Butternut Squash Soup with Caramelized Apples

After the midterm of my culinary class, we waded into soup territory.  Squash soup is one of my favorites to eat, though I don't often make it.  This one sounded wonderful, but our school's kitchen stocks only meat stocks.  Had I been able to substitute veggie stock, I would have loved to sample it.  I was so bummed out that once again I was cooking something I couldn't eat that I didn't even take a picture of the soup itself.  The garnish, however, was heaven--apples sauteed in butter and brown sugar!  I focused on that.  It will make a great topping for any fall soup, like split pea or cauliflower bisque.  Yum, soup! 

Butternut Squash Soup with Caramelized Apples

Yield:  1 Gallon

4 oz. French Bread
1 oz. Butter

1 oz. Butter
4 oz. Onions, small dice
4 oz. Leeks, small dice
6 oz. Carrots, small dice
2 lb. Butternut Squash, medium dice
3 Qt. Chicken or Vegetable Stock
3/4 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. White Pepper
1/4 tsp. Allspice, ground
1/4 tsp. Ginger, ground

12 ea. Croutons
3/4 lb. Apples, tart, firm cooking
3/4 oz. Butter
1 oz. Brown Sugar

6 oz. Heavy Cream

Directions:
1.  Cut the bread into 1/2 inch thick slices and fry the bread in 1 oz. butter until golden brown. 

2.  In a heavy sauce pot heat 1 oz. butter over moderately low heat.

3.  Add the onions, leeks, and carrots.  Sweat until they are about half cooked.  Do not brown.
4.  Add the squash, stock, and bread.  Simmer until the vegetables are tender.

5.  Puree the soup with a food mill, then bring the soup back to a simmer.

6.  Prepare the croutons.

7.  Peel and core apples.  Cut into small dice.  Heat 1 oz butter in a saute pan and add the apples and sugar.  Cook over moderate heat until the apples are brown and caramelized.

8.  At service, if used, heat the heavy cream and add to the soup.

Knife Cuts and Skills

A main focus of any beginning culinary class is gaining confidence, speed, and accuracy with basic knife skills.  My class was no exception.  We were encouraged to practice, practice, practice and taught many different cuts and shapes.  

ARD Culinary Concepts makes visual knife cuts models that are a must for a culinary student.  At Chef's recommendation, I also got the book The Professional Chef's Knife Kit by the Culinary Institute of America.  A good portion of our midterm test was made up of a knife skills practical exam, and we were not told which cuts would be on it.  The ziploc in the photo above is a 5-lb bag of potatos reduced to a medium dice as practice.

Technical specifications:  the large dice is a culinary knife cut measuring ¾ inch × ¾ inch × ¾ inch.  The batonnet measures ½ inch × ½ inch × 2½-3 inches. It is also the starting point for another cut, the medium dice.  The medium dice measures ½ inch × ½ inch × ½ inch.  Measuring ¼ inch × ¼ inch × 2½-3 inches, the allumette is sometimes referred to as the "matchstick cut." It's also the starting point for the small dice.  The small dice measures ¼ inch × ¼ inch × ¼ inch and is produced by slicing the allumette into ¼ inch sections.   The julienne cut measures 1/8 inch × 1/8 inch × 2½ inches.  The brunoise knife cut (pronounced BROON-wahz) measures 1/8 inch × 1/8 inch × 1/8 inch.  The fine julienne knife cut measures 1/16 inch × 1/16 inch × 2 inches. It's also the starting point for the fine brunoise cut.  The fine brunoise knife cut (pronounced BROON-wahz) measures 1/16 inch × 1/16 inch × 1/16 inch. Tiny!

How are your knife skills at home?  Do you think they would compare on a professional level?  If you have a story of an ER visit due to cooking please leave a comment on my blog--hopefully it ended well.

Presentation on a Cheese Plate

The continuation of dairy week centered around my favorite food--cheese!  The assignment focused on presentation.  An array of cheeses, fruit and nuts were at our disposal for our group to do with as we wished.  We used our knife skills to give visual interest through different shapes, and added nuts and grapes for texture as well as taste.  

My groupmates created the idea of cream-cheese stuffed grapes.  They made for a beautifully elegant presentation.

We were also encouraged to forage for fresh herbs on the grounds surrounding the building.  The only edible that caught my attention was rosemary.  I finely chopped dried apricots and figs and combined it with some minced fresh rosemary to make a coating for a goat cheese log.  My goat cheese was one hit of the evening! 

