tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83468282272349604452024-03-13T06:58:36.282-07:00Whisking It Up!ArmyEngineerWifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10995992557654489907noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8346828227234960445.post-11737043252517546552010-10-27T05:48:00.000-07:002010-10-27T05:48:28.091-07:00Daring Bakers October Challenge 2010This challenge was perfect since I have spent the past few weeks at home in Michigan where donuts, apples, and cider are plentiful right now. My dad and I did this challenge together, and the donuts were delicious!<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #442200; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">The October 2010 Daring Bakers challenge was hosted by Lori of Butter Me Up. Lori chose to challenge DBers to make doughnuts. She used several sources for her recipes including Alton Brown, Nancy Silverton, Kate Neumann and Epicurious.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #442200; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">I decided to make the yeast donuts. I did half cinnamon sugar and half with an apple cider glaze. I also filled a few with my mom homemade strawberry jam. Those were messy but delicious!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #442200; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"></span></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 1em;"><strong>Yeast Doughnuts:</strong></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 1em;">Preparation time:<br />
Hands on prep time - 25 minutes<br />
Rising time - 1.5 hours total<br />
Cooking time - 12 minutes</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 1em;">Yield: 20 to 25 doughnuts & 20 to 25 doughnut holes, depending on size</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 1em;"><strong>Ingredients</strong><br />
Milk 1.5 cup / 360 ml<br />
Vegetable Shortening 1/3 cup / 80 ml / 70 gm / 2.5 oz (can substitute butter, margarine or lard)<br />
Active Dry Yeast 4.5 teaspoon (2 pkgs.) / 22.5 ml / 14 gm / ½ oz<br />
Warm Water 1/3 cup / 80 ml (95°F to 105°F / 35°C to 41°C)<br />
Eggs, Large, beaten 2<br />
White Granulated Sugar ¼ cup / 60 ml / 55 gm / 2 oz<br />
Table Salt 1.5 teaspoon / 7.5 ml / 9 gm / 1/3 oz<br />
Nutmeg, grated 1 tsp. / 5 ml / 6 gm / ¼ oz<br />
All Purpose Flour 4 2/3 cup / 1,120 ml / 650 gm / 23 oz + extra for dusting surface<br />
Canola Oil DEPENDS on size of vessel you are frying in – you want THREE (3) inches of oil (can substitute any flavorless oil used for frying)</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 1em;"><strong>Directions:</strong></div><ol style="list-style-type: decimal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-left: 2em;"><li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Place the milk in a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat just until warm enough to melt the shortening. (Make sure the shortening is melted so that it incorporates well into the batter.)</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Place the shortening in a bowl and pour warmed milk over. Set aside.</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water and let dissolve for 5 minutes. It should get foamy. After 5 minutes, pour the yeast mixture into the large bowl of a stand mixer and add the milk and shortening mixture, first making sure the milk and shortening mixture has cooled to lukewarm.</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Add the eggs, sugar, salt, nutmeg, and half of the flour. Using the paddle attachment of your mixer (if you have one), combine the ingredients on low speed until flour is incorporated and then turn the speed up to medium and beat until well combined.</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Add the remaining flour, combining on low speed at first, and then increase the speed to medium and beat well.</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Change to the dough hook attachment of the mixer and beat on medium speed until the dough pulls away from the bowl and becomes smooth, approximately 3 to 4 minutes (for me this only took about two minutes). If you do not have a dough hook/stand mixer – knead until the dough is smooth and not sticky.</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Transfer to a well-oiled bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">On a well-floured surface, roll out dough to 3/8-inch (9 mm)thick. (Make sure the surface really is well-floured otherwise your doughnuts will stick to the counter).</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Cut out dough using a 2 1/2-inch (65 mm) doughnut cutter or pastry ring or drinking glass and using a 7/8-inch (22 mm) ring for the center whole. Set on floured baking sheet, cover lightly with a tea towel, and let rise for 30 minutes.</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Preheat the oil in a deep fryer or Dutch oven to 365 °F/185°C.</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Gently place the doughnuts into the oil, 3 to 4 at a time. Cook for 1 minute per side or until golden brown (my doughnuts only took about 30 seconds on each side at this temperature).</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Transfer to a cooling rack placed in baking pan. Allow to cool for 15 to 20 minutes prior to glazing, if desired.</li>
</ol><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgby6hiCcHsXiLgU47y4FDIOXMshY9MbWWgS5byfVmR5LJb7QeViRlxEnYGBDPEUNoiOXy3zaixYAhvXE8MqzaHdRLSIP8YCS4QbWTMf7T-WtkwTsqghOTJU978nw_69MGSs-l6xyvZ1HCG/s1600/P1040288.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgby6hiCcHsXiLgU47y4FDIOXMshY9MbWWgS5byfVmR5LJb7QeViRlxEnYGBDPEUNoiOXy3zaixYAhvXE8MqzaHdRLSIP8YCS4QbWTMf7T-WtkwTsqghOTJU978nw_69MGSs-l6xyvZ1HCG/s320/P1040288.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL019nqOdj05geRYP6HkTmSi06OAvrKpqYE4V9fULSK5ULx9mBMwiabMh1o3p85E4UoVCJNxVX5E8IEuK6YxkE23NB590wFNkkHet3VArwyWtIrl6MyTYEFMsESPiLJ-JU6UFbwfpFu4md/s1600/P1040298.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL019nqOdj05geRYP6HkTmSi06OAvrKpqYE4V9fULSK5ULx9mBMwiabMh1o3p85E4UoVCJNxVX5E8IEuK6YxkE23NB590wFNkkHet3VArwyWtIrl6MyTYEFMsESPiLJ-JU6UFbwfpFu4md/s320/P1040298.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8unRKwf99ff5r52cLJf1hZTpl26s0sFZESpCrggz0nqYyVVR_Ik6NuVgwxUZSIck8mkAwz9jzWzPV3vCMZtah4Jy-CwnAOXua0bPXi813FoM4A8dgkvPRI9ot6bI_eXF02hh1KP2ZNEQv/s1600/P1040299.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8unRKwf99ff5r52cLJf1hZTpl26s0sFZESpCrggz0nqYyVVR_Ik6NuVgwxUZSIck8mkAwz9jzWzPV3vCMZtah4Jy-CwnAOXua0bPXi813FoM4A8dgkvPRI9ot6bI_eXF02hh1KP2ZNEQv/s320/P1040299.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">As you can see, we had three wonderful helpers! ;)</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8myVe5-F4laDVl9jlhW1LQ6-SrvgEZeZP_dnRpSr41ufTCFcx-SZbPHw8gbW8P0Xhy6W3WZMHp31pGZiuj985fko4hFGU7Ioo1QC9QSWjpImauhxOznJAcoj6peKlBrIEkWznqXK85ijr/s1600/P1040300.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8myVe5-F4laDVl9jlhW1LQ6-SrvgEZeZP_dnRpSr41ufTCFcx-SZbPHw8gbW8P0Xhy6W3WZMHp31pGZiuj985fko4hFGU7Ioo1QC9QSWjpImauhxOznJAcoj6peKlBrIEkWznqXK85ijr/s320/P1040300.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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</div>ArmyEngineerWifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10995992557654489907noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8346828227234960445.post-4753620273732891322010-09-09T17:45:00.000-07:002010-09-09T17:45:05.744-07:00Here, There, and Everywhere!I apologize for my absence the past few weeks! Life has been nuts-o! It started with my good friend Jessica and I spending 5 glorious days at my favorite place on earth, Walt Disney World!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnNCUOlq65gjRhnyYK3qS5v-dGs8UloPeD2nvvDtb0mTYXMj6MzHHDk0Brp7WdQnShTa7IcmHoB9trI5sLzwqbVupnMxuqo2qECfGTkWPZmDZIPZJf9jSSN99gNL1xmbo_-Rn7QjDH7xp0/s1600/Disney+with+Jess+174.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnNCUOlq65gjRhnyYK3qS5v-dGs8UloPeD2nvvDtb0mTYXMj6MzHHDk0Brp7WdQnShTa7IcmHoB9trI5sLzwqbVupnMxuqo2qECfGTkWPZmDZIPZJf9jSSN99gNL1xmbo_-Rn7QjDH7xp0/s320/Disney+with+Jess+174.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For those of you that know me, you know I could visit Disney every day for the rest of my life and never tire of it. I am that crazy person who takes multiple trips to Florida each year, and no, I don't have any children. My husband and I just love it! Since both of our husbands are in the midst of crazy Army schools, we thought we'd take a girls trip for a few days. It was a much needed break for both of us. Also, thanks to my fairy godmother as I call her, Jessica and I were able to try out the Segway tour. It was pretty amazing!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Upon returning from Florida, my parents were already here with Andrew waiting when I got home. They spent the holiday weekend and then headed home on Monday. Andrew was off Monday and Tuesday for the holiday so we spent those days just enjoying each other's company and running some errands. For the past two days now, I have been attempting to play catch up with my Master's class, cooking, cleaning, laundry and just about everything else!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I do have a few recipes to share with you though! I didn't try anything too elaborate, but I did try some new recipes.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I am always on a quest for the best pancake recipe I can find. I don't know that I have ever used the same recipe twice when it comes to pancakes. Some people love cookies, I love pancakes! I picked up some blueberries at the store so I figured I'd give the new blueberry cornmeal pancake recipe I found a try. Very good! I thought it was odd to put cornmeal in pancakes, but they were actually good in a different sort of way.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht1VSPiN20G-kFkrw6HefFzXA4H5hRu_TS-_t8h6CLD0QvTV97BsqSsDMXEbTVSkaW8jv2U7BzgzihmIuGTBgss76fxBJZzTpa4Cw2XqckKzmZGQrZhv9xoBb0AlFmCa4sR36-_wxZDwsO/s1600/009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht1VSPiN20G-kFkrw6HefFzXA4H5hRu_TS-_t8h6CLD0QvTV97BsqSsDMXEbTVSkaW8jv2U7BzgzihmIuGTBgss76fxBJZzTpa4Cw2XqckKzmZGQrZhv9xoBb0AlFmCa4sR36-_wxZDwsO/s320/009.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhdtbvKCd1A56weGNbUzgcOT6YqeLufcYyYt5hy0P8gXNEfgt9J4pNybgxFkn1Arjkx_lK0bpCk0cKgUXSp1UVesePHHpBVVz9LtV_UOOTsSrsDoUgsl07zG3tWmIse0HnrpqXJyHaiVyo/s1600/011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhdtbvKCd1A56weGNbUzgcOT6YqeLufcYyYt5hy0P8gXNEfgt9J4pNybgxFkn1Arjkx_lK0bpCk0cKgUXSp1UVesePHHpBVVz9LtV_UOOTsSrsDoUgsl07zG3tWmIse0HnrpqXJyHaiVyo/s320/011.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong>Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">courtesy of <a href="http://www.eatlivetravelwrite.com/2010/09/bon-appetit-rsvp-redux-september-blueberry-cornmeal-pancakes/">Eat. Live. Travel. Write.</a></div><br />
Prep: 20 minutes Total: 40 minutes<br />
<br />
<em>Ingredients for 4-6 servings</em><br />
1 1/2 cups cornmeal<br />
3/4 cup all purpose flour<br />
1/4 cup sugar<br />
1 tbsp baking powder<br />
1 tsp baking soda<br />
1 tsp coarse kosher salt<br />
2 cups buttermilk (Since I didn't have buttermilk I mixed 2T white vinegar into 2 cups of milk)<br />
2 large eggs<br />
1/4 cup canola oil<br />
melted butter<br />
1 cup fresh blueberries<br />
maple syrup to serve<br />
Whisk first six ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk buttermilk, eggs, and oil in medium bowl; add to dry ingredients and whisk to blend. Let stand for 20 minutes.<br />
Preheat oven to 200F. Place baking sheet in oven. Preheat griddle or heavy large skillet over medium heat, brush with melted butter. Working in batches, spoon 1/2 cup batter onto griddle for each pancake. Sprinkle each with two tablespoons of blueberries. Cook until golden brown and just cooked through, about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer to sheet in oven to keep warm. Serve with maple syrup.<br />
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The second recipe I'm sharing is one I made to bring to the USO this weekend. Because it was a holiday, the USO was pretty busy, and the soldiers always really appreciate homemade treats. I also like bringing goodies in there because they don't care how it tastes, they're just happy to have something homemade! ;) <br />
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<strong>Chocolate Chip and Pretzel Cookies</strong> <br />
Adapted from <a href="http://sugarcooking.blogspot.com/2010/07/pretzel-cookies-with-chocolate-peanut.html">Sugar Cooking</a> <br />
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Ingredients:<br />
•1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour <br />
•1/2 tsp. of salt<br />
•1/4 tsp. of baking soda<br />
•1/2 cup of butter at room temperature<br />
•1/2 cup of tightly packed light brown sugar<br />
•1/3 cup of granulated sugar<br />
•1 egg (beaten)<br />
•1 tsp vanilla extract<br />
•2 cup milk chocolate and white chocolate chips<br />
•1/2 cup broken up pretzel pieces (I used closer to 3/4 cup.)<br />
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1.In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.<br />
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2.In a larger bowl, beat the butter and sugars together on medium speed until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). On low speed, slowly add the beaten egg and vanilla extract. Beat to combine, scrape down the sides of the bowl.<br />
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3.Add the flour mixture and beat just until there are no more streaks of flour. Stir in the chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, and preztels. Cover and refrigerate for an hour.<br />
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4.Preheat the oven to 350F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. (I used my Silpat.) Scoop out well rounded tablespoonfuls of the dough and sprinkle with pretzel salt. Leave about 2 inches between each ball. Bake for 10 minutes. If you prefer crispier cookies increase the baking time by 1-2 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before removing.ArmyEngineerWifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10995992557654489907noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8346828227234960445.post-17086057810047732212010-08-29T08:29:00.000-07:002010-08-29T08:29:48.237-07:00August Daring Bakers: Baked Alaska!I'm a few days late, but I wanted to post about this still because I did complete the challenge on time. The last few weeks have just been a little nuts-o so I'm late posting!<br />
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The August 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Elissa of 17 and Baking. For the first time, The Daring Bakers partnered with Sugar High Fridays for a co-event and Elissa was the gracious hostess of both. Using the theme of beurre noisette, or browned butter, Elissa chose to challenge Daring Bakers to make a pound cake to be used in either a Baked Alaska or in Ice Cream Petit Fours. The sources for Elissa’s challenge were Gourmet magazine and David Lebovitz’s “The Perfect Scoop”.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxRdrXC0ZsS_kWn9LeFietyak_GvPsCxBM38vmA0gM9PtmvSr2k8MU8HRRhKhoteu3axAPQ7HS-R9WOnnDdRXK76KN_3DDF1i8_ouinNoT-EbAn7t7kqYJ1gNjKRv50AsKbqOxKXxnIf0a/s1600/021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxRdrXC0ZsS_kWn9LeFietyak_GvPsCxBM38vmA0gM9PtmvSr2k8MU8HRRhKhoteu3axAPQ7HS-R9WOnnDdRXK76KN_3DDF1i8_ouinNoT-EbAn7t7kqYJ1gNjKRv50AsKbqOxKXxnIf0a/s320/021.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Being Syrian, I have been making browned butter for as long as I can remember! When we make hummus, we brown butter and pine nuts in a pan before pouring them over the warm hummis. Delicious! Thankfully, having so much experience browning butter, I had no problem with that part of the challenge. Actually, I found this challenge to be much easier than I expected. I have made quite a bit of ice cream over the summer so that part was easy, and the cake wasn't too hard. The toughest part for me was applying the meringue which wasn't too bad either!<br />
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I made the browned butter pound cake and meringue as instructed, but I did substitute the vanilla ice cream for <a href="http://www.lanierbb.com/recipes/data/3181.html">Chocolate-Studded Grand Marnier Ice Cream</a>. To die for! YUM!<br />
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<strong>Brown Butter Pound Cake</strong><br />
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<br />
19 tablespoons (9.5 oz) (275g) unsalted (sweet) butter<br />
2 cups (200g) sifted cake flour (not self-rising; sift before measuring) (See “Note” section for cake flour substitution)<br />
1 teaspoon (5g) baking powder<br />
1/2 teaspoon (3g) salt<br />
1/2 cup (110g) packed light brown sugar<br />
1/3 (75g) cup granulated sugar<br />
4 large eggs<br />
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract<br />
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1. Preheat the oven to 325°F/160°C and put a rack in the center. Butter and flour a 9”x9” (23cmx23cm) square pan.<br />
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2. Place the butter in a 10” (25cm) skillet over medium heat. Brown the butter until the milk solids are a dark chocolate brown and the butter smells nutty. (Don’t take your eyes off the butter in case it burns.) Pour into a shallow bowl and chill in the freezer until just congealed, 15-30 minutes.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiObql4SZyDdELxXYvwJVDuPeqyDhDM8ymrFJZc2ggOlsP4tacKJuUgXGq8PNpsiO4xPVv7_7CNUxgiKXmwQHnBzobrrYRcu0rCkPdFyZXuGp3HtAk4cdSdl_0sG3ass22tG171JZmkTmRo/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiObql4SZyDdELxXYvwJVDuPeqyDhDM8ymrFJZc2ggOlsP4tacKJuUgXGq8PNpsiO4xPVv7_7CNUxgiKXmwQHnBzobrrYRcu0rCkPdFyZXuGp3HtAk4cdSdl_0sG3ass22tG171JZmkTmRo/s320/003.JPG" /></a></div><br />
3. Whisk together cake flour, baking powder, and salt.<br />
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4. Beat the brown butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar in an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well, and then the vanilla extract.<br />
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5. Stir in the flour mixture at low speed until just combined.<br />
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6. Scrape the batter into the greased and floured 9”x9” (23cmx23cm) square pan. Smooth the top with a rubber spatula and rap the pan on the counter. Bake until golden brown on top and when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes.<br />
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7. Cool in the pan 10 minutes. Run a knife along the edge and invert right-side-up onto a cooling rack to cool completely.<br />
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<strong>Meringue</strong><br />
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8 large egg whites<br />
½ teaspoon (3g) cream of tartar<br />
½ teaspoon (3g) salt<br />
1 cup (220g) sugar<br />
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Beat the egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt on high speed in an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Beat in the sugar gradually in a slow stream until stiff peaks form.<br />
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<strong>Chocolate-Studded Grand Mariner Ice Cream</strong><br />
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2 cups heavy (35%) cream<br />
1 cup milk (any type except skim)<br />
3/4 cup sugar<br />
pinch of salt<br />
1/4 cup Grand Marnier or other orange-flavoured liqueur<br />
1/2 cup finely chopped orange-flavoured dark chocolate, such as Terry's Chocolate Orange<br />
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1. In a large bowl, mix together the cream, milk, sugar and salt until the sugar is dissolved. Put the Grand Marnier in a small bowl. Refridgerate both the cream mix and the liqueur until completely chilled, about 1 hour or as long as overnight.<br />
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2. Stir the Grand Marnier into the cream mixture then freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's directions. When churning is complete, fold in the orange-flavoured chocolate bits.Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze until semi-firm, approximately 3 hours.<br />
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Assembly Instructions – Baked Alaska<br />
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1. Line loaf pan with plastic wrap, so that plastic wrap covers all the sides and hangs over the edge. Fill to the top with ice cream. Cover the top with the overhanging plastic wrap and freeze for several hours, or until solid.<br />
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2. Level the top of the brown butter pound cake with a serrated knife or with a cake leveler. Cut out four rectangle to fit the bottom of the loaf pan from the cake. Discard the scraps or use for another purpose.<br />
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3. Make the meringue (see above.)<br />
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4. Unwrap the ice cream loaf and invert on top of a cake rectangle. Trim any extra cake if necessary.<br />
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5. Pipe the meringue over the ice cream and cake, or smooth it over with a spatula, so that none of the ice cream or cake is exposed. Freeze for one hour or up to a day.<br />
