Friday, October 23, 2009

Chocolate Glaze

Chocolate Glaze
From Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book page 89

4 squares (4 oz) semi sweet chocolate,cut up
3 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar

In a small saucepan melt chocolate and butter over low heat,stirring frequently. Remove from heat;stir in powdered sugar and 3 tablespoons hot water. Stir in additional hot water if needed, to make of drizzling consistency.

Glazes top of a 10 inch bundt cake or two 8 or 9 inch cakes.

I used half the recipe to spread over the top of long john doughnuts.

Long Johns

Long Johns
From Taste of Home's Best of Country Breads
page 96

Recipe By Twilla Eisele

1 pkg active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
1/4 cup warm water (110-115 degrees)
1 cup warm milk (120-130 degrees)
1/4 cup butter,softened
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
3 1/4-3 3/4 cups flour
oil for deep fat frying

Glaze:
1 1/4 cup confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon water
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt

In a mixing bowl,dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the milk,butter,sugar,salt,and egg;mix well. Stir in enough flour to form a soft dough. Do not knead. Place in a greased bowl,turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled,about 1 hour. Punch dough down. Turn onto lightly floured surface; roll into a 12x8 inch rectangle. Cut into 3inch x 1 inch rectangles. Place on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled,about 30 minutes. In an electric skillet or deep fat fryer,heat oil to 400 degrees. Fry doughnuts,a few at a time,until golden on both sides. Drain on paper towels. Combine glaze ingredients;brush over warm long johns. Yields 2 1/2 dozen.

I used a simple chocolate frosting instead of the glaze. I also rolled the dough a bit larger and used my pizza cutter to cut about 44 rectangles.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili

Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili

From Cook's Country Oct/Nov 2009

3 (16 oz) cans cannellini beans (I'm using a 1# bag of great northern, soaked)

1 (16 oz) can white hominy,drained and rinsed

3 cup low sodium chicken broth

salt and pepper

6 bone-in chicken thighs (about 3 pounds),fat trimmed (I'm using 3 ckn leg quarters)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 onions,chopped fine

4 jalapeno chiles,seeded and chopped fine

6 garlic cloves,minced

1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons drained jarred pickled jalepenos,minced

1. Blend Base Puree 1 can beans,hominy,broth,and 3/4 teaspoon salt in blender until completely smooth. Pour into slow cooker.

2. Brown Chicken Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook thighs,skin-side down,until skin is well browned and fat has rendered,about 5 minutes. Remove and discard skin,then add thighs to slow cooker.

3. Cook Aromatics Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from skillet. Cook onions,chiles, and1/2 teaspoon salt until golden brown,stirring occasionally,about 8 minutes. Add garlic,cumin, and corriander and cook until fragrant,about 30 seconds. Transfer half of onion mixture to slow cooker,reserve remaining mixture iin refrigerator.

4. Finish Chili Add remainiing beans to slow cooker. Cover and cook on low until chicken is tender,about 4 hours. Transfer chicken to bowl. When cool enough to handle,discard bones and shred chicken into bite size pieces. Stir cilantro,pickled jalepenos,shredded chicken and reserved onion mixture into slow cooker and let warm through. Serve.