Tangerine Pie

It's Ojai Pixie Tangerine season, and a welcome one it is. Sinking my teeth into sweet, juicy, delicious tangerines has been one of my great pleasures during this rather bleak and frigid month. For a moment, I had a taste of summer. Find them, buy them, and enjoy what surely must be the most delicious piece of citrus fruit available.  I juiced a few of them, and it was heavenly; the fragrance permeated the room and was intoxicating.

So much can be done with citrus, both sweet and savory, but I wanted to try something different and made a pie. Move over, key lime! Wow, was this good. If you are a fan of dreamcicles (and really, is anyone not a fan of them?), then you will love this version in pie form.

The tangerines are so sweet that I cut the juice with that of Meyer lemons to keep it from being cloying. Perfect! I didn't have enough egg whites for a meringue (Okay, I dropped them, if you must know, and some slid down the heating vent. I'll say no more.), so I whipped cream with a little powdered sugar and piped it all over the top, but you can certainly top it with meringue if that is your preference.

Tangerine Pie

For crust:

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

¼ cup ginger snap crumbs

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

For filling:

1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

4 large egg yolks

½ cup Ojai Pixie Tangerine juice

2 tablespoons Meyer Lemon juice

For topping:

¾ cup heavy cream

¼ cup confectioners’ sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Stir together the graham cracker and ginger snap crumbs.  Add sugar, stir to mix.  With a fork mix in the melted butter and keep mixing until it is well incorporated.  Press mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9” glass pie pan.  Bake the crust in the middle of the oven for 12 minutes.  Remove and set aside to cool while you prepare the filling.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the condensed milk and egg yolks until thoroughly combined.  Add juices and whisk again until combined.  Pour the filling into the prepared crust and bake in the middle of the oven for 15 minutes.  Remove pie from oven and allow to cool, at room temperature, for an hour.  Cover pie and chill in the refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight.

Before serving beat heavy cream until soft peaks form.  Add sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form.  Pipe cream on top of pie to cover, or simply cover the pie with the cream in any way that you see fit.  Garnish with slices of tangerine.

Pie will keep in the refrigerator, loosely covered, for 3 days.  It also freezes beautifully.

Disclosure: Melissa's Produce kindly supplied the tangerines, but the recipe is my own.

This post is linked to:

Seasonal Sundays

Tasty Tuesday

Totally Tasty Tuesdays

Try a New Recipe Tuesday

Amaze Me Monday

Metamorphosis Monday

Carrot Bran Muffins

There are bran muffins…and there are bran muffins.  I’ve always been a fan, but then I grew up one of those weird kids who liked raisins and Brussels sprouts and asparagus.  Not everyone feels the same as I do about cruciferous vegetables, or bran.  But breakfasts can get boring, and systems can (ahem) slow, so when they do, this is the recipe for you.  These bran muffins, made sweet by dark brown sugar and molasses, not only have a healthy amount of moist delicious raisins, but juicy grated carrots, crunchy pecans, and a dash of cinnamon to actually give them taste. 

This is an old recipe that my mother used to make, and my “go to” recipe every time.  Try these once and you'll be similarly convinced.

Carrot Bran Muffins

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

1-3/4 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 cup raisin bran cereal

2 extra-large eggs

¾ cup canola oil

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

2 Tablespoons molasses

1-1/2 cups finely grated carrots

½ cup raisins

¼ cup chopped pecans, toasted

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Spray 2 6-count large muffin tins with Pam.

In medium size bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.  Add raisin bran cereal; set aside.

In a large metal mixing bowl, whisk eggs until frothy, stream in oil while whisking, and then whisk in sugar and molasses.  Stir in carrots, raisins, and nuts.  Fold in flour mixture until just combined.

Fill prepared muffin tins ¾ full.  Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Males 12 large muffins.

