Christmas Holiday Treats!

 Every year we make special treats for the family Christmas party and leave extra's for Santa!  I have refined my favorites through experimentation of recipes and practice!  I feel like I have found the best in flavor and variety!  Our all time favorites are Soft Ginger Snap Cookies dipped in White Chocolate, Fluer de Sel (French salted) Caramels, French Dark Chocolate Bark with dried fruit, nuts and crystallized ginger and of course natures best Clemintines!

This recipe for French Dark Chocolate Bark is very simple!

A combination of good semi and bitter sweet chocolate equaling 4 cups

1 cup roasted cashews

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1/2 cup sliced peaches

1/2 cup minced crystallized ginger

1/4 cup dried blueberries

1/4 cup dried cranberries or cherries

Melt the chocolate in a double broiler over low heat.  Add 1 tablespoon organic canola oil if it is too thick.  Be careful not to get any water in the chocolate or it will ruin.  Prepare a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the chocolate evenly, almost reaching the edges by 1-inch.  Add the nuts first, fruit and then ginger.  Allow to cool or place in fridge to speed up the process.  Break into medium and small pieces and serve!

Soft Ginger Snap Cookies Dipped in White Chocolate

3/4 cup butter at room temp

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons groung ginger

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1/4 c. molasses

2 1/4 cups flour

2 tablespoons turbinado sugar (Sugar in the raw) for rolling cookies in before cooking

Cream together butter and sugar.  Add the ginger, soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt.  Mix thoroughly.  Add the egg and molasses.  Mix.  Add the flour and roll dough out into 1 tablespoon balls.  Roll into turbinado sugar and place on a greased cookie sheet.  Bake for 10 minutes at 350`.  While the cookies are cooling heat white chocolate in double broiler.  Prepare a cookie sheet lined with parchment and dip the cookies half way.  Allow the chocolate to cool and harden before serving.

Fluer de Sel Caramels (recipe by Ina Garten aka Barefoot Contessa)

First, I love this recipe because it is virtually foolproof!  I am not a candy maker by any stretch of the imagination.  It allows you to walk away and do other things, which is very important for me not to have to be a slave to the stove!  So if I can pull this off so can you!  They are so good, my favorite chocolate candy store can't touch this recipe! Word of caution; you may not want to share!

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1 cup heavy cream

5 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon fluer de sel (french salt) or sea salt will do too, plus extra for sprinkling

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

 Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, allowing it to drape over 2 sides, then brush the paper lightly with canola oil.  

In a deep saucepan (6-inches wide and 4 1/2 inches deep), combine 1/4 cup water, sugar, and corn syrup and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Boil until the mixture is a warm golden brown.  Don't stir- just swirl the pan.  Watch carefully, as it can burn quickly at the end!

In the meantime, in a large pot, bring the cream, butter and 1 teaspoon fluer de sel to a simmer over medium heat.  Turn off the heat when you are ready to add the sugar mixture and pour very slowly.  Be careful, it will bubble up violently!  Stir in vanilla with a wooden spoon and cook over medium heat, until the mixture reaches 248` (firm ball) on a candy thermometer.  (If you don't have one, get one, they are very cheap!)  Stir occasionally. Once they are ready pour them very carefully into teh prepared baking dish and refridgerate for a few hours, until firm.  

When the caramels are cold, pry the sheet from the pan onto a cutting board.  Cut the square in half.  Starting with a long side, roll one piece of the caramel up tightly into an 8-inch log.  Repeat with the second piece.  Sprinkle both logs with extra salt, trim the ends and cut into 8 pieces.  Wrap each caramel in glassine or parchment paper, twisting at the ends.  Store in the fridge and serve them chilled!

 

Carrot Cake with Ginger Mascarpne Frosting

This carrot cake is divine! So many flavors going at one time, with the spices in the cake, the creaminess of the frosting and the heated crunch of the crystallized ginger!  You would have thought you died and gone to heaven!  Recipe found in Barefoot Contessa's "Foolproof" cookbook.

2 cups organic sugar

1 1/3 cups organic canola oil

3 extra-large eggs at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt

1 pound carrots, grated

1 cup raisins

1 cup chopped walnuts

Ginger mascarpone frosting (recipe follows)

Crystallized ginger (not in syrup), chopped for garnish

Preheat the oven to 400`.  Spray two 8 or 9-inch round baking pans with a non-stick spray.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the sugar, oil and eggs on medium speed for 2 minutes, until light yellow and thickened.  Stir in vanilla.  In another bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.  With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ones.  

In a medium bowl, toss the carrots, raisins, walnuts and 1 tablespoon flour.  Stir into the batter with a rubber spatula.  Divide the batter between the prepared pans and smooth the tops.  Bake for 10 minutes, lower the heat to 350`, and bake for another 30 to 35 minutes longer and until a toothpick or knife comes out clean.  Cool in the pans for 15 minutes.  then invert them onto a cooling rack and cool completely.  

Place one cake on flat serving plate rounded side down.  Spread half the frosting on the top (not the sides).  Place the second cake on top of the first cake, rounded side up.  Frost just the top of the second cake.  Sprinkle with the ginger and serve at room temp.

Ginger Mascarpone Frosting

12 ounces Italian mascarpone cheese at room temp

4 ounces cream cheese at room temp

2 cups sifted powdered sugar

2 tablespoons heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/3 cup minced crystallized ginger (not in syrup)

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the mascarpone, cream cheese, powdered sugar, cream and vanilla together for about 1 minutes, until light and fluffy.  And the ginger and salt and beat for 30 seconds more.

Winter Minestrone with Garlic Bruschetta

This soup is one of the best I have ever made!  It is very tasty, hardy, filling and very healthy!  And the best part is, I made it all pretty much from my garden harvest and food storage!  This recipe comes from Barefoot Contessa's "Foolproof" cookbook.

Good olive oil

4 ounces pancetta, 1/2=inch diced (optional)

1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions

2 cups diced carrots (1/2 inch, about 3 carrots)

2 cups chopped celery (1/2 inch, about 3 stalks)

2 1/2 cups (1/2 inch) peeled and diced butternut squash

1 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic (4 cloves)

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves ( I have also used dried and it was great!)

26 ounce can or bottled chopped tomatoes

6-8 cups chicken stock

1 bay leaf

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

2 cups uncooked small pasta, such as tubetti

8-10 ounces fresh baby spinach

1/2 cup dry white wine (or 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar at the end)

2 tablespoon homemade or store bought pesto

Garlic bruschetta and Parmesan cheese for serving

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat in a large heavy pot or dutch oven.  Add the pancetta is using and cook for 6-8 minutes, until lightly browned.  Add the onions, carrots, celery, squash, garlic, and thyme and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften.

Add the tomatoes, 6 cups chicken stock, bay leaf, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper to the pot.  Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and allow to simmer uncovered for 30 minutes until the vegetables are soft.  Add the pasta and cook thoroughly.  Add the beans to heat through.  If the soup is to thick add 1-2 more cups of the broth.  Just before serving add the pesto, white wine and spinach, toss leaves until wilted.  Check the flavor to see if it needs more salt and serve with Parmesan cheese and garlic bruschetta from Harmons or make it yourself!

Garlic Bruschetta

1 baguette

good olive oil

1 garlic clove, cut in half length wise

Preheat the oven to 425`.  Slice the baguette at a 45 degree angle in 1/2 inch slices.  Brush both sides with olive oil and bake for 6 minutes, until lightly toasted.  Take the slices out of the oven and rub the surface with garlic.

 

Homemade Herbal Tinctures

I have been reading a lot about growing and using medicinal herbs.  This past fall I decided to try making my own tinctures.  There are many different kinds of recipes out there for different purposes.  The beauty about one herb is that is has a number of properties to help with different kinds of issues.  As a member of the LDS faith I often reflect upon the word of wisdom given to Joseph Smith in 1833.  D&C 89: 10-11 says;

"10. And again, verily I say unto you, all wholesome herbs God hath ordained for the constitution, nature and use of man - 11. Every herb in the season thereof, and every fruit in the season thereof; all these to be used with prudence and thanksgiving".

There are many recipes and combinations you can find out there.  I suggest you do your own research and make your own recipes to fit your needs!  I highly recommend a book by Rosemary Gladstar called, "Medicinal Herbs for Beginners". It is an excellent and easy to follow step by step book!

Here are the steps I took to make my own tinctures.  There are some I have made with vegetable glycerin and water and others I have made with an 80 proof vodka.  The reason why I made some with the vodka is for long tern storage purposes.  Vegetable glycerin tinctures will last for 2-3 years only.