Broccoli & Cheese Souffle

Finally!  We made it to dairy week in my culinary class.  I felt a downward slide, definitely over the hump of the worst of the class, as we came upon techniques that I was familiar with.  Our group was assigned a souffle, one of my favorite dishes as a kid.  My mom's style was a bit different, though.  I was taught not to overmix the egg whites, while my Chef showed us to fully if gently incorporate the mixture.  I'm not much of a broccoli lover, but the minced broccoli was so subtle when everything was smoothly mixed, that it was a yummy addition to this recipe.

Basic Savory Souffle Recipe

Note:  A souffle begins as a Bechamel sauce. Eggs are separated with the yolks incorporated into the sauce and the whites beaten to just stiff peaks.  Before folkding in the beaten egg whites, the souffle is given its flavor by adding something:  grated cheese, herbs, minced bacon, vegetables (like spinach or broccoli), sausage, or other meats or fish.  The souffle dish is greased and the souffle is baked until puffed and done.

1/4 C. Butter or Margarine (half cube)
1/4 C. Flour
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Dry Mustard
dash Cayenne or Red Pepper Flakes

1 C. Milk
3 Eggs, spearated
1/4 tsp. Cream of Tartar

1 C. Grated Cheese
other ingredients for flavor

Directions:

1.  In a saucepan, make the bechamel sauce:  melt the butter, add teh flour and seasonings (salt, mustard, and pepper) and blend well.  Add the milk and stir until thickened.  

2.  In a KitchenAid mixer, beat the egg whites until foamy.  Add teh cream of tartar and beat until stiff.  

3.  Beat the egg yolks and add to the sauce (must be tempered when added).

4.  Add any cheese or herbs or other minced ingredients to the yolk mixture.

5.  Fold in about 1/4 of the beaten whites to lighten the mixture.  Then gently fold in the rest being careful not to "pop the air bubbles."

6.  Pour into a greased souffle dish (you may want to first dust the pan with parmesan cheese).  Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven until puffed and set; knife should come out clean.  Serve immediately.  It will fall.  

*For a hot dessert souffle:  Egg yolks are combined with sugar and beaten until light.  Flour is added to this.  A little hot milk is added slowly and tempered in.  Flavoring is added.  Egg whites are beaten and folded in. 

Wild Rice Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette

On our first heavy meat-course day of culinary lab, I made a wild rice salad to act as a bed for the cracklings and meat (duck?  pork loin?  I can't remember and I don't know my meat well enough to identify in the photo).  

We improvised on the fly when a few ingredients were missing from our lab.  This salad is a combination of wild rice, white rice, dried apricots, red onion, and dressing.  The dressing is similar to one we did a few weeks ago--but slightly different enough that I'll post it below.

Wild Rice Salad

Yield:  24 2.7-oz. servings

1 Lb. Wild Rice

1 1/2 Lb. Long Grain White Rice

4 oz. Apricots, dried

12 oz. Red Onion, chopped

4 oz. Walnuts, toasted, chopped

Water, as needed

Kosher Salt, as needed

Directions:

1.  Rinse the wild rice and place in a stock pot with 1 gal. salted water; simmer about 40 minutes or until the ends of the grains have begun to split open.

2.  Cook the long grain rice using a rice maker.

3.  Steep the apricots in boiling water until hydrated, then drain.

4.  Drain the wild rice and toss with 3 fl. oz. vinaigrette (below).  Cool to room temperature.  Add the long grain white rice.  Combine well.

5.  Add the remaining ingredients and mix the salad; toss with more vinaigrette to bind and season. Rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.  

Red Wine Vinaigrette

Yield:  10 fl. oz.

3 fl. oz. Red Wine Vinegar

1 fl. oz. Dijon Mustard

6 fl. oz. Vegetable Oil

1 Tbsp. Shallots, minced

1 tsp. Garlic, minced

3 Tbsp. Parsley, minced

Salt & Pepper, to taste

Directions:

Whisk all ingredients together and adjust seasoning to taste.

Tomatoes and Ladybugs

I planted my tomato seedlings from Tomatomania at the end of March this year.  I did seven starts, with a couple of duplicates, that included all my favorites:  Sungold, Isis Candy, Striped Cavern, Green Zebra, and maybe a Pineapple.  

Problems in my watering system have meant they haven't gotten a great start this year, but I did try to give them a push by releasing some ladybugs into my garden.  I dropped most of them onto the Hibiscus plants that I am training into a hedge. It was so fun watching them disperse over the course of the next several days!  They're released at sunset, when the cooler temperatures encourage them to stay in the area.  The wood shavings are from the container in which the ladybugs were packaged.  

Have you ever experimented with beneficial insects in your garden?  Please leave a comment with your experience in releasing them, and whether or not it had an effect on your plants.

