Holiday Dishes and Drinks From Food and Wine

From Denny: Cool cocktails muddled with herbs and not quite so sweet so you can drink them with the dinner if you like - OK, your guests will definitely like! :) When we entertain during the holidays we want to spend more time with our guests than in the kitchen. These cocktails are fast and easy and the marinated lamb loin chops dinner can be grilled ahead of time.

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Rosemary salty dog

From: Gail Simmons

Makes: one drink

INGREDIENTS

• 1 grapefruit wedge and kosher salt
• One 1-inch piece of rosemary sprig, plus 1 sprig for garnish
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 2 ounces fresh red grapefruit juice
• 1 1/2 ounces gin
• Ice

DIRECTIONS

Moisten the outer rim of a martini glass with the grapefruit wedge and coat lightly with salt. In a cocktail shaker, muddle the one-inch rosemary sprig with the sugar. Add the grapefruit juice, gin and ice and shake vigorously. Strain into the martini glass and garnish with the rosemary sprig.

Parsley gin julep

From: Gail Simmons

Makes: one drink

INGREDIENTS

• 8 parsley leaves
• 3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
• 3/4 ounce simple syrup
• Ice cubes and crushed ice
• 1 1/2 ounces gin
• 1 ounce chilled club soda
• 1 lime wheel

DIRECTIONS

In a cocktail shaker, muddle the parsley with the lime juice and Simple Syrup. Add ice cubes and the gin and shake well. Strain into a crushed ice-filled collins glass. Stir in the club soda and garnish with the lime wheel.

Grilled lamb chops with roasted garlic

From: Chef Gail Simmons

Makes: 4 servings.
Active prep time: 30 minutes.
Total time: 1 hour, 30 minutes plus overnight marinating.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 4 thyme sprigs
• 1 garlic clove, minced, plus 2 heads of garlic, halved crosswise
• 2 teaspoons chopped rosemary leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 8 lamb loin chops
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• White bean puree, for serving (see below)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large, shallow dish, combine the 1/4 cup of olive oil with the thyme, minced garlic, rosemary and cumin. Add the lamb chops and turn to coat with the marinade. Refrigerate overnight.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Set the halved heads of garlic cut side up on a large sheet of foil and drizzle with oil. Wrap the garlic in the foil and roast for 1 hour, until tender.

3. Light a grill. Remove the chops from the marinade; discard the thyme and scrape off the garlic. Season the chops with salt and pepper and grill over moderate heat until lightly charred and medium-rare, 5 minutes per side. Serve the chops with the roasted garlic and white bean puree.

White bean puree

From: Gail Simmons

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 thyme sprig
• Two 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

DIRECTIONS

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Add the onion, garlic and thyme sprig and cook over moderate heat, stirring a few times, until the onion is softened, about seven minutes. Add the beans and broth and simmer over moderately high heat until the broth is reduced by half, about five minutes; discard the thyme sprig. Puree the bean mixture in a blender. Season the puree with salt and pepper and serve hot.

TIPS

Make ahead: The puree can be refrigerated for up to three days. Reheat gently.

*** Thanks for visiting! Also, these Christmas animations and clip art are FREE for use on your blog or site. For more funny holiday animations, check out my photo blog post, Fun Christmas Blog Post Dividers and Animations.

Winter Brunch: Norweigan Potato Pancake with Bacon, Swiss Cheese Sauce

From Denny: A simple hearty easy-to-do meal to get you through a cold rainy day or snowy day on the ski slopes! It's also yet another clever - and tasty - way to use up those leftover mashed potatoes.

