Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Candied Orange Zest

From Everyday Food magazine:

In a medium saucepan, bring 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup water to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add zest of 1 orange (peeled into long strips with a vegetable peeler); simmer, swirling occasionally, until zest is tender. 8-10 minutes. Drain, and transfer to a plate. Dredge zest in sugar, and thinly slice.

Cranberry Trifle (from Everyday Food magazine)

2 bags (12 oz each) cranberries, fresh or frozen
2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 T finely grated peeled fresh ginger
1 bar (8 oz) cream cheese, room temp.
1/4 c packed light-brown sugar
1/2 t pure vanilla extract
2 c heavy cream
2 homemade or store-bought all-butter pound cakes (12 oz each), cut into 3/4" thick slices
Candied Orange Zest (below) for garnish (optional)

1. In a medium saucepan, combine cranberries, 2 C granulated sugar, ginger, and 2 c water. Bring to a simmer over medium; cook until cranberries begin to burst, 8-10 minutes. Let compote cool completely.

2. Make cream filling: Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, brown sugar, remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar and vanilla on high until well combined. With mixer on medium, gradually add heavy cream; continue beating until soft peaks form.

3. Arrange 1/3 of cake in a 3-qt serving dish. Spoon 1/3 of compote over cake; spread to sides of dish. Dollop 1/3 of cream filling over compote; spread to sides of dish. Repeat twice, ending with cream filling. Cover; refrigerate at least 2 yours (or up to 1 day). Garnish with Candied Orange Zest, if desired.

Seafood stew

8 oz scallops
8 oz shrimp
6 oz lobster meat
8 oz fresh fish (diced)
12 pc oysters (shucked)
4 oz butter
1 tsp garlic
4 oz white wine substitute
4 oz fish stock (or clam juice)
16 oz heavy cream
1 cup onion (julienne)
2 stalks celery (sliced)
1 cup corn (kernels)
1 t Worcestershire sauce
1/2 t hot sauce
1/2 t Old Bay
salt & pepper to taste

Heat the butter in a large skillet. Add the seafood, vegetables, and a little salt. Saute for 1 minute. Add the garlic and then the (wine) and fish stock. Bring to a boil. Remove the seafood with a slotted spoon and reduce the liquid by 1/2. Add the cream and reduce by 1/4. Return the seafood to the skillet, bring back to a boil and add seasonings. Serve with rice.

From the Union Street Public House

Monday, December 22, 2008

Basic Sugar Cookie Dough

From the December 2008 issue of "Family Circle" magazine

The below recipe, it makes several of the recipes below this one...

Makes 3 dozen cookies
Prep: 15 minutes
Refrigerate 4 hours
Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes

1 1/2 C all-purpose flour
1/2 t baking powder
1/8 t salt
1/2 C (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 C sugar
1 egg
3/4 t vanilla extract
White nopareils, for decorating (optional) (little round white balls)

1. In medium-size bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until smooth, about 2 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla. On low speed, eat in flour mixture until just combined. Divide the dough in half and form each half into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

3. Heat oven to 350 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk to 1/4" thickness. Cut into bells using a 2" bell-shaped cookie cutter. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Sprinkle with white nonpareils, gently pressing to adhere. Bake for 10-12 minutes until lightly golden around edges. Remove cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

4. Repeat with remaining 1/2 of dough. Gather scraps and refrigerate. Reroll and cut into additional bells. Bake and cool as above. When completely cool, cookies may be stored in an airtight container up to 2 weeks.

Per cookie: 60 calories; 3 g fat (2 g sat.)

Cookie Tip:
To soften butter, let stand at room temperature for 30-45 minutes.

Jumbo Cherry-Chunk Cookies

From the December 2008 issue of "Family Circle" magazine

Makes 15 jumbo cookies
Prep: 15 minutes
Refrigerate 2 hours
Bake at 350 degrees for 18 minutes

To basic sugar cookie dough, add 1/4 cup cocoa powder to flour mixture. Add an additional 1/2 C (1 stick) unsalted butter, and add 1/2 t cherry extract when adding the vanilla.

Stir in 6 oz semisweet chocolate chunks, 1/2 C cherry-flavored sweetened dried cranberries and 1/2 C chopped walnuts with flour mixture. Refrigerate dough 2 hours.

With a measuring cup or ice-cream scoop, drop 1/4-cup mounds onto 2 ungreased baking sheets. Gently press down with palm of your hand into 3" disks.

Bake at 350 degrees for 18 minutes until set. Let cool on sheets 3 minutes. Gently remove to cooling rack to cool completely.

Wrap in clear bags and tie with holiday ribbon, if desired.

Per cookie: 288 calories; 18 g fat (10 g sat.)

