tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73526195343513259222024-02-21T09:01:32.133-08:00Food That We EatThese are some of the things we cook and eat. Dishes worth mentioning and eating again, :-)Jensen: Dana and Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04770780576312918367noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7352619534351325922.post-2010365226910802132014-04-05T18:32:00.001-07:002014-04-05T18:32:44.246-07:00Greek Yogurt Biscuits<p>I found this recipe in our newspaper’s food insert. I kind of love them. The good news is that they only have three ingredients. The bad news is that I usually don’t have 2 out of the three on hand. </p> <p>1 1/2 cups self rising flour</p> <p>1 tsp salt</p> <p>1 1/4 cup plain greek yogurt</p> <p>Whisk together the flour and salt. Make a well and add the yogurt. Stir till just moist. Roll out dough on a floured board and roll to 1/2 inch. Fold over and roll back to 1/2 inch. Cut out biscuits. Bake at 450 degrees for 10-15 minutes. </p> <p>I failed biscuit-making, so I can’t ever get them to split right; I think I over mix them. So mine end up kind of flat. So I eat mine without opening them up. But they taste so good! If you let them get cold, they’re not as appetizing. BUT you can toast them with a square of sharp cheddar on top and it’s AMAZING! </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-qk4MwRU59Ak/U0CupUILyXI/AAAAAAAASRc/SyqSSmlHJk0/s1600-h/IMG_6196%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_6196" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_6196" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-e1eOBmrMMEo/U0Cup437M4I/AAAAAAAASRk/HQB7-5fjBvA/IMG_6196_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184"></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ioIqDV__5cQ/U0Cuq9g5nSI/AAAAAAAASRs/Rv1_vnY8vyU/s1600-h/IMG_6198%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_6198" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_6198" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-pEsRS8NEuSI/U0CuroJDmVI/AAAAAAAASR0/NqQcuTd2KRE/IMG_6198_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184"></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-fqdTduiReSU/U0CusZHlvfI/AAAAAAAASR8/3jIW6dQxHsg/s1600-h/IMG_6200%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_6200" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_6200" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-EpXZqwvleDM/U0CutA6g3PI/AAAAAAAASSE/geYn0YnpjWI/IMG_6200_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184"></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-46GUqfOr2ZE/U0CuuEI08cI/AAAAAAAASSM/Ei-OitrPCIc/s1600-h/IMG_6205%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_6205" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_6205" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-2PdUk8VjZ94/U0CuurHGs0I/AAAAAAAASSQ/r80gBMHL6qc/IMG_6205_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184"></a></p> Jensen: Dana and Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04770780576312918367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7352619534351325922.post-76438033171038944772014-03-03T12:50:00.001-08:002014-03-03T12:50:27.430-08:00Ukrainian Borscht<p>Following the political situation in Ukraine is both upsetting and frustrating. I have never been there, but my husband lived there for two years as an LDS missionary and came to love the country. Because of this it is close to my heart too. I read the news articles and feel so helpless – what can I possibly do to make a difference? </p> <p>So I’m putting up our favorite Ukrainian recipes to raise awareness. Keep the people of Ukraine in your prayers. This recipe comes straight from a lovely Ukrainian woman and it’s delicious!</p> <p>300 grams of pork (or beef) with the bone in. (This equals a little over half a pound. What I do is by a nice large bone-in roast and cut it in two pieces – one with the bone and one without. The piece without the bone I freeze for later. The piece with the bone, no matter how big it is, goes in the borscht. </p> <p>3 liters of water (I usually put 4-5 liters in)</p> <p>2 tsp salt</p> <p>1-2 medium beets</p> <p>1-2 large carrots</p> <p>a large onion</p> <p>1 6 oz can tomato paste</p> <p>5-6 medium potatoes, cubed (red or gold work best. and I leave the skin on)</p> <p>half a medium head of cabbage, cut in strips</p> <p>1 green pepper, diced</p> <p> </p> <p>1. Boil the meat with the bone in the water with salt till the meat is cooked through. Take the meat out and cut it into bite size hunks (unless you already did this – good for you!) </p> <p>2. While the meat is cooking, cut up the beets, carrots, and onion. Sauté in oil till soft (10-15 min). Add tomato paste, cook 3-5 minutes more. </p> <p>3. When the meat is cooked, add the cubed potatoes to the boiling water. </p> <p>4. When the potatoes are soft enough to be pierced with a fork, add the beet mixture and cook for 5-10 minutes. Add cabbage and green peppers. Cook 5-8 minutes. Add bay leaf, oregano, thyme, and parsley to taste. (I’ve never done it this way, but you could add the seasoning with the meat and let it cook the whole time). </p> <p>5. Let cook 5 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add a dollop of sour cream to each serving. </p> <p>This soup is great fresh and better the next day – that’s why I always make so much. yum! </p> Jensen: Dana and Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04770780576312918367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7352619534351325922.post-88524909700620939652013-03-23T16:50:00.001-07:002013-03-23T16:50:21.683-07:00The Best pizza dough ever!<p><font color="#333333" size="3">I found this bread book that I liked and decided to buy it. I have not tried many of the recipes, but of the ones I have tried, this is certainly the best. It comes out delicious every time and it’s pretty easy to do. The hardest part is planning ahead to make it. But if you want a really great pizza, make this one. </font></p> <p><b><font color="#333333" size="3">My Favorite Pizza Dough from <i>Bread Making</i> by Lauren Chattman</font></b> <p><font color="#333333" size="3">1 cup room temperature water </font> <p><font color="#333333" size="3">¾ tsp instant yeast</font> <p><font color="#333333" size="3">2 cups plus 2 Tbl unbleached all-purpose flour</font> <p><font color="#333333" size="3">¾ tsp salt</font> <p><font color="#333333" size="3">Mix all the ingredients together with a large spoon. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes. Then knead by hand or with a stand mixer until the dough is smooth and elastic. (I always test this by holding a small portion and trying to make a thin film that light can pass through, but the dough does not rip. If it rips, keep kneading! If the dough is too sticky, add more, 2 Tbls at a time, until the dough is no longer sticky. In my stand mixer this takes 5 - 10 minutes and I check it several times along the way. )</font> <p><font color="#333333" size="3">Spray a mixing bowl with non-stick spray and place dough inside. Cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise for 3-4 hours. (I start this dough around 2pm and end up eating around 7pm).</font> <p><font color="#333333" size="3">When your dough is done rising, preheat your oven to 500 degrees (yes, 500 degrees). Prepare your pizza pan (or a baking sheet will work fine too) with non stick spray. Roll your dough onto a floured surface into the desired shape (depending on the shape of your pan). Then transfer gently to your prepared pan. Top with your desired toppings including but not limited to: red sauce, white sauce, Bbq sauce, pepperoni, onions, peppers, sausage, chicken, tomatoes, and cheeses of all varieties. </font> <p><font color="#333333" size="3">Bake for 15-18 minutes (but you may want to start checking at 13 or so minutes). </font> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ca6fL49tr_0/UU4_utSPCZI/AAAAAAAALkQ/ZsA8WIZX9uM/s1600-h/IMG_2222%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_2222" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_2222" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-PzsYrI_UyHY/UU4_vFA05eI/AAAAAAAALkY/P0tsvpUA_t8/IMG_2222_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="297" height="234"></a> <p><font color="#333333" size="3"></font></p> Jensen: Dana and Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04770780576312918367noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7352619534351325922.post-53510690681009176712012-03-27T20:12:00.001-07:002012-03-27T20:12:42.493-07:00Green Risotto<p>I found this recipe on a local cooking show and just barely was able to try it. You may remember my <a href="http://coolkids365.blogspot.com/2012/03/picture-66.html" target="_blank">mishap with the peas</a>: this was that day. </p> <p>The cook is British, so the measurements are by weight. I’ve included my notes, as always. </p> <p>INGREDIENTS</p> <p>4 tbsp olive oil<br>250g (9oz) peas, fresh or frozen<br>100g (4 oz) spinach (destalk if the leaves are large)<br>950ml (1 pt 12 fl oz) vegetable (or chicken) stock <br>1 onion, peeled and finely chopped<br>2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed or minced<br>Salt and freshly ground black pepper<br>350g (12 oz) risotto rice<br>150ml (5 fl. oz) white wine (I omitted the wine and used extra stock)<br>100g (4 oz) Parmesan cheese to serve<br></p> <p>METHOD<br>Preheat the oven to 180'C/gas 4. (I cooked mine entirely on the stove top, so you can bake if you like, or not). <br>Heat half the olive oil in an oven-proof saucepan.