Grandma Perry’s Tom and Jerry

This is my family’s traditional holiday drink. The best way to serve Tom and Jerries is to make them one at a time. To warm the mugs, fill them with hot tap water and let stand for a minute, then toss out the water. You can have a heated pot of milk ready on the stove, but I usually heat the milk as needed in the microwave.

• Tom and Jerries can also be served from a Tom and Jerry bowl (I have an antique one just like Grandma’s) or a soup tureen as a hot punch. Tom and Jerry bowls are beautiful, but they don’t keep the drink warm without some electrical help. Place the bowl on a flat-topped hot plate (not the coil burner–type) set on the lowest setting. Don’t let the hot punch stand for more than two hours, or the heat may cause curdling. A slow cooker, even set on Low, is too hot and also could curdle the punch.

Makes 10 servings
Make Ahead: The egg mixture can be made up to 4 hours ahead.

Ingredients:
• 6 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
• 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 2 quarts milk, heated until steaming hot
• 1⁄3 cup brandy
• 1⁄3 cup dark rum
• Freshly grated nutmeg, for serving

Preparation:
1. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer at high speed, beat together the egg yolks and confectioners’ sugar until very thick and light colored, about 2 minutes.

2. In a separate grease-free, large bowl, using an electric mixer at high speed, with clean beaters, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Stir about a quarter of the whites into the yolk mixture to lighten, then fold in the remaining whites, allowing some of the whites to stay fluffy. (If making the egg mixture ahead, cover and refrigerate. Remove from the refrigerator 1 hour before using so it isn’t ice cold; otherwise the drinks will be tepid.)

3. Heat the milk in a large saucepan over medium heat until small bubbles appear around the edges. Take care that the milk doesn’t boil and bubble over.

4. To serve individually, place a heaping spoonful of the egg batter into a warm mug. Add about 1⁄2 tablespoon brandy and 1⁄2 tablespoon rum. Add enough hot milk to fill and stir gently. Grate nutmeg over the top and serve hot.

5. To serve as a punch, gradually whisk about half of the hot milk into the egg mixture. Whisk the egg mixture into the pot. Stir in the brandy and rum. Heat gently, stirring constantly, just to bring up the temperature a little bit from the addition of the liquor, about 1 minute. Do not heat too much or the eggs will start to cook and thicken the milk.

Immediately transfer to a warmed Tom and Jerry bowl or soup tureen. Grate nutmeg over the top and serve warm.

Small-Batch Tom and Jerry: In a small bowl, whisk 1⁄4 cup confectioners’ sugar with 1 egg yolk until thick. In another small bowl, using a clean whisk, whisk 1 egg white until soft peaks form. Fold the egg white into the yolk mixture, leaving some of the white fluffy. Heat 2 cups milk until hot, either on top of the stove or in a microwave. Divide the egg yolk mixture between two warmed large coffee mugs. Stir 1 tablespoon brandy or dark rum (or a splash of both) into each mug, fill with the hot milk, and stir gently. Grate nutmeg over the top and serve immediately. Makes 2 drinks.

Tom and Jerries for Everyone
Proust had his madeleines, and I have my Tom and Jerries. This warm, soothing milk drink, really hot eggnog, has always been my favorite holiday drink, probably because it was served without fail at my Grandma Perry’s Christmas Eve parties. (The children’s drinks were spiked with a drop of brandy extract.) I remember one year my uncle mixed the egg batter so stiff that he burned out the electric hand mixer. My grandmother was pretty sore—it was not the first

Christmas Eve this had happened. When we opened presents, luckily Santa had thought ahead, and brought her a new mixer that year. This magic absolutely convinced me of Santa’s omnipotence. Every year, I go through my own personal Christmas tradition: I mix up a small batch for myself, turn off all the lights except for the Christmas tree, and toast Grandma and the happy memories she helped create.

It Wouldn’t Be the Holidays Without . . . Champagne
Champagne is practically a synonym for celebration. During the holidays, there are many opportunities to sip a glass of bubbly, from a special holiday meal to a New Year’s Eve toast.

There are a few simple rules to buying Champagne. First, know where it comes from. Real Champagne, with its complex flavor and aroma, is only made in the Champagne region of France, not far from Paris. Even though we Americans use the word to describe any bubbling wine, the truth is, if it isn’t from Champagne, it isn’t real Champagne, and it must be labeled as sparkling wine. Some important names in the Champagne business include Moët-Chandon, Veuve-Clicquot, and Bollinger. These are top of the line, and are worth every penny they cost.

It is not just the grapes and the soil conditions that make Champagne special, but also its painstaking natural fermentation process. Called methode Champenoise, this is almost always indicated on the label. Sparkling wines made in other locations can still make their wine by the Champagne method. By contrast, cheap sparkling wines are injected with carbon dioxide to create the bubbles, and the results are dramatically different, to say the least.

There are less expensive, very good sparkling wines from France that are excellent bargains. (Not to be deceptive, but with their French labels, most guests will assume they are drinking the real thing.) Some of the French sparkling wines are called blanc des blancs, which means that they are made completely from white, not red grapes. Blanc des noirs, with a pink tinge, are made from red grapes. Some Spanish sparkling wines also are good values. California makes some fine sparkling wines, many made by American divisions of European Champagne families, like Domaine Chandon.

There is only one way to buy Champagne or sparkling wine, and that is according to your budget. For a small party, go all out and buy the best you can afford. But a larger event may call for some restraint. Consider the collective taste of your guest list, and if you think that a less expensive sparkling wine would be enjoyed as much as a pricey one, buy the cheaper variety. However, don’t buy a very cheap sparkling wine just because you think you should have something bubbly. They just don’t taste very good, and I don’t care what anyone says, they can be responsible for some pretty nasty post-party hangovers.

If at all possible, serve your sparkling wine in glassware, not plastic. It makes a big difference in the tone of the party. If you don’t feel like renting glasses, look in restaurant supply stores and price clubs and purchase a case or two. After a couple of annual parties, your initial investment will have paid off. I bought some at a post-holiday sale many years ago, and have never regretted it.

This recipe was published in 'Christmas 101 - p22'.

Chocolate Banana Fizz

Ingredients:
• 1 cup fat-free frozen vanilla yogurt
• 1/8 cup fat-free hot fudge syrup
• 1 banana, sliced
• ½ cup club soda

Preparation:
Place all ingredients in blender. Cover and blend on high speed until smooth. Serve immediately.

This recipe was published in 'Everyday chocolate 120 Tasty Recipes - p128'.

Chocolate Kiss Bread

Ingredients:
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 20 milk chocolate kisses, unwrapped
• 2 tubes refrigerated biscuits
• ¼ cup butter, melted

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix sugar and cinnamon. Press a chocolate kiss into each biscuit and close the dough around each kiss. Tip: Roll the biscuit around in the palm of your hand to help create a seal. Dip into melted butter and then roll in cinnamon mixture. Layer in a greased Bundt pan. Bake for about 25 minutes, until nicely browned. Let cool, as the chocolate centers will be hot.

This recipe was published in 'Everyday chocolate 120 Tasty Recipes - p100'.

Earthquake Cake

Ingredients:
• 1 cup nuts, chopped
• 1 cup flaked coconut, finely chopped
• 1 German chocolate cake mix
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup shortening
• 1 pound powdered sugar

Preparation:
Grease 9x13-inch baking pan; put nuts and coconut in pan. Prepare cake mix according to package directions and spread on top of nuts and coconut. Then beat together cream cheese, shortening, and powdered sugar until fluffy. Drop by spoonfuls on top of cake batter in pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until done when tested.

This recipe was published in 'Everyday chocolate 120 Tasty Recipes - p72'.

Triple Chip Wonder Cookies

Ingredients:
• 1 box white cake mix
• 1 stick butter or margarine, melted
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup white chocolate chips
• ½ cup butterscotch chips
• ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preparation:
Mix cake mix with melted butter and eggs. Stir in chips. Drop spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 6 to 7 minutes at 350 degrees. Do not overbake; cookies will set up as they cool.

This recipe was published in 'Everyday chocolate 120 Tasty Recipes - p44'.

Chocolate Coffee Beans

Ingredients:
• ¼ cup dark roasted coffee beans, whole
• ½ cup milk chocolate chips

Preparation:
Break whole coffee beans in half along ridge on bean. In small saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate chips, stirring until smooth. Drop coffee bean halves into chocolate by handfuls. Stir beans into chocolate and scoop out with a slotted spoon. Place on waxed paper-lined cookie sheet to harden. Separate so they do not clump together.

