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Traditional Spicy Mexican Chocolate-Cherry Rounds

6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

2 c. plus 2 tbsp. all purpose flour

1 tbsp. ground cinnamon

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

¼ tsp ground cloves

1 ¾ c. granulated sugar

½ c. unsalted butter, room temp.

3 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2/3 c. powder

Approx. 60 candied cherry halves

   

Stir chocolate in top of double boiler over simmer water until smooth; cool.  Combine flour and next 5 dry ingredients in medium bowl.  Using electric mixer, beat butter and granulated sugar in large bowl.  Beat in eggs one at a time until well mixed, then add in vanilla and chocolate. Gradually add dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.  Cover dough and chill for about 2 hours.  Preheat oven to 350°F.  Lightly butter 2 large baking sheets. 

 

Place powdered sugar in bowl or shallow pan along with cherries in a separate bowl.  Form dough in 1” balls.  Roll each ball in powdered sugar to coat; shake off excess sugar.  Arrange cookies on prepared baking sheets, spacing about 1 1/2” apart.  Press 1 cherry half into each cookie. 

Bake until cookies puff and crack put are still soft, about 10 minutes.  Transfer cookies to rack and cool completely. 

Butterscotch & English Toffee Gingersnap Squares

40 Gingersnap Cookies

1/3 c. unsalted butter, melted

1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk

1 ½ tsp. vanilla

1 c. butterscotch baking chips

½ c. chopped pecans

½ c. chopped peanuts

½ c. English toffee bits

½ c. mini chocolate chips

 

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Line a 13”x9” baking pan with foil so there is a 1” overhang, then spray it with non-stick cooking spray.  Place cookies in a food processor and process until they are fine crumbs. 

   

Measure out 2 cups of crumbs in a medium and combine them with melted butter; mix well.   Press cookie mixture evenly into bottom of prepared pan.  Bake about 5 minutes or until light brown around edges.  Meanwhile, combine condensed milk and vanilla.  Pour milk evenly over warm crust. 

 

Scatter butterscotch chips, nuts, toffee bits and chocolate chips over milk mixture.  Press down gently.  Bake 15-20 minutes or until bubble and golden.  Transfer pan to a wire rack and cool completely.  When cool, cut into squares and serve.

Classic Chex Party Mix

6 tbsp. margarine

2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 ½ tsp. seasoned salt

¾ tsp. garlic powder

3 c. corn Chex

3. c. rice Chex

3 c. wheat Chex

1 c. mixed nuts

1 c. mini-pretzels or pretzel sticks

Heat oven to 250 degrees F. In a large roasting pan, melt butter in the oven.  Stir in the seasonings.  Mix in Chex, nuts, and pretzels and stir or toss to coat thoroughly.  Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.  Store in an airtight container.

Island Coconut Rum Bars

Basic Coconut Short Dough

¾ c. butter, slightly softened

¾ c. sugar

3 egg yolks

1 tsp. coconut extract

2 c. all-purpose flour

¼ tsp. salt

   

Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed for about 1 minute.  Beat in egg yolks and coconut extract until well blended.  Scrape down bowl.  Add flour and salt all at once and mix until just combined.  Use immediately or wrap in plastic and refrigerate for up to 3 days before intended use. 

Coconut Rum Bars

Basic Coconut Short Dough

2/3 c. honey

½ c. packed dark brown sugar

6 tbsp. unsalted butter

2 tbsp. whipping cream

2 c. pecan halves

2 c. roasted whole almonds

2 c. flaked sweet coconut

2 tbsp. dark rum

Preheat over to 375 and line a 13”x9” baking pan with foil, leaving a 1” overhang.  Spray foil with non-stick cooking spray.  Prepare basic short dough and press evening into the pan. 

Bake for about 20 minutes, or until light golden brown.  Set aside on a wire rack to cool while topping in prepared. 

 

 

 

Next, combine honey and brown sugar in a heavy saucepan over medium heat.  Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Boil without stirring for 2 minutes, then add butter and cream.  Bring to a boil and stir for 1 full minute and then remove from heat. 

Stir in the pecans, almonds, coconut, and rum. 

 

 

Spread mixture evenly over the crust and bake for approx. 15 minutes, or until topping is bubbly.  Cool bars completely on a wire rack.  Once cool, place the bars in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours before cutting. 

 

Lift the bars out of the pan by the foil lining, cut them into small bars and serve!

 

Belgian Spice Cookies

2 c. all purpose flour

1 tbsp. ground cinnamon

1 ½ tsp ground ginger

½ tsp. ground cloves

½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

1 ¼ cups dark brown sugar, packed

½ c. unsalted butter, room temperature

1 large egg

2 oz. high quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Baker’s), melted

Red colored sugar sprinkles

   

Combine flour, spices, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.  Using electric mixer beat brown sugar and butter in a large bowl until light.  Add egg and beat until fluffy.  Gradually add dry ingredients and beat just until combined. 

