ROASTED RED PEPPER HUMMUS

We go through a lot of hummus in the Food of Love kitchen. I use it as a spread on my sandwiches and both DSO and I enjoy it with vegetables or crackers or toasted pita as an afternoon pick-me-up. While I find the Sabra brand to be tasty, it's quite expensive at $4.00+ for a very small container and it's so easy to make, I don't remember why I started buying it. That said, after reading about Erica's red pepper hummus over at My Columbian Recipes, I knew it was time to break out the tahini. While I used my old "Start the Party" Hummus recipe from Diana Abu-Jaber's The Language of Baklava as a springboard, I did take a hint from Erica and add some cumin to my mix.

1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained
2 tbs olive oil
juice of 2 lemons
3 cloves garlic
1/2 cup tahini
4 piquillo peppers
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cumin
salt to taste

Puree all ingredients to a thick, creamy consistency. You can adjust the consistency by adding small amounts of water. Serve with a streak of olive oil on top along with a basket of warm or toasted pita bread.
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TASTE NOTES
It makes absolutely no sense to buy hummus when you can make it so quickly and so economically. With the money you save, buy a wonderful bottle of wine to enjoy along with it.

TANDOORI CHICKEN

The Food of Love kitchen is not known for its Indian cuisine. While DSO  and I have enjoyed the occasional meal in a local Indian restaurant, it isn't a cuisine that we hanker for. That said, I've seen some pretty terrific looking meals around the blogosphere based on Indian cuisine, so I thought I'd take one of our staples--chicken--and try making it tandoori-style. Ever the student, I did a quick search to learn more about this dish and to compare recipes.

I learned that Tandoori chicken has an interesting history. It begins in the 20's when India was united under British rule and a man named Kundan Lal Gujral opened a restaurant in Peshawer called Moti Mahal. Gujral, experimenting with new and interesting food preparations, decided to try cooking chicken in the tandoors--clay ovens--used by local villagers to cook bread. These earthenware ovens, fired with wood or charcoal, were bell-shaped and set into the earth. They could reach temperatures of about 900 degrees. Using young chickens, Gujral was able to cook them in the high-heat ovens so that the inside was just done and the outside crisped. The result would make him famous.

In 1947, the Punjab province of British India was partitioned with the Eastern portion joining Pakistan and Western India. Peshawer, with its Muslem majority, became part of Pakistan and Gujral found himself one among many Sikh and Hindu refugees fleeing the rioting and upheaval by heading west to India. He subsequently moved his restaurant to Daryaganj, Delhi. This move into the newly independent India would make Gujral's chicken an international phenomenon.

When the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, ate at Moti Mahal, he was so impressed by the crispy, tender dish that he made a point of planning many state banquets there. This relationship between Gujral's restaurant and leaders of India lasted through several generations of Prime Ministers.

A look at half a dozen recipes for Tandoori chicken turned up a rather diverse list of spices. A look in my spice drawer resulted in the recipe that follows. While you don't need a tandoor to make this dish, a grill, with its source of indirect heat, seems to be the preferred method. I will try it on a charcoal grill when the weather is a bit milder. It worked quite well with the combined stove-top grilling and oven finish.

2-3 servings (3 WW pts per thigh)

1 (6 ounce) container plain Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1-1/2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground mace
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
olive oil spray

1.In a medium bowl, stir together yogurt, salt, pepper, cloves, and ginger. Mix in garlic, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, and coriander. Set aside.


2.Rinse chicken under cold water, and pat dry with paper towels. Use a sharp knife to make superficial slashes on both sides of chicken. This is so the marinade penetrates the meat. Place chicken in a large resealable plastic bag. Pour yogurt mixture over chicken, press air out of bag, and seal. Turn the bag over several times to distribute marinade. Place bag in a bowl, and refrigerate 8 hours, or overnight, turning bag occasionally.

