Holiday Favorites: Anise Slices Cookies

Holiday Favorites: Anise Slices

The herb anise is a traditional flavor for Christmas cookies in both Italy and Germany. Anise tastes like black licorice, so if you love black jelly beans then these butter cookies are for you. They are flavored with both essential oil and anise seed; the seed gives them a little crunch as well as taste.

The secret to having these cookies be light and have that melt in your mouth texture is to work the dough just until it comes together. Overbeating the dough will toughen the gluten in the flour, which makes the cookies dense. A good dough will begin to form large clumps, which can be shaped into a log by hand.

Dough shaped into a log and ready to chill

Anise Slices
2 1/4 c. all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 c. unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 c. granulated sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. anise oil
2 tbsp. anise seed

In medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and anise seed. Set aside.

Cream butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Add egg and anise oil, and beat until thoroughly mixed. Add dry ingredients, beating slowly to incorporate and then until dough begins to form clumps and comes together.

Separate dough into two halves. Place each half on a separate sheet of waxed paper. Roll into a log 2" in diameter. Twist ends of paper shut and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Slice each dough log into 1/4" slices, and place slices on baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are slightly golden. Immediately slide parchment off hot baking sheet and allow cookies to cool. Makes 3 dozen.

Holiday Favorites: Gingerbread Cutout Cookies

Soft, chewy and highly dunkable gingerbread cutout cookies

Gingerbread Cutout Cookies

At least once during the Christmas season, the entire family will be involved in making cutout cookies. Mixing, rolling out the dough, testing out the most recently acquired cookie cutter and then frosting and decorating the finished cookies take up the better part of a snowy Saturday.

These gingerbread cookies are soft, chewy and warm with the flavors of ginger and cinnamon. They can be left plain, frosted with buttercream or topped with royal icing and adorned with any number of finishing touches - sprinkles, dragees, sparkling sugars or crushed candies. Let little hands and imaginations go wild and forget about "perfection"; the end results will be an afternoon of incessant chatter, flour-drenched clothing and a plate of cookies that will end up as unique as the family members who created it.

Traditional Gingerbread Cutouts

3 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 c. unsalted butter
1/4 c. vegetable shortening
1/3 c. granulated sugar
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 c. mild molasses
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, spices, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

Melt butter and shortening together and pour into large mixing bowl. Add sugars and molasses and stir together. Allow to sit for 10 minutes to allow sugars to dissolve into the melted butter.

Add a third of the flour mixture and use a hand mixer to slowly beat into the butter. Beat in egg. Slowly incorporate the rest of the flour, beating just until blended.

Divide dough in half and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least one hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll dough to 1/4" thick on lightly floured surface. Cut out with cookie cutters and place 1" apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake 9 - 11 minutes, rotating sheets from bottom rack to top and vice-versa halfway through baking to prevent overbrowning. Allow to cool completely before frosting.  Makes 2 1/2 dozen, using 3" cookie cutters.

Tips:
Molasses has a slightly bitter taste that some people don't like. Dark corn syrup or dark honey (buckwheat or alfalfa) can be substituted for the molasses.

Use essential oils instead of ground spices for a more intense flavor. 1/2 tsp. ginger oil and 3 - 4 drops of cinnamon easily flavor a batch. The cookies will be a lighter color than those made with ground spices.  Essential oils can be found in the cake decorating section of Meijers or online at Amazon.com or from Lorann Oils.

Fresh cranberries and wine vinegar give this
a distinctively tangy taste

Sweet and Sour Cranberries

Thanksgiving is over, and many refrigerators across the US are filled with leftover turkey, duck, venison or ham. Yes, that means there will be sandwiches and casseroles galore for the next few weeks - until the Christmas feast takes place.

Turkey sandwiches can be dry and a little lackluster, but this cranberry condiment will liven up even the tamest turkey. It also tastes terrific with ham, duck, chicken, venison or pork tenderloin. And it's versatile enough to use as a glaze for the next poultry roast.

This starts with fresh cranberries, which are readily available at this time of year in the produce aisle of most grocery stores. The final product is a very thick jel, which stays nicely put on a sandwich.

The original recipe called for pureeing and then straining the cooked cranberry mixture. The texture was to resemble that of tomato catsup. I personally like the texture of the whole berries, and choose not to go through the additional steps of pureeing and straining.

Sweet and Sour Cranberries
1 lb (2 cups) fresh cranberries
3/4 c. red wine vinegar
1 c. light brown sugar, packed
4 cinnamon sticks
2 whole nutmegs
1 tbsp. allspice berries

In a large saucepan, gently warm the wine vinegar to a simmer. Place cinnamon sticks, nutmegs and allspice into a small cheesecloth bag tied off at the top. Steep the spice bag in the warm vinegar for at least an hour.

