BAKED GIFTS

Baked Gifts

          Our recent snowstorm gave a wonderful excuse for staying indoors to plan and start my Holiday baking for this year as I watched the snow swirl outside my kitchen window. The grandchildren are mostly grown, but regardless of season their favorite remains the chocolate chip cookie. Two other favorites with nuts are Swedish Crescents and Apricot Buttons that look most festive spread out on a platter.

                             Swedish Crescents

Finely chop 1/3 cup each: almonds, filberts and pecans. Cream well 1 cup butter and gradually beat in ½ cup sugar, 1 tsp. vanilla, ½ tsp. almond flavoring, 1 ¾ cups sifted flour, ¼ tsp. salt and the chopped nuts. Chill the dough, then shape ½ tblsp. amounts of the dough in crescents and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake at 300 degrees for 18-20 minutes. Cool slightly and carefully roll each cookie in confectioner’s sugar mixed with 1 tsp. vanilla.

                             Apricot Buttons

In a food processor chop 1 ½ cup pecans or walnuts and set aside. In a small sauce pan heat ½ cup apricot jam (or orange marmalade) with ¼ cup finely chopped dried apricots and set aside. Cream well 1 cup butter in a large bowl and ¾ cups sugar. Beat in 2 egg yolks (set aside the whites) and 1 tsp. almond and ½ tsp. lemon extract and stir in 2 cups flour and ½ tsp. salt until dough is smooth. In a small bowl lightly beat the egg whites and set next to a bowl with the chopped nuts. Line cookie sheets with parchment. Shape dough in 1 inch balls, dip in egg to cover and roll in the nuts to coat. Set on pan about 1 inch apart. Press your thumb in each to make an imprint. Bake cookies in a 325 degree oven until lightly browned, 18-20 minutes. Cool on baking sheets 5 minutes, then carefully slide with spatula on a rack and fill indentations in cookies with 1/3 tsp. of the apricot mixture.

Fresh cranberries this time of the year are an inspiration for colorful cranberry bread, which makes tasty small gift loaves for friends and neighbors. It freezes well and an extra loaf thawed in February will cheer the baker even in the next year.

                   Cranberry-Pecan Bread

Lightly grease and flour 2 small 4x8 inch loaf pans. Coarsely chop 1 cup cranberries and ¾ cups pecans. Sift 2 ¾ cups flour with 3 tsp. baking powder, ½ tsp. baking soda and 1 tsp. salt. In a large bowl cream ½ cup softened butter with 1 1/3 cups sugar. Beat in 3 eggs, 1 tsp. lemon extract and ¼ cup half and half. Toss cranberries and nuts in the flour and combine with the batter until smooth. Divide batter between the two pans, smooth the top and arrange pecan halves along the middle lengthwise. Bake at 350 degrees 50 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Remove to cake rack, cool and unmold.

For friends and family who prefer non-sugary gifts, there are a number of cheese flavored treats that keep well and have excellent savory taste. Pre-made puff pastry from the supermarket freezer can be used for a number of appetizers and is the basis of these Cheese Straws.

                   Parmesan Cheese Straws.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl mix ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese with ½ tsp. dried crushed oregano and 1 tblsp. minced fresh parsley. In another small bow beat 1 egg with 1 tblsp. water. Unroll 1 thawed sheet of puff pastry ( ½ of a 17.3 oz. package) and roll it into a 14x10 inch rectangle on a lightly floured board.  Cut the pastry in half lengthwise and brush the top with the egg mixture. Sprinkle one half with the cheese mixture and place the other half on top with the egg brushed side down. Seal the two halves together lightly with a rolling pin. Cut the joined pastry in ½ inch strips (28). Twist the strips and place on a baking sheet pressing down the ends, then brush the pastries with the beaten egg. Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool. Will keep for several weeks in an air tight container. Excellent with soups or as a snack or appetizer.

