Dulce de Leche Banana Cream Pie

I have heard for some time now that you can take a can of sweetened condensed milk, boil it in water and turn it into dulce de leche.  This concept sounded way too good to be true so of course I had to try it out and see for myself.  

While at the gym earlier this week, I dreamt up this recipe (somewhat comical when you think about it) for an ultimate banana cream pie.  I had honestly been wanting to make my own version of a banana cream pie for some time now and realized that the Dulce de Leche might be the perfect pairing for this recipe.  Before I knew it I had laid out the blue prints for this pie and got to work.  The recipe ended up being a major success (my test group-- myself included) all gave the pie rave reviews and the green light to share with you all today.  This pie is more time intensive than labor intensive.  All cooking techniques used are relatively simple and at its core, this pie is more of an assembly recipe than anything else.  If you have some free time over the weekend, I highly recommend trying this recipe. 

Ingredients (for the Dulce de Leche)

• 1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk

Instructions

**This step takes a little over 2hrs so it needs to be the first step in this recipe.  All other components of the pie can be made while this can is cooking. 

1. See this post from Serious Eats for complete step-by-step instructions.

Ingredients (for the Crust)

• 1 Package of Sandies Cookies (Pecan or Plain)
• 1/2 Stick Salted Butter, plus 1 Tbs
• 1 tbs Granulated Sugar
• Pinch of Salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and place oven rack on bottom third tier
2. In a food processor, pulse 1 package of Sandies Cookies until finely ground
3. Pour contents into bowl, add 1/2 stick of melted butter, sugar and salt
4. Combine with a fork
5. Melt 1 Tbs of butter and use it to coat the bottom and sides of the pie dish
6. Dump crust mixture into pie dish and press down so that it is evenly packed throughout the bottom and sides of the dish
7. Bake crust for approximately 20 minutes
8. When done baking, set aside to cool

Ingredients (for the Banana Rum Filling)

• 5 Bananas, sliced into 1/4in thick medallions
• 5 Tbs Brown Sugar
• 5 Tbs Salted Butter
• 3 Tbs Rum

Instructions

1. In a large skillet on medium high heat, melt the butter
2. When the butter is melted, add the sliced bananas and brown sugar
3. Stir until combined and cook until the sugar completely dissolves to become a caramelized sauce.
4. Add the rum and continue to cook until the liquid evaporates
5. Once the liquid evaporates, remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Ingredients (for the Toppings)

• 2 c Heavy Whipping Cream
• 4 Tbs Confectioners Sugar
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1/3 c Flaked Coconut (Toasted)

Instructions

1. In a large bowl combine heavy whipping cream, sugar and vanilla extract
2. With an electric mixer beat contents until stiff peaks are achieved

Pie Assembly

1. Pour banana rum filling on top of cooked pie crust
2. When the cooked condensed milk can has cooled, open and spread on top of the banana filling mixture.
3. Spread the whipped cream evenly on top of the cooled condensed milk "Dulce de Leche"
4. If you have any remaining unbaked pie crust, sprinkle on top of whipped cream and finish with a generous sprinkling of the toasted flaked coconut
5. Serve and enjoy!

July Kitchen Tools

This month's selection of kitchen tools are a few of my latest favorite bar tools that have been great for making drinks, serving water and even saving wine!  As you may or may not remember I posted an article featuring my list of must-have bar tools back in May, well these tools should also be included on that list.  This month's tools are highly functional, easy to use, affordable (all cost under $20) and some tools are even multipurpose!

Zoku Ice Ball Mold (set of 2)

I have been seeing the sphere ice molds for some time now.  My hesitation into learning more about the sphere ice molds in the past has always been the price.  The first sphere ice mold I saw on the market cost a whopping $700!  While it was very fun to watch the video of the ice being made…it wasn't something that would ever be in my budget.  So I held off on thinking about sphere ice until recently while watching a Magnus Nilsson episode from the the series Mind of a Chef.  During one of his featured episodes he made a cocktail by placing an ice sphere in a double old fashioned glass, then added a jigger (or two) of a bourbon, topped with a drizzle of locally sourced honey and garnished with fresh dandelion petals! It looked beautiful and the sphere ice cube suddenly peaked my interest again.    

The Zoku Ice Ball Maker is my new go-to for serving both specialty cocktails and water at my various dinner and cocktail parties.  Each box comes with 2 silicone molds that only require adding water and then placing in your freezer.  The spherical ice cubes keep drinks cooler longer and create minimal drink dilution.  In addition, these ice molds are dishwasher safe, BPA free and cost under $20!  Spherical ice cubes have become a new way of life for me when it comes to serving beverages and I highly recommend trying this fabulous product. 

