Veronica Julep

Baking

Panellets Post Halloween Traditional Potato Cookies

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Panellet are super delicious and easy to make. They are one of my favorite things to bake. Simple to make with only four ingredients. This sweet could not be any easier or tastier. I love foods that celebrate the seasons. See my apple pie recipe here https://www.veronicajulep.com/classic-homemade-scratch-apple-pie/

Read on

 

Panellets are a Catalonian All Saints Day tradition. They are made all over Spain but, originate in the Catalonian region, which is the northern most right tip of Spain. Different regions have variations on ingredients. Sweet potatoes and chestnuts for example. For mine I will stick with the traditional ingredients white potatoes and pine nuts. Panellets are usually served with sweet sweet wine. The word itself means little bread. With the wine it makes the church ritual bread and wine combination but way tastier. Sweeter because of the attention to the dead on this day is important culturally.

These cookies only came into my life a few years ago. My sister had spent a semester abroad in Spain. I was quite jealous. A few months later, after she came back, she told us one of her school friends was coming to visit. We were excited to meet him. We then learned that he had scheduled his trip to the US over the week of Halloween. When we heard this we were doubly excited to meet him because we would also get to show him the holiday American style. We were in for quite the surprise. They showed up about a half an hour before we were to trick or treat. They came in and we all made introductions. The next thing out of his mouth was him asking if it was okay to use the oven and held up a bag. Inside were the ingredients to make panellets. He explained that it was rude to show up visiting someone’s house and not bring a gift in his country especially if you’ve never met them before. He then apologized for not bring the panellets themselves because they had run out of time but, they would just take a minute and they did. We were all fascinated. Not just by the ingredients but, by how fast they are to make and delicious. We thought they were great so, I asked him for the recipe and a tradition was born. This is my slightly tweaked version of it.  He gave me the recipe in grams and Celsius after all.

To start turn on the oven. The actual time needed to make the dough is very short so, start the oven preheating first to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

The first ingredient is leftover mashed potatoes. Only one cup. This is something probably in everyone’s fridge. We love mashed potatoes. They are a classic. I have these on hand a lot.

To round out our ingredients we need only white granulated sugar and almond meal. Pine nuts are also needed but, later. The sugar again is something I always have on hand. The almond meal/flour not so much but, it is very easy to come by. Just check a local grocery store in the natural section or a local health food store.

The first to leave this group… *cue aerial shot* is the potatoes.

Measure 1 cup of mashed potatoes. Pressed down and level to be precise. Pour in bowl.

Then add the 2 and 1/2 cups of almond meal/flour.

Next add 2 cups of white granulated sugar.

Stir together with a fork (kind of mashing in the dry ingredients). I have done it this way and it works.

Most honestly though, this recipe, like most good ones work best if you just use your hands. It comes together faster and it is easier to tell if you missed a spot.

When completely mixed together it will look like this.

Now roll up dough balls to put on the cookie sheet. This time I made them big. About half palm sized. Usually panellets are made as smaller cookies than that. They are made to be one bite size.

Next roll up and round up into a panellet.

Just like this.

These are the larger size. This recipe makes 20 big cookies. You will get twice that if you make them smaller.

Pour the some of the pine nuts (about half a cup at a time) in an open but, wide shallow bowl.

The first way I’ll show you is the traditional way. It is to roll the dough in the nuts.

The other (my preference) is to place a bunch on each and smoosh the pine nuts lovingly into each cookie.

The bottom row is the rolled cookies. The rest are the second technique.

For large bake for 18-20 minutes at 400 degrees. For small bake for 8-10 minutes also at 400 degrees. I, however, prefer the rolling method with the smaller cookies. This is what the large panellets look like when they come out.

Once out of the oven give them a minute to cool before you take the off of the cookie sheet. Otherwise they will fall apart. They are supposed to do that so no need to panic.

Recipe

  • 2 1/2 C Almond Meal/Flour (either is fine)
  • 2 C White Granulated Sugar
  • 1 C Leftover Mashed Potatoes
  • 2 1/2 C Pine Nuts for Coating (for large cookies rolled or 1 1/2 C for small cookies rolled)

Bake at 400 degrees for large 18-20 minutes or small 8-10 minutes.

Once panellet is cooled a bit serve with your favorite sweet beverage. Sweet wine or hot tea will pair just fine. I highly recommend these slightly warm. Enjoy. As always in life do your best but, make sure it’s your style.

Classic Homemade Scratch Apple Pie

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There’s something about the crisp autumn air and the smell of turning leaves that just makes me crave apple pie. When I was a little kid my mom, siblings and I would always go spend a day every autumn picking what seemed like hundreds of apples. Then we’d go home and help my mom make her delicious apple pie. Such great memories.

Read on

 

Now I am older and a mother and being October, it is that time of the season. Traditions are so important. They remind you of where you came from and who you are. I’ve also adjusted my mother’s recipe ever so slightly to add my touch to this family favorite. I made it mine enough that a few years ago I took the blue ribbon in the Maine Audubon Apple Festival Apple Pie Contest with this.

The key to this recipe are the freshest apples you can get. This is the beauty of autumn. They are everywhere. I’ll be using a little more than half a bag of orchard fresh apples. Macintosh are the best and I add two softball size honey crisps to add texture and sweeten the flavor of the pie.

I love baking and I love apple pie. However, I am not the biggest fan of actually peeling and dicing the apples. So this wonderful apple peeler-slicer-corer is really my lifesaver and more importantly a big timesaver.

It’s a beautiful machine and I would definitely suggest purchasing one. It makes life so much easier.

It has a suction cup with arm on the bottom but, I am kind of rough on mine. For me I just push down really hard with my other hand to hold it still.

If this lovely contraption gets too jostled when doing it’s thing the pieces move about when you’re cutting-peeling-coring then the slices aren’t really cut-peeled-cored the way they need to be. That being said, you definitely do not want perfect slices. It’s better to have different size pieces so they can cook at different subtly different rates which will give the pie better slight crunch and flavor.

Like these. No two are the same.

Cutting the pieces will take awhile. Add a little citrus juice per layer to keep from browning. Most people prefer lemon juice but I’ve found lime is best especially with the sweet being added next. Their flavors play off each other really well. It’s the details that make the difference.

I’ve filled my general go to mixing bowl for whatever I’m cooking with these beautiful apple pieces. It is on purpose the almost exact diameter of my pie plate. That detail makes it easier to see the amount prepared for the pie.

Preheat oven to 400. Now the dry ingredients. The co-champs in this recipe.

First add 2 tablespoons of flour to get the juices moving.

Next 1/2 cup of brown sugar.

Then, the 1/2 cup white granulated sugar. I always add the brown first. The white shifts around more easily so, mixing will be smoother at the end.

Next the 3/4 teaspoon of cinnamon. Isn’t the container cute? I found this old Durkee’s ground cinnamon container at an antique store and I just love it. It is just like the one we had in the cupboard growing up. So cute. Especially that logo.

1 dash of nutmeg. No more, no less. Too much, too earthy. Not enough, bland pie. No one wants a bland pie.

Pink salt to round it out. 1 good pinch to be exact.

There you have it.

Now mix. I like to start with a fork to help guide the dry ingredients into the mix. Then, I use the best two tools I have. My hands. You’ll know it is mixed enough when their is an almost syrup at the bottom of the bowl.

 

Next the pie crust. I am using store bought for this pie. I have yet to make a crust that is better than the ones I can buy in a grocery store… yet.

Make sure you roll out the crust a little before lining the bottom of the pie. It’s been cold and rolled up. This will help it breathe a little better and crisp up more in the oven.

Add filling. Make sure you get every juicy drop.

Now take a moment to decorate the top of your crust. A real one. We eat with our eyes first. Also, this will give you a moment to give it your signature to really make it your own. Really yours. For me it’s usually the little pigs.

Top pie filling with about 2 tablespoons of butter. Just eye ball it. There is nothing wrong with a little too much.

Cut into little chunks and drop all over the filling. Then, top with top crust as centered as possible.

Secure the top with fork squishes.

Cut the excess crust off.

Then save the extra dough. It’s edible play dough for the little ones. We used to make pie crust cookies with the roller and cookie cutters. Just add cinnamon sugar and cook for 8 minutes at 400 degrees. So tasty. So fun.

Next we need to make a simple egg wash. I use 1 large egg and a big splash of milk.

Paint the top with the wash.

Use the egg wash like glue. Paint the back of what ever cut outs and place about the pie. Your style.

For extra shine sprinkle with white granulated sugar. It’s that really special touch that makes it well, extra special.

Right before it goes into the oven wrap the edges lightly with aluminum foil. I spoke more in depth about this technique in the first pie recipe i blogged. Here is the link for more details.

https://www.veronicajulep.com/late-summer-cherry-rhubarb-pie/

Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil. Bake for 20-23 more minutes. You will know it is ready because it will be golden brown and bubbling like this.

Like this. I love pie. The deep brown of the crust. That lovely smell.

My first slice.

My second with vanilla ice cream. What would pie be without it’s best friend a la mode? Enjoy and always remember whatever you are doing make it your own.

Recipe
  • 1/2 orchard bag macintosh apples (sliced and diced about the same size but, not exact)
  • 2 Big honey crisps apples (sliced and diced about the same size but, not exact)
  • 1 couple of splashes of key lime juice
  • 1 oven preheated to 400 degrees
  • 1 tablespoon All Purpose Flour
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/2 white granulated sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 dash of nutmeg
  • 1 pinch of pink salt
  • 2 heaping tablespoons of butter
  • 1 top pie crust
  • 1 bottom pie crust
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 splash of milk

Easy Taco Seasoning Recipe

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Today is National Taco Day. This is a big holiday in my house. There isn’t much in the world that my family loves more than tacos. It’s one of those great go to meals that everyone likes and is always excited to eat. It’s nice having a few of those smiles-all-around recipes especially when it’s a simple to make one. I mean really, who doesn’t love tacos?

Read on

 

The easiest way to make this is in a mason jar plain and simple. I always use them when I am making rubs and seasonings to get the perfect blend.

First add 1 tablespoon of cumin.

Next is a 3/4 a teaspoon of chili powder well… for sensitive tongues. My littlest is not so big on spicy food so I use this small amount when I make tacos but I can say if you like spicy double this amount to 1 1/2 teaspoons of chili powder it really adds that extra oh so delicious burn. The good kind that shines through the sour cream.

1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder.

1/2 teaspoon of onion powder to add perfect sweetness to the savory.


Then 1/2 teaspoon of paprika. It’s the kinder, gentler pepper powder of the pepper powder world. Growing up my Grandma C would tell us cousins that paprika was magic powder. If she sprinkled it on anything it would make it special and automatically taste good. It worked on them so I add a little of it to recipes just in case. In this one though it’s necessary to balance out the flavors.

Then the pink salt.

Voila.

Add cover and shake until everything is really well mixed. The goal is to get a lot of air in there between the granules for easier blending.

Next, the meat. In my house we prefer beef. This should be made with no less fat than 85/15. If beef is not your preference turkey or tofu make great substitutions. Use the same amount of protein as listed in the recipe below. Make sure, however, if you are using turkey or tofu to crumble it the same way I do but, add two tablespoons of oil in the pan to get a good crust and to ensure it won’t dry out.  I start by preheating the pan to little higher than medium then crumbling in little pieces around the pan.

You can do this with a fork or a spatula but, the bigger chunks you get this way makes the tacos so much better. Takes an extra minute but, so worth it.

Once the beef starts to brown on one side stir every couple minutes to brown all sides. Saute until it looks about this color. Drain some of the fat then sprinkle the seasoning all around the pan. Stir for ! minute.

Measure out 1/2 cup of broth. I like chicken broth for this recipe. Using chicken broth with the beef just adds to the depth of the riches of the flavor. Real unctuousness.

Pour into the broth into the jar the taco mix was in,  recover and shake-a shake-a to get the last little granules out of the corners and set aside.

Next move the beef  to the side and place 1 clove of minced garlic in the middle and let that cook through. It doesn’t take more than a minute or two. Stir it into the meat.

Add a teaspoon of flour. Stir well and let cook for one minute.

Add broth then bring to a boil.

When it starts to boil and look like this give a quick stir and  remove from heat.

Supper is ready.

My house is a soft flour tortilla, shredded cheese, iceberg lettuce, extra tomato and little bit of sour cream. But make it however you so desire. That’s part of the beauty of tacos everyone gets to eat them exactly how they want.

