French Macarons, cookies

100 grams ground blanched almond flour
180 grams confectioners sugar
100 grams of “aged” egg whites at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon cream of tar tar
35 grams of superfine or castor white sugar

Separate eggs at least 23 hours before using, put in fridge and bring to room temp before using

Have 3 baking sheets lined with parchment.  Make a template.  Draw 20 1/2 inch circles, spacing them about 2 “ apart.  Place the template under the parchment wo you can use it as a guide.

Place ground almonds or almond flour anc confectioners sugar in a food processor until finally ground (about 1-2 minutes). Sift to remove any lumps.  Sift again.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, fitted with a whisk attachment (you can use a hand mixer) beat egg whites And cream of tar tar until foamy.  Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until meringue just holds stiff peaks. When you slowly raise the mixer the merengue “beak” is straight up no drooping (do not over mix the merengue or it will break.

Then in three additions sift the almond flour mixture over the merengue.  When folding cut through the merengue then up and over making sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. Once it is folded into the merengue, the batter will fall back into the bowl in a thick ribbon it is time to pipe the macarons.

Fill a pastry bag with a 1/2 inch tip, with about half the batter.  Pipe 1-1/2  rounds onto the parchment paper..  Then gently tap the baking sheet on the counter to release any air bubbles

Let the macarons sit at room temp for 30-60 minutes until tops of the macarons are no longer tacky.

Meanwhile preheat oven to 325 with the oven racks on the top and bottom third of the oven. Bake cookies two sheets at a time for about 14-16 minutes.  Rotating top to bottom and front to back about half way through.  The macarons are done when you can just barely separate the macarons from the parchment paper.  Let the macarons cool completely on baking sheet on cooling rack

To assemble the macarons take two cookies and sandwich them together with your filling.  Popular choices are Swiss buttercream, lemon curd, chocolate ganache, jam or dulce de Lethe.

While you can serve the macarons the day they are made, these cookies really need to mature for a day or two in the refrigerator.  Best served at room temperature

Dumplings,soup

DUMPLINGS:

1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup 2% milk

1 tablespoon butter, melted

Mix dry ingredients, mix butter and milk.  Combine and drop onto boiling soup cook covered 18 to 22 minutes

Biscuits Supreme, bread

3 Cups flour
1 Tbl baking powder, aluminum free
1 Tbl Sugar
1 tsp. Salt
3/4 tsp. Cream of tartar
3/4 Cup butter
1 Cup milk

Preheat oven to 450
In a large bowl stir together flour baking powder, sugar salt and cream of tartar. Using a pastry blender cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Make a well in the flour.Add milk all at once.  Using a fork stir until just moistened.
Turn out on lightly floured board 4 to 6 strokes just until dough holds together.  Pat or roll dough to 3/4 “ thick.  Cut out and place 1 “ apart on baking sheet or pan.  Bake 10-14 minutes.

Alba???

 Alba was like: 2 tablespoons sugar free pudding mix 2/3 cup powdered milk 2/3 cup water Blend in a blender on low speed to mix Add 7-8 ice cubes Blend until smooth Drink

Or
1 Cup cold milk
2 T. Cocoa powder
2T sweetener (sugar, monk fruit whatever)
1 tsp vanilla
5-7 Ice cubes
Blend in a blender yum

Fab French Toast

• 4 Eggs
• 2/3 Cup Milk
• 1/3 Cup All-Purpose Flour
• 1/2 Cup Sugar
• 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
• 1 Loaf Texas Toast
• Butter, for cooking
• Whip first 6 ingredients together. Dip  bread in mixture and and allow to soak 15 seconds,  Then cook in hot pan with butter.

Vanilla Pastry Cream filling

I use this filling for Cream Puffs and it is creamy and delicious!  Could be used for any sweet filling, ie: cakes etc.

For the vanilla pastry cream filling:

• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp sugar
• 5 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

• etely.
• To make the pastry cream, scald the milk in a saucepan over medium high heat (you want to cook the milk to about 180 degrees F, when little bubbles start to form on the side of the pan. This is the stage before a boil).
• While the milk heats up, whisk to combine 1/2 cup sugar, the egg yolks, and cornstarch.
• Once the milk has come to the right temperature, slowly dribble the milk into the egg yolk mixture while whisking constantly, then return all of the liquid to the pan.
• Cook over medium high heat, stirring constantly, for the next minute or two, until the mixture comes to a boil and the mixture thickens up considerably.
• Remove the pastry cream from the heat and stir in the vanilla and a pinch of salt. Taste and adjust vanilla and salt levels if needed. Chill the pastry cream in the fridge while you make the cream.
• Combine the heavy whipping cream and 2 tbsp sugar in a bowl and whip with either a hand mixer or a whisk until it forms soft peaks.
• Fold this mixture gently into the pastry cream to lighten it. You can now fill the puffs with this mixture, or you can chill it if you prefer. Enjoy!

Gourmet tater bites

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of mashed potatoes
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup sour cream (optional extra for serving)
• 1 heaping cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
• 2 tablespoons chopped chives or parsley
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1 – Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2 – Lightly grease with butter 8 – 9 of the wells of a nonstick muffin pan.
3 – In a medium mixing bowl whisk the eggs then mix in the sour cream. Stir in both cheeses and the chives. Add potatoes and mix well.
4 – Spoon them into the pan filling the cups to slightly below the top.
5 – Bake 25- 35 minutes until they pull away from the sides of the cup and are golden brown. Remove from oven and let them cool 5 minutes in pan. Serve with sour cream if desired

Disney Parks Churro Bites, desserts

Disney Parks Churro Bites

Click here for a print-at-home version of this recipe!

