Date Pop Tarts

Filling
16 dates
1 cup sugar
1 cup water

Make the filling: Open dates and remove pits. Dice. Boil and reduce to simmer. While simmering, mash the dates until you’re happy. I liked mine with some chunks left in them. If you don’t like any chunks at all, you might have to put it in the blender. When dates look thickened enough to spread with a spoon, they’re done.

Pastry
2 cups (8 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks or 8 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into pats
1 large egg
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) milk

1 additional large egg (to brush on pastry)

Make the dough: Whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Work in the butter with your fingers, pastry blender or food processor until pea-sized lumps of butter are still visible, and the mixture holds together when you squeeze it. If you’ve used a food processor, transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Whisk the first egg and milk together and stir them into the dough, mixing just until everything is cohesive, kneading briefly on a well-floured counter if necessary.

Divide the dough in half (approximately 8 1/4 ounces each), shape each half into a smooth rectangle, about 3×5 inches. You can roll this out immediately (see Warm Kitchen note below) or wrap each half in plastic and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Assemble the tarts: If the dough has been chilled, remove it from the refrigerator and allow it to soften and become workable, about 15 to 30 minutes. Place one piece on a lightly floured work surface, and roll it into a rectangle about 1/8″ thick, large enough that you can trim it to an even 9″ x 12″. [You can use a 9" x 13" pan, laid on top, as guidance.] Repeat with the second piece of dough. Set trimmings aside. Cut each piece of dough into thirds – you’ll form nine 3″ x 4″ rectangles.

Beat the additional egg and brush it over the entire surface of the first dough. This will be the “inside” of the tart; the egg is to help glue the lid on. Place a heaping tablespoon of filling into the center of each rectangle, keeping a bare 1/2-inch perimeter around it. Place a second rectangle of dough atop the first, using your fingertips to press firmly around the pocket of filling, sealing the dough well on all sides. Press the tines of a fork all around the edge of the rectangle. Paint with egg whites. Repeat with remaining tarts.

Gently place the tarts on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Prick the top of each tart multiple times with a fork; you want to make sure steam can escape, or the tarts will become billowy pillows rather than flat toaster pastries. Refrigerate the tarts (they don’t need to be covered) for 30 minutes, while you preheat your oven to 350°F.

Bake the tarts: Remove the tarts form the fridge, and bake them for 20 to 25 minutes, until they’re a light golden brown. Cool in pan on rack.

Note: I adapted this recipe from http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/04/homemade-pop-tarts/ where there are ideas for other fillings. Apparently this recipe had there been adapted already from someone else's site.

I blogged about the making of these at jack.turner08.com, where I also included more pictures. I put the recipe on www.dailyburn.com too, and it turns out that each pop tart has about 650 calories.

Joanne’s Famous Chocolate Orange Cake

Cake

Substitute orange juice for the water in a boxed chocolate cake (like Devil’s Food cake) and add half a bag of chocolate chips.

Frosting

1/4 c orange juice (less if using concentrate)
1/2 bag chocolate chips
2 T milk

Melt in chocolate chips with milk and juice in the  microwave, on low heat. Stir every minute. Be careful not to over-cook the chocolate in the microwave.  When it’s melted, add more juice to taste if needed. Beat with fork till shiny and drizzle over cake.

Tamara zests an orange over the top for an added touch of fanciness.

Black Rice Dessert

1 cup black rice
1.5 cups water
1 can coconut milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar

Open coconut milk from bottom of can. Pour coconut milk into a glass and scoop out the cream into a small bowl. Put cream into the fridge. Mix sugar salt and water until all dissolve. Put in rice cooker with black rice and coconut milk. Press button. Wait with bated breath until rice is done. Allow to cool a bit. With wet hands form into balls, place on dessert plates. Dab some coconut cream on each ball.

Garnish with mango or mint leaves or something if you feel extra fancy tonight. This might take advance planning, so you should have decided how fancy you were going to feel ahead of time.

This is the recipe I should have followed, not the recipe I did follow.

Onigiri (Rice Balls)

Very easy, but delectable. It’s just sushi rice formed into a shape with stuff in it, sometimes wrapped in nori (seaweed paper.)

Here’s how I made mine.

Sushi Rice:
1 & 1/2 cups sushi rice
1/4 cup rice vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
roasted sesame seeds

Sushi rice tastes much better than long grain rice and will form better balls. It is found in the oriental section of Kroger’s.
1. Put the rice in the rice cooker with 2  cups of water.
2. While the rice is cooking, bring the vinegar, sugar, and salt to a boil, then set aside.
3. When the rice is done, pour in the sauce and fluff gently.
4. Sprinkle sesame seeds liberally  and then fluff some more.
5. Taste.
If it needs more sesame seeds, repeat the last 2 steps until it’s good.
6. Form into shapes. I just use my hands to form it into flattened ball shapes or into triangles. I have also done squares and hearts. The rice could be packed into anything to give it shape though, e.g., cookie cutters, mugs, rubber ice cube trays, etc. The key is to make sure your hands and whatever implements you use are wet so the rice doesn’t stick.
7. (optional) Wrap with nori. For ideas on how, see Google.

Rocky Road Dessert Pie

Rocky Road Dessert Pie
1 pkg Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix
2/3 cup water
3 Tbsp. oil
2 eggs
1 ¾ c. chilled whipping cream
2/3 c. miniature marshmallows
2/3 c. semisweet chocolate chips
2/3 c. chopped walnuts
Chocolate Glaze: whipping cream, semisweet chocolate, margarine (see below)
Heat oven 350. Reserve 1 2/3 cup lightly packed cake mix (dry). Beat remaining cake mix, water, oil, eggs. Beat on medium speed. Spread in greased pie plate (or indented pan). Bake 30-35 mins. Cool completely. Beat whipping cream and reserved cake mix (dry) until stiff. Fold in marshmallows, walnuts and chocolate chips. Spread over cooled cake. Prepare chocolate glaze, immediately drizzle over top. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. Refrigerate remaining dessert.
Chocolate Glaze: Heat 1 Tbsp. whipping cream, 1 tsp. margarine or butter and 1 oz. coarsely chopped semisweet chocolate over medium heat until chocolate is melted and smooth.

Recipe: Betty Crocker
This was the cake Brent requested for his 19th birthday. It is also one of Joanne's and Andrea's favorites as well!