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6. Burn the tips of the meringue with a cooking blow torch. Or, bake the meringue-topped Baked Alaska on a rimmed baking sheet in a 500°F/260°C oven for 5 minutes until lightly golden. Serve immediately. <br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwlY0ZvdFwyNeikUuML36_zhzFEz9kqdRuX7NNXwMRugqauvRaqoqh4jRcaz25rjioJ2Ltw77Gr25nWpjrWCdNDOycDhTjrTABcHabjZYK1YfYmOkXGUTY2-sueNBcGYxsN9oNy9f5SH-V/s1600/026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwlY0ZvdFwyNeikUuML36_zhzFEz9kqdRuX7NNXwMRugqauvRaqoqh4jRcaz25rjioJ2Ltw77Gr25nWpjrWCdNDOycDhTjrTABcHabjZYK1YfYmOkXGUTY2-sueNBcGYxsN9oNy9f5SH-V/s320/026.JPG" /></a></div>ArmyEngineerWifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10995992557654489907noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8346828227234960445.post-54348050367090794032010-08-23T18:53:00.000-07:002010-08-23T18:53:28.828-07:00A Little Pillow of Heaven....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Last week, Andrew and I happened to bump into one of the guys, the MSG as I will call him, that Andrew used to work with at Fort Bragg, who just happened to be here at Lost-in-the-Woods for some training. We were thrilled to see a familiar face, and we invited him over for dinner since his wife did not accompany him here. We thought he'd enjoy a home cooked meal instead of something out of the microwave or from a drive thru!<br />
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I made some <a href="http://bakedbree.com/caprese-chicken">Caprese Chicken</a>, <a href="http://pleasepassthepie.blogspot.com/2009/10/roast-potatoes-with-garlic-and-more.html">Roasted Garlic Potatoes</a> (amazing!), and some sauteed zucchini and yellow squash. It was a great meal as most of it came from our garden, the farmer's market, or the local farm where we buy most of our meat from. It's amazing what a difference food makes when it's really fresh and raised without loads of hormones and pesticides!<br />
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The crowing jewel of the meal with the pavlova I whipped up for dessert. I knew the MSG ate a relatively healthy diet so I thought pavlova would be a nice light change to a typical dessert. I have loads of egg whites in the freezer that I have been waiting to use for some time now. I figured it would be nice and easy to make a pavlova ahead of time and have it waiting in the fridge. I used some of the fresh fruit at the store, and I spread some of the fresh apricot preserves I recently made on top. DELICIOUS!! Good thing Andrew's friends at work love anything he brings in because it will be going to class with him tomorrow! Otherwise, I'll sit here all day picking away at it. Needless to say, this little gem will definitely be going in the keeper box of recipes.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Pavlova with Fresh Fruit</span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em>(adapted from <a href="http://simplygluten-free.blogspot.com/2009/07/gluten-free-red-white-blue-pavlova.html">Simply...Gluten Free</a>)</em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong>Ingredients</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">8 egg whites</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">pinch of Kosher salt</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 1/4 cups sugar, divided</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 teaspoons white vinegar</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 teaspoons vanilla </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 teaspoons cornstarch</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 cups heavy whipping cream</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Fresh fruit</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1/2 cup apricot preserves</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Place silpat mat or parchment paper of baking sheet. Beat egg whites with salt in a large mixing bowl until they start to firm up, about 1 minute. With the mixer going slowly add the sugar and continue to beat until it forms firm, shiny peaks, about 2 minutes.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2. Sift the cornstarch onto the egg whites and add the vinegar and vanilla. Fold lightly with a spatula. Pile the egg white mixture onto the parchment paper in two separate piles and gently smooth the mixture to form a circle starting from the middle and working out in all directions until you have a round disk.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">3. Bake for 1 ½ hours and then turn off the oven and let cool completely in the oven.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">4. Beat heavy whipping cream with 1/4 cup of sugar until it forms soft peaks. Do not over beat.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWeCY16FpjHDdiu8ybMpSbmB4shZoxg8yKyrI-bmY6XhEwR532-Iy0m5_66sebSWZul8oYSjHDY-3fo5xsrqHFcm2p_Yr09_8a5NTObGAbT8AGMEbD-U8QybQtTbDEKy0ZjeSGeeSCGyuy/s1600/rtyr+029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWeCY16FpjHDdiu8ybMpSbmB4shZoxg8yKyrI-bmY6XhEwR532-Iy0m5_66sebSWZul8oYSjHDY-3fo5xsrqHFcm2p_Yr09_8a5NTObGAbT8AGMEbD-U8QybQtTbDEKy0ZjeSGeeSCGyuy/s320/rtyr+029.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">5. When the Pavlova is completely cooled, peel off the parchment paper and place one Pavlova on serving platter. Spread whipped cream evenly over the Pavlova, and then brush with 1/4 cup of apricot preserves. Place second Pavlova on top of the first. Spread remaining whipped cream on top. Pile fresh fruit ( I used yellow kiwi, strawberries, and nectarines) on whipped cream, and then brush with remaining apricot preserves.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUjXhJIes3hTT1VDUGxpVmbS2-w8MptlF2DdYExyOVDFLjz2-HZKiXaPetNjj5nzCaitTNUmiwQRJxKWgq8Asf9eaTNFMcp0zS5fMuNQsYApdBx2Z06CrIXmZ86TOKIdXSDwzjzW9BylAZ/s1600/rtyr+032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUjXhJIes3hTT1VDUGxpVmbS2-w8MptlF2DdYExyOVDFLjz2-HZKiXaPetNjj5nzCaitTNUmiwQRJxKWgq8Asf9eaTNFMcp0zS5fMuNQsYApdBx2Z06CrIXmZ86TOKIdXSDwzjzW9BylAZ/s320/rtyr+032.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It's like a little pillow of heaven! So good and not too sweet!</div>ArmyEngineerWifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10995992557654489907noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8346828227234960445.post-90738103968917494122010-08-20T20:50:00.000-07:002010-08-20T20:50:52.868-07:00Come Away With Me<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v120/42/66/22400575/n22400575_34615028_7139.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ox="true" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v120/42/66/22400575/n22400575_34615028_7139.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>This past Wednesday, Andrew and I celebrated three wonderful years of married life. For all of the ups and downs and crazy turns, I definitely wouldn't change a thing. We are so blessed in so many ways, and we have had so many crazy and wonderful experiences over the past several years. We have only grown closer, and I cannot wait to spend my forever with him.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-ash1/v112/42/66/22400575/n22400575_34656611_1955.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" ox="true" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-ash1/v112/42/66/22400575/n22400575_34656611_1955.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
In celebration of our three year anniversary, we got each other traditional gifts of leather. Andrew got a new seat for his road bike, and I got new sunglasses which came with a leather case. We also had an incredible dinner! Before we were married, I worked as an assistant to the community relations coordinator at my alma mater, Grand Valley State University. With this job, I spent a great deal of time workin closely with the catering staff and event planners at the university. Since we were having our reception at the Alumni House, my friend, Kenn, over in catering and I planned every last detail of the menu together. It was <strong><em>to die for</em></strong>! We had so much fun planning all of the courses, and once the wedding day came around, Kenn had some surprises of his own. It is definitely not a meal we will soon forget.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-ash1/v112/42/66/22400575/n22400575_34656606_707.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-ash1/v112/42/66/22400575/n22400575_34656606_707.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Being the adventerous novice chef that I am, I decided to attempt to recreate our wedding reception meal while taking a few liberties. Our at home recreation looked something like this:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQqKTG4oNwpuVxgrt8zvwJhcWf0K9NjfOfGd_RpqBg8JtoxGbnxkhoKtL48JiiTmU9hB3HO97hpN9ZjNRPQlumaBewu3NJISjuJ05Jz3eP2XjqWw1jS7GgALUN9x-dkwcy12HcOHYaRbJU/s1600/009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQqKTG4oNwpuVxgrt8zvwJhcWf0K9NjfOfGd_RpqBg8JtoxGbnxkhoKtL48JiiTmU9hB3HO97hpN9ZjNRPQlumaBewu3NJISjuJ05Jz3eP2XjqWw1jS7GgALUN9x-dkwcy12HcOHYaRbJU/s320/009.JPG" /></a></div><br />
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<div align="center"><em>Greek Salad with my Dad's Homemade Dressing</em></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center"><em>Filet Mignon with a Cherry Glace</em></div><div align="center"><em>Haricots Verts with Herb Butter</em></div><div align="center"><em>Hasselback Potatoes</em></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center"><em>Almond Layer Cake with Almond Buttercream Frosting</em></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="left">And now the photos and recipes:<br />
<br />
<strong>Greek Salad</strong><br />
<br />
<em>Ingredients</em><br />
2 cups mixed greens<br />
1 Tomato, sliced<br />
1 Cucumber, thinly sliced or diced<br />
8 Kalamata olives (optional)<br />
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled<br />
Greek Dressing (see recipe below)<br />
<br />
1. Place mixed green on two plates. Distribute tomato, cucumber olives, and feta on top of greens.<br />
2. Drizzle each salad with dressing and serve.<br />
<br />
<strong>Greek Dressing</strong></div><br />
<em>Ingredients</em><br />
1/2 cup olive oil<br />
1/4 cup red wine vinegar<br />
1 teaspoon oregano<br />
2 tablespoons dijon mustard<br />
1-2 garlic cloves, mashed<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
pepper to taste<br />
<br />
1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk together well. Serve on top of mixed greens.<br />
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<strong>Haricort Verts with Herb Butter</strong><br />
<em>(recipe courtesy of Gourmet)</em><br />
<br />
<em>Ingredients</em><br />
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened<br />
3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots<br />
3 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley<br />
2 teaspoons finely chopped tarragon (I used dried)<br />
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest<br />
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice<br />
2 lb haricots verts or other green beans, trimmed<br />
<br />
Stir together all ingredients except haricots verts with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl until combined well. <br />
<br />
Cook beans in a large pot of boiling salted water (1 tablespoon salt for 6 quarts water), uncovered, until crisp-tender, about 6 minutes, then drain. Toss with herb butter.<br />
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<br />
<strong>Hasselback potatoes with Herbs de Provence</strong><br />
<br />
<em>Ingredients</em><br />
4 small potatoes<br />
<br />
1 clove fresh garlic, very thinly sliced<br />
1 tablespoon butter<br />
2 tablespoons olive oil<br />
1 teaspoon Herbs de Provence<br />
2 tablespoons sour cream<br />
fresh chives<br />
Kosher salt and pepper<br />
<br />
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lay each potato on its flattest side. With a potato peeler, peel the skin off the tops of each potato, but leave the bottoms of the skins in tact.<br />
2. Take a sharp knife, and very carefully cut thin slices all along the tops of the potatoes, about two thirds to three quarters of the way down. Be careful not to slice all the way to the bottom. Slide a garlic slice or two into a couple of the slits of each potato.<br />
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3. Place potatoes on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Rub butter on top of each potatoes and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and Herbs de Provence.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaH4YKLAse0Hinzx8xcc2zex-PdEm38te0ChTHSmeAm_ni9HuMWKAbWyFmSVGh83rIOWDSI_KV3mK9DxLo1T0kbkfI_kDE4ZHJkDMayvYD51YsS863Ir8QTuIJDz60bXTJEUcILY4bcY8N/s1600/004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaH4YKLAse0Hinzx8xcc2zex-PdEm38te0ChTHSmeAm_ni9HuMWKAbWyFmSVGh83rIOWDSI_KV3mK9DxLo1T0kbkfI_kDE4ZHJkDMayvYD51YsS863Ir8QTuIJDz60bXTJEUcILY4bcY8N/s320/004.JPG" /></a></div>4. Bake for 1 hour or until the tops are golden and crispy. Dollop with sour cream, and garnish with chives.<br />
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<br />
<strong>Filet Mignon with Cherry-Balsamic Reduction</strong><br />
<br />
<em>Ingredients</em><br />
2 local raised, grass fed filet mignon<br />
1 tablespoon olive oil<br />
salt and pepper<br />
Dried Cherry Glace (recipe to follow)<br />
<br />
1. Generously season each filet with salt and pepper on both sides.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6om0ycvuhPyAWzJsbOwcInVpWlKmboH8nKDRx847wTrfa0Lhlck-JU0vXI0DtovcMhFhpiz5tq3VQYWVC1gZNxY7lHhpOE0fwPZyynR62_tSqG8ifkTZaLcjkkZjJh35Aq1DNRyXF-i0Z/s1600/006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6om0ycvuhPyAWzJsbOwcInVpWlKmboH8nKDRx847wTrfa0Lhlck-JU0vXI0DtovcMhFhpiz5tq3VQYWVC1gZNxY7lHhpOE0fwPZyynR62_tSqG8ifkTZaLcjkkZjJh35Aq1DNRyXF-i0Z/s320/006.JPG" /></a></div>2. Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat until it begins to smoke. Using tongs, place each filet in the pan.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfz7qzKhYW-QvR02PJxF-KL3dBL-nV8L0v5I_Ni8s5T6Y_uiFgIC_U6iWeW19tKe7aaAPWBQvjV3CNgxcXHngrQNsWezqbMDTpnwCJwjPVyqUdKzVy-8w2_rzc812fKF7UTpeUFbkNGgsW/s1600/007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfz7qzKhYW-QvR02PJxF-KL3dBL-nV8L0v5I_Ni8s5T6Y_uiFgIC_U6iWeW19tKe7aaAPWBQvjV3CNgxcXHngrQNsWezqbMDTpnwCJwjPVyqUdKzVy-8w2_rzc812fKF7UTpeUFbkNGgsW/s320/007.JPG" /></a></div>3. Sear steaks for 3-4 minutes of each side (longer if you like it more well done). Let steak rest for 5 minutes prior to serving.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEN2paHgPJrDsyV1dH7mBDCD6UkFhhiljpaqiaRw3K4FVE2HJXVzL7IquNzZmOrU5l8oky7Td217QPwhhQiIqMvnH2h5NupP7_0S37mZC6T5F0KrQsPhmDI6Edo24bCB62T0Nex5fXSfLs/s1600/011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEN2paHgPJrDsyV1dH7mBDCD6UkFhhiljpaqiaRw3K4FVE2HJXVzL7IquNzZmOrU5l8oky7Td217QPwhhQiIqMvnH2h5NupP7_0S37mZC6T5F0KrQsPhmDI6Edo24bCB62T0Nex5fXSfLs/s320/011.JPG" /></a></div><br />
<strong>Dried Cherry Glace</strong><br />
<br />
<em>Ingredients</em><br />
2 shallots, finely diced<br />
2 garlic cloves, mashed<br />
2 tablespoons olive oil<br />
Kosher salt and pepper<br />
1 1/2 cup chicken stock<br />
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar<br />
1/2 - 3/4 cup dried cherries<br />
<br />
1. Heat olive oil in small saucepan. Add shallots and garlic, season with salt and pepper. Saute until soft, about 5-7 minutes.<br />
2. Add chicken stock and simmer until reduced by almost half. Add cherries and balsamic and continue to simmer for 10 minutes or until cherries are plump and sauce has thickened. Pour of steaks, pork or chicken.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijXW4V7Pkfab5hvjBrCx-JC0bADXauGyZDuXsgQdfApU-yZlQo3eAs03Sa-qiAwIqWO7mIP9RmBEor2K1CtFP5rGh9T0m5UZWBBUW3kA6o9nZ_55urecjUQmUVKB1YgvLH5w0x11tdQ3dX/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijXW4V7Pkfab5hvjBrCx-JC0bADXauGyZDuXsgQdfApU-yZlQo3eAs03Sa-qiAwIqWO7mIP9RmBEor2K1CtFP5rGh9T0m5UZWBBUW3kA6o9nZ_55urecjUQmUVKB1YgvLH5w0x11tdQ3dX/s320/003.JPG" /></a></div><strong>Almond Layer Cake</strong><br />
<em>(adapted from Magnolia Bakery's Traditional White Birthday Cake recipe)</em><br />
<br />
<em>Ingredients</em><br />
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour <br />
<br />
1 cup finely ground almond meal<br />
1/4 cup all purpose flour<br />
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened <br />
2 cups sugar <br />
4 large eggs, at room temperature <br />
1 cup milk <br />
1 teaspoon vanilla extract <br />
1 teaspoon almond extract<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. <br />
<br />
<br />
1. Grease and lightly flour two 9 inch round cake pans. Cut parchment paper into circles to place in the bottom of each cake pan.<br />
2. In a small bowl, combine the flours. Set aside. <br />
3. In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. <br />
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. <br />
5. Add the dry ingredients in 3 parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not over beat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended. <br />
6. Divide batter among the cake pans. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Let cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely on wire rack.<br />
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Almond Buttercream Frosting<br />
<em>(adapted from Magnolia Bakery's Vanilla Buttercream Frosting recipe)</em><br />
<br />
<em>Ingredients</em><br />
1 cups (2 sticks) unsalted butter, very soft <br />
<br />
8 cups confectioners' sugar <br />
1/2 cup milk <br />
1 teasponn vanilla extract<br />
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract<br />
<br />
1. Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and the vanilla and almond extracts. <br />
2. Beat until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, until icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency (you may very well not need all of the sugar). Use and store icing at room temperature, as icing will set if chilled. Can store in an airtight container for up to three days.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRan_OzCio1h6MoL4qqANG0eJEKQsTsq0k5mrK88z-ZCEJpvO0dDCa8XmO8oZ6NgCcjjF2SrXs4Y9PCAEDq688QRUdGZw9UYRudvbjSAmuGv9us1ZAy0dN2W_3bKP-jmIwxPZxulFHgRtz/s1600/014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRan_OzCio1h6MoL4qqANG0eJEKQsTsq0k5mrK88z-ZCEJpvO0dDCa8XmO8oZ6NgCcjjF2SrXs4Y9PCAEDq688QRUdGZw9UYRudvbjSAmuGv9us1ZAy0dN2W_3bKP-jmIwxPZxulFHgRtz/s320/014.JPG" /></a></div>ArmyEngineerWifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10995992557654489907noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8346828227234960445.post-33794530964140685682010-08-17T18:20:00.000-07:002010-08-17T18:20:23.835-07:00My friend Beth, the Sandwich Queen!My friend Beth, who blogs over at <a href="http://bethamericanarmywife.blogspot.com/">This American Wife</a>, has been a lifesaver over the past few weeks on the recipe front. I have been feeling anything but motivated recently when it comes to menu planning, and she passed along some awesome, easy, and delicious recipes. She had a post recently about <a href="http://bethamericanarmywife.blogspot.com/2010/08/yummy-summer-eats.html">Yummy Summer Eats</a>, and she said they were delicious so I had to give them a try.<br />
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The first night, marinated a pork tenderloin in a Maple Garlic Glaze.<br />
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<strong>Pork Tenderloin with Maple Garlic Glaze</strong><br />
<br />
(via AllRecipes.com)<br />
<br />
2 tablespoons dijon mustard<br />
1 teaspoon sesame oil<br />
3 cloves garlic, minced<br />
fresh ground black pepper, to taste<br />
1 cup maple syrup<br />
1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin<br />
<br />
1. Combine mustard, sesame oil, garlic, pepper and maple syrup. Place pork in a shallow dish and coat thoroughly with marinade. Cover, then chill in the refrigerator at least eight hours, or overnight.<br />
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2. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Sear tenderloin on all sides in a large, oven-safe skillet. Pour marinade over pork and transfer skillet to oven. Roast for 20 minutes or until pork reaches internal temperature of 145 degrees.<br />
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The second night, I made Pork Tortas using the left over tenderloin. <strong><em>DELICIOUS! </em></strong>They were so easy and so good!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhIuSS3Uc3ri8pyzAHge6N-r-GoBScZqbx5U5YeBUSn3nVks3rnAnnAHE7HeMmYeM-1nHsEg78Wfh2KzxlvQdYmCgWDNWIbivEQOGMZ8YYy7u02jKzZ86Ic0xePQPAiN-eRuiJkx2pPIy1/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhIuSS3Uc3ri8pyzAHge6N-r-GoBScZqbx5U5YeBUSn3nVks3rnAnnAHE7HeMmYeM-1nHsEg78Wfh2KzxlvQdYmCgWDNWIbivEQOGMZ8YYy7u02jKzZ86Ic0xePQPAiN-eRuiJkx2pPIy1/s320/003.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<strong>Pork Tortas</strong><br />
<br />
(adapted from Cooking Light Magazine)<br />
1/2 the Maple Garlic Glazed Pork Tenderloin, sliced thinly<br />
1 (12 oz) baguette, cut in half horizontally<br />
3/4 cup canned pinto beans<br />
1/2 cup refrigerated fresh salsa ( I like Muir Glen Garlic Cilantro)<br />
4 slices Swiss Cheese<br />
1/4 cup thinly sliced onion<br />
1 large tomato, cut into 8 slices<br />
1/2 ripe peeled avocado, cut into 1/8 inch thick slices<br />
Garlic Aioli (see recipe below)<br />
<br />
1. Hollow out top and bottom halves of bread, leaving a 3/4-inch-thick shell. Place bread halves, cut sides up, on a baking sheet. Broil 2 minutes or until golden brown.<br />
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2. Place beans and salsa in a small bowl; mash with a fork until almost smooth. Spoon bean mixture into the bottom half of baguette. Top with pork and cheese. Place sandwich bottoms back under broiler to melt cheese.<br />
<br />
3. Spread garlic aioli on the top half of baguette. Top sandwiches with onion, tomato, jalapeno, avocado and top half of baguette. Cut into 4 pieces. Yield: 4 servings)<br />
<br />
<strong>Garlic Aioli</strong><br />
1/2 cup light mayonnaise<br />
2 teaspoons dijon mustard<br />
1 garlic clove, mashed<br />
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice<br />
<br />