Remove spice bag from vinegar, add brown sugar and cranberries, and return mixture to medium heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved and cranberries begin to pop. Continue cooking until mixture begins to thicken, about 10-15 minutes.

Pour into a heat-safe container and allow to cool at room temperature. Cover and refrigerate.

Pumpkin Rum Pie With Vanilla Wafer Crust

Pumpkin Rum Pie With Vanilla Wafer Crust

The holiday season kicks off officially with the Thanksgiving celebration on November 23. Pumpkin pie is one of the traditional desserts, but too often, pumpkin pie tastes like it should be a side dish instead of a dessert.

Pumpkin has a distinct flavor, but it is mild. It needs some embellishment and enhancement in order to make a standout dessert. This pie recipe gives it a much needed kick, and it also avoids dealing with making, rolling and shaping a traditional pie crust.

The secret ingredient is rum - or bourbon, if you prefer. Both of these alcoholic beverages complement the flavor of pumpkin. In addition, because the alcohol bakes out of the filling, it leaves the filling firm. The vanilla wafer crust is also much easier to make than a traditional pie crust, and the slight vanilla flavor also helps to pump up the pie's flavor.

This recipe makes a lot of filling, so if you have a deep dish pie pan, use it. You can also substitute a 10" tart pan and double the ingredients.

Pumpkin Rum Pie with Vanilla Wafer Crust

Crust:
2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs
1/3 c. melted butter

Filling:
2 c. canned pumpkin (do not use canned pumpkin pie filling)
1 can (12 oz) sweetened condensed milk
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
dash salt
1/4 c. dark rum or bourbon
2 large eggs

Chill the crumb crust before baking to
prevent it from falling apart when pie is served

To make crust:
Using a food processor, pulse enough vanilla wafer cookies to make 2 cups of fine crumbs. Place crumbs in medium mixing bowl.

Melt 1/3 c. butter. Pour melted butter into crumbs, and use a fork to stir and coat crumbs with butter.

Spray a 9" pie pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line the plate with crumb mixture, using a wooden spoon to press crumbs evenly along the bottom and sides of the pie pan. Chill crust for an hour in the refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place chilled crust into preheated oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Crust will be slightly brown. Do not overbake. Allow to cool before adding filling.

To make filling:
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, rum, eggs, salt and spices. This will be a thick liquid. Gently pour into prepared crust.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bake pie for 15 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Bake an additional 30-40 minutes or until a knife inserted 1" from the crust comes out clean.

Allow to cool completely before serving. Cover and refrigerate any leftover pie.

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Blueberry Pound Cake

Frozen blueberries, sour cream and real butter
add body and flavor to this pound cake.

Blueberry Pound Cake

Pound cake of any kind is a favorite of mine. Rich, moist and essentially foolproof, poundcake doesn't require special flour, sifting or a lot of fussy preparation. The typical poundcake is baked in either a standard loaf pan or a Bundt pan. It doesn't need frosting, and it can be used as a breakfast bread or as a dessert.

This particular recipe contains sour cream and frozen blueberries. It tastes a lot like a blueberry pancake in loaf form. It is made for noshing with tea or a fresh cup of hot dark roast coffee.

Blueberry Pound Cake
3/4 c. butter (no substitutes)
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 c. all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. sour cream
1 1/2 c. frozen blueberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and lightly flour 10x4 inch tube pan, Bundt pan or two 8 1/2 x 5 1/2 inch loaf pans.

Using the microwave, melt butter in a large mixing bowl. Add granulated sugar and blend on low speed until sugar is dissolved. Add the vanilla and eggs, beating until thoroughly incorporated.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in medium mixing bowl. With mixer on low speed, alternate adding flour and sour cream. When all ingredients have been added, increase mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes.

Pour 1/3 of the batter into prepared pans. Top this layer with 3/4 c. frozen blueberries. Add another 1/3 of the batter, and layer with 3/4 c. blueberries. Cover with final 1/3 of batter. If desired, swirl blueberries gently throughout the batter using a knife or spatula.

Bake in preheated oven - 45 to 50 minutes for loaves, 60 - 65 minutes for tube or Bundt pan, or until cake tester comes out clean. Cool slightly in pan before removing.

NOTE: Keep the blueberries frozen for this recipe, otherwise they will stain the batter blue.

