Once Upon a Cafe

Kale Strata

2012-02-03T21:17:00.000-08:00

Kale is the darling of the vegetable world currently. So since I had some extra hanging around in the fridge along with some sliced crimini mushrooms I decided to make a casserole. Just the thing for brunch during the cold days of February.
Ingredients:
6 whole eggs
1-1/4 cups half and half
2 Tablespoons minced parsley
1/2 loaf crusty French bread, cut into cubes (La Boulangerie)
1 large bunch Dino Kale, spine removed and cut into small pieces (optional: add 1 more bunch of Kale)
10 oz package sliced crimini mushrooms (Trader Joe's)
2 cups grated cheese (I like a Swiss/Gruyere mixture)

Note: recipe can easily be doubled

Mix together and set aside
eggs, half and half, sprinkle of salt and pepper (I use Pappy's seasoning), parsley
Saute the kale in a little melted butter or olive oil until slightly wilted and set aside
Place sliced mushrooms on a foil lined baking sheet and drizzle olive oil over mushrooms and sprinkle with sea salt. Roast in a 425 degree oven for about 15 min. Remove from oven and set aside.
Butter an 11x9 in glass pan
Layer bread, kale, and mushrooms in baking pan
Sprinkle with half the cheese.
Pour egg mixture over the top
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight
Remove from frig 30 minutes before baking
Remove plastic wrap
Cover with foil that has been buttered or sprayed with nonstick spray on the underside

Bake at 350 30-40 minutes

Remove foil and continue baking until top is golden brown and slightly crisp

Note: Also see the recipe for Quiche

Quinoa Tabbouleh

2011-07-23T16:29:00.000-07:00

Grown high in the Andes, quinoa is an ancient grain rich in history. It's a seed that has a taste similar to popcorn. Super easy to cook. Try this protein rich salad for it's fresh taste.

QUINOA TABBOULEH

From the Whole Foods Market Cookbook

Place 2 cups of quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water.

Drain well

Place quinoa 1-1/2 teaspoons sea salt and 3-1/2 cups water
in a saucepan over medium heat

Cook until the water absorbs into the rice - about 25 minutes.
Cover and let sit for 10 minutes.

Fluff with a fork and pour into a large bowl to cool

In a medium size bowl combine

1 bunch of flat leaf parsley finely chopped (2 cups chopped)

1 pound plum tomatoes chopped

1/2 red bell pepper chopped

3 scallions thinly sliced (white and green parts)

4 cloves garlic finely chopped (I use 6 cloves)

1/2 bunch mint finely chopped (3 tablespoons chopped)

Pour veggie mixture over the quinoa

Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon salt over the top

Pour over quinoa:

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice (about 3 lemons)

Toss together

Adjust seasonings to taste

Enjoy!

Nutty Raisin Cookies

2011-07-23T15:55:00.000-07:00

I love these cookies. Rich and buttery with crunchy almonds, pecans and raisins.

Preheat oven to 350

In a medium bowl combine and set aside

2 1/4 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Beat

1- 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

Add and beat in: 1 cup sugar

2/3 cup dark brown sugar

Then: 2 eggs

1- 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Gradually beat in the flour mixture

By hand stir in:

2 cups chopped dry roasted almonds

1- 1/2 cups raw pecan halves

2 cups raisins
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

It's best to put the cookie dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes

I like to use a large scoop to make big cookies

Bake at 350 for 10 - 12 minutes

Let cool then remove cookies to a cooling rack

Store in an airtight container

Nutty Granola with Flaxseed and Hempseed

2011-07-08T20:00:00.000-07:00

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F

Line the bottom of a rimmed baking pan with foil and lightly coat with nonstick spray

Combine

4 cups regular oats (not instant)
2 cups regular oats processed in the food processor until fine

1 cup toasted wheat germ

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

1 cup raw pecan halves, chopped in food processor

1 cup dry roasted almonds, chopped in food processor

1 cup dry roasted salted cashew pieces, chopped in the food processor

1 cup dry roasted pistachio meats chopped in the food processor
1/2 cup sesame seeds

1/2 cup coarsely ground flaxseed

1/2 cup hulled hempseed

Set aside

Stir over medium heat

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup molasses

1 stick unsalted butter (8 tablespoons)

1-1/4 cups dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons cinnamon

2 tablespoons ground ginger

3 Tablespoons finely diced fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt

Heat until sugar is dissolved then pour over oat mixture and blend completely

Pour the granola mixture onto a rimmed baking pan.

To press the mixture into the pan try this: Cover granola with plastic wrap.

Take another baking pan the same size and place the bottom of the pan on top of the granola and press down.

Or you could take the flat side of a meat tenderizer and tap it down.

Remove the pan and/or plastic wrap

Bake the granola for 30 minutes
(Note : To make a loose granola just divide mixture evenly between 2 rimmed baking pans.)
Remove from oven and let the oven cool down to 250

Bake an additional 20 minutes

Cool completely before cutting.

Place a cutting board on top of the cooled granola and flip over.

Remove the foil and slice.

Wrap each bar in plastic wrap

Store in an airtight container.
Enjoy!

Mini Christmas Cut Out Cookies

2010-11-28T20:51:00.000-08:00

Mini cut out cookies dipped in chocolate are fun to make and give out at Christmas time.

Shortbread Cut Out Cookies

Let 3/4 of a pound of unsalted butter come to room temperature

Mix and set aside

3-1/2 cups flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt

Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream together until just combined

3/4 lb butter

1 cup sugar

Add 1 teaspoon vanilla

Turn mixer to low speed

Gradually add the flour and salt

Mix until the dough starts to come together

Divide dough in half and shape into a ball and flatten

Place each disc of dough between 2 sheets of wax paper (no flour needed)

Use a rolling pin to flatten the dough out to a thickness of about 1/2 inch

Place dough in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes

Preheat oven to 350F

Remove dough from refrigerator and roll out to 1/4 inch thick and cut with mini Christmas and heart shaped cutters (no flour needed)

Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet (or ungreased cookie sheet)

Bake 7-10 minutes

Let cool completely on the cookie sheet

To Melt Chocolate

Make a double boiler by putting about 2 inches of water in a saucepan and placing a mixing bowl on top- make sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water

Heat water to a gentle simmer

Chop 5-7 ounces of good quality chocolate and place into the bowl

Stir until the chocolate is completely melted

Line a cookie sheet with parchment

Dip each cookie into the chocolate and place on the cookie sheet

The chocolate will set up in about 2-3 hours

Note: after dipping the cookie in chocolate you can sprinkle colored sugar, chocolate sprinkles or diced nuts, etc over the chocolate

Store in an air tight container

Chocolate Mousse Chiffon Pie

2010-11-28T17:43:00.000-08:00

This pie has the lightness of a chiffon pie with the added richness of chocolate. To speed things up I used a store bought frozen pie crust. It's the perfect pie for Christmas dinner.

Chocolate Mousse Chiffon Pie

From Pie by Ken Haedrich

Pie Crust

Place rack in middle of oven

Preheat oven to 400F

Thaw a frozen deep dish pie crust for 10 minutes ( I used a Marie Callender's Brand)

Prick the bottom and sides of crust with a fork

You can line the bottom of the crust with foil and place pie weights on top to keep the crust flat during baking

Bake 12-15 minutes

Let crust cool completely then place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Filling

Over low heat add

1/2 cup water

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

As the butter starts to melt add

8 oz semisweet chocolate coarsely chopped ( DO NOT USE Chocolate Chips)

I buy random sized pieces of Callebaut at Whole Foods

Stir until the chocolate has melted.

Then whisk to smooth

Add 2 more Tablespoons unsalted butter

Then let the chocolate cool down to warm

Add 3 egg yolks (Save the whites for use later)

Put the pan back on low heat whisking for 3-4 minutes to cook the yolks.

Remove from heat and add 1 teaspoon vanilla

Let cool to room temperature then refrigerate.

Gelatin Mixture

Sprinkle 1 packet (2 teaspoons) of unflavored gelatin over 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan.

Let sit 5 minutes to dissolve the gelatin

Over low heat stir the gelatin until completely dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes

Whisk this into the chocolate mixture

Keep the chocolate mixture in the refrigerator just until it has the consistency of hot fudge sauce.

Egg White Mixture

Beat the 3 egg whites until they hold soft peaks

Beat in 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar and a pinch of salt

Gradually add 1/3 cup sugar beating on high speed until thick, glossy and firm

Transfer the chocolate mixture to a large bowl and fold in 1/3 of the egg white mixture

Add the rest of the egg white mixture and continue folding until no streaks remain

Whipped Cream Mixture

Beat 1/2 cup cold heavy cream until stiff

Fold into the chocolate mixture until combined

Scrape the filling into the chilled pie shell and smooth out.

Refrigerate at least 4 hours.

Serve with a garnish of whipped cream.

Christmas Caramel Popcorn

2010-11-28T17:31:00.000-08:00

Add a white and dark chocolate drizzle, some dried cranberries and pecans and you have caramel popcorn all dressed up and ready for Christmas. This recipe makes a lot of caramel corn. Give some away in a decorative tin or glass jar tied up with ribbon. Make someone's day by giving a little treat bag filled with caramel corn. I love to take treats to my Starbucks buddies.

Christmas Caramel Popcorn

You'll need 2 pans: a roasting pan plus a rimmed baking pan

Grease both pans

Preheat oven to 325

Place 3 cups of pecans on a rimmed baking pan

Toast for 8 minutes

Remove from oven and stir

Set aside to cool

Turn oven down to 250

You'll need 6 -7 quarts of popped corn which equals

2 batches

You'll need a huge pot to make the pop corn.

I use a 12 qt stock pot.

For 1 batch of popcorn : (you'll need to do this twice)

Turn heat to medium

Put into pot and place lid on top:

3 Tablespoons Wesson oil

1/2 cup of Orville Redenbacher's popping corn

Gently shake pot from side to side until kerne

ls start popping

Then shake vigorously until you don't hear any more kernels popping

Quickly dump into a huge bowl

(I use a giant "taco salad" size bowl.)

You may need a second huge size bowl for the second batch of popcorn

Take your hands and scoop up the popcorn and place into a 2 quart Pyrex glass measuring cup.

BE SURE TO REMOVE ALL THE UNPOPPED KERNALS

Place about 5 quarts of popcorn and 1-1/2 cups pecans into the roasting pan

And 2 quarts of popcorn and 1/2 cup pecans onto the rimmed baking pan

Place in a 250 oven to keep warm while you make the caramel

Caramel

Turn heat to medium

Put into a 2 1/2 to 3 quart sauce pan:

2 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup light Karo (corn syrup)

1 teaspoon salt

2 sticks unsalted butter (1 cup)

Stir constantly and bring to a boil

Once it boils continue to stir for 5 minutes

Remove from heat and stir in:

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

This will foam up and sizzle

Remove the popcorn from the oven

Drizzle caramel over the popcorn

Grease 2 large spoons

Toss popcorn with the spoons to distribute the caramel.

Don't worry that it doesn't completely coat all the popcorn

Place popcorn in the oven for 1 hour.

Take it out of the oven and stir every 15 minutes.

Each time you toss and stir the popcorn more of the caramel

will end up coating it.

Let the caramel corn cool in the pan.

Give it a stir every now and then as it cools to break it apart and keep it from sticking to the pan.

Divide the caramel corn between 3 rimmed cookie sheets

Sprinkle 1/2 cup of dried cranberries over the caramel popcorn

(divide 1/2 cup between the 3 pans)

Drizzle

Melt 2 cups (5 oz) semisweet or dark chocolate in a double boiler.

To make a double boiler just fill a saucepan with about 2 inches of water.

Heat to barely simmering.

Place a bowl on top of the pan.

Make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water.

Add the chocolate and stir until melted

Place melted chocolate in a zip lock bag and snip a tiny corner off the bag.

An easy way to fill the plastic bag is to place the bag in a drinking glass and fold down the top.

Then just scrape the chocolate into the bag.

Drizzle chocolate over the caramel corn - all three cookie sheets

Repeat with White Chocolate- note- white chocolate is harder to work with than regular chocolate. Go slowly and don't overheat it.

The chocolate drizzle will take about 2 hours to set

Once the chocolate is completely set place in an air tight container.

Graveyard Cake

2010-10-30T17:45:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween! This is a fun and easy cake to make for Halloween. Super chocolaty cake with a chocolate buttercream frosting. A little sprinkle of dirt, some grass, a few tombstones, skeletons and your graveyard is complete.

Graveyard Cake

This recipe is from Cupcakes Take the Cake

Preheat oven to 350

Rack in the center of the oven

Lightly spray a 9 x 13 cake pan

Measure and set aside

1 cup milk (whole milk works best)

Whisk together and set aside

1-1/2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup cocoa powder

Cream with a stand mixer using the whisk attachment:

2 sticks of unsalted butter, room temp

Add and continue mixing for a few more minutes:

2-1/2 cups sugar

Add: and beat until combined

4 large size eggs, room temp

(you can put the eggs in warm water for a few minutes to reach room temp)

Add:

2 teaspoons vanilla

When doing the next steps -- mix enough to just combine

Scrape down the bowl when needed

Add: 1/3 of the flour mixture and combine

Add: 1/2 of the milk

Then: another1/3 of the flour

Add: the rest of the milk

Add: the rest of the flour

Scrape cake batter into the pan and smooth out the top

Bake 35 minutes. Cool in the pan.

Vanilla Buttercream

This will be tinted green to make the grass

You'll need AmeriColor soft gel paste food color in Forest Green

Cream together

3 Tablespoons Crisco shortening

1-1/2 sticks (12 Tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature

Add

1 teaspoon vanilla

Add

A little food color

Gradually add

2-2/3 cups powdered sugar

Frequently scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.

Add food color a little at a time until you have the desired shade.

Continue mixing until frosting is nice and smooth.

Spoon frosting into a 12 inch pastry bag fitted with the grass decorating tip

(this tip has holes at the end which look like a garlic press)

Chocolate Buttercream

Cream 1-1/2 sticks unsalted butter, really soft room temperature

In a small bowl combine

1/3 cup boiling water

1/3 cup cocoa powder

Stir until it is a smooth consistency-it will be thick

Add cocoa mixture to the butter and continue mixing

Gradually add

2/3 cup cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Add

1/4 cup heavy cream

Gradually add

2-2/3 cups powdered sugar

Add

1/4 cup Karo corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla

Continue mixing until frosting is smooth and all the powdered sugar is thoroughly combined

When the cake is completely cool use all of the chocolate butter cream to frost the top of the cake

Dirt

Scrape the cream filling off 10 Oreo sandwich cookies

Place cookies in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pen

or use a food processor

Sprinkle cookie crumbs evenly over the top of the cake

Tombstones

Use Pepperidge Farm Milano cookies for the tombstones

Write on them with a black food decorating pen

Skeletons

I used stretchy rubber skeletons from Michaels Craft Store

Happy Halloween!

Graveyard Freeze

2010-10-24T13:53:00.000-07:00

Serve this to your ghouls on Halloween. Midori and peaches combine to make a delicious freeze that is perfect for a Halloween refresher.

Graveyard Freeze

Add to blender container

3 cups frozen sliced peaches
1 cup ice
1 cup Midori (Melon liqueur)(tastes like honeydew melon)
2 oz Tequila
Juice from 1 lemon

Blend 1 minute

Happy Halloween!

Red Velvet Mummy Cupcakes with Velvety Cinnamon Frosting

2010-10-09T16:08:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween!! I thought I'd make some red velvet cupcakes for you. Since it's almost Halloween I frosted them to look like mummies. This recipe is from the cookbook Baked by Lewis and Poliafito. It makes 24 cupcakes or 1-three layer eight inch cake. Soft gel paste food coloring is used to give a true vibrant red color. It's also much easier to work with than liquid food coloring. I used AmeriColor "Red Red". Here in Fresno CA you can purchase it at Creative Cakes. The frosting has a mild cinnamon taste that doesn't overpower the flavor of the cupcake. What is it about red velvet cake that makes it so popular?

