Oreo Truffles
8 oz. pkg. cream cheese (full fat version, please)
16 oz. Oreo cookies (I like the ones with the chocolate cream centers), crushed
12-16 oz. semi-sweet fine chocolate, chopped
1 T. shortening
Let your cream cheese get to room temp....either place in food processor, kitchen aid or bowl for your hand mixer...whip til broken up. Add half your crushed oreo cookies, mix up well.....add last half of cookies, mix well again. The mixture will begin to look like a solid chocolate color, this is what you want. Chill mixture til very firm (about 2 hours). Roll into 1" balls, chill again. Melt up your chocolate with a tablespoon of shortening for a more smooth coating. Dip chilled truffles into chocolate and rest on wax paper. Chill again. You may drizzle white chocolate or milk chocolate over the tops if you'd like. makes about 3 dozen truffles. They taste like chocolate covered chocolate cheesecake. yum...
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Sunday, October 4, 2009
The Turks are Coming!
Domatesli Patlican
Eggplant Stew with Tomatoes
2 eggplants, washed and peeled
2 tomatoes, diced
1 ½ cups diced tomato in a can
1 big onion, chopped
1 tsp tomato paste (optional)
1 green pepper, chopped
3 tbsp olive oil1 tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp basil (optional)
½ cup hot water
Cut the eggplants in cubes and place into a bowl covered with water. Leave for 15-20 minutes. Then rinse and drain.In a pot, sauté onions with olive oil. Then stir in tomato paste (optional) and peppers. Saute them over medium heat and then stir in eggplants. Saute for 3-4 minutes. Finally add salt, hot water, basil and tomatoes. Do not stir, just leave tomatoes on top and cover the lid. Cook for 20-25 minutes over low heat till eggplants are tender.Sprinkle black pepper on top and stir.
Serve Eggplant Stew with Tomatoes warm or cool, with yogurt or cacik as you like.
Sut Corbasi
Milk Soup
1 cup vermicelli
2 cups water
3 cups milk
1 tbsp salt to taste
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp Good Fresh Paprika
Boil 2 cups of water in a pot and add vermicelli. Cook for 8-10 minutes over medium heat till vermicelli is soft. Then add salt and milk. When it boils, simmer for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.For garnish, place the butter in a small frying pan and melt over low-medium heat. When spitting starts, stir in paprika and a pinch of salt. Then pour on the soup and serve warm.
Cooking Eggplant for Babaganoush
Cut slits on med sized eggplant.
Bake @ 400ºF for 1 hour.
Place eggplant in plastic bag to wilt for 20 min.
Peel off skin and use flesh.
Eggplant Stew with Tomatoes
2 eggplants, washed and peeled
2 tomatoes, diced
1 ½ cups diced tomato in a can
1 big onion, chopped
1 tsp tomato paste (optional)
1 green pepper, chopped
3 tbsp olive oil1 tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp basil (optional)
½ cup hot water
Cut the eggplants in cubes and place into a bowl covered with water. Leave for 15-20 minutes. Then rinse and drain.In a pot, sauté onions with olive oil. Then stir in tomato paste (optional) and peppers. Saute them over medium heat and then stir in eggplants. Saute for 3-4 minutes. Finally add salt, hot water, basil and tomatoes. Do not stir, just leave tomatoes on top and cover the lid. Cook for 20-25 minutes over low heat till eggplants are tender.Sprinkle black pepper on top and stir.
Serve Eggplant Stew with Tomatoes warm or cool, with yogurt or cacik as you like.
Sut Corbasi
Milk Soup
1 cup vermicelli
2 cups water
3 cups milk
1 tbsp salt to taste
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp Good Fresh Paprika
Boil 2 cups of water in a pot and add vermicelli. Cook for 8-10 minutes over medium heat till vermicelli is soft. Then add salt and milk. When it boils, simmer for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.For garnish, place the butter in a small frying pan and melt over low-medium heat. When spitting starts, stir in paprika and a pinch of salt. Then pour on the soup and serve warm.
Cooking Eggplant for Babaganoush
Cut slits on med sized eggplant.
Bake @ 400ºF for 1 hour.
Place eggplant in plastic bag to wilt for 20 min.
Peel off skin and use flesh.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Gooseberry Jam
Ingredients
1.3kg (3 lb) fresh gooseberries
1.3kg (3 lb) caster sugar
75ml (3 fl oz) liquid pectin (Certo)
Preparation method
Remove blossom and stem ends from gooseberries. Force berries through food mill. Measure 4 tea cups of the berry mash into a large pot. Stir in the sugar. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, and boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in pectin at once. Skim off any foam with a large metal spoon.
