Berry Bliss: A Delectable Mixed-Berry Clafouti Recipe

Explore the art of culinary rebellion with our unexpected twist on clafouti.

Picture this: a classic recipe, a cupboard full of mixed berries, and a touch of culinary rebellion. That's where our journey begins—a playful twist on tradition, a deviation from the expected.

In the realm of clafouti, cherries typically steal the show. But armed with fresh blueberries and a stash of thawed, drained mixed berries, we set out to create a berry-packed spectacle that dances to its own tune.

Here's to embracing the delightful unpredictability of the kitchen, where ingredient swaps and adventurous spirits collide. Join us as we uncover the charm of our mixed berry clafouti—a testament to the joy found in breaking culinary norms and reveling in the delightful surprises that grace our plates.

Ingredients

1 pound assorted berries

1/4 cup butter

4 whole eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup flour

2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

1 cup whole milk

Pinch salt

Tools

Large oven-safe baking dish

Mixing bowls

Measuring cups and spoons

Whisk or mixer

While a clafouti is traditionally made with cherries... guess who has no cherries? Us! So we decided to have a little fun with it and make a mixed berry clafouti.

We had some fresh blueberries on hand, and maybe a half cup or so of frozen mixed berries that we thawed and drained. If you're starting with all fresh, obviously, there's no need for that step, but you'll absolutely need to take the extra minute or two to wash your produce.

We chose to use a 2-quart round baking dish. That's not a hard rule - you can use whatever you have handy. If you use something less dense (say a large Pyrex dish), adjust your cook time down accordingly and check frequently. 

Once your ingredients are gathered and produce washed, grease the pan you plan to use. We used some butter, simply because it was already out for the rest of the recipe.

In a small dish, melt the quarter cup of butter and set it aside for now.

Beat the eggs, then add the pinch of salt and sugar together to the eggs. Whisk well. Once thoroughly combined, add about half of your flour and stir it in.

We started this recipe with a whisk but kind of made a mess... so we raided the cabinets and got out the hand mixer. We used it with only one beater and had a much easier time of things. We highly recommend using a hand mixer if available; your arm will thank you later.

Pour the melted butter into the mixture slowly, stirring constantly as you add. (This is where that hand mixer really shines.)

Measure out your milk - whole milk works best - and add just a little to the batter.

Go back to your flour and add the rest now. Try to avoid any big clumps of flour, that way you won't spend too much time trying to break them up. After the last of the flour is stirred in, you can add the rest of the milk.

The milk will look like it's trying to stay separate, but don't worry, you'll be able to get it mixed in shortly.

Once you've got your batter ready, dump your berries into the baking dish. Make sure they're an even layer, not all mounded up on one side. 

Pour the batter over the berries and resist the urge to stir. We know, we've been telling you to stir everything this time... and now we're telling you not to. It's unexpected. 

Stick the baking dish, uncovered, into the oven. Bake at 350 for an hour and ten minutes (again, that's for a deep round dish - start around 45 minutes for a shallower dish). Use the toothpick test to make sure it's done; if you're getting anything other than berry juice when you test, put it back for five more minutes at a time until you get a clean test.

Allow it to cool 20-30 minutes before attempting to serve.

Optional step: dust with powdered sugar before serving.

If this berry-filled escapade has nudged your curiosity or inspired your own kitchen rebellion, let it be a testament to the joy found in embracing culinary unpredictability. After all, the best recipes often emerge from a dash of creativity and a sprinkle of daring experimentation.

Now, while we revel in the delights of culinary exploration, let's not forget that a smoothly running kitchen often relies on trusty appliances. From the oven that breathes life into your culinary creations to the trusty fridge keeping ingredients fresh, Appliance Rescue Service stands by to ensure your kitchen runs seamlessly. We understand that just like in cooking, sometimes, a dash of expert care and maintenance can keep everything running like clockwork.

So, as you bid adieu to this berry-filled journey, remember that our team is here not just for recipes but also to rescue any hiccups in your appliance symphony. Whether it's a stove in need of some love or a dishwasher on strike, trust us to be your partners in appliance care and maintenance.

Ready to keep your kitchen humming? Schedule an appointment through our user-friendly website or give us a call at ((214) 599-0055). Let's ensure your appliances continue to be your kitchen's silent heroes, making way for more culinary escapades and delightful discoveries.

