Strawberry Shortcake
This history of strawberry shortcake began around 1847 in the U.S. The first found recipe was in Miss Leslie’s Ladies New Receipt Book for “Strawberry Cake.”
The “Strawberry Cake” is very similar to what is known, today, as “Strawberry Shortcake.” Forget using the store bought sponge cakes for your Strawberry Shortcake. It is so much better to bake your own!
INGREDIENTS
Biscuits:
½ Teaspoon Salt
3 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Stick Chilled Butter
2 Cups Unbleached Flour
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
2/3 Half & Half
Filling:
1 Quart Strawberries
1/3 Cup Sugar
Topping:
1 ½ Cups Real Whipping Cream
Rinse the berries under cold water and drain well. Hull and slice the berries and place in a bowl. Sprinkle with the sugar and cover. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Whip the cream and sweeten with 3 tablespoons of sugar until soft peaks form. Cover the whipped cream and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Preheat the oven to 425° F. Move rack to the center. In a food processor combine the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Pulse to mix. Cut butter into 8 pieces and add to the mixture. Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal, but with a few pea sized chucks of the butter left in the mixture. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and make a well in the center. With a for stir in the cream just until the doug his moist. Be very careful not to overwork the dough as the dough doesn’t have to hold together well at this point. Let the dough stand for 1 minute. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and fold the dough over on itself. Knead 3 times until it is holding together and is less sticky. Gently pat the dough into a 6×12 inch rectangle about ¾ inch thick. Cut into 8 (3 inch) biscuits with a floured round cutter. Transfer to a buttered parchment lined cookie sheet. Brush on a little half & half and sprinkle the tops with a bit of sugar. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until risen and golden brown. Remove to a platter and split each biscuit horizontally with a serrated knife. Butter the hot biscuits and then top with 1/3 cup of strawberry mixture. Replace the tops and top with 1 tablespoon strawberries. Serve with chipped cream for the topping. Serves 8
Victoria’s Classic Potato Salad
There are many versions of potato salad both family varieties and ethnic varieties. Potato salad recipes were introduced to America by European settlers who adapted traditional foods to local ingredients. This accounts for regional potato salad variations in the U.S. Potato salad became popular in the second half of the 19th century. Cold potato salads evolved from British and French Recipes. Warm potato salads followed the German preference for hot vinegar and bacon dressings served over potatoes.
INGREDIENTS
2 Pounds Peeled & Diced Potatoes
½ Cup Mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons Cider Vinegar or Malt Vinegar
1 Teaspoon Salt
¼ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 Cup Finely Diced Celery
½ Cup Finely Chopped Onions
½ Cup Chopped Hard Boiled Eggs
2 Tablespoons Freshly Chopped Chives
Place the potatoes in a large pot of water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cook the potatoes for 15 minutes until they are tender. Drain the potatoes and set aside. In a large bowl combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, salt and pepper. Add the potatoes, celery, onions, hard boiled eggs and chives. Toss and coat thoroughly. Serve immediately or refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Serves 6
Chocolate Soufflés
Everyone thinks that soufflés are difficult to make. They are easier than you think plus they make quite an impression. They are great as individual desserts and are beautiful as one large dessert.
INGREDIENTS
1 ¼ Cups plus 3 Tablespoons Sugar
¼ Cup Unbleached Flour
1 Teaspoon Instant Espresso Coffee Crystals
1 Cup Milk
5 Ounces Chopped Unsweetened Chocolate
3 Tablespoons Softened Butter
4 Large Separated Eggs
2 Large Egg Whites
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
¼ Teaspoon Salt
Powdered Sugar
In a heavy 3 quart saucepan combine 1 ¼ cups sugar, the flour and the espresso powder. With a wire whisk, gradually stir in the milk until blended. Cook over medium heat for 1 minute until the mixture has thickened and boils. Remember to constantly stir. Remove from the heat when it hits the boiling point. Next, stir in the chocolate and butter until both are melted and smooth. With the whisk beat in the egg yolks until well blended. Stir in the vanilla and cool until the mixture is lukewarm. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease eight 6 ounce ramekins or custard cups or a 2 quart soufflé dish. Sprinkle lightly with the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar. You will need a large bowl and a mixer on high speed for this next part. Beat the egg whites and salt just until stiff peaks form when the beaters are lifted. With a rubber spatula, gently fold one third of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Fold back into the remaining egg whites JUST until blended. Spoon into the prepared ramekins or soufflé dish and bake for 25 minutes until the soufflés have puffed and centers are glossy. Bake 35 minutes for a large soufflé. Dust with powdered sugar and serve immediately. Serves 8
Southern Fried Chicken
Before World War II, the only times most families had chicken were special occasions like holidays and Sunday dinners. Fried chicken used to be an expensive treat only eaten a couple of times a year. Due to the creation of large scale chicken farms chicken has become much more affordable. As a child I remember eating fresh killed chicken at my grandmother’s house in Nebraska. She had a special tree stump that she used as her chopping block.
