Prime Cuts

This is a simple yet complex pureed soup that I consider a mature version of the common broccoli cheddar soup.  There are a few subtle key elements that make this soup incredibly good, such as the addition of a few potatoes for body, a touch of heavy cream at the end for smoothness, and the quick hot roasting of the cauliflower which will add a nutty aroma and taste.

It is best if you puree this soup with a standard blender, rather than an immersion type blender.  The end result will be a much smoother texture.  It is best to use a well-aged parmesan and grate it to a fine powder on the smallest size of your box grater.  Doing so will ensure that the cheese melts quickly and evenly into the soup.  I find that even people who do not care for cauliflower still really enjoy this soup; it is very warming and great served during the cold winter months.

Joe’s Roasted Cauliflower and Parmesan Soup

Ingredients

2 Heads Cauliflower, leaves and inner core removed
3 Russet Potatoes, peeled and roughly diced
1 Large White Onion, roughly diced
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
2 L Homemade Chicken Stock, (Low sodium store bought stock will work fine)
1 ½ Cup Parmesan Cheese, grated into a fine powder
½ Cup Heavy Cream
Vegetable Oil
Kosher Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Cut the cauliflower along the natural branch structure, into roughly 2” pieces, coat thoroughly with vegetable oil, and place on a baking sheet in an even layer, season liberally with kosher salt.
2. In a preheated 375 degree oven, roast the seasoned cauliflower for 10-15 minutes, or until you just begin to see some browning on the edges.
3. In a large stock pot, lightly sauté the onion and garlic just until soft, add the potatoes and chicken stock, and bring to a boil.
4. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the roasted cauliflower, continue to cool until the potatoes are tender and the cauliflower is beginning to fall apart.
5. Working in small batches, blend some of the solids and some of the stock until smooth and even textured,  do so until you have blended all the solids, if there is stock leftover that’s ok, if the soup seems thicker than you would like, add some of the reserved stock back to it.
6. With the pureed mixture in a stockpot, bring back to a simmer, add the heavy cream, and cook until simmering again, turn off the heat and add the parmesan cheese, wisk to ensure that the parmesan is evenly distributed and melted.
7. Finally season with salt and pepper to taste, I prefer to use freshly ground black pepper, but if you are looking for a uniform solid color, use white pepper, however be careful as white pepper can be rather strong and overpowering if used too heavily.
8. There are many good ways to garnish this soup, personally for a bit of crunch and texture I like to top with some warmed, crumbled bacon and finely sliced scallion.

Enjoy!

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or subscribing to the feed to receive future articles delivered to your feed reader.

Photo Credit: Gordon

Medisterpølse, or Danish sausage, a staple of my immigrant grandparents. It’s hard to come by and most butchers won’t make it for you because there’s not enough demand for it. Many can order it from German sausage makers, it’s close but never right in my opinion. One of the few places to get it is in Solvang, CA. Solvang was to my grandparents what Chinatown is to many immigrants, an over commercialized version of a time better remembered than actually lived. In Solvang, Danish sausage is easy to come by but so many differ in taste.

Growing up my grandparents would take us to Solvang in an attempt to get in touch with our Danish heritage. We ate well, to say the least, my grandparents would go on and on explaining what Denmark was like and how they missed it. They would always buy at least 10 pounds to go back home with. We would have a traditional meal, or at least traditional to us, that would consist of Danish sausage, red cabbage, boiled red potatoes and brown gravy. All of it simple in it’s preparation and execution but like most great meals, sometimes simple is best. It was this meal that brought so many good times and tales of a land I have yet to visit. The stories were always mesmerizing keeping us at the table for what seemed like all night.

Sadly, my grandparents have long past and we continue to head to Solvang to find the good sausage. After this last Christmas my brother and I set out to make our own and to make it as close as possible to the way my grandparents were familiar with it. We scoured cookbooks, old and new, even a 1942 cookbook written Danish requiring us to translate word for word. We finally found a recipe that we felt comfortable with and began our journey.

