tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50624859845841368702024-03-12T21:29:41.342-05:00 PiX FiZ Exploring art, food, and the stuff that gets in between. Xenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01209040743247816281noreply@blogger.comBlogger91125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062485984584136870.post-68442938608216420952019-01-19T16:54:00.000-06:002019-01-19T16:57:39.230-06:00Wholeness Requires Action: Hearing the Human Frequency<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJyx3RtZUxReOu-bpKFYhJ6jTfF2p_u-pwv4cppAOZfgcehVNa4UIXdBcsWt7OvfA8diXULOQYzCEahgoisJRSyZ_RzQqA0bBun1GiGhxi6hPnPjiGx3tWy5tJ5KCjZ62jQoCrlQZHZxT-/s1600/Wholeness+Requires+Action.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJyx3RtZUxReOu-bpKFYhJ6jTfF2p_u-pwv4cppAOZfgcehVNa4UIXdBcsWt7OvfA8diXULOQYzCEahgoisJRSyZ_RzQqA0bBun1GiGhxi6hPnPjiGx3tWy5tJ5KCjZ62jQoCrlQZHZxT-/s640/Wholeness+Requires+Action.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Haven't we all heard about a billion times that we need to take care of ourselves? Every single medical study out there shows that when we care for our bodies we function better. Certainly we don't need a refresher on that basic truth, and yet so many of us abuse ourselves in any number of ways and reject what science proves as truth.<br />
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We know what is good for us and yet we continue to do things we should not. We overeat, we drink too much, we smoke, we rarely exercise, or maybe we just do too much in general and sleep suffers. The standard recommendations of nutrition and sleep are just the base needs of what our bodies require. If we ever expect to perform at higher levels, we have to be even more attentive to how we care for ourselves.<br />
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A funny thing happens when you make that resolution to take action and care for yourself; you FEEL a difference. The more the behavior change impacts your overall health or well-being and the better you feel, the more the resolution becomes a <i>knowing</i> of a better way to live. As you travel the path of knowing a better way to live, the path widens and more opportunities for self care present themselves. It just naturally works that way; believe it or not, your body likes it when you take care of it and it will call upon you to do more.<br />
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The only obstacle on the way to becoming a better you is YOU. Sadly, we often tell ourselves that some abusive behaviors can not change, that we must accept them as part of our makeup or our situation. This is a lie, we can change everything; even if it is just a perspective or judgement about a situation, still that is a change.<br />
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Every abuse we inflict and the resulting lie we tell ourselves about those things we believe we can not change creates a story in our head that acts as chatter to cover our inner voice. The farther away we get from caring for ourselves, the more we silence that voice with chatter. Our inner voice is from the same source that energizes the entire world. It makes sense that this voice of God, if that is how you label it, is louder when you honor yourself; for you are an amazing creation indeed! Every creator wants their creation to thrive, be well-cared for, and honored; that inner voice provides ultimate guidance to that end if you simply listen. The more you listen to your body's needs and follow the suggestions, the louder that voice gets.<br />
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All of nature functions on intuition, an inner voice of guidance that helps all living things flourish. The hummingbirds know how to behave like hummingbirds because they have no additional voices in their heads to question or distract them from being the best hummingbird they can be; they function with complete trust using the hummingbird frequency. Likewise, the ants know how to work together and function in the ant community because they are acutely tuned to the ant frequency. There is a human frequency too, only we let our minds carry so many stories of past worries and imagined scenarios of a future that will never be, that we nearly silence our inner voice.<br />
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Physically taking care of yourself is only the first step, but it is absolutely necessary to tune the voice in as clearly as possible. We are all beautiful, amazing spirits living inside a water bag and we only get one bag; we need to take the best possible care of it that we can. The human frequency is the same living truth that is God, energy, source, or whatever your spiritual belief system labels that which gives all life and reveals all wisdom.<br />
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We are all meant to be the best versions of ourselves that we can be. </h3>
Start with yourself. ❤Xenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01209040743247816281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062485984584136870.post-76779246084700098432018-12-01T16:07:00.001-06:002018-12-01T16:09:44.725-06:00Love Shield<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW4N_gjRy90UIxxX130oQ0hkSFEWUwEAAG18iCIffqPTOnmFxJ0mmyhsOa-p5onzhYC27mDcOE7fhgfPXmFOGktBukipqhn_vDsYicz-puKK3ji60FAj3yKyEIvbbO6Ouqmu729ph302-G/s1600/BuffaloCreek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1247" data-original-width="1600" height="498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW4N_gjRy90UIxxX130oQ0hkSFEWUwEAAG18iCIffqPTOnmFxJ0mmyhsOa-p5onzhYC27mDcOE7fhgfPXmFOGktBukipqhn_vDsYicz-puKK3ji60FAj3yKyEIvbbO6Ouqmu729ph302-G/s640/BuffaloCreek.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Buffalo Creek by Xene Abraham</td></tr>
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Last week I was brazen enough to boast that I have a knowing within myself that I may never get sick again. How can someone be so confident of such a thing and post it out for all to read? Honestly, it seems a bit nuts even to me; and while I can't be sure of how I got to such a place of knowing, I can share some of the methods I use to maintain this kind of positive attitude.</div>
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Perhaps the most powerful tool I use is something I call the 'Love Shield'. The Love Shield makes the most uncomfortable or difficult situations significantly more bearable. I first started employing the shield at Walmart; as that environment requires more love and patience that most and it is the easiest in which to see how well a Love Shield works. </div>
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Each person's field will look different; perhaps you zip yours on like a life vest, or maybe it glows at the top of your head like a royal crown of protection. Mine is a full-on Star Wars type force field that creates and radiates love to all who are near. When the Love Shield is in place, I smile as often as possible and greet all strangers I encounter with warmth and compassion. I offer assistance when it is needed and engage as many people with sincere compliments or friendly conversation as possible (without being annoying.) The Love Shield helps me remember the grocery list better, purchase items I didn't even know I yet needed, and makes me a more mindful and thrifty shopper. When I have it on, I am more beautiful and I can readily see the true beauty in others. I radiate Love out, and I get it back fourfold (at least.)</div>
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The Love Shield brings me into the Present/<i>the Now</i>. </div>
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I challenge everyone reading to try it. Zip up, strap on, or simply activate your Love Shield in your own personal style and radiate Love in some of the more uncomfortable environments. Of course, the increase in patience, understanding, friendliness, confidence and the overall satisfaction of experience is really entirely up to you and directly related to the abundance of radiance you are able to accept in return. With practice, it is possible to wear it all the time. Ahh, bliss. </div>
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❤</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>'Buffalo Creek' is an original charcoal drawing by Xene Abraham and available for purchase. </i></span></div>
Xenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01209040743247816281noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062485984584136870.post-1441840706812306982018-11-24T18:56:00.001-06:002018-11-24T18:56:59.817-06:00I'm SICK of being SICK!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzojp1GbB-yR-OL-7nmzgzFKZoHcFt5KI79yQU8RyW6bv36zcth4_KqxHsYaAaN_FyML1OGlXMSD1-E3MwL1Vp1c09b4XSwk1fQPuC-fOdzzwPHF5Oib45goR6v4mNAirOmis_9KJlOCuv/s1600/giftdone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1279" data-original-width="1600" height="510" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzojp1GbB-yR-OL-7nmzgzFKZoHcFt5KI79yQU8RyW6bv36zcth4_KqxHsYaAaN_FyML1OGlXMSD1-E3MwL1Vp1c09b4XSwk1fQPuC-fOdzzwPHF5Oib45goR6v4mNAirOmis_9KJlOCuv/s640/giftdone.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Gift by Xene Abraham</td></tr>
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The title of this post was determined late in January 2018 after a series of illnesses forced me to consider more seriously the study of homeopathic remedies. It seemed as though I was really sick all the time. Something was wrong; even though labs and blood work showed an example of perfect health, I was sick too often. My plan was to blog the results of holistic experiments in an effort to avoid illness.<br />
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My friends on social media were also reporting sickness at an alarming frequency so I knew I was not alone in this quest to live healthier. There are nearly endless options to explore: diet, essential oils, acupuncture, chiropractic care, massage therapy, exercise, yoga and many spiritual practices that reportedly increase overall health; I had to do something and if I was going to explore, my plan was to share the journey.<br />
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<b>So I did something, </b>but clearly I dropped the ball on blogging it; I created art instead. I had attended university on a full-tuition scholarship for art but when motherhood came along, I nearly abandoned art to dedicate all my energy to raising a family.<br />
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Art unlocked something within me that had been both suppressed and oppressed all those years. </h4>
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I could hear my inner voice when I painted. If I let the voice lead the brush, the paintings came to life. If I doubted and fought the natural instinct by 'overthinking it' the art suffered. The more time I spent painting, the stronger I could hear the voice and I began to question "why I was not listening to it all the time?" <br />
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So I made a decision to listen to my intuition as often as possible in all things. My inner voice was changing me for the better on everything from how I dealt with and identified conflict, to how I ate (I am now vegetarian with a strong desire for veganism.) Obviously, PiX FiZ has been a food blog up to this point, so I knew how to cook, but if I listened to my intuition, the food was better too. I was on to something but I didn't understand any of it until I was turned on to the teachings of <a href="https://www.eckharttolle.com/" target="_blank">Eckhart Tolle</a>. Ah ha! Art brought me into the Present! Every single thing Eckhart said made complete sense.<br />
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I devoured all I could from Eckhart and then turned to <a href="https://www.deepakchopra.com/" target="_blank">Deepak Chopra</a>. I have so much left to learn, but I now believe, no wait, I have a KNOWING that I will be well. Several times this season already I have felt the tinge of a sore throat, or a tingling of a cold sore trying to erupt but I turned my thinking toward the positive and reminded this water bag of a body that surrounds my beautiful soul that it could heal itself. It has so far, and I believe that it will, perhaps forever.<br /><br />I am new on this journey, but so many are seeking in this direction that I have been compelled to write about how I am navigating this new found mindful practice. Perhaps I will end up posting guest articles about homeopathic remedies that aid improved health, but for now I am going to let intuition guide what shows up here.<br />
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My name is Xene and I am going to do a better job blogging.Xenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01209040743247816281noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062485984584136870.post-66296572490551852472018-01-11T21:48:00.001-06:002018-01-11T21:48:19.826-06:00Post 100! PiX FiZ is Not Dead!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGQDGLAIpBTKToSnGLw4sTPyYEFU_cOf2JLaca4tkLtr9m8E25YfMa0Gkk2mxlm4AQ9goQeTCxJYjXBGbjOsbf0JPPhBp1eTStwbwbehwp2gsLKWiFu8xENr-CajI1xek_Tpiqc5BSkHri/s1600/IMG_20180111_212100031_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGQDGLAIpBTKToSnGLw4sTPyYEFU_cOf2JLaca4tkLtr9m8E25YfMa0Gkk2mxlm4AQ9goQeTCxJYjXBGbjOsbf0JPPhBp1eTStwbwbehwp2gsLKWiFu8xENr-CajI1xek_Tpiqc5BSkHri/s640/IMG_20180111_212100031_HDR.jpg" width="476" /></a></div>
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This is officially the 100th post on PiX FiZ! It seems rather fitting that the 100th post marks the first day of the new look and content soon to come to this space. </div>
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PiX FiZ started as a repository of recipes but I have found that my interests have shifted considerably since the first post in 2012. Over the course of the last few years my love of creating art has blossomed and my culinary endeavors have dwindled; now my blog needs to reflect these changes. There will still be recipe posts but even my eating habits have evolved. I am far more interested in a vegetable-based-diet while reducing meat, carbohydrates, and sugar. I suspect I might even go a little health-nut experimenting in the future and those experiences/results might end up here as well. Only time will tell.</div>
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In addition to food, I expect to document a few other projects I have in the works. 2018 is the Year of the Dog in Chinese astrology and as a dog myself, I plan to make the most of this new year. Art classes, an Etsy store, sewing adventures, and other creative and health inspired ideas might just pop up here. </div>
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Stay tuned! </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_s_3iWONMZZqNlhS0fmhyusXwitF36wMTJ5Yo3b-Un_vOrr3Cq6eMF9lqI5kKeh1YDl5uZQOvHd_bsQffGDBHIVKW9NEbvGlW7K5OghU494lyCr8JPBMZiVmRRvNGnofYGqafcbcsbsVi/s1600/IMG_20171229_155726073.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1247" data-original-width="1600" height="496" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_s_3iWONMZZqNlhS0fmhyusXwitF36wMTJ5Yo3b-Un_vOrr3Cq6eMF9lqI5kKeh1YDl5uZQOvHd_bsQffGDBHIVKW9NEbvGlW7K5OghU494lyCr8JPBMZiVmRRvNGnofYGqafcbcsbsVi/s640/IMG_20171229_155726073.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Conte and charcoal drawing of Buffalo Creek September 2017</td></tr>
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Xenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01209040743247816281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062485984584136870.post-40595290203974860402017-03-24T21:03:00.000-05:002017-03-25T15:47:57.042-05:00Vegan 'Tabbouleh' Tofu Salad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLdizupn1Jc0tTLY-IH8oarXIZNe0XbYlYD9TdvotWMJEksLRuLunBpx-QCQO9qmdVNiNppqY-adWA6pFASxdb7Bo_nDLBYt7mWwNcaVW-31PFbsd5l1vpsaSNJ2lWbHM8cgC76KXn4Otb/s1600/tofusalad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLdizupn1Jc0tTLY-IH8oarXIZNe0XbYlYD9TdvotWMJEksLRuLunBpx-QCQO9qmdVNiNppqY-adWA6pFASxdb7Bo_nDLBYt7mWwNcaVW-31PFbsd5l1vpsaSNJ2lWbHM8cgC76KXn4Otb/s640/tofusalad.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Over the course of the last few years, our family has been cutting carbohydrates from our diet. Some of the effort has been due to health concerns like diabetes, while others are reducing carbs with weight loss in mind. I find that I feel better consuming fewer carbs, especially reducing 'white' carbs like bread, pasta, and the majority of baked goods, so even though I don't have the same health issues as others in the family, I have made an effort to create and eat more dishes that are low-carb. Many of the new recipes I have been dragging my feet to blog will reflect this new diet effort.<br />
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My mother-in-law introduced the family to this recipe, which she got from a great tofu cookbook called <u>Tofu Quick and Easy</u> by Louise Hagler. Louise calls this 'Lebanese Salad for Pita Pockets' but if you look closely at the ingredients, you'll find this is just a tabbouleh dressing where tofu replaces the traditional cracked wheat. By substituting the tofu, this salad becomes protein packed and perfect for low-carb eaters (but I'm sure it is great in a pita, if you are so inclined.)<br />
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My preferred brand of tofu, Tofu House, comes in 19 oz packages so this recipe is written for that unusual size. Depending upon the size of tomatoes and cucumber, and how much of each you prefer, extra dressing for the salad won't really be an issue if you use a slightly smaller package. I eat this salad as is, but if I am lucky enough to have watercress, I will put a big scoop on top and devour it with great joy.<br />
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<b>Vegan 'Tabbouleh' Tofu Salad</b><br />
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19 oz Extra Firm Tofu, drained and cubed<br />
1/4 cup lemon juice<br />
1 teaspoon salt<br />
1-2 cloves garlic, minced<br />
1 Tablespoon mint, minced<br />
1/3 cup vegetable/olive oil<br />
1/2 cup green onions, sliced<br />
1-2 tomatoes seeded and cubed<br />
1 large cucumber, cubed<br />
1 bunch parsley chopped<br />
Salt and Pepper to taste<br />
Olive oil, optional<br />
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In a large bowl, combine the tofu, lemon juice, salt, garlic, mint, and oil. Let this marinate while you clean and cut the remaining ingredients and add them all to the salad. Toss and serve with a dash of olive oil.<br />
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Refrigerate leftover salad, it keeps well for days if covered in an air-tight container.<br />
<br />Xenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01209040743247816281noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062485984584136870.post-10192156300335221502015-12-26T12:52:00.000-06:002015-12-26T12:56:28.137-06:00Peanut Butter Truffle Cookie Balls<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVlEIH9JvpXjgzIEXi8mcapH8pALwOL_J8TFPPCGIeB6Dd8uqGFGfg-4vV7asoCdHMzltmqvamxnJRY_9ZXhcQKmeaDxvMchwj9jbuRhJXKaWxpmKbcboIop6fg5__FB4juYgL2BIcqkVg/s1600/IMG_20151221_192345198.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVlEIH9JvpXjgzIEXi8mcapH8pALwOL_J8TFPPCGIeB6Dd8uqGFGfg-4vV7asoCdHMzltmqvamxnJRY_9ZXhcQKmeaDxvMchwj9jbuRhJXKaWxpmKbcboIop6fg5__FB4juYgL2BIcqkVg/s640/IMG_20151221_192345198.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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This recipe is everywhere on the internet. Some folks sweeten the peanut butter with honey, some use molasses, and a several recipes differ in the amount of powdered sugar they use, calling for as many as four cups! I made one of those recipes to start, weeks ago and it was so sickeningly sweet that I had to double the rest of the ingredients to make them edible; it took an entire afternoon to roll all that modified mixture and coat them in chocolate, mostly because I had no idea what I was doing. Of course the kids devoured them, but I wasn't much of a fan, still too sweet. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsh7g9Qj3G74bNEDdasA1xBea1I7W8IcSYFPojUASyI5N8jNd5Ymi4GKrv2UaMPoeJLri8uuL1BXfcDZeo7YX7q0AUhC1EnzN_1LKMLAFC3ct5XvJU4GbWIMHvXK1EGxZ_eqFAEQXEGjob/s1600/IMG_20151221_192408211.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsh7g9Qj3G74bNEDdasA1xBea1I7W8IcSYFPojUASyI5N8jNd5Ymi4GKrv2UaMPoeJLri8uuL1BXfcDZeo7YX7q0AUhC1EnzN_1LKMLAFC3ct5XvJU4GbWIMHvXK1EGxZ_eqFAEQXEGjob/s320/IMG_20151221_192408211.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: left;">If I was to put these on a Christmas platter, I might add a halved salted peanut, or a sprinkling of crushed peanuts to indicate the flavor inside and alert those with allergies to stay clear.</span></td></tr>
