Cheesy Chocolate Hamantaschen
A friend shared this recipe recently, and I was intrigued. I had to try these cookies. The filling for these traditional Jewish cookies is inspired by the filling used in cannoli. I made a few changes from the recipe he shared, and was very happy with how they turned out.
The dough, which contains no sugar, has a wonderful, pastry-like texture. It pairs up well with the filling. The drizzle of chocolate is a perfect finish for them. They aren’t a gooey, overly sweet cookie, which I really like.
They are great served with tea or coffee. I confess, I had a couple for breakfast with my morning tea. I would definitely make these again.
Thanks, Jared, for sharing this recipe.
Cheesy Chocolate Hamantaschen
Filling:
¼ c. ricotta cheese
5 oz. cream cheese
½ c. powdered sugar
1 t. cinnamon
½ c. mini chocolate chips
Dough:
½ c. (1 stick) butter, softened
3 oz. cream cheese
½ c. half and half or milk
1 t. vanilla
½ t. salt
2½ c. flour
Topping:
1 egg white
2 T. water
½ c. chocolate chips
Powdered sugar, optional
Prepare the filling. Beat together the ricotta and cream cheese until smooth. Mix in the milk and cinnamon, then stir in the chips. Chill until ready to use. Make the dough by mixing the cream cheese and butter together. Add the milk, vanilla and salt and mix until smooth. Stir in the flour until a stiff dough forms. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, or put in a bag and chill at least an hour – or up to a couple of days – before proceeding. On lightly floured surface, roll the dough to a little less than ¼ – inch thickness. Cut dough out into 2-3 inch circles. Place a scant teaspoon of filling in middle of each dough circle. Combine the egg white with water and beat together. Brush a little of the egg white mixture over the edges of the dough circle. Fold the dough up in thirds towards the center, pinching the edges to seal. They should look like little three-corner hats. Repeat with remaining dough, re-rolling the scraps. Brush folded cookies with a little more of the egg white mixture. Place on lightly greased cookie sheets and bake in a 375-degree- oven for 15 minutes, or until golden on the bottom. Remove to cooling rack. Once cooled, melt the chocolate chips and drizzle over the cookies. You can top with some powdered sugar, if you like. Makes 2½-3 dozen.
Shrimp and Grits
A fun way to celebrate almost any special occasion is with shrimp and grits. Everybody seems to love them. I made these for a friend’s birthday. As an added bonus, they are fast and easy to make. It’s all in the timing. Get your grits simmering on the stove, while you clean and season the shrimp. Once the grits are ready, keep them warm and quickly saute the shrimp. Then just serve them up.
Some folks like to add cheese to the grits. I did this time, but feel free to omit cheese, if you like. Sharp cheddar or Parmesan are good choices. Add the cheese when you add the cream and butter.
I didn’t get specific on how much of the seasonings to add. I dusted the shrimp with the seasonings and tossed to get them all coated evenly. I was generous with all but the cayenne. I used about a 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne. They still had a nice kick, but I had a guest coming who doesn’t like spicy foods. You can always serve them with hot sauce on the side, so guests who like spicier foods can add that to their shrimp.
Shrimp and Grits
1 c. grits, I used regular grits, not quick cooking
4 c. water
½ t. salt
3 T. butter
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 lb. large raw shrimp, shelled and deveined
Salt
Pepper
Cayenne pepper
Garlic powder
Paprika
2 T. oil
2 T. butter
In saucepan, bring water to a boil and add the grits and salt. Turn down to a simmer and cover the pan. Stir every few minutes. Cook until grits are tender and water is absorbed, about 20 minutes. While the grits are cooking, place shrimp in medium bowl and season to taste with the salt, pepper, cayenne, garlic powder and paprika. Toss shrimp to coat evenly and set aside. Once grits are done cooking, stir in the cream and butter. Adjust seasoning. Cover and remove from the heat. Heat oil and butter in skillet and cook shrimp over medium high heat, turning to cook on both sides until shrimp are cooked, about 5 minutes. They should get a nice, golden color. Larger shrimp will take longer, but be careful not to overcook them. To serve, spoon some grits on a plate or in a shallow bowl. Top with some shrimp and serve. Serves 4.
