IB Kitchen Club

[sister herb]

Lemon-Coconut Snowballs

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons grated lemon rind
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut, lightly toasted
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Preparation

1.Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add 1/2 cup powdered sugar and extracts, beating well. Add flour, lemon rind, and salt, beating until combined. Stir in coconut. Cover and chill dough 30 minutes.
2.Shape dough into generous 1" balls; place 1" apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake at 350° F/175 C for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden on bottom, but pale on top. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool 5 minutes.
3.Place 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar in a bowl, and roll warm cookies in powdered sugar, coating well. Cool cookies completely on wire racks. Roll cooled cookies in powdered sugar again, coating well.

Source: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/lemon-coconut-snowballs-10000001839959/

 

[AsheSkyler]

All these delicious things!


A simple meal I serve is some kind of cheesy pasta dish. No name yet, I just chunked it together one night to satisfy a craving and it became a regular dish.

8 oz wide egg noodles
24 oz pasta sauce
8 oz boiled broccoli
8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
1/8 cup Parmesan cheese
1 lb chicken (optional)

Boil your noodles and broccoli.
Get a 9"x12" baking dish and grease it with butter or cooking spray.
Mix your noodles and sauce together. Stir in broccoli and chicken (if you want chicken).
Spread the cheeses over the top.

Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes.

 

[sister herb]

Caramel Bars

3 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
2 cups unsalted butter, melted
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup uncooked regular oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
6 (2.07-oz.) chocolate-coated caramel-peanut nougat bars, chopped (we tested with Snickers)
1 (14-oz.) can dulce de leche*



Preparation

1.Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl; stir well. Combine flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to butter mixture, stirring just until blended. Fold in chopped candy bars.

2.Spoon batter into a greased aluminum foil-lined 13" x 9" pan coated with cooking spray, allowing foil to extend over ends of pan. (Pan will be very full.) Spoon dollops of dulce de leche over batter; swirl slightly into batter with a knife. Bake at 325° F/160C for 1 hour and 5 minutes. Remove to a wire rack, and cool completely. (This may take several hours.) Use foil to lift uncut brownies out of pan. Peel foil away from sides of uncut brownies, and cut into bars.

3.*Find dulce de leche with other Mexican ingredients or on the baking aisle.

4.* Homemade dulce de leche: http://www.bakersroyale.com/basic-baking-series/baking-basics-how-to-make-homemade-dulce-de-leche/


Source: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/death-by-caramel-bars-10000001672946/

 

[sister herb]

Rice Bread

1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup basmati rice
1 1/4 cups warm water (100° to 110° F/38 to 43 C)
6 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 package quick-rise yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
2 teaspoons salt
Cooking spray


Preparation

1.Combine 1 1/2 cups water and rice in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Spoon rice into a large bowl; cool to room temperature. Stir in 1 1/4 cups warm water.
2.Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add 2 cups flour and yeast to rice mixture; stir well to combine. Cover with plastic wrap; let stand 1 hour (batter should become very bubbly and almost double in size).
3.Add 2 cups flour and salt to batter; stir 1 minute with a wooden spoon or until well combined.
4.Scrape dough onto a heavily floured surface; sprinkle dough with 1 cup flour. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes); add enough of remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel tacky).
5.Divide dough in half. Working with 1 portion at a time (cover the remaining dough to keep from drying), roll each portion into a 14 x 7-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Roll up each rectangle tightly, starting with a short edge, pressing firmly to eliminate air pockets; pinch seam and ends to seal. Place each roll, seam side down, in an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray.
6.Lightly coat the loaves with cooking spray; cover and let rise in a warm place (85° F/30 C), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size.
7.Preheat oven to 375° F/190 C.
8.Bake at 375° F/190 C for 45 minutes or until loaves are lightly browned and sound hollow when tapped. Cool in pans on wire racks.