Combine all ingredients well in a small bowl.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0TQHzH3nD9qG13CnQi6kSE2TEYy7QBjN-RSRMhwMEtYdgPo7vNi9YWf5vEqmYVxaeRl-IkNZGM03CoHDakL4BrUiZCSLrIKFyXUb-vXRTf053_kP472D-6HR2CMXWrGsyQMN00fvrVzP7/s1600/006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0TQHzH3nD9qG13CnQi6kSE2TEYy7QBjN-RSRMhwMEtYdgPo7vNi9YWf5vEqmYVxaeRl-IkNZGM03CoHDakL4BrUiZCSLrIKFyXUb-vXRTf053_kP472D-6HR2CMXWrGsyQMN00fvrVzP7/s320/006.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">(Sorry I don't have a better photo!)</span></em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>Nuevo Cubano Sandwiches</strong></div><div style="text-align: left;">(adapted from Cooking Light Magazine)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Ingredients</div><br />
4 (3-ounce) whole-wheat sub rolls, cut in half lengthwise<br />
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro<br />
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice<br />
1/4 teaspoon chili powder<br />
2 garlic cloves, minced<br />
1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained<br />
1/4 pound thinly sliced reduced-sodium deli ham<br />
1 peeled mango, thinly sliced<br />
1/4 pound thinly sliced Swiss cheese<br />
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided<br />
<br />
Preparation<br />
1. Hollow out top and bottom halves of bread, leaving a 1/2-inch-thick shell; reserve torn bread for another use.<br />
<br />
2. Combine cilantro, lime juice, chili powder, garlic, and black beans in a medium bowl; mash with a fork or potato masher until almost smooth and spreadable, adding a few drops of water, if necessary. Spread bean mixture evenly on bottom halves of the prepared rolls. Layer rolls evenly with ham, mango, and Swiss cheese; replace top halves of rolls.<br />
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3. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add 2 sandwiches to pan; place a cast-iron or other heavy skillet on top of sandwiches; press gently. Cook 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until sandwiches are golden brown (leave cast-iron skillet on sandwiches while they cook). Remove sandwiches from pan; repeat procedure with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 2 sandwiches.<br />
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Thanks, Beth, for the great recipes! You're a lifesaver!ArmyEngineerWifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10995992557654489907noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8346828227234960445.post-84519023222685359002010-08-14T20:56:00.000-07:002010-08-15T06:12:15.478-07:00Daring Cooks August Challenge - Pierogis!The August 2010 Daring Cooks’ Challenge was hosted by LizG of Bits n’ Bites and Anula of Anula’s Kitchen. They chose to challenge Daring Cooks to make pierogi from scratch and an optional challenge to provide one filling that best represents their locale.<br />
<br />
Although I have been a <a href="http://www.thedaringkitchen.com/">Daring Bakers</a> for many months now, this was my first time completing a challenge with the Daring Cooks. Being that I have quite a bit of free time in the kitchen here in Missouri, I thought it would be a good time to try out some new skills. <br />
<br />
My first Daring Cooks challenge was sponsored by LizG of <a href="http://bitsnbites.wordpress.com/">Bits n’ Bites</a> and Anula of <a href="http://www.anulaskitchen.blogspot.com/">Anula’s Kitchen</a>. We were to make pierogis with one of two dumpling recipes and a filling(s) of our choosing. Being from the Westside of Grand Rapids, I grew up around many Polish families. One of my dear friends, Amanda, makes pierogis several times a year with her in-laws, and I was so excited to tell her about my venture into her world!<br />
<br />
Since this would be my first Daring Cooks challenge, I decided to try quite a few fillings.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWSmx6i3jLBZCeJPtcdsl8uAFeU1qIdfMLemVsscYPO8M4zXs7B89F61DJoXXgoMnxk6vRsNiDi15oLBKKPVdIPKzcfMfbgd69leO9KgKfUV5bO1KXfex1tDwAFIDk5qO4-5fKVN7S1bmx/s1600/006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWSmx6i3jLBZCeJPtcdsl8uAFeU1qIdfMLemVsscYPO8M4zXs7B89F61DJoXXgoMnxk6vRsNiDi15oLBKKPVdIPKzcfMfbgd69leO9KgKfUV5bO1KXfex1tDwAFIDk5qO4-5fKVN7S1bmx/s320/006.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Potato and Roasted Garlic</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhckshtHFaCkXo0huof2HXxwsOrfwUOq8VyLi3PjXdeYkSqsp5NdYfZg8vLq1YStvPuFAXozwneJXnfwpFiwl9K8PHvflQZhmV3wtFe6FVrFlbHejDx2-apTJjxxD55xfGkXdqNHFHL7sLh/s1600/009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhckshtHFaCkXo0huof2HXxwsOrfwUOq8VyLi3PjXdeYkSqsp5NdYfZg8vLq1YStvPuFAXozwneJXnfwpFiwl9K8PHvflQZhmV3wtFe6FVrFlbHejDx2-apTJjxxD55xfGkXdqNHFHL7sLh/s320/009.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Caramelized Onion and Cabbage</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJa-Cz9s_hIHWsNvsB9Wbe0I_5BO_JbeWqC8pqdR4jFqIOhJF7m2lGnOuxH0i6mQuwlFpk3jQkYnHYr2SOigo_SjaK_wlnnfm62Lkubcbm8GeO0LiEXJCVSkl1-aDHQVZxu75ruN0SbXWO/s1600/010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJa-Cz9s_hIHWsNvsB9Wbe0I_5BO_JbeWqC8pqdR4jFqIOhJF7m2lGnOuxH0i6mQuwlFpk3jQkYnHYr2SOigo_SjaK_wlnnfm62Lkubcbm8GeO0LiEXJCVSkl1-aDHQVZxu75ruN0SbXWO/s320/010.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Rum and Orange Juice Grilled Pineapple</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHdl5H__U4f2oz21BtMsvCf6j6VFKtRb25AsHBNsw8oMZyDi1ebuhZPM0WVx_LR0BLu9CAjC0J25x8IOamTnM9lrplJ5nBhRgCeCOVAlCijauASq-9_tTWAKCk8P9kwX1ini16gEQyBQ7Y/s1600/012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHdl5H__U4f2oz21BtMsvCf6j6VFKtRb25AsHBNsw8oMZyDi1ebuhZPM0WVx_LR0BLu9CAjC0J25x8IOamTnM9lrplJ5nBhRgCeCOVAlCijauASq-9_tTWAKCk8P9kwX1ini16gEQyBQ7Y/s320/012.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Pumpkin with Marshmallows and Maple Syrup</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Personally, I wasn't crazy about the sweet pierogis. They weren't sweet enough for me even though I put a Gran Marnier cream sauce over them. I felt that the dough was too overpowering in its lack of flavor and slimey texture.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong><em>Dough Recipe</em></strong></div><em>½ cup (125 ml) milk (can be whole milk, 2% or skim milk)</em><br />
<em>½ cup (125 ml) whipping cream</em><br />
<em>3 large egg whites</em><br />
<em>1 tsp (5 ml) salt</em><br />
<em>3 cups (450 gm) all-purpose flour</em><br />
<em><br />
</em><br />
<em>1. Mix flour and salt, add other ingredients, and knead dough until you have a smooth dough. (I kneaded this dough quite a bit, and it yielded a nice, pliable dough)</em><br />
<em>2. On a floured surface roll out fairly thin (1/8” or about 3 millimeters), cut into 2” (5 cm) squares, and fill with 1 tsp filling.</em><br />
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Originally, the dough came together really well for me. It rolled out perfectly and I was able to easily form the individual pierogis. Once I started working with it longer though, I found that the dough would shrink up after I cut into circles, and it really made a mess! <br />
<br />
Directions <br />
1. Combine all the ingredients for the filling (it’s best to use one’s hands to do that) put into the bowl, cover and set aside in the fridge until you have to use it. <br />
2. Place 2 cups flour in a large bowl or on a work surface and make a well in the center. Break the egg into it, add the salt and a little lukewarm at a time (in my situation 1/2 cup was enough). Bring the dough together, kneading well and adding more flour or water as necessary. Cover the dough with a bowl or towel. You’re aiming for soft dough. Let it rest 20 minutes. <br />
3. On a floured work surface, roll the dough out thinly (1/8” or about 3 millimeters) cut with a 2-inch (5 cm) round or glass (personally I used 4-inch/10 cm cutter as it makes nice size pierogi - this way I got around 30 of them and 1 full, heaped teaspoon of filling is perfect for that size). Spoon a portion (teaspoon will be the best) of the filling into the middle of each circle. Fold dough in half and pinch edges together. Gather scraps, re-roll and fill. Repeat with remaining dough. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgObG8rj7vdV4VpSvWSmcJvYVnu_6AQf3_BCA4pWr2dD6j5gGiQTZDlmFEuMShQHVEkXAyoTPf8sqkp2ISJOR3I_elQdt9nTTp__ldwCobmA-3K_DvruUta4hCqP3pbgVZLyNJ8bdKmz8Kd/s1600/007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgObG8rj7vdV4VpSvWSmcJvYVnu_6AQf3_BCA4pWr2dD6j5gGiQTZDlmFEuMShQHVEkXAyoTPf8sqkp2ISJOR3I_elQdt9nTTp__ldwCobmA-3K_DvruUta4hCqP3pbgVZLyNJ8bdKmz8Kd/s320/007.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvrQPXyVOkvMuEaqMqTUbQuU1Rybm4Saq2-1yCa0vsd9SRRSjEpdfh9KvLhXzcjm8PqTb5gAmeuPSZPlLGkk0p98gZEWAheJo8QhWAowBSFHzELaI7c8W9OvlhCMlPoF1e26M_BbSw69FN/s1600/008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvrQPXyVOkvMuEaqMqTUbQuU1Rybm4Saq2-1yCa0vsd9SRRSjEpdfh9KvLhXzcjm8PqTb5gAmeuPSZPlLGkk0p98gZEWAheJo8QhWAowBSFHzELaI7c8W9OvlhCMlPoF1e26M_BbSw69FN/s320/008.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">5. Serve immediately preferably with creme fraiche or fry. Cold pierogi can be fried. Boiled Russian pierogi can be easily frozen and boiled taken out straight from the freezer.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEharLOfwLw72GKw8hCEvRIc5tpdqj5CqMI1Rt9Ad0z9RfhcoyGfVKGaAvluwrfJxaFhI0j7MJGVrPhe6kAVA_2wgZnKqkrxwTuhqGX9KpTbcmKd9uYvBtXVTHqkG6zbVCrWFF98cKdnqvCk/s1600/014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEharLOfwLw72GKw8hCEvRIc5tpdqj5CqMI1Rt9Ad0z9RfhcoyGfVKGaAvluwrfJxaFhI0j7MJGVrPhe6kAVA_2wgZnKqkrxwTuhqGX9KpTbcmKd9uYvBtXVTHqkG6zbVCrWFF98cKdnqvCk/s320/014.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em>Pierogis waiting to be pan fried!</em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWCf4j6V1P8XPU9vAk7gMXLuRgdSwZeTFwK31Ew3PYp1NEqxUvDXpioJqcLI-kKfzIyHHSFl2VThkSsxiwZh8yfdFcKIwQvw8zPOu-5pEQZFk5xt1psDUZuxOfXx7DhbwUkP0RD9EKSQeF/s1600/016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWCf4j6V1P8XPU9vAk7gMXLuRgdSwZeTFwK31Ew3PYp1NEqxUvDXpioJqcLI-kKfzIyHHSFl2VThkSsxiwZh8yfdFcKIwQvw8zPOu-5pEQZFk5xt1psDUZuxOfXx7DhbwUkP0RD9EKSQeF/s320/016.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJj8cx0JgkfekvVuF9723QjFwbliys-F4HyRVSe_IzVlVC2wj1nw8Fcd-seSKfZbItEb00Ui7LEImgs3uwn2SC0_EP_dgRm8QIdJbhDxO2PdZcS9_mzX0TOmxFJTlfCsNXtieDEnDnLNN_/s1600/017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJj8cx0JgkfekvVuF9723QjFwbliys-F4HyRVSe_IzVlVC2wj1nw8Fcd-seSKfZbItEb00Ui7LEImgs3uwn2SC0_EP_dgRm8QIdJbhDxO2PdZcS9_mzX0TOmxFJTlfCsNXtieDEnDnLNN_/s320/017.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em>Caramelized Onion and Cabbage Filling</em></div> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9UWTQWlxgfGG2lfXVEGnL3j7_zfj8-8bIyNBat7ovvWaFF3iunA8k_xHGJdXBVeM5EfcwDVzbgm5K2X6kCBaAKtl_tFyc582U5rhomzni5gQQuq5bLtxe6WGDJ3H2FdccDAvDC1D76Ei8/s1600/018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9UWTQWlxgfGG2lfXVEGnL3j7_zfj8-8bIyNBat7ovvWaFF3iunA8k_xHGJdXBVeM5EfcwDVzbgm5K2X6kCBaAKtl_tFyc582U5rhomzni5gQQuq5bLtxe6WGDJ3H2FdccDAvDC1D76Ei8/s320/018.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em>Potato and Roasted Garlic Filling</em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5HB_RDtS41rCrkZYgKrNuiEzQdMNftcFDYf0rMKGZS7gAf1p1Gb5oTBF8wY04_U_dhEIpYAtrIld2jFXph03-LmwmXT_6AMIvFLR2X-jIo9QEnmCapXoTEHbvrvBg1DHHlXSFX_EUy_xn/s1600/020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5HB_RDtS41rCrkZYgKrNuiEzQdMNftcFDYf0rMKGZS7gAf1p1Gb5oTBF8wY04_U_dhEIpYAtrIld2jFXph03-LmwmXT_6AMIvFLR2X-jIo9QEnmCapXoTEHbvrvBg1DHHlXSFX_EUy_xn/s320/020.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em>Sweet Pierogis with Gran Mariner Cream Sauce</em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh78TYLIrpMLCPzkC2rTOGUVyS0BntehGM9Xoix2_DtM0X1wtrqzUOqvucHL-_BkxXvuYDQ8TGnBtDSWACYGwC2knlsaOcehx7-wFidndygHMdlBmJLHx4QtY7tvi30FN1C273tvCLS0nT9/s1600/021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh78TYLIrpMLCPzkC2rTOGUVyS0BntehGM9Xoix2_DtM0X1wtrqzUOqvucHL-_BkxXvuYDQ8TGnBtDSWACYGwC2knlsaOcehx7-wFidndygHMdlBmJLHx4QtY7tvi30FN1C273tvCLS0nT9/s320/021.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em>Pineapple Filling</em></div>ArmyEngineerWifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10995992557654489907noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8346828227234960445.post-45312997966987893712010-08-11T19:59:00.000-07:002010-08-11T19:59:24.927-07:00Crazy, Syrian Woman<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://damascene.typepad.com/the_damascene_blog/images/national_day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="http://damascene.typepad.com/the_damascene_blog/images/national_day.jpg" /></a></div><br />
So, as you may or may not know, I am half Syrian on my mom's side. Thankfully, as I grew up, I was often in the kitchen with my mom and also with my Tete (Grandma) until she passed away. I was able to learn so much from them about making Syrian food and also about family traditions. I am so grateful for this time spent with both of them. Although I don't know everything there is to know about Syrian cooking, I've gleaned as much as I can from these experiences, and as my mom will tell you, I call her <strong><em>all the time</em></strong> for help and tips when I try traditional recipes.<br />
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Recently, in the wonderful world of food blogging, I came across my sister from another mister, Dimah. No, she doesn't have a clue who I am, but I think she is pretty much the greatest person....<strong>ever</strong>. She blogs over at <a href="http://www.orangeblossomwater.net/">Orange Blossom Water</a>, and she is Syrian. She lives in Syria, and she blogs almost entirely about Syrian cooking/baking. She, like me, learned from her mother, and she shares as much as she can about what she learns. I pretty much am in love with her. (That's not at all creepy, right.....?)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaDG6rk5sBKEpY4smtsUNGaWTmEnBLQnSdBsCheu73g18JOH7tmc_i3xCag0ntsxasAQUeie3jN6pUlpZZZk7tRgQqpd9Spiz7i2-2ddZFKS1RPm8mmQVnsyuhUwvRcsNgaFT_jMCsFxij/s1600/024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaDG6rk5sBKEpY4smtsUNGaWTmEnBLQnSdBsCheu73g18JOH7tmc_i3xCag0ntsxasAQUeie3jN6pUlpZZZk7tRgQqpd9Spiz7i2-2ddZFKS1RPm8mmQVnsyuhUwvRcsNgaFT_jMCsFxij/s320/024.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>Like every good, Syrian woman, I have a trusty bottle of Orange Blossom Water handy at all times!</em></span></div><br />
While browsing her blog, I came across a killer recipe for <a href="http://www.orangeblossomwater.net/index.php/2009/12/05/bsaisat-twaitat">Bsaisat </a>which is a Syrian dessert made by working and rolling out dough and then flattening it out before frying it and dunking it in sugar syrup. <em>A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! </em>I knew I just had to try this recipe. The funny thing is, once I told my mom about the recipe, she told me my tete used to make them with my aunt long before I was born. I really feel such a strong connection to my tete, and I think it's so ironic when I have a link to her I never even knew about or could have predicted.<br />
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I knew this recipe would take most of the day, but I had all of the ingredients so I thought I would give it a try. I first had to start with <a href="http://www.orangeblossomwater.net/index.php/2009/03/25/ajineh-mwarraqah/">A'Jineh Mwarraqah</a>, the dough, and then finishing with the frying and soaking. Since most of the recipe references photos taken by Dimah, I won't copy and paste it here, but you can see the full recipe in the link above. I will just post some photos of my process here.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcOLOxvE1JPTP9R00ZInUj58iVPU5FYm-DE3DLx40rX3gOV9ljoyzbl_YJrrhP_0MDjd-tSfc5_SnwcIgVrRTreMByX50We0WCKpshZez0P0jTzBN31BURpgjJq_yOW-0Kjyk360wM9Qq5/s1600/026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcOLOxvE1JPTP9R00ZInUj58iVPU5FYm-DE3DLx40rX3gOV9ljoyzbl_YJrrhP_0MDjd-tSfc5_SnwcIgVrRTreMByX50We0WCKpshZez0P0jTzBN31BURpgjJq_yOW-0Kjyk360wM9Qq5/s320/026.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghNcTBtKXX6KmL4u3zMlpYjgV0PA3YBMMkj8gWs7UL0KBmkWRtsifwzI9Gu7Z77f7ELz87i1nq1GSNKKGfYXp1DncQvbo8XhxZU_EFzwoVWZXhpwGg90mxUZJIpGRzIAoQW5OBB-atRfP3/s1600/027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghNcTBtKXX6KmL4u3zMlpYjgV0PA3YBMMkj8gWs7UL0KBmkWRtsifwzI9Gu7Z77f7ELz87i1nq1GSNKKGfYXp1DncQvbo8XhxZU_EFzwoVWZXhpwGg90mxUZJIpGRzIAoQW5OBB-atRfP3/s320/027.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A few notes after the fact:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- Next time, I will make the dough balls a bit smaller</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- I'm not sure how Dimah got so many fluffy looking layers in hers. I even decided to use my hands versus the rolling pin for the final role out in hopes of keeping some of the fluff</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- When I fried the second batch, I noticed the lower temperature seemed to bring out a few more layers</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I will definitely make these again! Although the dough took a bit of time, it was very simple to make, and the end result was delicious!</div>ArmyEngineerWifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10995992557654489907noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8346828227234960445.post-62669894667387578832010-08-10T19:34:00.000-07:002010-08-10T19:36:56.710-07:00Peanut Butter-Chocolate Pancakes and a Guinness Night!We wrapped up the weekend by just vegging out at home on Sunday until I headed out to the USO to volunteer for the afternoon. Andrew knows I have a strange urge to try every pancakes recipe I can find. Even when I find one I love, I always feel the need to try another. I think it's because at their basic ingredients, pancakes are super simple, but there is so much you can do with them! Since Andrew and I both love peanut butter and chocolate I thought I would try a recipe I found for <a href="http://naturallyella.com/2010/08/06/peanut-butter-chocolate-swirl-pancakes/">Peanut Butter-Chocolate Swirl Pancakes</a> I found on <a href="http://www.foodgawker.com/">Foodgawker</a> and adapted a bit. I loved the swirl in the pancakes!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyfU69tTFKK73fXIGcp8YLmMsYpE0Kgkl61GYxiJC3KZ_tmgy9AGtjYZsxPrxamTcUR99QdSUjR2R2xei_gQWxMgOb-8XyEYoGvnxW-Ehz91UCJc1YYKB9l-_B6J7BRhzNb7SNAuwY54Fi/s1600/001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" mx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyfU69tTFKK73fXIGcp8YLmMsYpE0Kgkl61GYxiJC3KZ_tmgy9AGtjYZsxPrxamTcUR99QdSUjR2R2xei_gQWxMgOb-8XyEYoGvnxW-Ehz91UCJc1YYKB9l-_B6J7BRhzNb7SNAuwY54Fi/s320/001.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Peanut Butter-Chocolate Swirl Pancakes</strong></span></div><strong></strong><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong>Chocolate Batter</strong></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">1/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/2 cup whole wheat flour</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/4 cup cocoa powder</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 teaspoon baking powder</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/2 teaspoon baking soda</div><div style="text-align: left;">3/4 cup milk</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 egg</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 tablespoon butter melted</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>Peanut Butter Batter</strong></div><div style="text-align: left;">1/2 cup unbleached all purposed flour</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/2 cup whole wheat flour</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 teaspoon baking powder</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/2 teaspoon baking soda</div><div style="text-align: left;">3/4 cup milk</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 egg</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 tablespoon melted butter</div><div style="text-align: left;">2 tablespoons natural smooth peanut butter</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>Banana Topping</strong></div><div style="text-align: left;">2 ripe bananas</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/4 cup milk</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 tablespoon maple syrup</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>Directions</strong></div><div style="text-align: left;">In a medium bowl, combine all the dry ingredients for chocolate batter. Stir in milk, egg, and melted butter until batter comes together. If batter is still a little thick (should be easily pourable) add in a little more milk. Set aside and repeat with peanut butter batter in a separate bowl.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Heat a skillet over medium heat. Scoop about a fourth of the chocolate batter and smooth out to a circle. Take the peanut butter batter and drizzle two lines across the chocolate pancake. With a knife, swirl the peanut butter into the chocolate part of the pancake. Continue, reversing every other pancake (so you will also have peanut butter pancakes with a chocolate swirl.) Cook on one side until little bubbles form on the surface. Flip the pancake and continue to cook until pancake is done.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">If you are making a lot of pancakes, turn your oven on to 200˚ to keep pancakes warm until you are ready to serve.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">To make banana topping, combine the three ingredients in a bowl and mash with a fork until banana is slightly chunky. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgniSsNVgOv7WorhJWqah3Xxh2xTXujiTMI6NNM0vOPA6gE-fW2y14-sC8ZPl0njL5CmF5DYLA2vR_WSGMxqEwkLiQtvs4OCJNaxCtDri3Q62QfO2SV9SsJ4nRDZ_UZaWm9dQDRiVj6nDzE/s1600/006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" mx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgniSsNVgOv7WorhJWqah3Xxh2xTXujiTMI6NNM0vOPA6gE-fW2y14-sC8ZPl0njL5CmF5DYLA2vR_WSGMxqEwkLiQtvs4OCJNaxCtDri3Q62QfO2SV9SsJ4nRDZ_UZaWm9dQDRiVj6nDzE/s320/006.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Since Andrew is a diehard Guinness lover, I thought I would do a Guinness themed dinner for him since he's been under a lot of stress lately with his Army classes and Masters classes going simultaneously.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I started by making the custard base for <a href="http://www.pickycook.com/dessert/maltedguinnessmilkchocolateicecreamwithwhoppers.aspx">Guinness-Malt Ice Cream</a> which I sadly don't have a photo of. Although in the end this ice cream was delicious, it would NOT come together in the ice cream maker. It ran for well over an hour without even getting a yogurt like consistency. I finally just poped it in the freezer in a plastic container and it came together well. Andrew said it was great!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKWIWPxYOD5N-0nZtazTQCl1cLhUxRTQ32-qqTlpAcAn19qXz8nJoU99NX9X-uyTWhSIzdYBqXksl0sN32aq28Y3A4n6M2X_7Vu-2a-f5MISxbGYTgoi4LUizuNp5bW_WMl4xMBo0NADkc/s1600/007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" mx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKWIWPxYOD5N-0nZtazTQCl1cLhUxRTQ32-qqTlpAcAn19qXz8nJoU99NX9X-uyTWhSIzdYBqXksl0sN32aq28Y3A4n6M2X_7Vu-2a-f5MISxbGYTgoi4LUizuNp5bW_WMl4xMBo0NADkc/s320/007.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">I also made <a href="http://www.2stews.com/2010/01/guinness-battered-onion-rings.html">Guinness Battered Onion Rings</a> which were KILLER! </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Guinness Battered Onion Rings</span></strong> </div><br />
