Happy New Year !!!!

After a tiny hiatus, I am back and beyond excited for 2012. I decided for this post I should share with you all my food resolutions for this year. Here they are...

1) Eat mostly foods with just a few ingredients - all natural, not processed, good ol' real food
2) Jar, can and preserve seasonally
3) Tend to my herb garden
4) Make homemade cheese
5) Make homemade wine
6) Try Jonathan Gold's weekly Los Angeles restaurant suggestions more frequently

...I'm sure this will be an ever growing list. 

On to the good stuff, Cocktails! For New Years I celebrated in low key fashion with my love. Todd and I made some pretty fabulous cocktails and hunkered down for the evening with homemade spaghetti bolognese AND meatballs, movies, a fabulous midnight kiss along with some old fashioned ruckus by banging pots with wooden spoons (oh yes we did, and I think it was mostly a result of our amazing cocktails). These cocktails came about due to a 5 pound bag of neglected grapefruits but wow, they turned out to be something quite special. I for some reason feel that they have a somewhat timeless pizazz to them but who knows, that could just be my spectacular champagne coupes (thanks mom!)...

Tuxedo Greyhound
3 Large grapefruits
1 Grapefruit rind
Simple syrup - granulated sugar and water
Vodka
Champagne

In a saucepan, on low heat add equal parts water and granulated sugar (I did 2/3 cups) add grapefruit peel. (Note: my amazing friend Wendy made the suggestion of adding the peel into the simple syrup and what a life changing, genius suggestion it has been!) Heat while stirring on low until sugar dissolves, remove from heat. While the simple syrup cools, juice the grapefruits. Transfer syrup to the refrigerator when it has come to room temperature. Chill the fresh squeezed grapefruit juice and simple syrup about 30 minutes. Add 1/2 ounce of vodka, 1 ounce of grapefruit juice, simple syrup (1/2 to a 1/4 of an ounce to taste) to a shaker and give it a good shake, mixing thoroughly. Pour into champagne coupes and top with a champagne floater. Garnish with a grapefruit wedge and one afterthought on my part, it would have been great with a sugar, grapefruit rim. Cin! Cin!
I wish everyone a fabulous 2012!!!

12 Days of Christmas Confections - Day 12 Merry Christmas!

Day 12 - Merry Christmas!

I hope everyone had a very special holiday. For my last Christmas confection I asked my mom for a very special family recipe. She began to tell me about my grandma Maxwell's Date Swirls. My mother said for as long as she can remember, my grandma Maxwell would prepare these treats on Christmas Eve. She would wait until everyone went to bed, then sequester herself in the kitchen, rolling the dough, making the sweet date filling, chilling these cookies overnight to be baked on Christmas day. The best thing about this recipe, is honestly the way my mother reminisced about these cookies, and my grandmother's somewhat mysterious ritual with them. The look in my mom's eyes had a glimmer of Christmas magic, while she sweetly smiled thinking of my grandmother. My mom told me that she never knew why my grandmother would make these all alone, in the wee hours of Christmas eve every year, but I'm guessing she probably loved the spirit of Christmas and it was her special way of savoring the holiday.

Date Swirls

Dough
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup of granulated sugar
1 egg
2 cups of flour, sifted before measuring
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cream butter with the sugars. Beat until light and fluffy, add the egg, beat well. Sift flour with salt and baking soda, add to creamed mixture, beat until all ingredients are well incorporated. Toss on to a lightly floured board. Knead until smooth. Roll out until it is 1/4 inch thick. Spread with date filling and roll like a jelly roll. Wrap in waxed paper, chill overnight. Slice in to 1/4 inch slices. Bake on a well greased cookie sheet. Remove from pan to cake cooler immediately after baking. Makes about 3 dozen.

Filling
1/2 pound of pitted dates, finely chopped
1/3 cup of water
1/4 cup of sugar
1/4 cup but meats, chopped

Cook dates, water and sugar together until thick. Stir constantly. Remove from heat, add the nuts. Cool before spreading on the dough.

