Creme Brûlée

 INGREDIENTS

2 ¾ cup (680 ml) whipping cream 1 vanilla bean OR 1 Tbsp (15 ml) vanilla bean paste 4 large egg yolks 1 large whole egg ¾ cup (150 g) sugar, plus extra for the brûlée DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat the oven to 325 F (160 C) and place 6 ramekins or other 6-ounce baking dishes in a large pan where the sides of the pan are higher than the ramekins. 2. Heat the cream on medium low with the scraped seeds of the vanilla bean pod (and the pod, too, if you wish). If using vanilla bean paste, whisk it into the cream and heat. Heat the cream for about 5 minutes, watching so that it doesn’t boil over. 3. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks, whole egg and sugar together. Whisk in the hot cream slowly, whisking constantly (but not overly vigorously) until all has been added. Strain and then ladle or pour this into the ramekins. If any small bubbles appear on the surface of the custards, use the corner of a paper towel to dab them off (the bubbles, if left on, prevent the brûlée from browning easily and evenly). 4. Pour boiling water carefully around the brûlée dishes, so that the water comes up just past halfway up the dishes and carefully take this to the oven. Bake the custards for about 30 minutes, until they are set around the edges, but still have a little jiggle to them when gently moved. Let the custards cool for 10 minutes in the water bath, then remove them using a tea towel or oven mitt to cool completely on a rack. Chill the custards for at least 3 hours before serving. 5. To serve, sprinkle each custard with a thin layer of sugar. Carefully ignite a kitchen butane torch and caramelize the sugar by moving the torch back and forth over the custard, about an inch or 2 away from it. Sprinkle another thin layer of sugar over the first layer and torch it, repeating another 2 times or until the desired caramel layer is achieved. Serve immediately. 6. The brûlées will keep refrigerated (but without the brûlée layer) for up to 2 days. Subscribe for more video recipes: http://goo.gl/MJV4af Anna Olson Books:

Jocelyn and Steve's amazing bubbles

 bubble recipe.   

3 gallons distilled water, 
24 oz Dawn Platinum Dishwashing soap (blue), 
1 T Guar gum powder (i buy mine from Amazon), 
3 T baking powder. 

Mix well, obviously.
Best if made 24 hours before needed.  

Jordan and Hillary's TACOS DORADOS

 Tacos Dorados:

1 chicken breast, cooked and shredded (we like to grill it) with sat and pepper

1/4-1/2 c. salsa

4-6 corn tortillas 

Oil to fry

 

Heat oil in a pan, place tortilla in hot oil, and flip onto both sides. 

When browning begins, add chicken onto the tortilla. Then fold over the tortilla and hold with a tong to help it form. Cook on one side and then flip to  the other side for a light golden brown color. Drain oil and place onto a plate with a napkin or paper towel 

Top with romaine lettuce, and

sharp cheddar cheese. Or anything! We service with rice and refried beans.

Sally Schuman's son, Robert, went to the Hispanic store in Cleveland and brought me this Crema.  SO much tastier than sour cream.

chicken gnocchi soup

 Chicken Gnocchi Soup Servings: 6

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, shredded
1 pound cooked, cubed chicken breast
4 cups chicken broth (from cooked chicken or use store bought)
1 (16 ounce) package mini potato gnocchi
1 (6 ounce) bag baby spinach leaves
1 tablespoon cornstarch (Optional)
2 tablespoons cold water (Optional)
2 cups half-and-half cream or (1 cup of half and half and 1 cup of heavy cream to make it creamier) Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions
Step 1
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook onion, celery, garlic, and carrots in the hot oil until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in cubed chicken and chicken broth; bring to a simmer.

Step 2
Stir gnocchi into the simmering soup and cook until they begin to float, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in spinach; cook until wilted, about 3 additional minutes.

Step 3
Whisk cornstarch into cold water until smooth. Stir cornstarch mixture and half-and-half into simmering soup. Cook until soup thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

Cook's Note
This soup is a great use of leftover chicken, but in my case I just cooked chicken breast that I seasoned with salt, onion and garlic powder, until done. Also, you can find the gnocchi in the pasta section of your grocery store.

