Carrot Raisin Salad From 'Down South'

Carrot Raisin Salad From 'Down South'
Yield: Serves 4 to 6

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons curry powder, preferably homemade (see below)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
Juice of 1 lemon
1 pound carrots, peeled and shredded (about 4 cups)
2 cups good-quality raisins
1 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, thinly sliced

Homemade Curry Powder
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 teaspoons cardamom seeds
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon dry mustard
Heaping 1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Procedures

    1 In a medium bowl, mix the mayonnaise with the curry, salt, cayenne, and lemon juice. Fold in the carrots, raisins, and parsley. Refrigerate for an hour or up to 4 hours to allow the flavors to develop.

    2 To make the curry powder: Toast the cumin, cardamom, and coriander seeds in a small, dry skillet over medium-low heat until the seeds are lightly browned and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool completely. Add the turmeric, mustard powder, and cayenne and mix to combine. Grind the spices in a coffee grinder. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 months.

Recipe from http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2014/03/carrot-raisin-salad-from-down-south.html

Cheesy Mashed Potato Pancakes

Cheesy Mashed Potato Pancakes

3 cups chilled leftover mashed potatoes
2/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 Tablespoons chopped scallions, green and white parts
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 Tablespoons plus 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Vegetable oil, for pan-frying
Sour cream, for serving

Note: add salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl, stir together the mashed potatoes, cheese, scallions, egg and 3 tablespoons flour until combined. Using your hands, divide the mixture into 12 portions. Roll each portion into a compact ball then flatten it into a pancake about a 1/2-inch-thick.

Place the remaining 1/2 cup of flour in a shallow dish and carefully dredge each pancake in the flour.

Heat 3 to 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. (Add enough oil to thoroughly coat the bottom of the pan.)

Fry the pancakes, in batches, until they're golden brown and crispy on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes. Add more oil to the pan as needed between batches. (Do not overcrowd the pan and do not flip the pancakes too soon or they won't develop a crisp crust.) Transfer the pancakes to a paper towel-lined plate and immediately sprinkle them with salt.

Serve the potato pancakes topped with sour cream and garnished with additional chopped scallions.

Блинчики из картофеля-пюре и сыра

3 чашки остывшего картофеля-пюре
2/3 чашки натертого сыра Чеддар
2 столовых ложки мелко нарезанного зеленого лука
1 яйцо
3 столовых ложли плюс 1/2 чашки муки
подсолнечное масло для жарки
сметана для подачи на стол

Если нужно добавить соль и перец в катртофель-пюре

В большой посудине перемешать вместе картофель, сыр, лук, яйцо и 3 столовых ложки муки. Руками сформировать 12 шариков. В небольшую тарелку насыпать 1/2 чашки муки и обкатать каждый шарик в ней. Слегка приплюснуть и выложить на предварительно нагретую сковороду.

Пожарить блинчики с обеих сторон. Выложить блинчика на бумажные полотенца, посыпать солью и дать остыть.

Подавать на стол со сметаной и зеченым луком.

Recipe from http://best-foood.blogspot.ca/2013/12/cheesy-mashed-potato-pancakes.html?m=1

Lemon hamantaschen with Chocolate-Chestnut filling.

Lemon hamantaschen with Chocolate-Chestnut  filling.

I created the recipe by myself putting together lemon cookie dough with Chocolate-chestnut filling from Giada de Laurentiis. First of all, filling is quite delicious and can be used for many delicious pastries. For a second, cookie dough and such unique fulling creates unbelievable good treats. I hope, many of you will enjoy. And most important I found a new and very kosher ingridients for my daily menu.

