Mother’s Day is just around the corner. Homemade gifts are definitely appreciated by moms everywhere, edible homemade gifts are even better! Show your mom how special she is this year by preparing her breakfast or a sweet snack. Don’t go out to eat this year! The restaurants will inevitably be packed and she will love Doris’s Gala Apple Fritters.

Have you ever had a freshly fried fritter? One that’s crispy around the edges, not too greasy and all-around delicious? I know, they are not easy to come by. Doris from Missy’s Musings knows how to solve that problem, make them yourself, at home! Though moms will love these, make sure to prepare a batch for yourself because there’s a good chance you’ll want to ‘try’ more than one ;).

You don’t have to be a professional baker to successfully make these fritters. You don’t even have to know how to make donuts! Doris provides clear instructions that aren’t too complicated. And you can easily find the ingredients at your local grocery store… and isn’t grocery shopping a lot easier to do around Mother’s Day than visiting the mall :)?!

When you want to incorporate more or different veggies into your diet but aren’t sure how, think about combining veggies with some of your other favorite foods. Even if you have the same old veggies in your fridge from last week, and have had enough steamed or frozen veggies, cook them up a different way this time.

Hayley from the Buff Chickpea has cooked up something good and veggies are what’s on the menu tonight. Of all the ways I’ve had broccoli — covered with cheese, steamed or sauteed with butter — I’ve never tried roasted broccoli. And instead of pouring melted cheese on top of the florets, she tosses broccoli and cauliflower in olive oil.

Still, because pasta isn’t complete without a little bit of cheese (in my humble opinion), Hayley sprinkles some freshly grated Parmesan cheese on the finished product. But what about the meat sauce? Hayley’s Roasted Broccoli and Walnut Pasta is a tasty vegetarian dish that you will love. Why? Because the toasted walnuts provide just the right amount of protein to fill you up.

In my family, and I understand this is also the case in many families, tortillas are served up alongside a variety of meals, whether Mexican food or chili is for dinner. Their handy malleable shape makes them perfect for scooping up the last bits of dinner from your plate… and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve made a quesadilla with them. So when I came across Ann’s Corn Tortilla Pictorial on Thibeault’s Table, I knew I had to share it. Nothing beats homemade tortillas and hers are especially tasty; she even says they’re simple to make!

The recipe is very simple. Just masa harina, salt and hot water. I don’t measure. I just pour 1 1/2 to 2 cups of the masa into a bowl, add some salt and enough hot water to make a soft, but not sticky dough. Knead it for a minute to make it smooth. The dough should not be stiff or dry, but it shouldn’t be wet or sticky either. It is a dough that is easy enough to fix. Just add a little more of the masa or a little more water until you have the right texture. Cover and let it sit for 5 or 10 minutes.

Roll tortilla dough in to balls a little smaller than a golf ball. Cut a plastic storage bag slightly larger than the size of tortilla press. (I use ziplock freezer bags)

Cover with another bag, cut to size.

Press to flatten. Be gentle

Gently peel off top piece of plastic, flip tortilla over on to palm of hand, supporting with fingers and very carefully pull off remaining plastic. Place tortilla on the side of the griddle that is heated to medium. Cook for 25 to 30 seconds. You will see a little steam and the tortilla will move easily. Using a spatula, flip the tortilla over and place on the hot side of the griddle

Cook for about 30 seconds. Tortilla will start to get little brown spots. Flip it over again. And cook for another 20 to 30 seconds. The tortilla will start to puff up

Puffing up more

All puffed up. This is what a perfect tortilla looks like. It takes practice. But even if your tortilla doesn’t puff up it will still taste good. Just won’t be as tender

If you have a tortilla warmer, place the tortillas in it as they come off the griddle. They will steam and soften up. Which is what you want them to do.

If you don’t have a warmer just wrap them in a clean tea towel and keep them warm in a low oven.

Dainty, flakey pastries definitely have their place on the dessert menu. But if you want to enjoy something savory that reminds you of a pastry but is much more filling, then you’ll like Bob’s Cheesy Chicken, Bacon, and Broccoli Braid. It’s a recipe that’s received quite a bit of attention on our site, and for good reason.