3 onions sliced in 1/2 inch slices<br />
About 1 1/2 cups milk<br />
1 1/2 cups flour<br />
12 ounces Guinness Extra Stout beer<br />
1 extra large egg, separated<br />
1 teaspoon salt<br />
4 cups canola oil<br />
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Put the onion slices in a medium bowl and pour the milk over them. (I had some leftover Guinness from the ice cream so I dumped this in as well. I honestly, don't think it made a difference.) Let them sit about an hour (I let them sit for the afternoon), tossing occasionally. In another medium bowl, mix the Guinness into the flour while stirring. Stir in the egg yolk and salt. Let sit for about one hour. Just before deep frying, beat the egg whites until stiff. Gently fold the egg white into the beer batter. ( I really think the egg white made all the difference!)<br />
Over medium high heat, heat the oil in a medium size pot or deep fryer to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with several layers of paper towels. Drain the milk from the onions and put them into the batter. Carefully drop onion slices in the hot oil, one at a time without overcrowding. Add only as many as you can so they do not overlap. You'll need to make several batches, but since they cook so quickly it will go fast. Using 2 forks or tongs, turn the onions when they are brown on one side. Remove from the oil when both sides are a golden brown and put on the paper towel lined baking sheet. They brown within a few minutes, so keep an eye on them. Keep frying the onion slices until all are fried.<br />
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Sprinkle with salt and serve hot.<br />
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The main event were the <a href="http://www.ouichefnetwork.com/oui_chef/2010/08/guinness-burgers.html">Guinness Burgers</a> which I personally thought were a bit disappointing. Andrew thought they were good, but I didn't think they were anything special.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4pufankzPHPi1WsEDlqjM0QguaWjNUy3jofpTCJskvAYpuI-86O2fhQ8ioiRhyphenhyphenkzAvjLMC93meEi73cYvNcTuSNjAqAk-h26V_g454L3LNIU8fceOclRq9Arkj8qpJnzBXHOnEmmgUlRQ/s1600/014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" mx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4pufankzPHPi1WsEDlqjM0QguaWjNUy3jofpTCJskvAYpuI-86O2fhQ8ioiRhyphenhyphenkzAvjLMC93meEi73cYvNcTuSNjAqAk-h26V_g454L3LNIU8fceOclRq9Arkj8qpJnzBXHOnEmmgUlRQ/s320/014.JPG" /></a></div><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Guinness Burgers</span></strong></div><br />
Ingredients:<br />
1 pound locally raised, grass fed ground beef<br />
2/3 cup Guinness Stout<br />
1 red onion, finely diced<br />
4 bacon slices, finely diced<br />
1 teaspoon creamed horseradish<br />
1 large egg, beaten<br />
1/2 teaspoon paprika<br />
2 heaping tablespoons all-purpose flour<br />
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1.The night before you want to make these, lay the ground beef out is a shallow dish and cover with the Guinness. Using your hands, massage the Guinness into the meat, cover with plastic wrap and let marinate in the fridge for at least 12 hours. ( I only refrigerated it for about 8 hours.)<br />
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2.When ready to form the burgers, saute the onion and bacon in a skillet until the onion is lightly browned and the bacon is crisped to your liking. Pour the mix into a fine mesh seive to drain away any excess bacon fat and set aside to cool.<br />
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3.Lift the beef out of the marinade and gently squeeze any excess Guinness from the meat. Place the meat in a large bowl, add the onion bacon mixture, the horseradish, egg and paprika. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle the flour over. Using your hands, mix together well. Divide the mix into 4 equal portions and form into round patties, about 1 1/2 inches thick. Carefully lay the patties on a non-stick baking sheet and top with plastic film. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, and up to 6 hours to firm up.<br />
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5.When ready to cook the burgers, lightly oil a cast iron (or non-stick) frying pan. Heat over a medium-high flame until just beginning to smoke, add the burgers and cook for a bout 5 minutes on each side, until well browned on the outside. Because the Guinness stains the meat, a medium-rare burger will not be rosy pink inside, so you will need to go by feel to know when they are done. The burgers should resist slightly in the center (and not be too mushy), when cooked to medium rare.<br />
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We served these just like regular burgers on a bun with all the condiments. I really felt that the horseradish was overpowering, and I couldn't really taste the Guinness.ArmyEngineerWifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10995992557654489907noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8346828227234960445.post-56400805982629326592010-08-07T17:12:00.000-07:002010-08-08T07:32:56.017-07:00Stone Mill Spring and Lots-o-Chicken<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqgoiEiRS6anv9AfH18137m9PDRlIT5wGaapodjk2BufnZ7_wPYeCp4hK9-n2GwZrMGUso6gmu1D1N5LI4_F65kLtzRxOY-nj7XZ61fEzLRA1xUPUgrsAWmnhvguZ3kHrKiAdJAIslCcHP/s1600/006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" bx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqgoiEiRS6anv9AfH18137m9PDRlIT5wGaapodjk2BufnZ7_wPYeCp4hK9-n2GwZrMGUso6gmu1D1N5LI4_F65kLtzRxOY-nj7XZ61fEzLRA1xUPUgrsAWmnhvguZ3kHrKiAdJAIslCcHP/s320/006.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Today, we spent the afternoon at the Stone Mill Spring where it meets with the Big Piney River. We had a lovely time with a group of friends just relaxing and sitting in the water. I'm so thankful to have good friends here who make a crappy post a bit more bearable!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoMQG1blnJXRvW7kK_FAusO-axXRDCVo3gGCQGN4ibQnvbBvZUUAG8m4csw6OOMtaKApsfPI0EkEI-ZWyOd8KrwNt-fPRW-bJvI4VU-1xu179LY4fiLQ2n8ySEBHD8JpTs_oounUg0z6YJ/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" bx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoMQG1blnJXRvW7kK_FAusO-axXRDCVo3gGCQGN4ibQnvbBvZUUAG8m4csw6OOMtaKApsfPI0EkEI-ZWyOd8KrwNt-fPRW-bJvI4VU-1xu179LY4fiLQ2n8ySEBHD8JpTs_oounUg0z6YJ/s320/003.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Since we were spending the afternoon at the spring, I wanted to bring a picnic so we weren't just eating junk all day. I made a from Rachel Ray for <a href="http://www.tasteandtellblog.com/2010/07/saturdays-with-rachael-ray-chicken.html">Chicken Salad with Yogurt-Ranch Dressing</a>, and it was great! Fortunately, I had tomatoes and cucumber from the garden, and I got a lovely pepper at Farmers Market. Sorry, no photos as we were in a rush to get out the door. The recipe made a great amount so I was able to feed a few of the other guys who were with us.<br />
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For dinner, to make things easier, I whipped out my trusty crockpot. I haven't been using it much lately, but I really want to start using it more often. I feel that so many times crockpot recipes don't have much flavor or everything ends up a big pile of mush when it's done. My friend <a href="http://happilyhousehold6.blogspot.com/">Alexis</a> passed on a recipe for <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chicken-Tagine-with-Couscous/Detail.aspx">Chicken Tagine with Couscous </a>in the crockpot so I thought I would give it a try. It was delicious, and Andrew loved it! It made plently for us to have for lunch tomorrow as well! Although it may not be the prettiest thing I have ever made, I will definitely keep it on reserve to make again in the future!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibHmeI3HPMJhy59BFOcrom0gIhoLwRUyH5x6Qucd6J8iUQdOvFyuJPQCeIhz2fNV6OF9ego0SdfmDjUqq1iBIxrPMvyJwLUxBFQ3dtiEUtqySuo7O87mw0fhNIPI1oDSnU-rAr5EURsKbc/s1600/001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" bx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibHmeI3HPMJhy59BFOcrom0gIhoLwRUyH5x6Qucd6J8iUQdOvFyuJPQCeIhz2fNV6OF9ego0SdfmDjUqq1iBIxrPMvyJwLUxBFQ3dtiEUtqySuo7O87mw0fhNIPI1oDSnU-rAr5EURsKbc/s320/001.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">P.S. If anyone has any good crockpot recipes they'd like to share, please pass them along!</div>ArmyEngineerWifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10995992557654489907noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8346828227234960445.post-25915582220480658032010-08-06T13:29:00.000-07:002010-08-06T13:29:03.266-07:00A few of my favorite recipes...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One of my goals when we moved to Missouri was to be better at updating my food blog. I always take photos of what I make, but they never make it anywhere but in my computer files. So....here's to being a better blogger! I thought I would post some of my favorite recipes (that I have photos to go along with) to share with everyone!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrXDQhBtzywA8GeWraq4lOzC9Q5JzZeTZKsWlD7x3tGM9MfvF-1E-7xwSR7XpUCG3NCuxyEAVasuQuvdS1vWydHUTo9iIkox7moXUytp7uBOFFl5XH6EVQ8gnnnfeelSlh36OVu4-oU1Xy/s1600/Soldier+Ride+and+Others+048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" bx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrXDQhBtzywA8GeWraq4lOzC9Q5JzZeTZKsWlD7x3tGM9MfvF-1E-7xwSR7XpUCG3NCuxyEAVasuQuvdS1vWydHUTo9iIkox7moXUytp7uBOFFl5XH6EVQ8gnnnfeelSlh36OVu4-oU1Xy/s320/Soldier+Ride+and+Others+048.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Chicken and Cheddar Chowder</div><br />
<br />
Junior League of Grand Rapids Cookbook<br />
Serves: 6<br />
Ingredients:<br />
• 1 cup chicken stock<br />
• 1 cup water<br />
• 2 small unpeeled russet potatoes, finely chopped<br />
• ½ cup finely chopped carrots (I used closer to 1 cup)<br />
• ½ cup finely chopped celery (I used closer to 1 cup)<br />
• ¼ cup chopped shallots<br />
• 1 tablespoon salt<br />
• ½ teaspoon finely ground pepper<br />
• 1 cup fresh corn (I used frozen)<br />
• ¼ cup (1/2 stick) butter<br />
• ¼ cup flour<br />
• 2 cups milk<br />
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese<br />
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded white Cheddar cheese (I used all sharp Cheddar)<br />
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded<br />
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced<br />
• 2 slices bacon, crisp-cooked and crumbled<br />
• Shredded cheese<br />
<br />
Directions:<br />
<br />
Bring the chicken stock and water to a boil in a large stockpot. Add the potatoes, carrots, celery, shallots, salt and pepper and boil, covered for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat. Stir in the corn and let stand, covered.<br />
<br />
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Whisk in the flour until of a smooth paste consistency. Add the milk, gradually, stirring constantly. Cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly.<br />
<br />
Remove from the heat and add the cheeses, stirring until melted. Add the cheese sauce to the corn mixture. Add the chicken and mix well. Cook over medium heat until very warm. Do not boil. Ladle into soup bowls and top with the green onions, bacon, and additional shredded cheese.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwOVZtWHpOHJcPjbSfpLbrW25Y5MENrzxeotWrVMUENpQ7RJrpswP94Q2VbicTyjf3yJHOtUgqCxHm2PeiUF2b81Fad4OY_8jDzk1kyfDCliuizUd5fUP6qnZdQ-rzIOfOpU9egb7hV_3q/s1600/February+2010+038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" bx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwOVZtWHpOHJcPjbSfpLbrW25Y5MENrzxeotWrVMUENpQ7RJrpswP94Q2VbicTyjf3yJHOtUgqCxHm2PeiUF2b81Fad4OY_8jDzk1kyfDCliuizUd5fUP6qnZdQ-rzIOfOpU9egb7hV_3q/s320/February+2010+038.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Blood Orange Cupcakes with Blood Orange Frosting</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">These cupcakes are to die for! I can't get enough of them when I have them in the house. I used the cupcakes recipe freom Chez Us <a href="http://www.chezus.com/dessert/sugar-high-friday-blood-orange-margarita-cupcake/">here</a> and Magnolia Bakery's butter cream frosting <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/saras-secrets/magnolias-vanilla-cupcake-recipe/index.html">here</a>. I just substituted the blood orange juice for some of the milk and zested the blood orange into the frosting.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><img border="0" bx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC2AQ1D0LAEZujkpbpkMwJ9uvoO0Ogd3XGx1PhrgBz_dNJAgEgTiXqJh407z6uFOKFIkEf_ipeQAi3z_lz87udE2YV2COBzrpLn_wJmmmLpQWVF8vRzxf_azII5XoV-qi3B_-XXkKqFoCP/s320/February+2010+051.JPG" /></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Triple Sec Fruit Salad</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My mother is very fond of this recipe, and I often re-create it here at home. I have no idea where she got the idea, but it's super simple!</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Ingredients:</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">4 oranges (and/or blood oranges if you can find them!)</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 grapefruit</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 starfruit</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">4 kiwi</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1/4 cup triple sec</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2T sugar</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1. Segment the oranges and grapefruits like <a href="http://www.ehow.com/how_2129282_segment-an-orange.html">this</a> and place in a medium size bowl. Squeeze out any remaining juice from the flesh of the fruit before throwing it away. Skin the kiwi and slice adding to the bowl. Slice the starfruit and add it to the bowl as well. Sprinkle the sugar over the fruit and then add the triple sec. Stir and serve. Can also be refrigerated overnight. This only increases the flavors!</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-u37dGuAClgVIHwwBfhhO-pIBQawU9CNp-n5PSpdzDIjdj0NakCu7Dzx9u4MKUVDTxO-D8VWIR8NSVxkQwP9WCwdX7Rvw9qALMHQ_zIZ-JmQodySddQU1CbSpmVm0K7lR7VlOprdakUKX/s1600/February+2010+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" bx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-u37dGuAClgVIHwwBfhhO-pIBQawU9CNp-n5PSpdzDIjdj0NakCu7Dzx9u4MKUVDTxO-D8VWIR8NSVxkQwP9WCwdX7Rvw9qALMHQ_zIZ-JmQodySddQU1CbSpmVm0K7lR7VlOprdakUKX/s320/February+2010+003.JPG" /></a></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/baked-french-toast-casserole-with-maple-syrup-recipe2/index.html">Paula Deen's Baked French Toast Casserole with Praline Topping</a></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I like to make this when we have company staying with us because I can make it the night before and just pop it in the oven in the morning!</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtSeDZraAu-JtDF-vrVPiI-qk4cOwXJPZrTJZdJ1onOv5ztkHlsjhuG7iKbuV2Uq9GAYTEV5uiPlOqcDTuKlgdN1lAdFSrKhvz0FLLLsbt7m9VSg4NI4jedFOwzuulrX9_yBpwgKAZZwG3/s1600/March-April+2010+032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" bx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtSeDZraAu-JtDF-vrVPiI-qk4cOwXJPZrTJZdJ1onOv5ztkHlsjhuG7iKbuV2Uq9GAYTEV5uiPlOqcDTuKlgdN1lAdFSrKhvz0FLLLsbt7m9VSg4NI4jedFOwzuulrX9_yBpwgKAZZwG3/s320/March-April+2010+032.JPG" /></a></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://putalydonit.blogspot.com/2010/02/panko-crusted-eggplant-parmesan.html">Panko-Crusted Eggplant Parmesan</a> (Courtesy of Put a Lyd on it)</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I found this recipe while flipping through an issue of Family Circle. I was really worried it wouldn't have much flavor, but it's wonderful!</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRbQ1kxZjRmK1QQQrvcf4qknhP05uFBkWkmF9RkZ_G2p6MTHKtj8do_1WoInMJF4vVkfeoouLFsZqAUwEH4fqvSM1yAKudXiy_aDUyJ3rPVA3KLsDN1PqRcswHuXisl4W-K9WJ8cOqmBYt/s1600/Meg's+Camera+14+July+815.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" bx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRbQ1kxZjRmK1QQQrvcf4qknhP05uFBkWkmF9RkZ_G2p6MTHKtj8do_1WoInMJF4vVkfeoouLFsZqAUwEH4fqvSM1yAKudXiy_aDUyJ3rPVA3KLsDN1PqRcswHuXisl4W-K9WJ8cOqmBYt/s320/Meg's+Camera+14+July+815.JPG" /></a></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Grilled Tilapia with Pineapple Salsa</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I recently purchased a copy of Pampered Chef's 29 Minutes to Dinner and I was surprised how many great recipes it had in it. This is one we've made a few times!</div><br />
<br />
Serves 4<br />
Ingredients:<br />
<br />
Pineapple Salsa<br />
• 1/2 medium pineapple<br />
• 1/4 small red onion<br />
• 1 serrano pepper<br />
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro<br />
• 1/8 tsp salt<br />
• 1 lime<br />
<br />
Tilapia<br />
• 1 packet taco seasoning (1.25 oz) (I like the low sodium version or sometimes I make my own)<br />
• 3 Tbsp Garlic Oil or olive oil<br />
• 4 boneless skinless tilapia fillets (about 4 oz each)<br />
<br />
1. Heat Grill Pan over medium heat 5 minutes. As pan heats, using Santuko Knife, peel pineapple half; cut lengthwise into two pieces and remove core. Slice each pineapple piece lengthwise into three strips. Arrange strips in a single layer over Grill Pan; cook 2-3 minutes on each side or until grill marks appear. Set aside on Cutting Board.<br />
<br />
2. While pineapple cooks, chop onion. Cut serano pepper lengthwise in half; remove and discard seeds. Chop serrano pepper and cilantri. Combine onion, serrano peppers, cilantro and salt in Small Batter Bowl. Zest lime using Microplane Adjustable Grater to measure 1 tsp zest. Juice lime to measure 1 Tbsp juice. Add zest and juice to batter bowl; mix well.<br />
<br />
3. Whisk taco seasoning and oil in Stainless Mixing Bowl. Add tilapia to coat. Place two tilapia fillets onto Grill Pan. Cook 2 minutes or until grill marks appear. Turn tilapia over using Jumbo Slotted Turner; cook 2 minutes or until tilapia flakes easily with a fork. Remove tilapia from pan. Wipe out pan and repeat with remaining fillets.<br />
<br />
4. As tilapia cooks, chop pineapple and add to onion mixture in batter bowl; mix well. To serve, top tilapia with pineapple salsa.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijoLrGqtwOgs63TZg72_vMBDvX1vwTOFo_M3j2ngRMTANzyzqTzuVHyiggDLxjDZwsWlq69H-3BqTD1IK4hcnesDLrRb4G_mrn6FCbuY3YPfos4-nFtRerMJ0MN9i-94u7RPg8ZRHYttM9/s1600/Meg's+Camera+14+July+835.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" bx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijoLrGqtwOgs63TZg72_vMBDvX1vwTOFo_M3j2ngRMTANzyzqTzuVHyiggDLxjDZwsWlq69H-3BqTD1IK4hcnesDLrRb4G_mrn6FCbuY3YPfos4-nFtRerMJ0MN9i-94u7RPg8ZRHYttM9/s320/Meg's+Camera+14+July+835.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/arugula-salad-with-grilled-chicken-corn-tomatoes-and-blue-cheese">Arugula Salad with Grilled Chicken, Corn, Tomatoes, and Blue Cheese</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have been getting Martha Stewart's Every Day Food Magazine for many years now, and I love it. She has so many easy, flavorful recipes! This is one we love to make when the corn shows up in the summer!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Enjoy!ArmyEngineerWifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10995992557654489907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8346828227234960445.post-4583747206875462082010-05-27T13:21:00.000-07:002010-05-27T13:21:32.884-07:00April Daring Bakers Challenge - Piece Montee<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">This month's Daring Bakers provided a challenge I have always wanted to try...croquembouche! I knew it would be a challenge not only for obvious reasons, but also because we recently moved to our new home in Missouri, and thank you US Army, we have a dreaded electric stove. Thankfully, with my trusty oven thermometer by my side, we pushed through and had another successful challenge!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQZ2qluzolOVksE6fs8bIC5HkU1B_QGF9HhX_ORqDfpOovqOXwUG7RueTdyYda35D9j8DZgd1Advrhf_Xevkg8cMx8tGY3SbKjLidcIXOqo9nv_SDA54BG2HRp1YKQoTqJikjvJ8v-5hht/s1600/New+House+-+FLW+192.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQZ2qluzolOVksE6fs8bIC5HkU1B_QGF9HhX_ORqDfpOovqOXwUG7RueTdyYda35D9j8DZgd1Advrhf_Xevkg8cMx8tGY3SbKjLidcIXOqo9nv_SDA54BG2HRp1YKQoTqJikjvJ8v-5hht/s320/New+House+-+FLW+192.JPG" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>The May 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Cat of <a href="http://www.littlemisscupcakeparis.blogspot.com/">Little Miss Cupcake</a>. Cat challenged everyone to make a piece montée, or croquembouche, based on recipes from Peter Kump’s Baking School in Manhattan and Nick Malgieri.<br />
<br />
I wanted to be as true to the traditional croquembouche as possible so I made traditional cream puffs with almond pastry cream. I also did not use a cone or other structure for support. I assembled it traditionally with a hard caramel glaze. Although it leaned slightly, I was very happy with how everything turned out!<br />
