Christmas Butter Cookies
Ingredients & Directions 1 c Butter 1 t Vanilla 1 c Sugar 2 3/4 c All-purpose flour 1 ea Egg 1 t Baking powder 1 T Milk 1/4 t Salt Cream butter, gradually add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, milk and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add to creamed mixture. Chill for ease in handling. Roll out dough to 1/8″ thickness on lightly floured surface. Cut with floured cookie cutters into desired shapes. Bake on a cookie sheet in preheated 350 F oven 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. Makes 4-5 dozen. Yields 4 servings
Memorable Mousse Cake
Ingredients & Directions 50 g Cadbury’s Bournville -chocolate 225 g Marzipan; (8oz) 200 ml Milk; (7fl oz) 125 g Self raising flour; (4oz) 2 Eggs; separated 50 g Caster sugar; (2oz) -FILLING AND DECORATION- 200 g Cadbury’s Bournville -chocolate 2 Eggs; separated 50 g Caster sugar; (2oz) 60 ml Amaretto Liqueur; (3 Tbs) 10 ml Gelatine; (2 tsps) 284 ml Double cream; (1/2 pint) Cadbury’s cocoa -ALSO, YOU WILL REQUIRE- Two 20cm; (8 inch) cake -tins, ; greased and base ; lined A 20cm; (8 inch) deep, loose ; based tin A piping bag and nozzle Make the cake by melting the chopped chocolate and marzipan with the milk in a pan, stirring until smooth. Beat in flour and egg yolks. Whisk egg whites stiffly then whisk with the sugar until as stiff again; fold into mixture, divide between the shallow tins. Bake at Gas Mark 4, 180?C, 350?F for about 50 minutes until firm. Cool slightly before turning out. Melt half the chocolate for the filling, then stir in egg yolks, sugar and liqueur. Add gelatine dissolved in 2 tablespoons hot water. Fold in whisked egg whites and half the cream, whipped. Place one cake in the deep tin, pour over filling and place the other cake on top. Refrigerate to set. Later, invert onto a plate. Whip remaining cream, spread some over the top and sides, pipe whirls round the edge. Coat sides with grated chocolate, melt remainder and make leaves to complete the decoration. Dust with cocoa. To make chocolate leaves select unblemished rose leaves or similar. Cover the underside with melted chocolate. When set, peel leaf away from the chocolate exposing the veined pattern. Serve as a cake or dessert. Yields 1 servings
Rum Cake
Ingredients & Directions 1 c Pecans; finely chopped 1/2 c Cold water18 1/2 oz Yellow cake mix; no pudding 1/2 c Wesson oil 1 pk Vanilla pudding mix; small 1/2 c Dark bacardi rum 4 Egg -GLAZE- 1/4 lb Butter 1 c Sugar 1/4 c Water 1/2 c Dark bacardi rum Preheat oven to 325`F. Grease and flour a 10 cup bundt pan. Sprinkle chopped pecans in bottom of pan. Pour batter of water, cake mix, pudding, eggs and oil and rum over the nuts in the pan. Bake 1 hour or until done bytoothpick test. Cool and Invert over cake rack. GLAZE: Melt and stir all ingredients except rum over low flame for 5 minutes, keep stirring and wiping sides of pan. Take an Ice pick and make many holes in the top of cake, thru the nut coating, after you have made many holes, keep drizzling in the glaze until it is all absorbed. You cannot rush this part.. Let the cake sit until dinner, and then enjoy with expresso, or other after dinner liqueur. ENJOY……This cake will keep well and is better the next day. Will always be very wet inside and moist. Yields 12 servings
Sweet Onion Bread
