Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti

Ingredients:

 • 1/2 cup butter
 • 3/4 cup sugar
 • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
 • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
 • 2 eggs
 • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
 • 1/4 teaspoon salt
 • 1 teaspoon baking powder
 • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
 • 1 1/2 cups pistachio nuts

Directions:

 1. Preheat the oven to 300º.
 2. In a large bowl, mix together oil and sugar until well blended. Mix in the vanilla and almond extracts, then beat in the eggs. Combine flour, salt, and baking powder; gradually stir into egg mixture. Mix in cranberries and nuts by hand.
 3. Divide dough in half. Form two logs (12x2 inches) on a cookie sheet that has been lined with parchment paper. Dough may be sticky.
 4. Bake for 35 minutes or until logs are light brown. Remove from oven, and set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Reduce oven heat to 275º.
 5. Cut logs on diagonal into 3/4 inch thick slices. Lay on sides on parchment covered cookie sheet. Bake for approximately 8 to 10 minutes.

Monday, May 9, 2011

Cioppino

Ingredients:
  • 3/4 cup butter
  • 2 onions, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cans stewed tomatoes
  • 2 cans chicken broth
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 cups white wine
  • 1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1 1/2 pounds bay scallops
  • 1 pound small clams
  • 1 pound mussels, cleaned and debearded
  • 1 1/2 cups crabmeat
  • 1 1/2 pounds fish fillets, cubed
 
 

Directions:
  1. In a large pot, melt butter then add onions and garlic. Cook slowly until onions are soft.
  2. Add tomatoes, chicken broth, bay leaves, basil, thyme, oregano, water, and wine. Mix well. Cover and simmer 40 minutes.
  3. Stir in the shrimps, scallops, clams, mussels, crabmeat, and fish fillets. Bring to boil and simmer 5 minutes until clams open. Discard the clams that don't open. Serve with crusty bread.

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Dried Cherry and Almond Cookies

Ingredients:

 • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
 • 1/2 cup sugar
 • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
 • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
 • 1/4 teaspoon salt
 • 1 large egg
 • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
 • 3/4 cup coarsely chopped dried cherries
 • 1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted and coarsely


Directions:
  1. In a large bowl with electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract, and salt until light and fluffy which is about 2 minutes then beat in the egg and flour. Stir in the dried cherries and almonds.
  2. Transfer the dough to a sheet of plastic wrap and shape it into a log, about 1 1/2-inches in diameter. Wrap the dough in the plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
  3. Preheat the oven to 350º. Line 2 heavy baking sheets with parchment paper.
  4. Cut the log crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices. Transfer the dough slices to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1-inch apart. Bake until the cookies are golden around the edges and puffed, about 15 minutes.

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Fruit Jam Cookies

Ingredients:

 • 3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
 • 1 cup sugar
 • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
 • 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
 • 1/4 teaspoon salt
 • 1 egg beaten for egg wash
 • 7 ounces sweetened flaked coconut
 • Apricot jam or fruit jam of your choice 


Directions:


  1. Preheat the oven to 350º.
  2. In an electric mixer, combine butter, sugar, and vanilla. Add the flour and salt. Mix well. Dump on a floured board and roll together into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
  3. Roll the dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. Dip each ball into the egg wash and then roll it in coconut. Place the balls on an ungreased cookie sheet and press a light indentation into the top of each with your finger. Drop 1/4 teaspoon of jam into each indentation. Bake for 20 minutes or until the coconut is golden brown.

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Baked Fish in Foil

Ingredients:
  • 1 portion of fish filet such as salmon or mahi mahi
  • 3 tablespoon of asian-style barbeque sauce
  • 3 tablespoon of soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon of water
  • White pepper
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon of fried onion


Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 350º.
  2. Place fish filet in a foil lined baking dish. Prepare sauce by mixing barbeque sauce, soy sauce, water, whiter pepper, sugar, and fried onion pieces. Pour sauce over the fish filet.
  3. Bake for 8-10 minutes depending on the fish filet's portion size.