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 325

Place rack in the middle of oven
Set out the eggs, buttermilk and butter so they can reach room temperature

Line 2 muffin pans with cupcake papers

In a medium bowl whisk together

1/4 cup cocoa powder

2 tablespoons red gel food coloring

1/4 cup boiling water

Whisk into the cooled cocoa mixture and set aside

1 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment

Cream together until smooth

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

Scrape the bowl down and add

1-2/3 cups sugar

Beat until light and fluffy- 5 minutes

Add

3 large eggs one at a time- beating well after each addition

Sift together in a medium bowl

2-1/2 cups cake flour

1 teaspoon salt
With the mixer on low alternate adding the flour and cocoa mixtures
Add 1/3 of the flour mixture
Add half of the cocoa mixture
Add 1/3 of the flour mixture
Add the rest of the cocoa mixture
Add the remaining flour mixture
Mix until well combined

In a small bowl stir together-it will fizz

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar)

1 teaspoon baking soda

Add to the cake batter and stir by hand until just combined

Scoop batter into 24 cupcake cups (using a muffin scoop)

Bake 12 cupcakes at a time for 15-18 minutes
Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes then remove cupcakes to a cooling rack

Cinnamon Frosting

Don't let the flour or the cinnamon in this recipe keep you from making this frosting.
It is velvety smooth and barely sweet. The cinnamon just slightly flavors the frosting.
If you want a silky smooth vanilla frosting just leave out the cinnamon.

Put out 3 sticks of unsalted butter, cut into pieces, so they can reach room temperature

In a medium heavy bottomed saucepan whisk together

1-3/4cups sugar

1/4 cup flour

Add

1-1/2 cups milk

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
Stir over medium heat until the mixture boils and gets very thick

This will take about 20 minutes total time
During the first 10 minutes it will heat up and start to boil.
Once it boils it will take another 10 minutes to thicken to the right consistency

It should be like thick gooey sweetened condensed milk

Take the mixture off the heat and pour into the bowl of a stand mixer

Beat on high until cool

Reduce speed to low

Add butter (should be soft but cool) and mix until thoroughly incorporated
Use a sturdy spoon and scrap the sides and bottom of the bowl

Add and continue mixing

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 teaspoons cinnamon

Increase speed to medium high and beat until fluffy and light.
Be sure to scrap the sides and bottom of the bowl several times during mixing

If the frosting is too soft place the bowl in the refrigerator to chill slightly, then beat again.

If too firm place the bowl over a pot of simmering water and beat with a wooden spoon until it is the proper consistency.

Mummy Decoration

You will need
1- 12 inch clear plastic disposable decorating bag
#47 basket weave decorating tip-Wilton brand
Decorating tip coupler
Candy eyeballs or other round candy to use for eyes
Get Ready
Push the largest part of the coupler that has the threads on the outside through the clear bag all the way to the opening.
Trim away any excess plastic the extends past the coupler.
Cap the metal decorating tip over the outside of the coupler.
Secure by screwing on the other piece of the coupler.
Fill your decorating bag with frosting
Technique
Pipe strips of frosting across the top of the cupcake leaving an open space for the eyes.
Be sure that you have the groove side of the basket weave tip on the bottom so the strips are smooth.

Red Velvet Cake

You can use the red velvet cupcake recipe above to make a 3 layer eight inch cake.
Grease 3 8-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper and grease the parchment.
Follow the red velvet cupcake recipe and divide the batter between the 3 pans.
Bake at 325 for about 30 minutes.
Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes.
Invert cakes onto a wire rack and remove from pans.
Let cool completely.
Remove parchment.
Assemble the Cake
Place one cake layer on a serving platter.
Trim the top to create a flat surface
and evenly spread about 1-1/4 cups of frosting on top.
Top with the next cake layer, trim and frost.
Add the third layer.
Spread a really thin coating of frosting on the entire cake
and refrigerate for 15 minutes to firm up the frosting.
This is called a crumb coat.
It keeps the crumbs from showing through.
Frost the sides and top with the remaining frosting.
Then refrigerate again for 15 minutes.
Storage

Place the cupcakes/cake in a covered container and keep in the refrigerator if desired.

This will keep the frosting from getting too soft at room temperature.

The cupcakes/cake do not have to be refrigerated.

They can sit out at room temperature.

Happy Halloween!!

Enjoy

Chocolate Mice Cookies

2010-10-08T21:45:00.000-07:00

This is a fun cookie to make for Halloween.

Chocolate Mice Cookies

You will need

48 inches of string licorice preferably black for the tails

48 eyeballs or other round hard candy

24 black pearls (hard candy) for the nose

or you could use red hots

If you are short on time make the dough the night before you need it.

Place 2 sticks (1 cup) of unsalted butter out to reach room temperature

Place 1 large egg out to reach room temperature

Cut licorice into 2 inch lengths

Measure into a small bowl, whisk to combine and set aside

2-3/4 cups flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Use a stand mixer

Cream

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temoerature

1 cup brown sugar

Add

1 egg, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla

Gradually add on low speed

Flour and cocoa mixture

Mix well

Dough will be stiff

Divide dough in half, flatten into a disk shape and wrap in plastic wrap

Place dough in refrigerator for 1 hour

To shape mice

Take a muffin scoop and scoop out approx 2 tablespoons of dough

Roll into a ball to start with and then shape into a mouse.

Use a black pearl for the nose

Place 2 round hard candies for the eyes

Roll 2 tiny balls of dough for the ears.

Shape and place directly behind the eyes.

Avoid placing on the sides of the head because during baking they could fall off.

Take a tooth pick and push it into where the tail will go to form a hole.

Shape 12 mice and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes

Take the remaining dough and make 12 more mice and place in refrigerator

Space 12 chilled mice on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet

Bake at 325 for 12 minutes

Remove from oven and insert licorice tails into the holes you poked earlier

When I used white pearl candy for the eyes it melted (disappeared) during baking

So I used the eyeball candy I had on hand and inserted them after I took the mice out of the oven.

The black pearl candy I used for the noses worked fine.

So if your candy melts and disappears during baking just go ahead and reinsert some more after you take the mice out of the oven.

Cool on the pan

Bake remaining 12 chilled mice

NOTE

You can make smaller mice. Just use a muffin scoop that holds 1 tablespoon of dough.

Use the same length of licorice as for the mice above- you'll just need twice as much.

Double the amount of candies.

Bake at 325 for 10 minutes

Happy Halloween!

Nutty Toffee

2010-09-18T17:32:00.000-07:00

This toffee is loaded with a crunchy mix of almonds, cashews, pecans and pistachios. It's easy to make. Use your favorite combination of nuts or seeds. The flavor of the nuts shines through so you don't want to use anything but the freshest nuts. Costco has raw almonds, walnuts and pecans that are always fresh and reasonably priced. Trader Joes also carries a large selection of raw and roasted nuts. Take this toffee with you on your next road trip for something to snack on. It travels well.

Nutty Toffee

You will need a 12 x 18 rimmed baking pan. (No need to grease the pan)
Preheat oven to 325F

Spread evenly onto a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 4 minutes

This really brings out the flavor and crunch of the nuts

(See note below at the very bottom of the page about using salted nuts)

2 cups roasted unsalted cashew pieces (available at Trader Joes)

2 cups roasted unsalted pistachio nutmeats (available at Trader Joes)
Remove from oven and let cool completely then set aside
You don't need to chop the cashew pieces or pistachios
Next
Spread evenly onto a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 4 minutes

2 cups dry roasted unsalted whole almonds (available at Trader Joes)

Let cool completely, coarsely chop and set aside

Spread onto a baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes

2 cups roasted unsalted pecans
Pecans are not usually sold roasted (raw pecans are available at Costco)

Let cool then coarsely chop

Place all the nuts into a large bowl and stir to combine

Sprinkle nuts over the bottom of the pan.

Add to saucepan and place over medium heat:

4 sticks (1 lb) salted butter (regular butter)

2-1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/4 cup corn syrup (light Karo)

Stir constantly until it begins to boil.

Once the sugar dissolves you can clip your candy thermometer to the side of the pan

The mixture will be thick and then start to thin out as it gets to 290 degrees

Start watching for 290 degrees

From there it will quickly go to 300

It's done when it reaches 295 - 300 degrees max
(the color of brown sugar or a bit darker)

Don't overcook!
IMPORTANT

The sugar and butter will melt to the consistency of marshmallow cream and start to darken in color.
It will remain thick and change to the color of peanut butter taffy.
When it finally thins out to the consistency of heavy cream you are close to being at 290.
The candy will continue to darken in color as it gets hotter.
Here's the key to knowing when it's done cooking.
Drop a bit of molten candy into water - it should be crunchy.
If it's chewy it's not done.
That's all you need to know.

It will normally take 25 minutes of constantly stirring to get to this point.
If it darkens to the color of Sugar Daddy candy (dark tan) you are close to burning it.

On my current candy thermometer the molten candy was the color of a Sugar Daddy at 290.
I immediately took the pan off the heat and poured it over the nuts.
I could tell from the smell that it was dangerously close to burning.
I don't trust candy thermometers.
I look for signs to tell me when it's done.
The best test is dropping some of the molten hot candy into some water.
If it's crunchy it's done.

I think it's easier to make this without a thermometer.

Follow the precautions above and your toffee will turn out just fine.

To make crunchy chunks of nutty toffee :
Immediately pour the hot mixture evenly over the nuts

Then take two forks and quickly and carefully toss the nuts and candy together.

Let the toffee cool and then break apart

To make the smooth nutty toffee shown below:

Pour the hot mixture over the nuts

Allow the toffee to cool and then break apart

I should have included a photo of the underside.

There is a thick layer of almonds, cashews, pecans and pistachios underneath.

Store in an airtight container.
*Note*

I wouldn't use more than 2 cups of roasted salted nuts in this recipe or it will taste way too salty. I made a batch of Nutty Toffee using 4 cups of salted nuts (salted pistachios and salted cashew pieces). Everyone who tasted the toffee said it was too salty. I would suggest if you use more than 2 cups of salted nuts that you use unsalted butter.

Enjoy!

Peach Crumble

2010-07-25T16:36:00.000-07:00

Summer is here and it is HOT. I made a fresh peach custard tart a few weeks ago. It took forever to make and I had sticky peach juice all over my kitchen which was a huge mess by the time I was finished. Never again. So because of the heat I made this peach crumble that assembled quickly and didn't mess up my kitchen. The crumble topping is made in the bowl of a stand mixer. I plan on using this technique from now on. I used frozen sliced peaches so I didn't have the drippy, sticky mess of peeling and slicing fresh peaches. I baked the crumble in two 9"x 5" loaf pans. You could use individual ramekins. It's fast and simple to make and tastes like fresh peaches. Perfect for a hot summer day.

Peach Crumble

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Place rack in center of oven

(from the cookbook Barefoot Contessa at Home: recipe-Peach and Blueberry Crumbles)
For the fruit

2 lbs firm, ripe peaches (6-8 peaches)

or apricots or nectarines

(I used sliced frozen peaches)
1 cup fresh blueberries (1/2 pint)(I omitted)
Immerse the peaches in boiling water for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until their skins peel off easily. Place them immediately in cold water.

Peel the peaches, slice them into thick wedges, and place them in a large bowl.

(Or use 2lbs frozen sliced peaches placed in a large bowl)

Add

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (I omitted)

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (I omitted)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup flour (I used 1 Tablespoon)

Toss well.

Gently mix in the blueberries (I omitted)

Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes (I skipped this step)

Spoon the mixture into ramekins or two 9x5 loaf pans.
For the topping

Combine in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment

1 cup flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 lb (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into little tiny cubes

Mix on low speed until the butter is the size of big crumbles.

I love that you don't have to use a pastry blender.

If you need to you can finish by rubbing it together with your fingertips until it looks crumbly.

Sprinkle evenly over the fruit.

Place the ramekins or loaf pans on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes

Until the tops are browned and fruit is cooked through- test with a toothpick

Fruit should feel soft all the way through when a toothpick is inserted

This had a nice fresh peach taste and a yummy crisp crumbly topping.

Apricot Crumble

Similar recipe (quick and easy)

Take 2 cans of apricots in light syrup, drain

Place in individual ramekins or two 9x5 inch loaf pans

Put a few spoonfuls of apricot jam over the top of the apricots in each loaf pan

or 1/2 teaspoon of jam over the top of the apricots in each ramekin

Make the crumble topping and sprinkle over the top of the fruit

Bake for about 30 minutes - just until the topping is lightly browned

Enjoy!

Lime Cake with Blackberry Sauce

2010-07-05T21:36:00.000-07:00

Lime Cake with Blackberry Sauce

This is a great everyday cake. It's just a tall single layer cake that you mix by hand. You can make it a lemon or orange cake as well. Cover it with a blackberry sauce, or use strawberries, peaches- whatever fruit you have handy. Or just dust a little powdered sugar over the top and eat it plain. I love it for breakfast.

Lime Cake

from Smitten Kitchen

Preheat oven to 350

Place rack in center of oven

Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 9 inch springform pan

or 9 inch round cake pan

Line bottom of pan with parchment if not a springform pan

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together

1 cup sour cream, room temperature

(or use whole milk plain unsweetened yogurt)

1/3 cup vegetable oil (I used Wesson oil)

1 cup sugar

Zest of one lime

(I used 1/2 teaspoon lime citrus oil instead)

1/4 cup lime juice (approx 5 limes)

Add 2 eggs, room temperature

Whisk eggs to break up before adding to other ingredients

In a separate bowl whisk together

1-2/3 cups flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

Dump flour mixture right on top of the sour cream batter

Stir with a spoon until just combined.

Pour batter into prepared cake pan

Bake 40-45 minutes until golden brown

(I baked mine at 350 for 10 minutes then at 325 for 35 minutes)

A toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake should come out clean

Transfer to a cooling rack for 10 minutes

Run a knife around the pan to loosen.

Unclasp sides of the springform pan if you used one

Otherwise flip the cake onto a plate and flip it back on the rack

Dust with powdered sugar

Blackberry Sauce

Place into a blender or food processor (I used a blender)

12-16 oz of rinsed blackberries

1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice

(I omitted the lime juice)

4 Tablespoons water (I used 3 Tablespoons)

3 Tablespoons sugar (I used 10 Tablespoons)

Start with 3 Tablespoons of sugar

Puree until very smooth

Then after it's pureed taste and add more sugar as needed.

I used really sour blackberries that took a lot of sugar

Place a fine strainer over a bowl

Press puree through strainer to remove seeds.

Cover and refrigerate until cold.

Enjoy!

Peach Ice Cream

2010-07-04T10:58:00.000-07:00

Peach Ice Cream

Why buy ice cream when you can make your own? It is so easy and fast to make with a Cuisinart

1-1/2 quart automatic ice cream maker. Keep a canister in the freezer so you can make ice cream whenever you want. The recipes below make a no egg peach ice cream and a custard base peach ice cream.

PEACH ICE CREAM

No Egg Recipe makes 1-1/2 quarts
(This is what I made when I took the photos for this post)

Combine

1-1/2 cups milk

1-1/2 cups heavy cream

1 cup sugar

1 cup pureed peaches

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/8 teaspoon salt (I use Kosher salt)

Place in refrigerator until well chilled

Pour ice cream mixture into the frozen canister

Insert dasher, place on the lid and turn on

Ice cream should be ready in about 30 minutes

Cuisinart Ice-20 1-1/2 quart automatic ice cream maker.

PEACH ICE CREAM

Custard Base Recipe makes 1-1/2 quarts
Whisk 3 egg yolks in a small bowl and set aside
You'll need 1 cup pureed peaches-set aside

Heat over low heat until very warm 1-1/2 cups milk
Stir in 1 cup sugar and 1/8 teaspoon salt until dissolved
Gradually stir about a 1/4 of the hot mixture into the eggs stirring constantly

Return this to the saucepan while stirring constantly
Continue to cook and stir until mixture coats the back of the spoon.
If you run your finger down the spoon the custard should leave a path that doesn't separate.
Remove from heat and pour through a strainer set over a medium size bowl
Add to the custard mixture and combine
1-1/2 cups heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup pureed peaches

Place in refrigerator until well chilled at least a few hours or overnight

Pour ice cream mixture into the frozen canister

Insert dasher, place on the lid and turn on

Ice cream should be ready in about 30 minutes

Enjoy!

Peach Super Fast No Cook Jam

2010-06-28T21:30:00.000-07:00

My Uncle Jay and Aunt Carrie gave us a big box of peaches, nectarines, plums and blackberries yesterday. I already had plans for some of the peaches. So first thing this morning Walter made peach freezer jam. I went over the instructions and gave him a quick tutorial on how to use my camera and took off for work. He is off on Mondays.

Peach Super Fast No Cook Jam

You'll need- 1 packet of Ball Instant Fruit Pectin

12 medium peaches (I used yellow cling peaches)

1-1/2 cups sugar

5- 8oz Ball Plastic Freezer Jars with twist on lids

3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Peel 12 medium peaches

Chop peaches up and put into a food processor

Pulse about 20 times or until fruit is crushed but not completely liquid

You need 4 cups of crushed fruit

Stir peaches, 3 Tablespoons lemon juice, and 1-1/2 cups of sugar in a bowl.

