MORE DAMNED SNOW!

Yes, I do know that in today's electronic world,when you capitalize letters it means you are yelling! Believe me, I am yelling….! In one 24 hour period the snow removal teams came 3 times to shovel my driveway, sidewalk and front porch! (As you can see from the photo, they don’t clear decks. You can also see I didn’t get my deck furniture to storage!)
It has been a difficult task for the poor guys with single digit temperatures and tons of the white stuff. And I was just bitching about paying the $200 a month for the homes association fee! I think I am getting my money’s worth now!

I am truly thankful I have my blog and the cookbook to work on….I can watch just so much television. I do have several blogs that I follow and it is like having someone to visit with, hearing about their world, their weather! We food bloggers are quite a group. I don’t want to say anything about the artist bloggers….still trying to figure them out. I am pretty sure I am not a good fit with that group. They are probably appalled by my blog, combining food and painting, but what the heck, it is my blog!

No fresh tomatoes in this weather, so today I think I will put on a pot of creamy tomato basil soup and dream up a new grilled cheese combination. Nothing fights off the winter B-r-r-r-r-s like tomato soup and grilled cheese!
Oh, I said I was going to quit eating….okay, you make the soup and let me know how it turns out.

Creamy Tomato Soup with Fresh Basil Chiffonade

2 (15-ounce) cans chicken broth

1 (28-ounce) can concentrated crushed tomatoes
1 cup heavy cream
Coarse salt and black pepper
20 leaves fresh basil, cut into chiffonade, for garnish

To chiffonade the basil, stack 10 leaves, roll tightly from stem end to top of leaf. Slice into ribbons ands shake to separate. Repeat with remaining 10 basil leaves. If you aren't into perfection, simply tear a few leaves onto top of each bowl of soup. It will still taste fabulous!Perfect for soup!

Directions
Combine broth and tomatoes in a medium saucepan over moderate heat. When soup bubbles, stir in heavy cream and reduce heat to low. Season with a little salt and pepper and simmer gently 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. With an immersion blender, puree soup. Serve bowls of soup with basil chiffonade.

Now, add French Toast Cheddar Sandwiches and you can snuggle up on this cold winter's evening and feel pampered.

French Toast Cheddar Sandwiches

2 large eggs
1/3 cup milk or light cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 slices white bread
1 prepared mustard
4 cheddar cheese slices, thick slices
3 teaspoons butter

Set out a heavy skillet or cast iron griddle. Beat the eggs slightly in a pie tin or shallow bowl and add the milk or cream and salt, set aside. Spread the bread slices out on a flat working surface. Spread one side of four slices of bread lightly with the prepared mustard. Top each with a slice of cheddar cheese. Butter the remaining four slices of bread and top each cheese slice with bread, butter side down. Heat the butter in the skillet or on the griddle. Carefully dip each sandwich into the egg mixture, coating both sides. Allow the excess egg mixture to drain back into the bowl. Dip only as many sandwiches as will lie flat in the skillet or griddle. Cook over low heat until browned. Turn and brown the other sides. Repeat for the remaining sandwiches and if necessary, add more butter to the skillet or griddle to prevent sticking. Or you can place the sandwiches, after dipping, on a well greased baking sheet and brown in the oven at 450 degrees F. for 8 to 10 minutes. Serve hot.

I don’t mean to sound negative….but I have officially reached the point where I can honestly say….I am sick of winter! Fortunately, I don’t have to get out in it, don’t have to shovel snow, don’t have to walk the dog; I just have to stay in and stay warm. But the truth is, I am bored. Unfortunately, I am one of those people who eat when they are bored….I stand in the middle of the kitchen and try to figure out what I want to eat next. So far, I have resisted baking a cake and covering it with warm fudgy ganache. I have ignored my desire to whip up a batch of sugar cookies. I have fought off the urge to make a 10 pound pan of warm and cheesy lasagna. However, I lost the battle with the bag of horribly stale store bought cookies. Dipped in a cup of hot tea, they weren’t all that bad.

I figure by spring thaw, I will have an additional 50 pounds to lose. Depressing, isn’t it?

So, today, in honor of the New Year, I have given up eating and have turned my attention to the new cookbook I am working on. I am hoping that writing about food won’t make me gain weight.

For the last 6 years, both Cindy and I have promised our harvest crews and friends of the vineyard that there would be a Somerset Ridge Vineyard and Winery cookbook. We have declared we would, indeed, include all of the recipes that have been served at harvest events and gourmet dinners.

