Christmas Treats, the Grand Finale: Kransekake!

If you're heading into this pre-holiday weekend looking for a cooking project, this, my friend, is it! My family has these at weddings and major birthdays, and every once in a blue moon someone feels motivated enough to make one for Christmas. It is definitely beautiful and festive, and delicious.

http://yellowfishblog.blogspot.com/2012/01/crowning-achievement-kransekake.html

Christmas Treats: Peppermint Shortbread Cookies!

In the final item of the trifecta of peppermint based holiday recipes this week, I give you peppermint shortbread cookies, which are a really nice twist on a classic cookie. They're also something you can keep in the freezer, cut off a few rounds of, and have fresh cookies whenever someone shows up. Easy peasy!

http://yellowfishblog.blogspot.com/2011/12/peppermint-shortbread-cookies-put-these.html

Christmas Treats: Brittle Mania!

This time of year, it's nice to give people a little something. Ideally, this little something tastes awesome, but doesn't take up too much valuable shopping and Elf-viewing time. Even though brittle does involve a candy thermometer (and don't believe anyone who tells you it doesn't, they are either experts or they make bad brittle), it goes together quickly and tastes delicious. These non-traditional versions are extra exciting!

http://yellowfishblog.blogspot.com/2011/01/not-your-grandmas-brittle-belated.html

Christmas Treats: Peppermint Krispies!

If you need an easy, kid friendly treat that is not yet another thing made of gingerbread, this is your dessert! About 5 minutes more work than regular rice krispies, but so much more festive!

http://yellowfishblog.blogspot.com/2009/12/peppermint-krispies-oh-my-goodness.html

Christmas Treats: Mexican Wedding Cookies

Is this the best picture? No. Are these the best cookies? YES! I love these nutty, buttery little powdered sugar bombs and so will you!

http://yellowfishblog.blogspot.com/2008/12/forsaken-by-commercialized-christmas.html

Christmas Treats: Homemade Peppermint and Chocolate Dipped Marshmallows!

These peppermint marshmallows are a lot of work, but they're also a lot of fun. If you feel like taking on a holiday cooking adventure, give them a try!

http://yellowfishblog.blogspot.com/2012/12/batten-down-your-kitchens-chocolate.html

Thanksgiving is Coming, and Maybe You Want Carrot, Not Pumpkin, Soup

Yesterday I posted a quick easy pumpkin soup recipe that would be perfect to kickstart your Thanksgiving dinner. Maybe you liked the idea, but not that particular soup. WELL, here I am to solve your dilemma. I give you.... Coconut Carrot Ginger Soup! A little more work, but still not that hard.

Check it out! http://yellowfishblog.blogspot.com/2011/12/coconut-carrot-curry-soup.html

Thanksgiving is Coming, and you need this Pumpkin Soup to Kick Things Off!

Cooking for Thanksgiving is stressful, and one of the big stressors is that oven space becomes a hot commodity, what with stuffing and sweet potatoes and turkeys all taking up space, that oven fills up fast. This soup goes together in a flash, just uses the stove, and could be a really good starter for your Thanksgiving feast!

Give it a shot! http://yellowfishblog.blogspot.com/2010/12/ten-minute-pumpkin-soup.html

Thanksgiving is Coming, and No One Wants Rolls- You Want Sage Apple Cornbread!

Amidst the awesome feast that is Thanksgiving are some slightly less awesome things, including the obligatory dinner rolls. You might not really want it, but you kind of have to have it. I actually had the great fortune to have a cousin marry someone with a delicious family roll recipe, so we are in good shape, but if you're just running past the grocery store at the last minute, this might improve things a bit.

(ignore the beans. cornbread is one thing, but cold bean salad for Thanksgiving is just crazy)

These rolls have all the flavors you're looking for in something for Thanksgiving- sage, corn, seasonal apples, it's perfect! 

Check it out! http://yellowfishblog.blogspot.com/2010/07/sage-apple-cornbread.html

Thanksgiving is Coming, and You Want THIS Awesome Fresh Cranberry Ginger Relish

When you think of cranberry sauce, do you think of a gelatinous mold, still shaped like the can? Do you think of something that you take a tiny obligatory amount of and then leave secretly on the plate?

Well, feast your eyes on this...

What's that? fresh, vibrant, tart, delicious cranberry lemon ginger relish.

