Pauleine's Homepage

The Churros
Here''s the ultimate recipe to make your own churros at home, just like they were at the churrer�a stands. Of course, the difference here is price. Here you can make a whole batch for what is cost for a few. Once you make the churros, you can make the authentic chocolate dip to dunk them in.

Ingredients: (Makes one platefull)
Vegetable or Olive Oil
1 cup water
1/2 cup margarine or butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

Prepare to fry the churros by heating oil in a pan (1 to 1&1/2 inches) to 360 degrees F.

To make churro dough, heat water, margarine and salt to rolling boil in 3-quart saucepan; stir in flour. Stir vigorously over low heat until mixture forms a ball, about 1 minute; remove from heat. Beat eggs all at once; continue beating until smooth and then add to saucepan while stirring mixture.

Spoon mixture into cake decorators'' tube with large star tip (like the kind use to decorate cakes). Squeeze 4-inch strips of dough into hot oil. Fry 3 or 4 strips at a time until golden brown, turning once, about 2 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels. (Mix Sugar and the optional cinnamon); roll churros in sugar or dump the sugar on the pile of churros, like the pros. That churro taste will take you right back to your favorite summer days walking the paseos of Spain.

Note: REAL churros in Spain are made without cinnamon mixed with the sugar, but the cinnamon adds an extra nice flavor.

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Chocolate for Churro Dunking
4oz dark chocolate, chopped
2 cups milk
1 tbsp cornstarch (also known as cornflour and is the powder that causes the thickening)
4 tbsp sugar

Place the chocolate and half the milk in a pan and heat, stirring, until the chocolate has melted. Dissolve the cornstarch in the remaining milk and whisk into the chocolate with the sugar. Cook on low heat, whisking constantly, until the chocolate is thickened, about five minutes. Add extra cornstarch if it doesn''t start to thicken after 5 minutes. Remove and whisk smooth. Pour and server in cups or bowls for dunking churros. Do not pour over churros, but use the mix for dunking churros after every bite. Served warm.

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Sword fish
Basic ingredients

* 4 pieces of sword fish (one for each serving)
* 4 medium tomatoes
* 1 tbsp breadcrumbs
* 1 clove of garlic crushed
* 1 tsp oregano
* olive oil
* salt and pepper
* fresh basil
* fresh parsley
* 4 shallots or a small onion
* juice of half a lemon

Steps:

1. Place the pieces of sword fish on a plate and sprinkle with olive oil (about 8 tbsp) - leave for 10 mins

2. To make the sauce heat 6 tbsp olive oil and add the chopped parsley and basil, shallots or small onion and salt and pepper - set aside once the onion is cooked

3. In a bowl mix the crushed garlic, breadcrumbs, oregano and lemon juice - add salt and pepper to taste

4. Cut the tomatoes in half, place on a baking tray and cover with the oil and garlic mixture - cook in the oven at 180 degrees for about 10 mins

5. To cook the sword fish place on a hot griddle and cook until golden brown on both sides - add more olive oil at this stage if necessary

6. To serve place the fish on plates with the baked tomato halves and cover with the herb sauce

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Recipe for Spanish Paella (4-6 people)
Traditional and easy Paella recipe. There are many Spanish rice dishes. This is the most famous of them.
Spanish recipes, paella

Ingredients (4-6 people):

* 600 grams rice (short grain)
* Half a chicken in pieces
* 2 artichokes
* 2 medium-sized red peppers
* 2 mature tomatoes
* Black pepper
* Garlic
* Parsley
* A strand of saffron
* Olive oil (one glass, about 1/4 litre)
* 1/2 lemon
* A sprig eacho of rosemary and thyme
* Salt

Steps:

1: Fry the chicken in some olive oil. Put the browned chicken pieces into a pan with 8 glasses of water, and bring to the boil. Leave simmering for half an hour.

2. Cut the artichokes and red pepper and fry them.

3: Fry the tomato and garlic in olive oil in the large paellera (special paella pan), then add the rice, stir for a minute and then add the chicken, chicken stock (there should be 6 glasses), artichokes, red peppers, the juice of half a lemon, black pepper, parsley, thyme, rosemary, the saffr�n strands (grind them first. If you haven''t got a grinder, use Colorante which you''ll find in the spice and herbs racks in supermarkets) and salt.

