Guinness Bloody Mary - Foodie Friday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Happy New Year! My greeting comes with special wishes for your health and happiness in 2010. I thought it might be fun to start the new year with a new drink, so I've bumped my scheduled post to share this one with you before the holiday officially ends. None of you will need a drink to cure "the hair of the dog", but in case you know someone who does, or are entertaining this weekend, you might find this twist on a Bloody Mary interesting. Years ago, it was believed that the best antidote for rabies was a drink brewed with the hair of the the dog that caused the rabies. Certain drinks, like the Bloody Mary, are believed by some to cure the symptoms of a hangover. While there is no medical proof to support that claim, the hypothesis is tested on a regular basis by revelers. The drink was first served in Chicago at the Bucket of Blood Club. Fernand Petiot, while working at Harry's New York Bar in Paris, France, was asked to create a drink like that served at the Bucket of Blood by a waitress called Bloody Mary. Hence, the name. Interestingly, the Guinness Bloody Mary also has its roots in Chicago. I had the drink at a brunch in Austin and was able to find a prototype for the recipe on the Tabasco Foodservice website. If you are looking for a new brunch drink, this one might be perfect for you. It really is delicious, but be forewarned - it does pack a punch. Here's the recipe.

Guinness Bloody Mary...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
4 cups tomato juice
Juice of 2 limes
4 shots good vodka
2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon celery salt
Tabasco sauce to taste
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Coarse salt for coating rims of mugs
1 (12-oz.) bottle Draught Guinness
Optional: Limes or olives for garnish

Directions:
1) Combine tomato juice, lime juice, vodka, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, celery salt, Tabasco sauce, and salt and pepper in a large iced filled pitcher.
2) Dampen the rims of 4 mugs with water and dip them in a bowl of coarse salt. Fill each mug with an equal portion of tomato juice mixture. Float 3 ounces of Guinness on top of each mug. Serve immediately. Garnish with lime slices or olives if desired. Yield: 4 drinks.


This recipe is being linked to:
Designs By Gollum - Foodie Friday

Wreath Cupcakes

Tearing the last leaf of the huge daily calender - if you are asian you will know what calender that is hanging in my kitchen and you should know me by now, that the kitchen would be the first place i will be when i come downstairs every morning,  made me realised that i had better bid you all 'Auld Lnag Syne". This  Scottish poem, thought to be composed by Scottish poet and lyricist Robert Burns in 1788, starts with this lyric  - Should old acquaintance be forgot,and never brought to mind ?  - Of course not, no good or bad acquintance should be forgotten.  Treasure the good ones and move on with the bad ones.  With this in mind, i wish you all 'Happy New Year".

.


Ingredients and Method:

The cupcakes recipe is Here

The frosting is also There  or the Buttercream which is  Here
Green and red food colorings
Cherry/strawberry/raspberry jam
Glazed Red cherries
Christmas colors sprinkles

A silicone cupcake wreath mould

Serves

Mexican Beer-Cheese Spread

From the Kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is one of my go-to cheese spreads. Success with this recipe depends on the quality of cheese that you use. Here in the Pacific Northwest, I use Tillamook Special Reserve Extra Sharp Cheddar and their Pepper Jack cheese to make my spread. Having lived in other areas, I can tell you that premium Wisconsin and Vermont cheeses can also be used and will produce an equally great cheese spread. It takes 5 minutes to prepare and it's close to effortless if you use a blender or food processor to make it. I like to make this several days before serving it in order to allow all the flavors to blend. Truth be told, it can be served in eight hours if you are in a bind. The spread will keep in the refrigerator for 10 days or so. Because jack cheeses vary in heat, I've included an optional addition of hot peppers or pepper flakes in the recipe. If you like heat and feel the base mixture is too tame, go for it. Otherwise take a pass. I think you'll like this spread for its great flavor and ease of preparation. Here's the recipe.

Mexican Beer-Cheese Spread...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 small grated onion and juice
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cup + 1/4 cup flat Mexican beer (i.e. Corona), divided use
1 tablespoon tomato based steak sauce (i.e. Heinz 57)
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1/2 pound freshly shredded extra sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 pound freshly shredded pepper jack cheese
Optional: 1 small, finely minced jalapeno pepper or 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Directions:
1) Combine minced onion and onion juice, garlic, 1/2 cup beer, steak sauce and mayonnaise in the bowl of a food processor. Process until blended.
2) Add cheeses and process until perfectly smooth. Add additional beer by the tablespoon until mixture has a spreadable consistency. Fold in optional jalapeno pepper or pepper flakes if using. Transfer to a refrigerator container and chill for several days before serving. Serve at room temperature with crackers or crisp chips. Yield: about 2-1/4 cups.

