Maxiene's Kitchen

Cherry Muffins

2010-03-17T21:47:00.009-04:00

2 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 Tbsp lemon zest

1 egg

3/4 cup milk

1/3 cup canola oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

14.5 oz (411g) can red tart cherries, drained

Preheat oven to 375F and place paper liners into 12-cup muffin pan.

In a medium bowl, mix together dry ingredients (flour, sugar, bp, salt and lemon zest) and set aside. In a large bowl whisk egg, milk, oil and vanilla. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, constantly whisking until all ingredients are well combined. Do not overmix. Fold in drained cherries. Fill the muffin cups to the top and bake for 25-30 minutes or until nice and brown.

Yield: 12 muffins.

Sweet Rolls

2009-11-04T11:17:00.013-05:00

...soft, flaky and easy to make...

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 stick (113g) unsalted butter (room temperature)

1 Tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 envelope (7g) active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water

pinch of salt

jam of your choice

Cut butter into small pieces and mix it with flour (mix by hand or in food processor). Add sugar, vanilla, yeast and salt and mix until ingredients are combined. Slowly and gradually add water until your dough shapes into a ball. Dough should be hard and stay together if not add a bit more water. Wrap it up with the cling wrap (clear plastic wrap) and put in the fridge for at least 2 hrs.

Remove from the fridge and divide dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll out each piece into a circle about 0.5 cm in thickness (it should be thin). Divide into 8 wedges and place a small amount of jam onto each wedge (on the wide side close to the edge). (You can dip your finger into cold water and run it along the edges so the rolls stay together during baking) Roll them up from the wide side and put them into prepared cookie sheet (line it with parchment paper) pointed side down. Bake on 350F for about 15 to 20min or when the edges start to brown. While they are warm, roll them in powdered sugar, let them cool and enjoy.

FBI rukavice: Dvi ribe, dva kumpira

2009-09-18T20:34:00.011-04:00

Ovoga mjeseca u igrici FBI rukavice istrazuje se Brankin blog Dvi ribe, dva kumpira koji je pun recepata i slika za koje imam samo rijeci pohvale.

Davno sam "bacila" oko na Brankin recept za kruh i ovo je bila odlicna prilika da ga isprobam. Kao sto je Branka rekla, tijesto sam ostavila nekoliko puta da naraste, premijesila na pobrasnjenoj povrsini, podijelila na nekoliko dijelova i ispekla na 400F. Kruh je unutra bio sa rupicama i mekan, a korica je bila fina i hrskava. Sa zadovoljstvom prisvajam recept i strogo ga se pridzavam.

Drugi recept sto sam probala je bio za kremastu juhu od spinata. U ovom receptu sam napravila par manjih izmjena (dodala malo bijelog luka i umjesto 1L vode, stavila sam 500ml vode i 500ml mlijeka). Juha je vrlo ukusna, recept brz i jednostavan i sigurno je opet pravim.

Buhtle by Masatera (Fellow Bloggers')

2009-08-06T21:13:00.004-04:00

Yummy, yummy, yummy. I've tried several different recipes. This one was the best. Buhtle turned out soft and they rose well. I used 4 cups of all-purpose flour, added 50ml of milk additional to what original recipe called for, and used one envelope of active dry yeast.

Thank you Masatera for sharing your recipe:))

Odlican recept. Probala sam ranije nekoliko recepata, ali mi nije dobro uspijevalo. Buhtle su bile jestive, ali ne bi fino narasle. Prepisujem ovaj recept i "stikiram" s njim. Hvala Masateri sto je nesebicno podijelila recept sa svima:)))

Fellow Bloggers'

2009-07-06T20:56:00.013-04:00

I have noticed these colorful play dough cookies on Minja's Blog. Easy and fun to make especially with kids. Here is the recipe.

This recipe was supposed to be my entrance for the last month's FBI rukavice. Maslinka's Blog was under investigation. Unfortunately, I was busy and did not make it on time. I did set my eyes on her recipe for Polenta and made it today for an easy lunch. I skipped olives, not a big fan, and used dried chives. I ate it with tomatoes (as Maslinka suggested) and Greek style yogurt and had a very nice and easy lunch:))
I just found out that FBI rukavice and Kuvarigrice are closed for the month of July and August, which means that I may not be late after all:))

Dinosaur Cake

2009-06-25T21:31:00.006-04:00

I have made this dinosaur cake for my kid's birthday party. The idea and the template I got from this site.

I do not like store bought cake mixes and icing, so I made everything from scratch. Kids loved it. They especially loved decorations that were made of m&m's and Hershey's kisses. I had to cut the cake from all sides because everybody wanted to have some m&m's and chocolate on their piece.

I made vanilla cake with 4 eggs, about 1 1/2 cups cake flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup canola oil and 1/2 cup milk (twice). Icing was with cream cheese, butter, vanilla, whipped cream, powdered sugar and green food color.

FBI rukavice: Sweet Sensation

2009-05-17T20:27:00.005-04:00

Ovoga mjeseca u igrici FBI rukavice koju je osmislila mamajac sa bloga Cooks and Bakes, pod istragom je Monikin blog Sweet Sensation. Na svome blogu Monika ima odlicnih recepata i fantasticnih i neodoljivih fotografija.