This recipe was published in 'Everyday chocolate 120 Tasty Recipes - p16'.

Bacon - Maple Squash Spaetzle Side Recipe

Chef Bill Telepan’s eponymous restaurant, Telepan, opened on the Upper West Side of New York in December of 2005, following the release of his successful cookbook, Inspired by Ingredients, in 2004. Before opening his own restaurant, Chef Telepan worked under Daniel Boulud at Le Cirque, Gilbert Le Coze at Le Bernardin, and Alfred Portale at Gotham Bar & Grill.

Ingredients For the Squash:
• 2/3 cup of roasted butternut squash from the bottom of a squash (see directions)

Preparation For the Squash:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2. Cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Salt squash and place skin side down on a baking sheet. Cover the bottom of the baking sheet with water. Cover squash with aluminum foil and bake until tender, about 45 minutes. Let cool.

3. Scoop out the flesh into a strainer. Squeeze out excess moisture from the squash in batches (but don’t completely dry the squash out). Pass through a food mill into a large bowl and measure out 2/3 cup of the squash.

Ingredients For the Spaetzle:
• 2 large eggs
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1/3 cup of milk
• Approximately 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Vegetable oil
• 4 ounces of small diced bacon
• 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup squash, peeled and diced (you can use the top of a butternut squash)
• 1 tart apple, peeled and diced small

Preparation For the Spaetzle:
1. To make the spaetzle, mix together the eggs, yolk, and milk. Add squash and blend together with a hand blender or in a blender until smooth. Whisk in flour and salt and let rest a few minutes.

2. Set up an ice water bath. Place a colander over a pot of lightly salted boiling water. Scoop in half of the mix and press through the holes into the water using a rubber spatula until all the mix is in. Remove colander and when the water returns to a boil, cook the spaetzle for one minute.

3. Scoop spaetzle from the water into the ice bath and chill for a few minutes. Repeat with remaining batter. When fully chilled (5-7 minutes in the ice bath) drain and drizzle with a little vegetable oil to hold.

4. Place the bacon and oil in a large sauté pan and on medium heat, cook the bacon to crisp. Add the butter and when bubbly, add the diced squash and cook to a golden brown color, approximately 5 minutes. Add the spaetzle and brown, toss in apple and cook an additional minute.

Ingredients For the Maple Glaze:
• 2 ounces white wine vinegar
• 2 ounces of white wine
• 2 ounces of maple syrup

Preparation For the Maple Glaze:
1. Combine ingredients in a small saucepan and reduce over medium heat until the glaze reaches the consistency of maple syrup.

2. Drizzle Maple Glaze over Spaetzle.

This Side recipe was published in 'Martha Stewart Living Radio Thanks giving Hotline Recipes 2010 - p36'.

14 Years Younger with Eating the RealAge Way

If you follow these practices, your food choices can make your RealAge fourteen years younger:

1. Make every calorie you eat delicious and nutrient-rich. Don’t eat foods that taste just “okay.” If they’re not special, don’t let them touch your lips. You deserve to treat yourself well.

2. Eat foods that aren’t processed. If you rarely eat packaged goods or prepared foods, you’ll usually know what’s in your food.

3. Eat breakfast—preferably, a whole grain and a little healthy fat. You’ll start the day off with energy, avoid hunger pangs that lead to unwise food choices, and have more stable blood sugar levels. Try real peanut butter on toasted rye or on a chewy whole wheat bagel, or a Kashi cereal.

4. Eat some healthy fat first at every meal. The ideal amount represents approximately 60–75 calories: 1⁄2 tablespoon of olive oil or canola oil, 6 walnuts, 12 almonds, 20 peanuts, or 1⁄2 ounce of cocoa-based chocolate or avocado.

5. Read the labels for serving size. Determine exactly how many servings you will be eating, and how many grams of saturated and trans fat that amount contains. Avoid products that put you over your daily limit of 20 grams, or that have more than 6 grams in a serving you’ll eat.

6. Read the labels for whole-grain content. Look at the first six items in the label. The first that involves grains should say “whole wheat,” “oats,” “oats, unprocessed,” “brown rice,” “corn,” etc. Choose products that have more whole-grain content than processed-grain content.

7. Tally your saturated and trans fat consumption every day. Try to keep it to less than 20 grams a day. No matter what the special interest lobbyists say, eating more than 20 grams a day of saturated and trans fat (we call these two together the “Aging Fats”; see earlier in this chapter) correlates with the development of arterial aging (heart disease, stroke, memory loss, impotence, decay in orgasm quality, wrinkling of the skin) and cancer (the evidence is strongest for increases in saturated and trans fats being associated with the development of breast and prostate cancers). And aging fats sap your energy acutely when they prevent your arteries from dilating as your muscles need more oxygen. The risk of arterial isease and cancer seems to increase substantially as your intake of saturated and trans fats combined exceeds 20 grams a day.

8. Limit red meat consumption to 4 ounces a week. This includes “the other white meat.” Use red meat as a side dish or condiment, not a main course.

9. Read the label when you buy baked goods. Choose those with whole grains, and no aging trans or saturated fats, and great texture. Baked goods tend to make you older because they contain tons of trans fats and processed flour. One Cinnabon, I’m told, contains 75 grams of aging fat—not a four-pack, but just one Cinnabon; a slice of whole-grain cinnamon-flavored bread made by our local Montana Bread Company or by P and C contains no aging or other fat and no processed flour, tastes great, and if you want to make it even healthier, add some peanut butter or pure avocado spread.

10. Substitute healthier foods. Assess your foods and meals in terms of how they could be made healthier by additions, subtractions, or substitutions. A few substitutions can make a big difference in your rate of aging. They also make food taste great! Try substituting olive oil for butter or margarine on bread, or prune purée or drained applesauce for 1 to 3 tablespoons of butter in smaller recipes; fruit for cookies; real (dark) chocolate for milk chocolate; nuts for chips; and cooked garlic salsa or marinara sauce for a cream sauce.

11. Make eating, and the place you eat, special. Only eat sitting down at one of your special places. (Usually, designate no more than three places as “special”—one at home and perhaps two at work). Only eat food on plates and on 9-inch plates, not giant ones. My most successful patients (and their families) have a special place in their home that is the only place for eating. Not eating anyplace else was and is their rule—not the TV room, not standing up, not in the car, not out of the refrigerator.

12. Take a 30-minute walk every day with a friend. I call this a RealAge double dip. Not only do you get the anti-aging benefit that physical activity and exercise give you, but also you build the strong social support networks that can help you prevent needless aging through times of stress.

13. Plan menus and learn to cook. Cooking can be a true pleasure; in addition, you will know what’s in your food, and you will also have the fun of learning how to use herbs and spices to make food taste fabulous.

14. Be a smart shopper. If you don’t buy food that’s bad for you, you won’t eat food that’s bad for you.

15. Eat nonfried fish three times a week. Any fish, not just fatty fish, makes you younger.

16. Eat 10 tablespoons of tomato sauce a week. Try marinara sauce, salsa, and other varieties. The carotenoid found in tomatoes, watermelon, guava, and pink grapefruit—lycopene—when eaten with a little oil, provides an immune-strengthening antioxidant that seems to inhibit growth of prostate, breast cancers, and maybe other cancers, and may make your arteries younger.

17. Add variety to your diet and the way you cook vegetables. Why is variety in your diet so important? Many people don’t eat a balanced diet. Forty percent of Americans don’t eat fruit daily, and 30 percent don’t consume any dairy or soy products regularly. On average, Americans get less than half of the 25 to 30 grams of fiber they need a day. Eating a diverse diet that is low in calories and high in nutrients decreases aging from arterial and immune dysfunction and makes your RealAge as much as four years younger. If you eat from all five food groups daily, you can be as much as five years younger than if you ate from only two. (The five groups are whole-grain breads and cereals; fruits; vegetables; dairy and dairy- ubstitute products; and meats, nuts, legumes, and other proteins). Adding variety to the way you cook is what you’ll learn. And variety will make all vegetables taste better, great even. It makes more fun to try new ways of cooking—and that makes you younger.

18. Be the CEO every time you eat out—why should you pay for something that ages you? Learn to ask questions of the wait-staff when you eat out. Then learn to ask for healthy, great tasting choices—“Would you ask the chef to substitute the marinara sauce for the Alfredo sauce?”