3. Remove chicken from bag and discard marinade. Scrape off excess marinade.

4. Spray a nonstick  grill pan with olive oil spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook thighs about 2 minutes on each side, until they have grill marks on them. Transfer to a baking dish and finish in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes. Then, turn on the broiler and broil for 3-5 minutes to brown the top.
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TASTE NOTES
Both DSO and I agreed that this dish was a keeper. From the first wonderful aromas generated by the spice mixture to the moist, flavorful last bite, it was evident that the 8 hours of marinating in the spiced yogurt produced an exceptional flavor. Served with Jasmine rice and spicy long beans, it was only lacking a good loaf of Naan. Based on the success of this dish, I may venture more often into this cuisine.

TONKATSU

In a perfect world where I am forever a size 4 and the food we eat has absolutely no impact on our health, I will eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with a tall glass of cold milk before bedtime every night. I will also serve breaded and fried cutlets more than two or three times a year.

Browsing over at Foodbuzz last week I happened upon Las Vegas Food Adventures and a post on tonkatsu. Reading it produced one of those ah ha moments that you accompany with a slap to the side of the head. While I love veal and chicken cutlets, I hold a special place in my culinary heart for pork cutlets, a rarity in my local supermarkets. The ah ha moment came when I read the recipe and saw that Kathy had simply cut a pork loin into one inch slices and pounded them out. The sheer genius of it all! Since I'd finally managed to track down some whole wheat panko bread crumbs, I decided to add tonkatsu to this week's rotation.

Tonkatsu

1 lb boneless pork loin, cut into 1 inch slices and pounded out to 1/2 inch thickness
1 cup flour (you'll use just a little more than 1/4 cup)
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups Japanese panko bread crumbs
salt and pepper
oil for frying (peanut, canola or vegetable)

Gently pound the pork between two slices of plastic wrap to a thickness of ½ inch. Season with salt and pepper. Dust lightly with flour and shake off excess. Dip in the beaten egg and then coat well in the panko crumbs.

Preheat the oil in a large sauté pan pan over medium heat to 350 degrees. When the oil is hot, fry the cutlets without crowding them until golden brown on each side. Drain on a wire rack to maintain the crispness on the bottom. Serve with the tonkatsu sauce.

Tonkatsu Sauce
½ cup ketchup
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup sake (I used sherry)
¼ cup dark soy sauce
½ tsp sugar

Stir all of the ingredients until the sugar is dissolved, Serve on the side in dipping bowls or drizzled over top of the cutlets.

TASTE NOTES

I was sure that I was not going to like the whole wheat panko bread crumbs, but I was wrong. If anything, they seemed to crisp even better than the regular kind. I was very happy with my "homemade" pork cutlets. I was able to cut off all visible fat, as little as it is, and I got 8 good-sized cutlets from my one pound boneless pork loin. Half the cutlets remain; they will make very good sandwiches, I'm sure. While I didn't serve the tonkatsu over shredded cabbage, I did make and use the accompanying sauce. DSO and I both loved the flavor. The worcesteshire sauce gave it just enough kick. With some sauteed escarole on the side for me and some leftover spaghetti for DSO, this was a very tasty meal. I know I'll be making more pork cutlets in the future to use in other dishes. Thanks, Kathy, for a great idea.

MICHIGANS, A NEW YORK STATE-STYLE HOT DOG

Okay, if the title of this post has you scratching your head, I'm right there with you. As I was channel surfing last week, I heard mention of this "delicacy." I thought no more about it until this weekend as I sat deliberating over the week's menu. When I asked DSO if he had any requests for dinner, did I hear seafood Newburg or steak Diane? Crockpot chili or shrimp with broccoli rabe? I did not. What he did ask for--no beg for--was hot dogs. I kid you not. When we first started dating and would speak on the telephone at length, I would frequently ask him what he was making for dinner. His answer was usually, "hot dogs and spaghetti" or "hot dogs and beans" or "hot dogs and cole slaw." The man likes his dogs. Since I'm assuming most of my readers know how to prepare hot dogs--should they ever eat them--I decided to go online and see what this Michigan hot dog was all about. Imagine my surprise when I found the following entry here. I won't quote the whole entry, but I found it interesting that:


"A Michigan hot dog or, 'Michigan,' is a steamed hot dog on a steamed bun topped with a meaty sauce, generally referred to as 'Michigan Sauce.' The sauce may or may not be tomato-based, depending on where the Michigan is purchased. Michigans can be served with or without chopped onions. If served with onions, the onions can either be buried under the sauce or sprinkled on top of the sauce.