Oatmeal Honey Cookies

Oatmeal Honey Cookies

Just in time for Rosh Hashana, a recipe that uses honey as one of its main ingredients. These oatmeal cookies are soft, mildly sweet and full of oat flavor. They capture the essence of autumn, and are a nice addition to your new year's table. There is no dairy in this recipe (butter makes the cookies much too soft) so they are fine with meat or dairy meals. Bake them with or without nuts; they are good either way.

Oatmeal Honey Cookies
1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
2/3 c. vegetable shortening
1 c. packed dark brown sugar
1/3 c honey
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 1/2 c. quick cooking rolled oats
(optional) 2 c. chopped pecans or walnuts

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.

Melt the vegetable shortening in a microwave-safe bowl, and pour into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the brown sugar, honey and vanilla. Using the hard paddle blade, mix together until sugar has dissolved into the melted shortening. Allow to stand at room temperature for about 5 minutes; the shortening will begin to firm.

Alternate addition of the dry ingredients with the eggs, beating after each addition. Fold in nuts, if desired. Cover dough with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes; dough will be very sticky.

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, drop dough about 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.

Immediately slide parchment onto wire cooling racks; allow to cool for 5 minutes, then slide cookies off parchment and onto cooling racks to cool completely. Makes 30 - 36 cookies, depending on the scoop size.

Apple Carrot Bread

Apple Carrot Bread

The second wave of apples is ripening at my house. These are the heirloom variety, Pound Sweet, which live up to their name. The apples can weigh as much as a pound each, and the fruit is exceptionally juicy and sweet. The only downside is that these apples don't have that little bit of tart (malic acid) that characterizes the best eating and cooking apples.

Pound Sweet apples (and Golden Delicious, which shares a lot of the genetics) are very good for baking. They don't get mushy, and their size means that it doesn't require peeling and coring a lot of apples to have enough material for a recipe.  And since daytime temperatures have dropped from the high 80s to the mid-70s, I decided today was a good day to bake some loaves of apple carrot bread.

Is it bread, or is it cake? That's a difficult question. It doesn't require cake flour, but the texture and flavor are cake-like. It really doesn't matter, though, unless you are prejudiced against eating a piece of cake for breakfast.

NOTE: The flavoring I used in this is called Princess Cake and Cookie emulsion. This is a thick liquid that has a slightly floral flavor that combines vanilla and citrus. It can be purchased through Lorann Oils, or on Amazon.com.

Apple Carrot Bread

3 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. butter (no substitutes)
1/2 c. solid vegetable shortening
2 c. granulated sugar
1 tsp. Princess Cake and Cookie emulsion (or substitute 3/4 tsp. vanilla and 1/4 tsp. lemon extract)
3 eggs
1 c. shredded carrots
1 c. grated peeled apples

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two 9 x 5 loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray.

In medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.

In large microwave-safe bowl, melt butter and shortening on high. Pour into bowl of stand mixer. Add granulated sugar and Princess Cake and Cookie emulsion. Using flexible blade, cream together until sugar is dissolved in shortening.

Alternate addition of eggs, grated apples and carrots and dry ingredients on low speed. After all ingredients are folded together, increase speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes.

Pour batter evenly into 2 prepared loaf pans. Bake for 50 - 60 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean and bread begins to separate from sides of pan. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto cooling rack.

If desired, frost with cream cheese icing or drizzle loaf with confectioner's icing. Because the fruit in the bread keeps it very moist, it is prone to molding if left at room temperature. Store in airtight container(s) in refrigerator, or freeze for future use.

Apple Pandowdy

Dutchess of Oldenburg apples are an early ripening heirloom variety

Apple Pandowdy

I grow heirloom apples. One variety that ripens very early is the Dutchess of Oldenburg. This particular apple is the size of a crabapple, but it has the genetics of a MacIntosh. So even though it requires harvesting, peeling and coring a large number of the apples to make anything, the end result is well worth the effort.

Because the apple variety is several hundred years old, I decided that it was best used in a traditional American recipe, using traditional American tools. Apple pandowdy baked in a cast iron skillet was the logical - and tasty - conclusion.

What is a pandowdy? It's basically a one-crust pie. The filling is heaped into the skillet, and pie pastry is latticed over the top. When the pandowdy is scooped out, the flaky crust mixes into the filling, absorbing all of the spicy and fragrant juice. Because apples are high in pectin, you don't need to add any thickening agents such as corn starch or Clear-Gel. However, if you like a really firm filling, you are free to do so.

You don't need a cast iron skillet for this recipe. If you have a traditional casserole dish (or if you sprang for one of those Copper Chef square pans) you can use these deep dishes to make your pandowdy. The beauty of cast iron is that it distributes heat evenly so your filling and crust aren't overbaked in one area and undercooked in another.