19. Keep your portions energy-giving, not energy-sapping. The usual restaurant entrée is not an acceptable meal size. Use your fist or a pack of cards as a measure of a serving.

20. Stop eating as soon as you start to feel full. Because your stomach is roughly the size of your fist, eating meals larger than your fist can stretch your stomach beyond what’s comfortable or healthy. Eat a little healthy fat first. Then pause before the rest of the meal. And remember: stop eating as soon as you first sense you might be getting full—before the full feeling hits.

21. Don’t eat absentmindedly. All too often, eating is an unconscious act. We lift the fork, swallow absentmindedly, and lift the fork again. Sometimes we overeat because we just aren’t paying attention. We’re bored, nervous, or busy. Often, we’re not even hungry. Instead, eat mindfully. Be actively conscious of what you’re eating and why. Use all of your senses to enjoy the color, texture, smell, and flavor of your food. Not only will you enjoy your food more, but you’ll also slow down your rate of consumption.

22. Do resistance exercises for 10 minutes every other day. You replace a pound of your muscle with a pound of fat about every five years after age 35 if you do not do resistance exercises. And a pound of muscle uses about 150 calories a day, compared to 3 calories a day for a pound of fat. Whether you use free weights, resistance bands, or machines, it takes just 10 minutes three times a week to maintain muscle mass. (You can go to www.realage.com/realagecafé/myfitnessplan to see these resistance exercises and design a plan for yourself, but I recommend consultation with a trainer for at least the first three times you do resistance exercises and then at least once every three months thereafter.)

23. Be a savvy snacker. Think nutrient rich and calorie lean. Try a few nuts and a piece of whole fruit. Try not to snack at night.

24. Avoid simple carbohydrates and simple sugars. Remember that carbohydrates were meant to be complex. Simple sugars in food are absorbed quickly in the intestine and increase the amount of sugar in the blood for at least one to two hours. A high concentration of sugar in the blood eradicates the natural protective control your body has over the usual, everyday variations in blood pressure. High blood-sugar levels also increase triglyceride levels in the blood. What about honey and natural sugars? Unfortunately, these are not healthy substitutes for white sugar. So avoid foods that are laden with carbohydrates from brown sugar, corn sweetener, dextrose, fructose (high fructose corn sweetener), glucose, corn syrup, honey, invert sugar, lactose, maltose, malt syrup, molasses, raw sugar, sucrose, syrup, and table sugar.

25. Drink alcohol in moderation. Women benefit from one drink a day; men, from one or two. Avoid making this choice if you or your family are at risk of alcohol or drug abuse.

26. Drink lots of water. Drink a glass of water between every glass of wine or other alcoholic drink you have. Also, at food events, carry a glass of water in one hand.

This Tip was published in 'Cooking The RealAge Way - p12'

Rice paper rolls with vegetable filling Appetizer Recipe

Serves 4


Ingredients:
• 1 small leek
• 1 large carrot
• 3 and 1/2oz (100g) Chinese cabbage
• 3 and 1/2oz (100g) shiitake mushrooms
• 3tbsp (45ml) peanut oil
• 1 and 1/2oz (50g) mung bean sprouts
• 2tbsp (30ml) chopped peanuts
• Salt as desired
• Freshly ground pepper as desired
• 2tbsp (30ml) soy sauce
• 1/2tbsp (2 and 1/2ml) curry power
• 1tbsp (5ml) chopped mint leaves
• 4 sheets rice paper
• 4 lettuce leaves

Preparation:
1. Trim the leek, cut the white part into thin rings and wash carefully. Peel the carrot, slice thinly lengthwise and then cut into narrow strips. Cut the Chinese cabbage into thin strips. Clean and quarter the mushrooms.

2. Heat the oil in a wok and stir-fry the vegetables until 'al dente'. Add the mung bean sprouts and peanuts and season to taste with salt, pepper, soy sauce, curry power and mint leaves. Leave to cool.

3. Take a shallow bowl a little bigger than the sheets of rice paper and fill with water. Spread a tea towel beside it and have a second tea towel to hand. Immerse the sheets of rice paper in the water, one at a time, and soak for about 1 minute. Then carefully spread out on the tea towel and pat fry with the second towel.

4. Cover each sheet of softened rice paper with a lettuce leaf and put some of the cooled vegetable on top. Fold two ends of the rice paper rolls over the filling and then roll up from the sides. Fill and roll all the rice paper rolls in the same way.

5. Dip in soy sauce or a spicy vinaigrette.

This Appetizer recipe was published in 'Chinese Cuisine - p6'

Sticky Rice Cake Skewers

Yield: 10 Sticky Rice Cake Skewers


Main Ingredients:
• 20 Sticky Rice Cakes
• 10 Skewers
• Some Oil for Frying

Sauce Ingredients:
• 3 Tbsp Ketchup
• 2 Tbsp Red Pepper Paste
• 2 Tbsp Honey (or Corn Syrup)
• 1 Tbsp Sugar
• 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
• 2 Tbsp Cooking Wine (Mirim)
• 1 Tbsp Onion Juice
• 1 Minced Garlic
• 1 Tbsp Sesame Oil
• 1 Tbsp Chopped Peanuts
• 1/8 tsp Black Pepper

Preparation:
1. Cook the frozen rice cakes in boiling water for 1 minute. If it is not frozen, then boil for 30 seconds.

2. After that, drain the water, and rinse in cold water. Pull them apart.

3. Cut the rice cakes in half and put 4 or 5 rice cakes on a skewer.

4. Heat some oil in a pan and fry the rice cakes until they are golden brown.

5. While you are frying the rice cakes, make the sauce. Mix all of the ingredients in the sauce pan.

6. Heat the sauce on medium until it boils, stirring occasionally.

7. Coat the fried rice cakes with the sauce. You can use a brush or spoon.

This Korean recipe was published in 'Aeri's Kitchen, 1st Mini Korean Cooking story - p6'

Marble Ring Cake

Preparation time 25 minutes plus 10 minutes for decoration



Ingredients:
• 100g (4oz) plain flour
• 1/2 lever tsp baking power
• 2 eggs, separated
• 175g (60z) caster sugar
• 150ml (1/4pt) milk
• 50g (2oz) unsalted butter, melted but cool

Ingredients For Vanilla essence:
• 25g (1oz) cocoa power

Ingredients For Decoration:
• 50g(2oz) plain chocolate
• 2tsp water

Preparation:
1. Grease an 18cm (7in.) ring mould and line the base with a circle of greased greaseproof paper. Set the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.

2. Sift the flour and baking powder together.

3. Beat the egg yolks with half the sugar until pale, mousse-like and thick.

4. Beat the egg whites until stiff and gradually beat in the remaining sugar, a spoonful at a time.

5. Carefully mix half the milk, then half the flour, then half the melted butter into the egg yolk mixture. Repeat. Gently fold in the beaten egg whites, taking care not to overmix.

6. Divide the cake mixture in half. Add a few drops of vanilla essence to one half. Sift the cocoa power and then fold it into the other half.

7. Put assorted spoonfuls of chocolate and vanilla mixture into the ring mould and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until the top feels firm when pressed with the fingertips. Turn out and cool on a wire rack.

8. To decorate; put the chocolate and water together in a small pan and melt over a low heat. Place the melted chocolate into a piping bag fitted with a medium writing nozzle and pipe in zig-zags over the top of the cake.

This recipe was published in 'Little books of delight Chocolate Cakes - p14'

Stuffed leg of lamb with aubergine and tzatziki

Serves 6


Ingredients:
• 1 medium-sized aubergine, sliced lengthways
• 2-3tbsp (30-45ml) olive oil
• 1 boned leg of lamb
• 2tbsp (30ml) dried oregano
• Salt and freshly ground pepper as desired

Ingredients For the paste:
• 2tbsp (30ml) grated orange peel
• 1tsp (5ml) granted lemon peel
• 2tbsp (30ml) chopped sage leaves
• 2tbsp (30ml) chopped garlic cloves
• 2tbsp (30ml) chopped anchovies
• 1tsp (5ml) coarsely ground pepper
• 2tbsp (30ml) olive oil

Ingredients For the lemon tzatziki:
• 14oz (450g) Greek yoghurt
• 1 cucumber, halved, deseeded and grated
• 1 bunch spring onions, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 red chili, chopped
• Juice of a lemon

To Serve:
• 1tbsp (15ml) chopped dill tips

Preparation:
1. Brush the aubergine slices with oil and lightly brown on both side in a frying pan. Set aside.

