Deviled Eggs with Smoked Paprika

The weather here has finally begun to warm up and it's actually beginning to feel a bit more like summer. Last month the heater popped on once or twice which had me wondering if it was going to feel like March forever.

When it does heat up outside, I'm less inclined to get up in the morning to cook, preferring instead "prepared" food. This morning this took the form of deviled eggs which I put together last night. They were incredibly easy to make and a delicious start to the day.

6 hard boiled eggs, shells removed
2-3 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp sliced chives
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp anchovy paste
1/2 tsp prepared mustard
1/4 tsp lemon pepper
salt, to taste, if needed

extra sliced chives and smoked paprika, for garnish

Cut the eggs in half lengthwise. Remove the yolks and place them into a small bowl.

To the yolks add two tablespoons of mayonnaise (to start), chives, paprika, anchovy paste, mustard and lemon pepper. Mash everything together with a fork until well blended.

If the mixture seems too dry, then add more mayonnaise until you get a consistency you like.

Taste and add salt if necessary. The anchovy paste usually provides enough salt.

Divide the deviled yolk mixture evenly between the egg whites by dropping it into the cavities left by the egg yolks.

Garnish with chopped chives and a small sprinkling of smoked paprika, if desired.

Chicken Pot Pies

(4 generous servings)

Whenever I bring home a rotisserie chicken, it's the breast meat that's often left over. I usually make roast chicken sandwiches or some form of chicken salad out of this the next day.

This time the leftover chicken found its way into these individual single crust chicken pot pies. For some inexplicable reason I loathe making pie crust. I prefer grabbing a box of ready made which I can easily roll out even thinner.

filling
2 tbsp butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large stalk celery, sliced
2-3 medium carrots, sliced
2 tbsp flour
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup water
2 tsp Reduced Sodium, Better than Bouillon, Chicken Base
1 1/2 tsp dried summer savory
1 tsp sweet paprika
1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
3 cups leftover cooked skinless chicken cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas
1/3 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper, to taste

homemade or ready made pie crust, enough for about 1 1/2 layers (9")

In a medium sized pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until it becomes transparent.

Stir in the celery and carrots. Cook until the vegetables begin to brown lightly. Reduce the heat, if necessary.

Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir until the flour is evenly combined. Add the wine, water, Better than Bouillon, Chicken Base, summer savory, paprika and black pepper. Simmer gently for about 20-30 minutes.

Stir in the chicken, peas and heavy cream. Cook until everything has warmed through.

Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, if needed. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Divide the chicken stew between four 2 cup ramekins.

Cut four circles of pie crust large enough so that they will extend beyond the edges of the ramekins by at least 1/2 an inch or more. Cut a few slits in each piece for venting and place over each ramekin.

Place the pot pies onto a cookie sheet and bake for about 40-55 minutes or until the pie crusts have browned and the filling is bubbling hot.

Rebecca's Jerk Marinade

(enough to marinate 2 lbs meat, poultry or seafood)

Some of the best recipes I have come across are those that get passed along. Several months ago a friend in Toronto, emailed this terrific recipe to me. She had received it from her friend, Rebecca.

I tried this with chicken and it turned out great!

Although I have a 12 cup food processor, I wasn't able to fit everything in at once. But, I didn't have to do it in batches either. I just rearranged the order of the ingredients. I also added the zest from the lime.

1 small onion, cut up
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1 - 2 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into several pieces
3 tsp salt
2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp allspice
1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
zest from one lime
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and cut up
1 bunch cilantro
1 bunch parsley
1/4 cup chopped green onion


Place the onion, garlic, ginger, salt, thyme, allspice, pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, lime juice, lime zest, soy sauce, olive oil and brown sugar into the bowl of a 12 cup food processor. If you are using something smaller, you might have to do this in batches. Pulse several times until the mixture is fine.

Add the jalapeno peppers, cilantro, parsley and green onion. Pulse until you have a coarse paste.

This can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two months if placed in a non reactive container and lid.

Milk Flan

(6 servings)

This creamy flan isn't too sweet. I often make it with 1% milk, but on occasion I'll use whole milk or half and half.

Although I prefer using custard cups, this flan can also be prepared in a souffle dish that's large enough to hold about 4 1/2 cups of liquid. Just remember to increase the baking time by about 10-15 minutes.

3 tbsp sugar
2-3 tbsp water

3 large eggs
3 egg large yolks
3 tbsp sugar
2 tsp  vanilla extract
pinch of salt
3 cups milk or a combination of milk, half and half or cream

Preheat the oven to 350°F

Divide the sugar evenly between three two cup ovenproof custard cups or ramekins. Sprinkle about 1 1/2 tsp of water over the sugar in each cup until the sugar is soaked evenly.

Place the cups into a microwave and microwave about 2 minutes to begin and then about 20 seconds at a time on high until the sugar bubbles and becomes a nice medium brown color. Watch carefully so the sugar doesn't burn.