Sun-Dried Tomato and Basil Aioli

To practice the standard breading procedure in my culinary class, we made chicken tenders, pork tonkatsu, and deep fried squid, all using the same fryer/oil.  Since I don't eat or cook any meat (including fish), I made the aioli dipping sauce within my group.  It was yummy even with fresh vegetables, but would be great with a veggie tempura. 

Sun-Dried Tomato and Basil Aioli

Yield:  1 qt.

4 Garlic Cloves, mashed to a paste
4 Egg Yolks
2 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
1 1/2 pt. Olive Oil
4 oz. Sun-dried Tomatoes
4 Tbsp. Basil, fresh, chopped
1 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. White Pepper

Directions:  

1.  Combine the garlic, egg yolks, and a few drops of lemon juice in a bowl and whip until frothy.

2.  While whipping the egg yolk mixture, slowly add theoil until an emulsion begins to form.  Continue adding the oil while whipping until all the oil is incorporated.  A few drops of lemon juice may be added from time to time to thin the sauce.

3.  Finely chop the sun-dried tomatoes.  Add them along with the basil to the aioli.  

4.  Season to taste with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.

Homemade Mayo

One culinary lab, each person had to make mayo from scratch.  It takes a lot of arm strength to whisk 7 oz. of oil into one egg yolk.  Several people had to make multiple attempts after their mayo broke, or separated, but I was able to reach the right consistency on the first try.  We learned something about alchemy too--turns out making it in a steel bowl will result in a change of color, and the mayo won't be white but a yellowish hue.  Next time I'll use glass!

Mayonnaise

Yield:  1 Cup

1 Egg Yolk
Salt & White Pepper to taste
1/4 tsp Dry Mustard
1 tsp Wine Vinegar
7 fl. oz. Salad Oil
Lemon Juice to taste

Directions:

1.  Place the egg yolk in a bowl and whip until thick and lemon-colored.

2.  Add the dry ingredients and half the vinegar to the yolks; whisk to combine.

3.  Begin to drizzle the oil very slowly while whisking until the mixture begins to thicken and an emulsion starts to form.

4.  Add the remaining oil in a slow steady stream, thinning the mayonnaise occasionally by adding a little vinegar.  Continue until all the oil and vinegar have been incorporated. 

5.  Adjust the seasonings and add lemon juice to taste.

6.  Refrigerate unitl needed.

Note:

The mayonnaise will become very thick as more oil is added.  A small amount of liquid can be added if it becomes too thick.  Alternate between oil and liquid two or three time until all the oil is added and the correct consistency is reached.

Important:

A large egg yolk can emulsify up to 7 fl. oz. of oil; adding more oil may cause the mayonnaise to break and separate.

Vegetable Side Salads

Gemischter Salat (German Mixed Salad")

We've made a couple of sixties-era side salads in my culinary class that remind me of my mother's cooking.  Not my favorites, but again, we're practicing knife skills, and learning to make a few dressings on the way.  I'm just glad that there are some vegetarian dishes I can cook, though it seems that vegeterian entrees have been forgotten, and veggies have been relegated to the world of salad only. 

This German Mixed Salad has a nice Mustard Vinaigrette Dressing that I will use on other dishes.  I do like the pretty julienned veggies on a bed of lettuce.  The Macedoine of Vegetables looks like a bag of mixed frozen veggies slathered with mayonnaise, but they were hand cut for our class.

What type of side salads do you serve, other than the typical greens, and where did you learn to make them?  I'd love to hear your comments on my blog.

Macedoine of Vegetables Mayonnaise

Gemischter Salat (German Mixed Salad)

Yield:  4 Servings

3 oz. Carrot, julienne
3 oz. Celery, julienne
5 oz. Celery Root, julienne or Parsnips, blanched
4 oz. Red Onion, julienne
4 oz. Cucumber, peeled, seeded, & julienne
4 oz. Tomato concassee
6 fl. oz. Mustard Dressing
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 head Boston Lettuce

Directions:

1.  Combine all ingredients except the lettuce in a stainless bowl.  Toss gently to combine.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

2.  Separate, wash, and dry the Boston lettuce leaves.  Arrange the salad on the leaves and add a generous grating of black pepper.  

Mustard Vinaigrette Dressing

2 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard
2 fl. oz. Red Wine Vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste
6 fl. oz. Canola Oil
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
2 Tbsp. Water, hot

Directions:

Combine the mustard and vinegar.  Season with salt and pepper.  Whip in the oils to emulsify.  Add the hot water and whip until smooth.

