The snow this morning was, as snow goes in the south, beautiful and disappointing. Regardless, even the smallest of a flurry shower can bring a stillness to the morning; one that I would love to fill with a cup of hot tea and a sweet bite for breakfast by the window. The early winter months can be so dreary with grey skies, biting wind, and early sunsets. I am no doctor, but I think having a healthy dose of sweets at any time of the day is good for one’s health this time of year. Which is why I’m going to share one of my favorite Tomato Head recipes with you: Flour Head Bakery’s Sweet Potato Pie.

First of all, you’ll need the ingredients:

1 ¼ cup sweet potato, baked, peeled and mashed

¾ cup sour cream

1/3 cup whole milk

3 egg yolk

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

½ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp salt

1 – 9inch prepared pie crust

Next, you need to prepare the crust. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Using the tines of a fork, prick the bottom of the pie shell. Then line the shell with parchment paper and place pie weights inside of the shell. Place into the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Take the crust out of the oven and set it aside to cool. Wait to remove the weights until the crust has cooled. Reduce the temperature of your oven to 325 degrees.

Now place the mashed sweet potatoes in a bowl large enough to mix in. Add the sour cream along with the milk and whisk until smoothly even. Add the yolks and whisk again so that everything comes together. Add the remaining ingredients in any order you choose, then whisk until everything is well mixed.

Pour your concoction into the pie crust and bake at 325 degrees for approximately 45-50 minutes. Look for the center to seem set. If you have a temperature measuring device, make sure the filling reaches 170 degrees. That will be your sign that it is ready to come out of the oven. Remove the pie from the oven, and allow it to cool. Warning: it will be difficult to refrain from diving right into the pie, but for your taste buds’ sake, wait for the pie to not be piping hot.

Sweet potato pie is best served at room temperature, and in my humble opinion, by a window in the morning or with friends in the evening.

June 25 is National Strawberry Parfait Day and Mahasti wants you to cool off with her version of this classic, summer treat. She recently shared this recipe on her WBIR cooking segment, where you can catch Mahasti every first and third Saturday of the month. You can also find all of those special recipes right here on our blog. bon appetit!

Tomato Head’s Strawberry Parfait

1 quart strawberries, washed, stemmed and quartered

1.5 cup sour cream

1.5 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup plus 2 Tbl powdered sugar

Your favorite Sugar cookie dough

Make your favorite sugar cookie dough. Scoop the cookies out into small balls onto a cookie sheet and bake the cookies for 10 – 12 minutes or until done. Ideally the cookies will bake up to the size of a half dollar. You will need 3 cookies per parfait. Allow cookies to cool.

While the cookies are baking, wash, stem and quarter the strawberries and set aside. In a medium bowl mix the sour cream, heavy cream, and powdered sugar together with a whisk or hand mixer, until smooth.

To assemble the parfaits:

Place 1 small cookie in the bottom of a glass or bowl. Top with about ¼ cup of sliced strawberries followed by ¼ cup of the sour cream mixture. Place another cookie on top of the sour cream mixture and repeat the process.  Place one more cookie on top and top with ¼ cup more of the sour cream mixture. Parfaits can be assembled up to 6 hours before, or can be eaten immediately.

With temperatures in teens, you’re going to need something warm in that tummy of yours. We’re thinking some white chocolate and roasted apples would hit the spot.

Mahasti’s roasted apple and white chocolate bread pudding is rich without being overwhelming. White chocolate chips, brown sugar and cinnamon add a layer of sweetness, which is balanced by the tartness of the Granny Smith apples. Of course, we suggest using day old Flour Head Bakery bread for this recipe. Yum Yum Yum!

For the Roasted Apples:

4 large Granny Smith Apples, peeled and diced

4 Tbl unsalted Butter, melted

2 Tbl Granulated Sugar

1 tsp Cinnamon

Place apples, melted butter, sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl, and toss to coat.  Pour apples onto a baking sheet and bake in a 350 degree oven for 12 – 15 minutes, or until semi soft.

For the Bread Pudding:

10 cups bread, crust removed and cubed

6 Eggs

1 cup Heavy Cream

¾ tsp Cinnamon

½ cup Light Brown Sugar

1 tsp Vanilla

½ cup white chocolate chips

All the roasted Apples

Remove the crust from the bread and cube – (any bread will work as long as it is not savory bread)

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs.  Add the heavy cream, brown sugar, and cinnamon.  Beat well.  Add the Bread, chocolate chips and roasted apples.  Toss all the ingredients to mix well and allow the mixture to sit for 30 minutes, until all most of the liquid is absorbed into the bread.  Place the bread pudding in a 10×7 baking dish and cover with foil.  Place the baking dish on a cookie sheet.

Place the cookie sheet in a 350 degree oven – fill the cookie sheet  ½ full with water.  Bake the bread pudding for 50 – 60, until the center is hot.  Remove the bread pudding from the oven, being careful not to spill the hot water on yourself.  Allow pudding to cool slightly or to room temperature and serve with vanilla icing.

Serves   8 – 10 people.

Flour Head Bakery’s take on this Southern treat retains the rich and gooey texture without the heaviness of the traditional holiday dessert.