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Norwegian potato pancake with poached eggs, Jalrsberg cheese sauce, and cranberry relish



From: Chef Zane Holmquist



Serves: 6-8 portions



INGREDIENTS



Norwegian potato pancake



• 4 Idaho potatoes (par-boiled, peeled and grated)

• 1/2 small yellow onion

• 4 bacon strips (cooked and diced)

• 1 egg white

• 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon fresh chives (chopped)

• 1 teaspoon fresh Italian parsley (chopped)

• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground fresh black pepper



Jarlsberg cheese sauce



• 1 cup heavy cream

• 1/4 cup whole milk

• 2 teaspoon corn starch

• 4 teaspoon cold water

• 2 cups Jarlsberg cheese (grated)

• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper

• 1 pinch ground nutmeg



Cranberry relish



• 1 1/2 cups whole fresh cranberries

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• Zest of 1/2 orange

• 1 pinch kosher salt



Poached eggs



• One egg per person

• 2 quarts water

• 2 tablespoons vinegar



DIRECTIONS



Norwegian potato pancake



1. Boil potatoes in salted water for 12 minutes; cool to room temperature, peel and grate.



2. Peel and dice onion.



3. Cook bacon and dice. Onions and bacon should be diced to equal sizes.



4. Combine potatoes, onion and bacon.



5. Whip egg whites until foamy; fold into potato mixture.



6. Mix flour, chives, parsley, salt and pepper into potato combination. Be sure not to overwork; the potatoes should keep their grated texture.



7. Scoop potato mixture onto lightly oiled pancake griddle with 2 ounce ice cream scoop and cook until lightly browned on both sides; approximately 3-4 minutes per side.







Jarlsberg cheese sauce



1. Bring cream and milk to a simmer.



2. Mix corn starch and water together to make a slurry.



3. Add corn starch slurry to simmering milk and cream. (You must bring the cream to a boil, to activate the corn starch.)



4. Slowly add in grated Jarlsberg cheese, continually stirring until a smooth sauce-like consistency. (Use caution; the cheese sauce can burn easily)



5. Add salt, white pepper and nutmeg.



6. Keep sauce warm until ready to serve.







Cranberry relish



1. Mix cranberries, sugar, orange zest and salt together in a bowl.



2. Place in a thick-bottom saucepan; bring to a low simmer.



3. Stirring occasionally, cook for 12 minutes, or until the mixture is a jam-like consistency.







Poached eggs



Poach one egg per person in 2 quarts of water with 2 tablespoons of vinegar, until desired doneness. Place poached egg on potato pancake. Add 2-3 tablespoons of cheese sauce over the egg.



Garnish plate with 1 large tablespoon of cranberry relish. Finish with chopped parsley and serve immediately. The tart cranberry relish lightens the intense flavor of the Jarlsberg cheese. The dish’s primary component is the potato cake. This is a perfect Sunday brunch dish.







*** For more about Norweigan-American culture, check out one of my friend's articles at HubPages: Rolling lefse for the holidays where she talks about what the holidays were like at her house.



*** Thanks for visiting! For more recipes check out Comfort Food From Louisiana!

Winter Soul Food: Macaroni and Cheese

From Denny: Mac 'n' Cheese is a family favorite all year 'round here in south Louisiana and throughout America. These days chefs create their own versions from a wonderful assortment of cheeses. Since President Obama was elected the national spotlight has been on the city of Chicago. This chef and his restaurant are located in The Windy City.

Chef Chiakulas was one of those precocious kids who liked to cook at an early age. By the age of 10 years old he opened his first "restaurant" serving cheese sandwiches and hotdogs to his brothers for a price: 10 cents! Now that he's all grown up he specializes in comfort food with grown-up taste and clever artistic touches to tantalize the most picky or discriminating diner.

Mity Nice Grill - Lettuce Entertain You
Water Tower Place (Mezzanine Level)- between 1st and 2nd floors.
835 N. Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611
312-335-4745

Mac and Jack is served at Mity Nice Grill for $9.95 at lunch and $11.95 at dinner.



Mac and Jack

From: Chef John Chiakulas of Mity Nice Grill, Chicago

Serves: 4 restaurant side dish servings - which is more like serving 6 to 8 at home.

INGREDIENTS

For sauce:

• 5 ounces grated white Cheddar cheese
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/3 teaspoon of kosher salt
• 1/3 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 2 teaspoons Parmesan cheese

For baked macaroni:

• 2 1/2 cups of Mac and Jack sauce
• 2 1/2 cups cooked pipette (fancy macaroni)
• 2 pinches of kosher salt and pepper
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 4 tablespoons seasoned breadcrumbs
• 2 pinches chopped parsley

DIRECTIONS

For sauce:

Bring all the ingredients to a boil, whisking until the cheeses are completely melted and well mixed. Do not reduce. Strain out the chili flakes. Set aside.

