Prep Time: 3 hours
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 3 loaves
60 grams fresh yeast
250 grams chopped walnuts or pecans
1 kilogram all purpose flour
300 grams white sugar
5 eggs
500 milliliters milk
250 grams butter melted
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup vegetable oil
zest from one lemon
Instructions:
In a sauce pan add the sugar, milk, butter and lemon zest then warm it up. Do not boil it, it just needs to be hot.
Meanwhile, take the yeast and mix it with 2 tbsp of warm milk, 2 tbsp of sugar and 1 tbsp of flour and mix it well. Let it rest, if the yeast is fresh you will see the mixture rise. Leave it for about ten minutes. In a big bowl add the flour and if you're using vanilla powder add it to the flour otherwise add it to the milk mixture. Add 5 egg yolks (the whites will be used for the pecan cream) to the milk mixture and mix well. Next I usually use my kitchen aid mixer with the dough or paddle attachment. Add the flour to the bowl of the mixer, the milk mixture and the yeast mixture as well. Mix well for a few minutes. In the old days you'd have to knead this by hand for at least half hour. The more it mixes the fluffier the dough will be. Add the raisins and mix well.
Let the dough rise for an hour or two until it doubles in size.
In the meantime, in a food processor add the pecans or walnuts, add 5 more tablespoons of sugar and the 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder and mix. In the mixer put the egg whites and mix until stiff then add the pecan mixture and mix. Put this mixture in the fridge.
After the dough has risen, divide it in 3 pieces. On a big surface where you can work the dough, oil the surface, we will not use flour here, oil or butter works better. Take one piece and roll it out and then add a third of the pecan mixture to the dough and roll it out. Put each roll in a buttered bread pan and let rise again until doubled in size. Next make an egg wash and wash each bread with egg then sprinkle some sugar over each loaf.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 35-45 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting into this.
Taco-Filled Pasta Shells
Makes 12 servings
2 pounds ground beef
2 envelopes taco seasoning
1-1/2 cups water
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, cubed
24 uncooked jumbo pasta shells
1/4 cup butter, melted
ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS (for each casserole):
1 cup salsa
1 cup taco sauce
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1-1/2 cups crushed tortilla chips
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
3 green onions, chopped
In a Dutch oven, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain.Stir in taco seasoning and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Stir in cream cheese until melted. Transfer to a bowl; cool. Chill for 1 hour.
Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Gently toss with butter. Fill each shell with about 3 tablespoons of meat mixture. Place 12 shells in a freezer container. Cover and freeze for up to 3 months.
To prepare remaining shells, spoon salsa into a greased 9-in. square baking dish. Top with stuffed shells and taco sauce. Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with cheeses and chips. Bake 15 minutes longer or until heated through. Serve with sour cream and onions.
To use frozen shells: Thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours (shells will be partially frozen). Spoon salsa into a greased 9-in. square baking dish; top with shells and taco sauce. Cover and bake at 350° for 40 minutes. Sprinkle with cheeses and chips; proceed as directed. Yield: 2 casseroles (6 servings each).
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| Taste of Home recipe |
2 pounds ground beef
2 envelopes taco seasoning
1-1/2 cups water
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, cubed
24 uncooked jumbo pasta shells
1/4 cup butter, melted
ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS (for each casserole):
1 cup salsa
1 cup taco sauce
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1-1/2 cups crushed tortilla chips
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
3 green onions, chopped
In a Dutch oven, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain.Stir in taco seasoning and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Stir in cream cheese until melted. Transfer to a bowl; cool. Chill for 1 hour.
Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Gently toss with butter. Fill each shell with about 3 tablespoons of meat mixture. Place 12 shells in a freezer container. Cover and freeze for up to 3 months.
To prepare remaining shells, spoon salsa into a greased 9-in. square baking dish. Top with stuffed shells and taco sauce. Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with cheeses and chips. Bake 15 minutes longer or until heated through. Serve with sour cream and onions.
