December 10, 2009

Welcoming Guests with Christmas Cookies

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Evergreen wreath is a fragrant welcome.

Invite friends, family and special guests to your home for the Christmas season.  This is a great time to show your hopitality and to show-off your inviting home when it is decorated in all it’s splendor for Christmas.

Entertaining requires a bit of forethought, but not necessarily much extra work.  If you have a quality, reputable baker near by.  If you are handy, an afternoon in your kitchen can provide you with some tasty treats that you can keep on-hand for any drop-by guests.  We recommend serving easy, nastalgic cookies and candies.  They will be a great way to welcome guests, and return them to their yesteryears, if even for a fleeting moment.

Old-faShion sugar cookie are made from a simple shortbread dough, brushed with egg whites and rolled in colored sanding sugar, crushed candycanes, or nuts.

Old-Fashion Sugar Cookies diplayed in a simple cracker tray.

Having apple cider, hot cocoa mix and eggnog on hand is a quick fix when offering your guests something to warm them from the chill out side.  Hot tea and coffee are also safe bets.   A splash of Bailey’s Irish Cream is a festive way to dress either up with some cheer.

Keeping your Christmas cookies displayed and tightly wrapped on a platter, saves you steps when guests have already arrived.  Using a glass dome to cover your platter is also an option, which allows you to sample them, even when guests don’t drop by.

Remember, there are certain treats that will keep fresh longer than others.  This is a good thing to inquire about when purchasing holiday cookies, cakes and candies from your baker.  Most recipes will tell you the best way to store and or serve goodies made at home.  At Caffè Victoria, we recommend certain cookies which have the greatest “shelf life,” such as Old-Fashion Sugar Cookies and Snowballs.  These sell in the Caffè for $4.oo/dozen.  We also have beautiful and whimsical Sugar Cookie Cut-outs that are thick and soft, and colorfully iced and decorated, which are $12/dozen. These keep well if they are stored in air tight containers.

OLD-FASHION SUGAR COOKIES

Dough should be rolled into logs about 12″ long, with 1-1/2″ diameters and refrigerated for 3 hours, before brushing with eeg white and rolled in sanding sugar.

2 sticks butter, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 egg + 1 egg white, divided

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3 cups flour

1-1/2 tsp. baking powder

sanding sugar

Beat butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add 1 egg and vanilla and mix well.  Mix in flour and baking powder.  Dough should come together.  Roll into logs, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate 3 hours.

Pre-heat oven to 350 ° F.  Remove from refrigerator, brush with egg and roll in sanding sugar.  Line a baking sheet with parchment.  Cut logs into coins, about 1/4-inch thick.  Place on cookie sheet, about 1 inch apart.  Bake about 8-9 minute until just a hint of golden color shows.  Cool completely before wrapping or storing.

CHEF’S NOTE:  These are also excellent rolled in nuts, such as pecans, walnuts or crushed almonds.  Consider spreading a dalop of chocolate ganache on the bottom of one, and placing the bottom of another on to first one, creating a sandwich.

Simple packaging is an excellent way to display sparkle and creativity of hand-made treats.

Finally, never underestimate the simple elegance of having platters of butter cookies around at a holiday party.  Simple, delicious, and bite-sized that are tempting and inviting to your guests.  If guests are too far away to come for a visit, consider wrapping up a package of cookies to mail to them across the miles.  It is a thoughtful, loving gift.  And this year, when a gift-giving budget is something to consider, it’s a great choice.

 

November 4, 2009

Sterilizing Jars for Canning

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Marinara sauce canned and processed.

blackwhitecanningIf you have received the great fortune of having an abundance of fresh fruits or vegetables, you may be wise to “put some up” or canning them for colder months.  Our grandparents made this an annual ritual that took place at harvest time.  If you have never done this before, don’t shy away from it.  There is much satisfaction in accomplishing it, and truly very little difficulty in mastering it.  ballwidemouth

Look over your jars, making sure they are sound and have no nicks, cracks or chips.  These may prevent an air-tight seal.  Jars and lids should be wash with hot soapy water, and rinsed well.  In a large stockpot, place jars in enough hot water to completely cover them.  Bring pot to boiling.  Cover, turning off the heat, and allow jars to remain until you are ready to fill them. Do the same thing with your lids, in a smaller pot.

When you are ready to fill the jars, remove jars from water, invert them on a wire rack, allowing excess water to drain away.  Do this also with your lids, being careful not to touch the inside of the lids or jars.  Bring water in stockpot to a simmer.  The stockpot should be half-filled with water to process the jars.  Add more water if necessary.

