Graham Cracker Crust

Graham Cracker Crust

Ingredients

1 cup Graham Cracker crumbs

1 TBSP Sugar

Pinch of salt

5 TBSP unsalted butter, melted and cooled.

Instructions

Heat oven to 350

Dump all ingredients into a bowl and mix together.

Dump the mixture into a 9 inch pie plate and use your fingers and the bottom of a bowl to press the mixture up the walls of the pie plate.  Strive for uniformity!  J

Bake crust for 12 to 15 minutes.  Remove and let cool before filling it with your choice of goodness!

Ginger Pecan Scones

Ginger Pecan Scones

Scones require a “biscuit hand” which is to say that you must handle them as little as possible and work with very cold ingredients

.

Oven to 450 degrees

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour

3 TBSP sugar

1 TBSP baking powder

½ tsp salt

5 TBSP unsalted FROZEN butter

½ cup chopped pecans

¼ cup chopped candied ginger

1 cup cream

1 TBSP sugar for tops

Instructions

Add flour, sugar, baking powder and salt to mixing bowl. 

Stir dry ingredients together. 

Grate FROZEN butter into mixing bowl with flour.

Add nuts and ginger to bowl and mix it all up.

Make sure that the butter shavings are all separated and covered in the flour mixture.

Make a well in bowl and add cream.

Using a large mixing fork, move flour into cream until all the flour mixture is wet.  NOT TOO MUCH!

Dump mixture onto cold floured surface.  I use my granite counter top.

Push together dough until it forms a solid flat mass about an inch high.

Fold dough into thirds three times.  Visually divide dough mass into three parts.  Fold the left side to the center and then take the right third and fold it onto the top.   Flatten dough again and repeat twice more.

Form the last fold into an oblong rectangle.  Start at the center of the mass and mark out three inch spaces along the dough.  Using the lines cut a diagonal from one straight line to the next and then the straight lines.  You’ll end up with triangles of dough to put on parchment paper.

Brush the tops with an egg wash and then take a TBSP of sugar and sprinkle over the top of the scones.

Bake for 12 to fifteen minutes in the middle of your oven.  Don’t overcook them!

They are so good hot with some tea and jam….

Variation:

Leave out the pecans and ginger and get a cup of frozen blueberries and incorporate a third of them into the middle of the folds for each of the three sequences of folds. 

Ginger White Chocolate Cookies

Ginger White Chocolate Cookies

I first tried something like this in Leavenworth, WA and began to try and duplicate this cookie.  How much ginger is a personal taste thing so add or subtract as you wish.  I have gone with the middle of the road in this recipe.  Also, experiment with the nuts.  I am using pecans because it is what I have in the cupboard but I would have used Macadamia nuts if I could have chosen any nut.

Ingredients

1 ¼ cup all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

½ tsp ground ginger

1 cup soft butter (two sticks)

¾ cup brown sugar

¾ cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp Vanilla

3 cups oats

1 12 ounce white chocolate chips

1 cup pecans

½ cup diced candied ginger

Instructions

Heat oven to 375 degrees

Combine first four ingredients in a bowl (Flour, soda, salt and ground ginger)

In a mixer, blend

Sugars and butter till fluffy

Then add eggs and vanilla

When fully incorporated add

Remaining ingredients (oats, white chocolate, pecans, and candied ginger)

Don’t overmix!

Use a small scooper to put 12 rounded cookies on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper and cook for 8 – 9 minutes.  Don’t overcook!

Take out and put on rack to cool.

Repeat as needed.

Strawberry Mascarpone Layer Cake

 

INGREDIENTS
Preheat Oven to 325F Degrees

FOR THE CAKE
1 box of white cake mix, sifted
1 c. cake flour, sifted
1 c. sugar
1 1/3 c. whole milk
1 c. sour cream
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 egg whites

FOR THE FILLING
1 1/2 c. heavy whipping cream
2 cartons of strawberries (or 1 large carton)

FOR THE FROSTING
12 oz. of mascarpone cheese (1 1/2 containers)
2 tsp. vanilla
1 c. powdered sugar, sifted
2 c. heavy whipping cream

Optional: Graham Cracker Crumbs
 

DIRECTIONS

For the Cake:
In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with paddle attachment, whisk together cake mix, flour and sugar. Then add in milk, sour cream, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Scrape down sides and mix again until well incorporated. Finally add in egg whites.

Grease 2-8 inch round pans. Divide batter equally among 2 pans. Bake for 30-40 minutes until the top of the cakes are slightly golden brown and inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow the cake to slightly cool. Then turn them out and let cool completely.

If cake is not completely flat, use either a cake leveler or knife, to make cake completely even.

For the Filling:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip heavy whipping cream, on high speed until stiff peaks form. Set aside in refrigerator.

Using half a carton- hull strawberries and slice lengthwise. Set aside.

Then, place one carton of strawberries in the bowl of  a food processor and pulse until the sauce appears to be like a "chunky applesauce." Using a strainer, push the strawberry puree through- to get rid of excess water. Fold strained strawberry puree (i.e., puree minus the water) into the whipped cream. The whipped topping will become a pink color when puree is well incorporated. Then fold in sliced strawberries.

Keep in refrigerator until assembling cake. Reserve 1/2 carton of strawberries for decorating.

For the Frosting:
In a medium bowl, whisk together mascarpone cheese, vanilla and powdered sugar with a spatula until well blended and smooth. Then, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip heavy whipping cream, on high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in whipped cream into the cheese mixture.