This post is linked to:

Foodie Friday

Creamy Artichoke Chicken

These are difficult days. Mr. O-P is recovering from knee replacement surgery. By the time he is recovered, I'll need to recover from Mr. O-P!  So meals these days need to be quick and easy, recipes short and sweet. This chicken dish from The Pinning Mama, is a breeze to assemble, can be made earlier in the day, and popped into the oven 35 minutes before you plan to serve. Add a side of roasted fresh asparagus*, and chunks of crusty bread, and dinner is ready!

Creamy Artichoke Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Salt and pepper to season chicken

1 can of artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

3/4 cups of mayonnaise

2 garlic cloves

1/4 tsp. basil

1/4 tsp. oregano

3/4 cups grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup panko or Italian bread crumbs

Sprinkle of paprika

Preheat oven to 375°F.  Season your chicken breast halves with salt and pepper and place into greased, 9x13 inch dish.  In a bowl, combine the well-drained and chopped artichoke hearts with the next six (6) ingredients; mix well.  Spread artichoke mixture over chicken breasts. Then sprinkle with paprika and panko bread crumbs.  Bake uncovered for 35 minutes or until juices run clear.

NOTE:

For two servings, I used one whole chicken breast (that I had marinated in buttermilk in the fridge for 8 hours), that I cut in half, then butterflied each half. I placed them in a 9" x 9" glass baking dish. I halved the rest of the ingredients, used 3/4 of them for the chicken, and spread the remaining on a 6" sliced baguette and put it under the broiler until hot and bubbly.

*To Roast Asparagus

Preheat oven to 400. Wash spears and snap off the woody ends (the asparagus will break where it needs to).  Cover a low-sided pan with foil. Place asparagus in pan, drizzle with olive oil and season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Toss together until well coated. Pop into oven and roast on an upper shelf for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

This post is linked to:

Tasty Tuesday

Wow Us Wednesday
What’s In The Kitchen 

Create It or Bake It

Full Plate Thursday

A "Welcome Spring" Vignette

 At the first inkling of spring, I throw the doors open wide, and breathe in the freshness of the great outdoors. Often this is followed by a quick slamming of the door, and my grabbing a sweater; fifty degrees isn't quite as warm as it sounds. But after a winter like this last one, I am ready for any bird, any swollen bud, and any blade of grass willing to turn green. 

I am also sweeping away the winter decor in favor of some spring touches for my home. This little vignette is one of my favorites. It is what greets me at the bottom of the stairs and always makes me smile. It is made up of a collection of some of my most favorite things.

The table and bust were both given to me by my mother. I adore them both.

The brass lamp was a purchase I made about twenty years ago. No matter what style of decorating I was into at the time, I always made this classic piece work. 

The picture is one that I found during one of my very first dates with Mr. O-P. He likes to ferret around in antique shops. I'm more of a Pottery Barn kind of girl, but would occasionally run across something that spoke to me. This picture did. The trouble was that it had some water damage in the lower left hand corner. No problem!  I took it to Michael's frame center, and had a double matte cut in a “T" shape to hide the damage, and now love the picture. 

The flowers are Alstromeria, or Peruvian Lily. I think this is one of my favorites. They last forever, come in a wide variety of colors, and seem to be the perfect choice no matter the season. 

What are you doing to add touches of spring to your home?

This post is linked to:

Seasonal Sundays @ The Tablescaper

Masterpiece Monday @ Boogieboard Cottage

Make It Pretty Monday @ The Dedicated House

You're Gonna Love It Tuesday @ Kathe With An E

Tuesday Treasure @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life

The Scoop @ Cedar Hill Ranch

Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style

What's It Wednesday @ Ivy and Elephants

Centerpiece Wednesday @ The Style Sisters

Cottage Style Party @ Lavender Garden Cottage
Home and Garden Thursday @ Delightsome Life

Cottage Style Party @ Lavender Garden Cottage
Be Inspired @ Common Ground

Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage
Simple and Sweet Fridays @ Rooted in Thyme

Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home

Show and Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home