Pandowdy baked in a cast iron skillet

Pastry:

1 c. all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. salt

6 tbsp. vegetable shortening

2 - 3 tbsp. ice water

Filling:

1 gallon (8 cups) apple slices

3/4 c. light brown sugar

1 tbsp. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. allspice

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

To make pastry: whisk together flour and salt. Using a pastry blender, add shortening one tablespoon at a time, cutting in thoroughly until mixture resembles small pebbles. Add ice water, one tablespoon at a time, and blend until dough holds together. Remove pastry from bowl, shape into a ball and flatten into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least one hour before rolling out.

While your pastry chills, prepare the apple filling. Place sliced apples in large bowl and add lemon juice. In small bowl, mix together brown sugar, spices and salt. Add to apples; use a wooden spoon to stir and coat apples with sugar, spices and lemon juice.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a deep casserole dish or a seasoned cast iron skillet with nonstick spray. Add apples to skillet; heap excess in the middle to avoid having the filling spill over the edges.

Remove pastry from refrigerator, unwrap, place on lightly floured surface and roll out to 1/8" thick. Cut into strips 1/2" wide; create a lattice over the top of the filling.

Bake the pandowdy for 35 to 40 minutes or until crust is a golden brown.

It's The Berries! Black Raspberry Crisp

Thanks to the unusually warm winter we had, my raspberry crop was a solid 2 weeks early. I grow two varieties: Fall Gold, which offers a small crop each summer followed by giant crop in September, and Bristol. Bristol is by far the better berry for cooking. This dark purple berry is sweet with a hint of tartness, holds its shape very well and each bush provides at least two quarts of berries. Luckily, these berries also freeze well, so I used part of the crop right away and bagged the rest.

Raspberry crisp a luscious fruit dessert that is incredibly simple to make. In addition, because the fruit provides most of the sweetness, it uses very little sugar. In fact, this recipe lends itself well to sugar substitutes such as Truvia.

I recommend using real butter to make the crisp topping. Butter adds a toasty flavor to the crust, which contains oatmeal. It also helps the crisp to bake to a beautiful golden brown. You'll want to use a pastry cutter to incorporate the butter with the dry ingredients. Cutting in the shortening coats the flour and oats without activating the gluten. The end result is a crunchy crisp streusel topping.

Raspberry Crisp
2 quarts fresh raspberries
1/4 c. granulated sugar or sugar substitute for baking
1 tbsp. corn starch
1 tbsp. lemon juice

Mix together 1/4 c. sugar and corn starch. Gently coat berries with the sugar and starch mixture.  Spray a 2 quart casserole pan with nonstick cooking spray and fill with berry mixture. Drizzle with lemon juice. Allow to rest at room temperature while preparing the topping.

Topping
1/2 c. all purpose flour
1/2 c. quick cooking oats
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. granulated sugar or sugar substitute for baking
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. cardamom
1/2 c. butter, at room temperature

Whisk together the flour, oats, sugars and spices. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter, one tablespoon at a time, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously cover the berry mixture with the topping. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until topping is lightly browned.  Allow to cool before serving; this allows the berry juices to thicken slightly. Serves 6 to 8.

   

Three Step Barbecue Baked Beans

Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of summer, and the celebrations normally include a cookout. Baked beans are a traditional side dish for these occasions. If you prefer foregoing the canned beans soaking in a fat and sugar-laden sauce, then you'll love making these quick to fix barbecued beans.

I start with a mixture of dried navy, red and pinto beans. Dried beans are available in bulk at most grocery stores, and are easily stored in airtight canisters. They are also very economical, and useful for making soups and other meals as well.

Dry beans, however, normally need hours of slow cooking. This breaks down their outer starchy shell and makes them edible. The quick way around this is to use a pressure cooker.

The final step is to add flavor. You can make your own barbecue sauce if you wish, but I like to use my favorite bottled variety, and cut it with a small amount of either full flavored ginger ale (Vernors is tops for this), cola or lemon-line soda. You can use sugar-free for this if you like, as it is only for flavoring purposes.

Three Step Barbecue Baked Beans
4 c. dry beans
8 c water
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 lb. pork sausage (ground or link)
2 c. bottled barbecue sauce
1/2 c. ginger ale, cola or lemon-lime soda

Soak dry beans in salted water for 8 hours or overnight at room temperature. Drain beans.

Place beans in pressure cooker. Add 8 cups fresh water, and seal lid. Bring to high pressure and cook for 45 minutes.  Allow pressure to reduce slowly for 15 to 20 minutes. Drain beans in colander.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. If using ground sausage, brown slightly and drain excess fat. Toss beans and sausage together to mix thoroughly, and spread evenly in casserole dish.

