Monthly Archives: December 2009

Gluten-free Goodness: Holiday Treats

Posted by Alaina in Baker's Delight, Gluten-Free Goodness, Holidays and tagged with , , , , ,

There are some really great options for gluten-free desserts that don’t compromise flavor at all! I made this macaroon cheesecake and it got rave reviews from everyone. It’s creamy and delicious – the flavor profile is wonderful!

COCONUT MACAROON CHEESECAKE
(Taste of Home)

CRUST:
1 c. flaked coconut, toasted
1/2 c. ground pecans
2 Tb. butter, melted

FILLING:
3 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. almond extract

TOPPING:
1 egg white
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/3 c. sugar
2/3 c. flaked coconut, toasted

In a small bowl, combine the coconut and pecans; stir in butter. Press onto the bottom of a greased 9-in. springform pan; set aside.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Beat in extracts just until blended. Pour over crust. Place pan on a baking sheet.

Bake at 350° for 35 minutes. In a small bowl, beat egg white and vanilla until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, on high until stiff peaks form. Fold in coconut. Carefully spread over top of cheesecake.

Bake 20-25 minutes longer or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. Remove sides of pan. Refrigerate leftovers. Makes 12 servings.

We called theses peppermint chocolate meringues “Martian Eggs” when we were kids and they were an annual tradition – especially at our family gathering. The green-tinted egg like cookies are crispy on the outside and a little softer on the inside with delicious chocolate chips.

PEPPERMINT CHOCOLATE MERINGUES

2 egg whites
dash salt
2/3 c. sugar
green or red food coloring (opt.)
6 oz. mint chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Beat egg whites and salt until frothy. Slowly add sugar and beat until stiff. Add food coloring if desired. Fold in mint chocolate chips.

Drop on ungreased cookie sheet. Turn off oven and put cookie sheet in oven and leave in oven for 2-6 hours or until crisp on outside and chewy on inside. (Mine took 2 hours 15 minutes but it depends on the humidity.) Makes about 3 dozen.


ALMOND MACAROONS
(adapted from Christmas Cookies, by: Lisa Zwirn)

2 c. almond meal
1 1/4 c. sugar
3 lg. egg whites
1/2 tsp. almond extract
6 oz. bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate (opt. – but you really should…)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 1 or 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Combine almond meal, sugar, egg white, and extract in lg. bowl. Beat with mixer until thoroughly combined and dough is a thick, sticky paste.

Drop the dough by level tablespoonfuls, arranging about 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets. Using a pastry brush lightly moistened with water, brush the tops and sides of the macaroons, gently pressing down on them to form smooth rounds about 1/2 in. thick and 1 3/4 in. in diameter.

Bake 15-18 minutes or until the macaroons are lightly golden. They should feel crisp on the outside but soft inside.  (Rotate cookie sheets halfway through if using two).  Cool for 5 minute, then use a thin metal spatula to remove the macaroons from the paper. Place on rack to cool completely.

CHOCOLATE: Melt chocolate and dip, drizzle or ice the cooled macaroons.

Store layered between wax paper for up to 5 days. Without chocolate, the macaroons can be frozen up to two months.  Makes about 32 cookies.

The Winner!

Posted by Alaina in Blog, Blog Business, Giveaways

The random winner of the Paula Deen’s Kids’ Cookbooks is Gretchen! I’ve been slow to get things in the mail but all of the prizes from the past few drawings will be in the mail tomorrow! Enjoy and thanks for entering! We will have another giveaway this Friday!!!

Off The Shelf: River Cottage Family Cookbook

Posted by Heather in Off the Shelf and tagged with , , , , ,

For those of you looking for a nice cookbook to give to a budding young cook in your family, let me suggest The River Cottage Family Cookbook by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Fizz Carr.

What I love about this book is that it doesn’t attempt to water down cooking. It takes real recipes and real concepts and begins to teach children the very basics of cooking in a very inspiring way. I was so excited about the book when I first saw it that I ordered a copy for my then 8-year-old daughter and we immediately began reading and cooking from it.

