8 minute read
Coweta Cooks
from NCM Nov/Dec 2023
Holiday Kitchen Express
GIVING THE GIFT OF GOOD FOOD
Written by GAIL MCGLOTHIN
Photographed by APRIL MCGLOTHIN-ELLER
Buying Christmas presents year-round makes life so much easier when the holiday season starts. Then I can focus on what I really like about the holidays – cooking – especially because I like to give food as holiday gifts.
Growing up in a family of six with my grandparents, an aunt, and a cousin next door meant guests and food were overflowing from November through the New Year. Trays of homemade candy were beside each door, and cakes, cookies and nuts were stacked on the tables and cabinets throughout both houses.
While baking for my family, adding enough ingredients to expand the treat to include for a gift or two is simple enough to do. Canning during the abundant fruit season means some gifts are waiting in the pantry.
Try a little planning to help it all come together. First, make a list of who will have the pleasure of your efforts. Then decide how much of what. Keep an eye out at yard sales and resale shops for holiday dishes to give along with the treats they carry.
Orange Pecans
1½ cups sugar
½ cup orange juice
½ teaspoon orange zest
3 cups pecan halves
Combine sugar, orange juice and orange zest. Boil until soft ball stage, between 230 and 240 degrees; remove from heat. Add nuts. Stir until mixture cools some and thickens. Drop on wax paper in separate pieces.
Peppery Walnuts
2½ cups walnut halves
1 egg white, beaten lightly
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground pepper
1/3 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Toss nuts with egg whites. Add sugar, cumin, pepper and salt. Toss walnuts to completely coat. Spread onto baking sheet. Bake walnuts about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool baking sheets on wire racks for 10 minutes, then break into bite-sized clusters.
Nuts can be prepared savory, sweet, crunchy or buttery – and there are a million ways to pack them for giving.
Yellow Squash Relish
1 large yellow squash
½ cup onion
1/3 cup green or red bell pepper
1 tablespoon kosher salt
¾ cup sugar
2/3 cup cider vinegar
½ teaspoon celery seed
½ teaspoon ground mustard
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
Dash of nutmeg
Dash of pepper
In a food processor, finely chop squash, onion and bell pepper together. Mix in salt. Cover and refrigerate overnight. When ready to prepare relish, rinse, drain, and rinse the vegetable mixture. Combine sugar, cider vinegar, celery seed, mustard, turmeric, nutmeg and pepper in a non-reactive saucepan; bring to a boil. Stir in drained vegetable mixture. Bring back to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes. Using a large mouth funnel, pour into a pint canning jar. Screw the lid on and refrigerate. If you plan to give as a gift, process in a water bath for 15 minutes.
You’ll get raves over a splash of yellow with a taste of sweet and sour pickles. Add a note to your gift to try this relish over hot dogs, on sandwiches or in a bowl next to the potato salad.
Fig Jam
2 quarts figs
¼ cup lemon juice
1 large lemon, thinly sliced and seeded
1 package pectin
6 cups sugar
4 or 5 hot, clean and sterilized pint jars with lids and screw tops
Cover figs with boiling water; let stand 10 minutes. Drain, stem and coarsely chop in food processor. Pour into large Dutch oven, adding lemon juice and lemon. Stir in pectin. Bring fig mixture to a boil, over medium high heat, stirring constantly. Boil at full rolling boil for 1 minute. Add all sugar slowly to ensure it all dissolves. Bring back to a boil and boil rapidly for 1 minute. Remove from heat.
Fill jars up to ¼ inch from the top. Wipe off rim and place top on jars. Secure with screw tops; tighten. Turn the jars on to their tops. Let rest 30 minutes. Turn bottom side down. Test seal to ensure it pops down and does not come back up. (Fig jam can be processed, but I usually don’t.)
While I’m waiting for my fig trees to grow, my neighbor has been very generous with figs from her tree. Coarsely chopping the figs permeates the fruit through every bite.
Mint Chocolate Brownies
1 cup unsalted butter
8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1½ cups sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¾ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup cocoa
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom and sides of a 13x9-inch pan. Melt butter and chocolate on medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and pour into large mixing bowl; cool about 10 minutes. Whisk the sugars into the butter/chocolate mixture. Break eggs into a small mixing bowl; whisk until totally emulsified. Add vanilla to eggs, then add ¼ egg mixture at a time into sugar mixture. Stir flour, salt and cocoa together, and then stir into batter. Bake for 35 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack. When cool, invert onto a baking sheet. Ice with Mint Frosting and decorate with Chocolate Layer, recipes below:
Mint Frosting
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 to 2 teaspoons peppermint extract
1 to 2 drops green food coloring
In a medium mixing bowl, beat butter until creamy. Add confectioners’ sugar and milk. Beat to combine well, then beat at high speed for 1 minute. Add extract and food coloring, beating 1 minute. Frost the brownies and refrigerate until cold.
Chocolate Layer
¼ cup unsalted butter
½ cup chocolate chips
Melt butter and chocolate chips over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. With a teaspoon, fan the melted chocolate onto frosted brownies, decorating from side to side for an attractive drizzle. Return brownies to refrigerator and chill until cold. Cut into squares, cleaning off the knife with each cut. Cover tightly and keep refrigerated.
Michele Adams, a teacher at White Oak Elementary School, tells me Mint Chocolate Brownies are her prettiest, most requested dessert during Christmas. Two or three of these rich treats makes a nice gift for your neighbor, co-worker or friend.
Mini Cheese Balls
1 (16-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
2 green onions, green tops chopped
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon hot sauce
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon dried oregano leaves
Sprinkle of ground black pepper
Finely chopped pecans
Finely chopped parsley
In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add cheddar cheese, green onion, Worcestershire, hot sauce, garlic powder, oregano and black pepper. With a spatula, scrape the mixture into a ball. Roll the ball onto a sheet of cling wrap sprayed with cooking spray. Wrap securely, place in a zip-close bag, and put in refrigerator to firm.
For mini-cheese balls, mound pecans and parsley on separate plates. With damp hands, roll a heaping teaspoon of cheese into a ball and roll in either pecans or parsley. Store in divided bags. Take out of refrigerator about 20 minutes before serving.
Cheese balls of any size are welcome presents. The number of mini-cheese balls can fit the number of people in the recipient’s family. Add crackers and olives for a nice touch. Use cute Christmas dishes and mugs as the gift containers for these munchies.
Spicy Oyster Crackers
16 ounces oyster crackers
½ cup oil
1 package Hidden Valley Ranch dressing
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place crackers in a gallon zip lock bag. Drizzle oil over. Close and toss lightly until oil is distributed. Let sit 5 minutes. Shake rest of ingredients with crackers. Pour onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake 15 minutes, stirring after 8 minutes. Store in airtight container.
Salted Rosemary Crackers
1¾ cups all-purpose flour, more if needed
¼ cup olive oil (plus some for coating baking sheets)
2/3 cup water
½ teaspoon salt
1½ tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Brush two baking sheets with olive oil. Combine flour, olive oil, water, salt and rosemary; knead on lightly floured board until dough is very smooth. Roll into a ball, cover with a towel, and let rest for 20 minutes. Roll into a log and cut into 8, and then 16 pieces. Roll each piece until long and thin. Move to baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on a rack.
Keep an eye out at yard sales and resale shops for holiday dishes to give along with the treats they carry.
