Some time ago, I found some videos of a Jamie Oliver Christmas special on You Tube and found this great one where he makes a fantastic salad using leftover turkey. Inspired to make my own, I found the recipe on his site and served it for Christmas Eve.
Since I didn't have any leftover turkey meat, instead I poached some chicken thighs in a little water with peppercorns, a bay leaf, some fresh thyme, rosemary, and sage, along with a slice of lemon peel. The meat worked very well and the salad was absolutely amazing. What a great way to use up leftovers!
2 large handfuls of brown turkey meat
1 large handful of unsalted cashews
1 handful of dried cranberries
2 tsp 5 spice powder
a bunch of fresh mint, leaves picked off
bunch of fresh coriander, leaves picked off
4 large handfuls of mixed greens-I used arugula, and green leaf lettuce, but you can also use spinach and watercress
1 tbsp honey
1fresh chile, seeded and chopped (optional)
Dressing:
juice of a clementine
juice of a lime
1 pomegranate, halved
1/2 red onion, grated
extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
thumb sized piece of fresh ginger, grated
In a dry pan over medium heat, combine the turkey meat, cashews, dried cranberries, and 5 spice powder, give it a good stir and then allow it to brown and crisp up while you assemble the other ingredients.
Toss the mint, coriander, and greens together in a bowl. Set aside.
In a bowl, combine the clementine and lime juices. Holding one of the pomegranate halves over the bowl, give it a squeeze to get some juice out. Make sure to hold your hand under the half so that none of the seeds will fall into your dressing. Stir in the grated onion, then some olive oil. This is where you get to judge where you like it best-I preferred about half of the juice and half oil, but Jamie recommended more than that. I say maybe you should just try it and if you want more oil, add some. Stir in the soy sauce, sesame oil, then get your grated ginger and squeeze it over top so the juice drips into the bowl as well. Give it a good whisk.
Toss the greens with some of the dressing, adding a little more oil, soy, or lime juice if you wish.
Give the meat a good stir, and then add the honey, moving it all around in the pan to get it coated and crispy. Put some of the greens on each plate, then top with the hot meat. Top with some pomegranate seeds from the reserved half and serve immediately with the leftover dressing so that people can add more if they like.
I love potatoes. Crispy, fried, baked, mashed, they are a perfect comfort food, if you ask me. For Christmas day I was making a fantastic pepper steak and was reminded of a dinner I had a few months ago in Vancouver where there were these amazing thinly sliced potatoes. I wasn't exactly sure how they did it, but then I remembered this recipe I saw in an issue of Bon Appetit, and decided to try it. At first, I wasn't sure how I was going to get the potatoes sliced thinly enough because I don't have a mandolin, but then I remembered that my ancient little Cuisinart food processor had a slicer blade, and I was good to go.
You really want these potatoes sliced thinly, so if you don't have a food processor it could be a challenge. They bake up all crispy and browned on the bottom, fragrant with bay leaf, and topped with simple cracked pepper and a good salt, they are SO delicious. I even had to make another pan the next day because there just wasn't enough.
6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
3 1/2 pounds of russet potatoes
about 24 fresh or dried bay leaves
freshly cracked pepper and salt
Grease a cast iron pan or 13x9 inch baking dish with 2 Tbsp butter and pre-heat oven to 425 F. I actually used a glass dish and it was fine, so you could go that route too.
Peel the potatoes and using either a mandolin or food processor, thinly slice the potatoes to about 1/8th of an inch thick.Place the potatoes in the pan, fanning them like a deck of cards and lining them up in a row as you go. Once you've filled the pan, tuck bay leaves here and there in among the potatoes, drizzle them with 4 tbsp melted butter, then sprinkle with a good bit of salt and fresh cracked pepper.
Bake for about 30-45 minutes, until the bottom and edges are browned and crispy.
Beans for breakfast? You bet. This recipe caught my eye when I flipped through Spilling the Beans, and I quickly resolved to make it Christmas morning. Served with buttery croissants, oranges, and hot cups of coffee, it was delicious. I also made some a light dinner with a salad a few days later when I discovered the leftovers in the fridge. Sweet, salty, and so delicious, this recipe makes a decadent snack.