Macedoine of Vegetables Mayonnaise

Yield:  12 2-oz. servings

8 oz. Carrots, cooked, small dice

8 oz. Turnips, white, cooked, small dice

4 oz. Green Beans, cooked, sliced into 1/4 inch pieces

4 oz. Green Peas, cooked

1/2 C. Mayonnaise, or as needed

Salt & White Pepper to taste

12 ea. Lettuce Cups for under liner, or baby salad mix

12 ea. Tomato Wedges, garnish

Directons:

1.  Chill all ingredients before combining.

2.  Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix until evenly combined.  Use only enough mayonnaise to bind.  Season to taste.  The completed salad mixture must be kept chilled at all times.

3.  Place the lettuce bases on plates.  Using a No. 16 scoop (2 oz.), place a mound of salad on each base.  Garnish with a tomato wedge.

Custom Adult Hula Hoops

I made some adult hula hoops from pvc tubing a year or so ago, but hadn't taken the time to decorate them so I could use them in public.  I found some great plaid duct tape and finally hand wrapped them.  Now I have my own personalized, coordinated set of hand and waist hoops!  Can't wait to use them in class.

These sell for about $40-60 each on sites like etsy.  Now I understand why.  They take about two hours to do one hoop, and that was with a simple one-tape design.  If you use several colors, it can take even longer.  

What's your favorite piece of custom exercise gear?  Please leave a comment on the blog.

High English Tea with Chocolate Banana Quickbread

 

With the theme of "Roots," the assignment for March's Food Bloggers Los Angeles meeting was to bring a dish that's related to your ethnic heritage.  Given our diversity, this was sure to result in a fabulous spread.  True to form, there were those that went generations back to a foreign country, and a few who showed their heritage in the form of frozen mixed vegetables.  

I am a true mutt, with English, Irish, German and other indeterminate genetic roots.  I had to pick one, so I chose English, conceiving of a figgy bread pudding with my homemade chocolate banana bread as a base.  I got as far as the bread, but ran out of time for the pudding.  So, I rethought, and pulled out one of my favorite Longaberger baskets to make my own high tea.  To satisfy the appetite, I included dried figs, dried dates, lemon curd and marscapone for the quickbread.  To wash it down, I threw in bags of cucumber, chocolate hazelnut decaf, and passionfruit teas.

Our discussion topic centered around monetizing our blogs, a very important but daunting subject.  Listening to the group's varied experiences and suggestions again spurred me to return to blogging on a regular basis.

Banana Chocolate Quickbread

1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 4)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
 

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a loaf pan. Combine the sugar and butter in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed, scraping the bowl several times, until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the bananas, egg, and vanilla and continue beating and scraping the bowl until well mixed, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and stir with a whisk to blend. Add to the banana mixture and beat on low speed for 1 to 2 minutes, scraping the bowl several times, until the batter is well mixed.  Add the cocoa to the and beat on low speed for about 30 seconds, or until well mixed.  Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes or longer. Let cool for ten minutes, then invert to remove from pan.

Ratatouille

The sum of my knowledge of Ratatouille before my culinary class consisted of the Pixar/Disney animated film.  In my class, we got to make the dish from scratch.  It involves a lot of dicing and mincing, which was the point as we were learning knife skills.  But we ended up with a hearty comfort dish, and one I know I'll make at home.

Ratatouille

Yield:  4 8-oz. servings

6 oz. Onions, medium dice
2 tsp. Garlic, minced
2 fl. oz. Vegetable Oil
6 oz. Green Bell Pepper, medium dice
6 oz. Red Bell Pepper, medium dice
6 oz. Eggplant, medium dice
4 oz. Zucchini, medium dice
12 oz. Tomato concassee
1 Tbsp. Basil Leaves, fresh, chiffonade
Salt & Black Pepper to taste

Directions: 

1.  Sweat the onion and garlic in the oil.

2.  Add the bell peppers, eggplant and zucchini and saute until tender.

3.  Add the tomato concassee, basil and seasonings, saute for 5 minutes.

4.  Adjust seasonings to taste.

Caesar Salad with Homemade Dressing and Croutons

I expected my culinary class to focus on classic sauces, but I was surprised with how many dressings we made from scratch.  We started off with a simple Caesar Salad, with homemade croutons and dressing.  To make this vegetarian, I omitted the anchovies called for in the dressing.  We served this the night we made Ratatouille, as a nice balance to the warm stew.

Caesar Salad

Yield: 4 Servings

2 lbs. Romaine Lettuce Leaves, cut into a large Chiffonade, washed, dried and chilled

8 fl. oz. Caesar Dressing (recipe below)

Grated Parmesan Cheese, as needed

Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Directions:

1.  Gently toss the Romaine lettuce in a large bowl with the dressing. 

2.  Place each portion on a plate and garnish with Parmesan cheese, croutons, and black pepper.

Caesar Dressing

Yield:  1 Pint (16 oz.)