1 – 9 inch, deep dish prepared pie crust

2 cups pecan pieces

1 Tbl all-purpose flour

9 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

¾ cups packed light brown sugar

4 large eggs, room temperature

½ cup light corn syrup

2 Tbl dark molasses

2 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  Prick the bottom and sides of the pie crust with the tines of a fork and place a coffee filter or parchment paper in the frozen pie crust.  Fill the crust with dried beans or rice.  Bake the crust for 5 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow the crust to cool.

Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.

For the Filling:

Meanwhile – in a small bowl, toss the pecan pieces with the flour and set aside.  In the bowl of a stand mixer, with a paddle attachment or with an electric hand mixer, beat the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time and beat until incorporated.  Gradually add the molasses, corn syrup, vanilla and salt.  Beat well.  Pour the pecans into the egg mixture, and mix with a wooden spoon or spatula.  Pour the filling into the prepared pie shell.  Bake the pie for 1 hour or until the pie looks set, and does not jiggle when tapped.  Allow the pie to cool at least 4 hours before serving.

Serve at room temperature – with whipped cream if desired.

Yee haw! This is a good way to end a meal, have a snack, or simply enjoy a new cultural twist on a classic treat.

Mahasti presented The Tomato Head’s recipe for “Country Tres Leche” on WBIR this weekend. What makes it country? The recipe is based upon The Tomato Head’s “Best Biscuits” recipe, instead of the traditional lady fingers or sponge cake. Give it a whirl and let us know what you think.

The Tomato Head’s Country Tres Leche

(aka, Biscuits soaked in three milks topped with blackberry compote and cream)

For Milk Soaked Biscuits:

 

1 cup sweetened condensed milk

1 cup evaporated milk

1 cup heavy cream

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground clove

6 – 8 day-old biscuits

In a small bowl mix together condensed milk, evaporated milk, heavy cream, cinnamon, and clove.

Place biscuits in an 8 X 11 baking dish.  Pour 1 ½ cups of the milk mixture over the biscuits and allow biscuits to soak for 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Bake milk soaked biscuits for 20 minutes until heated through.

For Blackberry Compote:

 

1 lb fresh or frozen blackberries

1/3 cup sugar

Place blackberries and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Cook mixture just until sugar has completely dissolved.  Remove from heat and set aside.

To Serve:

 

Place each biscuit on a plate.  Pour ¼ cup of the remaining milk mixture over each biscuit, followed by ¼ cup of heavy cream and 1/3 cup of blackberry compote.  Serve immediately.

Mahasti presented the recipe for The Tomato Head’s Red Velvet Cake on WBIR this morning. Mother’s Day is tomorrow…got a gift, yet? Making something for mama is always a fine idea, and a red velvet cake says “I love you” slice after slice. If you’re just not a baker or comfy in the kitchen, consider bringing your mater to The Tomato Head’s brunch. We’ll be serving on Sunday from 10am – 3pm. After 3pm we’ll shift service to our regular menu. Happy Mother’s Day!

Tomato Head’s Red Velvet Cake

2.5 cups all purpose flour
¾ tsp baking soda
¼ cup Dutch process cocoa
½ tsp. salt
1.25 cup sugar
1.5 cup vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 Tbsp red food coloring
1 tsp cider vinegar
1.5 Tbsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line the bottom of a 9 X 13 pan with parchment paper, grease the sides, and set aside.

Into a medium bowl sift flour, baking soda, cocoa, and salt. Place eggs in another medium bowl and beat lightly with a whisk. Add oil, buttermilk, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla. Whisk to incorporate the ingredients. Add the sugar to the wet ingredients and mix well. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Whisk well until all the flour is incorporated. Pour the batter into prepared pan. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Allow cake to cool in pan. Flip the cake out of pan onto a cooling rack. Peel parchment paper off bottom. Re-flip cake back onto a cutting board. Dust the top with powdered sugar. Cut into desired size squares. Serve with a side of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Mahasti will be on WBIR this morning, around 8:15ish, showing how she makes (and how you can make) Tomato Head’s chocolate pudding. It’s another one of those comfort food sweets that made with the right ingredients and love can become a decadent little treat.

Both restaurants will be serving this special dessert today, atop a heated chocolate chip cookie and topped with a dollop of fresh whipped cream – topped with chocolate pudding and whipped cream.

Get your spoons ready!

Tomato Head’s Chocolate Pudding
1 Tbsp Cocoa Powder
2 Tbsp Cornstarch
2/3 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
3 egg yolks
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups whole milk
6 oz bittersweet chocolate, melted
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 tsp vanilla extract

Place milk and ½ cup heavy cream in a medium stainless steel sauce pan, over low heat. Melt chocolate by placing it in a small bowl over a pot of boiling water. When chocolate has melted completely, remove from heat and add it to the milk and heavy cream mixture.

Sift cocoa powder and mix with cornstarch, sugar and salt. Add ½ cup heavy cream and eggs yolks – whisk well. Temper the eggs by adding a little of the chocolate milk to the egg mixture and whisking constantly. Gradually add the egg mixture into the milk on the stove, whisking constantly. Keep the heat on low and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture gets thick and coats the back of the spoon.

Remove the pudding from the heat and pass through a sieve into a medium metal or glass bowl. Serve warm or cover the surface of the pudding directly with saran wrap and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Serve with chocolate chip cookies and whipping cream.