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Noble Pig
Top 10 Recipes of 2009
Before we get to the recipes I would like to wish everyone a very Happy New Year. What a lovely final week of 2009 it has been but I am most thankful for this beautiful snow storm that blanketed our area in these final days of the year.
Having lived in California my whole life, with little to no seasonal changes, this is a treat for me and my boys. The backyard became a virtual winter wonderland and the boys took advantage of all the freshly fallen, powdery snow. I spent the day throwing wet mittens and hats into the dryer and replacing them with dry ones so the boys could continue their winter antics without interruption.
Snow angels and snowmen were made with lots of snowball fights in between. To have this right out our door was really a treat.
We are lucky enough to have a beautiful atrium in this house and from every common room and hallway we had a beautiful view of the snow. It was magical.
But let's get to those top recipes. These recipes are the top 10 recipes on this site by my site analytics. They have swirled around the globe many times over and continue to be printed fast and furiously.
Enjoy and have a wonderful New Year's Day.
Starting with number 10...Tangy-Sweet-Plum Spiced Chicken. This is continually requested by my oldest son, thank goodness it's so easy to make.
Number 9 is the perfect brunch item, Breakfast Bruschetta with Strawberries and Tangy Cream. You will love it.
Number 8 is not a wise choice if you are on a diet...Caramelized Chocolate, Banana and Marshmallow Sandwiches.
The million dollar cookie winning the Pillsbury bakeoff...Double-Delight Peanut Butter Cookie is holding at number 7.
The Upside Down Apple Pie at number 6 is now one of my favorite desserts.
Another favorite at number 5, Two-Ingredient Pumpkin Cake with Apple Cider Glaze.
I still love these Smokin' Red Roasted Potatoes, they are always the perfect presentation.
This was last year's number one, Butterscotch-Apple Cake, now at number 3.
Number 2 is my favorite Superbowl recipe, Cheesy Pepperoni Pizza Dip.
NUMBER 1 is the Pasta Pie. I still can't believe how nice this recipe turns out, you should try it!
Have a wonderful day!
One Year Ago: Happy New Year
Holiday Wishes
Wishing you all the happiest of holidays. The past few days were spent cooking and enjoying a Polish feast like no other. It was worth every minute spent in the kitchen. However, the best part was sharing our family traditions with some amazing new friends.
We ate until it hurt. I'm not kidding. I could go on and on about all the incredible foods we all made, making this meal a very special extravaganza. There are just no words fitting enough to explain the details.
The next few days will be spent enjoying my mom's company and hopefully getting her to make a few more Polish recipes before she heads home.
I shall return soon.
Best wishes to you all.
One Year Ago: The Aftermath
Double-Chocolate Peppermint Bark
If you've waited until the last minute and still haven't conjured up any treats for the holidays, this is a real quick one to throw together.
I have loved peppermint bark since I tasted it at Williams-Sonoma many years ago. However, when I found out how easy it is to make, I have been making it homemade ever since.
I don't have much time to chat as I am so busy right now, so here's the recipe....enjoy. I have also been hiding this from my husband. If he happens to check my blog, the jig is up, he will be on the prowl.
Line a 13 x 9 inch pan with foil. Set aside.
In top of a double-boiler or in microwave (I used the microwave), melt dark chocolate chips. Spread into prepared pan. Refrigerate until JUST ABOUT set, about 15-20 minutes. The just about part is important as this will help meld your chocolate together.
In top of a double boiler or in microwave, melt white chocolate chips. Stir in peppermint extract. Spread on top of dark chocolate. Sprinkle with crushed peppermint candies.
Refrigerate until set, about an hour. Remove from pan and break into pieces. Store at room temperature.
You won't stop at just one.
Double-Chocolate Peppermint Bark
Adapted from Intermezzo
1 pound dark chocolate chips
1 pound white chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
3/4 cup crushed peppermint candies, such as Starlight mints
Line a 13 x 9 inch pan with foil. Set aside.
In top of a double-boiler or in microwave (I used the microwave), melt dark chocolate chips. Spread into prepared pan. Refrigerate until JUST ABOUT set, about 15-20 minutes. The just about part is important as this will help meld your chocolate together.
