Orange Rum Pizzelle

I have posted about pizzelles before and will do so again. Here are my posts on standard pizzelles, chocolate pizzelles, or anise pizzelles. This orange rum variation is delicious. To be honest, I did not even taste the rum in the final product and the alcohol probably cooks off, so I think this recipe is fine for kids. As for the orange peel, I used dried orange peel, but fresh orange peel would be great. As with all pizzelles, they are especially delicious when they are fresh off the press and still soft.

Normally, I do not like to have such a specialized item, like a pizzelle maker, in my kitchen, but with so many varieties of pizzelles that can be made, my pizzelle maker does not seem to be limited in its use. I especially use the pizzelle make in summer when it is too hot to turn on the oven to make other cookies. So, if you want to enjoy pizzelles sometime, but do not want to buy a pizzelle maker, invite me and my pizzelle maker over and we can have a pizzelle party.

Orange Rum Pizzelles 

• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 tsp. rum
• 4 tsp. orange peel
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• powdered sugar for dusting

In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar. Add the softened butter, rum, and orange peel. Gradually add the flour and baking powder. The batter should be stiff enough to drop by spoon.

Preheat the pizzelle maker. Drop the batter onto each plate, close the pizzelle maker and allow to cook for about one minute. Remove each pizzelle to a flat surface to cool. Dust with powdered sugar. Enjoy!

Bayou Goo Pie

Recently, Hurricane Harvey wrecked havoc on the Houston area, so I have been thinking about my visit to Houston earlier this year. MDS and I were pleasantly surprised by how much we enjoyed visiting Houston. We especially enjoyed the terrific food while we were there. So when I heard of a local place called House of Pies, I knew I needed to make a stop. As you might expect from its name, House of Pies offers so many types of pies, it would take quite a long time to sample them all. But the Bayou Goo Pie on the menu caught my eye and did not disappoint. House of Pies also serves delicious food, so bring your appetite. I do not know if House of Pies suffered damage from Hurricane Harvey, but if I make it back to Houston, I will definitely seek out House of Pies again.

In the Houston area, bayous are quite common. Bayous are swampy or slow moving rivers in tidal areas. Buffalo Bayou runs through downtown Houston. In places, it has been channelized and developed. But in many places, it is lined by parks so it was part of my morning runs while I was there. Much like running along the Lake Front Trail in Chicago, running along Buffalo Bayou brought me close to nature in the heart of a major American city. It was a nice escape from the city. I know that as Houston recovers from Hurricane Harvey, Buffalo Bayou will be part of that recovery.

This pie's name captures its essence. It is gooey as a result of layers of deliciousness. Although none of the steps to make this pie are difficult, it does take some time. With a crust and then three layers each requiring time to cool, is not quick to make. But it is worth it. The only problem I had was that my pudding layer did not set enough, so it was not quite gooey enough. In the recipe below, I increased the amount of corn starch. I really liked the pecan crust, but if you have nut allergies, another type of crust, like chocolate cookie crumb crust, would work just as well.

Bayou Goo Pie

• 1 cup flour
  
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup ground pecans
• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 5 Tbsp. corn starch
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 2 eggs
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 4 oz. milk chocolate, chopped
• whipped cream
• chocolate shavings

Crust: In a bowl, blend together flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in the butter until crumbles form. Mix in the pecans. Press the mixture into the bottom and sides of a pie pan. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes. Allow to cool.

Sweetened Cream Cheese Layer: Soften the cream cheese in the microwave. Blend in the powdered sugar and one teaspoon of vanilla. Spread the mixture over the cooled crust. Refrigerate while preparing the next layer.

Pudding Layer: In a sauce pan, mix the sugar, corn starch, milk, and eggs. Cook over medium heat, frequently stirring, until the mixture thickens and is about to boil. Remove from heat and blend in the butter and two teaspoons of vanilla. Allow to cool for about 20 minutes. Add in the chopped chocolate (do not blend in the chocolate) and pour over the cream cheese layer. Refrigerate for at least five hours.

Whipped Cream Layer: Top the pie with whipped cream. Sprinkle with chocolate shavings. Enjoy!

Spanish Noodles

When I found this recipe in Mom's recipe box, it seemed like something Mom likely made when we were young. After making it and tasting it, the dish seemed familiar, but I did not specifically recall when Mom made this recipe. But, I think I might add this recipe into my regular rotation. The best thing about this recipe is that everything is made in one pan on the stovetop, so even if it is a hot summer day, this recipe will not overheat the house.

I made just a few adjustments to this recipe. First, I used three times as much bacon as the recipe recommends. Mom's recipe called for two slices of bacon; I used six slices and could easily use more next time. Second, in addition to one of can of tomatoes, I used a few finely chopped fresh tomatoes from Mom's garden because she had recently given me so many. Although you could probably use any noodle, I recommend sticking with the fine egg noodles because that add a rich flavor. I also think you could easily add a seasoning or herb, such as cilantro or basil to add to the taste, but the recipe is quite delicious as is. I also ended up adding a little additional water because the noodle will soak up all the liquids as it cooks.

Spanish Noodles 

• 6 slices bacon
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 cans diced tomatoes
• 8 oz. fine egg noodles
• ground black pepper, to taste

Cut the bacon into one-inch pieces. Pan fry the bacon in a large skillet until crisp. Add the onion, green pepper, and ground beef; saute until beef is browned. Add undrained tomatoes and salt. Bring to a boil. Gradually stir in the uncooked noodles. Cook uncovered over low heat stirring occasionally until the noodles are tender. Add pepper to taste. Enjoy!