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GeorgiaRose! What did you end up making for Christmas dinner?
- Thread starter cheezz
- Start date
amanda_pennsylvania
Well-known member
Here's my Christmas menu:
Christmas dinner:
--Roasted Beef Tenderloin with Herbs and Shallots (thyme, rosemary, shallots--it's so fabulous). You make a paste marinade and put it on the tenderloin the day before. While the tenderloin is roasting, you make a sauce with basically the same herbs, two cups of shallots, orange peel, wine (Hermitage Crozes) and brandy.
--Beans, but I'm blanking on what kind and what we did to them...I can't believe I don't remember this...I think they were sugar snap peas and that we just steamed them.
--Mashed potatoes (for the herb and shallot sauce--yum!)
--Green salad with mandarin oranges (raspberry dressing); the oranges were a nice contrast to all the heavier tastes.
--Squash (blue hubbard mixed with a little acorn)
--English Trifle
My only goof came with this dessert. I misread the directions for making the custard. You're supposed to heat the milk and then add it to the sugar, etc. Instead, I mixed everything together and then heated it, but it turned out just fine. I also made my own spongecake, and that worked really well.
I would change a couple of things: I used raspberries for the fruit, but I would add some bananas. Also, I would use a couple of vanilla beans instead of just vanilla extract. I think this would heighten the taste of the custard. But the whole dessert was wonderfully light--it was perfect for a rather heavy meal.
Cookies
--Biscochitos
Traca, I made these with lard this year for the first time ever. The dough was so tender!
--Swedish Spice Cookies
I added some chopped fresh, crystallized ginger to the recipe (which I've never done before) and it really added some zing to the cookies.
Now onto New Year's!
Christmas dinner:
--Roasted Beef Tenderloin with Herbs and Shallots (thyme, rosemary, shallots--it's so fabulous). You make a paste marinade and put it on the tenderloin the day before. While the tenderloin is roasting, you make a sauce with basically the same herbs, two cups of shallots, orange peel, wine (Hermitage Crozes) and brandy.
--Beans, but I'm blanking on what kind and what we did to them...I can't believe I don't remember this...I think they were sugar snap peas and that we just steamed them.
--Mashed potatoes (for the herb and shallot sauce--yum!)
--Green salad with mandarin oranges (raspberry dressing); the oranges were a nice contrast to all the heavier tastes.
--Squash (blue hubbard mixed with a little acorn)
--English Trifle
My only goof came with this dessert. I misread the directions for making the custard. You're supposed to heat the milk and then add it to the sugar, etc. Instead, I mixed everything together and then heated it, but it turned out just fine. I also made my own spongecake, and that worked really well.
I would change a couple of things: I used raspberries for the fruit, but I would add some bananas. Also, I would use a couple of vanilla beans instead of just vanilla extract. I think this would heighten the taste of the custard. But the whole dessert was wonderfully light--it was perfect for a rather heavy meal.
Cookies
--Biscochitos
Traca, I made these with lard this year for the first time ever. The dough was so tender!
--Swedish Spice Cookies
I added some chopped fresh, crystallized ginger to the recipe (which I've never done before) and it really added some zing to the cookies.
Now onto New Year's!
luisa_calif
Well-known member
Well, I was going to make the Chocolate Peppermint Tart from BA>>
that I did last year but change out the filling to a choc mousse (I made the original last year but the filling was WAY too rich, a ganache really)
Anyway while melting the chocolate over boiling water (too hot) I lidded it, taking off the lid some water drops dripped in and the whole thing siezed up. Good thing my sis brought two desserts and we had plenty of cookies as well.
I still have the prebaked tart shell in the freezer along with three 4" mini tart shells...
that I did last year but change out the filling to a choc mousse (I made the original last year but the filling was WAY too rich, a ganache really)
Anyway while melting the chocolate over boiling water (too hot) I lidded it, taking off the lid some water drops dripped in and the whole thing siezed up. Good thing my sis brought two desserts and we had plenty of cookies as well.
I still have the prebaked tart shell in the freezer along with three 4" mini tart shells...
mmm... found how to rescue ganache, but not melted chips
http://www.finerkitchens.com/swap/forum1/43415_Maybe_this_will_help_-_its_a_remedy_for_a_broken_ganache_but_should_work_for_
http://www.finerkitchens.com/swap/forum1/43415_Maybe_this_will_help_-_its_a_remedy_for_a_broken_ganache_but_should_work_for_
amanda_pennsylvania
Well-known member
Here 'tis. I'd spelled it "Bischochitos"--the variant spelling
I posted it in Traca's International Cookies thread.