Take a look at the contents: Flour, Milk, Eggs, Fruit, Vegetables, Fish & Shellfish, Meat, The Cupboard, Sugar & Honey, and Chocolate. Each chapter begins with an introduction, giving helpful information about the topic and how to use it. This is followed by numerous recipes. For instance, the chapter on Eggs talks about what an egg really is, how to crack and separate an egg, what does an egg white do and how to fold it into something, how to know an egg is fresh (it will sink in a bowl of water), and what kinds of eggs to use.

Now, have a look at the recipes included in the egg chapter: Custard, Pancakes, Soft-boiled eggs, Omelette, Eggy Bread (French Toast), Meringues, Sponge Cake, and Drop Scones. Each chapter is filled with beautiful, inspiring photos and easy-to-read type. And while this book hails from the UK, it has been translated into American English and cooking terms to make things easy!

Rachel and I decided to make the Baked Apples from the Fruit chapter. This is a simple recipe for a child to help make and the result is a delicious, comforting food on a cold winter night.

BAKED APPLES
(The River Cottage Family Cookbook)

butter
Granny Smith or Golden Delicious apples, 1 per person (or use whatever apples you have)
soft brown or granulated sugar

Preheat the oven to 350F. Smear a little butter over the inside of a baking dish.

With a sharp knife, carefully cut a line completely around the waist of each apple to give it a sort of thin belt. This stops the apple from exploding as the flesh foams and expands in the heat of the oven.

Remove core and seeds of each apple. Cut a small slice off te bottom of the apple so it will sit in the baking dish without rocking from side to side. Stand the apples in the dish slightly apart from each other, so they don’t join up and get stuck together while they cook.

Pour sugar into the well of each apple right up to the top. (At this point we stuck a few dried cranberries in with the sugar — raisins are good too!). Dot a generous knob of butter on top of the sugar. Spoon a tablespoon of water for each apple into the base of the dish.

Place the dish in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes (other varieties of apples may take longer). The apples should be puffy and the skin a little split. Stick a sharp knife into the flesh of the apple at the thickest part near the core. If the flesh feels hard, let the apples cook for 5 minutes longer. Turn the oven down a little if they are getting too brown.

Serve everyone an apple and a good spoonful of the delicious syrupy sauce poured over the top. Some people adore the skin of a baked apple; others prefer to push it to one side. But whatever you do, eat with plenty of cream, Greek yogurt, or English custard.

Entertaining 101: Holiday Tea

Posted by Heather in Entertaining 101, Tea Time and tagged with , , , ,

I love a good tea party! Whether it is impromptu with my children with only cups of tea and toast, or planned a few days in advance with a friend or two, or a big, fancy affair with lots of people and a buffet full of tea foods. Christmas is a perfect time to bring out the teacups and sit down with someone special to drink in a few moments of the passing season.

So many of the holiday foods are well-suited for a tea party: cookies, cheese ball and crackers, chocolate truffles, muffins, cranberry-orange tea loaf, squares of gingerbread, chicken salad sandwiches with dried cranberries, cut pineapple sprinkled with lime zest, homemade candies or chocolate dipped pretzels, etc.  Holiday teas abound too. Think Gingerbread, Earl Grey, Orange Spice, Constant Comment (which now comes in decaf!!!), Chai, Sugar Cookie, or Candy Cane Lane.

Several recipes that I particularly like around the holidays are Gingerbread Muffins, Cranberry Bread, and Scottish Shortbread. Every year I watched my mother make her ritual batch of shortbread, using the handwritten recipe card from her grandmother who had immigrated from Scotland. It is simple but rich and is a perfect accompaniment to tea.

Gingerbread muffins are a wonderful invention. Doesn’t everyone want to smell gingerbread scents wafting from their oven? Muffins are easy to make and easy to serve with the same delightful aroma of real gingerbread.

GINGERBREAD MUFFINS
(cooksrecipes.com)

1 ½ c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. cloves
¼ tsp. ginger
¼ tsp. nutmeg
1 egg
1/3 c. oil
¼ c. molasses
1/3 c. sugar
½ c. boiling water

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease or line muffin tin. Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg. In another bowl, beat egg, oil, molasses and sugar, mixing well. Pour mixture into flour mixture. Mix until just moistened; add boiling water and mix until just blended. Fill muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until muffins are done. Makes 12.

