Three of my favorite holiday cookies are: Molasses Cookies, Lime Icebox Cookies and Double Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies.
The reasons I like them are they are easy to make, delicious and keep good.
Lime Icebox Cookies:
· 1-1/2 Sticks of Butter
· 1-1/3 C. Powdered sugar
· (Cream the above together)
· 1 T. Vanilla Extract
· 2 t. Lime Zest
· 2 t. Lime Juice
· 1-3/4 c. flour
· 2 T. Cornstarch
· 1/4 t. salt
· Powdered sugar to cover cookies after baking.
Mix all the ingredients together, then shape the dough into half inch logs with wax paper. Chill dough. Cut into think wafers and place on parchment paper or silicon baking mats. Bake in a preheated oven at 350F for 12-15 minutes (no convection bake). Transfer cookies to a cooling rack, when completely cool, roll cookies in powered sugar.
(Originally from: Martha Stewards show)
Molasses Cookies
· 2/3 c. vegitable oil
· 1 c. sugar
· 1 egg
· 1/3 c. molasses
· 2-2 1/4 c. flour
· 2 tsp. baking soda
· 1 tsp. cinnamon
· 1 tsp. ground cloves
· 1 tsp. ginger
· sugar for coating cookie dough
Mix all the ingredients in order, then shape the dough into balls and roll them in the extra sugar. Place thm on a cookie sheet on parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, they’ll be golden brown and cracked on top.
Originally from: thecookfulyouth This recipe is for Crazy Aunt Robyn.)
Double Batch Chocolate Cookies
· 5 Sticks of Butter
· 1-1/2 C. Dark Brown sugar
· 1 C. sugar
· (Cream the above together)
· 2 eggs
· 1 T. Vanilla Extract
· 3-1/2 c. flour
· 2 t. Baking Soda
· 1 t. Salt
· 6-7 c. oats
· 2 c. Chocolate Chips
Mix all the ingredients together. Bake at a preheated oven at 375F for 10-11 minutes.
(Originally from: Our friends Kohl)
Esay Homemade Cheese Cake: Not for the faint of heart! super easy and delicious!
For Crust:
1.5 C. Gram cracker crumbs (comes in a box)
3-4 T. Butter, room temperature
Mix the gram cracker crumbs and butter together, shape in a spring formed pan. Bake at a 350 degree pre-heated oven for 10 minutes.
Filling:
1.5 lb. cream cheese (bought from a local restaurant supply store, $3.86 for a 3 lb. block, which makes two l0" cheese cake);
4 whole eggs, and two egg yorks, room temperature;
1.5 C. Sugar;
2 t. vanilla abstract;
a pinch of freshly grounded nutmeg;
a pinch of lemon zest.
In a food processor, blend together cream cheese and sugar until smooth (2-3 minutes), add eggs/egg yokes one at a time while keeping the food processor running, add vanilla, nutmeg and lemon zest.
Pour the filling in the baked pie crust. Lower oven temperature to 325 degree (make sure do not use convection baking, use regular baking instead). Bake for an hour and fifteen minutes, or until a knife inserted comes out clean.
Run knife around the cake pan, and place the cake pan on a cooling rack. Here's comes the hardest part: Wait until completely cool before serving. Top with cherry pie filling if you prefer. (My friend swears by it)
1.5 C. Gram cracker crumbs (comes in a box)
3-4 T. Butter, room temperature
Mix the gram cracker crumbs and butter together, shape in a spring formed pan. Bake at a 350 degree pre-heated oven for 10 minutes.
Filling:
1.5 lb. cream cheese (bought from a local restaurant supply store, $3.86 for a 3 lb. block, which makes two l0" cheese cake);
4 whole eggs, and two egg yorks, room temperature;
1.5 C. Sugar;
2 t. vanilla abstract;
a pinch of freshly grounded nutmeg;
a pinch of lemon zest.
In a food processor, blend together cream cheese and sugar until smooth (2-3 minutes), add eggs/egg yokes one at a time while keeping the food processor running, add vanilla, nutmeg and lemon zest.
Pour the filling in the baked pie crust. Lower oven temperature to 325 degree (make sure do not use convection baking, use regular baking instead). Bake for an hour and fifteen minutes, or until a knife inserted comes out clean.
Run knife around the cake pan, and place the cake pan on a cooling rack. Here's comes the hardest part: Wait until completely cool before serving. Top with cherry pie filling if you prefer. (My friend swears by it)
Thanksgiving
Thanks giving is here. I've done my share of cooking. Enchilada is my main dish and I have done a few other easy dishes. Here are the dishes and tips that might be helpful to you...
