* * * THE VJJE RECIPE WEEKLY * * * = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = http://www.e-cookbooks.net Vol. 11, No. 48 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = THE PERFECT GIFT FOR UNDER $10.00!! =================================== Over 700 different apron designs in a wide variety of themes ... something for everyone! http://www.coolaprons.com =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-= THIS WEEK'S FEATURES AND RECIPES: > Article: Lighten Up That Doorstop > Wine Appreciation: Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc - Viognier 2007 > Food Funnies: Signs You're at a Lame Office Christmas Party S E L E C T E D R E C I P E S : * Mrs. Fields Eggnog Cookies http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes1/12021.htm * Dilled Pot Roast http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes1/12022.htm * Chicken in Peanut Sauce http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes1/12023.htm * Pork and Squash Stew http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes1/12024.htm * Brisket in Sweet-and-Sour Sauce http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes1/12025.htm * Italian Pepperoni-Cheese Puffs http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes1/12026.htm * Fresh Vegetable Pasta Salad http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes1/12027.htm * Bourbon Walnut Pie http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes1/12028.htm > Healthy Eating: Low Carb: Bleu Cheese & Brandy Spread http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes1/1202lc.htm Diabetic: Mexican Christmas Salad http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes1/1202di.htm Low Fat: Holiday Cherry Shortcake http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes1/1202lf.htm =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+==+=-=+=-=+=-= Kelley's Cooking Tips ===================== Bread and Roll Tips: Keep bread fresh longer by placing a rib of celery in the bread bag. For quick and easy garlic breadsticks, split a hot dog bun down the middle and cut each half lengthwise. Butter each strip; sprinkle with garlic salt or garlic powder. Place on a cookie sheet and bake or broil until toasted. To butter many slices of bread quickly and evenly, heat the butter until soft, then "paint" it on with a flat pastry brush. To thaw frozen bread and rolls, place in a brown paper bag and put into a 325F oven for 5 minutes to thaw completely. Place aluminum foil under the napkin in your roll basket and the rolls will stay hot longer. Yeast breads are more moist when made with potato water (water in which you have boiled potatoes) than when made with other liquids. The potato water keeps the bread fresh longer and gives it a slightly greater volume, but coarser texture. Have a cooking question? Kelley has your answer! Mailto:Kelley@e-cookbooks.net =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+==+=-=+=-=+=-= This Week's Culinary Quiz (Answer at the bottom of page) What country is the largest producer of olives? =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+==+=-=+=-=+=-= Quote of the Week: "In my experience, clever food is not appreciated at Christmas. It makes the little ones cry and the old ones nervous." - Jane Grigson =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+==+=-=+=-=+=-= Subscribe to the VJJE Recipe Weekly - It's fun and it's free! http://www.e-cookbooks.net/sub1.htm SHARING IS NICE! Send this ezine to a friend by clicking "Forward" and filling in the "To" address, or get it from your Address Book. Show everyone you have GREAT TASTE! =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+==+=-=+=-=+=-= UPCOMING FOOD HOLIDAYS: December 7 - National Cotton Candy Day December 8 - National Brownie Day December 9 - National Pastry Day December 10 - National Lager Day December 11 - National Noodle-Ring Day December 12 - National Ambrosia Day December 13 - National Cocoa Day December 14 - National Bouillabaisse Day =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-= Personalized Chef Coats! ======================== Kick it up a notch with a touch of class! Create a personalized and professional look in your kitchen. http://www.coolaprons.com/coats.htm =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-= Lighten Up That Doorstop by Mark Bittman Pity the poor, maligned fruitcake. Who hasn't heard of the same fruitcake that gets passed around every year and then sits on a shelf until the next holiday season? The poor things are often referred to as bricks, paperweights or doorstops. Most people either love it or hate it. Don't blame the fruitcake, blame the recipe! There are many different styles and recipes to choose from, so give fruitcake another chance. Fruitcakes have been making the rounds for centuries. In general, fruitcakes can include any and all of the following: candied fruit, dried fruit, fruit rind, nuts, spices and some sort of liquor or brandy. The ratio of fruit and nuts to batter is fairly high, with just enough cake batter to hold it all together. This naturally results in a very dense, moist, heavy cake, no doubt giving rise to the doorstop reference. There are two basic types: - Light Fruitcake: This type is made with light-colored ingredients such as granulated sugar, light corn syrup, almonds, golden raisins, pineapple, apricots and the like. - Dark Fruitcake: Darker ingredients are used such as molasses, brown sugar, and darker-colored fruits like raisins, prunes, dates, cherries, pecans and walnuts. Those