Italian Holiday Cookies

This recipe comes from my sister-in-law, Cathy who got this recipe from her grandmother.
The original recipe is below.  The only modification I did was substituted shortening for butter.  I just don't like using shortening.  They came out great with real butter.  Try both and you decide.  

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees
Line cookie sheets with silpat or parchment
Makes a big batch (u can easily half recipe)

Dough
6 cups flour
6 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. Salt

4 eggs, room temperature
2 cups sugar
3 tsp. vanilla
1 cup milk, (room temperature)
1 cup Crisco melted ( I used melted unsalted butter)
Make sure shortening or butter are cooled down before adding to mix
1 cup powder sugar, used for rolling in hands

Glaze
1 pound powder sugar
A little milk to make glaze like consistency

Beat eggs and sugar together until a pale yellow cream forms.  Then add melted crisco, vanilla and milk.  Mix all together.

Sift all dry ingredients together except powder sugar.

Mix dry ingredients into cream mixture.  Mix 1/2 cup at a time.  Let mixture sit for 1 hour and rest.  Cover.

Form dough into small walnut size balls.  Dip into powder sugar and roll in hands.  Place on cookie sheet 1 inch apart.  Bake for 10-12 minutes until light golden color on bottom.  Do not over cook.

Take 1 pound of powder sugar and a little milk and form a glaze.  When cookies are completely cooled dip into glaze to cover tops of cookies and sprinkle immediately with pareils.

Let sit for several hours to dry before storing. 

New York Cheese Cake

I found this recipe on an awesome blog called Food for a Hungry Soul a while back when I had my blog Soap Mom's Kitchen.  This recipe is awesome and check out Food for a Hungry Soul for some more awesome recipes.  I have to say this is my favorite cheesecake of all time. 

New York Cheesecake

(Jim Fobel's Old-Fashioned Baking Book)

Found this recipe here:  Food for a Hungry Soul

5 large eggs, room temperature

2 cups (one pint) sour cream, room temperature

4 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature

8 tablespoons (one stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Generously butter the inside of a 10-inch spring form pan. Wrap a double layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil tightly around the outside bottom and sides, crimping and pleating the foil to make it conform to the pan.  This will help to prevent water seeping into the pan when you put it into the bain-marie.  Position the baking rack in the center of the oven; preheat the oven to 300* Fahrenheit. 

In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the eggs with the sour cream until well blended.

In a medium-sized bowl, beat the cream cheese with the butter until smooth and creamy.  Add this to the egg-sour cream mixture and beat until smooth. 

Add the sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest and beat thoroughly, about 2 minutes. 

Pour into the prepared spring form pan and place in a roasting pan (or other pan) large enough to prevent the sides from touching.  Place in the oven and carefully pour in enough very hot tap water to reach halfway up the sides of the spring form pan.

Bake for 2 hours, 15 minutes, or until the cake is very lightly colored and a knife inserted in the center emerges clean.  Remove from the water bath and carefully peel the aluminum foil from around the pan.  Let stand at room temperature until completely cool, about 4 hours.  Refrigerate, covered, until well chilled.  For best flavor and texture, this cheesecake is best chilled overnight.

I glide a thin knife around the sides. I dip the knife in very hot water before doing this. This will loosen cheesecake. Open clasp from spring form pan. Place cheese cake on plate. I served with blueberry sauce. 

Blueberry Sauce:

 

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

1 cup water

¾ cups sugar

¼ cup cold water

3 T. cornstarch

In sauce pan, add berries, water and sugar. Stir gently bring to a boil. In a small bowl mix ¼ cup water with cornstarch until starch is completely dissolve. Remove saucepan from heat and whisk in the cornstarch mixture to avoid clumping. Simmer gently until thickened. Can add more water to thin sauce out.

White Sheet Cake

Love this White Cake sheet cake recipe from Martha Stewart!  Make it, eat it and enjoy!   Perfect for party cake.

White Sheet Cake

Recipe Source Martha Stewart

Yield Makes one 12-by-18-inch sheet cake

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for baking sheet

3 cups cake flour (not self-rising), plus more for baking sheet

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 1/4 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup milk

8 egg whites

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 12-by-18-by-1-inch rimmed baking sheet, tapping out any excess flour; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and 2 cups sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour; beat until just combined. Transfer mixture to a large bowl; set aside.
4. In the clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on low speed until foamy. With mixer running, gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar; beat on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 4 minutes. Do not overbeat. Gently fold a third of the egg-white mixture into the butter-flour mixture until combined. Gently fold in remaining egg-white mixture.
5. Transfer batter to prepared baking sheet and smooth batter evenly with a spatula or back of a spoon. Transfer to oven and bake until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool 10 minutes. Invert cake onto rack, then re-invert and let cool completely.

