I CAME HOME LAST EVENING AND THE KIDS SOMEHOW HAD A VERY XMASSSY SPIRIT. I GUESS THIS WEATHER DOES THAT. THE CHILDREN WERE VERY KEEN TO MAKE CHRISTMAS CUT OUT COOKIES. WE STRUGGLED THROUGH RECIPES AND FINALLY FOUND THE ONE WE THOUGHT WAS THE PERFECT RECIPE. LUCKILY FOR US ,WE WERE RIGHT.THESE COOKIES ARE EASY EASY EASY. THEY HAVE A LOVELY CRUNCH TO THEM AND WHEN FROSTED,THE TASTE IS JUST MIND BLOWING. MAKE SURE YOU LET THEM COOL COMPLETELY TO DEVELOP THE CRUNCH.THE PICTURE I HAVE INCLUDED ARE THE COOKIES MY SON MADE AND DECORATED HIMSELF AND FULL OF PRIDE....HERE GOES THE RECIPE
SUGAR COOKIES tried n tested by divya burman
Sugar Cookies Recipe
INGREDIENTS
Sugar Cookie Recipe
Cookies:
.3 cups flour
.1 cup granulated sugar
.1 1/2 tsp baking powder
.1/2 tsp salt
.1 cup soft butter
.1 egg, slightly beaten
.3 tbsp cream
.1 tsp vanilla (can substitute almond extract)
METHOD
1) Sift dry ingredients, cut in butter and add other ingredients. Blend thoroughly; chill for minimum 1 hour max several hours
2) Break off a piece of dough the size of an orange and pat it flat in your hand. Using a rolling pin, roll on dough on floured board (best to use a 2/1 ration of flour/sugar - 4 Tbsp flour mixed with 2 Tbsp sugar) or between wax paper. (It helps if you flour both sides of the dought.) Roll out to about a 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out and put on silpat-lined or ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 5-8 minutes at 400 F. Remove the cookies from the oven as soon as you see them turning color at the base of the cookie. Let cool completely.
3) Mix icing ingredients together until smooth. Separate into different bowls, add food coloring to achieve various colors. Spread on cookies with a butter knife, use cake decorating piping equipment to add decorative accents. If you want the sprinkle type decorating candies to stick, brush the cookie with clear Karo syrup and then sprinkle.
Makes 3 dozen cookies.
ICING
.2 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
.1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
../4 cup milk
Food coloring(few drops)
1)To make icing, combine sugar, vanilla extract and just enough milk (about 1/4 cup) to make the frosting the consistency of thin glue. Pour icing into shallow bowls wide enough for dipping cookies. Add food coloring.
2) To decorate, dip the topside of each cookie into the icing. Remove quickly and let icing drip of excess back into the icing bowl. Let dry. Pour additional colored frosting into pastry piping, or use a plastic sandwich bag with the tip of one corner nicked off. Gently squeeze frosting on to cookies in whatever patterns you choose.
EGGPLANT LACED WITH PARMESAN AND BAKED IN PESTO WITH OLIVES
INGREDIENTS
1) A MEDIUM SIZED EGGPLANT CUT INTO THIN SLICES AND LIGHTLY SALTED
2) A GENEROUS BOWL OF PARMESAN OR CHEDDAR CHEESE GRATED OR BOTH MIXED
3) 2 EGGS BEATEN AND KEPT ASIDE
4) 2 TSP OLIVE OIL
5) A BOWL OF PESTO SAUCE
6)SLICED OLIVES(THIN)
INGREDIENTS
1) CUT THE EGGPLANT ROUNDS INTO TRIANGLES OR KEEP WHOLE( IF YOU PREFER)
2)DIP EACH EGGPLANT IN EGG WASH AND THEN PRESS ON TO THE CHEESE (ONLY ON ONE SIDE)
3) HEAT THE OLIVE OIL AND LIGHTLY PLACE EACH EGGPLANT WITH CHEESE TILL SLIGHTLY BROWN.
4) NOW LAYER THE EGGPLANT IN A CASSEROLE AND TOP WITH PESTO.SPRINKLE THE THINLY SLICED OLIVES ON TOP.YOU CAN MAKE A FEW LAYERS ONE ON TOP OF EACH OTHER(I STUCK TO ONE AS THERE WERE ONLY TWO PEOPLE EATING)
5) BAKE IN OVEN TILL PESTO IS WARM(YOUR EGGPLANT WILL ALREADY BE COOKED AND TENDER DUE TO THE PAN).
