Christmas Vanilla Cupcakes
We’ve had a bit of snow as of late and I thought that it was about time I post my Christmas Vanilla Cupcake recipe. The holidays are not just for baking cookies. These cupcake are super easy to make and will quickly become a favorite. I found these little snowmen on toothpicks to stick in the top of the cupcake for added holiday flair.
INGREDIENTS
1/2 Cup Butter (Softened)
1 Cup Sugar
2 Room Temperature Eggs
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 Cup Unbleached Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
2/3 Cups Cold Milk
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a large-size bowl cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Beat after each addition. Combine vanilla. In a medium-size bowl combine flour, baking powder, and kosher salt. Slowly add flour mixture to butter mixture alternating with adding milk. Beat on low speed until combined. Pour into cupcake wells that have either been greased or lined with muffin paper. I always grease the top of the cupcake pan in case I accidently overfill. It makes it much easier to remove cupcakes. Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remember that every oven heats differently. Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes before removing cupcakes. Place cupcakes on wire racks to let cool completely before frosting with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting. Makes 12 cupcakes.
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
3 Cups Powdered Sugar
1 Cup Butter (Softened)
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 To 2 Tablespoons Whipping Cream
In a medium-size bowl cream butter and powdered sugar on low speed. Increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes. Add vanilla and whipping cream. Continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more. Add more cream if the consistency is too thick. Frost cupcakes.
Christmas & New Year’s Dinner Menu Ideas
Whether you’re having a cocktail party or preparing dinner, the holiday season is the time to gather with friends and loved ones and reflect on the year gone by, and talk about the year to come. Whether you plan to celebrate with a traditional menu this holiday or take a few chances, here are some great menu ideas.
Cold Hors D’Oeuvres
Brioche Sliders (Individual Brioche Sandwiches)
Assorted Tea Sandwiches: Prosciutto & Mozzarella, Smoked Salmon With Cucumber & Butter, Grilled Vegetables With Goat Cheese
Smoked Salmon Rounds: Smoked Salmon On Top Of Cucumber, Dill, Cream Cheese & Pumpernickel
Brioche Buttons: Roast Beef & Horseradish Cream On Mini-Brioche
Asparagus, Melon, or Fresh Figs: Wrapped In Prosciutto
Poached Shrimp With Cocktail Sauce
Buttermilk Biscuits With Turkey & Chutney
Apricot & Currant Scones: With Ham & Honey Mustard
Chicken Wrap Pinwheels: With Sun-Dried Tomatoes And Basil
Gorgonzola & Black Olive Phyllo Triangles
Caviar With Brioche Toast Points
Crudité Platter
Sliced Fruit Platter
Cheese Platter
Antipasto Platter
Mediterranean Platter: Olives, Hummus, Goat Cheese, Caponata, And Red Pepper Dip
Antipasto Platter: Smoked Meats, Grilled Vegetables, Artichokes, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Olives, And Bocconcini
Tortilla Chips With Salsa, Guacamole, And Black Bean Dip
Imported Cheese Platter
Hot Hors D’Oeuvres
Tandoori Chicken Satay With Peanut Sauce
Buffalo Wings With Blue Cheese Dressing And Celery Sticks
Grilled Shrimp
Mini Potato Knish
Seafood Wontons With Cilantro & Green Onion Dipping Sauce
Pigs In Blankets
Stuffed Mushroom Caps
Roasted Vegetable & Goat Cheese Tartlets
Bite-Size Potato Pancakes With Applesauce Or Caviar
Shrimp & Basil Wrapped In Phyllo
Duck A L’Orange Turnovers
Wild Mushroom Strudel
Smoked Southwestern Chicken Strudel
Baby Crab Cakes With Spicy Red Pepper Sauce
Vegetable Wontons With Soy Ginger Dipping Sauce
Dinner
Roasted Free-Range Turkey
Roast Duck
Orange Glazed Cornish Hens
Whole Glazed Baked Ham
Beef Wellington
Roasted Leg Of Lamb
Crown Roast Of Pork With Cornbread & Dried Fruit Stuffing
Standing Rib Roast With Roasted Potatoes
Salmon Filet With Roasted Vegetables
Herb Crusted Filet Mignon
Red Wine Marinated London Broil
Cheese & Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Herb Crusted Tuna Filets
Beef Tenderloin
Side Dishes
Winter Vegetable Medley: Mushrooms, Parsnips, Carrots, Turnips & Haricots Vert Sautéed In Butter & Herbs
Glazed Brussels Sprouts & Pearl Onions
Green Beans & Roasted Garlic
Sage Roasted Beets
Celery Root & Leek Puree
Creamed Spinach
Herb Roasted Potatoes
Sweet Potato Puree
Grilled Vegetables: Zucchini, Eggplant, Tomatoes, Tri-Colored Peppers & Onions On A Charcoal Grill Or Under The Broiler
Applesauce
Holiday Traditions
Buche de Noel: Rich Chocolate Cake, Panache Filling, And Buttercream Frosting All Rolled Into A Beautiful Yule Log
Fruit Cake
Stollen: Traditional German Holiday Cake, Studded With Raisins And Almond Paste
Gingerbread Loaf
Panettone: An Italian Rich And Yeasty Cross Between A Bread And A Cake. Packed With Raisins And Candied Citrus. Have It With Coffee In The Morning Or Champagne Later In The Day.