Additional Reading

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From Pantry to Pot: Wholesome Hunter's Stew for the Resourceful Cook

Embrace the joy of kitchen spontaneity with a recipe that celebrates resourcefulness and flavor.

Ever found yourself standing in the kitchen, contemplating dinner with a mix of ingredients that seem to be the last survivors in your pantry? Welcome to the land of culinary improvisation. Today’s star: a recipe that began with three forlorn chicken breasts, a can of petite diced tomatoes, and a handful of other odds and ends that somehow come together into something magical—a hearty, veggie-laden chicken soup that defies the ordinary.

So, grab your Dutch oven, gather those essential tools, and let's dive into a flavorful expedition where a splash of white wine, a heap of spices, and a generous dose of patience will transform these humble ingredients into a comforting masterpiece. We might bend a few rules along the way (who needs a meat thermometer, anyway?), but trust us, it’s all in the pursuit of flavor.

Ingredients:

3 chicken breasts or 6 chicken thighs, boneless and skinless

Large can petite diced tomatoes

1 onion, chopped

1/4 cup butter

1/2 lb white mushrooms, cut

1/4 cup white cooking wine

4 cups chicken broth

1/4 cup instant mashed potatoes

1 teaspoon marjoram

1 teaspoon parsley

1/2 teaspoon basil

1/2 teaspoon rosemary

Salt and pepper to taste

Tools:

Dutch oven 

Tongs

Serving spoon or ladle 

Measuring cups and spoons

Knife

Cutting board 

Can opener

Forks

Plates

We're going to break the pattern here and assume your produce has already been cleaned. Surely, by now, you're tired of us telling you to wash things...

Melt your quarter cup of butter in the Dutch oven over medium heat and drop the chicken in to brown a little. This recipe works better with chicken thighs, but when we shopped, there weren't any in stock. (We thought we were out of the age of shortages and supply issues, but what do we know?) So, instead of thighs, we just used the three sad, neglected chicken breasts we had left in the freezer.

It's important to note that you don't have to cook the chicken all the way through at this step. We'll be shoving it into the oven later on, so don't bother with the meat thermometer this time. We just want the outside to get a little color and flavor, since that will help build the base later on. 

Once the chicken begins to brown, use the tongs to pull it and set it to the side on a plate.

Toss the mushrooms, onions, and spices into the Dutch oven and put the lid on. Let them cook for four minutes or so, then lift the lid and stir. We ended up cooking them for closer to eight minutes, but we started with some pretty huge pieces of onion. You're using the onions as your marker for how long to cook everything, so if you want less time, chop your onions smaller. 

Once the onion is translucent, splash the cooking wine in. Let it simmer and reduce uncovered for two or three minutes, stirring occasionally.

Time to add the tomatoes and chicken broth. Don't drain the tomatoes. Just stir them in to make sure they're somewhat evenly distributed. Then, return the chicken to the pot, put the lid on, and move it all to the center rack in the oven.

Allow it to come up to temperature with the oven. Set it to 450, and then set a timer for three hours. At this point, you're free to find another task to take care of. 

When the timer goes off, move it back to the stove top. Take two forks, lift the chicken pieces out onto a plate, and let them cool down a little.

Sprinkle your quarter cup of instant mashed potatoes into the broth a little at a time, stirring gently to prevent the potato flakes from sticking to the veggies instead of melting into the broth. You want to thicken up the broth, not create a congealed mass. 

Go back to that chicken and shred it to bits, then stir it back into the pot.

You now have a veggie heavy, hearty chicken soup. Enjoy!

And there you have it—a robust, flavorful chicken soup born from a handful of ingredients and a dash of kitchen ingenuity. As you savor each spoonful, let this meal be a testament to the delicious possibilities that emerge when culinary creativity meets necessity.

Remember, while we revel in concocting delightful dishes, our kitchens rely on our appliances to bring these recipes to life. Should your stove, oven, or any major appliance find itself in need of a little TLC, ARS is here to ensure your culinary adventures never hit a snag. Whether it’s a simmering soup or a baking extravaganza, our team specializes in keeping your appliances in top shape so you can continue creating delicious moments.