6) enjoy
step by step link to pictures and pesto sauce recipe below
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151049282550344.778973.631380343&type=3
PERFECT PESTO SAUCE RECIPE
INGREDIENTS
1/2 CUP OLIVE OIL
1/2 TSP GARLIC PASTE
2.5 CUPS FRESH BASIL LEAVES
2 TABLESPOONS PARMESAN CHEESE
1 BIG TABLESPOON PINE NUTS
1 BIG TABLESPOON BUTTER
SALT AND PEPPER
METHOD
1)BLEND ALL INGREDIENTS TOGETHER
2)START WITH PINE NUTS AND GARLIC
3)THEN ADD BASIL AND OLIVE OIL
4) BLEND.ADD PEPPER AND SALT. LASTLY ADD BUTTER AND PARMESAN AND GIVE A FINAL BLEND
TAGLIATELLE WITH TRUFFLE SAUCE AND SHRIMPS(SERVES 2)
INGREDIENTS(FOR SAUCE)
.2 TABLESPOONS GARLIC
.1 TABLESPOON CHOPPED ONION
.1 1/2 CUP WHITE WINE
.2 TRUFFLES SHAVED AND KEPT
.1.5 CUP CHICKEN STOCK
.100 GRAMS CREAM
.4 TSP BLACK OR WHITE TRUFFLE OIL
.6-7 PRAWNS CHOPPED SMALL AND RUBBED WITH SALT
.3 SMALL BUNCHES OF TAGLIATELLE BOILED IN SALTED WATER TILL AL DENTE
METHOD
1) TAKE 1 TABLESPOON OLIVE OIL AND SAUTE GARLIC AND ONION.
2)ADD TRUFFLES AND WHITE WINE AND STIR OCASSIONALLY.
3) BOIL TILL LIQUID IS REDUCED BY HALF
4) NOW ADD CHICKEN STOCK.LET IT KEEP COOKING TILL REDUCED BY HALF
5) NOW STIR IN CREAM AND SIMMER UNTIL REDUCED.
6)TAKE 1 TSP FLOUR AND MIX WITH LITTLE WARM WATER.ADD TO SAUCE TO THICKEN A BIT
7) NOW WHISK IN THE TRUFFLE OIL AND TASTE FOR SALT AND PEPPER.
8)NOW TAKE ANOTHER PAN AND ADD SOME OLIVE OIL AND BUTTER.ADD GARLIC CHOPPED AND PRAWNS.STIR FRY 1 MINUTE
9) ADD ALL THE TAGLIATELLE AND THE SAUCE AND TOSS WELL
10)SERVE IN PASTA BOWL WITH PARMESAN. PUT LITTLE TRUFFLE SAUCE ON TOP
MUSHROOM CAPPUCCINO
INGREDIENTS
1) 1 TABLESPOON ONIONS CHOPPED
2) 1TSP GARLIC CHOPPED
3) 1 TSP GINGER GRATED
4) 400 GRAMS BUTTON MUSHROOMS SLICED
5)4 CUPS CHICKEN/VEG STOCK(OR HOT WATER WITH STOCK CUBE)
6)A BIT OF CINNAMON POWDER,CAYENNE AND NUTMEG POWDER.
7) 1 TSP TRUFFLE OIL(OPT)
1/2 CUP MILK FROTHED AND FOAMED TO GIVE THE CAPPUCCINO EFFECT
METHOD
1) TAKE A PAN AND SAUTE ONIONS ,GARLIC AND GINGER FOR 2 MINUTES IN A LITTLE OLIVE OR TRUFFLE OIL.
2) ADD ALL THE MUSHROOMS AND SAUTE.LET MUSHROOMS GIVE OUT THEIR WATER
3) NOW ADD THE 4 CUPS STOCK AND LET IT BOIL ABOUT 12 MINUTES.ADD THE SPICES.
4) NOW LET IT COOL AND BLEND THE MUSHROOMS AND STOCK TILL YOU GET A VERY NICE SMOOTH SOUP.
5)PUT BACK INTO PAN.THE SOUP SHOULD HAVE THICKENED. ADD 1 TSP BUTTER AND TRUFFLE OIL
6)TASTE FOR SALT AND PEPPER
7)TAKE A CAPPUCINO CUP AND FILL HOT MUSHROOM SOUP INTO IT.SPOON THE MILK FROTH AND SPRINKLE WITH NUTMEG
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