Ingredient: milk

Scalloped Potato & Beef Lasagna

There are countless variations of lasagna across Italy and beyond. Entire cookbooks have been dedicated to this beloved dish, showcasing its multifarious nature.

 Potato slices absorb sauce and moisture so using them in place of lasagna noodles is a creative twist that can yield a delicious and hearty dish.  Along with potato slices there are a variety of alternatives to traditional lasagna noodles that you can use in your recipes. From zucchini strips and eggplant slices to portobello mushrooms and butternut squash, these alternatives offer flavorful and healthy ways to enjoy the classic Italian staple.

This beef potato lasagna combines layers of tender potato slices with creamy cheese and ground beef. Nothing but pure comfort food!

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 Scalloped Potato & Beef Lasagna
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Cuisine Italian
Keyword beef potato lasagna
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Ingredients
Cuisine Italian
Keyword beef potato lasagna
Servings
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Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter a 9 x 9-inch baking dish. Set aside.
  2. Microwave washed potatoes (with skins) for a few minutes to partially cook. Slice in 1/8 -inch slices & place half of them in a layer on bottom of baking dish.
  3. In a saucepan, sauté onions & garlic in oil until soft then add beef, salt, pepper & Italian seasoning. Add a layer of the meat mixture over the layer of potatoes.
  4. In a small saucepan, melt butter then add flour. Cook for a few minutes until bubbly then add 2/3 cup milk & 23 gm parmesan cheese. With a wire whisk combine into a smooth sauce.
  5. Spoon half of the butter/cheese mixture over the ground beef. Sprinkle with half of the mozzarella cheese.
  6. Repeat with remaining ingredients, layering in the same sequence. If using the cream, pour over all.
  7. Bake for 1 hour, covered with aluminum foil. Remove the foil for the last 10 minutes. Test to be sure the potatoes are soft.
  8. Remove from oven, cool for a few minutes then sprinkle with chives.

Halloween Soul Cakes

Today’s Halloween traditions are all about feasting on chocolate and sweets, but you might be surprised to learn we’ve actually been celebrating this time of year with sugary treats since medieval times. ‘Souling’, the ancient precursor to trick-or-treating, involved the giving of a small, round cake in exchange for prayers to commemorate the dead during All Hallows’ Eve (Halloween), All Saints’ Day (1 November) and All Souls’ Day (2 November). On these days, all Saints in Heaven — known and unknown — are venerated, their intercession begged, and relief is offered the Holy Souls in Purgatory through indulgent prayers and special Masses.

During the evening of the vigil of the feast of All Saints ( All Hallows in Olde English), children in cities, towns, villages, and hamlets would go ‘souling’— strolling door-to-door, calling on their extended families, friends, and neighbors, singing ancient souling hymns about the need to pray for those in Purgatory. Grateful housewives presented singers with small, round loaves of sweet quick breads, small cakes looking like muffins, or thick cookies, each marked with a cross of raisins or currants. The singers ate them warm, while saying prayers for the souls of that family’s faithful departed in Purgatory. This particular custom was popular in Britain and Ireland in the Middle Ages and was maintained for many centuries.

These small round cakes made of flour and spices were generally made with ingredients like oats or wheat, honey, butter or oil for sustenance; salt for wisdom; cinnamon to help banish negative energies; nutmeg to bring prosperity into your home; and ginger for healing. 

This is the origin of the Halloween tradition of ‘Trick or Treat’. The trickery wasn’t part of the original tradition.

