Rosettes

Rosettes:

2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
pinch salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon sugar
Bottle of vegetable oil (48 ounces)

Using a candy thermometer, heat oil to 375 degrees.  Beat eggs slightly.  (If you beat eggs too much, blisters will appear on the rosettes.)  Add 1/2 cup milk, 1 cup flour, salt, sugar and vanilla.  Blend.  Add remaining 1/2 cup milk.  Blend together.

Dip iron into oil to heat it up.  Dip heated iron into batter, to not more than 3/4 its height.  If you dip it too far, the batter goes over the top of the rosette iron mold and then it does not shake off.

Plunge batter coated iron quickly into the hot oil and cook until active bubbling ceases.

Dust with powdered sugar.   Makes 24 Rosettes.  Store in an airtight container.

Hints:
Use saucepan to fry Rosettes.

Use loaf pan for batter dipping.  It's the perfect shape.

Can substitute out lemon extract for vanilla (original 1950s recipe called for 1 Tablespoon lemon extract, but I've never used this).

Can dust with cinnamon/sugar or dip in chocolate too.

Can sugar Rosettes so they are upside down to see pattern.

Can color the batter (never done that, but sounds fun).

Some people say to sugar Rosettes right before serving or else they will get soggy.

Reheat soggy Rosettes at 300 degrees for about 3-6 minutes.  Even if they still feel soft, they will crisp up after you take them out of oven.  Then just redust with powdered sugar before serving.

Hashbrown Casserole with Cornflakes

Hashbrown Casserole with Cornflakes:
Mel's Kitchen Cafe

3 Tablespoons butter
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar
28 oz bag frozen shredded hash browns
1/2 cup sour cream

Topping:
3 cups cornflakes, lightly crushed
2 Tablespoons melted butter

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook until onion is softened and translucent (about 5-6 minutes).  Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly for about a minute.  Combine the chicken broth and milk in a liquid measure and slowly whisk in the mixture.  Add the salt, pepper and thyme.  Stir to combine.  Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring frequently, until the mixture is slightly thickened (about 5 minutes).

Take the pot off the heat and stir in the cheese until smooth.  Mix in the frozen hash browns until well combined.  Finally stir in the sour cream.

In a medium bowl, toss the lightly crushed cornflakes with the melted butter until evenly combined.  Scoop out the potato mixture into a 9x13 inch dish and top with the buttered cornflakes.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Note:  Can prepare ahead up until the cornflakes.

Chocolate Rum Balls

Chocolate Rum Balls:
Adapted from All Recipes

11 ounce box of Nilla Wafers
1/2 cup and 1 Tablespoon and 1 teaspoon confectioner's sugar
3 Tablespoons and 1/4 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder (I use Valhrona)
1 1/8 cups chopped walnuts
2 Tablespoons and 1 teaspoon light corn syrup
1/3 cup and 1 Tablespoon Captain Morgan's spiced rum

Toast walnuts at 325 degrees for about 12 minutes.  Use food processor to finely chop walnuts.  Consistency should be somewhat between powdery and chopped/diced.  If you don't want a little crunch, grind nuts all the way.  If you want some texture, leave some chopped/diced.

Crush entire box of Nilla Wafers in food processor until it is powder like.

In a large bowl, stir together the crushed vanilla wafers, sugar, cocoa and nuts.  Blend in corn syrup and rum.

Chill dough for 30 minutes to an hour.

Shape into 1 inch balls.  (If you dust hands in confectioners sugar, dough is easier to roll).  Place extra confectioner's sugar into Ziploc bag.  Shake balls in confectioner's sugar.

Store in an airtight container for 4 days or so to develop the flavor.  Roll again in confectioners' sugar before serving.

Variations:  Dust in cocoa powder, roll in sprinkles, maybe dust with confectioner's sugar/candy cane mixture?  Use coconut rum?  Use pecans instead of walnuts?  I did try Oreo variations as a topping and instead of the wafers, and I did not like it as much as the original with the confectioners sugar/cocoa powder dustings.  FYI for next year.

Also, proportions seem weird, but scale is adjusted due to the box size of the Vanilla Wafers.  This scaling makes about 40 balls and I really don't need much more than that.

Roasted New Potatoes with Fresh Horseradish and Coarse Mustard

Roasted New Potatoes with Fresh Horseradish and Coarse Mustard:

3 pounds new potatoes (quartered, if using red potatoes, cut in half if using smaller potatoes)
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
2/3 cup grated Fresh Horseradish
1/3 cup coarse mustard (I use Maille)
1/2 stick butter, melted

Place potatoes on a baking pan and coat with the oil.  Season with salt and pepper.  Roast in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes.

Combine horseradish, mustard and melted butter in a bowl.  Spoon half over the potatoes.  Roast another 15 minutes.  Toss potatoes with remaining mixture and roast until very tender, about 10 minutes.

Note:  I ALWAYS serve this with the Prime Rib with Cabernet Port Jus recipe.

Easy, Healthy Spaghetti Squash Bolognese

Easy, Healthy Spaghetti Squash Bolognese:

Take one, medium sized spaghetti squash (about 3 pounds) and prick all over with a fork.  Place on pan whole.  Roast WHOLE at 375 degrees for about 60-80 minutes (until tender when pierced with knife).  Remove from oven, slice lengthwise, scoop out seeds and shred with fork.

Top with Bolognese Sauce.  I prefer the Turkey Bolognese that is from from Trader Joes.