<br>Add the peas and spinach and cook, stirring all the time, for 2 minutes, until the spinach wilts.</p> <p>Add about 50ml of the stock and puree in a blender or food processor.<br>Set aside.<br>In the same saucepan, heat the remaining olive oil, add the onion and garlic and season with salt and pepper.<br>Cover with a lid and sweat over a gentle heat until soft but not colored.<br>Add the risotto rice and stir it around in the saucepan for a minute, then add the remaining stock and the wine.<br>Stir and bring it up to the boil, cover with the lid and place in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until the rice is just cooked and all the liquid has been absorbed.(Again, I did mine entirely on the stove, like you would normal risotto: adding the stock and stirring until it dissolves, then adding more , repeating until the rice is cooked, then continue with the recipe.)<br>Stir in the vegetable puree and set aside with the lid on.<br></p> <p>To serve<br>Serve the risotto in warm bowls topped with Parmesan.(I mixed my cheese in with the pureed spinach and peas, but do as you please). </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-xNKDu8HUXaM/T3KBpYjhA5I/AAAAAAAAFH8/7YuqEVhvzdU/s1600-h/IMG_2497%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_2497" border="0" alt="IMG_2497" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-OhXJqWb1LjQ/T3KBp8yg97I/AAAAAAAAFIE/pXdSjSvJYtY/IMG_2497_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="311" height="244"></a></p> <p>Green Risotto: Not for the faint of heart! </p> Jensen: Dana and Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04770780576312918367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7352619534351325922.post-85162681477563638412012-03-27T20:01:00.001-07:002012-03-27T20:01:45.562-07:00Marry Me Toffee<p>Yes, this is the actual title of the recipe. It comes from Jane Sharrock’s “Who Wants Candy?” Cookbook. The title of the recipe has no punctuation so I get to imagine it for myself. One option is, “Marry me, toffee!” like in the old joke. <em>“I love this!” “If you love it so much, why don’t you marry it?” </em></p> <p>Another option (and my personal favorite) is, “Marry Me!” Toffee (a la <em>Arrested Development</em>).</p> <p>But however you do it, it’s delicious. </p> <p> </p> <p>I’ve had trouble with recipes from this cookbook before, and so I was pleased when this one turned out so well. </p> <p>Ingredients: </p> <p>2-2 1/2 cups of chopped, toasted almonds</p> <p>6, 1.5 oz Hershey’s chocolate bars (I used 9 oz. of Baker’s semi-sweet chocolate bars. I’m sure you could use whatever, just keep it unmelted). </p> <p>1 pound of good quality butter – margarine doesn’t work. </p> <p>2 cups granulated sugar</p> <p>3 Tbls water</p> <p>1 tsp. vanilla extract</p> <p> </p> <p>1. Scatter a little over half the almonds (I used dry roasted almonds instead of toasting them myself) over two baking sheets (the book reads, one large and one small to medium. I used two medium ones and it worked fine). Reserve the remaining almonds for the top. Break the chocolate into pieces. </p> <p>2. In a heavy, 3-quart saucepan over medium heat, bring butter, sugar, and water to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. One it begins to boil, stir constantly and cook to the hard crack stage, 300 degrees. </p> <p>3. Remove from heat, quickly stir in vanilla. Immediately pour over the almonds on the baking sheets. the candy won’t go all the way to edge of the sheet. Immediately place the chocolate onto the candy roughly evenly spaced. Let the chocolate melt for a few minutes, then use a spatula to spread it evenly over the surface of the candy. </p> <p>4. Sprinkle the reserved almonds over the chocolate, pressing into the chocolate if desired. Let it all cool to room temperature before cutting (I used a pizza cutter, but you can break it by hand, too). It will keep for a week or two in an airtight container at room temperature. </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-T9z-vsNDlGI/T3J_FU1bIOI/AAAAAAAAFHs/-lEyyaellKA/s1600-h/IMG_2490%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_2490" border="0" alt="IMG_2490" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-L0Yg0xVAMgs/T3J_GLPeSbI/AAAAAAAAFH0/2GxW2iJkxqs/IMG_2490_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="355" height="279"></a></p> Jensen: Dana and Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04770780576312918367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7352619534351325922.post-78950580136341540152012-01-26T16:55:00.001-08:002012-01-26T16:55:39.004-08:00Creamy Lemon Crumble Squares<p>I love bars. I love to make them, I love to eat them, I love the little lemony crust they get on top when they bake. I thought I would never find anything to replace them. </p> <p>But I have. </p> <p>I found this recipe on Pinterest (yes, I do that now) and I thought we’d try for dessert when the missionaries came for dinner. </p> <p> </p> <p>Crust: </p> <p>6 Tbl butter, softened</p> <p>3/4 cup packed brown sugar</p> <p>1 cup flour</p> <p>3/4 cup oats</p> <p>3/4 tsp baking powder</p> <p>scant 1/2 tsp salt</p> <p>Filling: </p> <p>1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk</p> <p>1/2 cup lemon juice </p> <p>zest of 1 (or 2) lemons</p> <p>1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. </p> <p>2. Cream butter and sugar. Add oats, flour, baking powder and salt. Mix till crumbly. </p> <p>3. Mix filling well, until consistent. </p> <p>4. Press about 2/3 of the crust into the bottom of a 9x9 pan. Pour filling in, spreading if necessary. Sprinkle the remainder of crust on the top. </p> <p>5. Bake for 30 minutes, until golden brown. Eat warm or cold. I like mine with ice cream on top, but they’re delicious by themselves. </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-TJFpaYJAteQ/TyH2A3qrmfI/AAAAAAAAEmI/Gr881HSjIHQ/s1600-h/IMG_1904%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1904" border="0" alt="IMG_1904" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-wcr2SSrYxmE/TyH2BUrTmBI/AAAAAAAAEmQ/ZuzF_DnUaew/IMG_1904_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184"></a> I’d consider this golden brown.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-LVMSWzeDaRw/TyH2CKVj0vI/AAAAAAAAEmY/42yFveoyRSw/s1600-h/IMG_1909%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1909" border="0" alt="IMG_1909" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-7VHdcKpOFSM/TyH2Ch8wtKI/AAAAAAAAEmg/dom4eGXnGCo/IMG_1909_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184"></a></p> <p>The original recipe comes from <a href="http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2010/07/creamy-lemon-crumb-squares.html" target="_blank">here</a>, and she has a larger version to go into an 8x11 pan. I don’t have an 8x11 pan, and since I didn’t want them to be thin in a 9x13 pan, I cut the crust recipe by 1/4 and put it into a 9x9 pan. It still makes a little too much crust, but it’s yummy yummy! </p> Jensen: Dana and Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04770780576312918367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7352619534351325922.post-68294667723957587872011-11-01T22:41:00.001-07:002011-11-01T22:41:32.815-07:00Frog-Eye Salad<p>So I mentioned on my blog a little while ago a dessert salad: frog-eye salad. An unfortunate name, I know, but I didn’t name it. It’s deceptively delicious and it kind of grows on you. I’m considering changing the name to “white cloud of happiness salad.” </p> <p>16 oz acini di pepe pasta (This is a small round pasta about the size of a peppercorn. I found some at Wal-Mart made by Da Vinci. I assume this is what gives the salad its name, but if you can’t find it I recommend orzo). </p> <p>1 small box vanilla pudding</p> <p>1 1/2+ cups milk </p> <p>1 pint whipping cream </p> <p>1/4 – 1/2 cup sugar</p> <p>1 tsp vanilla </p> <p>3+ cups mini marshmallows</p> <p>2 cans mandarin oranges, drained</p> <p>1 large (28oz?) can of pineapple tidbits, drained </p> <p> </p> <p>1. Cook pasta according to package