Pineapple Ricotta Squares

 If you didn't catch this recipe earlier, here it is again!




My mother- in- law made these delicious baked pineapple, ricotta squares during the holidays and we all loved them.  It was something I really looked forward to when we would visit.  I never had the courage to make them myself because she said the dough was very hard to handle and I never felt very confident in making anything difficult.  Since I ventured into blogging my goal has always been to share family recipes so I decided to make this my end of the year challenge.  I gathered all that I needed this past week and tonight after my granddaughter left to go home, here I am making this supposedly difficult recipe late tonight. This is my mother in laws shared recipe and it has cooled and hubby and I tasted it..Yummy!  Light cake,  light  crust,, sweetened pineapple and a light custard like ricotta topping. This is not a rich dessert!  You can certainly eat more than one piece..I can attest to that!!!

 Happy Baking and Cooking!

This recipe has been copied from my mother-in-laws own writing.  The only difficulty I had was that my dough was very soft so I had to piece it to conform to the cookie sheet. Other than that it really turned out fine and the crust was tender.  Note:  Just allow yourself time to make this recipe and you will have a great dessert that will be loved by anyone who has a piece of it....It is truly yummy!




 Pineapple Filling

2 cups crushed pineapple juice included #2 cans

½ cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

Cook for a few minutes until thickened

Set aside to cool.

Step 2

Prepare Crust

2 ½ cups flour

2 ½ tsp. baking powder

pinch salt

½ cup soft shortening (spry, butter or margarine)

¼ cup sugar

2 eggs

½ cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla

Mix above.. Let stand for a few minutes

Roll out thin

I had to add about 1/2 cup additional flour.(Dough was very sticky) Place in greased cookie sheet (2 inches or higher) 15 ½ by 10 ½   Note:  My cookie sheet was larger than the suggested size so my squares did not bake as high as hers..I would have preferred to use my smaller cookie sheet..Will definitely use smaller cookie sheet next time..

Step 3

Ricotta Filling

In a mixing bowl put 1 ½ lb. ricotta and 4 beaten egg yolks(save whites)

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tablespoon flour

1 cup evaporated milk (carnation)

Mix well then fold in 4 egg whites that have been stiffly beaten..

Spread pineapple filling on bottom of unbaked crust, then ricotta filling on top and bake 350 degrees for 1 hour.. Refrigerate after it is cooled. Note:  Mine was baked after 55 minutes..oven temperatures vary.


From my kitchen to yours,

12/19/11

Volcano Pork meatballs

 Another simple recipe created when you have ground pork and do what seems easy.  Stuffing the inside with a cube of mozzarella makes it better than ever.

1 lb. fresh ground pork 

1egg beaten well

1/2 cup grated fresh Romano cheese

1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs 

1tsp. Dried Parsley 

1/2 tsp.  Pensey Garlic granules ( that’s what it says on label)

 3/4 cup Mozzarella cheese cut in cubes

Moisten hands with cold water and mix above ingredients together.

I made these meatballs LARGE so I could push in the center of the meat with a cube of mozzarella and roll until smooth.

Place meatballs on a well sprayed with cooking spray cookie sheet.  Bake approximately 15 minutes at 400 degrees.

Place baked meatballs in your favorite red sauce and cook about 1/2 hour.

When you cut them the mozzarella oozes out.  Yummy!

We had them with homemade rolls.

Pineapple Coconut Brulee Bread Pudding

Broil to get the crispy brown/golden top. Be careful Broil on low a few minutes as in 2....

I don't know if it's winter and being in the house a little more makes me want to bake but ever since I had a  taste or two of this dessert at a restaurant when we were away, I was determined to make one similar.

I checked out the web and found a few recipes that seemed to be on the right track so combining a little from this and a little from that I developed this recipe to share with you.


Hubby and I really like to have a dessert after a meal. Well hubby does and I like to taste it at least by a spoonful or two but this one I had to practically plead (kidding) with him for a few more spoonfuls.

