Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas Everyone! I hope you have a wonderful day celebrating with your family & friends.  This morning we had Gingerbread Challah French Toast after we opened presents. This is going to be a quick post so I can get back to playing with Stella and her new toys.

In a bowl combine 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg and 1/4 teaspoon of ground clove and 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice.  Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of the mixture to 1/2 cup of Mascarpone and mix well.

I used the Challah bread from Trader Joes as I have in the past with my other French toast recipes. I also used the TJ brand of Mascarpone cheese.

Because I was using two slices of bread I tried to slice them a little thinner than 1 inch.  In a bowl whisk together 3 eggs and approximately 1/4 cup milk. To the egg mixture add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Add the remainder of the gingerbread seasoning to the mixture and an additional pinch of ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg. 


Melt butter in the pan before cooking the french toast.  Spread a generous amount of the gingerbread mascarpone on 1 side of each slice of bread. Put the slices together like a sandwich with the Mascarpone in the middle and dip the bread into the egg mixture. Be sure both sides are covered.  Let excess drip off back into bowl. Cook in pan until slightly browned on both sides.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar and some pomegranate seeds.

Her reaction when she saw all of the presents under the tree

Very excited about her new Sid the Science Kid Microphone

This meal was rated 4.5 asparagus spears

Day 12: Christmas Dinner Menu

Day 12 ends with a Christmas Dinner menu.  We are not having Christmas at our house this year otherwise I would be making this.  The last time I made it was Christmas 2009 when we told our parents that I was expecting; that seems like such a long time ago.

Menu
Arugula-Orange Salad with Pomegranate-White Wine Vinaigrette
Horseradish and Garlic Prime Rib
Roasted Wild Mushrooms
Roasted Asparagus or Fresh Green Beans with Sautéed Shallots
Mashed Potatoes

A delicious wine to pair with the Prime Rib is 2005 Finca Allende Rioja. Be sure you open up the bottle at least two hours before eating to let it breathe.

I made the Arugula-Orange Salad a couple weeks ago and actually included it in Day 3 of the Twelve Days of Christmas Celebration. I love making this salad this time of year; not only is it really tasty but I just love the colors of it.  I highly recommend making the dressing with the Raspberry vinegar, it's delish.

As for the Prime Rib I have a few notes (1) I usually cut back on the amount of sea salt I use, I probably use closer to 1/4 cup versus the 1/2 cup the recipe states and (2) you must save the juices from the prime rib, it makes wonderful gravy.  I have made this recipe a number of times and everyone always enjoys it.

I am sure when my husband reads this post he will have something to say about he shocking fact that I recommended a menu that contains asparagus and mushrooms. Ha, ha the jokes on me; I can't help it they go well together. This is just more support to why he decided to come up with an asparagus spear rating system for my meals.  If you aren't a big asparagus person, another option is fresh green beans with sautéed shallots.

I have used two different roasted mushroom recipes in the past and both are equally as good. The first is Bobby Flay's Oven Roasted Wild Mushrooms with Garlic and Thyme and the second is Tyler Florence's Wild Mushrooms, you will be pleased with either option.

Fresh Green Beans with Sautéed Shallots
Trim the ends off your green beans and blanch them in boiling salted water for approximately 5 minutes. Drain from water and run under cold water to stop the cooking process.  Meanwhile in a separate pan, sauté diced shallots (2-3 large shallots) in 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. Let the shallots soften and brown slightly. Then add the green beans to the pan and heat them back through, stirring regularly.  Season with Kosher Salt and Fresh Cracked Pepper to taste.

Roasted Asparagus
Trim the bottoms of the asparagus spears, place in single layer on baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper. Cook on 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

I always make my standard mashed potato recipe you can refer to my earlier blog posts for the recipe. I have made them so many times I don't measure anything anymore so it was difficult when I tried documenting the recipe.  In any case you can refer to my Thanksgiving post if you are making roughly 5 pounds of potatoes or my Garlic Herb Pork Loin post if you are making a smaller portion.

I probably won't be posting again before the holidays as I will be busy finishing up my Christmas shopping.  Yes, I am that person.  I don't know why I waited until the bitter end.  I normally really enjoy Christmas shopping; I think it's so fun to look around and really find a fitting gift for everyone.  Unfortunately I don't know that I have been as creative this year since I am in crunch time now. I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday and enjoys spending time with their families.

Merry Christmas!

Day 11: Christmas Brunch Menu Ideas

Day 11 of the Twelve Days of Christmas Celebration continues with a some menu ideas for Christmas brunch.

Menu
Spiral Cut Ham
Vegetable Strata
Fruit Salad
Assorted Muffins or Crumb Cake
Tangerine or Pomegrante Mimosas

For the spiral cut ham all you have to do is make sure you heat it through. Most hams have heating instructions on the outside package.  Adding a ham glaze is always a good option.  If you are having your brunch a little later in the day you can always put out some Parkerhouse rolls and assorted mustards in case people want to make a ham sandwich.