Izabrala sam recept Zapecena piletina sa limunom. U receptu su mi se svidjeli sastojci i takoder lakoca i brzina pripreme. Jednu manju izmjenu sam napravila u receptu; nemam vegetu, pa sam pilece bijelo meso posula sa soli, biberom i mljevenom paprikom. Piletina je bila odlicna. Bila je mekana, socna i poprimila je "heavenly"miris od limuna, zacina i bijelog luka. Evo i slika:

Drugi recept je bio za Medenu Pitu koji sam probala jos u Januaru.
Ovdje ne mogu naci ostro i meko brasno, pa sam koristila all-purpose. Nisam zagrijavala mlijeko, ulje, med i secer kao sto je radila Monchi, nego sam od svih sastojaka rukom zamijesila tijesto i nisam dodavala rum. Kremu sam pripremila tacno kako je Monchi opisala i citavu pitu sam prelila otopljenom cokoladom.

Ajme koliko nas je: tema cokolada

2009-05-14T20:24:00.014-04:00

Ovoga mjeseca se prikljucujem igrici Ajme koliko nas je koju je osmislila Monsoon sa bloga Dalmacija down under. Ovog mjeseca domacica je Sanela, a tema je cokolada. U igricu ulazim sa receptom za cokoladne kekse u koje se stavlja kakao, poluzasladena cokolada i gorko-slatka cokolada.

Trostruko cokoladni keksi

2 solje brasna
113g maslaca, omeksalog
1/4 solje canola ulja
1/2 solje kakaa
1/4 kasicice soli
1/2 solje sitnog secera
1/2 solje smeceg secera
1 kasicica praska za pecivo
1 jaje
1/2 solje poluzasladene isjeckane cokolade
1/2 solje gorko-slatke isjeckane cokolade
1 kasicica vanilije

Zagrijati pecnicu na 180C.
Izmijesati brasno, kakao, prasak i sol. Ostavi sa strane.
U velikoj posudi mixerom, na manjoj brzini umutiti maslac sa obje vrste secera dok se masa ne sjedini. Dodati jaje i ulje, povecati brzinu i mutiti dok smjesa ne postane kremasta i svijetla. Umijesati vaniliju. Polako dodavati smjesu od brasna u smjesu od maslaca i na manjoj brzini mikserom mutiti dok se masa ne sjedini. Dodati komadice cokolade i dobro umijesati. Kasikom vaditi tijesto i stavljati na ne podmazan pleh. Peci 10-12 minuta.

Triple Chocolate Cookies
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 stick unsalted butter, softenes
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 egg
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup bitter-sweet chocolate
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350F.
Mix together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat (on low speed) butter and sugars until combined. Add egg and oil; beat until light and creamy. Mix in the vanilla. Add flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat until combined. Stir in semi-sweet and bitter-sweet chocolate chips; mix well. Using a tablespoon, scoop the batter onto ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes.

FBI rukavice: Minjina Kuhinja

2009-04-25T18:22:00.013-04:00

Ovoga mjeseca se prikljucujem igrici FBI rukavice koju je osmislila mamajac sa bloga Cooks and Bakes. Pod istragom je blog Minjina Kuhinja koji je pun raznovrsnih recepata i neodoljivih fotografija.

Odlucila sam se za Zapecene Palacinke prvenstveno jer ih nisam nikada pravila na takav nacin. Takoder sam htjela isprobati tijesto, u koje Minja stavlja kiselu vodu, sto je jos jedna novina za mene, jer kad pravim palacinke u tijesto stavljam mlijeko i vodu. Jedinu izmjenu koju sam napravila u ovome receptu je bilo punjenje za palacinke. Nisam imala dzem od kajsija, pa sam izmijesala krem sir, dzem od jagoda i malo secera, te napunila palacinke, posula preljevom i ispekla.

Drugi recept je bio Srpska Gibanica-Guzvara. Ovo jelo sam i ranije pravila na slican nacin i znam da je ukusno. Guzvaru sam pravila tako sto bih je posipala temeljcem, a Minja i ovdje koristi kiselu vodu. Guzvara na ovakav nacin mi se svidjela. Nisam primjetila neku veliku razliku u okusu. Imam pozitivno iskustvo sa oba Minjina recepta i na njenom blogu ima toliko primamljivih recepata da cu sigurno probati jos koji:))

Meat Loaf

2009-03-25T18:12:00.011-04:00

1 lb ground chicken breast

1/2 lb ground beef

1 onion, finely diced

1 carrot, finely diced

1 celery stalk, finely diced

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 large yellow bell pepper, finely diced

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1/2 cup milk

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup marinara sauce

shredded cheese

fresh parsley, chopped

paprika

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a large bowl combine chicken, beef, bread crumbs, milk, egg, salt, pepper and paprika. Cover and place in the refrigerator. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute vegetables (start with onion, add carrots and celery, than pepper and garlic; sprinkle with salt and pepper) until tender. Add parsley and set aside to cool.

Combine vegetables with meats and transfer into a baking dish. Shape into loaf, make indentation around sides and spread marinara sauce over the top. Bake on 350 F for about 45 minutes, remove from oven, sprinkle with shredded cheese of choice and return to oven. Bake until cheese is melted.

Note: Recipe is adopted from Better Homes and Gardens.

Marinara sauce can be substituted with 1/2 cup ketchup, 2 tsp brown sugar and 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar.

Forgot to mention yesterday, if you decided to substitute marinara with ketchup glaze, omit cheese.

