Wednesday, December 31, 2014

You Cannoli Imagine How Good This Is!

Rosie is making Moreovers today.
I'm getting rid of Christmas food items
and making something totally different.

I'm making cannoli.
Well, I'm making cannoli filling.
I found a dozen cannoli shells in the freezer
and wanted to use them up.
If you want to make your own shells,
here's the recipe.

Cannoli Filling
2 cups ricotta, drained in cheesecloth overnight
1 cup chopped cranberries
1 cup crushed pineapple
1 cup pomegranate arils
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup heavy cream
zest of one clementine

 I found pineapple slices, cranberries, and pomegranate arils.
1 cup each.

Add in the sugar.
Mix well and let excess liquid drain out.
Add in rest of ingredients

Mr. Hawthorne was kind enough to pipe in the filling.




I had pistachios and I didn't even think about using them.
Rosie slaps head.

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Rosie Stir Fries. Orange Beef And Broccoli.



I love a good stir fry
and the Hawthornes haven't had this for a while.
For a late lunch,
I'm making an orange-laced beef and vegetable stir fry.
And I have homemade egg rolls.

Oh, look!
I had a package of top sirloin.
.74 pounds.
On sale.  As always.


I put the meat into the freezer for about 45 minutes.
Makes for good, paper thin slices.
Take a one-inch cube of frozen ginger,
nuke it for 25 seconds,
and garlic press it into the meat.
Zest and juice an orange.
Add two tablespoons of soy sauce
and mix well.
Cover and let marinate in the fridge.

Here are the fixin's:
Marinated meat.
Sliced carrot, broccoli, celery, and onion.


Heat peanut oil over high heat in wok.
Add in the carrots, celery, onions, and broccoli.
After one minute,
pour in about 1/2 cup water to steam the vegetables.
Cook one minute.
High heat.
Stir and Fry
over High Heat.
 Transfer to bowl, cover, and let it keep cookin' on.

Clean out wok.
Add oil.
Drop in marinated meat in batches.
Do not over-wok (crowd the pan).

Stir and fry.
Batches at a time.

One of my secrets:
I sprinkle sugar over the meat
to help it sear and caramelize.
Maillard reaction.




Add the vegetables back into the hot wok.

Pour in a corn starch slurry
(2 TB cornstarch mixed with 2 TB cold water.)
down the side of the wok.
Keep it HOT!
Move it around.

Add in about a cup of beef stock.

Cook.
Heat.
Thicken.


Orange Beef!



Sunday, December 28, 2014

Thursday, December 25, 2014

Christmas Eve Pizza.

 Made pizza tonight.
About a third - ham/pineapple/maraschino cherries.
The rest - pepperoni, peppers, onions, black olives, "exotic" mushrooms.
You fill in the blanks...































Wednesday, December 24, 2014

The Rosiethon. Day 12. Lime Sugar Squares.

Another new recipe today.
And Rosie is done.

 
Lime Sugar Squares.


Lime Sugar Squares
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup shortening
1 3/4 cups sugar
4 tsp lime zest
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
1 1/2 cups owdered sugar
2 TB + lime juice

Heat oven to 350°.
Line a 10 x 15 inch baking pan with foil, extending the foil over the edges of pan.
Cream butter and shortening on medium speed for 30 seconds.
Add sugar, 3 tsp lime zest, baking powder, and salt.
Beat until light and fluffy, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
Beat in lime juice and vanilla.
Turn to low speed and gradually mix in flour until just combined.
Pour batter into pan, spreading evely.
Bake about 22 minutes, or until lightly browned.  
Cool slightly in pan on wire rack.

Glaze
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 TB + lime juice
remaining tsp lime zest
Whisk all together.
Pour over warm base.
Spread evenly with offset spatula.
Cool completely.
Using foil edges, lift uncut base from pan.
Cut into squares.








Monday, December 22, 2014

The Rosiethon. Day 11. Peanut Butter Cookies With Hershey's Kisses



 Peanut Butter Cookies With Hershey's Kisses

 Peanut Butter Cookies With Hershey's Kisses
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup peanut butter (creamy)
1/2 sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Heat oven to 375°.
Whisk flour, baking powder, soda, and salt in a small bowl.
Cream butter and peanut butter at medium speed.
Beat in sugar and brown sugar, then the egg.
Turn mixer to low and add in flour mixture.
Mix until well combined.
It will be a sticky dough.
Roll into small balls and place on greased cookie sheet.
Bake 8-10 minutes, until just golden brown.
Place a Hershey kiss in center of each cookie while they're still hot.

I ended up with 54 cookies.
 The recipe I found for these cookies
instructed me to "unwrap the Kisses."
Thank God for details.
I never would have thought to do this.