Cook and Bake With Amra

 Ingredients: 1½ pounds small yellow fingerling potatoes 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, separated 3-4 garlic cloves, smashed 8-10 sprigs thyme, fresh 2-3 tablespoons chives, fresh chopped freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste   Directions:  Preheat the oven to 450°F Rinse and scrub the potatoes under running water. Leave the skin on. Place the potatoes in a large pot of cold salted water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes or until a sharp knife can easily pierce through them. Total time will depend on size. Drain and place the potatoes back in the hot pot (off the stove) for a few minutes in order for them to dry out. Add  3-4 cloves of smashed garlic along with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and gently swirl them around until the potatoes are well coated. Allow to cool down, in the pot, for about 10 minutes. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over a large rimmed sheet pan. Transfer potatoes, garlic and oil from the pot to t...

                                         Football themed dessert and snack I made:     

 These are a little tricky to get the handle of cutting on the skewer, but once you do one, the rest will be easy. I will post a video at the bottom that I watched for the technique. Ingredients: 6 yellow potatoes, washed 3 tbsp Parmigiano Reggiano, grated 2 tbsp breadcrumbs 2 tsp paprika EVOO ( Extra virgin olive oil) Pink Himalayan salt, or any you have on hand parsley, finely chopped 6 skewers   Directions:   In a bowl combine Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, paprika and black pepper. Set aside. Insert a skewer into one potato and push the skewer all the way through it. Place the potato on a chopping board and, using a sharp knife, start cutting angled the potato: cut in the opposite direction you are turning the skewered potato and cut all the potato into thin spiral slices.  Gently separate the potato slices which form the spiral. Brush all over the potato with extra virgin olive oil Place the skewed oiled potato over the parmesan mix bowl and spread the mixture wi...

 Ingredients:    1 1/2 c. warm water 2 tbsp light brown sugar 1 package active dry yeast - 2 1/4 tsp. 3 oz unsalted butter, melted 2 1/2 tsp. kosher salt 4 1/2 to 5 c. all-purpose flour Vegetable oil  3 qts water 1/3 c. baking soda for boiling the pretzels 1 whole egg beaten with 1 tbsp cold water Coarse sea salt   Directions:   1. Combine the 1 ½ cups water, sugar, yeast, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix with the dough hook until combined. Let sit for 5 minutes.Add the salt and flour and mix on low speed until combined. Increase the speed to medium and continue kneading until the dough is smooth and begins to pull away from the side of the bowl, about 3 to 4 minutes.  If the dough appears too wet, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time.  2. Remove the dough from the bowl, place on a flat surface and knead into a ball with your hands.Oil a bowl with vegetable oil, add the dough and turn to coat with the oil.  3. Cover wit...

 This is my tiramisu recipe updated with using espresso mascarpone cheese. I also dusted cocoa powder on top of the first layer of cheese mixture.   Ingredients:   500gr Espresso Mascarpone cheese (approx. 1 lb.) 6 pasteurized eggs 2 packages lady fingers 3 Tablespoons sugar 2 oz vanilla extract 6 cups coffee, espresso sized cups (about 8 oz) 4 Tablespoons powdered unsweetened cocoa. Directions: 1. Bring all ingredients to room temperature.  2. Make the espresso and poor it into shallow flat-bottomed bowl.  3. Add vanilla extract, one teaspoon cocoa, and allow to cool to room temperature. 4. Separate egg yolks and whites.  5. In the first mixing bowl, beat egg yolks and sugar until creamy white. Add mascarpone and 1 tsp vanilla extract and mix until blended. Leave this mixture in the bowl. 6. In the second mixing bowl, beat eggs whites until fluffy. If you use pasteurized eggs, this may take a while. Fold beaten egg whites into mascarpone mi...

 Ingredients: 2 c. all-purpose flour  1 1/2  tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt 1 c (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened and at room temp 1 c. granulated sugar 4 large eggs, at room temp 1 tsp. vanilla extract  1/2 c. Greek yogurt, at room temp 3 tsp. orange zest (from 3-4 oranges) 2 tblsp. freshly squeezed orange juice, at room temp 2 c. cranberries (frozen or fresh) Icing: 2 c. powdered sugar, sifted  1/2 tblsp orange zest 1/2 tblsp fresh orange juice  1 to 2 tblsp milk Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9X5 loaf pan with butter 2. Prepare the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt until combined. Set aside. 3. Beat the softened butter on high speed until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Add the sugar and mix on high speed until fluffy for 1-2 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. 4. Lower the speed and add in eggs, one at a time, mix until combined between each one. Add in the Greek yogurt, vanilla, ...

 I did not get a picture of these once they were done but I will post a picture from the site I used the recipe and what they should end up looking like. Ingredients: 1 c. strawberry puree, strained 12. oz cream cheese 1 1/2 c. cool whip or real whipped cream 1/2 c. powdered sugar, sifted  1 c. crushed graham cracker crumbs 12 strawberries  whipped cream, optional as garnish Directions: 1. Puree strawberries and push through a fine mesh strainer to remove seeds 2. In a large bowl combine cream cheese and strawberry puree  3. Slowly add powdered sugar and mix it until light and fluffy 4. Fold cool whip into strawberry mixture until completely combined 5. Evenly distribute graham cracker crumbs in the bottom of small jars 6. Distribute the whipped topping evenly on top of graham cracker crumbs, cover and refrigerate 3 hours or overnight. I had a lot of mix so I did the graham cracker crumbs and whipped cream twice. 7. Top with whipped cream and slices of strawberrie...