I chose to double the original recipe because I'm a little greedy.
Adapted from Spilling the Beans
One 19 oz can of chick peas, drained and rinsed
6 slices of bacon
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 handfuls of broken pecans
Pre-heat oven to 325 F
On a parchment paper lined baking sheet, roast the chick peas and bacon for 30 minutes, or until bacon starts to brown a bit. Increase the oven temperature to 400 F. Add the pecans and stir, then put the pan back into the oven for about 5 minutes more. Drizzle the maple syrup over all, stirring. Don't worry if it looks like a lot, it will be tasty. Trust me!
Put the pan back in the oven and let the maple syrup bubble and glaze the bacon, pecans, and chick peas, which should take about 5-8 minutes. Remove from the oven, stir, and let cool a little before you serve.
For the longest time, I thought that I didn't like the taste of chocolate and orange. What I eventually realized is that it's not that I don't like that particular flavor combination, but rather that I don't like cheap or artificial chocolate and orange. These home made bites are amazing-so much better than anything you can buy, and make a delicious Christmas gift. We even liked the candied orange peel without the chocolate!
The recipe is very easy, uses few ingredients, but it does require a little time and patience.
Cut one end off the orange so it would sit flat if you set it down on a counter. Then score the peel top to bottom, so that you can peel it off in about 4 sections.
Thinly slice (but not super thin) the peel into strips. Do this to all four and set aside the oranges. You can eat them for a snack or something, because you don't need them anymore. It's only the peel you need to worry about.
In a pot of boiling water, blanch the orange peels for a couple of minutes. Remove them with a slotted spoon, rinse, and then blanch them again. This removes all the bitterness from them.
In a different pot, bring the one cup of water and one cup of sugar to a simmer, stirring until the sugar melts. Add you blanched orange peels, turn the heat to low, and put a lid on. Let them simmer away for about an hour, checking on them every so often to turn down/up the heat if you need to.
After an hour, remove the peels from the syrup and set them on a wire cooling rack in a single layer. I put a piece of parchment paper underneath, as the syrup dripping off of the peels is sticky and then I had less clean up. Set them aside and let them dry. I let mine dry all night, and they were perfect in the morning.
Melt 16 oz dark chocolate in a double boiler set over hot, but not boiling, water until smooth. With a waxed paper lined cookie sheet nearby, dip the peels in the chocolate one by one. This is a messy process, and a little time consuming, but worth it. Set the dipped peels on the lined cookie sheet to dry until they are set.
I'm not sure how to describe how these turn out once they've sat and the chocolate has hardened up. The peel, which you'd think would stay chewy, actually goes kind of soft in the center. These taste just like the chocolate oranges that you smack to break apart, only they are SO MUCH BETTER.
My first attempt at from scratch gingerbread house making resulted in me throwing the house across my kitchen in frustration and vowing that kits were the way to go. As a result, I bought kits for 9 years and declared I would never build one from scratch again because they were just IMPOSSIBLE. Only crazy people built them from scratch.
Thing is, when you work in schools you can't get away from gingerbread in December. Enterprising teachers love to torture provide their kids with a wonderful experience, and often ask the staff/parents to help. A few years ago I was forced kicking and screaming volunteered to help teach some of the kids in my charge how to make these cute little houses. Fortunately, the brilliant woman that I work with gave me some invaluable tips and taught me that gingerbread really isn't that scary. Since then, I've made these houses with total success.
Pay very close attention to the tips in bold print. They make the difference between a successful house and one that flies across your kitchen. Trust me on this one. And before you even start, please remember that building these things is not a one day affair. I'd recommend doing it in stages-dough and baking, then a day or so later constructing, and even a day after that decorating. These things take time to make and you just can't rush it.
These houses are small-which for a novice like me, or small children, is perfect!)
First up, you need to make the dough.
Mini Gingerbread House (makes one small house and some cookies...if doubled, makes three small houses and a few small cookies)
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves or allspice
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup margarine
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
1 tsp water
1. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.