Mason Jar Ice Cream-michael symon

 

Strawberry Puree:

1 cup quartered fresh strawberries

2 tablespoons honey

Juice of 1 lemon

Ice Cream:

1 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon sugar

Pinch kosher salt

Special equipment:

 a 32-ounce freezer-safe mason jar with straight or tapered sides

1. For the strawberry puree: Set up a grill for even medium heat. If using a charcoal grill, build the coals evenly along the bottom.
2. Place a small saucepot on the grill. Add the strawberries, honey and lemon juice and bring to a simmer. Cook until the strawberries release their juices and begin to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Puree in a blender until smooth and chill until completely cool, about an hour.
3. For the ice cream: To a 32-ounce freezer-safe mason jar with straight or tapered sides, add the cream, honey, sugar and salt. Pour in the chilled strawberry puree. Top with the lid and vigorously shake into a loose, drippy whipped cream, 3 to 5 minutes. (This will take less time if you use a mason jar that was in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes beforehand.) Make sure the lid is only loosely on, then freeze for 3 hours for soft serve, longer for scoopable ice cream. Serve and enjoy!

mexican street corn chicken taco

 

https://www.sixsistersstuff.com/recipe/mexican-street-corn-chicken-tacos-recipe/?vgo_ee=UZ59%2FHawlGGx0XO6CmaXY735hO7C%2FF3J%2FgQB9Uu3XAY%3D

INGREDIENTS YOU NEED TO FOR OUR MEXICAN STREET CORN CHICKEN TACOS RECIPE:

• Olive oil
• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cooked and shredded)
• Cumin
• Chili powder
• Garlic powder
• Salt
• Pepper
• Frozen corn
• Mayonnaise
• Cotija cheese
• Lime juice
• Jalapeno pepper (finely chopped)
• Fresh cilantro
• Red onion (finely chopped)
• Garlic cloves (minced)
• Corn or flour tortillas
• Avocados

Once the chicken is prepared, heat your olive oil over medium heat in a skillet pan and then add the shredded chicken, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to the pan. 

Stir it all together and continue cooking it until it is heated completely and the chicken is coated in the seasonings. 

Remove the chicken from the skillet and cover it with aluminum foil to keep the chicken warm. 

Now begin to make the street corn. 

Carefully clean out the pan you used for the chicken or use another pan and heat the olive oil over medium heat. 

Once the oil is hot, add in the bag of frozen corn and cook it until it begins to get that nice charred look. 

Be sure to stir the corn occasionally, it will take about 7-8 minutes or so. 

While the corn is cooking, combine the mayonnaise, cheese, lime juice, chopped jalapeno, cilantro, red onion, minced garlic, chili powder, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl and stir it until it is completely combined. 

After the corn is done cooking, carefully fold the corn into the mayonnaise mixture. 

Now it is time to build your delicious taco. 

Start by laying out your tortilla, and then layer about ½ cup of corn, some of the Mexican street corn, some sliced avocados, cotija cheese, and freshly chopped cilantro. 

Tips For Making Mexican Street Corn Tacos On a Time Crunch

If you love the taste of street corn but really don’t have the time to make it all from scratch and have it all ready when you want it, let me give you my two favorite tips. 

#1 – Costco has a wonderful frozen street corn you can buy and use it in place of making the street corn from scratch. It’s delicious and a time saver. 

#2 – To speed up the process of cooking the chicken, follow our instructions to make Instant Pot shredded chicken. It works great and it’s quick!

No Peek Beef

 2 -3 pounds of beef stew meat (cheap is okay it will be tender!!!!) (I used a roast)

1 can cream of mushroom soup (I did low sodium)

1 envelope of brown gravy mix (also low sodium)

1 packet of beefy onion dry soup mix

1 can of water

Mix all together in a 9x13 pan cover completely with tin foil….

Bake at 300* for 3 hours

NO PEAKING!!!

ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!!!!!!

I added 15 minutes of baking at 375 because i had the time but I also didn't smell the meat enough. But I think I might have cut the cubes a bit too big.