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Next I tried a Rice Krispie version, which the kids also loved, but they all felt the graham cracker one was better. So I worked out a recipe I liked and repeat it to be sure I had written it down correctly (I do that with all my recipes here on PiX FiZ.) Texture is important, none of these truffle cookies I make can be too soft or overly hard and crumbly, and I prefer just sweet enough over too sweet every time. I hit it just right on the third try, cutting the powdered sugar to only 1/2 cup, aiming for a more Recess peanut butter quality. Adding an additional tablespoon of coconut oil to the chocolate also makes for a thinner coating, making them less sweet and slightly easier to coat. I made them two more times, the only variation between experiments was using crunchy versus creamy peanut butter. The kids were divided on which they liked best, but they consumed them at the same accelerated rate and there were no complaints from anyone.<br />
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<b>Peanut Butter Truffle Cookie Balls</b><br />
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18 graham crackers (2 packages)<br />
15 ounce peanut butter, chunky or creamy<br />
1/2 cup margarine<br />
1/2 cup powdered sugar<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional - tastes more like Recess if added)<br />
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12 ounces chocolate chips<br />
2 Tablespoons coconut oil<br />
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<li>Break up the graham crackers by hand and place them in the bowl of the food processor. Pulse to achieve large evenly sized crumbs. </li>
<li>Melt the margarine and peanut butter together in a microwave safe bowl approximately 45 seconds, stirring to blend them together. </li>
<li>Combine the peanut butter mixture, powdered sugar and salt and pulse just until combined and uniform. </li>
<li>Roll into balls using a small 1/3 ounce ice cream scoop as a measure. </li>
<li>In a double boiler (or a metal bowl that fits snug inside a pot with water, but does not touch the water) melt the chocolate chips with the coconut oil. </li>
<li>Using two spoons to roll and coat the balls in the chocolate as shown in the below video (I find this works better than the skewer technique other recipes recommend.) </li>
<li>Set them on wax paper and place in refrigerator to set up once all are dipped into chocolate. Truffle Cookie Balls also freeze well.</li>
</ol>
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Xenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01209040743247816281noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062485984584136870.post-76878348461435665842015-12-23T18:45:00.000-06:002015-12-23T18:47:04.439-06:00Coconut Truffle Cookie Balls<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_SQNAQUuuGA6kIK8DxcbTPpYLLoxiUXKo1v-zANxrT66Qhz-DcGTNonEGx9zuUeJrczPH32Iaaw8v02vMBdvPiEn8IAQwhK0-9JeHNxzDjYgbYfjTJ70W8XzbHtrlc54y4tNwHUO1zDPl/s1600/coconut1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_SQNAQUuuGA6kIK8DxcbTPpYLLoxiUXKo1v-zANxrT66Qhz-DcGTNonEGx9zuUeJrczPH32Iaaw8v02vMBdvPiEn8IAQwhK0-9JeHNxzDjYgbYfjTJ70W8XzbHtrlc54y4tNwHUO1zDPl/s640/coconut1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
The kids favorite of these Truffle Cookie Balls were the <a href="http://pixfiz.blogspot.com/2015/12/brownie-bites-truffle-cookie-balls.html" target="_blank">Brownie Bites</a> but mine were a toss up between these delectable coconut ones or the soon to be published Pumpkin Praline balls. Both were a bit more sophisticated in flavor than the chocolate and both hit the mark perfectly capturing that sought after texture just between a cookie and a candy. The best part about all these recipes is that they depend on coconut oil for the binder so you can have less guilt about eating them since coconut oil has so many <a href="http://authoritynutrition.com/top-10-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-coconut-oil/" target="_blank">health benefits</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnS4e7zHyKVUXJuBNHonDrqDFS2VTub772A26k78wqcS3_x8lGc8MDwKe8IN_PlU0dTpgspA4fLHYGDhPS3HKt01UAD6ZWi8_KIaqAfK70nNdlo-giEgmJgT46sRkL_CpndTLSkrmYmqJ6/s1600/coconutchristmas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnS4e7zHyKVUXJuBNHonDrqDFS2VTub772A26k78wqcS3_x8lGc8MDwKe8IN_PlU0dTpgspA4fLHYGDhPS3HKt01UAD6ZWi8_KIaqAfK70nNdlo-giEgmJgT46sRkL_CpndTLSkrmYmqJ6/s320/coconutchristmas.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The cookie balls depend on finding a vegan version of a Nilla wafer. It make take searching out several generic brands, but the search is worth it. Our local grocery store carries a vegan version. Since generic sized wafers vary in size, the amount of required coconut cream may also vary slightly. Of course, if you don't care about them being vegan, simply use the name brand wafers, and if you prefer, use heavy cream instead of coconut cream.<br />
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The difference in the two photos here is that the one above was tossed with the powdered sugar while the coconut was still warm, so the toasted color showed through more than in the bottom photo. Toasting coconut is a finicky thing, one minute it is too light, and in a blink too dark. A darker color is nuttier in flavor but you don't have to toast it at all, which would eliminate the only baking this recipe requires.<br />
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<b>Coconut Truffle Cookie Balls</b><br />
<i><br /></i>
1/2 cup flake coconut (not unsweetened)<br />
1/4 cup powdered sugar<br />
<br />
60 vanilla flavored wafers<br />
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted (organic is best)<br />
2 cups flake coconut (not unsweetened)<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla<br />
2 Tablespoons coconut cream<br />
<br />
In a pie tin, toast the coconut in a 350-degree oven for 6-8 minutes, stir once while it bakes. Watch it closely as the color changes very quickly once it starts to turn golden. Remove from the oven and place it in the bowl of the food processor. Pulse until very fine. Add the powdered sugar and pulse just to coat. Return the coconut to the cooled pie tin to use as coating for truffle balls.<br />
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In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the vanilla wafers into large crumbs. Add the 1/2 cup melted coconut oil, and all the remaining ingredients. Pulse until evenly combined and uniform, chunks of coconut should still be visible. Test for appropriate wetness by using a 1/3 ounce ice cream scoop for measure and squeezing the mixture into a ball. The warmth of your hands will help the ball take shape, but it does require some pressure to get them to stick. Too much liquid makes the balls a less desired texture, but if they won't hold together, add a bit more cream to make them take form.<br />
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Form all the balls in the same way and roll each immediately in the toasted coconut flakes. Allow the balls to firm up in the refrigerator and then place them in air tight containers. Truffle Cookie Balls freeze well and are best enjoyed at room temperature, but are almost as good straight out of the fridge.<br />
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<i>Makes 40 1-inch balls</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Enjoy!Xenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01209040743247816281noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062485984584136870.post-62103113769807261842015-12-23T00:47:00.001-06:002015-12-23T18:48:52.864-06:00Brownie Bites Truffle Cookie Balls<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbLNk5WSorJfHDlCiGx04fjaQo9qPNb5ua3z27m8DeJwN4s4cpoNc0vasSrnMAEIyxEX9ewIoT8OGSh2DinQT7Uiklx4L9JQ56ACRHsSwHOacNYnqhaN_na-Sy-dQq71dpveIYaUVePWhi/s1600/brownieBite1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbLNk5WSorJfHDlCiGx04fjaQo9qPNb5ua3z27m8DeJwN4s4cpoNc0vasSrnMAEIyxEX9ewIoT8OGSh2DinQT7Uiklx4L9JQ56ACRHsSwHOacNYnqhaN_na-Sy-dQq71dpveIYaUVePWhi/s640/brownieBite1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I've gone a little crazy over these Truffle Cookie Ball things. Not a true truffle, but not really a cookie either, I'm naming them truffle cookie balls, like cake balls, but half truffle, half cookie; and totally delicious no matter what they are called. Did I mention they are no-bake?</div>
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There are a number of vegan recipes out there for candy-cookie ball sweet treats, but so many of them have to be eaten straight from the refrigerator because they are too gooey left at room temperature. My goal was to be able to make these little candy bites so they could be served off a platter at any gathering, which means they had to not taste 'vegan' and the texture had to be solid, and not too crumbly at around 70-degrees.<br />
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This particular batch was such a huge favorite with the kids that I had to hide them in several different places because they kept finding and devouring them. In the end I had only 1/3 of the batch to pack into boxes to send to relatives with all the others.<br />
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Aside from being the absolute perfect two-bite size, these little balls are not overly sweet, have terrific texture, and are some of the easiest to roll. The first timer will be alarmed by the amount of coconut oil that coats your hands in the process. Don't be worried, they are not the least bit greasy tasting once the oil solidifies, and the oily exterior means they can be coated easily with just about everything from powdered sugar, to toasted coconut, cocoa powder, chopped nuts, or colorful sprinkles. I am not normally a sprinkles fan, but these little nonpareils added a lovely crunch to the 'Brownie Bites'; a name my oldest daughter gave them after stealing about a dozen over the course of the day.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brownie Bite with Coconut</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brownie Bite with Cocoa</td></tr>
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<b>Brownie Bite Truffle Cookie Balls</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
1/2 cup coconut oil (organic is best)<br />
1/2 cup chocolate chips<br />
18 (2 packages) chocolate graham crackers<br />
1/4 cup coconut cream (heavy cream could be substituted for a non-vegan version)<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla<br />
1 Tablespoon dark rum, or other favorite liquor (optional, and more can be added to taste)<br />
1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips<br />
<br />
1/4 cup coating of choice: cocoa powder (add 2 T powdered sugar so it is not too bitter), coconut, sprinkles, etc.<br />
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<br />
<ol>
<li>Melt the chocolate chips and the coconut together, either on the stove or in the microwave (25-30 seconds on high.) </li>
<li>In the bowl of the food processor, break up the graham crackers and blend them into large crumbs. </li>
<li>Add the coconut cream, melted chocolate chip mixture, and vanilla. Pulse until the mixture is uniform and combined. </li>
<li>Test the consistency by using a 1/3 ounce ice cream scoop as measure and press the chocolate mixture into a ball. It takes a bit of squeezing to make the ball stick, but it should form a cohesive ball with the addition of the heat from your hands. If it does not stick, add a bit more cream. Put the test ball back into the processor bowl to blend it all together.</li>
<li>Add the semi-sweet chocolate chips and pulse only until evenly distributed, being careful not to chop them up.</li>
<li>Form all the balls as described above and immediately roll them in the coating of your choice.</li>
<li>Refrigerate on a cookie sheet to harden and then store in an air tight container, either at room temp or in the fridge. The truffle cookie balls also freeze well. </li>
</ol>
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<i>Makes 40 1-inch balls</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Enjoy!</div>
Xenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01209040743247816281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062485984584136870.post-50199749457791897582015-12-21T23:23:00.000-06:002015-12-21T23:23:13.949-06:00Vegan Praline Pecans<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It seems that a praline can be any number of candied pecan recipes. Some are encased in chewy caramel but the ones I really love have a lighter sugar coating rich with buttery flavor, a hint of cinnamon, and are simply irresistible when done right. How hard could it be to copy a candied nut? Funny it took me this long to try.<br />
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This was one of those happy accidents. I had an idea for a pumpkin truffle cookie ball with a praline coating. So I threw together a few ingredients, baked the mix in the oven and dusted them with powdered sugar. Luckily I made well over double what I needed to chop up for the cookie balls because the family absolutely devoured them! <br />
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Non-vegan recipes call for an egg white wash, so they are able to get a thicker more even coating. I found that tossing the nuts as they cool allows the caramelized sugar to thicken up and stick to the pecan so they get areas of goopy sugar lumps in places, which is just perfect. A dusting of powdered sugar seals it all together and is the perfect finishing touch, just like the high end pralines. Yum!<br />
<br /><b>Vegan Praline Pecans</b><br />
1/2 cup vegan margarine<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar<br />
1 teaspoon cinnamon<br />
4 cups pecan halves<br />
1/4 cup powdered sugar<br />
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Preheat oven to 350-degrees. In a large microwave safe bowl, (or in a large sauce pan over medium heat) combine all the ingredients except the pecans and the powered sugar, and microwave on high 2 minutes. Stir the mixture and return to the microwave for another 1-2 minutes until it is bubbling and the sugar dissolves when stirred.<br />
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Add the pecans and toss to coat. Turn the mixture out into a parchment lined cookie sheet (not necessary, just easier for clean up), scraping all the contents onto the pan and bake at 350-degrees for a total of 12 minutes, stirring and turning over the nuts at the 6-minute mark.<br />
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Remove from the oven and allow to cool 1-2 minutes. Carefully scoop all the nuts back into the large glass bowl and stir until the caramelized sugars begin to stick to the nuts, 2-3 minutes. When there is no longer a pool of sugar sauce on the bottom of the bowl, indicating it is stuck to the pecans, sprinkle with the 1/4 cup powdered sugar and toss to coat.<br />
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Turn the nuts out onto wax paper to cool. Store in the refrigerator in an air tight container.<br />
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<i>For those of you who like pictures:</i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Preheat oven to 350-degrees. In a large microwave safe bowl, (or in a large sauce pan over medium heat) combine all the ingredients except the pecans and the powered sugar, and microwave on high 2 minutes. Stir the mixture and return to the microwave for another 1-2 minutes until it is bubbling and the sugar dissolves when stirred. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Add the pecans and toss to coat.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;"> Turn the mixture out into a parchment lined cookie sheet (not necessary, just easier for clean up), scraping all the contents onto the pan and bake at 350-degrees for a total of 12 minutes, stirring and turning over the nuts at the 6-minute mark. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhrwVJME22gYaAeOx9lVq-UsC3X0Acre7rQPcNcXMhpfy_m4JPnB4woQJXZLjSkl_9PgmdiacLonokox5jlXOoXwr62jlZimvWh62TkuNkf4prMecWs4TpAqz6VDYQ6CiRTIIsTFtID23b/s1600/IMG_20151221_110630417%257E2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhrwVJME22gYaAeOx9lVq-UsC3X0Acre7rQPcNcXMhpfy_m4JPnB4woQJXZLjSkl_9PgmdiacLonokox5jlXOoXwr62jlZimvWh62TkuNkf4prMecWs4TpAqz6VDYQ6CiRTIIsTFtID23b/s320/IMG_20151221_110630417%257E2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Remove from the oven and allow to cool 1-2 minutes. Carefully scoop all the nuts back into the large glass bowl and stir until the caramelized sugars begin to stick to the nuts, 2-3 minutes. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNmOlSvOE3oRYTXP6vC-aouEUjxVoxotrT56ZxXGCMIUMTZfaE7lExzg-OWmIQKbJVFmRYZ05Hc4r0nSEgw0k3zWD6Z37yON7ieuA4rrWsaOo1c5tYxYpzN_GhFvkqoOAVN2r25r4t4Tym/s1600/IMG_20151221_111043588%257E3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNmOlSvOE3oRYTXP6vC-aouEUjxVoxotrT56ZxXGCMIUMTZfaE7lExzg-OWmIQKbJVFmRYZ05Hc4r0nSEgw0k3zWD6Z37yON7ieuA4rrWsaOo1c5tYxYpzN_GhFvkqoOAVN2r25r4t4Tym/s320/IMG_20151221_111043588%257E3.jpg" width="318" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">When there is no longer a pool of sugar sauce on the bottom of the bowl, indicating it is stuck to the pecans, sprinkle with the 1/4 cup powdered sugar and toss to coat. Cool on wax paper.<br /><br />Enjoy! </span></td></tr>
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Xenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01209040743247816281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062485984584136870.post-85157055970451943282015-12-03T13:51:00.000-06:002015-12-14T13:36:46.857-06:00Baked Cod with Tomato and Preserved Lemon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq8md9fXkGsXZfNDb2OZbSLqDyoAcf2aT24RIxI7FrdYAz8bQ7P803NbInW8n72m2OV1XSeOEvzubvtBulXH7L-gVE4kRvgSn-0e85ykyrAFXITY6ObZzs13Vd24t-M-h5nDrHq3YOd_ds/s1600/fish3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq8md9fXkGsXZfNDb2OZbSLqDyoAcf2aT24RIxI7FrdYAz8bQ7P803NbInW8n72m2OV1XSeOEvzubvtBulXH7L-gVE4kRvgSn-0e85ykyrAFXITY6ObZzs13Vd24t-M-h5nDrHq3YOd_ds/s640/fish3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The first time I served this dish was at a 5-course meal to a group of at least 20 distinguished guests at a very formal, fine-china, best-linens kind of event. I was young and had never served a group that size before but thankfully the food was a great success. My friend helped me plate and serve each dish, and it all went off without a hitch except when the sauce from the extra plate of scallops (one guest was allergic to fish) poured off the little platter I was holding right into the lap of the guest of honor. I was mortified, but he was most gracious about it, and made a special point to say how much he enjoyed the scallops, sauteed in this same sauce. I may need to revisit that scallop version again soon. </div>
