Maple Pecan Tartlets

After Mr. Sideline Chef test-tasted the Peanut Butter Streusel Brownies, my first dessert attempt for my contribution to the Thanksgiving dinner we were invited to he asked me, "You're not going to try out any more recipes?" Oh goodness! Was that his way of telling me he didn't think they were worthy for his supervisor?

Not wanting to risk him being fired over rock hard brownie edges I set out to find another test recipe. Maple Pecan Tartlets sounded like they might be a winner. I had a majority of the ingredients and after a quick drive to the store I picked up the pecans and ground cinnamon I needed along with a 6 pack of Coors Light per Mr. Sideline Chef's request. Probably to help make a baking disaster more palatable if one was to occur.

After a few "oh schnike" moments such as: running out of all purpose flour and substituting 100% whole wheat flour, having to call my mom to find out if the KitchenAid stand mixer will form the pastry dough into a ball or if I would need to do it by hand, and then following what the original recipe called a serving size for the pastry cups and realizing it didn't make a cup and making the decision to make only one dozen cups instead of 2 dozen, I was feeling a bit anxious.

I was fretting while they were baking for 25 minutes. The fate of these Maple Pecan Tartlets rested with Mr. Sideline Chef and whether he would deem them worthy or not. After they cooled down enough I plated one tiny tartlet for him. I literally stood hovered over his plate, elbows on table with my face up in his, and anxiously waiting to hear his response. I could see a piece of the tartlet rolling around the inside of his cheek.

Tell me damn it. "It taste like a brown sugar pop-tart. I'm not a fan of pecans. They're small. Can I please have another one?" After plating the second one he gave me the validation I needed and told me I will need to make at least 2 dozen of them to take. "How much did it cost to make?" Oh goodness! Was this his way of suggesting that this recipe didn't taste like a million bucks and worthy for his supervisor?

No. He deemed them worthy and put an end to my worrying over what dessert would be presented to our hosts for Thanksgiving. Now that dessert is covered what in the hell am I going to wear?

Maple Pecan Tartlets

MyRecipes.com and Christmas with Southern Living, 1996

Makes 2 dozen... I don't think that is correct. I ended up with 1 dozen since I needed to use twice the amount of the Cinnamon Pastry Dough.

Stars of the Show for the Cinnamon Pastry Dough:

• 1 (3 oz) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1 cup all purpose flour - I used 1/8 cup all purpose flour and substituted the additional amount with 100% whole wheat flour
• 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon

And Action:

Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed with a mixer until creamy. Gradually add flour and cinnamon, beating at low speed just until the ingredients are blended. Wrap dough in wax paper, and chill for 2 hours.

Divide dough in half. *I skipped this next step.* Divide each half of dough into 12 balls. Place in a lightly greased miniature muffin pan. (Now I see why I needed to use twice the amount of dough and only ended up with 1 dozen. I wasn't using a miniature muffin pan. Smacking myself in the forehead now.) Shape each ball into a shell.

Stars of the Show for the Maple Pecan Tartlet Filling:

• 3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 tbsp butter, melted
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted

And Action:

Hearts

Combine first 5 ingredients in a small mixing bowl and beat at medium speed until blended. Stir in pecans. Spoon filling evenly into the Cinnamon Pastry Shells.

Bake at 325° for 25 minutes or until set. Cool slightly. Remove from pans, and cool completely on a wire rack.

That's it! Thanksgiving table scape worthy!!!



Chocolate Sheet Cake with a Quick Caramel Pecan Frosting

Halloween morning I set out with my Mickey Mouse Steelers loving fan and headed to Bed, Bath, and Beyond to pick up a 15"x10" jelly roll pan to make a cake. I only had a 13"x9" pan in the house and being the amateur baker that I am I did not realize that I could use that size and just adjust my cook times. Plus it was an excuse to take the Mouse out of the house and show him off and get a new kitchen toy. After searching the two baking aisles no jelly roll pan in the size I needed was found. Kinda bummed I left the store with my other purchases, a set of mesh strainers, a glass pitcher, and a green platter. I'll just Yahoo! it or call my mom who is my go to for every cooking question imagineable.