directions, cool pasta under cold water in strainer and set aside. </p> <p>2. While cooking pasta, make vanilla pudding with 1 1/2 cups milk instead of the recommended 2 cups. Once set, combine with cool pasta. Add fruit and marshmallows. </p> <p>3. Whip cream with sugar and vanilla till very stiff. Fold into salad. For best results, let rest overnight. (or enjoy right away). This makes A LOT of salad, so you may want to half this recipe on your first try. That way, if you hate it, you have less of it. </p> <p>Now, the recipe I used to make this calls for a container of cool whip. I did not have success. It made the salad very very gooey, so I went for the real thing, but feel free to give it a try. Just make sure the cool whip is thawed before folding into the rest of salad. </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-X4cWRJR10lg/TrDYCmdMh3I/AAAAAAAADrE/bmPyO3vf6jo/s1600-h/IMG_5517%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_5517" border="0" alt="IMG_5517" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-IUnRI8LttB8/TrDYC3W9EjI/AAAAAAAADrM/Mx75ZAcMmrQ/IMG_5517_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="342" height="261"></a>For as many times as I’ve made this, this is the only picture I have of it. We just eat it too fast. </p> Jensen: Dana and Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04770780576312918367noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7352619534351325922.post-68736798652626745682011-09-13T19:15:00.001-07:002011-09-13T19:15:36.365-07:00Rollo Cookies!<p>A coworker of Dana’s made these and brought them in to work. Dana brought one to me and asked me to make them for him. Hooray for the internet and its searchable contents! I found a recipe quickly and made these delicious cookies. </p> <p>1 cup of butter, softened </p> <p>1 cup white sugar</p> <p>1 cup brown sugar</p> <p>2 eggs</p> <p>2 tsp vanilla extract</p> <p>2 1/4 cups flour</p> <p>1 tsp soda</p> <p>3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder</p> <p>48 Rollo candies*</p> <p>1. cream sugars and butter together. Add eggs and vanilla. </p> <p>2. Combine dry ingredients and add slowly to egg mixture. Transfer dough to dry ingredients bowl and press in slightly. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. (I don’t usually go through the trouble of combining the dry ingredients separately, but I did this time. And if you put the dough into the dry ingredients bowl to chill, when you remove it from the bowl, it comes out readily.) </p> <p>3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Separate dough into 48 balls (Just keep halving the batch of dough till you get 16 sections, then split each of those into 3rds. Or feel free to eyeball it; that works too.) Wrap each ball of dough around 1 Rollo candy. Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven when done, but let sit on the cookie sheet 4 minutes before removing to a cooling rack. </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-vtExU_2paf4/TnAOQcDZLbI/AAAAAAAADRo/fvtJ5KeHEDc/s1600-h/IMG_2900%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_2900" border="0" alt="IMG_2900" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-7oo2QKYlt68/TnAOQzxj98I/AAAAAAAADRs/l6yXY2c94sg/IMG_2900_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="301" height="237"></a></p> <p>Here are my cookies cooling deliciously. Feel free to eat them warm; they’re kind of amazing that way.</p> <p> </p> <p>*Did you follow the asterix? You really do have to use Rollo candies. The caramel is nice and soft and already chocolate coated, which helps keep it from making a mess. You may ask how I know this. It is because I foolishly tried to use caramels. The hard cube-ish kind you melt to cover apples with: that kind. This is what I got…</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-kEc-fTnrqn0/TnAORoh2-vI/AAAAAAAADRw/bDuoHjxbauY/s1600-h/IMG_2896%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_2896" border="0" alt="IMG_2896" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-027a7xqFYMg/TnAOR_ktC3I/AAAAAAAADR0/NFW7OMTvHWY/IMG_2896_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184"></a> Are you thinking about the picture that the man drew of a snake eating an elephant? Because I am. These caramels aren’t in the oven long enough to get all nice and gooey. They just stay shaped like caramels. Then when the cookies cool, you have a nice soft cookie with a hard, yucky caramel in the middle. Go ahead and spring for the Rollos, you’ll be happy you did. </p> Jensen: Dana and Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04770780576312918367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7352619534351325922.post-53279088101024302482011-09-10T23:19:00.001-07:002011-09-10T23:19:16.231-07:00Stuffed Peppers<p>I made stuffed peppers once in college and filled them with my own mixture of mostly rice and some ground beef and vegetables. </p> <p>We had our own early Thanksgiving a few weeks ago and had the inevitable leftover turkey. I don’t like leftover turkey. Every year I search for another thing to do with leftover turkey that will make it yummy. And this year I finally found one! </p> <p>This recipe comes from the Fannie Farmer Cookbook.</p> <p>3 large stuffed peppers halved and seeded</p> <p>3 Tbl olive oil </p> <p>1 onion, chopped fine</p> <p>1 lb. ground cooked or uncooked beef, pork, veal or lamb (or cooked, chopped turkey!) </p> <p>2 tomatoes peeled and chopped (I used 1 15oz can of stewed tomatoes, drained</p> <p>2 Tbl minced parsley </p> <p>1 1/2 tsp dried basil</p> <p>salt and pepper to taste</p> <p>1 cup bread crumbs</p> <p> </p> <p>Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a shallow baking dish. Cook the pepper halves in boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain and set aside. </p> <p>Heat oil in the skillet and add chopped onion. Cook, stirring until soft. If using uncooked or cold meat, add and cook until done or heated through. Add tomatoes, parsley, basil, and salt and pepper to taste. Lightly fill each pepper half with some of the mixture. Top with breadcrumbs (I put some parmesan cheese on first). Bake for 30-40 minutes. </p> <p>These are super yummy and I’m definitely making them again. </p> <p>And one fuzzy picture, sorry guys. </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-7IgxJMGukVY/TmxS4SYZmQI/AAAAAAAADRg/A9Q9EhJmGao/s1600-h/IMG_2915%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_2915" border="0" alt="IMG_2915" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-nLxxyV1OEwA/TmxS4wQy7JI/AAAAAAAADRk/xG1FjQM5zEs/IMG_2915_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="339" height="266"></a></p> Jensen: Dana and Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04770780576312918367noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7352619534351325922.post-54895628045987847542011-09-10T16:54:00.001-07:002011-09-10T16:54:40.249-07:00The Cake<p>Ever heard of a video game called “Portal”? In the game you are helping a company test this portal gun. You use the gun to solve puzzles that GLADOS gives you and the promised reward is cake. </p> <p>At the end of the game GLADOS sings a song (written by Jonathan Coulton) and mentions the cake and that it is delicious and moist. There is even a picture of it. </p> <p>So one year for Dana’s birthday I made him The Cake. I used this recipe that always gives me something delicious and moist (if some times more structurally sound than others). </p> <p>Hershey’s Perfectly Chocolaty Cake and Frosting (from the Unsweetened Cocoa box). </p> <p>2 cups sugar</p> <p>1 3/4 cups flour</p> <p>3/4 cup cocoa</p> <p>1 1/2 tsp baking powder</p> <p>1 1/2 tsp baking soda</p> <p>1 tsp salt</p> <p>2 eggs</p> <p> 1 cup milk</p> <p>1/2 cup vegetable oil </p> <p>2 tsp vanilla extract</p> <p>1 cup boiling water (yes, for realz). </p> <p> </p> <p>1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees</p> <p>2. Combine dry ingredients. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water – batter will be thin. </p> <p>3. Pour into 2, nine inch round (greased) pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Remove when a toothpick comes out clean, but the tops of the cakes should still look moist. </p> <p>While the cake is cooking, you can make the frosting: </p> <p>1/2 cup butter or margarine</p> <p>2/3 cup cocoa</p> <p>3 cups powdered sugar</p> <p>1/3 cup milk</p> <p>1 tsp vanilla extract</p> <p>1. Melt butter and mix with coca. Once well mixed – no lumps – add the other ingredients and mix until thick and creamy. </p> <p>To assemble The Cake: let the cakes cool to room temperature before removing from pans. Place one round, flat-side down, on a plate. (Some cakes end up with too much cake and have bulgy middles: store bought cake mixes, for example. This cake tends to sink a bit in the middle. So you might need to use some frosting to make the middle even). Frost with a thin layer of chocolate frosting. Fill with some sweetened fresh berries (I think I used raspberries for this, but strawberries would be good too) or jam. Or just put some more frosting in the middle and use that as the filling. Place the next layer, flat-side up, onto the frosting. Cover the outside with frosting till it looks good to you. (I was taught to do a thin, crumb layer and let that dry a little bit before putting on the “show” layer of frosting. </p> <p>With either whipped cream or some white frosting (whipped cream from a can would be super easy to do this with, but you’ll have to eat it right away. I used cream cheese frosting before I had some on hand) make 8 rosettes around the edge of the cake. Place gummy raspberries or cherry sours in the middle of each white rosette. To make it really authentic, press chocolate shavings into the outside of the cake and place one candle at the center of the cake. </p> <p>The cake is not a lie! </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-9ZPFfxzD68s/Tmv4vRkN-gI/AAAAAAAADRY/4EVIKJ0Vk2Y/s1600-h/100_2997%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="100_2997" border="0" alt="100_2997" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-jgnsZvjBmas/Tmv4vzAIZ_I/AAAAAAAADRc/6c1xg2gbRlE/100_2997_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="410" height="322"></a></p> Jensen: Dana and Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04770780576312918367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7352619534351325922.post-31264497140369333452011-09-05T19:55:00.001-07:002011-09-05T19:55:53.036-07:00Cream Puffs<p>I got this recipe from an old roommate of mine whose mother used to make these for weddings professionally. They are super easy to make and very delicious. I used this recipe to make cream puffs for my own wedding. I know now that the cream puffs were undercooked and probably not up to her standards (she claims that making these cream puffs correctly in her family is a sign of arrival into womanhood). But she never said anything about them, so we’ll just leave it be. </p> <p>Choux Pastry:</p> <p>4 Eggs</p> <p>1 cup water</p> <p>1/2 cup butter cut into 8 pieces</p> <p>1 cup flour</p> <p>1/2 tsp salt</p> <p>1. Place butter and water into saucepan. Bring to a full boil over med heat. Boil till butter is melted. (I think my butter is usually melted long before the full boil arrives.)</p> <p>2. Add flour and salt all at once. Stir vigorously until a ball forms. Remove from heat.</p> <p>3. Add eggs ONE AT A TIME mixing THOUROUGHLY after each addition. It sometimes seems that the eggs won’t incorporate: be patient and keep stirring. Mix 30 more seconds. </p> <p>4. Shape as desired (I scoop spoonfuls of desired size onto a cookie sheet). Bake 425 degrees (in a preheated oven) for 10-15 minutes, until dry looking. And here is where My Mistakes came in. No oven I have used has cooked them right at 425 for 15 minutes. You can take them out at this point and eat them filled or unfilled; they are delicious. But you are supposed to wait until the butter bubbles stop bubbling off the top of the puffs. They stop glistening. So I recommend putting them in a 400 degree oven for closer to 20 minutes (and don’t be afraid to give them more time). These freeze well but only if you cook them dry. Otherwise when they come out of the freezer they are kind of grainy and gross. And make sure to open the puff and take out what extra pastry is inside before freezing them. This makes thaw and prep much quicker. </p> <p>For the filling my friend recommends using 1 small box of instant vanilla pudding, 2 envelopes of powdered whipped cream (brand name: Dream Whip) and a cup of milk. Mix it at a high speed till the color changes and it gets very stiff. </p> <p>I tried the filling and it was OK. I’d much rather just use real whipped cream. Or to save time, chocolate or vanilla pudding. To serve, dust your filled puffs with powdered sugar. </p> <p>The pastry is delicious and reminds me a lot of popovers, which I love. Consequently, I have been tempted to try filling these puffs with a savory meat filling, but have not tried it yet. I’ll let you know it that ever happens. </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-OEfZJJh44r0/TmWLtqmX19I/AAAAAAAADQM/CIvpwuY5-9E/s1600-h/IMG_4872%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_4872" border="0" alt="IMG_4872" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-gnTrC4rZd4w/TmWLuLIBS7I/AAAAAAAADQQ/d_9M9a1ljoQ/IMG_4872_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="347" height="273"></a></p> <p>The funny thing is that as I write this, I am also playing Scrabble. </p> Jensen: Dana and Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04770780576312918367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7352619534351325922.post-12523069242617015012011-07-29T22:08:00.001-07:002011-07-29T22:08:18.381-07:00String Cheese Meatballs or Making Stuff Up Out of What’s in My Fridge<blockquote> <p>'</p> <p>Dana brought me home some ground beef today from work and I decided fresh ground beef should be meatballs. My sis-in-law Elina found this recipe for meatballs that was really good. I thought I took it from her, but I couldn’t find it (sensing a trend?) So I made up a recipe out of stuff in my fridge. Like the spinach-artichoke dip, I just had on hand, and the artichokes added a nice surprise crunch amidst the meat and cheese. </p> <p>1 lb. ground beef</p> <p>1/2 cup bread crumbs</p> <p>1/4 cup parmesan cheese</p> <p>1 egg</p> <p>2 cloves minced garlic</p> <p>2 Tbls fresh parsley</p> <p>2 Tbls spinach-artichoke dip</p> <p>salt and pepper to taste </p> <p>3 string cheeses each cut into 6 pieces</p></blockquote> <p>1. Combine all ingredients except cheese into a nice gooey, well-combined mass. Separate into 16 equally sized pieces. Wrap each piece around a lump of string cheese. (Or you can use those medium sized lumps of fresh mozzarella).</p> <p>2. Bake on a greased cookie sheet at 375 degrees. Bake for 10-15 minutes, then turn each one over and cook the opposite side until meat is no longer pink. </p> <p>I served these ones with short noodles (farfalle, if you want to know) and a jar of red sauce. Again, this was short-notice dinner, so the presentation was not pristine, but the result was delicious. </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-VchTjfaiIfQ/TjORvmezt8I/AAAAAAAADF0/VfetLh8PrZ8/s1600-h/IMG_2284%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_2284" border="0" alt="IMG_2284" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-uZmT2NKo7TE/TjORwU6K4QI/AAAAAAAADF4/KFQN4TpDXYw/IMG_2284_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="342" height="269"></a></p> Jensen: Dana and Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04770780576312918367noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7352619534351325922.post-72675397779500932282011-06-20T16:55:00.001-07:002011-07-25T15:15:32.023-07:00Philly Cheesesteak!!!<p>I believe the Philly Cheesesteak sandwich has to be on the list of World’s Most Perfect Sandwiches: delicious beef, sautéed onions, and thick cheese sauce – what’s not to love? I am a fan of Rachel Ray’s version, utilizing sliced tenderloin and provolone cheese. But I decided to try something a little different, with delicious results…</p> <p>2.5 lbs beef brisket </p> <p>1-2 bell peppers (I like the orange or red ones for this)</p> <p>1/2 a large, sweet onion </p> <p>6 hoagie rolls</p> <p>cheese sauce (recipe to follow)</p> <p>Brisket, it turns out, is super easy to cook in a crockpot. When I imagined this meal in my mind, it involved microwavable brisket, like the way you can buy pulled pork. But the grocery store I was at didn’t have any (that I could find) and I wasn’t going to another store – I have a new baby, there’s no time or energy for that. So I found the real thing and figured I could make it work in the slow cooker. </p> <p>And I can! I found a recipe for a meat rub and instructions on how to cook brisket in a crockpot. </p> <p>2 tsp salt</p> <p>2 tsp dry mustard</p> <p>2 tsp paprika</p> <p>1/8 tsp pepper</p> <p>1/2 tsp garlic powder</p> <p>Trim fat. rub in seasoning. place meat with fat side up. cover, coon on low for apx. 6 hours.