(Note: the pillow-like object behind the teapot is a “tea cozy”. You can find them for sale here.)

SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD
(Grandmother Christina Winterbottom)

6 c. flour (if you like more texture, you can substitute 1 cup of flour for 1 cup of rice flour)
1 c. sugar
2 c. butter, softened (I prefer salted butter here)

Mix the flour and sugar together then incorporate the butter – this must be done with hands to soften the butter into the flour mixture. Mix with hands until soft and doughy. Depending on the softness of your butter, this may take 5-15 minutes.

Spread dough in a 10×15” pan and prick evenly with a fork (allowing the fork to touch the bottom of the pan).

Bake 1 hour at 325F until edges just begin to golden – cut into 1-inch squares or 2-inch fingers while hot.

CRANBERRY BREAD
(bowlofmush.blogspot.com)

2 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 c. orange juice
2 Tbsp. butter or vegetable oil
1 Tbsp. grated orange zest
1 egg, beaten
1/4 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. roughly chopped fresh cranberries
1/2 c. chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan. Chop the cranberries and walnuts and set aside.

In a large bowl mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir in the orange juice, orange zest, egg, vanilla and butter. Fold in the chopped cranberries and walnuts.

Spread the mixture evenly in the greased loaf pan and bake in the oven at 350F for 55 minutes. Allow to cool on a rack for at least 15 minutes. Will cut best if left to rest for several hours.

 

Market Fresh: Onions

Posted by Alaina in Market Fresh, Simple Suppers, Soup Pot and tagged with , ,

I use onions almost every day. They start my soups and sauces, they top my pizzas or potatoes, and they find their way into salads, too. They offer fantastic  flavor and can change a dish just by their addition.

They grow underground and there are a variety of types. Red, yellow, and white are quite common as well as green onions, sweet onions, vidalia and others.

CARAMELIZED ONIONS

1 Tb. butter
1 lg. onion, sliced in thin rings

Melt butter in a saute pan over medium-low to medium heat. Add onions. Let cook stirring occasionally for 20-30 minutes or until onions are brown and caramelized.

Delicious on pizza, bread, baked potatoes, salads, steaks, burgers, and more. The above is a carmalized onion and portabella mushroom pizza – yum!

FRENCH ONION SOUP
(Better Homes & Gardens)

2 Tb. butter
2 c. Onion, thinly sliced
4 c. beef broth
2 Tb. dry sherry or white wine
1 tsp. worcestshire sauce
dash pepper
6 slices French Bread
3/4 c. shredded cheese (swiss, jarlsburg, or gruyere)

In a lg. saucepan, melt butter. Stir in onions. Cook, covered, over medium-low heat for 8-10 minutes or till tender and golden, stirring occasionally. Stir in beef broth, dry sherry or wine, worcestshire sauce, and pepper. Bring to boiling, reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Meanshile, sprinkle toasted bread with shredded cheese, Place bread under broiler till cheese melts and turns light brown. To serve, ladle soup into bowls and float bread atop. Makes about 4 1/2 c.

I thought this could use a little thyme or parsley to brighten it. My friend, Amy, sent me this recipe that she says her family loves!

This was a delicious salad! You could add feta, nuts, chicken, or other toppings would be wonderful!

BALSAMIC ONION SALAD
(very slightly adapted from Ina Garten)

3 sm. red onions
1/4 c. plus 2 Tb. good balsamic vinegar, divided
1 c. good olive oil, divided
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, divided
6 Tb. minced shallots (about 2 large)
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 c. good red wine vinegar
2 heads red-leaf, green-leaf, or mixed greens washed, spun dry, and torn into pieces

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cut the onions in 1/2 and slice 1/4-in. thick, place on a baking sheet and toss with: 1/4 c. balsamic vinegar, 1/4 c. olive oil, 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper.

