10 minute read
RECIPES FOR A CROWD
Cranberry Honey
BAKED BRIE
STORY & PHOTOS BY SARAH WALKER CARON
Sweet, tart, creamy and lovely … this recipe for Cranberry Honey Baked Brie is a delight to share at holiday parties. Warm, melty brie combines with warm cranberry sauce and sweet honey for a decadent appetizer that feels fancy.
But really, it’s pretty simple. Just three ingredients that together to make something creamy, sweet and tart, perfect for enjoying with fresh apple slices, bread or whatever you want. Serve it with a knife to help folks get that cheesy goodness.
It won’t take long to make. You can use homemade cranberry sauce, or store bought. And whatever honey you keep on hand.
And enjoy. Wishing you the happiest of holidays, whatever holiday you celebrate.
CRANBERRY HONEY BAKED BRIE
AUTHOR: SARAH WALKER CARON SERVES: 8-10
INGREDIENTS
8 oz wheel Brie cheese ½ cup whole berry cranberry sauce 1-2 tbsp honey
FOR SERVING: Bread, crostini, crackers, sliced apples or a combination thereof
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the Brie on it. Top with cranberry sauce. Bake for 7-10 minutes until the Brie is soft. Transfer Brie to a serving plate. Drizzle with honey. Serve with your choice of dippers — like bread, crostini, crackers or sliced apples.
HOLIDAY GIFT Guide
Chocolate Pistachio
BISCOTTI
BY SARAH WALKER CARON
For years, I have been making a variety of Christmas treats to gift to our near and dear friends and family. And one of my very favorites to gift is biscotti. These little cookies are perfect served with a piping hot cup of coffee.
This is the kind of food gift you give to the friend you love lingering over conversation with — because it’s perfect for that.
Making biscotti is a process. You start with the dough. This isn’t as simple as tossing ingredients together though. It needs to be kneaded together with care — this will take a few minutes, and you must be patient. Keep working with it until it forms a cohesive ball. Then you roll it into a log and pat it down.
Next comes the first bake (yes, biscotti has to bake twice). The first time you bake it, it cooks the ingredients so they meld together into a loaf. But it doesn’t become biscotti until you slice it into strips and re-bake it. Then it crisps into that delightful cookie that’s perfect to serve with coffee (be sure to dip it!).
Dotted with chocolate chips and bits of green pistachios, it’s a treat. Package some biscotti in festive bags or boxes to give this holiday season.
CHOCOLATE PISTACHIO BISCOTTI
AUTHOR: SARAH WALKER CARON RECIPE TYPE: Dessert SERVES: 24 pieces
INGREDIENTS
2 cups all-purpose flour ½ cup sugar 1 tsp baking soda ½ tsp salt ½ cup mini chocolate chips ½ cup pistachio meats, chopped 3 large eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt until well combined. Stir in the chocolate chips and pistachios. In a small bowl, beat together the eggs and vanilla extract. Pour into the dry mixture and stir until
combined. The mixture will be crumbly but should be moistened. Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead well for 2-3 minutes, until the dough comes together in a cohesive ball. Shape the dough into a 12-inch log and transfer to a parchment paperlined baking sheet. Flatten the dough to 1-inch-thick. Slide the baking sheet into the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes.
Reduce the oven to 325 degrees. Slice the biscotti into ½-inch thick pieces on the diagonal. Place on the baking sheet and bake for 7-8 minutes per side, flipping once. Transfer the biscotti pieces to a cooling rack and cool completely. Store in an airtight container and enjoy within a week.
HOLIDAY GIFT Guide
9Ideas for Easy CROSTINI APPETIZERS
BY SARAH WALKER CARON
Need something quick for your holiday festivities? Why not make some easy crostini. With so many options for topping them, crostini can be a tasty offering for any gathering.
But, first, what is it?
Crostini sounds impressive but really it’s a fancy word for something that’s just somewhere between toast and a crouton. If you like bread (and crackers), this is for you.
And ultimately, crostini is a vessel for delicious toppings. It can be fancier like the Sage Ricotta Crostini with Sugared Cranberries I shared a few weeks back, or it can be simple like the ideas below.
Ready to make some? This is a simple process of brushing slices of bread with oil, seasoning and baking. About
SARAH WALKER CARON is a Bangor-based food writer, a senior editor for the Bangor Daily News, and editor of Bangor Metro magazine. She is author of Sarah’s Cucina Bella food blog (www.sarahscucinabella.com) and a cookbook: “Grains as Mains: Modern Recipes Using Ancient Grains.”
For more great recipes,visit sarahscucinabella.com
HOW TO MAKE CROSTINI
AUTHOR: SARAH WALKER CARON SERVES: 8-12
INGREDIENTS
1 French baguette, sliced into ¼-inch slices Olive oil Salt and pepper, to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange the bread slices on a baking sheet (or two, if necessary), and brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 10-12 minutes until just beginning to brown. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before topping and serving.