3/4 tsp. Garlic, minced

1 oz. Parmesan, grated

1/2 fl. oz. Red Wine Vinegar

3/4 tsp. Whole-Grain Mustard

3/4 tsp. Dijon-style Mustard

1/4 oz. Anchovy Fillets, finely minced and mashed

3/4 tsp. Salt

1/4 tsp. Black Pepper

12 oz. Mayonnaise

Directions:

1.  Combine all of the ingredients by hand until uniformly mixed.

2.  Adjust seasonings to taste.

Garlic Croutons

Yield:  10 oz. 

2 oz. Butter, unsalted

1 tsp. Garlic, minced

8 oz. French Bread, cut medium dice

1 tsp. Parmesan Cheese, grated

1 tsp. Basil, dried

1 tsp. Oregano, dried

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

1.  Melt the butter in a small saucepan and add the garlic.  Sweat the garlic in the butter over low heat until fragrant and translucent.

2.  Place the bread cubes in a bowl; add the Parmesan cheese and herbs.

3.  Pour the garlic butter over the bread cubes and immediately toss to combine.

4.  Spread the bread cubes on a parchment paper lined sheet pan in a single layer and bake at 400 degrees Farenheit.  Stir the croutons occasionally and cook until dry and lightly browned, approximately 15 minutes.

Ina Garten's Carrot Cake

I've started taking a culinary course at the local community college.  It's a wide-ranging basic introduction, and I was pleased to find we started with something I could relate to--Ina Garten's carrot cake!

The course is challenging--a heavy text and a good amount of lab hours.  Plus, it covers meat, which as a vegetarian I don't cook.  I hope I can balance school with work.  Even though it's only one class, I haven't been a student in a very long time, and my job is not one that I can take off when needed.  We're cooking in groups of four or five, so I'm hopeful that my teammates will allow me to do the vegetable prep and focus on the vegetarian aspects of whatever course we're serving.  The best part is of course when we eat at the end of each class!   I'm looking forward to making some friends.

I have to remember to consider the yield in the recipes from this course, as lots of them are restaurant-scale.  This one though, is perfect for home-baking.

Carrot/Pineapple Cake

2 C. Granulated Sugar

1 1/3 C. Vegetable Oil

3 Extra-Large Eggs, room temperature

1 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract

2 1/2 C. plus 1 Tbsp. All-Purpose Flour, divided

2 tsp. Ground Cinnamon

2 tsp. Baking Soda

1 1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt

1 C. Raisins

1 C. Chopped Walnuts

1 Lb. Carrots, grated

1/2 C. Diced Fresh Pineapple

Directions:

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.

2.  Butter 2 8-inch round cake pans.  Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.

3.  Beat the sugar, oil, and eggs together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light yellow.  Add the vanilla.

4.  In another bowl, sift together 2 1/2 C flour, the cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.

5.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.  Toss the raisins and walnuts with 1 Tbsp flour.

6.  Fold in the carrots and pineapple.  Add to the batter and mix well.

7. Divide the batter equally between the two pans.

8.  Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Allow the cakes to cool completely in the pans set over a wire rack.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 Lb. Cream Cheese at room temperature

3/4 Lb. Butter at room temperature

1 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract

1 1/2 Lbs. Powdered Sugar, sifted

Directions:

1.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, blend together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract.

2.  Add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth.

Roasted Eggplant Dip

 

 

The quickest, simplest way to enjoy eggplant is this roasted eggplant dip recipe I discovered in college.  I've always feared eggplant as too complicated after hearing stories of salting and pressing--this recipe is decidedly unfussy.  I will be forever grateful as this dip got me past thinking of the aubergine vegetable as something only found in restaurants. 

This dip is a nice compliment to hummus for appetizers.  I also use it as a sandwich spread with cheese or hard boiled eggs.  The overwhelming flavors of lemon and salt embedded in the kelp give such a surprising twist to the earthy roasted eggplant.  I've normally made it in a blender, with lots of little parts needing to be washed afterward.  Today I plopped all the ingredients in my Pyrex casserole dish and used my immersion stick blender to do the job, quickly and easily. 

I started this blog several years ago as a personal filing cabinet.  Now that so many recipes are readily available on the web that one hardly needs a bookshelf, I imagined I wouldn't need to corral everything in one place.  But visiting my parents out of state this summer, my mom (of all people) picked up an eggplant at a local farmers market and bought it simply for its' beauty.  Later she asked me what she should do with it, and I googled and asked all over the big wide web, but could not find this recipe online!  I guess there is still a function for my own personal collection of favorite recipes.  You can find my others here. 

