This is the fourth post out of twelve. Every Monday I am going to post a recipe from my Christmas cookie collection. I have already posted about my Almond Crescents, no cook S'mores and Almond cups.

These Coconut macaroons are so soft and chewy. Most coconut macaroon cookie recipes do not require any cooking prior to baking. These do require cooking. That extra step is worth it. It adds a great chewy texture on the inside.

1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon almond extract or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 bag (14 oz) sweetened shredded coconut (about 5 1/3 cups lightly packed)
1- 1/2 cups finely shredded unsweetened coconut
2 egg whites, slightly beaten

1-tablespoon water

Directions

Heat oven to 325°F. Line 1 large or 2 small cookie sheets with cooking parchment paper.

In 1-quart saucepan, combine sugar, water and corn syrup. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; simmer 30 seconds to 1 minute, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat; stir in almond extract.

In large bowl, combine sweetened coconut and 1 cup of the unsweetened coconut. Pour sugar mixture over coconut; beat with electric mixer on low speed until well mixed. Add cream cheese and egg whites; beat on low speed until blended.

Place remaining 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut in shallow bowl. With moistened hands, firmly shape rounded tablespoonfuls of coconut mixture into balls; roll in unsweetened coconut to coat. Place 1 inch apart on cookie sheet.

Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely, at least 30 minutes. Store in tightly covered container at room temperature.

Easter Dinner

Easter dinner I made Delicious ricotta cheese Cavatelli sautéed with broccoli in Olive oil, Garlic and spices.  It was so Yummy!

 

 Instructions:

• 3 cups (1 pound) all purpose flour
• 1 pound ricotta cheese
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Directions to the Cavatelli dough.

Put 2 1/2 cups of the flour into a bowl, make a well in the flour, and add the cheese and eggs. Gradually work the mixture together, adding more flour if necessary, to make a soft but not sticky dough. On a lightly floured surface, kneed the dough until it is smooth. Let the dough rest at room temperature, covered with an inverted bowl or wrapped in plastic, for 30 minutes.

Form the dough into a round and cut into quarters. Working with one quarter at a time (cover the remaining dough with an inverted bowl to keep the dough from drying out), on a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a rope 1/4 inch in diameter.
You can roll the pasta two different ways.  One way is with a knife, cut the rope into 1/2-inch pieces. On the back of a fork, gently press the pasta on the fork with your thumb, beginning at the top and moving down toward the bottom, dragging your thumb toward you and causing the pasta to roll over on itself. Transfer the formed pasta to a lightly floured pan and let dry at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. The other method of rolling the pasta is using a machine. 

Bring a saucepan of salted water to a boil, and add the pasta. Cook until the cavatelli are al dante, 6 to 8 minutes. They're done when they float up to the top. Drain and toss the desired quantity with your favorite sauce. Freeze leftovers.

The dinner I made for Easter.

1/4 cup of olive oil
1/2 onion chopped into small pieces
2 cloves of garlic chopped into spall pieces
1/2 cup of vegetable broth
Mrs. Dash, sundried tomato & Basel spice. 
Fresh Broccoli, rinsed and cooked in the microwave for 2 minutes
1 lb. of cavatelli
salt  and pepper to taste

I heated some 1/4 cup olive oil up in a frying pan and sauté onions and garlic.  Add the cooked broccoli and sauté for two minutes.  Set broccoli & onions aside. 

Bring a saucepan of salted water to a boil, and add the pasta. Cook until the cavatelli are al dante, 6 to 8 minutes. They're done when they float up to the top.

In the same frying pan you cooked the broccoli and onions, add the remaining olive oil.  Put the cooked cavatelli in the frying pan, add all the spices and vegetable broth.  Sauté for about three minutes then add the broccoli and onions back in.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir for one minute and serve. 

Serves four

 

 

 

Turkey Croquets

I have Turkey coming our of my ears.  I am done with the Turkey. Thursday the turkey was wonderful. Friday the turkey sandwiches were great. Saturday the Turkey salad was perfect. Sunday the pot pie was so comforting. Then I had to think of something else to make with that last bit of leftover turkey. I was dreading turkey again. I love turkey but come on. Enough is enough. I have to say this is about all I can handle. Even though I still have turkey leftover I was ready to ditch it. Then I remembered something my mother made when I was a kid. Turkey croquettes!! These croquettes are so good and let me tell you it puts a new twist on leftover turkey.

