Mushroom – Spinach, softened Pinwheels

Snacks & Appetizers

Makes 30 pieces

Pastry

  • 1- 8              oz package cream Cheese, softened
  • 2/3              cup Butter, softened
  • 2                  cups all purpose Flour
  • 2                  tsp Baking Powder

 Filling

  • 1-10              oz package frozen chopped Spinach
  • 2 1/2             cup chopped fresh Mushroom
  • 1                   cup chopped Onion
  • 2                   tbsp Butter
  • 1                   tbsp all purpose Flour
  • 1/2               tsp dried oregano, crushed
  • 1/2               tsp salt
  • 1/2               tsp lemon juice
  • 1/8               tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4               cup grated Parmesan Cheese.

Directions 

  1. Beat together cream cheese and the 2/3 cup butter in a large bowl.  Add the flour and the baking powder, beat well.  
  2. Divide the dough in half, wrap in plastic.  Chill 30 – 60 min. or till easy to handle.
  3. Cook spinach according to package directions, drain, squeeze out excess liquid; set aside.
  4. In a large skillet, cook and stir mushrooms and onion in the 2 tbsp butter over medium heat for 3 minutes or till onion is tender and transparent.
  5. Add spinach, 1 tbsp all purpose flour, oregano, salt, lemon juice, and garlic powder.  Cook and stir till mixture thickens.  Stir in parmesan cheese; cool.
  6. Roll one dough portion on a floured surface into a 12 x 7 inch rectangle.  Spread with half the spinach mixture to within 1/2” of edges.  Roll up dough and filling jelly-roll style, starting with the long edge.  Moisten edges with water; pinch to seal.  Cover and chill 1 hour.  Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
  7. Combine egg white and 1 tbsp water. 
  8. Slice rolls into 1/2 inch thick slices.  Place on an ungreased baking sheet; brush with egg mixture.  Bake in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes or till golden.  Transfer to wire racks.  Cool.

To make ahead: wrap rolls in freeze wrap and freeze up to 3 months.

Let thaw in the fridge.  Slice, brush with egg mixture and bake.

Parmesan Black Pepper Biscotti

Sweets

The crispy crumbly texture and richness of Parmesan in these savory biscotti make them ideal for nibbling while sipping beer.

This is a recipe I got from Canadian Living Holiday Issue Fall 2008

Makes about 40 Biscotti

Parmesan Black Pepper Biscotti

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

  • 2                     cups all purpose flour                   500ml
  • 1                     cup  finely grated parmesan
  •                        cheese                                          250m
  • 1-1/2               tsp baking powder                            7ml
  • 1-1/2               tsp cracked black pepper                 7ml    
  • 1/4                  tsp  salt                                             1ml
  • Pinch              cayenne Pepper
  • 1/2                  cup cold butter, cut into                125ml
  •                        small cubes
  • 2                     eggs
  • 1/2                  cup half and half                           125ml 

Directions:

  1. In a Bowl, whisk together flour, all but 1 tbsp of the cheese, the baking powder, pepper, salt and cayenne.  Using pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in butter until  mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs.  In a separate bowl, whisk eggs with all but 2 tsp of the half and half; stir into flour mixture to form smooth dough.
  2.  
  3. Divide dough in half.  On lightly floured surface, roll each into 10 inch (25cm) long log, 2 inches (5cm) apart, on parchment paper-lined or greased baking sheet; press to flatten slightly.
  4.  
  5. Brush with remaining cream; sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Bake in 300 degree F (180 degree C) oven until light golden and just firm to the touch, about 30 minutes.  Let cool on pan on rack for 10 minutes.
  6.  
  7. Transfer logs to cutting board.  Using chef’s knife, cut into 1/2-inch (1cm) thick slices.  Stand slices up, 1/2 inch (1cm) apart on baking sheet.  Bake in 325 degrees F (180degrees C) oven until almost dry, about 35 minutes.  Transfer to rack ; let cool. 
  8.  

Store layered between wax paper in airtight container for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 1 month.

Trifle

Sweets

Today I am going to a dinner party and have offered to take a dessert. I decided to make trifle. This is one of the first fancy desserts I learned to make in high school. Trifle is a cold English dessert consisting of sponge cake and fruit, topped with layers of Jello, custard and whipped cream.   You can use any fruit you like (eg. fresh berries) or use mixed fruit.  You can make a sherry trifle by soaking your cake in sherry.  When I was a teenager we lived on a farm and there was always an abundance of milk, eggs, butter and whipping cream- all the key ingredients in this dessert. Trifle has to be made in stages, so it is a little time consuming to make.  You have to make your cake, jello and custard in advance and you also need a couple of hours for everything to set.  It’s best to make trifle a day in advance.

