Brownies: Black Bean or Traditional!!

No flour??

No problem.

Black Bean Brownies
Karri Perry

Ingredients:
One 15.5 ounce can of black beans drained and rinsed well
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons black coffee

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees- middle rack
Line an 8 x 8 baking dish with parchment paper and non-stick spray

In a food processor, puree the black beans until smooth, scrape the sides with a spatula.  Add the oil and emulsify.  Add the eggs.  Mix.

Add the sugars, cornstarch, salt, vanilla, cocoa powder, baking soda and coffee.  Mix until combined.

Pour into the prepared baking dish.

Bake for 30-35 minute, until brownies are set and the center is puffed.

Allow to cool before cutting.

Traditional Brownies (with flour)
Ingredients:
1 stick (8 Tablespoons) butter melted
2 large eggs
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup black coffee

Preheat oven to 350 degrees- middle rack
Line an 8 x 8 baking dish with parchment paper and non-stick spray

In a large bowl with a spoon or a mixer:  Add the sugars, butter and eggs.  Mix well.
Add the flour salt, vanilla, cocoa powder, baking powder and coffee.  Mix until combined.

Pour into the prepared baking dish.

Bake for 45-50 minutes, until brownies are set and a toothpick comes out cleanly from the center

Allow to cool before cutting.

Wild Blueberry Crumb Top Pie: Happy National Blueberry Pie Day!

Hey friends!!

Do you love the National Days?? ... Like National Blueberry Pie Day??

I know it's sometimes corny... and I don't really need much of a nudge to celebrate anything... but the National Days... are so cute... Corny?? Yes, sometimes... but always a welcome reminder to celebrate the little things in life.

I think now, more than ever... celebrating a blueberry pie is the right thing to do...after all, pie is for sharing. ...And...while we aren't sharing hugs, or high fives...we can definitely share recipes and enjoy a delicious slice of blueberry pie.

We all deserve to eat delicious food, and the more beautiful the food...the better!!

Good food makes us happy... at least for me... good food makes me happy.

I hope you'll love this recipe and share it with all your friends.  Be sure to tune in to Facebook Live to see our little Blue Ribbon Kitchen Show... it's a collection of some of my very best recipes, and I make them live, while you watch, from my very own kitchen...

The best part...

If you tune in while we are live, I am always happy to try to answer your baking questions.

It's like being in the kitchen with friends... but not as crowded...

So pull up a seat, get cozy and join us!!  If you're not following Blue Ribbon Kitchen on Facebook, you can go here: Blue Ribbon Kitchen Facebook Page

Wild Blueberry Crumb Top Pie

Karri Perry, Blue Ribbon Kitchen

Baking temp: 375

Time: 60 minutes

Yields: 9-inch pie

Pie Dough

2 cups all purpose flour

2 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

4 Tbsp Crisco shortening -either butter flavor or original is fine

8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter

¼cup- plus 2 Tablespoons ice cold water and vodka mixed 50/50

Crumb Topping

¼ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup brown sugar

6 Tablespoons softened butter

3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup quick cook oats

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon honey

Mix well, using a fork and a small bowl.  (Crumb topping when combined should resemble coarse sand, with pea-sized butter bits)

Filling

4-5 cups frozen wild blueberries (I like Wymen's brand found in the frozen foods section)

 1/8  teaspoon salt

1 cup granulated sugar

¼ cup arrowroot + 2 Tablespoons 

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Step 1: Mix together flour, sugar and salt, set aside.  Make pie dough by cutting in (using a pastry blender or food processor) butter, and shortening  into the flour, sugar and salt.  Add liquid a little at a time…Once dough comes together, shape into 2 equal disks and let rest, covered tightly, at least one hour in the refrigerator.

Step 2: Roll out 1 dough round to ¼ inch thick, fill pie plate.  Set aside in refrigerator.

Step 3: Mix together the sugar, arrowroot, zest, nutmeg and cinnamon and set aside.  

Step 4: Make the crumb topping.  With a fork or pastry blender, mix together the softened butter, flour, oats, sugars, salt, vanilla and honey.  Mix until crumbly- set aside.

Step 5: Cover the blueberries with the arrowroot/sugar/spice mix, add the lemon juice.   Fill pie shell with the coated berries.  

Step 6: Top the blueberry mixture with the prepared crumb topping.  Sprinkle evenly over the berries.

Add dough cut-outs in decorative shapes to the top of the pie if desired, OR apply a full top crust, being sure to vent the pie by making  4-5 slits in the pie dough.

Step 7: Bake in preheated 375-degree oven, on the lowest rack for 60 minutes or until the filling is bubbling in the center and the crust is golden.  Allow to cool before serving.

Using small letter cut outs, cut the letters needed to create your message from the extra pie dough.  Place on a plate and keep cool or frozen until ready to use for the pie.

For Dough Blueberries:  Use three tiny pieces of dough rolled into a ball.

