Juicing and Juice Recipes

I came to a realization two weeks ago. After a decadent holiday period of eating and drinking, I was sluggish and bloated. I had definitely been vegetable and fruit-deficient. Cheese? Yes. Wine? You betcha. But steamed veggies or a crisp apple? No freaking way.


And yet, the idea of a pear eaten out of hand or a crisp salad wasn't yet in the taste buds. So I turned to another solution. The juicer. We have a great Krups centrifugal juicer that has unfortunately been gathering dust on its designated shelf. Begrudgingly, my other half (the one who wants no appliances to live on the countertops) said we could get it out and leave it out.


And the juicing began. Now I've done nothing too exotic at this point. Apple, carrot and pear. I've thrown a bit of ginger root or beet in, but want to soon take the plunge with cucumber, beet greens, green pepper, grapefruit...even fennel.


Now remember...juicing is not as healthy as eating the fruits and vegetables themselves. You miss out on lots of fiber. But juice can be a great mid-afternoon snack and is a great way to get lots of fruits and vegetables in an easy "delivery" method.


To spur me on, I've bought the mini-book The Top 100 Juices. Here's a recipe from it that I'll be trying this week. The authors say it's a perfect post-workout drink.


Asparagus, Celery and Carrot Juice
10 asparagus spears, shopped into chunks
6 celery stalks including tops, chopped into chunks
2 large carrots, trimmed and cut into chunks


Press alternate chunks of vegetables into juicer. Stir juice and drink immediately.

Beet and Goat Cheese "Ravioli" with Pistachios, Microgreens and Orange Balsamic Drizzle

Beets and goat cheese are wonderfully wine-friendly...both separately and especially together. Sauvignon Blanc provides just the right acidity and fruitiness to play off the earthiness of the beets and the chalky minerality of the goat cheese. (I love Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand with either or both. There's a nice herbal quality to the wine that I like a lot.)

When planning for our recent wine dinner, I combined several recipes I had on file to come up with this amalgam. It's fairly easy to prepare, but the results are both elegant and delicious.

Beet and Goat Cheese "Ravioli" with Pistachios, Microgreens and Orange Balsamic Drizzle
Makes eight servings.

For "ravioli":
8 medium beets (I used a mixture of red and golden.)
3/4 cup (4 1/2 ounces) fresh goat cheese, softened
1 tablespoon minced chives

For dressing:
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 star anise
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For garnish:
2 tablespoons shelled pistachios, lightly crushed
8 tablespoons microgreens or mildly flavored sprouts
To assemble the ravioli, cover the beets with water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Simmer the beets over moderate heat until tender, about 1 hour. Drain and let cool. Peel the beets and slice them crosswise 1/4 inch thick. You need 32 slices.

In a small bowl, blend the goat cheese with the minced chives and season with salt and pepper. Arrange 16 beet rounds on a work surface. Dollop a teaspoon of goat cheese in the center of each round and top with remaining 16 rounds. Press lightly. Place two ravioli on each of eight salad plates.

To make the dressing (which you can do ahead of time), combine the orange juice, vinegar, sugar and star anise in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to 1/3 cup (about 10 minutes). Stir in the salt and pepper. Let cool. (The dressing can be refrigerated at this point. Bring to room temperature before serving.)

Drizzle a tablespoon or so of dressing over each plate. Top with crushed pistachios and a pinch of microgreens. Serve with a nice finishing salt if you have it.

Wine Pairing: As I said at the beginning of the entry, this is a perfect dish for Sauvignon Blanc. I am partial to Spy Valley, Geyser Peak and Ferrari Carano's or Mondavi's Fume Blanc. For the wine dinner, I served it with the Chateau St. Jean Fume Blanc. It has all the tang of a good Sauvignon Blanc with what I call smokiness from a little bit of oak aging. Try it. It's one of our new house wines.

A Substitute in a Jiffy: Skillet Cornbread

I will confess that one of our most-used convenience foods is Jiffy cornbread mix. It's just the right size--add milk and eggs and you're on your way.


And my other half cannot and will not eat chili, black-eyed peas or anything similar without cornbread. Therefore, we had a crisis on our hands a couple of nights ago when I fixed this delicious Barack Obama-inspired chili. There was no Jiffy cornbread mix in the pantry. Never fear...just had to go back to making it from scratch.


And after finding this recipe, Jiffy may be out of the picture. The shortening in the cast-iron pan makes the bottom wonderfully crispy without burning. And the bread itself is tender with just enough sweetness.


(Note: I doubled this recipe and baked it in an 11 inch square cast iron pan.)


Skillet Cornbread
Serves 6 to 8.


1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup flour
1 cup cornmeal
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup milk
2 eggs


Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the shortening in an 8 inch cast iron skillet. Place the skillet on the oven's middle shelf.


In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt and baking powder. set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and eggs until frothy. Pour the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix just until the ingredients are combined. Do not overmix; the batter should be lumpy.


Carefully pour the batter into the hot skillet. Cook until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.

Yes, We Can: Delicious and Healthy Turkey Chili

Tuesday begins a new era for us all. Yes, it's "just" a new president, but so many have such great expectations. All of us should hope and pray that President Obama succeeds. We need some good news!

Rumor has it that one of President-elect Obama's favorite foods is chili. While I haven't tried his personal recipe (which is apparently readily available on the Internet), we had this for dinner tonight in anticipation of a much-anticipated Inauguration.

(Skip the Fritos and grated cheese on top and this is a healthy, hearty and delicious meal.)

By the way, here's my traditional chili recipe. Not very different from this one...

Quick Turkey Chili
From Southern Living.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.

1 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 pound ground turkey
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (28-oz.) can diced tomatoes (Substitute tomato sauce if you don't want chunks of tomato in the finished product.)
1 (16-oz.) can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained (I like lots of beans in my chili, so I used two cans.)
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup beer (or 1 cup additional chicken broth)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Sauté chopped onion in hot oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until tender; add garlic, and sauté 1 minute.

Add turkey, chili powder, and cumin, and cook, stirring often, 8 minutes or until meat crumbles and is no longer pink. Stir in tomato paste, and cook 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and next 5 ingredients. Bring mixture to a boil; cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes.

Food/Wine Pairing: Here is an occasion when the perfect match is not a contrast, but a clone. The tomatoes and sauteed onions (and even the mildness of the turkey) bring a sweetness to the bowl...but there's a lingering spicy heat on the back of your palate with each spoonful. Zinfandel is a wine that does the exact same thing. A glass of Ravenswood Vinters Blend Zinfandel was a home run with this one....

Asian Coleslaw with Wasabi and Peanuts

I have my go to recipe for coleslaw. Rich with celery seed, it's the perfect combination of sweet and tangy. An awesome side for hamburger, ribs or fried catfish.


But I've been looking for a recipe that could give me the same crunch of cabbagy slaw, but with an alternative dressing. This one fits the bill perfectly. Rich with Asian ingredients like ginger, wasabi and sesame oil, it would be quite tasty alongside grilled shrimp or seared tuna. I might even try it with the steamed salmon I'm fixing tonight.


Asian Coleslaw with Wasabi and Peanuts
Makes six servings.


1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup chopped green onions
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoons wasabi paste
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 head cabbage, thinly sliced (or one bag pre-cut coleslaw mix)
2 radishes, halved and then thinly sliced
1/2 cup lightly salted peanuts, coarsely chopped


Whisk together first ten ingredients in a large bowl; add cabbage and radishes. Toss to coat. Cover and chill for at least one hour. Serve topped with chopped peanuts.

The Extravaganza: Wine Dinner 2008

All the blogging, all the recipes, all the cooking, all the drinking (ok...maybe not all) that I do culminates in a once-yearly multi-course meal with wine pairings. The event started about ten years ago. I was in a great wine club and got three bottles of wonderful wine each month. As a single guy in a small apartment not suited to a lot of entertaining, the good bottles would pile up. My family (parents and siblings who all lived in the area) benefited greatly...I would open several bottles in one evening at a grand dinner. My pairing skills steadily improved, and the food I made to accompany the wines got more and more exotic.

Eventually, I joined other wine clubs and continued to learn more and more about food and wine pairing. As the years progressed, I fixed a wine dinner for some friends and hosted a "pot luck" wine dinner with others. My parents even paid me to create one for some of THEIR friends. But the tradition with my family continues. A decade later, despite the fact that my brother had moved across the country with his own family, we still get together for a night of decadence.

