Raspberry Diamonds

RASPBERRY DIAMONDS

Ingredients
For the cookies:
11-1/4 oz. (2-1/2 cups) allpurpose flour
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1/8 tsp. table salt
8 oz. (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbs. confectioners’ sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. pure almond extract
6 Tbs. raspberry jam (I prefer seedless)
For the almond glaze:
1 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar
Pinch table salt
1 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. water
1/4 tsp. pure almond extract

How to Make the cookies:
In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the cream of tartar and salt until well blended. With a stand mixer (use the paddle attachment) or a hand mixer, beat the butter, sugar, and confectioners’ sugar in a large bowl on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract and beat until blended. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until just blended.
On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into six equal pieces. If the dough is very soft, wrap each portion in plastic and refrigerate until firmer, about 1 hour.
Heat the oven to 350°F and have ready two large ungreased baking sheets (or line them with nonstick baking liners). If the dough is in the refrigerator, remove it and unwrap it. Using your hands or a rolling pin (or both), shape each piece into a flat 12x1-1/2-inch strip about 1/4 inch thick, dusting with flour if needed. Transfer the strips to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 3 inches apart.
Using the butt end of a knife handle dipped lightly in flour, make an indentation down the middle of each strip (this will widen the strip to about 1-3/4 inches and make a depression about halfway down into the strip). Spread 1 Tbs. of the jam evenly down the indentation of each strip.
Bake until the cookie strips are lightly browned on the bottom and edges, about 20 minutes. Let the strips cool on the sheets on racks for 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to racks to cool completely (a long offset metal spatula is good for this). Before glazing, set the rack over a baking sheet or a sheet of waxed paper. If you plan to freeze these cookies, do it before glazing.
Glaze the cookies:
In a small bowl, mix the confectioners’ sugar with the salt, water, and almond extract. The glaze should be thick enough to hold its shape when drizzled; add more confectioners’ sugar or water if needed. Using the tines of a fork, drizzle the glaze over the tops of the cooled cookie strips. (Or transfer the glaze to a sturdy zip-top plastic bag, snip off a tiny bit of one corner of the bag and drizzle.) Leave the cookies on the rack until the glaze is set, about 30 minutes, and transfer to a cutting board. With a serrated knife, cut each bar on the diagonal into 1-inch-thick diamond shapes.
Store at room temperature or freeze (unglazed) in an airtight container, separating the cookie layers with waxed paper.

Review: time consuming but delicious.  Instead of almond glaze on all of them I used lemon glaze too which was tasty.  You have to be careful not to make too deep of an indention in the middle as that will be a weak spot and the cookies will just fold in half when you pick them up to eat.

Old-fashioned Gingerbread

Yields one 8x8-inch cake.

8-1/4 oz. (1-3/4 cups plus 2 Tbs.) flour
1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
2-1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
Pinch salt
2-1/2 oz. (5 Tbs.) butter, softened at room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
1 large egg
3/4 cup dark molasses
3/4 cup cold water

For the whipped cream:
1 cup heavy cream (not ultrapasteurized, if possible)
1/4 cup maple syrup

Heat the oven to 350°F. Butter an 8x8-inch cake pan. Sift together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt onto a sheet of waxed paper. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter until light and creamy. Add the sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and pour in the molasses in a slow, steady stream, beating all the while. Add half of the sifted dry ingredients and mix just until well combined. Mix in the remaining dry ingredients. Slowly pour in the cold water and stir until well incorporated.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 min. Let cool in the pan about 1 hour before serving.
Beat the cream until thickened. Slowly pour in the syrup and continue beating until the cream holds soft peaks. Cut the cake into squares; serve with the whipped cream.

Review:  Yummy cake - probably more suited for the fall or winter.  I dusted the cake with powdered sugar then topped it with regular whipped cream (didn't add the maple syrup) and it was delicious!!

Black and White Bars

Yield: 1/2 sheetpan

4oz Butter, melted
1lb 4oz Oreo cookie crumbs
 2 T Sugar

2 C shredded Coconut
2 C Chocolate chips
2 C White chocolate chips
2 C Chopped Walnuts
3 C Condensed Milk

1. For the crust: mix butter, crumbs, and sugar until it holds together well.  (Add more butter if needed)
2. Pour Crust mixture into a sheetpan (aka cookie sheet).  Roll evenly using a rolling pin on top of parchment paper.
3. Mix coconut, both chocolate chips, and walnuts together and spread over crumbs.  If this is too much, cut back to 1 1/2 C of each item.
4. Pour condensed milk evenly over entire pan.
5. Bake immediately at 350F.  Start to check at 15 mins, but will probably need more time.  Want to get them nice and golden brown over the top.
6. Allow to cool, then cut into bars.
7. Can also be frozen.

