Holiday Dinner

We've invited friends in for a holiday dinner and charades. So, what shall I serve? Well, dessert is easy -- we are having iced sugar cookies and brownies with creme de menthe icing which I will tint red. I can make both of these in advance.

The entree was a puzzle -- I wanted something that evoked Christmas. I settled on Chicken Florentine. This should be perfect as the green of the spinach and the addition of some red tomato slices will create a Christmas feeling. Also, I can have them ready to pop in the oven. I won't have too much last minute fussing. The point of this party is to get through dinner and have fun playing charades!

So, the menu is:

Chicken Florentine
Rice Pilaf
Steamed broccoli
Salad with baked goat cheese and dijon vinaigrette

If I have time I will make caviar souffle roll for appetizers. It is easier than it sounds and festive or if I run out of time it will be something already made from the local market.

The only things last minute about dinner are getting the salad ready (bake goat cheese rounds and dress and plate the salad) and steaming the broccoli.

That is the plan...I will let you know how it turns out tomorrow!

Christmas Cookies

The recipe for these delicious iced sugar cookies is from my Norwegian great-grandmother.
They are delicate and delicious and the lemon extract is what sets them apart. The light lemon flavor cuts through the sugary cookie and icing. The dough keeps in the refrigerator, wrapped in plastic, for several days.

Great-Grandma Arne's Sugar Cookies

INGREDIENTS

2 cups sifted flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
2 Tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

METHOD

Sift first four ingredients together. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Blend in the egg, milk, and flavorings. Blend in dry ingredients. Gather together and chill for at least 2 hours. Roll out approximately 1/8" thick on lightly floured board. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters.

Bake on parchment lined baking sheets or ungreased cookie sheet at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes. For best results, start baking sheet on lowest rack of oven and when cookies have begun to puff slightly, move to the top rack until they are golden brown at the edges.

Decorate as desired using Royal Icing, sugar, etc.

Royal Icing

INGREDIENTS:

1 egg white
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2-3 cups powdered sugar

METHOD:
Beat the egg white and lemon juice together until frothy and then add the powdered sugar, approximately 1/2 cup at a time until the icing has reached the desired consistency.

I used two cups of sugar for the green frosting so that it would be spreadable and when I made the white icing, I used about three cups so that it would be a little stiffer when I piped it on to the trees.

As you work with royal icing, you can cover the bowl with a dampened paper towel to prevent it drying.

Dessert: Lemon Ginger Cheesecake!

Lemon-Ginger Cheesecake

Calling all ginger lovers! This delicious cheesecake is light and creamy. It serves a crowd and can easily be prepared in advance. The recipe, one that I cut out years ago from Bon Appetit or Gourmet, says it can be refrigerated up to 4 days or frozen up to 2 months, defrosting frozen cake overnight in refrigerator.

Yields 12-20 servings, depending on size of serving...


Ingredients

For the crust:
2 cups finely ground gingersnap cookies (about 9 ounces)
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:
4 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger
2 tablespoons peeled and finely grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 teaspoons grated lemon peel


Method

For crust:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Generously butter a 10-inch diameter springform pan with 2 3/4 inch high sides. Double wrap the outside of pan with heavy-duty foil.

Blend ground cookies (you can use the processor first to grind the cookies), sugar, and ginger in processor. Add melted butter and process until moist crumbs form. Press mixture onto bottom and 1/2 inch up sides of prepared pan. Bake until crust sets, about 10 minutes. Cool crust. Maintain oven temperature.





The prepared crust


For filling:
Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in sugar, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in sour cream and whipping cream, then crystallized ginger, fresh ginger, lemon juice and lemon peel.

Pour filling into crust. Place springform pan in large roasting pan. Pour enough boiling water into roasting pan to come 1 inch up sides of springform pan. Bake cheesecake until filling is set and golden brown on top (cake will rise slightly above edge of pan), about 1 hour 25 minutes. Turn off oven and prop oven door open. Let cake stand in oven 1 hour (cake will fall slightly).

Remove springform pan from water bath. Remove foil and cool cheesecake completely on rack. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Release sides of springform pan and transfer cheesecake to serving platter. Garnish with flowers and fresh lemon slices, sweetened whipped cream, fresh berries, etc.

P. S. I like crystallized ginger from The Ginger People -- it's fresh and soft and easy to chop and the packaging is very cute!