INGREDIENTS
4 Pounds of Chicken Pieces
1 ½ Cups Whole Milk or Buttermilk
2 Large Eggs
2 ½ Cups Unbleached Flour
2 Tablespoons Kosher Salt
2 Teaspoons Freshly Ground Black Pepper
3 Cups Vegetable Oil
Rinse and pat dry the chicken pieces. Set aside. Combine the milk and eggs in a medium sized bowl and mix well. In a large zip lock bag combine the flour, salt and pepper. One at a time dip the chicken pieces in the milk mixture and let the excess drip off into the bowl. Put one or a few of the chicken pieces in the zip lock bag with the flour and shake lightly to coat thoroughly. Remove to a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken pieces. In a fryer or in a heavy skillet heat the oil to 350° F. Fry a few pieces of the chicken at a time for 10 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through. The breasts should take a bit less time than the other pieces. Test with a fork to see if the juices run clear to check for doneness. Remove to a plate covered with paper towels to drain the excess oil. Sprinkle with additional salt if you like. Serves 4
Cincinnati Chili
There are many variations on this dish all over Cincinnati. A “three-way” is over spaghetti with shredded Cheddar on top. Add chopped onion and it becomes a “four-way.” For a “five-way” add cooked red kidney beans.
INGREDIENTS
3 Teaspoons Olive Oil
2 Medium Chopped Yellow Onions
4 Teaspoons Finely Chopped Garlic
2 Pounds Ground Sirloin
2 Tablespoons Chili Powder
1 Tablespoon Ground Cumin
1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1 Teaspoon Salt
½ Teaspoon Oregano
½ Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
16 Ounces Canned Tomatoes
15 Ounces Beef Stock
1 ½ Cups Water
½ Ounce Chopped Unsweetened Chocolate
16 Ounces Spaghetti
Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes until tender. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside. Add the garlic to the Dutch oven and cook 1 minute longer. Transfer to the bowl of cooked onions. In the same Dutch oven, cook the ground sirloin over high heat. Break up the meat and cook until the meat is browned. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, salt, oregano and cayenne. Cook 1 minute longer. Next, add the tomatoes with the juice to the Dutch oven. Break up the tomatoes. Stir in the beef broth, water, chocolate, browned sirloin, onions and garlic. Heat to a boil and then reduce the heat. Cover and simmer for 3 hours. Remove the cover and simmer another 30 minutes until thickened. Meanwhile cook the spaghetti. Drain and serve the chili over the pasta. Serves 8
Pastel Tres Leches
INGREDIENTS
1 ½ Cups Unbleached Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
½ Teaspoon Salt
6 Eggs
1 Cup Sugar
4 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
14 Ounces Sweetened Condensed Milk
12 Ounces Evaporated Milk
3 Cups Heavy Cream
2 Tablespoons Sugar
Optional Fresh Fruit
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease a 9×3 inch spring form pan. In a medium bowl sift the flour, baking powder and salt together. In a separate medium bowl mix (with a mixer) the eggs and sugar together. Beat on high for 5 minutes. Reduce the speed and add the water and one teaspoon of the vanilla. Mix well. Gently fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture. Pour the batter into the spring form pan and bake for 35 to 45 minutes by placing the cake in the center of the oven. The cake should be firm in the center and starts to pull away from the sides of the pan. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Place a plate over the cake and turn upside down to remove the cake from the pan. Next gently place the cake right side up onto your serving dish.
To serve make sure your platter has a lip to hold in the milk. In a bowl, mix together the evaporated milk, the condensed milk, 1 cup of the heavy cream and 2 teaspoons of vanilla. Using a long tooth pick, ice pick or skewer, poke holes all over the cake. The holes will allow the cake to absorb more of the milk. Slowly pour or spoon the milk mixture all over the cake and allow it time to soak in before adding more milk. Refrigerate. When ready to serve the cake, place the 2 cups of whipping cream in a chilled mixing bowl and begin mixing on medium. Add one teaspoon of vanilla and sugar one tablespoon at a time. Beat on high until stiff peaks form. Spread the whipping cream generously on the top of the cake. Garnish with sliced fruit if you like. Serves 8
Blackberry Cheesecake
I love cheesecake. Growing up I would go blackberry picking in my neighborhood. There was always some area with overgrown blackberry bushes. Picking up my childhood sandbox bucket I would set myself to the task of bringing home a bucketful of blackberries. Not many would make it home and the evidence would be all over my face.