Source: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/rice-bread-10000000522308/

 

[AsheSkyler]

A Tisket a Tasket / Eggs in a Basket
1 Serving

1 slice of bread (white, wheat, whatever you prefer)
1 tsp milk (optional)
1 egg
1 slice of cheese
salt
pepper
butter

Prep
Spread butter across the bread. Cut a hole in the center. (Some recommend a cookie cutter, I just use the butterknife and make a square.) Place the bread butter-side down, and press it into the skillet a bit so the egg doesn't slip out from underneathe. Crack an egg and empty it into the hole. Salt and pepper to your liking.
If you decided to add milk, combine your egg, milk, salt, and pepper in a bowl before pouring into the hole. Or if you're really fond of omelets, add all your favorite omelet ingredients at this stage before pouring into the bread. Just be careful not to over-fill the hole in the bread!

Cook
Cook over medium heat. Flip over when the bottom of the bread has browned and most of the egg is done. Cook until the egg is no longer runny. You can also cook the piece you cook out to place on top of it when it's finished.

Enjoy!
Lay the slice of cheese over the top to get good and melted. Garnish with your favorite egg or toast toppings. I like to use pancake syrup or strawberry preserves.

 

[Insaanah]

^ and, as if to illustrate, here's one I made recently :hiding:

The method I followed called it egg-in-a-hole. (no cheese though)

In the frying pan while being cooked:

The finished product sprinkled with black pepper:

Best not to use bread that's too thin or else your egg might overflow from the top (unless you make quite a big hole). Even if you have a medium or thin sliced loaf, choose the thickest of the slices there and it should be fine. And a larger egg will probably need a thicker slice or bigger hole.

 

[sister herb]

Fresh Strawberry Muffins

Nutritional Highlights: Strawberries are loaded with vitamin C and provide nutrients to fight cancer and keep your heart and brain healthy.

•1¼ cups white/whole-wheat flour
•1¼ cups all-purpose flour
•¾ cup sugar
•¼ teaspoon baking soda
•2 teaspoons baking powder
•½ teaspoon salt
•1 large egg
•¾ cup low-fat buttermilk
•½ cup canola oil
•1 tablespoon unsweetened natural applesauce
•1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
•1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest, finely grated
•1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•1¾ cups fresh strawberries, chopped
•1½ tablespoons raw sugar

Instructions

1.Preheat oven to 400°F/200 C. Arrange oven rack in center position. Coat 12 standard muffin tins with vegetable cooking spray. If using paper baking cups, spray the bottom of each paper cup. Set aside.

2.In a large bowl, whisk together both flours, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a medium bowl or glass measuring cup, whisk together egg, buttermilk, oil, applesauce, lemon juice, zest and vanilla extract.

3.Make a well in dry ingredients and pour in liquid mixture. Stir with fork, wooden spoon or rubber spatula just until ingredients are barely combined, about 20 strokes. There will still be some unincorporated flour mixture on bottom of the bowl. Add strawberries to batter, and stir just until ingredients are combined. (Overmixing will result in tough muffins.)

4.Divide batter among 12 muffin cups. Sprinkle with raw sugar. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and cool about 5 minutes before removing from pan. Enjoy warm.

Nutrition Facts per Serving: Calories – 251, Total Fat – 9.8g, Sodium – 147mg, Total Carbohydrates – 36.9g, Protein – 3.8g **Nutrition information is calculated using an online calorie calculator. Variations may exist. Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

 

[sister herb]

Rosemary Goat Cheese Muffins

Ingredients

•1½ cups all-purpose flour
•1 tablespoon baking powder
•1½ teaspoons sugar
•1½ teaspoons salt
•6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter
•1 cup whole milk
•1 large egg
•4 ounces soft mild goat cheese
•2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped

Tips & Notes
Instead of layering the goat cheese in the muffin tin, you can mix it directly into the batter after adding the butter mixture.

Instructions

1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees F/200 C. Butter a muffin tin (regular size that holds 12 muffins).

2.In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.

3.In a separate small bowl, melt butter, and whisk in milk and egg.

4.Finely chop the rosemary and stir into butter mixture. Slowly stir butter mixture into flour mixture until just combined.

5.Divide half of batter evenly among muffin cups. Top each with about 2 teaspoons goat cheese. Pour remaining batter over goat cheese in muffin cups.