Bake for 12 to 15 min., until the onions are tender. (This took a little longer for me – around 20-25 min. but I may have cut them larger.)

Remove from oven and toss with 2 more tablespoons balsamic vinegar and cool to room temperature. (They were still a little warm and I liked that!)

Whisk together the shallots, mustard, red wine vinegar, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper in a small bowl. While whisking, add 3/4 c. olive oil until emulsified.

To assemble, toss enough lettuce for 6 people with dressing, to taste. Place the lettuce on 6 plates and arrange the onions on top. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve.

When It Comes To Eggnog: Go Local!

Posted by Heather in Holidays and tagged with ,

I love eggnog — that combination of creamy, custard flavor and freshly ground nutmeg. For a number of years I’ve been disillusioned with the eggnog found at chain supermarkets. It’s fake color, overwhelming sweetness, and pasty thickness caused me to give up drinking eggnog altogether (unless I invested the time to actually make it myself).

This year, thanks to Trader’s Point Creamery (Indianapolis, IN), I’m once again indulging in a little eggnog. TPC is a local dairy farm that raises grass-fed cows and sells milk, yogurt, cheese, and ice-cream to supermarkets in our area. My sister brought home some of their eggnog one day and it was an instant hit. It’s smooth and creamy, with specks of nutmeg, but not overly sweet, no strange yellow-color, and no hint of what I liken to “cornstarch thickening.”

If you are in the Indianapolis area, I recommend trying a quart of eggnog (it runs about $5). It’s worth the investment and can be enjoyed in small glasses. You might also want to pay a visit to their Farmer’s Market, which runs every Saturday morning in the winter (and this weekend and next there is a Christmas on the Farm event too!). If you are outside our area, keep your eyes open for a local dairy that is making their own eggnog from scratch. It just might become a Christmas tradition!

Gourmet Gifts & Giveaway

Posted by Alaina in Entertaining 101, Giveaways, Gourmet Gifts, Holidays, Kids in the Kitchen and tagged with , ,

My  kids absolutely love to be in the kitchen with me. They are thrilled to measure, stir, sprinkle, etc. And I enjoy the conversations, the teaching, the laughter and the wonderful memories being made.

So for Christmas this year, my older boys (age 4) will each be receiving their own gourmet gift “basket” of cooking things. I went to an inexpensive superstore and found measuring cups, spoons, cutting boards, scrapers, whisks, and more. I ordered safe cutter knives from Pampered Chef – there is no way they can hurt themselves using them and they are $3 apiece. Finally, I ordered aprons and hats from Etsy – they are yet to arrive but for an embroidered apron, personalized hat, rolling pin, and hot pad it cost me $15/child. I also included a kid’s cookbook which I found at a Half-Price books for $3 or less on clearance.

You can mix and match whatever you like for your child to personalize it and to find the price point that works for you. I tried to choose colors that are the boys favorite and make it personal for them. All told, they probably cost around $30-35 with the apron being half of that but you could do it for much less. I think this type of gift would be perfect for children age 3 yrs. – 9 or 10 yrs.

I’m putting a mix into each boys basket so that have the start of something for us to make together. Either mix would be perfect for a gourmet gift basket for an adult. Make a Breakfast Basket with Maple Syrup, Coffee, and Pancake Mix or a Snack Basket with Popcorn, a movie, and Cookie Mix! Don’t forget to attach a tag with instructions on how to use the mix.

GINGERBREAD PANCAKES
4 c. flour
2 c. whole wheat flour
2/3 c. sugar
2 Tb. baking powder
1 Tb. baking soda
1 Tb. cinnamon
1 Tb. ginger
1 1/2  tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cloves

Combine all dry ingredients and store in an airtight container.

TO MAKE:
1 c. mix
1 egg
3/4 c. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract (opt.)

Combine but do not overbeat. Cook on a greased griddle until golden brown on each side. Serve with syrup, vanilla yogurt, or applesauce!

OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP  COOKIES

1 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
3 c. oats
1 c. chocolate chips

Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight container or bag.