12 Days of Christmas Confections - Day 11 - A Plate for Santa

Merry Christmas Eve! I had a date early this morning to bake sugar cookies with Korbin, my adorable 3 year nephew. The plan: concocting an excellent plate for Santa. I have recently started asking people their personal traditions of Christmas Eve and what is left for Santa and I must say, it is fascinating.  It seems that there are countless renditions out there. In our family, we would leave some sort of treat from our Christmas Eve celebration and little glass brandy, that is what Santa likes to drink most, we were told. I love the idea that my tradition is definitely unique, but the more I ask around, the more I realize, there are some great twists on this time honored practice. Today with Korbin, we made Amish Sugar Cookies, recipe compliments of my mom. I love this recipe because the cookies are not too dry, sweet and have a strong vanilla flavor. We had quite a blast decorating them ever so carefully, for they are going to a very special jolly man! 

Not the best picture, but Korbin is just too cute! 

Amish Sugar Cookies


1 cup of sugar
1 cup powdered sugar 
1 cup of butter 
1 cup of oil 
2 eggs 
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cream of tartar 
1/2 tsp. salt 
1 tsp. vanilla 
4 1/2 cups of flour 


Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine first five ingredients. Add the rest of the dry ingredients. Chill for at least 30 minutes. The original recipe is to roll into balls and dip them in granulated sugar, then flatten with the bottom of a glass. Korbin and I, rolled ours out and used cookie cutters in various Christmas shapes. Either way, bake on a cookie sheet for 12 minutes. 

12 Days of Christmas Confections - Day 10 - Mom's Fudge

Day 10 - Mom's Fudge 

This fudge is called Mom's fudge, but it is not referring to my mom but it is my mother's recipe from my grandmother Maxwell. This recipe has been used my entire life, lovingly made by my mother for Christmas parties, a tradition passed from generations. It has always been my favorite of the holiday treats that my mom makes year to year. I remember as the little chubby girl I was, sneaking off during holiday parties and taking a square of fudge here, and one there and another and another. Usually by the time all of the guests had departed, the candy dish was empty and 10 year old me was suffering from quite the tummy ache. This fudge is irresistible and due to it's extensive history with the Maxwell/Kelley family, I can not imagine Christmas with out it. 


Mom's Fudge
By grandma Maxwell and Mama Kelley 
3  6 ounce package of chocolate chips
1  8 ounce jar of marshmallow cream 
1/2  lb. of butter 
1/2  cup of sugar
1 large can of evaporate milk
2 cups of chopped nuts


Mix the chocolate chips, marshmallow cream, and butter in a large bowl. Mix sugar and milk in a large pan and bring to a boil. Stir constantly and never scrape the sides of the pan, as this will crystalize the sugar faster. Boil, while stirring for 10 minutes and not a minute a minute less. Pour milk mixture over chocolate chips and mix well, add 2 cups of nuts. Put on to wax paper lined pan or cookie sheet. Cool and slice into serving sized cubes. 

12 Days of Christmas Confections -Day 9 - Decadent Flourless Chocolate Cake with Espresso

Day 9 - Flourless Chocolate Cake with Espresso

This particular confection is one that I have made for years. It's my go to for any semi-snazzy and beyond event. Flourless Chocolate cake with espresso, this recipe is deceptively easy, with a gourmet like result. The sophistication of a flourless cake paired with rich espresso makes this cake the perfect ending to any night, paired with a nice scotch and you have got the treat of the year! The cake takes mere minutes to prepare and chills over night, making it a hostess' dream as the perfect make in advance recipe. A forkful of elegance, this decadence is a holiday cocktail party must.


To really dress this up, garnish with fresh raspberries.