6.Bake muffins in middle rack of oven until golden and toothpick comes out clean, about 20 minutes.

Nutritional Highlights: There are just 1½ teaspoons sugar in these healthy, flavorful muffins.

Nutrition Facts (per serving): Calories – 174, Fat – 10.4g, Dietary Fiber –0.7g, Protein – 5.8g, Calcium – 18%.

**Nutrition information is calculated using an online calorie calculator. Variations may exist. Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.

 

[sister herb]

Roasted Chickpeas

2 cups cooked chickpeas (if canned, drain and rinse)
1-2 teaspoons olive oil, or olive oil spray/mist
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F/220 C.

Place chickpeas on a paper towel and pay completely dry. Remove any loose skins.

Place on a baking sheet and mist with olive oil or oil of choice. Roll around to coat. Sprinkle with seasonings of your choice and toss well to coat. Make sure chickpeas are in a single layer. Bake for 15 minutes, toss well and flip, then bake for about 15 minute. Let cool and eat!

 

[sister herb]

Triple Citrus Rosemary Almond Shortbread Bars

Ingredients

•1 ½ cups unsalted butter, slightly softened
•1 ½ cups sugar
•2 large egg yolks
•2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
•1 ½ teaspoons orange zest, very finely chopped
•1 ½ teaspoons lemon zest, very finely chopped
•1 ½ teaspoons, lime zest, very finely chopped
•1 teaspoon almond extract
•2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, very finely chopped
•¼ teaspoon salt
•1 egg white, beaten
•3 tablespoons raw turbinado sugar
•⅓ cup almonds, coarsely chopped (natural sliced variety)

Tips & Notes
• Be careful when zesting the citrus not to get the white bitter part, known as the pith.
• Rosemary is so easy to use. Simply hold stem at the top and run fingers down the stem to remove the individual needles before chopping.
• Turbinado sugar is also known as “raw” sugar. The coarse blond-light brown crystals have a delicate molasses flavor. You’ll find it in the baking aisle.
• These bars freeze exceptionally well. Simply place in freezer bag and thaw at room temperature.

Instructions

1.Preheat oven to 325 degrees F/162 C.
2.Lightly coat a 13-by-9-by-2-inch baking pan with vegetable cooking spray.
3.Beat butter and sugar with electric mixer on medium-high speed until combined. Add egg yolks and beat until smooth and combined. Stir in flour, all three zests, almond extract, rosemary and salt, mixing on low only until everything is incorporated.
4.Spread evenly in pan and brush top with beaten egg white.
5.In a small bowl, mix raw sugar and almonds together. Sprinkle evenly over top.
6.Bake until golden brown and sides are starting to come away from edges, about 32 to 37 minutes. Usually they'll appear slightly deflated.
7.Cool thoroughly on a wire rack. They'll harden as they cool. Cut into bars or squares. Store in tightly covered container at room temperature.

Source: http://farmflavor.com/triple-citrus-rosemary-almond-shortbread-bars/

 

[sister herb]

No-Bake Chocolate Raspberry Cream Pie

Ingredients

•7 ounces chocolate wafer cookies (about 32), coarsely broken
•1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
•6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
•1/4 cup sugar
•1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
•1/4 cup crème fraîche
•1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
•1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
•2 1/2 cups fresh raspberries (two 6-ounce containers)

Preparation

Place broken cookies in processor. Using on/off turns, process until finely ground. Place chocolate chips, butter, and sugar in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high at 15-second intervals until melted, stirring occasionally. Add chocolate mixture to processor and blend until combined. Press crumb mixture onto bottom and up sides of 9-inch glass pie dish (do not pack firmly). Chill crust while preparing filling.

Whisk condensed milk, crème fraîche, lemon juice, and lemon peel in large bowl to blend. Add half of raspberries. Stir, pressing gently on some raspberries, until raspberries begin to break apart and filling turns pink. Transfer filling to crust. Chill until filling is set, about 2 hours.

Scatter remaining raspberries over pie. Cut into wedges and serve.


