Merry Christmas!

It's a couple of days before Christmas and I thought I could share some recipes and ideas that might inspire you. I'm sure most of you have been just as busy as I have been! Shopping, baking, wrapping, more shopping! It can be overwhelming but I hope that you are all enjoying this time of year as well.


Growing up we always celebrated festa dei sette pesci, feast of the seven fishes, on La Vigilia, Christmas Eve. Over the years this celebration has evolved. Last year was the first time that I have hosted at our house. We had done the same thing as years past and ordered fish from Bradford Seafood. It's very good but my grandmother likes fried fish and the rest of us find it to be too much fried food! So my mother and I made an executive decision last year and decided that I would cook the following year. As much as I would love to continue on with the tradition of the seven fish, I don't find it necessary to make seven different fish dishes for eight people! I've decided to keep it simple but homemade and yummy of course! I'm going to make a baked haddock, a fresh salad, and to keep the peace with my grandmother we will make waffle fries! My mother is also going to bring shrimp cocktail. Sounds good to me! Should be delicious! Hopefully my fellow Italian followers will gain some inspiration from this post and realize it's okay to cut back and still stick with your traditions! Buon Natale!


I know not everyone will celebrate Christmas the same but I'm sure a lot of you will celebrate with a cocktail! Here is what I'm going to be mixing up on Christmas Eve.


Candy Cane Martini 

• 1/2 oz. Peppermint Schnapps
• 1 1/2 oz. Vanilla Vodka

Fill a shaker with ice, vodka and peppermint schnapps. Shake to mix and strain into a chilled martini glass rimmed with crushed candy canes. Garnish with a mini candy cane! Enjoy!

For dessert I'm going to make my grandmothers favorite dessert. This is a delicious cake/bread that is great for both the fall and winter seasons. I got this recipe from a former co-worker. We used to make it with the kids after a nice apple picking field trip.

Apple Cake

• 3 cups apples, peeled and chopped (about 3 large apples)
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 2 tsp cinnamon

1. Mix together oil, eggs and sugar and vanilla.
2. Stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder and spices.
3. Add to oil mixture.
4. Stir in apples.
5. Add 1 cup of raisins and 1 cup of chopped walnuts. (optional)
6. Bake in two bread pans or 1 bundt pan at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes.

                                     

This cake is so yummy that it is gone within 24 hours! My grandmother likes to enjoy a slice with a cup of tea or coffee. You can also make a glaze to drizzle over the cake or dust with powdered sugar but it certainly doesn't need it! It is delicious just the way it is!


I am wishing everyone the happiest of holidays! Relax, enjoy and celebrate with your loved ones! 

Buon Natale!

Happy Thanksgiving... Better Late Than Never!!

I hope everyone had a fantastic, food filled Thanksgiving! I certainly did! With this busy holiday season fast approaching I have been slacking in the blogging department. I had good intentions of posting my Thanksgiving day menu much earlier but it just didn't happen. Why not post it now?! Of course these recipes are so versatile that they could be made for any gathering or even a nice family dinner during the week. So read on and hopefully you will find something that inspires you!

When I knew we were hosting Thanksgiving this year the first thing I thought of was of course.... no, not turkey, a holiday themed beverage!! I found a recipe for punch that sounded festive and delicious so I just had to try it! It was quite fabulous and I recommend you try it.

Thanksgiving Punch 

• 1 bottle of dry sparkling white wine
• 3 1/3 oz brandy
• 3 1/3 oz creme de framboise (raspberry liqueur) I used chambord 
• 18 oz cranberry juice
• 8 1/3 oz fresh orange juice
• handful of fresh cranberries
• handful of fresh raspberries
• 2 oranges, sliced
• sprig of fresh mint

1. Pour all ingredients into a punch bowl. Stir.
2. Just before guests arrive add the ice cubes, slices or orange, mint and the berries.

That simple! Okay, a couple of things. First of all you don't have to worry about getting the measurements exactly right. You're mixing a cocktail not baking a cake! Second, if you don't have a punch bowl (which I do not) use a pitcher instead. Third, you may want to add less chambord because it is very sweet. Remember, you can always add more but you can't take it out once it's mixed in the punch! And my last suggestions for this punch is to add all the ingredients (except the ice) rather than waiting for guests to arrive. I found that adding the mint earlier gave the punch a more minty taste. Delish!! So try this out at your next party. You can of course switch out the fruits to suit you liking. Enjoy!

Once I had a nice cocktail I was ready to start cooking! First things first... appetizers. We weren't having many people so I decided to keep it simple. Some easy things that your guests can snack on before the big meal are mixed nuts and cheese and crackers. This is a nice easy way to have something on your table that doesn't require a lot of preparation. Just open a can of nuts and pour them into a pretty bowl. For the cheese and crackers all you have to do is slice the cheese. You can get fancy when arranging them on a plate to add a little extra 'fancy' to a simple appetizer! Along with the nuts, cheese and crackers I did make one appetizer that is always a huge hit whenever I make it! Here it is.

