Women Diary Network >> Women Cooking Recipes

Zandkoekjes

ZandkoekjesZandkoekjes are Dutch ‘sand’ cookies, named as such because of their crumbly texture that reminds us of sand. A real pantry standby, these cookies are delicious to be eaten just like that, but you can also dress these cookies up or down: shower with some sugar before baking, or decorate with nuts, colorful icing sugar or sprinkles, or keep them plain and sandwich them together with some store-bought strawberry jam just before serving.

The recipe yields 20 double cookies.

Ingredients:

3 1/3 cup cake flour (300 g)
2 eggs Read more!

Estofado de Pollo

Estofado de PolloAnother delicacy from Spain, Estofado de Pollo is Spanish chicken stew. This flavorful dish is typical of stews eaten in the region of Castilla, where the winters are chilly and food warms you from the inside out. Serve with home-fried potatoes and warm, crusty French bread and a simple green salad for a filling, delicious meal. Invest 15 minutes for preparation and 1 hour for cooking, and get you and your family a hearty meal with exotic Mediterranean taste.

Ingredients:

1 whole fryer, cut into pieces or 8-10 pieces of chicken
1/4 cup virgin Spanish olive oil
2 cups of white mushrooms, sliced
4-5 large cloves of garlic, unpeeled Read more!


Lamb and Apricot Tajine

Lamb Apricot TajineTajine is a popular Moroccan farmer stew made with meat or fish and vegetables, and flavored with spices, dried fruits and/or preserved lemons. Its name comes from the special glazed terracotta pot in which it is cooked. The tajine’s conical lid allows the dish to steam and stew simultaneously, optimally preserving natural flavors. This dish is another flavorful North African delight with exotic combination between lamb and apricot.

Invest about 20 minutes for preparation and 75 minutes for cooking. The recipe yields 6 servings.

Ingredients:

1 orange
1 cup dried apricots (150 g) Read more!

Spanish Arab-Style Lamb Recipe (Cordero Moruno)

Spanish Arab Lamb RecipeSpain is the intersection of culinary crossroads, making the Spanish cuisine rich in flavor. Moorish food, like this lamb recipe is flavorful and surprising, combining lamb and onions with almonds and raisins; truly a delicious and simple main course for any time of year. It takes little time to make (about 1 hour and 40 minutes for preparation and cooking), but the result will not make you regret about the whole efforts.

The recipe yields 4 to 6 servings.

Ingredients:

2-3 lb lamb shoulder or leg (boneless) or 5-6 lb if bone in
1 tsp cinnamon Read more!

Mantecados

MantecadosThese traditional Spanish crumble cakes or “mantecados” crumble very easily. In fact, they are so soft, they will literally melt in your mouth. Light and with a delicate anise flavor, words will not do them justice. You will have to make them to see why they are a Spanish favorite and why no Spanish home is without “mantecados” at Christmas!

The crumble cakes are easy to make, only requuires 25 minutes of preparation and 15 minutes of cooking time. This recipe yields 7 dozens of 2.5 inch cookies.

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup vegetable oil Read more!

Keftas with Tomato

Keftas with TomatoTajine is a popular Moroccan farmer stew made with meat or fish and vegetables, and flavored with spices, dried fruits and/or preserved lemons. Its name comes from the special glazed terracotta pot in which it is cooked. The tajine’s conical lid allows the dish to steam and stew simultaneously, optimally preserving natural flavors. With relatively short time for preparation and cooking (15 minutes each), this dish makes nutritious, wonderful lunch or dinner meal with a fresh, exotic touch of Middle-Eastern taste.

This recipe has been translated from the original Dutch in De Keuken van Marokko and has been printed with the permission of the publisher.

This recipe yields 6 servings.
Read more!

Spanish Magdalena Cakes

Spanish Magdalena CakesMagdalenas are small sweet cakes that are rich-tasting, but light and fluffy. The Spanish traditionally eat them at breakfast with “café con leche,” and they are said to have originated in Aragón. “Magdalenas” are not often prepared in homes today, but are sold in supermarkets and bakeries everywhere. These little cakes would be a great addition to any breakfast or brunch time. They are also very easy to make, only require 10 minutes of preparation time and 20 minutes of cooking time.

The recipe yields 18 cakes.

Ingredients:
4 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar Read more!

Coffee Lava Stone Cookies

Coffee Lava StoneThese coffee lava stone cookies have an irresistible touch of warm cinnamon. These special little cookies are light and crunchy with rich coffee flavor and snappy toasted hazelnuts. The airy, crisp texture comes courtesy of incorporating beaten egg whites and a pinch of baker’s ammonia into the batter. The preparation time for this recipe takes about 2 hours, but only about 12 minutes to bake the cookies. Serve these cookies with your afternoon tea, coffee or espresso.

Ingredients:

2 cups shelled, toasted hazelnuts
1/4 cup plus 1/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baker’s ammonia (no substitute) Read more!

Shrimp Etouffee

Shrimp EtouffeeThis shrimp etouffee recipe is an easy home-style version of the Creole classic. Etouffee recipes are usually served over rice, and can be made with all types of shellfish. Also, the heat in this etouffee recipe is simple to adjust to your tastes. Requires 15 minutes of preparation and 40 minutes of cooking time, this recipe yields 6 servings.

Ingredients:

2 pounds peeled and deveined raw shrimp
Cajun or Creole spice to taste (1 tsp to 2 tbsp depending on desired spiciness – more can be added at the end)
4 tbsp butter
3 tbsp of flour
1/2 cup diced onions Read more!

Pineapple Delight Bars

Pineapple Delight BarsShortbread bars are easy to be made with different range of ingredients, from dark chocolate to creamy cheese, crunchy nuts, and fresh or exotic fruits. In this recipe, a buttery shortbread crust serves as the base for refreshing pineapple and delightful cream cheese filling, then enriched with the topping of coconut and pecans. This combination makes a great dessert for a special occasion, tea-time, or party treats. Feel free to substitute the pecans with different kinds of nuts, such as macadamia or almonds.

Ingredients for the crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour
12 tablespoons butter (1 1/2 sticks), slightly softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar Read more!