Source: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/No-Bake-Chocolate-Raspberry-Cream-Pie-353789

 

[sister herb]

Blueberry Oatmeal Bread

Ingredients
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (thawed and drained)

Heat oven to 350ºF/175 C. Grease bottom only of 8- or 9-inch loaf pan.

In large bowl, mix brown sugar, milk, oil and eggs with spoon. Stir in remaining ingredients except blueberries; beat 30 seconds. Fold in blueberries. Pour into pan. Sprinkle with additional oats if desired.

Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Loosen sides of loaf from pan; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely, about 2 hours, before slicing. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature up to 4 days, or refrigerate up to 10 days.

Source: http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/blueberry-oatmeal-bread/70e42c11-6633-409c-b6d5-c239b1513f28

 

[introspective]

Has anyone ever attempted to make sushi?

I never tried making sushi but I do love to eat it (though I avoid mayonnaise, shrimp tempura, and imitation crab meat). I've only pan seared marinated salmon and tuna steaks.

Sister Herb, is fresh tuna easy to get in Finland and is it relatively expensive?

 

[sister herb]

Fresh tuna is very difficult to find here. I have seen it only as canned food in the shops in my city. Maybe some special fish shops it would possible to get but only in some the biggest cities in here. Also it is quite expensive here.

We have here Finnish version about sushi- like food, "raw spiced fish".

"Fresh fillet of fish (salmon, rainbow trout, whitefish, etc) sprinkled with salt and sugar mixture and fresh dill or other herbs and spices, wrapped and left to cure for from a few hours to up to three days. Salt-curing does not "cook" the fish but only seasons it, so it is consumed raw."

Recipe: http://www.dlc.fi/~marianna/gourmet/5_2.htm

 

[sister herb]

For lazy bakers - Lazy Cake Recipe

Ingredients
36 Marie biscuits, coarsely crushed
125gm butter, melted
6 tbsp Powdered sugar
6 tbsp unsweetened dark cocoa
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
100gm melted cooking chocolate (you can do without it)

Method
Mix sweetened condensed milk, sugar, melted butter and cocoa until smooth. Add mixture to biscuits.

Form mix into log or press into loaf pan that has been lined with plastic wrap.

Secure the log, and press to combine very well and wrap. Cover with more wrap and freeze for few hours or overnight.

To serve, dip sharp knife in hot water and slice.

Notes & Tips
**You can use Digestive biscuts instead, but the traditional one which we're used since we were kids, is the one using Marie biscuits.
** New addition to the recipe: add 100gm melted cooking chocolate to the mixture

Source: http://www.bettermommies.com/Lazy-Cake-Recipe_ad-id!40.ks

 

[sister herb]

Rosemary Sea Salt Pretzels with Rosemary Cheddar Cheese Sauce

Yield: 8 large soft pretzels

Soft homemade pretzels with fresh rosemary and sea salt. Dip them into a rosemary cheese sauce for a great snack!

Ingredients:
For the pretzels:
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
3 ounces unsalted butter, melted
2 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
4 1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
Canola oil, to grease bowl
3 quarts water
2/3 cups baking soda
1 whole egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon cold water
Coarse sea salt

For the Rosemary Cheese Sauce:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. To make the pretzels: combine the water, sugar, yeast, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix with the dough hook until combined. Let sit for 5 minutes.

2. Add the salt, flour, and rosemary to the mixture and mix on low speed until combined. Increase the speed to medium and continue kneading until the dough is smooth and begins to pull away from the side of the bowl, about 3 to 4 minutes. If the dough appears too wet, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Remove the dough from the bowl, place on a flat surface and knead into a ball with your hands.

3. Coat a large bowl with canola oil, add the dough and turn to coat with the oil. Cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm spot until the dough doubles in size. This will take about 1 hour.

4. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F / 220 C. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot.

5. Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a flat surface. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope. To shape into pretzels, take the right side and cross over to the left. Cross right to left again and flip up. Slowly add the baking soda to the boiling water. Boil the pretzels in the water solution, 2 at a time for 30 seconds, splashing the tops with the warmed water using a spoon. Remove with a large flat slotted spatula or a spider. Place 4 pretzels on each baking sheet, brush the tops with the egg wash and season liberally with sea salt. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until pretzels are golden brown.

