Garlic Dill Potatoes

I like to use fingerling or colorful new potatoes for this side.  Two cooking options.

3 Lb Potatoes, Cubed
1/2 Stick Butter, Melted
1 Tbl Chopped Fresh Dill
1 Tbl Minced Garlic
Salt to Taste

Cooking Option 1:
Cook the potatoes until they are tender but not mushy.  While cooking, mix together all of the other ingredients.  Once cooked, drain the potatoes and put them in a bowl.  Pour the butter over them and stir until coated.  

Cooking Option 2:
Combine all ingredients except salt in a foil pack and either bake in the oven or put on the grill.  Salt to taste when potatoes are softened.

Tom's Annual Birthday Cake

When tom was little, his grandmother would make him a triple layer chocolate cake with chocolate frosting.  That is what he wants every year for his birthday - but I add rainbow sprinkles as they are his favorite.

Cake Ingredients:
3 Cups Flour
3 Cups Sugar
1 1/2 Cup Dutch Process Cocoa Powder
1 Tbl Baking Soda
1 1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
1 1/2 Tsp Salt
4 Large Eggs
1 1/2 Cup Buttermilk (Powdered Buttermilk is a wonderful option)
1 1/2 Cup Warm Water
1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
2 Tsp Vanilla

Frosting Ingredients:
2 Cup Butter, Softened
7 Cups Confectioners Sugar
1 Cup Dutch Process Cocoa Powder
6 Tbl Half and Half
4 Tsp Vanilla

Cake Instructions:
Heat oven to 350 Degrees.

Butter  and flour 3 9 x 3 inch cake rounds.  Set Aside

In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix all powdered ingredients (including powdered buttermilk, if using).  Add eggs, buttermilk (or buttermilk water, if using powdered), warm water, oil and vanilla.  Beat on medium until smooth - just a couple of minutes.

Divide batter among pans.  Bake for about 35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool pans on a rack for 15 minutes then turn cake out onto rack and cool completely.

Frosting Instructions:
Beat butter on medium speed until creamy and light colored - 3 to 5 minutes.  Add sugar, cocoa powder, heavy cream, salt and vanilla.  Beat on low about a minute then increase speed and fully incorporate ingredients.  If to thick, add more half and half about a teaspoon at a time.

Assemble the cake, top with your favorite decoration.

Peas and Pancetta

A simple, tasty side dish that elevates peas.  If it is not a time of year you can get good, fresh peas, you may use frozen peas that are well thawed.  For the wine, use something you would drink.  If you don't like it to drink it, why cook with it.

2 Tbl Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Ounces Chopped Pancetta
2 Cloves Minced Garlic
1 Lb Peas, Par Cooked
1/4 Cup Dry White Wine
1 1/3 Tbl Chopped Fresh Thyme
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat.  Cook and stir pancetta until almost translucent.  Add garlic and cook for another minute.  Stir in peas, white wine, thyme, salt and pepper then bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until peas are tender and liquid is slightly reduced.

Baklava Nut Roll

I love nut rolls (or poppy seed rolls) but the filling is sometime bland.  I made a the filling I use for baklava and my hubby suggested that I make the baklava syrup to top the slices.  I am so glad he did, it is wonderful.

This recipe makes 8 rolls - I usually make a half batch.  You can freeze these - just wrap in plastic wrap then foil once cooled.

One hint I was given - create a template for the dough.  An 9 x 14 piece of parchment or a flexible cutting board cut to size.

Dough:

2 Tsp Yeast

1/4 Cup Warm Water (no higher than 110 degrees)

6 Eggs

16 Ounces Sour Cream

2 Cups Unsalted Butter, melted and cooled

1 Cup Granulated Sugar

1 Tsp Vanilla

1/2 Tsp Salt

10 Cups Flour

Filling:

1 Lb Walnuts

1 Lb Pecans

1 Lb Almonds

1 Cup Sugar

1 Cup Honey

1 Cup Melted Butter

1 Tsp Cinnamon

Syrup:

1 Cup Sugar

1 Cup Water

1/2 Cup Honey

1 Tsp Lemon Juice

Heat the oven to 350.  Line sheet pans with parchment paper or a silicone mat - set aside.

