Sunday, July 28, 2013

Memories....Like the Corners of My Mind

I saw this recipe and had to try it.  My mother, who passed away in 1993, always loved the flavor Anise. She wasn't much of a cookie maker, but she did make these candy cane cookies where the red was Anise and the white was vanilla. We always had a bottle around our house.  However, I hadn't bought one in years.  It's a very strong flavor and certainly not for everyone.  It has a slight flavor of black licorice.  As one who picks out the black jelly beans at Easter to eat not to throw away, it's made for me.  These cookies were so, so good and took me back to my childhood.  My daughter, Emily, who doesn't like the black jelly beans gave them her stamp of approval, so maybe you don't have to acquire the taste before you like them.  Also, these are kind of interesting because they use oil instead of shortening or butter.  It really took me back to my mom's cookies.  For some reason she hated shortening and we never used it in our cookies!



ITALIAN ANISETTE COOKIES

4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon anise extract
1 teaspoon anise extract
1 cup confectioners sugar
2 tablespoons hot water

Preheat over to 375 degrees.

In large bowl, mix flour, baking powder and white sugar.  Make a well in the center and add oil, milk, 1 tablespoon anise extract, and eggs.  Mix together until dough is sticky.

Oil fingers and pinch off dough in 1 inch pieces.  Roll into a ball and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet, 1 inch apart, flatten top slightly.  Bake for 8 minutes.  Dip cookies in icing while warm.

To make icing:  blend in 1 teaspoon anise extract and enough hot water to 1 cup confectioners sugar to form a smooth icing.

Source:  Allrecipes.com, Submitted by Heather. You can find it here.


Above: Here are the cookies that my mom gave me so I could try. I ate them for breakfast this morning! I have decided that if I ever make these, I will need to have a plan to give most of them away...because these would be a dangerous thing for me to have in the house. They would be gone before the week was out, and they would be eaten mostly by me! The flavor was just right...not overpowering, and as I said before, the texture was amazing...they melt in your mouth.

Yes, It's That Good!

Another pesto recipe for freezing.


LIGHT LEMON PESTO PASTA

1 (16 oz) package spaghetti
4 oz. Pecorino-Roman cheese, cut into cubes
6 cloves garlic
2 cups loosely packed baby spinach
1 cup firmly packed basil leaves
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons olive oil

1.  Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.  Cook spaghetti at a boil until cooked through but firm to the bite, about 12 minutes; drain.  Transfer spaghetti to a large bowl.

2.  Put cubed Romano cheese in the bowl of a food processor; process until coarsely grated, about 30 seconds.  Put garlic into the food processor and process until the cheese and garlic are combined.  Add spinach, basil, walnuts, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt; process until the mixture comes together into a thick paste.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.

3.  With food processor running, drizzle olive oil into the mixture.  Continue processing until the oil is integrated smoothly.

4.  Pour sauce over spaghetti and toss to coat.

Source:  Allrecipes.com, submitted by Baking Nana. You can find it here.

Cook's Note:  I didn't make the whole recipe, just the pesto.  And I omitted the walnuts due to our nut free zone.  This had such a good flavor!

Facebook Recipes


Above: Update 7/29/13. I had to try my mom's recipe for the boys' breakfast this morning! So good!

Lately a lot of Facebook is taken up with people reposting recipes to their timeline to keep them.  Well, that would be the last place that I would want to store recipes....not a very handy way to search.  But I have been curious how good some of these recipes can be.  Most people repost without having tried them.  So I saw one posted and decided that since I had the ingredients, I wanted to test it out.  Well, I can't say for all of them, but this one was really good.


MINI GERMAN PANCAKES

1 c. milk 
6 eggs
1 c. (all-purpose) flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 c. butter, melted

Preheat over to 400 degrees.  Blend first five ingredients in a blender.  Be sure to smooth out any flour lumps.

Blend in butter a little at a time.

Grease muffin tins well and fill slightly less than half full.

Bake for 15 minutes, or until puffy and golden on top.  The crater will form on its own.

Add your favorite toppings and a dusting of powdered sugar.

Cook's note:  These puff up and form the pocket.  I didn't have powdered sugar, which would have made them look really pretty.  I had jam for filling, but pie filling would have been just as good.

Very easy and nice.


