SIMPLY Wonderful

November/December 2008 Issue | Posted by Melissa Hartog in What's Cooking

By Kate Wicker

If humanity might never see peace on earth, or in a mother’s kitchen, this time of year, fear not. We’re here to help. Before the crowds start flocking to your door, read here for entertainment ideas and an assortment of quick, easy, and impressive recipes that are sure to be crowd pleasers no matter what the holiday occasion.

Visit Kate at KateWicker.com.

Less Fuss, More Yum

Try these seasonal treat ideas for delicious and simple desserts.

This is the easiest dessert you’ll ever make, and it’s always a hit at parties. Kids love to use skewers to dip the bites of fruit and cake into the creamy chocolate.

Easy Chocolate Fondue

Fancy fondue sets are nice, but not necessary. Put a container of your favorite store-bought chocolate frosting in the microwave and melt it for about 30 seconds. Stir the mixture. If it’s not smooth and creamy, pop it in for a few more seconds. Pour the chocolate sauce into a fancy bowl, and hide the frosting container. Serve with platters of fruit — plump strawberries, cubed pineapples, or apple slices. Buy frozen pound cake and cut into cubes for another dipping delight. If only adults will be indulging, stir a dash of your favorite liqueur into the chocolate for an extra kick. Use wooden skewers for dipping.

Exquisite Mint Sticks

This is one of my husband’s grandmother’s prized recipes. The bars can be made ahead of time — they freeze well and should be served chilled. To add festive flair, sprinkle with crushed candy canes.

2 squares of baking chocolate

1/2 cup butter

2 eggs (for a lighter version, use egg sub-

stitute; it won’t affect the treat’s delicious

taste)

1 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

1/2 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

Frosting:

1/2 cup butter

1 tablespoon heavy cream

3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

dash of salt

confectioners’ sugar

To make frosting, soften butter and add enough sifted confectioners’ sugar to make a smooth mixture. Add the cream, peppermint extract, and salt. If mixture is too thin for spreading, add more confectioners’ sugar.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt chocolate and butter. Cool. Beat eggs or egg substitute until thick and light-colored. Add salt. Add sugar gradually. Add cooled chocolate mixture. Add peppermint extract. Sift flour and fold into mixture. Bake in a square pan for 20 to 25 minutes. Do not over bake. Cool in pan.

Frost with frosting. Place pan in refrigerator until frosting is hardened. Melt 1 square of chocolate with 1 tablespoon of butter and drizzle over- top. When firm, cut into bars.

— Adapted from Cooking Down East (Downeast Books, 1995)

No-Fuss Christmas Cookies

Pillsbury was invented for a reason. If you’re short on time, buy refrigerated sugar cookie dough and try any of the following tricks to give your cookies a homemade touch. I promise you, no one is going to notice that you didn’t sift the flour yourself.

Lemon Sandwich Cookies

Bake sugar cookie dough according to directions and then make cookie sandwiches that ooze with the following easy, creamy lemon filling: Mix 4 ounces of room-temperature cream cheese with finely grated zest from one lemon and 1 cup of confectioners’ sugar. Add more confectioners’ sugar if the filling isn’t firm and easy to spread.

Peppermint Cookies

Allow dough to soften slightly. Remove from package and place in bowl. Add 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract to the dough and mix well. Divide the dough into balls. Place on the cookie sheet and gently flatten. Sprinkle with crushed peppermint candy. Bake according to package directions.

Cranberry Pistachio Drops

The red cranberries and green-hued pistachios give this cookie a Christmas confetti look. Mix about 1/2 cup crushed, shelled pistachios with 1/3 cup cranberries. Blend mixture into sugar cookie dough. Drop by spoonfuls onto a baking sheet and bake according to directions.

Fried Pork Wontons

Every Christmas Eve, my husband’s father makes these delicious fried wontons for our tapas-inspired dinner. The wontons may be prepared ahead of time and p­ laced in the freezer for up to a month before frying. You can also prepare the filling ahead of time and freeze for up to two months.

1/2 pound fresh ground pork

1/4-1/3 cup chopped scallions (about 2-3

scallions)

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1 egg white

3 dozen small wonton wrappers (Check your

grocer’s produce section — circle ones

work best)

peanut oil for frying

Mix pork, scallions, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a bowl. Cook mixture in olive oil heated in a skillet on medium high. Cook until well done; meat should be lightly browned. Place cooked mixture into a mixing bowl and chop up until pork is coarsely ground. Add a dash of salt and/or pepper, if desired. To spice things up, you can add other ingredients into the pork mixture such as grated carrots or ginger, soy sauce, dry mustard powder, or red pepper. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator to cool for about 30 minutes.

To prepare wontons:

Preheat an inch of peanut oil over medium-high heat in a deep frying pan. Brush egg white along the border of the wonton wrapper. Place 1/2 teaspoon of the pork mixture in center of wrap. Fold wrapper, making sure wrappers are well-sealed (the egg white acts as a “glue”). For rectangle wrappers, fold diagonally. For circular wrappers, fold in half. Place filled wontons on wax paper. Do not let them touch each other. Cook the stuffed wontons in hot peanut oil, turning them once, until both sides are lightly browned. Watch carefully! They cook very quickly — in just seconds.

Once cooled, serve wontons with your favorite dipping sauces, such as a sesame-orange dipping sauce (recipe below). Soy sauce tastes great, too.

Makes about 3 dozen wontons

Tapas, Anyone?

