Flemish Stew: available at Bruges, downtown SLC

Homemade Pop-Tarts

(Thank goodness for my helper who was there to clean up any stray sprinkles!)

I came across this recipe on one of my favorite food blogs, Sea Salt with Food. You can find her post on pop-tarts HERE. But if you like ME then keep reading, and I will tell you all you need to know.

I didn't do the pop-tart thing too often as a kid because there was always way to much yucky tasting pie crust in proportion to the amount of frosting and filling. Now we can take control! You can use a store bought ready made pie crust, or make your own favorite version. I like to make my own, because when I do I can add extra flavor with lemon zest, cinnamon, almond flavoring etc (depending on the filling you have in mind). As far as filling, it's as simple as your favorite jelly or jam (or even nutella). The frosting on top is just powdered sugar and lemon juice. Simple, simple, simple, and an exciting treat for your kids!

Here is what you'll need:

- Store-bought double pie crust, or your favorite double pie crust recipe. I used THIS ONE and added lemon zest.

- Egg Wash: one egg+ one tbsp water or milk lightly beaten

- Lemon Glaze: 1/4 cup Powdered Sugar + 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (or orange, apple, etc. use your imagination!)

- Your favorite Jam or Jelly. I think raspberry tastes the best, personally.

- Sprinkles.

You will also need:

A Cookie Cutter, the larger the better, and a circular shape (i.e. pumpkin, heart, flower) will work best for getting you the most jelly per bite.

Cookie Sheet lined with Parchment Paper, and a Fork.

Directions:

Pre-heat your oven to 375.

Roll out your pie crust, and cut out as many of your shapes with a cookie cutter that you can making sure that you have an even number (for a top and bottom).

Put a mound of jelly into the center of half of your shapes, making sure that you leave enough of the edge dry to allow the top of your pop tart to seal to the bottom.

Lay the second dough on top of the first, and gently press down the edges with your fingertips. Then seal the edges with a fork. Brush the top of the dough with egg-wash.

Bake for 17 to 18 minutes, or until the tops are a golden brown.


Allow them to cool slightly before topping with the lemon glaze.
To make the lemon glaze: While the pastry is cooling, in a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and enough of the lemon juice to make an easily spreadable, smooth glaze. Spoon the glaze on top of the cooled pastry and top with your favorite sprinkles.

I think this is a great treat around the holidays because we're making pie crusts anyway, right? Please let me know if you make any especially tasty variations!

Homemade Big Mac's, with Class.

I should be writing a German paper right now.

If anyone could class up a Big Mac it's Ina. The basics for a burger Big Mac style: hamburger meat, cheddar cheese, ice burg lettuce, and thousand island (aka "special sauce"). Ina helped me make that special sauce mo' special.

Thousand Island for Big Girls
(big refers to maturity, not girth-- toward size I am indifferent, but mature the hell up.)

Ingredients:

- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1 teaspoon minced capers
- 1 teaspoon minced gherkins
- 1 tablespoon sweet pickles
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Pinch kosher salt
- Pinch freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Place the mayonnaise, ketchup, capers, gherkins, sweet pickles, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a bowl, and stir until blended. Great on your homemade Big Mac, also great on shrimp and fish!

I don't add to much to my hamburger meat when I make these burgers, just a little salt and pepper and some garlic powder.

I do toast my hamburger bun, and I like to use my mother-in-laws roll recipe for my buns when I have time to make them, the recipe for her rolls is HERE.

Belgian Waffles

I haven't been posting recipes lately. For those of you who may not know, I started back up at the University of Utah. I had previously gotten my AA from UVU, but have been waiting for Jacob to finish his degree so that I could go back. Well, Jacob did graduate and has been working as an archaeologist for P3 Archaeology in Salt Lake. This last semester has been my first in about 4 years! I love it! I am really busy, which I enjoy. There are only about 15 people in each of my classes and, because I love talking to people, I have made about 45 new friends. Major change from the social circle of a stay-at-home mom, for sure. I study German, so heads up, I will be posting a ton of traditional German/ Eastern European recipes in the next little while. The semester is over for me on the 9th of December, so look out for a bunch of postings this next month or two (hopefully)!

Belgian Waffles:

- 2 eggs (yolk and white separated)

- 5 tablespoons sugar

- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

- 1/2 cup butter, melted

- 1 teaspoon salt

- 2 3/4 cups self-rising flour (for each cup regular flour, add 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt)

- 2 cups warm milk

Directions:

Combine egg yolks and following 4 ingredients (sugar, vanilla, butter, and salt) in a large mixing bowl. Add in flour and milk alternating, but beginning and ending with flour, until combined.

