Kolackis

These are a favorite at my house at Christmas time.  This year we made apricot, cherry and prune.

1 Cup butter, softened

1 pkg. (8oz.) cream cheese, softened

1 Tbsp milk

1 Tbsp sugar
1 egg yolk, beaten
1 ½ Cups flour
½ tsp baking powder
1 can solo filling




Cream together butter, cream cheese, milk and sugar.  Add egg yolk.  Sift together flour and baking powder.  Add to creamed mixture and blend well.  Refrigerate until dough is thoroughly chilled, 4 hours or overnight.  Roll on well-floured board to ¼-inch thickness.  Cut with 2-inch round biscuit cutter.  Place on greased cookie sheet and make a depression with thumb in the center of each round.  Fill centers with scant teaspoon of solo filling.  Bake at 400F for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned.  Cool completely.  Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar before serving.

Puerto Rican Roasted Pork

I made this for my football party.  Its so easy and can be made the day before and heated in the crock pot.

10-12 cloves garlic, minced
1 t fresh ground black pepper
1/2 C fresh oregano
1 T crushed thyme
1/4 C olive oil
8-9 lb pork shoulder
2 T coarse kosher salt
1 C orange juice
1 lime, juiced

Crush garlic, pepper oregano and thyme with a mortar or food processor.  Slowly add olive oil, mashing into a paste.  Score pork with a knife 1/2 inch deep and 1 inch apart. Rub 1 T salt over outside of pork. Coat with garlic paste.  Place in plastic bag, gallon ziploc is best if it fits.  Add OJ and lime juice.  Squeeze out all air and seal.

Marinate overnight in refrigerator, turning several times, when possible.  Remove from refrigerator 1-3 hours before roasting.  Place in roasting pan and cover with foil.  Roast for 1 hour at 375.  Turn oven down to 275 and roast for another 3 hours. Remove from oven.  Pull pork by using fork to scrape pork apart.  Discard extra fat and skin.  Transfer to crock pot with about 1 C of the drippings.  Keep warm at lowest setting. Serve with rice and beans and tortillas with lettuce, Roasted Red Pepper Corn Salsa (below) and grated cheese.

Roasted Red Pepper Corn Salsa
1 red pepper 
1 1/2 C frozen corn
1 jalapeno pepper (finely diced)
1/2 green pepper (finely diced)1/4 cup sweet onion (finely diced)
1 handlful cilantro (chopped)
1 lime (juice)
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon hot smoked paprika (optional)
salt and pepper to taste


Roast red pepper in 425 oven, skin up until black.  Place in Ziplock bag and cool for about 15 minutes.  Remove skins and dice.  Add to remaining ingredients and chill until flavors mingle.

Bacon and Potato Soup

3 slices bacon, chopped and cooked until crisp
4 medium red potatoes
2 t olive oil
1/2 C onion, chopped
1 1/4 C chicken broth
2 T flour
2 C milk
1/4 light sour cream
1/2 t salt
fresh ground black pepper
grated cheddar cheese
chopped green onions






Cook potatoes in microwave on high for 10-12 minutes. Cool, remove skins and cut in 1/2-inch cubes.  Saute onions in olive oil until clear.  Add broth. Shake flour and 1/2 C of the milk in a jar. Add to onions and stir until bubbly.  Stir in remaining milk.  Bring to a boil and cook for a minute longer.  Stir in sour cream, salt and pepper.  Add potatoes and heat until warm, but do not let it reach a boil.

Spoon into bowls and top with bacon, cheese and green onions.

Captain Morgan Banana Bread

5-6 ripe bananas (2 - 2 1/2 cups)
3/4 C brown sugar
6 T melted butter
1/3 C Captain Morgan Spiced Rum
1 small container vanilla yogurt (Yoplait original)
1/2 C brown sugar
3 eggs
2 1/4 C flour
1 1/4 t baking soda
3/4 t salt
3/4 t cinnamon
1/4 t allspice

Mash bananas.  Add 3/4 C brown sugar, butter and rum.  Cook until bubbly.  Cool; add yogurt, 1/2 C brown sugar and eggs; beat well.  Combine flour and spices and sift into banana mixture.  Stir with spoon until just blended.  Pour batter into 4 mini loaf pans coated with cooking spray (Pam).  Place on cookie sheet and bake in 350 oven until brown, about 40-45 minutes.  Remove from pans to wire rack. Drizzle glaze (below) over warm bread and cool completely before serving. Best when stored in a ziploc bag overnight before serving.

