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2001

TODAY's CASES:

Death by Chocolate Cookies...

----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Jeannie 
  To: phaedrus 
  Sent: Tuesday, December 19, 2000 08:01
  Subject: Death by Choclate ( Cookie recipe request )

  Hi Phaed;
   My Sister is looking for a cookie recipe " Death By Choclate ". 
   Here's hoping you can help us.
   Best to you,
   Jeannie :)

Hi Jeannie,

Here's the rub..... "Death by Chocolate Cookies" isn't a recipe. It's a cookie cookbook. See this site:
https://globalgourmet.com/food/egg/egg0298/death.html
I searched thoroughly, and could find no recipe called "Death by Chocolate Cookies".

The original "Death by Chocolate" dessert is a punchbowl cake, not a cookie. Below are a couple of recipes for it.

Happy Holidays!

Phaed

  Death By Chocolate
    
  Makes 1 large punch bowl  

  Ingredients     
  1 (18.5 ounce) package chocolate cake mix 
  1/2 cup coffee flavored liqueur 
  5/8 cup dry chocolate mousse mix 
  8 (1.4 ounce) bars chocolate covered English toffee  
  2 (16 ounce) packages frozen whipped topping, thawed 
  1 (1.5 ounce) bar milk chocolate candy   

   Directions    
   
  1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour 
  three 8 inch round cake pans. 
  2 Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Pour batter into 
  the prepared pans. 
  3 Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes. Let cake cool 
  slightly then pierce cakes with a fork. Pour the coffee liqueur 
  gradually over the three cake layers. 
  4 Prepare the chocolate mousse according to the package directions. 
  Let chill in the refrigerator. 
  5 Once cake is cool break it into pieces. Layer cake pieces, 
  chocolate mousse, crushed butter toffee candy bars, and whipped topping 
  1/3 at a time in a large glass bowl. Grate the chocolate candy bar over 
  the top. Let chill in refrigerator for several hours before serving. 
   ------------------------------
  Death by chocolate dessert recipe
  Makes 6 generous servings 

  Preheat oven to 375 degrees 

  1/2 cup walnuts (chopped) 
  1 cup flour 
  1 stick butter 
  1 large package of cream cheese (16oz) 
  1 cup powdered sugar 
  1 cup cool whip 
  1 package small instant chocolate pudding 
  1 package small instant vanilla pudding 
  3 cups milk 

  Cut butter into flour and walnuts and pat in to a 13 X 9 pan or pie plate. 
  Bake for 15 minutes, cool crust. 

  Mix together cream cheese, powdered sugar, and cool whip and spread on 
  a cooled crust. Mix chocolate and vanilla pudding with milk and pour 
  over cream cheese mixture. Top with more cool whip and nuts, and chill 
  in refrigerator for 1 hour. 
 

However, you see, Uncle Phaedrus was wrong. There IS a "Death by Chocolate Cookie" recipe, as Jeannie informed me...

----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Jeannie 
  To: phaedrus 
  Sent: Thursday, December 21, 2000 09:07
  Subject: Death by Choclate ( Cookie Recipe )

  My sister got a recipe out of a supermarket ad for a Death by 
  Choclate cookie recipe. She's thinking something doesn't look 
  right about the ingredients, it doesn't say how many cookies 
  it makes and it does say to drop by scant 1/4 cupfuls onto the 
  baking sheet. So she was hoping to find another recipe to check 
  out the measurements etc.. I checked every place I could think 
  of on the WEb too Phaed and found everything but those cookies. 
  Thanks for helping us look.
   Best to you always,
  Jeannie :)

Intrigued, I wrote back....

  Hi Jeannie,

  If it wouldn't be too much trouble, could you send me that recipe? 

  Merry Christmas!

