Omenapiirakka (Finnish Apple Sour Cream Tart)

 

½ c. sugar

1 c. flour

½ tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. vanilla

¼ c. butter, melted

¾ c. sour cream

2-3 Granny Smith apples: peeled, cored, and thinly sliced

cinnamon and sugar

Using non-stick cooking spray, grease an 11-inch tart pan or a 9x13-inch baking pan.  Mix together the sugar, flour, soda, vanilla, butter, and sour cream.  Spread the batter into the greased pan (it will be thin).

You may need to grease the back of a large spoon in order to spread the batter.

Place the apple slices on top in a circular pattern (if using a tart pan) or in rows (if using a 9x13-inch pan). Sprinkle the apples with cinnamon & lots of sugar.

Place the tart into a cold oven and bake at 350* for 30-35 minutes, or until the cake starts to look lightly browned.

Serve cooled.

Sis. Peterson's magic brownies

280 g butter (1¼ cup)

300 g chopped chocolate (10.5 oz)

0.6 dl unsweetened cocoa powder (¼ cup)

4.7 dl granulated sugar (2 cups)

1.2 dl dark brown sugar (½ cup)

2 tl vanilla extract (2 tsp.)

2 tl salt (2 tsp.)

6 eggs

2.4 dl all-purpose flour (1 cup)

1.2 dl cocoa powder (½ cup)

Line a 9x13-inch dark metal pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on all sides.  Grease the parchment with softened butter.

Combine half of the chopped chocolate and 0.6 dl of cocoa powder in a heatproof liquid measuring cup or medium bowl and set aside.

Add the butter to a small saucepan over medium heat and cook until the butter just comes to a vigorous simmer, about 5 minutes, swirling the pan occasionally.  Immediately pour the hot butter over the chocolate mixture and let sit for 2 minutes.  Whisk until the chocolate is completely smooth and melted, then set aside.

Combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract, salt, and eggs in a large bowl.  Beat with an electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy, about 10 minutes.  It will be similar to the texture of a very thick pancake batter.

With the mixer on, pour in the slightly cooled chocolate and butter mixture and blend until smooth.

Position a rack in the middle of the over and preheat to 180*C (350*F).

Sift in the flour and remaining cocoa powder, add in remaining chocolate, and use a rubber spatula to gently fold until just combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top with a spatula.  Bake until lightly puffed on top, about 20 minutes.

Remove the baking pan from the oven using oven mitts or kitchen towels.  Lightly drop the pan on a flat surface 1-2 times until the brownies deflate slightly.

Return the pan to the oven and bake until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the brownies comes bout fudgy but the edges looked cooked through, about 20 minutes more.  The center of the brownies will seem under-baked, but the brownies will continue to set as they cool.

Set the brownies on a cooling rack and cool completely in the pan.

Use the parchment paper to lift.

Jammie Sunday yumminess

Cinnamon Rolls
1/2 c. oil
1/3 c. sugar
3 Tbsp. yeast
1 1/4 c. warm water
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 tsp. salt
5 1/4 c. sifted flour
1/4 c. butter, melted
1 1/2 Tbsp. cinnamon
1/2 c. sugar

Cream cheese frosting:
8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
3 T butter
½ tsp. vanilla
2 - 2 ½ c. powdered sugar

In a large bowl mix 1/3 c. sugar, yeast, oil, with warm water until dissolved.  Cover and let stand in warm place for 15 minutes.  Yeast will grow rapidly.

Blend eggs into yeast mixture.  Add salt to sifted flour.  Gradually add to yeast mixture to make soft dough.

Knead dough for 5 minutes on lightly floured surface.  Roll dough into rectangular shape until about 1/4 inch thick.

Brush dough with melted butter.  Combine sugar and cinnamon.  Sprinkle over dough.

Carefully roll up dough and cut into 1 inch slices.  Place in 2 greased 8 X 8 rectangular pans.  Let rolls rest for 10 minutes.

Bake at 425 F for 10 - 15 minutes until golden brown.  While rolls are baking, beat together cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract to make frosting.  Spread frosting on warm rolls before serving.

Chicken Potato Soup

Packet of Bacon
1 Onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 lbs potatoes, peeled and sliced. (I usually do about 7-8 potatoes)
1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breast
2 cups carrots, sliced (I usually do about 5-6 carrots)
1 parsnip, sliced
8 cups hot water
4 teaspoons better than bullion chicken
4 teaspoons better than bullion garlic
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper


Cook bacon in a pan on the stove, you want the bacon to start to get crispy because it's easier to chop when it is. If the bacon gets overly crispy don't worry, just leave the bacon out of the pan for the next step

Add the chopped onion and the minced garlic to the ban with the bacon grease, (and the bacon if it isn't too crispy, you don't want it to get burnt.) Cook the onion and garlic to soften it before putting it in a slow cooker or crockpot.

Place the chicken on top of the bacon, onion mixture. Add the vegetables on top of the chicken.

Make the broth by mixing the better than bullion pastes with the hot, almost boiling water. Once it is made pour it in the slow cooker.

Sprinkle the spices on top of the broth.

Cook on low for 8 hours

Once the 8 hours are up, pull the chicken out of the crockpot and shred it.

While the chicken is out of the crockpot blend the soup before adding the chicken back in and mixing the soup.

Enjoy!

Greek Salad

Salad
2 heads of lettuce, chopped
3 cucumbers, peeled and 2 chopped
3 bell peppers, chopped
2 packages of feta, (original and garlic work best)
1 package of fresco queso, chopped
1/2 package sliced ham, chopped
Kalamata olives

Dressing
1 lemon
1/4-1/2 cup of olive oil
1/4 cup kalamata olive brine
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Mix all of the salad ingredients in a large bowl.

In a two-cup mixing cup mix the ingredients for the dressing. You'll only want the juice from the lemon.

Pour the dressing over the salad and mix.

Taste the salad and adjust the seasoning until it tastes right.

Pasta Salad

3 boxes pasta
3-4 bell peppers
2 cucumbers
1/2 jar artichoke
1/2 package sliced ham
1 package fresco queso
Shredded carrots
Some of the artichoke brine
Garlic salt
Regular Salt
Pepper
Creamy Italian Salad Dressing

Cook pasta according to directions on the box

Chop all the vegetables, cheese, and ham while the pasta is cooking and cooling

Once the pasta is cooled add all of the chopped ingredients

Add the liquids, spices, and dressing to taste

Egg Drop Soup

Ingredients:

8 cups hot water, divided into 7 cups and 1 cup
8 teaspoons chicken better than bullion, divided the same way as the water
1/4-1/2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Mushrooms, cleaned and chopped. (I use about half a package)
2 tablespoons corn starch
6 eggs

Directions

Mix 7 teaspoons of bullion into 7 cups of hot water

Add the broth, ginger, soy sauce, pepper, and mushrooms to a large pot and bring to the boil

Stir occasionally

As the pot on the stove is coming to a boil mix the remaining bullion and hot water.

Add the corn starch to create a slurry

In a separe bowl lightly beat the eggs with a pair of chopsticks

Once the soup on the stove has come to a boil turn down the heat, to somewhere between medium and low

Add the slurry and continue to stir occasionally

Once the soup comes to a simmer add the eggs slowly, stirring with the chopsticks as you do so to create "ribbons"

Stir with the chopsticks for 2-3 minutes

Pull off the heat and serve as immediately as you can.