Mix water and yeast, set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, use a whisk o beat the eggs until combined.  With a dough hook attached, add the sour cream, butter, sugar, vanilla and yeast.  Once mixed, add the salt an mix on medium speed until well combined.  Reduce speed to low and add the flour a half cup at a time until it is all incorporated.  Continue to mix until the dough does not stick and pulls away from the side of the bowl.

Divide the dough into eight pieces.  On a very well floured surface, roll one piece of dough into a rectangle roughly 9 x 14 inches.  Spread filling to within about an inch of the edges.  The edge you are going to start rolling, you  may take it to the edge.  Roll up tightly, pinch the seams shut.  Place on the baking sheet, tucking the ends under.  Repeat with all other dough.

Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise for at least 3 hours.  Alternately, refrigerate over night and allow to rise at least 4 hours after removing from the refrigerator.

Bake for 20 minutes until tops are lightly browned.  Remove from oven, cool completely before slicing.

While baking, make syrup:  Combine sugar and water and bring to a boil.  Add honey, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.  Stir in lemon juice and cool.

Slice nut roll, top slice with syrup before serving.

Buttermilk

I make recipes that require buttermilk but rarely would I use a full container - even one as small as a quart.  I cannot say I enjoy drinking it with pepper, as did my parents.  What to do?

I learned of powdered buttermilk.  You can purchase it in the baking section of your local grocery store but remember to refrigerate it after opening.

When I use it, I read the recipe first.  If you mix the wet and dry ingredients separately, then I put the buttermilk powder with the dry ingredients and the associated water with the wet ingredients.

The brand I use is pictured below - I did not receive any compensation for sharing this brand.  

Red Rice

Great side dish with Taco Meat Loaf or as a main dish - just add a can of rinsed/drained black beans.

3 Roma Tomatoes

2 Tbl Vegetable Oil

2 Tbl Minced Onion

4 Cloves Garlic, Minced

1 Cup Uncooked Long Grain Rice

1 3/4 Cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth

1/4 Cup Canned Tomato Sauce

1 Jalapeno Pepper, Chopped

1 Tsp Cumin

2 Sprigs Fresh Cilantro, Chopped

Salt to Taste

Run the tomatoes to a food mill, discard the skins.  If you do not have a food mill, you can grate them and discard the skins.  Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy skillet over medium high heat, add onion and garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Stir in the rice and stir until lightly toasted.  Add the tomatoes, chicken broth and tomato sauce.  Bring to a boil.  Add the jalapeño, cumin, cilantro and salt.  If you want to add black beans, do so now.  Reduce heat to low, cover, simmer until rice has absorbed the liquid without lifting the cover.  It will take about 15 minutes.

Turn off the heat and let it stand for 10 minutes.  Fluff and serve.

Egg Yolk Pound Cake

All of the angel food cake baking left me with many egg yolks - so pound cake it is.

10 to 12 egg yolks
3 Cups Flour
1 Tbl Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Salt
2 Cups Granulated Sugar
2 Tsp flavor extract - I like Vanilla, Orange or Almond, or a combination
1 Cup cold water

Prepare a 12 cup bundt pan with non stick spray.  Set aside.

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Sift flour, baking powder and salt together, set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat the yolks until very fluffy and thick.  Gradually beat in sugar.  Once all in the bowl, scrape it, then beat on high for 2 minutes.

Reduce speed to low, add extract and cold water.  Scrap bowl, turn mixer to low again.  Gradually, but quickly, add flour mixture.  Mix only until blended.  Pour into a prepared pan.

Bake about 60 minutes or until golden brown and pick inserted in the thickest portion of the cake comes out dry.

Cool pan on rack for 15 minutes then remove the cake from the pan to the rack and cool completely.

Grilled Garlic Pork Chops

A different  way to coat pork chops.  Slightly sweet, spice to your liking.

1/2 Cup Ketchup
2 Tbl Dark Brown Sugar
2 Tbl Red Hot Sauce - or to taste
2 Cloves Garlic, Crushed
2 to 6 Pork Chops

Preheat Grill to medium.

Whisk together Ketchup, Sugar, Hot Sauce, and Garlic.  Sear the pork chops on the grill then brush the glaze on each side of the chops as they cook.  Cook to 145 degrees, about 7 to 9 minutes.