<br />
<strong>For the Vanilla Crème Patissiere (Half Batch)</strong><br />
<br />
<br />
1 cup (225 ml.) whole milk<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">2 Tbsp. cornstarch</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">6 Tbsp. (100 g.) sugar</div>1 large egg<br />
2 large egg yolks<br />
2 Tbsp. (30 g.) unsalted butter<br />
1 Tsp. Vanilla<br />
<br />
Dissolve cornstarch in ¼ cup of milk. Combine the remaining milk with the sugar in a saucepan; bring to boil; remove from heat.<br />
Beat the whole egg, then the yolks into the cornstarch mixture. Pour 1/3 of boiling milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly so that the eggs do not begin to cook.<br />
Return the remaining milk to boil. Pour in the hot egg mixture in a stream, continuing whisking.<br />
Continue whisking (this is important – you do not want the eggs to solidify/cook) until the cream thickens and comes to a boil. Remove from heat and beat in the butter and vanilla.<br />
Chill at least 6 hours or overnight.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB3fLxMyLsvjdIREhGX-Xmam23Vkr8b6TNX0uOhqjlzjgVJ9by8Bh3Fb_ZN8bplkSHHCGwFVrZd8_FmX7xAk9j8oBtBh1ijQbTZBD9AyDwZf-9uNhp_y2j0wvzf0RG7DIURoV_v510mquU/s1600/New+House+-+FLW+179.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB3fLxMyLsvjdIREhGX-Xmam23Vkr8b6TNX0uOhqjlzjgVJ9by8Bh3Fb_ZN8bplkSHHCGwFVrZd8_FmX7xAk9j8oBtBh1ijQbTZBD9AyDwZf-9uNhp_y2j0wvzf0RG7DIURoV_v510mquU/s320/New+House+-+FLW+179.JPG" /></a> <br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuA5GPgPad5w41e2JsElEumqRq0Ut1SNweI49xM7aVevm8P6OSw5VCAxNdzl0ZErrUuhNSqE9UqYe_j0f02sSxHkkafcDL5UJAITHPej6p3MesDtBLWMaiY8bwQrMKp7hcrY4Zq5A092Nx/s1600/New+House+-+FLW+180.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuA5GPgPad5w41e2JsElEumqRq0Ut1SNweI49xM7aVevm8P6OSw5VCAxNdzl0ZErrUuhNSqE9UqYe_j0f02sSxHkkafcDL5UJAITHPej6p3MesDtBLWMaiY8bwQrMKp7hcrY4Zq5A092Nx/s320/New+House+-+FLW+180.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong>Pate a Choux (Yield: About 28)</strong></div><br />
<br />
¾ cup (175 ml.) water<br />
6 Tbsp. (85 g.) unsalted butter<br />
¼ Tsp. salt<br />
1 Tbsp. sugar<br />
1 cup (125 g.) all-purpose flour<br />
4 large eggs<br />
For Egg Wash: 1 egg and pinch of salt<br />
<br />
Pre-heat oven to 425◦F/220◦C degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.<br />
Preparing batter:<br />
Combine water, butter, salt and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and stir occasionally. At boil, remove from heat and sift in the flour, stirring to combine completely.<br />
Return to heat and cook, stirring constantly until the batter dries slightly and begins to pull away from the sides of the pan.<br />
Transfer to a bowl and stir with a wooden spoon 1 minute to cool slightly.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQQ3nKH4DTum7AkWsU6z0VtmK6YOjVE1UeM2DX7nRQM7Z62g607gsOGH9iLU85wZk2TqlGLYG8h9itjotEFC3BxSeUZ0_HxqTJJNq2NBrktMmRap9xqHyyupZx33PwknTyfb-4HYFft3xl/s1600/New+House+-+FLW+186.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQQ3nKH4DTum7AkWsU6z0VtmK6YOjVE1UeM2DX7nRQM7Z62g607gsOGH9iLU85wZk2TqlGLYG8h9itjotEFC3BxSeUZ0_HxqTJJNq2NBrktMmRap9xqHyyupZx33PwknTyfb-4HYFft3xl/s320/New+House+-+FLW+186.JPG" /></a></div>Add 1 egg. The batter will appear loose and shiny. <br />
As you stir, the batter will become dry-looking like lightly buttered mashed potatoes. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEOfR1AGrph6fpwysR1lWLHll3Ro2vbwiDPQSG-OhpK94jdiV66De2E378seRa3J8yzVu2An-4rTBGYoSjDXWPyyMTL8meLS45t5_Z_hI01ZvoAIVxvhWVhIuVuXIoie9DpoC4HD8X0kwd/s1600/New+House+-+FLW+187.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEOfR1AGrph6fpwysR1lWLHll3Ro2vbwiDPQSG-OhpK94jdiV66De2E378seRa3J8yzVu2An-4rTBGYoSjDXWPyyMTL8meLS45t5_Z_hI01ZvoAIVxvhWVhIuVuXIoie9DpoC4HD8X0kwd/s320/New+House+-+FLW+187.JPG" /></a></div>It is at this point that you will add in the next egg. Repeat until you have incorporated all the eggs.<br />
<br />
<br />
Piping:<br />
Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a large open tip (I piped directly from the bag opening without a tip). Pipe choux about 1 inch-part in the baking sheets. Choux should be about 1 inch high about 1 inch wide.<br />
Using a clean finger dipped in hot water, gently press down on any tips that have formed on the top of choux when piping. You want them to retain their ball shape, but be smoothly curved on top.<br />
Brush tops with egg wash (1 egg lightly beaten with pinch of salt).<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilqXPqSmICezhVioSJDPxe_mLSUaGtCQg1RItlJuPHGaYimSW4jpkxwiZwf4B65Y6tejfsYkVS1X0SPtoc3SvnxlwZcPEZ3l3Z0ge6z7TaLbztwVnTNBlHAMgcB2f72lNq3u3vPznC9WY4/s1600/New+House+-+FLW+188.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilqXPqSmICezhVioSJDPxe_mLSUaGtCQg1RItlJuPHGaYimSW4jpkxwiZwf4B65Y6tejfsYkVS1X0SPtoc3SvnxlwZcPEZ3l3Z0ge6z7TaLbztwVnTNBlHAMgcB2f72lNq3u3vPznC9WY4/s320/New+House+-+FLW+188.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Baking:<br />
Bake the choux at 425◦F/220◦C degrees until well-puffed and turning lightly golden in color, about 10 minutes. <br />
Lower the temperature to 350◦F/180◦C degrees and continue baking until well-colored and dry, about 20 minutes more. Remove to a rack and cool.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXjG-qOR54u4XKCX7gE0N1cSaMyGlZvgfIe7PoX1bdGaR4nOg8BvMQzV6HQC2WuW0SCSpCC-ERkcaFsO_41djdHHNBPN238KxSrF3lkD8qx543zp9TWu0rDH_BNlPEz2_naXLFsoXBZ0nn/s1600/New+House+-+FLW+189.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXjG-qOR54u4XKCX7gE0N1cSaMyGlZvgfIe7PoX1bdGaR4nOg8BvMQzV6HQC2WuW0SCSpCC-ERkcaFsO_41djdHHNBPN238KxSrF3lkD8qx543zp9TWu0rDH_BNlPEz2_naXLFsoXBZ0nn/s320/New+House+-+FLW+189.JPG" /></a></div>Can be stored in a airtight box overnight.<br />
<br />
<br />
Filling:<br />
When you are ready to assemble your piece montée, using a plain pastry tip, pierce the bottom of each choux. Fill the choux with pastry cream using either the same tip or a star tip, and place on a paper-lined sheet. Choux can be refrigerated briefly at this point while you make your glaze.<br />
Use one of these to top your choux and assemble your piece montée.<br />
<strong>Hard Caramel Glaze:</strong><br />
1 cup (225 g.) sugar<br />
½ teaspoon lemon juice<br />
<br />
Combine sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan with a metal kitchen spoon stirring until the sugar resembles wet sand. Place on medium heat; heat without stirring until sugar starts to melt around the sides of the pan and the center begins to smoke. Begin to stir sugar. Continue heating, stirring occasionally until the sugar is a clear, amber color. Remove from heat immediately; place bottom of pan in ice water to stop the cooking. Use immediately.<br />
<br />
<strong>Assembly of your Piece Montée:</strong><br />
You may want to lay out your unfilled, unglazed choux in a practice design to get a feel for how to assemble the final dessert. For example, if making a conical shape, trace a circle (no bigger than 8 inches) on a piece of parchment to use as a pattern. Then take some of the larger choux and assemble them in the circle for the bottom layer. Practice seeing which pieces fit together best.<br />
Once you are ready to assemble your piece montée, dip the top of each choux in your glaze (careful it may be still hot!), and start assembling on your cake board/plate/sheet. Continue dipping and adding choux in levels using the glaze to hold them together as you build up.<br />
When you have finished the design of your piece montée, you may drizzle with remaining glaze or use ribbons, sugar cookie cut-outs, almonds, flowers, etc. to decorate. Have fun and enjoy! Bon appétit!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUbV6lgV7xyKyxPx9iyT0vlGPYLrfNXlsKEy7iDTVevpmI7ICgfR8dfMRG6xR39zRBVQcnig4aFzGF2cECncNyDjN7YSpjpd7MZtcvBVZpsm_TMtdZLYpreon5_dhiBEE48kLfsfVmYwN5/s1600/New+House+-+FLW+202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUbV6lgV7xyKyxPx9iyT0vlGPYLrfNXlsKEy7iDTVevpmI7ICgfR8dfMRG6xR39zRBVQcnig4aFzGF2cECncNyDjN7YSpjpd7MZtcvBVZpsm_TMtdZLYpreon5_dhiBEE48kLfsfVmYwN5/s320/New+House+-+FLW+202.JPG" /></a></div>ArmyEngineerWifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10995992557654489907noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8346828227234960445.post-71033485098534009562010-02-27T15:56:00.000-08:002010-02-27T15:59:29.807-08:00February Daring Bakers - Tiramisu<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This month, the Daring Bakers went with the theme Heaven on a Dessert Plate - Tiramisu.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The challenge: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">On top of making/assembling our own tiramisu, we had to also make our own marscarpone cheese, lady fingers, zabaglione & vanilla pastry cream. It was a lot of work, but in the end, it was delicious!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The recipes and rules:</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">MANDATORY:</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">You MUST make your own savoiardi / ladyfinger biscuits and mascarpone cheese with the given recipes. You must also make the zabaglione and pastry cream using the given recipes.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">If diet or health restrictions do not allow you to use these recipes, please go ahead and use one of the alternatives provided or other suitable recipes to make them, but please include links to the original recipe in your DB post.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Sponge cake may be not be used as a substitute. After all, a large part of this challenge is making those biscuits.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">VARIATIONS:</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Tiramisu is usually made in square dishes and cut into squares to serve. If you want to be different, please feel free to give full rein to your creativity as to how you want to present, decorate and serve your tiramisu. Make it square, round, as individual servings, or whatever! However, your version of Tiramisu must contain the mascarpone cheese and the savoiardi/ ladyfinger biscuits you made.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">PREPARATION TIME:</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Tiramisu is made up of several components which can be made separately and ahead of time and put together the day before serving.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Making tiramisu from scratch requires about 2 to 3 days (including refrigeration) from when you start making the mascarpone to the time the tiramisu is served. So this challenge requires some prior planning. </span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Please read the instructions as you need to begin making the mascarpone at least a day in advance. The zabaglione & pastry cream also need 4 hours to an overnight for chilling, as does the main dessert. The flavours mature after an overnight rest, and the dessert can be kept refrigerated for 2-3 days.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Once assembled, the tiramisu can be frozen till you need to serve it, in case you are not serving it immediately. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">EQUIPMENT REQUIRED:</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">•A double boiler (a stainless steel bowl that fits inside a large saucepan/ pot without touching the bottom will do)</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">•Two or three large mixing bowls</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">•Whisk</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">•A medium sized heavy bottomed pan</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">•Fine meshed strainer (to remove lumps from pastry cream, if any)<br />
•Electric mixer, hand held</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">•Serving dish (or dishes) of choice (8" by 8" should be fine)</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">•Spatula for folding and spoons as required</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">•Plastic wrap/ clingfilm</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">•Baking sheets</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">•Parchment paper or nonstick liners</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">•Pastry bag (can be disposable)</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">•Plain 3/4" pastry bag tip or cut the end of pastry bag to this size (If you don’t have a pastry bag and/or tips, you can use a Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off)<br />
•Oven</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">•Cooling rack</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">•Thin-bladed spatula for removing ladyfinger biscuits from the baking sheets</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">•Instant-read thermometer (optional)</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">•Strainer</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">•Cheesecloth or cotton napkin for draining mascarpone</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">•Fine-mesh strainer for shaking cocoa powder on tiramisu</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">TIRAMISU</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">(Recipe source: Carminantonio's Tiramisu from The Washington Post, July 11 2007 )</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">This recipe makes 6 servings</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Ingredients:</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">For the zabaglione:</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">2 large egg yolks</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">3 tablespoons sugar/50gms</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">1/4 cup/60ml Marsala wine (or port or coffee)</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">1/4 teaspoon/ 1.25ml vanilla extract</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">For the vanilla pastry cream:</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">1/4 cup/55gms sugar</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">1 tablespoon/8gms all purpose flour</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">1/2 teaspoon/ 2.5ml vanilla extract</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">1 large egg yolk</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">3/4 cup/175ml whole milk </span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">For the whipped cream:</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">1 cup/235ml chilled heavy cream (we used 25%)</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">1/4 cup/55gms sugar</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">1/2 teaspoon/ 2.5ml vanilla extract </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">To assemble the tiramisu:</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">2 cups/470ml brewed espresso, warmed</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">1 teaspoon/5ml rum extract (optional)</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">1/2 cup/110gms sugar</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">1/3 cup/75gms mascarpone cheese</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">36 savoiardi/ ladyfinger biscuits (you may use less)</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">2 tablespoons/30gms unsweetened cocoa powder </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Method:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><em>For the zabaglione:</em> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Heat water in a double boiler. If you don’t have a double boiler, place a pot with about an inch of water in it on the stove. Place a heat-proof bowl in the pot making sure the bottom does not touch the water.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">In a large mixing bowl (or stainless steel mixing bowl), mix together the egg yolks, sugar, the Marsala (or espresso/ coffee), vanilla extract and lemon zest. Whisk together until the yolks are fully blended and the mixture looks smooth.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Transfer the mixture to the top of a double boiler or place your bowl over the pan/ pot with simmering water. Cook the egg mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, for about 8 minutes or until it resembles thick custard. It may bubble a bit as it reaches that consistency.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Let cool to room temperature and transfer the zabaglione to a bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight, until thoroughly chilled.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><em>For the pastry cream:</em> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Mix together the sugar, flour, lemon zest and vanilla extract in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. To this add the egg yolk and half the milk. Whisk until smooth.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Now place the saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring constantly to prevent the mixture from curdling.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Add the remaining milk a little at a time, still stirring constantly. After about 12 minutes the mixture will be thick, free of lumps and beginning to bubble. (If you have a few lumps, don’t worry. You can push the cream through a fine-mesh strainer.)</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl and cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic film and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight, until thoroughly chilled.</span><br />
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<em><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">For the whipped cream:</span></em><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Combine the cream, sugar and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl. Beat with an electric hand mixer or immersion blender until the mixture holds stiff peaks. Set aside.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><em>To assemble the tiramisu:</em> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Have ready a rectangular serving dish (about 8" by 8" should do) or one of your choice.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Mix together the warm espresso, rum extract and sugar in a shallow dish, whisking to mix well. Set aside to cool.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">In a large bowl, beat the mascarpone cheese with a spoon to break down the lumps and make it smooth. This will make it easier to fold. Add the prepared and chilled zabaglione and pastry cream, blending until just combined. Gently fold in the whipped cream. Set this cream mixture aside.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><em>Now to start assembling the tiramisu</em>.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Workings quickly, dip 12 of the ladyfingers in the sweetened espresso, about 1 second per side. They should be moist but not soggy. Immediately transfer each ladyfinger to the platter, placing them side by side in a single row. You may break a lady finger into two, if necessary, to ensure the base of your dish is completely covered.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Spoon one-third of the cream mixture on top of the ladyfingers, then use a rubber spatula or spreading knife to cover the top evenly, all the way to the edges.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Repeat to create 2 more layers, using 12 ladyfingers and the cream mixture for each layer. Clean any spilled cream mixture; cover carefully with plastic wrap and refrigerate the tiramisu overnight.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">To serve, carefully remove the plastic wrap and sprinkle the tiramisu with cocoa powder using a fine-mesh strainer or decorate as you please. Cut into individual portions and serve.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">MASCARPONE CHEESE<br />
(Source: Vera’s Recipe for Homemade Mascarpone Cheese)</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">This recipe makes 12oz/ 340gm of mascarpone cheese</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Ingredients:</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">474ml (approx. 500ml)/ 2 cups whipping (36 %) pasteurized (not ultra-pasteurized), preferably organic cream (between 25% to 36% cream will do)</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Method:</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a wide skillet. Reduce the heat to medium-low so the water is barely simmering. Pour the cream into a medium heat-resistant bowl, then place the bowl into the skillet. Heat the cream, stirring often, to 190 F. If you do not have a thermometer, wait until small bubbles keep trying to push up to the surface.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">It will take about 15 minutes of delicate heating. Add the lemon juice and continue heating the mixture, stirring gently, until the cream curdles. Do not expect the same action as you see during ricotta cheese making. All that the whipping cream will do is become thicker, like a well-done crème anglaise. It will cover a back of your wooden spoon thickly. You will see just a few clear whey streaks when you stir. Remove the bowl from the water and let cool for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, line a sieve with four layers of dampened cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. Transfer the mixture into the lined sieve. Do not squeeze the cheese in the cheesecloth or press on its surface (be patient, it will firm up after refrigeration time). Once cooled completely, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate (in the sieve) overnight or up to 24 hours.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Vera’s notes: The first time I made mascarpone I had all doubts if it’d been cooked enough, because of its custard-like texture. Have no fear, it will firm up beautifully in the fridge, and will yet remain lusciously creamy.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Keep refrigerated and use within 3 to 4 days. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">LADYFINGERS/ SAVOIARDI BISCUITS</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">(Source: Recipe from Cordon Bleu At Home)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">This recipe makes approximately 24 big ladyfingers or 45 small (2 1/2" to 3" long) ladyfingers.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Ingredients:</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">3 eggs, separated<br />
