Weekly Cooking (and related issues) Thread

[Jamestown1630]

When I was growing up, my father's sister was a great cook, especially of sweets and delicacies. She made the nicest Christmas cookies, fudge, and fruitcake, and we would get a big basket of everything at Christmas. I've always loved this cookie recipe, which she cut out as stars, trees, and bells for Christmas, and iced them with yellow, green and red icing respectively. She would put sugar sparkles on the trees and bells, and dot the points of the stars with silver dragees.

It's a difficult dough to work with, but worth the effort. And, if I recall correctly, I think she actually made these ahead, and froze them in their wax-paper layers. They didn't suffer:

Iced Honey Cookies

Beat well: 2 Eggs.

Blend in: 2/3 C. granulated sugar 1-1/3 C. Honey (1 16 oz. jar) 2/3 c. melted butter.

Set aside.

Mix Separately: 5-1/2 C. regular Flour 2 tsps. Baking Soda 1 level tsp. Salt.

Add flour mixture to first mixture. Then add 2 tsps. Vanilla extract.

Cover in wax paper and refrigerate overnight. Next day, roll out and cut into desired shapes, small portions at a time while keeping rest of dough chilled.

Bake on ungreased sheets at 375 for 7 to 10 minutes, or until light golden. Cool on racks completely before icing.

ICING: Mix 1 regular package confectioner’s sugar with enough evaporated milk to make a workable paste. Divide into parts, coloring and flavoring each differently. (Vanilla, Lemon, Almond, Peppermint)

After icing and drying, pack cookies in single layers with waxed paper between each layer.

My Aunt was the historian for her DAR chapter, and sometimes we were gifted with leftovers, when she held her little 'Ladies' Luncheons'. One of the things I loved were little petit fours cakes; they were about the size of a cupcake, with pink fondant and a piped flower on top. I think she actually had these catered, but you can make petit fours any size you like. I found these pretty ones on the Web:

http://www.thirstyfortea.com/recipes/quilted-petit-fours/

-JT

[Jamestown1630]

This week, two sweets, and a question.

Does anyone on the list make traditional English Christmas Puddings, and is there a substitute for suet in them? Has anyone used the packaged Atora suet that you can buy on Amazon for puddings?

(If you would like to be on or off of this weekly cooking list, please send a private message.)

-JT

[SkyDancer]

Yummers - I am going to try that this weekend.

[Jamestown1630]

Well, if you mean the cookie recipe, it makes a TON of cookies. You might want to freeze half the dough, and just work with half.

The petit fours look much easier, though.

-JT

[SkyDancer]

I just glanced at it but then my family is six of us ....

[StoneWall Brigade]

Yummy

[NEMDF]

One of my mom’s favorites for the holidays was the fried rosette cookies. I have irons, and have made them a few times over the years. Sprinkle with powdered sugar after they have drained and cooled. Does anyone still make these?

What about putting unopened cans of sweetened condensed milk in boiling water for 3 hours, then let cool, then chill in fridge. YUM caramel. We would just have a slab of it in a bowl with milk on top.

[V K Lee]

No, never made them but the suet info was just checked yesterday after seeing a recipe for mincemeat. It was suggested you ask your local butcher what he might recommend. According to this site lard and suet are not the same and English suet is not the same as American suet. My grandfather used suet when making chili ....and what he used NEVER looked like lard!!!

https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071011155613AAxOji1

[Rodamala]

Crossposting from a vanity post thread last night from a FRiend looking for recipes for good, deli-style pickled cucumbers that are not all soggy.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3298933/posts

[umgud]

OK, so I have 5 cornish hens I want to cook outside. I have a wood smoker, a wood grill and a propane grill. All under patio shade, but it’s been over 100 degrees and I don’t want to light off the oven in the house.

Suggestions? How-to’s?

[Jamestown1630]

I have the irons, but have only used them for making little casings for appetizers. Have always wanted to try the puffy cookies dusted with confectioners sugar...maybe this Christmas.

-JT

[bgill]

When the kids were little and schools allowed home baked goods, I would make Christmas Stained Glass cookies for classmates. Use your favorite sugar cookie dough, roll it out sort of thick and cut out large Christmas designs, i.e. an 8” star cookie cutter. Lay the cookie on foil (for easy removal after they’re baked). Then use small 1/2” cookie cutters in the middle of the cookie and remove those little pieces. Fill with different colored hard candy that has been smashed to bits with a hammer. Bake as usual. The candy will melt and look like stained glass. If you didn’t use foil, you’ll have broken cookies and a messy pan to clean up.

[IM2MAD]

I found this easy, tasty recipe for pork steaks. Made me run out for more steaks.

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup soy sauce (I used a bit less>)
1 bunch green onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 pork butt steaks

Directions
1.Melt butter in a skillet, and mix in the soy sauce. Saute the green onions and garlic until lightly browned.
2.Place the pork steaks in the skillet, cover, and cook 8 to 10 minutes on each side, Remove cover, and continue cooking 10 minutes, or to an internal temperature of 145 degrees F.

[Jamestown1630]

I’m not sure if this is anything like what you want, but your post reminded me of a great old Washington, D.C. restaurant institution, and its famous pickles; it was really sad when ‘Duke’s’ disappeared from DC:

http://www.washingtonian.com/blogs/bestbites/from-the-magazine/doing-it-yourself-recreating-duke-zieberts-legendary-pickles.php

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duke_Zeibert

http://www.nytimes.com/1997/08/16/us/ringmaster-of-power-lunches-duke-zeibert-is-dead-at-86.html

Best,
JT

[Hiskid]

Can you add me to your.Ping list?

[Rodamala]

pickle ping

[Jamestown1630]

I used to be able to buy suet from the supermarket butcher for a few pennies per pound - I used it for making suet bird cakes; but I can’t even get that at the supermarket anymore, because supermarkets don’t seem to do any real butchering anymore.

Nowadays, I think you have to find a real store-front type butcher, and there’s not one near me. I think I’ll try the Atora, and see how it does.

-JT

[ken5050]

Well..since YOU mentioned fruitcake....

Long, long ago, Russell Baker wrote a humor column for the NY Times..(back then even the Slimes could occasionally be entertaining)

This 1983 piece is, IMHO, one of the funniest things ever written: "A Fruitcake Is Forever"

[ken5050]

Cornish hens are tricky, because the meat is usually cooked before the skin gets crispy.

You're better off first butterflying them (cut the backbone out, then crack them open flat.) I recommend brining them..about 90 minutes. Then push 2 skewers per bird horizontally through the thighs, and then the breasts. Keeps them flat on the grill and easier to handle.

You can uses any seasonings/rubs/glazes you prefer..just make sure to pat the skin dry before it goes on the grill.

I like combination grilling and smoking...put coals on one side of the grill, the side away from the chimney vent. Cook them first, skin side down, legs ( which take longer) over the coals, then after 20 minutes, flip, for another 10 or so...use a thermometer to get the temp right. about 165 at the deepest part of the thigh..you may want an additional 2-3 minutes..skin side down..over the coals..to crisp up the skin.

Because they're so delicate..cooking times depend a lot on your grill

Hope this helps..

[ken5050]

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