A Mixed Bag of Nuts, Hopes & Dreams for the New Year©

SPICY MIXED NUTS AND SPINACH CON QUESO WITH WARM TORTILLA CHIPS

New Year's Eve Spicy Mixed Nuts

It's almost time to wrap up the holidays for this year. I hope that each of you celebrated with loved ones and that you've all maintained good health. It seems that every year they (the holidays, not the loved ones) sneak up on us more quickly than the last. But I guess that’s part of the aging process. Time passes more and more quickly, or at least it seems like it. The weeks and months fly by, and before you know it, another year is behind you. I think that is why I am a firm believer in making every minute count—you never know how many more you have left. When I turned fifty, I told my sons and their families that the extravagant Christmases were over. The best gift I could give to them, and that they could give to me was time. Time spent together is not something you can buy. It is not something that will break and be discarded with yesterday’s trash. It is, however, something that can live on in memories and photographs, and cherished forever.

They say that there is nothing more permanent than change, and that nothing else meets with more resistance. I’ve often wondered why that is. As a child, change is met with mixed emotions. Most children can’t wait to grow up as it seems that adults have all the privileges. “When I grow up, I’m going to . . . .” Yet children need the security of knowing that their world is safe. When we’re adults, we’re hesitant to see the boat rocked by change. Many times change in the workplace signals downsizing, rightsizing, and loss of jobs. Too often we become comfortable with the status quo; it’s predictable, secure. There’s comfort in knowing what to expect. But change is inevitable; it is the only thing that brings progress.

Big changes happened for me in 2012. After suffering a slight stroke several years ago, and as is typical of many people as we age and lose loved ones, I've come to realize that my family is more important than a career, and that relationships are more important than possessions. For those reasons, I moved from Ohio to Florida. For the first time since I was 12, I'm not working at a "real job." At this point in my life, I'm fortunate that I can kick back, enjoy life and do what I want to do. My children are grown, there are no more orthodontist payments to make, college educations to finance, pensions to fund, or mortgages to pay. But because I'm not old enough or ready yet to retire, I'm evaluating the coming year and what it might have in store for me. My “past life” included jobs ranging from clerical staff in our church office at the age of 12 to litigation attorney, from college professor to private investigator and from catering and teaching cooking classes to freelance writing. It may sound like a diversity of careers, but what they all have in common is that they're all service oriented positions. I love working with, and helping people. As I've gotten older, I've narrowed the area of service, however, to things I really enjoy, i.e., teaching, cooking and writing. I don't miss the rat race, the stress or the overhead. I do miss the people. But with the audience I'm reaching with my little articles, I couldn't be happier. I envision a classroom out there and an audience that is interested in what I have to say. That makes my day, everyday, and I thank you for following my blog postings.

So what will 2013 bring? What hopes and dreams do I have for the coming year? Aside from the standard ones like good health to everyone, peace in the world, freedom from debilitating illnesses and diseases, safety in all you do, and success in all your endeavors, I have a few more. We have a new baby coming in our family. In February, my first Great-Grandchild will be born. Yes, you don't have to say it, but I know you're thinking it: I'm really too young to be a Great-Grandmother. But since no one asked me my opinion as to whether I thought I was old enough to have a Great-Grandson, I'm just going with it! I hope that he is healthy, has 10 fingers and 10 toes, and is not a difficult birth for his mother. To his parents, I wish joy as parents, and in enlarging their family. May they continue to provide a loving, supportive home for their children and for each other. To his half-sister, I wish a loving sibling relationship. There will be the typical sibling rivalry, but in the end, most of us would admit that it is wonderful to have siblings.

For my Grandson who is graduating in May, I wish success in pursuing his degree and in acceptance to Graduate School in Psychology, and in all that he does. I am sure that he will go far in whatever career he eventually chooses, but it can't hurt to wish him success and hope that he will meet and surpass even his highest dreams. To my Granddaughters, I wish continued success in their schooling and in their musical and athletic ambitions. I wish them a smooth road through puberty and into adulthood. I wish all my Grandchildren happiness in whatever and however they decide to live their lives. I hope that they will not have to suffer disappointments, failures, and hardships; but on the other hand, these experiences build strong character, and if it has to be, so be it.

For my two Sons and their Wives, I wish continued success, happiness, love and joy in their relationships with each other and their families. Although my Sons live across the country from each other, I hope that they will continue to build and maintain a close, loving relationship with each other. I think that as parents all we really want to see for our children is their happiness and contentment in their lives. Any expectations that I might have had when they were young were only that: my expectations. Those fell by the wayside years ago when I realized that I had two beautiful, intelligent Sons who were fully capable of knowing what they wanted, and how they were going to achieve it. As their Mother, I couldn't ask for any more. I am very blessed.

The recipes I'm providing today wrap up my holiday series for this year. Next month we're going to start tackling some Classic Comfort Foods--winter selections like Soups and Breads. However, the recipes I am sharing with you today bring the year's entertainment season to a close. And what better way than by ending the year with a New Year's Eve party ushering out the old and bringing in the new. Hence, the mixed bag of nuts in the recipe for Spicy Mixed Nuts below. Now, some of you who know me may think I'm referring to myself, as I've been told on more than one occasion that I'm nuts, and frankly, to me that's a compliment! In reality, I'm referring to the variety of nuts you'll want to choose when making this nibble to place by your bar or beverage station. I must confess, this is not my recipe. However, it is one that I swear by, as I have been serving it seemingly since forever during the holidays, and at parties all year round. I've adapted it simply by adding less salt than the original recipe calls for. In fact, if I use already-salted nuts and salted butter, I do not use the Kosher Salt at all. The basic recipe (only 1/4 the quantity of the one I've given you below) is from the Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook by Julee Rosso & Sheila Lukins ©1984, 1985 by Julee Rosso & Sheila Lukins (one of my go-to books for entertaining and recipes for years).¹ I believe I've served these nuts every Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year since I first bought the Cookbook in 1985. They have just enough spice to make a perfect accompaniment to beverages and whet the appetite, and just enough protein to soothe your guilt. As for the Queso Recipe, this is also a knock off that I've tweaked over the years. Because one of my very favorite appetizers of all time is J Alexander's Spinach con Queso with fresh, warm tortilla chips, I've worked at trying to duplicate it. I think the one I'm giving you today is pretty close. If you're like I am, I could make a meal from these two hors'd oeuvres. Add to them the Antipasti platter and Cheese Straws from my previous posting and you've got an easy party for at least 25 guests!