Remove the custard cups and swirl the sugar mixture so it coats the entire bottoms and part of the sides of each cup. Set aside.

 Whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, vanilla extract and salt until the mixture is creamy. Set aside.

Gently heat the milk over medium heat until bubbles appear around the edge. If a skin forms, then remove it.

Whisk the hot milk into the egg mixture. Strain through a sieve and divide between the three custard cups.

Place the cups into a larger baking dish and fill with hot water about 1/2 way up the sides of the custard cups. Place into preheated oven and bake for about 45-55 minutes or until the flans have just set in the centers.

Remove from oven and cool completely.  Loosen the edges with a sharp knife, then carefully invert the flans onto one large or three smaller serving plates.

Italian Sausage Pasta Sauce

(about 4 servings)

This is an easy and delicious pasta sauce. It's flavor depends primarily on the sausage you are using. I'm very fortunate to live near a butcher who offers a decent choice of well seasoned sausages.

If the fat content of your sausage is high, you might consider preparing the sauce the day ahead and refrigerating it overnight. That way you can easily remove the hardened excess fat from the sauce the next day.

1 tbsp olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, sliced
1 lb bulk (or casings removed) sweet Italian sausage 
1 28oz can whole plum tomatoes, roughly chopped
2-3 pinches red hot chili flakes
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
fresh chopped parsley, to serve

4 servings of your favorite dried pasta

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until the garlic is lightly browned. Remove the garlic from the pan and set aside.

Crumble the sausage meat and fry until browned in the garlic flavored oil. Add the tomatoes, reserved garlic and the red hot chili flakes. Simmer gently until the sauce begins to thicken; about 20-25 minutes.

Stir in the Parmesan cheese and keep warm.

Prepare the pasta according to the directions on the package.

Divide the pasta among 4 plates and top each with the sauce. Sprinkle with the chopped fresh parsley and serve.

Food Processor Meatloaf

(9x5 inch loaf)

Last week I swapped out my food processor and since then I've been chopping, slicing, shredding and mixing practically anything I can get my hands on. So far, I'm pretty happy with the results. My new machine isn't perfect, but it's performing much better than my previous one did.

I chopped practically everything for this meatloaf in the food processor. The vegetables, meat and cheese as well as the bread. Everything came together reasonably quickly considering I started off with a large piece of top round steak.

1 tbsp olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 medium onion
1 large bell pepper
1 3/4 lb top round steak
1/2 lb Gouda or smoked cheddar or a combination, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 slice bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp lemon pepper
3/4 tsp salt
leaves from 3 sprigs marjoram
2 tbsp ground flax seed (optional)
2 slices of seeded, sourdough or rye bread
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup ketchup, divided
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 large egg

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.

Equip your food processor with the cutting blade at the bottom of the bowl, cover and run the motor. Drop the peeled garlic down the chute (with the motor running). Remove the top and scrape down the sides if necessary.

Peel the onion and cut up into 1-2 inch chunks. Place into the bowl of your food processor, cover and pulse until they are chopped.

Add these to the frying pan and cook until the onion is translucent.

Meanwhile seed the bell pepper and cut up into 2 inch pieces. Process them in the food processor as you did for the onions. Add to the onion mixture and cook until the bell pepper has softened.

Remove from heat and allow to cool. Place into a large mixing bowl and set aside.

Cut the steak into 1 inch cubes. Place the meat into the bowl of the food processor. Add the cheese, bacon, thyme, smoked paprika, lemon pepper, salt and marjoram. You might have to do this in batches depending on the size and strength of your food processor. 

Pulse until the meat and cheese are finely chopped; about the size of fresh bread crumbs. Add to the mixing bowl. Add the ground flax seed if using.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Tear the bread into small pieces and place those into the bowl of your food processor. Pulse until you have bread crumbs. Add those to the mixing bowl.

Add the milk, half of the ketchup (2 tbsp), Worcestershire sauce and egg. Combine everything until it's evenly mixed.

Place the meat mixture into a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. Spread the remaining two tablespoons of ketchup evenly over the top.

Bake the meatloaf in the middle of the oven for about 1 1/2 hours or until a thermometer inserted into the middle of the meatloaf registers 160°F. Remove from oven.

Cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before slicing it.

Cabbage and Apple Coleslaw

(about 4 servings)

Not too long ago I came across a post that suggested salting and draining cabbage beforehand would produce a nice crunchy coleslaw. Well, I happen to be one of those people who loves coleslaw especially after it's begun to wilt a bit. I usually slice my cabbage paper thin and prepare the coleslaw a few days ahead of time just to make sure I get the "right" texture.

If you slice your cabbage a bit thicker and consume it within a day or so, you can probably save yourself the time for salting, draining and squeezing the stuff if you enjoy yours on the crunchy side.