Michigans are a particular favorite in the North Country of New York State, and have been so for many decades. In fact, one of the earliest known advertisements for Michigans appeared in the Friday, May 27, 1927, Plattsburgh Republican.


Oddly enough, “Michigan hot dogs” are never referred to by that name in Michigan itself, nor anywhere else in the Midwest. A similar food item, the “Coney Dog” or “Coney Island dog”, is a hot dog topped with onions and either chili or a meatless chili called coney sauce. Conversely, the “Coney Island” is not called as such on Coney Island, or anywhere else in New York State; it’s called either a “Michigan” or a “Red Hot.” Finally, in southeast Michigan, a “Coney Island” is also the local slang term for a greasy spoon."

If you're interested, the post goes on to give the origins of the Michigan as well as several recipes for the sauce. The sauce I decided to make was from http://www.cooks.com/.

MICHIGAN HOT DOG SAUCE FROM N.Y.

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef

1 reg. onion

1 tbsp. chili powder

Level tsp. crushed red pepper

1 tbsp. curry powder

1 tsp. prepared mustard

3 tbsp. catsup

2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste

6-8 oz. water


Saute onion in oil, add ground beef until brown, return to heat - add remaining ingredients, let simmer at least 1 hour adding water if necessary to keep mixture moist.

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TASTE NOTES
If you're going to eat hot dogs, eat good ones. I like Boar's Head and they make a lite dog that has just 90 calories and tastes just like the original. While spicy isn't my thing and I generally eat my hot dogs unadorned or with a bit of sauerkraut, for reporting purposes I tried some of the sauce on my hot dog. It was tangy and far better than I had expected. I would omit the crushed red pepper if I make this again. DSO was in pig heaven, carrying on about how delicious this was, asking if we could have it again soon.

I think this would be a great appetizer for your Superbowl party. You could cut each dog in two or three pieces and serve it as finger food. A chacun son gout (to each, his own).

SLOW COOKER ENCHILADAS

I have to be honest. When I come across a slow cooker recipe that requires me to dirty another pan first, I pause and carefully evaluate before proceeding. In the end, I knew that even if I baked this enchilada casserole in the oven, it would require 2 "major" cooking vessels. Therefore, I decided to give this recipe for slow cooker enchiladas a try.

While I had read the recipe over and had all the ingredients on hand, I decided against using my smaller slow cooker--the recipe calls for a 5 quart--because it's one of those antiques that has a heating plate. I've found that heating plate too unreliable in terms of constant temperature and have relegated that cooker to heat up status only. That meant, though, that I would need to use my larger slow cooker and would have fewer layers and would require a few more tortillas.

The recipe is for 4 servings, but those are humongous servings (see photo on the right) that weigh in  at a hefty 800 plus calories. I ate one-eighth of the recipe with a half cup of rice and a salad and was very satisfied for my 6.5 WW points for the main dish.

4 huge servings or 6-8 average servings (from Taste of Home's The New Slow Cooker)
1 lb lean ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 (16 oz) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (10 oz) can diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained (I used 14 oz crushed tomatoes)
1/3 cup water
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
8 oz shredded cheese (I used reduced fat Mexican blend cheese)
6 (6-7 inch) flour tortillas (I required 8)

In a skillet, cook beef, onion, and green pepper over medium heat until beef is no longer pink and vegetables are tender (about 8 minutes). Drain excess fat, if any, and add the next 8 ingredients. Bring to a boil, the reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.

