January 12, 2016 by Cissy Fridfinnsson

Almond Torte

Hi Friends, It has been a long time since I posted on Tidbits of Joy. I took a new job as office manager for Pinnacle Endodontics, Dr. Cameron Howard last year. Now that it is up and running I can scale back on the days I work. So, I am hoping to get back to posting and hearing from you.

This is a simple but elegant Torte that my friend Marcy Howard made a lot this past Holiday Season. The great thing is the recipe makes two so one to serve now and one to freeze. Are you surprised that I like this? I am making it today to take to our small group “Retreat” next weekend. We all bring a meal and I am doing homemade lasagna, which I already made and put in the freezer, a chopped salad and this yummy Almond Torte. I like to serve this Torte with whipped cream and berries. I hope you will try it and let me know what you think.

The credit for this Torte goes to Anna Lee’s Kitchen in Roswell, Georgia. Her restaurant is known for cooking classes and wonderful lunches. Over the years I have attended many classes and have acquired a lot of great recipes that I serve over and over.

Happy 2016 and whatever you cook “It will be the best you ever made”.

Break eggs one at a time in separate bowl before adding to mixing bowl.

Ready for oven all sprinkled with sugar and almonds — Break eggs one at a time in separate bowl before adding to mixing bowl.

Right out of oven… We like it brown but you can cover with foil the last 5 to 7 minutes to prevent browning.

Almond Tart

Buttery almond flavored tart

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Servings: 8

Course: Dessert

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

1 pound unsalted butter (4 sticks)
4 teaspoons vanilla
4 cups plain flour
4 cups sugar plus 2 tablespoons
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sliced almonds

Method

Grease and flour two 10" spring form or tart pans

Tip: cut parchment paper to fit in bottom

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Mix butter, eggs, almond extract and vanilla extract

Tip: Break eggs one at a time into separate bowl before adding to butter. This will help to pick out eggs shells if you get any.

Add flour and sugar to moist ingredients stir together
Pour into prepared pans and smooth
Sprinkle with sugar ( 1 tablespoon per tart) and sliced almonds (1/4 cup per tart)
Bake 35 minutes…it will not look done but it will set up after cooking.

Tip: Cover with foil last 7 to 10 minutes to prevent browning too much.

Cool 10 minutes in pan before releasing

Notes

Notes:

Serve with whipped cream and berries.

Freezes well which is great since the recipe makes two. One to enjoy and one to share.

May 29, 2014 by Cissy Fridfinnsson

Thursday Tidbits – Almonds

Welcome to “Thursday Tidbits” I thought it would be nice to share some fun things each week. They are going to be random items that I have come across during the week. Some Cooking tips, some useful gadgets, other blog sites. Who knows – just going to see where it leads. I hope you enjoy “Thursday Tidbits” and maybe learn something you didn’t know or find a new favorite blog site, besides Tidbits of Joy. Hang in there Friday and the weekend are just around the corner.

Thursday Tidbits

I made a recipe this week, Paleo Granola, which I am still tweaking so I will share it later, that called for Almond Meal. Now what in the heck is that? I did find a bag of almond meal which sometimes is also called almond flour and made the recipe. This got me to thinking about almonds. Almonds are available in a variety of forms: Natural almonds, Slivered almonds, Blanched almonds, and Sliced Almonds. And then there is Almond Meal. Sounds like Forest Gump with fried shrimp, boiled shrimp, BB-Que shrimp, shrimp creole and on and on.

Natural Almonds are whole nuts with their brown skin intact.

Whole Almonds with brown skins intact

Slivered Almonds, which are usually blanched, are small narrow sticks.

Usually Blanched small narrow sticks

Blanched Almonds are whole nuts with their skin removed.

Whole almonds with their skins removed

Sliced Almonds, available both blanched and natural, are thin oval chips.

Can be blanched or natural (with a ring of brown skin still attached), are thin oval chips.

Almond Meal also called almond flour is finely ground almonds. You can make your own almond flour by grinding whole natural or whole blanched almonds on the fine blade of a food grinder or processor . Easier just to buy it. Almond Meal/Flour is gluten free.

Almond Flour/ Meal

Check out this recipe at Recipe Girl,one of my favorite Blogs, using sliced almonds. Chocolate Almond Toffee Recipe Girl’s son also has a Food Blog at Recipe Boy.com Inspiring to see kids learning and loving to cook. Maybe have your kids check it out. Please leave comments on “Thursday Tidbits”. I love your feedback. Remember “Make It Your Own” no matter what you cook. Joy Always, Cissy

May 14, 2014 by Cissy Fridfinnsson

Cissy’s Chicken Salad

I have been making this chicken salad for many, many years. I am so happy to share it with you. It is simple to make and oh so delicious. I like serving it on a bed of mixed lettuce with hearts of palm, tomatoes, boiled eggs, chunks of cheese or whatever I have in the fridge. As you can see, from the picture I didn’t have much in the fridge this day. This is one of the favorite recipes of the Apples of Gold Ministry. It is my go to recipe for serving at a ladies luncheon, any kind of shower, picnic or going to an outdoor concert. As a salad, with all the yummy sides I like to box it in a to go box for outdoor concerts. It is a good way to take a whole meal in one container and you can easily pack it in a cooler. Take along some crusty bread and some of your favorite dressing for the lettuce. My favorite to serve with it is homemade Italian dressing. Then all you need is a dessert that is easy to transport. You might try my Graham Cracker Cookies. I am so glad warm weather is finally here. We had a hard winter in Atlanta. But with the warm, sunny days we are all thinking of out door dining and we have lots of great outdoor concerts locally. Can’t wait to make this meal and go. Who can you invite for a picnic or maybe just take over a big bowl of chicken salad to a friends house? Spread some Joy with Cissy’s Chicken Salad. Enjoy!!!

I like chicken tenderloins, they are easy to cook and then chop in Small Food Processor

Slivered almonds that have roasted at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Brings out the flavor of the nuts.

Measuring cup that makes measuring mayo, honey anything sticky easy. Just Plop out. — Must Have Measuring Cup that makes measuring mayo, honey anything sticky easy. Just PLOP out.

Chop chicken in your handy small food processor.

Chopped chicken, toasted almonds, pineapple tidbits, mayo and dried cranberries ready for mixing.