I must have missed the memo in my inbox for how easy it is to make a cake and forever put an end to my "oh I'll just turn the batter into cupcakes" kick I was on. Chocolate cake, you do not intimidate me any longer. Caramel sauce, you still had me scared until I concurred you. I had horrifiying thoughts of Mr. Sideline Chef being called into the emergency room for third degree burns caused from a sticky pecan substance stuck on the victims forearms.

In any case, if you have missed the memo as well, be scared no more! Chocolate cake and a quick caramel frosting are easy peasy lemon squeezy! Lame. I know. Moving on... After the chocolate cake cooled on the wire rack the frosting was spread on and I'd like to say it went on smooth but it was caramel and my frosting spreading skills are nonexistent.

I flubbed and forgot to add the vanilla extract to the cake and just decided to double the amount in the frosting. It still worked out and the cake was incredibly flavorful. That was a close one. I also had a few moments where I had to run away from the stovetop from my "constant" stirring to quickly reposition a baby out of 2 two year olds war paths, breakup a toddler dispute, and even let the dogs out on the porch a couple of times and nothing was burnt. It could have gone bad.

I ate chocolate cake for dinner. I had a big lunch and it was justified. I shared a slice with my son and we both inhaled it. My stomach must now be ultra sensitive to too much sugar because after having what they consider a "serving size" my stomach ached. I decided to cut the servings in half for today and see if that would be enough to satisfy my chocolate tooth and not have my stomach aching.

Mr. Sideline Chef who is not a cake fan thought it was, "Good", with a smile on his face and the itty bitty chanted my chocolate cake before dinner praises! Yea... I can be that kind of mom on occasion. I've never made cake before so this was a rule breaking moment in the Pretend Chef household. The mama of the other two children was practically licking the cutting board clean of the caramel frosting when she came to pick them up and said it smelt good from outside. Yes, I am the neighbor cooking up what you wish you were enjoying. Knock on the door next time and you might get lucky. Only on occasion am I stingy and draw the blinds so no one can see in and know what's cooking. I honestly did this yesterday for the Chipotle Spiced Macaroni and Cheese when a known "serial-knock-on-the-door-right-as-dinner-is-ready" neighbor walked by.

If a birthday is coming up or another occasion make this for someone special!

Chocolate Sheet Cake with Quick Caramel Pecan Frosting

MyRecipes.com and Southern Living's September 2005 issue

Makes 15 servings

Stars of the Show: Chocolate Sheet Cake

• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup cocoa - I used Hershey's naturally sweetened cocoa powder.
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt

And Action:

1. Cook the first 3 ingredients in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until the butter melts and the mixture is smooth, remove from the heat.
2. Beat buttermilk and the next 3 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer, beating until just blended. (Batter will be thin.) I am glad the directions stated this because this is when I'd be calling my mom or Yahoo!-ing how my batter should look. Pour into a greased and floured 15x10 inch jelly roll pan. *Tip: Don't use flour. Why would you want there to be white on the bottom of your cake. I don't recall which Food Network show I was watching but I picked up the trick to use the cocoa powder instead.*
3. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean. Cool cake completely in pan on a wire rack.
4. Pour the Quick Caramel Pecan Frosting on top spreading evenly to the edges.

Quick Caramel Pecan Frosting

Stars of the Show:

• 2 (14 oz) cans sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans

And Action:

1. Place all ingredients in a heavy 3-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, 3-5 minutes or until the mixture reaches a pudding-like thickness. Remove from heat.
2. Stir in the chopped toasted pecans.

On the recipe's website they also had a variation for a quick caramel coconut pecan frosting. Mr. Sideline Chef turns his nose up to coconut so that wasn't even going to make it into this cake's frosting. Feel free to make it this way if you want.

Just a reminder... Entry for the Gorton's / Ortega Giveaway is now open! Make sure you comment here on this post (We Have Our First Pretend Chef Giveaway!!!) and best of luck! No entries have been made yet so your chances of winning are 100%. Easy!