Let stand 10 minutes

Add pectin gradually to prevent clumping

Stir for 3 minutes

Pour jam into jars and let stand for 30 minutes to set up

Store in the freezer for 1 year or the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks

Note- The lids twist on and the jars lock together so you can stack them in the freezer.

Enjoy!

Summer Fruit

Make freezer jam with any juicy fruit

Banana Obsession Cupcakes with Maple Brown Butter Frosting and Cinnamon Sugar Pecans

2010-06-25T11:54:00.000-07:00

These are scrumptious. Light and delicious banana cupcakes with a frosting that is ready in a flash. Just use a small cookie scoop to top each cupcake with maple brown butter frosting, no spreading needed. Top with a small mound of cinnamon sugar pecans.

Banana Obsession Cupcakes

David Lebovitz's "Banana Cake" recipe from Ready for Dessert

Preheat oven to 325

Place oven rack in middle of oven

Place 1-1/2 cups of walnut halves on a cookie sheet and bake for 8 minutes

remove from oven, stir and set aside to cool.

Once cooled coarsely chop and set aside.

Place cupcake liners in two regular size muffin pans-makes 24 cupcakes

Set out to reach room temperature

2 sticks (8 oz) unsalted butter

(to reach room temperature faster, unwrap and slice each stick into 8 slices)

6 Tablespoons sour cream

2 large eggs

In a bowl mash 5-6 very ripe bananas

(use a potato masher or pastry cutter)

(I mash to the consistency of applesauce. Some very small lumps are fine.)

Measure out 2 cups of mashed banana and set aside

In a bowl whisk to combine and set aside

2-1/2 cups flour

1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat together for 3-5 minutes

Butter, that has been sitting out

1-1/2 cups sugar (add sugar gradually)

Add 1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat in room temperature eggs one at a time until completely incorporated

Mix in

1/2 the flour mixture

Then add and mix in

Mashed banana and room temperature sour cream

Add the remaining flour followed by the walnuts

Once it's combined stop mixing and stir the sides and bottom of the bowl by hand

Use a muffin scoop to fill each cup almost to the top-you may have extra batter

(this batter is like eating banana mousse, so fluffy--man this is good!)

Bake until golden brown 22-24 minutes.

A toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake will come out clean.

Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan and place on cooling rack to cool completely.

Prepare cinnamon sugar pecans

Cinnamon Sugar Pecans

Preheat oven 300

Place rack in the middle of oven

Cover a rimmed cookie sheet with foil or parchment paper

Lightly spray with pan release spray

Measure and set aside

5 cups RAW pecans (1 pound)

Combine well and set aside

1/3 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt (I use Kosher salt)

Whisk until foamy in a large bowl (once it starts to foam you're done)

1 egg white, room temperature

1 Tablespoon water, room temperature

Dump the pecans into the foamy egg white and stir until all the nuts are completely covered

Dump cinnamon sugar over the top of the nuts and stir thoroughly

Dump onto cookie sheet and spread out in one layer

Bake for 20 minutes, take out of oven and stir the nuts, return to oven

Bake 9 more minutes (don't bake over 30 minutes or they could burn)

Remove from oven

Transfer nuts to a parchment paper lined cookie sheet to complete cooling

Once cooled break nuts apart

Once the cupcakes are frosted carefully place cinnamon sugar pecans on top of each cupcake in a little pile.

Maple Brown Butter Frosting

This is so easy and fast to make.

Place in a bowl and set aside

3 cups powdered sugar

Measure in a small bowl and set aside

1/4 cup milk

3 Tablespoons 100% real maple syrup

In a sauce pan over med heat melt 1 stick unsalted butter until golden brown.

Stir continuously to prevent butter from burning

Pour melted butter over sugar, then add milk and syrup

Beat until smooth either by hand or with a hand mixer

Quickly scoop frosting with a small cookie dough scoop onto each cupcake.

This is enough frosting for 24 cupcakes.

This frosting sets up fast. If you need to you can thin it out with a little milk or syrup.

Enjoy!

Strawberry Super Fast No Cook Jam

2010-06-21T20:30:00.000-07:00

You can make five-8oz jars of jam in just a few minutes. All you need is four cups of crushed fruit added to 1-1/2 cups of granulated sugar and a packet of Ball Instant Fruit Pectin. Stir for three minutes then ladle into these nifty plastic freezer jars that have purple twist on lids. The jars lock together so you can stack them in the freezer. I made a batch of this jam for my dad for Father's Day. He grabbed a spoon to taste it and ended up eating almost the whole jar of jam. "Dad", I said, "that's strawberry jam". "I know", he replied. "It's very good." My dad is 83 so if he wants to eat a jar of jam that's okay with me. Good thing it doesn't contain a lot of sugar.

Strawberry Super Fast No Cook Freezer Jam

Wash and hull about 2 pint baskets of strawberries (2 pounds)

Drain off any excess water

Use a potato masher to crush the berries

Okay so I didn't hull these. But I will next time because I had little white bits of hull in my jam.

Or place berries into a food processor and pulse 20 one second pulses

(be careful-you don't want this to be watery)

It should be the consistency of chunky applesauce

Measure 2 cups of crushed berries and set aside

Stir 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar and 1 packet of Ball Instant Fruit Pectin in a medium bowl

Add crushed fruit and stir for 3 minutes

Ladle jam into 5 clean 8 oz freezer jars to the fill line

(I poured the jam into a Pyrex 4 cup glass measuring cup with a spout and carefully poured the jam into the plastic freezer jars)

Place in freezer- for up to 1 year
Place in refrigerator to enjoy now-will keep for up to 3 weeks

Be sure to allow space for the jam to expand during freezing.

Don't overfill past the fill line

Enjoy!

Banana Obsession Cake with Chocolate Ganache and Cinnamon Sugar Pecans

2010-06-20T21:48:00.000-07:00

I can't stop making banana cake, banana bread, banana cupcakes, banana everything. This banana cake is so light and delicious - scrumptious. My hubby, Walter, loves bananas. I always pick up a bunch when I'm at the grocery store so we are never without them. Trouble is they don't always get eaten in time. No problem. Overripe bananas are what is needed in this and many other recipes. Now I can't wait for them to have little brown freckles. I have included directions for making a banana cream cheese filling just in case you want to make a two layer cake.

Note: This makes a good looking layer cake that is not over sweet. But to me the filling and the chocolate ganache really take away from the fabulous flavor of the banana cake. What you end up with is a very bland tasting cake. I feel that banana cake goes best with a Maple Brown Butter Frosting (recipe in another post), or a Banana Buttercream Frosting. Bananas go best with maple, caramel or brown sugar in my opinion. I absolutely love chocolate ganache but just not on banana cake. So make the banana cake recipe in either size pan. And go ahead and make the ganache and filling if it seems like what would suit your taste buds. Each of the recipes on this post- banana obsession cake, cinnamon sugar pecans, banana cream cheese filling and and the chocolate ganache are each very good tasting recipes on their own. I'll come up with another frosting for this wonderful tasting banana cake in a future post. Banana Obsession Cake
David Lebovitz's "Banana Cake" recipe from Ready for Dessert

Preheat oven to 325

Place oven rack in middle of oven

Place 1-1/2 cups of walnut halves on a cookie sheet and bake for 8 minutes, remove from oven, stir and set aside to cool. Once cooled coarsely chop and set aside.

Increase oven temperature to 350
Butter the bottoms and sides of

Four 5-1/2 inch mini springform pans (or lightly spray with nonstick spray) and line bottoms with circles of parchment paper
Note: I my opinion this cake tastes the best as a single layer cake.

OR
Butter the bottom and sides of
Two 9 inch round cake pans (or lightly spray with nonstick spray) and line bottoms with circles of parchment paper

Set out to reach room temperature

2 sticks (8 oz) unsalted butter

(to reach room temperature faster, unwrap and slice each stick into 8 slices)

6 Tablespoons sour cream

2 large eggs

In a bowl mash 5-6 very ripe bananas (use a potato masher or pastry cutter)

(I mash to the consistency of applesauce. Some very small lumps are fine.)

Measure out 2 cups of mashed banana and set aside

In a bowl whisk to combine and set aside

2-1/2 cups flour

1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat together for 3-5 minutes
The room temperature butter

1-1/2 cups sugar (add sugar gradually)

Add 1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat in room temperature eggs one at a time until completely incorporated

Mix in

1/2 the flour mixture

Then add and mix in

Mashed banana and room temperature sour cream

Add the remaining flour followed by the walnuts

Once it's combined stop mixing and stir the sides and bottom of the bowl by hand
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans

(this batter is like eating banana mousse, so fluffy--man is this good!)

Bake until golden brown 40 minutes.

A toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes will come out clean.

Remove from oven and let cool completely.

Remove cakes from pans and place on a cooling rack placed on top of a cookie sheet (to catch any drips when the ganache is poured over the cake)
If you baked the mini springform cakes-place them right side up on the cooling rack

If you baked the 9 inch cakes-place one 9 inch cake layer top side up and the other one bottom side up on the cooling rack

Prepare cinnamon sugar pecans

Cinnamon Sugar Pecans

Preheat oven 300

Place rack in the middle of oven

Cover a rimmed cookie sheet with foil or parchment paper and spray with non stick spray

Measure and set aside

5 cups RAW pecans (1 pound)

Combine well and set aside

1/3 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt (I use Kosher salt)

Whisk until foamy in a large bowl (once it starts to foam you're done)

1 egg white, room temperature

1 Tablespoon water, room temperature

Dump the pecans into the foamy egg white and stir until all the nuts are completely covered

Dump cinnamon sugar over the top of the nuts and stir thoroughly

Dump onto cookie sheet and spread out in one layer

Bake for 20 minutes, take out of oven and stir the nuts, return to oven

Bake 9 more minutes

Remove from oven

Immediately transfer nuts to a parchment paper lined cookie sheet to complete cooling

Once cooled break nuts apart

Prepare chocolate ganache

Chocolate Ganache

recipe from Vanilla Sugar

Chop 12 oz (.75 lb) of semisweet chocolate and set aside
(I bought a chunk of chocolate at Whole Foods)
Cut 1 stick (4 oz) of unsalted butter into small square cubes

Measure 1/2 cup heavy cream and set aside

Place chocolate and cream in a double boiler and stir frequently until melted

(or place a heatproof bowl on top of a pan filled with a few inches of water and heat to a gentle simmer-make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water or the chocolate will scorch.)

Once melted take off heat and add butter

Whisk it up good.....the more you whisk the smoother and glossier it gets

Let it cool until it gets thick enough to pour

It shouldn't be runny. This can take awhile.

For the four mini springform cakes

Pour ganache onto the center of each cake then with an offset spatula nudge it to the edge so that it spills over.

Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar pecans

Remove cakes from the rack onto serving plates

For the two nine inch cakes prepare filling

Note: You might want to put a cake board underneath the nine inch cake for support. Buy one that is exactly the size of your cake pan. Or make one from cardboard and cover with foil. The two layers plus the filling are pretty heavy. Since ganache will be poured on top of the cake it needs to be placed on a cooling rack placed on a cookie sheet to catch the drips.
I used the bottom of my spring form pan.

Banana Cream Cheese Filling

8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 stick unsalted butter (1/4 cup), room temperature

Set aside 1/3 cup mashed very ripe banana

Coarsely chop 3/4 cup cinnamon sugar pecans and set aside

In a large bowl use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese until smooth, no lumps

Add butter and beat until smooth

Slowly add 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted (see Note below)

Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl during mixing

Add 1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat until nice and creamy

Stir in mashed banana by hand

Fold in the nuts by hand

Spread filling onto the cake layer that is bottom side up. Be sure to keep the filling 1/2 inch from the edges or it will ooze out from the weight of the top cake layer.

Place remaining cake layer top side up over the filling

Top with ganache and a pile of cinnamon sugar pecans

Carefully remove from cooling rack onto a serving plate.

Note: To avoid runny cream cheese frosting/filling.
Sugar is hydroscopic. It attracts water molecules and tends to melt when it comes into contact with moisture.Cream cheese has a lot of moisture in it. Powdered sugar doesn't melt as much as granulated sugar, but you'll always have a soft icing when using cream cheese. The more powdered sugar you add the softer the icing becomes. If you want to frost a cake with cream cheese frosting stick to the ratio of cream cheese to butter to powdered sugar in the above filling recipe. Add a 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract if using as a frosting. And leave out the mashed banana.

Enjoy!

Cinnamon Sugar Pecans

2010-06-20T12:07:00.000-07:00

Super easy and fast to make. These are addicting.

Cinnamon Sugar Pecans

Preheat oven 300F

Place rack in the middle of oven

Cover a rimmed cookie sheet with foil or parchment paper and spray with non stick spray

Measure and set aside

5 cups RAW pecans (1 pound)

Combine well and set aside

1/3 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt (I use Kosher salt)

Whisk until foamy in a large bowl (once it starts to foam you're done)

1 egg white, room temperature

1 Tablespoon water, room temperature

Dump the pecans into the foamy egg white and stir until all the nuts are completely covered

Dump cinnamon sugar over the top of the nuts and stir thoroughly

Dump onto cookie sheet and spread out in one layer

Bake for 20 minutes, take out of oven and stir the nuts, return to oven

Bake 9 more minutes

Remove nuts from oven.
Transfer nuts to a parchment lined cookie sheet to completely cool.
This is important as the nuts will continue to cook if left on the hot cookie sheet
and the candy coating will be over crisp.
They turn out better if you follow this step :)

The nuts will crisp up as they cool

When completely cool break apart and store in an air tight container

I like to use a wide mouth glass cookie jar with a screw top lid.

Enjoy!

Lahvosh Sandwich Wrap

2010-06-12T23:09:00.000-07:00

Lahvosh is an Armenian cracker bread. It has been made here in Fresno, California by the Saghatelian family since 1922 at their bakery, Valley Bakery. The crisp 15 inch rounds of lahvosh are softened to make sandwich wraps.

Wraps are perfect for an appetizer or light meal. They travel well. Take some on your next picnic.

Lahvosh Sandwich Wrap

You'll need to soften lahvosh to make it as soft and pliable as a slice of bread

To Soften Lavosh

Dampen 2 towels (muslin or terry cloth)

Lay one of the damp towels down on a large cutting board (make sure it's large enough for a 15 inch round of cracker bread) or other flat waterproof surface

Turn on the cold water

Grasp one 15 inch round of lahvosh in both hands

Quickly wet both sides by holding it under running cold water.

DON'T hold it under the water for more than a quick second or it will absorb too much water, get soggy and fall apart.
You can always sprinkle a little more water with your hands or a spray bottle filled with water.

What works for me is to hold the lahvosh in the stream of cold water and quickly

tilt it very carefully, once forward and once backward so the water can run down each side and then carefully lay it on top of the damp towel

Cover with the other damp towel

It will take 45-60 minutes to soften and become pliable
Prepare the spread

Combine in a small bowl until smooth (I use a fork)

4 oz softened cream cheese (let sit for 30 minutes at room temperature)

4 Tablespoons mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon Zattar (available at Middle Eastern markets)

Zattar- thyme, sesame seeds, sumac and other spices

Test softened lavosh before using

Grasp one side of the lahvosh and start rolling it jelly roll fashion.

If too dry, it will split and crack. Sprinkle with more water.

If too wet it will tear and pull apart. Allow to dry uncovered for awhile

To Assemble the Wrap

Center softened lahvosh sesame seed side down over a strip of plastic wrap 3 inches longer than the width of the the lahvosh

Spread cream cheese/mayo mixture evenly on lahvosh (use a light touch to avoid tearing) using an offset spatula

Arrange 8oz thinly sliced pastrami or other lunch meat to completely cover over lahvosh
(I buy Columbus Brand sliced lunch meat at Trader Joe's. It's not wet like most deli sliced lunch meat)

Cover with 4oz thinly sliced or shredded Jack cheese (optional)

Place in a single row over the meat in the middle of the lavosh

Slices of tomato--don't slice it too thin
Alfalfa sprouts are really nice in this wrap instead of lettuce
Thin slices of red bell pepper for a little crunch
Slices of Armenian cucumber, such a nice mild cucumber

Fresh basil leaves really make this wrap taste good!

Additional toppings if desired

Thin slices of onion
Sliced Artichoke hearts

Wax peppers sliced very thin

1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds

Roll tightly but gently, jelly roll fashion

Center on the plastic wrap and wrap securely

Place in refrigerator seam side down for several hours to prevent the roll from falling apart when it's sliced
I use a cutting board underneath to support the rolled sandwich

Unwrap and slice crosswise into 1 inch slices

Enjoy!