6 tablespoons /75gms granulated sugar</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">3/4 cup/95gms cake flour, sifted (or 3/4 cup all purpose flour + 2 tbsp corn starch)</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">6 tablespoons /50gms confectioner's sugar, </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Method: </span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Preheat your oven to 350 F (175 C) degrees, then lightly brush 2 baking sheets with oil or softened butter and line with parchment paper.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Beat the egg whites using a hand held electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Gradually add granulate sugar and continue beating until the egg whites become stiff again, glossy and smooth.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks lightly with a fork and fold them into the meringue, using a wooden spoon. Sift the flour over this mixture and fold gently until just mixed. It is important to fold very gently and not overdo the folding. Otherwise the batter would deflate and lose volume resulting in ladyfingers which are flat and not spongy.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Fit a pastry bag with a plain tip (or just snip the end off; you could also use a Ziploc bag) and fill with the batter. Pipe the batter into 5" long and 3/4" wide strips leaving about 1" space in between the strips.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Sprinkle half the confectioner's sugar over the ladyfingers and wait for 5 minutes. The sugar will pearl or look wet and glisten. Now sprinkle the remaining sugar. This helps to give the ladyfingers their characteristic crispness.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Hold the parchment paper in place with your thumb and lift one side of the baking sheet and gently tap it on the work surface to remove excess sprinkled sugar.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Bake the ladyfingers for 10 minutes, then rotate the sheets and bake for another 5 minutes or so until the puff up, turn lightly golden brown and are still soft.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Allow them to cool slightly on the sheets for about 5 minutes and then remove the ladyfingers from the baking sheet with a metal spatula while still hot, and cool on a rack.</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Store them in an airtight container till required. They should keep for 2 to 3 weeks.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">As you can see from all of the notes, ingredients and recipes above, this was quite an undertaking and took a lot of backwards planning. I started by making my marascarpone cheese and lady fingers first.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Unfortuntalely, I don't have many photos of my cheese-making process, but it came out beautifully. I had some trouble getting it up to temperature, and I ended up cooking it nearly twice as long as recommended. I also had to use ultra-pasteurized whipping cream as it was the only kind I could find around here.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBiYXicAtloos3RLF_KLFBvEgNK1dhhTfDpXIV9SZWBCuN4mSqr3BGg4hHMB9xnn0Ag7pCAPd7PBmbG_XTMCOMGIyGJZeBJhIceLaVYPXQKeYUZ1rmAwsWl99SO74rBwQZ3LY_Co8Im83c/s1600-h/February+2010+020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBiYXicAtloos3RLF_KLFBvEgNK1dhhTfDpXIV9SZWBCuN4mSqr3BGg4hHMB9xnn0Ag7pCAPd7PBmbG_XTMCOMGIyGJZeBJhIceLaVYPXQKeYUZ1rmAwsWl99SO74rBwQZ3LY_Co8Im83c/s320/February+2010+020.JPG" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHlLeOtXUL-KKRiVK6A61q3XE6ZYM6IkIhBfdn8HJmekfld68iFsrD-xCG05M2fVj0pGCFDWUcTRHutSvXjFljo_G-phKEdVhAst78ajPyzz2q33mMV8HcQF_z8TavKXqenCdn1iIGJI8r/s1600-h/February+2010+021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHlLeOtXUL-KKRiVK6A61q3XE6ZYM6IkIhBfdn8HJmekfld68iFsrD-xCG05M2fVj0pGCFDWUcTRHutSvXjFljo_G-phKEdVhAst78ajPyzz2q33mMV8HcQF_z8TavKXqenCdn1iIGJI8r/s320/February+2010+021.JPG" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The finished product!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ShiuNlj8CSLPaSoZ6q4rNwuC9C_12befP6CZVPMYrZ5hYwRMl4V37Lm1hYzVmAnfkRGNzXZvxrhNFekGvNiwLXtBALTxdDEFKOVzvtMqyjylCsgMaia3s03oU9LN9EtGd72DwkGNGetA/s1600-h/February+2010+070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ShiuNlj8CSLPaSoZ6q4rNwuC9C_12befP6CZVPMYrZ5hYwRMl4V37Lm1hYzVmAnfkRGNzXZvxrhNFekGvNiwLXtBALTxdDEFKOVzvtMqyjylCsgMaia3s03oU9LN9EtGd72DwkGNGetA/s320/February+2010+070.JPG" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The lady fingers process came out very well too. I was worried about the folding, but they baked up light and airy with a crunchy outer shell.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">My beautifully beaten egg whites...</span></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2i9ATN-D9ux-qXtJ6qxD1_9LEHRnTeowZK4UArGSb71VdBiH_IYdlyxUoT5dN520HrPj4bQqlT8la0YbiQSXeP3jvyDBA6APCq1PhAef3pA0U7hLQokCzCdcjXJ4ZlOXCTVaCDWmlxQhO/s1600-h/February+2010+061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2i9ATN-D9ux-qXtJ6qxD1_9LEHRnTeowZK4UArGSb71VdBiH_IYdlyxUoT5dN520HrPj4bQqlT8la0YbiQSXeP3jvyDBA6APCq1PhAef3pA0U7hLQokCzCdcjXJ4ZlOXCTVaCDWmlxQhO/s320/February+2010+061.JPG" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Ready to pipe!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisoH1FaxEaAcW1catUxNh0EyePQcp_lvjx2AYthyphenhyphenKfZ0aySwNQxFlFTRPZ-qhhnevg64bZpKlYEgDHX4T3XYuyejSuVpBecIhzneTOTz3sMrq-q8L0uju1otvVE9o5m98udfaLx-A8hFpM/s1600-h/February+2010+063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisoH1FaxEaAcW1catUxNh0EyePQcp_lvjx2AYthyphenhyphenKfZ0aySwNQxFlFTRPZ-qhhnevg64bZpKlYEgDHX4T3XYuyejSuVpBecIhzneTOTz3sMrq-q8L0uju1otvVE9o5m98udfaLx-A8hFpM/s320/February+2010+063.JPG" /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcqeUYLwU3i1wPjTga_u7ksSSKY6HM7g8OwouMBKxkuBTgLLpLtLLmhAGSTvfPsvwXVNdotaTOqzLjD3QC-PKqtcNxlhVLSwJvDaQK76rdwcOzDtuJs5a5AFXUSwWcBzWBdxVY-UfM9zxl/s1600-h/February+2010+065.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcqeUYLwU3i1wPjTga_u7ksSSKY6HM7g8OwouMBKxkuBTgLLpLtLLmhAGSTvfPsvwXVNdotaTOqzLjD3QC-PKqtcNxlhVLSwJvDaQK76rdwcOzDtuJs5a5AFXUSwWcBzWBdxVY-UfM9zxl/s320/February+2010+065.JPG" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Next time, I would be a bit more precise when piping out the batter.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The following day, I made my zabaglione and pastry cream. Both of them came together very well.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The finished zabaglione</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr3fQgz2L6dIamqdUUin51BW70HmGTh7HDtOiTyC24EFxLvFsqcQtVRA9NE-qZRULJ7Yyt70Rs8h8RRqtRQ_Y9-sw3p7wdepIYasRQVaccEDuuBEilGtVG7icyDnxNBtbt3NFk873iiTR9/s1600-h/February+2010+069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr3fQgz2L6dIamqdUUin51BW70HmGTh7HDtOiTyC24EFxLvFsqcQtVRA9NE-qZRULJ7Yyt70Rs8h8RRqtRQ_Y9-sw3p7wdepIYasRQVaccEDuuBEilGtVG7icyDnxNBtbt3NFk873iiTR9/s320/February+2010+069.JPG" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The finished pastry cream</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRs8ZDnGz-esN4FXAvHxVo8rA24fadhsT1Cf7apmIOSAgUncF9-3NJX2ScIDOT3vTYqUmid_7ttMFrm-BFM9OJqi50Z8fP36dduz13wjgptDLKMVHhOWSHcMdhRY4bwN7eOJlvD1CuDXC6/s1600-h/February+2010+071.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRs8ZDnGz-esN4FXAvHxVo8rA24fadhsT1Cf7apmIOSAgUncF9-3NJX2ScIDOT3vTYqUmid_7ttMFrm-BFM9OJqi50Z8fP36dduz13wjgptDLKMVHhOWSHcMdhRY4bwN7eOJlvD1CuDXC6/s320/February+2010+071.JPG" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I finished both of these and let them cool in the refrigerator overnight. The following day, I beat up my whipping cream to finish the tiramisu. Unfortunately, my whipping cream didn't want to set up right (I think due to the weather) so my finished product was a tad runny.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtu6hBSk_Oe_Ssw9uFIzsP97LiKo0AWJMzNE2fnJdoiiAdLDNLCvxLgWbfpLP278IeMG9KInDiNKaFK7k_T36l2VqrLNvfKWS0dP5ef9OfZfLEuAxETLQ-LioPbfNYNnN_pL_c6O514XkG/s1600-h/February+2010+074.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="240" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtu6hBSk_Oe_Ssw9uFIzsP97LiKo0AWJMzNE2fnJdoiiAdLDNLCvxLgWbfpLP278IeMG9KInDiNKaFK7k_T36l2VqrLNvfKWS0dP5ef9OfZfLEuAxETLQ-LioPbfNYNnN_pL_c6O514XkG/s320/February+2010+074.JPG" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMjrWYznLTonSkBkf8qDPo5Mz6eNVhiFpD5bX3nSEvCXPZPggkK4hzW7u-4HEAMBoWvjTS2oFx4hyphenhyphen_N9EQkiu3toLHfi-rV3gEee3TZ_jQKVumw-EgSscgyVBsGWJcM20GIQNlFy2nNU_u/s1600-h/February+2010+091.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMjrWYznLTonSkBkf8qDPo5Mz6eNVhiFpD5bX3nSEvCXPZPggkK4hzW7u-4HEAMBoWvjTS2oFx4hyphenhyphen_N9EQkiu3toLHfi-rV3gEee3TZ_jQKVumw-EgSscgyVBsGWJcM20GIQNlFy2nNU_u/s320/February+2010+091.JPG" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Despite all of the work it took to get to the final product, the flavor was incredible! My husband and I ended up enjoying the tiramisu as part of our Valentine's Dinner. It was well worth all of the hard work!</span></div>ArmyEngineerWifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10995992557654489907noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8346828227234960445.post-1837702982409051452010-01-27T07:34:00.000-08:002010-01-27T07:36:12.143-08:00February Daring Bakers - Nanaimo Bars & Graham CrackersPersonally, I wasn't too crazy about this month's Daring Bakers Challenge. It was nice to have something a bit easier so to speak after last month's very time consuming Gingerbread Houses, but I didn't think the Nanaimo Bars would offer much of a kitchen challenge. I did though think it would be fun to make my own graham crackers.<br />
<br />
Since I do not have celiac disease, I decided to stick with the original recipe for graham crackers containing wheat.<br />
<br />
<strong><em><span style="font-size: large;">Graham Cracker Recipe</span></em></strong><br />
<br />
<em>2 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons unbleached pastry flour or unbleached all-purpose flour</em><em><br />
</em><br />
<em>1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed</em><br />
<em>1 teaspoon baking soda</em><br />
<em>3/4 teaspoon kosher salt</em><br />
<em>7 tablespoons (3 1/2 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes and frozen</em><br />
<em>1/3 cup mild-flavored honey, such as clover</em><br />
<em>5 tablespoons whole milk</em><br />
<em>2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract</em><br />
<em><br />
</em><br />
<em>For the topping:</em><br />
<em>3 tablespoons granulated sugar</em><br />
<em>1 teaspoon ground cinnamon</em><br />
<em><br />
</em><br />
<em>In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade or in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt. Pulse or mix on low to incorporate. Add the butter and pulse on and off on and off, or mix on low, until the mixture is the consistency of a coarse meal.</em><br />
<em><br />
</em><br />
<em>In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, milk, and vanilla extract. Add to the flour mixture and pulse on and off a few times or mix on low until the dough barely comes together. It will be very soft and sticky.</em><br />
<em><br />
</em><br />
<em>Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and pat the dough into a rectangle about 1 inch thick. Wrap in plastic and chill until firm, about 2 hours or overnight.</em><em><br />
</em><br />
<em>To prepare the topping: In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon, and set aside.</em><br />
<em><strong>(I found the dough to be incredibly dry. Upon rolling it out, I had to knead in a few drops of water to make it pliable.)</strong></em><br />
<em><br />
</em><br />
<em>Divide the dough in half and return one half to the refrigerator. Sift an even layer of flour onto the work surface and roll the dough into a long rectangle about 1/8 inch thick. The dough will be sticky, so flour as necessary. Trim the edges of the rectangle to 4 inches wide. Working with the shorter side of the rectangle parallel to the work surface, cut the strip every 4 1/2 inches to make 4 crackers. Gather the scraps together and set aside. Place the crackers on one or two parchment-lined baking sheets and sprinkle with the topping. Chill until firm, about 30 to 45 minutes. Repeat with the second batch of dough.</em><br />
<em><br />
</em><br />
<em>Adjust the oven rack to the upper and lower positions and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.</em><br />
<em><br />
</em><br />
<em>Gather the scraps together into a ball, chill until firm, and reroll. Dust the surface with more flour and roll out the dough to get about two or three more crackers.</em><br />
<em><br />
</em><br />
<em>Mark a vertical line down the middle of each cracker, being careful not to cut through the dough. Using a toothpick or skewer, prick the dough to form two dotted rows about 1/2 inch for each side of the dividing line.</em><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggtiLiJfaaLwlmFu3RcFh3tsPC4BF_jTcejb9Z0V8ixQjeXUxnznUPsTGQA1wEvAe7iqbZ1sn1LZ70MeS4lbz0hYr5P0zFP_OWHaY0OAOrfKHuw6QkDuLwwvRPFlZ7edZRj_RW4fsjCHlN/s1600-h/January+2010+%26+Amy+and+Barry%27s+Wedding+017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" mt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggtiLiJfaaLwlmFu3RcFh3tsPC4BF_jTcejb9Z0V8ixQjeXUxnznUPsTGQA1wEvAe7iqbZ1sn1LZ70MeS4lbz0hYr5P0zFP_OWHaY0OAOrfKHuw6QkDuLwwvRPFlZ7edZRj_RW4fsjCHlN/s320/January+2010+%26+Amy+and+Barry%27s+Wedding+017.JPG" /></a><br />
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</em><br />
<em>Bake for 25 minutes, until browned and slightly firm to the tough, rotating the sheets halfway through to ensure even baking. <strong>(For my oven, 25 minutes was entirely too long, and I ended up burning the first batch. I had to cut about 3-5 minutes off the baking time.)</strong></em><br />
<em><br />
</em><br />
<em>Yield: 10 large crackers <strong>(I found that I had about double this amount)</strong></em><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKYGhyfcTbeUQL32kki_D-GLALG7vnSG27HNBJdtKjvKOz-OkI2f7Hc7BOE-i0GXxIfpdLC90Zj4UwyB-st1o2vVfPqfvhUEgoGfJbfJlDd0pCoYhtHk1SXGKbfSjTRPgzcmsmHx_L_XQO/s1600-h/January+2010+%26+Amy+and+Barry%27s+Wedding+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" mt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKYGhyfcTbeUQL32kki_D-GLALG7vnSG27HNBJdtKjvKOz-OkI2f7Hc7BOE-i0GXxIfpdLC90Zj4UwyB-st1o2vVfPqfvhUEgoGfJbfJlDd0pCoYhtHk1SXGKbfSjTRPgzcmsmHx_L_XQO/s320/January+2010+%26+Amy+and+Barry%27s+Wedding+002.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><br />
<br />
I'm not going to lie, I cheated on the second part of the challenge. For the Nanaimo Bars, I used boxed graham crackers. My dad made his bars a week before I did, and he told me the delicious flavor of the homemade graham crackers was lost in the Nanaimo Bars. After all of the work for the graham crackers, I didn't want them to go to waste in the Nanaimo Bars. I decided to keep the graham crackers to eat for snacks and used boxed crackers for the bars.<br />
<br />
<em><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Nanaimo Bars</span></strong></em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em><br />
</em><br />
<em>Ingredients:</em><em><br />
</em><br />
<em><strong>For Nanaimo Bars — Bottom Layer</strong></em><br />
<em>1/2 cup (115 g) (4 ounces) Unsalted Butter</em><br />
<em>1/4 cup (50 g) (1.8 ounces) Granulated Sugar</em><br />
<em>5 tablespoons (75 mL) Unsweetened Cocoa</em><br />
<em>1 Large Egg, Beaten</em><br />
<em>1 1/4 cups (300 mL) (160 g) (5.6 ounces) Gluten Free Graham Wafer Crumbs (See previous recipe)</em><br />
<em>1/2 cup (55 g) (1.9 ounces) Almonds (Any type, Finely chopped)</em><br />
<em>1 cup (130 g) (4.5 ounces) Coconut (Shredded, sweetened or unsweetened)</em><em><br />
</em><br />
<em><strong>For Nanaimo Bars — Middle Layer</strong></em><br />
<em>1/2 cup (115 g) (4 ounces) Unsalted Butter</em><br />
<em>2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons (40 mL) Heavy Cream</em><br />
<em>2 tablespoons (30 mL) Vanilla Custard Powder (Such as Bird’s. Vanilla pudding mix may be substituted.)</em><em><br />
</em><em>2 cups (254g) (8.9 ounces) Icing Sugar </em><em><br />
</em><br />
<em><strong>For Nanaimo Bars — Top Layer</strong></em><br />
<em>4 ounces (115 g) Semi-sweet chocolate</em><br />
<em>2 tablespoons (28 g) (1 ounce) Unsalted Butter </em><br />
<br />
<em><strong>Directions:</strong></em><br />
<em><br />
</em><br />
<em>1. For bottom Layer: Melt unsalted butter, sugar and cocoa in top of a double boiler. Add egg and stir to cook and thicken. Remove from heat. Stir in crumbs, nuts and coconut. Press firmly into an ungreased 8 by 8 inch pan.</em><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_7sCp_0z48076fl5kXulGqHYuNVHKiizulnd_vHktPiKDhpz7apjWbpnh8kJqAtvgCjrXBhpjoMoJTuMNSg3dG6bGiwCOr4cWhRPVedGOPLe_Nerd8ETts8FTfNFE_p1WrHFNM7bIhyC3/s1600-h/January+2010+%26+Amy+and+Barry%27s+Wedding+011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" mt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_7sCp_0z48076fl5kXulGqHYuNVHKiizulnd_vHktPiKDhpz7apjWbpnh8kJqAtvgCjrXBhpjoMoJTuMNSg3dG6bGiwCOr4cWhRPVedGOPLe_Nerd8ETts8FTfNFE_p1WrHFNM7bIhyC3/s320/January+2010+%26+Amy+and+Barry%27s+Wedding+011.JPG" /></a><br />
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</em><br />
<em>2. For Middle Layer: Cream butter, cream, custard powder, and icing sugar together well. Beat until light in colour. Spread over bottom layer.</em><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho0bvcUW9cQIykZILEyumLN8xA0JBwL120wadEAhCgOjOt1Y9lXr1_TdxpdPcb5RtTfpvmy6C78K_bsx6ns8ZhwvPJy5G2UrLfX8tcAV04kc34h7xMitgGR2xXHNt_-QyMvq5Nlr1wCOrh/s1600-h/January+2010+%26+Amy+and+Barry%27s+Wedding+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" mt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho0bvcUW9cQIykZILEyumLN8xA0JBwL120wadEAhCgOjOt1Y9lXr1_TdxpdPcb5RtTfpvmy6C78K_bsx6ns8ZhwvPJy5G2UrLfX8tcAV04kc34h7xMitgGR2xXHNt_-QyMvq5Nlr1wCOrh/s320/January+2010+%26+Amy+and+Barry%27s+Wedding+012.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><br />
<em> </em><em>3. For Top Layer: Melt chocolate and unsalted butter over low heat. Cool. Once cool, pour over middle layer and chill.</em><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw-EtXz7T9DSTtYv-VviOWE_jkSa2z0-j0cO9gU90DMA_OKhU6KXC5hsG9HY58D-9BfljtDiBJQBGTa7SvxIN2CN4tqeRbBRN-6vP2LpRplR8_k2NX59lGypq2vA3o5At6KHq-3LmaYuee/s1600-h/January+2010+%26+Amy+and+Barry%27s+Wedding+016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" mt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw-EtXz7T9DSTtYv-VviOWE_jkSa2z0-j0cO9gU90DMA_OKhU6KXC5hsG9HY58D-9BfljtDiBJQBGTa7SvxIN2CN4tqeRbBRN-6vP2LpRplR8_k2NX59lGypq2vA3o5At6KHq-3LmaYuee/s320/January+2010+%26+Amy+and+Barry%27s+Wedding+016.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I thought the bars were delicious and incredibly sweet! My husband devoured them!<br />
</div>ArmyEngineerWifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10995992557654489907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8346828227234960445.post-77179936547312912572009-12-29T18:00:00.000-08:002009-12-29T18:00:17.494-08:00Daring Bakers December 2009 - Gingerbread Houses!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This month, the Daring Bakers were tasked with making Gingerbread Houses. When I was very young, my mom used to making very extravagent gingerbread houses with her 5th grade students and then enter them into a local contest. I figured if she did it so well, it must be in the blood! I was really looking forward to this challenge as it offered a creative outlet during this super busy and hectic time of year.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I decided that I would make a fancy gingerbread house here at home with my husband's help, and then we would make a more lighthearted and fun one with my parents back home in Michigan. After reading many of the comments on the DB board, I decided to go with the Good Housekeeping recipe for my dough and the Royal Icing Recipe from the DB:</span><br />
<br />
