Gracynn's Kitchen

Clam Dip

Every large gathering at our home during my childhood included this clam dip. It’s the only clam dip recipe I’ve ever used. That’s how good it is. It’s been almost 60 years since I started making it, now my daughter calls me for this recipe, so I think it’s time for me to record it here. I don’t know where the recipe originated from, but I got it from my mom’s recipe file.

Clam dip

Difficulty: easy
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A creamy and savory dip for potato chips

Ingredients

8 oz Philadelphia cream cheese

1 tablespoon “Best Foods” mayonnaise

1 can minced or chopped clams, drained

1/4 teaspoon worchestershire sauce

2 teaspoons grated onion

2 teaspoons chopped parsley

1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

3 drops Tobasco sauce

Directions

In a medium sized bowl, mix the cream cheese, mayonnaise, worchestershire sauce, grated onion, parsley, lemon juice, salt and tobasco sauce. Add the drained clams and stir until well blended. Refrigerate until ready to serve with chips. Enjoy!

Recipe recorded by Gracynn’s Kitchen

Christmas Biscotti

Servings: 32 biscotti
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A crispy biscotti filled with holiday flavors

Ingredients

1-1/4 cup (150g) flour

2 tablespoons (20g) fine cornmeal

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

5 tablespoons (72g) unsalted butter, softened

2/3 cup sugar

1 large egg, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup slivered almonds, chopped

1/4 cup dried fruits (ie: cranberries, cherries, blueberries or raisins)

1/4 cup mixed candied fruit or candied peels

1/2 cup white chocolate *optional for decorating

Directions

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, pepper and cinnamon.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the egg, and vanilla extract and beat well, another 5 minutes or so.
Add most of the flour mixture, saving about 1/4 cup in the bowl. Mix slowly, just until most of the flour incorporated. Add the nuts, fruits, and mixed peels into the remaining flour mixture in the bowl and toss gently, so that each piece is coated with the flour mixture, then add to the mixer bowl, and mix on low speed, just until incorporated. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes, just until the dough is firmer to the touch.
Preheat the oven to 350°F, center your rack in the middle of the oven. Remove the dough from the refrigerator, scrape out onto a lightly floured work surface. Gather the dough into a round, and divide it into 2 equal pieces. Use flour sparingly to help work the dough into shape. Roll each half into a log shape and place onto the baking sheet side by side leaving space for it to spread out. Flatten each log into a rectangle about 2 inches wide by 3/4 inch high. Bake for 20 minutes, remove from the oven and let it cool for 5-10 minutes.
Once cool enough to handle, remove the entire parchment sheet with the two logs onto a cutting board. Using a long, serated knife, slice the logs diagonally into 1/2 inch slices. Turn them onto their side, and spread out and return them to the oven for 6 minutes. Remove the biscotti from the oven and turn them over onto the other side, and bake for another 6 minutes. The biscotti should now have even coloring all over. Let cool on the baking sheet completely.
If you are giving them away as a gift, you can melt some white chocolate, and decorate. Let the chocolate harden before packing in airtight bags. They are perfect as gifts during the holidays. Enjoy!

Recipe by Gracynn’s Kitchen

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

Servings: 8
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A lighter version of pumpkin pie

Ingredients

Crust

1 1/3 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon Crisco shortening

3 tablespoons ice cold water

Filling

1 envelope Knox unflavored gelatin

1/4 cup water

1 1/3 cup mashed cooked pumpkin

3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon allspice

3 egg yolks

1/2 cup milk

3 egg whites

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

6 tablespoons sugar

Directions

To make the crust:

Combine the flour, salt and sugar in a medium sized bowl, using a whisk. Cut the Crisco into 1/2 inch cubes and gently work into the flour, until crumbly.
Add the ice cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing the mixture, until it begins to come together, form it into a flat circle with smooth edges. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to 1 1/2″ larger than your pie pan. Trim and flute edges. Prick the bottom and sides with a fork. Freeze for 30 minutes, while oven preheats to 425°F.
Bake for 10-15 minutes, until evenly golden brown. Cover the rim if it darkens before the bottom, by cutting an opening in the center of a piece of aluminum foil, and laying it over the pie pan. Watch carefully during the latter part of the bake as it can burn quickly, so keep an eye on the oven as it bakes, and use your sense of smell. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
To make the filling: Soften gelatin in 1/4 cup of water, by gently sprinkling the gelatin over the water in a bowl. Set aside for now, as it will continue to absorb the water and become a glob of gelatin.
In a medium sized pot, mix together the pumpkin, brown sugar, egg yolks, milk and spices and cook over low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture boils for one minute. Remove from the heat. Place into a large mixing bowl.
Stir in softened gelatin. Cool until partially set, and beat until smooth.
In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar, until frothy. Gradually add in the sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until they form stiff peaks.
Carefully fold in 1/3 of the stiff egg whites into the pumpkin mixture until it blends in well. Then do the same with the rest of the egg whites, in 2 more batches.
Pour the well blended mixture into the cooled crust and chill until set. It will be quite full, but it should mound nicely, as the mixture will be quite stiff. To serve, top with whipped cream. Enjoy!

