Kaite's Collected Recipes

Here are some recipes that people have asked me for over the years.
I hope you enjoy them too. Please send comments or suggestions to me here. Thanks, Kaite.

Nick also has some recipes here


Blonde Blondies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Grease and flour 9" x 13" pan

Blend:
1-1/4 sticks butter or margarine
2 cups brown sugar

Add:
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla

Mix well and add:
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Once dry ingredients are incorporated add the following, saving approximately 1/4 cup of each to sprinkle on top of bars:
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 cup chopped nuts

Bake 30 - 40 minutes, until golden brown.


Veronika's German Berry Cake with Nuts

Preheat oven to 360 degrees

200 g flour (approx. 1 1/2c)
1 tsp. baking powder
80g soft butter (just under 6Tbsp)
60g sugar (1/4c)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
dash salt
4-5 tbsp. fruit juice (fresh orange or apple are recommended)

Mix the above in a mixer to form a ball of dough.
Lightly grease 22/24cm (9-10") spring form pan. Spread dough out evenly with fingers and make a 3cm edge up side of pan.

400g Berries, raspberry or goose berries are good choices (more makes it better!) (1- 1 1/2 pints)
*100g Creme Fraiche (about 7 Tbsp.)
2 eggs (or 4 egg whites)
50-80g sugar or honey (1/4c. +/-)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
dash clove (optional)
1 ripe banana mashed
50g oat flakes coarsely ground (1/2c.)
80g ground hazelnuts or almonds (about 3 oz.)

Mix creme fraiche, eggs, sugar, cinnamon (& cloves) and oat flakes. Blend in the mashed banana and ground nuts.

Spread 1/2 the above filling onto the dough, then spread 2/3's of the fruit, then rest of filling and finish with the fruit.

Bake about 50 minutes until "golden" colored. Turn off oven and let cake stand 5 minutes in oven before taking it out. Go around edge of cake with some sort of knife/spatula to loosen cake from the pan. Remove spring form side. Let cool and later hopefully - Guten Appetit!! Is goood served with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

NOTE: The fruit can be anything in season - berries, apricots, plums - you pick it.

* A substitution for creme fraiche is 50% sour cream combined with 50% heavy cream, let mixture sit on counter in covered container for 12 hours, then refrigerate for 24 hours.


Lemon-Cheesecake Tarts

From "Simple Desserts" by Ken Haedrich
Prep:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees
Grease 12 cup muffin pan (normal size)
12 strips of 1" wide x 8" long wax paper, put one strip into each muffin cup and snug along bottoms & sides - they will overhang the cups.

Crust:
1 sleeve/pkg. plain graham crackers crushed or 1/3 lb pre-crushed crumbs
1/4c. brown sugar
1/4tsp. cinnamon
1tbsp. flour
1tsp. water
5tbsp. melted butter
Blend well. Divide amongst the muffin cups starting with 1 heaping tablespoon full and divvying up the remainder. Press the crumbs into the cups bringing the crumbs about 1/2 way up the sides. Chill.

Filling:
8oz. cream cheese - softened
1/2c. sugar
1 egg
1/4c. sour cream
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
juice from 1/2 lemon
Beat the cream cheese with the sugar until smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend well. Spoon the filling into the chilled crusts. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the tarts are just puffed - DON'T OVER BAKE! Cool on a rack until they are room temperature. Gently pull the 2 ends of the wax paper tabs to loosen the tarts, leaving them still in the pan. Cover and chill 4 hours and then remove from pan and pull off paper. Enjoy!


