Tuesday at the Table

Slice-and-bake cookies are now my current favorite. After the success of the World Peace Cookie last week, I fully intended to make them again for Christmas. Hubby foiled my plan though, by setting out ingredients for Pepperminty Chocolate Sugar Cookies ala Savory Spice. We'd gotten some Black Onyx Chocolate Sugar as a gift, and I had to admit, the cookies sounded pretty good.

To pair with them, I tried another Dorie Greenspan recipe, her Vanilla Bean Sables, which I rolled in colored crystallized sugar. Both were delish, and so handy to prep ahead and then bake off Christmas Eve morning. It was a good thing.

Tuesday at the Table

This recipe came to me via Nancy Leson of Seattle's Food for Thought radio show. She got it from Dorie Greenspan, and she got it from the originator, Parisian pastry chef Pierre Hermé. It's one of those recipes that apparently has been around a while, but somehow I've missed it. And that's really too bad, as they are delish!!

Here's the recipe with Dorie's commentary, including why they've been dubbed World Peace Cookies. If you like a recipe with lots of photos, you might check out Food52. On this recipe alone, I'm really tempted to get Dorie's new book, Dorie's Cookies.

Even though it's the first new recipe I've tried this season, I have no doubt it'll end up being my favorite. I made them for the Seattle MQG party, and enjoyed them so much, I went home and made them again for a potluck the next day. They are easy and two-step (mix and shape one day/bake off later) which I kind of love. And mmmm are they SO good!

Tuesday at the Table

As busy as the season is, one of the times I enjoy cooking and sharing around the table the most is the Christmas season. For no good reason, entertaining isn't as prevalent as it once was, but this year we are at least gathering friends in one night, and family on Christmas Day. Knowing many of you are celebrating in one way or another over the next couple of weeks, I figured I'd share a few of the new recipes we're trying, and remind you of past ones that are worth bringing back.

First up was the company dinner last night. Isn't a nice cheese platter one of the easiest and most welcoming things? Quick to throw together when time is short.

We served ours with good crackers, special-occasion finocchiona, purchased quality fig jam, and pecans (recipe below). Let's just say it went over just fine.

Crunchy Glazed Pecans

from Simply Classic

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup light corn syrup

2 Tb. water

1 teaspoon salt

1 pound pecan halves

Preheat oven to 250-degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Combine butter, corn syrup, water, and salt in saucepan and bring to a boil. Add pecans and stir to completely coat nuts.Spread evenly on baking sheet and bake 1 hour, stirring every 10 minutes. Cool and serve.

Hubby's the in-house bar-tender and had several options for pre-dinner drinks, but everyone wanted the same thing: Apple Cranberry Moscow Mules. And until our supply ran out, they were served in the traditional copper mugs. Oh yeah.

I'd watched Alton Brown make Pork Wellington the other night on Food Network, and knew right off it was full of ingredients we know and love. And I can usually trust Alton, so took a risk, and even did all the prep the day before. It turned out deliciously and our guests raved. To serve alongside, I had also prepped ahead Baked Polenta with Fontina Cheese from epicurious. Also deemed delish, and we do love polenta with pork. Add to that a nice salad and artisan rolls, and a work-night supper was served.

So we have a bit of an entertaining breather until the family comes over on Christmas Day. We'll start things off with brunch, repeating the popular and yummy Cinnamon French Toast with Ricotta Filling, served up with Coffee Bacon. Though I hear son-in-law is curing and smoking his own bacon this year, so we'll see how it measures up with our traditional.

If you need a little treat for Boxing Day, consider Smitten Kitchen's gingerbread biscotti. Or for dessert after a large meal, Affogato is super easy but satisfying. In fact, you'll find a bunch of ideas listed under the Tuesday at the Table tab above. Whatever you make or serve, do savor your time around the table.

Tuesday at the Table

A borrowed photo and a couple of links are all I have for you today, but when a recipe is worth making twice in one week, I consider it worth sharing. So may I present Pesto Pasta Salad from Alice Currah and her book, Savory Sweet Life: 100 Simply Delicious Recipes for Every Family Occasion. Even though I've made pasta salads oodles of times, this one is so simple and so tasty, perfect to make ahead, tasting just as moist and good the next day. Alice includes a recipe for homemade pesto in the book and on her blog, though I went the convenience route and used good quality purchased.