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 Halloween Soul Cakes
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Course dessert
Cuisine European
Keyword Halloween soul cookies
Servings
Ingredients
Course dessert
Cuisine European
Keyword Halloween soul cookies
Servings
Ingredients
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
  2. Cream the butter & sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks. Sift together the flour & mixed spice. Add to the creamed mixture along with the milk to give you a soft dough that you can easily roll out. Stir in the currants.
  3. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into rounds with a 2 1/2-inch cookie cutter. Using the dull side of a knife mark a light cross indentation into the tops of each biscuit. Push additional currants into the crosses. Sprinkle with a bit of coarse sugar & place about 2 inches apart on the baking tray.
  4. Bake for 10 - 15 minutes until puffed & golden brown. Remove from oven & cool on a wire rack.
  5. Store in an airtight container.
Recipe Notes
  • MIXED SPICE:

  • Combine 1 TBSP ground cinnamon, 1 tsp each of ground coriander and nutmeg, 1/2 tsp of ground ginger, 1/4 tsp each of ground cloves and allspice. Mix well and store in an airtight container out of the light for up to 6 months.

Orange Bread w/ Strawberry Chia Preserves

The other day Brion & I were in a ‘Winners’ store and were looking through the gourmet food section. A couple of Pol’s Gourmet Preserves caught our attention. One was the Strawberry Chia Preserve. The preserve combines ripe strawberries with chia seeds, date juice, and lemon juice, cooked in vacuum boilers. It is marketed as a healthy and natural product with a focus on natural flavor and consistency. Pol’s utilizes vacuum technology to maintain the strawberries’ natural qualities during the cooking process. They also emphasize the use of natural base ingredients and the absence of additives beyond the natural components. 

We purchased a jar even though I wasn’t sure at the time what I would use it for since neither of us use a lot of preserves on toast. Of course, it didn’t take long to find a way to incorporate it into a recipe.

I have childhood memories of my mother making an orange bread loaf. I always thought it was so unique because it used the fresh orange zest from two whole oranges. The flavor was so distinct along with the bread being wonderfully moist. This recipe was one that has remained with me over the years, long after I had left my parents’ home. I used it numerous times over the years in my food service career in different applications.

Today I decided to swirl some of this interesting preserve into my mother’s orange bread loaf and the flavor was even better than I thought it would be. This orange loaf recipe is perfect for when you need a make-ahead dessert. I like it even more on the second day because the orange aroma (and flavor) becomes even more vibrant. 

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 Orange Bread w/ Strawberry Chia Preserves
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Course Brunch
Cuisine Canadian
Keyword orange loaf w/ strawberry chia preserve
Servings
Ingredients
Course Brunch
Cuisine Canadian
Keyword orange loaf w/ strawberry chia preserve
Servings
Ingredients
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter or line an 8" x 4" x 3-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
  2. Peel oranges thinly & finely chop peel. Boil with sugar & water for 10 minutes: cool. Pour into a large bowl & add egg & butter.
  3. In a small bowl, combine flour, salt & baking powder. Add dry mixture to wet mixture alternately with milk.
  4. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Top with dollops of strawberry preserve. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, swirl preserve into batter making sure not to over stir so it creates a marbled effect.
  5. Bake for about 45 minutes or until bread tests done. Remove from oven & cool on wire rack. As I mentioned in the blog, the bread tastes better the second day if you can wait that long to try it.

Chai Liqueur Cinnamon Rolls

The air is chilly, the leaves are turning, the sun is shining, and the skies are blue. Frost has visited and that ‘end of summer’ feel is in the air.

But there’s more to fall flavors than just pumpkin spice. Before there was pumpkin spice, there was chai to keep you warm and cozy all autumn long. You might even recognize some of the flavors in chai as they are similar to pumpkin spice with clove, cinnamon, and cardamom. The classic way to enjoy chai is in tea, but it seems Craft Chai Liqueur is becoming a timeless staple.

I had never really heard about chai liqueur until Brion brought some home one evening to try. In the winter of 2011, Brion and I traveled Turkey for a month. We were meeting our Trafalgar tour group in Istanbul. Arriving a day early gave us time to ‘snoop’ around a bit. Next to our hotel was a ‘Starbucks’, so we went in. When Brion ordered my coffee, they gave me a ‘Pumpkin Spice Chai Latte’ by mistake. That pumpkin chai flavor was just incredible. I have been addicted to it ever since.

