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Archive for November, 2009Anise Drop CookiesSunday, November 29th, 2009
 Whole Anise Seeds Leftover Turkey Dinner PizzaFriday, November 27th, 2009Eid Mubarak! I want to wish everyone a very happy Eid al-Adha!
I’ve been excited to make this pizza ever since Natasha announced her 5 Star Makeover Challenge to create a dish with Thanksgiving leftovers! For this pizza, you can mix and match any leftovers that you’ve got on hand. I used shredded turkey, sweet potatoes, and green beans, then after baking I topped it with cranberry chutney.
If you’ve got sweet potatoes or yams that were cooked in a sauce, just make sure to pat them dry as much as possible so you don’t end up with a watery pizza. Or you could place dollops of mashed sweet potatoes around the pizza if that’s what you’ve got on hand.
As for the green beans, the ones I used weren’t part of the infamous holiday green bean casserole (these were just dressed with lemon juice and olive oil). I’m not sure how green beans from the casserole would fare on a pizza (I think it might be an odd flavor combination, yes, more odd than turkey dinner on a pizza ;) ), so I would stick with plain green beans, or you could use any other veggies you have leftover, such as asparagus or brussels sprouts.
The cheese combination I used (Monterey and Sharp Cheddar) was just because that’s what was in my fridge. You can use whatever is in your fridge…if you have goat cheese on hand I think it would be fantastic on this pizza!
I’m sending this recipe over to Natasha of 5 Star Foodie for her 5 Star Makeover Challenge: Thanksgiving Leftovers.
(Yield: 1 (15-inch) pizza)
Thin crust whole wheat pizza dough (see below) About 1 1/2 c cooked, shredded turkey (or chicken, if that’s what you have) About 1 1/2 c cooked sweet potatoes or yams, diced About 1 1/2 c cooked green beans 6-7 oz shredded cheese (I used a combo of Monterey and Sharp Cheddar) 2 TB olive oil 1 clove garlic Salt and pepper Fresh or dried herbs to sprinkle on top (this is optional, but if you want you can use herbs such as parsley, basil, chives, thyme, etc.) Cranberry chutney (optional, for serving)
Thin-Crust Whole Wheat Pizza Dough: 1 c all-purpose flour 2/3 c whole wheat flour 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast 1/2 tsp salt 2 TB olive oil 2/3 c warm water Cooking spray
Round pizza stone, about 15-inches in diameter (or whatever you like to use to cook pizza)
For the dough: In a food processor, combine the flour, instant yeast, and salt, then pulse in the olive oil. Stream in the water with the food processor on, until the dough forms a ball (you might not use all the water). Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes. Transfer the dough to a bowl that has been sprayed with cooking spray, then cover the dough and let it rise in a warm spot for about an hour until it’s doubled in size.
Smash and peel the garlic (but leave it intact); in a small saucepan, heat the garlic and the olive oil over low heat for a couple minutes until the garlic starts to smell fragrant; turn off the heat and let the garlic sit in the oil for about 10 minutes, then remove the garlic. (This garlic oil will be drizzled on top of the pizza before baking.)
Arrange an oven rack in the lowest position and preheat the oven to 500F. Lightly dust a pizza stone with cornmeal. Use your hands to stretch out the dough, then place it on the pizza stone and spread it out to fit the size of the stone. Poke the dough several times with a fork. Spread out the turkey, sweet potato, and green beans on top of the dough and then sprinkle with a little salt and pepper; sprinkle the cheese on top, then sprinkle on the herbs (if using). Drizzle the garlic oil on top of the pizza. Bake the pizza for 12-15 minutes or until the crust and cheese are golden brown. Allow to cool slightly before cutting.
Serve with cranberry chutney.
 Don't forget the cranberry chutney! ;) Turkey Croquettes & 2 Very Sweet AwardsWednesday, November 25th, 2009In this recipe, velouté sauce acts as the binder, which is similar to egg, breadcrumbs, or grated cheese in meatballs. If you’ve never made it before, don’t be intimidated by velouté sauce. Maybe you’ve made it before without knowing what it was called (you wouldn’t be alone if that were the case ;) )…have you ever melted butter and flour together and used that to thicken up some stock? If so, you’ve made velouté! Although it might sound fancy, it’s really no harder to make than any of the other French mother sauces (which include béchamel, velouté, espagnole, hollandaise, and tomato). These sauces are referred to as the “mother” sauces because most other sauces are derived from one of them. Something you might find interesting is that these sauces are also known by their colors: béchamel is white sauce, velouté is blonde sauce, espagnole is brown sauce, tomato is red sauce, and hollandaise is yellow sauce.
This recipe is a great way to use up leftover turkey. If you haven’t made croquettes, give them a try!
