Christmas Cookbook Collection

If you know me well, you know that I absolutely love cookbooks. I find that cookbooks are a great place to get some inspiration and add some variety to our meals. I know so many people who never use their cookbooks and just let them sit on their shelves. I think that is such a waste so I really try to make an effort to use my cookbooks. I hate getting stuck in that routine of making the same dishes over and over so I try to use at least one new recipe from my cookbooks each week.

The holidays are the perfect time to add to my wonderful collection. This year, I really lucked out and got some great new books. I will keep everyone posted as I try each of them out.

These are the cookbooks I received this year:

This cookbook was from my fabulous brother. This book is packed with amazing looking desserts and I can't wait to try the whoopie pies.


This cookbook was a gift from my Mom. I have been dreaming of this book from quite a while and I am glad to finally have it on my shelf. I used this book to make roasted acorn squash as part of our Christmas dinner. The squash was delicious!


This last cookbook was a gift from my Dad, our family cookie maker extraordinaire. This cookbook has been tested and approved by him so I know that there will be lots of yummy cookies at our house in 2011!

Christmas Eve Dinner

One of the best things about the holidays is that there is more time to cook! I made good use of my day off work making a special Christmas Eve dinner for Van and I.

I found a rack of lamb on sale at Whole Foods and decided that was perfect for our dinner. I decided to use Emeril's recipe for mustard crusted rack of lamb. The lamb turned out really well and had a great flavor. The lamb was perfectly cooked on the outside, but the middle was more rare than medium rare. This worked out fine since it was more than Van and I could eat and after we reheat the leftovers they will be fine.

To accompany the lamb, I made Chef Charlie Palmer's Potato and Parsnip Gratin and sauteed broccoli with garlic and red pepper flakes. The gratin was sooo yummy. This was the first time that I have made a gratin from scratch and it was the ultimate comfort food. I splurged and purchased a really expensive Gruyère to use in the dish and I think it really took the dish to the next level.

Browning the Lamb

Lamb before adding the Mustard and Breadcrumbs

Potato and Parsnip Gratin Before Baking

Gratin after Baking

Lamb after Baking

IOTW - Pumpkin

In honor of Halloween, I thought I would focus on pumpkin. There are many great ways to use pumpkin in the kitchen. It is wonderful in desserts such as cakes and cookies and can be used in a variety of other dishes like pasta, soups and scones. Pumpkin is high in lots of vitamins and minerals including: vitamin A, vitamin K and iron.

Every year since I was little, my family has made pumpkin cookies to celebrate Halloween. I have posted about these cookies a few times, but I don't think that I have ever posted the recipe. So here is my recipe for great pumpkin cookies:

Ingredients: (Warning: this recipe is doubled and will make around 3 dozen cookies)
6 cups flour
2 cups oats2 tsp baking soda2 tsp cinnamon1/2 tsp salt
3 tsp of pumpkin pie spice (or use 1 tsp allspice, 1tsp cinnamon, 1tsp nutmeg)
2 cups butter2 cups brown sugar2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups raisins
2 cups solid packed pumpkin

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a very large bowl cream the butter then add the sugar and eggs. Add the dry ingredients alternating with the pumpkin. (Waring: Do not use an electric hand mixer to mix the dough is very thick). Fold in the raisins.

Drop onto a greased baking sheet in the shape of pumpkins. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool the cookies and decorate.

I normally frost about half the cookies and leave the other half un-frosted. To help set the frosted cookies, I place them on a baking sheet in the freezer for about 10 or 15 minutes. These cookies also keep really well in a freezer.

Delicious Dinner Thanks to Food and Wine

The best part of having a three-day weekend is more time for cooking! Tonight I made the Creamy Chicken-and-Mushroom Fricassee from Food and Wine. The recipe was really easy to make and turned out really well. This is definitely a recipe that I will be making again.

Seasoned Chicken Ready for the Oven

Onions and Mushrooms

The Benefits of Cooking With Wine
Roasted Chicken

Simmering the Chicken

Dinner is Served

Thanks

Yummy Apple Bread

It's officially Fall and to celebrate the season I made a delicious apple bread from Southern Living. This bread was so rich, it was practically a dessert! Of course, that was probably the reason that Van liked it so much.

