Carols, Cookies and Christmas Cheer

The holiday season is in full swing, and though this is the most busy time for some, it's actually a bit slower in our household, believe it or not. The preceding months were absolutely action packed, and try as I might, I did not get to do nearly enough blog-worthy kitchen experimentation. 

Every holiday season, I attempt to add another cookie to my highly selective baking repertoire (find two of our other favorites HERE and HERE). As a prerequisite, the recipes I repeat must be both very easy to master and predictable in outcome. Nothing bothers me more than doing everything exactly the same and getting a less than stellar result, but such is life with baking, and that's why to this day, I will always prefer to cook. 

This year I have had a bit of an inexplicable thing for shortbread (all my life I had no idea it was so easy to make, often with only 3 ingredients in the dough! ) so Ina Garten's Shortbread Jam Thumbprints drew me in almost immediately. After one test run for half this large-batch recipe, I was convinced that it was totally foolproof. A baker I am not, but I know a good cookie when I taste one. 

You'll find the link to the recipe in the photo below. You can make them ahead and freeze them too! I used unsweetened Coconut Flake whereas the Contessa calls for sweetened. I think ours came out delicious. Pull them just when the coconut stars to get slightly golden. You can't miss! 

Ina's Jam Thumbprint Cookies - Click HERE for Recipe! 

Next up, with all sugar and holiday treats around, I set out to bake an ever so slightly more virtuous treat for my family, one a little less sweet, maybe a little more biscuit like, but still satisfying over a cup of tea or, for the little one, a sippy cup of Milk. 

Arrowroot Flour always catches my eye in the health food store, and I've always been curious about it.  Given this, it only made sense that I should try and recreate a childhood favorite, Arrowroot Cookies. Turns out Arrowroot itself is pretty interesting.  It is a tropical tuber and is native to Indonesia, though is widely used across the eastern world in particular. The starch from derived from this tropical root, commonly referred to as Arrowroot Flour, is known for being easily digestible and satisfying. It was prized in ancient South and Central American cultures particularly. Arrowroot, as the colonists renamed it sometime in the mid 1600's, is almost certainly derived from an Arawak word "aru-aru" which means "meal of meals."   

Once I got my hands on a super simple recipe from another blogger, I was pleased both by how fast the easy dough came together, the equally quick bake time and of course the results. The original recipe from Someone's In The Kitchen Blog appears below with my only change, the addition of a 1/2 teaspoon of Cinnamon, a favorite spice in our house, and the fact that I used light brown sugar instead of dark. Either would work. 

Kids and adults of all ages will enjoy these simple, homey treats, and you will love the cost savings as compared to other kid's crackers. You could get creative and cut the dough into letter shapes, stamp it, decorate with a fork as I did, or even engage your kids in the effort. 

Enjoy and I hope the holiday season is as stress free and fun as possible! 


Simple Cinnamon Arrowroot Biscuits
Lightly Adapted from Someone's In The Kitchen
Yields 25-30 Cookies 

Simple Arrowroot Cookies - So many possibilities! Photo: NK 

Ingredients: 

1/4 cup butter brought to room temperature
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla 
1/2 cup arrowroot flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon Cinnamon 

Method
Preheat oven to 350. 

In a KitchenAid or using a hand blender, combine butter and brown sugar together until creamy

Add vanilla and egg and beat well.

Sift together flours, baking powder, salt and cinnamon if using.

Combing dry ingredients with egg mixture and mix until incorporated. 

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll into about ¼ inch thickness.  

Cut into desired shapes and put cookies on a parchment lined cookie sheet, not too far apart as they will not spread out when baking. 

Bake for about 10 minutes or until lightly browned.

Cool on rack.

Winter Wonder - Salad With Smoked Gouda, Pecans & Cranberries

Winter Greens With Smoked Gouda, Pecans & Cranberries, Photo: NK

Today we are sharing our new favorite cold-weather salad (some others we've enjoyed are here, here, and here), because sometimes, you just don't want your salad taking a back seat. 

An exciting salad is the perfect foil for a simple main, in our case, this juicy pork chop pan fried in our amazing Lodge skillet and seasoned with Salt, Pepper, and Paprika. If you don't already own a cast iron skillet, I highly recommend you treat yourself to one. 

