The Benefits Of Having A Magnificent Cuisinart Crock Pot
This adorable Cuisinart Crock Pot comes in handy for busy moms and those who do not like to cook. Cuisinart MSC-600 3-In-1 Cook Central 6-Quart Multi-Cooker: Slow Cooker, Brown/Sauté, Steamer This trendy multi cooker has three programmable culinary functions that let you grill meat, sauté vegetables and slow cook your choice foods.
It comes standard with the following features
- Extra-large LCD display with temperature and a time settings that is easy to read.
- Detachable Nonstick aluminum pot coated with Teflon.
- Clear view glass lid.
- Its parts are dishwasher-safe and can be removed for easy cleanup.
- Includes a steaming rack.
- Dishwasher safe insert and lid.
- The handles do not get hot.
Its adorable aluminum insert is coated with glossy Teflon and has hard plastic handles that stay cool during the cooking. This Teflon insert is easier to clean up and is lighter in weight. This Crock-Pot is deep enough to prevent grease from splashing around your kitchen. It has a perfect high heat and low heat temperature settings. Do not fill it to the full. This will keep it from overflowing once it attains the required temperature. Allow some space for expansion. You do not need other pots as this browns perfectly. It is easy to use and clean. You can brown in the crock and then reset the dial to cook. This unit browns meat really well. Its large oval designed sauté heating component provides more than enough heat. This multi-cooker’s cook central enables you cook your preferable delicacy. Your delicious gourmet meals or staffed artichokes can be prepared using the smart steam function. The nonstick pot allows you sauté or brown immediately in the unit. The unit will consequently shift to ‘Keep Warm’ mode when your hot meal gets ready.
Steaming
Steaming is healthy as it loses fewer nutrients and no oil or butter is needed. Use the steaming rack and add 2 quarts of water in the covered cooking pot.
Slow Cook
This is ideal for slow simmering foods like dried beans, soups, stews and stocks. This function is also perfect for preparing tougher meat cuts. The Slow Cook function has low, high and simmers settings.
Brown/Sauté
This Sauté/Brown function works just like a sauté or skillet pan does. You can prepare brown food or skillet dish in the cooking pot for your family to enjoy. This function can also be used to reheat food. Set it to 350 degrees F and mix until all the food is completely warmed. Choose the best cooking function for your recipe, and then press the Start button. You are on your way to enjoying the most delicious meal ever.
This slow cooker can help you prepare your delicious meals like Pot Roast with vegetables, Asian Braised Ribs, Chicken Mole, Belgian Beef Stew, Italian Braised Ribs and Jambalaya. Those who do not enjoy cooking, busy moms, full time employees and those who cannot cook will love this extraordinary slow cooker. With its ability to sauté and stir fry and the fact that you are able to brown in it and add other ingredients right away for slow cooking, this Cuisinart Crock-Pot will make you a master chef.
Snickerdoodle Hamantaschen
With Purim approaching, you start seeing hamantaschen in every bakery you pass, especially here in Manhattan. I have to say, my initial impression a few years ago of hamantaschen was not a glorious one– I found them to be too plain and crumbly and the filling like sugary tar. Seeing room for improvement in everything I set my eyes upon, I set out to create a decadent and lust-worthy cookie. Purim is a fun Jewish holiday that celebrates the thwarting of an attempt to massacre a whole lot of the Jewish population living in exile in ancient Persia. The story of Esther reads almost like a thriller or dramatic movie at times– it features the titular character, a simple Jewish girl, becoming the queen and eventually stopping a massacre of her people at the hands of an evil minister, Haman. It’s an interesting historical underdog story that exemplifies 1. courage, 2. being true to yourself, and 3. reasons not to be an evil minister. I’m not Jewish, but the morals expressed in the story are great… as are the cookies (when they’re made properly)!
