The Denver Post Entertaining Guide | 2022

Entertaining Guide Entertaining Guide

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OF CONTENTS

HALLOWEEN COCKTAILS

HALLOWEEN COCKTAILS

HALLOWEEN

HALLOWEEN ISN’T

JUST ABOUT THE SWEET STUFF

GREAT PUMPKIN RECIPES

THIS THANKSGIVING, MAKE TURKEY BETTER

ANSWERS TO YOUR TURKEY DAY COOKING QUESTIONS

TWELVE HACKS OF CHRISTMAS TO MINIMIZE STRESS

AN ENGLISH DINNER FOR CHRISTMAS

8 BREAKFAST

CHICKEN SCHNITZEL RECIPE IS PERFECT FOR HANUKKAH

AND FLAVORFUL BEEF TENDERLOIN MEDALLIONS

8 BATCHES OF COOKIES: FROM EASY TO COMPLICATED

BEST HOT CHOCOLATE OF ALL TIME. SERIOUSLY.

NAPA VALLEY-STYLE MULLED WINE RECIPE

AT HOLIDAY DINNER, DON’T NEGLECT SIDE DISHES

WHO DECORATE APPEAR FRIENDLY — A HOLIDAY STUDY

FOR HOLIDAY LIGHTING

WHISKEY THE PERFECT STEAK SAUCE!

RECIPES TO MAKE YOUR NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY FESTIVE

PARTY

Halloween cocktails

Made with ‘boos’

BY DANIEL NEMAN ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

GETTY

I’m just going to be honest here: I’ve never actually been frightened by a drink. Have you?

Nevertheless, this is the time of year when food writers — ordinarily a wise and sagacious bunch — write about cocktails that are frightening or scary or spooky. But when they say “frightening” or “scary” or “spooky,” what they mean is “kind of fun for Halloween.”

In anticipation of the annual celebration of costumes and candy, I made a six-fingered handful of cocktails that are kind of fun for Halloween. They won’t scare you or make your heart pound faster in terror, but they come in unusual colors that some people find scary (blood red, black, bilious green) or are simply made from ingredients that are appropriate for the season (apple cider, pomegranates).

Most have been given names that are sup posed to imply some amount of fear. Do not be fooled by them. These are just excellent cock tails that are delightful for Halloween or any other day of the year.

Take, for example, the Zombie, a classic that has been around since 1934; it was invented at the famous Don the Beachcomber restaurant in Hollywood. It’s only considered frightening because of its name, and it only got the name because it is so potent that drinking too many of them could turn you into the walking dead.

But it’s a great cocktail if you like rum, or even if you don’t (but it’s better if you do). Three types of rum go into it: white rum, golden rum and the surreptitiously lethal 151 rum, which is 151 proof. These are mixed with orange juice, pineapple juice and a splash of lime juice, to give it that tiki-bar tropical feel.

A quick hit of simple syrup softens the tang iness of the citrus juices, and a tablespoon of orange liqueur rounds the drink’s edges. Grena dine is added, too, just to make it pretty.

If you float the 151 rum on top, you can light it on fire. That’s always fun, but if you try to drink it too soon it can be dangerous.

Not just dangerous — scary.

Pomegranate Rum Punch is both full-flavored and refreshing, and is made in a large enough batch to be a hit at a Halloween party.

The blood-red color comes from pomegranate

juice, and so does the primary flavor. But strong hibiscus tea adds charming floral notes, with cinnamon providing a touch of exotic spice and spiced rum bringing an alluring kick.

Fresh-squeezed orange juice is a mild coun terpoint to the pomegranate, and the punch is turned immediately effervescent with a bottle of prosecco.

The next cocktail I made, Witches’ Brew, is just a lot of fun. It is a bright neon green, courtesy of Midori melon liqueur, which blends remarkably well with an orange liqueur, such as Cointreau or Triple Sec. Those liqueurs are both on the sweet side, so the Witches’ Brew adds fresh lemon juice to create a sweet-andtart combination that is unusually pleasant. For Halloween, we added a bit of dry ice to create that smoky cauldron effect. It isn’t frightening, but it’s diverting.

The next two cocktails I made are pitch black, which is admittedly a great look for Halloween. Both are made with black vodka, which is a problem. There is apparently only one brand in the world that makes black vodka, Blavod, and it can be hard to find. So I made my own.

Black vodka is just vodka that is colored black. All I did was take plain vodka and added food coloring to it. I couldn’t easily find black food coloring (black gel coloring would be even better, but black writing gel for cakes does not work), so I just kept adding blue, red and green food coloring to the vodka in small amounts until it essentially turned black.

I used the black vodka to make a Black Magic

cocktail, which is simple yet delicious. It, too, is a sweet-and-tart drink, of the most elemen tal sort. Along with the essentially flavorless vodka, all it has is a squeeze of lime juice and an equal amount of simple syrup.

Sweet, meet tart.

The black vodka makes it look cool, and a swirl of edible pearl dust (it’s used for baking) adds a mystery of white specks.

The other drink using black vodka is called a Black Heart Cocktail, and it is seriously amaz ing — if you like figs.

I love figs, but I had not even heard of fig vodka. Nevertheless, it exists, and a Black Heart Cocktail mixes a tablespoon of it with a table spoon of black vodka and three tablespoons of crème de cassis, the liqueur made from black currant berries. A few drops of dry vermouth help to cut the sweetness.

It makes an exceptional, perfectly balanced drink for any fall or winter day.

My final cocktail takes a classic and adds an autumnal twist. A Cider Sidecar takes the co gnac, Cointreau and lemon juice that makes up a traditional Sidecar and adds a hefty helping of fresh apple cider.

The cider makes it a different drink altogeth er. Instead of tasting like a cocktail, it becomes an apple-cider drink with a mellow alcoholic warmth.

I added a pair of eyeballs to mine, made out of lychee nuts and blueberries. You know, to be scary.

Entertaining

HALLOWEEN PARTY TIPS

Cider sidecar

Yield: 1 serving

• 2 ounces apple cider

• 2 ounces cognac

• 1 ounce Cointreau or other orange liqueur (Grand Marnier, triple sec)

• 1 ounce fresh lemon juice

• Strip of lemon zest

• Brandied or maraschino cherries

• 2 blueberries, optional

• 2 lychee nuts, optional, see note

Note: Lychee nuts are available canned in international food stores.

Directions:

1. Place cider, cognac, Cointreau and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker. Add ice, cover and shake until the shaker feels very cold to the touch, about 20 to 30 seconds. Strain into a glass and top with zest and cherries.

2. If desired, place blueberries into lychee nuts to form “eyeballs” and serve with drink.

Per serving: 290 calories; no fat; no saturated fat; no cholesterol; no protein; 25 g carbohydrate; 23 g sugar; 1 g fiber; 17 mg sodium; 7 mg calcium.

—Adapted from Country Living

Pomegranate rum punch

Yield: 12 servings

• 4 hibiscus tea bags

• 1 small cinnamon stick, smashed

• 3 cups pomegranate juice

• 1 cup spiced rum

• ½ cup fresh orange juice

• 1 (750 ml) bottle prosecco or other sparkling wine, chilled

• Pomegranate seeds, for serving

Directions:

1. Place tea bags and cinnamon stick in a large measuring cup. Add 1 cup boiling water; let steep 5 minutes. Strain and cool to room temperature.

2. Combine tea, pomegranate juice, rum and or ange juice in a pitcher or punch bowl. Slowly stir in prosecco. Serve over ice with orange slices and pomegranate seeds.

Per serving: 146 calories; no fat; no saturated fat; no cholesterol; 1 g protein; 15 g carbohydrate; 13 g sugar; no fiber; 9 mg sodium; 19 mg calcium

—Adapted from Country Living

Zombie

Yield: 1 serving

• 1 ounce white rum

• 1 ounce gold rum

• ½ ounce orange liqueur (Cointreau, Grand Marnier or triple sec)

• 1 ½ounces fresh orange juice

• 1 ounce pineapple juice

• ½ ounce lime juice

• ½ ounce simple syrup, see note

• 1 ½ teaspoons grenadine

• ½ ounce 151 rum

Notes: To make simple syrup, boil together equal amounts of water and granulated sugar, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves; can be stored in a clean jar in the refrigerator for several months. If you do not have a ½-ounce measure, use 1 tablespoon.

Directions:

Pour white rum, gold rum, orange liqueur, orange juice, pineapple juice, lime juice, simple syrup and grenadine into a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake until cold. Fill a tall glass with ice and strain drink into it. Carefully pour 151 rum on top; do not stir. If de sired, you can light top of drink on fire.

Per serving: 350 calories; no fat; no saturated fat; no cholesterol; 1 g pro tein; 36 g carbohydrate; 32 g sugar; no fiber; 6 mg sodium; 11 mg calcium —Recipe by Daniel Neman

ALL PHOTOS: DANIEL NEMAN, ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

Black magic cocktail

Yield: 1 serving

• 2 ½ ounces black vodka, see note

• ¾ ounce fresh lime juice

• ¾ ounce simple syrup, see note

• Edible pearl dust, optional, see note

Notes: Black vodka is made by Blavod, but it can be hard to find. Make your own by adding black food coloring or gel into a bottle of vodka, a few drops at a time, and shaking until it becomes black. Or add blue, red and green food coloring or gel into a bottle of vodka, a few drops at a time, and shaking until it becomes black.

Directions:

To make simple syrup, boil together equal amounts of water and granulated sugar, stir ring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves; can be stored in a clean jar in the refrigera tor for several months.

Edible pearl dust can be found at baking supply stores or in the baking aisle of craft stores. Do not use similar products that do not specifically say they are edible.

Place black vodka, lime juice and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker, add ice and shake until cold. Sprinkle edible pearl dust in bottom of a martini or coupe glass. Strain in drink. Add more pearl dust if it is not shimmery enough; stir with a bar spoon to combine it.

Per serving: 207 calories; no fat; no saturat ed fat; no cholesterol; no protein; 12 g carbo hydrate; 11 g sugar; no fiber; 1 mg sodium; 3 mg calcium — Recipe from elletalk.com

Witchers’ brew

Yield: 1 serving

• 1 ½ ounces Midori

• 1 ½ ounces Cointreau or other orange liqueur (Grand Marnier, triple sec)

• 1 ounce fresh lemon juice

• Cocktail cherry

• 1 small piece (½-1 inch) dry ice, optional

Directions:

1. Add the Midori, Cointreau and lemon juice to a glass or cocktail shaker, add ice and stir until cold. Strain into a lowball glass. Garnish with cocktail cherry.

2. If desired, carefully add a piece of dry ice. Do not drink until the dry ice has dissolved.

Per serving: 243 calories; no fat; no sat urated fat; no cholesterol; 1 g protein; 26 g carbohydrate; 23 g sugar; no fiber; 4 mg sodium; 8 mg calcium —Recipe from acouplecooks.com

Entertaining Guide

Black heart cocktail

Yield: 1 serving

• ½ ounce black vodka, see note

• ½ ounce fig vodka

• 1 ½ ounces creme de cassis

• Dash of dry (white) vermouth

Note: Black vodka is made by Blavod, but it can be hard to find. Make your own by add ing black food coloring or gel into a bottle of vodka, a few drops at a time, and shaking until it becomes black. Or add blue, red and green food coloring or gel into a bottle of vodka, a few drops at a time, and shaking until it be comes black.

Directions:

Pour black vodka, fig vodka, creme de cas sis and vermouth into a cocktail shaker. Add ice, shake until cold, and strain into a glass.

Per serving: 268 calories; no fat; no saturat ed fat; no cholesterol; no protein; 21 g carbo hydrate; 18 g sugar; no fiber; 2 mg sodium; 30 mg calcium

—Recipe from minted.com

A spooky taste of Halloween

BY GRETCHEN MCKAY PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE

Halloween is not just about the sweet stuff. If you want to creep out your family with a scary-looking treats, you need some real food, too, to counteract the inevitable sugar rush that comes with candy consumption.

Warm and flaky is always good, as is any nosh that requires dipping. And if you can work some fresh fruit or vegetables or a healthful nut butter into the mix? Even better.

We’ve assembled some creepy-crawly Halloween treats that have two decidedly unscary things going for them. They’re as sembled with everyday ingredients you probably already have in your pantry or fridge. And they require almost no effort.

All five of the scary foods can be made in five easy steps — less if you don’t consider turning on the oven an action that requires effort. They include a bewitching finger food that looks like actual fingers, a quick-and-easy bedtime snack that’s an edible doppelganger for the carved pumpkin on your doorstep and kid-friendly hot dogs wrapped up like mummies.

Not one revolves around sugar, which means you don’t have to feel guilty when indulging.

Juicy spider eggs

Yield: 12 spider eggs

• 6 hard-boiled eggs

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

• 2 tablespoon mayonnaise, or more to taste

• Dash of white wine vinegar

• 1 teaspoon paprika, optional

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 18 black olives, divided

Note: Sliced olives turn deviled eggs into creepy crawlies. To pre vent the eggs from cracking while cooking, start with cold water.

Directions:

1. Cut your eggs in half lengthwise, and gently scoop out the yolks. Use fork or spoon to mash the yolks up. Stir in mustard, mayonnaise and vinegar, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

2. Fill your egg white halves with

the yolk mixture, heaping it carefully. Hand-sprinkle with paprika to taste, if desired.

3. Slice 6 of your black olives in half, saving both halves for the main part of the spider’s body.

4. Place each half of your olives on the center of an egg yolk for the spi der’s “body.”

5. Gather remaining 12 olives, split in half and thinly slice each half into quar ters to make the spider’s “legs.” You’ll want four legs on each side for accuracy.

—Recipe and photo by Gretchen McKay

Mummy hot dogs

Yield: 10 mummy dogs

• 1 can (8 ounces) refrigerated crescent rolls

• 2 § slices American cheese, quartered

• 10 hot dogs, patted dry with a paper towel

• Cooking spray

• Mustard or ketchup, if desired

These flaky, crescent roll-wrapped mummy hot dogs are instant party hits for kids and adults. Serve with ketchup or mustard for dipping.

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Unroll dough; separate at perforations, creating 4 rectangles.

GRETCHEN

GRETCHEN

Jack-o’-lantern quesadillas

These quesadillas are stuffed with chicken and cheese, but you could also use sea soned ground beef or leave the meat out all together. Serve with salsa, guacamole, sour cream and/or hot sauce.

• 2 cups shredded chicken

• Juice of § lime

• § teaspoon each chili, cumin and garlic powders

• 8 medium flour tortillas

• 1 § cups shredded Mexican cheese

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, for brushing

• Hot sauce, guacamole, salsa and/or sour cream for serving

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, add chicken and toss with lime juice and spices.

3. Using a paring knife, cut a jack-o’-lan tern pattern into 4 flour tortillas.

4. Sprinkle chicken and cheese onto remaining 4 tortillas, and top with jack-o’lanterns.

5. Place quesadillas onto baking sheet, brush with oil, and bake until cheese is melty and tortillas are golden brown, about 10 to 12 minutes.

—Recipe and photo by Gretchen McKay

Entertaining

Press perforations to seal.

3. With knife or kitchen scissors, cut each rectangle lengthwise into 10 pieces, mak ing a total of 40 pieces of dough. Cut the whole cheese slices into quarters and the half slice in two.

4. Wrap 4 pieces of dough around each hot dog and ¼ slice of cheese to look like “bandages,” stretching dough slightly to completely cover hot dog. About ½ inch from one end of each hot dog, separate “bandages” so hot dog shows through for “face.”

5. On ungreased large cookie sheet, place wrapped hot dogs (cheese side down); spray dough lightly with cooking spray. Bake 13 to 17 minutes or until dough is light golden brown and hot dogs are hot. With mustard, draw features on “face.”

—Recipe by pillsbury.com

Potato witch fingers

Yield: Around 2 dozen fingers.

• 1 large russet potato (around 13 ounces), cooked, peeled, mashed

• » teaspoon salt (or to taste)

• 1 ½ teaspoons olive oil

• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

• 24 slivered almonds

These spooky snacks look just like witch es’ fingers, with slivered almonds for nails. Serve hot with ketchup or marinara sauce.

Directions:

1. In a bowl, combine all the ingredients, ex cept the almonds, and form a smooth dough. You may need to add more flour if it’s sticky.

2. Using a measuring spoon, scoop around two teaspoons of the mashed potato dough and with floured hands, roll into a ball.

3. Roll the ball into the shape of a finger, shaping one end to a point for the nail to sit on. Place the shaped finger on the prepared baking tray. Repeat with the remaining dough.

4. Using a paring knife, score knuckle lines on the finger with 3 or 4 lines below the nail area, and 3 or 4 lines towards the end of the finger. Place an almond half on the nail area.

5. Bake in a 400-degree oven for 15 to 20

Scary apple bites

Yield: 8 to 12 apple bites

• 2 medium-size green apples, each quartered

• Sunflower, almond or peanut butter

• 32 sunflower or pumpkin seeds, or puffed rice

• 2 to 3 strawberries, sliced thin

I used Granny Smith apples and almond butter. You can find candy eyeballs in the baking section.

Directions:

1. Cut the middles out of each quarter of the apple to create a mouth. Don’t worry about per fection, you are filling this gap with nut butter anyway so if you cut too deep, you can always just cover it up and no one will know.

2. Coat the inside of the cut gap with a filling of your choice of nut butter.

3. Place 4 sunflower or pumpkin seeds or pieces of puffed rice on the top of the “mouth” for the teeth.

4. Place 1 sliced strawberry inside the mouth for the tongue.

5. “Glue” each eye above the mouth with a dab of nut butter to stick.

—Recipe by forkandbeans.com, photo by Gretchen McKay

minutes, until the bottoms are brown and crisp and the top is puffed and firm.