Once you’ve made the crostini, it’s time for the fun part: topping it. Here are a few ideas to get you thinking.
EASY IDEAS FOR TOPPING CROSTINI
QUICK BRUSCHETTA: Mix together diced fresh tomatoes with chopped fresh basil, salt and pepper. Spoon onto crostini and drizzle with a touch of balsamic vinegar glaze
CAPRESE: Spread basil pesto on crostini. Top with a slice of fresh mozzarella and fresh tomato
MEDITERRANEAN: Spread with ricotta cheese. Top with chopped kalamata olives, artichoke hearts and roasted red peppers. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
RASPBERRY, WALNUT AND GOR-
GONZOLA: Spread with raspberry preserves, sprinkle with chopped walnuts and crumbled gorgonzola cheese
EGG AND ARUGULA: Top with sliced hard cooked eggs and mound with baby arugula that’s been mixed with a little fresh lemon juice, salt, pepper and olive oil
BACON, EGG AND TOMATO:
Mound with prepared egg salad. Top with a grape tomato. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon.
FIG AND PROSCIUTTO: Spread with fig preserves. Top with baby arugula and a little thinly sliced prosciutto.
MEATBALL MARINARA: Spoon a little marinara sauce on and top with sliced meatballs. Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese.
BARBECUE CHICKEN: Spread with shredded rotisserie chicken mixed with barbecue sauce. Top with a little coleslaw.
Reindeer Games
3. What should be eaten on each of the 12 days of Christmas to ensure good luck for the year ahead?
4. What does the Grinch get to carve during the feast in Whoville?
Find answers on page 45!
HOLIDAY GIFT Guide
6 GREAT GIFTS FOR Home Cooks
GIFTS FOR PEOPLE WITH A PASSION FOR COOKING.
COURTESY OF METRO NEWS SERVICE
Many people enjoy preparing homecooked meals for their loved ones. Whether it's a large family gathering during the holiday season or a weeknight meal, men, women and even children who like to cook enjoy the satisfied looks on their loved ones' faces after sharing a delicious meal.
Come the holiday season, gift givers can put the same satisfied look on the faces of the home cooks in their lives by offering a variety of gifts that can make mealtime easier and/or more enjoyable.
1. ELECTRIC CORKSCREW: Nothing complements a good meal quite like an appropriately paired bottle of wine. Cooks who are too busy in the kitchen to utilize traditional corkscrews, which can be time-consuming and messy, might enjoy an electric corkscrew. Such corkscrews quickly remove corks from wine bottles, requiring little effort on the part of already busy cooks.
2. COOKBOOK: People who understand the joy of cooking often love to experiment in the kitchen. Cookbooks can be an ideal gift for such cooks. Choose a book that provides recipes from their favorite styles of cuisine, such as Italian or Indian food. Or find a book that offers an array of recipes that allows them to explore various types of cuisine.
3. COOKWARE: Even the best cookware can only take so much usage, and chances are home cooks' pantries can afford an upgrade or two. Gift givers should keep in mind that many home cooks have strong preferences regarding their cookware, so it might be wise to give
a gift card or ask a loved one which type of cookware he or she prefers. Of course, a covert inspection of a loved one's pantry might provide the insight gift givers need as well.
4. ROLLING PIN: For the person who loves to bake, a rolling pin might make a better gift than noncooks may appreciate. Rolling pins are necessary to prepare many baked goods, and a customizable rolling pin can flatten dough to the exact millimeter, helping bakehappy home cooks prepare the perfect plate of cookies.
5. COOKING CLASS: Cooking classes can make the ideal gift for novice home cooks who are just beginning to explore their love of cooking. But advanced classes can help more seasoned cooks perfect their craft as they learn to prepare more complex dishes.
6. WINE AERATOR: Much like electric corkscrews can make opening bottles of wine much easier, wine aerators can help aerate red wine more quickly than decanters, which can take up to two hours to fully aerate wine.
Aerators oxidate red wine, softening its flavors and bringing out the aromas that can make a great bottle of wine that much more enjoyable.
Home cooks often enjoy preparing fresh meals for their loved ones. The holiday season presents a perfect opportunity to find gifts that make cooking that much more enjoyable for loved ones who can't wait to whip up the next homecooked meal for family and friends.
Local Gift Ideas
Maine Gift Basket
For your favorite Foodie, Tiller & Rye sources thousands of products from hundreds of Maine farmers and artisans. Choose from craft beers and wines, artisinal cheeses, freshly baked breads, gourmet sauces, coffees, and so much more.
AVAILABLE AT:
Tiller & Rye 20 South Main St., Brewer 207-573-4021 tillerandrye.com
Metro Subscription
It's the gift that keeps on giving! A gift subscription to Bangor Metro is always the right size. Order now and save on a subscription for a loved one and one for yourself!
BUY IT: Bangor Metro Subscription, $15.95.
AVAILABLE AT:
