Happy Holidays

I've always enjoyed the holiday season.  As a child I remember the anticipation of waking up on Christmas morning, opening gifts, eating pancakes with my brother and wearing pajamas all day long.  Snow, cold air, food, family and friends.  Now, the season gets a bit less innocent each year, but it's important to me that some holiday traditions are kept alive.  One such tradition, for me, is the baking and icing of Christmas cookies.  Traditional, buttery sugar cookie dough rolled out and cut into festive shapes and baked until golden.  Be sure to add a bit of pure almond extract to your dough for richer flavored cookies.  Decorated with royal icing, they are always a sweet addition to the season.  I prefer to enjoy my cookies with a large glass of cold milk.   Just how we used to leave them next to the fireplace on Christmas Eve. 

Happy Holidays.

Use meringue powder in your royal icing to give it a smooth and firm texture.  Gel food coloring gives your icing deep, rich color.

  Pipe your icing for a neat and tidy presentation. 

Ornaments, trees, stars and snowflakes.  Colorful holiday treats.

All that is needed is a glass of milk. 

Snowed in

We had a blizzard last weekend.  A big, bad, serious blizzard.  The snow kept falling and we were lazily stuck in our house, aside from the few dreaded trips outside to shovel our walk.  Since none of us were driving anywhere, our next door neighbors Erick and Keely invited us over for a little get together on Saturday  night.  Erick eats gluten-free and loves sweet treats so I decided to whip up a batch of my gluten-free cupcakes to take him.  If you have the ingredients on hand, these are supremely easy  and really tasty.  Rich, buttery and moist. You'll never know they were made without all purpose flour.  A basic vanilla buttercream on top and they're complete.  There is just something so appropriate about baking when the weather outside is frosty and snowing.  I topped the cakes with frosting, packaged them in a box, we bundled up and headed through the snow for a little neighborly hospitality.  Though the roads were treacherous and the wind was bitter, we all had a great time holed up together in the warm house while the snow fell outside.

Gluten-Free Vanilla Bean Cupcakes
makes 12

For the cupcakes:
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (softened)
1 cup sugar
2 L eggs (at room temperature)
1 1/2 cups gluten-free all purpose flour mix (I like Bob's Red Mill brand)
3/4 tsp xanthan gum (found in the gluten-free sections of most markets)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 C whole milk
2 tsp pure vanilla extract

For the basic buttercream frosting: 

1 1/2 sticks softened unsalted butter

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 tsp kosher salt

4 cups powdered sugar (or to your liking)

Cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and move an oven rack to the center position.

In a medium bowl, whisk the gluten-free flour, xanthan gum, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.

In a stand mixer (or using a hand mixer with a large bowl) beat butter and sugar on low speed until light in color and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, and mix until each egg is incorporated. Scrape the bowl with a plastic spatula, making sure all of the ingredients are evenly combined.  Add the vanilla.  On the lowest speed, mix until incorporated.  Scrape the bowl again.

With the mixer on low, add half of the flour mixture.  Once the flour is just incorporated, add the milk.  Then add the remaining flour mixture, being sure not to over mix.  Turn off the mixer and gently mix the batter with your spatula to make sure everything is evenly incorporated.

Line a 12 cup muffin pan with cupcake liners and fill each liner 2/3 of the way full, preferably with an ice-cream scoop to ensure even sizing. Bake for 20-24 minutes or until the tops just barely spring back when gently pushed.  Be sure not to over-bake.

Allow cupcakes to sit on a wire rack until completely cooled.  Generously top each cake with buttercream frosting (see below).

Frosting:

Using a hand mixer, blend the butter in a large bowl until creamy. Add salt and vanilla extract. Mix until combined.  Slowly add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, mixing after each addition until completely combined.  Eventually, your frosting should be the consistency of slightly softened ice-cream.  The amount of sugar needed may be a bit more or less than suggested above, depending on the softness of your butter.  

An easy batter, scooped into red, holiday-inspired cupcake liners.