Holiday Mini Cupcakes
Coconut Mini Cupcakes
Shortbread Cookies
Gingerbread Men
Decorated Holiday Cookies
Desserts
Lemon Meringue Pie
Fruit Pies: Apple, Blueberry Or Cherry
Pecan Pie
Almond Crust Berry Tart
Lemon Tart
Tarte Tatin: Apples Poached In Butter & Brown Sugar On Shortbread Crust
Meringue Clouds: Pistachio, Raspberry, Chocolate, Or Hazelnut
Coconut Cake: White Cake Layered With Lemon Curd With Coconut Frosting
Chocolate Cake: Single Layer Cake Frosted With Chocolate
Yellow Cake With Chocolate Frosting
Chocolate Cake With Vanilla Frosting
Chocolate Layer Cake With Dark Chocolate Frosting
Assortment Of Mini French Pastries
Macaroons
Sliced Fruit Platter
Cheese Tray
Versatile Pound Cake
About now I start thinking about ways to cut corners and maximize all I can in the kitchen in order to pull off smooth going holidays. Of course pies are important to have on hand, but a pound cake is so versatile that it can arise to nearly any occasion. You can serve it for Christmas breakfast with fruit and yogurt or you can serve it after dinner with Grand Marnier Poached Apricots. You can also bake this cake 3 days ahead. Make sure to store tightly wrapped at room temperature.
INGREDIENTS
2 Cups Room Temperature Unsalted Butter (Plus More For Pan)
3 Cups Unbleached Flour (Plus More For Pan)
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Cream of Tartar
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cardamom
2 Cups Superfine Sugar
6 Room Temperature Large Eggs
1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees and move the rack to the middle of the oven. Butter and flour a Bundt pan or angle food cake pan. In a medium-size bowl combine kosher salt, cream of tartar, cardamom, and flour. In a large-size bowl beat butter, with an electric mixer, until very light and fluffy. This should take about 5 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low and add sugar. Increase speed to high and beat for another 8 minutes. Beating the butter and sugar until light and fluffy is essential to this cake’s moisture. Add eggs one at a time. Beating to blend between additions. Beat in cream and vanilla. Reduce speed to low and slowly add flour mixture. Mix until mostly combined and then finish mixing by hand with a rubber spatula just to combine. Pour batter into prepared pan. Place in oven and bake for 70 to 80 minutes. Rotate cake halfway through baking. Remove from oven and transfer pan to wire rack and let cake cool completely before turning out.
Poached Apricots
INGREDIENTS
2/3 Cup Grand Marnier
2/3 Cup Sugar
2/3 Cup Water
2 Cups Dried Apricots
2 Inch Piece Peeled Ginger (Sliced)
In a small-size saucepan, bring Grand Marnier, sugar and water to a boil. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add apricots and ginger. Reduce heat to low and gently summer for 25 minutes. You will want apricots to be very soft. Remove from heat and let cool. Just before serving remove ginger pieces. Serve cake with apricots and syrup and perhaps a dollop of whipped cream. You can make these poached apricots 1 week ahead. Cover and place in fridge until ready to serve if making ahead.
Cranberry Jam
You can make this as jam to spread on toast or you can pour over a plain cheesecake. Cranberry Jam says Christmas!
INGREDIENTS
12 Ounces Fresh Cranberries
1 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Orange Juice
1 Cup Water
Place cranberries, sugar, orange juice, and water into a medium-size heavy-duty saucepan over a medium heat. Stir occasionally and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes until slightly thickened. Remember that jam will continue to thicken as it cools so you don’t want to overcook it. Remove from heat and force jam through a fine-mesh sieve over a medium-size bowl. Throw away the skins and seeds. Pour into jam jars and cool. Makes about 2 cups.