who don't like fruitcake generally point the finger at the candied citron or fruits used in the cake. Candied citron is made from the thick peel of the citrus fruit of the same name. Candied fruit, most commonly pineapple, cherry and citrus rind, is made by dipping or boiling pieces of fruit in a heavy syrup and then drying them. They are often rolled in granulated sugar after the drying process. If you don't like candied fruits or peels, try substituting plain dried fruit pieces in your fruitcake. After being slowly baked, the finished fruitcakes get their preservative treatment. Cheesecloth is soaked in brandy, bourbon, whiskey, rum or other liquor and then wrapped around the cooled fruitcake. The whole shebang is then wrapped in foil to ripen and age. Fruitcakes soaked in liquor can literally last for years if you periodically add more liquor. Some fruitcake fans won't even touch a fruitcake until it has aged at least three years, although it's generally recommended that soaked fruitcakes be consumed within two years. Fruitcake should be tightly wrapped and stored in the refrigerator. Unwrap every few months and drizzle with liquor. Re-wrap tightly. Interestingly enough, although fruitcake can be frozen, its life is shorter than if refrigerated, only one year. When serving liquor-soaked fruitcake, remember a little goes a long way. One fruitcake provides double the amount of servings of a standard cake or loaf of equal size. Holiday Fruit Cake ================== 1 cup butter 1 cup sugar 2 eggs 1/2 cup milk 1 3/4 cups currants 1 1/4 cups mixed candied citrus peel 1/2 grated nutmeg pod 1 cup slivered almonds 1 lemon, zest and juice 1 1/4 cups flour dry sherry for sprinkling Generously grease and line with parchment paper an 8-inch round pan, or grease and flour a 5-cup ring mold; set aside. Cream the butter and gradually add the sugar, beating until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the milk. In a separate bowl, combine the currants, candied peel, nutmeg, almonds, and lemon zest with 3/4 cup of flour. Add the remaining cup of flour and lemon juice to the egg batter; mix well. Fold in the fruit and nut mixture. Pour into a prepared pan and bake in a 300F oven for 2 hours or until a fine skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Loosen the edges of the cake from the pan or mold with a knife and allow to cool on a wire rack before unmolding. Sprinkle the cake with a little sherry, allow to cool completely. Wrap well and refrigerate. =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-= THE E-COOKBOOKS LIBRARY ======================= Find out why the E-Cookbooks Library is one of the greatest values on the internet! http://www.e-cookbooks.net/elibrary/ =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-= This Week's Wine Spotlight: =========================== Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc - Viognier 2007 Price: $13 Floral and sweet on the nose, the 2007 Chenin Blanc-Viognier exhibits fragrant aromas of pear, lychee and melon, with a delicate touch of grapefruit, lime and mixed citrus. Bright, crisp flavors of lively citrus and pear are offered up along with a supple texture. The slightly off-dry finish is clean and crisp, marked with notes of red grapefruit. Enjoy now or cellar for two years. Serve With: Scallop and Bacon Chowder ========================= 1 cup (packed) fresh Italian parsley 3/4 cup olive oil 1/2 teaspoon salt 8 ounces bacon, coarsely chopped 2 large leeks (white and pale green parts only), thinly sliced 3 garlic cloves, chopped 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme 1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels 1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 3 (8 oz.) bottles clam juice 1 cup whipping cream 1 pound bay scallops, connective tissue removed Blend parsley, oil, and salt in blender until smooth. Pour into small bowl. Cook bacon in heavy large pot over medium-high heat until crisp and brown. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons drippings from pot. Add leeks, garlic, and thyme to pot and saute until leeks begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add corn and saute 2 minutes. Add potatoes, clam juice, and cream; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Add scallops and bacon and simmer until scallops are just opaque in center, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle chowder into bowls. Drizzle 1 teaspoon parsley oil atop chowder in each bowl and serve. =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-= FOOD FUNNIES: Signs You're at a Lame Office Christmas Party =========================================================== 9. The "open bar" referred to on the invitation is the one across the street and down the block. 8. Instead of platters of hors d'ouevres, there are discount prices at the lunchroom vending machines. 7. Somebody's been copying or faxing the fruitcake to the other departments. The same fruitcake they faxed you last year. 6. Instead of festive holiday napkins, there's a pile of miscellaneous napkins from a wide variety of fast food establishments that are close to your workplace. 5. Your supervisor lets everyone know he can only stay briefly because he's going to the *real* Christmas party with upper management. 4. The bartender keeps trying to foist "non-alcoholic" vodka on you, which you see him pouring from the water fountain in the hall. 3. The hors d'oeuvres look suspiciously like chopped-up stale donuts from Henson's birthday last week. 2. The color of the festive pink cupcakes matches the color of the pay slips being distributed. ... and the #1 Sign You're at a Lame Office Christmas Party... 