Jam Mazurkas Inspired By Mean Chef Recipes

MAZURKAS (POLAND)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with butter or nonstick spray. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
• For the cookie: Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.
• Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl, with an electric mixer, at medium-high speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and add the egg and vanilla extract. Beat well, and then scrape down the sides.
• While mixing on low speed, add the dry ingredients in 3 batches. Scrape down the bowl between each addition, and mix until just blended.
• Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and spread evenly with a spatula. Bake until light golden brown with spots of darker golden brown and darker edges, about 30 minutes. Cool completely, about 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare the fruit: Whisk the cornstarch and sugar together in a small saucepan. Whisk in orange juice until mixture dissolves. Stir in the fruits and candied orange peel. Bring to a simmer over medium, stirring often; continue to cook, stirring until thickened into a compote, about 3 minutes more. You should be able to draw the spoon along the bottom of pan and see the pan with no liquid seeping back. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl. Stir in the nuts and lemon zest.
• Spread fruit evenly over the top of the cooled crust.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake mazurkas until golden brown around edges and fruit sets but is still slightly glossy and jewel-like, about 10 minutes. Cool in pan on rack.
• Cut, using an oiled knife, into 24 bars. Serve.

RASPBERRY MAZURKAS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Prepare a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
• Mix flour, brown sugar, oats, coconut, and walnuts together in a bowl. Pour melted butter over the flour mixture and mix. The mixture should clump together easily when compressed.
• Press about half the flour mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking dish; top with a layer of raspberry preserves. Finish by topping with the remaining flour mixture, patting lightly to complete the 'crust.'
• Bake in preheated oven until browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool completely before cutting to serve.

CORN TORTILLA CASSEROLE INSPIRED BY ZAAR CHEFS

Steps:

• Note for Canadians: I used the following to prepare this dish: 1 796-mL tin of tomatoes, 1 398-mL tin of refried beans and 1 430-mL jar of picante sauce.
• Also, the cheese I used was a prepackaged shredded mix called"Casserole Mix"; it's a mixture of cheddar, colby and monterey jack.
• Feel free to spice this up as you please; I deliberately kept this lowkey and mild to please my husband, who would not have liked it if I had added the"firepower" I would have liked to add; also note that the omission of salt is not an error--I didn't think the recipe needed salt at all.
• Preheat oven to 325F; have ready an ungreased 13x9 pan.
• Take 1 tortilla, lightly spread a bit of margarine on both sides (going right to the edges), and place on a microwave-safe plate; I used a small piece of wax paper wadded up into a ball to do the spreading.
• Place the next tortilla on top, lightly spread margarine on it (on the top side only), get the next tortilla, repeat process, and so on and so on, until you have a stack of 18 tortillas; this may take more than the 2 tbsp of margarine, depending on how thinly you've spread it.
• Place plate in microwave and cook, on High, for 5 minutes; when time is up, set tortillas aside.
• Meanwhile, crumble beef into a large skillet and saute.
• When brown, place beef in a mixing bowl, discarding any fat.
• Stir chili powder into beef, then add 1 cup shredded cheese and the tin of tomatoes; combine well.
• Place 6 corn tortillas into the bottom of 13x9 pan; top with half the ground beef mixture.
• Place 6 tortillas on top of beef.
• Spread the refried beans across these 6 tortillas, distributing as evenly as possible.
• Top refried beans with remaining beef mixture.
• Place the last 6 tortillas on top of beef mixture.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the entire jar of picante sauce with the sour cream.
• Spread this mixture across the top of casserole, making sure to cover all exposed areas of the corn tortillas.
• Sprinkle remaining cheese over top of casserole.
• Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes.
• Serve with sour cream on the side, if you wish, and a green salad.

MEAN CHEF'S RASPBERRY MAZURKAS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Melt butter and cool.
• Combine all dry ingredients in mixer with paddle.
• Add melted butter until well combined.
• Press half of the mixture in a half sheet pan and roll to firm.
• Spread with jam to within 1/2-inch of edges.
• Spread remaining mixture evenly on top and press down lightly.
• Bake until golden brown.

MAZURKA

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir in raisins, plums and walnuts; toss to coat evenly. In a bowl, beat egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form. Stir about a third of the egg whites and vanilla into flour mixture. Fold in remaining egg whites. Transfer to a 9-in. square baking dish coated with cooking spray., Bake at 300° for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool. Cut into squares.

RASPBERRY MAZURKAS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Prepare a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
• Mix flour, brown sugar, oats, coconut, and walnuts together in a bowl. Pour melted butter over the flour mixture and mix. The mixture should clump together easily when compressed.
• Press about half the flour mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking dish; top with a layer of raspberry preserves. Finish by topping with the remaining flour mixture, patting lightly to complete the 'crust.'
• Bake in preheated oven until browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool completely before cutting to serve.