Yummy--Potato Corn Fritters

Yummy--Potato Corn Fritters 

The original recipe called for Bob Evans refrigerated hash browns. I couldn't find those, not sure they make they any more. I used frozen and thawed them well, however, my fritters weren't big and fluffy. They were more like mini potato pancakes but they tasted great.

So next time I might try drying the hash browns in a towel or trying to find some refrigerated brand. My last resort could be to be the mix and see if they reconstitute.

Potato Corn Fritters
3 c. frozen corn, thawed and drained
2 pkgs. (8 1/2 oz.) corn muffin mix
1/2 c. fresh basil, chopped
1/2 c. fresh sage, chopped
3 eggs
1 1/2 c. milk
1 pkg. (20 oz.) refrigerated hash brown potatoes
2 T. sugar
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper

Mix all ingredients together. Heat oil in a deep fryer to 325-degrees. Drop tablespoon size potato mixture in heated oil. Cook 4-5 minutes or until brown. Drain on paper towel.

Dipping Sauce:
1 jar (12 oz.) apricot preserves
1/4 c. mayonaise
1/4 c. sour cream
Zest and juice from 1 lime
Combine all ingredients and serve with Potato Corn Fritters

Yummy--Orange Chip Cheesecake

Yummy--Orange Chip Cheesecake

I needed a quick dessert for a last minute dinner invitation. It was nice to have everything at hand though I confess I forgot to put the mandarin oranges on as a garnish. Raves and happy other diners  plus me.

This is from a Taste Of Home magazine. Sorry, no chance to take a picture.

Orange Chip Cheesecake 
12 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. orange extract
3/4 to 1 c. miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1 chocolate crumb or graham cracker crust (9 inches)

Topping:
1 1/2 c. (12 oz.) sour cream
2 T. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 can (11 oz.) mandarin oranges, drained
Additional chocolate chips

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Add salt and orange extract; beat just until blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into crust.

Bake at 375-degrees for 20 minutes or until center is almost set. Remove from the oven; increase temperature to 425-degrees.

In a bowl, combine sour cream, sugar and vanilla; spread over cheesecake.  Bake 5 minutes longer.

Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Refrigerate overnight.

Just before serving, garnish with oranges and additional chocolate chips.

Yield: 8 servings

Yummy--Skillet Chicken Parmesan With Crisp Polenta

Yummy--Skillet Chicken Parmesan With Crisp Polenta 

This is one of those quick fixes that you're supposed to be able to put on the table in 30 minutes or less. Well sorry, Woman's Day but I was closer to 45 minutes. It's an impressive looking dish when put on a serving platter and it's not that much of a hassle to put together.

One part of the directions don't make sense on reading or execution. I'll put them in as written and put my suggestions in bold type and a parentheses.

Skillet Chicken Parmesan With Crisp Polenta 

1 large egg
1/3 c. seasoned dried bread crumbs
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 4 oz. each)
2 T. olive oil
1 tube (about 16 oz.) polenta, cut in 12 slices
1/2 c. packaged shredded mozzarella with Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 c. bottled marinara sauce
Garnish: chopped fresh basil or parsley

Lightly beat egg in a shallow dish. Spread crumbs on a sheet of wax paper or another shallow dish. Dip breasts in egg, then crumbs to coat.

Heat 1 T. oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add chicken; cook 3-4 minutes per side or until golden and cooked through.  Remove chicken to serving dish.

Wipe out skillet with paper towel; add remaining 1 T. oil and heat.  Add polenta slices and cook 3 minutes until bottom slices are golden. Sprinkle tops with 1/4 c. cheese; turn slices over and cook 2-minutes until bottoms are golden and crisp. Remove to a serving platter. (When I did this all the cheese either fell off on the flip or stuck to the bottom of the skillet. Going forward, I would either skip the cheese here or sprinkle it on the flipped stuff and cook it that way.)