We both thought this chai liqueur tasted nice so naturally I was inspired to do some recipe development to see if I could use it in baked goods. There are many recipes using the chai spices such as cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg and anise. I wanted to incorporate the actual liqueur as well as pop up the flavor a bit more.

But first, just a bit about the JAYA CHAI LIQUEUR itself … Created by Faaiza Ramji, a native of Edmonton, Canada, (our home city) JAYA is more than a spirit—it’s a tribute to the cultural icon of chai. With a deep respect for her South Asian heritage, Faaiza was inspired by the way chai has brought people together, whether at bustling street corners or in the quiet warmth of family homes. Every bottle of JAYA is rooted in tradition and history, a modern celebration of the centuries-old ritual of chai.

Alberta-based distillery ‘Field Notes’ is the brainchild of Faaiza Ramji. During a directorial tenure in economic development, she learned the immense value of agriculture in Alberta. Although Canada produces many of the basic ingredients the world relies upon, very few of those ingredients end up as finished products on local shelves, sacrificing GDP, jobs and additional downstream benefits to foreign countries. Greatly influenced by her South Asian heritage—where her grandmother, aunts and mother embraced natural remedies using herbs and spices to aid digestion, boost immunity, and even nourish skin—Faaiza formed a partnership in 2021 with Lindsey Good, a dedicated grower and owner of a 100-year-old farm in southern Alberta. Together, driven to build a complete food ecosystem within the Canadian Prairies by turning more local crops into more finished products the world can enjoy, Ramji and Good planted the seeds for a new kind of Alberta distillery and called it Field Notes. Chai liqueurs are rare in the Canadian market and Jaya Chai Liqueur uses distilled Canadian oats, filtered water, assam tea, Alberta beet sugar and a blend of spices like cardamom and clove for an invigorating, authentic chai flavor.

Edmonton’s distillery scene just got a recent boost, as Field Notes’ Jaya Chai Liqueur won a double gold, given because of its cumulative high score — a 98 out of 100 — from the judges at the 2024 San Francisco International Spirits Competition.

This brings me back to my recipe development which I focused on some chai liqueur cinnamon rolls. They ‘re a little more involved than the classic cinnamon rolls but I think you will find their well worth it.

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 Chai Liqueur Cinnamon Rolls
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Course dessert
Cuisine European
Keyword chai liqueur cinnamon rolls
Servings
Ingredients
Dough
Filling
Chai Cream Cheese Glaze
Course dessert
Cuisine European
Keyword chai liqueur cinnamon rolls
Servings
Ingredients
Dough
Filling
Chai Cream Cheese Glaze
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Dough
  1. Marinate raisins in Chai liqueur overnight, Stir occasionally.
  2. Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup lukewarm water with 1 tsp sugar. Set aside for 5 minutes.
  3. In a large bowl, sift 1 cup of the flour. Stir in yeast mixture & lukewarm milk. Cover with plastic & let stand in a draft free place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
  4. While the dough rises, make the filling. Combine the sugar & spices together in a small bowl and mix well. Set aside.
  5. Punch down firmly & work in beaten egg, ¼ cup sugar, vanilla & pieces of softened butter. Sift the remaining 2 cups of flour with salt & work in 1 ½ cups to form a soft dough. Turn dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead in the remaining ½ cup of flour & raisin/liqueur mixture. This becomes a very soft & buttery dough but is not sticky.
  6. Roll dough out into a long rectangle about 16 x 12- inches on a well-floured surface. Spread the 2 Tbsp butter for the filling all the way to the edge of the dough. Sprinkle the sugar mixture over the butter, pressing it down to stick to the butter.
  7. From the long end, roll the dough away from you into a tight roll, sealing the bottom edge down by pinching the dough together.
  8. Use floss or a very sharp knife to cut the dough into 8 even rolls. Place the rolls in an 8-inch spring form pan. Brush rolls with egg wash. Cover the buns loosely with plastic wrap & allow to rise in a warm, draft-free spot until about 1 1/2 times the size. Toward the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350 F. & set an oven rack in the middle position.
  9. Bake the cinnamon rolls for about 55 minutes or until they are golden brown and no longer doughy. Remove from oven & allow to cool.
Glaze
  1. Using a mixer, combine the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, chai liqueur & milk. Beat on low speed, gradually increasing to high until light and fluffy. Brush glaze evenly over the rolls.

