Pistachio Dessert



This is a recipe I dug out of my collection from many years ago. I made it (cutting small squares) for a bridal shower recently, but I thought it a perfect dessert to post for St Patrick's Day coming up. Look no further. Here is your dessert.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter, room temp
• 1 cup flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 sliced almonds
• 8 oz / 250 gm cream cheese
• 2/3 cup icing sugar (powdered sugar)
• 2 cups cool whip topping
• 8 oz pkg instant pistachio pudding
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
• extra sliced toasted almonds for topping

Method:

1. Mix butter, flour, sugar and almonds, using a pastry blender, until moist and crumbly. 
2. Press into 9x13 inch pan using the back of a spoon. Bake at 350° F for 15 minutes. Cool.
3. Beat cream cheese, folding in icing sugar and cool whip. Spread on crust.
4. Prepare pistachio pudding using 2 1/2 cups milk and spread over cream cheese layer, while still pourable.
5. Whip cream and spread over pudding. Sprinkle with toasted, cooled nuts. (if you are looking for smaller servings . . . half the recipe works in an 8x8 inch pan and serves 9)

Barcelona Salad

While on my last trip to Europe in Spring, we enjoyed trying Mediterranean dishes.
We went to this little quaint restaurant and ordered this avocado/tomato salad. Hm.....
This was delicious. But it was too easy...lettuce, tomatoes, avocados, and fresh basil. I know that I always have those ingredients in my home. But what was in that dressing? That became the discussion of our entire meal.
The next night we went back to that same little restaurant and ordered exactly the same salad.
So I think I have experimented enough with dressings over the past months that I will post this recipe. I know my family has enjoyed this salad with a Mediterranean flare.

Salad Ingredients

• Avocados
• lettuce greens
• Roma tomatoes or grape tomatoes
• Boccocine, medallions or mini-mini (fresh soft cheese)
• Fresh Basil
• short skewer sticks

Mediterranean Salad Dressing

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 large garlic clove, crushed
• 2 tablespoons liquid honey 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper

1. Place all ingredients in a bowl, and whisk thoroughly to combine.
2. I often use my small immersion blender to mix this dressing.
3. Arrange your salad bowls or skewers with lettuce, adding avocados, tomatoes, and bocconcini. 
4. Pour dressing over your ingredients.
5. Sprinkle with fresh basil.

Hope you can add this to your favorites. Don't forget to add a loaf of Rustic Italian Bread.
It goes well with any salad. It becomes a whole meal.

Homemade Pop Tarts

These homemade pop tarts are nothing like the store bought ones. These little gems are buttery and flaky. I filled some with strawberry jam and the others with pear jam. You can use any favorite jam, a chocolate spread with mini marshmallows would be delicious too. This is a small recipe but can easily be doubled or tripled.

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 3/4 cup chilled butter, cut in cubes
• 4-5 tablespoons ice cold water
• Strawberry jam
• Pear jam

1. In a bowl whisk together the dry ingredients. I used a food processor to make this dough, but both methods work fine.
2. With a pastry blender cut in the chilled butter till it's the size of peas.
3. Add the cold water a tablespoon at a time till the dough comes together.
4. Form the dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap, pressing down into a disk. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
5. Roll dough into a rectangle and cut approx 3" by 5 " pieces. Place jam on the center of a cut piece of dough, top with another piece and seal the edges with the tines of a fork dipped in flour.
6. Bake on a parchment lined pan in a 375º oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Allow to cool.
7. You can leave them plain or ice them with your favorite frosting and top with sprinkles.
8. Yield: 5 pop tarts

Cream of Broccoli Cheddar Cheese Soup

Soup and sandwich meals during the winter months are easy to put together, can be budget stretchers and are so satisfying. This is a very easy soup to make. You can change this up a wee bit by using vegetable stock in place of the chicken stock, and you can also omit the cheese, but the cheese does add a wonderful creamy richness. We have a good variety of soups and sandwiches in our recipe index. 

Serves 4-6

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/2 cup finely diced celery
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced fine
• 1 small garlic clove, crushed
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 cups 2% milk (or half and half)
• 2 cups chicken OR vegetable broth
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups finely chopped broccoli florets and stems
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1. Heat oil over medium heat and saute onions, celery and jalapeno until onions are translucent and soft, but not browning. Add crushed garlic and saute another minute.
2. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. In a soup pot melt butter over medium heat.
4. Stir in flour whisking to make a roux. It will be very thick. Don't let it burn.
5. Once all flour is incorporated into butter add a little of the milk whisking to keep mixture smooth. Slowly add all the milk and once this mixture is smooth add the broth. 
6. Continue to cook this mixture over low-medium heat for approximately 20 minutes. It will begin to thicken as it simmers. Do not let it boil. Stir often. 
7. Add the sauteed vegetables and the broccoli. Stir to incorporate. 
8. Turn burner to low and allow soup to simmer for approximately 20-30 minutes, stirring often.
9. Add cheese and continue stirring over low heat until it's all melted. 