</p> <p> </p> <p>All you do is put the brisket in the slow cooker on high for 6 or so hours, with the layer of fat on top. Mine turned out perfectly tender. And it was just as easy as microwaving – I just had to start it earlier. </p> <p>I sautéed the peppers and onions, after cutting them in strips, in some olive oil, a la Rachel Ray. Then I piled them with the meat onto the hoagie roll. </p> <p>This is the fun part: the cheese sauce. </p> <p>The basic recipe comes from Fannie Farmer, the recipe for White Sauce. I have used it over and over for any number of things. It is quite versatile. It goes a little something like this: </p> <p>2 Tbls butter</p> <p>2 Tbls flour</p> <p>1 and 1/4 cups milk, heated</p> <p>salt and pepper to taste. </p> <p>Melt the butter in a saucepan. When it is melted, add the flour and let it bubble (but not brown) for a minute. Then add the milk. Make sure to stir it so you don’t get clumps on the bottom. And I leave the temperature around medium. After a few minutes the milk will start to bubble and thicken. This is when you’d season with salt and pepper and have a white sauce. For the cheese sauce, this is when you add your cheese. I added a little of whatever I had on hand: some Monterey Jack, mozzarella, and parmesan – 1/4- 1/2 cup of each. You’ll end up with quite a cheesy sauce. </p> <p>I top my meat and peppers with a liberal amount of sauce and enjoy! </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-fgpGNc4Xsj8/Tf_d4kPlm6I/AAAAAAAACzI/_aiHNWnUZkc/s1600-h/IMG_2561%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_2561" border="0" alt="IMG_2561" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-efYMQjW7v1w/Tf_d49xthLI/AAAAAAAACzM/1APcLfKw7mw/IMG_2561_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="349" height="274"></a></p> Jensen: Dana and Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04770780576312918367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7352619534351325922.post-28274088521725101572011-06-14T11:44:00.001-07:002011-06-14T11:44:54.101-07:00Divinity or Ruth complains about America’s favorite mixer<p> </p> <p>Homemade candy can be the best stuff ever, and divinity is no exception. It’s fluffy and delicious and loaded with sugar. What’s not to love? My recipe comes from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. </p> <p>2 1/2 cups granulated sugar</p> <p>1/2 cup water </p> <p>1/2 cup light corn syrup </p> <p>2 egg whites at room temperature (1 white weighs approximately 1 oz.)</p> <p>1 tsp vanilla</p> <p>1/2 cup chopped nuts of choice (I always use walnuts.)</p> <p>1. In a 2-quart heavy saucepan, combine sugar, water and corn syrup. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until mixture boils. Clip on candy thermometer. Reduce heat to medium and continue cooking without stirring until mixture reaches 260 degrees (hardball stage?) then remove mixture from heat. </p> <p>2. While the syrup rests, beat egg whites till stiff peaks form. If the whites get too dry, add a TBL warm water and mix again. Once the tips stand straight, GRADUALLY pour the hot syrup in a thin stream over the whites, beating on high. Scrape sides occasionally. Try not to hit the beaters or else you’ll get sticky syrup strings all over the side of the mixer and not in the candy. </p> <p>3. Once the syrup is added, turn the mixer on full blast if it’s not there already. Add the vanilla and food coloring if that’s your thing. The book says to stop beating when “the beaters are lifted and the candy falls in a ribbon that mounds on itself.” I did that the first time I made divinity and ended up with little puddles of white goo. A better marker is when the candy starts to lose its gloss, or when it starts to look like divinity. If you mix it too long you’ll just have a hard time scooping it out of the bowl; the flavor of the candy will not suffer. If the candy starts breaking as it mixes, stop mixing – that was too long. The book says if you over mix you can add a few drops of hot water and keep mixing, but I’ve never tried this. </p> <p>4. Once you’re done mixing, fold in the chopped nuts in right away. Drop candy in teaspoon sized blobs onto wax paper and let cool. Or (this works better for me, and is more successful if you’ve mixed the candy a little too long) press the candy lightly into a parchment lined 8x8 pan. Let the candy cool before cutting. Keeps tightly covered up to a week (but I bet that won’t be a problem.) </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/--RDKEcoJyy8/TfesI8fih-I/AAAAAAAACwg/d35-CS8pfcM/s1600-h/IMG_4008%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_4008" border="0" alt="IMG_4008" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-mfNk4j3P4-U/TfesJdNUOnI/AAAAAAAACwk/zeCY_8Cz7I8/IMG_4008_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="320" height="252"></a></p> <p>So that’s the recipe. The rest of this post is me complaining about my mixer. So you can stop here if you like. </p> <p>I have a KitchenAid mixer. It’s Imperial Red. It’s the Professional HD model – super nice with a bowl-lift lever. I got it as a present and was very excited to get it. I registered for the bottom of the line model when I got married and didn’t get it, and Dana and I decided not to use our gift cards to buy one; it was just too expensive. So when someone gave us this one (never been used), I was pretty ecstatic. All my mixer needs and wants met and exceeded! </p> <p>But I have noticed this flaw and it has started to bother me: the mixer does not mix the matter directly below the beater. This can be remedied if you stop the mixer every so often and scoop up the stuff that has collected, unmixed, down there. But the design of the mixer and the size of the beater makes it awkward and time consuming to do so. Not only that, but I <strong><em>know</em></strong> there are mixers out there that do not have this problem; I shouldn’t <em><strong>have</strong></em> to stop a mixer to help it by <u>stirring</u>. Stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl I understand (but this, too, is tricky with this mixer). </p> <p>Also, if there is so little in the bowl that the beater can’t reach it, you’re out of luck. For example, two egg whites are not very much liquid. The whisk does not reach them. So, I have to put the whites in my mixer bowl and then beat them to stiff peaks with my hand mixer. Only then can I put the bowl on the mixer and use it as I pour the syrup in. However, since I have to avoid the beater with the syrup, I end up pouring the syrup down the side of the bowl. In and of itself, not a problem, but inevitably some of that syrup ends up collecting in the unreachable pool at the bottom of the bowl. Divinity being what it is – time sensitive – I cannot be stopping every 30 seconds to rescue the lost syrup and incorporate it into the mixture. So I end up losing about a quarter cup of syrup in this whole process. It just cools into a solid, sugary rock at the bottom, smooshed against the side of the bowl by the force from the beater as it whirls around. Part of me wonders if I added the syrup sooner, not letting it rest before pouring it over the egg whites, if the result will be better. But I don’t know. I’ll have to try that. </p> <p>What I can say is that the mixer can work at full speed for the 10 or so minutes in the viscous mixture without batting an eye. The engine is powerful. But wonder if I wouldn’t be happier with a different machine. </p> Jensen: Dana and Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04770780576312918367noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7352619534351325922.post-73528155838373679632011-03-13T19:17:00.001-07:002011-03-13T19:17:58.351-07:00Ratatouille (Not Rat-Patootie)<p>Growing up as a more or less normal child, I was not keen on vegetables in general. I made exceptions for anything I could slather in butter and just about anything present in soup (I loved alphabet soup because it had lima beans in it. Like I said, I was only more or less normal). So when my mom made ratatouille from the fresh vegetables out of our garden, I would not try it (Sam-I-am). As I think about it now, I wonder what kind of crazy I would have to be to turn it down: fresh tomatoes and zucchini with eggplant and garlic, what’s not to love? But we all do inexplicable things as children, not eating my mom’s ratatouille was just one of many, unfortunately. </p> <p>That said, I have since tried some ratatouille and like it a lot. Here is the recipe I use: cooked in a pot on the stove, not baked in the oven, but still yummy-delicious. </p> <p>Canada Family Ratatouille: </p> <p>2 cloves garlic, minced</p> <p>1/4 cup vegetable oil</p> <p>1 medium eggplant, pared and cubed (about 4-6 cups). (I like nice big hunks of eggplant because they tend to wilt in the cooking. Also, I must not know what a “medium eggplant” is because I only ever use half an eggplant in this recipe, freezing the remainder, also cubed). </p> <p>2 small zucchini cut into 1/2 inch slices (I like mine cut somewhere between 1/2 and 1/4 of an inch). </p> <p>1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced</p> <p>1 medium green bell pepper, cut into 1/4 inch strips</p> <p>1 8 oz can stewed tomatoes (I always use at least a 15 oz can, sometimes 2 of them. I like tomatoes). </p> <p>2 Tbl chopped fresh parsley (or 1 mounded Tbl dried)</p> <p>4 tsp beef bullion (I only have chicken on hand, so that’s what I use, and I don’t think I’ve ever used 4 tsp… maybe 2.)