Jamaican patties

INGREDIENTS:

Below is a delicious recipe for Jamaican Beef Patties:

PASTRY

2 cups Flour
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/2 tablespoon curry powder
1/4 cup Solid shortening
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) margarine
1/3 cup Cold water

Sift the flour, curry powder and salt into a large bowl. Cut in the shortening and margarine until crumbly. Add the cold water to make a stiff dough. Lightly flour a wooden cutting board and roll out the dough until about 1/8-inch thick. Cut out 8-inch circles. Cover with wax paper or damp cloth until ready to use. You can place the dough in the refrigerator overnight. If you do refrigerate, remove the dough at least 15 minutes before using.

MEAT FILLING

2 tablespoon oil
1 Small white onion, Finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon Chopped Scotch Bonnet pepper
1/2 lb. Lean ground beef
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon Curry powder
1/2 teaspoon Dried thyme
1/4 cup Breadcrumbs
1/4 cup Beef or chicken stock
1 Egg, beaten
1/4 cup Water

METHOD/DIRECTION

In a heavy skillet, melt the margarine and sauté the onion and Scotch Bonnet Pepper until they become limp. Add the ground beef, salt, pepper, curry powder and thyme and mix well. Brown the meat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the breadcrumbs and stock and combine all the ingredients well. Cover the skillet and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. When all the liquids have been absorbed, the filling is ready. It should be moist but not watery. Remove the skillet from the stove and preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Uncover the dough circles and place 2 to 3 tablespoons of filling on half of each. Moisten the edges of the dough with water and fold the dough circle over the meat filling. Pinch the edges closed with a fork. Lightly brush the pastry with a mixture of the egg and water. Bake on a lightly greased baking sheet for 30 to 40 minutes or until the pastry are golden brown.

Carrot cake

INGREDIENTS

For the cake:

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1/2 cup golden raisins (optional)
3 tablespoons dark rum (optional)
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 pound carrots, peeled, coarsely grated
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup vegetable oil
For the frosting and assembly:
12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Generous pinch of kosher salt
4 cups powdered sugar
Candied Carrot Coins

PREPARATION

Make the cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat two 9"-diameter cake pans with nonstick spray. Line bottoms with parchment paper rounds; lightly coat rounds with nonstick spray. If using raisins and rum, heat together in a small saucepan over low just until warm, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit until liquid is absorbed and raisins are plump, 15–20 minutes.

Meanwhile, toast walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until golden brown, 8–10 minutes; let cool. Combine carrots and buttermilk in a medium bowl. 


Whisk flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract until pale and thick, about 4 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low and gradually stream in oil. Add dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with carrot mixture in 2 additions, beginning and ending with dry ingredients; mix until smooth. Fold in raisins, if using, and walnuts with a rubber spatula. Scrape batter into prepared pans.


Bake cakes, rotating pans halfway through, until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 35–45 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack and let cakes cool 10 minutes. Run a knife around sides of cakes and invert onto wire rack; remove parchment. Let cool completely.

Make the frosting:

Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl until smooth, about 1 minute. Beat in vanilla extract and salt. Reduce speed to low and gradually mix in powdered sugar. Increase speed to high and beat frosting until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Assemble the cake:

Place 1 cake, domed side down, on a platter. Spread 3/4 cup frosting evenly over top. Place remaining cake, domed side down, on top. Spread top and sides with 1 1/4 cups frosting and chill 30 minutes to let frosting set. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides, swirling decoratively.

Butter cookies

INGREDIENTS

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon milk

Garnish: coarse or sanding sugar*; or melted chocolate (see cooks' note, below)

METHOD/DIRECTION

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl.

Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes in a standing mixer (preferably fitted with paddle attachment) or 6 with a handheld. Beat in egg and vanilla. Reduce speed to low, then add flour mixture and mix until just combined.

Form dough into a 12-inch log (2 inches in diameter) on a sheet of plastic wrap and roll up dough in plastic wrap. Chill dough on a baking sheet until firm, at least 4 hours. (To roll cookies into balls, see cooks' note, below.)

Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 375°F.
Cut enough 1/8- to 1/4-inch-thick slices from log with a heavy knife to fill 2 ungreased large baking sheets, arranging slices about 1 inch apart (chill remainder of log, wrapped in plastic wrap). If garnishing with coarse sugar, sprinkle slices with it.
Bake cookies, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until edges are golden, 12 to 15 minutes total. Cool on sheets 3 minutes, then transfer with a metal spatula to racks to cool completely. Make more cookies with remaining dough on cooled baking sheets.

*Cooks' notes:
Dough log can be chilled up to 5 days or frozen, wrapped in a double layer of plastic wrap, 1 month. If frozen, thaw dough in refrigerator just until it can be sliced.

Instead of forming dough into a log and chilling, you can roll tablespoons of dough into 1 1/4-inch balls, then roll balls in finely chopped nuts (about 1 cup) and coarse sugar. Bake, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until bottoms are browned, about 15 minutes total.

To garnish cookies with chocolate, melt 3 1/2 oz chocolate and cool slightly. Transfer to a heavy-duty sealable plastic bag and snip a 1/16-inch opening in 1 corner. Pipe chocolate evenly back and forth over cookies. Let chocolate set before storing cookies.
Cookies keep, layered between sheets of wax paper or parchment, in an airtight container at room temperature 1 week

Fried rice

FRIED RICE (Add your choice of meat for a complete meal!)

3 cups cooked white rice
1 tbs sesame oil
1 cup frozen peas and carrots (thawed)
1 small onion, chopped
1tsp minced garlic
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 cup soy sauce

On medium high heat, heat the oil in a large skillet or wok. Add the peas carrots mix, onion and garlic. Stir fry until tender. Lower the heat to medium low and push the mixture off to one side, then pour your eggs on the other side of skillet and stir fry until scrambled. Now add the rice and soy sauce and blend all together well. Stir fry until thoroughly heated. Try adding some green onion.

Homemade style Shepherd pie

Ingredients

1 lb.(450 g) baking potatoes (about 2), peeled, chopped
1 lb.(450 g) extra-lean ground beef
1  onion, finely chopped
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, corn, peas)
1/2 cup 25%-less-sodium beef broth
1 tub (270 g) Philadelphia Savoury Garlic Cooking Creme, divided

Method/Direction

Heat  oven to 375ºF.
Add potatoes to large saucepan of boiling water; cook 20 to 25 min. or until tender. Meanwhile, cook meat and onions in large nonstick skillet on medium heat 5 to 7 min. or until meat is browned and onions are tender, stirring occasionally. Add frozen vegetables and broth; stir. Bring to boil. Add 1/4 cup Cooking Creme; cook and stir 1 to 2 min. or until heated through. Transfer to 8-inch square baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Drain potatoes, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water. Return potatoes and reserved water to pan; mash until smooth. Stir in remaining Cooking Creme; spread over meat mixture.Bake 25 to 30 min. or until heated throughout.

Pineapple upside down cake

Ingredients

Topping
¼ cup butter, melted
½ cup packed light brown sugar
sliced pineapples (8 canned slices)
15-20 maraschino cherries

Cake
1 and ⅔ cups flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter, melted
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
¾ cup milk
½ cup pineapple juice
1 Tablespoon vanilla

Method/Directions

Preheat oven to 360F
Prepare topping first:
Place ¼ cup of melted butter into a 9-inch cake pan
Sprinkle the brown sugar on top. Lay pineapple slices on top and add cherries in the spaces!

Cake
In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter.
Whisk in the sugars. Whisk in the egg, milk, pineapple juice, and vanilla.
Add dry ingredients and whisk to remove lumps. Pour batter into the pan on top of the pineapples. Bake for at 20 minutes and then loosely tent with foil to prevent browning. Bake an additional 20-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes and invert onto large plate. Let cool completely and use a HUGE spatula to transfer this on top of your cheesecake. Chill until cold!

Bread pudding

6 slices day-old bread
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups milk
3/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Break bread into small pieces into an 8 inch square baking pan. Drizzle melted butter or margarine over bread. If desired, sprinkle with raisins.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla. Beat until well mixed. Pour over bread, and lightly push down with a fork until bread is covered and soaking up the egg mixture.
Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until the top springs back when lightly tapped.