Pumpkin pie: I used the winter squash I grew from my own garden. The key ingredient (besides the squash) is Condensed milk. This will give the pumpkin pie the right consistency. I also used freshly ground nutmeg, ginger and cinnamon for my spices. Bake the pie at 425 degree for 15 minutes, and reduce to 325 degree and bake for another 45 minutes.
Cheese Cake: I put cream cheese, sugar in my Cuisinart food processor, process until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time while continuing blending, add flour for thickening add a dash of freshly grounded nutmeg and vanilla. Keep blending until the mixture is very smooth. Pour all in a preformed pie crust. Bake at 325 degree oven for 1 hr. or until a knife inserted comes out clean.
To make a smooth top, blend together sour cream, powdered sugar and a little cream cheese, make a thick slurry, pour on top of the cheese cake and bake for another 15 minutes.
Enchilada: This is not a traditional Thanksgiving dish, but it's my contribution to a family get together. I first cooked up 3 lb. beef (cheap cuts) with: California chili powder, New Mexico chili powder, a dash of dried mustered, onion powder, garlic powder, a cube of tomato flavored chicken bouillon, a few (4-5) whole cloves, some chopped onions and tomatoes and 1/2 C. of vegetable oil. Cover dish with foil, bake at 325 degrees for 2.5 hours or until meat is tender. Cool the meat.
#Prepare tortillas. I use corn tortillas. Cook tortillas on a frying pan with a little oil until they become soft and pliable. Fill each corn tortilla with beef roll it up and place in a baking dish.
#Making the enchilada sauce: Pour 1 T oil in a frying pan, add chopped jalapeno pepper, chopped tomato and garlic. Cook until they turn soft. Add water, Mexican oregano, cumin and salt to taste. Bring the sauce to a boil. Use a submersible blender, blend the sauce until smooth.
Pour sauce over the prepared tortilla. Cover it with cheese (I use a blend of cheddar and Monterrey Jack cheese.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.
What's next...oh
Brown rice salad: This is a really fast and easy recipe and everyone loves it! Cook the brown rice in a rice cooker. (Put in 1.5 times as much water as you would white rice, the rice cooker will know when to stop cooking). After the rice is done, add olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, chopped onion, chopped green onion, chopped parsley, chopped garlic and finely chopped almonds, salt and pepper to taste. You may add other fillers to the salad.
Cheesy Bread Sticks: I always make these delicious cheesy bread sticks and serve them with my Basil Tomato Butter (see below).In a cup, add 1 C. water, 1 t. dry yeast, 1/2 C. flour. Stir to blend. Let it stand overnight. Day 2: in the mixture, add 1 T. dry yeast, 1 C. warm water, 1 t. salt and a dash of sugar, and enough flour to make a soft dough. Let the dough stand until doubled. Roll the dough on a floured board. Brush the flattened dough with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt. Sprinkle with a generous amount of shredded Parmesan cheese. Cut it into strips with a pizza cutter. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until lightly brown.
Tomato Basil Butter:
2 C. fresh basil, 1 can of 6-oz. tomato paste, 1 stick of butter (room temperature), 4 cloves of garlic, salt to taste. Finely chop basil, garlic, and salt. In a bowl, mix tomato paste, butter and finely chopped garlic and basil mixture. Blend with a rubber spatula until smooth. Keep in the refrigerator for up to a week. Great for fresh baked bread, sandwiches. Especially good for making leftover turkey sandwich.
Pumpkin pie: I used the winter squash I grew from my own garden. The key ingredient (besides the squash) is Condensed milk. This will give the pumpkin pie the right consistency. I also used freshly ground nutmeg, ginger and cinnamon for my spices. Bake the pie at 425 degree for 15 minutes, and reduce to 325 degree and bake for another 45 minutes.
Cheese Cake: I put cream cheese, sugar in my Cuisinart food processor, process until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time while continuing blending, add flour for thickening add a dash of freshly grounded nutmeg and vanilla. Keep blending until the mixture is very smooth. Pour all in a preformed pie crust. Bake at 325 degree oven for 1 hr. or until a knife inserted comes out clean.
To make a smooth top, blend together sour cream, powdered sugar and a little cream cheese, make a thick slurry, pour on top of the cheese cake and bake for another 15 minutes.
