Cheese Bourekas

 

I had these wonderful things from a box of frozen ones from Trader Joe's. I knew I just had to make them myself.  Bourekas are traditional Jewish or Middle Eastern dish. The recipe I used is from Tori Avey and can be found HERE. To quote, "Bourekas originated in Asia as a deep-fried filled dumpling known as a burga. When the Turks of central Asia moved to what is now the country of Turkey, they brought their stuffed burga dumplings with them. Over time, the dumpling evolved into a variety of stuffed, layered pastries known as börek.

Sephardic Jews who settled in Turkey adopted the pastry, merging it with their version of the same dish (empanada) and adapting it to make it kosher. Börek + empanada = boureka. The boureka was born!"

 

Ingredients

 

2 sheets puff pastry (you can also use filo dough)
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/3 cup grated Kashkaval cheese (or substitute another 1/3 cup feta)
1/3 cup ricotta cheese
1 large egg
Salt and pepper
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon sesame or poppy seeds for topping (optional)
Nonstick cooking oil spray

 

Process

 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

 

2. In a mixing bowl, combine feta, kashkaval, ricotta, egg, a pinch of salt and a pinch of black pepper (if using all feta cheese, you may not need to add any salt). 

 

3. Use a fork to mix ingredients together till well blended. Make sure to break up any large crumbles of feta with the fork. Put aside 

 

4. On a smooth, clean, lightly floured surface, unfold one of your puff pastry sheets. Use a rolling pin to roll out the sheet to a 12x12 inch square. If using homemade puff pastry, roll your dough out to the same size - a 12”x12” square. 

 

5. Cut the sheet of puff pastry dough into 9 equal-sized squares, each about 4”x4” large. 

 

6.  Place 1 scant tablespoon of the cheese filling in the center of each dough square. 

 

7.  Fold the dough squares by grasping one corner and folding it over to the opposite corner to make triangles. Pinch firmly along the outer open edge of the triangles to seal. If you're having trouble sealing the dough and getting it to stick together, wet your finger with a bit of water and run it around the edge of the square before folding-- this will help it stick together.  You can also crimp the edges with the tines of a fork, if you wish.

 

8 . Repeat this process for the second sheet of puff pastry—roll out the pastry, cut into squares, add filling, and seal the triangles.

 

9.  Spray your baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray or line with parchment paper. Place 9 Bourekas on each sheet, evenly spaced, giving them some room to expand during baking. 

 

10.  In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and 2 tsp of cool water. Use a pastry brush to brush a light layer of the egg wash onto the surface of each boureka. 

 

11.  Sprinkle the bourekas with sesame or poppy seeds, if desired. 

 

12.  Bake the bourekas for about 30 minutes, switching the baking sheets between the upper and lower racks halfway through cooking. Bake till golden brown and cooked through.Serve warm. Store in a sealed container or plastic zipper bag. 

Pimento Cheese

 

 

 

 

 

 

 This is a classic New York Times recipe which also demonstrates that I am most certainly on a Pimento kick! This recipe is intended as a sandwich ingredient, and cheese sandwiches are a staple in my life. Our friend Carrye introduced us to Pimento cheese, and a local restaurant, Norway Brewing, makes an awesome version I love ordering. I can't wait to make this and play around with it. 

 

Ingredients

 

8 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated/shredded

1/4 cup (2 ounces) softened cream cheese, pulled into several pieces

 Scant 1/2 cup jarred pimento (or roasted red peppers)

3 Tablespoons Duke's (traditional) , Hellman's (my favorite) , or other mayo

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (Allepo for a little spice)

salt and black pepper to taste.  

 

Process

 

1. In a large mixing bowl, place the cheddar in an even layer. Scatter the cream cheese , pimentos, mayonnaise, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper over the cheddar. 

 

2. Using a spatula, mix the pimento cheese until it is smooth and spreadable. 

 

3. Transfer the pimento cheese to a bowl or container, cover tightly, and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.  

 

Pimento Cheese Gougeres

 

This recipe is from Food Network, link HERE. I am thinking of making it part of my Christmas traditions, but I need to make it first and I just bought the pimentos. 