Once you have filled the jars and sealed them, you can add them to the stockpot for processing according to your recipe. Start counting processing time when the water bath just begins to boil.  Keep water at a temperature that permits it to continue to simmer as jars are processed.

When jars have completed their processing time , remove them from waterbath and place them on a wire rack.  Allow them to cool at room temperature.  After 12 hours, test the lids for proper seal.  If the lid center can be press down, the seal is not adequate.  In this case, refrigerate the preserves, and eat them within a few days, or reprocess then jars.  Jars should be labelled and dated, and if possible, stored in a dark, cook place.

 

November 2, 2009

CUT-OUT COOKIES!!!!

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Valentine Sugar Cookies

Soft, slightly sweet and super cute.

You can personalize your cookies with your own unique style and flare.  Create your own shapes, with a template and a sharp knife, or purchase them from the ever growing inventory of metal and plastic cutters.   This holiday season, cut-out some precious time with your favorite children.  If might be the most special memory you make.Halloween 09 016

Creating sugar cookie cut-outs with children is a wonderful time for them to find their creative side.  Depending on the age of the children you are working with, you may want to have them help with cutting out and baking the cookies, or perhaps just the decorating portion of the process.  You can assist them by icing the cookies, and allowing them to finish them with sprinkles, nuts or sugar crystals.  For older kids, help them learn a new technique with piping bags.  co's bmw susan g komen 2008 001

We have used sugar cookies to personalize catered events and tie them to a clients theme.  They make great favors and table decorations for weddings, client appreciations and special life milestone events.  We have created cookies with company logos, color schemes and special “cause” emblems to commemorate certain events.

With the Christmas holiday rapidly approaching, schedule a time to create some fun memories in your kitchen.  Below you’ll find some easy, delicious recipes to make everything at home.  For tinting your icing, we suggest color gel, but Lawry’s food dye works also.  Additional confectioner’s sugar will need to be added  when using a water-based dye.Wilton Food Color Gel

ROYAL ICING

6 oz. egg whites

2 tsp. vanilla

8 cups powdered sugar

Beat with an electric mixer until smooth, adding  powdered sugar until desired consistency is reached.  For “RUN-OUT” technique, you will need a slightly viscous consistency.  Piping requires a stiffer consistency. Piping a “dam” around the edge of the cookie first will help keep the run-out icing contained.  Allow your run-out to dry completely before piping additional icing over it.

Chef Note:  Royal Icing takes flavoring well.  Add 1/4 tsp. of peppermint, cinnamon, coconut or almond extract if you desire a flavored icing.

GINGERBREAD CUT OUTS

Classic Gingerbread Cutouts

2 stick butter, soft

½ cup brown sugar

2/3 cup molasses

2 eggs

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. ground allspice

½ tsp. ground cloves

¾ tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. ginger

1 tsp. vanilla

4 cups flourHalloween 09 004

Combine all ingredients.  Tightly wrap dough and chill  for 1 hour before rolling out.  Chill cookies (freezer) 10 minutes on cookie sheet before baking.  This will help them to keep their cut-out shapes more precisely.  Bake 8-10 minutes 350º.  Avoid over baking if you like to enjoy soft finished cookies.  Once cooled,  wrap cookies in stacks of 5 with plastic wrap, until ready to ice.  Finished cookies should be stored in an air-tight container.

Chef Note:  These cookies on their own have very little sugar in them.  Icing them with Royal Icing, or even a Vanilla Buttercream lends a sweetness that is just delightful, and a great accompaniment to a hot cup of coffee or even tea.

ROYAL ICING

6 oz. egg whites

2 tsp. vanilla

8 cups powdered sugar

 

October 9, 2009

Chicken Soup

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Some call it “Jewish Penicillin” because of it is medicinal qualities, but this medicine isn’t hard to swallow.  This recipe was originally contributed to the Windsor Beacon, in October 2007.  Classic as it is, and perfect for this year’s flu season, it seems apt to post an edited version of it here again.

When I was growing up, my father taught me to make soup.  I remember him telling me that I could make a whole pot of soup for what I spent on one can of soup.   This premise holds true today and the pot of soup we can make today is far more superior in nutrition and flavor than a can of soup we can purchase.   Think about the control you have in making your own soups!   Need a low-sodium variety?  You add as much or as little salt as you prefer.  Do you have a gluten-free diet?  Skip the noodles, add the potatoes.  Are preservatives undesirable?   They aren’t in my soup because I didn’t put them in there!  Like extra chicken?  You’re the boss!