6. Remove pretzels from oven and let cool on a wire baking rack.

7. To make the Rosemary Cheese Sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and whisk in flour. Pour in the milk and whisk until the mixture thickens. Stir in shredded cheese, stir until cheese is melted and smooth. Stir in fresh rosemary and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with pretzels.

Source: http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/r...rosemary-cheddar-cheese-sauce/comment-page-4/

 

[sister herb]

Sage Crackers

Makes about 50 crackers

9 ounces (about 2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for sprinkling
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small 1/4-inch pieces
1 large egg
3 tablespoons cream
3 tablespoons milk
1 to 2 bunches sage (enough for 1 leaf per cracker)

1. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar. With a pastry blender or fingertips, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Some pea-sized lumps are okay.

2. In a separate bowl, use a fork to blend the egg, cream, and milk together until smooth. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture. Using a rubber spatula or a fork, gently stir until a soft dough forms. If crumbly, drizzle additional milk or cream over, by tablespoons, until the proper consistency is achieved. The dough should not be wet, but should still hold together when pressed.

3. Form the dough into an flat round, about 1 inch thick. Wrap well with plastic wrap, and chill for 1 hour. While the dough chills, pick about 50 of the flattest and nicest-looking sage leaves, and set aside. Preheat the oven to 425° F.

4. Lightly oil a large baking sheet, or line with parchment paper. On a floured surface, roll the dough out relatively thinly, between 1/16 and 1/8 inch thick. Periodically lift and rotate dough to ensure that it is not sticking, dusting with additional flour if necessary.

5. If making square crackers, cut dough into 1 inch strips with a round (pizza) cutter, or a bench scraper. Arrange sage leaves diagonally on the strips, pressing each one gently into the dough, then cut each cracker to size. If making round crackers, cut the dough into rounds using a 2 to 2 1/2 inch round cutter. Press 1 or 2 sage leaves gently into the dough.

6. Transfer each cracker to the prepared baking sheet, leaf-side down. Dock each cracker several times with a fork. If the butter seems soft in the dough, or if you can see that it has melted a little while cutting, cover the baking sheet loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 10 to 15 minutes to firm up the dough. Gather scraps, re-roll, and cut into desired shapes. Refrigerate if necessary.

7. Bake crackers leaf-side down at 425° F / 220 C oven for 6 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, and turn the crackers over. Sprinkle with salt if desired, and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until crackers are lightly browned. Remove crackers to a rack to cool completely.

Notes:
1. In step 7, it may help the salt to adhere to the crackers if they are brushed with a little olive oil or melted butter first; or, the extra salt may be omitted totally.

Source: http://www.abreadaday.com/?p=998

 

[BeTheChange]

All this food will make you fat. Careful with the food consumption.

 

[sister herb]

All food may makes you fat if you eat it too much. laying:

 

[sister herb]

Baked peach oatmeal

Ingredients:
2 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped almonds
2 cups milk
1 large egg
3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly (or melted and cooled butter)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/2 cups chopped peaches
Peach slices for the top, optional

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F / 175 C. Grease an 8x8 square baking dish and set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, mix together the oats, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and almonds.

3. In another medium bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, coconut oil (or butter), vanilla, and almond extract.

4. Arrange the chopped peaches on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Pour the oat mixture evenly over the peaches. Pour the milk mixture over the oats. Gently shake the baking dish to make sure the milk covers the oats evenly. If desired, add a few sliced peaches to the top of the oatmeal. It makes the oatmeal look pretty.

5. Bake for 40 minutes, until the top is golden and oatmeal is set. Let cool for 5 minutes and serve warm.

Note-this baked oatmeal is great reheated in the microwave.
This recipe can easily be doubled for a 9x13 pan. Use gluten-free oats to make this recipe gluten-free.
Instead of the peaches, you can try also same recipe with the apples, then leave the almond extract away.

Source: http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/baked-peach-almond-oatmeal/