Orange Julius
1 cup orange juice
1 cup water
2 egg whites
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 heaping cup of ice
Combine all of the ingredients in a blender set on high speed for 15 to 30 seconds.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Tomato Sauce For Chicken Parmigiana Fingers
1 large onion
8 fresh ripe tomatoes or a large can of san marzano tomatoes, drained
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, minced
In a food processor, finely mince the onion.
Place a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. When the oil gets hot, add the onions and cook until translucent, about 4 or 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Put the drained tomatoes in the food processor and chop, add to the skillet and reduce the heat. Simmer for approximately 45 minutes, or until the sauce thickens a bit.
Makes 2 cups
Orange Chocolate Chip Tea Bread
4 teaspoons grated organic orange peel (about 1 large orange)
Boiling water
1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (about 1 large orange)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 egg
2 T butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heavily grease and flour an 8-inch x 4-inch loaf pan.
Add enough boiling water to orange juice to measure 1 cup. Pour orange juice and boiling water mixture over the grated orange peel zest and let steep for 10 minutes.
Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and whisk to blend. In another bowl, beat the egg, butter, vanilla and the orange juice/water/zest mixture. Stir into the flour mixture until just moistened. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Pour into the loaf pan and back for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan to a wire rack.
Dust powdered sugar over the top when completely cool. Eat plain, or serve with lazy whipped cream and slices of navel oranges, or a dark chocolate ganache over the top.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Chocolate-Covered Espresso Salted Nutmeg Caramels
I'm going to try doing these soon. Or these.
Ingredients:
1 cup golden syrup
(or 3/4 cup golden syrup and 1/4 cup agave syrup, more agave and they will not form properly)
2 cups sugar in the raw
1 teaspoon espresso sea salt
(or 3/4 teaspoon sea salt + 1 teaspoon espresso extract added with the vanilla)
2 cups soy creamer
3/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
3 tablespoons room temperature Earth Balance buttery stick or other margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pound bittersweet dark chocolate, tempered
Line a 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper. Combine the syrup or syrups, raw sugar, and espresso salt in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, stirring until mixture simmers at the edges. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes. (As mixture cooks, wash spoon so it will be clear of sugar crystals when used later.)
Uncover saucepan and wash down the sides with a pastry brush dipped in water to remove the sugar cyrstals on the sides of the pan. Insert a candy thermometer and allow the mixture to cook, uncovered and without stirring to 305°F.
As the sugar cooks, gently heat the soy creamer with the fresh grated nutmeg until just before boiling. Maintain the heat at a simmer and keep covered to allow the nutmeg to infuse.
When the sugar mixture reaches 305°F, remove heat and stir in the Earth Balance. When well incorporated, slowly and carefully pour the nutmeg infused cream into the sugar mixture while stirring. When the mixture ceases to bubble dramatically, stir well to mix the thickened sugar resting at the bottom of the pan back into the mixture.
Return the pan to heat and allow it to cook, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 245°F. Then cook, stirring constantly, (this step may take as long at 10-20 minutes) to 260°f. At 260°f, remove the heat and stir in vanilla and espresso (if using) extracts. Pour the mixture into the lined pan and allow it to set at room temperature for 4 to 5 hours, or overnight.
When set, remove the caramel from the pan and use an oiled knife to cut into squares. Dip the squares in tempered chocolate and decorate with transfer paper or a sprinkling of nutmeg. Or, for rolled truffles, add caramel to chopped chocolate in a 1:3 ratio and place over a double boiler, gently heating until liquid and smooth before whisking with hot liquid and proceeding to make ganache as per usual. Or, wrap the cut caramel squares in parchment paper and eat as is.
Hot Shoppe's Chicken Noodle Soup
5 cups of chicken broth
5 T oleo margarine
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup noodle rings, 1/4" diameter
2/3 cup cooked and diced chicken, 1/4 inch pieces
Heat 4 cups of chicken broth to boiling in a two-quart saucepan. Melt oleo margarine in a small saucepan over low heat. Add flour, stirring well to blend. Do not allow to brown.
Add the flour and oleo mixture to the boiling stock and cook until thickened over moderate heat.
Bring remaining 1 cup of chicken broth to boiling in a small saucepan. Add the noodles; cook just until tender, but not soft.
Add the undrained cooked noodles and the cooked diced chicken to the first thickened broth.
Taste to adjust seasoning levels.
If not served immediately, hold over low heat in a double boiler until time of service.
Makes 6-8 servings
Note:
- Should noodle rings not be available at your local grocery, the following products are recommended as alternatives, miniature bow ties or star noodles (Stelline 59), Ditalini 36, or Tubettini 39.
- If larger noodles are used, they should be cooked according to package directions and drained prior to adding to the thickened broth.
- Depending on the brand of chicken broth used, finished color may range from pale to deep yellow.
New England Boiled Dinner
corned beef brisket, 4-5 lbs.
4 onions, peeled
6 boiling potatoes, peeled
8 small young beets
6 carrots, scrubbed and peeled
6 small turnips, scrubbed
1 green cabbage, quartered and cored
Ingredients for horseradish cream:
3/4 cup heavy cream
4 T prepared (bottled) horseradish
2 T vinegar
salt, to taste
Preparing the beef and vegetables:
Rinse the corned beef under cold running water. Place in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, skimming off the scum that rises to the surface during the first 10 minutes. Cover and simmer for 2 hours. Add the onions and potatoes and simmer for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add the beets and boil until they are barely tender when pierced with a knife. Drain and transfer to a 250 degree F oven to keep warm.
When the onions and potatoes have cooked for 15 minutes, add the carrots and turnips to the pot and simmer for 30 minutes longer.
When everything is done, remove the meat from the pot, slice it and arrange on a warmed ovenproof platter. Arrange the vegetables around the meat. Place in a warm oven, along with a dish of the drained beets.