                   Parmesan Crisps

Carefully mix together 12 tblsp. freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 3 tblsp. soft butter and 3 tblsp. and 1 tsp. flour, plus dash of cayenne or black pepper. Form in a 1 ½ inch round log and chill until firm. Cut in ½ inch thick rounds and put well separated on a parchment lined pan. Bake at 400 degrees on the lowest rack for 7 minutes. Cool on pan before removing with spatula.

Happy baking and gifting to all!  

(I. Winicov Harrington lives in coastal Maine and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less than $5.00 a Day: the Smart-Frugal Food Plan”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)

HEARTY COMFORT FOOD

Hearty Comfort Food

            Goodbye ‘Daylight Savings Time’, hello early winter twilights! These predictable seasonal changes should come as no surprise, however I still find myself somewhat shocked that another fall is dwindling into winter. My nasturtiums this fall managed to survive until the end of October, but are unlikely to grace any more salads. Time for hearty comfort food.

            This means hearty soups and braised dinners. Each of these does require a bit more time for preparation, but comes with an added benefit. Since they reheat well with improved flavor, one cooked dish will provide several meals in the week to come. A cold and rainy weekend is often a good time to spend in the kitchen and cook. Not only are you doing something deliciously constructive, but the delicious flavors filling the house are bound to lift everyone’s spirits.

                         Smoked Paprika Lentil Soup with Kale

            In a large pot cook 2 strips of thick bacon to crisp and set aside on paper towels. In the rendered fat sauté finely chopped: 1 large onion, 2 carrots and 1 stalk celery until softened about 5 minutes. Stir in 3 chopped garlic cloves and sauté for an additional minute. Stir in 1 tsp. thyme, 1 bay leaf, 2 tsp. smoked paprika for an additional minute and then add 1 cup red wine. Bring to simmer and add 1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes, 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth and 1 ½ cups green or black beluga lentils and bring to boil. Lower the heat to simmer, cover and let the lentils cook for 40 minutes. At this point remove the bay leaf and if you wish a creamier soup, puree 2 cups of the lentils and return to the pot. While the lentils are cooking, wash and devein ½ small bunch of kale and cut the leaves in thin ribbons. Stir the cut kale into the lentils and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and cook for an additional 15 minutes. Stir in 1 tblsp. balsamic vinegar (optional). Adjust the thickness of the soup as desired with hot water.  Serve hot with the reserved bacon crumbled on top and crusty bread on the side.

Braised beef makes many hearty dishes cooked either on stove top or baked. My favorite old recipe for beef brisket makes for an easy and delicious dinner using a Dutch oven pot with a tight-fitting lid.

                        Beef Brisket with Onions

Trim excess fat from a 2-3 lb. beef brisket and place in the Dutch oven. Season with salt, pepper and 1 tsp. herbe’s de Provence. Add 1 bay leaf and cover with 3 thinly sliced onions. Do not add water. Cover tightly and bake in a 325 degree oven for 4 hours until very tender. The last hour arrange 5-6 medium sized peeled and halved potatoes around the meat, sprinkle with salt and replace the tight cover. Turn and baste the potatoes every 15 minutes during the cooking time. Skim off the fat and serve the meat with juices from the pot or use them to make gravy with a bit of flour and water. To carve, cut the meat across the grain at a slant. If desired, serve horseradish on the side.

Beef brisket is also very tasty with some old-fashioned dumplings. Unlike Oriental dumplings that are filled, these old-fashioned dumplings are really cooked dough balls that absorb the meat flavors with which they are served.

                        Thyme Dumplings

Sift together 1 cup all purpose flour with 2 tsp. baking powder, ½ tsp. salt and 1 tsp. ground thyme. In a measuring cup break a large egg and add enough milk to the ½ cup mark. Beat the egg with a fork and add to the flour mixture, stirring until a stiff dough is formed. Heat 2-3 cups stock in a wide pan and drop the batter from a tablespoon into the broth when it comes to simmer, without the dumplings touching each other. When all dumplings are in the pan, cover and simmer for 5 minutes, turn the dumplings and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Serve at once with meat juices or sauce.

