Happy Valentine’s Day! Chad has always chosen Blue Bell Natural Vanilla Bean over any of my homemade ice creams, so I have decided to take a new approach by making toppings he can enjoy with the Blue Bell. It was quite a dangerous move. Chad and I quickly finished off a half gallon of vanilla ice cream in an amount of time I would rather not type out just to have more of this Vanilla Bean Caramel Sauce.

This was the first time I have ever made a topping for ice cream and it was oh so good. The thick and creamy caramel is speckled throughout with vanilla beans. It isn’t too difficult to make; you just have to watch it closely to keep it from burning and it comes together very quickly. The caramel had a tendency to solidify a little as I added the heavy cream. If this happens, put the saucepan back on the stove over low heat and stir until melted again.

Store extra in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will be scoopable, but still fairly solid, so melt the caramel a few seconds in the microwave or on the stovetop to warm before serving. This would also be delicious paired with yesterday’s chocolate chip cookie marshmallows over whipped cream and hot chocolate.

Neujahrsbrezel is a large pretzel popular in the Rheinland and other areas in southwestern Germany on New Year’s day to symbolize good luck. Unlike traditional lye pretzels, no boiling is involved before baking and the dough is little sweeter. The top is often sprinkled with pearl sugar instead of coarse salt. It is best warm from the oven or the day it is made, though we still enjoyed it the next day. It would make a beautiful centerpiece to your New Year’s breakfast or brunch.

There are a few different ways you can shape this pretzel. I did the plain pretzel shape, but broke off about 1/4 of the dough and braided it to place on top of the lower section of the pretzel. I love how mine looks like it is smiling. You can also cut the dough into 3 equal pieces, roll each piece out, braid it, and transform it into a braided pretzel. I have seen others shape out the year from small pieces of dough to place on top.

After making Goi Cuon, I had a few extra rice paper wrappers. I searched around for new recipes to put them to use and found these Garlic Chicken Spring Rolls. The ingredients are customizable based on your tastes. I filled the rolls with the garlic chicken, romaine lettuce, mint, cucumber, and carrot. Next time, I will probably add some Thai basil and cilantro.

Soak the wrappers just long enough to become pliable. It took my wrappers about 10 seconds. Be careful not to overfill the wrappers or they will be difficult to roll up.

The Garlic Soy Dipping Sauce complements the rolls well. Chad said the dipping sauce was his favorite part. Having a salad in spring roll form gave Evan a way to easily eat lettuce and other fresh vegetables. He loved the rolls!

Pikelets are a type of small pancake popular in Australia and New Zealand. They are only about 3 inches wide. The outside is crisp and golden from frying in butter, while the inside is spongy. With the addition of lemon zest, these Lemon Pikelets are a light and refreshing addition to your breakfast or tea time. They are easy to make and the perfect size for young children.

Be careful of the temperature of your skillet as you fry the pikelets. They darken easily, but you also don’t want soggy pikelets from too low a temperature. Adjust to medium or medium low as needed.

If your skillet is large enough to cook more than one at a time, just make sure to not overcrowd. The pikelets spread a little as they cook. When you flip them, be sure to not press down. This can cause them to become dense.

Don’t have self-rising flour? No worries, it is easy to make your own at home. For 1 cup of all purpose flour, stir in 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

With Super Bowl XLVIII coming up on February 2nd, I’ve compiled a list of appetizers and snacks to help you plan your game day menu. I’ve also added a few links at the bottom to recipes from other food bloggers that look amazing, but I haven’t gotten a chance to try yet. Check out the blog for the rest of the week for more appetizers.

Fatayer are little pies popular throughout the Middle East. They can have a variety of fillings, from meat to cheese or spinach. I made a version called Fatayer bi Sabanekh, Lebanese Fatayer filled with spinach. Spelling variations may include Fatayer bil Sabanegh, Fatayer be Sabanegh, or Fatayer Bes Sabanekh. Spinach is combined with onions and seasoned with sumac, paprika, salt, pepper, and cayenne. It is lightly coated in a lemon and olive oil dressing before sealing inside circles of dough and baking until golden and flaky. Its small size makes Fatayer a perfect appetizer or light snack.

When preparing the filling, make sure to squeeze out as much moisture as possible from the ingredients and be careful when adding the dressing. Too much water will make the Fatayer pop open and become soggy.

A few of the ingredients are optional based on taste. Some do not add yeast to their dough. If you don’t want to work with a yeast bread, just omit the yeast and ignore the rising instructions. Still let the dough sit for about an hour after making to give it a chance to rest before rolling out. I added the pine nuts, but didn’t use pomegranate molasses since I didn’t have any on hand.

When rolling the dough, make it as thin as possible.

Any remaining Fatayer can be frozen for future use. After baking, allow them to come to room temperature. Place in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet and place in freezer. Once frozen they can be transferred to a freezer bag. Use within a month. Bake in 350 degree F oven for 25-30 minutes, until cooked through and golden.

Sumac is a spice made from the berries of the sumac bush and is common in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cooking. It is available in berry or ground form. Sumac has a lightly bitter, lemony taste and a deep brownish red hue. There are no good substitutes for the flavor. I have been able to find it in the specialty section of some ethnic grocery stores and the spice section of Williams-Sonoma. Watch the ingredient list and color of sumac. It should be a deep red. Bright red spices may have added coloring and some have added salt. It is also available of Amazon: Sumac 4.0 oz by Zamouri Spices.

Here is a great Greek inspired appetizer without having to work with all the layers of phyllo. Puff pastry squares are filled with kale, caramelized onions, and feta cheese and baked in mini muffin tins to form bite size Spanakopita puffs. The last time I made these, I doubled the recipe to have extra to freeze. They were still all gone by the end of the day!

If you don’t have kale available, spinach is a great substitute. Serve the Spanakopita Puffs with homemade or premade marinara sauce. I liked them best warm from the oven, but they can also be served at room temperature.

Yarpag Khengeli is the first dish I have ever made (or eaten) from Azerbaijan! Pasta dough is hand rolled and cut into square or diamond shapes. It is boiled, then served with lamb or beef and yogurt seasoned with garlic. Chad says the garlic yogurt is an acquired taste, but Evan and I loved it. When serving, place the garlic yogurt in a dish on the side to allow others to add as much as they want to taste. Just don’t skip it! The yogurt sauce definitely makes the dish come together.

Make sure you have a large work surface to roll out the pasta. I nearly ran out of room on my small counter. Next time, I will use the dining table.

As I was finding information on specifically which continent houses Azerbaijan, I found out they are often associated with Europe and Asia. Azerbaijan is culturally and linguistically closer to Europe, but geographically closer to Asia. Whenever I post recipes from Azerbaijan, Armenia, or Georgia, I will place them under the Asian and European recipe indexes.

Pasta:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1 cup water

Meat:

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1 pound ground lamb or beef

1 medium onion (about 1 cup), finely chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Topping:

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 garlic clove

1- 1 1/2 cups plain yogurt

         

• This was the first time I have ever made steamed buns, so my pleating needs quite a bit more practice. They don’t have to be perfect, but here is a video showing the technique. Make sure the dough completely seals the filling inside.

After filling, the Baozi can be frozen for future use. I place them on the parchment squares, then in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Once frozen through, they can be carefully transferred to a freezer bag. I added about 10 minutes to the steaming to make sure the pork filling is completely cooked through. I will occasionally insert a meat thermometer into the center of one to make sure the pork is heated enough.