In top of a double boiler or in microwave, melt white chocolate chips. Stir in peppermint extract. Spread on top of dark chocolate. Sprinkle with crushed peppermint candies.
Refrigerate until set, about an hour. Remove from pan and break into pieces. Store at room temperature.
One Year Ago: Potato Chip Cookie
Tender Greens with Herb and Lemon Goat Cheese Crostini
If your next few days are anything like mine, then you are seriously busy. We are definitely in the holiday countdown mode over here and there just aren't enough hours in the day to get everything done.
The grocery shopping must begin, picking up out-of-towners at the airport is on the agenda, making pierogi, stuffed cabbage, kugel, sauerkraut, appetizers, desserts, picking out some wines and then it dawned on me last night I needed to wrap all the presents. I completely forgot. Thank goodness the house is clean, I wouldn't have time to fuss with it.
And through it all we still must eat. This is a great little salad recipe if you are having a sit down salad course, or maybe you need an easy lunch this week for your out of town guests. This would also do well for a dressy New Year's Eve dinner as it would pair wonderfully with sparkling wine. The palate-cleansing bubbles and acidity of the sparkling wine will create a counterpoint to the creaminess of the goat cheese and taste delightful together. You'll see.
The fresh herbs in the goat cheese are such a nice touch and make this plating a wonderful addition to any meal.
Put the goat cheese and 4 teaspoons olive oil in a food processor (or a mixing bowl with a wooden spoon). Pulse one or two short pulses just to blend. The mixture should be spreadable; if it's too thick, add more olive oil and pulse again. Transfer to a bowl, and stir in salt and pepper to taste, the herbs and lemon zest. Chill for 30 minutes.
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place bread on a large baking sheet, brush lightly on both sides with the remaining 1 Tablespoon of the oil and bake until lightly toasted, about 4 minutes per side. Set aside.
In a small bowl combine the vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper to taste and whisk to blend. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Just before serving, add dressing to mixed greens and toss gently. Divide among 6 salad plates. Spread a nice schmear of the herbed cheese on the toasted baguette slices and place one slice on each plate next to the salad. Serve immediately.
Light the candles and dim the lights, this salad says, "Dinner Party".
Tender Greens with Herb and Lemon Goat Cheese Crostini
Adapted from Wine News
Goat Cheese Crostini:
5-1/2 ounces fresh goat cheese (about 2/3 cup)
4 teaspoons plus 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed (divided)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1-1/2 Tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (at least two of the following: parsley, chives, tarragon, dill)
1-1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
Six 1/2" diagonally cut baguette slices
Salad:
1 Tablespoon white-wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
5 ounces mixed spring greens (about 10 cups)
Put the goat cheese and 4 teaspoons olive oil in a food processor (or a mixing bowl with a wooden spoon). Pulse one or two short pulses just to blend. The mixture should be spreadable; if it's too thick, add more olive oil and pulse again. Transfer to a bowl, and stir in salt and pepper to taste, the herbs and lemon zest. Chill for 30 minutes.
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place bread on a large baking sheet, brush lightly on both sides with the remaining 1 Tablespoon of the oil and bake until lightly toasted, about 4 minutes per side. Set aside.
In a small bowl combine the vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper to taste and whisk to blend. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Just before serving, add dressing to mixed greens and toss gently. Divide among 6 salad plates. Spread a nice schmear of the herbed cheese on the toasted baguette slices and place one slice on each plate next to the salad. Serve immediately.
Serves six.
Happy Elf Cocktail
If you looking for something fun to serve for the holidays this year, you just found it. This is a quick and simple cocktail to shake up as guests arrive for the festivities.
While I always enjoy wine with appetizers, a holiday inspired drink is the perfect way to get your party buzzing.
Serve these up and offer an old Irish toast, "May your home always be too small to hold all of your friends."
Enjoy.
Happy Elf
Adapted from Coastal Living
1 ounce melon liqueur (such as Midori)
2 ounces citrus vodka (such as Absolut Citron)
1 ounce white cranberry juice
Maraschino cherries, for garnish
In an ice-filled shaker combine all ingredients and shake vigorously. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a spear of maraschino cherries.
