I made this cranberry and pistachio-coated goat cheese log for a little Christmas party we held before departing Chicago. And then again this week to share with our family. Yes, because it’s festive and simple, but mostly because we can’t stop eating it. The key ingredient is the honey drizzled on top just as it comes out of the oven. Serve it warm (to the point that it’s soft, but not melted into a puddle on the plate- this would still taste great but not look as pretty) with crackers and bread and be in love.
Baked Goat Cheese with Cranberries, Pistachios, and Honey
INGREDIENTS
log goat cheese
chopped pistachios (I used dry roasted and unsalted)
sweetened dried cranberries
honey, for drizzling
crackers and/or sliced baguette, for serving
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Roll goat cheese log in pistachios and cranberries to coat. (You’ll have to be forceful to get them all to stick.)
2. Place log on an oven safe baking dish (a sheet pan lined with parchment paper works great) and bake in preheated oven for about 10 minutes (time will vary with the size of your log), until warmed but not melted.
3. Remove from the oven and drizzle with honey. Serve warm with crackers or baguette.
Here’s the promised couscous to accompany that beef and butternut squash tagine. It could also be paired with this recipe. Or serve as a bed for just about any grilled/roasted meat, fish, or vegetables. Or eat it on its own, just as is. If you make the full recipe (which, DISCLAIMER, makes much much more than pictured above), you’ll likely have enough to be eating it all of these ways over the next week. (I do prefer it with the tagine though, as it soaks up all the juices and the spices compliment each other nicely.)
We’re heading to Oregon for Christmas in a few days. (Flying on Christmas Eve actually- this makes me nervous.) If I don’t get a chance to check back in before then, please have a Merry Christmasand wonderful rest of the holidays!
Spiced Citrus Couscous with Almonds and Currants
INGREDIENTS
2 cups couscous, cooked according to package directions (I used whole wheat)
1/2 cup currants
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
3 green onions, thinly sliced (or a shallot, minced)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup freshly squeeze orange juice
1 tsp. orange zest
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste (I used ~1/2 tsp. kosher salt)
DIRECTIONS
1. Cook couscous according to package directions. Spread cooked couscous out on a baking sheet and set aside to cool.
2. In a large bowl, combine the currants, almonds, parsley, and green onions. Stir in the cooled couscous.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk to combine the olive oil, lemon juice, orange juice, orange zest, coriander, and allspice. Pour over the couscous and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
NOTE: This dish can be made ahead of time. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Every Christmas morning I get talked into making cinnamon rolls. Not that it takes much coercion because I love them just as much as (probably more than) the next person. But that’s the problem- I can eat a whole pan-full on my own. (And usually do, it’s part of the ritual.) They’re dangerous and thus saved for special occasions when I don’t have to feel as guilty about such gluttony.
When I want to avoid over-indulgence and still treat myself to breakfast, I make this. (Or something like it.) Puffed pancakes are traditionally a mixture of eggs and milk and flour, sometimes sweetened and served with lemon and fruit and syrup. This time I added vanilla, brown sugar, and cinnamon to the batter and dropped ripe sliced pears on top before baking. The pancake puffs up all around them and looks and tastes irresistible. Stunning enough for a special occasion, but simple and nutritious enough for every day.
Puffed Pear Pancake
INGREDIENTS
2 Tbsp. butter
4 eggs
1 cup milk
3/4 cup whole wheat flour (or spelt or all-purpose flour)
2 Tbsp. packed brown sugar (or granulated sugar)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1-2 ripe Bartlett pears, cored and thinly sliced
for serving:
lemon wedges
powdered sugar
maple syrup
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 450 F. Place butter in a large (12-inch) cast iron or other oven-proof skillet and place in oven until butter is melted.
2. In a large bowl (this can also be done in a blender) whisk together the eggs, milk, flour, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Remove the skillet from the oven (carefully, it will be HOT) and swirl the butter to coat the bottom and sides of the pan. Pour in the batter and top with the pears.
3. Return skillet to oven and bake for about 18-2o minutes, until puffed and golden and the center is set. Serve with lemon, powdered sugar, and/or maple syrup.
My “survive another (and probably last- this gives me hope*) Chicago winter” plan is this: Stay indoors and cook lots of wonderful warm things. When you must venture out to a) the grocery store, because you must secure ingredients for all that cooking you’re going to do, and b) the gym, because if you eat and never move all winter long you’ll regret it, wear as many layers as possible. Big puffy coats and boots are a must. Hats and gloves and scarves are not optional. And earmuffs- I always thought they were just ridiculous looking and frivolous. But now I get it. If you don’t want hat hair and you’re going to step outdoors here, earmuffs are a must. I know I won’t be the only one freezing their tush off for the next six months (Chicago winters last ’till June- it’s unfortunate) so hopefully some of you will appreciate a few soul-warming recipes to get you through.
*I love so many things about this city. Winter is not one of them though. My husband finishes his residency in June so we are likely to be moving somewhere new as he starts his career. Chicago has been an amazing experience so far. It offers so many opportunities and adventures (especially for food-lovers), but I won’t complain if our move takes us to a warmer climate.