Awards

2009-03-23T13:29:00.016-04:00

Pozdrav svima:)

Ovom prilikom se zahvaljujem Saneli, Branki i Tatjani sto su mi dodijele nagrade za blog. Jako su me obradovale i sa zadovoljstom sam prihvatila nagrade. Sad je na meni red da te iste proslijedim blogovima po mome izboru. Odabrani blogeri mogu preuzeti nagrade tako sto ce kopirati logo, prebaciti ga na svoj blog i linkovati sa blogom koji im je dodijelio nagrade. One Lovely Blog Award treba proslijediti narednih 7 odabranih blogova po vasem izboru, a Lemonade Award proslijedite iducih 10 odabranih blogova i ostavite poruku na njihovim blogovima. Evo i nagrada:
One Lovely Blog Award dodjeljujem sljedecim blogovima:

Astal

Lemonade Award dodjeljujem sljedecim blogovima:

Chocolate Bark

2009-03-17T12:04:00.009-04:00

This is so easy to make. I made it today with my 2 1/2 year old, that's how easy it is. We are even writing this post together:)

We took 2 cups (11.5oz or 326g) of milk chocolate chips and melted them in microwave. Spread melted chocolate on a baking sheet lined with the parchment paper, sprinkle with nuts (almonds, about 1/2 cup) and dried fruit (dried blueberries, 3.5oz or 100g). Put it in the refrigerator for about 30-45 minutes to harden. Carefully remove parchment paper and break the bark into pieces. Serve and enjoy:))

Hushpuppies

2009-03-13T15:25:00.005-04:00

1 1/2 cups cornmeal

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/4 cup plain yogurt

1/4 cup milk

1 egg, beaten

4-5 scallions, chopped

salt

pinch of cayenne pepper

oil for frying

In a large bowl sift together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cayenne pepper. In another bowl mix together egg, yogurt, milk and scallions. Pour yogurt mixture into flour mixture and stir just until combined (do not over-mix or the hushpuppies will be dense).

Pour oil into a large pot (about 2 inches of oil) and heat to 375F or over medium heat. Working in batches, and using greased teaspoon, drop spoonfuls of batter into hot oil. Fry until golden brown (turning once). Transfer hushpuppies to a paper towel and sprinkle with additional salt, if desired.

Note: recipe is adopted from food network.

Cardinal Slices (Kardinalschnitten)

2009-02-13T21:21:00.014-05:00

The recipe for this Viennese dessert is adopted from A Baker's Tour by Nick Malgieri.

In this dessert, "the cake layers are made of alternating meringue and ladyfinger batters, and the filling is a luscious coffee-flavored whipped cream".

I have heard about this cake, and seen different versions, but when I read the recipe in this book and saw the picture, I simply fell in love with it. I wanted to make Kardinalschnitten, but it is so elaborate and with my 2 1/2 year old running around and always willing to help in the kitchen, I had to make changes and had to find a shortcut; so I simplified the assembling of the cake and baking of batters, and also added chocolate and egg yolks to the filling.

Now, before I start writing the recipe I'd like to mention that I love this book. Nick Malgieri has lots of wonderful, traditional recipes from all over the world, not only sweet, but savory too.

I intend to make more recipes from A Baker's Tour, so expect to see more:)

Meringue Batter

5 large egg whites

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

Ladyfinger Batter

2 large eggs

3 large egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

powdered sugar for dusting

Chocolate-Coffee Cream Filling

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup powdered sugar + 2 Tbsp

1/2 Tsp instant coffee

1 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted

2 egg yolks

bittersweet chocolate shavings (if desired)

Preheat oven to 350F.

For the meringue, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar, on medium speed until very soft peaks form. Increase the speed of the mixer to medium-high and whip in the sugar in a slow stream continuing to beat the whites until they hold a soft peak. Pour the meringue into a jelly-roll pan (9x12in) lined with parchment paper. Bake until the meringue is light golden brown.
For the ladyfinger batter, on medium-high speed, beat the egg yolks, eggs, vanilla and sugar until the mixture is very light and thickened. Scrape the batter into the same size pan, also lined with parchment paper. Bake until firm and golden, for about 20 minutes.

For the filling, whip the cream until soft peaks start to form. Gradually add 1/4 cup powdered sugar and beat until firm peaks form, refrigerate. In the mean time, melt the chocolate over the double boiler or microwave (do not burn it). Set aside to cool. In the double boiler beat egg yolks and powdered sugar until thick and creamy, add coffee and chocolate and continue to beat until all ingredients are well incorporated. Set aside to cool. Take the whipped cream from the fridge and carefully fold into the yolk mixture. Stir in chocolate shavings.

To assemble the cake, place the meringue in appropriate dish. Evenly spread cooled filling over the meringue and carefully place ladyfinger layer on the cream. Cut into the slices of desired size and dust with confectioners' sugar.

Note: For the meringue, Malgieri used 7 egg whites, pinch of salt and 1 cup of sugar. I did not change the ladyfinger batter much. The only difference is that he used 1/4 cup sugar. For the cream filling, he used 1 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream, 2 Tbsp sugar, 2 Tbsp instant espresso dissolved in 2 tbsp of boiling water and cooled. (I had 2 egg yolks left from the eggs used in meringue batter that I did not want to waste)

The biggest difference was in assembling the cake. Malgieri scraped batters into pastry bags and then piped batters onto pans. He had 3 lines of meringue batter and 2 lines of ladyfinger batter piped one next to each other. (The batters are supposed to be touching (meringue-ladyfinger batter-meringue-ladyfinger batter-meringue) )

Chocolate and Orange Cake

2009-02-05T21:36:00.004-05:00

This recipe is from Fresh & Healthy: 100 Fabulous Heart-Healthy Recipes by Sally James.