Christmas Morning Frosted Cinnamon Rolls
I believe in planning ahead. Heck, I start my Christmas shopping in July for goodness sake! Most of us focus on Christmas dinner, but what about breakfast? I always liked to have a warm batch of frosted cinnamon rolls ready for all to eat after opening presents.
INGREDIENTS
Dough
2 Room Temperature Eggs
3/4 Cup Warm Water (Not Hot Water)
1 Package Active Dry Yeast
3 1/2 Cups Sifted Unbleached Flour
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
3 Tablespoons Sugar
1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter
Filling
1/4 Cup Melted Butter
1/3 Cup Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoons Ground Cinnamon
1/4 Cup Raisins
1/4 Cup Chopped Pecans
Extra Sugar For Sprinkling
Frosting
3/4 Cup Powdered Sugar
3 Teaspoons Milk
In a medium-size bowl beat eggs for 1 minute. Add warm water and yeast. Stir to dissolve yeast. Place in fridge for 10 minutes. In a large-size bowl combine flour, kosher salt, and sugar. With two forks or a pastry blender, blend in butter. It should look like coarse crumbs. Make a well in center and pour in yeast mixture. Gradually blend mixtures together. It should look loose and sticky. Gather dough onto floured surface and knead for 2 minutes until smooth. Form dough into ball and put into lightly greased bowl. Place in fridge and chill for at least 3 hours or overnight. When you’re ready to bake, roll dough into an oblong shape on a floured surface. The dough should be about 1/4 inch thick. For filling: In a medium-size bowl combine brown sugar, cinnamon, raisins and pecans. Brush dough with melted butter and sprinkle with brown sugar mixture. Leave a 1-inch boarder. Roll dough to form what looks like a jellyroll. With serrated bread knife cut roll into 1-inch slices. Place onto greased baking sheet 2 inches apart and allow to rise, in a warm place, for 30 to 40 minutes. Sprinkle generously with sugar. Place into 350 degree preheated oven. Bake for 24 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes on wire racks. You may want to drape cooling racks with waxed paper. To make frosting: In a medium-size bowl mix together powdered sugar and milk together until nice and smooth. Drizzle frosting over rolls and serve. Makes 1 dozen rolls.
Chocolate Peanut Clusters
I’m amazed at how simple these chocolate nut clusters are to make. They are great to give as gifts or to bring out after holiday meals. If you don’t have a double boiler then use a metal bowl over hot water.
INGREDIENTS
1 Pound Chopped White Candy Coating
12 Ounces Semisweet Chocolate Chips
16 Ounces Dry Roasted Peanuts (Salted or Unsalted)
Line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a double boiler or metal bowl over hot water, melt the candy coating and chocolate chips. Stir until nice and smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the peanuts. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto parchment paper lined baking sheets. If you don’t have parchment paper then waxed paper will work fine for this recipe. Place into the fridge for 20 minutes until set. Store in airtight containers. Makes about 2 1/2 pounds.
White candy coating is a vanilla flavored product that melts easily and then sets firmly and quickly creating a glossy finish. It comes in either a solid block or a package of small thin wafers or discs. White candy coating is NOT the same as white chocolate.
Holiday Pumpkin Cherry Bread
This pumpkin cherry bread is perfect to give away as gifts or to have around for quick breakfasts. It’s easy to make and keeps quite well. Make several loaves and store one in the freezer for those out-of-town guests who are coming for the holidays.
INGREDIENTS
3 Cups Unbleached Flour
2 Tablespoons Pumpkin Pie Spice
2 Teaspoons Baking Soda
1 1/2 Teaspoons Kosher Salt
3 Cups Sugar
15 Ounces Pumpkin Puree
4 Large Eggs
1 Cup Vegetable Oil
1/2 Cup Orange Juice
1 Cup Dried Tart Cherries
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9×5 inch loaf pans
In a large-size bowl combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and kosher salt. In a separate large-size bowl combine sugar, pumpkin puree, eggs, vegetable oil, and orange juice. Beat until blended. Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture. Stir JUST until moist. Fold in dried cherries. Spoon batter into prepared loaf pans. Place into oven and bake for 60 to 65 minutes. Remove from oven and cool in pans on wire racks for 15 minutes. Remove from pans and place on wire racks to cool completely. Makes 2 loaves.
Yum Yum Candied Yams
I have to admit that I’ve never really been a big fan of the traditional Candied Yam dish, but I know that a lot of Thanksgivings just aren’t complete without out it. Look no further is you need a Candied Yam recipe.
INGREDIENTS
9 Peeled & Cubed Yams (Not Canned)
1/4 Cup Butter (Sliced Into Pieces)
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1 1/2 Cups Miniature Marshmallows
1/3 Cup Maple Syrup
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Place sweet potato cubes into a greased baking dish. Distribute butter pieces evenly over sweet potatoes. Sprinkle evenly with brown sugar. Pour maple syrup over all of yams. Layer with marshmallows. Place into oven for 25 minutes or until yams are tender, but not mushy, and marshmallows have melted. Remove from oven and serve warm. Serves 6.
Rum Pecan Pie
While Pecan Pie is not my favorite I certainly appreciate a good one. I added dark rum, which I believe, improves the basic traditional Pecan Pie. Growing up in the Midwest we always had three traditional pies for Thanksgiving and Christmas: Pumpkin, Apple, and Pecan. Try my Pecan Pie for your holiday dinner. It just may become everyone’s favorite pie.
INGREDIENTS
1 Single Pie Crust
1 Cup Pecan Halves
2 Tablespoons Melted Butter
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Dark Corn Syrup
2 Tablespoons Dark Rum
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
3 Lightly Beaten Large Eggs
Whipped Cream For Garnish (Optional)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. You can use premade pie crust or make your own (see below for pie crust recipe). Transfer pie crust to a 9 inch pie plate. Crimp the edges of the dough with your fingers and use the fork to prick the bottom of the dough in several spots. Place in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Remove from fridge and cover prepared pie shell with parchment paper. Make sure to leave a bit of an overhang and add enough pie weights or dried beans to cover the bottom of pie crust. Place in oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and remove parchment paper and weights. Place back in oven and bake for another 5 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Set aside. Turn oven down to 350 degrees. In a medium-size bowl combine pecans with 1 tablespoon butter and kosher salt. Spread pecan mixture onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Toast for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. Meanwhile, in a medium-size bowl combine sugar, corn syrup, rum and vanilla extract and remaining butter. Stir in eggs. Add toasted pecans. Pour filling into cooled piecrust. Place in oven on bottom rack and bake for 50 to 60 minutes until center of pie feels gelatin-like when pressed with back of a spoon. Remove from oven and transfer pan to wire rack to cool. Serve with whipped cream if you lie. Makes 1 pie.
Pie Crust
INGREDIENTS
2 1/4 Cups Unbleached Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 1/2 Sticks Cold Butter (Cut Into Small Pieces)
5 To 7 Tablespoons Ice Water
In a large-size bowl, combine flour and kosher salt. Add cold butter, cut into small pieces; using your fingers, cut into butter until mixture resembles grated Parmesan. Add 5 to 7 tablespoons ice water, a tablespoon at a time, while mixing with you’re your fingers, until dough holds together in a ball. Turn dough out onto floured piece of wax paper. Sprinkle more flour onto dough, cover with a second piece of wax paper, and place on baking sheet. Place in fridge for at least 2 hours or up to overnight. When ready to use, remove dough from fridge and let sit, covered, at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Fresh Herbed Standing Rib Roast
This standing rib roast looks regal and tastes even better, yet it’s practically foolproof. There is no need to pre-sear or fuss with changing the temperatures. Make my Red Wine Sauce ahead of time and you have a seriously “no fuss” elegant dinner. This is a great dinner for New Year’s Eve or anytime.
INGREDIENTS
3 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1/2 Cup Duck Fat
2 Tablespoons Kosher Salt
2 Tablespoons Freshly Ground Pepper
4 Chopped Garlic Cloves
1 Large Bunch Fresh Thyme
1 Large Bunch Fresh Sage
1 Large Bunch Fresh Rosemary
7 Pound Standing Rib Roast (Bone-In & Tied)
64 Ounces Apple Cider
Preheat your oven to 350º F. Remove the rib roast from the fridge and let it stand at room temperature for 2 hours before cooking. Place the rib roast onto a rack that sits in a roasting pan. Rub the olive oil all over the roast. Place the chopped garlic, duck fat, salt and pepper on the roast. Take the fresh herbs and place on top of the roast inserted under the strings. Pour the apple cider into the bottom of the roasting pan. Place in the oven and roast, uncovered, for 1 hour and 40 minutes for rare. Make sure to occasionally baste with the apple cider & drippings. Roast 15 minutes more if you want a medium roast and another 15 minutes for well done. Remember that all ovens are not created equal and oven temperatures vary. You be the judge of when you want to take your rib roast out of the oven. Remove from the oven and allow the roast to rest for 20 minutes before carving. Remove the fresh herbs and throw them away. The roast will continue to cook when it is out of the oven. Transfer to a warmed serving platter and serve with my Red Wine Sauce. Serves 8
