1 12 oz. package semi-sweet chocolate pieces (2 cups)
1 cup heavy or whipping cream
6 tbsp. butter or margarine (3/4 stick)
2 tbsp. orange-flavor liqueur
shredded orange peel for garnish
Directions:
In heavy 2-quart saucepan over low heat, heat chocolate, heavy cream and margarine, stirring frequently until melted and smooth. Remove saucepan from heat; then add liqueur.
Refrigerate chocolate mixture about 2 1/2 hours or until very thick and of easy piping consistency, stirring occasionally as it's cooling in the frige.
While chocolate is chilling prepare and bake tartlet shells. Cool on wire rack then fill with the chocolate.
In a large bowl, mix flour and salt. Cut in butter, then with a pastry cutter blend until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle in ice water, 1 tbsp. at a time, mixing lightly with a fork after each addition, until dough is just moist enough to hold together. Shape dough into 2 disks. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or overnight. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before rolling.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Roll each half of dough into 12 1-inch pieces. Press each piece of dough evenly into bottom and up sides of 24 mini muffin cups or mini tartlet pans. Prick each shell several times with a toothpick. Bake 15 minutes or until golden. Cool in pans on wire rack 5 minutes. Remove shells from pans and cool completely.
-These can be easily frozen once completely cooled, then taken out and filled with your favorite filling.
Well I am in AZ right now for a few days and ate at a wonderful Greek Restaurant called My Big Fat Greek Restaurant. It was a very friendly atmosphere. My husband Dan and I went with my grandparents and Sophia. There seemed to be no problems with kids and they even had a kids menu with crayons and highchairs.
Cream margarine and sugars until fluffy; add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Sift together dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture, mix well. Chill for 1 hour in refrigerator.
Date Filling:
Combine 2 cups chopped dates, sugar, salt and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, then cover and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the 2 tbsp. lemon juice after it's cooked and let cool.
On a floured surface, roll half the dough at 1/8th inch thick. Cut with a 2 1/2" round cutter. Place about 1 tsp. date filling on each cookie. Top with another cookie; press edges down with your finger tips to seal. Baking at 375 degrees on a Silpat sheet works best for about 10 minutes.
Madagascar Vanilla (purchase at Chefs Catalog) Of all the vanilla's I've used this is my favorite. Once you've tried it you won't go back!
Baking Sheet mat I love these cooking mats! I use them for all my cookies. The clean up is a breeze and it saves your pans.
Mix flour, salt and cream of tartar in a pan, then add water, oil, and food coloring. Heat for about 3 minutes. Or until mixture pulls away from pan. Remove and knead.
When I was a child one of my fondest memories was making homemade play dough. I would make a batch, then color it and play with it for hours. Carefully when I was done storing it in baggies until the next time I got it out. It never did last long with brothers and a sister wanting to play too, but we did have many fun hours with it.
This is the recipe I used. Try it and enjoy it with your kids. I think Sophia is finally getting old enough to give it a go, at least she won't be constantly eating it. :)
2 cups flour
2 cups salt
2 tbsp. cooking oil
4 tsp. cream of tartar
2 cups water
Mix the 1 1/4 cup sugar, 3 tbsp. flour and corn starch together. Put in a 13x9" baking pan. Then mix the oats, brown sugar, flour, melted margarine and cinnamon together and pour evenly on top.
Cream together the margarine, 1/2 sugar and 1/2 cup brown sugar until well mixed. Then add egg yokes, water and vanilla, mix throughly. Last add the flour and baking soda.
Spread the dough mixture into a 9x13" pan until even. Next spread 1 cup chocolate chips over the dough pressing them into it.
Next mix the 4 egg white till stiff peaks form, then adding 1 cup of brown sugar a little at a time.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, 22-25 for gooey bars.
Madagascar Vanilla (purchase at Chefs Catalog) Of all the vanilla's I've used this is my favorite. Once you've tried it you won't go back!
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