Triangle Today | Sunday

TRIANGLE TODAY | THE NEWS & OBSERVER

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2018

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For a list of tonight’s TV holiday specials, see PAGE 2.

THESE RESTAURANTS ARE OPEN

CHRISTMAS DAY (AND A FEW ON CHRISTMAS EVE) Drew Jackson for Triangle Today There’s a balance to all the holly and jollying. If the merry making and stocking stuffing leaves little time for ham glazing and yam mashing, holiday feasts abound in the Triangle, restaurants eager to host old traditions or start new ones. Reservations are likely necessary at some, but others can accommodate walk-ins. Note that some of these restaurants are open only on Christmas Eve. Check for hours if not specified.

BRAISE CONTEMPORARY SOUTHERN 4500 Marriott Drive in the Marriott Raleigh Crabtree Valley, Raleigh. 919-7817000. Serving a breakfast buffet from 7 to 11 a.m. and a four course prix-fixe dinner from 5 to 9 p.m. for $40 per person.

41HUNDRED RESTAURANT 4100 Main at North Hills St., in the Renaissance Raleigh North Hills Hotel, Raleigh. 919-278-1478 or 41hundredrestaurant.com. Serving a Christmas Eve buffet from 3 to 6 p.m., including prime rib, red snapper and sides like truffled mac & cheese, collard greens and other vegetables, salads and desserts. The regular menu will be served Christmas Day.

CLEVELAND DRAFT HOUSE 6101 N.C. 42 West, Garner; 461 Shotwell Road, Clayton. 919-771-2337 (Garner), 919-550-3723 (Clayton) or clevelanddrafthouse.com. Serving its regular menu at both locations from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m.

BOB EVANS Open for Christmas Eve dining, but most locations are closed on Christmas Day. bobevans.com.

BOSTON MARKET Three locations in the Triangle, serving a Christmas Day menu of hand-carved ham with two sides, a dinner roll and a slice of apple pie for $12.99, in addition to other meal options. bostonmarket. com.

CEDAR FORK BISTRO 151 Tatum Drive in the Hotel Indigo, Durham. 919-474-3000, Serving its regular menu for breakfast and dinner.

FLEMING’S PRIME STEAKHOUSE & WINE BAR 4325 Glenwood Ave., No. 5004, Raleigh. 919-571-6200 or flemingssteakhouse.com. The restaurant is serving a three-course dinner for $92 during the holidays. Closed Christmas Day. HERONS 100 Woodland Pond Drive, in The Umstead Hotel, Cary. 919-447-4200 or theumstead.com/dining/restaurants-raleigh-nc. Open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, serving brunch from 7 a.m to 1 a.m. Herons will also host Christmas dinner service from 4 to 8 p.m.; reservations required.

Plates Neighborhood Kitchen on Glenwood Avenue is open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinner, featuring prime rib, roast goose and figgy pudding. File photo IHOP Nine Triangle locations. ihop.com/ They will be open on Christmas Day with a regular menu and seasonal specials.

PLATES KITCHEN 301 Glenwood Ave. Suite 100, Raleigh.

919-828-0018 or plateskitchen.com.

Serving Christmas Eve and Chrsistmas Day dinner featuring prime rib, roast goose and figgy pudding PLAYERS RETREAT 105 Oberlin Road, Raleigh. 919-7559589 or playersretreat.net. Open until midnight on Christmas Eve and opening Christmas Day at 5 p.m. for a

potluck dinner. The PR will cook two large hams and guests are invited to bring a dish to share. The bar will be open.

WASHINGTON DUKE INN 3001 Cameron Blvd., Durham. 919490-0999 or washingtondukeinn. com/Dining/dining.asp. The Fairview Dining Room will serve Christmas Eve brunch and a four-course Christmas Eve dinner for $75 per person. There will be a Christmas Day buffet with seating at noon, 3 and 6 p.m. featuring carved turkey and beef, seasonal sides, shrimp and crab cocktail, smoked salmon and more. $82 per person and $25 for children 6 to 12.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2018

CHRISTMAS SPECIAL TV GUIDE TONIGHT The Polar Express (7:30 p.m., AMC) - The conductor of a train to the North Pole guides a boy who questions the existence of Santa Claus. Stars Tom Hanks.

Christmas Made to Order (8 p.m., Hallmark) - An architect turns to a holiday coordinator for help when he learns he’s hosting his family for Christmas.

Her Christmas spirit brings his family closer together, and the two form an even closer bond.

The Holly and the Ivy (8 p.m., TCM) - In this 1952 film, a British vicar’s (Ralph Richardson) Christmas with his family brings him closer to his son and daughters (Celia Johnson, Margaret Leighton).

Good Luck Charlie, It’s Christmas (8 p.m., Disney) - In this 2011 Disney movie, chaos tsrikes when a woman and her daugther get separated from their family during the holidays.

Gingerbread Giants 2 (9 p.m., Food) - Five gingerbread artists from across the country convene at the Omni Grove Park Inn in Asheville for the 25th annual National Gingerbread House Competition.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas (9:15 p.m., Freeform) - The live action version of the Grinch (Jim Carrey) who sets out to squash the yuletide preparations of the Christmas-loving people of Whoville. Anthony Hopkins narrates.