Sometimes the dinners have a "theme"...the one featuring all Spanish wines and foods was a showstopper. And sometimes they feature a surprise pairing...Columbia Crest Grand Estates merlot with a bacon and tomato sandwich anyone? But they are always educational...and exhiliratingly exhausting for the chef/sommelier.

The 2008 dinner was the week of Christmas with all in attendance. There was no real theme this year...other than the fact that I tried to serve wines that we haven't had very often. Prosecco instead of Champagne. French Chardonnay instead of California. You get the drift.

I'll post the menu and pairings in two parts. First comes summary of impressions and thoughts. The recipes themselves will follow over the next several weeks. Hope you enjoy dining and drinking with us..even if only vicariously. And try a dinner like this yourself. it doesn't have to be this involved. try three courses...an appetizer, main and dessert. Your guests will love you for it. And your culinary skills will get a great test in juggling the preparation of several courses at once.

Hors d'oeuvre: Bagel Chips with Ricotta, Chive Puree and Prosciutto
I passed this as everyone arrived. It's really yummy. Lots of layers of flavor: creamy ricotta, toastiness from the bagel chip and almonds in the chive oil, and bracing tang from chives and prosciutto. It was paired with Zardetto Prosecco. A great start.

First Course: A Trio of Appetizers
We all sat down to the table laden with glasses. (Bless my other half for his handwashing abilities the day after!) Topped off our Zardetto Prosecco (I love carrying wines over from one course to another to highlight how they pair with a variety of foods.) and dug in to three wonderful appetizers. I always like to show off the different qualities of sparkling wine...toasty, citrusy, fresh. And the Prosecco had an off-dry (just barely on the sweet side) quality that also made for some interesting flavor combinations.


A spanikopita cup (say that five times fast) combined flaky puff pastry, sweet spinach and tangy feta. Tiny phyllo shells were filled with a light and delicious mousse of goat cheese and Parmesan with a hint of black pepper. And jumbo shrimp were coated in Parmesan, parsley and lemon-laced breadcrumbs and then baked until crispy. A sip of Prosecco brought something different to each one.


Second Course: Beet and Goat Cheese "Ravioli" with Pistachios, Microgreens and Orange Balsamic Drizzle
Beets and goat cheese are wonderfully wine-friendly...both separately and especially together. And Sauvignon Blanc provides just the right acidity and fruitiness to play off the earthiness of the beets and the chalky minerality of the goat cheese. I combined several recipes I had found to create this showpiece. The original plan was to serve it with a French Sauvignon Blanc from Sancerre. However, after tasting the Chateau St. Jean Fumé Blanc recently, it was the wine of choice. It's so deliciously layered with flavor that it's joined out house wine list...quite an accomplishment since Sauvignon Blanc is not one of our favorite varietals.

Third Course: Lemon Shallot Scallops with Couscous
You can probably detect a trend. As most folks do when serving several wines, I build the wines from lightest to heavier. So it was time for a white wine with a little more heft. But no California Chardonnays for us this year...although we've had some wonderful ones at past gatherings. I chose a French Chardonnay from the Saint Veran region of Burgundy. (Pouilly Fuisse is an enclave within Saint Veran for you oenophiles out there.) The wine had a decent backbone of minerality, and it was an additional blast of lemony acidity when sipped with the scallops.

Fourth Course: Fennel, Orange and Parmesan Salad
I really wanted to serve a rosé as a part of our progression. And why not serve one from an unexpected region? Texas. Yeehah. The Mcpherson Rosé of Syrah is wonderful. A great bridge from white to red. It has undertones of strawberry and cranberry. It had just enough acidity to pair with the layers of flavor in this light salad.

Do I have your attention? Stay tuned...the remainder of the menu, including an easy-to-assemble main course and a decadent dessert, will be posted within the week.

Cocktail of the Week: Clementine Negroni

January is citrus season here in Texas. The produce section is filled with beautiful Rio Grande Ruby Red grapefruit. And there are still those cute little clementines that started to show up around Christmas time. I have my eye on a three-citrus marmalade recipe I recently found, but a cocktail is always a great way to use these delicious fruits. This one focuses on the clementine...those little seedless tangerines so many of us in the South find in our holiday stockings.

Clementine Negroni
From Bon Appetit magazine.
Makes two cocktails.

3 clementines, peeled
1/4 cup Hendrick's Gin
1/4 cup Campari
3 tablespoons sweet vermouth
Ice cubes
2 clementine slices (for garnish)

Place 3 whole peeled clementines and orange bitters in cocktail shaker and muddle until clementines are broken down.

(Note: I will admit that I cheated with a recent batch and simply juiced the three clementines into the shaker. While it eliminated the stress relief accomplished via muddling, the cocktail turned out just fine.)

Add gin, Campari, and vermouth. Fill shaker 3/4 full with ice. Shake vigorously 30 seconds. Strain into 2 Martini glasses, dividing equally. Garnish each with clementine slice.

Keep It Simple, Stupid: Roasted Onions, Potatoes and Spinach

Delicious does not have to be difficult. Sometimes the simplest of ingredients prepared in the most basic of ways yield the most sublime results. Here's a great example. Vegetables easy to find at the grocery store roasted in a fantastic (and healthy) combination of textures and tastes. Try it and see.

Roasted Onions, Potatoes and Spinach
Makes six-eight servings.

2 large onions, halved and peeled
1 1/2 pounds red potatoes, scrubbed
2 cloves garlic, peeled and partially crushed
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons vegetable broth, chicken stock or water
4 cups spinach (5 ounces), rinsed and chopped


Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil a large roasting pan.


Trim off ends of onions. Cut into wedges, slicing end to end. Place in a large bowl and separate somewhat, leaving a couple of onion layers attached with each wedge.


Cut potatoes into large wedges; add to onions in bowl. Add garlic, oil, vinegar, bay leaf, rosemary and salt and pepper to taste; toss to coat.


Transfer vegetables to roasting pan and spread in single layer. Sprinkle with broth or water.


Roast vegetables 30 minutes, stirring once or twice and adding water, if necessary. Add spinach and mix. Roast for an additional 10 minutes until vegetables are tender and golden.


Serve warm.

Avocado Yogurt Dip with Cumin

Here's a simple and healthy dip to serve at parties or to use as a pre-dinner snack. For those of us trying to lose a few as our New Years resolution, it's perfect.

Avocado Yogurt Dip with Cumin
From Cooking Light.
Makes two cups.

3/4 cup plain fat-free yogurt
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon finely chopped seeded jalapeño pepper
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 ripe peeled avocados, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced

Place all the ingredients in a food processor or blender, and process until smooth.


Serve with pita chips and carrot and celery sticks.

Cocktail of the Week: Pear Martini

I always wonder what to do with pear vodka. And I always end up going back to the basics. A martini. I've posted one with lemon and rosemary before. Here's one with the nutty taste of Amaretto thrown in. (You might substitute Tuaca's vanilla flavors for the Amaretto if that's your preference.)

Pear Martini
Makes two cocktails

5 ounces pear vodka
1 ounce Amaretto
2 ounces simple syrup
1 ounce lemon juice

Shake in cocktail shaker with crushed ice and strain into two chilled martini glasses.

Cheers!

Environmental Day: More Green Tips

A part of a more beautiful life is doing what you can to make sure our world stays healthy. Here are a few suggestions of things that you can do to help keep the planet healthy:

• All of us crave a burger every now and then. When you're grilling at home, try using ground bison meat instead of beef. Grass-fed bison are more environmentally friendly than feed-lot cattle are. And it's healthier for you than beef as well.


• Make sure you have a programmable thermostat on your heating and cooling system at home. For example, you can use the timer feature to set the thermostat lower while you're sleeping, then turn it up as you're getting out of bed. Also can set it lower during the day when folks are at work or school. You'll be amazed at how much you'll save on energy bills.


• Have a radiant barrier installed in your attic. It reflects the heat hitting your shingles to keep things cooler all summer long.


• And, while this one sounds silly, reduce the margins on your documents before you print them. Over time, you'll save lots of paper...and therefore lots of trees.



• Use biodegradable trash bags. Our landfills are nasty things, already filled with refuse that will take decades to decay. Surely you already recycle, so most of the trash you send off twice a week is already more environmentally friendly...go the extra mile and use bags that will break down much more quickly than traditional plastic garbage bags. You can find examples at BiobagUSA or EcosafePlastics.
  