Spiced and Pickled Shrimp

The weather outside is frightful. Come inside and join us by the fire for one of our favorite finger foods - spiced and pickled shrimp.






From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I love to serve these shrimp to friends at informal gatherings. This dish is one I wish I could claim as my own. I can't. I found the recipe, developed by Peggy Towbridge, at About.com Home Cooking and it's been a favorite of mine ever since. Don't be put off by the ingredient list. Chances are you have everything needed to make these shrimp in your refrigerator or pantry. I've made two slight changes to the original recipe. I think balsamic vinegar muddies the glorious color of this dish, so I've opted to use white wine or white balsamic vinegar instead. I've also added small amounts of red and yellow bell pepper to provide more eye candy in the final presentation. While I've served these shrimp as a first course for an informal dinner, I am more likely to set out bowls of them to entertain a large number of people for cocktails or an open house. When I serve these as finger food, I remove all trace of shell from the shrimp. I know that runs contrary to conventional wisdom, but I hate to see folks trying to balance drinks and plates of discarded shells or toothpicks. Shrimp, once a luxury item, is relatively inexpensive these days. So, you'll be happy to know the recipe can be doubled or tripled for those occasions when you're feeling particularly generous or are feeding the immediate world. I let the shrimp marinate for 24 hours before serving them. Discard uneaten, unrefrigerated shrimp at the end of the evening. The brine used to pickle the shrimp is not strong enough to kill organisms that might developed after the shrimp has been sitting unrefrigerated for several hours. Here's the recipe for a terrific party appetizer.

Spiced and Pickled Shrimp...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
1 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
Juice of 1 lemon, rinds reserved
2 pounds large or jumbo raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup white balsamic or white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh dill weed, finely chopped OR 2 teaspoons dried
2 cloves garlic, pressed
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes or hot sauce to taste
1 small sweet onion, finely sliced
1 small red bell pepper, cored and thinly sliced
1 small yellow pepper, cored and thinly sliced
1 small green bell pepper, cored and thinly sliced

Directions:
1) Combine garlic powder, onion powder, lemon pepper, paprika, and celery seed until mixed.
2) Sprinkle lemon juice over the shrimp, top with the spice mixture, and toss to coat.
3) Place sliced reserved lemon rinds in about 1 inch of water. Cover with a steamer basket. Place spiced shrimp in the basket, cover pot, and gently steam until shrimp is just barely done and opaque, about 2 minutes. Do not overcook or the shrimp will become rubbery. Remove from heat, uncover, and place shrimp in a large bowl of ice to stop cooking.
4) For the marinade, place olive oil, cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, dill weed, garlic, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper flakes or hot sauce in a large heavy bag with a zip top. Squish to thoroughly combine.
5) Add drained shrimp, sweet onion, and bell pepper to the marinade in bag. Seal with air in bag and toss to coat. Open bag, squeeze out air, and re-seal. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Serve cold. Yield: 12 to 16 appetizer
servings.

This is being linked to:
Outdoor Wednesday - A Southern Daydreamer

Steamed Fish

Cooking this dish is effortless, the only difficult part is to scale or like me, just remove the skin of the fish.  You can beat Rachael Ray hands down way for preparing your dinner before 30 minutes, if you serving this dish..  The plate of fish is left to steam on top of the rice, in the rice cooker,  as soon as there are no more bubbles on the surface of the rice.  Leave the plate of fish on top, close the lid and forget about it until you are ready to have dinner.  To complete your dinner menu,  a vegetable dish will be good.  Wash and cut up some leafy vegetables, arrange them on a plate and add in a couple of tablespoons of oil, zap in the microwave for 3 - 4 minutes.  Add in a tablespoon of oyster sauce before serving.  Two dishes down, now you need to balance your dinner nutritiously with a meat or tofu dish and a soup like egg drop, miso or hot and sour soup .  This is pretty much the daily action in my kitchen and sometimes when there is no more greens in the fridge, just serve 'kimchi'.

Ingredients:

1 piece of fish steak/fillet
1 stalk spring onions
1 heaped teaspoon of Ginger and garlic sauce
A dash of white pepper(optional)
Shredded spring onions for garnishing

Method:

Scale or remove the skin if you need to.

Put the stalk of spring onion on to a plate/dish that will fit your rice cooker and place fish steak/fillet on top. 

Top the fish steak/fillet with the ginger and garlic sauce and when there are no more bubbles on the rice, place prepared plate/dish on top of rice.  Close the rice cooker lid and forget about it until you are ready for dinner.