            Hearty comfort food comes in many flavors, some savory, some tart and some sweet. The winter months give us ample time to explore them all.

(I. Winicov Harrington lives in coastal Maine and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less than $5.00 a Day: the Smart-Frugal Food Plan”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)

OCTOBER/OKTOBERFEST

October/Oktoberfest

          It seems the month of October brings out our need for special celebrations across the world. The fall signals that the pleasures of summer are at an end and we must face the rigors of winter to come Hence we have devised activities since ancient times to postpone contemplation of the approaching change.

Our joyous Halloween celebrations really date back to the more somber Celtic origins of All Hallows Eve, with humans contemplation of death and the spirits of the ‘nether world’. Other old-fashioned harvest festivals have evolved in local celebrations focused on food and fun. The annual Damariscotta Pumpkin Festival is eagerly awaited each year by everyone near and ‘from away’.

The most frenzied of these festivals undoubtedly is Oktoberfest, which originated in 1810 in Bavaria as a wedding celebration for a crown prince, However it has now evolved like the foam of an overflowing beer stein in a colossal celebration not only in Munich, Germany, but has also found followers in many parts of the world, including USA. The official 2 week celebration spans end of September into October, with the spirit of it remaining strong through the rest of the month.

If you missed an expensive trip to Munich earlier this month, you may still celebrate at home. Traditional foods such as sauerbraten and spaetzle may be a bit tedious to prepare, but there are easy alternatives. All you need are: bratwurst, red cabbage, potato pancakes and beer.

Bratwurst and beer are easily obtained from the store and the numerous Maine breweries. Bratwurst can be grilled or cooked, though I have on good authority that bratwurst is cooked in beer if you are originally from Milwaukee. Red cabbage and potato pancakes are especially tasty and are not very time consuming to prepare as described below.

                   Wine Braised Red Cabbage and Onions

Quarter a small head of red cabbage and slice thin (about 6 cups). Halve a medium red onion and slice thinly.  Render 2 slices of bacon in a 3-4 qt pot. Set the bacon aside and sauté the sliced onion and cabbage in the bacon fat for 10 minutes with stirring. Stir in ½ cup red wine, ½ cup balsamic vinegar, 1 tsp. ground cloves, 1 tsp salt, ¼ tsp. pepper, 2 tsp. sugar and 2 thinly sliced cored apples. Cook on low heat for 20 min. with occasional stirring until all the liquid is absorbed and the cabbage is soft. Serve in a shallow dish surrounded by additional sautéed apple slices that have been cooked briefly in butter with 2 tblsp. sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle the crumbled bacon on top. Red cabbage can be reheated several times and the flavor will continue to improve.

                   Potato Pancakes

Peel 4 large potatoes, grate quickly on a box grater and turn into a colander to drain. In a medium bowl beat 2 eggs with 3 tblsp. flour, ¼ tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. salt and ¼ tsp pepper. Grate a medium peeled onion into the eggs and mix. If you like a little spice in your potato pancakes, finely chop a little habanero pepper and add to the eggs at this point. Squeeze all the juice from the potatoes in a paper towel and stir in the egg mixture. Heat 1 tblsp. vegetable oil in a 12 inch pan to hot and fry ¼ cup amounts of the potato mixture in pancake form for 4-5 minutes to a side until browned and cooked through. Set aside to keep warm and continue in batches with the remaining potato mixture. Serve warm with a dollop of sour cream.

In München steht ein Hofbräuhaus        In Munich stands a Hofbrauhaus

Eins, zwei, g’suffa…….                          One, two, drink-up…..

          I. Winicov Harrington lives in coastal Maine and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less than $5.00 a Day: the Smart-Frugal Food Plan”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)