Piña Colada Cake: Buttery Yellow Bakery Style Cake

Do you like piña coladas?? Or getting caught in the rain??  Remember that old tune??

Well... Here's a fun twist on a traditional yellow cake... a Piña Colada Cake!!  All the flavors of pineapple, coconut and yes,...rum...it's an optional ingredient.  I opted in, for my version.

I can remember my mom making a rum bundt cake ... it was so delicious... and I wanted to recreated that deliciousness, but with the piña colada flavors.  A simple coconut syrup helps to recreate that tropical feeling of a frosty drink, but in the form of this cake.

Even without all the vacation vibes, this yellow buttery cake cannot be beat... She's a first-place winning yellow cake and her secret ingredient?

Sunday Supper: Chicken Pot Pie with a Rosemary & Cracked Black Pepper Crust

Hi friends!

It's Sunday here...and my husband, who is usually quite nonchalant and very agreeable about our menu, insisted that I share our chicken pot pie recipe...  all I can say is: Well, OK!!

We had this same dish last weekend and he must have really loved it... because he really wanted me to share it with you all.  So below you will find the recipe.  On Facebook, you will find a live video... We take you step by step through the pie dough making process and the making of the filling too.  It truly is as easy as pie.

This is an especially good meal for combining leftovers.  If you have leftover chicken or vegetables ... you're half way there!  This recipe is also a great one for using those store-bought bags of frozen vegetable mixes and soup-starters... the combinations of those vegetables are super inexpensive and I typically find that there is a bag or two floating around my inside my freezer... super convenient.

Best of all, this dish is custom-made...make it to suit your family's taste...if you don't like green beans,...leave them out... please feel free to make it your own.

And yes, you can absolutely use canned veggies, be sure to drain them well before you add them to the gravy.

Hope you all are well and staying safe.  Please share Blue Ribbon Kitchen, the blog, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest with your friends and family.

I'm so happy you are enjoying these recipes...

For a Turkey Pot Pie... simply use turkey instead of chicken!! 

  

Happy Baking!!
Take Care,

 Xo Karri

Chicken Pot Pie with a Savory Rosemary-Cracked Black Pepper Crust

Karri Perry; Blue Ribbon Kitchen

Ingredients:

Pie Crust: Two-crust rosemary- cracked black pepper pie dough (recipe follows)

Meat: 2 cups leftover cooked turkey or chicken-chopped into bite sized bits

Veggies: 2-3 cups leftover vegetables: any combination of carrots, potatoes

green beans, corn, sweet potatoes, butternut squash

½ cup each of sautéed celery and carrots and onion

Gravy: See below

Gravy

2 cups of stock (chicken or turkey)

1 cup milk

2 Tablespoons butter

2 Tablespoons all purpose flour

½ teaspoon each of salt and pepper, plus more to taste

½ teaspoon poultry seasoning

½ teaspoon dried thyme

Directions for gravy:

In a large skillet, melt the butter on medium heat.  Add the flour, stir with a whisk and let cook for 1 minute.  Slowly add the milk, followed by the stock whisking as you pour.  Let the gravy come to boil.  Let simmer and thicken 20-30 minutes.  Add 2 tablespoons of milk or heavy cream once the gravy thickens and then turn off the heat to let cool.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Savory Rosemary and Cracked Black Pepper Pie Dough

2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons sugar

1 tsp salt

1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

 8 Tablespoons butter-chopped into tiny bits

½ cup shortening

¼-1/2 cup ice water

In a stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar, salt, rosemary and pepper.  Add the butter and shortening and combine until the mixture looks shaggy.  Begin adding the water (a few tablespoons at a time) until a dough forms.  Chill the dough in an air tight container for 30-50 minutes before rolling.

When ready to roll the dough, use a large 10-12 inch pie plate, a deep dish pie plate works best for this recipe.  Roll one half of the pie dough on a lightly floured surface, place the dough into the pie plate and then place the  prepared pie plate in the refrigerator to chill.  Roll the second half for the dough as the first was done.

Directions to Assemble Pot Pie:

Prepare the pie dough or use store-bought.

Using the prepared gravy that has cooled, add the cooked leftover chicken or turkey meat  to the gravy, add the vegetables, then add ½ cup of peas sautéed chopped celery and onion and carrots.  Mix well in a large bowl.

Fill the prepared pie plate with the pot pie mixture—be sure not to over fill the pie—only fill to the pie rim/edge. 

Top with the second rolled pie dough and crimp or seal the edges with a fork.  Vent the top of the pie, by making slits with a knife.

Place pot pie on a lined rimmed baking sheet or a pie drip catcher.

Bake in a 375 degree oven, on the lowest rack for 55-65 minutes, or until the top is golden and the filling is hot and bubbling.

Variation:

To make vegetarian, use only vegetables in the filling and use a vegetable stock to make the gravy.

Consider using puff pastry as a topping for the pot pie and bake in a skillet, with only a puff pastry crust-no bottom crust.

