Holiday Treats

For the past few years I have made a habit out of putting together little boxes filled with holiday treats for my family. At first I started off small...a box filled with chocolate truffles. Then the following year I added to it with some chocolate crinkle cookies and berry crumb bars. This year I decided to swap out the truffles and add cranberry bliss bars and almond biscotti.

It was definitely a big undertaking to bake so much in a relatively short time period but I broke it up over two days and it all worked out. I will admit that at one point the kitchen looked quite disastrous with many different mixing bowls, ingredients, measuring cups, and baking trays spread out everywhere. Luckily my mom helped me with the packaging and she also tied up the boxes very nicely for me.

Everyone in my family was quite appreciative of the treats and I received many thanks and compliments. I can honestly say that I love the holiday season and the general joyfulness that can be felt everywhere. Therefore I love to do my part to spread the holiday cheer and brighten everyone's holidays just a touch more. Happy Holidays :)

Almond Biscotti

The idea of making biscotti has truthfully never been quite appealing to me because it seemed like a time consuming process. This, coupled with the fact that most members of my family aren't huge biscotti fans anyway, led me to ignore most biscotti recipes I have seen in the past.

Last summer, however, one of the things I learned to make during my trip to Italy was this biscotti. The recipe was very easy and actually not as time consuming as I thought; although the biscotti had to bake twice each time was only fifteen to twenty minutes. Also because the loaves were sliced while still hot from the first baking they were actually very easy to cut into pieces, unlike my delicious but difficult to slice fruit and nut crisps.

During my trip to Italy I not only picked up some new recipes but I also brought back some ingredients, one of which was Italian baking soda. When I first showed this to my mom she scoffed and questioned my need to buy specific baking soda from Italy. "Isn't ours good enough?" she asked me. Although there is nothing wrong with our baking soda I was fascinated by the fact that the one we used in Italy already had vanilla mixed into it, therefore no additional vanilla extract had to be added to the biscotti.

Up until last week my Italian baking soda had been sitting, unopened, in the kitchen cupboard. Finally I put it to use when I baked these biscotti. I think the person most surprised by the biscotti was my mom; she did not expect the biscotti to still be soft and chewy rather than hard like a rock as is typical of biscotti sold in stores here. Also she enjoyed the fact that each bite held a new "surprise" as she called it with the chunks of chocolate, almonds, hint of cinnamon, orange, and lemon. I was glad she enjoyed it so much, in addition to the rest of the family, and I think I will be baking it again soon for my holiday treat boxes.

Almond Biscotti
Note: Although I used my special Italian baking soda I was provided with a recipe that uses regular baking soda and vanilla, which is reflected below.

• 1 cup whole almonds, lightly toasted
• 4 oz (112 g) chocolate, roughly cut into chunks
• 1 orange, zested
• 1 lemon, zested
• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup sugar + extra for sprinkling
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp almond extract (can be substituted with almond liquor)
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1½ tsp baking soda
• 2¾ cups flour
• 1 egg white

1. In a large bowl combine the melted butter, sugar, orange and lemon zests. Add the vanilla and almond extract (or liquor).
2. Mix in the beaten eggs and almonds.
3. In a separate bowl sift together the flour with the cinnamon, salt. If working with liquor add the baking soda last to the dough, right before the chocolate, otherwise sift with the other dry ingredients.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix together until a dough forms. Using your hands, work in the chunks of chocolate into the dough.
5. Split the dough in half and form into two long logs about 3" wide. Lay the logs onto a large baking sheet covered in parchment or wax paper. Make sure to leave space between the logs as they will widen as they bake.
6. Pat down the logs so they have a flat surface and use a pastry brush to spread the egg white over top. Generously sprinkle sugar over the surface.
7. Bake the biscotti for 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit or until the tops of the logs start to crack and become a light golden color. 
8. Remove from the oven and cut diagonally into long pieces while still warm. The best way to do this is to cut straight down rather than use a sawing motion. 
9. Lay the cut pieces, cut side facing up, back on the tray and return to the turned off but still warm oven for 15-20 minutes. If you like the biscotti softer take them out sooner, if you like them crunchier leave them in for longer.

Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Salad

This salad is nothing new. In fact I have been making it for quite sometime but I never thought to blog about it because it seemed so simple. However after serving it repeatedly at multiple parties and always receiving rave reviews I decided it's time I include it on the blog.

This past weekend we had a big soiree at our house to celebrate my mom's birthday. In addition to this salad I also prepared stuffed mushrooms, poached pears, and two chocolate mousse cakes (there were a lot of people so I made two of the same cake). The party was a great success and everyone was truly appreciative of all the effort that went into creating such a fabulous spread.

The beauty of the salad I made is how easy and simple it is, yet also very versatile. I love how roasting the beets brings out their inherently sweet flavor which is then complemented by the tanginess of the goat cheese. Then to top it all off there's the crunch provided by the toasted almonds. I will admit that at times I have substituted feta cheese in the past, which is also nice, though I prefer the goat cheese. Also I alternate between using baby spinach and arugula, or sometimes even both, depending on what I find at the grocery store. In any case, the star of the salad is definitely the beet; so long as it's there everything else falls into place.

Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Salad
Note: The salad can be made in small or large portions, therefore I have listed the ingredients and steps but left quantities out.

• Medium sized beets
• Goat cheese
• Baby arugula or spinach leaves
• Sliced almonds
• Lemon
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

1. Prepare the beets by wrapping tightly in aluminum foil and arranging on a baking pan. Depending on the size, roast them for 45 minutes-1 hour. They are finished once a knife can easily slice through them.
2. Allow the beets to cool then proceed to peel and slice them. I prefer slicing them into thin rounds, about ½ cm thick, then in half.
3. While the beets are cooling, toast the almonds in a pan over low heat. Keep in mind it is easy to burn them therefore continuously stir them and remove from the heat as soon as you see them start to brown. Set aside in a separate bowl.
4. Toss the greens with some lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Adjust the seasoning to taste but take care not to over mix as the greens will start to wilt if you work them too much. 
5. Toss in the sliced beets and almonds and gently mix in. Use your hands to break off small chunks of goat cheese and sprinkle on top. Don't worry about mixing it in so long as there is enough to scooped up while serving.

Sweet and Sour Shrimp Stir-Fry

I've said it before and I'll say it again: stir-fries are great. They are wonderful for using up random leftovers and creating something out of what can sometimes seem like a bunch of misfit ingredients. This week I was back in the kitchen and I have truly loved it. I had mentioned to my brother that I was planning on making this shrimp stir-fry and he was excited because he loves anything with shrimp in it. The dish was simple and easy to make and had a nice taste to it. I would say it is definitely more sweet than it is sour, thanks to the pineapple juice and chunks. Considering that I like my food a little spicy I might consider adding a sprinkling of red chili pepper flakes.

When I was preparing it I only realized at the end that I forgot to add cornstarch to thicken the sauce before adding it to the stir-fry, causing it to be more liquidy than the recipe called for. I didn't mind that so much because the rice absorbed the extra juices. I also got to feed some to my friend who came over during the week to teach me how to knit. Not only did we have a delicious lunch but I knit my very own scarf that day. I was quite proud and showing it off to all of my family members. Now I have so many new ideas of what I would like to make and I will be splitting my free time between the kitchen and the knitting.

Sweet and Sour Shrimp Stir-Fry

• 1 can pineapple tidbits (juice drained and set aside) 
• 100 ml ketchup
• 100 ml white wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp corn starch
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 bell peppers, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 zucchini, choppped
• 3-4 green onions, chopped
• 400 g (about 30) frozen shrimp, thawed
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

1. Combine the ketchup, white wine vinegar, reserved pineapple juice, brown sugar, and corn starch. Adjust sauce to your liking by adding a little more sugar or vinegar to make sweeter or more sour.
2. In a large skillet, heat up the oil over medium heat and saute the chopped onions until transluscent, about 3-5 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and saute for another 30 seconds-1 minute, or until it is fragrant.
4. Add the chopped bell peppers, celery, and zucchini and continue to cook until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes.
5. Add the green onions and shrimp to the skillet. Pour the sauce over top and mix in thoroughly so that all of the ingredients and evenly coated. Remove from the heat and serve on its own or over some rice.