Variations: Use whatever meats and veggies you want. A little curry added to the cream cheese mayo spread is good. I like to add different kinds of dried or fresh herbs. Try fresh dill or tarragon. Sliced cooked chicken breast works well. Just be sure not to use anything that is too wet. The cream cheese spread helps to seal the lovosh and keep it from getting soggy. Pat dry any lunch meat that is too wet before using.

Basil, sliced tomato, sliced red bell pepper, alfalfa sprouts and Armenian cucumber (upper right corner and slices lower right side of photo)

Crunchy Armenian cucumbers have a mild cucumber taste with very few seeds. They are a pale shade of green and have a wrinkled outer skin. Delicious in sandwiches and salads.

Cranberry-Orange Buttermilk Scones

2010-06-12T21:45:00.000-07:00

Cranberries and orange combine to create a delicious tasting scone. I like this scone recipe because it's made without using any cream or eggs. You just need to add buttermilk to the dry ingredients. The texture is soft and tender. Fast and easy to make.

Cranberry-Orange Buttermilk Scones

Recipe from Epicurious

Place rack in center of oven

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

Whisk together in a large bowl

3 cups flour

1/3 cup sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt (I used 1/2 teaspoon salt)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Mix in

1 tablespoon grated orange peel (I didn't use grated orange peel)

Add

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces and rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. (I used a pastry cutter)

Mix in 3/4 dried cranberries

Gradually add

1 cup chilled buttermilk, tossing with fork until moist clumps form. (You can make your own buttermilk by adding 1 Tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup of buttermilk. Let stand 5-10 minutes before using)
(I added 1 teaspoon pure orange citrus oil to the buttermilk)

Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface. (I like to tape a piece of parchment paper to my kitchen table and lightly dust it with flour)

Knead briefly to bind dough, about 4 turns.

Form dough into 2 rounds.

Pat out to a thickness of 1/2 inch.

Cut into 6 wedges.
Or pat out into a rectangle to a thickness of 1/2 inch

Use a cookie cutter or round biscuit cutter to cut out the scones

Transfer cut out scones to parchment covered baking sheet

Bake about 14 minutes, until tops of scones are golden brown

Serve them within a few minutes after they come out of the oven
Yummy served with strawberry freezer jam
(for recipe see Strawberry Super Fast No Cook Freezer Jam)

Enjoy!
Tip: I love using pure citrus oils when a recipe calls for zest and I don't have any fruit.
To bump up the flavor add a little citrus oil even when you use zest. The oils are available in lemon, orange and lime. I have purchased them at Sur la Table.

Red Bell Peppers Stuffed with Bulgar and Ground Beef

2010-05-31T01:49:00.000-07:00

I have been wanting to make stuffed peppers for a while now. I finally found some nice looking red bell peppers on Saturday so I made these. I used bulgar in the stuffing instead of the traditional rice. I like to use red bell peppers instead of the green ones for a milder bell pepper taste.
Red Bell Peppers Stuffed with Bulgar and Ground Beef
You'll need
2 sweet onions like Maui or Vidalia
2 pounds of lean ground beef (I like Whole Food's meat)
6 bell peppers
Course bulgar (cracked wheat)(I get mine at a Middle Eastern store)

Bulgar
Cook over medium heat
2 cups of rinsed and drained coarse bulgar
3 Tablespoons butter
2 cups chicken broth
2 teaspoons seasoned salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
When the bulgar comes to a boil turn down the heat to low, cover with the lid and continue cooking until the water is absorbed.
Turn off heat and let sit until the bulgar is plump and tender
Stuffed Bell Peppers
Cut the tops off 6 bell peppers and remove the seeds. Save the tops.
Bring a pot 3/4 full of water to a simmer.
Blanch each pepper and the tops for 2-3 minutes
Drain and place the peppers in an oven proof baking dish

Dice the tops and set aside.

Dice 2 sweet onions and set aside
Heat a large skillet to medium
Add and melt 2 Tablespoons of butter
Add half the diced onion and cook until it just starts to brown.
Add 1 pound of lean ground beef to the skillet
Season with your favorite seasoned salt (I use Pappy's Seasoning)
Sprinkle Italian Seasoning to taste (1-2 teaspoons) or other spice blend (I use a blend of oregano and thyme)
Once the meat has been cooking for a while add half of the diced pepper
Continue cooking the meat until done.
Drain off the fat and set aside in a bowl

Preheat the oven to 350
Melt 2 Tablespoons of butter in the same skillet that you already used
Cook the rest of the onion as before
Take remaining pound of meat and cook as before with the seasoned salt and a sprinkle of spices adding the rest of the diced pepper half way through
Once the meat is cooked drain off excess fat
Add the previously cooked meat and bulgar to the skillet or a huge bowl and combine everything
Adjust seasoning to taste

Fill each bell pepper and put into baking dish.

Bake for 25 minutes

Note: I used whole bell peppers but you could cut the peppers in half and fill if you wanted smaller portions. Just don't cut off the tops. Cut in half instead. If you do them this way you'll need an extra pepper to dice up and add to the filling.

Enjoy!

Pecan and Brown Sugar Sticky Pull Apart Bread

2010-05-30T12:17:00.000-07:00

If you like sticky cinnamon buns try this pull apart bread. Made from frozen Parkerhouse rolls.

Pecan and Brown Sugar Sticky Pull Apart Bread

Thaw 1 package of Bridgford Parkerhouse frozen rolls ( 24 rolls, net wt 25 oz)
overnight in the refrigerator. (8 hours)
It works best for me to place the package in the coldest part of the refrigerator.

The next morning

Dice 1 cup pecans and set aside

Place rack in the lower third of the oven (NOT on the bottom rack)

Melt 1 stick (8T) of butter and set aside in a bowl. Use regular butter not unsalted

Combine in a bowl and set aside

1 cup light brown sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Lightly grease a cookie sheet

Grease Bundt pan (I use a very heavy 10 cup Bundt pan with handles)

Mix 1/4 cup light corn syrup (Karo) with 3 Tablespoons of the butter you already melted
Pour this in the bottom of the Bundt pan
Sprinkle the bottom of the pan with 1/4 cup brown sugar/cinnamon mixture
and 1/4 cup of reserved pecans
Dump out the package of rolls onto the cookie sheet

Cut each piece of dough in half (use scissors)
Now you have 48 pieces of dough.
16 pieces will be coated in sugar only and 32 pieces will be dipped in butter and rolled in sugar

To coat 16 pieces of dough in sugar only
Take 4 pieces of dough at a time and toss into the sugar.
Set the 16 sugared dough pieces aside on a dry surface. Don't let them touch.

With the remaining 32 pieces of dough
Toss 4 pieces of dough at a time into the bowl of melted butter
Grasp the bowl and gently shake back and forth to coat the dough pieces
Take each dough piece out of the butter letting the excess drip back into the bowl

and place into the brown sugar.
Use a spoon to roll each piece around in the sugar.
Place 16 of the buttered & sugared dough pieces into pan as explained below

The technique I use so you don't end up with really messy hands and butter ruining the sugar is to only have one hand come into contact with the butter and dough pieces
and one hand to hold on to the spoon.
Note: If you run out of sugar or butter just get a little more sugar or melt a little more butter.

For the bottom layer
Place 16 buttered & sugared dough balls evenly around the pan, adding 8 of the sugared only dough pieces here and there to fill in.
Sprinkle with 1/2 the remaining pecans.

For the top layer
Repeat with the remaining 16 buttered & sugared pieces of dough, adding 8 of the sugared only dough pieces here and there to fill in.

Top with remaining chopped pecans and any leftover sugar or butter

Cover with plastic wrap and let sit out until dough has doubled in size (about 1-1/2 hours)
Once the dough has doubled in size place the Bundt pan on a cookie sheet

to catch any drips and place in the oven

Bake 30-35 minutes until golden brown

Take from oven and immediately flip over onto a serving plate-
make sure your plate is big enough!
BE REALLY CAREFUL!
Make sure you have pot holders that will not allow the heat from the Bundt pan to come through and burn you. It will take some maneuvering to get the Bundt pan and the plate lined up to flip.
Make sure you have a firm grip. Do this over the cookie sheet so you can spoon up any spilled glaze
and put it on top of the monkey bread.

Sticky, chewy and wonderful!

Enjoy!

Note: There is a big difference between Bridgford Parkerhouse Rolls and Rhodes Parkerhouse Rolls.
I have used both and I find that the Bridgford rolls are easier to work with. They are small pillow shaped rolls that can easily be cut in half. I like my monkey bread to have lots of pieces of dough covered in cinnamony sugary glaze. The Rhodes rolls are large balls of dough which makes it harder to shape. My suggestion is to use whatever brand is available in your area, use 25 oz of dough and cut it into 48 pieces. Then follow the recipe above.

Chocolicious Rice Krispie Treats

2010-05-23T13:03:00.000-07:00

I just can't stop playing around with Rice Krispie Treat recipes. Here's the latest. A Rice Krispie Treat ball with a crunchy center made from chocolate, almonds and corn flakes. Whenever I make any type of Rice Krispie Treat people always end up eating more than one and asking if they can take a few home. I think the big appeal is the crunch.This is one of my favorite recipes. I LOVE these!

Chocolicious Rice Krispie Treats

First you need to make the Chocolate Crunchies

Chocolate Crunchies

from Dorie Greenspan

Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper.

Note: You will be making 12 crunchies

Toss into a bowl:

1/2 cup dry roasted almonds (Trader Joe's), coarsely chopped

1 cup Kellogg's Corn Flakes

1/4 cup dried cherries, chopped (use whatever dried fruit you want-raisins,apricots,cranberries)

Melt in the microwave on low power:

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (Nestles) Start with 30 seconds and stir, then 10 second intervals until melted. Careful not to burn.

Pour chocolate over the corn flakes, nuts and fruit

Stir until all of the ingredients are evenly coated.

Drop by spoonfuls onto a wax paper covered cookie sheet so that you end up with 12 crunchies.
Sprinkle with a pinch of Fleur de sel (optional)

Let them set for 1 hour (or longer) to firm up and become solid.

Rice Krispie Treats

You'll need a large size (Texas size) muffin pan

See Note at the end if you want to make these with a regular size muffin pan.

Cut strips of foil 2 inches wide and place in each cup so you can lift the Rice Krispie Treat out later.

Spray a huge bowl with pan release spray, then add and set aside

1 cup dry roasted almonds, diced

6 cups Rice Krispies

In a large saucepan, melt over med low heat

6 Tablespoons of salted butter

Add 5 oz white chocolate and stir until melted (I used Guittard white chocolate chips)

Add 10 oz mini Kraft marshmallows and stir constantly over the heat until completely melted so that the mixture will run off the spoon like a thick sauce.

Remove from heat

Pour the melted marshmallow mixture over the Rice Krispies, and almonds

Stir to combine. (I spray my huge mixing spoon with non-stick spray)

Transfer half the mixture by spoonfuls to the prepared muffin cups and press with your finger tips
to form a little nest.

Drop a chocolate crunchie into each nest

Top with the remaining half of the mixture.

Then lift out each Treat,peel off the foil and shape into a ball

Place on a waxed paper lined cookie sheet to set.

See... a nice chocolate crunchie treat inside

Enjoy!

Note: If you want to make these with a regular size muffin pan you'll either need to make the crunchies a smaller size or cut the finished crunchies in half. I'm not sure how many Rice Krispie balls you'll be able to make but follow the same technique as for the ones shown above.
Tip: The chocolate crunchies are great little candies on their own. Put them into mini cupcake papers.

Banana Nut Bread

2010-05-23T10:55:00.000-07:00

Banana Nut Bread

This is classic banana bread. Lots of bananas and walnuts. No chocolate chips. No cinnamon or other spices. Just plain old fashioned banana bread.

Note: This is the recipe I used until I found David Lebovitz's, Ready for Dessert cookbook. It just came out June 2010. His recipe for banana cake is fantastic. Light and delicious and moist. Perfect. I am currently obsessed with this cake and all it's variations. See my June 20,2010 post - Banana Obsession Cake with Chocolate Ganache and Cinnamon Sugar Pecans. Follow the recipe for the banana cake and divide the batter between two 9x5 loaf pans and bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes. You won't be disappointed.

It is easy to make and consistently comes out perfect.

I left the recipe below in case you want a plain banana bread with less butter and no sour cream.

Banana Nut Bread

from All Recipes

Preheat oven to 350

Spray a 9x5 loaf pan with nonstick spray

Place rack in the center of oven

In a bowl mash enough overripe bananas to equal 2-1/3 cups and set aside

(About 4-5 bananas)

In a bowl combine and set aside

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

Cream in the bowl of a Kitchen Aid stand mixer with the paddle attachment

1/2 cup room temperature butter (1 stick)(microwave on low power for 25 seconds-don't melt)

3/4 cup brown sugar (I used 1 cup)

Add and combine

2 eggs, room temperature (put 2 whole eggs in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes)

Mashed bananas

Gradually add the flour mixture and combine

Make sure all the banana is combined with the flour

Add 1 cup walnuts, chopped and combine

Pour batter into pan and bake for 60-65 minutes (Mine was done in 45 min)

Test with a toothpick for doneness. When it comes out clean it's done.

If during baking the top starts to get too brown cover with foil.

Cool in pan for 10 minutes

Remove loaf and finish cooling on a rack.

Enjoy!

Strawberry Smoothie

2010-05-22T14:38:00.000-07:00

Time to make a healthy-licious smoothie.

Strawberry Smoothie

Into a blender container add:

1 pint basket of cleaned and hulled strawberries

1/2 cup non fat vanilla Greek yogurt (Trader Joe's)

2 cups crushed ice

(or small square ice cubes from the liquor store)

3/4 cup skim milk

(I use raw skim milk -Organic Pastures)

2-3 Tablespoons sugar or to taste

(or 1 Tablespoon honey)

Blend on high until all the ice is of a snow like consistency

Very Berry Smoothie

2010-04-25T12:19:00.000-07:00

The aisle with the flavored syrups always catches my attention at a local Middle Eastern food store. There are so many kinds. I finally decided it was time to try one. The raspberry syrup seemed like a good choice as I have been wanting to make a smoothie with the frozen berries I have in the freezer. This morning I opened up the bottle and poured a little onto a spoon to sample it. Yum. The flavor was an intense blast of raspberries. Super sweet. This smoothie is also good as an instant dessert. Blend it up just before you need it.

Very Berry Smoothie

Put into blender container (I love my Osterizer Beehive. It crushes ice to a snow like consistency in seconds)

1/2 of a 16 oz bag of mixed berries (I used Trader Joe's Frozen Very Cherry Berry Blend - a mixture of raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and cherries)

1/2 cup Greek style vanilla non-fat yogurt (Trader Joe's)

3/4 cup skim milk

2 cups ice cubes (I buy my ice cubes at the liquor store- clear and in the shape of a cube)

1/2 cup raspberry syrup ( I used ZerGut Raspberry Syrup. It comes in a 33 oz bottle)

Blend on medium to start then increase speed to high

Turn off blender and check the consistency. It should be like snow.

If not give it a stir and continue blending.

Check again. You may have to add a bit more liquid.

Sample and adjust to taste.

Pour through a sieve to remove seeds.

Enjoy!

Belgian Waffles with Strawberries and Whipped Cream

2010-04-11T14:21:00.000-07:00

Here in Central California strawberries are abundant in April. Within a short distance you can find farm stands that sell berries picked just hours before you purchase them. I like making Belgian waffles for Sunday brunch. When I have lots of strawberries I make strawberry syrup.

Belgian Waffles

Waffle recipe from Pancakes and Waffles by Elizabeth Alston

Makes 3 cups of batter (Double the recipe if you need more batter. See below)

Enough for 3 Belgian waffles with my waffle iron.

Wolfgang Puck Bistro Waffle Iron

Makes perfect Belgian waffles: crisp outside, fluffy inside

In a medium size bowl whisk to combine and set aside

1 egg, room temperature (set out for 30 min) (or put the whole egg in a small bowl of warm water for 10 minutes)

1 cup sour cream, room temperature (let sit out for 30 min)(don't try to warm in the microwave)

1/2 cup milk, room temperature (can heat for about 20-30 sec in microwave - if overheated let cool to room temp)

3 Tablespoons melted butter (use microwave 20-30 sec)

In a small bowl whisk together

1 cup flour

2 teasponns sugar

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt (leave out if using salted butter)

Add to wet ingredients a little at a time stirring after each addition.

Mixture will be thick.

