65. Crab and Lobster Salad

This is one of my favorite dishes that Marvin's mom makes and I probably will have to edit these ingredient amounts, but its easy to feel out on your own.  Its the fastest party dish with the most impressive results! 

INGREDIENTS:
1 package imitation crab meat
1 package imitation lobster meat
1 green bellpepper, sliced
1 large onion, sliced
1 tsp. whole peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. oregano
~3 tbsp. distilled white vinegar
~3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS:
Boil pepper and onion and all seasonings in vinegar and oil in a saucepan until softened.  Allow to cool, then pour over combined lobster and crab meat in a large bowl.  Combine, refrigerate and serve when cold.

64. New Orleans Cafe Du Monde Beignets!

The original recipe can be found at http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Beignets/Detail.aspx but I did not have barely any of the ingredients that this recipe called for, so I made my own version which came out EXACTLY like the official Cafe Du Monde box mix recipe.  Below is my version that also happens to be quicker, not just tastier :)

INGREDIENTS:

1 teaspoons active dry yeast

3/4 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

1/4 cup white sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 eggs

1/2 cup milk

2 tsp. vanilla 

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/8 cup butter or margarine

1 quart vegetable oil for frying

1/2 bad confectioners' sugar

DIRECTIONS:

1.     In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add sugar, salt, eggs, milk, vanilla and blend well. Mix in half of the flour and beat until smooth. Add the butter, and then the remaining flour. 

2.     Roll out dough into two 2-inch wide, 1-inch tall logs. Cut into 1/4 inch wide 'pillows'. Fry in 360 degree F (180 degrees C) hot oil. If beignets do not pop up, oil is not hot enough. Drain onto paper towels.

3.      Toss beignets in a very generous amount of confectioner's sugar until thoroughly coated.  Serve warm, preferably with chicory-infused espresso coffee.  

63. California Pizza Kitchen Chocolate Souffle Cake

New favorite......E   V    E    R     .

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 cup sugar, plus more for dusting pan

6 1/2 ounces best-quality semisweet chocolate, chopped

3 egg yolks

1 egg

6 egg whites

Cocoa powder or confectioners' sugar, for dusting

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat oven to 300 degrees. Grease a 10-inch springform pan with 1 tablespoon butter, and dust generously with granulated sugar.

2. Melt chocolate and butter over simmering water in a double boiler, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

3. In an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip yolks and whole egg with 2/3 cup sugar on a high speed, until it is pale yellow and falls in a thick ribbon when the beater is raised, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice during mixing. Set aside.

4. In an electric mixer, using a second whisk attachment and bowl, (both should be clean and free of grease) whip egg whites with remaining 1/3 cup sugar on high speed until thick and foamy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside. While egg whites are beating, add the cooled, melted chocolate slowly to the yolk mixture.

5. Temper whipped egg whites by mixing in about 1/4 cup of the chocolate mixture. Then gently fold egg whites into the chocolate yolk mixture, working quickly to maintain the volume of egg whites; the mixture will have a slightly marbleized appearance.

6. Pour batter into prepared pan, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake in oven for 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool in the pan on a cooling rack. When completely cool, gently run a knife around the edges of the pan and release spring. Dust with cocoa powder or confectioner’s sugar before serving

62. Squash and Kohlrabi Empanadas

Okay, I don't think these would classify as true empanadas, but they are still tasty.  They remind me of a vegetable pot pie.  

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 (1 inch) piece fresh ginger, minced

2 kohlrabi bulbs, peeled and cubed

salt and pepper to taste

1 large yellow squash, cubed

2 green onions, chopped

1/2 cup chopped fresh spinach

1 pinch ground nutmeg

1 egg

1 teaspoon water

1 (15 ounce) package pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie

DIRECTIONS:

1.     Heat olive oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in garlic and ginger; cook and stir until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Stir in kohlrabi, and season with salt and pepper. Cook and stir until kohrabi has softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Toss in yellow squash and continue to cook until squash is tender for 4 more minutes. Stir in the green onion, spinach, and nutmeg. Add more salt and pepper, as needed. Cook until the spinach has wilted, about 1 minutes. Set mixture aside to cool.

2.     Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Beat the egg with water in a small bowl; set aside.

3.     Roll out the pie crust by running a rolling pin over it once or twice. Cut out about 16 6-inch circles using a large cookie cutter or cereal bowl. Fill the center of each circle with about 1 tablespoon of the kohlrabi mixture. Brush the edges of the pastry with water, then fold the dough in half. Crimp the edge of the dough with a fork to seal, and place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining pastry and vegetable filling. Prick each empanada with a fork, then brush with the egg wash.

4.   Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown and flaky, 5 to 7 minutes. Serve hot from the oven.

61. Brown Sugar Masa Shortbread

These are SO surprisingly good, and a great use of the leftover Masa from tamale-making ;) 

INGREDIENTS:

1/2  cup  sweetened shredded dried coconut

1  cup  (1/2 lb.) butter, at room temperature

1  cup  firmly packed brown sugar

1  teaspoon  vanilla

1  cup  all-purpose flour

1  cup  dehydrated masa flour (corn tortilla flour; see notes)

1/4  cup  granulated sugar

1/4  teaspoon  ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS: 

1. In a food processor, whirl coconut until finely ground. Then add butter, brown sugar, vanilla, all-purpose flour, and masa flour and whirl together until smooth. Or, mince coconut with a knife. Then, in a bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter, brown sugar, and vanilla until smooth; stir in coconut, all-purpose flour and masa flour until mixture is no longer crumbly and starts to come together in a ball.

2. Press dough evenly into two 9-inch round pans with removable rims. Press edges of dough with fork tines to make a ridge pattern. Then, with fork tines, pierce dough all over in parallel lines 1 inch apart.

3. Bake shortbread in a 300° oven until firm to touch and slightly darker brown, about 45 minutes. In a small bowl, mix granulated sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over hot shortbread. Let cool 10 minutes.

4. Remove pan rims from warm shortbread. Cut each round into 12 wedges. Cool completely on pan bottoms on racks.

60. Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

INGREDIENTS:
4 eggs
1 1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 cups white sugar
3 tsp. vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tbsp. baking soda
2 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3 tsp. cinnamon
3 cups carrots, grated
1 cup pecans, chopped
1/4 tsp. nutmeg

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Sift dry ingredients and set aside.  With electric mixer on low, combine wet ingredients and then gradually mix in dry.  Fold in pecans.  Pour into greased and floured cake tins and bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes or until passes toothpick test.  Let cool in pans 10 minutes and then turn out onto wire rack to finish cooling.

FROSTING:


INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup butter, at room temp
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temp
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS:
Beat all ingredients except pecans with electric mixer until smooth and creamy, then mix in pecans.  Frost COMPLETELY cooled cake.

59. Fakes (Fah-kehs) - Greek Lentil Soup

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 ounces brown lentils
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 onions, minced
• 1 large carrot, chopped
• 1 quart water
• 1 pinch dried oregano
• 1 pinch crushed dried rosemary
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• salt and pepper to taste
• 
  

DIRECTIONS: 

1. Place lentils in a large saucepan, cover with 1 inch of water. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil; cook for 10 minutes, then drain lentils into a strainer.
2. Dry saucepan, pour in olive oil, and place over medium heat. Add garlic, onion, and carrot; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Pour in lentils, 1 quart water, oregano, rosemary, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Stir in tomato paste and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer until the lentils have softened, 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add additional water if the soup becomes too thick.