MmMm Tasty!: Twas the day before Christmas

Monday, December 24, 2007

Twas the day before Christmas

Thankfully, the freaky warm weather around here has finally subsided and we are back in our wool coats. My parents arrived on Friday in their flashy coach (also known as an RV, camper or giant roving single wide trailer to the rest of us).
I believe the term "coach" is used so that the public may know that their camper is a fancy thing, with Corian counter tops and a queen size bed. Simply put, "It ain't your grandpa's Winnebago."

The coach provides them the opportunity to come visit without having to cram themselves into our itty bitty house. The other bonus is that they have been taking Sizzles (oh did I mention this is going to be Lilly's new code name on this blog? Can you tell that Brian picked it out?) in the evenings so she can camp with them. They have decided to give Sticky-butt (Claire's new blog code name - also chosen by my husband) a couple more days to get used to them before they venture into camping with two children under the age of three. They are stocking up on the Merlot to prepare for the whirlwind. (I highly recommend self-medicating when living with two little girls in a 300 square foot automobile).

As usual, Brian has waited until the handful of days before Christmas to choose and purchase his gifts. This is an improvement. Typically he waits until the night before Christmas to do his shopping. Mind you, this is the same man who rants about the proletariat and having to hob nob with the masses. THIS man chooses to shop on Christmas Eve. Truly, it blows my mind.

I on the other hand, have been rummaging around the house trying to find all the gifts that I have stashed in our limited closet space from my early bird shopping at the end of November. Perhaps both of us could find a better way to work this whole shopping thing out. My plan for next year is to take the handmade challenge and to usurp the consumerism of the holidays by making everyone's gifts.

Stop laughing. I am going to do it. I swear. Okay, maybe swearing is a bad idea. I am going to try really, really hard to get my act together and attempt a 100% authentic Christmas spirit Christmas.

Perhaps the praying should commence NOW.

In the meantime, here is a recipe for our Christmas Eve breakfast - homemade Irish oatmeal. MmTasty!

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Recipe of the Week

Cinnamon Sugar Butter
for our homemade French baguette:

This is a great way to include the little ones so they can contribute to the enjoyment of homemade bread:

CINNAMON BUTTER
1/4 cup organic unsalted butter
2 tbsp organic sugar
1 tbsp organic brown sugar
1 tbsp ground cinnamon

Soften unsalted butter to room temperature.
Combine the softened butter and other ingredients together until they are completely blended.
Place the compound butter in a container. Or, shape butter in logs and wrap in parchment paper, then cut into 1/4- to 1/2-inch discs.

Chill for a at least 1 hour and preferably one day.

NOTE: Compound butters can be store under refrigeration for up to 5 days or up to 6 months in the freezer.

Previous Recipes of the Week

Muffin Madness
from The Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home

Basic Wet Ingredients
2 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3/4-1 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Basic Dry Ingredients
2 cups unbleached white flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

For banana muffins: Add 1/2 cups of mashed ripe bananas to the wet ingredinets. Or just add whatever you have.

Mixe the wet. Mix the dry. Mix the wet and dry together. Put them in a lined muffin tin at bake at 350 for 22 minutes.

Best Quick Pancakes
from Martha Stewart Living Magazine

(I suggest you double this recipe)

1 cup all purpose flour (sometimes a do 3/4 cup and then make the other 1/4 cup whole wheat flour)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
1 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup milk
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted, plus 1/2 tsp for griddle
* sometimes a throw in some wheat germ for extra nutrients

Heat griddle over medium high heat. Whisk flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in bowl. Add egg, milk, and 2 tbsp butter; whisk to combine. Batter should have small to medium lumps. Let it rest a minute or two.

Using a 1/4 cup or soup ladle, pour pancake batter in pools tow inches away from each other. when pancakes have bubbles on top, flip over. Cook until golden on bottom, about 1 minutes.