3 eggs

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/3 cup olive oil

1/2 cup cooked, mashed baking apple (or apple puree)

1 Tbsp grated orange zest

1 cup self-rising flour

1/2 cup almond meal (ground almonds)

1/2 cup cocoa

1/3 cup well-shaken buttermilk

powdered sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly spray a 9-inch round cake pan.

Beat eggs and sugar until thick and creamy. Gradually add oil while beating, followed by the apple and grated orange zest.

Sift together flour, almond meal, and cocoa, and lightly fold half throughout the batter. Stir in buttermilk, and then fold in remaining flour mixture until just combined. Pour into prepared pan and bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Before serving, dust with powdered sugar, if desired.

Note: 1/2 cup of sugar was not sweet enough for us, so next time I will definitely add more (3/4 to 1 cup). Other than that, we loved it; the cake tasted good, it had good texture, was soft and moist and had nice aroma.

Coconut Cookies

2009-01-30T20:27:00.003-05:00

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp salt

2 sticks (about 220g) butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup coconut, finely shredded and dehydrated

powdered sugar

Sift flour and salt into medium bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar and vanilla until creamy. Gradually add flour and salt, beating until well blended. Stir in coconut; do not overmix. Shape dough into a ball and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350F. Shape dough into walnut size balls; lightly press and flatten with your fingers. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. Cool and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Note: Instead of finely shredded and dehydrated coconut you can use Baker's flaked and sweetened.

Chicken Tenderloins in Creamy White Sauce

2009-01-26T13:41:00.011-05:00

This is one of my favorite sauces. I have seen the recipe a while ago at coolinarika, Croatian culinary web site (http://www.coolinarika.com/recept/pilece-trakice-u-yummy-umaku-sa-rizom ) The recipe sounded very good so I decided to give it a try.

I really liked the idea of adding Ranch dressing into the sauce. The dressing gives it a nice and interesting flavor. I prepare it a bit differently from the original recipe; I do not add garlic, and I combine whipping cream and milk (to make it less fattening:))), instead of using only whipping cream.

Here is the recipe and enjoy:

1 lb chicken tenderloins

1 Tbsp unsalted butter

1 Tbsp oil

1 cup whipping cream

1 cup 2% milk

2 Tbsp Ranch dressing

1 Tbsp flour

2 tsp paprika +as much as you like for chicken meat

dash of cayenne pepper

salt and pepper

In a large skillet heat oil and butter over medium heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper and paprika and add to skillet. Cook on both sides until golden brown and completely cooked. Remove from skillet, reduce heat and add whipping cream and milk. Add flour and whisk until it's completely incorporated and mixture is smooth, stir in Ranch dressing and 2 Tbsp of paprika and bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer until mixture thickens. Add cayenne pepper; sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

Note: Try it with rice or baked potatoes.

Basic Pizza Dough

2009-01-17T22:34:00.009-05:00

2 cups bread flour

1 envelope quick rising yeast

1 tsp salt

1 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup warm water + 1-2 Tbsp

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine flour, yeast and salt; stir. Turn the mixer on lowest speed and add oil. Add water, a little at a time. When the dough starts to come together, increase the speed and let the mixer knead the dough.( Stop the machine periodically to scrape the dough off the hook and off the bowl and also get a feel for the dough by squeezing it. If it feels crumbly add more water or if it's sticky add more flour; 1 Tbsp at a time). Let the machine knead for about 5 minutes or until the dough is smooth and not sticky. Turn off the mixer, scrape the dough off the hook, fold it over itself a few times to shape into a ball. Cover the bowl with the kitchen towel and let the dough rise until doubled in size. Punch the dough down and fold it over itself, turn onto a lightly floured surface and roll it out into a desired shape. Brush with olive oil and top with your favorite toppings. Bake on 500F for about 12 minutes or until the crust is golden and crisp.

I usually shape the dough into a large rectangle (about 15x10 inches). This way I make one large pizza and after it's baked, I cut it into serving portions.

For the toppings, I sauteed one small onion, one garlic clove, 1/2 large red bell pepper, and about 8 oz of diced Canadian bacon. For flavor, I added fresh chopped parsley and about 1/4 tsp dried basil, salt and pepper. After I brushed the dough with olive oil, I spread the tomato sauce and finished pizza with 2 cups of Italian cheeses.

Chicken dumpling soup

2009-01-05T20:15:00.007-05:00

My grandma used to make this soup for us and then mom. It was always so good. The dumplings were moist and soft and the taste and smell just unforgettable. Every time I make this soup so many wonderful memories come back.

I am writing this recipe because some of my friends complained how their dumplings never turn out right. They're either too hard or they simply fall apart.

Here is how I make them and I hope that this recipe will work out for you as well. Enjoy:))

1 small onion, chopped

1 celery stalk, chopped

2 carrots, diced

1 medium tomato, peeled and diced

1 1/2 cups chicken, cooked and cubed

4 cups chicken broth

1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

salt and pepper

1 Tbsp oil

For Dumplings:

1/4 cup cream of wheat

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking powder

1 Tbsp all-purpose flour

1 tsp oil

Heat oil in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Add onion, carrot and celery and saute until vegetables are softened. Add tomato, saute for a few minutes. Add chicken and saute for couple of minutes, add chicken broth. Leave it on medium heat until it boils, then lower the temperature and simmer for about 10 minutes. In the meantime mix your dumplings. Take dry ingredients and mix them well. Beat an egg and add it to the mixture, add oil. Stir until combined. Do not over mix. Take one tablespoon of mixture and carefully drop the mixture into the soup (repeat five or six times). Cover and bring to a boil; leave for couple of minutes then turn off the heat and let the soup sit for 5-10 minutes. Add parsley and season to taste.