Recipe by Gracynn’s Kitchen

Pumpkin Crunch

Servings: 20-24
Difficulty: easy
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An easy and scrumptious holiday dessert for a crowd

Ingredients

29 ounce can pumpkin

12 ounce can evaporated milk

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 box yellow cake mix

1 cup chopped walnuts

2 blocks butter, melted

Frosting

8 ounce cream cheese

1/2 cup sugar (100g)

2/3 cup heavy cream (140g)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9″ x 13″ pan with wax paper.
Mix pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugar, eggs, and cinnamon together and pour into the pan.
Pour entire box of yellow cake mix evenly over the pumpkin mixture and pat nuts on cake mix.
Spoon melted butter over the nuts evenly. Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes.
Invert and peel off the waxed paper. Cool in refrigerator for a few hours, or overnight.
Prepare the frosting by placing the cream, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract together in a mixing bowl with the whisk attachment, whisk until the consistency of yogurt. Add the cream cheese, 2 tablespoons at a time, and continue to whisk until almost smooth. Approximately 7-9 minutes. Spread frosting over the pumpkin layer. Cut into 20 squares. Enjoy!

Recipe by Gracynn’s Kitchen

Perfect Banana Bread

Servings: 10
Difficulty: easy
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I call it perfect because it suits the nut and no-nut banana bread criteria for our family, and it's packed with flavor and is almost cakelike in texture when warm. Enjoy!

Ingredients

190g all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon of fine sea salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch of ground cloves

150g soft, unsalted butter

140g light brown sugar

60g dark brown sugar

2 big, or 3 small (300g), extra ripe bananas (frozen ones are perfect here)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1 Tablespoon demerera sugar + 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

60g roughly chopped pecans

Directions

Heat oven to 335°F, prepare a 9×5 loaf pan with parchment paper.
Mash the bananas in a bowl, and stir in the vanilla extract.
In a mixer bowl, cream the butter and sugars together until well incorporated. About 3-4 minutes.
Add the eggs, one at a time, and continue to cream the butter mixture for another 2-3 minutes, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl, until the mixture is creamy and well incorporated. Add in the banana mixture, and stir together well. Don’t worry about what the mixture looks like, it will come together once you add in the dry ingredients, the goal here is to just incorporate the wet ingredients well.
Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and cloves, and add into the wet ingredients and stir in, just until most of the flour is incorporated. Pour into the loaf pan and smooth the top, making sure to push the batter into the corners and edges of the pan.
Sprinkle the top of the loaf with roughly chopped pecans. Mix 1 tablespoon demerera sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and sprinkle over the pecans.
Bake for 45-60 minutes. Check at 45 minutes, by inserting a tester and making sure it comes out clean. Timing depends on how cold the mixture was going in. Once baked, remove to a cooling rack, and let come to room temperature. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Cupcake Jemma

Korean Radish Salad

Servings: 6-8
Difficulty: moderate
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A quick and easy kim chee alternative, that goes well with rice, lettuce wraps, and meats

Ingredients

1 lb korean radish (I like smaller, even sized, green topped ones)

2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 tablespoons red pepper flakes (Gochugaru)

1 tablespoon fish sauce

2 teaspoons sugar

3 garlic cloves, smashed and minced

1 green onion, minced

1 teaspoon vinegar (white or rice)

1 tablespoon sesame oil

Directions

Rinse and peel the radish, cut into julienne strips. Place into a bowl and sprinkle kosher salt over, and massage. Liquid will begin to release from the radish. Leave for 20-30 minutes, until radish strips are soft, and pliable. Timing may depend on how juicy your radish is. Rinse with cold water, and squeeze out excess liquid using a kitchen towel. Place into a medium sized bowl.
Add the gochugaru, fish sauce, sugar, garlic, green onions, vinegar and sesame oil. Mix until the radish is red and ingredients are evenly distributed. You may garnish with ground sesame seeds before serving. * I especially like this with Bo Ssam, adding it to my wrap, or adding it to fried rice, or as an alternative to kim chee at meals as a side dish. It isn’t very spicy, so add more gochugaru if you prefer it spicier. Enjoy!