Funnel

Having a funnel in my arsenal of bar tools is something that I have found to be extremely helpful.  There have been plenty of nights where I have wanted a second glass of wine, my husband pours it for me, I have a sip, we start watching a movie and I fall asleep.  Since wine is particularly inexpensive, it is not something I like to waste (especially if it's a good bottle that only my husband and I plan on sharing).  A funnel affords us the ability to pour leftover wine (i.e. an entire glass) back into the bottle to enjoy another night.  Funnels are also transferring spices from store bought containers to display worthy containers or even just transferring food and beverages.  Inexpensive, practical and potentially cost saving are all great reasons why the funnel is worthy of my bar tools must-have list. 

Ice Pick

Our ice maker has been out of commission and as a result I have had to purchase bags of ice when hosting parties at my house.  I do love the way the clear party ice looks in a cocktail, so it hasn't been too terrible having to take this extra party prep step.  The one issue however that has been slightly frustrating is the melting and clumping of ice while in transit from the grocery store to my freezer.  Ice clumps result from the melting and refreezing process during transit and for a while I found myself having to bang ice chunks on a hard surface (like my countertops) to break up the clumps.  Finally I came to my senses and invested in an ice pick.  Now instead of smashing blocks of ice on my countertops (which creates a lot of noise and mess), I have an ice pick on hand to easily break apart the ice clumps and serve normal sized ice pieces in each beverage.  Ice picks are inexpensive, practical and boy have they saved my countertops! 

Muddler

Summer is all about the fruit infused water and cocktails (i.e. Fresh Lime and Mint Mojitos!).  One of the best ways to infuse fruits and herbs into a beverage is with a muddler.  This tool extracts the oils and essences quickly and easily. Depending on the material of the vessel you are muddling your fruit and/or herbs in you should consider using a nylon covered muddler to protect your fragile drinkware.   Regardless of whether you opt for the steel or nylon muddler, both are dishwasher safe, under $20 and will aid in creating fabulously flavored cocktails!

Williams-Sonoma's Recipe of the Day App

Recently I was contacted by Williams-Sonoma and asked if I would be interested in trying out their new Williams-Sonoma Recipe of the Day App.  As a major Williams-Sonoma fan, it took all of 2 seconds for me to happily oblige.  I was able to easily find the app in the App Store, downloaded it and immediately started perusing the assortment of recipes they had to offer during my new user trial period.  

Selecting one recipe to make from this app was not easy!  There are so many delicious recipes to choose from, but in the end I opted to make the Rustic Nectarine & Almond Galette.  It looked so delicious and my husband has been asking me to make a summer fruit pie for some time now, so this was the perfect opportunity. 

This app requires either a monthly ($1.99/month) or annual ($11.99/year) subscription.  However, as I just mentioned, with the initial free download of the app, you are granted access to the 2 previous weeks recipes, the current week and then the following week (a total of 28 complimentary recipes!).  

Shopping List

One feature of this app that I am particularly fond of is the shopping list.  If there is a recipe within this app that you decide you want to make, you can click on the icon next to each ingredient to have those items added to an organized shopping list.  The best part about the Williams-Sonoma shopping list feature?  The grocery list can be organized alphabetically or by grocery store aisle!  In addition, you can check off list items as you acquire them, email the list and even print the list out on paper! 

Timer

The second feature of this app that I am absolutely in love with is the timer.  Throughout the recipe, there are various steps that require timing.  For example, my flaky pie dough needed to be chilled for 30 minutes prior to rolling out the dough and assembling the galette.  There is a timer icon next to each task that requires timing, so all you have to do is click on the icon press start.  When the timer is up, your phone will alert you with a message alert, beep and vibration.  It also allows you to have multiple timers going at once.  When a timer goes off, it explicitly states which cooking step has been completed so you wont lose track.  This app makes juggling different courses of a meal at the same time infinitely more manageable.   

Rustic Nectarine & Almond Galette

This was the first time I had ever made a galette and I have to say that the process was pretty seamless thanks to this app.  From the very explicit cooking instructions to the built-in timers, I had all of the proper support tools needed to ensure galette making/baking success.  And as for taste?  My husband stated after tasting a piece that this pie was ranked in his top 2 favorite pies of all time (his favorite pie is a pie we enjoyed on our 1st anniversary, so the first place pie is more sentimental than anything).  