What to Serve With the Croquettes: Croquettes are very rich and heavy. To cut through some of the richness, I serve croquettes alongside salad greens with lemon wedges to squeeze over top.
(Yield: 8 croquettes, or about 4 servings)
Velouté Sauce (see below) 1/2 TB butter 1 medium onion, diced 2 1/2 c shredded skinless, cooked turkey (I like to use a mix of dark and white meat for this) 1/4 c minced fresh parsley 1/4 tsp black pepper 1/2 tsp fresh or dried thyme Pinch nutmeg Salt to taste 1 1/2 c Panko breadcrumbs 1/2 c all-purpose flour 2 large eggs, beaten Canola oil, for shallow frying Lemon wedges, for serving Salad greens, for serving
Velouté Sauce: 1 1/4 c chicken stock, warmed 1 1/2 TB butter 1 1/2 TB all-purpose flour Salt and pepper to taste
For the Velouté Sauce: In a small pan over medium heat, melt the butter and whisk in the flour. Turn down to low heat and cook (stirring constantly) until the roux is just slightly darkened and fragrant (about 6 minutes). Slowly whisk in the warm stock and simmer the sauce (stirring occasionally) until it’s thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon (about 20 minutes); make sure to keep the sauce at a simmer and don’t let it come up to a boil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
In a small pan, heat ½ TB butter over medium-low heat; add the onion and sauté for about 7 minutes, until the onion is starting to soften and change color. In a bowl, combine the velouté sauce, cooked onions, shredded turkey, minced parsley, pepper, thyme, nutmeg, and salt to taste. Press a sheet of plastic wrap directly on top of the turkey mixture; refrigerate until very cold and firm (at least 2 hours).
Put your flour and breadcrumbs in separate shallow bowls, and beat your eggs in a separate shallow bowl. Divide the chilled turkey mixture into 8 equal parts (each part will be approximately 1/4 to 1/3 c), and shape each into a patty. Roll each in flour first, then egg, then breadcrumbs to coat.
In a large skillet, add enough oil to generously cover the bottom; preheat the oil on medium-high heat. Fry the croquettes over medium to medium-high heat until golden and crispy on both sides, then drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
Serve alongside salad greens with lemon wedges to squeeze on top.
Now for the awards! Recently I received two very special awards from two amazing bloggers. The first award is the Kreativ Blogger award from Juliana of the wonderful blog Simple Recipes. Thank you so much, Juliana!
1. I’m the eldest of three siblings (I have one brother and one sister). 2. I got married in Amman, Jordan and honeymooned in Damascus, Syria. 3. I was born and raised in Upstate New York but I lived in Florida for three years during law school. 4. My favorite Disney character is Ariel from The Little Mermaid (I’ve always wanted red hair!). 5. My favorite color to wear is black (not because of a death fixation, LOL…just because it’s slimming ;) ). 6. My favorite type of food to cook is Indian. 7. My mom’s side of the family has Scottish roots, while my dad’s has Russian.
And pass it on to seven bloggers: 1. Peachkins of The Peach Kitchen 2. Chaya of Sweet and Savory Says It All 3. Brandy of Nutmeg Nanny 4. Jen of NJ Epicurean 5. Kim of The Ungourmet 6. Reeni of Cinnamon Spice & Everything Nice 7. Sophia of Burp and Slurp
The next award I received is the Neno’s Award from Brandy of the fabulous blog Nutmeg Nanny. Thank you very much, Brandy!
1. As a dedication for those who love blogging and love to encourage friendships through blogging. 2. To seek the reasons why we all love blogging. 3. Put the award in one post as soon as you receive it. 4. Don’t forget to mention the person who gives you the award. 5. Answer the award’s question by writing the reason why you love blogging. 6. Tag and distribute the award to as many people as you like. 7. Don’t forget to notify the award receivers and put their links in your post.
The main reason I enjoy blogging is because of all of you! You give me a place in which I can share my passion and learn about all of your passions. Not to mention the fact that I have gotten to know so many of you better than I ever thought was possible without meeting someone face-to-face, which I think is amazing!
I’d like to pass this award on to the following bloggers:
1. Lynn of Queen of the Castle Recipes 2. Donna of My Tasty Treasures 3. Nora of Fuss Free Recipes
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!! Twix Bar CookiesMonday, November 23rd, 2009Since Twix is my husband’s favorite candy bar, I immediately knew I wanted to make him these cookies when I saw the recipe on Joy of Baking. In her recipe, Stephanie uses sweetened condensed milk to make the caramel filling; she says to turn the sweetened condensed milk into caramel, you can either use a stovetop double boiler or the microwave. I remembered a recipe I had seen on Paula Deen’s show for Banoffee Pie, in which Paula uses the oven to do the same thing. In the end, I decided to go with Paula’s method, because it looked like it required the least amount of supervision (but keep in mind that the microwave method is a lot faster).
