Almond Cloud Cookies (Macaroons)

 

10 ounces almond paste

1 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large egg whites, lightly beaten

1/4 teaspoon gluten-free almond extract

1/8 teaspoon extra strong bitter almond oil (optional)

Confectioners' sugar or glazing sugar, for topping

• 10 ounces almond paste

• 7 ounces sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
• 1/4 teaspoon gluten-free almond extract
• 1/8 teaspoon extra-strong bitter almond oil
• Confectioners' sugar or glazing sugar, for topping

• 10 ounces almond paste
• 198g sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
• 1/4 teaspoon gluten-free almond extract
• 1/8 teaspoon extra-strong bitter almond oil
• Confectioners' sugar or glazing sugar, for topping

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets.
2. Blend the almond paste, sugar, and salt until the mixture becomes uniformly crumbly; this is best done in a stand mixer.
3. Add the egg whites gradually, while mixing, to make a smooth paste.
4. Stir in the flavorings.
5. Scoop the dough by tablespoons onto the prepared pans. (If too thin, stir in some almond flour.)
6. Sprinkle the cookies heavily with confectioners' sugar, then use three fingers to press an indentation into the center of each cookie.
7. Bake the cookies for 20 to 25 minutes, until they're brown around the edges. Remove them from the oven, and let them cool right on the pan.
8. Yield: 21 cookies.

 

Source: King Arthur Flour Website.

Dark Chocolate Amarone Cremoso

300 grams dark chocolate (70% cacao) (10.5 oz)
100 Milliliters whole milk (3.5 oz)
1.5 TBS kayro syrup
5 oz butter
1 egg
150 grams amaretti biscuits (6 oz pkge)
40 grams meringue (about a 2 egg white + 2/3 c superfine sugar whipped and baked)
70 grams dried cherries
37 grams caramel pieces

1.Warm milk, syrup, pinch salt, and butter into a saucepan, add the chocolate and melt, stirring until combined.
2. Do not allow boiling. Remove from heat and stir in beaten egg.
3. Leave to cool, then gently stir in the amaretti biscuits, cracked meringue, dried cherries, and caramel bits.
4. Pour into a terrine lined with plastic wrap.
5. Chill for at least 4 hours before slicing.

This is a simple make ahead dessert but you have to buy the ingredients in advance and the amaretti and chocolate can be costly.  I put it in my pate mold which is smaller than a loaf pan so you may need to double for a larger pan.  I got this recipe from the Viking Star chef.

Soft Pretzels

 

 

Dough

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
• 7/8 to 1 cup warm water*
• *Use the greater amount in the winter, the lesser amount in the summer, and somewhere in between in the spring and fall. Your goal is a soft dough.

Topping

• 1 cup boiling water
• 2 tablespoons baking soda
• coarse, kosher or pretzel salt, optional
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, meltedhTopping
• 8 ounces boiling water
• 1 ounce baking soda
• coarse, kosher or pretzel salt, optional
• 1 1/2 ounces unsalted butter, melted

Dough

298g King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

7g instant yeast

198g to 227g warm water*

*Use the greater amount in the winter, the lesser amount in the summer, and somewhere in between in the spring and fall. Your goal is a soft dough.

Topping

227g boiling water

28g baking soda

coarse, kosher or pretzel salt, optional

43g unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

1. To make dough by hand, or with a mixer: Place all of the dough ingredients into a bowl, and beat until well-combined. Knead the dough, by hand or machine, for about 5 minutes, until it's soft, smooth, and quite slack. Flour the dough and place it in a bag, and allow it to rest for 30 minutes.
2. While the dough is resting, prepare the topping: Combine the boiling water and baking soda, stirring until the soda is totally (or almost totally) dissolved. Set the mixture aside to cool to lukewarm (or cooler).
3. Preheat your oven to 475°F. Prepare a baking sheet by spraying it with vegetable oil spray, or lining it with parchment paper.
4. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased work surface, and divide it into eight equal pieces (about 70g, or 2 1/2 ounces, each).
5. Allow the pieces to rest, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Pour the baking soda/water into a 9"inch sq pan.
6. Roll each piece of dough into a long, thin rope (about 28" to 30" long), and twist each rope into a pretzel. Working with 4 pretzels at a time, place them in the pan with the baking soda/water, spooning the water over their tops; leave them in the water for 2 minutes before placing them on the baking sheet. This baking soda "bath" will give the pretzels a nice, golden-brown color.
7. Transfer the pretzels to the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle them lightly with coarse, kosher, or pretzel salt, if desired. Allow them to rest, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
8. Bake the pretzels for 8 to 9 minutes, or until they're golden brown.
9. Remove the pretzels from the oven, and brush them thoroughly with the melted butter. Keep brushing the butter on until you've used it all up; it may seem like a lot, but that's what gives these pretzels their ethereal taste. Eat the pretzels warm, or reheat them in an oven or microwave.   
10. Yield: 8 large pretzels.

