Baton Rouge Advocate: 10/2/2003

Table Talk: Patience, ovens taking a break
By TOMMY SIMMONS
tsimmons @ theadvocate.com
Advocate Food editor

To the caller who requested a recipe for Osgood Pie, it's coming, but not
this week. Dozens of Advocate Food readers have sent me versions of Osgood
Pie. Each is a little different, and I thank you for the effort.
The problem is we're having trouble with testing the recipes. I tried one
version last week, and Cheramie Sonnier tested two pie recipes, also.
Sonnier wasn't crazy about the crust she used or the texture of the
filling.

My problem was overflowing pie filling. The filling spilled out of the
crust and all over the bottom of my oven. It was a mess. After cleaning up
the burned sugar, I just couldn't bring myself to start baking pies,
again. Tomorrow is soon enough.

Instead, I tested a creamy flan recipe. You can make it with or without a
caramelized sugar base. If you don't use the caramelized sugar, the flan
can be served as a custard, as is, or with fruit.

@ @ @ @ @
Cream cheese flan

3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 (12-oz.) can evaporated milk
1 (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
5 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat sugar in a small, heavy-duty saucepan
over medium-low heat, stirring constantly for 3 to 4 minutes or until
sugar is dissolved and caramel-colored. Quickly pour into bottom of
2-quart casserole dish.

Place evaporated milk, condensed milk, cream cheese, eggs and vanilla
extract in blender, cover and blend until smooth.

Pour mixture into prepared casserole dish. Place casserole in 13x9-inch
baking dish. Fill the baking dish with warm water to a 1-inch depth.
Bake for 1 hour or until knife inserted near center comes out clean.
Remove flan from hot water; cool to room temperature on wire rack.
Refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Run knife around rim; gently shake to loosen. Invert onto serving dish.

Serves 12.

-- Nestlé Carnation Evaporated Milk

Testing note: I did not make the caramelized sugar base. Instead, I
greased the casserole dish and poured the milk mixture into the greased
dish. I did bake in a water-filled pan. And, I found that the custard was
set in 40 minutes baking time.
_____

§
It's not too soon to start planning your Halloween gatherings or
trick-or-treat outings. Here are suggestions from a Nestlé Web site
http://www.VeryBestKids.com on how to have a fun, safe and happy
Halloween.

1. Plan a filling dinner for your family. Children will be less likely to
begin eating the candy on the way home.

2. Map out your trick-or-treat journey with your kids before you leave.
Make sure to stick to familiar neighborhoods.

3. Pick costumes that are bright, reflective and short enough that chances
of tripping or contact with the flame of a candle-lit jack-o'-lantern are
reduced.

4. Create your own alternative to trick-or-treating, such as a "trail of
treats" in a neighborhood-hosted Halloween block party. Children could
visit different Halloween stations or houses for various treats. Or plan a
school, church or neighborhood Halloween carnival or hayride.

5. Light up. Be sure to carry a flashlight or glow stick when
trick-or-treating.

6. Stick together. Try to stay in large groups and be sure you have no
less than one parent per two children.

7. When trick-or-treating, make sure kids stay on sidewalks. If crossing a
street, obey all traffic signals. Also walk, don't ride bicycles or
scooters in the dark.

8. Allow children to trick-or-treat only at homes that are well lit, and
never let them enter the home of a stranger.

9. Thoroughly check all candy and discard anything that looks suspicious.
Do not allow your child to eat unwrapped or open candy and fruit.

10. Be sure that your children remember their manners and say,
"Thank-you."


§
The Food staff is still soliciting recipes for three cover stories on
comfort foods.

We need recipes using a jar of picante sauce, dishes starting with a cake
mix and recipes calling for a can of tuna fish.

The recipes will be featured in the Food series Start with ...

We would like to know a little about where you found the recipe or who
gave you the recipe, when you serve it and how many it serves.

Mail your recipes to Food -- The Advocate, P.O. Box 588, Baton Rouge, LA
7082, or you can send us your recipe via e-mail to Food @ theadvocate.com.



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