Kai's "Old-Fashioned" Recipe Thread

Yield: About 1 dozen cookies

Brown butter is simply butter that has been cooked until it takes on a delicious, subtle nutty flavor and aroma -- which explains its French name, beurre noisette, or "hazelnut butter." Be sure to keep an eye on it as it cooks, to avoid burning.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS

1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus more for pan
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 cups packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup chopped walnuts (about 4 ounces)
1 cup toffee bits

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9 by 13-inch baking pan. Line bottom of pan with parchment; butter and flour parchment. - In a saucepan over medium heat, cook the butter until it turns golden brown; remove from heat, and let cool. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. - In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine browned butter and both sugars; stir with a wooden spoon until combines. - Attach bowl to mixer; add eggs. Using the paddle attachment, beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla, and beat to combine. Add he flour mixture, walnuts, and toffee bits. Mix until thoroughly combined, and pour into prepared pan. - Bake until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes (do not overbake). Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before turning out of pan onto a cutting board. Peel off parchment paper; cut blondies into shapes with 3- to 3 1/2-inch cookie cutters. Blondies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 3 days.

http://www.cooking.com/Recipes-and-M...&ref=cknwfhne0

How to cook pasta
FoodSunday, September 25, 2011

Cookbook author and Italian cooking expert Marcella Hazan is often credited with introducing traditional Italian food to Americans. She definitely knows her pasta, and that a great dish depends on more than just the ingredients. If you’re serious about good eats, it should be served hot and fresh. "Pasta must never be made to wait," she says.

Here are her timing tips for dishing it out just right:

A colander should be sitting in the sink so the pasta can be drained the very instant it’s cooked.

The moment it’s drained, it should be plopped into a large, warm bowl.

Losing no time, it should quickly be tossed with warm sauce that has been kept at the ready. Tossing must be fast but meticulous to coat the pasta thoroughly with sauce.

It should be served promptly on warm plates to diners ready to begin eating.


MARCELLA'S GOLDEN RULES OF COOKING PASTA

1. Fill a large pot with 6 quarts of water for 1 pound of pasta. (That's about three-quarters full.) Pasta needs room to move or it’ll clump.
2. Once the cooking water comes to a boil, season it with a palmful of salt (about 2 tablespoons) to enhance the subtle flavor of the pasta.
3. Cook the pasta, uncovered, at a rolling boil and stir it often to keep it from sticking.

COOKING PASTA—TRUE OR FALSE?

True or False? Breaking long pasta into shorter pieces makes it easier to eat.
If spaghetti were better short, it would have been made that way! Plus, broken strands are hard to eat since they’re not long enough to twirl onto a fork.

True or False? Add olive oil to the cooking water to keep the pasta from sticking.
Pasta shouldn’t stick when properly cooked. If it’s cooked with olive oil, it will actually coat the noodles and prevent sauce from sticking.

True or False? Throw the pasta against the wall—if it sticks, it’s done.
The only way to know if it’s done is to taste it! It should be al dente, or firm to the bite. The more pasta cooks, the gummier it gets, so if it sticks to the wall it’s probably overdone.

True or False? Rinse pasta after cooking and draining.
This will make the pasta cold and rinse away the starch that helps bind the sauce to it.

True or False? It’s all about the sauce.
Italians will tell you it’s pasta with sauce—not sauce with pasta! Too much sauce buries the flavor of the pasta and overwhelms it.

By Giuliano Hazan

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/food/...pasta-2565691/

How to Make Pasta Sauce

For a sweeter, mellower sauce, cook chopped onions until softened in a combination of extra-virgin olive oil and butter for your base.

For a more pungent sauce, cook finely chopped garlic in extra-virgin olive oil until just golden. Don’t let the garlic brown or the sauce will taste bitter.

Chop all ingredients into even, bite-size pieces or smaller. Pasta is devoured with a fork—there’s no need to add a knife to the mix.

Add sturdier ingredients, like zucchini or eggplant, early on to cook through before adding delicate ingredients, like tomatoes or fish, which will break down if cooked too long.

For egg pasta dishes, reduce the sauce less, as egg pastas will absorb some of the liquid.

MAKE THESE SAUCES
Browned Butter Sauce http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipes...d-Butter-Sauce

Tomato Sauce http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipes...Tomato-Sauce-2

Garlic-and-Oil Sauce http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipes...-and-Oil-Sauce

Cream Sauce http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipes.../Cream-Sauce-2

3/4 cup heavy cream2 tablespoons butter1/2 teaspoon salt2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley1/3 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

Meat Sauce http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipes...s/Meat-Sauce-2

http://www.rachaelraymag.com/food-ho...ke-pasta-sauce

How to cook pasta
FoodSunday, September 25, 2011

Cookbook author and Italian cooking expert Marcella Hazan is often credited with introducing traditional Italian food to Americans. She definitely knows her pasta, and that a great dish depends on more than just the ingredients. If you’re serious about good eats, it should be served hot and fresh. "Pasta must never be made to wait," she says.

Here are her timing tips for dishing it out just right:

A colander should be sitting in the sink so the pasta can be drained the very instant it’s cooked.

The moment it’s drained, it should be plopped into a large, warm bowl.

Losing no time, it should quickly be tossed with warm sauce that has been kept at the ready. Tossing must be fast but meticulous to coat the pasta thoroughly with sauce.

It should be served promptly on warm plates to diners ready to begin eating.


MARCELLA'S GOLDEN RULES OF COOKING PASTA

1. Fill a large pot with 6 quarts of water for 1 pound of pasta. (That's about three-quarters full.) Pasta needs room to move or it’ll clump.
2. Once the cooking water comes to a boil, season it with a palmful of salt (about 2 tablespoons) to enhance the subtle flavor of the pasta.
3. Cook the pasta, uncovered, at a rolling boil and stir it often to keep it from sticking.

COOKING PASTA—TRUE OR FALSE?

True or False? Breaking long pasta into shorter pieces makes it easier to eat.
If spaghetti were better short, it would have been made that way! Plus, broken strands are hard to eat since they’re not long enough to twirl onto a fork.

True or False? Add olive oil to the cooking water to keep the pasta from sticking.
Pasta shouldn’t stick when properly cooked. If it’s cooked with olive oil, it will actually coat the noodles and prevent sauce from sticking.

True or False? Throw the pasta against the wall—if it sticks, it’s done.
The only way to know if it’s done is to taste it! It should be al dente, or firm to the bite. The more pasta cooks, the gummier it gets, so if it sticks to the wall it’s probably overdone.

True or False? Rinse pasta after cooking and draining.
This will make the pasta cold and rinse away the starch that helps bind the sauce to it.

True or False? It’s all about the sauce.
Italians will tell you it’s pasta with sauce—not sauce with pasta! Too much sauce buries the flavor of the pasta and overwhelms it.

By Giuliano Hazan

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/food/...pasta-2565691/

How to Make Pasta Sauce

For a sweeter, mellower sauce, cook chopped onions until softened in a combination of extra-virgin olive oil and butter for your base.

For a more pungent sauce, cook finely chopped garlic in extra-virgin olive oil until just golden. Don’t let the garlic brown or the sauce will taste bitter.

Chop all ingredients into even, bite-size pieces or smaller. Pasta is devoured with a fork—there’s no need to add a knife to the mix.

Add sturdier ingredients, like zucchini or eggplant, early on to cook through before adding delicate ingredients, like tomatoes or fish, which will break down if cooked too long.

For egg pasta dishes, reduce the sauce less, as egg pastas will absorb some of the liquid.

MAKE THESE SAUCES
Browned Butter Sauce http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipes...d-Butter-Sauce

Tomato Sauce http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipes...Tomato-Sauce-2

Garlic-and-Oil Sauce http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipes...-and-Oil-Sauce

Cream Sauce http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipes.../Cream-Sauce-2

3/4 cup heavy cream2 tablespoons butter1/2 teaspoon salt2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley1/3 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

Meat Sauce http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipes...s/Meat-Sauce-2

http://www.rachaelraymag.com/food-ho...ke-pasta-sauce

Butternut Squash Gratin with Onion and Sage
Active Time: 20 Minutes
Total Time: 1 Hour 25 Minutes
Yield: Serves four to six as a side dish.

To make butternut squash easier to handle, cut off the neck, peel it, and cut it into pieces to use in this gratin. Reserve the bottom of the squash, which contains the seed cavity, for roasting.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon butter; more for the gratin dish
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large onions, chopped into 1-inch squares (about 4 cups)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage or 1 tablespoon dried
3 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 8 cups)
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream, heated until warm
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a gratin dish with butter. In a large skillet over low heat, melt the butter with the oil. Add the onions and the sage. Cover and cook over low heat while you prepare the squash.

http://www.cooking.com/recipes-and-m...&ref=cknwrdne0

Apple Pie In-a-Paper Bag
This is a clever way to bake this classic American dessert! From "Houston Junior League Cookbook"

PIE INGREDIENTS:
- 1 unbaked deep, 9-inch pastry shell; or
- 1 unbaked, 10-inch pastry shell
- 2-1/2 pounds baking apples
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 Tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice

TOPPING INGREDIENTS:
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 cup butter, softened

Step 1

Pare, core and cube apples (approximately 7 cups cubed apples.) Combine with 3/4 cup sugar, 2 Tablespoons flour and the cinnamon. Pile into prepared pastry shell and sprinkle with lemon juice.

Step 2

To make topping, combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup flour; cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over apples (pie will be high). Slide pie into heavy brown paper bag, large enough to cover pie loosely. Fold end of bag over and fasten with paper clips. Bake in 425 degree oven for 1 hour. (Bag will not burn.) Remove from oven, open bag with scissors, remove pie and cool on wire rack.


Read more: http://www.beliefnet.com/Love-Family...#ixzz1fKqAlnxu

This recipe is over a Century yrs old, past down with generations...
The story behind it is sweet and simple...the preacher, pastor or minister
will be stopping by, and I need to give a offering fast...

an easy way to remember...I can recall a 2.

Ingredients
2 c sugar (may cut the sugar to 1 cup - 1 1/2 cups as it is very sweet)
I used Spenda...Diabetic
2 c all-purpose flour (can use whole wheat)
2 eggs (3 egg whites)
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 c nuts - walnuts or any that you prefer
1 can(s) 20 ounces crushed pineapple - undrained (i use pineapple in it's own juice)

FROSTING
1 pkg 8 ounce cream cheese - softened
1 3/4 c powdered sugar
1/4 c butter or margarine
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c nuts - walnuts or any that you prefer
2 tsp vanilla

I gave a light dusting of powdered sugar... FROSTING IS Too much for a diabetic

this is excellent with or without the frosting...and it turns more moist
as it sits in fridge...MMMM take a sample after it cools, then a bite after
it sits for 12 hrs or so in the fridge...just chewy, crunchy, moist, sweet..
SUBLIME, AND ECONOMICAL IN TODAY'S AGE...

ONE BOWL WONDER...

Directions
1
PREACHER CAKE: Combine dry ingredients; add remaining ingredients, and mix by hand.
Bake in a 9 x 13 prepared pan at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
*Some people have mentioned that their cake only took 30 minutes to bake, so please check your cake at that time and make any adjustments in cooking time from there.
2
FROSTING: Mix well and spread on cake in pan. Enjoy!
3
* If you would like to save calories, instead of using the frosting, just sprinkle top of cake with a bit of powdered sugar and enjoy!
4
* There is NO milk, butter, or oil in the cake.
* You may add other fruits or coconut if you like: some suggestions are: dried cranberries, raisins, currants, tub of mixed dried fruit, and even fresh blueberries.
* I suggest that you may cut the sugar to 1 cup as it is very sweet. I often cut the sugar in recipes.

DON'T WORRY...I THOUGHT THE BATTER WAS TO THICK, AND THEN THOUGHT WAS TOO THIN...I PUT IT IN THE OVEN...THE AROMA...HEAVEN!

THANKS TO MY JOLIE ROUGE FOR HELPING ME TO PLACE THIS! :bouncer

LOVING SMILES.
CARROLIN

Ingredients
1 c ricotta cheese
2 eggs
1/2 c flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2-3 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp orange zest
1 tsp orange extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
safflower oil (I USE WHAT'S ON HAND)
2 Tbsp powdered sugar

In a medium bowl combine ricotta and eggs; mix until smooth.
2
Add flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, sugar, orange zest, orange extract and vanilla; combine until smooth.
3
Fill a large, shallow skillet with approximately 3/4 inch of safflower oil. Place over medium-high heat. (You will know when the oil is hot enough when a bit of batter sizzles when dropped in.) Drop small rounded teaspoons of batter into the hot oil, 8 to 10 at a time. The batter will puff and undersides will turn golden brown, after about 1 to 2 minutes, flip the "kisses" over and cook for 1 to 2 more minutes until golden brown.
4
Place cooked "kisses" on a tray lined with paper towels. Continue making them until all the batter is gone.
5
Place these delicate little puffs on a serving plate and sprinkle liberally with powdered sugar. Serve immediately.

MMMM....GREAT TO SHARE W/BABIES...OR FOR ONCE TO BE GREEDY...LMBO!

OH MY GOODNESS!!

MY SONS PRACTICALLY TACKELED ME...IN MY WHEELCHAIR, THEY SENT ME A 'STROLIN' DOWN THE HALL!
LMBO!

I LOVE THE WHEE IN WHEELCHAIR! IT'S D0WNRIGHT FUN!! SMILES.

Here in Louisiana, everyone has Black Eyed Peas - for luck; and Cabbage - for prosperity - as a Traditional New Year's Day meal.