A Christmas Carol (10 p.m., TCM) - Charles Dickens’ London miser Ebenezer Scrooge (Alastair Sim) meets the spirits of Christmases past, present and future in this 1951 version of the story.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 24 (Note: AMC has Christmas movies going 24 hours at this point.)

Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas (6:15 p.m., Freeform) - The live action version of the Grinch (Jim Carrey) who sets out to squash the yuletide preparations of the Christmas-loving people of Whoville. Anthony Hopkins narrates.

It’s a Wonderful Life (8 p.m., NBC) - It’s the only broadcast network airing of this 1946 Frank Capra classic, in which a suicidal man ruined by a miser on Christmas Eve sees his life in a new light thanks to his guardian angel. It stars James Stewart, Donna Reed and Lionel Barrymore.

TRIANGLE TODAY | THE NEWS & OBSERVER

THINK OUTSIDE THE COOKIE CUTTER: Expert’s guide to making holiday treats Bridgette A. Lacy for Triangle Today Chief cookie maker Tonya Petrucci makes all types of cookies through her business, Confections of a Cookie Addict, for weddings, baby showers, graduations and college kids. Duke University parents are some of her biggest clients, as they send their children packages of her treats.

on any baking recipe. There are some amazing blogs on the internet for the home baker with a wealth of knowledge and fantastic recipes.

So, it’s to be expected that December is one of her busiest times of year. Here, in phone and email interviews, she offers tips for making sure your holiday cookies appeal to your holiday guests, and yes, possibly a late-night visitor bringing gifts, too.

A: I think the most important aspect of any baking is a good recipe and quality ingredients. Over the past 12 years I have revised my recipes several times to make them the best they can be. My original sugar cookie recipe is a far cry from the cookbook version with which I started.

Q: What are the common mistakes people make when making cookies?

Q: What can’t you live without when it comes to baking cookies?

Quality ingredients are equally important. Butters, for example, are not created equally. The most expensive butter is not always the best butter for your recipe. Learn your recipes and make them work for you by playing with ingredients until it is exactly the way you like them.

A: The biggest mistake new bakers make is being too hard on themselves.

I have baked and iced cookies almost every day for the past seven years. I threw away my first batch of Christmas cookies Tonya Petrucci of Durham, who owns Confections of a Cookie Addict, makes without even tasting a variety of themed cookies. COURTESY OF A COOKIE ADDICT them because they weren’t “pretty like Martha’s” and I bet they would have tasted the same Q: What are the main tools every holiday cookie with or without perfect icing. baker needs?

There are a lot of other pitfalls that happen along the A: Speaking as a rolled cookie artist, a good rolling way, but patience and precision is a key ingredient to pin is key. Find what works for you, as there are many every single recipe you bake. types. I like what is considered a traditional rolling pin, the type that allows the rolling pin to move while the Q: Is there a definitive no, no? handles stay stationery in your hands.

A: Baking is a precision science and it is not “dump There are others: A French (tapered) rolling pin and a cooking.” Meaning, you can’t throw in a little of this and a little of that. Baking recipes have been tried over dowel type, neither of which have movable handles and are one piece. You can chose from wood, silicon and over to achieve a specific result, and the chemor marble, whatever fits into your budget and preferistry of the recipe works together. I’m not saying you ence. I have my four grandmothers’ rolling pins, and I shouldn’t change a recipe but you can’t add an extra treasure each of them and the memories they hold. egg or omit a cup of sugar without a drastic effect

TRIANGLE TODAY | THE NEWS & OBSERVER

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2018

Ina Garten’s Winter Minestrone Soup Triangle Today Author Ina Garten serves this soup with garlic bruschetta, which is easy to make. Toast thin slices of French bread, brushed with olive oil, in a 425-degree oven for 6 minutes. Rub each piece of toast with a peeled garlic clove. Adapted from “Barefoot Contessa Foolproof” by Ina Garten (Clarkson Potter, 2012). This recipe first appeared in a story, “Five Easy Recipes for the Holiday Cook.”

INGREDIENTS Good olive oil 4 ounces pancetta or bacon, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions 3 carrots, peeled and diced 3 stalks celery, diced 2 1/2 ups diced peeled butternut squash 1 1/2 ablespoons minced garlic, about 4 cloves 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves 28 ounces canned diced tomatoes 6 to 8 cups chicken stock or broth 1 bay leaf Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed 2 cups cooked small pasta, such as tubetti, orzo, riso or farfalline 8 to 10 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves 1/2 cup good dry white wine 2 tablespoons store-bought pesto Garlic bruschetta, for serving Freshly grated parmesan cheese, for serv-

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BEFORE

Juli Leonard

ing

HEAT 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven. Add pancetta and cook over medium-low heat for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Add onions, carrots, celery, squash, garlic and thyme and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until vegetables begin to soften.

ADD tomatoes, 6 cups of chicken stock or broth, bay leaf, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper to the pot. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.

REMOVE bay leaf and discard. Add beans and cooked pasta and heat through. The soup should be quite thick but if it’s too thick add more chicken stock. Just before serving, reheat soup, add spinach, and toss with 2 big spoons, like tossing a salad. Cook just until leaves are wilted. Stir in white wine and pesto. Add salt to taste, if needed. Serve with bruschetta and sprinkled with parmesan cheese, if desired.

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SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2018

TRIANGLE TODAY | THE NEWS & OBSERVER

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