Dutch Letters Recipe

Dutch Letters Recipe 

Ingredients

• 1 can (8 ounces) almond paste
• 1 cup Imperial Sugar® / Dixie Crystals® Granulated Sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
• DOUGH:
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups cold butter
• 1 cup ice water
• 1 egg white
• 2 teaspoons water

Directions

• In a large bowl, beat the almond paste, sugar, egg and extract until smooth. Divide into four portions. On lightly floured waxed paper, roll each portion into a 12-in. x 1/2-in. rope; set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine flour and salt; cut in butter until crumbly. Gradually add water, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball. Divide into four portions.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out each portion into a 14-in. x 6-in. rectangle. Place one almond paste rope in the center of each rectangle. Moisten long edges of dough; fold over filling. Press seam to seal; tuck in ends.
• Transfer seam side down to greased baking sheets; form each into an S-shape. Whisk egg white and water; brush over dough. Using a fork, prick tops at 1-in. intervals to vent.
• Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks. To serve, cut into 2-in. pieces. Yield: 28 pastries.
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• These "S"-shaped super flaky butter pastries filled with almond paste and topped with crunchy sugar are popular in both Iowa and Holland during the Christmas season. Here's a recipe that will let you make and enjoy them all year round. 

Chocolate-Mint Evergreen Cookies

Ingredients

• 5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 1 large egg

• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 2 1/2 cups flour

• 1/8 teaspoon mint extract

• 5 drops green food coloring

• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

• Colored sugar, nonpareils, sprinkles and dragées, for decorating

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees . In a double boiler, melt the chocolate.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and granulated sugar at high speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Mix in the egg, vanilla and salt at medium speed. Mix in the flour, in 2 additions, at low speed, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Transfer two-thirds of the dough to a bowl.
3. With the mixer on, mix the mint extract and food coloring into the remaining dough.
4. Transfer the mint dough to a 2-inch cookie press fitted with a tree-shaped disk. Press out onto a cookie sheet, using 1 click of the press; refrigerate. Wipe out the mixer bowl and cookie press.
5. Using the mixer, mix the melted chocolate into the reserved dough at low speed until almost incorporated. Add the cocoa and mix at low speed until blended. Transfer the chocolate dough to the cookie press fitted with a ribbon disk and press onto 2 baking sheets, using 2 clicks of the press, to form ovals. 6. Using a small spatula, transfer the chilled tree shapes onto the chocolate ovals. Top with the colored sugar and candies and bake until set, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, then transfer the cookies to racks to cool completely.

New Orleans Gumbo

 

New Orleans Gumbo

ingredients

• 1 cup oil or lard
• 2 cups cut up chicken breast
• 1 1/2 lbs. andouille sausage, ham or chorizo
• 4 cups chopped onions
• 2 cups chopped celery
• 2 cups chopped green pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 8 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups chopped green onions
• Cooked rice
• Joe’s Stuff (cajun seasoning)

directions

• 1
  Season and brown chicken in oil over medium heat until cooked through. Add sausage to pot and saute with chicken. Remove both from pot.
• 2
  Max a roux* with equal parts of oil (must be free of food particles to avoid burning so clean the pot well) and flour to desired color. Add onions, celery and green pepper. Add garlic to mixture and stir continuously. After vegetables reach desired tenderness, return chicken and sausage to pot and cook with vegetables, stirring frequently. Gradually stir in the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for an hour or more. Season to taste with Joe’s Stuff seasoning or other cajun seasoning.
• 3
  Approx. 10 minutes before serving, add green onions. Serve over rice or plain, accompanied by french bread.
• 4
  *Roux: The lighter the color the thicker the end result. I try to make this roux a medium brown color-not too light, not too dark.
  

  
  

  

  

  

Roasted Cauliflower Recipe

Roasted Cauliflower Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 head of cauliflower
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, peeled and coarsely minced
• Lemon juice from half a lemon
• Olive oil
• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Parmesan cheese

Method

1 Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut cauliflower into florets and put in a single layer in an oven-proof baking dish. Toss in the garlic. Sprinkle lemon juice over cauliflower and drizzle each piece with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. If the oven hasn't reached 400°F yet, set aside until it has.
2 Place casserole in the hot oven, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is lightly brown. Test with a fork for desired doneness. Fork tines should be able to easily pierce the cauliflower. Remove from oven and sprinkle generously with Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

Yield: Serves 4.

Holiday Meatballs

Holiday Meatballs
2 # lean ground meat (turkey or beef)
1 C. corn flake crumbs
1/3 C. dry parsley
2 eggs
2 T. soy sauce
1/4 t. pepper
1 t. garlic salt
1/3 c. ketchup
2 T. minced dry onion

Mix these ingredients together thoroughly. Shape into balls and bake on cookie sheet. Bake uncovered 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Sauce:
1- 1# can cranberry sauce (smooth or chunky)
1- 12 oz. bottle of chili or cocktail sauce
2 T. brown sugar
1 T. lemon juice

Mix in a saucepan, heat and stir until smooth. Place meatballs in a warming server or electric skillet, pour sauce over the meatballs and let simmer.Meatballs can be prepared ahead and frozen.

Fresh Cranberry Jello Salad

Fresh Cranberry Jello Salad

INGREDIENTS:

- 1 package fresh cranberries, washed and sorted
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 3 cups orange jello
- 2 cans mandarian oranges, drained and cut into small pieces
- 1 cup chooped nuts
- 1 can crushed pineapple, undrained


METHOD:

1. Grind Cranberried in food processor/grinder, stir in the sugar to blend. Set aside.

2. Dissolve jello in boiling water, cool until mixture begins to thicken.

3. Add cranberry mixture. Add oranges, nuts and pineapple. Stir well, pour into lightly oiled 8 cup mold.  Chill overnight. Unmold.

Cranberry Sauce Recipe

Cranberry Sauce Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 4 cups (1 12-oz package) fresh or frozen cranberries
• Optional Pecans, orange zest, raisins, currants, blueberries, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice.

Method

1 Wash and pick over cranberries. In a saucepan bring to a boil water and sugar, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add cranberries, return to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer for 10 minutes or until cranberries burst.
2 At this point you can add all number of optional ingredients. We typically mix in a half a cup of roughly chopped pecans with or without a few strips of orange zest. You can add a cup of raisins or currants. You can add up to a pint of fresh or frozen blueberries for added sweetness. Spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg or allspice can be added too.
3 Remove from heat. Cool completely at room temperature and then chill in refrigerator. Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools.
Cranberry sauce base makes 2 1/4 cups.