4: Once all the ingredients are in the paella pan, turn the heat up to maximum and boil for about 10 minutes. Then lower the heat and leave to simmer for another 10 minutes. After 20 minutes, the liquid should have evaporated. Turn off the heat, and leave to stand for five minutes. If possible cover while it is standing (many Spaniards use paper to cover the pan).

Use quality ingredients:

* Olive oil: Ciao recommends Aceite Carbonell. This page may also help you to decide: Aceitedeoliva.com.
* Rice: Our favourite brand is SOS. Another excellent rice available in Spain is Arroz de Calasparra (if you get hold of a packet, the paella will need a little more cooking time). Don''t forget to use short-grained rice - the kind used to make rice pudding.
* Saffron: Azafr�n de Carmencita.

Tips

* Serve portions with a slice of lemon to squeeze over the rice.
* You may like to make some alioli, garlic mayonnaisse. You can also buy it already made - look out for it next to the normal mayonnaisse in the supermarket.
* Serve with a good Spanish red wine.
* If you want a meatier version, add some pork to the chicken and cook it in the same way together.
* You can also add some peas or broad beans to the pan and let them cook together with the other ingredients.
* Water - we always use mineral water. The water in many coastal areas of Spain has a strong taste of chlorine. Use mineral water to avoid this.
* When cooking the paella, turn the pan round now and then so that the rice cooks evenly.
* After washing and drying the paella pan, wipe it with a piece of kitchen roll and olive oil. This stops the pan from rusting.
* Plant some rosemary and thyme and keep the pots on your terrace.

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Tzatziki Sauce

"Easy dressing for gyros or Greek salad. Also makes a nice dipping sauce for Veggies. HINT: Tastes best when chilled for at least 1 hour after preparation."
Original recipe yield: 8 servings.

Servings:
8

INGREDIENTS:

* 2 (8 ounce) containers plain yogurt
* 2 cucumbers - peeled, seeded and diced
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1/2 lemon, juiced
* salt and pepper to taste
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
* 3 cloves garlic, peeled

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a food processor or blender, combine yogurt, cucumber, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, dill and garlic. Process until well-combined. Transfer to a separate dish, cover and refrigerate for at least one hour for best flavor.

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BEEF KABOB MARINADE

1/2 env. dry onion soup mix
2 tbsp. sugar
1/2 c. catsup
1/4 c. vinegar or red wine
1/4 c. salad oil
1 tbsp. prepared mustard
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. water
1 1/2 lb. beef sirloin or chuck (cut in 1" cubes)

In saucepan combine all ingredients except beef. Bring to boil.
Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Cool. Add meat; toss to coat.
Refrigerate overnight, drain, reserving marinade. B-B-Q on shish ka bob sticks.
Add fruits (pineapple is good) or veggies of your choice.

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CHICKEN MARINADE

6 lg. chicken breasts (3-4 lbs.)
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. sweet basil
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. pepper

Combine all ingredients. Arrange 6 large chicken breasts or approximately
3 to 4 pounds chicken pieces in a non-metal pan. Pour marinade over chicken.
Cover. Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight,
turn chicken for even distribution of marinade, at approximately 4 hours.

BAKING: Remove chicken from marinade. Bake chicken at 375 degrees in a
covered pan for 45 to 60 minutes (keep your eye on it) or broil 10 to 15
minutes each side. Baste often while cooking (using leftover marinade).
Excellent on grill, grill 10 to 15 minutes each side. Makes 6 servings.

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GRAMMY''S MEAT MARINADE

1/2 c. salad oil
1/4 to 1/2 c. soy sauce
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 c. red (burgundy) wine
2 tbsp. ketchup
1 tbsp. curry powder
1/2 tbsp. black pepper

Mix all the above ingredients together. Pour over cubed or steak cut meat.
Marinate (overnight is best). Rotate meat several times. Great for fondue!
Also good grilled. Flank steak works well. Don''t add salt to marinade.