The first time I tasted these were at the Bearclaw at the top of the Sundance Ski Resort - delicious!!  My friend works there and I asked her one day if she could get me the recipe and she said she had it already!!!  I got a copy and they turned out just as good as they are at Sundance:)  Makes a huge batch so I ended up freezing most of them as individual bars in little plastic baggies and pulling them out when I wanted one. Enjoy!!

Steve's Lemon Cake

Our old neighbors, the Johnston's, would make this cake every year for Steve's birthday. Molly requested it for her birthday so I got the recipe from Jen and attempted to make it. It actually wasn't too hard - a little time consuming, but well worth the effort for the end product!

Bake a yellow cake in two 8” or 9” round pans.  Cool and set aside.
(It's fine to do a 9x11 if you want)

Whip and prepare real whipped cream.  Refrigerate.

Lemon Filling:

Have Ready:
1/4 c. + 1 T. Corn Starch mixed in 1/2 c. water
3 well beaten Egg Yolks
3 well beaten Egg Whites with 1/4 t. Lemon Extract and 1/2 c. Sugar
(Beat Whites 1st until stiff)



Boil:
1 1/2 c. Water
1/2 c.    Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice (I also used the lemon zest off the lemons)
1 c.       Sugar
1/4 c.    Butter
1/8 t.     Salt


Stir in corn starch mixture and cook 2 minutes.  Then fold in egg yolks.  Add whites last.

Cover (and fill) the cakes with the lemon filling then cover with real whipped cream.

This cake was so delicious.   My favorite part was the lemon curd:)

Creamy Chicken Chop Suey

Sorry, no picture.  My friend made this when they had us over for dinner one night.  It was very tasty that I asked her for recipe.  She hand written it for me and it still is in my recipe folder, 7yrs later. 

I made one yesterday for dinner and decided to copy it on the blog because I didn't want to lose this!

Creamy Chicken Chop Suey

1 c. celery slices (I never really measure this..)
1/4c. chopped onion (not measuring it either)
2 TBS butter
3 c. chopped cooked chicken (more or less)
1 (16oz) can bean sprouts(drained) -this, I never bought it canned.  If you grow your own mung beans, this is a good recipe to use it for.  I usually just buy them fresh at the store.  I don't think canned ones are as crispy.

1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 c. milk
2TBS soy sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 c. sour cream

Buttered rice (butter is optional.  I do not put butter on my rice)
Chopped cashews(optional)
chow mein noodle (dry sticks- optional)

Saute celery and onion in butter in 10inch skillet.  Add chicken and bean sprouts.  Combine soup, milk, soy sauce, and salt.  Pour it in the skillet and mix well.  Cover and simmer 15 min.  Stir in sour cream.  Serve over rice; top with cashews and chow mein noodle. 

I throw in frozen spinach to give more green sometimes.  I need to be careful not to overload it with veggies because then I will have a lot of left over and my 8yrs old will say "Ew, this taste weird.  I don't like this.  I am not eating this anymore" and take over an hour just to eat 10 bites... (happened yesterday)  Haha!

Stove-Top Pork Chops

6 pork loin chops(3/4 inch thick)

1/2 c. all-purpose flour

2Tablespoons olive or vegetable oil

2tsp. dried thyme
2tsp. salt
1/4tsp pepper

4 large potatoes(about 2-1/4lbs.)
5 medium carrots, sliced 1/4 thick
1 medium onion, cut into wedges
3 cups beef broth



Dredge pork in flour.  Heat oil in a large skillet; brown the chops on both sides.  Sprinkle with thyme, salt and pepper.  Peel potatoes and cut into 3/4-in. cubes; add to skillet along with the carrots and onion.  Pour broth over all; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 40-50 min. or until pork and vegetables are tender.  Yield: 6 servings.

This is from Taste of Home Books. 
I make this dish often, for us and to give to others.  Very easy and tasty!  It's also easy to adjust to different amount.  I use the mini carrots this time but it's pretty to use the big carrots with fancy slicers.  

How I freeze spinach

I love this baby spinach I buy at Costco.  It is not too expensive and it's so useful!

There's NO WAY I can finish this in a few days though...  maybe until I start making spinach smoothies ;)

Here's what I do with the spinach.   First I spread them on the cookie sheet like the picture below.

Then, put it in the freezer for about 1 hour minimum.  They will be nice and frozen. 