Polish Hamburgers

Polish Hamburgers could be described as a cross between a meatball and an actual hamburger. These tender burgers have unique flavors of mushroom, garlic, and dill simmered in a rich gravy creating a savory comfort food that is best served over mashed potatoes, steamed bread dumplings, buttered egg noodles, or rice.

Klotlety or Klupskies, also known as Polish burgers, are a classic dish originating from Poland. Every Polish family has their own unique recipe and way to prepare them, making it a dish that is both a culinary tradition and a source of family memories. Typically, they are made with ground pork and beef, onions, eggs, bread, and milk along with spices and seasonings.

You may notice the traditional recipes for these hamburgers have some unique ingredients such as dill and nutmeg. Although that may seem a bit unusual to you, the nutmeg adds another layer of flavor to the gravy while the dill adds some brightness. Frying is one common preparation method, but you can also bake them.

Today, Polish hamburgers can be found in various forms served in the traditional way with mashed potatoes and gravy or they can be used for a more North American-style hamburger on a bun, with dill pickles, sliced tomatoes, onions, cheese, sauces, and other toppings. 

These hamburgers taste great the next day for lunch or as a nice picnic meal.

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 Polish Hamburgers
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Course Main Dish
Cuisine Polish
Keyword Polish hamburgers
Servings
Ingredients
Hamburger Patties
Mushroom Gravy
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Polish
Keyword Polish hamburgers
Servings
Ingredients
Hamburger Patties
Mushroom Gravy
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Patties
  1. In a large bowl, combine the meat, crackers, eggs, onions, green peppers, milk, herbs & seasonings. Do NOT OVERMIX. One of the main reasons recipes like meatloaf, burgers and meatballs are not good is due to over mixing the meat mixture. When you make these Polish hamburgers, you want to make sure to combine the ingredients but do not over mix them or your burgers will cook up too dense & hard.
  2. Prepare a cookie sheet with foil & form mixture into 10 patties that are about the size of your hand and about 2 inches thick. These patties may be wetter than your usual meatballs or hamburgers.
  3. Allow the patties to rest at room temp for about 30 minutes so they have time to bind.
  4. When the patties have rested for about 30 minutes heat 2 - 3 Tbsp of butter in a large deep skillet. When the butter is warm, add the minced garlic and give it a swirl in the butter. Prepare a plate with some paper towels to keep near the stove where you will be frying your patties.
  5. Carefully remove patties & place them in your skillet. Allow the patties to cook for about 5 to 7 minutes on the first side before carefully flipping. You want to get a nice sear on each side. When they are well seared on both sides, remove them from the skillet & place on the prepared paper towel dish. Fry remaining burgers getting a nice sear on all.
Mushroom Gravy
  1. When you are done frying all the burgers, add the rest of the butter, then add the mushrooms to the hot skillet. Allow the mushrooms to brown. Add the Worcestershire sauce. Use a spatula to scrape up the meaty bits from the bottom of the pan as the Worcestershire sauce loosens them.
  2. Give the mushrooms about five minutes to simmer in the Worcestershire sauce. Next add the beef broth & cream of mushroom soup, whisking until smooth.
  3. Now, add the burgers BACK to the pan of gravy you just made. They should have shrunk while cooking so you should have room for them all. Make sure they are submerged in the gravy & bring the pan to a simmer.
  4. Reduce heat, cover with a lid & allow to simmer for 30 minutes. You may want to rearrange the burgers halfway through simmering to make sure they all get a chance to be submerged in the gravy.
  5. After 30 minutes, make room in the center of the pan & add a heaping Tbsp of sour cream, whisking until combined into all of the gravy. Serve your hamburgers on top of mashed potatoes or a steamed bread dumpling and top with gravy and a sprinkle of dill.
  6. Serve hamburgers on top of mashed potatoes, steamed bread dumplings, buttered egg noodles, or rice and top with gravy and a sprinkle of dill.
Recipe Notes

One of the main reasons recipes like meatloaf, burgers and meatballs are not good is due to over mixing the meat mixture.

