Faux French Fries with Raspberry Ketchup

I saw this idea somewhere not long ago and thought it would be the perfect treat for the grands come April Fool's Day. Sugar cookies are cut to resemble french fries and baked to a golden brown. They are served in a container meant for french fries (willingly donated by your favorite fast food chain), alongside raspberry ketchup and 'icing' mayo.

Sugar Cookies / Fries:

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Cream butter and sugar.
2. Beat in egg and vanilla.
3. Blend in flour, baking powder and salt.
4. On lightly floured board, roll dough to about 3/8" thick.
5. Cut strips to resemble french fries...about 4 inches long and with tips cut diagonally.
6. Bake on lightly greased baking sheet at 375°F for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown.

Raspberry Ketchup:
Heat raspberry jam slightly. Force the jam through a strainer to remove the seeds.

Icing Mayo:
White icing with a touch of vanilla can pass for mayo anytime.

April Fool's Day is just around the corner. Have some fun in your kitchen!

Skillet Naan Bread

Naan is a leavened flatbread usually associated with Indian food.  We enjoyed the best of naan breads last year when we visited Kenya and spent some time at a resort on the Indian Ocean.  The bread was baked in a tandoor oven and served hot off the press.  I have tried several times since to make the flatbread at home...with varying degrees of success.  Here's a recipe and method that works well for me...baked in a cast iron pan on the stovetop. 

 Ingredients:

• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup olive oil (or vegetable oil)
• 1/3 cup plain yogurt
• 1 egg
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt

Method:

1. In a small bowl, add sugar and dry yeast to lukewarm water. Stir to dissolve; then let sit for about ten minutes.
2. Combine oil, yogurt and egg in mixing bowl.  Whisk together until smooth.
3. Once the yeast is frothy and doubled in size, add to liquids and stir.
4. Mix salt and one cup of flour.  Add to liquids and mix well.
5. Continue to add flour, 1/2 cup at a time until the dough can no longer be stirred with a spoon.
6. Turn onto a floured countertop and knead for several minutes, adding flour as necessary.
7. The dough should be smooth and not sticky.
8. Cover the dough and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk.
9. Then gently flatten the ball of dough and cut into eight pieces.
10. Form each piece into a ball.
11. Spray a large, heavy cast iron skillet with cooking oil and place over medium heat until sizzling hot. 
12. Roll out one ball of dough at a time to form a circle about 1/4" thick and 6" in diameter. 
13. Place the circle of dough on the hot skillet and watch the bubbles form.
14. Flip the dough over to cook the other side to a golden brown colour.
15. Brush with olive oil or melted butter and sprinkle with sea salt (or herb of your choice).
16. Continue until all 8 circles are cooked.
17. Serve hot off the press...just as they are.  Or serve together with Tzatziki Dip.

Tip ~ Roll each piece of dough out just before placing in the pan to produce the lightest, bubbliest naan bread.

Cranberry Citrus Cookies

I found a cookie on the grocery store shelves that has become a favorite in the past few years...a combination of lemon and cranberries and a little crunch. Here's my copykat version...a little different but with the same flavours.

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar (icing sugar)
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup chopped dried cranberries

1. Combine granulated sugar, icing sugar, butter and shortening in mixing bowl.  Beat.
2. Add egg and vanilla. 
3. Beat at high speed until light and fluffy.
4. Add flour, baking soda, lemon zest and salt.
5. Beat on low speed until soft dough forms.
6. Stir in cranberries.
7. Chill until firm.
8. Shape dough into 3/4 inch balls and place 2" apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
9. Flatten balls with bottom of drinking glasses.  Dip glass into granulated sugar to prevent sticking.
10. Bake at 350 degrees F for 8-10 minutes, or until edges begin to brown.
11. Yield: 3 1/2 dozen cookies 

Tropical Delight Parfait

Though the grass may be green...it does not exactly feel 'tropical' out here just yet.  But having a tropical fresh fruit parfait on a winter's day...helps one pretend! 

Many years ago, I tutored ESL for a group of recent immigrants to our country.  For the most part, they spoke Spanish.  I used this recipe as a tutorial...with the students learning all the English words for the ingredients involved.  We prepared the recipe together...and when the session was over...we ate our lesson!  When I prepare this dish...I always remember my Spanish speaking friends of long ago.

• 1 pkg. vanilla instant pudding (4 serving size)
• 1 can (540 ml.) crushed pineapple, juice included
• 1 cup pina colada yogurt (or vanilla)
• 1 cup mandarin orange segments (use fresh or canned oranges)
• 1 or 2 bananas, sliced
• toasted coconut for topping 

1. Mix vanilla pudding with crushed pineapple in a bowl.
2. Add 1 cup yogurt and mix until combined.
3. Stir in mandarin oranges and bananas.
4. Spoon into serving dishes and top with toasted coconut.  

