Tokneneng

Chicken Lollipop

....GOTO kO!!....

This dish can stand on its own – meaning you can just eat plain rice porridge and still feel satisfied, but there are also wide selection of toppings to suit everyone’s tastes. Among those “add-ons” to choose from are: hard-boiled egg, chicken pieces, cow’s eye, chicharon (pork cracklings), pig’s internals such as heart and intestines, and the recipe I am about to share – goto (ox tripe).


Ingredients:
3/4 Kilo Goto (Ox Tripe), cleaned
1 Kilo malagkit rice (glutinous rice), washed once
3 tbsp. fresh garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh ginger strips
1/4 cup onions, sliced
3 tbsp. patis (fish sauce)
3 tbsp. cooking oil
1 tbsp. kasubha
2 sachets (8 gram pack) MAGGI Magic Sarap
2 tbsp. MAGGI Chiken Stock
Spring onions, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste


Directions:
>>> Clean goto. Boil in water for 15 minutes. Wash again and boil in another batch of water with salt. Add in MAGGI Chicken Stock powder. Liquid to cover all the meat. Cover, lower heat and let to simmer until goto is tender. Slice into thin strips. Set aside broth.

>>> In a cooking pot, sauté garlic until brown. Set aside garlic.

>>> In the same oil, sauté ginger. Add in onion and cook for about two minutes. Stir in rice and season with patis. Cook for 3 minutes, and add the broth (8 – 10 cups, depending on the consistency desired). Cover. Stir once in a while to prevent the rice from sticking

>>> When the rice is cooked, add goto pieces, gently stir for 5 minutes. Add MAGGI Magic Sarap. Season according to taste.

>>> Serve hot topped with fried garlic and chopped spring onions.

sisig my style

Ingredients

* 1.5 lbs pork ears (cleaned and hair removed or so to speak shaved)
* .5 lbs pork liver
* 2 hot chilis (minced)
* 2 Medium Red onions (minced)
* Garlic (crushed, as in super crushed)
* 5 tbsp soy sauce (up to you on how strong the flavor you want it)
* 5 tbsp vinegar (up to you on how strong the flavor you want it)
* Vegetable oil (you can use olive oil if you'd like)
* Sizzling plate (optional)
* Salt and Pepper
* 1 Egg


Directions

1. 1. Rub the pork ear and liver with a pinch of salt and pepper
2. 2. Grill the pork ear and the pork liver (in this case you wanna make sure the liver is reall cooked, but if you want it a little bit raw its up to you)
3. 3. The pork ear should be cooked until crisp but not burnt
4. 4. After cooking, mince everything all up and mix (pork ear and pork liver)
5. 5. In a non stick pan, heat oil and saute garlic until golden brown
6. 6. Add the onions wait for it turn transluscent
7. 7. Add the mixed Pork ear and the Por liver
8. 8. Cook until the meat starts to crisp a bit
9. 9. Add the vinegar and the soy sauce
10. 10. Salt and pepper to taste
11. 11. Remove from heat, add the minced hot chilis if you want it hot.
12. 12. Add the egg after removing it from heat.
13. 13. ENJOY!!! Put it on Taco shells, Nachos or you can even eat it as it is... Oh and by the way... THIS TASTES GOOD IF YOU ADD A SQUEEZE OF LIME before you eat it!!! =)

papaitan alis tama..

Papaitan or pinapaitan, for those who don’t know is a sampalok and bile flavored stew of tripes and innards. It is either an ox or goat. (baka or kambing). This dish is popular with those who love drinking liquor. It is one of the mainstay dish of restaurants along the h-ways if you have ever traveled up north or Ilocos country. I know a lot of people want to know how to cook this dish. Cooking is fairly simple except that it require a lot of time to get the innards to get cook to tender especially the tripes, not unless you want to use the pressure cooker but you won’t get the same tastiness with slow cooking.

When buying just ask the butcher it is for papaitan and most likely he knows what it is, so he will be giving you a set complete with diluted bile. Here in bahrain it is the meat shop way of attracting Filipino customers, by selling meat cuts the way Filipinos want. Here are some tips in cooking papaitan. Wash thoroughly. Parboil the innards with garlic and ginger for 15 minutes, discard water and rinse before slicing. Add bile small amount at a time so with sampalok. Until you get the correct sourness and bitterness.

Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

1 k. ox tripe/innards
1/2 c. diluted ox bile
1 head whole garlic
1 thumb size ginger, crushed
2 thumb size ginger, cut into strips
1 head garlic, chopped
2 medium size onion, chopped
1 bundle spring onion, chopped
1 small packet, sampalok sinigang mix
2-3 siling labuyo, chopped
1/2 c. patis
salt and pepper

Cooking procedure:

Wash thoroughly ox innards, drain and cut into small slices, set aside liver. In a sauce pan put all innards, whole garlic and crushed ginger cover with water and boil for 15 minutes, drain and discard liquid. Rinse and add fresh water and boil for 1-2 hours or until innards are tender. Remove from pan separate broth and keep aside. In same sauce pan sauté onion, garlic and ginger. Add innards including liver stir for 3-5 minutes, add patis and cook for another 3-5 minutes. Pour in broth and simmer for 10-15 minutes, add siling labuyo, sinigang mix and goat bile (half quantity at time and taste sourness and bitterness add more if required). Simmer for another 3-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, garnish with spring onion. Serve hot.

my pad thai

Pad Thai is a dish of stir-fried rice noodles with eggs, fish sauce, tamarind juice, red chilli pepper, plus any combination of bean sprouts, shrimp, chicken, or tofu, garnished with crushed peanuts and coriander. It is normally served with a piece of lime, the juice of which can be added along with Thai condiments. In Thailand, it is also served with a piece of banana flower.

Pad Thais have been the best known or shall we say the trademark disk of Thailand. And it is widely appreciated and known all over the world, especially in America and Australlia.
Ingredients:
1 package rice noodles
vegetable oil
1 diced onion
1 minced garlic, 2 beaten eggs
1/2 cup unsalted and chooped dry-roasted peanuts
1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
12 medium and peeled fresh shrimp
ketchup
fish sauce
white sugar
lemon juice
white wine vinegar

Procedure:
1.Treat your noodles first. Soak your noodles in cold water and drain it. Afterwhich, place the noodles in hot water and drain.

2. Prepare your skillet, heat the oil and saute onion and garlic. Try to caramelize the onion first before adding the shrimp. To know if you’re shrimp is already cooked, its color should be changed, specifically turning to pink or orange. Add your ketchup, fish sauce, sugar, lemon juice and vinegar.

3. Last phase is putting the beaten egg. Its best to let the egg cook without even stirring the dish so as to get the desired texture of the dish. Add now the drained rice noodles and the peanuts. Mix the whole dish until the noodles is tender.

Pancit Luglog (Rice and Noodles)

Ingredients:
PORK AND BEAN CURD MIXTURE:
1/2 c. cooking oil
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 c. cooked pork, diced
2 cakes tokua or bean curd, diced
1/4 c. atsuwete water (2 tbs. anato seeds soaked in 1/4 c. water)
1 c. shrimp juice
1/2 c. kintsay or Chinese celery
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp. aji-no-moto

PALABOK:
2 c shrimp juice
1/4 c atsuwete water (2 tbs. anato seeds soaked in 1/4 c. water)
6 tbs. flour dissolved in 1/2 c water
1 tsp. Aji-no-moto
salt to taste

PANCIT (NOODLES):
2 qts. water
1/2 kg dried rice noodles (bihon) soaked in water for 10 minutes, then drained
1 c bean sprouts, boiled

GARNISHING:
1/2 c flaked smoked fish (tinapa)
1/2 c crisp pork cracklings (sitsaron), pounded
2 eggs, hard boiled, chopped
1/2 c shrimp, shelled and boiled
1/2 c green onions, finely sliced
6 pcs calamansi or 1 lemon, sliced
fried minced garlic



Instructions:
Brown garlic in hot oil. Set aside for garnishing. Drop pork in cooking oil, fry until slightly brown. Add tokua and fry 1 minute. Add the concentrated atsuwete water. Pour the 1 cup concentrated shrimp juice and bring to a boil. Add the kintsay and season with salt, pepper and Aji-no-moto. Set aside. This is the pork and bean curd mixture.

Prepare palabok sauce: Add atsuwete water to shrimp juice and bring to a boil. Disperse flour and add to mixture, stirring constantly. Season with salt and Aji-no-moto. Set aside.

