Friday, March 21, 2014

Korean Bulgogi

If I had to pick my top two favorite Korean dishes, they would definitely be Bulgogi and Kalbi. Unfortunately, it's too cold to be grilling outside, so I decided to make my mom's recipe for Bulgogi this week. I ate this often while growing up and have cravings for this often after moving to Minnesota. I followed my mom's recipe exactly as written and this turned out AMAZING! I hope everyone enjoys this as much as I do :o)


Korean Bulgogi
(Source: My Mom)

1 1/2 - 1 3/4 pounds bulgogi meat (or thinly sliced ribeye steak)
1 inch ginger, peeled and chopped finely
2- 3 cloves garlic, chopped finely
1 green onion, sliced finely
2 – 3 tablespoons onion, chopped finely
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons corn syrup
1 tablespoon mirin
1 teaspoon sesame seed
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 of a large Korean pear, grated (optional)

Remove excess fat from the bulgogi meat. Sprinkle sugar in-between the thin slices of meat. Place in a large bowl and let it chill in refrigerator for 6 hours or over night. Drain the excess liquid from the bowl and set aside. In another bowl, mix together the ginger, garlic, green onion, onion, soy sauce, corn syrup, mirin, sesame seed, sesame oil, black pepper, and 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar. Pour this mixture over the meat and mix everything together with hands. Let it marinate in the refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight. When ready to eat, cook in skillet until brown and cooked through. Serve with rice. 

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Kheema: Indian Ground Beef with Peas

I absolutely LOVE Indian food!!! I'm known to go and eat it by myself on a weekly basis because I'm so addicted to it. My absolute favorite is the Chicken Tikka Masala. Seriously, who can say no to the awesomeness of the spicy, creamy, flavorful sauce with huge chunks of chicken? I've searched high and low for an easy recipe to make at home but haven't had much luck yet. That said, I found an AMAZING recipe for Kheema, which is ground beef cooked in a skillet with a ton of spices. It's absolutely a great meal to make during the week for an easy and delicious meal. This is definitely going in our monthly rotation.


Kheema: Indian Ground Beef with Peas
(Source: Aarti Sequeira)

3 tablespoons canola oil
1 medium onion, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (1-inch thumb) fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon store-bought or homemade garam masala, 
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne, optional
1 pound ground beef
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup shucked fresh English peas or 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
2 teaspoons malt vinegar or apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus a few extra leaves for garnish
4 chapatis or pitas, warmed

In a large skillet, warm the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until golden. Add the garlic and ginger, and saute for another minute. Stir in the coriander, paprika, garam masala, cumin and cayenne, if using and cook for 1 minute. Add the beef, breaking up lumps with a spoon, and saute until the meat is no longer pink. Add the tomatoes, 1 cup of water and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle in the fresh English peas. Stir well and simmer, partially covered, about 10 minutes or if using frozen peas, add them now, and cook another 5 minutes, partially covered. Stir in the vinegar and chopped cilantro. Garnish with torn cilantro leaves and serve with warm chapatis or pita bread.




Sunday, March 16, 2014

Amazing Corn Muffins

We had a huge thing of buttermilk left in the fridge after making Irish Soda bread earlier this month. I was torn between making chocolate cupcakes or corn muffins with the leftover buttermilk. I was browsing recipes earlier last week when I came across a corn muffin recipe that had amazing reviews. I had all the ingredients at home and decided to give it a try. I admit I was absolutely blown away by the final results. These muffins were super moist and had the perfect gritty texture from the corn meal. The only downfall is the recipe yields 12 muffins...if you want 24 you have to double the recipe. These are soooo much better with some butter and honey drizzled on top!


Corn Muffins
(Source: The Colonnade)

1 1/2 cups white cornmeal (I used yellow cornmeal)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup cold water
1/2 cup vegetable, soy or canola oil
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Grease or line 12 muffin cups and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the water, oil, buttermilk and eggs. Beat vigorously for 45 seconds, or until all ingredients are thoroughly combined. Pour into greased muffin cups and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden.

