Happy New Year Gang!
At work we had a potluck, and one of my coworkers brought this. Her description was, "it's like crack." After hearing what was in it, I was anxious to try it, and once I had, understood the analogy because it was so addicting. My advice is try this BEFORE starting the new year diet because it is hard to quit. I am not sure I agree that Granny Smiths are bitter: I do think they're more tart, but not necessarily bitter. This will probably work with any apple (or spoon) you choose to employ, but I would say it's particularly suited to a more tart apple as this is sweet enough to make your teeth fall right out of your head (but you'll enjoy every minute of it). Enjoy - Devon
Apple Dip
2 8-oz packages of cream cheese, softened
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 container of caramel apple dip (in produce section, by apples)
3 Heath bars, crushed (Skor bars are more dense and don’t crumble as easily)
6-8 Granny Smith apples, sliced (it may be easier to buy the pre-sliced in the bag so they don’t brown)
Mix together softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and ¼ of the container of apple dip. Put in a shallow pan and put in the fridge to firm up. (Can do this the night before.) Use the rest of the apple dip to make a layer on top of the cream cheese layer. Top with crushed Heath Bars. Serve with apple slices. Use the Granny Smith apples because they are bitter and make a good combo for the sweet dip. After cutting the apple slices, soak them in an uncola (like Sprite or 7-Up for a minute or two so they will not get brown.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Praline Syrup
This is another recipe I recently found that is decadently delicious. Like the Chocolate Raspberry Sundae Topper of another post, it comes from that Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving (buy this book!). I am certain that if you are not a canner you could make this up and freeze it (well, provided you had the freezer space) if you didn't decide to eat it all up right away on everything from oatmeal to ice cream. I have made it with both dark and light syrups, and the light is luscious. The dark is sinful. Angels weep. It's good stuff.
Praline Syrup
Makes about four 8-ounce jars
2 cups dark corn syrup
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup lightly packed dark brown sugar
1 cup pecan pieces
1/2 tsp vanilla
Step 1: Prepare your canner, jars, and lids.
Step 2: In a stainless steel saucepan, combine corn syrup, water, and sugar. Heat this over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to medium-high, bring to a boil, and boil for 1 full minute. Reduce heat and stir in pecans and vanilla. Boil gently, stirring constantly for 5 minutes.
Step 3: Ladle hot syrup into jars, leaving 1/4" headspace. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar and screw the band on tight.
Step 4: Place jars in canner, ensuring they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil and process for 10 minutes. Remove canner lid, wait 5 minutes, remove the jars, and then cool and store.
Praline Syrup
Makes about four 8-ounce jars
2 cups dark corn syrup
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup lightly packed dark brown sugar
1 cup pecan pieces
1/2 tsp vanilla
Step 1: Prepare your canner, jars, and lids.
Step 2: In a stainless steel saucepan, combine corn syrup, water, and sugar. Heat this over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to medium-high, bring to a boil, and boil for 1 full minute. Reduce heat and stir in pecans and vanilla. Boil gently, stirring constantly for 5 minutes.
Step 3: Ladle hot syrup into jars, leaving 1/4" headspace. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar and screw the band on tight.
Step 4: Place jars in canner, ensuring they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil and process for 10 minutes. Remove canner lid, wait 5 minutes, remove the jars, and then cool and store.
Chocolate Raspberry Sundae Topper
I've been doing a lot of canning lately, some to use up a bountiful harvest, some to try new things. This find was absolutely divine. I made it with boysenberries instead of raspberries since that's what I had on hand, but whoever you are, you need to try this recipe. It's on the thick side (don't expect Hershey's in a squeezy bottle type topping) which only makes it that much better since you can put it between layers of cake, put it into truffles, eat it right off the spoon...
This recipe comes from the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving which I would highly recommend to anyone interested in putting up any kind of preserved foodstuff.
Chocolate Raspberry Sundae Topper
Makes about six 8-ounce jars
1/2 cup sifted, unsweetened cocoa powder
1 package regular powdered fruit pectin
4 1/2 cups crushed red raspberries
4 TBSP lemon juice
6 3/4 cups granulated sugar
Step 1: Prepare your canner, jars, and lids.
Step 2: In a medium glass bowl, combine your cocoa powder and pectin, stirring until it is evenly blended and then set aside. (Why it must be glass I don't know, but that's what it says.)
Step 3: In a large, stainless steel saucepan, place your crushed berries and juice. Whisk in the pectin-cocoa mixture until it is dissolved. Bring this to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently. Once it boils, dump all your sugar in at once and then return it to a full, rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil hard 1 minute, stirring constantly, and then remove it from the heat and skim the foam.