Recipe by Gracynn’s Kitchen

Caramel Almond Chocolates

Servings: 36-48 pieces
Difficulty: easy
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chewy caramel, crunchy almonds covered in chocolate-so yummy!

Ingredients

2 cups of dry roasted whole almonds

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

8 oz light brown sugar (226g)

1 cup light cream (230g)

1/2 cup light corn syrup (150g)

pinch of fleur de sel

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup of finely chopped dark chocolate

Directions

Prepare an 8″x8″ pan, by spraying with cooking spray, then line completely with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on two sides to help lift out the caramel after it’s done. Spray the paper lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Add 1 cup of almonds to the bottom of the pan (it should completely cover the pan, we’ll add the rest on top of the caramel)
Chop your favorite chocolate into fine pieces. (I use 64% dark chocolate feves)
Measure out your vanilla and have that ready on the side.
In a heavy bottomed, medium sized pot, place the butter, light brown sugar, cream, light corn syrup and salt, and cook over medium heat until a candy thermometer reaches 244°F. (I also use an instant read thermometer as it gets closer, to get the most accurate reading) You can stir in the beginning as the ingredients begin to melt and incorporate the ingredients well. Then, watch the thermometer very carefully, and turn the heat off once it reaches 244°F. Remove from heat and add the vanilla, and stir until incorporated. *Use a long handled silicone spatula.
Pour the caramel over the almonds in the pan, then add the rest of the almonds over the caramel. The caramel is soft, but firm enough to hold the almonds on top. Gently press them into the caramel, so that you will have a smooth top to cover in chocolate. (Be careful and use a chopstick or knife to push the almonds into the caramel)
Sprinkle the finely chopped chocolate over the top and allow it to warm up for about 5 minutes, then, using an offset spatula, smooth over the chocolate. It should be soft and melted enough to coat and cover the entire pan generously.
Set aside and allow it to cool to room temperature before attempting to cut. At least 6 hours. If your room temperature is warm, set it in the refrigerator for a few minutes to firm up the chocolate top before cutting, it will make it easier to handle. When cooled enough, remove the caramel using the parchment paper to lift it out and transfer to a cutting board and cut, to your preferred size, using a long serated knife. Enjoy!

Recipe by Gracynn’s Kitchen

Pecan Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies

Servings: 36 cookies
Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

1 cup butter (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup golden brown sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon Diamond kosher salt

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

2 cups oats

1 1/2 cups pecans, toasted, divided

1 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup dried tart cherries

Directions

Add 1 1/2 cups pecans to ungreased baking pan, and place into the oven while it is heating up to 350 degrees F. Remove when nuts turn golden and are fragrant, about 7-8 minutes.

In a bowl of the food processor, grind 3/4 cup of toasted pecans to a fine grind. Or, chop nuts on a cutting board until fine. Set aside. Coarsely chop the remaining 3/4 cup pecans. If you prefer your oats crushed a bit, chop coarsely in food processor.

In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer fit with paddle attachment, cream the butter with the granulated and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition, scraping bowl a few times to incorporate all ingredients. Add vanilla and beat until well combined.

In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and freshly grated nutmeg. On low speed, add flour mixture into the creamed sugar/egg mixture, just until barely mixed. Stir in, the rest of the ingredients; chopped and ground nuts, oats, chocolate chips and dried cherries. Refrigerate dough for at least 30 minutes until firm.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Scoop the dough by heaping tablespoons 2 inches apart on the cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. (You can also scoop dough and freeze to bake later). Bake for 7-9 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven, let cool, on cookie sheet for 3 minutes then move to a cooling rack. Best when just cooled, crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside.

