Reheating with Steam

One simple thing you can do to make leftovers or planned overs taste better is to reheat them in a steam basket instead of a microwave.  I just place 1-2 inches of water in the bottom of a pan and place my steam basket insert on top.  I add my food to the basket, cover and turn on high; once it steams I lower the heat to medium.  I have a glass lid so I can see the food.  Most foods reheat in just a few minutes.  I reheat oatmeal, eggs and even steak.  The food does not dry out or get rubbery.

Add the water

 

Add the steam basket

 

Add the food

 

Cover

 

Turn on the heat

Checkout how my friends at Get REAL for Kids reheat in bamboo baskets.  A great way to reheat several meals at one time.  The baskets are even great for cooking.

Take it one prep at a time,
Chef Jackie

Cookie Exchange: Snicker Pretzel Rods

Snicker Pretzel Rods

 

I used sprinkles not nuts this year.

 

1   lb  chocolate or chocolate candy coating 1        Bag (75) Anderson Long John Pretzels (these are about half the length of long pretzel rods)

1           package caramel apple wrappers ½   cup  crushed peanuts

Procedure

1   Slice caramel in 2 inch by ½ strips.

2   Wrap around pretzel rod leaving 1 inch at the end.

3   Place on parchment lined cookie sheet.

4   Melt chocolate over a double boiler.

5   Dip pretzels in chocolate just to coat caramel leaving 1 inch at the end bare.

6   Place back on parchment.

7   Sprinkle with nuts or non pareils and drizzle with some chocolate.

8   Freeze until set.

Yield: yield 70 pieces

Recipe Tips

Serve at room temperature.  Can be frozen up to 3 months

1 package of caramel makes 90 pieces

1 pound of chocolate makes 72 pretzels

Source

Author: ChefJackie White

Web Page: preplikeachef.blogspot.com

Feel free to share but send people to the post please!
Season's Eating's
Chef Jackie

Cookie Exchange: 7 Layer Bars and Sugar Cookie Cut Outs

7 Layer Bars

 

 

Leftover 7 Layer Bars

 

 

My leftovers and broken cookies

 

 

Seven Layer Bars

1   cup    butter, unsalted 3   cups  graham cracker crumbs 2   cups  chocolate chips 2   cups  butterscotch chips

2        cups         chopped walnuts 2        14-ounce   cans sweetened condensed milk 2 2/3   cups         shredded coconut

Procedure

1   Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2 Spray or grease a 15x9 cookie sheet then with parchment paper.

3   In a bowl combine melted butter and graham cracker crumbs.  Press into prepared pan.

4   Layer chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and walnuts.  Pour sweetened condensed milk over top.

5   Sprinkle coconut over sweetened condensed milk.

6   Bake until edges are brown.  Cool completely and cut into small squares. Cuts easier if frozen frozen for 1 hour.

Yield: 1-1/2 sheet tray

Oven Temperature: 350°F

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Source

Author: Chef Jackie

preplikeachef.blogspot.com

Author Notes

After cooling sheet pan may be frozen.  Bar cookies can then be removed in a slab then cut into squares.

 

Leftovers 7 layer cookies: After I am done with all of my cookies I put all of my leftover ingredients and broken cookies onto this crust and cover with the sweetened condensed milk and bake as above.  It is a great way to use everything up!

 

Sugar Cookie Cut Outs

 

 

Sugar Cookie Cut Outs 

4     cups   all purpose flour, sifted 1/2   tsp     salt 1     tsp     baking powder. 1     cup    (2 sticks) unsalted butter

2   cups  sugar 2            large eggs 2   tsp     vanilla extract

Procedure

1   In a large bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking powder.

2   In a separate bowl cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs.

3   Add flour mixture to butter mixture, mixing until combined. Stir in vanilla.

4   Chill at least 1 hour. Roll dough to1/8 inch thick and cut in desired shapes.

5   Bake at 325F for 8-10 minutes.

6   Cool and decorate with royal icing.

Oven Temperature: 325°F

Source

Author: Chef Jackie White

preplikeachef.blgspot.com

Feel free to share but send people to the post please!

Season's Eating's
Chef Jackie

Cookie Exchange: Peppermint Bark and Rugalach

 

Peppermint Bark

 

Peppermint Bark

Chocolate candy coating or real chocolate works best for this recipe.

1   lb  white chocolate confectioner's coating or white chocolate 1   lb  dark chocolate confectioners coating or dark chocolate

10   oz   bag star-brite mints crushed

Procedure

1   Melt dark chocolate over double boiler on low heat stirring often (do not over heat).

2   Melt white chocolate in over double boiler on low heat stirring often (do not over heat).

3   Line a cookie sheet with parchment.

4   Pour a layer of dark chocolate and then stripes of white chocolate reserving ¼ cup of melted white chocolate.  Pull a knife through to marble.

5   Sprinkle crushed mints on top.  Dip the tines of a fork into reserved white chocolate and drizzle over top of bark.

6   Let harden or freeze.  Break into bit size pieces.

Source

Author: ChefJackie White

Web Page: preplikeachef.blogspot.com

Rugalach

 

 

 

Rugalach

Cookie Dough: 1     cup    butter, softened 1               (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened 2     cups   flour                  Filling: 3/4   cup    finely chopped walnuts 1/2   cup    brown sugar 1/2   tsp     cinnamon 1/3   cup    apricot or raspberry preserves

1/4      cup  butter, melted Topping: 1        cup  finely chopped walnuts 1/4      cup  sugar 1 1/2   tsp   cinnamon Egg Wash: 1                egg beaten with 1 tsp. water

Procedure

1   In large bowl, cream butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add flour, a little at a time, mixing until a stiff dough forms. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.