Ingredients & Directions 2 tb Olive oil 2 c Diced onions 4 Eggs,; separated 1 c Butter 1/2 c Sugar 1/3 c Apple juice 1 ts Minced ginger 3 c Flour 4 ts Baking powder 1 ts Black pepper 1/2 ts Salt 1 c Milk Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. In a saut_ pan, heat the olive oil. When the oil is hot, caramelize the onions for about 10 minutes. In an electric mixer with a whip attachment, whip the egg whites until stiff. Switch the whip attachment to a paddle attachment and cream the butter and sugar together. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each yolk. With the machine running add the apple juice and ginger. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper, together. With the machine on low speed, alternate adding the flour 1/3 at a time with the milk. Do not over mix the batter. Fold in the stiff egg whites. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until the center of the bread comes out clean. Remove the pan from the oven and invert onto a wire rack. Allow the bread to cool for 5 minutes before slicing. Slice a couple of slices from the loaf and place the loaf and the slices on a plate. Yield: 1 loaf Yields 1 Servings
Artichoke Pie
Ingredients & Directions 12 md Fresh artichoke hearts (or two 12-oz pkgs frozen -artichoke hearts Or two 14-oz cans or jars; -drained) 1 lb Crimini mushrooms; thickly -sliced ; or quartered Fruity olive oil Salt; to taste Freshly-ground black pepper; -to taste 1 tb Softened unsalted butter 1 c Dry bread crumbs; (Panko -preferred) 3/4 c Freshly-grated Parmesan -cheese 3/4 c Fresh grated Pecorino or -Asiago cheese (or other flavorful grating -cheese) 3 tb Mixed chopped fresh herbs (such as parsley; chives, -basil) 1/4 c Rinsed capers; coarsely -chopped 1 c Pitted nicoise; kalamata or -Sicilian olive, coarsely -chopped 6 md Firm ripe tomatoes; seeded -and chopped (or two 16-ounce cans of -tomatoes; diced) 12 oz Fresh mozzarella or fontina -cheese; thinly sliced Quickly slice and saute fresh or frozen artichoke hearts in olive oil until just tender. Drain on paper towels (if using canned, simply drain well). Saute mushrooms in olive oil until tender and lightly browned. Drain on paper towels and season lightly with salt and pepper. Lightly but evenly butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan and coat with 3/4 cup of the bread crumbs. Combine the parmesan, pecorino, remaining l/2 cup bread crumbs and chopped herbs in a bowl and set aside. Alternately layer one third of the mushrooms, artichokes, capers, olives, tomatoes, mozzarella and bread crumb mixture. Press down lightly after each layer is formed and be sure to end with the bread crumb mixture. Drizzle a tablespoon or two of olive oil over the top of the pie and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until top is lightly browned. Remove and cool for 8 to 10 minutes before unmolding. Cut into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature. This recipe yields one 9-inch pie. Yields 1 servings
Lemon Pudding Cookies
Ingredients & Directions 1 c Buttermilk baking mix 1 pk Instant lemon pudding; -(3.4-ounce) 1 lg Egg; beaten to blend 1/4 c Vegetable oil Sugar Preheat oven to 350F. Grease 2 large cookie sheets. Mix first 4 ingredients in large bowl until dough forms. Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Place balls 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets. Dip flat-bottom glass into sugar. Press glass onto dough ball and flatten into 1/4-inch-thick cookie. Repeat with remaining cookies. Bake until just golden brown on edges, about 10 minutes. Transfer to racks and cool completely. (Can be prepared 3 days ahead. Store cookies in airtight container.) Makes about 20. Yields 1 servings
Wild Rice Pancakes
Ingredients & Directions 2 c Flour 1 ts Salt 4 ts Baking powder 3 tb Sugar 1 Egg 1 1/2 c Milk 1/3 c Oil 1 tb Sour cream 3/4 c Cooked wild rice Mix flour, salt, baking powder and sugar. Set aside. Beat eggs; add milk,oil, sour cream and wild rice. Add to dry ingredients. Batter will be lumpy. Cook on heated griddle. ALTERNATIVE: Add 1 cup cooked wild rice to your favorite pancake mix. Makes 12-14 pancakes. Yields 4 Servings
