Monday, April 30, 2018

Just Lemon Curd (or orange or lime or grapefruit)


My super easy lemon curd 

I used to have a ton of recipes for lemon curd.  Double boilers and fretting about over cooking or separating.  Those days are long long gone.

Enter my easiest most delicious lemon curd ever.  Don't blink, this is the easiest lemon curd you will ever, ever, make.

When it's chilled, fill tart shells, put it in crepes, cakes, on toast!  Spread it on crumpets, scones or biscuits.  Use it anywhere you'd use jam or jelly.  Leave it covered in the fridge and eat it with your finger.

In a medium saucepan, combine:

1 egg plus 2 whites.  (I break 3 eggs into the pan and carefully remove 2 yolks but do it however you get there!)
3/4 + 2 teaspoons cup sugar (yes, I'm this persnickety)
1 Tablespoon lemon zest
2/3 cup lemon juice (I cheat and use half fresh and half jarred!)
1 Tablespoon butter
pinch of salt

Whisk everything except butter and salt in saucepan.

Ok, now put it on medium low heat and stand at the stove with it and whisk it slowly and gently and constantly.   Don't let it boil, obviously, you'll have a disgusting mess.  If you think it's getting too hot, slide it off heat for a moment, keep whisking then slide it back onto the heat. I dare you to tell me you don't have 6 spare minutes to make the best lemon curd, E.V.E.R.

Cook it until it's thick and beautiful and the consistency of thick moisturizer!  It should leave a line on the back of a wooden spoon.  I use the "can I see the whisk marks on the bottom of the pan" test, that's when I take it off heat.

Add the salt and butter off heat.

Strain the mixture into a beautiful glass bowl and cover with plastic wrap, right down on the surface of the curd or a yukky skin will form and you'll lose some of it, we cannot have THAT!

Push it to the back of the counter for a while then put it in the fridge to chill and thicken and set up.

I wasn't going to share my recipe but guilt got the better of me. 

I did a youtube video of the process...  go take a look, 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvD-bsU0BQQ


You need Hollandaise right NOW, this is how you can get it.....

This is a quickie, driveby recipe.  I have a video on youtube with the recipes as well, the link is below. 

While I have you, here's the hollandaise I make:

  



TRACY'S QUICK CHEATERS HOLLANDAISE


Make it with a stick blender

In a narrow jar

2 egg yolk
2 tsp each of water and lemon juice
pinch of salt, pinch of cayenne

In a 2 cup measure, microwave till boiling
1/2 cup unsalted butter (I measure 120 gm)

*IF you use salted butter, omit the salt in the egg.

Blend the egg and water/lemon then slowly drizzle the boiling butter in while you blend the whole time. 

It's thick and creamy and delicious. It keeps in the fridge for a long time, I scoop some out and put in a hot jar to reheat as required

Enjoy!! 

Here's the video! 


thanks for watching, enjoy! 


Tuesday, April 3, 2018

Pinto Beans in my Instant Pot pressure cooker, easy, no soaking... OH and they're yummy!


I make pinto beans in my pressure cooker, today in the instant pot.  I never plan ahead well enough to soak and boil and season and cook... I'm a dump and run kind of gal and this recipe is the perfect side for those us who plan badly.

TRACY'S PRESSURE COOKER PINTO BEANS

RECIPE

1 LB bag of pinto beans
1 onion (plus garlic if you're so inclined)
1 can tomato with chili, I use Hatch but Rotel is the name brand
fat of some sort
water
salt pepper

***you can add whatever you like!  chilies, green roasted or red, garlic, celery (? some people do) you can add peppers, roasted or not, the list of possibilities is endless!

Drop fat in hot pressure cooker.  Fry the onion till it's tender and a little coloured.  Add the can of chili and tomato and water to come to 2 cups measure.  Add the beans and dpressure cook on high for 48 minutes.  Natural or quick (gentle) release and you're done!

METHOD and PLAY by PLAY pics


turn pressure cooker to saute and when it's hot, add some fat and the chopped onion
   

Add water to just shy of the 2 cup mark, add the can of tomato with chili, the liquid should come to the 2 cup mark.  Add the picked beans
   

Stir it all up, set the pressure to high and time 48 minutes.  It won't take too long to come to pressure because the pot was hot.  You can either quick release or just leave it, I tend to forget about it and just leave it,  open and look how beautifully cooked they are!  perfect, not mushy but cooked through, yeah, they are yummy.  THIS is when you salt and pepper and serve up.
   
  

Try these beans, they're easy, delicious and you don't have to plan ahead.  

I hope you made these and enjoy them. 

/enjoy