You might think you’re getting a sweet treat when you take a look at its outer shell, which is really pizza dough (very creative!), but don’t let yourself be deceived. There’s everything from veggies to bacon packed into this family-sized treat. This isn’t your every day frozen meal-on-the-go, either, though I know it’s the kind of meal that can be packed up very easily. It’s stuffed with chicken that’s packed with flavor, thanks to the savory braise that Bob created for it. The braise contains ingredients like tarragon to dry mustard.

If you’re looking for a meal that’ll please most anyone, then try Bob’s Cheesy Chicken, Bacon, and Broccoli Braid. Even kiddos won’t mind eating their broccoli when it’s served up in a cheesy braid. I Cook Stuff is where Bob shares even more original recipes like this one.

Certain things remind me of sunny summer or spring days: flip flops, sea shells, picnic baskets, lemonade, popsicles… Shanna’s Crockpot Italian Beef Sandwiches ;). Really, they do, especially how she photographed them — served open faced with veggies and just the right amount of melted cheese, for added flavor. This is the stuff that a good sunny day lunch is made of, say goodbye to cold cuts.

But when you’re planning a weekend picnic or outdoor party, the last thing you want to think about is cooking when it’s beautiful outside! Nice weather is meant to be enjoyed, and so are sandwiches. Neither of them should be boring, and Shanna’s are far from that. She slow cooked the beef until it was tender, the juicy meat is not only moist but also flavorful. Shanna gave the roast a twist by adding a dried Italian dressing mix to the meat while it cooked for about 10 hours.

My mouth is watering at the sound of that. Top the sandwiches off with sauteed veggies and cheese like Shanna does and even you’ll be drooling. Good Stuff Maynard is the blog to visit for more tasty lunch ideas like this one!

If you’re looking for a dessert recipe that will satisfy most anyone, from those on a diet to those who are allergic to eggs, then take a stroll down the produce aisle for inspiration. Though I also prefer to bake fruits, yes bake, I am not the Sophie behind these Oven Baked Pears :). You can thank Sophie from Sophie’s Foodie Files for this clever creation.

From the looks of it, you’d think this is a dessert that requires special ingredients. It’s the kind you’d pay someone else to make, you say to yourself. When you taste it, you’re amazed that such a flavorful sweet could be comprised of mostly fruit and a few pantry staples. You won’t need to light the sugar cookie candle before the guests arrive if you bake these pears, Sophie says the aroma they give off while they’re baking is amazing.

Amazing indeed. Brown sugar, maple syrup and cinnamon are just three of the ingredients that will give the pears ‘a sort of caramel syrup’, says Sophie. There’s one thing I don’t like to do during the week (or weekends! :) and that’s wash dishes! Forget about having to wash the mixing bowls and measuring cups tonight, you won’t need ‘em to make Sophie’s Oven Baked Pears.

Nutty and fruit-filled might not sound like the proper words to describe Jello, the fun-colored treat we all enjoyed in our youth and most of us never outgrow. It’s the one food we can play with, it’s the food to eat when you’re feeling a little under the weather, and it’s usually guaranteed to put a smile on your face, especially the jello recipe I stumbled upon on I’m More than My Microwave.

Marta’s Aunt Carole’s Famous Jello is colorful, fruity, nutty and even creamy! Who knew that jello could be more than just jiggly :)! This is a dessert that Marta likes to prepare for her kiddos; she says that when they were younger, she omitted the nuts, but it still qualifies as a unique dessert. How is that? This jello is different because it includes sour cream!

You’ll also find maraschino cherries and crushed pineapple all hidden within a green lime flavored jello mold. This is the sweet to bring to a party. Who needs fruit salad when you can have the fruit inside of your favorite jiggly dessert?

Farida of Farida’s Azerbaijani’s Cookbook had a step by step tutorial for Shekurbura that you all will love. In Azerbaijan, shekerbura is a sweet nut-filled treat wrapped in pastry dough often prepared for Novruz, a holiday that celebrates spring’s arrival.