One Year Ago: Cranberry Pork Stew
Dinner Rolls for a Crowd
These are super easy to bake up and so much better than store-bought. One recipe makes 3 dozen, so there are plenty. However, these are not giant sandwich rolls, but are the perfect size for dinner or a salad course.
If you are having 12 people or less this will feed everyone, they are little bites of heaven. There are so many dinner roll recipes out there, however, these can easily sop up the leftover gravy or salad dressing on a plate without interfering with flavor.
They are soft and airy, just overall yummy.
Using a standing mixer, combine 1 cup flour, the sugar, yeast and salt. With the machine on, gradually add the softened butter at low speed until the mixture is the consistency of sand, 2-3 minutes.
Mix in the warm water in a slow, steady stream for about 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes; scrape down the bowl. Beat in the room temperature egg at low speed for about 1 minute.
Using the mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix in 2 cups flour, 1/4 cup at a time, on low speed, scraping down the bowl once, until the dough forms a ball, about 2 minutes. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 5 minutes until smooth, elastic and slightly sticky, adding up to 1/2 cup more flour if needed (I did not need it). Cover the bowl and let stand in a warm spot for 10 minutes.
On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into thirds, then cut each third into 12 equal pieces and roll into balls.
Brush a heavy-duty baking sheet with 1 Tablespoon melted butter. Arrange the dough balls about 1" apart on the prepared pan. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1-1/2 hours.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake the rolls until golden-brown, 12-15 minutes. Brush with the remaining 3 Tablespoons melted butter and sprinkle with the coarse salt.
You can't eat just one.
Dinner Rolls for a Crowd
Adapted from Everyday
3 to 3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/4 cup sugar
One 1/4 ounce envelope active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 Tablespoons butter, 6 softened and 4 melted
2/3 cup warm water (between 110-115 degrees)
1 large egg, at room temperature
Coarse salt, for sprinkling
Using a standing mixer, combine 1 cup flour, the sugar, yeast and salt. With the machine on, gradually add the softened butter at low speed until the mixture is the consistency of sand, 2-3 minutes. Mix in the warm water in a slow, steady stream for about 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes; scrape down the bowl. Beat in the room temperature egg at low speed for about 1 minute.
Using the mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix in 2 cups flour, 1/4 cup at a time, on low speed, scraping down the bowl once, until the dough forms a ball, about 2 minutes. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 5 minutes until smooth, elastic and slightly sticky, adding up to 1/2 cup more flour if needed (I did not need it). Cover the bowl and let stand in a warm spot for 10 minutes.
On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into thirds, then cut each third into 12 equal pieces and roll into balls. Brush a heavy-duty baking sheet with 1 Tablespoon melted butter. Arrange the dough balls about 1" apart on the prepared pan. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1-1/2 hours.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake the rolls until golden-brown, 12-15 minutes. Brush with the remaining 3 Tablespoons melted butter and sprinkle with the coarse salt.
One Year Ago: Last Minute Gift Idea - Potato Soup Mix
Maple Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies
When I told my husband the kind of cookies I was making, he kind of gave me the stink eye. Then, he of course, proceeded to eat three once he tasted them. On the other hand, when I saw this recipe, the ingredients of course made perfect sense to me. Bacon...chocolate...sweet...salty....heck yeah.
This is a really interesting cookie. It doesn't taste like bacon but because the bacon doesn't dissolve into the ingredients, you get this lingering, chewy, salty and sweet ending. It's nice. Have I mentioned how much I love bacon?
I even added more bacon to the recipe so I would have extra to sprinkle on top of the cookie. However, if you want to disguise the bacon in the cookie, just don't sprinkle any on top.
The maple smoked bacon really adds and creates an intensity of flavor in this cookie, one I will not soon forget.
You will love them, I promise.
Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until browned and cooked through. Drain on a paper-towel lined plate and chop finely.