If you’ve never stuffed sausage before it’s an experience you’ll never forget but it is well worth the struggle. After grinding the meat three times progressively grinding finer, we chilled, then added spices and chilled again. Then we stuffed, it came out perfect, I still need to master twisting sausage into equal lengths though. We let them rest for a short period, then boiled them setting some aside to eat and froze the rest.

We began the meal humbly and as usual, cutting potatoes, starting the cabbage hours before, constantly checking for the perfect balance of bitterness and sweetness. When time was right we heated and browned the sausages. We deglazed the pan and made our gravy. The meal was perfect, the sausage simple yet great.

It took me back to a time when my grandparents were still with us and would talk for hours. This time gathered around the table we reminisced the good times with our grandparents explaining to our spouses who our grandparents were why we loved them so much. I believe it is this singular meal that constantly reminds me of family and heritage of which I still have much to learn from. I know all of this might sound silly and most obviously exemplary of my passion for food but what is great food if not shared with the people we love?

Below is the recipe we used, enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 5lb. lean pork shoulder, ground 3 times and chilled
• 1 large onion, grated
• 1 Tbsp. salt
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 tsp. allspice
• 1/2 tsp. cloves
• 1 cup stock (chicken broth)

Preparation

Add seasonings to the meat, mix well. Add the stock. Press into casings (about 5ft. of hog casing) and tie at regular intervals to make links (I had trouble with this, you would think it’s super easy). Here’s where we made our change, instead of instantly frying or baking we boiled until cooked. Then we fried the sausage to give it nice markings and to crisp the casing. Finally, eat and enjoy!

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or subscribing to the feed to receive future articles delivered to your feed reader.

Raise your hand if you know what a King Cake is. Anyone? The truth is, outside of New Orleans (at least in the US) most people have never heard of a King Cake. Too bad for them!

I have many, many friends in New Orleans and travel there as often as possible. Over the years, I’ve come to think of it as, sort of, a home away from home. So, naturally, I really get into all of the traditions of Carnival and the fun goings-on of the season. Until about ten years ago, I’d never heard of King Cake, let alone eaten any. Now that I’ve had it, I look forward to January 6th each year, because that’s when I make my own!

But what is it?

Served during the Carnival Season, starting on January 6th (not before) and until Mardi Gras Day (and not one moment after), the King Cake is a huge part of Carnival (what most people think of as “Mardi Gras”, which is actually just one day: Fat Tuesday).

Made of a rich, sweet yeast dough and filled with cream cheese, the cake is shaped into a ring, iced and dusted with in sugars the colors of Carnival: purple (justice), green (faith) and gold (power). Baked into each cake, traditionally, is a bean or a small, plastic baby.

In pre-Christian times, whomever selected the slice of cake that contained the bean would be chosen as a symbolic “king” of his tribe for one year. The unfortunate end to this “honor”, however, was that the “king” was sacrificed to the gods at the end of that year (sucked to be that guy). Now, the “honoree” isn’t on the hook for quite so much. Find the bean (or the baby) and all you have to do is host the next King Cake party (not nearly as perilous).

King Cake parties are held throughout New Orleans each and every day throughout Carnival Season, which always begins on January 6th (also known at Epiphany, Twelfth Night or Three King’s Day) and continues through Mardi Gras, which in 2010, falls on February 16th.

The recipe that I use is one that was created by super-chef and New Orleans resident, Emeril Lagasse. I’ve been making it each year for about 8 years and have only ever received rave reviews on it. It’s easy to prepare and absolutely delicious. I’m sure you’ll love it, too.

One thing that’s important to note (well, two, actually): there are two hard and fast rules in New Orleans. Beads can only be worn during Carnival Season and you never, never serve King Cake prior to January 6th or after Mardi Gras Day. It’s the law.