To save time you can buy a store bought cake and canned custard. You can use sponge cake or Swiss Roll.  (swiss roll may also be known as jelly roll)

Swiss Roll

Ingredients

  • 3               eggs
  • 4               oz caster sugar (also known as Berry Sugar)
  • 4               oz flour
  • 1               tbsp hot water
  • 2               tbsp  Berry sugar for dredging
  • 2               tbsp warm jam to fill

Instructions

  1. Whisk the eggs and sugar together in a bowl placed over a pan of hot water. Continue whisking until the mixture is thick and fluffy, and stiff enough to retain the impression of the whisk for a few seconds.
  2. Fold in the flour, very lightly with the hot water and a metal spoon.
  3. Pour the mixture into the greased and lined baking sheet.
  4. Bake in a preheated hot oven 425 degrees for 7 – 9 min.till golden and springy to the touch. Have ready a sheet of greaseproof paper liberally sprinkled with berry sugar. Turn the cake on to this and remove the lining paper.
  5. Using a sharp knife, trim off all the crisp outer edges, and quickly spread the surface of the roll with some warmed jam to within ½ inch of the edge.
  6. Make a long cut half- way through the sponge, 1” from the near end and roll up the sponge as tightly as possible, using the paper to help manipulate it. Cool on a wire rack.

Trifle 

Trifle Ingredients

  • 1                swiss Roll
  • 1-85           g  package lime jello
  • 1 –85         g package strawberry jello
  • 2 1/4          cup half and half
  • 2                tbsp custard powder
  • 3                tbsp sugar
  • 1                (398 ml) can fruit salad
  • 2                cups whipping cream

Instructions

Make the Jello:

  1. Stir 1 cup boiling water into jello powder and stir till completely dissolved. Add a cup of cold water.
  2. Let the lime jello set. Strawberry jello can set on the fruit in the trifle bowl
  3. Slice the swiss roll into ½ “ slices and line a glass bowl. Put a couple of the slices in the bottom of the bowl. Drain the fruit and put this in the bowl. Add the strawberry jello on the fruit and let it set.
  4. When the strawberry jello is set, pour the cooled custard on it.
  5. Cube the lime jello and put it on the custard.
  6. Whip the cream till it is thick, spread this on the custard.
  7. Decorate with cut up fruit, nuts and or chocolate.

Make the custard:

On The Stove

  1. In a Medium saucepan boil 2 cups milk over a high heat.
  2. In a small bowl, mix the custard powder and sugar in a 1/4 cup of milk. 
  3. Add this to the hot milk, and cook on medium heat stirring constantly till the mixture thickens. 
  4. Pour it in a bowl, cover the custard  with plastic(to stop the skin forming)  and cool it in the fridge.

In the microwave

  1. Pour the milk in a large microwaveable bowl.  
  2. Microwave the milk on high for 5 minutes.
  3. In a small bowl mix the custard powder, sugar and 1.4 cup milk.  
  4. Pour this in the hot milk and microwave for 2 minutes, Stir and microwave for 2 more minutes.  The custard should be thick.
  5. Put the plastic on the custard(to stop forming a skin)
  6. Cool it in the fridge.

Chicken Tikka(BBQ Chicken)

Entrees, Poultry

Chicken Tikka is a Chicken dish originating in South Asia where it remains popular in both Pakistan and India.  It is traditionally small pieces of boneless chicken baked using skewers in a clay-based oven called a tandoor after marinating in spices and yoghurt.  Tikka means bite size.  The pieces are brushed with ghee(clarified butter) which gives it a taste.  It is typically eaten with green coriander and Tamarind chutney, raita and served with onion rings and lemon.

You will find a few different recipes to marinate the chicken and a few different ways to serve it.

Chicken Tikka is perfect for a picnic.  You can marinate the meat and BBQ it in the park.  Chicken can be cut in cubes and put on a skewer or can be cut in long strips.

Tandoori chicken is chicken tikka with bone in.  You can buy the whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces, make a slit or 2 slits on each piece and marinate it(the slit helps cook chicken faster and marinates better.