  Phaed
 

And soon received this response:

From: Jeannie
To: Phaedrus
Subject: Re: Death by Choclate
Date: Friday, December 22, 2000 15:32

   Here's the recipe you requested Phaed and after all
 the recipes you have helped me with, I'm happy I can
 send one to you. My sister didn't think the
 ingredients looked right, it doesn't have a cookie yield, 
 and seems like they would be pretty large cookies.
 What's your opinion ?
 Best to you,
 Jeannie :)

 
Death by Chocolate Cookies

1/2 cup  ( 1 stick ) butter or margerine -- softened
1/2 cup  granulated sugar
1/2 cup  brown sugar -- firmly packed
1        egg
1   t    vanilla
1   cup  flour
1/2 t    baking soda
1   pkg  Baker's semi-sweet chips
1/2 cup  Baker's coconut

Prepare time 15 minutes, cook time 13 minutes per tray.
Heat oven to 375 
~beat sugar,butter,eggs and vanilla with wooden spoon
until well blended.  Stir in flour and baking powder.
Beat one minute.
Stir in Baker's choclate chips and coconut.  
Drop by scant 1/4 cupfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.  
Bake 13-14 minutes or until cookies are puffed and feel 
set to the touch. Cool on cookie sheet one minute.
Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Jeannie  :)

Well, we felt that for a cookie like this, scant 1/4 cupfuls was correct. A "death by chocolate" cookie should be big...


Artificial Vanilla Flavoring

----- Original Message -----
From: norm
To: 
Sent: Sunday, December 17, 2000 14:02
Subject: artifical vanilla


> I was once told that artificial vanilla is a by-product of the pulp and
> paper industry,   any chance that this is true.... any search on the web
> seems to come up with real vanilla, not artifical.
>
> Thanx
>
> Norm

Hello Norm,

Yes, it is true. Artificial vanilla flavoring is made from synthetic vanillin, which is synthesized from lignin, which is a wood-pulp by-product. There an excellent article about it here:

https://www.acs.org/vc2/1rp/rp1_vanilla.html
Vanilla.

Phaed


Hamantaschen

----- Original Message -----
From: Kathy
To: 
Sent: Monday, December 18, 2000 23:17
Subject: Swedish recipe


> A friend's Swedish grandmother used to make cookies call "hamantaschen".
> I haven't found a recipe for it in any of my cookbooks.  Is it possible
> you can find a recipe for it?  I would love to make them for him, and
> pass it on to his children.
>
> Thanks for your help.
>
> Kathy

Hi Kathy,

Hamantaschen is actually a Jewish food. These treats are traditionally eaten at the Jewish feast of Purim in honor of the biblical Esther.

Here's the thing: There are hundreds of recipes for hamantaschen filling, and I don't really know which one you want. The original, traditional hamantaschen filling seems to be made of poppy seeds. This is because Esther in the Bible is connected with eating seeds. However, I found filling recipes that use dates, cheeses, a wide variety of fruits, and even a chocolate one.

I am sending the traditional one in this e-mail, but if you want another filling, please let me know which one(s).

Phaed

Hamataschen

When shaping hamantaschen, close them well. Avoid the temptation to use
extra filling, or it will come out during baking. You can refrigerate the
shaped hamantaschen overnight before baking. Once they are baked, they'll
stay fresh-tasting for about 4 days in an airtight container.


1 large egg
2 to 3 Tbsp. sour cream or water
21/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
200 gr. cold butter or margarine, cut in small pieces 11/2 tsp. grated lemon
rind
To make the dough, beat egg with 2 tablespoons sour cream or water. Combine
flour, powdered sugar, baking powder and salt in a food processor. Process
briefly to blend. Scatter butter pieces over mixture. Mix using on/off
motion until mixture resembles coarse meal.

Sprinkle with grated rind and pour egg mixture evenly over mixture in
processor. Process with on/off motion, scraping down occasionally, until
dough just begins to come together in a ball. If mixture is dry, add
remaining tablespoon sour cream or water by teaspoons over mixture, and
process briefly again.

Transfer dough to a work surface. Knead lightly to blend. With a rubber
spatula, transfer dough to a sheet of plastic wrap, wrap it, and push it
together. Shape dough in a flat disk.

Refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 3 days.

