Family Around the Table

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Brownie Mint Pie

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Sometimes you need an easy recipe. Brownie mint pie is that recipe.Math classes everywhere will celebrate Pi Day. You know 3.14, the mathematical constant, the irrational number used in many formulas in all areas of mathematics and physics. The one thing that if you’re not good at math or like math that you probably remember from your youth. So to celebrate Pi Day, I made brownie mint pie. Six of them actually. Why so many? Because I make them for my boys to take into their math classes to share with the class and teacher. This is my fourth year making pies.

In previous years I’ve made whoopie pies but moon pies would be fun too. I’ve made chicken pot pie for dinner as well. The kids love the treat and the teachers appreciate a minor diversion. Truth be told, I hate math and anyone who knows me well, knows this, but I love baking so this is has become a tradition.

Sometimes you need easy recipes, super easy recipes. This is one of those super easy recipes. Brownie mint pie starts with a brownie mix. You’ll notice in the photo and the recipe that I used a frozen pie crust. In the interest of time when making so many for the kids, I switched it up and used store-bought Oreo cookie crusts. A real time saver since there is no thawing time. Both types of crusts make a delicious pie. I would say it’s a matter of preference just how much chocolate you want in the pie.

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Brownie Mint Pie

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Yield: 8 servings

Brownie Mint Pie

Ingredients

  • 1 deep dish frozen pie crust, thawed
  • 1 (18.3 ounce) package brownie mix
  • Ingredients to prepare brownie mix (eggs, water, oil)
  • 20 Andes mints, chopped
  • Ice cream
  • More chopped mints for garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions. (You can make them to your taste, fudge-like or cake-like)
  3. Fold in chopped Andes mints.
  4. Pour batter into thawed pie crust and bake for 50 - 60 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out with crumbs.
  5. Serve with ice cream and chopped mints.
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Celebrate Pi Day with a super easy brownie mint pie.

 

Pi Day Pie Recipes

Wine Braised Short Ribs

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Wine braised short ribs are perfect for entertaining or a special occasion.I received a selection of Balletto Vineyard wines to create this short ribs recipe. All opinions are honest and my own.

For whatever reason, it took me a long time to try short ribs. I would see delicious recipes with gorgeous photos that were mouth-watering but I was afraid to make them myself. There is just something about short ribs that are intimidating to me. For some time now, I’ve been watching food shows and reading recipes about short ribs. I felt it was FINALLY time to work on a recipe, especially since I had a great bottle of Balletto Vineyards Pinot Noir AND short ribs were on sale at my supermarket. I set out to make wine braised short ribs using some of my family’s favorite ingredients.

Balletto Vineyards Pinot NoirYou may remember my recent post supporting #SonomaStrong for rosemary roasted Cornish hens. Well, Balletto Vineyards is also a Sonoma winery located in the heart of the Russian River Valley. While I received two varietals, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, the Pinot Noir was the perfect pairing for this dish. The Balletto Vineyards 2015 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir has notes of cherry and a bit of earthiness. While I tasted these notes, as they were described in the winery’s website, I also got notes of pepper. This wine is easily drinkable, although a bit complex, with 14% alcohol, which is common for a Pinot Noir.

A few notes about the recipe. Don’t skip searing the ribs. Searing brings more flavor plus it leaves those brown bits of goodness on the pan which you deglaze with the wine. Taste the broth before you pot the Dutch oven in the oven. Make sure the seasonings are to your tastes. My family loves mashed potatoes and these short ribs are delicious with them. You could also serve butter noodles or grits.

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Wine Braised Short Ribs

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Wine Braised Short Ribs

Ingredients

  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 8 beef short ribs
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 6 slices bacon, diced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 carrots, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1/2 cup Balletto Vineyards Pinot Noir
  • 4 cups beef broth
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon corn starch
  • 3 tablespoons water

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Salt and pepper the ribs, then dredge them in the flour. Set aside.
  2. In a large Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until completely crispy and all the fat is rendered. Remove the bacon and set aside.
  3. Add the olive oil to the pan with the bacon fat and raise the heat to high. Brown the ribs on all sides. Remove the ribs and set aside.
  4. Lower the heat to medium. Add the carrots, garlic and onions to the pan and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in the wine and scrape the bottom of the pan to release all the browned bits. Add the broth, salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper and bring to a boil. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Add the ribs to the liquid; they should be almost completely submerged. Add the rosemary sprigs (whole) to the liquid. Finally, add the bacon.
  5. Put on a lid on the Dutch oven and transfer to the oven. Cook until the ribs are fork-tender and falling off the bone, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Remove the pan from the oven. Remove ribs to a plate. In a measuring cup combine the cornstarch and water to make a slurry. Add the slurry to the pan and stir to thicken the juices. Add the ribs back to the pan and allow to sit for at least 10 minutes with the lid on before serving.
  6. Serve over mashed potatoes, butter noodles or grits.
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Wine braised short ribs are mouth watering good.