Chicken  Soup

  • 1 whole chicken
  • carrots
  • celery
  • white or yellow onion
  • water
  • fresh parsley
  • salt & pepper

I use a whole chicken.  In a stockpot, cover a whole, rinsed chicken with water, toss in two teaspoons of salt, cover the pot with a lid and bring to a simmer (not boil) for about two hours, or until meat is cooked through and begins to pull away from the bones.  Using long tongs, remove the whole chicken from the broth and place in a pan to cool enough to handle.  In the meantime, strain the broth and return to the stock pot.  Add about one cup of chopped onion, two chopped celery stocks and about a cup of chopped carrots.  Bring these ingredients to a boil and simmer until carrots are tender.  At this point you can add egg noodles, dumplings or your favorite short pasta cooking until al dente.  As the noodles cook, you can separate the chicken from the bones and chop large pieces into bite sized portions.  When pasta is finished cooking, add chicken and minced fresh parsley to stock pot.  Finally, season your finished soup with salt and fresh pepper to taste and enjoy!

 

August 24, 2009

Roux

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A roux, like a slurry, is a method for adding starch to a liquid with the purpose of thickening the liquid.   This is a basic technique, albeit not necessarily easy.  There are a few guidelines that one should observe to obtain success with the process.  If you add flour or cornstarch directly to a hot liquid, it will lump and will fail to disperse evenly throughout the liquid.  The end result will be less than desirable, and your sauce will not have a velvety texture, as hoped for.  With a roux, we heat the starch separately, from the hot liquid, before combining it with the hot liquid.  Compatibility with the temperatures of both facilitates the combination processes and helps create a smooth sauce.

Simply take equal parts of fat and starch, and cook both together in a saucepan (about 2-3 minutes), over medium heat, stirring continually while the starch is cooked in the fat.

Butter and flour are a fool-proof roux, but chicken fat, bacon fat, and olive oil also work quite well, and should be considered when you have them on-hand.  Just consider what you want the flavor of the sauce to finish with.

 

August 24, 2009

Crepes Mornay Served Today

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Our SPECIAL at the caffè today was crepes filled with ham & light egg scramble and topped with a freshly made Mornay Sauce.  They were served with herb roasted potatoes and the most beautiful fruit.  It was a great special because it was light to eat, delicious to taste, yet there was enough of it to be quite filling.  Below is a recipe for the crepe & the Mornay Sauce.   Very easy, and something that you might like to recreate.

Crepes Recipe

We filled the crepes with two scrambled eggs and about 3 0unces of diced ham.

Mornay Sauce

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

2 cups warm whole milk

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

3 ounces Gruyere or Swiss cheese

2 tablespoons dry white wine, optional

Pinch of ground nutmeg

Melt butter, and add flour to it in a saucepan over medium heat.  Cook this roux for about 2-3 minutes, stirring continuously.  Gradually add the warm milk.  Continue to stir over medium heat.  Milk mixture should begin to thicken, and cling to the back of your spoon.  Add the remaining ingredients and stir well until cheese is melted and thoroughly incorporated.  Serve  warm over crepes, steamed veggies or grilled chicken.

 

August 20, 2009

Zucchini Dark Chocolate Cake

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If your garden (or your neighbor’s) is bursting with zucchini pods, and you have them coming out of your ears, here is a solution for you.  This rich, dark and fudgy cake will give you relief.  And if you have more zucchini than you can use for this recipe, you might grate it up and package it in 3 cup pouches for your freezer.  These handy pouches can be thawed and used in this recipe with great success.  A cake like this is great any month of the year, and it’s another way to get your RDA of vegetables.

We served this cake, along with a full menu of Colorado produced meats and locally grown produce for an event we just catered last night  for United States Congresswoman Betsy Markey and 100 of her friends.  The cake was the crown of a very pleasant evening in a wonderful backyard setting.

As the summer sun set, with the Fort Collins foothills as the backdrop, we plated up dessert.  We topped the cake with top quality vanilla ice cream and my mother’s recipe for world famous chocolate fudge sauce.  Guests were truly enamored.

Zucchini Fun Fact:   Zucchini is low in saturated fat and sodium, and very low in cholesterol. It is also a good source of protein, vitamin A, thiamin, niacin, phosphorus and copper, and a very good source of dietary fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, riboflavin, vitamin B6, folate, magnesium, potassium and manganese.

Zucchini Dark Chocolate Cake

Serves 12-24

Ingredients:

4 eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups grated zucchini
2 1/4  cups  flour
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Grease sides and bottom of a 13 X 9′ pan.  In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, oil and vanilla.  Stir in sugar and zucchini.  In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cocoa and cinnamon.  Stir dry ingredients into liquid mixture until thoroughly mixed. Pour into prepared pan.  Bake in a preheated 350° F oven (300° F for convection) for 45-55 minutes.  Toothpick inserted in center of can should come out clean.  Cool completely before cutting.  Serve this cake with a dark roast coffee or a big glass of ice cold milk.
Chef’s Note:  This batter would easily make 12 jumbo cupcakes that could be topped with your favorite frosting.
 