Potato, Red Onion and Feta Frittata

2008-12-26T20:04:00.014-05:00

Easy to prepare this frittata is made with potatoes, onion, cheese and eggs. It can be served with sour cream or tomato salad or whatever you like:). The recipe is from the book Vegetarian and it calls for 12 oz of new potatoes (which I did not have on hand); instead, I used white potatoes; the rest of it is the same.

1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1 small red onion, sliced

12 oz (2 medium) cooked potatoes, cubed

6 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup feta cheese, diced

salt and pepper

Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the onion and saute until softened. Add the potatoes and cook until golden, stirring occasionally. Spread the mixture evenly over the base of the pan. Season the beaten eggs and pour over the onion and potatoes. Sprinkle the cheese on top and cook until the eggs are just set and the base of frittata is lightly golden. Preheat the broiler to high. Place the pan under the broiler and cook the top until light brown. Serve warm cut into wedges.

Orange Squares

2008-12-19T21:10:00.005-05:00

This recipe is from my mom.

Cake:

4 eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup oil

1 tsp baking powder

Topping:

7 oz (200g) petit beurre crumbs

1/4 cup apricot preserves

1 orange, grated (zest, juice and fruit)

1/4 cup orange juice

1 Tbsp powdered sugar, optional

Glaze:

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

3 Tbsp milk

Preheat oven to 350F. In a small bowl, sift flour and baking powder; in a cup, stir oil and milk. Set aside. In a large bowl, with electric mixer beat eggs, sugar and vanilla extract until light and fluffy. Using a hand whisk, gently and alternately stir in flour mixture and milk mixture. Pour batter into a greased 8x12-inch baking dish and bake until light brown (about 20-25 minutes).

To the petit beurre crumbs add orange zest, juice and grated fruit. Stir in orange juice and add powdered sugar if desired.
Spread the apricot preserves over the cool cake and then spread the crumb mixture. Melt chocolate and milk in a microwave and pour over the cake.

Note: You may need more or less than 1/4 cup orange juice depending of how juicy your orange is. When grating an orange skip the white part of the rind because it is bitter (zest your orange first, than peel it and grate the fruit). If you have difficulty grating the fruit, put it in a freezer for 5-10 minutes.

Chicken Quesadillas

2008-12-17T20:11:00.005-05:00

This is a quick and easy recipe for a Mexican favorite. Pepper stir-fry vegetables I find in a frozen food section of a local supermarket and it contains red, green, yellow peppers and onion. Instead of using a bag of 4 different Mexican cheeses a good choice would be cheddar cheese or Monterey Jack. For those who like it really hot, jalapeno pepper is an excellent addition.

1 lb chicken breast, cut into thin strips

1 bag pepper stir-fry vegetables, defrosted

8 8-inch tortillas

1 lb bag 4 mixed Mexican cheeses

2-3 Tbsp canola oil

salt, pepper, paprika, cayenne pepper, cooking spray

Coat a very large nonstick skillet with oil and heat over medium heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper and paprika. Toss to coat. Add chicken strips to hot skillet and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in vegetables (peppers and onion) and cook until chicken is completely done and vegetables nice and tender. Add desired amount of cayenne pepper and season to taste. Remove from heat.

Place aluminum foil on a large baking sheet and coat with cooking spray.

Take tortillas and divide chicken mixture over half of each tortilla. Top with cheese. Fold tortillas in half, pressing gently. Place filled tortillas on a baking sheet and spray with cooking spray. Bake in a 425F oven for 10-12 minutes, turning once halfway through to brown evenly.

To serve, cut each quesadilla into three wedges. Serve with sour cream, tomatoes and avocado.

Chocolate Cake

2008-11-14T16:18:00.013-05:00

Chocolate filling:

10 egg yolks

3/4 cup powdered sugar

4 oz (100g) unsweetened chocolate, melted

4oz semi-sweet chocolate, melted

1 1/2 sticks (150g) of room temperature butter

Whipped cream filling:

1 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1/8 cup cold water

1/4 cup boiling water

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

1 tsp vanilla extract

Cake:

10 egg whites

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup granulated sugar

4 Tbsp all-purpose flour

4 oz (100g) ground hazelnuts

2/3 chocolate filling

1tsp baking powder

Glaze:

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels

2 Tbsp milk

In a small bowl soften gelatin in cold water. Let it stand for couple of minutes. Add boiling water, stirring until gelatin dissolves. Set aside and let cool, stir in vanilla. Beat whipping cream with an electric mixer until foamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and beat until soft peaks form. Gently stir in gelatin mixture, cover and chill for at least 2hrs.

In a double boiler, using a hand electric mixer, mix egg yolks with powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Carefully add melted chocolate and mix well. Remove from heat and let it cool.

In a large bowl beat egg whites, vanilla and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gently add sugar and keep mixing until stiff peaks form. Gradually stir in flour, baking powder and hazelnuts, making sure your mixture does not deflate.

Take 1/3 of chocolate filling and set aside. Carefully add egg white mixture to the rest of the chocolate filling. Mix well and pour in a 15x10x1in pan. Bake on 350F for about 15 minutes. Let the cake cool. In the meantime make chocolate glaze: Mix chocolate and milk, and melt in a microwave (stirring occasionally)or a double boiler.