2. In another bowl with an electric mixer, cream the margarine and the brown sugar until fluffy. Add the egg, molasses, and water and continue to beat until smooth.
3. Beat half of the flour mixture into the butter mixture until well blended, and then stir in the remaining flour mixture. If the dough is really sticky, stir in a bit more flour until a little more manageable but be careful, you don't want it dry. The dough should be soft and easy to work with, but not so sticky it's all over the place.
4. Turn out onto a counter and knead 2 or 3 times for it to all come together. Shape into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and put in the fridge for about 2 hours. (or overnight...you can even freeze it at this point if you want and just thaw it before you roll and bake)
Now, just to make things easier for you, I've made a video about rolling and cutting! You can go to my dropbox to grab my gingerbread house pattern. Trace it onto another piece of paper after you have printed it out and cut out the pieces. Now watch the video for tips on rolling and shaping your gingerbread:
Baking the pieces.....
Pre heat oven to 350 F
The baking time varies on the size of the pieces, but I guessed about 8-10 minutes. More for larger, a bit less for smaller. You will need to watch them closely. You want them to be golden and set in the middle when you touch them, and not squishy.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before you peel off the parchment paper.
Constructing the House
*Only do this part when the pieces have completely cooled and hardened up. Better yet, do it the day after you've baked them.
Get a piece of sturdy cardboard and cover it with foil. This will be your base.
Make some icing. Using the right icing is important. In my first, and totally unsuccessful, gingerbread attempt I just mixed icing sugar and water. It doesn't work. Royal icing really is the best. It's like glue and dries really hard. If you are worried about the use of raw eggs like in traditional recipes, this recipe works well....
Royal icing:
1 1/2 Tbsps meringue powder
1/6 cup water
1 1/4 cups of icing sugar
Whisk the meringue powder and the water together until foamy. Gradually add the icing sugar and continue to stir until thick. You may add some more icing sugar if it's too runny, and if it becomes to dry, a touch of lemon juice will loosen it up. You don't want to make too much icing, or it will just go hard. You can't really save it for later use.
No icing bag? No problem. Use a zip lock bag instead. Make sure to get the air out and seal the top after the icing is in it, and snip a tiny hole in one corner. These work really well for kids, who tend to squish bags in the middle and have icing squirting out the top.
***Tomorrow I'll add a video to show you how to do this****
First, put a line of icing on the base for the front of the house. Stick the gingerbread piece on and hold it. Count to 10, sing your ABCs, whatever. Continuing to hold the front, put a line of icing along the side piece that will attach to the front and on the base where the side piece will sit. Place the gingerbread piece in place. Again-hold it for a few minutes....repeat with other side and the back of the house-all the while holding, waiting, and taking your time.
When you have the sides, front, and back all together and standing, allow them to then dry for about 1/2 hour. More if they were stubborn.
For the roof, you want to put a layer of icing along the seams of the front/back and sides where the roof will sit. Place the roof pieces on gently and hold. Put more icing right along the roof line. Hold. Your icing should, theoretically, dry fairly fast and cause the pieces to stick together quite nicely.
Let the whole thing sit for at least an hour. More, if it was stubborn. Resist temptation to eat all the candy.
If you really have issues with this part, and have no plans to actually eat the gingerbread, I have known people who have literally used a hot glue gun to construct their house. No joke. If you choose to do so, I certainly won't tell. However, the Royal icing does work so I don't think you'll have to resort to that.
Decorating!
This is the easy part. If you got the house to stick together, you're home free. Make the icing (one batch is enough to decorate one house, double for two) and have a great time sticking on the candy-well, mostly-the kids usually just eat them. For three houses and 3 gingerbread trees we used:
Gingerbread houses are a particularly great way to use up leftover Halloween candy. You don't need to buy a lot of candy for these houses because they are small. I hit the bulk section and bought tiny amounts, then just got some bags from the candy selection by the check out at the grocery store.
Total cost for 3 houses...$5 for the candy, and $1.25 for the meringue powder.
