Comfort Food

Macaroon Morsels

March 26, 2013

MacaroonsMacaroon Morsels

Super yummy and super easy to make.  My Macaroon Morsels are great for Passover, Easter or anytime.  If you are making these for Passover then make sure to use Kosher-for-Passover ingredients.

INGREDIENTS

4 Egg Whites

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1/4 Teaspoon Cream of Tartar

1/8 Teaspoon Kosher Salt

1 1/3 Cup Sugar

5 1/3 Cups Flaked Coconut

Preheat your oven to 325º F.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.  In an extra-large bowl beat the egg whites, vanilla extract, kosher salt and cream of tartar, with a mixer, on a high speed until soft peaks form.  This usually looks like “curling tips.”  Add the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time.  Beat until STIFF peaks form which looks like “standing tips.”  Fold in the coconut 1/2 at a time.  Drop 1 teaspoon of the batter 1 inch apart onto the parchment paper.  Place into the oven and bake 20 to 25 minutes.  The bottoms should be light brown.  Cover and chill the batter between baking. Remove from the oven and let cool on wire racks until completely cool.  Transfer to serving plates and serve.  Makes about 60 cookies

Coconut

 

Sunday Morning Cinnamon Waffles

March 24, 2013

Sunday Morning Cinnamon Waffles

Spring is “officially” here and what better way to begin a beautiful Sunday morning than with my delicious Sunday Morning Cinnamon Waffles! Serve with butter & syrup.

INGREDIENTS

1 3/4 Cup Unbleached Flour

5 Tablespoons Sugar

1 Tablespoon Ground Cinnamon

1 Tablespoon Baking Powder

1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt

2 Eggs

1 3/4 Cups Milk

1/2 Cup Olive Oil

1 Teaspoon Vanilla

In a medium size bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and kosher salt.  Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and set aside.  In a separate medium sized bowl beat the eggs and then stir in the milk, oil and vanilla.  Add the egg mixture all at once to the flour mixture.  Stir just until moist.  Do not over mix.  The batter should be lumpy.  Pour some of the batter to a preheated and lightly greased waffle iron.  Close the lid quickly and do not open until done.  Read your waffle iron’s instruction booklet. When done remove with a fork and transfer to a serving platter.  Repeat with the remaining batter.  Serve warm.  Make 12 to 16 waffles

Creamy Chicken Parmesan Pasta

March 21, 2013

Creamy Chicken Parmesan Pasta  

Your family will love this quick pasta dish that is easy enough to make any night of the week.  Makes good left-overs too!

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 Cups Uncooked Dried Gemelli Pasta

3 Tablespoons Butter

3 Cups Broccoli Florets

1 Cup Whipping Cream

1/4 Cup Butter

1 Cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese

6 Ounces Cooked Chicken Strips

1/2 Cup Cooked & Chopped Bacon

1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder

Extra Shredded Parmesan Cheese For Garnish

 

Cook the pasta in a large size pot filled with salted water until al dente.  Remove from the heat and drain in a colander.  DO NOT rinse the pasta.  Return the pasta to the pot and place a lid on the pot to keep warm.  In a medium size sauté pan melt 3 tablespoons of butter over a medium heat for 1 minute.  Add the broccoli and cook for 5 minutes until the broccoli is crisp and tender.  In a medium size saucepan add the whipping cream and 1/4 cup of butter.  Stir in the Parmesan cheese. Cook over a medium low heat for 6 minutes. Stir frequently.  Remove from the heat and pour the Parmesan sauce over the pasta.  Add the broccoli, cooked chicken, bacon and garlic powder.  Gently stir until well mixed.  Transfer into a serving bowl.  Sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese if you like.  Serves 6

 

Brussels Sprouts With Bacon

March 19, 2013

Brussels Sprouts With Bacon

I love bacon!  Did I say that I love bacon?  I have always loved bacon and what could be better than Brussels Sprouts & Bacon?!  I guess if you are not a fan of Brussels sprouts then that is an issue, but try them with bacon and you just may change your mind. 