—Adapted from idahopotato.com, photo by Gretchen McKay

Entertaining

Turn a good pumpkin into a Great Pumpkin

BY DANIEL NEMAN ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

Pumpkins aren’t just meant for pie or playful evisceration. They are also a vegetable, a squash, and can there fore be eaten.

The question is: How? How to best eat a pumpkin? The other questions is: Why? Pumpkins don’t taste particularly good. Why would you want to eat them?

The answer is: Not all pumpkins are created equal. Smaller pumpkins are often delicious and are reminiscent of other winter squash. It’s the larger jack-o’-lantern type of pumpkins that give all the other pumpkins a bad reputa tion, at least in terms of texture and flavor.

So I decided to do something about it. I de cided to take some pumpkins, stuff them full of other things, and then roast them.

It’s not an idea I had by myself. In 2010, the

highly regarded food writer Dorie Greenspan included a recipe for stuffed pumpkin in her cookbook “Around My French Table,” and they have been a popular dish since then.

So I started with Greenspan’s groundbreak ing recipe — though the idea was not original with her, either; people have been stuffing pumpkins for decades.

As with three of the recipes I made, I used pie pumpkins for this dish. Pie or sugar pump kins, which are always labeled such, have the best flavor of all pumpkins. They are sweet, but only a little, and the mild sweetness mere ly adds a hint of intrigue to a savory dish.

Each of the recipes uses a starch to help fill out the pumpkin. In Greenspan’s inelegant ly named Pumpkin Stuffed With Everything Good, the starch is stale bread. It is used as the foundation for layers of other flavors: cheese, garlic, bacon or sausage — optional, if you want to keep it vegetarian — scallions, thyme,

cream and a touch of nutmeg.

Those ingredients are satisfying enough as they are, but don’t forget the additional taste of pumpkin. A chunk of pumpkin in every bite makes a good meal better.

Next, I roasted a pumpkin stuffed with shep herd’s pie. That’s really all you need to know: It’s shepherd’s pie inside a roasted pumpkin. If you kind of squint your taste buds, it is some what like eating moussaka, with pumpkin replacing the eggplant. And while pumpkin tastes nothing at all like eggplant, it also kind of does.

I used ground beef for my shepherd’s pie, but ground lamb, I imagine, would be just as good.

The next dish I made uses a large pumpkin — or at least large for a pie pumpkin — five or six pounds. It’s good for a substantial meal, which is why it’s called Stuffed Pumpkin Din ner. People who are tired of turkey have been known to make it for Thanksgiving.

The starch this time is rice (in the shepherd’s pie recipe, it is mashed potatoes). The rice is mixed with ground beef, onions, green pepper and tomato sauce, so basically it is a choppedup stuffed pepper stuffed into a pumpkin, with a few twists.

The biggest twist is the way it is cooked. Be cause the pumpkin is larger, the stuffing inside will be overcooked by the time the pumpkin is cooked through. So to remedy that, you steam the pumpkin for 30 minutes to soften the exte rior before stuffing and baking it.

It works like a charm.

My favorite of the four stuffed-pumpkin dishes did not use pie pumpkins; it used mini pumpkins, which are just a couple of inches tall.

These are stuffed with baby kale, bread crumbs (that’s the starch), cheese, scallions, garlic, pine nuts and more, all moistened (or more) with heavy cream. The small pumpkins are wonderfully tender when cooked, and a little sweet. Or at least they aren’t bitter. Whatever. They taste wonderful, a little bit nutty, with the unbeatable combination of kale (or spinach, if you prefer), cheese and cream. The pine nuts add a toasty crunch.

Most people use mini pumpkins for deco ration. But if you stuff a few and roast them, you’ll have a side dish worth celebrating at the most celebratory time of the year.

Entertaining Guide

Pumpkin stuffed with everything good

Yield: Makes 2 to 4 servings

• 1 pumpkin, about 3 pounds

• Salt and freshly ground pepper

• » pound stale bread, thinly sliced and cut into ½-inch chunks

• » pound cheese, such as Gruyère, Emmenthaler, cheddar, or a combination, cut into ½-inch chunks

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 4 slices bacon, cooked until crisp, drained, and chopped

• » cup snipped fresh chives or sliced scallions

• 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme

• ⅓ cup heavy cream

• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Directions:

1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a sili cone baking mat or parchment.

2. Using a very sturdy knife — and caution — cut a cap out of the top of the pumpkin as you would a jack-o’-lantern. You want to cut off enough of the top to make it easy for you to work inside the pumpkin. Clear away the seeds and strings from the cap and from inside the pumpkin. Season the inside of the pump kin generously with salt and pepper, and put it on the prepared baking sheet.

3. Toss the bread, cheese, garlic, bacon, chives (or scallions) and thyme together in a bowl. Season with pepper (add salt, if you are not using the bacon) and pack the mix into the pumpkin. The pumpkin should be well filled; you may have too much mix, or too little. Stir the cream with the nutmeg and some salt and pepper and pour it into the pumpkin.

4. Put the cap in place and bake the pumpkin for about 2 hours — check after 90 minutes — or until everything inside the pumpkin is bubbling and the flesh of the pumpkin is tender enough to be pierced easily with the tip of a knife. Remove the cap during the last 20 minutes or so, so that the liquid can bake away and the top of the stuffing can brown a little.

5. When the pumpkin is ready, bring it to the

table with care — it’s heavy, hot and wobbly. Per serving (based on 4 servings): 451 cal ories; 25 g fat; 12 g saturated fat; 58 mg choles terol; 18 g protein; 42 g carbohydrate; 11 g sugar; 3 g fiber; 620 mg sodium; 303 mg calcium —Slightly adapted from a recipe in “Around My French Table,” by Dorie Greenspan

Shepherd’s pie stuffed pumpkin

Yield: 8 servings

• 1 large or 2 small pie pumpkins

• 1 ½ pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

• 1 ½ pounds ground beef or lamb

• 1 onion, minced

• 2 cups chopped mushrooms (optional)

• Salt and pepper

• » cup all-purpose flour

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

• 2 cups chicken or beef broth

• 1 ½ teaspoons minced fresh thyme

• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

• 2 cups frozen pea-carrot medley, thawed (optional)

• 2 tablespoons butter

• ½ cup half-and-half

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Cover potatoes with water in a large sauce

pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until tender, about 15 minutes.

3. Cut top of pumpkin to create a lid, as you would with jack-o’-lanterns. Clean out seeds with a spoon, scraping the insides down to the pulp. Set aside.

4. While potatoes are cooking, brown meat in large pan over medium heat, breaking meat up with a spoon, until meat is cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and drain, reserving 2 tablespoons fat.

5. Add reserved fat back to pan, and heat on medium. Add onion, mushroom (if using) and ¼ teaspoon salt, and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour and tomato paste and cook, stirring, until flour is incorporated, about 1 minute.

6. Whisk in broth, thyme and Worcester shire sauce into onion mixture, scraping pan as you go, and bring to a simmer. Return meat to pan and cook over medium-low heat until sauce is thickened, about 6 to 8 minutes. Test for flavor and add salt and pepper to taste. Add peas and carrots into mixture, if using. (Continued on pg 12)

HILLARY LEVIN / ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

HILLARY LEVIN / ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

Entertaining

7. Drain potatoes, return to hot pot and mash until smooth. Stir in butter, then half-and-half. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

8. Rub the inside of the pumpkins with salt. Fill pumpkins 2/3 full with meat mixture. Fill pump kins to bottom of opening with mashed potatoes. Replace tops of pumpkins. Place pumpkins on prepared baking sheet.

9. Bake in oven for approximately 90 minutes or until pumpkin “gives” when you squeeze the sides. It may take longer than 90 minutes de pending on the size of the pumpkin.

10. If you would like to brown the mashed potatoes, broil them for 3 to 5 minutes with the pumpkin lid removed.

Per serving: 366 calories; 20 g fat; 8 g saturated fat; 68 mg cholesterol; 19 g protein; 22 g carbohydrate; 26 g sugar; 3 g fiber; 522 mg sodium; 62 mg calcium —Recipe from prettyprudent.com

Stuffed pumpkin dinner

Yield: 8 servings

• 1 large pie pumpkin (5½ to 6 pounds)

• 1 teaspoon salt, divided

• 1 ½ pounds ground beef

• ƒ cup finely chopped onion

• 1 small green pepper, chopped

• 1 ½ cups cooked rice

• 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce

• ½ cup finely chopped fully cooked ham or sausage

• 2 eggs, beaten

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• ½ teaspoon pepper

• ½ teaspoon cider vinegar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash pumpkin and cut out a 6-inch lid, as you would with a jack-o’-lantern. Discard seeds and loose fibers from inside. Place pumpkin in a large Dutch oven. Fill Dutch oven with boiling water to a depth of 6 inches; add ½ teaspoon salt. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until the pump kin is almost tender but holds its shape. Care fully remove and drain well; pat dry.

2. In a large skillet, cook the beef, onion and

green pepper over medium heat until meat is no longer pink and vegetables are tender; drain well. Cool slightly; place in a large bowl. Add rice, tomato sauce, ham, eggs, garlic, oregano, pepper, vinegar and the remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Stir to combine thoroughly.

3. Place pumpkin in a shallow, sturdy baking pan. Firmly pack beef mixture into pumpkin; replace top. Bake for 1 hour. Let stand for 10 minutes. Remove the top; if desired, use paper towel to remove excess moisture from top of meat. Slice pumpkin into wedges.

Per serving: 281 calories; 5 g fat; 2 g satu rated fat; 105 mg cholesterol; 27 g protein; 34 g carbohydrate; 11 g sugar; 3 g fiber; 377 mg sodium; 92 mg calcium —Recipe from Taste of Home

Stuffed baby pumpkins

Yield: 6 servings

• 6 mini pumpkins, preferably the white variety

• » teaspoon salt, plus more for the shells

• ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, plus more for the shells

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 2 scallions (about ⅓ cup), chopped

• 1 large garlic clover, finely chopped

• 4 cups baby kale or stemmed and roughly chopped lacinato (Tuscan) kale (about 4 ounces)

• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

• ½ cup white breadcrumbs, lightly toasted

• ª cup shredded Gruyère cheese

• » cup pine nuts, toasted

• » teaspoon ground nutmeg

• » teaspoon red pepper flakes

• » cup heavy cream

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash the pumpkins. With a small, sharp knife, remove the tops as if for a jack-o’-lantern. Scoop out the seeds and stringy insides with a spoon, leaving the flesh intact. Rinse, then rub with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper.

2. Melt the butter in a sauté pan over medi um heat, add the scallions and cook for a few minutes. Add the garlic and sauté another minute or so, until fragrant. Add the kale and cook until it just wilts, about 3 or 4 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in the lemon juice and transfer to a bowl.

3. Add the breadcrumbs, cheese, pine nuts, nutmeg, red pepper flakes, ¼ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper. Mix well, then stir in cream.

4. Divide the filling into the pumpkins and replace the tops. Line a baking dish with parch ment paper (or brush with 1 tablespoon olive oil) and arrange the filled pumpkins in the dish.

5. Bake for 1 hour, watching to make sure the tops don’t brown too much. Test the pump kins by piercing with a fork. If the skin doesn’t pierce easily, remove the tops and bake an additional 15 to 20 minutes. Replace the tops and serve hot.

Per serving: 313 calories; 23 g fat; 8 g satu rated fat; 32 mg cholesterol; 10 g protein; 22 g carbohydrate; 5 g sugar; 4 g fiber; 290 mg sodium; 221 mg calcium

—Slightly adapted from a recipe by Kim Sverson in the New York Times

PHOTOS BY HILLARY LEVIN / ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

This Thanksgiving make turkey better

BY DANIEL NEMAN ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

Imay never eat turkey again. I don’t want it for Thanksgiving. I don’t want it for Christmas. I don’t want to have a turkey sandwich some time next summer with a bowl of fresh tomato soup, although that does sound kind of good.

I’m done with turkey for ever and ever. Or at least for the time being.

For this How-to-Prepare-Turkey-for-Thanks giving article I decided to cook it three differ ent ways. I cooked them all the same day, and naturally, I had to eat them the same day, too.

I may never eat turkey again. But I loved it while I was eating it.

Naturally, for this inevitable story, I did not want to prepare it the ordinary way — roasting it unadorned in the oven, or maybe with some stuffing. That’s dreary and predictable. I want ed turkey with a little pizzazz.

So I made Peking-Style Roast Turkey with Molasses-Soy Glaze and Orange-Ginger Gravy. And I made Citrus and Herb Stuffed Turkey Breast. And I made Roast Turkey With Spicy Rub, which sounds pedestrian compared to the other two, but most decidedly was not.

For starters, the recipe came from the folks at Butterball. They may have a silly name, but you have to admit that they know all you would ever want to know about turkey.

And among the things they know is how to

create a spice rub that complements the flavor of the turkey and brings it out to the best ad vantage without overpowering it.

All it takes is a bit of brown sugar. A dusting of chili powder. A dash of cumin. A sprinkling of red pepper flakes.

A soupçon of salt. A pinch of pepper. A glim mer of garlic. A crunch of coriander.

OK, it has a lot of ingredients. But they all blend together harmoniously to make some thing better than turkey. It’s flavorful and moist, but not too spicy.

But is it better than Peking-Style Roast Tur key with Molasses-Soy Glaze and Orange-Gin ger Gravy? That depends entirely on your taste, and what you’re looking for in a turkey.

If you want a gorgeous mahogany color, an exquisitely crisp skin and a vaguely Asian flavor, then you definitely want to go with the Peking-Style Roast Turkey (though the Roast Turkey with Spicy Rub also creates a remark ably crisp skin). But you should know going in that it takes a fair amount of effort.

You begin by steaming the turkey for a half-hour. That’s what makes it Peking-style; it’s the same trick that gives Peking duck its ultra-crisp skin, and it works just as well for turkey. (I believe it was Jacques Pepin who first thought of applying that technique to turkey, or at least he was an early promoter of the concept.)

While the turkey is steaming, you make a glaze out of soy sauce, molasses, orange juice, butter, five-spice powder and more. This glaze is used to baste the turkey every 20 minutes while it roasts.

And even then you’re not done, because you still have to make the gravy. And orange-gin ger gravy is unlike other gravies. For one, it has orange juice and ginger in it. But it also has shallot and garlic and cloves and star anise and allspice, plus just the right amount of dry white wine.

It’s a lot of work, but it all comes together for an exceptionally elegant meal — the sort of thing you only serve once a year.

Less effort, perhaps, but no less delicious is the Citrus and Herb Stuffed Turkey Breast, a dish reminiscent of braciole (stuffed Italian beef roll). And as in the case of braciole, it isn’t the turkey that makes this dish so good, it is what you use to stuff it.

The name says it all: It is stuffed with citrus and herbs. The citrus comes by way of the zest of an orange and a lemon. But the herbs? The herbs are plentiful, including fresh rosemary and tarragon and marjoram (you can substitute oregano) and a lot of parsley and a little sage.

Roll all of that together with minced red onion and garlic, and you have a Thanksgiving dinner worth eating again.

Eventually.

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Roast turkey with spicy rub

Yield: 12 servings

• 3 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar

• 3 tablespoons chili powder

• 2 teaspoons ground cumin

• 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper

• 3 tablespoons salt

• 2 teaspoons black pepper

• 2 teaspoons garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon ground coriander

• 1 (12- to 14-pound) whole turkey, thawed if frozen

• 6 tablespoons canola oil, divided

Note: This recipe must be started the night before serving.

Directions:

1. Combine the sugar, chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, salt, black pepper, garlic powder and coriander; blend well (may be prepared 2 to 3 days in advance, stored at room tem perature in an airtight container).

2. Remove the neck and giblets from the body and neck cavity of the turkey; refrigerate for another use or discard. Place the turkey, breast side up, on a flat rack in a shallow roasting pan. Brush the turkey with half of the oil; rub the outside and inside with the spice mixture. Cover and refriger ate 12 hours or overnight.

3. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Brush or rub the spiced turkey with the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil. Bake until a meat thermometer reaches 170 degrees when inserted in the thick est part of the thigh, about 3 hours. Let turkey stand 15 minutes before carving.

Per serving: 677 calories; 31 g fat; 7 g saturated fat; 300 mg cholesterol; 91 g protein; 5 g carbohydrate; 3 g sugar; 1 g fiber; 2,271 mg sodium; 61 mg calcium —Recipe by Butterball

Peking-style roast turkey with molasses-soy glaze and orange-ginger gravy

Yield: 8 servings

For the turkey

• 1 (12- to 14-pound) turkey, neck, gizzard and liver reserved, left at room temperature for 1 hour

• Salt and pepper

• 4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter, melted

• ƒ cup orange juice, from 2 oranges, divided (keep the peels for the gravy)

• » cup soy sauce

• 2 tablespoons molasses

• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar

• 2 tablespoons 5-spice powder

• 1 bunch scallions, cut into large pieces

• 1 celery rib, cut into large pieces

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

For the gravy

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

• Reserved turkey neck, gizzard and liver (not the heart)

• Salt and pepper

• 1 shallot, chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, smashed

• 1 (2-inch) piece ginger, sliced

• 2 cloves

• 1 whole star anise

• 1 allspice berry

• 4 cups low-sodium chicken or turkey broth

• 4 tablespoon (1/2 stick) butter

•» cup all-purpose flour

• ƒ cup dry white wine

• » cup orange juice (reserved from above)

Directions:

1. Steam the turkey: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Season the inside of the turkey with salt and pepper and tie the legs together. In the bottom of a large pot (16 quart or larger) fitted with a small rack or crumpled foil, bring 8 cups water to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium low and lower the turkey into the pot. Cover and steam for 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, make the glaze: In a medium saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of butter. Whisk in ½ cup of the orange juice (reserve ¼ cup for later), soy sauce, molasses, vinegar and 5-spice powder. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and cook until the glaze is slightly thickened, 6 to 8 minutes.