There seems to be a tradition at some vineyards to feed their harvest crews brisket, baked beans and potato salad. Boring! At Somerset Ridge, harvest event menus include dishes like French Braised Pork with Rosemary Cannellini Beans, or Wild Boar on a bed of Soft Polenta.

Our menus have always consisted of gourmet dishes, prepared with fresh locally grown foods whenever possible. The garden at Somerset Ridge provides us with fresh vegetables, all organically grown, just as our grapes are. We grow our own shallots, tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, pumpkins….all lovingly tended by Mae Reynolds.

Our meats include buffalo from a local herd. Our baked goods are full of beautiful fresh eggs from Annie, our egg lady. Our homemade Ricotta cheese is made from rich creamy goat’s milk from right down Somerset Road.

Yes, this is going to be a very special cookbook. I’ll keep you posted on our progress.

In the meantime, here is a recipe that is on the list to be considered for the cookbook. Hope you try it!

Polenta-Pecan Apple Cobbler
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup quick-cooking polenta mix or yellow cornmeal
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
8 cups cubed, cored, peeled cooking apples (8 medium)
1/2 cup dried tart red cherries
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup cold water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/3 cup half-and-half or light cream

For topping, in a small bowl stir together flour, polenta mix or cornmeal, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs; set aside.

In another small bowl combine the pecans, the 2 tablespoons brown sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon; set aside.

For filling, in a large saucepan combine the apples, cherries, the 1/3 cup brown sugar, the lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Bring to boiling, stirring constantly; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 5 minutes or until fruit is almost tender, stirring occasionally. Combine cold water and cornstarch; add to saucepan. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Keep hot.

Add the 1/3 cup half-and-half or light cream to topping mixture, stirring just to moisten. Transfer filling to a 2-quart square baking dish. Using a spoon, immediately drop topping into small mounds onto filling. Sprinkle with pecan mixture.

Bake in a 375 degree F oven 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into topping comes out clean. If desired, serve with additional ice cream, half-and-half, or light cream. Makes 8 servings

I love Christmas, but truthfully, by Christmas Day night, I am ready to have the house back to normal….. the most important “de-holidaying” is getting the kitchen back in shape. That means I no longer have to keep a minimum of 5 pounds of butter and 36 eggs in the refrigerator. The carton of milk returns to a quart of 2% instead of a gallon of whole milk, 2 quarts of heavy cream and 2 quarts of half and half. It takes me a while to get all of this accomplished, but I do start on Christmas Day night. I’d like to think I would shed the pounds I’ve gained from Thanksgiving to Christmas just by ridding myself of butter and cream, but alas, the pounds remain way into springtime, and usually, beyond!

I hope your Christmas wasn’t messed up by the blizzard that hit the Midwest. Mother Nature and Jack Frost joined efforts to create havoc in the Kansas City area, successfully changing plans for many families. Mine was fortunate to not have anyone arriving on flights or traveling by car.

So, here we are, a few days till the end of 2009. I haven’t done much partying on New Year’s Eve for the last 3 years, and I don’t think I want to return to wild partying anytime soon. No, I think a nice quiet evening at home is how I will be spending the evening. Arch and I used to have big New Year’s Eve parties at our home, usually having around 35 guests and food galore. Arch always made his Black-eyed Peas, traditionally good luck to all who eat them on New Year’s Day. After midnight, Arch would serve his specialty along with big chunks of hot cornbread. Those were the days.
You do know that Black-eyed Peas are not really peas at all, don’t you? They are actually beans. According to the USDA they are high in potassium, iron, and fiber. In fact, a one-cup serving of cooked black-eyed peas supplies 11 grams of fiber, almost half of the daily requirement. They are also extremely low in fat. Certainly the nutritional aspects of black-eyed peas should be convincing enough to serve them often.
Arch’s recipe for black-eyed peas is easy and takes very little hands-on time. The cooking method may be adapted to suit you, but he always simmered them slowly on the stove. But they can be cooked in a slow cooker, or prepared quickly in a pressure cooker. They may also be cooked ahead and refrigerated for up to three days; simply reheat, adding additional water if necessary.
Arch's Black-eyed Peas with Ham Hocks
6 Servings
1 cup dried black-eyed peas
3 cups water
3 meaty ham hocks
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
additional salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Directions:
· Sort the peas, removing any broken ones or rocks; rinse well and place in a large saucepan.
· Cover with water, bring to a boil, and boil for 10 minutes.
· Let the peas sit for at least 1 hour; drain.
· Return the peas to the pan and add the water;
· Bring the peas to a boil, turn down to a simmer, and cook until the peas are almost tender, 1-2 hours.
· Add the remaining ingredients and simmer covered until the beans are very soft and tender, checking periodically to make sure there is enough water.
· About 15 minutes before serving, remove the ham hocks from the mixture; remove the meat from the hocks, chop, and add back in to the peas.
· Taste for seasoning and add salt and freshly ground pepper if necessary.
· Simmer for about 10 more minutes, then serve.
Happy New Year!

