Shortbread Done Right Reload-Learn to Cook Series

The previous recipe is still OK, but when I went to print this for my hubby, I realized that there are some spelling and grammar mistakes in the previous version.  I also added another trick to the process.  This is now added to the Learn to Cook Series™

Tips & Tricks

Ingredient Tips
Shortbread recipes are pretty simple, but there are a few techniques that make them great. The first thing is to start with good "Butter"; real butter. Margarine is noticeably different. This is not a recipe that you will make if you are worried about calories. This is a simple indulgence, and very tasty.

The second secret to really flaky, great textured shortbread is rice flour. My recipe is made with one cup of flour, and it does pretty well with just all-purpose flour. By substituting 1/4 cup of rice flour as part of the one cup flour, the texture is improved greatly.

Flour Freshness is important to this delicately flavored recipe. Because there aren't many ingredients in the recipe the rancid taste of old flour will stand out, you need to be sure that the flour is fresh. One of my favorite tricks for keeping flour fresher longer is storing it in the refrigerator. I put it in a glass or PBA safe plastic canister. PBA safe plastic is simple, play by the numbers, use containers with recycling numbers of #1, 2 or 4 and avoid the others.

Utensil Tips
I use the Brown Bag Shortbread Pans. These have proven to be outstanding for shortbread, and you can put them in the dishwasher, what a time savings. Most of the shortbread pans have intricate designs, and trying to wash them by hand proves to be very difficult. A pie plate will also work for this, but does not give the same browning on the bottom.

Do not try to process this with a mixer; I don't care how fancy it is. For one thing it makes the dough texture coarser, and for another the dough doesn't come together as nicely; quite a lot of unnecessary cleaning also. This is sooo easy to do by hand. All there is to clean is a bowl, spoon, and pan. Oh yeah, and a measuring spoon.

Ingredients

1 Stick of Unsalted Butter at room temperature

¹/₃ Cup Powdered Sugar

¼ teaspoon Vanilla-I prefer Watkins Double Strength Extract

¾ Cup All Purpose Flour-Make sure it is fresh with no rancid aroma-I like King Aurthur.

¼ Cup Rice Flour-Fresh with no rancid aroma-Bob's Redmill is what I use.

1/8 teaspoon of salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 325° Fahrenheit. Spray Brown Bag shortbread pan with nonstick cooking spray; be sure you get good coverage of the surface so you don't have a sticking problem. Make sure the spray is fresh and doesn't have a rancid smell. Using any other method to grease the Brown Bag pan may result in areas of poor coverage due to the patterns in the pan. A pie plate can be greased anyway you want.

In a small mixing bowl cream the powdered sugar, and butter together.

Add the vanilla to the butter & sugar, and mix thoroughly.

Add the flour and work it into the butter mixture. When it starts coming together I dump it into a bit of plastic wrap, and fold up two sides and press the dough together, give the wrap and dough a quarter turn and press again.  I pull the wrap off the dough and repeat until the dough is in a ball that doesn't fall apart ¹.  Then I just pick it up in my hands and knead it by folding it in half, and squeezing it together; then in half again and squeeze. I keep doing the fold/squeeze until I have nice smooth dough. This can take a few minutes to do right. I've been known to walk into the living room to check on the TV while kneading the dough. :) You can use conventional kneading methods on a floured board, but my texture is lighter because I'm not incorporating additional flour into mine.

Place the dough ball into the center of the pan. Press it out to the sides of the pan, try to maintain and even layer. I make sure that I press all cracks from the edges of the dough. Prick the dough with a fork all over, to allow steam to escape from the bottom of the pan.

Place in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden brown.

When it comes out of the oven I run a knife around the edge of my pan to loosen the shortbread. I place a dinner size plate over the top of the shortbread pan, and flip both of them over. The shortbread will probably just drop out of the pan, but if it doesn't, wrap the plant and pan on the counter, and it will drop out. If you didn't get enough nonstick spray, then some may stick in the pan.

I cut mine on the cut lines of my pan design, which is 8 pieces as soon as it comes out of the pan. A pie plate works for this also, and you can cut that into 8 pieces as well. Cutting it immediately make a much nicer presentation than when it cools more. If it is cold, all you get is a bunch of crumbs, and that looks, well...crumby.

This is so simple, and so good. I make this when I deserve an indulgent treat. My poor skinny hubby would like it more often, but my health just won't handle that, and I can't eat just one. I'd be willing to bet that most people would have trouble just eating one piece.

1 Add text.

I hope you enjoy.

Namaste

New Years Day Good JUJU Sausage & Sauerkraut Yummmy

I'm not a superstitious person, and I don't think my mother was either, however, we ate this meal every New Years Day for good luck.  I think it worked, because we have all lead rather charmed lives.  I expect it is a combination of all good education on the ethics that my family, especially my mother, continually filled our heads with.

