Cherry Cha Cha!

Christmas is just around the corner. Here is one of our family favorites that always travels with me to our family gathering. It's light, fluffy and tasty. This is an easy recipe and you can make it a day in advance. I've divided it into three basic steps.

Step One

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans/almond

1. Mix first three ingredients together and spread in 9x12 cake pan.
2. Bake at 350 ° for 15 minutes.
3. Refrigerate the crust before you start step two, as it is much easier to spread.

Step Two

• 1 package cream cheese 8oz.
• 1 cup icing sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 container cool whip (1 litre/ 4 cups)

1. Mix together softened cream cheese with icing sugar, vanilla extract, and cool whip.
2. Spread this consistency on to a cold crust.

Step Three

• 2 tins of cherry pie filling
• 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
• 1/4 cup sugar

1. Spread cherry pie filling on top of the creamed cheese mixture. I like to use a generous amount, so I've opted for opening the second tin ensuring that there is plenty of filling.
2. Beat your whipping cream, adding 1/4 cup sugar.
3. Spread whipping cream on top and garnish with finely chopped nuts.
4. Store in fridge until ready for use.

Store it in the fridge and you have a wonderful chilled light dessert after that heavy meal.

Lemon Cookies

These cookies were one of the treats served at my daughter's baby shower. This recipe comes from her friend Chelsea who hosted the shower. They are very moist and lemony.

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

2 cups white sugar

1/2 cup butter

2 eggs

1 15 oz. container ricotta cheese

zest and juice of 1 lemon

Cream together butter, eggs, and sugar. Add zest and lemon juice, and ricotta cheese and blend well. Add remaining ingredients and beat until well combined. Drop by small spoonfuls onto parchment lined cookie sheets and bake @375 for 12-14 minutes. Cookies will remain very light creamy in color. Do not over bake. ( I used a small ice cream scoop to make uniform sizes. If you put the dough in the fridge for about 1/2 hour to chill it is easier using the scoop)

Remove cookies to cooling rack and glaze while still warm.

Glaze

1 1/2 cups icing sugar

zest and juice of 1 lemon

The glaze will set almost immediately.

No Knead Crusty Italian Bread

I have just learned this new bread making process and then I checked to see if it had been posted and yes, Lovella had posted it way back. So we chatted about it and decided that I would post it again, changing it up, but also encouraging some of you to try making some bread. Some of you are thinking, "Bread? Not Me!" You too, can make this simple recipe. It only requires a bit of planning ahead, like 24 hours.
One thing that I learned cooking with Chef Dez, is that we will be making food the rest of our lives so we may as well enjoy this process rather than dreading it.  So that's what I've been working with this fall.  Trying something new! It's inspirational and tasty. He also taught us that if things flop, call it Rustic! I love that term. I've developed a few Rustic Recipes.

Crusty Italian Bread

• 3 cups flour
• 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
• 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups room temperature water, plus 2 tablespoon water
• 2 tablespoon fresh herbs, oregano, thyme, rosemary, tarragon.

Method

1. In a large bowl combine flour, yeast, and salt. Add your water and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours preferably about 18 at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees. (I used almost 2 cups water.)
2. Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball.
3. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour. Fold towel ends together and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, the dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.
4. At least half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a 2.5-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When the dough is ready, carefully remove the pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that is OK. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Coon on a rack.

Add a few fresh herbs, and the dough should look shaggy.
Cover with plastic and let sit for 12-18 hours. (Step 1)

Flour tea towel generously. Step 3

Fold tea towel up and let rise for 2 more hours.

Slide your hand under the dough and dump into hot cast iron pot.
Step 4

Yes, it looks like a flop...Shake it slightly.
Smile...The best is yet to come.

Set the pot with lid into the oven and follow instructions used for Step 4.

This is what it looks like when you take the lid off after 30 minutes.
Now, let it brown for another 20 minutes at a high heat.

When it's finished, cut it in half.
If it has holes, congratulate yourself on making
Famous Rustic Italian Bread!

I have to admit, I did have to experiment abit...
Once you have mastered this art, it will be on your favorite list. Simple, easy and tasty.

Hasselback Baked Apples

Hasselback apples are a fun twist of the classic apple crisp dish.  They are rather like apple pie without the crust! Firm and somewhat tart apples work best...varieties like Honeycrisp or Ambrosia.