I got the idea from my Mom, who sent me this recipe, which is actually a little bit similar to our traditional family recipe. The family recipe for cranberry salad is based on the same general idea but also involves raspberry jello. Yes. I said jello. It is a gloriously 1950's fandango of a recipe and I could eat it 365 days a year. This, however, is a little easier, does not involve a jello mold (or, cooking sherry!), so is a little less controversial, and tastes awesome. I modified it from the original version, in part out of a lack of candied ginger, which the original calls for.

Here is my version:
-1/2 package fresh cranberries (the other half went into pumpkin scones!)
-1 granny smith apple
-1/4c unsalted almonds
-a plug of fresh ginger, about 2 inches long
-zest of one lemon
-1/4 c sugar (let it sit a bit, add more if you like).

Basically, just chop up each big ingredient (apple, cranberries, almonds) in the food processor. Do NOT process too long- you want some texture, here. For the ginger, peel it, and first chop it up as well as you can- those fibers won't really get food processed that easily. Then throw it in while you chop the berries so it can get a bit finer.

After you combine it, let it sit for a few hours for all of the flavors to meld.

This stuff is really good- the combo of the ginger and the lemon and the tart fresh berries is so good. The apples add a little sweetness (which is why I cut the sugar in half) and some crunch. This gives all the cranberry goodness you could want, without any of the corn syrup or other bad stuff that comes in the prepackaged sauce. 

You could eat this with turkey, or just go hard core and eat it in a salad, which is what I've been doing all week!

Thanksgiving is Coming, and you need this Pumpkin Ginger Crumble Pie!

So, we all know how it goes when jobs are getting doled out for Thanksgiving-- the real experts get the  turkey, the person with the old family recipe that is the most full of marshmallows gets the sweet potatoes, the total rookie gets the green vegetable, the person who can't cook at all goes and buys some rolls, and somewhere in the middle is the pumpkin pie. You have to be able to bake reasonably well, but let's get real, there is a perfectly good recipe on the side of the pumpkin can, so it's not all that hard.

BUT. I am going to help all of you middle of the pack pumpkin pie makers, and show you how to make a seriously awesome pie that will blow them out of the water.

I give you.... Pumpkin Ginger Crumble Pie (originally posted in 2009, man alive, this thing is practically vintage.)

(see it lurking tantalizingly in the foreground?)

Check it out! http://yellowfishblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/pie-and-triumphant-return.html

Batten Down Your Kitchens: Chocolate & Peppermint Dipped Marshmallows

This is one of those recipes where I'm not sure what possessed me to make it, but it was probably a one time whim. That said, the end result was pretty tasty so if you are struck by the same whim, I can tell you how to proceed. Be warned though, your kitchen may require a substantial recovery period.

First, come the marshmallows. Yes, you are going to MAKE MARSHMALLOWS (thanks, Alton Brown).

This is what you need

3 packages plain unflavored gelatin

1c very cold water

12oz sugar- this is about 1.5c, but I did weigh it out

1c light corn syrup

1/4tsp salt

1tsp vanilla

1/4c powdered sugar

1/4c cornstarch

cooking spray

This  is what to do with it

Get a pretty big bowl, which you're going to use to mix this all up. If you have a stand mixer, more power to you, this is going to be a lot easier- I did it with a hand mixer. Put the gelatin in the bowl along with 1/2c of the cold water.

You should also take a minute to prep the pan you'll use- I used a jelly roll pan, but they turned out kind of flat, you can also use a 9x13. Combine the powdered sugar and cornstarch. Then, spray the pan, and coat the pan with the mixture.

Now, in a sauce pan put the rest of the water, the corn syrup, the regular (granulated) sugar, and the salt. You are going to need a candy thermometer. SLOWLY bring it up to 240 and then immediately remove from heat. I have learned from years of fudge making experience that slow is key for a smooth final product.

Next you will slowly pour the corn syrup mixture into the gelatin, and start to mix. I recommend setting up some kind of music listening or movie watching situation for yourself because this is going to take a while.

You are going to keep whipping it until it gets thick. This will take something in the neighborhood of 15 solid minutes of whipping. If you have a hand mixer lets just hope you do weight training.

Eventually it will get very stiff- when this is happening, throw in the vanilla and keep going for a few more minutes. It is actually kind of amazing how it transforms, but at this point your arm will be tired and you'll just be glad something happened. Pour it into your prepped pan and spread around evenly.

As you can see from the pictures, it was already dark when I did this, so I let mine sit overnight- you can also let it sit for 3-4 hours. You will be dying to know if it worked- just resist too much poking and prodding because you'll make your mallows look gross.

When its cold, you'll see that it has formed some kind of strange flexible marshmallow sheet.