Emeril’s King Cake

Ingredients

•    2 envelopes active dry yeast
•    1/2 cup granulated sugar
•    1-1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, melted
•    1 cup warm milk (about 110°F)
•    5 large egg yolks, at room temperature
•    4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
•    2 teaspoons salt
•    1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
•    1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
•    1 teaspoon vegetable oil
•    1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
•    4 cups confectioner’s sugar
•    1 plastic king cake baby or a pecan half
•    5 tablespoons milk, at room temperature
•    3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
•    Purple, green, and gold-tinted sugar sprinkles

Preparation

Combine the yeast and granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the melted butter and warm milk. Beat at low speed for 1 minute. With the mixer running, add the egg yolks, then beat for 1 minute at medium-low speed. Add the flour, salt, nutmeg, and lemon zest and beat until everything is incorporated. Increase the speed to high and beat until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl, forms a ball, and starts to climb up the dough hook. (If the dough is uncooperative in coming together, add a bit of warm water (110 degrees), a tablespoon at a time, until it does.

Remove the dough from the bowl. Using your hands, form the dough into a smooth ball. Lightly oil a bowl with the vegetable oil. Place the dough in the bowl and turn it to oil all sides. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 2 hours.

Meanwhile, make the filling. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese and 1 cup of the confectioner’s sugar. Blend by hand or with an electric mixer on low speed. Set aside.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Using your fingers, pat it out into a rectangle about 30 inches long and 6 inches wide.

Spread the filling lengthwise over the bottom half of the dough, then flip the top half of the dough over the filling. Seal the edges, pinching the dough together. Shape the dough into a cylinder and place it on the prepared baking sheet seam side down. Shape the dough into a ring and pinch the ends together so there isn’t a seam. Insert the king cake baby or pecan half into the ring from the bottom so that it is completely hidden by the dough.

Cover the ring with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and place in a warm, draft-free place. Let the dough rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F.

Brush the top of the risen cake with 2 tablespoons of the milk. Bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.

Make the icing. Combine the remaining 3 tablespoons milk, the lemon juice, and the remaining 3 cups confectioner’s sugar in medium-size mixing bowl. Stir to blend well. With a rubber spatula, spread the icing evenly over the top of the cake. Sprinkle with the sugar crystals, alternating colors around the cake.

The cake is traditionally cut into 2-inch-thick slices with all the guests in attendance.

YIELD: 20 to 22 servings

Laissez les bon temps roulez!

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or subscribing to the feed to receive future articles delivered to your feed reader.

Photo Credit: yarnivore

Read enough of the things that I write around Prime Cuts, and you’ll notice something. I have a preternatural obsession with comfort foods. I love their warmth. Their smells. The memories which they evoke. I love a chi-chi fa-fa dinner as much as the next guy, but I’ll take comfy cooking over that stuff any day.

One of the things that conjures up the best feelings for me is my mom’s cheese fondue.

When we were living abroad (when I was but a baby), we spent a short time in Lucerne, Switzerland. While there, my parents frequented a small restaurant that overlooked the lake and which served delicious wines, raclette and incredible cheese fondue. They spent so much time there, in fact, that they befriended the owner, who was kind enough to share his recipe. My mom’s been making it every winter since.

I remember how excited I’d get upon discovering that it was “fondue night”. There’d be a forest of tall, French baguettes and a host of otherworldly cheeses, whose names seemed exotic and adventurous. The house would come alive with laughter and the smells of simmering garlic, warm bread and cheesy goodness. There was something wonderful about everyone gathering around the pot of hot, bubbling cheese and twirling pieces of bread around in it. It was the ultimate conversation starter (early-adoption of social media).

When I was about 19 and was home from college, I wanted to make the fondue for my friends. And thus, the torch was passed. Now, I make it for my family and friends (and, of course, my mom and dad, when they visit) and still revel in the rich, warm goodness of it all.

Today, I’m going to share the recipe with you. It’s not something that you can make often, but on a cold day (which are certainly not in short supply right now), it’s a meal that can’t be beaten. I hope you and your family enjoy it as much as mine does.