These adorable bar cookies are wonderful to give out as favors at a holiday party, and they make the perfect addition to a Christmas cookie platter!
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk 1 ½ sticks salted butter ¼ c white sugar ½ tsp pure vanilla extract 1 ½ c all-purpose flour 6 oz good quality dark or semisweet chocolate chips
For the caramel filling: Preheat the oven to 300F. Pour the sweetened condensed milk into a 9 by 9-inch glass baking dish. Cover with foil and place the dish inside a larger poaching pan. Add water to poaching pan until half way up sides of baking dish. Bake for 60-90 minutes (no need to stir) until thickened and caramel in color. Transfer to a bowl and beat until smooth.
For the shortbread: Preheat the oven to 350F. Cream together the butter, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Slowly beat in the flour and mix until just combined. Press the dough into a buttered 9 by 9-inch pan and bake for about 20 minutes, or until lightly golden. Allow it to cool on a wire rack.
Pour the warm caramel over the cooled shortbread and let it set and cool completely. Melt the chocolate either in a double boiler or in the microwave, then spread it over the cooled caramel. Allow the chocolate to set completely before cutting into squares.
Pecan PieSunday, November 22nd, 2009
Don’t forget to submit your Thanksgiving recipes today at All Through the Year Cheer! (Your recipe can be for anything that says Thanksgiving to you.) On Monday a round-up of the submissions will be posted, as well as the winner! Oh, and be sure to head over and check out the great prize that Brandy has for the winner!
Since the holiday season (a.k.a. the season for pies!) is upon us, I wanted to share one of my favorite pie recipes. There’s an over-abundance of wonderful recipes for apple and pumpkin pies; however, pecan pie is one of my favorites and it’s not quite as common, so it was the perfect choice! Most of the pecan pie recipes I’ve made call for a very large amount of corn syrup and/or sugar (if you’re familiar with pecan pie, this will make sense, since it’s very sweet…almost sickeningly sweet).
I made my pie sugar-free, and chose to sweeten it with dates and honey (plus a little molasses if you choose to use it), which I think perfectly complements the richness of the pecans. I also remade a healthier version of pie crust using oats, since I think the nuttiness of oats goes well with the filling (and yes, because I try to find any use for oats that I can ;) ). This isn’t a typical, tender, flaky, and buttery pie crust (although I do love those too!)…this is dense and nutty…think of it more as a healthy pie crust substitute. But of course, feel free to swap it out for your favorite crust.
To Make Ahead: This whole pie can be made a day or two in advance. Or you can make the crust and the date mixture up to five days ahead and store them in the fridge until you assemble the pie (just remember to let the dough sit at room temperature for about two hours before rolling out).
(Yield: 1 (9-inch) pie)
Filling: Date Mixture (see below) 2 tsp vanilla 4 eggs 3 TB rolled oats, finely ground in a food processor 1/4 tsp salt Pinch nutmeg 2/3 c pecans, chopped
Date Mixture: 1 c dried dates, chopped (about 10 average-sized dates) 1/2 c honey 1 TB molasses (optional; I add it for deep color and depth of flavor) 1 c water
Whole Wheat & Oat Crust: 3/4 c rolled oats, finely ground in a food processor 3/4 c whole wheat flour 1 TB brown sugar (optional) 1/2 tsp salt Pinch nutmeg 1/3 c unsalted, cold butter, cut into small pieces 2 – 4 TB very cold water
9-inch pie plate
For the Crust: In a food processor, pulse together the ground oats, flour, brown sugar, salt, and nutmeg . Pulse in the butter a little at a time until the mixture is crumbly. Still pulsing, add the water drop by drop through the food processor’s feeding tube just until the dough is wet enough so that you can use your hands to form it into a ball. To roll out the dough, place it between two pieces of plastic wrap. Roll it out to 1/8-inch thickness, then remove the top piece of plastic wrap, invert the dough into a 9-inch pie plate, trim the edges, and form any decorative pattern you like on the crust. Use a fork to prick the bottom of the pie crust several times.
For the Date Mixture: In a medium saucepan, combine the dates, honey, molasses (if using), and water. Cook on medium-low heat (uncovered) until the dates start to disintegrate and thicken up the liquid (this will take about 20 minutes). Allow the date mixture to cool, then transfer it to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth (you should end up with about 1 1/3 c of puree).
Assembling the Pie: Preheat the oven to 325F. Mix together the date mixture, vanilla, eggs, ground oats, salt, nutmeg, and pecans. Transfer the filling to the crust and bake for 50-55 minutes until a knife inserted one inch from the crust comes out clean. Allow to cool before cutting.
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I think these cookies are so lovely! Don’t they look like French Macarons? (I promise they’re not though!) If you’re intrigued, come check out the full recipe at 
