Lucky Dumplings for the Lunar New Year

The Lunar New Year is one of the most significant of Asian holidays and is a time for feasting, reflection and renewal. Traditionally celebrated over 15 days, the holiday starts with the first lunar new moon of the year and ends on the full moon. Chinese New Year 4712, which begins tomorrow, will be the Year of the Horse.  The New Year's Eve family dinner represents a night of unity, reunion and harmony. Popular lucky dishes include anything whole (complete) or long (longevity). Traditional favorites include whole chicken, duck or fish served with long noodles, long leafy greens, and long string beans. Fresh and candied fruit, especially kumquats and oranges, represent good health, happiness, prosperity and blessings.

Chinese dumplings called jiaozi (“gee-OW zeh”) represent wealth because they are shaped like ancient silver and gold ingots which were used as currency during the Ming Dynasty. Interestingly, the first bank note of China was called "Jiaozi." I adore these hearty little bundles of joy filled with cabbage (prosperity and luck), pork (strength and wealth), and green onions (long life and eternity). Until this week, I have enjoyed them at Chinese restaurants. Amazingly, they are actually quite easy (and fun) to make at home. For those not ready to fully embrace the “from scratch” concept, pre-made dumpling wrapper are available in most Asian and ethnic markets.

Dumpling Wrappers:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 to 3/4 cups boiling water

In a mixing bowl, combine flour and salt and then slowly add hot water to flour in 1/4 cup increments. Mix with chopsticks or a fork until a ball is formed and the dough is not too hot to handle.

On a floured surface, knead dough until it becomes a tight ball. This is harder than you think it will be. Keep folding and kneading until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Place the dough back in bowl and cover with a damp cloth and allow to rest for about an 1 hour. Resting the dough is important because otherwise the dough is difficult to roll out and shape.

Working on a floured surface with floured hands, roll out dough to form a long 'noodle' about 1-inch in diameter. Cut 1/2-inch pieces and turn them over so the cut sides are facing up. Flatten with your palm and roll out thin using a rolling pin. The dumpling wrapper should end up about 4 inches in diameter.

Pork and Ginger Filling:

• 3 cups Napa or regular cabbage, shredded
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 pound ground pork 
• 2 tablespoons scallions, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
• 1 tablespoons garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 egg, beaten

Sprinkle cabbage with the salt and let stand for 30 minutes. Place the cabbage on a clean dishtowel or cheesecloth and squeeze out any water. You will be amazed at how much water can be extracted from the cabbage. The dryer the cabbage; the better.

In a large bowl, thoroughly mix the cabbage with all of the other ingredients. Cook a tester to check the seasoning and make any wanted adjustments.

Place a small mound of filling in the middle of the wrapper. Be very careful not to touch the edges with the filling as this will impede proper sealing of the dumplings. Fold the wrapper in half to form a half moon shape. Starting on one end, pleat the wrapper tightly together until the dumpling is completely sealed. There will be approximately 10 folds per dumpling. Rest the dumplings with the folded edges straight up. You can also use a dumpling press, which makes uniform pot stickers and dramatically speeds up the process.

To cook, bring two inches of water to boil in a wok or sauce pot. To prevent dumplings from sticking during cooking, lightly coat the steamer basket with oil (or you can line the steamer basket with several cabbage leaves). Steam 6 dumplings at a time in the basket, being careful not to over-crowd, for 8-10 minutes with a tight fitting lid.

While dumplings are steaming, whisk together a tangy dipping sauce:

1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

Combine all the ingredients and mix until honey is fully dissolved. Drizzle some sauce over pot stickers and garnish with chopped scallions. Serve remaining sauce in a small bowl for dipping.

Bourbon Butterscotch Blondies

Dare I say it? I can live without chocolate. Now, I am not saying that I don’t enjoy a Godiva truffle or a fudgy brownie from time to time, but I do not crave the sweetened product made from the seed of the tropical Theobroma Cacao tree the way some people do. Yet, like the other members of our family, I do have an insatiable sweet tooth. Enter the interminably adaptable blondie.

Of course, this recipe is nothing new. This easy, one-mixing-bowl recipe was one of the first I attempted as a teenager. Denser than chocolate chip cookies and more complex than brownies, these caramel-flavored bars can be customized to suit any taste. Like Congo bars (which typically contain coconut), blondies can be made with a variety of fillings like nuts, dried fruit, toffee, or any other chunky candy for added texture. Seasonal combinations could include cranberry- almond, mint-chocolate chip or cinnamon-raisin. While blondies aren't usually frosted since the brown sugar flavor tends to be sweet enough, we will let your sweet tooth decide if should add a layer of chocolate ganache or buttercream icing.

• 1 stick margarine, melted
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon bourbon 
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup pecans, toasted and chopped (optional)
• 1 cup butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 7" x 11" baking dish. Mix the melted margarine with brown sugar and beat until smooth. Beat in egg and then bourbon. Add in the dry ingredients; baking powder, salt and flour. Once the batter is well combined, stir in nuts and butterscotch chips.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until set in the middle. A toothpick It is better to err on the side of caution with the baking time. In my experience, folks rarely complain about a gooey cookie.

Allow the pan to cool on a rack before cutting them. I cut them into 2" bars so it seems that there are more of the scrumptious little treats.

Addictive Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad

Unlike the mushy, odorous green lumps we remember from childhood or the cream smothered version served in fancy-schmancy, yuppy-era restaurants, Brussels sprouts have reached the height of their popularity. We certainly consume our fair share in our house. Whether they are roasted, braised, or served raw, Brussels sprouts are fabulously healthy, not to mention downright tasty.

