Spritz Cookies

It has been years since I made spritz cookies, but I had the opportunity to make some when my son had to make something handmade for their gift exchange. He wanted to make chocolate chip oatmeal cookies, which I bake almost every week, but I was able to convince him to make spritz cookies instead so we can make some Christmas tree cookies. He agreed, but only if we added some chocolate chip morsels to the cookies.

He measured the ingredients, mixed them, then after I put the dough inside the cookie press, he made the first batch for his classmate (photo below), while I finished the rest.


I made other kinds of shapes, such as these flowers.


We then packaged the cookies like a candy roll. And since the theme of their Christmas party was Scandinavian, I made the heart basket, which is a common fixture in Swedish Christmas trees.




Recipe:

1-1/2 cups butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 400F. Thoroughly cream butter and sugar. Add egg, milk, vanilla, and almond extract; beat well. Stir together flour and baking powder; gradually add to creamed mixture, mixing to make a smooth dough. Do not chill. Place dough into cookie press and press cookies onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 6-8 minutes, remove cookies from sheet; cool on rack.
Makes 6 dozen cookies.

Asian Pan Sauce

This is simple and delicious with fish. I'ved used it as a sauce for baked salmon and as a poaching liquid for tilapia fillets.

1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons catsup
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup water

Put all ingredients in a small saucepan. Heat to boiling while stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute.

Kitchen Misadventures

I've been cooking regularly for almost two years and while I've cooked several dishes that didn't quite make the grade or what I consider disasters, I've had a couple of what I consider kitchen misadventures. Twice, I cooked rice in a rice cooker, only to discover after an hour when the chime goes off that I didn't put water with the rice, ie I made toasted rice. Thankfully, I usually cook rice early enough to be able to rectify the error and have cooked rice ready in time for dinner. My other misadventure of recent past is making a vegetable dish and just before serving it, I tasted it and realize that instead of adding cornstarch, I added baking soda, which made the dish very bitter.

Mini Pan de Sals

It's been years since I made bread and my son has been wanting to make bread for weeks and since he was off from school today due to a snow storm, I thought what a perfect way to spend the day.

I have never been good at breadmaking, my taking a class in Bakery Management notwithstanding, but that hasn't stopped me from trying. I think it's the smell of the dough that does it for me.

Here's a photo of the dough after the first rising.


Here are the mini pan de sals waiting for the second rising, just before baking.


Mini pan de sals waiting to be eaten.

Recipe:
1-1/2 cups warm water (110 deg F)
1-1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 pack)
1/4 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I used whole-wheat flour)
Breadcrumbs

Put the warm water in a mixing bowl and add the yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar; stir to dissolve. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the remaining sugar and the oil and mix until smooth. Add the salt, 1 cup of flour and the yeast mixture; stir well. Add the remaining cups of flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, supple and elastic, about 10 minutes. Lightly oil a large mixing bowl, place the dough in it and turn to coat the dough with oil. Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let sit in a warm place until the dough has doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 4 equal pieces. Form each piece into a cylinder and roll out until the log is 1/2 inch in diameter. Using a knife, cut each log into 1/2 inch pieces. Roll in breadcrumbs and place the pieces, flat side down onto two lightly greased baking sheets. Gently press each roll down to flatten. Cover the rolls with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 30 minutes.

Bake at 375 degrees until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Mushroom Paprikash

Here's another paprika and sour cream-based recipe. This is from Betty Crocker.

4 cups uncooked egg noodles (8 oz)
1 tbsp margarine or butter
2 packages (8 oz each) sliced mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup milk
2 tsp chopped freh or 1/4 tsp dried dill weed
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (2 oz)

1. Cook and drain noodles as directed on package.
2. While noodles are cooking, melt margarine or butter in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook mushrooms, garlic, paprika, salt, and pepper, stirring occasionally until mushrooms are tender and most of liquid has evaporated.
3. Mix sour cream, milk and dill weed. Stir into mushroom mixture; cook until hot. Pour mushroom mixture over noodles. Toss with cheese until noodles are well coated.

Serves 6.

1 Serving: 225 calories (125 from fat); 14g fat (saturated 8g); 60mg cholesterol; 300mg sodium; 25g carbohydrate (2g dietary fiber); 9g protein.

Optional: Omit 1 package of mushrooms. Cut 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves into 3/4-inch pieces. Cook chicken in margarine until no longer pink before cooking mushrooms in step 2. Add mushrooms and seasonings. Continue as directed.

