Peta

Peta

Filling                                                               Dough for crust

2-3 pounds spinach (fresh)                                1/3 cup butter

2-3 small onions                                               1 cup flour

½ cup olive oil                                                  1 egg

½ - 1 pound feta cheese                                   ½ tsp. salt

5-6 eggs                                                           ¼ cup warm water

dill (fresh or dried dill weed)

½ tsp salt

Italian parsley (optional)

Clean and cut up to 2-3 pounds spinach (fresh) and place in an extra large mixing bowl.  Set aside so spinach can drain free of water.

Chop up 2-3 onions.  Cook onions in sauce pan with ½ cup olive oil mixed with a little water.  Use about ¼ cup water.  Cook about 15 minutes or until onions are tender.

Crumble ½ to 1 lb. feta cheese.  A fork works well.  Also, you can use the cheaper feta cheese for peta.  The cheaper feta is usually stronger in taste and not as tasty to eat plain.

At this point, prepare the dough.  Melt about 1/3 cup butter.  Put about 1 cup flour, 1 egg, and ½ tsp. salt in a small bowl.  Add 2/3 of the melted butter and ¼ cup cup warm water to flour and egg.  (Reserve a little melted butter for the finished dough).

Mix until all flour is moistened (use hand or fork).  If dough seems too sticky, add a little flour.  Knead dough on floured surface until consistency is such that it does not stick to the surface.

Divide dough into 6 pieces.  Form each piece into a ball.  Roll each ball in the remaining melted butter.  Flatten first ball and place on a small plate.  Flatten ball 2 and 3 and place on top of ball 1.  Repeat this with remaining 3 balls, placing these 3 on a second plate.  Put plates in a warm (not hot) place.

Now complete mixing the filling-

Drain all water from the cut up spinach (place large plate on top of spinach and invert bowl to drain.  Some water will remain on leaves and this is all right)

Add 5-6 eggs to spinach.  Add crumbled feta cheese and the cooked onion mixture.  Add small bunch of dill (chopped) or ¼ to 1/3 jar of dill weed.  (I used Spice Islands brand of dill weed.  This is the ¼ to 1/3 jar measure.  The amount of dill added is strictly by taste and experiment).  Add ½ tsp. salt (again by taste).  A few sprigs of chopped Italian parsley is also good but optional.  Mix all ingredients with your hands.  It will be a little juicy but it should taste good enough to eat as is.  I never drained any of the juice because I feel that the juice helped the taste when baked.

Now you are ready to roll out the dough-

On a floured surface-

Place the 3 layers of dough.  Dust both top and bottom of dough well.  It must be able to spread easily on surface and should not stick to the rolling pole.  Using a long pole (18-24 inches long) or a sawed off broom handle, carefully start rolling the dough.  Roll dough from center out as you would pie dough.  If dough starts to stick, roll up dough on the pole and sprinkle more flour.  Unroll dough and continue rolling until piece is large enough to fit the large round peta pan or whatever pan you have.  You now have 3 layers of very thin dough rolled at one time.

Thoroughly oil the baking pan with olive oil or regular cooking oil.  Place dough in pan.  To place dough in pan, again roll the dough around the pole.  Unroll over the pan.  Put the side of the dough with the least amount of adhering flour toward the bottom.  This prevents unnecessary sticking.

Place filling in pan.

Roll out second set of 3 layers of dough.  Place on top of mixture.  Place floured side toward the mixture.

Carefully seal edges.  Moisten if necessary to make sure edges are sealed well.  This is important because the peta will be turned over half way through the baking.

Place peta in 375 degree oven.  Cook for about 25 minutes or until top crust is cooked to light brown.  Remove from oven.  Turn out the peta, upside down, on a cutting board or over sized platter (flip the peta onto board or platter so the bottom side is up).  Add more oil to baking pan if bottom seems dry.  Return peta to pan, bottom side up and return to oven.  Cook until crust is browned and cooked, probably about 25 minutes or more.

Remove from oven and cut.

I have tried to give you as much of the method as I can without being there.  What I have recorded here is just about the same as I took it down as when YiaYia did it.  I have had to try to put exact amounts to things that she did by feel.  I got so I could also do them by feel.  Get your feta cheese at Wegmans or at the Public Market on Railroad street at Roussos Market.  Roussos has 2 kinds.  A strong one which is cheaper I think and the other which is milder and more for eating plain.  I used the stronger for peta.