And finally, for you and your loved ones in the coming year, I wish you good health, happiness, and great success in all you do. May all your hopes and dreams be realized in 2013! Happy New Year and Thank You for reading!

©2012 A Mixed Bag of Nuts, Hopes and Dreams for the New Year by Kathy Striggow

NEW YEAR'S EVE SPICY MIXED NUTS¹

Spicy Mixed Nuts--A  Perfect Accompaniment
to your Bar or Beverage Station!

Yield: 6 cups   
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Baking Time: 20-25 minutes


Ingredients

½ cup Unsalted Butter

¼ cup Worcestershire Sauce

1 tsp. Ground Cumin

2 tsp. Celery Salt

2 tsp. Garlic Powder

½ tsp. Cayenne Pepper

2 tsp. Seasoned Salt

6 cup Roasted Mixed Nuts (Whole Cashews, Whole Almonds, Pecan Halves, English Walnut Halves, Whole Hazelnuts)², Unsalted

3 Tbsp. Coarse Kosher Salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325° F. Line 2 baking sheets with Parchment Paper.

2. Melt the butter in Dutch oven over low heat.

3. All the Worcestershire, spices and seasoned salt (NOT the Kosher salt).

4.Simmer over low heat so that the flavors combine, approximately 5-10 minutes.

5.Add the nuts and stir until evenly coated.

Stir the Nuts Occasionally Throughout the
Baking Process

6. Spread the coated nuts evenly on the parchment paper lined baking sheets in a single layer and bake for 20-25 minutes, shaking the pan or turning the nuts occasionally. Watch the nuts so that they do NOT burn.



7. Remove the nuts from the oven and coat with the kosher salt.

8. Cool completely, then store in an airtight container.

9. If desired, warm in the oven for a few minutes before serving.

¹Courtesy of the Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook by Julie Rosso & Sheila Lukins ©1984, 1985 by Julee Rosso & Sheila Lukins

²I personally do not like peanuts, so I don't use them. But if you do, feel free to add whole peanuts to the mix!

Spinach con Queso with Warm Tortilla Chips

Spinach con Queso with Warm Tortilla Chips

Yield: 12 servings

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

1 tsp. Olive Oil

2-3 Cloves Garlic, finely minced

1 bunch Scallions, including Green Tops, finely sliced

1 large or 2 small Jalapeno Peppers, seeds removed and finely minced

1 lb. Velveeta Mexican Cheese (cubed)

12 ounces Cream Cheese, cubed then softened

2 packages (10 oz.) Frozen Creamed Spinach

3 Ripe Tomatoes, finely diced³

1/2 cup fresh Cilantro OR Parsley (or a combination of both), finely snipped (I Prefer parsley)

White Pepper, freshly ground, to taste

¼ to ½ tsp. Cayenne Pepper or to taste (optional)

Thin, Salted Tortilla Chips, Warmed for Serving

Fresh Pico de Gallo, if desired, as an accompaniment to the Queso

Directions

1.         Heat olive over medium heat.  Add garlic, scallions and pepper and sauté until soft, not browned.  Set aside.

2.         Place cheeses in a Microwave-safe Bowl and Microwave for 2 minutes, or until cheeses begin to melt.

3.         Stir the cheeses, then return to the Microwave and continue heating for another minute.  Stir the cheeses again.

4.         Repeat this process until the cheeses have completely melted.Stir to make sure cheeses are completely incorporated into each other.

5.         When the cheeses are completely melted, place spinach in the Microwave and cook according to the package directions for 2 packages.

6.         When the spinach is completely heated through, add to the mixture of cheeses.

7.         Return to the Microwave and cook for another minute.

8.         Remove from Microwave and stir in tomatoes, cilantro, parsley or mixture of both, and seasonings, making sure to adjust seasoning to taste.

9.         Transfer the Queso to a chafing dish that has been warmed with hot water, and keep warm over a low flame.

10.       Serve the Queso with Thin, Salted Tortilla Chips that have been warmed, and fresh Pico de Gallo, if desired.

11.       Think of a New Year's dream with every bite!

³If you're running short on time and want to take a shortcut, 2 cans of canned diced tomatoes with chiles well in place of the fresh tomatoes, jalapeños, etc. It's not a bad substitute.

©2012 A Mixed Bag of Nuts, Hopes and Dreams for the New Year by Kathy Striggow

©2012 A Mixed Bag of Nuts, Hopes and Dreams for the New Year by Kathy Striggow

©Spinach con Queso with Warm Tortilla Chips by Kathy Striggow

 



A Smorgasbord of Realities and Dreams©

Kathy's New Year's Eve Antipasti

The New Year is almost upon us. New Year's Eve is always a time for reflection on the year that has flown by and anticipation for the coming year. It's a mixed bag of memories and expectancies, a smorgasbord of realities and dreams. And of course, don't forget the New Year's Resolutions!

For me, the realities include my relocation to a new life in Florida after a lifetime of living in the Midwest. Florida—Heaven's "waiting room" and the land of the Fountain of Youth. It was a matter of moving closer to my family. The year also brought changes in relationships. No longer did I have my network of friends; instead I became more dependent on my family, with the hope of adding new friends in my new life. As we age, it becomes more difficult to make new friends, and even when we do, they can never really know our history like our old friends do. I have wonderful friends, some that I've had since childhood & school, some since college and my professional life, some that I met at the 55+ community I moved to when I became caregiver for my disabled father. Those friends, like the song says, are gold. My new friends will be the silver ones.