Don’t let a malfunctioning appliance dampen your kitchen enthusiasm. Reach out to us today to schedule a maintenance appointment through our user-friendly website or by giving us a call at ((214) 599-0055). Let’s keep your kitchen humming smoothly, allowing you to focus on what you do best—crafting culinary wonders that warm the soul and delight the taste buds.

Until our next flavorful rendezvous, happy cooking!

Additional Reading
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Caffeinated Comfort: Pumpkin Muffins with Coffee Cream Cheese Frosting

 A Fusion of Fall Spice and Coffee Indulgence

Welcome to a delightful twist on classic pumpkin muffins! This recipe is a perfect marriage of seasonal flavors—warm pumpkin, aromatic spices, and a decadent coffee cream cheese frosting. With each bite, you can experience the cozy essence of fall combined with the indulgence of a caffeinated treat. Follow along step by step to create your own batch of these deliciously unique muffins.

Ingredients:

For the muffins:

1 15 oz can pumpkin puree

1 1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup sour cream

2 eggs

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the frosting:

1 stick butter, softened

1/2 brick regular cream cheese, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

2 tablespoons instant coffee

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons milk

Tools:

can opener

mixing bowls (large and small)

muffin tin or sheet pan

muffin liners or baking cups

spoons

measuring cups and spoons

mixer (hand or stand)

Preheat your oven to 350 and let's get dessert rolling!

Begin with the can opener - go ahead and crack open the can of pumpkin. If you only have pumpkin pie filling on hand, you can sub half a 30-oz can of that, but keep in mind how much sweeter it will make the final result.

Dump the pumpkin into the mixing bowl (use a spoon to scrape the sides of the can to be certain you get all of it), then add the eggs and sour cream to the bowl and stir together, making sure to break the yolks on the eggs so they're properly incorporated.

Measure your dry ingredients - sugars, flour, spices, salt, baking powder - into another dish and mix them up. Add the dry ingredients slowly to the wet ingredients, stirring as you go. Try to avoid ending up with any clumps here, but don't stir it to death. Overdoing it will cause the muffins to be rubbery.

Once you've got the batter thoroughly mixed (but not overmixed), portion it out into your lined muffin tin or baking cups. We used baking cups on a sheet pan because these fall themed cups were just too cute to pass up! Don't worry too much about overfilling; these won't rise very much at all in the baking process.

Pop the muffins into the oven and set a timer for 25 minutes. 

Take a clean mixing bowl and put your softened butter and cream cheese into it, and put the beaters into your mixer. We used a hand mixer, mostly because it would have taken much longer to get the stand mixer out and ready.

Whip the butter and the cream cheese on at least medium speed until it's all fluffy.

With the mixer on, add the powdered sugar slowly. A second set of hands helps here. If you have a little helper you don't mind getting a smidge messy, feel free to recruit them. You don't have to get the powdered sugar fully incorporated at this stage. The goal here is just to get it into the bowl and start combining it with the butter and cream cheese.

In a shallow dish (or repurposed yogurt container if you're us), dissolve your instant coffee granules in the little bit of milk you've measured out. It shouldn't take much stirring. Once it's all one color and you've minimized the amount of sunken coffee bits, pour the mixture into the cream cheese/butter/sugar dish and turn the mixer back on. Mix thoroughly, until the whole thing is one color.

By now your muffins should be coming out of the oven. It'll be too soon to frost them (they're much too hot), so set them aside to cool and tuck your frosting into the fridge until they're ready.

Once the muffins are cooled, pull the frosting back out of the fridge and put your dessert together.

If you're feeling fancy, you can break out a pastry bag and tip and get ready to pipe the frosting. But we swear, it still tastes just as good if all you do is take a spoon or flexible spatula and drop a dollop on top of each muffin.

Enjoy after dinner with a big cup of coffee.

As the aroma of freshly baked pumpkin muffins fills your kitchen, remember that Appliance Rescue Service is here to ensure your cooking experiences are always seamless. Share your baking success on our Facebook page and take a moment to reach out to us at (214) 599-0055 or our website, for any appliance needs. Whether it's repairing a freezer or running routine maintenance on your oven, we're dedicated to keeping your kitchen running smoothly. Treat yourself to these delightful muffins and elevate your fall baking game with a touch of caffeinated comfort. Enjoy this flavorful creation with a steaming cup of coffee and savor the season's joys in every bite.