Maraschino Cherry Cake

A favorite cake at our local trivia night.  Cherry Cake with Cherry Vanilla Frosting...YUM

Cake:
2 1/2 Cups Cake Flour
1 1/2 Cups Granulated Sugar
3 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/2 Cup Softened Butter
1/2 Cup Milk
1/4 Cup Maraschino Cherry Juice
16 Maraschino Cherries, finely chopped.
4 Large Egg Whites

Frosting:
2 Cups Softened Butter
8 Cups Powdered Sugar
1/4 Cup Maraschino Cherry Juice
1/4 Cup Heavy Cream
1 Tsp Vanilla

Heat oven to 350 degrees, Grease and flour two 9x3 or three 9x2 cake pans.  Set aside.

Sift together dry ingredients into the mixing bowl.  Add the butter, milk and cherry juice.  Beat at medium for 2 minutes.  Fold in the cherries.  Add the egg whites and beat for an additional two minutes.  Divide the batter between the cake pans.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the cake springs back when you touch the center of it.  Put the pans on a rack and cool for 5 minutes then remove from pans and cool completely.

While cooling, in a mixing bowl, whip the butter for 2 - 3 minutes until it is almost white in color.  Add the powdered sugar, cherry juice, heavy cream and vanilla.  Beat on low until well combined.

Once the cakes are cool, place on a cake plate.  Put a layer of frosting on top of the cake.  Place the next cake, frost.  If you used 2 inch pans, place the last layer.  Once all layers are stacked, frost the top and sides.  Top with additional cherries for decoration, if desired.

Brown Butter Snickerdoodles

A touch of salt on top, while optional, really makes these cookies with a caramel surprise.  Make the homemade marshmallows and sandwich one between two cookies for an extra special treat.

Cookies:
1 Cup Unsalted Butter
2 1/2 Cups Flour
1 Tsp Baking Soda
2 Tsp Cream of Tartar
1/2 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
1 1/4 Cup Dark Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
2 Large Eggs
1 Cup Caramel Squares

Coating:
1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
2 Tsp Ground Cinnamon

Optional Topping:  Coarse Sea Salt

Heat a medium saucepan over medium high heat.  Slice butter and add it to the pan, whisking frequently.  The butter will begin to froth and brown specks will start to form.  Watch in closely as this happens quickly and you want to cook only until a nutty aroma, not a burnt aroma.  Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix the Flour, Baking Soda, Cream of Tartar and Cinnamon, set aside.  Unwrap and cut the caramel squares in half.

In a stand mixer, combine the cooled butter, brown sugar and sugar.  Mix until blended and smooth.  Beat in the eggs and vanilla, mix util combined.  Slowly add the dry ingredients until combined.

Form the dough into a ball, wrap in saran wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

When ready, heat oven to 350 degrees.  Use a small cookie dough scoop to get a ball of dough, wrap around a piece of caramel, making sure it is completely covering the caramel.  Roll it in the cinnamon and sugar, put on a pan.  If topping with salt, flatten slightly and sprinkle with salt.  Place cookies about 2 inches apart.  Bake for 10 minutes.

Cool on pan for 2 minutes, then move to a rack to cool completely.

Reuben Soup

If you like a corned beef reuben, you will like this soup.  I use deli sliced corned beef - it is a little less fatty and you don't have to cook before you make the soup.

  1 Lb Deli Corned Beef                                                                  4 Cups Milk

  1/4 Cup Unsalted Butter                                                               12 Ounces Sauerkraut

  1/4 Cup Cake Flour                                                                      1 1/2 Tbl Lemon Juice

  1/2 Tsp Dried Thyme                                                                    2 Cups Hot Water (Optional)

  1/2 Tsp Fennel Or Caraway Seeds                                                                             

Chop the corned Beef.  

In a large pot, melt the butter and add the flour, flour, thyme, fennel and pepper and stir until it bubbles.  Add the milk 1 cup at a time until it thickens slightly.  Bring to a simmer.  Add the sauerkraut - DO NOT DRAIN.  Bring to a boil until it begins to thicken.  Add the lemon juice and sausage, keep on low heat until sausage is reheated.  Add the Hot Water if the soup needs thinned.