TROY STOLT / ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

TROY STOLT / ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

3. Roast the turkey: In a large roasting pan, toss the scallions, celery and reserved orange peels with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Fit a roasting rack over the vegeta bles and place the turkey on top. Brush all over with the glaze, lower oven to 350 de grees and roast the turkey, basting every 20 minutes, until a thermometer inserted in the thigh registers 165 degrees, about 2 hours. If the turkey is browning too quickly, tent with a piece of foil. Let the turkey rest about 20 minutes before carving.

4. Make the gravy: While the turkey is cook ing, in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the turkey neck, giz zard and liver and cook until browned on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes, flipping occasionally.

Season with salt and pepper. Lower the heat to medium and add the shallot, garlic, ginger, cloves, star anise and allspice; cook until the vegetables are softened, 2 to 3 minutes.

5. Add the broth and bring to a boil, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the stock is flavorful and slightly reduced, about 1 hour. Strain the broth into a large, clean saucepan and set aside on the stovetop to keep warm.

6. In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Sprinkle the flour over the butter and whisk to combine. Cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until the butter mix ture is browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the gravy is thickened, 15 to 20 minutes.

7. Once the turkey has been removed from the roasting pan, strain the drippings into the pot with the gravy, discarding the solids. Place the roasting pan over 2 burners over medium-high heat. Pour in the wine and orange juice and bring to a boil. Scrape up brown bits on the bottom of the pan, and cook until reduced, about 1 minute. Pour pan juices into the gravy. Season with salt and pepper and serve with the turkey.

Per serving: 1,117 calories; 53 g fat; 21 g sat urated fat; 493 mg cholesterol; 140 g protein; 13 g carbohydrate; 7 g sugar; 1 g fiber; 1,882 mg sodium; 116 mg calcium —Recipe from Epicurious

Citrus and herb stuffed turkey breast

Yield: 8 servings

• » cup grapeseed or canola oil, divided

• 1 red onion, minced

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 orange, zested

• 1 lemon, zested

• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, minced

• 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon leaves, minced

• » cup fresh marjoram or oregano leaves, minced

• 4 fresh sage leaves, minced

• » cup parsley leaves, minced

• 1 (4-pound) skin-on turkey breast, see note

• Salt and pepper

Note: This recipe can also be made with skinless turkey breast.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large sauté pan, heat 1 to 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until the onions turn trans lucent, about 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequent ly. Add the orange zest, lemon zest, rosemary, tarragon, marjoram, sage and parsley, and cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

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3. Lay the turkey breast out on a plas tic-wrap-covered cutting board and but terfly the flesh, leaving the skin as intact as possible, cutting so that it has a thickness of about ½ inch. Pound out the meat with a mallet, if needed, to flatten.

4. Evenly distribute the herb mixture on the inside of the turkey breast. Roll up the turkey, folding in the edges as you go (like a pinwheel), enclosing the outside surface of the rolled turkey with the skin as thorough ly as possible, if using turkey with skin.

5. Tie up the rolled turkey with a long piece of kitchen twine and use bamboo skewers to secure any areas that can’t be easily tied. Sprinkle the rolled turkey with salt and pepper.

6. In a large sauté pan with an oven-safe handle, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Sear the tur key on all sides and then place in the oven. Roast the turkey until fork-tender, with an internal temperature between 170 and 175 degrees as measured with a meat thermom eter, about 55 minutes to 1 hour.

7. Remove the turkey from the oven and let rest 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.

Per serving: 355 calories; 11 g fat; 1 g satu rated fat; 130 mg cholesterol; 55 g protein; 9 g carbohydrate; 4 g sugar; 1 g fiber; 552 mg sodium; 66 mg calcium

—Recipe by Robert Irvine via the Daily Meal

TROY STOLT / ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

Answers to your Thanksgiving cooking questions

Cook at 425 degrees until they are tender to a fork. They will look a little wilted, but that is fine; it means they are perfect. And if you’re bring ing them to a family dinner, it helps that they reheat easily. But asparagus can be expensive. If you don’t want to spend that kind of money, I would suggest roasted cauliflower, which is much the same idea. And roasting the cauliflower brings out a wonderfully nutty flavor. Slice a cauliflower crosswise into slices thinner than ½ inch thick (the slices will mostly fall apart, but that’s OK). Toss with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet and cook at 400 degrees, turning once, until tender and starting to brown on the edges.

heat (that is, arrange for the fire to only be on one side of the grill), gen erously salt and pepper a standing rib roast — figure two people per rib — and grill bone-side down, covered, until the internal temperature reach es 126 degrees for medium rare (the meat will continue to cook once you take it off the fire).

Cover with foil and allow to rest 20 minutes before serving.

If that’s too pricey, you could make steak with a marsala sauce. Simply pan-fry a steak or steaks on a very hot skillet to your desired doneness (sirloin is wonderfully beefy and won’t bust the budget). Remove the steak and tent with a piece of foil to keep it warm while you prepare the sauce.

BY DANIEL NEMAN ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

Are you suddenly overwhelmed by the thought that Thanksgiving is around the corner? Has the panic started to set in?

Don’t worry. The Food Dude is here to answer all of your pre-holiday questions.

Q: What’s a great vegetable side dish to take to a family dinner? No green beans or Brussels sprouts, please. — J.W.

A: You just eliminated my top two go-to vegetable sides. But I have a couple of ideas that are even better.

For an elegant occasion such as Thanksgiving, I would go with roasted asparagus. It’s ridiculously easy and miraculously delicious. First, snap off and discard the woody bottoms of the asparagus spears, the bottom few inches. Then, toss the spears lightly in olive oil, place in a single layer on a baking sheet and season significantly with salt and pepper.

Q

: I am hosting Thanksgiving for the first time and am thinking of skipping turkey and going for a beef main course. I was originally think ing about prime rib, but I am a little intimidated by the price and the preparation. Do you have any other suggestions? I will have 10 people to feed. — L.J.

A: Another reader suggested pork tenderloins marinated in a mixture of apricot jam and mustard, and L.J. was intrigued by the thought. But I have a couple of other beef-related ideas.

If you have unlimited funds, I would say to grill a standing rib roast — and invite me. The preparation could not be easier: Set up a grill for indirect

Reduce the heat to low and sauté a couple of cloves of crushed garlic until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 min ute. Add ½ cup of marsala wine and ½ cup of chicken broth, raise the heat to high, and boil until reduced and somewhat thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and swirl in 3 tablespoons of butter that have been cut into chunks and ¼ teaspoon of dried rosemary. Slice the steak against the grain and serve with the sauce. This recipe makes enough sauce for 4 servings and can easily be doubled or tripled. Also, be sure to warn your guests in advance that they will not be eating turkey. Who knows what kind of pandemonium would ensue if they expect turkey and instead are served steak.

Also, be sure to warn your guests in advance that they will not be eating turkey ...

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Q

: Is there any way to roast and carve the turkey ahead of time and reheat it on Thanks giving day — and not have awful, dry turkey?

— M.H.M.

A: Frankly, no. The moment you slice a turkey, it starts to dry out. There are, however, a few tricks to make it less bad.

If you are going to reheat it in the oven, first melt some butter in warm chicken stock — or better still, turkey stock. A small amount is all you need; the liquid need be only ¼ inch deep, or even less. Place the turkey slices in the stock in a baking pan, coating both sides with the liquid. Heat at 350 degrees for 30 minutes before serving.

If you absolutely have to use the microwave, simply drizzle the meat with a combination of

chicken or turkey stock and a little bit of melt ed butter, cover the meat and heat.

Q: How many potatoes per person should I count on for mashed potatoes? — H.L.

A: The rule of thumb is to allow ⅓ to ½ pound of potatoes per person — but because it’s Thanksgiving, it’s probably best to count on ½ pound. Actually, because it is Thanks giving, and just about everybody loves mashed potatoes, it might be wise to use a little more than ½ pound.

If you’re using russet potatoes — the familiar brown ones — they generally run about ½ pound apiece. But be sure to weigh them at the grocery store for a more accurate mea surement.

“ The moment you slice a turkey, it starts to dry out. There are, however, a few tricks to make it less bad.”

Twelve hacks of Christmas to minimize holiday stress

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BY CYNTHIA MENDEZ FORT WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. And the most stressful for many of us. Not because we don’t love the season, but because we want to make each part of it memorable for our families and friends.

We want our homes to look good, smell good and feel welcoming. They’ll be home for Christmas, and we want to be ready. The Currier & Ives images that many of us grew up with are part of the season’s magic. When the host feels it, the guests do, too.

Here are 12 “hacks” of Christmas to help you navigate some of the stresses of the season

by giving you some less expensive, easier and more practical ways to get that special holiday magic for your home.

Just remember — it ’s not about making it per fect, it ’s about making it special and collecting moments.

1. Make an entrance

In each place I’ve lived, I’ve worked to make the entryway welcoming. I change it several times a year, adding items I’ve collected or moving pieces from other areas of the house to make them more visible. The most special items are those passed down from my parents and grandparents and ones that my children have made.

Estate sales and auctions are also great places to find items and give them new purpose, es pecially entry tables. I got mine half-price at a retail store because of a flaw (now strategical ly hidden) that happened during shipping.

Be on the lookout for great deals. Again, don’t rule out discount stores for some of the basics — candles, baskets and mirrors. Statement pieces are great, but it’s the details that will round out your vignette.

Tip: Place potpourri, candles or sachets in this area to keep it smelling nice.

2. Wrap outside the box

If you save jars, then you know they’re handy for more than just collecting pennies. Mason

jars, spaghetti sauce jars and pickle jars work well as packages for holiday gifts from the kitchen. Fill them with nuts, trail mix, cocoa mix and mini marshmallows, favorite candies, dried fruits, peppermints or cinnamon sticks. Cover the lid with a square of fabric or scrap book paper, trim and fold under the lid and secure with tape.

I add another circle of fabric or paper to cover the part that's folded under. Tie a pretty ribbon around the neck of the jar and you're done. Other useful containers are chip cans and waxed paper or foil boxes. Be sure to rinse out the chip can and let it dry complete ly before using. These are great for stacking cookies.

Tip: Keep a basket of these by the front door to share with friends and neighbors.

3. Light the way

A topiary dressed in white lights sets the scene, but you don’t have to shell out $65 a pop to achieve the look. Pick up a couple of inexpensive plastic planters (I chose dark ones because they look like pottery), two tomato cages (one-stop shopping), two 6-foot strands of garland and two strings of 100-count white lights.

With a pair of strong wire cutters, snip off the largest ring of the tomato cages, leaving the vertical wires so they can be tucked into the planter. Wrap the garland and lights along the tomato cage. Embellish if you like, although the greenery and lights alone can be pretty stunning.

Tip: Place a brick or two in the planter to keep it steady.

4. Presents that pop

Gift bags are wonderful for quick gifting emergencies, and there are still a few stores that offer free gift-wrapping, but Christmas is the perfect opportunity to show off your own wrapping skills and make the gift recipient feel extra special, courtesy of a beautifully wrapped present.

Options are plentiful. There are hundreds of gift-wrap patterns. And scrapbook paper is a good option for smaller gifts. I love the natural look of plain brown kraft paper (often $1 at discount stores) adorned with ribbons in hol

iday plaids. Embellishments like rhinestones, twigs and greenery, silk poinsettias and vari ous swag will also up the wow factor. Person alize gifts with the recipient ’s name, a special message or a line from a favorite holiday song in silver or gold ink.

Tips: Use double-sided tape for a profession al look. Flatten wrinkled ribbons with an iron set on medium heat.

5. Scents of the season

It hits you when you walk in. That wonderful pine and citrus smell of Christmas for which certain retail stores have become known. Fragrances like these can elicit fond memo ries, and you can create them in your home all season long — without the expensive price tag of store-bought potpourri. Stir your guests' senses when you keep a pot of this holiday potpourri simmering on your stove.

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6. Gather ye cones

Neighborhoods and parks are full of pine cones this time of year, so keep a bucket or bag in your vehicle and fill it up. We make a family outing of it. No time? Pick up a bag of scented pine cones at craft stores for about $5. Pine cones add texture and a sense of the outdoors to holiday displays. It ’s an easy way to bring nature inside. Try them in center pieces and garlands, as ornaments, even firestarters.

A fun craft for the kids is to make an outdoor bird feeder by covering a cone with peanut butter and rolling it in birdseed. Hang using a piece of twine and watch the happy results.

Tip: If you gather pine cones outdoors, bake them on a foil-lined baking sheet at 200 de grees for about 30 minutes to rid them of any pests.

7. Ice like the pros

I tried, in vain, for years to make my holiday cookies look like the beautifully decorated ex amples in glossy food magazines. But I could never control the lines. The answer? Condi ment bottles. They allow you to ice cookies with more ease and control.

Potpourri

• 2 cups water

• One lemon, sliced

• One orange, sliced

• 4 cinnamon sticks, broken in half right before cooking

• 1 teaspoon whole cloves

• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary (rubbed with your hands to release the oils)

• 1 cup fresh cranberries

Tips: Don’t let the pot boil dry. Add more water as needed. Before slicing, press and roll the fruit several times to release the juices. Add a couple of drops of your favorite essential oil for an even stronger scent.

Use one bottle (less than $1 at discount stores) for each icing color. After a while, you won’t want to limit your new skill to cookies. You can drizzle chocolate, caramel and other flavorings and sauces on fruits and desserts, even pretzels. The kids will enjoy making designs on their cookies, too. If you’re really pressed for time, decorate store-bought cookies.

Tips: After you fill condiment bottles with icing, set them in a pan of warm water to keep the icing fluid. Let each color dry on the cook ie or dessert before adding the next color.

8. Photographic memories

No one ever knows what to do with all those lovely holiday cards. Really like that family photo? Take a pic. Make it the contact photo for that person in your phone. You’ll always have the image. And your family will be charmed by the idea — if they ever get their hands on your phone.

Tip: Crop the photo to show each person if you have more than one family member in your contact list.

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9. Don’t sweat the wreath

Make unique holiday wreaths without spend ing a fortune by using old kid-sized sweaters that you don't mind recycling for this project. Or head to the resale shops, where I found plenty. The base of the wreath can be the traditional foam ring ($5-$10 depending on size) or a pool noodle ($1). (I used a pool noodle for the larger wreath and two foam rings for the others.) I cut through the foam rings using sharp scissors, spread them enough to slide on sleeves cut off an old sweater, then taped the ends together with duct tape. Do the same with the pool noodle. Position the sleeves the way you want them, then pin in place with T-pins. Decorate with ribbons, ornaments or beads. If you’re using your child’s old sweater, consider using a cou ple of his or her favorite toys. This is a fun way to personalize a Christmas staple.

Tip: Keep pins on the side of the wreath that will face the wall or door.

10. Hung with care

Decorating with foliage goes back to early civilizations. We've taken it up a few notch es since then, but fresh garlands are still a Christmas staple. Stringing cranberries and popcorn to hang on the tree is a fun, old-fashioned tradition. .

I made kid-friendly garlands using gum drops for one and pompoms for another. These were discount store purchases strung on sturdy dental floss. I used pine cones on natural twine ($1 from the discount store) and draped them across the mantel. The most labor-intensive was a felt garland similar to one sold by a popular retail store, using felt squares bought at the craft store (39 cents each), which were cut into strips and strung on embroidery floss.

Tip: Buy inexpensive greenery and en hance it with your own custom-made garlands.

11. Fireside beauty

If you have a fireplace, it ’s a natural center piece for Christmas decorating. My mother used to lay out a snow scene with Santa, his reindeer and little trees poised above our carefully-hung stockings. We hung them there every year by the warm, crackling fire.

It ’s a scene that ’s burned into my memory. I love to mix vintage and new decorations. I add a few new things each year, mixing them with traditional decorations (my mom's pieces). Don’t shy away from the discount stores. You’ll be surprised what you can find — an unexpected piece might fit right in with your carefully decorated vignette. Some of my finds: flower picks for sprucing up arrangements, interesting items to tie on gifts, a reindeer covered in gold sparkles, vintage-looking trays, candles, rib bon and a fleece throw in Christmas plaids.

A cozy corner near the fire will beckon visi tors when you add a comfy chair with plush throws for snuggling.

Tip: The Christmas palette of red and green has grown to include many shades of both. Enjoy mixing in barn and cranberry reds, forest greens and woodsy browns — plus plaids that feature combinations of colors.

12. Smarter storage

It ’s over, and you survived. Memories were made. Make the whole process easier on yourself next year by storing your orna ments a new way. Egg cartons can handle smaller, delicate ornaments. Paper or plastic cups protect larger ornaments.

Take it a step further and glue plastic cups to a large piece of cardboard, then stack those in a large crate. And what about all of that wrapping paper you're going to buy at the post-Christmas sales? Hit the discount stores again and snag a couple of tall, plastic garbage cans to keep your rolls of paper neat and organized. Then tuck them away in a closet until they ’re needed again.

Tip: To keep wrapping paper rolls neat, hold them in place using the cardboard cylinders found inside rolls of paper towels. Just cut open one side of the cylinder, then wrap it around the paper roll. No more mess.

Entertaining Guide

An English dinner for a Christmas anywhere

BY DANIEL NEMAN ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

Idon’t have a drop of English blood in me, but when I think about Christmas dinner, my imagination heads directly to England.

For some reason, it’s always Victorian England I picture. Christmas to me is horsedrawn carriages in the snow, gas lights flicker ing merrily, rosy-cheeked children on wooden sleds, men in top hats and women in silk dress es over crinoline with a bustle in the back.

They gather around the fire nibbling on hot chestnuts and discussing Dickens’ delightful new novel while (or whilst) waiting for dinner to be served.

And when dinner comes it is sumptuous: a fragrant, perfectly roasted joint of beef, golden Yorkshire pudding, beautiful root vegetables — it being too cold to grow anything green — and a suitably English dessert, such as trifle.