In a medium bowl whisk flour, baking soda and salt.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars; about three minutes. Add egg and maple extract and beat until just blended. Add the dry ingredients; beat until just incorporated and the flour is dissolved. Stir in the chocolate chips, walnuts and bacon.
Drop one large Tablespoon of cookie dough 2-3 inches apart. Make sure you only do about 6 cookies on a sheet. If they spread and touch each other, you will have a mess. Bake 10-12 minutes in a 350 degree oven only until the edges are brown and slightly soft in the center. Let them finish cooking out of the oven, on the pan. The edges will get too dark if you leave them in the oven. Transfer to a wire rack and let completely cool.
Also, I made 3 extra pieces of bacon so I would have enough to sprinkle on the top of the cookie dough. I also pressed in some extra chocolate chips too. This is completely optional.
It has bacon in it, so it's good for breakfast right?
Maple Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adapted from Susan Russo via One for the Table
5 strips maple smoked bacon (8 strips if you want extra to sprinkle on the cookie)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
3/4 teaspoon maple extract
2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until browned and cooked through. Drain on a paper-towel lined plate and chop finely.
In a medium bowl whisk flour, baking soda and salt.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars; about three minutes. Add egg and maple extract and beat until just blended. Add the dry ingredients; beat until just incorporated and the flour is dissolved. Stir in the chocolate chips, walnuts and bacon.
Drop one large Tablespoon of cookie dough 2-3 inches apart. Make sure you only do about 6 cookies on a sheet. If they spread and touch each other, you will have a mess. Bake 10-12 minutes in a 350 degree oven only until the edges are brown and slightly soft in the center. Let them finish cooking out of the oven, on the pan. The edges will get too dark if you leave them in the oven. Transfer to a wire rack and let completely cool.
*Also, I made 3 extra pieces of bacon so I would have enough to sprinkle on the top of the cookie dough. I also pressed in some extra chocolate chips too. This is completely optional.
One Year Ago: Unsexy Jewish Food - Noodle Kugel
Weekend Business
Holiday decorations are up around the neighborhood, people really go all out here. The extreme cold has finally passed and we are back to our typical 30ish degrees and rain.
We kicked off Friday night at The Horse Radish with our friends John & Jody. This is an adorable wine bar in the city of Carlton. We had a bottle of some really yummy Pinot Noir but we were also eying the selection of cheeses they have...wow.
After The Horse Radish we headed across the street to a quaint French restaurant called Cuvee. It was too dark to take pictures of the food but here was the chandelier...very pretty. We really enjoyed our meal. We had Mousse de Foie de Poulet, Pommes Frites, Boeuf Bourguignon, Rib Eye avec Pommes Frites, Crab Juniper and the Poisson du Jour which was salmon. For dessert, Port, French press coffee, creme caramel and Gateau au Chocolat...amazing, amazing, amazing.
My kids were in a play this past week, "Elfis and the Sleighriders". It was darling.
My favorite drugstore holiday candy is finally here. I opened this box before I checked out.
I had to get some of these as well, I love them.
We had some mushroom burgers at Alf's Ice Cream & Burgers in McMinnville or what I call the monkey restaurant. Yep, there's a monkey there, here he is scoping out my food from behind the glass.
This guy should really take it inside.
How was your weekend?
One Year Ago: Bourbon-Walnut Sweet Potato Mash
Kahlua-Pecan-Brown Sugar Baked Brie
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If the name of this recipe alone doesn't make you want to jump up and get it in the oven, I don't know what else could convince you.
I was lucky enough to get this recipe from my friend Jody, who got it from her friend Jody...you got that? I knew when I heard about it at Thanksgiving, I absolutely had to have it. However, I do not know the true origin of this recipe.
I cannot begin to tell you how good this is. It's almost borderline dessert. The creamy, warm Brie with the sweet sauce is really, really unbelievable. I don't think you can celebrate the holidays without it. I'm not kidding.
You will want to use a large wheel of Brie to accompany all the sauce, not to mention there will not be enough for everyone if you make a small one.
This also only takes 15 minutes to throw together, it's the perfect appetizer for this busy time of year.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Start by carefully slicing the rind off the top of the Brie wheel, but do not remove completely. Bake for 15 minutes.
