Italian Meat Balls

This is a recipe from my friend Lora Capiciolto...and an awesome recipe it is.

My nieces ask for Lora's meatballs..and will no longer tolerate frozen/bought meatballs.

Sorry...no precise measuring.

Ingredients:

1lb lean ground beef

1lb ground pork

lots of garlic

lots of Parmesan Cheese

lots of fresh basil

salt and pepper

Italian bread crumbs

2 beaten eggs

oil for frying

Method:

Put the ground beef and ground pork in a large bowl, add lots of finely chopped garlic, lots of grated Parmesan cheese, and lots of finely chopped basil, salt and pepper...

Lots of Italian bread crumbs, and 2 beaten eggs..and mix together well.

Using your Tbsp measurer, roll meatballs.

Fry in hot oil, turning  until cooked through.

Drain on paper towels.

Good in sauce, or just on their own..or dipping in sauce as an app.

Delish.

Monkey Bread

3 cans refrigerated biscuits
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 sticks butter (3/4 cup)
1/2 cup white sugar
1 Teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins and 1/2 cup walnuts or pecans

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9-10 inch tube pan.

2. Mix white sugar and cinnamon in a medium sized plastic bag. Cut the biscuits into halves or quarters and place biscuit pieces in the sugar cinnamon mix. Shake well.

3. Arrange pieces in the bottom of the greased pan. Layer biscuit pieces with nuts and raisins until all the biscuit pieces are coated and in the pan.

4. In a small saucepan, melt the butter with the brown sugar over medium heat. Boil for 1 minute. Pour over the layered biscuits.

5. Bake for 35 minutes. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a plate.

Super easy!

Almond/Pecan Biscotti

Ingredients

1-3/4 1-3/4cups cupsall purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 3/4cupcup (175 mL) whole unblanched almondwhole unblanched almonds
1/4 pecans
2 eggs
3/4 3/4cup cupwhite sugar
1/3 1/3cup melted butter cup
2 2tsp vanilla
1/2 1/2tsp tspalmond extract
2 1-1/2tsp tsp (7 mL) grated orange rind
1 egg white, lightly beaten

Preparation:

To measure flour accurately, lightly spoon flour into dry measure, without tapping, until cup is heaping; level off with blunt edge of knife. In large bowl, combine flour, baking powder and almonds.

In separate bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla, almond extract and grated orange rind; stir into flour mixture until soft sticky dough forms. Transfer to lightly floured surface; form into smooth ball.

Divide dough in half, roll each into 12-inch (30 cm) long log. Transfer to ungreased baking sheet.

Brush tops with egg white; bake in 350°F (180°C) oven for 20 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool on pan on rack for 5 minutes. Transfer each log to cutting board; cut diagonally into 3/4-inch (2 cm) thick slices.

Stand cookies upright on baking sheet; bake for 20 to 25 minutes longer or until golden. Transfer to rack and let cool. (Biscotti can be stored in airtight container for up to 2 weeks.)

Very good.

I modified it a bit from this Canadian Living recipe.

Canadian Living has never let me down

Spicy Sausage in Pastry

Filling:

Pkg of Hot Italian Sausage
1 small onion (minced)
1 carrot (minced)
6 mushrooms (chopped fine)
3 tbsp ketchup
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp hot sauce (or to taste)
1/2 tsp cumin
salt and pepper

Pastry
2 cups flour
1 cup of butter
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 egg (beaten)
1 tsp Dijon mustard
water

Take the sausages out of the casing and fry in a little oil on medium heat until slightly browned.
Add the rest of the filling ingredients until cooked and is to your taste.
Set aside to cool while you make the pastry.



Combine dry ingredients and grate butter into bowl for easy cutting.
Cut with pastry cutter until it looks more or less like the above picture.



in a separate bowl, combine egg and dijon mustard and beat.



Preheat oven to 350F

Add the egg mixture with some water and mix until just combined and looks like this.
Keep adding water until it holds together.

Roll out the dough to 1/2 an inch, and use a large round cutter or coffee can to cut round pieces to fill with sausage mixture.

Roll rounds out a little and put a little more than a tablespoon (or as much as can comfortably fit), and seal with a fork. Cut clean edges with kitchen scissors.

Place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and beat another egg.
Brush all pastries on sheet with beaten egg, and then slit tops.

Bake for about 10 minutes, or until pastries are golden.

latke

Seasoned Rice

2 cups of washed rice
One chopped celery stalk
One chopped tomato
One chopped red bell pepper
One chopped green bell pepper
One large chopped onion
Other chopped veggies of your choice (carrots, zucchini, whatever)
Fresh chopped herbs of your choice (I like basil or thyme)
A little bit of tumeric for colour
4 cups chicken stalk
a little more salt or vegeta if you like.

Place all the chopped veggies in a large pyrex baking pan.
Wash the rice and mix with the veggies.
Mix the tumeric with the chicken stalk and pour over the rice and veggies.
Mix well.