In general, whenever you're looking to take your salads from boring to fab, just use this simple formula:

Seasonal Greens

+

Seasonal Fruit (dried or fresh)

+

Nuts

+ 

Cheese (favorites like Grated Pecorino, Blue Cheese, Goat, Feta, or Gouda)

Today's winter salad uses sturdy greens (baby Kale and Hearts of Romaine), chunks of creamy Smoked Gouda, and tart, vibrant Dried Cranberries to lend a little holiday  chutzpah. A simple Buttermilk Dressing mellows all those big flavors (and we made this deliciousness with the leftover Buttermilk). We pops of red and green, it's also visually appealing enough for company.We hope you'll add it to your seasonal rotation! 

Ready to enjoy. Photo: NK

Winter Greens With Smoked Gouda, Pecans & Cranberries 
Serves 4

Ingredients:
For the Salad:
3 ounces of Baby Kale
1 Heart of Romaine, chopped into bite-sized pieces
2-3 Ounces Smoked Gouda, cut to a bite-sized dice
3 Tablespoons Dried Cranberries
1/2 Cup Pecan Halves, Toasted

For The Dressing:
1/4 Cup Buttermilk
1 Tablespoon Mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon White or Red Wine Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper

Method:
1. In a bowl, Toss Kale, Romaine, Gouda,  and Cranberries. 

2. In a separate small bowl, whisk Buttermilk, Mayonnaise, and Vinegar. Slowly whisk in oil while stirring vigorously until emulsified. Add a little Salt and Pepper to taste.

3. Dress and toss Salad a Tablespoon at a time. Do not over dress. Toss in Pecans, stir and enjoy!

Holiday Homemade - Dark Chocolate Stout Mini Bundt Cakes

Dark Chocolate Stout Mini Bundt Cakes, Photo: NK

My name is Samantha, and I am addicted to Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa.

It's true. I never considered how sinfully good this Cocoa could be, until I got this idea to make Dark Chocolate Brownies. They were such a success (and so simple that I've easily made them 5 more times since I first created the recipe), I thought I might apply the same logic to a majorly alluring dessert I'd come across. 

You see, my thoughts of late have been consumed by cake, Chocolate Stout Cake, to be exact, from a bakery called Ovenly in my hometown of Brooklyn. It's called Brooklyn Blackout and it's made with Brooklyn Brewery's Chocolate Stout. Wanna see it? Hold onto your seat and click HERE. I mean, you could probably just die happy now, am I right? Chocolate Stout is the secret sauce. Alongside rich Dark Chocolate Cocoa and a dollop of molasses, it's what makes this amazing cake so deeply chocolatey.  

Boxing up my homemade holiday treats, Photo: NK

Because it is the season for holiday gifts of food (check out last year's homemade sweet), I decided to create a mini, giftable version of Ovenly's insanely good confection. These Dark Chocolate Stout Mini Bundt Cakes would be the perfect treat for the special people in my life. 

Good thing several of those special people were all in one room just yesterday for our annual holiday potluck brunch. 

The event would be the perfect chance for me to lightly adapted Fine Cooking's recipe for Chocolate Stout Cake. I put my own stamp on it by adding Dark Cocoa and chunks of good quality Bittersweet Chocolate. I also amped up the Chocolate factor by using Chocolate, rather than regular, Stout. In a pinch, Guinness or something similar would work just fine in this but why not go for double the Chocolate beer-y goodness?? I opted not to glaze these already rich minis with ganache, although I am sure that would be heavenly. A simple dusting of Confectioner's Sugar would be a nice touch too. Whatever you decide, you won't be disappointed by the deeply decadent flavor of these cute little cakelets. 

Important Note: our mini bundts were made in an extra small individual "bite sized" Bundt Pan. Cook times will vary a bit depending on the size of mini bundt pan you use. Of course, the original recipe is for one large Bundt, so that's always an option if you are making it for a single recipient (or better yet, you!).You can even line cupcake pans with paper liners and bake this batter cupcake style. If you do so, I world recommend glazing or icing them. Cream Cheese Icing feels like the right move.

Annual Holiday Brunch, Photo: NK

The only thing nicer than a table full of good food and desserts...

Clockwise from top left: Peppermint Oreo Truffles, Dark Chocolate Stout Mini Bundt Cakes, and Chocolate and Brown Butter Salted Rice Krispie Treats, Photo: NK 

is being able to share it all with your best friends. 