No one is exactly sure where the name hamantaschen comes from, though http://citipoker88.com presumably from the name Haman and taschen, meaning “bags” in German, which was applied to other similar pastries containing a fruit filling like the apple tart, apfeltaschen. Poppy seed filling is one of the most traditional, along with prune, apricot and fillings like that. In the last few years, I’ve seen lemon curd becoming popular and I wouldn’t be surprised if people filled them with Nutella, something I’d certainly love to try. Snickerdoodles are one of my favorite cookies– but only when they’re soft and gooey. I’m always on the lookout for cookies so melting and soft that they’re almost falling apart and just barely holding together. That’s why the simple sweet (and easy to make) dough for the hamantaschen is perfect. It can contain my soft pudding-y filling, allowing me to enjoy the chewy luxury of the soft snickerdoodle without a mess on my hands.
These snickerdoodle hamantaschen are sure to be a knock-out at your Purim celebration or, if you’re also not Jewish, with some coffee as a snack. Don’t be deceived, they might look complicated, but they couldn’t be easier if they tried– the ingredients for both the filling and the dough need only to be run through a food processor or stand mixer and then chilled and assembled before being showered in cinnamon sugar and briefly baked in the oven. And please, dear readers, don’t be alarmed– sometimes the filling just can’t be tamed and a few of them may look like this in the end. But you know what? They’re still absolutely delicious!
Snickerdoodle Hamantaschen
There are a few tricks here: make sure the dough is thoroughly chilled when you roll it out, it will make a world of difference in terms of how much it will stick to the board. Though letting it rest in the fridge before rolling it out is an exercise in patience, it’ll totally save you time later on if the dough ends up sticking to the board. The second trick is to be sparing with the filling. The filling will expand while cooking and using too much will cause the edges to push out.
Ingredients
FOR THE DOUGH:
- 1 whole egg
- 1 egg white
- 1/4 cup flavorless oil (like canola or corn, even extra light olive oil)
- 1/2 cup butter, very soft
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 baking powder
- heavy pinch of salt
- 2-4 tsp. milk (if needed)
FOR THE FILLING:
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 cup very soft butter
- 1 egg
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp. salt
FOR FINISHING:
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 egg yolk (reserved from egg white above)
- 1 tbs. milk
Instructions
Start with the dough: put all the dry ingredients provide by http://bengkelbola.org into the bowl of a food processor (or stand mixer) and pulse (or stir) to combine. Add the wet ingredients and pulse (or mix) until it comes together. It should be a thick paste– if it’s too crumbly, add a little milk (a teaspoon or two) at a time until it comes together. Turn out onto a sheet of cling wrap, wrap it up, flatten it into a thin disk and set in the fridge to chill for an hour at the very least. Start with the filling right after: Wash out your processor (or stand mixer) right after the dough so that the filling has time to chill. Put the butter into the bowl of the food processor (or stand mixer) and pulse (or mix) to soften and break up. Add everything else at once and then pulse (or mix) to combine. Spoon it into a bowl, cover, and let chill in the fridge for an hour.When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Put the reserved egg yolk in a small bowl with the milk and stir to combine. Combine the cinnamon and sugar in another bowl and set aside. Lightly flour a large cutting board and rolling pin.
Cut the disk of chilled dough in half and sprinkle a little flour on it.Roll out the dough until it’s pretty thin, about a 1/4 inch. Use flour as needed to keep it from sticking, but don’t use too much or the corners will not stick when you fold them. Use a round cookie cutter (or even the rim of a glass) that’s about 3-4 inches wide. Cut out the shapes and remove the surrounding scraps off to the side. Place a teaspoon of the filling in the center of each circle of dough. Fold up one third of the dough, then the one next to it, and finally the final third– creating a triangle. Press each corner down to seal them– if they won’t stick, lightly when your fingers and gently wet the dough at the corners and press them down again. Place them on the prepared pan and brush each hamantasch with the yolk/milk mixture and sprinkle with about a teaspoon of the cinnamon sugar. You can either place them in the oven now or roll out the other half of the dough and fill up the pan– the cookies don’t expand that much, so you only need about an inch between each hamantasch. Regardless of how http://speedbet88.co economize your time, they bake in the oven for about 12 minutes– the center will be cooked, but still soft and the dough will not get very golden– just a gently warm tan. Let each batch cool on a cooling tray. With the scraps of the dough– roll into a ball and make sure it’s a cohesive lump. Wrap in cling wrap and let chill in the fridge again until cold. Roll out and use the remaining filling.