Additional Reading 

Easy No-Cook Not Quite a Cannoli 

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Harvest Bliss: Cranberry Pumpkin Nut Bread

A Decadent Fusion of Fall Flavors

Get ready for a delicious adventure with our Cranberry Pumpkin Nut Bread—a recipe that embodies the flavors of fall. It’s not just a bread; it's a hearty combination of pumpkin, spices, and delightful textures. Although it demands a bit of attention, trust me, every effort pays off in each aromatic slice.

Ingredients:

1 cup water, warm, plus enough water to fill a kettle

1 tablespoon active dry yeast

1 15 ounce can plain pumpkin

2 tablespoons sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 1/2 cups flour, divided

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup dried cranberries

Tools:

parchment paper

Dutch oven, caldero, or four loaf pans

measuring cups and spoons

mixing bowls

tea kettle or pot for water

smaller, heat-proof bowl

colander

clean kitchen towel

Quick word of caution: This will be a messy, time consuming recipe! Do not attempt to do this on Thanksgiving. If you're an experienced baker of bread, you might pull it off. But if you're us... You'll just create a mess and not have the bread til after dinner. 

Well before you intend to get anything going for this recipe, start a tea kettle or a pot of water on the stove. You can use the time while you wait for it to reach a boil to get your other ingredients out.

Once you have all your ingredients handy, begin by measuring your yeast into warm water and setting it aside to double in size. This should take five minutes or so.

Measure the flour, stopping at three and a half cups. Reserve the additional cup in another bowl. Don't forget to level your flour! It's going to be sticky dough and you'll likely be tempted to add more flour, but don't fall for it, and definitely don't sabotage yourself by starting with more than you meant to.

Include your sugar, salt and spices in the dry ingredients. We want to see them evenly mixed into your flour before any wet ingredients join the party, that way you don't end up with bland spots and spots that have too much cinnamon or something.

Around this point, our kettle usually begins to boil. Remove it from the heat, toss the cranberries in the heat proof bowl, and cover them with boiling water. Ignore them for five minutes or so - we just want them to be partially rehydrated so they're not sticky lumps in the bread later. After they've had time to absorb some of the water, strain the water out through the colander.

Add the pumpkin and the yeast mixture to the dry ingredients and stir well. Once you've got a relatively uniform consistency, you can add in the chopped walnuts and the cranberries. This is also the first point that your reserved cup of flour will make an appearance - work about half of it into the sticky dough you have here.

Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let it rise on the counter for three hours.

At the three hour mark, move the dough to the fridge, keeping it covered with the towel. Keep it in the fridge for at least an hour, or as long as overnight (if you're a forward thinker and got this done long enough ahead of time that you can refrigerate it overnight! Congrats on being wiser than us).

The chilled dough should be easier to work with, but we still recommend a set of food service gloves for this part. Take that reserved flour and dust a surface - a cutting board, the counter, some parchment, the table - whatever you have. We recommend parchment paper for ease of lifting later. Turn the cold dough out onto this floured surface and work it until it's smooth. Allow it to rise again where it sits for about an hour.

Preheat the oven to 450. That is not a typo, we really do mean 450.

In the photos, we've done this as one large boule in a covered pan - but we find the results to be much better if done as two small loaves in average loaf pans, and doing two loaves reduces the cooking time and the risk of burning dramatically. Learning from our mistakes here.

Toss two loaf pans into the oven to heat up with it, keeping the other two loaf pans out on the counter. Divide your dough in two and shape into two even-sized loaves. Place each loaf on its own sheet of parchment paper.

Once the oven has come up to proper temperature, don your oven mitts or grab a towel and remove the pans. Using the parchment to transfer them, place one loaf into each pan. Place both pans onto the middle rack of the oven. Invert the cool pans over top of the pans in the oven (we're using them like the lid of the Dutch oven here). Set a timer for 15 minutes.

At the 15-minute mark, remove the covers and set them aside to cool. Bake the loaves uncovered for another 15 minutes. When the timer is up, turn the oven off and let the loaves sit in there for another five to ten minutes before removing them. Use the parchment to lift them. Allow them to cool before cutting with a serrated knife.