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Baked fish for a group is challenging. I use this recipe to serve as many as 30 on a regular basis and have always had it turn out delicious with many rave reviews. The cod releases a lot of water as it bakes, so to maintain appreciable flavor as much water as possible must be reduced from the tomato mixture before applying it to the fish. The sauce can be made the night before, or even days before, but don't top the fish until just before cooking; fish proteins are delicate and the tomato acids could potentially cause them to breakdown and get mushy if left to marinate too long. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrd2Aw75FnHHS2j3LvD_8GMxvvhqN0a-1HnrDcLIoDOiGP63JQeavQ-bMx1AmbHri40ecSsFov6OaVUY__70ZrjhMffFS5IQUdnoB0pop-Z1QyxcbFLp4ZwAW4ybQ8z5MKPY4F3MlLBEU0/s1600/rawfish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrd2Aw75FnHHS2j3LvD_8GMxvvhqN0a-1HnrDcLIoDOiGP63JQeavQ-bMx1AmbHri40ecSsFov6OaVUY__70ZrjhMffFS5IQUdnoB0pop-Z1QyxcbFLp4ZwAW4ybQ8z5MKPY4F3MlLBEU0/s320/rawfish.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fish prior to cooking, note the red sauce is very thick.</td></tr>
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My husband got the idea to make preserved lemon over a year ago. He read <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Charcuterie-Craft-Salting-Smoking-Curing/dp/0393058298" target="_blank">Charcuterie</a> by Michael Ruhlman and cut up some lemons, shoved them into salt and put them on top of my refrigerator. A few months later I found them and when confronted about what this gross pot of yellow yuck was, he said just to throw them out, that he wasn't sure what to do next (and honestly they looked kind of gross.) So I dug the book out and looked up some recipes and decided I would give it try and I'm sure glad I did! I add them to almost everything that calls for lemon (like the <a href="http://pixfiz.blogspot.com/2013/03/vegan-spinach-pie-spanakopita.html" target="_blank">spanikopita</a> shown above.) If you want to learn more, Ruhlman has a blog post on <a href="http://ruhlman.com/2011/03/lemon-confit/" target="_blank">preserved lemon confit</a>, but feel free to substitute 1-2 tsp of finely grated lemon peel and finish the sauce with a bit more fresh squeezed, if preserved lemon is not a kitchen staple at your house. </div>
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I have always served this with yellow rice, seasoned with whatever I have on hand (like saffron when I have it), but this batch was particularly tasty with preserved lemon, turmeric, smoked paprika, and a bit of bullion in the water. I keep it subtle, no reason to overpower the flavors of the fish, only compliment. <a href="http://pixfiz.blogspot.com/2013/03/vegan-spinach-pie-spanakopita.html" target="_blank">Spanikopita</a> is almost always an accompaniment too, I can never get enough spinach. </div>
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<b>Baked Cod with Tomato and Preserved Lemon</b></div>
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2 14 oz cans petite diced tomato<br />
1/4 cup olive oil<br />
3-4 cloves garlic<br />
2 large shallots or 1 small red onion, minced<br />
1/2 cup dry white wine<br />
1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon, <a href="http://www.betterthanbouillon.com/products/product-detail.aspx?productid=24" target="_blank">No Chicken Base</a> (or bouillon of your choice)<br />
8 oz clam juice<br />
1 teaspoon oregano<br />
1/2 teaspoon white pepper<br />
1 teaspoon preserved lemon, mashed (or 1 teaspoon lemon rind, grated)<br />
3 lbs cod fillets, thawed but kept very cold<br />
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1/2 cup mayonnaise (I use<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hampton-Creek-Original-Gluten-Indivdual/dp/B00KOHNX6C" target="_blank"> Just Mayo</a>)<br />
1 tablespoon cornstarch<br />
1/4 cup dry white wine<br />
juice of one lemon, to taste<br />
salt and pepper<br />
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Drain and reserve the liquid from the tomatoes. Saute the garlic and shallot in the olive oil over medium heat in a large nonstick skillet. Add the wine, bouillon, reserved tomato liquid, and clam juice and bring to a simmer to reduce and concentrate all the flavors until the sauce is thick enough that a spoon leaves a path when drawn across the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat and add oregano, white pepper, and lemon. Taste for salt, the mixture should be very salty. Toss with the drained tomatoes.<br />
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Heat oven to 350-degrees. Oil a 9x13 baking dish and arrange the cod so that the fillets are touching. Layer the thin ends if they are varied thicknesses. Spread the tomato mixture evenly across the top of the fish and bake for approximately 20 minutes. The fish is done when it is flaky. Turn off the oven.<br />
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Prepare the fish 'gravy' ingredients while the fish is cooking by mixing the mayo, cornstarch and wine together in a small bowl. Juice the lemon.<br />
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Carefully remove the fish to a serving try, keeping the tomato topping intact. Place the fish back in the warm oven. Drain the remaining liquid into the nonstick skillet and bring to a boil. This mixture should be reduced further if the recipe is doubled, but a minute or so on the boil is enough reduction for a single recipe; reduce heat to medium. Wisk in the mayo mixture and allow the sauce to thicken. Remove from heat and add salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste.<br />
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Just prior to serving, add any remaining juice from the serving tray to the sauce and whisk to combine. Pour over the fish and serve immediately. Garnish with chopped parsley.<br />
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<i>This dish is very forgiving. If cooking for a very large group, I simply tip the cooking juices out of the pan and reduce to make the gravy and pour back over the top of the fish in the original baking dish. </i></blockquote>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Ac0-ZHdfTlmGTzYZ0ns7jD8o7YUsmHtF6RLUM90X66csnW_ymQdEgJ063itLHC8EBK1XkdN88W3gnhBWXcLu6KijwOQ3POfifuktY0G8JG1HAbl5H926t9d9oOB9IG0xjm54Nht0V7VW/s1600/fish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Ac0-ZHdfTlmGTzYZ0ns7jD8o7YUsmHtF6RLUM90X66csnW_ymQdEgJ063itLHC8EBK1XkdN88W3gnhBWXcLu6KijwOQ3POfifuktY0G8JG1HAbl5H926t9d9oOB9IG0xjm54Nht0V7VW/s320/fish.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Enjoy!<br />
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Xenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01209040743247816281noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062485984584136870.post-3730603870016125322015-11-13T16:26:00.001-06:002016-01-11T22:25:47.353-06:00Pix Fiz Fried Chicken<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDvpgfpKAIl75tyrJWnBhUu4bnZq8A-Ufgzq4WrJooVtE1rC7UMIUkjO5CBX-aK8Jg_QnPQkowgePeEIVZlIT41SMPUrkNyYiacB8ZLRLlW3yqblOcGGewkRKc8DLWiwJK-cviFz8T1Z-d/s1600/friedchickenleg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDvpgfpKAIl75tyrJWnBhUu4bnZq8A-Ufgzq4WrJooVtE1rC7UMIUkjO5CBX-aK8Jg_QnPQkowgePeEIVZlIT41SMPUrkNyYiacB8ZLRLlW3yqblOcGGewkRKc8DLWiwJK-cviFz8T1Z-d/s640/friedchickenleg.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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My husband's grandmother was a Lebanese culinary genius who could elevate food well beyond anything mere mortals could create. Her fried chicken was beyond legendary and since not a single recipe of hers was ever recorded, recreating her dishes exactly is nearly impossible; all we have to work with are memories. I may not ever be able to make Grandma's chicken precisely, but the effort to recreate that level of satisfaction has certainly taught me a lot about what is not perfection. </div>
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Grandma's chicken was fried crisp, but melted in your mouth, the skin and breading perfectly cohesive. In my experiments I more often encountered skin that remained fatty and separate. The breading would fry up too crisp, in some instances almost hard and break away from the skin even before the first bite. That kind of outcome was so unsavory that it nearly led me to give up entirely, but evaluating grandma's routine revealed the secret.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAV0OQMJJJ6U-ZhdIUzZk3Wi2vhlPH4UQX7lCVGnnnxBakHY9pN-HnhcOUPOfTQP2Cjq8NGQ_kLiUZBCvLlIh1mWxPhpLufYWp688RPnOeEMRwNkZU63o8MD8frJOXExnTSLrU3DgFdRxj/s1600/FB_IMG_1447437937089.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAV0OQMJJJ6U-ZhdIUzZk3Wi2vhlPH4UQX7lCVGnnnxBakHY9pN-HnhcOUPOfTQP2Cjq8NGQ_kLiUZBCvLlIh1mWxPhpLufYWp688RPnOeEMRwNkZU63o8MD8frJOXExnTSLrU3DgFdRxj/s400/FB_IMG_1447437937089.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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It was tradition that Grandma served fried chicken every Sunday after church. She fried it in the morning before services and left it in a warm oven until they returned to eat at noon. This wait in the oven turned out to be the key. The lower temperature allows the skin to render out more fat, which also helps the breading adhere better. A lower frying temperature was also critical. Monitoring heat on the stove was a hassle, but frying in an electric skillet turned out to be ideal. Truthfully, an electric skillet can not keep up with the heat fluctuations while frying the chicken, even on the highest setting of 400. Often the oil drops well below 300-degrees as pieces are added, but that low temp is ideal to render the skin and bond with the thin coating of breading. The two step cooking method ensures that the crust comes to the perfect golden brown while internal meat has a chance to come up to temperature. Frying the larger breasts also runs the risk of over-browning the breading which can have an off-putting flavor and color. This also allows me clean up the kitchen and prepare all the sides without rushing. </div>
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With the method worked out, it was just a matter of finding the right breading ingredients. I experimented with a buttermilk soak, but felt it reacted with the meat and made it spongy, and more importantly, Dad couldn't remember grandma using anything but water<span style="background-color: white;">. Since she fried first thing in the morning, I've always opted for an overnight soak. My salt to water ratio is a consideration for a 15+ hour brine time. Perhaps it can be done in less, but I don't make fried chicken on a whim, so buying chicken the night before is not a big deal. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLcakHbdU-Rv8jS51Y1mW9o2cojmfTs_pyXkVQWyRO_zbQKSPCJ1Q4UQ247EMtLB_dR_-SPePBu1qX4E2qeGS90rhTlA0s6CG9P3DoXP-whBfWjFrzQwPYv4vnrvoX7JwAwKlTfVq1Y8Cp/s1600/FB_IMG_1447438077488.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;">It should be noted that the chicken should be the best quality you can afford. Look for air-chilled chickens as they really are better tasting, more flavorful meat, and the skin is much better for frying; local farm raised/organic is even better. </span>A whole small fryer is superior to those huge over-sized individual pieces and cutting it up yourself (or having a butcher do it) is not only more economical, but the backs can be frozen and used later for stock. Don't know how to cut up a chicken? Martha Stewart has a quick video to show how easy it is: <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/973692/how-cut-whole-chicken" target="_blank">How to Cut Up a Whole Chicken.</a></blockquote>
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Having too much flour breading is far better than running out, so this recipe is enough to cover at least three whole chickens. At our house, we eat two whole fryers and two additional breasts and I always have enough breading left to make some hush-puppy like fried bits with the excess. The spice mixture is what our family prefers, letting the chicken shine, and only enhancing, not overpowering the meat. The baking powder addition however is critical to that melt in your mouth breading success. The lift that the baking powder provides lightens the crust and makes it flaky but not so tender that it looses structure.<br />
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<b>Award Worthy Frying Tip:</b> The kids always come around looking for loose crispies that fall off in the frying process, and when they can't find it, they try to pick the bits off that stick out (okay, maybe that is more the husband than the kids.) To remedy this 'problem' I now fry the bits that get stuck to my fingers as I bread the meat, allowing only my right hand to get caked with breading, I scrape off the accumulation into the oil, and fry it until golden. This provides the cook with sustenance and serves as a tasting method to stimulate excitement during the frying process. Since there are only five fingers, and at least six 'pickers' I have now taken to mixing some of the wet milk and egg mixture into the left over flour breading and drop it in the frying oil in clumps to satisfy everyone's need for an early tasting. </blockquote>
<b>Pix Fiz Fried Chicken </b><br />
Easily serves 8-10<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQmZkCsBbcivc-8tS0GDyk9UownBofvH6EVP8dNafE7BlQHp36aVI0vy2obSIINkr3G9wVuDNVO7CzQ4zkFzB1Z8b4IbfY8LwvptqgBqAa2r7ljJUxkTrGLh0PHXavvbPoNA0alvBwlVCv/s1600/FB_IMG_1447438070081.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQmZkCsBbcivc-8tS0GDyk9UownBofvH6EVP8dNafE7BlQHp36aVI0vy2obSIINkr3G9wVuDNVO7CzQ4zkFzB1Z8b4IbfY8LwvptqgBqAa2r7ljJUxkTrGLh0PHXavvbPoNA0alvBwlVCv/s200/FB_IMG_1447438070081.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<b>Brine:</b><br />
2 whole fryers, cut in pieces, plus 2 breasts<br />
1/3 cup salt<br />
7-8 cups water to cover chicken<br />
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In a large 6-8 quart container, dissolve 1/3 cup salt in one cup hot water, stirring well until salt crystals are no longer visible. Add 3 cups of very cold water and the chicken pieces, adding additional water until all the chicken is covered in the brine. Refrigerate overnight.<br />
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Approximately 2-3 hours before the meal, rinse the chicken and place on rack over a cookie sheet to air dry while preparing the wet mixture in the previously used brine container.<br />
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<b>Wet:</b><br />
3 eggs<br />
1 cup heavy cream (or milk)<br />
2 Tablespoons fresh ground black pepper<br />
1 teaspoon garlic powder<br />
1 teaspoon onion powder<br />
1 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)<br />
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Mix together well and add the chicken, taking care to press each piece well into the mixture. Do not wash the rack and cookie pan, it will be used again for uncooked chicken prep. While the chicken rests in the wet mix, prepare the frying station and turn the oven on to 275-degrees.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small; text-align: start;">This is the setup for a right-handed prep. Fill the skillet with corn/vegetable oil half-way up the sides of the pan. Turn the pan to high (400-degrees) and place newspaper under the fryer to catch any oil. An additional rack and pan is needed for fried chicken to be placed in the oven. </span></td></tr>
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This is the setup for a right-handed prep. Fill the skillet with corn/vegetable oil half-way up the sides of the pan. Turn the pan to high (400-degrees) and place newspaper under the fryer to catch any oil. An additional rack and pan is needed for the fried chicken to finish in the oven.<br />
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<b>Dry: </b><br />
4 cups all-purpose flour<br />
2 teaspoons table salt<br />
4 teaspoons baking powder<br />
2 teaspoons black pepper<br />
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Mix the ingredients well.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZJCAYxa4i8ymXr6ypmJId0GwDZwAiSFvDTYGBwC-fiT2zSKVIg64XaBGVLqHna6cjLLivaJuGudrCiR8pp0jejL3DN1gy5MUyLErhA-nH1NmZemAV7fgbmyaiYyj19sE9Je4-RI0hrn57/s1600/FB_IMG_1447438094481.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZJCAYxa4i8ymXr6ypmJId0GwDZwAiSFvDTYGBwC-fiT2zSKVIg64XaBGVLqHna6cjLLivaJuGudrCiR8pp0jejL3DN1gy5MUyLErhA-nH1NmZemAV7fgbmyaiYyj19sE9Je4-RI0hrn57/s200/FB_IMG_1447438094481.jpg" width="200" /></a>Start with the breast meat. Dedicate one hand to breading and keep the other one as clean as possible. Lift pieces out of the wet and place in the dry, making sure each is coated well. The breasts should go immediately into the oil to fry, meat side down. Continue to coat all the rest of the pieces and let them rest on the rack. Keep an eye on the breast meat during this process, it may need to be turned before all the remaining pieces are breaded (hence the need for a clean hand.)<br />
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<b>Fry: </b><br />
Crowd the pan. Watch the oil level as each new piece is added. New additions can cause excessive bubbling and may cause overflow, but this is reduced if new pieces are added to the middle, moving those already cooking to the edges with each addition.<br />
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Turn the chicken when it reaches a beautiful golden brown color and cook the other side to match. Remove the chicken to the rack/pan in the warm oven to finish cooking. Don't obsess about temperature. Typically breasts reach an internal temp of 110-130 in this process and will come up to an internal temp of at least 150 by the time the rest of the pieces are fried (about 40 minutes.) Poking the breasts repeatedly lets all the meat juices escape and causes bubbling in the oil. I try to avoid that as much as possible. Worry about internal temp closer to serving time. Trust the process. If the internal temps are still low when all the chicken is fried and it is nearing time to serve, the breasts can go back in the hot oil at the very end to boost the cooking, but that is only needed when there isn't enough time allowed for the oven finish. The smaller dark meat pieces typically can cook nearly to temp when fried and is in far less risk of drying out, so the timing is less critical.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>Note about internal temperature: </b> A quick Google search will overwhelmingly point out that chicken needs to come to an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Dark meat can go much higher, even up to 180 without a risk of drying out. The white meat however is far more delicate, and will be considerably more dry if cooked to 165. I like white meat juicy without the slightest hint of being under cooked, which I find is reached at a temperature of 150-155. Anything over that runs the risk of being dry. Make sure you are reading the temperature of the thickest part of the meat without hitting the bone. </blockquote>
While the chicken is frying, preparations can proceed for the side dishes. Peel potatoes and put them on to boil, mix up some gravy, warm some corn, or whip up coleslaw. Once the chicken is all fried, turn the oil off and let it cool down, but everything else can be cleaned up while it finishes in the oven, which makes the entire meal more enjoyable knowing there isn't a huge mess to clean up. That just makes the chicken taste so much better too.<br />
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This may not be Grandma's chicken, and only time will tell if rates a legendary status, but one thing is for certain, when fried chicken is on the menu, there isn't a single complaint or recommendation for improvement by anyone.<br />