This dish is a good combination of savory and sour, with just a bit of sweet and loaded with umami.  The flavors burst in your mouth.  The feel of this dish on the tongue is so satisfying that I eat way more than I should.  Oh that never happens, OH yes it does all the time.  OK here is the Good JUJU meal for 2013.

Ingredients

• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 Tablespoons grape seed oil
• 1 clove garlic minced
• Sausage, Polish, kielbasa, smoked-I like the kind that comes in a ring.  Chicken or turkey work here, but you may need a little more oil.  I found some good beef, pork and chicken combos.
• 1-1/2 Cups Rhine white wine
• Large Jar Sauerkraut-Drained and rinsed well; I used Eden Brand organic
• 2 cooking apples-cored and sliced-organic see this article about organic apples
• 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar or 3 Tablespoons Sucanat
• 4 whole cloves
• 3 crush juniper berries
• 1 bay leaf
• Ground pepper to taste
• Boiled Potatoes-I left the skins on.  I scrubbed them well with a brush and cleaner  I cubed them and cooked them at same time.

Procedure

• Heat oil over medium heat in a large dutch oven.  I really like to use my ceramic-over cast iron, covered one here, as you don't want to use anything reactive/metallic as you will get an off flavor from the high acid content, and the cast iron will keep even heat and nothing will burn in it. *I did see some new research on the iron skillet concept though, and it looks as though using one to cook acidic food is a good way to get iron into your diet.  As a chemist I realize that this would be true, but also, it might be hard on the pan also.  I'm going to try this some time, but not now. See recommendation here.
• Place the onions in the hot oil (do not get it hot enough to smoke).  Cook and stir for about 2 minutes and add the garlic, cook until onions are soft.
• Toss in the sausage and let this brown well, then remove from the pan.
• Pour in the white wine and deglaze the pan.
• Throw in the kraut, apples sugar, and spices; cover and cook until apples are done and falling apart into the sauerkraut, about 15 minutes.
• Throw the sausage and boiled potatoes into the Sauerkraut mix; cover and warm for about 10 minutes so the potatoes and sausage pick up the kraut flavor.
• Plate and enjoy.  This is an excellent winter food; very balanced.

I hope you enjoy this dish.  It is a winter favorite at our house.

Namaste

Smothered Cube Steak-Change Up Recipe©

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Oven Temperature:  350° F

When this starts cooking the whole family will be hanging out just waiting for it to be done.  This smells as good as it tastes.  It is simple and hearty.

Ingredients

• 1.5 # about 6 pieces of Cube Steak
• 1 Can Campbell’s Tomato Bisque
•  1 Can Campbell’s Beef Consommé
• ½ cups of diced onions, and mixed color dice bell pepper of choice-Each will give the steak a different flavor
• 1 Stalk of Celery chopped
• 2 Tbsp of Balsamic Vinegar
• 2 Tbsp of Worcestershire Sauce
• Dried Onion Granules for sprinkling on steaks while browning.  I’m not wild about the smell of frying beef.
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 Tbsp of Parsley Flakes
• Salt & Pepper to taste.  I don’t add salt, because there is lots of it in the soups.

 Preparation

Pre-heat oven to 350° F

Sprinkle the onion granules on the steak. Brown the steaks on medium high in an oven-proof Dutch oven.  One Tbsp of olive oil is enough for browning, depending on where you buy the steak, as some has less water in it.  While the meat is browning mix all the rest of the ingredients in a bowl, reserving about 1/4 of the beef consomme.  When all the meat is browned take it out of the pan and deglaze*(how to below) the pan using some of the beef consomme.  Place the meat back in the pan.  Pour the sauce over the meat making sure it is between layers.  Make sure there is enough liquid to cover the meat.  If you need more liquid, just add some water.  Bake for 1 hour or until meat is cooked through.

Reduce the gravy that is left in the bottom of the pan until it thickens to a good consistency for mashed potatoes.

Serve with mashed potatoes and a veggie.  I like spinach salad with mine.

How to Deglaze the pan:

Remove the meat from the pan.  Pour the beef consomme into the hot pan, and use a spatula or wooden spoon to scrape up the browned on meat bits from the bottom of the pan.  This is the deglazing, and should be done while the fire is still under the pan.  Place the meat back in the pan and proceed with the recipe as defined above.

Change Ups©: 

• Add 1 can of flavored diced tomatoes, or stewed tomatoes, instead of the tomato bisque.
• Use soy sauce instead of the Balsamic and Worcestershire, and add 1 Tbsp of sweetener of choice.
• You can leave out the onion granules if you don’t mind the smell of frying beef.
•  Add 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek to either rendition of this sauce.
•  Serve over brown or white rice of choice.
• .Use wine to deglaze the pan, and skip the balsamic vinegar in the sauce.

 The term Change Up Recipe is a copyright of WTP.