Sweedish shortbread cookies

Makes about 16
Ingredients:
  
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
10 1/2 tbsp salted butter, room temperature
1 large egg, room temperature
1 large egg yolk, room temperature
3 tbsp or more, raspberry jam

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Whisk flour, sugar, and baking powder in a large bowl.  Add butter; using your fingertips, rub in butter until coarse meal forms.  Whisk egg and yolk in a bowl; add to flour mixture and stir to blend.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.  Measure dough by two tablespoonfuls and roll into balls.  Place on prepared sheets, 2 inches apart.  Make and indentation in the center of each ball, fill with 1/2 tsp jam.  Bake cookies until golden brown, 12-14 minutes.  Cool on wire rack.

Greens saut'e

Ingredients:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup thinly sliced shallots
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 3/4 lb assorted greens like kale and swiss chard. stems removed and thinly sliced, leaves chopped
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
3 tbsp unsalted butter
kosher salt and ground pepper

Preparations:

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add shallots and garlic.  Cook, stirring often until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add red pepper flakes: stir 1 minute.  Add kale stems and saute for like 4 minutes.  Add leaves and cook, tossing often, until crip-tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in vinegar.  Add butter; toss until melted.  Season with salt and pepper.

Custards

Ingredients:

2 large eggs
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/8 tsp salt
2 cups milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbs honey
food coloring if you want
3 tsp chocolate chips
1 cup whipping cream
ground nutmeg for sprinkling

Preparation:

Whisk together the eggs and the sugar in a heat proof bowl until smooth and light colored.  Whisk in flour and salt.  Bring milk to a boil in sauce pan.  Whisk in 1/2 cup milk, then gradually whisk remaining milk.  Return mixture to saucepan and cook 2 minutes over medium heat or until thickened, whisking constantly.  Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 1 minute more.  Remove from heat and whisk vanilla.
Scoop 1 cup custard into bowl, and whisk in honey.  Add food coloring if you would like.  Transfer remaining custard to separate bowl, and whisk chocolate until melted.  Cover both custards with plastic wrap pressed directly onto surface to prevent skin from forming, cool.
Once cooled, whisk both custard until smooth.  Beat whipping cream with a mixer until peaks form.  Whisk 1/2 cup whipped cream into chocolate custard.  Spoon 2 1/2 tbs honey custard into 6 small glasses, pressing down to remove any air bubbles.  Layer 1/4 cup chocolate custard atop honey custard in each glass, smooth with spoon.  Top each serving with 3 tbs whipped cream and sprinkle with nutmeg.

butternut squash pudding

Ingredients:
 
1/2 small butternut squash
2 cups milk
1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1 large pinch of salt
1 tbs butter
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tbs molasses


Preparation:


Preheat oven to 350F.  Place squash half cut-side down on baking sheet.  Bake 1 hr, then cool down.  Scoop the flesh out and puree in food processor.
Reduce oven temperature to 275 F.  Coat a 1 quart baking dish with spray oil.
Wish together milk, cornmeal, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in saucepan.  Cook over medium heat 10 minutes or until thickened.  Remove from heat, and blend in butter.  Stir in squash puree, brown sugar and molasses.  Pour into prepared baking dish, bake uncovered for 1 1/2 hrs or until a knife inserted comes out clean.
Serve alone or with vanilla ice cream.

Crepes

Ingredients:

1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
2 eggs
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp butter, melted.

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and the eggs.  Gradually add in the milk and water.  Stir to combine.  Add the salt and butter, beat until smooth.
Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium heat.  Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, i use a 1/4 cup to pour it onto the frying pan. You have to do this fast. Tilt the frying pan in circular motion so the batter cover all of the surface of the frying pan, the size of pan i use is around 8 in.  Cook the crepe for about 2 minutes or until the bottom is light brow. Use a spatula to loosen it and turn to cook the other side. 
I love crepes and back in Guatemala we usually eat them with white honey as well as pancakes or we sandwich two crepes together with dulce de leche in between. Delicious!

Cucumber gyro sauce

Ingredients:

2/3 cup peeled and thinly diced cucumber without seeds
1 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp chopped fresh dill
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp mustard

Directions:

Combined the sour cream, cucumber, garlic, dill, mustard, and garlic powder in a bowl, stir to combine. 
Chill in the refrigerator at least one hour before serving.

If you live in Iowa you can buy gyro meat at Hyvee for around $ 6.00 the pound.

Home made Wonton skin

Ingredients:
2 cup/1 lb/ 450 gr all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 egg beaten
45 ml/ 3 tbs water

Directions:
Sift the flour and salt.  Make a well in the center in the flour, blend the egg, pour it inside the well, sprinkle with water and knead the mixture to a smooth dough.  Place in a bowl.  Cover with a damp cloth or paper towel and refrigerate for 1 hr.
Roll out the dough on a floured surface until it is wafer thin and even.  Cut into 7.5 cm or 3 in strips, dust lightly with flour and stack them. 
Cut into 3 in squares or you can cut them into 4 by 4 in squares.  Cover with a damp cloth or paper towel until ready to use.
  

Home made egg roll skin

Ingredients:
2 cups/8 oz/225g all purpose flour
1 egg beaten
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup/4 oz/ 120 ml ICED water


Directions:
Mix all ingredients, knead until smooth and elastic.  Cover with a damp cloth or damp paper towel and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Roll out on a floured surface until paper thin and then cut into squares.

Gabby's tortillas with egg

As i was growing up, my brother, sister and made experiments with food and we came up with this "lunch".  I love this dish, and its way better if you make your own corn tortillas.

Ingredients:

3 Corn tortillas
2 large eggs unshelled
1 1/2 tablespoon butter or margarine ( i use smart balance )
pepper
salt

Preparation:

Heat a large frying pan under medium heat and melt the butter, make sure the butter is covering the entire surface of the pan, place the tortillas on the pan and cover them with the butter by turning them. Let them get somewhat toasted, depending how much you want them to be, i like mine crunchy.  When they are the way you want them, take the eggs and drop them onto the tortillas and with a fork, mix them and add pepper and salt, while you are mixing the eggs, lift the tortillas and make sure they have some egg on them, cook thoroughly, and enjoy.  My girls like them with ketchup. You have to do this quickly but don't be afraid.