clementine margarita marmalade

the other day

i was at a very large crafts store

and it was packed

lines around the store to check out

stuff was strewn everywhere

no one seemed happy

it wasn't black friday

or

trickle down tuesday

it was 5 in the afternoon

on a regular day

 i thought to myself

this is why i don't shop

at christmas-time

long lines

no parking

people on edge

thankfully

i have friends and family

who appreciate

gifts from my kitchen

each year 

i put together hampers 

full of  homemade goodies

this margarita marmalade was inspired by

a basket of clementines 

and bottle of tequila

nestled side by side

among the clutter 

of thankgiving past

it would be lovely on a warm crumpet

or freshly baked scone

clementine margarita marmalade
(printable recipe)

4 limes

12 clementines

2/3 cup tequila

5-6 cups sugar

1 tsp kosher salt

1/4 cup contreau

1 pouch sure-jell pectin

thinly clementines with skin on and place in bowl. supreme the limes over the same bowl and discard the pith and skin.  add sugar and tequila. let sit 8 hours or overnight.  pour into heavy saucepan and add the salt and contreau.  bring to a boil and let boil for 10 minutes.  add the pectin and boil for 1 full minute.  place in sterilized jars and put through canning process for 10 minutes. if you have never canned before--please do your research on how to can jams and jellies * the amount of sugar should be adjusted according to how sweet your fruit is. the marmalade is meant to be slightly bitter..but you need the sugar to assist in setting it up.  

you may notice in my photo that i thinly sliced the limes and threw them in rather than supreming them.  it wasn't a great idea. while it looks pretty, the limes really don't soften up like the clementines and they are more like candy than confit (not a good thing).  

turkey and dumplings

i love leftovers

especially when they make their way into soup

as it happens

there is always a lot of dark meat left behind than white

and the wings and drumsticks go uneaten

i use the wings in making stock

and all the leftover meat in soup

this is a riff on chicken and dumplings

however it remains a hearty but brothy soup

i enjoy it

sitting in front of the fire

on a snowy day

with a good cookbook in hand

and 

this american life on the radio

turkey and dumplings
(printable recipe)

for the soup

1/2 cup chopped pancetta (optional)

olive oil 

1 large leek--chopped

1 large carrot--peeled and chopped

2 ribs celery--chopped

1 jalapeno--ribs and seeds removed and chopped

1 shallot--finely chopped

2 garlic cloves--finely chopped

2 medium white potatoes--chopped

1 cup mushrooms--chopped

1 tsp kosher salt (optional)

1/2 tsp black pepper 

10-12 cups broth

leftover  (cooked) turkey cut into pieces

fry the pancetta in a stock pot with a bit of olive oil over medium heat.  when the fat is rendered, toss in the leek, shallot and garlic. do not let the garlic brown.  when the leek and shallot are soft toss in the remaining vegetables and stir.  allow to cook for about 5 minutes.  add salt and pepper and the broth.  cover and let simmer until the vegetables are soft--about 45-60 minutes.  add the turkey and cook until just warmed through.  meanwhile, prepare the dumplings

for the dumplings

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 Tbs chopped fresh chives

4 Tbs cold unsalted butter in small pieces

1/2-3/4 cup milk

stir together the flour, salt, pepper, chives and baking powder in a bowl.  cut in butter.  stir in enough milk to make a just-sticky dough.  drop by large spoonfuls into simmering soup, turning once to ensure they cook on both sides. i cook the dumplings and then remove them and place them in a casserole and place in the oven to keep warm, but you can serve directly from the soup as well. 

i am linking to

 tuesday night supper club
(where i am hosting a great give-a-way!)

and

hearth and soul blog hop

gingerbread marshmallows

i love gingerbread

gingerbread houses

gingerbread cakes

gingerbread lattes

and now

i LOVE

gingerbread marshmallows

come holiday time

i like to create a special treat

to tuck into the christmas hampers

i prepare for friends and family

this year it is these

gingerbread marshmallows
(printable recipe)

3/4 oz gelatin

1/2 cup cold water

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 cup water

2 Tbs molasses

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground clove

2 egg whites

Put sugars in a saucepan. Add 1/4 cup water to make a mixture that looks and feels like wet sand.  What is most important is that all sugar has the same amount of moisture. Add molasses, salt, ginger, cinnamon and clove, and place over low heat.  Cook until it becomes a sugar syrup of 235-240 degrees. It should have the consistency of corn syrup.  Meanwhile...place 2 room temperature egg whites into the bowl of your mixer. Add the salt .  Also, prepare gelatin.  Place 1/2 cup water in a bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the water.  Let bloom.