Above: Proof that my oven cooks unevenly. I knew that one side cooked a little hotter than the other...but now I have definitive proof!


Above: I made big ones and little ones (using a jumbo muffin pan and a regular muffin pan).


Above: Here are the smaller ones. Perfect size for my little boys (the jumbo ones are a better side for my husband's breakfast). I cooked mine for 20 minutes instead of 15 because of my son's egg allergy. So, they were a little more browned than my mom's, but still delicious!

After Work Quick Dinner

Here's the story, and I'm stickin' to it.  Sometimes you fall into a handy recipe by accident.  We were grocery shopping and I told my husband to pick up an ingredient.  By mistake, he picked up 3 cans of Crescent rolls.  I don't often use them, so I did a search for recipes using them so they wouldn't go to waste.  I found this one and it's a week night keeper.  Quick, easy after a long day of work and very satisfying.

ITALIAN CRESCENT CASSEROLE


1 lb ground beef, cooked, drained
1 c. basil and garlic tomato pasta sauce (from 16 oz jar)
1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
1 1/2 c shredded Italian cheese blend (6 oz)
1/4 teaspoon dried basil leaves

In 10 inch skillet, mix beef and pasta sauce.  Heat to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.

Separate dough into 8 triangles.  Place dough in ungreased 9-inch pie plate in spoke pattern, with narrow tips overlapping rim of plate about 3 inches.  Press dough in side and bottom to form crust; sprinkle with 1 cup of the cheese.  Spoon meat mixture evenly over cheese.  Bring tips of dough over filling to meet in center; do not overlap.  Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 c cheese and the basil.

Bake at 375 degrees 15-20 minutes.

Makes 2 servings.

Source:  bettycrocker.com. You can find it here.

Saturday, July 27, 2013

The "It" Recipe



Sometimes there is a new "it" ingredient...like chipotle, or quinoa. Sometimes there is a new "it" recipe. This is a new recipe that just came out and I swear everyone and their dog has been trying this recipe. So, I had to try it too.

I really liked it. It was really very easy. You should give it a try (but be sure to read my notes on the recipe because it took longer for me than stated in the original recipe).


One-Pan Pasta

Ingredients:

12 ounces spaghetti
12 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes halved or quartered if large
1 onion, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 sprigs basil, plus torn leaves for garnish
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
4 1/2 cups water
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving

Directions:

Combine pasta, tomatoes, onion, garlic, red-pepper flakes, basil, oil, 2 teaspoons salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and water in a large straight-sided skillet. Bring to a boil over high heat. Boil mixture, stirring and turning pasta frequently with tongs, until pasta is al dente and water has nearly evaporated, about 9 minutes. (see notes below)

Season to taste with salt and pepper, divide among 4 bowls, and garnish with basil. Serve with oil and Parmesan.

Source: Martha Stewart Living, June 2013. You can find the recipe online here.


Notes: This was really good. A great, easy recipe to have in your repertoire.

I have some suggestions though. I was a little worried about cooking it for only 9 minutes. I was dubious that the pasta would be done in that amount of time. I mean, it usually takes my pasta water at least 10 minutes just to start boiling. My gut was right. It took 8 or 9 minutes for the water to start boiling. At that point, my pasta was pretty much still uncooked and the water was not evaporated. So, then I reset the timer for another 9 minutes to cook the pasta.

I mean, it still worked. It tasted awesome, and the pasta ended up al dente. However, I had to check the pasta to make sure it was done all the way and I ended up cooking the pasta for about 20 minutes total instead of the 9 minutes stated in the recipe.

Next time, I think I will try boiling the water first. While the water is boiling, I will prep all the ingredients. Once the water is boiling, I will then put the ingredients into the water and set the timer for 9 minutes (the amount of time needed to cook the spaghetti and for the water to evaporate.)

So, you can either put all the ingredients in the pot, and then add water...but be sure to watch the pasta carefully and test it so that it isn't underdone or overdone, because it won't take 9 minutes on the dot. Or, you can boil the water first and then add all the ingredients.

Maybe the stove tops in the Martha Stewart test kitchens burn hotter and boil water faster than mine does. :)

I used a whole pound (16 ounces) of pasta instead of 12 ounces. I also used 2 pints of grape tomatoes. I would also suggest being very generous with the salt and pepper (prior to boiling). When you serve the pasta, top it with additional salt and pepper, shredded Parmesan, and torn basil. Yum!