The recipe*

A little over a pound of ground beef 85 or turkey or tofu (your call)
1 tablespoon of cumin
3/4 to 1 1/2 teaspoons of chili powder
1/2 teaspoon of onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon of paprika
1/4 teaspoon of salt
One clove of minced garlic
Half a cup of chicken or you’re so desired broth

 

*I buy all my spices in the bulk section and in small amounts. That way I can get the freshest spices in the market.

Thank you

And

Thank you
Happy taco day! Enjoy!

Late Summer Cherry Rhubarb Pie

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The weekend is just around the corner and what better way to enjoy it than with a great pie filled with late summer delights. Two of things my family wait for all year is for cherry and rhubarb.  Both of these elusive delights are at the height of their season then.

Read on

 

Cherries start blossoming on the mid eastern coast of the US around the end of April (thus the cherry blossom festivals in the DC area at that time). They begin blooming more north by latitude weekly. Some of the sweetest I’ve ever eaten come from Michigan. The very sweetest (that I used for this recipe) come from Washington state. There is something about the soil near Hood River maybe it’s the mountain dew or maybe it’s the vegetation but, they are just super tangy sweet. Tang being key.

Rhubarb grows all over the world. In the US it grows wild in the summer in the most northern states. Suited to be cultivated between late July and early September. It is a beaut and quite the treat to behold.

The first step is to pit the cherries. I have heard *cue announcer voice* a million and one ways to pit cherries. Frankly, I’ve tried a lot of different ones. The one I’ve found that works best is the one I grew myself. Just my hands. Plain and simple.

I start by removing the stem then, grab the fruit by either side and just rip open. Seriously. -It’s best to do over a bowl as to collect the juice (very important). –

Next turn the cherry and split in the same fashion. The pit is tightly wrapped it needs to be wiggled out.

A little more digging to pop the pit then, boom it’s out. This is some time later but, so beautiful. Anything that is actually tasty is worth the effort. This is what the amount needed looks like. I’m using a biggish thanksgiving mash potato sized bowl worth. They equal about three and a half cups worth (recipe at the bottom of post). A bit more or less is fine, more is better but, it’s what makes most since for your size pie plate that really should decide it.

After the last cherry is pitted, wash your hands. Right the second you are finished. Cherries will stain your hands quite quickly and quite badly. Scrub as soon as possible to get ahead of the stain setting in. Pretty huh?

Next up is the rhubarb. Peel it. You really should. I know it is more work  but, I’ve found it makes the rhubarb both softer and sweeter. It makes all the difference. Once peeled cut into one inch cubes and add to cherry bowl.

Add the granulated sugar.

Then flour.

Next pink salt and powdered sugar.

Stir well but, gently. Almost more folding than stirring. The texture of the pie filling is best if the pieces are well coated on all sides and still firm.

Fill room temperature crust lined pie plate with filling and top with approximately 1/3 a stick of butter cut into cubes. The butter combines up with the flour to thicken up the filling. Well, and adds some extra unctuous.

Next the pie top. Make some holes in the top crust so the filling can steam out a bit. Use a knife or my favorite, little cookie cutters. Place top on top of pie. Be careful to center. It doesn’t need to be perfect but, very close to centered is very best. Then brush with a solution of 1 egg white and 1 tablespoon of milk (whole perferably) fork mixed together. This will help it brown nicely.

Connect the two crusts. This is important so it doesn’t bubble off. Here I am using just the tip edges of a fork to go around. Once the circle is complete use a knife to cut the extra off the edge of the pie plate.

The last step before we stage the pie in the oven is my Mother’s trick. She always sprinkled the top of sweet pies with a decent amount of granulated sugar. That way when it comes out it sparkles.

Place pie on cookie sheet. If not, it will bubble over which is tasty but, messy. Then wrap the sides of the crust with aluminum foil to keep the quick cooking edges from burning.

Bake for 30 minutes at 425 degrees. Remove the foil. Return pie to oven for another 20 to 27 minutes until crust is golden brown. Voilà.

Let cool at least a little before slicing into and enjoy.

My favorite way to eat any pie is a la mode. Look at that filling. O la la. Enjoy.

3-4 cups of fresh cherries pitted

1 1/2 cups of diced and peeled rhubarb

1 cup of white granulated sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons of flour

1 heaping tablespoon of powdered white sugar

1/2 tsp pink salt

Enjoy.

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