TO MAKE:
1 1/4 c. butter, softened
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 package of the mix

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter, egg, and vanilla. Add the oatmeal cookie mix and stir until the mixture is well blended. Drop the cookies by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 9-12 minutes. Cool 1 minute then remove to wire racks. Makes about 4 dozen.

VARIATION: Instead of chocolate chips, mix in 1 c. of raisins or dried cranberries and 1 tsp. of cinnamon.

So the giveaway today is a kid’s cookbook! It would make the perfect gift for a child in your life (son, daughter, niece, nephew, sibling, friend…)! My children love looking at the pictures and helping decide what we will make. They take such pride in the things they have made themselves and getting your child involved is a great way to get picky eaters to try different foods. The cookbook today is Paula Deen’s My First Cookbook. It has easy instructions, a variety of recipes, and is spiral bound.

To Enter:
- Leave a comment telling us one thing you remember making with your parents,  something you like to make with a child in your life OR your favorite food as a kid.
- One entry per person and the giveaway will stay open through Tuesday.
- That’s it! I should have it in the mail in time for you to receive it by Christmas.

Holiday Feast: Christmas Dinner

Posted by The Cooks Next Door in Entertaining 101, Holidays and tagged with , , , , , , , , ,

Christmas dinner is for many the major food attraction of the entire holiday season. Every family has their own tradition — some may prefer a day of finger foods and snacks, while others go all out and prepare a second Thanksgiving feast. The important thing is choosing a menu that is best for your family and your circumstances. We thought we’d each share some of what is traditional in our families.

In my family (Heather), Christmas dinner is a big event. Its menu is planned for weeks ahead and thought is given to setting the table with  festive tablecloth, napkins and a centerpiece. It is not set in stone what our menu will be. Creative reign is given to the host to decide if she would like to cook a turkey, ham, or some other form of meat. Why all the fuss? Our family loves sitting around the table sharing good food, enjoying lovely surroundings and one another’s company.

Last year I decided to make a stuffed pork loin for Christmas dinner. It was not difficult and provided a stunning centerpiece to the Christmas dinner. This year I’m thinking ham, accompanied by a potato/parsnip gratin (recipe yet to be created), spinach salad with grapefruit and maybe spiced pepitas, rolls, savory roasted sweet potatoes (if I have oven room), and chiffonade of Brussel sprouts. Dessert will be cookies, eggnog and Christmas pudding (a simple recipe will appear on Dec. 24).

STUFFED PORK LOIN
(Heather)

1 boneless half roast pork loin (mine weighed about 5 pounds)

Stuffing:
4 Tbsp. butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1 apple, peeled and finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh sage, chopped (or 1 tsp. dried)
1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped (or 1 tsp. dried)
1 Tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped (or 1 tsp. dried)
salt & pepper
3 c. fresh white bread cubes (1/4-inch cubes)
1/8 c. dried cranberries
1/2 c. water or broth

Glaze:
apricot jam
fresh rosemary, sage, thyme (about 1 Tbsp. each or 1 tsp. dried)

Gravy:
pan drippings
1/4 c. port or red wine (use water or apple juice as a substitute)
1/2 c. chicken broth
2 Tbsp. apricot jam (or apple jelly)
2 tsp. cornstarch

Melt butter in a saute pan and tip in onions and celery. Cook until onions are translucent. Add apple and cook until apple is beginning to go soft.

Meanwhile, cube bread and place in a large bowl. Add dried cranberries and chopped herbs. Mix in cooked apple and onion mixture and pour on enough broth to make the mixture come together.

Lay the pork loin on a cutting board and carefully begin cutting the loin in a spiral so that it unfolds to be flat.

Place kitchen twine at intervals underneath the pork loin and carefully pat on the stuffing.

Roll the pork loin up slowly, stuffing bits of bread back in as it falls out. Enlist the help of someone close by to help tie the twine as tightly as possible.

Place the pork loin in a roasting pan with the knots of the twine underneath. You can either cover and refrigerate up to one day, or bake the roast immediately.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350F. Spread apricot jam on top of the pork loin and sprinkle with chopped herbs.