April 17, 2009

Empanadas – One Variation

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Spinach Puff Empanadas

1 ½ Tablspoons olive oil

6 canned anchovies, drained

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 Tablespoons dried, sweet cherries, minced

1/3 cup pine nuts, chopped

1 lb. fresh spinach, washed and chopped

1 egg, beaten

12 oz. puff pastry, thawed

To make the filling, sauté the garlic and anchovies in olive oil for 1-2 minutes, careful that garlic does not brown. Reduce heat, and stir in cherries and pine nuts. After a minute add spinach. Cover and cook for 2 more minutes. Season with salt and fresh cracked pepper. Allow filling to cool to room temperature before filling pastry dough.

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Roll out the puff pastry to a thickness of about 1/16 inch. Using a 3 inch round cutter, cut 20 rounds. Re-roll dough, if necessary. Place two teaspoons of filling in the middle of each round. Brush the edge with a little water. Placing the round in your palm, fold over the disk in half, pinching along the wetted edge as you go to seal. Place on a slightly greased baking sheet and brush with egg. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden.

 

April 15, 2009

Tax Day Tea Cakes

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Afternoon delight....ah!

Afternoon delight....ah!

Tea cakes recipe, just in time for Tax Day.  Today is a good day to be good to yourself.  Take a break, make some tea and enjoy these easy, satisfying “cookies.”

Makes 3 dozen

Ingredients

  • 1  cup  butter, softened
  • 2  cups  sugar
  • 3  large eggs
  • 1  teaspoon  vanilla extract
  • 3 1/2  cups  all-purpose flour
  • 1  teaspoon  baking soda
  • 1/2  teaspoon  salt
  • extra granulated sugar for rolling

Preparation

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Add vanilla extract, beating until blended.

Combine flour, soda, and salt; gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating at low speed until blended after each addition.

Divide dough in half; wrap each portion in plastic wrap, and chill 1 hour.

Roll dough into 1″ balls and roll in extra granulated sugar.  Place on baking sheet lined with parachment paper.  Flatten dough ball slightly with the bottom of a drinking glass.

Bake at 350° for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are golden.  Allow to stay on baking sheet 5 minutes, then remove to wire racks for cooling. Repeat procedure with remaining dough.

 

March 27, 2009

Rustic French Apple Tart

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As we prepare to bring you fine rustic cuisine from the French countryside, and the supreme wines that go with it, I have come across some fantastic recipes.  This particular recipe won’t be featured at the event on April 3rd, but you may want to make it for yourself at home.  I baked it for one of our family dinners this week, and we enjoyed it tremendously!

Rustic French Apple Tart

Pastry Ingredients:

  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 Tbsp. sugar
  • 6 oz. (1.5 sticks) cold butter, cut into pieces
  • 1/4 – 1/2 cups ice water
  • 2 Tbsp. milk, for crust
  • 1 Tbsp. sugar crystals (sanding sugar)

In a food processor, place flour, sugar and butter, fitted with steel blade.  Fitting the lid, pulse this mixture until it resembles breadcrumbs.  Through the  feed tube, pour ice water (no ice) in a slow steady stream while the processor is running.  Pastry dough should just start coming together.  Turn off, and remove dough to a clean, floured countertop.  Without over-handling, knead dough into a ball.  Cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator until ready to use (up to 1 hour.)

Preheat oven to 400˚ F.  Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper, lightly sprayed with no-stick spray.  On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out slightly larger than 10 X 14 inches.  Place the rolled out dough into the prepared pan, decoratively crimping the  edges.  Brush edges with milk, and sprinkle with sanding sugar.  Cover with plastic and place back in refrigerator.

Apple Filling Ingredients:

  • 4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced 1/4 inch thick
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 2 oz. (1/2 stick) cold butter, in little pieces
  • 1/2 cup apricot jam, warmed and sieved
  • 2 Tbsp. Calvados or Grand Marnier

Mix sugar and cinnamon together.  Toss apple slices with sugar mixture.  Arrange apple slices, over lapping, in a uniform, diagonal orientation over the crust.  Dot apples with butter.  Bake for 45-60 minutes, until the pastry is golden and the apples start to caramelize on the edges.  Once tart is finished baking, combine jam and liqueur, making a glaze.  Brush this glaze over the top of all the apples.  Loosen the tart from the parchment and allow tart to cool.  Serve warm, or at room temperature.  Don’t forget some vanilla ice cream!

 

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