Case Family Cheese Fondue

Ingredients

2 cups dry white wine (Chablis is a good choice)
2 large cloves of garlic, smashed
2 pounds Emmenthal Swiss cheese, grated
1 pound Gruyere cheese, grated
1/2 pound Appenzeller cheese (if you can find it), grated
1/2 cup Kirschwasser
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 French baguettes, cut into cubes

Preparation

In your fondue pot, over a medium-high flame, combine the wine and the cloves of garlic. Once the wine has come to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for about three minutes. Remove the garlic. Add the cheeses, one handful at a time and stir until it’s melted. In a measuring cup, add the cornstarch to the Kirschwasser and stir to combine. Once all of the cheese is in the pot (and it’ll be very liquidey) and melted, add the Kirschwasser mixture and stir until the cheese has thickened.

Transfer the pot to your fondue flame. Skewer cubes of French bread on fondue forks and dip into the cheese.

Eat & enjoy!

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or subscribing to the feed to receive future articles delivered to your feed reader.

Now that you’ve indulged throughout the holiday season, it’s time to start off new habits early with healthy eating throughout the New Year (or at least, make a valiant effort).

Two of the easiest ways that I’ve found to ensure that I stay on track eating healthy is (one) to share my meals with good friends sitting around a table and enjoying wonderful company and (two) by starting the day with a healthy first meal. So, allow me to introduce you to my most favorite meal of the entire week: Sunday Brunch.

Sunday brunches are a great opportunity for you to impress friends over egg-cellent healthy and easy dishes. Take for example, the veggie omelet topped with marinara (yes, I throw in marinara sauce where ever I can).

Veggie Omlet with Marinara

Ingredients

* 1 package frozen mixed veggies (I typically go for the carrots/corn/green beans/peas  or three peppers and onions mixture)
* 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
* 1/8 teaspoon salt, or as needed
* 1/8 teaspoon pepper, or as needed
* 24 oz (one and a half of the large containers) of egg substitute
* Cooking spray or olive oil spray
* 1 cup of Randazza Marinara Sauce
* 3/4 tablespoon of Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Now, this is going to sound a little tricky because it involves a broiler (which used to terrify me), but it’s super easy and your friends will LOVE it.

Preheat broiler.

Place all your veggies and seasoning into a small pot and cook over medium heat until vegetables are hot and water from them evaporates. Probably around 5 minutes. Cover, and remove from heat.

Coat a large nonstick and oven-safe skillet with cooking spray or olive oil. Pour in 1/2 of the egg substitute and cook over medium heat until eggs are partially set (probably 2-3 minutes). Spoon in 1/2 of the veggies and heat until cooked through (probably about 2 minutes).

Using a spatula (which is work the splurge purchase for a nice one) gently fold your omelet in half.   Spread a heaping 1/3 cup of sauce over folded omelet and sprinkle with 1 1/2 tablespoons of shredded cheese. Place 4 inches from broiler heat and broil until cheese melts and turns golden (about a minute). Cover to keep warm and set aside. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

Cut each omelet in half and serve next to a nice spinach salad tossed in a light vinaigrette and homemade Bloody Mary. Your friends will totally think you’re auditioning for the next television chef! Enjoy!

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or subscribing to the feed to receive future articles delivered to your feed reader.

Photo Credit: Kasia

Too often people become enamored with fancy machines that promise to make great coffee but are usually left empty with an only slightly better tasting coffee. Many times people abandon greater coffee for fancy features on machines that don’t provide better tasting coffee.

The french press is a simple way to make great coffee without the fuss and the expensive hardware. At first the process may seem rather intimidating but after a few tries you’ll be making perfect french pressed coffee without the anxious anticipation.

Drinking french pressed coffee is becoming quite fashionable at local eateries and coffee shops, many attribute this new trend as a way for proprietors to charge more for a simple cup of coffee. But it’s not all about fashion or an evil plan to raise prices on patrons, it’s about great tasting coffee and an effective way to ensure the patron has fresh coffee every visit.

French pressed coffee will have a more robust body, full flavor and aroma; something that is not so apparent from an auto drip machine. Many even prefer pressed coffee over espresso, mostly because it makes more coffee and doesn’t need to be soften with water to weaken the punch like with espresso. So how do you make the perfect cup of french pressed coffee?

It’s easy, here’s how.

Directions:

1. Use 2-4 tablespoons of coffee for every 8 oz. of filtered water (Actually measure it, don’t eyeball or assume; filtered water is key to great coffee).
2. Put double the amount of water you need in your kettle (You’ll use this extra water for warming your press and cups).
3. While your water is heating, grind your coffee coarsely, make sure it is an even grind.
4. Bring your water to 198 degrees Fahrenheit, ensuring it doesn’t fully boil the difference can be mere seconds.
5. Now pour water into your empty press to warm it up, after a few seconds transfer that water into your cups to warm them.
6. Add your ground coffee and evenly pour your water over the grounds.
7. Gently stir the coffee with a small wooden spoon, and place the stem on with the filter about a 1/2 inch from the top of the grounds.
8. Wait for three minutes to allow the coffee to steep, time it, don’t guesstimate.
9. After three minutes remove the stem, stir gently and replace the stem.
10. Push the stem down forcing the grounds to the bottom of the pot, if there’s no resistance then your grind is too coarse, too much resistance then your grind is too fine (This should take about fifteen to twenty seconds to push the stem to the bottom).
11. When the plunger is down as far as it will go, service the entire coffee immediately (It’s important not to let your coffee sit in the press, drink now).

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or subscribing to the feed to receive future articles delivered to your feed reader.

Photo by: pokpok313

Winter. There are some out there who love its cold frostiness. Some who revel in the frozen brilliance of snow, ice and unflinching blue skies. Others, myself included, find Winter something to escape. They employ any means possible to avoid the clutches of Jack Frost’s frigid grasp, coming as close to hibernation as possible while waiting for the first signs of Spring to show their cheery faces.

No matter your feelings about Winter, though, it’s likely you’ll need to warm up at some point before it’s through.

For me, the best way to do that, my favorite way to thwart Old Man Winter’s attempts to turn me into a human snow cone, is to make a bubbling kettle of soup.

Soup. The greatest defense against Winter’s arsenal.

Whether it’s something creamy — smooth, sweet butternut squash laced with traces of cinnamon — or something more traditional like old-fashioned Chicken Noodle, there’s nothing like soup to warm you, to make you feel comforted, to give you the power to look Winter dead in the face and say, “Bring. It. On.”

My personal favorite is a hearty beef soup, brimming with vegetables and bolstered by the nutritional power of lentils. For me, there’s nothing that makes me feel better. It’s the food that comforts me. The one that is like snuggling under a warm blanket or slipping on a comfy pair of PJs. It’s the thing that warms me from the inside out.

Wonderfully Warm Winter Beef Soup with Lentils

Ingredients

A couple “glugs” of olive oil (regular is fine, save the Extra Virgin for something else)
2 pounds of your favorite boneless beef roast (a good pot roast is a solid choice), cut into bite-sized cubes
Kosher salt & freshly-ground black pepper (to taste)
1 large yellow onion, chopped (Maui or some other sweet onion is great here)
1 head celery hearts, diced
2 or 3 large carrots, peeled and diced
5 cloves of garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning (this mix usually contains oregano, thyme & basil, among other things)
3 1/2 (32 oz.) cartons of low-sodium beef broth
2 (14 oz.) cans diced tomatoes WITH the juice
2 cups (usually one bag) of lentils, rinsed
**Melissa’s super-secret “magic” ingredient

Preparation

In a large stockpot over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Season the cubes of beef with salt and pepper (I’ve found it best to be liberal with the pepper, but sparing with salt, but that’s just my personal preference). Add the beef to the pot and cook until nicely browned. Remove the meat and place in a bowl, leaving the juices behind in the pot. Add the onions, celery and carrots and cook until softened, about 8-10 minutes. Put the beef (and any juices in the bowl) back into the pot. Add the broth and canned tomatoes. Bring the soup just to a boil, then reduce the head and let it bubble away at a low simmer for about an hour. Add the lentils, and continue to cook for another hour or so.