• 2 large crisp apples, peeled and cored
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• oatmeal crumble topping (recipe below)

1. Pre-heat oven to 375°.
2. Starting at the outer edge, make thin slices at 1/8"-1/4" intervals cutting most (but not all) of the way through each apple half.
3. Place apple halves, cut side down, in an 8-inch square pan sprayed with cooking oil.
4. Combine butter, sugar and cinnamon and brush evenly over each apple piece.
5. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
6. Uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and spoon oatmeal crumble mixture over apples halves, carefully fanning open apple slices. 
8. Return pan to oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
9. Turn broiler to high and broil for one or two minutes.
10. Serve warm with vanilla ice-cream and a drizzle of your favorite caramel sauce.

Crumble Topping:

• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 
• 3 Tablespoons butter

Mix brown sugar, oats, flour and cinnamon.  Cut in the butter and use a pastry blender or hands to mix until crumbly.

*When making a fruit crisp, I always do a large batch of 'crumble topping' and keep it on hand in the freezer. Those frozen crumbs come in handy when making Hasselback apples.


 

Cinnamon Bun Scones

Every now and then we get sweet emails which include a recipe for us to try. This is one of those. Sara U. sent me the idea for Cinnamon Bun Scones and though I have made quick doughs into cinnamon rolls...I had never thought of folding the dough over to cut them into scone shapes. Thank you Sara for the inspiration for this recipe. I am giving you the method for making these scones using a food processor. You can easily make it without a food processor by using a pastry cutter to cut your butter into the dry ingredients and then adding in the liquid and combining until the flour bits are blended in.

• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons very soft butter
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Mix ingredients together to form soft crumbs and set aside.

• 3 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup cold butter
• 1 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F.
2. Combine the dry ingredients together in the food processor bowl.
3. Cube the cold butter into 1/2 inch cubes and add to the food processor bowl and pulse until the butter looks like oatmeal.
4. While the food processor is pulsing, add the buttermilk and the egg and vanilla and pulse just until the mixture holds together.
5. Turn the dough onto a floured surface, pat into a 6 X 12 rectangle and sprinkle lightly with flour.
6. Use a rolling pin to roll into a rectangle that is about 1/2 inch thick.
7. Sprinkle the soft cinnamon, sugar butter crumbs evenly over the surface and fold the the rectangle into thirds so that you have a long rectangle.
8. Use a sharp knife to cut into triangles and place them on a baking sheet which is covered with parchment paper.
9. Bake about 15 minutes.

Icing

• 1/4 cup cream cheese
• 2 cups confectioners/icing sugar
• a bit of milk to develop into a spreading consistency

1. Combine the icing while the scones are baking and spread over each scone and serve the scones warm.

To freeze the leftover scones, place them on a cookie sheet to freeze and once frozen, place in a sealable freezer bag. To reheat, pop in the microwave for about 30 seconds.

Baked Oatmeal with Apple and Cinnamon

I had no idea this tasted this good until I had it at my daughter's. It's one of those comfort foods that I could have for breakfast or for dessert. This can be prepared the night before; refrigerated and baked in the morning.

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 cups oats or quick oats (not instant)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup coconut (optional)
• 1/4 cup oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 apple, grated
• 1 cup milk

Method:

1. Mix ingredients in order given and pour into greased 8x8 inch pan.
2. Bake at 350° F for about 30 minutes
3. Serve warm with milk and brown sugar (optional).

It's a piece of cake to wrap up for breakfast on the go, or lunch.

Antipasto

Antipasto!

Sure, it's available in the grocery store and maybe cheaper still in a big box store.

But wouldn't you rather make your own?

It's not only tastier but it's there on the shelf when guests come by for coffee.

Wrap it up in cellophane along with a box of crackers and tie it with a pretty ribbon and you have a lovely hostess gift for those Christmas parties.

and best of all, making Antipasto is a great excuse for inviting your sister, your best friend, or in my case, my next door neighbours in for an Antipasto making party!

Assemble your ingredients the day ahead.

Enlist help to chop the ingredients - a chopper like the one above or a food processor is helpful as are friends to make the work more fun.

 It only takes part of a day and you have your own delicious antipasto!

Credit for this recipe goes to my friend Katie who contributed it to one of our church cookbooks.