Once the sugar syrup is ready, turn off heat and let sit for a couple of minutes...not too long.  Start your mixer on low and get the whites to foamy.  Mix the gelatin into the sugar syrup and stir until melted completely.  Bring the saucepan over to the mixer and turn it to high. Slowly pour the sugar syrup into the bowl, careful not to hit the whisk attachment.  Leave on high and mix until the mixture is warm, but full volume and comes to a peak.  While it is still warm, pour into tin or pan.  Sift powdered sugar on top. Cut into squares and store in airtight container.
these are yummy tossed into a cup of hot cocoa
and a real grown up treat when toasted and sandwiched into a s'more.

sweets table

our thanksgiving dessert "buffet"

recipes coming soon

until then

i hope everyone had a wonderful day

loaded with gratitude and joy

that will fill your heart

longer than the leftovers

fill your fridge

stuffed figs

i am reposting this (originally from january 2010) as part of hostess 911blog hop--which  has a great array of last minute appetizers for the holidays. if you have a favorite, quick, last minute appetizer recipe--please do link up too.  thanks to jenn at rook 17 for coming up with this great idea!

this treat is actually going on my thanksgiving dessert table--it is the "healthy alternative" (wink, wink)

it is no secret that i absolutely love ina garten

i have blogged about my obsession before

and told anyone who will listen

how i wish to be her friend

and have contemplated taking up bridge just to increase my chances

for a dinner invitation

while i have never actually owned one of her cookbooks

nor

made any of her recipes

i am in awe of her style

particularly her entertaining style

i could never only serve a hearty salad and crusty bread for dinner

with a dessert of chocolate bark

i'm not the sort

but i envy it in her

and every time i have guests for dinner

i try and imitate her unapologetic rule

of

only making 2 items for dinner and then buying the extras

but i never get there

i'm just not the sort

last evening we had guests for dinner

2 couples we have come to know over the years and have become good friends with

and i made a dinner of homemade pasta, chicken saltimboca, 4 veg and dessert

I thought maybe I shouldn't serve appetizers

Ina wouldn't

she would serve nuts or something

so that is where i stood

until about five o'clock

when i began to panic

i couldn't give it up

i had to have some sort of nibble for my guests

and i wanted it to be really simple

to go with my very french aperitif

kir royale

i turned to what i had on hand

and made this a simple yet absolutely delicious

start to our evening

Walnut Stuffed Figs

dried figs

toasted walnuts

mascarpone cheese

finely diced bits of well-cooked bacon

stem and split the figs, stuff with toasted walnuts, top with a small dot of mascarpone, and then sprinkle the bits of bacon on top.  These are also lovely with a bit of blue cheese in place of the mascarpone.

i am reposting this to participate in

venison stoup

i call this stoup because 

it is a soup-slash-stew

or stew-slash-soup

it cooks for about 3 hours

but is brothy

and a great way to use some of the less tender pieces of venison

but would also be great with beef

if that is your thing

this is really delicious

even if you think it is sad that anyone would eat bambi

no one eats bambi

bambi was a cartoon, silly

this is bambi's mother

venison stoup
(printable recipe)

4 strips of bacon-diced

2 lbs venison-cut into chunks

1 medium onion--diced

3 cloves garlic--chopped

2 ribs celery--chopped

2 turnips--chopped

2 large carrots--cut into rounds

4-6 small red or white potatoes--quartered

1 head cabbage--cut into pieces

14oz can stewed tomatoes--sqeezed to crush

1 1/2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 cup venison or beef broth

4-5 cups water

cook the bacon in a stock pot and render all the fat.  meanwhile, dry the venison with paper towel.  once the fat is rendered and the bacon starts to get crunchy, add the venison and cook until browned on all sides. toss in the onion, celery and garlic and cook until they begin to soften.  toss in the rest of the vegetables, including the tomatoes.  add the chili powder, salt and pepper.  give it a stir or two and then add the liquid.  you want enough liquid to cover the meat and vegetables.  give it another stir and then cover and cook over low heat about 3 hours.  check often to make sure it is not boiling (you want a simmer), and that you have enough liquid.

