Thursday, September 17, 2009

Lemon Tart

Crust

1c all purpose flour
1/3 c powdered sugar
pinch of salt
1 stick unsalted butter (cold cut in smaller pieces)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In food processor or mixer combine ingredients for crust. Pulse together until a dough starts to form in clumps. Press into tart pan, making sure to cover bottom and sides evenly. Pierce the bottom of the crust with a fork and place in freezer for 10-15 min. Place tart pan on a cookie sheet and bake until crust is a golden-brown color, approximately 12 min, Remove from oven and let cool

Filling

5oz cream cheese
1/2 c sugar
3/4 c fresh lemon juice (about 2 large lemons)
2 large eggs
zest from one lemon (zest before juicing)

Reduce oven temp to 350 degrees. Mix cream cheese with electric beaters until smooth. Add sugar. Mix until well blended. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each egg. Stop and scrape bowl halfway through. Add the lemon juice and zest and mix until smooth.
Pour filing into tart crust and bake on cookie sheet for 20-30 min or until filling is set. Let tart cool in wire cooling rack. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled.
Use whipped cream as a optional topping. It can be piped on in stars or served on top with each piece for extra flavor in whipped cream, add a teaspoon of lemon zest.

Monday, September 7, 2009

Cheese Cake

Crust:

1 cup flour
1/4 c. packed brown sugar
1/4 c. chopped nuts
2/3 stick butter.

Combine flour, nuts, and brown sugar. Cut in butter until mixture resembles cornmeal. Press into shallow baking pan. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes. Cool. Crumble and press into cheesecake pan (or pie pan).

Filling:

1 c. sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. lemon juice
3 8 oz. packages of softened Phil. Cream Cheese
3/4 tsp. vanilla

Reduce heat to 300. Beat cream cheese well. Add sugar a little at a time. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla and lemon juice. Combine thoroughly. Pour into crust. Fill to within 1/2" of top to allow for topping. Bake at 300 for 50 minutes or until center looks done and even.

Topping:
1 c. sour cream
1/2 tsp. vanilla
3 T. sugar

Gradually mix sugar into sour cream. Add vanilla. Pour over cheesecake and return to oven for 10 minutes. Cool. Refrigerate overnight.

Quick Cobbler

1/4 c. butter
1 c. flour
3/4 c. milk
1/2 c. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder

Mix dry ingrdients. Cut in butter and mix in milk. Blend until smooth. Pour into greased 8" square pan. Cover with berries or small pieces of fruit. (peaches are delicious). Sprinkle with sugar and add 1 c. juice (can be reserved from canned fruit). Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Batter will rise to the top of the fruit and brown.

Delish (AKA Guadalupe Pie)

Mix Together:

1 cup Flour
1 Cup finely chopped nuts
1 stick soft butter

Press into 9x13 glass pan. Bake at 350 for 20 to 30 minutes or until light brown, cool completely.

Second Layer:

1 cup powdered sugar
1 8 oz package of cream cheese

Mix until creamy then fold in 8 oz. of Cool Whip

Third Layer:

1-3/4 cup milk
1 large package of instant chocolate pudding

Mix together until the pudding starts to set then spread on top of cream cheese layer.

Fourth Layer:

1-3/4 cup milk
1 large package of instant vanilla pudding

Mix together until the pudding starts to set then spread on top of chocolate layer.

Top with cool whip and chopped nuts.

Sunday, July 5, 2009

Strawberry Feta Salad

Romaine Lettuce
Feta Cheese
Craisins
Strawberries (cut about 1/2 hour before so they are a little juicy)
Almonds

Nuts:

Melt butter (approximately 3 tbsp.)
add brown sugar and let it boil (you want a little paste)

Add nuts and cook until it smells yummy. Spread the nuts on wax paper and let set.

Mix all ingredients together and serve with raspbeery walnut vinegarette.

Chicken Breast Dofino

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
salt & freshly ground pepper
3/4 c. flour
6 Tablespoons butter
2/3 c. chicken broth or white wine
2/3 c. freshly squeezed lemon juice
8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced.
6 slices Dofino or any Havarti cheese (I used swiss)

Cut the chicken breasts into two or three pieces, dpending on size and pound until about 3/8-1/2 inch thick. Season lightly with salt (preferably sea salt) and freshly ground pepper, then dust with flour. Melt butter over medium heat in a large frying pan, being careful not to burn it, and saute breasts on both sides until almost cooked through, about 3-4 minutes on each side-- you may need to do this in two batches as you do not want to overcrowd the pan while sauteing. Add chick broth or wine, lemon juice, and sliced mushrooms. Adjust breasts, so they are coated with sauce and bring to a simmer. Simmer about 10 minutes, turning chicken once, until sauce thickens a bit and breasts finish cooking. Lay one slice of cheese on each breast and place under broiler until cheese melts.

Note: A good variation for this recipe is to add 1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts well drained and quartered, when adding the mushrooms and omit the cheese.

French Bread

2-1/2 cups water, very warm NOT hot
5 Tablespoons vegetable oil
3 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon salt
2 Tablespoons yeast, instant
6 cups flour

In a large bowl, combine very warm water, oil, sugar, and salt. Mix well by hand or in bread mixer until all ingredients are dissolved. Add 3 cups of flour stiring until very smooth. Add remaining 3 cups of flour blended with yeast, (if you do not use instant yeast - proof dry yeast in 1/2 c. of the 2-1/2 cups of water) blending until thoroughly mixed. Dought will be barely sticky, add more flour if necessary.

Optional step: Allow dough to rest for ten minutes, punch out, continues this process up to five times (again optional not necessary at all).

Divide the dough in half and roll out each portion into a 9 x 12 rectangle. Roll the rectangle up like a jelly roll and tuck edges.

Place both loaves on a cookie sheet. Cut three slits in top of loaves with a sharp knife and brush the entire top surface with a slightly beaten egg white for shine. Let rise for 30 minutes and bake at 400 degress for 18 - 20 minutes.

If you wish to make a meal of the bread you can roll meat and sauce inside. You will need to add to your cooking time depending on how much moisture you add.