Sprinkle a dash of white pepper and garnish with shredded spring onions before serving

Serves

Chunky Chopped Clam and Bacon Dip

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The countdown to the new year has begun, and, as the nesting months of its first quarter approach, I'm starting to give some consideration to fireplace and football food. This week I wanted to explore some of my favorite snacks and appetizers, especially the ones that make hosting a breeze. They're simple to make and easy on the pocketbook. Their greatest virtue is that they'll also allow you to enjoy a game or conversation with friends and fellow fans. I also wanted to come up with newer versions of old recipes that everyone likes. Who doesn't like clam dip or can resist one that's laced with bacon? I know I can't, so I thought I'd give this a try and, hopefully, come up with something that could be shared with you. I'm glad I did. While I prefer the flavor of fresh chopped clams, canned clams work well here if they are drained. I reserve the clam juice and use it at the very end of the recipe to achieve the consistency I want for my dip. Make sure your bacon is really crisp, well-drained and not too finely crumbled before adding it to the mix. The red bell pepper adds wonderful color to the dip. If you don't care for horseradish use hot sauce instead. I like to prepare this a full day before serving it. This dip ages really well if refrigerated. Here's the recipe.


Chunky Chopped Clam and Bacon Dip...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
10 slices thick-cut smoked bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 cans (6 oz. size) drained chopped clams, liquid reserved
1/2 cup + 1 teaspoon sour cream
8 ounces softened cream cheese
2 scallions, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon mayonnaise
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish or horseradish sauce
1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper

Directions:
Blend all ingredients in medium mixing bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. If dip is too thick, thin with spoonfuls of reserved clam juice until desired consistency is reached. Remove from refrigerator 1/2 hour before serving. Serve with chips, crackers or bread. Discard leftovers that have been sitting at room temperature. Yield: 12 servings.

Ginger And Garlic Sauce

2009 is ending in three days time and i have made a promise of a good thing and i better keep my promise.  A promise is a promise and whether it is a good thing to others or not, it is a good thing to me, not in the healthy sense(i am not going into this subject about saturated fat - Eat you Die, you do not eat you die, so????) but good in the sense that it aids my cooking when time is the essence.  I love this sauce, a bottle of it is in the fridge, ready for Hainanese Chicken Rice and whatever dishes that have ginger and garlic in the recipe.  A tablespoon is surfficed for 3 cups of rice and 1 teaspoon will do for Steaming a piece of fish - 1/2 lb steak or fillet.

For Rendered Chicken Fat,  the fat on the chicken has to be accumulated and frozen everytime you cut up a whole chicken.  As soon as you have a sandwich bag full of chicken fat, it is time to render.  Put them in large corningware with a lid and microwave on high until the fat has rendered.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups Rendered Chicken Fat
4 ozs/113 g ginger - peeled

5 ozs/150 gm garlic - peeled
6 tsp salt
6 tsp Knorrs Chicken Broth Mix/chicken granules/cubes

Method:

Using the food processor, process the ginger and garlic into a paste.

Pour into a large bowl which is microwave-safe, add in the rendered chicken fat and microwave on high for 3 minutes, one minute at a time and stir.

Add in salt and Knorrs Chicken Broth Mix.

Cool before bottling and keep in the fridge.

Serves

Blackberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake - Blue Monday

We've finally reached Connecticut and are again with the men in blue. I'm sure you've heard it was a less than perfect year for Christmas travelers. I can attest to an unintended night in Phoenix and an unplanned, though lovely, extension of our Austin visit. Folks more intelligent than I, know better than to book flights that go anywhere near O'Hare airport at this time of year. We've had a run of good luck these past few years and it was bound to end sooner or later. It did. Some blame Hermes, others Christopher. I prefer to take a deep breath, swear a little and then surrender to the limitations of the day. Fortunately, it has all ended well. It's been a wonderful holiday so far and I have another week to go. Oops! More snow is forecast for tomorrow.







From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I saw the prototype for this coffee cake on Annie's Eats while searching for new sweet breads for the holiday. I wanted to give a Pacific Northwest twist to her wonderful Raspberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake, so I began to dissemble it. I chose to use a moist potato dough for the cake base, swapped blackberries for raspberries and, of course, felt compelled to use hazelnuts in the streusel topping. I also doubled the ingredients so I could have a spare cake in the freezer. This is not a difficult recipe if you break it into its component parts. It will take time, but you'll also have a luscious coffee cake to serve your family and friends. A refrigerator dough is used to form the base of the coffee cake, so you'll want to start this the day before you plan to serve it. Here's the recipe.

Blackberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
Dough
1-1/4 cups warm water
2 (4-1/2 teaspoons) packages active dry yeast
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 cup instant, reconstituted warm mashed potatoes, prepared without butter and salt
2 large eggs + 2 egg yolks, room temperature
1/2 cup butter, softened
6-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Berry Topping
4 cups fresh or frozen blackberries
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoon orange juice
Cream Cheese Filling
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Streusel Topping:
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup toasted chopped hazelnuts
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
Egg Wash
1 large egg
1 tsp. heavy cream or whole milk
Glaze
2/3 cup confectioners' sugar
4 teaspoons milk
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Directions:
1) To make the dough: Pour warm water into a medium size bowl. Sprinkle yeast over water; add sugar and salt; stir to combine. Let sit until mixture begins to bubble, about 5 minutes.
Add eggs, soft butter, warm mashed potatoes and 3 cups flour. Beat with a portable mixer until just smooth. Using a wooden spoon, beat in 2 additional cups of flour until just mixed into dough. Add remaining 1-1/2 cups flour, using hands to mix dough until it's smooth and leaves sides of bowl. Brush top with oil or melted butter. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in refrigerator until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours. Punch down. Cover and return to refrigerator for one to three days, punching down once each day. Remove dough from refrigerator 2 hours before proceeding to shape.
2) To make berry filling: Combine berries, sugar, lemon juice, salt, cinnamon, cornstarch and orange juice in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Continue boiling, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick and shiny, 1½ to 2 minutes. Scrape into a small bowl, cover and chill thoroughly before using.
3) To make cream cheese filling: Beat cream cheese, sugar, flour and salt in bowl of a mixer at high speed until smooth, 2-4 minutes. Add lemon zest, egg and almond extract. Reduce speed to medium and continue beating, scraping down sides of the bowl at least once, until incorporated, about 1 minute. Scrape mixture into a small bowl and chill thoroughly before using.
4) To make streusel topping: Mix brown and granulated sugars, flour, hazelnuts, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl. Add butter pieces and toss to coat. Rub butter chunks and dry mixture together between your fingertips until mixture is crumbly. Chill thoroughly before using.
5) When ready to shape coffee cakes: Remove dough from refrigerator 2 hours before shaping. Then turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough into 2 pieces. Shape each piece into a log about 8 inches long and about 2 inches in diameter. Roll each log evenly into a 40-inch rope about 1 inch in diameter. Flatten each rope into a strip that is 1-1/2 inches wide. Use both hands to twist each strip of dough into a coil. Loosely coil each rope in a spiral pattern, leaving a ¼-inch space between coils. Tuck ends under and pinch to seal. Place each coil on a separate baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover shaped cakes with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until nearly doubled in volume, about 45-60 minutes.
6) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Brush each cake with egg wash. Spoon half of cheese filling over the center of the top of each cake, leaving a border clear around edge. Layer half of blackberry filling over cheese filling on each cake. Sprinkle streusel topping over each cake. Bake until deep golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted in center of the cake reads 190 degrees F, about 25-30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for at least 20 minutes.
7) To make glaze: Whisk together confectioners' sugar, milk and almond extract in a bowl. Drizzle over top of finished cakes and let set before serving. Yield: 2 cakes; 16-2o servings.

This post is being linked to:
Smiling Sally - Blue Monday

This recipe is linked to:
Wild Yeast - Yeast Spotting

Sugar Snap Peas with Sesame

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...These snap peas have become a feature of our dinner table. I also keep a supply of them in the refrigerator for between meal snacks. They're simple to prepare and once you try them I suspect you'll discover they're like peanuts or martinis in that "one's not enough, but two is too many". When I first made these, I'd stir-fry them. That's still a viable option, but these days I use the microwave to get the peas to that perfect degree of crisp-tender, while using far less oil. Unless you are working with small peas straight from the garden, it's important to trim the peas. To prepare snap peas for eating, grasp the stem end and pull it down with one of the plump sides facing you; if the peas are very fresh, this will remove the strings on both the inner and outer curves in one movement. Sometimes it is necessary to remove the strings separately: pull the blossom end toward the inner curve, and pull the stem end toward the outer. A bit of an inconvenience but well worth the effort. Toasted (dark) sesame oil and light or dark sesame seeds are the only other ingredients you actually need. A last minute sprinkle with coarse sea salt is nice but not necessary. While this is more procedure than recipe, proper quantities make this tastier and easier to do, so I'm presenting this in recipe format. Here it is.

Sugar Snap Peas with Sesame...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 pound sugar snap peas, trimmed
2 to 3 teaspoons dark sesame oil
1 tablespoon light or dark sesame seeds
Optional: coarse sea salt

Directions:
1) Place peas in a large microwave pan. Toss with sesame oil. Run water over pan cover. Shake off excess. Cook, covered, on HIGH power for 3 to 5 minutes, or until peas are just crisp-tender.
2) Transfer to serving platter. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and optional sea salt. Serve hot or cold. Yield: 4 servings.

