Coffee Toffee

Tags

candy, chocolate, Christmas, coffee, dessert, gluten free, hazelnuts, toffee

My Christmas specialty is usually chocolate covered caramels. But this toffee may have replaced the caramels as our new favorite Christmas candy. The coffee adds a special touch that pairs really well with the bitter chocolate.

Coffee Toffee (from the Smitten Kitchen Cookbook)

• 8 tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp molasses
• 1/4 tsp flaky sea salt
• 1 1/2 tsp instant espresso powder
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts

Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a medium heavy sauce pan with a candy thermometer attatched, melt butter both sugars, molasses, salt, and espresso together over medium high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally with a whisk, until the temperature approaches 250 degrees; then stir constantly until it reaches 300 degrees.

Pour immediately onto the prepared baking sheet. Spread evenly with an offset spatula. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the toffee, let them sit for a minute until soft, then spread the chocolate evenly over the candy base. Sprinkle the chocolate with chopped hazelnuts. Set the sheet aside on a cooling rack until set. Break the toffee into pieces and then store in an air tight container. Consider storing in the fridge if it gets sticky. Makes 1 1/2 lbs toffee.

A Simpler Holiday Season

Tags

Christmas, holiday, holiday season, seasonal, simple, Thanksgiving, traditional

In the past, I have been a self-described Grinch when it comes to Christmas. In fact, the Grinch in me says “No posts about Christmas before Thanksgiving, dummy! Celebrate one holiday at a time!” But there are only four weeks before the big day and I am trying my best to get in the spirit.

Christmas seems so overly commercialized these days.  Nothing like the Christmases of my memory. And all the hype on TV just seems so much like a Pottery Barn catalog that there is no way my somewhat dysfunctional family could ever live up to its cheerful, glittery perfection. Though we sit around a food covered table every Christmas, it is not beautifully appointed with amaryllis blossoms, seasonal evergreen boughs, and brightly burning candles. Nor are we as gorgeous as the people featured in those advertisements.

Instead, we eat off dishes my grandmother uses every day (as has for the last 30+ years). None of the food is transferred from their cook pots to serving bowls or platters. We do not own a gravy boat or placemats. Or silver. Or crystal. And, you know what, there is nothing wrong with that!

It took me a few years but I have figured out how I can have a happy Christmas, knowing that it will never be “perfect.” It starts by going back to the basics. What does Christmas mean to YOU?

Christmas means…

Fun– Decorating sugar cookies and gingerbread houses. Playing in the snow. Making paper snowflakes. Decorating the tree and the house. Going see a live nativity scene. Walking around the neighborhood to check out the neighborhood lights, taking a hike, playing pool or ping pong. Cut your own tree. Make a new wreath for your front door.

Food– Homemade candies and cookies. Comfort food like your grandmother’s mashed potatoes, your aunt’s cranberry sauce, your favorite ham recipe, the macaroni and cheese that your family has always made. Perhaps a seasonal cocktail.

Family– Get together. Play games. Talk (maybe not about politics or religion, though). Take pictures of each other and the fun.  Honor the memories of those who have already passed away. Embrace your faith’s Christmas traditions like the advent wreath or Midnight Mass.

Regardless of how you celebrate, if you concentrate on the simple things in life, you will have a happy holiday season. Now start making your list of things to do this season that will celebrate what Christmas means to you!

Photos credits: Here, here, here, here, and here

Merry Christmas!

Tags

celebrate, Christmas, family, holiday, Southern

From My Family to Yours,

Merry Christmas!

Happy New Year!

And thank you for such a wonderful year full of delicious food and wonderful friendships…

 

Breakfast Casserole

Tags

breakfast, casserole, Christmas, food, holiday, morning, sausage, Southern, vegetables

Breakfast on Christmas morning should be tasty and quick. You don’t want to take too much time away from opening Santa’s presents. Any ingredient you would add to an omelet can be added to this casserole.

Breakfast Casserole (from Old World Garden Farms)

• 3 slices bread
• 1/2 lb. ground sausage, cooked & drained
• 1/8 c. yellow bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 6 oz fresh mushrooms, sauteed
• Large handful of spinach
• 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• Black pepper to taste

In an 8×8 inch glass casserole dish, combine the bread, sausage, bell pepper, mushrooms, spinach, and cheese. In a bowl, whisk together the milk and eggs. Pour over bread mixture. Refrigerate over night. Bake at 350 degrees uncovered for about 40 to 45 minutes.

Vanilla Scented Walnuts

Tags

Christmas, food, gifts, snacks, vanilla, vegetarian, walnuts

These walnuts have a gently, lovely vanilla flavor that is just out of the world. Who would have thought something so simple would be so wonderful. Proof that the best things in life aren’t always filled with pomp and circumstance.

