Date Squares (I love these)

It's 35 degrees in Austin.  It's NEVER 35 degrees in Austin.  Cold days make me need to cook.  Not WANT to cook, I NEED to cook when it's cold.  I have certain things that I have loved forever and date squares are one of those things.  I don't make them NEARLY enough.  I intend on rectifying that very issue at this exact moment in time.

I have made this version of date squares forever.  I don't have the recipe written down anywhere, I measure loosely, it's entirely forgiving.  People who believe firmly that you can approximate when you cook yet you have to be scientific when you bake need to avert their eyes, this is a winging it recipe.  Add a bit more a bit less, it won't affect the final product and in fact, it'll personalize it for you.

Go make these, they are absolutely delicious and I cannot wait to sink my teeth into the final product.  It's in the oven as I type this, it's keeping me off the ledge while I wait.  By the way, you can make this with figs if you'd like as well, I linked this to my fig bars which is close but not quite.  This one is my favorite.

Tracy's Date Squares

Filling
1 8oz bag of chopped dates
1+ cup of liquid -> I use about 1/3 orange juice and 2/3 water to start with and add more as needed
1 scant tablespoon sugar
vanilla (as we know I use vanilla bean paste but you can use regular vanilla)
pinch salt

Base
1 heaping cup a/p flour
1 heaping cup oats
1 scant cup brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 scant cup butter

Quickie instructions:
Cook dates in liquid until they are soft and most of the liquid is gone.  Add more liquid as it simmers if you need.
Mix dry base ingredients then mix in butter till crumbly.
Press half the Base mixture into a lined 8x8 pan.
Spread date filling on Base
Crumble (from a height) the remaining topping loosely on date filling and bake at 350 for 20-30 mins.
Cut into as few pieces as possible so you get the largest possible serving.
Eat.

Long, commentary with pictures, version of instructions:

Put dates, sugar, vanilla, water, orange juice and salt in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes until the dates are very soft and squishable against the bottom with a spatula.  I find I add extra water as they cook.  You want dark, thick and I like some texture.  I do whisk the mixture but there's pieces of dates still identifiable.  You can blend smoother if you prefer.  Leave the filling aside to cool down and assemble the base.

  
At a boil and some shots a few minutes later, you can see how much darker and thicker it gets
  
If your dates aren't "squishable" soft at this point, just add a little more water.  Once it's soft enough, I whisk it around to smooth it out a bit but you can see there's still date pieces.  That's a personal preference, smooth it with a blender if you need. Take it off heat and let it sit there until the crust is ready.  It doesn't have to be cold, room temperature or slightly warmer works just fine.
  
Spray a 8x8 and I put a strip of parchment on the bottom because I like to remove the whole thing in one piece.  Mix the dry ingredients for the Base and then blob the butter on top.
  
Mix with your fingertips until you get this beautifulness.  Tip half into the pan and press it flat.
  
Spread the filling on the base and top with the remaining crumble mixture, don't pat it down, we want it loose and lovely
  
Pop it into a 350 oven and bake until it's browned and set, about 30 minutes.Oh, see how the topping puffs and becomes one delicious piece.  Oh this is going to be good.
  
Ok, so I remove the date squares, in one piece, out of the pan after it's rested about 15 minutes and transfer it to a rack and leave it to cool completely then cut...the eat.
  I
I hate the waiting.....so I didn't...
  
I ate it, warm

  

I love these.  Go make them, they are easy, delicious....and I am dying to hear what you think of my little version...I'll wait, maybe I'll have a warm date square while I wait...  mmmmmmm

/enjoy

Pineapple Angelfood Cake, the 2 ingredient one that's making the rounds

FINE, I admit it, I needed a break from the pressure cooker.

I also admit I too have seen the "new" 2 ingredient cake all over the net.  Really people, who told you this was new?

In any event, I caved and jumped on the bandwagon.  EVERYONE is making this cake, it's fun and easy and pretty tasty. It's soft and moist and spongy and a very different animal from the usual texture.  I have seen "recipes" for it in many of my old fashioned cookbooks, the ones church ladies put together to raise money, along with fabulous casseroles that no one makes anymore.  That reminds me, I need to make more casseroles.  But I digress, as per usual.  I love seeing the newest fad hit the net and then looking through the piles of old cook books I have on my kitchen table and finding that Mary Margaret Evans made it and submitted the recipe at the 1943 Ladies Auxillary Fund Raiser. It's funny to me that this particular cake is making the rounds, touted as a "new" thing.  Really, there aren't really that many new recipes, and this isn't any different, it's from the early 40's or 50's.