It is also difficult to visualize your children and grandchildren as adults. This became evident to me during my moving process. Most of the furniture has settled into its final resting spot at the new location, at least for the time being. Moving is never a fun or easy job, but I have to say that thanks to my two grandsons, mine went smoother and faster than I imagined possible. It’s still hard for me to believe that my “little guys” were able to move all the appliances and furniture, connect electronics, hang pictures, and disassemble and then re-assemble the kitchen, living room, dining room, bedrooms and the closets in my new home 1250 miles away. I still think of my grandsons, now almost 22 and 20, as my “little guys.” This is because they spent more time with me than they did with their father until they were 6 and 8 years old. Because their parents were not married until the boys were 4 and 2, and they did not live together continuously as a family until they were 6 and 4, my house was a stable and secure environment for the boys while mom was working or going to nursing school.

The odds were against their parents from the start. Their father (my son, Scott) was 18 years old when Zak, the oldest, was born, BUT he was a high school graduate--by less than 24 hours. He was away at college for most of Zak’s first year. His mother, truly a saint, worked and put herself through nursing school while she provided a home where unconditional love and thirst for learning thrived. In their early years, she shouldered 100% of the responsibility for the boys, while she tolerated, and rode through my son’s battle against maturity. When Jordan was born two years after Zak, Scott still was not ready to settle down. In fact, it took him almost six more years to get his act together. Today he is a wonderful father to his four children. He and his wife have been together for almost 23 years, and I am very proud of them both for sticking out the rough time they had getting started.

Those were tough years on the boys, but they were also good years. They had the security of knowing that they were loved by both parents, both sets of Grandparents, and the rest of their extended families. I think they became stronger and more insightful because of their struggle. They maintained continuity in their schooling, their church, and their schedules. Because so many of their classmates also had parents who did not live together, the boys viewed their situation as similar. For a five-year period, the boys spent every weekend with me. I picked them up every Friday afternoon after school, and they stayed with me until after dinner Sunday evening. Mom worked 36 hours every weekend at a local hospital, and dad worked in retail management, which also meant every weekend. Jordan once commented that they were just like their classmates who spent weekends with divorced or separated parents. I was their “other mom.” To help give their mom a break during the week, I obtained all their school assignments for a month at a time and we did all their homework for the coming week over the weekend. I chauffeured them to theatre classes, doctor appointments, sporting practices and games. We entertained their friends with sleepovers and birthday parties, and I marched them into church every Sunday. I took them with me to work, to donate blood, and to help out at our local soup kitchen.

You never know if you’re doing the right thing where children are concerned. Only time will tell, as you don’t see the finished product for many years to come. But one day recently it struck me that something I taught them must have clicked. Zak (who is now 21) called me and said that he had an appointment the next day to give blood. He asked me if I’d like to go along with him and make it a “family” thing. It made me smile to see that he’s already giving back to the community. He did learn something during those tough years! Enjoy them while they’re little, and then watch them implement what they learned as children when they become adults. It’s a rewarding feeling!

In my next article, I will cover the "dreams" or hopes for the New Year. Until then, I've provided my favorite dish for a New Year's Eve Party. It is truly mixed bag or Smorgasbord of delights. I'm going to tell you how I do it, and you can incorporate as much or as little as you like, depending on the size of your group. When I lived in the loft apartment of a retail building-turned condos in the downtown area of Toledo, my New Year's Eve parties usually were more of an Open House where guests could stop by for as much or as little time as they had to spend. Toledo had a "First Night" celebration downtown on New Year's Eve, and there was entertainment, displays, activities, etc. going on all evening. Friends stopped in on their way to or from one of the other goings-on so I always had a full house. There was always a full house at midnight, when we went up to the roof to watch the city's fireworks display, drink champagne and toast in the coming year.

This hors'd oeuvre, my Antipasti Platter, is always a hit. There is something on it for everyone. And it requires virtually no cooking, just time in putting it together. You can make it from ingredients bought at grocery, specialty, gourmet stores or delis, and put it together hours ahead of serving time. It makes a beautiful presentation with little or no garnish, especially if you serve it on a colorful platter. You will find your guests coming back to it again and again. I usually serve it with either crisp breadsticks or Cheese Straws, so I'm also giving you my recipe for Cheese Straws. They are simple to make, and they can be made the day before or earlier in the day. If you're vegan or vegetarian, don't put any meat on the platter. I guarantee that you will love it, and it is perfect for New Year's Eve in its ability to combine memories of the past year with hopes for the new one. Happy New Year!

©2012 A Smorgasbord of Realities and Dreams by Kathy Striggow

Kathy's New Year's Eve Antipasti

 Simple Antipasti Platter

Yield: 12 to 100

 

Prep Time:  1-2 hours, depending on the type of foods you include on the platter

Ingredients

Choose  as many of the following as you like.  Use ingredients in a variety of colors for an attractive selection:

Large rounds of Pepperoni or Salami (about 3 to 3-1/2 inches in diameter)

Small bite-sized balls of Buffalo Mozzarella
Olives, Black, Green (stuffed or unstuffed), Kalamata, or a variety of Gourmet Olives
Green or White Asparagus Spears OR both, roasted, blanched or marinated
Small Cherry Peppers
Pepperoncini or Small Banana Peppers
Tuna Chunks
Pickled Beets (either small balls or slices)
Pickled Vegetable Variety (Cauliflower, Carrots, Onions, etc.)
Ham, Pancetta, Capicola or Prosciutto, sliced thin
Marinated Button Mushrooms, medium-sized
Marinated Artichoke Hearts
Stuffed Grape Leaves
Cornichons
Baby Sweet Pickles
Baby Carrots, blanched
Whole Green Beans, blanched or pickled
Baby Ears of Corn
Cherry or Grape Tomatoes, bite-sized
Variety of Cheeses (I like Jarlsberg, Baby Swiss, Gouda, Mozzarella, Provolone, Brie, White Cheddar, etc.-whatever you like), in bite-sized chunks
Roasted Red, Yellow or Orange Peppers, skinned and cut into strips
Deviled Eggs

Garlic Expressions®¹ OR Greek Salad Dressing OR Italian Salad Dressing OR Olive Oil mixed with a little Red Wine Vinegar 

Crisp Breadsticks, Crostini, Bagel Chips, or Cheese Straws

Directions

1.     Choosing a platter appropriate for the size of your guest list, select a variety of the ingredients from the above list.