I met Alice once, and she's as sweet as her book is beautiful. Take our advice and enjoy the savory sweet life.

photo credit: Alice Currah; used by permission

Tuesday at the Table

After sharing our dinner theatre menu a couple of weeks ago, I was asked for my recipe for Red Velvet Cake. Well, wouldn't you know, we went the quick and easy route for the theatre meal, and relied on a good ole Betty Crocker mix. But I do have a family recipe for this historic cake, and I'm happy to share that today.

Red Velvet Cake

Cake ingredients:
1/2 c. shortening
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 Tb. cocoa
2 oz. red food coloring
1 t. salt
1 t. vanilla
1 c. buttermilk
2 1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 t. soda
1 Tb. vinegar

Frosting ingredients:
5 Tb. sifted cake flour
1 c. whole milk
1 c. butter
1 c. sugar
1 t. vanilla
This frosting is a traditional roux frosting, which is what my mom used on Red Velvet when I was growing up. These days, Red Velvet is most often served with a cream cheese frosting. Take your pick!
 
Directions:
Cream shortening & sugar. Add eggs; beat well. Make paste of cocoa & food coloring. Add to mix. Combine salt, vanilla, & buttermilk together – add alternately with flour to mixture. Combine soda & vinegar. Fold into mixture without beating. Fill two greased & floured 9” layer cake pans. Bake 30 minutes at 350-degrees.

For frosting, cook flour & milk; stir constantly till thick; cool slightly till warm, stirring occasionally. Cream sugar & butter; add vanilla. Add small amount of creamed mixture to flour/milk paste which assures a smooth icing. With mixer, add small amounts of paste to creamed mixture till it has appearance of whipped cream. Frost cooled cake layers.

The last time I made this cake, it was for Christmas, thus the holly in the photo. If perchance you love red velvet but want something a little different, be sure and try the Red Velvet Cake Balls I've shared in a previous post. Either way, there's some good eats!

Tuesday at the Table

After several days dealing with a nasty cold, I finally did what I probably should have done in the first place. I made chicken soup. Inspired by Bell Bliss' Lemon Orzo Chicken Soup recipe, I adapted it by using what I had on hand, while still keeping true to the original.

Lemon Chicken Noodle Soup

2 Tb. olive oil

1/2 large onion, diced

1 zucchini, ends removed, then cut into small cubes

2 large cooked chicken breasts, shredded

1 cup small pasta (I used linguine, broken into 1" pieces)

60 ounces canned chicken broth

1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

salt and pepper to taste

feta cheese, crumbled

1. Heat olive oil in large stock pot on medium-high heat. Add onion and saute until translucent.

2. Add zucchini, chicken, pasta, and chicken broth, and bring to a boil.

3. Boil 10-15 minutes partially covered, or until zucchini and pasta are done.

4. Add lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, and pepper

5. Serve with a sprinkle of feta cheese

Makes 6 generous, healing servings.

Tuesday at the Table

It wasn't lost on me that on my mom's 80th birthday last week when visiting family were here to join us in the celebration, where did we choose to spend our morning? Why the best grocery store in our area, of course. We went just to see what we could see, and pick up a few special items for our meals together. I guess you can see where I get my foodie sensibilities.

That night, however, we celebrated big time by taking mom to the classiest restaurant we could think of. Canlis, with a rich history, and a reputation to match, did not disappoint.

Quoted from seattle.eater.com, "the food and service has no peers in Seattle." We'd be inclined to agree. The epitome of a special-occasion restaurant, it was a perfect setting for our celebration, and was an experience none of us will soon forget. From the unexpected and delicious amuse-bouche, the classic salad tossed tableside, the exquisite desserts {in triplicate!}, the impressive synchronized service, and the unrivaled view, it was, in a word, perfect.

The mood lighting didn't lend itself to the best food photography, but hopefully you'll get an idea of the delights set before us.

