Churro Tots with Chocolate Sauce, Strawberries and Whipped Cream

Tasty bites for dessert or snack.   There are many varieties to this recipe using different spices in the dough, we like the cinnamon the best. You can experiment with Nutmeg or Vanilla, to your liking.  It is considered a Mexican dessert, fried spiced dough rolled in cinnamon and sugar. 

 

Vegetable Oil (for frying)

1 cup water
1 stick (4 ounces) butter
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
3 eggs

Dough: 

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the water, butter, cinnamon and salt to a full boil. Stir in the flour all at once. Reduce the heat to low.  Stir,using a wooden spoon, vigorously until the mixture forms a ball, about 1 minute. Mix well so there are no clumps.  Remove the pan from the heat.and let cool for 10 minutes.

2. When it’s warm (not hot) to the touch.  Add one egg at a time and stir until mixture comes is thoroughly together and is smooth. It will take some time to work in the eggs.

3. In a cast iron skillet, add 1to 1/2 inches of oil (depending on the diameter/size of your cast iron pan).  Place over medium-high heat. When the oil reaches 360 degrees F, it’s ready.

4. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a large star-tip.  If you don't have a pastry bag, use a large freezer bag and cut the tip off, it works just as well.  Have clean scissors on hand.  Hold the bag over the hot oil, squeeze a strip of dough about 1 inches long, snip it with the scissors and let it drop into the oil.  Fry 10 to 12 balls at a time, turning once, until golden brown, about 2 minutes on a side.  Drain on paper towels.

5.  Roll the churro tots in the sugar/cinnamon mixture and serve while warm.        

Sugar/Cinnamon mixture:  Mix the ½ cup sugar and 2 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon together in a shallow bowl, set aside.                                                                                                                                         Chocolate Sauce:  Melt 3/4 heavy cream and 1 small bag milk chocolate morsels in a small pan over medium-low heat.  Stir until smooth.    

Serve with whipped cream, melted chocolate and sweetened sliced strawberries.

Recipe Inspired by Marcella Valladolid, Food Network

Onion, Garlic and Tomato Side Dish

1.  Cut up about half a container of cherry tomato's , slice them into bite size pieces. You can use more tomato's if you'd like.

2.  Slice a half of a onion, and one BIG clove of garlic, just one clove. If you don't like onion, use bell peppers, if you do use bell peppers, slice 2 sides of it. You can use more if you like.

3.  Get a small, to medium pan out on the stove, put a small pad of butter and turn up the heat to 6 in a half. Let the butter get warm.

4.  Once the butter is warm put your onions in the pan first. ONLY the onions or if you used bell peppers. 

5. Once your onions are caramelized add the tomato's. Now, if the onions and tomato's look dry, add a bit more butter.

6. When the tomato's look soft add the garlic and lower the heat to 5. 

7. When the garlic has a golden look to it turn off the stove and put in a serving bowl.

Enjoy! :)

Cream Of Asparagus Soup

This recipe is one of our favorite soups to make from scratch.  It is creamy, rich and tasty.  If you love asparagus, you will love this soup.  Perfect with a BLT sandwich, toasted Italian bread or crackers.

 

1 pound fresh green asparagus

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup light cream

2 tbsp flour

1 garlic glove (chopped)

2 tbsp fresh celery leaf (minced)

½ cup chopped celery

4 tbsp butter

¼ chopped onion

Pinch of thyme

Pinch of salt and pepper

Wash and remove asparagus tips, simmer in small pan with a small amount of milk, cover and keep warm to add to soup at the end.

Trim the ends of the stalks.  Cut all the stalks in small pieces add to sauce pan.  Add chicken broth, garlic, celery, celery leaf, onion and thyme.  Bring ingredients to a boil and then simmer for ½ hour.  Remove from heat and puree with hand blender (or blender) until smooth (no lumps).

Melt 4 tbsp butter in sauce pan, stir in 2 tbsp flour - blend well.  Slowly stir in 1 cup light cream, add asparagus stock, heat soup well until simmering (do not boil), add asparagus tips.  Season soup with salt and pepper to taste.