Cinnamon Pinwheels (Cinnamon Bun Cookies)

COOKIE BASE
3/4 c butter, softened
3/4 c sugar

1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla

1 3/4 c unbleached flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder

3 TBS milk

CINNAMON FILLING
1/2 c light brown sugar
2/3 c finely ground walnuts (may be omitted)
1 TBS cinnamon

2 TBS melted butter

GLAZE
2 c powdered sugar
2-4 TBS milk
1/4 tsp vanilla

Cream butter on medium speed of stand mixer until light; gradually add sugar, continue beating until light & fluffy. Beat in egg yolk & vanilla.

Blend flour & baking powder together in small bowl. Add to creamed mixture alternating with milk in 2 batches each. Mix until well blended.

Turn dough out onto sheet of plastic wrap, shape into disk. Chill until firm & easy to handle.

Meanwhile, combine brown sugar, nuts & cinnamon in small bowl.

When dough is thoroughly chilled, turn out onto generously floured sheets of wax paper. Turn to coat well with flour. Place another sheet of wax paper over the dough, & roll out into a 9x12 rectangle, about 1/8 inch thick. Remove top sheet of wax paper.

Using pastry brush, evenly spread melted butter over dough surface. Sprinkle filling evenly over dough. Roll up dough (jelly roll style) into a tight log.

Cut log in half using very sharp knife. Wrap each half in wax paper & chill in freezer until very firm. (The firmer the dough, the easier to cut & maintain shape.) At this point, you can wrap log in foil & freeze for later use.

Preheat oven to 375. Line large cookie sheet with parchment.

Working with 1 log at a time, remove chilled dough from freezer & slice into 1/4 inch pieces. Place cookies on prepared sheet about an inch apart (cookies will spread). Bake for 10-12 minutes until light brown around the edges. Remove from oven & let cool on pan for a minute. Remove to wire rack to cool. Glaze if desired.

For glaze, combine all ingredients & stir until smooth; spread over cooled cookies. Allow to harden before storing.

Makes about 4 dozen.

Chipotle Steak Chili (Game Day Chili)

3 TBS olive oil
2 lbs sirloin tip steak, trimmed & cut on the diagonal into bite size pieces

2 medium onions, diced (about 1 c)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large hot banana (Hungarian) pepper*, seeded & chopped

1 - 28 oz can petite diced tomatoes with juice
1 - 15 oz can tomato sauce
1/2 - 1 - 7.5 oz can** chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped
2 cans reduced sodium dark red kidney beans, rinsed & drained

3/4 tsp cumin
3/4 tsp ground coriander

Heat oil in 5 qt Dutch Oven over medium high heat until hot; add steak pieces & cook until evenly browned. Add onion & garlic; saute until onion just begins to become translucent. Add banana pepper & cook 2 minutes more.

Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, chipotles (to taste) & adobo sauce; combine well. Add beans & seasonings; stir to combine.

Heat just until bubbles begin to rise to the surface, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low simmer. Cover & simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Be careful not to scorch your chili; the sauce thickens a lot during the final half hour of cooking.

Serve with shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack.

*may substitute green pepper for the banana to tone it down a bit
**1/2 can = "3 alarm" heat; 1 can = "5 alarm"

Barbacoa (Spicy Shredded Beef)

3 TBS olive oil
2 lb boneless top sirloin roast, fat removed

3 c. beef broth
1 - 10 oz can red enchilada sauce

1 large onion, halved & sliced thin
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1 large (or 2 smaller) jalapeno, sliced into thin strips

Heat oil in large Dutch oven/cast iron pot over medium high heat; add beef roast, turning until all sides are seared.

Combine broth & enchilada sauce; pour over beef. Add onions, garlic & jalapeno to broth, leaving some on top of the roast. Cover & simmer, stirring occasionally, for at least 3 hours. Add more liquid if necessary to keep meat evenly covered.

Turn off heat; remove roast to large carving board. Shred (you should be able to just pull the meat apart) & place in large ceramic bowl. Pour 1/2 c. of the cooking broth over the shredded meat.

Serve with warm tortillas, rice & beans.

For sandwiches, place meat on crusty rolls & top with slices of Pepper Jack cheese.

Peachy Pork Medallions with Peach Salsa

SALSA:
1-16 oz can lite peach slices packed in their own juice, not syrup
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
2 small fresh serrano peppers; seeded & finely chopped
1/2 of medium red bell pepper, diced
1/4 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
juice of one small lime
coarse ground sea salt

Drain peaches, reserving juice for pork glaze; dice into 1/2 inch pieces.

In a medium glass bowl, gently combine peaches, garlic, red onion, serrano & red bell peppers, & ginger. In very small bowl, blend vinegar & lime juice; pour over salsa & stir gently to blend. Salt to taste.

Chill salsa for at least one hour.

PORK:
1.25 lb pork tenderloin, cut into 1/2 inch slices
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander

1 c warm chicken broth
1 TBS cornstarch
reserved peach juice

In large non-stick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. When hot, add the pork in a single layer and sprinkle with half of the cumin & coriander.

Saute 4 minutes, then turn over, sprinkle with remaining seasoning, & saute until cooked through, 3-4 minutes more.

While pork is cooking, warm chicken broth in microwave using heat-proof measuring cup. Add the cornstarch & stir until smooth.

Pour the broth/cornstarch mixture into the skillet along with the peace juice; stir gently. Simmer until slightly thickened & heated through, 2 - 3 minutes.

Serve with Peach Salsa & Cinnamon Jasmine Rice.