Heat the waffle iron

Spray each surface with non-stick cooking spray

Scoop some of the batter (I use 1/3 of the batter for my waffle iron) and place in the middle of the waffle iron and spread out with a spatula. It will continue to spread out during cooking so don't overfill or you will have a big mess to clean up. Cooked on waffle batter is not fun to scape off. Error on the side of too little batter. You can add more for the next waffle.

If you are planning on serving the waffles later you can keep them warm in a 200F oven. Place them directly on the oven rack, uncoverd to stay crisp.

To serve: Place waffle on a plate and cover with sliced strawberries, strawberry syrup and whipped cream.

Strawberry Syrup

Bring to boil over medium heat stirring constantly

4 pints (baskets) of rinsed and hulled fresh strawberries

1 cup sugar

6oz seedless strawberry jam (1/3 of an 18 oz jar -I used Smuckers brand)

You don't need to add any water. There is so much water in strawberries that within a few minutes

there will be plenty of liquid.

Once the mixture boils take a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon and crush the berries.

Taste. Add more sugar if needed.

Let syrup slowly simmer a few minutes to reduce the amount of liquid. You can keep an eye on it and stir occasionally during this time.

Strain the strawberry syrup to remove seeds and pulp.

Pour strawberry syrup in a glass bottle or other airtight container.

Store in the refrigerator

Recipe for 6 cups of Belgian Waffle batter

In a medium size bowl whisk to combine and set aside

2 eggs, room temperature (set out for 30 min) (or put the whole eggs in a small bowl of warm water for 10 minutes)

2 cups sour cream, room temperature (let sit out for 30 min)(don't try to warm in the microwave)

1 cup milk, room temperature (can heat for about 20-30 sec in microwave - if overheated let cool to room temp)

6 Tablespoons melted butter (use microwave 20-30 sec)

In a small bowl whisk together

2 cups flour

4 teaspoons sugar

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt (leave out if using salted butter)

Add to wet ingredients a little at a time stirring after each addition

Mixture will be thick.

Enjoy!

Black Pepper Parmesan Biscotti

2010-03-27T23:20:00.000-07:00

If you've never tried a savory biscotti you are in for a treat. Perfect served with a little wine and cheese. Great with a salad or served with a bowl of soup. The cracked black pepper and Parmesan cheese make a great flavor combination. Your house will smell so wonderful as these are baking. Once they have cooled off enough to be sliced, should you give in to temptation and take a bite you will want more. And that's okay. These are even good soft. The second bake is what makes the biscotti crunchy.

Black Pepper and Parmesan Biscotti

Adapted from Gourmet 2006

Preheat oven to 325F

Place rack in center of oven

Whisk together:

4 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons sea salt

2 teaspoons ground black pepper (I used medium grind)

2 cups shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (grated, just not powder)

Note: I hate to grate hard cheese. I buy mine already finely shredded from Whole Foods- approx. 1/2 lb. which is about 2-1/4 cups. Which is just the right amount as you'll need 1/4 cup later on in the recipe. Buy more. You'll end up using it. And it lasts a long time in the refrigerator. Okay now where were we........

Cut up 1-1/2 sticks of cold unsalted butter into small little cubes. (I cut mine up into 24 little cubes) Take a pastry cutter or your fingertips and blend the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles course meal. It will be loose and all the butter will disappear into the flour. Poof!

Don't over do it. Just until all the butter is worked into the flour.

Whisk 3 eggs with 1 cup cold milk and pour over the flour mixture. Stir with a fork until

it is combined and a dough has formed. Set this aside.

Line each long side of a 18' X 13" rimmed baking pan with plastic film. Leave 1/3 of the plastic wrap hanging over the edge. And allow about four inches extra on each end.

Take half of the dough and place it a spoonful at a time on the plastic wrap like a long snake right up against the side of the pan. Do the same thing with the remaining dough on the opposite side of the pan. Try to distribute the dough evenly.

Bring the plastic wrap up so it meets. This should resemble a tube of cookie dough. Fold the plastic wrap down.Twist each end. Wrap your thumb and middle finger around the dough with your fingertips touching. With the other hand grasp the twisted end. Pull the dough through to make it uniform. It doesn't have to be perfect. You just want to make sure you have a solid uniform log of dough. Now pat it out so it's the same height as the top of the rim on the baking pan.

Line a rimmed baking pan 18' X 13" with parchment paper.

Transfer the wrapped dough to the pan.

Place each wrapped log about two inches from each side of the pan

Undo the plastic wrap so each log is still on top of the plastic but the wrap is folded down

Flip the log over and peel off the rest of the plastic wrap. Reposition if needed.

Whisk an egg and brush the tops and sides of the logs

Take a few pinches of pepper and sprinkle over the logs

Sprinkle 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan over the logs

Bake at 325F for 45 minutes Until golden brown

Cool on the pan a few minutes then transfer to a cooling rack.

Turn oven to 275F

Once they have cooled down to barely warm transfer biscotti to a cutting board and slice with serrated knife (I got 50 slices)

Line baking pan with parchment

Place biscotti slices on the pan standing up (NOT laying down)

Allow a small space between biscotti. They should all fit on the same pan

Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes at 275F

Check to see if they are done. You can tell if they are still a little soft by picking one up and slightly pressing. You want them to be crunchy. If they need additional baking it probably won't need more than an additional fifteen minutes.

Note: If they are under baked they will be more like a scone in texture. They need to cross over from this bread like state to crunchy. Have patience and trust that your biscotti will be fine.

Once they are finally crunchy you will be glad you waited it out. They will be crunchy and fabulous.

Cool on the pan

Store in an airtight container.

Enjoy!

Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies

2010-03-21T19:55:00.000-07:00

The dough for these cookies can be made in 10 minutes. Chill dough for 2 hours while you go do something else. These are my favorite thumbprint cookies because they are baked at 275F for 30 minutes then filled with jam and baked at 325F for 10 more minutes which makes a crumbly cookie that melts in your mouth. I think the seedless raspberry jam is so good in this cookie. Make a batch soon.

Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies

Don't preheat your oven yet.

Place rack in the center of oven

Sift and set aside

2-1/4 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Cream for 2 minutes

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

Add dry ingredients and mix on low until combined then turn to medium speed for 30 seconds

Chill dough 2 hours

Preheat oven to 275F

Using half the dough, roll dough into 12 balls and make a firm indentation with your thumb

Bake 30 minutes at 275F

Remove cookies from oven

Increase oven temperature to 325F

Fill each cookie with 1/2 teaspoon of seedless raspberry jam

(you might have to make another indentation if it has flattened out during baking)

Bake 10 minutes at 325F

Let cool on pan for 5 minutes then remove cookies to cooling rack.

Turn oven back down to 275F

Repeat with remaining dough

Best if eaten the same day.

If you need to store these place in a single layer in an airtight container.

Enjoy!

Blackberry Streusel Muffins with Blackberry Syrup

2010-03-14T14:12:00.000-07:00

I just love berries! But sometimes you have too many or the berries aren't sweet or they can be hard. That's when I make muffins and syrup. This muffin recipe makes a batter that is on the stiff side so it won't spread out of the muffin cup during baking. You'll have nice big muffins with lots of berries inside. I like to make a blackberry syrup to serve with the muffins.

Blackberry Muffins

Preheat oven to 365 degrees (midway between 350 and 375)

Line regular size muffin tin with paper muffin cups

Put rack in the middle of the oven

Set your egg and sour cream out first so they can reach room temp

Make streusel

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2/3 cup powdered sugar

2/3 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch of salt

Combine all ingredients and set aside to cool.

I put mine in the freezer

When cold use fingers to crumble

Prepare 1 cup of berries and set aside.

Rinse 18oz of blackberries and drain (3 small 6oz containers)

Measure out 1 heaping cup of berries (approx 35 berries)

Slice each berry in half

Dice into small pieces and set aside

1/2 cup walnuts

In a medium bowl combine until smooth (no lumps)

1-1/4 sticks unsalted butter, melted (and cooled to barely warm)

1 teaspoon vanilla

2/3 cup sugar

2/3 cup sour cream, room temperature (set out for about 30 minutes)

1 egg, room temp (I fill a small bowl with warm water and add the egg to bring it to room temperature)

Whisk together and set aside

1-3/4 cups flour

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1-1/4 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

Make a well in the flour mixture

Pour in the butter mixture

Add the berries and walnuts

Fold gently to combine

Batter will be stiff, not to worry

This will be enough batter for 12 muffin cups.

Scoop a generous sized amount of batter into each cup.

You can even out the amount of batter if you need to once you are done scooping.

Don't worry, the batter won't spread when it bakes.

Carefully put 1 Tablespoon of streusel on top of each muffin.

Bake 17 minutes

Test with a toothpick after 17 minutes. If there is no batter sticking to the toothpick they're done.

If you need to--bake another 2 minutes and check again.

Blackberry Syrup

Put remaining 12 oz of berries into a pot and add:

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup Karo syrup

Bring to a boil uncovered over medium heat while stirring occasionally

Once it boils turn heat down and let simmer for 15 minutes to soften berries

Gently mash berries against the side of the pan

Cool to lukewarm

Enjoy!

Salted Peanut and White Chocolate Rice Krispy Treat Bunnies

2010-03-07T20:26:00.000-08:00

This is my favorite version of Rice Krispy Treats. With the addition of salted peanuts and peanut butter chips it's the perfect combo of sweet to salty. Be warned! These are addicting. I like to cut Rice Krispy Treats out with cookie cutters. These are easy and fast to make. You can leave them plain or spoon melted white chocolate over them.

Salted Peanut and White Chocolate Rice Krispy Treat Bunnies

from David Lebovitz and

Dawn FinicaneVanilla Sugar

Spray a 13 x 9-inch (approx 30 x 22cm) rectangular pan with pan release or line pan with foil and lightly spray foil for easy removal later

Spray a huge bowl with pan release spray, then measure and set aside

1 cup Planter's roasted salted peanuts

1/2 cup Reese’s peanut butter chips (the kind you bake with -- same size and shape as choc chips)

5-1/2 cups Rice Krispies

In a large saucepan, melt over med low heat

6 Tablespoons of salted butter

Add 5 oz white chocolate and stir until melted (I used Guittard white chocolate chips)

Add 10 oz mini Kraft marshmallows and stir constantly over the heat until completely melted so that the mixture will run off the spoon like a thick sauce.

Remove from heat

Pour the melted marshmallow mixture over the Rice Krispies, peanuts and peanut butter chips.

Stir to combine. (I spray my huge mixing spoon with non-stick spray)

Transfer mix to the prepared pan and smooth out by pressing with your finger tips

Let cool.

Release from pan onto a cutting board.

Then turn over the Rice Krispy Treats so they're right side up

Use cookie cutters or cut into bars with a sharp knife.

Option: To coat the bunnies

Use Guittard white chocolate melts (round flat disks)

Melt in a small saucepan over low heat, stir. (no need to add anything else)

Then spoon over the Rice Krispy Treat while holding it over the pan.

Let the excess drip into the pan.

Place on a cooling rack and allow the coating to set.

You could also coat these with Guittard milk chocolate or dark chocolate melts the same way.

If you use chocolate chips or white chocolate chips (which are not the same as candy melts) add 1 teaspoon of shortening per cup of chips and melt in a saucepan over low heat.

Storage: Wrap each piece and store in an airtight container.

Enjoy!

Granola Bars with Dried Cherries, Pecans and Almonds

2010-02-28T19:47:00.000-08:00

Granola Bars with Dried Cherries, Pecans and Almonds
I made so much of this granola when we had our cafe. It's a quick grab and go breakfast. It's easy to make your own granola bars. Use whatever combination of nuts and dried fruit you want. It may look like this is a really sweet granola with the amount of honey and brown sugar used but it is barely sweet. I love the taste of dried cherries so I had to add them.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F

Line the bottom of a rimmed baking pan with foil and lightly coat with nonstick spray

6 cups regular oats (not instant)

1 cup toasted wheat germ

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

1/2 cup sesame seeds

1 cup roasted pecan halves, chopped (see note below: How to roast pecans)

2 cups sweet and spiced almonds, chopped (see note below: How to make sweet and spiced almonds)

1 cup dried cherries, chopped

Set aside

Bring to a simmer over medium heat

3/4 cup honey

1/2 cube unsalted butter (4 Tablespoons)

1/4 cup oil (Wesson)

1 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

Stir until sugar is dissolved then pour over oat mixture and blend completely

(Note : To make a loose granola just divide mixture evenly between 2 rimmed baking pans and bake 30 minutes. Cool. Break apart with your hands to crumble and cool in the pan.)

Pour the granola mixture onto a rimmed baking pan.

To press the mixture into the pan try this: Cover granola with plastic wrap.

Take another baking pan the same size and place the bottom of the pan on top of the granola and press down.

Or you could take the flat side of a meat tenderizer and tap it down.

Remove the pan and/or plastic wrap

Bake the granola for 30 minutes

Cool completely before cutting.

Place a cutting board on top of the cooled granola and flip over.

Remove the foil and slice.

Wrap each bar in plastic wrap

Store in an airtight container.

Notes:

Roasted Pecans: Place the desired amount of pecans on a rimmed baking pan and bake in a 325 oven for 8 minutes. Stir and set aside to cool.

Sweet and Spiced Almonds:

Combine in a bowl and set aside:

3 teaspoons cinnamon

3 Tablespoons brown sugar

Melt 2 Tablespoons of unsalted butter in a skillet

Add cinnamon

and sugar mixture

Add 1 tablespoon water

Add: 2cups dry roasted almonds

Continue to stir and cook until the glaze coats the nuts and is no longer wet looking.

About 5 minutes

Dump the nuts out onto a baking pan and separate with a fork

Let cool

Enjoy!

Walter's Salad

2010-02-21T21:03:00.000-08:00

This salad is named after my husband who twenty one years ago asked me to make a salad with a spicy peanut dressing. Little did I know then that I was creating a Thai type of dressing. This was back in 1989. There were no Thai cookbooks available. I love making all kinds of sauces and dressings. So I set to work. I was a little worried about putting this on the menu at the cafe. If I had called it Thai chicken salad nobody would have had a clue as to what it was. So I held my breath and waited for the reaction. It quickly became our most popular lunch item. Everyone loved the rice sticks and the spicy peanut sauce as most people referred to the dressing. How did I know I had created a Thai dressing? Our Sysco delivery driver was from Bankok and when he sampled my newest creation he said, "This tastes just like the sauce my mother makes". I stood there dumbfounded. Okay. Thai peanut sauce it is. He suggested the rice sticks so I set about finding them. I did and voila! I think it's funny that our customers insisted that this Thai salad had to be served with sliced French baguette and butter. Our customers insisted on having French bread and butter no matter what kind of salad they ate.

Walter's Salad

Make the rice sticks first. Don't skip making these. It is totally worth it. They keep for at least two weeks in an airtight container. You'll have lots of rice sticks.

Rice Sticks:

You'll need:

Canola oil

Rice Sticks (I use Dynasty brand Maifun rice sticks. 6.75 oz bag, has 3 bundles of rice threads)

2 rimmed baking pans lined with 2 thicknesses of paper towels.

One of those little skimmers used in Asian cooking to lift the rice sticks out of the oil.

In a 6 quart pot heat 48 oz of Canola oil to 375 - 400 degrees. (I use a Rival 6 quart Chef's Pot Multi-Cooker.) It has a temperature control so I just set it to 375.

The oil is hot enough when you can take a rice thread and dip the tip into the oil. It should immediately puff up. If it doesn't wait and try again in a minute or two.

Take small handfuls and drop into the oil. It will immediately expand and puff up.

Don't put too much in at a time because the outside will expand but the middle won't cook and raw rice sticks are like fishing line to bite into - yuck.

Use the skimmer to lift the rice sticks out of the oil and place on the paper towel lined baking sheet.

Cool. Place in an airtight container. See now you have lots of crispy rice sticks.

Homemade Hot Chili Oil

Make this. It is wonderful in so many things. I like to stir it into a little mayonnaise for a sandwich spread. Add it to other sauces and dressings to give them an added kick. You can make this in less than 10 minutes.

Place in a small sauce pot over medium heat:

1- 1/2 cups light olive oil

2 T red pepper flakes (like the kind found in Pizza restaurants)

1 heaping Tablespoon of peeled diced garlic ( about 2 cloves)

1 heaping Tablespoon fresh peeled ginger, diced (use a spoon to peel the ginger)

Watch it closely - once it begins to simmer its done. (this only takes about 3 minutes)

Take off the heat and let cool.

Strain and put into a glass bottle.(or let it sit longer to intensify the heat of the chilies)

Keep in the refrigerator.

Note: If you don't like ginger or garlic leave them out.

As long as you have the chilies and oil you don't really need anything else. I just happen to love garlic in everything. And the ginger isn't very noticeable.

