Venetian Cabbage
Venetian Cabbage
I love cabbage in all sorts of dishes. Maybe it’s from my Eastern European roots but I like cabbage in salads, soups and side dishes. I really love it prepared this way. Smokiness from the bacon and a hint of rosemary and garlic. If you are looking for an easy and tasty way to prepare cabbage try this recipe for Venetian Cabbage. I think you will be pleased.
Venetian Cabbage
1/2 c. minced pancetta (Italian bacon) or thick bacon
2 cloves garlic, minced
pinch of rosemary, minced- I used a bit more
1 T. olive oil
2 1/2 lbs. green cabbage, trimmed and shredded
1/2 c. chicken stock or white wine
Cook bacon, garlic and rosemary and oil in saucepan until mixture starts to sizzle. Stir in the cabbage, tossing to coat well. Cook, covered, over low heat for an hour adding the stock or wine a little at a time. Add salt to taste before serving. Serves 6.
Polynesian Cole Slaw
Polynesian Cole Slaw
I got this recipe from a friend many years ago. We made it in class the other night. It’s a nice variation on a salad I enjoy a lot of different ways. The crunch of the cabbage goes well with the sweetness of the fruit. Since cabbage is on sale everywhere lately I thought I would share the recipe with you.
Polynesian Cole Slaw
4 c. shredded cabbage
1 (11oz.) can mandarin oranges, drained or 2 mandarin oranges, peeled and separated
1 (8 oz.) can pineapple tidbits, drained, reserving 2 T. of the juice
1/4 c. mayonnaise
1/2 t. fresh grated ginger
1/4 t. each nutmeg and white pepper
Combine cabbage with fruit and set aside. Combine remaining ingredients including reserved juice to make dressing and pour over cabbage mixture, tossing gently to coat. Chill several hours or overnight before serving. Serves 8.
Turkey with Herb Dumplings
Turkey with Herb Dumplings
I have been using up stuff from my freezer and I came across a turkey thigh. I usually just roast it, but wanted to do something different. Been thinking comfort food lately so I went with turkey and dumplings- adapting a dish I would normally make with chicken. The end result was really wonderful.
Turkey with Herb Dumplings
1 turkey thigh
1 large onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
4 c. turkey stock
4 T. flour
salt and pepper to taste
1 c. baking mix- like Bisquick- I make my own
1/2 c. milk
2 T. chopped green onion
1 T. chopped parsley
1 t. dried basil
In Dutch oven or large pot brown turkey thigh. Add the vegetables and brown them, too, turning to prevent burning. Add stock, cover pot, and simmer until turkey is tender, about an hour. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove the turkey thigh and cut the meat off the bone. Return the turkey meat to the pot. Combine flour with some cold water or more stock until smooth. Add to the pot and stir well. Mixture will thicken. Meanwhile combine baking mix with milk and herbs. Drop dumpling batter by tablespoonfuls over the turkey mixture in pot. Reduce heat to low, cover pot and cook until dumplings are cooked, about 20 minutes. To serve place some of the turkey and vegetables with sauce in serving bowls and top with dumplings. Serves 6.
Spoon dumpling batter over turkey mixture
Dumplings will puff up when cooked
Corn and Zucchini Saute
Corn and Zucchini Saute
I still have some of last summer’s corn in the freezer. I always think I should freeze more than I do. This is a quick dish that is both colorful and tasty. Best yet it makes me think of warm summer days.
Corn and Zucchini Sauté
2 sweet peppers, seeded and cut into strips
2 medium zucchini, sliced
Oil
2 c. corn kernels cut from cobs, about 4 ears
1 t. garlic salt
1t. Italian seasoning
In oil cook peppers and zucchini until crisp tender, about 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and cook 4 more minutes, or until heated through. Serves 6-8.
Peanut Butter Pancakes with Red Grape Syrup
Peanut Butter Pancakes with Red Grape Syrup
Was in the mood for pb&j this morning but since I was out of bread had to get creative. I had some red grapes in the freezer and I decided to pair them up with peanut butter pancakes. The combination was really good. I started by making the syrup. I took about 2 cups of frozen grapes and set them in a small skillet with about 1/4 cup of sugar. I let this mixture cook over medium high heat until the grapes were tender and the liquid in the pan had created a syrup. I didn’t need to add water as the frozen grapes gave off their juices as soon as they started to heat up. With fresh grapes you might want to add a little water to get the whole process going. It took about 15 minutes in all. While the grapes were cooking I made the pancake batter and began cooking the pancakes. When the pancakes were done I topped them with a few grapes and a drizzle of the pretty grape syrup. Not the peanut butter and jelly sandwich I had in mind- something so much better. Sometimes it pays to think outside the box.