Mix barbecue sauce and soda together. Pour over bean and sausage mixture, stirring well. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes to an hour. Sauce should be thick and bubbly, and sausage cooked through. Serves 6 to 8.

NOTE: This recipe can be cooked on the grill in a cast iron pot. Just be sure to use indirect heat and stir periodically to keep the beans from scorching.

Roast Asparagus

You can find fresh asparagus at the grocery store or at many local farm markets

Roast Asparagus

One of the first crops to emerge and be harvested in the spring is asparagus. This delectable and succulent perennial vegetable is all too often steamed or boiled beyond recognition and then swathed in a coating of butter or Hollandaise sauce.

As much as I love anything that uses real butter, I also love keeping some of the crunch in my asparagus. That's why one of my go-to preparation methods for this veggie is roasting.

Roasting asparagus is a fast, simple and reliable. There are only two caveats: first, make sure the asparagus spears you use are fairly uniform in diameter, and second, be sure the oil you use holds up well in high heat. Virgin olive oil is one of the better choices for use.

After roasting your spears, season lightly with salt, lemon juice and / or chopped fresh chives (also available in the kitchen garden at this time of year).

Roast Asparagus
1 lb. asparagus spears, with the woody bottom of the stems trimmed off.
1/3 - 1/2 c. virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cover a lipped baking sheet with a sheet of aluminum foil. Evenly coat the foil with the olive oil. Place into the oven for 8 - 10 minutes or until oil is sizzling.

Toss asparagus spears onto heated baking sheet; the spears will begin to sizzle. Use tongs to swirl and coat with hot oil. Return to hot oven and roast 6 - 10 minutes, or until a fork easily pierces the fattest spear.

Hot Cross Buns for Easter brunch

Hot cross buns are an Easter tradition

The hot cross bun is a traditional end-of-Lent snack. Slightly sweet laden with dried fruit and topped with confectioner's icing, hot cross buns are a nice transition from Lenten austerity to Easter abundance.

Hot cross buns are made with a rich yeast dough. Using the microwave oven and electric mixer simplify preparation. The traditional recipes use dried currants and raisins, but you can create your own flavor combinations with other dried fruits, such as cranberries, chopped dried apricots and even dried blueberries.

Hot Cross Buns
1 pk. (1/4 oz, or 2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast
1 c. whole milk
3 tbsp. butter
1 egg
2 tbsp. granulated sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
3 c. all purpose flour
1/2 c. dried fruit
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground allspice

In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 c. flour, salt, cinnamon and allspice. Add dried fruit, dredging to coat the pieces with the flour mixture.

Place milk and butter into a microwave-safe cup or bowl. Heat for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes on high, until milk is very warm and butter is melted.

Place 1 c. flour, granulated sugar and yeast into large mixing bowl. Using the paddle attachment, mix together at slow speed. Add hot liquid, incorporating well before increasing mixing speed. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, then add egg. Continue beating on medium speed for 3 more minutes.

Lower mixer speed, and add the remaining flour mixture. Beat until a sticky ball is formed.

Remove dough and place on floured surface. Knead with floured hands until dough loses its stickiness and gloss. Place in a greased bowl, cover with a moistened towel or cling wrap and allow to rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk (about 1 hour).

Punch down dough. Prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper. Shape dough into 12 2" balls and arrange on baking sheets. Using kitchen shears, cut a cross shape into the top of each ball. Allow to rise at room temperature until doubled, about 1/2 hour.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Bake buns for 15 - 20 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before piping confectioner's icing into cross.

Confectioner's Icing
1 c. confectioner's sugar
1 to 2 tbsp. water, milk or cream
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Sift confectioner's sugar into small bowl. Stir in extract and liquid, 1 tsp. at a time, until icing is of spreading consistency. Cover until ready to use.

NOTES:

If you prefer a bun that is browned, combine 1 egg yolk with 2 tbsp. water and brush the buns with the egg mixture before baking.

Cut homemade marshmallows to fit your graham crackers

for perfect S'mores.

Homemade Candy: Marshmallows

Just in time for Easter, here's a recipe for ersatz Peeps. Even though you won't be able to create 3-D marshmallow confections, you will be able to make fresh, melt in the mouth marshmallows. These can be cut into Easter-themed shapes using cookie cutters, dipped in chocolate or colored and flavored using essential oils or extracts.

Homemade marshmallows are confectionery blank slates, ready to be modified to fit the occasion.