</p> <p>1 Tbl flour</p> <p>1 tsp each of basil and oregano </p> <p> </p> <p>1. Combine garlic and oil in a large saucepan. Cook garlic over medium heat in oil until lightly browned. </p> <p>2. Add all other ingredients and stir to combine. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. </p> <p>3. Uncover and and stir. Cook 10 minutes longer or until vegetables are tender. </p> <p> </p> <p>It says it serves 6, but Dana and I take care of one pot all by ourselves. However, this recipe is also considered a side dish, so you make your own decisions. I like mine with cheese on top, parmesan or grated cheddar. </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_8RrfvLDGNKY/TX160nU6CeI/AAAAAAAACXE/g3d5mzb_sD8/s1600-h/IMG_7925%20-%20Copy%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_7925 - Copy" border="0" alt="IMG_7925 - Copy" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_8RrfvLDGNKY/TX161aZ8UDI/AAAAAAAACXI/k3hPD8vnseU/IMG_7925%20-%20Copy_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="419" height="329"></a></p> Jensen: Dana and Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04770780576312918367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7352619534351325922.post-56096794844216180042011-02-01T21:01:00.001-08:002011-02-01T21:01:48.802-08:00Sugar Cookies<p>I love the sugar cookie recipe from the Betty Crocker Cookie Book. However, the two recipes they put in the 2002 edition of the cookbook are not as good as the recipe from the 1982 edition (but they have their place. The 2002 edition has a yummy lemon sugar cookie recipe that Dana LOVES) But here is the recipe from the 1982 edition: </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_8RrfvLDGNKY/TUjlOUmiYVI/AAAAAAAACKw/MepluI1I0Lo/s1600-h/IMG_0771%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_0771" border="0" alt="IMG_0771" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_8RrfvLDGNKY/TUjlO7D2B6I/AAAAAAAACK0/jtsbRW-w1sA/IMG_0771_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="285" height="224"></a></p> <p>1 1/2 cups powdered sugar</p> <p>1 cup margarine or butter softened</p> <p>1 egg</p> <p>1 tsp vanilla </p> <p>1/2 tsp almond extract</p> <p>2 1/2 cups all purpose or whole wheat flour (if I use whole wheat, I make it half whole wheat, half white and I add an extra 1/2 tsp of vanilla flavoring)</p> <p>1 tsp baking soda</p> <p>1 tsp cream of tartar</p> <p>1. Cream the butter and sugar. Add the egg and the vanilla and almond extracts. Stir in soda and cream of tartar. Add flour a bit at a time so you don’t make a mess as you mix. </p> <p>The book says to refrigerate this mixture for at least 3 hours. I often make this one afternoon and put in a plastic bag in the freezer and use it later that week. Either way, you have to have chilled dough to be able to roll out and cut out your shapes. </p> <p>Bake at 375 degrees for 7-8 minutes. Let rest before removing from the cookie sheet (so they don’t fall apart). Cover in your favorite frosting or decorate as desired. </p> Jensen: Dana and Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04770780576312918367noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7352619534351325922.post-29788213752991716862011-02-01T14:22:00.001-08:002011-02-01T14:22:08.212-08:00Olive tapenade!<p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_8RrfvLDGNKY/TUiHjGaA4PI/AAAAAAAACKo/PWGXbWr3eLA/s1600-h/IMG_4622%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_4622" border="0" alt="IMG_4622" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_8RrfvLDGNKY/TUiHjnGp-aI/AAAAAAAACKs/_MR_DWrhK-I/IMG_4622_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="314" height="247"></a></p> <p>There were many leftover olives from the holidays this year and we ended up with most of them. Dana wanted to try making “something like pesto” with the olives. I found <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Black-Olive-Spread/Detail.aspx" target="_blank">this recipe</a> on allrecipes.com and tweaked it a little. </p> <ul> <li>1 (10 ounce) can black olives <li>3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese <li>1 clove garlic, chopped <li>1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil </li>Place olives, Parmesan cheese, and garlic (if using) in a food processor. Add olive oil slowly while running. Process until smooth.</ul> <ul></ul> <ul></ul> <ul></ul> <p>The Tweaking: We had twice as many olives, so I doubled everything. Then instead of parmesan cheese, I used 3/4 of a brick of feta because I like the bite of it. I also put in a little black pepper. The finished product looks like mortar, but it tastes really good. We had ours on toasted French baguette, but it would have been good on crackers or fresh bread too. </p> Jensen: Dana and Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04770780576312918367noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7352619534351325922.post-58930631265508689472010-12-03T19:13:00.003-08:002010-12-03T20:11:00.032-08:00Psych, Monkey BreadDana and I watched the most recent episode of Psych. We were really excited to see the episode after hearing that it would be a tribute to Twin Peaks, with several cameos from the show. In the episode, Shawn and Gus are lured to the small town of Dual Spires for a cinnamon festival. Gus says he'll go as long as there is monkey bread.<br /><br />When they get there, Gus picks up a loaf of bread and brings it to Shawn, both referring to it as monkey bread. The only problem was that it wasn't monkey bread. When I mentioned this to Dana he asked, "what's monkey bread?" I explained the principle to him and he ordered it for breakfast the next morning.<br /><br />The recipe I found came out of the the Fannie Farmer Cookbook and they call it "Ruth's Coffee Cake," so it has to be good. They use a recipe for Christmas Stolen minus the nuts and candied fruit. So here it goes...<br /><br />1 pkg dry yeast<br />1/4 cup warm water<br />3/4 cup warm milk<br />1/4 cup granulated sugar<br />1 tsp salt<br />4 Tbl butter, softened<br />2 eggs<br />3 cups white flour<br /><br />melted butter (I used about 1/4 a cup)<br />1 cup sugar mixed with<br />2 Tbl cinnamon<br /><br />Dissolve the yeast into the warm water. Mix milk, granulated sugar, salt, butter. Add yeast and water mixture and beat thoroughly. Add 1 and 1/2 cups flour and mix till well blended. Cover and let rise in a warm place for one hour (at this point it looks more like batter than dough, but let it "rise." It'll get all bubbly a mellow. The directions read "Add enough of the remaining flour so that the dough is easy to handle." I had to add the remaining 1 and 1/2 cups plus almost a whole other cup. So there you go. Anyway, after that, let it chill in the fridge for half an hour.<br /><br />When you're ready to use (I refrigerated my dough over night and then took it out an hour or so before I was ready to use it.) Roll the dough into a long cylinder about an inch in diameter. Cut off 1 inch pieces and roll them into balls. Dip each ball into the melted butter and roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Place into a greased baking tube (I used an angel food cake pan). Bake in a preheated oven 350 degrees oven for 50-60 minutes.<br /><br />When it's done cooking, remove from the oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes before flipping the bread out onto a plate. It looks terribly impressive.<br /><br />At least Dana was appropriately impressed. The stolen dough worked well: it was airy and not too sweet. Yum. Photos.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5tgdu_46y-ObK6wCXndgG-saccVAHu-DeiplEeFjOW-fEdwFDqNwUckeI4jOQi7gP4iZb2rYTpjNHQKj2pR5RfM2-PI3oiJFs-ViK6BUlUtw4htoIVLXUHy9q2uAtFXRwlZDuCgJmIgno/s1600/IMG_4351.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5tgdu_46y-ObK6wCXndgG-saccVAHu-DeiplEeFjOW-fEdwFDqNwUckeI4jOQi7gP4iZb2rYTpjNHQKj2pR5RfM2-PI3oiJFs-ViK6BUlUtw4htoIVLXUHy9q2uAtFXRwlZDuCgJmIgno/s320/IMG_4351.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546673503866984354" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I couldn't wait to eat a bite (or two) before I thought to take some pictures... but you get the idea.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqIZG8KIeKFxo1rpKGSVTV-CMUEZHRiwawRgE7s0LxSF3H6N6gzR8W6MZHkIUNmcSRI4NcgHjlJuAGlKRg_oUooFvPbOjdVsdCCsayjCkvQ_XWZmcAlaniYzE6_Ldzaqy8DRRE5mTm5ff-/s1600/IMG_4354.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqIZG8KIeKFxo1rpKGSVTV-CMUEZHRiwawRgE7s0LxSF3H6N6gzR8W6MZHkIUNmcSRI4NcgHjlJuAGlKRg_oUooFvPbOjdVsdCCsayjCkvQ_XWZmcAlaniYzE6_Ldzaqy8DRRE5mTm5ff-/s320/IMG_4354.