<br />Xenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01209040743247816281noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062485984584136870.post-85768557187134212052015-01-22T15:07:00.006-06:002015-12-14T13:36:46.864-06:00Eggs Benedict<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE7Ssvm33fczikKw41mBPN8vkNQSg3m2H0ssShv-roahahn4odNPFMbB2jgg37F98vkdwGj_NbQIP7jJ4xb3ie3pY7-35nEydEQDPJZnD286iFBfXjIzeAz7S-ENy61l_5kc7lBJIS3SQD/s1600/EBedit1fj.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE7Ssvm33fczikKw41mBPN8vkNQSg3m2H0ssShv-roahahn4odNPFMbB2jgg37F98vkdwGj_NbQIP7jJ4xb3ie3pY7-35nEydEQDPJZnD286iFBfXjIzeAz7S-ENy61l_5kc7lBJIS3SQD/s1600/EBedit1fj.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Easy! Super fast! Totally fool-proof! Yeah, sorry, not this Eggs Benedict recipe. This one requires effort, but that first taste of the sauce, well before the rest is ready to assemble, will prove that it is totally worth it.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEyNkYP42gVENkECVrI9r8HBeSGmyKYlUnl4LqXhzU-OczRXjglQGwIfiX_sUjQ4vz8l4A75f1eIoVEZYq5InwK8iNOapoArykXGr9imnl_s1PkYg4UliVnOXzblYm4mZWarRzO1-HecBZ/s1600/eggs+benedict1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEyNkYP42gVENkECVrI9r8HBeSGmyKYlUnl4LqXhzU-OczRXjglQGwIfiX_sUjQ4vz8l4A75f1eIoVEZYq5InwK8iNOapoArykXGr9imnl_s1PkYg4UliVnOXzblYm4mZWarRzO1-HecBZ/s1600/eggs+benedict1.jpg" width="400" /></a>Eggs Benedict is all about the hollandaise, and the only real risk for failure there is allowing it to get too hot. A <a href="http://www.rachaelraymag.com/blogs/rachael-ray/2013/06/11/technique-how-to-diy-double-boiler/" target="_blank">double boiler</a> is needed to regulate the temperature, but I simply use a metal bowl that fits snuggly atop a slightly smaller saucepan to simmer the water. The water acts as a thermal break so that the sauce won't curdle.<br />
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Before I get called out by the culinary elite, I must be forthcoming and admit that the recipe as written here is not hollandaise, but a mousseline. A real hollandaise would not contain dairy beyond the butter, but after making it to the exacting French standards, I found it a bit too rich for my taste. The addition of sour cream allowed me to cut the butter needed in half, but the sauce is every bit as rich and luxurious as expected, or better.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>The Egg</b></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The second most important element is the slightly intimidating poached egg. The two secrets to poaching eggs are freshness and vinegar. A fresh egg has a stronger albumin bond and the white will hold together better when dropped into the hot swirling water. A tablespoon of vinegar in the water reacts to the egg white proteins in some mysterious manner that further forces them to stick together and not float off into the pan. You won't get a perfectly round egg with this method, but it will be absolutely delicious, and no, there is no hint of residual vinegar flavor. The best possible eggs should be used, farm raised, organic, free range chicken eggs are superior in every way to traditional store bought; seek them out if you are able.</blockquote>
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<b>To Finish</b><br />
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Keeping everything hot requires a bit of multitasking but following the steps in the order written here ensures everything stays warm until plated. This recipe makes close to 3 cups of hollandaise, which is easily enough for 8 servings, 2 eggs each, which is what I need for my large family. I have kids help toast and butter muffins, another child heats the ham in the skillet, while I pull together the hollandaise and poach the eggs. Cooking for four is certainly far less of a production than at my house, and only half this hollandaise recipe would be needed, but the technique is exactly the same.<br />
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<i>Don't miss the notes below about reheating any left over sauce, to microwave would be tragic.</i></div>
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<b>Step 1: Sauce</b><br />
9 egg yolks, whisked<br />
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1/3 cup lemon juice (approximately 2 lemons)<br />
2/3 cup boiling water<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
black pepper to taste<br />
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1 1/2 cups butter, melted<br />
4 Tablespoons all-natural sour cream (Daisy)<br />
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<ol>
<li>Prepare the double boiler. Place water in the pan and allow it to come to simmer. Check to see that the bowl fits snuggly against the sides of the pan but does not touch the water. Do not leave the bowl sit atop the pan, the bowl should be room temperature. </li>
<li>In the room temperature bowl of the double boiler, whisk egg yolks until very smooth. </li>
<li>Combine the 1/3 cup lemon juice, 1/2 tsp salt, and desired black pepper in a glass measuring cup and pour in the 2/3 cup boiling water.</li>
<li>While whisking continuously, carefully pour the hot water mixture into the egg yolks in a thin stream, the first third cup of hot water is extremely important to add slowly so as not to curdle the eggs. Continue adding the water in a slow stream, whisking thoroughly.</li>
<li>Place the bowl on the prepared pan of simmering water and whisk until the yolks begin to thicken and lighten in color. </li>
<li>Slowly add the butter in a slow even stream, whisking to incorporate each addition until the sauce emulsifies and no remaining butter is visible. The sauce should be very thick at this point. </li>
<li>Whisk in the sour cream, one tablespoon at a time until incorporated. </li>
<li>Taste for salt and pepper.</li>
<li>If the sauce seems too thick, a teaspoon of water can be added, one at a time, until the desired thickness.</li>
<li>Reduce heat to low and keep sauce warm until ready to use. Do not cover, whisk occasionally to keep the sauce from forming a skin and/or separating. </li>
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<b>Step 2: Ham</b><br />
The ham definitely takes a supporting role, but that doesn't mean it should be inferior quality. Use the ham you prefer; thin or thick sliced, enough for each English muffin.<br />
<ol>
<li>Warm the oven to 200 degrees.</li>
<li>Spray a large nonstick skillet with Pam cooking spray. (The spray is actually for the eggs, but it is better to spray the pan while it is clean.)</li>
<li>Heat the skillet and quickly fry the ham to heat it through.</li>
<li>Remove ham to plate and place in warm oven. </li>
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<i>Fill the skillet with water about 2/3 full and return to stove over high heat. Stir the hollandaise sauce.</i><br />
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<b>Step 3: English Muffin</b><br />
The English muffins need to be toasted. There is plenty of butter in the sauce, so buttering them or not is personal preference (I butter.) This is a job that nearly any age can help with, so I often enlist the kids to help toast the muffins. They can be popped into the oven to keep warm, but not too long as they can get hard and dried out.<br />
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<i>Prepare the muffins with a piece of ham on each during the few minutes it takes for the eggs to poach. Stir the hollandaise sauce.</i><br />
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<b>Step 4: Egg</b><br />
Once the water in the skillet (set on high at the end of step 2) comes to a simmer, lower the heat just a bit to reduce the number of vapor bubbles. Ideally the water should be around 175-degrees Fahrenheit for poaching eggs. Water simmers at around 195-degrees so reducing heat just below simmer is close enough.<br />
<ol>
<li>Add 1-2 tablespoons of vinegar and 1 tsp salt to the almost simmering water. </li>
<li>Break eggs into individual ramekins to ensure that no shell is included and to make dropping them into the water without breaking the yolk a bit easier. </li>
<li>Swirl the water and carefully slide in the eggs.</li>
<li>Cook for approximately 3 minutes. Remove eggs from water with slotted spoon, leaving behind the undesirable white threads that float in the water. </li>
<li>If the eggs seem particularly 'wet' they can be tipped onto a plate with paper towels and then back into the spoon to place on the muffins with ham. </li>
</ol>
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Stir the hollandaise one last time, ladle over the egg and serve immediately. Cayenne pepper can be added as garnish and a hit of heat if desired. </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Microwaving hollandaise will cause it to curdle, it does however reheat perfectly in a double boiler and is superb on steamed vegetables like asparagus, cauliflower, or broccoli. </i></div>
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Recipe serves 8-10 (2 eggs, 2 muffins each)<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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Xenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01209040743247816281noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062485984584136870.post-79848371229850960422014-03-30T23:02:00.003-05:002015-09-08T12:26:31.999-05:00Ham'N Cheese Rolls<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Ham'N Cheese rolls are a favorite at our house. Friends ask me for this recipe often and I normally just give an oral version (because they really are so easy) without giving exact measurements. I have finally taken the time to measure the ingredients and even went as far as to make a video (the one I did for <a href="http://youtu.be/bcQHdnZcPWI" target="_blank">bacon</a> was so much fun.) I thought it might further convince you to try them if you saw the process in action. </div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/KwOYRBp0zOg?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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These rolls make terrific breakfast or brunch rolls, but they are equally as tasty for snacking events like Superbowl parties, tailgating, or holiday gatherings. The only difference in preparation between events is to adjust their size. For breakfast I make them larger, which means instead of cutting each rolled log into 16 slices, I cut it into 12. The thinner slices are more appropriate for finger food events. Notice in the video when slicing, I start by dividing the log into 4 equal sections; slice the remaining sections either into 3 or 4 to get the number of rolls you are after.<br />
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Ham'N Cheese rolls have a terrific balance of honey sweetness with just a touch of tang from the mayo, cheese, and spicy mustard toppings. The mustard really sets these rolls apart, I don't recommend skipping it. These are an unexpected change from cinnamon rolls and rather addictive, I'd plan on at least two per person when serving, and have the recipe on hand; you'll be asked for it, I guarantee! </div>
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<b>Ham'N Cheese Rolls</b></div>
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1 recipe <a href="http://pixfiz.blogspot.com/2013/12/bread-dough-by-hand.html" target="_blank">Bread Dough by Hand</a> (feel free to substitute milk for the water, and butter for the oil)</div>
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<i>Friends tell me that frozen bread dough also works, two thawed loaves ought to do it. </i></div>
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1/2 cup melted butter</div>
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2-3 tablespoons, plus 1/2 cup honey</div>
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3/4 pound ham, thin sliced</div>
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<i>Filling:</i><br />
1 cup mayonnaise<br />
3/4 cups cheddar cheese, shredded (you can use Swiss, or any blend you like)<br />
1 1/2 Tablespoons spicy brown mustard (I prefer Gulden's) </blockquote>
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Roll the dough after the initial rise into two 18" x 5" rectangles. Brush with melted butter. Apply approximately 1- 1 1/2 Tablespoons of honey to each, layer with ham, and roll up. Seal the seam by folding the dough on itself a second time to ensure they won't break apart while baking. Slice the logs into rolls and press flat on baking sheet. Brush with butter and cover to rise. </div>
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<i><b>TIP:</b></i> I often make these the night ahead and put them into the refrigerator at this point. Then in the morning I let them come back to room temperature (about an hour) and then apply the filling. You can quicken this step further by turning the oven on and letting it heat up to about 200, then turning it <u>off</u>, place the pans in and about 20 minutes later the rolls will have proofed and be ready for filling and baking.</blockquote>
Add honey to the previously melted butter. When the rolls appear nearly doubled in size brush them again gently with the honey butter. Mix together the filling ingredients. Press a well into the middle of each roll and distribute the filling evenly amongst the rolls. Bake in a 400-degree oven for approximately 17-20 minutes or until golden brown. If baking two pans at the same time, rotate and switch them on the racks halfway through to encourage even browning. Remove to cooling rack.<br />
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Serve warm or at room temperature. Recipe makes 24-32 rolls.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roll dough into two 18" x 5" rectangles.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brush with butter.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add honey.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Then apply ham. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roll it up.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Slice.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">Press flat and let rise.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add filling and bake.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bake until golden brown.</td></tr>
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<br />Xenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01209040743247816281noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062485984584136870.post-70296000334074555682014-03-27T22:22:00.002-05:002014-03-27T22:22:40.192-05:00Kohlrouladen - German Cabbage Rolls<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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There is a German restaurant in Chicago that makes fabulous cabbage rolls; perfectly seasoned meat, a hint of rice, tender chew, and an absolutely delicious white gravy over everything, including the ideally matched fried potatoes. At least that was my experience the first visit. Subsequent trips there did not end with the same delectable goodness; perhaps I got the end of the night's preparations, but the cabbage was slimy and the meat was overcooked and nearly burnt on the bottom; such a disappointment.<br />
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I was beginning to think that my delight in the German cabbage roll was more a side effect from the giant mug of beer and the oompah band accompaniment than a realistic culinary experience. It has taken a lot of experimentation to rework this simple peasant food into the dish I had locked in my memory. <br />
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I know I branch from tradition a bit, but I don't sacrifice overall 'German' flavor and the substitutions lighten the rolls a bit to mimic that 'all day simmer' that I suspect the restaurant is using to achieve the tender bite to their rolls. Almost all my attempts have resulted in a meat stuffing that baked into a solid mass, much like a sausage wrapped in cabbage leaves. Many of the pictures online accompanying recipes look to have the same problem. Not at all what I was after. <br />
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Then I had a breakthrough with mushrooms. I have been adding them to nearly everything lately; not because I particularly like mushrooms (honestly, I've never been much of a fan) but because they seem to enhance almost any dish. My most recent success was in adding them to the stuffing for my chicken <a href="http://pixfiz.blogspot.com/2014/01/boneless-whole-chicken-ballotine-with.html" target="_blank">ballotine</a> to lighten the density of the meat; exactly what these cabbage rolls needed.<br />
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Note that in both recipes the mushrooms are pulsed fine in the food processor so that very little evidence remained (hide them from children detection) but even small they are sponges of flavor, absorbing all the simmering juices in the pan as they cook and in the end, little to no 'mushroom' comes through, just an additional depth of flavor. Cooking part of the meat with the mushrooms is no accident. This too lightens the stuffing but has the added benefit of providing a taste testing for seasoning before being wrapped in cabbage.<br />
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This recipe serves at least 9 with extra-large appetites, or as many as 15 'normal' hungry eaters when served with potatoes. I assemble the rolls the day ahead and bake them the next day, almost always for a group. Let cold rolls to come up to room temperature before cooking and/or allow for increased bake time.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Raw pulsed mushrooms, meat, onion, bacon grease./Cooked with parsley and bread crumbs
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<tr><td class="tr-caption"><b><span style="font-size: small;">German Cabbage Rolls</span></b></td></tr>
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1 Tablespoon bacon grease</div>
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8 oz white mushrooms, minced fine</div>
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1 medium onion, minced</div>
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1 lb ground pork</div>
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1 Tablespoon tomato paste</div>
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1 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika</div>
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1 teaspoon marjoram</div>
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1/2 teaspoon ground mustard</div>
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salt and black pepper to taste</div>
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1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar</div>
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1 cup bread crumbs</div>
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1/3 cup rice (optional)</div>
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1/2 bunch parsley, chopped (approx. 1 cup)</div>
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2 lbs lean ground beef</div>
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2 eggs</div>
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2-3 cups chicken broth</div>
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In a large skillet, melt the bacon grease. Add mushrooms, onion, and ground pork. Cook, breaking pork into small bits and add tomato paste, paprika, marjoram, and the ground mustard. Cook until the pork has lost any hint of pink, stirring to infuse the spices and allowing any residual moisture from the mushrooms to cook off and the meat mixture to thicken. Taste to season the meat, remembering that another 2 pounds of raw hamburger are added to the stuffing, so the mixture should be salty to compensate. Allow the mixture to cool a bit and then add the vinegar, bread crumbs, rice, parsley, beef and two eggs. If preparing ahead without the intention of cooking immediately, allow the pork mixture to cool completely before adding the uncooked meat. </div>
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<b>To stuff/roll the cabbage leaves: </b><br />
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1 head cabbage, tough outer leaves removed, thick stem removed<br />
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In a large pot of simmering salted water, submerge the cabbage completely. Allow the head to simmer a few minutes and when the outer leaves appear slightly translucent and wilted, remove with kitchen tongs. Continue to remove leaves until the leaves are too small to roll. Allow each layer to cook a few minutes if they do not easily come loose with the tongs. Let the leaves to drain of any water and come back to room temperature so they are easier to handle.<br />