Spinach Artichoke Dip

• 14 oz artichoke hearts
• 1 clove of garlic
• 2 cups of freshly chopped spinach
• 1/2 cup of mayonnaise
• grated white cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Mix everything except the grated cheese together.
2. Place the mixture in an oven-proof dish, then top with the cheese.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until spinach is tender and the cheese is nicely melted. 
4. Serve with tortilla chips.

This recipe is so easy to whip up and it's so delicious!! You can always use frozen spinach if you don't have fresh spinach. I usually defrost it in the microwave before adding it to the rest of the ingredients. Make this at your next gathering or bring to the next party you attend and I guarantee it will be a big hit!

To start our dinner off nicely I made a butternut squash soup. Well actually that isn't exactly true! I had picked up our CSA share the Tuesday before Thanksgiving and to my surprise there wasn't any butternut squash in my box! Oh well, that is part of the fun of participating in a CSA. There are no guarantees as to what you will receive each week. We did however get calabsa squash. I had never heard of it either!! It was a very large squash that looked like a pumpkin. I did a little research and found out that it is similar to butternut squash so I figured I might as well use it. It took me quite some time to peel and cut this large squash and when I was finally finished there was a total of just about 8 pounds! Much more than I needed for the soup but that's okay. Now I had a bag of cubed squash in my fridge for  future recipes! My mother in law found this recipe and I really like it! Here it is.

Butternut Squash Soup With Gruyere Toasts

• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 large Gala apples, peeled, cored and chopped (you can substitute the Gala apples for another kind of apple,use what you have!)
• 3 pounds of butternut squash, peeled and cubed (about 8 cups)
• 1 1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger, thinly sliced
• 1 box (32oz) of broth, chicken or vegetable
• 1 cup of apple cider or juice
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

Gruyere Toasts

• 16 slices (1/2 inch thick) baguette
• 2 oz of Gruyere cheese, finely shredded

1. Melt butter in a 5 quart pot over medium-high heat. Stir in onion and apples. 
2. Saute 5 minutes or until onion is translucent.
3. Add butternut squash, ginger, broth, cider or juice, salt and pepper. 
4. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until vegetable are very soft. 
5. Let cool for 5 minutes.
6. Process soup in very small batches in a blender or food processor until smooth(alternately, use an immersion blender to puree.) 
7. Return soup to the pot and add cream. Season with the salt to taste. Warm over low heat if necessary.
8. Heat broiler.
9. Place baguette slices on foil lined baking sheet. Broil 2-3 minutes or until golden brown.
10. Take toasts out of the oven, turn over and sprinkle each slice with some Gruyere. Broil 2-3 minutes until cheese is bubble and melted. 
11. Serve soup with one of the Gruyere toasts.

I love the toasts with this soup! It is so good! If you don't have an immersion blender you should consider getting one. It comes in very handy if you like to make pureed soups. When you are able to puree right in the pot there is one less thing to clean and that is always a bonus!

Since we are vegetarian I did not make a turkey for our Thanksgiving dinner. Some of our guests do eat turkey though so my mom made the turkey and brought if over with her. I know that turkey is a huge part of Thanksgiving dinner but I have to say that I don't miss the turkey when there are so many delicious sides to fill my plate and my belly! Here is a vegetable recipe that I love because I can use a variety of veggies in one delicious dish! Plus it calls for Gruyere cheese which I used on the toasts in the soup recipe. This way we, and by we I mean my husband, can shred the cheese all at once!

Root Vegetable Gratin 

• 3 pounds of assorted root vegetables, peeled and cut into 1/8 inch thick slices
• 3 table spoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 cup of thinly sliced shallots
• 1 1/3 cups low fat milk, divided
• 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups finely shredded Gruyere cheese, divided
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, or 1 tsp dried
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. If using parsnips, quarter lengthwise and remove the woody core before cutting into slices. 
3. Cook vegetables in a pot of boiling water until barely tender, about 5 minutes. Drain.
4. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until light brown, 3-4 minutes. Add 1 cup of mild and bring to a simmer. Combine flour and the remaining 1/3 cup of milk in a small bowl to make a smooth paste. Stir into the hot milk and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce bubbles and thickens, 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in 3/4 cup cheese, thyme, salt and pepper.
5. Combine breadcrumbs, the remaining 3/4 cup cheese and 1 tablespoon oil in a bowl.
6. Layer the vegetable slices in the prepared baking dish. Pour the cheese over the top and top with the breadcrumb mixture.
7. Bake the gratin until it is bubbling and the top is golden, 30-40 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

I could eat this as my meal and be completely satisfied! So yummy and you can use whatever root veggies you have on hand. I used parsnips, red and golden beets, turnips and carrots.