Stuffed Flank Steak Spirals - Pink Saturday

Grandma's coming.



From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I made and froze these steak spirals several days ago in order to make tonight's meal really simple. While I stuffed these with spinach and goat cheese, anything that appeals to you could be used. I've had great success using sun-dried tomatoes with arugula and feta cheese as an alternate filling. Winter weather in Oregon allows those of us who wish to do so, to grill outdoors. It's also possible to prepare these steaks in a griddle pan on top of the stove. When grilled, I suggest they be cooked for six minutes on each side. Flank steak can become tough if cooked too long. However you cook these, be sure to let them rest for at least 10 minutes before serving. The spirals are wonderful to have on hand for busy days. I think you'll like their simplicity. Here's the recipe.

Stuffed Flank Steak Spirals...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 1-1/2 to 2 lb. butterflied flank steak
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced finely
6 ounces fresh baby spinach or chard
3 ounces crumbled goat cheese
Optionsl Garnish: chopped parsley or dill

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Season flank steak with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2) Heat olive oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic. Cook 1 minute, being careful not to burn. Add spinach and cook just until wilted, a minute or two. Remove from heat and let cool.
3) Lay flank steak out on a cutting board with long end parallel to you. Spread spinach in a thin strip horizontally down middle of the steak. Top with the crumbled goat cheese. Tuck short ends in on sides, then roll long side away from you. Place kitchen twine around steak at 1/2-inch intervals. Wrap in plastic warp and chill for several hours or overnight.
4) Adjust a rack to upper third of oven. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
5) Cut steak crosswise into 6 pieces. Heat a saute pan with an oven-proof handle over medium-high heat. When pan is hot, spray steak with olive oil cooking spray and place in hot pan. Sear both sides of flank steak until just browned, about 2 minutes per side.
6) Transfer pan to upper third of oven and bake until internal temperature reaches 130 degrees, about 15 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped parsley or dill if desired. Yield: 6 servings.

This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound

Cranberry Glogg - Merry Christmas

On this day of wonder and delight, I'd like to propose a toast to you and other absent friends.



May there always be friends at your fire, family at your table, blessings in your home, and joy in your heart.



From our home to yours, come warm wishes for a Happy Christmas. Blessings to you all...Mary

Cranberry Glogg...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Beatrice Ojakangas

Ingredients:
1 (28-ounce) bottle white table wine, or 4 cups white grape juice
4 cups cranberry juice
8 whole cloves
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled
2 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks
1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar

Directions:
1) Combine wine, cranberry juice, cloves, ginger and cinnamon in a large bowl. Refrigerate for 24 hours before serving.
2) Pour into a large stockpot and heat until almost simmering. Glogg should be 150 to 170 degrees F for serving. Ladle into small, warmed cups and serve. Yield: 10 servings.

This recipe is being linked to:
Designs By Gollum - Foodie Friday

Berlinerkranzer

My inspiration to bake cookies this year came as i have a buddy who loves cookies and she came with her recipe books of cookies.  We decided to make these Norwegian wreath cookies aka Berlinerkranzer.   These are decorative holiday cookies adding quite a bright, colorful aromatic touch to your plate of cookies. They are delicious and buttery although we could not pronounced Berlinerkranzer and named it " funny sounding cookie".  Thank you Tien His for the recipe and i had a great fun baking with you.

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
3/4 cup margarine or butter (softened)
3/4 cup shortening
2 teaspoons grated orange peel
2 eggs
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg white
2 tablespoons sugar
Red candied cherries
Green candied citron


Method:


Mix 1 cup sugar, the margarine/butter, shortening, orange peel and 2 eggs.

Stir in flour.

Shape dough by rounded teaspoonfuls into ropes, about 6 inches long, and 1/4 inch in diameter. Form each rope into circle, crossing ends and tucking under. (This shaping method is easier than the traditional method of tying knots).

Place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Beat egg white and 2 tablespoons sugar until foamy. Brush over tops of cookies.

For holly berries: press bits of red candied cherries on center of knot; add little jagged leaves cut from citron.

Bake until set but not brown, 10 to 12 minutes.

Immediately remove from cookie sheet.


About 6 dozen cookies.