Prepare filling and refrigerate. To shape hamantaschen, use one quarter of
dough at a time. Roll it out on a lightly-floured surface until about 3 mm
thick. Using a 7.5-cm cookie cutter, cut dough in circles. Brush edges
lightly with water. Put 1 teaspoon filling in center of each. Pull up edges
of circle in 3 arcs that meet in center above filling. Close them firmly.
Pinch edges to seal. Put on greased baking sheet and refrigerate.
Refrigerate scraps.

Roll remaining dough and scraps and shape more hamantaschen. Refrigerate at
least 30 minutes before baking to firm dough, or, if you prefer, up to 1
day.

Preheat oven to 190C. Bake hamantaschen about 14 minutes or until they are
light golden at edges. Cool on a rack.

Makes about 32 hamantaschen.


Poppy Seed Filling For Hamantaschen
This filling will be most creamy if you use ground poppy seeds, and with a
slightly crunchy texture if you use whole ones.


3/4 cup poppy seeds (100 gr.), ground or whole
1/2 cup milk or water
6 or 7 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 cup raisins
2 to 3 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1 tsp. grated lemon rind
In a small saucepan combine poppy seeds, milk, and sugar and bring to a
simmer. Cook over low heat, stirring often, about 15 to 20 minutes or until
thick. Add raisins and butter and stir over low heat until butter melts.
Remove from heat. Stir in grated rind. Chill well before using.

Makes enough for about 32 hamantaschen.

Layered Jello Dessert

----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Ronda 
  To: phaedrus 
  Sent: Monday, December 18, 2000 12:40
  Subject: Jello recipe with canned milk

  Hello

  I have been looking for a recipe which calls for canned milk, 
  lime jello or lemon jello, and is layered. Thank you. It was 
  from Waterloo Wisconsin 50 or 60 years ago. Thank you.

Hi Ronda,

The problem is that there are hundreds of layered dessert recipes with jello and canned milk. However, 95% of them are 7-layers with 7 flavors of jello, or are 3-layers with lime, lemon, and cherry or strawberry. You might try these sites for more jello recipes:

https://members.amaonline.com/nrogers/Kitchen/jello.htm

https://cascade.mit.edu/cookbook/jello/recipes.html

I only found two layered lime jello recipes. They're below, plus a ribbon jello recipe.

Phaed

  Lime  Dream

   Ingredients : 
   Graham wafers, crushed
   13 oz. can of evaporated milk
   3 oz. pkg. Lime Jello
   1 c. boiling water
   1/2 c. sugar
   1/2 c. lemon juice

   Preparation : 
     Dissolve 3 ounce package Jello, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup lemon juice
   in 1 cup boiling water.  Chill until syrupy.  Beat this mixture
   until foamy.  Beat chilled evaporated milk until fairly stiff and
   fold into Jello mixture.   Place a layer of the crushed graham
   wafers in bottom of lightly buttered dish.  Pour on Jello.  Sprinkle
   more crushed wafers on top and chill.  
  ----------------------------------
   Ribbon  Jello

   Ingredients : 
   1 (3 oz.) pkg. strawberry Jello
   1 (3 oz.) pkg. lemon Jello
   1 (3 oz.) pkg. lime Jello
   6 env. unflavored gelatin
   1/2 c. cold water
   4 c. boiling water
   1 can sweetened condensed milk

   Preparation : 
      Be sure pan is level for each layer!  Chill each layer,
   approximately 1/2 hour, until firm before adding the next layer! 
   Red Layer:  Add 1 cup boiling water to 1 envelope of unflavored
   gelatin and strawberry Jello mix.  Stir to dissolve powder.  Pour
   into a 9 x 13 inch pan.  White Layer:  Soften 3 envelopes of
   unflavored gelatin with the cold water.  Add 1 can of condensed milk
   and 1 can of boiling water to gelatin mixture.  Stir thoroughly
   until gelatin is dissolved.  Cool mixture.  Pour half of the white
   layer mixture over chilled red layer.  Yellow Layer:  Add 1 cup
   boiling water to 1 envelope of unflavored gelatin and lemon Jello
   mix.  Stir to dissolve powder.  Cool mixture. Pour over chilled
   white layer.  2nd White Layer:  Pour remaining white layer mixture
   over chilled yellow layer.  Green Layer:  Add 1 cup boiling water to
   1 envelope of unflavored gelatin and lime Jello mix.  Stir to
   dissolve powder.  Cool mixture. Pour over chilled second white
   layer.  Serve well chilled.  A very pretty and tasty dish!  Change
   the flavor/color of the Jello mixes to match the occasion! 
  ----------------------------------
   Fuzzy  Green  Stuff

