sometimes it is best to get the help from your local grocery store. I know your disappointed, however,there are many Gluten Free Pre made piefillings out there. When you are having your holiday celebration and have to make all the sides for a holiday dinner, plus make all 4 desserts. You will thank me for this fabulous easy dessert! No one needs to know that the filling came out of a can.

Make a batch of  Famous Pie Crust. Divide into 2 equal portions. Roll out place one in a pie shell do not cut excess off.

Next poor 2 cans pre-made pie filling I used Comstock Cherry Flavor. You can use any type of filling to make any type of Easy Pie this way.

Last roll out other crust and take a cookie cutter and make one cut out of the center. I used a Canadian Maple leaf bought at mine at William Sonoma but they too sell them at Amazon.
However, you could do a star for the winter holidays or a heart for Valentines day.    Last  place on top of pie and crimp edges together. Bake in oven at 325 degrees covered for 30 min. after 30 min pass uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes uncovered. Serve after it has cooled at least 45 minutes to an hour filling gets very hot !!!

Enjoy,

Sheila Fretz

Butter Tarts with Pecans or Raisins

So in Canada Butter Tarts are a big deal. Most people buy them at their local markets, bakeries or convenience stores. If you go to Canada, you have to check these out especially on the East Coast they seem to have created the best butter tarts.  As you know, I just recently hosted Canadian Thanksgiving, and now I want to share with you my special recipe.

Butter Tarts with Pecans or Raisins  Ingredients:
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons Vanilla
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup pecans


Home made pie crust (see recipe below)

Home Made Butter Tarts Equipment
Cupcake pans
Measuring cup

1st make Home Made Pie or Tart  Crust then set a side. Next Make filling  take eggs, Corn syrups, sugar, and Vanilla and mix in large bowl until a thick consistency appears.

Roll out pie crust/ tart crust

Next Cut with Large 4" or 5" cup or Circular cookie cutter.

Place cut pie shell in cupcake pan

Poor Butter Tart batter in pans sprinkle with either Pecans or Raisins .

I always make 12 Raisin tarts and 12 Pecan tarts. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 18 min.

Bon Appetite
Enjoy,
Sheila Fretz

Home Made Pie or Tart Crust

Okay so I have a little secret, this is my first time I have ever created a pie or tart crust recipe. I have seen recipes that incorporate eggs or vinegar. However, I wanted to create a recipe that I could pass on to my friends that have food allergies. This recipe incorporates gluten free flour, butter, shortening, sugar, salt and cold chilled water and the best part is I make it in the food processor.

Home Made Pie or Tart  Crust Ingredients:

1/3 cup shortening plus 2 Tablespoons shortening
1/2 cup of butter chilled chopped
3 cups gluten free flour
2 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Teaspoon salt
3/4 cup water chilled


This is the easiest recipe and it will only take you 2 to 3 min to make. Take the flour, Sugar and Salt and put in the food processor with dough blade ( picture below) pulse 3 times. Next add chopped chilled butter, pulse 4 times, Add Shortening divided equally around bowl. pulse again 4 times add 1/2 cup of water pulse again. The remainder of the water is used to add if needed.

This will make enough dough for a top and a bottom of a shallow pie pan.


Bon Appetite!

Enjoy,

Sheila Fretz

Thanksgiving Canadian Style

 So October 11, 2010 was Canadian Thanksgiving and I had my Thanksgiving Holiday Party, 10.10.10, with my fabulous friends and extended family. Look at my Fabulous table scape I love to put all of my Pilgrims out with my Pumpkins, Corn and leaves out too.


In this Picture from Right to left Turkey, Mr. Fix It’s Mashed Potatoes,  Cranberry Relish, Or Beet Berry Relish,  Acorn Squash Florets with Apple Sage Sausage Stuffing, Mr. Fix It's Famous Home Made Stuffing and my sweet neighbor Annie brought these fabulous sweet potatoes. Annie will be sending me her recipe and I will post as soon as I receive.

In this picture from Front to back German Cabbage, Ham., Gravy Turkey, Cranberry Relish.  In addition to Harvest Time Creamed Corn ( not in photo).

We also had 5 kinds of Pies and Tarts, Butter tarts and  Pecan Tarts, Dutch Apple Pie, Pumpkin Pie and Easy (Cherry) Pie.  I will share those recipes Wednesday and Friday.


Thanks for stopping by and Happy Thanksgiving to all and if you are in the United States Happy Columbus Day.


Bon Appetite!

Enjoy,

Sheila Fretz

Cranberry Relish

This is one of my favorite recipes for Cranberry Relish it is not to sweet and it taste so yummy. Plus it so easy to make.

Cranberry Relish Ingredients
1 Bag of  Cranberries 16 oz
1 Cup of Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp nutmeg

Equipment
1 large pot
1 spatula Rubber for stirring

TIP OF THE DAY: Buy Cranberries when in season and freeze them; this way when you want to make anything  that calls for cranberries you have them at home.

Place Cranberries, Sugar, Nutmeg and Orange Juice in a pot and bring to a boil. Turn down to simmer and let boil and additional 10min. Place in bowl and chill overnight in refrigerator.

Bon Appetite!

Enjoy,

Mrs. Mix It

Tailgating such a fun activity in the fall to do with Friends and Family

About a month ago or so I was contacted by Gimlet Mommy of the Entertaining House asking me about what reminds me of fall most My First Answer was Thanksgiving and my second answer was having a Tailgating Party. So Gimlet Mommy asked that I do a post on Tailgating and all of the fabulous food that I would serve at a event like this. We served some familiar dishes that a lot of you have made from "Cooking Underwriter" in the past, plus some new appetizers, salads and side dishes. The Mrs. of One Fabulous Mom and her husband were in attendance too and we had a blast together as usual. Come with us on our journey of tailgating with fabulous friends and don't forget to visit their fabulous blogs too.

This was are menu for our tailgating event. We had a fabulous time at the football game after our tailgating adventure and fun was had by all.  By the way University of Southern California,  Trojans won and walked away with a victory. The score was 17 University of Southern California, and 14 Virgina.

Summer In a Bowl

Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates Wrapped in Bacon

Grilled Peppers and Onions

The Grilled Peppers and Onions we heated up on the grill after we had  pre-cooked at home for the tailgate party

OneFabulousMom’s Famous Brats made from her husband's special spices, are to the left.

I made the Sweet Italian Sausage wrapped in bacon, this is a fun and yummy way to eat sausage! We rolled the Sweet Italian Sausage in Bacon then put one wooden tooth pick in to keep bacon on until crispy. Remove before serving, and are to the right

TIP OF THE DAY: Don't forget your spray bottle of water because the bacon grease will flame up the fire on your barbecue.

Brownies made from Pams Gluten Free Cake Mix with Gluten Free Sprinkles
Made as directed from box except I made substituting the butter for apple sauce  equal parts. Then I frosted and Put the Gluten Free Sprinkles as a topping.  Plus I made in Cupcake lined tins for easy transport and display.


So all of the recipes have links to them! I hope you enjoy the fresh quick and easy food recipes as much as we did. We made the Summer in a bowl,  The Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad the night before. Then that Morning of the tailgate we assembled the Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates Wrapped in Bacon  and The Grilled Peppers and Onions; we then  cooked at home then heated up on the grill before serving.  We also Grilled the Brats and Sausage at the sight but assembled the Sweet Italian wrapped in Bacon and the Alfredo Corn  on the Cob at home the night before.A lot of these foods can be done ahead of time and are fabulous on the grill.  Happy Tailgating!                                                                

Bon Appetite and Happy Tailgating!!

Enjoy!

 Sheila Fretz