CRESCENT BREAKFAST BUNS (ACMA)

Acma is a type of bread/bun.  It can be made plain or with many varieties of filling.  I wanted to make them for this long Family day weekend breakfasts.  My original intent was to make them plain or with cheese but when I realized I had some left over chocolate muffins from Valentines day, I decided to try the with a filling I saw in my friend Asuman's blog (Arnavut Cigeri) quite some time ago.  Since I wasn't sure how they were going to turn out, I made a mix of plain and with filling.   I used my own recipe for the dough, Asuman's filling.  Next time, I intend to drizzle melted chocolate over the cake filled ones.

Dough

3 cups all purpose flour

1 cup warm milk

2 teaspoons quick dry yeast

3 tablespoons sugar

50 gr unsalted melted butter

2 eggs (save the yolk of 1 for the glaze)

Chocolate Cake Filling

3 cups chocolate cake or cupcakes (pre- made)

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup chopped almonds

1/2 cup raisins

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Glaze

1 egg yolk

Almond slices

Melted Chocolate

Makes 9

• Mix together Flour, yeast, and sugar
• Add in melted butter, warm milk and egg
• Make a soft dough
• Cover and let it rest in a warm place for 1 hour. 
• Knead the dough once more
• Separate dough in 9 equal pieces.  Cover and let it rest until you have the filling ready.
• If you are intending to make it plain, you can shape it at this time.  I "braid" the dough.  From each of the 9 pieces, you can further separate 3 pieces to roll out to 3 "sticks" and braid them.  Once ready, you can let it rest for 30 minutes.  Glaze and sprinkle blackened sesame seeds before cooking.
• Prepare the filling by pouring the milk into a pot.  Add all of the other ingredients and cook until thickens.  Cool
• Once ready, take each piece and flatten to oval shape.  Put some filling in the middle and roll it to cover.  Make sure the seam is in the bottom.  Give it a crescent shape on the lined pan.  Glaze with egg yolk and sprinkle almond slices.
• Cook at 350 until golden brown.  For the cake filled ones, you can melt chocolate and drizzle over them once they are cooled.

EASY MUFFIN CAKE

Nothing from scratch here but works just fine if you are short of time.

Happy Valentines Day!!!

1 package chocolate cake mix

1 box vanilla icing

1 bottle red icing

•  Prepare cake mix according to package instructions.  My cake mix called for 2 eggs, 1/3 cup water, 1/3 cup oil for 12 cupcakes.  I cooked at 350 degree preheated oven for 20 minutes
• Let cupcakes cool for a couple of hours
• Put vanilla icing on each one and arrange in the shape of a flower
• Line around the flower with generous amount of red icing
• If you have a decoration in the shape of a heart, put that in the middle muffin



WIENER AND BEANER CASSEROLE

Because I was a working mom, my girls went to daycare when they were little.  We picked their daycare with special care after visiting many.  We managed to pick a daycare they adored with many wonderful friendships, caring teachers and one that served them hot meals.  This particular dish was one of their favorites at the daycare.  Since our home cooked meals are mainly Turkish, eating wieners and beaners ended for them at the same time the daycare ended.  The other day, they were reminiscing about this dish.  I had never made it before.  So, I decided to look for a recipe for a surprise.  They are not kids any more but they ate it all up real quick remembering and telling stories from the daycare centre.  They said it tasted just like they remembered it.  My husband and I enjoyed it too.  I will certainly make it again.

2 cans Heinz Beans in tomato sauce

10 hot dogs

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/3 cup ketchup

1 package Lipton onion soup (dry)

1/4 cup water

1 tablespoon yellow mustard

• Cut up the hot dogs bite size
• Mix all of the ingredients together and add to cut up hot dogs
• Put into a small baking pan
• Preheat oven 350 degrees
• Cook for 1 hour (uncovered)

EGGPLANT AND RED PEPPER SALAD

Eggplant is a low calorie vegetable with vitamins A, B, and C as well as calcium and iron.  It has many health benefits including lowering blood pressure, and cholesterol.  Eggplant is an acquired taste but for those of us who successfully acquire the taste, it is one we can't ever give up.  If you are one of those people who likes Eggplant, you'll love this salad.

3 large Eggplants

2 large Red Peppers

2 cloves crushed garlic

2 green onions

1/3 cup olive oil

1 lemon juice

A little bit of parsley (optional)

Salt

• Wash the Eggplants.  Cut the end off.  Cut them in half
• Wash Red Peppers and take out the seeds.  Cut them in half
• Put eggplants and red peppers on a pan (face down).
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cook for 1 hour.  You'll know when it is ready by pressing the Eggplant in the middle.  It will be soft.
• If you like you can roast the eggplant and red peppers on the barbecue for better results
• Once cooled, peel the skin from both the eggplant and the red peppers.  You can use a spoon to remove the inside of the eggplant
• Cut Eggplant, red peppers in small pieces
• Wash and chop onion and parsley
• Prepare the sauce by combining crushed garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil
• Mix all the vegetables together.  Add salt and sauce
• Serve cold or room temperature

MARBLE COOKIES

I've seen people get really creative with this cookie recipe when it comes to making them in different shapes.  For example, shape of a daisy with the middle being a small chocolate ball and pedals with a mix of white and chocolate or like a checker board.  I chose a simple "marble" look because I was in a hurry.

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

250 gr unsalted butter (room temperature)

1/2 cup cooking oil

1/2 cup yogurt

1 package vanilla

1 egg

Flour

1 tablespoon cocoa

• Mix all the ingredients (except coco) together.  Add enough flour to make a soft dough.  It should not stick to your hands. Let it rest for 10 minutes
• Cut the dough in half
• Add cocoa in one of the halfs
• Make two balls with each.  With white at the bottom and chocolate on the top roll out.  I like to roll them out separately same size and put one on top of the other
• Roll them together to look like a log
• Cut pieces about 2 cm and flatten with your hands
• Put on a cookie sheet
• Preheat oven 350 degrees
• Cook until the sides are hard (approx 20 minutes)

Happy New Year

TURKEY POT PIE

Leftover Turkey is good for sandwiches.  You can always freeze some for later use.  What else can you do that is easy and also make use of other left overs in your fridge?  How about a simple Turkey pot pie with perhaps all with left overs.

4 cups cut up Turkey

1 or 2 small cans (284 ml) Turkey gravy

1 small can (284 ml) peas and carrots

1/4 cup cooked rice (optional)

1 onion (optional)

1 tablespoon cooking oil

Salt and pepper

1 package puff pastry

1 egg

• Cook the rice according to package instructions.  If you have left over pilaf that would work just fine.  This is optional
• Drain peas and carrots
• Saute finely chopped onion in cooking oil.
• Mix together cut up Turkey, peas and carrots, rice, onions and gravy.  Season with salt and pepper.
• Cut dough in half
• Roll out the first half a little longer than the size of your pan.  I used a 10.5x14.5 pan
• Spray your pan with vegetable oil
• Place the dough in the pan making sure it goes up the sides
• Pour Turkey filling on the dough and spread it out
• Roll out the second half of the dough and place over the filling making sure the sides of top and bottom meet.  Roll the sides together to ensure filling does not come out during cooking.
• Mix the egg and spread it over top
• Preheat oven at 350.  Cook 30-45 minutes until the top is golden brown
• Serve with salad