<strong><em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Royal Icing</span></em></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 large egg white</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">3 cups (330g) powdered sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 teaspoon white vinegar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 teaspoon almond extract<br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Beat all ingredients until smooth, adding the powdered sugar gradually to get the desired consistency. Pipe on pieces and allow to dry before assembling. If you aren't using it all at once you can keep it in a small bowl, loosely covered with a damp towel for a few hours until ready to use. You may have to beat it slightly to get it an even consistency if the top sets up a bit. Piped on the house, this will set up hard over time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Since I wanted to make a traditional house for the first try, we chose the Colonial from Bob Vila's website. The template can be found here: </span><a href="http://www.bobvila.com/Downloads/Gingerbread_Colonial.pdf"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">http://www.bobvila.com/Downloads/Gingerbread_Colonial.pdf</span></a> <br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span> <br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I made the dough a few days in advance when I had a bit of time, and I found it to be rather dry.</span> <br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span> <br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuw_PgXjLMbDTjOnZqkRUSJWp_i7BrR9QpgdXTVFoDruNeNh5DW_T7vRcm33qLAy5y_-q03p2oWzB66Whd2kyIZVmGeCyY5-BCB6dPDUPUR7Fu8l5bii3AEJQoTo-jxw0NHZi2bwT_76wN/s1600-h/Gingerbread+House+2009+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuw_PgXjLMbDTjOnZqkRUSJWp_i7BrR9QpgdXTVFoDruNeNh5DW_T7vRcm33qLAy5y_-q03p2oWzB66Whd2kyIZVmGeCyY5-BCB6dPDUPUR7Fu8l5bii3AEJQoTo-jxw0NHZi2bwT_76wN/s320/Gingerbread+House+2009+001.JPG" /></span></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHdoYbqmqx1RT2-ZCBQwr_xzVVOUO1oTJA0w04Nt26BLoDLG6-hDtA-2FWvxaq3LZ6u0Iz0XA10uGi_W2mw2S22jvbjeXUjBZL1K7Mb64hflP8ubDI3Xce92sspWdcORx31MCvIWZxWoFS/s1600-h/Gingerbread+House+2009+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHdoYbqmqx1RT2-ZCBQwr_xzVVOUO1oTJA0w04Nt26BLoDLG6-hDtA-2FWvxaq3LZ6u0Iz0XA10uGi_W2mw2S22jvbjeXUjBZL1K7Mb64hflP8ubDI3Xce92sspWdcORx31MCvIWZxWoFS/s320/Gingerbread+House+2009+002.JPG" /></span></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Thankfully, when I rolled the dough out several days later, I didn't have many problems once the dough softened slightly.</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh72pJ1yGMjoM9Yqz6CPRuDjMA_rVdl0YkdRgeSEc0qWY9mnsxriYjlrG-JNrZ_n9oRx_PzvL0zbdfWiM0PLnodzpu6flbw2F33czDcPuuJgJh41WVxWfre9KhQlCYUSctvqV5bla2OKljE/s1600-h/Gingerbread+House+2009+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh72pJ1yGMjoM9Yqz6CPRuDjMA_rVdl0YkdRgeSEc0qWY9mnsxriYjlrG-JNrZ_n9oRx_PzvL0zbdfWiM0PLnodzpu6flbw2F33czDcPuuJgJh41WVxWfre9KhQlCYUSctvqV5bla2OKljE/s320/Gingerbread+House+2009+005.JPG" /></span></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Unfortunately, my oven does not cook evenly at all, and I had some trouble baking the pieces to the color and doneness I wanted. (Thankfully, Santa brought me an oven thermometer so now I can monitor it better!)</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtE9MKhoRJHwWUvgmwz_gYsTYGBZgsIvCPwkO98X67qe4gg8C1kgUDlPSvtGVMpXcRa_GUYx8MBFnERf3mz4lnHi_21iqwKGNDsLHcBmp9PlcRQR5ap8qWjVV0YvZ6EywB1y9u6aQKJXad/s1600-h/Gingerbread+House+2009+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtE9MKhoRJHwWUvgmwz_gYsTYGBZgsIvCPwkO98X67qe4gg8C1kgUDlPSvtGVMpXcRa_GUYx8MBFnERf3mz4lnHi_21iqwKGNDsLHcBmp9PlcRQR5ap8qWjVV0YvZ6EywB1y9u6aQKJXad/s320/Gingerbread+House+2009+008.JPG" /></span></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It was rather tedious cutting out all of the windows, but in the end I think it was totally worth it! In hindsight, I now know that I can trim the pieces when they first come out of the oven. This would have saved us some headache when we were putting the pieces together.</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I decided that I did not want empty windows so I made some hard candy. I had some trouble with it as I think the butter in the candy may have browned. Instead of clear windows they were more opaque, but in the end I love the way the windows turned out!</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I don't have any photos of the frosting before I applied it to the house, but our first batch was more like playdough than frosting. I think it had something to do with the fact that it was a rainy day, but it actually worked very well to put the wall up with. We also decorated the 4 walls before putting them up as it was much easier this way!</span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcCf6kOYhTomK2KTG6ze7q9ZBmaVRBP68hzoIEUhPRHMt0Wfx837kQ229fdVyMbfVGj45fgFWOJ2tykyyYnMeGVFzA5jEnB9fF6Zp7OSimo_PN0uIlOrgZkbIYAyAyuoo1ai27ooJ5kzEb/s1600-h/Gingerbread+House+2009+015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcCf6kOYhTomK2KTG6ze7q9ZBmaVRBP68hzoIEUhPRHMt0Wfx837kQ229fdVyMbfVGj45fgFWOJ2tykyyYnMeGVFzA5jEnB9fF6Zp7OSimo_PN0uIlOrgZkbIYAyAyuoo1ai27ooJ5kzEb/s320/Gingerbread+House+2009+015.JPG" /></span></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We waited 24 hours before putting the roof on, and this is where we ran into a slight problem. My second batch of frosting was much softer and more like it should have been. Our roof was also not perfectly square so we had a tough time getting it to stay on. We were able to rest the corners on the walls, and it worked out just fine in the end.</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And the finished product......</span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8DpQIrH4Yv27OxJ-8M6Mc7jcp-t2KHwo6oqPObxBWv8f9lE9whzH2rn-E6dkZ2D7USZNgdQ2sk4I_wtGPil2e2OCogK1ITrzK0k8lLKP1VQTMVB3_K43bqb2zyPOB7Pyh6R5gn15a2ztd/s1600-h/Gingerbread+House+2009+045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8DpQIrH4Yv27OxJ-8M6Mc7jcp-t2KHwo6oqPObxBWv8f9lE9whzH2rn-E6dkZ2D7USZNgdQ2sk4I_wtGPil2e2OCogK1ITrzK0k8lLKP1VQTMVB3_K43bqb2zyPOB7Pyh6R5gn15a2ztd/s320/Gingerbread+House+2009+045.JPG" /></span></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi819p8SaXou2NJUM7GLpajXa7lrKdf9w1SK_R3hGSaUuuMjp-JHwS5DJ6jQEQRO95T0JmB_cno7CltfQaFap5b3O3Xsdt2Uywxgg_XPwT54ZJzMm4uRYyymP5O53UUo3K7PwtRTTnfeOIr/s1600-h/Gingerbread+House+2009+049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi819p8SaXou2NJUM7GLpajXa7lrKdf9w1SK_R3hGSaUuuMjp-JHwS5DJ6jQEQRO95T0JmB_cno7CltfQaFap5b3O3Xsdt2Uywxgg_XPwT54ZJzMm4uRYyymP5O53UUo3K7PwtRTTnfeOIr/s320/Gingerbread+House+2009+049.JPG" /></span></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">When we went back to Michigan for Christmas, we made another 'house' with my parents. My dad used the same recipes as above, but this time we made a gingerbread trailer. We were inspired by the designs here: </span><a href="http://www.theeayc.com/gallery/ginger/index.html"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">http://www.theeayc.com/gallery/ginger/index.html</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">. Fabulous!</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">My husband free handed the template with a pencil and a ruler, but unfortunately, I don't have any photos of his pattern. Overall, I think this came out pretty awesome!</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We cut up one of our family's Christmas cards to put in the window, and we also had to put a photo of our 'favorite' person Sarah Palin in the window too! ;)</span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYME9x_mW-Xti57JM9qM1ZjJNmfUEYyNiy-VuTTQmLMz0PbBAJD2PqdbXcDmGW1OzTQ0hiFA1iOifMCQN0sl3-8mjGCiuMSBytdk5X1pDz89NjWWqs4g93OLuQQ3W3pf_EG3nUOA6WKrA0/s1600-h/100_2494.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYME9x_mW-Xti57JM9qM1ZjJNmfUEYyNiy-VuTTQmLMz0PbBAJD2PqdbXcDmGW1OzTQ0hiFA1iOifMCQN0sl3-8mjGCiuMSBytdk5X1pDz89NjWWqs4g93OLuQQ3W3pf_EG3nUOA6WKrA0/s320/100_2494.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Uoyd3XmWRV6sHDy-2Ufll89cQ8iknQOERTumyzZEDbRfcCYwCh0F7ehlDdsMburPymHQMwHPjcoDGP6wpfXn5-XlI1MrsnJARmMakYtDn3tTCPjfq9SCAQSs_BI6HhtvsS0s2G1nuzrR/s1600-h/100_2495.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Uoyd3XmWRV6sHDy-2Ufll89cQ8iknQOERTumyzZEDbRfcCYwCh0F7ehlDdsMburPymHQMwHPjcoDGP6wpfXn5-XlI1MrsnJARmMakYtDn3tTCPjfq9SCAQSs_BI6HhtvsS0s2G1nuzrR/s320/100_2495.JPG" /></a><br />
</div>ArmyEngineerWifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10995992557654489907noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8346828227234960445.post-70497393126682907942009-12-26T04:47:00.000-08:002009-12-26T04:47:18.565-08:00December Daring Bakers Challenge - Gingerbread HouseJust wanted to write a quick note that I will be posting my houses next week. I am traveling Dec 23-27, and I do not have my own computer with me.<br />
<br />
Happy Holidays!ArmyEngineerWifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10995992557654489907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8346828227234960445.post-6041644208385583302009-11-29T12:49:00.000-08:002009-11-29T12:50:23.062-08:00November Daring Bakers Challenge - Cannoli!<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">After semi-mastering the art of macaroons last month, I went into November thinking I could definitely handle whatever the DB's threw at me this month. I greatly enjoyed furthering my baking skills and trying new things so this month I was looking forward to more of the same.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">My dad joined the DB's this month, and since he was going to be visiting with the rest of my family for Thanksgiving, we decided to do the cannoli challenge together. We really enjoy cooking and baking together but since we live so far apart, we often don't have time to. My dad and I both love cannoli so we were very excited about attempting to make them together.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I was actually very lucky that we were able to bake together since the Wednesday before Thanksgiving I had to have three stitches in my hand. I wasn't much help in the kitchen at all since I couldn't get it wet or use my thumb much at all!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The directions from the Daring Bakers website are as follows:</span><br />
<br />
<em><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Lidisano’s Cannoli</span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></em><br />
<em><br />
<span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Makes 22-24 4-inch cannoli</span></em><br />
<em><br />
<span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Prep time:</span></em><br />
<em><br />
<span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Dough – 2 hours and 10-20 minutes, including resting time, and depending on whether you do it by hand or machine.</span></em><br />
<em><br />
<span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Filling – 5-10 minutes plus chilling time (about 2 hours or more)</span></em><br />
<em><br />
<span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Frying – 1-2 minutes per cannoli</span></em><br />
<em><br />
<span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Assemble – 20–30 minutes</span></em><br />
<em><br />
<span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">RECIPE NOTE: THE EQUIVALENTS FROM THIS RECIPE WERE PREPARED USING THIS CONVERSION SITE: http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/index.asp.</span></em><br />
<em><br />
<span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">CANNOLI SHELLS</span></em><br />
<em><br />
<span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2 cups (250 grams/8.82 ounces) all-purpose flour</span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2 tablespoons(28 grams/1 ounce) sugar</span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 teaspoon (5 grams/0.06 ounces) unsweetened baking cocoa powder</span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1/2 teaspoon (1.15 grams/0.04 ounces) ground cinnamon</span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1/2 teaspoon (approx. 3 grams/0.11 ounces) salt</span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">3 tablespoons (42 grams/1.5 ounces) vegetable or olive oil</span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 teaspoon (5 grams/0.18 ounces) white wine vinegar</span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Approximately 1/2 cup (approx. 59 grams/approx. 4 fluid ounces/approx. 125 ml) sweet Marsala or any white or red wine you have on hand</span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 large egg, separated (you will need the egg white but not the yolk)</span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Vegetable or any neutral oil for frying – about 2 quarts (8 cups/approx. 2 litres)</span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1/2 cup (approx. 62 grams/2 ounces) toasted, chopped pistachio nuts, mini chocolate chips/grated chocolate and/or candied or plain zests, fruits etc.. for garnish</span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Confectioners' sugar</span></em><br />
<em><br />
<span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Note - If you want a chocolate cannoli dough, substitute a few tablespoons of the flour (about 25%) with a few tablespoons of dark, unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch process) and a little more wine until you have a workable dough (Thanks to Audax).</span></em><br />
<em><br />
<span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">CANNOLI FILLING</span></em><br />
<em><br />
<span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2 lbs (approx. 3.5 cups/approx. 1 kg/32 ounces) ricotta cheese, drained</span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 2/3 cups cup (160 grams/6 ounces) confectioner’s sugar, (more or less, depending on how sweet you want it), sifted</span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1/2 teaspoon (1.15 grams/0.04 ounces) ground cinnamon</span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 teaspoon (4 grams/0.15 ounces) pure vanilla extract or the beans from one vanilla bean</span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">3 tablespoons (approx. 28 grams/approx. 1 ounce) finely chopped good quality chocolate of your choice</span></em><em><br />
</em><em><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2 tablespoons (12 grams/0.42 ounces) of finely chopped, candied orange peel, or the grated zest of one small to medium orange</span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">3 tablespoons (23 grams/0.81 ounce) toasted, finely chopped pistachios</span></em><br />
<em><br />
<span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Note - If you want chocolate ricotta filling, add a few tablespoons of dark, unsweetened cocoa powder to the above recipe, and thin it out with a few drops of warm water if too thick to pipe.</span></em><br />
<em><br />
<span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">DIRECTIONS FOR SHELLS:</span></em><br />
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<em><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer or food processor, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in the oil, vinegar, and enough of the wine to make a soft dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and well blended, about 2 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest in the fridge from 2 hours to overnight. </span></em><br />
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<em><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2 Cut the dough into two pieces. Keep the remaining dough covered while you work. Lightly flour a large cutting or pastry board and roll the dough until super thin, about 1/16 to 1/8” thick (An area of about 13 inches by 18 inches should give you that). Cut out 3 to 5-inch circles (3-inch – small/medium; 4-inch – medium/large; 5-inch;- large. Your choice). Roll the cut out circle into an oval, rolling it larger and thinner if it’s shrunk a little.</span></em><br />
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<em><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">3 Oil the outside of the cannoli tubes (You only have to do this once, as the oil from the deep fry will keep them well, uhh, oiled..lol). Roll a dough oval from the long side (If square, position like a diamond, and place tube/form on the corner closest to you, then roll) around each tube/form and dab a little egg white on the dough where the edges overlap. (Avoid getting egg white on the tube, or the pastry will stick to it.) Press well to seal. Set aside to let the egg white seal dry a little.</span></em><br />
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<em><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">4. In a deep heavy saucepan, pour enough oil to reach a depth of 3 inches, or if using an electric deep-fryer, follow the manufacturer's directions. Heat the oil to 375°F (190 °C) on a deep fry thermometer, or until a small piece of the dough or bread cube placed in the oil sizzles and browns in 1 minute. Have ready a tray or sheet pan lined with paper towels or paper bags.</span></em><br />
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<em><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">5. Carefully lower a few of the cannoli tubes into the hot oil. Do not crowd the pan. Fry the shells until golden, about 2 minutes, turning them so that they brown evenly. </span></em><br />
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<em><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">8. Lift a cannoli tube with a wire skimmer or large slotted spoon, out of the oil. Using tongs, grasp the cannoli tube at one end. Very carefully remove the cannoli tube with the open sides straight up and down so that the oil flows back into the pan. Place the tube on paper towels or bags to drain. Repeat with the remaining tubes. While they are still hot, grasp the tubes with a potholder and pull the cannoli shells off the tubes with a pair of tongs, or with your hand protected by an oven mitt or towel. Let the shells cool completely on the paper towels. Place shells on cooling rack until ready to fill<br />
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<em><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">9. Repeat making and frying the shells with the remaining dough. If you are reusing the cannoli tubes, let them cool before wrapping them in the dough. </span></em><br />
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>ASSEMBLE THE CANNOLI:</em></span><br />
<span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>1. When ready to serve..fill a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain or star tip, or a ziplock bag, with the ricotta cream. If using a ziplock bag, cut about 1/2 inch off one corner. Insert the tip in the cannoli shell and squeeze gently until the shell is half filled. Turn the shell and fill the other side. You can also use a teaspoon to do this, although it’s messier and will take longer.</em></span><br />
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>2. Press or dip cannoli in chopped pistachios, grated chocolate/mini chocolate chips, candied fruit or zest into the cream at each end. Dust with confectioner’s sugar and/or drizzles of melted chocolate if desired.</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We decided to make our own marscarpone cheese for this recipe. Unfortunately, I don't have any photos, but in the end it turned out great. We followed the recipe from Baking Obsession (</span><a href="http://www.bakingobsession.com/2009/05/02/homemade-mascarpone-cheese/"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">http://www.bakingobsession.com/2009/05/02/homemade-mascarpone-cheese/</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">). We had trouble getting the cream mixture to the correct heat, but once we did everything came together very well! We stored it in the refrigerator overnight, and it was the perfect consistency when we pulled it out to make the filling the next day.</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We made the filling for the cannoli, and it ended up very runny. My dad assembled it so I'm not sure what exactly made it so runny. We tried to adjust the ingredients to make it come together, but nothing seemed to work. We even placed it over cheesecloth for the night to try and drain some of the liquid, but even that did not help much. It still tasted delicious, but it was just runny.</span> <br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The dough on the other hand came out perfectly! It was just the right consistency, and was springy just as it was suppose to be. It rolled out very well.</span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDDe_M_k4kEptR17nFAySibOZugMvVbkgbMIawz1XcbsS0S6hWeJ_kd4H22W67dw_ItwxkEw4WEGsrRqzqGcGLYGrMp-a68LgrPfPtUQnVYq3TBMHZ39zCkBBEFZfVXv_l8I0Cc6RvKLa0/s1600/October-November+2009+167.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDDe_M_k4kEptR17nFAySibOZugMvVbkgbMIawz1XcbsS0S6hWeJ_kd4H22W67dw_ItwxkEw4WEGsrRqzqGcGLYGrMp-a68LgrPfPtUQnVYq3TBMHZ39zCkBBEFZfVXv_l8I0Cc6RvKLa0/s320/October-November+2009+167.JPG" yr="true" /></span></a><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLnX5JIj-mljcIhVoRnGG1dOYXmd4WQOn153fqk84cVFZ21417cp7Gckfyu5g1U9XKseXGtP0uxbunxj0_k6Cq6u-5Az6Erwvaj0jLR112NHrNYxegB22rQvVDD-HoxadNwtSL9ZgWaxz5/s1600/October-November+2009+172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLnX5JIj-mljcIhVoRnGG1dOYXmd4WQOn153fqk84cVFZ21417cp7Gckfyu5g1U9XKseXGtP0uxbunxj0_k6Cq6u-5Az6Erwvaj0jLR112NHrNYxegB22rQvVDD-HoxadNwtSL9ZgWaxz5/s320/October-November+2009+172.JPG" yr="true" /></span></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">My husband likes to do workworking, and he had a left over dowel in the shed. He cut it down to three 7-8 inch pieces, and we oiled it down very well. They worked perfectly for our cannoli forms.</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDO9FPdB2Xdo-RCMZnBtuvqZGYNCdmn677hI1dRtv-rD2-nMDhyphenhyphenu8CesxpgJGcE5WfmfWHb5s_TdjdtNs7Cu3CDoCFrsp9bCrKqPlFlV1PxJ-Y702wPo201krOXH15vQ9nk0sNINjbgPIs/s1600/October-November+2009+173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDO9FPdB2Xdo-RCMZnBtuvqZGYNCdmn677hI1dRtv-rD2-nMDhyphenhyphenu8CesxpgJGcE5WfmfWHb5s_TdjdtNs7Cu3CDoCFrsp9bCrKqPlFlV1PxJ-Y702wPo201krOXH15vQ9nk0sNINjbgPIs/s320/October-November+2009+173.JPG" yr="true" /></span></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Since we live in on post military housing, we don't have the convenience of having a really good quality oven/stove. It is difficult to keep oil evenly heated, and it often shoots up in temperature without warming. This was my biggest concern when it came to making the cannoli shells. Fortunately, we didn't have too many problems, but I am sure a better stove would have yielded better results when it came to the shells cooking evenly.</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjF6hDXiuVgC_fa8UuI3S56fK76sXMIx_OZBUsDSPEEdfNwt382eF376oH-pn0fS0zZjiuqRCDm-naWA2Qiir3QDIXm2EUKtfsE-0sxx0706Koq8zr2jptGHtOwfK3Bf980L15w6dCFGXg/s1600/October-November+2009+174.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjF6hDXiuVgC_fa8UuI3S56fK76sXMIx_OZBUsDSPEEdfNwt382eF376oH-pn0fS0zZjiuqRCDm-naWA2Qiir3QDIXm2EUKtfsE-0sxx0706Koq8zr2jptGHtOwfK3Bf980L15w6dCFGXg/s320/October-November+2009+174.JPG" yr="true" /></span></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">For the first batch, I did not secure the flaps well enough with the egg white so several of them puffed apart. I also think in hindsight that our shells could have been thinner.</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSc2rDnWrCkIcMdEvIpDG8oK1GInahQFh8ziFb5ADYgwtyHCZhdKXwfkrv5_VGwthrlwtjPaxhVJeJBhggyq0e_hB3gI62VTBA2_xYfXYvx2kqBjaBUfBz8p_oCyY8zZI9imdg5_3N-KoK/s1600/October-November+2009+175.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSc2rDnWrCkIcMdEvIpDG8oK1GInahQFh8ziFb5ADYgwtyHCZhdKXwfkrv5_VGwthrlwtjPaxhVJeJBhggyq0e_hB3gI62VTBA2_xYfXYvx2kqBjaBUfBz8p_oCyY8zZI9imdg5_3N-KoK/s320/October-November+2009+175.JPG" yr="true" /></span></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh40yTv-F_EQEGKAkxNaLQFkJj5X7ldVrVy3qV_QfoJaPk3SrFA_b92dEuTUiJJj0tQcw32rdHRCNP69r54_0yS4mZ5V5k8LyRf5mmcXp6rRwWI5NiaI_ZVNbHEXSYFTb9IVexrNLA9Myf/s1600/October-November+2009+176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh40yTv-F_EQEGKAkxNaLQFkJj5X7ldVrVy3qV_QfoJaPk3SrFA_b92dEuTUiJJj0tQcw32rdHRCNP69r54_0yS4mZ5V5k8LyRf5mmcXp6rRwWI5NiaI_ZVNbHEXSYFTb9IVexrNLA9Myf/s320/October-November+2009+176.JPG" yr="true" /></span></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">After all of the cannoli shells were done it was time for filling! YUM!</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8jK9Okbfigrc1vf9zFT8DUVZUIwigCwfsBymBN4O60ihPzfecEwnkrnO1wSP0cVMXa8YPOT3yObiDntwUom5V8rqMpisPdwp6qgIAE8pF2QXfBL9jJlI3otw74UzIe8Qo7evOo7M0bx-J/s1600/October-November+2009+182.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8jK9Okbfigrc1vf9zFT8DUVZUIwigCwfsBymBN4O60ihPzfecEwnkrnO1wSP0cVMXa8YPOT3yObiDntwUom5V8rqMpisPdwp6qgIAE8pF2QXfBL9jJlI3otw74UzIe8Qo7evOo7M0bx-J/s320/October-November+2009+182.JPG" yr="true" /></span></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We decided to stick with the basic filling with mini chocolate chips and pistachio pieces.</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqWMcHalS-LfuMcY2RK2dmv7cS9Af93CAZfkqqdM3a1J8Rbgan57ChpiXjFrBBtKOMQxvwHFYGmoUqtkOej1mztkuEQvEg1F6jq37KvorhoCesdY4MKkRE-A0mRp10z002i-bp4pODASHg/s1600/October-November+2009+183.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqWMcHalS-LfuMcY2RK2dmv7cS9Af93CAZfkqqdM3a1J8Rbgan57ChpiXjFrBBtKOMQxvwHFYGmoUqtkOej1mztkuEQvEg1F6jq37KvorhoCesdY4MKkRE-A0mRp10z002i-bp4pODASHg/s320/October-November+2009+183.JPG" yr="true" /></span></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilva7syE4dY7Vo9agWpSCner2NUtlvxQZX7ZyO6EOrOpMll-gZOJdjG-aLEul0TMD5ME58cYIflDwRiDiY9JV66h-rWe4C3xrLQioEXMX_oquyD73NRzzVc4dwd4tC2Tp7mE-EVjhP0wUd/s1600/October-November+2009+185.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilva7syE4dY7Vo9agWpSCner2NUtlvxQZX7ZyO6EOrOpMll-gZOJdjG-aLEul0TMD5ME58cYIflDwRiDiY9JV66h-rWe4C3xrLQioEXMX_oquyD73NRzzVc4dwd4tC2Tp7mE-EVjhP0wUd/s320/October-November+2009+185.JPG" yr="true" /></span></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Overall, I was once again very happy with this challenge. Considering we're not professional bakers, and we're in this to learn, we had a great time. I would definitely make these again for a special occassion!</span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">My dad and I are both looking forward to the December challenge as we will be together for the holidays and we will complete the challenge together then!</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">See you again in December! :)</span><br />