INGREDIENTS

30 Trimmed Brussels Sprouts

8 Bacon Slices

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

3 Cloves Minced Garlic

1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt

1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper

1/4 Cup Toasted Pine Nuts

Preheat your oven to 350º F.  Place the pine nuts onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet and put into the oven from 5 to 10 minutes.  You will want the pine nuts to be toasted, but not overcooked.  Remove the pine nuts from the oven and set aside. Fill a medium size saucepan with 1 inch of water.  Bring the water to a boil over a high heat.  Add the trimmed Brussels sprouts and boil for 3 minutes.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 6 minutes with the lid on.  You will want the sprouts to be tender, but not mushy.  Remove from the heat and drain.  Set aside.  In a large sauté pan add the bacon.  Cook over a medium low heat until nice and browned.  Remove from the heat and place the bacon on paper towels to soak up the grease.  Crumble the bacon.  Pour the bacon fat from the sauté pan.  Add the olive oil to the sauté pan and heat over a medium high heat.  Add the Brussels sprouts, garlic, kosher salt and pepper.  Cook for 5 minutes.  Stir occasionally.  You will want the spouts to be browned.  Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with the crumbled bacon and toasted pine nuts.  Serves 8

 

Tip: If you want to lower the fat in this dish then use turkey bacon instead of regular pork bacon. 

Corned Beef

March 17, 2013

Corned Beef

Growing up I adored Corned Beef & Cabbage and I still do today.  I don’t have a drop of Irish in me, but who cares!  Everyone is Irish on Saint Patrick’s Day! You just may want to put your cardiologist on speed dial this weekend.

INGREDIENTS

1 Three Pound Corned Beef

1 Bunch Fresh Cilantro

1 1/2 Cups Orange Marmalade

1/4 Cup Dijon Mustard

1/4 Cup Brown Sugar

Cabbage, Carrots, Turnips and Potatoes (Optional)

Preheat your oven to 350º F.  Put the corned beef into a large size soup pot and fill with water.  Place the bunch of cilantro into a large piece of cheesecloth.  Tie the cheesecloth with string and place the cilantro bundle into the water with the corned beef.  This keeps the cilantro from going all over the place. Bring to a boil and then turn down the heat to low.  Cover the pot with the lid halfway on the pot.  Simmer for 3 1/2 hours.  The corned beef should be fork tender.  In a small size bowl mix together the marmalade, mustard and sugar.  When the corned beef is finished cooking take it out of the pot.  If you are going to save the water for cooking the root vegetables then leave the cilantro bundle in the water. In a large size glass baking pan place the corned beef and pour the marmalade mixture all over it.  Make sure to coat completely.  Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes until the marmalade glaze is crisp and browned.  Remove from the oven and let it rest for 15 minutes.  Transfer to a serving platter and serve with the vegetables of your choice.  Serves 6

 

Tip: If you are boiling carrots, potatoes, turnips and cabbage make sure to add the cabbage at the very end of cooking the other root vegetables.  Cabbage takes a lot less time to cook and you don’t want to end up with mushy cabbage. 

Old Fashioned Lemon Drop Cookies

March 14, 2013

Old Fashioned Lemon Drop Cookies

Keeping with this week’s afternoon tea theme here is another great tea accompaniment.  My Old Fashioned Lemon Drop Cookies are light and the perfect afternoon snack. 

INGREDIENTS

1 Cup Softened Butter

1 1/2 Cups Sugar

2 Eggs

1 Teaspoon Cream of Tartar

1 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1 Tablespoon Lemon Extract

1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt

2 1/4 Cups Unbleached Flour

1/2 Cup Sugar

Powdered Sugar For Garnish

Preheat your oven to 375ºF.  In a large size bowl beat the butter and the sugar together for 1 minute.  Add the eggs, cream of tartar, baking soda, vanilla extract, lemon extract and kosher salt until combined.  Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer.  Stir in the remaining flour.  Cover and chill for 3 hours.  Shape the dough into 1 inch balls.  Roll the balls in the 1/2 cup sugar to coat.  Place the balls 2 inches apart on a parchment paper line baking sheet.  Bake for 9 to 12 minutes or until light brown.  Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.  Makes about 48 cookies. 

Honey Madeleines

March 13, 2013

Honey Madeleines

It’s still tea time here at Tiny New York Kitchen.  On Monday a wonderful old friend came to visit me and brought me the most delicious black and rose tea. It was absolutely delicious and I think Honey Madeleines make the perfect tasty tea time treat.  If you don’t have a madeleine pan you can use tartlet pans. 