Christmas is almost here! Have you baked cookies yet? Here are my two all time favorite Christmas Cookie recipes. I am pretty sure if you leave a plate of these out for Santa, you will be a BIG hit with the old guy!

I am wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas!

This is my favorite cookie of all time, and I love cookies, so that is saying a lot! The recipe is from Pelagia Frosch of Detroit. Mrs Frosch is the mother of my dear friend, Inge Richter. Every Christmas she sends a huge box of Lebkuchen to Inge. I’ve tried to highjack the UPS guy before he delivers them, but so far I have been unsuccessful!

I hope you find the time to bake them; if you love spice cookies, you will be a big fan of Lebkuchen!
Thank You, Mrs Frosch!

Lebkuchen

1 pound honey
1 pound sugar
1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon
1 heaping teaspoon ground cloves
1 dash ground ginger
1 rounded tablespoon baking soda
1 stick butter, softened
1 cup milk
3 large eggs
2 1/2 pounds flour
1/2 pound ground walnuts
cocoa for color, adjust to your liking
for glaze:
powdered sugar
warm water

Cream the butter, sugar, honey and then add eggs. Sift all of the dry ingredients together. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk and the ground nuts to the creamed mixture. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Roll out the dough on lightly floured surface. Cut with 1 1/2-2" cookie cutters, usually round or star shaped. Bake on greased cookie sheets for 15 to 20 minutes. When cool enough to remove from baking sheets, glaze with mixture of powdered sugar and water. These cookies can be kept for months in a cool place if stored in a metal can along with a whole apple.

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My next favorite cookie is the Italian Cuccidati, a fig stuffed cookie. They are a lot of work if you do the traditional shaping and decorating, but you can just do half moon shape and use a simple glaze. I think they are definitely worth the extra effort! The photo is by the Food Network.

Cuccidati, Italian Fig Cookies

Filling:
8 ounces dried figs, chopped
6 tablespoons brandy
1 jar honey (8-ounce)
2 ounces raisins
2 ounces dates
2 ounces dried cherries
2 ounces citron or candied pineapple
1 cup walnut pieces, toasted
1 cup whole, blanched almonds, toasted
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 pinches ground clove
Rind of 1 lemon (remove any white pith)
Rind of 1 orange (remove any white pith)
Pastry:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
3 eggs (1 whisked with 1 teaspoon water, to make an egg wash)
1/4 cup milk
Icing:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon milk (1 to 2)
Colored sprinkles, or small dots

1. Make the Filling: In a bowl, combine the figs with 4 tablespoons of brandy and let soak overnight or up to 4 weeks.
2. In a food processor, combine the soaked figs, the remaining 2 tablespoons brandy, and all the remaining filling ingredients. Process until chopped and well combined. (Alternatively, run all the ingredients through a meat grinder. Some Italian women bring their filling ingredients to the butcher and have him grind it for them.) Keep chilled until ready to use.
3. Make the Pastry: In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt and pulse to mix. Add the butter and pulse until it looks like fine crumbs. In a small bowl, whisk together the 2 eggs and milk. While the motor in running, pour the liquid through the feed tube until just combined and a dough is formed. Form the dough into a disk and chill 30 minutes.
4. On a floured work surface, roll out the dough 1/8-inch thick. With a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut out large (3-inch long) almond shaped pieces from the dough. Transfer the pieces to a sheet pan; then chill.
5. To form the cookies, have ready the filling, the chilled dough pieces, the egg wash with a pastry brush, and a sharp knife. Paint the edges of the dough pieces with egg wash and place 1 teaspoon of filling shaped into an oval in the center of half the pieces. Top each with a second piece of dough and carefully pinch the edges together to seal. Trim the excess dough from around the edges.

6. Make each dough package look like a bird or fish, by shaping and cutting decorative lines. You can split 1 end to look like a tail, carve rows of lines to look like feathers or fins, cut a curved line for the gills or beak opening, and a hole for the eye. (There are many different shapes they're made into, such as wreaths, slippers, and crescents.) Re-chill the cookies.
7. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
8. Brush the cookies with the egg wash. Bake the cookies until lightly golden brown, about 20 minutes.
9. Meanwhile make the Icing: In a bowl, whisk together all the ingredients.
10. Toss the cookies with the icing while they're still hot and sprinkle with the colored sprinkles, or leave them plain. The icing makes the cookies look like porcelain when they're done.