Russian Tea Biscuits
Russian tea biscuits are like a kind of cookie. A magical cookie, filled with jam and raisins and nuts. The are crispy, tender and rich. They also are not all that sweet, which appeals to me. You can serve them as a dessert, but also serve them with breakfast or brunch. And of course, with your tea or coffee.
I can remember the first time I ever had a Russian tea biscuit. It was at the Cedar-Lee theater. I guess you could say I got my love for foreign films and Russian pastry at the same place. I found a recipe in my mother’s recipe collection. I tried them and they were pretty close to the ones at the Cedar-Lee. I did tweak that recipe a bit.
My only regret was not having raspberry jam. That is my favorite. The swirl of red in the biscuits is very pretty. I used what I had- peach- and am happy with them. Not as colorful, but very tasty, all the same.
Here is the recipe. I think you might want to try these with that next cup of tea.
Russian Tea Biscuits
3½ c. flour
½ c. sugar
1 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
¼ t. salt
1 c. butter, softened
2 eggs, separated
½ c. orange juice
1 1/3 c. preserves, (strawberry, raspberry, plum or apricot are favorites)
1 c. chopped walnuts
1 c. raisins, dark or golden
1 t. cinnamon
3 T. sugar
Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and cut in butter until mixture is the size of peas. Stir in egg yolks and orange juice. Knead until dough is well blended. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll out a piece of dough 1/4 -inch thick into an 8×10-inch rectangle. Spread with 1/3 c. of the preserves and sprinkle with 1/4 c. each of the raisins and nuts. Roll up jelly roll fashion and set, seam side down, on ungreased baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough. Beat egg whites until foamy and brush on dough. Combine cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle on dough. Bake in a 350-degee oven for 25-35 minutes, or until golden. Use a toothpick to test for doneness. They can be golden, but a little under baked in the middle. Slice while warm into 6 pieces for each roll. Makes 24.
Creamy Spinach Sauce
The sauce reminds me of creamed spinach, a favorite childhood dish of mine. The recipe makes enough to generously sauce a pound of pasta. It is very tasty and easy to make. Great when you need a home made meal, but don’t have a lot of time. You can also use this sauce on hot cooked rice or baked potatoes.
The recipe uses frozen spinach, but you can use fresh spinach , if you prefer. Just cook down 12-16 oz. of fresh spinach and use like the frozen spinach.
There is Parmesan cheese in the sauce. I like to serve extra on the side.
Creamy Spinach Sauce
1/4 c. butter
1 (10 oz.) package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 t. salt
1 c. ricotta cheese
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 c. milk
Heat spinach in butter for 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and heat gently until warmed through. Do not boil sauce. Toss sauce over hot, cooked pasta. Makes 2 1/2 cups, enough for about a pound of pasta.
Beignets
Beignets are the official fried dough of New Orleans. These squares of fried dough are often referred to as a fritter or doughnut.
Beignets can be made with a choux pastry- like the type of dough used for cream puffs. They can also be made from a yeast raised dough. I made mine with a yeast dough.
Once fried, beignets are drained on paper towels and then tossed in a bag with powdered sugar. They are served hot, or at least warm. The fresher the better.
They really aren’t that difficult to make. The dough is soft and pliable. Very easy to handle. When you roll the dough into a rectangle to cut into squares, do your best to get the corners squared off. But don’t get too concerned. I always end up with the four corners a little misshapen. They still taste good. I use a pizza cutter to cut the dough into squares. In class last night we used square cookie cutters. Anything that works is fine.
Beignets
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 envelope active dry yeast
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 cup evaporated milk
7 cups bread flour
1/4 cup shortening, softened butter or oil
Oil, for deep-frying
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
Mix water, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl and let sit for 10 minutes. In another bowl, beat the eggs, salt and evaporated milk together. Mix egg mixture to the yeast mixture. In a separate bowl, measure out the bread flour. Add 3 cups of the flour to the yeast mixture and stir to combine. Add the shortening and continue to stir while adding the remaining flour. Remove dough from the bowl, place onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Brush a large bowl with a little oil. Put dough into the bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a towel. Let rise in a warm place for at least 2 hours. Preheat oil in a deep-fryer to 350 degrees. Add the confectioners’ sugar to a paper or plastic bag and set aside. Roll the dough out to about 1/4-inch thickness and cut into 1-inch or 2- inch squares. Deep-fry, flipping constantly, until they become a golden color. After beignets are fried, drain them for a few seconds on paper towels, and then toss them into the bag of confectioners’ sugar. Hold bag closed and shake to coat evenly. Makes about 4 dozen, when cut in 2-inch squares, 8 dozen when cut in 1-inch squares.
