Le saumon enrobé

4 rice paper rounds

1/4 cup each shredded carrot and thinly sliced green onion

4 skinless salmon fillets (about 1 1/4 lb.)

2 tsp. vegetable oil

4 tsp. hoisin sauce

In shallow dish of hot water, soak rice paper until soft and pliable, about 30 seconds each.  Remove and arrange in single layer on clean towel; pat dry.  

Sprinkle 1 tbsp. each of the carrot and green onion in centre of each round; top with salmon.  One side at a time, tightly fold rice paper over salmon.

In ovenproof skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; cook bundles until browned and crisp, 1 minute per side.  Brush top and sides with hoisin sauce.  Transfer to 400 degree oven; bake until slightly firm to the touch, about 7 minutes.

Sesame Bok Choy

Meanwhile, whisk together soy sauce, sugar and vinegar until sugar is dissolved.

In wok or skillet, heat sesame oil over medium-high heat; stir-fry garlic, ginger and sesame seeds until golden, about 2 minutes.  Add bok choy and soy mixture; cover and cook until fork tender, about 3 minutes.  Serve with salmon bundles.

Lemon Cheesecake

Crust

10 lemon sandwich cookies,

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and heat to 350 degrees.  Process cookies in food processor until finely ground.  Add butter and zest and pulse until combined.  Press mixture into bottom of 9 inch springform pan.  Bake until lightly browned and set, about 10 minutes.  Cool completely on wire rack, at least 30 minutes.

Curd

1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk

1/4 cup sugar

Pinch salt

2 tablespoons juice from 1 lemon

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon heavy cream

While crust is cooling whisk egg, egg yolk, sugar, and salt together in double boiler.  Add lemon juice and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick and puddinglike, about 3 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in butter and cream.  Press through fine-mesh strainer into small bowl and refrigerate until needed.  (I skipped the straining step.)

Filling

1/4 cup juice from 2 lemons

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

1 1/2 pounds cream cheese

3/4 cup sugar

Pinch salt

1 1/4 cups heavy cream, room temperature

Combine lemon juice and gelatin in small bowl and let stand until gelatin softens, about 5 minutes.  Microwave until mixture is bubbling around edges and gelatin dissolves, about 30 seconds.  Set aside.

With electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese, sugar, and salt until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.  Add gelatin mixture and 1/4 cup curd, increase speed and beat until smooth and airy, about 3 minutes.

Finishing Touches

Pour filling into cooled crust and smooth top.  To make a swirl on top, pour thin lines of remaining curd on top of cake and lightly drag paring knife or skewer through lines to create marbled appearance.  Refrigerate until set, at least 6 hours.  Remove sides of pan.  This cheesecake can be covered in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Grandma's Rolled Sugar Cookies

1 ½ cups butter, softened

2 cups white sugar

4 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

5 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth.  Beat in eggs and vanilla.  Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour or overnight.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Roll out dough on floured surface ¼ to ½ inch thick.  Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter.  Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.  I like to use parchment paper.

Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven.  Cool completely.

For an icing that dries hard and shiny- 

1 cup icing sugar

2 teaspoons milk

2 teaspoons light corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon almond extract (or peppermint extract)

food coloring

Stir together the icing sugar and the milk until smooth.  Beat in the corn syrup and flavoring until the icing sugar is smooth and glossy.  If the icing is too thick, add more corn syrup.

Divide into smaller bowls if more than one color is to be used and add food colorings.  Dip cookies or paint with a brush.  

Chewy Raisin Oatmeal Cookies

These cookies are definitely yummy and it's the best oatmeal recipe I've found so far.  I've tried it with unsalted butter as well as salted butter.  Unsalted is best.  I've tried it with regular quick oatmeal and it works but it's much better with the "steel cut oatmeal", more flavor and a nicer texture.

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 cup dark brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 cups oats (not instant)

1 1/2 cups raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Whisk dry ingredients; set aside.
Combine wet ingredients with a hand mixer on low.
To cream, increase speed to high and beat until fluffy and the color lightens.
Stir the flour mixture into the creamed mixture until no flour is visible.  Don't overstir.
Now add the oats and raisins.
Drop 2 tsp. of mixture onto a baking sheet sprayed with nonstick spray.
Bake 11 to 13 (on center rack) until golden, but still moist beneath cracks on top.
Remove from oven; let cookies sit on baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to rack to cool.
Grandma

Sweet and Sour Spareribs

1 cup cold water

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 to 1/2 cup vinegar (can use half sweet pickle juice)

ketchup (about 1/2 bottle)

1 1/2 tbsp. cornstarch

soy sauce as desired

Combine water, sugar, vinegar and bring to a boil.  Add ketchup.  Mix cornstarch with a little water and add.  Add 2 pounds of browned spareribs (cut for sweet and sours) to above sauce and simmer for about 2 hours.

Oma's Carrot Cake

Oma gave Grandma this recipe in 1979 and it has been a hit ever since.  Last year we enjoyed the carrot cake for Oma's 85th birthday in August just when the carrot crop was at it's best.


2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 to 2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups oil
4 unbeaten eggs
3 cups shredded carrots
2/3 to 1 cup chopped nuts

Mix flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, oil and eggs with mixer.  Stir in by hand the carrots and nuts.  Makes about two 9" x 9" or two 8" x 8" pans.  (For Oma's birthday I used one deep round pan.)  Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 8 oz package cream cheese

1/2 cup butter

 1 pound icing sugar

Baked Brie

1/2 cup blanched almonds

pinch of ground cayenne, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg and salt

1 wheel (350 g) Double Cream Brie Cheese

3 tbsp. apricot jam

1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary

1.  Preheat oven to 375. 

2.  Toast almonds in a skillet over medium heat, stirring until golden brown, about 5 to 7 minutes.  Turn off heat and stir in spices and salt.  Reserve 2 tbsp. almonds for garnish and roughly chop remaining nuts.

3.  Slice brie in half horizontally.  Place bottom portion in the Brie Baker, spread 2 tbsp. jam on cut surface and sprinkle with chopped nuts and 1/4 tsp. rosemary.  Top with remaining cheese, spread remaining jam on top and sprinkle with the reserved whole nuts.

4.  Place covered Brie Baker on a baking sheet.  Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until cheese is melted.  Garnish with remaining rosemary and serve with crackers and sliced apples.

Enjoyed this for lunch today with Oma.  We both thought that this recipe is worth repeating.