More soon. Just try one or two of these and you're well on the way to doing your part.

Shredded Parmesan Brussels Sprouts

I've suggested something like this before, but I thought it was time to post another Brussels sprouts recipe. Even if you don't think you like them, try this. You might be surprised. It's a great way to get your kids to try them also.


Shredded Parmesan Brussels Sprouts
Makes eight servings.
From Food & Wine.


3 pounds brussels sprouts, trimmed
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 425°.


In a food processor fitted with a slicing blade, coarsely shred the brussels sprouts. On 2 large rimmed baking sheets, toss the brussels sprouts with the olive oil, season with salt and pepper and spread in an even layer.


Roast in the oven for 30 minutes, until the brussels sprouts are tender and browned in spots; rotate the pans and stir the brussels sprouts halfway through roasting.


Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese, toss and bake for 1 more minute, or until the cheese is melted.


Transfer the brussels sprouts to a bowl and serve.

Another Recipe Using Stouffer's Spinach Souffle: Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Here's another easy recipe using the orange box ubiquitous in many of our freezers. Feel free to experiment with this one. You could add chopped water chestnuts, more spice or even your favorite herbs. It's a very forgiving recipe. It makes a fairly big batch so have plenty of tortilla chips and a hungry crowd around.



Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Makes approximately 5 cups.


2 (12 ounce) boxes Stouffer's Spinach Souffle
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
Hot sauce to taste


Cook spinach souffles in microwave according to package directions. Place cooked souffles in medium bowl. Add other ingredients and stir to incorporate.


Place into two small baking dishes. (I do this so that I can replenish the buffet with a hot batch once we're through the first one.) Sprinkle with additional Parmesan Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until warmed through and slightly browned on top.


Serve with tortilla chips, pita chips or toasted bread.

How to Use Your Leftover Black-Eyed Peas: Dirty Hoppin' John

Apparently there are a lot of us trying to figure out what to do with our leftover black-eyed peas from New Year's Day. This recipe of mine from last year is tops on Google right now. But here's another one.

I love dirty rice, so adding black-eyed peas to it ala Bobby Flay looked like a great idea. Now if only I had some fried catfish or fried oysters to go alongside...

Dirty Hoppin' John
Adapted from Food and Wine.
Makes 6-8 main course servings.

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tub (20 ounces) chicken livers
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
2 tablespoons minced garlic (about four cloves)
1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
2 cups cooked black-eyed peas (or substitute 1 can (15 ounces) black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed, or one 10-ounce box frozen black-eyed peas, thawed)
2 3/4 cups chicken stock
4 thyme sprigs (or 2 teaspoons dried thyme)
Lousiana hot sauce, for serving

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the chicken livers, season with salt and pepper and sauté over high heat, turning once, until nearly cooked through, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken livers to a plate and let cool slightly. Coarsely chop the livers.

Add the onion and bell pepper to the saucepan and cook over high heat, stirring until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the rice and stir for 1 minute, until coated. Add the peas, stock, thyme and 11/2 teaspoons of salt and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat until the rice is tender and the stock is absorbed, about 18 minutes.

Discard the thyme sprigs. Fluff the rice with a fork. Stir in the chicken livers , cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Transfer the rice to a bowl, fluff with a fork and serve with hot sauce.

Food/Wine Pairing: Dirty rice calls for a "dirty" wine. Try an Italian Sangiovese or California Zinfandel with this one.

Making Your Own Ricotta Cheese

In reorganizing my recipe files recently, I came across several articles on making homemade ricotta cheese. It seemed simple enough, so I did it to make this wonderful appetizer last week. It's worth a try. Even though it uses an entire half gallon of milk to make 1 1/2 cups of fresh ricotta, the freshness and creaminess are worth it. I have a couple more recipes I'm going to repeat the process for soon. If blog worthy, I'll share them.


Fresh Ricotta Cheese
Makes 1 1/2 cups


8 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice


Line colander with four layers of cheesecloth. (I had to use paper towels in a pinch.) Set colander in sink.


Bring milk and salt to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in lemon juice. Let simmer until curds form, 1 to 2 minutes.


Using finely slotted spoon, scoop curds form pan and transfer to cheesecloth-lined colander. Let drain one minute (curds will still be a little wet). Transfer cheese to a bowl and cover. Chill until cold, about 3 hours.

Happy New Year! International Traditions to Ring in the New Year

It's time to ring in 2009. What are your New Year's traditions?

Of course, many of us raise a glass of bubbly and give our best wishes for a wonderful new year.

And in the South, New Year's Day isn't New Year's Day without a big pot of black-eyed peas. (I'll post a couple of recipes in a few days for the inevitable leftovers...)

But here are some other traditions you might adopt.

Pretend you're in Portugal and eat twelve grapes as the clock strikes midnight. You'll have a year of good luck.

In Peru, folks walk around the block with an empty suitcase to guarantee travel in the upcoming year.

Scots make sure and deliver whisky and fruitcake as they visit friends and loved ones

And as if black-eyed peas don't guarantee enough fortune, the Danes and Southerners eat cabbage also. Since it resembles money, eating it promises prosperity.

And, of course, kiss the person next to you as the clock strikes twelve.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Recipe Using Stouffer's Spinach Souffle: Spinach Puff Pastry Pinwheels

If you're like me, you always have a couple of boxes of Stouffer's Spinach Souffle in the freezer. (I usually have their Corn Souffle as well.) It's an easy and somewhat elegant side when you don't feel like making something more complicated. I ran across an article from The Dallas Morning News recently that provided more than twenty recipes incorporating the souffle. Tried a couple fo them for a holiday happy hour we had. Both were quite yummy. I'm going to look to try some of the others and will let you know what I think.


In the meantime, here's the first. It was a HUGE hit at our party.


Spinach Puff Pastry Pinwheels
Makes approximately 40 appetizers.


1 (12 ounce) box Stouffer's Spinach Souffle
1 box puff pastry sheets, thawed in refrigerator according to directions
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese


Cook spinach souffle according to directions on box. (Note: Do NOT overcook...you want it easy to spread.) Unfold pastry sheets and spread half of the souffle on each sheet. Sprinkle with cheese and roll. Wrap each roll in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 or more hours.


Preheat oven to 400 degrees. With serrated knife, slice rolls in 1/4 inch slices. Place on cookie sheet (pre-sprayed with cooking spray) 1 inch apart. Sprinkle with additional cheese if desired. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until golden.

A New Year's Eve Cocktail: The White Lady

I think that New Year's Eve calls for a special cocktail. Not just a gin and tonic or margarita. Not even a martini. Something elegant. Something somewhat unexpected.

Here's one that fits the bill. The White Lady. A truly "retro" drink invented in 1919. It's tart and refreshing with a nice gin kick. This adapted recipe comes from New York's hip Pegu Club. (Don't omit the egg white...it adds a nice smoothness.)

Make several to ring in the New Year!

White Lady
Makes one cocktail.

1/4 cup gin (something good and junipery like Tanqueray or Bombay Sapphire)
2 tablespoons triple sec
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon egg white

Combine all ingredients in an ice-filled shaker. Shake well and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon wedge.
1 tablespoon egg white

New Year's Eve Appetizer: Bagel Chips with Ricotta, Chive Puree and Prosciutto

This is a starter from the multi-course wine dinner I fixed for my family last week. I'll post details on it soon, but wanted to go ahead and get this recipe out there so you could try it for New Year's Eve. It's really yummy. Lots of layers of flavor: creamy ricotta, toastiness from the bagel chip and almonds in the chive oil, and bracing tang from chives and prosciutto. Perfect accompanied by a glass of your favorite bubbly.


Bagel Chips with Ricotta, Chive Puree and Prosciutto
Makes 48 canapes.
From Food and Wine magazine.


1/2 cup snipped chives
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons marcona almonds
Salt
1 cup fresh ricotta cheese
48 small plain bagel chips (1 1/2 inches)
12 thin slices prosciutto (about 4 ounces), cut into 3-inch-wide strips

In a blender or mini food chopper, combine the chives, olive oil, almonds and a pinch of salt and pulse to a coarse puree.

In a small bowl, lightly season the ricotta with salt and spread about 1 teaspoon onto each bagel chip. Carefully spoon a small dollop of the chive puree on top of each chip and garnish each with a loosely rolled up slice of prosciutto. Transfer the bagel chips to a platter and serve.

New Year's Toasts: Sparklers to Ring in the New Year

It's time to buy your sparkling wine for New Year's Eve. I am a big fan of the bubbles...from all over the world. So I've tried quite a few and will take the opportunity to share some of my favorites. Any or all would be perfect to welcome in 2009...whether you're having a low-key evening at home or a full-out blast with a cast of thousands.

When in France...
Of course the grande dame of sparkling wines is Champagne. To be a true Champagne, the wine must be produced in the Champagne region of France. This is the wine with names you're familiar with like Dom Perignon. Although usually pricier than other sparkling options, it's usually worth it...especially when you're going to savor it along with an elegant meal like this one I've blogged about previously. Here are some of my favorites. All on the affordable side.

Moet and Chandon White Star
This is one of my perennial favorites...and was my go-to Champagne year in and year out until I started getting more adventurous. It is a wonderfully balanced wine with nice acidity and rich finesse. I always find just enough toastiness in this one. It will cost you somewhere between $30 and $40, although you're likely to find it on sale at this time of year.

Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label
This one is also well-structured and at right at $40 a bottle a pretty good value.

Lucien Albrecht Cremant d'Alsace Blanc de Blancs
This French sparkler isn't a true Champagne, but a nice substitute. It retails for around $20 and I always associate the "Cremant" in its name with the creaminess I get when I drink it. It has one of the biggest "mouthfeels" for any of the wines on this list.

Some Spanish Options...
Sparkling wines from Spain (aka "cava" from the caves in which they are aged) are excellent sparkling options. Probably the best values you can find.

Segura Viudas Brut Reserva Heredad Cava

I've blogged about this wonderful wine from Spain several times. And it's been a go-to-gift for me many times...delicious and the bottle with its pewter embellishments is always impressive. As for the wine itself, it's fruity and just delicate enough without being sweet. Clean and food-friendly with its creamy toastiness, it retails for just under $20.

Segura Viudas Brut Rosé

I love Segura Viudas' brut so much that I've been drinking their rosé as well. It's nice and "zingy" with strawberries on the palate. It's delicious with mild cheeses and other light appetizers.

And if you need a sparkling wine in volume for your party, you can't go wrong with two other Spanish cavas, the Segura Viudas Aria or the Freixenet Cordon Negro. Both are steals at around $10 and will satisfy even the discerning palates on your guest list.

Some Homegrown Options

There are plenty of sparkling options from right here in the United States as well. Of course there are several from California, but my American list includes an option from New Mexico if you can believe it.

I know you can find Domaine Chandon, a California cuvee from the folks who bring us Moet and Chandon, in your local wine store or even grocery. It's non-vintage brut goes for around $25 and scored 88 points in Wine Spectator. It's rich with nice pear and apple scents and taste. All-around yummy.Also look for American labels Gloria Ferrer (California) and Domaine Ste. Michelle (Washington). They score well with critics and are good values at less than $20. And the New Mexican option is Gruet Brut, a nice quaff with both citrus and toasty notes. I like serving it with something with green chiles...like these tasty appetizers. Only fitting, don't you think?

And don't forget Prosecco, the Italian version. It's usually slightly sweeter than the others, but the driest versions are still great sips or food wines. I served Zardetto Prosecco at a mutli-course wine dinner last week. More on that later...

In the meantime, cheers!

Oyster Nachos

I know it sounds counterintuitive, but oysters are a winter food for me. Maybe it's the overwhelming fear that's been beat into us about spoiled oysters and only eating them in months with "r." (Silly given the advances in food technology.) Regardless, oysters aren't a bracing sea breeze on a hot summer day. But a bracing icy blast.

And I love oysters in all forms. Raw with horesradish-rich cocktail sauce, a little mignonette or just a squeeze of fresh lemon. Roasted ala Oysters Rockefeller. Stewed in a traditional pan roast or bisque. And especially fried.

Some friends took me to a wonderful new seafood restaurant here in Dallas a couple of weeks ago. I saw this specialty on the menu and couldn't resist. It's a contrasting combination of tastes and textures that I'm going to serve as an appetizer at our traditional Christmas Eve Tex-Mex feast.

Oyster Nachos
Makes one dozen.

12 tortilla chips (try for ones with a little thicker texture so they don't fall apart)
12 oysters, shucked
Cornmeal
Vegetable oil for frying
1/3 cup mayonaise
1/2 tablespoon sauce from a can of chipotles in adobo sauce (or more to taste) (You might be able to substitute chipotle Tabasco sauce if you need to.)
1 cup fresh pico de gallo

Mix mayonnaise and chipotle sauce together.

In a deep fryer or frying pan, heat the oil to 375 degrees. Meanwhile, drain the oysters and dredge in cornmeal.

Fry in batches until golden brown, about two minutes. Drain on paper towel lined plate and season with salt.

To asssemble nachos, spoon a teaspoon of the chipotle mayonnaise onto a tortilla chip. Top with a fried oyster. Spoon a tablespoonful of pico de gallo on top. Repeat until you have a dozen prepared.

Serve immediately.

Easy Triscuit Appetizers

This is the time of the year when we're all looking for quick and easy appetizer recipes. Something we can fix quickly for drop-by visitors...or that we can take to parties. I ripped an ad out of a magazine a while back. Although disguised as recipe pages from a food magazine, it was an obvious shill for Nabisco to sell their "new" Fire Roasted Tomato and Olive Oil Triscuit. While I don't usually succumb to such ploys, these looked interesting. I tried all three recipes for a casual happy hour this past week. Two of them were definite hits. (And they fit my definition of a good canape...base, "glue," and topping.)

Here they are:

Tomato Goat Cheese and Prosciutto Canapes
This is a nice complex combination of salty, sweet and tangy.

4 ounces fresh goat cheese
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, shaved into 24 thin slices
4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into 24 pieces
24 Triscuit Fire Roasted Tomato and Olive Oil
24 cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Place the tomatoes in a baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes, until tomatoes are slightly shriveled. Let cool.

Spread about 1 teaspoon goat cheese on each cracker. Place a slice of prosciutto on top of the cheese followed by a Parmesan slice. Top with a tomato and serve.

Italian Salami and Cheese Canapes
This is deliciously salty...almost bar food. Yummy for those partygoers who are drinking a good cold beer.

8 ounces sharp Provolone cheese, cut into 24 slices
24 Triscuit Fire Roasted Tomato and Olive Oil
Thinly sliced dry Italian salami, cut into 24 cracker size pieces
12 kalamata olives, pitted and halved

Preheat the broiler. Place the crackers on a baking sheet. Put a piece of cheese on each cracker and top with salami. Broil for 2 to 3 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Let cool slightly. Put an olive half on top of each cracker and serve.

Microwave Peanut Brittle

Here's what I'm making as homemade holiday gifts this year. It's been a staple of our next door neighbor's kitchen for years...finally I begged her for the recipe. In cellophane-lined tins, it's a perfect gift. And easy enough that you still have time to make it for neighbors and last-minute guests. Maybe even stocking stuffers...

Microwave Peanut Brittle
(Note: You may have to adjust cooking times depending on the power of your microwave. Watch your first batch carefully and record those times for future cooking.)

In a large bowl, combine 1 cup sugar and 1/4 cup light corn syrup.

Microwave for four minutes.

Add one cup peanuts (or substitute pecans or almonds) and 1/8 teaspoon salt.

Microwave for another four minutes.

Mix in 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 teaspoon butter.

Microwave for one to two minutes.

Add 1 teaspoon baking soda. Stir until frothy. Working quickly, pour onto a buttered or parchment-lined (a Silpat also works nicely) cookie sheet. Spread by shaking pan or with offset spatula. (Take care not to flatten the bubbles.)

Allow to cool completely and then break into pieces.

A Quick and Hearty Breakfast: Oatmeal Smoothie

Sure...a piping hot bowl of oatmeal is a great breakfast on a winter day. But sometimes even that takes too long to fix...especially when we're in the rush of getting ready for the holidays. So, while it's not hot, this smoothie is definitely hearty. A quick and healthy way to start your day.

Oatmeal Smoothie
Makes one smoothie.

1 cup oatmeal
1 banana
1 to 1 1/2 cups milk (or soy milk)
1 cup crushed ice
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
Drizzle of honey
(You can also add 1 tablespoon peanut butter if you'd like.)

Put the oatmeal in your blender and pulse until powdery. Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. Enjoy!

Romaine Wedges with Tangy Blue Cheese Vinaigrette

The Life Should Be Beautiful philosophy includes a major simplicity quotient. There's nothing wrong with quality prepared products from the grocery store shelf. And salad dressings fit that bill perfectly. Especially some of the ones you can find these days...organic ingredients with no preservatives.

But sometimes a special occasion calls for something homemade. And that special occasion can be nothing else than a beautiful rib-eye steak on the grill with a glass of great Cabernet. That calls for a special salad. It would be perfect with your Christmas rib roast or prime rib. Here it is....

Romaine Wedges with Tangy Blue Cheese Vinaigrette
From Bon Appetit magazine.
Serves four.

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons anchovy paste
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 cup crumbled Maytag blue cheese (about 4 ounces)
2 small hearts of romaine, halved lengthwise
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

Combine first 4 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Whisk in cheese, leaving some whole pieces. Season with salt and generous amount of cracked pepper. Place romaine wedges on plates. Drizzle 1/4 cup dressing over center of each. Top with onion.

Corn Fritter Casserole

I've been collecting corn pudding recipes for years. It's soothing comfort food and was one of the highlights of the staff potluck dinner at my previous job. I love it.

But I never make it. This recipe has changed that. The perfect blend of dense pudding and flaky cornbread, here's a side dish for the ages.

Corn Fritter Casserole
From Cooking Light.
Makes nine servings.

3 tablespoons butter, softened
3 large egg whites
1 (8-ounce) block fat-free cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1 (15 1/4-ounce) can whole-kernel corn, drained
1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn
1 (8 1/2-ounce) package corn muffin mix (such as Jiffy)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 375°.

Combine first 3 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Stir in onion, bell pepper, whole-kernel corn, and cream-style corn; mix well. Add muffin mix and black pepper, stirring until well combined. Pour into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cocktail of the Week: Briar Patch

Happy repeal of Prohibition Day! Seventy-five year ago, Congress got smart and let us drink again...so celebrate with this.

This is a simply yummy drink. With sweetness, richness and a slight undercurrent of spiciness, it's the perfect cocktail to warm the cockles of your heart on a cold winter evening.

Briar Patch
From Gourmet.
Makes one cocktail.

1 1/2 oz (3 tbsp) bourbon
1/2 oz (1 tablespoon) chile blackberry syrup (recipe follows)
1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
About 1/4 cup chilled club soda or seltzer
Mint sprig for garnish

Combine bourbon and chile blackberry syrup by shaking in a cocktail shaker (without ice) or whisking together in a glass measuring cup.

Fill an 8 ounce glass with ice, then pour bourbon mixture over ice.

Add lemon juice and top off with club soda.

Garnish with mint sprig.

Chile Blackberry Syrup
I love the combination of flavors in this. I am furiously thinking of other uses for the syrup...maybe a Tom Collins. Or as glaze for a pork chop even....

4 dried pasilla chiles (1 oz) wiped clean
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup blackberries (3 1/2 oz)

Discard stems from chiles. Break chiles (with seeds) into a medium saucepan, then boil with sugar, water, and lemon juice, stirring until sugar is dissolved and until mixture is reduced to about 2 cups, 10 to 15 minutes.

Purée blackberries in a blender then force through fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof bowl, discarding seeds (do not clean blender).

Purée chile mixture in blender (use caution when blending hot liquids), then strain through sieve into heatproof bowl, pressing on and discarding solids. Whisk chile purée into puréed berries and cool syrup to room temperature.

Syrup keeps, covered and chilled, one month.

Napa Cabbage Salad with Buttermilk Dressing

Who needs Ranch? Make your own tangy creamy dressing with this recipe. You can pour it over shredded Napa cabbage as the recipe calls for...or just use on your favorite salad mixture. It's a nice refreshing break from Thanksgiving feasting.

Napa Cabbage Salad with Buttermilk Dressing
From Gourmet magazine.
Serves 4 to 6.

1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons minced shallot
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons finely chopped chives
1 pound Napa cabbage, cored and thinly sliced crosswise (4 cups)
6 radishes, diced
2 celery ribs, thinly sliced diagonally

Whisk together buttermilk, mayonnaise, vinegar, shallot, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl until sugar has dissolved, then whisk in chives.

Toss cabbage, radishes, and celery with dressing.

A Thanksgiving Cocktail: Black Tie Martinis

By now, the turkey is roasting (or resting), the dressing is dressed and the cranberries are sauced. Isn't it time for you to be sauced also? (Come on...you know your relatives are finally getting on your nerves.) Here's a bracing cocktail that you can make with things already in your liquor cabinet and kitchen pantry.

In all seriousness, it's time to lift a glass to all you have to be thankful for. Even in tough economic times, there is lots about life that is beautiful...

Black-Tie Martinis
From Gourmet.
Makes three cocktails. (Two for you and one to grow on.)

9 ounces (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons) gin or vodka (I woosed out and used vodka.)
1 teaspoon black peppercorns, crushed
1 tablespoon dry vermouth
3 dashes Angostura bitters
Lemon twist for garnish

Combine gin (or vodka) and peppercorns, then let stand 15 minutes.
Stir together 1/2 teaspoon finely ground pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt on a plate. Wet rim of one cocktail glass with your fingertip and dip in salt mixture, rotating glass to coat rim. Repeat with two more glasses.

Strain gin through a fine-mesh sieve into a 16-oz cocktail shaker three-fourths full of ice. Add vermouth and bitters and stir 15 seconds. Strain into cocktail glasses.

Countdown to Thanksgiving: Turn Turkey Leftovers into Turkey Tortilla Casserole

Here's an easy way to put the leftover turkey to good use. It's the classic "mix and dump" casserole. But it's delicious...especially with good homemade guacamole on the side.

Turkey Tortilla Casserole
Serves ten.

3 cups chopped cooked turkey (about 1 pound)
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 can (4.5 ounce) shopped green chiles
2 cans (14.5 ounce each) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
(Note: I think the final product could use a little more spice. If you like things hot, you might use two cans of Rotel style tomatoes and chiles in a hotter version as a substitute for both the chiles and fire-roasted tomatoes. Or just add a diced jalapeno pepper or two to the mix.)
14 ounces tortilla chips or tostada shells
One can (14.5 ounces) chicken broth (or use homemade if you have it)
4 cups (about one pound) grated Mexican cheese blend
Sour cream for serving (Note: This is not really optional. The perfect crowning touch.)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine turkey, onion, chiles and tomatoes. Blend well. Crush chips slightly and mix in. Pour into sprayed 9 by 12 inch casserole dish. Pour broth over and top with cheese.

Bake for approximately 40 minutes until cheese is browned around the edges. Serve with sour cream.

Countdown to Thanksgiving: Cranberry Sauce...Theme and Variations

Cranberry sauce is one of few exceptions to my standard rule of no fruit on the main course plate. The overwhelming combination of dense textures and rich flavors that appear on the Turkey Day table make my palate scream for something tangy, tart and refreshing before I dive in for the next forkful.

But no canned stuff for me. (Although I giggle when I think about my grandmother's Thanksgiving table...gorgeous crystal and china, vintage relish trays...and a perfectly formed can-shaped block of jellied cranberry sauce in a Fostoria dish. She didn't even bother slicing it up to disguise its origins.)

It's too simple to dump ingredients into a saucepan. My standard version is one package cranberries, one cup water and one cup sugar simmered until most of the cranberries have popped open. The sauce thickens as it cools.

But here are a couple of recipes for cranberry sauces that are only slightly more complicated to make, but even more delicious. Make several for your feast table...

(And while cranberries are so readily available in the grocery store, buy some extra bags and freeze them. All you have to do is put the bag into a freezer bag. Then you'll have them on hand for relishes, baking and cocktails.)

Cranberry Grape Compote
In this version, the grapes temper the tanginess of the cranberries for a slightly sweeter sauce.
From Everyday Food.
Makes four cups.

1 package (12 ounces) fresh cranberries
3 cups seedless red grapes
1 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt

In a large saucepan over medium-high, bring cranberries, grapes, sugar, and 1/2 cup water to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer until most of the cranberries have popped and grapes are falling apart, 10 to 15 minutes. (Note: I used a potato masher to crush the grapes a bit to help them pop.)

Remove from heat; add salt and stir to combine. Let cool to room temperature (compote will thicken as it cools). Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 2 weeks. Serve at room temperature.

Cranberry-Ginger Relish
This is a strongly flavored relish...and I loved it.
From Everyday Food.
Makes four cups.

1 bag (12 ounces) fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or red-wine vinegar

In a large saucepan, bring cranberries, sugar, ginger, and 2 tablespoons water to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until most of the cranberries have popped, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in vinegar.

Remove relish from heat. Let cool to room temperature, and serve (or refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days).

Countdown to Thanksgiving: Make Your Own Chicken Stock

It's the weekend before Thanksgiving and it seems like cold air is settling all over the country. So why not spend a few minutes in the kitchen and make your own chicken stock? You'll need it next week for your stuffing, could use it for the gravy and then can incorporate it into one of the leftover Thanksgiving recipes like this. It's easy and you'll be able to take control of the quality of your ingredients plus probably save a buck or two when you don't have to buy cans and cans of salty stuff at the grocery.

Some recipes call for deboning the chicken and roasting the bones before putting them in water with the aromatics. I make it easy on myself and just poach a whole chicken. It results in a rich, but not overpowering, stock. (Plus you'll have the chicken you need to make chicken salads like these.) Here's my tried and true method.

Homemade Chicken Stock
Makes approximately sixteen cups of stock.

1 roasting chicken, giblets removed from cavity (You can actually make a separate smaller, but richer batch of stock from the giblets if you'd like. Be careful though...the liver can add an unwanted bitterness.)
2 carrots, peeled and cut into several large chunks
3 ribs celery, cut into large pieces
1 onion, peeled and quartered
8-10 peppercorns or generous pinch of black pepper or generous pinch of garlic pepper
If you have them, a bay leaf or two and a couple sprigs fresh thyme

Place all ingredients in large stock pot. Cover with water. Simmer over low heat for one hour. (If you'd like and are worried about overcooking chicken, you can take it out after thirty minutes. I leave it in.) Periodically, skim top of broth for impurities. After one hour, strain stock through sieve, reserving chicken and discarding vegetables.

To remove fat, place stock in refrigerator overnight. Fat will congeal in thin layer on top and be easier to discard.

Use within three or four days or freeze. I always make plenty and freeze in one cup measures; then I can take out exactly what I need as I need it.

Countdown to Thanksgiving: Turkey and Potato Soup with Bacon

Here's another use for that leftover turkey (and this one even gives you something to do with the leftover mashed potatoes).


I adapted the recipe slightly, mashing one baking potato and leaving the other one in chunks. The mashed potatoes give the soup a nice thickness, but you still get the added texture of the potato pieces. The original recipe (Cooking Light style) also calls for Canadian bacon, but I used some regular bacon I had on hand. You could also substitute pancetta. Just be sure to use one of the three...it's a central flavor in the final product.


Turkey and Potato Soup with Bacon
Adapted from Cooking Light.
Serves six.


1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion (about 1 large onion)
1 cup chopped celery
2 carrots, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
1 ounce bacon (or pancetta or Canadian bacon), chopped
3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
3 cups chopped cooked turkey (about 1 pound)
2 peeled baking potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes and simmered until tender
1 cut fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrots, and bacon; cook 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, cook potatoes and drain. Reserve half of the pieces and mash the other half.


Add broth, turkey, potatoes, corn and chopped sage to vegetable-bacon mixture, stirring with a whisk until blended; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in pepper. Garnish with sage sprigs, if desired.

Countdown to Thanksgiving: Pumpkin Cheesecake with Pecan Praline Topping

I only make cheesecakes from scratch about twice a year. They are incredibly involved, requiring a significant investment of time and ingredients. Certainly a special occasion undertaking.


And Thanksgiving is the perfect special occasion to make this decadent treat. It's another "twofer"--cheesecake and sauce are sublime together, but could also stand on their own. (I am dreaming of the pecan praline topping over roasted bananas or even just (just!) vanilla ice cream.)


This dessert holds well, so you could even make it a couple of days in advance. You might wait until the last minute on the sauce; when I reheated it, it separated a bit. But no worries...if that happens to you also, just strain some of the butter off the top and mix in a bit more brown sugar.


Pumpkin Cheesecake with Pecan Praline Topping
From Food and Wine magazine.
Serves 12.

One 15-ounce can pumpkin puree (1 3/4 cups)
8 whole graham crackers, broken
1/2 cup pecans (2 ounces)
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for greasing the pan
1 1/2 cups cream cheese (14 ounces), at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
5 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Pecan Praline Topping and whipped cream, for serving


Set a rack over a baking sheet and line the rack with 2 layers of paper towels. Spread the pumpkin puree over the paper towels and let drain for 2 hours, until the puree is fairly dry.

Preheat the oven to 500°. Butter the bottom and side of a 9-inch springform pan. In a food processor, pulse the graham crackers until finely ground. Add the pecans and brown sugar and pulse until finely ground. Add the melted butter and pulse just until incorporated. Press the crumbs onto the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake the crust for about 8 minutes, just until it is fragrant and lightly browned. Let the crust cool completely.

In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the cream cheese until it is very smooth. In a small bowl, whisk the sugar with the salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and allspice. With the machine on, add the spiced sugar to the cream cheese and beat until creamy, scraping the bottom and side of the bowl. Carefully add the drained pumpkin puree and beat until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well and scraping down the bowl between each addition. Beat in the heavy cream, lemon juice and vanilla until the cheesecake mixture is smooth.

Pour the cheesecake mixture over the cooled crust and bake for 12 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 225° and bake the cheesecake for about 3 hours, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 150°; the center will be very jiggly but not liquidy. Let the cheesecake cool on a rack, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Run a hot knife around the cheesecake and loosen the springform ring. Carefully remove the ring and transfer the cake to a plate. Using a warm knife, cut the cake into wedges and serve with the Pecan Praline Topping and whipped cream.


Pecan Praline Topping
1/2 sticks unsalted butter
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups pecans (8 ounces)

Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large saucepan, combine the butter and brown sugar and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until smooth. Stir in the heavy cream and salt and bring to a boil. Simmer just until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Let the caramel cool.

Spread the pecans on a rimmed baking sheet and toast for about 8 minutes, until they are lightly browned and fragrant. Transfer the pecans to a work surface and let them cool. Coarsely chop the nuts, stir them into the cooled caramel and serve.

Countdown to Thanksgiving: Penne with Pumpkin Cream Sauce

Don't be afraid of this recipe. It is NOT pasta with a sickly sweet pumpkin pie sauce. It's a deliciously rich pasta dish with the taste of creamy winter squash with the salty tang of Parmesan cheese. I made it with whole wheat pasta...which kicked up both the richness and healthy factors. It certainly can hold its own alongside your roast turkey, but was also delicious with a simply baked chicken.


Penne with Pumpkin Cream Sauce
From Everyday with Rachael Ray.
Serves eight as a side dish.


1 pound penne pasta (I used whole wheat and loved it.)
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped
Salt and pepper
One 15-ounce can pure pumpkin puree
1 cup heavy cream (I used half and half and it was wonderful. You can probably make it even healthier and just use milk,)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking water.


In the same pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the onion and season with salt and pepper; cook, stirring, until softened, about 6 minutes. Stir in the pumpkin and heavy cream and bring to a boil. Return the pasta to the pot along with the reserved pasta cooking water and toss. Stir in the parmesan; season with salt and pepper.


Top the pasta with the parsley and more parmesan.

Countdown to Thanksgiving: Holiday Brunch...Fluffy Baked Eggs with Roasted Vegetable Hash

You know you're going to have to have a brunch recipe in your repertoire for your Thanksgiving guests. Probably not the day itself...everyone will be saving their calories...but perhaps the day before or the day after. Might as well be one with autumnal flair. This is a twofer...both parts of the recipe would stand on their own quite well. The baked eggs with a side of bacon, or topped with pesto or salsa. The vegetable hash would be a great side dish with pork or chicken...or spooned over soft polenta for a rustic meal.

And these eggs are TRULY fluffy! I wasn't so sure at the beginning of the cooking process, but they puffed up huge at the end. They lost a little bit of height after they came out of the oven, but still impressive.

Fluffy Baked Eggs with Roasted Vegetable Hash
From Gourmet.
Serves six.

Butter for greasing dish
10 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
5 ounces Swiss cheese, coarsely grated (1 1/2 cups)
10 ounces cremini mushrooms, trimmed and coarsely chopped (1/4-inch pieces)
1 large sweet potato (8 to 10 oz), peeled and coarsely chopped (1/4-inch pieces)
1 large shallot, halved and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil

Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 450°F. Butter a 2-quart shallow baking dish (about 2 inches deep).