Monday, March 10, 2014

Thai Red Curry

Dr. Sweetpea and I looooove Thai Red Curry. I've always been hesitant to make it at home because I always thought it would be super challenging to make; however, when I found a recipe in America's Test Kitchen, I knew I had to try it at home. I'm super glad I did because it's absolutely simple to make and tastes AMAZING! Definitely a keeper in our recipe collection.


Thai Red Beef Curry
(Source: America's Test Kitchen)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 1/2 tablespoons red curry paste (we used A LOT more since we love spicy curry)
2 (14 oz) cans coconut milk 
2 - 3 teaspoons fish sauce
4 teaspoons brown sugar
1 1/2 pounds flank steak, trimmed and sliced thin
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1/4 inch strips
1/2 pound snap peas, strings removed
1/2 cup coarsely chopped basil
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Salt

Heat the oil in a 12 inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the curry paste and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Whisk in the coconut milk, fish sauce, and brown sugar and shimmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the beef and cook until the pieces separate and turn firm, 3-5 minutes. Stir in the bell pepper and peas and cook until the peas are crisp and tender, about 5 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the basil and lime juice. Season with salt to taste. 


Sunday, March 9, 2014

Irish Soda Bread

St. Patrick's Day is right around the corner, so I decided to bake Irish Soda Bread. This is soooooooooo simple to throw together and super delicious.


Irish Soda Bread
(Source: Ina Garten)

4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for currants
4 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 3/4 cups cold buttermilk, shaken
1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1 cup dried currants

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is mixed into the flour.
With a fork, lightly beat the buttermilk, egg, and orange zest together in a measuring cup. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture. Combine the currants with 1 tablespoon of flour and mix into the dough. It will be very wet. Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and knead it a few times into a round loaf. Place the loaf on the prepared sheet pan and lightly cut an X into the top of the bread with a serrated knife. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. When you tap the loaf, it will have a hollow sound. Cool on a baking rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Monday, March 3, 2014

Slow Cooker Chicken Adobo

I've been sick as a dog the last couple of days, so cooking dinner is definitely not at the top of my priorities. I came across this Chicken Adobo recipe a few days ago and decided to give it a try. It seriously took all of 10 minutes to throw everything into the crockpot and just let it took for 6 hours. Definitely my kind of recipe for a sick day.


Slow Cooker Chicken Adobo
(Source: Damn Delicious)

1 teaspoon olive oil
2 shallots, minced
6 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 pounds chicken thighs, fat trimmed
Brown rice, for serving

Rub the olive oil around the inside of your slow cooker then throw in your shallots, garlic, brown sugar, pepper, cayenne and bay leaves. Then pour in your chicken stock, soy sauce, and apple cider vinegar. Stir everything together with a spoon to make sure everything is distributed evenly. Add in your chicken thighs and use the spoon to spoon some of the sauce on top so it’s coated. Or you can just push the thighs down into the liquid. Cook on low for 6 hours.Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.
When your chicken is done, remove it from the crockpot insert and place it on the prepared baking sheet. With oven mitts, lift out the insert and strain the sauce into a pot (using a large mesh strainer to catch the bits of garlic and shallots, etc) and let the sauce cook down for about 20 minutes. It should start to thicken up. If it’s not thickening up as quickly as you’d like, you can add in a bit of cornstarch and water mixture and it’ll thicken right up! Using a brush, brush the sauce on the chicken, coating it well, then put the chicken in the oven and broil it on high for about 3-5 minutes. Remove from oven and serve with white rice (what I did) or whatever else you prefer. There will be extra sauce left so you can coat your chicken & rice in more sauce.

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Quick Beef and Peppers Teriyaki Stir Fry

Want a super quick meal to make during the week? Have a craving for delicious Chinese/Japanese food? Then this is definitely it! It seriously takes less than 10 minutes to throw everything together and have a delicious meal on the table in no time. My mom used to make this for me a lot and now I make this for Dr. Sweetpea for a delicious midweek meal.