Our evening at Canlis was a singular experience, ending with a Canlis-embossed chocolate bar as our parting gift. And another little souvenir of sorts, a recipe for one of our now-favorite dishes ~ The Canlis Salad. Enjoy!

Tuesday at the Table

It'll be 80 some days before I report back on this post. Because hubby just started a fresh batch of limoncello, and that's how long it takes to 'brew'.

Though hubby and I definitely enjoyed limoncello when we were in Italy a few years ago, we actually first had it a few year's earlier at Ristorante Limoncello in Boston's Little Italy. We had never heard of it back then, but considering it was the restaurant's specialty and namesake, we gave it a try. And we were hooked.

We came home, searched the web, and the recipe I'm sharing today is our one and only and very similar to what our waiter told us.

LIMONCELLO
  15 thick-skinned lemons
  2 bottles 100-proof vodka -- 750 ml each 
       (The higher alcohol level will ensure that the limoncello won't turn to ice in the freezer.) 
  4 cups sugar
  5 cups water

To begin, you'll need a one gallon glass jar with a lid. Choose thick skinned lemons because they're easier to zest. Wash the lemons with a vegetable brush and hot water. Pat the lemons dry and remove the zest. Fill the jar with one bottle of the vodka and, as you remove the zest, add it to the jar. 

After combining the vodka and lemon zest, cover the jar and store it at room temperature in a dark cabinet or cupboard. There's no need to stir: all you have to do is wait. As the limoncello sits, the vodka slowly takes on the flavor and rich yellow hue of the lemon zest. 

After about 40 days, combine the sugar and water in a saucepan, bring it to a boil, and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Let the syrup cool before adding it to the limoncello mixture, along with the other bottle of vodka. Cover and return to the cupboard for another 40 days. 

Then simply strain the limoncello into bottles and discard the lemon zest. You can store the bottles in a cupboard, but always keep one in the freezer so it's icy cold when you're ready to drink it. Serve in chilled liqueur glasses.

Feel like joining us in making a batch? Then we'll all have something to celebrate when the time is right!

Tuesday at the Table

Last week I was asked to donate a dessert for a local fundraiser, so I dug into the past for a recipe I made almost daily when I worked as a baker. It wasn't uncommon back then to prep up 6 of these at once. Back in the day, I made the fillings from scratch, but this time I took the quicker, easier route and used purchased fillings.

Raspberry Almond Tart
Tart dough:
3 cups flour
8 oz. butter
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
Process in food processor until crumbly.

Add while machine is running:
2 egg yolks
2 Tb. water
2 tsp. vanilla

Mix until mixture comes together. Roll dough out between 2 pieces of parchment. Fit into greased tart pan with removable bottom. Press fingers along side edge to 'cut' off excess dough. Prebake tart shell at 375-degrees until golden. Cool briefly.

Spread with 1 can almond filling (12 1/2oz.).

Fill with 1 can raspberry pie filling (20 oz.).

Topping:
1 c. flour
4 oz. unsalted butter
1/4 c. sugar

Process with food processor. Add 1 Tb. vanilla, processing slightly. Turn mixture into a bowl and add 1/2 c. sliced almonds. Pile onto tart and smooth out to the edges.

Now it's ready to bake at 375-degrees for 40 minutes, until golden brown and bubbling slightly in a few spots.

Let cool to room temperature and remove from pan.

This tart may look unassuming, but in reality it's something pretty special, which is why it still makes an appearance now and then after all these years. Enjoy!

Tuesday at the Table

With a "random" table post on my mind for today, yesterday I reached out to other foodies, and at the end of the day had oodles of table tidbits to share!

To start, a few days ago Diane/Random Thoughts...do or "di" posted some figs on Instagram. Then more figs, and before we knew it, she had made a kitchen full of fig jam! Check out her I Be Jammin post for the fig fun and that jam recipe!

photos courtesy of Random Thoughts...do or "di"

Intrigued, Krista/poppyprint succumbed and purchased her first basket of fresh figs.

photo courtesy of poppyprint

Not quite sure what to do with them, she got plenty of tasty suggestions . . .

