Banana Cream Pocket Pies

I got a Wilton's mini pie press and finally used it this weekend to make mini banana cream pies. I wanted something easy to make and even easier to eat. These mini pocket pies remind me of the ones I used to get during college to crave my sweet tooth, but they only had Bostom cream pies and fruit pies, but not my favorite type of pie - the banana cream pie. I modified a standard banana cream pie recipe and simplified even more by using store bought pie crust.

 
I just rolled out the crust and used the mini pie press to cut out the right size. Then, filled with the pie filling recipe below, a few thin banana slices and baked for around 20-25 mins at 400 degrees on a baking sheet.

They came out great. And for an added bonus I made some whipped cream to dip them in. So, good. My next pie? A savory one for sure.

Banana Cream Pie Filling:

• 1 ½ bananas
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup corn starch
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla

Fresh Apple Glazed Cookies

Recipe Created By Executive Chef Keith Roberts
Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel

 Photo reposted by Nummy Yummys

Apple Cookies Ingredients:

• 2 cups sifted All Purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon of Baking Soda
• ½ cup of Soft Shortening
• 1 1/3 cups of Brown Sugar
• ½ teaspoon of Salt
• 1 teaspoon of Cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon of Ground Cloves
• ½ teaspoon of Nutmeg
• 1 Unbeaten Egg
• 1 cup of Chopped Nuts
• 1 cup of finely chopped, unpared apple
• 1 cup of Dark or Light Raisins - chopped
• ¼ cup of Apple Juice or Milk

Vanilla Glaze Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups of sifted Confectioners Sugar
• 1 tablespoon of Soft Butter or Margarine
• ½ teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
• 1/8 teaspoon of of Salt
• 2 ½ tablespoon of Light Cream or Milk

Apple Cookies Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Sift Flour with baking soda.
3. Mix Shortening, brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and egg until well blended
4. Stir in half of flour mixture, then nuts, apple and raisins.
5. Blend in apple juice, then remaining flour mixture
6. Drop round tsps of dough, 2in apart onto a greased cooking sheet
7. Bake 11-14 minutes or until done
8. While cookies are still hot, spread thinly with glaze.

Vanilla Glaze Instructions:
1. In a small bowl blend 1½ cups of sifted confectioners’ sugar, 1tbsp of butter or
margarine, ½ tsp of vanilla extract, 1/8 tsp of salt, and 2½ tbsp of light cream or milk

Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel
1700 Ocean Avenue Santa Monica, CA 90401
T: (310) 458-6700
Website: http://www.loewshotels.com/

Pumpkin Pie Cake

Recipe Created By Executive Chef Keith Roberts
Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel

Photo Reposted by: Sugar & BeanIngredients:

• 1 - 26 ounce can of Libby’s Pumpkin (or other brand)
• 1 - 10oz box of Duncan Hines Yellow Cake Mix (or other brand)
• ½ cup of Chopped Walnuts
• 1 Stick of unsalted Butter
• Eggs
• Granulated Sugar
• Dark Brown Sugar
• Salt
• Ground Cinnamon
• Ground Ginger
• Ground Cloves
• Whole Milk
• Evaporated Milk

Instructions:
1. Preheat Oven to 350°
2. Libby’s Pumpkin Can - Follow directions on the can as if to make the filling for
two pies. Add 1 extra egg and 25% more of the liquid ingredient (Liquid
ingredient should be evaporated milk or cream). Pour mixture into a 9x14
ungreased cake pan.
2. Duncan Hines Yellow Cake Mix- Sprinkle mix (dry, from the box) evenly over
the pumpkin mixture
3. Chopped Walnuts - Sprinkle evenly over the top
4. Unsalted Butter - Melt butter and drizzle over dry cake mix (Do not stir, top will
not be completely covered)
5. Place in oven until ready (Approx 80min)

Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel
1700 Ocean Avenue Santa Monica, CA 90401
T: (310) 458-6700
Website: http://www.loewshotels.com/

Snickerdoodle Cookies

Serving: 24-30 cookies
Ingredients:

•          1 cup of butter - softened
•          1 1/2 cups of sugar
•          2 large eggs
•          2 3/4 cups of flour
•          2 teaspoons of cream of tartar
•          1 teaspoon of baking soda
•          1/4 teaspoon of salt
•          3 tablespoons of sugar
•          3 teaspoons of cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, mix the butter, 1 1/2 cups of sugar and eggs thoroughly.

In a separate large bowl, mix your dry ingredients: flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt.

In three batches, blend your dry ingredients into the wet mixture.

Chill your dough, and chill an ungreased cookie sheet for about 10-15 minutes in the fridge.

In a small bowl, mix 3 tablespoons of sugar and 3 teaspoons of cinnamon.

Once batter is cooled, scoop 1-inch balls of dough and roll in the sugar/cinnamon mixture. Coat them gently.

Place dough on chilled ungreased cookie sheet, and bake for 10 minutes only.

Once cooked, remove from pan immediately. They will be puffed up at first, but will sink down once cooled.

Note: In between cooking (if only have one cookie sheet), place dough back in the fridge so it stays cool.

Spiced Apple Cider Cupcakes

Make the cupcakes:
Heat an oven to 350° F.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until it is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Add the egg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and mix well to combine, about 1 minute.

Add the flour in 3 batches and the cider in 2 batches, alternating between the two and starting and ending with the flour.

Pour the batter into lined muffin pans; fill the cups about ¾ full. Bake for 20 minutes; a toothpick should come out clean. Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting.

Make the frosting:
Put the egg whites and salt into the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.

In a small saucepan, bring the water and sugar to a boil. When the mixture reaches a boil, turn on the mixer and beat the whites and salt at medium-high speed until they hold soft peaks. Remove the saucepan from the heat.

With the mixer still running, pour the sugar mixture down the side of the bowl. Let the mixer run until the mixture is cool, about 10 minutes.

Once the mixture is cool, add the butter, ½ tablespoon at a time. After all the butter has been added, add the spices and rum. Beat for 1 more minute to incorporate. Frost cupcakes once they are cooled.