Serves:
28 to 30 cookies

Lemon cookie gough

zest of one lemon
¾ cup sugar
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter or margarine, softened
juice from 1 lemon
1 egg
2 cups flour (if you need more flour, please add a little bit)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Mix the lemon zest and sugar together, then let sit for 5 minutes.
Beat the butter and lemon sugar together until light and fluffy. Add in the egg, lemon juice and continue beating until combined.
Add the flour, baking powder and salt and mix until just combined. Gather the dough together and wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Chocolate Chestnut filling

2 cups roasted chestnuts
2/3 cup sugar
Pinch kosher salt
4 tablespoons amber rum
4 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup (about 1 1/2 ounces) mini semisweet chocolate chips

Blend the chestnuts, sugar and salt in a food processor until the chestnuts are finely ground. Add the rum, cocoa, cinnamon, cloves and ginger. Blend until the filling is almost smooth, scraping down the work bowl as necessary. Add the chocolate chips and pulse until combined. (Can be made 2 days in advance).

On a well-floured surface, roll the dough to about 1/4" thick. If it's very sticky, you may want to knead in some extra flour.
Using a 2 1/2" round cutter - this can vary on your preference - cut out circles as close together as possible.
Place about 3/4 of a teaspoon of filling in the center of each circle. Fold up two sides of the circle, and pinch together well to seal, then repeat with the remaining side, pinching both corners.

Bake on a cookie sheet at 350 F for 12 to 15 minutes, until just beginning to brown at the corners. Let cool on the sheets for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely

NEPTUNE SALAD

NEPTUNE SALAD
Piccadilla Cafeteria Copycat Recipe

2 (8 oz.) pkg imitation crab or lobster meat
1/2 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup diced green pepper ( I took orange one)
1 celery heart stalk, diced
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/2 cup mayonnaise
lots of crushed black pepper

I added:
3 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard


Flake the imitation crab pieces and place all ingredients in a bowl. Stir well.

Салат с крабовыми палочками

2 (240 грамм) пакета крабовых палочек или мяса лобстера
1/2 чашки мелко нарезанного красного лука
1/2 чашки мелко нарезанного зеленого перца (Я взяла перец другого цвета)
1 палочка сельдерея, мелко нарезанного
1 чайная ложка сухих семян укропа
1/2 чашка майонеза

Я добавила:
2 чайные ложки лимонного сока
1 чайная ложка горчицы Dijon

В небольшой посуде разделить крабовые палочки на небольшие кусочки, добавить все остальные ингридиенты. Хорошо перемешать.

Recipe from http://lubysathome.blogspot.com/2013/03/neptune-salad.html

Passover brownies

Working on a new article for Passover, I found a very interesting cooking site running by author of cooking book "Cooking in Israel" Orli Ziv. Site has a lot of new recipes and one of the Passover brownies. Here they are:

Passover brownies

Makes 10-12 brownies.

Ingredients
3/4 cup matzo flour
1 cup sugar
20 gr. (1 Tbs) vanilla sugar
2 eggs
150 gr. (0.3 lbs) bittersweet chocolate
75 gr. (0.15 lbs) butter
1/4 cup brandy
Walnuts – handful
Chocolate chips – handful

Instructions
1. Mix the matzo flour, sugar, vanilla sugar.
2. Melt chocolate & butter.
3. Mix chocolate with the flour.
4. Add to the mixture eggs, brandy, walnuts & chocolate chips.
5. Bake in a baking pan 20 x 30 cm. in 170c (350f ) about 25 min.
6. Cut into squares while the cake is still hot.

Пасхальные шоколадные пирожные

На 10-12 пирожных

3/4 чашки мацовой муки
1 чашка сахара
20 грамм (1 столовая ложка) ванильного сахара
2 яйца
150 грамм темного шоколада
75 грамм сливочного масла
1/4 чашка коньяка
1/2 чашки мелко нарезанных грецких орехов.

Смешать мацовую муку, сахар и ванильный сахар в отдельной посуде.
Растопить шоколад со сливочным маслом. Добавить шоколадную смесь к мучной. Добавить яйца, коньяк и грецкие орехи. Все хорошо перемешать.