• Salad with goat cheese and figs. (Pinterest is full of recipes!)
• Serve with goat cheese and honey.
• Cut in half, dip the cut half in sugar, then put on a baking pan cut side up. Put under the broiler until the sugar melts and the figs are all gooey. Serve with goat cheese (of course).
• Cut a cross in the top and heat in oven till warm. Drizzle with honey and serve over ice cream.
• And one I found in my bloglovin' feed, Prosciutto & Fig Panini. yum.

Another foodie I've been following is Patrick/House of Carbs (also on facebook). He makes the most delicious sounding donuts and alot of them! It's been fun reading about his current NYC donut tour. 

The Chocolate Orange Donut, photo courtesy of House of Carbs

Nothing like passing on a recipe third hand, but that's basically what I'm doing by sharing Jacey/Jaceycraft's granola recipe that she adapted from Ara Jane/you know what I love? Doesn't it look delish? I plan to try it real soon.

"Growing up, a meal wasn't a meal unless you had bread. My mother frequently made Butter Dips. I made a batch when our youngest daughter came home from Chicago over Labor Day Weekend. With every bite, I was reminded of the days when my mother would make them for us." So wrote Gina, who obviously connects this recipe with special family times and kindly shared it with us too.

Butter Dips
1/3 c. butter
2 1/4 c. flour
1 T sugar
3 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. milk

Melt butter in oblong pan. Combine ingredients in mixing bowl. Roll out to approximately 1 inch thickness. Cut into strips. Coat in butter in pan. Bake at 450 degrees for 20 minutes.

photo courtesy of Gina

And lastly, I thought you might enjoy seeing the wedding cake from our friends' wedding last weekend . . . just for fun.

Photo is mine; the cake came from The Cakewalk Shop.

Tuesday at the Table

You know that t-shirt, "My parents went to Hawaii and all I got was this t-shirt?" Well I went to my kitchen and all I made were blueberry muffins. But in this case, they were even-better-than-usual and they were made with blueberries from our own bushes. I have made numerous blueberry muffin recipes over the years, but always seem to try a new one. This time it came from Ina Garten. I for one absolutely adore streusel on just about anything, and it was a very welcome addition to an otherwise pretty basic muffin.

Blueberry Streusel Muffins
from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics: Fabulous Flavor from Simple Ingredients

For the muffins:
3 1/2 cups all- purpose flour
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups buttermilk, shaken
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
2 extra-large eggs

2 cups fresh blueberries (2 half-pints)

For the streusel topping:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper liners.

Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl and blend with your hands. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, butter, lemon zest, and eggs. Stir the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture with a fork, mixing just until blended. Fold the blueberries into the batter. Don’t overmix. With a standard ice-cream scoop or large spoon, scoop the batter into the prepared cups, filling them almost full.

For the topping, place all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and pulse until the butter is in very small pieces. Pour into a bowl and rub with your fingers until crumbly. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the streusel on top of each muffin. Bake the muffins for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown. Makes 20 large muffins.

Just so you know, it's not just me. Mom deemed them "delicious", and when grandgirl saw them, she exclaimed, "I love those. I need them!" I think you do too.

Tuesday at the Table . . . and Then Some

Last week I shared a bit about my stint as a pastry chef, and it reminded me that this week was an anniversary of sorts. On July 4, 1993, this article was published, and it was definitely a proud moment in my brief baking career. John Hinterberger, at the time, was the restaurant reviewer and food columnist for The Seattle Times. To me, he was the Seattle food expert, and I really enjoyed reading his column and following his foodie adventures. So to have him come to 'my' bakery and eat 'my' pies was truly an honor.

I occasionally think about his comment, that "If the fourth of July could request a birthday cake, it would be pie." As I've said before, I'm not really a pie-person given other options. But still, there is something special about pie, and I've waxed poetic about it a few times here on the blog.

At the bakery, marionberry pie was our top seller hands-down. And though Thanksgiving was the top pie holiday, July 4 was pretty close behind. We must have been open half-days on that holiday, because I clearly remember standing at my work bench, the Fourth of July parade marching past my window. And there I was, still baking pies for all the parade goer's special orders.

This Fourth, I think I'll be taking the Snickerdoodle Bars I've been hearing so much about to our holiday function. But just in case you're pie-inclined, here's the recipe for that "northwest favorite", just like I used to bake it.

photo courtesy of epicurious.com - not my pie but looks alot like it with a lattice crust. Always.

Brusseau's Marionberry Pie
Pastry:
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt. 1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 cubes (6 ounces) cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice.

Filling: 

2 pounds fresh or frozen marionberries or blackberries

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

3 1/2 tablespoons flour

1 tablespoon butter

1 teaspoon sugar

1. To prepare the pastry: In a food processor combine the flour, salt, sugar and butter, processing until butter is blended but the mix is still granular. Add the egg mixture and process just until the dough forms a ball. Form into two balls and set aside while preparing the filling. 

2. To prepare the filling: Combine the berries, 1 cup sugar, lemon juice and flour. Set aside. 

3. Roll out half of the pastry in a circle to fit a 9-inch pie pan; trim excess dough. Pile the filling in the shell and dot with butter. Roll out the remaining dough and fit over the top. *Or cut into strips and form a lattice top.* Tuck in the excess dough and crimp the edge. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar.

4. Place the pie on a baking sheet and bake on the bottom rack of a preheated 375-degree oven 1 hour for fresh berries, 1 1/2 hours if berries are still frozen. Let set before cutting.

Now before you leave . . . How about a little link-up and giveaway this week, just cuz it's been a while? Link up some new recipe you've tried lately, the thing you just can't stop making, a table post of your own in any way, shape, or form. *Edited to add: or yes, even a sewing project destined for your kitchen or table!* And then since I have a stash that needs straightening, and a scrap basket that is still overflowing, I'll fill a flat rate envelope for one lucky winner. So link up and then comment with your preference of 'stash' or 'scrap' - sometime by Monday, July 8. Next Tuesday I'll announce a winner. And hey. Thanks for joining me at The Table. This giveaway has ended - thank you!

A Table Tidbit

Yeah, yeah, I already posted from the table today. But I'm getting some requests for a recipe I just tried, and this is an obvious place to post it!

It was my coworker's birthday celebration today. Most of you probably know that I worked in a bakery in my previous career, and somehow because of that, over the years I've become the designated treat-baker when staff birthdays roll around. And for hers, Colleen asked for Raspberry Oatmeal Bars, surprisingly something I'd never made before! After looking at several recipes, I settled on the one below.

Raspberry Oatmeal Bars
from allrecipes.com via doughseedough.net

1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup instant oatmeal
1/2 cup butter, softened3/4 cup raspberry jam
***1 cup fresh raspberries (my addition)*** 

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 8 inch square pan with foil and spray with cooking spray. 
2. Combine brown sugar, flour, baking soda, and oatmeal. Rub in butter with your fingers until crumbly. Press 3/4 of mixture into bottom of pan. 
3. Warm jam up slightly in microwave. ***Add fresh raspberries and mash them lightly.*** Spread over crumb layer in pan. Sprinkle remaining crumb mixture on top, gently pressing into the jam. 
4. Bake for 35 minutes in oven, or until lightly browned. Let cool before cutting into squares. (Recipe can easily be doubled to fit a 9x13" pan.)

Kind of humble looking, but super easy to put together, and they got rave reviews at work today. And that Colleen? Well she happily took the rest of the pan home.

Tuesday at the Table

With the weather starting to slowly improve around here, I've been more in the mood for some good salads. So I've been purchasing a variety of greens - lettuces, spinach, kale, arugula - and making salads alot more regularly than usual. Well I had one the other night when we visited friends, and it rocked my salad world. I mean it was reallllly tasty, and I want to try making it myself.

Adapted from the "Spring Mâche Salad" in Food to Live By, I'm sharing the version I so enjoyed last weekend.