Stuffed Chicken Breasts in Wine Mushroom Sauce
“Oh WOW Mom, this is great!” That’s what my husband and kids said after they ate this chicken dish, it’s a definite hit in our house!
The secret behind filling and rolling these breasts so they look as great as they taste is to find the broadest chicken breasts you can find. You can also consider using sliced veal or turkey in lieu of the breasts. This dish can be made up to two hours in advance, just fill and keep refrigerated.
The Filling:
- 2 teaspoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
- 1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
- 3/4 pound chopped spinach leaves (no stems)
- 3 tablespoons oil packed sun dried tomatoes (drained and chopped)
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese (use the good stuff)
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast havles, each should be about 1/4 pound
- 4 slices Emmenthaler cheese, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1/2 cup flour
Wine Mushroom Sauce
- 2 teaspoons unsalted butter
- 1/8 cup yellow onion thinly sliced
- 1/2 pound white mushrooms, sliced thin and stems removed
- 1/4 cup chicken stock
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup white wine, preferably a fruity Italian wine
- salt, pepper and ground nutmeg
Filling:
Over media heat, sauce onion in a fry pan for one minute. Increase heat to medium high and add garlic and spinach, saute until wilted (about 3 minutes). Stir in sun-dried tomatoes and then transfer the mixture to a colander. Strain by pressing the back of a wooden spoon into the mixture, you want to remove excessive moisture by doing this. While the mixture cools, wipe frying pan clean and set aside for next step.
Transfer the spinach mix to a bowl and add Parmesan cheese, season with salt and white pepper. Set aside to blend flavors, get started on the chicken.
The Chicken
Place each chicken breast between 2 sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap and pound to a 1/4 inch thickness. Place one slice of cheese on each breast, spoon 1/4 of the spinach filling onto the bottom center of each cheese slice and shape into a rectangle (log shape). Make sure the filling doesn’t stick out over the edges of the chicken breast.
Tuck the sides of the breast and roll tightly, secure with toothpicks. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Farenheit. Warm oil in fry pan over medium heat, spread flour in a plate. Dust chicken breasts in flour taking care to coat evenly, http://agenbola108.net like to add chicken to the pan and brown for 6- 7 minutes on all sides.
Transfer chicken to prepared baking dish, place in the center of oven and reduce temperature to 375 degrees. Bake 12 minutes or until cooked through. Remove chicken to warm plates and let stand for 3 minutes, don’t forget to remove the toothpicks!
Put It All Together!
Make the wine mushroom sauce while the chicken is baking. Melt butter in small frying pan, add the onion and saute until golden, add mushrooms and saute another two minutes.
Pour in the wine and deglaze the pan taking care to dislogde the good brown bits in the bottom. Cook over medium high until the wine has evaoporated by half, or about two minutes. Add cream and simmer for two minutes while sauce thickens. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Spoon sauce over the chicken and serve immediately. Great with wild rice and a tossed green salad. Serves four.
Popular Italian Cheeses
The cheeses of Italy are varied and complex, they come from cows, goats, sheep and even water buffalo! In order to give you a brief look at Italian cheeses we’d need a very big book, there are hundreds of types and variations of each of them. I am going to focus on some of the more well known, popular and delicious Italian cheeses you can find in your local supermarket, and will also mention a couple you’ll find in an international or Italian grocer.
Popular Italian Cheeses
- Gorgonzola – Made from cow’s milk, this king of Italian cheese is famous for being “blue” when it’s actually green! Pairs well with apples, pears and peaches. Wonderful to cook with, has a sharp fragrance and is creamy -crumbly.
- Mascarpone – Made from cow’s milk, this 88 percent butterfat cheese is like cheese flavored butter. It’s slightly tart, and easily perishable so take care to keep cold.
- Mozzarella – The good stuff is made from water buffalo milk, mass produced is from cow’s milk. The water buffalo cheese can be very pungent, very difficult to find and extremely expensive. Both cow’s and water buffalo mozzarella is stringy and pully and is indispensable in Italian cooking.