Spice Up Your Life Gingerbread

This delicious recipe for Gingerbread is in the Foster's Market cookbook. I love ginger! The spices in this bread are deep -- I like it on its own but it is also delicious with sweetened whipped cream, ice cream (maybe the Haagen Dazs Ginger ice cream for a double whammy of ginger) or possibly homemade applesauce.

I had to put a big dollop of whipped cream on it to disguise the fact that it sank while baking -- sadly a fact of life living here at 6,000 feet. Next time I make it I will reduce the baking powder even more...and maybe I will add some chopped crystallized ginger.

Makes 2 loaves
INGREDIENTS

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon ground pepper
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups molasses
1 cup brewed strong coffee, cooled

METHOD

Prep: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees; Grease and flour two 9x5 loaf pans and set aside.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, mustard, and pepper in a large bowl and stir to mix.

Cream together the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Slowly add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Add the molasses to the butter mixture in a slow, steady stream while continuing to beat on low speed. Add the coffee, and continue to beat until all the ingredients are well blended.

Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir just until all the dry ingredients are moist and blended. Do not overmix.

Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans and place the pans on the center rack of the oven.

Bake 40-45 minutes, until the bread rises and springs back lightly when pressed and a toothpick inserted in the center of each loaf comes out clean.

Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes before removing from the pans. Serve warm or place on a wire rack to cool.

Serve for dessert, or breakfast or as a mid-afternoon snack.

French Onion Soup

Cold weather is starting to set in here in the mountains and soup is a satisfying meal. This recipe is from the Julia Child book The Way to Cook. Allow approximately 3 hours total for preparation.



INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon light olive oil
8 cups thinly sliced onions (approx. 2 1/2 pounds)
1/2 teaspoon each salt and sugar (sugar helps the onions to brown)
2 tablespoons flour
2 1/2 quarts homemade beef stock, or best quality purchased stock, of which 2 cups of the stock should be hot.
4-5 tablespoons Cognac, Armagnac, or other good brandy
1 cup dry white French vermouth

METHODS

Browning the onions (approx 40 minutes). Set the saucepan over moderate heat with the butter and oil; when the butter has melted, stir in the onions, cover the pan and cook slowly until tender and translucent, about 10 minutes. Blend in the salt and sugar, raise heat to moderately high, and let the onions brown, stirring frequently until they are a dark walnut color, 25-30 minutes.

Sprinkle in the flour and cook slowly, stirring for 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat, let cool a moment, then whisk in 2 cups of hot stock. When well blended, bring to the simmer, adding the rest of the stock, the Cognac or brandy, and the vermouth. Cover loosely, and simmer very slowly 1 1/2 hours, adding a little water if the liquid reduces too much. Correct seasoning.

(Note: Soup prepared to this point may be cooled and refrigerated or frozen for later use)

Serving: Serve accompanied with grated cheese for garnish, french bread and a green salad or gratinee it -- put a toasted round of French bread in each bowl (or several into a large bowl) cover with grated Swiss cheese, 1-2 tablespoons of parmesan cheese for garnish. Bake in oven preheated to 425 degrees until the cheese has melted and browned nicely.

Kitchen Tip: Cleaning Peppers

Chopping peppers is not a chore. Here's the best way to do it.






Cut a circle around the stem at the top of the pepper.



Gently pull the "lid" off the pepper and you will remove almost all the seeds. If there are seeds stuck inside, just run some water into your pepper "cup" and swish it around and pour it out.











Slice off the bottom and... (drumroll please)





Then section the pepper neatly into slices that lie quite flat -- you can roast them like this or slice into neat pieces!

What's for Dinner?: A Sushi Party

We were lucky to be invited to the home of friends, Chris and Erich, for a Sushi Dinner.

When we arrived we were put to work helping prep, slicing green onions, cucumbers, avocado, etc. I showed young Max my way of removing the pit from an avocado. He loved it!

Then Max showed me how to dip my fingers in water and spread the prepared rice really thinly on the seaweed.

Then, we used a choice of fillings tuna, shrimp, avocado, red pepper, green onions, sprouts, sauces, etc. and then carefully rolled the sushi, pressing the roll together using our sushi rolling mats.

It was a terrific feast!

In the pictures below, you see my rolling making my first sushi roll, our friend Peter (who looks a little intense rolling) and finally, the platter of delicious sushi rolls. Thanks, Chris & Erich!