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ITALIAN AMERICAN SPAGHETTI SAUCE

2 large can diced tomatoes
1 large can whole tomatoes
2 large can tomato sauce
1 large can crushed tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
4-5 fresh tomatoes
2 heads garlic, peeled and chopped
2-3 large onions
2-3 green peppers
1 large celery bunch
4 lbs lean hamburger
fresh mushrooms
virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp. each of basil, oregano
pinch each of cayenne, red pepper flakes, white pepper, celery seed,
rosemary, thyme, garlic powder, ground sage, turmeric
Mrs. Dash (optional)

Diced tomatoes may be substituted for whole canned tomatoes if desired.
If you prefer, use 4-5 diced fresh tomatoes.

Cut up into small pieces onion, pepper, celery including the inner heart,
break apart garlic and press each with spoon then peel. Combine all
including spices (by smell!) in large skillet, add olive oil. Simmer
until all are tender. Strain if necessary. Place into large sauce pot
on low heat. Add diced, crushed, sauce, and whole tomatoes. Brown hamburger,
make some meatballs if you like and brown as well. Drain meat and
add to sauce pot. Turn up heat and simmer just below boil one hour.
Turn heat down to low. Let heat for several hours, house will smell
great! If you made meatballs wait until one half hour before serving
to add to mixture, also add mushrooms at this time.

Note: Add desired seasonings, as little or as much as you like.
If this is the first time you''re making spaghetti sauce, go lightly on
the seasoning, since less can be better when you haven''t yet developed
a taste for herbs. One trick is to add a small amount of seasonings at
the start, and another few pinches near the end of cooking in order to
develop several "layers" of flavor. This sauce can be improved if you
substitute fresh basil and oregano leaves when they can be found in season.
Taste sauce and add small amounts of red wine, wine vinegar, or balsamic
vinegar if too tart and the sauce needs a bit of sweetening.

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Corned Beef Hash

Main Ingredients
2 onions, chopped
1 tbsp thyme leafs
25g (10z) butter
1 tsp yeast extract
350ml (12 fl oz) beef stock
150ml (5 fl oz) red wine
375g (13 oz) corned beef
2tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
sat and pepper, to taste

Filling Ingredients
250g (9 oz) potatoes, peeled
milk, for mashing potatoes
25g (1oz) butter
50g (1 3/4 oz) cheddar, grated
25g (1 oz) fresh breadcrumbs

Recipe
Preheat oven to 200V/400F/Gas Mark 6
For the filling, boil the potatoes in plenty of simmering, salted water. When they are just cooked remove from the heat and cool in cold water. Drain, dice and leave to one side.
In a large frying pan, fry the onions and thyme in the butter for about 3 minutes. Add the yeast extract, stock and the red wine and reduce by half. Add the corned beef, parsley and some salt and pepper and cook for 5-10 mintutes, breaking the beef up with a fork.
Season the cooled potatoes and mash them thoroughly with some milk and the butter.
Place the corned beef mixture into an ovenproof dish and top with the mashed potatoes. Mix the grated cheese together with the breadcrumbs. Sprinkle the mixture over the mashed potatoes and bake for 20 minutes to cook through and brown the top.
Serve with a dressed green salad.

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Pizza Base
Summary
Yield 2
Prep Time 5 minutes
Description

A nice pizza base that can be made in your bread machine.
Ingredients

* 1 c water
* 1 T butter melted
* 2 T sugar
* 1 t salt
* 2 3⁄4 c strong white bread flour
* 3⁄4 t yeast

Instructions

Turn on dough setting on machine. Mine is setting 8.

Once done flour two pizza trays, seperate dough into two balls, then roll out dough and put pizza on tray, then let sit for about 15 mins.

Add your desired toppings and bake for 12 - 15 min at 425 untill golden brown.

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Grandma's Apple Crisp
Summary
Yield 12
Source KatrinaNicole
Prep Time 10 minutes
Description
Grandma's Apple Crisp
Ingredients

* 8 apples
* 1 c dry quick oats
* 3⁄4 c brown sugar
* 1⁄2 c flour
* 1⁄2 t cinnamon
* 1⁄2 c butter

Instructions
1. Peel, core and slice apples. Place in buttered 8 or 9" baking pan. 2. In a mixing bowl, stir together dry oats, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. 3. Cut in butter with 2 knives or a pastry cutter until small crumbs form. 4. Sprinkle crumb topping over apples. 5. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes or until lightly browned.