Enchilada: This is not a traditional Thanksgiving dish, but it's my contribution to a family get together. I first cooked up 3 lb. beef (cheap cuts) with: California chili powder, New Mexico chili powder, a dash of dried mustered, onion powder, garlic powder, a cube of tomato flavored chicken bouillon, a few (4-5) whole cloves, some chopped onions and tomatoes and 1/2 C. of vegetable oil. Cover dish with foil, bake at 325 degrees for 2.5 hours or until meat is tender. Cool the meat.
#Prepare tortillas. I use corn tortillas. Cook tortillas on a frying pan with a little oil until they become soft and pliable. Fill each corn tortilla with beef roll it up and place in a baking dish.
#Making the enchilada sauce: Pour 1 T oil in a frying pan, add chopped jalapeno pepper, chopped tomato and garlic. Cook until they turn soft. Add water, Mexican oregano, cumin and salt to taste. Bring the sauce to a boil. Use a submersible blender, blend the sauce until smooth.
Pour sauce over the prepared tortilla. Cover it with cheese (I use a blend of cheddar and Monterrey Jack cheese.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.
What's next...oh
Brown rice salad: This is a really fast and easy recipe and everyone loves it! Cook the brown rice in a rice cooker. (Put in 1.5 times as much water as you would white rice, the rice cooker will know when to stop cooking). After the rice is done, add olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, chopped onion, chopped green onion, chopped parsley, chopped garlic and finely chopped almonds, salt and pepper to taste. You may add other fillers to the salad.
Cheesy Bread Sticks: I always make these delicious cheesy bread sticks and serve them with my Basil Tomato Butter (see below).In a cup, add 1 C. water, 1 t. dry yeast, 1/2 C. flour. Stir to blend. Let it stand overnight. Day 2: in the mixture, add 1 T. dry yeast, 1 C. warm water, 1 t. salt and a dash of sugar, and enough flour to make a soft dough. Let the dough stand until doubled. Roll the dough on a floured board. Brush the flattened dough with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt. Sprinkle with a generous amount of shredded Parmesan cheese. Cut it into strips with a pizza cutter. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until lightly brown.
Tomato Basil Butter:
2 C. fresh basil, 1 can of 6-oz. tomato paste, 1 stick of butter (room temperature), 4 cloves of garlic, salt to taste. Finely chop basil, garlic, and salt. In a bowl, mix tomato paste, butter and finely chopped garlic and basil mixture. Blend with a rubber spatula until smooth. Keep in the refrigerator for up to a week. Great for fresh baked bread, sandwiches. Especially good for making leftover turkey sandwich.
Pico de Gallo
This is a recipe I got from Chelz's boyfriend describing how his mom makes it back in Taxes. I used my kohlrabi which is in abundant supply this time of the year, and they are ever so tasty from the cool fall air and moisture.
1 medium red onion, chopped,
1 large kohlrabi, peeled and chopped,
10 jalapeno peppers, chopped
1 medium tomatoes, chopped
1/4 C. chopped cilantro,
juice from one lemon,
juice from one lime,
salt to taste.
Mix all ingredients together, let set for half an hour before serving. Serve with corn chips.
Simple pickles
I have had hard time making pickles for a long time. My pickles never seems turned out they way I expected them to be - until I experimented with this simple version of the cold packed pickles...It is simple, delicious. Here's the recipe:
soak 10 lb. of cucumbers (sliced lengthwise) in a salt solution with 16 C. water and 1.5 C. salt for 1 day. The next day, make the brine: bring to boil 4 C. white vinegar and 6 C. water, add 2 T. colored pepper corns, 1 T. mustard seeds, 10 cloves of crushed garlic, 2 t. red pepper flakes, horseradish (optional), whole hot peppers (optional). Pack cucumbers in hot jars (boiled in hot water for 5 minutes). Pour brine in jars. Cap jars. Store in the refrigerator. Pickles should be ready in 7 days. Keep up to 2 month.
soak 10 lb. of cucumbers (sliced lengthwise) in a salt solution with 16 C. water and 1.5 C. salt for 1 day. The next day, make the brine: bring to boil 4 C. white vinegar and 6 C. water, add 2 T. colored pepper corns, 1 T. mustard seeds, 10 cloves of crushed garlic, 2 t. red pepper flakes, horseradish (optional), whole hot peppers (optional). Pack cucumbers in hot jars (boiled in hot water for 5 minutes). Pour brine in jars. Cap jars. Store in the refrigerator. Pickles should be ready in 7 days. Keep up to 2 month.