For questions with this, list them out on a separate piece of paper with space for answers and I will return immediately.  You have no idea how long it took to get all of this down and to try to make sure I did not forget anything.  I probably did anyway.

GOOD LUCK AND GOOD EATING!

I found that you can freeze this with ease.  Just wrap well.

Raspberry Lemonade Cake

Ingredients:

1 cup very hot water

1 box (4-serving size) raspberry-flavored gelatin

1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® white cake mix

1/2 cup frozen (thawed) lemonade concentrate

1/4 cup water

1/3 cup vegetable oil

4 egg whites

1 container Betty Crocker® Whipped vanilla frosting

1 cup frozen (thawed) whipped topping

1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries, if desired

Lemon peel strips, if desired 

 

Directions:

 

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Spray bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with baking spray with flour. In small bowl, mix hot water and gelatin until gelatin is completely dissolved; cool slightly.
• In large bowl, beat cake mix, 1/4 cup of the gelatin mixture, 1/4 cup of the lemonade concentrate, the water, oil and egg whites with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes. Pour into pan. Reserve remaining gelatin mixture and lemonade concentrate.
• Bake 25 to 31 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Poke warm cake every inch with fork tines. Remove 1 tablespoon of the reserved gelatin mixture to microwavable custard cup or small bowl. In another small bowl, mix remaining gelatin mixture and remaining 1/4 cup lemonade concentrate; pour slowly over cake. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• In medium bowl, fold together frosting and whipped topping; frost cake. Microwave 1 tablespoon gelatin mixture uncovered on High 10 seconds to liquefy. Using 1/4 teaspoon measuring spoon, place small drops of gelatin mixture over frosting; with spoon or toothpick, swirl gelatin into frosting. Garnish each piece with raspberries and lemon peel strips. Store covered in refrigerator.

 

Fresh Vegetable Soup with Lime

Ingredients

Extra virgin olive oil
1 red onion, diced
4-6 cloves chopped fresh garlic
2 medium zucchini squash, trimmed, sliced into coins, and quartered
2 medium carrots, chopped
1 heaping cup thinly shredded cabbage -- or coleslaw mix
2 14-oz cans  roasted tomatoes  with juice
1/2 cup chopped roasted green chilies -- mild or hot, to taste
2-3 cups light broth, as needed
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil or cilantro
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
Hot red chili pepper flakes, to taste
A dab of  agave nectar , to taste (this cuts the acid of the tomatoes)
Juice of 1 fresh lime
Lime slices for garnish

Instructions

Drizzle a tablespoon or two of olive oil in the bottom of a Crock Pot or slow cooker and toss in the chopped garlic, red onion, and fresh vegetables. Add the diced tomatoes and roasted green chilies. Stir to mix.

Pour in enough broth to cover the veggies by an inch of liquid.

Season the soup with gluten-free Worcestershire sauce, fresh herbs, sea salt, and pepper. Cover and cook according to your manufacturer's instructions for vegetable soup.

Taste test for flavor adjustments and add a drizzle of agave and the juice of a fresh lime; taste, stir, and warm through.

Total Servings: 4

Nutritional Information Per Serving

Calories: 185
Carbohydrates: 24.4g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Fat: 110.g
Saturated Fat: 0g
Fiber: 3.9g
Sodium: 342mg
Protein: 3.3g

Classic Macaroni and Cheese

Serves 6 to 8

It's crucial to cook the pasta until it's tender-that is, just past the al dente stage. Whole, low-fat, and skim milk all work well in this recipe. The recipe may be halved and baked in an 8-inch square broiler-safe baking pan. If desired, offer celery salt or hot sauce for sprinkling at the table.

6 slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into quarters
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, 3 tablespoons cut into 6 pieces and chilled
1 pound elbow macaroni
Salt
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons dry mustard
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
5 cups milk
8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (2 cups)
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (2 cups)

1. Pulse bread and chilled butter in food processor to coarse crumbs, about 10 pulses; set aside.

2. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat broiler. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until tender; drain pasta.