Whisk together eggs, milk, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until smooth, then whisk in cheese. Pour into baking dish. Bake in upper third of oven until puffed, golden, and set, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, toss together mushrooms, sweet potato, shallot, oil, and remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a 17- by 13- by 1-inch baking pan. Spread vegetables in an even layer, then roast in lower third of oven while eggs are baking, stirring twice after 10 minutes, until tender and golden brown, about 18 minutes.

Serve eggs with roasted vegetables spooned on top.

Countdown to Thanksgiving: Butternut Squash and Leek Gratins

Here's another rich side dish that combines a couple of great autumn ingredients. You could probably even make these a day or two before and reheat them while the turkey awaits carving. But even though this is great for the feast, you won't want to limit this recipe to the holiday. It would be a great accompaniment any night you're serving roasted chicken or pork.


(Note: The Parmesan is a nice touch, but really not needed. The gratin is rich and complex on its own. Frankly, I thought the cheese made things a bit salty.)


Butternut Squash and Leek Gratins
From Cooking Light
Serves six to ten depending on the size of your ramekins.


1 (2-pound) butternut squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
Cooking spray
1 teaspoon butter
4 cups finely chopped leek (about 6 large leeks)
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Dash of ground nutmeg
4 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375°.

Place squash halves, cut sides down, on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 45 minutes or until tender. Cool 30 minutes. Scoop out pulp, and mash with a potato masher or fork until smooth.

Reduce oven temperature to 325°.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat; coat pan with cooking spray. Melt butter in pan. Add leek; cover and cook 20 minutes or until tender, stirring once. (Note: Be careful to keep heat low and not to let the leeks get too brown too soon. I found it necessary to add a couple tablespoons water to help the leeks steam.) Reduce heat to medium-low; uncover and cook 10 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Cool slightly.

Combine sugar and next 5 ingredients (through egg yolk) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add squash and leek; stir until well combined. Divide the squash mixture evenly among 6 (6-ounce) ramekins or custard cups coated with cooking spray. Place ramekins in a 13 x 9-inch baking pan; add hot water to pan to a depth of 1 inch. Cover pan with foil; bake at 325° for 25 minutes. Uncover and cook an additional 15 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven, and place the ramekins on a baking sheet.

Sprinkle 2 teaspoons Parmesan cheese over each ramekin.

Preheat broiler.

Broil gratins for 2 minutes or until cheese melts and begins to brown.

Countdown to Thanksgiving: Smoky-Spicy Sweet Potato Soup

Maybe you've settled Battle Potato and selected sweet potatoes for your Thanksgiving table. But who says they have to be mashed or casseroled. As a matter of fact, who says that ALL the food has to be on one plate at one time. Rebel and serve your feast in courses. Start with this wonderfully complex soup. Then move on to the turkey...and of course a smorgasbord of desserts as the finale.


This delicious soup has a lot going for it. So much in fact that I wasn't sure it would be "bloggable." But it is. The orange juice and honey accent the sweetness of the potatoes. The chipotle in adobo sauce provides a subtle spicy backnote. (I also wondered about adding a little Spanish smoked paprika--the secret ingredient in my mashed sweet potatoes. Might have to try it one of the servings.) And the bacon on top is the perfect smoky accent. I won't even begrudge the fact that the recipe came from Rachael Ray...

(Serving note: After having this as a main course the other night, I served the leftovers in tiny appetizer portions as a starter for an impromptu dinner party we had with some neighbors a couple nights later. Poured into shot glasses, topped with the sour cream and bacon and then accompanied by demitasse spoons, it was lots of fun.)


Smoky-Spicy Sweet Potato Soup
From Everyday with Rachael Ray.
Serves eight.


4 sweet potatoes (2½ pounds), peeled and sliced 1 inch thick
Salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 slices smoky bacon, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and shredded
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, chopped, plus 2 teaspoons adobo sauce
5 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
One 32-ounce container chicken broth
1 teaspoon grated peel and juice of 1 orange
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Honey or maple syrup, for drizzling
Pepper
1 cup sour cream, for passing around the table

In a large saucepan, add the sweet potatoes and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, salt the water and cook until tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain and return to the pot.


While the potatoes are working, in a medium pot, heat the olive oil. Add the bacon and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Discard all but 2 tablespoons bacon fat. Add the onion, carrot, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, thyme sprigs and bay leaf and cook until the onions are softened, 6 to 7 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth, orange peel, orange juice and cinnamon; drizzle with honey and season with salt and pepper. Simmer about 5 minutes. Discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaf.


Add the broth mixture to the sweet potatoes in the pot and puree with an immersion blender (alternatively, puree in batches in a blender or food processor). Serve the soup with the sour cream and bacon on top.

Countdown to Thanksgiving: The Secret Ingredient...Grating Whole Nutmeg

There is an ingredient ubiquitous to the Thanksgiving table. Nutmeg. It's in pumpkin pies and cakes and cookies. And it's often included in gratins, scalloped potatoes or other dishes that include cream (or even Parmesan cheese).


But there's simply no reason to buy an expensive jar of ground nutmeg to sit in your cabinet and gradually lose its flavor on a daily basis (and ground, it didn't have much flavor to begin with). Do yourself a favor and grate your own. You can buy whole nutmegs in the spice section of your grocery store. Or check out the bulk section of someplace like Whole Foods or Central Market...you can buy just a couple of whole nutmegs. It will serve you for months for less than a dollar.


Now...how to grate? Buy a microplane grater like this. You can grate off just enough nutmeg for your recipe and keep the rest fresh in its whole form. (Whole nutmeg keeps indefinitely in a cool dark place.)


And once you've started you shouldn't stop. You'll learn that a little freshly grated nutmeg adds much to your cooking. I add a bit to most cream sauces...especially alfredo. It also goes into scalloped potatoes and creamed spinach. I've even heard of it used as a salt substitute for sauteed green beans or roasted cauliflower.


And of course it's great in baked goods like zucchini or pumpkin bread...or grated over your cappuccino.


Check it out...and post your favorite uses of nutmeg in the Comments section below.

Countdown to Thanksgiving: Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta and Balsamic Vinegar

What does everyone have against Brussels sprouts? Serve the naysayers this and see what they have to say. It's a beautifully complex vegetable dish that will stand up to anything on your Turkey Day table.


Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta and Balsamic Vinegar
Serves eight to ten. (I halved the recipe and it was a perfect side dish for six of us.)


2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds brussels sprouts. trimmed and halved
6 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves


Preheat oven to 450 degrees.


Coat baking dish with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Place halved brussels sprouts in large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and add pancetta and garlic. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and stir to coat.


Spread mixture in single layer in baking dish. Roast until brussels sprouts are tender and brown, stirring often, about 20 minutes.

Drizzle brussels sprouts with balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with thyme. Stir to coat. Return to 450 degree oven and roast until heated through, about five minutes. Serve immediately.

Countdown to Thanksgiving: Using Leftovers...Thanksgiving Salad

Several of the tips I'll be posting in the next couple of weeks leading up to Turkey Day will help you deal with the invariable leftovers. Most concentrate on the turkey meat you always seem to have hanging around, but this utilizes several characters from the feast.


Thanksgiving Salad


Cut cold cornbread dressing into one-inch cubes. Place on a lightly greased aluminum foil-lined backing sheet. Broil dressing cubes 6 inches from heat 3 to 4 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and turn dressing cubes onto other side. Broil 2 to 3 more minutes or until golden.


Serve these croutons over a bed of mixed baby greens with leftover turkey. For dressing, whisk some cranberry sauce into a basic vinaigrette.

Try it.... it's even better than the traditional turkey and dressing sandwich.

Countdown to Thanksgiving: Yukon Gold and Sweet Potato Gratin

There are several classic battles at the Thanksgiving feast. Pecan pie vs. pumpkin. Plain cornbread dressing or gussied up with sausage, apples or (gasp) oysters. Whole berry vs. jellied cranberry sauce. And perhaps the mother of them all...Battle Potatoes: Sweet or Regular.

In the spirit of post-election bipartisanship, why not compromise and serve both? But no worries, you won't be working twice as hard...this delicious and creative recipe combines both in the same decadent casserole. And the hardest thing about its preparation is slicing the potatoes. For that, do yourself a favor and get one of these.

Once you've tried this twist on scalloped potatoes, you'll want to serve it year-round.