Dark Chocolate Stout Mini Bundt Cakes
Adapted from Fine Cooking
Makes approximately 18 bite sized mini bundts or 1 large cake

Ingredients:
1 1/4 Cups Chocolate Stout (like Brooklyn Brewery or Samuel Smith's) don't count foam
1/3 Molasses (not blackstrap)
1 2/3 Cups All-Purpose Flour
3/4 Cup Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa
1.5 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda 
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 1/4 Cups Unsalted Butter, softened to room temperature
1.5 Cups Packed Light Brown Sugar
3 large Eggs at room temperature
4 Ounces fine quality Bittersweet Chocolate very finely chopped (at least 70% cocoa)

Optional Glaze: 3/4 Cup Heavy Cream & 6 Ounces Semisweet Chocolate. Click HERE for the how-to. 

Method:
1.Remove Eggs from the fridge and allow Butter to soften to room temp. 
2. Set a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350. 
3. Butter your mini or large Bundt Pan and lightly dust with Cocoa. 
4. In a small pan over high heat, bring Stout and Molasses to a simmer. Turn off heat and let stand. 
5. Into a large bowl, sift Flour, Cocoa Powder, Baking Powder, Baking Soda, and Salt. 
6. Using a stand mixer or handheld electric mixer, cream the Butter until very smooth, approximately one minute. With the mixer on medium, beat in in Brown Sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes (scrape down the bowl once or twice during). 
7. Now beat the Eggs into the Butter mixture, one at a time, stopping to scrape down the bowl after each addition. 
8. Turn the mixer to low speed and alternate adding the Flour mixture and Beer Mixture to the bowl, beginning and ending with Flour. Scrape down the bowl periodically, and put the mixer on medium for thirty seconds at the end to ensure the batter smooth. Stir in the chopped Chocolate. 
9. Pour into pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. If using Mini Bundt Pans fill only 3/4 of the way at most. The batter will rise as it bakes. If there is any overflow, the bottoms of the cakes can be easily trimmed off after cooling. 
Cook Times:
For a Mini Bundt Pan, bake 25 minutes or more,
For a Cupcake Pan, use liners and bake about 23 minutes,
or for a large Bundt, cook time will be more along the lines of 40 minutes but check it at 35 minutes. 
~You will know it is done when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean except for a few moist crumbs.
10. When cake is finished, invert onto rack and transfer to a platter. Best served slightly warm. 

The Italian Family Table - Antipasti For a Crowd

Tutti a tavola a mangiare! 

This is the directive that Lidia Bastianich, one of my favorite Italian cooks, gives when her tempting dishes are ready. It means, "everyone to the table to eat!" 

I love these words because they evoke, at least for me, a very specific emotion. 

JOY. 

When I hear them, I know it's time to enjoy family, togetherness, community, and most of all, great food.  

Antipasti, Photo: NK

This past Saturday, I was lucky enough to swing a get-together with my brother and sister and their families. It isn't often that our three busy schedules coincide, so I was especially delighted to be able to catch up with them before the holiday season made things even more complicated. My mom was kind enough to offer her home as the venue. She's also a great cook and graciously volunteered to make her delicious sauce and meatballs to serve as the main course (we were a total of 8 people + a baby). All I would need to do was set out some hors d'oeuvres and whipped up a salad. Our guests brought dessert, so the whole thing came together easily. The larger the crowd, the simpler I like to keep it. 

Fennel (Left), Cheeses in counter clockwise order from the bottom left: Truffle Pecorino, Taleggio, Provolone, & Spreadable Goat Cheese Photo: NK

One of my favorite ways to get everyone to a table is to lay out a varied, vibrant spread of meats, cheeses, and fruits as a way to kick off a meal. When guests fill up a bit before the actual dinner, you need only serve one main course and maybe a salad, and they'll be more than satisfied. Focusing on the pre-dinner foods is a great way to front-load the work that goes into any large gathering, as well as to add variety, leaving you plenty of time to enjoy your family or guests. 

As for the pre-dinner spread, I have a very particular plating aesthetic:

Abundance. 

+

plenty of color. 

It should be noted that when I am creating a multi-course sit-down meal, my strategy is very different; I'll instead, keep pre-dinner bites very light (or make much fewer of them) so as to leave my guests able to enjoy all the subsequent dishes. 

Antipasti is the plural of the Italian word, Antipasto, which means, before the meal. 

For me, assorted antipasti is the best way to start a large gathering because a lovely cold appetizer spread nearly always requires little to no cooking. It's more about using great products and assembling them beautifully. Because I put a high priority "presentation," or how food looks, antipasti platters also allow me to flex my creative plating muscles - one of my most favorite things to do! 