Tip: Save those glass bottles with the plastic screw on lids. This one originally came from Trader Joe's and had some kind of sauce in it. (I love this size for vinaigrette )

Spicy Peanut Dressing

This is a creamy peanut dressing with a soy sauce base that's sweet and has a nice slightly hot kick to it. You can adjust the amount of hot chili oil to suit your taste.

I have a regular size Cuisinart food processor that holds 11 cups. If yours is smaller this may overfill.

I don't recommend making this in a blender.

Add to the food processor and blend until smooth:

1 cup Skippy creamy peanut butter

1 cup soy sauce

1 -1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 cloves garlic pressed through a garlic press

2 "quarter" size slices of ginger, chopped and pressed with a garlic press. (I find it works pretty good to use a garlic press for ginger. You just have to squeeze hard and be sure to take the tip of a knife and pry out the ginger pulp between presses.)

2 Tablespoons roasted sesame seed oil

4 Tablespoons homemade hot chili oil --add a little at a time and taste -DON'T ADD ALL AT ONCE

1 cup rice wine vinegar (NOT SEASONED rice wine vinegar)

3 Tablespoons ketchup

3 Tablespoons light olive oil

Taste and if needed you could add a little more garlic and hot chili oil

Grilled Chicken Breast

At the cafe we had a great char-broiler but at home I use a Panini Maker/Grill

Pound out the desired number of chicken breast halves so they are uniform in thickness.

Lightly brush with oil and place on a preheated Panini Grill.

Cook until done about 5 minutes. Slice.

To assemble the salad. Put lettuce on the bottom, then rice sticks, then slices of chicken, a drizzle of the dressing and finally a sprinkle of chopped Planters lightly salted peanuts. Enjoy!

Panko Chicken

2010-02-15T21:58:00.000-08:00

I am so hooked on this chicken. It is so light and crispy. And you can serve it so many ways. My current obsession is Panko chicken with a spicy orange sauce served over Basmati rice with sweet and spicy pecans.

Panko Chicken with Spicy Orange Sauce and Glazed Pecans

Panko bread crumbs are a Japanese style bread crumb that is very crispy. I buy mine at an Asian market but most grocery stores carry them.

Sweet and Spicy Glazed Pecans

This is just a light glaze to add a little flavor to toasted pecans.

I use 4 cups of pecans in this recipe to insure there will be some left by the time I get the chicken finished. At my house no one can resist eating these once they come out of the oven.

Preheat oven to 325

Place rack in the center of oven

Line a rimmed baking pan with foil.

Combine in a bowl and set aside:

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons brown sugar

Spread 4 cups of raw pecan halves out on the baking pan

Bake for 8 minutes

Take out of the oven and stir the nuts -- set aside

Melt 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a skillet

Add pecans and stir until nuts start to darken

Add spice and sugar mixture

Add 1 tablespoon water

Continue to stir and cook until the glaze coats the nuts and is no longer wet looking.

About 5 minutes

Dump the nuts out on the foil lined baking pan and separate with a fork

Let cool

Panko Chicken

I adapted this recipe from Vanilla Sugar General Tso's Chicken.

Place your largest skillet on the stove and fill about 1/4 - 1/3 full with cooking oil. (Wesson Oil)

The oil should be high enough to cover the chicken. The chicken will be cut into small pieces so don't over fill. (Don't turn stove on yet)

Next you need 3 bowls to hold the egg, flour and bread crumbs that you will be dipping the chicken into.

In the first bowl put 1 cup flour,

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of corn starch, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, mix well

In the second bowl place 3 beaten eggs plus 2 teaspoons of cayenne pepper

In the third bowl place 1 bag of Panko breadcrumbs

Next wash and pat dry with paper towels - 4 chicken breast halves

Pound them out placing one chicken breast half in a zip lock bag and lightly pounding with a mallet.

You want all the chicken to be uniform in thickness. It's not necessary or wanted to have it too thin.

Turn your stove burner to medium heat.

Next you will bread the chicken.

Get a cookie sheet out so you can place the breaded chicken on it.

Its best to let the chicken sit for a few minutes before frying so the coating stays on.

First take a piece of chicken and place in the flour/cornstarch mixture.

Shake off

Second: dip into the egg mixture. Let excess drip off.

Third: dredge in the Panko breadcrumbs

Place on the cookie sheet to wait until you will need it

Repeat with the rest of the chicken.

To test the oil to see if it is hot enough to cook the chicken, take a wooden spoon and place the end of the handle in the oil. When you can see little bubbles around the end of the handle your oil is ready. Or when you think its hot enough place a piece of chicken in the oil and it should bubble.Watch the oil so it doesn't get too hot. As long as it bubbles and doesn't smoke or bubble violently the temperature is correct.

Cook chicken 3-4 minutes on each side. Don't overcook or the chicken will be tough and the Panko coating won't be light and crispy.

Use tongs to remove from the oil.

I use a cooling rack placed on a large cookie sheet so any excess oil can drip away from the chicken and it can cool on all sides.

Orange Sauce

Melt 1 stick unsalted butter in a sauce pot over medium heat

Add: and bring to a boil over medium heat

Zest of 1 orange

1-1/2 cups fresh squeezed orange juice (reserve 1/4 cup)

1 clove garlic pressed through a garlic press

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup Apricot preserves or jam (Trader Joe's)

2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Take off the heat once it boils.

Stir 1 Tablespoon + 2 teaspoons cornstarch into the reserved orange juice (creating a slurry)

Place pot back on the stove

Stir in the cornstarch slurry

Continue cooking until the sauce thickens.

Strain to remove the zest

Serving suggestion: For an appetizer place an 8 oz block of Philadelphia cream cheese (room temperature) on a plate and pour orange sauce over the top. Dice up some sweet and spicy pecans and sprinkle over the top. Serve with crackers or slices of baguette. Trust me....this is really good.

To serve the chicken:

Place desired amount of chicken, some of the glazed nuts and some of the sauce in a bowl and stir together.

Serve over Basmati rice.

Basmati Rice

Place in a large sauce pot over medium heat:

2 cups Basmati rice (rinsed with water and drained -- use a fine mesh sieve)

3 cups water (I use bottled spring water)

1 teaspoon oil or butter

1 teaspoon sea salt

When water is absorbed into the rice and you see little holes -- turn heat down to low and set timer for 20 minutes

Turn heat off when timer goes off

(place strips of red bell pepper on top of rice with lid on if desired- to cook the red pepper)

Fluff with a fork just before serving

Place the pepper strips on top of the hot rice with the lid on to steam cook the pepper strips

Serve the Panko chicken with spicy orange sauce over Basmati rice.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Cupcakes with Swiss Meringue Buttercream

2010-02-01T21:49:00.000-08:00

Swiss meringue buttercream is the perfect frosting when you want a satiny smooth frosting that isn't over sweet. There is enough chocolate in the cupcake to really make your taste buds happy.The two together make for a super yummy cupcake. I'm making some for Valentine's Day this year.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Swiss Meringue Buttercream

This recipe is from Cupcakes Take the Cake

Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350

Rack in the center of the oven

Line one standard size muffin tin with paper cupcake liners

You can now buy cupcake liners in dark colors which work well with chocolate cupcakes.

Measure and set aside

1/2 cup milk (whole milk works best)

Whisk together and set aside

3/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup cocoa powder

Cream with a stand mixer using the whisk attachment:

1 stick of unsalted butter, room temp

Add and continue mixing for a few more minutes:

1-1/4 cups sugar

Add: and beat until combined

2 large size eggs, room temp

(you can put the eggs in warm water for a few minutes to reach room temp)

Add:

1 teaspoon vanilla

When doing the next steps -- mix enough to just combine

Scrape down the bowl when needed

Add: 1/3 of the flour mixture and combine

Add: 1/2 of the milk

Then: another1/3 of the flour

Add: the rest of the milk

Add: the rest of the flour

Use a muffin scoop to place the batter in each cup. Fill about 2/3 full. There may be a little batter left over. Don't over fill.

Bake 20 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes.

Transfer cupcakes to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream

This recipe is from How to Eat a Cupcake

Separate 4 large eggs --and set aside

only the whites will be used for this recipe

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temp (not over soft- it should still be firm)

Cut each stick into 4 slices and set aside

This frosting is a buttercream that has a Swiss meringue for the base

Why is it that I am always finding myself standing in front of a stove stirring some mixture forever until it reaches the desired temperature?

Make yourself a double boiler if you don't have one

Just take a bowl and place it on top of a sauce pot filled with about four inches of

water (or more). Make sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl.

Turn the stove on Medium

When the water starts to simmer:

Place the egg whites and 1-1/4 cups of sugar in the bowl

Whisk constantly over simmering water until the sugar dissolves and the temp reaches 140-150 degrees. It will be hot to the touch.

Pour the heated mixture into a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.

Beat on high until stiff peaks form.

Then lower the speed a little and continue beating until the mixture cools - about 10 minutes

Now put the paddle attachment on your mixer

With the mixer on med-low add the slices of butter one at a time and continue until the butter is incorporated.

Increase the speed to med-high until light and fluffy. Scape down the bowl as needed. This could take a while.

You can't over mix this so don't worry -- keep mixing. Keep mixing. Until its fluffy and holds it's shape. Keep mixing. Don't give up.

Then with the mixer on low add 1 teaspoon of vanilla and beat for about 45 seconds

Then increase speed to med high for about a minute.

Fill a pastry bag fitted with a huge decorating tip to pipe the icing onto your cupcakes.

I used a Wilton #1M Star Tip

Go to the Wilton website to see how to make a frosting swirl Wilton

Master Muffin Recipe

2010-01-22T20:28:00.000-08:00

I love that this recipe makes exactly 12 muffins. And that you can add just about anything you want to them. I hate having to search for a specific type of muffin recipe.This recipe lets you create whatever tickles your fancy. Plus you can make the batter in just a few minutes.

I saw some nice looking Granny Smith apples so I decided to make apple walnut muffins. They bake up light and tasty! Plus you can add a struesel topping.

Master Muffin Recipe

Preheat oven to 365 degrees (midway between 350 and 375)

Line muffin tin with paper muffin cups

Make streusel :

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2/3 cup powdered sugar

2/3 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch of salt

Combine all ingredients and set aside to cool.

I put mine in the refrigerator

When cool use fingers to crumble

Prepare 1-1/2 cups of fruit and/or nuts and set aside.

(Any combination that makes up 1-1/2 cups)

Use peaches, apple, banana, walnuts, pecans - whatever you like.

Peel the apple(s) and dice into small pieces.

I used 1-1/4 cups diced apple and 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts

In a medium bowl combine:

1-1/4 sticks unsalted butter, melted (and cooled to barely warm)

1 teaspoon vanilla

2/3 cup sugar

2/3 cup milk, room temperature (carefully heat a little in the microwave if its too cold, should be tepid)

Whisk first and combine 1 egg, room temp

(I fill a small bowl with warm water and add the egg to bring it to room temperature)

Whisk together and set aside:

1-3/4 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1-1/4 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

Make a well in the flour mixture

Pour in the butter mixture

Add the apple and walnuts (or other combination)

Fold to combine

No more than 10 strokes

Spoon into muffin cups

Add streusel (optional) Recipe follows

Tip for adding streusel. Make a paper collar

Take piece of parchment paper or wax paper

and cut to 8-1/2" by 5". Roll up and tape so you have a tube shape.

This collar will prevent the streusel from going all over the place.

Hold over each muffin before baking and spoon 2 Tablespoon of streusel.

Bake 17 minutes

Check to see if they are done with a tooth pick, it should come out clean when inserted into the middle of a muffin.

If not bake 1-2 more minutes

If you just want to drizzle a little glaze over the top instead of adding the streusel here's the recipe for a lemon icing.

Lemon Muffin Icing

2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 cup powdered sugar

Combine and stir together

Drizzle over the cooled muffins

Kicharee

2010-01-02T14:01:00.000-08:00

This is my version of the Indian soup called Kicheree. Two years ago I ate nothing but this soup for breakfast, lunch and dinner for a month. The funny thing is I never got tired of having it. I didn't crave anything. I felt great. I was seeing a Ayurvedic nutritionist at the time.

Indian stores sell beans with "dal" in the name: for example moong dal beans -- use these instead of lentils

Kicheree

Prep first:

Wash and chop into bite sized pieces: (use organic produce if possible)

1 bunch dandelion greens (or kale or collard greens or mustard greens) discard the stems

This is to show you what dandelion greens look like

1 or 2 Daikon radishes, peeled

3 carrots, peeled

Set aside

Rinse 3 cups of lentils and drain

Place in a large bowl and pour bottled water over the beans to cover.

Soak the beans for 3 hours.

They will expand so use a big enough bowl.

They will soak up most of the water. Add more if needed.

Drain beans and set aside.

Take 1 large Vidalia or yellow onion and chop it up.

Saute onion in a soup pot over medium heat until almost transparent -- you can add a little butter or oil

While the onion is cooking take 1 whole bulb of garlic and separate the cloves, peel and dice fine.

(THE WHOLE THING--not just a clove)

Add the garlic to the onion and cook for a minute or two.

Add 3 quarts of chicken broth --

(I use organic chicken broth)

Add : the beans

Add: Daikon radish, and carrots

Here's the soaked/drained beans,onion, carrots, daikon radish, garlic

Bring to a boil with the heat set on Med

Then turn the heat down a little and add:

3 teaspoons sea salt

2 teaspoons coriander powder (or more )

2 teaspoons fennel powder(or more)

Add: greens and stir

Cook until beans are tender - about 30 minutes

Adjust seasonings and you are done.

Soup simmering away

Store leftovers in the refrigerator

Use any combination of veggies. The dark green ones are best.

Enjoy!

Quiche

2010-01-01T13:46:00.001-08:00

This is the quiche recipe I always use. It's so good. It comes out perfect every time. I love quiche…all kinds…even those little mini quiche appetizers.

Quiche

from The Pioneer Woman

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/04/quiche/

You will need a 10" quiche pan

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place rack in center of oven

Fry 1/2 pound bacon ( I use Applewood thick sliced bacon)

Place bacon on paper towels and set aside

Pour out excess grease but don’t clean the pan.

Melt 1/2 stick butter (2 oz) in the same skillet.

Add 1/2 of an onion,diced and cook for a few minutes.

Add 5 oz sliced mushrooms

Add one14 oz can artichoke hearts sliced into quarters

Cook for a few more minutes.

Add salt to taste.

Remove from heat

I dump this into a huge sieve and place it over a large bowl so the excess moisture will drip out

Allow to cool for about 20 minutes.

Take 2 pre-made 9 inch frozen pie crusts and allow to slightly thaw

(I like to use this short cut. But if you prefer go ahead and make your own pie crust)

Slice each crust into quarters and arrange in a 10 inch quiche pan

Press dough into the pan so that it looks pretty and there aren't any holes

Place in the refrigerator until needed

In a large bowl

Beat 3 eggs

3/4 cup heavy cream

Add 1 cup grated Swiss or Emmentaler cheese

( I like a blend of Parmesan, Asiago and Fontina)

Add mushroom mixture into egg/cream mixture.

Stir together.

Add crumbled bacon and stir.

(I don't cook my bacon to the crumbly stage. I like it cooked almost to that stage and then I dice it up into little tiny pieces)

At this point you could add any extras you want like:

Mini broccoli flowerets, little bits of carrot, red bell pepper diced fine, parsley or chives

Pour into pie crust and press to submerge ingredients.

Cover loosely with foil, place on a baking sheet

Bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes

Take off foil and turn to 375 and continue baking for 10 more minutes

Bake for slightly longer if quiche is overly jiggly.

Remove from oven and allow to set for ten minutes before serving.

Remove quiche from pan and place on a serving plate

That strange looking thing sitting behind the quiche is monkey bread.

Enjoy !

Sorry about the awful looking photos. I really need to take a digital photography class. Plus it would help if I would spend more than 5 minutes looking at the instruction manual that came with the camera. Plus the lighting really sucks at my apartment. It's a wonder some of the other photos came out as good as they did.

Caramel Popcorn with Pecans

2009-12-24T22:43:00.001-08:00

It's Christmas Eve and Walter and I are making caramel popcorn with pecans while watching It's a Wonderful Life. We decided to stay home this year and not go anywhere. I always have to be making something so this sounded like fun. We're going to take some with us tomorrow when we go to the movies to see Sherlock Holmes.

Caramel Popcorn with Pecans

You'll need 2 pans: a roasting pan plus a rimmed baking pan

Grease both pans

Preheat oven to 325

Place 2 cups of pecans on a rimmed baking pan

Toast for 8 minutes

Remove from oven and stir

Set aside to cool

Turn oven down to 250

You'll need 6 -7 quarts of popped corn which equals

2 batches

You'll need a huge pot to make the pop corn.