INGREDIENTS
40 Crushed Vanilla Wafers
6 Tablespoons Melted Butter
16 Ounces Softened Cream Cheese
¾ Cup Sugar
2 Tablespoons Unbleached Flour
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1 Cup Creamed Cottage Cheese
¼ Cup Cherry Brandy
3 Eggs
4 Cups Fresh Blackberries
1 Tablespoon Cherry Brandy
1 Tablespoon Sugar
In a medium bowl stir together crushed vanilla wafers and butter. Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of an 8 inch spring form pan and set aside. In a large bowl stir together cream cheese, ¾ cup sugar, flour and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on low until smooth and set aside. Place the cottage cheese in a food processor and blend until smooth. Sit into the cream cheese mixture. Next, stir in the ¼ cup cherry brandy. Beat in the eggs on low speed until combined. Don’t over mix as you don’t want to incorporate too much air into the batter. Preheat the oven to 375° F. Pour half of the cheese cake mixture into the crust lined pan. Spread 1 cup of the blackberries on top. Top with the remaining cheese cake mixture and ½ cup of the blackberries. Place in a shallow baking pan in the preheated oven. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until center appears almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Loosen the sides and cool completely. Cover and chill for 2 hours. To serve cut the cheesecake into wedges and top each with the blackberries. Serves 10
Prime Rib Roast “Au Jus”
Prime Rib Roast or Standing Rib Roast is a cut of beef from the rib section. The entire rib section comprises ribs six through twelve of the cow, but can comprise anywhere from two to seven ribs. A slice of Prime Rib Roast will include portions of the “eye” of the rib as well as the outer, fat marbled muscle known as the “lip” or “cap.” The traditional preparation for this roast is to rub the outside with salt and seasonings and slow-roast with dry heat. In the U.S., it is common for bbq purists to apply smoke to the uncooked rib roast at low heat for 2 to 3 hours before dry roasting. In England, Yorkshire Pudding is frequently served as a side dish with prime rib.
INGREDIENTS
3 ½ Teaspoons Sea Salt
1 ½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
3 Cloves Roasted Garlic
4 Tablespoons Softened Butter
1 Tablespoon Finely Chopped Fresh Thyme Leaves
1 Tablespoon Finely Chopped Fresh Rosemary
1 Prime Rib Roast of Beef (4 to 6 Bones)
2 ½ Cups Red Wine
2 ½ Cups Beef Stock
Preheat the oven to 450° F. Place the garlic cloves in a small bowl and mash with the back of a fork until mostly smooth. Add softened butter, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, the rosemary and thyme, and stir to blend. Pat the mixture evenly over the top and sides of the roast. Season the roast all over with the remaining 2 ½ teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Place the roast in a roasting pan and add 1 ½ cups red wine and ½ cup beef stock to the bottom of the pan. Roast for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350° F and continue to roast to the desired degree of doneness. Roast 18 minutes per pound for rare and 22 minutes per pound for medium. Let stand at least 5 minutes before carving.
To make the au jus, place the roasting pan on the stove burners over medium-high heat. Add 1 cup of the red wine and scrape the browned bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add 2 cups beef stock and season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook for 5 minutes until the wine is reduced by half. Strain the sauce through a sieve to remove the solids before serving. Degrease if necessary. Servings 4 to 8 depending on how hungry you are!
Rosemary & Parmesan Encrusted Rack of Lamb
INGREDIENTS
4 Half Racks of Lamb
1 Cup Dijon Mustard
1 Bunch Fresh Rosemary
1 Pound Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 Pound Panko Breadcrumbs
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
Preheat the oven to 475° F. To make the crust add panko breadcrumbs, chopped fresh rosemary, salt, pepper and grated Parmesan cheese in a medium sized bowl. Make sure to discard the rosemary stems. Mix well. Brush racks of lamb with the Dijon mustard. Dip the racks of lamb into the breadcrumb mixture. Cook the racks of lamb on a roasting pan for 15 minutes for medium rare lamb. Remove from oven and place on serving platter. Serves 4
Mango Citrus Chicken Kabobs
INGREDIENTS
5 Pounds Boneless & Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 Large Orange or Red Bell Pepper
MARINADE
½ Pound Peeled/Pitted/Diced Fresh Ripe Mango
1 Pound Spicy Mango Chutney
1 Diced & Cleaned Green Bell Pepper
1 Teaspoon Fresh Cilantro
1 Teaspoon Fresh Chopped Jalapeno Pepper
1 Teaspoon Fresh Lime Juice
4 Teaspoons Teriyaki Sauce
1 Teaspoon Thai Chili Sauce
1 Teaspoon Salt
Combine all of the marinade ingredients in a food processor and blend for 20 seconds. Cut the chicken breasts into 1 ½ inch cubes. Place chicken cubes in a large zip lock bag or a square pan. Pour marinade over chicken cubes and place in the refrigerator. Marinade for at least 3 hours. In the meantime cut up the bell pepper into pieces. Soak 10 wood or bamboo skewers in water for 20 minutes. This prevents the skewers from burning on the grill. Remove marinated chicken from the refrigerator and arrange the chicken and pepper on the soaked skewers. Place on a medium-high heat grill and grill for 6 to 8 minutes on each side. Serve warm. Serves 4