Oktoberfest German Spätzle Lasagna

Oktoberfest is an annual festival which began in Munich. It actually begins in September, ending on the first Sunday in October.

The festival originated on October 12, 1810, in celebration of the marriage of the crown prince of Bavaria, who later became King Louis I, to Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen.

Of course, as with any celebration, there are many foods associated with the occasion, ‘spätzle’ being one of them. The first name that comes to the mind when one thinks of pasta is Italy, however, the Germans too love pastas. Spätzle is a cross between pasta, an egg noodle and a dumpling, a kind of ‘German mac & cheese,’. It originates from the Baden-Württemberg region of southwest Germany and is a common dish at any beer hall or beer tent during Oktoberfest. 

Celebrating Oktoberfest doesn’t have to be all about the German beer. So I thought, why not take the spätzle idea one step further and make it into lasagna?! Classic German staples come together in this lasagna to make a very unique version of the classic dish.

There are six main ingredients in this recipe. The first is spätzle. The second is onion. By caramelizing the diced pieces you turn it into little velvety pieces of heaven that add incredible depth and sweetness to the dish. Third is Bratwurst, a fresh link sausage characterized by its many different spices and seasonings. Fourth is sauerkraut, bratwurst’s classic sidekick. Fifth is bacon and the crowning touch and grand finale is the Emmentaler cheese.

Compared to traditional pasta dough, spätzle is softer and quite moist. The dough is quite basic, made from flour, eggs, water and salt. Although these little ‘dumplings’ can be eaten with almost anything, I thought they added something real special to this German lasagna.

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 Oktoberfest German Spätzle Lasagna
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Course Main Dish
Cuisine German
Keyword Oktoberfest German Spaetzli Lasagna
Servings
Ingredients
Spätzle
Sauce
Caramelized Onions
Cottage Cheese
Additional Ingredients
Course Main Dish
Cuisine German
Keyword Oktoberfest German Spaetzli Lasagna
Servings
Ingredients
Spätzle
Sauce
Caramelized Onions
Cottage Cheese
Additional Ingredients
Votes: 1
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Instructions
Spätzle
  1. 1. In a large bowl, mix the flour with salt & make a well in the center. Add eggs to the well & whisk the flour into the eggs. Gradually whisk in the water until a very thick batter forms. Cover with a damp cloth & allow to rest for 30 minutes.
  2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Place spätzle dough maker above the pot with the water. Load with dough & slide back & forth or press to squeeze the dough through & form the spätzle noodles.
  3. Once the spätzle begins to float to the surface, scoop with a large, slotted spoon & transfer to a colander placed inside a bowl for the drained water to collect. Continue the process until all of the dough is used.
Caramelized Onions
  1. Heat oil in saucepan, add onion & sprinkle with salt. Cook & stir about 15 minutes or until moisture is evaporated & onion is soft. Reduce heat, sprinkle with cider vinegar. Cook & stir until golden. Stir in brown sugar; cook & stir until caramel brown in color. Set it aside.
Sauce
  1. In the saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour, bouillon, garlic powder & salt until smooth. Gradually stir in milk & broth. Bring to a boil; cook & stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat to a bowl & set aside.
  2. In the saucepan, cook bacon (not too crisp); remove to a cutting board to coarsely chop. Add bratwurst sausage meat (which has been removed from casings) to saucepan & scramble fry until cooked. Drain on paper towel. Add chopped bacon, bratwurst & caramelized onions to your prepared sauce.
Cotage Cheese & Other Ingredients
  1. In a small bowl, beat eggs; add cottage cheese & pepper. Set aside. Drain sauerkraut & rinse. Squeeze dry. Grate cheese
Assembly
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 13 x 9-inch baking pan.
  2. Spread 1 cup sauce mixture over bottom of pan. Layer with 1/3 of the spätzle noodles, 1/3 of sauce mixture, 1/2 of the cottage cheese mixture, 1/2 of the sauerkraut & 3/4 cup grated cheese. Repeat layers (spätzle, sauce, cottage cheese, sauerkraut, spätzle, sauce). Save grated cheese for the last 5 minutes of baking.
  3. Cover & bake for 50-60 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining GRATED CHEESE; bake 5 minutes longer until cheese is melted. Allow to stand 15 minutes before cutting.
Recipe Notes
  • If you do not have a spätzle dough maker, just drop spoonsful of dough into the boiling water to form spätzle noodles. Dip your spoon into water to prevent it from sticking on the spoon.