So, yeah, I want to be one of the cool kids, I want to be part of the 'in' crowd so I made one today.  I made these years ago for office parties.  I'd make it in a 9x13 pan, cut it in squares and slather it in whipped cream with pineapple chunks on top.  I have my own little tricks to make this my own.  Sometimes I put a little brown sugar in the bottom of the bundt pan to make a little crunchy edge and it'll add just a little something to the top without anyone being able to absolutely define it.  Sometimes I add vanilla.  Sometimes I add chunks of pineapple with the crushed.  There'a loads of ways you can personalize this, either way you do it, make it.  Be one of the cool kids making the "newest" fad cake.  *giggle*

PINEAPPLE ANGEL FOOD CAKE (the quickie version) 

1 Duncan Hines Angel Food Cake mix (you MUST use the single bag mix, the 2 bag mixtures will NOT work)
1 20 oz can crushed pineapple with juice

Combine the two ingredients.  Pour into (lightly greased) 9x13 pan or bundt pan.  Bake at 350 for 25-35 minutes.  Allow to cool 10 mins in pan, eat!

Here's the commentary and beauty shots: 

Ok, here's the cake mix and pineapple I used, Ah, here's the oven set to 350 (so I didn't forget) Here's my bundt pan, yeah, today I fancied it up with a little brown sugar, it's NOT necessary and sort of defeats the whole TWO ingredient cake, just ignore it ;)
 
Dump the cake mix into the bowl, add the pineapple and juice and mix.  You know you're on the right track when the crazy chemicals FOAM up about about over take the bowl.  Foaming is good.
  
Pour into your pan, it almost fills it with the foamy goodness and 30 minutes later, LOOK at this beauty!
  
I cut it up and put it on a tray and took it to a friend with a tub of cool whip, I'm THAT kind of friend.
  

Jump on the bandwagon like the cool kids, make this "new" old fashioned cake.  It's delicious and I think you'll love it.

/enoy

Linguine in the Pressure Cooker

Yes, I am on a bit of a mission with this pressure cooker, I want to try non traditional things (in my mind) that we can cook in the pressure cooker.

Today, pasta.  Now then, I did try the macaroni and cheese in the pressure cooker:

http://www.tracycooksinaustin.com/2012/10/macaroni-and-cheese-pressure-cooker.html

and that worked just fine, I hadn't tried long pasta and that's what we have in store today.

I think it might end up a great gummy ball of goo but I'm up for the challenge, the experience and the experiment.  I figure what else do I have to do on a Sunday morning, well except laundry, cooking, cleaning, vacuuming those stairs (I hate vacuuming stairs), sweeping the floor, wash the kitchen floor, clear the chicken coop, write, make a hat, call my mother, grade some papers and plan next week's lesson for Connor's homeschooling so c'mon, let's cook pasta.

I rummaged through my cupboard on this Sunday morning and found a box with not quite enough linguine in it for a meal for the family but with the perfect amount for an alchemy experiment in my kitchen.  Here we go.

Tracy's Linquini in the pressure cooker

1 handful linquine noodles, broken in half
enough water to cover
salt
olive oil
cream
cheese
pepper, lots of it
grated parmesan
(a little bit of artichoke heart cut up) I had some and added it in, it's purely optional!

Quick instructions:

Throw the noodles in the pot and cover with water so they just float.  Squirt some olive oil in the water (si the pasta doesn't foam up and mess up your valves.
Shush it around, add salt.
Lock and load, 7 minutes.
Quick Release, set to Brown
Add cream, pepper, artichoke and cheese, cook down till desired consistency
Eat

Here's the long winded commentary and beauty shots:

Ok, here we go, in a dry pot add the pasta.  This goes against ALL my culinary experience but hey, I'm all about new adventures so try not to look, just do it.  Add oil and water and salt.  Like the action salt picture?
   
Lock and load for 7 minutes on high pressure.  After 7 minutes, quick release and LOOK!  it's cooked and it's NOT a great gummy ball of goo!
  
I added some cream and loads and loads of pepper and a little chopped artichoke heart.  Not bad at all and you end up with linguine cooked in the pressure cooker without draining or boiling pots of water or anything.  It's a little softer than I like my pasta so for me I might go 6 minutes. It's the perfect texture for Husband who likes his a little softer.
    

I think it's worth a try...  I like it for kiddo, he doesn't have to walk from the stove with a great pot of  boiling pasta to drain, it's quick, it's EASY and it's tasty... I can't figure out anything about this I don't like.

Go, make it.

/enjoy