In a separate bowl, beat egg whites to stiff peaks:

Fold egg whites gently into batter.

Let mixture stand for 40 minutes before cooking your waffles. Enjoy!!

Big Daddy's Downtown Roasted Chicken

Thank you again foodnetwork.com! I was watching Food Network a while ago and saw my only ever episode of Big Daddy's House. He did chicken three ways; I tried all three, and they were all delicious! Here is the first way (I will post the other two soon):

Downtown Roasted Chicken

Ingredients:
- 5 chipotles
- 2 tablespoons adobo sauce
- 5 cloves garlic
- 2 shallots, diced
- 2 limes, juiced
- 1/2 cup cilantro leaves
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
- 3 (3 to 4 pound) chickens, trussed -(I used a package of chicken thighs.)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Put the chipotles, adobo sauce, garlic, shallots, lime juice, cilantro, olive oil, salt and pepper into a blender. Pulse the marinade until smooth and emulsified. Rub each chicken liberally with the marinade.

Arrange the chickens on a half sheet pan with a rack. Roast until cooked through, about 60 to 75 minutes (or until chicken temp reads 160 degrees on meat thermometer). Remove from the oven and allow them to rest for about 15 minutes. Carve 1 chicken and arrange it on a serving platter. Serve.

Reserve the remaining chickens for recipes that use roast chicken (which I will post and link up soon).

Sweet Corn and Bacon Empanadas

These are great for two reasons: they are yummy, and you can make them up ahead of time and freeze till ready to bake. Love them for brunch, lunch or dinner parties. They also make great midnight treats!


You Will Need:
- 2 anaheim chile peppers
- 3 strips bacon
- 2 cups fresh or frozen sweet corn kernels
- 1 1/2 cups shredded white cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup diced scallions

-your favorite pie dough, either homemade or store bought

Directions:
Have your pie dough made up and ready to go.
Roast chile peppers over a gas burner or in a hot oven until they're blackened and blistered. Wrap chilies in damp paper-towels for about 10 minutes, until cooled off and skin peals off easily. Peel chilies; discard skin. Slit chilies lengthwise, scrape out and discard seeds, remove stem, and dice chilies. Should yield about 1/2 cup diced chilies.
Fry bacon in a saute pan over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove to a paper-towel-lined plate.
Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from pan; add corn; saute over medium-high heat until edges of corn begin to brown, about 8 minutes. Stir in bacon, chilies, cheddar, and scallions. Chill filling thoroughly.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Roll out pie dough on a work surface, lightly floured if necessary. Using a 3 1/2 " biscuit cutter, cut circles from dough; repeat with remaining dough, rerolling scraps once. Arrange dough rounds on prepared baking sheet.
Place 1 T filling in the center of each round. Fold rounds in half, pinch to seal, then crimp edges with a fork. (Freeze if desired.)
Blend one egg yolk with 1 T water; brush over empanadas. Sprinkle empanadas with smoked paprika; then bake until golden, 15-18 minutes.

BREAKFAST BRUSCHETTA with strawberries and tangy cream

I know my last post was a breakfast recipe, but after all, it's the most important meal of the day. And I don't know about you, but most days a bowl of cereal just isn't gunna cut it for me. I wake up hungry like the wolf (Duran Duran reference).

This recipe is out of my Cuisine at Home magazine, Issue No. 62 from April 2007.

You will need:
- 2 T sugar
- 1/2 t ground cinnamon
- 2 small ciabatta rolls, split, buttered on cut sides, and halved diagonally
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and diced
- 2 T sugar
- 1 T chopped fresh basil leaves
- Juice of 1/2 a lemon
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 T plain or strawberry yogurt
- 2 t honey
- 1/4 t vanilla extract

-optional sprigs of fresh basil to garnish

Directions:
Preheat broiler to high with rack 6" from the heating element.
Combine sugar and cinnamon in a dish. Sprinkle mixture (you wont use it all) on buttered sides of bread, then broil on a baking sheet until toasted, 2-3 minutes.
Toss strawberries with sugar, basil, and lemon juice. Stir sour cream, yogurt, honey, and vanilla together in a separate bowl. To assemble bruschetta, spoon 2 tablespoons berries with juice on each piece of toast; dollop with 1 teaspoon sour cream mixture. Garnish with basil if desired.
Feast.