Note: This recipe makes a lot. I cut the recipe in half when I don’t need so many. You can cut them a little smaller, if you prefer. They puff up a lot when fried.
Mandarin Orange Sorbet
This is one of those dishes that is so simple, but so tasty. In the end, its just frozen mandarin oranges, blended up in a food processor until creamy. You can add some sugar, if you like, and a little vanilla. then finish off with a pinch of salt.
I served this sorbet to some friends after dinner the other night and they loved it. The color is beautiful and the flavor is refreshing. Served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, it would taste like an elevated version of a creamsicle. I could see adding a scoop to a cold drink on a hot summer day. But it is good enough to serve all on its own.
I make a lot of fruit based sorbets. An abundance of mandarins were my inspiration for this one. I needed to use them in something!! I will certainly play around with adding other flavors or perhaps adding some zest next time. I already have frozen more mandarins to use later.
For now, I am very pleased with this simple and flavorful dessert. Here is how I made it.
Mandarin Orange Sorbet
10-12 mandarin oranges
1-2 T. sugar, optional or to taste
1 t. vanilla, optional
Pinch of salt
Peel and freeze the mandarins. Once frozen, place them in a food processor and process until mixture becomes smooth and creamy. Taste and see if you want to add a little sugar. Sweeten to taste and add the vanilla, also optional, and just a pinch of salt. Combine well then return to the freezer until you are ready to serve it. Makes about 1 pint.
Peanut Butter Thumbprint Cookies
The combination of peanut butter and chocolate is a classic. This cookie brings those two flavors together perfectly. The cookie itself has a wonderful outer crunch, but is also tender and melts in your mouth. The addition of a dollop of chocolate finishes the cookie just right.
Of course, you could also use a spoonful of jam or jelly to fill in the cookies. Peanut butter and jelly are also a classic combo. No matter what filling you use, these thumbprint cookies are going to be a big hit.
Peanut Butter Thumbprints
1 c. butter, softened
2 c. packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 c. peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
2 1/2 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1 3/4 c. finely chopped unsalted, dry roasted peanuts
Melted chocolate, about 2 cups
In mixing bowl, cream together butter, sugar and peanut butter. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine flour with dry ingredients and mix into butter mixture. Stir in peanuts. Shape dough into 1-inch balls and place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 8-10 minutes or until cookies are just set. Press thumb gently into the middle of each cookie and cool on rack. Spoon about a teaspoon of melted chocolate into each cookie. Makes about 8 dozen.
Classic Gnocchi
Gnocchi are a type of dumpling made with potatoes. They are tender, tasty and so easy to make. Sort of like a spaetzle, but made with potatoes in the dough. They have a unique texture and flavor. They have a unique appearance as well, as uncooked gnocchi are traditionally rolled across the tines of a fork to leave tiny grooves. The grooves help to hold sauce. It also makes them look pretty. There are special grooved boards made just for making gnocchi, but a fork works well, too.
Once cooked, gnocchi can be served with butter or a little olive oil, with a red sauce or browned in butter or oil. I love them with some fresh grated Parmesan cheese.
So here is the recipe I used. If you never made gnocchi before, I hope you will give them a try. so easy and so good!!!
Classic Gnocchi
4 small russet potatoes, 22-24 oz. total, peeled, diced into 1/2-inch cubes
1 egg
2 T. whipping cream or half and half
1 1/4 t. salt
1/8 t. nutmeg
1 1/2 c. (about) flour
Steam potatoes over boiling water until tender, about 12 minutes. I steam mine in the microwave. Place in bowl and mash or put potatoes through a ricer. Place in bowl and cool about 10 minutes. Add egg, cream, salt and nutmeg and mix well. Stir in flour and combine until slightly sticky dough forms. Add more flour a tablespoon at a time if the mixture is too moist. Turn dough onto lightly floured work surface and divide into 6 equal portions. Roll out 1 piece into a rope about 20-inches long by 3/4 inch. Cut dough into 3/4 -inch pieces and roll each piece over the tines of a fork or over a wire whisk to make grooves in them. Arrange finished gnocchi in a single layer on a floured baking sheet and repeat the process with the remaining dough. Boil the gnocchi in well-salted boiling water, about 1/3 at a time. Boil for 4-5 minutes. They will come to the surface and be tender. Check after 4 minutes. Serve with butter and Parmesan cheese or with a favorite pasta sauce.