Only I don’t like trifle.

So I decided to make a traditional English

Yuletide dinner with an equally traditional but non-trifle Yuletide dessert, mincemeat pie.

Don’t freak out. Mincemeat pie is made by stewing together a large variety of dried and fresh fruit, flavored with holiday spices and, if you like, a hit of alcohol to encourage the flavors to blend.

At least, that is what I always thought. But I don’t have a drop of English blood in me, as I believe I have mentioned, and I did not know that mincemeat originally did have minced beef or venison in it, and is still often made with beef suet. And yes, it is served for dessert.

I decided to go with the all-fruit version.

But dessert comes last. I began instead with the beef, a standing rib roast. This is what I actually make every year for Christmas Eve, at least since I have been married, because it is absolutely the best thing I know how to cook.

It is also one of the very easiest.

I prefer to grill my roast — over indirect heat, please — because it is the combination of the fire and the beef that makes the dish so spectac ular. If you don’t have a grill with a lid, roasting

it in the oven is absolutely the next best thing.

Cookbook writers and online recipeteers always try to come up with various rubs and marinades to make a standing rib roast better. Pay them no attention. A standing rib roast is perfect as is; adding anything more than a generous amount of salt and pepper merely diminishes the epochal greatness that is a sim ply cooked rib roast.

Mine was outstanding, beefy and juicy with just the right hint of smoke. I made sure to cook enough for leftovers too, so there are plenty of jaw-droppingly delicious roast beef sandwiches and roast beef hash in my future.

Naturally, an English Christmas dinner fea turing beef has to be — has to be — accompa nied by Yorkshire pudding. It follows as night follows day, or as mash follows bangers.

Yorkshire pudding has nothing to do with what we Americans think of as pudding. “Pud ding,” especially when preceded by “Yorkshire,” is one of those British words that only prove the English don’t know how to speak English.

Yorkshire pudding is popovers, a puffy and rich form of what is technically a roll but is so much more exquisite than that.

You make a batter not unlike that for pancakes, but with more eggs, and pour it into a hot muffin pan with equally hot oil (or beef drippings) in the bottom. The batter puffs up impressively as it bakes and turns a lovely golden brown.

The taste is wonderfully buttery, which is odd because it has no butter. And there is absolutely nothing that goes better with a standing rib roast.

For my vegetable, I first thought of pease por ridge, a dish so quintessentially English that it has its own nursery rhyme. You’re saying it to yourself now.

But pease porridge is just yellow split peas that are boiled and then mashed into mush, served with butter or maybe ham. Surely, your Christmas table deserves something better than that.

Instead, I made Roasted Carrots and Red On ions, a dish created by roasting carrots together with red onions. A little bit of olive oil (actually, it’s kind of a lot of olive oil) and some salt are the only other ingredients you need.

And yet, the dish is hearty and hugely satisfy ing. It is appropriately British, it’s a light coun

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terpoint to the heavier dishes of the dinner, and it is festive enough for the holiday meal.

Dessert, you may recall, was mincemeat pie. This is a dish that really deserves to make a comeback in this country.

The mincemeat filling is subtle and multi layered, a complex whirl of flavors that blend together in perfect harmony: fresh apples, ap ple cider, candied cherries, brown sugar, dried apricots, dried cherries, dried cranberries, dried currants, dried figs, orange zest, orange juice, golden raisins, regular raisins and butter, spiced with allspice, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves and flavored with dark rum.

All of these ingredients are simmered to gether until they dissolve into a kind of unity, a whole that is very much more than a sum of all of its many parts. It becomes a distinct flavor of its own, mincemeat.

A great filling deserves a great crust. Here I returned to my favorite crust, devised by Ina Garten. It uses both butter and shortening, so you get that wonderful buttery flavor as well as a light, flaky crust. It is superb, and even better with mincemeat filling.

A Christmas dinner like this one just might help bring peace on Earth and good will to men.

Yorkshire pudding

Yield: 12 servings

• 4 large eggs

• 1 ½ cups whole milk

• 1 » cups all-purpose flour

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil or beef drippings

Directions:

1. In a blender, combine the eggs, milk, flour and salt. Blend until well combined and place in the refrigerator until ready to use (allow to rest for at least 30 minutes).

2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

3. Put 1 teaspoon of the oil or beef drippings into each section of a 12-hole muffin pan and put into the oven on the top shelf until very hot, almost smoking.

4. As soon as you take the tray from the oven, pour in the batter in each indentation to ¾ full (it should sizzle) and immediately put

Standing rib roast

Yield: 6 to 9 servings

• 1 (3-rib) bone-in rib roast, about 5 to 7 pounds

• 3 tablespoons salt

• 3 tablespoons cracked black pepper

Directions:

1. About 1 hour before cooking, take the meat out of the refrigerator and rub generously all over with the salt and pepper. If roasting in oven, preheat oven to 400 degrees. If grilling, set up grill for indirect heat.

2. If grilling, cook 80 minutes to 2 hours, depending on size and desired doneness. If

back into the oven.

5. Bake until the Yorkshire puddings are well risen, golden brown and crisp, 15 to 20 min utes. Don’t open the oven door until the end or they might collapse.

Per serving: 129 calories; 7 g fat; 5 g saturat ed fat; 65 mg cholesterol; 4 g protein; 12 g car bohydrate; 2 g sugar; 1 g fiber; 134 mg sodium; 46 mg calcium —Recipe by Gordon Ramsay, via food.com

roasting in oven, cook 90 minutes to 2 ¼ hours. Place a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the meat, without touching the bone. The meat is ready to be removed when it is 120 degrees for rare, 125 degrees (or a little less) for medium rare, 130 to 135 degrees for medium. 3. Tent the meat with aluminum foil for 30 minutes. As it rests, the internal temperature will rise an additional 5 degrees, resulting in the proper level of doneness.

Per serving (based on 9): 647 calories; 50 g fat; 22 g saturated fat; 171 mg cholesterol; 46 g protein; 3 g carbohydrate; no sugar; 1 g fiber; 2,325 mg sodium; 40 mg calcium

—Adapted from “How to Cook Meat” by Chris Schlesinger and John Willoughby

Roasted carrots and red onions

Yield: 4 servings

• 1 pound carrots

• 1 red onion

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• Salt, preferably flaky

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Peel carrots and cut into 2-inch pieces. If they are fatter than your middle finger, cut them in half lengthwise. If they are too thin, they will shrivel in the onion.

3. Peel the onion and cut into 6 pieces.

4. Scatter carrots and onions on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour oil over vegetables and turn

to coat. Sprinkle liberally with salt.

5. Roast in center of oven until caramelized but not burned, about 35 to 40 minutes. Serve hot or cold.

Per serving: 117 calories; 7 g fat; 1 g saturated fat; no cholesterol; 1 g protein; 13 g carbohydrate; 7 g sugar; 4 g fiber; 118 mg sodium; 44 mg calcium —Adapted from a recipe by Elaine Lemm, via thespruceeats.com

PHOTOS BY COLTER PETERSON / ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

Mincemeat pie

Yield: 8 to 10 servings (filling recipe makes 2 pies)

• 2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and chopped

• 1 cup apple cider

• 1 cup candied red cherries

• ª cup dark brown sugar

• ½ cup dried apricots, chopped

• ½ cup dried cherries

• ½ cup dried cranberries

• ½ cup dried currants

• ½ cup dried figs, chopped

• 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest

•

cup fresh orange juice

•

•

•

•

•

• ½ teaspoon ground ginger

• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• 1 cup dark rum

• 1 double pie crust, recipe follows or store-bought

• 1 egg, optional

Note: For best results, make filling 1 to 2 days before baking pie.

Directions:

1. Simmer apples, apple cider, candied cherries, brown sugar, apricots, dried cherries, cranber ries, currants, figs, orange zest, orange juice, golden raisins, raisins, butter, allspice, cinnamon,

Perfect pie crust

Yield: 2 (10-inch) crusts. 8 to 10 servings for a double crust, 16 to 20 servings for 2 crusts

• 12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) very cold unsalted butter, see note

• 3 cups all-purpose flour, see note

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

• ⅓ cup very cold vegetable shortening, see note

• 6 to 8 tablespoons (3 ounces to ½ cup) ice water

Note: Measure out the flour and the shortening and place them in the freezer 20 to 30 minutes before you start; dice the butter and put it in the freezer 10 minutes before beginning.

Directions:

1. Dice the butter if you haven’t already and return it to the refrigerator or freezer while you prepare the flour mixture. Place the flour, salt and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse a few times to mix.

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ginger, nutmeg, cloves, salt and rum in a medium pot over medium heat and cook, stirring occa sionally, until almost all of the liquid is evaporat ed, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl, cover and chill 24 to 48 hours to let flavors de velop. Filling may be frozen for up to 3 months.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

3. Roll out crusts to ¹�8-inch thick, if needed. Place 1 crust — the larger one if using home made — on the bottom of a 9-inch pie pan. Spread half of the filling over it (refrigerate and use the other half for another pie or use as jam and serve with goat cheese on crackers or small pieces of toast). Place the other crust on top and crimp edges or press fork around edge to seal crusts. Cut several vent slits in top crust and a small hole in the center. If desired, beat egg with 1 tablespoon water and brush over top crust (you will not need the entire mixture).

4. Bake on the middle rack in the oven until golden brown and the filling can be seen bub bling inside, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Cool on a wire rack at least 1 hour before serving. Per serving (based on 10): 455 calories; 24 g fat; 13 g saturated fat; 52 mg cholesterol; 6 g protein; 57 g carbohydrate; 25 g sugar; 4 g fiber; 273 mg sodium; 31 mg calcium —Filling recipe by Rick Martinez in Bon Appetit

Add the butter and shortening. Pulse 8 to 12 times, until the butter is the size of peas.

2. With the machine running, pour the ice wa ter down the feed tube and pulse the machine until the dough begins to form a ball. Dump out on a floured board and roll into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

3. Cut the dough, making one piece slightly larger than the other. Roll the larger piece on a well-floured board into a circle, rolling from the center to the edge, turning and flouring the dough to make sure it doesn’t stick to the board. Fold the dough in half, place in a pie pan, and unfold to fit the pan. Repeat with the top crust, or cut it with a pizza cutter or sharp knife to make strips for a lattice.

Per serving (based on 16): 202 calories; 13 g fat; 7 g saturated fat; 23 mg cholesterol; 3 g pro tein; 19 g carbohydrate; 1 g sugar; 1 g fiber; 148 mg sodium; 7mg calcium —Adapted from a recipe by Ina Garten, via the Food Network

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8 breakfast recipes worthy of Christmas morning

BY DANIEL NEMAN ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

It’s Christmas morning. The presents have been opened. Everything is festive and there is a sense of good cheer in the air.

Now: What’s for breakfast? Christmas breakfast is a special occasion that does not get the attention that is given to many other noteworthy meals. But it should stand out as a particularly happy time, a meal for celebration. A bowl of Cheerios just won’t cut it.

If you had the good fortune to grill a stand ing rib roast for Christmas Eve, the next day’s breakfast is a no-brainer: Chop up some of the leftover beef, add diced potatoes and slap a poached egg on top, and you’ll have the best hash of your life.

But if you happen not to have leftover grilled standing rib roast on hand, Christmas break fast can still be a time of comfort as well as joy.

To prove that theory, I made seven dishes — or so I thought. When I later checked, I

discovered I had actually made eight. I am ap parently not great at some of the higher levels of advanced math, such as counting.

In my defense, one of them is so easy it barely registers as a dish. But it is too good to ignore.

Tangerine-Grapefruit Juice is made by com bining freshly squeezed tangerine juice with freshly squeezed grapefruit juice.

It’s simple, but it’s wonderful. The juice is light and refreshing, without the heaviness and sour tang of orange juice. The flavors of the two citrus juices play off each other in a most delightful way, and there is something else about this drink, too: It is even better with a splash of gin. You know, to make your day merry and bright.

All the best breakfasts begin with muffins, so I appropriately started mine with Coffee Pe can Muffins. They were so insanely addictive I probably ate far more of them than I should. In fact, these are the muffins that will launch a thousand day-after-Christmas diets.

The coffee flavor is subtle in them, but it is also the most important taste. The pecans and brown sugar in the batter bring out the best

undertones in the coffee, but none of the bit terness. The recipe comes from a now-closed inn in California that said the muffins were one of their most-requested items in their rotating breakfast buffet, and it is easy to see why. If you stayed there, you’d ask for these muffins, too. Because Christmas breakfast is a dressedup brunch, I decided to make an irresistible brunch favorite, Deviled Avocado.

These are always the first item to go at any brunch. They are the same idea as deviled eggs, but with an avocado. Instead of a mashed yolk-and-mayo mixture in the hole, these have homemade hummus. This hummus is an espe cially easy recipe that only takes a few minutes to bring together.

A bit of turmeric turns the hummus an ap pealing (and yolk-like) shade of yellow, and a sprinkling of roasted pumpkin seeds — also known as pepitas — I got them at my local grocery store — adds a pop of nutty flavor and a nice crunch.

Any brunch worth its syrup involves one of the Big Three morning carbohydrate plates: French toast, pancakes or waffles.

I made French toast, but it was far more than French toast. Cubes of bread soak in eggnog, eggs, maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla extract and orange zest, and are then baked in the oven like a strata.

If that were all that is to it, it would be pretty amazing. But this insanely decadent dish reach es to the stratosphere, courtesy of a middle layer dotted with cream cheese and berries.

I used fresh berries. That way the whole thing was, um — healthy?

Obviously, protein was called for. So I made a truly fabulous potato quiche. It is a quiche without a crust, which is a good thing if you are also eating Baked Eggnog French Toast. This is a hearty, filling quiche, just the thing you want on a chilly day. It is the sort of brawny quiche that real men love to eat. Coincidentally, a number of the same ingredients that went into the quiche — potatoes, onions, bacon, eggs, half and half — are also part of the other main course I made, a Hobo Breakfast.

Do not let the name concern you; a Hobo Breakfast is a sophisticated, multilevel meal.

The base is a meatless hash, just potatoes and onions cooked together until the potatoes are crispy. On top of that layer goes poached

eggs, and few foods create more of a sense of elegance than poached eggs.

And on top of that is a cream sauce, but it is so much more than a cream sauce. This sauce be gins with a roux, which is pretty fancy to begin with, and then adds half-and-half, bacon and shredded cheese that melts into the sauce.

Hobos never had it so good.

I also took the festive route for dessert. I made Aromatic Pears, which are pears that are poached in a simple syrup spiced with cinnamon, cloves, vanilla and a bit of ginger.

When you eat it, you will not be the first per son to say, “This tastes just like Christmas.”

Don’t forget to serve whipped cream on the side. Not only does it add another dollop of luxury, it also softens and rounds the tones of the spices that have soaked into the pear.

And then I made one more dessert for your family and guests to nibble on while they sit at the table after the meal is over but they are not yet ready to leave the good company and good feelings that come from a wonderful meal.

Cinnamon Cookies are just the thing for that lazy time of post-meal fellowship and love. They are simple to make, crisp and unfussy. They taste of nothing but cinna mon, butter and brown sugar; an unbeatable combination that everyone loves. Think of them as one last Christmas present.

Aromatic pears

Yield: 6 servings

• 1 lemon

• 1 cup dry white wine

• 5 tablespoons granulated sugar

• ½ vanilla bean

• 1 stick cinnamon

• 2 whole cloves

• ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger

• 6 firm-fleshed pears or 12 Seckel pears

• 1 cup heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks and chilled, or 2 cups whipped cream

Directions:

1. Grate zest from the lemon and set aside. Cut the lemon in half, extract 1 tablespoon juice and set juice and lemon halves aside.

2. In a large, heavy saucepan, combine lemon zest, wine, sugar, vanilla bean, cinnamon stick, cloves, ginger and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower heat to medium-low and simmer about 5 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, peel pears with a vegetable peeler, leaving stems on. Rub the surface of the pears with the cut side of a lemon half to prevent them from darkening. Poach pears in the syrup, turning occasionally, until their flesh

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can easily be pierced with the tip of a knife, 10 to 20 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat and let pears cool in syrup for 10 minutes.

4. Remove pears from syrup with a slotted spoon and arrange, stem-side up, in a shallow serving dish. Return syrup to a boil over high heat until reduced to 11/2 cups. Stir in lemon juice. Allow syrup to cool to lukewarm.

5. Carefully strain syrup over pears. To serve, pass pears accompanied by whipped cream in a separate bowl.

Per serving: 325 calories; 15 g fat; 9 g saturat ed fat; 45 mg cholesterol; 2 g protein; 41 g car bohydrate; 29 g sugar; 7 g fiber; 14 mg sodium; 60 mg calcium —Recipe by “Crabtree & Evelyn Cookbook”

Coffee pecan muffins

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease muffin tins and set aside.

2. Mix butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add milk, vanilla, egg and coffee granules, and mix well. In a separate bowl, stir togeth er flour, baking powder, salt and ½ cup of the chopped pecans. Add the milk/brown sugar mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just mixed, being careful not to overbeat.

3. Fill prepared muffin tins ƒ full. Mix together the remaining 2 tablespoons chopped pecans with the granulated sugar and sprinkle on top of each muffin. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 10 to 12 minutes.

Per serving (based on 16): 242 calories; 9 g fat; 4 g saturated fat; 27 mg cholesterol; 3 g protein; 40 g carbohydrate; 28 g sugar; 1 g fiber; 55 mg sodium; 83 mg calcium

—Adapted from “Four Sisters Inns Cookbook”

PHOTOS BY COLTER PETERSON / ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

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Baked eggnog french toast

Yield: 12 servings

• 4 cups eggnog

• 6 eggs

• 1 cup maple syrup

• ½ teaspoon cinnamon or nutmeg

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 tablespoon grated orange zest

• 1 ½ loaves sourdough bread, diced

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened

• 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries or raspberries, plus more for garnish Powdered sugar, sifted, for garnish Mint leaves, for garnish

Potato quiche

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

• 5 eggs

• 2 large russet (baking) potatoes, grated

• §cup cooked bacon, crumbled

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 2 cups sour cream

• » cup half-and-half

• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9-inch or 10-inch quiche pan or tart pan.