2.     If you are using Pepperoni or Salami, fold the slices in half and roll into a cone-shape.  Stuff an olive or Buffalo Mozzarella Ball into the center of the cone.  Either secure with a toothpick or place close together in a circular design in the center of the platter so that they do not come apart.  Repeat with as many as you want.  Using a variety of Olives together with Mozzarella Balls makes a pretty center for the platter.

3.     Working around the center, place the other ingredients in an attractive arrangement, alternating brightly colored ingredients with the duller ones. 

 

4.     Wrap the Pancetta or Capicola around the Asparagus spears, or serve them individually on the platter, rolling the meats into logs. 

 

5.     Continue placing the ingredients around the platter until it is full. 

 

6.     If you are using Deviled Eggs, place them in and around the sections of other ingredients.

 

7.     Cover securely with plastic wrap and chill until serving time. 

8.     Just before serving, drizzle with your dressing of choice (I use Garlic Expressions®), or olive oil mixed with a small amount of red wine vinegar.

 

9.     Serve with your choice of bread and watch your guests enjoy the selections!

©2012 Kathy's New Year's Eve Antipasti by Kathy Striggow

 

 

Cheese Straws

 Cheese Straws Yield:  24-5 to 6 in. straws                           Prep Time: 15 minutes Bake Time: 15-20 minutes    Ingredients   1 pound Puff Pastry 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese, freshly grated 1 Cups Guyere, Jarlsberg or other Mild Swiss Cheese, finely grated ¼ tsp. Cayenne Pepper, if desired 1 tsp. Salt Freshly Grated Black Pepper 1 Jumbo Egg, beaten   1 Tbsp. Water   Directions   1.     Preheat the Oven to 350° F.  Line a baking sheet with Parchment Paper.   2.     Roll out the Puff Pastry dough into a rectangle approximately 20 by 24 inches.   4.     Sprinkle half the cheeses, half the Cayenne Pepper, half the Salt and freshly grated Black Pepper over entire surface.   5.     Using your rolling pin. gently press the cheeses and seasonings into the dough.    6.     Fold the dough crosswise and roll it out again to about 20 x 24 inches.   7.     Brush the dough an egg-wash mixture made from the Egg and the Water, being sure that the egg wash covers all the dough.   8.     Sprinkle with the remaining cheeses and the seasonings.  Using your rolling pin, gently press the cheeses and seasonings into the dough.  9.     Using a sharp, thin knife or a pizza cutter, cut the dough into approximately 1/2 to 5/8 in. strips.   10.    Cut the strips in half again so that there are 24 strips.   12.    Take each strip by its ends and twist gently, until the strips resemble spirals.   13.    Lay the spiraled dough onto the parchment papered baking sheet.  Arrange them so that they are barely touching each other in order to prevent them from unwinding.    14.    Place on the middle rack in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, turning once, or until the straws are crispy and brown.  Do not overbake or the cheese will burn!   ©2012 A Smorgasbord of Realities and Dreams by Kathy Striggow ©2012 Cheese Straws by Kathy Striggow

 

 

 

 

You Yourself Can Carve the Roast Beast!© (Kathy's Christmas Beef Tenderloin)

Kathy's Christmas Beef Tenderloin

It's Christmas Eve and the anticipation level at our house is "about a 9 on the tension scale, Rube." The gifts are all wrapped, the stockings are all hung by the chimney with care (or they would be if we had a chimney), the cookies have all been baked and decorated, and the table is set for dinner tonight. I'm in the midst of my last minute preparations, looking forward to my family and guests arriving. When they do, I can take a deep breath, relax to the sound of carols playing in the background, have a glass of wine and an hors d'oeuvre, and enjoy my guests. I don't have nearly as many guests as I used to, but the idea is not about the numbers. It's all about the family and friends that are as much a part of my family as my relatives, which gather from year to year to celebrate Christmas together.

It's times like this I wish I had continued playing the piano so that I could play Christmas Carols. I have always had this vision of everyone gathered around my piano singing "Silent Night" and "Jingle Bells." But that is one of those things you don't think about when you're twelve years old and want to give up piano lessons. This year it doesn't matter because we'll have my Granddaughter, Whitney who is 13, and her Sister, Tara who is 11, playing Christmas Carols in a duet on their violin and flute, respectively. They are both very musically talented young ladies. I'm very excited to hear them play as they have been practicing Christmas Carols since September when we bought the sheet music from the neighborhood Music Store. Whitney also plays all the Percussion instruments in her school's Concert Band as well as Keyboard, and Tara has mastered the flute just since school started here in August. She is a natural and is following in the steps of her Grandmother (or so I tell her)!

I'm sad that my youngest Son and his Wife can't be here to join us; but they live across the country and are very busy with their own lives. We will miss them greatly. I know that they are enjoying their own Christmas celebration, however, and that makes me feel better. My oldest Son and his Wife are here, as are their other two children, Zak and Jordan. Zak flew in from Ohio earlier this week. He's finishing school in May, and we're never sure whether this will be his last time at home for the holidays. We are all grateful that he is here and enjoying the time that he is able to spend with us. His Brother, Jordan and Jordan's fiancée, "Sweet Dee," will be here with their almost 2-year old daughter. It will be wonderful to have a toddler in the house for Christmas since it's been almost ten years since that has happened. 

