Author Topic: The Recipe Box  (Read 59814 times)

VmSoze

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The Recipe Box
« on: November 20, 2007, 10:38:47 AM »
OK, I know there are some great chefs hanging around the boards... why not share your favorite recipes with the rest of the class.

Let's Get Cookin, folks!

;D  ;D  ;D

lise

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Re: The Recipe Box
« Reply #1 on: November 20, 2007, 01:55:06 PM »
OK these are cookies I often make around the holidays... not because they are particularly holiday-ee but rather they store well, everyone seems to like them, and they aren't so sweet that you feel bad afterwards. The recipe came from the Washington Post food section.

Lemon Cream Sandwich Cookies

Makes about 20 sandwich cookies
The mixing method for this
cookie dough is similar to that for
a pie crust, resulting in tender,
flaky rounds to contain the sweet
and tart filling. Adapted from
cookbook author Elinor Klivans.
The finished cookies can be
stored in an airtight container for
up to 3 days; or freeze them,
individually wrapped and placed
in food storage plastic freezer
bags, for up to 2 months.

For the cookies:
1 1/2 cups flour
6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks) cold
unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces
1 tablespoon chilled lemon juice
3 to 4 tablespoons ice water
1 large egg white, beaten till lightly frothy
Sugar, for sprinkling

For the filling:

2 ounces ( 1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Position 2 oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven;
preheat to 375 degrees. Line 2 shiny metal (not dark) baking sheets with parchment paper.

For the cookies: Place the flour in the bowl of a stand mixer. On low
speed, add the butter pieces in increments over the course of about 45
seconds, just until some of the coated butter pieces are pea-size. (You
will still see loose flour.) If you don't have a stand mixer just do it the way you would
a pie shell or biscuits, using either a pastry cutter or a couple of forks (then of course your hands).
Add the lemon juice, then slowly add the
water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Stop mixing as soon as the mixture
begins to hold together, about 30 seconds. Turn the dough out onto a
lightly floured work surface and divide in half. Form each piece of
dough into a 4-inch disk, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for
about 20 minutes, until the dough is cold and firm.
Remove 1 piece of dough from the refrigerator. Lightly flour the work
surface and rolling pin. Roll the dough into a circle about 10 inches in
diameter and 1/8 inch thick. Using a 2-inch cutter, cut out circles and
place them on the baking sheets about 3/4 inch apart. (The cookies will
not spread.) Repeat with the second disk of dough. Press the dough
scraps together, roll and cut additional circles. You should have about
40 cookies; make sure you have an even number.
Use a pastry brush to lightly brush each cookie with the frothy egg
white, then sprinkle lightly with sugar. Bake for 6 minutes, then rotate
the baking sheets from top to bottom and back to front. Bake for 5
minutes, just until the bottoms are golden. (The cookies will have
puffed slightly.) Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer
the cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

While the cookies are cooling, make the filling: Combine the butter,
confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract, lemon juice and lemon zest in a
small bowl, mixing until smooth. Spread a thin layer of filling on the
bottom of half of the cookies. Press another cookie, bottom side down,
onto each frosted cookie.

If you don't feel like making the filling you can use pre-made lemon curd.
Strikeouts are boring - besides that, they're fascist.  Throw some ground balls.  More democratic.

lise

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Re: The Recipe Box
« Reply #2 on: November 20, 2007, 01:55:56 PM »
oh yeah ... I forgot the bad news... but it's the holidays! So enjoy :D

Per cookie: 131 calories, 1 g protein, 11 g carbohydrates, 9 g fat, 25
mg cholesterol, 6 g saturated fat, 4 mg sodium, 0 g dietary fiber
Strikeouts are boring - besides that, they're fascist.  Throw some ground balls.  More democratic.

VmSoze

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Re: The Recipe Box
« Reply #3 on: November 20, 2007, 02:05:02 PM »
oh yeah ... I forgot the bad news... but it's the holidays! So enjoy :D

Per cookie: 131 calories, 1 g protein, 11 g carbohydrates, 9 g fat, 25
mg cholesterol, 6 g saturated fat, 4 mg sodium, 0 g dietary fiber


none of that... this is for recipes, not guilt trips ;)

lise

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Re: The Recipe Box
« Reply #4 on: November 20, 2007, 02:34:03 PM »
Well if that is the case then here is my standard chocolate cake recipe. I use it as is, or I forget about the ganache frosting and cover the cake with a layer of chocolate mousse followed by a layer of whipped cream with some chocolate shavings on top. I usually add a bit of coffee, or orange liquor to the mousse because it compliments the chocolate.

The cake itself is more cocoa based so it isn't as sweet, which is good since the ganache is really just the center of a chocolate truffle spread as an icing (with a full pound of chocolate).

For cake layers
3 ounces fine-quality semisweet chocolate such as Callebaut
1 1/2 cups hot brewed coffee
3 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 large eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups well-shaken buttermilk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla

For ganache frosting
1 pound fine-quality semisweet chocolate such as Callebaut  (I often use Ghirardelli)
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter

Special equipment
two 10- by 2-inch round cake pans

Make cake layers:
Preheat oven to 300°F. and grease pans. Line bottoms with rounds of wax paper and grease paper.
Finely chop chocolate and in a bowl combine with hot coffee. Let mixture stand, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is
melted and mixture is smooth.
Into a large bowl sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another large bowl with
an electric mixer beat eggs until thickened slightly and lemon colored (about 3 minutes with a standing mixer or 5 minutes
with a hand-held mixer). Slowly add oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted chocolate mixture to eggs, beating until combined
well. Add sugar mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined well. Divide batter between pans and bake in
middle of oven until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes.
Cool layers completely in pans on racks. Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert layers onto racks. Carefully
remove wax paper and cool layers completely. Cake layers may be made 1 day ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic
wrap, at room temperature.
Make frosting:
Finely chop chocolate. In a 1 1/2- to 2-quart saucepan bring cream, sugar, and corn syrup to a boil over moderately low
heat, whisking until sugar is dissolved. Remove pan from heat and add chocolate, whisking until chocolate is melted. Cut
butter into pieces and add to frosting, whisking until smooth.
Transfer frosting to a bowl and cool, stirring occasionally, until spreadable (depending on chocolate used, it may be
necessary to chill frosting to spreadable consistency).

Spread frosting between cake layers and over top and sides. Cake keeps, covered and chilled, 3 days. Bring cake to room
temperature before serving.
Serves 12 to 14.

Gourmet
March 1999
Engine Co. No. 28, Los Angeles CA
Strikeouts are boring - besides that, they're fascist.  Throw some ground balls.  More democratic.

saltine

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Re: The Recipe Box
« Reply #5 on: November 20, 2007, 05:34:10 PM »
I got this recipe from a friend last Christmas:

Chocolate-covered Cherries

I'm going to give you the original recipe first, and then tell you how I've modified it.
 
1 pound 10-X sugar (very fine powdered sugar)
1/3 cup butter (softened)
1/3 cup white Karo Syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 10 ounce jar maraschino cherries with stems (drained)
1 12 ounce bag chocolate chips
paraffin (small shavings to help chocolate set and shine)
 
Mix first 5 ingredients by hand, roll into 1" balls and place on waxed paper lined cookie sheet and chill in refrigerator.  (I think this is called fondant.)
 
Flatten ball with thumb, wrap around cherry, leaving the stem on and uncovered, and place back on cookie sheet to chill again.
 
Melt chocolate chips and paraffin in a double boiler.  Holding the cherry by the stem (it's a little handle), dip cherries and place on wax paper or parchment paper, stem at the top.
 
This is what I do differently:
 
I use extra-large cherries.
 
Drain cherries and place in bourbon, rum, or other liquor you like.  When ready to form ball around them, drain slightly.  Soak them a few hours or even overnight.
 
I don't measure the chocolate.  I just keep adding more as it gets low along with a shaving of paraffin.
 
You can use a half gallon size jar of cherries which will make several batches for office parties, family, etc. 
 
I have to tip the double boiler slightly to dip cherries so it's easier if someone is tipping while someone else is dipping.
 
Turn the heat as low as possible to keep chocolate from burning.
 
Happy Dipping! 
« Last Edit: November 20, 2007, 05:36:39 PM by saltine »
Texan Down Under

lise

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Re: The Recipe Box
« Reply #6 on: November 20, 2007, 06:32:28 PM »
that sounds fantastic!!!
Strikeouts are boring - besides that, they're fascist.  Throw some ground balls.  More democratic.

saltine

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Re: The Recipe Box
« Reply #7 on: November 20, 2007, 06:47:53 PM »
The chocolate-covered cherries are really great to take to office parties, very transportable. 

Here's a very-very-couldn't-be-easier-or-tastier recipe but it's been around awhile so everyone probably has this one:

Heat the oven to warm (very lo setting; hot air basically).  Lay mini twisted pretzels very close together in a single layer on a pan. I use a pizza pan covered in foil wrap and serve them off that as a tray.  In the center of each pretzel lay one rollo. Set in oven until rollo gets soft (don't let it melt, keep checking it).  Take out of oven and press a walnut half or pecan half into the rollo to squish it down.  Let it cool.  If you let the rollos get too soft in the oven, it's OK to refrigerator the finished candy until ready to use it.   

Note:  Rollos in Aus are chocolate-covered soft caramels.  I think it's the same in the US.  They come in a large package individually wrapped.
Texan Down Under

Lynch

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Re: The Recipe Box
« Reply #8 on: November 20, 2007, 07:59:59 PM »
I'm actually salivating reading these posts.  I never realized we had this level on culinary skill on the boards.

Bravo to all of you!

ses

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Re: The Recipe Box
« Reply #9 on: November 20, 2007, 09:53:42 PM »
I like this recipe a lot, it is from Giada De Laurentiis on the Food Network.  I have made a few changes, and the Italian sausage can always be omitted for a vegetarian dish.

Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables

1 lb Italian sausage, casing removed and sautéed in a skillet until cooked
1 red pepper, cored and cut into 1-inch wide strips
1 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 Japanese eggpland, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch cubes
6 cremini mushrooms, quartered
1 yellow onion, peeled and sliced into 1-inch strips
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 tablespoon dried Italian herb mix
1 pound penne pasta
3 cups marinara sauce (store bought or homemade)
1 cup grated fontina cheese
1/2 cup grated smoked mozzarella
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/3 cup for topping
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
crushed red pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

On a baking sheet, toss the peppers, zucchini, squash, mushrooms, and onions with olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and dried herbs. Roast until tender, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook for about 6 minutes. Since you will be cooking the pasta a second time in the oven, you want to make sure the inside is still hard. Drain in
a colander.

In a large bowl, toss the drained pasta with the Italian sausage, roasted vegetables, marinara sauce, cheeses, peas, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and crushed red pepper. Using a wooden spoon, gently mix, until all the pasta is coated with the sauce and the ingredients are combined.

Pour the pasta into a greased 9 by 13-inch pan. Top with the remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan and butter pieces. Bake until top is golden and cheese melts, about 25 minutes.

P.S. The smoked mozzarella is a must, it really makes the dish.
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