The greatest hamburger

You have to try that burger

 -2 pounds gounr beef (or any ground meat like pork,chicken,turkey,etc...)
-1 medium onion, chopped
-¼ cup paprika
-1 tablespoon black pepper
-1 tablespoon chili powder
-1 tablespoon salt
-1 tablespoon sugar
-2 teaspoon garlic powder
-2 teaspoon onion powder
-1 teaspoon cayenne

Mix all ingredients together and put the meat in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours to absorb the seasonnings.
A couple of slices of sourdough bread makes a good bun.
Grill the patties to well-done and just garnished your buns with your favorite dressing.
I suggest you to try a good BBQ smokey sauce.

Bon Appétit

Fried rice

-3 cups cooked white rice

-½ cup frozen green peas

-½ cup ham or chines roast pork, cut in small dices or baby shrimps

-2 shallots or 1 small onion, chopped

-2 eggs, lightly beaten

-1 tablespoon light soya sauce

-¼ cup pineapple chunks (optional)

-4 tablespoons vegetable oil

-Pinch each of salt and white pepper

Wipe out a wok with an oiled cloth, heat well, then pour the eggs.Turn pan quickly to spread the egss in a very thin omelette. Cook until firm, then flip over and cook the other side briefly. Lift out and leave to cool.

Pour 1 tablespoon oil into the wok and fry shallots or onion with peas for 1 minute, remove.

Add more oil and fry ham or pork or shrimps for 1 minute, add soya sauce and stir until well mixed and remove from the wok.

Heat the remaining oil and stir-fry rice on moderately high heat until each grain is coated with the oil, add salt and white pepper.

Roll up the egg and cut into fine shreds, add to the rice with ham or pork or shrimps and vegetables.

Mix thoroughly and heat through.

Stir in pineapple chunks, if used, and serve.

Bon Appétit



Coconut-sweet potato pie

6 to 8 servings

-2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks, cooked and mashed

For the crust

-1½ cups graham cracker crumbs

-¼ cup shredded unsweetened coconut

-2 tablespoons sugar

-¼ teaspoon of each, cinnamon and ginger

-½ cup unsalted butter, melted

Put ingredients of the crust in food processor and pulse just to combine.

Press the mixture in a 9-inch pie plate and cook 350*F in oven for 7 minutes.

Remove the crust from the oven and cool.

Sweet potato mixture

-3 eggs

-½ cup sugar

-1 teaspoon ginger

-1 teaspoon cinnamon

-¼ teaspoon nutmeg

-Pinch ground cloves

-Pinch of salt

-1 cup coconut milk

In a food processor, combine the eggs, sugar, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves and salt; pulse until well combined.

Add the coconut milk and pulse to combine, then add the sweet potatoes and pulse until just smooth.

Put the pie plate on a baking sheet, pour the sweet potato mixture into the crust and bake 350*F, 40-45 minutes, until the mixture is set on top but still quite moist.

Cool on rack and serve warm or at room temperature.

Bon Appétit

Three-berry pie

Three-berry pie

-¾ cup sugar

-¼ cup cornstarch

-½ teaspoon cinnamon

-1½ cups halved hulled fresh strawberries

-2½ cups blueberries, fresh or quick frozen

-2 cups raspberries, fresh or quick frozen

In a large bowl, stir together the sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon.

Add the strawberries and blueberries and toss until they are coated evenly.

If using frozen berries, let the mixture stand until the berries are partially thawed and render their juices.

Add the raspberries, stirring very gently to combine.

Line a 9-inch pie plate with the bottom crust and mound the fruit filling into it.

Trim the bottom crust to a ½-inch overhang.

Arrange the top crust over the fruits, patting the crust gently with your hands.

Leave a 1-inch edge, fold the top crust under the edge of the bottom crust and flute the edges decoratively.

With a sharp knife, make 5 or 6 steam vents, each ¾-inch long, around the center of the top crust.

Bake in the oven 350*F for 1 hour.

The pie is done when the pastry is golden brown and the juices are bubbling.

Bon Appétit

Bolognese meat sauce

Bolognese meat sauce

This classic meat sauce is famous all over the world as a pasta sauce.It is very good with pasta,but can also be served on gnocchi,polenta, and potatoes,as well as in a variety of baked dishes.

The secret of a successfull sauce lies in the cooking;it should be simmered over low heat for at least 2 hours. This sauce can be made ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.It also freezes well.