Yukon Gold and Sweet Potato Gratin

From Bon Appetit.

Makes twelve servings.

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, room temperature, divided
2 1/4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, rinsed
1 1/2 pounds red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams), peeled
2 cups whole milk
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup whipping cream

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Coat 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish with 2 tablespoons butter or cooking spray. Thinly slice all potatoes; place in prepared dish.

Bring milk and next five ingredients to boil in medium saucepan; pour over potatoes. Dot with 2 tablespoons butter. Cover with foil. Bake until potatoes are tender and milk is almost absorbed, about 50 minutes.

Bring cream to boil in saucepan. Uncover potatoes, pour cream over, and dot with 2 tablespoons butter. Bake uncovered until top is golden brown in spots, about 25 minutes. Cool slightly.

Countdown to Thanksgiving: Turtle Pumpkin Pie

One of my big projects this weekend was reorganizing the thousands (literally) of recipes I've ripped out of magazines and found on the Internet. In the process, I found lots of things perfect for Thanksgiving. Desserts. Vegetable dishes. Every kind of potatoes imaginable. Ways to use turkey leftovers. Even a cocktail or two. And some simple decorating ideas. So, in the seventeen days we have left before Turkey Day, I'll be posting daily. It will be a cornucopia of great ideas for you to harvest. (Couldn't resist.)

Let's start with something that comes at the end of the feast...and is most people's favorite parts of the day. Dessert. This one is a decadent twist on pumpkin pie. And it's REALLY simple to make.

Stay tuned...this is but one of many variations on traditional Thanksgiving desserts you'll see here over the next couple of weeks.

Turtle Pumpkin Pie
Makes ten servings.

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons caramel ice cream topping, divided
1 pre-made graham cracker pie crust
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons pecan pieces, divided
1 cup cold milk
2 packages (3.4 ounces each) vanilla instant pudding
1 can pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tub (8 ounces) whipped topping, thawed, divided

Pour 1/4 cup caramel topping into crust; sprinkle with 1/2 cup pecan pieces.

Beat milk, pudding mixes, pumpkins and spices with whisk until blended. Stir in 1 1/2 cups whipped topping. Spread into crust.

Refrigerate at least one hour. Top with remaining whipped topping, caramel topping and pecans just before serving.

Grilled Vegetable Gazpacho

Regular readers of this blog know that I love things Spanish. Bracing manzanilla sherry. Tangy shrimp with garlic tapas. Saffron. Smoked paprika. Crusty rich paella studded with chicken and shrimp. Austere, but rich wines from Rioja. And I haven't even mentioned Picasso, Miro, Barcelona or Gaudi.

And gazpacho is one of the most wonderful things that those non-Spanish among us can claim as out own. Bracing in its acidity, but comforting in its richness, it's a great cold soup--even for those of us who don't love soup.

So how excited was I to find this recipe? With the same brightness of traditional gazpacho, but also an additional bonus richness thank to the grilling of the veggies, it's a great soup to take us from summer to autumn.

Grilled Vegetable Gazpacho
From Food & Wine magazine.
Makes ten servings.

4 large garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 large red bell peppers, cored and quartered
2 large yellow bell peppers, cored and quartered
2 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise 1/2 inch thick
1 large white onion, cut into 1/2-inch slabs
2 ears of corn, husked
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 cups tomato juice
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 English cucumber, thinly sliced

Light a grill. Thread the garlic cloves onto a skewer. Lightly brush the garlic, bell peppers, zucchini, onion and corn with the vegetable oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the vegetables over moderately high heat, turning frequently, until lightly charred and crisp-tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer the peppers to a bowl, cover with plastic and let steam for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, remove the garlic cloves from the skewers, peel them and transfer to a large bowl. Using a large serrated knife, cut the charred corn kernels into the bowl. Peel the peppers and add them to the bowl along with the zucchini, onion, cumin, crushed red pepper, tomato juice, orange juice, lemon juice and vinegar.

Working in batches, puree the vegetable mixture in a blender or food processor. Pour the gazpacho into a clean bowl and season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.

Just before serving, stir the cilantro into the gazpacho. Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with the cucumber and serve.

Spicy Pickled Carrots

My family and I were reminiscing the other day about my Tex-Mex childhood. Back then in the 70's, El Chico was about the only option here in North Texas. But I still have several indelible memories: super nachos topped with sour cream and guacamole (ubiqutious now, but incredibly inventive then), thick rich bean soup spiked with bacon and epazote, and of course having my placemat signed by the Dallas Cowboys players and coaches who regularly stopped by. (My Tom Landry and Dan Reeves autographs are still, no doubt, somewhere in my archives.) Another memory is the spicy pickled relish that was on the table with the chips and salsa. Not just jalapeno slices, but also onions, carrots and even cauliflower.

So when I ran across this recipe in Martha Stewart's Everyday Food, I was intrigued. And upon preparation, I was blasted back thrity years. These are wonderfully tangy and spicy. Certainly perfect next to enchiladas or tacos. But also a great accompaniment for burgers, grilled chicken or even fried catfish. Versatile and simple, they're worth a try.

Spicy Pickled Carrots
From Martha Stewart's Everyday Food.

2 carrots, thinly sliced on the diagonal
3 jalapeno chiles, ribs and seeds removed
1 small yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 cup white-wine vinegar
1 packed tablespoon fresh oregano, or 3/4 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns

In a medium saucepan, combine all the ingredients with 1 cup water. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, and cook until onion is crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, and refrigerate until cold, about 3 hours. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Mexican Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Crock pots have been good to me. Simple recipes like this pot roast. Complex recipes made simple like this risotto. And one of the most Googled recipe on this blog...an easy way to make carnitas.

This recipe is a lot like that carnitas recipe...a pot roast that's got great traditionally Mexican flavors. It's perfect served in soft tortillas with sour cream and avocado on top. It could also serve as a great base for quesadillas. And I'm going to try a big bowl of the leftovers served over rice for lunch tomorrow.

Mexican Slow Cooker Pot Roast
Serves ten to twelve.

3/4 teaspoon salt (divided use)
1 teaspoon pepper (divided use)
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes (petite cut), drained
1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes and green chiles (like Rotel), with juices
1 onion, cut into 8 wedges
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (2 1/2 to 3 pound) eye of round roast (or substitute chuck roast)
2 cans (16 ounces each) pinto beans, rinsed
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed
Sour cream, avocado, pickled jalapeno slices for garnish.

Combine 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, diced tomatoes, diced tomatoes and green chiles, onion and chili powder in a medium bowl.

Meanwhile, heat oil until hot in a Dutch oven. Sprinkle roast evenly with remaining salt and pepper. Brown roast on all sides. Transfer to slow cooker.

Pour tomato mixture over roast. Cover and cook on High for five to six hours until meat shreds easily with a fork. Remove roast from slow cooker and cut into large chunks; keep warm.

Mash 1 1/2 cans pinto beans; stir into slow cooker. Stir in remaining pinto beans and black beans. Add roast pieces back to cooker; cover and cook on High an additional 20 to 25 minutes.

Halibut with Barbecue Tomato Sauce and Polenta

The recipe for the "sauce" on this fish dish was super intriguing to me. Honestly, I wasn't sure it would work. But I fixed it last weekend for some friends and family and it was a big hit. I adapted it slightly--the grape tomatoes the original called for really didn't work well. So I used a can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes I had on hand. And it has uses far beyond topping fish. It's a fresh take on more traditional barbecue sauce that you could serve alongside pork (maybe even on a pulled pork sandwich), chicken or grilled vegetables.

Halibut with Barbecue Tomato Sauce and Polenta
Adapted from Everyday with Rachael Ray
Serves four.

1 pint grape tomatoes (I added a can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes, and will simply substitute for grape tomatoes in the future.)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
Four 1-inch-thick halibut steaks (6-8 ounces each) (To save money, use any white flaky fish. Mine was delicious with orange roughy fillets.)
4 slices center-cut bacon or black pepper bacon, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Cooked polenta to serve

Pre-heat the oven to 400°F. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the tomatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast until charred, about 15 minutes.

Season fish with salt and pepper and olive oil and roast in oven at 400 degrees for ten minutes or until done.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook for 3 minutes. Drain off all but about 2 tablespoons of the fat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the vinegar, brown sugar, hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Add the tomatoes.

Top the fish with the tomato sauce and serve with the polenta.