Cut the cake into 3 equal parts.

Take chocolate filling and evenly spread over one layer, cover with the second layer and spread whipped cream filling. Cover with the third layer and pour glaze over it. Refrigerate.

Note: I got this recipe from a friend, but I changed it a bit. What I really liked about her cake was the cherry preserve that she had spread over the cake layers. This made her cake very good, tasty and made the layers moist. Next time I will try the same thing. Other differences between our cakes would be in quantity of sugar and butter (I used less), she used walnuts and did not use vanilla.

Quick Chicken Stir-Fry

2008-09-22T22:08:00.006-04:00

It is an excellent recipe for a quick and easy Asian inspired dish. I made it for the first time and it turned out great. I found it on food network web site and here is the link: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/quick-chicken-stir-fry-recipe/index.html

Cheese Rolls

2008-09-22T14:51:00.009-04:00

The recipe for these rolls is the same as for the Cloverleaf Rolls ( http://maxiene-welcometomykitchen.blogspot.com/2008/07/cloverleaf-rolls.html )with the exception of sugar. For Cheese Rolls I used 1 tsp of sugar instead of 1/4 cup because I wanted to make them savoury rather then sweet. The procedure for making Cheese Rolls is also the same, only when you come to the point of punching dough down you will have to roll the dough into a 12-inch circle on floured surface. Cut the dough into 16 wedges and place a piece of cream cheese onto each wedge. Roll them up, beginning at rounded edge. Place rolls on a greased cookie sheet with pointed edge on the bottom. Brush with egg wash, let them rise, bake and enjoy.

Crepes

2008-09-22T13:08:00.010-04:00

This is a really good recipe for the crepe batter. It is adopted from a 20 year old Betty Crocker cookbook. The recipe calls for 1 Tbsp of sugar and 1/2 tsp of vanilla. I did not use sugar or vanilla because we wanted to eat them with ham, cheese and eggs. We also loved the combination with fresh fruit (bananas and strawberries), filled and drizzled with hazelnut spread and whipped cream.

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups milk

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

2 Tbs melted butter

2 eggs

In a medium bowl mix all dry ingredients and in another whisk the eggs, milk and butter. Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients and whisk vigorously until smooth.

Heat oil or small amount of butter in 6-8-inch pan on a medium heat. Pour 1/4 cup of the batter into hot pan and immediately rotate pan so the batter can spread evenly in a thin layer. Cook until light brown. Take wide spatula and run around the edge of the crepe to loosen. Turn the crepe on the other side and cook until light brown. Remove from pan and fill with desirable filling.

Note: When removing crepes from the pan, stack them on a plate by placing wax paper between each and keep them covered.

Crepes can be frozen up to 3 months. To freeze, cool; keep crepes covered to prevent them from drying out. Make 2 stacks of 6 crepes each, with waxed paper between crepes. Wrap each stack in aluminum foil or put in a large freezer bag, label and freeze.

Cornbread with Parmesan, Basil and Sun-dried Tomatoes

2008-09-03T20:48:00.012-04:00

Full of Mediterranean flavor, this colorful bread is so easy and quick to make. It is best when eaten warm, and served with a dollop of sour cream or a bowl of hot soup.

1 cup cornmeal

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1 Tbsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp fresh basil, snipped

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 cup milk

1/3 cup olive oil

1/4 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

1 Tbsp butter

salt

Preheat oven to 375F.

In a large bowl combine cornmeal, all-purpose flour, Parmesan cheese, baking powder and salt. In another bowl stir together eggs, milk and oil. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir until combined. Fold in basil and chopped tomatoes and add more salt if desired.

Pour batter into a greased loaf pan and bake until golden brown. Remove from the oven and dot with 1 Tbsp of butter.

Serve warm.

Minestrone

2008-08-28T20:23:00.007-04:00

Minestrone is a mixed vegetable soup. I love it because it can be made with any combination of seasonal vegetables. Pasta, rice and even pancetta or bacon may also be added.

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 potato, peeled and cubed

1 zucchini, cubed

14 1/2oz can diced tomatoes

15oz can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

3 1/2 cups vegetable broth or water

2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

1 Tbsp fresh basil, snipped or 1 tsp dried basil

salt and pepper

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery. Saute until the onion is tender. Add the garlic, potato and zucchini and saute for a few more minutes. Add the tomatoes and simmer until tomatoes are softened (about 5 minutes).

Add the vegetable broth or water and simmer until all the vegetables in the soup are completely cooked (stir occasionally). Add the beans and simmer until they're heated through. Add parsley, basil and season with salt and pepper.

Pork and Beef Burgers with Mashrooms and Bacon

2008-08-23T18:49:00.014-04:00

One day I was looking at the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook and I came across an interesting recipe titled "Poor Boy Filets". Apparently in the late '70s and early '80s this magazine ran a monthly feature called "He Cooks" where men from all over the country sent their recipes. This feature included the recipe for "Poor Boy Filets" which had ingredients like ground beef, bacon, Parmesan cheese, mushrooms, lemon-pepper seasoning, pimiento-stuffed olives, onion... I liked the recipe, but I did not have all the ingredients so I decided to improvise.