Measure 2 quarts of water into a deep pot and bring to a boil. Put a handful of bean sprouts into a sifter then add the noodles. Dip sifter into boiling water for 1 minute, then drain well. Continue until all he noodles has been cooked. Pour noodles in a large platter. Cover with palabok sauce. Top with the pork and bean curd mixture. Sprinkle tinapa, sitsaron, chopped eggs, shelled shrimp, green onions, fried garlic, season with salt and pepper, and arrange lemon wedges around platter.

kare kare

Kare Kare Ingredients:

*

1/2 kilo beef (round or sirloin cut) cut into cubes (for a more traditional kare kare, use cleaned beef tripe instead of beef)
*

1/2 kilo oxtail, cut 2 inch long
*

3 cups of peanut butter
*

1/4 cup grounded toasted rice
*

1/2 cup cooked bagoong alamang (anchovies)
*

2 pieces onions, diced
*

2 heads of garlic, minced
*

4 tablespoons atsuete oil
*

4 pieces eggplant, sliced 1 inch thick
*

1 bundle Pechay (Bok choy) cut into 2 pieces
*

1 bundle of sitaw (string beans) cut to 2" long
*

1 banana bud, cut similar to eggplant slices, blanch in boiling water
*

1/2 cup oil
*

8 cups of water
*

Salt to taste

Kare Kare Cooking Instructions:

*

In a stock pot, boil beef and oxtails in water for an hour or until cooked. Strain and keep the stock.
*

In a big pan or wok, heat oil and atsuete oil.
*

Sauté garlic, onions until golden brown, then add the stock, toasted rice, beef, oxtail and peanut butter. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Salt to taste.
*

Add the eggplant, string beans, pechay and banana bud. Cook the vegetables for a few minutes - Do not overcook the vegetables.
*

Serve with bagoong on the side and hot plain rice.

classic buko pandan ala lanie

Ingredients
8 leaves of Pandan – cleaned well
5 Buko (Coconut)not too hard, not too soft- Grated to strips
Water from 5 Buko (approx. 10 cups)
3 small cans of Nestle Cream
1 medium can of Condensed Milk
2 bars of Green Gulaman
1 3/4 Cups Sugar (more if you want it sweeter)
1 cup Kaong (optional)

Preparation

1. Boil buko water from 5 coconuts together with 8 pandan leaves that are individually twisted to break the fibers and expose the juice. Simmer for 20 minutes.
2. Before adding 2 bars of gulaman, make sure you remove the pandan leaves and check if the remaining coconut water is equal to 8 cups – 1 bar of gulaman is good for 4 cups of liquid. If it is not 8 cups, less will mean hard gulaman and more than 8 cups will result in mushy soft gulaman. Ensuring gulaman is well-dissolved stir well. Add sugar while mixing. Do this for 5 minutes.
3. Pour through a strainer into cooling trays. Wait till it cools and hardens, then put in fridge.
4. Meanwhile, mix the grated buko with the 3 cans of cream and 1 can of condensed milk.
5. Add kaong if you prefer.
6. Get gulaman from ref and cut into 1 cm cubes. Mix with buko mixture.

NO CHILL SIMPLE PUFF PASTRY FROM

1 stick butter
1 c. water
dash of salt
1 c. flour
2 eggs

Bring butter, water and salt to a rolling boil. In a separate bowl, mix in 1 cup flour very well (by hand).

Break in 1 egg at a time and beat well with wooden spoon. Beat until eggs disappear. Remember to add one egg at a time and beat until smooth after each addition.

Drop by spoonfuls, however large you'd like them. Pipe through a pastry bag onto cookie sheets, making sure they won't touch while baking or else they might cook togeather.

Bake at 400-425 degrees until puffed and golden and they look dry, though the center will still be soft.

You may have to adjust heat if they brown too quickly, being very careful while opening oven door if you don't have an oven light.

Good for all things that you normally use puff pastry for, from puddings, to eclairs, to about anything else you need a good

CITRUS RESTAURANT'S CREME BRULEE

10 eggs, separated
3/4 c. milk
1 tbsp. vanilla
3/4 c. sugar
2 1/4 c. whipping cream
1/4 c. brown sugar, packed

Mix egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar until well combined and sugar has dissolved. Add milk, whipping cream and vanilla and mix well.

