Vegetarian Sancocho

Sancocho is a Spanish soup/stew, typically made with meat.  This is a vegetarian version that Angie Martinez made on The Chew.  It is very yummy and improves with age.  I liked it even more the second day.


Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped garlic

1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger

1 unripe green plantain (peeled and roughly chopped)

1/2 pound yucca (peeled and roughly chopped)

1/2 pound sweet potato (peeled and roughly chopped)

1 medium green bell pepper (seeded and chopped)

1 medium tomato (chopped)

1/2 pound dried red kidney beans (soaked overnight)

4 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 sprigs fresh oregano

1 fresh or dried bay leaf

4 sprigs fresh cilantro (plus extra leaves for garnish)

2 tablespoons aromatic bitters (optional)

1 tablespoon sugar

kosher salt

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.  When hot, add the garlic and ginger and cool until just fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.  Stir in the plantain, yucca, sweet potato, bell pepper, tomato, and beans, and cook for another 5 minutes.

Add the parsley, oregano, bay leaf, cilantro, bitters, if using, and sugar along with 3 cups water and bring to a boil.  Lower the heat and simmer until the beans are tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.  Season with salt.

To serve, garnish with fresh cilantro leaves.

Delish!

Easy Cinnamon Buns

If you have a craving for fresh from the oven cinnamon buns that are like the ones you can buy at the mall, this recipe will satisfy that craving.  It takes a shortcut in that the dough is comes ready-made from the frozen food section of your grocery store.

Ingredients

1 loaf of frozen ready-made bread dough, thawed in the frig
6 T softened butter
Ground cinnamon
1/3 c brown sugar
1/3 c granulated sugar
1/2 c of chopped nuts and/or raisins (optional)

Icing

1-1/2 c confectioner's sugar
2 T very soft butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract (almond works well too)
Milk

Preheat oven to 350*.  Spray 8 large muffin cups or a round baking pan with cooking spray.  Set aside.

Lightly dust a wooden cutting board with flour.  Set out the thawed dough and roll into about an  8x15 rectangle.  This step takes a bit of work, but you'll eventually get there.  You can pull and stretch the dough a bit with your fingers as well to help it along.

With a knife spreader slather the entire rectangle with butter.  Sprinkle generously with cinnamon.  Mix the sugars together and sprinkle over the cinnamon.

Starting at the long end, tightly roll the dough into a log, manipulating the dough to keep it even.  Slice into 8 equal pieces, and put cut side down into pan.  With your fingers, spread the top layers of dough open.  Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise to double in size, about and hour and a half.  Bake for 16-20 minutes are until a dark golden brown and cooked in the center.

Mix icing ingredients together, adding milk by the tablespoon until you reach your desired consistency.  Thicker, but spreadable is better here as it will melt as soon as you spread it onto the hot buns.

Enjoy!

Red Velvet Cake w White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour

1 1/2 cups Sugar

1 teapsoon Baking Soda

1 teapsoon Salt

2 tablespoons Cocoa Powder

1/2 cup Vegetable or Canola Oil

3/4 cup Buttermilk

1/4 cup Roasted Beet Puree (or you can use canned beets)

2 Eggs (room temperature)

2 tablespoons Red Food Coloring

1 teapsoon White Vinegar

1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

FOR THE FROSTING

16 oz Cream Cheese (room temperature)

1 stick Butter (room temperature)

2 cups White Chocolate Chips (melted)

1 teaspoon Vanilla 

2 cups powdered sugar

Chopped Peppermint Andes Candies (optional)

Edible Tree Glitter (optional)

Butter and flour two 9" round cake pans. Line with parchment.  In the bowl of a standing mixer, combine the dry ingredients.  Mix for 30 seconds with paddle attachment.

In separate bowl, combine wet ingredients.  In two parts, pour wet ingredients into mixer.  Mix on medium speed until combined.  Do not over mix.  Pour batter into prepared pans.  Bake on center rack for 35 minutes at 350 or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool for 10 minutes, then turn out on wire rack.  Cool cakes completely.

Cut each cake in half horizontally to make four layers.

Prepare frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until combined. Add the melted chocolate and vanilla, and then continue to mix until incorporated. Next, slowly add the sugar, beating until the frosting is light and fluffy.

Frost the top of each layer, then sides, finishing with the top. Sprinkle with Andes Candies and Tree Glitter, if desired.

(Recipe from The Chew)

Winter Wonderland Cake

Ingredients

Nonstick cooking spray for baking

7 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 ½  cups granulated sugar

1 ¾ cups cake flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

5 egg whites

¾ cup milk

3 tablespoons canola oil

1 teaspoon almond extract

2 tablespoons red edible glitter

For the Buttercream:

5 egg whites

1 cup granulated sugar

Pinch salt

1 pound unsalted butter, cut up and slightly softened

To assemble:

 Powdered sugar

6 Meringue Trees (optional)

Directions

For the Cake:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 15x10x1-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Coat with non-stick baking spray; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl beat the butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on low speed until just combined. Increase speed to high and continue beating until light and fluffy.

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk for 30 seconds to distribute the leavening. Set aside.