Serves

Caramel Corn

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite ...When our children were small, Christmas Eve required advance preparation and activities to keep them occupied and their excitement under control. The moms of the neighborhood organized caroling adventures, and, whenever possible sled rides down a local hill. The logical conclusion to these activities was an indoor project that would warm small hands and keep them busy at least till the sun set. After 5 o'clock all parents were on their own. Our indoor project and secret weapon was popcorn balls - the kind that could be assembled without sugar syrup and possible burns. However, in the background, sensitive noses could pick up traces of the "real" thing, honest-to-goodness caramel corn that had been made made while the children were out. Over the years, I've come across and made lots of recipes for caramel corn. I keep searching for the perfect one. I came awfully close the year I used the recipe developed by David Leibovitch's that can be found here. Last year I found a new version created by Donna Deanne in The Los Angeles Times. I thought it was wonderful and good enough to try again this year. This is definitely an upscale caramel corn and those who have tried it love it. It's easy enough to do and, in the grand scheme of things, it's well worth the small effort it takes to make. It is quite simply delicious. Here's the recipe. I hope you'll try it.

Caramel Corn...from the kitchen of one Perfect Bite, courtesy of Donna Deane and The Los Angeles Times

Ingredients:
12 cups popped corn
1 cup toasted salted peanuts
1 cup toasted salted almonds
2 cups toasted salted pecans
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, cut into quarters, plus butter for greasing 2 baking sheets
2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:
1) Heat oven to 200 degrees. In a large heat-proof bowl, combine popcorn, peanuts, almonds and pecans. Place bowl in to warm while making caramel. Lightly butter 2 baking sheets.
2) In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Heat pan over high heat, stirring to combine contents, until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat to a strong simmer and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until a candy thermometer inserted reads 255 degrees. Stir in baking soda and remove from heat.
3) Pour caramel quickly over the popcorn and toss to coat evenly. Divide caramel corn between two prepared baking sheets and place them in oven. Bake, stirring occasionally, until caramel dries and hardens, about 1 hour. Remove the trays from the oven and allow caramel corn to cool on the pans. Break cooled caramel corn into small clusters and store in airtight containers. Caramel corn will keep for 2 days, stored at room temperature. Yield 12 cups

Pecan Balls

Cookies spread joy - they are a pleasure to bake, make your whole house smell great, and put smiles on the faces of people who are eating them.  I am still not used to making giant cookies which is a norm in coffee shops and bakeries here but had to make some large sugar cookies for Renee's school Bakesale - cos a cookie costed a quarter and if they were small, i felt like i had short-changed the kids.  Here are some pictures to share  and the recipe is here.

The recipe below is a favorite of Tien Hsi, a very dear relative, who will make these cookie for all the Christmases that i have been here.  She shared the recipe with me and i am sharing it with all of you.  Christmas is supposed to be a time of peace, love and goodwill to all. But with all the stress and commotion of the season, many of us end up feeling more like Mr. Scrooge than Santa Claus.













Ingredients:

1/2 lb butter
3/4 cup confectioner's sugar
1/2 lb chopped pecans
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tbsp vanilla extract


Method:

Cream butter, add in sugar, flour, pecans and vanilla.

Chill overnight.

Shape about the size of a walnut and bake at 300f for 30 minutes.

Cool and roll in confectioner's sugar while slightly warm.

Do not grease cookie sheet.

Serves

White House Chocolate Chip Cookies

According to Roland Mesnier, The White House Pastry Chef, these cookies are the ones he baked on an almost daily basis at the White House. So, the President has been eating Chocolate Chip Cookies.  He uses Molasses to make these chocolate chip cookies chewy and it will remain so for more than a day.  It also gives them a more intense brown sugar flavor than Toll House-type cookies. He suggests to bake at 400f and it is for a reason - high heat browns the outside while keeping the inside moist and almost gooey.  Do not overbake or they will overbrown on the outside and dry out on the inside.

Ingredients:

3 cups plus 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup(2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 cup molasses
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
2 cups(one 12 ozs bag) chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts

Method:

Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until thoroughly combined.  Beat in the eggs, molasses, and vanilla, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice as necessary.  Stir in the flour mixture until just incorporated.  Then stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts.  Place the bowl in the refrigerator and allow the dough to chill for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 400f.  Line several baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat pads.

Drop heaping tablespoons or #40 ice cream scoops of the dough 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets, flattening them slightly by hand.  (Balls of dough may be placed next to each other on parchment lined baking sheets, frozen, transferred to zipper-lock plastic freezer bags, and stored in the freezer for up to 1 month.  Place frozen cookies on prepared sheets as above, and defrost on the counter for 30 minutes before baking.)

Bake until just light golden, 8 - 10 muinutes.  Cool the cookies for 5 minutes on the baking sheets before using a metal spatula to transfer them to a wire ract to cool completely.  Chocolate Chip Cookies will keep in an airthight container for 2 - 3 days.




