Monthly Cooking Thread, December 2021

[Jamestown1630]

I happened to hit on this Russian Crepe Torte recently – it has chicken, mushroom and cream cheese filings, and looks like a ton of work and time – but I can’t think of a better time than Christmas (or maybe New Year's Eve?) to try out something so extravagant:

"https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/262207/cheese-torte-with-chicken-and-mushroom/

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I have had several cookie-presses – my first one was a Mirro, which I had in the 1960s when I first became interested in cooking. It was all metal, with the giant screw that you had to crank down for each cookie. After that, I had several of the plastic gun-type ones, and they usually broke after a short while.

Recently I had a birthday, and someone gifted me an Italian Marcato ‘biscuit maker’, which is supposed to be the G.O.A.T. of cookie presses. I haven’t had a chance to try it yet, but it’s all metal and very sturdy, and has great reviews.

Here is the Spritz recipe from the little book that came with my old ‘Mirro’ press; I’ve used this since I was a kid, and one of my friends still wants nothing else for Christmas except a box of these cookies:

Quick Mix Spritz

Oven to 375 degrees.

2-1/4 C. sifted all-purpose flour

¾ C. Sugar

½ tsp. Salt

¼ tsp. Baking Powder

1 C. shortening (I suggest butter)

1 Egg

1 tsp. Vanilla (you can also use Almond, Lemon, or whatever you like.)

Sift flour, sugar, salt and baking powder together in a bowl. Cut in your shortening – it should resemble biscuit or pie crust, but very small particles.

Measure the egg in a measuring cup – a large egg should measure ¼ Cup; if it doesn’t, add water to measure ¼ Cup.

Add egg and vanilla to the flour mixture and beat well. Fill your press and press out cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, and remove immediately to a cooking rack.

(You may have to do your dough in portions, while keeping the rest regrigerated. Different cookie presses function differently.)

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I’m not really crazy about turkey at holidays – maybe because I’m so tired from roasting and watching over it and all of the sides. But I love Thanksgiving and Christmas leftovers, and would like to hear your recipes for leftover turkey.

-JT

[Liz]

Hah......I have a glass pickle ornament.

[Jamestown1630]

I have an ear of corn.

[Liz]

Sob——I want one.

[Jamestown1630]

This one’s even got a pat of butter:

https://www.ornamentshop.com/products/ka18048-personalized-corn-on-the-cob-christmas-ornament?sku=KA18048&quantity=1&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=...PLA%20Shopping&utm_term=4584757336178547&utm_content=Ad%20group%20%231

[Liz]

Love the buttered corn........ and the Mayo jar.

[Liz]

Rao’s Offers a Feast of the Seven Fishes for Christmas

Generally, the Feast of the Seven Fishes consists of seven different seafood dishes eaten on Christmas Eve. At Rao’s at Caesars Palace, the Italian tradition continues with three courses served on Christmas Eve and Christmas day.

The Vigilia di Natale, as it’s known, features a choice of appetizer, pasta and entree. Here’s a look at what you can get.

For an appetizer, choose from baked Little Neck clams stuffed with seasoned bread crumbs; deep-fried calamari, shrimp, cod and julienne zucchini with remoulade and marinara sauce; a seafood salad made with crab, shrimp, calamari and lobster along with diced celery, Gaeta olives and parsley in a citronette; Baccalla salad made with salted cod tossed with sweet cherry peppers, capers and olives in a lemon dressing; or octopus salad with celery, fingerling potatoes and octopus tossed in a warm lemon vinaigrette.

For the pasta dish, you have three choices — linguine and clams tossed with garlic, white wine and parsley and topped with tomatoes; lobster Fra Divolo in a spicy marinara sauce or Tagliolini Fruiti Di Mare with a mix of clams, mussels, calamari, scallops and shrimp in a light tomato sauce.