Braided Herb Breads
One of the benefits about baking your own bread is the aroma. The house gets filled with the most wonderful smells. In this case, the experience is even better because the breads I baked are filled with herbs and shallots, so those fragrances are also in the mix.
I like to make these loaves in braids and place them on a baking sheet- but they could just as easily be baked in bread pans for more traditional loaves. Great for sandwiches.
I like to toast some of this bread, and use as croutons or as a base for stuffing. I served it sliced and toasted with dinner last night. Guests spread it with unsalted butter then added a pinch of some finishing salts I had gotten as a gift. So simple, but very tasty,
You can also slice the bread, brush with softened butter, then toast, for a twist on garlic bread. The garlic is already in the bread, but feel free to add more to the butter, before brushing it on the bread.
Braided Herb Bread
5 ½ -6 ½ c. flour
2 packages quick rising yeast
¼ c. sauteed shallots
2 T. each dried marjoram and parsley
1 T. each dried oregano and minced garlic
1 T. honey
2 t. dried thyme
2 t. salt
¼ c. olive oil
2 ¼ c. hot water
In a mixing bowl combine 2 c. of flour with the rest of the ingredients and mix until smooth. Beat with electric mixer 4 minutes then add 1-cup additional flour and beat 1 minute longer. Stir in flour ½ cup at a time until soft dough forms. Turn onto surface and knead, adding flour gradually until dough is smooth and elastic. Place dough in lightly greased bowl and turn to cover. Cover with a towel and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Turn dough onto surface and cut in half. Cut each half into thirds. Roll each piece of dough into an 18-inch rope. Loosely braid three ropes together and repeat with the remaining dough. Place on greased baking sheet and cover until doubled in size, about 20 minutes.
Bake in a preheated 375-degree oven for 25-30 minutes, or until bread sounds hollow when tapped lightly. Makes 2.
Variation: Whole wheat: Add 2 cups of whole-wheat flour to replace 2 cups of white flour. Also try adding ¼ c. of wheat germ, oat bran or 2 tablespoons of seeds (sesame, pumpkin, sunflower, poppy, etc.)
Regular yeast can be used, but rising times will be longer and water should be warm, not hot.
Pecan Crusted Salmon
If you love salmon like I do, this is a fun way to prepare it. The crunch from the nuts adds a nice contrast to the texture of the fish. The flavors work well together, too. You don’t have to use pecans. I prefer them, but finely chopped walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds or even pumpkin seeds might be fun.
A combination of Dijon mustard, butter and honey helps the nuts to stick to the fish. There are a few fresh bread crumbs in there as well.
This dish is simple enough to prepare any night of the week, but special enough to make for company.
I used salmon fillets. You could use a whole side of salmon. You just have to increase the baking time to about 20-25 minutes and reduce the oven to 425 degrees. Depending on the size of the piece of salmon, it might take a few more minutes.
You could use other fish, but you need a sturdy fish that will stand up to the topping. I have made it with Steel Head Trout and it worked out beautifully.
Pecan Crusted Salmon
2 T. Dijon Mustard
2 T. melted butter
4 t. honey
1/4 c. fresh bread crumbs
1/4 c. finely chopped pecans or walnuts
2 t. chopped parsley
4 salmon fillets
Salt and pepper
Lemon wedges
Mix together mustard, butter and honey and set aside. Mix together bread crumbs, nuts and parsley and set aside. Season each fillet with salt and pepper. Place on lightly greased baking or broiling pan. Brush each fillet with mustard mixture. Divide crumb mixture among fillets, patting to hold. Bake in 450 degree oven for 10 minutes per inch thickness of fillets. Serve with lemon wedges. Serves 4.