1/2 lb ground beef

1/2 lb ground pork

1 small onion, chopped

4 slices of bacon, chopped

4 oz white mushrooms

salt and pepper

2 Tbsp oil

In a medium saute pan heat oil over medium heat. Add chopped bacon and (partially) cook until lightly browned. Remove from the pan and set aside. To the same pan add onion and saute until softened. In the meantime, clean and chop mushrooms then add them to the pan and cook for 5-7 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Remove from heat, and let it cool a bit.

In a medium bowl combine beef and pork, add bacon, onion and mushrooms then season with salt and pepper. Mix well and shape mixture into 4 patties. Cook in the pan over medium heat until brown on both sides.

Cream of Potato Soup

2008-08-20T20:39:00.012-04:00

I love Cream of Potato Soup. Its taste is so delicate and velvety.

I like to start it with soffritto (onion, celery, carrot) because it gives this soup great aroma, and also adds a hint of color.

3 medium potatoes, cubed

1 large celery stalk, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1 large carrot, chopped

2 Tbsp. butter

2 cups of water or vegetable stock

2 cups of milk, divided

1 Tbsp cornstarch

4 oz creme fraiche

fresh parsley, chopped

salt and pepper

In a 3-quart saucepan, over medium heat, melt butter and add onion. Saute until onion is tender. Add celery and carrot, season with salt and pepper and saute until vegetables are tender. Add potatoes, saute for a few minutes and add water or stock, cover and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are completely cooked. Remove from heat and using a hand-held blender carefully puree soup (leave a few chunks if you wish).

Pour 1/4 cup of milk (out of 2 cups) into a small bowl and add cornstarch. Stir until cornstarch is completely dissolved. Add to soup; add the rest of the milk and creme fraiche. Return to heat and stirring constantly bring to a boil. Stir until soup is thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Add parsley and serve.

Note: 4 oz of creme fraiche can be substituted with 8 oz of sour cream.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2008-08-20T12:15:00.019-04:00

In most recipes for chocolate chip cookies brown sugar is used in addition to granulated, 3/4 cup of granulated and 3/4 cup of packed brown sugar. I think this is a lot of sugar considering that chocolate chips are sweet and they will also contribute to the sweetness of these wonderful cookies. I decided to omit brown sugar and try to make them using only 3/4 cup of granulated sugar.
The cookies turned out very good. 3/4 cup of sugar is perfectly enough to make them sweet and desirable.

2+1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup white chocolate chips

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 egg, beaten

1tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a bowl stir together flour, baking soda and salt. In another large bowl mix butter and sugar. Add egg and vanilla extract and mix until combined. Gradually add flour mixture into butter mixture and mix until combined. Add chocolate chips and stir until evenly distributed.

Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Pesto

2008-08-18T20:48:00.012-04:00

Basil is one of my favorite herbs. It has a beautiful green color and wonderful aroma and taste. I often use it when making pizza and certain salads, but my favorite is when eaten with tomatoes and fresh mozzarella cheese.

Not only that it is beautiful, fragrant and tasty, but it is believed that Basil has some healing effects, like calming the stomach lining, easing constipation, nausea and cramps and also aiding digestion.

I grow my own so I have it in abundance and occasionally I make Pesto sauce with it. I either use it immediately or place it in the fridge or freeze for later use.

2 cups packed Basil leaves

1/2 lemon, juice and zest

2 garlic cloves

1/2-1/3 cup olive oil

4 Tbsp Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper

Place Basil leaves, lemon juice and zest, garlic and Parmesan cheese in a blender. Start the blender and while it's running gradually add olive oil. Add salt and pepper and adjust to taste.

Note: Use as a sauce with fish or pasta; as a snack with tomatoes and cheese, or spread on a toasted piece of bread.

Couscous with Roasted Vegetables

2008-08-14T20:40:00.011-04:00

1 box of couscous (10oz)

2 zucchini, cubed

1 red bell pepper, cubed

1 red onion, cubed

salt and pepper

olive oil

parsley or basil, chopped

Preheat oven to 350F.

Line a heavy rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. Place cubed vegetables (about 1 inch cubes) on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt, pepper and olive oil. Place in the oven and roast until vegetables are tender (about 35-40 minutes).

In the meantime, cook couscous according to the directions on the package. When done, fluff with fork and transfer to a large bowl. Add roasted vegetables, parsley (basil), salt, pepper and more olive oil, if necessary. Toss and serve.

Serves 4

Ricotta Roll

2008-08-05T20:30:00.005-04:00

5 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

2 Tbsp. oil
1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

pinch of salt

2 Tbsp cocoa powder

8oz Ricotta cheese

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Heat oven to 350F. Line 15x10x1-inch jelly roll pan with waxed paper.

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa. Set aside. Using electric mixer, beat together eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla extract on high speed until pale yellow and thickened. Gradually fold in flour mixture and pour into prepared pan. Spread evenly and bake for about 20 minutes. Loosen cake around edge with a knife. Carefully invert pan onto clean damp paper towel. Remove pan and carefully peel off waxed paper. Trim 1/4 inch from long edges of cake. Starting at a short end, roll up cake and paper towel together. Set aside and cool.

In a large bowl combine ricotta cheese, vanilla extract and powdered sugar and mix well. Beat heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Gradually fold cream into cheese mixture. (Add more sugar if desired.)

When cake is cool, unroll carefully. Spread the ricotta filling evenly over the cake and re-roll it from a short end, removing paper towel as you go. Place on a serving plate, seam side down and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Baked Salmon with Mayonnaise-Dill dressing

2008-07-31T18:37:00.004-04:00

1lb salmon fillets

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1/4 tsp dill

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a bowl combine mayonnaise, Dijon mustard and dill. Season with salt and pepper and stir well.