For macaroni:

Heat the sauce in a skillet until boiling.

Heat the cooked pasta in boiling water for 15 seconds, drain and add to the sauce.

Add the salt and pepper while tossing to combine.

Pour about 1/4 of the pasta into 2 separate bowls and top each with a 1/2 cup of shredded Monterey Jack cheese.

Add the remaining pasta, splitting between the two bowls and top with ¾ cup of shredded Jack cheese each.

Sprinkle half the breadcrumbs over each one and place under the salamander or broiler.

Cook until golden brown, adding a pinch of chopped parsley to each bowl before serving.

*** Thanks for visiting and Bon Appetit!

Edible Christmas Decorations and Chocolate Cookies From Nigella

From Denny: Nigella Lawson is such a joyful spirit and I always enjoy watching her. Her recipes are easy too. These cookies are so easy she says that they can't be ruined when children are involved in the merry making. Now there's nothing better than that endorsement! You don't have to stress about perfection and the kids don't have to stress about getting criticized for making a mistake. This cookie dough is very forgiving - as we all should be this holiday season. :)



For some reason this video is not available for embedding so here's the link if you wish to view it:



Video: Nigella's Tasty Christmas Treats







Edible Christmas Tree Decoration



From: Nigella Lawson



Makes: approx. 35-40



Nigella: I couldn’t have Christmas without these, or at least, not happily. Rituals are essential to give us meaning, a sense of ceremony, and making these peppery gingerbready edible decorations is how I have always marked with my children that Christmas had begun.



INGREDIENTS



For the cookies



• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

• Pinch of salt

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

• 1-2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) soft butter

• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

• 2 large eggs, beaten with 1/4 cup runny honey



For the icing and trimming



• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar

• 2 tablespoons meringue powder

• Edible gold or silver sprinkles

• Florists’ ribbon for hanging



DIRECTIONS



Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves and pepper in a food processor and, with the motor on, add the butter and sugar, then, slowly, the beaten eggs and honey, through the feed tube, though don’t use all of this liquid if the pastry has come together before it’s used up.



Form two fat discs and put one, covered in plastic wrap or in a resealable bag, in the refrigerator while you get started on the other.



Preheat the oven to 350 F and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Then dust a work surface with flour, roll out the disc, also floured, to about ¼ inch, and cut out your Christmas decoration with cutters of your choice, which could include fir-tree shapes, angels, stars, snowflakes, and so on.



Re-roll and cut out some more, setting aside the dough scraps from this first disc, well covered, while you get on with rolling out the second. When you’ve got both sets of leftover clumps of dough, roll out and cut out again, and keep doing so till all the dough’s used up.



Now take a small piping nozzle and use the pointy end to cut out a hole just below the top of each cookie (through which ribbon can later be threaded).



Arrange the pastry shapes on the lined cookie sheets and bake for about 20 minutes: it’s hard to see when they’re baked, but you can feel; if the underside is no longer doughy, they’re ready. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool.



Mix together the confectioners’ sugar with the meringue powder and 3 tablespoons water, beating it until it’s thick enough to be able to cover the cookies with a just-dripping blanket of white. Carefully ice the cold decorations, using a teaspoon (the tip for dripping, the back for smoothing), and scatter sparkles or sprinkles as you like. When the icing is set, thread ribbon through the holes and hang on you tree.







Christmas Chocolate Cookies



From: Nigella Lawson



Makes: approx. 24



Nigella: I love these dark, fat patties of chocolate shortbread exuberantly topped with festive sprinkles. There’s something so cheering about the sight of them, but they have more in their favor than looks: They are a doddle to make, and meltingly gorgeous to eat.



INGREDIENTS



• 2 1/4 sticks (18 tablespoons) soft butter

• 3/4 cup sugar

• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon baking powder



For the festive topping



• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

• 1/4 cup boiling water, from a kettle

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• Christmas sprinkles



DIRECTIONS



Preheat the oven to 325 F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.



