Walnut Butter Cut-outs

This cookie recipe goes back to my childhood.  Where my Mom got the recipe I don't know, but I can remember decorating them as a little kid back when we lived in the UP of Michigan.

They are buttery and nutty at the same time due to the finely ground walnuts.  The walnut flavors intensify during the baking making them even tastier.

A couple of caveats with this one.  First the walnuts really do need to be finely ground or you will have difficulty getting clean cuts with the cookie cutters. Secondly, don't try to skip the chilling process...if you do you will have too loose a dough and it won't roll out thinly...it will just stick to everything in a gloppy mess.  Learned that one the hard way.

A few drops of food coloring can be added after you have the butter and sugar creamed together.  Its a fun way to have green trees and wreaths or red hearts etc.,.


Walnut Butter Cut-outs 

• 1 C Butter 
• 1 t vanilla 
• 3/4 c sugar 
• 1/4 t salt 
• 1 egg 
• 2 1/4 C flour 
• 2 t baking powder 
• 1 c fine ground walnuts 

 Cream together butter, sugar, vanilla and salt. When fluffy beat in egg.
 Sift together flour and baking powder. Work into butter mixture in small batches. 
 Fold in ground walnuts.
 Divide dough and pat into rounds. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least 1 hour. 
 On floured board roll to about 1/8 inch thickness. 
 Cut with cutters and decorate. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 400F until cookies edges just start to brown, about 8 minutes.

Banana Nut Bread

I'm sure if you do a google search for banana bread or banana nut bread you'll get a bajillion hits.  Now this one will be among the bajillion.  Its my version of the classic and quite tasty as I use butter instead of oil for the lipid in the batter.  That buttery flavor plays well with the bananas and vanilla.


Banana Nut Bread
Yield 2 - 9x5 inch loaves  
Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 cup butter at room temp
• 2 cups white sugar
• 2 cups mashed overripe bananas
• 1 t vanilla
• 1 t cinnamon
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans.
Sift the flour, salt and baking soda into a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together the butter,salt and sugar until smooth. Stir in the bananas, eggs, and vanilla until well blended. Carefully fold in dry ingredients into the wet in small batches.  
Bake for 60 to 70 minutes in the preheated oven, until a knife inserted into the crown of the loaf comes out clean. Let the loaves cool in the pans for at least 5 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack, and cool completely. Wrap in aluminum foil to keep in the moisture.

Power restored...finally and a little EQ Kit raiding

By now most everyone has seen the news where the L.A. area was bludgeoned to within an inch of our life with one of the worst wind storms in recent memory.  My little corner of L.A. took the brunt of the wind storm and has something like 86,000 homes without power as I write this.

Day 1 of the power outage we didn't know how long power would be out so we resorted to canned goods and the EQ kit (earthquake) ready to eat meals that were coming up on their expiration date.

Among the items we dug into was the "Heater Meals" and it was our first time using them.  The principal behind it is pretty easy.  One simply takes out the heater package, adds water that is included in the packaging to activate the chemical reaction that creates the heat.  Once that is done you quickly fold the top over and place the heater on top of the food package.  10 minutes later it is done and you have a meal ready to eat.

Well sort of, in spite of all the steam your food is just warm.  The food is fine for an emergency but it is lacking seasoning.  The included "saltless seasoning pack" is mostly pepper which is to say the food is still a little bland even with it being used.

I doubt I will buy them again as they are a bit pricey even if found on sale.

As a side bar at the end of Day 1 when it was apparent it was going to be a few days without power we opted to open up the fridge and start cleaning it out. The neighborhood then proceeded to round up candles, cook up our perishables, break out the wine and have a giant "potluck by candlelight" party.  Hah, can't keep a good neighborhood down long.

By Saturday power was restored and I had a nice and clean fridge already for restocking.

Pumpkin Curry Soup

Remember when I did the lobotomy to the jack-o-lanterns a few weeks ago?  Well I put up all the pumpkin in canning jars and have had it refrigerated waiting for just the perfect night for soup. Yes, soup.

It is stupid easy to work with your own or store bought pumpkin.  I prefer my own as I can control the salt better, but its still all good.

Adding in the ginger and cayenne build in a different layer of flavor and heat than just plain curry powder alone.  Worth the extra kick as far as I am concerned.

Pumpkin Curry Soup

• 4 cups (32 oz) pumpkin puree
• 1 large onion diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 can chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 T curry powder
• 1 t ground ginger
• 1/2 t ground black pepper
• 1/8 t cayenne pepper
• Salt to taste
• olive oil

In large sauce pot add enough oil to lightly coat bottom of pot.  Over medium heat add carrot and onion until the onion is translucent.  Add garlic and stir one minute to cook out the raw taste.  Pour mixture into blender with the broth and puree.  Return to pan, add pumpkin and heat through.  Simmer about 15 minutes to let flavors blend.  Test for seasoning and add salt as needed.

Thanksgiving: its about sharing more than food

Thanksgiving this year was a first for me.  I didn't actually cook it all, but it was all my usual dishes for the day.  Why not cook you may ask?  Its because this year I coached my newly married daughter on how to cook up the Thanksgiving Feast and she did alright.  She's ready to solo next year.

Best darn Bread Pudding I ever made...

The recipe isn't mine.  Its in this months Bon Appetit magazine.  It is Pecan, Bourbon and Butterscotch Bread Pudding. Allow me to hurl a few superlatives...it is the absolute best tasting, richest bread pudding I have ever had in my ENTIRE life.

My version I omitted the nuts and added them to those that like nuts when I served as a garnish.  Pesky people that are so picky make me batty.  Next time around this will be a made with pecan version for a dinner party.

Braciole, or Beef and Cheese Pinwheels...it sounds better in Italian

I've seen it done a dozen times over the years and never got around to trying it myself until last night.  Why?  I thought was a bit fussy for dinner on the fast and I was only partially correct.  It is a bit labor intensive with the prep of ingredients but once done it goes pretty fast.  The braise to completely tenderize the meat takes about an hour, but that is all hands free so its really not an issue...unless you need dinner on the table in 30 minutes.

This recipe is a blend of many from several sources.  I took meticulous notes of what I used to save you the guess work.  The end result is quite tasty with all but one in my house actually enjoying the final product which makes it a win in my book.  The lone dissenter is one who isn't a fan of cheese to start with.

Braciole

• 1 lb, about 4 thin cut round steaks
• 1/2 lb Fontina cheese - shredded.
• 1/2 c Parmesan, grated
• 1/2 c panko bread crumbs
• 1 small bunch parsley - chopped
• 4 cloves garlic- minced
• salt 
• pepper
• 1 can beef broth
• 1 can tomato puree
• 1 can tomato sauce
• 1 T parsley - chopped
• 1 T basil -chopped

Combine Parmesan, panko, parsley and garlic, toss to combine.  Take a piece of meat and season with salt and pepper.  Add 1/4 of the bread crumb parsley mixture and spread evenly over the meat. Top with 1/4 of the shredded Fontina.  Roll up from widest end jelly roll style,  Secure with toothpicks.  Repeat with remaining slices of meat.


In large skillet add some olive oil and over medium high heat sear all sides of the beef rolls.  When seared remove meat from pan and set aside.  Stir in your beef broth to deglaze pan, then add in tomato puree and tomato sauce.  Return meat to pan.  Cover and put in a 325F oven for 1 hour.