Sushi Wraps

 

Ingredients

· .5 small avocado

· 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

· .5 quantity vinegared rice

· 4 sheets nori, each cut into four

· 2 tablespoons wasabi paste

· 100 g/4oz. Fresh tuna fillet, cut into 8 fingers

· .5 yellow bel pepper, deseeded and cut into sticks

· 50 g/2 oz. smoked salmon slices, cut into 8 pieces

· 8 cooked and shelled tiger prawns/shrimp

· 6-cm/2.5-inch piece cucumber, cut into sticks

· pickled ginger, to serve

· Japanese soy sauce, to serve

Steps

1. Peel the avocado and cut into slices. Put the lemon juice into a shallow dish, add the avocado and toss to coat

2. Spread 2 tablespoons of rice over a pan of nori. Add a small amount of wasabi paste and top with a piece each of tuna, pepper, and avocado. You may find this easier if you hold the nori on the palm of your hand to fill. Roll up into a cone shape. Dampen the final edge with water or shoyu sauce to stick together. Fill 7 more squares of nori in the same way.

3. Fill the remaining nori squares with rice topped with a smoked salmon piece, a prawn/shrimp and a couple of cucumber sticks. Serve the sushi wraps with small dishes of pickled ginger and shoyu sauce.

 

From: Simple Sushi: light and healthy sushi, miso soups, noodle bowls and more

 

Sonia's Staff Pick

Sonia, BPL’s media lab expert and head cataloger, chose Tequila Mockingbird: Cocktails With a Literary Twist by Tim Federle for this month’s staff pick! When asked why she chose this book, her response was “A book involving puns, literature, and beverages of a "spirited" nature, what's not to love?” Tim Federle is known for his comical spin on classic literature and has several similar titles such as Gone with the Gin and Hickory Daiquiri Dock. The Bremen Public Library has four of Federle’s titles on the shelves -  three cookbooks and one young adult fiction. This book would be perfect for a fun night with friends! Find this title under the call number “641.87 Coc.”

Saltzbrezeln Pretzels

 

To Begin: Sponge method (time: 20 minutes)

Rising: 1.5-2 hours

Proofing: 45 minutes

Oven Temperature: 425°F

Baking: 15-20 minutes (steam optional)

Yield: 8 pretzels

 

Ingredients

· 2 tsp dry yeast

· 1.25 cups (300ml) water

· 3.5 cups (500g) unbleached flour

· 1.5 tsp salt

· egg glaze, made with 1 egg and 1 tbsp. water

· Sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or coarse sea salt, for topping

Steps

1. Sprinkle the yeast into .5 cup (125ml) of the water in a bowl. Leave for 5 minutes; stir to dissolve. Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in the dissolved yeast.

2. Use a wooden spoon to draw enough of the flour into the dissolved yeast to form a soft paste. Cover the bowl with a dish towel and let “sponge” until frothy and risen, about 20 minutes.

3. Mix in the flour. Stir in the remaining water, as needed, to form a stiff, sticky, dough.

4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.

5. Put the dough in a bowl and cover with a dish towel. Let rise until doubled in size, 1.5-2 hours. Punch down, then let rise for 10 minutes.

6. Divide the dough into eight pieces. Shape each piece into a round roll and then into an oval. Roll each oval backwards and forwards with your fingers, along the dough, until it forms a strip about 16in long and is 1in thick in the middle and .25in at each end.

7. Shape the dough into the classic pretzel shape. Place the pretzels on a lightly floured baking sheet and cover the dish towel. Proof until each piece has doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

8. Brush the egg glaze over each pretzel and sprinkle with the topping of your choice. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

 

From: Ultimate Bread

By: Eric Treuille & Ursula Ferrigno

DK Publishing, Inc.