INGREDIENTS

1/4 Cup Softened Butter

2 Eggs

1/4 Cup Sugar

2 Tablespoons Honey

1/2 Cup Unbleached Flour

1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder

Preheat your oven to 375º F.  Lightly grease a madeleine pan that holds 12 madeleines.  In a large size bowl beat the butter and sugar together.  Beat in the eggs one at a time.  Stir in the honey.  Sift the flour and baking powder onto the egg mixture and fold in.  Spoon the batter into the prepared molds.  Bake for 10 minutes.  You will want them to be a light golden brown color.  Remove from the oven and leave them sit in the molds for 2 minutes.  Turn the madeleines out and transfer to a wire rack to cool.  Serve dusted with powdered sugar or serve them plain.  Makes 1 dozen.

 

Ancho Chile Brownies

March 12, 2013

Ancho Chile Brownies

Most brownies have roughly the same ingredients: chocolate, butter, sugar, eggs and flour.  By adding the ancho chile I added a unique flavor that you get at the end of eating the brownie.  It really is good.  Give it a try and see what you think.

INGREDIENTS

1/4 Cup Butter

1 Cup Sugar

3 Squares Unsweetened Chocolate

1 Beaten Egg

1/2 Cup Flour

3 Teaspoons Ancho Chile Powder

Preheat your oven to 350º F.  Grease and flour an 8 inch square baking pan.  Place the butter and chocolate in the top of a double boiler.  Over simmering water melt the butter and the chocolate. Stir in the sugar until incorporated and then remove from the heat and cool.  When the chocolate mixture is cool whisk in the egg until it is just incorporated.  Mix in the flour and the ancho chile powder.  Make sure not to overmix.  Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.  The middle should look a bit soft.  Remove from the oven and cool in the pan.  Cut into squares and serve.  Makes approximately 2 dozen.

 

 

Mango Upside-Down Carrot Cake

March 11, 2013

Mango Upside-Down Carrot Cake

This cake is easy to make and the bonus is that you don’t even need to own cake pans!  First, just as with pineapple upside-down cake, cook the butter and brown sugar into a caramel in a cast iron skillet.  Then top with mango slices.  Instead of pouring the typical yellow cake batter over the top I used carrot cake batter.  To remove excess liquid,, drain the mango slices on layers of paper towels. 

INGREDIENTS

Topping

8 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter

3/4 Cups Brown Sugar

3 Cups Mango Slices (Packed in a Jar)

 

Cake

2 Cups Unbleached Flour

2 Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon

1 Teaspoon Ground Allspice

1 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1 Teaspoon Baking Powder

1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt

1 1/2 Sugar

1/2 Cup Brown Sugar

5 Eggs

1 Cup Olive Oil

3 Cups Shredded Carrots

Preheat your oven to 350º F.  Melt the butter in a large cast iron skillet over a medium heat.  Stir in the 3/4 cup brown sugar and cook for 2 minutes.  Turn the heat off. Place the mango slices all around the center and edges of the skillet.  In a medium size bowl whisk together the flour, cinnamon, allspice, baking soda, baking powder and kosher salt.  In a large size bowl beat the sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar and eggs with a mixer until thick and creamy.  With the mixer running, slowly add the oil.  Beat until combined.  Stir in the carrots until thoroughly combined.  Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and beat for 30 seconds.  Pour the batter into the skillet (over the mango).  Place in the oven and bake for 50 to 60 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let the cake cool in the skillet for 10 minutes.  Turn out onto a serving platter and serve either warm or at room temperature.  Serves 8

Spicy Chicken Sandwiches

March 9, 2013

Spicy Chicken Sandwiches

The custom of afternoon teas is thought to have been introduced in England in 1840 by Anna, the seventh Duchess of Bedford.  Lunch was eaten earlier then and dinner was not served until later in the evening.  The Duchess became hungry during the afternoon and requested tea, bread, butter and cake to be brought to her room.  This quickly became a habit and she began asking friends to join her. 

INGREDIENTS

1/4 Pound Boneless Cooked Chicken

2 Teaspoons Mango Chutney

2 1/2 Tablespoons Mayonnaise

1/2 Teaspoon Curry Powder

1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice

1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt

3 Tablespoons Softened Butter

4 Slices Either Whole Wheat or White Bread

Chop the chicken into small pieces and place into a small size bowl.  If the chutney has any large pieces of fruit make sure to chop them into smaller pieces.  In a medium size bowl combine the chutney, mayonnaise, curry powder, lime juice and kosher salt.  Mix well and then add the chopped chicken.  Butter the bread slices.  Place the chicken mixture on the buttered side of two pieces of bread. Put the tops on and press together.  Cut off the crusts from the bread and cut each sandwich into four horizontal pieces.  Arrange on a serving plate and serve with tea.  Makes 8

 

 

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