Flourless Chocolate Cake with Espresso 

Bon Appetit September 1995 by Marlin Kaplan

12 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, diced

1 cup freshly brewed espresso or 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder dissolved in 1 cup water

1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar

8 large eggs, beaten to blend

Preheat oven to 350 °F. Line bottom of 9-inch-diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides with parchment. Place all chocolate in large bowl. Bring butter, espresso and sugar to boil in medium saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add to chocolate; whisk until smooth. Cool slightly. Whisk in eggs.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Place cake pan in roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of cake pan. Bake until center of cake is set and tester inserted into center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 1 hour. Remove pan from water. Chill cake overnight.

Cut around pan sides to loosen cake. Using oven mitts as aid, hold pan bottom over low heat for 15 seconds, warming slightly to release cake. Place platter over pan. Hold pan and platter together tightly and invert. Lift off cake pan; peel off parchment.

12 Days of Christmas Confections - Day 8 - Nancy's Magic Cookie Squares

Day 8 - Nancy's Magic Cookie Squares

Wow! This holiday season has sure got the best of me. I have been beyond busy (like us all at this time of year) and have sadly been unable to post. I worried about missing my days of Christmas confections so much, but it was literally, humanly impossible for me to find time to post. So, I decided, that this might be a good thing in disguise. I'm keeping it real, and in reality, the holidays are truly that jam packed for us all. So tonight, with the Christmas tree lit, and the three year old nephew sent home off to his bed, I have decided to have a serious date with my blog, and you; to catch up on some wonderful holiday sweets!

On to the important topic: Nancy's Magic Cookie Squares. This recipe was introduced to me during Christmas of 1995. That year, one of my sister's high school friends became inseparable with our family. I remember her watching me (a younin' grade schooler) while my family was out, spending dinners, nights and quality time with all of the Kelley's. A blessing for us all, Nancy, over time became a sister to me, and an everlasting addition to our family.  Now, 17 years later, we have not had a Christmas without Nancy's Magic Cookie Squares, but most importantly, without Nancy, an integral member of the Kelley clan. Nancy's grandmother made these Magic Cookie Squares every Christmas for as long as she can remember, I am lucky enough that it found its way to my family. These squares have a little hints of various flavors. Sweet, chocolaty, with butterscotch, a sprinkle of island flavor with coconut, chewy and some crunch from the graham cracker crust, these little cookie squares are definitely magic. Enjoy!

Nancy's Magic Cookie Squares
Recipe from Nancy Palo

1/4 cup of butter
Graham cracker pie crust
1/2 a bag of chocolate chips
1/4 of a bag of sweetened coconut
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
1/2 a bag of butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a 9 x 13 inch pan, place butter in pan, heat on stovetop on medium heat until butter is melted. Take the graham cracker pie crust and crumble it, place on top of butter, making a crust in the pan. Layer chocolate chips, then coconut, then the sweetened condensed milk, then the butterscotch chips. Place in oven for 35 minutes.

12 Days of Christmas Confections - Day 7 Kelley Family Pumpkin Bread

Day 7 - Kelley Family Pumpkin Bread

First and foremost, I'd like to send my warmest wishes to all of my friends who are kicking off the first day of Hanukkah today! Wishing you a wonderful holiday!
 
Today has been a tremendously busy day, therefore, this post if going to be very short and sweet.  This pumpkin bread is a Kelley family staple. It makes an appearance every Thanksgiving and Christmas, always made by my mother. She usually makes it in a large bundt pan, sprinkling it with powdered sugar, making a beautiful addition to the perfect holiday spread. Every fall and winter, I make this bread any chance I can, and with out fail someone always asks for the recipe. It is full of the perfect blend of spices while not being overly sweet and always extremely moist.  Enjoy!

 Kelley Family Pumpkin Bread

3 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoons of salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
3 cups sugar
1 cup oil
4 eggs
2/3 cup of water
2 cups of pumpkin
1 cup chopped nuts


Combine everything, except for the nuts, mix for 3 minutes, add the nuts, pour into two prepared loaf pans or one tube pan. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour.