Baklava

We ate a couple Greek foods this week in my food class. :) Baklava was so good!

1 pound box of Fillo Dough

1 pound of Walnuts

1 pound of Almonds

3/4 pound (3 sticks) of unsalted butter, melted

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

1/4 tsp Nutmeg

1/4 tsp Cloves

2 tsp Vanilla Extract

1/2 tsp orange zest

1/2 cup granulated sugar

Whole cloves

ground Pistachios for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

Take out Fillo dough and place it on a cookie sheet and cover with a damp towel, this is very important so the dough does not dry out. In a food processor coarsely chop the nuts.  Place the ground nuts in a large mixing bowl and add all the spices (except whole cloves), vanilla extract, sugar and orange zest.  Mix well.  Melt butter in a glass bowl and brush 17 x 2 x 2 (or an approximate sized) dish with melted butter.  Make sure to brush the sides as well.  Place a sheet of Fillo on the bottom of the pan and brush it with butter then layer another piece and repeat with 10 layers of Fillo.  Layer one-third of the nut mixture on the Fillo then layer with 3-4 pieces of dough, buttering each layer.  Layer the next third of the nut mixture and repeat with another 3-4 pieces of Fillo.  On the very last layer add about 7-9 sheets of Fillo dough (butter each one well).  Brush top of the last Fillo dough with butter and cut into diamond shapes.  Place a clove bud into the center of each piece.  Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 1 hour, until golden brown.  While the Baklava is baking prepare syrup so it has time to cool by the time the Baklava comes out of the oven.

Syrup

2 3/4 cup water

2 cups Sugar

Boil slowly for 15 – 25 minutes then add 1 tablespoon of Lemon Juice (this helps it NOT to form crystals) and 2 tablespoons of honey and let simmer an additional 10-15 minutes.  Let cool completely.

Pour over hot Baklava and cover for 30 minutes with wax paper.  Uncover and let the Baklava set for 7 hours at room temperature before serving.  This ensures that all the syrup has soaked in without making the pastry soggy.  Serve at room temperature.  Try not to refrigerate this dish because it affects the texture and taste.  Makes about 36 diamond-shaped Baklavas.

Cinnamon Rolls

Make Lion house dinner rolls dough. (see recipe that I posted before this one) You can divide dough up evenly to make the cinnamon rolls.

Roll out dough with rolling pin into rectangle shape.

Then melt butter (1/4 cup) and add brown sugar (1/3 cup). Mix together. spread on dough. Next roll the dough up, and cut with dental floss or thread. Put on greased pan and bake at 400 degrees for like 10 t0 15 minutes until golden brown.

Cool and frost with frosting or you can have them plain.

You can use the frosting recipes I posted with the banana sour cream bars (if you like add a little cream cheese to frosting.

Enjoy.

I like these because they are so yummy, easy to make and I remember mom making them for us, around Christmas and sometimes during the year.

Taught to me by mother- Rosie Johnson.

Banana Sour Cream Bars

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup dairy sour cream (nonfat)

1/2 cup margarine or butter, soften (applesauce)

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 3 large bananas)

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

vanilla frosting see below.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix sugar, sour cream, margarine and eggs in large mixer bowl on low speed and scraping bowl occasionally for one minute. Beat in bananas and vanilla on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat in flour, salt, and baking soda on medium speed scraping bowl occasionally for one minute. Spread in greased and floured jelly roll pan/ cookie sheet, 15 1/2 by 10 1/2, 1 inch. Bake until light brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool, cut bars into 2 by 1 inch and then frost with frosting.

Vanilla Frosting

2 cups powered sugar

1/4 cup margarine or butter softened

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons hot water

Mix powered sugar, margarine, vanilla, and hot water. (Stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of hot water if it is needed) Stir until it is smooth and desired consistency.

From: Melanie ( Betty Crocker- Best Recipes for Cookies)

I have always like these banana bars because they are easy to make, yummy. I also like banana muffins, banana bread.

Makes: 72 bars. photo courtesy of http://kitchentrialanderror.blogspot.com/2010/06/banana-bars.html

Peaches and Cream Cheesecake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees f.

3/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 small non instant vanilla pudding

3 Tablespoons butter (soften)

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

In a bowl combine all ingredients and beat for two minutes. Pour into greased pie pan. Add 1 can drained sliced peaches. Save peach juice.

In separate bowl combine:

1 8oz cream cheese

1/2 cup sugar

3 tablespoon reserved peach juice

Spoon over top of above mixture.

Leave 1/2 inch around edges.

Put peaches over batter, we like to do a flower shape.

Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar.

Bake at 350 for 30 to 35 minutes.

Chill. Enjoy. (note you can eat it when it is warm but it is better when it is chilled)

This Serves 6-8 people

Taught to me by Mother- Rosie Johnson. It is so creamy, and yummy.

Nutella Lollipops.

Marguerite gave her dad a book of Nutella recipes for his birthday. I had her look through the book and choose the recipe she wanted to make most. It was this lollipop. It is fun and easy to make.



Ingredients (for 12 sucettes):

1 apple
1 pear
1 banana
4.7 tablespoons (70 grams) of butter
6.7 tablespoons (100 grams) of Nutella
The little round pink/green/blue/red colored coating things

1. Melt the butter and Nutella in a special thing called a bain-marie - "water bath." All you need is a pot with water to boil and then a smaller container inside the pot where you put the butter and Nutella to melt. Mix the butter and Nutella while they are heating until you have an unctuous, smooth and creamy sauce. Leave the sauce aside at room temperature.

2. Peel the fruit. With the help of a cuillere parisienne (looks like a miniature ice cream scoop - or just a rounded, small spoon), make balls out the fruit. Place them on a piece of absorbent paper.

3. Poke each fruit ball with a wooden stick (we used long match sticks with the flammable part cut off). Dip the fruit ball into the smooth chocolate sauce and then immediately roll it in the bowl of colored coating things.

4. Place each lollipop on parchment paper and refrigerate for 2-3 hours before eating.

I congratulate myself and Marguerite.

Brownie Delight

This recipe came from a good friend of mine...she's a divine cook. This dessert is one of my personal favorites.

You bake a box of brownies, just as the directions say on the back of the box. Remember its done when you smell them!
Mix a box of instant pudding, flavor of your choice. We used vanilla but white chocolate or cheesecake is delicious too.
Whip a half pint of heavy whipping cream.
Once both have set up fold the two together. Don't stir or mix the two together, just gently fold them as one. (It only takes a few folds).
Cut up a fresh piece of fruit. The picture obviously has peaches but strawberries are great or raspberries. Just choose whatever is your favorite and cut it up!
First cut a nice sized piece of brownie on the plate, dollop with a generous amount of the pudding/whip cream mixture, then lay a few slices of fruit. Repeat that layer a second time.
For garnish had some shaved chocolate!

Its a lovely tasting dessert!