</div>ArmyEngineerWifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10995992557654489907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8346828227234960445.post-67233131690303642472009-10-31T06:42:00.001-07:002009-10-31T06:42:33.960-07:00ArmyEngineerWifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10995992557654489907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8346828227234960445.post-26831338721084827762009-10-27T06:41:00.000-07:002009-10-27T06:41:16.405-07:00Daring Bakers Challenge October 2009 - French Macarons<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This was my first month as a part of the Daring Bakers, and my first time definitely proved to be a challenge! This month's recipe was brought to us by Ami S. She chose macarons from Claudia Fleming’s The Last Course: The Desserts of Gramercy Tavern as the challenge recipe.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">French macarons are a far cry from what most Americans think of when they picture a gooey, coconut concoction with a slightly browned top. French macarons on the other hand are made with ground almond flour, egg whites, and two types of sugar. That's it! Surprisingly, those five ingredients proved to be far more intense than I realized they could be.</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Here are the directions as listed on the Daring Bakers website:</span> <br />
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<em><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Note: Macaron making is somewhat labor intensive, yet simultaneously less difficult than you think it will be. One thing you must do is have your egg whites at room temperature. This ensures they beat up properly, as texture is an integral component to macarons. You will be piping the batter onto parchment paper or nonstick liners, and some home bakers use stencils to make sure their macarons are uniform in size. It’s your choice. </span></em><br />
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<em><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Be aware that you are beating your egg whites first to soft peaks. Soft peaks means that the peaks of the meringue curl over when you lift up the beaters. After you add the granulated sugar to the soft peak meringue, you will beat the mixture to stiff peaks, which, true to their name, stand straight up. Be careful not to overbeat your eggs.</span></em><br />
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<em><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">You will also be folding the nut flour into the meringue. As with most recipes when you combine something with beaten egg whites, be gentle in your mixing to keep the egg whites light.</span></em><br />
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<em><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Some recipes call for drying the piped macarons on the counter prior to baking for 30 minutes to an hour. This recipe stipulates that you bake the macarons at a low temperature for 5 minutes, then take them out of the oven, raising the temperature, and baking them for an additional 7 to 8 minutes. Drying is necessary to get the trademark “feet” on your macarons. Experiment to find the best technique for you.</span></em><br />
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<em><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">If you plan on using parchment paper rather than nonstick pan liners, be careful when removing the macarons from the paper, as they can stick and are very delicate. Some recipes suggest lifting up a corner of the paper and letting a drop of water fall onto the hot baking sheet, thus producing steam, which helps the macarons release.</span></em><br />
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<em><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Preparation time: Not taking into account the amount of time it takes for you to bring your egg whites to room temperature, the whole baking process, including making the batter, piping and baking will probably take you about an hour to an hour and a half. How long it takes to make your filling is dependent on what you choose to make. </span></em><br />
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<em><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Actual baking time: 12 minutes total, plus a few minutes to get your oven from 200°F to 375°F.</span></em><br />
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<strong><em><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Equipment required:</span></em></strong><br />
<em><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">• Electric mixer, preferably a stand mixer with a whisk attachment</span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">• Rubber spatula</span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">• Baking sheets</span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">• Parchment paper or nonstick liners</span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">• Pastry bag (can be disposable)</span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">• Plain half-inch pastry bag tip</span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">• Sifter or sieve</span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">• If you don’t have a pastry bag and/or tips, you can use a Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off</span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">• Oven</span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">• Cooling rack</span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">• Thin-bladed spatula for removing the macaroons from the baking sheets</span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">• Food processor or nut grinder, if grinding your own nuts (ouch!)</span></em><br />
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<strong><em><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Ingredients</span></em></strong><br />
<em><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Confectioners’ (Icing) sugar: 2 ¼ cups (225 g, 8 oz.)</span></em><br />
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<em><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Almond flour: 2 cups (190 g, 6.7 oz.)</span></em><br />
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<em><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Granulated sugar: 2 tablespoons (25 g , .88 oz.)</span></em><br />
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<em><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Egg whites: 5 (Have at room temperature)<br />
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<strong><em><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Directions:</span></em></strong><br />
<em><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1. Preheat the oven to 200°F (93°C). Combine the confectioners’ sugar and almond flour in a medium bowl. If grinding your own nuts, combine nuts and a cup of confectioners’ sugar in the bowl of a food processor and grind until nuts are very fine and powdery.</span></em><br />
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<em><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2. Beat the egg whites in the clean dry bowl of a stand mixer until they hold soft peaks. Slowly add the granulated sugar and beat until the mixture holds stiff peaks.</span></em><br />
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<em><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">3. Sift a third of the almond flour mixture into the meringue and fold gently to combine. If you are planning on adding zest or other flavorings to the batter, now is the time. Sift in the remaining almond flour in two batches. Be gentle! Don’t overfold, but fully incorporate your ingredients.</span></em><br />
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<em><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">4. Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a plain half-inch tip (Ateco #806). You can also use a Ziploc bag with a corner cut off. It’s easiest to fill your bag if you stand it up in a tall glass and fold the top down before spooning in the batter.</span></em><br />
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<em><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">5. Pipe one-inch-sized (2.5 cm) mounds of batter onto baking sheets lined with nonstick liners (or parchment paper).</span></em><br />
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<em><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">6. Bake the macaron for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and raise the temperature to 375°F (190°C). Once the oven is up to temperature, put the pans back in the oven and bake for an additional 7 to 8 minutes, or lightly colored.</span></em><br />
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<em><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">7. Cool on a rack before filling. </span></em><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Before I started baking, I read page, after page, after page of comments, photos, and tips from other Daring Bakers. I was determined to fully understand the challenges others faced and know how to correct problems before I dove in. (I have a terrible habit of just diving into a recipe without reading it carefully!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I made sure to have all of my ingredients and kitchen items at the ready so I wouldn't waste any time. I aged my egg whites overnight, and let them come to room temperature for almost a full day. At last, I had the house to myself, the pup was napping, and it was time to get baking!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I carefully watched as my egg whites came to what I thought was a near perfect consistency. I then carefully folded my ingredients together until I thought they were ready to pipe onto the baking sheets. It was now time for the true test, would the feet form?!?!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">After reading others' posts, I knew getting 'feet' on my macarons was going to be the biggest challenge. Many of the bakers who were far more experienced than me, did not have any feet at all on the macarons. I did pick up a few pointers from other bakers in my reading so I made sure to lay out parchment paper to bake the macarons on, and I also stacked two baking sheets to help the feet form and cook evenly.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">At last, they were ready for the oven:</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3LwGfqpelOw16hzjggC_2U-5mH3VgUEt2IhJJ7S4pia-Obz9_Ngxo0Jbj5Blcz-a4tz9HjAfzeSpO1RS95GKOSh3_33StFJFSSWtYR84IU3RcZRHnhp6-4xhU_34zg3qsZ_apbeQjzDT_/s1600-h/October+13+2009+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3LwGfqpelOw16hzjggC_2U-5mH3VgUEt2IhJJ7S4pia-Obz9_Ngxo0Jbj5Blcz-a4tz9HjAfzeSpO1RS95GKOSh3_33StFJFSSWtYR84IU3RcZRHnhp6-4xhU_34zg3qsZ_apbeQjzDT_/s320/October+13+2009+007.JPG" vr="true" /></span></a><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">For the first batch, I followed the directions exactly. Several minutes before the end, I was literally jumping up and down because....</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">THEY HAD FEET!!!!!!!</span></strong><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">In nothing else went right, I was thrilled my macarons had feet! I knew this was a huge challenge for other which I overcame without any problem. When they first batch was done, they came out like this:</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPgZ_EhftMwKjdznCO-U6FzIKLdI40qr_upUiclQR2WGyB3tdghXJyh-6dQI6-m8vo3RkK5592nOmpVROwAruN1o8M_j68PopCJr-7FgO8lfM4C60t_XKKwWW-SmX7YCkop-P8LUmfTO8f/s1600-h/October+13+2009+017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPgZ_EhftMwKjdznCO-U6FzIKLdI40qr_upUiclQR2WGyB3tdghXJyh-6dQI6-m8vo3RkK5592nOmpVROwAruN1o8M_j68PopCJr-7FgO8lfM4C60t_XKKwWW-SmX7YCkop-P8LUmfTO8f/s320/October+13+2009+017.JPG" vr="true" /></span></a><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">All in all, I was pretty happy with how they turned out. They didn't puff up as much as I would have liked, but I couldn't complain because at least they looked like macarons!</span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I baked another batch in which I upped the oven temperatures to see how it would change my results. Many of the other bakers thought the temps were too low so I wanted to see what my results would be. I also left them in a touch longer. The results:</span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZPK0yOs2ByVpUuQpvcU0Vh8d3VU2zHKp-k0iPMT7R5WLh1m0Vcl9juw0QnP3RP3JEWfBvXKqzbyeRr8dUeRCXMDk6TNtxGa_ouSTWj8R4PTr_S92ACMDC0ZvvoeJKQ0c63v9rgVFqwG-o/s1600-h/October+13+2009+027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZPK0yOs2ByVpUuQpvcU0Vh8d3VU2zHKp-k0iPMT7R5WLh1m0Vcl9juw0QnP3RP3JEWfBvXKqzbyeRr8dUeRCXMDk6TNtxGa_ouSTWj8R4PTr_S92ACMDC0ZvvoeJKQ0c63v9rgVFqwG-o/s320/October+13+2009+027.JPG" vr="true" /></span></a><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I thought baking them at a higher temp for a bit longer really did make a difference. They weren't as chewy as the first batch and the shell was a bit crunchy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I wanted to do a bit more experimenting, but time did not allow with this recipe! I chose to just bake plain macarons and fill them with chocolate ganache. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT0kVuUvkcE5pzsLIXKlJyCBOl55Tm_wCARJ-1EVIcs6SP4k-nA8Kngn692627zH3_CakhU5F_vQQi6u1Pg-MQr_BaJDCccW4KlzbILnuVmhhHDCuStljMGczlOgcDsNcJIFkOWkPspit4/s1600-h/October+13+2009+039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT0kVuUvkcE5pzsLIXKlJyCBOl55Tm_wCARJ-1EVIcs6SP4k-nA8Kngn692627zH3_CakhU5F_vQQi6u1Pg-MQr_BaJDCccW4KlzbILnuVmhhHDCuStljMGczlOgcDsNcJIFkOWkPspit4/s320/October+13+2009+039.JPG" vr="true" /></span></a><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Overall , I was quite pleased with how my macarons turned out. I would like to try them again because my husband and I thought they were delicious. I was shoked how many variations there are of macarons when I began searching online. So many macarons, so little time....</span><br />
</div>ArmyEngineerWifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10995992557654489907noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8346828227234960445.post-89307638186940799822008-10-08T17:53:00.000-07:002008-10-09T18:40:58.263-07:00Delicious Apple Pie<span style="font-family:georgia;">Being from Michigan, I love the fall. Not only does it mean changing leaves and fall decor, but also that the Michigan apples are ready for picking. This fall I have been very homesick, and I figured nothing would perk me up more than Mom's apple pie.<br /><br /><strong><em>Rosie's Apple Pie</em></strong><br /><br />7-8 large apples (I like to use a variety including Gala, Macintosh, Granny Smith, etc.)<br />1/2 to 3/4 cup brown sugar<br />1 tablespoon cinnamon<br />1/2 cup flour<br />2 refrigerator pie crusts<br /><br />1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line pie plate with one of the crusts. Evenly puncture the crust with a fork.<br /><br />2. Peel, core, and slice apples. Place in a large mixing bowl.<br /><br />3. Toss apples with flour, sugar and cinnamon. Once the mixture is well combined, spread it evenly in the bottom of the pie plate.<br /><br />3. Unroll the second crust and place it on top of the filling. Roll the edges together and form as desired. Score the top crust to allow for ventilation.<br /><br />4. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cooked through. </span>ArmyEngineerWifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10995992557654489907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8346828227234960445.post-30059786635866501152008-10-04T19:01:00.000-07:002008-10-04T19:22:48.472-07:00Brown-Rice Bowl with Shrimp, Avocado, and Snow Peas<div><span style="font-family:georgia;">I get the monthly issues of Martha Stewart's Everyday Food Magazine, and I just love it. The recipes are typically very easy and very healthy. Before A deployed, we tried this one out. We both loved it, and it was so eay to prepare! It's also a great one for me to make for myself.<br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;"></span></div><br /><div><strong><em><span style="font-family:georgia;">Brown-Rice Bowl with Shrimp, Avocado, and Snow Peas</span></em></strong></div><br /><div><em><span style="font-family:georgia;">Ingredients</span></em></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;">Coarse Salt and Pepper</span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;">1 cup long-grain brown rice</span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;">1/4 cup soy sauce</span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;">1/4 cup fresh lemon juice</span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;">2 tablespoons rice vinegar</span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;">2 teaspoons light brown-sugar</span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;">1 tablespoon olive oil</span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;">1 pound peeled and devined shrimp, thawed</span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;">1/2 pound snow peas, trimmed and halved on the diagonal</span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;">1 piece (1 inch long) fresh ginger, grated</span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;">1 Hass avocado, pitted and cut into chunks</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:georgia;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;">1. In a large saucepan, bring 2 cups salted water to a boil. Add rice; cover. Reduce heat to low and cook until rice is tender and water is absorbed, 45 to 50 minutes.<em> (I have used leftover rice too.)</em></span></div><br /><div><em><span style="font-family:georgia;"></span></em></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;">2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together soy sauce, lemon juice, vinegar, and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Set sauce aside.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:georgia;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;">3. When rice has finished cooking, heat oil in a larget skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp, snow peas, and ginger; season with salt and pepper. Cook until shrimp are opaque throughout and snow peas are bright green, 2 to 3 minutes.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:georgia;">4. Divide rice among four bowls. Top with shrimp mixture and avocado; serve with sauce on the side.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:georgia;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253489232304425186" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEL8XMt8cXKIBo1WXdwJb2TrjoqRM41D8zzivWw8vmnQt13CPdm-bD7Bl3AEKqaDan-oKX8nc2V2M5LCVDWdrhq-ooCoOhQGMykqvWPk_uP5Xrr3cVDFm6ZY5cl5mntNDR5RIE13uHzOUm/s200/IMG_1101.JPG" border="0" /></span></div>ArmyEngineerWifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10995992557654489907noreply@blogger.com0