          Ingredients
          1/2 cup fresh shelled English peas (from 1/2# unshelled peas)
          4 oz. (1 cup) fresh sugar snap peas, stems and strings removed
          3 1/2 oz. (about 5 cups) mâche, carefully rinsed and dried, if needed
          1 small jicama, peeled and cut into matchstick-size pieces
          About 1/4 cup Lemon Vinaigrette (below)

1. Just before serving, place the mâche in a large salad bowl. Add 2 Tb. vinaigrette and toss lightly to coat leaves, then taste, adding up to 1 Tb. more of vinaigrette if needed. 
2. Place the English peas, sugar snap peas, and jicama in a separate bowl and toss with 1 Tb. vinaigrette  Arrange vegetables on the greens and serve immediately.

Lemon Vinaigrette
1/3 cup plus 2 Tb. fresh lemon juice, preferable Meyer
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tb. Dijon mustard
3 large cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
3/4 tsp. kosher salt


Place all ingredients in a glass jar and seal tightly. Shake jar vigorously to combine ingredients. Vinaigrette can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 1 week. Let it return to room temperature and remove the garlic cloves before using.


Note
The original recipe included kohlrabi instead of the jicama, and also had radishes, as well as 1 Tb. each fresh tarragon and chervil. I liked my friend's combo of veg, but I'd like to try it with the added herbs. Also, if your peas are young and tender, great. If not, cook until crisp-tender in boiling water for 1 minute, then plunge into ice-water, draining before adding them to your salad.


Mâche is a new ingredient to me, though I had heard of it and also by its other name, "lamb's lettuce". I found a list of recipes using it here, so I'll be checking that out, but I'm curious if you've used mâche in your salads or whatever. OR what's your favorite salad green. Please do tell. 

Tuesday at the Table

At the quilting retreat last weekend, we all took turns making meals. And what looks above like a humble bowl of soup is actually the best thing I cooked all weekend. It's Giada's Creamy Sweet Potato and Rosemary Soup and it is truly delish. Yeah, I could have garnished it up a bit, and agreed, we probably shouldn't have been serving on our cutting mat, but oh well. We all really enjoyed it, and I think what makes it special is the mascarpone cheese. Not cream to make it creamy, but good Italian mascarpone. That and the maple syrup. Whatever - the combo is a winner.

Besides soup, I have Valentine's Day on my mind. And I thought I'd share some appropriate randomness.  For one - here's a link back to my old favorite Valentine cookie recipes here on the blog - Linzer Hearts and Shortbread Hearts.

I came across these darlings on Pinterest - don't they look tasty?

Source: shutterbean.com via Debbie on Pinterest

And what I wouldn't do for one of these Red Velvet Brownies right now. oh my.

Source: howsweeteats.com via Debbie on Pinterest

Unrelated to the table, here's a little sewing project {or two} from last weekend that fits the theme.

I used this tutorial by Simple Things as seen on Sew, Mama, Sew last week, tweaking it just a bit to suit my use of charm squares, and {I might as well just come out and say it...} to make it a "shoulder bag" for grandgirl, rather than a wristlet. My friend at the retreat was so tickled with it, I made one for her little granddaughter too. Very fun.

So anything Valentine-y going on at your house, or general goodness from your kitchen? Feel free to share here!

Tuesday at the Table

I love hummus, I really do. I have a favorite recipe I make often. And I have a favorite purchased variety I also enjoy often. But when I read the recent post by Smitten Kitchen about her "Ethereally Smooth Hummus," I have no doubt my jaw {literally} dropped.

Source: smittenkitchen.com via Debbie on Pinterest

Friends, she suggests, somewhat hesitantly, to peel the chickpeas!

In all my years of foodie-ness, I have never ever heard of doing such a thing. But you probably aren't surprised that I just had to try it! And you know, it took just a few minutes - 10 maybe. And it wasn't hard. Maybe it could even be considered relaxing.

And before I knew it, I had peeled, blended till powdery, added to, and drizzled in to create a mighty fine tasting hummus. Though Deb calls her hummus dollop-able, her pics make it look very creamy. Mine was more the dollop-able variety. Ethereally smooth on the tongue? Definitely. Delicious enough to make again? For sure. Better than my own scoop-able recipe? Well, not necessarily.

But you can bet I'll be trying this again - maybe next time soaking dried beans first. At any rate, it was a fun and tasty experiment.