While Brussels sprouts were believed to have been grown in Italy in Roman times, the modern Brussels sprout we eat today were first cultivated in large quantities in Belgium (hence the name "Brussels" sprouts) as early as 1587. They were introduced to the U.S. in the 1800s and by 1900 were being grown in large quantities in California. With the development of the frozen food industry and improved production techniques, there are currently about 3000 acres of the tiny cabbages currently being grown today. This acreage supplies the majority of the U.S. and Canada (where they are more popular than in the U.S.)

Good quality Brussels sprouts are firm, compact, and vivid green. They should be free of yellowed or wilted leaves and should not be puffy or soft in texture. Those that have perforations in their leaves should be avoided as they may have aphids inside. If Brussels sprouts are sold individually, choose those of equal size to ensure that they will cook evenly. Brussels sprouts are available year round, but their peak growing period is from autumn until early spring.

Keep unwashed and untrimmed Brussels sprouts in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator. Stored in a plastic bag, they can be kept for 10 days. Before washing Brussels sprouts, remove stems and any yellow or discolored leaves. Wash them well under running water to remove any insects living in the leaves. Brussels sprouts cook quickly and taste best when they have been cut into smaller pieces. If you want to freeze Brussels sprouts, blanch them first for between three to five minutes. They will keep in the freezer for up to one year.

Like cabbage, Brussels sprouts make great raw salads similar to coleslaw. Thin shavings of fresh Brussels sprouts tossed with a lemony vinaigrette topped with sieved boiled eggs, crunchy pistachios and salty grated Parmesan makes a marvelous addition to ANY meal.

• 3 cups Brussels sprouts, shaved
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons truffle oil or olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• ¼ cup pistachios, shelled and chopped
• 3 tablespoons Romano cheese, grated
• 2 hard boiled eggs, finely diced or sieved

Clean and trim sprouts and “shave” by slicing as thinly as possible. We've tried using a food processor to shave the sprouts with little luck, but fell free to try it. We also tried the use of a mandolin, but the risk to fingers and the amount of waste were both too great. Patience and a sharp knife are the best tools for this procedure.

Mix sprouts, lemon juice, olive oil and salt and pepper, tasting as you go and adjusting to taste. If you are preparing ahead, set the salad in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

While feta cheese combines with the vinaigrette to make a creamy dressing, cheeses that are dryer, saltier more dense cheese actually work better in this salad. Romano or Parmesan have a nice piquancy that matches well, but we recommend grating it on the largest hole of a box grater.

To serve, lay the sprout “slaw” on a serving platter and top with grated cheese, chopped eggs and pistachios. There is no real need to toss the salad as the ingredients combine as the salad is being served.

One note of caution, this salad can be a bit addictive. There have been arm wrestling matches in our house over who gets to have the leftovers (when there are any). This salad will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days post arm wrestling.

Heartwarming Matzoh Ball Soup

There are fewer meals more satisfying than a bowl of homemade soup on a cold winter day. Matzoh ball soup is commonly served at the Passover Seder, but is also eaten all year round. For neighbor and guest blogger, Ilene Benator, matzoh ball soup has healing properties beyond warming cold hands and noses, it has the power to melt hearts and heal souls. Here is her beautiful story and recipe:

Succulent broth and matzoh balls as big as my dad’s fist. Fluffy on the outside, the firmer center falls into the soup and softens in the hot liquid. This enjoyment of a family tradition was one of my favorite holiday memories. Sort of.

It was the time of year that chicken fat containers showed up in the fridge; because that was how my grandmother made it. I’m not exactly sure how or what she did with it, because my mother preferred to use the Manischewitz mix. With College Inn broth.

So my method is not exactly an old recipe passed down from generation to generation. But the result is the same - massive fluffy balls in a wonderful broth. I am more creative than my mom was, still using the mix as a base and making my own broth from scratch; only using the enclosed soup packet to boil the matzoh as an added way to get flavor. Recently, I started using smoked turkey legs to get an extra little bit of umami that makes the soup extra tasty.

But this story is not about my family’s tradition or secret recipe. It’s about what a soup means to a family. In my case, I married my husband after he lost his wife tragically from an illness that came on like the flu, but careened out of control into a condition that did not allow her lungs to get enough oxygen. I married into a family reeling from an unimaginable loss just eighteen months after she died.

While we were dating, I fully expected her family to be suspicious, cautious, and even hostile toward me. I met her father; my husband’s father-in-law, Richard, when on a trip with my now husband Seth. He was cordial and polite. This was as much as I could hope for under the circumstances, and I was fine with that.

A few months later, Richard came in town for Passover. I observed the holiday more strictly than my husband’s family had previously; eliminating bread products and surviving on matzoh for the week. The Seders were over, but we invited him to our house for leftovers and my special matzoh ball soup.

The broth that melted away the firm matzoh shell, did the same for Richard. After his first bowl, he smiled at me. After the second, I was now a part of the family. The cement of the exodus became the glue of our own relationship. No longer was there any pretense. My traditions would become his grandchildrens’ traditions and this made him very happy.

A few weeks ago we lost Richard to the sands of the infinite, inevitable end.  He will always be with us though, as long as there is matzoh ball soup.