**Up in the list of ingredients, I mentioned my “super-secret” ingredient. And it’s this: if you use wedges of Parmesan or Romano cheeses, what do you do once you’ve grated it all and gotten down to the rind? Throw it out? Well, stop that! Save those pieces of goodness in a Ziploc bag in your freezer. When you make this soup, toss one of the rinds into the pot as it bubbles away. The result will be an indefinable nutty goodness that your dinner guests won’t quite be able to put their fingers on. It’ll give the soup that certain “je ne çest quoi”.

When you’re ready to eat, ladle the hot soup into bowls and serve with thick slices of warm, crusty bread.

You’ll be sated. You’ll be happy. You’ll be warmed from the inside out.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or subscribing to the feed to receive future articles delivered to your feed reader.

Photo by: stevendepolo

It’s been over a year since I’ve had the pleasure my mom’s cooking, and after a year of waiting, you can imagine that I had a long list of “must-haves” for my week-long Alabama visit.

From her spinach and bow-tie pasta bake to her hash brown casserole, everything my mother makes is packed full of love and tastes like absolute perfection.

Being the only vegetarian in the family, there are a few dishes she’s made over the years specifically for me. And one of those dishes that I beg for, is her Eggplant Parmesan (which she greeted me with as soon as I walked in the door).

Warning: This dish is NOT healthy and takes awhile to pull together, but is one of the most delicious meals you may ever have the pleasure to partake in. With that said, please, enjoy!

Eggplant Parmigiana Recipes

Ingredients

2 medium eggplants, cut into 1/2-inch-thick round slices
Tablespoon of salt, plus as needed
5 or so cups fresh breadcrumbs
Tablespoon dried thyme
Tablespoon dried oregano
Freshly ground black pepper
Enough all-purpose flour for dredging
6 eggs, beaten (if I make it for myself I’d throw in egg beaters, but that’s because eggs freak me out)
A LOT (I’m guessing 8 cups) of Randazza Family Marinara
2 tablespoons milk
2/3 cup grated Parmesan
AT LEAST 1lb mozzarella (cheese is always a good thing to splurge on and get the fresh kind, totally enhances the flavor/quality of your meal, so get fresh if you can!); sliced thin

Preparation

Put the eggplant slices onto several baking sheets or plates and sprinkle a fair amount of salt on both sides to let the bitter juice seep out. It will probably take 45 minutes to an hour.

Toss the eggplant into a strainer and rinse well with cool water, then pat the eggplant until dry with paper towels.

Preheat the oven to 350.

In a large bowl, mix together the 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, breadcrumbs, oregano, thyme, and season with pepper.

Put flour in a medium bowl, place breadcrumbs in another medium bowl, and in a third bowl whisk the egg and milk together. Dip each eggplant slice in the flour, then dip it in the egg, and finally in the breadcrumb mixture.

Transfer the eggplant to a coated (with olive oil) baking sheet into a single layer. Bake in preheated oven for 5 minutes on each side, or until brown. Set aside.

Up the oven temperature to 400 degrees.

Coat a 15 x 10 glass baking dish with olive oil. Cover the bottom of the baking dish with 1/3 of the sauce and arrange 1/2 of the eggplant over the sauce. Cover the eggplant with another 1/3 of the sauce. Scatter 1/2 of the Parmesan and mozzarella over the sauced eggplant. Repeat with the remaining eggplant, sauce, Parmesan, and mozzarella. Bake until hot and just beginning to brown, about 30 minutes.

Serve with garlic bread, or sauteed spinach (if you feel a need for something healthier), and enjoy the BEST meal EVER.

Enjoy!

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or subscribing to the feed to receive future articles delivered to your feed reader.

Photo by: mhaithaca

“Do you know any great appetizer recipes?” I get asked this question all the time, especially around The Holidays. People have guests popping in left and right, and the thought of serving up one more veggie tray, one more jalapeno popper, or one more nut-covered cheese ball is enough to make anyone’s head explode.

Psst! I’ll let you in on a little secret. Lean in a little closer (it’s OK … I won’t bite). You don’t have to dish out that cookie cutter, boring, tired out old stuff. There are worlds of goodness out there to be explored without having to resort to … that.

The Holiday Season is the perfect time to indulge a little. The frostiness in the air lends itself to all things warm, bubbly and gooey. So, why not surprise your guests with something a few steps away from the everyday? Serve them something that’ll have them licking their fingers and begging for more. Give them something that’ll make them salivate with anticipation for your next “do”!

First up: Manchego-Quince Skewers

This is so simple, I find it hard to even call it a “recipe”. That said, this is fast, easy, has remarkable flavors and people will gobble these up so fast that your head will spin. Here’s what you need:

Ingredients

1 pound Manchego cheese
1 pound Quince Paste (you can get this at most upscale/specialty markets**)
1 bunch of Watercress
Toothpicks.

**If you can’t find Quince Paste, a piece of dried apricot will do in a pinch.

Preparation

Cut the Manchego cheese and the Quince Paste into 1” cubes. Skewer one cube of each on a toothpick with one watercress leaf. Serve. That’s IT. The creaminess of the Manchego works beautifully with the tangy sweetness of the Quince Paste and the subtle peppery quality of the watercress. Easy-peasy.

Second: Baked Brie with Caramelized Apples

This one takes a little more time, but you’ll reap loads of accolades and smiles, so it’s worth every second.

Ingredients

1 small wheel of Brie
1 tube refrigerated crescent roll dough (the “leading” brand now makes this in big sheets, so you don’t have to contend with seams and the like)
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup brown sugar (either light or dark is fine)
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and diced
1/4 cup chopped nuts (I like almonds or pecans, but walnuts would work, too)
A handful of dried cranberries
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
English Water crackers, for serving

Preparation

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Unroll crescent roll dough onto a cookie sheet. Place the brie right in the center. In a skillet, over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the brown sugar and cook til it dissolves and gets all melty and caramelly. Add the diced apples, nuts, cranberries and cinnamon. Cook until the apples are just soft and the cranberries just begin to plump up. Spoon this mixture on top of the brie, then wrap the whole package in the crescent roll dough, making sure to seal the seams well.

Bake for about 13-15 minutes, or until it’s golden brown. Remove from oven, transfer to a platter with the English Water crackers and serve. It’s melty, it’s savory, it’s sweet, it’s GOOD.

Don’t settle for the ordinary when you can have something EXTRA-ordinary.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or subscribing to the feed to receive future articles delivered to your feed reader.

Photo by: sean dreilinger

Brewing coffee is as much of an art as it is a science. One of the widely used methods is the auto drip machine. Since Mr. Coffee came on the scene we’ve been addicted to convenience and good coffee. But there is more to an auto drip machine than you might think. There are many things to consider when buying an auto drip machine.

One of the most important aspects to a great auto drip machine is the temperature that the machine brews your coffee at, it should brew somewhere around 195-205°F. This is very crucial, many machines will brew your coffee at a lower temperature and then heat the coffee on the warmer.  When this happens you’ll experience less flavor and usually an abnormal bitter tone to it. One of the reasons many machines will brew at a lower temperature is due to the amount of wattage that the machine has. Remember, larger wattage, hotter coffee.

Another aspect of your auto drip machine that needs to be considered is the shower head, no, I’m not talking about your bathroom. The shower head is the part of the machine that drips the water onto the grounds. Some machines just have a singular point of entry for the water to hit your grounds. This method doesn’t fully soak your grounds effectively which usually leads to weak, under-brewed coffee. But if you have a coffee maker that is like a shower head that can soak the grounds evenly you’ll experience great, fully brewed coffee.