Shortbread is Kevin's favourite cookie-topped with candied cherries, coloured sugar, or dipped in chocolate ganache, the only limitations are your own imagination. I dipped them and then sprinkled crushed candy cane on them! The dip is fairly thick, and if you wish to use just plain melted chocolate you can go that route too. Or, just leave them as is and enjoy!
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 tsp corn syrup
Using an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Slowly blend in the icing sugar, and then add the vanilla. Scrape down the bowl and continue to blend until smooth. Add the flour and beat on low until well combined.
Dump the mixture out onto the counter and using your hands, bring together into a ball. Divide the ball in half, and wrap each half in plastic wrap. Chill for about 2 hours.
Pre-heat 325 F. On a lightly floured counter, roll the dough out to about 1/8 inch thickness and cut out with cookie cutters. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet about an inch apart and bake for about 15 minutes or until set and lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack and let cool.
Chocolate dip:
In a small saucepan, heat the cream until it begins to boil, then remove from the heat. Set aside and stir in the chocolate chips and corn syrup. Allow to sit for a moment before stirring until smooth, trying not to create any bubbles. Dip each cookie in the chocolate one by one, setting them on a tray covered in waxed or parchment paper until the dry. Chill the cookies in the fridge until the chocolate is set.
One thing that I love about Christmas is all the different treats to make to either grace your dessert tray or give as gifts. These truffles are very easy, and if you love Butterfingers, just the right treat for you! You can double the batch to make enough to give to friends, family, and give away to guests at an open house, or just make it as is and have some for your own Christmas goodie tray. Either way, make sure to use really good quality cocoa and chocolate in these for the very best flavour!
Adapted from Bon Appetit
5 oz semi-sweet chocolate (no more than about 61% cacao), chopped
1 1/2 tsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 cups chopped Butterfinger candy bars (about 4 oz, or around 2 bars)
2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
chopped roasted, unsalted peanuts
In a saucepan over medium low heat, warm the cream until it is boiling. Measure out the butter and semi sweet chocolate in a bowl and pour the cream over top. Allow it to sit before stirring until smooth to remove any lump. Add the chopped Butterfingers and stir.
Chill the mixture in the fridge for about 2 hours, or until it's hardened up. Scoop out 3/4 inch balls and roll between your palms into a ball, then roll in the cocoa powder to coat, then garnish with chopped peanuts or peanut halves. Chill.
Store the truffles in an airtight container for up to 1 day.
Last week the groceries were getting low and looking for something new and different to try, I pulled this dish together from the latest issue of Bon Appetit. Eggs are often comfort food in our house, and poached on top of a delicious chunky tomato sauce with pita bread to dip alongside, it makes a wonderful dinner. If you need a smaller serving, do what we did-make the sauce and divide in half to freeze for another day, then continue the recipe with the reserved half. What a way to make dinner for two even easier!
Adapted from Bon Appetit
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 jalapenos, seeded and finely chopped
one 15 oz can chick peas, drained and rinsed
2 tsp Hungarian paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
one 28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand, juices reserved
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup coarsely crumbled feta
8 large eggs
1 Tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley
1 Tbsp chopped cilantro
warm pita bread or naan
Pre-heat the oven to 425 F
In a large oven proof skillet, heat a little oil and saute the onion, garlic, and jalapeno over medium high heat until softened. Stir in the cumin, paprika, and chick peas, cooking for about 2 minutes more. Add the tomatoes and their juices, correct for seasonings, adding salt and pepper if you feel the sauce needs it. Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn the heat down to low and simmer for about 15 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
Sprinkle feta evenly over the sauce, then crack the eggs one at a time over top, making sure to space them apart. Put the skillet in the oven and bake until the whites are just set but the yolks are kind of runny (about 5-8 minutes) . Sprinkle with the parsley and coriander just before serving, and have pita on the side to dip into the sauce.
** As an alternative, just add the feta and coriander to the sauce. Fry up the eggs in a separate pan. When you serve the dish, divide the sauce among 4 bowls, and top with an egg.