Place 1 (9x13) glass baking dish or 6 (5 inch) fluted glass flan dishes in baking pan. Pour mixture into baking dish or fill flan dishes 3/4 full with creme brulee mixture. Place in oven and fill baking sheet 3/4 full with hot water. Bake at 350 degrees 30 to 40 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Remove dishes from hot water bath and set aside to cool.

Combine remaining 1/4 cup sugar and brown sugar. Sprinkle top of each serving evenly with combined sugars. Caramelize with torch. If torch is not available, place creme brulee in refrigerator until chilled. When ready to serve, place sugar-coated creme in preheated broiler 5 minutes to brown, being careful not to scorch. 6 servings.

BASIL AND GARLIC MINESTRONE

3 ounces pancetta, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 scant cup olive oil
pinch of oregano
1/2 cup whole peeled Italian tomatoes, drained
1 tsp chicken bouillon (or soup base)
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
pinch of pepper
pinch or red pepper flakes
10 ounces spaghetti or linquine, broken
3 tablespoons fresh basil, coarsely chopped
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In a large skillet, saute chopped pancetta in olive oil, when browned, stir in tomatoes and simmer, stirring occasionally.

Add 6 cups cold water (1 1/2 quarts). Add salt. Bring to a boil, then drop in broken pasta. Cook pasta until al dente (literally, "to the tooth", which means that the pasta should not be mushy, and should have a little "bite").

When pasta is cooked, remove from the heat. Add basil, and some of the grated cheese. Sprinkle to taste with sea salt or kosher salt, and freshly grated black pepper. Add a light dusting of hot red pepper flakes (optional), as you like it.

Serve hot, with extra Parmesan cheese at the table, for sprinkling. At my table, we never grate the cheese in advance, but the block of cheese is placed at the table with a grater, for extra helpings.

This dish is as versatile as pasta itself and can be varied as desired; a few suggestions are included below.

Substitutions and variations: Use pork soup base instead of chicken bouillon. Bacon, ham or salt pork may be used instead of pancetta. Diced fresh or canned tomatoes can be substituted for whole peeled. Fresh pasta noodles can be used in place of dry pasta.

MY LASAGNE!

A VERY SPECIAL LASAGNE

1/2 lb. lasagne noodles
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 c. chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. olive oil
3 lbs. tomatoes (6-7 lg.), peeled, seeded, chopped (or canned tomatoes, drained)
1 1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
2 tbsp. chopped parsley (or 1 tsp. dried)
1 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper

Cook lasagne noodles in boiling, salted water until "al dente", still firm to the bite. Drain and keep them in cold water until ready to use.

Saute ground beef, onion and garlic in olive oil until meat is no longer pink. Add remaining ingredients and cook at a fast simmer until sauce is quite thick (about 30 to 40 minutes). Skim fat. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

BECHAMEL:

1/2 c. butter
4 tbsp. flour
1 c. milk
1 c. chicken broth
1 chicken bouillon cube (opt.)
1/8 tsp. salt

Melt butter; add flour and cook, stirring with a whisk for 1 minute. Slowly add milk and chicken broth and bring to a boil, still using whisk. Taste and add chicken bouillon cube, if needed. Add salt.

RICOTTA FILLING:

1 egg
1/2 lb. ricotta cheese
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/16 - 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt

Beat egg in a bowl. Add remaining ingredients and stir well with a fork.

CHEESES:

1 1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
8 oz. Mozzarella cheese, sliced
Butter

In the following order, layer in a lightly greased 13"x9" baking dish: a little meat sauce, half of the noodles, half of the remaining meat sauce, 1/2 cup Bechamel, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, half of the Mozzarella and Ricotta cheese; the remaining noodles and meat sauce, 1/2 cup Bechamel, 1/2 cup Parmesan, the remaining Mozzarella and ricotta, Bechamel and Parmesan cheeses. Dot with butter. At this point, the dish may be covered and refrigerated.

From room temperature, bake at 400 degrees, uncovered, for 30 minutes or more, until bubbly. This dish freezes very well.