Orange Sandwiches (cookies)

From the December 2008 issue of "Family Circle" magazine

Makes 16 sandwiches Prep: 10 minutes
Refrigerate 4 hours
Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes

To basic sugar cookie dough, add 1 T grated orange zest and 1/2 t orange extract. Divide into 2 disks and refrigerate 4 hours. On lightly floured work surface, roll out 1 disk to 3/16" thickness.

Cut into rounds using a 2" cutter. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes until lightly golden around edges.

Remove cookies to wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough. Gather scraps and refrigerate. Reroll, cut into additional rounds and bake as above.

Spread 1/2 of the rounds with 1 t orange marmalade each. Please remaining rounds over marmalade to form a sandwich. Melt 1 C semisweet chocolate chips. Dip one side of sandwiches in chocolate; place on a waxed-paper-lined baking sheet. Allow chocolate to set at room temperature.

Per sandwich: 223 calories; 10 g fat (6 g sat).

Spice Crackles

From December 2008 issue of "Family Circle" magazine

Makes: 24 cookies. Prep: 15 minutes. Refrigerate 1 hour. Bake at 350 degrees for 14 minutes

To basic sugar cookie dough, add 2 t pumpkin pie spice, 2 t cocoa powder and 1 1/4 t baking soda to flour mixture. Continue as directed.

Refrigerate dough 1 hour. Shape 1 T dough into a disk, about 1" in diameter, and place on ungreased baking sheets. Repeat.

Sprinkle each with about 1/2 t colored sanding sugar.

Bake at 350 degrees for 14 minutes. Remove cookies to wire rack and cool completely.

Per cookie: 106 calories; 4 g fat (3 g sat.)

Royal Icing

From December 2008 issue of "Family Circle" magazine

Combine 2 cups confectioners' sugar, 1 1/2 T powdered egg whites and 1/4 cup water in a large bowl. Beat on low for 2 minutes. Increase speed to high and beat for 4 minutes.

Gingerbread Family

From December, 2008 issue of "Family Circle" magazine.

Makes 16 cookies
Prep: 15 minutes
Refrigerate 4 hours
Bake at 350 degrees for 14 minutes

To basic sugar cookie dough, add 1 T ground ginger, 2 t cocoa powder & 1/2 t cinnamon to flour mixture. Continue as directed.

Halve dough and form into 2 disks. Refrigerate 4 hours. On lightly floured work surface, roll out one disk to 1/4" thickness. Using a large gingerbread cookie cutter, cut out 2 figures.

Place on ungreased baking sheet. Repeat with a small cookie cutter and other half of dough. Gather scraps and refrigerate. Reroll to form total of 2 large and 14 small cookies.

Bake at 350 degrees for 14 minutes.

Make Royal Icing. Decorate with Royal Icing, candy and sugars as desired.

Per 1 large or 2 small cookies:
298 calories, 11 g fat (7 g sat.)

Chocolate-Chip Shortbread

From December, 2008's "Family Circle" magazine.

Makes 16 cookies (in a pie-cutting fashion)
Prep: 5 minutes
Refrigerate: 2 hours
Bake at 350 degrees for 27-30 minutes

To basic sugar cookie dough, mix in 1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips.

Form into 1 disk and refrigerate for 2 hours. Press into a 9-inch round fluted nonstick tart pan.

Score into 16 pie-shaped wedges without cutting completely through dough. Bake at 350 degrees for 27-30 minutes.

Let cool & remove side of pan. Just before serving, melt 3 T seedless raspberry preserves and drizzle over top of tart. Cut into 16 wedges along score marks.

Per cookie: 179 calories; 8 g fat (5 g sat.); 2 g protein; 25 g carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 36 mg sodium.

Cookie tip: Be sure not to overmix dough or results will be dry and tough.

Browned Butter Smashed Potatoes with Butternut Squash

1 lb (3 medium) yellow-flesh potatoes, cut into 3/4 inch chunks

1 sm. butternut squash (about 1 lb) peeled, seeded & cut into 1-inch chunks

Salt

3 T butter, divided

8-10 fresh (2-3") sage leaves, stacked & cut across into 1/4th inch strips

1/2 cup 1 % milk (approx.)

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Ready to serve: 40 minutes
Serves: 4

In 3-qt saucepan, cover potatoes and squash with water; add 1 t salt. Bring to boil over high heat; reduce heat, cover and cook until tender, 12-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, add 2 T of the butter and the sage to small skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Tilting pan and watching closely, cook about 3 minutes, until butter foams and begins to brown; keep warm.

Thoroughly drain potatoes and squash, return to pan and shake 1-2 minutes over low heat. Roughly mash with hand masher leaving mixture chunky.

Over low heat, gently mix in remaining T butter and enough milk for consistency desired.

Season w/ salt & pepper. Spoon into serving bowl & drizzle with brown butter and sage.