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Large leaves can be cut in half and rolled with the thick middle spine either removed completely or cut thin. Smaller leaves should have the middle vein trimmed to match the thickness of the rest of the leaves so rolling is easier and they evenly cook.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Depending upon the size of the cabbage, there will be a varying number of leaves to stuff. The cabbage used in this recipe had approximately 40 leaves worthy of stuffing. Weighing the meat mixture revealed it to be 4 lbs. Dividing 4 lbs by 40 resulted in just under 2 ounces per roll, or about 1/4 cup. Based on these measurements, you should be able to make a reasonable estimate on how much each of your stuff-able leaves should have for filling.</blockquote>
Lay the meat mixture in the middle of the leaves. Fold the sides over the ends and roll to make a secure bundle. Lay the rolls seam side down in the pan. They can be stacked in two layers. Pour the chicken broth over the rolls and up to the edge of the pan. They can be refrigerated at this point or baked in a 350-degree oven (covered) for 1 1/2 hours or until they are bubbly and cooked through. They can also cook at 325-degrees for as long as 2 hours, depending upon the timing needed, cabbage rolls are forgiving.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiptxlC5flz22y-pCx1cpGsA_ygWqYi4A9pohf7zGNNASAKbW88F8U2VZvy6Gs1e4uIi7QOULshmZhdvHN6NDnowE-N1ZRucK6nW3rTGignAj0kAfNDEEcZnPWSwQUF9WrTtHnDiMW-FKFJ/s640/blogger-image-2117046870.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiptxlC5flz22y-pCx1cpGsA_ygWqYi4A9pohf7zGNNASAKbW88F8U2VZvy6Gs1e4uIi7QOULshmZhdvHN6NDnowE-N1ZRucK6nW3rTGignAj0kAfNDEEcZnPWSwQUF9WrTtHnDiMW-FKFJ/s200/blogger-image-2117046870.jpg" width="150" /></a><br />I prefer to serve German cabbage rolls with fried potatoes, but they would be equally good with boiled or mashed. Fried potatoes are best made from baked russet potatoes. Allow them to cool and then slice. Fry in bacon grease. Salt and pepper to taste. I fry mine in batches and then move to the oven to keep warm (while the cabbage rolls are cooking.) The pan can then be used for making the gravy. <br /><br />Fried potatoes can also be made the day ahead and reheated in the oven uncovered for approximately 30 minutes at the end of the cabbage roll baking time, stir as they reheat to encourage an even browning.</div>
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<b>Gravy: </b></div>
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2 1/2 Tablespoons milk</div>
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2 1/2 Tablespoons cornstarch</div>
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1/2 Tablespoon cooking Sherry (or 1-2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar)</div>
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Salt and pepper to taste</div>
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Mix the milk and cornstarch in a small bowl. Remove the cabbage rolls and place on a high-sided serving platter, covered with foil to keep warm. Strain the cabbage roll cooking juice into a large fry pan and bring up to a simmer. Add the milk and cornstarch mixture, stirring until the gravy has thickened. Remove from heat and add the sherry/vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. </div>
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Pour over the cabbage rolls in the platter and serve immediately with potatoes and a nice German beer.</div>
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Recipe makes 12-15 servings. </div>
Xenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01209040743247816281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062485984584136870.post-13438701695307316562014-03-11T10:01:00.000-05:002014-03-11T10:14:59.379-05:00TIP: Freezing Hamburger<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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Work from home? Single? Married and work ridiculous hours? Huge family pulled in every direction; need meals ready in minutes? Frozen hamburger patties are great for nearly any meat-eating situation (vegetarians may not appreciate this tip as much.) </div>
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This post is more about saving hamburger in a ready to use way than about serving it inside a bun. Building upon the <a href="http://pixfiz.blogspot.com/2014/02/tip-tomato-paste.html" target="_blank">tomato paste</a> idea, I use the same trick with hamburger and it has proven to be a stroke of brilliance (if I do say so myself.)</div>
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<ul>
<li>A gallon-sized Ziplock bag will easily hold anywhere from 1 pound to 1 1/2 pounds of meat with this method, less meat may fit better in smaller bags. More may fit, but the burgers will be significantly thicker.</li>
<li>Roll the meat into an even flat layer within the bag. Leave the corner of the bag open to let the air escape and then seal it tight once the air is removed.</li>
<li>Use a chopstick or other straight edge tool to make an indent into the meat. Draw the end across the indent to make a deeper groove. Portion the meat into equal sized servings. Turn the bag over and draw the lines again to reinforce the divisions.</li>
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Lay the bag on a flat pan or cutting board and place it in the freezer until frozen solid. Then remove the pan and store in any position.</div>
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<b>The benefit? </b> </div>
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<ul>
<li>Thin meat thaws at a fraction of the time the solid chunk does so it is ready for any use beyond burgers much quicker. </li>
<li>Thin burgers are ready for lunch or a snack anytime the mood strikes. Toss them on to any hot pan and fry them straight from frozen. Salt, pepper, and a bun is all that is needed. Toast a frozen bun on the warming pan to thaw it. </li>
<li>Frozen flat hamburger is easier to store in the fridge than an odd shaped lump.</li>
<li>Portion control.</li>
<li>Air (oxidation) causes freezer burn. Forcing the air out keeps the meat from taking on any unpleasant flavor (freezer burn is actually safe to eat, just tastes bad) but this makes the meat so accessible, that it probably won't last long enough for that to happen anyway. </li>
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The meat will freeze into a somewhat solid chunk but a good whack on the counter will break it apart along the score lines. Remove the meat from the bag while still frozen, they practically pop out; much easier than if thawed.</div>
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Enjoy!</div>
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<br />Xenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01209040743247816281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062485984584136870.post-5768635410978029482014-03-09T22:31:00.001-05:002014-03-10T10:05:48.956-05:00Vegan Russian Potato Stew with Parsley Dumplings<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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This inviting (and inexpensive) bowl of hearty vegetable stew topped with a savory 'buttery' dumpling is one of the oldest recipes in my hand-written book. Friends of ours made this for us in college and I have never forgotten that lovely meal. I have made it several times a year ever since.</div>
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This is comfort food to be sure, but even without meat it is delicious enough to serve to guests with the guarantee that everyone will leave the table completely satisfied. The stew can be made the day ahead and then warmed up to a low simmer again on the stove just before adding the dumplings so it makes for an easy entertaining option when a vegetarian/vegan option is needed.</div>
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I added dumplings to the dish years ago and now I never make it without them. The soup is thickened into stew when one cup is pureed with a blender, giving the soup a hearty, creamier body. The flavors of the soup are delicious with or without the dumplings, or even without the pureeing, but I offer here the full version; pick and choose the parts you wish to complete. The soup is finished with a couple of different acids that add significant flavor, don't skip them. I offer variations, depending on your diet constraints. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC3k5ZEaDXAeI4ls_4n89dcYDpaxeRWgrFwQwcoLtq76azDRmIFAM-Ts9tjgP10gklYEsJYMSY1oSU4orYJh5nHXYmzW7IreD3yjZSD5QVCr2dlqBRM_40rsx5ElQc4C7X62gMRT-rCCEQ/s640/blogger-image--1839848619.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC3k5ZEaDXAeI4ls_4n89dcYDpaxeRWgrFwQwcoLtq76azDRmIFAM-Ts9tjgP10gklYEsJYMSY1oSU4orYJh5nHXYmzW7IreD3yjZSD5QVCr2dlqBRM_40rsx5ElQc4C7X62gMRT-rCCEQ/s200/blogger-image--1839848619.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSZvRBIim_LVgVL4DpvrevZujlCQdPx4NIENxTiZNCpLavqzbD0cnabP7sqwMWGG4NiVoFeTR6agADy-qXGqHoJ44cja5Z9pqgUYlSsQ5k3tF9Leio5Qg0fRhVp08CCmnR6sv_R9Q9be6l/s640/blogger-image--1255826551.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSZvRBIim_LVgVL4DpvrevZujlCQdPx4NIENxTiZNCpLavqzbD0cnabP7sqwMWGG4NiVoFeTR6agADy-qXGqHoJ44cja5Z9pqgUYlSsQ5k3tF9Leio5Qg0fRhVp08CCmnR6sv_R9Q9be6l/s200/blogger-image--1255826551.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9mRfAvqWDOnegEjU8IrNazDxgyFHSd1NqukvVVpKziwBHidVpH7UaR-5hFLrC1ZCBPgpWPblK4CLLRutaFstrx6YgSBU2-vegimOcqGMdEgvdBSdARQPZgvtRrDIdrjUV_loSz2sqCtSu/s640/blogger-image--2085059544.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9mRfAvqWDOnegEjU8IrNazDxgyFHSd1NqukvVVpKziwBHidVpH7UaR-5hFLrC1ZCBPgpWPblK4CLLRutaFstrx6YgSBU2-vegimOcqGMdEgvdBSdARQPZgvtRrDIdrjUV_loSz2sqCtSu/s200/blogger-image--2085059544.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<b>Russian Potato Stew</b></div>
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One recipe <a href="http://pixfiz.blogspot.com/2012/03/test-post.html" target="_blank">Vegetable Broth</a>, use 6 cups water and add 1/2 bunch parsley to the pot for flavoring as it simmers.</div>
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3 Tablespoons margarine/butter</div>
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2 medium onions, chopped</div>
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4 cloves garlic</div>
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2 celery ribs, sliced</div>
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3 medium carrots, chopped</div>
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2 pounds red potatoes, peeled and chopped </div>
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1 bay leaf</div>
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1-2 teaspoons <a href="http://www.superiortouch.com/retail/products/better-than-bouillon/vegetarian-bases/43/no-chicken-base" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.3s; background-color: white; color: #32aaff; display: inline; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; outline: none; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.3s;">Better than Bouillon No Chicken Base</a> (or salt)</div>
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1 teaspoon basil</div>
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1/2 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (or Spanish if smoked is not available)</div>
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2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional) </div>
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1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (or 2-3 teaspoons soy sauce for vegan diets) </div>
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1 Tablespoon cooking sherry or dry vermouth </div>
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<ol>
<li>Prepare the vegetable broth according to the recipes directions. </li>
<li>In a dutch oven or large stock pot, saute the onion and garlic in the margarine just into transparent. Add the other vegetables, toss to coat with the hot oil, allow to cook a few minutes before adding the strained vegetable broth and the bay leaf. Cook on medium low heat until the vegetables are tender. </li>
<li>Adjust salt level with bouillon if available, alternatively add salt as needed. </li>
<li>Remove the bay leaf. Measure out 1 cup of vegetables and enough broth to allow them to blend easily; use a stick blender if available and blend until smooth. Add the mixture back to the pot with the remaining ingredients. </li>
<li>Return to low simmer and add dumplings.</li>
</ol>
<div>
Heat oven to 400-degrees Fahrenheit.</div>
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<div>
<b>Parsley Dumplings</b></div>
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3 cups all-purpose flour</div>
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2 tsp baking powder</div>
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1 teaspoon soda</div>
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1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar</div>
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1 teaspoon salt</div>
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1 cup parsley, minced fine</div>
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1/4 cup vegetable oil</div>
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1 1/4 cup milk of choice (I prefer almond for a vegan option)</div>
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1/4 cup melted butter/margarine</div>
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1/4-1/2 teaspoon garlic powder</div>
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<ol>
<li>Combine all dry ingredients together including the parsley. Add the oil and milk, stir just until no big lumps remain and the mixture is uniformly wet. </li>
<li>Drop by large teaspoons full on to the top of the simmering liquid and place into hot oven. </li>
<li>Bake 15 minutes, remove from oven and brush with garlic butter. </li>
<li>Return to the oven for just a few minutes under the broiler if a golden hue is desired.</li>
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Serve.<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZVzcTXFLtHNhJhJpoAbyqrY4hnj_ha0HXyUXQme3Faa7ogC7QsomGEIT4AyAqY9gulzmzGLOqXDVSc8yWKugGzwCmrfNx73eNExJGz2SmjO0BIcvcP_FlD1_-Toe1Oc__WUdeYmyNChmE/s640/blogger-image-316509302.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="display: inline !important; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZVzcTXFLtHNhJhJpoAbyqrY4hnj_ha0HXyUXQme3Faa7ogC7QsomGEIT4AyAqY9gulzmzGLOqXDVSc8yWKugGzwCmrfNx73eNExJGz2SmjO0BIcvcP_FlD1_-Toe1Oc__WUdeYmyNChmE/s200/blogger-image-316509302.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1J3eAePKAvfP0ZEKVPgeLIYUYTFcWVU10ayZFoil5VoT1tD012nqytEH7C7sRBkiA9Pe6HQ0EaqogRh0u84PzjkTdMP34nrPfzHXicjdrNIhpjKILhSpkgrXDV7_A9MAPEmTsjLLzNGJo/s1600/blogger-image-568098718.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1J3eAePKAvfP0ZEKVPgeLIYUYTFcWVU10ayZFoil5VoT1tD012nqytEH7C7sRBkiA9Pe6HQ0EaqogRh0u84PzjkTdMP34nrPfzHXicjdrNIhpjKILhSpkgrXDV7_A9MAPEmTsjLLzNGJo/s200/blogger-image-568098718.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpyVzQOlCOPYHOfkJELbJjg7sB20A9sGcJsHu4e93DS97FuCb5MoD4aktn9CDjUhyq4nuwPVrH9pn1PflrYPjzj1JA8QbwAiTmQXHsnt8vuH7zzMikrt6icbCLcgzRo4nz1Io2UERKwTge/s640/blogger-image--769017791.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpyVzQOlCOPYHOfkJELbJjg7sB20A9sGcJsHu4e93DS97FuCb5MoD4aktn9CDjUhyq4nuwPVrH9pn1PflrYPjzj1JA8QbwAiTmQXHsnt8vuH7zzMikrt6icbCLcgzRo4nz1Io2UERKwTge/s200/blogger-image--769017791.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1J3eAePKAvfP0ZEKVPgeLIYUYTFcWVU10ayZFoil5VoT1tD012nqytEH7C7sRBkiA9Pe6HQ0EaqogRh0u84PzjkTdMP34nrPfzHXicjdrNIhpjKILhSpkgrXDV7_A9MAPEmTsjLLzNGJo/s640/blogger-image-568098718.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>Enjoy! </div>
<br />Xenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01209040743247816281noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062485984584136870.post-72608325822329845402014-02-26T17:19:00.000-06:002014-12-01T20:44:48.755-06:00Swedish Apple Pie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg9bdL8xM3nn7lFJwYX2QkUc6anlUWGZkLjv_shSyYYkH7snhKG6Ofe87ZSbh20JYrtKWhUd41qot23DMKy4fLu5BYr0q9H03YzFQ6g2rl1Qxwpzg82PByAbs1DWt0DWea1jkLi9eRJxrb/s1600/photo+3PieEDIT+DONE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg9bdL8xM3nn7lFJwYX2QkUc6anlUWGZkLjv_shSyYYkH7snhKG6Ofe87ZSbh20JYrtKWhUd41qot23DMKy4fLu5BYr0q9H03YzFQ6g2rl1Qxwpzg82PByAbs1DWt0DWea1jkLi9eRJxrb/s1600/photo+3PieEDIT+DONE.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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This delicious twist on the apple pie is a recipe from my mother-in-law's collection. The recipe is printed on the back of an old workplace newsletter and states 'Recipe of the Week' with no other attribution, so we are claiming it as our own family keepsake. This one is too good to misplace, and well worth sharing!<br />
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The tang of the sour cream in this custard pie balances the sweetness of the apples perfectly and the streusel topping ties it all together with a punch of cinnamon that bakes up to a beautiful golden brown color. Swedish Apple Pie is best served at room temperature and needs no accoutrements in the form of additional sweet creams giving it a very elegant serving appearance. <br />
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<b>Swedish Apple Pie</b><br />
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3 1/2 - 4 1/2 cups sliced tart cooking apples such as Granny Smith<br />
2 Tablespoons flour<br />
1/2 cup granulated sugar<br />
1 pinch salt<br />
1 egg<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />
1/2 cup sour cream<br />
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<ol>
<li>Boil the apples just until they beginning to soften. Drain well. (This step could be done in the microwave.)</li>
<li>Preheat oven to 350-degrees Fahrenheit. </li>
<li>Beat eggs and vanilla together, add sour cream, and fold into apples. </li>
<li>Pour into pie shell and bake approximately 40 minutes or until set. </li>
</ol>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Topping</span></b><br />
<br />
1/3 cup sugar<br />
1/3 cup flour<br />
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon<br />
1/3 cup butter<br />
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While the pie is baking prepare the topping:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Combine all topping ingredients until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle evenly over pie after the first 40 minute bake and return to oven for another 15 minutes. </blockquote>
Cool to room temperature to serve. 8-10 servings.<br />
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<br />Xenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01209040743247816281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062485984584136870.post-44006659884321212002014-02-25T10:12:00.000-06:002014-02-25T10:16:56.974-06:00Tip: Tomato Paste<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNdklguPNh0akp83gNo_IrBAVt0i6d_T5_6NqhyDcEhsQ_aebSazXrfGIsN7BglyvE-nra_DP9mj76CoU-8vrtCNZtBfTb-kf39mOboRPsOvDFIObBKEF9xOS_adRDEBet8CJ9ZaycP7z1/s1600/IMG_2314.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNdklguPNh0akp83gNo_IrBAVt0i6d_T5_6NqhyDcEhsQ_aebSazXrfGIsN7BglyvE-nra_DP9mj76CoU-8vrtCNZtBfTb-kf39mOboRPsOvDFIObBKEF9xOS_adRDEBet8CJ9ZaycP7z1/s1600/IMG_2314.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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Many of my recipes call for a tablespoon or less of tomato paste and in the past, had I noticed that in a recipe, I might be inclined to just leave it out since opening a 6 oz can of tomato paste for only one tablespoon seemed a real waste. Paste will mold within about a week's time in the fridge so storing the leftovers and using them before they went bad has always been problematic. Buying the paste already in a tube is a great alternative but the cost is triple that of a can, hardly practical for the amount of cooking in this family.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNww3xPWjzhshR0AsAsZrW0sWxf-4B5SowXUXNfyTsDptBRDp0xuJlI_ISpkFgV8aYWP7uct0TXAqogWjmax8dTbDw_RY7jiChi1HQjovPhuke86jQF5IiubZSYryj3JFZ5KyZHLr6xVmf/s1600/IMG_2315.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNww3xPWjzhshR0AsAsZrW0sWxf-4B5SowXUXNfyTsDptBRDp0xuJlI_ISpkFgV8aYWP7uct0TXAqogWjmax8dTbDw_RY7jiChi1HQjovPhuke86jQF5IiubZSYryj3JFZ5KyZHLr6xVmf/s1600/IMG_2315.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<blockquote>
