Rugelach Cake

 Some cakes look great. This is one of them. However my family would have preferred rugelach not in a cake form.

Makes 1 cake

Ingredients

Cake:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

3 T firmly packed brown sugar

1 1/2 t instant yeast

1 1/4 t kosher salt

1/2 cup whole milk

2 t vanilla bean paste

1 egg

Chocolate Filling

1/3 c chopped 60% dark chocolate

3 T unsalted butter

1/4 cup confectionary sugar

3 T cocoa powder

1/2 t kosher salt

Glaze:

1 egg

1 T water

1 T vanilla sugar

In my stand mixer, I mixed 1 cup of flour, brown sugar, yeast and salt. 

In a saucepan, warm up butter, milk and vanilla bean until butter is melted.

Add butter mixture to flour and beat at medium speed until combined. Then add one egg and beat. Gradually add the 1 1/2 c of additional flour. Beat.

Switch to dough hook and beat for 6-8 minutes until smooth. Add a bit of flour if too sticky. 

Smooth into ball and put into well greased bowl and let rise in a warm spot (I used a proofer) for 30 minutes.

Divide dough into half and form two small 3 inch squares and wrap and place in fridge for 1 hour.

Spray 9 inch springform with Bakers Joy. Line pan with parchment paper.

Roll half of dough into 18 x 6 rectangle. Spread half of the chocolate filling onto this dough. Using sharp knife cut into 7 2 inch strips and then cut each strip into a triangle. Starting at large point of triangle roll towards end. Repeat for each piece.

Repeat for second dough ball.

Place dough cookies in springform pan in a single layer. Let rise for 45 minutes in proofer.

Preheat oven to 350.

Whisk egg and water and apply wash to top of cookies. Sprinkle with vanilla sugar.

Bake for 25 (to 30) minutes.

Let cool in pan.

Serve warm. 

Jeweled Rice with Roasted Vegetables

 Often times I listen to WBUR in Boston, and hear some great news stories. Around Thanksgiving, I was listening and heard a guest speak about a fabulous vegan rice dish she serves on Thanksgiving. I made an adaptation of it for Thanksgiving and it was a big hit.

I made it again last night with a few different twists.

Serves 4-6 as a main course

Ingredients

The Rice:

• 1 1/2 cups basmati rice
• 1/4 t saffron
• 1/4 t turmeric
• 3 cups of water
• salt
• 1 T olive oil

Vegetables

• 4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 1/2 pounds of butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 2 cups Brussel sprouts, cut in half if larger or whole if smaller
• 1 yellow onion, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1/4 c olive oil
• 1/2 t ground cumin
• 1/2 t ground turmeric
• salt and pepper

Topping

• 1 T olive oil
• 1 cup slivered almonds
• 1/2 c dried figs, chopped
• pomegranate seeds

Directions:

• To make the rice, mix the rice, saffron, turmeric, salt and water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to low, stir, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• In a large bowl combine carrots, squash, sprouts and onion with the 1/4 c olive oil, salt, pepper, cumin and turmeric. Spread on one or two large sheet pans in one layer. Roast for 30 minutes.
• Brush 1 T olive oil on the bottom and sides of a 9 inch round cake pan. Press the rice into the pan and bake for 15 min (when the vegetables have 15 min left).
• When vegetables are in the oven, heat 1 T olive oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Add almonds and cook for 2 minutes while stirring. Add figs and salt and pepper and cook for 2 more minutes.
• Unmold rice onto large platter. Surround with roasted vegetables. Pour almonds and figs on top of rice. Sprinkle pomegranate seeds over rice.

Serve.

Sheet Pan Cooking is EASY

Last night I made an easy sheet pan dinner for all of us. There are a few of us in the house that don't like casserole. We like our food separate and not smooshed together.

Out of my Skinny Taste cookbook I found a dish that I could easily exchange chicken for tofu, which makes my dinner plans even easier.

Dijon Maple Chicken (or tofu) with Brussels and Butternut Squash.

This recipe makes ONE pan of chicken or ONE pan of TOFU. If you need both, then you will need double the ingredients.

Pam

4 T Dijon Mustard

3 T Maple Syrup

2 T Soy Sauce

8 Drum Sticks (or one package of tofu, pressed and cut into cubes)

Kosher salt

Fresh ground pepper

12 oz Brussel sprouts, trimmed and halved

12 oz butternut squash, peeled and cubed (feel free to purchase the package that is already cut in the store)

6 sprigs of thyme

1 1/2 T olive oil

Preheat the oven to 425; line a sheet pan with tin foil and spray with Pam.

In a small bowl mix 3 T mustard, 2 T maple syrup and the soy sauce. Stir until combined.

Season the chicken (both sides) with kosher salt and pepper. Do the same if you use tofu. Put the protein on the sheet pan, spread it out.

In a large bowl, combine the sprouts, the squash, thyme, olive oil and 1/4 t. salt. Season with pepper. Stir to combine.

Place the vegetables onto the sheet pan, and make sure it is a single layer. Brush the mustard sauce all over the chicken (both sides) and then sprinkle any remaining sauce over the vegetables.

Roast for 35 minutes.

In a small bowl stir the 1 T mustard and 1 T maple syrup. Brush this sauce over the chicken and then bake for 5 more minutes.

DELICIOUS.