To use frozen shells: Thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours (shells will be partially frozen). Spoon salsa into a greased 9-in. square baking dish; top with shells and taco sauce. Cover and bake at 350° for 40 minutes. Sprinkle with cheeses and chips; proceed as directed. Yield: 2 casseroles (6 servings each).
Oreo Fluff
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| kitchenmonki recipe |
1 box White Chocolate Instant Pudding Mix
2 cups Milk 8 ounces Cool Whip
24 Oreo Cookies, crushed
2 cups Mini Marshmallows
In A Large Bowl Whisk Together The Pudding Mix And Milk For 2 Minutes. Add Cool Whip, Oreos And Marshmallows, Stir Well. Refrigerate Until Ready To Serve.
Superfood Salad
1/2 cup dry quinoa
1/3 cup red onion, chopped
1 orange, peeled and segments chopped
1 avocado, chopped
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
seasonally either: 1 cup pomegranate arils (about 1 pomegranate worth) or 1 mango, chopped
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
salt & pepper
Lemon Vinaigrette:
2 lemons, juiced (need 1/4 cup juice)
2 garlic cloves, microplaned or finely minced
dash of sweetener (agave nectar, honey, or sugar)
salt & pepper
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Directions:
Cook quinoa according to package directions. Set aside to cool.
For the Lemon Vinaigrette: add lemon juice, garlic, sweetener, salt and pepper into a small bowl and whisk in oil.
Combine cooled quinoa with red onion, orange segments, avocado, beans, pomegranate arils and/or mango, corn, cilantro, salt and pepper.
Pour Lemon Vinaigrette over the salad and stir to combine. Serve cold or at room temperature.
1/3 cup red onion, chopped
1 orange, peeled and segments chopped
1 avocado, chopped
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
seasonally either: 1 cup pomegranate arils (about 1 pomegranate worth) or 1 mango, chopped
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
salt & pepper
Lemon Vinaigrette:
2 lemons, juiced (need 1/4 cup juice)
2 garlic cloves, microplaned or finely minced
dash of sweetener (agave nectar, honey, or sugar)
salt & pepper
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Directions:
Cook quinoa according to package directions. Set aside to cool.
For the Lemon Vinaigrette: add lemon juice, garlic, sweetener, salt and pepper into a small bowl and whisk in oil.
Combine cooled quinoa with red onion, orange segments, avocado, beans, pomegranate arils and/or mango, corn, cilantro, salt and pepper.
Pour Lemon Vinaigrette over the salad and stir to combine. Serve cold or at room temperature.
Spinach and Feta Pasta
Recipe by Our Best Bites
8 ounces Penne pasta (that’s 1/2 a 16 Ounces. box. Don’t use ziti–you want the ridges on the penne to “grip” the sauce)
1 28-ounces can diced tomatoes
3 cups fresh spinach (you don’t even have to chop it! Could life get any better??)
1 onion, finely chopped
5-6 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
A handful of fresh mushrooms, chopped
4 ounces. feta cheese, crumbled
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and add pasta. Cook according to package directions. In the meantime, heat a little olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, and mushrooms and cook until tender. Add spinach and cook until wilted. Add tomatoes, heat through, and then add drained pasta and crumbled feta. Add salt and pepper to taste. Heat through and serve; you can crumble a little extra feta on top if you feel the urge. Even my pickiest eater loves this meal, so you really can’t go wrong! Got a little extra time on your hands? Try serving it with Rosemary Focaccia or Garlic Breadsticks.
Serves 8
Nutritional Information
Calories: 186
Fat: 5.3
Fiber: 3.4
WW Points Plus: 4
8 ounces Penne pasta (that’s 1/2 a 16 Ounces. box. Don’t use ziti–you want the ridges on the penne to “grip” the sauce)
1 28-ounces can diced tomatoes
3 cups fresh spinach (you don’t even have to chop it! Could life get any better??)