This recipe does demand a little precision when making the sugar syrup. Have a candy thermometer on hand, or if you are skilled at this, do the "firm ball" test by dropping half a teaspoon of the hot syrup into a cup of cold water. If the syrup forms a ball that you can lift out of the water and squish between your fingers, then the syrup has reached the "firm ball" stage and is ready to use.

It is also helpful to use a stand mixer that has a whip attachment. As the syrup is mixed into the softened gelatin, air is whipped into the marshmallow mixture. This is what gives it the light and airy texture that characterizes marshmallows.

Finally, if you plan on cutting the marshmallows into shapes, spread the mixture onto prepared baking sheets to a thickness of 1/4" to 3/8". This should accommodate most cookie cutters and allow the marshmallows to be shaped cleanly. If you cure the marshmallow mixture in a 13 x 9 baking pan, it is best just to cut the mixture into cubes. They will be too thick to cut with cookie cutters and end up looking like little mushrooms.

Marshmallows
3 pks (1/4 oz ea) unflavored gelatin
1/2 c. cold water

2 c granulated sugar
2/3 c light corn syrup
1/2 c. water
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla extract, OR 1/4 tsp. essential oil flavoring
paste food coloring, if desired
1 c. confectioners sugar

In the large mixing bowl of your stand mixer, dissolve the gelatin in 1/2 c. cold water. Allow to soften for at least 15 minutes.

Combine 1/2 c water, granulated sugar, corn syrup and salt in a large, microwave-safe bowl. Cover with cling wrap and heat for 2 1/2 minutes on high power.

Carefully remove the cling wrap from the hot sugar mixture and stir mixture gently with a wooden spoon. Cover with a new piece of cling wrap, return to microwave oven and heat for an additional 2 minutes. By this time, the syrup should be bubbling and all sugar should be dissolved.  Test the temperature using a candy thermometer, or do the "firm ball" test. The syrup is done when it reaches 240 degrees or creates a firm ball when a small amount is dropped into a cup of cold water.

Using the whip attachment, begin slowly beating the softened gelatin. Slowly pour the hot syrup into the gelatin mixture, increasing the mixer speed to high or whip speed. Whip gelatin mixture for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the mixture becomes very thick and glossy. Add flavoring and coloring and beat an additional 1 minute.

Prepare a baking sheet or 13 x 9 baking pan by lining with aluminum foil and spraying the foil with nonstick cooking spray. Pour the marshmallow mixture onto the foil, using a moistened spatula to spread evenly. Allow to cure uncovered for 4 hours at room temperature. The mixture will firm up considerably and lose much of its gloss.

Sprinkle cured marshmallow mixture with 1/3 c. sifted confectioners sugar. Use the foil to lift marshmallow mixture out of the pan, then invert onto surface coated with confectioners sugar. Sprinkle bottom of marshmallows with 1/3 c. confectioners sugar. Cut into cubes or use cookie cutters to create shapes; roll cut edges in confectioners sugar.

Store marshmallows in airtight container at room temperature.

Homemade Candy: Gumdrops

Homemade Candy: Gumdrops

Looking forward to Easter means buying or making candies and confections to fill the baskets. 

One of the easiest candies that a home cook can make is the gumdrop. This confection doesn't require precise temperature regulation when the sugar and water mixture are heated, it uses very basic ingredients and the ability to create unusual flavor combinations is endless. 

To keep things simple, you can mold the gumdrops in a square baking pan. However, if you have chocolate molds on hand, you can use these to shape your gumdrops. Many candy molds are available in holiday themes, so to fill April's Easter basket, choose a set of molds that is appropriate to the season. The mold cavities should be about 1/2" deep and the mold itself flexible; even with cooking spray or parchment paper, gumdrops can be sticky.

One final note: use essential oil flavoring instead of extracts. Not only do the essential oils hold up better when added to hot syrup, they don't impair the ability of the gelatin to gel. The alcohol in an extract can make the gelatin runny.

If you're making citrus flavored gumdrops, add some Tart and Sour flavor enhancer. This is a combination of citric and malic acid. A little goes a long way to create a sweet, tart gumdrop. If you are going for sour, add up to 3/4 tsp. of this product.

Gumdrops

1 oz unflavored gelatin powder (4 pks, 1/4 oz each)

1/2 c. warm water

Dissolve gelatin powder in warm water. Set aside

2 c. granulated sugar

3/4 c. water

1/2 tsp. essential oil flavoring

1/2 tsp. Tart and Sour flavor enhancer, if desired

Additional granulated sugar for coating gumdrops.

Place sugar and water into a 3 quart saucepan. Place over medium heat, and warm until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a simmer, lower heat, and allow to simmer for  minutes to make a light syrup. Remove from heat.