Cover with tin foil and bake in a 350F oven until all the liquid is absorbed.
Uncover for the last 10 minutes and stir.

I often add left over chicken, beef or shrimp as well.

It's an easy side that doesn't take a lot of work...if you have a small chopper.

Stawberry Pie

Filling:
About 2 pints of strawberries (hulled and cut in half)
1/2 cup of sugar
4 tbsp corn flour
1 tsp vanilla extract

Combine and set aside.

Pastry Crust



In a bowl combine: 2 1/2 cups of flour, 1/4 tsp salt, 3 tbsp sugar, about a tsp of baking power and mix well. Then add one cup of chilled butter and use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the dry mixture. When it's well mixed, meaning the butter is no longer in big chunks....


In a small bowl, beat 1 tsp of vanilla with one egg. Make a little well in the flour mixture adding sprinkles of water just until the dough holds together.



Take a little more than half for the bottom of the pie plate and roll out the dough on a well floured surface. Fill shell with fruit filling, and roll out the other half.
Use a knife to cut dough into strips for lattice pie top....or don't bother with it and just cut a hole in the top with a cookie cutter.

Place your pie on a baking sheet because mine has a tendency to bubble over on occasion when the fruit expands. I'd rather be safe than have to clean the drips after the fact.

Brush with egg yolk (I find it browns nicer than with milk or egg whites) and bake in the oven at 350F until golden brown. (about 50 minutes)

Saltfish and Bake

Bake (Makes about 5):
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
about 1 cup water
1 cup oil for deep frying

Instructions

Sift flour, salt, and baking powder. Add enough water to make a soft dough. Knead for about ten minutes then let rest for half an hour or more.

Cut in pieces and roll each piece 4 to 5 inches in diameter and ¼ inch thick.
Fry in hot oil, turn once, and fry until brown. Drain on paper towel.


Saltfish
1 pkg boned saltfish (unless you like picking out bones)
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 tomatoes (chopped)
1/2 red bell pepper (chopped)
juice of one lime
½ sliced large onion
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp Italian Seasoning
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1 tsp chopped fresh parsley
Black pepper to taste
1 chopped scotch bonnett (make sure you don't touch your eyes or any other sensitive parts afterwards. I used a chopper and made sure I spooned it out without touching it)

Instructions

Break 1 pkg of boned salted codfish in pieces and boil for ten to 15 minutes. Drain. This is to remove the salt: Don't skip this step or it'll be far too salty to eat.

Fry fish in hot oil for about 3 to 4 minutes. Add tomatoes, lime juice, onion, garlic, thyme, scotch bonnett pepper, and other ingredients; cook for ten minutes.

Serve warm with bake.
To eat the saltfish with the bake, open the bake as you would pita bread, fill it with saltfish, and enjoy.

Tarte Tatin

IT WORKED!!!

Chocolate Coconut Strawberry Cream Cheese Tart

For the crust:
2 c. all-purpose flour
3 T. sugar
1 egg
¼ t. salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 c. butter, cut into small pieces
¼ c. ice water

For the filling:
6 oz. dark chocolate
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
½ c. powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 cup coconut (optional)
½ t. vanilla extract
2 T. milk or cream
Fresh strawberries (approx. 2 pints), sliced


Preheat oven to 350°. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar and salt. Rub in butter with fingertips (or mix with stand mixer/food processor) until mixture is crumbly and resembles wet sand. Stir in water, adding an additional tablespoon if necessary until dough starts to come together and clumps easily. Press dough into a disc and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Roll out dough on a well-floured surface and press into a 9- or 10-inch tart pan. Place the tart pan on a baking sheet and place a piece of aluminum foil over the pastry. Fill the foil with pie weights and bake for 12 minutes at 350°. Remove foil and weights and continue baking for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown. Cool completely before filling.
Melt 4 oz. dark chocolate in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. When melted, pour into the pastry crust and spread evenly to coat the bottom with a thin layer of chocolate. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until cool and firm.

Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla and milk and coconut in a large bowl until smooth. Pour into the cooled crust.


Top cream cheese layer with sliced strawberries.

Melt remaining dark chocolate and drizzle over berries. Refrigerate the tart for at least 30 minutes or until ready to serve.

Modified from this recipe

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.

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).

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.

Bacon Sweet Potato Fritters

2 med sweet potatoes (boiled and mashed)
1 pkg of maple smoked bacon
2 egg whites
1 small chopped onion
1 small chopped burmuda onion
1/2 cup of water
1 tbsp pepper sauce
1 1/4 cup flour
2 tsp bacon fat
3 cloves of garlic (chopped fine)
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
Oil for cooking



Cut bacon into 1 inch pieces and fry until crisp.
Drain on paper towels. Save 2 tsps of the bacon fat.


Boil and mash the sweet potatoes. Let cool.


Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and stir vigorously until the batter gets thick.
Let the batter rest for 30 minutes.

Heat oil in the meantime.


Fry batter in 1/2 tablespoonfuls until golden brown.
Drain on paper towels.

Serve with hot sauce.

Mango Coconut Bread Pudding

1 sandwich loaf (torn)
1 can condensed milk
1/2 can evaporated milk
2 c. water
1/4 c. butter
1 c. sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. mixed essence
2 tsp. vanilla essence
1 peeled and cubed mango
1 1/2 c. grated coconut

Preheat oven to 360 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, soak bread in a mixture of condensed and evaporated milk and water.

Cream butter and sugar.

Add eggs, mixed essence, vanilla, and coconut. Combine with soaked bread. Pour into a large greased square tin.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes.
Serve cold.

Unfussy Apple Cake

2 cups sweet, crisp red apples, cut into 1/4 cubes (peel on)
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled a bit
3 tablespoons brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 375F degrees, racks in the middle. Butter and flour 9-inch square baking dish or tart pan.

Place the chopped apples in a bowl along with the juice of one lemon. Set aside. Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, sugar and salt in a large bowl.

In a separate smaller bowl whisk together the eggs and the milk. Whisk in the melted butter. Pour the milk mixture over the flour mixture and stir until barely combined - try not to over mix. fold the apples into the cake batter.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, pushing it out toward the edges. Sprinkle with the 3 tbsps of brown sugar. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until cake is just set and a touch golden on top.

Shrimp and Kim Chi Fried Rice

Clean and peel 1lb of raw shrimp
1 jar of Kim Chi
3 or 4 cups of cold rice
2 or 3 cloves of garlic (chopped fine)
1 tsp fresh ginger (chopped fine)
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp corn oil
1/4 tsp of chili flakes
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sugar

Heat oils in a wok.

Throw in shrimp when oil is hot, add garlic, ginger and chili flakes, and toss until shrimp starts getting pink.

Add kim chi soy sauce, sugar, toss until well mixed and then add cold rice and fry until done. Add more soy if you like before you finish.

Yummy.

Easy Gingerbread

2 boxes of butterscotch pudding
1 cup butter (room temp)
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
3 cups of flour
3 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cloves
1 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 350F and use parchment paper or grease the sheets

Cream the butter and sugar

Add the eggs, mix in the pudding, mix the flour and spices, and gradually add the mixture to the butter mixture.

Roll out the dough to 1/2cm

Bake for 10 minutes

MARSHMALLOWS

In the spirit of Candygenius, I'm posting the recipe for Homemade Marshmellows, that I got here.
Ingredients:

Powdered sugar
3 1/2 envelopes (2 tablespoons plus 2 1/2 teaspoons) unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup cold water
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup hot water
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 egg whites, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract


Line the bottom and sides of a 13- by 9-inch baking pan with plastic wrap; oil and then generously dust bottom and sides with some powdered sugar (I added coconut to the bottom as well).


In large bowl of an electric mixer, sprinkle gelatin over the 1/2 cup cold water; let stand to soften.
In a large, heavy saucepan, cook sugar, corn syrup, hot water, and salt over low heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to medium-high and boil mixture approximately 4 to 5 minutes, without stirring, until a candy or digital thermometer registers 240°F or syrup reaches the firm-ball stage (when a small amount of syrup is dropped into very cold water, it forms a ball that holds its shape when pressed); immediately remove from heat.

Pour hot sugar mixture over gelatin mixture, stirring until gelatin is dissolved. Beat mixture on high speed approximately 5 to 6 minutes or until white, thick, and nearly tripled in volume.

In another large bowl with clean beaters, beat whites until they just hold stiff peaks; beat egg whites and vanilla into sugar mixture until well combined. Pour mixture into prepared baking pan; sift 1/4 cup powdered sugar evenly over top. Refrigerate marshmallow, uncovered, until firm (at least 3 hours).

Run a thin knife around edges of pan and invert pan onto a large cutting board; remove plastic wrap. Sprinkle top with 1/4 cup powdered sugar. With a large knife, trim edges of marshmallow and cut marshmallow into roughly 1-inch cubes. NOTE: To cut into even 1-inch squares, use and ruler and toothpicks to mark it every 1 inch. Lightly grease the blade of your knife with vegetable shortening. Cutting down firmly with the full length of the blade, cut the marshmallow into 1-inch strips. Sift additional powdered sugar over the tops if necessary.

Store either, covered with plastic wrap, in the refrigerator, or in an airtight container.

NOTE: For a delicious treat, coat marshmallow squares with melted chocolate.

No. But for real. I'm not a sweets lover, but this is a FANTASTIC dessert, with lots of potential. White chocolate, dark chocolate with coconut, substituting vanilla for a liquor..Grand Marnier or Bailey's for example.
I'll be making this again. It's only 12 hours after I made them, and there isn't one left in the house.

yum.