1 (1 - 1.5 lb) sirloin steak, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 - 2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
Teriyaki Glaze
Vegetable Oil

In a medium bowl, mix together the thinly sliced bottom round, soy sauce, garlic powder, and cornstarch. Let this mixture marinate in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours. When you are ready to eat, heat up 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil on a skillet and cook the meat until brown on the outside. Throw in the thinly sliced red pepper in the skillet and cook for 2 - 3 minutes or until slightly softened. Add Teriyaki glaze in the skillet and coat the meat and red pepper mixture. Serve with rice. 



Monday, February 24, 2014

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

Super quick and easy recipe to use up your shredded rotisserie chicken meat. Dr. Sweetpea LOVES these and told me these flautas are a keeper.


Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos
(Source: Girl Who Ate Everything)

1/3 cup (3 oz) cream cheese
1/4 cup green salsa
1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3 Tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 Tablespoons sliced green onions
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 cup grated pepperjack cheese
about 12 small corn or flour tortillas (we liked flour better)
kosher salt
cooking spray

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.
Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and garlic powder and mix well. Add cilantro, green onions, chicken and pepperjack cheese and combine well. You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.
The corn tortillas are harder to roll without cracking. For the corn tortillas: work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or come unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.
Place 3 Tablespoons of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges. Then roll it up as tight as you can. Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some kosher salt on top. Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown. Makes around 12 taquitos. Dip in salsa, sour cream, guacamole, or Tomatillo Dressing . They would be great with black beans and this Cilantro Lime Rice.

Saturday, February 15, 2014

Chewy Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookies

The secret to soft, chewy, chocolate chip cookies??? It's pudding mix!! I'm not sure why the cookies stay so soft for a long time but it's definitely the only method that has worked for me. I also topped these cookies off with some sea salt and they were even better. These cookies are soft, chewy, chocolatey, and just a touch salty. Absolutely delicious! 


Chewy Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookies
(Source: Kraft Recipes)

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 package (3.4 oz.) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/4 cups flour
1 package (12 oz.) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
Coarse sea salt

Heat oven to 375°F. Beat butter, sugars, dry pudding mix and vanilla in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add eggs and baking soda; mix well. Gradually beat in flour. Stir in chocolate. Drop teaspoonfuls of dough, 2 inches apart, onto baking sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle a tiny pinch of coarse sea salt on each cookie. Cool 3 min. on baking sheets. Remove to wire racks. Cool completely.

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Spicy Creamy Tomato, Spinach, and Prosciutto Pasta Sauce

Dr. Sweetpea has been working long crazy hours at the hospital, so I decided to treat him to a nice homemade dinner. I came across a wonderful recipe for Spinach Tomato Tortellini on AllRecipes but tweaked it a little bit to fit our taste. It's a very quick recipe but it's absolutely fabulous :o) .


Creamy spicy tomato, spinach, and prosciutto sauce
(Source: All Recipes)

1 package crab ravioli
2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup chopped fresh spinach
1 (14.5 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon onion flakes
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the ravioli, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. While you get the ravioli going, combine the tomatoes, spinach, salt, pepper, basil and garlic in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir until the mixture begins to bubble. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and half-and-half. Stir this mixture into the saucepan along with the Parmesan cheese. Heat through, then reduce heat to low, and simmer until thick, about 2 minutes. Stir  in the prosciutto and red pepper flakes. Cook for another minute. Drain the ravioli, but do not rinse, then pour them into the saucepan with the sauce. Stir to coat, and serve.



Sunday, January 12, 2014

The Best Cranberry Orange Bundt Cake

I am a little late posting this recipe, but better late than never! I made this Cranberry Orange Bundt cake 3 times over the holidays and it was a hit every time. My dad doesn't like sweets very much but he LOVED this cake. This is super simple to throw together to bring to a holiday party and I guarantee it will be devoured by all guests in no time.