Assembling the Cake:
Place one 8-inch round cake on serving plate (on a cake turn table, preferred). Then using a large (1M) circle tip, pipe a border around the top (edge) of the cake (i.e., creating a wall). Make another border on top of the already piped border. You want a tall border to prevent the filling from spilling out. Within this border, place a large, heaping scoop of strawberry filling (you may not use all of the filling). Using  a spatula, spread the strawberry filling over the top of the cake.

Gently place the second 8-inch round cake directly on top of filling, slightly pressing down and making sure the second layer of cake is perfectly aligned with the second. Cover cake with mascarpone frosting. Decorate as desired using the remaining frosting and strawberries.

Optional: After frosting the cake, but before decorating-- I chose to cover the side of the cake with graham cracker crumbs. I accomplished this by having a handful of graham cracker crumbs and pushing them against the side of the cake, very gently.

 

Original Source: http://fortheloveofdessert.blogspot.com/2013/08/strawberry-mascarpone-layer-cake.html

Cake slightly adapted from Just a Pinch

Mascarpone frosting slightly adapted from Baked Bree

Spanakopita -Spinach Pie

 Spanakopita -Greek Spinach Pie

 Decide if you are going to use Fresh or frozen spinach. With Fresh you have to wash your greens and then remove the stems before you fry it up in a pan.  With frozen you have to defrost the spinach the night before.  With both you have to put into a colander and press out ALL the water from the greens before using.  Frozen spinach is easier to work with and I typically use it.

For the filling:

2 lb. spinach, coarsely chopped according to the instructions above.

1/2  cup olive oil

I medium onion

1 bunch scallions (about 3 oz. or 10 small), white and light-green parts only, trimmed and finely chopped

2 cups crumbled feta cheese (10 oz.)

1/2 cup finely grated Greek kefalotyri cheese or Parmigiano-Reggiano

1/2  cup cottage cheese

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/4cup finely chopped fresh dill or two tsp dried dill

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

Kosher or fine sea salt

For the assembly:

1/3 cup Melted butter more as needed

10 9x14-inch sheets frozen filo dough (I use whatever Cash and Carry has), thawed and at room temperature

Instructions

Oven to 350 degrees

Make sure that your spinach is drained of water and processed.

Sauté onions in olive oil till translucent.

Add scallions and cook for five more minutes.

In a large pan, add spinach, onion mixture, feta, Parmigiano, cottage cheese and herbs and spices.  Mix well

Add beaten eggs and mix again.

Butter the bottom and sides of a baking dish sufficient to hold the filo sheets.

Work quickly with the filo as it will dry out exposed to the air rather quickly.

Butter five sheets, one at a time and let them cover the bottom and sides of the baking dish.

Add in your spinach mixture.

Butter four sheets, one at a time and let them cover the bottom and sides of the baking dish.

Tuck the sides of the filo towards the center and with the last perfect piece of  filo, place the filo on top.

Score the pie with your design.  Triangles are traditional, but make squares if you want to! 

Sprinkle water on top-okay, I use a spray bottle to prevent the filo from curling up while cooking.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until puffed and golden brown.

Go over your scored lines again and serve them up!

Opa!

Pastitsio

Pastitsio-adapted from Jeff Smith’s recipe.

Meat Mixture

2 tbsp olive oil
1 large Peeled and finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 pounds lean ground beef
2 large can peeled tomatoes, pulsed on processor (or used chopped tomatoes)
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp cloves

Macaroni

4 quarts water
salt
1 lb ziti
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tbsp butter, melted
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Béchamel –white sauce

4 tbsp butter
4 tbsp flour

¼ tsp nutmeg
2 cups warm milk –pour it in a bowl and use the microwave for this.
2 eggs, beaten lightly
2 tbsp dry sherry (optional)
1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Meat Mixture

Heat olive oil in a LARGE SKILLET. Saute onion till golden. Add beef and cook till it just loses its red color, then add and garlic and brown it for a minute or two then add the remaining meat mixture ingredients and simmer, uncovered, for 30-45 MINUTES. It should be thick. Set aside.

Macaroni

Meanwhile, bring the water to a boil in a LARGE STOCKPOT. Add salt and ziti and cook, uncovered about 7-8 minutes. Drain and place in a large bowl. Add melted butter and beaten eggs and grated cheeses. Put half this mixture into the bottom of a greased 9x9x2 inch baking pan and top with about 2/3 of the meat mixture. (You’ll reserve the rest of the meat mixture, keeping it warm to serve atop the final dish). Cover the meat with the remaining half of the pasta.

Béchamel

Prepare the white sauce by melting butter in a large saucepan. Stir in flour and cook for a minute. Gradually add the heated milk and the nutmeg, stirring constantly, and cook till thickened and smooth. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl, then stir in 1/2 cup of the béchamel. Blend and stir the egg/sauce mixture back into the béchamel in the saucepan and CONTINUE to stir over low heat till thickened. Add remaining ingredients to the sauce.

Pour the sauce over the ziti and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is delicately browned. Let sit for at least 10 minutes. Serve with a bit of sauce atop each serving.

Baby Food Cake

Baby Food Cake by Nana Lewis

My mom used to make this cake all the time as we were growing up.  I found it again while going through the oldest cookbook I ever bought.  Love you Mom!

Ingredients

2 cups self-rising flour

2 cups sugar

½ tsp each allspice, cinnamon nutmeg

¾ cup oil

3 jars strained baby food (apricot or peaches)

3 eggs

1 cup nuts

Instructions

Mix dry ingredients together.

Beat wet ingredients together including sugar.

Combine the two.

Add nuts.

Oil and flour bundt pan.

Add in batter and bake for 75 minutes at 300 degrees

Cool for ten minutes and turn out onto rack