In a 5 quart slow cooker, layer about 3/4 cup beef mixture, one tortilla, and about 1/3 cup of cheese. Repeat layers. Cover and cook on low for 5-7 hours, until heated through. (This is an estimate at best; I should have stopped cooking mine after 4 hours, at the most.)
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TASTE NOTES
I thought this casserole was quite tasty and my 1/8 portion was more than generous. One caveat--I tend to like things on the drier side, so you might enjoy serving this with a dollop of sour cream and some salsa or pico de gallo on top. For those who need to prepare something untended, this is a good recipe, though I must reiterate that the cooking time seemed long, Truthfully, next time I want enchiladas and don't feel like stuffing and wrapping, I'll just use my regular recipe , substituting ground beef for the chicken, and bake them in the stove as usual.

UNSTUFFED CABBAGE AND NEW FRIENDS

I enjoy stuffed cabbage and have tried, largely unsuccessfully, to make it several times. Trying to judge the cooking time for a whole head of cabbage proved difficult. Peeling the leaves off al dente cabbage was a nightmare. Cutting out the thick vein without destroying the symmetry of the cabbage leaf was beyond my capabilities. The last time I made stuffed cabbage each roll was a different size and shape from the others and I swore I'd never make it again, though I toyed briefly with the idea of a lasagna-like stuffed cabbage.

Then came the January 10th issue of Family Circle and a recipe for "unstuffed" cabbage. I immediately clipped the recipe and added a small head of cabbage to my grocery list. I'm sure you can adapt this simple recipe for the crockpot and come home to a delicious meal. DSO no sooner opened the door, then he called out, "What smells so good?"

I'm posting the recipe as I made it, with a few changes in the method.

6 Servings, 4 WW points per serving

1 lb lean (93%) ground beef

1 medium onion, sliced

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 can (28 oz) stewed tomatoe

1 can (6 oz) tomato paste

1 1/2 tsp dried parsley

1 1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

1 small head cabbage, shredded (about 8 cups)

Heat a large nonstick saucepan over medium heat. Add the beef and cook for 6 minutes, until no longer pink, stirring occasionally. Drain any fat, then add the onion and cook 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.

Drain the stewed tomatoes and crush them with your fingers. Add those along with the tomato paste and 1 cup of water, the parsley, salt, pepper, oregano, and sugar. Simmer 5 minutes.

Add half the shredded cabbage and cook, covered, for 5 minutes. Stir, the add the remaining shredded cabbage and simmer, covered, for 90 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve with mashed potatoes and green beans.

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TASTE NOTES

WOW!  It may not look too "purty," but it sure tasted good. Both DSO and I enjoyed this dinner immensely. In fact, I thought that it was more flavorful than regular stuffed cabbage since the seasonings and tomato sauce melded with the ground beef and cabbage rather than just sitting on top of it. The fact that the dish is so healthy (low calorie, low fat, high in fiber) is a plus. I loved eating it over the mashed potatoes; Larry has requested that when I make it again I serve it over noodles. One thing we both agree on:  I'll be making it again.

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One of the pleasures of food blogging is the opportunity to meet so many lovely people. I think we all look forward to the comments that are left on our blogs and to discovering wonderful food and new ideas from all over the blogosphere--and the world. Since becoming a Foodbuzz Featured Publisher, I've had the opportunity to make some new friends and to discover some great new blogs. Among my new friends is the lovely "Sprinkle Queen" at Vanillastrawberryspringfields. This new friend has graced me with not one, but two lovely awards and I thank her so much. Her posts are great fun to read and she shares lots of great food photos to go with her recipes. So I thank you, my new friend, and am keeping fingers and toes crossed that you win that cupcake contest.

SLOW COOKER SPLIT PEA SOUP

I consider myself a novice still when it comes to using the slow cooker, but I decided I was ready for a challenge. With a ham bone in the freezer from the lovely glazed spiral ham we served at a recent Christmas party, I thought I'd try to make split pea soup in the crockpot. I've seen recipes using a variety of dried beans to make soup and none of them called for presoaking the beans. I decided I would rinse and pick over my split green peas, but skip the soaking. I dislike potatoes in my split pea soup, but wanted something besides carrots and decided to use some parsnips, one of our favorite root vegetables.