Sterilize jars and lids in boiling water for at least 10 minutes. Take turns with skimming foam, and stirring the berry mixture for 5 minutes to let it cool slightly. Ladle into hot sterile jars, leaving .5cm (1/4 in) headspace.
1.3kg (3 lb) fresh gooseberries
1.3kg (3 lb) caster sugar
75ml (3 fl oz) liquid pectin (Certo)
Preparation method
Remove blossom and stem ends from gooseberries. Force berries through food mill. Measure 4 tea cups of the berry mash into a large pot. Stir in the sugar. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, and boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in pectin at once. Skim off any foam with a large metal spoon.
Sterilize jars and lids in boiling water for at least 10 minutes. Take turns with skimming foam, and stirring the berry mixture for 5 minutes to let it cool slightly. Ladle into hot sterile jars, leaving .5cm (1/4 in) headspace.
Red Currant Jelly
Ingredients:
4 lbs red currants
6 ½ cups granulated sugar
1 cup water
4 oz liquid pectin
note: To get transparent jelly, crush the currants gently. Press too hard and the jelly will taste good, but have a cloudy appearance.
Preparation:
In a large stockpot, crush currants, add 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain the liquid through cheesecloth and measure out 5 cups of the currant juice.
Bring the strained juice to a boil, stir in the liquid, boil for an additional 30 seconds, and then remove from heat. Skim foam from top and ladle into 5 sterilized ½-pint jars, leaving ½-inch of headspace. Wipe rims of jars with a clean cloth, top with sterile ring and lids, and process in simmering water for 10 minutes.
Makes 5 1/2-pint jars of jelly.
4 lbs red currants
6 ½ cups granulated sugar
1 cup water
4 oz liquid pectin
note: To get transparent jelly, crush the currants gently. Press too hard and the jelly will taste good, but have a cloudy appearance.
Preparation:
In a large stockpot, crush currants, add 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain the liquid through cheesecloth and measure out 5 cups of the currant juice.
Bring the strained juice to a boil, stir in the liquid, boil for an additional 30 seconds, and then remove from heat. Skim foam from top and ladle into 5 sterilized ½-pint jars, leaving ½-inch of headspace. Wipe rims of jars with a clean cloth, top with sterile ring and lids, and process in simmering water for 10 minutes.
Makes 5 1/2-pint jars of jelly.
Quince Jelly
Ingredients:
7 1/2 cups sugar
3 fluid ounces liquid pectin
4 1/2 cups water
3 pounds quinces, cored and chopped, peels
on
1/4 cup lemon juice
Directions:
1.
Sterilize 8 (1/2 pint) jars in boiling water for at least 5 minutes, and have new lids ready.
2.
Place the quinces in a large pot, and pour in water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Strain off 4 cups of the juice. Mix juice with sugar and lemon juice in a heavy pot, and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in pectin, and return to a boil. Boil for 1 full minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim off foam. Ladle into hot sterile jars, and process for 10 minutes in a hot water bath to seal. Refrigerate jelly after opening.
7 1/2 cups sugar
3 fluid ounces liquid pectin
4 1/2 cups water
3 pounds quinces, cored and chopped, peels
on
1/4 cup lemon juice
Directions:
1.
Sterilize 8 (1/2 pint) jars in boiling water for at least 5 minutes, and have new lids ready.
2.
Place the quinces in a large pot, and pour in water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Strain off 4 cups of the juice. Mix juice with sugar and lemon juice in a heavy pot, and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in pectin, and return to a boil. Boil for 1 full minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim off foam. Ladle into hot sterile jars, and process for 10 minutes in a hot water bath to seal. Refrigerate jelly after opening.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Basic Pancakes
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 1/4 cups milk
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter, melted
DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg and melted butter; mix until smooth.
Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.
PS: I add dried blueberries instead of fresh or frozen. They dont bleed or get squishy. The kids seem to like them a lot better and can get a few in each bite.
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 1/4 cups milk
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter, melted
DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg and melted butter; mix until smooth.
Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.
PS: I add dried blueberries instead of fresh or frozen. They dont bleed or get squishy. The kids seem to like them a lot better and can get a few in each bite.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Sugared Flowers
Here is a really sweet way to finish truffles, cakes, cookies or cupcake. Find fresh edible violets, pansies, rose petals and mint or lemon balm leaves. Mix marangue power, and using a small brush, cover flower completely with a thin even coat. Dip in caster sugar and set aside on a plate to dry for 15 minutes.
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