Croquettes
4 cups of chopped turkey
2 cups of leftover stuffing
2 cups of leftover mashed potatoes
2 cups of seasoned bread crumbs
Oil for frying
3 eggs beaten
Mix turkey stuffing and mashed potatoes together and roll in a cone shape. Approximately 1-1/2 inches round and 2-1/2 inches tall.  Dip them in the egg and then coat them in seasoned bread crumbs. Fry to a golden brown.

Sauce:
1 cup of leftover turkey gravy
2 cups of milk.
1/3 cup of chopped parsley
1 cup of frozen peas
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons of corn starch and 1/4 cup of milk. Mix together and set aside.
Heat all remaining ingredients together. As soon as the sauce starts to boil turn down heat and add the corn starch mixture. Continuously sure until thicken.
Pour over your Croquettes and you have it.  the best leftover turkey dinner.

Makes 12 Turkey Croquettes

The great thing about this recipe is.......If you do not have mashed potatoes you can substitute the mashed with stuffing.  The stuffing is a must because of all the flavor in them.

This is what you will need to fry the  Turkey Croquettes





Sauce:
Only four ingredients.
Peas, left over turkey gravy, milk & fresh parsley.  That easy!  Add salt and pepper to taste.  I do not use any because the turkey gravy has enough in it already. 

 

 

Turkey Croquettes

Stuffed Mushrooms

Delicious Stuffed Mushrooms

 

15 large mushrooms caps with stems removed

 1 pound of lean ground beef

2 tablespoons of Mrs. Dash tomato basil spice

1/8 cup of pine nuts

5 cooked slices of bacon crumbled.

3 tablespoons of Sun Dried Tomato Pesto

black pepper to taste

salt to taste

1/2 cup of milk

3 slices of white bread.

 

Blend the bread & milk together, then add all other ingredients and mix well. 

Take the mushroom caps and fill with mixture.

Bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees. 

 

 

 

 

Antipasto Salad

I only make this salad a couple of times a year and Thanksgiving is one of those times. 

It's so delicious and can be a total meal all by itself.  No more words are needed to describe this salad, just look at the pictures.



Antipasto Salad
1/2 cup of olive oil
5 leaves of fresh basil cut into strips
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
2 tablespoons of Mrs. Dash Tomato Basis spice.
1/2 onion, diced
2 stalks of celery, diced
1 small jar of mushrooms cut in half
6 large green olives sliced in half
10 large black olives sliced in half
3/4 cup of roasted red peppers, diced
8 artichokes cut in half
2x3 inch cube of mozzarella cheese cut into smaller cubes
2x3 inch cube of Feta cheese cut into smaller cubes
2x3 inch cube of Monterey jack cheese cut into smaller cubes
2 ham slices 1/4 inch thick, diced
8 thick slices of peperoni cut into fourths
8 thick slices of salami cut into fourths
2 cloves of garlic diced

Put the olive oil, Mrs. Dash spice salt and pepper in a bowl and mix.  In a separate large bowl, add all other ingredients, and mix in the dressing. 

 



Baked Ziti

This is a quick and easy meal. 

1-16 oz. box of Ziti macaroni, cooked in boiling water to desired tenderness.
6 cups of your favorite tomato sauce.  I use my home made sauce. (See recipe)
1 pound of lean ground beef
8 mushrooms diced and sautéed
1/2 large onion diced and sautéed
2 cloves of garlic diced
8 oz. mozzarella sliced
2 tablespoons Mrs. Dash, Sundried tomato basil spice

After everything is sautéed, line it up and layer it in a baking dish. 
start with some tomato sauce on the bottom, then some noodles, sprinkle the onions & mushrooms, layer the beef on top of that, ten put about 5 or 6 slices of cheese on the meet.  Start the layers all over again until you get to the top of your baking dish.  for the final touch add some cheese to the top and Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.

 Layering your ingredients!