Rachel's Rugelach

Rachel's Rugelach - one of my family's favorite Holiday Cookies

Ingredients:

For the dough:
8 ounces of cream cheese at room temperature
1/2 pound unsalted butter at room temperature
1/4 cup (heaping) granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 heaping teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour

For the filling:
6 tablespoons of granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup finely chopped almonds
1/2 - 1 cup apricot preserves

For the top:
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk for egg wash
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:
Cream the cream cheese and the butter with an electric mixing bowl with the paddle attachment until light. Add 1/4 cup of granulated sugar, the salt, and the vanilla. With the mixer on a low speed, slowly add the flour and mix until the ingredients are just combined. Flour a large wooden cutting board and roll the dough into a ball on this board. Cut the ball into four quarters and wrap and refrigerate each piece in plastic for at least one hour.

While the dough is cooling, make the filling. Combine 6 tablespoons of granulated sugar, the brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, and the almonds in a medium sized bowl and set aside.

Like a baking sheet with parchment paper. Re-flour the large wooden cutting board. Take the 4 balls of dough out of the fridge one at a time, as needed. Keep the dough you are not using in the fridge to keep it cool because it is easier to work with colder dough. Roll each ball into about a 9-inch circle (one at a time) and spread each circle with approximately 2 - 4 tablespoons of apricot preserves, depending on how sweet you like your rugelach. The more preserves you use, the moister and sweeter they will be, but be warned, the preserves may run and cause the rugelach to stick. Sprinkle about 1/2 cup of the filling over the preserves and lightly press the filling into the dough. Cut the circle into 12 equal wedges by cutting it into quarters, and then cutting each quarter into thirds. Roll each of the 12 wedges by starting from the wide outer edge. Once rolled, place the cookies with the points tucked under on the bottom on the baking sheet that you lined with parchment paper. Put the baking sheet with the cookies into the refrigerator and chill for 30 minutes. While they are chilling, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

While the cookies are cooling, prepare the egg wash mixture and the cinnamon sugar mixture. After 30 minutes of cooling in the fridge, brush each cookie with the egg wash and sprinkle the combined mixture of 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon over all of the cookies. Bake for approximately 15 to 20 minutes, checking the cookies to make sure they do not burn. Cookies are done when they are lightly browned on the top. Immediately remove from the pan and place on a wire rack to let them cool. Once they are cool, store them in a plastic tupper ware contained to keep them fresh. You will notice in my picture the rugelach are upside down in the plastic container to keep them from sticking. Most importantly, enjoy!!!!!!! These are delicious and will go fast! I had to make this recipe twice because the first batch was eaten before Christmas!

***Note - you will also see in the picture that some of the rugelach were made with raspberry preserves and chocolate chips. You can change the fillings as you wish!

***Note - this recipe is based on Ina Garten's rugelach recipe. Thank you Ina!! 

Blueberry Coffee Cake - A Healthier Version

Blueberry Coffee Cake - A Healthier Version

Ingredients:

-cooking spray
-2 cups white whole wheat flour
-1 teaspoon baking soda
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-3 tablespoons sugar
-1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped almonds
-1/2 cup brown sugar
-2 tablespoons butter at room temperature
-2 tablespoons canola oil
-2 large eggs
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-1 cup plain nonfat yogurt
-1/2 to 3/4 cup fresh cleaned blueberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 8-inch square cake pan with cooking spray (I used glass pan).

Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. In a small bowl, stir together the granulated sugar, cinnamon, and almonds. In another large bowl, beat together the brown sugar, butter, and oil. Make sure to smooth out any lumps from the brown sugar. Beat in the eggs, adding in one egg at a time. When fully combined, beat in the vanilla and the yogurt. Next, add the flour mixture half at a time, and stir until just combined.

Spread half of the batter into the baking pan. Sprinkle half of the nut mixture over the batter and top with the blueberries. Gently press the blueberries into the batter without smashing them. Spoon the rest of the batter into the pan, smooth the top, and sprinkle the rest of the nut mixture over the top. Gently press the nut mixture into the top of the cake.

Insert the cake into the 350 degree F oven and bake for about 30 to 35 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick comes out of the center of the cake clean. Enjoy!!!

Delicious Healthy Pear Crumble

Delicious Healthy Pear Crumble - Yum!!!

Ingredients:

For the Pears:

-3 firm pears - I use the green pears - peeled, cored, and cut into bite sized cubes (about 1/2 inch)

-the juice of half a lemon

-1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I use organic)

-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (I use a heaping 1/2 teaspoon)

-2 teaspoons white whole wheat flour

For the Crumble:

-1/4 cup white whole wheat flour

-1 cup oats

-1/2 cup finely chopped almonds

-1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon depending how much you like cinnamon

-1/8 teaspoon salt

-3 tablespoon brown sugar

-4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature cut into small cubes

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

For the Pears: In a medium to large bowl, toss together the pears, lemon juice, cinnamon, vanilla, and 2 teaspoons of the flour. Pour the mixture into a round glass pie dish. 

For the Crumble Topping: In a medium bowl, stir together 1/4 cup of the white whole wheat flour, the oats, almonds, cinnamon, salt, and brown sugar. Add the butter, and incorporate into the dry ingredients using your fingers (clean hands!). Squeeze the mixture into clumps. When all of the butter is incorporated into the mixture, spread it evenly over the pears to cover them all. 

Place the pie dish in the oven and bake for 25 minutes at 375 degrees F. Check at 25 minutes and lower temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for approximately another 8 minutes, depending on how soft or firm you like your pears. The crumble should be golden brown and you can check the fruit with a fork. Serve warm and enjoy!

If you are not watching your calorie intake, this will be delicious with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream on top, or even the light vanilla ice cream from Trader Joe's! Enjoy!!!

**This recipe is adapted from Valerie Bertinelli and The Food Network**

Asian Style Chicken and Green Vegetables

Asian Style Chicken and Green Vegetables

Ingredients:
Chicken Marinade:
1 1/4 - 1 1/2 lbs. chicken tenders (I used organic, but this isn't required) - cut each tender into thirds
1 small shallot - finely minced
about 4 tbs Worcestershire
about 4 tbs Tamari or soy sauce (I used Tamari)
1/4 cup dry white cooking wine
3 tbs olive oil
2 medium cloves of garlic - grated or finely minced (I grated)
freshly ground black pepper - pinch
Combine all above ingredients in bowl or zip lock bag and marinate in refrigerator for anywhere from one hour to four hours

one medium zucchini - 3/4 inch slices cut into quarters
one head of broccoli - cut into small pieces, stems and florets (cut stems small so they cook fully)
10 oz. baby bella mushrooms (I used whole, but then I sliced them thinly, so you could buy whole or sliced)
1/4 cup chicken stock or broth
1 medium clove garlic finely minced
more olive oil
you will need more olive oil to sauté the vegetables in a pan on the stove
first, saute the mushrooms in about three tablespoons (tbs) olive oil and season with a little salt and pepper, cook until brown and then remove and place in separate dish. remove mushrooms with a slotted spoon, leaving behind the oil for the other vegetables.
next, cook the zucchini. if needed, add more oil. cook until zucchini is al dente. add a little salt and pepper. remove zucchini
now add the broccoli and saute with garlic, stirring frequently. add a little salt and pepper. you may need to add more olive oil to the broccoli. saute the broccoli and garlic, stirring frequently, for 3-5 minutes, until garlic starts to brown. then, add 1/4 cup of chicken stock or chicken broth. cover, lower heat, and let simmer for 3-5 minutes until broccoli is softened. remove lid until all the liquid is absorbed. be careful not to over cook the broccoli. remove broccoli (discard any liquid if the broccoli fully cooks before all the liquid is absorbed).

Add about 3 tbs olive oil to the pan and let heat up. add the marinated chicken. cook on one side until brown then flip over and cook other side. (about 3 minutes on each side) (cut a piece to make sure chicken is fully cooked)
once the chicken is fully cooked, add all of the vegetables and toss together and you're done! enjoy!

Artichoke hummus

          ​Artichoke Hummus

INGREDIENTS

1 can garbanzo beans (chick peas), drained

1 clove fresh garlic

1 14 oz can artichoke hearts, reserving liquid

1 TBSP fresh lemon juice

1 TBSP oil(any type is fine)

1/4 tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

 

 

 

 

DIRECTIONS 

In a food processor, mix  garlic, beans, salt, pepper, lemon juice,  and oil. If too dry, add, small amounts at a time, artichoke can liquid, until it blends easy. Mix until smooth. Add in artichokes, and combine until smooth (if you prefer more texture, you can leave artichokes chunky). Serve with pita chips, crackers, or veggies. 

 

Orange ricotta pancakes

1cup flour

 1&3/4 cup part skim Ricotta

1/3 cup sugar

1teaspoon baking  powder

1 teaspoon vanilla

Rind and juice of 1 orange

1/4 cup milk ( I used skim)

2eggs separated

1/4 teaspoon salt

 Beat together ricotta with sugar, egg yolks, vanilla, orange rind.

Mix flour, salt and baking powder.

Add flour mixture to wet ingredients, alternating with orange juice and milk.

Beat egg whites until stiff. Fold into mixture.

Pour 1/4 cup batches on pan or griddle greased with canola and butter. Cook until brown , about 4-5 minutes per side. Garnish with powdered sugar or maple syrup.

Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:

1 onion

Olive oil

Low sodium chicken broth

1 butternut squash

Cream/milk (optional) 

Salt

Pepper

Cinnamon

Nutmeg

Directions:

Peel and deseed butternut squash and cut into .5-1 inch cubes

Sautée onion in olive oil in big soup pot until onion is see through

Pour six cups of broth into the pot and let simmer

Add in cubes of squash and let cook in the broth until soft

Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth

Depending on how healthy you want it, you can add a little skim milk or half and half or cream to the soup at this point. Sometimes the soup is so good I don't add any!

Season to taste with salt pepper nutmeg and cinnamon.