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 8 tablespoons butter
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 3 eggs
• 1 ½ cups vegetable or canola oil
• ½ cup sugar

Instructions

1. Combine water, butter, salt, and ¼ teaspoon cinnamon in 1 ½-quart saucepan over medium heat. Bring pot to rolling boil.
2. Reduce heat to low.
3. Add flour and stir vigorously until mix forms a ball. Remove from heat and let rest for 5-7 min.
4. Add eggs, one at a time, and stir until combined. Set aside.
5. Heat oil in medium skillet or 1-quart saucepan over medium-high heat or until temperature reaches 350˚.
6. Spoon dough into piping bag fitted with large star tip. Pipe 1-inch strip of dough over saucepan, cut with knife, and drop into hot oil. Repeat until churro bites fill saucepan with room to fry. 
7. Fry churro bites until golden brown. Remove with slotted spoon or mesh spider strainer.
8. Drain churro bites on paper towel.
9. Mix sugar and ½ teaspoon cinnamon in medium bowl. Toss in churro bites until coated. Place on serving plate and serve with favorite dipping sauce.

Tamales

For the Filling

2 Tbl olive oil
1medium onion finely chopped
1small green pepper finely shopped
4garlic cloves chopped
1medium tomato peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
1 teaspoon EACH paprika, cumin, and salt
1/4 teaspoon or less red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Shredded beef or chicken I use about 2cups

Sauté onion, pepper, garlic, and tomato with olive oil until well cooked and kind of thick
Add seasonings and meat.  Set aside


Masa dough

2 15 oz. can hominy untrained
1 1/4 cups masa Harina
1teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup olive oil

In a medium mixing bowl measure masa harina, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In food processor purée hominy with liquid
 until smoothed this and olive oil to masa mixture and mix well.

You can either use soaked (approx 1hour) corn husks or parchment paper. You basically add the masa dough to your corn hush or smear it on your parchment paper.  It needs to be about pancake thick. The purpose is to surround the meat with this dough. Then roll the corn husk adding others if needed until the meat is rolled up.  I fold the husk up from the bottom then tie with a strip of husk.

With the parchment you can go faster by laying our several squares of parchment,dropping the dough on and spreading it then drop a dollop of the meat mixture .  Then roll the parchment, tucking in the ends.  To cook set parchments in a steamer, (colander over boiling water with a lid on the colander.  Steam for about an hour so the masa dough can cook.  Set a timer to check so the water does not run out

Feijoada Brazilian Black Bean Soup

My Husband ate this during the two and a half years he lived in Brazil. It is a staple there and we also ate it in Portugal while we lived there.  Simple but delicious

1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
2 cloves garlic
12 oz dried black beans (2 cups) rinsed
1 smoked pork hock ( when I cant find a hock I sometimes cut up some ham leaving any fat on.
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons ground coriander
Stems of 1 bunch of cilantro tied with string
Juice of one large orange
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
Hot cooked rice (optional)
2 oranges peeled and sectioned
1/4 cup fresh cilantro or flat leaf parsley
Combine onions, green onions, garlic black beans, pork hock,  bay leaves, coriander cilantro stems, orange zest, orange juice, and chicken broth in the instant pot.  Secure the lid. Be sure the release valve is on pressure.
Select Manual and cook on high pressure for 40 minutes.  Use the natural release to depressureize
To serve:  Remove cilantro stems and bay leaves and discard.  Remove pork hockand transfer to cutting board.  Using two forks shred the meat and return to pot.

Serve as a soup or over cooked white rice.  Garnish with orange sections; sprinkle with chopped cilantro.   Multi Bem!!!

Chicken Spaghetti Instant Pot, Main Dish

Comfort food with ease!

Ingredients
3 Tbl butter
1.5 lbs chicken breast, cut into 1” pieces
8 oz mushrooms sliced
1 medium onion chopped
1/2 cup red bell pepper chopped
2 tsp. Garlic, minced
1 tsp seasoned salt
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp dry basil
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
10 oz thin spaghetti ( I like Angel hair)
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups medium cheddar cheese, shredded
Salt and pepper to taste

Select Sauté on your Instant Pot. Once it says “HOT” add your butter and melt it.
2.  Add onions, mushrooms and garlic salt and stir.  Cook until onion s have softened, about 5 minutes.
3.  Add red bell pepper, seasoned salt, paprika, basil, red pepper flakes and stir.  Press “Cancel” on instant pot
4.  Lay chicken pieces in layer in the instant pot .  Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Pour in chicken broth.  Spread Spaghetti noodles in IP. Push them into the liquid so they get covered.  Place lid on instant pot with the valve set to “sealing”
5.  Press “Pressure Cook” or Manual and select High Pressure for 6 minutes.
6.  Once timer is done, do a quick release.  Open and stir vigorously to loosen up noodles.  Add Heavy cream and cheese and continue to stir.
7.  Press cancel and then sauté. Cook for 3-5 minutes stirring to thicken the sauce. Stirring so it doesn’t stick to bottom of pan