Cream the butter and sugar in a bowl and, when you have a light, soft whipped mixture, beat in the 1/3 cup cocoa powder (sifting if it is lumpy) and, when that’s mixed in, beat in the flour with the baking soda and baking powder. Or just put everything in the processor and blitz, if you prefer.



This mixture is very soft and sticky and I find it easiest to form the cookies wearing my disposable vinyl gloves, so pinch off pieces about 1 tablespoon in size, roll them into balls, then slightly flatten into fat discs as you place them, well spaced, on your cookies sheet; you should get about 12 on at a time.



Bake each batch for 15 minutes; even though the cookies won’t feel as if they’ve had enough time, they will continue to cook as they cool. They will look slightly cracked on top, and it’s this cosy, homespun look I love.



Remove the cookies sheet to a cold surface and let it sit for 15 minutes before transferring the cookies to a wire rack, with a sheet of newspaper under it (to catch drips while topping them).



To make the topping, put the cocoa powder, confectioners’ sugar, water and vanilla extract into a small saucepan and whisk over a low heat until everything’s smoothly combined. Take off the heat for 10 minutes.



When the cookies are cool, drizzle each one with a tablespoonful of chocolate glaze — to glue the sprinkles on in a minute — using the back of the spoon to help spread the mixture, though an uneven dribbly look is part of their charm. After you’ve iced 6 cookies, scatter with some of the Christmas sprinkles, and continue thus until all the cookies are topped. If you ice them all before sprinkling, you will find the cocoa “glue” has dried and the sprinkles won’t stick on.



*** Thanks for visiting! All these Christmas clip art and animations are FREE for use on your blog or site, enjoy!



*** For more recipes check out Comfort Food From Louisiana!

The Usual Suspects - Editorial Cartoons 5 Dec 2009

From Denny: The Secret Service took a beating this week as well they should have, how lame can you get? Tiger Woods took another beating, this one from his irate wife fed up with his sleeping around. You go, girl! Send her to Afghanistan to win the war suggests one cartoonist. :) Obama announces his controversial plans to escalate in Afghanistan while the rest of us are war weary. And plenty of Santa cartoons to get you in the mood for the holiday season...

Secret Service and their lame excuses as to why they did not protect the President or the Prime Minister of India adequately... It might as well have been Bart Simpson in charge of security.

See Cartoons by Cartoon by Dave Granlund - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon

See Cartoons by Cartoon by R.J. Matson - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon

See Cartoons by Cartoon by Gary McCoy - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon

Health care:

See Cartoons by Cartoon by R.J. Matson - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon

Iran dilemma of thumbing their nose at world and going ahead and building now 10 times the number of nukes:

See Cartoons by Cartoon by Eric Allie - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon

Obama's Afghan War controversial strategy that's just wearing out the public patience after eight years of expensive wars burdening the taxpayers and costing jobs:

See Cartoons by Cartoon by Monte Wolverton - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon

See Cartoons by Cartoon by Bob Englehart - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon

See Cartoons by Cartoon by John Darkow - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon

See Cartoons by Cartoon by Jimmy Margulies - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon

Tiger Woods getting beat up by his irate wife for having an idiot affair. It's bad enough the guy is known for being a bad tipper, emotionally stingy and cheap on philanthropy. "Do ya think?" Karma is on his case...?

See Cartoons by Cartoon by Brian Fairrington - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon

See Cartoons by Cartoon by Pat Bagley - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon

See Cartoons by Cartoon by Randy Bish - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon

See Cartoons by Cartoon by Cameron Cardow - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon

And to get you in the mood for Christmas...

See Cartoons by Cartoon by Joe Heller - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon

See Cartoons by Cartoon by J.D. Crowe - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon

See Cartoons by Cartoon by David Fitzsimmons - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon

See Cartoons by Cartoon by John Darkow - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon

See Cartoons by Cartoon by Brian Duffy - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon

See Cartoons by Cartoon by Dave Granlund - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon

*** Thanks for visiting and keep laughing!