3. Melt remaining 5 tablespoons butter in now-empty pot over medium-high heat. Add flour, mustard, 1 teaspoon salt, and cayenne, if using, and cook, whisking constantly, until mixture becomes fragrant and deepens in color, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk; bring mixture to boil, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, whisking occasionally, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Off heat, slowly whisk in cheeses until completely melted. Add pasta to sauce and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is steaming and heated through, about 6 minutes.

4. Transfer mixture to 13 by 9-inch broiler-safe baking dish and sprinkle with bread-crumb mixture. Broil until topping is deep golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Cool casserole for 5 minutes before serving.

Seared Ahi Tuna and Salad of Mixed Greens with Wasabi Vinaigrette

Ingredients

• 1 ahi tuna steak, 6 ounces
• 2 teaspoons five-spice powder, available on spice aisle
• 1 teaspoon grill seasoning, such as Montreal Steak Seasoning, or salt and coarse pepper
• Cooking spray or vegetable oil, for brushing the grill pan
• 5 ounces, half a sack, mixed prewashed baby salad greens
• 2 radishes, sliced
• 1/4 European cucumber, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon wasabi paste
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons -virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Coat your steak with a combination of five-spice powder and grill seasoning or salt and pepper. Heat a grill pan or griddle over high heat. Spray grill surface or wipe with a thin layer of oil. Add tuna steak to the hot cooking surface and sear tuna 2 minutes on each side. Remove tuna from heat. 

Combine greens, radishes and cucumber in a bowl. In a smaller bowl, whisk wasabi, vinegar and soy sauce. Whisk in oil to combine dressing. Drizzle dressing over your salad and toss to coat evenly. Slice tuna on an angle and arrange on the salad.

Meatballs Stroganoff

ingredients

• 1 12- to 16-ounce package frozen cooked meatballs
• 1 cup lower-sodium beef broth
• 1 4-ounce can (drained weight) sliced mushrooms, drained
• 1 8-ounce carton dairy sour cream
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
• 4 cups hot cooked wide egg noodles
• Snipped fresh parsley (optional)

directions

1. In a large skillet, combine meatballs, broth, and mushrooms. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 15 minutes or until meatballs are heated through.
2. In a small bowl, stir together sour cream and flour. Whisk in milk and mustard. Stir sour cream mixture into skillet. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more. Serve over hot cooked noodles. If desired, stir in snipped fresh parsley. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Flank Steak with Spanish Rice

ingredients

• 1 14-1/2-ounce can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes
• 1-3/4 cups water
• Several dashes bottled hot pepper sauce
• 1-1/4 cups long grain rice
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• Dash ground cinnamon
• 1 to 1-1/4 pounds beef flank steak
• Snipped fresh cilantro or parsley (optional)

directions

1. In a 2-quart saucepan combine the stewed tomatoes, water, and hot pepper sauce. Bring to boiling. Stir in rice; return to boiling then reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand for 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, combine chili powder, salt, cumin, pepper, and cinnamon. Rub spice mixture into flank steak on all sides. Place steak on unheated rack of broiler pan. Broil steak 3 inches from the heat for 6 minutes. Turn and broil to desired doneness (allowing about 7 to 8 minutes more for medium-rare). Or, grill steak directly over medium coals for 18 to 22 minutes total for medium doneness, turning once.
3. To serve, thinly slice flank steak diagonally across the grain. Fluff rice with a fork. Serve steak slices over rice; sprinkle with cilantro or parsley, if desired. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Homemade Apple Butter

Here is a recipe I want to try:

Ingredients

• apples -enough to fill your crock pot very full.
• 1 -2 cups sugar (to taste)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp salt

Procedure

Peel, core and slice your apples. This is where the apple, peeler, corer, slicer comes in handy. It will cut your time in half.

If you are planning on canning apple butter, apple sauce or just plain apples. It really is handy. If you use one, see instructions that came with it.

If you do not have one of these, just prepare your apples the old-fashioned way, with a knife. If you do this with a knife, chop your apples up small.

Put your apples into your crock pot. Fill it up to the brim. The apples will settle quite a bit as they cook and soften.

In a bowl mix sugar, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Pour this mixture over the apples.
Cover and cook approximately 10 hours. Stir occasionally.