<b>Solution:</b> Store the paste in a Ziplock bag in the freezer. Depending on how much is left in the can, use a snack or sandwich bag and press the paste to an even layer, forcing out all the air to the edges. Then use a finger to draw through the bag and divide the paste into approximately tablespoon size squares. For reference, a 6 ounce can is approximately 10 tablespoons of tomato paste (it says so on the can.) If 2 are used in the current recipe then the remainder when pressed into an even layer can be divided into 8 equal tablespoon-sized portions. Place in the freezer flat until it is frozen, then when you need paste, simply open the bag to remove an already measured portion. </blockquote>
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Tomato paste has a number of flavor enhancing acidic compounds and can be added to almost any savory dish without making it 'tomatoey', but instead adds richness and depth to almost any stock, gravy, or sauce no matter the ethnicity of the cuisine. With this tip you never need to be without a premeasured bit of tomato paste, providing you the opportunity to add it without hesitation to all your favorite recipes. </div>
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Enjoy!</div>
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<br />Xenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01209040743247816281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062485984584136870.post-64056893506122650132014-02-24T23:24:00.000-06:002014-02-25T09:04:53.568-06:00Pastitsio (Pastichio) Greek Lasagna<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGdXgnFlDm2uagg_t8nfDRsNMt6ZrHvYuDTaa1SWM3PQNg4oopNiXz-OhKkGNlnujRgsTglwY_THO-Z0pCCmBvyPAxTetq7DvQ2mW5ze1VJeHiEeSeHDQKF0CwqtF_iJ81LTU0yvipBkae/s1600/Pastitisio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGdXgnFlDm2uagg_t8nfDRsNMt6ZrHvYuDTaa1SWM3PQNg4oopNiXz-OhKkGNlnujRgsTglwY_THO-Z0pCCmBvyPAxTetq7DvQ2mW5ze1VJeHiEeSeHDQKF0CwqtF_iJ81LTU0yvipBkae/s1600/Pastitisio.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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Many years ago in a hole-in-the-wall cafe in old town Athens I had the pleasure of enjoying a near perfect meal of pastitsio and <a href="http://pixfiz.blogspot.com/2013/03/spinach-and-cheese-pie-spanikopita.html" target="_blank">spanikopita</a>; both recipes I have longed to recreate since. The cook there put a lot of love into their food for sure; just thinking about the lamb and okra stew my father-in-law ordered has my mouth watering (and I don't even like okra.)<br />
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The pastitsio at that little cafe had a very light but substantial béchamel topping. I am certain they whipped the egg white to get that lift, so my last few efforts have been experimenting with egg white proportions and I finally feel as though I've come close to reproducing that legendary dish. I recently served my version to a gathering of nearly 30 guests, with over half of them returning to the buffet line for seconds and all them raving about the results.<br />
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One pan will easily feed 10-12, and it is very manageable for any group since it can be made the day ahead. I used the standard disposable casserole dish (11 3/4' x 9 1/4" x 1 1/2") and filled it to nearly overflowing, but it did not spill out over the edge as it baked, making clean up for that big party a breeze. This is a recipe I will be coming back to in the future.<br />
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<b>Greek Pastitsio</b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Meat Sauce:</span> </b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
1/2 Tablespoon olive oil<br />
1 medium onion chopped<br />
2 pounds lean ground beef/lamb or any combination<br />
1/2 cup dry white wine<br />
1 cup water<br />
1 chicken or beef bullion cube<br />
2 Tablespoons tomato paste<br />
3 Tablespoons chopped parsley<br />
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon<br />
1/2 cup bread crumbs</blockquote>
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Saute the onion in the oil until translucent, add meat and cook, breaking up chunks until no pink remains. Add all remaining sauce ingredients with the exception of the bread crumbs and allow to simmer and reduce until sauce is thick and very little liquid remains in the pan. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir in bread crumbs. Allow to cool.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Pasta:</span></b><br />
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1 pound pasta, ziti, bucatini, or penne<br />
2 eggs, beaten<br />
1/4 cup butter, cut into 1/2 tablespoons slices<br />
1 1/2 cup (6 oz) Swiss or Kasseri cheese, shredded<br />
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While the meat sauce cooks, bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and cook the noodles according to the package directions to al dente, or firm to the bite. Pour noodles into a colander to drain and run under cold water to cool. Use the residual heat from the pan the noodles cooked in to melt the butter. Once the butter is melted, return the cool noodles to the pan and toss to coat. Combine the remaining ingredients and toss to coat the noodles evenly.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Place approximately two-thirds of the noodles in the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 casserole, cover with the meat sauce, making an even layer. Use the remaining noodles to top the meat sauce and proceed to making the béchamel<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet, 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic;"> </span>topping. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The top layer of béchamel will have slightly more lift if made the same day as baking, but the casserole can easily be made the day ahead, refrigerated overnight, and baked the next day with very little appreciable difference in the lightness of the cream top. Note baking times will be approximately 20 minutes longer when baked directly from the cold refrigerator.</blockquote>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Béchamel sauce:</span></b><br />
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4 cups milk, heated<br />
3/4 cup flour<br />
1/2 cup salted butter<br />
1/4 - 1/2 tsp nutmeg, fresh ground<br />
1/2 teaspoon white pepper<br />
1/2 cup Parmesan or Kefalotyri, grated<br />
4 eggs, separated<br />
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1/2 cup Parmesan or Kefalotyri, finely grated for topping<br />
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Heat milk on the stove or in the microwave to warm (warm milk reduces lump formation in sauce.) Melt butter and stir in flour, allow to cook over medium heat 2-3 minutes. Slowly pour in the warm milk and whisk constantly until the mixture is evenly smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool 5 minutes.<br />
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While the sauce cools, beat the eggs whites to soft peaks. Add nutmeg, pepper and 1/2 cup cheese, whisk to combine. Remove 1/2 cup of the warm béchamel and whisk it into the egg yolks to temper them, then add the yolk mixture to the sauce, whisking to combine. Repeat with the beaten egg whites to temper them and then folding them into the sauce. Salt to taste.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Pour the béchamel sauce over the top layer of noodles and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese over all. Pastitsio can be covered and refrigerated overnight to bake the next day or placed directly into a 350-degree oven on the middle rack for approximately 50 minutes. The top should be golden brown. Allow to cool 15 minutes before slicing and serving for the best presentation. </blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>TIP</b>: To test if a dish is heated through to the middle, carefully poke a fork through the top layers and let it set in the middle of the dish for about 1/2 a minute. Feeling the fork will indicate if the middle is sufficiently hot or not. If the top browns too quickly before the middle cooks through, tent the top with aluminum foil. </span><br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b>Xenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01209040743247816281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062485984584136870.post-398902393362202512014-02-07T16:21:00.000-06:002014-12-01T21:02:34.935-06:00Baconology: 10, 5, Flip, Finish Method<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnXa5t_9hmNuT0pWNyR-UuiYp2wNy8hFnAMh0e9JlzkmlvIDiBn8ZuR24mai4-Lzs6pTUiJRMWlOE_z290qlp-iWvSBCoc95hD7Coikhq6EQPLoi3oGxpqt4_QyrvIPJetYpUz11i7VAz0/s1600/VacationBacon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnXa5t_9hmNuT0pWNyR-UuiYp2wNy8hFnAMh0e9JlzkmlvIDiBn8ZuR24mai4-Lzs6pTUiJRMWlOE_z290qlp-iWvSBCoc95hD7Coikhq6EQPLoi3oGxpqt4_QyrvIPJetYpUz11i7VAz0/s1600/VacationBacon.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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I have cooked a lot of bacon over the last few months. I jokingly coined my efforts 'Baconology' and have documented notes and weights on at least 25 lbs of bacon cooked by various methods. This was hardly a deep-dive scientifically speaking, but the measured observances and extensive taste tests led to a number of rather interesting discoveries.<br />
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My intention was to come up with a cooking method that would consistently yield great bacon. After I met that criteria I worked to make it as effortless as possible, which included reducing cleanup and cook times. The results are the '10, 5, Flip, Finish', and as recorded in the video, prove that not only does it work for one pound of bacon, but it works just the same for two.<br />
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<b>Watch the video to learn more: </b><br />
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<h3>
<b>Breakdown: <span style="color: #073763;">10, 5, Flip, Finish </span></b></h3>
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<table style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; text-align: center; width: 100%;"><colgroup><col width="*"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr style="height: 0px;"><td style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 1px solid #f1c232; padding: 7px 7px 7px 7px; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #85200c; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Place bacon straight out of the package fat side down in a cold nonstick pan.
Place on burner over MEDIUM heat.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #a61c00;">Set the timer for </span><b><span style="color: #073763;">10 minutes</span></b><span style="color: #a61c00;">, don't touch it. </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #85200c; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #cc4125; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1; white-space: pre-wrap;">At 10 minutes, separate the rashers to fill the pan.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #85200c; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #073763; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b> Cook another 5 minutes. </b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #b45f06;">After</span><span style="color: #b45f06;"> 5 minutes<span style="font-weight: bold;">,</span></span><span style="color: #990000; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="color: #073763; font-weight: bold;">FLIP</span><span style="color: #b45f06;"> it all over. </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #85200c; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Push the least cooked rashers to the sides and use the middle of the pan to</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #073763; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b> FINISH</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #cc4125; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1; white-space: pre-wrap;">If the pan spits grease, turn the heat down. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #85200c; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #cc4125; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If they cook too quickly, turn the heat down.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #a61c00; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1; white-space: pre-wrap;">Remove from pan as they turn golden and allow to drain on paper towels.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #85200c; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #85200c; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1; white-space: pre-wrap;">Don't allow the bacon to steam, move it to a plate while still warm. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #85200c; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #85200c; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It will continue to crisp up as it cools.</span></div>
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The concept here is that the fat takes longer to cook than the meat. Cooking it fat side down protects the more tender meat proteins and allows the fat to render, creating a more tender and delicious rasher. Admittedly the process takes a bit of time, but the first 15 minutes are nearly hands off, and the benefit of those last 10 minutes of extra attention means fewer grease splatters and greatly reduced mishaps of burnt bacon.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
I should also note that I tested all kinds of pans, stainless steal, cast iron, and nonstick. Each of them performed well, but I settled on the nonstick pan for the ease of clean up. It is certainly not essential to have a nonstick pan to make great bacon, it is just my pan of choice.</blockquote>
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<b>Other Bacon Geek Discoveries: </b> </div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>Baked vs Fried </b></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
As mentioned in the video, I measured the weights of grease and meat with the expectation that baked bacon would weigh less in meat and more in grease than that of fried, since I believed the myth that baked bacon is lower in fat (thinking more grease would render out.) However four different methods, two on the oven and two on the stove, using exactly the same raw meat weight revealed the post-cooked weights of all four methods also was exactly the same. Which leads to the assumption that baking only removes flavor/moisture, not fat (since it did not taste nearly as good.)</blockquote>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>Great Bacon has a High Fat to Meat Ratio </b></blockquote>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirtH7pSpMmsffXs1b-_iXYuwoCDuJBR9cr68zlyNU9E3EwTLJpVzPmFRxssUchvncEDtri0W0NxG2WsUN9TpPAP6-v8MtiOvu-vHokGVfxQGfP-iQibqqn-M9-snOcdddIasvsxFeKSYSY/s640/blogger-image-1007978176.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirtH7pSpMmsffXs1b-_iXYuwoCDuJBR9cr68zlyNU9E3EwTLJpVzPmFRxssUchvncEDtri0W0NxG2WsUN9TpPAP6-v8MtiOvu-vHokGVfxQGfP-iQibqqn-M9-snOcdddIasvsxFeKSYSY/s200/blogger-image-1007978176.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bacon from the video.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</blockquote>
Weighing bacon this way revealed a pattern in the relationship of great taste to rendered grease. The bacon with the most flavor nearly always rendered out the same weight in grease as in meat. This meant in almost every instance that the national brands did not even compare to the lower cost/generic or regional brands. When purchasing bacon in the past I always picked through the selection looking for the 'meatiest' looking package. Measurements and tastes tests confirm that is completely unnecessary and even undesirable.<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>Meat Weight</b></blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFH93qe4flLencC4fJBsz0d9MFotlDhM7pKYEpBfGNFrVxlBDCFqieGIMrK-cdWA18KGmuS8mEF-gOp-UeIFlY12DnHyVDbgRj5-Fl9Uz1orpF7Oy27Zo2o5ysGMlEwwkpPtSQ1oAQoHYO/s1600/IMG_2770.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFH93qe4flLencC4fJBsz0d9MFotlDhM7pKYEpBfGNFrVxlBDCFqieGIMrK-cdWA18KGmuS8mEF-gOp-UeIFlY12DnHyVDbgRj5-Fl9Uz1orpF7Oy27Zo2o5ysGMlEwwkpPtSQ1oAQoHYO/s1600/IMG_2770.JPG" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Strained bacon grease.</td></tr>
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I weighed dozens of pounds, uncooked, cooked, along with the grease left in the pan. Not all bacon is a full pound out of the package, despite what it says on the wrapper. I found many that came in a full ounce short. This is actually more appalling when you learn that those 15 ounces cook down to less than 4 ounces of edible meat. If you consider the cost per pound equates to only a quarter of that amount in cooked product; that makes bacon a very expensive cut of meat. The cost alone should be reason enough to get serious about a cooking method. </blockquote>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>Additional Bits of Bacon</b></blockquote>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWHAJIr6N9DCYTMp3IMSnYbJh9FWMhNpjpQYdq2nrTZKlVqw-hU0X8Xw3S2Nq66BSz-7ddTYLTN8DVYzv-e3aFMXrpJXhDKIKOljWCo7IWH0krEmrg7fzqvv-7vbXMcRyGAk0Jwwc4u6vf/s1600/homecured.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWHAJIr6N9DCYTMp3IMSnYbJh9FWMhNpjpQYdq2nrTZKlVqw-hU0X8Xw3S2Nq66BSz-7ddTYLTN8DVYzv-e3aFMXrpJXhDKIKOljWCo7IWH0krEmrg7fzqvv-7vbXMcRyGAk0Jwwc4u6vf/s1600/homecured.jpg" height="318" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Home-cured and smoked bacon is darker in color,<br />but has no off-putting flavor unlike commercial bacon<br />when allowed to get this browned.</td></tr>
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Bacon grease, like any other fat introduced in your diet should be consumed sparingly, but is does enhance almost any dish. Rubbed on the outsides of baked potatoes, sauteed with onions and garlic for tomato sauces, omelets, hash browns, and every sort of green veggie benefit from frying in bacon grease. The fat content is not any higher in bacon grease than other fats, but it does contain sodium, so keep that in mind when adding salt. Allow the grease to cool a bit, then strain any cooked meat bits out and store it in the fridge in a lidded glass container.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Bacon's cost, its unequivocal flavor, and its potential health implications make it all the more important that when you do indulge, you make the most of the little bit of meat you get from your efforts. I hope you find as much success with this method as I have.</blockquote>
Enjoy!<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Oh and for you vegan fans, I haven't left you out. You can find my version of tofu 'bacon' <a href="http://pixfiz.blogspot.com/2013/12/vegan-tofu-bacon.html" target="_blank">here</a>. </span></i><br />
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Xenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01209040743247816281noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062485984584136870.post-61010711895445597562014-02-05T23:18:00.000-06:002014-02-05T23:26:11.369-06:00Whipped Cream Cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRkaYFwOqhbtP7yGBhfMd4AlEinyZF5ZLaSIhk3xaz7hL1ow-yt2DEioZo6kMq7IcAsgvgyyHC7S_hUg7OcZBCE5aoAgmgLcWjPxjUqzszrNKVFWz21tYcz-Sm5oYyIwwXv-mhD9MWH7I4/s640/blogger-image--7536457.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
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Whipped Cream Cake takes an entire quart of heavy cream to make and is absolutely decadent with whipped cream flavor; no other cake I have ever had even compares. Italian cream cake recipes may come close, but they tend to have a buttery mouth feel, whereas this cake is light like sweet cream. The inherent problem with whipped cream as a frosting is also solved by using a stabilizer in the form of instant pudding mix, which gives the cream enough structure that it will hold up in the fridge for days (if it lasts that long.) Using the white chocolate version of the mix adds the lightest possible flavor, so the sweet cream takes center stage and every bite tastes gourmet but the effort is far from it. In fact, I recently made this cake in a vacation rental with only a blender to whip the cream and disposable aluminium pans for baking. It may have been a little short on lift from usual but it was still a huge success with all our guests. </div>
