Cranberry Sauce

Here is a really simple cranberry sauce.

Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients

2 bags of fresh cranberries
3 tangerines, zest of two, and the sections from all
1 1/4 cups of raw sugar
pinch of salt, cardamon and cinnamon

Directions

In a sauce pan over medium heat place all ingredients , reserving a few tangerine sections for a garnish. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes or until the cranberries have burst and the thick sauce has been created. Remove from heat and let cool. Once at room temp, transfer to a serving dish, garnish, cover and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours before serving.

Enjoy Cooking

Raspberry Nut Blondies

Raspberry Nut Blondies

Ingredients

2 2/3 cups fresh raspberries
1 2/3 cup unbleached flour
I cup chopped nuts, i use a mix of walnuts, pecans and almonds
1 cup raw sugar
1 stick of unsalted butter plus one tablespoon
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Next add the eggs and vanilla until combined.

In a large bowl whisk together the remaining dry ingredients, reduce speed on mixer and slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixer. Remove bowl from stand mixer and fold in 3/4 cups of the nuts.

Line a 8 inch square baking pan with two strips of buttered parchment paper with the paper extending 2 inches up the side of the pan.

Pour batter into pan; next sprinkle the berries and the remaining nuts on top.

Bake for about 50 to 60 minutes or until tooth pick comes out clean.

These taste great with a scoop of vanilla ice cream

Enjoy Cooking

Pomegranate Chicken

We had this when we were in Syria and i came across the recipe i had jotted when we were there. It is really good, i did change it a bit when a made this last year since some of the ingredients can not be found here in the states.

Pomegranate Chicken

Ingredients

1 3 to 4 lb chicken cut up
4 cups chicken stock, low salt
2 cups of chopped walnuts
1 stick unsalted butter - you can also just olive instead, same amount (1/2 cup)
2 medium onions, quartered and sliced
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup Pomegranate syrup
1 table spoon raw sugar
2 teaspoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 to 1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

In a deep skillet over medium high heat melt 6 tablespoons of butter, then add the salt, turmeric, pepper and chicken and saute the chicken until golden brown on all sides about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside, reduce heat to medium, add the remaining butter and the onions and saute until onions are soft, about 3 minutes. Now add the walnuts and saute for about 5 minutes. Now add the remaining ingredients with the exception of sugar, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes. Taste and if sauce is a bit sour add sugar to taste. Next add the chicken back to the skillet, toss, cover and simmer until chicken is done.

Serve with some pomegranate seeds and a bit of parsley.

Enjoy Cooking

Hungarian Chicken Casserole

Here is an easy one pot meal, enjoy.

Hungarian Chicken Casserole

Ingredients

2 3lb chickens, cut up
1 1/2 cup chicken stock, low salt
2 lbs small new potatoes, quartered
1/2 lb mushrooms of choices, sliced
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1 red onion diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon paprika
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Place large casserole over medium high heat and the butter and melt. Season chicken, then place the chicken, onions and paprika in casserole and brown chicken on all sides. Now add the mushrooms, potatoes, tomatoes and chicken stock, cover and place in the oven for one hour. Once chicken is cooked through and the potatoes are tender, remove bay leaf and add sour cream and parsley, toss to combine and serve.

As an option you can switch out the parsley for fresh oregano for a different flavor profile.

Enjoy Cooking

Peanut Butter Cookies

Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 cup raw sugar
1 cup chopped peanuts, small dice
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

Optional - replace the peanuts with mini dark chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Cream together the butter, peanut butter and sugar. Whisk together the dry ingredients. Now add the egg and vanilla to butter mixture, followed by the dry ingredients. Fold in the nuts.

Roll into 1 inch balls and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet, and press down on the top with a fork. Bake for about 9 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown.

Enjoy Cooking

Apple Nut Raisin Cookies

Apple Nut Cookies

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups of unbleached flour
1 1/3 cups of brown sugar
1 cup of peeled chopped apples, small dice
1 cup of chopped walnuts
1 cup golden raisins
1 stick unsalted butter
1/4 cup apple juice
1 egg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Cream together the sugar and butter until light. Whisk together the balance of the dry ingredients. Add the balance of the wet ingredients to the butter mixture and mix until combined. Next lower the speed on the stand mixer and slowly add the dry ingredients. Once combined remove from mixer and with a spoon fold in the apples, nuts and raisins.

Place inch mounds of dough and a parchment lined cookie sheet and 2+ inches apart and bake for about 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown.

Enjoy cooking

Coq au Vin

Well holiday one down and now on to the next one. Here is a great recipe for this time year, nice and hearty.

Coq au Vin

Ingredients

1 3 to 4lb chicken cut up
3 cups of mushrooms of choice, sliced
3 cups burgundy wine
3 medium onions, quartered and sliced
4 cloves of garlic. diced
1 stick unsalted butter
1/4 cup cognac
1 stalk celery, diced
bunch of fresh Italian parsley
3 tablespoon flour
few sprigs of fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Roll chicken in flour, make sure they are well coated you may need more than 3 tablespoons of flour.

In a large deep skillet place 6 tablespoons of butter, melt of medium high heat. Now add the chicken and brown on each side, remove from the skillet and set aside.

In the same skillet add the remaining butter, onions, garlic and mushrooms and saute until soft, remove and set aside.

Return the chicken to the skillet, reduce heat and cognac and light. Once the flames have died add the wine, celery, parsley, thyme, bay leaf, cover and simmer chicken for 30 minutes. Now add the onions, mushrooms and garlic, cover and simmer for an additional 30 minutes. You are done when the chicken is about to fall off the bones, transfer to a serving platter and garnish with parsley and serve with a nice baguette.

Enjoy Cooking