When the Brie is done baking, the top can be easily removed to expose the creamy cheese.
While the Brie is baking, in a medium saucepan, bring Kahlua and brown sugar to a boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until a syrupy consistency is made. Throw the pecans in for 2 minutes at the end to warm them through and completely cover with the sauce.
Remove the Brie from the oven (removing top rind) and pour Kahlua sauce over the Brie.
Serve with your favorite crackers. People will be begging you for the recipe.
Kahlua-Pecan-Brown Sugar Baked Brie
1 whole wheel of Brie (Costco sells a 19 ounce Brie wheel which is perfect for this recipe)
1 cup Kahlua
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 cup chopped pecans (I left mine whole because I like they way they look)
Accompaniment: crackers
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Start by carefully slicing the rind off the top of the Brie wheel, but do not remove completely. Bake for 15 minutes. When the Brie is done baking, the top can be easily removed to expose the creamy cheese.
While the Brie is baking, in a medium saucepan, bring Kahlua and brown sugar to a boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until a syrupy consistency is made. Throw the pecans in for 2 minutes at the end to warm them through and completely cover with the sauce.
Remove the Brie from the oven (removing top rind) and pour Kahlua sauce over the Brie.
Serve warm with crackers.
One Year Ago: Chocolate Soufflé Cookies
Bread and Sausage Stuffing with Cranberries
I know I will kick myself next year if I don't write this recipe down and post it here. I use my own blog as a cookbook so if I don't put it here, I will never find my scribbles; usually on the backs of envelopes.
Anyway, I love sausage stuffing but it never tastes like I want it to. Sausage stuffings often use cornbread which I prefer not to use. I know lots of people couldn't have stuffing any other way, but for me it just doesn't float my boat.
I had no plan before making this stuffing, just a bunch of ingredients I thought might taste good. Another issue I have with sausage stuffing is the seasoning...it's never right. I've used all the best quality sausage and a range of flavors from mild to spicy....but it has always fallen short. This year I used Jimmy Dean Regular Sausage and the seasoning was perfect, just perfect. Who knew.
I also wanted a hint of sweetness with the savory taste so I threw in dried cranberries and it was the perfect finishing touch. Everyone loved it, end of story.
Bread and Sausage Stuffing with Cranberries
8 cups crusty, artisan type bread, I baked my own but store-bought is fine, torn into 1-1/2" pieces
8 cups store-bought bakery made stuffing cubes
2 Tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
2 Tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
2 Tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
1-1/2 cups yellow onion, chopped
1-1/2 cups celery, chopped
6 Tablespoons butter, plus more for greasing
1 lb Jimmy Dean Regular Sausage
2 cloves garlic, minced
3-1/2 cups chicken stock or broth (if your mixture seems dry you can always add more)
1-1/4 cups dried cranberries
11 large eggs, lightly beaten
Salt and pepper to taste
Before making stuffing, you have to stale the bread at least a day ahead. You want to dry up the starch cells so they refill with flavorful liquids. Tear or cube bread into smaller pieces before staling. You can also do this in the oven to speed up the process (350 degrees for 15 minutes). You only have to do this with the artisan bread. The stuffing cubes from the bakery will already be dried out enough. I use both kinds of bread because it's nice to have the different textures of the real crunchy stuffing cubes and the torn pieces of artisan bread.
In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions, celery, sage, rosemary and thyme and cook until softened, about 7-8 minutes. Scrape the vegetables into another bowl and let cool.
To the same skillet add sausage and cook until no longer pink. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
Once the vegetables and sausage have cooled place them into the same bowl with the bread and stir in stock or broth until fully incorporated. This is where I taste the mixture (before I add the eggs) and season it to my liking with salt and pepper (sometimes it takes quite a bit). Once I'm happy with the flavor I add the eggs and mix thoroughly.
Place the mixture into two generously buttered 9 x 13 baking dishes and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees, the top should be lightly browned. Serve hot.
You can bake this the day before and place in the refrigerator overnight. Remove from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before reheating in the oven for 30 minutes.
One Year Ago: Butternut-Squash Pasta Sauce