- Parmigiano – Made from cow’s milk. If there can be a second “king” of Italian cheeses it’s this one because it’s a stable of many Italian dishes. Grated fresh or eaten in a chunk, it is pure heaven for http://multipoker88.com member. Smooth luscious and superbly flavored.
- Provolone – Like Mozzarella, the good stuff (another way of saying very expensive) is made from water buffalo milk and cow’s milk commerically. Mild fragrance and rubbery texture, it brings out the flavor in other ingredients making it a stable in Italian cooking.
- Ricotta – Made from goat, sheep, water buffalo and here in the U.S. from cow’s milk. Another indespensable cheese in Italin cooking, it’s equally at home in a pasta dish like lasagne or a dessert like cannoli or ricotta pudding. Has a great taste and is so versatile!
Exotic And Hard To Find (In The United States)
Italian Cheeses:
- Robiola – Made from varying amounts of goat, sheep and cow’s milk, this fresh, soft and sometimes runny cheese is found in Northern Italy. Is piquant yet smooth, and has a wonderful aftertaste Good with pears and apples for dessert.
- Stracchino – Made from cow’s milk this cheese gets it name from a city near Bergamo. Folkore says the cheese has a “tired” flavor because the cows were moved constantly from field to field tiring them out. This moving from field to field is probably true but the different grasses found in each field is probably what made the milk taste differently, or “tired”. The cheese is soft, creamy and almost nutty in flavor, it can be paired with anything.
Cannoli Siciliana Recipe
Just thinking about cannolis makes my mouth water, they are one of my all time favorite desserts. Here’s a recipe my mother has used for at least 30 years and always with great result.
Cannoli:
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons shortening (Crisco)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 – 3/4 cup dry Marsala
- 1 egg slightly beaten
- 1 quart olive oil
Filling:
- 2 pounds ricotta cheese
- 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons finely chopped and assorted glaceed fruit*
- tablespoons finely chopped semi-sweet chocolate
- A few drops heavy cream, as needed to soften the cheese
* glaceed fruit – Smoothly coated with icing or crystals of sugar
I’ve heard of people that love http://citibola88.com using broom handles to make cannoli, I think it’s easier if you buy the metal cannoli tubes which are five inches long by about one inch in diameter.
Place the flour on a board or pastry marble, make a well and add the salt, shortening and sugar. Add a little wine and start mixing as you would for pie dough. The amount of wine you use will depend upon the flour absorption. Use as much as the dough will take. Keep mixing until you ahve a soft ball that is not crumbly. Kneed the dough for about seven to eight minutes until it is slightly glossy.
Cover the dough and set aside for an hour. Do not refrigerate unless you intend to use it the next day. In this case be sure to bring to room temperature before working.
Cut the dough into two pieces, roll each out as thin as possible. Cut four inch rounds with a cookie cutter or four inch squares with a knife. Wrap each piece of dough around a cannoli tube. Overlap the two edges and seal with a little beaten egg. Preheat the oil to 375. Drop prepared tubes two at a time, the cook quick in under a minute so don’t turn away! Fry tubes until golden brown, remove with tongs and drain on paper towel.
Wait ten seconds to drain then pick up (with tongs, they’ll be hot!) and with a thick kitchen towel,, carefully grasp the cannoli and pull the tube out. Stack the cannoli shells on a dish and repeat process until you’ve used all the dough.
Cannoli shells freeze beautifully so you can make a bunch when you have time and then freeze. Just be sure to wrap them tightly. They can also be stored in a refrigerator for 10 days if you don’t want to fill them right away.
Mix the ricotta, sugar, fruit and chocolate using just enough cream to make it soft but not runny. Just before serving, pipe the filling into the cannoli shells. Decorate the ends with bits of pistachio, cherry or chocolate. Place the filled cannolis in cupcake wrappers so they won’t roll around and sprinkle liberally with confectioners sugar. They are best eaten by hand! If you’ve done everything right, they’ll be light as a feather, flaky and melt-in-your-mouth!!