Get a surface ready that is substantially larger than your pan- coat it with the rest of the cornstarch/sugar mixture. Now, you can cut the marshmallow with a pizza wheel (which is actually kind of fun).

At this point obviously you can eat them just like they are- in hot chocolate and s'mores and whatnot. 

You will notice that they really truly do taste like marshmallows. This means two things:

1. hurray! you have successfully replicated marshmallows!

2. you have just spent 2 days making something that tastes exactly like a product available for $2 at the grocery store. (but square! these are square! that makes them totally different, right?)

At any rate, do what you will. I decided to make them into a fancy dessert. For this, you need:

1 bag semisweet chocolate chips

1 package of candy canes- crushed in the food processor (or with a hammer, if your arm has recovered)

I recommend covering every available surface with wax paper right about now (especially if you just cleaned up the drifts of powdered sugar)

Put the chips in a microwave safe container. In SMALL increments, melt them. Be aware that microwaved chocolate won't necessarily look melted- sometimes it holds shape despite being melted inside. Always try a stir test before going back in. If you overcook, it will be ruined.

Now set up a little assembly line- dip in the chocolate, then the minty chips, then set on the wax paper to set.

You will become acutely aware of how very many marshmallows that recipe makes by the end.

Let them set, and then enjoy! The marshmallows will keep for 3-4 days in a closed container, and I think these last about that long as well. Some of them will be prettier than others, but they are tasty and definitely look impressive if you want something for a Christmas party.

Good luck, and Merry Merry Christmas!

Holiday Treat Time!

Happy December! I'm pretty excited over here because I put my tree up the weekend after Thanksgiving, which seemed a little crazy since it was still November. But, honestly, who cares- if I could have my way and not end up on Hoarders for it, I'd have a tree set up all year long.

While I bask in the glow of my tree (which is actually quite far away since I'm at a conference in a distinctly non-wintery location. Charlotte will have to do the basking this week), I wanted to share some holiday recipes from the archives... this will take a few days so here is the first batch!

1. Not Your Grandma's Brittle: This one include rosemary almond brittle, walnut orange cinnamon brittle, and red curry peanut brittle. Great for gifts!

2. Peppermint Shortbread Cookies: These are shortbread with a twist- seriously delicious!!!

3. Pumpkin Ginger Crumble Pie: Sure it's a little Thanksgiving-y, but since it's a little special, you could use this throughout the holiday season. Mmmm... gingersnap crumbles.

The Crowning Achievement- Kransekake

Ok, since it's actually a national holiday associated with New Years, I'm going to count this as squeezing in the last post of 2011 since it was pretty much one of the crowning baking achievements of the year.

What we have here is a Norwegian Kransekake, a special ring cake made with almond flour. Now, we have been trying for YEARS to get this thing right. This has involved interrogating many older Scandinavian relatives to try to deduce their secrets, as well as lot of swearing and cursing at collapsed falling apart leaning-towers-of-kransekake. Everyone has their secret- blanch the almonds, don't blanch the almonds, dry the almonds, use a nut grinder, use a coffee grinder, buy almond flour, use a food processor, and on and on. We've been getting closer, but it's still kind of like the Russian roulette of holiday treats.

But, this year, I decided just to google it, and low and behold, I found a recipe that seemed really different from everything we had done before.
http://scandinavianfood.about.com/od/cakerecipes/r/basickransekake.htm

Now, my first note is the hilarity of the idea that this takes 1 hour and fifteen minutes of total cooking time. HA! This is definitely a much longer project than that, at least to a novice kransekake-er like myself.

This is my edited version:


Ingredients For Cake:
.5 lb raw almonds (from Trader Joe's)
.5 lb blanched almond slivers (also from Trader Joe's)
1 lb. confectioner's/powdered sugar
3 egg whites
2 tsp. almond extract
2 Tbsp. mixture corn starch and regular flour (you're supposed to use potato starch flour but I couldn't find it)

Ingredients For Frosting:
3-4 cups confectioner's sugar
1 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. lemon juice (or as needed)

The first thing to do is grind your almonds- do NOT use a food processor, use a coffee grinder (I ground up some oatmeal in mine first to get rid of residual coffee). This took me about 15 minutes, there is no way around doing small batches. Mix together all the almonds along with the powdered sugar, and then put it through the grinder again (which also takes a while!). Put it in a saucepan and stir in the almond extract and the egg whites, it should be very firm. Then "use a wooden spoon to knead the dough over the heat until it pulls away from the sides of the pan and shapes itself into a smooth, shiny mass (this step is exactly like making homemade play dough; the resulting almond paste is also the consistency of play dough)." Then refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, have a giant cup of coffee and then proceed.