1/2 small cabbage, about 1 pound
1 carrot
1 apple
1/4 cup mayonnaise
3 tbsp apple juice
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly cracked pepper
2 tsp poppy seeds (optional)

Slice the cabbage either in a food processor, with a mandolin or by hand. Place into a large mixing bowl.

Shred both the carrot and apple and add them to the cabbage.

Combine the mayonnaise, apple juice, apple cider vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper. Pour this over the cabbage mixture and toss until everything is well combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Sprinkle the poppy seeds over the salad, if using. Give everything a final toss.

Allow the salad to sit at least an hour before serving.

Hot Cross Buns

(1 dozen)

These hot cross buns are light, fluffy and moist. I love cardamom and that's the dominant spice here, but you could replace that with more cinnamon, if you prefer.

I like to soak the currants and citrus peel overnight in juice until they plump up. This helps keep these buns nice and moist in case you don't inhale all of them when they first come fresh out of the oven.

buns
3/4 cup currants
1/4 cup candied citrus peel, chopped (optional)
1/3 cup apple, orange or cranberry juice
1 1/3 cup milk
1/4 lb unsalted butter, (1 stick)
3 tbsp honey
about 4 cups bread flour, divided
1 pkg active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
1 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground dried ginger
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1 large egg at room temperature

The day before you plan on making the buns, combine the currants and chopped citrus peel in a small bowl. Stir in the juice and cover with wrap.  Leave overnight until the fruit has plumped up.

Heat the milk taking care it doesn't come to a boil. Cut up the butter and stir into the hot milk. Add the honey. Stir until most of the butter has melted and the milk has cooled to lukewarm. Set aside.

Combine 3 2/3 cups flour, yeast, cardamom, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg in a large bowl until well mixed. Make a well in the center and set aside.

Whisk the egg into the milk and butter mixture, then pour this into the well of the flour mixture. Drain the currants and citrus peel and add this to the bowl as well.

Stir the mixture together until you have a soft sticky dough. Add small amounts of flour to this mixture until you have a soft but very tacky dough that you can knead for about 5 minutes. Take care not to add too much flour. Grease your hands, if needed to prevent the dough from sticking too much.

When the dough looks smooth and elastic, return to the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Leave on the counter until the dough has doubled in volume; about 1 1/2 hours.

Punch down the dough and divide into 12 equal pieces. Roll the pieces into balls and place into a lightly buttered  9" x 13" baking dish, 3 balls by 4 balls.

Cover and allow to rise again until doubled in volume; about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375°F.

egg wash
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp milk

Whip together the egg yolk and milk with a fork. Carefully brush the mixture over the tops of the buns.

flour mixture for crosses
3 tbsp flour
3 tbsp water

Combine the flour and water. Stir until the mixture is smooth and free of lumps. Place the mixture into a small plastic bag. Snip off the corner, taking care not to cut off too much.

Pipe crosses on the buns. The flour mixture will spread a bit.

Bake in the center of the oven for about 25-35 minutes or until the tops have browned and the interior temperature reaches about 195°F.

Beef Shank Ravioli with Pea Sauce

(about 4-5 servings)

Recently a friend gave me a wonderful cookbook, Odd Bits: How to Cook the Rest of the Animal, by Jennifer McLagan ©2011. It makes for great reading offering up bits of historical and anecdotal details relating to offal, in addition to some really interesting recipes.

Unfortunately these days it's difficult to find a lot of the items covered in this book. When was the last time you came across lung, spleen, heart or testicles? Heck, just a few years ago it took me nearly a month to get my hands on some kidneys in Dallas. Kidneys for crying out loud!!! I spent days on the phone calling butchers in both Fort Worth and Dallas until I found one who carried them. I haven't really come across interesting "odd bits" since leaving Toronto, where nearly 35 years ago those items were common place in butcher shops in Kensington Market or along Bloor street. I remember a Hungarian restaurant that offered sour lung on its menu and several butchers that sold the spongy looking organ in their shops. I had no idea that along with udders, the USDA doesn't consider lung suitable for human consumption. Perhaps with the renewed interest in head to tail cooking, those items might reappear some day.

This recipe for beef shank ravioli was inspired by a recipe from Odd Bits, for deconstructed oxtail ravioli with peas. I have seen oxtail at my local butcher, but they don't always have them so I brought home a piece of beef shank instead. I braised the meat until it fell apart in a sauce which was similar to Jennifer McLagan's. Aside from swapping out the meat, I had to make a few more changes because I didn't have all of the ingredients. I didn't start off with a proper mirepoix as I forgot to bring home celery, and I didn't have access to chervil, so I used parsley instead. I also added some fresh marjoram.

This is a time intensive recipe which I broke down over three days. I prepared the filling the first day and stuffed the ravioli on the second. On the third day I made a delicious pea sauce to go with the flavorful beef shank ravioli.

filling
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and freshly cracked black pepper
3/4 lb boneless beef shank
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups dry red wine
1 1/2 tsp low sodium organic Better than Bouillon Beef Base
4 sprigs parsley
2 sprigs marjoram
1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bay leaf

Heat the oil in a large pot or skillet with a tight fitting lid over medium-high heat. Cut apart the beef shank into four or five pieces and generously season with salt and pepper.

