Dios Torta

Both sides of my family loves sweets!  On one side we have Great Grandma Sickles baking wonderful pies and on the other is Great Grandma Kamany's soups, cabbage rolls and cakes.  Unfortunatly, I was too young to remember Grandma Kamany's cooking and baking.  But I heard the stories for many years.  One day I was in Aunt Julia's kitchen daughter of Great Grandma Kamany) and she gave me a recipe for a cake called Dios Torta.  She said this is the cake Grandma Kamany would make for everyone's birthday.  So, I think it was my Mom's 53rd birthday when I first made this cake.  Everyone was pretty excited about it!  I think it brought back some good memories for her.  I then made it for Aunt Julia's 90th and 95th birthday.  The last time I made it, Montana Rose, now the fifth generation, helped me.  I can't help but imagine that Great Grandma Kamany would be very pleased. :)

Cream:
2 c sugar
1/2 lb butter, softened
6 egg yolks

Sift together and add to creamed mixture:
1 lb. ground walnuts
1 lb. ground graham crackers
3 T. baking powder

Mix and add to creamed mixture:
2 1/2 c milk
1 t vanilla

Set creamed mixture aside. 

In another bowl beat:
6 egg whites until stiff.

Fold egg whites into creamed mixture.

Put mixture into 4 greased 8 inch round cake pans.  Put parchment in the bottom of the pan.  Bake at 350 til done.  Cool.

Mock Whipped Icing (Hanis Tortabevanat)
*Note:  Recipe is as it was given to me but I always double the icing.

Cream:
1c sugar
1 stick of butter
1 stick of shortening

Then mix and add:
3/4 c warm milk
1 t vaniila

Cookie Bake 2011

For the first time in 13? years, this year we did not have the cookie bake because I was in FL with Julie as she was finishing her chemo.  So the night I flew in we did a cookie swap at Rosemary's.  It was nice to get together with the girls and just chill.  :)

Perfect Pesto

So easy!  This recipe came from Sheila Edmunds who got it from her neighbor Amy Troyer.  It's a good neighbor who shares such awesome recipes!!!

1 1/2 c basil
1/4 c pine nuts
2 cloves garlic
1/2 c olive oil
1/2 c parmesan cheese

Place all in a food processer and blend away! 

Rosen Torta

In these days of slice and bake delicacies Rozen Torta is one masterpiece that is worth the time and effort it takes to prepare.  The tender sweetness and delighful flavor it renders will keep this recipe going for generations. 
The recipe was given to me by Elizabeth Baksa who receieved it from Sonya, her neighbor.  One day we somehow came upon the subject of where Elizabeth, her husband Joe and son Sandor lived when they came to America from Hungary in the 60's.  They lived downtown Barberton above the upholstery shop.  I knew that shop because my father, Kenny, had a very good friend, Alex, who owned the shop and lived above.  As a child in the 70's I had been there many times visiting Alex with my Father.  Talking to Elizabeth, I find out that she also knew Alex and his family because they rented one of the apartments upstairs from Alex's father!  What a small world!  So, this recipe was give to Elizabeth by Sonya, Alex's mother.  Elizabeth said Sonya used a pink icing on top but she prefers the chocolate.   This Christmas Elizabeth showed Stacy (her granddaughter) and I how to make this dessert.
4 c flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 c crisco
2/3 c sugar
2 eggs
3/4 c milk
Mix the flour, baking soda then cut in the Crisco.  Work into a crumble.  Add sugar and eggs.  Then add milk until dough is smooth by kneading.  Roll into a log and but into 8 even pieces.  Knead each piece into smooth mounds. 
Roll each piece into very thin layers making each the same size, as close as possible, into a rectangle.  Place on a flat, unedged cookie sheet or an upside down cookie sheet.  Prick dough with a fork.  Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes until brown.

Filling
4 c whole milk
1 2/3 c sugar
4 c chopped walnuts
1 t vanilla
2 1/2 sticks softened butter, unsalted

Put milk and sugar in a pan and bring to a soft boil.  Keep stirring and boil for 1/2 hour.  Add the nuts and vanilla.  Cool until just warm.  Then add the butter a few pieces at a time.
Find the largest piece and then begin layering with the cake and the filling.  Do not put filling on the top piece.

Before adding the top layer, place a cookie sheet ontop of the dessert and then a heavy book ontop.  This helps "meld" the layers together.

Top
2 squares of melting chocolate
1 t butter
For the top melt chocolate and then add butter.  Pour and spread over top layer.

Let cake stand and chocolate set then cut into small rectangular pieces.

 

Crock Pot Crumble

Sheila Edmunds gave me this awesome recipe!  Easy and so yummy!

1 can pie filling, any flavor
1 yellow cake mix
8 T butter
1/2 c chopped nuts

Spray crock pot with Pam.  Put pie filling in the bottom of the bowl.  Sprinkle the cake mix over top.  Then put butter pats over the top of the cake mix.  Cook on low 2-3 hours.

Goes great with ice cream!

Huszar Kifli

Elizabeth Baksa, kitchen queen, shared this delightful recipe with me. It is another that she makes every Christmas. She has allowed me the pleasure of joining her in the kitchen to learn how to make these wonderful cookies. This recipe was given to her by Mary Nagy. Elizabeth's granddaughter Stacy says these are her favorite. I would have to agree! Christmas will never be Christmas without them!

In a bowl mix
4 c flour
1 pound butter
12 egg yolks
Knead until smooth. Make small balls. Refridgerate overnight.



Filling:
1 lb walnuts, ground
12 egg whites, beaten
sugar

Roll out each ball on 10x as thin as possible. Put filling onto dough. Roll. Place onto cookie sheet shaping into a cresent. Bake at 350 until done.
Recipe can be halved.

Vanilla Cookie with Apricot Preserves

This treasured recipe was shared with me by Elizabeth Baksa. It is one that she has made for many, many years and is the favorite of her grandson-in-law, Michael and loved my many others. I had the pleasure of my first taste of this soft, crispy cookie at a New Years Eve party at the home of Elizabeth, Sandor and Kimmie. Elizabeth has been kind enough to allow me the pleasure of being in the kitchen with her the following three years to bake these delightful pillows of goodness!

3 sticks butter
3/4 c sugar
4 c flour
3 egg yolks

Cream butter, add sugar and egg yolks. Add flour. Knead dough until smooth. Cut dough in half. Knead a little more with small amount of flour, again, until smooth.

Cut out 1/2 inch rounds, an even amount of tops and bottoms, making holes in half of the rounds.
Bake seperatly 15 min at 350. Cool.

In a bowl, mix 2 c 10 x with 2 packs of vanilla sugar.

Place apricot preserves on bottom of cookie, top and then toss in 10x mixture.

Enjoy!