Italian Ricotta Cheese Cookies

This soft sweet cookie is delectably delicious! And yes, made with ricotta cheese! Who would have known? A must try...simply made :)

Italian Ricotta Cheese Cookies-Makes 72 Cookies

Ingredients
* 2 cups sugar
* 1 cup margarine or butter, softened
* 1 container (15 ounce size) ricotta cheese (2 cups)
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 2 large eggs
* 4 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
* 3 tablespoons milk
* red and green sugar crystals (If making for holidays)

Directions/Steps
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In large bowl, with mixer at low speed, beat sugar and margarine or butter until blended.
2. Increase speed to high; beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. At medium speed, beat in ricotta, vanilla, and eggs until well combined.
3. Reduce speed to low. Add flour, baking powder, and salt; beat until dough forms.
4. Drop dough by level tablespoons, about 2 inches apart, onto ungreased large cookie sheet. Bake about 15 minutes or until cookies are very lightly golden (cookies will be soft). With pancake turner, remove cookies to wire rack to cool. Repeat with remaining dough.
5. When cookies are cool, prepare icing: In small bowl, stir confectioners\' sugar and milk until smooth. With small metal spatula or knife, spread icing on cookies; sprinkle with red or green sugar crystals. Set cookies aside to allow icing to dry completely, about 1 hour.

Recipe from the website Cooking with Nonna

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Ingredients
3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
20 ounces pineapple rings in juice, sliced in half or tidbits
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
5 eggs - separated
1 1/2 cups sugar
8 tbsp pineapple juice
Optional - 1 cup walnuts or pecans - chopped coarse

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Melt butter and brown sugar in a 13x9x3" baking pan (1/4 sheet) .
Arrange pineapple slices (or tidbits) in any pattern in pan and cover with walnuts (if using) and set aside.

Using an electric mixer, whip the eggs whites with 3/4 cups sugar to form a soft peak. Set aside.
Beat the egg yolks with 3/4 cup sugar until light and creamy. Add the pineapple juice and mix slightly. Add the flour, baking powder and salt.
Now fold the whipped eggs whites into the flour mixture and pour onto the pineapple (walnut) covered baking pan.

Bake for 40-45 minutes. Cool 5 minutes and invert onto serving platter. Cool completely.

Notes:
Use two 9" pans instead of a 1/4 sheet pan.
Melt butter in microwave and add brown sugar.
Add cherries to pineapple pattern for additional colour.
Foodie Fran's Note: Turns out great in a bundt pan too!

Pastry

5-INGREDIENT CHEESY BACON DIP

In a pinch to bring an appetizer? I found this to be quick, easy, delicious and best of all they are ingredients you would normally have in your home...as usual, these are my favourites type of recipes and reason for my blog.

Serves 6
Ingredients
* 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, room temperature
* 2 cups sour cream
* 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
* 1 cup bacon (6-8 slices), crumbled
* 1/3 cup green onions, chopped


Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375º F.
2. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream, cheddar cheese, bacon and green onions and mix until they’re totally combined.
3. Transfer mixture to a round baking dish and place in oven.
4. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until cheese is totally melted and dip is bubbly.
5. Remove from oven and serve with chips or toasted bread.

Kitchen Meets Girl

French Onion Soup

I like all kinds of soups, but this one is my all time favourite! This recipe I found quite delicious maybe because of the white wine?? Making the broth is a bit time consuming, but once made you can make the finished soup in a jiffy!

Yield:
4 to 6 servings

INGREDIENTS
* 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
* 2 pounds yellow onions (about 6 medium), halved and thinly sliced lengthwise
* 8 to 10 sprigs fresh thyme
* 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
* 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as necessary
* 1 tablespoon flour
* 1 cup dry white wine
* 4 cups beef stock or low-sodium beef broth
* 2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth
* 1 1/2 cups cubed ciabatta bread
* 3 cups grated Gruyere cheese

DIRECTIONS
In a large heavy-bottom pot, melt the butter over low heat. Add the sliced onions, thyme, salt, and pepper and continue to cook, stirring occasionally until the onions become a deep golden brown and very soft, about 30 minutes. 

Add the flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the white wine and scrape up any dry bits on the bottom of the pan, increasing the heat to a boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the beef stock, and the chicken stock, and allow the soup to simmer for an additional 30 minutes as the flavors develop. Season the soup generously with salt, and pepper, to taste. 

Preheat the oven to broil, or turn on the broiler. Arrange the ciabatta cubes on a baking sheet and toast until crispy, about 3 to 5 minutes. 

Remove the thyme sprigs and pour the soup into 4 to 6 oven-safe crocks or bowls. Top with the toasted ciabatta cubes and a generous amount of grated Gruyere. 

Place the crocks or bowls under the broiler for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and begins to brown.

 Kelsey Nixon

Carnitas Steamed Buns

So I thought I'd try my hand at this. Only had it once and I loved it! It is a little time consuming but cooked in the crockpot and worth it. You wind up with extra meat which you can serve over rice. Next time I will make a double batch of buns because they make excellent leftovers! Just pop them in the microwave to warm up and it's an instant sandwich! Great for kids after school snacks!