Serves

Savory Mushroom Puff - Outdoor Wednesday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The cakes and cookies have all been baked and safely stored. Now, like it or not, it's time to get back to kitchen basics and think about making a "real" meal or two. This mushroom puff is a cross between a crustless quiche and a souffle and it is one of my favorite casseroles for a holiday breakfast or brunch. It's really simple to do and the few ingredients that are used to assemble it provide great texture and a unique flavor. The dish can be oven ready in 15 minutes and on the table within an hour. It holds well and can be served hot from the oven or warm. It can also be reheated. It would be wonderful to serve for breakfast on Christmas or New Year's morning. The casserole rises slightly in the oven, a bit like a souffle, and, while it deflates quickly, it has great color and visual appeal. The recipe can be doubled without a problem. Here's how it's done.

Savory Mushroom Puff...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
4 thick slices white bread, crusts removed
1/2 pound breakfast sausage, cooked and crumbled
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
3 cups sliced mushrooms
6 large eggs, beaten
1 cup baking mix (i.e. Bisquick)
2 cups milk
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley + parsley for garnish
1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch square glass pan and set aside.
2) Line bottom of pan with bread slices.
3) Combine sausage, onions and mushrooms and sprinkle them over bread slices.
4) Combine eggs, baking mix, milk, mustard, mayonnaise, parsley, sage and cheese in a bowl. Pour into pan.
5) Place a baking sheet under pan. Transfer to oven. Bake until puffed and golden brown, about 45 to 50 minutes. Cut into squares and garnish with chopped parsley, if desired. Yield: 9 servings.

This is being linked to:
Outdoor Wednesday - A Southern Daydreamer

Almond Crescents

These cookies are adapted from Dessert University  - Essential Lessons from White House Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier.  I have omitted the 1/2 cup sugar and the sweetness was just nice.

With these delicious crescents which are fitted for The President of The United States, I wish you all A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Ingredients:

8 ozs almond paste(a mixture of 50% sugar and 50% almonds)
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar
3 large egg whites, 2 in one small bowl and 1 in another small bowl
3 tbsp chopped store-bought candied orange peel
2 1/2 cups sliced almonds
1/4 cup heavy syrup

Method:

Preheat the oven to 400 f.  Line several baking sheets with parchment pape o9r Silpat pads.

Place the amond paste and 1/2 cup of the sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and mix on low speed until well combined.  With the mixer still on low, add the 2 egg whites, a little at a time so that no lumps form, and mix well, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.  Stir in the candied orange peel.(i did not use all the 2 egg whites as the dough was wet enough to be formed into a ball)

Sprinkle a work surface wi8th the remaining 2 tbsp sugar.  Place the remaining egg white in a cake pan or pie plate and lightly beat it with a fork.  Place the almonds in another cake pan or pie plate.

Roll scant tablespoonfuls of the batter into balls, or scoop them out with a #100 ice cream scoop.  Roll the balls first in the egg white and then in the almonds. Shape the coated cookies between your palms into 2- inch long logs and place them onthe prepared baking sheets, leaving at least 3/4 inch between cookies and bending the ends toweard each other slightly to form crescents. (Shaped cookies can be placed next to each other on parchment-lined baking sheets, frozen, transferred to zipper lock plastic freezer bags, and stored in the freeser for up to 1 month.  Defrost frozen cookie dough on the counter for 30 minutes before baking.

Bake until golden brown, 12 - 15 minutes.  Remove the cookies from the oven and lightly brush them with the Heavy Syrup.  ALet them cool completely on the baking sheets.  Almond Crescents will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 5 - 6 days.

Heavy Syrup

Makes 2 cups

1 cup water
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tbsp corn syrup

Combine the water, sugar, and corn syrup in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.  Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.  Use immediately, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
Serves

Southern Nut Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Fruit cake is a misunderstood confection. While we love it, most of our guests move it around their plates or hide it under napkins when they don't think we are looking. If your first bite of fruit cake was a disaster, chances are I'll never be able to convince you of its merits. That's a shame because a well aged fruit cake is a wondrous mix of jeweled and drunken fruit suspended in a spare but flavorful batter. In order to please our guests I periodically seek out recipes for Christmas cakes and puddings that might have more universal appeal. This year I decided to try Maida Heatter's Southern Nut Cake. I'm happy to report it is a lovely cake and it has been well received by those who've tried it. I thought the cake was dry when I first sampled it, so I wrapped it in brandy soaked cheese cloth and let it sit for several days before serving. That did the trick. If you are looking for a fruitless fruit cake, you'll love this nut extravaganza. While it is expensive to make, it's easy to do and would make a marvelous addition to your Christmas table. Here's the recipe.