When brewing coffee through an auto drip machine you have to consider the container or carafe that the coffee will reside in once fully brewed. There are two main kinds of carafes: glass and thermal. Obviously, glass is the most common and easily most misunderstood, this is why you should go to a store to at least check out a coffee maker before buying. There are many companies that will give you a fancy, full featured machine but then go cheap on some really thin glass. If you’re an avid coffee drinker consider getting a machine with good, thick glass because you’ll be using it for purpose not looks. This part, in my opinion, is similar to buying drinking glasses. You want something good looking, light but not cheap, you know what cheap glass feels like. If you don’t, go to Walmart and pick up a set of drinking glasses that are a starter/college set and then go to Macy’s or Crate & Barrel and pick up some nice drinking glasses for people who want to have them for a period longer than a Bachelors degree.

Thermal is the other type of carafe. I recommend a vacuumed thermal carafe. There are many varieties of thermal so do your homework. Since your coffee should be enjoyed immediately after brewing I hardly see a point in having a thermal carafe, at least that’s the way I see it because your warmer should keep your coffee hot while you enjoy your first cup.

Filtration is important when brewing coffee regardless of brewing method. Most coffeehouses will triple filter their water. The best I recommend is to use a Brita filter carafe and then ensure that your coffee maker has a water filter on it, as most do now. This will provide you with at least double filtered water. Great water is just as important as good, fresh coffee. Many will argue this aspect but I will tell you from many years of searching for great coffee that water is absolutely key and is worth the extra steps. You can get away with having a cheap machine and make better coffee by using filtered water. Similarly, you can have a very expensive machine and if you’re pouring in tap water I can guarantee you that your coffee will taste off or just plain bad. Many people who don’t like coffee never realize that what they really didn’t like was the taste of tap water that barely tastes like coffee. Cardinal rule with coffee: use filtered water, no exceptions!

Coffee filters are a thing of debate for most coffee drinkers, I’m not even going to attempt to explain or begin a debate here but let me lay it out for you. There are paper and metal; one is disposable and the other is reusable. Paper; you have new and recycled, bleached and natural. Metal; you have cheap metal mesh (claiming it’s gold) and then you have a real gold mesh filter (this will run you around $50). I buy bleached paper. Brands matter, why, because many will debate tasting the filter in the coffee, the right brand can eliminate that taste.

There are many choices when considering buying an auto drip machine but in the end if you really want to have a good cup of coffee and you drink coffee semi-regularly you should be spending at least $50. If you’re the person who drinks daily and multiple times throughout the day then you should consider getting a maker that is $100. If you’re the person who goes through a coffee maker every year like my parents then you should consider buying a really nice coffee machine that can withstand the abuse of coffee addicts. Those machines are somewhere around $199. As the price increases you’ll find many companies will try to amuse you by having crazy features telling you that it will make your coffee better, those companies are just ripping you off. Remember, coffee has three parts; the coffee itself, the water, the brewing method. There is no need for crazy features, some of the better machines that are expensive are very simple and at first makes you wonder why it is so expensive. That is because the quality is much higher, remember, more metal, less plastic is always a good thing.

Let me break it down quickly for you as I know you’re wondering what should you buy, so here’s my recommendations:

• Saving money: buy what fits your budget and use filtered water and good coffee and good filters.
• Willing to spend a little bit more: buy something like a DeLonghi around $80, it’s good, not great, watch out for how the carafe sets on the warmer, if it’s not just right it will spill all over your counter.
• Want great coffee and willing to put some money down: get a KitchenAid ProLine Series, this retails for $199 but you can find them on eBay for around $140.

What do I use? KitchenAid ProLine Series. Yes, it was expensive but it the best machine I’ve ever used, I brew coffee from 1-4 times a day.

Not to further mess with your possible confusion, remember, convenience is the key with an auto drip machine. A good $20 french press can make equal or sometimes better coffee than an auto drip machine if the right techniques are used but it makes less coffee and requires more attention than an auto drip machine.

Tell me what you use and why you decided to buy what you did.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or subscribing to the feed to receive future articles delivered to your feed reader.

Photo by: Neubie