Christmas may be coming early this year, what with all the baking pouring out of certain people's kitchen. One of the crowning successes is a new sugar cookie recipe that may just beat every one we've tried before. I suppose the Kitchen Aid mixer people do know something about making tasty things using their products (just like those back-of-the-chocolate-chip-package chocolate chip cookie recipes!)
Now we (and you?) will never have to hunt again for yet another trial sugar cookie recipe!
Sugar Cookies
from KitchenAid Recipes
1/2 c butter or margarine, softened
3/4 c sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 c sll-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
Place butter and sugar in mixer bowl. Attach bowl and flat beater to mixer. Turn to Speed 2 and mix 30 seconds. Stop and scrape bowl. Add egg and vanilla . Turn to Speed 6 and beat about 1 minute.
Combine flour, soda and salt. Add to mixer bowl. Turn to STIR Speed and beat about 30 seconds. Stop and scrape bowl. Turn to Speed 2 and mix about 45 seconds. Shape dough in to a flat ball. Wrap in plastic wrap. Chill in refrigerator 2 to 3 hours.
Divide dough into thirds. Roll each portion 1/8 inch thick on lightly floured waxed paper. Cut with cookie cutters and place on lightly greased baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees F for 7 to 10 minutes, or until edges are light brown. Remove from baking sheets immediately and cool on wire racks.
Yield: 48 servings (1 cookie per serving)
Friday, December 3, 2010
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Thanksgiving
This year we were lucky to have two Thanksgivings (again - I think we are making this a tradition and I'm not complaining), and at each of them Grandma's yams featured prominently in my preparations. What I didn't realize is that I've never posted them, even though I serve them at every opportunity. So, to remedy that, here is the recipe, modified slightly:
Sweet Potato Casserole
Mix 1 lb. cooked mashed sweet potatoes (I use any orange, sweet, potato-like tuber) with 1/4 c. sugar, 1 egg, 2 tbsp. butter, 1 tsp. vanilla and 1/4 tsp. each salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Place in casserole.
Mix together 2 tbsp. melted butter, 1/4 cup brown sugar and 2 tbsp. flour. Sprinkle over top of casserole.
Top with pecans in a beautiful pattern created by husband.
Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 20 mins.
Note: I am heavy-handed with the spices (sometimes including cloves) and a bit light on the sugar, but for the topping. Also, Grandma says "can double"; I usually triple, and the picture below is of a quadruple recipe, which fed many for days.
Grandma's yams are always good, but they were totally outdone by the vast quantities of delicious food we were served at our American Thanksgiving this year. Here's a picture of four of the 10? 15? dishes we were served (plus three kinds of pies with cream and ice cream for dessert):
The two stuffings above (mushroom in the back; apple in the front) were so amazing - P loved the first and I the second, and for the first time in our lives there was actually enough stuffing! - that I asked for the recipes, and here they are, courtesy of M and her souschef K, who truly prepared a feast and are deserving of much thanks.
Rustic Porcini Onion Stuffing (Vegetarian)
Gourmet | November 2005
Yield: Makes 8 to 10 servings
Active Time: 1 hr Total Time: 1 3/4 hr
1 1/2 (1-lb) Pullman or round loaves, torn into 1-inch pieces (20 cups)
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter plus additional for greasing dish
4 1/2 cups boiling-hot water
2 oz dried porcini mushrooms (sometimes called cèpes; 54 g) (I added fresh shitaki mushrooms as well as the dried porcini.)
10 oz fresh white mushrooms, cut into 1/2-inch wedges (3 cups)
1 large onion, halved lengthwise, then sliced crosswise 1/2 inch thick
4 large shallots, quartered
2 celery ribs, sliced
1/4 inch thick
2 medium carrots, halved lengthwise, then sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 350°F.
Spread bread in 2 large shallow baking pans and bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, stirring occasionally and switching position of pans halfway through baking, until dry, 20 to 25 minutes total. Transfer bread to a large bowl.
Increase oven temperature to 450°F and butter a 13- by 9-inch baking dish (3-quart capacity).