My friend Pam deserves full credit for 'my' hummus recipe. I didn't really care for hummus until I tasted hers years ago. And what made me a convert, I think, was the garlic. Do try Deb's recipe. It's good. But if you're not into peeling, try Pam's and mine. It's a keeper.

Hummus
1 can garbanzo beans (15 oz.) -- drained, but save liquid
1/4 cup tahini
1 Tb. olive oil
2 tsp. lemon juice
6 cloves garlic -- crushed (6 to 8)
1 t. sea salt
pepper to taste
paprika to garnish

Chop garbanzos in food processor; add rest of ingredients, including 1/2 of reserved liquid. Blend until smooth. Pour into serving bowl & sprinkle with paprika. Serve with triangles of soft pita bread OR crisp pita chips.

So do you have something from your table to share? I hope so. Link up here.

Tuesday at the Table

My coworker, Colleen, brought me a baggie of cookies a few days ago. I ooh-d and aah-d appropriately, and enjoyed the back-story she told me: 

"This is an old German Recipe from Ron's {her hubby} mom, Caroline. 

In our family, we make the dough on Thanksgiving night which has become a tradition.  We have a special wooden spoon and pot that we have used for as many years as I can remember to mix the dough.  It takes a lot of manpower to make the dough, as the recipe is large, so everyone takes a turn mixing at some point.

Ron usually cuts out and bakes the cookies on the day that we put up our tree.  He then sends some to his dad, sister, and brother.

The recipe makes so many that we enjoy them well into the new year.  They say they are better the longer they are allowed to 'age'."

Personally, I love stories like that - ones full of good food, family, and tradition. Colleen generously shared her family's treasured recipe . . .

Peppernut Cookies
3/4# butter
1 1/2 pints dark Karo syrup
1/2 cup dark molasses
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 Tb. salt
2 eggs
1 1/2 Tb each: allspice, ground anise seed, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, & mace
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
4 to 5 Tb. flour

Heat and dissolve butter, syrup, molasses, sugars, and salt. When cooled somewhat (so that eggs will not cook when added), add eggs and spices, then set aside.

Add soda to buttermilk (it will get foamy) and set aside. Add baking powder to first batch (a sifter full) of flour.

Add flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the original mixture starting with flour. When the buttermilk mixture runs out, keep adding flour, even using hands at the end when it gets too stiff for a spoon.

Let the cookie dough rest overnight in a cool area. Next day, roll dough out to about 1/8" thickness. Cut and bake 10-12 minutes in a moderate oven (about 350-375 degrees F). Store in non-airtight containers.

So what about you - any heirloom recipes to share about? Or other meaningful traditions? Holiday projects you are working on? We'd love to hear. Link up through December 28 for a chance to win a $40 gift certificate to Pink Chalk Fabrics. Cheers!

Tuesday at the Table

Last week at The Table, I showed off my Weck jars, so I figured I better report back that I have used several of them. I've since shared how fun it was to meet Alice Currah at the Tom Douglas Cookbook Social we went to last week. I want to tell you more about that too . . .

So about the salty caramel sauce . . . batch #1 turned out just a little toasty. Ie. Not quite burned, but it just had an edge to it that didn't make it giftable. And I needed a gift that night. So I tried another recipe that had the descriptors, 'easy' and '30 minutes.' It was The Pioneer Woman's Easy Caramel Sauce.

And it was good. But still, I wanted to give Jen's salty sauce another try. And good thing I did. On my stove, with my candy thermometer, I took it just to 325-degrees, and it was perfect. And delish. I sprinkled the finished sauce with some Maldon flaked salt just for fun. mmmmm

And for those of you more fabric-inclined, I did make another set of Brrr! potholders to go with that caramel sauce. 

And the Cookbook Social . . . It took a trip downtown, and en route, I was able to catch a decent photo of our city's landmark. 

An annual event, this year 20 local chefs were represented, signing their cookbooks and sharing tastes.