Stir dissolved gelatin into hot syrup. Add flavoring, flavor enhancer and food coloring if desired.  

Line a 9" square pan with parchment paper, and then spray with nonstick cooking spray. Pour gelatin mixture into pan, cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight. Alternately, spray several chocolate molds with nonstick cooking spray. Spoon hot syrup into the mold cavities, allow to cool and then cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

The next day, uncover gumdrops and cut into squares. Remove using parchment paper from pan. Add 1/2 c. of granulated sugar to a large plastic sealable foodsaver bag. Toss in several of the gumdrops, and shake to coat with sugar. Place on sheets of parchment paper to crystallize for 24 to 48 hours.  Store gumdrops in airtight containers out of high heat. 

Rum Butterscotch Swirl Ice Cream

Rum Butterscotch Swirl Ice Cream

It's February, but the temperatures have gotten near 70 degrees here in the Midwest. Cardinals are singing and finches are showing splashes of red and purple on their drab winter brown feathers. A high pressure system, pruning apple trees and sunshine makes me want real, honest-to-goodness ice cream.

I don't have an ice cream maker. But I do have a simple recipe for ice cream that uses a standard electric or stand mixer to make:

Basic Ice Cream
1 pint heavy cream
1 can (12 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Chill mixing bowl and whip attachment or beaters for 1 hour prior to making this recipe. Pour cream into a chilled mixing bowl. Whip at medium speed until slightly thickened, add vanilla extract and then increase mixer speed to high to create peaks. Lower mixer speed to fold in sweetened condensed milk.

Line a standard loaf pan with aluminum foil. Pour ice cream mixture into pan. Cover with cling wrap and chill in freezer for at least one hour before adding in the butterscotch mixture.

The tricky part of this recipe is in creating a ganache that becomes semi-solid when ice cream is frozen. That's where the alcohol comes in. It dilutes the melted butterscotch chips into a creamy paste and also acts as an antifreeze. The result is a lovely swirled goo that embellishes what was plain vanilla ice cream.

Ganache
1 c. butterscotch chips
1/4 c. condensed milk
2 tbsp. light corn syrup
2 tbsp. light rum

Place the butterscotch chips into a large microwave-safe measuring cup. Melt on high power using 1 minute intervals, stirring between each. When melted, stir in milk, corn syrup and rum. Allow to cool slightly. Pour slowly onto ice cream, using a knife or spatula to swirl into the thickened cream. Replace cling wrap and freeze overnight. Makes 1 quart.

NOTE: You can modify this recipe using any combination of flavored baking chips and alcohol. For example, pair semisweet chips with bourbon or Kahluah, dark chocolate chips with Guinness stout, mint chocolate chips with creme de menthe, or white chocolate chips with orange liqueur. Blogging Fusion Blog Directory

Soft and Chocolaty Peanut Butter Cookies

Peanut butter is a universal language. Combine it with milk chocolate and you have an irresistible flavor combination that begs you to eat. Traditional peanut butter cookies can be a little dry and crumbly, but these peanut butter cup inspired cookies are large, soft, chewy and swimming with flavor. They are excellent for dunking in milk or coffee, and the extra large size turns a single cookie into a satisfying between meal snack or dessert.


To shape these cookies, use an ice cream scoop. Level off the dough, and then deposit the cookies onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet using the lever that is attached to the scoop. Your cookies will be uniform in size and thickness.


These cookies freeze nicely. Make them in large quantities and then store them in recloseable plastic bags in the freezer for future cookie emergencies.



Soft and Chocolaty Peanut Butter Cookies
2 1/2 c. all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. peanut butter (creamy or crunchy)
1/2 c. butter, room temperature
1 1/2 c. packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. milk chocolate chips


In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
Place peanut butter, softened butter and vanilla in large mixing bowl. Cream together at medium speed. Beat in brown sugar and eggs. On low speed, beat in dry ingredients just until the dough comes together. Fold in milk chocolate chips.


Using plastic wrap, cover dough and chill at least an hour, preferably overnight.


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Drop dough onto prepared baking sheets using a tablespoon or ice cream scoop.  Bake for 10 -  12 minutes using middle racks, rotating sheets halfway through baking. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing from sheet. Makes 2 - 3 dozen, depending on size of scoop used.

Sunday dinner: Wine braised duck

I love duck, but the local stores only stock it around Christmas. Which is why on my last trip to Gordon Food Service, I snagged as many of the remaining frozen ducks as I could.