The most wonderful part of the evening is not the gifts, the singing, the wine, the hors d' oeuvres, or the fantastic dinner that I will be serving later. It's the loving relationships between our families. After all the craziness of the evening has died down and the other guests have gone home, we will all sit outside on the lanai telling family stories, with only the multi-colored twinkle lights and the stars illuminating the midnight sky. This is our favorite time of Christmas Eve. The stories range from when I was young to when my sons were growing up, to when my oldest Son and Daughter-in-Law were newlyweds, to my Grandchildren's earliest recollections. Every one has a story, and sometimes we hear things that have been kept secrets for years. Other times, the same story is told from year to year, but it is as appreciated the latest time as it was the first time it was told. Some of the anecdotes are funny or sometimes they are sentimental and everyone cries. The best ones are the goofy things we all do, and when told to the group, everyone laughs so hard that they cry. Every year I tell them the story about one Christmas when I was a little girl and found myself in hot water. And because it's Christmas Eve, it's an appropriate time to tell it to you. 

The first thing you have to know about me is that I was a pretty stubborn, persistent and mischievous little girl who would stretch the truth in order to stay out of trouble. I would go to lengths so that I could get my own way, and I wasn't really good at waiting for things. I learned a good lesson this particular year, however, and it has remained with me ever since. When I was about 10 or 11 (about two years after learning the devastating news that there was no Santa Claus), I figured that since my Parents were just buying the gifts anyhow, it made no difference whether I opened them early or waited until Christmas to find out what they were. Our house was pretty similar in structure to the others in the neighborhood; It had gray wood-shingles and was one-and-a-half stories with a dormer on the second floor. My oldest Sister, Marie, and I shared the only bedroom on the second floor of the house. Under the sloping eaves of the roof on one side was the attic and on the other side was storage closets. I think I've told you before that when we baked Christmas Cookies in December, my Mother kept them in the attic where it was cool, so they would stay fresher longer. Well, my Parents also kept the wrapped Christmas presents in the attic. Apparently they thought they were safe from tampering hands because they were wrapped. 

This particular day in December I came home from school and no one was home. Now this was an unusual occurrence having three Sisters and a Mother who did not work outside the home. But I didn't give a whole lot of thought to that fact. I was more interested in the fact that the gifts in the attic were unattended. So I proceeded to climb the stairs and enter the attic, using the utmost care and proceeding with the utmost caution on the chance that someone might come home. It was unlikely that my two younger Sisters would come upstairs as they weren't usually allowed in the "older girls' room," but there was always a chance my oldest Sister (and bedroom-mate) would find me and blow the whistle on my mischief. She had a habit of doing that. Fortunately that did not happen. I continued on, and found the gifts that had my name on them. Very, very, very carefully, I peeled the tape away from the wrapping paper (without tearing any of the paper, I might add), and opened each of the presents. There were the books I'd asked for, the records, new shoes, and so on. I even got the specific turquoise and white dress that I wasn't sure I would get. So my pleading had paid off after all! I very, very, very carefully re-taped the packages. I knew I couldn't peel off the old tape and replace it with new without tearing the paper, and if the paper on all my gifts was torn, it would be evident they had been tapered with. Before leaving the attic, I chose a few cookies from the fifteen gross or so we had stored up there, and then left to attend to my homework. Still no one was home. Mission accomplished! I had outsmarted everyone, I thought to myself smuggishly. 

The next few weeks went by and the Christmas preparations continued. We continued baking cookies, we all wrapped presents, and we finished school before the holidays. Nothing had changed. Every evening when my Mother came back from the attic where she had given the Fruitcake its daily dousing of rum or brandy, or whatever liquor she was using that year, I held my breath. She never said anything, so I assumed I was safe. On Christmas Eve we prepared like we always did to go to my Father's Parents for the evening. Once again, after we all loaded into the car, my Mother forgot her purse, her gloves, the dish she was taking or whatever, and we all waited for her to retrieve it. By then I knew that she was really turning on the Christmas Tree lights and putting the gifts under the tree so that it would look like Santa had been there when we got home. (I still had two younger sisters, and one of them must have still believed.) So, we went to my Grandparents' home for all the festivities with all my cousins and my Father's family. I still remember having kind of a let-down feeling after we got there. I already knew what I was getting. My Sisters were all so excited, and I wasn't really excited at all. There was nothing to anticipate. I can recall my Mother asking me if I was feeling sick since I didn't seem as energetic as usual. When we drove by our house on our way from my Grandparents' home to the Church for Midnight Mass, my youngest Sister asked if we thought Santa had come yet. He has for me, I thought. I sat through Mass, all the while feeling worse and worse. Finally, it was time to go home and open gifts. For the first time in my young life, I was anxious for the night to end. 

When we got home, we all went in and hung our coats in the front closet, then we girls went to our rooms and changed into our pajamas. My Father prepared his annual Christmas Eve Eggnog and my Mother escaped to the attic to make up a plate of Christmas Cookies for our gift-opening tradition. I was dreading going downstairs to our recreation room where our big Christmas Tree was located. I dreaded opening the gifts like I'd never dreaded anything before. What was the point? I already knew what they were. I took my time, and when I heard Bing Crosby singing "White Christmas" from the record player in the basement, I knew I had no choice. "Come on Kathy," my Father called, "you're going to miss everything!" I had to go downstairs and act surprised when I opened my gifts. I can't remember ever having a larger lump in my stomach up to that point in my life. I was the last one to descend the stairs, and everyone was sitting around the tree by the time I made my appearance. I sat down in the only empty chair, and everyone looked at me. What? I thought. I looked from face to face. Then I looked at the gifts under the tree. The tape on the wrapping paper of about one-quarter of the gifts had popped and the wrapping paper was sticking straight up. The gifts had come unwrapped. But only mine! Apparently, the heat from the lights on the tree (remember, at that time it was still those big, nightlight sized colored lights) had heated the tape (which had already been peeled back once) during the time we were at my Grandparents' home and at church, and now it wasn't sticking at all! "Look at that," I said nonchalantly, acting like nothing was wrong. Everyone was still staring at me. Maybe if I acted surprised, they would think it was just bad tape. "HHHMMMMM, I've never seen that happen before," I tried again. But the jig was up. I hadn’t gotten away with it after all. The looks on everyone's face said it all. 

