Burnt Coffee Flan | Pan's Labyrinth #FoodnFlix

This month, the Food 'n Flix club is creating recipes inspired by the 2006 dark fairy tale, Guillermo del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth. Set in post civil war Spain (5 years after its end), it's the story of Ofelia, a young girl who, along with her very pregnant mother, is preparing to move in with her new stepfather, the horrid Captain Vidal, at his military outpost.

Chocolate Flan with Frosted Grapes inspired by A Walk in the Clouds | #FoodnFlix

This month's Food 'n Flix pick is the 1995 drama A Walk in the Clouds starring Keanu Reeves and Aitana Sánchez-Gijón. Although this movie is over 20 years old, it was my first time watching it. Growing up in the time of Bill & Ted and Point Break, I can't help but be a Keanu fan. And the female lead is actually the stars of one of my favorite shows, Velvet (a Spanish show that I discovered on Netflix...I am very impatiently waiting for them to add season 3).

A Walk in the Clouds is set in 1945 at the end of World War II in California. Paul, a young soldier returns home from war eager to start a family with the wife that he barely knows. At her encouragement, he returns to his previous job selling chocolates, even though it isn't what he wants. On the train, he meets Victoria, a young woman heading home to face her family with the news that she is pregnant and the father has abandoned her.

Cranberry Yogurt Custard Pie with Nutty-Oat Crust

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of The Greek Gods® Yogurt. All opinions are my own.

Do I need to tell you how much I adore pie? If you've visited me before, probably not. But just in case this is your first time here, I have something to tell you. PIE IS MY JAM! When forced to choose between pie and cake, I'll choose pie every time. I love it so much that I devote the last Friday of each month to it. And, when it came time for me to put on my big girl panties and start contributing to our Thanksgiving (extended) family meal, I brought homemade pie.

Now that we're clear on my feelings for pie, you'll understand why I immediately jumped at the chance at partnering with The Greek Gods brand Greek-Style Yogurt to make a Thanksgiving-inspired pie featuring their yogurt. That and the fact that you can find a carton of their Honey Greek Yogurt in my fridge at all times.

One of my favorite things to eat when I want a lighter breakfast option, or even a midday snack, is a serving of the honey Greek yogurt with fresh fruit and granola. I've tried all sorts of combinations—my favorite being peaches so ripe they drip down your arms when you try to slice them and honey almond granola. But since I don't think peaches when I think Thanksgiving, that combo was out (but you can bet I'll be making a peach version of this pie next summer).

Initially it was a toss-up between spiced apples and a variation on a pumpkin pie, but since those are both regulars in our holiday dessert spread already, I decided to go with cranberries instead. I am so glad that I did. By first tossing the cranberries with some honey and vanilla, it "tames the tart" a wee bit, plus the honey accents the honey Greek yogurt in the creamy custard that the cranberries wind up suspended in after baking.

As a nod to that breakfast I enjoy, I made the crust from the same main ingredients that go into granola—oats and nuts. The results? A festive pie that has earned its spot on our Thanksgiving menu this year...and probably every menu in the future!

The Greek Gods® brand Greek-Style Yogurt and Kefir are gluten-free and contain live and active cultures. Plus, The Greek Gods® brand Greek-Style Yogurt and Kefir are made with milk from cows that are not treated with growth hormones.

Interested in learning more? Connect with The Greek Gods Yogurt: website | facebook | twitter | instagram | pinterest

Cranberry Yogurt Custard Pie with Nutty-Oat Crust

Roasted cranberries suspended in a sweet Greek yogurt custard make up the filling of this pie with a nutty-oat crust that is perfect for the holidays.

by Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez

Prep Time: 90 minutes

Cook Time: 45-50 minutes

Keywords: bake dessert soy-free vegetarian cranberries yogurt honey Christmas Thanksgiving pie American fall winter

Ingredients (8 to 12)

for the cranberries:

• 2 cups whole cranberries
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped (use pod for something else)
• pinch of fine sea salt

for the crust:

• 2 cups toasted nuts (any one or a combination)
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 4 tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• pinch of fine sea salt

for the yogurt custard:

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup milk
• 3/4 cup (6 ounces) The Greek Gods Honey Greek Yogurt
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• whipped cream (as much as you like), to serve

Instructions

make the cranberries:

Preheat oven to 400° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Toss all of the ingredients for the cranberries together in a medium bowl. Lay them out on the prepared baking sheet. Slide into preheated oven and roast until the cranberries begin to pop and release their juices, 8-10 minutes. Cool completely.

make the crust:

Combine nuts, oats, butter, sugar, and salt in a food processor and process until finely ground, ~3 minutes. Dump into the bottom of a 9.5-inch pie plate and press into the bottom and up the sides. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Clean the bowl of the food processor for later use.

Preheat oven to 350° F. Set plate on a baking sheet and bake until golden, 20-25 minutes. Let cool completely.

make the yogurt custard and finish the pie:

Preheat oven to 350° F. Scrape the cooled cranberries into the bottom of the crust and spread evenly.

Combine sugar, milk, yogurt, eggs, flour, cornstarch, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of the food processor and process until smooth. Pour into the crust over the cranberries.

Set the pie on a baking sheet, then slide into preheated oven and bake until the filling is set, 45-50 minutes. Allow to cool on a wire rack. Store cooled pie, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Serve cold or at room temperature with a big pile of whipped cream on the top.

Have you ever used Greek yogurt in a pie? If so, was it in the filling or the crust (or both)? I'd love to hear how you'd use Greek Yogurt to transform a favorite Thanksgiving pie this holiday season...and so would The Greek Gods Yogurt! Enter your favorite pie recipe using Greek Gods Greek-Style Yogurt in their Fall Pie Recipe Contest for a chance at winning some great prizes.

Buttermilk Pie | #FridayPieDay

Buttermilk Pie may look like a Plain Jane, but looks can be deceiving. There's actually quite a bit of complexity in each bite—smooth vanilla-infused custard that's both sweet and tangy at the same time. Aside from the fact that it's delicious and fits in on the dessert table year-round, it's also ridiculously easy to make. If you can run a blender, you can make this pie. And while a homemade pie crust is something to be proud of, if that's not your thing, a storebought crust basically turns this into the easiest recipe ever.

I like it plain-jane-as-is, but try adding a fluffy dollop of whipped cream, dust it with powdered sugar, or serve it with seasonal fruit or a fruit compote if you want to dress it up a bit. I really don't think you can go wrong with this one.

Banana Cream Pie w/ Shortbread Cookie Crust

Can we talk cream pies for a second? Pie shells filled with a rich pudding-like custard, and sometimes topped with a big cloud of whipped cream...you know the ones I mean. I'm about to make an admission that may stun and amaze you. Here goes: I can't remember eating more than a single slice of cream pie in my entire 39 years of existence. And I haven't actually made one myself until now.

I came close once, with this Coconut NO-Cream Pie that I made (which means that I also ate some) to share over at my friend Bea's blog, The Not So Cheesy Kitchen. But no cream filling is slightly (and by slightly, I mean extremely) different than rich, magnificent, actual custard filling. Just sayin'.

I've mentioned several times that I'm more of a fruit pie kind of girl, with nut pies coming in a close second. And of course I grew up eating pumpkin pie around Thanksgiving every year, but that's nowhere near a cream pie consistency. To make a long story short (which I suppose I really didn't), I decided it was high time that I try making an honest to goodness cream pie in my own kitchen. I had to start with banana, because I knew that would be universally accepted (if my home were the universe).

The BEST Flan ever. Period.

This is officially my 1000th post.  Ho. Lee. Cow.  Looking back, it seems that these past 3 years and 7 or 8 months has just flown by.  Now, not every single post contained a recipe, but I think it's safe to say that at least 95% of them did.  And of those posts, not a single recipe was repeated.  Shite!

Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with repeating recipes...the good ones are worth repeating...it's just that there are SO many things out there that I want to make.  SO many.  TOO many.  And the list just keeps growing.  So that is what keeps me from repeating recipes.

Poblano Custard...a silky, creamy, slow-burning fire in your mouth. Damn, that's sexy!

The scene was all set for a little bit of sexy.  Poblanos were roasted and slipped from their skins.  Cream and egg yolks were being gently coaxed into living in smooth, lusciously thick harmony.  The oven had the kitchen all heated up.  Water was bubbling maliciously playfully on top of the stove.  All I needed was a deep dish to set the virginal white ramekins in.  Such an unassuming task.  Stand on tiptoes.  Reach into the high cupboard that hovers above the stove.  Pull out the dish.  Watch in horror as the shelf breaks and serving bowls, hand mixer, stick blender, fiesta ware, storage dishes fly past your face and crash down around your bare feet.  Somewhere in the midst of all that has quickly turned unsexy, one of those cupboard bombs hits the pot of playfully maliciously boiling water on the stove top directly in front of you.  So, you stand there, boiling water making contact with your arms, face, neck, chest, belly...all of which were so unassuming just 30 seconds earlier...unable to move.  Why?  Because your arms are extended as far up and as far out as they will go, trying desperately to stop the onslaught of the 4 heaviest, mixing bowls you own (stacked with the consequently lighter, small ones), some other random objects, and that deep, Pyrex dish which was your original intent from hitting you directly in your oh so breakable head.  Not to mention, there are also hot tears running down your cheeks.  Yeah. Not sexy any longer.

Would you like to hear what is sexy?  Your husband running like the wind and grabbing that shelf and those dishes teetering on the edge aimed for your face and stopping the assault in the blink of an eye.  Then wrapping his strong arms around you; guiding you and your bare feet from the midst of the glass and pottery shards that litter the floor.  He then proceeds to pick up the pieces and sweep away the rubble...while your daughter grabs ice packs from the freezer like an experienced nurse.  Since the burns are pretty well spread out, she helps you by holding one on your sensitive belly.  So, your tears dry...you pick that one little piece of ceramic out of your foot that managed to stick...and you stand there wrapped in the loving embrace of your family.  Damn, that's sexy.

Know what else is sexy?  Workin' through the pain.  Ice packs reduced to slush...aloe plant decimated...and the good fortune that every single dish that was broken sailed over the counter and shattered on the floor, leaving your custard untouched.  You can still thank your family the way you do it best.  By feeding their bellies...and in turn their souls...those very souls that are intertwined with yours.

Poblano Custard

from HTCEV by Mark Bittman

yield: 6-8 svgs.

4 medium Poblano chiles, roasted and cleaned

2 c. cream

1/2 c. grated Monterey Jack cheese

3 eggs, plus 3 yolks

1/2 tsp. salt

Finely chop 2 Tbs. of chiles and set aside.  Combine remaining chiles and cream in a blender and purée.  Pour into a pot and cook until it just begins to steam.  Add cheese and stir until it melts.

Preheat oven to 300° F and put a pot (or kettle...which would have saved me here) of water on to boil.  Put eggs and salt in a medium bowl and whisk until blended.  Gradually add the chile mixture to the egg mixture, whisking constantly.  Add chopped reserved chile.  Pour mixture into a 1-qt. dish or into ramekins or custard cups.

Pout the dish or ramekins in a baking pan and pour the boiling water into the pan to within ~1" of the top of the dish/ramekins.  Bake until the mixture is not quite set- it should jiggle a bit in the middle-about 30 to 40 minutes.  Serve warm, at room temperature or cold.

So, can I just say... enjoy the little, everyday things in life.  A family who rushes to your rescue when you are hurt...food to fill your belly...friends to share your stories with.  Because damn, that's sexy.


*This post is linked to:

...our theme over at IHCC this week is: Damn, that's Sexy!