KerriansKitchen

KNR, p. 282 “Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake Bars”

November 4, 2021

By now, you know that we love pumpkin in soup, smoothies, cookies, or other desserts. The flavor works well with several different spices and even complements chocolate.

This year, Sheila has been experimenting with ways to make a foolproof pumpkin bar. She tried a few recipes developed by some pretty famous people and found them to be too sweet or too complicated. She finally threw up her hands and created her own.

As always, I was the taste-tester. I might have gained a pound or two while I chomped away on the samples.

 

Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake Bars

Sheila Kerrian
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 45 mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 5 Tablespoons cold butter
  • 1 cup pecans, chopped fine
  • 8 ounces softened cream cheese
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
  • 2 extra large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350.
  • Combine flour and brown sugar.
  • Cut in butter until crumbly.
  • Stir in finely chopped pecans, then set aside 1 cup for topping.
  • Lightly butter sides and bottom of 8-inch square baking pan.
  • Press remaining crumb mixture into the bottom of the pan.
  • Bake at 350 for 15 minutes, until edges are lightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool.
  • While the crust is baking, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
  • Beat in the pumpkin, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and pour the mixture evenly over the crust.
  • Sprinkle with set-aside crumb mixture.
  • Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown and puffs up in the center.
  • Cool on wire rack and cut into 9 bars.

Notes

May all your holiday snacks be delightfully delicious!

 

KNR, p. 274 “Pie Crusts for Double Crust Meat Pies”

September 15, 2021

Lots of taste testing went into this pie crust. A lighter crust that we use for fruit pies did not stand up to the weight of a meat and veggie pie, but this one stays tender and has great flavor as well.

Pair it with the Chicken Pot Pie recipe here.

 

Pie Crusts for Double Crust Meat Pies

Recipe by Sheila Kerrian
Print Recipe
Course Main Course
Cuisine American

Ingredients
  

  • 2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 2 Tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 cup butter (16 Tablespoons) cut into 1/4 inch cubes
  • 6 Tablespoons very cold water
  • Egg yolk wash (one yolk and 2 Tablespoons water lightly whisked together) 

Instructions
 

  • Use food processor to briefly pulse together flour, sugar, and sea salt.
  • Add cubed butter and pulse together until size of small peas.
  • Add water and pulse together until dough forms.
  • Remove dough, (no need to chill) divide in half, flour dust work surface and roll out each half until 1/8 inch thick – makes two 11-12”rounds.
  • Place one in 9” pie pan and set aside the other (on parchment paper for best results).
  • Make chosen filling and spread evenly onto bottom crust.
  • Cover filling with top crust and crimp two crusts together to seal in filling.
  • After the pie has been created and the two crusts have been crimped together, brush the top and edges with the egg yolk wash before baking.
  • Follow pie directions for baking time and temperature, baking until golden brown.
  • Remove from oven and let sit for about 10 minutes for easier slicing.
  • Serve while still warm.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

KNR, p. 272 “Tomato Basil Chicken Soup”

February 24, 2021

We love all kinds of soups, but don’t always have broth on hand to make the base for a hearty one. Here’s a recipe that uses a can of soup from the grocery store shelf as the already flavored base, but becomes a filling meal for 3-4 when the other ingredients are added. The prep is simple – takes only ten minutes. Then depending on whether you have a cooked chicken on hand or uncooked chicken cutlets, use a crockpot or a large spaghetti pot, it will take anywhere from thirty minutes to two hours to cook.

 

Chin Bawambi, a previous contributor to our recipes and an enthusiastic cook, often uses a crockpot and this recipe was devised with that in mind. The Kerrian kitchen doesn’t have a crockpot, but we found that a spaghetti pot worked well for us. We just had to watch it and stir more frequently. He promises that no bodies wound up on the floor in his kitchen either, while he worked from home and created this delicious meal.

Print
"Tomato Basil Chicken Soup"
Author: 
Recipe type: Entree
Cuisine: American
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 2-3
 
Ingredients
  • One can tomato basil soup, Progresso
  • 1/2 can Goya black beans (about one cup)
  • 1 pound uncooked tenderloin chicken, cut into one inch chunks
  • 1 teaspoon Montreal chicken seasoning
  • 6 baby carrots, cut into one inch pieces (about one cup)
  • 3 celery stalks, trimmed and diced, (about one cup)
Instructions
  1. Use a crockpot.
  2. Pour tomato basil soup into the pot, then add black beans.
  3. Place the uncooked chicken chunks on top of the black beans.
  4. Sprinkle the Montreal chicken seasoning on top.
  5. Add carrots and celery and stir entire pot of ingredients until mixed.
  6. Cover and cook at medium high heat for first hour, then drop to low for another hour, stirring every 30 minutes.
  7. Celery and carrots should be fork tender when done.
  8. Serve with garlic bread.
  9. Variation: Chin reveals that the recipe also works well with beef as the meat ingredient.
Notes
Tips:
If using a spaghetti pot on the stovetop, cover and cook on medium for the first half hour, stirring every 10-15 minutes. For the rest of the time, drop the temperature to low and simmer until carrots and celery are tender, stirring every 10-15 minutes.

If using a cooked chicken, chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces, drop into the pot and mix with the other ingredients. Cook on medium heat until veggies are tender, about 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.

 

Scroll to Top