Marinated Cheese and Olives ~ Game Night Snack

This was our Thanksgiving night snack as we were all gathered around the dining table, playing Taboo, which has recently become my new favorite old game. We all enjoyed the briny-cheesy-carby goodness so much I'm thinking this may make an encore appearance as part of the 2015 Super Bowl spread.

Do you even know who's playing? I don't and honestly, I don't care. I watch football one day a year and that day is Super Bowl Sunday. And even then, I'm really only interested in the food and the half-time show. And of course, the commercials but I'm not sure they're as good as they used to be.

1 - 8 ounce pkg. cream cheese, chilled and sliced

10 ounces sharp white Cheddar cheese, sliced

10 ounces Muenster cheese, sliced

1 cup green olives

1 cup black olives

1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, minced

1 Tablespoon fresh basil, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tablespoons chopped pimiento peppers

1 medium size baguette

1. Prepare the marinade: In a small bowl, combine the white balsamic vinegar, olive oil, parsley, basil, and garlic.

2. On a round, medial size serving platter, arrange cheeses, in an alternating pattern, in a ring.

3. Place green and black knives in the center of the ring.

4. Drizzle marinade over the cheeses and olives. Sprinkle with pimento peppers.

If you are preparing this in advance, stop here. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve before moving on to the next step.

5. Slice baguette and place around the outer edge of the serving platter.

3-Ingredient Gingerbread Truffles

These little make-ahead truffles just taste like Christmas to me.  It's like eating gingerbread cookie dough, but better because this "dough" is dipped in white chocolate.  And they're bite-size so you don't have to make a whole big dessert out of them, although you could.  Instead, just pop one or two or four in your mouth and move on to the rest of the holiday goodies.

Bonus:  This couldn't be any easier.  Seriously, get the kids to make these, they'll love it!

16oz. pkg. frosted gingerbread cookies, finely crushed

8oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

1c white melting chocolate (Ghirardelli wafers are my new favorite) 

1.  In a large bowl, mix together the crushed cookies and cream cheese until well blended.  Cover and refrigerate 3-4 hours or overnight.

2.  Roll into 1" balls and place on parchment paper.

3.  Melt chocolate according to package instructions.

4.  Using a toothpick, dip each ball one at a time into the chocolate, turning to coat completely.  Allow excess chocolate to drip off and place truffle on the paper.

5.  Refrigerate and allow chocolate to harden prior to serving.  Store any extras in the refrigerator.

Deep Dark Chocolate Brownies with Pomegranate and Sea Salt

I was recently gifted two fantastic ingredients - black onyx cocoa powder and vanilla bean paste.  Both of which I had never tried before so had no idea what I was missing out on.  The first thing you should know is, I will never buy plain old vanilla extract again.  The vanilla bean paste has spoiled me forever on that.  Secondly, people are not joking when they say black onyx cocoa absolutely needs to be blended into regular cocoa.  It's that rich.

The pomegranate seeds not only add a nice pop of color but also a lighter contrast in flavors to the intensity of the dark chocolate.  And just a little sprinkling of sea salt at the end brings it all together.

1/2c butter, melted

1 1/4c white sugar

1/2c cocoa powder

1/4c + 2 TBSP black onyx cocoa powder

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1 tsp. vanilla bean paste

2 eggs

1/3c all-purpose flour

1 pomegranate, seeded

1.  Preheat oven to 350°

2.  In a large mixing bowl, combine butter, sugar, both cocoa powders, salt, and vanilla paste.

3.  Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after adding each.

4.  Gradually stir in the flour just until blended.

5.  Pour batter into a prepared 8x8 baking dish (batter will be thick!) and top with 1/2c of the pomegranate seeds.  Bake 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

6.  Remove from the oven and sprinkle with additional salt and pomegranate seeds.

Our New Favorite Pumpkin Pie

My pumpkin pies have definitely evolved over the years.... I followed the recipe on the Libby's can for awhile and that was okay.  Then came a few years of folding in meringue and topping with pecans, which we all agreed was superior to the pies from the back-of-the-can days.  But then, this happened.  

I took a chance and tried out a new version of pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving day and the verdict was unanimous... this is THE pumpkin pie we will be having every year for the foreseeable future.

I was feeling fancy and decided to roast a sugar pumpkin rather than using canned but really, canned would work just as well here.

2c cooked pumpkin, pureed

2 eggs, beaten

1/2c heavy cream

1/2c sour cream

1c raw brown sugar

1 TBSP all-purpose flour

1 TBSP pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1 - unbaked, deep-dish pie crust

1.  Preheat oven to 425°  Place pie crust on a baking sheet.

2.  In a large mixing bowl, add all filling ingredients.

3.  Mix on medium speed until well blended and smooth.

4.  Pour filing into the pie crust.

5.  Bake approximately 45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. 

6.  Refrigerate 2-3 hours or overnight; long enough for it to chill throughout.  Serve cool or room temperature.

Aren't these cutouts adorable?!

Since I used a store bought crust, I just rolled out the extra crust in the package, stamped them out with my little cutter, and placed them right over the other crust.  ;)

Holiday Cranberry Sauce

I love cranberry sauce so much I could almost just sit and eat it all by itself.  The only time I make it though is Thanksgiving.  Maybe that's what makes it so special.  I like to prepare the sauce two days ahead of the big feast because 1) one less thing to do on Thanksgiving morning and 2) I'm convinced something magical happens with the flavors overnight.

If you're one of those people who buys the cranberry sauce in a can, stop that right now!  Once you've made the sauce with fresh cranberries, you'll never want to go back.  This is how I've made our Thanksgiving cranberry sauce for the last several years.

12oz. fresh cranberries

1c white sugar

3/4c orange juice

1/4c orange-based liqueur (I like Grand Marnier)

Note:  If you prefer to skip the liqueur, increase orange juice to 1c.

1.  In a medium size saucepan, over medium heat, combine the sugar, orange juice, and liqueur    Stir until sugar is dissolved.

2.  Add the cranberries.  Cook and stir until the cranberries begin to pop open.  (Mine took about 10 min.)  

3.  Remove from heat and allow to cool down a bit.

4.  Pour the sauce into a serving bowl and refrigerate at least overnight. (I like to make it 2 days in advance.)  Sauce will thicken as it cools.

As Thanksgiving Week Begins...

It's here!  Thanksgiving Week - the official buildup to the Super Bowl of all foodie holidays is upon us!  Are you excited or panicked?  Honestly, I'm a little bit of both at the moment.  Just yesterday, after wrestling the toddler down for nap, I finally got about 30 minutes of down time during which I was able to sketch out a rough plan for the big feast.

Have you seen all the recent posts about people doing "practice" Thanksgiving dinners?  Is this really a thing now?  Please tell me it's not because if it is, well, it's still not happening at my house.  Seriously, who has time for that?!

And all the planning guides that tell you to begin two weeks in advance?  Also not happening here.  Nope; everything will officially begin today (or tomorrow) with the big grocery shopping trip and we'll go from there.

But here's what I really want to know... Are you trying any new dishes this Thanksgiving?  I'll be keeping some things the same, like the cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie, but everything else from the sweet potatoes to the green beans, even the appetizers will be all new this year.

What can I say?  I'm feeling adventurous.  I'll let you know how it goes.  :)

Apple and Blue Cheese Crostini

I've been kicking around the idea of serving these for Thanksgiving and decided to do a test run last night.  What I love is the simplicity of the flavors and also the way you could put everything together in advance or just spread out the ingredients and let everyone build their own. Saves you a step and, really, people like build-your-own food - it's fun!

I've always loved apple and Blue cheese together but what was new to me was the addition of honey. This is what totally puts this appetizer over the top.  It's just that little kiss of sweetness against the the tanginess of the cheese.  So, what I'm saying is, if you skip the honey, it's still good but not as good as what the rest of us are eating.

If you want to get fancy, your can make your own bread (recipe here) or you can do like I did this time and grab a fresh baguette from the bakery.

1 - sweet red apple (I used a honey crisp), sliced thin

4 oz. medium-soft Blue cheese, room temperature

1 TBSP fresh rosemary

honey

1.  Preheat oven to 350°

2.  Slice baguette into 1" slices and arrange on a baking sheet.  Toast in the oven 1-2 minutes.

3.  Layer each baguette slice with a "schmear" of cheese, a sprinkle of rosemary, and a light drizzle of honey.

Serve with a crisp white wine - perfect!

Black-Eyed Pea and Cabbage Stew

The first day of 2014 and I'm bringing back this recipe from last New Year's.  So good, we're having it again for dinner tonight!

********

It is well known and understood in this house that everyone is required to eat the black-eyed peas and cabbage served on New Year's Day.  In previous years, I have served the peas and cabbage as two separate side dishes and watched as both boys put just the very teensiest amount they thought would be acceptable on their plates.  

So, this year I tried a new approach by putting everything in one big pot and the resulting stew was delicious!

1 TBSP olive oil

3/4c onion, chopped

1/2 large green bell pepper, chopped

1/2 large red bell pepper, chopped

3 stalks celery, sliced

2c chicken broth (I used a vegan no-chicken broth)

3/4c brown rice

2 cans black-eyed peas with liquid

1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles with liquid

2 cloves garlic, minced

1c cooked cabbage

1.  In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.

2.  Add the onion, green pepper, red pepper, and celery; cook and stir until tender.

3.  Add the broth, rice, black-eyed peas, tomatoes, and garlic.

4.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer approximately 1 hour.  Add the cabbage during the last 15 minutes.

Served with cornbread.  Happy New Year!

Black-Eyed Pea and Cabbage Stew

It is well known and understood in this house that everyone is required to eat the black-eyed peas and cabbage served on New Year's Day.  In previous years, I have served the peas and cabbage as two separate side dishes and watched as both boys put just the very teensiest amount they thought would be acceptable on their plates. 

So, this year I tried a new approach by putting everything in one big pot and the resulting stew was delicious!

1 TBSP olive oil

3/4c onion, chopped

1/2 large green bell pepper, chopped

1/2 large red bell pepper, chopped

3 stalks celery, sliced

2c chicken broth (I used a vegan no-chicken broth)

3/4c brown rice

2 cans black-eyed peas with liquid

1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles with liquid

2 cloves garlic, minced

1c cooked cabbage

1.  In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.

2.  Add the onion, green pepper, red pepper, and celery; cook and stir until tender.

3.  Add the broth, rice, black-eyed peas, tomatoes, and garlic.

4.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer approximately 1 hour.  Add the cabbage during the last 15 min.

 

Served with cornbread.  Happy New Year!

Spicy Rosemary Roasted Cashews

Our pre-Thanksgiving feast snacks consisted of a tray of Mediterranean-style marinated olives, an assortment of cheeses, and these yummy cashews. 

 

1lb. whole cashews

2 tsp. dried rosemary

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

2 tsp. brown sugar

2 tsp. sea salt

1 TBSP butter, melted

 

 

1.  Preheat oven to 375*

 

2.  In a small bowl, combine the rosemary, cayenne, brown sugar, and salt.  Set aside.

 

3.  Spread cashews out on a baking sheet and bake about 10 min.

 

4.  Place cashews in a medium-size bowl, pour melted butter over the top, and stir to coat.

 

5.  Sprinkle the seasoning mixture over the cashews and mix together.  Serve immediately.

 

 

You could make them ahead of time (they do keep really well) but I think they're particularly fabulous served warm.

Easiest Fudge Ever

What makes this so easy is that it's all done in the microwave.  This is not gourmet fudge but it's a simple one that's easy enough for kids to make and yummy enough to serve with the other holiday candies and cookies:

2c semi-sweet chocolate chips

14oz. sweetened condensed milk

2 tsp. vanilla

3/4c chopped nuts (I used walnuts)

4oz. candied cherries, chopped

1c mini marshmallows

1. In a medium-size glass bowl, combine chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk. Microwave 1 min. Stir. If the chips aren't fully melted yet, microwave another 30 seconds and stir again.

2. Add vanilla and stir to combine.

3. Add nuts, cherries, and marshmallows. Stir until well blended.

4. Pour in a parchment-lined 8x8 pan and chill in the refrigerator. (You could just spray the pan but I like the paper because it makes it easy to lift everything out for cutting later.)

 

I have no idea how long this takes to set because I just set it in the fridge and left it there overnight.

Honey Mustard Pork Roast

I have a bad habit of writing blog entries and then procrastinating on actually posting them.  This is one I just came across:  

Instead of going with the traditional ham or lamb for Easter dinner, I opted to try a pork roast and was thrilled with the result.  This is a delicious entree that is so moist and ridiculously easy.  It looks and tastes like you spent way more time on it than is actually required.  ;)

1/4c honey

2 TBSP coarse ground Dijon mustard

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. salt

1 TBSP + 1 tsp. ground black pepper

1/2 tsp. dried rosemary

2-3lb. pork roast

2c water or chicken broth

1.  Preheat oven to 350*

2.  Combine first six ingredients in a small bowl.  Coat roast evenly with the mixture.

3.  Place on rack in a roasting pan and add about 2c water or chicken broth to bottom of pan.

4.  Bake, uncovered for approximately 1 hr - 1 1/2 hrs. or until internal temp. reaches 155*

5.  Remove and allow to stand 10 min. (temp. will continue to rise) before slicing and serving.

This would be fantastic any time of year!

Cranberry Orange Cookies

I love to be home during a snowstorm.  It's exactly the kind of weather that makes me want to just stay in and bake.  So yesterday I decided to make cranberry orange cookies.

The texture is chewy and flavor is a delicious balance of cranberry, orange, and walnut.

1 c. real butter, softenened
1 c. white sugar
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. grated orange zest
2 TBSP orange juice
2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. cranberries, chopped
1/2 c. walnuts, chopped

For the glaze:
1/2 tsp.grated orange zest
3 TBSP orange juice
1 1/2 c. confectioners' sugar


1.Preheat the oven to 375*

2.  In a large bowl, cream together the butter, white sugar
and brown sugar until smooth.

3.  Beat in the egg until well blended.

4.  Mix in 1 teaspoon orange zest and 2 tablespoons orange juice.

5.  Combine the flour, baking soda and salt;
stir into the orange mixture.

6.  Mix in cranberries and if using, walnuts, until evenly distributed.

7.  Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie
sheets.  Cookies should be spaced at least 2 inches apart.

8.  Bake for 12 to 14 minutes in the preheated oven, until the edges
are golden.  Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.

9.  In a small bowl, mix together glaze ingredients and drizzle
over the tops of cooled cookies. Let stand until set.

I almost cut the recipe in half but then decided to go through with the

full four dozen.  This may not have been the best decision because

now I'm not so sure I trust myself alone in the kitchen with them.

 Yummy!

 

Gingerbread Pear Cake

We love gingerbread and since I didn't feel up to going through with
 the whole business of cutting and decorating gingerbread people,
I decided to get the holiday baking started with a
*semi-homemade* gingerbread cake.

This couldn't be any easier and the flavor combination of gingerbread,
pears, and pecans is just fabulous!

2 tablespoons real butter, melted
1/4 cup dark corn syrup
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 (16 ounce) cans pear slices, well drained
1/2 cup pecan pieces
1 (14.5 ounce) package gingerbread cake mix

1. Preheat oven to 350*

2. Mix the melted butter, corn syrup, and brown sugar in a 9-inch round cake pan.

3. Arrange pear slices over sugar mixture.

4. Sprinkle pecans around the pears.

5. .Prepare the cake mix according to package directions,
and pour over the pears and pecans in the cake pan.
6. Bake approximately 50 minutes.

7. Cool slightly before turning out onto a serving dish.

Easy, no-fuss holiday dessert!