Homemade Stock for Soup:
3 quarts of water
5 stalks of celery with greens
2 carrots, peeled, chopped to 1 inch segments
2 ½ cups (1 ¼ lbs.) sweet onions, peeled and quartered
3 cups chicken carcass remnants (or fresh chicken necks)
1 smoked turkey leg (or two smoked wing drummets), scored
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon thyme

Simmer on medium, then low for at least 6 hours. Add water if level is low. Strain and extract liquid. Place in refrigerator until the fat congeals at the top. Skim off the fat and dispose (or save if you like to use rendered chicken fat for your matzoh balls or other recipes).

Soup Broth:
10 cups homemade stock
One sliced carrot
One smoked turkey leg, scored
Four turns of ground pepper
1 teaspoon thyme
1 bay leaf

Cook on medium for one hour. Add some water or additional stock to replace steam, every fifteen minutes. After 30 minutes, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Do not salt and pepper to taste until after the full hour of cooking.

Matzoh Balls:
Using Manischewitz matzoh meal, prepare the dough according to the package instructions. Make sure to use extra virgin olive oil. It is the secret to fluffy matzoh balls. Form the balls carefully, being sure not to compress them too much. The package recommends 1-inch balls that should cook for 30 minutes. I prefer to make them 2 inches in diameter for huge matzoh balls, but it means cooking them for closer to an hour. Make a few extra to test doneness.

Take included soup packet and mix with boiling water in a large pot. Drop the matzoh balls into the boiling soup for five minutes. Cover and simmer on medium-low until expected time to assemble the soup for serving. By cooking the matzoh balls in the packet broth, they will soak up flavor from the broth, but will not make the servings cloudy.

Remove the matzoh balls from the package broth and drop into the actual soup and then cook over medium heat for another 5 minutes.

To serve, ladle 1-2 cups soup broth into bowls and add one matzoh per bowl. You can serve the soup with matzoh balls alone or with the addition of the chopped turkey leg. L'Chayim!

Original narrative, photos and recipe by Ilene Benator

Post-Holiday Anise Pecan Cookies

The holidays are over, the kids are back in school and the house is quiet. Too quiet. I find myself missing the hubbub of the holiday season; football games blaring in the background, people coming and going, and always something cooking, baking or grilling. I didn't mind the extra vacuuming, loads laundry or dish washing duty. I also didn't mind the plethora of cookies in the pantry! The supply of biscotti, pizzelles, torrones and other goodies that seemed endless in mid-December are distant memories by mid-January.

Sitting with a piping cup of coffee wistfully wishing for a cookie to dunk, I had a jolt of recollection. Our neighbor, Amanda, knowing that we were inundating with baked goods, shared cookie dough for my favorite anise cookies rather than baking the treats. Taste buds tempted, I laid the dough on the counter to thaw and preheated the oven realizing that this might be one of the most appreciated holiday gifts that I received.

Anise is a common ingredient in Italian cooking especially in the making of Italian sausages, and is a flavor we enjoy in many sweet and savory dishes. Anise is also an excellent remedy for asthma, bronchitis cough and digestive disorders such indigestion, stomach pain, and nausea.

In addition to sharing a batch of cookie dough, Amanda shared her recipe so that you can enjoy them as well:

Anise Pecan Cookies

• ½ cup butter or margarine, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons anise extract
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ cup pecans, chopped

Cream butter, sugar and anise extract together. Slowly beat in egg. Add flour, salt, and baking powder to the creamed butter mixture and blend until smooth. Stir in pecans and mix well.
Divide the cookie dough into two parts and form them into rolls. Wrap the rolls in waxed paper and chill for several hours.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F, Cut the dough into 1/8” slices and place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.

Polar Vortex Hot and Sour Soup

We rarely ate in restaurants when I was a kid; rarely as in four or five times a year on special occasions. When the special occasion happened to be my birthday, my pick was most often a Chinese restaurant where the atmosphere was so distinctly different that I felt as though I had traveled to a distant land. There were items on the menu that I could not pronounce and aromas coming from the kitchen that I had no mental reference to describe. We usually ordered a “Family Dinner” with soup and dishes for the table to share. Sizzling rice soup was the unanimous soup of choice, but I was always enticed by the dark, viscous hot and sour soup visible on others' tables. How could it be hot and sour? How hot? How sour?

Once I finally had my chance to assuage my curiosity, I began a love affair with this alluring concoction. The many layers of flavor and the variety of textures were intoxicating (even with no alcohol.) When I was sick or sad, I found myself craving the curative elixir, yet I was far too intimidated to attempt this complex soup at home.

When the polar vortex went wonky and the outdoor temperatures dipped into the single digits in Atlanta (a rare occurrence to be sure), a decidedly hot (in both heat and in spice) bowl of soup became the order du jour. After a bit of internet surfing, I discovered that I indeed had all the ingredients on hand and endeavored to create a passable version with dubious confidence. Much to my surprise, not only was the much-anticipated lunch passable, it was downright delicious – REALLY delicious!

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 garlic clove, smashed and minced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 4 scallions, white and green parts, minced
• 1/3 cup carrots, thinly julienned
• 4 cups store-bought or homemade chicken stock
• 1 cup cooked chicken, cut into ½ cubes
• 1 pound firm tofu, cut into ½-inch cubes
• ½ cup button mushrooms, sliced
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil, plus more for garnish
• 2 teaspoons hot sauce, or to taste
• 2 large eggs
• Black pepper for garnish

In the saucepan, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add the garlic, ginger, scallion, carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 1 minute. Do not scorch the garlic or it will turn bitter. Wipe mushrooms clean with a moist paper towel and slice thinly. You can substitute dried, rehydrated wood ear mushrooms if you wish.

