Posts filed under 'Holiday Ideas'
Valentine’s Day fell on the Lunar New Year this year so our big neighborhood celebration is happening this weekend. I can’t wait!
My recent trip to Shanghai and David Chang’s Momofuku inspired the menu for our Chinese New Year’s celebration. I was born in the year of the Tiger and am taking this party seriously! I will post the recipes over the next few days.
Planned Menu
Shrimp Toasts
Scallion Bread
Assorted Dim Sum
Curried Green Apples
From Momofuku: Quick Salt Pickles, Pickled Asian Pears and Kimichi
Long Noodles with Peanut sauce
Sesame Green Beans
Vegetarian Dumplings
Mango Pudding
Coconut New Year’s Cake
February 16th, 2010
Two things that I was especially pleased with from this year’s feast were my Brussel Sprouts Almondine and the stuffing I adapted from Mrs. Wheelbarrow over at Food52. Using Challah bread made for a very light and airy consistency. I don’t think I can go back to using cornbread or any other bread for that matter. I now have a new go to stuffing, well technically a dressing as it is baked in its own dish.
With such an abundance of food, a lighter stuffing is really nice. I think this would also make a nice nice meal on its own with salad. Since I was celebrating the holiday with vegetarians, I used vegetable stock but in the future I will use chicken or turkey stock. Large chunks or prosciutto would also be welcome!
Challah, Mushroom and Celery Dressing
This serves 12 easily but 6 if you were having it for dinner with a salad.
1 large loaf of Challah bread
2 cups celery, diced
2 cups onion, diced
2 cups Turmpet mushroom (Criminis work well as do Shitakes) diced
8-10 sprigs thyme, chopped
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
3 cups chicken or turkey stock, preferably homemade
3 ounces butter
4 ounces melted butter
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
1 cup currants
Cut the challah into 1" cubes. Leave the cubes out on a parchment lined sheet pan on the counter to get stale, at least overnight, and preferably 2 days.
Melt 3 oz. of butter in a large heavy saute pan. Saute the onions until wilted, add the herbs, celery and mushrooms and cook until just slightly cooked through. In a large bowl, combine bread cubes, vegetables, melted butter, stock, salt, pepper and currants. Test for seasoning and adjust.
Press stuffing into a large buttered baking dish. Cover with buttered parchment, and then foil. At this point, the stuffing can be held for several hours, but should be at room temperature before baking. Bake at 350 for 45-55 minutes, the last 10-15 minutes without the foil and parchment, to crisp the surface.
January 15th, 2010
Barr and I would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas. May joy abound in your homes and may your tables be full of yummy treats.
Each year, we plan the Christmas brunch menu as a family. Everyone selects one food or dish that he or she would enjoy Christmas day. I supplement the menu as I see fit but generally we come up with a pretty tasty affair
The Christmas Menu at Casa Mayone for 2009:
Vincenzo – Pumpkin Seeds and Cinnamon Rolls and Soda in a Bottle
Maverick – Raspberries and Classic Mashed Potatoes (eaten separately of course)
Lollie – Shrimp Cocktail and Good Bread (biscuits or focaccia)
Kimberly – Old School Relish Tray (above) and French Onion Soup
Marco – Ham and Champagne
This is what happens when you let a 4 year-old plan menus…
One very sleepy, very happy daddy – xmas 2008.
December 25th, 2009
Many, many moons ago, my Aunt Nancy gave Marco and me some homemade Irish cream for Christmas morning coffee. For a few years, I duplicated the Irish cream handing it out to friends, family and colleagues. It was always well received.
This Irish cream is ideally suited for coffee drinks and milkshakes. It has a stronger whiskey flavor than Bailey’s but its texture is quite similar. The raw eggs might be a concern for some. Unless you have health reasons to stay away from raw eggs, I would say just buy some local (ideally organic) eggs and go with it.
Flavorista Julie recently requested the recipe thinking Irish cream might be a fun holiday gift. Here is the recipe!
Aunt Nancy’s Irish Cream
Yield = 64-oz. or 8 cups
1 Tbsp. instant coffee
1 (16-oz.) carton whipping cream
3 Tbsp. chocolate syrup (Hershey’s in the can)
4 eggs, beaten
1 (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 tsp. pure almond extract
1 (750-ML) bottle of Jameson Irish Whiskey (Flavorista Nancy says do not substitute here)
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the instant coffee into the whipping cream until dissolved. Add the remaining ingredients and whisk until smooth. Transfer the cream to small bottles or mason jars and refrigerate for three days before serving.
Add to Christmas morning coffee and it will make all of the 6AM "SANTA CAME!" screams a little less jarring. It is also quite yummy served over ice cream.
Keep Irish cream refrigerated and use up remaining cream within 2 weeks.
December 18th, 2009
When in doubt, go for a book, gadgets or something homemade!
Momfuku by David Chang is probably one of the best cookbooks of the year. If you are ever in New York, his restaurants are a must.
Citrus reamers or a citrus press like you see in Mexico.
Kimberly’s Sweet & Spicy Slow Cooker Almonds.
These beautiful folding wooden salad tongs are also perfect.
Give the gift of a flavor trip this holiday season with Frooties! This is a great activity for the whole family. Watch everyone eat lemons, limes and grapefruits with gusto!
A jar of Barr’s homemade Chocolate Hazelnut spread.
December 17th, 2009
Is it just us or did the holidays arrive very quickly this year? Here’s a few more ideas for that special flavorista on your list:
For those flavoristas who would like to make their own salad dressings, this gadget makes it easy. Measurements for 3 dressings are right on the bottle. The Emulstir by Chef N.
My friends at Savory Spice have these wonderful stocking stuffer spice blends. These are not on their website so you will have to call the store directly. They also have gift cards.
These marble butter bells keep your butter at the perfect temperature and texture for spreading. I like these marble ones as they stay cooler and are very durable.
.jpg)
The butter boats are great because you don’t have to cram the butter into the holder, the stick just drops right in.
No drip honey is a sweet stocking stuffer too!
December 16th, 2009
Hosting a holiday fete and not sure what to serve for a signature cocktail? Fear not! Between now and New Year’s, we will be offering up quite a few, festive holiday sips.
Nothing says it is time to toast the season like a punch bowl, so today we offer Old Sydney Town Punch, a recipe from H. Joseph Erhmann of (Elixir Saloon in San Francisco). Savvy flavoristas will love introducing their guests to Bols Genever – a classic white spirit, that preceeds gin.
This classic, gently spiced punch with citrus and pineapple notes would be welcomed addition to any holiday table. We love the versatility of this punch as it can be served hot or cold
Old Sydney Town Punch
H. Joseph Ehrmann, Elixir Saloon, San Francisco
1 liter Bols Genever
11 oz. of St. Elizabeth’s Allspice Dram
11 oz. of Orange Juice
16 oz. of Lemon Juice
11 oz. of Pineapple Gum Syrup (or make homemade)
Add all of the ingredients to a large punch powl and stir to mix. Place a large piece of block ice (made from about 5 cups of water) in the bowl and let rest, stirring before serving.
To make a hot batch, use above recipe and 32 oz. water and warm in a pot, crock pot or soup tureen
CHEERS!
December 15th, 2009
The recent issue of Holiday Entertaining by Cook’s Illustrated has a recipe for potted shrimp. I compared it to the one I’ve had for years and used frequently over the holidays. I prefer the recipe below as the whipped cream cheese gives it a light consistency. With its origins in England, Potted Shrimp is classic holiday fare. I love it because it is a make-ahead recipe and a nice alternative to classic shrimp cocktail.
The Cook’s Illustrated recipe uses just butter. Make sure to use a good quality sherry like Lastau Los Arcos; even Dry Sack will do. Serve with homemade crostini or thin crisp crackers (see below).
Potted Shrimp
Makes 1 1/2 cups
1/2 cup finely diced shallots
1 bay leaf
6 Tbsp. butter at room temperature
1/2 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 Tbsp. dry sherry
4 ounces whipped cream cheese ( about 1/2 a cup)
2 Tbsp. minced chives (you can substitute scallions but use just the green parts thinly sliced)
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
Heat 1 Tbsp. of the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bay leaf and the shrimp, season with some salt and pepper and cook until shrimp are nice and pink. Add the sherry and boil until the liquid is almost evaporated. Cool mixture and remove bay leaf.
Transfer shrimp to a cutting board and chop finely. Whip the remaining butter and cream cheese together. Add the shrimp, herbs and lemon juice and mix until incorporated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Serve with crostini or thin, crisp crackers like Finn Crisps.
PS from Kimberly: What a perfect appetizer to bring to a holiday party!
December 14th, 2009
If you did not exhaust yourself shopping on The Hunger Site, we have many more ideas for the flavorista on your list.
For the loose leaf tea lover, try the Aladdin insulated travel mug with infuser. This is my new favorite way to enjoy tea, The basket flips up into the lid by way of an exterior lever. It’s really cool and your tea stays hot!
For Earl Grey Lovers Taylors of Harrogate Early Grey – loose leaf only
Pots for cooking beans, casseroles, and soups - Nigella Lawson
For the bean lover on your list pick up heirloom beans from Rancho Gordo and Steve Sando’s book on how to cook them.
For those of you who have decided to make no knead bread more often, this Lodge enameled cast iron pot is perfect!
December 7th, 2009
I am not sure about the rest of you, but with two little ones and one tween, I have been busy pondering what will be under the tree this year. Flavorista Kitty brought The Hunger Site to my attention – talk about feeling good about your purchases.
With each Nature’s Bounty Scented Candle purchased, the Hunger site donates 25 cups of food – not sure exactly what kind of food, but 25 cups of flour makes several loaves of bread! And besides who doesn’t love a nice candle?
How about a Recycled Rice Bag Tote? These colorful, earth-friendly bags are made by women in Cambodia. What a nice green gift for that eco-conscious friend!
A $25 donation gift will feed a family of 4 in the U.S. for two weeks!
The Hunger Site has been in operation for over 10 years. The site is easy to navigate and there is certainly something for everyone on your list from stunning jewelry to donating money to plant fruit trees in an African village ($15 = 30 fruit tree seedlings). Maverick and Lollie really enjoyed perusing the site with me and making holiday plans for aunts, uncles and cousins.
So let me see…
No parking at the mall, unique gifts that do good things, shopping in my fuzzy, pink bathrobe with coffee in hand. What’s not to like?
December 3rd, 2009
Next Posts
Previous Posts