Just a quick bake in the oven . . .

Fluffy, moist and sweet.  Ready to be frosted.

Tucked into a white bakers box, they make the perfect gift for your favorite gluten-free loved one.

Securely packaged for their trek through the snow.  

Organized Holiday Soiree

A few months ago, my Mom asked me to fly out to Connecticut to help her prepare the food for a Christmas party she and her husband Jim were throwing.  Well, the party was last weekend and it was a great success.  I spent quite a bit of time preparing the food for the party, but I was able to organize the preparations enough so that I had plenty of time to relax with my Mom.  I knew that appetizers for a cocktail party of 75 guests would prove to be daunting, so before arriving I created a food prep timeline to helped me stay organized. I also designed a menu where many components could be made in advance.  

Rosemary cookie and blue cheese cracker doughs were prepared three days early, rolled into logs, refrigerated and sliced to be baked off just before the party.  Dates for the "devils on horseback" were stuffed with Manchego cheese and wrapped in bacon the day before the party.  A local butcher shop roasted and sliced four beef tenderloins and supplied brioche rolls sent in from New York. Grilled cheeses were the last things to prepare and they were griddled in a pan with sage butter the afternoon of the party and reheated in a screaming-hot oven just as guests arrived.  Salted cashews, candied bacon and store-bought caramel corn was poured into bowls and placed around the house for guests to nibble on while sipping cocktails.  The dining room table held all of the food and behind it Willy, the bartender, poured various tasty libations which were neatly arranged on a beautiful wooden bar.  

The evening was perfect and ended in a chorus of Christmas carols around the piano.  Because most of our menu was either prepared in advance or store-bought, I was able to spend plenty of quality time with my Mom and that, after all, is what the holidays are all about.

Menu:

Candied bacon

Various marinated vegetables

Cheese and meat platters

Gorgonzola and walnut crackers

Devils on horseback

Shrimp cocktail

Mini grilled cheeses 

Beef tenderloin with brioche rolls and horseradish sour cream 

Rosemary sugar cookies

Brownies 

Garbage bars 

Crispy, candied bacon stacked in glasses.  Always the hit of the party.

Jarred vegetables from a local Italian deli.  Peppers, artichokes, fava beans, mushrooms and zucchini.  Delicious, savory and as easy as opening a few jars.

Various cheeses and cured meats arranged on cake plates.  A leafed clementine added a festive pop of color.

Gorgonzola crackers with walnuts.  One of the most delicious recipes and oh so easy.  They were adapted from this recipe.    

Dried dates filled with manchego cheese and wrapped in smokey bacon.  Baked until crispy and then poked with toothpicks.  "Devils on horseback" are always a party favorite.  

Dainty grilled cheeses, filled with sharp white cheddar, parmesan and fried in sage butter.  Finished with a sage leaf, these were warm, gooey and delicious.

An array of desserts with something for everyone.  Cut into two-bite pieces so that guests could taste all three.  Sweet endings to a magical holiday party.

Sweet Traditions

I am what one may call a sentimental person. I live for nostalgia, crave romance and maybe most of all, find a lot of comfort in tradition. As a result, I've learned to create my own little traditions over the years and, despite their triteness, they hold a special place in my heart. One such tradition that must occur whenever I visit my Mom in Connecticut is the oh-so-necessary early morning trip to Dunkin' Donuts. Residing in Minneapolis, I live without this breakfast pastry chain which, as I'm sure, many others across the country are inundated with around every corner. Yet, this mega doughnut shop continues to bring back fond memories of when I was a small girl visiting my Great-Aunt Esther in New York.  On special weekend mornings, she would take me to Dunkin' Donuts for a dozen and to this day, that thick, distinctive smell of sugar and yeast immediately takes me back to those visits. Over the weekend, I travelled to the east coast to visit my Mom and, of course, I had to start my first morning by dragging her out of bed to make that early doughnut run. She parked the car, I rushed in, ordered my doughnuts and, without fail, was well into my first glazed beauty before we had even left the parking lot. Buttery, soft and melt-in-your-mouth good.  Be it the memories of my Aunt Esther or the new memories I've made with my Mom, those sweet, fluffy confections have become a tradition that I plan on keeping for years to come.

Traditional glazed are always my favorite variety.

A buttery-sweet glazed stack of tender dough. 

Sticky-fingered, childhood delight.  The first bite is always the best.

Giving Thanks

Our Thanksgiving was a modest affair.  Just the two of us and a small, 9 lb turkey.  We woke up slowly, donned our finest sweatpants and began the day. Our morning was filled with chopping vegetables, watching the parade and sipping spicy bloody marys. The afternoon transitioned into preparing the meal, opening a bottle of wine and watching a few movies. We made a simple Thanksgiving meal comprising of a black truffle butter rubbed turkey, white wine and shallot gravy, french bread and biscuit stuffing and balsamic roasted vegetables. A wonderfully easy apple crostada with a flaky, white cheddar crust served as dessert.  We sat down to dinner early in the evening and were asleep on the couch soon thereafter.  Sometimes you just need a day of pure laziness and gluttony.  Thanksgiving this year was certainly one of those days and for that I am thankful.

Herbs and spices flavoring a so-worth-the-time turkey brine.  

Easy buttermilk biscuits.   Mixed with crusty french bread, they added a richness to my leek and bacon stuffing.

McIntosh and granny smith apples fill this flaky, easy-to-assemble crostata.  The cheddar cheese flecked crust is an unexpectedly delicious contrast to the tart apple filling.  I used this recipe.

One Year

Over the weekend, Dave and I celebrated our one year wedding anniversary.  It was a memorable weekend filled with good food, good friends and a lot of reminiscing.  For the first time in quite a while, I spent some time thinking back on our wedding night and the magical time that it was.  We were lucky enough to have our reception at a beautiful, local French restaurant.  We offered a list of our favorite flavors to the chef, who ultimately created the perfect tasting menu for our guests.  The results were utterly delicious, to say the least.  Cocktails were poured, wine was passed and perfectly appointed courses were passed for a good portion of the night.  We danced, we laughed and we spent time with the ones we love.  It is sometimes said that as time passes, the details of your wedding begin to cloud and fade.  This may be true, but I think I can speak for both Dave and I when I say that the tastes of that night will certainly stay with us forever.  

We had menus printed so that our guests could read about the small plates being passed.

Poached foie gras with pears in Banyuls wine and duck proscuitto.  Decadent and perfect.

Grilled beef short rib with slow poached potato, brussels sprouts and smoked bacon.

Artichoke salad with Moroccan spices, preserved lemon and olives.

Bite-sized desserts were served just as the band began to get loud.

One year . . .  time flies when you're having fun.

Picnic in Paris

The view from our hotel room in Paris.

Just shy of one year ago, my husband Dave and I were lucky enough to enjoy our honeymoon in Paris. We spent one glorious week walking, talking, sightseeing and eating all things French.  On one misty and cool evening, instead of going out to eat, we decided to create a small, makeshift picnic in our hotel room.  A few unbelievable cheeses, a crusty baguette, richly marbled salami and a bottle of Côtes du Rhône rounded out the spread.  It was one of those experiences that not only felt perfect at the time, but that continues in my mind to be one of the most romantic dinners I've ever enjoyed. Well, just under a year later, my husband had the lovely idea to recreate that meal that we both enjoyed so much.  We headed to Lake Wine and Spirits, a fabulous new wine and cheese shop near our neighborhood, stocked up and headed home to feast.  Four cheeses, thinly sliced Prosiutto de Parma, some dry and peppered salami, a baguette and some French wine.  It wasn't exactly the same as our hotel room picnic in Paris (here we had plates, a board for the cheeses and stemware for the wine) but it was equally romantic and memorable.

Four French cheeses, a few cured meats, crusty bread and red wine.  The perfect Parisian picnic.