The soup went together very quickly and we headed out to return a few Christmas gifts. When we arrived home some 3 hours later, the house was already fragrant with the soup. It was hard to wait the other two and a half hours until it was done, but it was well worth the wait.

Head on over to Crockpot Wednesdays on Dining with Debbie for some more slow cooker inspiration.

Serves 6 - 8 WW pts per serving

1 lb dried green split peas, rinsed and picked over

1 medium onion, chopped

6 carrots, peeled and chopped (medium chop)

4 large parsnips, peeled and chopped (medium chop)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 ham bone with a generous amount of meat still on it

6 cups of water

salt and pepper to taste

Add the chopped carrots, parsnips, and garlic to the slow cooker. Cover with the split peas, then with the water. Nestle the ham bone in the middle of this, submerging it. Cook on high for 5-6 hours. About a half hour before it's ready, remove the ham bone, let it cool, then remove the meat and add it back to the slow cooker. Season to taste.

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TASTE NOTES

This was, without a doubt, the very best pea soup I've ever made--and dare I say--eaten. It was naturally sweet due to the glazed spiral ham. The parsnips melted on the tongue and were so much more satisfying than potatoes. We each ate a very generous bowlful and I have 4 more generous servings in the fridge. I will definitely make this again, as is, but will also use the slow cooker in the future to make my dried legume-based soups. There was no need to stir (okay, I confess, I took the lid off and stirred; but, I didn't have to) and the peas were creamy smooth.

THE FOOD OF LOVE'S TOP TEN OF 2009

Taking a page from a number of my favorite bloggers, I've decided to review the recipes I've shared from The Food of Love kitchen this year and to cull from them my personal 10 favorites. I must confess that this was a more difficult deliberation than choosing my dissertation topic. I thought about choosing one appetizer, one entree, one side dish, and so forth. That left me dissatisfied. After finally narrowing down my favorites, I felt the need to put them in order of preference (no one ever accused me of taking the easy way out). Try as I might, I just couldn't decide which of my favorites I liked the very best. So, after great deliberation,  here they are, in no particular order, my top ten favorite recipes from The Food of Love kitchen for 2009:

Distract the Neighbors Grilled Chicken

Ina Garten's Macaroni and Cheese

Lasagna of Emilia-Romagna

Country Style Rigatoni

Porterhouse Steak Contadina

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Swedish Pancakes

Ina Garten's Flag Cake

Rigatoni with Vegetable Bolognese

Slow Cooker Country Style Pork Ribs with Sauerkraut and Apple

If my list seems heavy on pasta, you'll be surpised when I tell you I had to be forced to eat "macaroni" when I was growing up. As good as mom's gravy was, I just wasn't a tomato sauce fan. You'll notice that is still true today, though I permit tomatoes to have a supporting role in my favorite sauces. While my photography isn't as good as it can be, just looking at the photos accompanying my favorites makes me hungry for a bite of each of them.

What were your top ten of 2009?

MERRY CHRISTMAS

I wish you a Merry Christmas filled with family, love, and good food.

CHICKEN SCHNITZEL WITH BACON AND WHITE WINE

When I saw the photo of this dish in Nigella Express (and saw the word "bacon" in the title), it seemed like a perfect protein to go with my Paprikash noodles. With just 4 ingredients, it qualifies for healthy fast food.

4 servings - 5 WW pts per serving
1 tsp garlic infused oil (I smashed a garlic clove, placed it in hot oil until fragrant, 30 seconds)
4 strips bacon (I used center cut bacon)
4 (4 oz) chicken escalopes or boned and skinned breast halves
1/3 cup white wine

Put the garlic oil in a skillet and add the bacon. Fry until the bacon is crisp. Remove the bacon to a piece of foil, wrap it, and set aside.

Fry the chicken about 2 minutes per side, making sure the pan is hot so the chicken will take on a bronze color.