Did you notice that the movie “Julie and Julia” is available On Demand? $4.99 and you can spend a lovely evening with Julia Child and French cooking! What a bargain! It is a delightful movie and one that makes you want to cook. Go back to my Thursday, August 13th blog for my story about the movie. Then, if you haven’t seen it yet, please think about renting it. You will be glad you did…..but have groceries on hand, because you are going to be hungry!
I am anxious to check out “Nine” a new musical that will be released to the theatres on Christmas Day. Mind you, I am not a big musical fan. “Moulin Rouge” was such a disappointment for me….much to dark and disturbing to be a musical! I want a musical to have me smiling and humming a song on my way out of the theatre. Is that too much to ask?

So, back to cooking…..yesterday I made a batch of Amaretto Fudge….wow, pretty good!
Tastes just like Christmas is suppose to! It is fun to have flavors and aromas “take you back” to special times. That is what the aroma of Bourbon does for me….holiday time and Bourbon Balls! My Dad was a huge fan of those little spheres of Christmas Joy! You don’t see them very much anymore, but when I say “Bourbon Balls”, everyone over the age of 45 or 50, particularly men, smile wistfully, remembering when…..

Do you suppose A Kansan in the Kitchen can bring them back? Let’s give it a try!

This unbelievably easy recipe is a Southern favorite, made with bourbon, vanilla wafer crumbs, and cocoa, along with pecans and confectioners' sugar.
Ingredients:
BOURBON BALLS
5 c. crushed vanilla wafers
2 c. confectioners sugar
1/4 c. cocoa
2 c. chopped nuts
6 tbsp. light corn syrup (Karo)
1/2 c. bourbon, or you may substitute rum or brandy
Mix together and roll into balls and then in sifted powdered sugar.
Makes about 100.

After a holiday of Amaretto Fudge and Bourbon Balls, I might need a trip to the Betty Ford Clinic!

More Christmas Ideas!

Okay, you all know about my love affair with sea salt. You also should be aware of my addiction to sweet and salty together. When I was growing up, PayDay Candy Bars were my favorite. It just seems natural to me to combine salt with brown sugar and butter. Boy, I’m really thinking about a PayDay!

In the past, I’ve given you my recipe for Chocolate Shortbread Cookies with Sea Salt, so today I want to share a fairly new recipe. It may be a recent addition to my collection, but it has quickly become a favorite. I wish I knew where I got it, but all I know, it has been within the last year. Hope you enjoy them.

Salted Caramel Bars

10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg yolk
1 2/3 cups flour, all-purpose
caramel topping:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
6 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x9" pan with foil or parchment, allowing edges to hang over opposite sides.
In a bowl, stir together the butter, sugar and salt. Whisk in egg yolk, then stir in flour. Transfer dough to pan and press the mixture evenly into the bottom, building up edges slightly. Prick dough all over with a fork, then freeze 5 to 7 minutes until firm. Bake until light brown, 25 to 30 minutes.
Prepare topping and pour evenly over shortbread; cool in pan at least 2 hours. Carefully lift bars from pan using parchment and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into squares and top with sea salt.

Caramel topping directions: In a small heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, combine 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, 6 tablespoons light corn syrup, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons heavy cream; cook and stir until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil. Once the mixture bubbles, stir constantly until thickened, 5 minutes. Remove from heat and mix in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Pour on top of cooled shortbread.
Makes 36 1 1/2" squares.
I suppose you could sprinkle some toasted nuts over the top, maybe cashews? Me? I just want the sea salt.

My family has a long tradition of celebrating Christmas Eve at Tom and Vicki’s house. There are anywhere from 25 to 40 us, depending on which out-of-town relatives come for the holiday. My brother and sister-in-law took over the duties of hosts when our parents decided the whole thing was a bit too much for them. Tom and Vicki used to do Beef Stew and Biscuits, now we dine on Lasagna. They make our celebration such a grand event!
The highlight of the evening is always our Chinese gift exchange, which has absolutely nothing to do with China or the Chinese; our apologies! A better name would be "The Gift War" or maybe "Cut Throat Gift Exchange", because it normally turns cut throat over one or two of the gifts! You will find much plotting.... cousin against cousin, daughter against mother, brother against sister! We have a $25.00 limit on these gifts and you would be amazed at the originality. Everyone draws a number and then all hell breaks loose! It would be very boring if each of us chose a wrapped gift from the pile according to our number, and that was the end of it. What makes it fun is the taking of someone else’s gift! It is a wonderful evening and brings such laughter and joy! So far, after all these years, no name calling (well, maybe occasionally) but certainly no fist fights! There was a near war over adult sized slippers from the Disney Store that looked like the head of Goofy with big floppy black ears. They were a big hit!

If you have never participated in this type of gift exchange, I recommend it highly. It is definitely Christmas Eve for my family! We don't go home with "just what we've always wanted" gift wise, but we all, young and old, take away wonderful Christmas memories. Isn't that what it is all about?

To find out how to have your very own wild and crazy gift exchange, simply Google "Chinese Gift Exchange"....the rules are simple! Have fun!

My grandmother, Ann Baker Robnett Johnston, queen of her world renowned Beaten Biscuits with Boone County Country Ham, was also famous for her Christmas Divinity with Missouri Black Walnuts. This candy is not called Divinity by accident….no, it is indeed on purpose. Divinity is defined as “being of the quality associated with being a god or goddess”.
My grandmother’s divinity was indeed heavenly!

Photograph courtesy of whatscookingamerica.net

Divinity is an age-old candy our grandmothers made that is a light as a feather confection. It is a simple recipe, calling for readily available ingredients. Only two things are required for success: a dry day and a calibrated thermometer allowing you to cook the syrup to its proper temperature. Divinity, nougat and marshmallow are all from the same candy family. Divinity like candy is shaped into a roll, dipped into caramel, and then rolled into chopped Pecans for that famous Pecan Nut Roll you see advertised along the highways of America!
The following recipe is my Grandmother’s, but the directions have been altered many times. As mixers and equipment have improved over the last 50 years, I have changed procedures. Trust me, it is much easier now! Grandmother used to drop small amounts of the cooked mixture into a cup of ice cold water and test it with her fingers, knowing exactly when it had cooked to perfection. Today, I cook it to 250 degrees F on the candy thermometer. That particular temperature is a tricky one, you see, according to the following chart from http://www.homefamily.net , it is right on the edge of two stages.

244 to 248°F
Firm ball A ball that holds its shape and will not flatten when removed from water
250 to 266°F Hard ball A hard ball that holds its shape when removed from the water but is still pliable.
So, testing with the cold water method can be very tricky! Yet, Grandmother’s Divinity was always DEVINE!
Divinity
3 large egg whites (at room temperature)
1 cup light corn syrup
3/4 cup water
4 cups granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup chopped Black Walnuts
Line a 15×10-inch jellyroll pan with waxed paper, butter the waxed paper well, and set aside.
Place egg whites into the bowl of your stand mixture and set aside to wait for use.
In a heavy 4-quart saucepan, combine the corn syrup, water, sugar and salt. Place over low heat and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the sugar is completely dissolved. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, without stirring, until the mixture reaches a rolling boil.
Warm the candy thermometer before taking the syrup temperature. Cold metal can shock the syrup which may also cause crystallization. Clip on your calibrated candy thermometer. Reduce heat to medium to maintain a full (but not rolling) boil. Cook syrup, without stirring, to 252 degrees (F). Just before your syrup reaches this temperature (around 250 degrees), begin beating the egg whites with your whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Remove the whisk and replace with your paddle beater. Grandmother’s old MixMaster had two beaters, that was it….no whisk, no paddle.
Remove the completed syrup from heat and allow the boiling to completely subside (about 1 minute). Next step is a great tip I read somewhere, sorry , don’t remember where! Pour the syrup carefully into a heat-proof large Pyrex measuring cup to make pouring in the next step easier. Do not scrape the pan.
With your mixer on high speed, slowly begin to add the hot syrup to the egg whites. Once you begin to pour the syrup, do NOT stop and do not scrape the mixing bowl. When all the syrup has been combined, continue to beat the mixture until it begins to lose its gloss and holds its shape in stiff peaks. This takes about 10 minutes of continuous beating.) Note: all of the notations to not scrape the pan or the bowl should be taken seriously unless you want little hard crystals scattered throughout your candy! Trust me!
Next, add the vanilla and, if you choose to tint it for the holidays, the food coloring. Beat well. Remove the bowl from the mixer stand and fold in the nuts, if desired.
Using two large spoons, drop spoonfuls of the mixture into mounds onto the waxed paper. Allow to rest undisturbed for two hours, or until the mounds are at room temperature. Carefully peel from the waxed paper and store on layers of waxed paper in an airtight container for up to two weeks. Divinity also freezes exceptionally well for longer storage.
If you are really into candy making, a great webpage for understanding the chemistry of sugar, check out http://www.baking911.com/candy/101_intro.htm
Make some candy this Christmas! Your kids and grandkids will remember you fondly!