This is a traditional Mexican cookie, flavored with anise and dipped in cinnamon and sugar. The recipe is from my great aunt Jessie's recipe. Be forewarned: this recipe makes a TON of cookies!
Jessie's Bischochitos
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons anise seed soaked in cold water
3 eggs
2 1/2 cups shortening
6 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoon baking powder
One small glass of sweet wine or brandy (I've used sherry, too)
Topping: 1 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Preheat oven to 450 degrees
--Cream sugar and shortening until very creamy.
--Add eggs and anise and cream some more.
--Sift dry ingredients and mix with shortening.
--Add brandy or wine to hold together.
--Roll on floured board until 1/4" thick.
--Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon (Jessie always dipped the entire cookie)
--Bake for 10 minutes; cool on pan, then move to rack.
I posted it in Traca's International Cookies thread.
This is a traditional Mexican cookie, flavored with anise and dipped in cinnamon and sugar. The recipe is from my great aunt Jessie's recipe. Be forewarned: this recipe makes a TON of cookies!
Jessie's Bischochitos
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons anise seed soaked in cold water
3 eggs
2 1/2 cups shortening
6 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoon baking powder
One small glass of sweet wine or brandy (I've used sherry, too)
Topping: 1 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Preheat oven to 450 degrees
--Cream sugar and shortening until very creamy.
--Add eggs and anise and cream some more.
--Sift dry ingredients and mix with shortening.
--Add brandy or wine to hold together.
--Roll on floured board until 1/4" thick.
--Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon (Jessie always dipped the entire cookie)
--Bake for 10 minutes; cool on pan, then move to rack.
luisa_calif
Well-known member
but interesting info to file away
amanda_pennsylvania
Well-known member
I couldn't tell an actual difference in the taste, but the dough was much softer.
However, some people swear by lard.
However, some people swear by lard.
My Disaster and My Triumphs....
My disaster was Spicey Shrimp Remoulade on Molasses Buttered Toasts from Epi. Now, doesn't that sound incredible? It was incredibly expensive and nobody, I mean nobody, ate one.
On the other hand I made Paula Deen's Bacon Crisps which involved sprinkling cheese on a cracker, wrapping it in bacon and baking it. They devoured them. I didn't make enough.
Another hit was Gorgonzola and Pear Tartlets topped with proscuitto. Very yummy and gone in minutes.
Go figure.
My disaster was Spicey Shrimp Remoulade on Molasses Buttered Toasts from Epi. Now, doesn't that sound incredible? It was incredibly expensive and nobody, I mean nobody, ate one.
On the other hand I made Paula Deen's Bacon Crisps which involved sprinkling cheese on a cracker, wrapping it in bacon and baking it. They devoured them. I didn't make enough.
Another hit was Gorgonzola and Pear Tartlets topped with proscuitto. Very yummy and gone in minutes.
Go figure.
sometimes the more unusual items (like the shrimp), you just have to pick up the plate ...
and work the room, offering them to everyone. Sometimes all it takes is for them to taste one.
I was eyeing Paula Deen's recipe myself, so am glad to hear they were such a hit!
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_31621,00.html
and work the room, offering them to everyone. Sometimes all it takes is for them to taste one.
I was eyeing Paula Deen's recipe myself, so am glad to hear they were such a hit!
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_31621,00.html
a not quite disaster, but not real successful cookie
I had a whole bag of spice drops left after using just one for the top of my cookie tree. Sooooo, I thought, why not cut them up and mix them into oatmeal cookie dough? slice and bake they made really pretty rounds---like stained glass windows, but the flavor was just not that great. I thought spice and oatmeal would be a winning combination, but there was too much variation in the spice drop flavors and the flavors competed too much, at least to me.
I had a whole bag of spice drops left after using just one for the top of my cookie tree. Sooooo, I thought, why not cut them up and mix them into oatmeal cookie dough? slice and bake they made really pretty rounds---like stained glass windows, but the flavor was just not that great. I thought spice and oatmeal would be a winning combination, but there was too much variation in the spice drop flavors and the flavors competed too much, at least to me.