Lemon Poppyseed Bundt Cake

This cake has been a spring favorite at our home for many years.  Quick and easy...moist and yummy. You can't go wrong!

• 1 lemon cake mix (510 gr / 18 1/4 oz)
• 1 package instant lemon pudding (99gr / 3.4 oz)
  4 eggs
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 cup warm water
• 1/4 cup poppy seeds
• 1/2 cup icing (confectioner's) sugar
• juice of one lemon

1. In large bowl, combine cake mix and pudding mix.
2. Add the water, eggs and oil...and mix for about 30 seconds on low speed.
3. Stir in poppy seeds...and mix well.
4. Pour into a greased bundt pan.
5. Bake at 350°F for about 50 minutes, or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. (These can also be baked in 6-8 mini-bundts for about 30 minutes.)
6. Remove from pans and drizzle with glaze while still warm.
7. For the glaze...combine icing sugar with lemon juice, adding more icing sugar if necessary to get right consistency.

Glaze option: Beat together 1/2 cup cream cheese, 1 cup icing sugar and the juice of 1 lemon.

If you are needing a dessert for tomorrow...this recipe may be just the thing!

Angel Food Cake

Angel food cake is an old stand by. My dad was over for supper not long ago when I served this cake and he said "it tastes just like mom's". I served it with strawberries and whipped cream just as she used to, and I had to agree, it was a taste I remembered well. Follow the tip to making your own cake flour. It may be an old tip some of you have used for years and a new tip for others. 

TIP: To begin, if you don't have cake flour make your own by measuring one cup of all purpose flour and removing 2 tablespoons. Now add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch to the flour making 1 cup. Sift this mixture at least 5-6 times. Now you have the one cup of cake flour you need for this recipe.

• 1 cup cake flour
• 3/4 cup sugar, plus 2 tbsp sugar
• 12 egg whites, room temperature. This is very important
• 1 1/2 tsp cream of tarter
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup sugar (yes again) 
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp almond extract

1. If you are making your own cake flour make sure you sift it 5-6 times.
2. Now add the first amount of sugar to the flour and sift another several times. Set aside.
3. Separate room temperature egg whites from yolks. It is very important that your bowl for the whites is completely dry and clean and that not a speck of the yolk gets into the whites. (save egg yolks for other recipes)
4. In a large bowl ( I use my kitchen aid mixer) beat egg whites. Add cream of tarter, salt and second amount of sugar. Beat well adding extracts as mixture begins to thicken. Beat until stiff high peaks form. 
5. Using lowest speed add sifted flour/sugar mixture to egg whites and just allow the dry mixture to incorporate with the egg whites. Stop machine and using a spatula gently scrape from bottom of bowl to make sure all flour is getting mixed in. If you are not using a machine, fold in the flour/ sugar mixture. Either way, be gentle with this step and also don't over mix.
6. Pour batter into ungreased tube pan. Run a knife all the way around through the middle to get rid of any trapped bubbles in the batter.
7. Bake in 375º oven for 30-35 minutes.
8. Turn a small mug upside down and turn cake upside down in pan onto mug to cool. Once completely cooled run knife around outside of pan and remove cake to plate. 
9. Ready to serve or wrap well and freeze for several weeks.

Barbecued Steak Supreme

I have been making this dish since I was 15 or 16. It was one of the first dinners I had at Terry's house when we started dating . I asked his mom for the recipe and brought it home and made it.

I still make this steak dish when comfort food is needed for ourselves or for others.

At some point I came across the cookbook that she used.

• 2 pounds steak (round or flank)  
• 2 tablespoons seasoned flour (a good dash of salt and pepper)
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 can of tomato soup
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons prepared mustard
• dash Tabasco sauce

1. Pound the flour into the steak or if it is already very thinly sliced sprinkle it on either side.
2. Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan and brown the steak on medium high heat.
3. Remove the steak and set aside.
4. Brown the vegetables and add the remaining ingredients.
5. Stir well and add the steak.
6. Cook in the oven at 325 for 3 hours. Slower and longer makes it more tender. You can also put it in the crock pot on low for 6 - 8 hours. 
7. Serve over mashed potatoes.

Hint:  Double the sauce ingredients for plenty of sauce over mashed potatoes. 

German Pancakes - Gluten Free (crepes)

One thing I have really missed since I went on the Celiac diet was German Pancakes. I tried to make them a few times and they ended up in the garbage. If they don't taste 'right', (meaning the same as regular) I'd rather go without ! But the other day I tried again and achieved SUCCESS !!! My husband accused me of using wheat flour! When I served them to my family -- Celiacs and non - I got big smiles and thumbs up - I had to mix up more batter! Even if I say so myself , these ARE really good !!! ** Ingredients 4 eggs 1 cup whole milk 1/2 cup pancake mix (recipe following) (butter for frying) (NOTE - the above ingredients are in easily multiplied/divided amounts to suit the number of people to be served - the 4 egg amount will make 10 - 8"pancakes)

This batter does not like to stand - so mix only as much as you are going to use in one preparation - do not set any aside to use later.