Rice and Vegetable Salad

From "The Silver Palate Cookbook" by Julee Rosso & Sheila Lukins
(8 to 10 portions)

8 cups hot cooked rice
1 1/2 - 2 cups "Our Favorite Vinaigrette" (see below)
1 sweet red pepper, stemmed, cored, and cut into thin julienne
1 green pepper, stemmed, cored, and cut into thin julienne
1 medium-size purple onion, peeled and diced
4 scallions (green onions), cleaned and finely sliced
1 cup dried currants
2 shallots, peeled and finely diced
1 package (10 ounce) frozen peas, thawed and blanched in boiling salted water 2 min.
1/2 cup pitted black olives (preferably imported), finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
salt and pepper, to taste

1. Transfer rice to a mixing bowl and pour 1 1/2 cups vinaigrette into rice. Toss thoroughly. Cool to room temperature.
2. Add remaining ingredients (*) and toss thoroughly. Taste, correct seasoning, and add additional vinaigrette if you like.
3. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate up to 4 hours. Return to room temperature before serving.

* I find it easiest to toss the veggies before adding so they blend in more evenly.

Our Favorite Vinaigrette (1 cup)

1 tablespoon prepared Dijon-style mustard
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
minced parsley and/or snipped chives, to taste
1/2 cup olive oil

1. Measure mustard into a bowl. Whisk in vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper and herbs to taste.
2. continue to whisk mixture while slowly dribbling in the olive oil until mixture thickens. Adjust seasoning to taste. Cover until ready to use. (Vinaigrette is best if made just before it is to be used.) If necessary, whisk again before serving.


Roasted Vegetable Tart

Crust:
1 Tbsp. dry yeast
3/4c. + 2 tbsp. warm water
Pinch of sugar
2 3/4c (approx.) flour
2 tbsp. mixed herbs*
1 tsp. salt
Dissolve yeast in water with sugar, let sit for 10 minutes. Add the herbs, salt and 2/3's of the flour. Mix until you have a soft dough, put the dough on a board and knead in the remaining flour until dough is elastic. Put into greased bowl & cover and let rise 1-2 hours until slightly more then doubled. Once dough has risen punch down and shape for your pan (Note: I use the Cloche which is about 10" in diameter with a sprinkle of cornmeal underneath. A substitute might be a springform pan or pie plate greased & cornmealed) Cover and let it rise until doubled.

Topping:
1/2c. chunky tomato sauce (not too much juice)
3c. roasted vegetables (peppers, onion, squash - whatever)**
1/2c. cheese (optional)
Spread the tomato sauce on the dough, top with the roasted veggies & cheese. Bake in preheated 400¡ oven for 15 minutes covered, then for 5-10 minutes uncovered.

* Use what you like - I use parsley, sage, rosemary & basil (thyme would probably be good too)

** I roast the veggies in one pan with a bit of olive oil at 450 degrees for about 30 minutes.


Irish Soda Bread

2 c. All Purpose Flour
2 c. Whole Wheat Flour (or 1c Whole Wheat/1c Oat Flour*)
3 Tblsp. Brown Sugar
1 Tblsp. Baking Powder
1 Tsp. Baking Soda
1 Tsp. Salt
1 c. Raisins

Blend all this together in large bowl.

1 1/2 c. Buttermilk
3 Tblsp. Molassas
2 eggs
2 Tblsp. Butter, melted (optional)

Whisk the liquids together. Add liquids into the flour mixture. Stir until most of the dry stuff is incorporated, then scoop out of bowl onto floured surface and knead in a few tablespoons of flour until it is not sticky. Form dough into a circle and press into a 9" round cake pan (lightly greased & floured). Score top into a cross. Bake 50 minutes in a 375 degree oven.


Vegetable Paella

from Bon Appetit May 1992

1/2c water
1/4 tsp saffron threads
- Boil water, add saffron and let sit 10 minutes

2 tbsp olive oil
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 med onion, diced
2 cloves garlic
- Saute unit onions are golden (about 10 minutes). Reduce heat to medium.

1 1/2c rice
- Add to veggies, coat with oil and cook 3-4 minutes

3c stock
2c escarole or chard
1c canned tomatoes (drained)
3/4 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
- Add to rice & veggies and cook 20-40 minutes covered (depending on type of rice used - brown takes longer)

1 - 15oz can cannellini
1/2c peas
1 small jar marinated artichokes
- Stir in peas and beans gently, place artichoke hearts on top and let cook
5 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes.