Happy New Year to Everyone and Welcome 2015!

Holidays are all about the family, and this year was no exception for us. This year we gathered at our house. Our daughters Jenny and Beth were here, as well as our son-in law, Anh, and our grandchildren, Chloe and Liam. They all came from Hiawatha, Iowa!

The girls and I spent the whole day on Christmas Eve pampering ourselves with manicures at Ann Le’s Nail Bar, hair styling at Salon Paragon, lunch at DiMillo’s, and make-up applications at The Regency Spa. Then we all went home to change before meeting back at The Regency for a lovely dinner at 20 Milk Street. Then, back home to open all of our gifts. What a night!

On Christmas morning, we had our traditional breakfast of my French toast with warmed pure Maine maple syrup, filet mignon, asparagus with hollandaise sauce and chocolate-dipped strawberries and champagne.

For Christmas dinner this year, we had ham, scalloped potatoes and northwest blend vegetables with lovely rustic rolls. For dessert, we had buche de noel and carrot cake.

But the highlight of the week was watching Chuck and Chloe (now 13 years old) work in the kitchen together. The teacher in Chuck sure came out! He taught Chloe how to make caesar salad, chicken parmesan, and angel hair pasta. He wanted to teach her how to make pasta from scratch, but there was not enough time. Chloe served all of us, down to the pouring of the wine. Look how she holds the punt of the bottle! That’s my girl! Maybe we do have someone interested in taking over the business when we decide to retire… just not ready for that yet!

Try my french toast recipe and Chuck’s caesar salad dressing recipe. You will not be disappointed! YUMMMMMMM!

Nancy’s French Toast

NOTE: Must be prepared 24 hours in advance.

1 loaf of 2-day-old baguette

1 quart of heavy cream

4 eggs

Dash of nutmeg and cinnamon

¼ cup of confectioner’s sugar

Mix all together well, sprinkle ½ cup of confectioners sugar over the mixture, and refrigerate covered at least overnight. Deep fry until browned and crispy and serve immediately.

Chuck’s Caesar Salad Dressing

Mix together with a whisk or place into a mason jar and shake vigorously:

6 TB EVOO

1 beaten egg

4 minced garlic cloves

2 TB mayonnaise

3 TB red wine vinegar

2 TB balsamic vinegar

1 smashed anchovy

1 TB Dijon mustard

4 dashes Worcestershire sauce

Salt and pepper

Vegas for the Holidays

Wow, it’s hard to believe that it’s December. This year has just gone by too fast! These past few months, we have visited Seattle, Washington and Las Vegas. In Seattle, we went to Pike Street Market (of course) and visited every booth over a period of two days. Other than Reading Street Market in Philadelphia and Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco, I think Pike Street is the best. The restaurants in Seattle are amazing and we sampled from as many as we could.

Las Vegas continues to be unbelievable. There are way too many restaurants to choose from, but this time we visited the Wynn, and one night dined in their tapas restaurant called La Cave before going to the theater to see Le Reve – The Dream. Each scrumptious little bite was perfectly paired with a flight of wine. Chuck and I shared four plates and we were very happy! Another night, we had dinner on the terrace at SW Steakhouse and were treated with a whimsical light show at the beautiful fountain. We also visited Giada de Laurentiis’s new place: Giada’s. The décor is New York chic and the staff is too! She has a great menu as well. Our favorite brunch continues to be at The Wicked Spoon. Jaleo and Comme Ca continue to be favorites, but we have still been unable to get into the elusive and exclusive “E” inside Jaleo’s. We hope to some day. 

I get so inspired as I walk these booths and talk to these vendors and visit all of these restaurants. So, today I decided to celebrate brunch a la Vegas with a recipe for my French toast for Christmas Morning and a small bite honoring La Cave’s small plates for New Year’s Eve paired with Amy’s (our sommelier) Kentucky Orchard Spritzer. YUMMMMMMMM!

Nancy’s Brunch French Toast

Serves 5 People

One loaf of day-old French or Italian bread, sliced

(Sometimes I use Challah, sometimes baguettes)

2 cartons of heavy cream

4 eggs

Dash of nutmeg and cinnamon

2 tablespoons of sugar

1 cup of confectioner’s sugar

(Optional) rum extract

Oil for frying

Mix cream, eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon, and sugar thoroughly. Arrange bread in a baking sheet and pour mixture all over the bread. Make sure it is well coated. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Bring to room temperature and fry in oil heated to a consistent 365 degrees so the bread is crispy and not soggy. Be careful not to overcrowd—only fry 2 or 3 pieces at a time. Also, be careful not to splash, as you will be frying a wet product. Take care to step back. Keep finished pieces warm in a 275-degree oven, uncovered, until all bread is fried and ready to serve. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar and serve with warm maple syrup. Yummmmmm!

Seared Sea Scallops with Nancy’s Bacon Brittle and Smoked Paprika Vinaigrette

Serves 4 People

Step One: Prepare bacon brittle.

Bacon Brittle

1 ounce butter

¾ cup sugar

¼ cup light corn syrup

¼ cup water

¼ teaspoon of baking soda

Pinch of salt

1 cup apple-smoked bacon, rendered and chopped

Method:

In a medium saucepan, cook first 4 ingredients to a light golden brown. Add baking soda and salt off of the fire, mixing constantly. Add rendered bacon and spread on sheet pan with parchment and allow to cool completely. It can be processed coarsely or to a fine powder.

Step Two: Prepare vinaigrette.

Fresh Orange Smoked Paprika Vinaigrette

1 teaspoon lightly packed, finely grated orange zest

3 tablespoons fresh orange juice

3 tablespoons sherry vinegar

1 egg yolk (leave this out if you are uncertain that you want to eat a raw yolk)

1 teaspoon Spanish sweet smoked paprika or to taste

½ teaspoon granulated sugar

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 drops hot pepper sauce, such as Sriracha

Kosher salt

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

In a small bowl, whisk the orange zest with the orange juice, sherry vinegar, egg yolk, paprika, sugar, hot-pepper sauce and ¼ teaspoon salt until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Gradually whisk in the olive oil until the dressing is well blended. Season with additional salt to taste and set aside.

Step Three: Sear sea scallops on both sides in a hot pan.

Assembling the plate:

Brush vinaigrette on a plate. Place hot seared sea scallops on top of vinaigrette. Garnish with bacon brittle.

Note: you can process the brittle in a food processor to make a dust and place on the plate in a mound to make it look really professional.

Prepare Amy’s Spritzer to serve with this dish.

Amy’s Kentucky Orchard Spritzer

2 oz. Jim Beam Black Label

3/4 oz. local honey

1 oz. fresh-muddled Meyer lemon

1 oz. fresh-muddled Granny Smith apple

2 oz. Angry Orchard Hard Cider

1 sprig of fresh mint (garnish)

Muddle lemons and apple with honey inside shaker. Add ice and bourbon. Chill ingredients and strain into a Collins glass (without ice). Top with cider and garnish with a lemon wheel and a fresh sprig of mint.

Delight Your Guests with Homemade Condiments!

I have to believe that when Duncan Hines first introduced their cake mixes to the world back in the day, they left out the egg and oil for a reason. I think they wanted us to be able to say that we still made it from scratch because we had to add those items! Homemade anything always tastes better than store-bought products. Try some of my recipes for Memorial Day and see for yourself!

Ketchup… we use it on everything. My brother even puts it on his eggs! Why not make it from scratch? Just in time for your Memorial Day—give them the WOW factor. Make the regular old ketchup or add mangoes to it! Just think outside the box and try it! Make regular old mustard or add raspberries to it! Have fun and experiment.

Mustard is one of the least expensive spices and it’s available in a variety of colors and forms. It can add zip to much more than just a hot dog or hamburger and is not difficult to make. You can add almost anything to mustard to make it a gourmet mustard and it makes a great gift. Just put the mustard in a great jar, box it up with some home-baked crackers, and your friends will be impressed and happy. Mustard has no fat and not many calories. The hardest part of making mustard from seeds is waiting those first few days for the flavors to mellow so you can see if it turned out as planned. If you use mustard flour you need only wait ten minutes or so.

I guarantee you that if you try these recipes you will be so proud to use your own condiments and not buy store bought again! The store bought is loaded with salt, sugar and other preservatives. The difference in taste is unbelievable and you can say you made it! And as an added bonus, you will save money, which we all need to do these days.

Easy Basic Homemade Ketchup

Yield: Makes about 2 cups

• 1 (28-oz) can whole tomatoes in purée
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/3 cup cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tsp. of hot smoked paprika

Purée tomatoes in a blender until smooth.

Cook onion in oil in a heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until softened. Add puréed tomatoes, tomato paste, brown sugar, vinegar, and salt, and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until very thick—1 hour or more. Stir more frequently toward the end of cooking to prevent scorching.

Cool ketchup so that you can purée ketchup in two batches in blender until smooth. Chill, covered, overnight for flavors to develop.

Ketchup can be kept up to three weeks.

Easy Basic Homemade Hot Dog Mustard

2 TBS white sugar
2 TBS flour
3 TBS dry mustard
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. turmeric

2 cups apple cider vinegar

Mix all dry ingredients together then add vinegar. Boil together until thickened.

Chill, covered, overnight for flavors to develop.

Homemade Pickle Relish

2 cups finely diced cucumber

1 cup finely diced onion

1 tsp. kosher salt

¾ cup apple cider vinegar

¼ cup sugar

2 tsp. cornstarch mixed with 1 ½ tsp. water

Combine and set in strainer for at least 4 hours. Squeeze as much liquid out as you can and then bring vinegar and sugar to a boil and reduce about 5 minutes. Add in cornstarch mixture and simmer several minutes. Then cool several hours.

1 cup diced dill pickle

¼ cup homemade mustard

2 tablespoons pickle brine

2 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped

Combine all ingredients, stir and serve with hot dogs or hamburgers.

For a Great Burger

Pick up some ground chuck with a fat content of at least 20%. 25% would be even better. Lean and extra-lean meats make tough, dry burgers (this is true for turkey burgers or lamb burgers, too-look for grinds with around 25% fat). Don’t overwork the meat.

In a large bowl, pull the meat apart into small chunks, add salt or other seasonings, and toss gently with your fingers. Use wet hands to form burger patties. It also allows the meat to come together faster and prevents over-working. Make burger patties with a dimple in the center. The burger will shrink and pull as it cooks so it will even out. I keep my burgers in the fridge until I am ready to put them on the grill. I think they stay together better that way and they stay juicy.

Keep grill at a steady high heat. With a gas grill, keep the lid down while cooking; with a charcoal grill, leave the lid off. Turn only once! Constant turning will toughen and dry out meat. Cook 2 minutes per side for rare, 3 minutes for medium-rare, 4 for medium, and 5 for well done.

Time to Fire Up the Grill!

A few days ago, I filmed a segment on grilling tips with Norm Karkos from WMTW News Channel 8 here in Portland. If you are like me, you use your grill all year round. If not, maybe you’re just thinking about firing up your grill because the weather is getting nicer! Either way, I thought I would share a few tips with you.

Gas vs. Charcoal Grilling

It is a preference, really: gas is easier because you just turn a knob. It takes only 10 to 15 minutes to preheat, doesn’t require messy cleanup, and you can add mesquite chips or other wood chips to provide a little smoke!

Charcoal grilling involves stacking coals, lighting them, and preheating for at least 30 to 45 minutes. As a general rule, it takes 30 coals to grill one pound of meat. Lighter fluid gives a nasty flavor to the food. A chimney starter is easier to use. An electric starter is another way to go. When the coals are ready, they will be about 80% ash-gray during daylight. They will glow if grilling at night. Spread the coals into a single layer with long-handled tongs.

Here are the methods of grilling that I use:

Indirect Grilling, including Three-Zone Grilling

This technique turns your grill into an outdoor oven. Rake half the hot coals into a double layer at one side of the grill to make a high-heat zone. Leave a portion of the grill without any coals at all for cooking over low heat. The middle area will become your third zone, which will be a medium-heat area. On a gas grill, I turn one burner on high and leave the other burner off. I use the low-heat area to cook tougher, or larger, cuts of meat or whole chickens or turkeys (or racks of ribs, beef briskets, legs of lamb, etc.) when direct grilling would burn the exterior before the center gets hot. I sear thick steaks on the hot side and move them to this low-heat area so they cook more evenly.

Direct Grilling

This means cooking food right over the fire. There’s no better way to grill things that are relatively thin and tender: certain steaks, burgers, sliced vegetables, and fish fillets. Generally, direct grilling is done over medium-high or high heat.

When the grill is covered, heat is kept inside. The food cooks more evenly and keeps moist. When grilling without the cover, the coals are hotter, since added air adds to their burning. Maintaining the appropriate temperature is important for getting good results. The longer the food needs to cook, the lower the temperature needs to be. Do not babysit your food. Raising or lowering the lid changes temperatures quite a bit. To lower the cooking temperature, spread the coals further apart or raise the grid. To raise the cooking temperature, either lower the grid or move the coals closer together.

One quick, easy way to estimate the temperature of the coals is to cautiously hold your hand, palm-side down, above the hot coals. For a very hot temperature, you should not be able to keep your hands over the coals more than 2 seconds. Of course, if you have a gas grill, you have a temperature gauge!

My Best Steak:

You need very few grill accessories and you do not need to pay a lot of money for them! You will need:

• Tongs
• Spatula
• Foil pan
• Foil
• Meat Thermometer
• Grill Brush

Prep ahead of time. You want to enjoy your family and friends the day of the grilling. Meats and vegetables can be prepared and seasoned the day before. In fact, your meat is going to stay juicier if you salt and pepper or apply your rub the day before—the juices that come out with salting will have time to return to the meat!

Filets are very tender and usually rely on bacon to give them flavor and fat. Ribeyes have great flavor but tend to be fatty, but this is my favorite cut. The New York Strip falls somewhere in between. Look for marbling for a flavorful steak and season it the day before.

About 20 minutes before grilling, remove the steaks from the refrigerator and let sit, covered, at room temperature.

1 1/2-inch-thick boneless ribeyes (about 12 ounces each).

Heat your grill to high. Brush the pre-seasoned steaks on both sides with oil. Do not babysit your meat. Try to flip only 2 times. You want juices to stay in the meat.  Do not use a fork. Do not press meat down—juices will leave and result in a dry cut of meat. Place the steaks on the grill and cook until golden brown and slightly charred, 4 minutes.

Turn the steaks over and continue to grill 3 to 4 minutes for medium rare (an internal temperature of 130 degrees F). Do not worry—your steak will continue to cook to 135 degrees while resting. Also, while resting, the juices will return to the meat and keep it moist! Tent loosely with foil and let rest 5 minutes before slicing.

Why is medium-rare the best way to cook a steak? It’s really simple. The longer you cook a steak, the tougher and drier it gets.

The Sweet Sign of Spring… Maine Maple Sunday 2014!

Spring is coming. How do I know? Certainly not because of the weather outside—it continues to be frightful this year! I know because Maple Sunday is coming right up on the 23^rd! The sugar in maple sap only appears when warm, sunny days and below-freezing nights follow each other for days on end, as they do during Maine’s long, slow spring.

It is quite a treat to go to farms all over Maine on the fourth Sunday in March. You can experience the process and see a real sugarhouse and real kettles boiling sap over the fire.

Just a few facts to ponder from the Maine Maple Producers Association:

• The average maple tree is not tapped until it is about 40 years old. If the tree was tapped any younger, it could hurt the tree.
• An average 40-year-old tree yields about 40 quarts of sap in a season. This is just enough to make 1 quart of pure maple syrup.
• The flavor varies from year to year; sometimes the syrup is dark and rich, sometimes pale gold and delicate. It all depends on the soil and terrain, the wind and the weather—just like wine.
• Once it flows from the tree, the sap must be processed within a few hours or it will spoil, so syrup makers work round the clock once the spring run has started.

Much of the sap is still gathered the old-fashioned way: in buckets hung from trees. It is then boiled down into syrup over wood fires. Some of the larger producers have adopted modern, labor-saving technology—they gather the sap with plastic tubing strung all the way from the trees to the sugarhouse.

From holding tanks, which may hold as much as a thousand gallons, the freshly collected sap, usually about three percent sugar, is fed continuously into the evaporator. There it is kept constantly boiling, throwing off dense clouds of steam as it becomes more and more concentrated. When the syrup reaches a temperature of seven degrees above the boiling point of water, the sugar-density is just right. The finished syrup is immediately filtered to remove particles of “sugar sand.” These, though harmless, would make the syrup cloudy. Once properly clear, the finished syrup is packed in sterilized containers and sealed, ready to be distributed and enjoyed around the world.

When you get back from your trip to the farm, why not try some of my recipes to celebrate this sweet natural syrup? YUMMM!!

Nancy’s Basic Sauce—great to use with any kind of meat or fish!

Ingredients:

2 TBS Dijon mustard
2 to 3 TBS grainy mustard
1/3 cup (or to taste) pure maple syrup
2 TBS mayonnaise
1 TBS lemon juice

Method:
Heat mustards and maple syrup in a small pot. Remove from heat and cool for about 10 minutes. Add the mayonnaise and lemon juice. Pour over meat or fish and bake until done.

Another recipe to try: remember that Sriracha Sauce recipe from last month?  Just take ½ cup of maple syrup and add 2 tsp. of Sriracha (or to taste) and pour over salmon, pork, chicken, or beef and bake until done.

Maple Bacon Jam

Great over a block of cream cheese and spread onto crackers. Also, good with toast and biscuits! The possibilities are endless… Try it with sweet scallops or on a sandwich.

Spicy Super Bowl Snacks

In 2014, we were lucky to be asked to join Katie Thompson on WMTW to talk about Super Bowl Snacks! In case you missed it, here are the recipes of the yummy snacks Nancy prepared.

Buffalo Style Hot Dog with Blue Cheese Dip

Ingredients:
Hot dogs
1 cup of all purpose flour
1 tsp. granulated garlic
Salt & pepper
Pinch of baking soda
Sriracha sauce or Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
Blue cheese
Ranch dressing

Method:

Pour oil into a pot, leaving at least two inches from top. Heat to 350 degrees.

Mix flour, granulated garlic, salt, pepper and baking soda. Coat hot dogs with flour mixture and let stand for about 20 minutes to dry. Drop into oil and fry a few hot dogs at a time. Remove when nicely browned. Place into hot dog buns and squeeze sriracha or hot sauce over the hot dog. Mix ranch dressing with blue cheese to taste. Top over the hot dogs and enjoy!

Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Bombs

Ingredients:
Jalapenos
Cream cheese
Bacon
Pulled Pork

Method:

Slice jalapeños in half, lengthwise and remove seeds. Pipe cream into the cavity and top with pulled pork. Put jalapeño back together. Wrap bacon around the jalapeño and bake until bacon is cooked.

Sriracha Deviled Eggs

Ingredients:
Eggs
Mayonnaise
Ground mustard
Salt & pepper
Sriracha sauce

Method:

Place eggs in pot. Cover with cold water and bring to a rolling boil. Remove from heat and over. Let sit for 14 minutes. Uncover and run cold water over the eggs to cool. Peel and cut in half lengthwise. Remove yolks carefully and mix with desired amount of mayonnaise, ground mustard, salt & pepper. Pipe yolk mixture into egg whites. Garnish with sriracha sauce.

Ginger, Garlic, Scallion and Lime Dip with Potato Chips

Ingredients:
1 cup mayonnaise
Juice of 1 fresh lime
1 cup sour cream
Dash of sesame oil
1 tbs rice vinegar
Dash of soy sauce
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 tsp. fresh grated ginger
Salt & pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped scallions

Method:

Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate for an hour. Serve with potato chips.

Reuben Crostini

Ingredients:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup thousand island dressing
8 oz. sauerkraut, rinsed and squeezed dry
16 oz. shredded Swiss cheese
Baguettes, sliced

Method:

Preheat oven to broil. Slice baguettes into rounds and brush with a little garlic oil. Toast under broiler on both sides. Mix all other ingredients well and spoon onto toasted baguette rounds. Broil until bubbly.

Read more and check out the video here: http://www.wmtw.com/great-recipes-for-your-super-bowl-party/24245196#ixzz2svxI9eAk

Homemade Sriracha and Super Bowl Wings

Do you think of spicy foods when you think of snacking during the Super Bowl? I know I do! Last year, I made (amongst other things) a spicy buffalo chicken dip. Just like buffalo wings—only easier!

This year, Chuck and I think it is fitting to make Sriracha Buffalo Wings with a Goat Cheese Ranch Dip at the suggestion of our executive chef, Todd. Why? Have you ever heard the saying, “Nobody wants what someone else does not want—but when everyone else wants it I want it, too”?

Well, there is a lot going on in California with the production—or lack thereof—of Sriracha.

Just follow the news:

Eatocracy, November 27, 2013:

A Sriracha hot sauce factory is getting a chilly reception in Southern California.

A judge in Los Angeles County has ordered Sriracha maker Huy Fong Foods to suspend operations at a plant in the city of Irwindale that local residents claim that the stench was causing watery eyes, sore throats and headaches, prompting complaints from dozens of residents

The judge’s ruling orders Huy Fong to cease any operations contributing to the nuisance-causing odor, Davidson said. The city has been pushing Huy Fong to install a new filtration system to address the issue.”
Forbes, December 12, 2013:

Popular Sriracha Hot Sauce Maker Ordered To Halt Production

Update: A representative from Sriracha said they believe the hold would affect its customers more than it would the company. They were ordered to cease all shipments until mid January

The hold is needed to “ensure an effective treatment of microorganisms present in the product,” health department spokeswoman Anita Gore told the Associated Press on Wednesday.

So, everyone wants Sriracha because we cannot get it in most stores… This prompted me to look for recipes online and experiment! This is what I came up with—a variation of a recipe from Carey Nershi from Food52. I know you will like this recipe if you like it hot, hot, hot!

Please note: wear food-safe gloves when working with the hot peppers. Wearing glasses is a good idea, too—remember the complaints from the town in California?

Homemade Sriracha
Makes about 2 cups

Ingredients:

2/3 lbs mix of red jalapeños and serranos, stems removed
1/3 lbs mix of green jalapeños and serranos, stems removed
1/2 lbs mix of partially green/partially red jalapeños and serranos, stems removed
1 red pepper, stem removed
6 garlic cloves
8 tbls dark brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp smoked sea salt
1/2 cup distilled white balsamic vinegar
3/4 tsp xanthan gum

Preparation:

Place peppers, garlic, sugar, and salts in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer mixture to a clean bowl and cover with saran wrap. Store in a dark, dry place.

Check the jar every day for fermentation. This should begin after 2-3 days, but might take longer in colder, drier weather. Once you begin to see some bubbly, liquid-y magic at the bottom of the jar, fermentation has begun. Stir the mash each day until it is no longer rising in volume from the fermentation (about 5-7 days).

Transfer the mash to your food processor, add the vinegar and puree until very smooth. Strain the mixture through a piece of cheesecloth, squeezing to get all of the liquid. (Don’t forget to wear your gloves!) Discard pulp and seeds.

Return the sauce to a clean food processor and sprinkle xanthan gum over the top. Pulse until the gum is incorporated and the sauce has thickened. Move to a glass, covered container and store in the fridge for up to six months.

Then, make this:

Sriracha Wings with Goat Cheese Ranch Dip
Makes 36 Wings

Ingredients:

36 chicken wing pieces
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tsp. salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
8 Tablespoons of Sriracha Sauce
6 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine
Celery sticks on the side

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In a bowl, toss the wings with the oil and salt. Place into a large plastic shopping bag and add the flour. Shake to coat evenly. Remove wings from the bag, shaking off excess flour, and spread out evenly on oiled, foil-lined baking pan(s). Do not crowd. Let stand for 20 minutes to dry. Bake for about 20 minutes, turn the wings over, and cook another 20 minutes or until the wings are cooked.

Warm Sriracha Sauce and butter.

After the wings are cooked, transfer to a large mixing bowl. Pour the sauce over the hot wings and toss with a spoon or spatula to completely coat.

To make Goat Cheese Ranch Dip, simply add goat cheese and ranch dressing in a blender and mix well.

A Warm Holiday Beverage!

For the Holiday Home Tour, we created a drink recipe for Hot Cranberry Punch with Sage & Peppercorns. This warm drink is perfect for sipping on those cold late fall and winter days when your wool coat just isn’t keeping you toasty enough, and the addition of sage and black peppercorns lend an elegance to the flavor that makes it an ideal candidate for seasonal or holiday festivities. We really enjoyed putting this drink together and we hope you enjoy it, too!

Hot Cranberry Punch with Sage & Peppercorns

Serves 4 to 8

2 teaspoons black peppercorns
3 cups frozen or fresh cranberries
½ cup honey
1 bottle dry Riesling, divided
¼ cup fresh sage leaves
1 cup Benedictine liqueur

Place peppercorns in a medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add cranberries, honey, and 1½ cups Riesling and simmer over medium heat until thick and syrupy and some of the liquid has evaporated, about 7 minutes.

Smash cranberries with a fork. Add the remaining wine and sage, and simmer for about 5 minutes. Strain the mixture, smashing the cranberries once more, and then discard solids. At this point, the strained mixture can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days.

To serve, add the Benedictine liqueur and warm over low heat until steaming. Serve in warm cups.

Celebrate with Small Plates

While you are witnessing a number of restaurants serving “small plates” as an option for a meal, you should know that it has been a growing trend for some time in the catering industry. I actually prefer to go out and enjoy a 5-course meal of small plates! I also enjoy them perfectly paired with a beverage—either a glass of wine, champagne, sake, cognac, beer, or spirit—served in a small glass. It seems to me that each perfectly paired beverage with the small plate is designed to POP in your mouth the most delicious taste with each different course. Yum!!

So, this holiday season it will not surprise you to know that it is all about taste, being small, and being comforting. Mini savory or sweet cupcakes or lollipop cakes… Mini meatballs in different sauces… Mini mac and cheese bites… Mini meatloaf bites… Mini savory and sweet tartlets… Mini tasting spoons… Mini soup sippers… Mini sweet and savory pies… the list goes on and on. This means we can taste a little bit everything and not feel guilty!

Pies are the new cupcake craze. Did you know that there are mini pies in almost every culture?

• The British have Cornish Pasty which is a steak and vegetable mini hand pie
• Latin Cultures have the Empanada with beef, chicken or chorizo
• Australia has meat pies, Jamaica has meat pies, Finland has meat pies, Asia has meat pies, Louisiana has meat pies, Nigeria has meat pies, Morocco has meat pies… then there is sambousek, burek, tourtiere, treacle, samosas, and banoffee!
• New England has chicken pot pie, lobster pie, fish pie, mini whoopee pies, mini apple pies, key lime pies, etc.

We could go on and on!

In this spirit, why not consider a mini pie holiday party? Here are two to get you started:

Beef Empanada

Ingredients:

• 3 cups flour (plus a little more for kneading)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• 3 tablespoons lard

Preparation:

1. In a bowl, beat the water, eggs and vinegar together. Set aside.

2. In a separate bowl, mix together the 3 cups of flour and salt.

3. Cut the lard into the flour mix with a pastry blender or two butter knives. Make a well in the center of the flour mix and pour the liquid ingredients from the first bowl into the center.

4. Mix the wet and dry ingredients with a fork until it becomes stiff.

5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead it just until all the flour is incorporated and the dough is smooth.

6. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Use immediately. You can also freeze the dough at this point for future use.

Servings: Makes approximately 10 six-inch empanadas.

Picadillo Filling:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 ½ teaspoon cumin
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 medium white onion (chopped fine)
• 1 small green pepper (chopped)
• 1/2 cup beef stock
• 3/4 cup tomato sauce
• 2 small potatoes (peeled and diced)
• 8 to 10 green olives (pitted)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup of cilantro
• Olive oil for sautéing

Preparation:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, oregano, cumin, salt and pepper.

2. In a frying pan, heat the olive oil. Sauté the onions, green pepper, and garlic until soft.

3. Add the ground beef mixture, beef stock, and tomato sauce. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes.

4. Add the diced potato. Cover and cook another 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are done.

5. Remove the cover. Add the olives and cook uncovered 15 minutes or until the liquid is fully evaporated, but the meat is still moist.

Method:

Roll dough 5 to 6” circles. Place filling in1/2 and fold over into a half circle. Crimp all the way around with a fork and bake or fry until golden.

Basically, this dough can be used for any filling at all. Try spinach and feta, lamb and Moroccan spices and chickpeas, or pork, jalapeño, cumin, and chili powder.

Suggestion: Pair with a mini mojito!