Fry the meat until both sides have nicely browned; the middle will still be raw. Remove the meat and place onto a plate. Set aside.

Add the onion and carrots to the pot or skillet. Reduce the heat and stir the vegetable mixture in order to scrape up the browned bits. Cook until the vegetables have softened and begin to caramelize.

Stir in the wine, Better than Bouillon, parsley, marjoram, thyme, garlic and bay leaf. Return the meat and any juices that have formed on the plate.

Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot or skillet and braise for about 3 1/2 hours or until the meat is fork tender.  Halfway through, turn the meat over and add a small amount of water if the mixture seems too dry.

Remove the lid and continue to cook until the sauce thickens. You want most of the liquid to have evaporated, yet still have the meat remain nice and moist. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, if needed. Remove from heat.

Cool, remove the parsley and marjoram sprigs and bay leaf. Shred the meat with a fork. At this point the filling can be wrapped and refrigerated for several days until you are ready to prepare the dough and stuff the ravioli.

Refrigerate the filling for at least an hour before stuffing the ravioli. This helps firm it up.

dough
2 1/4 cups unbleached flour
2-3 large eggs
water, as needed

Combine the flour and eggs in a large bowl or a food processor. Add enough water until you have a soft dough. If you are using the food processor, then run the motor until the dough forms into a ball. If you are doing this by hand, then knead it a few times once it all comes together.

Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 30-40 minutes.

Remove a small piece of dough and roll it out thin into a rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Repeat with another piece of dough about the same size and set aside. (I used a pasta machine and put it through a setting of 5 or 6 (out of 9).) If you are rolling it out by hand, this would roughly equate to about 1/12 or so of an inch. I had some pasta dough left over, so don't worry if you can't get it that thin.

Place heaping teaspoonfuls of filling about 1/2 an inch apart on one of the pasta sheets. Lightly spritz with water or brush water around the filling. Place the second sheet of dough over the first and gently press down to seal and remove as much air as possible.

Cut the ravioli apart with a pastry or pizza cutter. Place the finished ravioli on a floured surface and repeat until you have used up all of the dough and filling.

At this point you can freeze the ravioli by placing them on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet in a single layer, not touching and freezing them for at least 3 hours.

sauce
1/2 stick butter
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 cup peas
1 tbsp parsley, chopped
1-2 green onion, sliced
1/2 tsp fresh lemon zest
2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, or more to taste
salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Melt the butter over medium heat until it begins to froth and then add the garlic. Stir for about 30 seconds, then add the peas. Lower the heat a touch and cook, stirring for about two minutes.

Stir in the parsley, green onion, lemon zest and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Reduce the heat a bit and drop in the ravioli. Cook for about 4-5 minutes (add 2 minutes if they were frozen).

Serve immediately with the pea sauce.

Oven Roasted Zucchini Salad

I used to make this as a topping for bruschetta or as a side for grilled chicken. These days I just serve it as a salad. Terrific flavors!

2 tbsp olive oil
2 - 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tsp salt free Italian seasoning (marjoram, thyme, rosemary, savory, sage, oregano, basil)
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
2 lb zucchini
1 large red bell pepper
3 green onions, sliced
3 tbsp Pecorino Romano cut into very small dice
1 tbsp parsley, chopped
1 tbsp dried currants
pinch red pepper flakes
2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Combine the olive oil, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Set aside.

Wash and dry the zucchini. Cut into small dice; about 1/2 an inch or slightly smaller. Add to the olive oil mixture and toss until coated.

Spread evenly over a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake for about 45 minutes.

Remove from oven, cool and add to mixing bowl.

Wash and seed the red bell pepper. Cut into 1/4 inch dice and add to bowl. Add the sliced green onions, Pecorino Romano, parsley, currants and red pepper flakes.

Drizzle the white balsamic vinegar over everything and toss. Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes as needed. Serve

Spaghetti with Pecorino Romano and Black Pepper; Cacio e Pepe

(2 servings)

When I think about something indulgent for Valentine's Day, chocolate is not the first thing that comes to mind. I think of cheese, a nice sharp, salty cheese with pasta.

This simple spaghetti dish will transform into something absolutely superb if you use the best possible ingredients available to you. The pepper needs to be freshly cracked, and the Pecorino Romano should be grated right before it's combined, otherwise this dish will fall short of its potential.

I've given up trying to create a thin cheesy sauce with butter, cream or pasta water for this dish. I usually fail and end up with huge clumps of sticky pasty spaghetti. I suspect at some point I probably become impatient. Simply tossing the drained spaghetti with the grated cheese and black pepper couldn't be easier and the resulting dish is nice looking and clump free.

