From Denise: Classic Belgian Dish – Preistoemp with beef steak

   - 4 beef steaks
   - 4 slices bacon, salted
   - 2.5 lbs potatoes
   - 5 leek whites
   - 2 TBS butter
   - Nutmeg
   - Pepper
   - Salt

 Preparation:

-Peel potatoes and cut them in half lengthwise. Put in a pan of boiling
water and add a pinch of salt. Cook over low heat 25 minutes until they are
well cooked.

-Cut the leeks into rings of ¼ inch thickness. Melt a little butter in a
frying pan (over low heat) and add the leeks and 200 ml of water. Season
with salt, pepper and nutmeg, to taste. Allow 20 minutes, warn gently
without a lid.

-Cut the bacon into strips and cook in a pan.

-Drain the potatoes. Mix in the leek with the cooking juices and the bacon.
Mash finely. Stir in a clump of butter.

-Fry the steaks in butter to taste and serve with mashed potatoes.

Warm spinach and artichoke dip

2007 Ellie Krieger, All Rights Reserved.

Prep Time:

10 min

Cook Time:

25 min

Serves:

12 servings

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon canola oil 
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 (9-ounce) package artichoke hearts, defrosted, rinsed and dried
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted, excess liquid squeezed out.
• 1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup (4 ounces) Neufchatel cheese (reduced-fat)
• 2 ounces (about 1/2 cup) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• Pita wedges or crudites, for serving

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Heat the oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook stirring occasionally, 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook an additional 3 to 4 minutes, or until onions are light golden but not browned. Remove from heat and cool.

In the bowl of a food processor combine artichoke hearts, spinach, sour cream, mayonnaise, neufchatel, mozzarella and salt and pepper. Process until smooth. Add cooled onion-garlic mixture to the food processor and pulse a few times to combine.

Transfer mixture into an 8-inch glass square baking dish or 9-inch glass pie plate which has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until heated through. Serve with pita wedges or crudites.

Carmelitas

Carmelitas
(this recipe makes an 8x8 pan, I doubled it to make enough for a 9x13)

32 caramel squares, unwrapped
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

Combine caramels and cream in a small saucepan over low heat.

Stir until completely smooth; set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine melted butter, brown sugar, flour, oats, and baking soda.

Pat half of the oatmeal mixture into the bottom of an 8x8" pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Remove pan from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over crust.

Pour caramel mixture over chocolate chips.

Crumble remaining oatmeal mixture over caramel.

Return to oven and bake an additional 15-20 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned.

Remove from oven and cool completely before cutting.

*A stint in the fridge will help them cool off if you're pinched for time. They shouldn't be served cold, but all of that molten caramel takes a long time to cool down. They should be stored and served at room temperature.
**To make a 9x13" version, simply double the amounts.

Recipe from: http://luluthebaker.blogspot.com/2010/10/carmelitas.html

Mini Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Icing

Makes 16 mini cinnamon rolls

Ingredients:

1-8oz tube crescent roll dough (if you can find the sheets of dough instead, that's easier to use)

2 Tablespoons butter

cinnamon

brown sugar

For the maple icing:

1 teaspoon maple syrup

1 Tablespoon skim milk

3/4 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven according to crescent roll dough package directions. Layout half the dough (4 triangles) and pinch all the seams together. Flip over and pinch the seams on the back side together too.

2. Using a rolling pin, smooth the seams and roll the dough into a square about 1/4″ thick. Brush with half the butter, and sprinkle with as much cinnamon and brown sugar as you want. Roll into a log and cut into 8 pieces.

3. Place mini cinnamon rolls into a non-stick sprayed mini muffin tin. Repeat steps 1 and 2 with the other half of the crescent roll dough. Bake according to package directions.

4. Meanwhile whisk together maple syrup and milk in a bowl. Add in powdered sugar until desired consistency is reached. Drizzle over warm cinnamon rolls.

Recipe from: http://iowagirleats.com/2011/11/23/8-minute-mini-cinnamon-rolls/ - see website for good how-to pictures

Candy Cane Kiss Cookies

Candy Cane Kiss Cookies
Recipe by Our Best Bites

1/2 c. butter-flavored shortening
1/2 c. real butter (or: no shortening, use 1 c. butter)
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. white sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
optional: 1 tsp peppermint extract
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 c. flour, lightly spooned into measuring cups and leveled with a knife
1/4 c. + 2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 12 ounce bag dark chocolate chips (I used mini chocolate chips)
48 Hershey’s Candy Cane Kisses, unwrapped (one 10 ounce bag)

Preheat oven to 350.

Cream together softened butter, shortening, brown sugar, and white sugar for 1-2 minutes on medium-high speed or until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla. Meanwhile, combine the baking powder, baking soda, salt, flour, and cocoa powder. Add to the butter/sugar mixture and mix until combined. Mix in the chocolate chips.

*Important!* To prevent cookies from flattening out, refrigerate dough for 30-60 minutes.

Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake until just set, but centers are still soft, about 8 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 1-2 minutes. Use a metal spatula to transfer cookies to cooling rack. Top each cookie with an unwrapped Candy Cane Kiss. Allow to cool completely, long enough for the Kiss to harden. If necessary, after the cookies have cooled, they can be placed in the refrigerator or freezer to re-solidify the Kiss.

Yield: 4 dozen cookies

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2010/11/candy-cane-kiss-cookies/

Almond-Orange Shortbread

From: Everyday Food ... copyright 2007 Martha Stewart Note that I just melted some chocolate bark & chocolate chips to dip them it. You have to keep warming it to keep it thin, though, or your cookies will break! Also, I used some "orange peel" from Penzies rather than zesting my own oranges....

ingredients 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, unsalted, room temperature 1 cup confectioners' sugar ¾ teaspoon almond extract ½ teaspoon salt 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled) Grated zest of 1 orange (about 2 teaspoons) ¾ cup sliced almonds Almond-Orange Shortbread Makes 40 | Prep time: 15 minutes | Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes Keep the dough for this delicate, flavorful cookie in your freezer. Later, you can slice off just what you need from the frozen log of dough and bake. Make the dough: In a mixer bowl, beat butter, sugar, almond extract, and salt until smooth. With mixer on low speed, add flour and orange zest; mix just until a dough forms.With a wooden spoon, rubber spatula, or your hands, gently mix in almonds. Freeze the dough: On a piece of waxed paper, form dough into a rectangular log, 12 inches long, 2 1/2 inches wide, and 1 inch thick.Wrap log in the paper, and freeze until firm, at least 1 hour and up to 3 months. If freezing longer than 1 day, wrap log again, in plastic wrap. Bake the shortbread: Preheat oven to 325°. Remove dough from freezer. (If dough has been in freezer a long time and is frozen solid, let it sit at room temperature 30 minutes so it slices without crumbling.) With a sharp knife, cut dough into 1/4-inch-thick slices; place on ungreased baking sheet at least 1 inch apart. Bake until edges just begin to turn golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool 5 minutes on baking sheet; transfer cookies to a rack to cool completely

Quick and Easy Fudge

(adapted from Betty Crocker Cookbook)

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla extract (or other extract of your choice)
3/4-1 cup chopped nuts (optional--could probably substitute marshmallows or just about anything)

Heat chocolate chips and condensed milk in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and quickly stir in the extract and nuts. Spread in an 8 x 8 baking dish (either butter the dish or line it with foil and butter the foil). Refrigerate for at least an hour. Makes approximately 64 pieces.