I always find a fruit salad with canteloupe, honeydew, blueberries, strawberries, kiwi and mango to be delicious.

In an effort to save time I usually just go with a muffin mix that comes in a box.  Betty Crocker or Krusteaz Lemon Poppyseed muffins are always a good option. Another great option is Krusteaz Cranberry Orange muffin mix. If you want to go the crumb cake route you can't go wrong with Krusteaz Cinnamon Crumb Cake mix.

Vegetable Strata
I got this recipe from In Style magazine, it's from the January 2005 issue.  I use to love when In Style had the party guide/entertaining section of the magazine; I collected a lot of great recipes over the years when they had it.

1 loaf (12 oz) day old French bread
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 medium white onion, chopped
1 red pepper, seeded and chopped
1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms
10 eggs
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1 can (13 3/4 oz) artichoke hearts, sliced
1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack, divided
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Spray 13" x 9" x 2" glass baking dish with cooking spray. Slice bread in half length-wise; butter and cut into cubes. In nonstick skillet heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, red pepper, and mushrooms; saute 4-5 minutes.  In a bowl combine eggs, milk, salt and pepper. To assemble, place bread in single layer in baking dish.  Top with vegetables, artichokes and half the Monterey Jack cheese.  Pour egg mixture over; top with remaining Monterey Jack and Parmesan cheeses.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake, uncovered for 50-60 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

For the mimosas, Domaine Chandon Brut Classic is always a good bubble option. If you go the tangerine juice route you can always finish off the mimosa with a splash of Grand Marnier.  Otherwise pomegrante juice is another great option and quite festive from a holiday color perspective.

If you don't like mimosas, you can always do a bloody mary bar.  I really enjoy the Zing Zang bloody mary mix.  Don't forget your celery spears, stuffed olives and celery salt.  If you are in the Chicago area and can find Twisted Spoke bloody mary mix that is another great option.

Happy planning!

Slow Cooked Pork Chili

As you know my sister had a baby last week (Happy One Week Birthday L!); so I thought I would make her an easy meal she could just heat up over the weekend.  I decided to go with a chili since they both like spicy meals but I got a little daring and tried out a new recipe.  This was another one I just made up as I went along so I was concerned about how it might turnout.  But I think this may be my favorite chili recipe yet. This recipe is a two day process since you need to slow cook the pork one day and then prepare the chili the following day.

Ingredients for slow cooking the Pork:
Olive Oil
3lb Pork Butt Roast, trimmed
1 cup chicken broth
1 large Spanish onion, chopped (reserve 3/4 cup for later)
2 large cloves of garlic, chopped
Kosher salt

Ingredients for Salsa Verde:
10 tomatillos, husked
1 can of diced green chilies
2 tablespoons of minced garlic
handful of cilantro, chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground guajillo chili
3/4 cup diced Spanish onion

Ingredients for Pork Rub:
1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 tablespoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/8 teaspoon ground guajillo chili
a pinch of kosher salt
a couple turns of pepper mill

Preparing the Pork:
In a Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil.  Cover pork roast liberally with the rub.  Sear each side of the roast until it is browned.  Transfer roast to crock pot.  Add all but the 3/4 cup of reserved onion to the dutch oven along with the chopped 2 large garlic cloves  and 2 pinches of kosher salt.  Cook for a couple minutes until onions soften. Remove and add to crock pot with the pork roast.  Add the cup of chicken broth to the Dutch oven and scrap the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add to crock pot.

Making the Salsa Verde:
On a foiled lined pan, drizzle tomatillos with olive oil and a little salt. Roast on 350 degrees until soft.  Once softened add to blender along with the can of diced green chilies, 2 tablespoons of minced garlic, the handful of cilantro, 1/4 teaspoon of guajillo chili and 3/4 cup of diced onion.  Blend until smooth.
Add salsa to the crock pot.

Slow cooking the pork:
Cook pork butt on low for 6 hours on low or until the meat can be easily shredded with two forks.
Let the meat cool and store in a container with some of the liquid from the crock pot.  Make sure the shredded pork is coated well with the liquid.  Reserve the remaining liquid separately. Refrigerate over night.

Ingredients for Chili
1 3/4 cup diced Spanish onion
Kosher Salt
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 cup of reserved liquid from cooking the pork
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground paprika
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground guajillo chili
10 oz diced tomato and green chilies, drained
3 tablespoon poblano pepper, chopped
7 3/4 oz can of Mexican Style tomato sauce
1 1/4 cup diced tomato, no juice
14 oz can diced tomato with juice
2 15.5 oz cans of Pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 15.5 Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Shredded pork

Preparing the chili:
The next day heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a Dutch oven, add 1 3/4 cup of diced Spanish onion, a pinch of salt and 2 garlic cloves chopped.  Add the container of shredded pork, the reserved liquid from cooking the pork, 1 teaspoon of ground cumin, 1/4 teaspoon each of ground paprika, onion powder and garlic powder and 1/2 teaspoon of ground guajillo chili. Heat on low stirring frequently.  Add the can of tomatoes and green chilies let simmer for approximately 20 minutes.  Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and beans.  Stir and place top on lid of Dutch oven.  Cook on low for 2-3 hours stirring regularly.