Pour marinara sauce into skillet; bring to a simmer.  Add chicken; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 c. cheese. Cover and cook 1 minute until cheese melts. Serve withe polenta.

Makes 4 servings

My Notes: I used Italian bread crumbs which was a nice touch. I've just done a freezer inventory so I had homemade marinara sauce on hand. I used that instead of bottled marinara. I found polenta in the dairy section of the supermarket marked corn mush. Be careful when you open the tube, there was a lot of water in the packaging that spurted out.

Yummy--Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yummy--Chocolate Chip Cookies 

These are from The Back In The Day Bakery Cookbook and are listed as one of the trademark items. They are a little different and very well received, as in: "You can make these any time." The unusual items are the chocolate chunks instead of chips plus the Fleur De Sel. I found that at Ohio City Herbs at the West Side Market and was able to skate with only buying 1 ounce of the specialty item.

Chocolate Chip Cookies 
2 1/2 c. unbleached all purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 1/4 tsp. fine sea salt
1/2 lb. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 c. sugar
1 c. packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 c. chocolate chunks
Fleur De Sel for sprinkling

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350-degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment.

Sift together flour, baking soda and sea salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment (or in a large mixing bowl, using a handheld mixer), cream together the butter, vanilla and both sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes.

Add the eggs and mix for no more than 1 minute; the eggs will not be completely incorporated.  Turn the speed down to low and add the dry ingredients in thirds, beating until just combined, 1-2 minutes.  With the mixer running, sprinkle in the chocolate chunks, beating until just combined, about 1 minute.

Use a large ice cream scoop or a 1/4-cup measuring cup to form the cookies and place on the prepared cookie sheets, leaving 2-inches between the cookies to allow for spreading. Lightly tap each  cookie with the palm of your hand and sprinkle the cookies with Fleur De Sel.

Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, for 15-18 minutes; rotating the pan halfway through the baking time for even doneness. The cookies should be golden brown around the edges but still light in the center. Let the cookies cool on a wire rack.

Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature.

Makes 24 cookies

My notes: The 2 cups of chocolate chunks added up to 1 bag of the Nestle chunks. I ended up with 6 cookies per baking sheet to avoid them baking together. These are large cookies and the salt is an unusual touch. Enjoy.

Yummy--White Chocolate and Lime Mousse Cake With Strawberries

Yummy--White Chocolate And Lime Mousse Cake With Strawberries 

This one is yummy to the max and something that a few years ago I wouldn't have been brave enough to tackle. I'm really glad I did though it takes plenty of time. It's worth it, one of the people who had a slice claimed, "This the best thing I've ever had in my mouth."

It's from a September 1991 issue of Bon Appetit.


White Chocolate And Lime Mousse Cake With Strawberries 


Syrup
6 T. sugar
6 T. Grand Marnier or orange juice
3 T. fresh lime juice
3 T. water
2 (7 oz. pkgs.) Champagne biscuits (4-inch long ladyfinger like cookies)*see my notes

Mousse
3/4 tsp. unflavored gelatin
1/2 c. plus 2 T. fresh lime juice
1/2 c. whipping cream
9 oz. imported white chocolate, chopped
2 tsp. finely grated lime peel

2 c. chilled whipping cream
1/3 c. plus 2 T. sugar
1/4 c. sour cream

2 1-pt. baskets strawberries, hulled and sliced


For Syrup:  Stir first 4 ingredients in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Trim 1 biscuit to 3-inch length. Brush both sides of biscuit twice with syrup. Place rounded end up and sugared (or rounded) side facing out against side of 9-inch spring form pan with 2 3/4 inch high sides. Repeat with as many biscuits as necessary to cover sides of pan completely and trimming to fit. Brush some whole biscuits completely with syrup and arrange on bottom covering completely and trimming to fit.

For Mousse:  Sprinkle gelatin over 2 T. lime juice in heavy small saucepan. Let stand 10 minutes to soften. Place over very low heat and stir to dissolve gelatin. Set aside.