6 oz dried spaghetti
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano (about 2 oz)
3/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Stir in the olive oil, then add the pasta and cook until al dente. Check the package for cooking times.

While the spaghetti is cooking, toss together the Pecorino Romano and cracked pepper until the mixture is evenly combined. Set aside.

Drain the spaghetti thoroughly, but don't rinse. Lightly toss with tongs or a large fork for about 30 seconds to shake off excess water.

Place about a quarter of the spaghetti into a serving dish and sprinkle with a quarter cup of the cheese and pepper mixture. Toss. Repeat until everything is well combined.

Divide between bowls and serve immediately.

Maultaschen

I've wanted to make Maultaschen for a very long time. They are a southern German type ravioli that are often served in broth or baked in a casserole with onions, cream and cheese. I came across a lot of recipes for these. Some used spinach, leeks or chives, some were meatless, others used beef instead of pork. This recipe came together after several tries and reminds me of the spinach and bratwurst ones I tried in Munich many years ago.

My method of forming Maultaschen is different. In Germany they often spread a thin layer of filling over a portion of the dough then fold that up. Using a the handle of a wooden spoon pressed down hard, the individual Maultaschen are formed and then cut apart. There are photos illustrating this method on a German blog here. I tried that twice and failed both times. My Maultaschen opened up during the cooking, so I just left space between the filling and cut them apart after I enclosed and sealed them with a bit of water.

This recipe makes about 30 Maultaschen and they freeze really well if you don't plan on serving them all at once.

dough
2 1/4 cups unbleached flour
2 large eggs
water, as needed

Combine the flour and eggs in a large bowl or a food processor. Add enough water until you have a soft tacky noodle dough. If you are using the food processor, then run the motor until the dough forms into a ball. If you are doing this by hand, then knead it a few times once it all comes together.

Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 30-40 minutes.

filling
1 tbsp butter
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
5 oz package fresh baby spinach, chopped
1/3 cup parsley, chopped
3/4 lb good quality bratwurst (not precooked), casings removed
1 large egg
1/4 tsp nutmeg
salt and pepper, to taste

Heat the butter over medium heat and when it's ready, add the garlic. Saute for a minute or so then add the onion. Cook until the onions are translucent and lightly browned. Cool.

In a large bowl combine the fresh breadcrumbs, spinach, parsley, bratwurst, egg, nutmeg, salt, pepper and the cooled onion mixture. Fry up a tablespoon of the filling mixture to check for seasoning and make any adjustments if needed.

To form the Maultaschen, cut off about 1/6 of a piece of noodle dough and roll that out into a thin rectangle on a lightly floured surface.

Place heaping tablespoons of filling about 3/4 inch apart in the middle of the dough strip. (I was able to get about 5 Maultaschen with each section I rolled out.) Lightly moisten the edges around the filling with water and then fold the top edge down carefully over the filling followed by folding the bottom edge over the filling (see photos). Cut them apart with a pizza or pastry cutter. If you plan on freezing some of these, then place the formed Maultaschen onto a silicone mat or parchment paper lined cookie sheet, not touching in a single layer. Freeze for several hours before bagging them (for the freezer).

Continue making the Maultashen until all of the dough and filling have been used up.

to serve
about 1 1/2 cups beef broth for each serving of 3-4 Maultaschen
chopped parsley

Heat the beef broth until it simmers lightly. Add the Maultaschen and cook for about 10 minutes (add about 2 minutes if they are frozen).

To serve, divide among bowls and then garnish with chopped parsley.

Sesame Rye Crackers

For the first time in about 14 years I neglected to get my flu shot last fall. I kept meaning to get around to it, and then I simply forgot. Well, I managed to catch the flu with a vengeance and that has kept me in bed for the better part of this month. I'm mostly recovered, but I haven't regained my sense of taste. Everything seems kind of bland at the moment and I don't feel much like cooking.

These crackers are fairly straightforward to make and by making them at home you know exactly what's in them. Feel free to experiment with different flours or seeds. Add some grated cheese! The possibilities are endless.

This recipe is enough for about one large cookie sheet worth of crackers. You can easily double this recipe for more.

1/2 cup dark rye flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup sesame seeds, lightly toasted
2 tbsp ground flax seed (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt, or more to taste

1/3 cup water, at room temperature
1 egg , yolk and white separated

Preheat the oven to 300°F.

In a  mixing bowl, combine the flours, all but two tablespoons sesame seeds and salt. Make a well in the middle and set aside.

Whisk together the egg yolk and water and pour this mixture into the well. Stir the mixture until you get a stiff tacky dough. You might have to add a few teaspoons of water if the mixture doesn't all come together.

Knead a few times, then divide the dough in half.

Roll out half of the dough on a lightly floured surface between 1/8 and 1/12th of an inch thick. Sprinkle with small amounts of flour as needed to prevent the thin sheet of dough from sticking. 

Whisk about a tablespoon of water into the egg white and brush some of this over the top of the dough. Sprinkle with one tablespoon of the reserved sesame seeds. Sprinkle with additional salt, if desired.

