Happy Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve Menu

Crab bisque

Standing rib roast

Baked ham

Potato Pie

Roasted asparagus

Cauliflower gratin

Sweet potato casserole

Raspberry Jell-O salad

Cranberry relish

Crescent rolls

Orange butterflake rolls

Big soft ginger cookies with lemon frosting
Hungarian love letters
French silk pie
Slush
Red mixed drink

So Proud of Myself

Only 2 little mold spots on the cooked spaghetti squash developed and I was all over it like...uh mold all over that unrecognizable food stuff I just threw out.

Spaghetti Squash Gratin
From Laura Rebecca's Kitchen
Also found at pinchmysalt.com
 
1 spaghetti squash (2-3 lbs), halved lengthwise (stem to blossom end) and seeded
2 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme (optional)
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp coarsely ground pepper
8 oz Creme Fraiche or Sour Cream
1 cup grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese, or a mixture of both


Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place squash, skin side up (one half at a time), on microwave-safe dish; cover with microwave-safe plastic wrap. Microwave on high for 10-12 min, until tender.

Carefully run the tines of a fork lengthwise over cut surface of squash to loosen spaghetti-like strands; scoop out strands. Drain excess liquid, if necessary, and set aside.

Combine garlic, thyme, parsley, salt, pepper, creme fraiche/sour cream, and 2/3 cup cheese in small bowl. Fold into squash; place in shallow ovenproof 2 qt. casserole dish or glass pie plate. Top with remaining cheese.

Bake 20 min or until lightly browned. (For a little extra browning, finish under the broiler.)

The Current State of Affairs

My Fresh Friday post. Hey, it counts. The tree is fresh. I think this pretty much sums up how things are going around here.

Carcass Soup

You know that roasted chicken you bought because
1. You had no idea what to have for dinner.
2. You didn't feel like cooking.
3. If you had to cook another dinner you were going to scream.
4. Cookies are not considered a well-balanced meal.
5. Truth be told you don't even know how to cook.
6. Nobody likes what you make anyway.
7. There is nothing in the house to make.
8. You are on a diet and making dinner would ruin it. (my fav)
9. They smelled really good.
10. Your kitchen is like a restaurant that is open 24 hours a day and everyone eats at different times and likes different things and you once served 6 meals in a 2 hour period and maybe that is the reason you are getting so fat!!!!! (apparently this one is my fav)

Whoa. Easy there, girl.

Anyway, don't throw out the carcass. Make soup out of it. You can do the same with a turkey carcass only increase the ingredients. After all you're not sick of turkey yet are you? That will be another post, you lucky dogs.

Chicken Soup

Chicken carcass
12 c. water
8 chicken bullion cubes
1 T. dried minced onion or one medium onion chopped
1 t. dried dill
4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 to 1 inch slices
2 c. frozen green beans
4 oz thick home-style egg noodles (the kind that take 20 mins. to cook)

Place chicken carcass in a large stock pot. Add water. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 mins. Remove carcass leaving the water. Turn off the heat. Set aside chicken to cool. When it is cool enough to handle, remove any chicken meat from the carcass (translation: dig and pick) and put back into pot. Add rest of ingredients and stir. Return to a simmer. Simmer for 15-20 mins. until vegetables are tender and the noodles are cooked.

If your noodles take less time to cook, add the vegetables and cook for 10 mins. Then add the noodles and cook 5 mins. more.

The vegetables can be varied. Replace 4 parsnips for the green beans or 2 parsnips for 2 carrots. Or 2 parsnips for 1 c. green beans. If only using carrots, use 8. Some high level math going on here.

Now what if your partakers can see through your economical skills and use words like "foisting heinous leftovers?" Or at least think them? Entice them with dumplings.

Homemade Bisquick Mix

4 c. flour
2 T. baking powder
1 1/2 t. salt
1 c. shortening

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Add shortening and mix until blended. Use and electric mixer or your hands to do this. Can halve this recipe for use below with no left over.


Bisquick Dumplings

2 c. Bisquick Mix (half the above recipe)
2/3 c. milk

Mix both ingredients just until soft dough form. Do not over mix. Drop by spoonfuls onto boiling soup or stew. Cook uncovered on low heat for 10 mins. Cover and cook 10 mins. longer.

Adjust cooking times of soup or stew when adding dumplings. For example, in the carcass chicken soup, when all the ingredients are in the pot, bring to a simmer and add the dumplings. Cook on low for 10 mins. uncovered. Cover and cook another 10 mins. The dumplings, vegetables, and noodles will all be done at the same time.

The Never Ending Quest

Who? Me, and a few other people.
What? Ate the most delicious roasted squash soup ever drizzled with hazelnut oil and topped with pumpkin praline.
Where? Tiburon, Naples, FL
When? November 25, 2004
Why? Because it was Thanksgiving.
How? With a spoon

Now I will spent the rest of my life in a quest to duplicate that soup. And I probably don't even remember what it actually tastes like. This year I made 4 different recipes. Here and here. Too savory. Then I made this one. Good but a little too sweet. This one was voted the best this year. This one looks like a candidate for next year. Call me crazy but I think I better limit it to 2 per year.