 

Ingredients

 

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup whole milk

1 stick unsalted butter

salt

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup finely chopped pimentos, blotted dry

4 large eggs

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 

 

Process

 

 1. Combine the water, milk, butter, 1/2 teaspoon salt, the paprika, cayenne, and onion powder in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until the butter is melted and the mixture is shimmering, about 2 minutes. 

 

2. Stir in the flour and chopped pimento with a wooden spoon to form a dough, 2 to 3 minutes. 

 

3. Transfer the dough to a bowl and using a mixer on medium-high speed, beat in the eggs one at a time. 

 

4. Beat in the cheese and let the dough cool slightly. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

 

5. Scoop the dough ubti a oiping bag fitted wiht a large tip. Pipe 1-inch mounds of dough (roughly 24 to 30), about 1 & 1/2 inches apart onto the baking sheet. 

 

6. Bake the gougeres until they are browned and puffed, roughly 25 to 30 minutes. Serve warm.  

Pastry Puffs

 

This is a good old easy recipe from EVERYDAY FOOD, the old booklet by Martha Stewart.  You can probably also turn these into cream puffs using the recipe HERE. 

 

Yield = 110 small puffs

 

Ingredients

 

1 cup water

2 stick unsalted butter

1 teaspoon sugar 

1 cup all purpose flour, spooned and leveled 

4 large eggs 

 

 

Process

 

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 

 

2. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. 

 

3. In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup water, 1 stick unsalted butter, and 1 teaspoon sugar to a boil over high heat.  

 

4. Immediately remove from heat and stir with a wooden spoon. 

 

5. Stir in 1 cup all purpose flour . 

 

6. Continue to stir until mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 2 minutes. 

 

7. Let cool 2 minutes. 

 

8.  Add four large eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition until the batter comes together. 

 

9. Transfer batter to a large zip top bag so that the batter is in one corner. 

 

* your can also use a pastry bag with a 1/2 inch round plain tip. * 

 

10. With scissors, snip 1/2 inch opening in the corner .

 

11. Pipe batter into desired size mounds, 1 inch apart on the sheets. 

 

12. With a wet finger, smooth any pointy tops.  

 

13. Bake 10 minutes. 

 

14. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake until puffs are golden brown and feel light and hollow inside, roughly 20 to 30 minutes. 

 

15. Let cool on sheets on a wire rack. 

 

Enjoy! 

 

Crab Meat Canapes

 

 This recipe is from one of Hi-Ho's New York Times cookbook, one of her favorites for entertaining. 

 

Ingredients

1 can crab meat, picked over well

1/4 mayonnaise (Hellman's is best) 

1 Tablespoon chopped parsley

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Tobasco sauce, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Melba toast rounds (for serving) 

Process

 1. Combine the crab meat with the mayonnaise, herbs, and seasonings and mix well in a bowl.

 

2. Spread on toast rounds and serve immediately.  

 

Home Made Fruit and Nut Crisps

 These delightful crackers are amazing with good aged cheddar!

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups buttermilk

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup honey, warmed

1/2 cup pumpkin or sunflower seeds

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1/4 cup ground flax seeds

1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary

then add one (or mix and match fruit and nuts) of the options below:

Option 1 : 1 cup raisins or dried cranberries and 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Option 2: 1 cup dried cherries and 1/2 cup chopped pistachios

Options 3: 1 cup dried apricots and 1/2 cup hazelnuts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

2. Grease 2 8" x 4" loaf pans. (you can also use a smaller size pan)

3. In a large bowl, stir together the flours, baking soda, and salt. 

4. Add the buttermilk brown sugar, and honey, stirring until combined. 

5. Add the seeds, rosemary, and desired add on options and stir until blended.

6. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown in color and springy to the touch. 

7. Remove from the pans and cool on a wire rack. 

8. The bread is easiest to slice when it has cooled completely. Transfer cooled loaves to a freezer-safe container and freeze solid, several hours or over night. If you're planning to freeze the loaves for longer than a day, they can be stored up to 3 months, wrap them in foil before freezing. 