Using a pizza or pastry cutter, cut the dough into small squares or diamonds. You can cut out circles if you wish, however you will have to deal with the scraps afterwards.

Place the crackers onto a parchment or silicone lined baking sheet in a single layer. They can be placed quite close together as they will not expand or rise.

Repeat with the second half of the cracker dough.

Bake the crackers for about 20-30 minutes, or until they have browned lightly and are fairly dry and crispy. Turn off the oven and open the door a bit. Leave the crackers inside until the oven has cooled completely.

Once thoroughly cooled, the crackers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for about 8 days, or in a ziplock bag in the freezer indefinitely.

Oyster Stew

(4 servings)

I had intended on serving this New Years Day, but it sort of fell by the wayside as things sometimes do. This delicious oyster stew comes together fairly quickly and can make a wonderful winter meal when served with slices of buttered toast.

4 tbsp butter
1/2 cup shallots, finely chopped
1/3 cup celery, finely chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pint small shucked oysters and their liquor
2 tbsp unbleached flour
2 cups milk
1 cup half and half
1/2 tsp crushed fennel seed
2 pinches cayenne
salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
fresh chopped parsley for garnish

Melt the butter in a pot over medium heat. Add the shallots, celery and garlic. Cook until the vegetables have softened; about 15-20 minutes. Adjust the heat as needed to prevent the mixture from burning.

While the shallot and celery mixture is cooking, pass the oyster liquor through a fine strainer to remove any sand. Set aside.

When the vegetable mixture has softened, sprinkle the flour evenly over the surface and stir. Gradually stir in the reserved oyster liquor, milk and half and half. Carefully heat the mixture until small bubbles appear around the edges. Do not boil.

Stir in the fennel and cayenne. Taste, and season with salt and pepper as needed.

Stir in the oysters. They don't need to cook for very long (otherwise they might become tough), just until their edges begin to curl; about 2 minutes or so.

Remove from heat and serve the stew immediately. Garnish with the fresh chopped parsley. Nice with buttered toast.

Smoky Sun-Dried Tomato Cheese Spread

(about 1 1/2 cups)

If you have a food processor handy, then this flavorful cheese spread can be prepared in just minutes.

Happy Holidays!

8 oz Neufchâtel or cream cheese

2 tbsp sour cream

2 oz smoked Gouda

1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes (packed in olive oil), drained

1 clove garlic, roughly chopped

1/4 tsp lemon pepper

1/4 tsp smoked paprika

2 pinches cayenne

salt, to taste

2 green onion, sliced (reserve some for garnish)

Place everything except for the salt and green onion into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is smooth.

Remove the top and scrape down the sides. Taste and add salt as needed; adjust the seasoning if necessary. Sprinkle the sliced green onion evenly over the top. Replace the top and pulse just until the onion is combined.

Garnish with the reserved green onion and serve with crackers, bread or vegetable sticks.

Anisplätzchen; German Anise Cookies

(about 3 dozen cookies)

My mother loaned me one of her German Christmas cookbooks for my holiday baking. I couldn't wait to try these anise cookies, although they turned out much flatter (for me) than the ones I remembered from my childhood.

I'm not entirely certain why my cookies didn't rise as much. It might have been the result of any or a combination of the following. I used baking powder instead of ammonium carbonate, my eggs might have been larger than the standard ones used in Germany or it might have been the humidity (I live about a mile from the ocean). If you like biscotti, then you might enjoy these anise cookies. They are unusually flavored, crisp, light cookies that are wonderful dipped into hot tea or coffee.

adapted from Handbuch für die Weihnachtsbäckerei 
from Kölner Zucker (Pfeifer & Langen) ©1978
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp ground anise
two pinches of baking powder (Hirschhornsalz/ammonium carbonate)
1 cup all purpose flour

Prepare the cookie sheets by greasing with butter and then lightly dusting them with flour. Set aside.

Beat the eggs until they are throthy. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar and continue to beat for about 15 minutes until the eggs are light, thick and creamy.

Beat in the anise and baking powder and when they are well combined, add the flour and beat for about one minute.

Drop tablespoons of batter onto the prepared cookie sheets about an inch or more apart; the batter will continue to spread. Leave the cookies in a warm kitchen for about 6-8 hours or overnight. The tops should dry and harden slightly.

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Bake the cookies in the middle of the oven for about 8-10 minutes or until they are very lightly browned around the edges.

Nattalia's Rum Stollen

( 2 loaves)

This is a recipe my mother passed along to me this year. It produces a delicious and very rich rum stollen.

I made my own candied orange and lemon peel because the only candied peel I was able to find in Sequim contained high fructose corn syrup. This was manageable because making this stollen took two days (soaking the nuts and raisins).