Line a heavy rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick spray. Arrange the salmon fillets on the baking sheet and lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 5 minutes. Spoon the dressing over each fillet and bake for 5-7 more minutes.

Serves 2

Potato patties

2008-07-31T18:15:00.005-04:00

1 lb potatoes

3 scallions, chopped

1/2 tsp dill

1 egg, beaten

flour, for dredging

salt and pepper

oil, for frying

Boil the potatoes in lightly salted water. Drain and cool slightly. Place the cooked potatoes in a bowl and mash. Add scallions, dill and egg. Season the mixture with salt and pepper and stir well. Cover and chill until firm. Divide the mixture into walnut-size balls, then flatten them slightly. Dredge in the flour.

Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Fry the patties on both sides until golden brown. Drain on paper towel and serve warm.

Serves 4

Note: This is a modified recipe from the book Vegetarian.

Fried Zucchini

2008-07-24T21:20:00.008-04:00

1 cup flour

2 eggs

1 cup bread crumbs

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

2 large zucchini, cut lengthwise, 1/2 inch wide strips

salt and pepper

oil for frying

Pour about 2 inches of oil into deep skillet and place over medium heat. Heat the oil until 350F.

Arrange 3 shallow bowls for the breading station. Place flour in one bowl; in another combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to taste. Crack and beat the eggs in the remaining bowl. Add zucchini strips to the flour, toss to coat and then transfer to the egg. Coat the zucchini strips in the egg and transfer to the bread crumbs mixture. Carefully drop coated zucchini into the hot oil and fry until golden brown. Once brown transfer to a paper towel and drain excess oil.

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if desired and serve.

Serves 4

Baked Rice

2008-07-18T21:45:00.009-04:00

3 Tbsp canola oil

1 cup long grain rice (washed)

1 large grated carrot

1 onion, chopped

2 cups water

1 tsp tomato paste

1 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 380F.

Using 3 Tbsp of oil, grease 12x8in baking pan. Add rice, carrot, parsley and onion. Pour water in a microwavable bowl with tomato paste. Microwave for about 60 seconds or until paste is completly disolved. Pour mixture over rice and vegetables. Spread evenly and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Serves 4

Cloverleaf Rolls

2008-07-17T22:00:00.012-04:00

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp salt
1 package quick-rising yeast
1/2 cup warm water (120F)
1/2 cup warm milk (120F)
2 eggs

Mix 2 cups of flour, sugar, butter, salt and yeast in a large bowl. Add water, milk and one egg. Beat on low speed for approximately 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium and beat for additional 1 minute (scrape bowl frequently). Mix until well blended. Stir in enough remaining flour (about 1 cup) to make dough easy to handle (the dough should be slightly sticky).
Transfer the dough onto lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (about 5 min). Returned the dough to a bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place until double. Punch down dough, knead a bit. Cut the dough into small pieces and shape them into balls. Place 3 balls in each of 12 (x2) greased medium muffin cups. Beat the remaining egg and brush each roll. Cover and let rise until double. Heat oven to 400F. Bake until golden brown (about 15 min).

Makes about 24 rolls.

Lemon & Garlic Vermicelli

2008-07-17T15:56:00.012-04:00

8oz vermicelli pasta

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

1 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley

1 Tbsp unsalted butter

1/2 lemon (juice and peel)

1/2 cup pasta cooking water

Parmesan cheese (optional)

Cook pasta according to box directions.

Gently heat olive oil, butter, salt, red pepper and garlic, in a covered pan over very low heat just until garlic is soft and butter melted.

Drain pasta and transfer to a large bowl. Add oil and garlic mixture, parsley, pasta cooking water, lemon peel and juice, toss. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if desired.

Serves 2

Note: The recipe is from Woman's Day.

Deluxe Brownies

2008-07-16T15:51:00.007-04:00

1/2 cup of oil

5oz unsweetened chocolate (cut into pieces)

1 cup of sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

3 eggs

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup dried blueberries

Heat oven to 350F.

Heat oil and chocolate in a microwave, stirring occasionally, until melted. Cool slightly.

Beat sugar, vanilla and eggs on high speed until light and fluffy (about 5 min).

Beat in chocolate mixture on low speed.

Beat in flour just until blended. Stir in blueberries.

Spread in greased square pan (8x8x2 in).

Bake about 25-30 min (just until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan).

Serves 4

Potato Salad

2008-07-15T21:48:00.018-04:00

1 1/2 lb cubed new red potatoes

1/2 lb green beans

1/2 bunch of chopped scallions

1 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley

1/3 cup olive oil

salt and pepper

Cook potatoes in a boiling water until tender. Drain well and cool.

Cook green beans in boiling water until slightly tender. Drain and cool.

In a large bowl combine potatoes and green beans. Add scallions, parsley and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Toss and serve.

Serves 4

Cauliflower Patties

2008-07-14T22:35:00.014-04:00

1 head of cauliflower

1egg

1/2 cup of flour

1 Tbsp of fresh parsley, chopped

1/2 tsp paprika

salt and pepper

oil for frying

Cook cauliflower in boiling, salted water until tender. Remove from water, drain and slightly mash using a fork. Let it cool.

Add egg, flour, parsley and paprika. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well using a spoon.

Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Carefully spoon mixture onto hot oil. Fry patties on both sides until golden brown. Serve warm as a side dish.

Serves 4