Featured Food Blog - December 2015

Barbara Kiebel is a mom with two grown girls, a reluctant cat owner and an avid gardener. Herbs are a passion and she loves having a fresh supply for her forays in the kitchen.

“I love having friends over, enjoying their company and sharing food and drink together. While I’ve kept my best recipes online for almost 20 years, it was only in the past several years that I decided to turn that effort into a food and cocktail blog, where I can now share what I love with a wider audience. I love making old standards and creating something new. And, my love for making cocktails cannot be denied!”

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{French Silk Pie with a Spicy Mexican Twist}

I love having an unexpected dessert for the holidays, and trust me; this combination of rich French Silk Pie combined with the flavors of that Mexican Hot Chocolate will be just that. I should call it Nirvana Pie.

Prep Time: 25 mins  |  Cook Time: 10 mins  |  Total Time: 35 mins  |  Yields: 8 servings

For the Crust:
1½ cups Graham cracker crumbs
½ cup Toasted walnuts, finely chopped
¼ cup Sugar
1 tsp Cayenne pepper
⅓ cup Melted butter
For the Filling:
½ cup Butter
¾ cup Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla extract
4 Tbsps Cocoa
1 Tbsp Dried espresso or coffee
½ tsp Cayenne pepper
½ tsp Cinnamon
Pinch of salt
2 Tbsp Hornitos® Black Barrel
Tequila
3 Extra large eggs
For the Whipped Cream Garnish:
2 cups whipping cream
2 Tbsps Hornitos® Black Barrel Tequila
2 Tbsps Granulated sugar
½ tsp Cinnamon
Pinch of Cayenne pepper
1 tsp Espresso
4 to 6 Tbsps Powdered sugar,
to taste
Chocolate curls or cocoa

Prepare the Crust: Mix together all ingredients in a bowl or processor. Pat into an 9-inch pie plate and bake at 375° for 8 to 10 minutes until just starting to brown. Remove from oven and cool completely.
Prepare the Pie: Cream butter, sugar, vanilla, cocoa, espresso, cayenne, cinnamon, salt and tequila. Turn mixer on medium-high and mix for a minimum of 5 minutes. Scrape bowl often. Add each egg separately and beat for a full 5 minutes after the addition of each egg. Scrape bowl often. Pour mixture into the cooled pie crust and refrigerate.

To Make the Whipped Cream: Heat ¼ cup of the whipping cream over medium heat in a small saucepan. Add tequila, granulated sugar, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and espresso to the whipping cream and bring to a boil; turn heat down and let mixture simmer for 1 minute. Chill until cold.
In a chilled mixing bowl, combine the remainder of the whipping cream with the cooled tequila-and-cream mixture and whisk thoroughly to combine. Whip until soft peaks form. Add the powdered sugar (I like it less sweet, but add all 6 Tbsp if you like your whipped cream sweeter) and continue beating until firm peaks form. Generously pipe or dollop the whipped cream in the center of the pie, saving any extra for serving.Sprinkle with chocolate curls or cocoa. Serve with additional whipping cream if desired. Note: For chocolate curls, warm a chocolate bar in the microwave until slightly warm but not melting. Try 15-second increments on low until the right temperature. Use a vegetable peeler along the side to create the curls. Refrigerate slightly before sprinkling over the pie.

Cooking Tip
When using fresh Parmesan, don’t pitch the rinds that are unusable for shredded cheese. Store them in the freezer and throw a chunk into your next pot of soup or stew. Adds great flavor!

{Homemade Cranberry Liqueur}
Yields: About 6 cups

It’s seasonal, so simple and elegant and yet from the making of the liqueur to the final cocktail, it is so easy no one would imagine you only labored for a few minutes.

Prep Time: 30 mins  |  Cook Time: 10 mins  |  Total Time: 40 mins  |  Brew Time: 3 weeks

1 cup Water
2 cups Granulated sugar
2 cups Fresh cranberries
3 Tbsps Fresh squeezed orange juice
1 Tbsp Grated orange rind
2 cups Vodka (Use decent vodka, but top shelf not required)
For the Champagne Cocktail:
1½ oz. Cranberry Liqueur, chilled
4 oz. Champagne, Cava or Prosecco, chilled

Combine sugar and water in heavy saucepan and bring to boil. Simmer sugar syrup for three minutes, making sure all of the sugar has dissolved in the water. Add cranberries, orange juice and orange rind. Remove syrup mixture from heat and cool slightly. Add mixture to Cuisinart and chop just slightly to open up berries; cool completely. Add vodka and mix thoroughly.

Pour into container; glass or plastic. Cover and store in a dark, cool location for 3 weeks. (I put mine in the garage). Stir ingredients every couple of days. Once the mixture is ready, strain through fine metal sieve lined with cheesecloth (I like butter muslin; it’s much finer and is sure to catch every seed); saving the berries. Be careful and don’t eat the whole bowl full of these beauties; they are SO good! Pour liqueur into glass containers. Time does not include the 3 weeks for ‘brewing.’

To Make the Cocktail: Pour the cranberry liqueur into chilled champagne glasses; top with your choice of chilled sparkling wine.