Roast uncovered in the 350F oven until instant read thermometer reads 160F (mine took about 2 hours). Remove the roast from the oven, transfer to a cutting board and cover with foil to keep warm while it rests.

Meanwhile, mix the pan drippings with the port, chicken broth and apricot jam. Bring to a boil. Mix the cornstarch with 1/4 cup water and add to the gravy. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until thickened and keep warm until ready to serve.

Slice the pork roast and lay on a platter, pouring the gravy over top or serving alongside.

Christmas dinner for my family (Alaina) can be anything from lasagna or soup to ham or beef. Traditionally, my grandparents have made ham and I’ll admit that is probably my favorite. I like to buy the spiral cut, semi-boneless, half ham. It’s usually fully cooked and I just heat it in the oven for a couple of hours depending on the size.

HONEY MUSTARD HAM GLAZE
(Alaina) 

1/4 c. honey
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. dijon mustard
2 Tb. prepared yellow mustard

Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pan and heat. Brush glaze over the entire ham about 30 minutes before it is finished in the oven. Carve & enjoy!

Finding the perfect side dishes can be a challenge. Here are two side dishes that we really enjoy with ham! The first is a twice baked potato recipe that is a beautiful presentation and tastes so wonderful!

TWO-TONE TWICE BAKED POTATOES
(this is a recipe my Mom first made – Alaina)

4 lg baking potatoes (8 servings)
vegetable oil
2 Tb.butter
½ c. sour cream
¼ c. milk
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1 Tb. Chives (opt.)

Rub potatoes with oil and place in baking pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour or until tender. Cool completely. Cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out pulp leaving ¼ in. shell; set shells aside.

In mixing bowl combine pulp, butter, sour cream, & milk; beat until creamy. Stir in salt, pepper, and 1 Tb. Chives. Spoon or pipe filling into half of each prepared shell.

SWEET POTATO FILLING
4 medium sweet potatoes
¼ c. sour cream or plain yogurt
2 Tb. Butter
2 Tb. Brown sugar
½ tsp. nutmeg
¼ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. salt

Bake or peel and boil sweet potatoes until tender. Put pulp in large bowl and add sour cream, butter, brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt. Whip until creamy and smooth. Pipe sweet potato in the other half of the prepared potato shells.

Return potatoes to baking pan – bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until lightly browned.

*These can be made ahead and refrigerated overnight or frozen for up to a couple of months.*

THREE CHEESE SPINACH BAKE
(adapted from Taste of Home – Alaina)

1 c. flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 c. milk
1/4 c. butter, melted
1/2 med. onion, finely diced
2 Tb. Parmesan cheese
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 package (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 c. monterey jack cheese, shredded
1 c. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

In a lg. bowl, whisk the flour, eggs, milk, butter, onion, Parmesan, garlic, salt and cayenne until combined. Fold in spinach and other cheese. Transfer to a greased 1 1/2 qt. dish.

Bake, uncovered at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes of until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings.

The final recipe is for an appetizer. I came up with this because it combined flavors that I love.

CHERRY ALMOND BRIE EN CROUTE
(Alaina)

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
1 20 oz. wheel of brie
1/2 c. cherry jam
1/4 c. slivered almonds, toasted
1 egg, beaten

Roll out the puff pastry into a square (about 12×12 or a little smaller). Cut the wheel of brie horizontally. Place half of the brie rind side down on the puff pastry. Top with cherry jam, sprinkle with the almonds.

Place the other half of the brie on top (cut side down). Pull the puff pastry up around the brie. Brush the top with the beaten egg.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 20-30 minutes or until puff pastry is golden and cheese is soft. Serve with crackers.

Off The Shelf: Christmas Cookbooks

Posted by Heather in Off the Shelf and tagged with , , ,

Looking through Christmas cookbooks helps inspire me for all the cooking that necessarily goes with the holiday season. Often the backbone of what I’ll make is already chosen by tradition, but there is always room for something new and exciting. Today I have a number of books to recommend.