Cinnamon Rolls

RECIPE:
Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
Makes about 12 Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients:

2 1/4 tsp instant yeast - (I used Platinum Red Star brand in a packet)
1/2 cup warm (100-110 degree) water + 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 Cup buttermilk-room temperature or slightly warmed

3 TBS Sugar

3 1/2 - 4 cups all-purpose flour + a little extra for rolling

1/2 teaspoon salt

5 Tablespoons unsalted softened butter

Filling:

4-5 Tablespoons softened unsalted butter
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/8 tsp salt

Frosting:

4 Tablespoons butter

4 ounces softened cream cheese
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

pinch of salt

2 Tablespoons milk or heavy cream to thin

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Spray an 8-inch cake pan with non-stick vegetable spray, set aside.

Warm 1 cup of buttermilk-or let sit out for an hour to remove the chill

IMPORTANT**

 (If you warm the buttermilk in the

microwave, be sure it is not warmer

 than 110 degrees... if it's too hot...

the yeast will die...and the recipe will not work.

Remember 110 degrees is just a touch warmer 

than body-temperature at 98.6 degrees.

 If you are not sure what 120 degrees

 feels like, use a thermometer.

Add one packet or 1/4 ounce of instant yeast

1/2 cup of warm water

1/4 ounce = 2 1/4 teaspoons

Add 2 teaspoons of granulated sugar.

Let yeast/water/sugar mixture sit for 3-5 minutes.

In a stand mixer:

Add the salt and the sugar, buttermilk and softened butter, then add the yeast/water

Add 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, one cup at a time until a dough forms.

Once combined, let the dough rest in a greased bowl, covered for 40 minutes to 1 hour.

Be sure the dough is resting in a warm, draft-free location.

After the dough has risen,

Turn the dough out onto a floured piece of parchment paper.

Roll the dough using a floured rolling pin.  

If the dough is sticky, add flour, a little at a time until the dough is workable.

Roll into a large 1/4 - 1/2 inch thick rectangle

About (9"x 12")

Make the filling:

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/8 tsp salt

Spread 4 Tablespoons of softened butter over the dough using an off-set spatula.

Sprinkle the butter with the sugar/cinnamon filling. 

Roll the dough into a log.  Use the floured parchment to help roll the log evenly.

Cut the log in half and then cut about 6 equal slices out of each half.  Place the cinnamon rolls into 2 greased cake pans or large casserole dish.  Be sure to leave at least 1 inch in between each roll so they have room to rise.

Cover and let the (rolls) dough rise 30-45 minutes

Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven

for 30-35 minutes or until the rolls are golden brown

and set in the center.

Let cool 5 minutes, before frosting.

For the Frosting:

Mix well 4 Tablespoons of softened butter, 4 ounces cream cheese softened--mix until light and fluffy, then add 1 cup confectioner's sugar, vanilla, salt, and a little milk or cream to thin if necessary.  Spread over warm cinnamon rolls.  The frosting can be made ahead.

Enjoy!!

Rainbow Days: Jell-O and A Surprise Rainbow Cake

Not everyone likes surprises...

but, I think we can all agree a "good" surprise is far better

than a "bad" surprise.

I've been thinking a lot about our fragile world these days,

and especially about all the surprises we've been facing...

especially the new ways we must interact with the world.

I have to believe that weathering this storm will help

us all to see our lives with new eyes once the skies have cleared.

We will hopefully not take for granted the freedoms and

ease of living life we once enjoyed...

I know I will cherish the carefree ways
I spent my time...

 with loved ones...

shopping for food...

visiting neighbors...

...getting the mail...

...even washing my hands... without fear or anxiety.

As theses days move along... 

I have been busy in the kitchen... 

(ahem) The Blue Ribbon Kitchen, especially on Facebook... 

I've been doing live Baking Classes...and sharing my 

very best recipes and answering all your baking questions.

If you're at home and are looking for a healthy distraction...

Come over to the Blue Ribbon Kitchen Facebook Page 

and find a video... learn a new recipe...

I'll be there.

We usually do a
Monday, Wednesday and Friday class at 7:30 PM EST.

Join us....be a part of our Blue Ribbon Kitchen community.

Be sure to "Like" and "Follow" the Blue Ribbon Kitchen

page so you never miss a new recipe or a NEW video.

I hope in some small way my baking skills and

recipes can brighten someone's day.

I love seeing all the photos that folks send of their 

baked goods and kids making their
first batch of prize-winning cookies!!

I LOVE answering your baking questions...
After all of these weeks of baking practice,
I hope that some of you might consider entering
your own local and state fairs!!
You can do it!!

Speaking of surprises...the good kind...

I have a cake with a RAINBOW surprise hidden inside. 

Just for you...

A Bundt cake with a rainbow tucked inside.

We can weather this storm... 

and this cake can help remind us of 

the sunny days ahead.

Get the recipe here: