We Like To Cook!

12 Days of Holiday Cookies

2025-12-08T09:00:00.000-05:00

There is nothing like the scent of vanilla wafting through the house as

the holiday cookies are baking. We have compiled some of our family favorites for you.

Simply click on the picture to be taken directly to the recipe!

Meet the Original Tom & Jerry

2025-12-08T08:36:00.000-05:00

This very potent variant of eggnog which is served hot with brandy and rum was a popular drink in the U.S. and England from the mid-1800s until the Eisenhower administration. “Thomas and Jeremiah” was a jokingly-highfalutin’ name for the frothy hot drink once every bit of piece of American Christmas iconography as mistletoe and roasted chestnuts. In the 1880s, the New York Sun reported that the most fashionable barrooms would place a huge ornamental and costly punchbowl midway on the bar at Christmas time.

However, the stylish martinis and “wallbangers” of the swinging ’60s instigated the demise of the Tom and Jerry craze. We first encountered this heady libation at a neighbor’s home several years B.K. (before kids.) We were very excited to find the recipe in our first cookbook “The Joy of Cooking” copyrighted in 1975 (which has been adapted below.) We’ve been told that later versions of the cookbook do not include this recipe.

Contrary to popular belief, the drink’s name is not related to the popular MGM cartoon nor was it the brainchild of famous bartender "Professor" Jerry Thomas who authored one of the first bartender's guides “How to Mix Drinks” in 1862 either. Instead, it is a reference to Pierce Egan's book, “Life in London” and the subsequent stage play “Life in London” (“Tom and Jerry”) circa 1821. To publicize the book and the play, Egan introduced a variation of eggnog by adding ½ fluid ounce of brandy and rum calling it a "Tom and Jerry." The additional fortification helped popularize the drink.

The drink also features prominently in Damon Runyon's 1932 short story "Dancing Dan's Christmas" which inspired the Broadway musical “Guys & Dolls,” introducing this popular drink and a group of New York street characters who, after having a few “cracks” of Hot Tom and Jerry, embark on a goofy adventure to spread holiday cheer while tarnishing the image of Santa Claus in the process.

Tom & Jerry Batter:

3 eggs
Pinch of cream of tartar
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Wash the eggs in their shells with mild dish soap before cracking* and separate the egg whites from the yolks. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites with cream of tartar until they are stiff but not dry. In another bowl, beat the egg yolks with sugar, allspice, sugar, cinnamon, and cloves. Gently fold the yolk into the egg whites trying not to deflate the whites. This is the batter that can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week or it can be frozen.

For each drink:
2 tablespoons of Tom & Jerry batter
½ jigger (3/4 ounce) of brandy
1 jigger (1½ ounces) of dark rum

Dollop batter into a mug and add brandy and rum. Top off the mug with the hot water, milk, or coffee and gently stir to mix thoroughly, and dust each mug with freshly grated nutmeg. To quote Dancing Dan, “you will never taste anything so soothing in your life.”

*The original recipe in “The Joy,” the eggs are used raw. To avoid the threat of salmonella, use the freshest eggs possible and wash the shells before using. You can use pasteurized eggs or you can prepare the batter over a double-boiler if you wish to be extremely cautious.

Challah: Braided Loaves of Tradition

2025-12-08T08:09:00.000-05:00

Something about Challah is synonymous with Autumn. Perhaps this because warm baked bread is awesome on a nippy fall day, but more likely because our Jewish friends begin celebrating their High Holidays during the season. Challah is basically a brioche. Brioche is sweet bread and is likely what Marie-Antoinette was referring to when she said, “If they have no bread, let them eat cake.”

You don’t have to be Jewish to make a Challah. And, there is no rule that the loaves must be braided although the interlaced dough with its egg-wash sheen is surely impressive! You can bake it in small pans to be taken out and eaten with a little butter and jam. You can roll it into little buns to use for sandwiches or you shape it into a loaf to serve at dinner, any day of the week. This bread is extremely versatile, but most importantly it is extremely delicious!

1 cup warm water

1 packet (1 tablespoon) yeast

1/3 cup neutral oil ((butter or lard would make the bread non-kosher)

2 eggs

1 large egg yolk (reserve the white for the egg wash)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup sugar (white or brown)

4 cups of all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

Egg wash: reserved egg white beaten with a splash of water

Instructions:

Dissolve the yeast in warm water with a generous pinch of the sugar and stir to combine. Let stand until you see a thin foamy layer across the top, 5 to 10 minutes. If you do not see tiny bubbles forming on top of the water, your yeast has likely expired or your water was too warm, so you’ll have to start over. Pour oil into yeast liquid when you are sure it is active. In a separate bowl, cream together eggs, egg yolk, sugar, and vanilla.

In the bowl of your stand mixer, add dry ingredients (flour and salt) and whisk to combine. Add egg mixture and roughly mix before adding yeast mixture. Turn your mixer on low to begin blending without sending flour flying all over your kitchen. As the dough comes together, turn the mixer speed up to completely mix and knead.

Fit the mixer with the hook attachment and knead on low speed for 6 to 8 minutes. Alternatively, turn out the dough onto a floured work surface and knead by hand for about 10 minutes. If the dough seems very sticky, add flour a tablespoon at a time until it feels tacky, but no longer like bubblegum. The dough has finished kneading when it is soft, smooth, and holds a ball-shape.

Let the dough rise until doubled. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place somewhere warm. Let the dough rise until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Divide the dough and roll into ropes. Divide the dough into 3 or 6 equal pieces, depending on the type of braid you'd like to do. Roll each piece of dough into a long rope about 16 inches long. If the ropes shrink as you try to roll them, let them rest for 5 minutes to relax the gluten and then try again.

Braid the dough. Gather the ropes and squeeze them together at the very top. Long loaves of 3-stranded challah are commonly served weekly for Sabbath meals. For a 3-stranded loaf, braid the ropes together like braiding hair or yarn and squeeze the other ends together when complete. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the braided dough on top and sprinkle with a little flour. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm place away from drafts until puffed and pillowy, about 1 hour. At this point, your loaf is fairly long and skinny.

Celebration rings are traditionally served during Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. These loaves are rolled into a circular shape symbolizing the cycle of the year. You can stretch a 3-stranded loaf longer and squeeze the ends together to form a circle. Or, if you are adventurous, you can attempt a 6-stranded loaf. The trick is to remember "over two, under one, over two." Carrying the right-most rope over the two ropes beside it, slipping it under the middle rope, and then carrying it over the last two ropes. Lay the rope down parallel to the other ropes; it is now the furthest-left strand. Repeat this pattern until you reach the end of the loaf. Try to make your braid as tight as possible. Your braid will start listing to the left as you go; it's ok to lift it up and recenter the loaf if you need to. Once you reach the end, squeeze the ends of the ropes together and tuck them under the loaf.

Brush the challah with egg wash about 15 minutes before baking. Be sure to get in the cracks and down the sides of the loaf. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Bake the challah 25 to 30 minutes rotating the baking sheet halfway through, until the challah is deeply browned and registers 190°F in the very middle with an instant-read thermometer.

Cool the challah. Let the challah cool on a cooling rack until just barely warm. Slice and eat. Wrap leftover challah tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 5 days. Use leftovers to make sandwiches, French toast, or our favorite – bread pudding!

Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire

2025-12-07T23:16:00.000-05:00

We had the best time last night sitting by the fire, roasting chestnuts and singing Christmas carols! Several years ago, we had our fireplace (which was originally designed to burn coal) re-built to burn wood. It was one of the best decisions we ever made! This year we decided to try roasting our own chestnuts. We purchased a chestnut-roasting pan, which looks like a skillet with holes punched in its bottom, and waited for the chestnuts to go on sale.

When buying chestnuts, pick over them carefully, choosing only those that are a rich brown color and firm. If they smell like mold, look dull or blotchy, feel light and rattle, or have pin-holes, leave them behind.

Before roasting the chestnuts, wipe them down with a damp cloth and use a paring knife to cut an “X” on the round side of each nut, to keep them from exploding. Put the chestnuts in the pan, spritz them with a little water, and then set the pan over the flame. Shake the pan frequently and continue roasting until the skins are charred. The skins will peel back from the meat where you cut into them; this should take 10-15 minutes (or longer depending on how hot the fire is.) The tricky part is knowing when they are done. Under-cooked chestnuts are translucent and leathery in the middle, while over-cooked chestnuts get dry and mealy. With practice, you will be able to tell when they are perfect.

Wrap the hot chestnuts in an old towel, squeeze them hard to crush the skins, and let them steam in the towel for five or so minutes to make them peel more easily. Open the towel and peel the chestnuts and serve them warm. Of course, you may want to sing a few verses of “The Christmas Song” before nibbling on the roasted treats!

Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night!!

Celebrate St. Lucia Day

2025-12-07T07:47:00.000-05:00

Sweden’s Christmas season begins on December 13th - Santa Lucia Day. No one is quite sure why Lucia, a 4th century Sicilian saint, came to be so revered in Sweden, but each year a celebration is held to thank the Queen of Light for bringing hope during the darkest time of the year. Her story is that in the days of early Christian persecution, Lucia carried food to Christians hiding in dark underground tunnels. To light the way she wore a wreath of candles on her head. Eventually, Lucia was arrested and martyred hence her saintly status.

Following Swedish tradition, the eldest daughter in each family dresses in a white dress with a red sash, and wears an evergreen wreath with seven lighted candles on her head. She carefully carries coffee and buns to each family member in his or her room. One mandatory element of the celebration is a saffron-flavored bun, called a "lussekatt," or a "Lucia cat."

Lussekatter (St. Lucia Buns)
2 packages active dry yeast
5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (divided)
1 1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar plus more for sprinkling
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground saffron or 3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup blanched almonds, ground
1 tablespoon finely shredded lemon zest
Raisins
1 slightly beaten egg white

In a large bowl, stir the yeast into 2 cups of the flour; set aside. In a medium saucepan over low heat, stir the milk, 1/2 cup sugar, butter, salt and saffron until the butter is almost melted and the mixture is warm (120 to 130 degrees). Add to flour mixture along with the eggs. Beat with electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Stir in the almonds, lemon zest and as much of the remaining flour as you can.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately soft dough that is smooth and elastic (3 to 5 minutes total). Shape into a ball. Place in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease the surface. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double, 1 to 2 hours. Punch dough down and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 4 balls. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.

Grease baking sheets. Divide each quarter of dough into 12 equal pieces (making 48 rolls in total.) Roll each into a 10-inch rope. Place 3 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Form each rope into an S-shape, coiling ends like a snail. Press one raisin into center of each coil. Cover and let rise in a warm place until nearly double, 30 to 40 minutes. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Stir 1 tablespoon water into the egg white and brush over buns. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake about for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm (dark tunnel optional.)

Can't Make Enough Almond Biscotti

2025-12-04T12:06:00.000-05:00

Biscotti is the mainstay of every Italian cookie assemblage. They are the perfect addition to every meal, going well with coffee as well as wine. We love these classic treats, but at $13.50 per pound at our local bakery, it is an indulgence to buy. This recipe costs approximately about $5.00 and makes about 2 pounds of biscotti. Years ago, I tried making biscotti and it was a disaster, so I was afraid to try them again. Recently, I reworked an old family recipe with fabulous results! Easy, fast, and better than a bakery. So good in fact, I had to stop at Trader Joe's* to buy more almonds this morning to make my third batch in two weeks. I can't seem to make enough!

2 cups almond flour

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups sugar
½ cup brown sugar
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups whole almonds, toasted
4 large eggs
3 teaspoons almond extract
plus 1 teaspoon sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir in almonds. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs and almond extract; stir into flour mixture. (Dough will appear very dry, but will come together when kneaded.) If the dough will just not stick together, add water one tablespoon at a time until the dough just stays together.

The dough will be very sticky, so have your surfaced floured and baking sheet ready before you start to knead the dough. Transfer dough to a floured work surface; knead until smooth. Divide dough in half; shape into two logs, each about 1½ inches high and 2½ inches wide. The logs will spread out a little, so keep this in mind. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet (or silicone mats), and sprinkle with remaining sugar. Bake the logs until they are puffed and outside is firm (the tops may crack), about 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 2 hours.

Using a serrated knife, thinly slice the logs crosswise, 1/4 inch thick. Lay slices on two parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake (again at 350 degrees F) until crisp and lightly golden, rotating pans and turning biscotti over halfway through, 20 minutes total. Cool completely before serving or storing.

*Trader Joe's has the best dried fruits and nuts. Bought some raisins and dried cherries to make some panettone too - Stay tuned!

CNN, Italian, Stanley Tucci, Searching for Italy, Tuscany, Italy, cantucci, vin santo

CNN, Italian, Stanley Tucci, searching for Italy, Tuscany, cantucci, cookie, vin santo, Rome

Hot Holiday Gin Toddy

2025-12-03T16:00:00.000-05:00

The weather in the South has finally turned colder, making it feel like it really is December and the season for celebrating the holidays with friends and family. With everyone’s busy schedules, it can be difficult to find a time when everyone can get together. And, let’s face it, while it is always wonderful to see everyone at holiday parties, the usual party fare can get a bit tiresome. If you have seen one cheese log, you've seen them all, right? So why not try something a bit different this year? Perhaps an after-dinner party with desserts and warm drinks, with everyone gathering around a fireplace?

Now what to serve?

Normally, we would start the evening with cocktails; a favorite being gin and tonic. So in an “Ah-Ha” moment, we decided on “Gin Toddies,” a sophisticated spin on the seasonal Hot Toddy to pair with artisanal cheeses and some homemade pizzelles, torrones, and amaretti.

Hot Gin Toddy

1 teaspoon sugar
½ cup boiling water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 ½ oz. favorite brand of gin

Put a teaspoon of sugar in a heatproof glass or mug and add boiling water. Stir briefly to dissolve the sugar and then add gin and lemon juice. Stir to combine and garnish drinks with your choice of cinnamon sticks, cloves, cardamom pods, star anise, or lemon slices.

Mix, drink, repeat! Happy Holidays!!

It's Begining to Look a Lot Like Pizzelles

2025-12-02T16:25:00.001-05:00

I try to make pizzelles every year before the Christmas holiday. For those of you who are unfamiliar, pizzelles are also known as Italian wafer cookies. Their name comes from the Italian word “pizze” meaning round and flat. In Scandinavia, they are known as Lukken. They are made in a pizzelle iron similar to waffles. The original Italians pizzelle irons were forged by blacksmiths and would be created with original designs or family crests on them. They were lovingly handed down from one generation to the next. They are a seasonal favorite at our house. All our friends from up north (especially Youngstown, Ohio) are sure to visit to get a stack.

Classic Pizzelles
3 eggs
¾ cups sugar
½ cup margarine, melted
4 Tablespoons anise extract
1 ¾ cups of flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 Tablespoons anise or fennel seeds, optional

Preheat pizzelle iron. Cream together eggs and sugar, then add melted margarine that has been cooled and anise extract. Add flour and baking powder and mix until smooth. Add anise seeds and mix well. If batter is too thick add water a tablespoon at a time until it is the desired consistency. Using a teaspoon, drop one spoonful of batter on iron for each cookie. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Hint: I place the batter in a Ziploc bag and snip off one small corner (like a pastry bag) and squeeze out a teaspoon-sized dollop on the iron for each cookie. It gives you better control and is MUCH less sticky. And clean-up, well... much easier!

Kid-Friendly Cinnamon Sugar Snowflakes

2025-12-01T15:18:00.000-05:00

Christmas is the time of traditions and nostalgia. The smell of cinnamon and spruce brings memories of childhood holidays flooding back. Opening the boxes of ornaments is like visiting with friends you haven’t seen for a year. I get a tingle of excitement on cookie day when we put our favorite Christmas music on and break out handwritten cookie recipes along with the collection of holiday cookie cutters.

This year we received a copy of A Very Merry Golden Records Christmas which we put on in the background and we had a fabulous time singing along with our holiday favorites; "Frosty The Snowman," "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer," and "Jingle Bells." The kitchen was oddly quiet as we listened to Ed Asner’s reading of "Twas The Night Before Christmas" and Wallace Shawn’s (inconceivable) narration of "A Christmas Carol."

Golden Records, originally created by Grammy Award-winning producer Arthur Shimkin, was one of the first and ultimately most successful children’s record labels in America. Today, his son Tony Shimkin, also an award-winning music producer, is carrying on his father’s legacy. This kid-friendly new holiday CD (the fifth of an entire series recapturing the values, quality, and timeless innocence of Golden Records) is loaded with 20 classic songs and stories featuring beautifully remastered recordings and vocal talents of stars such as Wallace Shawn, Busy Phillipps, Ed Asner, and Didi Conn. The CD which will warm even the grinchiest of hearts is available on Amazon, iTunes, and at most Walmart stores.

Oh and back to the cookies… It is always a good idea to whip up a little snack before embarking on a full-scale cookie event to keep little cookie monsters from eating all the dough. Since the CD is totally kid-oriented, we thought perhaps a kid-friendly treat was in order. These edible snowflakes are the perfect way for the kiddles to practice their scissor skills while keeping appetites at bay.

Flour tortillas

Vegetable oil or cooking spray

Confectioner’s sugar

Edible glitter (optional)

Scissors

Wrap tortillas in a wet paper towel and microwave for about 15 seconds to soften. Fold the tortilla in half and half again (or accordion into thirds) and cut with child-safe scissors as you would a paper snowflake. Once the creations are complete, lay them on a cookie sheet and lightly brush them with vegetable oil (I sprayed the tops lightly with cooking spray.) Bake the snowflakes for about 4 minutes or until the edges are light brown and crispy. Sprinkle liberally with confectioner’s sugar or cinnamon sugar and enjoy your edible “Winter Wonderland.” sopapilla

In accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, we are disclosing that we received a complimentary digital copy of the CD from representatives of Verse Music Group in exchange for this post and giveaway. A favorable review was not required; the review of the product is based solely on our personal opinion and experience and may differ from those of our readers.

Here We Come A-Wassailing

2025-11-30T19:30:00.000-05:00

Wassailing is a traditional ceremony with the purpose of awaking the apple trees and scaring away evil spirits to ensure a good harvest. Wassail is a term derived from the Old English "waes haeil," or "be thou well." Wassailing lies at the heart of the modern custom of Christmas caroling. Historical wassails were made of mulled beer or mead with sugar, ale, ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon heated in a bowl and then topped with slices of toast as sops.

3 apples
1 orange
4 whole cloves
3 12-oz. bottles of good brown ale
1 cup dry sherry
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp. each of ground nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Peel and core one of the apples and cut them into thick slices. Place in layers in a baking dish and sprinkle with the brown sugar. Drizzle with 2 oz. of brown ale. Bake until the apples are very tender, about 45 minutes.

Let apples cool and pulse with their cooking juices in a food processor until smooth. Place in a saucepan over medium-low heat and add the remaining ale, sherry, orange (studded with whole cloves), and spices.

Simmer gently for a few minutes. Peel and core the remaining apple and slice it crosswise. You can use a cookie cutter to cut out the center if you choose, but the natural star pattern in the center of the apple is beautiful too.

Ladle hot wassail threw a sieve into mugs and add the apple slices. Serve with a cinnamon stick stirrer for extra pizazz, and then warm up your vocal cords for a round of “The Wassail Song.”

Snowy Cranberry Almond Tart

2025-11-29T10:30:00.000-05:00

This quasi-French, frangipane-style tart reflects not only the flavors, but the colors of the holidays. Served warm, a slice of tart with a scoop of vanilla or cinnamon ice cream makes an ideal Thanksgiving dessert. The color of the red berries and snow-like dusting of powdered sugar also make it a beautiful addition to your Christmas dinner table.

Frangipane is a classic European pastry filling made with almonds, butter, eggs, and sugar which is traditionally topped with pears or apples. As the tart bakes, the filling puffs up and surrounds the fruit. Because they need to be softened and sweetened slightly, the cranberries are first candied in a sugar cook separately. The snappy tartness of the cranberries is the perfect foil for the rich, sweet frangipane. A dusting of confectioners' sugar and a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream cap off this tart that is literally bursting with flavor.

Tart Shell

1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 large egg yolk
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup almond meal (or additional flour)

In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter with the sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk, vanilla, and salt, scrape down the side of the bowl and beat at low speed until smooth. Gradually add the flour, beating until the dough just forms a ball. Pat the dough into a disk and cover it with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour or overnight.

Roll out the dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper into a 12-inch round. Carefully peel off the top layer of parchment paper and invert the dough onto a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Peel off the parchment paper and gently press the dough into the pan. Trim the dough flush with the rim. Patch any cracks with the dough trimmings. Lightly prick the bottom with a fork. Refrigerate the tart shell until firm, about 30 minutes, or freeze for 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°. Line the tart shell with foil and fill it with pie weights or dried beans. Bake the tart shell for about 30 minutes, until the rim is lightly golden. Remove the foil and weights and bake the tart shell for about 5 minutes longer, until it is lightly golden all over. Set the tart pan on a baking sheet. Increase the oven temperature to 375°.

Cranberry Filling
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
2 cups (10- oz.) cranberries

In a medium saucepan, combine the granulated sugar with the water and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Add the cranberries, cover and cook over moderate heat for 3 minutes, stirring once or twice. Remove the pan from the heat and let the cranberries cool to room temperature. Drain the cranberries well; reserve the cranberry syrup.

Almond Custard

2 large eggs
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons half-and-half
1/8 teaspoon pure almond extract
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
Lightly sweetened whipped cream, for serving

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the brown sugar and flour. Whisk in the half-and-half and the almond extract. Spread the cranberries in the tart shell. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the reserved cranberry syrup over the cranberries, and then pour in the almond custard.

Bake the filled tart in the lower third of the oven until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 16 to 18 minutes. Transfer the tart in the pan to a rack to cool completely, at least 2 hours. Dust the tart with confectioners’ sugar. Cut the tart into wedges and serve with whipped cream.

Meatloaf Smeatloaf Romeo Style

2025-11-28T01:44:00.000-05:00

“Meatloaf, smeatloaf, double beatloaf. I hate meatloaf.” This quote from the 1983 movie, A Christmas Story could have been taken directly from a scene in our family kitchen growing up. There is a notorious story from my childhood that can still cause my mom’s jaw to set during the retelling.

Upon arriving home from school one day, I noticed that there were two items strategically placed on the kitchen counter: a lump of thawing hamburger and a loaf of Wonder bread. These two ingredients placed in close proximity at this time of the afternoon could only mean one thing, one bad thing: meatloaf. So being a clever and resourceful daughter, I waited for just the right moment when Mom’s back was turned I nonchalantly stole the bread from the counter and hid it.

Tick, tock, tick, tock; I waited in my room pretending to be doing homework. Nothing. My father arrived home and pleasantries were exchanged; still nothing, until… “Where’s the bread” came a slightly shrill call from my mom. “What bread?” my dad and I replied in unison. “The bread for the meatloaf.” came the brief and definitive explanation from Mom. Dad then made the face; the I-hate-meatloaf-more-than-even-you-do face. I silently mouthed, “I hid it,” to my Dad whose eyes instantly lit up. Mom came trudging down the hall. I was busted, yet, there I stood steadfast and determined not to give in to the mundane meatloaf menace. Low and behold Dad backed me up! “We aren’t really in the mood for meatloaf tonight,” he diplomatically attempted to skirt the issue. Mom retorted something about us never being in the mood for meatloaf. The cards were on the table, all bets were off, the secret was out; "No, in fact, we hate meatloaf and would prefer to never have it again," Dad responded. And we didn’t. Meatloaf was off the regular menu rotation, reserved only for occasions when mom was cooking for herself or for Dom who completely shares her love for the hamburger-bread amalgamation.

Dom, who knows of my meatloaf aversion and typically honors my preference not to ingest the dish, recently needed a meatloaf fix on a stormy, unfriendly evening. He dug out a dusty copy of James Beard’s tome of recipes and set to work at creating dinner. I’ve known him a long time and he knows me; he knew that if he used JB’s recipe, I wouldn’t (couldn’t) dream of protesting. So here is Dom’s variation on meatloaf inspired by the equally indomitable James Beard.

2 pounds ground beef
1 pound ground pork
2 doves of garlic, minced
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
½ teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon jalapeno pepper
½ cup bread crumbs
2 eggs
Thickly-sliced bacon

Mix all ingredients except bacon thoroughly and knead with the fingers until the mixture is very thoroughly blended. Form into a long loaf or cake and press firmly. Arrange enough slices of bacon or salt pork on the bottom of a baking pan to hold the meat loaf. Brush the loaf liberally with a mixture of half ketchup and half yellow mustard and then cross with 2 to 4 additional slices of bacon. Roast at 325°, basting occasionally with more ketchup and mustard, for 1½ to 2 hours, or until the loaf is cooked through.

Once the internal temperature reaches 155°F, the loaf is done and can be removed from the oven. Let it stand for 10 to 15 minutes before carving to allow the juices to settle. If you want to try my Mom’s and Dom’s favorite preparation, wait until lunch the next day and sandwich a thick slice between pieces of crusty bread.

Festive Jamaican Rum Punch

2025-11-12T05:18:00.000-05:00

Most of you know that we adulate the DeKalb Farmer’s Market. The huge market opened its 140,000-square-foot Decatur location just a few months before Dom and I met, and it was one of the first places we went together when we were dating. As we have reiterated in other posts, we truly enjoy trying and experimenting with new and exotic ingredients and the market offers plenty of opportunities for exploration.

So when Dom brought home a mysterious bag of “sorrel flowers,” I was hardly surprised. A little research revealed that they were actually the dried sepals and calyxes of the roselle plant, a species of Hibiscus native to the tropics. They are prepared by boiling in water until the water turns red and adding sugar. In Jamaica, the tea is also infused with ginger and clove and then mixed with rum to make a festive punch which is very popular at Christmas time. Other variations made with fresh fruits, juices, or extracts are used to make aguas frescas commonly consumed in Mexico, and Central and South America.

1½ cups roselle calyxes
2” piece fresh gingerroot, grated
3 whole cloves
6 cups water
1 cup sugar
1 ½ cups light or amber rum
8 teaspoons marmalade
lime slices for garnish

Comb through the flower calyxes to remove any that are damaged or spoiled. In a heatproof bowl, combine the calyxes, ginger, and cloves and pour 5 cups of boiling water over them. Let the mixture steep for 4 hours (or overnight).

While the mixture is steeping, make a simple syrup by bringing the remaining cup of water and the sugar to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved, and let the syrup cool. Strain the roselle liquid into a pitcher, discarding the solids, and stir in the simple syrup.

To serve, place 1 teaspoon of marmalade, 1 ½ ounces of rum, and ¾ cup of roselle tea in a 12-ounce glass and stir. Add crushed ice to fill and garnish the punch with the lime slices.

Busy Hands Cinnamon Dough

2025-11-05T00:18:00.000-05:00

Busy hands are happy hands (and make happy Moms!) While this dough is not comestible in the true sense of the word, it is made from edible ingredients to form non-toxic, kid-friendly craft dough is undeniably perfect for the holidays. It gives the kiddles something to do while you work, makes the house smell wonderful and makes adorable holiday gifts and tree ornaments. This was always a great way for the kids to experiment with shapes using cookie cutters and plastic utensils to create their own masterpieces. One year we used alphabet cutters to make gift tags for packages. They were almost as well received as the actual presents!

Cinnamon Dough

3 cups (25 oz. jar) of unsweetened applesauce
1 cup ground cinnamon
½ cup ground clove
½ cup ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon corn starch (or non-toxic school glue)

Pour applesauce into a sieve and place over a bowl. Drain overnight. Mix together ingredients and roll out dough on adding more cinnamon if needed to roll out dough without it sticking to your work surface.

Roll the dough between waxed paper until it's between 1/4" thick and 1/2" thick. And then cut out desired shapes. Gently place the shapes on a piece of clean wax paper or parchment paper. You can use a straw to punch a hole for the ribbon to hang. The circle of dough will pull out with the straw.

The ornaments will take about 4 days to dry completely depending on their thickness. You should plan to turn them over a couple of times or the edges will curl. (The thicker they are the longer it takes for them to dry, but the less they will curl.) Don't be surprised if the ornaments shrink a bit during the drying process. You may wish to keep this in mind when picking out the cookie cutters for your designs.

When dry, thread a piece of ribbon or yarn through the hole to hang. Enjoy the wonderful scent all season long.

Spicy Foraged Pear Chutney

2025-11-03T12:48:00.000-05:00

Similar in preparation and usage to a pickle, chutney is a spicy condiment containing fruits and vegetables such as plums, apples, pears, figs, tomatoes, chilis, and onions seasoned with salt, spices, and herbs. Vinegar, lemon juice, or tamarind are commonly added as a natural preservative, which gives chutney its well-known pucker. Chutneys range in texture from chunky to smooth, and in varying degrees of spiciness from mild to hot. Chutney is a delicious accompaniment to curried dishes. Sweeter chutneys also make interesting bread spreads and are delicious served with cheese.

Simple spiced chutneys can be dated as far back as 500 BC, and get their name from the East Indian word chatni, which means “to lick.” This variation using pears foraged in our neighborhood is a plate-licking alternative to cranberry sauce as an accompaniment for your Thanksgiving turkey and dressing, or for a holiday pork roast.

1 1/2 pounds pears, cored and peeled
1 cup cider vinegar
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more to taste)
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Chop pears into rough cubes and add to a saucepan with vinegar, sugar, and spices. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until pears are fork-tender. Stir in dried cranberries and simmer for an additional 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool before serving warm or at room temperature.

If you pour the hot chutney straight from the pan into prepared jars, this chutney lends itself well to cold process canning too.

Complete Thanksgiving Menu Planner

2025-11-01T09:01:00.005-04:00

With Thanksgiving only a week away, we are all in menu planning mode. As one of the biggest, if not the absolute biggest, food holiday, we thought we would make it easier for you by compiling a round-up of some of our favorites, old and new. We have published a Thanksgiving e-cookbook with some Thanksgiving ideas, and with this post, we go a step further and expand the list to include 40+ recipes with some morning noshes, turkey tips, condiments, side dishes, and desserts. Many of them are healthy, and some are a bit more indulgent. We even added a few ideas for what to do with those turkey leftovers.

Turkey Preparation:
• Brining
• Stuffing
• Trussing
• Barding
• Butter-crisped Roasting

• Carving

Sauces:
Two Cranberry Sauces
Pear Cranberry Chutney
Cranberry Zinfandel Conserve
Chardonnay Rosemary Jelly

Morning Treats:
Cranberry Financiers
Pumpkin Chestnut Scones
Mug Muffins
Pumpkin Cranberry Bread
Baked French Toast

Starters:
Pumpkin Hummus
Cream of Peanut Soup

Simple Split Pea Soup

Breads:

Semolina Loaf
Jalapeno Cornbread Muffins
Boston Brown Bread

Grissini / Bread Sticks

Sides:
Corn Pudding
Potatoes Fondantes
Bacon-braised Brussels Sprouts
Curried Cauliflower
Swiss Chard Gratin
Roasted Beets
Mashed Potatoes with Love
Broccoli with Lime Dressing
Charred Cabbage
Rice-stuffed Tomatoes
Green Beans Gremolata
Sorghum Caraway Carrots
Cauliflower, Leek & Mushroom Strata

Dessert:
Cranberry Almond Tart
Apple Crostada
Hasty Pudding
Chocolate Pecan Pie
Peach Almond Galette
Gingerbread Cake
Sweet Potato Pie
Bread Pudding
Pineapple Cranberry Cobbler
Pumpkin Crème Brûlée

Leftovers:
Bobbie Sandwich
Turkey Enchiladas Verde
Turkey Jambalaya
Matzoh Ball Soup

We are honestly thankful to all our loyal readers! Enjoy your Thanksgiving Holiday!

Originally posted on 11/15/2015

New World Spoon Bread

2025-10-29T11:15:00.000-04:00

Since Lincoln issued his first National Thanksgiving Proclamation in 1863, declaring the last Thursday of November a national holiday, Americans have celebrated the annual feast by cooking traditional foods such as turkey, various types of squash, and corn.

Corn is a truly American commodity found in North American fossils of the pre-Ice Age. Even before Columbus landed in the New World, corn was the staple grain of Native Americans, who called it “mais” which meant “our life.” In Plymouth, Native Americans taught the Pilgrims how to cultivate corn by planting a fish among the seeds and how to harvest. They also taught the newcomers how to cook with corn by adding a pinch of ash to release more nutrients. In the early years of most colonies, like Plymouth and Jamestown, corn was the key to survival. While colonists originally ate corn out of necessity, it later became the food of choice in most Colonial recipes and meals because of its vast versatility.

Spoon bread made with cornmeal is a traditional Thanksgiving side dish. Its pudding-like consistency will make it a favorite with the entire family. This was always the recipe our boys would ask us to make for school Thanksgiving celebrations; it was always a big hit.

Spoon Bread:
2/3 cup yellow cornmeal
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
2 Tablespoons softened butter
2 teaspoons baking powder
3 eggs, separated

Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat milk in a saucepan, but do not boil. Mix together cornmeal, sugar, and salt, and slowly stir into heated milk. Continue stirring over low heat. Add butter to the mixture and stir. Remove from heat and allow to cool. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites to soft peaks and set aside. Stir egg yolks, which have been lightly beaten, and baking powder into the cornmeal mixture. Then gently fold egg whites into cornmeal batter. Stir lightly so as not to deflate the egg whites. Pour mixture into a greased 1½ quart baking dish. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is golden. Serve immediately.

*To appeal to younger palates, add a little maple syrup.

Drunken Chestnuts for Martinmas

2025-10-28T11:11:00.000-04:00

This eleventh day of the eleventh month, is known in many countries of the world as St. Martin's Day or "Martinmas." During the Middle Ages, Saint Martin was the most popular and charismatic saint. In France, he is still a major religious figure whose tomb attracts people who come to be healed as at Lourdes. He became the patron saint of the French monarchy and also of churchgoers, innkeepers, grape growers, and winemakers, and in some places he is also the protector of drinkers. Many stories about him involve wine.

Perhaps the most famous tells of his rescuing a drunken man by taking his own cape from his shoulder, cutting it in half, and then wrapping the man in it to protect him from the cold. That same night he dreamt of Jesus wearing the half-cloak he had given to the poor man and thanking him for his compassionate gesture. It is also said that at the moment he shared his cloak, the sun came out. I am sure many of you have heard the term Indian summer before when referring to a spell of warmer than normal temperatures accompanied by sunshine and dry and hazy conditions. In Italy, these mild days are called “Estate di San Martino.”

St. Martin’s Day marks the end of winter preparations and is the beginning of the natural winter. It is also the time when newly produced wine is ready for drinking. As a result, St. Martin's Feast is much like the American Thanksgiving; a celebration of the earth's bounty. Because it also comes before the penitential season of Advent, it is considered a time of "carnival," with feasting and bonfires before a period of fasting.

In some countries, Martinmas celebrations begin exactly at the eleventh minute of the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. In others, the festivities commence on St. Martin's Eve with children carry lanterns in the streets after dark, singing songs for which they are rewarded with candy. Bonfires are built and folks make merry drinking mulled wine and eating magosto which are chestnuts that roasted under the embers of the bonfire. Magosto are often left out at midnight as homage to deceased family members to “eat.”

In Piedmont, people celebrated with seasonal produce of chestnuts and wine for San Martino. St. Martin is credited with a prominent role in spreading wine-making throughout the Touraine region and facilitating the planting of many vines. Martin is also credited with introducing the Chenin blanc grape varietal, from which most of the white wine of western Touraine and Anjou is made.

What better way to honor St. Martin than with a recipe for Castagne Ubriache (Drunken Chestnuts) that incorporates both chestnuts and wine. This traditional Tuscan treat is delicious served with artisanal cheeses and Vin Santo or another dessert wine.

2 ½ lbs. fresh chestnuts
1 cup dry red wine
¼ cup granulated sugar
Pinch of salt

To roast the chestnuts, preheat the oven to 350°F, and with a sharp knife, make a slit on the rounded side of each chestnut. Arrange the chestnuts in a single layer in a baking pan. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the chestnuts from the oven.

While they are still warm, remove the hard outer shells and the furry inner skins. In a saucepan over low heat, combine the wine and sugar and stir to dissolve the sugar. Add the chestnuts and cook until the wine is reduced to a thick syrup, about 30 minutes. Transfer the chestnuts to a serving dish and serve hot.

Founder of the Feast Brown Bread

2025-10-28T00:01:00.000-04:00

We always thank the pilgrims for our Thanksgiving, yet we might be equally indebted to another sturdy New Englander: Sarah Josepha Hale, editor of the popular Victorian magazine Godey's Lady’s Book. Her decades-long campaign to extend a New England custom to a growing nation reached from the frontier reader of Godey's right up to the President. In 1863, at her prompting, Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national Thanksgiving event now marking its 150th anniversary, and coincidentally Sarah's 225th birthday.

George Washington set aside the last Thursday in November 1789 to honor the newly minted Constitution (Sarah would later point to this date and the precedent.) However, since even the Pilgrims themselves didn't regularly repeat their famous feast, its subsequent observance continued by local customs and whims. One year, when a molasses shipment was delayed, a Connecticut town casually postponed its holiday until the pie makings arrived.

Widowed just before the birth of her fifth child, Sarah took up a pen and began writing to make ends meet. After several successful books of poetry (one of which included her best-known poem Mary Had a Little Lamb), and a novel about slavery, the successful novelist was asked to edit a women's magazine which would later merge to become Godey's Lady's Book which featured original, American writing including leading writers such as Hawthorne, Longfellow, Emerson, and Poe to whom she paid 50 cents a page.

As the editress antebellum America's most widely circulated magazine, Sarah began her campaign for a national day of Thanksgiving. In her editorials, she explained how to celebrate with seasonal recipes for chicken pies, ducklings, vegetable platters, gravy, pickles, preserves, cakes, and a "variety of sweetmeats." As the nation sprawled westward and rifts between North and South grew deeper, her editorials stressed the holiday's "moral and social reunion of the people of America" - a point she pressed in thousands of letters through the decades to governors, senators, and influential personages, as well as Presidents from Zachary Taylor on.

Her Thanksgiving campaign took a new turn in 1863, in the war-weary aftermath of Gettysburg. That summer her editorial called not to governors, but for a Presidential edict. On October 3, 1863, Lincoln issued a National Thanksgiving Proclamation setting aside the last Thursday in November. Lincoln's graceful proclamation held to Hale's New England traditions, stressing “a fruitful land and healthful skies," with a conciliatory note asking for "interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation.”

However, the war dragged painfully past Lincoln's second proclamation in 1864; the following spring, an assassin's bullet took him. Hale pressed her cause with President Johnson and, later, with Grant. Their yearly proclamations, following Lincoln's lead, addressed a reunited country, firmly established the custom of our annual Thanksgiving, and answered one of the many prayers of Sarah Josepha Hale. On December 26, 1941, President Roosevelt signed a bill, some 62 years after Hale’s death and for the first time the date of Thanksgiving became a matter of federal law and fixed the day as the fourth Thursday of November.

One of the earliest recorded Thanksgiving recipes was for brown bread made with cornmeal and molasses. Puritans did not use white flour because it was expensive and “too fancy,” while whole wheat, rye & corn flours were cheap and plentiful. The Brown bread was steamed since cooking was generally done over an open fire as New England homes of the period were crudely thatched cabins and few had ovens. Steaming is an effective way to make bread without an oven. This traditional and rustic bread is very hearty and quite delicious, especially when toasted and served with cream cheese and homemade marmalade.

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup finely ground cornmeal
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup sour cream
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup raisins

This batter makes one round loaf steamed in a metal can that is 6-inches tall by 4-inches in diameter. The one I used formerly held ground espresso powder.

Preheat the oven to 325° F and bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Grease the coffee can with cooking spray or line the can with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, rye flour, corn meal, baking powder and soda, salt, and allspice. In another bowl, mix together the sour cream, egg, and molasses. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir well with a spoon. Pour the batter into the coffee can taking care that the batter does not reach higher than 2/3 up the sides of the container.

Cover the coffee can tightly with foil, put it into a pot with water in one-third up the side, and then place the pot into the oven. Steam the bread for at least 2 hours and 15 minutes (yes, really). Check to see if the bread is done by inserting a toothpick into it.

Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before putting the can on a rack. I know you are anxious to see how it came out, but don't try to remove the bread from the can yet! Let the bread cool for 1 hour before turning it out of the container.

Cornmeal Commemoration Hasty Pudding

2025-10-27T20:47:00.000-04:00

Cornmeal occupies a prominent place in American culinary history. It has been praised by native reporters and poets, berated by foreign writers no less illustrious than Charles Dickens and Alexandre Dumas. Cornmeal cookery provokes considerable regional controversy and consequently occupies considerable space in a vast number of our cookbooks. Variations in a corn bread recipe, for example, may cause small-scale domestic warfare. Arguments arise between one town and another over the correct name for a mere lump of meal, and names may vary even within a small town. Cooks become wildly possessive about their "definitive" versions of spoon bread or corn sticks, and disputes still arise over the superiority of yellow or white meal in certain dishes.

For "corn bread," one dialect dictionary lists as synonyms: scratchback, hoecake, ashcake, journeycake, johnnycake, and corn dodger, explaining that all are corn breads in their simplest form and as truly American as corn itself. "In their simplest form" implies a "bread" of meal, water, and sometimes salt. Simple fare indeed, but a lifesaver to the first Colonists, who learned basic preparation from the Indians. The maize that the Indians cultivated was a spectrum of red, blue, pink, and black kernels, as well as the more common white and yellow. Indians also supplied popcorn for the first Thanksgiving meal. In fact, "Indian" or "Injun" was the early American name for cornmeal, distinguishing it from wheat, which was (and still is) often called "corn" by the British. Rye -n' injun was a bread devised by the Pilgrims, who found that with its low gluten content, cornmeal had to be mixed with other grains to rise with yeast.

The hundreds of varieties of corn grown in America fall into five main families: flint corn, a fine but easily damaged strain that grows in cool regions; flour corn or soft corn, the predominant type grown in Andean regions and favored by the Indians; dent corn, the main commercial variety: sweet corn, the sort that is eaten fresh off the cob or canned; popcorn, the mainstay of the movie industry and the only poppable kind. White and yellow meals from dent are most favored today, and those obtained from water-powered stone-grinding, as opposed to the more common dry milling, are generally considered superior in taste and texture. Water-ground meal retains the germ, which makes it not only more flavorsome but also more perishable, hence the prevalence in markets of the germless, long-keeping variety.

Almost all cornmeal dishes can be made with either yellow or white meal, but the finished product will vary slightly: color, when indicated in the recipe, should therefore be observed. In baking, white meal gives a pleasantly uneven texture, a crisper outside, and a softer inside, whereas yellow meal gives a drier, more even-textured, slightly granular result. Lovers of cornmeal, however, tend to be rather fierce in their preferences. Below Mason and Dixon’s line, it is widely considered that white corn is for folks and yellow for critters. Indeed, stone-ground white cornmeal is the keystone to soul food, and white meal is also the only type considered suitable for the Rhode Island specialty, johnnycakes.
Because it was such an important part of the Colonial diet and because it was unique to the Americans, corn became an informal symbol of our country. The literature of America is filled with chat of homely hot mush, but no one can match Joel Barlow's all-time commemorative to this dish. In 1796, Barlow wrote an extended hymn to cornmeal appropriately dedicated to Martha Washington and tracing corn from its planting through the preparation of what he considered to be its most perfect form, “The Hasty-Pudding," the poem's title.

Hasty pudding is simply sweet cornmeal mush (cornmeal and water), the staple of every corn-growing people. Cooked until "thick enough to stand a pudding-stick," it was known variously as loblolly, stir-about pudding, cornmeal porridge, and samp. The popular New England dessert is mentioned in the original "Yankee Doodle” and included in Amelia Simmons's American Cookery, which was the first cookbook written in the United States (and published the same year as Barlow’s tribute). Sweetened with molasses or syrup and perhaps enriched with eggs and milk, corn mush becomes a tempting dessert.

2 cups whole milk
2/3 cup yellow cornmeal
¼ cup butter
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon maple syrup (or molasses)
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ginger
pinch of allspice
pinch of cloves
1 egg, beaten
¼ cup dried fruit or nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease a quart-sized baking dish or 4-6 ramekins with cooking spray or butter.

In a heavy skillet, heat milk until it scalds. Stirring continuously with a wooden spoon, gradually sprinkle in cornmeal. Keep stirring rapidly to keep lumps from forming. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and keep stirring until it starts to thicken.

Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the butter. Once the butter is melted, add the brown sugar, molasses, spices, dried fruit, or nuts if desired. Continue to cool for about 5 minutes.

Beat the egg in a small bowl and stir it into the pudding mixture. Pour pudding into the baking dish(es) and place in a bain marie (water bath), and add boiling water to within an inch of the rim of the baking dishes. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until the pudding is firm. Serve with warm bourbon sauce, if desired.

Since Bourbon is another American specialty made from distilled corn mash, this bourbon sauce makes for the perfect accompaniment to Hasty Pudding:

1 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon (or more) bourbon (or vanilla)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a saucepan mix all ingredients. Bring to a boil for 1 minute. Serve warm over hasty pudding.

Colonial Cream of Peanut Soup

2025-10-26T00:01:00.000-04:00

Peanuts are a favorite nibble that can also add savor to a variety of dishes. Whether the main component or a subtle enhancement, they span the gastronomic spectrum - literally from soup to nuts.

Brazil is the native home of the peanut, the "ground nut” that sailed with Portuguese explorers to West Africa, where they became a staple crop for native farmers. Peanuts then arrived in Virginia by way of the slave trade. Along with black-eyed peas, and yams, peanuts were intended for consumption by slaves during passage to the New World who grew and used the nutrient-rich peanuts in a variety of foods.

In 1794, Thomas Jefferson recorded a yield of sixty-five peanut hills at Monticello. The cultivation of peanuts increased in the South in the nineteenth century, but it was not until after the Civil War that they gained national acceptance. During the Civil War, Union troops fighting in the South discovered that peanuts were a fortifying and tasty source of protein. As peanuts became a staple crop in Virginia, peanut soup became popular as well. Many historians claim George Washington enjoyed the soup so much that he ate it every day.

When planning your traditional Thanksgiving meal, consider serving this kid-friendly colonial soup that is as American as the celebration itself.

1 medium onion, minced
2 ribs of celery, minced
2 tablespoons butter
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup peanut butter
½ cup sour cream
¼ cup roasted peanuts, chopped (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

In a medium sauté pan, melt the butter and sweat the minced onion and minced celery over low heat for 10 minutes until the vegetables are soft. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in one cup of chicken stock. Using an immersion blender (or food processor), puree vegetables in the broth. Pass the mixture through a fine sieve reserving broth and discarding excess solids.

Add remaining the chicken broth and peanut butter, and return to medium heat. Simmer the mixture for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the sour cream and add salt and pepper to taste. Ladle the soup into heated bowls and garnish each serving with I tablespoon chopped roasted peanuts, a dusting of paprika and/or celery greens. This soup can also be served chilled if you prefer.

Days of the Dead Bread

2025-10-24T20:07:00.000-04:00

The Mexican Days of the Dead are held on November 1st and 2nd; a two-day celebration of death. In this ritual observance which is rooted in a bizarre blend of pre-Colombian and Roman Catholic practices, Mexican families make merry with the souls of their dearly departed. Because this celebration occurs immediately after Halloween, the Day of the Dead is sometimes thought to be a similar holiday, although the two actually have little in common. The living mingle with the dead at midnight picnics in cemeteries, they leave once-favorite foods as offerings such as sugar skulls and marigolds at homemade altars, and welcome back the dead for a day on earth feasting on tamales, spicy molès, and the most special treat of the celebration, Pan de Muerto, or “Bread of the Dead.” This bread dough is rolled out into strips shaped to resemble bones:

Dough Recipe:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
5 to 5-1/2 cups flour
2 packages dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon whole anise seed
1/2 cup sugar
4 eggs

In a saucepan over medium flame, heat the butter, milk, and water until very warm but not boiling. Meanwhile, measure out 1-1/2 cups flour and set the rest aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine the 1-1/2 cups flour, yeast, salt, anise seed and sugar. Beat in the warm liquid until well combined. Add the eggs and beat in another 1 cup of flour. Continue adding more flour until the dough is soft but not sticky. Knead on a lightly floured board for ten minutes until smooth and elastic.

Lightly grease a bowl and place dough in it, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1-1/2 hours. Punch the dough down and shape it into loaves resembling skulls, skeletons, or round loaves with "bones" placed ornamentally around the top. Let these loaves rise for 1 hour. Bake in a preheated 350 F degree oven for 40 minutes. Remove from oven and paint on the glaze.

Glaze Recipe:
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons grated orange zest

Bring to a boil for 2 minutes, then apply to bread with a pastry brush. If desired, sprinkle on colored sugar while the glaze is still damp.

Save The Pumpkins Hummus

2025-10-23T20:08:00.000-04:00

We never seem to notice the humble pumpkin until holiday time, but really, we should. Their beautiful orange exteriors are the perfect complement to the hues of autumnal foliage that signal the harvest season which we honor on Thanksgiving Day. While all are edible, nearly 95 percent of all pumpkins grown in the U.S. are carved into those hallmarks of Halloween: jack-o-lanterns.

In addition to their decorative colors and sizes, pumpkins boast unexpected health benefits as well. Pumpkins are a high-fiber, low-calorie food that's loaded with nutrients including copper, calcium, potassium, and phosphorus. One cup of cooked pumpkin provides more than 200 percent of the recommended daily intake of vitamin A, 20 percent of the recommended vitamin C, and more potassium than a banana. Pumpkins also have carotenoids that can help keep skin wrinkle-free and their seeds are filled with phytosterols, which are known for reducing LDL or "bad" cholesterol.

With the current campaigns to reduce food waste trending nationally, perhaps it is time to take those remnants from jack-o-lantern carving and toss them in your morning smoothie or roast them with some cauliflower or broccoli. Roasted pumpkin is excellent when added to rice, mashed potatoes, or even macaroni and cheese for an added boost of color and seasonal flavor. If you're looking for a high-fiber snack that's perfect at any time of year, just try mixing some roasted pumpkin with some chickpeas to make a super-nutritious dip that's perfect for entertaining.

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas
1 cup roasted pumpkin, cubed
¼ cup tahini
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
1 clove garlic
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
Salt and black pepper to taste

Process the beans in a food processor until nearly smooth, scraping down sides as necessary. Add pumpkin, tahini, cider vinegar, garlic, and spices and process until smooth, scraping down sides periodically. Tahini adds a subtle sesame flavor and depth to hummus. Don’t have tahini, no worries, you can substitute the nut butter of your choice, add a few drops of sesame oil or leave it out entirely. Once the hummus is fully combined and smooth, taste, and adjust your seasonings accordingly.

Serve in a pretty bowl and drizzle with some extra-virgin olive oil and top with some toasted pepitas. A dusting of paprika also makes a gorgeous and colorful garnish.

October 27, 2016

Hot Deviled Turnovers

2025-10-17T00:15:00.000-04:00

These little devils make a perfect nosh before and after trick or treating. They also can be made ahead and frozen and then reheated on a busy evening like Halloween (or anytime you get a devilish craving.)

Each year, for as long as we can remember, our neighbors Margarette and David have hosted an open house on the Sunday before Christmas. The entire neighborhood stops by for warm apple cider and a buffet of sweet and savory bites. The one treat we always look forward to is Margarette’s little deviled ham turnovers, so after many years, I finally asked for the recipe. I am so glad I did because not only are the ham tartlets wonderful, Margarette’s pastry dough is now my go-to recipe for pies and cookies!

For a novice baker, this is the most forgiving dough to work with. The cream cheese allows this pastry some elasticity, but still produces tender and flaky results.

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup flour, plus more for rolling out the dough
Pinch of salt

Process the butter and cream cheese together in a food processor, electric mixer, or by hand to thoroughly combine.

Add the flour and salt. Process just until combined and the dough holds together in a ball. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface. Divide into 2 pieces. Flatten into disks and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before rolling out.

If the dough is chilled overnight, take it out 15 minutes before rolling out. Rub flour all over a rolling pin. Working with one dough disk at a time, place the disk on a clean, well-floured surface. Applying some pressure with the rolling pin, roll gently from the center of the dough to the top and bottom edges.

Rotate the disk and roll to the top and bottom edges again. Re-flour the work surface and rolling pin, turn the dough over, and continue to roll the dough from the center out to the edges. Turn over and roll again, rotating the disk to ensure even rolling until the dough is about 12 inches in diameter, thin but not transparent. Using a biscuit cutter (or an empty aluminum can or juice glass), cut the dough into rounds for filling.

Devilish Filling:

½ cup (or 4.25 oz. can) deviled ham
½ teaspoon mayonnaise
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon hot paprika
Pinch dry mustard

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a separate bowl, mix together deviled ham, mayonnaise, mustard and paprika and stir until well blended together. Place ½ to 1 teaspoon of filling on one side of each of the dough rounds cut above.

Moisten the edge of the pastry with a finger dipped in a little water, and then fold the empty half of the dough over the filling. Crimp the edges together using the tines of a fork. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate while you make the remaining turnovers, putting each one on the sheet as it is assembled.

Place a baking rack in the center of the oven. Brush each turnover with a little milk or egg white if desired. Bake on the center oven rack for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F, and bake for about 20 more minutes, or until golden brown. For even browning, rotate the sheet from front to back halfway through baking.

Transfer the turnovers to a wire rack, and let them cool slightly. Serve while they’re still warm.

Freezing Instructions: Freeze unbaked turnovers on a baking sheet until they’re firm, then gently transfer them to a resealable freezer bag. Store them in the freezer for up to 1 month. To bake them from frozen, just add a few minutes to the baking time.

Oh, What a Tangled Web We Weave…

2025-10-13T11:57:00.001-04:00

Every year at Halloween, I set aside a day to make my signature spider web cookies. I use a handmade cookie cutter (I never could find one big enough for sale) and my grandmother’s sugar cookie recipe. The trick is the icing technique. You make two batches of icing, one plain white and one chocolate. After the cookies are cooled, put the chocolate icing in a pastry bag with a small round (I use a #2) tip. Spread white icing on one cookie to the edge with a small spatula or the back of a teaspoon. Repeat with a second cookie, giving the first cookie time to set.

On the first cookie, using the chocolate icing in the pastry bag, pipe a spiral starting at the center and working outward. It helps to wipe the tip of the toothpick each time you drag the icing. Next, use the same dragging technique and position tip at the outside edge of the cookie, halfway between the outward spokes and drag icing inward to center to create another line. Repeat the dragging process with second iced cookie. Continue working in batches of 2 cookies.

When you have finished icing all the cookies, let them dry at room temperature. Add spiders when the icing has hardened. For the spider bodies you can make tiny chocolate cookies with the scraps of sugar cookie dough, or use M&Ms or nonpareils. Add eyes and legs using the chocolate icing.

Grammie’s Sugar Cookies
Use flour on utensils to keep dough from sticking: Dip the cookie cutters, and dust the spatula before transferring uncooked dough to a sheet. Rolling dough between two sheets of floured parchment will keep it from sticking to the rolling pin. You can store cookies in airtight containers at room temperature, up to 1 week.

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture; beat until combined. Divide dough in half; flatten into disks. Wrap each in plastic; freeze until firm, at least 20 minutes, or place in a resealable plastic bag, and freeze up to 3 months (thaw in refrigerator overnight).

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line baking sheets with parchment. Remove one dough disk; let stand 5 to 10 minutes. Roll out ¼ - ½ inch thick between two sheets of floured parchment, dusting dough with flour as needed. Cut shapes with cookie cutters. Using a spatula, transfer to prepared baking sheets. (If dough gets soft, chill 10 minutes.) Re-roll scraps; cut shapes. Repeat with the remaining dough. Bake, rotating halfway through, until edges are golden, 10 to 18 minutes (depending on size). Cool completely on wire racks.

Royal Icing
This smooth, hard-drying icing is perfect for cookies. It is also useful as a "cement" to fasten decorations together like gingerbread houses.

4 tablespoons Meringue Powder (or 2 egg whites plus 1 teaspoon lemon juice)
1 box (about 4 cups) confectioners' sugar
6 tablespoons warm water

You know you have the proper consistency when you lift the beater, the ribbon of icing that falls back into the mixing bowl lays on the surface of the icing for a few seconds before disappearing. Because royal icing hardens when it is exposed to air, the icing needs to be used immediately or transferred to an airtight container. Cover icing with plastic wrap when not in use.

“Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.” ~Sir Walter Scott