Italian Butter Cookies
Italian Butter Cookies
5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/8 cups granulated sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
4 egg yolks, well beaten (save whites)
2 cups butter
1 oz whiskey
Mix flour and sugar in large bowl
Make a well in flour mixture
Slice butter and place in well
Sprinkle lemon zest over this
Add whiskey and beaten egg yolks
Start kneading with your hands until you have a large very cohesive ball
This will take a while
When all mixed, roll out to medium thickness
Flour board and rolling pin liberally
Cut with cookie cutters
Beat egg whites until frothy
Brush froth on cookies
Bake until cookies just start to turn golden at the edges (approximately 10 minutes) at 350 deg F
They cook fast, so watch closely
Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar while still hot
Crispy Beef
Crispy Beef
Posted by liz at recipegoldmine
com May 26, 2001
Source: Cookin’ Dad
3/4 pound tender beef strips (cut into diameter of
about 2 pencils & length of 2 – 2 1/2 inches)
Salt & white pepper to taste
1/4 cup soy sauce
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 Tbspgreen onions (green part only)
1 tps sesame seeds (untoasted)
2 egg whites (beaten until frothy)
1 cup cornstarch (approximation)
1 1/2 Tbspcornstarch mixed with about
2 Tbspwater (for thickening sauce)
About 2 hrs before frying beef strips, sprinkle salt (we used about 1/2 tps) & white pepper (approximately 1/4 tps)
Massage spices into beef strips until evenly distributed
Place in refrigerator
When ready to fry, in mixing bowl beat egg whites until frothy & dip beef in egg whites making sure all pieces are covered
Next, & very important is to GRADUALLY add cornstarch to this mixture, slowly coating all of the beef strips
You will use a lot of cornstarch to THOROUGHLY coat beef strips, so don’t let the 1 cup measurement intimidate you
Actually, you may use less than 1 cup, but it will take a lot to make sure EACH strip of beef is covered with a FAIRLY THICK coating of cornstarch
The cornstarch application part is slightly messy but, believe me, it is worth the effort! When done coating beef, set aside for few min & heat oil (you will need a fair amount)
Mix sauce ingredients except for, of course, the cornstarch & water
Set aside
When oil has reached about 360 deg, drop about HALF the beef strips in oil
Fry for about 2-3 min or until crisp
Be careful to watch the temp
as you are frying
Once you are done frying beef strips, carefully drain excess oil & place on platter
Pour oil out of wok into container
Place sauce in wok & heat for minute or so before adding cornstarch with water
Once sauce mixture thickens, add about 2-3 tablespoon hot oil, stir well, then add beef strips & heat for about 1 min Remove from wok & place on platter
Sprinkle beef with sesame seeds & serve over white rice
* If you use more beef than recipe calls for, sauce mixture can be doubled
Also, if you use tougher beef strips, you may want to marinate mixture in a LITTLE soy sauce & red wine vinegar & cornstarch to tenderize
I would marinate for at least several hrs
Be careful not to use too much soy sauce because this will contribute to excess browning during frying cycle
Italian Rum Balls
Italian Rum Balls
1 cup soft butter
1/4 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons rum or extract
2 1/4 cups flour
Melted butter
Chopped nuts
Cinnamon-sugar
Preheat oven to 350 deg F
Cream butter and sugar until fluffy
Add rum and blend well
Gradually add flour to butter mixture
Blend in enough flour to make a smooth ball
Chill 1 hour
Take pieces of dough and roll into balls the size of a walnut
Drop into melted butter, then nuts, and into cinnamon-sugar
Shake off excess and place on cookie sheets
Bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown
Makes 3 1/2 dozen