Pie!


 There's just no other title for this post. No further explanation needed. Get ready for some pie recipes, folks.


Five Minute Blueberry Pie

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 cup water
4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries, thawed
1 (9-inch) graham cracker crust
Whipped cream, for serving

Directions:

In a saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Stir in water until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add blueberries. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour into crust. Chill. Garnish with whipped cream, if desired.

Source: Originally found on Allrecipes.com, submitted by Milda Anderson. However, the recipe is no longer on their site. It is now on the Taste of Home website. You can find it here.

Notes: This was just so good! It is hard to serve up...and it looks more like a crumble when served, but who cares? This is fantastic.


Gabrielle's Honey Pie

Makes one 9-inch pie

Ingredients:

Crust:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
1 tablespoon sugar
Coarse salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and frozen
3/4 cup cold rendered leaf lard or regular lard (5 ounces), cut into small pieces
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

Filling:

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons honey (preferably organic wildflower)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Coarse salt

Directions:

Make the crust:

Pulse flour, sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt in a food processor until combined. Add butter and lard, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal with some larger pieces remaining, about 10 seconds. Drizzle 1/4 cup water evenly over mixture. Pulse until mixture just begins to come together (dough shold not be wet or sticky). If dough is too dry, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse.

Shape dough into 2 disks, and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 1 disk until firm, about 1 hour (Freeze remaining disk for another use).

Meanwhile, make the filling:

Warm honey in a saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat, and stir in butter.

Whisk together eggs, vanilla, nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir into honey mixture. Refrigerate until cooled, up to 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with 1 rack in the middle position and 1 rack in the bottom third of oven. Roll out dough to a 13-inch round on a lightly floured surface. Line a 9-inch pie plate with dough. Trim overhang to 1 inch; crimp. Prick bottom all over with fork. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Line crust with parchment, and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake, covered for 15 minutes. Uncover, and bake 10 minutes more. Remove dried beans and parchment. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

Stir filling, and pour into cooled crust. Bake on bottom rack until center is set, and crust is golden, 30 to 35 minutes.

Source: Martha Stewart Living, November 2010. You can find it here.


Bob's Pineapple Pie

Ingredients:

1/4 cup cornstarch
2 (20 ounce) cans crushed pineapple, drained with juice reserved
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 egg yolks
Pastry for a (10 inch) double crust pie

Directions:

Dissolve the cornstarch in 1/4 cup of the reserved pineapple juice. Combine the drained pineapple, sugar, salt, egg yolks, cornstarch mixture, and 1 cup of the reserved pineapple juice in a large saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat just until the mixture has thickened slightly and turned shiny. Do not boil. Remove from heat, and cool 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Line a 10-inch pie plate with half of the pastry. Pour the cooled pineapple mixture into the crust. Top with second crust, and seal and crimp the edge. Use a fork to poke holes in the top crust in a few places.

Bake in preheated oven until the crust is golden brown, about 35 to 40 minutes. Cool before serving.

Source: Allrecipes.com, submitted by pvf. You can find it here.


Eggnog Pie

Ingredients:

2 cups eggnog
1 cup milk
1 package (4.6 ounces) cook-and-serve vanilla pudding mix
1 tablespoon rum or 1/2 teaspoon rum extract
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 pastry shell (9 inches), baked
Whipped topping and additional ground nutmeg, optional

Directions:

In a large saucepan, cook the eggnog, milk, and pudding mix over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Remove from the heat and cool slightly. Stir in rum and nutmeg. Pour pudding mixture into crust. Chill until set. Garnish with whipped topping and sprinkle with nutmeg, if desired.

Yield: 8 servings.

Nutrition information: 1 slice equals 287 calories, 13 g fat, 46 mg cholesterol, 274 mg sodium, 38 mg carbohydrate, trace fiber, 4 g protein.

Source: Taste of Home recipe. You can find it here.

Notes: This was a new recipe for eggnog pie that we tried (different than the one we posted a few years ago). Holy cow, this is so good. It is so creamy...wonderful texture, so delicious. Yum. I could go for a piece right now! Too bad eggnog won't be for sale for another four months!