Приготовить дечку размером 20 на 30 см с высокими бортиками. Вылить тесто на деко и запекать в предваретельно нагретой духовке при температуре 350Ф (170Ц) 25 минут. Вынуть из духовки и сразу нарезать на небольшие квадраты. Подавать с мороженым и фруктами.

I promise to try more recipes from Orly Ziv's site.

Golden Vanilla Pound Cake

I love to try recipes from King Arthur Flour web site. It's my fourth recipe and it turned out very delicious cake. For those who are lookign for a good baking recicpes, please, use King Arthur Flour site.
Golden Vanilla Pound Cake

Cake
3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
3-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 teaspoon salt (1/2 teaspoon if you use salted butter)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
5 large eggs, at room temperature
3 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons King Arthur Cake Enhancer, optional (I did not use)
1 3/4 cups + 2 tablespoons King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

Topping
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon water
1) Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9" x 5" x 2 3/4" loaf pan, or a 12" x 4" x 4" tea loaf pan. To avoid overflow, be SURE to use the correct size pan!
2) In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat together the butter, cream cheese, salt, sugar, baking powder, vanilla extract, and almond extract until well combined.
3) Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition; the mixture may look slightly curdled/grainy. After you've added the final egg, beat at high speed for 3 minutes. Once all the eggs are added, stir in the milk.
4) Add the cake enhancer, then sprinkle in the flour gradually, with the mixer going at low speed. Mix just until combined. The batter will be smooth and thick, but still pourable. Pour and scrape the batter into the prepared pan.
5) To make the topping, combine the sugar, vanilla, and water. Stir until the mixture is syrupy. At first it'll seem very stiff, but will become "drizzlable" as you stir. Set the topping aside.
6) Set the cake on a baking sheet, for easiest handling and as a precaution against potential overflow (which shouldn't happen if you use the correct size pan). Bake it for 55 minutes (for either size pan).
7) Remove the cake from the oven, and brush/drizzle with the sugar mixture. Return the cake to the oven for an additional 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven, and set it on a rack. Insert a toothpick into the center; it should come out clean. If you use an instant-read thermometer, the center should register about 200°F to 205°F. The very top, right under the crust, will still be kind of soggy; don't worry about it.
8) After 5 minutes loosen the cake's edges and turn it out of the pan to cool completely on a rack.

Recipe from http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/golden-vanilla-pound-cake-recipe

Dried Plum-and-Port Bread

 I decided to make something interesting for Valentine's Day.

Dried Plum-and-Port Bread

2 cups chopped pitted prunes (dried plums)
1 3/4 cups port or other sweet red wine
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat or all-purpose flour
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt $
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind $
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar or granulated sugar

Preparation
Combine prunes and port in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover and remove from heat; let stand 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°.
Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine all-purpose flour and next 5 ingredients (all-purpose flour through cinnamon) in a medium bowl; stir well with a whisk. Make a well in center of mixture. Drain prunes in a colander over a bowl, reserving liquid. (prunes will be mushy) Combine reserved liquid, oil, and next 4 ingredients (oil through eggs); stir well with a whisk. Stir in prunes. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist.
Spoon batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Recipe from  Cooking Light NOVEMBER 2000

Butternut squash yogurt latkes

Since I used half of  butternut squash for soup, I have to use another half. I decided to make some latkes. The recipe is mine and really delicious.

Butternut squash yogurt latkes

Makes 16-18 large latkes.

1 & 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 medium size peeled and shredded butternut squash
1 cup yogurt
1 tablespoon sugar
2 eggs

In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Then add the squash, yogurt, sugar, and an eggs. Done. Mix everything together.

Heat a pan or griddle over medium-low heat; melt a little butter to the bottom or coat lightly with cooking spray. Ladle approximately 1/4 cup batter into the pan for each pancake and cook until the undersides are browna nd the tops are lightly speckled with bubbles. Flip pancakes and cook until undersides are browned.

Serve immediately.