Cinnamon Apple Turnovers with Maple Drizzle #BiteandBelieve

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This post is sponsored by Envy Apples. I received apples to create a recipe. All opinions are my own.

Cinnamon apple turnovers with maple glaze are really easy to make. My Dad has been gone almost 23 years but I still think about him whenever I see an apple turnover. I absolutely love apple turnovers. Growing up my Dad would make them for the two of us. By make I mean cook frozen ones in oven. Honestly, it didn’t matter, it was really about enjoying something with my Dad. When I received these beautiful Envy apples I knew I had to make an apple turnover with my favorite flavors. My cinnamon apple turnover with maple glaze is a treat my Dad would have loved.Envy apples are crisp and delicious.If you’re not familiar with Envy apples you want to be. They are absolutely delicious. Crisp and juicy just the way an apple should be. Envy apples are grown across both hemispheres and over three continents by enthusiastic orchard growers. The website states that “growers safeguard orchards from harmful substances, eliminate the use of genetically modified organisms, and minimize pesticide use by disrupting the mating patterns of invasive species and establishing “friendly” bug populations that eat the “bad bugs.” Envy apples are harvested at different times of the year from the different growing regions. Those regions include the United States, Italy, France, Spain, South Korea, New Zealand and Chile. My family loves apples and all of us have commented how delicious the Envy are. I know friends who have purchased them in stores so be on the look out for them. The Envy apples website has a store locator to help you find them. You will also find delicious recipes like an Envy mean green smoothie, cinnamon Envy apple sorbet, and an Envy apple pie dip to name a few. Cinnamon apple turnover with maple glaze.A bit about these full of goodness, flaky pastries. I’m a huge fan of puff pastry. Actually, if there is one thing I could take a class to make, just once, it would be puff pastry however, if you’ve never used it before you can find it in the frozen section of your grocery store. I use puff pastry a lot and those who know me call me the puff pastry queen. Cinnamon and apples are a perfect match and, ever since our trip to New England, I’ve loved maple. It works beautifully with the apples and pastry.

Other recipes that would work well with Envy apples include my apple streusel muffins or harvest pound cake. Both would be delicious.

 
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Cinnamon Apple Turnovers with Maple Drizzle

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Yield: 4 turnovers

Cinnamon Apple Turnovers with Maple Drizzle

Ingredients

  • 2 medium sized Envy apples peeled, cored, and diced
  • 1 tablespoon apple juice
  • 1 tablespoon butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/2 of a 17.25 ounce package frozen puff pastry sheets thawed
  • 1 egg, beaten for egg wash
  • For the Maple glaze:
  • 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
  • 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons milk

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. Combine the apple juice and diced apples in a bowl to prevent them from turning brown. Add brown sugar, granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and melted butter to apple mixture. Stir well to combine. Set aside.
  3. On a lightly floured surface, roll puff pastry to a 12-inch by 12-inch square. Brush any excess flour from pastry.
  4. Cut each sheet into 4 squares. Place 2 squares onto prepared baking sheet.
  5. Brush the edges of each square with the egg wash and neatly place 1/3 cup of the apple mixture on half of the square.
  6. Fold the pastry diagonally over the apple mixture, pressing gently. Seal by gently pressing the edges with a fork, being careful not to make holes with the fork.
  7. Brush the top with egg wash, make a small slit on the top of each turnover.
  8. Bake for 20 minutes, until lightly browned and puffed.
  9. Let cool for 5 minutes.
  10. Make the maple glaze:
  11. Combine all glaze ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Drizzle over warm turnovers.
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Light and flaky cinnamon apple turnovers with maple glaze are a delicious dessert for any occasion.

Rosemary Roasted Cornish Hens

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Rosemary rosted cornish hens are perfect for any special occasion.I received a selection of Geyser Peak wines to create a wine pairing recipe. All opinions are honest and my own.

It is my humble opinion that Cornish hens are under rated and under used. Growing up, my Mom made Cornish hens on a fairly regular basis. Then for years I kind of forgot about them, having them every now and then but it is just one of those meals that always seem to be saved for a special occasion.

Then kids came along and once while, at the grocery, I saw Cornish hens. I thought my kids would like them since they love chicken. Well, they were a hit and I started serving them more frequently. When thinking about how to pair the Geyser Peak wines I knew I wanted to use their 2016 River Ranches Sauvignon Blanc. After tasting the intense fruit and citrus notes I knew it would compliment a Cornish hen meal. But how to prepare the hens?

Rosemary roasted cornish hens and vegetables ready for the oven.My garden is overflowing with fresh rosemary so I knew that had to be involved. Because the hens are so small, as opposed to a larger whole chicken, they need to be treated delicately. I didn’t want to overpower with flavor. I melted butter with rosemary to infuse it and once everything was prepared and in the pan, I poured it over the hens first and then the vegetables.

