Tag Archives: desserts

Food

Hamantaschen

Leave a comment

Since Purim is tomorrow, I thought I would post my Hamantaschen recipe (or the one I use;). You make a cookie dough, then the filling dough, then you assemble. That is how this recipe will be formatted.

Cookie Dough:

Ingredients

2 cups AP Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
Pinch of Salt
1/2 cup Sugar
8 tbl (1 Stick) Unsalted Butter, cold and cut into small cubes
2 Eggs, lightly beaten
1 tbl Lemon Zest

Process

Sift flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Work butter into dry ingredients (with forks or a pastry blender) until a consistent pebbly texture. The add the eggs one at a time while mixing with a pastry blender. Then add the lemon zest and form into a ball. Then refrigerator for 1 hour.

Poppy Seed (Mohn) Filling

Ingredients

1 cup Poppy Seeds
1/2 cup Honey
1/2 cup Milk
1 tbl Lemon Juice
2 tsp Lemon Zest
1/2 cup Raisins

Process

Mix it poppy seeds, honey and milk together in a saucepan and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring constantly. The mixture will thicken. Then stir in remaining ingredients and set aside to cool. Take care to not over cook because it will cause a dry filling and therefore a dry cookie.

Assembly

Ingredients

Cookie Dough
Filling
1 Egg beaten with 1 tbl of water

Process

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Then roll out dough to about 1/8th an inch. I roll between 2 pieces of parchment, wax paper or silicon liners from my cookie sheet. Then cut dough into 3 or 4 inch circles depending on size of you cutter or glass. Place a tsp of filling in the middle and fold dough around it into the shape of a triangle. Then brush dough and bake about 20 minutes. They will brown when they are done.

Makes about 30.

Technorati Tags: Hamantaschen, Purim

Food

Easter Story Cookies

Leave a comment

This recipe and activity floats around every year. My kids are finally old enough to start understanding the process so I think we will do it this year. It is a great homeschool activity because you are doing religion, math (measuring and cooking), and science.

EASTER STORY COOKIES

To be made the evening before Easter

You need:
1 cup whole pecans
1 tsp. Vinegar
3 egg whites
pinch salt
1 cup sugar
zipper baggie
wooden spoon
tape
Bible
Preheat oven to 300 degrees Immediately
(this is important-don’t wait until you’re half done with the recipe)!

Place pecans in zipper baggie and let children beat them with
the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after
Jesus was arrested.He was beaten by the Roman soldiers.
Read John 19:1-3.

Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp. Vinegar
into mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty
on the cross, He was given vinegar to drink.
Read John 19:28-30.

Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life.
Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life.
Read John 10:10-11.

Sprinkle a little salt into each child’s hand.
Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl.
Explain that this represents the salty tears shed
by Jesus’ followers, and the bitterness of our own sin.
Read Luke 23:27.

So far, the ingredients are not very appetizing.
Add 1cup sugar.
Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that
Jesus died because He loves us.
He wants us to know and belong to Him.
Read Ps. 34:8 and John 3:16.

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes
until stiff peaks are formed.
Explain that the color white Represents –in God’s eyes —
the purity of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus.
Read Isa. 1:18 and John 3:1-3.

Fold in broken nuts.
Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper-covered cookie sheet.
Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb
where Jesus’ body was laid.
Read Matt. 27:57-60.

Put the cookie sheet in the oven,
close the door and turn the oven OFF.

Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door.
Explain that Jesus’ tomb was sealed.
Read Matt. 27:65-66.

GO TO BED!
Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in
the oven overnight. Jesus’ followers were in despair
when the tomb was sealed.
Read John 16:20 and 22.

On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie.
Notice the cracked surface and take a bite.
The cookies are hollow!

On the first Easter, Jesus’ followers were amazed to
find the tomb open and empty.
Read Matt. 28:1-9

Share The Easter Cookie Story With Friends and Family!

Technorati Tags: EasterEaster Story Cookies

Food

Easy Chocolate Souffle

Leave a comment

So I found this easy individual chocolate souffles that only have 79 calories (and 0.6g of Fat) in Cooking Light. These are all ingredients that are usually on hand, so it is great to meet that craving or entertaining guests.

Ingredients:
4 1/2 Tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/2 Tablespoons Dutch process cocoa
2 Tablespoons fat-free milk
1/4 Teaspoon vanilla
1 large egg white
1 Teaspoon powdered sugar

Process
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Coat 2 (6 ounce) ramekins with cooking spray; sprinkle each with 3/4 teaspoon of sugar
3. Combine 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, flour, cocoa and milk in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook 2 minutes, stirring until smooth. Spoon chocolate mixture into a medium bowl; cool 4 minutes. Stir in vanilla.
4. Place egg white in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until soft peaks form. Add remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form(do not overbeat). gently stir 1/4 egg mixture into chocolate mixture; gently fold in remaining egg white mixture. Spoon mixture into prepared dishes. Sharply tap dishes 2 or 3 times to level. Place dishes on a basking sheet, bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until puffy and set. Sprinkle each souffle with 1/2 teaspoon powdered sugar. Serve immediately.

Now of course I had to make a couple of changes. I used 2% milk (that is what we had). I also used sweetened cocoa because NerdDad doesn’t like things to dark chocolately. It was great!