2   Heat oven to 350 degrees. In small bowl, combine all filling ingredients except melted butter. Set aside.  Shape dough into as round and refrigerate 1 hour or overnight.

3   Remove dough from refrigerator and cut round into 4 pieces.  Shape each ¼ into a circle and roll on lightly floured board.  Roll out dough into an 8-inch circle. Brush each circle with melted butter. Cut each into 12 pie wedges.

4   Spread or pipe a scant ½ teaspoon filling on each wedge.

5   Roll up, starting at wide end and roll to a point.

6   Place, point side down, 1" apart on parchment lined cookie sheet.

7   In small bowl, combine topping ingredients. Brush top of each crescent with egg wash. Sprinkle nut-cinnamon mixture on top. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. Remove to racks to cool.

Source

Author: Chef Jackie

preplikeachef.blogspot.com

Author Notes

Recipe can double.

Feel free to share but send people to the post please!

Season's Eating's
Chef Jackie

CookieExchange: Mexican Wedding Cakes and Peanut Buter Melt-A-Ways

Mexican Wedding Cakes

 

 

Mexican Wedding Cakes

These cookies have a rich tradition of being served at weddings (hence the name) they are also a favorite served with rich Mexican hot chocolate

2        cups  butter softened 1        cup    powdered sugar 2        tsp     vanilla 4 1/2   cups  all purpose flour

1 1/2   cups  finely chopped nuts or walnut meal 1/2      tsp     salt                     Garnish:                     Powdered sugar for rolling

Procedure

1   Heat oven to 350.

2   In a Kitchen Aide Stand mixer with a paddle cream butter, sugar  and vanilla together.

3   Combine nuts, salt and  flour.  Add to mixer on a low speed in small batches until combine.

4   Chill dough 1 hour or over night and scoop into 1 inch balls and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet 2 inch's apart.

5   Bake 10-12 minutes until edges are brown.  Cool slightly and roll in powder sugar.  After all cookies have been rolled in powdered sugar roll a second time in powder sugar.

Yield: 8 dozen

Recipe Tips

If freezing cookies roll again in powdered sugar before service.

Source

Author: Chef Jackie

preplikeachef.blogspot.com

Peanut Butter Melt-A-Ways



 

 

Peanut Butter Melt-A-Ways

1   lb     white chocolate 1   lb     chocolate milk, semi sweet or dark 1   cup  peanut butter

peanuts for garnish      mini muffin cups

Procedure

1   Melt peanut butter and chocolate together over a double boiler.

2   Line mini muffin pan with paper cups.

3   Using a spoon or a plastic candy bottle fill cups with melted mixture.

4   Top with a few peanuts for garnish.

5   Repeat until all of mixture is gone. Reheat if needed. Freeze until needed.

Yield: 6 dozen

Recipe Tips

Serve at room temperature.

Can be frozen up to 3 months.

Source

Author: Chef Jackie White

Web Page: preplikeachef.blogspot.com

Feel free to share but send people to the post please!
Season's Eating's
Chef Jackie

Cookie Exchange: Cream Wafers and Honey Almond Bars

Cream Wafers

 

 

 

Cream Wafers

Fancy sandwich cookie celebrated in many Swiss homes during the holidays

2     cups   of all-purpose flour 1     cup    of butter softened 1/3   cup    of heavy cream, cold                  Granulated sugar                  Creamy filling

¼   cup  butter softened ¾   cup  powdered sugar 1    tsp   of vanilla              Few drops of food coloring

Procedure

1   Line baking sheets with parchment paper

2   Mix butter, flour and cream.  Cover and refrigerate a minimum of an hour.

3   Heat oven to 350 degrees.

4   Roll out 1/3 of the dough at a time to 1/8-inch thickness on floured surface.  Keep remaining dough refrigerate until ready to roll. With a round cookie cutter cut into 1-½ inch circles.

5   Place granulated sugar on a plate and coat both sides of circle with sugar.

6   Transfer to prepared cookie sheets.  Prick cookies with a fork.

7   Bake 7-9 minutes till set but not browned.

8   Cool and spread or pipe filling on the bottom of 1 cookie and top with the bottom of another cookie to form a sandwich cookie.

9   Fill cookies with butter cream icing; can be colored.

Oven Temperature: 350°F

Source

Author: Chef Jackie

preplikeachef.blogspot.com

Author Notes

Recipe can be tripled.

Freeze after sandwiched together and before packing into boxes.



 

Honey Almond Bars

 

Honey Almond Bars

4        pounds  yellow short dough 1 1/2   pounds  sugar 1 1/2   pounds  butter

10   ounces   honey 3    pounds   sliced toasted almonds

Procedure

1   Spray two half sheet pans with cooking spray and line with parchment paper.  Divide short dough and roll into rectangles.  Spread into sheet trays. Dock dough with a fork or blind bake (bake with a piece of parchment and and another cookie sheet on top).

2   Bake crust in a 325 degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes; until lightly brown on edges.

3   Meanwhile melt sugar, butter and honey over a double boiler until sugar dissolves; stir in almonds.

4   Pour mixture into prepared pans.

5   Bake in 400 degree oven until lightly browned. Mixture will not be all the way set.

6   Remove from oven and cool completely.

7   Freeze before cutting.

Recipe Tips

Honey Raspberry Bars-Spread raspberry jam on pre-baked crust before  adding almond mixture.  Bake as directed.

Source

Author: Chef Jackie White

Web Page: preplikeachef.blogspot.com

Feel free to share but send people to the post please!
Season's Eating's
Chef Jackie