So, let me tell you about Geyser Peak wines and winery. Many years ago, before kids, my husband and I would visit California wine country often, through our business. My kids are now teenagers but many years ago I had the privilege of visiting Geyser Peak. If you’ve ever been to wine country, Napa and Sonoma are very different. I would say that Sonoma is the more relaxed part of that area. Wineries are farther apart, making it seem less commercial. Both are absolutely beautiful, with great wineries and restaurants to visit. Geyser Peak offers a range of wines for any palate. In addition to the Sauvignon Blanc, they also have a sparkling brut, appelation reds and whites, along with reserves for the familiar varietals of Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay. What is truly special about Geyser Peak is they also produce lesser known varietals such as Petit Verdot, a late harvest Sauvignon Blanc, a rose of Cab Franc and an old vine Zinfandel. They also produce a nice variety of blends such as Meritage in addition to a couple of red blends.

Well, this dish was a total hit with the family and my husband and thought it was a great pairing with the Geyser Peak 2016 River Ranches Sauvignon Blanc Russian River Valley. This wine has classic Sauvignon Blanc notes with a lot of fruit on the nose and palate but a nice smooth finish. It’s light and easy to drink and would be delicious for a summer gathering.

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Rosemary Roasted Cornish Hens

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Rosemary Roasted Cornish Hens

Ingredients

  • 1 stick butter
  • 2 springs fresh rosemary
  • 8 carrot, peeled and evenly chopped
  • 1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
  • 5 baking potatoes, cut into 1 - 2 inch slices
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 4 cornish hens, thawed, rinsed and patted dry
  • Salt and Pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375F.
  2. In a medium saucepan melt butter with rosemary springs. Remove from heat once melted.
  3. Tie the legs together with kitchen string.
  4. Spread out chopped vegetables and rosemary in the bottom of large baking dish.
  5. Place the hens on top of the bed of vegetables. Pour melted rosemary butter over each hen and vegetables.
  6. Bake for 50-60 minutes, until juices run clear.
  7. Let hens rest before eating.
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This month, Jill of L’Occasion , invited the members of the Wine Pairing Weekend on Facebook to bring attention to Sonoma County winemakers and join in the relief project known as #SonomaStrong. Like the post I did late last year in support of Hurricane Irma victims, my whipped Key lime pie,  should you be interested in helping with those devastated by the horrible fires in and around Sonoma, California you can make a donation through United Way Relief and Recovery Fund or the Napa Valley Community Association who is helping their winemaking neighbors. Thank you to Jill for organizing this important event.

Rosemary roasted Cornish hens are a nice change from the same old meals.

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes, Peppers and Onions with Garlic and Thyme #FabulousFallBounty

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Thank you to Melissa’s produce and Le Creuset for sponsoring this post. I received product to create and display the recipe. All opinions are my own.

Fingerling potatoes roast up nicely and are delicious when included a medley with peppers and onions.Sadly, today is the final day of #FabulousFallBounty. I love potatoes and use fingerling potatoes quite often. You can probably discern that they are called fingerlings because the look like fingers. They have a classic potato flavor that is earthy, nutty and buttery. Because they are so small they are not ideal for mashing but they are perfect for roasting.

While you can roast them on their own and they are perfectly delicious, take them to another level by adding red and yellow pepper, onions and garlic. Even though I have a plethora of rosemary in my garden, I chose to use thyme in this recipe. Either would be yummy.

I used canola oil, basically because my family prefers it over olive oil, but you could use olive oil if you prefer. Sometimes a neutral oil is best to bring out other flavors in the dish. Try it both ways so you know what you like.

Serve this potato dish alongside any meal you’d like – beef, chicken, fish, pork or lamb.

A big thank you to Camilla at Culinary Adventures with Camilla for organizing this fun and delicious event and to Melissa’s Produce and Le Creuset for sponsoring the #FabulousFallBounty event.

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Roasted Fingerling Potatoes, Peppers and Onions with Garlic and Thyme

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 packages Melissa's Produce Fingerling Potato Medley, sliced in half lengthwise
  • 1 yellow pepper, seeded and chopped into 1-inch piece
  • 1 red pepper, seeded and chopped into 1-inch pieces
  • 1/2 onion, sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped, I used Melissa's Produce
  • Thyme leaves from about 10 sprigs, chopped
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • 3/4 cup canola oil

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
  2. In a large bowl combine fingerling potatoes, peppers, onions and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Pour canola oil over vegetables and toss well to coat.
  3. Spread vegetables on rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle with thyme leaves.
  4. Roast, stirring occasionally, for 30 to 40 minutes until vegetables are soft and begin to caramelize.
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Serve roasted fingerling potatoes, peppers and onions with any meal.

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Ellen Folkman and Family Around The Table 2010-2018. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of material contained within this blog, either photographs or written copy, without express and written permission from this blog's author (Ellen Folkman) and/or owner (Ellen Folkman) is strictly PROHIBITED. Excerpts and links may be used, provided full and clear credit is given to Ellen Folkman and Family Around The Table with appropriate and specific direction to the original content via a link. Please do not publish recipes in their entirety. Happy to share if you let me know you've used a link. If unauthorized content is found on the world wide web, owner of copyrights (Ellen Folkman and Family Around The Table) will take appropriate action under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).

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