 

Divide dough in half.  Flatten each half into a rectangle.  Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.  Preheat oven to 350° F.  Lightly butter 2 large baking sheets.  Roll our 1 dough piece on lightly floured pastry board to 13”x 9” rectangle.  Trim edges to from 12”x 8” rectangle. Cut into 24- 4”x1”rectangles. 

Lightly press miniature cookie cutters onto each rectangle to make imprints, but do not cut through dough.  Arrange cookies on prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart.  Bake until edges begin to darken, about 8 minutes.  Transfer cookies to rack and cool.  Repeat with remaining dough piece. 

Working with 1 cookie at a time, brush imprints with melted white chocolate and then sprinkle red colored sugar generously over chocolate.  Let stand until chocolate sets, about 2 hours.  Shake off excess colored sugar and enjoy with cider, coffee, or egg nog.

Deluxe Cream Cheese Pecan Pie

Set 1:

8 oz. softened cream cheese

1/3 c. sugar

1 egg

¼ tsp. salt

Set 2:

Prepared pastry shell/pie crust

1 ¼ c. finely chopped pecans

Set 3:

3 eggs

¾ c. sugar

1 c. corn syrup

1 tsp. vanilla

Directions

Preheat oven to 375° F.  Blend all ingredients of set 1 in a medium mixing bowl with an electric mixer for about 3-5 minutes. Cover the bottom of pastry shell with cream cheese mixture and then cover with the pecans.  Next, beat eggs from set 3 until well blended and fluffy.  Add the remaining ingredients of set 3 and blend very well until corn syrup is almost bubbly. Slowly and gently pour the corn syrup mixture over the pecans and cream cheese.  NO NOT BLEND LAYERS.  Bake at 375 for 35-40 minutes.  Allow to completely cool at room temperature (approximately 6 hours) before cutting pie.  This pie is best prepared 1 day in advance of your holiday event.

Aime's Apple Dumplings

2 ½  cups all-purpose baking flour

1 tbsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

½ c. unsalted butter, cut into pieces & chilled

¼ c. solid vegetable shortening, cut into pieces & chilled

½ c. milk

4 small (6-7 oz. each) sour Granny Smith apples or other suitable green baking apple

4 whole cinnamon sticks

2 tsp. apricot marmalade or jelly

¼ c. granulated sugar

¼ c. packed brown sugar

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.  Cut in butter and shortening with a pasty blender until consistency is of coarse cornmeal.  Stir in enough milk to make soft dough.  Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface.  Gently knead a few times; do not overwork the dough.  Shape the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate for at least 30-minutes.  While dough is in the refrigerator, peel apples and core out centers making each core hold about 1 inch in diameter, but DO NOT cut all the way through to the bottom of the apple.  Remove dough from the refrigerator and divide into 4 equal pieces.  Roll out 1 piece on a lightly floured surface into a 10 inch square.  Place apple in the center of pastry.  Fill center with 1 cinnamon stick, ½ tsp. marmalade and 1 tbsp. of each of the sugars.  Brush the edge of the dough with water.  Gather up corners of pastry and bring together at top, twisting ends together decoratively.  Trim off any excess dough.  Press pastry to smoothly enclose apple.  Repeat with remaining pieces of dough and apples.  Place on greased baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.  Brush each dumpling with milk and sprinkle with sugar.  Bake in 400° F oven for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.  Cut apples in half and serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream.

Aime's Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

Rolls

2/3 c. Instant Dry Milk

½ c. Sugar

1 tbsp. Live Yeast

2 c. Warm Water

1 ½ c. Melted Butter

6 c. Flour

2 tsp. Salt

½ c. cinnamon sugar

Raisins and/or Nuts (optional)

Frosting

½ c. Unsalted Butter, softened

4 oz. Cream Cheese, softened

4 c. Powdered Sugar

¼ c. Warm Milk

1 tbsp. Vanilla

Combine the milk, sugar, water, and yeast in a medium mixing bowl.  Let mixture stand until yeast begins to foam.  Stir in butter, salt, and 3 cups flour.   Stir until until stiff, and then turn out dough onto a heavily floured pastry board and knead in enough of the remaining flour to make soft dough.  Continue kneading until dough is smooth, shiny and elastic.  Place dough in a large, greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Allow dough to rise in a warm location until it has doubled in size (about 1-2 hours).  Punch down dough and roll it out on a floured pasty board into a large rectangle that is ¼ inch thick.  The rolled dough should cover the entire pastry board.  Brush the dough with melted butter and sprinkle heavily with cinnamon sugar and optional raisins and/or nuts.  Roll dough from short end, then cut 2” portions and place on a greased baking sheet; cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled in size.  Then bake on the lower shelf of the oven at 375 F for about 20 minutes or until the rolls are baked through and golden brown. 

While rolls are baking, mix up cream cheese frosting.  With an electric mixer, blend together the butter and cream cheese until soft and creamy.  Beat in powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until well mixed and smooth.   Once rolls are fully cooked, spoon the frosting over the rolls while they are still warm and serve immediately with fresh coffee.

Dutch Christmas Sugar Cookies

1 ½ cups powdered sugar

1 c. unsalted butter, softened

1 large egg

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 ½ cups all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

4 oz. high quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Baker’s), melted

Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in a large bowl until light.  Beat in egg and vanilla.  Add flour, baking powder and salt.  Mix just to combine- no not over-mix. Divide the dough in half.  Roll each piece into a ball and then flatten into disks.  Wrap each disk in plastic and chill for 1 hour.  Preheat oven to 325° F.  Roll out 1 dough disk on floured pasty board to 1/8 inch thickness.  Using assorted cookie cutters, cut out cookies.  Transfer cookies to parchment lined baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart.  Gather dough scraps; reroll and cut out more cookies.  Repeat the process with second disk.  Bake cookies until pale golden, about 12 minutes. Transfer cookies to cooling rack and cool completely.  Spoon melted chocolate into a pastry bag fitted with a small plan tip (aprox. 1/16 inch).  Pipe chocolate onto cookies and allow to sit until chocolate sets. 

Finadene

1/3 c. yellow, white, or red onion (or a combination of the three), chopped

2 tbsp. green onion, chopped

½ c. soy sauce

3-5 hot boonie peppers, minced

¼ c. vinegar or lemon juice

Combine all ingredients and adjust taste by adding more vinegar or peppers.  Mix thoroughly and service with lumpia, rice, or just about any other dish you find here on

Guam

!

Island Spam Fried Rice

½ can spam luncheon meat, chopped

3 cups chilled, cooked rice

2 tbsp. cooking oil

½ medium yellow onion, chopped

2 beaten eggs

2 tbsp. soy sauce

1 c. mixed peas and carrots

Chopped green onion (garnish)

Heat cooking oil in a medium pan and sauté onion until soft and translucent.  Add spam and sauté until golden brown.  Add cooked rice and fry for approximately 5 minutes, or until rice is shiny.  Pour soy sauce over the rice and continue to fry until rice is well coated. 

Push rice to one side of the pan and scramble the eggs on the other side.  Once eggs are fully cooked, mix them into the rice with a slicing motion. Add in peas and carrots and cook until tender. Once fully mixed and thoroughly cooked, place in rice bowls and garnish with green onion.

Chamorro Red Rice

7 tbsp. achote seeds

5 cups short grain rice

5 ½ cups water (add more as needed during cooking)

4 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 tbsp. bacon drippings or pork fat

¼ c. finely chopped yellow onion

1 tsp. garlic powder

Salt & pepper to taste

Rinse rice thoroughly and then combine it in a medium pot with oil, bacon drippings, and onions.  Season to taste with garlic powder, salt, and pepper.  Cook on medium to high heat and then place a strainer over pot so approximately 2-3 inches are submerged.  Place achote seeds into strainer without allowing them to fully mix with rice.  A loose leaf tea ball may also be used here.  Stir or agitate seeds within the strainer or tea ball constantly for approximately 7-10 minutes.  As water heats the flavor and color of the achote seeds will be released.  The rice and cooking liquid will begin to take on an orange hue.  Once desired color level is reached, remove seeds and discard.  Cover rice and allow it steam for approximately 8 minutes, and then stir and check water level.  Recover and allow to steam for approximately 10 minutes more, or until rice is fluffy and all water is absorbed.

Golai Appan Aga- Banana in Coconut Milk

1 lb. ripe small local island bananas

1 ½ c. coconut milk

¼ tsp. salt

Sugar

Cinnamon

Peel banas and place in a heavy saucepan.  Pour coconut milk over bananas and sprinkle with salt.   Cover and cook on high for about 10 minutes or until coconut milk begins to boil.  Reduce heat to medium and cook until bananas are soft and almost all of the coconut milk as either evaporated or been absorbed into the fruit.  Place on a platter, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.  Serve warm.

Chamorro Recipe Source

In my search for Chamorro recipe sources here on Guam, I was able to find a great book in a local bookstore.  Unfortunately, in can be a little difficult to find this book online or in stateside bookstores, but as luck would have it there is a Guam foodie site that has many of the recipes in the book available online!  Check it out!

Garlic & Cheddar Over-Stuffed Spuds

<Serves 6 People>

7 medium baking potatoes, washed, skins on

2 tsp. marinated garlic (or pressed gloves of garlic)

1 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

6 oz. chive flavor whipped cream cheese

1 egg

¼ c. milk

Salt to taste

Pepper taste

Preheat the oven to 400°. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Rub the potatoes with the olive oil and season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/8 teaspoon of pepper. Put the potatoes on the baking sheet and bake until fork-tender, about 60-75 minutes. Let the potatoes sit until cool enough to handle.

Peel 1 potato completely, discarding the skin. Place the pulp in a large bowl. Cut the top quarter from each of the remaining 6 potatoes and using a small scoop or spoon, scoop the pulp from the potatoes into the bowl, leaving a 1/4-inch layer of pulp on the skin. Return the potato shells to the baking sheet.

To keep them from falling over while baking, you can make a small foil “nest” for them to rest in. Using a handheld masher, mash the potato pulp with milk and cream cheese until smooth. Mash in cheese, egg, and garlic.  Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the potato mixture back into the potato shells and bake until hot, about 15 minutes.