 

White Chocolate Brownies with Hot Fudge Sauce

 

Brownies

· 2 (6-ounce) packages white baking bar, coarsely chopped

· 2 large eggs

· .5 cup sugar

· .25 cup butter or margarine, melted

· 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

· 1 cup all-purpose flour

· .25 teaspoon salt

· 1 (6-ounce) package white baking bar, coarsely chopped

· .5 cup chopped almonds, toasted, or chopped macadamia nuts

Steps

1. Place 12 ounces baking bar in a heavy saucepan; cook over low heat, stirring
constantly, until baking bar melts. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes.

2. Beat eggs in a small mixing bowl at high speed of an electric mixer until foamy.
Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in melted baking bar, butter, and vanilla. (mixture may appear curdled.) Add flour and salt, stir until blended. Stir in 6 ounces chopped baking bar and almonds.

3. Spoon batter into a greased and floured 13 x 9 x 2 inch pan. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes. Cool and cut into squares.

 

Sauce

· .6 cup whipping cream

· .25 cup sugar

· 1 (4-ounce) bar bittersweet chocolate, chopped, or 4 (1-ounce) squares semisweet chocolate, chopped

· 1.5 tablespoons butter or margarine

· 1.5 tablespoons light corn syrup

 

Steps

1. Combine whipping cream and sugar in a small heavy saucepan; cook over low heat, stirring
constantly, until sugar dissolves. Add chocolate,
stirring until chocolate melts. Add butter and corn syrup, stirring until butter melts.

 

From: Christmas with Southern Living Cookbook

By: Southern Living

 

Sweet Potato Surprise

 

Ingredients

· 2 cans sweet potatoes or yams, drained

· 3 eggs

· 1/4 cup sugar

· 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

· 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

· 1 can mandarin oranges, drained

· 1 package toasted coconut marshmallows

 

Steps

1) Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat an 8-inch square baking dis with nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl, mash the sweet potatoes, then add the eggs, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg; mix well. Sir in the mandarin oranges until well combined. Spoon half of the sweet potato mixture into the baking dish and top with half of the marshmallows. Top with the remaining sweet potato mixture and bake for 50 minutes. Top with the remaining marshmallows and bake for 5 to 7 minutes, or until heated through and the marshmallows have melted.

 

From: A Mr. Food Christmas: Homemade and Hassle-Free

 

Chocolate Peanut-Butter Meltaways

 

Ingredients

· One 12-ounce jar peanut butter, preferably chunky

· 5 tablespoons (.5 stick plus 1 tablespoon) unsalted butter, at room temperature

· 2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

· 1.5 cups crispy rice cereal

· 11 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

· 1 tablespoon vegetable shortening

Steps

1. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. In a medium bowl, using a wooden spoon, cream the peanut butter and butter until combined. Gradually stir in the confectioners’ sugar. Stir in the cereal, which will crumble. Using about 1 tablespoon for each, roll the mixture into balls, placing them on the prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate the balls while melting the chocolate.

2. In the top part of a double boiler over hot, not simmering, water, melt the chocolate and shortening, stirring occasionally until smooth and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the chocolate reads 115° to 120°F. Remove from the heat. Trasnfer the chocolate mixture to a small bowl and let cool slightly.

3. Place a dab of the chocolate in the palm of one hand. Pick up a ball and roll it between your palms to coat lightly with the chocolate. Return the chocolate-coated ball to the foil-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining balls. Refrigerate until the chocolate is set and the balls release easily from the foil, about 30 minutes. (The candies can be prepared up to two weeks ahead, stored in airtight containers, and refrigerated.

Note: The moisture in peanut butter varies from brand to brand. If the mixture seems too crumbly mix in additional softened butter.

 

From: Christmas 101: Celebrate the Holiday Season from Christmas to New Year’s

By: Rick Rodgers

 

Carmel Apple Bars

 

Ingredients

Base

· 2 cups all-purpose flour

· 1 cup regular rolled oats

· 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

· 1 tsp ground cinnamon

· 1/2 tsp ground ginger

· 1/2 tsp baking powder

· 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

 

Filling and assembly

· 3 medium apples, peeled and thinly sliced

· 3/4 cup Butter Caramel Sauce, warmed, divided

 

Steps

1) Preheat the oven to 350°F. grease an line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper.