Mini Quick Whoopie Pie

1 Box Chocolate Cake mix

Follow the directions on the chocolate cake mix and then add 1 cup or more of all-purpose flour to stiffen the dough. Use a mini ice cream scoop and scoop onto parchment covered sheet pans. Bake 350 degrees until done…approximately 15 minutes. Cool completely and scoop a mini scoop of buttercream onto one side and “sandwich” with another side. Easy Peasy!

Suggestion: Pair with a late harvest Zinfandel!

I challenge you to make several different mini pies and a couple of beverages to make your festive and fun!

Some other suggestions: have an interactive party by making it a contest. This is GREAT for corporate team building as well!

Gingerbread House Making Contest

Cookie Decorating Contest

When all else fails and you really want to dazzle the crowd consider what is REALLY HOT… BACON! Make it a…

Bacon BAR!! Bake bacon with all kinds of flavors and just set out on a buffet table and watch them disappear. Peppered bacon, candied bacon, chocolate dipped bacon, and my personal favorite: bacon brittle!

Happy holiday planning!

Taste of the Nation Recipes

Peruvian Seafood Ceviche w/Rice Crisp

*Gruner Veltliner, Austria 

Peruvian Ceviche

Blending ice cubes into the marinade helps to keep the fish and marinade ice-cold while you’re preparing and serving.

4–6 SERVINGS

INGREDIENTS

LECHE DE TIGRE

• 2/3 cup fresh lime juice
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 tablespoon (packed) chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/2 habanero chile, seeded, halved lengthwise
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup bottled clam juice (optional)
• Kosher salt

CEVICHE

• 1 small sweet potato (about 8 ounces)
• 1 ear of corn, husked
• 1/2 habanero chile, seeded, halved lengthwise
• 1 pound haddock, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 small red onion, quartered and thinly sliced, divided
• Kosher salt
• Cilantro leaves

 

PREPARATION

LECHE DE TIGRE

• Set a fine-mesh sieve over a small bowl. Purée first 4 ingredients and 4 large ice cubes in a blender until smooth. Add onion; pulse 3–4 times. Strain liquid into a medium bowl. Stir in clam juice, if desired; season with salt. Cover and chill.

CEVICHE

• Pour water into a large pot fitted with a steamer basket to a depth of 1 inch; bring to a boil. Add sweet potato, cover, and cook until just fork-tender, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a plate; let cool.
• Meanwhile, add more water to same pot, if needed, to measure 1 inch; bring to a boil. Add ear of corn to pot and steam until crisp-tender, 2–3 minutes. Transfer to a plate; let cool completely.
• Halve potato lengthwise. Using a small melon baller, scoop out potato balls and place them in a small bowl; set aside. Cut kernels from cob. Reserve 1/3 cup kernels (save extra kernels for another use).
• Rub a large bowl with cut sides of chile; discard. Place fluke, 2/3 of onion, leche de tigre, and 4 large ice cubes in bowl; stir well. Let marinate for 2 minutes; remove ice. Fold in potato and corn; season with salt.

Using a slotted spoon, divide ceviche into small bowls or onto plates. Drizzle ceviche with leche de tigre from bowl; garnish with remaining onion and cilantro.

Seared Local Scallops w/Bacon Brittle

*Cocktail of Apple Puree and Bourbon

 

BACON BRITTLE

• 1 ounce butter
• ¾ cup sugar
• ¼ cup light corn syrup
• ¼ cup water
• ¼ teaspoon of baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup apple smoke bacon rendered and chopped

Method:

1. In a medium saucepan cook first 4 ingredients to light golden brown.
2. Add baking soda and salt off of the fire mixing constantly.
3. Add rendered bacon and spread on sheet pan with parchment and allow to cool completely. Can be processed coarsely or a fine powder.

KENTUCKY ORCHARD SPRITZER (Signature drink to be served with dish)

• 2 oz Jim Beam Black Label
• 3/4 oz Local Honey
• 1 oz Fresh-Muddled Meyer Lemon
• 1 oz Fresh-Muddled Granny Smith Apple
• 2 oz Angry Orchard Hard Cider
• 1 Sprig of Fresh Mint (garnish)

Method:

1. Muddle lemons and apple with honey inside shaker.
2. Add ice and Bourbon
3. Chill ingredients and strain into a Collins glass (without ice)
4. Top with cider
5. Garnish with lemon wheel and fresh sprig of mint

 

Here are the pictures from the event!