9. When ready to bake into crisps, preheat the over to 300 degrees F.  

10. Using a serrated knife, slice the loaves as thin as possible - 1/8 " if possible - and place the slices in a single payer on a parchment paper covered sheet. 

11. Bake for about 15 minutes, flip them over, and bake for another 15 minutes, until crisp and golden brown. The edges should be curled slightly. Don't fret if they are still soft in the center, they will crisp as they cool. 

12. Store in an airtight container or serve immediately. 

Yield = about 8 dozen crackers.

Deviled Chicken Balls

 

 "Mix 6 ounces chicken meat with 2 Tablespoons chives and 1 Tablespoon parsley, both finely chopped, 2 Tablespoons ground celery, 2 Tablespoons fresh bread crumbs, and 1 Tablespoon grated onion. Add to the mixture 1 Tablespoon curry powder, salt to taste, and enough prepared mustard to moisten and bind the mess. Shape into little balls, roll in fine dry bread crumbs, in beaten egg diluted with a little cream and again in crumbs. Chill in refrigerator. Just before serving fry in deep fat 1 minute. Drain on paper and pile on a hot platter. Garnish with fried sprigs of curly parsley and serve as hot as possible. "

Curried Eggs

 At first glance, I thought this was going to be a recipe for deviled eggs but it's not and I still can't decide if this ancient snack is good or just too plain weird for me to attempt. 

"Boil 4 eggs for 5 minutes. Remove shells carefully as to not break eggs."

Um - is this a play with fire kind of recipe because I hard boil mine for at least 10 minutes. Is 5 minutes even a soft boil?

"Dip eggs first into beaten egg, then into breadcrumbs. Fry in shallow fryer until brown. Serve with white sauce that has a little curry added to it."

White Sauce? What is white sauce? Is the Spruce Eats going to bail me out? Nope it sounds like white sauce is Bechamel Sauce (which apparently was an ice box staple back then)

Cheese logs

 Cheese logs sound yummy! 

Ingredients

Gruyere cheese

Other cheeses

small thin buttered slices of bread

anchovy paste

butter

Process

1. Lay soft strips of Gruyere , and other cheeses, on small, thin buttered slices of bread. 

2. Spread over the cheese a film of anchovy paste. 

3. Roll up the cheese and bread. 

4. Seal edges of the log with butter and put logs in a broiling oven under a low flame until slightly brown. 

5. Serve hot with a frilled toothpick in each. 

Something tells me that a missing instruction is to slice the logs into serving size pieces before using the toothpicks.

Cheddar and Walnut Appetizers

 This recipe is a tiny clipping from some magazine from who knows where! This sounds really good! I however will use pecans as walnuts make the roof of my mouth itch. What is that anyway, a small allergy?

Ingredients

1 cup grated cheddar

2 Tablespoons flour

salt

chili powder

oregano

1 egg white, stiffly beaten

walnuts, coarsely shopped

butter

Process

 1. Combine 1 cup grated Cheddar with 2 Tablespoons flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon oregano, and 1 egg white beaten. 

2. Form the mixture into balls and roll coarsely chopped walnuts and chill thuroughly. 

3. Just before serving, saute the balls in butter.

Orange glazed Spareribs

 This recipe was created by Hi-Ho. Please know this requires an overnight marinade. Served as an appetizer, it makes4 to 6 servings so double or triple as needed.

Ingredients

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup bitter orange marmalade

1 teaspoon orange rind

1 clove garlic, finely minced

2 thin slices fresh ginger, shredded

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 to 3 pounds spareribs, cut into individual servings

Process

1. Combine the soy sauce, marmalade, orange rind, garlic, ginger, and pepper. 

2. Pour over the spareribs and marinate overnight. 

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

4. Place the ribs on a rack in a roasting pan and bake for 1.5 hours or until tender and well glazed, basting frequently with marinade during baking.

Curry Dip

 In high school, I was a vegetarian and an athlete who would  come home famished and craving a hearty snack before dinner. More often than not, I whipped up a curried dip to eat vegetables with. I recently had that craving again and whipped this up. It's been a welcome addition to our sap boils on the weekends. 