"Eggplant Cream" recipe reprinted from the Vegetarian Times Cookbook, by the Editors of Vegetarian Times with Herbert T. Leavy, 1984.

Cookie Swap 2012!

When I was growing up, we had a tin container, about 8 or ten layers high and a full 12-14 inches across that stacked one layer atop another, and had a metal handle that locked it all.  It was dented, and a bit less shiny than it used to be, but this was where all the best cookies lived each holiday season--the ones my mom wanted to take to her mom or mother-in-law.  There were other cookie tins we kids were allowed to "steal" from, but this one was traveling with us when we drove south to family to celebrate, so it was strictly forbidden until the trip. 

My folks recently retired, and I was dismayed to find that the cookie tower tin was donated to Goodwill in the move.  Of all my mom's kitchen appliances and tools, that was one that I would have treasured, the way she does her mom's "noodle cutter," with its chipped paint and rough handle that saw my grandmother through nine children during the depression and beyond.  

In any case, that tangible item is gone, but the memory is fresh.  Just before my first cookie exchange of the season, I came across this small bento lunch box.  Meant for a single person, it's only six or eight inches across, and tri-leveled.  It's so reminiscent of my childhood I had to have it!  And it's economical too--it's preventing me from bringing home from my exchange more cookies than I can eat, since I live alone.

 

 

My friend Jen organizes a monthly craft day in a community room near her home.  The space is great to spread out, even if working on a quilt, and her group gets around thirty people each month given her freewheeling bring-whatever-you're-working-on nature.  Once a year we turn the end of the room into a bakers' paradise.  It's so great to come away with a mix of gift-quality goodies!  The variety adds

I have so little counter space at home that any kind of rolled or dropped cookie is out of the question.  So this year I did some internet searching for more innovative bar cookies, and came up with this Macadamia Bar cookie from Better Homes & Gardens.  The cookie dough is so densely solid it's like a cement mixer, so be sure the pan is prepared before mixing the dough!  There's a light hint of nutmeg that made these cookies a great substitute for the traditional nutmeg logs that my mom and brother make yearly, without the mess of rolling and cutting into logs.  It came with a wonderful eggnog icing recipe but I found I didn't need the extra sweetness, and was able to go without buying eggnog.  I made this recipe again a week later for another exchange, and dropped the dough into a molded pan.  The holly shapes held and made for a really festive touch.  Those pictures will be in my next post.

Which new recipes are you trying this year, and what are your traditional favorites?  Please leave a comment on my blog!

Macadamia Bars with Eggnog Drizzle
reprinted from http://www.bhg.com/recipe/bars/macadamia-bars-with-eggnog-drizzle/

Makes: 36 servings
Yield: about 36 bars
Prep 25 mins
Bake 350°F 25 mins

Ingredients
2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup butter
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup chopped macadamia nuts
1 recipe Eggnog Drizzle (see recipe below)
Freshly grated nutmeg (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with foil, grease foil, set pan aside. In a medium saucepan, cook and stir sugar and butter over medium heat until butter melts. Remove from heat. Cool slightly.

2. Stir eggs and vanilla into sugar mixture. Stir in flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg. Stir in nuts.

3. Spread mixture evenly into prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until edges just begin to pull way from the sides of the pan. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Use foil to remove uncut bars from pan; place on cutting board. Cut into diamonds. Drizzle with Eggnog Drizzle. If desired, sprinkle with freshly grated nutmeg. Makes about 36 bars.

From the Test Kitchen

Layer bars between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze unfrosted bars for up to 3 months. Thaw and frost.

Eggnog Drizzle

Ingredients
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon eggnog
Eggnog

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, vanilla, and the 1 tablespoon eggnog. Stir in additional eggnog, 1 teaspoon at a time, until icing reaches drizzling consistency. Drizzle icing over bars.

Nutrition Facts (Macadamia Bars with Eggnog Drizzle)
Servings Per Recipe 36,
cal. (kcal) 144,
Fat, total (g) 7,
chol. (mg) 21,
sat. fat (g) 3,
Monosaturated fat (g) 3,
carb. (g) 21,
fiber (g) 1,
sugar (g) 15,
pro. (g) 1,
vit. A (IU) 97,
Thiamin (mg) 0,
Riboflavin (mg) 0,
Niacin (mg) 1,
Pyridoxine (Vit. B6) (mg) 0,
Folate (µg) 16,
Cobalamin (Vit. B12) (µg) 0,
sodium (mg) 39,
Potassium (mg) 28,
calcium (mg) 20,
iron (mg) 1,
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Handprint Wreath

Here's a fun and easy holiday craft for young kids. I love this image of a wreath! This one was made by my friends' five-year-old and she's treasured it for several seasons.

