Food Processor Pasta

2 eggs
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup white flour
1 cup (or more) white flour


This simple, painless and quick method of making fresh pasta using a food
processor is much simpler than the length of the instructions, which
include directions for dealing with problems, would lead you to believe.
This technique solves the basic problem in pasta making: getting a dough
with just the right amount of moisture so that it's neither too soft and
sticky nor too dry and hard to work. You start with the moist ingredients
(egg and olive oil), then add just enough flour that the dough first
gathers into a ball, then breaks up into granules, then gathers itself up
again. When that happens, you know you've got just the right moisture
content, and you can reward yourself by letting the processor do the
kneading for you.

The semolina or whole wheat flour that is added first can be used to give
the pasta more body (semolina has more gluten than standard flour) or make
it more wholesome. They're added first to give these hard-to-work
ingredients more chance to dissolve in liquid. You can use as much of them
as you like as long as the mixture is still a batter, to give the processor
a chance to do its thing.

The first time you make pasta this way, add flour in smaller increments.
With experience you'll get a better feel for how fast to proceed, and after
three or four batches you'll have a batch of noodles ready in under 10
minutes. Also with experience, you will determine the capacity of your
processor; too large a batch will always gum up the works.

Place the eggs, olive oil and salt in the bowl of the food processor and
whirl briefly to blend. If using semolina flour or whole-wheat flour, add
and process for 15 seconds. This mixture is supposed to make a thick
batter, so feel free to add extra flour at this point.

Add remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time until dough forms a ball. Continue
adding flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until the ball breaks up into bead-like
granules. If the blob doesn't break up and it doesn't absorb the flour
either (that is, you wind up with a blob of dough and flour whirling around
in the bottom), then take out the dough and, with the processor running,
feed inch-size pieces of the dough back through the feed chute so that they
break up on impact. If the dough is really sticky, add a couple
tablespoons of flour first.

If the dough has just the right amount of moisture, it will break up, whirl
around for a few seconds, then start gathering itself back up into a ball,
ultimately picking up all the stray pieces and rolling around the inside
of the processor bowl, making a terrible racket and causing the processor
to walk across the counter. When that happens, congratulations! Let it
knead itself this way for 15 seconds, then stop the processor, remove the
dough to a covered bowl and let it sit for 15 minutes. Proceed to roll it
out with machine or rolling pin for the pasta dish of your choice.

If the dough doesn't gather itself up again, it's usually either because it
is too dry (it stays granular) or because the gathering process didn't get
started properly (it sticks to the inside of the bowl and eventually stops
whirling entirely). If the former, add water through the feed chute with
the processor running, a tablespoon at a time, until the dough gathers. If
it gathers on the side of the bowl instead of in a ball, then stop the
processor, grab some out, form it into a ball, return to the bowl and start
the processor again. This will usually pick up the rest of the dough, and
off you go. If not, add a tablespoon of flour, process it for a second, and
repeat.

Serves 2 to 4
This recipe is from http://recipes.chef2chef.net/recipe-archive/25/139766.shtml

Rosemary Roasted Salmon

4 salmon steaks
1 pound asparagus trimmed
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 lemons, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh rosemary leaves
Rosemary sprigs(optional)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place salmon and asparagus on a large baking pan coated with nonstick baking spray.
3. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, top with lemon slices and chopped rosemary.
4. Roast salmon for ten to twelve minutes or until fish is flakes and asparagus is tender.
5. Garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs if desired.

Bistro Style Mussels

1 pound of clean mussels
2 tablespoons garlic salt
1/4 cup chopped shallots
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup dry white wine or vegetable stock
2 tablespoons chipotle mayonnaise
1 loaf semolina bread, sliced thick
1 bunch of Italian parsley

1. Place cleaned mussels in a large pot. Combine garlic salt with 1/2 cup of boiling water; pour over mussels. Cover and cook for 3 minutes or until mussels open.(Discard ones that don't open.)
2. In a saucepan, cook shallots in oil over medium heat for three minutes. Add wine or broth and simmer for five minutes.
3. Remove from heat and add chipotle mayonnaise and salt and pepper.
4. Place bread slices in four serving bowls. Spoon sauce and mussels in on top of the bread. Garnish with parsley sprigs.
Serves-4