Full bodied, fruity Beaujolais.  

Creamy, luscious double cream Brie.

Salty, fatty and uniquely delicious Prosiutto de Parma.

Finger food at its finest.

The original picnic.  

California Dreaming

Dave and I were in Los Angeles over the weekend and we stayed with our gracious friends Pete and Erin in the lovely Los Feliz neighborhood.  As I've mentioned previously, Pete is an accomplished at-home cook and on our last night in California we decided to stay in, drink wine and prepare a fantastic meal. Turns out, Pete had been meticulously honing his pizza dough recipe, so we decided it was only appropriate to try it out. After a dreamily sunny day of brunch, cruising Mulholland, walking Abbot Kinney and dipping our feet in the Pacific, we arrived back at Pete and Erin's ready to make some pizza.  Pete stretched his risen dough into six perfect circles while I made a big green salad. The pizzas cooked on the grill and we anxiously waited until each one arrived at the table.  We were joined by my brother, Joe and my surrogate big sister, Shawn, who brought some amazing Cuban desserts from a local bakery.  It was the perfect night filled with conversation, laughter and, most importantly, lots of great pizza.  

Pete's Pizza Dough

makes 6 pizzas

4 cups high gluten bread flour (such as King Arthur brand)

1/4 cup vital wheat gluten

1 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp salt

1 Tbsp instant yeast

2 1/4 cups ice water

olive oil

cornmeal

Lightly oil a baking sheet.  Set aside.

Whisk together dry ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer, detached from the mixer.  Add 2 cups of the ice water.  Blend with a rubber spatula until a ball of dough is formed.  Attach bowl to stand mixer and using the dough hook attachment, knead dough on slow speed.  Slowly add the remaining 1/4 cup ice water and continue mixing until the dough barely sticks to the bottom of the bowl.  Allow dough to knead for 10 minute.  Slowly add 1/4 cup of olive oil and allow dough to knead for another 5 minutes, until dough is smooth.  Test the dough for doneness by pinching off a small piece and pulling and rotating it gently until it forms a very thin membrane.  If it tears easily, knead for a few more minutes.  If the dough forms the thin membrane without tearing, the dough has been kneaded appropriately.  

Shape dough into a log on the oiled baking sheet.  Cut the dough into 6 equal parts and form each part into a ball.  Using your thumbs, push the outside edges of each dough ball into the center and pinch the dough to seal.  Repeat this process 2 to 3 times or until the ball forms a smooth, taught skin.  Place balls back on the oiled sheet pan, leaving plenty of space between each ball.  Cover dough balls lightly with olive oil and cover tightly with plastic wrap.  Refrigerate overnight or up to 3 days.

When you are ready to make pizzas, remove the dough from the refrigerator and place it in a well-oiled bowl.  Let dough sit at room temperature for at least 2 hours, but no more than 3 hours.  Preheat pizza stone on the grill or in a very hot oven. Carefully work the dough into thin rounds, place dough on a cornmeal-dusted pizza wheel, apply your pizza toppings and transfer pizza onto the hot stone.  Bake until the crust is done and the toppings have melted.    

An easy, green salad.  Toss arugula, frisee, edamame, mint and parsley with a lemon vinaigrette.  Green, healthy and fresh.

Shredded Parmigiano Reggiano.  Salty and decadent.  No Italian dinner is complete without it.

Roasted California brussels sprouts.  Warm with crispy brown edges.  Delicious.

Margarita pizza with San Marzano tomatoes and creamy burrata cheese.

Sweet, brown, caramelized onions and salty gorgonzola cheese top this gorgeous pizza.

Sauteed fennel, crispy bacon and sage.  

A simple cannellini bean salad with fried sage, fresh parsley and a red wine vinaigrette.  Hearty and flavorful.   

Sinfully delicious cheese danishes and chocolate croissants from Porto's Bakery.  The perfect ending to this wonderful meal.

Peter, most likely thinking about his rising pizza dough as we head back to the car from Venice Beach.