Farida does a wonderful job of explaining what goes into making this pastry extra special. This is a treat that’s as appealing to the eye as it is to our taste buds, it’s beautiful and delicious!

Shekerbura consists of 3 major elements: the dough, the filling and the pattern, and I’ll discuss each element in details.

THE DOUGH

The dough for shekebura can be prepared in several ways: with yeast that makes the dough rise, without yeast, with whole eggs or with egg yolks only, with milk or with water added and so on. In Azerbaijan, every family has its own special recipe. The recipe below is my favorite, courtesy of my cousin in Baku whose shekerbura is simply the best in the family. It yields the softest shekerbura that almost melts in your mouth. Plus, the recipe doesn’t require waiting for the dough to rise (a small amount of yeast is added for softness), or refrigerating it overnight.

THE FILLING

Shekerbura filling is made by mixing ground nuts (hazelnuts, or almonds, or walnuts) with granulated sugar and powdered cardamom. Hazelnuts and almonds are preferred over walnuts for their light color and subtle taste. I personally prefer walnuts for their rich taste. Nuts must be skinned before they are mixed with sugar and cardamom. In the US, you can buy skinned nuts sold in packages. In Azerbaijan, women skin raw nuts themselves using the techniques described in the recipe below.

THE PATTERN

What makes shekerbura really special is the patter that is made on them with a special type of decoration tweezers, called maggash (see picture below). Mine came all the way from Baku. The most traditional decoration called chanaghi (I learned this from Gullu who runs a great web site on Azerbaijani food) is what you will see in the pictures below. However, simple patterns, such as trees, flowers, and even names and initials can be made with these tweezers too. If you don’t have a maggash, leave the top of your pastries plain - once they are baked, coat them with powdered sugar.

This is how a maggash looks.

SHEKERBURA
Makes 36 shekerbura pastries

For the Dough:

1 kg / 2.2 pounds first grade wheat flour (white only) + 1 tablespoon (for step 3)
400 g / 14 oz unsalted butter, cut into large chunks
5 egg yolks
250 g / 9 oz sour cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder (optional)
1/2 teaspoon dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup / 125 ml lukewarm milk

For the Filling:
700 g / 1.5 pounds skinned hazelnuts, or almonds or walnuts (See recipe for how to skin if readily skinned nuts are not available)
700 g / 1.5 pounds granulated sugar
2 teaspoon, or to taste, ground cardamom

You’ll also need: mixing bowls, baking sheets, and a maggash (tweezers)

1. Prepare the dough. Put the flour and the butter in a large mixing bowl. Using your hands, rub them together until you obtain fine crumbs. Make sure there are no large crumbs left.

2. In a small bowl, using a spoon, mix the eggs yolks, sour cream, salt and vanilla powder.

3. In another small bowl, put the yeast, 1 tablespoon flour, 1 tablespoon sugar. Fill it with 1/4 cup of lukewarm milk. Let stand for about 2 minutes.

4. Add the egg-sour cream mixture (#2), the yeast mixture (#3), to the flour-butter mixture (#1).

5. Using your hands, mix the ingredients until fully incorporated and a rough and inconsistent dough is obtained. Transfer the dough to your work surface. Put the remaining 1/4 cup of lukewarm milk in a separate bowl. Constantly wetting your hands with milk, knead the dough for a few minutes to make it smooth.

6. Shape the dough into a ball. Put it back in the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and leave aside to rest for about 30 minutes.

7. In the meantime, prepare the filling. If you are using already skinned nuts, grind them finely in a food processor. In a mixing bowl, combing the ground nuts with sugar. Add the ground cardamom and vanilla powder. Mix until fully incorporated.

To skin hazelnuts and walnuts at home: Place raw hazelnuts in a large frying pan, and roast over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the skins crack and begin to flake off, about 10 minutes. Take care not to burn the nuts. Working with small batches of nuts at a time, place them them on a kitchen cloth and rub with it to remove the skins. Most of the skins will come off although some will still cling to the nut (especially on walnuts). Do not worry, a little skin will not be that visible in the filling.