Of course we had mashed potatoes, corn and peas but I don't think I need to include any of those recipes! The other thing I made was cranberry sauce. It's so easy to make and it's better than the canned version. Plus you can easily make it ahead of time and not have to worry about it Thanksgiving day. Give it a try! 

Cranberry Sauce

• 1 pound of fresh cranberries, washed
• 1-2 cups of granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup of water
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 orange, zested and juiced

1. In a medium pot, combine the cranberries, sugar and water. Stir to blend.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat.
3. Reduce to a simmer and add the cinnamon stick, allspice and nutmeg. Stir to blend and simmer for an additional 5-7 minutes.
4. Some of the cranberries will burst and some will remain whole.
5. Add the orange juice and zest, stir and allow to cool before serving.

It's that easy! Fresh, homemade and no preservatives! Can't go wrong there. I found that it's best to make this ahead of time so that the sauce has time to congeal in the fridge before serving. Personally I find that 2 cups of sugar is way too much! Start by adding 1/2 cup and go from there. Remember, you can always add more but you can't take it out once you put it in. Try this out and add other ingredients such as nuts and soon you'll have your own signature cranberry sauce.

Of course no meal is complete without fresh baked rolls, well at least at my house! Fresh baked rolls are not as difficult to make as you may think. You can use active dry yeast but I prefer the rapid rise because it's faster and so much easier!

Classic Dinner Rolls 

• 1 envelope of rapid rise yeast
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 2-2 1/2 cups of flour
• 1/4 cup of water
• 1/2 cup of milk
• 2 tablespoons of butter or margarine

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl (starting with 1-1/2 cups of flour).
3. Combine wet ingredients in a saucepan and heat on low until butter is melted.
4. Add milk mixture to the mixing bowl and beat at medium speed.
5. Add more flour 1/2 cup at a time until a soft dough forms.
6. Continue to knead with the mixer for an additional 2 minutes. If the dough is sticking to the bottom of the bowl you need to add more flour.
7. Cover the dough and let sit for 10 minutes.
8. Grease an 8 inch round pan.
9. Divide dough into 12 equal pieces and shape into balls. Place in the pan.
10. Cover and let rise for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
11. Uncover and bake rolls for 20-25 minutes or until the rolls are golden brown of the top. Remove from pan and serve.

These fresh rolls are so yummy, especially nice and warm right out of the oven! I always make these with lasagna! Try it out and you may not ever buy rolls in a tube again!

Last but not least... dessert! I don't know about you, but by the time I was done with my meal there was no room left for dessert. But none the less we had plenty of it! I decided to make a festive trifle for Thanksgiving dessert. This is where I strayed slightly from my 'homemade' approach. I know, I know... tisk, tisk!! You can make this one from scratch if you like but packaged gingerbread and pudding is what I used. Oh well! Here it is.

Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle

• 1 package of gingerbread mix
• 1 package of vanilla pudding (I used instant)
• 1 (30 oz) can of pumpkin pie filling
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1 (12 oz) container of cool whip
• 1/2 cup gingersnaps

1. Bake the gingerbread according to the packager directions. Cool completely.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the pudding and store in the fridge until ready to use.
3. Stir the pumpkin pie filling, sugar and cinnamon into the pudding.
4. Crumble some of the gingerbread into the bottom of a trifle bowl.
5. Pour 1/2 of the pudding mixture over the gingerbread, then add a layer of cool whip.
6. Repeat with the remaining gingerbread, pudding and cool whip. 
7. Sprinkle the top with crushed gingersnaps.

So not necessarily homemade but yummy and festive! This trifle can be made so many different ways. You can use chocolate cake, chocolate pudding and as an extra treat add crushed skor bars! This could also be made as a 4th of July trifle by using angle food cake, cool whip and strawberries and blueberries. Try it out, modify it, make it your own!

Here is a picture of my plate on Thanksgiving. I didn't even have turkey but my entire plate was full... along with my belly! Sadly I was not a member of the clean plate club! Oh well, maybe next year!

I hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving dinner along with good company. Please try out some of these recipes and let me know what you think. Check back soon because I am going to try my hardest to post some Christmas recipes before Christmas actually arrives! Look forward to another festive cocktail and a delicious dessert! Happy cooking!

Recipes taken from:
www.womansday.com
www.foodnetwork.com
www.eatingwell.com
The Complete Home Bartender's Guide http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Home-Bartenders-Guide-Recipes/dp/0806985119