HONEY GLAZED DONUTS WITH RAISINS AND PINE NUTS

(epicurious.com)

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1.5 cups warm water

1/2 tsp sugar

1 envelope dry active yeast

3 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup golden raisins

1/4 cup pine nuts

1 large egg, beaten

1 TBSP vegetable oil + more for cooking

1.5 cups honey

3/4 cup water

1 TBSP cinnamon

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1. combine 1/4 warm water and sugar in small bowl, until dissolved

2. sprinkle yeast over water/sugar mixture and stir until blended

3. let sit about 5 minutes - until yeast dissolves and mixture is foamy

4. whisk flour and salt together in large bowl

5. make well in center - fill with raisins, pine nuts, beaten egg and oil

6. pour remaing warm water on top

7. pour yeast mixture on top

8. stir everything until it becomes a smooth dough, scraping sides of bowl

9. cover bowl with plastic wrap, then a towel on top

10. let dough rise in warm, draft-free area until doubled in volume- about 1.5 hours

11. line a large baking sheet with 2 or 3 layers of paper towels

12. pour enough oil into a large pot to be 2 inches deep

13. using a deep-fry thermometer, bring oil to 365 F

14. now work in batches of 5 or 6 donuts-

15. dip a metal tablespoon into the hot oil to coat it

16. now dip oil-coated spoon gently into dough and scoop up a spoonful

17. drop dough into oil

18. wipe spoon off, dip it into hot oil again and get another donut going

19. fry each batch of donuts, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes until they are golden.

20. when the batch is done, retrieve them with a slotted spoon

21. set donuts on baking pan, lined with towels to absorb excess oil

22. let donuts sit at room temperature.

23. once you are done with all your batches, make honey glaze-

24. whisk honey, 3/4 cup water and cinnamon in saucepan over medium heat

25. as soon as it boils, remove from heat

26. dip warm donuts into honey glaze and pile onto a platter

27. set out remaining syrup for your guests

BASBOUSA

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2 sticks butter, unsalted

1/2 cup chopped almonds

extra almonds for decoration on top

1/2 cup plain or vanilla yogurt

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup semolina flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

Syrup-

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup water

juice from 1/2 lemon

Option- 1 TBSP rosewater

Option- whipped cream

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1. Preheat oven to 400F

2. Fry almonds in 1 stick of butter until slightly golden

3. In large bowl, mix yogurt and 3/4 cup sugar

4. One at a time, mix in almonds and their butter, semolina, baking powder and vanilla extract until well blended.

5. Pour into oiled 9x9x2 pan and put into oven

6. Bake at 400F for 30 minutes.

7. Make syrup right away while basbousa is baking

8. Stir together 1 cup sugar, water and lemon juice over medium heat until thick enough to coat spoon.

9. Mix in rose water and stir 2 more minutes

10. Remove from heat and put into refrigerator right away.

11. Once basbousa is finished in oven pour cold syrup on top.

12. Cut basbousa into squares or diamonds and put back into oven for another 5 minutes

13. Once basbousa is finished, pour 1 stick melted butter on top

14. Spread whipped cream on top or put dollops on individual servings

NUT & DATE FUDGE / RANGINAK

INGREDIENTS:
1.5 lbs white/vanilla chocolate bark, wafers or chips (craft stores, baking aisle at market, candy supply stores). Can also use "confectioners coating"
1-14oz can sweetened condensed milk
1/8 tsp salt
1.5 tsp white vinegar
1 lb pitted dates
1/2 lb walnut halves (halved again, so you have quarters)
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 cup slivered pistachios or almonds for garnish
1 tsp vanilla extract

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1. Put one piece of walnut into each date and fold it closed
2. Arrange dates facing up into a wax-paper lined 8 or 9 inch pan.
3. In large sauce pan, melt bark/wafers/chips over very low heat.
4. Once melted, stir in salt
5. Remove from heat
6. Stir in chopped walnuts, vanilla, condensed milk and vinegar. Mix well
7. Pour carefully around and then over dates/nuts, filling in crevices
8. Garnish with pistachios or almonds across the top
9. Store in tightly covered container at room temperature once cooled.

EID Recipes- Saffron Rice Pudding

INGREDIENTS:

6 cups whole milk
8 TBSP rice flour
9 TBSP sugar
1/2 tsp ground cardamon
1/4 tsp saffron
2 TBSP rose water

Optional - whipped cream
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1. Put milk in pan and set on low heat
2. Slowly stir in flour
3. Slowly stir in sugar
4. Now stir briskly with a whisk. Stir in lots of air!
5. Once it starts to boil, continue another 2 minutes
6. Remove from heat
7. With whisk, whip in cardamon, saffron and rose water
8. Pour into bowl(s)
9. Eat as soon as it gets to room temperature or store immediately in refrigerator.
10. Option - top each serving with whipped cream

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KAREN'S SOUTHERN COMFORT CAKE

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cake-
1 yellow cake mix with pudding in the mix
(If you can't find this kind of cake mix, add a small bag of vanilla pudding powder)
4 eggs
1/2 cup COLD water
1/2 cup oil
1 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup Southern Comfort
glaze-
1/4 cup butter
1/8 cup water
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup Southern Comfort
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1. Preheat oven to 325F
2. Combine all ingredients for cake at medium speed for 2 minutes
3. Pour into greased/floured 10 or 12" bundt pan
4. Bake 1 hour and let cool
5. While cooling - make glaze:
6. Melt butter in sauce pan
7. Stir in water and sugar
8. Boil for 3 minutes
9. Remove from heat and add in Southern Comfort
10. Back to the cake:
11. Once cooled, invert onto plate and prick holes in top (this will let the icing soak in deep)
12. Brush glaze evenly across top of cake
13. Just before serving, sift powdered sugar on top of cake

My boss used to bring in this cake and it is delicious. Moist and tasty! Once she boozed it up a little more for us - guess she didn't mind lesser productivity that day!