As you savor every bite of this Cranberry Pumpkin Nut Bread, remember that Appliance Rescue Service is here for all your home needs. Share your baking success on our Facebook page and feel free to contact us for any appliance-related queries at (214) 599-0055 or through our website. From repairs to routine maintenance, count on us for all your major appliance requirements. Let the lingering aroma of this delightful bread remind you that we're dedicated to ensuring your home runs smoothly.

Additional Reading 

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Purple People Eater Pieces

A Frightfully Fruitful Crumble From The Crypt

As we move closer to the best holiday of the year (no objections! - they'll just fall on deaf ears), it's time to start looking at creepy party recipes to feed a crowd of little ghouls, gremlins, goblins, or what have you.

Every year we try to conjure up at least one new spooky recipe. This year's is a dessert - purple people eater pieces.

It's a little bit pie and a little bit dump cake, and it's also a whole lot of mess if not carefully contained. So do be cautious in serving this one to littles or the spill-prone.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries

1/2 cup frozen dragon fruit

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup water

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon five spice

1 container refrigerated biscuit dough

Tools:

large covered pot or Dutch oven

bowl

spoon

measuring cups and spoons

knife

cutting board

Begin with your blueberries - just scoop them out into a bowl. Your measurement doesn't have to be exact. Just get somewhere in the ballpark of a cup and a half.

Add the dragon fruit pieces to the blueberries. We know dragon fruit is not something you find in the produce aisle on a regular basis, but even in the middle of nowhere we were able to pick some up frozen at a big box store. We've also had the opportunity to grab fresh dragon fruit at a local family grocery store. If you don't have the same luck, fear not! Any red- or pink-hued fruit can sub in. Strawberry, cherry, cranberry, pomegranate, guava... Just know the color may not be so vibrant. Dragon fruit is rather exceptionally in-your-face pink.

Measure in your brown sugar and your five spice. We know the five spice doesn't look like much, but just a little of this stuff makes an impact. You'll know it's there.

Dump the bowl into the dutch oven. Measure the water into the same bowl to take up as much of the sugar, spice and fruit juice as possible, and pour it over the fruit and spices in the pan.

Turn the heat on low and give everything in the pan a good stir. The sugar should dissolve right off the bat, but it will take a bit for everything to heat through.

While waiting for it to come up to a simmer, grab your biscuit dough and pop the container open. Split them apart and put them on the cutting board, and cut your biscuits into pieces. We start with roughly quarters, then trim down a little from there. In our experience, there's always one biscuit in the package that's about three times the size of the rest on one side and squished down paper thin on the opposite. That one gets cut into a great many awkwardly shaped chunks.

Give the contents of the pan one more good stir, then drop your funny-shaped biscuit pieces on top of the fruit mixture. From this point on, do not stir.

Once you have your biscuit dough on top of the fruit, increase the heat to medium-low. Cover the pan and allow it to simmer untouched for 15-20 minutes. Stay close to the pan - the smell is the best indicator of when it's done. If you can smell the fruit and spices getting fragrant without lifting the lid on the pan, it's close to done. If you have a clear glass lid that's not too fogged up, it should look syrupy between the pale biscuit pieces.

When you feel like it's ready, turn the heat off and lift the lid. Allow it to breathe and set for five minutes before serving.

Serve in heaping scoops, with or without a little ice cream.

As our spooky culinary adventure comes to a delicious conclusion, we hope you've enjoyed crafting and savoring "Purple People Eater Pieces" as much as we've relished sharing this unearthly treat with you. Let us know over on our Facebook page how it was received! 

Halloween is a time for enchanting flavors and mysterious gatherings, but it can also be a season of unexpected surprises. If, amid the spectral celebrations, you find yourself in need of a visit from one of our trusted repair technicians at Appliance Rescue Service, don't hesitate to reach out at our website or by giving us a call ((214) 599-0055). Just as we've crafted this bewitching dessert to delight your taste buds, our skilled technicians are ready to ensure your appliances continue to perform their culinary magic, ensuring your celebrations remain seamless and your spooky feasts flawless. Wishing you a hauntingly good time this Halloween season!

Additional Reading:

Chocolate Pecan Cake for a Special Date

Sweet Veggie Tropical Curry