Duck is a bit challenging to cook well. Because ducks are waterfowl, they develop a thick layer of fat under the skin that helps keep them well insulated. Unfortunately, this all comes spilling out during cooking, creating a greasy pool in which the roast swims. One of the ways this recipe helps to combat a fatty or greasy taste and texture is its addition of wine to the braising liquid. Wine adds an acidic touch and helps to cut through the richness.

This recipe also cooks the duck in three stages, offering you the chance to drain off the excess fat during cooking and produce a nicely browned duck with crisp skin and moist meat. The root vegetables absorb the flavor and offer some enhancements of their own.

Wine Braised Duck
1 5-8 pound duckling, giblets removed
1/2 c. white wine
1 c. chicken stock
2 baking potatoes, peeled and diced
4 parsnips, peeled and diced
1 medium onion, diced
2 tbsp butter
dried parsley
kosher salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place duck, breast side down, in a shallow roasting pan. Tuck wings under. Slide a wooden spoon underneath the skin, lifting the skin away from the meat gently. Using a gloved hand, rub the flesh under the skin with a fine layer of kosher salt.  Roast uncovered for 45 minutes.

In the meantime, melt 2 tbsp. butter in saucepan or skillet. Add diced root vegetables and saute until onion is tender and other vegetables are browned. Remove from heat and set aside.

Remove duck from oven and lower heat to 350 degrees. Pour wine over duck, and use a wooden spoon to lift and stir any brown bits that may be attached to the bottom of the roasting pan. Add chicken stock. Place sauteed vegetables evenly around the duck. Tent the roasting pan with aluminum foil, and return to oven for 1 hour.

After braising for 1 hour, remove roasting pan from oven and increase heat to 400 degrees. Drain away all liquid in the pan (this can be used as a gravy base, if desired). Return root vegetables to the roaster and place duck on top of the vegetables. Return to oven uncovered for 20 minutes. This final high heat roast ensures your duck will be browned and crispy. Serves 4 - 6.

NOTE: If you use a roasting rack, be sure the root vegetables are cut into large pieces so they don't fall through the grate openings.

Saturday Brunch: Banana Muffins

Bananas that ripen quickly can be a problem during the winter. Even when they are purchased green, we keep them in homes that are heated to a toasty warmth (wood burning stoves are good for that). Those bananas quickly turn from golden to gross. Luckily, overripe bananas are the main ingredient in these tasty muffins.

The key to keeping these muffins light and fluffy is to add the dry ingredients last. The batter for these tends to be dense, and over-beating the flour and oatmeal helps strengthen the gluten. The result is a muffin that is dense and flat. Instead, cream together the mashed banana, oil, sugar and egg, and then add the flour mixture, beating just until the batter comes together.

The recipe makes 18 standard sized muffins.

Banana Muffins
3 ripe bananas, mashed
1/3 c. vegetable oil
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 c. granulated sugar
2 c. all purpose flour
1/2 c. oatmeal
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 c. chopped pecans, walnuts or unsalted cashews

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare muffin tins with cupcake liners, or spray with nonstick baking spray. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, oatmeal, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl. cream together bananas and vegetable oil. Add vanilla extract and egg, mixing thoroughly at medium speed. Lower mixer speed and slowly fold in flour and nuts.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin tins, filling cavities to 3/4 full. Batter will be thick. Bake 15 - 20 minutes (10 minutes for mini muffins), or until cake tester comes out clean.

Turkey and Pasta Casserole

Admit it - it's over two weeks since Christmas, and you're still working on leftover turkey or ham from the holiday meal. I happen to love leftovers, and frankly, I believe you can never have too much turkey. The following recipe for a creamy turkey and pasta casserole makes the perfect comfort food.

The condensed soup takes the place of making a cream sauce or gravy, and adds just the right poultry flavor to the dish. It's a one-dish meal that is a snap to assemble. And you can embellish the basic recipe by adding a cup of frozen mixed veggies, your favorite herbs and a dash of diced green or red bell pepper for extra color and flavor.

Turkey and Pasta Casserole

3 c. cubed cooked white meat turkey

1 c. fresh mushrooms

1 small onion, diced

1 can condensed cream of chicken soup

1/2 c. condensed milk

2 tbsp. dried parsley

ground black pepper

2 c. penne, cooked according to package directions

dried Parmesan cheese

Place diced onion and sliced mushrooms in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 3 minutes, or until vegetables begin to lose their moisture. Drain using a colander. In a large bowl, combine cubed turkey, condensed soup, condensed milk, parsley and pepper. Add drained mushrooms and onions. Set aside.

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray small casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Place cooked pasta on bottom of casserole. Top with turkey mixture. Bake for 20 minutes in preheated oven until heated through. Sprinkle with dried parmesan cheese before serving. Serves 4 - 6.