Beef & Cheese Ravioli in Creamy Sauce

Ravioli is a beloved pasta dish that has stood the test of time. With its delicious fillings, cultural significance, and versatility, ravioli continues to be a popular choice for people of all ages and backgrounds.

The name ‘ravioli’ is derived from the old Italian word ‘riavvolgere’ (to wrap). Ravioli was traditionally served ‘al brodo’ (in broth) before the introduction of tomatoes from the New World in the 16th century, when tomato-based sauces became popular.

In the past, ravioli was just a fancy way to recycle leftovers, but today you’ll find a variety of elegant fillings ranging from gourmet cheeses, butternut squash, kale & spinach, wild mushrooms, lobster, and chicken. It can be served in a variety of ways, such as boiled, baked, or fried, and can be paired with a wide range of sauces and toppings.

The sauce you choose to serve with your ravioli will depend on the filling of your little pasta pockets. The idea is to pair the right sauce with the filling to create balance. Light, cheesy ravioli pairs well with a rich, meaty sauce, while hearty meat-filled ravioli works better with something creamy or mild. This keeps the dish balanced so it’s not too heavy or uninteresting.

This casserole pairs cheese ravioli with a creamy beef parmesan sauce making a nice flavorful meal.

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 Beef & Cheese Ravioli in Creamy Sauce
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Course Main Dish
Cuisine Canadian
Keyword beef & smoked mozzarella tortellini in creamy sauce
Servings
Ingredients
Beef & Ravioli
Creamy Sauce
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Canadian
Keyword beef & smoked mozzarella tortellini in creamy sauce
Servings
Ingredients
Beef & Ravioli
Creamy Sauce
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Beef & Ravioli
  1. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the ground beef, breaking it up into small pieces with a spoon. Cook until beef is browned, about 5-7 minutes. Drain any excess fat. Add the onion & garlic, cooking for an additional 2-3 minutes until softened & fragrant. Stir in oregano, basil & salt & pepper to taste. Set aside.
  2. While the beef cooks, bring a pot of water to a boil. Add ravioli & cook according to package directions, typically 3-5 minutes. Drain the ravioli, reserving about a cup of pasta water for the sauce. Set aside.
Sauce
  1. In the same skillet you cooked the beef, reduce the heat to medium-low & add the milk, cream cheese & chicken broth. Stir continuously until the cream cheese is fully incorporated into the sauce, creating a creamy base. Add the parmesan cheese, garlic & onion powder & pepper. Stir until the sauce is smooth & slightly thickened, about 2-3 minutes.
Assembly
  1. Add the cooked ravioli & beef mixture to the skillet with the creamy sauce. Stir gently to combine, ensuring the ravioli is coated with the sauce. If the sauce seems to thick, add a small amount of the reserved pasta water to thin it to your desired consistency. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes to heat everything through.
  2. Serve hot. Garnish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley & additional parmesan cheese if desired.

Apricot Chai Liqueur Scones

I’ve probably posted at least twenty different kinds of scones on the blog over the years, but I had yet to make scones using chai ‘liqueur’.

There are many recipes using chai spices such as cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg and anise. I wanted to incorporate the actual liqueur in these scones as well to pop up the flavor a bit more.