Thai Chicken Enchiladas

I had an intense craving this weekend to get in back into the kitchen after being away for so long! I have been so busy this month I have had hardly any time to cook or bake anything. Even though I had a lot of things to do this weekend as well I decided to take some time for myself and de-stress by making dinner on Sunday night.

To say that I have been wanting to make these enchiladas for a while is an understatement. I think I found the recipe sometime in the summer but by now I can't remember. All I know is that 1) I love Thai food and 2) I love enchiladas. Therefore using simple logic one would be able to conclude that this recipe would be perfect for me to make.

I was quite pleased with how the enchiladas turned out and I'm glad to be able to add them to my arsenal of enchilada recipes. After describing them to my friend the next day she asked if she could look it up on my blog but I had yet to post it. However since it was fresh in my mind I typed it out for her on her iPhone while we were shopping. Hopefully she will find it just as easy to make and delicious as well!

Thai Chicken Enchiladas
Note: Due to the size of my pans I always come out with eleven enchiladas. The filling can probably be stretched to twelve or condensed to ten, depending on how much you stuff the enchiladas.

• 1 can (400 mL) coconut milk
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken 
• ½ cup shredded carrots
• 1 cup shredded cabbage 
• ½ cup sweet chili sauce
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3-4 green onions chopped
• 3-4garlic cloves chopped
• ¼-½ cup cilantro, chopped + extra for garnish
• ½ cup peanuts, chopped + extra for garnish
• Tortillas
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

1. Sauté the chopped onion over medium heat until translucent, about 3-5 minutes.
2. Add minced garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds to 1 minute or until fragrant.
3. Add shredded carrots and cabbage and cook until softened, another 3-5 minutes.
4. Add shredded chicken, chopped green onions, cilantro, and peanuts. Mix thoroughly and season lightly with salt and pepper.
5. Mix 1 cup coconut milk with ¼ cup sweet chili sauce. Add to the pan and mix thoroughly. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper if necessary.
6. Transfer chicken mixture to a separate bowl with a fine mesh seive over top. Press down on the mixture to remove excess liquids.
7. Mix remaining ¼ cup sweet chili sauce with remaining coconut milk. Combine with liquid strained from chicken mixture. Pour some of the liquid into the bottom of a large baking pan, just enough to cover the bottom.
8. Heat the tortillas for 30 seconds in the microwave to make them soft. One at a time place 2-3 big spoonfuls of chicken mixture along the bottom third of the tortilla. Roll up into a tight log and put in the pan.
9. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling. Place them tightly in the pan so that they are touching and slightly squished.
10. Pour the remaining chili/coconut milk mixture over the top and spread around to make sure all of the enchiladas are covered.
11. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 min at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. At fifteen minutes remove the aluminum foil and put sprinkle some extra chopped peanuts and cilantro on top.

Chocolate Mousse Cake

Wow it has been a while since I have posted any new recipes! I have to admit I have been pretty busy and as a result have not as much time in the kitchen as I usually do. Also, most of my cooking and baking as of late has been repeats on family favorites or requests. However in anticipation of my mom's birthday coming up I knew that I would be making a cake for the occasion. My parents decided to have some friends over this weekend for a seafood fest and I used their dinner as a test run for the cake I plan on making in two weeks.

Coming off of my recent successes with the triple chocolate mousse cake and the chocolate and fruit mousse cake I decided to once again make a mousse cake. I wanted to make more of a traditional mousse cake, kind of like the ones you would expect to find in a bakery or store. This meant finding a recipe for a genoise cake, which is the light and airy sponge cake typically found layered in a mousse cake. I paired the genoise with the white chocolate mousse from my own birthday cake I made in March and the chocolate glaze from the coffee cheesecake I made for my brother's birthday in August. In addition I also made a raspberry simple syrup to lightly soak the genoise cake and add an extra flavor.

In the end my parents and their guests all enjoyed the cake and some people asked for seconds. Due to the fact that my mother will be having a rather large gathering for her birthday and requested that I make two of the same cake so that there will be enough servings, I have decided to simplify the recipe. Rather than cutting the genoise cake in half and layering it with the mousse I will simply make the cake with a single layer of genoise and the white chocolate mousse all around. Considering that the mousse was my mom's favorite part of the cake I don't think she will mind. Hopefully everyone will love this cake when it is served again in two weeks.