Technorati Tags: Chocolate,Desserts, Entertaining

Food

Strawberry Amaretto Pastries

Leave a comment

I saw the year’s first strawberries so I was reminded of a recipe I used to make at parties when I sold Pampered Chef. It seems hard but it really isn’t. It is girly and delicious! I think I will use this for a tea party with the kids and any Easter Entertaining(when the strawberries get good and cheap;).

The Pampered Chef ®
Strawberry Amaretto Pastries
Recipe

1/2 package (17.3 ounces) frozen puff pastry sheets (1 sheet), thawed
1/2 cup sliced almonds, divided
2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
1 orange
1 container (8 ounces) sour cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/2 cups thawed, frozen whipped topping
12 large strawberries, sliced

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Unfold pastry dough onto Large Round Stone. Coarsely grate half of the almonds using Deluxe Cheese Grater. Combine grated almonds and half of the sugar; sprinkle evenly over surface of dough. Lightly press almond mixture into dough using Baker’s Roller®.
2. Using Pizza Cutter, cut dough lengthwise into three strips; cut strips crosswise into four squares for a total of 12 squares. Using Mini-Serving Spatula, separate squares evenly over surface of baking stone. Bake 16-18 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Remove from baking stone; cool completely.
3. Place remaining almonds in Small Oval Baker. Microwave on HIGH 2-3 minutes or until lightly toasted, stirring after each 30-second interval; coarsely chop using Food Chopper and set aside. Zest entire orange using Lemon Zester/Scorer. Combine zest and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar; set aside.
4. Whisk sour cream, powdered sugar and almond extract in Classic Batter Bowl using Stainless Whisk. Fold in whipped topping using Small Mix ‘N Scraper®. Slice strawberries using Egg Slicer Plus®. Split open each pastry square; arrange half of the strawberries into bottom of each shell. Top each with about 2 heaping tablespoons of the filling and sprinkle with chopped almonds. Top with remaining sliced strawberries and sprinkle with sugared orange zest. Place tops of pastry shells over filling. Serve immediately.

Food

Rice Crispy Treats

Leave a comment


I know that everyone has had these but they don’t put the recipe on the box anymore. So here is the basics and then I made some delicious variations.

Ingredients:
3 tbl butter
4 cups of mini-marshmallows or 1 package of big marshmallows
6 cups Rice Crispy cereal or derivative

Process:
Butter (or butter flavored no-stick spray) a 7 X 11 1/2 for nice thick squares. Melt the butter in a heavy pan and then melt marshmallows. As soon as they are almost smooth stop, otherwise you will have softness issues. Then dump in cereal and stir, stir, stir until fully mixed. Then dump into the dish. Take a sandwich bag and turn it inside out and spray lightly with no-stick spray. Then use it to push down the mixture. Let cool and eat!

Now the specials I added. I found chocolate marshmallows on Valentine’s clearance at Target (I didn’t know they existed) and used 1/2 plain cereal and 1/2 chocolate (it came in the box that way). Then I took icing in a can (also clearance) and was playing with the tips, thus the different patterns.

Food

Freezer Friday: Snickerdoodles

Leave a comment

Welcome to Freezer Friday and yes, this is my standard Freezer Friday intro! Since I haven’t done a make ahead dessert, here is one of my favorites!

Due to the fact I have 4 little ones and homeschool, I need all the help I can find. Simply post a recipe that can be made, frozen and then later reheated(thawed, etc) and consumed. Make sure that you include freezing and reheating instructions in your post. Then come here and add you post (not your blog) into Mr. Linky.
Now for some disclaimers:
If it isn’t a recipe, I will delete it.
If it can’t be made ahead, I will delete it.
If you don’t have a family friendly site, I will delete it.
Now onto the food fun!

Snickerdoodles:

Here is an easy snickerdoodle. You can freeze the dough once in balls and cook later. It is a great recipe do make with kids. I have the 5 yr old roll the balls and the 3 yr old rolls them in cinnamon and sugar. So on with the recipe.

Ingredients:
1 cup shortening
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 3/4 cup flour
2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

cinnamon
sugar

Procedure
1. Mix shortening, sugar and eggs
2. Add dry ingredients
3. Roll into balls the size of walnuts
4. Roll in mixture of cinnamon(1) and sugar(2)
5. Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes

Food

Rocky Road Delight

Leave a comment

This is a great entertaining recipe that I have appropriated from Pampered Chef. The other nice thing is you can use up what ever left over candy bars(mini or full size) you may have around. Including but not limited to Halloween candy and Easter candy though it is recommended you use something with nougat, caramel, nuts or the like. The recipe says to serve with graham crackers but I really like it with miniature pretzels. I also mix up the base early in the day, let it sit on the counter and then put it in right before company comes.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup milk chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1 container (8oz)frozen whipped topping, thawed (aka Cool Whip or knock off)
2 full size bars or 4 mini bars chocolate based candy, roughly chopped
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1/3 cup peanuts, chopped
Pretzels or Graham Crackers to dip

Process:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place chocolate morsels and whipped topping in a bowl. Microwave uncovered on high for 1-2 minutes or until melted, stirring every 30 seconds. Then spoon into a small baking dish.
2. Sprinkle coarsely shopped candy bars over the chocolate base. Top with marshmallows then nuts. Bake 8-10 minutes or until marshmallows are lightly toasted.