Preheat the oven to 400, and then butter your special kransekake pans (I have no idea where my Mom got these) and dust with the flour mixture.

Now the fun starts- take chunks of dough and roll them into 1/2inch wide snakes (long snakes!) and fit them into the ring molds. I recommend doing a couple of single test rings first to see how wide they should be- if they are too skinny, the middle won't be chewy but if they're too fat, they'll spill over and they'll all get stuck together.

Bake about 15 minutes, they should be very light brown. Watch carefully though, this depends a lot on how fat they are, and you don't want to overcook them.

Once they cool a bit and you remove them from the pans, set aside some time to leap around the kitchen in joy, then proceed onwards. Now, it's time to focus because you have to stack all the rings up. We'd never actually had this many rings turn out so it was harder than we thought, plus we had some extra dough so there were duplicates in there (that's when it's good to have an engineer in the family, so we called in my brother).

Once you've figured out the order, time to glue! Make the frosting mixture (mine was a very unscientific process of combining powdered sugar and lemon juice until it seems like a good consistency. Then scoop it into a plastic baggy and cut a TINY hole in the corner (TINY! TINY! must be tiny!). Glue the first ring to the plate with frosting, and then create a zigzag pattern all around the ring, and place the next one on top. This is why you want to know the order before doing this, if you have to stack and unstack with frosting on it it'll be a colossal mess.

Then, just keep going!

Once you're done, it's traditional to decorate with little flags (we used Swedish, Finnish and Norwegian just to represent the whole family), or use whatever you want! enjoy!

Peppermint Shortbread Cookies- Put These on Your Christmas Baking list ASAP!

Oh... these are good. I'm not gonna lie, you probably should skip to the recipe and go make these immediately, then finish the post while munching on them.

I must confess, these were not actually my own idea. Yesterday we went to The Trails Cafe, which is a cute little place right in the middle of Griffith Park. Along with this amazing avocado sandwich, we also had the daily special, a peppermint shortbread cookie.

The only thing was, while it was pretty delicious, I didn't feel like it was quite pepperminty enough. So, I set to work. I found Ina Garten's shortbread cookie recipe and went from there. 

3/4 pound butter (unsalted)

1c sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

3.5c flour

1/4 tsp salt

AND

10 full sized candy canes

Preheat the oven to 350. While it's heating, put the candy canes in a food processor (or, I guess, hit them with a hammer or some other creative solution). The pieces should be very small, big chunks will melt and spread when the cookies bake. Cream the butter and sugar together really well. Add the vanilla and salt and mix well, then stir in the candy cane powder/pieces.Then gradually add the flour- the dough will be a bit crumbly. Smush it together and wrap in plastic wrap. Set in fridge to rest for about half an hour.

When it's ready, roll it out. I made mine a bit thin, you should remember that there is nothing in these cookies that will make them rise (no eggs, baking soda, etc), so they will essentially be exactly the same thickness as they are when you put them on the cookie tray.

The recipe says to make them half an inch thick and bake for 20-25 minutes. You should probably watch the first batch carefully, since mine were relatively thin (which actually tasted good and crispy in the end) they only took about 17 minutes. You don't want them to be too brown, the edges should just barely be getting brown. When they look good, put them on a cooling rack and get ready to enjoy!

NOTE 12/13/13- since posting this, I tried again to make these cookies, and it did not go well. They spread out all over the sheet and generally looked like a crazy flat weird mess. Not to be deterred, I tried again. It turns out it is CRITICAL to let the dough chill. This time, I rolled it into a log, covered it in saran wrap, and put it in the freezer for at least half an hour. Then, I just sliced the cookies (which after all, is easier than rolling anyways!). The remainder of the dough went back in the freezer. In addition, I would slightly reduce the number of candy canes to 8. When you blend them in the food processor you end up with some amount of candy cane dust, which then acts just like sugar, and melts and can cause them to spread. I also baked them on parchment paper- do NOT grease the cookie sheet. Good luck!

Thanksgiving: Desserts

As the next phase of the Thanksgiving bonanza... dessert! Again, these are two oldies but goodies. 

Pumpkin Ginger Crumble Pie

This pie is a little bit different.... the inside is similar in flavor to a traditional pumpkin pie, but is a bit lighter. The top is a delicious crumbly crunchy mixture that adds a little sass to an old favorite.

http://yellowfishblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/pie-and-triumphant-return.html

Pumpkin White Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are a great thing to have on hand for kids who might not be into pie. They are incredibly easy (if not exactly photogenic) and taste great.

http://yellowfishblog.blogspot.com/2009/12/pumpkin-white-chocolate-chip-cookies.html

Enjoy your Thanksgiving feast!