1. Whisk eggs, milk, pancake mix together in a large measuring cup or bowl until perfectly smooth. The batter will be thin.


2. Using a heated frying pan, place a small dab of butter on the hot pan held off the element and tilt it to coat the bottom with the melting butter.


3. Still holding the frying pan off the element pour in just enough batter (a scant 1/4 cup) to coat the bottom of the pan, tilting the pan to let the batter spread. If it doesn't spead easily add a little more milk.


4. Placing pan back on the element let it cook until nicely browned, then slip a spatula under it and flip over to brown the other side. (these are easy to flip UNLESS you try to flip them too soon)


5. Remove pancake to a warmed plate (I place the plate on the warmer element on my stovetop)


6. Repeat from step 2 until batter is used up, stacking the pancakes on the plate.


7. Serve rolled up with sugar, pancake syrup, fruit syrup, fruit, whipped cream - as desired !

*****

Pancake Flour Mix

• 1/2 cup white bean flour


• 1 cup white corn flour


• 1/4 cup potato starch


• `1 tsp xanthan gum


• 1 1/2 tsp salt

Mix thoroughly and store in cool, dry place. (fridge is OK)

*****

Shepherd's Pie

This is one of my favourite comfort foods.
It's more a method than a recipe as it changes each time I make it.
Most of you have probably made this often and have your own version but for those few to whom it is new, you can start with the following instruction and then adapt the flavours to your own taste.

• 3 or 4 raw potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 1 tablespoon butter
• milk
• salt and pepper
• 1 - 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• chopped onions
• chopped red and/or green peppers
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 1 or 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 teaspoon basil
• salt and pepper (second amount)
• grated cheddar cheese or a mixture of cheddar and mozzarella

1. Cook potatoes in salted water until tender.
2. Drain and mash, adding sour cream, butter and milk until fluffy and smooth. Set aside.
3. Brown ground beef in a skillet, breaking it up with a spoon.
4. Add onions and peppers.
5. When beef and vegetables are cooked through, drain fat.
6. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, basil and salt and pepper and mix well.
7. Place beef mixture in bottom of casserole dish.
8. Spoon mashed potatoes over beef, completely covering it.
9. Sprinkle with grated cheese and dot with a few dabs of butter.
10. Bake at 350 degrees F until casserole is heated through and you can hear it bubbling.
11. Serve.

Note:You can change up the flavours of both the beef and the potatoes.
For the potatoes : use garlic mashed potatoes or cheesy mashed potatoes or you can use up leftover mashed potatoes
For the beef: Use BBQ sauce, salsa or leftover gravy instead of the tomato sauce, chili powder instead of the basil
You can also add corn or grated carrot to the beef mixture.

Lemon Cheese

When I was growing up, my mom used to occasionally pick up a jar of Nabob Lemon Cheese at the grocery store. She would use it in tarts and sweet buns, and we loved it on toast. They quit making Lemon Cheese and we were left with Lemon Spread. We bought one jar of that, and we never bought another. From then on, my mom made Lemon Cheese, or Lemon Curd if she needed a nice Lemon flavour.

For the butterhorns that I just posted, I whipped up a small batch of Lemon Cheese. I made one cup, if you prefer, you can double this recipe and store it in the refrigerator for one week or freeze it and thaw it in the refrigerator. The recipe I use now, can be found in the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook. . .which claims to be the # 1 Cookbook since 1930. . . I made a half recipe and that is how I will post it here.

Lemon Cheese

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• the finely shredded peel of one medium sized lemon
• the juice of one medium sized lemon. . . 3 tablespoons
• 3 tablespoons water
• 3 beaten egg yolks
• 1/4 cup butter. . cubed

1. In a small saucepan stir together the sugar and the cornstarch.
2. Stir in the lemon peel and the lemon juice and water.
3. Cook and stir over medium heat until it has thickened and is bubbly.
4. Slowly pour a wee bit of the hot lemon mixture into the bowl where the beaten egg yolks are. . .stir with a small whisk.
5. Slowly add a little more until you have added about half of the hot mixture. If you do this the opposite way, the cold eggs into the hot mixture, you will have scrambled eggs ala lemon sauce, so a little hot into the cold egg yolks.
6. Add all the egg mixture into the remaining hot mixture and continue to cook a few minutes. . .continue stirring the whole time.
7. Remove from heat and add the cubed butter and stir well until smooth and glossy.
8. Cover the hot lemon cheese with plastic wrap . Put the plastic wrap against the surface of the lemon cheese to avoid condensation forming.
9. Allow to cool and refrigerate.