Cheese Burek (Sirnica)

I couldn't find a recipe online for the cheese Burek I'm used to, so I just made it up kinda guessing how to make it taste like it's supposed to.

Filling:
250g feta cheese, crumbled
100g cream cheese
1 egg

Beat the egg, and mix with cream cheese until thoroughly blended. Fold in feta cheese carefully (try not to break the crumbles too much).

Pastry/Assembly:
I used store bought Phyllo/Filo.
Lay out a sheet, and brush with melted butter, then lay the next sheet on top of it, and brush with butter, etc. The sheets I had were rather small, so I used 4 sheets, but lager sheets may only require 2.

Scoop some of the cheese mixture in a line down one side of the pastry, then roll it like a jelly roll. Dab the edges with water to seal it closed, then brush some melted butter on top. I was able to make 3 Bureks with the size of phyllo I was using.

Bake 375 F
for about 20 minutes or until the Burek is a nice golden brown.

Can be eaten hot or cold. Makes a good hors d'oeuvre if you cut into small pieces. Or just eat a whole one yourself.

Butter Tarts

Since I can't get butter tarts in Florida, I searched the internet for a recipe to make my own. This recipe by Sue Lusted of Grimsby, Ontario produced tarts that tasted pretty darn fabulous.

Never Fail Pastry:
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 pound Tenderflake lard
2 teaspoons vinegar
1 egg, slightly beaten
Water

Filling:
2 cups dark brown sugar, packed
2 cups corn syrup
1/2 pound butter
8 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups raisins, washed and rinsed

Pastry:
Cut lard into cubes (about 1 inch) and freeze. Mix together flour, salt, and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor.
After the lard is frozen, add to the food processor. Pulse until the flour mixture is crumbly and resembles small peas.
Combine vinegar and egg in a measuring cup and add enough water to make 1 cup. Add the liquid mixture through the feed tube. Continue until the mixture forms a ball.
Divide into four and form into flat disks. Chill for about 15 minutes. Roll out 1 piece of dough on a floured board until 1/8 inch thick. Cut to the appropriate size and line the tart tins.
While I am making the filling, I place the lined tart tins in the freezer. You get flakier pastry if you keep it chilled before baking.

Filling:
Mix the brown sugar, corn syrup, butter and eggs in the food processor until smooth. Add salt and vanilla and mix well.
Place about 9 raisins in each tart shell. Add the syrup mixture til about 3/4 full.
Bake in a 400 degree F. oven for about 15 to 20 minutes or until pastry is golden brown.
Remove from oven and cool slightly before removing from tins. These do freeze well (that's if they last long enough). Makes 36 or more medium tarts.

Scottish Tablet

This is from my mom's side of the family.

1L Granulated Sugar
1/2 Cup Butter
1/2 Cup Milk
1 Tin Condensed Milk

Melt butter in a large non-stick pan (a large wok-sized pan works great).
Add sugar and milk.
Bring to a boil slowly, and let boilg for 5 minutes.
Add the condensed milk while stirring.
Boil for 7-10 minutes, continuously stirring.
Take off the heat, and beat with a wooden spoon to let off the heat.
Put into a greased pan and leave to set.
Cut into squares.

Cinnamon Pinwheels

I got this recipe from Family Studies (Home Economics) in high school. Sorry it's in metric.

500 mL flour
20 mL baking powder
2 mL salt
125 mL shortening
225 mL milk
100 mL brown sugar
30 mL cinnamon
butter

Sift together flour baking powder and salt.
Cut shortening in with two knives.
Add milk; stir with fork to make a soft dough.
Turn dough out onto lighly floured board; knead gently 8-10 times.
Roll into rectangular shape 1/2-1 cm in thickness.
Spread with butter and sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon.
Roll up in "jelly-roll fashion" and slice into 1-2 cm slices.
Place pinwheels onto ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake at 220`C for 12-15 mins. (10-15 pinwheels.)

Cheesecake

I think this recipe came from my godmother.

Crust
2 1/2 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
1/2 cups Sugar
1/2 cups melted butter

Mix ingredients.
Reserve a small amount to sprinkle around the edge of your cake.
Press the remaining mixture evenly onto the bottom and sides of a 9" spring pan.
Set aside to use for your cake or pie.

Part 1
5 eggs, separated
1/4 cups sugar

Separate egg yolks and whites into 2 bowls. Both will be used. Set aside the yolks.
Beat the 5 egg whites to form stiff but moist peaks.
Gradually add in 1/4 cups of sugar until stiff and shiny.
Set egg white mixture aside

Part 2
1 lb cream cheese
2/3 cups sugar
3 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cups cake and pastry flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream

Preheat the oven to 325 F
Cream the cream cheese until softened
Beat the 5 egg yolks saved from Part 1 into the cheese once at a time.
Gradually beat in (in order): sugar, lemon juice, flour, vanilla extract, sour cream.
Fold in the egg white mixture (Part 1).
Pour the mixture into your prepared crust.
Sprinkle the reserve graham cracker misture around the edge of the cake.
Bake at 325 F for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until almost set.

Topping
1 cup Sour Cream
2 tbsp Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 450 F.
Stir together ingredients until well mixed.
Spread over warm cake.
Bake 5-7 mins or until set.

Let cake cool to room temperature before refrigerating.
Serve cake cold with strawberries or cherries.