2. Beat eggs well in a large bowl. Add potatoes, bacon, onion, sour cream and half-and-half. Season generously with salt and pepper, and mix well. Pour into prepared pan; the pan can be filled very full.

3. Bake 15 minutes at 400 degrees, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake an additional 35 to 45 minutes, or until firm.

Per serving (based on 6): 335 calories; 17 g fat; 9 g saturated fat; 188 mg cholesterol; 16 g protein; 31 g carbohydrate; 2 g sugar; 2 g fiber; 226 mg sodium; 162 mg calcium

—Adapted from “Four Sisters Inns Cookbook”

Cinnamon cookies

Yield: About 30 cookies

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 § teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

2. Beat together eggnog, eggs, maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla and orange zest. Put about ƒ of the diced bread in a large bowl. Add eggnog mixture and let bread soak for 20 to 30 minutes.

3. Layer unsoaked diced bread in prepared baking dish. Dot top with pieces of cream cheese. Sprinkle with berries. Spread soaked bread over berries. Bake 50 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Garnish with blueber ries or raspberries and a mint leaf.

Per serving: 414 calories; 14 g fat; 7 g satu rated fat; 162 mg cholesterol; 15 g protein; 60 g carbohydrate; 28 g sugar; 2 g fiber; 485 mg sodium; 195 mg calcium

—Adapted from “California Bed & Breakfast Cookbook” by Melissa Craven and Jordan Sal cito; recipe by Tamarack Pines Inn

• Pinch salt

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

• § cup firmly packed light brown sugar

• 1 large egg yolk

• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Directions:

1. Sift flour, cinnamon and salt together into a bowl or onto a sheet of waxed paper.

2. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy. Add egg yolk and beat until light. Add flour mixture and blend well. Cover and chill cookie dough in refrigerator at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets.

4. Divide dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll out half of dough ¹�8-inch thick. Use a 2½-inch cookie cutter to cut out cook

ies and place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Repeat with the second half of dough. Sprinkle cookies with granulated sugar.

5. Bake in the center of the oven 7 to 8 minutes, or until firm and just beginning to brown around the edges (you may have to do this in 2 batches). Transfer to a wire rack and let cool. Store in a tightly covered container.

Per cookie: 62 calories; 3 g fat; 2 g satu rated fat; 14 mg cholesterol; 1 g protein; 8 g carbohydrate; 4 g sugar; 1 g fiber; 79 mg sodium; 7 mg calcium

—Recipe from “Crabtree & Evelyn Cookbook”

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Hobo breakfast

Yield: 6 servings

• 5 large red potatoes

• 4 tablespoons butter, divided

• 1 large onion, chopped

• § tablespoon oil

• 1 teaspoon paprika

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• 3 tablespoons chopped parsley

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 1 cup half-and-half, or more if needed

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• » cup crumbled cooked bacon, optional

• 1§ cups grated cheddar cheese, divided

• 1 tablespoon white vinegar

• 6 eggs

Deviled avocado

Yield: 8 servings

• 1 (15-ounce) can or jar chickpeas — also called garbanzo beans — rinsed and drained

• 2 teaspoons tahini

• 1 garlic clove

• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric

• 1 teaspoon fine salt

• » teaspoon black pepper

• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, or more to taste

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 4 avocados, halved and pitted

• 1 teaspoon smoked or regular paprika

• Flaky salt, for serving

• § cup pumpkin seeds, toasted, see note

• 3 tablespoons finely chopped chives

Note: Pumpkin seeds, also known as pepi tas, are available at some grocery stores and specialty stores.

Directions:

1. In a food processor, process the chick peas, tahini, garlic, turmeric, salt, pepper,

Directions:

1. Boil potatoes in large pot of boiling water until easily pierced with a knife or fork. Drain and dice; set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add on ions and cook until soft. Remove onions

and set aside. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter with the oil in the large skillet. Add potatoes, paprika and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring as little as possible, until potatoes are browned and crisp. Stir in parsley and potatoes.

3. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes. Add half-andhalf and cook, stirring, until thickened; add more half-and-half (or milk) if needed. Add lemon juice and bacon pieces if using. Add ¾ cup of the cheese; cook until melted and combined. Keep warm.

4. Sprinkle the remaining ¾ cup of cheese over the potatoes and place in oven until cheese melts. Remove from oven — remember, the skillet handle will be hot.

5. Meanwhile, fill a saucepan half-full with water and add the vinegar. Bring to a simmer, then crack eggs gently into the water (do this in batches). Poach eggs for about 3 minutes; remove carefully with a slotted spoon. Gently place poached eggs on top of the potatoes. Top with cream sauce.

Per serving: 548 calories; 26 g fat; 13 g saturated fat; 242 mg cholesterol; 22 g protein; 59 g carbohydrate; 7 g sugar; 6 g fiber; 785 mg sodium; 342 mg calcium

—Adapted from “California Bed & Breakfast Cook book” by Melissa Craven and Jordan Salcito

Tangerine-grapefruit juice

Yield: 5 to 6 servings

lemon juice, oil and 3 tablespoons water until smooth. Add a little more water, tablespoon by tablespoon, as needed until creamy but still scoopable. Taste and add more salt or lemon juice as needed.

2. Scoop 2 rounded tablespoons of hummus into each avocado “’hole,” as for deviled eggs.

3. Arrange on a serving platter. Sprin kle with the paprika, flaky salt, pump kin seeds and chives.

Per serving: 245 calories; 20 g fat; 3 g saturated fat; 0mg cholesterol; 7 g protein; 15 g carbohydrate; 1 g sugar; 8 g fiber; 640 mg sodium; 37 mg calcium —Recipe from “Tasting Paris” by Clotilde Dusoulier

• 6 tangerines, halved

• 3 medium grapefruit, halved

Directions:

Squeeze juice from tanger ines and grapefruit. Com bine and chill. This juice is great by itself or mixed with a little gin or vodka.

Per serving: 100 calories; 1 g fat; no saturated fat; no cholesterol; 2 g protein; 25 g carbohydrate; 11 g sugar; 4 g fiber; 2 mg sodium; 61 mg calcium

—Adapted from “Crabtree & Evelyn Cookbook”

PHOTOS BY COLTER PETERSON / ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

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HANUKKAH DINNER PREPHANUKKAH DINNER

Chicken schnitzel recipe is perfect for Hanukkah

BY CAROLE KOTKIN MIAMI HERALD

It wouldn’t be Hanukkah without fried foods like potato pancakes (latkes), jelly doughnuts (suf ganiyot) and chicken schnitzel. These foods are prepared and eaten throughout the holiday to celebrate the Jewish victory over a tyrant king and the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem. As the legend goes, a small quantity of oil to light the Temple’s menorah miraculously lasted eight days.

We all love crunchy fried foods whether it’s Hanukkah or not. A particular favorite of mine is chicken schnitzel. Many cultures have their version of breaded, pan-fried cutlets — Italy’s chicken parmigiana, Japan’s chicken Katsu, Puerto Rico’s chicken empanizado, or Austria’s national dish, wiener schnitzel.

Schnitzel found its way with European Jews to Israel, where it is extremely popular all year long. Fried chick en cutlets are surprisingly fast and easy to make, and it’s a dish children will love. It makes an appealing main dish, a filling for a sandwich, or a topping for pasta or salad.

The first step to breading chicken is important; make sure the chicken is completely dry before starting the dredging process. Pat the meat dry on all sides using a paper towel. Use one hand for the dry ingredients and

the other for the wet: You will have one clean hand with which to answer the phone.

Coat the chicken cutlets with flour (I prefer finely ground instant Wondra), rice flour or cornstarch, and shake off any excess. The schnitzel recipe below skips this step. Then dip them in beaten egg, and finally coat them thoroughly and completely with bread crumbs, panko, matzoh meal, cornmeal, or ce real crumbs. Grated Parmesan cheese, grated lemon rind, or herbs can be add ed to the crumb mixture.

Pat them firmly and set them aside at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes to allow the layers to bond. Heat the oil or fat until hot before adding the chick en, leaving plenty of space between the cutlets. Adjust heat so chicken cooks rapidly but the coating does not burn. Have plenty of patience: Don’t try to turn the chicken until the bottom is golden brown. Gently loosen the pieces with a wide spatula, and turn and cook the other side for the same amount of time. Transfer them to a plate.

Chicken schnitzel

Yield: Serves 4

The zesty citrus aromas and flavors and balanced acidity of Cakebread Cellars Napa Valley sauvignon blanc ($27) will complement this dish very well.

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

• 4 large eggs

• 2 tablespoons Hawaij Spice Blend (see next recipe)

• 2 cups matzo meal

• 2 teaspoons plus a pinch of kosher salt

• » cup canola oil

Directions:

Slice each chicken breast in half hori zontally and pound (with a mallet or the back of a heavy pan) to an even ¼-inch thickness.

In a shallow baking dish, beat the eggs with the hawaij.

Place the chicken in the dish and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or up to overnight.

Place the matzo meal in a shallow dish and stir in the 2 teaspoons salt. Dredge the chicken in the matzo meal and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chick en, one or two pieces at a time, and cook until golden and crispy, about 3 minutes per side. Drain the chicken on paper towels, transfer to a plate, and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.

Serve hot in pitas with avocado, toma to, and za’atar, or on a platter with Yel low Rice, Chopped Salad, and Herbed Tehina.

Adapted from “Israeli Soul, Easy, Essen tial, Delicious” by Michael Solomonov and Steven Cook, Rus Martin Books/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt ($35).

Hawaij spice blend

Yield: § cup

• » cup turmeric

• 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper

• 2 tablespoons ground cumin

Directions:

Combine in a small bowl mix well. Store in a covered jar.

Herbed tahini sauce

Yield: 1 § cups

• § cup tahini (ground sesame seed paste)

• § cup water

• § cup fresh lemon juice

• 1 garlic clove optional

• 2 teaspoons kosher salt

• » cup chopped parsley

• » cup chopped chives

• » cup chopped basil

Directions:

Combine ingredients in a food proces sor until smooth and creamy.

Flavorful beef tenderloin medallions

Ready in minutes

BY LINDA GASSENHEIMER TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE

Here’s a special, quick and easy din ner that’s perfect for this holiday time. Beef tenderloin medallions cook in under 10 minutes, and the sauce takes only a few more. Cognac is brandy named for the region in France where the grapes are grown. Brandy is a generic name and you can use any type for this recipe. You don’t need to buy a large bottle. You can buy small bottles or splits (1.5 ounces) of cognac in most liquor stores. Small French green beans are tender and sweet. They can be found in most supermarkets.

Helpful Hints:

• You can use regular green beans if French green beans aren’t available.

• Any type of brandy can be used for the sauce.

• Use a skillet that is just big enough to fit the steak in one layer. A bigger skillet with its larger diameter will cause the sauce to run over the pan and burn.

Countdown:

•Prepare all ingredients.

•While tenderloin cooks, microwave the beans.

• Finish the tenderloin and sauce.

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Shopping List:

To buy: ¾ pound beef tenderloin cut into 1-inch slices, 1 small bottle cognac (or other brandy), 1 small container fat-free, low-salt chicken broth, 1 jar Dijon mustard, 1 container heavy cream, 1 whole wheat baguette, 1 can sweet pimentos and ½ pound French green beans and 1 can olive oil spray. Staples: olive oil, salt and black peppercorns.

Beef tenderloin in cognac sauce

Yield: 2 servings.

• ¾ pound beef tenderloin cut into 1-inch slices

• Olive oil spray

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 2 ounces cognac

• ½ cup fat-free, fat-free, low-salt chicken broth

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

• 2 tablespoons heavy cream

• 2 slices whole wheat baguette

Directions:

Cut tenderloin into 1-inch slices. Heat a me dium-size nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and spray with olive oil spray. Add beef

slices. Brown 4 minutes and turn over. Brown the second side 5 minutes for medium-rare. An instant-read meat thermometer should read 145 degrees. Cook 2 to 3 minutes longer for more well done. Divide between 2 dinner plates and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Add the cognac to the skillet and deglaze the pan by scraping up the brown bits. Cook to reduce the cognac by half and add the chick en broth. Raise the heat to high and reduce the liquid by half, about 2 minutes. Add the mustard and stir well to blend into the sauce. Remove from heat and add the cream. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spoon sauce over tender loin. Serve with the baguette.

Per serving: 535 calories (33% from fat), 19.7 g fat (8.5 g saturated, 7.6 g monounsaturated), 101 mg cholesterol, 42.6 g protein, 30.6 g car bohydrates, 2.3 g fiber, 483 mg sodium.

Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer

French green beans

Yield: 2 servings

• ½ pound French green beans (about 3-4 cups)

• ½ cup drained sweet pimentos sliced

• 2 teaspoons olive oil

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Place green beans in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high 2 minutes. Remove and add pimento, oil and salt and pepper to taste.

Per serving: 86 calories (51% from fat), 4.9 g fat (0.7 g saturated, 2.2 g monounsaturated), no cholesterol, 2.6 g protein, 10.4 g carbohy drates, 4 g fiber, 14 mg sodium.

—Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer

LINDA GASSENHEIMER / TNS

Entertaining

8 batches of cookies

From easy to complicated

BY DANIEL NEMAN ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

With everyone concentrating on the gifts they plan to give others at this time of the year, we often overlook the smallest of gifts that are always received warmly.

I’m talking about cookies. The holiday season is nothing if not a time for the baking, giving, receiving and especially consuming of cookies. They are a vital part of the season.

And they are so easy to make, or at least some of them are. With a good cookie — and is there really such a thing as a bad cookie? — the ratio of joy they bring to the recipient to the labor of baking them is off the chart.

For the holiday season, I made eight batches of cookies. They range from very easy (sugar cookies) to decidedly complicated (hazelnut crunch bars), but they all fill you with that sparkling holiday spirit, and calories.

The procedure for making them all is basi cally the same: You cream butter and sugar, add vanilla and maybe an egg or two, and gently mix in flour, possibly baking powder or baking soda and perhaps a flavor such as cinnamon. Then, bake as directed.

It’s hard to believe that so many different types of cookies can be made from this one fundamental outline.

Here are the eight I made:

Sugar cookies

Yield: About 24 servings

• 2 cups granulated sugar, divided

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

• ½ teaspoon baking powder

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 14 tablespoons (1 ¾ sticks) unsalted butter, softened

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 2 large eggs

• Royal icing, (store-bought) optional

Directions:

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread ½ cup of the sugar in a shallow dish for coating and set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together, and set aside.

2. Beat the butter and remaining 1½ cups of the sugar together in a large bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 6 minutes. Beat in the vanilla, then the eggs, one at a time, until combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down the bowl and beaters as needed.

3. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly mix in the flour mixture until combined, about 30 seconds. Give the dough a final stir with a rubber spatula to make sure it is combined.

4. Wet your hands with water, and roll 2 table spoons of dough at a time into balls, then roll in the sugar to coat. Lay the balls on two parch ment-lined baking sheets, spaced about 2 inches apart. Flatten the cookies with the buttered bot tom of a drinking glass, then sprinkle any of the remaining sugar over the flattened tops.

5. Alternatively, roll out the dough ¼-inch thick, sprinkle with some of the sugar and cut into fes tive shapes with cookie cutters. Place on baking sheets spaced 2 inches apart.

6. Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, until the edges are set and just beginning to brown but the centers are still soft and puffy, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking.

7. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then serve warm or transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. If desired, top with royal icing.

Per serving: 309 calories; 14 g fat; 9 g saturated fat; 67 mg cholesterol; 3 g protein; 44 g carbohydrate; 44 g sugar; no fiber; 111 mg sodium; 20 mg calcium

Danish butter sandwiches

Yield: 24 servings

• 8 ounces (2 sticks) plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

• ¾ cup firmly packed light brown sugar

• 1 large egg yolk

• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, sifted

• 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar, sifted

• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

• About 5 to 6 teaspoons heavy cream

Directions:

1. Adjust racks to top and bottom thirds of oven and preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or foil.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream 2 sticks (8 ounces) of the butter. Add the brown sugar and beat to mix. Add the egg yolk and beat to mix. On low speed, gradually add the flour, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula and beating just until the mixture holds togeth er in a ball.

3. Place a long sheet of waxed paper in front of you. Use a slightly rounded spoonful of the dough for each cookie and place the mounds of dough on the waxed paper, making 48 mounds.

4. Roll the mounds between your hands into round balls and place them 1 ½ to 2 inches apart on the lined cookie sheets. With the heel of your hand or your fingertips, flatten each ball into a round cookie about ¼ inch thick.

5. Have a little extra flour in a cup or bowl. Dip a fork into the flour and press the back of the tines firmly onto the top of the cookies, forming deep indentations in one direction only. Reflour

the fork each time you use it; repeat with each cookie.

6. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the cookies. Reverse the cookie sheets top to bottom and front to back once during cooking to ensure even baking. Do not allow the cookies to brown — when done, they should be a pale golden color. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool.

7. These cookies will not be the same size. Match them into even pairs before filling them, and turn them flat-side up.

8. To make the filling, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a small sauce pan over moderate heat. Bring to a boil and cook until the butter browns slightly; shake the pan gently during the last part of heating to keep the sediment from burning.

9. Remove from heat when the butter has a rich golden color and immediately add the powdered sugar, vanilla and 5 teaspoons of cream. Stir until completely smooth. If necessary, add another tea spoon or two of the cream to make a thick filling. Transfer the filling to a small cus tard cup or bowl for ease in handling.