How do you celebrate the holidays in a handmade fashion? Please leave a comment on this post!

Food Bloggers Los Angeles' Cookie Exchange

the beautiful bloggers' spread

my contributions

The FBLA December meeting is the one meeting per year without a specific discussion topic or program.  It's simply a social party, with a glorious theme:  the cookie exchange!  No surprise, this is the one meeting where we have the most attendance, so we were sure to get a group shot.  Our hostess this year was one of our founders, Erika Kerekes. 

For 2012, I made the same Macadamia bar cookies I blogged about here, but baked them in a holly pan that lended a pretty shape.  I also used fresh lime juice from my friend's backyard tree to make Erika Kereke's lemon squares on a sheet pan so large I almost didn't think it would fit in my oven.  It did, but because of my slanted floor, one end of the bars was extra-limey and the other was a fine dry crust; the lime curd had slid to one side.  And of course, I had to try one new recipe....I've been on a bar cookie kick this holiday season due to the limits of my kitchen (no counters, only a bar sink, etc.).  I'm all for quick and easy one pan anything, whether it's main dish or dessert.  So I searched the web and hit upon Macaroon Bars with Oreo Crust.  A revelation--my favorite flavors, coconut and dark chocolate!  This is the closest I've gotten to a cookie with the flavor of Mounds candybars. 

We were doomed to be overloaded by sugar, so the call went out to bring a brunch potluck item along with your dessert.  I think four of us responded.  I'd just been to a fun day of hat decorating with another ladies' social group where I'd requested a recipe for a potato bake that had been brought to the event, and I decided to try it myself.  I forgot to take a picture of the finished dish, but I'm not too sorry.  I bought the potatos frozen, and dutifully thawed them overnight in the fridge.  Though I've used it to bake often, my KitchenAid Stand Mixer is still fairly new to me when main dish cooking; I learned a valuable lesson when I mixed up the potato as my Bake quickly turned into a Mash.  Next time I will use diced potatoes rather than shoestring hash, and will leave them fairly frozen when I go to mix it all up.  Still, it tasted good, and was completely gone.

Macaroon Bars with Oreo Crust

Macaroon Bars with Oreo Crust

reprinted from Better Homes & Gardens

Yield: 48 bars

Prep: 40 mins  

Bake: 350°F 33 mins

Chill: 30 mins

Ingredients:

• 2 cups crushed chocolate sandwich cookies with white filling (about 20 cookies)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 3/4 cups flaked coconut
• 3 egg whites, lightly beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate pieces
• 1 teaspoon shortening
• Toasted whole almonds (optional)

 Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with foil, extending foil over the pan edges. Lightly grease foil. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, stir together crushed cookies, 1/2 cup sugar, and cocoa powder. Stir melted butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla into the crushed cookie mixture until combined. Firmly press cookie mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake in a preheated oven for 8 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine flour, 1/3 cup sugar, and salt. Stir in flaked coconut. Stir egg whites and vanilla into coconut mixture until combined. Spoon coconut mixture over crust. Using wet hands, carefully press the coconut mixture to edges of pan.

4. Bake for 25 to 28 minutes or until macaroon layer is set and lightly browned. Cool in pan on a wire rack.

5. In a small saucepan, combine chocolate pieces and shortening. Heat over low heat until melted, stirring constantly. Drizzle chocolate mixture over bars. Chill about 30 minutes or until chocolate sets. Using the edges of the foil, lift the uncut bars out of the pan. Cut into 24 bars. Cut each bar diagonally to make 48 triangles. If desired, place a whole almond atop each bar. Makes 48 bars.

From the Test Kitchen:

• Place bars between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to three days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Lime Diamonds

Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole was a bit mashed but looks like a hit!

Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole 

Mix one bag of frozen hash browns, 2 c. cheddar cheese, 1 can cream of mushroom soup, salt and pepper to taste. Pour in casserole dish and bake at 325 till warmed through and golden on top.

Birthday Cupcakes for my Dad

I made a cupcake celebration for my dad's 70th birthday.  I'm hoping the cups will help all of us with portion control.  I also used a Weight Watchers recipe I've posted about before, using pumpkin added to a box mix. but trying some adjustments this time for density.  The decors on top are Martha Stewart.  My dad likes poinsettias, so they always make me think of him.  I was kicking off my holiday season early, since I'm not sure I'll make it home for Christmas this year. 

Weight Watchers Chocolate Cupcakes

1 box dry chocolate cake mix
15 oz can plain pumpkin
3/4 cup water
1 egg
1 cup chocolate chips

Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full with batter and bake according to cake mix package directions.  This mix may take a little longer to bake so test with a cake tester or toothpick.  Ice with German Chocolate frosting.  Embellish with decorations.

Food Bloggers Los Angeles' Give Thanks

The FBLA had their Thanksgiving monthly meeting today.  One of the best reasons I appreciate this group is its' generous nature.  Always welcoming and open, he members share their ideas freely, whether it's knowledge of computers or recipes being sought.  While some are professional bloggers specializing in original recipes, there are also new bloggers testing the waters.  And the tidbits of learning come from all sides.

The week prior to the FBLA meeting, a friend of mine with a traditional 9-to-6 job sent a recipe for Pumpkin Mushroom Lasagne that she wanted to try, but didn't have time to make.  I was happy to bake for us, and she kindly agreed to buy the ingredients.  I'm so glad she suggested it!  I've found a new favorite lasagne, and it screams of fall, with notes of pumpkin and sage.  Try it; you won't be disappointed.

Pumpkin Lasagna

 

Reprinted from Taste of Home

Prep: 25 min. Bake: 55 min. + standing 

Ingredients
1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms 
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
2 teaspoons olive oil

1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin 
1/2 cup half-and-half cream
1 teaspoon dried sage leaves
Dash pepper
9 no-cook lasagna noodles
1 cup reduced-fat ricotta cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese 
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese 

Directions
In a small skillet, saute the mushrooms, onion and 1/4 teaspoon salt in oil until tender; set aside. In a small bowl, combine the pumpkin, cream, sage, pepper and remaining salt.
Spread 1/2 cup pumpkin sauce in an 11-in. x 7-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with three noodles (noodles will overlap slightly). Spread 1/2 cup pumpkin sauce to edges of noodles. Top with half of mushroom mixture, 1/2 cup ricotta, 1/2 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers. Top with remaining noodles and sauce.
Cover and bake at 375° for 45 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake 10-15 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting. Yield: 6 servings. 

Nutrition Facts: 1 piece equals 310 calories, 12 g fat (6 g saturated fat), 36 mg cholesterol, 497 mg sodium, 32 g carbohydrate, 5 g fiber, 17 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, 2 fat, 1 lean meat.

Pumpkin Mushroom Quinoa Casserole

 

I made an excellent dinner last night.  I've been trying to accent seasonal flavors lately, but I have to admit I'm almost pumpkin-ed out.  Adding mushrooms to this mash adopted from Leanne Vogel at HealthfulPursuit.com created just the right subtlety.  Using only what I had in my cupboard, this dish was warm and filling.  The cinnamon is strong but not overpowering, reminiscent of a greek dish made by a friend of mine.  Thinned with just a little more liquid, this would make a stellar vegetarian stew as well.  I loved getting the chance to cook in my vintage Pyrex too!  It climbed up the side when it was boiling and bubbling as I took it out of the oven, which was not so pretty for the picture, but it sure looked appetizing while hot!

What are some of your favorite vegetarian soups and stews?  Please leave a comment below this post.  

 Pumpkin ~ Mushroom Quinoa Casserole

• ⅔ cup soy milk
• ¼ cup pumpkin puree
• ¼ cup raw quinoa
• ¼ cup sliced mushroom
• 1 can mushrooms
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp olive oil
• ¼ tsp pure vanilla extract
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• pinch ground nutmeg
• pinch ground ginger
• couple cloves fresh garlic (if desired)

Mix all together, pouring into a casserole dish, and bake at 350 for 30-40 min.

Secret Santa by International Mail

I found a great Facebook group for the holidays this year, where members are participating in a "Christmas Secret Stitchy Santa" trade of a small cross stitch or needlepoint gift item.  I love the enthusiasm of the members, and the casual attitude of the coordinator.  There aren't a lot of rules that make it complicated to participate.  It's simply about making new online friends with someone who shares your hobby. Though I won't actually meet my exchange partner, this trade is making these online friends feel more "real."  I love that my online life is crossing a fuzzy border into reality.

Actually, the reason I was able to participate was that I already had a small gift prepared.  So there's no time crunch, procrastinating-then-stressing in my future.  And the anticipation of something fun coming in the mail just for me is so exciting!  My gift is traveling all the way to England.  I'll be sure to post a picture when it arrives (*wink*).

If you'd like to join in, it may be a little late for this year, as we've already been matched up with partners.  But you can always start your own exchange for this or any other craft.  And you can join our group to see the results as we post photos of our mail!

(non-spoiler alert:  illustration is Not the actual item I'm sending off)