Pour boiling-hot water over porcini and soak 20 minutes, then drain in a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl, squeezing porcini and reserving soaking liquid. Rinse porcini under cold water to remove any grit, then squeeze out excess water and coarsely chop.
While porcini soak, heat butter (1 stick) in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then cook white mushrooms, onion, and shallots, stirring occasionally, until golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Add celery, carrots, garlic, and porcini and cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Stir in thyme, sage, parsley, salt, and pepper, then add vegetables to bread, tossing to combine.
Add 1 cup reserved porcini-soaking liquid to skillet and deglaze by boiling over high heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, 1 minute. Add remaining soaking liquid and salt and pepper to taste and pour over bread mixture, tossing to coat evenly.
Spread stuffing in baking dish and cover tightly with buttered foil (buttered side down), then bake in upper third of oven until heated through, about 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake stuffing until top is browned, 10 to 15 minutes more.
Cooks' notes:
•Stuffing can be assembled (but not baked) 2 days ahead and chilled, covered.
•Stuffing can be baked 6 hours ahead and kept, uncovered, at room temperature. Reheat, uncovered, in a 350°F oven until hot, about 30 minutes (test center with a wooden pick for warmth).
Apple, Sausage, and Parsnip Stuffing with Fresh Sage
Bon Appétit | November 2005
Yield: Makes 12 servings
1 1/2-pound loaf sliced sourdough bread with crust, cubed
1 1/2 pounds sweet Italian sausages, casings removed (I really like Gianelli sausage if you can find it)
1 1/2 pounds hot Italian sausages, casings removed
6 cups chopped onions
2 cups chopped celery 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, divided
3 pounds Pippin or Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, cubed (I used Fortune apples - they do need to be sour)
2 pounds parsnips, peeled, cubed (I used a little less than 1 pound; I’m cautious with parsnips.)
3/4 cup packed fresh sage leaves
1/2 cup low-salt chicken broth
Preheat oven to 325°F. Bake bread cubes on 2 large rimmed baking sheets until lightly toasted, about 20 minutes.
Sauté sausages in very large skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through, breaking into pieces with spoon, about 15 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer to large bowl; add bread.
Add onions and celery to same skillet and sauté until golden brown, about 10 minutes; transfer to bowl with bread. Melt 1/4 cup butter in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add apples and sauté until tender, about 8 minutes; mix apples into stuffing. Melt 1/4 cup butter in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add parsnips and sauté until golden, about 10 minutes; mix into stuffing. Melt 1/4 cup butter in same skillet. Add sage and sauté until dark green, about 2 minutes. Mix sage and butter into stuffing. Season with salt and pepper.
Butter 15x10x2-inch glass baking dish. Stuff turkey. Transfer remaining stuffing to prepared dish; drizzle with 1/2 cup chicken broth. Cover with foil. (Can be prepared 4 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake stuffing covered until heated through, about 1 hour. Uncover and bake until beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.
Sweet Potato Casserole
Mix 1 lb. cooked mashed sweet potatoes (I use any orange, sweet, potato-like tuber) with 1/4 c. sugar, 1 egg, 2 tbsp. butter, 1 tsp. vanilla and 1/4 tsp. each salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Place in casserole.
Mix together 2 tbsp. melted butter, 1/4 cup brown sugar and 2 tbsp. flour. Sprinkle over top of casserole.
Top with pecans in a beautiful pattern created by husband.
Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 20 mins.
Note: I am heavy-handed with the spices (sometimes including cloves) and a bit light on the sugar, but for the topping. Also, Grandma says "can double"; I usually triple, and the picture below is of a quadruple recipe, which fed many for days.
Grandma's yams are always good, but they were totally outdone by the vast quantities of delicious food we were served at our American Thanksgiving this year. Here's a picture of four of the 10? 15? dishes we were served (plus three kinds of pies with cream and ice cream for dessert):
The two stuffings above (mushroom in the back; apple in the front) were so amazing - P loved the first and I the second, and for the first time in our lives there was actually enough stuffing! - that I asked for the recipes, and here they are, courtesy of M and her souschef K, who truly prepared a feast and are deserving of much thanks.