Thanksgiving: Veggies!

Ok, I know that vegetables are not usually the focus of Thanksgiving dinners. In my own family, we refer to the lone (non-mashed and full of cream) vegetable as "the green vegetable" and it's kind of a bummer if that's what you get assigned to bring. However, veggies get a bad rap, and there are a lot of ways to make some pretty festive side dishes. Here are a couple veggie side dishes from the archives that may be holiday appropriate.

Rosemary Roasted Beets

The caveat with this recipe is that it is the very thing that cemented the fact that I just flat out do not like beets (note the piles of feta with which I tried to camouflage the actual beets for myself). However, I can recognize that it is a good recipe, because I liked it better than all my previous beet experiences. I also think this is a pretty unique flavor combination for a beet dish, which makes it seem kind of special and holiday-ish. The roasted beets smelled amazing, and I think the rosemary flavor would nicely complement other Thanksgiving dishes. If you are a member of a beet loving family, this may be for you!
http://yellowfishblog.blogspot.com/2011/07/beet-bonanza.html

Cherry Walnut Spinach

Originally I served this with Israeli couscous, but I think on its own it would make a nice side dish. The cherries make it seem festive, but it's not actually that much work (which is the balance you're trying to strike, really).
http://yellowfishblog.blogspot.com/2010/08/cherry-walnut-spinach-with-israeli.html

Sautéed Walnut Brussel Sprouts

This is a good dish for a holiday meal, because it doesn't use valuable oven space, and can be cooked really quickly right before everything is served. Now, your childhood self might be revolting at the thought of brussel sprouts, but really, I promise, these are delicious.

http://yellowfishblog.blogspot.com/2009/12/super-easy-walnut-brussel-sprouts.html

Thanksgiving: The Soup Course

Historically, I have been a little delinquent about getting things out in time for the actual holidays (you know, before the holidays actually occur and it's way too late for anything to be of any use). But, this year things are going to change... I'm going to post a series of recipes, old and new, that might be appropriate for inclusion in your Thanksgiving feast! These first two suggestions are two oldies but goodies.

Butternut Squash Soup

This is pretty delicious, not particularly difficult, and very seasonal.
http://yellowfishblog.blogspot.com/2008/02/comfort-food-squash-soup.html


10 Minute Pumpkin Soup

This is the fastest easiest soup ever. It's also light, so if you have a small cup of it, your stuffing eating potential will not be hampered in any way.
http://yellowfishblog.blogspot.com/2010/12/ten-minute-pumpkin-soup.html


As a side note, both of these soups are vegan, so if you have some vegetarian/vegan folks and are worried about having things that they'll be able to eat, these are definitely something that everyone can enjoy.

Happy Fourth of July!

Happy 4th of July!!

I hope you're enjoying it... I'm not sure what else you can ask for from a holiday beyond a 3 day weekend, a Twilight Zone Marathon, barbecues and fireworks, so live it up!

Charlotte recommends a lower key celebration- she is pondering her independence while taking a long sunbath in her favorite deck chair.

A Valentine's Day Confession

First of all, Happy Valentine's Day to you.

There are a lot of things someone could potentially discuss about Valentine's Day, and a lot of people have a lot of opinions.... it's corny, it's romantic, it's too commercialized, it's romantic precisely because it's corny, and despite being commercialized... I could go on. But, know what? I won't. Because that is just not what this blog is about.

Instead, I am going to use this day to reveal my deep dark Valentine's secret. Just brace yourself.

A lot of people love the holiday because one byproduct of commercializing it is that there is a vast array of Valentine's Day candy available starting immediately after Christmas. Most people get excited about heart shaped boxes of delicious chocolate. And don't get me wrong, I do love chocolate.

But, meet my kryptonite, my Achille's heel...

cinnamon gummy hearts.

It may actually be the lowest form of candy, which I will readily admit. It's available almost solely at large pharmacy-type stores, and cost something like 99 cents a bag. And, to me, it is like crack.

I already love the cinnamon-gummy-heart's kissing cousin, the sugared orange slice candy. In fact, if I am alone at an airport, and facing a stressful situation (i.e returning from exhausting job interviews, which has happened a few times recently) the orange slice is my top choice. But, the cinnamon gummy heart is CINNAMON, which puts it over the top. It's like the orange slice and Hot Tamales had a glorious glorious baby.

I think it is probably for the best that these are only available for one month of the year.