10. Place a scant spoonful of the filling in the center of a cookie. Repeat with 4 or 5 cookies. Cover each cookie with its matching cookie and, as you do so, press the cookies gently together to spread the filling just to the edges of your sandwich. It will be easiest if you hold the cookie in your hands so you can turn them around to see where the filling is going.

11. Repeat, filling the remaining cookies, 4 or 5 at a time. The filling will thicken as you work with it, so when necessary stir in a few drops of additional cream. Add only a few drops at a time, to keep from making the filling too thin. Let the sand wiches stand for a few hours for the filling to set.

Per serving: 163 calories; 8 g fat; 5 g sat urated fat; 29 mg cholesterol; 1 g protein; 21 g carbohydrate; 2 g sugar; no fiber; 4 mg sodium; 11 mg calcium —Recipe from “Cookies are Magic” by Maida Heatter

Chocolate-dipped orange shortbread

Yield: About 54 servings

• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling and cutting out dough

• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• 8 ounces (2 sticks) salted butter, room temperature

• 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

• 1 large egg

• Grated zest of 1 orange

• 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl or stand mixer set on high speed, beat the butter and brown sugar until combined, about 1 minute. Beat in the egg, followed by the orange zest, orange juice and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, mix in the flour mixture until just combined.

2. Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a thick disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours. (The dough can be re frigerated for up to 2 days; if it is too firm to roll out, let stand at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes to soften slightly).

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3. Position the oven racks in the top third and center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

4. Working with 1 disk at a time, briefly knead the dough on a lightly floured work surface until smooth. Roll out the dough to ¹/8 inch thick. Dip a 2½-inch round cookie cutter or another shape of similar size in flour and cut out cookies, cutting them as close together as possible to avoid excess scraps.

5. Arrange the rounds 1 inch apart on the pre pared baking sheets. Gather up the dough scraps and gently knead together, and cut out more cookies. If the dough becomes too soft to roll out, refrigerate until chilled. Refrigerate any re maining dough while your bake the first batch.

6. Bake, rotating the positions of the sheets from top to bottom and from front to back half way through baking, until the cookies are lightly browned on the edges and bottoms, about 20 minutes. The cookie tops will not brown, but do not underbake them. Let cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer to wire cooling racks and let cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough.

7. To dip the cookies, line baking sheets with parchment paper or baking mats. Put the choc olate in a microwave-safe medium bowl. Heat the chocolate on medium, stirring at 30-second intervals, until fully melted. Let stand, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate has cooled to 89 degrees on an instant-read thermometer.

8. One at a time, dip one half of each cookie into the chocolate. Drag the bottom of the cookie across the rim of the bowl to remove excess chocolate, and place the cookie on the bak ing sheet. If the chocolate cools and thickens, warm in the micro wave for 15 seconds at medium power. Let the cookies stand until the chocolate sets and they can be easily lifted from the baking sheet, about 1 hour.

Per serving: 71 calories; 4 g fat; 2 g saturated fat; 12 mg cholesterol; 1 g protein; 9 g carbohydrate; 4 g sugar; no fiber; 40 mg sodium; 15 mg calcium

—Recipe from “Baking for Friends” by Kathleen King

ALL PHOTOS BY HILLARY LEVIN / ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

Entertaining

Sugar-topped molasses spice cookies

• ½ cup molasses (not blackstrap)

• 1 large egg

• About ½ cup granulated sugar, for rolling

Directions:

1. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, allspice and pepper.

ate for at least 1 hour or up to 4 days.

5. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Yield: 24 servings

• 2 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour

• 2 teaspoons baking soda

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 2 teaspoons ground ginger

• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice

• Pinch (small or large, your choice) of cracked or coarsely ground black pepper

• 12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

• 1 cup packed light brown sugar

Pecan squares

Yield: 24 servings

For the shortbread layer:

• Softened butter for the pan

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

• 12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) cold, salted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

• ⅓ cup granulated sugar

For the topping layer:

• 10 tablespoons (1 ¼ sticks) salted butter, cut into tablespoons

• ½ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

• ¼ cup honey

• ¼ cup Grade B pure maple syrup, see note

• ¼cup heavy cream

• 3½ cups coarsely chopped pecans

Directions:

Note: Grade B maple syrup can be hard to find. If you can’t find it, use Grade A.

1. Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 13-by-9-inch baking pan. Line the bottom and the 2 short ends with a 20-inch long piece of alumi num foil, pleating the foil to fit and letting the ex

2. Working with a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed un til smooth and creamy. Add the brown sugar and molasses and beat for 2 minutes or so to blend, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

3. Add the egg and beat for 1 minute more. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing just until the flour and spic es disappear. If some flour remains in the bottom of the bowl, to avoid overbeating the dough, mix in the last of the dry ingredients by hand with a rubber spatula. The dough will be smooth and very soft.

4. Divide the dough in half and wrap each piece in plastic wrap. Freeze for 30 minutes or refriger

6. Place the granulated sugar in a small bowl. Working with one packet of dough at a time, divide it into 12 pieces and roll each piece into a small ball between your palms. One by one, roll the balls around in the bowl of sugar, then place them on one of the baking sheets. Dip the bottom of a glass into the sugar and use it to press down on the cook ies until they are between ¼ and ½ inch thick.

7. Bake the cookies one sheet at a time for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the tops feel set to the touch. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and, if the cookies have spread and are touching, use the edge of a metal spatula to separate them while they are still hot. Transfer the cookies to a rack to cool at room temperature.

Per serving: 167 calories; 6 g fat; 4 g saturated fat; 23 mg cholesterol; 2 g protein; 27 g carbohydrate; 18 g sugar; no fiber; 162 mg sodium; 27 mg calcium —Recipe from “Baking” by Dorie Greenspan

4. Return to the oven and bake until the pecan mixture is bubbling and golden brown around the edges, about 30 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan on a wire cooling rack.

5. Run a dinner knife around the edges of the shortbread to release it. Lift up the foil “handles” and remove the shortbread from the pan. Using a long, sharp knife, cut into 24 rectangles.

Per serving: 162 calories; 11 g fat; 7 g saturated fat; 29 mg cholesterol; 1 g protein; 18 g carbohydrate; 11 g sugar; no fiber; 85 mg sodium; 8 mg calcium —Recipe from “Baking for Friends” by Kathleen King

cess foil hang over the ends. Lightly butter the foil.

2. To make the shortbread layer: In a medium bowl, mix the flour, butter and sugar with an electric mixer set on low speed until just com bined and crumbly. Do not mix into a dough; it should remain crumbly. Press firmly and evenly into the prepared pan. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand on a wire cooling rack. Leave the oven on.

3. To make the topping: In a medium saucepan, bring the butter, brown sugar, honey, maple syrup and heavy cream to a boil, stirring until the butter melts. Boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the pecans. Pour and spread the pecan mixture over the crust.

Cinnamon bun cookies

Yield: 24 cookies

• 1 ½ cups powdered sugar, divided

• 6 ounces (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter

• ½ teaspoon table salt

• 2 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract, divided

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

• 1 egg white

• 1 tablespoon water

• ¼ cup granulated sugar

• ½ teaspoons cinnamon

• ¼ cup heavy cream

ALL PHOTOS BY HILLARY LEVIN / ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

Directions:

1. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream together ½ cup of the powdered sugar, the butter, the salt and 1½ teaspoons of the vanilla extract. Add the flour, stirring just enough to make a cohesive dough. Flatten the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours or until you’re ready to use it.

2. On a piece of parchment or waxed paper, roll the dough into a 9-by-12-inch rectangle. In a small bowl, mix together the egg white and water. In a different small bowl, mix together the granulated sugar and cinnamon. Brush the dough with the egg white glaze. Sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon mixture.

3. Starting with the long edge, roll the dough into a log, sealing the edge. Wrap in plastic wrap or parchment and freeze until firm.

4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. grease 2 baking sheets or line with parchment paper. Remove the dough from the freezer and un wrap it. With a sharp knife, gently cut it into ½-inch slices. Transfer slices to the prepared baking sheets.

5. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until they’re a light golden brown. Transfer to a rack to cool.

6. When cookies are completely cool, sift the remaining 1 cup of powdered sugar into a medium-size bowl. Whisk the cream into the sugar to make a smooth glaze. Stir in the remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla. If not using im mediately, cover with plastic wrap until ready to use, to prevent a crust from forming.

7. Drizzle or brush cookies with glaze.

Per serving: 120 calories; 6 g fat; 4 g satu rated fat; 15 mg cholesterol; 1 g protein; 16 g carbohydrate; 10 g sugar; no fiber; 52 mg sodium; 3 mg calcium —Recipe from “The King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion”

White chocolate chunk macadamia cookies

Yield: 40 servings

• ¾ cup lightly packed very fresh dark brown sugar

• ½ cup quick (1-minute) oats

• ⅓ cup granulated sugar

• 1¾ cup all-purpose flour, spooned in and leveled

• ½ teaspoon baking soda

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly firm

• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup

• 1 large egg

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 8 ounces fine-quality white chocolate, cut into ¼- to ½-inch pieces

• 1½ cups coarsely chopped macadamia nuts

Directions:

1. Position the shelves in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Place the brown sugar, oats and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and process 2½ to 3 minutes, stopping occasional ly to pulse. The oats must be finely ground.

3. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, bak ing soda and salt. Set aside.

4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the butter and corn

Hazelnut crunch bars

Yield: 24 bars

For caramel (see note):

• 1 cup water

• 1¼ cups granulated sugar

• ½ cup corn syrup

• 4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the hazelnut crunch:

• ½ cup hazelnuts, toasted (60 grams, 2 ounces)

• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons Rice Krispies cereal

• 9 ounces milk chocolate

For the marshmallow:

• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin

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syrup together on medium-low speed, mixing until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the oats-sugar mixture in 3 additions and beat for 2 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat for

1 minute. Scrape down the bowl as needed.

5. Reduce the mixer speed to low, add the dry ingredients one-half at a time, and mix just until blended. Using a large rubber spatula, fold in the white chocolate pieces and macadamia nuts.

6. Drop 1½-inch mounds of dough (about the size of a large walnut) onto cookie sheets, about 3 inches apart. Scrape down the size of the bowl oc casionally to ensure even distribution of the choc olate chips and nuts. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges begin to turn golden brown. To ensure even baking, toward the end of the baking time rotate the pans from top to bottom and from front to back. Do not overbake.

7. Cool cookies on baking sheets for 2 minutes. When they are firm enough to handle, transfer to cooling racks.

Per serving: 204 calories; 13g fat; 4g saturated fat; 17mg cholesterol; 3g protein; 21g carbohydrate; 7g sugar; 1g fiber; 50mg sodium; 17mg calcium —Recipe from “Great Cookies” by Carole Walter

• ¼ cup cold water

• 3 large egg whites

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 cup granulated sugar, divided

• ½ cup water

• 2 tablespoons corn syrup

For the dark satin ganache:

• ½ cup heavy cream

• ¼ cup light corn syrup

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 10 ounces semisweet chocolate broken into small pieces

Note: The caramel must be made at least one day and up to a week before making the bars.

(See directions on next page)

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Directions:

1. Make the caramel: Place the water, sugar and corn syrup in a 2-quart saucepan. Stir over me dium-high heat until the sugar is completely dis solved. Bring to a boil, and wash down the sides of the pan with a natural bristle pastry brush dipped in water. Boil without stirring until the mixture becomes a medium golden color.

2. Take it off the heat and immediately add the butter; stir until it is melted. Pour in the cream all at once and stir. Don’t worry if some of the cream forms lumps. If possible, clip a candy or frying thermometer onto the side of the pan.

3. Return the heat to medium-high and bring to a hard boil. Cook to 242 degrees. Pour into a con tainer. Do not stir at this point. Allow to cool to room temperature. Set aside for at least one day.

4. Make the hazelnut crunch: Line a 9-by-13inch pan with parchment paper. Spray the paper and sides of the pan with a nonstick spray. Set aside.

5. Add the cooled, toasted hazelnuts to the bowl

of a processor and process until fairly finely ground. Do not overprocess or you will make a paste. Remove to a large bowl and add the Rice Krispies cereal. Mix well and set aside.

6. Spray the back of a large spoon with nonstick spray, and set aside.

7. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave at half power. Pour it over the hazelnut/cereal mix and quickly mix all of it together with a large spoon or a gloved hand. Pour into the prepared pan and immediately smooth it with the back of the sprayed spoon or a gloved hand. If it sets up too quickly, place it in the oven on the lowest setting for a few minutes to loosen.

8. Add the caramel: Microwave the caramel or heat over a double boiler until spreadable. Do not stir any more than necessary. Pour it over the hazelnut crunch layer and spread evenly. Set aside.

9. Make the marshmallow: Sprinkle the gelatin over the ¼ cup cold water. Stir to moisten all of

it; set aside.

10. Place the egg whites and vanilla in the bowl of a mixer. Using the whisk attachment, beat to soft peaks on medium speed. Slowly add ¼ cup of the sugar and beat to stiff peaks.

11. As soon as you begin beating the egg whites, combine the ½ cup of water, the remaining ¾ cup of sugar and the corn syrup in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil, washing down the sides of the pan with a brush dipped in cold water. Boil to a temperature of 240 degrees.

12. If the egg whites are stiff before the sugar syrup comes to temperature, lower the speed of the mixer as low as possible and keep mixing the whites. Do not turn off the mixer.

13. As soon as the sugar syrup comes to tem perature, slowly pour it into the mixer bowl. Try to pour the syrup between the bowl and the whisk so it goes directly into the whisk or bowl. Liquefy the gelatin in the microwave for a few seconds and pour it over the egg white mixture. Beat until cool and stiff.

14. If the caramel has hardened, heat the top of the caramel layer with a blow dryer so the marshmallow can adhere to it. Immediately pour the marshmallow over the caramel and smooth it out. Cool completely.

15. Make the ganache: Heat the cream, corn syrup and butter in a small saucepan until steaming hot but not boiling. Submerge the chocolate in the hot cream and let sit for a few minutes. Gently whisk until smooth; do not whisk too enthusiastically or you will have air bubbles in the ganache. Pour the ganache over the marshmallow and smooth it out. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight

16. To serve: Loosen the edges with a small flexible spatula and turn out onto a cake board. Turn right side up and cut 6 rows across and 4 rows down with a hot knife. The knife must be dipped into very hot water and quickly dried with a paper towel between each cut. Let the knife melt through the ganache, which will be cold and firm, and then cut straight down.

17. To store, keep in a closed container at a cool room temperature for a day or two. For longer storage, refrigerate.

Per serving: 314 calories; 15g fat; 9g saturated fat; 22mg cholesterol; 3g protein; 44g carbohy drate; 41g sugar; 1g fiber; 36mg sodium; 32mg calcium

—Recipe from “Craving Cookies” by Helen S. Fletcher

HAZELNUT CRUNCHBARS PICTURED, PHOTO BY HILLARY LEVIN / ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

PARTY DRINKS & BITES

DRINKS

BITES

The best hot chocolate of all time.

Seriously

BY DANIEL NEMAN ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

The best part about winter is hot chocolate. I think we can all agree on that.

Think of it: You’re out in the snow. Your feet are wet. Your toes ache. Your nose is running. You can’t feel your fin gers. You have been shivering so long you don’t remember what it is like to not shiver. And then you come into a house and someone hands you a steaming cup of hot chocolate. And suddenly you are suffused with happiness and warmth. It doesn’t even have to be good hot chocolate. You have much the same reaction even if the hot chocolate came in powdered form out of one of those paper envelopes.

So think of how much better it would be to have hot chocolate that is actually homemade. And not only homemade, but the best, silkiest, most luxurious hot chocolate anyone has ever made anywhere in the world. Ever. I happen to have the recipe for the best ever hot chocolate. Not only that, I happen to have the two recipes for the two best ever hot chocolates. These are hot chocolates that could possibly

change your life.

And what if that cold temperature should sud denly become warm? I turned one of those hot chocolates into ice cream, too.

The hot chocolate ice cream is probably the chocolatiest ice cream you’ve ever had.

I started with a mug of mind-blowingly good Parisian Hot Chocolate. The French are widely thought to have the best food in the world, so it makes sense that they would also make the best hot chocolate.

Their secret is a step I never would have even considered: They caramelize the sugar. That is, they slowly melt the sugar until it turns a rich amber in color and turning it into caramel. They add the milk to that — milk, note, not cream — which makes a hot caramel milk.

Finally, they stir in heaps of finely chopped bittersweet chocolate, the finest quality they can find and afford.

The taste, and especially the texture, is that of a smooth, velvety chocolate. The bittersweet chocolate has just enough edge to it to keep it from becoming cloying, and this balance is further heightened by serving the drink with chantilly whipped cream, sweetened whipped cream with more than a hint of vanilla.

I made my own chantilly whipped cream, which goes with this chocolate like Laurel goes with Hardy. I did it right, too, using the seeds from half of a vanilla bean. But vanilla beans are expensive, especially now, because Madagascar is still trying to recover from a couple of cata strophic storms that devastated the crop.

If you want to use vanilla extract instead of the vanilla bean, I won’t complain. You could even use whipped cream that comes out of a can, though it would lack that soothing vanilla presence.

Just don’t serve Parisian Hot Chocolate with marshmallows. It would ruin the effect; this hot chocolate needs whipped cream like Abbott needs Costello.

I used the Parisian Hot Chocolate recipe to make the ice cream, and it wasn’t an immediate success. Because the recipe is made with milk instead of cream, the texture was granular and stiff. And although the bittersweet chocolate is exactly the correct ingredient to use in hot choc olate, it is a touch too bitter for ice cream.

Also, it needs salt. I don't know why, but it needs salt.

