*****HUNGARIAN BEEF STEW*****

Hungarian Beef Stew

Ingredients
1 (3 1/2- to 4-pound) boneless beef chuck-eye roast , trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes (see note)
Salt (to taste)
1/3 cup sweet paprika (see note)
1 (12-ounce) jar roasted red peppers , drained and rinsed (about 1 cup)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 teaspoons white vinegar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 large onions , diced small (about 6 cups)
4 large carrots , peeled and cut into 1-inch-thick rounds (about 2 cups)
1 bay leaf
1 cup beef broth , warmed
1/4cup sour cream (optional; see note)
Ground black pepper (to taste)

Instructions
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Sprinkle meat evenly with 1 teaspoon salt and let stand 15 minutes. Process paprika, roasted peppers, tomato paste, and 2 teaspoons vinegar in food processor until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping down sides as needed.
Combine oil, onions, and 1 teaspoon salt in large Dutch oven; cover and set over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions soften but have not yet begun to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. (If onions begin to brown, reduce heat to medium-low and stir in 1 tablespoon water.)
Stir in paprika mixture; cook, stirring occasionally, until onions stick to bottom of pan, about 2 minutes. Add beef, carrots, and bay leaf; stir until beef is well coated. Using rubber spatula, scrape down sides of pot. Cover pot and transfer to oven. Cook until meat is almost tender and surface of liquid is ½ inch below top of meat, 2 to 21/2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes. Remove pot from oven and add enough beef broth so that surface of liquid is ¼ inch from top of meat (beef should not be fully submerged). Return covered pot to oven and continue to cook until fork slips easily in and out of beef, about 30 minutes longer.
Skim fat off surface; stir in remaining teaspoon vinegar and sour cream, if using. Remove bay leaf, adjust seasonings with salt and pepper, and serve.

(From American's Test Kitchens)

*****Christmas Sugar Cookie Cut-outs*****

NUTTY ALMOND TREES
These cinnamon-flavored cut-outs are topped with an almond frosting and nuts.

Preparation time: 1 hrs 30 min Baking time: 6 min
Yield: 4 dozen cookies

Cookie Ingredients:
1 cup LAND O LAKES® Butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt

Frosting Ingredients:
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons LAND O LAKES® Butter, softened
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 to 3 tablespoons warm water

Toppings Ingredients:
1 (5-ounce) can mixed nut topping*
Decorator sugars, if desired

Combine 1 cup butter and sugar in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add egg and 1 teaspoon almond extract; continue beating until well mixed. Reduce speed to low; add all remaining cookie ingredients. Beat until well mixed.

Divide dough in half; flatten slightly. Wrap each half in plastic food wrap. Refrigerate until firm (at least 1 hour).

Heat oven to 375°F. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface, one-half at a time (keeping remaining dough refrigerated), to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut with 3-inch tree cookie cutter. Place 1 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake for 6 to 7 minutes or just until edges begin to lightly brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet. Transfer to cooling rack. Cool completely.

Meanwhile, combine powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons butter and 1 teaspoon almond extract in small bowl. Beat at low speed until well mixed. Continue beating, adding enough water for desired glazing consistency. Frost 1 cookie at a time; immediately sprinkle each with nut topping and decorator sugars, if desired.

*Substitute 1 cup finely chopped toasted mixed nuts such as almonds, peanuts, cashews etc.

Recipe Tip
Mixed nut topping is available in cans in the ice cream topping section of the supermarket.

Recipe Tip
These cookies bake very quickly and have a brown appearance due to the cinnamon. Be careful not to over bake. Check cookies at minimum baking time.
Nutrition Facts (1 cookie): Calories: 110, Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 15mg, Sodium: 80mg, Carbohydrates: 14g, Dietary Fiber: 0g, Protein: 8g
(From the LAND O LAKES® website)
________________________________________

*****Kifli (Hungarian Walnut Cookies)*****

My husband's grandmother came to the USA as a small child from Hungary and liked to keep the tradition of her homeland of making Kifli for the holidays. Everyone loved them and could not get enough of them. Unfortunately I don't know the exact recipe she used either. But this one below is really good and comes close. I hope you and your family enjoy them!

• --- DOUGH ---
• 4 3⁄4 c un-sifted all-purpose flour
• 2 c butter Or margarine
• 4 large Egg yolk, slightly beaten
• 1 c Sour cream
• ---FILLING---
• 1 1⁄4 lb Shelled walnuts (about 5
• Cups), ground
• 1 c Granulated sugar
• 1⁄2 c Milk
• 1 T Almond extract
• -----GLAZE-----
• 1 large Egg, beaten
• Confectioners sugar


Cooking Kifli (Hungarian Walnut Cookies)
1. Make dough: in a large bowl, place the flour and the butter.
2. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Add the egg yolks and sour cream; stir with a fork until combined.
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board or pastry cloth.
5. Knead the dough with your hands until it is smooth and can be shaped into a ball.
6. If dough is too sticky, knead in more flour.
7. If desired, wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate.
8. Make filling: in a medium-sized bowl, place the ground walnuts, granulated sugar, milk and almond extract.
9. Using a wooden spoon, stir in walnut mixture until ingredients are thoroughly combined.
10. Preheat oven to 400F.
11. Grease baking sheets with solid vegetable shortening.
12. To shape Kifli: divide the dough into quarters; wrap three of the quarters separately in plastic wrap and set aside.
13. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the remaining quarter of the dough to a 15 x 12 rectangle that is 1/8 thick.
14. Using a pastry wheel, cut the rectangle of dough into 3-inch squares.
15. Place a heaping teaspoon of the walnut filling in the center of each square; bring one corner of the dough over the filling to the opposite corner; pinch edges together.
16. Place Kifli on baking sheets; brush with the beaten egg. Bake for 10 minutes or until cookies are golden brown.
17. Remove from the baking sheet.
18. Fill the bottom of a pie place with confectioners' sugar.
19. Roll Kifli in the sugar.
20. Let cool on wire racks.
21. Repeat steps with the remaining three quarters of dough.
From: McCall's Cooking School: Desserts/Cookies.

*****Fried Ravioli with Pesto and Marinara*****

I would like to start adding some of my most loved recipes to share. Does anyone have a recipe request? If so, let me know and I will check my files okay.
Here is a link to my recipe for Fried Ravioli with Pesto and Marinara: Donna Bardocz: Fried Ravioli with Pesto and Marinara Sauce