-½ cup diced pancetta

-1 onion,1 stalk celery,1 carrot,all finely chopped

-¼ cup olive oil

-10 oz ground beef

-4 oz ground pork

-4 oz italian pork sausage,peeled and crumbled

-Pinch of clove and cinnamon

-1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

-4 cups basic tomato sauce recipe

-Salt to taste

Combine the pancetta,onion,celery,and carrot in a sauté pan with olive oil and cook over medium heat until the onion turns pale gold.

Add the meat and cook until browned.Sprinkle with clove,cinnamon and pepper.

Stir in the sauce,turn the heat down and simmer for at least 2 hours,stirring frequently.

Bon Appétit

Basic tomato sauce

This recipe makes a fairly large quantity.Freeze it or store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Basic tomato sauce

-4 pounds fresh tomatoes or 2 can (28 oz) tomatoes

-1 large onion,1 large carrot,1 stalk celery,1 clove garlic,coarsely chopped

-1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

-8 fresh basil leaves,torn

-¼ cup olive oil

-1 teaspoon sugar

-Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Sauté the onion,carrot,celery and garlic in a skillet with the oil for 5 minutes.

Add the remaining ingredients,cover and cook over low heat for about 45 minutes.

For a smoother sauce,blend the mixture in a food processor or a blender.

Serve with all kinds of fresh or dried pasta.

Bon Appétit

Best loved orange bars

Best loved orange bars

-1 cup unsalted butter or margarine, softened

-¼ teaspoon salt

-½ cup powdered sugar

-2 cups all-purpose flour

-4 eggs, slightly beaten

-1 tablespoon grated orange peel

-5 tablespoons orange juice

-2 cups granulated sugar

-¼ cup all-purpose flour

Glaze

-2 ounces semisweet chocolate

-¼ cup unsalted butter

Blend butter,salt,powdered sugar and 2 cups flour to make a soft dough.

Press evenly into ungreased 9*13-inch pan.

Bake 15-20 minutes at 350*F until golden.

Meanwhile,combine eggs,orange peel,orange juice,sugar and ¼ cup flour and blend until smooth.

Pour over baked crust,reduce heat to 325*F and bake 25 minutes until firm.

Glaze: Melt the chocolate with the butter and spread over bars.

Bon Appétit

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES The American Classic

The American Classic. Hot from the oven... you're helpless! No one can eat just one.

Chocolate chip cookies

Makes 24-26 cookies

-2¼ cups all-purpose flour
-1 teaspoon baking soda
-¼ teaspoon salt
-1 cup unsalted butter or margarine (but butter is butter for the taste)
-¾ cup granulated sugar
-¾ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-2 eggs
-12-ounce package semisweet chocolate chips
-1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (avoid the nuts ,if there is allergy)

In a small bowl,combine flour,soda and salt; In a large bowl,cream butter,sugars and vanilla until smooth and fluffy.

Beat in eggs one at the time.

Blend in flour mixture, mix well and add the chocolate chips and nuts.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake in oven 375*F for 8-10 minutes until golden.

Cool 2 minutes, then gently transfer to racks with spatula.

Bon Appétit

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Peanut butter pie

Peanut butter pie

The crust.

-1 cup graham cookie crumb

-1/4 cup sugar

-1/4 cup melted butter

Mix together and press the crust in 9-inch pie plate.

Refrigirate about 30 minutes.

The peanut butter mousse.

In a food processor

-1/4 cup cream cheese

-2/3 cup sifted confectionners` sugar

-3/4 cup peanut butter

-1/3 cup milk

-1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix together until you obtain a nice and smooth mixture.

Whip 1 cup of whipping cream with a wire whisk or a hand-held electric mixer

until stiff peaks form.

Fold the cream into the peanut butter mixture to make a smooth mousse.

Spoon the mousse in the graham shell and smooth the top with a spatula.

Sprinkle the top with 2 tablespoon of chopped peanuts.

The chocolate sauce for decoration.

-8 tablespoons unsalted butter

-4 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate.

Personnally,I used the chocolate chips.

Warm the butter and the chocolate until it is melted.

Drizzle it free-form from a teaspoon.

Chill the finished pie for at leats 4 hours

before serving or freeze it.

Thaw overnigth in the refrigirator.

For the peanut butter lovers,this mousse makes a wonderful dessert as is.

Just decorated with whipped cream and crushed peanuts.

And why not,drizzle some chocolate sauce over it.

Bon Appétit

Praline pumpkin pie

Praline pumpkin pie

-2/3 cup nuts

-2/3 cup brown sugar

-4 tablespoons butter

-1 (9-inch) unbaked pie shell

*****

-2 eggs ,well beaten

-1 (16-ounce) can pumpkin

-2/3 cup brown sugar

-1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

-1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

-¼ teaspoon cloves

-½ teaspoon salt

-½ teaspoon ginger

-½ teaspoon cinnamon

-1 cup light cream or evaporated milk

In a small bowl,combine the 3 first ingredients.