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546673520406955042" border="0" /> </a><br />After a little more destruction... They're a great finger food because they're not too sticky. And they make your house smell amazing.Jensen: Dana and Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04770780576312918367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7352619534351325922.post-50915141187461792682010-11-26T21:01:00.004-08:002010-11-27T01:04:16.330-08:00Yam vs. Sweet Potato<span style="font-size:100%;">Dana and I spent Thanksgiving in Salem, OR with his dad and his new step-mom and step-siblings. We all helped by preparing something for dinner. I was in charge of cranberry sauce. Yum. Amber was in charge of the yams. Her new husband is from back east somewheres where they have down-home-style cooking. And he got to talking about sweet potato pie. Then they had to discuss the difference between a yam and a sweet potato. I think the ultimate solution was that they are the same thing.<br /><br />So Dana and I (but mostly Dana) did some research on wikipedia to find out the difference between yams and sweet potatoes.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">So most Americans are familiar with (regardless of what you call it) the orange fleshed, large and bulbous tuberous object that ends up as part of our Thanksgiving dinner.<br /><br />This is a sweet potato, although it is only distantly related to potatoes like russets and reds. (Sweet potatoes are in the family <span style="font-style: italic;">Convolulaceae</span> while potatoes are in the <span style="font-style: italic;">Solanaceae</span> </span>or 'Nightshade' family). Sweet potatoes were domesticated in south America at least 5000 years ago and when Columbus showed up, they learned about the plant that the natives called "batata."<br /><br />Yams, (family: <span style="font-style: italic;">Dioscoreaceae)</span> on the other hand, are originally from Africa and are believed to have been domesticated several thousand years before the sweet potato. The name "yam" comes from Wolof (a sub-Saharan language in the Atlantic branch of the Niger-Congo language family) <span style="font-style: italic;">nyam</span> which means "to taste or sample." I can see early European explorers now, sitting down to eat with the Africans who ate yams as a staple, and the Africans offering them the starchy vegetable and saying "try it, you'll like it." But the explorers thought they were saying "This is a 'yam.' Good for eating!" Yams are large and their skins can be anywhere from dark brown to light pink. Yam skin is thick and difficult to peel before being cooked.<br /><br />Chances are, unless you <span style="font-style: italic;">know</span> you have eaten a real African yam, you have only had sweet potatoes.<br /><br />So, <span style="font-style: italic;">Now You Know!</span><br /><br />This picture has nothing to do with Thanksgiving dinner: I promise I did not eat macaroni on Thanksgiving. But a recent box we cooked had this noodle that just <span style="font-style: italic;">wasn't going to take it any more</span>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOGJASQk5zg6NsH8A-ol9NTLl_GrDvqp3HbA4fDUdpKMK_cHELVjYZ2O2WcUuDqbtBsGN-rNKjBuISD5YBySJj1eF870yDu8vzKZoo_2JP0AynpWyFO5mZjsqF2ZVefUArHDA5CVO96RR9/s1600/IMG_8596.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOGJASQk5zg6NsH8A-ol9NTLl_GrDvqp3HbA4fDUdpKMK_cHELVjYZ2O2WcUuDqbtBsGN-rNKjBuISD5YBySJj1eF870yDu8vzKZoo_2JP0AynpWyFO5mZjsqF2ZVefUArHDA5CVO96RR9/s320/IMG_8596.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5544102030585737698" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Take that, cheese sauce mix.<br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dioscoreaceae" title="Dioscoreaceae"></a>Jensen: Dana and Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04770780576312918367noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7352619534351325922.post-79491631626766083452010-10-14T20:22:00.001-07:002010-10-14T20:22:18.916-07:00Ukrainian Piroshky<p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_8RrfvLDGNKY/TLfI6JRDrGI/AAAAAAAAB4g/W2SQcgJX97Y/s1600-h/IMG_5094%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="IMG_5094" border="0" alt="IMG_5094" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_8RrfvLDGNKY/TLfI6ni29KI/AAAAAAAAB4k/cWscTgfWsZQ/IMG_5094_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="402" height="309"></a> </p> <p>Most ethnicities have some sort of meat or potato inside a bready coating whether it be samosas, tortillas, wontons, or the pierogie. This piroshky is pretty similar. But it’s baked, which I think is easier to manage than fried pastries. Dana and I eat these with Tarxoon, aka tarragon soda from Ukraine. It sounds gross, but it’s pretty good. </p> <p> </p> <p>Anyway, the recipe: I usually half the dough and it’ll make 6-8 good sized piroshkies. </p> <p>The dough: 2 cups milk</p> <p>1 TBL yeast (or one of those packets) </p> <p>1 tsp salt </p> <p>2 eggs</p> <p>5-6 cups of flour</p> <p>Warm the milk, add the yeast and let it mellow for a few minutes. Add the other ingredients. Let rise for 1 hour. </p> <p>Potato filling: </p> <p>1.5 kg of potatoes, boiled and puréed </p> <p>100 grams of onion</p> <p>100 grams vegetable oil </p> <p>2 tsp salt</p> <p>Saute onions in oil and add to puréed potatoes. Season accordingly. I like to use garlic powder, but it’s delicious with just salt and pepper. Once, I misread the recipe (the original we have is written in Russian) and sautéed ground beef instead with the onions and then added it to the potatoes. That was good too. All I’d say about adding meat is that you should cook it before filling the dough. </p> <p>Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Once the dough has risen, half the dough repeatedly until you get a lump about the size of a lime. Roll it out and spoon in your filling. I’m going to estimate 1/4 of a cup to 1/2 a cup of filling for each lump of dough. Pinch the dough closed around the filling and place on a lined baking sheet. I’m a bad person and haven’t timed how long these cook, but I’m going to say start with 10 minutes and move up from there. When they’re golden brown, the piroshkies are done. If you like the shiny crust, you can glaze the piroshky before putting them in the oven with an egg or with some milk. </p> <p>Super yummy. And they’re super convenient to take and eat on the go, like a hot pocket, but better. </p> Jensen: Dana and Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04770780576312918367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7352619534351325922.post-62567814335030680972010-07-22T16:29:00.003-07:002010-07-22T16:51:55.296-07:00Raspberry salsaI love allrecipes.com. If you've never visited the site before, I recommend it. Besides having a ton of recipes, it has a lot of reviews. Reviews are all well and good as reviews, but I find them much more useful when people critique and offer other ways to cook the dish as well. You find out then if several people thought the cookie dough too runny or too dry and adjust accordingly. You find out if someone else cooked it with brown rice instead of white rice and how that affected the outcome. I know there are magazines you can buy that do the same thing except by a panel of professional cooks. but I am poor. And this website does a fair job.<br /><br />This recipe comes from that website. Submitted by "Karen." I found it because my mother-in-law's raspberry bushes have been going crazy and we have had a plethora of fresh raspberries. I also made a yummy raspberry-banana bread. I forgot to take pictures of that, so I'll have to make it again... rats.<br /><br />Anyway, recipe:<br /><div class="ingredients" style="margin-top: 10px;"> <h3> Ingredients</h3> <ul><li class="plaincharacterwrap"> 2 cups fresh raspberries</li><li class="plaincharacterwrap"> 1/4 cup chopped sweet onion</li><li class="plaincharacterwrap"> 3 teaspoons finely chopped jalapeno chile peppers</li><li class="plaincharacterwrap"> 1 clove minced garlic</li><li class="plaincharacterwrap"> 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro</li><li class="plaincharacterwrap"> 1/2 teaspoon white sugar</li><li class="plaincharacterwrap">3 TBL Fresh lime juice</li></ul>Directions:<br /></div><div class="directions" style="margin-top: 10px;"><ol><li><span class="plaincharacterwrap break"> In a medium bowl, mix together raspberries, sweet onion, jalapeno chile peppers, garlic, cilantro, white sugar and lime juice. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 1 hour before serving. </span></li></ol>I bought a lime to juice and put in the salsa, but I forgot. The salsa turned out good anyway. It's sweeter that normal salsa, which is to be expected, but still has a nice zing to it. And it was still very tasty on chips. The recipe also recommends putting it on chicken or steak, which would be yummy but I didn't try. I also decided there weren't enough peppers in it so I added some orange bell pepper too. I probably doubled the garlic as well. But I forget now. I really ought to keep better notes.