Recipe by Gracynn’s Kitchen

Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

Servings: 12 rolls
Difficulty: moderate
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A delicious, special breakfast treat

Ingredients

Dough

4 large egg yolks, room temperature

1 large whole egg, room temperature

2 ounces sugar, approximately 1/4 cup

3 ounces unsalted butter, melted, approximately 6 tablespoons

6 ounces buttermilk, room temperature

20 ounces all-purpose flour, approximately 4 cups, plus additional for dusting

1 package instant dry yeast, approximately 2 1/4 teaspoons

1 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Filling

8 ounces light brown sugar, approximately 1 cup packed

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Pinch salt

3/4 ounce unsalted butter, softened but not melted, approximately 1 1/2 tablespoons

Icing

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

2 ounces butter (1/2 block), room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch kosher salt

9 ounces powdered sugar, sifted

Directions

For the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer, with the whisk attachment, whisk the egg yolks , whole egg, sugar, butter and buttermilk. Add approximately 2 cups flour along with the yeast and salt; whisk until moistened and combined. Remove the whisk attachment and replace with a dough hook. Add all but 3/4 cup of the remaining flour and knead on low speed for 5 minutes. Check the consistency of the dough, add more flour if necessary; the dough should feel soft and moist but not sticky. Knead on low speed 5 minutes more or until the dough clears the sides of the bowl. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface; knead by hand about 30 seconds. Lightly oil a large bowl (or if you have, a large rectangle shaped plastic container). Transfer the dough to the bowl. Lightly oil the top of the dough, cover and let double in volume, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

For the filling: Combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. Mix until well incorporated. Set aside until ready to use, along with the 3/4 ounce softened butter.

Butter a 9″ x 13″ glass baking dish. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Gently shape the dough into a rectanngle with the long side nearest you. Roll into a n 18″ x 12″ rectangle. Brush the dough with the 3/4 ounce melted butter, leaving a 1/2″ border along the top edge. Sprinkle the filling mixture over the dough, leaving a 3/4″ border along the top edge; gently press the filling into the dough. Beginning with the long edge nearest you, roll the dough into a tight cylinder to create even thickness. Using a serrated knife, slice the cylinder in 1 1/2″ rolls; yielding 12 rolls. Arrange rolls cut side down in the baking dish; cover tightly with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator overnight or up to 16 hours.

Remove the rolls from the refrigerator and proof in the oven, on lowest proof setting, until the rolls look slightly puffy; approximately 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. When the oven is heated, bake on the middle rack until golden brown, approximately 30 minutes, or until 190 degrees F on instant read thermometer.

For the Icing: Combine the cream cheese and butter on medium speed, until just blended, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the vanilla extract and salt and beat until combined. With the speed set on low, add the powdered sugar in 2 batches, beating until smooth between each addition. Spread over the warm rolls and serve immediately.

Recipe adapted from Alton Brown’s Overnight Cinnamon Rolls.

Chinese Style Steamed Fish

Servings: 4-6
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one of our family's favorites

Ingredients

2 lbs fish (salmon, mahimahi, mullet, flounder, etc)

3 inch piece of ginger, peeled, sliced and slivered

1 large clove garlic, smashed and minced

2 teaspoons of sake, optional

salt

3-5 stalks green onions, chopped coarsely

1/4 bunch cilantro, cleaned and stemmed

3 tablespoons oyster sauce, divided

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup neutral oil, like canola or peanut

1 teaspoon sesame oil

Directions

Clean and prepare fish by scaling, skinning and removing any bones. Prepare a steamer, or if using a steam oven, place the fish onto a sheet of parchment paper and place into the steaming pan.
Sprinkle the fish with sake and gently pat into the flesh. Sprinkle with salt sparingly. Top with about 1/2 teaspoon of the ginger slivers and the garlic, and 1 tablespoon oyster sauce.
Steam for approximately 10 minutes an inch of thickness. Check the doneness by flaking the center of the fish to see if it is done, better to undercook slightly, rather than overcook. Remove to a serving platter, and save the liquid from the steamed fish.
Pour the soy sauce and remaining 2 tablespoons of oyster sauce over the fish and place the chopped green onion and remaining ginger slivers on top of the fish, spreading evenly over the entire surface of the fish.
In a small pan, heat the neutral oil until smoking, after removing from heat, add in the sesame oil. Then very carefully and slowly, pour the hot oil over the green onions and ginger, it will sizzle and sputter, so be careful as you do this.
Once all the oil has been poured over, top with the cilantro sprigs and serve immediately.

Notes: I like to serve it with steamed vegetables (bok choy, napa cabbage, bean sprouts, or choi sum), so I place the fish over the vegetables after I have steamed and squeezed the vegetables of excess liquid. I also add some of the fish steaming liquid for more sauce, to taste. Also nice to serve with steamed rice.