2) For the base, stir the flor, oats, sugar, cinnamon, ginger and baking powder in a large mixing bowl by hand. Add the melted butter and stir until the mixture is rough and crumbly.

3) Firmly press two-thirds of this mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 12 minutes, until browned just a little at the edges. Cool in the pan on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.

4) For the filling, arrange the sliced apples on top of the baked crust (it’s okay if it’s still warm). Drizzle 1/2 cup of the warm caramel sauce over the apples, and then top with the remaining crumble mixture, pressing down gently.

5) Bake for 30 minutes, until lightly browned. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack to room temperature.

6) Drizzle the remaining 1/4 cup of caramel sauce over the pan and then chill until uncovered for at least 2 hours before slicing.

 

From: Set for the Holidays with Anna Olson: Recipes to Bring Comfort and Joy

 

Thanksgiving

Pumpkin pie, turkey, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, green bean casserole, stuffing -- what are you feasting on this Thanksgiving? If you’re searching for the perfect recipe, BPL has a large variety of cookbooks to choose from! Cook's Illustrated All Time Best Holiday Entertaining provides several ideas on how to serve turkey and offers a variety of sauces to accompany any dish. The Side Dish Bible : 1001 Perfect Recipes for Every Vegetable, Rice, Grain, and Bean Dish You'll Ever Need, has recipes for soups, salads, and casseroles galore! When Pies Fly : Handmade Pastries From Strudels to Stromboli, Empanadas to Knishes, by Cathy Barrow, is jam-packed with every type of pie you could possibly think of - the perfect dessert to finish off your Thanksgiving meal (if there’s still room). If you’re looking for a dish that’ll impress your friends and family, you’ve come to the right place! All of these titles (and more) can be found in the adult department and can be reserved through our website.

Baked Stuffed Shells

Ingredients

· Kosher salt

· .25 cup extra-virgin olive oil

· 6 garlic cloves, crushed and peeled

· One 35-ounce can peeled Italian plum tomatoes, preferable San Marzano, crushed by hand

·  .5 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

· 10 fresh basil leaves

· 1 pound jumbo pasta shells

· 1 pound fresh mozzarella cheese

· 1.5 pounds fresh ricotta or packaged whole milk ricotta, drained overnight

· 1 cup freshly grated Grana Padano

· .3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

· Freshly ground black pepper to taste

· 1 large egg

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Scatter the garlic over the oil, and cook, shaking the pan, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Pour the tomatoes into the skillet, slosh out the can with 1 cup water, and add that. Add the crushed red pepper, and season lightly with salt. Bring the sauce pan to a quick boil, then adjust the heat to simmering. Cook until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 30 minutes. Stir the basil into the sauce a few minutes before its done.

2.  Stir the shells into the salted boiling water, and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly firmer than al dente, about 7 minutes. Fish the shells out of the water with a spider, and plunge into a large bowl of ice water. Let cool, then drain.

3. Thinly slice half the mozzarella, and cut the remaining half into .25-inch cubes. Turn the drained ricotta into a mixing bowl, and stir in the mozzarella cubes, grated cheese, and parsley. Season to taste with salt and
pepper. Beat the egg well, and stir into the
ricotta mixture.

4.  Remove the garlic and line the bottom of a 10-by-15-inch baking dish with about .75 cup of the tomato sauce. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture into each shell—the shell should be filled to capacity, but not overstuffed. Nestle the shells next to each other in the baking dish as you fill them, spooning the remaining sauce over the shells, coating each one. Arrange the slices of mozzarella in an even layer over the shells, coating each one. Bake until the
mozzarella in brown an bubbling, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven, and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

 

From: Lidia’s Mastering the Art of Italian Cuisine: Everything You Need to Know to Be a Great Italian Cook

By: Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and
Tanya Bastianich Manuali