You may remember me mentioning Pam Anderson and one of her cookbooks, Perfect Recipe for Losing Weight and Eating Great. Pam’s newest cookbook, Perfect One-Dish Dinners: All You Need For Easy Get-Togethers is now on the shelves ready to make taste buds all across the land dance with joy.
What I like about Pam’s recipes in all of her books, is that they are approachable, tested, tried, and true. And Perfect One-Dish Dinners: All You Need For Easy Get-Togethers is no exception. The recipes that Pam offers in this cookbook enable you to get a scrumptious meal for a group going, and still have time to primp, wash the dog or hide all the unfolded clothes in your closet before company arrives. And even better, Pam pairs appetizers, salads, desserts, and even wine suggestions with each main dish recipe. How cool is that?
Yesterday, for our Sunday dinner, I tried the Rioja Beef, with Chickpeas, Peppers, and Saffron. And I’m glad I did.
It was tempting me, and no wonder. Who could pass up a rich beef stew, accented with a combination of savory seasonings, and colorful peppers? Seriously yum. And seriously simple. Seriously.
As an appetizer we had the Sautéed Chorizo Bites with Sweet and Sour Fig Sauce. A tad bit of improvisation was called for since I didn’t purchase the dried chorizo (which Pam clearly noted), but instead the refrigerated kind. That didn’t work so well. It kinda fell apart and is now waiting to be used in another dish. But all was not lost! I was able to sauté regular smoked sausage in the chorizo renderings.
It was a tasty bite that didn’t last long around here.
On to the dessert… I have to coo and ahh and little here, so please forgive me. The recommended sweet ending to this meal was a Creamy Flan. Before yesterday, I’d never made flan before. And I have to admit, I was more than a little apprehensive that the flan would flop. And floppy flan is no good.
But it worked. I can’t believe it. I can make flan. I can make flan that actually looks like flan, and tastes like flan. Or at least, I think that’s what it’s supposed to look like. If not, don’t tell me. Let me go on living in my flan happy world.
You can get flan happy too. Below is the Pam’s recipe for the Creamy Flan. The original recipe called for one large flan, but I made individual flans in ramekins. It’s pretty simple y’all. So give it a go the next time you’re feeling freaky for flan. And don’t forget to check out the rest of the delectable dishes in Perfect One-Dish Dinners: All You Need For Easy Get-Togethers.
Creamy Flan Recipe
(Serves 8 )
Adapted from Pam Anderson’s Perfect One-Dish Dinners: All You Need For Easy Get-Togethers
Ingredients:
1 quart + 1/4 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 package (8 oz.) light cream cheese, softened
4 large eggs
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preparation Instructions:
Preheat oven to 325°F.
Bring 1 quart of water to a boil.
In a saucepan, whisk together constantly 1/4 cup water and sugar and bring to a boil. As soon as mixture begins to boil, stop whisking, lower temperature to medium and let simmer until it turns golden brown, 10-15 minutes. Pour mixture into a 9″ deep dish pie pan (or individual oven safe ramekins), set in a roasting pan or deep baking pan large enough to accommodate the dish(es).
While the water/sugar mixture is simmering, beat the cream cheese in a large mixing bowl until smooth.
Add eggs, one at a time, stopping to scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl after each egg is added.
Add evaporated and condensed milk, and vanilla and mix until combined well.
Put roasting pan in oven and pour cream cheese mixture into pie plate (or individual ramekins). Pour hot water in the bottom of the roasting pan to reach about halfway up the pie plate (or ramekins). Bake until flan is jiggly but not watery, about 1 hour. (Reduce baking time to about 45-50 if using the individual ramekins.)
Remove from oven, cool and refrigerate until ready to serve. Run a small knife around perimeter of the pie plate to loosen sides and invert onto a rimmed platter or plate. Cut into pieces and serve.
Enjoy!
To take a peek at some other recipes from Pam’s book check out these links…
DadCooksDinner.com
RecipeGirl.com
ArtofGlutenFreeBaking.com
KitchenGadgetGirl.com
MyBakingAddiction.com
Wenderly.com
BluebonnetsandBrownies.com
TheSensitivePantry.com
WhatsCookingBlog.com
TwoPeasandTheirPod.com
WhatsGabyCooking.com
Bellalimento.com
SmithBites.com
MyFavoriteEverything.com
FoodForMyFamily.com
SavorTheThyme.com
Ivoryhut.com
DineAndDish.net
GlutenFreeGirl
Picky-Palate.com
TickledRed
SheWearsManyHats.com
WhatWereEating.com
ThisWeekForDinner.com
SugarCrafter.net
GoodLifeEats.com
Yummy! I’ve never made flan either, but I think the time has come! Yep,flan happy time it is!
I have yet to make flan but yours looks simply stunning!
That flan looks amazing! So simple yet beautifully complex and delicious. This cookbook sounds perfect for me
Beautiful photos! The whole meal looks fabulous!
Mmmm, that flan looks “to-die-for” – perfectly delicious!
The flan was delish! Thanks for sharing!
I saw Pam’s book yesterday at Barnes and Noble and was flipping through it – it looks awesome!
Hi Amy, beautiful pictures. I haven’t even had a minute to go through Pam’s book yet, but I cannot wait! Thanks for sharing the yummy recipe. I have a delicious orange flan recipe in my book that I love to make with Mexican food. xo
you know I’ve never had Flan!…….sure looks delicious!!
What a fabulous meal. Your pictures are gorgeous!
Your photos are STUNNING! I will be making this dessert very soon!
Okay, I can’t wait to get Pam’s book. I really can’t! But the thing that blew me away this morning were your photos! Wow, girlie! I don’t even like flan and you made it look pretty darn good.
I wish I could just hang out in your kitchen with you for a day! Just one day.
Gorgeous flan, Amy! You picked the perfect plate on which to photograph it!
I’ve made flan a couple of times and absolutely LOVE it – yours looks PERFECT!!
The stew looks sensational but I want to be in a happy flan world!
How interesting to use cream cheese in the flan. I bet that makes it even smoother and creamier. Nothing worse than too many air bubbles in a flan to mar its texture.
No, floopy flan there, it looks perfect!
Gorgeous flan, Amy! I’ve never made one myself, but as soon as I get this cookbook I’m giving it a try. It looks delicious.
My hubby would go nuts for your menu as he is portugese so the flan and Chorizo would be appreciated!
That looks like awesome flan. Nice work!
Beautiful, beautiful flan! Love that plate too. I want to make this one but I keep forgetting to buy the sweetened condensed milk. Soon, very soon!
I can happily tell you that IS what flan is supposed to look like! Hurray, you can make flan!
That is one delicious looking flan. Seriously – love that photo!
Everything looks wonderful! I’ve always been a little bit afraid of flan – I’ll have to give it a try now!
That foto Amy, WOW it’s fantastic! The color just jumps off the page. Beautiful! xoxo
Oh, EVERYTHING looks wonderful!!! Flan always reminds me of high school. I was in Spanish Honors Society (yeah, I was a total NERD) and there was some city-wide Spanish contest….for nerds, I guess. I entered the cooking contest…with flan…and won a prize. It’s the only time I’ve ever made or eaten flan. I think over 20 years later, I’ll give it another try!
That picture looks absolutely perfect, Amy. Perfect, just like the cookbook. Not a recipe I’ve tried that I haven’t loved.
Hi there!
Perhaps you would like to try this one out!
http://westcoastcooking.wordpress.com/2010/10/17/pudim-de-mel-manuka-manuka-honey-pudding/
Enjoy!
Miguel
yummm…this looks like heaven on a place. i love the caramel and i ca almost taste it too!
Wow, those flan photos are amazing! I could dive right in!!!
ButterYum
I have to say – I know my way around making a good flan and this one looks PERFECT! Rock on girl!
I would love some of that flan right this moment!
I made the Rioja Beef this weekend and it was awesome. I loved the addition of the orange. 
This flan looks perfect! I made flan many times and doesn’t look beautiful as this. One problem I have is the little small holes.