Step 4: Ladle hot topper into your prepared jars, leaving 1/4" headspace. Remove the air bubbles and adjust the headspace if necessary by adding more topper. Wipe the rim, center the lid on the jar, screw the band until you get resistance and then tighten it up.
Step 5: Place jars in canner, ensuring they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil and process for 10 minutes. Remove the canner lid, wait 5 minutes (this will prevent the jars from siphoning), then remove the jars, cool, and store.
This recipe comes from the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving which I would highly recommend to anyone interested in putting up any kind of preserved foodstuff.
Chocolate Raspberry Sundae Topper
Makes about six 8-ounce jars
1/2 cup sifted, unsweetened cocoa powder
1 package regular powdered fruit pectin
4 1/2 cups crushed red raspberries
4 TBSP lemon juice
6 3/4 cups granulated sugar
Step 1: Prepare your canner, jars, and lids.
Step 2: In a medium glass bowl, combine your cocoa powder and pectin, stirring until it is evenly blended and then set aside. (Why it must be glass I don't know, but that's what it says.)
Step 3: In a large, stainless steel saucepan, place your crushed berries and juice. Whisk in the pectin-cocoa mixture until it is dissolved. Bring this to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently. Once it boils, dump all your sugar in at once and then return it to a full, rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil hard 1 minute, stirring constantly, and then remove it from the heat and skim the foam.
Step 4: Ladle hot topper into your prepared jars, leaving 1/4" headspace. Remove the air bubbles and adjust the headspace if necessary by adding more topper. Wipe the rim, center the lid on the jar, screw the band until you get resistance and then tighten it up.
Step 5: Place jars in canner, ensuring they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil and process for 10 minutes. Remove the canner lid, wait 5 minutes (this will prevent the jars from siphoning), then remove the jars, cool, and store.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
The PERFECT Way to Enjoy Grandma Cluff's Blue Cheese Dressing
An onion kaiser.
A big grilled burger done to medium-well.
Tomato from Grandpa Cluff's garden. (Hi Fred!)
Red onion wheel.
Fried onion straws.
Put these together in one giant, luscious stack. Smother in Grandma Cluff's Blue Cheese Dressing and then drizzle with Tabasco sauce.
Seriously. Yum.
A big grilled burger done to medium-well.
Tomato from Grandpa Cluff's garden. (Hi Fred!)
Red onion wheel.
Fried onion straws.
Put these together in one giant, luscious stack. Smother in Grandma Cluff's Blue Cheese Dressing and then drizzle with Tabasco sauce.
Seriously. Yum.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Grandma Cluff's Blue Cheese Salad Dressing
Living with my grandfather, I am getting to know a lot about how my grandmother cooked. The other day, he mentioned the Blue Cheese Salad Dressing she used to make that he liked. Taking the hint, I pawed through her recipe boxes and followed her instructions to produce it for him. Blue Cheese is not my favorite dressing, but this was edible. More than that, it was a way to remember my grandmother.
Grandma Cluff's Blue Cheese Salad Dressing
1 clove garlic
3 TBSP chopped onion
1 TBSP lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise (do not use light mayo)
1/2 to 1 cup Blue Cheese
Mix in blender. Thin with additional lemon juice if desired. Add chunks of Blue Cheese.
Makes approximately 2 1/2 cups.
********
I couldn't find the blender base or the food processing cup, so I just minced the garlic and onion really fine with a chef's knife, but I can see how the use of electric kitchen helps would have sped the process up. Still, it's nice to know the old-fangled ways still work sometimes.
Grandma Cluff's Blue Cheese Salad Dressing
1 clove garlic
3 TBSP chopped onion
1 TBSP lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise (do not use light mayo)
1/2 to 1 cup Blue Cheese
Mix in blender. Thin with additional lemon juice if desired. Add chunks of Blue Cheese.
Makes approximately 2 1/2 cups.
********
I couldn't find the blender base or the food processing cup, so I just minced the garlic and onion really fine with a chef's knife, but I can see how the use of electric kitchen helps would have sped the process up. Still, it's nice to know the old-fangled ways still work sometimes.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Cherry Tomatoes Stuffed with Marinated Feta
From July 2009 Bon Apetit Magazine.
Cherry Tomatoes Stuffed with Marinated Feta
One 7-8 oz package feta cheese, cut into 1/2" cubes
2 TBSP olive oil
1 TBSP minced shallot (green onions are a good substitution)
1/2 tsp chopped fresh oregano (fresh basil is also good)
1 pound large cherry tomatoes (the larger the easier)
12 pitted Kalamata olives, halved lengthwise
Toss the cheese, oil, shallot, and oregano in a bowl and add a little salt & pepper to taste.
Cut your tomatoes in half (on the equator) and scoop out the pulp. (I saved the pulp and put it in cottage cheese at my house, in salsa when Gazpacho and I made this at her house, but you do what you think is best with the tomato innards.) Put the hollowed halves on a serving plate and sprinkle with salt & pepper.