Serves 4

Chicken Tikka

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

  • 4               boneless, skinless, chicken breast
  • 2               tbsp tomato paste
  • 1               tsp garlic paste
  • 1               tsp ginger paste
  • 2               jalepino(or to taste) chopped finely
  •                  juice of 1 lemon 
  • 1               tsp salt
  • 1/2            tsp garam masala
  • 1/2            tsp red chili
  • 2               tbsp vegetable oil

Instructions

  1. Remove all the fat from the chicken and rinse it in cold water. 
  2. Add the rest of the ingredients, mix it well and marinate it for about 5 hours or overnight.
  3. BBQ it on the BBQ for about 5 minutes on each side, or bake it in a preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until done.  (the skin is done when it changes color and is firm to the touch.

You can cut the chicken 1 inch strips or 1-1/2 inch cubes and skewer it before cooking.

Serve it with spicy potatoes, green salad, riata, green chutney  and amli chutney.

Fruit Cake

Sweets

 

Ingredients 

  • 3            oz almonds
  • 8            oz currants
  • 8            oz sultans
  • 8            oz raisins
  • 4            oz cherries
  • 4            oz mixed peel
  • 9            oz white flour
  • 1            level tsp  grated nutmeg
  • 1            level tsp  mixed spices
  • ½           level tsp  ground cinnamon
  • 8            oz butter
  • 8            oz brown sugar
  •               Finely grated rind of 1 lemon
  • 4            eggs
  • 3            oz ground almonds.

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 290 degrees F.
  2. Chop almonds and mix with the next 9 ingredients.
  3. Cream Butter and Sugar.
  4. Add eggs one at a time and add the ground almonds.
  5. Fold in the flour mixture half at a time until well mixed.
  6. Pour into a prepared 8 ” round cake tin.
  7. Bake in the middle self for about 3 hours.
  8. Remove from the oven and leave in the tin for ten min. Turn out and cool on wire rack .

You should leave the cake for at least a day (or 2-3 weeks, to mature, wrapped in greaseproof paper, and stored in an airtight tin)

You can decorate the cake with nuts before you put it in the oven.

You can leave it plain.

Or you can coat it with almond paste and royal icing.

Short Bread Cookies

Sweets

Today I have decided to do my Christmas baking.  This recipe for Shortbread was given to me by my neighbor in late 70.

I have tried a few other recipes but found this to be the best.

Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients

  • 2                 cups Butter
  • 1                 cup Berry Sugar
  • 4-1/4         cups all purpose flour

Instructions

  1. Cream butter and sugar till light and creamy, about 5 minutes.
  2. Gradually add the flour.  Turn this onto a floured surface and kneed till it cracks (about 20 minutes).
  3. Divide dough into 4 parts.
  4. Roll each quarter to 1/4 thickness.
  5. Cut in shapes with a cookie cutter.
  6. Put the cookies 1” apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
  7. Bake in a preheated 300 degrees oven for 20 – 25 min.

Almond Biscotti

Sweets

This recipe was publish on Dec 1, 1992 by Canadian Living.

Canadian Living Test Kitchen Tips:  to prevent crumbling when slicing the partially cooked log of dough, use a sharp chef’s knife and cut with firm, decisive strokes.  Standing the cookies upright during the second baking ensures that they dry out evenly.

Ingredients

  • 1 3/4                    cup all-purpose flour         425 ml
  • 2                          tsp  baking powder             10 ml
  • 3/4                       cup whole almonds           175 ml
  • 2                          eggs
  • 3/4                       cup granulated sugar        175 ml
  • 1/3                       cup butter,melted                75 ml
  • 2                          tsp vanilla                            10 ml
  • 1 1/2                    tsp grated orange rind          7 ml
  • 1                          egg white, lightly beaten

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder and almonds.
  2. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla, and grated orange rind;  stir into flour mixture until soft dough forms.  Transfer dough to lightly floured work surface;  with hands, form into smooth ball.
  3. Divide dough in half; roll each into 12-inch (30 cm) long log.  Transfer to ungreased baking sheet.
  4. Brush tops with egg white;  bake in 350 degree F (180 degree C) for 20 minutes.
  5. Remove from oven and let cool on pan on rack for 5 minutes.  Transfer each log to cutting board;  cut diagonally  into    3/4 inch (2 cm) thick slices.
  6. Stand cookies upright on baking sheet; bake for 20 – 25 minutes longer until golden.  Let cool on rack.

Biscotti can be stored in airtight container for up to 2 weeks

VARIATIONS:

Chocolate Chip Biscotti:  Add 1/2 cup (125 ml) chocolate chips to flour mixture.

Hazelnut Biscotti:  Substitute 3/4 cup (175 ml) whole hazelnuts for almonds.