As an entree, choose from shrimp scampi, shrimp Fra Diavolo, fillet of sole Franchaise with sautéed fennel in a white wine and butter sauce and salmon Beurre Blanc over sautéed spinach.

Rao’s is located at Caesars Palace, 3570 Las Vegas Blvd. S. For reservations, call 702-731-7110.

[pugmama]

This a a great menu recipe site. For the chicken menu of poached chicken with blackberry sauce, a different recipe was posted for that chicken dish. I have included that recipe should anyone be interested. I used many of these menus when I was part of a large gourmet dinner club. I have now started a Brunch club for our neighbors, and this seems to be a popular way to get together and not cook all day.

For Christmas I am going to do lamb shanks and several sides like polenta etc. I ordered them from a local butcher and when I went to pick them up, the package said they came from New Zealand. LOL!

https://whatscookingamerica.net/Menu/MenuIndex.htm

https://whatscookingamerica.net/Poultry/ChickenBlackberry.htm

[pugmama]

This salad was the most popular dish at my Thanksgiving table. It was even better the next day, as the kale softened.

https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/apple-and-kale-salad/

[Jamestown1630]

The blackberry sauce looks good.

[Liz]

A festive holiday beverage for children.

Disneyland Non-Alcoholic Mint Julep

Ingredients 3 cups sugar 8 cups water 1 cup creme de menthe syrup 1/3 cup frozen lemonade concentrate 1/3 cup frozen limeade concentrate optional a few drops of green food coloring Garnish: lemon wedges mint sprigs maraschino cherries

Instructions Add sugar and water to a large sauce pan. Bring the mix to a boil, stirring occasionally. Cool for 5 minutes, then pour mixture into a large pitcher. Add the creme de menthe syrup, and frozen lemonade and limeade concentrates. Add a little green food coloring and stir to mix. Refrigerate until completely cooled.

Pour over a glass with some ice and garnish with lemon wedges, mint sprigs, and cherries.

[Sparky21555]

Thank you for the bump.

[FamiliarFace]

Thank you! That looks delicious!

[sweetiepiezer]

I saw them using no boil lasagne noodles on Food Network.
Looked a lot easier.

This is not the recipe I saw though.

https://2sistersrecipes.com/how-to-make-lasagna-with-no-boil-noodles/

[Liz]

Lunch bags make great cookie carriers for neighbors and friends.
Buy Christmas shapes in the dollar store. Tie w/ yarn or ribbon bow.

[Jamestown1630]

Does your dollar store have those sort of Scherenschnitte things? I’ve never seen them. But the snowflake ones are easy to make:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqDd5KBCX9I

[Liz]

Those are Perfect.........so pretty.

I have used the wooden shapes from dollar......but you have to drill a hole to make them hangable.

[Liz]

Gingerbread Eggnog / serves 4

INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp. cinnamon sugar
1 c. Ready-made eggnog
2 tbsp. molasses, plus more for drizzling
Pinch ground ginger
Whipped cream, for topping

DIRECTIONS
Wet rims of four cocktail glasses and dip in cinnamon sugar.
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add eggnog, molasses, and ginger (if you imbibe add 1 c. vodka 1 c. Kahlúa) and shake to combine. Pour into rimmed glasses. Top with whipped cream and drizzle with molasses before serving.

[Liz]

DIY tree ornament has a country look. Dollar store wooden shapes
embellished w/ fabric or paper cut to fit. Maybe add a button or two.

[Liz]

You'll wonder how you ever managed without this recipe. Tube of biscuits,
butter and blue cheese.........et, voila, a quick, easy and so good appetizer.

Blue Cheese Bites / Yield: 10 servings

Ingredients 10 oz tube refrigerated biscuits ½ cup butter, melted 5 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

STEPS Slice each biscuit into quarters, arrange in lightly sprayed 9-inch server. Pour melted butter over, then sprinkle with blue cheese. Bake 400 deg 8-10 min.

[Liz]

Gingerbread Eggnog......recipe above.