Carnitas Steamed Buns

Rub mixture:
1 tbsp chilli powder
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp oregano
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

3 lb. pork shoulder
1 medium onion quartered
2 sliced jalapeño
1/4 cup lime juice
1/2 cups orange juice
5 whole cloves garlic

To make buns:
1 tsp instant yeast
2 tbsp sugar
1 cup warm water
3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cooking oil

Rub mixture over the pork shoulder. To a crock pot add the onions, jalapeños, pork shoulder, lime juice, orange juice and garlic. Cook 8 hours low/4 hours high.

Mix yeast, sugar and warm water. Proof for 5 minutes. Sift flour, baking powder and and salt. Add yeast mixture to flour mixture. Mix well. Add oil to bottom of bowl, add dough and cover with tea towel and proof for 1 hour.
Punch dough down roll out to form a tube and cut 10 pieces and shape each into buns. On a floured surface, cover and let rest 5 minutes.

In the crock pot with 2 forks, break apart the pork shoulder and spoon out the meat saving the juices for dipping.

Place meat into centre of each bun and cover with dough. Place each bun on a piece of parchment paper. In a large pot place, 2 tin cans and add enough water but not to cover cans. Place a dish over the cans. Add 3 buns with the parchment paper on dish and cover. Steam for 15 minutes. Break in half and dip!

Tasty

Apple Cobbler Crisp

It's easier than Apple Pie! It really is! As always easy, simple and delicious...

Ingredients

• 2 cans apple pie filling (I made my own, see recipe below)
• 2 cups Bisquick or 2 cups of this DIY Bisquick recipe
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

1. Grease a bundt pan.( or baking dish)
2. Pour in the 2 cans of pie filling.
3. Sprinkle the Bisquick on top of pie filling.
4. Sprinkle sugar on top of Bisquick.
5. Melt butter and pour over sugar.
6. Sprinkle chopped pecans on top of butter
7. Place pan in a preheated oven, 375, and bake for about 40-45 minute
8. Remove from oven and serve in a bowl with vanilla ice-cream if desired.

#applecobbler #easyapplecobbler

The Cookinchicks

Food Fran's Apple Pie Filling:

Ingredients

5 peeled large diced apples

1/2 cup sugar

About 1/2 tbsp cinnamon (or more if you like)

1 tbsp flour

Punch of salt

2 tbsp butter cup up

Punch of salt

Directions 

Mix all ingredients well and put aside until ready for use.

Foodie Fran's Lasagna

Foodie Fran's Lasagna

Yum yum lasagna! Love making it love eating it! Once again my motto "simple, easy and delicious"! Most delicately tastefully made with homemade lasagna noodle, store bought noodles works just as well. 

For the sauce:

2 tbsp olive oil 

I small onion diced

Salt and pepper

3 cloves garlic minced

2 lbs ground beef, chicken or turkey

2-28 oz can whole peeled plum tomatoes (ground well in blender)

1-5.5 oz can tomato paste

1-tbsp butter

About 4 basil leaves chiffonade

For the lasagna:

1-500g box original lasagna noodles (not oven-ready)

1-500g container of ricotta cheese

1 egg beaten

2 tbsp chopped parsley

1-340g grated mozzarella

About 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (plus extra for topping).

Directions

In a large pot heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion, pinch of salt and pepper and cook until they start to get soft. Add garlic and sauté for one minute. Add the ground meat. Cook well breaking up the meat. Add the ground tomatoes, paste, butter and basil. Finally add about a teaspoon each of salt and pepper, stir well. Raise the heat until it comes to a full boil. Then lower the heat to a simmer putting on a lid vented with a wooden spoon. Stir frequently, cook 1 hour.

In the meantime, bring another large pot to boil. Add 1 tablespoon of salt and add the lasagna noodles and cook until al dente. When done, carefully drain most of the water and add cold tap water. 

Prepare a 9x13 casserole sprayed with cooking spray. Add the ricotta cheese, parsley and 1/3 of the grated Parmesan cheese to the beaten egg and set aside.

Using a slotted spoon, start assembling the lasagna by adding about 1 cup of meat sauce to the casserole. Add 4 lasagna noodles. Generously add 1 cup of meat sauce, 1/3 of the parmesan cheese followed by 1/3 of the mozzarella. Add the next 4 noodles. Spread the ricotta cheese mixture, then spread 1/3 of the mozzarella. Continue with the next layer of 4 noodles. Add 1 cup of meat sauce, followed by 1/3 of the parmesan cheese, then the remaining mozzarella. Follow with the final layer of 4 noodles. Generously cover with remaining meat sauce. (You will have more than enough sauce to make this recipe. Simply place remaining sauce in refrigerator for later use.) Sprinkle with the extra parmesan cheese.

Cover casserole tightly with foil and bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes. 

Very important: when you take the lasagna out of the oven, let it sit for about 20 minutes so all that yummy liquid can be absorbed :)

#homemadelasagna #homecooking

Foodie Fran