Peanut Butter Pancakes
1 c. buttermilk baking mix, like Bisquick or Jiffy mix, I make my own
2 T. sugar
1 egg
1/3 c. peanut butter
2/3 half and half
1/4 c. water
Combine baking mix and sugar and set aside. Whisk together remaining ingredients until smooth and add the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined. Heat and lightly oil skillet and use 1/4 c. of better for each pancake. Cook over medium heat. Turn when edges appear dry. Makes 8.
Baklava
Baklava
This was specially requested for a dinner with friends. I don’t make it often, but who can say “no” to friends? Rich and sweet, small squares of baklava are a wonderful end to any meal. You can easily cut this recipe in half if you want to make a smaller batch. When working with phyllo keep the sheets pliable by covering them with a damp towel to keep them from drying out.
Baklava
2 lbs. phyllo
1 lb. butter, preferably unsalted
1½ lbs. walnuts or blanched almonds, chopped fine
½ c. sugar
½ t. cinnamon
1/8 t. cloves
Combine nuts, sugar and seasonings and set aside. Brush a large jellyroll pan (12×17) with butter and line bottom with 15 phyllo sheets, brushing each with butter as you go. Spread 1/3 of the nut mixture on phyllo leaves. Top with 5-6 buttered sheets of phyllo. Spread with another third of the nut mixture. Add another layer of 5-6 buttered leaves and remaining nut mixture. You should have 15-17 leaves for the top. Brush top layer of leaves with remaining butter. With a sharp pointed knife score the top sheets in whatever shapes and sizes you want. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 45 minutes to an hour. Baklava should be golden brown. Meanwhile prepare syrup. When baklava has cooled, warm up the syrup and pour over.
Syrup:
2 c. sugar
1 c. honey
2 c. water
zest of 1 lemon or orange
Bring to a boil and simmer 10 minutes. Strain and set aside.
Maple Bacon Doughnuts
Maple Bacon Doughnuts
These were one of the doughnuts we did for Fat Tuesday. As you can imagine they came out really good. Easy to make, too.
Maple Bacon Doughnuts
3 c. flour
1 T. baking powder
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. salt
1/2 t. grated ginger
2 eggs
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. maple syrup
1/3 c. buttermilk
1/4 c. melted butter
1 c. cooked, crumbled bacon
oil for deep frying
cinnamon sugar
Combine dry ingredients and set aside. In another bowl beat together eggs, sugar and syrup until well mixed. Stir in buttermilk and butter then stir in dry ingredients and bacon. Do not over mix. Chill dough at least a couple of hours before using. Overnight is better. When ready to use, heat oil to 375 degrees. While oil is heating roll dough out, on floured surface, 1/2 inch thick and cut out with a doughnut cutter. Fry several at a time for 1 minute per side. Drain on paper towels. Roll warm doughnuts in cinnamon sugar. Re-roll scraps. You will end up with about 18 doughnuts and 18 doughnut holes.
Tiramisu Doughnuts
Tiramisu Doughnuts
These are always the most popular doughnuts we make on Doughnut Days. I also made a blackberry filling for those who wanted jelly doughnuts. It would not be Fat Tuesday without some jelly doughnuts, too.
Tiramisu Doughnuts
Filling:
5 egg yolks
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. Marsala wine (not cooking wine)
2 c. whipping cream
4 T. sugar
1 lb. mascarpone cheese
Make zabaglione (egg custard). In double boiler, over simmering water, beat together egg yolks and sugar until lemon colored. Stir in Marsala and continue cooking, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and will mound on a spoon. This will take about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool down. You can place in bowl in fridge 30 minutes or so. Beat together whipping cream and sugar until stiff peaks form. Beat in mascarpone and chilled zabaglione. Chill 1 hour.