Shrimp and Grits

Ingredients
2 cups water
1 (14-ounce) can chicken broth
3/4 cup half-and-half
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup regular grits
3/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
3 bacon slices (we skipped the bacon
1 pound medium-size shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup low-sodium, fat-free chicken broth
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
Lemon wedges

Bring first 4 ingredients to a boil in a medium saucepan; gradually whisk in grits. Reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until thickened. Add Cheddar cheese and next 4 ingredients. Keep warm.
Cook bacon in a large skillet until crisp; remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in skillet. Crumble bacon, and set aside.
Sprinkle shrimp with pepper and salt; dredge in flour.
Sauté mushrooms in hot drippings in skillet 5 minutes or until tender. Add green onions, and sauté 2 minutes. Add shrimp and garlic, and sauté 2 minutes or until shrimp are lightly brown. Stir in chicken broth, lemon juice, and hot sauce, and cook 2 more minutes, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of skillet.
Serve shrimp mixture over hot cheese grits. Top with crumbled bacon; serve with lemon wedges.

Yield
Makes 4 servings
Chef: Chef Bill Smith

Southern Living, APRIL 2004

Pumpkin Muffins
Makes 2 dozen muffins

2 1/2 cups white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
3 cups sugar
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
16 0z. cooked or canned pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
1 cup oil
4 eggs, lightly beaten
2/3 cup water

** 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease two (9x5) loaf pans or line muffin pan with paper liners (AND spray with non-stick spray).

Mix the dry ingredients and set aside.
Mix the wet ingredients and set aside.
Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.

Bake for 60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. If you are making the muffins, bake for about 30 minutes or until you start to really smell the muffins and then check them with a toothpick.

I found this recipe by goggling for the recipe to Great Harvest Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread.

Creamy Oatmeal
(from Food Network Kitchens)

1 cup steel-cuts oats
4 cups whole milk
pinch of kosher salt
Two 3-inch long cinnamon sticks
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup raisins or currants or whatever you have
3 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar

Serving suggestions: Honey, sugar, maple syrup, milk, buttermilk, yogurt or cream

Directions:
In a medium bowl, combine the oats and milk. Cover and let soak in the refrigerator overnight.

Transfer the oat mixture to a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan. Add the salt and cinnamon sticks and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, stirring frequently, until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in the vanilla, currants, and sugar; and simmer for 5 minutes more. Remove cinnamon sticks and serve plain or with your toppings of choice.

Gingerbread Snowflakes makes 16 cookies
(from Martha Stewart's Holiday Cookie Magazine)

6 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surfaces
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup packed dark-brown sugar
4 tsp ground ginger
4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp finely ground pepper
1 1/2 tsp coarse salt
2 large eggs
1 cup unsulfured molasses

1. Sift together flour, baking soda, and baking powder into a large bowl. Set aside.
2. Put butter and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment: mix on medium speed until fluffy. Mix in spices and salt, then eggs and molasses. Reduce speed to low. Add four mixture: mix until just combined. Divide dough into thirds. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out dough on a lightly foured work surface to 1/4 inch thick. Cut into snowflakes with a 7-inch snowflake-shape cookie cutter. Space 2 inches apart on baking sheets liined with parchment paperk, and refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.
4. Bake cookies until crisp but not dark, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks.
5. Decorate.

Magic Muffins
from the Martha Stewart Holiday Cookie Magazine

2/3 cup sweetened flaked coconut
2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2/3 cup chopped walnuts
2/3 cup dried cherries
1 2/3 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp coarse salt
9 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line the muffin tin with paper liners. Stir together coconut, chocolate, walnuts, and cherries in a medium bowl.
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
3. Put butter and sugar in the bowl of electric mixer fitted with a paddle and mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla; mix until combined. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture, and mix, scraping down sides of bowl, until well combined. Mix in 1 cup coconut mixture.
4. Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Sprinkel remaining coconut mixture over tops. Bake about 25 minutes.

Sweet and Sour Swiss Chard
from the cookbook Simply in Season

1lb Swiss Chard
Rinse, pat dry, and remove stems. Chop stem into small pieces. Stack leaves, roll up and slice in strips; separate from stems and set aside.

1 medium onion diced
In deep frypan saute in 2 tsp olive oil over medium heat until softened, 5 minutes.

1/4 cup raisins
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons white vinegar
1.5 teaspoons sugar
Add along with chard stems, cover and cook for 8 minutes. Place chopped leaves on top of mixture (do not stir in), cover and cook another 2 minutes. Serve.

MmMm Tasty!

Monday, December 24, 2007

Twas the day before Christmas

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