Want some Truffles?

Truffle Shortcut

So I make these extremely easy truffles that everyone love....

So here is the video on how to make them!

ttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXAI8S-4eAE&feature=youtube_gdata_player

French Toast

I was shopping at the place where I work and they had some Pannettone marked down 60% due to it being a seasonal item.

I immediately thought about using it for French toast, the Pannettone that I bought had dark chocolate chips and raisins in it.

Here is what I did:

Ingredients:

Pannettone Slices
1 egg
3 tbsp milk (i used vanilla soy)
1 tsp sugar
butter

in a bowl combine all of the the ingredients except for the bread and butter, in a frying pan add some butter, let the pannettone sit in the custard a few minutes, transfer the soaked slices to the melted butter in the pan, cook on med-low heat, we are just trying to set the custard inside of the bread. Once both sides of the pannettone are slightly brown, transfer to a plate and top with a small pat of butter,

TIP
Serve with maple syrup, honey, or with powdered sugar!

Basic Cookie Recipe

I use this basic sugar cookie recipe as the base for many different cookies.

Ingredients:

1 egg
2 cups flour
Tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup softened butter

Directions:

Very easy! Mix everything together, let set in fridge for at least one hour before rolling out to 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch and bake @350 10-12 minutes.

Tips
I have added toasted sesame seeds to this dough, I usually just ice with royal icing and let firm up. This is one of the only firm cookies that I like. You could add coconut, or nuts, etc. I am working on 3 variations of this recipe so check back soon! My co-workers should be happy!

Braised Ox Tails

It is snowing today and I really wanted a warm feel good meal.

So I made Braised Ox Tail Stew...

What you will need:

2 pounds Ox Tails
1 cup pmoegranate wine
3 cups beef broth
4 cups water
1 pound potatoes chopped
3 large carrots chopped
1 cup onion chopped
1 tablespoon balsimic vinegar
2 tablespoons parsley
seasonings (I used garlic powder, onion powder, and red chili flakes)
S&P to taste
1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

coat your ox tails in flour, brown them in the olive oil, add the wine and stock to a large heavy pan, add the browned ox tails. Let simmer for 1 hour, then add the water and all of the chopped veggies, seasonings, and vinegar. simmer 3-5 hours until the ox tail meat falls off the bone. enjoy!

Turkey Day is almost here...

Thanksgiving is almost here so I know everyone is somewhat interested in new recipes and techniques. Below is a link to a few videos that span, stuffing, roasting a turkey, and brining a turkey.

www.youtube.com/user/teejaytoday75

How to Brine a Turkey/Chicken

What a Brine is:

This is where you piggy back great flavors and seasonings with SALT to penetrate and flavor food, usually vegatables and meats.

Brining works on a cellular level by way of salt molecules wanting to create an equilibrium on either side of a membrane, in this case...poultry skin. As the salt moves in and out of the membrane, seasonings that you add are carried with the salt into the flesh of the meat.

This also creates a more savory and moist piece of meat, (Those Chemistry classes in college finally paid off!)

I recently brined a Chicken and made a video of it...here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCAUb8E6E04&feature=colike