Frugal Friday

Tiramisu

Classic Tiramisu with Sponge Cake & Zabaglione

SPONGE CAKE
1 c milk
1/4 c butter
2 c unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
4 large eggs
2 c sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 325. Grease & flour 9x13 pan.

In small saucepan, combine milk & butter. Heat on low just until butter melts, remove from heat & set aside to cool slightly.

In small bowl, sift together flour, baking powder & salt. Set aside.

In large mixing bowl, beat eggs on medium high speed for 4 minutes. Add sugar & continue beating another 5 minutes until light. Turn mixer to low speed & add vanilla, mixing until just combined. Add dry ingredients & blend on low speed until just combined. Do not overbeat.

Pour batter into prepared pan; bake for 35-40 minutes until cake is lightly browned & springs back when touched in center (or tests clean). Remove from oven to cool on wire rack; loosen edges by drawing a sharp knife around. Allow to cool for 10 minutes; turn out on wire rack to cool completely.

COFFEE GLAZE
1 c. espresso (or other strong coffee)
1 TBS raw cane sugar (may substitute granulated)

Brew espresso, add sugar & stir to dissolve. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

ZABAGLIONE
1 lb (2 tubs) mascarpone cheese (room temperature)

1 & 1/2 c whipping cream

4 large egg yolks
1/2 c granulated sugar
1/2 c Marsala (or Tawny Port)

2 TBS Dutch cocoa powder

Turn the mascarpone into a large mixing bowl; mash until creamy.
Pour whipping cream into medium glass bowl & place in refrigerator to chill; place metal beaters in freezer for 10 minutes, then transfer to fridge to keep cold.

Put 2 inches of water in sauce pan & bring to a boil. Place yolks in small heat proof mixing bowl (one that will fit as an insert into the saucepan without touching the water level); whisk until light & fluffy. Add sugar & whisk to combine. Add Marsala & whisk well. Place bowl over simmering water & whisk constantly until custard mixture thickens. Do not allow to come to a boil! Remove from heat & whisk another minute. Allow to cool slightly while whipping the cream.

Whip the chilled cream using the chilled beaters. Do not overbeat or allow cream to "curdle".

Add the custard to the mascarpone & whisk until smooth. Gently fold the whipped cream into the custard mixture just until combined & smooth.

TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE
Slice the cooled Sponge Cake in half horizontally to make 2 layers. Place one layer in the bottom of a clean 9x13 pan. Brush generously with 1/3-1/2 the coffee glaze. Cake should be moist, but not soaked. Evenly spoon 1/2 the zabaglione cream over the bottom layer; spread to smooth. Repeat with remaining cake layer & zabaglione.

Place cocoa powder in mesh strainer; tap gently to sprinkle lightly over top of Tiramisu.

Chill for at least 3 hours before serving.

Pan de Muerto (Mexican Dead Bread)

6 c. unbleached flour, divided (2 c. & 4 c.)
2 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
1/2 tsp. sea salt
3 tsp. anise seed
1/2 c. granulated sugar

1/2 c. butter (1 stick)
1/2 c. 1% milk
1/2 c. warm water

4 eggs, lightly beaten
3 tsp. orange zest

Glaze:
1/2 c. fresh orange juice
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 TBS. orange zest

raw sugar

Combine 2 cups of the flour, yeast, salt, anise seed and 1/4 cup of the sugar in a large ceramic mixing bowl. Mix well with wooden spoon until combined. Make a well in the center.

In medium saucepan, heat the milk and the butter together until the butter is just melted. Remove from heat and stir in the warm water. The mixture should be 110 degrees F; stir to cool if necessary until desired temperature is reached.

Pour the warm milk mixture into the center of the dry ingredients, stirring well with wooden spoon to blend. Add the beaten eggs and orange zest, beating until well combined. Add 1 c. cup of flour, stirring to blend. Continue to add additional flour a cup at a time until soft dough forms.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic; adding more flour as necessary.

Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl, flipping once to make sure all surfaces are greased. Cover with greased plastic wrap & cotton towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size; about 1-1 1/2 hours. Punch the dough down. Divide dough in half. Working with one half at a time, shape it into a large round loaf with a round knob on top. Place dough onto greased baking sheet, loosely cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise again in warm place for about 1 hour or until just about doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake breads for about 35 to 45 minutes until golden brown & "hollow" sounding when thumped. Remove to wire racks and let cool slightly.

Combine all glaze ingredients in micro-proof measuring cup. Heat for 2 minutes, then stir. Heat an additional minute or two until all sugar is dissolved. Brush glaze over breads. Immediately sprinkle with raw sugar. Cool completely & allow glaze to harden before storing.

Olive Oil, Sea Salt, Cocoa Brownies

3 large eggs
1 & 1/2 c. sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil*

1/2 c. Dutch process cocoa powder
1 & 1/2 c. unbleached flour
1 tsp sea salt

powdered sugar

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with olive oil cooking spray. Cut a piece of parchment to fit just the bottom of the pan; insert & spray well.

In a large ceramic mixing bowl, whisk the eggs until thick. Add the sugar 1/2 cup at at time, whisking well after each addition. Whisk until the mixture is thick and creamy. Add vanilla & stir in completely.

Slowly drizzle the olive oil into the egg mixture while steadily whisking to incorporate.

Add the cocoa, flour & salt to the egg mixture, stirring gently just until moistened.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.

Bake 28-32 minutes until some small crumbs cling to tester & batter is no longer "wet".

Remove from oven & let cool on wire rack 5 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Cool completely before cutting.

*Experiment with infused olive oil such as Blood Orange or Chili Pepper for Brownies with more depth & flavor.