But this is so worth it.

Baklava-Inspired Palmiers (Elephant Ears)

 makes 30

1/2 cup unsalted walnuts

1/2 cup unsalted pistachios, shelled

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1 t ground cinnamon

1/2 t ground cardamon

a pinch of salt

2 T brown sugar

10.6 puff pastry

1/2 cup honey, warmed

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Finely crush the walnuts and pistachios..with a mortar and pestle but try to finally chop the nuts.  don't use a food processor since it is nice to have some texture.  In a small bowl, add the butter, followed by the cinnamon, cardamon, salt, nuts, and brown sugar. the mixture should form a nice paste.

Next, roll out the puff pastry in an even, rectangular layer, the spread the nut mixture on top and to the sides.  Firmly roll the pastry from both of the long sides until the two rolls meet in the middle, then press them together.

Using a serated knife, slice the dough into 1/4" slices to yield about 20 pieces.

Bake the cookies for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown, and let them cool for a few minutes. While the cookeis are still warm, brush them with the honey

Let the cookies cool completely then brush again with the honey.

These keep well for up to a week, stored in an airtight container at room temp

52 weeks, 52 sweets by Vedika Luthra

Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sea Salt

 18 cookies

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 t vanilla

1 t salt

1/2 t baking soda

1-1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsalted pecans, chopped

3/4-1 heaping cup dark chocolate , roughly chopped

flaked sea salt for garnishing

Add the butter to a small saucepan and let it melt over medium heat, until it comes to a boil.  Swirl the pan occasionally until brown flecks begin to appear on the surface of the butter, and the liquid begins to turn an amber color.  It should give off a nutty, caramel-like aroma after about 5-8 minutes.  It is better to undercook rather than overcook the butter, since it goes from brown to burnt quickly once it reaches the right color.

Take the butter off the heat and our it into a blow, then let it cool to room temp

Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar to the butter, followed by the egg and vanilla. Once you add the egg, the mixture should thicken Next stir in the salt, baking soda, and flour and stir until wel-incorporated.  Finally fold in the nuts and chocolate chunks

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 days. Chilling the dough makes the flavors more prominent and makes it easier to shape the cookies.  In the meantime, preheat the oven to 350 and line a baking tray with parchment paper.

Roll the dough into 1-1/2 T-sized balls and place about 2" apart on the tray

Bake for 99-10 minutes or until the edges are golden and the center is just set.

If anything, I prefer under-baking the cookies b a minute rather than over-baking them.  This ensures they are chewier and softer, rather than crispier.  Sprinkle the cookies with flaky sea salt. Then let them cool for 5 minutes.  Tasfer to a plate and enjoy

To keep your cookies soft, store them in a slice of bread overnight they will soften up as they absorb the moise

52 weeks, 52 sweets by Vedika Luthra

Morning Glory Muffins

 13-15 muffins

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour

1-1/4 cups sugar

2 t. baking soda

2 t cinnamon

1/2 t salt

2 cups carrots, peeled and shredded (3-4 carrots)

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup unsalted walnuts, chopped

1/2 cup shredded coconut

1 apple, peeled, cored, grated

3 large eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

2 t vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Prepare muffin trays by lining them with paper liners.  You'll need 12-15.  Next in a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt until well-combined.  Add in the grated carrot, raisins, copped nuts, coconut, and apple, stirring to combine.  In a separate bowl mix together the eggs, oil and vanilla.

Stir the wet ingredients into the flour mixture, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl to make sure everything is combined. Do not overmix. Spoon the batter into the prepared liners, all the way to the top.

Bake the muffins for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Let the muffins cool in the tins for several minutes, then remove them and let them cool on a wire rack before enjoying.

Storing: These can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

52 weeks, 52 sweets by Vedika Luthra

Cornish Saffron Loaf

 With my treatments and fatigue level, my main objective right now is cleaning out my inbox. haha. Found this recipe from Mom...thought I'd add it here. In case it wasn't here. Along with a bit of family history.