2. For the paste, combine all the paste ingredients and puree.

3. Spread the paste on the inside of the meat, lay the aubergine slices 0n top and roll up. tie with kitchen string and leave in a cool place overnight. Weight the joint. Rub the meat with oregano, salt and pepper.

4. Heat 2-3tbsp (30-45ml) olive oil in flameproof roasting dish and quickly brown the meat on all sides. Then put into a preheated oven [400°F (200°C)] and roast for 15 minutes per 16oz (500g) + 15 minutes. Cover with aluminum foil for the first 30 minutes.

5. when done, take out of the oven, cover with aluminum foil and leave to rest for about 15-20 minutes.

6. For the tzatziki, squeeze out the grated cucumber and mix with the other ingredients. Put into a bowl and sprinkle with dill.

7. Serve the meat with the lemon tzatziki.

This Main Course recipe was published in 'Continental Cuisine - p22'.

Hot Buttered Rum

To take the chill off a cold winter’s night, there is nothing like hot buttered rum. The drink is usually made with boiling hot water, but you can use cider, too. It’s nice to have a batch of spiced butter ready in the refrigerator for when friends drop by. Although I have rarely had a guest say no to a hot buttered rum, if I have any butter left over at the end of the holiday season, it is just as delicious spread onto toast.

Makes 8 servings

Make Ahead: The spiced butter can be made up to 2 weeks ahead.

Ingredients:
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 cup dark rum
• About 6 cups boiling water
• Cinnamon sticks, for garnish (optional)

Preparation:
1. In a medium bowl, using a handheld electric mixer set at high speed, beat together the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg until light in color and texture, about 2 minutes. (If making the spiced butter ahead, transfer to a small container, cover, and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before using.)

2. For each drink, place about 1 and 1⁄2 tablespoons of the spiced butter into a mug. Add 2 tablespoons rum and enough boiling water (about 3⁄4 cup) to almost fill the mug. If desired, garnish with a cinnamon stick. Using the cinnamon stick or a spoon, stir to dissolve the butter. Serve immediately.

This recipe was published in 'Christmas 101 - p22'.

Peppermint Twist White Hot Chocolate

Ingredients:
• 4 cups milk
• 3 ounces white chocolate, chopped
• 1/3 cup red-and-white-striped candy canes or hard peppermint candies, crushed
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Whipped topping
• Additional red-and-white-striped candy canes, crushed



Preparation:
Bring milk to a simmer in saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add white chocolate, crushed candy, and salt; whisk until smooth. Ladle into mugs, dividing equally. Serve with whipped topping and additional crushed candy.

This recipe was published in 'Everyday chocolate 120 Tasty Recipes - p127'.

Chocolate Cinnamon Chip Muffins

Ingredients:
• 2 cups biscuit baking mix
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• ½ cup cinnamon chips
• ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 2/3 cup milk

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line muffin pan with paper liners. In a large bowl, combine baking mix, sugar, vegetable oil, egg, cinnamon chips, chocolate chips, and milk. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown.

This recipe was published in 'Everyday chocolate 120 Tasty Recipes - p99'.

Chocolate Pie Recipe

Ingredients:
• 3 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup hot water
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 1 (9-inch) prepared pie crust
• Additional whipped topping
• Chocolate shavings

Preparation:
In large saucepan, combine chocolate, sweetened condensed milk, and salt. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly, stirring constantly. Add water and egg yolks, stirring quickly until mixture is thick and bubbly again. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Allow to cool for 15 minutes. Chill in refrigerator for an additional 20 to 30 minutes; stir. Fold whipped topping into cooled chocolate mixture; stir. Pour chocolate mixture into prepared piecrust. Cool for 2½ to 3 hours or until chocolate is set. Cover with additional whipped topping. Garnish with chocolate shavings. Keep refrigerated.

This recipe was published in 'Everyday chocolate 120 Tasty Recipes - p71'.

Chocolate Syrup Brownies Recipe

Ingredients:
• ½ cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 (16 ounce) bottle chocolate-flavored syrup
• 1¼ cups flour
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped

Ingredients Quick frosting:
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 3 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preparation:
Cream butter and sugar; beat in eggs. Blend in syrup and flour; stir in nuts. Pour into greased 9x13-inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool slightly before frosting. Quick frosting: Mix sugar, milk, and butter; bring to a boil and boil for 30 seconds. Remove from heat; stir in chocolate chips until melted. Frosting will be thin. Spread over brownies and cut into bars.

This recipe was published in 'Everyday chocolate 120 Tasty Recipes - p43'.

Marshmallow Cups Recipe

Ingredients:
• 2 cups milk chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons shortening
• 1 cup marshmallow crème

Preparation:
Line mini muffin baking pans with 18 foil cups. In saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate chips with shortening, stirring constantly. Spoon ½ tablespoon chocolate mixture into each cup, using back of spoon to spread chocolate up sides of each cup. Spoon 1 tablespoon marshmallow crème into each cup. Spoon ½ tablespoon remaining chocolate over each marshmallow cup. Refrigerate until firm.

This recipe was published in 'Everyday chocolate 120 Tasty Recipes - p15'.

Ravioli with Butternut Squash and Sage Butter

Frank Stitt is the chef and owner of several renowned Birmingham, AL, restaurants, including Highlands Bar & Grill. He has written two books, Frank Stitt’s Southern Table: Recipes and Gracious Traditions from Highlands Bar and Grill and Bottega Favorita: A Southern Chef’s Love Affair With Italian Food. Stitt received the James Beard Award for Best Chef of the Southeast in 2001.

Serves 4

Ingredients For the Pasta Dough:
• 1 3/4 to 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 9 extra-large egg yolks

Preparation For the Pasta Dough:
To make the dough by hand: Mix the flour and salt and mound on a work surface. Make a well in the center, like the crater of a volcano. Place the egg yolks in the well and, using a fork, mix them together. Start gradually bringing in a little flour from the sides, then continue adding the flour bit by bit until the dough comes together and all the flour has been incorporated. Knead the dough, flouring the work surface as necessary, until it is smooth and elastic, 5 to 7 minutes; it will be a bit sticky. Shape it into a disk, wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

To make the dough in a mixer: Combine the eggs and salt in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the dough hook and beat to break up the eggs. Gradually add the flour and mix until the dough just pulls away from the sides of the bowl. It should still be a bit tacky to the touch. Do not overmix the dough, or it will become tough. Press the dough into a disk and wrap it in plastic. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

1. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions. Work with one piece at a time, keeping the remaining dough covered with a towel or plastic wrap.

2. Sprinkle a portion of dough with a light dusting of flour, then pass it through a pasta machine at its widest setting. Lay the ribbon of dough on your floured surface and fold it in half, so that the ends meet, and pass it through the same setting a second time.

3. Adjust your pasta machine down a setting and pass the sheet of pasta through. Fold it in half again and pass it through the same setting a second time. Continue in the same fashion until you have passed the sheet of pasta through the thinnest setting twice.

4. When the dough sheet becomes too long to handle, cut it into manageable lengths. Transfer each finished sheet to a lightly dusted work surface and keep covered with a slightly dampened towel to keep the pasta from drying out while you roll out the remaining dough.

The pasta is ready to use.

Ingredients For the Roasted Butternut Squash:
• 1 medium size butternut squash, cut lengthwise in half, seeds and membranes removed
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon fruity extra virgin olive oil

Preparation For the Roasted Butternut Squash:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Season the cut surfaces of the butternut squash with salt and pepper and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Place cut side down on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until just soft.

3. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. When the squash is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and puree the squash through a food mill.

Ingredients For the Ravioli Filling:
• 2 heaping cups of roasted butternut squash
• 1/2 cup ricotta
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Pasta dough, rolled out as directed and cut into 24-inch lengths
• Cornmeal for dusting
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 large sage leaves, torn into pieces
• Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• Cracked black pepper

Preparation For the Ravioli Filling:
1. To prepare the filling, combine the squash, ricotta, nutmeg, and salt and pepper in a bowl, mixing well. Refrigerate for 1 hour to firm up the filling.

2. Remove the filling from the refrigerator and spoon it into a pastry bag without a tip, or a plastic bag with a 1/2-inch opening cut in one corner.

3. Fold one pasta sheet in half so that the two short ends meet, to mark the center, then unfold the sheet so that it rests lengthwise in front of you. Working on one side of the crease, starting 2 inches from the end, arrange tablespoonfuls of filling down the sheet at 4-inch intervals.

4. Fold the other side of the pasta back over so that the edges again line up, and press the dough around the mounds of filling to seal. Center a 3-inch scalloped cutter around each mound of filling and cut circles. Press the edges together firmly to seal, without losing the pretty scallop.

5. Place the ravioli on a baking sheet dusted with cornmeal, and repeat with the remaining dough and filling. (You need only 12 ravioli for this recipe. Arrange the remaining ravioli on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze until firm. Then transfer to heavy-duty freezer bags and freeze for up to 2 months.)

6. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Drop the 12 ravioli into the boiling water and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until just tender.

7. While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. When it is foamy, drop in the sage leaves and cook for 1 minute, or until lightly toasted but not brown.

8. Lift the ravioli out of the boiling water with a slotted spoon and place in the sauté pan with the sage. Add a small splash of the pasta water and gently toss to coat the ravioli with the butter. Serve in warm pasta bowls, sprinkled with a little grated Parmigiano and cracked pepper.

Recipe Notes:
Pumpkin—zucca—is a classic filling for pasta in the Emilia-Romagna region around Bologna. To me butternut squash is more flavorful than our pumpkin, so I usually use it, but if you can find flavorful pumpkins or Hubbard or Delicata squash, don’t hesitate to use them. Although some recipes include crumbled almond biscotti in the filling for added texture and sweetness, I prefer this version, which allows you to savor the simplicity of the pasta and the autumn flavor of the filling with just a bit of sage and melted butter.

Tip:
You can freeze the extra ravioli this recipe makes in batches to pull out as needed. Drop the still-frozen pasta into boiling salted water, and you’ll have a delicious meal in less than five minutes.

This Side recipe was published in 'Martha Stewart Living Radio Thanks giving Hotline Recipes 2010 - p33'.

Appetizer Recipe Stuffed Rice Balls

Serves 4


Ingredients:
• 6 and 1/2oz (200g) sticky rice
• 16oz (500g) minced pork
• 2 spring onions
• 1-2 cloves garlic
• 3/4in (2cm) piece of ginger
• 1 egg
• 2tbsp (30ml) soy sauce
• 1tbsp (15ml) rice wine
• 1/4tsp (1ml) pinch of sugar
• Salt as desired
• Breadcrumbs
• 4-6 Chinese cabbage leaves
• Soy sauce for dipping

Preparation:
1. Put the sticky rice into a sieve and rinse with cold water. Put the rice into a pot, cover with water and leave to soak for about 12 hours. Then drain well in a sieve.

2. Put the mince into a bowl. Wash and trim the spring onions, finely chop the white and light green parts and add to the mince.

3. Peel and finely chop the garlic and the ginger and add.

4. knead in the egg, soy sauce and rice wine, season with salt and sugar.

5. Form the mixture into balls the size of a walnut. If the mixture is too loose, work in some breadcrumbs.

6. Put the drained rice into a shallow bowl and roll the meatballs in the rice, until they are completely covered with rice.

7. Wash the Chinese cabbage leaves, pat dry and lay in a steaming basket. place the rice balls on the cabbage with spaces between them.

8. Fill a wok with water to such a depth that the water level covers an inch of the basket. bring the water to a boil. Put a lid on the steaming basket and steam the rice balls for about 30 minutes. Serve with soy sauce.

This Appetizer recipe was published in 'Chinese Cuisine - p4'

Beef Skewers

Yield: 30 Beef Skewers

Main Ingredients:
• 2 Cups Beef
• 5 Korean Crab Sticks
• Green Onions
• 4 Eggs
• 1/2 Cup Flour
• 30 Toothpicks

Beef Ingredients:
• 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
• 3 Tbsp Sugar
• 1 and 1/2 Tbsp Cooking Wine
• 1 Tbsp Minced Garlic
• 1 Tbsp Water
• 1/8 tsp Black Pepper
• 1/2 Tbsp Sesame Oil

Preparation:
1. Cut the beef into 1/2X1/2X3 inch pieces. In a bowl, mix all of the ingredients for the beef and stir until the sugar dissolves. Add 2 cups of beef into the sauce. Set it aside while you are preparing the other ingredients.

2. Cut the crab sticks in half and divide them into 3 groups. Cut the green onions to about the same length as the crab sticks.

3. In a heated pan, cook the marinated beef, until the beef is completely cooked.

4. Put the ingredients on the toothpicks in this order: green onion, crab stick, white part of the green onion, beef, green onion

5. Break the eggs into a bowl and mix them. Prepare 1/2 cup of flour in another bowl.

6. Cover with flour first and then cover with egg.

7. Fry on a lightly oiled pan until it becomes golden brown.

This Korean recipe was published in 'Aeri's Kitchen, 1st Mini Korean Cooking story - p4'

Chocolate, Cherry and Nut Cake

Preparation time 15 minutes

Ingredients:
• 100g (4oz) butter
• 200g (7oz) self-raising flour
• 25g (1oz) cocoa power
• 100g (4oz) soft brown sugar
• 100g (4oz) glace cherries, washed and halved
• 100g (4oz) assorted nuts, coarsely chopped
• 1egg, beaten
• 1tsp golden syrup
• 150ml (1/4pt) milk and water, mixed half and half

Ingredients for the Top:
• 100g (4oz) glace cherries, halved
• A few whole nuts

Preparation:
1. Grease an 18cm (7in.) cake tin and line the base with greased greaseproof paper. Set the oven to 180°C/350°F?Gas Mark 4.

2. Rub the butter into the flour, using the fingertips, until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

3. Sift in to cocoa power and add the sugar, 100g (4oz) cherries and mixed nuts.

4. Bind the mixture with the beaten egg, golden syrup and enough of the milk and water to form a consistency that will fall easily when lifted with a spoon.

5. Turn the mixture into the prepared tin and arrange the halved cherries and nuts on the top. Bake for 1-1 and 1/2hours, or until a skewer will emerge dry when stuck into the middle. Cool on a wire rack.

This recipe was published in 'Little books of delight Chocolate Cakes - p12'

Greek Salad

Serves 4



Ingredients:
• 2 onions
• 5tbsp (75ml) black olives
• 6 and 1/2oz (200g) feat cheese, cut into small pieces
• 4 Tomatoes
• 1/2 iceberg lettuce
• Salt as desired
• Freshly ground pepper as desired
• 5tbsp (75ml) olive oil, cols pressed
• 1 cucumber
• 1 green pepper
• Fresh parsley
• Lemon Juice

Preparation:
1. Peel the onions and cut into rings. Wash and quarter the tomatoes. Wash the lettuce and tear into bite-sized pieces. Peel and slice the cucumber. Wash, halve and deseed the pepper and cut into strips.

2. Mix all the ingredients with salt, plenty of pepper and 5tbsp (75ml) olive oil. Sprinkle with lemon juice to taste and serve garnished with fresh parsley leaves. Freshly baked flatbread goes well with this dish.

This Salad recipe was published in 'Continental Cuisine - p20'.

New Wave Eggnog

This has an even creamier texture than the oldfashioned heady concoction. The cooked egg yolks make this the nog of choice for cooks who prefer to avoid raw eggs.

Makes 2 and 1⁄2 quarts; about 10 servings
Make Ahead: The eggnog should be chilled at least 4 hours before serving, and served within 24 hours.

Ingredients:
• 4 cups half-and-half or milk
• 1 and 1⁄2 cups sugar
• 12 large egg yolks
• 1⁄2 cup dark rum
• 1⁄2 cup brandy
• 1⁄4 cup bourbon
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 pint high-quality vanilla ice cream
• Freshly grated nutmeg, for serving

Preparation:
1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, stir the half-and-half with the sugar until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is hot. In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks until thick and pale yellow. Gradually whisk in the hot halfand - half mixture. Rinse out the saucepan.

2. Return the egg yolk mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spatula, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the spatula (a thermometer will read 180°F), about 3 minutes. Strain through a wire sieve into another water and let stand, stirring often, until completely cooled. Whisk in the rum, brandy, and bourbon. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight.

3. In a chilled, medium bowl, using an electric mixer at high speed, beat the heavy cream just until stiff. Fold into the chilled custard. Pour into the punch bowl. Using scissors, cut the container away from the ice cream, keeping the ice cream intact in one piece. Place the ice cream in the eggnog. Grate the nutmeg over the eggnog and serve immediately. medium bowl. Place in a larger bowl of ice

This recipe was published in 'Christmas 101 - p21'.

Caramel Chocolate Cappuccino

Ingredients:
• 1 cup hot water
• ¾ cup milk
• 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
• 3 tablespoons caramel syrup
• 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules

Preparation:
Place all ingredients in microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 3 minutes or until hot. Stir and pour into mugs. Serve immediately.



This recipe was published in 'Everyday chocolate 120 Tasty Recipes - p126'.

Easy Substitutions

• 1 ounce semisweet baking chocolate = 1 ounce unsweetened baking chocolate plus 1 tablespoon sugar

• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips = 6 ounces semisweet baking chocolate, chopped

• 1 ounce unsweetened baking chocolate = 3 tablespoons baking cocoa plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or melted shortening or margarine

This Substitutions was published in 'Everyday chocolate 120 Tasty Recipes - p125'.

Pull - Apart Bread

Ingredients:
• 4 tubes refrigerated biscuits
• 1½ cups sugar, divided
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup butter
• ¼ cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut biscuits into quarters. Combine ¾ cup sugar with cinnamon. Roll each piece of biscuit in cinnamon-sugar mixture. Drop in greased Bundt pan. In saucepan, slowly bring remaining ¾ cup sugar, brown sugar, butter, and chocolate chips to a boil. Remove from heat. Pour over biscuits in pan. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes. Invert pan onto serving dish and serve immediately.

This recipe was published in 'Everyday chocolate 120 Tasty Recipes - p98'.

Not Chocolaty Enough?

Dust your baking pan with cocoa powder instead of flour for an added touch of sweetness.

Quick Tip:-


This tip was published in 'Everyday chocolate 120 Tasty Recipes - p97'.

White Chocolate Cheesecake

Ingredients:
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup flour
3 eggs
4 ounces white chocolate
½ teaspoon vanilla
1½ cups heavy whipping cream

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Wrap outside of 10-inch springform pan with foil. Grease inside of pan. In mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, and flour until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape bowl. Melt white chocolate. With electric mixer on low speed, mix melted white chocolate into cream cheese mixture. Slowly beat in vanilla and cream. Blend well. Pour mixture into prepared springform pan. Place pan in water bath filled with warm water. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until center of cheesecake is just firm. Cool at room temperature for 1 hour. Refrigerate until set before removing from pan.

This recipe was published in 'Everyday chocolate 120 Tasty Recipes - p70'.

Handy Conversions Part 1

1 teaspoon = 5 milliliters
1 tablespoon = 15 milliliters
1 fluid ounce = 30 milliliters
1 cup = 250 milliliters
1 pint = 2 cups (or 16 fluid ounces)
1 quart = 4 cups (or 2 pints or
32 fluid ounces)
1 gallon = 16 cups (or 4 quarts)
1 peck = 8 quarts
1 bushel = 4 pecks
1 pound = 454 grams



This conversion was published in 'Everyday chocolate 120 Tasty Recipes - p13'.

Making It Pretty

Experiment with various cheese grater surfaces and vegetable peelers to create different kinds of chocolate flakes and curls to garnish your chocolaty treats.

Quick Tip:-


This tip was published in 'Everyday chocolate 120 Tasty Recipes - p69'

Chocolate Oatmeal Sandwich Cookies

Ingredients:
• 2½ cups plus 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1½ cups brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 4 teaspoons vanilla, divided
• 2½ cups flour
• ½ cup cocoa
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 6 cups quick oats
• 1 (12 ounce) package semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Beat 2½ cups butter and sugars until fluffy. Beat in eggs and 3 teaspoons vanilla. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Add to creamed mixture. Stir in oats. Drop by tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool. In saucepan, combine chips, condensed milk, 2 tablespoons butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Over medium heat, cook and stir until chips are melted. Immediately spread filling between cooled cookies.

This recipe was published in 'Everyday chocolate 120 Tasty Recipes - p42'.

Storing Chocolate

Make sure the chocolate you buy isn’t stored in or around very aromatic foods like garlic, tea, coffee, or detergents. These strong scents can affect the flavor of exposed chocolate.

Quick Tips:-


This tip was publish in 'Everyday chocolate 120 Tasty Recipes - p41'

Chocolate Covered Cherries

Ingredients:
2½ cups sugar
¼ cup margarine
1 tablespoon milk
½ teaspoon almond extract
4 (4 ounce) jars maraschino cherries with stems, drained
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons shortening

Preparation:
In medium bowl, combine sugar, margarine, milk, and almond extract; stir. On lightly floured surface, knead mixture into large ball. Roll into 1-inch balls. Flatten balls into 2-inch circles. Leaving stems sticking out, wrap cherries in circles by lightly rolling in hands. Place wrapped cherries on sheet of waxed paper and chill in refrigerator for at least 4 hours. In medium saucepan over medium heat, melt chocolate chips and shortening. Holding balls by stems of cherries sticking out, dip chilled balls into chocolate mixture. Chill in refrigerator.

This recipe was published in 'Everyday chocolate 120 Tasty Recipes - p14'.

Cornbread and Biscuit Dressing

You’ll need to crumble the cornbread and biscuits and let them dry overnight. (You can substitute store-bought for the homemade.) To toast pecans, spread them on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake in an oven heated to 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Martha Stewart is a bestselling author, magazine publisher, and business magnate. She is also the host of The Martha Stewart Show, the Emmy-award winning television program now airing on Hallmark Channel. Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc., is the leading provider of original “how-to” information, inspiring and engaging consumers with unique lifestyle content across multiple media platforms and high-quality products available at numerous retail outlets.

Ingredients:
Serves 12

• 8 cups dried, crumbled Cornbread for Dressing
• 8 cups dried, crumbled Biscuits for Dressing
• 2 cups coarsely chopped pecans, toasted
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh sage
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, plus 2 tablespoons, melted, plus more for baking sheets
• 1 large onion, coarsely chopped (about 2 1/4 cups)
• 5 celery stalks, finely chopped (about 1 3/4 cups)
• 4 fresh serrano chiles, seeds removed, minced (about 1/4 cup)
• 6 cups homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken stock
• 2 cups whole milk
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Preparation:
1. Preheat eat oven to 350 degrees. Butter 2 rimmed baking sheets. Toss cornbread, biscuits, pecans and sage in a large bowl.

2. Melt 1 stick butter in a skillet over high heat. Add onion, celery, and chiles, and cook until softened, about 7 minutes. Add to cornbread-biscuit mixture, and stir in stock, milk, eggs, salt and pepper (mixture will be liquidy).

3. Divide among prepared baking sheets, and bake for 45 minutes. Brush dressing with melted butter, and bake until crusty, about 15 minutes more. Dressing can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 day; reheat before using.

Ingredients - Cornbread for Dressing:
Makes one 8-inch square
(enough for 1 recipe of Cornbread and Biscuit dressing)

• 2 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk, room temperature
• 1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for baking dish

Preparation - Cornbread for Dressing:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square baking dish. Whisk together cornmeal, salt, sugar, and baking powder in a large bowl. Whisk together eggs, buttermilk, and butter in a medium bowl. Add egg mixture to cornmeal mixture, and stir to combine.

2. Pour batter into prepared baking dish. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Let cool slightly in dish on a wire rack. Run a knife around edges of dish to loosen, and invert onto rack to cool completely. Cornbread can be wrapped in plastic and stored at room temperature for up to 3 days. For dressing, let stand overnight, uncovered, to dry out before crumbling.

Ingredients - Biscuits for Dressing:
Makes 30
(enough for 1 recipe of Cornbread and Biscuit dressing)

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups (1 pint) heavy cream

Preparation - Biscuits for Dressing:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Add cream, and stir just until a dough forms.

2. On a generously floured surface, pat dough into a square, about 1/2 inch thick. Let rest for 5 minutes.

3. Cut out rounds with a 2-inch biscuit cutter. Pat together scraps, and cut out more rounds. (You should have about 30 biscuits.) Space biscuits 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

4. Bake until tops are golden, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool on sheet on a wire rack. Biscuits can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For dressing, let stand overnight, uncovered, to dry out before crumbling.