Southern Living’s Christmas Cookbook 2008 is so full of good ideas that I’ve contemplated buying it for my bookshelf. There are recipes for Family and Friends: breakfasts, simple suppers, make-ahead dinners, comfort food and the classic Christmas dinner. There are recipes for Casual Entertaining: holiday brunch, southern brunch, ladies’ luncheon, cocktails, holiday buffet, coffee and chocolate party, chili party, open house for a crowd and twelfth night celebration. And then there are specific Holiday Cooking recipes: breakfasts, appetizers, main courses, side-dishes and baked goods.

With 279 large pages full of recipes and lots and lots of pictures, you are sure to find a few recipes you want to try and plenty of decorating and serving ideas.

Christmas All Through The House from Gooseberry Patch is a huge collection of Christmas recipes and craft ideas put together in an attractive layout with plenty of pictures. There are so many options and ideas that you could feel overwhelmed. The key is to choose a few ideas, or one theme that inspires you, and run with that.

You will find recipes for gift-giving such as Cranberry Cider Mix, Cookie Mixes, Spiced Nuts, etc., all with suggestions on how to package these items. Similar to the Southern Living Cookbook, you will find a myriad of recipes for main dishes, salads, sides, appetizers, and holiday baked goods. I chose to try the Trimming-The-Tree Pita Snacks. The recipe was easy to make and the result tasted great! I’ll be making them again.

 

TRIMMING-THE-TREE PITA SNACKS
(adapted from Christmas All Through The House)

8 pita rounds
olive oil
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
4 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. garlic powder

Carefully split pitas into 2 rounds; slice each round into eight wedges. Arrange wedges smooth-side up on foil-lined baking sheets, one pita thick; brush lightly with olive oil. Flip wedges over; brush with olive oil. Set aside.

Combine cheese, basil and garlic powder; sprinkle evenly over wedges. Bake at 350F for 12-14 minutes; remove from tray to a wire rack t cool completely. Makes 10-12  servings.

American Christmas by Williams-Sonoma is a beautiful, inspiring book. It is filled with stunning photographs and sprinkled with recipes from every part of holiday cooking. It is not as large a book as the two mentioned above, but is rather like a collection of the very best recipes and ideas. I’ve been tempted to try their savory shortbread and the cranberry chutney, but time has not yet allowed for that.

 

 

A Greener Christmas by Sheherazade Goldsmith came out last year and is a great book for giving ideas on returning to a home-made, eco-friendly celebration. This book runs heavy on the craft side, but there is still a good collection of recipes to choose from such as flavored oils, fruit jam, pear chutney, walnut bread, stollen, marshmallows, panettone, stuffings, etc., all with an emphasis on seasonal cooking.

Last, but not least, my copy of Food Network Magazine, December 2009 finally arrived two days ago. This is the holiday magazine I’ve been waiting for! It did not disappoint as some of my other magazines did this year. Beginning with the cover, right through the remaining 200 pages, this issue is chock full of holiday spirit! Check out the trends in holiday cupcakes (eggnog, figgy pudding, and chestnut), get help with making appetizers at the last-minute, take a peek into Nigella Lawson’s holiday kitchen, browse all the food-related gift ideas, and then start cooking:

There are recipes for hams, creative ways to use fruitcake (including stuffed pork medallions), amazing gifts in a jar, homemade eggnog, easy suppers and sides (they look so good I want to make them all!), a number of complete menus for weekend entertaining, including a savory crepe buffet that looks scrumptious, a creme brulee how-to, and the coolest collection of wreaths made out of candies. You should see the Andes mint wreath,  or the wreath made entirely of popcorn. There’s even an all-white, marshmallow wreath.

Next comes the holiday baking with a pull-out of 50 Holiday Cookies. And there is a tw0-page spread on hot cocoa variations that makes me want to have a party created around this theme. All-in-all, it’s a great issue and I’ll be keeping it close to hand in the coming weeks.

Winner!

Posted by Alaina in Blog Business, Giveaways

And the winner of the Cookie Cookbook and Cookie Cutters is…KIM! Although you like to make anise flavored cookies, we decided that didn’t warrant a disqualification. :) My husband would like to stop by for your anise cookies – he loves them! Hope you enjoy the cookbook! I’ll also be contacting you via e-mail.