I take out the sheet and quickly put them in the freezer bag.  QUICKLY is the key here since it melts fast.  If it melts, they tend to stick together more and will look soggy.  Doesn't matter much because it will get cooked anyway but when it's not sticking together, it's much easier to get as much as I need.   

I keep a couple bags of these in the freezer.  It comes in handy because I can just add them when I am making soup, quesadilla, omlet, casserole and so on.  Spinach has lots of nutritions.  Gotta love it!

Yo's Chicken Enchiladas

Tonight I decided to make chicken enchiladas with some leftovers I had on hand.  I had a rotisserie chicken that I pulled all the meat off of and I also had a chicken breast in the fridge that had been cooked in lime and cilantro.  I combined those two together in a bowl and added some sweet rice I had made the week before.  I also added some sour cream just to bind it together, a can of green chilies, about a cup of grated cheese, and also a half a can of corn.

I cooked up come flour tortillas then spread this mixture down the middle and rolled them up.  In a baking dish I poured enough red enchilada sauce to cover the bottom then placed the enchiladas on top.  Over the top I poured more enchilada sauce, grated cheese and cut up olives.  This actually made two large baking dishes - one went in the oven at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes and the other went in the freezer for another night.  Delicous and super easy!  Of course you could adjust the ingredients with whatever you have on hand:)

Mandarin Orange Jello

I am translating this recipe I got off of Japanese cooking website.
This is easy and light. My kids love them :)

2can(11oz) mandarin orange
1pk(7g) gelatin
1/3c. water
1 3/4-2TBS sugar

1. Add gelatin to water and mix a little.

2. Drain mandarin orange. Put the syrup in microwavable container and put orange in glass dish.
3. Add sugar to the syrup. Heat in microwave for about 1 1/2 min. until warm but not boil.
*If you boil, it might not set. I have done it before and it was juice, not jello...

4. Add gelatin mixture to the syrup and mix well. Pour into the glass cup that orange is in. Cool. When cool enough, transfer them to the fridge until firm.

If you prefer something more, some cool whip on top will make it creamy and good too!

Tres Leches Cake

This cake is so good and super easy to make!!

Directions:
1 Golden Vanilla box cake mix (you could use a different flavor if you like as long as it is white or yellow).  Mix according to box but substitute milk or buttermilk for the oil.  Cook and once removed from the oven use a fork to poke holes all over the top.

Next mix the following together:
1 cup milk
1 cup half and half
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Pour over cake and place in fridge to soak and to chill.  The longer you let this soak the better.  I usually leave mine in there for a couple of days but at least overnight.

When you are ready to serve I like to cover the top with a layer of raspberry jam and then another layer of whipped cream.

Delicious!!!

Chicken Enchilada Soup

Ingredients:
1 can rotel mild tomatoes with chilies
1 can black beans rinsed and drained
1 can ranch-style beans
1 can diced green chilies
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 cans water
1 c corn (canned or frozen)
1 lb cooked chicken - boiled, grilled, or pulled of a rotisserie

Fresh cilantro, lime, tortilla chips, and cheese for topping (optional)

1. Combine all ingredients (except cooked chicken) in a pot and cook until boiling.
2. Add the chicken just long enough to warm through.
3. Serve with optional toppings.

Super easy, super fast and delicious!!  If you've ever tasted the enchilada soup at Chili's this reminds me of theirs.

Donut Muffins

Makes 12 muffins
Ingredients:

1/3 cup oil
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 3/4 cups flour

1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon

Mix together oil, sugar, egg and milk. Then add dry ingredients. Mix well. Grease muffin tin, and bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes. While the muffins are baking mix together sugar and cinnamon in one bowl, and melt butter in another. When muffins are done cooking, remove from tin. Coat each muffin in butter and then in cinnamon/sugar mixture.  Enjoy!

These are in the oven right now - I will let you know how I like them!

Okay - here's the review:  very fast and easy to make - better eaten warm than cold.

Darci's Breakfast Casserole

So, my new neighbor Darci shared this wonderful recipe with me after I tasted it at a brunch she had at her house.  I've always wanted to try and make a breakfast casserole but never really had the occasion.  This year I decided to make it for Christmas!

Line a 13X9 pan with 6 slices of bread (I used Grandma Sycamore's which worked great).  Cook a small chub of sausage (I used Jimmy Dean's Sage flavored) in a pan until brown and crumbly.  Drain the fat and pour on top of the bread.  Beat 6 eggs together and then pour over top of the sausage and bread.  Cover with shredded cheese.
At this point you can cover and put in the fridge overnight.
When ready to cook, preheat oven to 375 and place casserole in for about 20-30 mins.  My oven cooks really fast so it only took about 20 mins for it to cook and brown.  You will have to adjust the time based on your oven.  After making it I also thought you could add onion, mushrooms, bell peppers etc to make it healthier or even substitute the sausage for ham or bacon.  The possibilities are endless.  Enjoy!!

This recipe was super easy and very delicious.  It was great for Christmas morning because I prepared it the night before and threw it in the oven while we opened presents!!  Thanks Darci!

Tiffany W's Tortilla Soup

Tortilla Soup

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1-2 cans chicken broth

4 cooked and diced chicken breast

1/2 cup diced celery

1/4 cup chopped green peppers

1 small died onion

1 can corn

garlic to taste

1-2 cups salsa (start from 1cup and add more to taste)

salt ant pepper to taste

cumin to taste

Saute celery, green peppers, onion and garlic in small amount of butter until soft.  Add rest of ingredients and heat until ready to serve.  Top each bowl with tortilla chips, grated cheese, cilantro, avocado, sour cream and green onion.

This is the BLUE BERRY MUFFIN recipe I constantly use.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/To-Die-For-Blueberry-Muffins/Detail.aspx

And here's the topping that I use-(off of the review) Supposedly lighter!

Mix them together with fork

2/3c. brown sugar
1/4 flour
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2T butter (room temperature works better)

This makes a lot so keep them in the fridge until next time!

I actually haven't made muffin with this, but I use mini loaf pan (has 8 1/2 x 3 1/2) and makes 7.
Baking time for that is 17-18 min.

Make sure to grease the cups. Otherwise, you will have messy one!

Even though one of the reviews say not to use frozen blueberries, I do and turn out fine. I just bake them a little longer. I have made it with dried blueberries and that's good too. However, if you prefer juicy and moist muffin with blueberries exploded(get the sponge around them moist), do not use the dry one. Someone said this recipe can be doubled and works well with other fruits so I am going to try it with strawberries next time.

Here's strawberry one

I made it with strawberries I had frozen. I used about 7 of them, just chopped them up and mixed them in. I actually liked this one more than blueberry ones. It tastes a little sweeter but so yummy! Maybe I will go for banana next :)

Here comes DA CAKE!!!

White and raspberry cake

This is the cake I made for the city's baking contest where I actually won the people's choice award!!! I was thrilled. It's because it was really, my original recipe. YES!!! Anyway, here's the recipe... to the best of my knowledge;)

Ingredient

3 Large eggs
150 cc sugar
150 cc flour
1T milk
1T butter
1/3 c. sour cream
1.5 oz cream cheese
A few drops of lemon juice
2T corn starch

raspberry(frozen or fresh)sugar
corn starch if needed
white chocolate
whipping cream
sugar

1. Line the cake pan with wax paper.

2. warm the milk, cream chesse, and butter in a microwave until they melt. (about 15 sec?)
Add the sour cream to the mixture.

3. Separate egg whites and yolks and put them in different bowls.
*Make sure not to mix any yolk into the egg whites- it will not whip hard enough.

4. Beat egg whites until stiff while adding 1/3 of the sugar(about 50cc) when half whipped.

5. Add the rest of the sugar(100cc) to the egg yolks and whisk till it gets creamy and thick.

6. Add milk mixture(#2) to the egg yolk mixture(#5). Add a few drops of lemon juice.

7. Beat the egg whites again to make sure it is stiff enough. Add about 1/4 of the egg white mixture to the egg yolk mixture(#6)

8. Sift flour and corn starch while adding to the mixture above.

9. Fold the rest of the egg whites into the yolk mixture.

10. Pour batter into the pan; drop it a few times (from about 4 inches high) to get the air out.

11. Bake it @ 350 for about 40 min. until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
Cool down the cake completely.

12. While the cake is cooling, make raspberry syrup by mixing raspberry and sugar and a little bit of water(like 1tsp or so... depends on how much raspberry you have) in a pot. Taste as it starts to boil and sugar melt. If too runny, mix a little bit of corn starch and water in a separate bowl. Add it to the syrup to thicken.

13. Slice the cake in half. Paste the raspberry syrup in the middle and put the top on.

14. Beat whipped cream and sugar together. When thick and (sweet) enough, put it on the cake. Decorate it with grated white chocolate and raspberry.

I know it sounds somewhat complicated, adding this to here and there... but I hope you make one! If you do, please post your comment. Your opinion is very important to me. Thanks!