Jambalaya
Jambalaya is a southern rice dish with distinct flavor. I first had the real jambalaya when we vacationed in New Orleans. Walking on the street of New Orleans smelling the aromas came out of the numerous restaurants in the musky air is an unique experience. One dish I was determined to try while there was Jambalaya. Today I am trying to duplicate the taste and bring back some memories.
The foundation of Jambalaya is the a mixture of vegetables (celery, onions and peppers) and meats (I like to use smoked sausage, chicken and shrimp) cooked together with rice and the unique Louisiana seasoning (a real nice short cut). I use my rice cooker for this dish, makes it super easy.
Method:
Remove the skin from fresh shrimps, put the skin in a pot with 4 C. water, bring it to a boil. Turn off heat.
Saute the chopped vegetables in 2 T. oil, until onions become translucent, remove, place in the rice cooker. Saute the cutup meats in 2 T. oil until cooked, remove and place in the rice cooker. Cook 2 C. short grain rice in 2 T. oil until the rice turns white, sprinkle with Cajun spice. Pour stock made with shrimp water to the pan, add 10 oz. canned tomato. Bring it to a boil, add 2 cloves of crushed garlic. Place the content in the rice cooker. Stir well. Turn the rice cooker on. Cook until done. Leave the Jambalaya in the rice cooker for at least half an hour before serving. Serve with Louisiana hot sauce, boiled corns and fried breaded zucchini slices.
YUMEEEEEEEE! And watch Forest Gump on your DVD.
The foundation of Jambalaya is the a mixture of vegetables (celery, onions and peppers) and meats (I like to use smoked sausage, chicken and shrimp) cooked together with rice and the unique Louisiana seasoning (a real nice short cut). I use my rice cooker for this dish, makes it super easy.
Method:
Remove the skin from fresh shrimps, put the skin in a pot with 4 C. water, bring it to a boil. Turn off heat.
Saute the chopped vegetables in 2 T. oil, until onions become translucent, remove, place in the rice cooker. Saute the cutup meats in 2 T. oil until cooked, remove and place in the rice cooker. Cook 2 C. short grain rice in 2 T. oil until the rice turns white, sprinkle with Cajun spice. Pour stock made with shrimp water to the pan, add 10 oz. canned tomato. Bring it to a boil, add 2 cloves of crushed garlic. Place the content in the rice cooker. Stir well. Turn the rice cooker on. Cook until done. Leave the Jambalaya in the rice cooker for at least half an hour before serving. Serve with Louisiana hot sauce, boiled corns and fried breaded zucchini slices.
YUMEEEEEEEE! And watch Forest Gump on your DVD.
Mussaka
With all the fresh veggies come out of the garden, I decided to put something together that will utilize a few of them.... Moussaka came to mind. I have herd about this dish from Serge, an old Greek guy who sells tomatoes at the Portland Farmer's Market. I used to share my veggies with him at the end of the market day, and hearing him talking about all the wonderful Greek foods that made my mouth water....Today I am going to try one of the dishes he described to me, Moussaka, a dish that uses eggplant, potatoes, onions with meat and Béchamel sauce . I know the basic ingredients, now it's a matter of figuring out how to put them all together. I looked up on Youtube, and found a real simple version of it....
3 medium sized potatoes,sliced, 3-4 Black Dragon Eggplant,sliced, 3 cloves of garlic, 1 medium onion,diced, 1 lb. lean ground beef, 1/4 lb. Italian sausage. 1 jar of spaghetti sauce (16 oz.). Heat a heavy cast iron pan on high, add 2 T. olive oil brown potato slices on both sides, remove from pan. Add 2 more T. olive oil, cook eggplant slices until they turn soft. Remove from pan. Add Italian sausage to pan, cook until down; add ground beef, cook until done, add chopped garlic and onions, cook until onion turn translucent. Add the spaghetti sauce, stir until blended. Add some chopped herbs from your garden (I used parsley and oregano).
Spread a layer of the meat sauce on the bottom of a baking dish, arrange a layer of potato, a layer of eggplant, add meat sauce, add another layer of potato and eggplant. Pour the remaining meat sauce on top.
Make the white sauce: add 2 T. butter, stir in 2 T. white flour, stir until well blended and flour turning lightly brown, add 2 C. whole milk, salt and pepper, add 2 beaten eggs, cook until the sauce forms a nice consistency.
Pour the white sauce over the potato and eggplants. Bake at 350 F oven for 1 hour.
It was truly exquisite!
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