So I made batch after batch after batch (OK, three batches) of ice cream, tweaking it each time. What I ended up with is a base made with both whole milk and heavy cream, with piles of semisweet chocolate instead of bittersweet. And salt, of course. I don’t know why.

Those changes made it a peerless chocolate ice cream that tastes just like hot chocolate, only colder.

The other hot chocolate I made comes from Claridge’s, the ultra-luxe hotel in London. Their method of making hot chocolate is, naturally, brilliant.

First, they make ganache — they melt chocolate (only the best, of course) and stir in hot cream until it is thoroughly blended and sumptuous. Then, they heat a pot of milk.

The hot chocolate is made by mixing the ganache and the steaming milk. How simple is that? How delicious?

The genius of this method is that each individu al can mix his own ratio of ganache to milk. That way, you can make it as rich and decadent as you want.

I made mine with almost as much ganache as milk. It was divine. Maybe it wasn't so great for the arteries, but it was divine.

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Parisian hot chocolate

Yield: 3 servings

• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

• 1 § cups milk, any kind

• 4 ounces best-quality bittersweet chocolate (60% to 70% cacao), finely chopped

• Chantilly whipped cream, for serving

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan, heat the sugar over medium heat until it melts and turns amber, without stirring; simply tilt the pan from time to time to encourage even caramelization. This should take a few minutes. Remove from the heat to cool for 1 minute.

2. Carefully pour in the milk, return to medi um heat and bring to a simmer, stirring well to dissolve (it may take the crystallized sugar a

minute or two to dissolve). Reduce the heat to medium low. Whisk in the chocolate and stir until melted. Bring to a low simmer and cook, stirring continually without allowing the mix ture to boil, until the hot chocolate is thickened, 5 to 8 minutes longer (You can make this in advance; cool and gently reheat before serving).

3. Pour into cups and let rest 5 minutes. Serve with Chantilly whipped cream, either in a bowl on the side or piped onto the surface of the hot chocolate at the last minute using a piping bag fitted with a star tip.

Per serving: 326 calories; 19 g fat; 11 g saturat ed fat; 15 mg cholesterol; 6 g protein; 34 g car bohydrate; 28 g sugar; 3 g fiber; 56 mg sodium; 161 mg calcium

Recipe from “Tasting Paris” by Clotilde Du soulier

Chantilly whipped cream

Yield: 3 servings (1§ cups)

• ⅔ cup whipping cream, chilled

• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

• § vanilla bean or § tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. If possible, chill a medium bowl and the whisk attachment of an electric mixer (or a large bowl and a large whisk) in the refrigera tor 2 hours before you begin.

2. In the chilled bowl, combine the whipping cream and powdered sugar. Slice the half va nilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the bowl, or add the vanilla extract.

3. If using an electric mixer, start mixing the cream on medium-low speed, then increase the speed slightly every 30 seconds or so to reach medium-high speed. If using a whisk, whisk the mixture vigorously. The cream is ready when the whisk leaves clear traces and the cream forms beautiful, firm peaks when you lift up the whisk, 4 to 5 minutes total.

4. Transfer to a container with a tight-fitting lid or a piping bag fitted with a plain or star tip, and chill for 2 hours or overnight before using.

Per serving: 123 calories; 10 g fat; 6 g saturated fat; 30 mg cholesterol; 1 g protein; 6 g carbohy drate; 6 g sugar; no fiber; 7 mg sodium; 18 mg calcium

-Adapted from “Tasting Paris” by Clotilde Dusoulier

Hot chocolate ice cream

Yield: 4 servings (1 quart)

• § cup granulated sugar, divided

• 2 cups whole milk

• 1 cup whipping cream

• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

• ¼ teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, heat ¼ cup of the sugar over medium heat until it melts and turns amber, without stirring; simply tilt the pan from time to time to encourage even caramelization. This should take a few minutes. Remove from the heat to cool for 1 minute.

2. Carefully stir in the milk and cream, return to me dium heat and bring to a simmer, stirring well to dis solve (it may take a minute or two for the crystallized sugar to dissolve). Reduce the heat to medium low. Whisk in the chocolate, the remaining ¼ cup sugar and the salt, and stir until the chocolate has melted. Bring to a low simmer and cook, stirring continually without allowing the mixture to boil, until the hot chocolate is thickened, 5 to 8 minutes.

3. Allow to cool to room temperature. You can speed up this process by filling a large bowl halfway with ice and water, pouring the hot chocolate into a medium bowl and placing that bowl in the larger bowl; stirring the chocolate will further quicken the cooling process.

4. Freeze according to ice cream manufac turer’s instructions.

Per serving: 657 calories; 42 g fat; 26 g sat urated fat; 79 mg cholesterol; 10 g protein;

Claridge’s rich hot chocolate

Yield: 4 servings

• 7 ounces best-quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), broken into pieces

• 10 ounces whipping cream

• 4 cups (1 quart) hot milk

• Marshmallows

Directions:

1. Melt the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water, or simply in the microwave.

2. In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a boil, then immediately remove from the heat.

3. Pour ⅓ of the hot cream into the melted chocolate. Stir briskly to incorporate the cream. The chocolate might look grainy and split at this point; don’t worry. Repeat twice more, adding

Entertaining Guide

69 g carbohydrate; 65 g sugar; 4 g fiber; 214 mg sodium; 178 mg calcium Recipe by Daniel Neman, inspired by “Tast ing Paris” by Clotilde Dusoulier

another ⅓ of the cream at a time. The choc olate will now be smooth and glossy.

4. This chocolate ganache can be used immediately or refrigerated for up to 5 days and reheated as needed (to reheat, warm gently in the microwave or in a bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water until the ganache is hot and melted).

5. To serve the Claridge’s way, allow each guest to mix the ganache and the hot milk to his or her own liking. Garnish with marsh mallows, as desired.

Per serving: 695 calories; 56 g fat; 33 g satu rated fat; 106 mg cholesterol; 14 g protein; 39 g carbohydrate; 28 g sugar; 5 g fiber; 137 mg sodium; 359 mg calcium —Recipe from “Claridge’s: The Cookbook” by Martyn Nail and Meredith Erickson

HILLARY LEVIN / ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

HILLARY LEVIN / ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

Make Napa Valley-style mulled wine for the holidays

BY JACKIE BURRELL MERCURY NEWS

Whether you call it glögg, gluhwein or mulled wine, this aromatic sipper is a holiday classic and a great winter warmer. If you're looking for a good how-to, CK Mondavi and Family winery, the fourth generation of Napa Valley winemakers, is sharing their favorite recipe, created by Derek Kwong of Barkeep SF, for Mondavi Mulled Red Wine.

Mondavi mulled red wine

Yield: Serves 4 to 5

1 bottle CK Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon

5 whole cloves

3 star anise, plus more to garnish

3 Vietnamese cinnamon sticks, plus more to garnish

2 tablespoons honey (Mondavi uses Wild Mountain brand)

2 blood oranges, divided use

Directions:

In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, combine the wine, spices and honey. Slice 1 blood orange into thin wheels and place in saucepan. Slice the second blood orange into wheels and set aside. Bring the saucepan contents to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently for 10 minutes.

Ladle into serving cups with caution, as contents are hot (and delicious). Garnish each with a blood orange wheel, cinnamon stick and a star anise, and serve immediately.

At your holiday dinner party, don

t neglect the side dishes

BY DANIEL NEMAN ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

The turkey is golden and steaming.

The ham is in the oven. The prime rib is resting on the counter. The goose, so to speak, is cooked.

At your holiday dinner, it is the entrée that is the star attraction. It is what gets the attention and garners all of the obviously well-deserved praise.

But something seems unfair about that. Un democratic. The mashed potatoes and green bean casseroles do the heavy lifting, yet it is those elitist beef wellingtons that bask in the glory.

We say it is time to stand up to this abuse. Time for vegetables of all shapes and varieties to come together in peas and harmony, and demand the recognition they deserve.

Side dishes of the world, unite!

With this stirring thought ringing through the clear skies, we set about to make side dish es for the holidays that are worthy of the oc casion. Side dishes that are good enough that they can hold their own against the ceaseless

bullying of a salt-crusted leg of lamb.

But because the entrées are still the star of the show, no matter what we say, and they de mand most of the cook’s attention, I made side dishes that were not too difficult or time-con suming. Which is to say I did not make Del monico potatoes.

Delmonico potatoes, named for the legendary New York restaurant that invented them, are potatoes au gratin that are served inside the hollowed-out skin of a baked potato. You can imagine how good they are, and how much effort they are to produce.

Instead, I made mashed potatoes — but not just ordinary mashed potatoes. I made the best mashed potatoes I’ve ever made. They are silky smooth and deliriously rich without be ing too, too caloric. Which is to say they have a lot of butter, but no cream.

A couple of tricks go into making them so smooth and satisfying. One is that they must never, at any time, be allowed to go cold. An other is that instead of smashing the potatoes with a crude masher, you push them through a ricer or a food mill, for a much finer result. And the final trick seems to be to that instead

of melting the butter and pouring the milk directly into the potatoes, you melt the butter into the milk and pour the mixture into the potatoes like that.

They are the epitome of mashed potatoes, everything a mashed potato should be. Who needs Delmonico potatoes?

On the lighter side, I made a delightful — and delightfully colorful — salad: Roasted beet goat cheese salad.

It’s a classic, and worth bringing out for the holidays. It begins with a base of bright and peppery arugula, which is topped with gem like diced beets, creamy dots of goat cheese, slices of rich avocado and crunchy bits of toasted walnut.

That is a delicate balance of flavors, and it needs the perfect dressing to make it even better and bring the most out of each ingre dient. But that’s easy: the recipe includes a simple vinaigrette that is lightly sweetened with balsamic vinegar and a touch of maple syrup.

Actually, you’ll want to serve it when it isn’t the holidays, too.

Roasted winter vegetables came next: Brus sels sprouts and carrots, cooked with balsam ic vinegar, olive oil, rosemary and thyme. You could use other winter vegetables if you like, but the Brussels sprouts and carrots strike me as a nice and festive mix for Christmas.

You could just serve the vegetables like that, and everyone would enjoy them. But for the holidays, I made them extra special. I sprin kled them with toasted pecans and dried cranberries. It’s just the right touch to put everyone in the right spirit.

My final side dish of the season was another salad, and this time it’s all about the dress ing. Kale, Ginger and Peanuts Salad is pretty straightforward: It is shredded kale tossed in a dressing of peanut butter, ginger and lime juice. A bit of sugar cuts the bitterness, a sin gle shallot adds depth and water thins out the mixture until it is a proper dressing.

All it needs is something unexpected, a spe cial treat to add flavor and crunch. All it needs are roasted peanuts scattered across the top.

It’s light and surprisingly flavorful. It’s just the sort of side dish that can stand up to an entrée, no matter how haughty it may be.

GETTY

Entertaining

Silky mashed potatoes

Yield: 4 servings

• 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks

• 1 garlic clove

• 1 bay leaf

• Salt

• ¾ cup whole milk

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

• Pepper

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the pota toes, garlic, bay leaf and a large pinch of salt. Add enough water to cover the potatoes by an inch or so, bring to a simmer, and cook until the potatoes are just tender, about 15 minutes.

2. Drain the potatoes, discard the garlic and bay leaf, and toss the potatoes in the pan for about 1 minute to dry them out. Remove from the heat.

3. In a small saucepan, combine the milk and butter, and heat over medium heat until the butter is melted.

4. Meanwhile, transfer the potatoes to a ricer or food mill and process them back into the warm saucepan. Gently stir in the hot milk mix ture, mix well and season with salt and pepper.

Per serving: 409 calories; 25 g fat; 15 g satu rated fat; 66 mg cholesterol; 7 g protein; 42 g carbohydrate; 4 g sugar; 5 g fiber; 37 mg sodi um; 90 mg calcium

—Recipe from “The Grammercy Tavern Cook book” by Michael Anthony

Roasted beet goat cheese salad

Yield: 4 servings

For salad:

• 6 medium beets, scrubbed

• 6 cups arugula

• 1 avocado, sliced

• 4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

• § cup chopped toasted walnuts

For dressing:

• § cup extra-virgin olive oil

• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar

• 1 tablespoon maple syrup

• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wrap each beet in foil and place on a baking sheet. Roast until tender (you can insert a fork or knife through the foil to test), about 1 hour. Let sit until cool enough to handle, then

Holiday roasted vegetables

Yield: 4 servings

• ¾ pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

• 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced into ½-inch pieces

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

• 1 teaspoon chopped rosemary leaves

• 1 teaspoon chopped thyme leaves

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• § cup toasted pecans

• § cup dried cranberries

Note: This can also be made in an air fryer. In a large bowl, toss vegetables with oil, balsamic vinegar and herbs. Season with salt and pep per. Place vegetables in basket of air fryer and cook at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, shaking halfway through. Before serving, toss roasted vegetables with pecans and cranberries.

peel and cut into wedges.

2. Meanwhile, make vinaigrette: In a jar, shake together olive oil, vinegar, maple syrup and Dijon mustard until fully combined. Sea son with salt and pepper.

3. Place arugula in a large serving bowl and lightly dress with vinaigrette. Top with beets, avocado, goat cheese and walnuts. Toss gently and add more vinaigrette as needed.

Per serving: 395 calories; 32 g fat; 5 g satu rated fat; 3 mg cholesterol; 9 g protein; 24 g carbohydrate; 14 g sugar; 8 g fiber; 170 mg sodium; 100 mg calcium —Recipe from delish.com

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Scatter veg etables on a large baking sheet. Toss with oil, balsamic vinegar, rosemary and thyme. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the veg etable are tender, shaking the pan halfway through.

3. Before serving, toss roasted vegetables with pecans and cranberries.

Per serving: 272 calories; 17 g fat; 2 g saturat ed fat; no cholesterol; 5 g protein; 31 g carbo hydrate; 19 g sugar; 1 g fiber; 358 mg sodium; 64 mg calcium —Recipe from delish.com

Entertaining

Kale, ginger and peanuts salad

Yield: 4 servings

• 9 ounces by weight (1 full cup) smooth peanut butter

• Zest of 2 limes

• Juice of 4 limes

• 2 teaspoons grated (not minced) ginger

• 1 shallot, finely diced

• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon superfine sugar, see note

• 2 tablespoons water, plus more if needed

• 10 ounces kale, washed, stalks removed and hand-shredded

• Handful of dry-roasted salted peanuts, halved

Note: To make superfine sugar, place granulated sugar in blender and blend on medium-high speed for 10 to 15 seconds.

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, lime zest, lime juice, gin ger, shallot, sugar and water. You want a creamy consistency. If it’s still a bit thick, add more water to thin it out.

2. Toss the kale generously with the pea nut dressing, adding more or less to your liking. Serve with a sprinkling of peanuts on top. Any leftover dressing will keep in the refrigerator 1 week.

Per serving: 416 calories; 31 g fat; 6 g satu rated fat; no cholesterol; 23 g protein; 35 g carbohydrate; 12 g sugar; 329 mg sodium; 139 mg calcium —Adapted from a recipe in “Claridge’s: The Cook book” by Martyn Nail and Meredith Erickson

People who decorate for the holidays appear friendlier, study finds

BY AVERY NEWMARK ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION

If you haven’t already started decorating for Christ mas, get to it. People who decorate for the holidays are happier and appear friendlier to their neigh bors, according to research listed in the Journal of Environmental Psychology.

The study is based on previous and present research where participants were asked to rate the friendliness of strangers based on pictures of their houses.

The homeowners self-reported their sociability by rating their social contact with neighbors as low or high. Homes that were decorated with twinkling lights and bows, even if the people who lived there were not so cial, were rated high because the houses appeared more “lived in” and “open.” Undecorated homes were given low sociability scores.

“As expected, a main effect for the decorated factor indicated that raters used Christmas decorations as a cue that the residents were friendly and cohesive. Decoration interacted with sociability in a complex but interpretable way,” researchers wrote.

The results highlighted the social impact of Christmas decorations and how they’re used to communicate with neighbors. Researchers also suggested that decorating your home’s exterior for the holidays could be a way to participate in social activities and gatherings in the neighborhood.

Entertaining

Planning for holiday lighting

BY PAUL F. P. POGUE ASK ANGI

Once Thanksgiving is past, homeowners’ attention will turn to decorating for the winter holidays. You can save a lot of hassle by hiring a profes sional to hang your holiday lights, and the sooner you call to get on their schedule, the better. A pro will have the experience and training to get the best effect out of your lighting, protect it from snow and water exposure, and efficiently get the lights up and back down.

Some lighting companies offer holiday services, and a trusted handyman can also perform this job. This work usually costs about $400, but it can change based on size of your home. A multistory house will cost much more, and steep roofs will raise it

even more. In most cases, installers will put up your own lights. If you don’t have lights to supply, you can often buy them from the installer, or rent a set for the season for an additional fee.

As always, make sure whoever you hire is bonded and insured. Insurance is partic ularly crucial for any work that involves ladders. If your pro doesn’t carry insurance, you could be financially liable for any inju ries if someone falls or an accident damages your property or your neighbor’s. A ladder that tips over can easily crash into someone else’s house, after all.

Holiday lighting safety

If you do it yourself, take it seriously. Accidents while decorating are responsible for about 15,000 emergency room visits each year, and half of those take place due to falls.

Follow the same ladder safety procedures when hanging lights as you would for any other job. It’s often very tempting to go a bit higher than is safe or reach a little more, just for long enough to hang one more thing. But that last bit of extra reach is often what causes accidents. It’s always worth it to take a moment to get a better ladder or safer perch to reach that difficult spot. The buddy system is important for grown-ups, too; you should always have someone stabi lizing the ladder while you’re climbing it. For added safety, consider magnetic holiday lights, which simply stick onto any metal surface. After the holidays, you can remove them easily simply by pulling the lights down.