Potato-Thyme Crusted Halibut

3/4 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons grated lemon peal
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 cup instant potato flakes
1 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
6 halibut fillets
3 tablespoons olive oil
lemon wedges

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly coat a baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
2. In a shallow dish combine buttermilk, lemon peel, and mustard.
3. In another shallow dish combine potato flakes, thyme, salt and pepper.
4. In a large nonstick skillet heat oil until hot. Add fillets and cook two minutes on each side turning once, or until golden.
5. Bake fillets 10 to 12 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve with lemon wedges on top.
Serves 6

Irish Cream Cheesecake

24 ounces Cream cheese, softened
2 cups Vanilla crumbs
1/3 cup Butter, melted
1/2 cup Sugar
3 large Eggs
2 tablespoon Flour
1 cup Irish cream liqueur
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 cup White chocolate, grated

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the crumbs and butter in a
medium-size bowl. Press on the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.
Bake in oven for five minutes. Remove and set aside. Cream the cheese
and sugar. Beat in the eggs, flour, liqueur and vanilla until smooth.
Pour mixture onto crust and bake for 40 minutes.

Turn off oven and leave in oven for another 15 minutes. Remove from
oven and let cool. After cheesecake has cooled, sprinkle white
chocolate on top. Refrigerate overnight.
Serves about-10


I got this recipe from - http://www.mycookbook.com/public/recipeview.asp?recipenumber=4378&login=&UserName=&UserPassword=

Chocolate Cheesecake

18 OREO chocolate sandwich cookies, finely crushed

2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

24 ounces cream cheese

¾ cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

8 squares semi sweet chocolate, melted and cooled slightly

3 eggs

1. Preheat oven to 325 if using silver 9 inch spring form or 300 if using dark non-stick 9 inch spring form pan.
2. Mix together melted butter and OREO crumbs.
3. Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until well blended.
4. Then add in chocolate mix, and slowly add in each egg one at a time, mixing on medium speed until blended, then pour into crust
5. Bake for 1 hour, then run a knife along the edges, refrigerate overnight.

Serves 12

Peanut Butter Buckeyes

½ cup powdered sugar

½ cup peanut butter smooth

1/8 cup milk

½ cup semi sweet chocolate

¼ cup confectioners sugar

1. Mix together powdered sugar and peanut butter until smooth. 1-2 minutes.
2. Mix in milk.
3. In a medium pan melt chocolate chips, over low heat, stir constantly until melted.
4. Pour chocolate sauce into a small medium bowl.
5. Roll the peanut butter mixture into 1 inch wide balls set aside after done.
6. Take a skewer and poke one of the balls in the center then dip in chocolate ¾ of the way, pull out of chocolate and put on a foil coated baking pan, continue with all balls.
7. When all the balls are covered in chocolate place cookie sheet in refrigerator and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.

Mrs.Millimans Frosting

12 ounces semi sweet chocolate finely chopped

2 cups heavy cream

1 cup white sugar

3/8 cup water

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

dash of salt

1. Combine chocolate in a med. sized pan over low heat, stirring constantly until thickened. (20-30 min.)
2. Raise heat to medium low and cook, stirring constantly for 3 more minutes.
3. Remove from heat and stir in corn syrup.
4. Transfer to large bowl and chill covered until mix is thick enough to spread stirring every 20 min. (about 2 hours)

Butter Frosting

3 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup butter softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 to 3 tablespoons milk

1. Combine all ingredients except milk in a small bowl.
2. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often and gradually adding enough milk for desired spreading consistency.