This Side recipe was published in 'Martha Stewart Living Radio Thanks giving Hotline Recipes 2010 - p31'.

Korean Recipe 'BiBimBap'

Yield: 2 Servings

Main Ingredients:
• 1/4 Cup Ground Beef
• 1/4 Cup Korean Radish Side-Dish
• 2 Handfuls Bean Sprouts
• 1 Handful Gosari
• 1/4 Cup Kimchi
• 1/3 Carrot
• 1/3 Zucchini
• 1/3 Cucumber
• 1/3 Onion
• 2~3 Leaves of Lettuce
• 1/2 Green Onion
• 1 Egg
• 1 Sheet Dried Seaweed
• 2 Bowls Cooked Rice

Beef Ingredients:
• 1/2 tsp Sugar
• 1/2 tsp Cooking Wine
• 1/2 tsp Soy Sauce
• 1/2 tsp Sesame Oil
• 1 Clove Minced Garlic
• 1 Pinch Salt
• 1 Pinch Black Pepper

Bean Sprout Ingredients:
• 1/2 tsp Sesame Oil
• 1 Pinch Salt

Gosari Ingredients:
• 1/4 Onion
• 2 tsp Soy Sauce
• 1 tsp Sesame Oil
• 1/2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1/2 tsp Minced Garlic

Bibimbap Sauce Ingredients:
• 3 Tbsp Red Pepper Paste
• 1/4 tsp Soy Sauce
• 1 tsp Vinegar
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 3/4 tsp Sesame Seeds
• 1 tsp Sesame Oil
• 1/2 tsp Minced Garlic

Preparation:
1. In a bowl, mix all of the ingredients for the beef. Set it aside for 20 minutes.

2. Boil the bean sprouts and drain the water. Add the sesame oil and salt. Mix well.

3. Cut the gosari into 3 inch pieces. In a pan, add the ingredients for the gosari and fry for 10 minutes.

4. Julienne the carrot and zucchini to the same length. Cut the onion and green onion thinly.

5. Fry the green onion with a little bit of salt for 5 seconds. In the same way, fry the onion for 20 seconds, the zucchini for 1 minute, and the carrot for 30 seconds.

6. Fry the marinated beef until the beef is completely cooked.

7. Fry one flat egg with a pinch of salt. Slice it thinly.

8. Cut the kimchi into small pieces. Fry with a little bit of oil for 2 minutes. You can add a little bit of sugar if you want.

9. Cut 1 sheet of dried seaweed with scissors. Cut the leaves of lettuce thinly. Julienne the cucumber thinly.

1o. Mix all of the ingredients for the sauce.

11. In a large bowl, place 1 cup of cooked rice, all of the vegetables, kimchi, egg, and dried seaweed. Put the beef in the center. Then, pour 2 or 3 spoons of sauce on top of the beef.

12. Mix all of the ingredients and eat.

This Korean recipe was published in 'Aeri's Kitchen, 1st Mini Korean Cooking story - p3'

Chocolate Chip and Banana Loaf Recipe

Ingredients:
• 100g (4oz) butter
• 225g (8oz) caster sugar
• Grated ring of 1 orange
• 1/2tsp vanilla essence
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 225g (8oz) plain flour
• 2lever tsp baking power
• 150ml (1/4pt) milk
• 2ripe bananas, mashed
• 100g (4oz) plain chocolate, chopped

Preparation:
1. Grease a 500g (1lb) loaf tin and line the base with greased greaseproof paper. Set the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.

2. Best together the butter, sugar and oranges rind until light and fluffy, Add the vanilla essence.

3. Gradually beat in the eggs, a little at a time.

4. Sift together the flour and baking power. Mix the milk with the mashed banana.

5. Add half the dry ingredients to the mixtures, following by half the mashed banana and milk. Repeat Lastly, stir in the chopped chocolate.

6. Turn the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 40-50 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and feels firm when pressed with the fingertips. Cool on a wire rack.

This recipe was published in 'Little books of delight Chocolate Cakes - p10'

Vegetable soup with egg Recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients:
• 6 and 1/2oz (200g) leeks
• 6 and 1/2oz (200g) carrots
• 12 and 1/2oz (400g) potatoes, firm-cooking
• 1/2oz (20g) butter
• 2 and 1/2oz (80g) onion
• 38fl oz (1.2 liters) beef stock
• 1tbsp (15ml) finely chopped marjoram
• Salt as desired
• Freshly ground pepper as desired
• 3 and 1/2oz (100g) raw, smoked, streaky bacon
• 2 eggs
• Marjoram leaves to garnish

Preparation:
1. Remove the roots and some of the dark green parts from the leeks. Wash the leeks thoroughly, removing all the grit from between the leaves. Drain and slice tinly into rings. Peel the carrots and potatoes ans cut both the slices approximately 1/8in (4mm) thick. Peel and finely dice the onions.

2. Melt the butter in a large pan, add the onions and saute until translucent. Add the leeks, carrots and potatoes and saute briefly. Add the stock. Season with marjoram, salt and pepper, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer over a low heat for 15-20 minutes.

3. Finely dice the bacon and fry in a dry frying pan until the fat runs. Add to the soup.

4. Whisk the eggs and stir into the soup. Heat until the egg sets. Ladle the soup into plates and garnish with marjoram.

This Salad recipe was published in 'Continental Cuisine - p18'.

Old-fashioned Eggnog Recipe

Indulge in one of Yuletide’s greatest pleasures, and make a batch of this heady, creamy, fromscratch eggnog. I can’t imagine one of my Christmas parties without a big bowl of nog — and, according to the evidence, neither can my friends. One year, instead of entirely omitting it from the menu (because everyone had been moaning about their expanding waistlines), I compromised with a half batch, which disappeared quicker than an elephant at a magician’s act in Las Vegas. Luckily, I had the ingredients handy to whip up more, and it evaporated, too. It’s so easy to make, why buy the supermarket variety?

• To keep the eggnog cold, place a pint of vanilla ice cream in the punch bowl. It will melt slowly, and its flavor will complement the eggnog. For a break with tradition, try chocolate ice cream.

• This eggnog contains raw eggs, which have been known to contain harmful bacteria. When serving this recipe, take these precautions. Purchase fresh eggs without any signs of cracks, and wash the eggs before using them. Do not serve eggnog to people with compromised immune systems. If you prefer, serve the New Wave Eggnog (right), which is made with cooked eggs, a step that kills the dangerous bacteria.

Makes 21.2 quarts; about 10 servings

Make Ahead: The eggnog should be chilled for
at least 4 hours before serving, and served within
24 hours.

Ingredients:
6 large eggs, separated
1 and 1⁄4 cups superfine sugar (see Note)
3/4 cup dark rum
3/4 cup brandy
1/4 cup bourbon
1 and 1/2 quarts heavy cream or half-and-half
1 pint high-quality vanilla ice cream, for serving
Freshly grated nutmeg, for serving

Preparation:
1. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer at high speed, beat the egg yolks and sugar until thick and pale yellow. Beat in the rum, brandy, and bourbon, then the cream.

2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer at high speed, with clean beaters, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold into the eggnog. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight.

3. Transfer to a punch bowl. Using scissors, cut the container away from the ice cream, keeping the ice cream intact in one piece. Place the ice cream in the eggnog. Grate the nutmeg over the eggnog and serve immediately.

Amaretto Eggnog: Omit the bourbon. Substitute 3⁄4 cup Amaretto for the brandy. Decrease the sugar to 1 cup. If desired, add 1⁄4 teaspoon almond extract. When serving, substitute toasted almond ice cream for the vanilla ice cream.

Note: To make your own superfine sugar, process regular granulated sugar, about 1/2 cup at a time, in a food processor or blender until finely ground. It will take 1 to 2 minutes per batch.

This recipe was published in 'Christmas 101 - p21'.

Mocha Spiced Coffee Recipe

Ingredients:
1½ teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
5 cups fresh-brewed coffee
1 cup milk
¼ cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup chocolate syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preparation:
Mix cinnamon and nutmeg in with coffee grounds to make 5 cups coffee. Make coffee in coffeemaker. In heavy saucepan, combine milk, brown sugar, and chocolate syrup. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently and making sure milk does not boil. Once sugar is dissolved, add vanilla and brewed coffee.

This recipe was published in 'Everyday chocolate 120 Tasty Recipes - p124'.