Ingredients

1 cup mayo (listen I love mayo, but if you don't try sour cream or yogurt?)

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

1 to 2 teaspoons Curry powder (adjust to preferred taste)

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoons ketchup (or more if you like)

1 teaspoon onion pwder

2 teaspoons dried chives

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (I use Braggs)

salt and pepper to taste

Process

Easy peasy - combine all the ingredients and enjoy with what ever you want to dip in it.

Cheesy Corn Dip

 This recipe made Super Bowl Sunday much yummier!

Ingredients

1 can corn kernels

2 scallions, diced

1 cup shredded Mozzerella

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan

1/2 cup mayo

salt and pepper to taste 

a bag of tortilla chips for serving

Process

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

2. Mix all ingredients together and pour into a pie dish, smoothing it over with a spatula. 

3. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until it is bubbly. 

4. Finish under a broiler until browned on top. 

5. Serve with tortilla chips,

Lacy Parmesan Crisps

 These pair very well with similarly made salami crisps for the perfect salty snack or appetizer.

Ingredients

Thickly shredded Parmigian

Process

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

2. On a Silpat or parchment lined baking sheet, place tablespoon mounds of the shredded cheese. Keep the mounds separated. 

3. Bake, on  a center rack, until golden brown and melted, about 5 minutes. 

4. Cool on wire rack and Enjoy!

Cheese Dollars or Cheese Pennies

This recipe was given to me by Susan Parker after a wonderful Christmas visit. This yummy appetizer is easy to fill up on!

Ingredients

1 stick butter - at room temperature

1/2 pound Sharp cheddar - finely shredded - at room temperature

1 cup flour

1/2 envelope of onion soup mix

Dash of cayenne pepper

Process

1. Mix all the ingredients until well blended. The Mixing is essential so take your time and do it thoroughly.

2. Divide the dough into 3 parts.

3. Roll each part out into a tube that is 6 inches long and 1.5 inches thick.

4. Wrap each in wax paper and close the ends.

5. Freeze at least over night, but could be as much as days.

6. Remove from freezer and let stand until slightly soft (check every 5 minutes).

7. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

8. Slice each thinly, about 1/2 inch thick.

9. Bake in hot oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until they slightly darken.

10. Cool on rack and then keep in an air tight tin.

Hot Cheese Olives

I'm not really sure what I think about the hot olive concept, but the rest of it sounds good to me.

Easter Dinner with recipe for Cheesy Cauliflower Casserole

It's nothing much but here are some pictures of our Easter dinner. Something about Easter makes me want to make it colorful. Maybe it is inspired by all the hues of the plastic Easter eggs and yummy jellybeans but I always breakout Mima's purple china plates and choose colorful foods to eat.

As an appetizer I spread Endive leaves with Boursin and topped witha locally made salsa.

Mashed purple potatoes and a Cheesy Cauliflower casserole. (From Giverecipe.com but see below). I made the cauliflower extra cheesy but I did use an orange Cauliflower.

Lamb with mint jelly and a nice wine.

Cheese Cauliflower Casserole

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 5 cups small cauliflower florets
• ½ lemon to avoid the bad smell when cooking cauliflower
• 1 and ¼ cups milk
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 and ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 1 cup parmesan

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 390F 
2. Steam the cauliflower florets in a steam basket for 10 minutes.  Place ½ lemon in the steam basket or in the pot to avoid the bad smell. 
3. Drain and transfer the florets into very cold water. Drain and put aside.
4. Whisk milk, olive oil and egg. Add in flour, salt and black pepper and whisk until smooth. Fold in ¾ of parmesan. Toss in the steamed cauliflower florets and coat them well with this sauce. 
5. Transfer it into a casserole dish and bake for 40 minutes. 
6. Remove the casserole from the oven, throw the remaining Parmesan over it and bake for another 5 minutes or until the cheese melts and gets golden.