Next chance you get to make breakfast, I suggest you start here- with Baked Eggs. Canadian bacon (or the regular stuff) is topped with sauteed shallot and spinach, a cracked egg, a drizzle of milk or cream, and dusted with Parmesan before being baked until the whites are set and the yolk is as runny or hard as you wish. Serve with toast for an irresistible hot breakfast.
I actually made these for lunch for Clara and I and saved the last two for breakfast the next day. A few seconds in the microwave to re-warm and they still tasted great. Dustin only tried them as leftovers and thought they were awesome. As usual, this recipe is easily adaptable. Don’t have a shallot? Use several tablespoons of minced onion in its place. Replace the spinach with another leafy green. Use traditional bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled. And top with whatever salty cheese you’re into.
Baked Eggs with Canadian Bacon, Spinach, and Parmesan
INGREDIENTS
1 Tbsp. olive oil or butter + extra for greasing the ramekins
1 medium shallot, minced
6 oz. baby spinach, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 slices Canadian bacon, whole or diced (or regular bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled)
4 large eggs
1 oz. freshly grated Parmesan (or white cheddar or asiago, etc.)
4 tsp. milk or heavy cream
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease 4 (6-oz.) ramekins** with butter or cooking spray and set on a baking sheet.
2. Heat olive oil or butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook for several minutes, until softened. Stir in the spinach and cook for several more minutes, until wilted. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
3. Place 1 slice (or 1/4 of the diced) Canadian bacon in the bottom of each prepared ramekin. Divide the spinach mixture between the ramekins and place on top of the bacon. Crack one egg on top of the spinach mixture in each ramekin. Drizzle each egg with 1 tsp. milk/cream, sprinkle with cheese, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
4. Bake in preheated oven for about 15 minutes for a just-set yolk. (Shorter for a runny yolk and longer for a hard yolk.) Serve immediately.
**Don’t own ramekins? Any similar-sized oven-safe bowl or dish should work. Or you can combine all of the ingredients and bake the eggs in one larger dish.
We spent Thanksgiving away from home (in Utah, for my sister’s wedding) and I didn’t cook a thing. Not even rolls or cranberry sauce or anything . My kitchen endeavors for the entire week included scrambling eggs and steaming frozen peas. I cooked for Clara and that was it. But we still ate very well. We dined with friends and family and at our favorite spots we’ve missed since our college years in those mountains (I say that as if was so long ago and we aren’t still students, technically. We left Utah five years ago and my husband will graduate this June for the last time. ever. hopefully.)
My aunt made the most impressive Thanksgiving dinner: We had turkey and stuffing and salad and potatoes and green beans. Rolls and tart cranberries. Pumpkin and apple pie and whipped cream. So I clearly wasn’t needed. And I enjoyed being cooked for all week. (Which never occurs in this house. I tried to think of the last time Dustin cooked for me. I can’t remember it ever happening.)
There are so many variations on butternut squash soup. Many of them are delicious. But if you only want one- this would be it. It’s completely simple and yet sophisticated enough that it could be dressed up with whatever flavors you’re in the mood for. The base recipes consists of roasted butternut (roasted whole for ease), onion, garlic, apple, and sage. I added a pinch of nutmeg and couple teaspoons of maple syrup to bring out the sweetness of the squash. You could throw in more vegetables (celery, carrots), replace the apple with a pear, or amp up the spices as you please (I’m thinking allspice, cumin, curry, cinnamon, or cayenne all sound amazing). It can easily be made vegetarian (choose vegetable broth) or vegan/dairy-free (replace the cream with coconut milk and the butter with coconut oil).
I actually made this soup before we left on our trip. We ate it several days in a row and then I thawed the remainder (it makes a big potful), which we devoured shortly after coming home. I had been looking forward to those leftovers and they were just as delicious as the first few times. Oh, and I recommend serving it alongside some crusty bread or grilled cheese. We made these sage-Gruyere croutons (with a mixture of cheddar, fontina, and Gruyere) and it was heavenly.
p.s. If you haven’t yet noticed- the new Recipe Index is up and running! Every recipe includes a thumbnail photo and it’s much more user-friendly. Note that because I have so many (over 600!) recipes, each is only included once, under its most applicable category (determined by me). So for example, Barbecue Chicken Pizza does contain chicken, but can be found under Pizza. And you can still view the full list version here.
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
INGREDIENTS
4 lbs butternut squash (about 2 medium), halved lengthwise and seeds removed
2 Tbsp. butter (or coconut oil)
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh sage, chopped
2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
2 1/2 cups water
~1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup heavy cream or half and half (or coconut milk)
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 tsp. pure maple syrup (optional, but recommended)
DIRECTIONS
1. To roast the squash, preheat oven to 425. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with cooking spray. Place the squash cut-side-down on the prepared baking sheet and roast in preheated oven until knife-tender, 45-60 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Once cool enough to handle, scrape the flesh from the squash and discard the skins.
2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the apple, garlic, onion, and sage and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the squash, broth, water, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the heavy cream, nutmeg, and maple syrup (if using).
3. Using a blender, immersion blender, or food processor, puree in small batches until smooth. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper and serve.
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