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The only trick to this cake is the bake time. There is no butter or oil in the recipe, so the heavy cream acts as the fat. As a result it can dry out very easily if it is over-baked. I have experimented with adding oil, beating the cream nearly to butter, beating it less, or not at all, but just watching the bake time turns out to be the best solution to maximize the cream's flavor and maintain a light crumb. Watch the cake as it begins to take on color. As soon as the top feels firm and has just a hint of golden brown it is probably done. If you wait until the sides pull away with this cake, it may already have dried out. Don't let that scare you off from trying it though, this cake is worth every bit of the extra attention needed, which will be confirmed the second you taste the scrumptious batter. If you can resist licking the bowl, you have far more will power than I!<br />
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<b>Whipped Cream Cake</b></div>
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1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream<br />
3 eggs </div>
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1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla</div>
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1 1/2 cups white sugar</div>
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2 teaspoons baking powder</div>
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1/2 teaspoon salt</div>
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2 1/4 cups cake flour (2 cups all purpose)</div>
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Heat oven to 350-degrees. Line two 9-inch rounds with parchment, first spraying each with cooking spray. Measure out the flour, salt, and baking soda on to a piece of waxed paper, blend gently with a fork to break up any clumped bits of flour.</div>
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To save on washing bowls, beat all the whipped cream first. Making sure all bowls, beaters, and cream is very cold, start with the whipped cream measured for the frosting and filling below, beat it to medium firm peaks with the sugar and set it in a bowl in the refrigerator for later. Then beat the whipping cream for the cake to very firm peaks (as shown in the picture below.) Mound the whipped cream on to a plate or shallow bowl and proceed to use the mixing bowl to mix the rest of the cake ingredients. </div>
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Blend the eggs, vanilla, and sugar until lemon colored and thickened. On top of the egg mixture add the flour and whipped cream and fold until combined. The batter should be uniformly mixed. </div>
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The batter is thick, so divide it equally between the pans and spread it to make an even layer.</div>
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In my oven it bakes for 20-22 minutes but it should be checked before then. Do not let the cake overbake. The most accurate method I have found for testing it is the finger touch. It should bounce back when touched, it may have an uneven golden hue, that is perfectly acceptable. Allow to cool in pan 10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely before frosting/filling.</div>
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<b>Whipped Cream Cake Filling and Frosting</b></div>
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2 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream</div>
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1/3 cup white sugar</div>
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2 3.3 oz White Chocolate Jello instant pudding mix</div>
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2 cups milk</div>
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1 teaspoon vanilla</div>
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Whisk the pudding mix and vanilla into the milk in a large bowl and add the cream whipped earlier to combine. Divide the frosting into three equal portions and put one on each of the cakes. Spread the cream nearly to the sides and place one cake on top of the other. Use the final third of cream to frost the sides. You will the find the whipped cream has far more body and is easier to work with than most other frosting and will allow deep, creamy swirls to be formed on the top and sides. </div>
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The cake is neither too sweet, too light in body, or too heavy. Don't be alarmed by the amount of frosting, one taste will tell you that it is going to be divine on the cake, be sure to use it all. Whipped cream cake easily feeds 16, but there are sure to be some guests who want seconds. Enjoy!<br />
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Xenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01209040743247816281noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062485984584136870.post-85700534985332557052014-01-21T12:24:00.000-06:002014-01-26T20:58:20.482-06:00Boneless Whole Chicken Ballotine with Pork, Spinach, and Mushroom Stuffing<br />
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I first saw Jacques Pepin debone a whole chicken years ago and was absolutely fascinated by it, he made it look easy enough that anyone could do it. Truth is, it really isn't difficult, but I can't do it in 45 seconds like Pepin (took me close to 20 minutes, including the stuffing and trussing.) If however you have any kind of phobia about chicken skin, blood, sinew, cartilage, or any kind of raw meat aversion in general, this recipe is probably not for you, this one takes a bit of grit, but it is so worth it!<br />
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Stuffing a boneless chicken in this manner is actually the culinary art of charcuterie, a branch of cooking that focuses on sausages and other related prepared meats. Years ago I made a ballotine following Jacque's original recipe (linked in the video below) and it was good, but this time I had a distinct flavor profile in mind to serve a large group for a special event. Thinking of it more along the lines of fancy sausage, it made sense to create a more hearty meat version that used the chicken flesh as casing.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/kAekQ5fzfGM?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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I rank this right up there with one of the best things I have ever eaten, but if you are still not convinced it is worth the effort, here is the top 10 reasons why you should ballotine a chicken:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
10. You have never done it before. Learning new things is good for you and you aren't a pansy about a little chicken guts.<br />
9. One chicken ballotine serves up to 12 people as a main meal, 20 if the slices are cut in half and other meat is offered.<br />
8. Serving a large crowd skinless chicken breasts is uninspired.<br />
7. Serving a large crowd bone-in-chicken pieces is messy.<br />
6. The stuffing keeps the entire bird moist as it cooks, even the heat sensitive breast meat.<br />
5. The drippings make an incredible pan gravy that is absolutely perfect over mashed potatoes.<br />
4. The bird can be dressed and stuffed the day ahead.<br />
3. The skin takes on a gorgeous golden hue as it cooks to crisp perfection in the oven.<br />
2. Using an entire bird is far more economical than parts and lends itself perfectly to the purchase of organic and/or all-natural chicken.<br />
1. Your friends and family will think you are a culinary genius, and it is so good you might even believe it yourself.</blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAxmIIpuBhr6fHwMQAHSc9EKJfCoWsISjnXLKNw4r96noSgozCPJXjJLAmm7g9vQ_v4caS1wNTWacFDz_VlDsThlBsY_n_1n7kpEyl-Igb44wCBmnP5KLsWrfhRyXsNakmrHAvR-KVQhuk/s1600/chickenBallotinFULL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAxmIIpuBhr6fHwMQAHSc9EKJfCoWsISjnXLKNw4r96noSgozCPJXjJLAmm7g9vQ_v4caS1wNTWacFDz_VlDsThlBsY_n_1n7kpEyl-Igb44wCBmnP5KLsWrfhRyXsNakmrHAvR-KVQhuk/s1600/chickenBallotinFULL.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">To serve this bird on a buffet line, slice one and keep the other intact for a more impressive presentation. Pour half the pan gravy across the cut chicken to keep it moist while serving.<br />
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So how does this go together? First mix up a batch of the stuffing below. Note the recipe is written for a double batch, halve it for only one chicken. Let the dressing cool completely, even overnight if time allows, when dealing with raw chicken, everything should be as cold as possible until it goes into the oven. Follow Jacque's video to debone the chicken and truss it as he shows (there are plenty of other videos on trussing chicken available for more detailed instructions should you need them <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=truss+a+chicken&oq=tress+a+ch&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0l5.6192j0j7&sourceid=chrome&espv=210&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8#q=truss+a+chicken" target="_blank">here</a>.)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGFHSdwmLZ0UDH0On1tT43gUFnLCWCMjvgz_VF6c6UjrU6yOukWIZfi4G1mTSkW34lN-sgC9U8NrmMSKaWpVx7to-PEohVL4XoOl-AgRRFiGljnp1x8kERyCJvuVjlGR2U0y8KTPlZJZ7s/s1600/onechixtresse1d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGFHSdwmLZ0UDH0On1tT43gUFnLCWCMjvgz_VF6c6UjrU6yOukWIZfi4G1mTSkW34lN-sgC9U8NrmMSKaWpVx7to-PEohVL4XoOl-AgRRFiGljnp1x8kERyCJvuVjlGR2U0y8KTPlZJZ7s/s1600/onechixtresse1d.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The trussing is not as complicated as it seems, but if it seems unmanageable, just tie and secure with knots evenly spaced up the chicken to help it keeps its shape.<br />
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I opted to braise the meat, but gave it 20 minutes dry heat (400-degrees F) to give the skin a jump start on a rich color. Adding the liquid and turning the tender white breast down into the liquid protects it from drying out as the middle comes up to heat. After 45 minutes of breast down, the chicken should be turned again, being careful to not burst the skin which holds in all those lovely juices. Bake until the internal temperature reads 155-degrees Fahrenheit, approximately two hours. Allow to rest 15-20 minutes before slicing. Prepare the gravy recipe below while the meat rests.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp9mPmbBmyoHlSTheab4vZNGRCig4V7mphHmAShyrmeA3iO9TvVcnuWaZ1FLHczkF6X7zP2hwiOu55n5z8d0NMlS4b2eLTOTFLnP13akHYomk5sXR2YAbVmn6R3o2Yd5JmSvoyYfv-NOU-/s1600/ballotinemashed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp9mPmbBmyoHlSTheab4vZNGRCig4V7mphHmAShyrmeA3iO9TvVcnuWaZ1FLHczkF6X7zP2hwiOu55n5z8d0NMlS4b2eLTOTFLnP13akHYomk5sXR2YAbVmn6R3o2Yd5JmSvoyYfv-NOU-/s1600/ballotinemashed.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The flavor of the ballotine is versatile enough to be served with pasta, mashed potatoes and dressing, or as the protein to compliment nearly any Mediterranean side dishes.</span></span></td></tr>
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<b>Chicken Ballotine</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
1 lb breakfast sausage, raw<br />
1 lb frozen chopped spinach, squeezed to remove all excess water<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
8 ounces shredded Swiss cheese<br />
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Combine the above ingredients in a large bowl (with your hands to blend thoroughly) and return to refrigerator while cooking the remaining pork stuffing. This mixture, when added to the cooked ingredients below help the sausage form a solid mass once cooked inside the bird.<br />
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1 medium onion, chopped fine<br />
2 stalks celery, chopped fine<br />
8 ounces mushrooms (of your choice) minced fine<br />
1 tablespoon butter<br />
1 pound breakfast sausage<br />
1/2 cup dry red wine<br />
1 chicken bouillon cube<br />
2 tablespoons tomato paste<br />
1/2 cup chopped parsley<br />
1 tablespoon dill<br />
salt and pepper to taste<br />
<br />
Saute the onion until transparent, add celery and mushrooms to coat and all remaining ingredients, except the herbs. Break up the meat as it cooks and let the mixture simmer over medium low heat until the liquid has evaporated and it appears rather dry. Add the herbs and season to taste. Cool this mixture completely.<br />
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Once the cooked sausage is cool, combine it with the above raw sausage mixture and use it as the stuffing in the chicken ballotine, cut and trussed as per Jacques Pipen's instructions above.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOwQT8ANpe3laWQ8u_BCt97goOYXsCigx88lmNb_Mhg0QNXkuwfdFhDTjvnJtZdp9fO0tnJtTs6IE3l57qVCuJBeJ1AbNeph5Fg26O27AqB3W7ozepD1UEHK1ydbdIhuVPo6edzVnKXF0g/s1600/ballotinetressed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOwQT8ANpe3laWQ8u_BCt97goOYXsCigx88lmNb_Mhg0QNXkuwfdFhDTjvnJtZdp9fO0tnJtTs6IE3l57qVCuJBeJ1AbNeph5Fg26O27AqB3W7ozepD1UEHK1ydbdIhuVPo6edzVnKXF0g/s1600/ballotinetressed.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
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<b>Baking instructions: </b>Cook the chickens side by side in a large roaster pan (note in the picture to the left they are on a rack in the pan, they sat on this overnight, but the decision was made to cook them directly in the pan the next morning - no rack is needed) at 400-degrees for 20 minutes allowing a nice golden color to develop on the upward facing breast meat. After 20 minutes, add 1 cup dry white wine and 1 cup water and turn the chickens over to submerge the breast meat in the liquid and bake for another 45 minutes. Turn the chickens again and check internal temperature, allowing the meat to cook until the internal temp reaches 155-degrees Fahrenheit, approximately 2 hours (total cooking time.) Allow the ballotine to rest for 20 minutes and proceed to make the gravy below from the pan drippings.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI3NJcRCsxFR0indI6YodAZ0ijhR4Q1xmiCz1tzVinBC372oBt5cB0L5PXg2zwW0z0wco0tPLqWstEyumTRxq09ZY0kHrhXHX_xEr_dMCjjFnYuEA9tp_fr_zvi324irwR2_ALQcORtS3P/s640/blogger-image-507924785.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI3NJcRCsxFR0indI6YodAZ0ijhR4Q1xmiCz1tzVinBC372oBt5cB0L5PXg2zwW0z0wco0tPLqWstEyumTRxq09ZY0kHrhXHX_xEr_dMCjjFnYuEA9tp_fr_zvi324irwR2_ALQcORtS3P/s200/blogger-image-507924785.jpg" width="150" /></a><b></b><br />
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<b>Pan Gravy: </b> Pass the pan drippings through a sieve to remove the particles and collect the remaining juices in a saute pan. Remove approximately 1/2 cup of the hot liquid and add an ice cube in order to cool it enough to add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch or arrowroot as thickener. (I used arrowroot for a 'lighter' gravy, but it is a bit finicky as to heat and/or reheat.) Pour the starch slurry back into the pan and whisk over medium heat until the gravy thickens and the starch has turned transparent. Season to taste. Pour over the sliced chicken or serve in a boat along side the bird.<br />
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<i>This will yield only about 3 cups of gravy. If serving as a main dish with the intention of smothering many plates of mashed potatoes as shown in the picture above, add more chicken broth to the pan and additional thickener using an approximate ratio of 1 tablespoon thickener to each additional cup of liquid.</i><br />
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Enjoy!</div>
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Xenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01209040743247816281noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062485984584136870.post-8232173093889507072014-01-11T19:40:00.001-06:002014-01-11T23:07:37.615-06:00Belly Button Salad with Bacon and Spinach<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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Belly button salad (so named for those delicious cheese-filled, naval-shaped pastas) is a favorite at our house for nearly every gathering, from barbeques to Christmas, and anytime in between. A friend of ours gave us this recipe nearly 20 years ago, so the exact origins have been lost, but we have taken liberties with adding more bacon (as if that could ever be a bad thing) and switching out original ranch for a peppercorn version; a bolder compliment to the other ingredient.<br>
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The recipe below is as it appears in my hand-written version from our family cookbook, using bottled Peppercorn ranch. However I am not a fan of most store-bought dressings, so I make my own with ranch mix using buttermilk and mayonnaise according to the package direction and add 1/2 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper with an extra 1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar. The homemade version has less salt than the bottled stuff and a much mellower flavor but as such, it needs that extra vinegar to stand out against the spinach.<br>
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The recipe makes a very large salad and can easily feed a crowd (18-20.) Typically a salad this big can be a problem when it comes to leftovers since most salads get soggy with age, but the cabbage in this salad provides a good crunch that keeps it almost as fresh as new overnight. That is great news if you get lucky enough to have this as lunch the next day at work.<br>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhks8BbNFi4YItX3qt8X2MXkpPIIQ9wMV1Msv367QP60Bo2mADtPumcqb6SlHmx98JiQYfrFbVQB6fYgUtkD1Id0UtJc3TTh5VI8ytkoF7lqwjOSiBTZ-MUvmCzYpf4d_sWfHC1BewYc8kc/s400/blogger-image--1683213526.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400"></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All the ingredients for the salad can be cut and assembled in the bowl as shown here, kept refrigerated, and then tossed at the time of serving for the freshest possible presentation. </td></tr>
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<b>Belly Button Salad</b><br>
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1 9 oz package cooked cheese tortellini, <a href="http://www.barilla.com/content/product/three-cheese-tortellini" target="_blank">Barilla</a> are hands-down my favorite; good size, cheesier flavor<br>
2 cups shredded red cabbage<br>
6 cups (approximately 1/2 pound) torn spinach<br>
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved if large<br>
1/2 cup green onions, sliced<br>
1 pound cooked, chopped bacon<br>
8 ounces peppercorn ranch salad dressing <br>
<br>
Combine all ingredients. Mix to coat evenly with dressing. Serve. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container.Xenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01209040743247816281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062485984584136870.post-51275512245282479512014-01-08T14:57:00.000-06:002014-01-08T15:17:35.711-06:00Chocolate Mocha Crinkle Cookies<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsntAUv9Z6K5EdMleBIluM1mQJJ_061f5AgtbNiDVQ_YsyDtB5Vf8NdBHWr967SOcwdqTU6IlllYcc-QMuVmyEb6vJjFE185NeMx__w_mC9isTsMoqhe0qv6hu9y3M3zeBXsRcdQL1hvLQ/s640/blogger-image--115985014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDTbtZQu1Trjg_Lp6lylDWU3NVQcbH0DCZpDR5OMiZ3IZelSDqAMQNTiBGTjub-MIHJ0EKxGPQfbvrYGILftmEp9gS0KuoyVqbCg-_5ammcuD3ojGKviRe94YQk9b-RVGrK5Uujqd0iRHu/s1600/CrinkleCookies.jpg" height="640" width="640" /><br />