Indian Chicken Strips

I received this recipe from my sister Mush during one of my bridal showers. This dish is to DIE for. Everyone loves it - even the kids, that is when I leave out the cayenne. It is the yummiest most scrumptious and simplest Indian dish I know. I know a lot of Indian recipes but I don't plan on sharing many of them. I am already drooling for dinner, as these beauties have been marinating in the fridge since last night. The picture doesn't do it justice, but I am pretty sure you will want to dive into the bag with the chicken. I wanted to lick the inside of the blender when I was done making the marinade - no joke! Serve as an appetizer (kinda like Satays) or as a meal, served with rice and Raita.

Indian Chicken Strips
serves 6 to 8

Ingredients
3 lbs chicken - boned, skin, and cut into strips

marinade:
5 tbs vegetable oil
4 tbs red wine vinegar
1 med onion peeled and chopped
1 whole head of garlic peeled and chopped
1 inch cube fresh ginger peeled and chopped
2 tbs fennel seeds
2 tbs ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
seeds from 8 cardamom pods
1 tsp cinnamon
8 whole cloves
20 black peppercorns
1/2 to 3/4 tsp cayenne
2 tsp salt
3 tbs tomato sauce

Process

1. Combine all marinade ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.


2. Combine chicken with marinade mix well and cover.

1. Refrigerate 4 to 5 hours.



2. Preheat broiler. Spread chicken in single layer on tray. Broil 10 minutes or until lightly browned.



3. You can also choose to grill them, but don't use a high heat/flame or you will incinerate the yummyness off of them. *** note we grill these when doubling or tripling the recipe for a large group.

ENJOY!!! Serve with rice, Raita, and vegetable - or as an appetizer.

Butternut Squash & Bacon Deviled Eggs

 

 Another Must do recipe from Snixy Kitchen! She is my new favorite and I love her for her ingredient transformations!

Butternut Squash & Bacon Deviled Eggs

Butternut Squash and Bacon Deviled Eggs

Author: Sarah Menanix

Yields: 12 deviled eggs

 

Ingredients

• 1 small butternut squash (.75 to 1 pound)
• 6 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne, plus more for sprinkling
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 slices of cooked bacon, crumbled

Instructions

1. Cook the butternut squash. Prick the squash with a fork several times. You can roast the whole pricked squash at 375°F for about 30 minutes, until tender. Alternatively, you can microwave it for 5 minutes, cut it in half lengthwise, and microwave both halves cut-side down for another 5-8 minutes, until tender. When the squash is tender, remove and discard (or save) the seeds and scoop out the filling.
2. Place the cooked squash in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Measure out 6 tablespoons of squash for the deviled eggs.
3. Meanwhile, hard-boil the eggs. Place the eggs in a large pot and cover with at least 2 inches of cold water (*see note). Bring the water to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Remove the pot from the heat and cover for 11 minutes. Remove the eggs from the pot and run them under cold water to stop the cooking. When they're cool enough to handle, peel the eggs, slice them in half lengthwise and scoop out the yolks into a mixing bowl.
4. Add the 6 tablespoons of butternut squash purée to the bowl with the yolks, and mix. Add the mayonnaise, cayenne, salt, and nutmeg and mix until smooth (you can also return this mixture to the food processor or blender if you want it super smooth).
5. Divide the filling among the egg halves (either using a spoon or pipe it in using a piping bag).
6. Top with a few crumbles of cooked bacon and sprinkle cayenne on top. Refrigerate until serving.

Baked Brie Bites

 

 These wonderful bites that remind me of Christmas are from Sommer Collier and her awesome blog A Spicy Perspective.I make them with my Cranberry Ginger Relish. http://merrymeetingmenu.blogspot.com/2014/11/cranberry-ginger-relish.html

Yield: 15
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes

Baked Brie Bites

Ingredients:

• 1 box Athens Mini Fillo Shells
• 4 ounces brie cheese
• 1/2 cup cranberry sauce  
• 3 tablespoons chopped pistachios

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the Athens Mini Fillo Shells on a baking sheet.
2. Cut the brie into small 1/2 tsp. sized chunks and place one in each mini fillo shell. Bake for 5 minutes, until the brie is melted.
3. Remove from the oven and dollop a scant spoonful of cranberry sauce on each little brie tart. Sprinkle with pistachios and serve warm.