Thursday, November 21, 2013

Hot Cinnamon Milk

Hot Cinnamon Milk
(Given to me by Peggy)
This is a GREAT winter mix.  Just store it in a ziplock bag in the cupboard.

2 cups instant powdered milk
1 cup non-dairy creamer
1 cup sugar
1/2 Tablespoon cinnamon
Mix all ingredients well.  Mix 1/4 cup mixture in 6 oz. hot water.  Enjoy! 
 

Book Club fixins' for "Sorcery and Cecilia or the Enchanted Chocolate Pot"

I hosted a book club for the book "Sorcery and Cecilia or the Enchanted Chocolate Pot" which is one of my favorite series.  Since it took place in England, I decided the food would be tea party food and of course, I had to serve hot chocolate.  But not the pre-packaged type.  Nope.  That wouldn't due.  I must be homemade and divine. So, here are the recipes for the two chocolates I did and where I went for finger sandwiches:

Ginger Orange Hot Cocoa Recipe


An image of Ginger Orange Hot Cocoa in Bauhaus-inspired glass-and-wire mugs.
Smaller glasses like these are ideal for serving this intensely rich, piquant hot cocoa.
Lindsey Goodwin

This dark chocolate ginger orange hot cocoa recipe hot cocoa recipe is spiced with orange zest and ginger root for a dazzlingly bold flavor. Serve in small glasses or mugs -– a little goes a long way!

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Yield: Two to four servings

Ingredients:

  • 4 tbsp. brown sugar
  • 1 tsp. peeled, chopped fresh ginger root
  • 1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • The zest of 1/2 orange (preferably organic; be sure to avoid grating the white pith of the orange)
  • 4 tbsp. unsweetened, extra dark cocoa powder (available from Hershey’s and other brands)
  • 1 cup milk (or milk substitute)
  • 1/2 cup water

Preparation:

  1. Combine the brown sugar, ginger root, orange zest and vanilla extract in a small food processor. Blend for one minute, stirring if needed.
  2. Add the cocoa powder and continue to blend until the mixture is even. If needed, periodically stop blending, allow the powder to settle and stir the mixture with a spoon before resuming the blending.
  3. Combine the milk and water in a small pot. Warm on low heat over the stove.
  4. As the milk-water mixture warms to a simmer, begin to add small quantities of it to the cocoa mixture. Add about 1 tsp. liquid at a time, stirring well before adding more.
  5. Once your cocoa has become a thin paste, very slowly stir it into the simmering liquid.
  6. Once the mixture is well mixed and hot, it is ready to be served. Serve in small glasses or mugs.

    Parisan Warm Chocolate

    This one is sooooooo very creamy and delish!

    Downright decadent. This hot chocolate recipe calls for heavy cream and whole milk. No need for spices or other flavours when you have real chocolate and cream.

    Ingredients:

    • 1 cup whole milk
    • 1/3 heavy cream
    • 1/4 cup sugar
    • 5 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped

    Preparation:

    Simmer the milk, cream and sugar together until just boiling. Stir in the chocolate until melted. Don't let it boil. Serve warm in demitasse cups. I added some more milk to the glass when I served my kids.  They didn't like it so strong.  It also makes great cold chocolate milk when mixed with extra milk.  This recipe is DIVINE!
    Serves 4

    Sweet and Savory Ham Sandwiches



    Apricot jam and mustard add some tangy zest to thinly sliced ham. You might want something savory to go with all your afternoon tea sweets. These sandwiches will do the trick.

    Ingredients:

    • 8 slices white bread, sliced thin (I used wheat with the roast beef)
    • Thin slices of ham (or roast beef)
    • 1 part apricot jam
    • 1 part dijon mustard
    • Thin slices of bread, with crusts removed

    Preparation:

    Mix mustard and jam together and spread on one slice of bread, layer on some ham, then top with another slice of bread. Slice into triangles or fingers.

    Simple Egg Salad Tea Sandwiches Recipe


    An image of Simple Egg Salad Tea Sandwiches.
    A bit of mustard, dill and parsley give these egg salad finger sandwiches a mild flavor.
    Lindsey Goodwin

    This simple egg salad tea sandwich recipe is simple in its preparation method and its flavor. You can use dried or fresh herbs, depending on how much time you have to make them, and the eggs can be hard boiled several days in advance.