1. It's January 12th. =+=-=+=-=+=-=+= http://www.e-cookbooks.net =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-= Mrs. Fields Eggnog Cookies ========================== 2 1/2 cups flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 1 1/4 cups sugar 3/4 cup butter 1/2 cup eggnog 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 egg yolks 1 tablespoon nutmeg Preheat oven to 300F. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg. mix well with a wire whisk and set aside. In a large bowl, cream sugar and butter with an electric mixer to form a grainy paste. Add eggnog, vanilla and egg yolks and beat at medium speed until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed just until combined. Do not overmix. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased baking sheets, 1" apart. Sprinkle lightly with nutmeg. Bake for 23-25 minutes or until bottoms turn light brown. Transfer to cool, flat surface immediately with spatula. =+=-=+=-=+=-=+= http://www.e-cookbooks.net =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-= Dilled Pot Roast ================ 1 (2 to 2 1/2-pound) boneless beef chuck roast 2 tablespoons cooking oil 1/2 cup water 1 tablespoon snipped fresh dillweed or 1 teaspoon dried dillweed 1 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher) or 3/4 teaspoon regular salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1/2 cup plain yogurt 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 3 cups hot cooked noodles In a large skillet brown roast in hot oil. Place roast in a 3-1/2 to 4-quart electric crockery cooker, cutting if necessary to fit. Add the water to cooker. Sprinkle roast with 2 teaspoons of the fresh dillweed or 3/4 teaspoon of the dried dillweed, salt, and pepper. Cover and cook on high heat setting for 5 to 6 hours or on low heat setting for 10 to 12 hours, until meat is tender. Remove roast from cooker, reserving liquid; cover roast and keep warm. Measure liquid from cooker; skim fat. Reserve 1 cup of the juices. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan stir together yogurt and flour until well combined. Stir in the 1 cup reserved cooking liquid and remaining dillweed. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 1 minute more. Serve meat with sauce and noodles. =+=-=+=-=+=-=+= http://www.e-cookbooks.net =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-= Chicken in Peanut Sauce ======================= 1 tablespoon cooking oil 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into bite-size strips 2 teaspoons curry powder 1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped 1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces or 3 cups frozen cut green beans 1 cup purchased light coconut milk 3/4 cup chunky peanut butter 2 tablespoons soy sauce 1/4 cup snipped fresh cilantro 3 cups hot cooked cellophane noodles or rice In a large skillet heat oil over medium-high heat. In a medium bowl, toss chicken with curry powder and jalapeno. Add to skillet; Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Carefully add beans and 3/4 cup water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. In a medium bowl stir together coconut milk, peanut butter, and soy sauce. Add to the skillet. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes more or until chicken is no longer pink and beans are tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the cilantro. Serve chicken mixture over noodles or rice and sprinkle with remaining cilantro. =+=-=+=-=+=-=+= http://www.e-cookbooks.net =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-= Pork and Squash Stew ==================== 1 1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder roast 2 tablespoons cooking oil 1 1/2 pounds winter squash, such as butternut, hubbard, or acorn, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces 1/2 cup sliced onion 1/2 cup dried apricots 2 tablespoons raisins 1/4 cup packaged instant mashed potato flakes 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar 3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth 1 tablespoon bottled steak sauce Trim fat from pork. Cut pork into 1-inch pieces. In a large skillet brown pork, half at a time, in hot oil about 5 minutes. Drain off fat. In a 3-1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker place squash, onion, apricots, and raisins. Add pork. Sprinkle with potato flakes, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Combine chicken broth and steak sauce; pour over meat. Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 7 to 8 hours or on high-heat setting for 3-1/2 to 4 hours. Stir gently before serving. =+=-=+=-=+=-=+= http://www.e-cookbooks.net =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-= Brisket in Sweet-and-Sour Sauce =============================== 1 medium onion, peeled and quartered 1 two-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled 6 large cloves garlic 1/4 cup Dijon mustard 1/2 cup dry red wine 1 1/2 cups Coca-Cola or ginger ale 1 cup ketchup 1/4 cup honey 1/4 cup cider vinegar 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/2 cup olive oil 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1 tablespoon coarsely ground pepper or to taste 1 (6 to 7 pound) first-cut brisket, rinsed and patted dry. Heat oven to 350F. Place everything but the brisket into a food processor, and process with steel blade until smooth. Place