My husband won't eat boiled cabbage, so I'll make cole slaw. Here is my favorite recipe for Hoppin' John

Ingredients

1 tablespoon(s) vegetable oil
2 stalk(s) celery, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 medium red pepper, chopped
2 clove(s) garlic, minced
1 package(s) (16-ounce) dry black-eyed peas
1 large (about 3/4 pound) smoked ham hock
2 can(s) (14 1/2 ounces each) chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon(s) red pepper, crushed
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoon(s) salt

2 cup(s) regular long-grain rice
parsley, chopped, for garnish

Directions

In 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, heat vegetable oil. Add celery, onion, and red pepper; cook 10 minutes until golden. Add garlic; cook 2 minutes longer.

Rinse peas with running cold water and discard any stones or shriveled peas. Add peas, ham hock, chicken broth, crushed red pepper, bay leaf, 1 teaspoon salt, and 4 cups water to celery mixture; over high heat, heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 40 minutes or until peas are tender.

Meanwhile, prepare rice as label directs, but use 1 teaspoon salt and do not add margarine or butter.

In large bowl, gently mix pea mixture and rice. Serve hot. Garnish with chopped parsley if you like.

SLOW COOKER RECIPES

Salsa Chicken is easy to make; just put all the ingredients in a slow cooker and let the machine do the work. There are infinite variations, and your family is guaranteed to like each one. Minutes to Prepare: 5 Minutes to Cook: 480 Number of Servings: 8

2 pounds (32 ounces) chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
1 cup salsa, homemade or purchased
1 cup petite diced canned tomatoes (choose low-sodium)
2 tablespoons Taco Seasoning
1 cup onions, diced fine
1/2 cup celery diced fine
1/2 cup carrots, shredded
3 tablespoons sour cream, reduced fat

Directions

Place the chicken in a slow cooker. Sprinkle the taco seasoning over the meat then layer the vegetables and salsa on top. Pour a half cup water over the mixture, set on low and cook for 6-8 hours. The meat is cooked when it shreds or reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. When ready to serve, break up the chicken with two forks then stir in the sour cream.


TACO CHILI

* 1 pound lean ground beef
* 2 15-ounce cans seasoned tomato sauce with diced tomatoes
* 1 15-ounce can chili beans with chili gravy
* 1 15-ounce can hominy or whole kernel corn, undrained
* 1 1.25 ounce package taco seasoning mix

directions

1. In a large skillet cook ground beef until meat is brown. Drain off fat.
2. In a 3-1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker combine the meat, tomato sauce, beans with chili gravy, undrained hominy, and taco seasoning mix.
3. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 4 to 6 hours or on high-heat setting for 2 to 3 hours. Makes 4 to 6 main-dish servings (8 cups).

Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
1 (16 oz.) box Pillsbury® Sugar Free Yellow Cake Mix
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3 large eggs
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup Crisco® Pure Vegetable Oil
1 1/2 cups mashed very ripe bananas (about 3 bananas)
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts
2 ripe bananas, sliced
Smucker's® Sugar Free Caramel Sundae Syrups Ice Cream Topping

Preparation Directions

HEAT oven to 350° F. Coat 13x9-inch baking pan with no-stick cooking spray.
BEAT cake mix, cinnamon, eggs, water and oil in medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat in mashed bananas. Stir in nuts. Spread in prepared pan.
BAKE 34 to 36 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 45 minutes. Serve warm. Top each serving with sliced bananas. Drizzle with caramel syrup.

Now if your Diabetic, You know you're only allowed a half banana, So you and I
can have only 1 piece of cake...No cheating! I got this from the Pillsbury site, and
they call it sugar free, but we all know, or should, that bananas naturally have sugar,
but since it's whole fruit, our body can handle it better. Remember the fats, cholesterol and carbs too! 1 piece only!

Smiles.
Carrolin

[QUOTE=Jolie Rouge;96336859]SLOW COOKER RECIPES

Salsa Chicken is easy to make; just put all the ingredients in a slow cooker and let the machine do the work. There are infinite variations, and your family is guaranteed to like each one. Minutes to Prepare: 5 Minutes to Cook: 480 Number of Servings: 8

2 pounds (32 ounces) chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
1 cup salsa, homemade or purchased
1 cup petite diced canned tomatoes (choose low-sodium)
2 tablespoons Taco Seasoning
1 cup onions, diced fine
1/2 cup celery diced fine
1/2 cup carrots, shredded
3 tablespoons sour cream, reduced fat

Directions

Place the chicken in a slow cooker. Sprinkle the taco seasoning over the meat then layer the vegetables and salsa on top. Pour a half cup water over the mixture, set on low and cook for 6-8 hours. The meat is cooked when it shreds or reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. When ready to serve, break up the chicken with two forks then stir in the sour cream.


I'm going to try this one YUM !