<br /><br />What I was most worried about was the pepper and the onion being too crunchy. I don't know if it was the berries or the sugar (or both) but the onions and peppers softened just right. I'm sad the raspberry bushes are done producing because it will be harder to make this yummy salsa. The results should be similar if you make it with frozen, thawed berries, although I've not yet tried.<br /><br />Here is Dana's pretty picture of it.<br /><h3><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpKV63HW4iwgJgZIr27eZNiwjgoAHizvmawue7NChpWi9BD75SnV5wLVVDXFpGCF-_p88dB2i8h3u1sOxWGTcsQgvUgAv7iBkqUaBVvJU0bHVpqtk0QB9d_p9yjCY2z6M817ZBb1IWbgSO/s1600/IMG_5092.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpKV63HW4iwgJgZIr27eZNiwjgoAHizvmawue7NChpWi9BD75SnV5wLVVDXFpGCF-_p88dB2i8h3u1sOxWGTcsQgvUgAv7iBkqUaBVvJU0bHVpqtk0QB9d_p9yjCY2z6M817ZBb1IWbgSO/s320/IMG_5092.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496881130891286962" border="0" /></a></h3> </div>Jensen: Dana and Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04770780576312918367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7352619534351325922.post-51790152673626039772010-07-02T09:57:00.003-07:002010-07-02T10:33:08.121-07:00Lentil Chili Soup<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAcMb0cuUF9C6WkdNyAks-5ZVJufCHOboUHaZbaPDliNz_La3YnV6u0v6KJJ-M3hwWCffv_z9cfRfodoqi2dcz5smMsW2U56EmY9y1NGxh2Oxom6Xl939cdCtoR4voBT8oTTUprcjx63UF/s1600/soup+002.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAcMb0cuUF9C6WkdNyAks-5ZVJufCHOboUHaZbaPDliNz_La3YnV6u0v6KJJ-M3hwWCffv_z9cfRfodoqi2dcz5smMsW2U56EmY9y1NGxh2Oxom6Xl939cdCtoR4voBT8oTTUprcjx63UF/s320/soup+002.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489363036893536482" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk6kP7TRBLihZY_mULysaOpdtYcXhhw96GjguQ7mFikhvlKZtLHubzedHBy4-pUZhLP2WxR0uMUl0wlWGjrUDsOgYmlwha32iVj_UWQuQCShhLcLjoNk2dpvDefDpYC1QZO2OsD9cy_lH_/s1600/soup+001.jpg"> <img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk6kP7TRBLihZY_mULysaOpdtYcXhhw96GjguQ7mFikhvlKZtLHubzedHBy4-pUZhLP2WxR0uMUl0wlWGjrUDsOgYmlwha32iVj_UWQuQCShhLcLjoNk2dpvDefDpYC1QZO2OsD9cy_lH_/s320/soup+001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489363026115194450" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Got this recipe out of the newspaper a few months ago and just had time to try it.<br />Here is the recipe and instructions as it appeared:<br /><br />1 cup lentils, any variety<br />8 cups stock<br />2-3 jalapeno or serano chiles, stemmed, seeded and rough chopped<br />1/2 a small onion, finely chopped<br />1 Tbls fresh ginger, grated<br />1 tsp ground tumeric<br />1 tsp toasted cumin, ground<br />salt and pepper to taste<br />kefir (Russian yogurt stuff) as garnish<br /><br />Combine all ingredients except kefir and salt and pepper. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and cook for 45 minutes to an hour or until lentils are soft. If liquid appears too thick, add as much a cup of water or stock. Remove soup from heat, let cool for 10-15 minutes. Puree small batches in blender . Return soup to pot and season with salt and pepper to taste. heat to serving temperature. Top servings with sour cream. Serve with tortillas.<br /><br />I didn't have stock so I used 8 cups of water and 3 Tbl of bullion instead. I used jalapenos. I did not have fresh ginger either. So I used 1 tsp ground ginger instead. I also used regular old ground cumin instead of toasting the seeds then grinding them myself. Our stove is a hot stove so after I got it to boil I put it on its very lowest setting for the 45 minutes where it boiled quietly the whole time. I skipped the blender step. I'd rather see what's in my soup than guess in the midst of a puree. But feel free to blend if that's what you're into. I actually could have bought the kefir, but Dana says it's pretty gross, so we just used sour cream. I tried the finished soup with both tortillas and tortilla chips and I liked the chips better than the plain tortilla, but both were good.<br /><br />My recommendation: yummy! Hot enough to make you sweat a little but not so hot your tongue hates you afterward. The finished soup is a cooked-spinach green shade, so it may take some convincing for children, but it smells delicious and tastes yummy too!Jensen: Dana and Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04770780576312918367noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7352619534351325922.post-5498356254166740622010-02-25T20:23:00.000-08:002010-02-25T20:23:43.308-08:00Lemon Raspberry Jam CookiesThese are sometimes called linzer cookies, but a little different. I think with linzer cookies, you bake the individual halves of the sandwich and then add the jam after. This recipe comes from the Betty Crocker Cooky Book (2002 version of the 1963 edition): Ethel's sugar cookies. I never made them before I got married because I never thought lemon belonged in sugar cookies. My husband loves lemon flavored anything and so requested I make these yummy jam cookies using the Ethel recipe.<br />
<br />
Sadly, I am without my 2002/1963 edition, and so had to look up the recipe on the internet. What with Betty Crocker moving into the instant mix phase, I have had trouble in the past finding a recipe for any of her sugar cookies. Luckily, someone posted this recipe on Betty Crocker.com and I was able to move forward.<br />
<br />
Here is the recipe I used for lemon, filled sugar cookies. <br />
<strong><span style="color: blue;">Ethel's Sugar Cookies</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">Betty Crocker's Picture Cook Book</span></strong><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">3/4 cup Butter; softened <br />
1 cup Sugar <br />
2 Eggs <br />
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla extract <br />
2 1/2 cups Flour; sifted <br />
1 teaspoon Baking powder <br />
1 teaspoon Salt <br />
Sugar; for dusting (optional) <br />
<br />
Thoroughly mix together the butter, sugar, eggs, and flavoring of choice. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir into the butter mixture. Chill for at least 1 hour. Roll out to 1/8-inch thickness. cut into desired shapes with cookie cutter dipped in flour. Re-roll the scraps and continue cutting until all of the dough is used. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Sprinkle with sugar, if desired. Bake in a moderate/hot (400F) oven until delicately golden, about 6 to 8 minutes. Makes about 4 dozen 3-inch cookies. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;"><strong>VARIATIONS</strong>:<br />
<b>Lemon Sugar Cookies</b>: Follow the basic recipe above, except use 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind and 1 teaspoon lemon juice in place of the flavoring. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;"><strong>Filled Sugar Cookies</strong>: Follow the basic recipe above except put together in pairs before baking with 1 tablespoon filling of your choice or a solid chocolate mint wafer between. Press the edges of the cookies together with the tines of a fork. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;"><strong>Nut Sugar Cookies</strong>: Follow the basic recipe above except mix 1 cup of finely chopped nuts into the dough.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: black;">I used raspberry jam as my filling. This raspberry jam is special though: it's made from scratch. In the spring, my sister-in-law likes to make freezer jam. The past two years I've been around to help out. Luckily, there was another container of raspberry jam left. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: black;">For linzer cookies (and how I've always made these cookies before) the top half gets a shape cut out of it with a small cookie cutter: a square, star or circle. This time, I was working with limited resources and so instead, I just made an "x" in the top cookie before putting them together. It worked pretty well. It's not very pretty (as you will see) but they tasted VERY yummy. Happy cookies. </span> </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_MyhyphenhyphenWqyDoeN_vS8wkV00DA8L0q3viCtVEd5P4I6kDJptGPaT9NiNdMh1FLdCXpR-Dfvy0X5GVPIsiJmLz2Lv-g8I7iqhWYFPZ3lcCnQpFZYQ5u9dN4fwbAD0iQZvZbogVGJTCYtaXQC7/s1600-h/CIMG0283.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_MyhyphenhyphenWqyDoeN_vS8wkV00DA8L0q3viCtVEd5P4I6kDJptGPaT9NiNdMh1FLdCXpR-Dfvy0X5GVPIsiJmLz2Lv-g8I7iqhWYFPZ3lcCnQpFZYQ5u9dN4fwbAD0iQZvZbogVGJTCYtaXQC7/s320/CIMG0283.JPG" /></a></div>Jensen: Dana and Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04770780576312918367noreply@blogger.com1