One holiday tradition I’ve gladly embraced from my husband’s side of the family is the forgoing of a fancy feast on Christmas Eve. Instead, we gather around the Christmas tree in the living room and enjoy a tapas-inspired meal. The term tapas comes from Spain and refers to “small plates” or snack-like foods that are along the same lines as American appetizers.

I’ve discovered that this low-key, simplified meal allows us to spend time together as a family without all the added stress of trying to plan two big meals. We reserve the sit-down, more formal meal for Christmas Day. Another perk of serving up tapas is that it gives kids a good excuse to eat with their fingers — one less formality little ones have to endure when they’re abuzz with Christmas excitement.

When it comes to developing a tapas menu, you’re limited only by your creativity and epicurean tendencies. You can keep it simple with a selection of olives, cheeses, and breads or prepare your own go-to appetizer dish, such as stuffed mushrooms or a spinach dip. For more ideas, see the recipes below or visit TapeñaWines.com, a website for Spanish wines that includes a tapas party planner and a wealth of recipes.

Sesame Orange Dipping Sauce

This is my late grandpa’s own recipe. It serves as a delicious dip for pork wontons, but it also goes well with poached chicken, served warm or cold.

1/3 cup thinly sliced scallions

1/3 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup orange juice

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon dark sesame oil

Mix all ingredients together. Makes about 3/4 cup.

Homemade Melba Toast

Whip up a batch of this easy melba toast and serve with various spreads at a Christmas potluck or as an appetizer for your family dinner.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Slice a loaf of French bread (homemade or store-bought) into 1/4-inch slices. Place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Warm 1/2 cup olive oil infused with one chopped garlic clove. Brush slices with oil. Bake for about 10 minutes. Turn and brush the other side with olive oil and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes. Cooking time will vary, depending on the bread; just keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn. If not serving immediately, cover toast with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store in a covered container.

For an easy appetizer, try serving melba toast with one of these easy toppings:

Cream cheese-bleu cheese: Soften cream cheese and add crumbled bleu cheese until you get the taste you desire.

Goat cheese: Spread goat cheese thinly on toast; top with one small basil leaf and sprinkle with chopped kalamata olives.

Bruschetta: Top toast with chopped basil, tomatoes, and mozzarella, and drizzle with olive oil.

Spinach Balls

These freeze well and are nice to keep on hand for when company drops in during the holidays.

10-ounce package of frozen chopped spinach

1 cup seasoned stuffing mix

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

3 eggs, beaten (use egg substitute, if

you like)

6 tablespoons butter, softened

salt and pepper, to taste

Cook spinach according to package directions. Squeeze out excess water with paper towels. Combine spinach with all other ingredients and mix well. Roll into walnut-sized balls. Place on cookie sheet. Freeze. Once the balls are solid, store in plastic bag in freezer. To serve, bake frozen spinach balls at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Brie with Raspberry-Pecan Sauce

This super-easy appetizer is a great dish to bring to Christmas parties.

small round of Brie cheese

1 jar of raspberry preserves

crushed pecans

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put the Brie in a glass pie plate. Dump most of the preserves on top. Sprinkle a handful of chopped pecans on top. Cover with aluminum foil. Heat the cheese and preserves for about 5 to 8 minutes, until the cheese is just starting to soften and the preserves are warm. Serve immediately with crackers or homemade melba toast.

The Finishing Touches

Sharing our homes with others gives us many occasions to practice the art of hospitality just as Elizabeth did for Mary during the Visitation. What better time to extend a warm welcome to others than during the Advent season when we are supposed to be opening our hearts and lives to Christ? Whether you’ll be playing host to family, friends, your parish priest, or a neighbor who seems lonely, here are some simple ways to make your home more inviting:

Let there be light

Candles serve as both décor and lighting. Skip the votives and opt for larger candles with a longer burn time to keep your home alit with a warm, welcoming glow. If you’re worried about fire hazards, check out InspiredLighting.com, which sells battery-operated pillar candles that look just like the real thing.

Center of attention

You don’t need a lot of frills in your dining area, but a fitting centerpiece can go a long way in creating a festive atmosphere. Why not put your Nativity scene at the center of your table to give it the attention it deserves? Accent it with cut evergreen boughs. An Advent wreath also makes a lovely and meaningful centerpiece. You might also try blossoming amaryllis bulbs, roses, or a fragrant rosemary tree to add a splash of color. Fill a glass or plain white bowl with cranberries, glass ornaments, or silver jingle bells. Display a basket filled with your favorite Christmas books; or arrange holiday cookies on a platter in the shape of a wreath.

Follow your nose

Fill your home with the smells of the season. Scatter sprigs of rosemary or evergreen throughout your house or brew up a pot of cranberry tea. The following recipe makes about 5 quarts of delicious tea that fills your home with a blissful­ holiday aroma.

Christmas Cranberry Tea

3 cinnamon sticks

30 whole cloves

3 1/2 quarts plus 2 cups water, divided

1-pound can cranberry sauce

2 6-ounce cans frozen orange juice concen-

trate, thawed

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Combine cinnamon sticks, cloves, and 2 cups of water in a small saucepan and bring to boil for about 10 minutes. In a large bowl, mix cranberry sauce, orange juice, sugar, and lemon juice. Using a strainer to catch the cloves and cinnamon sticks, add the boiling liquid to the cranberry sauce mixture. Pour the mixture and the remaining water into a slow cooker and heat on low to keep warm before serving.

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