Crusty Country Bread
Ingredients & Directions 1 Envelope dry yeast 2 ts Sugar (optional) 1/3 c Warm water (105-115 F) 2 ts Salt 4 c Hard wheat white flour 1 1/4 c Warm water (120-130 F) Makes 2 baguettes or 1 long or round loaf Lightly grease large bowl; set aside. Stir yeast into 1/3 cup water and let stand until mixture bubbles, about 5 to 7 minutes. Combine with flour in mixing bowl. Begin beating, adding sugar, salt and remaining water, and continue beating until well mixed. Turn dough out onto lightly floured board and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place in greased bowl, turning to coat entire surface. Cover with plastic wrap and hot, damp towel and let stand in warm place until almost tripled in volume. When dough has risen, transfer to board, punch down and knead about 2 minutes to eliminate any air bubbles. Return to bowl, cover and let rise again until at least doubled. Preheat oven to 425 F. Grease baking sheet. On lightly floured board, punch dough down, roll into oval, then form into desired shape. Make several slashes diagonally across top with knife or scissors. Place on baking sheet and let rise until loaf is doubled. Bake 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 F and bake 5 to 10 minutes more for baguettes, or 15 minutes for single loaf, until golden brown and bread gives hollow sound when tapped on bottom. Cool on rack. Yields 2 servings
Buttermilk Pancakes
Ingredients & Directions 1 c All purpose flour 1 ts Baking soda 1/2 ts Salt 1 lg Egg, beaten lightly 1 c Buttermilk plus additional If necessary Vegetable oil for brushing The griddle In a bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, egg, and 1 cup of buttermilk, whisking the batter until it is smooth. The batter may be made 3 days in advance and kept covered and chilled. It will thicken as it stands. Thin the batter to the desired consistency with the additional buttermilk or some water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Heat a griddle over moderate heat until it is hot enough to make drops of water scatter over its surface and brush it with some of the oil. Working in batches and using a 1/4 cup measure filled halfway, pour the batter onto the griddle, cook the pancakes for 1 minute on each side, or until they are golden, and keep them warm. Use the pancakes for caviar pancakes or serve them plain with syrup. Yield: Six 2-inch pancakes COOKING LIVE SHOW #CL9035 All recipes courtesy of Yields 4 servings
Cindy's Chocolate Chip Cookie
Ingredients & Directions 1 ea Stick of butter 3/4 c Flour 6 T Brown sugar 1 c Chocolate chips 6 T White sugar 1 c Oats 1/2 t Vanilla 1/2 t Salt 1 ea Egg Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Can substitute 3 bags of instant oatmeal instead of oats and salt. Yields 12 servings
The Ultimate Butter Tart
Ingredients & Directions Pastry for double crust pie 1 Egg; slightly beaten 1/2 c Brown sugar;lightly packed 1 ts Vanilla 1/2 c Corn syrup 1/4 ts -Salt 1/4 c Shortening;’golden’ flavour 3/4 c Raisins Prepare pastry. Roll out thinly on floured surface. Cut into rounds with 4″ round cutter. Fit into medium-sized muffin cups. Combine all ingredients except raisins; mix well. Put raisins into pastry shells, dividing evenly. Fill 2/3 full with syrup mixture. Bake on bottom shelf at 425F for 12 to 15 minutes or just until set. DON’T OVERBAKE. Overbaking makes them runnier! Cool on wire rack, then remove from pans. SERVINGS: 12 Yields 1 servings
Neiman Marcus $250 Cookie
Ingredients & Directions 2 c Butter or margarine 2 c Granulated sugar 2 c Brown sugar 4 Eggs 2 ts Vanilla 4 c Flour 3 c Ground oatmeal (fine powder) 1 ts Salt 2 ts Baking powder 2 ts Baking soda 24 oz Chocolate chips 1 8 oz hershey bar, grated 3 c Chopped nuts Cream butter with white and brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Blend together with flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Add chocolate chips, candy and nuts. Roll into balls and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Bake for 6 minutes in 375 degree oven. Recipe can be halved. Makes 100-150 cookies. Note: Supposedly, Neiman Marcus charges $250 for this recipe. However, let it be known that’s not the case. Yields 30 Servings
Buttermilk-lemon Pie
Ingredients & Directions 1 1/2 c Sugar 3 tb All-purpose flour 1/4 ts Nutmeg 1/2 c Margarine — melted 1 c Buttermilk 3 lg Eggs 1 Lemon 1 9 inch pie crust — unbaked * Use juice and rind of lemon. Grate the lemon with a lemon zester. 1. Blend sugar, flour and nutmeg. Add melted butter and beat until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Mix in the milk and lemon. 2. Pour into unbaked 9-inch pie crust. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Lower temperature to 325 degrees and continue baking for 30 minutes longer. Yields 6 servings
Corsican Cheesecake (fiadone)
Ingredients & Directions 2 Lemons; grated zest only 6 lg Eggs; separated 2/3 c Sugar 2 ts Vanilla extract 2 lb Whole-milk ricotta Unsalted butter Flour for pan Confectioners’ sugar Fresh fruit; garnish 1. Heat oven to 325’F. Blanch lemon zest in boiling water briefly and plunge into cold water; drain well. Beat egg yolks, sugar and vanilla extract in bowl of electric mixer at high speed until thick and lemon-colored, about 3 minutes. 2. Cream ricotta cheese in food processor fitted with metal blade until smooth. Gradually incorporate ricotta and lemon zest into egg yolk mixture, beating on low speed. Beat until smooth. 3. Beat egg whites in bowl of an electric mixer at top speed until stiff but not dry. By hand, whisk 1/3 of egg whites into cheese mixture and combine thoroughly. Gently fold in remaining egg whites with rubber spatula. Do not overmix, but be sure that mixture is well blended and no streaks of white remain. 4. Pour batter into buttered and floured 9-inch springform pan. Place pan in center of oven; bake until cheesecake is a deep golden brown, pulls away from sides of pan, and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool. 5. Once cooled, cover cheesecake with plastic wrap; refrigerate. (The cake can be made 1 day in advance.) To serve, release sides of springform pan, leaving cheesecake on pan base. Sprinkle top with confectioners’ sugar and garnish with fresh fruit. Yields 16 Servings