Rustic Porcini Onion Stuffing (Vegetarian)
Gourmet | November 2005
Yield: Makes 8 to 10 servings
Active Time: 1 hr Total Time: 1 3/4 hr
1 1/2 (1-lb) Pullman or round loaves, torn into 1-inch pieces (20 cups)
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter plus additional for greasing dish
4 1/2 cups boiling-hot water
2 oz dried porcini mushrooms (sometimes called cèpes; 54 g) (I added fresh shitaki mushrooms as well as the dried porcini.)
10 oz fresh white mushrooms, cut into 1/2-inch wedges (3 cups)
1 large onion, halved lengthwise, then sliced crosswise 1/2 inch thick
4 large shallots, quartered
2 celery ribs, sliced
1/4 inch thick
2 medium carrots, halved lengthwise, then sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 350°F.
Spread bread in 2 large shallow baking pans and bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, stirring occasionally and switching position of pans halfway through baking, until dry, 20 to 25 minutes total. Transfer bread to a large bowl.
Increase oven temperature to 450°F and butter a 13- by 9-inch baking dish (3-quart capacity).
Pour boiling-hot water over porcini and soak 20 minutes, then drain in a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl, squeezing porcini and reserving soaking liquid. Rinse porcini under cold water to remove any grit, then squeeze out excess water and coarsely chop.
While porcini soak, heat butter (1 stick) in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then cook white mushrooms, onion, and shallots, stirring occasionally, until golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Add celery, carrots, garlic, and porcini and cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Stir in thyme, sage, parsley, salt, and pepper, then add vegetables to bread, tossing to combine.
Add 1 cup reserved porcini-soaking liquid to skillet and deglaze by boiling over high heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, 1 minute. Add remaining soaking liquid and salt and pepper to taste and pour over bread mixture, tossing to coat evenly.
Spread stuffing in baking dish and cover tightly with buttered foil (buttered side down), then bake in upper third of oven until heated through, about 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake stuffing until top is browned, 10 to 15 minutes more.
Cooks' notes:
•Stuffing can be assembled (but not baked) 2 days ahead and chilled, covered.
•Stuffing can be baked 6 hours ahead and kept, uncovered, at room temperature. Reheat, uncovered, in a 350°F oven until hot, about 30 minutes (test center with a wooden pick for warmth).
Apple, Sausage, and Parsnip Stuffing with Fresh Sage
Bon Appétit | November 2005
Yield: Makes 12 servings
1 1/2-pound loaf sliced sourdough bread with crust, cubed
1 1/2 pounds sweet Italian sausages, casings removed (I really like Gianelli sausage if you can find it)
1 1/2 pounds hot Italian sausages, casings removed
6 cups chopped onions
2 cups chopped celery 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, divided
3 pounds Pippin or Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, cubed (I used Fortune apples - they do need to be sour)
2 pounds parsnips, peeled, cubed (I used a little less than 1 pound; I’m cautious with parsnips.)
3/4 cup packed fresh sage leaves
1/2 cup low-salt chicken broth
Preheat oven to 325°F. Bake bread cubes on 2 large rimmed baking sheets until lightly toasted, about 20 minutes.
Sauté sausages in very large skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through, breaking into pieces with spoon, about 15 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer to large bowl; add bread.
Add onions and celery to same skillet and sauté until golden brown, about 10 minutes; transfer to bowl with bread. Melt 1/4 cup butter in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add apples and sauté until tender, about 8 minutes; mix apples into stuffing. Melt 1/4 cup butter in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add parsnips and sauté until golden, about 10 minutes; mix into stuffing. Melt 1/4 cup butter in same skillet. Add sage and sauté until dark green, about 2 minutes. Mix sage and butter into stuffing. Season with salt and pepper.
Butter 15x10x2-inch glass baking dish. Stuff turkey. Transfer remaining stuffing to prepared dish; drizzle with 1/2 cup chicken broth. Cover with foil. (Can be prepared 4 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake stuffing covered until heated through, about 1 hour. Uncover and bake until beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.
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