Cranberry Orange Bundt Cake
(Source: MyRecipes)

Baking spray with flour (such as Baker's Joy)
3 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar 
12 tablespoons butter, softened 
3 large eggs 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 cup sweetened, dried cranberries
1/2 cup fresh orange juice 
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional) 

To make glaze (Optional):
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup fresh orange juice 
1 tablespoon butter, melted 
2 teaspoons grated orange rind 

Preheat oven to 350°. Coat a large bundt cake pan with baking spray. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Place granulated sugar and 12 tablespoons butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Combine dried cranberries and 1/2 cup orange juice in a microwave-safe dish. Microwave at HIGH for 1 minute; let stand 10 minutes. Fold cranberry mixture into batter. Stir the chopped walnuts into the batter (optional). Spoon batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake at 350° for 40 - 50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in centers comes out with moist crumbs clinging. Cool 5 minutes in pans on a wire rack; remove from pan.

Glaze:
Combine powdered sugar, 1/4 cup fresh orange juice, melted butter, and grated orange rind, stirring until smooth. Dip tops of cooled cakes in glaze; let stand until set.

Thursday, January 9, 2014

Korean Potato Croquettes

These potato croquettes were my FAVORITE snack to eat when I was a child. These are soooo simple to make since it's very similar to making mashed potatoes but with tons of veggies. The only time consuming part is pan frying these bad boys in a skillet until they are golden brown/crispy. 


Korean Potato Croquettes
(Source: My mom) 

4 large potatoes, peeled and chopped into large pieces
1/4 of a large onion, finely chopped
1/2 - 1 cup frozen corn 
1/2 - 1 cup frozen sweet green peas
1/2 of a large carrot, finely chopped 
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt
2 eggs, beaten
Flour
Dried bread crumbs

Cook the potatoes in a large pot of boiling water until they are fork tender. In the meantime, add a tablespoon of oil in a skillet and saute the chopped onion, corn, sweet green peas, and chopped carrots until the vegetables are tender. Set aside.  Once the potatoes are done cooking, drain the water and mash with a potato masher until the mixture is nice and smooth. Add the sauteed vegetables into the potato mixture and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Shape the potato mixture into golf ball sized pieces using an ice cream scoop. Dredge the potato balls in flour, then egg mixture, and finally, the breadcrumbs. Do this with every piece of the potato balls. Carefully fry the potato balls in skillet with hot oil until golden brown. 






Saturday, December 28, 2013

Chocoflan

I have a bit of an obsession with flan. Whenever I go to a Mexican restaurant, I always try their flan for dessert but I've never tried to make it at home by myself. I always thought it would be very time consuming and if I tried to make it at home, it would be a flan fail. So imagine my surprise when I learned about a cake that is half flan and half chocolate cake (drool) and is very simple to make. I turned to google to look up some Chocoflan recipes and decided to try the one by Marcela Valladolid, the queen of mexican cooking on Food Network. Her recipe is so simple to follow and the end result is FABULOUS!!!


Chocoflan
(Source: Marcela Valladolid)

12-cup capacity Bundt pan
Softened butter, to coat pan
1/4 cup cajeta or caramel sauce

For the cake:
10 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 1/4 cups buttermilk

For the flan:
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
3 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

For garnish:
1/4 cup cajeta or caramel sauce
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Put an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Coat a Bundt pan with a little butter, then coat the bottom with 1/4 cup cajeta and put it in a large roasting pan. (The roasting pan will serve as a water bath during baking.)

For the cake: Add the butter and sugar to a bowl and using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer, beat until light and fluffy, then beat in the egg. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and cocoa in a medium bowl. Beat 1/3 of the flour mixture, and 1/2 of the buttermilk into the egg mixture. Repeat, ending with the flour mixture. Blend until well incorporated.

For the flan: In a blender, combine the evaporated milk, condensed milk, cream cheese, eggs and vanilla. Blend on high for 30 seconds.