I substituted walnuts for pecans since I already had those in the pantry. I also added two teaspoons of cinnamon to give it a little more flavor. The Southern Living recipe can be found here.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts, divided
• 1 (8-oz.) container sour cream
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped, peeled Granny Smith apples (about 3/4 lb.)
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake 1/2 cup walnuts in a single layer in a shallow pan 6 to 8 minutes or until toasted, check after 4 minutes.

2. Beat sour cream, sugar, eggs and vanilla at low speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes or until blended.

3. Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Add to sour cream mixture, beating just until blended. Stir in apples and toasted walnuts. Spoon batter into a greased and floured 9- x 5-inch loaf pan. Sprinkle with remaining walnuts; lightly press into batter.

4. Bake at 350° for 1 hour to 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, shielding with aluminum foil after 50 minutes to prevent excessive browning. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack.

5. Bring butter and brown sugar to a boil in a 1-qt. heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly; boil 1 minute. Remove from heat, and spoon over top of bread; let cool completely (about 1 hour).

Helpful How-To - Chicken

Many people, myself included, have felt a little intimidated and grossed out about preparing a whole chicken. I have discovered that it is actually a great way to make chicken and that it is really easy. Usually, a whole chicken costs less per pound and will provide plenty of leftovers that can be used throughout the week - which is great if you are really busy or trying to save money!

Here are some helpful how-to's to roasting a chicken at home.

First, pick up a whole chicken at the grocery store or Farmers Market. This chicken was on sale for $1.29 per pound at Whole Foods this weekend.

I think it is really helpful to gather everything you need before you get started - roasting pan, seasonings, small bowls, chicken. I like to set the roasting pan next to the sink so I don't drip anything on the counter.

Unwrap the chicken and then check the cavity and pull out the packet or any of the organs. These can be cooked or you can get rid of them.


Then clean and rise the chicken. Pull out any remnants of feathers and cut off any excess fat. (It doesn't have to be perfect - Just do what you can!) Then rise the chicken under running water in the sink. Place on the roasting pan and pat the chicken dry with a paper towel.

Now it is time to season the chicken. In order to avoid cross contamination, I separately prepare the seasoning in small containers. I add salt and pepper to one small bowl and herbs and garlic in another. I also cut a lemon in half.

Use the salt and pepper to season the cavity. Sprinkle it around the sides of the cavity and rub it in so it looks like the picture below.


Then begin seasoning the outside with the herb mixture. I use 2 cloves of garlic finely chopped with thyme and parsley. If I have fresh herbs, I will use those and if not I will use dried. I have also used a variety of herbs including basil, rosemary, oregano depending upon what I have on-hand. If you don't feel comfortable coming up with your own mixture, I would recommend taking a look at other recipes for ideas.

Coat the outside of the chicken with the herb mixture and then start by the top of the cavity and gently pull apart the skin over the breast. There will be two separate pockets and it should easily separate from the meat. Add the garlic and herbs under the skin. This really helps flavor the meat. Place the lemon halves into the cavity.



Smear a little bit of butter (less than one table spoon) on the outside of the skin to help crisp and add a little more salt and pepper to the skin. Tie the legs together by wrapping butchers twine around each leg and place in a 400 degree oven for one hour. Tying the legs together helps the chicken cook evenly.

Keep an eye on the chicken and cover with aluminum foil if it begins to get too brown. I usually do this about half-way through the cooking time. Check the temperature of the chicken with a cooking thermometer. The inside temperature should reach 160 degrees. Let the chicken rest before serving.

(My final chicken)

(Photo of Tyler Florence's Chicken from Food Network)

A Bushel Of ...

Aside from a little confusion about a bushel of apples versus a bushel of crabs, our first annual crab feast was AWESOME! We got 8 of our friends together, ordered a bushel of crabs (about 70 crabs) and spent the afternoon on our deck eating as much as possible. It was a perfect Saturday afternoon and it was all thanks to my husband's brilliant idea!

Crab Apples

About Halfway There

Drink of the Day