Sunday, February 22, 2009

Jam Almond Drizzled Shortbread



(a variation of the Jam Filled Shortbreads from a couple of weeks ago)

INGREDIENTS

* 1 cup butter, softened
* 2/3 cup sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/3 cup jam (your choice)
GLAZE:
* 1 cup confectioners' sugar
* 3 teaspoons water
* 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

DIRECTIONS

1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in extract; gradually add flour until dough forms a ball. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle. Roll into 1-in. balls. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets.
Using your thumb, make an indentation in the center. Fill with jam.
2. Bake at 350F for 14-18 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. Spoon additional jam into cookies if desired.

Combine glaze ingredients; drizzle over cookies.

Sunday, February 08, 2009

Spiced Chicken Thighs



Very Flavourful dish.

Ingredients:

* 3/4 tsp (3 mL) olive oil
* Cooking spray
* 1 cup (250 mL) sliced onion
* 2 tsp (10 mL) garam masala
* 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
* 1/4 tsp (1 mL) curry powder
* 8 chicken thighs (about 2.2 lbs/kg total),skinned
* 1/4 cup (60 mL) dry red wine
* 2 tbsp (30 mL) red wine vinegar
* 1 cup (250 mL) chicken broth
* 3 tbsp (45 mL) chopped fresh parsley
* Hot Sauce (optional)



Clean chicken with lemon. Combine garam masala, salt and curry powder; sprinkle evenly over chicken.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, over medium-high heat. Add onion; saute 3 minutes.



Remove onions from skillet. Set aside.



Add chicken to pan; cook over medium-high heat 4 minutes on each side or until browned.





Add wine and vinegar; cook 30 seconds, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.



Add onion and broth; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until chicken is done; add some hot sauce while it's cooking.
Sprinkle on parsley. Serve chicken thighs with rice, couscous or noodles.

Jam Filled Shortbread Cookies



Ingredients:

Butter: 1/2 cup (softened)
Sugar: 1/3 cup
Egg Yolks: 1
Vanilla: 1/3 tsp
All-purpose Flour: 1+1/3 cup
Fruit Jam: 2-3 tbsp (any flavour)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. Sift the flour, set aside.

3. In a medium-size bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the egg and vanilla.

4. All the flour to the creamed mixture a little bit at a time and mix well until a soft dough forms. If the mixture is too soft, cover and refrigerate for about an hour.

5. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll dough into 1 inch balls. Place balls onto the baking sheet 1.5 inches part.

6. Make a well in the center of each cookie, using your finger or an instrument of similar size. Fill the whole with jam.

7. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until cookies are golden brown on the bottom. Remove to wire racks to cool.

(Make sure you watch them.
Because the cookies do not brown on top, they can burn rather quickly on the bottoms).

Saturday, February 07, 2009

Melt in your Mouth Blueberry Cake





Ingredients:

* 2 eggs -- separated
* 1 cup sugar
* 1/2 cup margarine -- softened
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 1 1/2 cups flour -- sifted
* 1 tablespoon flour -- to coat berries
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/3 cup milk
* 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
* cinnamon sugar -- for topping




Preheat the oven to 350F.
Beat egg whites until stiff. Beat in 1/4 cup of sugar. In another bowl, cream margarine; add salt, vanilla, and remaining sugar gradually.


Add egg yolks and beat until creamy. Sift flour with baking powder. Add alternately to creamed mixture with milk.



Fold in beaten egg whites. Coat the blueberries with 1 tablespoon of flour and then fold into mixture.




Pour into a greased and floured into 8x8 inch pan. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top. Bake for about 35 minutes or until golden brown.