Williams-Sonoma only asked that I try out one of their recipes using this app.  However, after having such a fabulous experience with this app, there was no way that I could refrain from sharing this recent culinary endeavor with you all in a blog post.  In addition to honing my cooking/baking skills, using this app has also yielded a very sweet reward.  This app is a definite must try! 

Host a Healthy Breakfast: Greek Yogurt Parfait Bar

As you all know (see here), my mom came to visit this past weekend for her special Mother's Day gift.  She arrived Thursday night and was welcomed with an intimate dinner party.  Friday morning we got up and went to Marjorie Merriweather Post's Hillwood Estate.  We toured the grounds, had lunch at the cafe, then went to visit Arlington National Cemetery (my great grandparents are buried there) and finally, ended the day with a cocktail party at home.  Saturday morning I signed us up for a Pure Barre class.  It was a fabulous workout, but HOLY MOLY!  I didn't know much about Pure Barre prior to the class and had just assumed that the class would consist of a few aerobic ballet moves and maybe some stretching.  Boy was I wrong!  I kid you not, 5 minutes into the class my mom and I were both "puddles" (of sweat!).  It was an excellent 55 minute workout and I am now totally hooked on Pure Barre.  

After the Pure Barre class, my mom and I went back to my house for breakfast.  On the menu- Almond Milk Lattes using my Nespresso and Aeroccino Milk Frother,  Morning Crunch Muffins and a DIY Greek Yogurt Parfait Bar.  The menu was delicious, healthy and the perfect way to refuel post Pure Barre.  Below is a list of what I used to create this delicious spread:

Ingredients

• Fage Greek Yogurt 0%
• Light Agave Nectar
• Organic Honey
• Roasted Flax Seeds
• Toasted Unsweetened Coconut Flakes
• Fresh Blueberries
• Fresh Raspberries
• Fresh Pomegranate Seeds
• Organic Wheat Germ
• Granola
• Ground Cinnamon

Serving Pieces

• Williams Sonoma Open Kitchen White Snack Bowls
• Crate and Barrel Lulie Stemless Martini Glasses
• Crate and Barrel Shell Sugar Tongs
• World Market Bamboo Cocktail Spoons
• Pillivuyt Basketweave Salad Plates
• Linen Cocktail Napkins

This past Saturday morning was the perfect way to start my day.  I felt healthy and invigorated thanks to the Pure Barre Class and delicious DIY Greek Yogurt Parfait breakfast.  I am currently loving this pairing so much that I have invited different groups of friends over the next couple of Saturday mornings to join me for a Pure Barre Class and then head on over to my house for a healthy post-workout breakfast.  This is a great way to entertain because it not only shakes up the standard entertaining routine of either hosting a cocktail or dinner party, but it also includes a fun (and heart healthy!) activity.  Suffice it to say, my friends and I are certainly looking forward to the next couple of Saturday mornings!

Herbed Feta Appetizer

Thinking up quick and easy Summer hors d'oeuvre ideas for entertaining isn't always easy.  Summer is a hot and very humid time of year in DC and when I think appetizers/hors d'oeuvres, my repertoire of recipes tends to consist of foods that are served hot (not too appetizing for this time of year).  

After spending quite a bit of time researching and taste testing hors d'oeuvre ideas for summer, I have come up with an Herbed Feta Appetizer that easy to make and has a delicious flavor profile.  Best part?  This is a no-bake recipe, which makes it the perfect cool and refreshing hors d'oeuvre to serve during the hot Summer months. 

Ingredients

• Block of Feta Cheese
• Fresh Dill (about 1 Tbs)
• Fresh Chives (about 1 Tbs)
• 1 Lemon
• Olive Oil
• Freshly Cracked Pepper
• Maldon Sea Salt
• Baguette (Sliced thin on the diagonal and toasted)

Instructions

1. Place block of feta on a serving dish that has raised edges (like this CB2 Bento Plate)
2. Pull leaves off of dill stems and sprinkle on top of feta cheese
3. Using a pair of kitchen sheers, snip chives into finely cut pieces and sprinkle on top of cheese
4. Using a microplane, zest one half of a lemon over the top of the feta block
5. Then drizzle a high quality olive oil on top of the feta block 
6. Garnish with freshly cracked pepper and Maldon Sea Salt
7. Serve with freshly toasted baguette slices and/or 34 Degrees Crisps

**Note- If desired, the addition of Capers and/or Diced Kalamata Olives to the top of this herb feta cheese block would also pair beautifully.