After you have "marinated" the herbs in either a 80-100 proof alcohol or vegetable glycerin for 6-8 weeks it is ready to be put into it's storage containers.  The tinctures must be stored in dark amber bottles.  Go to http://www.industrialcontainer.com/  for an excellent source of all your container needs!  First thing that you must do is sanitize all equipment with hydrogen peroxide and then strain the herbs through a mesh strainer.

Place a cheese cloth on top of another bowl and strain again.  

Pour the strained tincture into an amber bottle for storage through a funnel.

I use blue painters tape to label my tinctures.  It's easy and cheap and I can stick the tape from one bottle to the other when I need to.  I recommend different sizes for different needs.  Rosemary Gladstar also has a great chart in her book for dosages with droppers and teaspoons.  Store in a dark, dry, cool place.

Homemade Cinnamon Maple Granola

So good on top of yogurt, with almond milk or roasted fruit and even ice cream!

4 1/2 cups old fashionedrolled oats

3/4 cups raw shelled sunflower seeds

1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped almonds

2 tablespoons cinnamon

1 1/4 cup maple syrup ( I have tried this with agave and it doesn't even compare to the maple syrup!)

1/3 cup organic canola oil
1 cup raisins (optional)

Heat oven to 325`.

Place the oats, sunflower seeds, almonds and cinnamon in a bowl and mix well.  Add the syrup and oil and mix until thoroughly incorporated.  Place on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes, then stir with a flat spatula and continue to bake until it is light and golden brown and dry and fragrant, about 15-20 minutes longer.  Keep an eye out because it can burn towards the end.  Add the raisins and mix.  Let cool on a wire rack.  Can be stored at room temp in a sealed bag for up to a month. 

Roasted Squash, Garlic, Mushroom and White Bean Lasagna

This recipe is so good you won't even miss the meat!  If you wanted to add meat I would bet on an organic sage sausage being a fabulous addition!  Recipe from the cookbook "Spilling The Beans".

Filling:

1 medium butternut squash, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch chuncks

1 garlic bulb, cloves separated and peeled

olive oil for cooking

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 tbsp. butter

2 cups sliced mushrooms

1 sprig fresh rosemary leaves pulled off the stem and chopped

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup flour

4 cups milk

2 cups cooked white beans or one 15 oz. can

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

9 sheets whole wheat lasagna noodles, cooked

2-4 cups mozzarella cheese

Preheat the oven to 450`

Spread the squash and garlic out in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with oil, toss with your hands to coat well.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast for about 20 minutes, until tender and turning golden on the edges.

Meanwhile in a large skillet, heat a drizzle of oil over med-high heat and saute the onion for 3-4 minutes, until soft.  Add the butter, mushrooms, and rosemary.  Season with salt and pepper and cook for about 10 more minutes, until the mushrooms have released their liquid, the moisture cooks off, and everything is starting to turn golden. 

Sprinkle with flour overtop and cook for a minute, then add the milk, stirring as you pour it in, and bring the mixture to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, until thickened.  Stir in the beans and Parmesan cheese. 

Reduce the oven temp to 425`.

Spray a 9x13 inch pan with non-stick spray.  Put a spoonful of sauce into the bottom and spread it around, then add a row of 3 noodles.  Top with 1/3 the roasted squash and a third of the sauce and a little mozzarella cheese.  Repeat 2 more times and cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove the foil and top with more cheese and bake uncovered for another 30 minutes until golden and bubbly.  Let rest for 10-20 minutes and then serve. 

Thanksgiving Dinner

This years Thanksgiving dinner was with my mother in law and my husbands brother.  It was small and cozy and I have to admit I made the best turkey ever!  We also enjoyed fluffy mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole with a brown sugar pecan strudel on top, stuffing, french green beans with caramelized onions, rosemary ginger glazed carrots, homemade batter rolls, homemade cranberry sauce and gravy.  On the side we always like to have raspberry jello filled with fresh raspberries and topped with whip cream and little chocolates decorated with fun thanksgiving figures from Cummings chocolates.  To drink we always have egg nog, cranberry juice and white grape juice.  And for desert we enjoyed homemade pumpkin pie with whip cream!  I am willing to share the recipes upon request! :)