Add the stock and bring to a simmer. Add tofu to the broth. I used firm tofu, but not extra firm. Add the chicken, mushrooms, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, black pepper, sesame oil, and hot sauce (or you can use Sriracha if you choose)  and bring the soup back to a simmer over medium-high heat. Taste the soup. If you want it hotter, add more hot sauce; if you like your soup to be sourer, add a little extra vinegar (which I did.) I ended adding what I would approximate to be 2/3 cup vinegar in total and 1 ½ teaspoons of black pepper in total.

In a small bowl, whisk the eggs until blended. With the soup at a steady simmer, slowly whisk in the eggs so they form strands. Bring the soup back to a simmer. Divide the soup among 4 to 6 bowls and garnish each with a little sesame oil, scallion, and white or black pepper. Serve immediately.

Really delicious!

Any Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The soup may take on a slightly different appearance, but it will taste just the same.

To Bean or Not To Bean Vanilla Extract

Somewhere between the second batch of pizzelles and the panetonne, the last drop of vanilla trickled sadly from the little brown bottle sending me rummaging for more. I came across some vanilla beans received as a gift a month or so earlier, however, these were not entirely helpful because they were not liquid in form and I had no idea how to use them in a recipe. Then I remembered that Dom’s Aunt Rose always substituted bourbon in a pinch. So I finished the recipe with a dribble of bourbon.

Later I did a little research and found that vanilla beans can be substituted for extract by using one whole bean (split and scraped) in place of one tablespoon of pure vanilla extract. For those of you who can do simple math, I think you can see where this post is heading… You guessed it: homemade vanilla extract. Pure vanilla extract is made by macerating vanilla beans in alcohol. Clearly I had the two key ingredients needed to make extract and with the four beans in the pantry and a cup of bourbon, I could make 16 tablespoons of extract – quadrupling the utility of my beans. Since there are ONLY two essential ingredients, they should be of the best quality you can get.

Pure vanilla extract is made by macerating vanilla beans in alcohol. Natural vanilla beans come from a beautiful species of yellow orchid native to Mexico but is also grown In Madagascar, Tahiti, and other tropical regions. After pollination the orchid’s flowers die, and long, green seed pods grow in their place. The pods are picked when they're 6" to 9" long at which time a six-month curing process begins. Cured vanilla beans are dark brown, fragrant, and have a thin white coating of vanillin crystals. Vanilla beans should be plump and supple and smell -  well, like vanilla.

The choice of steeping alcohol is a matter of preference, but here too, it is better to use a high quality selection. If you wouldn't drink it, you probably would not want to cook with it either. We find the warm, honeyed flavor of bourbon to be the most complimentary option, but vodka, scotch or even rum would make excellent extracts as well.

It takes about 6 weeks for the alcohol to be fully infused with the flavor of the vanilla beans. If you are thinking about it, you might give it a healthy shake every week or so. Now, if like me, you just cannot resist tasting it after the first week, I can tell you that it still smells and tastes mostly like bourbon. The longer you let your vanilla steep, the better it will be.

4 good vanilla beans
1 cup high-quality bourbon (our favorite is Four Roses Bourbon)
½ teaspoon brown sugar (optional)

Clean and sterilize bottle(s.) Carefully slice the vanilla beans in half lengthwise to expose seeds inside.  Scrape out the moist seeds and place them in a clean bottle.  Add the scraped vanilla bean pod to the bottle as well.  Fill the bottle with the bourbon (or vodka, rum or brandy) making sure that liquid is covering beans. Add the sugar if desired.

Place the lid on the bottle and give it a good shake.  Allow the beans to steep for at least 6 weeks before using the resulting extract.  Vanilla extract can be stored indefinitely if kept airtight in a cool dark place.

It should be noted, too, that you can also make vanilla sugar by putting a split vanilla bean into a jar of white, granulated sugar. Vanilla sugar works well in any cookie recipe, but is best in a cup of cappuccino.

Crazy-Moist Gingerbread Cake

The mention of gingerbread typically evokes images of little men with appendages begging to be bitten, but in our house it meant my grandmother’s gingerbread cake. Understated and straight-forward, this outrageously flavorful cake is by no means the prettiest cake you'll ever make, but is by far the tastiest. The top forms a burnt-caramel crust while the cake is dark and dense with a bit of attitude.

The heavenly scent of aromatic spices signaled a dessert of super-moist fragrant cake with big plops of whipped cream. This bold and zesty cake seemed a perfect choice for Dom’s birthday especially given his well-known aversion to ordinary, innocuous birthday cake, and it got the best compliment he has ever given to any cake ever; “it tastes like pumpkin pie.” And, we ALL know how much Dom loves pie!

• 3/4 cup light brown sugar 
• 3/4 cup melted shortening
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup dark molasses
• 2 ½ cups flour 
• ½ teaspoon baking powder 
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream together shortening and sugar, then add eggs and molasses.

In a separate mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients and slowly add to creamed mixture. Once all the ingredients are incorporated, add boiling water. The water will make the batter quite thin.

Pour the batter into a greased 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Bake for approximately 30 minutes until a straw poked into the middle comes out clean.

Cut cake in large squares and serve with freshly whipped cream. You can also add a fruit topping like candied cranberries or poached pears.