My Parents never reprimanded me for my little caper, though. They later said that I was embarrassed enough to learn my lesson. And in fact I learned more than one lesson that day. I learned it's no fun knowing ahead of time what "Santa" is bringing. There was no anticipation, no excitement; the magic of Christmas Eve just wasn't there for me that year. I had gone through several weeks of fear, worrying that I would be caught. And even when it appeared on the outside that I'd gotten away with my stunt, my conscience was working on me. I didn't feel good inside about the whole thing. Never again would I try to find out what a gift was ahead of time. It just wasn't worth it. Every Christmas after that, while I was still living at home, I was teased about the year the faulty tape was on just my gifts. That was the punishment that was inflicted year, after year, after year. The final thing I learned was that that tape had either malfunctioned (that's my story and I'm sticking to it), or it wasn't made to be sealed, then unsealed, then sealed again. It was too bad that I didn't have a Research & Development instinct to take this knowledge and develop it further. Perhaps then I would have discovered the glue that goes on sticky-notes, and I'd be living in Paradise watching the palm trees sway, sipping a fruity rum drink and enjoying early retirement! Oh wait! I am living in Paradise. . . . 

I am going to go finish my preparations before the doorbell starts ringing. Tonight we're having a few of the recipes I've already given you this month. As usual, we're having Caramelized Brie with Almonds and Apples, and Red & Green Christmas Salad (see earlier posts). I'm also making our traditional Christmas Roast Beef Tenderloin with a Garlic, Scallion and Dijon Sauce, Mushrooms sautéed in Garlic Butter and White Wine, Roasted Potatoes, Fresh Roasted Asparagus and Glazed Carrots. I'm sharing my recipe for the Beef Tenderloin with you today since this is our favorite Christmas Eve protein. It's so simple you can have it all ready to slide in the oven about 50 minutes before serving time, and basically not give it a thought again for 20 minutes. In fact, since it's really better to bring it to room temperature before placing it in the oven, you can enjoy a glass of wine and a few appetizers while you enjoy your guests. I prepare a sauce with it that I mix together earlier in the day. That way, all I have to do after the first 20 minutes of roasting is pour the sauce over the top of the tenderloin and slide it back in the oven for another 15-25 minutes. Then I take it out, let it rest and voilá! A self-made sauce that is wonderful over the beef, the mushrooms, or the potatoes. Try this recipe when you'd like a carefree way to fix Beef Tenderloin. It's great when you're having guests and don't want a lot of fuss. I guarantee it will melt in your mouth, and everyone will love it. And the best part is that on Christmas Eve like the Grinch, you yourself can carve the Roast Beast! My Best Wishes to all of you for a very safe, Merry Christmas, and to all a Good Night!

©2012 You Yourself Can Carve the Roast Beast, by Kathy Striggow

Kathy's Christmas Beef Tenderloin

Christmas Eve Dinner
Beef Tenderloin with Dijon Scallion Sauce
Roasted Potatoes & Glazed Baby Carrots

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Roasting Time: 35-45 minutes
Serves: 8-12

Ingredients

For the Beef

2-1/2 lb. to 3-1/2 lb. Beef Tenderloin, trimmed and all silver removed
¼ cup Unsalted Butter, at room temperature, NOT melted
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 tsp. Salt
½ tsp. Freshly Ground Black Pepper

For the Sauce¹

¼ cup Scallions with green tops included, chopped
2 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
2 Tbsp. cup Soy Sauce
2 tsp. Dijon Mustard
3 Tbsp. Flour
1 can (14 oz.) Beef Broth
Black Pepper, freshly ground

Directions

For the Beef

1. Preheat oven to 400° F.

2. Spread the tenderloin with the softened butter. Mix together the garlic powder, salt and papper and coat all sides.

3. Place on a rack in a shallow roasting pan and bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes.

4. Remove the tenderloin from the oven and pour the sauce over the top.

5. Return to the oven for another 15-25 minutes (depending on the degree of doneness you prefer), basting occasionally with the sauce and juices that have collected in the bottom of the pan.

6. Additional baking time for rare is approximately 15 minutes, 20 minutes for medium-rare, and 25 minutes for medium-well.

7. Remove from oven. Cover lightly with aluminum foil and let rest for at least 10 minutes.

8. When ready to serve, carve into ¾ to 1-inch slices and overlap slices on a warm serving platter, then drizzle with sauce (make sure the platter is warm or the beef will cool too quickly).

9. Either surround the beef with sautéed mushrooms, roasted potatoes and some fresh sprigs of rosemary, or garnish with cherry tomatoes, fresh chives or rosemary.

For the Sauce²

1. In a medium sauté pan, sauté the scallions in the 2 Tbsp. butter until soft, not browned.
2. Whisk in the soy sauce and Dijon mustard.

3. Add the Flour to the beef broth and whisk to remove any lumps.

4. Reduce the heat and slowly add the flour mixture to the pan, whisking to incorporate and to prevent the mixture from clumping.

5. Continue slowly whisking until fully incorporated and the mixture has reached the simmering point.

6. Continue simmering until the sauce begins to thicken. The sauce should reach a consistency between an au jus and gravy. Keep the sauce on the burner on low until it's time to pour it over the tenderloin.

OR

7. if you are making it ahead of time, remove it from the heat and set aside until you put the roast into the oven the first time. Warm it to simmering and pour it over the tenderloin the first time you take it out of the oven.

8. Remove the tenderloin, turn off the oven, and return the sauce in the pan to the oven where you can keep it warm until serving time.