The finished loaves were then wrapped in parchment and left in a cool dark place for a week to allow the flavors to fully develop.

candied orange and lemon peel
1 large organic lemon
1 small to medium organic navel orange
2 cups water
1/2 tsp salt

2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup water

about 3 tbsp fine granulated sugar

Wash and dry the lemon and orange. Cut off the tops and bottoms of the lemon. Cut off the peel in strips, yellow and white parts. Cut these pieces into small dice.

Repeat with the orange.

Place the water and salt into a small saucepan. Stir until the salt has dissolved. Add the lemon and orange peel. Bring up to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Cook for about 3 minutes. Drain.

Add enough cold water to cover the peel and bring back up to a simmer. Cook 3 minutes and drain the peel again.

Empty the saucepan and combine the sugar and water. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Bring the mixture up to a gentle simmer. Add the peel and cook for about 30 minutes or until the peel is tender and translucent.

Sprinkle a piece of parchment paper with about 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar. Using a slotted spoon, remove the peel from the syrup, shake off the excess liquid and spread over the sugared parchment paper in a single layer. When all of the peel is spread out, sprinkle the remaining sugar over the top. Allow to dry overnight.

(There was a small amount of citrus flavored syrup leftover which I used in my tea).

rum stollen
2 cups raisins
about 1 cup dark rum, divided
1 cup sliced almonds
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 lb butter, 2 sticks warmed until runny, but not hot
4 cups flour, divided
3/4 cup lukewarm milk
2 tsp dry active yeast
3 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp cardamom
1 cup candied lemon and orange peel
1 tbsp flour

The day before you plan on baking this, place the raisins in a small bowl and sprinkle with half a cup of rum. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside overnight, stirring at least once or twice.

Place the almonds in another small bowl. Combine about 1/3 of a cup of rum with the almond extract. Pour this mixture over the almonds and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside overnight, stirring at least once or twice.

The next morning combine the butter with 2 cups of flour. Refrigerate this mixture while you prepare the yeast dough.

Combine the milk, yeast and sugar. Let sit until the yeast has dissolved.

Place the remaining 2 cups of flour and cardamom into the bowl of a 9 or 11 cup food processor. Pulse a few times to combine.

With the motor running pour the milk and yeast mixture down the chute. Turn off the motor when the dough begins to come together.

Take the top off the food processor. Break up the dough and distribute evenly around the bowl. Remove the flour and butter mixture from the refrigerator and form small walnut sized balls. Place about 5 or 6 of those around the yeast dough. Replace the top and pulse a few times to combine.

Drop the remaining flour and butter mixture in small pieces down the chute until all of it has been combined with the yeast dough.

Process until you have a smooth ball of dough, taking care not to let the mixture get too hot. Place into a dish and cover with plastic wrap. Wait until the dough has risen about 2 1/2 times; about 2-3 hrs.

Drain the raisins and almonds, reserving the leftover rum. Combine the fruit and nuts with 1 cup of the candied lemon and orange peel (reserve the rest for another use).

Add the flour and toss. Set aside.

Divide the dough in half. Roll out one piece to about 1/4 inch thickness; about 12 x 14". Cover with half of the fruit and nut mixture. Cover loosely with plastic wrap for about 15 minutes.

Roll the ends like a jelly roll towards the center. Flatten the dough and then roll up again from the bottom to the top. Gently roll into a rectangle about 6" x 10 ". Fold in half with the top not quite meeting the other side; see photo.

Place onto a silicone mat or a piece of parchment paper. Cover with a light dry kitchen towel to rise until doubled; up to 4 hours.

Repeat with the remaining piece of dough.

Preheat oven to 350F. Set the racks so that the stollen bakes in the upper top portion of the oven; about 2 to 3 notches down.

Bake the stollen for 50-65 minutes or until done. Remove from oven.

to finish
3 tbsp butter
the leftover and reserved rum
about 1/2 cup fine granulated sugar
about 1/2 cup icing sugar (confectioners)

Quickly prepare the glaze to brush onto the warm stollen. Gently heat the leftover rum with the butter. Brush this mixture onto both sides of each loaf until you have used all of it.

Roll each warm loaf in granulated sugar; both sides. Then dust each loaf generously with powdered sugar. Allow to cool.

Wrap the cooled loaves in parchment paper. (My mother was pretty insistent not to use plastic. She told me the loaves shouldn't "sweat". I couldn't help myself. I placed one parchment wrapped loaf into a paper bag and the other into a *plastic bag). Allow the loaves to sit in a cool dark place for at least a week. This gives the flavors a chance to mellow.

A week later *I preferred the stollen that had been placed in plastic. I thought the stollen wrapped in parchment paper and then placed into a paper bag was a bit on the dry side.

Ginger Spice Cookies

(about 4 dozen cookies)


These flavorful ginger cookies are made in a food processor which makes quick work of finely chopping the candied ginger. I made two batches of these this year; one using less sugar. This sweeter version won out by a long shot.