Greek Cookies

Kourabiedes

Sweets

A Greek family celebration wouldn’t be complete without the delightful buttery goodness of Kourabiethes (koo-rah-BYEH-thes).

These are very rich cookies (as are most shortbread cookies) yet somehow lighter and melt-in- your-mouth good. Be sure to make extra because these will go fast!

Greek Shortbread Cookies with Powdered Sugar and Almonds.

Makes 60

Greek Cookies
Kourabiedes

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

  • 2                    cups butter (at room temperature)
  • 1/2                cup sugar
  • 2                    egg yolks
  • 2                    tablespoon Brandy (substitute it with lemon juice)
  • 1                    cup toasted blanched almonds, finely ground
  • 5 1/2            cups all purpose flour
  • 2                    teaspoon baking powder
  • 1                    teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1                    cup icing sugar
  • 60                 whole cloves

Instructions

  • In a large bowl of mixer, cream butter and sugar;  Beat until and fluffy.  Add egg yolk and brandy.  Mix well.  Stir in almonds.
  • a medium bowl, combine flour baking powder and ground cloves.  Gradually add to egg mixture working in with hands or pastry blender.
  • Turn onto lightly floured surface.  Knead until firm about 2 minutes.  Shape into 1” balls;  press a whole clove into each ball.  Place 1” apart on ungreased cookie sheets.  Bake in preheated 300 degree oven 20 minutes or until light brown.  Cool in a wire rack.  Dust generously with confectioners sugar.  Serve in small paper liners if desired.

 

Almond Crescents

Sweets

These are some of the cookies I have collected from different magazines that come out at Christmas time.

Makes 60

Ingredients

  • 1              cup butter
  • 1/2           cup berry sugar + 5 tablespoon for rolling
  • 1              tbsp  Kirsch or white Rum or
  • 1              tbsp  lemon Juice
  • 2              cups flour, divided in half
  • 1/8           tsp salt
  • 3/4           cup blanched almonds, ground

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl cream butter.
  2. Add 4 tablespoon Berry Sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
  3. Blend in Kirsch, Rum or Lemon Juice.
  4. Stir in 1 cup flour and the salt.
  5. Stir in almonds and remaining 1 cup flour,
  6. Chill overnight
  7. Lightly dust board or flat surface with remaining 5 tablespoon berry sugar.
  8. Break off small pieces of dough and roll with hands into pencil thin strips.
  9. Cut in 3” lengths  turn ends to form crescents.
  10. Arrange !” apart on lightly greased cookie sheets.
  11. Bake in preheated 350 degrees oven 12 – 15 minutes or until light golden brown.  (should remain almost white).
  12. Cool on cookie sheet then carefully remove and roll in remaining sugar.

Beef Palak

Entrees, Meat

Palak means spinach so beef palak translates to beef cooked with spinach.  Beef Palak is a very tasty dish and a great way to get your protein and veggies all in one dish!

Ingredients

  • 1              lb stewing beef
  • 12            oz fresh or frozen spinach (chopped)
  • 2              tbsp vegetable oil
  • 5              pieces whole black pepper
  • 5              cloves
  • 1/2           tsp cumin seeds
  • 3              cardamom seeds
  • 1              inch piece of cinnamon stick
  • 1              jalapeno
  • 12            ounces onions
  • 12            ounces of tomatoes
  • 1/2           tsp crushed garlic
  • 1/2           tsp ginger
  • 1              tsp dhana jeera
  • 1/4           tsp turmeric powder
  • 1              tsp salt (or to taste)
  • 1/4           tsp red chili powder (optional)
  • 1/2           cup water
  • 1/2           tsp garam masala
  • 1              tbsp chopped cilantro

Instructions

  • Slice the onions into thin slices.
  • Heat the oil in a medium saucepan on medium heat.  Add the black pepper, cloves, cumin. cardamom, cinnamon stick and onions.  Cut the jalapeno into 4 pieces and add this to the saucepan.  Fry the onions stirring until they are golden brown.
  • Chop the tomatoes and add this to the saucepan.  Add the ginger and garlic.
  • Add the chopped spinach and the rest of the spices except the garam masala to the saucepan.
  • Cube the meat into half an inch cubes, rinse meat with cold water and add this to the saucepan.  Mix everything and cook on medium heat covered for 15 minutes.
  • Add the water and cook for another 15 minutes or till the meat is cooked.
  • Meat is cooked when it change colour and the meat is firm to the touch and it falls apart when you pull it.
  • Serve the beef palak sprinkled with garam masala and chopped cilantrro.

Serve with naan, chapati or rice.