Southern Nut Cake...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Maida Heatter

Ingredients:
1 pound toasted walnuts, broken in large pieces
1 pound toasted pecans, broken in large pieces
3-1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons double acting baking powder
1/2 teaspoon mace
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup brandy or bourbon, divided use
1 cup butter, room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
6 large eggs

Directions:
1) Move an oven rack to lower third of oven. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 10 x 4-inch tube pan. Line bottom with parchment paper. Butter paper and dust pan with fine dried bread crumbs. Set aside.
2) Place walnuts and pecans into a very large mixing bowl or roasting pan.
3) Combine flour, baking powder, mace and salt in another bowl. Whisk to combine.
4) Combine milk and 1/4 cup brandy or bourbon in another bowl. Set aside.
5) Cream butter in large bowl of an electric mixer. Add sugar and beat at moderate speed for two or three minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating each until incorporated. Increase speed and beat until light and fluffy.
6) On low speed alternately add flour mixture in three additions and milk mixture in two, beating only until smooth after each addition. Pour batter over nuts and mix with your hands or a wooden spoon until nuts are coated with batter. Turn batter into prepared pan, smoothing top to even.
7) Bake for 1-3/4 hours or until cake tester inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Transfer cake to a cooling rack. While cake is still hot brush top with reserved 1/4 cup brandy or bourbon. Let cake cool in pan for 20 minutes. Cover cake with a cooling rack and invert to remove paper. Invert again and cool in upright position. Let cake age for 24 hours before serving. Yield: 16 servings.

Walnut Coffee Cake - Blue Monday

Trafalger Square








As you read this, we'll be on our way to Texas for the first leg of our Christmas adventures. We'll be in Austin through the 26th and then head to Connecticut to meet our newest heir and greet the New Year. While my correspondence may suffer, there will be a new recipe and a, hopefully, pithy observation each day I'm gone, so please don't be strangers. I'll do my best to respond to your comments, but should reality trump intent, know I'll be back and in fine fettle for the New Year.

The walnut coffee cake featured today is the very nicest surprise of my Christmas baking adventures. I stumbled on the recipe and clipped it to use as a filler, never expecting it to become a holiday superstar. It is a wonderful yeast bread that is decidedly simple to make. It requires patience rather than kneading. The dough is mixed and then put to bed for the night in the refrigerator. It is filled, rolled and baked the following day. While there are several steps required to make this, none of them are difficult and no special equipment is required. The loaves can be frozen, but if you choose to take that route don't frost them until they've been thawed and are ready to serve. The loaves are very sticky, so don't let them sit for more than 15 minutes in their pans. When you turn them out, cover your cooling rack with plastic wrap or parchment paper to keep them from sticking to the ribs of the rack. Once cool, they'll be fine and the paper can be removed from the bottom of the loaves. This cake comes very close to being my all-time favorite coffee cake. It would be in first place if it weren't for the fact I know that there is another one out there that is just waiting to be discovered. On a scale of one to five, this cake is easily a five. Please try it.

Over-Night Walnut Coffee Cake...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Epicurean.com

Ingredients:
Dough
4 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
4-1/2 teaspoons (2 pkg.) active dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup warm water
2 eggs
1 cup cold milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons melted butter
Filling:
3/4 cup butter
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/2 cups finely chopped walnuts
Frosting:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 tablespoon hot water

Directions:
1) In large mixing bowl, combine flour, 1/4 cup sugar and salt. Cut in butter until it resembles corn meal.
2) In small bowl, combine yeast with 1 tablespoon sugar and warm water; stir to dissolve.
3) In another bowl, combine eggs, milk and vanilla; stir until well combined. Stir in yeast mixture, then add to flour mixture with a wooden spoon mixing until well combined and a rough dough forms. Cover bowl with plastic wrap; refrigerate overnight.
4) When ready to proceed, cream butter. Gradually beat in gradually beat in powdered sugar and vanilla. Spread 2 tablespoons of mixture in bottom and up sides of two 9 x 5 loaf pans. Reserve remainder for filling. Sprinkle 1/4 cup chopped nuts in bottom of each pan.
6) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
7) Divide dough in half. On lightly floured board, roll each half to a 10 x 18 inch rectangle. Spread each half with remaining filling, then sprinkle each with 1/2 cup chopped nuts. Cut each half cross wise into 3 equal strips, 6 x 10 inches long. Starting at long edge of each strip, roll up jelly-roll style to form 10-inch long rolls; twist slightly. Braid 3 rolls together; place in pans, tucking ends under.
8) Bake for 50 - 55 minutes. Remove from pans; frost when cool.
9) To make frosting, place powdered sugar, butter, corn syrup and water in a small bowl and combine until smooth. Add additional water as need to make a heavy but pourable icing. Yield: 2 loaves/cakes.

This post is being linked to:
Smiling Sally - Blue Monday

Wild Yeast - Yeast Spotting