There was bacon spread from Skillet Street Food. I mean seriously, for a bacon lover, what choice did I have but to buy some to take home? What began as a food truck enterprise now includes  a catering business, several food products, and two restaurants. When I shared this pic on Instagram, it was deemed 'best condiment ever,' so I'm anxious to try it - oodles of recipes on their website. (At the social, they served some mighty fine duck tacos - a first for me!)

Hubby really enjoyed the Carrot and Rosemary Soup from Kathleen Flinn, who wrote The Sharper Your Knife,The Less You Cry about her experience at Le Cordon Bleu. And I really liked the Cream of Porcini Mushroom Soup from John Howie.

But best bite had to be the Nutella Brioche from Macrina Bakery. Oh my, they were good! Just had to buy the cookbook. I've visited the bakery a few times - always delicious - and these brioche would sure be fun to try.

Source: Uploaded by user via Elaine on Pinterest

So there's my food adventures for the past week. How about you - anything to share? I see lots of table runners, potholders, Christmas goodies, etc. all over blog-land. For a fun little end to the year, I'm offering a $40 gift certificate to Pink Chalk Fabrics to a winner chosen randomly from this month's link-ups. Just link up here through December 28 for a chance to win!

Tuesday at the Table

Having baked the pecan pie and the cornbread for the dressing the night before, I got to the kitchen Thanksgiving morning thinking I had a good start on the day. Till I reread the dressing recipe which said to cut the cornbread and French bread into cubes and let it dry on trays for 24 hours. Oops. So I got on the web to double-check what I thought would be a good substitute for air-drying ... pop in a 250-degree oven for 20 minutes or so. But what I found really entertaining was the discussion on the topic I found at Serious Eats. After a dozen or more comments, the person who started the conversation said, "I just realized how nutty it seems to have started a post, semi-freaked out, over the best way to get bread stale." Uh, righto.

So the point is, yes it's great to make things from scratch when you can and if you enjoy it. You know I often do. But what's really important is sharing good food around the table. Yeah my family is inclined to try a new recipe, make the pie from the vegetable up, and stand at Grandma's elbow as she makes her awesome gravy again. But it's that gathering, that sharing conversation and a meal that really sticks with you, binds you together, and sends you out truly nourished and ready to face another day. Do it. It's worth it.

Meanwhile, a quick report back from a recent post - The Pioneer Woman's Thanksgiving Stuffing recipe that I tried is definitely a keeper, and will be my 'go-to' dressing recipe from now on! Mom got the idea from food TV to bake the dressing in muffin tins, and that went over really well with our crowd, so I'll be doing that again too. Love when something new is a success.

Source: thepioneerwoman.com via Tracy on Pinterest

As for the monthly linky, it ends Friday night. Remember that Jennifer of knotted thread has generously offered a bundle of fat-quarters from Joel Dewberry's Notting Hill collection. That's 12 FQ's in the colorway of your choice! So join in and link up here by midnight PST on November 30 - a recipe, an experience in the kitchen, a project for your table or kitchen, a recap of your Thanksgiving meal . . . and I'll choose a random winner from the link-ups this weekend.

Tuesday at the Table

I promise I won't post donuts every week this month. But the fact is, I did make them twice more in the last week, one so my son home for the weekend could try my new obsession, and two, because I was just so curious about the different flavors.

First up were Maple Cinnamon Donuts, which were mighty fine, but didn't really taste much of maple. Considering that's a favorite flavor in our family, I really wanted them to. It helped to dip them in maple syrup rather than butter before also dipping in cinnamon-sugar.

Second were Pumpkin Donuts with Maple Syrup Frosting. The donuts were just the right mix of pumpkin and spice! Again, the maple flavor was understated, and the frosting way too runny. But definitely worth tinkering with another time.

For those of you who've had enough of my donut baking, feel free to flash back to last year when I shared my recipe for Italian Tomato and Sausage Soup, which also was enjoyed this weekend due to mom's special request. Love those recipes that have become family favorites over the years.

What do you have to share from your table this week?  I'm sure you'll want a chance at winning the stack of Notting Hill fat-quarters that Jennifer of Knotted Thread has generously donated for one randomly-chosen linker. Check out the giveaway details here, and link up here any day this month! Early in December, I'll choose that lucky winner!