Scoop the cake batter into the prepared Bundt pan and spreading evenly. Slowly pour the flan mixture over the cake batter. Cover with foil and add about 1-inch of hot water to the roasting pan. Carefully slide the pan into the oven, and bake 1 hour, until the surface of the cake is firm to the touch, or an inserted toothpick comes out clean. When cake is done, remove from the water bath and cool completely to room temperature, about 1 hour. Invert a large, rimmed serving platter over the Bundt pan, grasp tightly together, giggle a little and flip over. Remove the pan and scrape any remaining cajeta from the pan onto the cake, garnish with chopped pecans and serve!

Cook's Notes: The batters may appear to mix when you pour them into the pan, but they completely separate while baking, with the flan ending up on the bottom when it's inverted. You can it warm, but traditionally, it is chilled 24 hours before serving.


Thursday, November 28, 2013

Honey-Kissed Acorn Squash

Happy Thanksgiving! Super quick recipe to share today that is PERFECT to add to your Thanksgiving menu. I found the Honey-Kissed Acorn Squash recipe earlier this Fall, and made this about 12 times already. The squash is super tender and the filling isn't too sweet and complements the squash perfectly.


Honey-Kissed Acorn Squash
(Source: Gooseberry Patch Recipe Book)

2 acorn squash, halved lengthwise and seeded (I used a whole Kabocha squash)*
8 oz can crushed pineapple, drained (I used a 16 oz can)
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup butter, melted
Optional: ground nutmeg

Place squash halves, cut-side up, in a microwave-safe dish; microwave on high for 8 to 10 minutes until tender. Combine pineapple and next 4 ingredients, spoon into squash halves. Microwave on high 30 to 45 seconds or until thoroughly heated and lightly glazed.** Sprinkle with nutmeg, if desired. 

Note: 
* I usually keep mine whole until I'm about to serve it to people. 
** Instead of microwaving on high for 30 to 45 seconds, I baked mine in the oven at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. 





Sunday, November 17, 2013

Almond and Raspberry Blossoms

I know it's not even Thanksgiving yet, but I decided to try out a few cookie recipes before the Christmas Cookie season is in full swing. I tried the Almond and Raspberry Blossoms recipe first because I absolutely love the Almond/Raspberry combination. Admittedly, these cookies are probably a little more time consuming than baking drop cookies, but definitely worth the time after taking a bite of these morsels.

Almond and Raspberry Blossoms
(Source: Better Home and Gardens)


1  cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup ground slivered almonds
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
1 (3 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 tablespoons sugar
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel
1 tablespoon orange juice
Nonstick cooking spray
1/4 cup seedless red raspberry preserves
Powdered sugar
24 raspberries (optional)

In a medium bowl stir together flour, 1/4 cup of the ground almonds, and the 1/4 cup granulated sugar. Using a pastry blender, cut in the 1/2 cup butter until pieces are pea size. In a small bowl combine egg yolk and 1 teaspoon water. Gradually stir yolk mixture into flour mixture, adding 1 to 2 teaspoons additional water, if necessary, to make dough cling together. Gently knead dough just until a ball forms. Wrap dough in plastic wrap; chill for 30 - 60 minutes or until easy to handle. 

Meanwhile, for filling, in a small mixing bowl beat cream cheese, the 1/4  cup softened butter, and the 2 tablespoons granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg, orange peel, and orange juice. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup ground almonds. 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat twenty-four 1 3/4 inch muffin  cups with cooking spray. Divide dough into 24 portions; shape each portion into a ball. Press balls onto the bottoms and up the sides of the prepared muffin cups. 

Spoon 1/2 teaspoon of the preserves into each pastry-lined muffin cup. Spoon filling over preserves. Bake about 25 minutes or until filling is set. Cool in muffin cups on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove cookies from muffin cups; cool on wire rack. 

Before serving, sprinkle cookies lightly with powdered sugar. If desired, top each cookie with a raspberry.