Milk Pie aka Galatoboureko

Ingredients:

4 cups whole milk
1/2 cup fine semolina
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup unsalted butter
4 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (16 ounce) package phyllo dough, thawed
2/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
3 cups water
2 cups sugar
1/2 large lemon

Directions:

In a 4 to 6 quart heavy pot, bring the milk to a boil, and reduce heat to low. Sprinkle in the semolina, whisking constantly. Add the sugar, and simmer for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat, whisk in 2/3 cup of the butter, and add eggs, one at a time, stirring well after each addition. Blend in the vanilla. The mixture will be thick, but pourable, like a soft polenta.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Line bottom with 8 sheets of phyllo, layering them one at a time, and brushing each sheet with butter. The sheets will be larger than the baking pan. Be certain that the bottom is covered by pressing the dough into the corners, and allow the excess to run up the sides of the pan. Phyllo sheets not in use should always be covered with a damp towl.

Pour the milk filling over the sheets. Cover with remaining 12 sheets of phyllo, repeating the layering process, and brushing each sheet with butter.

With a very sharp knife, trim the dough around the edges of the pan, and score the top diagonally in two directions to make diamond-shaped slits on the surface. Sprinkle the top with a little water, and bake 45 minutes to 1 hour. Check after 45 minutes. Pie is done when top is light brown and the filling is set.

As soon as the pie is in the ove, begin to make the syrup. Combine water and sugar in a 4 quart saucepan. Squeeze the halved lemon in the sugared water, and drop the juiced half in the liquid. Simmer on low heat for about 45 minutes. Discard the lemon. Very carefully, because syrup can boile vigorously, pour the hot syrup over the pie as soon as it is removed from the oven.

Let the pie cool completely, and then serve by cutting along the diagonal scores made prior to baking.

Source: Allrecipes.com, submitted by Kenmore featured chef, Cat Cora. You can find it here.



Notes: This is one of my favorite Greek desserts. At the Greek Festival held in Salt Lake City, Utah, they add almond flavoring to their galatoboureko (also spelled galaktoboureko). It is soooo good!



Warm Apple-Buttermilk Custard Pie

Ingredients:

Crust:

1/2 (15 ounce) package refrigerated pie dough (such as Pillsbury)
Cooking spray

Streusel:

1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 1/2 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces

Filling:

5 cups sliced peeled Granny Smith apple (about 2 pounds)
1 cup granulated sugar, divided
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoons salt
3 large eggs
1 3/4 cups fat-free buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

To prepare crust, roll dough into a 14-inch circle; fit into a 9-inch deepdish pie plate coated with cooking spray. Fold edges under; flute. Place pie plate in refrigerator until ready to use.

To prepare streusel, lightly spoon 1/3 cup flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine 1/3 cup flour, brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a medium bowl; cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Place stresuel in refrigerator.

To prepare the filling, heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add sliced apple, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; cook 10 minutes or until the apple is tender, stirring mixture occasionally. Spoon the mixture into prepared crust.

Combine remaining 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, salt, and eggs, stirring with a whisk. Stir in buttermilk and vanilla. Pour over apple mixture. Bake at 325 degrees F. for 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F (do not remove pie from oven); sprinkle streusel over pie. Bake at 300 degrees F for 40 minutes or until set. Let stand 1 hour before serving.

Yield 10 servings.

Nutrition information: 317 calories, 10.1 g fat, 5 g protein, 52.6 g carbohydrate, 1.3 g fiber, 76 mg cholesterol, 0.8 mg iron, 230 mg sodium, 73 mg calcium.

Source: Cooking Light, March 2003. You can find it here.

Friday, July 26, 2013

A Very Complete Meal

 

Side dishes are often an afterthought for me. My mom, on the other hand, never forgets them! She always discovers such fun, delicious, and amazing side dishes. Side dishes definitely make the meal complete.

Here is an example of a lovely Sunday dinner we had a few weeks back, complete with side dishes.

Honey Baked Chicken (Original Recipe)

Ingredients:

6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup honey
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon curry

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place chicken breasts into a 9x13-inch baking dish. Whisk butter, honey, mustard, salt, and curry powder together in a bowl until smooth; pour sauce evenly over chicken.