Once the pudding, crushed pineapple and yogurt are combined...you can add fruit as you prefer, more of one and less of another.   I like to toss in some fresh pineapple as well. 

Berry Good Mini Pies

Pie...a favorite childhood memory for me!  If there was company coming for dinner...my mom would bake pie for dessert.  One recipe of her 'flaky pie crust' yielded three regular sized pies. February 9th was my mom's birthday...and though she is no longer here to celebrate with us...I thought I would post pies on her special day.

I still love pie...and could eat a whole apple pie all by myself...one little slice at a time!  But these days I often make mini pies...which are a better size for the two of us.  And they are easy to package up...and bring to your friends, your family or a potluck.  Who doesn't want to have a whole pie to themselves?

Mini pie pans (about 4 1/2 inches in diameter) are sold at kitchen specialty shops.  The disposable aluminum mini pie plates can be found at your grocery store...usually in the baking aisle.  Use your favorite pie recipe...and count on making three or four mini pies with the crust and filling for one regular pie.

Here is my all-time favorite pastry recipe...also found on the back of the Tenderflake lard box.

Pastry:

• 5 1/2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 lb Tenderflake lard
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1 Tablespoon vinegar
• Cold water...to make 1 cup of liquid
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar

Method:

1. Stir flour and salt together.
2. Cut in lard with pastry blender until shortening is in pea sized pieces.
3. Combine egg and vinegar in a measuring cup.  Add cold water to make one cup.
4. Gradually stir liquid into flour mixture.
5. Mix to moisten...but do not overwork.
6. Gather into a ball and divide into six portions. (Yield: three regular double-crusted pies or a dozen mini-pies.)
7. Roll out portions of pastry on a lightly floured surface until dough is about 1/8" thick.
8. Cut bottom rounds slightly larger than the mini pie pan you are using.
9. Press pastry into the pans and up the sides.
10. Spoon in fruit filling (listed below)...or use your favorite fruit pie filling.
11. Cover with top pastry (cut the size of the pie pan). 
12. Flute edges to seal and cut slits into top crust to allow steam to escape.  (Or use a mini-cutter to cut shapes our of top crust before placing on pie.)
13. Sprinkle granulated sugar over the top crust.
14. Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes.  Reduce to 350° and bake an additional 25-30 minutes.  If you are following the recipe for a regular sized pie, shorten the baking time by about one-quarter for mini pies.

Apple Berry Filling:

• 2 cups cooking apples, peeled and chopped
•  3 cups berries (mix and match ~ blackberries, raspberries, blueberries)
  
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1 tablespoon tapioca

1. Combine 1 cup sugar with flour and tapioca in large bowl.
2. Add apples and berries. Toss well.

*Pastry is easier to roll if it has been chilled first.  
*Any leftover pastry can be stored in the fridge for a week...or indefinitely in the freezer to be used later.

Meatballs-in-a-Hurry

This is one of those dishes that can be put together quickly...with pre-cooked frozen meatballs and a few ingredients that I usually have on hand. Simple and delicious.

• 2 lbs. frozen pre-cooked meatballs
• 1 green pepper (cut into chunks)
• 1 red or yellow pepper (cut into chunks)
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 envelope dry onion soup mix
• 1 14 oz. can crushed pineapple 

1. Arrange meatballs in the bottom of a casserole dish.
2. Spread pepper pieces evenly over the meatballs.
3. Combine ketchup, water, brown sugar and onion soup mix.  Stir in crushed pineapple and mix well.
4. Spoon evenly over the casserole.
5. Bake covered at 350°F for about 1 hour.
6. Serve on a bed of rice.
7. Serves 8

If you live in the Fraser Valley...be sure to stop by Neufeld Farms for a large assortment of Super Bowl snacks....and of course..the Frozen Meatballs.

Quick Black Forest Torte

I first heard of this black forest cake 'short-cut' a few years back from my sister-in-law. She insisted it was moist and delicious...and so simple to prepare. When I needed a birthday cake in short order recently...this recipe came to mind. It went over well!

Ingredients:

• 4 cups mini-marshmallows
• 1 chocolate cake mix
• 1 can cherry pie filling
• 1 large container of Cool Whip (or 2 cups whipping cream)

Method:

1. Pour four cups of mini-marshmallows into a greased 9x13 inch cake pan.
2. Prepare chocolate cake mix according to directions on package. Pour over marshmallows.
3. Spoon cherry pie filling evenly over cake.
4. Bake at 350°F for about 50 minutes...or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
5. Cool.
6. Top with whipped topping. (If using whipping cream, whip 2 cups of cream with 3 Tablespoons sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla until almost ready to form peaks.)
7. Serves 15.

And don't forget...the cherry on top!