Focaccia

Mix in mixer for 3-4 minutes:
3 c all purpose flour
1 2/3 c water, room temp
1 1/4 salt
Let rest 20 minutes.

Add:
1 1/2 tsp yeast (bread machine yeast)
1 1/4 sugar
Mix at low 1-2 minutes, then higher speed about 5 minutes till dough pulls from side of bowl.

Oil a large bowl, pour dough into bowl and oil top of dough (olive oil or spray).
Cover with plastic wrap and let sit 2 to 2 1/2 hours until triple in volume.

Put oil on cookie sheet. Pour in dough and gently spread with finger tips.
Let rest 5 -10 minutes.  Poke with fork (like pricking a pie crust).
Add salt and rosemary to top.

Bake at 450 for 15 minutes.

Remove from cooking sheet to cooling rack.

(Can be used as a base for pizza.)  Freezes and warms up well.

Cherry Pecan Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

 

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups (6 1/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups (3 3/4 ounces) old-fashioned oats
• 1 cup toasted pecans, chopped
• 1 cup (4 ounces) dried tart cherries (sour cherries)
• 3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips or 4 oz. of chopped bittersweet chocolate
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), slightly softened
• 1 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces) packed brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

1. Place an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another medium bowl, mix together dried cherries, toasted pecans, oats, and chocolate chips.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix together butter and sugar until no lumps remain, about 1 minute. Add the egg and vanilla, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula if necessary and mix for about 30 seconds. On low-speed, slowly add the flour mixture until just combined. Then turn off the mixer and fold in the oats and cherry mixture with a rubber spatula.
4. Roll dough into 1/4-inch balls and place on the baking sheet, lightly flattening each ball to 1-inch thickness. Place the balls 2 1/2 inches apart on the cookies sheets.
5. Bake the cookies one sheet at a time for 20-22 minutes, rotating the cookie sheet halfway through, until cookies are medium brown and the edges are set. Don't worry, the cookies will appear a little underbaked in the middle.
6. Let the cookies cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Turtle Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, softened
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 large egg, separated, plus 1 egg white
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups pecans, chopped fine
• 14 soft caramel candies
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream

Instructions

1. Combine flour, cocoa, and salt in bowl. With electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 2 minutes. Add egg yolk, milk, and vanilla and mix until incorporated. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture until just combined. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, 1 hour.
2. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk egg whites in bowl until frothy. Place pecans in another bowl. Roll dough into 1-inch balls, dip in egg whites, then roll in pecans. Place balls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Using 1/2-teaspoon measure, make indentation in center of each ball. Bake until set, about 12 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking.
3. Microwave caramels and cream in bowl, stirring occasionally, until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Once cookies are removed from oven, gently re-press existing indentations. Fill each with 1/2 teaspoon caramel mixture. Cool 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Try not to devour them all at once.

From America’s Test Kitchen Holiday Cookies 2010 Special Issue

 

Chipped Beef Ball

Mix:
1 8-oz cream cheese
1 small pkg chip beef, chopped (saved out 1/4 to wrap ball)
1 scant TBS chopped onion

Add:
1 TBS mayonnaise
2 tsp mustard

Lay a piece of plastic wrap flat and sprinkle with the reserved chip beef.
Drop ball of mixture on this, wrap and refrigerate.
Serve with pretzel crisps or Triscuits.

Spoonbread - corn pudding

1 can cream corn
1 cup Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
8 oz sour cream
1/3 cup corn oil
2 eggs

Mix all together and pour into a greased 5" x 11" loaf pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Joyce Kline gave me this recipe - very tasty and very easy.  It's a little sweeter than my mother's recipe.

Summer Dinner

Roasted Vidalia Onions with blue cheese and pine nuts
Salade Nicoise with sliced seared tuna
Oeufs al la Neige (poached meringues in Creme Anglais)

Roasted Vidalia Onions with Blue Cheese

2 Vidalia onions, unpeeled, each cut into four 1/2-inch thick slices
1 1/2 TBS extra-virgin olive oil
2 ounces blue cheese (e.g., Roquefort, Cabrales)
1 TBS lightly-toasted pine nuts
1 tsp chopped chives

Vinaigrette:
2 TBS extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp cider vinegar
1 large egg yolk
pinch salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Make the vinaigrette and set aside.

In a small roasting dish, rub olive oil all over the onion slices.
Roast for 30 minutes.  Onions should be soft and a little brown.
Remove pan from oven and allow the onions to cool, remove the outer skin.

Place onions on a serving plate.
Crumble the cheese over the onions and sprinkle with pine nuts and chives.
Drizzle with a little dressing and serve.  Serves 4.

Note:  You can have a bed of dressed lettuce underneath the onions if desired.

From one of my favorite restaurants- Jaleo by Chef Jose Andres

Fried Grits

Boil 4 cups of water and add a little salt and 1 cup of stoneground grits.
Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. 
Pour into a smallish oblong plastic container and cover with fitted top and place in refrigerator.

Next day, dump out the hunk of congealed grits onto the cutting board and pat dry with paper towel.
Thinly slice the number of servings desired and fry in bacon grease.
Shake some salt, pepper, and paprika on one side.  Turn over and lightly salt and pepper the reverse.
Each side should get about 4-5 minutes down such that its crispy when ready to serve. 
Place on paper towel before the plate.
I like to spread a little butter on them but not really necessary.  I usually serve myself 2-3 slices.