Vanilla Scented Walnuts (from Elana)
2 cups English walnuts, raw
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 vanilla beans

Place walnuts and oil in a cast iron skillet and turn heat to high. As soon as you hear the slightest sizzle, turn heat down to medium or low. Toast walnuts a few minutes until they smell nice and nutty. Add honey and distribute around pan stirring; cook for a minute or two, then add salt. Scrape the beans out of the vanilla pod and stir into walnuts. Remove walnuts from pan.

Taco Seasoning for Gift Giving

Tags

Christmas, DIY, gift, holiday, Mexican, mix, seasoning, taco

Chances are you don’t want to make taco seasoning one use at a time. It makes so much more sense to have a jar of pre-made seasoning. This recipe makes about 1 cup. Three tablespoons equals one packet of the purchase seasoning.

Taco Seasoning for Gift Giving

• 1/4 cup and 2 tbsp chili powder
• 1-1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1-1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1-1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1-1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 3 tbsp ground cumin
• 2 tbsp sea salt
• 2 tbsp black pepper

Combine all the seasonings and store in a dry place.

Coconut Almond Macaroons

Tags

chocolate, Christmas, coconut, cookies, dessert, gifts, holiday, macaroons

Here is a great recipe to help you use up all those left over egg whites from making your lemon curd. I made several large batches to give to the neighbors. I hope they like them.

On a side note, use a squeeze bottle to pipe the chocolate onto the cookies. I had always heard of doing that but never tried it. It is way better than using a ziploc bag or a fork to drizzle. It is much more controlled and clean up is minimal. Any left over chocolate can just be stored in the bottle. The ease of application and cleanup is definitely worth the $3 for the bottle.

Coconut Almond Macaroons

• 1 (14 oz) packages sweetened shredded coconut
• 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
• Pinch salt
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 4 large egg whites at room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 tbsp vegetable shortening

In a stand-up mixer, combine sugar and egg whites. Beat until they reach medium peaks. In another bowl, combine condensed milk, coconut, almond extract, and salt. When egg whites are ready, fold in the coconut mixture. Spoon in 1 to 1 1/2 tbsp amounts onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake in an oven preheated to 350 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes. When done, remove immediately from the pan and onto a cooling rack.

When cookies are completely cooled, they can be decorated. In a small saucepan, melt together the chocolate chips and the shortening. Pour into squeeze bottle. Decorate macaroons as desired. Allow chocolate to harden before storing in an air-tight container.

Cranberry-Lime Infused Vodka

Tags

beverage, Christmas, cocktail, cranberry, holiday, infused, lime, vodka

I discovered this recipe via a “Homemade Christmas Gifts” collection on Pinterest. I know some of my foodie friends will really enjoy this gift. The green and red of the lime and cranberries are so festive, especially with the snowy white sugar sprinkled throughout.

Cranberry-Lime Infused Vodka (thanks to fancy napkin)

• 2 16 oz glass bottles with toppers (mine have corks)
• 1 bag fresh cranberries
• 2 limes, peeled with as little pith as possible
• 2 tbsp sugar
• Vodka

Using a knife, pierce each cranberry so the vodka can seep into the berries. Alternately fill each bottle with the cranberries and the lime peels. When bottle is full of berries, add sugar. Pour vodka into the bottle until full. Allow to sit and mature for 2 weeks to a month. Be sure to shake the bottles every couple of days to help the flavors meld.

You can use this vodka for these crantinis or any other cranberry cocktail.

Busy Busy December!

Tags

Christmas, consumerism, DIY, gift, holiday, homemade

Wow! I am overwhelmed just thinking about the Christmas holiday. So much to do, so little time. I have to confess I have been a bit of a crab in the past about Christmas. Christmas is supposed to focus our minds on love, peace, family time together, etc. Instead it seems that everything is focused on the consumerism that is the holiday season. My local Kmart had decorations out before Halloween! Good grief! Can we please celebrate one holiday at a time?!?!?

Now we have passed Halloween and Thanksgiving on the calendar. Time to celebrate Christmas. Remember when we had real cranberry garlands? When children were so excited to watch Charlie Brown’s Christmas and drink homemade hot chocolate? When it was more about the events and the fun playing with your cousins/friends than the belongings we soon would acquire? When an orange was still an appreciated gift?  I plan to focus on the love, peace, and family time even more than ever before and to combat consumerism with a vengeance. I am going to make the great majority of my gifts. The few exceptions are the books for my grandparents (books are always a good and lasting gift that promise the receiver many years of enjoyment).

For the ladies in my family I hope to make some sort of sugar/salt scrub. Who doesn’t like spa days? For the cooks in my family, both male and female, I plan to give lemon curd, the pear jams I made (here and here), and taco seasoning mix. For my neighbors and co-workers, I will put together a candy box full of homemade candy like these chocolate covered caramels, bourbon truffles, and dark chocolate butter crunch. Don’t those seem like better gifts than the junk you don’t know you want or need? Gifts from the heart are gifts I want to give and receive. Not gifts made anonymously in a foreign country with more bright lights and promises of distraction from the most important thing in your life- those you love.