Dough:
4 c. flour
2 T. sugar
1 t. salt
½ c. butter
1 packet yeast
¼ c. warm water
2 t. sugar
1 c. evaporated milk
2 eggs, beaten
Combine flour with sugar and salt. Cut in butter and set aside. Dissolve yeast in warm water and 2 t. sugar and set aside. Combine milk with eggs. Stir in yeast mixture and add to flour mixture stirring well. On lightly floured surface knead dough until dough is smooth, about 5 minutes. Dough will be very sticky. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1½ hours. Remove dough from bowl and punch down. Using about a third of the dough at a time roll dough out to about an ½ -inch thickness and cut out with a 2½ -inch biscuit cutter. Re-roll scraps and cut out. You should get about 2 dozen. Place dough circles on a floured surface and cover with a towel until doubled, about an hour. Heat oil in a deep pan until it reaches 375 degrees. Cook doughnuts a few at a time until golden on both sides, about 1 minute per side. Drain on paper towels and cool before filling.
Note: You can also refrigerate the dough after kneading it if you would prefer. Just place dough in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight. Roll and cut dough into doughnuts when cold from the fridge. Allow to rise, covered, until doubled in bulk, about 2-3 hours. Fry as directed.
To fill doughnuts use a pastry bag fitted with a long tube tip for filling. I have these handy plastic syringes which are easy to use. Insert tube tip into doughnut and squeeze gently until doughnut is filled with cream (or jelly). Be careful not to overfill or doughnut will split. Once filled doughnuts can be frosted or topped with a sugar glaze. For the Tiramisu Doughnuts I made a mocha ganache.
Mocha Ganache
2 c. chocolate chips
1 c. whipping cream
1 T. instant coffee powder
Combine all ingredients in a microwave safe dish and heat in microwave for 2 minutes. Stir mixture until smooth and return to microwave if chocolate is not fully melted. Heat in microwave for 30 seconds more at a time, stirring after each time until mixture is smooth. For extra smooth mixture strain before using. Dip the top of the filled doughnuts in ganache.
Filling tool
Filling the doughnuts
Apple Fritters
Apple Fritters
One more recipe from Doughnut Days. These little fritters are fun because in the time it takes to heat up the oil you can mix up the batter. Ready to eat in 30 minutes or less. They are light and crispy. We rolled them in cinnamon sugar. They can also be rolled in powdered sugar. You can also use other fruits like pears or bananas in place of the apples.
Apple Fritters
2 c. flour
3 T. sugar
2 T. baking powder
2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. salt
1 c. milk
2 eggs, beaten
2 T. melted butter
2 c. diced apples
oil for frying- I used coconut oil
Combine dry ingredients and set aside. Mix together milk with the eggs and butter. Stir in dry ingredients until just moistened and stir in the apples. Heat oil to 375. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls into the hot oil and fry until golden brown. Don’t do more than 4-5 at a time. It will take about 4 minutes in total but you need to turn them to brown evenly so fry about 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels. While warm roll in powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar. Makes about 32. Best served warm.
Bacon Apple Fritters- Gluten Free
Bacon Apple Gluten-free Fritters
One of the biggest hits at this year’s Doughnut Days were the gluten free fritters. Inspired by my friend Blayne, I decided to give gluten free baking a try. I found a gluten free flour at Costco that promised you could use it measure for measure like regular flour. The end result were bacon and apple fritters with both great flavor and texture. One thing I noticed is that they were getting brown faster than regular fritters. We lowered the heat a little to cook them. Thanks again Blayne for the advice. Topped them with a maple glaze.
Bacon Apple Gluten Free Fritters
2 c. gluten-free flour
2 T. sugar
2 T. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 c. milk
2 eggs, beaten
2 T. melted butter
1 c. diced apples
1 c. cooked, crumbled bacon
oil for frying- I used coconut oil
Combine dry ingredients and set aside. Mix together milk with the eggs and butter. Stir in dry ingredients until just moistened and add the apples and bacon. Heat oil to 350. If using regular flour heat oil to 375. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls into the hot oil and fry until golden brown. Don’t do more than 4-5 at a time. It will take about 4 minutes in total but you need to turn them to brown evenly so 2 minute per side. Drain on paper towels. Dip in maple glaze (recipe follows) while warm or roll in powdered sugar. Makes about 32.
Maple Glaze
1 c. Powdered sugar
1/2 c. maple syrup
a little water if mixture gets too thick
Combine all ingredients and set aside until ready to use.
The gluten-free flour I found at Costco
