Posts tagged ‘walnuts’
Recipe of the Week – Mixed Berry Tart
(From the Dessert Collection at emealsforyou.com)
Mixed Berry Tart
During a quick trip to New Jersey last week I got into a discussion about recipes and how Charlie Trotter, of Chicago fame, once said he never strives to make the same recipe exactly the same each time. The reasons for this is the ingredients might change, or if you cook like me, adverse to measuring, you may add more or less of something. The other topic that came up is “cooking like a French farmer’s wife”, this means using ingredients you have on hand. With this in mind we had a dinner party Sunday night, comfort food really: pot roast, roasted potatoes and carrots. For dessert I had some berries in the frig and decided to make a cake using them. Borrowing the basic recipe for a Cranberry Cake on the site at emealsforyou.com, I made the cake without the cranberries and used the berries. A quick dusting of finishing sugar and we had a spectacular, both visually and taste-wise, finish to a good, cold-weather meal with friends.
Mixed Berry Tart
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 8 |
| Category: | Dessert |
| Meal: | other (General) |
| 1.5 | cups | sugar, granulated |
| 1 | cup | walnuts, chopped, toasted |
| 2 | large | egg, lightly beaten |
| 1 | cup | flour, all-purpose |
| 0.75 | cup | butter, salted |
| 1 | cup | mixed berries |
| 4 | Tb | apricot jam |
| 1 | spritz | PAM |
| 1 | Tb | sugar, finishing |
Place nuts in a large bowl and pour 1/3 of the sugar over the top; mix. Mix the slightly beaten eggs, the remaining sugar, the flour and the melted butter together. Pour over the nuts and mix. Spray PAM in a 9-inch springform pan and add the mixture. Bake in a pre-heated 325 degree oven for 45 minutes or until lightly browned. Melt the jam in the microwave, pour over the berries. Arrange the berries on top of cooled cake. Sprinkle the finishing sugar over the top just prior to serving.
More like this at emealsforyou.com.
Recipe of the Week – Sticking with an Old Favorite – Carrot Cake
(From the Dessert Collection at emealsforyou.com)
Carrot Cake
We are off again this weekend for our quarterly trip to New Jersey so this week I will be making the desserts that we will freeze and take with us. I try to mix it up and make different desserts each time but somehow I always get a request for carrot cake. So along with a chocolate cake and probably some tart shells to fill with peaches cooked in brown sugar and bourbon; I was in the kitchen this morning putting together this never-fail, always appreciated cake. Just 15 minutes shredding carrots and mixing the batter in the food processor and into the oven and I have a classic dessert that freezes and travels well. I make the cream cheese icing once I get there and I am then prepared to present a great finish to the meal even after our 9 hour drive.
They say carrots are good for the eyes but I think this one is great for your stomach.
Carrot Cake
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 12 |
| Category: | Dessert |
| Meal: | You’re Something Special (Celebration Meal Plans) |
| 1.5 | cup | oil, vegetable |
| 2 | cup | sugar, white |
| 4 | large | egg |
| 2 | cup | flour, all-purpose |
| 1.5 | tsp | baking soda |
| 1.5 | tsp | baking powder |
| 2 | tsp | cinnamon. ground |
| 1 | tsp | salt, kosher |
| 3 | whole | carrots, fresh, whole |
| 1 | cup | walnuts, chopped |
| 0.5 | cup | raisins, golden |
Cream sugar, eggs and oil.
Mix in flour, baking soda and powder, cinnamon and salt. Add grated carrots, nuts and raisins.
Bake in greased tube pan or (2) 9 inch cake pans for 40- 50 minutes at 350 degrees.
Cover with cream cheese icing. *
Cream Cheese Icing
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 12 |
| Category: | Dessert |
| Meal: | Other (General) |
| 8 | Tb | butter, unsalted |
| 1 | lb | sugar, powdered |
| 1 | Tb | vanilla |
| 8 | oz | cream cheese |
Blend together in food processor until smooth.
Find the tart recipe and more at emealsforyou.com
Recipe of the Week – Pesto ( hold the pine nuts)
(From the Misc Collection at emealsforyou.com)
Basil Pesto on Pasta
Pesto is a wonderful thing. You can make it with almost any herb or vegetable. You can serve it as an appetizer, a dip or a sauce on pasta or meats and fish. Basically you add cheese, garlic, olive oil and your herb or vegetable and some nuts together in a food processor, process until you get the consistency you wish and voila! you have it; all in about 30 seconds.
We have been making assorted pesto for years; combining sun-dried tomatoes and toasted pecans or spinach and hazelnuts, and of course basil and pine nuts. (see our selections at emealsforyou.com). The problem and reason for this post is that there seems to be a shortage of pine nuts on the market. Usually readily available in the grocery in pound bags, you are lucky to see a couple ounce jar in the Italian specialty aisle for about $5. Don’t let this dissuade you from making pesto. Use toasted walnuts in place of the pine nuts and you will not notice the difference. The texture will be the same and you will get the same “sweetness” that the pine nuts provided. Basil is flourishing in the bright sunshine, plant some or buy some but give pesto a try for a great meal.
Basil Pesto
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 6 |
| Category: | Misc |
| Meal: | other (General) |
| 0.5 | cup | basil leaves, whole |
| 0.75 | cup | pine nuts, toasted |
| 0.75 | cup | cheese, Romano |
| 1.5 | cloves | garlic, chopped |
| 0.75 | cup | oil, olive |
Toast pine nuts lightly. Place basil, pine nuts ( or any other nut you choose), garlic and romano in food processor, process until a paste forms, add oil slowly until you reach the consistency you desire. Should be spreadable, like peanut butter.
Note: Great on sandwiches, may be used on pasta. I spread it on toasted French bread, sprinkle with romano and basil and broiler slightly.
Shown here on pasta.
Recipe of the Week – Cranberry Cake
(From the Dessert Collection at emealsforyou.com)
Cranberry Cake
We had our “early” Christmas on Saturday. Some of us won’t be here for the real Christmas so we gathered together to celebrate and enjoy each other’s company. As usual the food highlighted the weekend. We had pan-roasted chicken, Caesar salads and pasta with four cheeses. Our finale was Steak Diane, twice baked potatoes, French Vinaigrette salad and homemade artisan bread.
I made my usual Christmasy dessert of cheesecake, this time with cherries on the side for that festive look. My wife made her always great Cranberry Cake. This buttery delight hits on all cylinders, sweet, tart, crunchy and moist. It goes together in a flash and can’t be beat for a wonderful company dessert or even a mid-week surprise for your family.
Cranberry Cake
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 8 |
| Category: | Dessert |
| Meal: | Other (General) |
| 2 | cup | cranberries, fresh |
| 1.5 | cup | sugar, white, divided |
| 1 | cup | walnuts, halved |
| 2 | large | egg, lightly beaten |
| 1 | cup | flour |
| 0.75 | cup | butter, salted |
| 1 | spritz | PAM |
| 1 | Tb | sugar, powdered |
Place cranberries and nuts in a large bowl and pour 1/3 of the sugar over the top; mix. Mix the slightly beaten eggs, the remaining sugar, the flour and the melted butter together. Pour over the cranberries and mix. Spray PAM in a pie pan and add the mixture. Bake in a pre-heated 325 degree oven for 60 minutes or until lightly browned. Sprinkle some powdered sugar over the top just prior to serving.
Recipe of the Week – Nut Roll
(From the Dessert Collection at emealsforyou.com)
Nut Roll
Preparing for our early Christmas I suddenly realized that “Mr. Sweetooth” is coming home and I really didn’t have much in the way of goodies for him to eat. I remembered that my brother sent me his recipe, the old family recipe, for his nut roll. He makes it every Christmas but I have never given it a try. We had this at every house we visited during the holiday season growing up. You couldn’t pass up the Slovak treat of nut roll, by the end of the day you were so full you didn’t think you could eat any more, but then you did.
This is a very easy recipe, great for snacks around the holidays and especially nice to give away as gifts to friends and family. The nice thing is that it isn’t overly sweet, like the grocery store bakery makes. Give it a try and it may become a family tradition just like at my brother’s house.
David’s Nut Roll
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 12 |
| Category: | Dessert |
| Meal: | N/A |
| 0.5 | lb | butter, salted |
| 0.5 | cup | sugar, white |
| 4 | large | egg |
| 2 | package | yeast, dried |
| 4 | Tb | water |
| 4 | cup | flour, all-purpose |
| 1 | tsp | salt, kosher |
| 1 | cup | milk, whole |
| 2 | lb | walnuts, chopped |
| 0.5 | lb | butter, salted |
| 0.5 | cup | sugar, white |
Cream butter and sugar, separate yolks and whites and reserve the egg whites. Add egg yolks and mix. Dissolve the yeast in warm (not hot) water; add to mixture. Add about 2 cups flour and mix; add the milk and then the rest of flour. You may have to add additional flour to make dough ball. Place dough ball in greases bowl. Put plastic wrap on top then dish towel. Allow to rise in a warm area until it doubles. Punch dough down and let rise again 1 hour
For the filling: Mix together the walnuts, melted butter and sugar.
To assemble: Roll dough on board ¼ – ½ inches thick. Spread nut mixture on dough and roll up. Place on cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Cover with a towel and let it rise for about 1 ½ hours. Brush top with reserved egg whites. Bake 40-45 minutes at 350 degrees until golden brown. Makes about 5 rolls, may be frozen until needed.
Note: In a pinch for time, omit the first part of the recipe and use filo dough in place of the dough.
You Don’t Have To Be Martha Stewart, Series 3 – A Helpful Rant
(From the Bread Collection at emealsforyou.com)
Sticky Buns
Okay, so now that you have your homemade Kahlua and Lemmoncello “maturing” in your dark closet we need to move on to other ideas for holiday gifts you can make and the recipient will love. Next in my mind, on the easy but really appreciated homemade gifts list are sticky buns. I give these year-round when I think they would be an ideal surprise for breakfast. Delivered hot and sticky on a holiday morning or just to be nice, they fill the house with that sweet smell you remember from visits to the corner bakery when you were growing up. You may also package them in a nice basket unbaked to be baked later. Frozen they last forever and when defrosted offer the perfect touch for a special morning.
The great part about these sticky buns is that they are very easy to make. Make the recipe for yourself and you will still have some leftover to share.
Sticky Buns
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 12 |
| Category: | Breads |
| Meal: | Company for Breakfast (Share-a-Meal Plans) |
| 2.5 | cup | flour, all-purpose |
| 0.25 | cup | sugar, brown |
| 1 | package | yeast, dried |
| 0.5 | tsp | salt, table |
| 0.75 | cup | water, hot |
| 4 | Tb | butter, unsalted |
| 1 | large | egg |
| 0.5 | tsp | cinnamon. ground |
| 8 | Tb | butter, unsalted |
| 0.75 | cup | sugar, brown |
| 1 | Tb | cinnamon. ground |
| 1 | cup | walnuts, chopped |
| 0.75 | cup | sugar, brown |
| 4 | Tb | butter, unsalted |
| 0.25 | cup | corn syrup, dark |
| 1 | cup | walnuts, halved |
(Makes enough for about 3 8 X 8 pans)
Dough- Mix flour, 1/4 cup sugar, yeast, salt, water, melted butter, egg and cinnamon in food processor, remove from processor, add enough flour to make a soft dough, let rise for 45 minutes.
Filling- Mix 1/2 cup softened butter, 3/4 sugar, cinnamon and chopped nuts together.
Roll dough to 15” X 24”. Spread filling on dough. Roll up and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Topping- Put remaining 3/4-cup sugar, 1/2-cup butter, and karo syrup in pan, bring to a boil. Remove from heat, add nuts and pour into baking tray or pan.
Cut rolled dough into 3/4” pieces and place on top of topping in pan. Can be frozen or refrigerated at this point. When ready to bake, let rise for 30 minutes and bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Invert over plate and serve.
Note: When scaling this recipe be sure to adjust the ingredient proportions in this method section.
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