Remove the chicken to a serving plate.  Quickly crumble the bacon into the skillet, then pour in the wine and let it bubble up. Pour over the chicken pieces and serve.
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TASTE NOTES
I have to admit that it went against all my cooking instincts not to season the chicken, but I wanted to experience this dish as Nigella envisioned it. The result:  a bland, nothing-special piece of chicken. I didn't think anything that had garlic and bacon and wine in it could be so insipid, but this dish proved me wrong. I'd rather eat a plain, grilled chicken breast and forego the dirty skillet and stovetop. I'm afraid this is 2 out of 2 Nigella recipes that were just plain forgetable. I'll try one more time, but 3 strikes and you're out--of the rotation, that is.

CREAM CHEESE BARS

I caved! Our house hasn't seen the usual flurry of holiday baking. Thanksgiving came and went and still there were no trays of stollen, carefully wrapped in foil, the better to soak up the brandy before being unwrapped and enjoyed on Christmas morning. The first two weeks of December rolled around with nary a tin of cookies in sight. With no temptations to lead me astry, my weekly weigh ins have shown a slow, but steady loss. Of course, the peanut gallery has not been pleased with this ban on holiday treats, and so, today I caved. Two packages of cream cheese and a can of reduced fat crescent rolls were taking up space in the refrigerator and seemed likely candidates for a sweet treat. Since allrecipes.com is the kind of site where such foods would likely yield a few recipes, I went online, typed in cream cheese, and voila! After perusing a number of possibilities, I decided on these cream cheese bars. I scaled the recipe down (cut it in half), cut back on the sugar and butter, and added some strawberry preserves. My version of the recipe follows:

Ingredients

1 (8 ounce) can refrigerated crescent roll dough
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3-4 tbs strawberry preserves
1 tbs butter, melted
additional white sugar, for sprinkling on top
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 6 X 4 inch pan.

Press half the can of the crescent rolls into the bottom of the prepared pan.

In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese, 1/3 cup of sugar, and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Spread over the crescent layer.

Cover the cream cheese mixture with several tablespoons of a good strawberry preserve.

Unroll the second half of the can of crescent rolls and lay them on top of the cream cheese layer. Do not press down.

Brush the melted margarine over the top layer. Combine about 1 tbs sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over the top.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the top is crisp and golden.

TASTE NOTES

Since I need to report to you about the success of this recipe, I took one, very small bite of this confection. I am pleased to report that even with the reduced fat crescent rolls and the reduction in the butter and sugar, this was a rich, Danish-like pastry. I tasted it when it had cooled and would recommend eating it at that temperature, rather than fresh from the oven. This is a simple recipe made with staples that you likely have on hand. It would be as welcome at a weekend breakfast as it would be with a cup of coffee midaftertoon. The peanut gallery agreed.

TWIX BAR COOKIES

Surfing through the blogosphere a few weeks ago, I came upon Thought4Food, a blog by Faith who also lives in upstate New York. The particular recipe that caught my eye was this one for Twix bar cookies. Faith had gotten the recipe from Stephanie at The Joy of Baking. Borrowing a technique from Paula Deen for make dulce de leche in the oven, Faith made these bars since Twix is her husband's favorite cookie.

Taking pity on the non-Weight Watcher in The Food of Love kitchen, I decided to whip up a batch and put half away for our weekend company. This is the kind of recipe for which you'll most likely have all the ingredients on hand.

Twix Bar Cookies (Adapted from Stephanie Jaworski’s Millionaire Shortbread Bars)

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 ½ sticks salted butter
¼ c white sugar
½ tsp pure vanilla extract
1 ½ c all-purpose flour
6 oz good quality dark or semisweet chocolate chips

For the caramel filling:
Preheat the oven to 300F. Pour the sweetened condensed milk into a 9 by 9-inch glass baking dish. Cover with foil and place the dish inside a larger poaching pan. Add water to poaching pan until half way up sides of baking dish. Bake for 60-90 minutes (no need to stir) until thickened and caramel in color. Transfer to a bowl and beat until smooth.

For the shortbread:
Preheat the oven to 350F. Cream together the butter, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Slowly beat in the flour and mix until just combined. Press the dough into a buttered 9 by 9-inch pan and bake for about 20 minutes, or until lightly golden. Allow it to cool on a wire rack.


