Florentine Cookies

These are awesome. Rich, simple, and decadent with the chocolate addition. Perfect with tea, coffee, ice cream, or as a building block for something else (stack them with mousse inbetween, for example).

• 2/3 cup sugar
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup light corn syrup
• 1 cup sliced almonds
• 1 cup cake flour, sifted
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. In a medium, heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, butter, and corn syrup.
2. Stir constantly over medium heat until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth and combined.
3. Bring the mixture to a boil.
4. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the almonds.
5. Add the flour and salt to the batter and stir until smooth.
6. Transfer the batter to a cool metal bowl to speed up the cooling time. Let the batter chill for at least 1 hour.
7. At this point the batter can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 week. The batter will be very stiff.
8. Place an oven rack on the middle shelf of the oven.
9. Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
10. Roll level tablespoonfuls of batter between your palms into small balls. Place them on the prepared pan at least 3 inches apart.
11. Bake the florentines for 7 to 10 minutes, until they are flat, lacy, and a deep golden brown.
12. Remove the pan from the oven and allow the florentines to cool completely on the pan on a wire rack.
13. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over barely simmering water, stirring constantly, or in a microwave oven.
14. Use a metal spatula to remove a cooled florentine from the baking sheet. Spread 1 or 2 teaspoons melted chocolate over the bottom of each florentine. Give the florentine a decorative flourish by tracing a wavy pattern of lines across the soft chocolate, using the tines of a fork Alternatively, you can sandwich 2 florentines together with melted chocolate in the middle.
15. Store florentines in a tightly covered container for up to 2 to 3 days.

Vidalia Onion Pie

This is a fantastic, and easy, appetiser. The use of Ritz crackers as a base is a nice chuckle.

• 1 1/2 cups finely crushed buttery crackers (such as Ritz crackers)
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 cups thinly sliced Vidalia onions or other sweet onions
• 3/4 cup milk (do not use low-fat or nonfat)
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup packed grated sharp cheddar cheese (about 3 ounces)
• Paprika
• Chopped fresh parsley

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Mix crackers and 4 tablespoons butter in bowl until well blended.
• Press mixture on bottom and 1 inch up sides of 8-inch pie plate.
• Melt remaining 2 T's butter in heavy medium skillet over medium heat.
• Add onions and sauté until tender, about 12 minutes.
• Arrange onions in cracker crust.
• Beat milk, eggs and salt in medium bowl until blended.
• Season with pepper.
• Pour egg mixture over onions in crust.
• Sprinkle cheese over filling.
• Sprinkle with paprika.
• Bake until knife inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes.
• Garnish with parsley and serve.

• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 4 oz. white chocolate, chopped
• 6 egg yolks

• Pour the cream into a medium saucepan.
• Heat slowly until just at boiling point, over low to medium heat.
• Remove from the heat.
• Put the chocolate in the top of a double boiler over hot water and allow to melt slowly, off the heat, stirring occasionally until smooth.
• Remove the insert from the water.
• Stir in the yolks until well combined.
• Stir in the hot cream until well combined.
• Pour through a sieve or strainer into a pitcher.
• Remove as much foam as possible.
• Pour into 6 ramekins or bowls.
• Place these into a roasting pan.
• Pour water into pan to 1/2 way up sides of ramekins.
• Cover pan with foil to prevent scorching.
• Vent foil by poking holes in it to let steam escape.
• Place in oven at 350º F for about 45 minutes- 1 hour or until set.
• Remove and allow to come to room temperature.
• Set ramekins in fridge to cool.
• To serve sprinkle sugar over top and torch to melt

CITRUS GRILLED CHICKEN

At this time of year you want something easy to make and this is one of those. Sooooo easy, and so yummy.

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 ¾ cups chicken broth
½ cup orange juice
½ cup chopped onion
1 cup uncooked regular long grain white rice
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Sautéed orange slices

• Cook chicken in medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 10 minutes or until browned. Set chicken aside.
• Add the broth, orange juice, onion and rice. Heat to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat 10 minutes.
• Return chicken to skillet. Cover and cook 1o minutes or until the chicken and rice are cooked. Stir in parsley.
• For a special touch, sauté orange slices in a hot nonstick skillet until lightly browned. Garnish chicken with slices.

QUICK HERB BREAD

This so easy to make. You now have no excuse for not making fresh bread. By the way, I skip all the fresh herbs and put in a couple tablespoons of dried "Italina Herbs" as the container says. This is supposed to make two loaves, but I skip the loaf pans and put it on a pie plate to make one big loaf (I did this for church for years.)

• 6 1/2 cups (about) all purpose flour
• 2 packages quick-rising dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 cups hot water (120º F to 130º F)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh marjoram
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary

• Butter two 9x5x3-inch loaf pans.
• Mix 4 cups flour, yeast, sugar and salt in large bowl.
• Add 2 cups hot water, oil, parsley marjoram and rosemary.
• Using wood spoon, beat vigorously for 2 minutes.
• Stir in enough remaining flour to form smooth and slightly sticky dough.
• Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface.
• Knead until soft and smooth, about 2 minutes.
• Divide dough in half
• Shape each piece into oval and place in prepared pans.
• Cover with a towel and let rise in warm draft-free area until almost dou­ble, about 45 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375º F
• Bake until loaves sound hollow when tapped on bottom, about 50 minutes.
• Turn out onto racks and cool completely.

(Can he prepared 1 day ahead. Wrap in foil and store at room temperature.)

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE
Makes 10 to 12 servings

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup graham-cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans

• 2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• Pinch salt
• 6 large eggs
• 2 cups canned pumpkin- solid pack, unsweetened
• Walnut or pecan halves

• Butter bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan.
• Coat with crumbs and nuts, gently tapping out excess.
• Chill pan until time to fill crust.
• Heat oven to 325º
• Beat cream cheese in large mixer bowl until light and fluffy.
• Beat in sugar, flour, spices, and salt until thoroughly incorporated.
• Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Fold in pumpkin.
• Transfer batter to prepared pan.
• Bake cake on middle rack of oven for 1 1/2 hours; cake will be firm around edges and soft in center.
• Turn off heat; open oven door. Let cake stand in oven 30 minutes.
• Remove cake from oven; let cool completely in pan.
• Refrigerate, cov­red, at least 2 hours or overnight.
• To serve, remove sides of pan and transfer cake to serving plate; decorate with walnut or pecan halves.

PAUL'S INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH BROWNIES

1 1/3 cups bleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened alkalized cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup miniature chocolate chips
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
5 large eggs
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• Preheat the oven to 325°F. Film the inside of a 9 by 13 glass baking pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
• Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt together into a bowl.
• Put butter, unsweetened chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate into a microwavable medium-size mixing bowl. Heat on high for 5 minutes turning at least once. When that is done, whisk it all until well-combined.
• In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, mix the eggs for 1 minute to blend, add the sugar and mix for 45 seconds, or until just incorporated.
• Blend in the melted butter and chocolate mixture.
• Blend in the vanilla extract.
• Add the flour mixture and slowly stir it in, mixing until the particles of flour are absorbed.
• Mix in the mini-chocolate chips.
• Scrape the batter into the prepared baking pan. Spread the batter evenly in the pan and smooth over the top using a rubber spatula or flexible palette knife.
• Bake the brownies for 30 minutes, or until set.
• Cool the brownies completely in the pan on a rack.
• Refrigerate the brownies for 2 hours, or until firm enough to cut.