Bake in the preheated oven until sauce is bubbling and chicken is no longer pink inside, 30 to 45 minutes. An instant-read meat thermometer insterted into the thickest part of a breast should read at least 160 degrees F.

Source: Allrecipes.com, submitted by Brucejoy. You can find it here.


Honey Baked Chicken (Our Version)

Ingredients:

6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 egg, beaten
2 cups Panko
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup honey
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon curry

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Dredge the chicken breasts in the egg. Then coat with the Panko.

Place chicken breasts onto a foil-lined jelly roll pan. Bake until chicken is no longer pink inside, 30 to 45 minutes.

Whisk butter, honey, mustard, salt, and curry powder together in a bowl until smooth. Place in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer and stir until sugar is dissolved.

Serve sauce on top of the chicken, or on the side for dipping.


Source: Allrecipes.com, submitted by Brucejoy. You can find it here.

Notes: My mom made the original recipe and it was a hit. However, my sister said, "This would be even better if the sauce was served over crispy chicken." Voila. My brother described this as being "delectable." Now, you know that means it has to be good! Oh, and it was!


Roasted Garlic Cauliflower

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large head cauliflower, separated into florets
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Grease a large casserole dish.

Place the olive oil and garlic in a large resealable bag. Add cauliflower, and shake to mix. Pour into the prepared casserole dish, and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Bake for 25 minutes, stirring halfway through. Top with Parmesan cheese and parsley, and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, until golden brown.

Source: Allrecipes.com, submitted by SHELLERY. You can find it here.

Notes: I would never have guessed that this recipe called for so much garlic. This doesn't leave you with dragon breath. It is just so, so flavorful and tasty. This is a great recipe!


Stewed Celery in Cream

Ingredients:

2 cups celery, cut in 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup chicken broth
4 teaspoons flour
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup light cream
Dash of nutmeg

Directions:

Simmer celery in stock until just tender, about 12-15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain, and reserve stock (about 2/3 cup).

In a heavy saucepan, melt the butter and stir in flour, using a whisk to blend well. Cook until it bubbles.

Combine the cream and stock, pour into butter and flour mixture. Simmer until thickened, about 3 minutes. Add nutmeg. Put celery back into the sauce and warm through before serving.

Source: RecipeSource. You can find it here.

Notes: This was tasty. The only thing I would change is that I would add more celery. The sauce to celery ration would have been better with more celery. We discovered this recipe because of a fun British television show called "The Supersizers Eat..." It is such an entertaining show. Basically, they pick a time period and then they spend a week eating exactly what the people of that time would have eaten. Some time periods look more fun than others. Beware though, this show has a fun time making a lot of food look seriously unappetizing (for instance when people would be served whole calf heads or a dormouse appetizer). Check it out on IMDB here. You can watch full episodes on IMDB or on YouTube.


Spicy Strawberry Salad

Ingredients:

3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 cups fresh sliced mushrooms
8 cups mixed salad greens
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans, optional (we substituted crumbled bacon instead)
4 cups sliced fresh strawberries

Directions:

Whisk together the oil, sugar, poppy seeds, garlic powder, dry mustard, and vinegar. Refrigerate until chilled.

In a salad bowl, combine the mushrooms and mixed greens; add drssing and toss. Sprinkle with strawberries and pecans (or bacon).

Source: Allrecipes.com, submitted by Leslie Oscarson. You can find it here.

Notes: In the hunt for substitutions for nuts, my mom decided to use bacon in place of the pecans to add some crunch and saltiness to the salad. Everyone LOVED it. It was a nice way to mix it up. The salty and sweet combination in this salad was really good.

Spinach Caprese Salad

Ingredients:

1 cup baby spinach leaves
1 large tomato, sliced 3/4 inch thick
1 ball of fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Spread the spinach out on a serving plate. Place the slices of tomato on the bed of spinach. Top each slice of tomato with a slice of fresh mozzarella. Sprinkl the basil over the salad and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste.

Source: Allrecipes.com, submitted by mcbeal. You can find it here.

Notes: We served this a different night, but I figured this was as good a place as any to post it! Sorry, no picture! A variation for this salad is that you can use grape tomatoes, cube the cheese, and serve it as a tossed salad.