brisket, fat side up, into a heavy baking pan just large enough to hold it, and pour sauce over it. Cover tightly and bake for 2 hours. Turn brisket over and bake uncovered for one more hour or until fork tender. Cool, cover brisket and refrigerate overnight in cooking pan. The next day, transfer brisket to a cutting board, cut off fat and cut with a sharp knife against grain, to desired thickness. Remove any congealed fat from sauce and bring to a boil on top of stove. Heat oven to 350. Taste sauce to see if it needs reducing. If so, boil it down for a few minutes or as needed. Return meat to sauce and warm in oven for 20 minutes. Serve warm. =+=-=+=-=+=-=+= http://www.e-cookbooks.net =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-= Italian Pepperoni-Cheese Puffs ============================== 1 1/4 cups water 1/3 cup shortening 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 4 eggs 3/4 cup finely chopped pepperoni (3 oz.) 3/4 cup finely shredded Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese (3 oz.) 2 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder 1/8 teaspoon pepper Grease 2 large baking sheets; set aside. In a large saucepan combine water and shortening. Bring to boiling. Add flour all at once, stirring vigorously. Cook and stir until mixture forms a ball. Remove from heat. Cool for 10 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well with a wooden spoon after each addition. Stir in pepperoni, cheese, parsley, garlic powder, and pepper. Drop dough by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheets. Bake in a 450 degree F oven for 15 to 17 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm. =+=-=+=-=+=-=+= http://www.e-cookbooks.net =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-= Fresh Vegetable Pasta Salad =========================== 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh parsley sprigs 2 tablespoons salad oil 2 tablespoons wine vinegar 2 tablespoons water 1 to 2 cloves garlic 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 4 ounces fresh linguine, cut into 4-inch pieces, or 2 ounces dry linguine, broken 1 large carrot, cut into julienne strips 1 small turnip, cut into julienne strips 1 small zucchini, cut into julienne strips 1/2 cup chopped red sweet pepper 1/2 cup loose-pack frozen peas, thawed 2 ounces part-skim mozzarella, gruyere, or Swiss cheese, cubed Salad greens (optional) For dressing, in a blender container or food processor bowl combine parsley sprigs, salad oil, wine vinegar, water, garlic cloves, dry mustard, salt, and pepper. Cover and blend or process until combined. Set aside. In a large saucepan cook fresh linguine, carrot, and turnip in a large amount of boiling water for 3 to 4 minutes or until pasta and vegetables are tender. (Or, if using dry linguine, cook pasta according to package directions, adding carrot and turnip the last 3 to 4 minutes of cooking.) Drain. Rinse with cold water; drain again. In a large salad bowl combine cooked pasta mixture, zucchini, pepper, peas, and cheese. Add dressing. Toss to coat. If desired, line bowl with salad greens to serve. =+=-=+=-=+=-=+= http://www.e-cookbooks.net =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-= Bourbon Walnut Pie ================== Crust: 2 cups all purpose flour 1 teaspoon sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 1 large egg 1 tablespoon milk Filling: 1 cup dark corn syrup 1/2 cup sugar 3 large eggs 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted 2 tablespoons bourbon 1 1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup chopped walnuts (about 3 ounces) 3/4 cup walnut halves (about 3 ounces) For Crust: Blend flour, sugar and salt in processor. Add butter and process using on/off turns until mixture resembles coarse meal. Whisk egg and milk in small bowl to blend, then add to processor. Blend until moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball and flatten into disk. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate 1 hour. For Filling: Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk syrup, sugar, eggs, butter, bourbon, flour, vanilla and salt in large bowl to blend. Mix in all walnuts. Roll out dough on floured surface to 14-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Fold edge under; crimp decoratively. Pour filling into prepared crust. Bake until crust is golden and filling is set in center when pie is shaken slightly, about 55 minutes. Cool pie completely in pan on rack. =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-= This Week's Culinary Quiz Answer: Spain Olive trees originated in Asia Minor, and spread to the Mediterranean, where the climate is ideal for them. Olive trees can be found in almost all of the Mediterranean countries, but Spain is the largest producer of olives. Italy is also a very important olive producer. Olives have been introduced to several countries outside the Mediterranean; among them are Australia and the U.S. state of California. =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-= Until Next Week, John Havel, Editor http://www.e-cookbooks.net "The Food and Cooking Network" VJJE Publishing Co. 9121 Riverside Road Clay, NY 13041 1-877-210-9600 =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-= Receive The Leading Recipe Ezine On The Internet! http://www.e-cookbooks.net/sub1.htm Our privacy policy can be reviewed at: http://www.e-cookbooks.net/privacy.htm To cancel your subscription: mailto:Remove@e-cookbooks.net?subject=Remove =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=