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
Snickerdoodles
I love Snickerdoodles! It is a tie between Peanut Butter Cookies and Snickerdoodles. Here is a super easy recipe.
INGREDIENTS
1 Cup Softened Butter
1 Cup Sugar
¼ Teaspoon Baking Soda
¼ Teaspoon Cream of Tartar
1 Large Egg
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 ½ Cups Unbleached Flour
2 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
In a medium mixing bowl beat the butter with an electric mixer for 30 seconds. Add the sugar, baking soda and cream of tartar. Beat until combined and scrape the sides of the bowl occasionally. Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. Cover and chill the dough for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 375° F. Combine the 2 tablespoons of sugar and cinnamon. Shape the dough into 1 inch balls. Roll the balls in the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat. Place 2 inches apart a baking sheet line with parchment paper. Bake 10 minutes or until edges are golden. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool. Makes approximately 36 cookies
Corned Beef Hash
Corned Beef Hash is a breakfast tradition, especially with a freshly poached egg on top. You can purchase cooked corned beef or use leftovers.
INGREDIENTS
6 Tablespoons Butter
1 Large Chopped Onion
3 Cups Chopped Lean Cooked Corned Beef
3 Cups Cooked Potatoes
1 Red Bell Pepper
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 Tablespoon Fresh Chopped Parsley
In a large skillet melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until tender. Stir often. Stir in the corned beef, potatoes, red pepper and pepper until well combined. Cook for 15 minutes and press the hash down firmly with a spatula until the bottom of the hash has browned. With the spatula, turn the hash over one small section at a time. Cook for another 10 minutes and, again, press down with the spatula and cook until the second side has browned. When finished cooking remove from the stove and sprinkle with parsley. Serves 4
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
Cherry Jam
Who can resist homemade cherry jam?
INGREDIENTS
5 Half Pint Canning Jars & Lids
2 Pounds Dark Sweet Cherries
5 Cups Sugar
¼ Cup Fresh Lemon Juice
3 Ounces Liquid Fruit Pectin
Prepare the jars and lids by washing in hot soapy water. The jars must be heated before canning to prevent breakages. Submerge them in enough cool water to cover. Heat to boiling. Remove the pot from the heat and cover it. Leave the jars in the hot water for at least 10 minutes. Place the lids and bands in a saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a simmer. Remove the pan from the heat, cover it and keep hot until ready to use. Remove the jars and lids one at a time as needed.
Remove the pits from the cherries and finely chop enough cherries to equal 3 cups. In a heavy nonreactive 8 quart saucepan combine cherries, sugar and lemon juice. Heat to boiling over a high heat. Stir constantly. Stir in pectin. Cook until mixture comes to a rolling boil. Boil 1 minute. Remove from the heat and with a spoon skim off any foam. Quickly ladle hot jam into hot jars to within ¼ inch of the tops. Wipe the jar rims and thread clean. Cover quickly with the lids and screw the bands on securely, but not too tightly. Process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Cool jars and test for airtight seal. Makes five 8 ounce jars.
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!
Cannoli
A Sicilian pastry dessert that originated in the Palermo region where cannoli were prepared during Carnevale season as a symbol of fertility. The pastry eventually became a year round dessert throughout Italy although in Italy they are commonly known as cannoli siciliani. Cannoli are sometimes called cannolis which is not the correct term. Cannoli is the proper plural and cannolo is the singular (cannolu in Sicilian means little tube).
INGREDIENTS
Shells:
3 Cups Unbleached Flour
¼ Cup Sugar
¼ Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
3 Tablespoons Shortening
1 Egg
1 Egg Yolk
½ Cup Sweet Marsala Wine
1 Tablespoon Distilled White Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Water
1 Egg White
1 Quart Oil For Frying
Cream:
2 Pounds Ricotta Impastata
½ Pound Sugar
¼ Teaspoon Cinnamon Oil
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 Ounces Chocolate Chips
In a medium bowl mix together the flour, sugar and cinnamon. Cut in the shortening until it is in pieces no larger than small marbles. Make a well in the center and pour in the egg, egg yolk, Marsala wine, vinegar and water. Mix until the dough becomes stiff then knead on a clean surface. Feel free to add a bit more water if needed. Knead for 10 minutes and then cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Divide the dough into thirds and flatten each one just enough to get through the pasta machine. Roll the dough through successively thinner settings until you have reached the thinnest setting. If you don’t have a pasta machine then you will need to keep rolling the dough until it is super thin. Place the sheet of dough on a lightly floured surface. Using a form or a large glass or bowl, but out 5 inch circles. Dust the circles with a light coating of flour. This will help you later in removing the shells from the tubes. Roll the dough around the cannoli tubes. Seal the edge with a bit of egg white. The cannoli tubes are crucial. Ask your local Italian grocer where you can get them. Many kitchen stores carry them or go online and find them. The tubes are 6 to 8 inches long, hollow and stainless steel.
Heat the oil to 375° F in a deep fryer or a deep heavy skillet. Fry the shells on the tubes a few at a time for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. Use tongs to turn as needed. Carefully remove the shells using the tongs and place on a cooling rack set over paper towels. Cool just long enough that you can handle the tubes. Carefully twist the tube to remove the shell. Using a towel may help you get a better grip. Wipe off the tubes and use them for more of your shells. Repeat the frying process until you have fried all of the shells. Cooled shells can be placed in an airtight container and kept for up to 2 months. You should only fill them immediately or up to 1 hour before serving.
For the cream add the Ricotta Impastata, sugar, cinnamon oil and vanilla extract into a mixer on medium speed. Mix for 2 minutes. In the last ten seconds add the chocolate chips. The filling for the cannoli are made from a high quality Impastata Ricotta Cheese which is a type of ricotta that has been drained of almost all of its moisture. It is smooth and has a very fresh taste. It keeps for a long time in the refrigerator and will not make the cannoli soggy due to the lack of moisture. If you cannot find Impastata Ricotta, then you can use the Sorento Ricotta Cheese from the grocery store. You will have to drain it overnight to reduce the moisture in the cheese.
Makes approximately 30 cannoli