   Ingredients : 
   1 lb. box graham crackers
   2 sticks melted butte
   1 can chilled cream or evaporated milk
   1/4 c. sugar
   1 sm. box lemon Jello
   1 sm. box lime Jello
   1 c. boiling water
   1 c. ice cubes

   Preparation : 
      Combine graham crackers and butter together.  Then layer in dish.
    In another bowl whip cream with sugar, then put it in the
   refrigerator.  In another bowl mix water and Jellos together; add
   ice cubes.  Mix until ice cubes melt.  Pour Jello with cream; mix
   together into graham cracker crust.  If there's any graham cracker
   crust leftover, pour it on top of the Jello.  Makes cake panful.

Braciola

----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Maria 
  To: phaedrus 
  Sent: Tuesday, December 19, 2000 14:58
  Subject: Braciola recipe


  I looking for a italian braciola recipe. 

  Thanks
  Maria 
  

Hi Maria,

Try this one.

Phaed

  Braciola

  These are Italian style stuffed beef rolls that can be served as either a
  side dish or a main course. They are also quite suitable as appetizers or to
  serve for a party dish. 

  3 lbs. Rump roast, trimmed and sliced 1/4 inch thick across grain.
  Stuffing (see below).
  Marinara Sauce (see below).
  2 tbsp. Olive oil.
  Brown the slices of beef in a skillet with the olive oil and set aside. Once
  the slices have been browned, fill with stuffing and hold together with a
  toothpick. Arrange the rolls in a baking dish and cover with the Marinara
  sauce. Bake at 375 degrees for 11/2 hours and serve.

  Stuffing:
  Use a basic turkey like stuffing as follows:
  12 oz. regular bread cubes plus cornbread cubes, with seasoning mix.
  4 oz. pine-nuts.
  3 stalks celerey.
  1 diced onion.
  1 diced apple.
  First brown the nuts and other ingredients in a saucepan so they soften and
  the flavors blend. Add the seasoning mix before putting into the bread and
  add broth as directed. You want medium moisture content.

  Marinara Sauce:
  4 tbsp olive oil.
  4 cloves pressed garlic.
  1 medium onion, diced.
  1 tbsp. oregano.
  1 tbsp. sweet basil.
  11/2 tsp. tarragon.
  1 tsp. thyme.
  1 tsp. sage.
  3T dried parsley.
  1 tsp. savory.
  salt & pepper to taste.
  1 small can tomato paste.
  32 oz. tomato sauce.
  16 oz. crushed tomatoes.
  two cans Italian style stewed tomatoes or 4 cups fresh chopped roma
  tomatoes.
  3/4 cup thin 1" slices bell pepper (yellow or red preferred).
  11/2 cups sliced mushrooms.
  1 16 oz can olives chopped.
  3/4 cup zucchini (optional).
  1 tsp. baking soda.
  11/2 tbsp. brown sugar.
  1/2-1 cup red wine.
  4 to 6 Italian sausages (hot or mild to taste).
  In a large pot, pour the olive oil, onions, garlic, and spices. Saute
  ingredients to break the flavor. Add tomato paste and continue to saute for
  about 5 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes and chopped
  tomatoes. Next, add peppers, mushrooms and chopped olives. Then add baking
  soda, brown sugar and red wine.
  Brown 4-6 Italian sausages in a skillet (I like few hot, few regular), and
  add them to the sauce. Cook the sauce for at least two hours before serving.
  This sauce can be used on pasta of any type, or on top of other dishes
  manicotti. You can double this batch and freeze some for later.

  Yields: 12 servings
  Preparation Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

""


Copyright (c) 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 Phaedrus