And while most fruits pair well with chai, some may have a delicate flavor that won’t taste great with the various spices in chai. When selecting these fruits, always go for dried options such as raisins, prunes, dates, apricots, figs, and peaches.

These scones make an excellent choice for breakfast or as an afternoon snack this time of year.

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 Apricot Chai Liqueur Scones
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Rating: 5
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Course Brunch
Cuisine Asia
Keyword apricot chai liqueur scones
Servings
SCONES
Ingredients
Scones
Chai Cream Cheese Icing
Course Brunch
Cuisine Asia
Keyword apricot chai liqueur scones
Servings
SCONES
Ingredients
Scones
Chai Cream Cheese Icing
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Scones
  1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a food processor, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Place in a large bowl.
  3. In a small bowl combine egg, chai liqueur & sour cream. Add wet mixture to flour mixture along with the apricots. Stir ONLY until combined. Do NOT overmix.
  4. Divide dough in half. Using a spatula scrape each piece of dough onto the parchment paper on the baking sheet. Dip the spatula in flour, then flatten each piece of dough to about 1-inch in height as well as forming it in a circle shape. Cut each round into 8 wedges.
  5. Bake scones for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from baking sheet. Recut the scones. Cool slightly on wire rack.
Icing
  1. Using a mixer, combine cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, chai liqueur & milk. Beat on low speed, gradually increasing to high until light & fluffy. Pipe over scones.
Recipe Notes

The amount of sugar used in these scones is what you prefer personally. I only used the 1/3 cup which makes them nice to serve with coffee.

Cheesy Mushroom Runza Casserole

When German-Russian immigrants began moving to North America between 1880 and 1920, they brought with them their traditional recipes, one of them being a stuffed sandwich filled with a savory filling of ground beef, shredded cabbage and onions in a yeasted bun. If the ingredients of ‘runza‘ sound familiar, it might be because these sandwiches are the modern cousins of the German bierock. They are also sometimes called kraut burgers or kraut kuchen.

This unique recipe was passed down from one generation to the next, eventually finding its way to North America and particularly to the states of Kansas and Nebraska (but with different names). Originally the bierocks were served to the field workers for lunch.

No one is sure, but the name ‘runza’ possibly came from the Low German ‘runsa’ which means ‘bun shape,’ or the soft shape of a round belly.

Runza casserole pays homage to the sandwich in a comforting baked dish that’s super simple to make.

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 Cheesy Mushroom Runza Casserole
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Rating: 5
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Course Main Dish
Keyword cheesy mushroom runza casserole
Servings
Ingredients
Course Main Dish
Keyword cheesy mushroom runza casserole
Servings
Ingredients
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  2. In a saucepan, brown ground beef with onion. When meat is about halfway cooked, season with salt & pepper, garlic powder & Italian seasoning & add in mushrooms. Cook for a couple of minutes then add shredded cabbage & cover with a lid. Stir & cook for about 5 more minutes. Cabbage should have wilted.
  3. Combine mushroom soup with milk.
  4. Spread 1/2 of the ground beef mixture in the bottom of an 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Top with 1/2 of the soup mixture & 1/2 of the shredded cheese.
  5. Place one tin of crescent rolls over the top of the casserole. Add remaining ground beef mixture, soup mixture & cheese.
  6. Place second tin of crescent rolls over top of the casserole.
  7. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes

Alternately you could make your own pastry instead of using crescent rolls.
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, or as needed
• ¼ cup butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup warm water
Mix flour, butter, sugar, yeast, and salt together in a large bowl. Pour in warm water and stir until a soft ball forms. Roll dough on a floured surface and knead until elastic, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cover with a towel; let rise in a warm and dry area for about 1 hour.

Rice Pudding Tarts w/ Port Pears

A sure sign of summer leaving us is the arrival of the pear season, stretching from now until the end of December.

These rice pudding tarts with port pears are a combination of textures and flavors. Bosc pears are beautiful; they have a crisp, dense, slightly grainy texture with a sweet flavor and subtle hints of fall spices. Port wine is a sweet, red, fortified wine that pairs wonderfully with pears. What’s not to like??