It was made in a ramekin so there was not a whole lot so needless to say I had just enough to crave it from the moment we left the restaurant.

Here's my recipe.  I made it in a bread pan because quite honestly there are only two of us and if I had made more I could not stop eating it and that is NOT a good thing!

1/8/18

4 cups of broken in pieces french bread. It was not super soft
4 T melted butter
1/2  cup coconut
1-8 oz. drained crushed pineapple
4 eggs beaten
2 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. vanilla (madagascar)extract

2 T Turbinado sugar for topping

Butter generously the bread pan.  In a large bowl place bread pieces,melted butter, drained pineapple and coconut. Toss together. I used my hands

In another large bowl place eggs,sugar, vanilla and heavy cream. Whisk until blended. I did it several times.

Place bread mix into buttered bread pan. Slowly pour cream mixture over bread. With a spoon push gently down on bread so as all bread it pretty much covered with the cream mixture.

Cover with plastic wrap and allow to set on counter for 30 minutes or refrigerate overnight.

Heat oven to 325 degrees

Remove cover and place bread pan in a water bath(a pan larger than your bread pan) filled with warm water.  

 Bake for "approximately" 50 minutes or until the center jiggles slightly. Remove from oven . Sprinkle with Turbinado sugar and broil on low for 2 to 4 minutes..WATCH CAREFULLY SO AS NOT TO BROWN TOO MUCH.  

Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes. It needs to set slightly and enjoy. It's awesome...YUMMY!

I had to try it while quite warm so allow it to set for more than ten minutes if you an WAIT...lol

Note: You can certainly make this recipe using whole milk, half and half or a mixture of the two. I used all heavy cream because I wanted a real custard type cream mixture entwined with the bread.

3/24/19 original

Ground pork and stir fry veggies

I had never used ground pork for an Asian recipe.  Today I did and I am so happy I decided to try a recipe with it.

Tender and so tasty!

I lb. lean ground pork 

I onion chopped

I bag frozen oriental vegetables

Olive oil

Salt and red pepper 

Sauté pork in olive oil . Add chopped onion.  Sauté until slightly crispy.  Drain any drippings into a separate pan.  When pork is browned and slightly crispy add oriental vegetables.  Cover and simmer on low heat until veggies are steamed and tender.

Sauce

Pork drippings plus equal parts  water,  soy sauce to your liking and about 1tsp. to 1 tablespoon corn starch. Whisk constantly over low heat until slightly thickened. Toss with pork and veggies.  Serve over rice. Yummy!

***Note:  if your drippings are not brown enough you can add a little gravy master to give it a rich brown color.

Enjoy!

Pasta with carrots fennel and onion

I finally did it.  I made a meal using Fennel.  I have had fennel in salads but never cooked.  Well, guess what.  I loved it.  I never realized Fennel was so inexpensive either.  This meal was delicious.  I did have to make a few adjustments.  I had not added as much fennel as the recipe called for obvious reasons.  I didn't know if it might overpower the dish.  So note to self.  I'll add fennel using what a recipe calls for.  It's really mild but has a nice slight anise type flavor.  Don't be afraid it is not overpowering at all.  It's delicious.

Here is the easy recipe:

1 lb. pasta cooked according to directions

1 cup sliced fennel

2 sliced carrots

2 cloves diced garlic

1 sliced onion

6 T. extra Virgin olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

3/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese( I think I'd add 1 cup next time.  

1 T chopped fennel fronds

Remove the outer leaves from the fennel and wash well.  Cut in half then slice into thin slices

Peel carrots and cut into thin slices.  Peel and chop garlic, Cut onion into thin strips.

Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.  add onions and allow to cook until translucent.  add garlic and cook for a minute careful not to burn.

Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water reserving 1 cup before draining 

Add fennel to the pan, season with salt and pepper, saute lightly until browned, add 1 cup of the pasta water and cook about 2 minutes or more.

Drain pasta and toss into pan, garnish with parmigiano cheese and fennel fronds.  

Happy Cooking from my kitchen to yours,