Walnut Bread (Cozonac cu Nuca)

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.

Orange-Nut Muffins

• Yield: 12 muffins
• Prep 15 minutes
• Bake 18 minutes

ingredients

• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 beaten egg
• 1/2 cup buttermilk or sour milk*
• 1/3 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
• 1/3 cup butter, melted and cooled
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel (optional)
• Orange juice

directions

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center of flour mixture.
2. In medium bowl, combine egg, buttermilk, orange juice concentrate, and melted butter; add all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy). Fold in walnuts.
3. Line twelve 2-1/2-inch muffin cups with paper bake cups. Fill the cups 3/4 full with batter. Bake in a 400 degree F oven for 18 to 20 minutes or until muffins are golden. Remove the muffins from the pans.
4. In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, orange peel, and enough orange juice (2 to 3 teaspoons) to make a drizzling consistency. Drizzle over warm muffins. Makes 12 muffins.

note

• * To make 1/2 cup sour milk, place 1-1/2 teaspoons lemon juice or vinegar in a glass measuring cup. Add enough milk to make 1/2 cup liquid; stir. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes before using it in a recipe.

Oatmeal Carmelitas

Original recipe makes 3 dozen small bars
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup quick cooking oats
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup melted butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
3/4 cup caramel ice cream topping
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease one 9x9 inch square pan.
2. Combine the 1 cup flour, baking soda, oats, brown sugar, salt and melted butter. Mix to combine, mixture will be very crumbly. Press half of the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.
3. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 10 minutes.
4. Let cool slightly then sprinkle over the crust the chocolate chips and chopped nuts. Mix the caramel ice cream topping with the 3 tablespoons of flour and drizzle over the chocolate chips. Top with the remaining oatmeal mixture. You will need to break it into small pieces to cover.
5. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 15 minutes. Let bars cool before cutting.

Brownie Cheesecake Bars

1 (19.5 ounce) package Pillsbury® Classic Traditional Fudge Brownies
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 (14 ounce) can EAGLE BRAND® Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Smucker's® Chocolate Sundae Syrups Ice Cream Topping, or fruit dessert topping

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare brownie mix as package directs; stir in nuts. Spread into well-greased 13x9-inch baking pan.
In large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk, egg and vanilla until smooth. Pour evenly over brownie batter.

Bake 40 minutes and until top is lightly browned. Cool. Chill. Garnish with chocolate syrup. Cut into bars. Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.
Kitchen-Friendly View

PREP
10 mins
COOK
35 mins
READY IN
45 mins

Zucchini Bread

Yield: Makes 4 large or 8 small loaves

 

6 eggs

1-½ cups brown sugar

2 cups white sugar

1-¾ cup olive oil

5 cups unpeeled zucchini, grated

5 teaspoons vanilla

6 cups flour

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

6 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 cups walnuts, chopped

¼ cup walnut oil

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter or spray 4 large loaf pans (9 x 5 inches) or 8 small (7-¼ x 3-¾).

Beat the eggs until light. Add the sugars, mixing well. Add the oil, zucchini and vanilla and mix well.

Sift the dry ingredients together. Add to the egg mixture by the cupful. Stir until blended. Do not over mix. Add the nuts and walnut oil, fold in until just incorporated.

Fill the loaf pans 2/3 full. Bake approximately 60 minutes for large loaves and 45 minutes for small loaves. Allow to cool on rack for 20 minutes before removing from pan.

 

Notes:

• You can use all white sugar if you prefer.

• Any light vegetable oil may be substituted for the olive oil.

• Zucchini bread freezes very well.

• Recipe can be halved without any ill effects.

• The walnut oil can be left out. It does give the bread an special enhanced flavor. The samples at Cooking Group did not have the walnut oil because I thought I had it but it was rancid. :~(

Salad - blue cheese, pear and walnut

Ingredients:

Romaine lettuce, shredded

Walnuts coarsely chopped

Canned pears, coarsely chopped

Blue cheese crumbles (optional)

Blue cheese dressing

Carrots shreds deep fried

Frying carrot shreds - Add a small amount of carrot shreds to hot oil. The oil will bubble up and overflow the pan if too many are added at one time. Once the oil starts to reduce, you can add more handfuls. Carrots will reduce by two-thirds while frying. Cook till they are a medium brown so they are crispy when they cool. Drain on paper towel.

Layer salad as follows:

* lettuce

* pear pieces

* walnut pieces

* blue cheese crumbles (optional)

* blue cheese dressing

* crispy fried carrot shreds on the very top

Caramel Bars

· 32 individually wrapped caramels, unwrapped

· 5 tablespoons heavy cream

· 1 cup all-purpose flour

· 1 cup rolled oats

· 3/4 cup brown sugar

· 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

· 1/4 teaspoon salt

· 3/4 cup butter, melted

· 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

· 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt together the caramels and heavy cream, stirring occasionally until smooth.

2. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Stir in the melted butter until well blended. Press Half of the mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking pan. Reserve the rest.

3. Bake the crust for 8 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove and sprinkle with chocolate chips and walnuts. Pour the caramel mixture over the top and then crumble the remaining crust mixture over everything.

4. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 12 minutes, or until the top is lightly toasted. Cut into squares while it is still warm.

Libby's Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Filling

Cake:
Powdered sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp salt
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup Libby's 100% pure pumpkin
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Filling:
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
6 Tbsp butter or margarine, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
Powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 15x10 inch jelly roll pan; line with wax paper. Grease and flour paper. Sprinkle towel with powdered sugar.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs and sugar in large mixer bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle with nuts, if desired.

Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool on wire rack.

Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth. Carefully unroll cake; remove towel. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Reroll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired. Makes 10 servings.