Smoky Pork and White Bean Stew

Ingredients

·         1 (12- to 16-ounce) pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

·         Salt and pepper

·         3 tablespoons vegetable oil

·         1 onion, chopped

·         4 garlic cloves, minced

·         1 tablespoon smoked paprika

·         1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

·         3 cups chicken broth

·         2 (15-ounce) can white beans, rinsed (great northern or navy)

·         1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

1.   1. Pat pork dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add pork and cook until browned all over, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to plate.

2. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until softened and beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and paprika and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

3. Add tomatoes, broth, and pork and any accumulated juices and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until pork is just cooked through, about 8 minutes. Add beans and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Chili Craig Clairborne

1 lb chopped thin-sliced beef
1 onion chopped
2 cloves garlic chopped
1 large can tomatoes
1 green pepper minced

In a large pot, brown onion and garlic in 2 TBS olive oil.
Add meet and brown.
Add tomatoes green peppers.

Stir in:
2 c water
1/2 tsp celery seed
1/4 tsp cayenne
2 TBS chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp basil
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 bay leaf

Simmer 2-3 hours uncovered.
Just before serving add:

1 can kidney beans

Moody made several chili recipes.  One with okra and this one without.

Rugelach

Dough:

8 oz cream cheese
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter
1/2 c confectioner's sugar
Pinch of salt
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 c all-purpose flour

Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until a soft dough is formed.
Refrigerate for at least an hour.

Construction:

Split dough into 4 balls.  Roll out dough ball into a big circle (1/8 inch thick).
Spread apricot jam evenly over dough (about 1/4 cup).
Sprinkle chopped walnuts (about 1/4 cup).

Slice circle into about 12 thin pizza-like slices.
Starting from the outside, roll up each slice like a croissant.
Place on greased cookie sheet (or parchment paper on cookie sheet).
Beat one egg and brush on each cookie. Sprinkle crystallized sugar on each.
Do the same for the remaining dough balls.
A full recipe requires 1 c apricot jam and 1 c chopped walnuts.

Bake in a preheated oven 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Adapted from Jewish Cooking in America

I usually make a half recipe as my food processor is on the smallish side.
You can have other fillings as well.  Omit the jam and add cinnamon, sugar & raisins.
Or just use cinnamon & sugar & pecans and then dust later with powdered sugar and the cookie will resemble the taste of a 'Sconset Sweet.

Afternoon of Spanish Tapas

 

Spanish cheeses, charcuterie, olives, Marcona almonds, dates, bread

Iberico, Tipsy Goat – Source: Harris Teeter;  Salchihon, Jamon Serrano, & Chorizo Cantimpalo – Source: Trader Joe’s

Apple and Manchego Salad

Granny Smith apples and Manchego- Source: Harris Teeter

Moorish Chickpea and Spinach Stew

Chickpeas with spinach, garlic and spices- Source: Harris Teeter

Sweet Potato Galettes

Sliced sweet potatoes with Goat cheese, chile pepper, sour cream, parsley, and pumpkin seeds on puff pastry- Source: Harris Teeter

Roasted Vidalia Onions with Blue Cheese

Sliced Sweet onions roasted and topped with pine nuts, Valdeon cheese, and dressing-Source Valdeon: Southern Season; Other- Harris Teeter

Roasted Shrimp with Toasted Garlic & Red Chile Oil

Peeled and deveined fresh shrimp oven-roasted in garlic and olive oil, topped with toasted garlic slices and chile oil- Source Shrimp: Fresh Market

 

Wine: Olmedal Verdejo, Rueda Spain

Bright and crisp with notes of apple blossom, passion fruit and white peach and a kick of acidity that dances across the palate. - Source: Southern Season