While you’re at it, take care not to over load your electrical system. If you draw too much power, you can trip your circuit breaker or cause risk of fire. Any outdoor lights should be plugged into GFCI out lets. You can spot such an outlet by looking for the “test” and “reset” buttons. They’ll shut down the flow of electricity in event of overload, and add an additional layer of protection.

“ Take care not to overload your electrical system. If you draw too much power, you can trip your circuit breaker or cause risk of fire. ”

How to use unexpected colors this holiday season

BY CATHY HOBBS TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE

When thinking of the holiday season, what colors come to mind? Perhaps ruby reds and hunter greens, maybe metallics such as silver and gold? The holidays are a time in which bright and festive colors can help set a mood and welcome the festivities. Here are some tips and ideas to help make your holiday season fun, festive and bright.

1. Do consider jewel-toned colors. Vi brant, rich, colors such as sapphire, ruby and emerald always make a statement.

2. Look for interesting opportunities to bring in color such as lighting.

3. Use portable decor holiday items to incorporate color such as toss pillows, throws and decorative accessory items.

4. Consider using different tints, tones and shades of the same color in a space.

5. Incorporate greenery. Evergreens as well as hearty berries can help extend the season and allow for holiday color outdoors.

6. Look for interesting color combina tions such as pastel colors paired with neutral colors such as black, white, taupe and gray.

7. Use metallic colors such as silver and gold. These elements can always add a touch of glam to any holiday decor.

8. Make a statement with your table setting or tabletop decor. This is an ex cellent opportunity to incorporate color and texture.

9. Bring in interesting organic elements either indoors or outdoors such as branches, twigs and trees.

10. Consider citrus colors such as yellow, orange, green and red to help warm your space.

Entertaining Guide

Lanterns in various colors including a traditional blend of reds and greens make a statement.

BY DESIGN RECIPES/TNS

Pink makes an unexpected color surprise for this entry area. DESIGN RECIPES/TNS

Green paired with unexpected colors of pink and yellow creates a warm holiday entry. (Design Recipes/TNS)

Entertaining

Directions:

Heat oil in a medium-size nonstick skil let over medium-high heat. Add steak and brown 2 minutes, turn over and brown 2 minutes. Lower heat to medium and cook steak 3 to 4 minutes. A meat thermometer should read 130 for medium rare, 160 for medium. Add salt and pepper to taste. Re move steak to a plate. Turn heat up to me dium-high and add the whiskey and garlic, scraping up any brown bits in the skillet. Cook to reduce sauce by half about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cream and stir sauce until smooth and it starts to thicken, about 2 min utes. Divide steak between 2 dinner plates and spoon sauce on top. Garnish with sprigs of parsley.

Honey whiskey makes perfect sauce for steak, New Year’s dinner

BY LINDA GASSENHEIMER TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE

Celebrate the new year with this honey whiskey sauce over tender steak. Flavored whiskeys have become popular. You can find spicy, cinnamon, chocolate ginger and even salted caramel whiskeys. The honey whiskey creates a perfect sauce for the steak and this holiday dinner.

The recipe calls for raising and lowering the heat. If you have an electric burner, turn on two burners, one with medium-high and one with medium and move the skillet to the burners as needed.

Helpful Hints:

• You can use any type of quick cooking steak.

• You can buy flavored whiskey in small split bottles.

Countdown:

• Microwave potatoes and add the dressing. Let sit to absorb the dressing.

• Prepare the steak ingredients.

• Make the steak.

Shopping List:

To buy: ¾ pound grass-fed strip steak, 1 small bottle honey-flavored whiskey,1 small container heavy cream, 1 bottle reduced-fat oil and vinegar dressing, 1 pound red potatoes, 1 bunch parsley and 1 package fresh chives. Staples: canola oil, garlic, salt and black pep percorns.

Honey-flavored whiskey steak

Yield: 2 servings.

• 2 teaspoon canola oil

• ¾ pound grass fed strip steak

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• § cup honey-flavored whiskey

• 4 garlic cloves, crushed

• ¼ cup heavy cream

• 2 parsley sprigs

Per serving: 576 calories (48% from fat), 30.6 g fat (15.8 g saturated, 10 g monounsaturat ed), 163 mg cholesterol, 41.3 g protein, 3.7 g carbohydrates, 0.2 g fiber, 114 mg sodium.

—Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer

Potato wedges

Yield: 2 servings.

• 1 pound red potatoes

• 2 tablespoons reduced-fat oil and vinegar dressing

• 2 tablespoons snipped chives

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions: Wash potatoes, do not peel. Cut potatoes in half and then in half lengthwise. Continue to cut in half to form wedges about 2 inches thick. Add to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high 5 minutes. Test with a knife to see if the potatoes are soft. Micro wave another minute if needed. Remove and add the dressing and chives to the bowl. Toss well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Toss again to make sure all potatoes are covered with the sauce.

Per serving:172 calories (6.8% from fat), 1.3 g fat (0.2 g saturated, 0.3 g monounsaturated), 1 mg cholesterol, 4.6 g protein, 37.0 g carbo hydrates, 4 g fiber, 47 mg sodium.

—Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer

Recipes to make your New Year

s Eve party festive

BY DANIEL NEMAN ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

Perfection is usually impossible to attain, but a perfect New Year’s Eve party is actually pretty easy to have.

First, you need a critical mass of people, so your guests can freely circulate among themselves without any one of them having to spend too much time stuck talking to the guy whose only interest is antique telephones.

If you drink, you need to have enough champagne for everyone to have a medium-sized glass of it at midnight. It doesn’t even have to be good champagne. If it has bub bles, it will feel festive.

And most important, of course, you need good food, and plenty of it. New Year’s Eve is not a time for popcorn and Dr. Pepper (though that is what my brother and I tradi tionally ate to ring in the New Year when we were teens).

As it happens, I used to be locally famous for my New Year’s Eve parties. People would come from far and wide — which is to say both the city and the suburbs of Richmond, Virginia — to partake in the convivial con versation, the nearly decent champagne and the bet ter-than-average food.

We served hors d’oeuvres, but enough of them that our guests could make a full meal out of it. It was a huge spread: my world-famous carrot cake, prosciut to-wrapped asparagus, slices of grilled standing rib roast, bacon-wrapped dates, black and white cookies, home made hummus and much, much more.

We started cooking four or five days before the party, working on a schedule that depended upon how long the different items would stay fresh. By the night of the ac tual party we were utterly exhausted. But everyone else had a good time, and that’s all that mattered, mostly.

I don’t necessarily recommend working that hard on your party (then again, ours really were quite successful).

But I definitely recommend making as much of your own food as you can. Your guests will appreciate the effort, the flavor and the quality.

To get you started, I made six party-friendly dishes, both savory and sweet, to help count down the new year.

Peanut butter and chocolate marble brownies

Yield: 24 servings

• 5 ounces semisweet chocolate (no more than 56% cacao), finely chopped

• 1 stick butter, softened

• 2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar

• ¾ cup (6 ¾ ounces) creamy salted peanut butter, at room temperature

• 3 large eggs, at room temperature

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 1 » cup (6 ounces) all-purpose flour

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• § teaspoon salt

• § cup (2 ¾ ounces) unsalted peanuts, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and position an oven rack in the center. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with parchment paper or foil across the bottom and up the 2 long sides, then lightly coat with melted butter, oil or nonstick spray.

2. Bring 2 inches of water to a boil in the bottom of a double boiler. Place the chopped chocolate in the top of the dou ble boiler (off the heat). Turn off the heat, then set the chocolate over the steaming water. While you are preparing the rest of the recipe, occasionally stir the chocolate until it is smooth and melted. Let it sit over the warm water until needed.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar on medium-high

speed for 5 minutes or until much lighter in color (the mixture will look clumpy and sandy even when fully creamed). You can also use a hand mixer and a medi um bowl, but you might need to beat the mixture a little longer to achieve the same results. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a clean rubber spatula.

4. Add the peanut butter and beat well on medium-high for 30 seconds. Scrape down the bowl again. Crack the eggs into a small bowl and beat with a fork to blend. With the mixer running on medi um, add the eggs, about a tablespoon at a time, incorporating each addition fully before adding the next. Beat in the vanilla. Scrape down the bowl.

5. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the peanut-butter mixture all at once, then blend on the lowest speed just until you no longer see any streaks of flour and the batter is smooth. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure that any patches of flour or butter are blended into the batter.

6. Stir half of the batter into the melted chocolate (it may look slightly grainy, but this is fine). Stir the chopped peanuts into the remaining half of the batter.

7. Use a small offset spatula, if you have one, to spread a little more than half of the plain peanut batter in the bottom of the prepared pan. This layer will be very thin and it will seem like there is not enough batter, but it will be fine. Top with all of the chocolate batter, spreading it into an even layer (this is easiest to do by dropping big dollops of batter around the pan, then merging them with the spatula).

8. Drop the remaining peanut batter by level tablespoon in 3 evenly spaced rows of 5 dollops each. If you have any batter left, drop it in wherever you like. Drag a toothpick or the tip of a paring knife through each dollop a couple of times, swirling it into the chocolate batter around it. The batter will look very rough and ragged — don’t worry, it will smooth out as it bakes, and the slightly rugged look that remains is very appealing. Continued on next page.

PHOTOS BY LAURIE SKRIVAN / ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

Entertaining

9. Bake the brownies for 30 to 40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Transfer to a rack to cool for 15 to 20 minutes. To remove the brownies from the pan, run a thin knife or flex ible spatula along the 2 short edges to loosen them from the pan. Grasp the parchment paper or foil along the long edges and pull gently upward. Cut as desired. Serve warm.

Per serving: 235 calories; 12 g fat; 5 g satu rated fat; 33 mg cholesterol; 5 g protein; 30 g carbohydrate; 22 g sugar; 1 g fiber; 99 mg sodium; 64 mg calcium

—Recipe from “The Art & Soul of Baking,” by Cindy Mushet

Best-ever marinated shrimp

Yield: 24 servings

Potatoes, sour cream and caviar

Yield: 16 servings

• 16 new potatoes or very small potatoes

• 3 tablespoons sour cream

• 2 teaspoons caviar

Directions:

In a large pot of water, boil the potatoes until they are easily pierced with a fork or sharp knife. Drain. Cut a thin slice off the bottom of each potato so it can stand upright, and scoop out a small hollow out of the top. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Fill each hollow with 1 tea spoon of sour cream and top with ¹�8 teaspoon of caviar.

Per serving: 70 calories; 1 g fat; 1 g saturated fat; 5 mg cholesterol; 2 g protein; 15 g carbohydrate; 1 g sugar; 2 g fiber; 26 mg sodium; 13 mg calcium —Recipe by Daniel Neman

• 1 2 cups water (3 quarts) divided

• 2 tablespoons Old Bay (or similar) seafood seasoning

• 2§ teaspoons salt, divided

• 1 onion, quartered

• 1 lemon, quartered

• 30 ice cubes

• 1§ pounds medium to large shrimp in shells

• 1 large onion, thinly sliced

• 7 bay leaves

• 1 cup good olive oil

• 2 tablespoons white vinegar

• 2 tablespoons capers, drained

• 2 tablespoons caper juice

• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

• 4 dashes hot pepper sauce, optional

Note: This dish should be started the day before serving.

Lemon curd cups

Yield: 30 servings

• 3 large eggs

• 3 large egg yolks

• 1 cup minus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

• ¾ cup strained freshly squeezed lemon juice

• 6 tablespoons (¾ stick) cold butter, cut into §-inch pieces

• 30 mini phyllo dough cups

• Whipped cream, optional

Directions:

1. Fill a large bowl halfway with ice and water and set it aside. Fill the bottom of a double boiler with 2 inches of water and bring to a rolling boil.

Directions:

1. In a large pot, combine 6 cups of the water, seafood seasoning, 1½ teaspoons salt, quartered onion and lemon; bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat for about 4 minutes. Scoop out 2 cups of this flavored liquid and place in a large mixing bowl. Add ice cubes to the bowl, stir, and let cool.

2. Add 6 more cups of water to the pot with the hot liquid and seasonings and bring back to a full boil. Add the shrimp. When the water comes back to a simmer, immediately turn heat down to medium-low. Simmer the shrimp until pink and starting to curl, 2 to 4½ minutes, depending on the size of the shrimp. Scoop out shrimp and place instantly in the prepared bowl of flavored water with the ice cubes. Stir to cool evenly and add more ice cubes if all melt.

3. Let shrimp stand in the flavored water about 5 minutes. Drain, peel and devein.

4. In a large mixing bowl, alternate layers of shrimp, thin onion slices and bay leaves. In a small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, capers, caper juice, Worcestershire sauce, the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and optional hot sauce. Pour over shrimp, cover and refrigerate overnight. Drain the vinaigrette, remove some of the onions (for aesthetics) and serve cold.

Per serving: 103 calories; 10 g fat; 1 g saturated fat; 31 mg cholesterol; 4 g protein; 1 g carbohy drate; 1 g sugar; 1 g fiber; 439 mg sodium; 23 mg calcium

—Recipe from “CookWise,” by Shirley O. Corriher

Check to see that the water is at least 2 inches below the top portion of the double boiler.

2. Place the eggs, egg yolks and sugar into the top of the double boiler (off the heat) and whisk until blended. Add the lemon juice and mix well. Reduce the heat until the water is at a gentle boil. Place the egg mixture over the water and cook, whisking constantly but leisurely, and scraping the edges frequently so the eggs don’t scramble there, until the curd is very thick, about 7 to 15 minutes. A finished curd should hold its shape; when the whisk is lifted and a bit of curd falls back into the mixture, it should remain distinct on the surface rather than blending back into the mixture. Do not allow to boil.

3. Immediately strain the curd through a strainer set over a medium bowl. Use a rubber

PHOTOS BY LAURIE SKRIVAN / ST. LOUIS

Entertaining

Mac and cheese canapés

Yield: 24 servings

• 2¼ cups finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided

• 1 teaspoon coarse salt

• 1 cup elbow macaroni (uncooked)

• 2 cups heavy cream

• 1 cup grated extra-sharp white cheddar cheese

• 1 cup grated Cotswold cheese

• ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

1. Heat a medium nonstick skillet over me dium heat. Lightly coat it with nonstick spray and then add 1 tablespoon of the grated Par mesan, using the back of the spoon to spread the cheese mound into a thin circle. Repeat twice, so you have 3 cheese rounds cooking at once. Once the cheese is golden, after about 2 minutes, use a small spatula to carefully flip it over. Cook the other side until golden, about 20 to 30 seconds, and then immediately trans fer the rounds to mini tart pans or other small molds, such as small glass ramekins.

2. Press a second tart pan or small ramekin on top of the first to mold the cheese rounds into a cup shape. Cool for a few minutes, then lift off the top pan, remove the Parmesan cup, and

spatula to push the curd through the strainer, leaving any bits of scrambled egg. Add the cold butter pieces to the curd, burying them so they melt quickly. Wait 1 minute, then whisk until the butter is completely melted and blended with the curd.

4. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the curd, then set the medium bowl in the large bowl of ice water. Once the curd has completely cooked, use or store in the refriger ator (with the plastic wrap still on the surface) for up to 1 week.

5. Fill the mini phyllo cups with the curd. If desired, top with whipped cream.

Per cup: 74 calories; 4 g fat; 2 g saturated fat; 43 mg cholesterol; 1 g protein; 9 g carbohydrate; 6 g sugar; no fiber; 18 mg sodium; 6 mg calcium

set aside. Repeat making cheese cups until you have 24 (this will take about 1 cup to 1¼ cups of the Parmesan cheese. Be sure to reserve 1 cup of the grated Parmesan for the macaroni and cheese).

3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the salt and macaroni and return to a boil. Cook, following the package instructions, until the pasta is al dente. Drain and set aside.

4. While the macaroni is cooking, make the cheese sauce. Pour the cream into a large heavy-bottomed saucepan and simmer gently over medium to medium-low heat (be care ful so the cream doesn’t bubble up and out of the pan) until it is reduced by half, 20 to 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add the cheddar, Cotswold and the remaining 1 cup of Parmesan cheeses; whisk until the sauce is completely smooth. Stir in the cooked macaro ni and remove from heat.

5. To serve, fill each Parmesan cup with the

macaroni and cheese, and sprinkle with parsley.

Per piece: 125 calories; 9 g fat; 6 g saturated fat; 27 mg cholesterol; 6 g protein; 5 g carbohydrate; 1 g sugar; no fiber; 294 mg sodium; 175 mg calcium —Recipe by Peter Callahan from the Diplomatic Culinary Partnership cookbook published by the US Department of State

Home-cured salmon

(Gravlax)

Yield: 16 servings

• 1 pound salmon fillet

• 1 cup salt

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• » cup fresh dill, coarsely chopped

• Pepper

Directions:

1. Rinse salmon and pat dry. Place on a rack in a baking pan. In a bowl, mix together salt, sugar and dill. Add plenty of pepper. Spoon the mixture heavily on top of the fillet; it should rise at least 1 inch above the surface of the fish. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and place a cutting board or another baking pan on top. Add a few canned goods to weigh it down slightly and refrigerate 24 to 36 hours.

2. Scrape off all of the salt and sugar under a running faucet. Slice thin on the bias and serve on slices of pumpernickel cocktail bread with dollops of sour cream, if desired. The cured salmon should keep, refrigerated, at least 1 week.

Per serving: 43 calories; 1 g fat; 1 g saturated fat; 15 mg cholesterol; 6 g protein; 2 g carbohy drate; 2 g sugar; no fiber; 906 mg sodium; 3 mg calcium

—Adapted from “The Frog and the Redneck” cookbook, by Jimmy Sneed

—Lemon curd recipe from “The Art & Soul of Baking,” by Cindy Mushet

PHOTOS BY LAURIE SKRIVAN / ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

LAST CHANCE!

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