Weekly Cooking (and related issues) Thread

[Jamestown1630]

Every year at Christmas my mother-in-law sends us a big box of cookies. I think she makes the best chocolate chip cookies I've had, but this year I tried the Raisin Jumbos, which were really excellent.

She makes most of her cookies with butter, but uses Crisco for this one; and she doesn't add nuts, which I think would be 'gilding the lily':

JUMBO RAISIN COOKIES

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.   1 c. water

1 c. shortening

3 eggs, beaten

1 c. nuts (optional)

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. allspice

2 c. raisins

2 c. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

4 c. flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Boil raisins and water 5 minutes; cool. Cream shortening, sugar, and eggs. Add vanilla and cooled raisin mixture; stir in nuts, if used.

Sift remaining ingredients. Add to raisin mixture. Drop by teaspoons onto greased cookie sheet, and bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on racks.

I've been using this 'Latke' recipe for a long time. It's from an old edition of 'The Joy of Cooking', and while they're traditionally served with applesauce, I like mine with sour cream. I have never had the same success using a food processor to grate the potatoes, and always do it by hand - maybe it's true that you need a little 'knuckle' in there, for really good ones ;-)

Potato Pancakes

Pare and grate coarsely until you have 2 Cups of grated Russet potatoes (can use Yukon Gold)

Fold the grated potatoes into a clean dishtowel and wring out as much moisture as possible. Place potatoes in a bowl.

Beat 3 eggs well and stir them into the potatoes.

Combine and sift:

1-1/2 T. all-purpose Flour and 1-1/4 tsp. Salt

Add to the potato mixture along with 1 to 3 teaspoons finely grated Onion (I like lots!)

Heat in a heavyi skillet 1/4 inch of beef drippings or oil. Place spoonfuls of the potato mixture in the skillet, forming them into patties about 1/4 inch thick and 3 inches in diameter. Brown, then turn and brown the other side until crisp.

These are best served immediately. Not nearly as good, but in a pinch, you can crisp up leftovers in the oven - on the off chance that you have leftovers.

-JT

[Liz]

I’d really like that recipe.....b/c I am allergic to pecans.

I’m on the trail for nut substitutes.

[Liz]

This is Ree's recipe for lemon dessert lovers.
Ree assures us there's "CRUMBS! And lots of them!
Crumbly, creamy, dreamy bars!" Delicious served cold from fridge!

LEMON CREAM CRUMB BARS

CRUMBS Cream 1/2 cup butter, cup br/sugar. Add cup oats,
1 1/3 c sifted flour, 1/2 tsp salt; combine.

ASSEMBLY Press generous 1/2 of Crumbs on 8x11 (not 9x13) pan bottom. Add Lemon Filling.

FINAL Hand-Knead rest crumb mixture; crumble atop lemon layer,
don't press down. Bake golden 350 deg 20-25 min.

Let rest 30 min before cutting/serving (force yourself).

FILLING Mix 14 oz can cond/milk, 1/2 c lemon juice, zested lemon.

[Calvin Locke]

I was over at my parents, and they just replaced their [dead] Cuisinart toaster with the same model. They're complaining at how cheap it feels, and how long it takes to heat up now.

You may want to do a bit of research on what works nowadays.

They did have one of those classic Sunbeam auto lower/rise ones that lasted 42 years.

[txhurl]

Well... I accidentally made 30-sec fudge the other day: I was microwaving the butter/chips/peanut butter to make Muddy Buddies with Chex, and decided to fold in 2T Cream Cheese Frosting (Duncan Hines) for flavor and it immediately seized into Fudge.

So I crunched up the Chex and made truffles out of the mistake. Quite good, but the miracle is Fudge only takes 30secs to make, turns out.

[Qiviut]

I was looking to see if I could find the Parade recipes online & ran across this (2009) - very sad .......

http://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-sheila-lukins1-2009sep01-story.html

[Jamestown1630]

LOL! Necessity, the Mama of Invention.

[txhurl]

More like Serendipity, the luck of Idiocy, in my case. Always gotta mess with a recipe, even though I know it’s hard chemistry I’m playing with.

[kalee]

We had that as an appetizer at Uno”s many years ago. It sounded strange but was actually tasty, potato skins minus the skins and served in a deep dish pizza crust.

[MomwithHope]

Love me some potato pancakes. I use a Cuisinart (lazy) but I used a combo of grated and mushed. Also add garlic, onion and some baking soda, as I like mine a bit on the fluffy side. I always fry mine in bacon grease which I save in the freezer in cubes.

[kalee]

Recipe please! :)

[kalee]

Mine is in the pantry, making brandy sauce tomorrow.

[Liz]

Yeah, it does sound strange..........but its delicious.

[MomwithHope]

My Christmas Toffee

1 cup butter
1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups sliced almonds, toasted or not
1/ tsp. vanilla
1 cup semi sweet chocolate pieces - sometimes I use 1/2 semi sweet and 1/2 milk chocolate

Butter a large cookie sheet. Melt the butter in a double walled pan, add the sugar, use a metal whisk - small works good. Use high heat then later turn down to medium. you need a good digital probe thermometer. I keep it in the pot while stirring. Stir almost constantly until it reaches 310 degrees. Turn off the heat. Work fast. Leave on the stove, add the vanilla, stir just a bit, add 1/2 of the almonds, stir well then dump onto the cookie sheet and quickly spread until even. Then sprinkle on the chocolate pieces. After a minute they will liquify, spread them around with the spatula evenly. then sprinkle the rest of the almonds on. Cool completely, you can even stick it in the freezer for a bit. then break up into pieces.

I tripled this recipe and it filled up all 3 of my cookie sheet set of 3 different sizes. Probably could have gotten more out of it with a 4th sheet. This batch turned out a little thicker than I like.

[MomwithHope]

That should be 1/2 tsp. vanilla

[Liz]

Holiday brittle---swirls of ruby red raspberries in thin slivers of white chocolate.

WHITE CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY BRITTLE / could not be easier

W/ offset spatula, spread gently melted white chocolate into parchmented sheetpan.

Drizzle w/ 2 tb seedless raspberry jam (stir vigorously to thin out) .....
or use sieved mashed fresh rasberries.

W/ skewer, swirl berries thru chocolate. Firm at room temp 2-3 hours.

Cut desired shapes and sizes; then peel off parchment.

SERVE in fluted candy cases.

[txhurl]

Very nice.

[Jamestown1630]

That looks very good. I don’t have much experience with making candy, but have my Aunt’s chocolate fudge recipe that I’d like to try.

[MomwithHope]

It’s easy, takes a bit of time on the stove stirring, maybe 20 minutes. Not too bad. You need the good thermometer that is key. I’m not big on candy either but I had the thermometer from years of cheesemaking. So I have to use it. :)

[leaning conservative]

Those look so delicious & so easy! I love lemon anything. I enjoy watching Ree because her food, for the most part seems really delicious & she is not pretentious. Its a relaxing & enjoyable half hour.

[Liz]

Ree’s recipes are great and I love her blog.