serve with crusty sourdough bread

i am linking to tuesday night supper club

and

hearth and soul blog hop

and
tasty tidbits

sweets

i have decided that dropping pies on the

 abandoned and soiled (dinner) table-tops

isn't going to cut it this year

so

i am having a 

sweets table

which means

i can't just serve pie

and there has to be a variety of tastes

creamy, crunchy, chewy, citrus, chocolate

warm, cold

and visual intrigue

apparently

feeding 20 people 

isn't stressful enough

as it stands now

my sweets menus is this

pecan pie

pumpkin pie

banoffee pie

pavlova with lemon curd and cream

chocolate torte

sticky toffee pudding

shortbread cookies with almond glaze

clementines

assorted nuts in shells

figs stuffed with walnuts

homemade chocolates

holy smokes

as i see it written here, i realize

i've gone overboard

yet again

i have a brother

that is the picture of health

and nary a sugar or fat

shall pass his lips

except for these

my peanut butter cups

which i have 

formed into turkeys

in a post modernist

close one eye and look at it

 in a darkened room 

kinda way

peanut butter turkeys
(printable recipe)

molded chocolate oval cups

bittersweet chocolate ganache

1 cup chunky peanut butter

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/2 cup +/- powdered sugar

piped chocolate "tail feathers"

fill the cups about 1/3 of the way with cooled but still runny ganache. place in refrigerator to cool completely.  mix together the peanut butter, graham cracker crumbs and powdered sugar. add more powdered sugar to taste and to get the right consistency...like a firm cookie dough.  remove the cups from the refrigerator and place an mound of peanut butter on top of the ganache--forming a rounded top. cover with a layer of ganache and pop in the tail feathers.  let cool at room temperature or in the fridge if you are pinched for time.

sticky toffee pudding

my two best finds in england?

becky 

and

sticky toffee pudding

becky is a brit and a cherished friend

she is also whip smart and has a laugh that fills a room

i was reminded of that last week

hubster and i met up with becky

 for lunch whilst in london

such a treat!

i was also reminded of 

the first time i'd eaten sticky toffee pudding

it was becky's birthday

and i had strong-armed my way into a reservation

at the, then, most popular spot in town

the ivy

i might have insinuated that i was a food writer

i can't remember

it was 10 years ago

and not entirely a lie

my diary is loaded with food descriptions...as far back as the 6th grade

i have since eaten sticky toffee pudding hundreds of times 

but none have been as good

the ivy didn't invent it

but they sure did perfect it

almost

i have made a few additions to their recipe along the way

that give it a bit of a kick

 more modern flavor, if you will

but it is them

and becky

that i have to thank

for i was 1 small fib away

from never knowing the beauty of sticky toffee pudding

for my final, in culinary school

i made sticky toffee pudding into a composed dessert

with bourbon hard sauce

and

cocoa nib tuile

all wrapped in a 

caramelized sugar cage

which was beautiful and earned me high marks

but way too fussy 

for every day enjoyment

if you want those recipes--just ask

for now

i think the 3 steps for this

is enough to pass time

this is not a complicated dessert

just a bit time consuming

sticky toffee pudding
(printable recipe)

i am giving you the original recipe with my additions in blue

for the date puree

375g stoned dates

375ml water

1/2 inch knob of peeled ginger kept whole

simmer the dates and ginger in the water over low heat about 15 minutes until they are very soft and the water has almost evaporated. remove the knob of ginger and discard. process the remaining water and dates until very smooth

for the toffee sauce

640 ml heavy cream

340 g caster (granulated) sugar

130 g liquid glucose (optional)

130 g unsalted butter

generous pinch of kosher salt

1 tsp vanilla

pour half the cream, sugar, glucose (if using), butter and salt into a thick-bottomed pan and mix well.  bring the sauce to a boil, stirring with wooden spoon, and continue to boil until it is golden brown.  remove from heat and allow it to cool slightly. whisk in the remaining cream and vanilla. set aside

for the sponge

130 g unsalted butter--room temperature

375 g dark brown sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

450 g strong plain flour (bread flour)

10 g baking powder

3 g baking soda

3 g kosher salt

1/8 tsp ground clove

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground cardamom

grease and line a baking tin measuring approximately 30x24x6cm, with parchment paper. sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, clove,ginger and cardamom.  in a mixer cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  add eggs one at a time, do not allow the mixture to separate. if it does, add a bit of flour to bind it back together. add vanilla. scrape the sides of the bowl and beat until the mixture is smooth.  fold in flour mixture until smooth.  add the warm date puree and mix well.  spread in prepared tin and bake for about 45-50 minutes at 350. use a cake tester to ensure you do not overbake.

to assemble

once cooled, remove the cake from the tin and trim the edges.  slice horizontally into 3 and reassemble in the baking tin, spreading two thirds of the sauce between layers. just before you are ready to serve, place the cake back in a 350 oven for about 15 minutes, then cut into equal servings.  top with remaining toffee sauce. you can serve with softly whipped cream, creme fraiche, soured cream or ice cream.