Chocolate Mousse Cake
Note: I have included the recipe for the genoise cake along with assembly instructions for the simplified version of the mousse cake. Please use the links from above for the white chocolate mousse and chocolate glaze.

• ½ cup flour
• ⅓ cup cocoa powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 4 large eggs
• ⅔ cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and hot

For the raspberry simple syrup:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• ¾ cup fresh raspberries

To make the raspberry simple syrup combine all of the above ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once the sugar dissolves, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes. Remove from the heat and strain to remove the raspberry solids.

1. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt and set aside.
2. In a heatproof bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar over a saucepan of lightly simmering water. Whisk constantly and continue to heat until the mixture is lukewarm to the touch, about 3-5 minutes.
3. Remove mixture from the heat and beat on high speed until it has cooled and tripled in volume, about 3-5 minutes. It should look like softly whipped cream and form ribbons and fall back upon itself when lifting the beaters. Beat in the vanilla.
4. Carefully fold one third of the flour mixture into the beaten batter using a large spatula. Fold in the remainder but be careful not to overmix. 
5. Take 1 cup of the cake batter and fold it into the hot melted butter. Once it is an even consistency add the butter to the cake batter and gently fold in until evenly incorporated. 
6. Pour the batter into a well greased 9" pan lined with parchment paper on the bottom (not necessary but definitely makes it easy to take out after). Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  
7. Cool the cake to room temperature then carefully remove from the pan. It can be stored for two days in the fridge before assembling for the mousse cake.

To assemble the mousse cake:

1. Lay the genoise cake in the center of an 11" springform pan.
2. Using a pastry brush, generously soak the cake with the raspberry simple syrup. There will be extra syrup left over however make sure to really soak the cake so that it becomes moist.
3. Pour the white chocolate mousse over top of the genoise cake and smooth out the top.
4. Store in the refrigerator for at least four hours, though preferably overnight, so that the mousse can set.
5. Once the mousse has set, carefully run a knife around the inside edge and release the cake from the pan. Cover with the chocolate glaze, making sure it is room temperature so that it does not melt the mousse.

Peanut Butter and Quinoa Granola

Yes I know...another granola recipe. You're probably thinking to yourself: "How can she have yet another granola recipe...didn't she already figure it out?" The truth is yes...for the most part I figured out two different base recipes that I alter with different mix-ins to create various flavors. However this granola is not like the others because it also uses quinoa, a new favorite ingredient of mine. The quinoa isn't cooked before being added to the oats, rather it gets baked right into the granola itself.

Personally I think that this is my new favorite granola. Granted I may say that about the next one I make but for now this is it. Being the texture snob that I am, I love how the quinoa provided an extra crunch to the granola. Also, the base recipe had a good ratio of wet to dry ingredients making for a crunchy granola to start with that was full of peanut flavor. Of course that could easily be changed to some other type of nut with the appropriate substitution. That being said I would still recommend using a nut butter of some sort, such as almond or cashew, because without it there will not be enough wet binder for the granola to stick together in clumps.

As for the mix-ins, I'm not a coconut lover myself but I know that coconut flakes are a common and popular granola addition. Other things include various dried fruits, banana chips, or chocolate chips. Ultimately, I highly recommend trying this granola because it's probably unlike any you have tasted before with the great addition of quinoa.

Peanut Butter and Quinoa Granola

• 2 cups large-flake (old-fashioned) rolled oats
• ¾ cup quinoa, rinsed
• ¾ cup lightly salted roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ cup natural cane sugar or packed light brown sugar
• ¼ cup honey
• ½ cup unsweetened natural peanut butter
• ⅓ cup vegetable oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ⅔ cup dried cranberries

1. In a large bowl, combine the oats, quinoa, peanuts, salt and cinnamon.  
2. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and honey. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly. Turn off heat and stir in peanut butter, oil, and vanilla until blended.
3. Pour the peanut butter mixture over the oats and stir until evenly coated. Spread the mixture in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
4. Bake for 30-45 minutes (time will vary based on size of baking sheet) at 325 degrees Fahrenheit or until the granola becomes golden brown. Stir every 10-15 minutes to ensure even baking.
5. Remove from the oven and allow the granola to cool completely on the tray before mixing in the dried cranberries and transferring to an airtight container.