Stout and Spicy Brown Mustard

You know all know we hate to waste ingredients in our house, so when we opened a can of Guinness stout for our holiday pub cheese recipe and only used a quarter of the can, we looked for another use (because 9:00am seemed a bit early to just drink the remainder.)

We are big fans of mustard, but are somewhat picky about the flavor. As a point of reference, Dom recently tossed a bottle of Creole mustard because it was “just hot with no depth.” So, like many (or perhaps I should say most) of the condiments we use are homemade to suit our taste. Why should mustard be any different? An added bonus is the cost savings. Not sure if you have been shopping for a coarse, German-style mustard lately, but yowza, it’s expensive.

We found (inexpensive) brown and yellow mustard seeds at an ethnic market. Mustard seeds are the small round seeds of various mustard plants. Mustard seeds have been mentioned in a variety of religious parables throughout history. The 1-2 mm seeds may be colored from stark black to pale yellow and are a rich source of protein and oil. Interestingly, mustard seed production exceeds the demand for cooking oil in South Asia, so the surplus mustard oil is being used experimentally as an alternative to diesel fuel. The leftover pressed meal has been found to be a very effective pesticide ensuring that nothing goes to waste.

This homemade version has a nutty, vaguely sweet flavor and a nice mouth feel. It is surprisingly easy to make and it was fascinating to watch the seeds expand as they absorbed the liquid.

• 1 cup Stout
• 3/4 cup brown mustard seeds
• 1/4 cup yellow mustard seeds
• 3/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• Pinch ground cinnamon
• Pinch ground cloves
• Pinch ground allspice
• Pinch ground allspice

Combine ingredients in a nonreactive mixing bowl. Cover and set aside at room temperature for 2 days to allow flavors to meld and seeds to soften.

Pour contents into the bowl of a food processor or blender. Process until seeds are coarsely ground and the mixture thickens, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides.

This step requires patience. The mixture will look loose and you will wonder if you made a mistake along the way, but continue to let the mustard mixture puree until emulsified. The mustard should be set after about 3 minutes of blitzing.

Transfer the mustard to a jar (or jars) with a tight fitting lid. Refrigerate for 24 hours again to let flavors completely develop and the mustard to fully thicken. The mustard should keep up to 6 months in the refrigerator, if it lasts that long.

Happy Holiday Pub Cheese

The holiday season at our house is incredibly chaotic and we wouldn't have it any other way! With friends and neighbors dropping in for impromptu parties, it is imperative to have quick go-to noshes for guests to nibble. In these instances, it is easy to follow the examples of restaurants and bars by putting out nuts, popcorn, chips and dip. Unfortunately, most dip options are the same-old-same-old recipes that have been offered many times in the past.

So taking a custom from British taverns, this year we've opted for a traditional pub cheese; a cheese spread commonly set out in ramekins alongside some “crisps” on the bar for thirsty patrons to encourage them to stay longer. It is a spicy, creamy concoction that goes well with chips, crackers or crudités, and even makes an amazing addition to a hamburger.

The best thing about this cheese blend is that it improves with age, thus making it in advance is not only an option, but a recommendation. Using pre-shredded cheddar cheese from Kraft simplifies this recipe markedly, so that it is fabulously easy to prepare, and Kraft is making it easy to save money this holiday season by offering $20 in coupons available at Target.com.

• 1 (8 oz.) package of Kraft Sharp Cheddar
• 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese (Philadelphia brand)
• 1/3 cup stout
• 3 teaspoons dry mustard 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ¼ teaspoon paprika
• Freshly ground pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and blend until smooth. Season with additional salt and pepper as desired. Place the spread in a serving bowl or crock, cover and chill for at least 4 hours. Do not worry if the spread seems a little loose as it will thicken a bit as it rests in the refrigerator. Sprinkle with a little more paprika or freshly chopped chives and serve with crackers and crudités.



From shopping for gifts to planning family dinners, it’s hard to keep up with all your holiday to-do’s. This year, Kraft is helping out with great weeknight meals and entertaining ideas to make the season a little bit easier. Plus, Kraft is offering up to $20 in coupons, redeemable exclusively at Target, to make food shopping easier and to help you have a happy holiday season.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Kraft. The opinions and text are all mine.

Mulled Cranberry Zinfandel Conserve

Cranberry sauce can be so banal. Guests at your holiday table might be surprised to see a homemade variation because they are so accustomed to the tubular, semi-opaque, gelatinous mass with a flavor far from that of actual cranberries.

Pairing cranberries with currants amplifies their sweetness. A full-bodied red wine adds depth and toasted hazelnuts add an unexpected crunch that will surprise and please your guests.

The recipe is for a conserve which is simply a jam or preserve that includes nuts. Many different kinds of nuts shine in this combination: almonds, cashews, walnuts and pecans are all superb, retaining their crunch after even months in the jar. Make sure the nuts are fresh and toast them to ensure the deepest flavor.

Because the tart bitterness of the conserve is mellowed by the wine and raisins, not only can it liven up leftovers as a sandwich spread, complement sharp artisanal cheeses, but it can also find wider use as jam, paired with English muffins or toast made with crusty bread. If you have the time or inclination, tuck it into jars, process it in a hot water bath and you’re ready for holiday gift-giving.

• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar 
• 1/3 cup butter 
• 2 teaspoons cider vinegar 
• 2 large onions, coarsely chopped 
• 4 cups fresh or frozen cranberries 
• 1/2 cup currants (or raisins) 
• 1/3 cup Zinfandel red wine
• 1/2 teaspoon mulling or apple pie spice 
• 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar 
• 1 cup toasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped

In a large skillet over medium-low heat, melt the butter and add the onions. Stir or shake the pan to prevent sticking or burning. The onions will get soft and then translucent. Sweating the onions concentrates their flavor and enhancing conversion from starch to sugar. Heating the onions releases their aroma and reduces the chemical bitterness they exhibit when raw.

Stir in the brown sugar and vinegar and cook uncovered, over low heat for about 5 minutes or until the sugar is dissolved and the onions are fully incorporated. The mixture should look jammy. Set aside.

In a large saucepan combine cranberries, currants, wine (a full-bodied red wine such as a Beaujolais or Merlot can be substituted if a Zinfandel is not available) and mulling spices. Bring these to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Continue to cook, uncovered, over medium heat for 5 minutes. Don’t over stir or you will break up the cranberries which will pop open as they heat through.

Gently stir the onion mixture and granulated sugar into the mulled cranberry mixture. Return to boiling and then reduce the heat to low and simmer softly, uncovered, for another 10 minutes, stirring frequently and gently.

Remove from the heat and gently stir in hazelnuts. Allow to cool and transfer the conserve to airtight containers or jars. Serve immediately or cover and chill until ready to serve. Any unused conserve can be stored in the refrigerator through the holiday season. Extras can be processed in a hot water bath for holiday gift-giving.

Semolina Couche-y-Coo

It always surprise me how tastes change over time. Years ago, the only artisanal bread we bought was a hearty Country French, then we switched preferences to the airy, crusty Ciabatta loaves so named because they resemble a women’s slipper. Nowadays our loaf of choice is a golden, seeded semolina, however at nearly $5 per loaf, it is a pricey choice indeed.

So, yet again, we have embarked on another of our culinary quests to develop a manageable work-a-day recipe for semolina bread to accompany our favorite Italian antipasti and meals. The first obstacle was finding the right semolina flour and the second was forming the loaves into an appropriate shape.

A couche (pronounced “koosh” is a cloth used to proof dough or used to cover the dough while it is rising. Couche is from the French word coucher, meaning to lie down (unless you listen to Ella Fitzgerald in which case “Coochi-coochi-coo means I love you.”) A baker’s couche is not just floured fabric, it is usually a hard wearing canvas to which the dough will not stick. It is used to allow the dough to breath, hold its shape, and the crust to dry slightly. A dry crust makes it easier to handle and bakes slightly crispier. A couche is typically used for longer loaves, such as baguettes. Lean doughs are best for proofing in a couche to prevent the absorption of oils and impurities that can contaminate the cloth. Lean doughs are those that do not include eggs, milk and only have a minimal amount of oil. (A washable cotton canvas couche is best for richer dough.)

To condition a new couche, dust liberally with flour and work it into the weave of the fabric to prevent the dough from sticking. If dough sticks, allow to dry and scrape off. The cloth is left unwashed between uses to let yeast and flour collect in them which aids in the proofing process. Once you are done with the couche, allow it to dry completely and shake out any excess flour before rolling it up for storage. Storing the couche in an airtight bag or container will keep bugs from being attracted to it.

When hard wheat is milled, the endosperm is separated from its bran and germ. Semolina is made from the endosperm of durum wheat, while typical white bread flour is made from the endosperm of common or bread wheat. The cream-colored semolina contains the gluten protein that gives it unique properties for making good pasta and Italian-style breads. However, despite a very high protein content, semolina is low in the gluten needed to form a glutinous web necessary for bread to rise making it necessary to add white flour to the dough for a springy loaf of semolina bread.

• 1 ½ cups warm water
• 1 tablespoon yeast
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups semolina flour
• 2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon aniseed (optional)

Dissolve the yeast in 1 cup of the warm water in a large measuring cup or small mixing bowl and add honey. Allow a few minutes for the yeast to proof before adding the olive oil to the liquid. In a separate mixing bowl or the bowl of your mixer whisk together the flours and salt and then slowly add in the yeast mixture. Keep working until the dry and liquid ingredients are fully incorporated.  If the mixture is too dry and tough, add in more water one tablespoon at a time until the dough is supple and sticks together.

Turn the dough out onto a work surface floured with a little more semolina and knead it for 5 to 8 minutes, until smooth. You can also accomplish this in a mixer with a dough hook attachment.

Grease a bowl, set the dough in the bowl, turning to coat all sides, cover with plastic wrap, and let the dough rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour or more.

Punch the dough down, turn it out of the bowl, and shape it into one long loaf or two shorter loaves.  If you are coating the crust with seeds, lay the seeds out on a baking sheet and brush the loaf with a little water. Gently roll the loaf into the seeds before laying the dough on your prepared couche. Roll the sides up to keep the loaf(ves) from spreading and losing their shape. Cover dough with the remaining length of couche and let rise until doubled in bulk again, about 45 minutes.

Roll the dough off the couche onto a peel or a flat baking sheet (used the bottom  side of a half sheet pan) and bake in a preheated 450°F oven and bake for 40 minutes.  If you are using a baking stone, transfer the loaf(ves) to the stone using a peel bake at 450°F for the same 40 minutes. When done, the bread should have be a light golden brown and should sound hollow when thumped. Place the loaf on a rack to cool. Let cool thoroughly before slicing.

This recipe made a nice golden-yellow, dense sandwich-style bread. As with any recipe, it serves as a good starting point. We would have preferred lighter, airier bread and will keep making adjustments until we get it just the way we like it. You should too.

Snowy Cranberry Almond Tart

This quasi-French, frangipane-style tart reflects not only the flavors, but the colors of the holidays. Served warm, a slice of tart with a scoop of vanilla or cinnamon ice cream makes an ideal Thanksgiving dessert. The color of the red berries and snow-like dusting of powdered sugar also make it a beautiful addition to your Christmas dinner table.

Frangipane is a classic European pastry filling made with almonds, butter, eggs and sugar which is traditionally topped with pears or apples. As the tart bakes, the filling puffs up and surrounds the fruit. Because they need to be softened and sweetened slightly, the cranberries are first candied in a sugar cook separately.  The snappy tartness of the cranberries is the perfect foil for the rich, sweet frangipane. A dusting of confectioners' sugar and a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream cap off this tart that is literally bursting with flavor.

Tart Shell 

• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened 
• 1/3 cup sugar 
• 1 large egg yolk 
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1 cup all-purpose flour 
• ¼ cup almond meal (or additional flour)

In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter with the sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk, vanilla and salt, scrape down the side of the bowl and beat at low speed until smooth. Gradually add the flour, beating until the dough just forms a ball. Pat the dough into a disk and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour or overnight.

Roll out the dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper into a 12-inch round. Carefully peel off the top layer of parchment paper and invert the dough onto a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Peel off the parchment paper and gently press the dough into the pan. Trim the dough flush with the rim. Patch any cracks with the dough trimmings. Lightly prick the bottom with a fork. Refrigerate the tart shell until firm, about 30 minutes, or freeze for 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°. Line the tart shell with foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake the tart shell for about 30 minutes, until the rim is lightly golden. Remove the foil and weights and bake the tart shell for about 5 minutes longer, until it is lightly golden all over. Set the tart pan on a baking sheet. Increase the oven temperature to 375°.

Cranberry Filling
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
2 cups (10- oz.) cranberries

In a medium saucepan, combine the granulated sugar with the water and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Add the cranberries, cover and cook over moderate heat for 3 minutes, stirring once or twice. Remove the pan from the heat and let the cranberries cool to room temperature. Drain the cranberries well; reserve the cranberry syrup.

Almond Custard

• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons half-and-half
• 1/8 teaspoon pure almond extract
• Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
• Lightly sweetened whipped cream, for serving

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the brown sugar and flour. Whisk in the half-and-half and the almond extract. Spread the cranberries in the tart shell. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the reserved cranberry syrup over the cranberries, and then pour in the almond custard.

Bake the filled tart in the lower third of the oven until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 16 to 18 minutes. Transfer the tart in the pan to a rack to cool completely, at least 2 hours. Dust the tart with confectioners’ sugar. Cut the tart into wedges and serve with whipped cream.

Founder of the Feast Brown Bread

We always thank the pilgrims for our Thanksgiving, yet we might be equally indebted to another sturdy New Englander: Sarah Josepha Hale, editor of the popular Victorian magazine Godey's Lady’s Book. Her decades-long campaign to extend a New England custom to a growing nation reached from the frontier reader of Godey's right up to the President. In 1863, at her prompting, Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national Thanksgiving event now marking its 150th anniversary, and coincidentally Sarah's 225th birthday.

George Washington set aside the last Thursday in November 1789 to honor the newly minted Constitution (Sarah would later point to this date and the precedent.)  However, since even the Pilgrims themselves didn't regularly repeat their famous feast, its subsequent observance continued by local customs and whims. One year, when a molasses shipment was delayed, a Connecticut town casually postponed its holiday until the pie makings arrived.

Widowed just before the birth of her fifth child, Sarah took up a pen and began writing to make ends meet. After several successful books of poetry (one of which included her best known poem Mary Had a Little Lamb), and a novel about slavery, the successful novelist was asked to edit a women's magazine which would later merge to become Godey's Lady's Book which featured original, American writing including leading writers such as Hawthorne, Longfellow, Emerson, and Poe to whom she paid 50 cents a page.

As the editress antebellum America's most widely circulated magazine, Sarah began her campaign for a national day of Thanksgiving. In her editorials, she explained how to celebrate with seasonal recipes for chicken pies, ducklings, vegetable platters, gravy, pickles, preserves, cakes, and a "variety of sweetmeats." As the nation sprawled westward and rifts between North and South grew deeper, her editorials stressed the holiday's "moral and social reunion of the people of America" - a point she pressed in thousands of letters through the decades to governors, senators, and influential personages, as well as Presidents from Zachary Taylor on.

Her Thanksgiving campaign took a new turn in 1863, in the war weary aftermath of Gettysburg. That summer her editorial called not to governors, but for a Presidential edict. On October 3, 1863, Lincoln issued a National Thanksgiving Proclamation setting aside the last Thursday in November. Lincoln's graceful proclamation held to Hale's New England traditions, stressing “a fruitful land and healthful skies," with a conciliatory note asking "interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation.”

However, the war dragged painfully past Lincoln's second proclamation in 1864; the following spring, an assassin's bullet took him. Hale pressed her cause with President Johnson and, later, with Grant. Their yearly proclamations, following Lincoln's lead, addressed to a reunited country, firmly established the custom of our annual Thanksgiving, and answered one of the many prayers of Sarah Josepha Hale. On December 26, 1941, President Roosevelt signed a bill, some 62 years after Hale’s death and for the first time the date of Thanksgiving became a matter of federal law and fixed the day as the fourth Thursday of November.

