Almost done!

The chair got a two coats of paint. Now it's just waiting for the seat stain. Maybe tomorrow. I love it so far.

Superbowl

My favorite part of the superbowl was seeing my little munchkin.

Turkey Meatballs w/ Lemony Ricotta Pasta

1 lb penne or gemili pasta
15 ounce package fresh ricotta cheese
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tbsp olive oil
zest of 1 lemon
juice of half the lemon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup loosely packed basil, sliced thin

Set a pot of water to boil. When it boils, add a few teaspoons of salt and the pasta.

In a metal bowl wide enough to fit over the top of the pot, mix together the remaining ingredients, excluding the basil. When there are 2 minutes remaining in the pasta's cooking time, place the bowl over the pot and slowly stir the ricotta and other ingredients. You should see it loosening as it warms.

When the pasta is cooked al dente, drain it, add the basil to the bowl or sauce and toss with the drained pasta.

Chicken Fu-Yung

1 lb. chicken breast fillet, skinned
salt and pepper
3 tsp. dry sherry
2 tbs cornstarch
4 eggs
3 scallions, finely chopped
3 tbsp vegetable oil
5 oz. green peas
1 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
a few drops of sesame oil

Cut the chicken across the grain into very small, paper-thin slices, using a cleaver. Place the chicken slices in a shallow dish.

Mix 1/2 tsp salt, pepper, dry sherry, and cornstarch in a small bowl

Pour the mixture over the chicken to coat

Beat eggs in a small bowl with a pinch of salt and scallions

Heat the oil in a preheated wok or deep skillet. Add the chicken slices and stir fry for 1 minute, making sure that the chicken slices are kept separated

Pour the beaten eggs over the chicken, and lightly scramble until set. Stir the oil from the base of the wok so that the fu yung rises to the surface.

Add the peas, light soy sauce, and salt to taste, and blend well. Transfer the fu yung to serving dishes and sprinkle with sesame oil and serve.

Thai Beef salad

Marinated beef strips with Boston lettuce, egg, blue cheese, tomato, scallions.

Mexican Wedding Cakes

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup pecans, toasted, coarsely ground
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add ½ cup powdered sugar and vanilla; beat until well blended. Beat in flour, then pecans. Divide dough in half; form each half into ball. Wrap separately in plastic; chill until cold, about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Whisk remaining 1 ½ cups powdered sugar and cinnamon in pie dish to blend. Set cinnamon sugar aside.

Working with half of chilled dough, roll dough by 2 teaspoonfuls between palms into balls. Arrange balls on heavy large baking sheet, spacing ½ inch apart. Bake cookies until golden brown on bottom and just pale golden on top, about 18 minutes. Cool cookies for 5 minutes on baking sheet. Gently toss warm cookies in cinnamon sugar to coat completely. Transfer coated cookies to rack and cool completely. Repeat procedure with remaining half of dough.

Sift remaining cinnamon sugar over cookies and serve.

Makes 4 dozen.

Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies

375 degrees
Prep time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

½ cup butter
¾ cup sugar
1 egg
1 tbsp whipping cream
1 tsp pure extract (vanilla or lemon, or combo)
1 ¼ cups unbleached all purpose flour
¼ tsp salt
Course sugar for decorating

Cream butter and sugar. Add egg. Blend in cream and extract. Combine dry ingredients, and add until well blended. Shape into a flattened ball. Wrap in parchment and chill at least ½ hour. Roll out onto lightly floured board until approx ¼ inch thick. Cut into desired shapes. Sprinkle with sugar, and place on parchment covered baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake until golden brown.
Yields 4 dozen cookies.

Peanut Butter Crunch Cookies

9-11 minutes @ 350 F

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter softened
¾ cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups Nestle Crunch Pieces

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.

Beat butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in eggs and vanilla extract. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in Crunch pieces. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for 9-11 minutes. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Biscotti –Lemon & Anise Flavor

2-3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
1 ½ cups. Unsalted butter (softened)
3 eggs
2 tbsp Brandy
2 tsp lemon zest (1 lemon diced to small pieces)
1 tbsp anise seeds

Mix flour, baking powder, and salt together. Beat sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time. Sit in brandy and lemon peel. Add flour mix gradually and stir until smooth. Stir in anise seeds. Cover and cool 1 hour or until stiff.

Place on greased cookies sheet/pan and form into a log approximately 8 inches wide. Cook at 375 F for approximately 30 minutes or until it starts to brown at edges. Remove and cool. Slice into individual pieces, turn on side and cook again until it starts to brown. You may have to turn to cook both sides. Makes approx. 24 pieces.

Butter and Jam Thumbprints

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp. Baking powder
½ tsp. fine salt
¾ cup unsalted butter (1 ½ sticks), softened
2/3 cups sugar, plus more for rolling
1 large egg
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup raspberry, cherry or strawberry jam

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl.

In another bowl, whip the butter and the sugar with a hand held mixer until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla until just combined. Slowly beat in the dry ingredients in 2 additions, mixing just until incorporated.

Scoop the dough into 1-inch balls with a cookie or ice cream scoop and roll in sugar. Place about 2-inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Press a thumbprint intot he center of each ball, about ½ inch deep. Fill each indentation with about ¾ teaspoon. Jam.
Bake cookies until the edges are golden, about 15 minutes. For even color, rotate the pans from top to bottom about halfway through baking. Cool cookies on the baking sheets. Serve