As the apples cook you will be able to go from stirring with a spoon to a whisk. They will whisk up nice and smooth.

The color will get darker and darker as the apple butter thickens as well. I love to let them cook good and long. It makes the apple butter so yummy.

Tip: Start these in the evening. Cook on high for an hour just before going to bed. Turn down to low and give them a good stir. In the morning whisk them up.

Let the apple butter cook down to your desired consistency. It will end up with a nice scrumptious browned color. You can leave the lid off for the last hour or two to get a thicker consistency. Fill your jars leaving a 1/4 inch head space. Wipe the rims clean, remove any air bubbles and place your lids.

Read more: http://www.simplycanning.com/canning-apple-butter.html#ixzz1isVDSWNn

Chocolate Cheesecake Candy Cane Bars

Ingredients

Crust:

• 20 chocolate wafer cookies
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coffee beans
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt

Filling:

• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 large eggs, room temperature

Glaze:

• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon light or dark corn syrup
• 2 tablespoons sour cream, room temperature
• 1/2 cup crushed candy canes (see Cooks Note)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8-inch square baking dish with foil. 

For the crust: Process the chocolate wafers in a food processor with the butter, sugar, coffee, and salt until fine. Evenly press the crust into the prepared dish covering the bottom completely. Bake until the crust sets, about 15 minutes.


Meanwhile, make the filling: Put the chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl; heat at 75 percent power until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir, and continue to microwave until completely melted, up to 2 minutes more. (Alternatively put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with an inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl over, but not touching, the water, and stir occasionally until melted and smooth.)


Blend the cream cheese, sugar, and sour cream together in the food processor until smooth. Scrape down the sides, as needed. Add the eggs and pulse until just incorporated. With the food processor running, pour the chocolate into the wet ingredients and mix until smooth.


Pour the filling evenly over the crust. Bake until filling puffs slightly around the edges, but is still a bit wobbly in the center, about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on a rack.


For the Glaze: Put the chocolate, butter and corn syrup in microwave safe bowl. Heat glaze in the microwave at 75 percent power until melted, about 2 minutes. Stir the ingredients together until smooth; add the sour cream. Spread glaze evenly over the warm cake and scatter the crushed candy canes over top. Cool completely, then refrigerate overnight.


Cut into small bars or squares. Serve chilled or room temperature.


Store cookies covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.


Cook's Note: To crush the candy canes, remove wrappers and place in a resealable plastic bag. Use a rolling pin to roll and break the candy up into small pieces, about 1/4 inch or so.

Ginger Macadamia Biscotti

INGREDIENTS:

• Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
• 1 (18.25 oz.) package Pillsbury® Golden Butter Cake
• 1 cup Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose Flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons grated lime peel
• 1/2 cup butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped macadamia nuts
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon Crisco® All-Vegetable Shortening

PREPARATION DIRECTIONS:

1. HEAT oven to 350°F. Position rack in center of oven. Spray cookie sheet with no-stick cooking spray.


2. PLACE cake mix, flour, ginger, lime peel, melted butter, eggs and macadamia nuts in large mixing bowl. Blend 1 to 2 minutes with an electric mixer on low speed until well blended, scraping bowl often (dough will be very stiff).


3. TRANSFER dough to prepared cookie sheet. With floured hands, shape dough into two rectangles, each 14-inches long by 3-inches wide by 3/4-inch thick, about 4 to 5 inches apart on sheet. Mound the dough so it is slightly higher in the center than at the edges.


4. BAKE 30 to 35 minutes or until firm to touch. Remove from oven and cool on sheet for 10 minutes. Leave oven on.


5. CUT each rectangle into 3/4-inch slices on the diagonal using a sharp kitchen knife, while still on cookie sheet. Carefully turn slices onto their sides. Return cookie sheet to oven.


6. BAKE an additional 10 minutes. Turn oven off and let biscotti remain in oven until crisp; 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer biscotti onto a rack. Cool completely.


7. PLACE white chocolate chips and shortening in a resealable food storage bag. Microwave 30 seconds on MEDIUM HIGH (70% power). Knead mixture in bag. Microwave another 30 seconds on MEDIUM HIGH. Knead. If necessary, microwave an additional 10 to 15 seconds, until chips are melted. Cut a small corner from bag. Drizzle melted white chocolate over biscotti.