1/4 cup unsulphured molasses

1 egg
1 3/4 cups unbleached flour
1/2 cup brown sugar, *packed
1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup candied ginger pieces

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp cardamom

1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 cup salted butter, (1 stick) at room temperature

Whisk together the molasses and egg. Set aside.

Place the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, candied ginger, baking soda, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves into the bowl of a food processor (9 cup capacity or larger). Pulse and /or run the motor until the candied ginger is very finely chopped and well mixed into the flour and sugar mixture. * This recipe uses the minimum amount of sugar required for the cookies to spread nicely, so make sure to pack the brown sugar when measuring.

Remove the top of the food processor. Cut the butter into small pieces and distribute evenly over the flour mixture. Pour the reserved molasses and egg mixture over the butter. Replace the top.

Pulse, then run the motor until a ball of dough begins to form. Refrigerate the dough for about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F for chewy cookies, OR Preheat oven to 375°F for crisp cookies.

Scoop out about one and a half teaspoonful of dough and shape into balls. Place about 2 inches apart on a silicone or parchment paper lined cookie sheet.  Flatten the cookies with the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar.

Bake for about 8-9 minutes for slightly chewy cookies (at 350°F), or bake about 10-11 minutes at 375°F for crisp cookies. They will crisp up as they cool.

Buttery Jam Thumbprint Cookies

(about 3 dozen cookies)

This is another shortbread type cookie that's delicate and buttery. I have always loved the simplicity of this recipe. These cookies are made in a food processor, shaped and filled with jam before they hit the oven.

I stopped using my thumb for making the indentations years ago because they just weren't uniform enough for me. I use the back of a small round  measuring spoon instead.

2 cups unbleached flour

3/4 cup icing sugar (confectioner's)

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 cup salted butter, (2 sticks)

2 tsp vanilla extract

about 3 - 4 tbsp jam

more icing sugar for dusting

 

Place the flour, icing sugar and baking powder into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times until well mixed.

Remove the cover. Cut the butter into pieces and place evenly over the surface of the flour and sugar mixture. Sprinkle the vanilla extract over the butter. Replace the cover and pulse until the dough begins to form a ball.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Check and make sure the baking rack is positioned in the middle of the oven.

Using about one tablespoon of dough per cookie, roll into balls. Place these about 1 1/2 to 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

Press the back of a small round 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon into each cookie to create a nice uniform well. Dip the back of the measuring spoon into flour if it sticks to the dough.

Place about 1/4 teaspoon of jam into the center of each indentation.

Bake the cookies for about 15-20 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned and the jam has begun to bubble.

Remove from oven and dust the warm cookies with icing sugar. Cool completely on the cookie sheet.

My Mother's Heidesand; German Cookies

Heidesand is a type of German shortbread made with browned butter. My mother recently made two batches of these delicious cookies, experimenting with the flour. She used unbleached all purpose flour for her first batch. The resulting cookie was how I remembered it from my childhood; a rich buttery shortbread cookie. For her second batch she used only whole wheat pastry flour. This resulted in a very delicate, melt in your mouth type cookie which I loved, however it was quite crumbly, something my mum wasn't happy with. I decided to make this cookie using half all purpose and half whole wheat pastry flour. I love the way these turned out; tender cookies that don't break apart the moment you bite into them.

My mum's recipe is pretty simple; half a pound butter, half a pound flour, 3 ounces sugar and a bit of baking powder, salt and vanilla extract. She told me these cookies need to be baked in the upper third of the oven and removed as soon as they are firm without allowing their bottoms to brown. I let mine brown because I think they taste better that way. I'll leave the baking time up to you.

1/2 lb unsalted butter, (2 sticks)
1/3 cup, plus 1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup* whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour

Melt the butter over medium heat. Continue to cook until it begins to brown. You want the butter to be a nice rich brown, but take care not to let it to burn.

Remove the pot from heat and pour the butter into a glass or ceramic mixing bowl. Set aside a few hours until the butter has solidified.

Beat the butter until it's fluffy, making sure to scrape up the browned bits that have settled to the bottom of the bowl. Beat in the sugar slowly, followed by the vanilla extract, baking powder and salt.

Shift together the two flours and stir them into the butter mixture. You will have a very crumbly dough. Shape this into two or three logs, about 1 1/2 - 2 inches in diameter. If the mixture is too crumbly and difficult to shape into logs, then mix in a few drops of water or milk.

Refrigerate until the logs are firm; about 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350°F. (Set the oven rack up one notch from the middle.)

Slice the cookies a "generous" 1/4 inch thick and place about 3/4 inch apart on a parchment paper or silicone lined cookie sheet.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes or until the cookies look slightly puffed and have not yet begun to brown around the edges. (I bake mine longer (15 minutes) until the edges do look browned.)

Remove from oven and cool completely on the cookie sheet giving them the chance to firm up a bit.

* A quarter pound of whole wheat pastry flour actually worked out to 3/4 cup, plus 3 tablespoons. I rounded this off to one cup.