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. Dream Whip
1 pkg. instant chocolate pudding
½ Cup cold milk

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