**you can also make these into cupcakes. bake as normal and before they are completely cooled, poke holes in them and pour in the toffee sauce. allow it to seep in and pool on top.  serve with a dollop of whipped cream.

linking up to tasty tuesdays

spaghetti alla vodka

my grandmother was famous for her alla vodka 

but not exactly like this 

for one thing--she was a traditionalist

and used penne

she also didn't make her own tomato infused vodka

because

she was a widow

raising 5 kids

with limited amount of time on her hands 

not all sorts
like i do

our garden produced so many late harvest tomatoes
that

i found myself using them in a variety of ways

sundried, oven roasted, confit

and soaked in vodka

this is really simple.  peel tomatoes and cram into a jar, use a skewer to secure tomatoes if they start to float to the top.  fill the jar with vodka and store in the refrigerator for at least 5 days.  i make several jars because i like to use the tomatoes and the vodka for my sauce. leftover vodka is really great for a bloody mary pick me up.

spaghetti alla vodka
(printable recipe)

1 lb spaghetti or pasta of choice

olive oil

1/2 of small onion--finely diced

2 garlic cloves--finely diced

6-8 basil leaves--chiffonade

1 large tin peeled whole tomatoes or combination of vodka soaked tomatoes and tinned tomatoes to equal about 4 cups whole

1/2-1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 cup tomato soaked vodka (or other vodka you have on hand)

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup grated parmesan plus more for serving

cook pasta in salted water,  according to package instructions.  cook onions and garlic in olive oil over low heat.  meanwhile, place the tomatoes in a food processor or blender and pulse until it is smooth.  do not allow the onions and garlic to brown, but let them begin to soften and become translucent. at this point, add the tomatoes and vodka and let simmer for about  10-15 minutes.  add the basil, red pepper flakes and heavy cream and allow to heat through.  stir in parmesan, then toss drained pasta in.  if the sauce seems too thick,  use a bit of the pasta water.  shave a bit of parmesan on top of each individual serving, along with additional crushed red pepper, if you like spicy.  

i am linking this recipe to 

tuesday night supper club

and

hearth and soul blog hop

and
presto pasta nights

holy grail

we landed in valencia, spain

and proceeded to the cathedral

first to see what is reported to be
the holy grail

we then

walked up the tower

207 stairs going up

and 

207 stairs going down

difficult, uneven steps

before we journeyed upwards

i noticed

in the corner of the cathedral square

a shop

called valor

which is an amazing chocolatier

and i knew my prize

for the journey

a holy grail of culinary sorts

would be

a perfect cup of chocolate

small and pure

from a single source

and almost too much to take

so chocolaty, and amazing

i had to order a bit of cream to chase it with

such an american!

i wanted to share this with you

if per chance

you are in valencia

and are looking for 

the holy grail

barcelona

just a little bit of what we found

on our walk about town this evening

just off La Rambla

sits La Boqueria

where they sell beautiful

produce, meats and fish

and my favorite of all

 sweets

beautiful, tasty sweets

enjoy

i know i did!

granola pancakes

not sure why

i seem to believe that

every time i make and/or eat pancakes

it is a blog worthy event

even i

am beginning to tire

of me

*grin*

but listen

the reason these pancakes are so special

is because they were inspired by breakfast 

at a general store 

in 

noank, connecticut

when we walked in to

Carsons General Store

it was like walking back in time

except

today, it represents how

people in this small tourist town outside of mystic, connecticut

still commune

we sat at a small table at the back of the store

watching the morning ritual

old-timers chatting and gathering their morning read

carafes of coffee emptied as the village crier

did her position proud

we sat and listened

asked a bit about the place

family owned for over 100 years

and

ate pancakes

delicious granola pancakes

Carsons is a place

that you want to be a part of

or if you are me

you wish you owned

which is highly unlikely

since i couldn't even get them to give me the recipe

so this version is my own

and also quite good

especially when drenched in maple syrup

Granola Pancakes
(printable recipe)

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

pinch salt

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/3-1/2 cup dark brown sugar (i use less sugar because we use a lot of maple syrup around here, and i don't like them getting too sweet)

2 eggs

2 cups milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup (approx) granola

(for my recipe click here)

butter or pan spray for cooking

mix all ingredients except the granola together and let rest for about 30 minutes.  after you pour the batter to the desired shape/size sprinkle granola across the top--it will cause the pancake to spread a bit.  cook as normal and flip when ready.  serve with a bit of butter and lots of maple syrup.