VARIATIONS:

1. Almond frosting- stir in ½ teaspoon almond extract.

2. Cocoa frosting- Stir in ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder. Increase milk 5-6 tablespoons.

3. Peppermint frosting- Stir in 1 teaspoon peppermint extract and 3 to 4 drops red food coloring.

4. Spice frosting- Stir in ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon each ground cloves and nutmeg.

Makes 1 ½ cups

Brownie Cupcakes

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

11 ounces semi sweet sweet chocolate, coursly chopped

3 large eggs

1 cup sugar

¾ cup all purpose flour

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup coursly chopped walnuts (optional)

Mrs. Millmans frosting (Recipe follows)

Non-stick cooking spray

1. Pre-heat oven to 350.
2. Line 12-cup muffin tin with paper lingers.
3. In a small sauce pan over low heat melt butter and 8 ounces chocolate; stir until smooth, remove from heat and set aside.
4. In a small bowl whisk together eggs and sugar.
5. Slowly add in flour, cocoa, and baking soda, when mixed well add in melted chocolate mixture. 9
6. Add in remaining chocolate and the walnuts, desired.
7. Fill prepared muffin tins ¾ of the way.
8. Bake for about 20 min.
9. Cool on wire rack for 20 min. or until completely cool.
10. Put on desired toppings.

Dulce De Le Che Bars

For crust:

1 cup unsalted butter

½ cup confectioners sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups all purpose flour

¾ teaspoon salt

For filling top layer:

7 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

2 cans (14 oz. each) sweetened condensed milk

pinch of salt

10 oz. Semi sweet chocolate chopped

Crust:

1. Heat oven to 350.
2. Place oven rack in center.
3. Line a 13 by 9 inch pan with parchment paper.
4. In a large bowl mix butter and confectioners sugar on medium speed 7

until light, about 2 min.

5. Beat in vanilla extract and salt until combined well.
6. Press along bottom and ½ in up sides of lined pan.
7. Bake until just golden brown around the edges. (12 to 18 min.)
8. Transfer to wire pan and let cool completely.

To make filling:

1. In a medium sauce pan combine butter, brown sugar, milk, and salt.
2. Bring to a boil stirring constantly until thickened and a deep caramel color, about 15 min.
3. Pour over crust and refrigerate until cool, about 1 hour.

To make top layer:

1. Melt chocolate in a small pan, stirring constantly until completely melted.
2. Pour over top of middle and spread slowly.

Makes 48 bars

Best Ever Butter Cookies

1 cup butter softened

1 cup sugar

1 egg

2 ½ cups all purpose flour

2 tablespoons orange juice

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking powder

1. Combine butter, sugar, and egg in a large bowl.
2. Beat a medium speed until creamy.
3. Reduce speed to low; add flour, orange juice, vanilla extract, and baking powder.
4. Beat until well mixed.
5. Refrigerate until firm, 2 hrs.
6. Heat oven to 400.
7. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface, 1/3 at a time, keeping remainder of dough refrigerate, to 1/8 to ¼ inch thickness.
8. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 6-10 min. or until edges are lightly browned. Cool completely and repeat for other 2/3.

Makes 3 dozen

Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer Cookies

½ cup unsalted butter softened

¾ cup smooth peanut butter

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 ½ cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

48 large red m&m's

96 semi sweet chocolate chips

Pretzels broken into 96 1 in. pieces

1. Pre heat oven to 375.
2. Grease two baking pans.
3. In a large bowl mix butter, peanut butter, and sugar. (2-3 min.)
4. Add in egg and vanilla extract and mix 3 until combined.
5. Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt until a dough forms.
6. Roll dough into 1 inch balls.
7. Place on greased sheet aprox. 1 inch away from each other.
8. Cook one sheet at a time for 8-10 min. or until bottoms are golden brown.
9. For each cookie immediately put 2 chocolate chips for the eyes, 1 m&m for the nose, and 2 pretzels for antlers.
10. Transfer to wire sheet after decorated to cool. (1-2 hrs.)

Makes 48 cookies

Butt Kickin' Brownies

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

¾ cup flour

2 squares of Bakers Unsweetened Chocolate

1 cup & 2 tablespoons sugar

1/3 cup shortening

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg

1. Pre heat oven to 350. In a small pan melt shortening and chocolate, stirring constantly. (2-3 min.)
2. Pour the chocolate mixture into a large bowl and add, slowly, vanilla, sugar, and the egg.
3. After mixing very well add the rest of the ingredients and stir until smooth, (3-4 min.)
4. Grease a 8 by 8 pan then pour the brownie mix into the pan then put in oven to bake for 30-35 min.

Makes 1 ¼ dozen