9. The sauce may be served over the tenderloin, mashed or roasted potatoes, or any side appropriate for a beef sauce.

¹I always double the recipe for the sauce because I don't think a single recipe gives you enough sauce to have over the roast, potatoes and mushrooms I make as accompaniments. If you're serving with mashed potatoes definitely double the sauce recipe.

²This sauce can be made earlier in the day and reheated, or you can make it right after you put the tenderloin into the oven for the first time. Because I would rather be tossing the salad, pouring the wine or tending to those other last minute preparations before placing the meal on the table, I always make it ahead. There is no difference in the taste either way.

©2012 You Yourself Can Carve the Roast Beast, by Kathy Striggow
©2012 You Yourself Can Carve the Roast Beast and Kathy's Christmas Beef Tenderloin by Kathy Striggow

Here Comes Santa Claus Sugar Cookies©



Fig. 1, Alma's Santa Claus Sugar Cookies
courtesy of http://TheLittleRoundTable.com
©2010 C Fagerlin

Do you remember gazing at the sky on Christmas Eve hoping to spy Santa and his sleigh heading for your house? Did you lie in bed and listen for the sound of sleigh bells while falling to sleep? Is there anything more exciting to a small child than waking before the break of dawn on Christmas morning, anxious to see whether Santa made his annual visit? Just the memory of creeping softly down the stairs and checking the cookie plate to see if Santa ate his cookies before spying the pile of presents that Santa left beneath the tree takes me back to my childhood! He came! He came! It was almost a sure thing, even though there was that last bit of doubt the night before because I didn't always do as I was told, or clean my room like I was supposed to do. But Santa came—every year for eight seemingly long years, until that day when I learned that Santa was not a real person at all.

As a parent, I remember watching from around the corner, or another room to see the looks of wonder on my children's and later, my grandchildren's faces when they spied the abundance of treasures carefully placed under the tree. Once again Santa visited our home, and the magic lived on. Regardless of your personal view concerning the commercialization of the holiday, there is nothing like the look of amazement on the face of a child Christmas morning. It's just too bad that myth eventually comes to an end in every child's life. I specifically remember where I was when I learned that Santa Claus didn't really exist. I believe that is one memory that stayed with me because of its shock effect. At least it was a shock to me.

Every Saturday during the fall and spring my oldest Sister and I, together with one of her friends, attended the "Little Women's Club" at our local YMCA. The program ran from about 9 a.m. until about 2 p.m. and was for "little women." I was eight at the time and my Sister was 11, so it was probably intended for girls 8-12. There were many activities included in that several hour period, including gymnastics, swimming, lunch, an indoor sport like basketball, kickball, or 4-square, and cooking. Because my family only had one vehicle at the time, we walked from our home to the Y in the morning, and walked to my Grandparents' home after the program. My Grandfather always took us home from there. We went to my Grandparents' home each week because they lived half a mile from the Y, and our home was two and a half miles away. At the end of all the activity of the day, we were exhausted by the time we finished, and walking that half a mile on some of those Saturdays was a big enough struggle.

Fig. 2, 3-Dimensional Christmas Cookie
Cutters available at
http://www.grammascutters.com

On this particular day, I can remember walking on the sidewalk, trying not to step on the cracks (or I'd break my Mother's back!), and my Sister and her friend were in front of me talking lowly to each other like they always did. There was only room for two across on the sidewalk, so I was relegated as usual to bringing up the rear. The sun was shining brightly, the sky was a clear bright blue, and the air was cool. Fall had arrived a few weeks earlier, and it was a typical beautiful Indian summer day in Northwest Ohio. I was kind of off in my own world, probably thinking about what pastries Grandma would have for us when we arrived (it was Saturday after all, Grandma Lasak's baking day). I was also half eavesdropping on my Sister's conversation, which I usually did, a little irritated as I was that I was always left out of the conversation. My Sister's friend asked her what my Parents were getting her for Christmas. My Sister turned around swiftly and caught my eyes then looked back at her friend and shook her head. "She doesn't still believe in Santa Claus does she?" my Sister's friend asked incredulously in a stage-whisper. I felt like I'd been punched in the stomach. The way she asked the question made it sound like I was a moron. Or worse yet, still a baby. Trying to maintain some sense of dignity, I quickly answered, "No! I know Santa Claus isn't real!" And that was it. I can't remember the conversation for the remainder of the walk. I just remember the feeling of having lost something. A little piece of innocence, perhaps? It made me wonder how many other things that I believed existed, really didn't.

The great part about this story is that every year Santa still visits my home, albeit a few days before his usual Christmas Eve arrival, and in the form of a cookie. Children get almost as excited about these cookies as about Santa himself. They have been an anticipated part of my holiday baking repertoire since the first year I made them with my Mother-in-Law, Alma. Alma had the special cookie cutters that these cookies require in order to achieve the 3-dimensional figure that makes them unique. (See Fig. 2) The cookie cutters are available at http://www.grammascutters.com/index.php/aunt-chicks-merry-xmas-cookie-cutter-set and are worth purchasing if you plan to make these on a regular basis. You can buy Santa individually or as part of a 4-cutter set (also includes a 3-dimensional star, stocking, and tree as seen in Fig. 3; and no, I am NOT receiving any remuneration for recommending them). The dough is pressed into the cutter and is "molded" providing the cookie with depth and dimension. (See Fig. 2) I took them to my sons' school Christmas parties every year; and the next year I was asked by the teachers whether the boys would be bringing them again. They are more work than your basic decorated sugar cookie, but they’re well worth it. The Santa is decorated in several stages, beginning with placing halved raisins in the eyes before baking, then painting and sugaring the hat red, cheeks and mouth. The moustache, beard, and eyebrows are iced with white icing, and finally coconut is added to the beard and eyebrows, if desired.