Glaze
Combine 1 T melted butter, 1 T rum and 1/3 C powdered sugar.  Wisk with a fork until well-blended. 

Aunt Clara's New York Chocolate Cake

Aunt Clara

My great Aunt Clara used to make this cake. Its been a family favorite for years. Today I made it for my mother's birthday party.

1 pkg. chocolate fudge cake mix (Pillsbury)
1 pkg. instant chocolate pudding
1 Cup cold coffee 4 eggs
½ Cup oil
½ tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt

Mix together all ingredients (except vanilla). Beat at high 4 minutes. Add vanilla; mix well. Bake at 350 in ungreased angel food pan for 1 hour. Or bake 30 minutes in 2 9-inch cake pans. Cool completely before inverting pan.

Jello Instant Pudding Frosting 

1 pkg. dreamwhip
1 pkg. instant chocolate pudding
1 ½ Cups cold milk

Beat at high until stiff peaks form. Spread on side and top of cake.

Tomato, Pepper and Spaghetti with Goat Cheese

8 ounces uncooked spaghetti

1 large red bell pepper, seeded and cubed

1 1/4 C chopped fresh tomatoes

1/2 C fresh basil, cut into 1/2 slices

1 clove garlic, minced

1 T extra-virgin olive oil

4-ounces crumbled goat cheese

1/4 C sliced ripe olives, drained

Cook pasta according to package directions.. Place bell pepper in a colander; drain pasta over bell pepper. Combine pasta, bell pepper, tomatoes, and remaining ingredients in a large bowl; toss gently. Serve immediately.

Nashville Eats

We went to Nashville, Tennesee over the weekend.  We enjoyed some good music and food.  Here are a couple of the places we tried.  I recommend them all!

Rosemary Grilled Lamb Chops

1 T fresh rosemary, chopped

1/2 t sea salt, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T olive oil
4 (4-ounce) lamb loin chops, trimmed
1/8 t freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray

Combine rosemary, 1/4 t salt, and garlic with olive oil.  Rub mixture evenly over both sides of lamb. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.

Season both sides of lamb with remaining 1/4 t salt and the pepper. Heat grill pan and spray with cooking spray.  Grill 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.

Rhubarb Pie

4 1/2 Cups rhubarb, chopped
1 1/3 Cups sugar
6 T flour
1 T butter
1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie

Cinnamon

Combine sugar and flour. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of it over pastry in pie plate. Top with rhubarb. Sprinkle with remaining sugar and flour, reserving 1 tablespoon. Dot with small pieces of butter. Cover with top crust. Add a dash of cinnamon to remaining sugar and flour mixture.  Brush crust with water and sprinkle with remaining sugar/flour mixture.  Bake for 15 minutes in preheated 450 degree oven. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees, and bake for 40 to 45 minutes longer.

Chicken Tamale Casserole

1 1/4 C flour
3/4 C corn meal
1/4 C sugar
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/2 t ground cumin
1/8 t ground red pepper
2/3 C skim milk
1 egg
1 1/2 C frozen corn
1 4-ounce can chopped green chiles, drained
1 C grated cheddar cheese, divided
1 10-ounce can enchilada sauce
2 C cooked chicken breast, shredded
sour cream

Mix together all ingredients except cheese, enchilada sauce, chicken and sour cream.  Add 1/4 C of the cheese.  Spread in 9 x 13 pan coated with cooking spray.  Bake at 400 for 15 minutes, until set.  Pierce surface liberally with a fork.  Pour enchilada sauce over corn mixture.  Top with shredded chicken and sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Bake an additional 15 minutes until cheese melts.  Let set for 5 minutes before cutting.  Top with sour cream.

8 servings

Jerk Grilled Shrimp with Pineapple Cucumber Salsa

1 1/2 lbs peeled and cleaned shrimp
2 T olive oil

1 T sugar

1 T paprika

1/2 t garlic powder

1/4 to 1/2 t red pepper

1/2 t salt

1/4 t thyme
1/2 t allspice

Add oil to shrimp in large bowl and toss well to coat.  Combine spices and sprinkle over shrimp.  Coat well.  Grill for 6 minutes until pink. Serve with Pineapple Cucumber Salsa (below).



Pineapple Cucumber Salsa
2 C chopped fresh pineapple
1/2 C chopped cucumber
1/2 C sliced red onion
2 T chopped cilantro
2 t cider vinegar

Roasted Asian Chicken Wings

5 pounds chicken wings, separated at the joints
1 t salt
1/2 t ground white pepper
1 T Asian Spice (below)
2 C fresh orange juice
1 C canned pineapple juice
1 C sugar
1/2 C soy sauce
1/2 C Cointreau
2 T orange zest
2 T minced garlic
2 T minced fresh ginger
1 T sesame oil
3/4 t crushed red pepper
2 T sesame seeds
2 T green onions, diced, for garnish

Season the chicken wings with the Asian spice, salt and pepper; toss to coat well. Place the seasoned wings on a foil-lined baking sheet with 1-inch sides and bake until browned, for 35 minutes in a 425 oven.

Meanwhile, combine the remaining ingredients (except the sesame seeds and green onions) in a large skillet. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved and the liquid has reduced to a syrup, 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350. Place the wings in a large, heat-proof bowl and drizzle half the prepared sauce over the wings; toss to coat well. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and toss again. Place wings on a wire cooling rack over the foil-lined sheet. Bake an additional 20 to 25 minutes, or until cooked through and crispy.

Arrange wings on a large serving platter and top with green onions. Serve immediately and pass remaining sauce for dipping.

Asian Spice
1 t kosher salt
1 t parsley
1/2 t ground red pepper
1 t coriander seeds, crushed
1 t Chinese mustard
1 t granulated onion
1 t granulated garlic

Roasted Red Pepper Pesto

This is unbelievably good! The garlic adds a little kick, but the roasted pepper flavor shines.

2 large red bell peppers
1/3 cup chopped pecans
3 garlic cloves, pressed
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt 

Cut peppers in half; remove seeds and membrane. Flatten peppers cut-sides down on foil-lined baking sheet. Broil about 20 minutes, until charred. Cool and discard skins.  Cut peppers into wide strips and combine with remaining ingredients.  Process in a food processor until blended. 

Serve with pita wedges or chunks of French bread.

Yield: 1 cup. 

Salsa-Braised Pork Loin

1 3-pound boneless pork loin roast, untied
Jerk Dry Rub (such as Scorpion)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, halved and sliced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/3 Cup chopped red pepper
3/4 Cup fruit-flavored salsa
1 can beer
Cilantro sprigs for garnish
 


Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Sprinkle the meat liberally with dry rub. Preheat large Dutch oven and then add oil. Brown the pork thoroughly on all sides, about 10 minutes total.  Remove meat to a plate and just soften the onions, garlic and pepper.  Pour in the salsa and beer. Add the meat back to the Dutch oven, cover tightly and bake until the pork registers about 150° on a meat thermometer.  The meat will feel firm, but not hard, to the touch, and cutting into the center will reveal only the slightest hint of pink.  The total cooking time should be about 35 to 40 minutes.

Remove the pork to a cutting board. Season the pan juices with salt, if necessary.  Slice the pork, laying the slices slightly overlapping on a warm serving platter. Spoon the sauce around the meat.  Garnish with cilantro.

"Bailey's" Irish Creme

1 C light cream to heavy cream
14 oz sweetened condensed milk
1 2/3 C Irish whiskey (like Jameson's)
1 t instant coffee
2 T Hershey's chocolate syrup
1 t vanilla
1 t almond extract (optional)

Combine all ingredients and blend and set on high speed for 30 seconds in blender. Bottle in a tightly sealed container and refrigerate up to 2 months.  Shake before using.