BACON-WRAPPED SCALLOPS WITH LEMON-CHIVE SAUCE

3 doz. fresh sea scallops (about 2 lbs.)
1 lb. sliced bacon
Lemon-Chive Sauce

Cut bacon in half crosswise. Wrap each scallop in a piece of bacon, and secure with a wooden pick. Place scallops on a rack in a broiler pan; brush with lemon-chive sauce. Broil 6 inches from heat 10 to 15 minutes or until scallops are opaque and bacon is done, turning occasionally. Serve immediately.

LEMON-CHIVE SAUCE:

2 tbsp. chopped fresh chives
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground pepper

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl; stir well with a wire whisk until blended. Yield: 1/4 cup.

SCALLOP AND MUSHROOM FRITTATA WITH NEWBURG SAUCE

FRITTATA:

2 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 lb. Cape Cod scallops
1 lg. clove garlic, finely minced
1/4 c. fresh chopped parsley
2 scallions, coarsely chopped
8 med. mushrooms, thinly sliced
6 eggs
1/4 c. whipping cream
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 c. bread crumbs

NEWBURG SAUCE:

5 tbsp. butter
2 1/2 tbsp. flour
1 c. milk, warmed
1 c. light cream, warmed
2 oz. sherry
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/2 c. chopped scallops (reserved from above)

To make frittatas: In large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoons olive oil. Wash and drain scallops; pat dry, and saute until lightly browned. Remove from pan and put aside (reserve 1/2 cup for Newburg Sauce).

In same skillet, add remaining tablespoon butter and saute garlic, parsley, scallions, mushrooms until tender. Remove from pan with slotted spoon.

In large bowl, beat eggs, whipping cream, salt and pepper. Generously grease 2-quart casserole dish and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Arrange scallops on bottom and place mushroom mixture on top. Pour egg mixture over top evenly and bake in preheated 350 degree oven until lightly browned and firm, about 35 to 40 minutes.

To make sauce: Melt butter in saucepan and gradually add flour to make a paste. Add warm milk and cream and simmer until thickened. Add sherry, paprika, and reserved chopped scallops and simmer 5 minutes.

Slice frittata in wedges and serve hot with 2 heaping tablespoons of Newburg Sauce on top. Makes 4 to 6 servin

EASY CHICKEN CACCIATORE

4 breasts, split
3 tbsp. olive oil
2 cans (14 1/2 oz. each) Del Monte Italian style stewed tomatoes
1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
2 c. sliced mushrooms
1 tsp. crushed basil
Salt and pepper
Hot cooked pasta

Remove skin from breasts. Fry until brown - drain. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, mushrooms, basil and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer 30 minutes. Serve over hot pasta. 4-6 servings.

my chicken inasal

Preparation & marinating: 6 hours to overnight

Estimated cooking time: 40 minutes


Chicken Inasal Ingredients:

*

Pinoy Chicken Inasal 2 Chickens (free range if available)
*

3/4 cup Filipino vinegar
*

1/4 cup Garlic finely minced
*

2 stalks Lemon grass optional
*

Salt
*

Annatto oil (see notes below)
*

Wooden skewers
*

Spiced vinegar

*

Additional Ingredients Instructions:

* 2 free-range chickens, approx. 3 pounds each, or if you can find smaller chickens, use 3 of them

* 3/4 cup Filipino vinegar, palm if you can find it, or cane; or if you must, the equivalent in kalamansi juice (available in the frozen aisle of your Asian market if you don’t have access to fresh)
* 1/4 cup garlic, minced very finely, or better yet, mashed into a paste with 2 teaspoons sea salt
* achuete or annatto oil, made by steeping 1/4 cup annatto seeds in 1/2 cup hot oil for half an hour (If not available, you may mix a small amount of paprika and tumeric to achieve the same color.)
* thick wooden skewers, soaked for 1 hour in water prior to cooking
* Bottled spiced vinegar for serving, or make your own by mixing Filipino vinegar, lots of crushed garlic, a bit of salt, and a handful of Thai peppers or other tiny red hot peppers

Chicken Inasal Cooking Instructions:

* Pinoy Chicken Inasal Quarter the chickens, or if using the small ones, halve them. Marinate in the vinegar, garlic and salt, several hours or overnight, turning several times.
* Preheat grill to 350 degrees. Make sure your grill is cleaned and oiled well. Cook over indirect heat for 20 minutes, basting with the achuete oil.
* Turn and cook for 10-15 minutes more, or until thickest parts of chicken exude clear juices when pierced. Can also be made in a grill pan on the stove if no outside barbecue is available.
* Serve immediately with the spiced vinegar. Other welcome additions to the vinegar: some soy sauce or fish sauce if you like, or even some minced ginger.