How'd it turn out? I'm still pretty giddy even a day later. It's always so wonderful to spend time with my siblings, niece and two nephews. I don't get to see them nearly as much as I'd like. My eldest niece and nephew are growing up into remarkable young people - but so fast! The baby of our family is only year and a half old. He's a real ham, and his adorable antics kept us laughing for hours. 

There really is nothing like sharing a meal with family. 

With Thanksgiving and the holiday season right around the corner, what better time to share these simple antipasti ideas with you? The selection offered below is certainly very typical, but you should feel free to add your own ideas. I'm aiming only to provide a recap in order to lend a little inspiration at a time of the year when cooking for a crowd can seem incredibly daunting. I hope you enjoy this Cold Antipasti How-To, and that you have plenty of great holiday memories on their way to you!

First, before we start, 
A general Rule for portioning cheese and meats: 
1 ounce of per person means everyone will get a taste. 
2 ounces per person will be an ample serving. 
1.5 ounces per guest is probably perfect. 

Antipasti for 8

Platter 1 - Salumi - aka The Salted, Cured Meats
Prosciutto, very thinly sliced. Imported is ideal, or one of many great domestic choices.
Sopressata, hot or sweet, depending on your preference. 
Garnish the plate with brightly colored vegetables. We used Campari & Zima Tomatoes.  And we mustn't forget to add some beautiful Italian Flat-Leaf Parsley.

Platter 2 - Formaggi - The Cheeses
Cheeses are pictured above in order, counter clockwise beginning from the bottom left:

Truffle Pecorino - Goodness, this truffley sheep's milk cheese was mouthwatering and worth the price tag. 1/3 Pound means everyone will get a taste, and a 1/2 Pound will allow for a bit extra. 

Taleggio - Relatively easy to find, this Italian "stinky cheese" is brie-like in consistency and wonderful spread on toasty bread or eaten alongside pears or honey. 1/4 to 1/3 of a pound will do. 

Provolone - Loved by all, this kid friendly, salty, and slightly tangy semi-soft cheese is great on any plate. 1/2 of a pound will be just enough for a party of 8, 2 slices a piece most likely.

Goat Cheese Spread- This soft goat cheese can be purchased ready to eat, or you can make it yourself by thinning out regular goat cheese with a teaspoon or two of milk, making it easy to spread on toast. Goat cheese is absolutely delicious with a little drop of

Fig Spread - The sweet and tangy combo of the fig with goat cheese is always a winner.
Grapes - to add color and sweetness. 
Parmesan Straws - again, very kid friendly and great dipped in goat cheese. 
Italian Parsley - for garnish

Forelle Pears - These pears are just gorgeous - petite and green with flecks of peach and red. 

Platter 3 - Cold Salads - Mozzarella Caprese & Marinated Eggplant + Tapenade
Mozzarella Caprese - This is easy! Slice about 3/4 Lb of fresh Mozzarella Cheese and alternate it with slices of the freshest tomato you can find (we used Campari). Drizzle with extra virgin oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar reduction or ready-prepared balsamic glaze. Finally, chiffonade some basil and sprinkle the ribbons over everything. 

Marinated Eggplant - The only item on today's spread that must be made ahead. Choose your favorite method of marinating and prepare a day in advance. Here are two simple recipes (this or this) from our own kitchen. Alternately, good Italian delis will often offer ready-made marinated eggplant. 

Olive Tapenade - Delicious spread onto toast and readily available at most specialty markets. If you can't find tapenade, there are many great recipes available. Save time and buy pitted olives if you end up making it yourself. 

Caprese Salad, Marinated Eggplant, and Olive Tapenade, Photo: NK

Extras:
Slices of Semolina Bread

Carr's Rosemary Crackers, or any variety that suits your taste

Fennel - With its distinct licorice flavor, fennel serves as crunchy and refreshing palate cleanser in between bites. 

And there you have it, plates and plates of delicious Italian specialties that taste as good as they look. 

Is there anything better? 

Wishing you and your families a wonderful holiday season filled with love, laughter and many great meals.

Buon appetito! 

Festive & Foolproof - White Chocolate Orange Truffles (+ Coconut)

Guittard White Chocolate Chips, Photo: NK

There are two kinds of people in this world - the ones that like white chocolate, and the ones that don't. 