Cornish Saffron Loaf

Saffron breads and buns appear in Southern England.  My grandmother, Gladys Holman, used to make this my Godmother, Patsy just told me.   She said that at bedtime, tea cups and plates were set out and they'd all have tea and this type of loaf ...but they called it a cake but that it looked like a loaf.  One night when Patsy was visiting my grandparents, my grandfather Poppy, Richard Holman, would pull one of his pranks.  He went to the basement, turned off the lights at the fuse box, crept back up, grabbed Patsy's huge slice already buttered, and washed her face in it, everyone laughing all the while.

This recipe is adapted from a recipe of Wilfred J. Fance, who wrote brilliantly about British baking in the middle years of the twentieth century.

SPONGE

3  teaspoons yeast

2/thirds  cup warm tap water about 100°

1  cup +2 T  bread flour

DOUGH

1 cup whole milk

1/eighth teaspoon crumbled saffron threads

2-3/4 cup bread flour

1/third cup sugar

5 T unsalted butter, cut into 10 pieces and softened

1 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt

1-1/2  cup currants

1 cup golden raisins

1/2 cup candied orange peel, 1/4" dice or more golden raisins if you prefer

2 8x4x2 pans buttered or prayed with cooking spray

1. SPONGE  whisk the yeast into the water; wait 30 seconds, whisk again.  Stir i fliur and cover the bowl.  Let ferment until more than doubled in bulk, about an hour.

2. Meanwhile, bring the milk to a simmer in a small pan.  Off the heat, stir in the saffron.  Let cool until the sponge is ready.

3. Pass the milk through a fine-meshed strainer over the sponge and stir; set aside.

4. put the flour and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and used a rubber spatula to  combine.  Place the bowl on the mixer with dough hook and add butter.  Mix on lowest speed til the butter is absorbed by the flour about 1 minute

5. Add the sponge and saffron mixture to the bowl and mix on  low speed til there are no longer any dry bits of flour, 2 minutes.  let dough rest for 15 minutes

6. Sprinkle in the salt and mix the dough on low for a minute, then add currants and raisins and candied peel. Continue to mix til the dough is smooth and elastic and the fruit is evenly distributed, about 2 minutes longer.

7. Scrape the dough into an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Let dough ferment til doubled about 60-90 minutes.

8. Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide it in half. Form each half into a rough square, then roll each up and drop into the prepared pans, seam side down.  cover and let proof til risen about an inch over the rims of the pans.

9. About 20 minutes before the loaves are fully proffed, set a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 400°

10. Place the fully proofed loaves im teh oven and lower the temp to 375°.  bake until well risen and deep golde with an internakk temp of 200° about 45 minutes.  Check after 20 minutes and, if the tops of the loaves are coloring too quickly, reduce the tep to 350°

11. Unold the loaes and cool them on racks on their sides to prevent falking.

Yield: two 8" loaves

Thin & Crispy Onion Rings

 Saved from FaceBook...really great!  These Thin and Crispy Onion Rings are perfect for burgers, as a side dish or eat them for a snack! You might want to double the recipe though - they're addicting! You have to wonder how something so simple can be so darn good?!

Actually, these reminded me of the Onion Loaf we used to get at Tony Roma's

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Oil, for frying

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place onion rings in a container. Pour buttermilk over the top. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to sit for at least an hour.

2. In a separate shallow dish (such as a pie plate), combine the flour with salt and pepper.

3. In a deep skillet or fryer, heat oil to 375°F.

4. Working in batches, take some of the onions from the buttermilk and coat in the flour mixture. Shake off excess flour and immediately place the onions in hot oil. Carefully mix the onions in the oil with a metal slotted spoon (to break them up) and allow to cook until golden brown. Remove onions from oil with a metal slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with remaining onion slices.

Pam Barlow's Sloppy Joes

 I always tell my bestie that I want to grow up and be just like her.  Today's request was for her Sloppy Joes.  She said there was no recipe but it was perfect. So make according to the number of servings you need.

Ground Beef 

Onions, chopped finely

Bell peppers, diced

Cook together with Salt and Pepper.  Add BBQ Sauce ( I used Montgomery Inn BBQ) and Catsup.  Heat through.      Delicious