One of the earliest recorded Thanksgiving recipes was for brown bread made with cornmeal and molasses. Puritans did not use white flour because it was expensive and “too fancy,” while whole wheat, rye & corn flours were cheap and plentiful.  The Brown bread was steamed since cooking was generally done over an open fire as New England homes of the period were crudely thatched cabins and few had ovens. Steaming is an effective way to make bread without an oven. This traditional and rustic bread is very hearty and quite delicious, especially when toasted and served with cream cheese and homemade marmalade.

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup finely ground corn meal
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. allspice
• 1/2 cup molasses 
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup raisins

This batter makes one round loaf steamed in a metal can that is 6-inches tall by 4-inches diameter. The one I used formerly held ground espresso powder.

Preheat the oven to 325° F and bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Grease the coffee can with cooking spray or line the can with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, rye flour, corn meal, baking powder and soda, salt and allspice. In another bowl, mix together the sour cream, egg and molasses. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir well with a spoon. Pour the batter into the coffee can taking care that the batter not reach higher than 2/3 up the sides of the container.

Cover the coffee can tightly with foil, and put  it into pot with water in one third up the side, and then place the pot into the oven. Steam the bread for at least 2 hours and 15 minutes (yes, really). Check to see if the bread is done by inserting a toothpick into it.

Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before putting the can on a rack. I know you are anxious to see how it came out, but don't try to remove the bread from the can yet! Let the bread cool for 1 hour before turning out of the container.

No Fancy Potatoes at the Kids' Table

Thanksgiving is a time for reflection, and over the last few days I have been recalling big holiday meals with my family over the years. As a young girl, we would travel each year to Fairfax, Virginia where my paternal grandparents lived to spend Thanksgiving or Christmas. For the most part, I enjoyed these trips. My grand parents’ home was a funky, 1960s, A-frame with a dumbwaiter and spiral steps that led to my grand-father’s “inner sanctum” of trophies from his African safari adventures.

My grandmother had a large, open kitchen with a huge fireplace that would be commonplace today, but was a rarity in that decade. I loved that kitchen, not for its style or size, but because it was a temple of good food. Yet, there was always one exception to my adoration of that culinary citadel; the kids’ table. The “grown-up” table would be set with silver and china, and beautiful centerpieces in the dining room, while our table would be a flimsy card table with schlock dishes and lesser versions of the meals prepared for the “big table” in the kitchen.

The only redeeming feature was the frequent presence of Doris Peterson who vastly preferred the company of youngsters and would study issues of Tiger Beat magazine in advance of our visits to be able to chat with us about “current events.” When Doris wasn’t present, we sat in complete silence hanging on every word we could decipher of the adults’ conversation even though we had been told that it was just boring stuff like news about people we didn’t know and their health issues. 

I distinctly remember the first year that I was old enough to help Grams in the kitchen while my mom entertained my little sister. The menu included beef Wellington, asparagus, and fancy little potatoes. I was “allowed” to clean the mushrooms for the duxelles with a damp paper towel and to meticulously peel the petit spuds. Yet when it came time to serve the perfectly executed meal, I was relegated to the kiddie table to babysit two five-year-olds and a three-year-old. Needless to say, I was livid. At the last minute, one of the guests was unable to attend, leaving an unoccupied seat at the grown-up table. With a bit of lobbying (Thanks Mom!), I moved into the vacated spot. I felt like Cinderella! 

That very evening, I vowed that I would never have a child’s table in my own home. I remembered that oath nearly 30 years later when a surprise visit from 3-year-old twins and their mother took the last available inches at an already heaving dining table. I stood nibbling my Easter dinner from a plate in the kitchen, content that the two little girls at the “big” table felt like princesses at the feast.

The moral of the story (a.k.a. the soapbox): lose the kids’ table and make room for everyone at the “big” table. Holidays are a time for the whole family to be together and share a meal. When you sit together as a family, you’re creating better dinner and better memories for years to come. Besides how are children going to learn to behave at a table with adults if they're not allowed the exposure? It is a great opportunity for children to learn to be well-mannered enough that the grown-ups forget not to tell the really good family stories in front of them. There's a great deal of family history I wouldn't know if I never had a chance to sit with the grown-ups. If you just can’t seat everyone at the same time, serve dinner in shifts.

Oh, and about those fancy potatoes… Potatoes Fondantes are a classic French side dish and a traditional accompaniment to beef Wellington. While you can prepare them in a saucepan on the stove, Grams preferred to bake hers.These artfully moist potatoes have a crisp exterior and a creamy center coated in a caramelized glaze.

• 2 lbs. Yukon Gold or Red Bliss potatoes
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 sprig of fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chives, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F. Wash and peel the potatoes making sure to remove eyes or damaged areas of the potatoes. Trim the potatoes into uniform, egg shapes about 2” in length (this allows for even cooking) and arrange them in a single layer in the bottom of a baking dish.

Bring broth with thyme, oil, butter and salt to a boil in medium saucepan, and then pour over the potatoes until it comes about halfway up the sides of the potatoes. Place in oven and cook for about 40 minutes, basting frequently with stock in the pan to build up a nice gloss. The potatoes are done when they are golden brown on top and the broth is almost completely reduced.

Let the potatoes rest for 5 minutes before transferring them to a serving platter. Sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt and the chopped chives and serve immediately.