White Chocolate Macadamia Bread Recipe

Ingredients:
4 egg whites
Dash salt
½ cup sugar
½ cup flour
¾ cup macadamia nuts, roasted
¾ cup white chocolate chips

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 5x9-inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper. Whip egg whites with salt until soft peaks form. Slowly add sugar and whip until sugar is dissolved and mixture is glossy and smooth. Fold in flour carefully; then fold in nuts and white chocolate chips just until combined. Spoon mixture into pan and bake for 50 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool. Preheat oven to 250 degrees and cut bread into thin slices with bread knife. Place slices in single layer on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake slices for 50 minutes or until completely dried out. Let cool for 20 minutes and store in airtight container.

This recipe was published in 'Everyday chocolate 120 Tasty Recipes - p96'.

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Recipe

Ingredients:
1½ cups chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs
3 tablespoons butter, melted
3 (3 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 eggs
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, divided
1 teaspoon flour

Preparation:
Combine cookie crumbs and butter; press into 9-inch springform pan. Beat cream cheese until fluffy, then beat in milk, vanilla, and eggs. Toss ½ cup chocolate chips with flour to coat; stir into cream cheese mixture. Pour into prepared pan and sprinkle with remaining chips. Bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool. Chill. Serve.

This recipe was published in 'Everyday chocolate 120 Tasty Recipes - p68'.

Chocolate Chip Blond Brownies Recipe

Ingredients:
2 cups brown sugar
2/3 cup butter, melted
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 to 2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup nuts, chopped
Semisweet chocolate chips

Preparation:
Add brown sugar to melted butter; cool. Add eggs and vanilla to mixture and blend well. In separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add gradually to sugar mixture. Stir in chopped nuts if desired. Pour mixture into greased 8x12-inch baking pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. (Do not overcook.) Cut into squares.

This recipe was published in 'Everyday chocolate 120 Tasty Recipes - p40'.

Remarkable Fudge Recipe

Ingredients:
4 cups sugar
2 (5 ounce) cans evaporated milk
1 cup butter
1 (7 ounce) jar marshmallow crème
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preparation:
Line 9x13-inch baking pan with foil, extending foil over edges of pan. Butter foil; set pan aside. Butter sides of large, heavy saucepan. Combine sugar, milk, and butter in saucepan. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until mixture boils. Reduce heat to medium; continue cooking for 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove pan from heat. Add remaining ingredients and stir until chocolate melts. Beat by hand for 1 minute. Spread in prepared pan. Score into 1-inch pieces while still warm. When fudge is firm, use foil to lift out of pan. Cut fudge into squares. Store in tightly covered container in refrigerator. Makes about 3 pounds.

This recipe was published in 'Everyday chocolate 120 Tasty Recipes - p12'.

Autumn Pumpkin Risotto with Thyme, Apricots and Pecans

Kitchen Basics introduces Real Stocks for great tasting, healthy soups, sauces, and dishes. Our goal is to help you prepare the same kind of delicious meals we enjoyed while growing up, but using healthy ingredients and quick preparation methods. Our stocks are ready to use in any recipe that calls for stock, broth, or bouillon. Just store it in your pantry until needed, open and pour. There’s no need to add water — simply heat until hot. After opening, place original container in the fridge for up to 10 days, or freeze for later use.

Ingredients:
Serves 8
6 cups Kitchen Basics Unsalted Chicken Cooking Stock
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus more for cooking pumpkin
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 small cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cups arborio rice
1 cup sweet white wine
1 cup dried apricots, finely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh grated nutmeg
1 small sugar pumpkin (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled, seeded, diced and sauteed in a little olive oil until just tender
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
3 tablespoons butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Freshly grated Parmesan for garnish

Preparation:
1. In a saucepan, bring the stock to a boil. Then reduce heat to low and keep the stock warm.

2. In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over a medium-high flame, heat the olive oil. Add the onion. Sauté for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the garlic and rice; stir until well coated, about 1 minute.

3. Add the white wine and continue cooking, stirring often, until it has been absorbed by the rice.

4. Add the dried apricots and cooked pumpkin and continue to stir another 30 seconds.

5. Lower the heat to medium and add 1 cup of stock. Constantly stir so that the rice doesn’t stick to the pan. Add the remaining stock 1 cup at a time, stirring until absorbed before adding another cup. Stir until all the stock is absorbed, about 20 to 25 minutes total, or until the rice is tender.

6. Remove from heat; stir in the thyme, chopped pecans, and butter. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with Parmesan.

This Turkey recipe was published in 'Martha Stewart Living Radio Thanks giving Hotline Recipes 2010 - p29'.

Chocolate Chunk Ring Recipe

Preparation time 15 minutes

Ingredients:
- 100g (4oz) butter
- 75g (3oz) caster sugar
- 25g (1oz) soft brown sugar
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1tsp vanilla essence
- 125g (5oz) self-raising flour, sifted
- 175g (60z) plain chocolate, coarsely chopped

Preparation:
1. Grease an 18cm (7in.) ring mould and line the base with a circle of greased greaseproof paper. Set the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.

2. Cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.

3. Beat in the egg and vanilla essence. Gently fold in the flour, adding a little water if necessary.

4. Stir in the chopped chocolate. Turn the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 40mintues, or until the cake feels firm when pressed with the fingertips. ool briefly, then turn the cake out of the mould on to a wire rack.

This recipe was published in 'Little books of delight Chocolate Cakes - p4'

Fish soup with shrimps and vegetables Recipe

Serves 2

Ingredients:
• 19oz (600g) fish fillets (e.g. cod, mackerel, seabass, turbot)
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 8oz (250g) potatoes
• 5 and 1/2oz (175g) carrots
• 2 onions
• 8oz (250g) peeled tomatoes (canned)
• 2 sticks celery
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 bunch parsley
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and freshly ground pepper as desired
• 6 and 1/2oz (200g) cooked shrimps or prawns

Preparation:
1. Wash the fish fillets under cold, running water, then pat dry and cut into portion sized pieces. Put into a bowl, ass 3tbsp (45ml) lemon juice, stir, cover and put into the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

2. Peel and dice the carrots, potatoes and onions. Roughly dice the tomatoes. Wash, dry and slice the celery. Peel and press the garlic. Wash the parsley, dry and chop finely.

3. Heat the olive oil in a large pan and quickly saute the potatoes, carrots and onions. Add the tomatoes, celery, garlic, parsley and bay leaf. Cover with water and season with salt and pepper. Cover with a lid and simmer the vegetables over a low heat for about 30 minutes.

4. Add the fish fillets and the marinade and simmer with the lid on for about 15 minutes. Add more water if necessary. When the fish is cooked add the shrimps and briefly bring to a boil. Season the soup to taste with salt, pepper and the rest of the lemon juice. Serve immediately.

This Salad recipe was published in 'Continental Cuisine - p16'.

Steaming Mocha Cocoa

Ingredients:
2 cups milk
2 teaspoons cocoa
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground coffee
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preparation:
Heat all ingredients in small saucepan and whisk until steaming. Strain and pour into 2 mugs.

This recipe was published in 'Everyday chocolate 120 Tasty Recipes - p123'.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Ingredients:
2 cups shredded zucchini
3 eggs
½ cup applesauce
2 cups sugar
½ cup vegetable oil
3¼ cups flour, sifted
½ cup cocoa
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 loaf pans. In mixing bowl, mix together zucchini, eggs, applesauce, sugar, and oil. Add remaining ingredients. Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

This recipe was published in 'Everyday chocolate 120 Tasty Recipes - p95'.

Chocolate Turtle Cheesecake

Ingredients:
1 (7 ounce) package caramels
¼ cup evaporated milk
½ cup pecans, chopped
1 (9-inch) prepared chocolate crumb piecrust
2 (3 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
½ cup sour cream
1¼ cups milk
1 (3.9 ounce) package chocolate instant pudding
½ cup fudge topping
¼ cup pecans, chopped

Preparation:
Place caramels and evaporated milk in large saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Stir in ½ cup pecans. Pour into piecrust. Combine cream cheese, sour cream, milk, and pudding mix in blender. Process until smooth. Pour pudding mixture over caramel layer, covering evenly. Loosely cover pie and chill until set. Drizzle fudge topping over pudding layer in decorative pattern. Sprinkle with ¼ cup pecans. Cover loosely and chill in refrigerator.

This recipe was published in 'Everyday chocolate 120 Tasty Recipes - p67'.