Into another bowl whisk together the egg whites, milk oil, and almond extract. Set aside.

Alternately add the flour mixture and egg mixture to the butter mixture, adding about half of each with each addition. Beat on low speed until smooth after each addition. Fold in the red edible glitter until combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth with an offset spatula. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cake just begins to pull away from the sides and springs back in center when lightly touched. Remove and cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

Cut the cake in half lengthwise and then in half again crosswise to create four 5x7 1/2-inch rectangles.

For the Buttercream:

In a large heatproof bowl whisk the egg whites, sugar, and salt over a pan of simmering water until the sugar melts completely and the mixture reaches 160 degrees F, about 8 minutes. Whisk constantly to make sure the eggs don't begin to cook.

Remove bowl from above simmering water. Beat with a mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Add the butter, a small piece at a time, until the mixture thickens and becomes smooth and spreadable. If the mixture looks as if it's curdling, add another small piece of butter and continue whisking until the mixture smooths.

To assemble:

Place one layer of cake on a cake stand. Spread an even layer of buttercream over the cake, about 3/4 cup, and continue adding layers and spreading the buttercream until all the layers are stacked (There will be extra frosting). Place the cake in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes to allow the buttercream to set. Once the buttercream feels firm, spread the remaining buttercream over the cake in a smooth layer. Refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes. Decorate with Meringue Trees, if desired. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Meringue Trees

Ingredients

3 egg whites

Pinch salt

1 drop red gel food coloring

½ cup superfine granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside. Fit a large pastry bag with a large star tip. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl beat the egg whites, salt, and food coloring with an electric mixer on high speed until the mixture looks foamy. Add the sugar slowly, a tablespoon at a time. Continue beating until the meringue reaches stiff peaks and is white and shiny.

Transfer the meringue to the pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch star tip and pipe smaller "pine" trees on one baking sheet that are 2 to 3 inches tall by first gently piping a small, quarter sized star onto the parchment and then rotating the tip slightly and piping another, smaller star shape atop the first. Continue until you've reached your desired height, lifting the tip so that the meringue ends in a peak. Space trees 1-inch apart. On the second baking sheet, pipe 3- to 4-inch trees. Bake the larger meringues for 65 to 75 minutes or until the meringues are baked through but have not browned, adding the sheet with the smaller trees after 10 minutes of baking.Turn oven off and let meringues dry in the oven with the door closed for 1 hour.

(Recipe taken from BHG)

White Chocolate Cranberry & Pistachio Fudge

Ingredients

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
2 c confectioner's sugar, sifted
2 tsp. vanilla
16 oz. white chocolate (chopped)
1 c dried cranberries
1 c roasted shelled pistachios (roughly chopped)

Line a 9-inch square pan with parchment paper.
Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and confectioner's sugar until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Melt white chocolate, add to the cream cheese mixture and beat until smooth. Fold in cranberries and pistachios.  Add to pan and smooth top. Refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours.  Cut into 1 1/2" squares.

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Sour Cream Topping

Ingredients

2 c graham crumbs
1/3 c granulated sugar
6 T butter, softened

5 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, room temperature
5 T all-purpose flour
2 c granulated sugar
6 large eggs
1/3 c heavy cream
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 c pureed pumpkin
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ground cloves

2 c sour cream
1/2 c granulated sugar
Ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 500*.  Wrap a 10" springform pan with a double layer of HD foil.  Place into a large roasting pan.  Set a tea kettle of water to boil.

In a large bowl combine the graham crumbs, sugar and butter.  Work with your fingers until the butter is evenly dispersed.  Dump into springform pan and press onto bottom and sides.  Set aside.

In large bowl of a stand mixer, beat cream cheese and flour until smooth and creamy.  Alternate sugar with eggs, beating well after each addition.  Add heavy cream, vanilla, pumpkin and spices. Beat on medium speed until smooth and incorporated.  Pour into prepared pan.  Place roasting pan on rack in oven and pour boiling water into it until its halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Reduce temperature to 300* and continue baking 1 hr. and 30 minutes.  Cheesecake should be set except for 2-3" in the center.  Turn oven off and let sit with door closed for 30 minutes.

In the meantime, whisk the sour cream and sugar together until the sugar dissolves.

Remove the cheesecake from the water bath and spread the sour cream over the top.  Return to the oven and let sit until it cools to room temperature.  Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.  Remove the sides of the pan and set on a serving dish.  Add cinnamon to a small sieve and dust over the sour cream.

Enjoy!

Holiday Ribbon Wreath

This wreath is a bit time-consuming but very easy and sort of mindless. However, it yields beautiful results.  I prefer wired ribbon as I can pinch and poke and tweak it to my liking.  This wreath can be made at any season or any time during the year, using appropriately colored ribbon.

Supplies:

1 12" wire wreath
50-60 yds. ribbon depending on how tightly packed you want it, cut into 6" lengths. I used 2 (3 yd) rolls each of 5 differently patterned wire ribbon.  You can use any combo you like.
Scissors

It's best if you cut all your ribbon first and stack it in front of you.  All you do then is tie the ribbon onto the wreath and fill it up. Whether you want to plan a pattern or attach randomly is your preference.

Have fun!