Pour the warm caramel over the cooled shortbread and let it set and cool completely. Melt the chocolate either in a double boiler or in the microwave, then spread it over the cooled caramel. Allow the chocolate to set completely before cutting into 18 pieces. 6 WW pts per cookie.

TASTE NOTES

While these taste absolutely amazing--at least the teeny crumb I cut off to sample for "truth in reporting" purposes only--I could see immediately that my caramel was not as "dry" or "set" as the caramel in Faith's picture. I don't know the reason why. I cooked it for 90 minutes and it was a nice golden brown when I beat it. I'm guessing I should have cooked it longer. The man of the house was very, very--did I mention very?--happy with these. Storing them in the refrigerator keeps the caramel from getting too soft, but I'll have to try making the caramel again. In fact, I think it would be amazing as a filling for my amazing chocolate birthday cake.

VISIONS OF SUGARPLUMS

I can thank George Gaston of A Nod Is As Good As a Wink to a Blind Horse... for, first, teaching me what a sugarplum is and second, providing a recipe for these holiday treats. I adore dried fruits and wanted to try his sugarplums immediately. When I assembled my ingredients this morning, I learned that in my haste I had neglected to buy prunes. Not to worry. I  had some lovely dried figs and they worked beautifully. I decided to make just half a batch since I'm the only fruit eater in this household.

Ingredients (Makes approximately 5 dozen)

12-oz pkg pitted prunes

8-oz pkg chopped dates

6-oz pkg dried apricots

1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped (optional)

1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

2 tsp grated orange zest

1.2 tsp grated lemon zest

2/3 cup sugar

In the bowl of a food processer, process the prunes, dates, and apricots about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides.

Transfer to a bowl and add the pecans, graham cracker crumbs, orange and lemon zests. Mix completely, then chill for 2 hours.

Using your palms, shape into 3/4 inch balls (I used a small melon baller to keep balls uniform in size). Roll in the granulated sugar, then chill. Store in an airtight container. Serve at room temperature.

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TASTE NOTES

Of course I had to sample one of these delectable sweets. It was perfectly delicious, making me sorry I had made just half a batch, but determined to save them for an upcoming Christmas party.  I know that visions of sugarplums will be dancing in my head until that date. Thank you, George Gaston.

CIDER-BRAISED CHICKEN WITH ROOT VEGETABLES

At brunch on Sunday, I picked up a copy of a magazine aimed at increasing tourism in the county where we live.  It always includes a recipe or two, many provided by local restaurants. I knew as soon as I read the recipe for the Harvest Cafe's cider-braised chicken that I had to make it. The recipe did not offer measurements, but that was easy enough to work through.

Ingredients

1 whole chicken, cut up (I cut mine into 10 pieces)

root vegetables (1 medium onion, 3 parsnips, 3 carrots, 3 stalks celery, 1 ruttabagas-medium dice)

salt and pepper

fresh thyme and sage (I used a big bunch of thyme and 2 large sprigs of rosemary, tied up in cheesecloth)

cider (2 1/2 cups)

flour for dredging (1/2 cup whole wheat flour)

olive oil (2 tbs)

Method

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

Season the chicken parts and dredge in the flour.

Saute the chicken in olive oil in a Dutch oven until browned on both sides.

Remove the chicken from the pan, put in the root vegetables, and saute until browned and carmelized.

Return the chicken to the pan, add the fresh herbs and salt and pepper, then add the cider.

Bring to a simmer on the stovetop, then cover and place in the oven for 45 minutes.

Serve over polenta or other starch.

TASTE NOTES

Mere words cannot do justice to this dish. From the incredible aroma that made our mouths water and long for the timer to go off, to the succulence of the chicken, this is a dish that I will make again and again. I already have a request for it to be made with all dark meat, something that I am only to happy to do. The slightly bitter tang of the ruttabaga came to life after braising in the sweet cider. The carrots and onions added even more sweetness, but a natural sweetness. Served over grilled polenta rounds, this was my very favorite newcomer this fall. Don't take my word for it; make it! Soon!