Chicken Paprikás

This recipe is from Sheila Lukins of Parade Magazine. My husband likes it as it's sour cream-based. I also used the same sauce for a beef stew recipe that went awry.

Cooking the paprika with the onions brings out the spice’s sweetness. Be sure not to let the sauce come to a boil.

2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
2 onions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika
2 chickens (21⁄2 pounds each), cut into 8 serving pieces each, rinsed
1/2 cup chicken broth
4 ripe plum tomatoes, peeled and finely diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
Salt, to taste
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Noodles, for serving

1. Heat the vegetable shortening in a large Dutch oven over low heat. Wilt the onions over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes. Do not brown. Sprinkle with the paprika and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

2. Add the chicken, broth, tomatoes and bell pepper. Season with salt and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, then simmer—do not boil—partially covered, for 50 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. While the chicken is cooking, mix the sour cream and flour together in a small bowl. Set aside.

4. When the chicken has cooked for 50 minutes, remove to a bowl. Cook the sauce over medium heat, uncovered, for 10 minutes to reduce it slightly. Pour 1/2 cup of sauce into the sour-cream mixture and whisk until smooth, then slowly whisk back into the sauce pot. Adjust seasonings. Return chicken to pot, covering well with sauce. Heat through over low heat. Serve over noodles.

Serves 6. Per serving (without noodles): 520 calories, 13g carbohydrate, 49g protein, 29g fat, 155mg cholesterol.

Mushrooms Galore

I ordered porcini and shiitake mushrooms online last week and was excited to get them a few days after. I discovered that the cost online is a lot cheaper than at the supermarket. I already used some porcini when I made beef stew, and am now looking for recipes for shiitake.

My sister-in-law gave me a recipe book for my birthday and I plan to use the recipes in that book as much as possible for the next few weeks.

Fresh Peaches

I bought fresh peaches the other day at the farmer's market. The first time I ate peaches was of the canned variety. The taste is not that different, except that canned peaches are drenched in syrup.

I remember being astonished the first time I saw fresh asparagus. Like peaches, my initial discovery of asparagus was from a can, but unlike peaches, fresh asparagus looks a lot different from canned. Fresh asparagus spears are dark green and hard, while the canned variety is light yellow and mushy.

Crispy Chicken

This is a healthier way of making crispy chicken.

1 tsp olive oil
1/2 bag cornflakes
2 eggs
1 tsp paprika
Salt and pepper
12 whole chicken wings or 6 chicken thighs

Preheat oven to 450. Line one rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil; brush lightly with oil. Set aside.

In a food processor, pulse cornflakes in two batches until finely ground; transfer to a large shallow dish.

In a separate bowl, whisk eggs; season with parprika, salt and pepper. Place chicken in egg mixture. Remove one by one, letting excess eggs fall off. Transfer to dish containing ground cornflakes; toss to coat, patting mixture with hands. Arrange coated chicken on prepared baking sheet.

Bake until lightly browned and tender, 40-45 minutes. Season chicken with salt.

Maple Chicken and Ribs

This is a recipe from Nigella Lawson.

1 cup apple cider or juice
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
6 unpeeled garlic cloves
1/2 tsp hot red pepper flakes (optional)
8 pork spareribs, separated not slab
6 chicken thighs with skin and bone

In a pitcher or mixing bowl, whisk together the apple cider, maple syrup, vegetable oil and soysauce. Add star anise, cinnamon stick, garlic and hot pepper flakes.

In a large freezer bag or bowl, combine pork and chicken. Pour in the apple cider mixture and seal bag or cover bowl. Refrigerate overnight or up to 2 days.

Remove marinated mixture from refrigerator, and heat oven to 400 degrees. Pour contents into a large roasting pan. Turn chicken pieces skin side up.

Roast until chicken is opaque throughout and ribs are tender, about 1-1/4 hour; 35-40 minutes into roasting, turn ribs over but leave chicken sdie up. Serve hot. Serves 4-6.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

This recipe is my favorite cookie recipe. I usually refrigerate the dough for an hour or so before baking and I use an ice cream scoop to drop the batter onto the cookie sheets. Makes 56 cookies.

1/2 lb (2 sticks) or 1 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2-1/2 cups quick rolled oats
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup raisins (optional)
3/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or grease them. You may also use a greased 13 x 9-inch baking pan and bake for 20-30 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl with electric mixer, beat butter and sugars on low speed until blended. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Mix on low speed until combined. Add oats, chips, raisins and nuts, and mix on low speed until incorporated. (If the mixture is too stiff, you may need to stir them in by hand). Drop batter about 1-1/2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheets.