I use a 12 qt stock pot.

For 1 batch of pop corn : (you'll need to do this twice)

Turn heat to medium

Put into pot and place lid on top:

3 Tablespoons Wesson oil

1/2 cup of Orville Redenbacher's popping corn

Gently shake pot from side to side until kerne

ls start popping

Then shake vigorously until you don't hear any more kernels popping

Quickly dump into a huge bowl

(I use a giant "taco salad" size bowl.)

You may need a second huge size bowl for the second batch of pop corn

Hopefully you won't have too many duds

(un-popped kernels)

Take your hands and scoop up the pop corn and place in a 2 quart Pyrex glass measuring cup.

Remove any un-popped kernels.

Place about 5 quarts of pop corn in the roasting pan

And 2 quarts of pop corn on the rimmed baking pan

Add nuts to the popped corn

Place in a 250 oven to keep warm while you make the caramel

Caramel

Turn heat to medium

Put in a 2 1/2 to 3 quart sauce pan:

2 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup light Karo (corn syrup)

1 teaspoon salt

2 sticks unsalted butter (1 cup)

Stir constantly and bring to a boil

Once it boils continue to stir for 5 minutes

Remove from heat and stir in:

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

This will foam up and sizzle

Remove the pop corn from the oven

Drizzle caramel over the pop corn

Grease 2 large spoons

Toss the pop corn with the spoons to distribute the caramel.

Don't worry that it doesn't completely coat all the pop corn

Place pop corn in the oven for 1 hour.

Take it out of the oven and stir every 15 minutes.

Each time you toss and stir the pop corn more of the caramel

will end up coating it.

Let the caramel corn cool in the pan.

Give it a stir every now and then as it cools to break it apart and keep it from sticking to the pan.

Store in an airtight container.

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

2009-12-20T16:45:00.001-08:00

Carrot cake. Yummy. My Uncle Norm used to serve carrot cake at his sandwich shop near the courthouse. I have adapted his recipe. I baked a lot of carrot cakes when I had the cafe.

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Preheat oven to 325

Place rack in center of oven

Place 1 cup of walnuts on one side of a rimmed baking sheet and 1 cup of pecans on the other side.

Toast for 8 minutes

Set aside to cool

Place 2 cups of flaked coconut on a rimmed baking pan and toast for 7 minutes.

Stir and toss. Then check to see if it's dry or not. If still moist continue to toast in 1 minute intervals until it's done.

Stir and set aside to cool. (1 cup goes into the batter and 1 cup will be added to the frosting)

With a food processor and the shredding attachment grate 3 cups of carrots

(about 6 med size carrots) or grate by hand.

Set aside

Measure, whisk together and set aside:

3 cups flour

1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

In a large bowl beat: (I use a Kitchen Aid Mixer with the paddle attachment)

4 eggs

Add and mix for 1 minute

2 & 1/2 cups of granulated sugar

Slowly mix in:

1 & 2/3 cups of oil (like Wesson oil)

2 teaspoons real vanilla extract

Slowly add the flour mixture and beat until combined.

Chop the walnuts and add to the mixture. Pieces should be very small.

Add and stir by hand with a sturdy spoon until well combined:

Grated carrots

1 (8oz) can of crushed pineapple, drained

1 cup of the toasted coconut

Pour batter into the baking pan and level the top

Bake 55 minutes at 325

A tooth pick inserted should come out clean if its done

The cake will slightly pull away from the sides of the pan when done

Completely cool in the pan

Cream Cheese Frosting

Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature (DO NOT MICROWAVE to soften)

Butter should be at room temperature as well

Cream: until smooth (no lumps)

12 oz of Philadelphia brand cream cheese

3/4 stick of unsalted butter (6oz)

Slowly add 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted (see Note below)

By hand stir in the toasted coconut and chopped toasted pecans (tiny pieces)

Spread frosting over the cake when it is completely cool

Store in the refrigerator if you won't be serving this within a few hours.
Note: To avoid runny cream cheese frosting.
Sugar is hydroscopic. It attracts water molecules and tends to melt when it comes into contact with moisture. Cream cheese has a lot of moisture in it. (Also-salted butter has more moisture than unsalted butter.) Powdered sugar doesn't melt as much as granulated sugar, but you'll always have a soft icing when using cream cheese. The more powdered sugar you add the softer the icing becomes. If you want to frost a cake with cream cheese frosting stick to the ratio of cream cheese to butter to powdered sugar as follows: for every 8 oz of cream cheese use 4 oz of unsalted butter and 1 cup powdered sugar.

Christmas Cut Out Cookies

2009-12-16T21:00:00.000-08:00

It doesn't seem like Christmas to me unless I make sugar cut out cookies. I love to collect cookie cutters. Some are whimsical, like my dancing elf, some are fun like the leaping reindeer and some are pretty like the many snowflake cutters that I have. When I'm in a hurry I just use colored sugars to decorate them. When I have lots of time I like to paint the designs on with royal icing. I have too much going on lately, so this is a quickie batch just to show you the basics.
I have developed my own way of baking cut out cookies.What works best for me is to slowly bake the cookies at a lower than usual temperature. This allows the cookies to bake evenly and firm up so they won't break without having to use a lot of flour. Plus they taste good.
Another thing I do that I have never seen anywhere before is to add the sugar sprinkles while the cookie cutter is still in the dough. This way if you are using different colors of sugar you won't mess up the other cookies.
Christmas Cut Out Cookies

Preheat your oven to 275
Place rack in the middle of the oven

Whisk together and set aside:

3 cups flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Cream :

2 sticks unsalted butter

Gradually add:

1 cup granulated sugar

Beat for at least 3 minutes
Add: 1 egg and beat to combine

Add:

1/2 the flour mixture

Then:

1/4 cup heavy cream

2 teaspoons real vanilla

Then:

The other 1/2 of the flour mixture

Continue to mix until combined

Note: the dough may be very sticky and kind of wet looking. Not to fear. It will be perfect once it’s had a chance to firm up in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to one hour.

Divide dough in half and flatten between sheets of lightly floured waxed paper.

Chill dough until firm. 30 min to 1 hr

Cut with your favorite cookie cutters, sprinkle with colored sugars and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Tip: Leave the cookie cutter in the dough and sprinkle the sugar over the cookie dough. This way the sugar won’t go all over the place or get on the other cookies. And you can get a brighter color by adding more sugar. Press lightly with your finger tips to set the sugar.

Bake for approx. 25 minutes. They will continue to cook once they come out of the oven. Bake until they just start to turn light golden brown around the outside edges of the cookies.

Tip: Check on the cookies after 23 minutes as ovens vary. The cookies should just barely start to be getting brown along the outside edges. They will continue cooking after coming out of the oven.

Leave cookies on pan for a few minutes then transfer to cooling rack.

Store in tins layered with waxed paper or other air tight container.

Merry Christmas 2009

Heavenly heartfelt wishes are sent to you for a wonderful Christmas! Take the time to reflect on the reason for the season. And the things you have to be grateful for in your life. Blessings to you!

Suzanne's Sour Cream Coffee Cake

2009-12-05T22:13:00.000-08:00

This is one of my most requested recipes. It's yummy for breakfast or for a dessert when you don't want cake with frosting. Since this recipe makes a big coffee cake you'll have plenty to share.

Sometimes I use a rectangular pan to make this coffee cake and other times I use a 10 cup Bundt pan. See the Bundt cake variation.

Suzanne's Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Preheat oven to 325

Place rack in the center of the oven

Lightly grease a 13 x 9 x 2 pan

Set aside 3 large eggs, they need to be at room temperature

In a small bowl measure out and set aside:

1 & 1/2 cups sour cream -- this needs to reach room temperature

( about 30 min)

Slice 1 & 1/2 sticks of butter (12 tablespoons) this needs to reach room temperature

Note: You don't want this to melt or get too soft. Depending on how warm your kitchen is this takes about 30 minutes

Make the cinnamon topping:
This is a cinch to make with a stand mixer using the paddle attachment
Place in the bowl of a stand mixer

1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon all purpose unbleached flour

3/4 cup + 3 Tablespoons light brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt

1 stick (8 Tablespoons) unsalted COLD butter cut into tiny pieces
Turn mixer on low speed and mix until it transforms into coarse crumbs.

This should look like wet sand with a few itsy bitsy clumps of butter.

Once you have completed the topping keep it in the refrigerator until needed.
Note: You can also make the streusel without a mixer.
Use a pastry cutter or your finger tips to make a crumbly topping.

Coffee Cake Batter
Put into a bowl, whisk to combine and set aside:

2 & 2/3 cups all purpose unbleached flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

Put in a bowl, mix together and set aside:

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

Cream 1 & 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter (12 tablespoons)

Note: I use a Kitchen Aid mixer with the paddle attachment

Add: the sugar and beat for 5 minutes (yes, five minutes!!)

(set a timer)

Add: eggs, 1 & 1/2 teaspoons vanilla and sour cream and mix until well combined (1 minute)

With the mixer on low add the flour mixture and as soon as it is combined with the wet ingredients turn the mixer off and finish stirring by hand. Be sure the batter is completely mixed. There will be some tiny lumps. You don't want to over mix this.

Scrape batter into the pan and level off.

Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the top

Bake at 325 for 45- 55 minutes. Ovens vary. Start checking early so you don't over bake.
When you insert a tooth pick and it comes out clean it's done.

Note: You can bake for 35 minutes then sprinkle with 1/2 cup of finely chopped nuts and continue to bake for 10-15 minutes.

As soon as the coffee cake is completely cool I like to slice and wrap up all the pieces.

It freezes well.

BUNDT CAKE VARIATION:

Generously spray the inside of the Bundt pan completely with Baker's Joy (no-stick baking spray with flour) Make sure to spray the center tube so your cake won't stick.

I have never been able to use anything else to grease a Bundt pan without having part of the cake stick to the pan and ruin everything.

Bundt Cake Streusel Topping

(this is a little different than the topping for the rectangular cake)

Place in a bowl and make a crumbly topping :

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1 & 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cut into tiny pieces

Set aside in the refrigerator until needed

Make the cake batter as for the rectangular pan.

Spoon half the batter into the pan and level out using an offset spatula or knife.

Sprinkle with 3/4 cup topping.

Spoon remaining batter into pan and level out.

Sprinkle the rest of the topping over the batter.

Note: try not to get the topping within the extreme edge of the pan as this could slightly cause the cake to stick to the pan.

Bake at 325 for 55 minutes

Cool 45 minutes on a cooling rack

Run a thin knife around the edge of the pan and around the tube.

BE CAREFUL.

You don't want to tear the cake.

Turn the cake over onto a cooling rack or plate and release the cake from the pan. Let the cake cool completely before you then flip again onto your serving plate so the streusel topping is on top.

Enjoy!

Brownies

2009-11-28T20:30:00.001-08:00

There are so many different ways to make brownies. My favorite is whatever brownie I'm making at the time. So for now this is my favorite. Super chocolaty and easy to make.

Note: No Kitchen Aid or hand mixer needed! All the mixing is done by hand.

from Great Coffee Cakes, Sticky Buns, Muffins & More by Carole Walter

Hard Core Brownies

You'll need 3 & 1/2 cups of toasted walnuts. So heat your oven to 325. Spread the walnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 8 minutes. Take out and stir. Chop up once they have cooled and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 for the Brownies

Rack should be in the center of the oven

Lightly spray a nonstick 9 x 13 x 2 pan

If you want to be able to lift the brownies out of the pan then line it with foil and lightly butter. See note on how to do this. This is a good idea as I have a hard time getting the first few out of the pan without wrecking them. But then again who cares. The broken pieces taste just as yummy.

In a nonstick saucepan on low heat melt: (This won't take long. Keep an eye on it. Stir as it melts.)

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter

10 oz Baker's semisweet baking chocolate squares, chopped

3 oz Baker's unsweetened baking chocolate squares, chopped

In a large bowl whisk:

5 large eggs

Then slowly pour:

1 & 3/4 cups granulated sugar over the eggs and continue to whisk

Stir in:

1 & 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

the melted chocolate mixture

1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix well

Place 1 & 1/4 cups flour in a large strainer placed over the top of the chocolate mixture. Shake to sift the flour into the bowl as you stir with a large rubber spatula. This is a little test of your coordination.

Fold in:

1 & 1/2 cups chopped toasted walnuts

Pour batter into the pan. Make sure to spread it out evenly.

Bake 23 minutes

DO NOT OVERBAKE

Brownies are just too naked without chocolate and nuts on top.
To make a candy bar like topping:

In a nonstick saucepan on low heat melt:

1 - 7oz Hershey chocolate bar broken up

1 oz Baker's unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1 teaspoons Crisco or unsalted butter

Stir then pour over the top of the brownies. You can do this when the brownies are still warm.

Sprinkle 2 cups toasted, chopped walnuts over the brownies and lightly press down with your fingers to set the nuts.

Note: If you really want to go overboard with this-- double the amount of chocolate.

Cool for at least 2 hours in the pan. They will cut better if allowed to rest even longer or overnight. If you lined the pan with foil just lift out the brownies and pull down the foil and slice.

Storage: store in an airtight container with wax paper between the layers for up to 5 days.

Or freeze-- I like to wrap the brownies in foil and put them in a Ziplock bag and toss them in the freezer. They keep well.Grab one when you need it and go!

Note: to line a pan with foil

Turn the pan upside down. Take an 18 inch piece of heavy duty foil and smooth it over the top and down the sides. Remove the molded foil and place inside the pan right side up. Use your fingers to smooth out the inside and press into the corners. Then use soft (not melted) butter to grease the pan. Careful- don't tear the foil.

Suzanne's Caramels

2009-11-21T21:46:00.000-08:00

This is my signature recipe. I make at least eight batches of caramels every year during the holidays. I always make some for Valentine's Day and Easter. Then throughout the year for birthdays and special occasions. Everyone loves these. The down side to this is that nobody wants to make them for themselves. Every time I give the recipe to someone after they have been given a gift of caramels they say: "This is too much work. You can make them for me." Like biscotti these seem to take forever to make. But they are easy. Allow 30 minutes for the cooking time. Two to four hours for the candy to cool. (I prefer making this the night before.) And one hour to cut and wrap them. This version is a brown sugar caramel with toasted pecans. Dry roasted almonds work well too. I have tried many caramel recipes over the years and this is the easiest and best tasting.

Suzanne's Caramels

Make sure your pan, spoons and cutting board are completely free of any odors. I keep spoons that are only used for baking to insure that what I'm making doesn't end up tasting like garlic or onions.

Equipment you'll need :

3 quart heavy weight saucepan (mine is nonstick)

Candy thermometer

13 x 9 x 2 nonstick pan - lightly greased

Cutting board

Good quality waxed paper- see note below

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Spread out 2 cups of pecans on a cookie sheet

Cook for 8 minutes, stirring after 4 minutes

Cool slightly

Coarsely chop nuts and set aside

Put in saucepan and turn heat to medium :

1- 14oz can sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk) (I like Borden Eagle Brand)

2 -1/4 cups packed brown sugar

1 cup corn syrup (light Karo)

2 sticks unsalted butter (8 oz)

1/2 teaspoon salt

Stir continuously until mixture starts to boil.

Then clip on the candy thermometer

Continue to stir until the caramel reaches the desired level of chewyness/hardness:

240 for med-soft caramels (my favorite - when using roasted pecans)

245 for medium hard (for when I make them with dry roasted almonds)

248 for hard caramels (best in the summer when they will be a bit softer anyway because of the warmer weather)

Note: It will take about 15 minutes to reach 230 degrees. Never leave the caramel mixture once you start stirring. You have to continuously stir or the butter will separate and it will burn on the bottom of the pan.

Then another 10-15 minutes (or more) to reach your desired temperature.

Once the caramel has reached the desired temperature take it off the heat and stir in the nuts.

Be careful! This will be extremely hot.

I place my saucepan on a wooden cutting board.

Stir in the chopped pecans and pour into your pan.

Cool

Note: It's best not to let this get completely cold as once it sets up it's hard to remove from the pan and difficult to slice. (If your kitchen doesn't get cold make them the night before) Too soft is actually worse. It can be too sticky to slice. Oh well. Practice makes perfect!

Suggestion: The first time you make these heat the candy to 245 degrees so you won't undercook and risk making caramels that are way too soft. All is not lost even if this happens. Be creative and use it for something any way.