Fig. 3, 3-dimensional Christmas Cookie Cutters
courtesy of http://www.grammascutters.com
©2010 C Fagerlin

Since making these for the first time in 1972, this recipe has become my cut-out sugar cookie of choice. They can be mixed together in just a few minutes with a stand mixer, and they are very easy to roll and cut. Try this recipe for any occasion where cut-out sugar cookies are called for, such as Halloween, Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, or Easter. It is a delicious cookie simply sprinkled with colored sugars, glazed or iced and decorated.² When my boys were little they loved to help in the making and decorating of these cookies, as my Grandchildren love to today. At Christmastime every year, my Grandchildren look forward to baking and decorating these cookies. It is a wonderful holiday project that brings forth the artist in even the most cynical of Scrooges! You can use them as Hostess gifts, gifts for your children's teachers, or hang them like ornaments on the tree. No matter how old your children are today, they will still love these cookies. In fact, my 40-year old Son just asked me last week when I was going to make the "Santa Claus" cookies. Bring Santa back into your holiday treats. You won't be sorry! Merry Christmas!
  ©2012 Here Comes Santa Claus Sugar Cookies by Kathy

Alma's Santa Claus Sugar Cookies

Fig. 4, Alma's Santa Claus Cut-Out Sugar Cookies
courtesy of http://TheLittleRoundTable.com
©2010 C Fagerlin

Yield: 3 dozen cookies

Prep Time: 20 minutes + chilling (at least 4 hours)
Bake Time: 8-10 minutes

Decorating Time: Varies

Ingredients

1 cup butter

1-1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs (make sure they're LARGE or it may alter the resulting dough)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. almond extract
4-1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
Raisins, snipped in half for the eyes (if desired)

Directions

For the Cookies

1. Cream together the butter and sugar until it becomes light and fluffy.

2. Add eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition.

3. Add extracts and blend to incorporate.

4. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt and slowly add to the butter and egg mixture. 

5. Mix just until all the flour is incorporated.

6. Remove from bowl and shape into a log. Wrap the log in waxed paper and refrigerate 4 hours to overnight. 

7. Heat oven to 350° F.

8. On a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin, roll the dough out to ¼ to 3/8 inch thickness. 

9. Flour the inside of the cutter¹ and place the cutter on the dough, pressing down firmly with your fingers. Make sure all the edges are cut.

10. Gently pick up the cutter with cut dough, or if it you are having trouble lifting the cutter and dough, run a thin spatula under the dough and lift. 

11. Using your thumb, on the back of the cutter roll the edges of the dough toward the center and firmly press the dough into the nooks and crannies of the cutter to capture the 3-dimensional features of the cutter.

12. Tap the cutter in your hand or on a table (gently) and the dough will release from the cutter. If the dough does not release easily, you have not floured the cutter enough.

13. Place the cookie on ungreased cookie sheets and flour the cutter again before you cut out another cookie.

14. Leave at least an inch between each cookie on the baking sheet as they will spread just a little during the baking process.

15. Place the halved raisins in each crease for the eyes and press in gently.

16. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until a light brown. You don't want them to get too brown, but you want them done, so monitor your baking time on the first few batches. You will know they are done by the way they smell (you will see what I mean once you have baked a few batches).

17. Remove cookies from baking sheets onto cooling racks. Cool cookies completely before icing and decorating. In the meantime, prepare the decorations. 

Icing

8 Tbsp. (1 stick) Butter

4 cups Confectioners' Sugar
4 Tbsp. Water, or enough to make icing easy to spread, but not runny
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract OR Almond Extract OR a combination of both

Decorations

Red Food Coloring
Red Decorating
1 Egg White mixed with a few drops of water & food coloring of choice OR clear corn syrup to be used as "glue" to hold the colored sugar in place
Fine tip paint brush (used only for cookies)
Small paint brushes (used only for cookies)
Coconut for beard

Directions

1. Make sure the cookies are cooled completely before beginning the icing and decorating process.

2. Place a small bowl of clear corn syrup or the egg white/water mixture at your decorating area. Pour the red colored sugar into a small bowl.

3. Using a fine tip paint brush, "paint" the chosen form of "glue" in circles on the cheeks, the nose and the crease of the mouth.

4. Hold the cookie over the bowl and spoon the sugar over the facial features to which you have just applied the glue. Holding the cookie face down, gently tap the back of the cookie face to remove the excess sugar. You can also use a DRY paintbrush (children's small art brushes that are only used for cookies) to brush off any remaining sugar crystals.

5. Repeat with the remaining Santa cookies. Keep the cookies in the oven with the light on to maintain their crispness and to dry them between the applying the sugar and the icing. While they are drying, make the icing.

6. Mix together the butter, confectioners' sugar, almond extract and enough water to make a spreadable, not runny icing.

7. When the sugar and glue have dried completely, ice the whiskers and eyebrows and moustache with white icing. (If the glue and sugar have not completely dried, you will get red sugar in the icing resulting in pink whiskers & beard!)

8. Apply fresh coconut to the still-moist icing for Santa's beard and eyebrows, if desired.

9. Cool completely before storing loosely between doubled layers of waxed paper to prevent squashing the cookies.³

¹If you very lightly sift flour on top of the rolled cookie dough before you begin cutting, you will reduce the number of times the cutter has to be floured.

² If you are decorating the other cookies make from the 4-cutter set, choose various colored sugars for the different features of the cookie and place each color in a separate bowl. Use separate glue for each color as well. Complete each sugar color and dry in the oven before another color. Use the same method, i.e., holding the cookie over the bowl and spooning sugar over the area to be covered. Then remove the excess by gently taping the back of the cookie face to remove the excess sugar. You can also use a DRY paintbrush (children's small art brushes that are only used for cookies) to brush off any remaining sugar crystals.

³ If you find that I've forgotten to add something about either the recipe, the cutters, or the decorations, just leave me a message in the Comments section of this post, and I'll reply!

 

©2012 Here Comes Santa Claus Sugar Cookies by Kathy Striggow

©2012 Alma's Santa Claus Sugar Cookies by Kathy Striggow