Potato Soup

Ingredients for 4 servings

1/4 tablespoon chili powder
1 can vegetable or chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
1 medium onion, quartered
1 tablespoon dill weed
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 celery stalks, diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
3 cups milk, divided
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
3 tablespoons butter
4 large potatoes, peeled and quartered
parsley chopped
salt and pepper for taste

Directions

In a large soup pot over medium - high heat, add potatoes, carrots, onion and vegetables or chicken broth. Cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender when pierced with a folk. Remove from heat.  While vegetables are cooking, make cream sauce. In a medium saucepan over medium - high heat, melt butter; add flour, stirring constantly, until thickened. Remove from heat. Add cheddar cheese and dill weed. Stir until cheese is melted. Set aside.

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Baklava

Ingredients

For the syrup:
1/2 cup of honey
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup of sugar
1 cup of water
2 teaspoon lemon juice

For the phyllo dough:
1/2 cup of water
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vinegar
2 tablespoon of oil
3 1/2 cups of all purpose flour

For baklava filling:
1/3 cup of sugar
1/3 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup of butter melted
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
450 g. almonds
450 g. pistachios
450 g. walnuts
crushed pistachios for garnish (optional)

Directions

In a food processor combine walnuts, almonds, pistachios and crush the nuts until in small, even sized pieces.

Combine with sugar, cinnamon and cloves.

Mix it well and set aside.

To make phyllo dough mix all the ingredients water, egg, oil, vinegar, and salt.

Then add this wet mixtureinto the flour and mix it well.

Then knead thsi flour mixture using your hands for about 5 minutes.

If the dough it gets too sticky, spread a little oil continue knead, until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.

Now form a ball, coat it with a little oil.

Cover with a plastic and allow it to rest in the fridge for about an hour.

After it rests, using the rolling pin, roll the phyllo dough into a rectangle shape.

The phyllo sheets must be very thin, almost as a paper.

Make more 20 phyllo sheets.

Brush the baking tray with butter.

Brush 10 sheets of phyllo with melted butter.

Lay them on the dish one by one.

Spread the nuts filling in the layer and continue layering another 10 sheets of phyllo, buttering each sheets.

Now brush the topof the baklava with more butter.

Using very sharp knife, cut baklava into shape you want.

Bake 35 minutes or until turns into golden color.

In a saucepan combine sugar, lemon juice, honey, cinnamon stick, water and mix it well.

Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium heat and let simmer for 7 minutes and slightly thickened.

Remove the cinnamon stick and syrup allow to cool.

Remove baklava from oven and pour cooled syrup over the hot baklava and let it cool for at least 4 hours.

Garnish with crushed pistachios.

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Animal Cookies

Ingredients

1/3 granulated sugar for decoration
2/3 cup butter
2/3 cup shortening
1 teaspoon ground white Chocolate sauce
1 teaspon salt
1 1/2 cups of sugar
2 eggs
2 traspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons vainilla extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a medium bowl cream together the butter, shortening and sugar.

Stir in the eggs and vainilla.

Combine the flour, baking powder and salt, stir into the creamed mixture until dough comes together.

Roll dough into walnut sized balls and roll the balls in sugar.

Place them on an unpreparated cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.

Bake cookies 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until bottom is light brown.

Remove from baking sheets to cool on wire racks.

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Flan

Ingredients
1 teaspoon vainilla extract
10 egg yolks
390 g. evaporated milk
390 g. condensed milk
cherries and strawberries for garnish

For the caramelized sugar:
3/4 cup water
1 cup sugar

Directions

In a saucepan, mix the sugar and water. Bring to boil for a few minutes until the sugar caramelized. Pour the caramelized sugar into aluminum moulds - you can use any shape oval, round or square. Spread the caramelized sugar on the bottom of the moulds.

In a bowl add evaporated milk, condensed milk, egg yolks, vainilla and mix it well. Gently pour the mixture on top of caramelized sugar on the aluminum mould. Place the mould on a larger baking pan and half fill with very hot water then place in the oven and bake it at 370 F for 45 minutes. Once the flan is baked, finally take it out, cool for a few minutes, chill the flan in the fridge and run a thin knife around the edges of the mould to loosen the flan. Place a plate on top of the mould and quickly turn it upside down and garnish with cherries and strawberries. Your flan is ready to serve.

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Clubhouse sandwich

Ingredients for 4 servings

6 stalk(s) celery
2 onions
4 sprig(s) fresh parsley
1 teaspoon(s) salt
3/4 teaspoon(s) ground black pepper
2 pound(s) chicken pieces, (breast and thighs)
1 cup(s) mayonnaise
2 tablespoon(s) green onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon(s) fresh tarragon leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon(s) fresh lemon juice
8 slice(s) bacon
12 slice(s) white bread, toasted
2 medium tomatoes, sliced
4 lettuce leaves

Directions

Cook the chicken: Cut 3 celery stalks and the onions into large pieces. In a 4-quart saucepan, combine 2 quarts water, celery pieces, onions, parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, add chicken, and simmer until chicken is cooked through -- about 25 minutes. Remove chicken and allow to cool.

Make the chicken salad: Remove the chicken meat from the bone and discard the skin and bones. Chop or shred the chicken into bite-size pieces. Dice the remaining celery into 1/4-inch pieces. In a medium bowl, combine chicken, mayonnaise, green onion, tarragon, diced celery, lemon juice, and remaining salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
Cook the bacon: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook bacon until crisp and brown -- 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper towel to drain.
Assemble the sandwiches: On a work surface, place 4 slices of toasted bread and spread 1/2 cup of chicken salad on each. Add another slice of toast and place 2 slices bacon, 2 slices tomato, and a lettuce leaf on each sandwich. Place the remaining slices of toast on top of sandwiches, cut into quarters, and secure with a toothpick.

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