Bake for 10-13 minutes or until edges are golden brown and centers are pale and soft. They will look underdone, but will firm up considerably as they cool. If baking on 2 racks, rotate their positions halfway through the baking time. Immediately remove to racks to cool. The cookies may be stored airtight for several days or frozen.

Pam's Easy Beef Steak

This recipe from my sister is a constant fixture in my kitchen. I prepare the dish and freeze it for those nights when I'm too lazy to cook.

1 pack boneless chuck, sliced in strips
1 lemon
Soy sauce (enough to cover the meat)
1 Vidallia onion, sliced into rings

Marinate meat in lemon juice and soy sauce for 1 hour (or overnight) in refrigerator.

Heat oil in plan in medium heat. Add meat and marinade. Cook without stirring until meat is slightly cooked through. Stir and continue cooking until marinade thickens to saucy consistency. Add onion rings. Stir then remove from fire. Serve on a plate with steamed rice and boiled peas.

Easy Pot Roast

I discovered this dish from my sister, who prepared it when we visited her in Florida last April.

1 pot roast, lean (chuck, rump, brisket, shoulder, tip or bottom round), about 3-4 lbs
12 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons oil
1 can (10-3/4 oz) cream of mushroom soup
Portabella mushrooms
1 onion, cut into rings
1 cup water (or milk), divided
6 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
6 carrots, sliced in 2" pieces
2 tablespoons flour mixed with 1/4 cup cold water (optional)

Insert crushed garlic into the meat by puncturing it with a sharp knife. In a large pan, brown roast in oil; remove roast and set aside. Pour off excess oil. In the same pan, combine mushroom soup and 1 cup water. Heat to boiling. Return roast to pan. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 2 hours, turning roast occasionally. Add potatoes, carrots and portabella mushrooms. Cover and cook for another 40 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. If sauce has not thickened, remove meat and vegetables to serving platter. Gradually stir the flour and water mixture into the sauce in pan, stirring until sauce boils and thickens. Serve thickened sauce over roast and vegetables. Serves 6-8.

Chinese Chicken with Summer Vegetables

Adding sesame oil to a dish makes a big difference, as this recipe from Bon Appetit attests.

3 tablespoons peanut oil ( I use canola or olive oil)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 skinless boneless chicken breast halves (about 8 oz), cut crosswise into thin strips
1/2 large red bell pepper, cut into thin 2-inch-long strips
2 medium-size yellow crookneck squash, halved lengthwise, cut crosswise into thin slices
4 large green onions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1-1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons canned low-salt chicken broth
1 tablespoon soy sauce

Heat peanut and sesame oils in heavy large skillet over high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to skillet and stir-fry until just cooked through and beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer chicken to plate. Add red pepper and squash to skillet and stir-fry 2 minutes. Add green onions, ginger, and garlic and stir 1 minute. Return chicken to skillet. Add broth and soy sauce and stir 30 seconds. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to platter and serve immediately with steamed rice or crisp Chinese noodles.

Serves 2; can be doubled.

Jambalaya (aka Complete Meal)

This is not the usual Jambalaya recipe. It's perfect for those left-overs. My son called it a complete meal the first time I prepared it years ago as it has vegetables, meat and rice. This recipe is from Vicky Veloso-Barrera.

2 slices bacon, cut into 1/2" pieces
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 onion, chopped
1 cup chopped assorted green vegetables (celery, leeks, green pepper)
1-1/2 cups cooked leftover meat (chicken, beef, pork, fish), cut into bite-sized pieces
1-1/2 cups chopped tomatoes or 1 cup tomato sauce or 1/2 cup tomato paste mixed with 1/2 cup water
2 cups cooked rice
Salt and pepper

Brown the bacon in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat. When the bacon begins to render its fat, add the crushed garlic and cook until light brown. Add the onion and assorted green vegetables; cook for a few minutes or until soft. Add the cooked meat and tomatoes and combine well. Add the rice and mix well. If the mixture looks dry, add a few tablespoons of chicken stock, tomato sauce or water. When the rice has been completely heated through, season with salt and pepper.

Tuna-Eggplant Spaghetti

Here's another favorite - and easy - recipe from Del Monte.

1 pkg (225g) spaghetti noodles, cooked
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium (1/4k) eggplant, cut into cubes and soaked in water
1 stalk celery, sliced
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 can (385g) Spaghetti sauce
1 can (190g) tuna chunks

Saute garlic, onions, and eggplant. Cook for 5 minutes. Add 3/4 cup water and remaining ingredients, except spaghetti. Season with 2 teaspoons rock salt (or 2/3 tsp iodized salt), 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook for 5 minutes.

Add noodles and blend well, or pour sauce over cooked noodles. Top with grated parmesan cheese, if desired.

Note: I used Bertolli's Tomato & Basil sauce when I prepared this dish today, and didn't add the salt, sugar and pepper called for in the recipe. Also, instead of using oil, I used the water from the can of tuna to saute the garlic, onions, and eggplant. Perfect.

Chicken Noodle Soup

I like making this using leftover chicken, especially store-bought roasted chicken.

Cooked chicken, shredded or diced
2 quarts chiken stock
1 cup celery, diced
1 cup carrots, diced
2 cups egg noodles (or any kind of noodles - rotini, etc)
1/4 cup chopped parsley

Bring the chicken stock to a simmer in a large pot and add the celery, carrots, and noodles. Simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes, until the noodles are cooked. Add the cooked chicken meat and parsley and heat through. Season with salt and pepper. Serves 6.

Chicken Hula

This is one of my favorite recipes from Del Monte.

600g chicken (breast or thigh), cut into serving portions
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 medium onion, sliced
1 can (234g) pineapple chunks, drained (reserve syrup)
1 medium carrot, sliced
1 medium each green and red bell peppers, cut into strips
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp brown sugar
3 tbsp cornstarch

Marinate chicken in pineapple syrup, soy sauce, and brown sugar for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with cornstarch. Drain but reserve marinade. Set aside.

Saute garlic, onions, and chicken. Add marinade, pineapple chunks, 1/2 cup water, carrots, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1/2 tsp rock salt, and 1/8 tsp pepper. Simmer until chicken is tender.

Stir in bell peppers. Allow to simmer.

Salmon Burgers

I have not been successful in making burgers, except those made with beef (think: vegetarian burger), but this recipe from a can of Aldi Pink Salmon was surprisingly delicious.

1 can (14.75 oz/418 g) pink salmon, drain and flake
1 egg, slightly beaten (or use egg white substitute)
1/2 cup each: chopped onion, finely chopped green pepper, bread crumbs
1 T lemon juice
1 T grated lemon peel
1/2 tsp rosemary, crushed
1/8 t pepper

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Form into 4 or 5 patties. Pan-fry in small amount of vegetable oil unitl lightly brown on both sides.

Garlic Press & Slicer

I was never one to use kitchen gadgets, so when my husband got me a garlic press and slicer a few months ago, I wasn't excited about using it. It's been lying in one of the drawers since. Then this afternoon when I was about to mince garlic, I decided to use it and I found it useful. It's not that easy to clean, but it has possibilites.

Chicken Stew

This is a simple, but delicious stew.

Oil
1/2 tbsp garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
8 pcs chicken drumsticks
1 can whole tomatoes
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 potatoes, quartered
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 can whole corn kernels, drained
Dried basil
Salt

In a saucepan, heat oil, garlic, and onion. Add chicken and cook until browned. Add tomatoes and broth. Simmer until chicken is tender. Season with salt and basil. Add potatoes and bell pepper. When potatoes are cooked, add kidney beans and corn and simmer for a few more minutes.

Adobo

I've tried several versions of this recipe, but this is the only one that my husband really liked.

1 kilo chicken, cut into serving pieces
1/2 kilo pork
1-1/2 cups vinegar
2/3 cup soy sauce
1/2 head garlic, peeled and crushed
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp whole peppercorns
3 pcs bay leaves
3 tbsp sugar
1-1/2 cups water
Fresh cilantro leaves, chopped (optional)

Place the chicken and pork in a large saucepan. Add vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, salt, peppercorns, bay leaves, sugar, and water. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or overnight. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, then turn the heat down to low and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until chicken is tender.

Preheat a gas grill or broiler. Place the rack 3 or 4 inches from the source.

Remove the chicken and pork and dry gently with paper towels. Boil the sauce over high heat until it is reduced to about 1 cup; discard the bay leaves. Grill or broil the meat until brown and crisp, about 5 minutes per side. Garnish with chopped cilantro leaves, then serve with the sauce.

Recipe Collection

Over the years, I have collected a lot of recipes - some from cookbooks, others from newspaper clippings, and for so long, all those recipes were just sitting in some corner. But since I started cooking regularly more than a year ago, I have been de-cluttering by trying out the recipes I've collected and tossing those that do not pass my family's seal of approval. I hope to post recipes that have been tried and tested so that they will be available no matter where I am, ie even if I'm on vacation and have to cook.