Release the caramel from the pan. If you are lucky you can invert the pan over a cutting board and whack it causing the caramel to fall out. If this doesn't work run a thin knife blade all around the pan and invert the pan over a cutting board and carefully pry the caramel out. Don't worry if it loses it's shape a little. You can press it back into shape. For me this is the worst part about making caramels. I am always afraid they will be wrecked trying to get them out of the pan. So far this has never happened.

Now that you have your caramels out of the pan you are ready to slice and wrap.

Use a Chef's knife to slice caramels. (A large knife with a straight blade, as in not serrated)

Slice: 1-½" x 3/4" for large size caramels

wrap in a piece of waxed paper 7" x 4-1/2"

Slice: 1" x 1" for medium size caramels

wrap in a piece of waxed paper 5- 1/2" x 4-1/2".

Wrapping technique:Put candy on a piece of waxed paper, roll up then twist each end. This takes a little practice to not tear the paper. Hold the candy with your finger tips extending out just a bit then twist the waxed paper.

Note: WAXED PAPER The caramels in the picture below were cut 1" x 1" and wrapped with a 5-1/2" x 4-1/2 inch piece of heavy weight waxed paper. Smart and Final here in Fresno, CA sells a huge roll of heavy weight wax paper.(It won't specifically say heavy weight waxed paper but it is.) Which you might want to invest in because from now on you will be making millions of these for every occasion. I also use this type of waxed paper to put between layers of cookies when I store them in a cookie tin. Works great between layers of English Toffee as well when putting into a tin for storage or as a gift.

Stored in an airtight container they will keep for up to 2 weeks.

Caramels make a great gift. In the picture below I put them in a glass candle holder. I love putting caramels in clear glass containers.

Warning! Once you start giving these away as gifts you'll be stuck. People will want more!!!!

English Toffee Fast & Easy

2009-11-16T12:38:00.000-08:00

This English toffee is easy to make. In just 15 minutes cooking time- butter, sugar and corn syrup transform into a rich, buttery, crunchy candy. Coated with chocolate and nuts it's irresistible.

English Toffee Fast & Easy

You'll need the following equipment:

3 quart heavy duty saucepan ( I use a nonstick pan)

12" x 18" rimmed baking sheet

Candy thermometer ( If you don't have one you can still make this)

Lightly grease a 12 x 18 rimmed baking pan.

Chop 16 oz of dry roasted whole almonds. (about 3 cups)

Sprinkle almonds over the bottom of the pan.

I buy my almonds dry roasted. But if you need to roast some, spread almonds out on a cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes at 325, stirring every 3-4 minutes. Let cool.

Chop 8 oz of blanched, slivered, dry roasted almonds (about 1 -1/2 cups) and set aside. You will use these later to sprinkle over the melted chocolate.

Add to saucepan and place over medium heat:

1 pound (4 sticks) salted butter (regular butter)

2-1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/4 cup corn syrup (light Karo)

Stir constantly until it begins to boil.

Once the sugar dissolves you can clip your candy thermometer to the side of the pan

Once it boils turn the heat down a bit and stir until it gets quite thick.

Start watching for 290 degrees. From there it will quickly go to 300.

It's done when it reaches 300 degrees (the color of brown sugar or a bit darker)

Don't overcook! 310 degrees max.

If you don't have a candy thermometer drop a bit of the molten hot candy from your spoon into cold water - it should be crunchy. If it's chewy it's not done.

Pour the finished candy over the nuts and let cool.

Break apart 2 - 7 oz Hershey bars. Add to a small saucepan and melt over low heat. Pour melted chocolate over the toffee. Spread with an offset spatula.

Then sprinkle the chopped, dry roasted, slivered almonds over the top and press down on the nuts to set them.

Cool. Then break into pieces.

Store in an airtight container. I like to use a cookie tin.

Enjoy!

Variations:

Try using dark chocolate

Use other kinds of nuts

Suzanne's Biscotti

2009-11-08T08:58:00.000-08:00

I have been baking biscotti for 25 years. It's still my all time favorite cookie. The dough takes just a few minutes to prepare. It's the rest of the procedure that seems to take forever! I will try to fully explain every detail of the process for you. Plus there are endless variations to the following basic recipe. My current favorite is dried cherry & almond. This is one recipe that is very forgiving. So let your imagination go wild coming up with your favorite version. I'll give a few of my favorites at the end.

My suggestion for making biscotti is to have about four hours of free time. You won't be spending the whole time on the biscotti but it does take a while. 15 minutes to mix up the dough. Then it needs to chill for an hour. Bake for 45 minutes. Cool 30 minutes. Then bake again for 50 minutes. In between all this you can be doing other things.

This recipe makes a cookie that is firm and crunchy but not break your teeth hard. You decide how firm you want it. It's the second bake that determines the degree of firmness. You'll have to let them cool completely before you can test for how hard they are. I like mine on the hard side. If you like them softer just decrease the baking time. It takes a little experimentation to get your biscotti exactly how you like them. But you really can't go wrong. The second bake is at 250 degrees so you won't have to worry about burning them.

It might take a few batches to get the hang of making biscotti. This is because the dough is sticky and needs to be handled a certain way in order to shape it into two logs. You'll need to know how to tell if they have baked long enough. You don't want them to burn on the bottom. Or be too soft to slice. You want to be able to slice the cookie log without it falling apart. But it really isn't difficult. It's definitely worth the effort. Biscotti make wonderful personal gifts. Package them in a crisp cellophane bag and tie with a ribbon or give in a decorative tin container. You won't have to pay a high price any more for them. And best of all, they will be your own custom creation.

Suzanne's Biscotti
Put the rack in the center of the oven
Preheat oven to 325 after dough has been chilling for 45 minutes
Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper

Whisk together and set aside:
3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Beat until foamy: (I use a Kitchen Aid mixer with the paddle)
3 large eggs
Gradually add: and beat 2 minutes
1 & 1/3 cups granulated sugar (see note at end)
Add: 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Add and continue to beat for 2 minutes:
1 stick (1/2 cup) melted unsalted butter (cut into 8 slices and microwave for approx 25 seconds, then let cool until just barely warm before adding to the eggs and sugar)
Slowly add the flour mixture and beat until well incorporated
This makes a plain vanilla biscotti.

Variation: Dried Cherry & Almond
At this point you could add:(use a sturdy spoon to hand mix)
3/4 cup dry roasted almonds, chopped (or other nuts)
1/2 cup dried cherries, diced (or other dried fruit)

Note: Dried fruit is really sticky when you try to dice it. Use a cutting board. Sprinkle a little flour over the dried fruit and toss together. Then dice it. The flour should coat the little pieces. Keep tossing around in the flour as you dice.

Get plastic wrap and a rimmed cookie sheet.
Place the cookie sheet in front of yourself lengthwise. If you have a 18" x 13" cookie sheet the 18 inch side is in front of you. Take the plastic wrap and stretch it out over the length of the cookie sheet. Tear off enough wrap so you'll have about 4 inches hanging past the ends.
We'll just do one side at a time.
Place the plastic wrap so a third of it is hanging off the side and two thirds is on the inside of the cookie sheet.
Now take spoonfuls of the biscotti dough and lay them on the plastic wrap along the edge of the cookie sheet like a long snake.Don't go all the way to the end. Stop when you run out of dough. Use half of the dough.
Smooth out the top of the dough with a knife so it is exactly the same height as the rim of the cookie sheet. Now take the two edges of the plastic wrap and bring them up to meet each other. Then fold over. Twist the ends. Now smooth out the dough so that it is uniform and solid. I lift up the right end of the dough and wrap my index finger and thumb around it with my finger tips touching together and slide my hand down the length of the dough to the opposite end so it is uniform in shape. It should end up looking like a roll of cookie dough. Now make sure that it is the same height as the rim. You may need to do additional shaping. You want a uniform and solid looking roll.
Now do the same thing with the remaining half of the dough. If you end up with one log that's wider or bigger or shorter, don't worry. That's ok.They don't have to be exactly the same size.

Carefully move the dough from the cookie sheet onto a cutting board that is long enough to support the dough and place in the refrigerator until firm. About one hour.

Make sure your oven is preheated to 325

Place the logs so they are about 2 inches from the sides of the cookie sheet and there is space between them for the dough to spread.
Your dough should be firm enough to pick up without being limp. Peel off the plastic wrap and place on the cookie sheet. Square up each end if it is tapered looking. This way when you slice the log you won't have tiny end pieces.

Bake for 30 minutes at 325
Then turn the oven down to 275 and continue baking 10-15 minutes.
Once the biscotti logs are removed from the oven turn it down to 250

Note: after 30 minutes the logs should just start to be be turning golden brown. If they just look pale, bake another 5 minutes and recheck before turning the oven down to 275.
Keep a careful eye on them once you turn the oven down to 275. After 10-15 minutes they should look golden brown and the cracks should look dry not wet. They will continue baking once they come out. Better to slightly under bake than risk over baking.

Cool 30 minutes. You'll need a serrated knife, cutting board and a parchment lined cookie sheet. Make sure the logs are cooled to at least barely warm before slicing. Completely cold might be best if this is your first time.

Make sure your oven is now set to 250

Carefully take one log off the cookie sheet. Tilting it up on it's side works best for me. Then holding it at the top I quickly transfer it to a cutting board and gently lay it down.(Lifting it off by putting your hands underneath could cause it to crack.) Have your cutting board close at hand so you can quickly make the transfer.
Place one log on the cutting board. Take your serrated knife and slice using a back and forth, sawing motion, while slightly pushing down. Practice makes perfect. The goal here is not to tear the cookie or cause a piece to break off. I usually cut 1/2" slices.

Place sliced cookies standing up on the parchment lined cookie sheet. I don't lay them on their sides. As long as they aren't touching you can put them close together. One cookie sheet should hold them all.

Carefully place the cookies in the oven and bake to your desired level of crispness
50 minutes for hard but crunchy - I recommend this if it's your first batch
40 minutes for medium hard
30 minutes for barely crunchy

Let cool completely.

Place in a glass cookie jar with a tightly fitting lid or cookie tin to prevent from getting soft. I think they taste better a few days after baking. They keep really well for at least two weeks. If by chance they do lose crispness just reheat in a 300 degree oven for 10-15 minutes.

Variations:
Chocolate Biscotti: substitute 1/2 cup cocoa powder for 1/2 cup of flour, add 1 cup chocolate chips

Anise Biscotti: substitute 1 teaspoon anise extract for the 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, add 1 tablespoon anise seeds

Almond Biscotti: add 3/4 cup dry roasted almonds, chopped
substitute 1 teaspoon almond extract for 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Dried Cranberry Biscotti: add 1/2 cup dried cranberries that have been soaked in 1/2 cup of boiling water, drained and patted dry.

50/50 Biscotti: make 2 batches of biscotti. One vanilla and one chocolate. Take 1/4 of the vanilla dough and lay out on the plastic wrap like a long snake, then 1/4 of the chocolate dough right next to it. Form into one log. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Note: You can decrease the sugar to as little as 3/4 cup without wrecking the biscotti. Or if you want it sweeter you could add up to 1 & 1/2 cups sugar and it will still be ok.

Welcome to Once Upon a Cafe / Chocolate Chip Cookies & Lemon Loaf

2009-11-01T14:34:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago I had no idea what a food blog was. I just happened to come across one while doing a Google search for how to bake a cupcake in a mug. I clicked on a website that happened to be a food blog. At first I sat in awe of the beautiful photos. The food looked like it could leap off the page. Then I read the blogger's profile. What? She took these great pictures of what she had made herself! Then I looked around the rest of the site. The recipes were explained in detail and looked delicious. She included comments about herself and her travels. This was so much fun for me to read. There were 'followers' of this site listed at the bottom of the page so I clicked on one of their pictures. I was whisked away to their blog. Oh my! This was like discovering a treasure chest! Some of the cooking blogs had links to other cooking blogs. One after another I clicked away. They were all really good. I ended up spending a whole Saturday transported to another world.

Up until now I've always gone to the Food TV website or Martha Stewart's site whenever I needed a recipe online. Sometimes there would be so many choices I would give up in exhaustion or frustration. It was so overwhelming. Recipe overload.
My newly discovered cooking blogs are a breath of fresh air. I love that only one recipe is usually featured per post. I feel relaxed and at home. I feel like a friend stopping by for a visit.

I felt inspired to create my own cooking blog. This is my lifestyle too. I am obsessed with cookbooks. I love to try new recipes and when they come out well to share them. I've been cooking forever. I owned a cafe for 10 years so I know what that is like. Plus, I have a digital camera that I need to learn how to use. I want to be able to take great food photos.

Another food blog is born.

This is uncharted territory for me. I haven't laughed so hard in a long time as the night my cousin, Patrick and my husband,Walter and I worked to get my blog's dashboard set up. I'm still not sure what I'm doing but I'm having fun! Like right now I am having trouble inserting a few pictures of the chocolate chip cookies and the lemon loaf I just finished. Augh!
I have been baking since I was barely able to see the top of the kitchen counter. Whenever I visited my Grandmother she always had all the ingredients for Nestle's Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies lined up and ready to go. I would sit on a tall chair next to the counter and she would assist me as I made the cookie dough. Then I would place one huge cookie on the baking sheet and into the oven it would go. This was my special cookie. The rest of the cookies were regular size. My Grandmother was known by all the neighborhood kids to always have a full cookie jar. They would come up to the door and politely ask if they could have a cookie. I think my love of baking came from her. She was a wonderful baker and cook. So here's the recipe for those classic chocolate chip cookies that started it all.

Nestle's Toll House Cookies

Preheat oven to 350 (The Nestle recipe says 375. I find 350 works best for me.)

Put the rack in the center of the oven.

Line 4 cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Put into a separate bowl and set aside

1 cup walnuts, chopped

2 cups Nestle chocolate morsels

Measure and put into a separate bowl and set aside

2 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

Beat (I use a Kitchen Aid mixer with the paddle attachment)

1 cup (2 sticks) softened unsalted butter, until creamy

Add: and continue mixing

3/4 cup granulated sugar

Add: and continue mixing

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

Add: and continue mixing

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Add and mix until well combined:

2 large eggs

Gradually add the flour mixture and beat until combined.

Mix in the chopped nuts and chocolate chips

(This part I always do by hand with a sturdy wooden spoon.)

Use a small ice cream scoop (#50) or with two spoons, drop about 2 tablespoons of dough onto the baking sheet. 12 cookies per sheet. I only bake one sheet of cookies at a time.

Bake about 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Makes about 4 dozen - 3 inch round cookies

I like to use glass jars with screw top lids or cookie tins to store cookies.

The weather is finally turning cool so I feel like baking once again after a very hot summer.

One of my favorite recipes is Lemon Loaf. It's easy, has a fresh tart lemon syrup glaze and keeps for days. I love recipes that use sour cream and baking powder. The texture is always so nice.

LEMON LOAF

from The Good Cake Book by Diana Dalsas

Preheat oven to 350

Grease and flour 2 - 9"x5" loaf pans (I use nonstick pans-which I grease and flour)

Juice 2-3 fresh lemons, seeds removed (you'll need 1/2 cup of juice)

Pour juice into a small sauce pan

Add 1 cup of sugar

Turn heat to med-low and stir until the sugar has dissolved.

Turn off the heat and pour the lemon syrup into a glass measuring cup.

Let cool. This will be poured over the loaves later.

Measure 2 cups of fresh cranberries and set aside (if frozen - don't thaw) I love to add cranberries when they are in season. They add a tartness that is so good.

Or use fresh raspberries. Feel free to add 1 cup of chopped nuts (walnuts) as well.

Mix in a separate bowl and set aside:

3 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

Cream : (I use a Kitchen Aid mixer with the paddle attachment)

1 stick plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Add:

2 cups granulated sugar

Beat in:

4 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2/3 cup sour cream

5 tablespoons milk

Add flour mixture and beat until combined.

Stir in the cranberries.Don't worry if the batter stiffens up from the frozen berries. No problem.

Divide batter between the 2 pans and shake back and forth to level out the top.

Bake for 50 minutes. Insert a toothpick to test for doneness. If crumbs stick to the toothpick or it comes out clean it's done. If unbaked batter sticks to the toothpick put it back in for a few minutes and test again. I find that this always takes exactly 50 minutes.

Immediately after taking from the oven:

Poke holes in the loaves with a bamboo skewer. About 20 holes per loaf.

Pour 1/2 cup of the lemon glaze over each loaf immediately after taking it out of the oven. Don't worry if it puddles along the edges or at the corners. The syrup will all be absorbed by the time it cools.

Let cool completely before removing from the pans. Run a knife blade along the sides of the pan and then release by turning the pan over.

This keeps well. Just wrap up and put in the refrigerator.