Budino di riso: a kind of soft rice cupcake or vanilla-scented rice pudding baked in short pastry and sprinkled with icing sugar. Named after the principal ingredient used in the filling, budini di riso is a typical pastry coming from Siena, a medieval city in the region of Tuscany, located in the north of Italy.

Every summer, from May to July, until the 1960’s (and even 1970’s in some places), thousands of female seasonal workers would make their way to the Po Valley in northern Italy. Here, in the rice fields, they went to work as ‘mondine’. Their task was to remove weeds that could stunt the growth of the rice plants.

The compensation of these women consisted not only in money but also 1 kg of rice for each day of work. Hence the widespread use of rice throughout the region in both savory and sweet preparations.

This rice custard tart is a combination of a creamy, vanilla scented rice pudding with a caramelized top, all baked in a crisp shortbread pastry crust. There are many variations for this Italian classic. Some like to make it with a crust, others prefer it without. Other recipes may also add fresh squeezed lemon juice for a citrus flavor.

Today, rice is the world’s most widely consumed cereal grain, which means that virtually every culture has a rice pudding they call their own.

Part pie … part rice pudding, these little tarts can be eaten for (an elegant) breakfast, as an afternoon snack or for dessert, they are just plain good anytime.

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 Rice Pudding Tarts w/ Port Pears
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Rate this recipe!
Keyword rice pudding tarts w/ port pears
Servings
Ingredients
Pastry
Rice Pudding Filling
Poached Pears
Port Wine Sauce
Keyword rice pudding tarts w/ port pears
Servings
Ingredients
Pastry
Rice Pudding Filling
Poached Pears
Port Wine Sauce
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
Pastry
  1. In a bowl, sift together flour, rice flour, powdered sugar, salt & baking powder. Add butter & rub together with fingertips to make soft crumbles.
  2. In a small bowl, beat egg; add to flour mixture & work into a smooth ball of dough. DO NOT OVERMIX. Flatten dough ball & wrap in plastic wrap; chill in refrigerator.
Rice Pudding Filling
  1. Place rice in a saucepot. Cover with water & bring to a boil. Rinse rice; return blanched rice back in saucepot & cover with milk. Add cinnamon stick & lemon zest. Cook over low heat, stirring often until rice has absorbed most of the milk & rice mixture becomes soupy.
  2. Remove rice/milk mixture from heat & add butter; stir well. Place rice mixture in a bowl to cool. Stir & cool for about 20 minutes. In a bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar & vanilla; add to cooled rice mixture.
Assembly
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  2. Remove pastry from refrigerator & divide evenly into 8 pieces. Form into balls & roll each one lightly in flour then using a rolling pin flatten into a small circles. Line 8 paper cups with pastry & place them in a muffin pan.
  3. Spoon the rice pudding into the pastry shells & bake about 30 minutes or until golden brown on the edges & they test done with the tip of a knife. Do NOT OVERBAKE as they will become quite dry. Prepare poached pears.
Poached Pears
  1. Peel, halve & core pears.
  2. Place wine & cinnamon in a skillet. Bring to a boil over high heat; add pears. Reduce heat to low; cover & poach for 10 minutes. Turn pears; poach 5 more minutes or until tender. Remove pears from wine & set aside. When cooled, place cut side down on a cutting board & slice lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices Then into pieces to fit tart tops. RESERVE POACHING WINE for sauce.
Port Wine Sauce
  1. In a small saucepan, place reserved cooled poaching wine PLUS enough extra port wine to make 2 cups. Whisk in sugar to taste & cornstarch. Heat to a gentle boil, whisking constantly until mixture forms a nice gel consistency. Remove from heat. Cool slightly.
Serving
  1. Top each rice tart with a small fan of poached pears then spoon wine sauce over each. Nothing says you can't add a dollop of whipped topping as well!
Recipe Notes

You will probably have some of the pears left over. I just diced them up & added them to the sauce.