“Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house,
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The cook’s in the kitchen scrambling about,
Wondering and pondering if Santa will pout;
Dinner is ready and so is the sleigh,
He must get going without delay!”
A slight modification of the original “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” written by Major Henry Livingston Jr. many, many, years ago, and a story we read to our children and grandchildren. As a wee one, we left cookies for Santa, which my grandmother and I baked together. Those memories are near and dear, and, as I bake with my grandchildren, their smiles fill my heart. Graciously, I am sharing with you, the recipes for these simple treasures.
Hermits
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter or margarine
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Stir together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt. In a mixer bowl, beat butter or margarine on medium speed of electric mixer for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar and beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Add dry ingredients and beat until well blended. Stir in raisins and walnuts.
Drop the dough from a teaspoon and place 2 inches apart onto a greased cookie sheet. Place cookie sheets into a pre-heated 375-degree oven, and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until done. The yield should be about 36 cookies.
Coconut Macaroons
2 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup sugar
Dash of salt
1-1/3 cups flaked sweetened coconut
Beat egg whites, vanilla and dash of salt until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, beating to stiff peaks. Fold in coconut. Drop from a teaspoon onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake in a pre-heated 325-degree oven for about 20 minutes. Do not over bake. Your cookies should be light in color. Cool. The yield should be about 20 cookies.
So, on that special night, when you are snuggled with your loved ones, enjoy a glass of milk or hot chocolate and especially embrace this holiday season.
Leftovers, especially turkey, can be a bit of a problem for some because it’s the same menu. We have tried to serve turkey leftovers numerous ways and enjoyed.
Crispy Turkey Cutlets w/Walnut-Sage Sauce
1-1/4 cup walnuts (about 4.5 ounces)
3/4 cup dry bread crumbs
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Salt and fresh ground pepper (white pepper)
8 medium sage leaves, coarsely chopped
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 6 additional tablespoons for frying
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs, beaten
8-1/4 inch thick slices of turkey meat (about 1.5 pounds)
1. In a food processor, pulse 3/4 cup of the walnuts with the bread crumbs and cheese until the walnuts are finely ground. Transfer mixture to a bowl.
2. Wipe out the bowl of the food processor. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of walnuts along with the sage and garlic. Pulse until the nuts are chopped coarsely. Add the butter and 1/3 cup of olive oil and process until the nuts are finely chopped, and the butter is incorporated. Place sauce into a small saucepan and warm slightly.
3. Add the mixture from (1) above, cooked turkey, flour and eggs to the food processor, pulse until all the ingredients are totally combined. Remove and form patties, similar to hamburger patties, not as thick.
4. Place your frying pan over medium-high heat and add some oil to start cooking your cutlets. Once they have browned nicely on the outside, about 3 minutes per side (remember, the turkey is already cooked), remove and drain on a paper towel. Keep cutlets warm until ready to serve.
Place the cutlets on a plate, spoon some walnut/sage sauce over the top, serve with a side of pasta, green salad and compliment with a glass of buttery Chardonnay.
Next time turkey leftovers seem to be boring, spruce them up a bit with some flare. Fresh sage is a great spice to use for poultry and pork.
Feel a little daring and want something new for New Year’s Eve? How about a cheese soufflé? We are going to start with a simple soufflé using Gruyere cheese.
Gruyere Soufflé
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus softened butter for brushing
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups milk
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
6 large eggs separated
8 ounces coarsely shredded Gruyere cheese (2 packed cups)
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1. Preheat the over to 400 degrees and brush seven 1-cup ramekins with butter. Lightly coat the ramekins with 2 tablespoons of the Parmigiano-Reggiano and set them on a sturdy baking sheet.
2. In a medium saucepan, melt the 4 tablespoons of butter. Whisk in the flour and cook over moderate heat for 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and cook over moderately low heat until smooth and very thick, about 2 minutes. Stir in the salt and cayenne pepper. Take the milk off the heat and whisk in the egg yolks. Let this mixture cool slightly. Transfer this mixture into a larger bowl and stir in the Gruyere cheese.
3. In another large bowl, using an electric mixer beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar at medium-high speed until frothy. Increase the speed to high and beat the egg whites until firm peaks form. With a rubber spatula, fold the egg whites into the soufflé base until no streaks of white remain.
4. Spoon the soufflé mixture into the ramekins, filling them to 1/2 inch below the rim. Run your thumb inside the rim of each ramekin to help the soufflés rise evenly. Sprinkle remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese on top of each ramekin and bake in the bottom third of the oven until the soufflés are puffed and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately with a salad made with poached pears, pecans and raspberry dressing. The wine of choice will be a Reisling.
We can jazz this recipe up a bit as follows:
Mushroom and Chèvre Soufflés—Replace the Gruyere with 8 ounces of Chèvre cheese and stir in 12 ounces of diced shitake mushrooms, which have been sautéed in butter with 1 teaspoon chopped thyme. Place in a 7-cup soufflé dish; bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Serve by allowing people to scoop out of the dish onto their plates (dessert size), add a side Caesar salad and compliment with a glass of Sancerre or Sauvignon Blanc.
Spinach and Roquefort Soufflés—Replace the Gruyere with 5 ounces Roquefort and stir in 10 ounces of drained frozen chopped spinach and 1 tablespoon chopped chives. Bake in a 7-cup soufflé dish at 375 degrees for 40 minutes. Serve by allowing people to scoop out of the soufflé dish onto their plates (dessert size), add a side salad of butter lettuce and champagne dressing. Enjoy a beautiful glass of Beaujolais
Ham, Leek and Gouda Soufflés—Replace the Gruyere cheese with 5 ounces shredded aged Gouda and stir in 6 ounces diced ham, with 2 sliced leek whites sautéed in butter. Bake this combination in an 8-cup soufflé dish at 375 degrees for 40 minutes. Serve this delightful dish immediately with a bright dry Rose along with a mixed blend of greens drizzled with olive oil and fig vinegar.
Thank you for letting me channel my way into your kitchens again this year. Next year, we will be taking culinary journeys all over the world, to remote parts of various continents, and bring you new ideas. My family and I are wishing you and your family and friends a very heartfelt happy and healthy 2010.
Carole Truesdale is a Ramona resident with a background in corporate marketing, sales and event planning. She attended Cal Poly San Luis Obispo to learn the wine industry. She loves to experiment with food-pairing with wine and to share this knowledge with others.