Home Made Turkey Soup

• 8-10 Servings
• Prep: 30 min. Cook: 2 hours 35 min.

30 155 185

Ingredients

• 1 leftover turkey carcass (from a 10- to 12-pound turkey)
• 2 quarts water
• 1 medium onion, halved
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 1 cup uncooked long grain rice
• 1/3 cup chopped celery
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup, undiluted

Directions

• Place the turkey carcass in a stockpot; add the water, onion, salt and bay leaves. Slowly bring to a boil over low heat; cover and simmer for 2 hours.
• Remove carcass; cool. Strain broth and skim off fat. Discard onion and bay leaves. Return broth to the pan. Add the carrots, rice, celery and chopped onion; cover and simmer until rice and vegetables are tender.
• Remove turkey from bones; discard bones and cut turkey into bite-size pieces. Add turkey and cream soup to broth; heat through. Yield: 8-10 servings (about 2 quarts).
• I had leftover spinach from a spinach artichoke dip I made earlier in the day, so I put that in too.  Added some nice color!

Greek Style Vegetable Pasta

Ingredients

1/3 cup olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and very thinly sliced
2 tomatoes, seeded and finely diced
12 Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
6 scallions, very thinly sliced
2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh dill
1 cup finely diced feta cheese
Salt and pepper
1 lb. penne or rotini pasta

Instructions

Combine all the ingredients except the pasta and the salt in a large bowl. Toss and let sit for at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water and add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes. Carefully scoop the pasta out and add to the bowl with the veggies. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve warm or at room temperature.
Adapted from Main Course Vegetarian Pleasures
Total Servings: 8

Nutritional Information Per Serving

Calories: 317
Carbohydrates: 35.9g
Cholesterol: 58mg
Fat: 15.1g
Saturated Fat: 4.3g
Sodium: 289mg
Protein: 10.1g

Baked Garlic and Thyme

In this version of baked garlic, we season fresh bulbs of fragrant heirloom garlic with thyme. If you can’t consume six bulbs of garlic right away, you can easily freeze the cloves for later use and they keep for several weeks in the refrigerator.

Ingredients

6 bulbs fresh garlic
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 bunch fresh thyme
unrefined sea salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400° F.
Gently rub away as much of the papery outer skins of the garlic bulbs of you can, but take care to leave the skins encasing the garlic cloves intact.
Using a good sharp and sturdy knife, chop the very top of the bulbs of garlic off so that you might expose the tops of the individual cloves of garlic.
Place the bulbs of garlic in a clay baker or casserole dish, root-side down.
Dot each bulb with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
Cover the garlic with fresh thyme and sprinkle the bulbs with unrefined sea salt.
Bake the dish, covered, at 400° F for 30 to 45 minutes.  If you don’t have a covered casserole dish or clay baker, you may tent the bulbs of garlic with aluminum foil.
After about 30 to 45 minutes, when your home becomes fragrant with the rich scent of garlic and thyme, remove the garlic from the oven and allow it to rest and come to room temperature before serving it.  Baked garlic is perfect on its own or with a slice of bread, but it also adds a beautiful, deep richness to any dish in which you would customarily use fresh garlic.
Total Servings: 6

Nutritional Information Per Serving

Calories: 127
Carbohydrates: 4.1g
Cholesterol: 8mg
Fat: 8.0g
Saturated Fat: 3.8 g
Fiber: 0.9g
Sodium: 81mg
Protein: 0.7 g

Huli-huli Chicken!

This is a marinade recipe, so don’t be fussy about measuring. Jus’ do ‘em to taste.

The recipe is enough for about three chickens, split in half.  You can use chicken pieces if that’s what you have. Marinate your chicken for at least a half-hour.

                               1/3 cup ketchup
                               1/3 cup soy sauce
                               1/4 cup brown sugar
                               1/4 cup honey
                               1/4 cup sherry
                               1-2 Tbsp. sesame oil
                               1-2-more pieces ginger root, crushed
                               3 cloves garlic, crushed
                               Worchestershire sauce to taste
                               Sriracha or Asian chili paste (or red pepper flakes) to taste
                               Squeeze a lemon in if you've got one

Brush the chicken with the remaining marinade while cooking over a grill. And don't forget to huli the chicken.