My neighbours, Barbara and Beatrice and I assembled this recipe 3 times and each took home 32 half pint jars. - enough to give as gifts and have some for ourselves.  

We started at 10 am and had the last jars in the canner by 4 pm. (with time out for lunch)

 There is still time to make it in time for Christmas giving.

Here's the recipe - It makes 32 1/2 pints.

A note from Bev:

Please read the comments below about the canning process before making this recipe.

I was unaware of any problem using a water bath so 

You may want to use a pressure canner as suggested in the comments.

You can also check out the following link on Canning guidelines

• 1/2 kg. / 1 pound cauliflower
• 1/2 kg. / 1 pound green peppers
• 1/2 kg. / 1 pound red peppers
• 1 375 ml / 13 ounce jar green olives, drained (using sliced olives means a bit less chopping)
• 1 375 ml / 13 ounce jar sliced black olives, drained
• 2 cans 375 ml / 13 ounce green beans, drained 
• 2 cans  375ml/ 13 ounce yellow wax beans, drained
• 1 litre/ 1 quart /  jar dill pickles, drained (reserve)
• 1 375 ml. / 13 ounce jar pickled pearl onions
• 115 ml / 4 ounces olive oil
• 125ml /1/2 cup  reserved pickle brine
• 4 tins 375 ml /13 ounce mushrooms (pieces and stems) drained
• 5 tins   184 g / 6.5 ounce solid pack or chunk tuna, drained
• 4.5 litres /1 gallon  ketchup
• 1/2  455 ml./ ounce bottle Heinz Chili Sauce
• Optional - hot sauce or jalapeno peppers, 1 tin anchovies

Note 1. Because can sizes vary, choose the size nearest to the above given amounts.
     Note 2. We like our Antipasto chopped small enough so that you can get a good mixture of          ingredients that will stay on a cracker.

1. Chop cauliflower, green peppers, red peppers, olives, beans, dill pickles and pickled onions.
2. Place in a large heavy bottomed soup pot with olive oil and pickle brine
3. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 10 minutes, stirring constantly.
4. Chop mushrooms, flake tuna and set aside.
5. Add ketchup, chili sauce, stir well to combine and simmer for another 10 minutes stirring constantly. (It will burn quickly if not stirred) 
6. Remove from heat and add tuna, mushrooms and any optional ingredients. Stir well to combine.
7. Spoon into 1/2 pint jars leaving 1/2 inch headspace,
8. Top with hot snap lids and screw tops moderately tight.
9. Process in canner for 20 minutes.
10. Remove each batch from the canner and place on towels. Cover with another towel and let them cool to room temperature.  Label and store in a dark, cool place.

Reuben Meatloaf

I like reuben sandwiches so why not a reuben meatloaf? It's very tasty, I love the pairing of sauerkraut, ground beef, and swiss cheese in this recipe. If you wish, you can put a layer of corned beef slices on top of the sauerkraut which would add an authentic taste as in a reuben sandwich. Leftovers are great served cold for sandwiches.

• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef, I used lean
• 1 egg
• 2/3 cup bread crumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons cucumber relish
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup Thousand Island Dressing
• 1 cup sauerkraut, drained and chopped
• 1 cup grated Swiss cheese, divided
• Aluminum foil

1. In a bowl, mix together the first eight ingredients.
2. Lay out a piece of aluminum foil, spray with cooking oil. Pat meat mixture onto the foil into a rectangular shape that will fit your  9" x  5"  baking pan.
3. Spread with thousand island dressing, top with sauerkraut, and half of the grated swiss cheese.
4. Roll up jelly roll style, peeling away the foil as you roll. Seal the seam and ends.
5. Place in greased baking pan.
6. Bake uncovered in a 375º oven for 50 to 55 minutes. When cooked, drain off any juices collected in pan.
7. Sprinkle the other half of the swiss cheese over meatloaf, place back in oven, and bake a few more minutes until cheese is melted.
8. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes before slicing, using a sharp knife.
9. Delicious served with mashed potatoes, creamed peas, and a salad. 

Apple Pie Scones

I recently stopped by a local bakery and picked up a few scones.  One was an 'Apple Pie Scone' and we rather liked it.  I converted one of my scone recipes to something similar and will give it the same name. 

• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup cold butter
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped apple (tart apples such as Honeycrisp or Granny Smith are best)
• 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup buttermilk

Glaze:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup icing sugar

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F. 
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, sugar, baking powder and baking soda.
3. Cut in the butter, using a pastry blender...or grate with a coarse grater and combine with fingertips. 
4. In separate bowl, add brown sugar and cinnamon to diced apple and stir to coat.  Add to dry ingredients and stir to distribute apple pieces throughout.
5. Whisk together the eggs and buttermilk.
6. Stir this mixture into the dry ingredients. 
7. Drop by large spoonfuls (ice-cream scoop) onto parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
8. Bake until golden...15 to 18 minutes.
9. While still warm, drizzle with glaze.  (Heat butter and milk together in microwave for 30 seconds on high. Add brown sugar and cinnamon and stir until sugar is melted. Stir in icing sugar a little at a time until smooth and desired thickness.)

 Yield: 1 dozen large scones.

Tip: Scones are best enjoyed fresh from the oven.  They do freeze well, however.  Just thaw, heat and serve.

Enjoy!
 

Fleisch Perishky (pastry meat pockets) Regular and Gluten- Free Version

For Flash Back Friday I thought I'd pull up this recipe that I first posted in December of 2010, that has options for both regular and gluten free recipes. I want to add one more variation - that you can make regular or gluten free as you wish.

Recently, we went to meet our granddaughter arriving on a very long flight from Australia. I knew she would be hungry so I decided to make one of her favorite treats, gluten free pizza pockets. They are pictured above, ready to go to the airport.

You can use either one of the dough recipes found on this post or use your own favorite pizza dough recipe or use one of my gluten free ones, either the one found here .. or you could also use the dough recipe found here for my cottage cheese rolls.

The pizza pockets are easy to make ... my kids prefer them with pizza sauce and grated cheese.  Just roll out the dough, cut into squares, drop a spoonful of pizza sauce and grated cheese, fold into a triangle and make sure you pinch/seal the edges well.   Bake in a 375 degree oven for about 20-25 minutes until they are golden brown and smell delicious.


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 original post...

I have had this recipe forever and have no idea where I got it from but I always get rave reviews when I make them.

The pastry is an unusual yeast pastry that is light and flaky, very soft to handle but rolls out easily.

I was making these for a Christmas party and knew there were a couple of other Celiacs coming other than me so I made a GF version that was proclaimed to be as good as the regular ones. When the regular ones were gone the GF ones were polished off as well.

Regular Wheat Pastry

• 2/3 cup warm water
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1 tbsp yeast
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 cup butter or 1/2 cup shortening and 1/2 cup butter
• 4 egg yolks

1. Let yeast proof in sugar and warm water
2. cut fat into flour
3. Beat egg yolks and add yeast mixture
4. Mix liquids into flour mixture and mix well . Dough will be soft but not sticky. Adding a little more flour as needed, knead lightly until smooth .
5. Roll out quite thin on floured surface and cut into strips - desired length and wide enough to enough to fold over and pinch together over filling - pinch ends closed as well.





6. For filling I use a smoked farmer sausage (uncooked) - Mennonite Farmer Sausage is wonderful , or you could use smokies or other favorite sausages or a meat filling such as ground roast beef moistened with mayonnaise and spices. Cut the Farmer Sausage in half lengthwise and then in half again - and into desired lengths.
7. Place on pan and bake (without letting them rise) at 400' for about 20 minutes or until lightly browned.
8. We prefer them eaten cold.

My Gluten-Free version

• 1/3 cup water
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp unflavored gelatin
• 1 tbsp. yeast
• 1/4 cup white bean flour
• 1/4 cup brown rice flour
• 1/4 cup potato starch
• 1/4 sweet rice flour
• 1 tsp zanthan gum
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 egg yolk

1. Mix 1/3 cup warm water with sugar and gelatin , sprinkle yeast on top , stir and let proof until doubled in volume.
2. Mix all dry ingredients together and then cut in butter
3. Add beaten egg yolk to yeast and stir
4. Add liquid to flour and mix together well.
5. If dough is sticky add a little more sweet rice flour and knead lightly on a floured (with sweet rice flour) until smooth .
6. Dough will be very soft and difficult to roll out. I found it worked well to pinch off a piece of dough and form it around the piece of sausage. (see reg. recipe for tips on filling)
7. Place on pan and bake at 400' for about 15/20 minutes until light brown.
8. We prefer them eaten cold.

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