Sour Cream Cookies

Everyone in my family adores these cookies.  They do not last long in this house.  They are very soft and cake like.  I love the tang that you get from the sour cream, and the chocolate with the sour cream remind me of chocolate cheesecake.  They are yummy.  I had my cookies with a strong espresso coffee.  I was in heaven, lol! 

Recipe (Makes dozen and half)
recipe source:  Mrs. Fields

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

pinch salt

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

1 large egg, room temperature

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips (melted over double boiler)

Preheat oven to 315 degrees

In a medium bowl, combine four, baking powder, salt  and whisk to combine. 

Combine sugar, butter, vanilla extract and beat until creamy with paddle attachment.

Add egg and sour cream and continue to incorporate.

Add the flour mixture to cream mixture and beat until incorporated.  Pour melted cool chocolate over batter and mix gently with spoon to make a marble effect.  Do not over mix. 

Drop onto ungreased cookie sheet or use a silpat.  I used a 2 T. spring release ice cream scoop.  Bake 15 to 20 minutes.  Do not overbake.  Do not brown.  Transfer to cooling rack.

Mama's Zuchinni Bread

I just love tea breads and quick breads.  They are perfect for snacking and for breakfast.  This is just a wonderful bread and my Mama has been making this since I was a kid.  

Mama's Zucchini Bread
Dry Mix:
3 cups all purpose flour
pinch salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
3 tsp. ground cinnamon

Wet Mix:
3 eggs (large or extra large)
1 cup vegetable oil
2 1/4 cups white sugar
3 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups grated zucchini (do not peel skins)
1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch loaf pan or an 10x12 aluminum pan.

Combine all dry ingredients together and whisk to incorporate ingredients well.

In another bowl, combine all wet ingredients except zucchini/nuts and mix well with a wooden spoon.  Stir in zucchini and nuts until well combined.  Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool in pan on rack for 25 minutes.  Remove bread from pan, and completely cool. 

Gluten-Free Brownie Recipe

These are the best brownies I have ever eaten and they are Gluten-Free.  The recipe source is Bon Appetit.   I consider myself a brownie snob and I am very picky when it comes to brownies.  This is the best recipe I have tried and I have tried at least 50 in the past 30+ years.  The only thing I added different was 1/2 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips to batter. Wonderful!

Gluten Free Brownies
by: Bon Appetit

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 tablespoons rice flour
• 2 tablespoons tapioca flour
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped 
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Melt butter over low heat. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly (5 minutes).
3. Stir in sugar, cocoa powder, and salt.
4. Whisk in eggs and vanilla.
5. Add rice flour, tapioca flour, and corn starch one at a time, whisking well after each addition.
6. Add walnuts or pecans if desired.
7. Spread into greased 8x8" square baking pan.
8. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out with just a few sticky crumbs on it.

Milopita (Greek Apple Walnut Cake)

This is a traditional Greek apple-walnut cake.  It's super moist and delicious.  I love this cake for breakfast, snack time, tea time and of course, dessert. 

Milopita (Greek Apple Cake)

Wet ingredients:
3 extra large eggs or 4 medium to large eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil (such as canola or corn)
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
1/2 cup orange juice

Dry ingredients:
3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
pinch salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Add Ins:
1 cup finely ground walnuts
3 cups finely chopped apples

Extra: Powder sugar and Cinnamon for dusting on top of cool cake.  Do this generously.

In a stand mixer, mix eggs and sugar, slowly add oil and continue to beat well.  Add vanilla and orange juice.  Mix to combine all wet ingredients.

In a separate bowl, combine all dry ingredients and whisk lightly to combine well.    Slowly add dry ingredients into wet ingredients.  Mix well.  Add apples and walnuts mix to combine well.

Butter a 9x13 cake pan.  Pour batter into pan, spread evenly.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 50 minutes.  Test with toothpick.  After cake is cooled completely, do a generous dusting of powder sugar then cinnamon.

I slice into diamond shapes.  Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a dusting of cinnamon on ice cream and a drizzle of orange blossom honey.  It's awesome.

Note:  In these pics, I went kind of chunky on the nuts.  I like a finer ground and recommend you do so.