Turn up the heat under the broth and, when it boils, add the cabbage wedges. Boil for 3 minutes, then drain and place in a separate serving bowl.
Serve slices of beef with a selection of vegetables. Pass horseradish cream at the table.
Serves 6 to 8
Preparing the horseradish cream:
Pour the cream into a chilled stainless steel mixing bowl and using chilled beaters, beat until stiff.
Gently fold in the horseradish, vinegar and salt.
Makes about 2 cups.
Monday, March 16, 2009
The Hot Shoppe's Cheese Rolls
1 T oleo margarine
1 T shortening
1/2 cup and 1 T granulated sugar
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
3 eggs, large
2 packets (1/4 ounce each) yeast, dry
1/2 cup lukewar water
6 1/2-7 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cups whole milk
Cream together the oleo margarine, shortening, sugar and shredded cheddar cheese until light. Add eggs slowly, blending well between each addition. Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water (be sure the water is not too hot).
Sift together the flour and the salt. Add half of the flour and half of the milk to the cheese and egg mixture. Add dissolved yeast. Add remainder of milk and flour to make a soft dough. Cover dough and let rest for 10 minutes.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic.
Place dough in a lightly greased bowl large enough to hold dough when doubled in size, turning once to grease the surface.
Cover; let rise in a warm place (90 degrees F), until double in size (about 2 hours).
Fold dough over from 4 sides. Let rise again until double in size.
Divide dough into 3 equal portions. Place each portion on a lightly floured surface. Round pieces by kneading until firm and smooth. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes.
Roll dough into a 12" by 15" elongated log approximately 3" in diameter.
Cut each dough log into 12-14 equal portions depending on the size of roll desired. Shape into rolls as desired.
Place rolls in greased 13" x 9" x 2" baking pans or muffin tins. Cover; let rise until almost double in size (about 45 minutes).
Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven approximately 15-18 minutes or until done. Brush tops with melted oleo margarine when removed from oven.
Keep warm until time of service.
Note:
- Yeast takes 5-10 minutes to soften. Follow manufacturer's directions for dissolving yeast.
- Generally, 1 package of dry yeast equals 0.6 ounces of cake compressed yeast.
- A heavy duty electric mixer may be used for mixing dough. Follow the directions given in the manufacturer's instruction booklet.
- If desired, cheese rolls may be baked individually in greased muffin pans.
- If desired, after rolling out the dough into elongated logs, dough may be spread with additional oleo margarine and shredded cheddar cheese to enhance the flavor.
- If rolls are not served at once, they should be turned out of pans to cool.
- Yeast grows best at a temperature between 80-85 degrees F. A high temperature will kill yeast; a low temperature will retard growth.
Classic Mole Sauce
1/4 lb unsalted butter
1/4 onion; peeled and chopped
1/2 ounce garlic, chopped
1/4 cinnamon stick
1/4 T whole allspice
1/2 bay leaf
2 whole cloves
3/4 ounce pasilla negro, stemmed, seeded and roasted
3/4 ounce ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded and roasted
2 1/4 ounces Ibarra chocolate
4 1/2 ounces pitted prunes
3 ounces raisins
1 ounces peanuts, toasted
1/4 ounces sesame seeds
1 ounces sliced almonds, toasted
1 ounces pumpkin seeds, toasted
1/4 ripe plantain, peeled
1/2 gallon chicken stock
1/2 ounce chicken base
1 ounce flour
1/2 ounce cornstarch
Melt butter in a saute pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and
cook until onion is soft. Add spices, chiles, chocolate, prunes,
raisins, peanuts, sesame seeds, almonds, pumpkin seeds and plantain and
continue to cook, stirring constantly, approximately 5 minutes. Then add
chicken stock, chicken base and cook at medium heat 10 minutes, again
stirring constantly. Then place mixture in a food processor or blender
and puree. Return to medium heat. Mix the flour and cornstarch with
water to make a paste. Add the mixture to the sauce as needed for
desired consistency. Cook 5 minutes, stirring often, then strain.
Makes 1 quart
Cannoli
2 cups flour
2 T granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup marsala wine
3 T vegetable shortening (Crisco)
1 egg, slightly beaten
egg white, slightly beaten, or 1 T of milk (for shaping cannolis)
cardboard template, 4-5 inch long oval shape
metal cannoli forms or tubes
Cut shortening into flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Fold in the sugar and the cinnamon. Gradually add the marsala, a few drops at a time. Add the egg, and mix until the pastry holds together, adding a few extra drops of marsala if necessary. Form into a ball, cover and let rest in a cool place from 1-2 hours.
Divide dough into quarters. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough as thin as possible (about the thickness of a dime). Put template on rolled out dough and with a knife, cut shape. Casually wrap each oval piece of dough around a metal tube, sealing the edges where they meet with a beaten egg white or a dab of milk. Deep fry in 2-inches of vegetable oil at 400 degrees F. Remove when golden brown, approximately 2 minutes. Watch carefully - They cook very quickly!
Cool completely before filling.
Cannoli shells can be stored in a cool spot (seal in a tin with paper towels) and kept up to 2 months.
F I L L I N G:
2 cups ricotta cheese, well-drained
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2-3/4 cup powdered sugar, depending on your preference
1/2 cup grated semisweet chocolate or chocolate chips
pistachio nuts, chopped
garnish with powdered sugar
optional:
grated rind of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup finely chopped candied citron
1/4 cup finely chopped candied orange peel
1/8 cup grated milk chocolate
Mix together all ingredients except pistachio nuts and refrigerate until it's time to fill and serve cannoli shells. Pipe filling into shells and dip each end in chopped pistachio nuts or chocolate chips. Dust tops of shells with powdered sugar.
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