To skin almonds at home: Put the almonds in a pot and pour boiling water over them to barely cover their tops. Let the almonds sit in the water for about 2 minutes (do not keep them there for too long, or they will lose their crispiness and will be too soft). Drain off the water, pat dry the nuts and slip the skins off by squeezing the almonds between your thumb and fingers.

8. Divide the dough into 36 balls, each weighing 50 g.

9. Work with one ball at a time, and cover the rest. Roll each ball into a 4 inch (10 cm) circle.

10. Place the circle in the palm of your hand, slightly folded, and put 2 tablespoons of the filling in the center.

11. Starting at one end, begin sealing the left and right edges towards the center to obtain a half-moon shape. Sealed shekerbura must be somewhat chubby from the filling and never flat.

12. Using your thumb and index finger, start pinching and twisting the dough along the seal to decorate the edges.

13. Arrange the pastry on a baking sheet, lined with parchment (baking) paper. Continue working with the rest of the dough balls, arranging them on the baking sheet as you are finished decorating their edges.

14. Now decorate the tops. Holding a pastry in one hand, and a maggash (tweezers) in the other, pinch the dough with the maggash at an angle and slightly lift it upward (see the picture below). Continue until you obtain a row of pattern. Create similar rows, each at an angle to the next one, until the entire surface is decorated.

Your finished pattern should look like in the photo below.

If maggash is not available, leave the top of shekerbura plain, without any patterns.

This is how shekerbura pastries look before they go in the oven.

15. Bake on the middle rack of the oven preheated to 150C (300F) for about 20 minutes, or until the edges just begin to change their color and the bottom is light brown. Take care not to overbake the pastries - their tops should be light color when baked. If you did not decorate your pastries with the tweezers, coat them with powdered sugar once they cool off.

This is how baked shekerbura looks. NUSH OLSUN! ENJOY!

PS: If you speak English, or Azeri, or Danish, visit my friend Gullu Janangir’s web site for more Novruz recipes.

My favorite recipes are those that combine the most unique ingredients to create a complex, but not too elegant, dish that’s rich in flavor. It also helps if there is a melt-in-your mouth juicy cut of meat involved. When most of us think moist, chicken breast probably doesn’t come to mind, but it will once you see Lisa’s version of Fig and Fontina Stuffed Chicken. She admits, and I agree — there is so much you can do with chicken breast.

Inspired by a well-known cook’s recipe, one that involved phyllo dough, Lisa prepared Fig and Fontina stuffed chicken using similar ingredients as the original. However, she topped hers with a tangy dijon sauce, as you can see on her blog Lime in the Coconut, and lightened up the dish by not including the phyllo dough.

The tastiest sweet and savory ingredients come together in this one dish you won’t forget. White wine, chicken stock, and dijon mustard are the bold ingredients in the sauce. The chicken is also topped with fragrant herbs. You’ll love what’s on the inside — this is where you’ll find the fig preserves and melted fontina cheese mingling with fresh thyme and rosemary. Thankfully, you don’t have to set aside an entire afternoon to prepare Lisa’s dish because it comes together rather quickly, believe it or not!

I’m sure after you see Karen’s recipe for Pie Crust Rugelach, you’re going to want to have extra pie crust, you might even defrost some of the holiday leftovers that are sitting in your freezer… maybe you’ll even want throw some together right now just so you can put her family’s clever recipe to use! I know that’s what I wanted to do when I first saw it on her blog Mignardise.

I usually make a crust for both the top and bottom of my pies. I’ll take carbs any way I can get them, but I especially love pie crust. It’s like a cookie in texture, but more like a pastry… what’s there not to love? Karen says her husband uses the ‘trimmings’ to make what they call a ‘rugelach, because it’s kind of like the Jewish pastry made with cream cheese dough and rolled up’.

So how tasty are these? Well, Karen says sometimes she tells a little fib to her guests… she’ll say there wasn’t any pie crust rugelach to begin with :D! So start a new tradition in your home, make Pie Crust Rugelach. If you want to gobble them up before the dinner guests arrive, go ahead, we won’t tell :).