Baklava

I found this recipe at http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/baklava/

Baklava Recipe

Prep time: 30 minutes

• Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

For the baklava:

• 1 lb. of chopped nuts (almonds, walnuts, or pistachios are best, or use a combination of them)
• 1 lb of phyllo dough
• 1 cup of butter, melted
• 1/3 cup of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• 1/3 teaspoon of ground cloves

For the syrup:

• 1 cup of water
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1/2 cup of honey
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 1 cinnamon stick

• Finely ground pistachios for garnish (optional)

Method

1 Lightly grease a 9x13 pan and set the oven to 350°F.
2 Thaw the phyllo dough according to manufacturer's directions (this may take overnight). When thawed, roll out the dough and cut the dough in half so the sheets will fit in the pan. Cover with a damp towel to keep it from drying out.
3 Process the nuts until in small, even sized pieces. Combine with sugar, cinnamon, and cloves. In a separate bowl, melt the butter in the microwave.
4 Place a sheet of phyllo dough into the pan. Using a pastry brush, brush the phyllo sheet with melted butter. Repeat 7 more times until it is 8 sheets thick, each sheet being "painted" with the butter.
5 Spoon on a thin layer of the nut mixture. Cover with two more sheets of phyllo, brushing each one with butter. Continue to repeat the nut mixture and two buttered sheets of phyllo until the nut mixture is all used up. The top layer should be 8 phyllo sheets thick, each sheet being individually buttered. Do not worry if the sheets crinkle up a bit, it will just add more texture.
6 Cut into 24 equal sized squares using a sharp knife. Bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes or until lightly golden brown, and edges appear slightly crisp.
7 While baking, make the syrup. Combine the cinnamon stick, sugar, lemon juice, honey, and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium low heat and let simmer for 7 minutes and slightly thickened. Remove the cinnamon stick and allow to cool.
8 Spoon the cooled syrup over the hot baklava and let cool for at least 4 hours. Garnish with some finely crushed pistachios of desired.
Yield: Makes 24 portions.

November: Visit The Mediterranean

November 4 6:30p.m. @ The Snapp's
Rosenbergs: Appetizer
Hoffmans: Side
Christensens: Side
Main Dish: Snapps
Dessert: Wilsons

Dinner In a Pumpkin By Julie Wilson

1 small to med. pumpkin
1 onion chopped
1 1/2- 2 lbs. gr. beef/sausage
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 (8 oz) can water chestnuts, drained
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 (4 oz) can  sliced mushrooms, drained
1 (10 3/4 oz) can cream of Chicken soup
1 1/2 c cooked rice

Cut off the top of pumpkin & thoroughly clean out seeds & pulp.  Paint an appropriate face of the front of the pumpkin with a permanent marking pen or paint.

Preheat oven 350 degrees.  In a large skillet, saute onion and meat, drain drippings.  Add soy sauce, brown sugar, mushrooms & soup.  Simmer 10 minutes stirring occasionally.  Add cooked rice and water chestnuts.  Spoon mixture into the clean pumpkin shell.  Replace pumpkin top & place entire pumpkin on a baking sheet.  Bake 1-2 hours until inside meat of the pumpkin is tender.  Put pumpkin on a plate.  Remove pumpkin lid and serve meat.  For your vegetable, scoop out cooked pumpkin and serve.  Serves 6.

For the Dinner club night I doubled the recipe, using a bigger pumpkin.  I added salt 1 tsp per recipe.  I added French style green beans.  On the pumpkin, before adding rice and meat mixture, I sprinkled it with pumpkin pie seasoning.

The First Night of Food, Fun and Friends!!!

Hi everyone!  I hope you are all excited about our new dinner club.  I thought a blog for the club might make all of our lives easier.  This way we can post our recipes on the blog instead of having to make 4 extra copies for each dinner.  We can also post the food assignments, next dinner theme, next location, following hostess, and any other pertinent information.

Here is the information for the upcoming Dinner Club Night...

October 7, 2011 @ 6:30 pm
Hosted by The Wilsons
Theme:  Harvest

Appetizer: Snapps
Veggie/Side; Christensens
Salad: Rosenbergs
Main Dish: Wilsons
Dessert: Hoffmans

Hope this makes life just a wee bit easier for everyone!

:)Julie