To find out who was who, I took a little informal poll at my office. My colleagues are always willing to not only serve as my very own recipe focus group, but also, to sample my cooking and baking and provide useful feedback. They're really a great bunch. I should feed them more! 

Out of six respondents (my oh-so-official poll consisted of me yelling questions over our office cubicles), four people shouted back that they do indeed enjoy white chocolate. This was all the confirmation I needed to try my take on a recipe for white chocolate orange truffles that I'd been eyeing for a while. The result was something just delightful. Of course, the leftover truffles made their way to my office today. I am happy to say that they were a hit!

White Chocolate Orange Truffles With Coconut, Photo: NK

For those of you who, like me, love dessert but don't like baking all that much, candy-making is a great solution. Whether you choose to make chocolate bark or truffles, as we will do today, candies don't require any oven time at all. One of my favorite treats as a little girl was something my grandmother used to call Chocolate Balls. She'd basically mix melted semi-sweet chocolate with condensed milk, roll the mixture into balls, and then dip them various toppings like nuts or powdered sugar. They'd come out just like delicious little truffles and it was all I could do to stop from eating every last one. If I think about it hard enough, I can still taste them. This is one of many good memories from my Mima's kitchen.


I chose to adapt today's recipe because I've always loved the combination of white chocolate and fruit flavors, particularly orange. Did you know white chocolate isn't really chocolate at all? I also had some leftover Bob's Red Mill Unsweetened Coconut that I suspected might make a great addition to both the texture and the look of the truffles. I was hoping these little guys would turn out looking like snowballs and they did! 

In the end, I was very happy with these rich white chocolate truffles featuring a nice dose of bright orange flavor. They taste very much like an orange creamsicle. If you're looking for an easy homemade holiday gift, these sweet little bites could do the job nicely. Requiring only about 5 minutes active time and about an hour to chill, they take almost no effort. Keep them in the freezer and allow them to come to room temperature before serving. As a matter of fact, I think they taste great straight from the freezer too! 

Anyone with a bit of sweet-tooth will love them. As a bonus, they're very versatile; roll out three truffles in gradually larger sizes and create a truffle snowman! Alternately, grab yourself some mini popsicle sticks and turn these into a little handheld frozen candy pops for a kids party. If you aren't a white chocolate fan, this recipe *should* work with dark or milk chocolate chips as well. You could experiment by incorporating nuts or even dried fruits. The possibilities are endless!
Enjoy!

White Chocolate Orange Truffles Rolled In Coconut 
Makes 14-18 Truffles
Adapted from Cooking Classy

Photo: NK

Ingredients:
1/4 Cup Salted Butter
Zest of 1 large Navel Orange
3 Tablespoons Half & Half OR Heavy Cream
1 Cup good quality White Chocolate Chips
(we prefer Guittard)
1/2 teaspoon good quality Orange Extract
1/2 Cup Unsweetened Coconut Flake
Equipment: a fine mesh sieve

Method:
1. Pour the white chocolate chips into a heatproof bowl. Set aside.

2. In a small saucepan over medium low heat, start melting the butter and add the orange zest to it. Once butter has melted, pour in the cream or half and half and whisk gently until incorporated. Turn up the heat to medium and scald the mixture. It should come to a bubble for 30 seconds or so. 

3. Pour the hot butter and cream mixture through a fine mesh sieve over the bowl of white chocolate chips. Using a spoon, press down on the orange zest that collects in the sieve to release more of the natural orange oils. Discard the zest. Let the white chocolate chip and cream mixture rest for a minute before adding the orange extract. Stir vigorously until the chips melt and the mixture is smooth. 

4. Cover the bowl and remove it to the fridge to chill for an hour or more until the mixture is firm and able to be handled. 

5. When ready to assemble truffles, pour coconut flakes into a plate. Scoop out a teaspoonfuls at a time of the chocolate and form it into balls using your hands/palms. Roll the truffles in coconut if you like. 

Store truffles in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for about a month. Bring to room temperature before serving (I even like them straight out of the freezer!). 

A Cookie To Pine For - Lidia's Pignoli Cookies

Since I am enjoying an uncharacteristically good run of baking success (remember our Apple Cheddar Hand Pies?), I figured I might as well go for broke. This means ... it's test kitchen time! Today, we're baking a classic Italian sweet - the Pignoli Cookie, and it may as well be the ONLY Italian Cookie in the world, because it is just THE BEST. 

Classic Italian Pignoli Cookies, Photo: NK

The word "pignoli" means pine nuts in Italian, and these little nuts provide the key ingredient for our truly sinful cookies made of sweet almond paste and sugar. The combination is pure simplicity, and the taste and texture - well, they're indescribably good. Once I decided to set out to make pignoli cookies, my next conundrum was which recipe to use. What better source to turn to than one of my favorite classic Italian cooks, Lidia Bastianich? She's my go-to for most authentic Italian recipes. 

What To Know:

Almond Paste from Kalustyan's, NYC Photo: NK

As you may have gathered, I consider pignoli cookies to be insanely delicious, but it does bear mentioning that the ingredients required to make them are quite pricey - the pignoli nuts themselves a major culprit in driving up the cost. Buying pignoli nuts in bulk is a good tactic, as they are super versatile in both sweet and savory dishes (use them to top salads or even as an addition to pasta sauces). Lucky for me, my mom hooked me up with a sweet half-pound box of nuts from Pastosa in Brooklyn. The cost was ten dollars, but that's actually a pretty competitive price for these little guys. You can find some good deals on Pignoli Nuts on Amazon. I've also used the Trader Joe's Brand Pignolis available there. 

The second major ingredient, almond paste, which I purchased at Kalustyan's (an NYC treasure in the form of an amazing spice superstore), wasn't cheap either. Nine dollars a tube to be exact, and this recipe requires two of them! For those of you not located in the New York City area, almond paste (the same stuff used to make marzipan), is readily available in gourmet and specialty food markets. So - pignoli cookies are expensive indeed - but you must trust me that they are worth it. Just a few ingredients and basic steps also means that these cookies are easy to make - even for the baking challenged like myself! Soft and chewy in the middle and studded with crunchy, savory nuts on the outside, they really offer something for everyone. Oh, and they're versatile too; you'll find them a welcome accompaniment to your breakfast coffee as well as a tasty component of any light dessert. A side of hazelnut gelato, anyone? Better yet, their shall we say "special" ingredients make these cookies a fitting hostess or even holiday gift. Did I mention they're the ultimate Christmas cookie? 

Results, Tips & Changes:
Equipment-wise, you'll need a stand mixer with a deep bowl or a large mixing bowl with a hand beater. With Lidia's guidance, my cookies came out positively delectable, however I will note that I cooked them a bit longer than she recommends, as mine seemed a bit less than "springy to the touch" after 15 minutes. I also cut the sugar in half (a half cup of sugar total) and they were perfect. I let them cook about 16 minutes but I would recommend checking them around the 13 minute mark since ovens can vary greatly. When the pine nuts turn golden, they're probably ready. 

Additionally, make sure to let the cookies cool a good 10 minutes before trying to remove them from the parchment paper or the middles will stick. Allowing them to firm up on a drying rack is also key. You could certainly bake these longer for a crunchy cookie if that suits your tastes, but for me, half the goodness of a pignoli cookie is that it is slightly chewy inside. Optionally dust the finished product with confectioners sugar for a more beautiful look! Ok - now we're ready to bake! 

Lidia's Almond Pine Nut Cookies

~Yields up to 30 cookies 
~Text and Recipe from Lidia Bastianich

Original Recipe from - Lidia's Italy

How To - Festive Cranberry Centerpiece

Happy Holidays to all, and for those who celebrate, Merry Christmas! Chances are, you're spending this weekend like we are - decking the halls and prepping for your holiday feast.

My Mom-in-Law's Beautiful Cranberry Centerpiece, Photo: NK 

If you are being hosted rather than hosting, check out this winning no-cook hors d'oeuvre idea that comes together quickly HERE. As you know by now, we'll be hosting our annual multi-course Italian Feast of the 7 Fishes. It's looking like we are actually going to make only 6, to be sure our small group of guests has room for dessert. Good luck with all your prepping, and we wish you and yours a joyous holiday and happy New Year! Tune in next time for the full report from our Christmas Eve Feast - including wine pairings and prep tips.  I'll leave you today with an ingenious and easy idea if you're looking for some last minute festive decor that won' t break the bank. All you need to make our beautiful Holiday Centerpiece is:

1-2 packages fresh Cranberries

Water

Candles

A decorative Bowl

To Assemble: 

Simply place your Candles in the Bowl, and arrange Cranberries to your desired height around them. Place the Bowl where you would like it to be displayed, and fill with Water slowly, using a watering can. 

Special thanks to my mom-in-law for this great idea! 

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