Squash Soup
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown
Serves: 4 servings

6 cups (about 2 large squash) seeded 2-inch wide chunks butternut squash
Melted butter, for brushing
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus 1 teaspoon
1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper, plus 1/2 teaspoon
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
4 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon minced ginger
4 ounces heavy cream
8 ounces cream cheese (optional)
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Brush the flesh of the squash with a little butter and season with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper. On a sheet pan lay the squash flesh side up. Roast for about 30 to 35 minutes or until the flesh is nice and soft.

Scoop the flesh from the skin into a pot and add the stock, honey, and ginger. Bring to a simmer and puree using a stick blender or blend in blender. Careful hot! Stir in the heavy cream and return to a low simmer. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

Last year a made a paltry total of 2 squash soups. Below is the preferred one last year. I added one package of cream cheese to try and duplicate the velvety smoothness I remember.

Butternut Squash Soup
From Diana Rattray

Makes about 8 cups

Garnish this flavorful soup with spiced pumpkin seeds or toasted pecans.

1 large butternut squash, 2 1/2 to 3 pounds
1 1/2 cups apple cider
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 cinnamon sticks, cut in half crosswise
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 cup diced onion
2 tablespoons butter
4 cups chicken broth
dash ground ginger
dash ground nutmeg
1/2 cup heavy cream
salt, to taste
butter-toasted pumpkin seeds, optional, see below

Using a vegetable peeler, peel the squash. Cut into chunks, removing seeds and soft fibers with a spoon. Put in a bowl; add apple cider, brown sugar, and cinnamon stick pieces then drizzle all over with the melted butter. Pour the mixture into a 9x13-inch baking pan; cover tightly with foil and cook at 450° for 1 hour, or until very tender.

Meanwhile, cook diced onion in a large saucepan in the 2 tablespoons butter. When onion is very tender, add chicken broth; bring to a boil; remove from heat and set aside. When squash is very tender, remove from oven. Remove cinnamon from the squash. With a slotted spoon, transfer the squash to the chicken broth and onion mixture. Add about 1/4 cup of the roasting pan juices to the saucepan. If desired, add 8 oz cream cheese. Bring to a simmer. Working in about 4 batches, puree the squash mixture in a blender; return to the saucepan. Stir in the ginger and nutmeg and the heavy cream, along with salt, to taste. Heat through. Serve with butter-toasted pumpkin seeds (below), if desired, or sprinkle with a little cinnamon, toasted pecans, or chopped peanuts.

Butter-Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
In a small skillet, heat 2 teaspoons butter; add a few tablespoons of pumpkin seeds and cook over medium-low heat until lightly browned. Transfer to a paper towel to drain; sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Bye to Buttermilk

I finished my container of hard buttermilk powder.
I celebrated by having a piece of cake.

Red Velvet Cake

1 oz. red food coloring
1 oz. water
2-3 T. cocoa or Nestle's Quick cocoa mix
1/2 c. shortening
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 c. buttermilk
scant 1 t. salt
2 1/4 c. cake flour
1 t. vanilla
1T. vinegar
1 t. soda

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour two nine inch cake pans or just spray with Pam.
 
In a small bowl mix the food coloring, water and cocoa. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream together shortening and sugar. Beat eggs into colored cocoa mix and then add to shortening and sugar. Beat until mixed well. Add buttermilk, flour, salt and vanilla. Mix. Stir in vinegar and soda. Pour into prepared pans. Bake for 30 mins. Remove from oven and let cool for 15 mins. remove from pans. Let cool completely.

Velvety Frosting

1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 c. milk
1 1/2 c. sugar
1.1/2 c. butter, softened
1 T. vanilla

Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. In medium saucepan, combine flour and milk. Cook over medium heat until mixture is very thick, stirring constantly. Cover surface with plastic wrap; cool completely. In large bowl, beat sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add flour mixture by tablespoonfuls, beating at high speed until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Fill and frost cake, using 1 c. frosting between layers.

Velveeta Gets an Upgrade

I have some Velveeta in the basement that is old. Does it really ever get old? I think not. But it does look weird..."it looks like it has been melted." Here is a recipe using Velveeta that ensures your cheese fondue will not ball up, or become stringy or separate. Not that I have ever had that happen to a few pounds of cheese before.

Easy and Fool Proof Cheese Fondue
Serves many!

1 c. water
2/3 c. water mixed with 1/3 c. white vinegar and 1 T. sugar ( my substitution for 1 c. white wine)
3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
1 T. butter
1/4 t. white pepper
1/4 t. ground nutmeg
2 pounds processed American cheese, cubed or sliced
2 pounds Gruyere cheese. shredded. cubed or sliced

These directions use a crock-pot for ease.
Preheat crock-pot on low.
Place water, wine substitution, butter, garlic, pepper, and nutmeg in a saucepan and bring to boil. Pour into crock-pot. Add cheese. Gently stir. Allow cheese to melt on low stirring occasionally. Stir just to mix. Add more cheese or more water to bring to desired consistency. Keep crock-pot on low or keep warm or place in a chafing dish with the flame low.

Dip rye bread, French bread or sourdough bread. These can be cut into bite-sized pieces. Apples that have been peeled and sliced are wonderful for dipping as well.

Don't bring cheese temperature past its melting point or it will ball up. Don't stir too much. Stirring increases the chance of it becoming stringy.

If you don't use a crock-pot, bring all ingredients except cheese to a boil in a double boiler. Add cheese a little at a time stirring until cheese is melted. Pour into a chafing dish with the flame kept low.