Zucchini and Olive Salad

Thanks, WebMD Daily Bite!

Zucchini and Olive Salad

By Dana Treat
WebMD Recipe from Foodily.com

How can something that tastes so amazing be so very simple? Guests show up unannounced and you with nothing to put on the table? No problem. You can whip this dish together in under 15 minutes.

Ingredients

3 medium zucchini, ends trimmed, and sliced into 1/8-inch rounds
1 tbsp. lemon zest
½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and very finely chopped
Olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
½ cup basil, julienned
Sea salt

Instructions

Arrange the zucchini in an overlapping pattern either on a rectangular or circular platter.  Scatter the lemon zest and olives evenly over top.  Carefully drizzle with olive oil (use a light hand here, otherwise it will get soggy), and then squeeze lemon juice over the zucchini.  Sprinkle with sea salt and scatter the basil over top.
Inspired by "Bon Appétit"
Total Servings: 4

Nutritional Information Per Serving

Calories: 48
Carbohydrates: 7.7 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Fat: 2.1 g
Fiber: 2.4 g
Sodium: 278 mg
Protein: 2.1g
Sugar: 3.0 g

This sweet and sour pork is prepared American-style with more batter and deep-fried twice for extra crispiness.

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

• 3/4 pound pork tenderloin
• 2 - 3 teaspoons soy sauce
• Pinch of cornstarch
• Sauce:
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup water or reserved pineapple juice
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 4 tablespoons water
• Batter:
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 
• 1/3 cup warm water, as needed
• Other:
• 1 carrot
• 1/2 red bell pepper
• 1/2 green bell pepper
• 1/2 cup pineapple chunks
• 3 cups oil for deep-frying, or as needed

Preparation:

Directions for sweet and sour pork
Cut the pork into 1-inch cubes. Marinate in the soy sauce and cornstarch for 20 minutes.

To prepare the sauce, in a small bowl, combine the sugar, ketchup, dark soy sauce, salt, water or juice and vinegar. Set aside. In a separate bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in the water. Set aside.

Peel the carrot and chop on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces. Cut the bell peppers in half, remove the seeds and cut into cubes.

Heat the oil for deep--frying to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

For the batter, combine the flour and cornstarch. Stir in the egg white and vegetable oil. Add as much of the warm water as is needed to form a thick batter that is neither too dry or too moist. (The batter should not be runny, but should drop off the back of a spoon).

Dip the marinated pork cubes in the batter. Deep-fry in batches, taking care not to overcrowd the wok. Deep-fry the pork until it is golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels.

(If desired you can deep-fry the pork at second time to make it extra crispy. Make sure the oil is back up to 375 before you begin deep-frying again).

To prepare the sweet and sour sauce, bring the sauce ingredients to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the carrot, green pepper, and pineapple. Bring to a boil again and thicken with cornstarch mixture, stirring. Check the sauce one more time and adjust seasonings, adding salt and/or vinegar if desired. Serve hot over the deep-fried pork. Serve the sweet and sour pork over rice.

Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients

Dough:

• 4 large egg yolks, room temperature
• 1 large whole egg, room temperature
• 2 ounces sugar, approximately 1/4 cup
• 3 ounces unsalted butter, melted, approximately 6 tablespoons
• 6 ounces buttermilk, room temperature
• 20 ounces all-purpose flour, approximately 4 cups, plus additional for dusting
• 1 package instant dry yeast, approximately 2 1/4 teaspoons
• 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
• Vegetable oil or cooking spray

Filling:

• 8 ounces light brown sugar, approximately 1 cup packed
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch salt
• 3/4-ounce unsalted butter, melted, approximately 1 1/2 tablespoons

Icing:

• 2 1/2 ounces cream cheese, softened, approximately 1/4 cup
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 5 1/2 ounces powdered sugar, approximately 1 1/2 cups

Directions

For the dough: in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whisk the egg yolks, whole egg, sugar, butter, and buttermilk. Add approximately 2 cups of the flour along with the yeast and salt; whisk until moistened and combined. Remove the whisk attachment and replace with a dough hook. Add all but 3/4 cup of the remaining flour and knead on low speed for 5 minutes. Check the consistency of the dough, add more flour if necessary; the dough should feel soft and moist but not sticky. Knead on low speed 5 minutes more or until the dough clears the sides of the bowl. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface; knead by hand about 30 seconds. Lightly oil a large bowl. Transfer the dough to the bowl, lightly oil the top of the dough, cover and let double in volume, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Combine the brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. Mix until well incorporated. Set aside until ready to use.