1 onion, finely chopped
5-6 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
A handful of fresh mushrooms, chopped
4 ounces. feta cheese, crumbled
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and add pasta. Cook according to package directions. In the meantime, heat a little olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, and mushrooms and cook until tender. Add spinach and cook until wilted. Add tomatoes, heat through, and then add drained pasta and crumbled feta. Add salt and pepper to taste. Heat through and serve; you can crumble a little extra feta on top if you feel the urge. Even my pickiest eater loves this meal, so you really can’t go wrong! Got a little extra time on your hands? Try serving it with Rosemary Focaccia or Garlic Breadsticks.
Serves 8
Nutritional Information
Calories: 186
Fat: 5.3
Fiber: 3.4
WW Points Plus: 4
Romanian Cabbage Rolls (Sarmale)
2 to 3 pounds ground pork (or whatever meat you prefer)
1/2 cup long grain rice (I prefer basmati)
1-2 onions
parsley
dill
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 liter tomato juice
salt and pepper to taste
1 large sour cabbage
16 slices of bacon
Chop the onions and fry them in the oil until tender. Add rice and cook for another minute. Add onion and rice mixture to ground port and add salt, pepper, dill and parsley and mix well with your hands. Now it’s time to assemble the rolls.
Remove all the cabbage leaves and cut each leaf in half. Romanian cabbage rolls are traditionally smaller than the Polish cabbage rolls, so that’s why I recommend cutting each leaf in half, otherwise you can use the entire leaf for one roll.
Fill each half leaf with a big tablespoon of the meat mixture and roll. Put all the rolls in a big pot and add the liter of tomato juice over the rolls. Add more water if needed, the juice should cover the rolls entirely. Cover the pot with aluminum foil and bake at 375 degrees for about 4 hours.
After 2 hours remove the foil and put back in the oven. Serve hot with a bit of sour cream on top.
1/2 cup long grain rice (I prefer basmati)
1-2 onions
parsley
dill
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 liter tomato juice
salt and pepper to taste
1 large sour cabbage
16 slices of bacon
Chop the onions and fry them in the oil until tender. Add rice and cook for another minute. Add onion and rice mixture to ground port and add salt, pepper, dill and parsley and mix well with your hands. Now it’s time to assemble the rolls.
Remove all the cabbage leaves and cut each leaf in half. Romanian cabbage rolls are traditionally smaller than the Polish cabbage rolls, so that’s why I recommend cutting each leaf in half, otherwise you can use the entire leaf for one roll.
Fill each half leaf with a big tablespoon of the meat mixture and roll. Put all the rolls in a big pot and add the liter of tomato juice over the rolls. Add more water if needed, the juice should cover the rolls entirely. Cover the pot with aluminum foil and bake at 375 degrees for about 4 hours.
After 2 hours remove the foil and put back in the oven. Serve hot with a bit of sour cream on top.
Divinity
2-1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
In a 2-quart saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup, salt and water. Cook to a hard ball stage (260 degrees), stirring only until sugar dissolves.
Meanwhile, beat egg whites in a large mixer bowl/ beat to stiff peaks.
Gradually pour hot syrup over egg whites, beating at high speed of electric mixer. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until candy holds its shape, 4 to 5 minutes. (this is the trickiest part – watch it carefully, it will start to lose its gloss. Check it often to see if it is holding its shape.)
Quickly drop from a teaspoon onto waxed paper. (If it cools too quickly and starts to harden, spread on waxed paper and cut into squares with pizza cutter.) Makes about 40 pieces.
(this recipe can be cut in half for easier handling)
1/2 cup light corn syrup
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
In a 2-quart saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup, salt and water. Cook to a hard ball stage (260 degrees), stirring only until sugar dissolves.
Meanwhile, beat egg whites in a large mixer bowl/ beat to stiff peaks.
Gradually pour hot syrup over egg whites, beating at high speed of electric mixer. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until candy holds its shape, 4 to 5 minutes. (this is the trickiest part – watch it carefully, it will start to lose its gloss. Check it often to see if it is holding its shape.)
Quickly drop from a teaspoon onto waxed paper. (If it cools too quickly and starts to harden, spread on waxed paper and cut into squares with pizza cutter.) Makes about 40 pieces.
(this recipe can be cut in half for easier handling)
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