Bring 1/2 c. cream to simmer in heavy medium saucepan.  Reduce heat to low. Add chocolate and stir until melted.  Mix in remaining 1/2 c. lime juice, gelatin mixture and lime peel.

Let stand until cool but not set, about 15 minutes.

Beat 2 c. cream, 1/3 c. sugar and sour cream in a large bowl to medium-stiff peaks.  Add chocolate mixture and fold together. 

Spoon half of mousse into prepared pan. Brush more biscuits with syrup and arrange atop mousse, covering completely. Spread remaining mousse over; smooth top.

Chill overnight. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead.)

Toss sliced berries with remaining 2 T. sugar. Cut cake into wedges. Serve with sliced berries.

12 Servings

*My Notes:  I couldn't find the Champagne biscuits, they may not be made anymore so I substituted ladyfingers. I used 2 1/2 packages and split each one to brush them with syrup. Be smarter than me, I did them in strips making it tougher to cut the cake.

I used 6 limes total for the lime juice and zest. They were about the size of large eggs to help you gauge things.

Yummy--Cranberry Turkey

Yummy--Cranberry Turkey

I love turkey no matter what the time of year so when I found a poultry stand at the West Side Market that has turkey cutlets year round, it's time to be thankful in the summer months.

This is from a 2004 November/December Quick Cooking 30 Minutes To Mealtime feature. It really is that quick.

Cranberry Turkey

1 lb. turkey breast slices
1 T. vegetable oil
1 c. whole-berry cranberry sauce
2 T. orange marmalade
1 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard

In a large skillet, cook turkey in oil over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes on each side or until juices run clear. Remove and keep warm.

Combine the cranberry sauce, marmalade and mustard; add to skillet. Cook and stir until heated through. Pour over turkey slices.

Makes 4 servings.

Yummy--Cream Cheese Delights

Yummy--Cream Cheese Delights

The seesaw of cooking and baking is one of the delights of life.

While I found the German-Style Hamburgers to be Yucky, the same home cook offered the recipe for these cookies in the same feature. These are quick and easy, I would recommend doubling the recipe to get enough for your time.

(Sorry, I didn't get a chance to snap a picture.)

Cream Cheese Delights
1/2 c. butter-flavored shortening
1 pkg. (3 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg yolk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
Halved maraschino  or candied cherries

In small mixing bowl; cream shortening, cream cheese and sugar.  Beat in egg yolk and vanilla. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture.

Drop by teaspoonfuls 2-inches apart on greased baking sheets.

Bake at 350-degrees for 12-15 minutes.  Cool for 1 minute on cookie sheet before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes a few dozen.

Yucky--German -Style Hamburgers

Yucky--German-Style Hamburgers 

This was from an older issue of Quick Cooking. It sounded different and since the cook is from Garfield Heights, OH just down the road it had extra appeal. I sprung for freshly ground meat but other than that nothing to recommend these burgers.

Yucky--Chocolate Pistachio Biscotti

Yucky--Chocolate Pistachio Biscotti 

Biscotti used to sound so very intimidating until I tried it a few years back with fingers crossed. And yes, that's a tough way to bake but I persevered and was pleased at how actually simple Biscotti can be to make.

That said I won't make this one again. I didn't care for the texture or taste. I'm not really crazy about pistachios but had them in the freezer from some previous baking.

Yucky--Brandy Alexander Cheesecake

Yucky--Brandy Alexander Cheesecake

I personally believe that every day should be National Cheesecake Day. Apparently though the only official observance is on July 30th. To celebrate I made a Brandy Alexander Cheesecake. The recipe was out of one of the women's magazines. It wasn't tough to make but end result, nothing rock'em-sock'em about the taste.

No problem, many more cheesecakes out there to try.

Did you miss me?

I can't imagine where people find the time to post weekly let alone daily, maybe they are more interesting and simply more organized than me. However, I now have a little time and several things to share.

I think we'll start with Yucky because there are several Yummy new additions to my recipe collection.