Butter a 9 by 13-inch glass baking dish. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Gently shape the dough into a rectangle with the long side nearest you. Roll into an 18 by 12-inch rectangle. Brush the dough with the 3/4-ounce of melted butter, leaving 1/2-inch border along the top edge. Sprinkle the filling mixture over the dough, leaving a 3/4-inch border along the top edge; gently press the filling into the dough. Beginning with the long edge nearest you, roll the dough into a tight cylinder. Firmly pinch the seam to seal and roll the cylinder seam side down. Very gently squeeze the cylinder to create even thickness. Using a serrated knife, slice the cylinder into 1 1/2-inch rolls; yielding 12 rolls. Arrange rolls cut side down in the baking dish; cover tightly with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator overnight or up to 16 hours.

Remove the rolls from the refrigerator and place in an oven that is turned off. Fill a shallow pan 2/3-full of boiling water and set on the rack below the rolls. Close the oven door and let the rolls rise until they look slightly puffy; approximately 30 minutes. Remove the rolls and the shallow pan of water from the oven.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.


When the oven is ready, place the rolls on the middle rack and bake until golden brown, or until the internal temperature reaches 190 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, approximately 30 minutes.


While the rolls are cooling slightly, make the icing by whisking the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer until creamy. Add the milk and whisk until combined. Sift in the powdered sugar, and whisk until smooth. Spread over the rolls and serve immediately.

Nana's Cocktail Meatballs

1 bag frozen Italian-style or homestyle meatballs
2 cups ketchup
2 cups grape jam
Lemon juice, to taste (maybe 1/4-1/2 cup, to make the sauce tangy)

Mix ketchup, grape jam and lemon juice in a sauce pan over medium heat until combined.  Add frozen meatballs and cook on medium-low until heated through. 

This can also be prepared in a crock pot.

Apple Crumb Pie

Thanks to my sister Susan for posting a link to this Taste of Home recipe.  Very good warm, with vanilla ice cream!

• 6-8 Servings
• Prep: 15 min. Bake: 45 min.

Ingredients

• Pastry for single-crust pie (9 inches)
• 6 cups chopped peeled tart apples (about 6 medium)
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 4 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 
  TOPPING:
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cold butter

Directions

• Line a 9-in. pie plate with pastry; flute edges and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the apples, butter, sour cream, lemon juice, sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg. Spoon into pastry shell.
• For topping, in a large bowl, combine flour and sugar; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over filling.
• Bake at 375° for 45-50 minutes or until the filling is bubbly and the apples are tender. Cool on a wire rack. Yield: 8 servings.

Nutritional Analysis: 1 piece equals 380 calories, 17 g fat (9 g saturated fat), 30 mg cholesterol, 189 mg sodium, 57 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 2 g protein.

Apple Crumb Pie published in Taste of Home October/November 2001, p31

Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups (210g) flour
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 cup (200 g) sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (1/4 L) pumpkin purée*
1/2 cup (1 dL) olive oil
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 cup (1 dL) chopped walnuts

* To make pumpkin purée, cut a pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds and stringy stuff, lie face down on a foil or Silpat lined baking sheet. Bake at 350°F until soft, about 45 min to an hour. Cool, scoop out the flesh. Freeze whatever you don't use for future use. Or, if you are working with pumpkin pieces, roast or boil them until tender, then remove and discard the skin.

Method

1 Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Sift together the flour, salt, sugar, and baking soda.
2 Mix the pumpkin, oil, eggs, 1/4 cup of water, and spices together, then combine with the dry ingredients, but do not mix too thoroughly. Stir in the nuts.
3 Pour into a well-buttered 9x5x3 inch loaf pan. Bake 50-60 minutes until a thin skewer poked in the very center of the loaf comes out clean. Turn out of the pan and let cool on a rack.
Makes one loaf. Can easily double the recipe.