Stuff the hollows with the cheese mixture and slide the olive in alongside the cheese. If you wish, you can drizzle with additional olive oil. Cover and chill.
Bon Apetit says you can make these 6 hours ahead of when you plan to serve them.
Cherry Tomatoes Stuffed with Marinated Feta
One 7-8 oz package feta cheese, cut into 1/2" cubes
2 TBSP olive oil
1 TBSP minced shallot (green onions are a good substitution)
1/2 tsp chopped fresh oregano (fresh basil is also good)
1 pound large cherry tomatoes (the larger the easier)
12 pitted Kalamata olives, halved lengthwise
Toss the cheese, oil, shallot, and oregano in a bowl and add a little salt & pepper to taste.
Cut your tomatoes in half (on the equator) and scoop out the pulp. (I saved the pulp and put it in cottage cheese at my house, in salsa when Gazpacho and I made this at her house, but you do what you think is best with the tomato innards.) Put the hollowed halves on a serving plate and sprinkle with salt & pepper.
Stuff the hollows with the cheese mixture and slide the olive in alongside the cheese. If you wish, you can drizzle with additional olive oil. Cover and chill.
Bon Apetit says you can make these 6 hours ahead of when you plan to serve them.
Raspberry Citrus Bars
Thanks for the recipe Gazpacho!
Raspberry Citrus Bars
1 cup butter (no substitutions says the recipe)
3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 cups flour
Cream the butter until soft, and then add your dry ingredients in. (This is easier if you do it in batches: otherwise flour kind of explodes everywhere.) When this is thoroughly combined, press it into a greased 13x9x2" pan and bake at 350 for 20 minutes (it will look slightly golden brown). While that's baking, continue with the rest of the recipe.
4 eggs
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 TBSP orange peel (I used lemon for this since I was squeezing the lemon for the juice anyhow)
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Combine the above ingredients thoroughly so that this custard is ready to pour over the top of the crust you're baking.
1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries, washed (I used boysenberries since that is what is growing outside, and when Heather and I made it we used a frozen berry blend from the store that contained raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries. Use whatever berries you have and like and I'm sure it'll work out great.)
When the crust has finished baking, remove it from the oven and distribute the berries evenly over it. Then pour the custard over the berries and return the pan to the 350 oven for another 30 to 35 minutes (done when the middle is set).
Cool in the pan set on a wire rack. If desired sprinkle with additional powdered sugar when serving.
Raspberry Citrus Bars
1 cup butter (no substitutions says the recipe)
3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 cups flour
Cream the butter until soft, and then add your dry ingredients in. (This is easier if you do it in batches: otherwise flour kind of explodes everywhere.) When this is thoroughly combined, press it into a greased 13x9x2" pan and bake at 350 for 20 minutes (it will look slightly golden brown). While that's baking, continue with the rest of the recipe.
4 eggs
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 TBSP orange peel (I used lemon for this since I was squeezing the lemon for the juice anyhow)
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Combine the above ingredients thoroughly so that this custard is ready to pour over the top of the crust you're baking.
1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries, washed (I used boysenberries since that is what is growing outside, and when Heather and I made it we used a frozen berry blend from the store that contained raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries. Use whatever berries you have and like and I'm sure it'll work out great.)
When the crust has finished baking, remove it from the oven and distribute the berries evenly over it. Then pour the custard over the berries and return the pan to the 350 oven for another 30 to 35 minutes (done when the middle is set).
Cool in the pan set on a wire rack. If desired sprinkle with additional powdered sugar when serving.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Scratcheroni and Cheese
Several years ago, Gazpacho gave me the brilliant idea of adding sour cream to a cheese sauce when making macaroni and cheese. This recipe takes a remarkably short amount of time to whip up, but is worth it when you really want macaoni & cheese but don't want to face one more boxed dinner. Unfortunately...or fortunately, depending on how you look at it, the recipe is highly imprecise, which means that you can alter it for any amount of persons you want.
Scratcheroni & Cheese
Macaroni (or other pasta shape if you prefer)
Cook this until al dente and drain it thoroughly. While you're cooking this, create a white sauce. I like mine thick, so it's usually equal proportions of flour and butter and about 1/3 cup milk for every 2 TBSP butter, but you can thin it however you want. Once your white sauce is nice & thick, add in SHARP (or Extra-Sharp) Cheddar cheese, a heaping dollop of sour cream, and cook/stir until the cheese is melted. Stir this all over into your pasta, add salt & pepper (and more sour cream if you want) and enjoy!
