ROSETTE IRON BATTER FOR COOKIES

1 cup flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 egg

2 teaspoons anisette, strega or rum

4 tablespoons butter, melted

3/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon almond extract

Rosettes are a kind of light airy cookie prepaed by dipping a shaped cookie iron first into batter, then hot oil. The irons come in many different shapes and some irons are interchangeable and more shapes can be ordered.Fill a deep fryer with several inches of peanut or vegetable oil to 365F.

In a blender or food processor, mix milk, melted butter, salt, sugar and egg until well blended.

Add remaining ingredients and blend for 30 seconds (no longer).

Dip rosette iron into grease before each time you dip into batter; drain excess oil. Dip iron into batter, then into hot oil. After 20 seconds or so of holding iron in hot oil, shake off the cookie into the hot oil; continue to fry until golden.

Remove to paper towels using a slotted spoon or tongs.

Reheat iron for a minute in the hot oil before making next rosette.

When rosette cookies are cooled, sprinkle liberally with confectioner’s sugar.

Makes about 40, depending on the kind of iron used

Chocolate Pepper Cookies

• 11/2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature (3 sticks)

• 13/4 cups granulated sugar

• 2 eggs, lightly beaten

• 3 cups sifted all-purpose flour

• 11/2 cups unsweetened cocoa, plus additional for rolling

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/3 teaspoon ground black pepper

• Pinch cayenne pepper

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 4 to 6 ounces semisweet chocolate (for decoration)

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and beat until mixture is fluffy. Sift together the flour, 11/2 cups cocoa, salt, black pepper, cayenne and cinnamon. Add to the butter mixture and beat until well-mixed; if dough seems too soft, add up to 1/4 cup more flour. Shape into a flattened disk, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Dust a cutting board with cocoa and roll out the dough until 1/8 inch thick. (It’s best to divide and roll out one-third of the dough at a time, leaving the remainder in the refrigerator.) Cut dough into desired shape with a cookie cutter and set cookies 1 to 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Leftover dough can be rolled and cut out once more. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or just until crisp; do not allow to darken. Cool on racks. Melt the chocolate and drizzle randomly over the cooled cookies. You can do this by dipping a fork in the chocolate and then twirling it over the cookies. Allow the chocolate to set before serving

Shrimp Jambalaya

1 lb bag frozen peeled shrimp
1 lb bag link Polish Kielbasa Sausage
1/2 lb Long Grain White Rice
2 cans stewed or diced tomatoes with mild green chillies
1/4 cup cut up celery
1/4 cup chopped onions
1/4 cup chopped bell pepper
Salt and Pepper to taste
Dash Curry Powder

Defrost the frozen shrimp a while. As usual sautee the onion, celery and bell pepper in butter to limp. Drain out the liquid from the canned tomatoes to measure to add back for the rice. Chop the sausage in thin round slices, the thinner the more it goes around. Prepare the rice as directed on the package usually 2 parts liquid to one part rice. Use the tomato liquid and add in any extra water to meet the rice directions. In a large kettle add the rice, liquid, trinity, (chopped o-b-c) and thinly sliced sausage. Dash in the Curry Powder, salt, and pepper to taste. Let cook per rice directions. About 8 minutes before the rice is done fold in the defrosted shrimp. Cook to done place in a fancy decorated platter and serve with bread and wine.

1 cup tomato ketchup

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 Tbsp tomato paste

1 Tbsp each dried basil and oregano

2 eggs, beaten

1 small onion, minced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs

1 1/2 lb lean ground turkey (or chicken)

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Stir ketchup with cheese, tomato paste, basil and oregano; divide mixture in half. Combine one half with eggs, onion, garlic, Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Stir in bread crumbs. Crumble meat into same bowl and toss gently until evenly combined.
3. Press meat mixture gently into a greaased 8×4″ loaf pan. Spread remaining ketchup mixture evenly over top.
4. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes (or until thermometer registers 185F). Let rest in pan for 5 minujtes; drain off any liquid.
5. Serve thickly sliced.

Avocado Dessert

2 cups whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
3 (4- by 1-inch) strips fresh orange zest
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 firm-ripe California avocados (1 to 1 1/4 lb total)
1 (500-mg) vitamin C tablet, crushed to a powder
Special equipment: an ice cream maker

Bring 1 3/4 cups milk, 1/2 cup sugar, zest, and a pinch of salt to a simmer in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat. Whisk together cornstarch and remaining 1/4 cup milk in a small bowl until smooth, then whisk into simmering milk. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, and boil 1 minute. Transfer mixture to a metal bowl, then set bowl in a larger bowl of ice and cold water and cool completely, stirring frequently. Discard zest.
Quarter, pit, and peel avocados, then purée with vitamin C and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a food processor until smooth. Add milk mixture and blend well.

Freeze avocado mixture in ice cream maker. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze until hardened, about 1 hour.

Praline Pecans with Buttermilk

Makes About 4 Cups

2 c. sugar

1 c. buttermilk

1 tsp. baking soda

Ice Water on hand

2 T. butter

4 – 4 1/2 cups pecan halves

Using a 6 quart saucepan- cook 1st three ingredients on medium-high heat to 234° to 240° degrees soft-ball candy stage. When a small quantity of syrup is dropped in ice water- it forms a ball that keeps its shape – but when removed from the water- it will flattens out by itself. Stir frequently to prevent burning. As pralines cooks- it turns a golden brown. Remove from heat, and stir butter in . Add pecans ñ stir to coat all nuts. Cover counter with wax paper- pour pecans onto it. Immediately separate pecans. Let cool.

Pralines Amaretto
1 1/2 c. brown sugar

1 1/2 c. white sugar

3 T light corn syrup

1 c. milk

1 t. vanilla or use Amaretto

1 1/2 c. pecans, broken into pieces

Cook sugars, milk and corn syrup to soft ball stage 234° F on a candy thermometer. Stir in vanilla and nuts. Drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper. Allow pralines to harden.

1 box ( l lb.) light brown sugar
1 tbs. butter
1/8 tsp salt
3/4 cup evaporated milk
2 cups pecan halves (1/2 lb.)

Mix sugar, salt, milk and butter in a 2 quart saucepan. Cook and stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Add pecans, cook over medium fire to soft ball stage (234 degrees), stirring constantly. Remove from fire, still stirring for 5 minutes. Drop rapidly on foil or greased sheet.