    Prep Time: 12 minutes

    Total Time: 12 minutes

    Yield: 8 tea sandwiches

    Ingredients:

    • 2 hard-boiled eggs, chilled after boiling to prevent green yolks
    • 1 Tbsp. mayo or mayo alternative
    • 1 Tbsp. plain yogurt
    • 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
    • 1 tsp. chopped or dried dill
    • 1 tsp. chopped or fresh parsley
    • Sea salt and fresh-ground black pepper, to taste
    • 4 slices bread (White bread is traditionally used, but you can use whole wheat or whole grain bread for healthier tea sandwiches.)

    Preparation:

    1. Mash the eggs, mayo, yogurt and mustard with a potato masher or a fork.
    2. Stir in the herbs and spices.
    3. Spread the egg salad onto two slices of bread.
    4. Top the egg salad with the remaining two slices of bread.
    5. Remove the crusts and slice the sandwiches two times, diagonally, to make four tea sandwiches from each large sandwich.

    Cucumber Tea Sandwiches Recipe


    An image of Cucumber Finger Sandwiches with Herbed Butter.
    These cucumber tea sandwiches were made with herbed butter. The butter contains a mix of fresh chives, cilantro and mint.
    Lindsey Goodwin

    Cucumber finger sandwiches
     are a classic afternoon tea recipe. In this cucumber tea sandwich recipe, English cucumber and white wine vinegar provide a distinctive flavor.

    Prep Time: 45 minutes

    Total Time: 45 minutes

    Yield: 36 finger sandwiches

    Ingredients:

    • 1/4 to 1/2 white wine vinegar
    • 1 thinly sliced English cucumber (peeling is optional)
    • 1 loaf white bread (such as buttermilk bread)
    • Softened butter, or softened herbed butter prepared with mint, chives, cilantro, parsley, dill, tarragon and/or rosemary (Softened butter is far, far easier to spread on white bread than cold butter, so make sure to use butter that has been at room temperature for a few hours.)
    • (Optional) sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

    Preparation:

    1. In a shallow bowl, allow the cucumber slices to soak in the vinegar for about 30 minutes. (This step will improve their texture and add flavor.)
    2. Drain the cucumbers and pat them dry with a clean dish towel or paper towel.
    3. For every two slices of bread, spread both slices evenly and thinly with butter or herbed butter.
    4. Cover one side of the sandwich with sliced cucumber in one to two layers.
    5. Season with lemon juice and spices/herbs.
    6. Put the slices together, cut off the crusts and slice the sandwich diagonally two times to create four triangle-shaped finger sandwiches.

Monday, October 28, 2013

Homemade Italian Egg Noodles
I learned how to make these in a town close to Florence when we were there on vacation.

4 cups flour
7 eggs
flour

Make a hill with the flour on a flat surface.  Create a bowl in the middle and crack all the eggs into it.  (This is where the little Italian grandma suggested we wash our hands because the outside of eggs are dirty).  Start incorporating the eggs into the flour with your hands and add a small handful of flour as needed.  Knead until smooth.  Use a long, somewhat thin, wood rolling pin (preferrable without handles).  Roll the dough into a circle and when about 1/2 inch thick, sprinkle with flour and wrap the dough around the pin.  With your hands starting in the middle, do short back and forth motions with the dough wrapped pin, while working your hands out to the edges.  This will lengthen the dough and be easier to get it the desired thinness (yes, that's a word...I may have made up).  Unroll the dough from the pin and roll it a couple more times to get it as thin as you want (again "thinness" would be appropriate here). :)  Fold the dough in 3 inch lengths and use a knife to cut it as thin as you want.  Grab the ends and shake it out to reveal your beautiful egg noodles!

Toss them in boiling water to cook.
Weiner Schnitzel

(Ilse W. Bitburg, Germany Ward cookbook)

Ingredients for 4 people:

4 Calfschnitzel (each 125 g - about 1/4 lb.) I would use pork or chicken
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
3 tbsp. flour
2 eggs
4 tbsp. bread crumbs
125 g porklard cooking oil/grease (Crisco)
1 lemon
Pound the schnitzel with a meat hammer fairly thin.  Cut along edges a few times with a sharp knife so it will not bend when fried. Mix salt, pepper, and flour.  Mix the eggs with two tablespoons of water in a deep plate.

Put the schnitzel first in the flour mixture, then in the egg mix, and then in the bread crumbs.  heat the lard in a large frying pan and brown the schnitzel for about 3 minutes each side. until golden brown.


Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Broccoli cheddar and Pumpkin Soup

Pumpkin Soup with Crumbled Bacon and Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
{Crock Pot the original slow cooker Recipe Collection}
-I have not made anything out of this recipe book that I haven't liked YET!-

2 tsp. Olive Oil
1/2 c. raw pumpkin seeds
3 slices thick-sliced bacon
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. chopped dried chipotle pepper, or mor to taste
2 cans (29 oz. each) 100% pumpkin puree
4 c. chicken stock or broth
3/4 c. apple cider
1/2 c. heavy cream
sour cream (optional)

*when I made this tonight, I did not use any of the following: olive oil, pumpkin seeds, bacon, or sour cream.  I was in a hurry so I just threw the onion, salt, a canned chopped chipotle chili pepper, pumpkin puree, chicken broth, and apple juice from fresh apples into the crock pot, turned it on "high" and let it cook for 4 hours.  I then put it in a blender.  I added cream after.  It was delicious.  Oh!  Did I mention we ate it in a bread bowl?  Splendid.  BUT, the books recipe went as follows:

1. Coat 4 1/2-quart CROCK-POT slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Heat olive oil in medium skillet over medium heat.  Add pumpkiin seeds and stir until seeds begin to pop, about 1 minute.  Transfer to small bowl and set aside.
3.  Return skillet to heat and add bacon.  Cook until crips, then cool on paper towels.  When cool, crumble and set aside.
4.  Meanwhile, return skillet to heat.  Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent.  Stir in salt, chipotle pepper and black pepper.  Transfer to prepared CROCK-POT slow cooker.  Whisk in pumpkin puree, chicken stock and apple cider and stir until smooth.  Cover and cook on high 4 hours.
5.  Turn CROCK-POT slow cooker off and remove lid.  Whisk in heavy cream.  Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.  Strain and keep warm until serving.  To serve, ladle into soup bowls and garnish with sour cream, toasted pumpkin seeds and crumbled bacon.

Makes 4-6 servings


Broccoli Cheese Soup
{Jodi}
-Super easy, Super good-

4 cans cream of potato soup
3 cans evaporated milk
2 c. cheddar cheese, grated
1 c. (or more) fresh cooked broccoli

Heat and serve in bread bowls.
*See, I told you.  Super easy...super good.



French Bread Soup Bowls
{Also from Jodi and super easy, super good}

2 ½ c. warm water
3 T. sugar
2 T. saf yeast
1 T salt
5 T oil
6 c. flour

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a large bowl or the bowl of an electric bread mixer, combine warm water and sugar.  Add salt, oil, yeast, and half of the flour.  Beat well in mixer or with a wooden spoon.  Add remaining flour and mix well until a soft dough forms.  Turn dough out onto floured board and knead 2 or 3 times to oat with flour.  Divide into 8 to 10 equal parts, depending on size of bowls desired.  (I usually make 8)   Form into large balls and place in small foil pans (I tear off a piece of tinfoil and form it over a cereal bowl. Make sure you spray it with Pam!)  Allow dough bowls to rise for 20-30 minutes.  Bake for 25 minutes or until lightly browned.  Remove from pans.  Cut off tops and hollow our insides.  Yummy!


Wednesday, October 31, 2012

My favorite cornbread recipe comes from my husband's awesome mom.  I haven't had any other cornbread that can match it.

Cornbread


1/2 c. melted margarine
2/3 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 c. buttermilk
1/2 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. cornmeal
1 c. flour
Mix all ingredients together and pour into a 9x9 baking pan.  Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

This has been a great quick breakfast for us.  It comes from my friend Emily who had it made for her when she had a baby.  The recipe was made and brought over in a gallon icecream tup to keep in her fridge.  Very convenient!

Molasses Muffins

Cream:
1 1/4 C. Shortening
1 C. Sugar
1/2 C. Molasses
4 Eggs

Add 2 t. Baking Soda to 1 C. Buttermilk.

Combine:
4 c. Flour
1 t. Cinnamon
1/4 t. Allspice
1 t. Salt
1-2 t. Ginger
1 C. Nuts (optional)
1/2 C. Raisins (optional)
1/2 C. Dates (optional

Add dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk to the shortening mixture until all combined.
Bake 12-14 minutes @ 400 degrees.
Keeps in the refrigerator up to 2 months!