Press the mixture into the bottom of the pie shell and bake 450*F for 10 minutes.Cool.

Combine the remaining ingredients and pour into the cooled pie shell.

Bake 325*F for 40-45 minutes.

Serve 8

Bon Appétit

Cinnamon rolls

Cinnamon rolls

For that recipe,if you like your rolls swimming in the syrup,double the syrup recipe.

Deeeeeeeeeeelicious

The dough

-2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

-1/4 cup sugar

-1 teaspoon salt

-1 teaspoon dry instant yeast

-6 tablespoon melted butter

-1 egg

-3/4 cup warm milk (you can use warm water)

If you have you have a food processor,put all the ingredients in the bowl.Mix until the dough form a soft but not sticky ball.

Let the dough rise until doubled.

Meanwhile prepare the syrup.

-6 tablespoon butter

-4 tablespoon water

-2/3 cup packed brown sugar

-4 teaspoon cinnamon

-1/2 cup raisins (optional)

-1/2 cup nuts (optional)

In a small sauce pan melt the butter,and add the water,brown sugar and cinnamon.Stir until the mixture boils,and remove from the heat.

Grease a 9 by 13 inches baking pan.

Roll the dough into a 9 by 15 inches rectangle.

Spread half of the syrup over the rectangle,and pour the remaining syrup in the bottom of the prepared pan.

Sprinkle raisins and nuts over all.

Roll the dough starting with the 15 inches side.

Cut into 1 1/4 inches slices and place cut-side down on the syrup in the prepared pan.

Cover and let rise until doubled in bulk.

Bake in a 350' oven for about 25-30 minutes.

To serve,invert the rolls in a serving platter.

Bon Appétit

Lemon chess pie

Lemon chess pie

Rich and not for the calorie-shy

-1 cup butter

-2 cups sugar

-1 tablespoon cornstarch

-4 eggs

-2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

-7 tablespoons lemon juice

-9-inch unbaked pie shell

Cream butter,sugar and cornstarch until light and fluffy.

Add eggs,one at the time.

Blend in lemon peel and juice.

Pour into 9-inch unbaked pie shell.

Bake at 350*F ,40-45 minutes,until filling is set.

Let cool at least 2 hours before cutting.

Bon Appétit

Old-Fashioned apple pie

The dough

-2½ cups all-purpose flour

-1 tablespoon sugar

-1 teaspoon salt

-½ cup unsalted butter,chilled and cut into 1-inch pieces

-½ cup lard or vegetable shortening,chilled and cut into 1-inch pieces

-1 large eggs,beaten

-¼ cup very cold water

In a large bowl,stir together the flour,sugar and salt.

Add the butter and the lard.

Using your fingertips or a pastry blender,work the fat into the flour until the mixture forms pieces the size of peas(it is all right if there are a few larger or smaller pieces).

Combine the beaten egg and cold water.

While stirring lightly with a fork,add the egg and water to the flour mixture in a fast,steady stream.

Empty the dough onto a flat work surface,press and push the dough,with the heel of your hand, just until it holds together.

Shape the dough into a 6-inch disk,wrap the dough and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

　

Old-Fashioned apple pie

-3 pounds apples

-¼ cup light brown sugar

-¼ cup sugar

-2 tablespoons cornstarch

-¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

-Pinch of nutmeg

-1½ tablespoons lemon juice

-2 tablespoons unsalted butter,softened

Quarter,core, and peel the apples.Cut each apple into 12 wedges.They will make about 8 cups.

In a small bowl,stir together the sugars,cornstarch and spices.

Add the lemon juice and the sugar mixture to the apple slices and mix until they are evenly coated.

Line a 9-inch pie plate with the bottom crust and mound the apple filling into it.

Trim the bottom crust to a ½-inch overhang.Dot the filling with butter.

Arrange the top crust over the apples,patting the crust gently with your hands.

Leave a 1-inch edge.Fold the top crust under the edge of the bottom crust and flute the edges decoratively.

With a sharp knife,make 5 or 6 steam vents,each ¾-inch long,around the center of the top crust.

Bake in the oven 350*F for 1 hour.

10 minutes before the end of the baking time,brush the top with egg glaze(beat 1 egg with 3 tablespoon cold water) and sprinkle with sugar.

The pie is done when the pastry is golden brown and the juices are bubbling.

Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Bon Appétit

Applesauce cake

Applesauce cake

-½ cup butter,softened (can use margarine)

-1 cup sugar

-1 egg

-1 cup unsweetened applesauce (I do my own applesauce)

-1 teaspoon cinnamon

-1 teaspoon allspice

-½ teaspoon cloves

-2 cups all-purpose flour

-1 teaspoon baking soda

-½ teaspoon salt

Greased a 9by13-inch glass baking dish.

In a large bowl,cream together the butter and sugar,beat in the egg.

Stir in the applesauce and spices.

In a seperate bowl,sift together the flour,baking soda and salt.

Add the dry ingredients to the applesauce mixture and beat just until mix.

Pour the batter into the baking dish and bake at 350*F for 35-40 minutes.

Let cool and
BON APPÉTIT

There is no nuts,good to bring at school in the lunch box.

Peanut butter cake

Peanut butter cake

Children will love this cake and so will adults.

If you need a special party cake,this is it.

-2 cups all-purpose flour

-2 teaspoon baking powder

-¼ teaspoon salt

-¾ cup unsalted butter,at room temperature

-1¼ cup sugar

-2 eggs

-¾ cup creamy peanut butter

-1 tablespoon vanilla

-1 cup milk

-Chocolate frosting and peanut butter filling (recipe below)

-Chocolate glaze (recipe below)

Grease two 9-inch round cake pans.Line bottoms with waxed paper circles.

Dust sides with flour,tapping out excess.

Stir together the flour,baking powder and salt in a bowl.

In a large bowl,beat the butter until smooth.

Gradually beat in sugar until light and fluffy,beat in eggs ,one at the time.

Beat in the peanut butter and vanilla.

Beat in the flour and the milk,alternately in three additions,beginning and ending with the flour.

Scrape into prepared pans.

Bake in preheated oven 350*F for 25-30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool cakes in pans on wire rack for 15 minutes.

Invert cakes onto wire rack and cool completely,remove waxed paper.

Place one cake layer on serving plate,spread top with peanut butter filling.

Place second layer on top,frost top and sides with chocolate frosting.

Pour the chocolate glaze over top; tip plate in swirling motion so glaze drips down sides of the cake.

Chocolate frosting and peanut butter filling

-¾ cup unsalted butter,at room temperature

-1¼ cup confectioner's sugar (icing sugar)

-2 tablesppons milk

-1 teaspoon vanilla

-½ cup creamy peanut butter

-½ cup chocolate glaze (recipe follows)

In a large bowl,beat the butter until smooth,gradually beat in the icing sugar until smooth.

Add milk and vanilla;beat at high speed until very light and fluffy.

Peanut butter filling: ½ cup butter mixture,stir in the peanut butter.

Chocolate frosting: Stir in ½ cup chocolate glaze in the remaining butter mixture.

Chocolate glaze

-1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

-¼ cup water

-2 tablespoons unsalted butter,at room temperature

-1 teaspoon vanilla

Melt chocolate with water,butter and vanilla in top of double boiler over hot water.

Stir until smooth,cool completely.

Use ½ cup glaze for the chocolate frosting,reserve the remaining glaze to pour over the cake.

Gently reheat the glaze if it becomes too thick to pour.

Bon Appétit

Banana pecan pie

Banana pecan pie

(Makes one 9-inch pie)

-1 large banana,cubed

-1 cup chopped toasted pecans

-1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

-3 eggs,beaten

-½ cup light corn syrup

-¼ cup melted unsalted butter

-2 tablespoons rum

-1 teaspoon cinnamon

-¼ teaspoon salt

Blend all ingredients with spatula and pour into pie shell.

Bake at 375*F 45 minutes,until crust is golden and filling is set.

Let cool at least 2 hours before cutting.

The dough

-2½ cups all-purpose flour

-1 tablespoon sugar

-1 teaspoon salt

-½ cup unsalted butter,chilled and cut into 1-inch pieces

-½ cup lard or vegetable shortening,chilled and cut into 1-inch pieces

-1 large eggs,beaten

-¼ cup very cold water

In a large bowl,stir together the flour,sugar and salt.

Add the butter and the lard.

Using your fingertips or a pastry blender,work the fat into the flour until the mixture forms pieces the size of peas(it is all right if there are a few larger or smaller pieces).

Combine the beaten egg and cold water.

While stirring lightly with a fork,add the egg and water to the flour mixture in a fast,steady stream.

Empty the dough onto a flat work surface,press and push the dough,with the heel of your hand, just until it holds together.

Shape the dough into a 6-inch disk,wrap the dough and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Bon Appétit