The sour cream makes it creamier, holds the cheese in suspension better so that leftovers aren't all greezy and separating, and it adds a piquancy that the mac-from-a-box just can't achieve (though you can stir in some sour cream and a little dill weed if you want to better up your box lunch).
Scratcheroni & Cheese
Macaroni (or other pasta shape if you prefer)
Cook this until al dente and drain it thoroughly. While you're cooking this, create a white sauce. I like mine thick, so it's usually equal proportions of flour and butter and about 1/3 cup milk for every 2 TBSP butter, but you can thin it however you want. Once your white sauce is nice & thick, add in SHARP (or Extra-Sharp) Cheddar cheese, a heaping dollop of sour cream, and cook/stir until the cheese is melted. Stir this all over into your pasta, add salt & pepper (and more sour cream if you want) and enjoy!
The sour cream makes it creamier, holds the cheese in suspension better so that leftovers aren't all greezy and separating, and it adds a piquancy that the mac-from-a-box just can't achieve (though you can stir in some sour cream and a little dill weed if you want to better up your box lunch).
Monday, January 5, 2009
Iced Citrus Wafers
This recipe comes from the Monster Cookies cookbook which I'm not even sure my mom still has, but in there it's called "Iced Lemon Wafers." I personally like to make these with lime juice/peel (and substitute vanilla for almond extract) better, and Bonitinha has experimented with other citrus fruits and found (if I recall correctly) that orange doesn't yield a nice icing: too much water in fresh squeezed juice I guess. Still, you could concentrate that down if you're just dying for some orange frosted cookies. I believe Gazpacho once experimented with a Lime Rickey variation that involved some cherries in the lime wafer version. Whatever you decide, enjoy!
Iced Lemon Wafers
1/2 cup margarine (this actually works best with margarine, not butter. Go figure!)
1/2 cup sugar
1 TBSP finely grated lemon peel
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 TBSP cornstarch
Lemon Juice
Powdered Sugar
Thoroughly combine all ingredients (dough will be dry), shape into a cylinder and wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for an hour. (I actually just refrigerate the dough in the bowl: I don't like having to cut my wafers and prefer to roll them into balls and then flatten them with the bottom of a cup, but you do what's easiest.) Cut your wafers into 1/8" slices and bake on a cookie sheet (greasing not necessary) at 350 for 8-10 minutes. Cool on a rack and then ice with a combination of lemon juice and powdered sugar thinned to either a drizzling consistency or thick enough to spread (whatever your choice).
Iced Lemon Wafers
1/2 cup margarine (this actually works best with margarine, not butter. Go figure!)
1/2 cup sugar
1 TBSP finely grated lemon peel
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 TBSP cornstarch
Lemon Juice
Powdered Sugar
Thoroughly combine all ingredients (dough will be dry), shape into a cylinder and wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for an hour. (I actually just refrigerate the dough in the bowl: I don't like having to cut my wafers and prefer to roll them into balls and then flatten them with the bottom of a cup, but you do what's easiest.) Cut your wafers into 1/8" slices and bake on a cookie sheet (greasing not necessary) at 350 for 8-10 minutes. Cool on a rack and then ice with a combination of lemon juice and powdered sugar thinned to either a drizzling consistency or thick enough to spread (whatever your choice).
Funeral Potatoes
Don't you hate it when you have a recipe you know you like but every darn time you want to make it you have to go back and find the recipe somewhere in your collections of books or call people to get it or run a google search (now that that's an option)? Yeah: this is one I keep losing, so I'm putting it in this ONE place along with some others I know I like and never can quite put my fingers on. I'm sure it has a better name than funeral potatoes, but what it is, I'm sure I don't know.
Funeral Potatoes
6 cups diced, peeled potatoes (~6-8) (or 2 lbs frozen hash browns)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 soup can of milk
1 cup sour cream
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
salt & pepper to taste
Cook the potatoes (or thaw) until tender and put in 2-3 qt casserole (9x13" pan). Combine soup, milk, sour cream, cheese, and onion with salt & pepper to taste. Mix that goop up and spread it on the potatoes. At this point, if you want a crispy topping, crush enough corn flakes to yield 3/4 cup crumbs and mix them up with 3 TBSP melted butter and put this all over the top.
Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes (hot/bubbly throughout).
Funeral Potatoes
6 cups diced, peeled potatoes (~6-8) (or 2 lbs frozen hash browns)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 soup can of milk
1 cup sour cream
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
salt & pepper to taste
Cook the potatoes (or thaw) until tender and put in 2-3 qt casserole (9x13" pan). Combine soup, milk, sour cream, cheese, and onion with salt & pepper to taste. Mix that goop up and spread it on the potatoes. At this point, if you want a crispy topping, crush enough corn flakes to yield 3/4 cup crumbs and mix them up with 3 TBSP melted butter and put this all over the top.
Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes (hot/bubbly throughout).
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