Variations:



* Another technique we’ve found to work well, is to heat the oil in which the annatto is to be steeped, and to steep the garlic (and lemon grass if using) together with the seeds. This ensures a more even distribution of flavors. Just remember to discard this mixture when you’re done with the cooking, as you risk botulism from the garlic. Or, if you want to make it ahead of time, be sure to refrigerate the oil to retard any toxins from developing.
* If your chicken is particularly fatty, you could render the fat slowly in a skillet, and use that instead of cooking oil to steep the annatto seeds. In which case, you’ll want to have enough not only for basting but also for serving later, as there’s nothing more appetizing than chicken inasal drizzled with this orange concoction.

Isda sa Gata na may Sarsa

1 tasang hinimay na isda
2 tasang gata ng niyog
4 na kutsarang ginadgad na keso
1 kurot na paminta
1 tasang kanin
3 itlog
1 kutsarang asin
2 kutsaritang mantikilya

Ilaga sa isang tasang gata ng niyog ang isda. Himayin ang isda saka alisin ang mga tinik. Ihalo ang mantikilya. Sa mga pula ng itlog na binating mabuti, ihalo ang isang tasang gata ng niyog, kanin, hinimay na isdang may keso, asin at paminta. Ihalo ng pabalot ang puti ng itlog na binating mabuti. Isalin sa hulmahang pinahiran ng mantikilya ipatong ito sa kawaling may mainit na tubig. Ipasok sa pugong may katamtamang init. Hanguin. Pagkaraan ng mga 30 minuto.

SARSANG SIBUYAS

2 kutsarang asukal
1 kutsarang mantikilya
2 sibuyas, hiwain
2 kutsarang arina
1 tasang sabaw ng nilaga
1 kutsaritang asin
½ kutsaritang paminta
1 kutsarang suka

Papulahin ang asukal sa mantikilya. Ihalo ang hiniwang sibuyas. Lutuin at kung luto na ang sibuyas, isama ang arina at papulahin din. Isalin ang sabaw. Timplahan ng asin, paminta at suka. Lutuin hanggang lumapot.

Leche Flan

Ingredients
8
Egg yolks
2
cups Milk
1
cup Sugar

Caramelized Sugar
Ingredients
1
cup Sugar
1/4
cup Water

Preparation
Mix ingredients into a saucepan, cook and stir until the sugar turns brown.
Servings:
4

...food for the god...

[Food for the Gods]

It’s that time of the year when I plan the baked goodies that I plan to give as gifts to my friends. Food for the Gods is such a delightful recipe to bake during the holidays when one doesn’t have the time to bake Fruit Cake. It entails less preparation and baking time. It’s the perfect dessert to prepare beforehand. Baked with a delightful blend of dates and walnuts, molasses, tinge of brandy and cinnamon, the taste is reminiscent of fruit cake sans the fruit glaze. You should try it. It’s simple to bake. Your kitchen will also emit holiday aroma that gives you more reason to keep baking and baking.

Here is my recipe to start you off baking a dessert fit even for gods.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons Brandy
1 cup dates, cut in strips
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1/3 cup butter
2 tablespoons molasses
1/4 cup brown sugar
4 tablespoons Honey
2 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 350 F

2. Grease square pan

3. Combine dates. nuts, and 2 tablespoons brandy. Set aside.
dates and walnuts
(Dates and walnuts are blended with the 2 Tablespoons of brandy)

4. Cream butter until fluffy.

5. Add sugar, molasses, and honey gradually.

6. Add eggs one at a time and continue beating.

7. Blend in 2 tablespoons brandy. (Lauren wanted to add more brandy but it might make the batter too bitter.)

8. Sift together flour, cinnamon and baking powder.

food for the gods

9 Add to creamed mixture.

10. Fold in dates and nuts. Blend well.

11. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. (Bake only until a wooden toothpick inserted about one inch from side of pan comes out with a moist crumb. The center will often see, unbaked but it will be firm upon cooling.)
food for the gods
(Freshly baked food for the gods)

12. When cool, cut into bars.
food for the gods

13. Wrap in cellophane.