Garnish with slices of avocado, grated Cojita cheese and Donkey Chips (tortilla chips).

This meal was rated 4 asparagus spears

The rating above is from Chris.  I also asked my sister and her husband to also rate the chili since they have had my other chili recipes in the past.  Becky rated it 4 asparagus spears and Thierry rated it 3.5 asparagus spears, he lowered his rating because he prefers his chili to be more spicy.

Day 10: Egg Nog Parfait

Day 10 of the Twelve Days of Christmas Celebration continues with a holiday dessert idea, the Egg Nog Parfait. This is a very quick and easy recipe and works great for parties.

Ingredients
1 quart Egg Nog
1 12 oz container of Cool Whip
1/2 cup of Bourbon or Cream Sherry
1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg

Directions
Pour Egg Nog into bowl and fold in Cool Whip. Add Bourbon and Nutmeg. Pour into parfait glasses and freeze. Let stand at room temperature before serving.  Add additonal Cool Whip on top. If you are looking to add color you can always decorate the top of them with a few festive colored sprinkles or peppermint chips.

Serves 10-12

Day 9: Holiday Party Appetizers

Day 9 of the Twelve Day of Christmas Celebration continues with a couple Holiday appetizer ideas.  Last night we went to a Christmas party that some friends from work had.  They have it every year and it's always a blast. Jen made some delicious appetizers (my favorite are the bacon wrapped dates), so I thought today rather than posting more cookie ideas I would post some of my favorite appetizer recipes. These are all dishes I have come across over the years so I am not sure where they all came from originally.

Bacon Wrapped Dates

12 strips bacon, cut in half crosswise
24 pitted dates
1/4 pound Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, cut into small chunks

1.  Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until it has rendered some fat and begins to turn translucent; don't let it brown at all. Remove from pan and drain thoroughly on paper towels.

2.  Make a slit in each date (you can also pop out the pit very easily if you couldn't find pitted dates!) and stuff with a small piece of cheese.  Wrap in a piece of bacon and secure with a toothpick.  Place wrapped dates in a baking dish.

**At this point, you can cover and refrigerate up to 36 hours.

3.  Preheat oven to 375 and bake the date until the bacon is crisp, 10-12 minutes  

 

Lump Crab Dip

This is one of the easiest recipes you will ever make and it's always a big hit.

1 container of lump crab meat

1 8oz package of cream cheese,softened (I usually use the light)

1 jar of cocktail sauce

Place the block of cream cheese on the platter  Pour some cocktail sauce over the cream cheese you want a good amount on these so that everyone gets some of the cocktail sauce with the spread; I would say 1/4 to 1/3 cup. Place lump crab meat (drained if there is any liquid in the container) over the top of the cream cheese/cocktail sauce.  Eat on crackers, surprisingly enough Ritz crackers are the best with this. You can even by the ones that look like snowflakes if you want to be more festive.

Artichoke Dip

1 can artichoke hearts, drain and chop

1 cup mayo (I use light)

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Mix everything together and place in an oven safe dish. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake in oven for 30 minutes. Serve with crackers.

Caprese

I always find a tomato and mozzarella salad to be a great holiday party appetizer not only because it's tasty but it has the colors of the season.

Slice tomatoes, fresh mozzarella balls and place on a platter alternating the slices of tomato and mozzarella.  Drizzle with a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  Sprinkle with chopped fresh basil. Add a little fresh ground pepper.

And I am always came for an antipasto platter with fine cheeses and meat, marinated olives and mushrooms. Served with assorted crackers and breads.

Day 8: Kolachky

Day 8 of the Twelve Days of Christmas Celebration continues with Kolachky. I never realized that publishing Christmas cookie recipes was going to take me down memory lane.  Here is another recipe my mom makes every year. This recipe is apparently one she got while I was in grade school because the name on the recipe card is the mom of one of the kids I grew up with, so thank you Mrs. Bolz for sharing this recipe with my mom.

Ingredients
1 lb margarine
8 tablespoons sugar
4 cups flour
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon of vanilla
Solo pie fruit filling

Mix margarine sugar and vanilla with beaters.  Add the flour and milk and mix with hands. Take about a teaspoon of the dough and roll it into a ball. Place on cookie sheet using the back of a spoon make and indentation. Fill this will about 3/4 teaspoon of Solo pie fruit filling.  Bake on 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar once they have cooled.

I apologize about not posting yesterday; we were busy with work and holiday parties.  I also wanted to be sure to include a photo of these so I had to wait for my mom to drop off a few of the ones she made.  Thanks mom, you're the best!