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These crinkle cookies are one of my favorites for adding variety to Christmas platters but they are requested at our house all year long because of their terrific chocolate flavor. The mocha accents the chocolate without being overpowering so that even the kids devour these without hesitation. The visual impact of these cookies with their delicate powdered shells bursting in contrast to their deep chocolate middles is achieved with minimal effort and is the real reason the Chocolate Mocha Crinkles earn their place on my cookie platters every year.<br />
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<b>Chocolate Mocha Crinkle Cookies</b><br />
<br />
2 cups granulated sugar<br />
1/2 cup vegetable oil<br />
4 1 oz squares unsweetened baking chocolate, melted<br />
1/2 Tablespoon powdered instant espresso<br />
1 Tablespoon hot water<br />
4 eggs<br />
1 cup unsweetened cocoa<br />
2 cups flour<br />
2 teaspoons baking powder<br />
1/4 teaspoon salt<br />
powdered sugar for dusting<br />
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Melt the chocolate and combine with sugar, oil, and the espresso powder dissolved in the hot water. In a large bowl mix the chocolate and sugar mixture with the eggs and add the remaining dry ingredients until the dough is uniform in color. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate an hour or overnight (or days ahead if planning a big cookie making party.)<br />
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Shape the cookies into balls and roll in powdered sugar. Place the balls approximately 2-inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.<br />
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Bake cookies in a 375-degree oven for 8-10 minutes. The cracks should appear moist, and the cookies should appear set.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsntAUv9Z6K5EdMleBIluM1mQJJ_061f5AgtbNiDVQ_YsyDtB5Vf8NdBHWr967SOcwdqTU6IlllYcc-QMuVmyEb6vJjFE185NeMx__w_mC9isTsMoqhe0qv6hu9y3M3zeBXsRcdQL1hvLQ/s1600/blogger-image--115985014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsntAUv9Z6K5EdMleBIluM1mQJJ_061f5AgtbNiDVQ_YsyDtB5Vf8NdBHWr967SOcwdqTU6IlllYcc-QMuVmyEb6vJjFE185NeMx__w_mC9isTsMoqhe0qv6hu9y3M3zeBXsRcdQL1hvLQ/s320/blogger-image--115985014.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Melt the chocolate. These cookies can be mixed all in one bowl but I don't have a large microwave safe bowl, so I melt the chocolate and combine the sugar while it is warm in the smaller bowl, then use this same bowl to store it in the fridge later.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsntAUv9Z6K5EdMleBIluM1mQJJ_061f5AgtbNiDVQ_YsyDtB5Vf8NdBHWr967SOcwdqTU6IlllYcc-QMuVmyEb6vJjFE185NeMx__w_mC9isTsMoqhe0qv6hu9y3M3zeBXsRcdQL1hvLQ/s1600/blogger-image--115985014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXx4vKStrzQUlxYKc1EgonkqVOGRqKELjx4Vytx8OhTz0T8GoMRYNQnhIRq6D-REyeZT4UWMdY-KzEcGu-BSeWgV8rzuCaxsOk5meDTe4mMqLCUlsFTkaUr-gStKN4NskYA-Crrwy0eHdR/s1600/blogger-image-1513060327.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXx4vKStrzQUlxYKc1EgonkqVOGRqKELjx4Vytx8OhTz0T8GoMRYNQnhIRq6D-REyeZT4UWMdY-KzEcGu-BSeWgV8rzuCaxsOk5meDTe4mMqLCUlsFTkaUr-gStKN4NskYA-Crrwy0eHdR/s320/blogger-image-1513060327.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The dough can be mixed with the stand mixer but I find it to be one that shoots flour and cocoa out of the bowl, so I have taken to mixing this recipe by hand to save the cleanup. Combine all wet and then add in the dry, blend until the dough is uniform.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5yKXy9SYzvUJStTRa-NRPRRblhN4g-GEZQlf_RarZbWgfLLlY546jT4lj6nqa38FHNGJE7Rgnb659RSe7RJRzDayBfDEw5tCUewLEtweacrW7vErHeDCa3v3i8kw_BxqHWVl2Elev4It/s1600/blogger-image-1932011495.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5yKXy9SYzvUJStTRa-NRPRRblhN4g-GEZQlf_RarZbWgfLLlY546jT4lj6nqa38FHNGJE7Rgnb659RSe7RJRzDayBfDEw5tCUewLEtweacrW7vErHeDCa3v3i8kw_BxqHWVl2Elev4It/s320/blogger-image-1932011495.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cover the dough and refrigerate at least an hour or until ready to bake (up to 2 days.)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjszXRBTSzFXPlIwLL-3GVL_PZRmZGlQE7UbJIGNl5ddSrAtLk6jowiwcgKScfuC8pklxy6jn-s44m2FkxDeiPqF_xwjJekQ_yil8OnZTrKafFRPpWJXKUQCxWHjVx-UbP9DFRDAGjKe2e/s640/blogger-image--599820048.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjszXRBTSzFXPlIwLL-3GVL_PZRmZGlQE7UbJIGNl5ddSrAtLk6jowiwcgKScfuC8pklxy6jn-s44m2FkxDeiPqF_xwjJekQ_yil8OnZTrKafFRPpWJXKUQCxWHjVx-UbP9DFRDAGjKe2e/s320/blogger-image--599820048.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I use a 1 tablespoon sized ice cream scoop to get a consistent dough ball size. Often this is a two person task, one person portioning the balls and the other rolling in the powdered sugar (kids are great with powdered sugar, the mess is worth the memories.) </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfNm7ZRd-zT3Et_1tTUvtNEv4XOqgeSKBJb-myvgjVWrExWx-k-Wav2K648jBkeb7Im7fMg0xa6QYgXeZQizbrZBTUmVXeHastFomkRIxGkNsJIx1o5xo0zU14TzS5pSyZm9NPyeuDI9rf/s640/blogger-image--692541862.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfNm7ZRd-zT3Et_1tTUvtNEv4XOqgeSKBJb-myvgjVWrExWx-k-Wav2K648jBkeb7Im7fMg0xa6QYgXeZQizbrZBTUmVXeHastFomkRIxGkNsJIx1o5xo0zU14TzS5pSyZm9NPyeuDI9rf/s320/blogger-image--692541862.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The perfect contrast to all the buttery goodness of other Christmas cookies, these provide an additional texture and flavor profile to fancy holiday trays. </td></tr>
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Xenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01209040743247816281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062485984584136870.post-78614058695461569762013-12-27T23:04:00.001-06:002014-03-30T23:09:48.514-05:00Lebanese Spinach Pies (Fatayir)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoKf3y3VdzOTqDupp07Nh0lnJHE2q7DfmOTv3npA2CjaJ9LCdqdKJhZ527IJFZp6JUY9KQeGQfJUFWsoHMUlQfmd9qn7pdAs_Kg0TUxj9oiZsG75BIaXs8YARPRaguCPcxyidIfAbBAjgP/s1600/spinachhalf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoKf3y3VdzOTqDupp07Nh0lnJHE2q7DfmOTv3npA2CjaJ9LCdqdKJhZ527IJFZp6JUY9KQeGQfJUFWsoHMUlQfmd9qn7pdAs_Kg0TUxj9oiZsG75BIaXs8YARPRaguCPcxyidIfAbBAjgP/s1600/spinachhalf.jpg" height="318" width="320" /></a><br />
Spinach fatayir are a family favorite. My husband's grandmother made legendary fatayir, and while her recipe may be lost forever, my father-in-law claims these are as close as he has ever tasted. There are a few tricks to know before getting started, but the most important is tasting the filling before assembly. Adjust salt and lemon to taste, remembering that the acidity of lemon juice dissipates with heat, so some of the tartness is lost through baking; we like our spinach pies with a kick of tart so I often add more lemon juice to compensate. Salt is the other component of note, once that filling is wrapped in dough, it is too late to add anything, so taste before filling and adjust as desired.<br />
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There are a few other tricks as well, noted in the how-to method with pictures below. The basic recipe is as follows:<br />
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<h4>
Spinach Fatayir</h4>
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<a href="http://pixfiz.blogspot.com/2013/12/bread-dough-by-hand.html" target="_blank">Basic 5-cup Bread Dough</a> (use only half the sugar for a more savory dough, the dough should be slightly sticky/wet so it is easier to roll and fold)<br />
2 lbs fresh or frozen whole leaf spinach<br />
1/4 cup olive oil<br />
1 onion, chopped fine<br />
1-2 leeks, chopped (can substitute shallot or onion)<br />
1 bunch parsley, minced<br />
5-6 green onions, white and some green stem, minced<br />
1/4 teaspoon allspice<br />
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon<br />
2 teaspoons salt<br />
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper<br />
juice of 1 lemon (or more to taste)<br />
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1/2 cup oil (half margarine/butter, half olive oil) melted<br />
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If using fresh spinach, it should be chopped and sauteed lightly in a pan with a bit of olive oil to release the water, just until it wilts. Remove to plate and allow to cool before squeezing any remaining water out by hand. Frozen spinach should be thawed and then squeezed by hand to extract as much water as possible, chop lightly. Place spinach in a large bowl.<br />
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Heat oil in a large fry pan and add onion and leek/shallot and saute until translucent. Remove to bowl with spinach and proceed to add all remaining ingredients, with the exception of the melted oil. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.<br />
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See folding methods below. Brush with melted oil. Bake 18-20 minutes at 400-degrees<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgqPqg4QyOOJiOafCmYyI0TGKyQB0r2meOk9NYqcV-s-O9k9YoDS-eU0gl-CAqWi8ismqYVxgQAWkdB_6g7mAGV5MjG1sZs6pq5yRztrpubjTwUlUL_E7fSF9tj5vBhH2K04FajHaNTRAM/s640/blogger-image--1025056607.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgqPqg4QyOOJiOafCmYyI0TGKyQB0r2meOk9NYqcV-s-O9k9YoDS-eU0gl-CAqWi8ismqYVxgQAWkdB_6g7mAGV5MjG1sZs6pq5yRztrpubjTwUlUL_E7fSF9tj5vBhH2K04FajHaNTRAM/s320/blogger-image--1025056607.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fatayir made by dividing the dough into balls, flattening to circle shape and then filling each.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO5bJTBFy37mcsdFRKZ8hUNN87UCkmbbysctRm7auOgJNWXxztCwOzUmOz-NdrfgyP1_0N-qWSIEvdDgn-5iNkSiejn-KzumuOks6ZyPstmu4VxLLQlgDLX65IrKSKJpmFWAhnIm-mRBeY/s640/blogger-image--250877504.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO5bJTBFy37mcsdFRKZ8hUNN87UCkmbbysctRm7auOgJNWXxztCwOzUmOz-NdrfgyP1_0N-qWSIEvdDgn-5iNkSiejn-KzumuOks6ZyPstmu4VxLLQlgDLX65IrKSKJpmFWAhnIm-mRBeY/s320/blogger-image--250877504.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fatayir made by rolling the dough thin and cutting the shape with a cookie cutter before filling.</td></tr>
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I have experimented with both methods of folding fatayir and I prefer a less traditional way of rolling the dough as thin as possible, which means I depend on the stickiness of the dough to the counter to pull the dough until it 'window panes' at which point I can see the counter top through the dough, not all over, just in some places. This method may not be ideal for the beginner, so I made a second batch (see the sacrifices I put my family through to make a recipe as comprehensive as possible?) just to test the filling to dough ratio if dividing the dough, and it is documented here as well.<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The recipe as written will make 24-30 fatayir using the rolling dough method with a 4 1/4-inch circle cookie cutter and 1/4 cup spinach filling in each.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">OR</span></div>
Two dozen fatayir with the method of dividing the dough into 24 equal dough balls, rolling, flattening, or stretching the balls flat to at least 5-inch circles and then filling them with 1/3 cup filling. </blockquote>
The method for folding is the same and since I prefer the more nontraditional method, most of the pictures below illustrate the rolling dough method unless otherwise indicated.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-iCwAA9Ll19j8mOfo03Wl1D3AcijNE0HMEicFE8pe6rcpgU9oWhc2eKchdt3Ynl74MtWcWOFZJW25cadRu5oqSBa1vZl2stj52M75pjpyoiNCwkrYPag-HUwbuy4QgblfxzwP4PI778xH/s640/blogger-image--343788634.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-iCwAA9Ll19j8mOfo03Wl1D3AcijNE0HMEicFE8pe6rcpgU9oWhc2eKchdt3Ynl74MtWcWOFZJW25cadRu5oqSBa1vZl2stj52M75pjpyoiNCwkrYPag-HUwbuy4QgblfxzwP4PI778xH/s320/blogger-image--343788634.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here is the dough ball method, divide dough into four equal portions, then divide each quarter of dough into six equal sections. Roll each (some stealing of little bits from bigger pieces to give to the smaller is done) into a ball and cover the bunch with plastic wrap as you work so the dough does not dry out. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_sbVExZtdtZLP9qpCrjgwh7uAASUkkD939ePHvcxdKD9p-ExH3-U4gRKnls0IiLyM2OSQct1i7f-Md90k_WR_RjFbWuo2n2ajtfStYmO-eK9uYKtwlSWhtwHjWO09uIQAnwUBL8Pqm4bz/s640/blogger-image--1330220071.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_sbVExZtdtZLP9qpCrjgwh7uAASUkkD939ePHvcxdKD9p-ExH3-U4gRKnls0IiLyM2OSQct1i7f-Md90k_WR_RjFbWuo2n2ajtfStYmO-eK9uYKtwlSWhtwHjWO09uIQAnwUBL8Pqm4bz/s320/blogger-image--1330220071.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alternatively, if rolling the dough, start by dividing the dough into four equal sections, cover the other three as you work to keep them from drying out and roll the dough as thin as possible. Lift and pull the dough gently to stretch it thin. This requires a somewhat sticky work space, so do not over flour before rolling the dough.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaaQog9WKBSG94rBpK4QjESDo9o1XllXhvYX-PuF4Q4ofehseC7HkEu0XDqKUwwdPkgq4ha9p3uz3mxCWKAiahLkc0Tu4dCXEKF8sq83Dvg_zU-bMVSsD9NrHYtwaeglf9nY1Bse4zgJ6f/s640/blogger-image-1323015482.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaaQog9WKBSG94rBpK4QjESDo9o1XllXhvYX-PuF4Q4ofehseC7HkEu0XDqKUwwdPkgq4ha9p3uz3mxCWKAiahLkc0Tu4dCXEKF8sq83Dvg_zU-bMVSsD9NrHYtwaeglf9nY1Bse4zgJ6f/s320/blogger-image-1323015482.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Place 1/4 cup of filling on each circle, but move quickly so the dough does not dry out. If it does, simply dampen the edge of the circle with your finger to encourage it to stick as you fold the triangles. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV2qXo7VZfSR7ngUaEZJfrcFZKW8st1keY6TppLt7pp5TJt4rKwfPDVMlFYtx4-sPPm2OfykXsLk_RAHegOUvIt8kNxQCBv6SdQulMHeXPnrBysjUpG1ZrTbk4Omm86qHBwNNs0o-h8R7E/s640/blogger-image-1254312668.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV2qXo7VZfSR7ngUaEZJfrcFZKW8st1keY6TppLt7pp5TJt4rKwfPDVMlFYtx4-sPPm2OfykXsLk_RAHegOUvIt8kNxQCBv6SdQulMHeXPnrBysjUpG1ZrTbk4Omm86qHBwNNs0o-h8R7E/s320/blogger-image-1254312668.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">To fold the fatayir, grab the opposite sides of the circle and bring them together over the filling, pinching one edge to seal it. Be careful to keep the filling out of the joint or the oil will keep the folds from joining and they will break apart when baked. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjayU_suvCMFlKop2qbO-cijnHXUu3YNDYfd-XI1bQIkQLfdc0B7jeZmqssGZPZNv841k_zVbtvuciF8kpm6tL7zJQLBcb2vniAMC-rTd2vU9mEUYBe7xm-jrV1SbfxMvTVSlaV4wezXDfc/s640/blogger-image-1261849771.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjayU_suvCMFlKop2qbO-cijnHXUu3YNDYfd-XI1bQIkQLfdc0B7jeZmqssGZPZNv841k_zVbtvuciF8kpm6tL7zJQLBcb2vniAMC-rTd2vU9mEUYBe7xm-jrV1SbfxMvTVSlaV4wezXDfc/s320/blogger-image-1261849771.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Take the remaining flap and pull the middle section toward the folded dough, again being careful as to not let the spinach filling come in contact with the edges that are being folded and pinched together.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifnKoHutiR0Eof3xkvddynjmSql_wIL-YYYznWChGTwTWp7NdymE20nzZD756nIMwbTwI_OJgUf_thZI4463gN31wqcrYCdX6KVvveW9QK-uoduwmk9vGxJ7HzEnwZt-4C1vqk3soL8JvO/s640/blogger-image--1786245220.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifnKoHutiR0Eof3xkvddynjmSql_wIL-YYYznWChGTwTWp7NdymE20nzZD756nIMwbTwI_OJgUf_thZI4463gN31wqcrYCdX6KVvveW9QK-uoduwmk9vGxJ7HzEnwZt-4C1vqk3soL8JvO/s320/blogger-image--1786245220.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finish the triangle shape by pinching the open corners to enclose the filling completely. Sometimes the middles pull open a bit no matter how careful you are to keep the filling from touching the dough, a small opening in the middle is perfectly acceptable, even desired by some grandmothers (or so I am told.)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6pcGTSRupTWCpzRw3t1jyY8y3ruUXn6qMstk5ONQ4rLbQ3LypiFFDRuu8lnvqQbmVVcPBJ0BlRaTL2PT0zE2E1gd8kIwqw5Hdn8NmD0yls2tQaCJy8aYXrbd48atj3mlAMkvfpyJPjIOo/s640/blogger-image--849020987.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6pcGTSRupTWCpzRw3t1jyY8y3ruUXn6qMstk5ONQ4rLbQ3LypiFFDRuu8lnvqQbmVVcPBJ0BlRaTL2PT0zE2E1gd8kIwqw5Hdn8NmD0yls2tQaCJy8aYXrbd48atj3mlAMkvfpyJPjIOo/s320/blogger-image--849020987.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A perfectly folded fatayir takes some practice. Even after 15+ years of making them, I rarely get them all folded as perfectly as the one in the picture. Tell your loved ones to eat the ugly ones first (I bet they don't complain.)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivM6SrouQM4bZfD2w0YFiTxdoeZ32p1hjRSz8rUe-5HqQBzf1vYVcrV2kwLha9GgoIdLKnH9Q0xTBdUTOCm6ESEVIlyNLPvq6B2HlFjPeaa9rmaAQSKh4AMwe6tz0-CwehtSmQP3OSgsz8/s640/blogger-image--1185704165.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivM6SrouQM4bZfD2w0YFiTxdoeZ32p1hjRSz8rUe-5HqQBzf1vYVcrV2kwLha9GgoIdLKnH9Q0xTBdUTOCm6ESEVIlyNLPvq6B2HlFjPeaa9rmaAQSKh4AMwe6tz0-CwehtSmQP3OSgsz8/s320/blogger-image--1185704165.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Remove the dough around the circles that are cut so it doesn't dry out as you work; roll it again after it has had time to rest with all the remaining cut edges. There is no discernible difference in texture between the dough only rolled once and those rolled a second time and made from the cut edges. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Suzifl2Ymq2WP7Oz12J3jvw9l780J3uu3eQ_7_fV8Da2VYx46jet3D3Ubv6jYGHCXsmWD_Njc9WD95wzAl6g5CFMSgNLY9rfuTIwPqNi6SVsx3Gj6jjtqdivpZHBlzoMRDkzLoQlVTqL/s640/blogger-image--1168205717.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Suzifl2Ymq2WP7Oz12J3jvw9l780J3uu3eQ_7_fV8Da2VYx46jet3D3Ubv6jYGHCXsmWD_Njc9WD95wzAl6g5CFMSgNLY9rfuTIwPqNi6SVsx3Gj6jjtqdivpZHBlzoMRDkzLoQlVTqL/s320/blogger-image--1168205717.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brush the fatayir generously with melted oil, both now before the baking and again just before they are done to give them a more beautiful golden brown color and to enhance the flavor.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNFgrqkdzXYZbu-_w10co4UQLsEYfLV4hfKWguKQUknTuI6GOY38SEzuU6f3GEC_lzdSzLZ3fWv5JC5R5KUd-mW0Rm3c0udFb2cJn7mEAICBgn0i7riAs68SIyUQ8B8li_4brxgOQnHSbt/s640/blogger-image-192607317.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNFgrqkdzXYZbu-_w10co4UQLsEYfLV4hfKWguKQUknTuI6GOY38SEzuU6f3GEC_lzdSzLZ3fWv5JC5R5KUd-mW0Rm3c0udFb2cJn7mEAICBgn0i7riAs68SIyUQ8B8li_4brxgOQnHSbt/s320/blogger-image-192607317.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Place the pies on the pan as shown here with enough space for some expansion as they bake. They do not need to rise very long before baking, I often put them right into the oven as soon as they are folded. They should be baked soon after assembly though since the dough is thin and the filling is wet, they can break down if allowed to sit too long. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja2t-lvTjfBzKgYd-o7IMnNcdI3jepZqRcMUsugOxnaj0aHamGew6pGVsuQqguqh7yKmdBQGy1vKp_5lqa4IoN0H07I8Lv5-V3n_ohsXkMzkRsk_4_-vLmox-0-2LNtqLOoTdQTkddOr4h/s640/blogger-image--183568910.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja2t-lvTjfBzKgYd-o7IMnNcdI3jepZqRcMUsugOxnaj0aHamGew6pGVsuQqguqh7yKmdBQGy1vKp_5lqa4IoN0H07I8Lv5-V3n_ohsXkMzkRsk_4_-vLmox-0-2LNtqLOoTdQTkddOr4h/s320/blogger-image--183568910.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brush each fatayir a second time, the saltiness of the margarine/butter is essential to great flavor, but the oil also lets the dough 'fry' just a bit to enhance the crust further. Bake them approximately 20 minutes in a 400-degree oven until they develop a beautiful golden brown color. Remove from pan to cool on rack.</td></tr>
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<div>
Serve warm or at room temperature with a wedge of lemon if desired. Store leftovers in a sealed container. Fatayir can be reheated in a 425-degree oven for 5-7 minutes with excellent results. </div>
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Enjoy! </div>
Xenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01209040743247816281noreply@blogger.com16