JillBlog

Hostess Gifts

jillbcooks — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:22:00 GMT

I am a big fan of hostess gifts—flowers, wine or little treats are my favorites to give for casual get togethers. When invited to someone’s home for more formal meal, a hostess gift is customary. I never expect them, but am delighted when I receive one. The point of a gift is to show appreciation for a host’s thoughtfulness and to “give back” an experience that the host can enjoy later. My favorite things to give are homemade muesli or granola, a book or a plant. My favorite hostess gift that I have ever received was a drawing made by a 4 year old tucked into a frame. Of course it is displayed in a place of prominence in my house!

If you are going to be company in someone’s home this Thanksgiving, consider the host’s needs. If they are having overnight guests, a Banana Toffee Drop Scones or impressive Easy Cheesy Drop Danish would be thoughtful. Hosts with a sweet tooth might adore Marvelous Chocolate Truffles or Peanut Butter Candy Jumble Cookies.

I wish that I was going someplace rather than hosting, just so I could put together this Thanksgiving hostess basket to give: an assortment of interesting flavored mustards, mayonnaises, and spreads to dress up turkey sandwich leftovers. Maybe even some fancy pickles for a side!

Where are you heading this Thanksgiving? What do you like to bring when you are a guest?

Black Friday Eats

jillbcooks — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 20:00:00 GMT

Are you a Black Friday shopper? Up at the crack of dawn to snag unimaginable bargains? I’ve always loved the thrill of holiday shopping and on the day after Thanksgiving, especially. Being out and about, we’d usually catch lunch or dinner someplace, especially if one of us was in from out of town and wanted to go to an old favorite haunt. So, I have only recently discovered the joy of leftovers. As a kid and teenager, I’d rather have pizza than leftovers, but as an adult, I understand the joy of turkey piled on leftover dinner rolls slathered with mayonnaise. When it comes to leftovers, I guess I am a bit of a purist. I’d rather make sandwiches than turkey soup or casseroles, but my dear husband loves comfort food and (unbelievably to me) does not like sandwiches.

Here’s what I am hoping to make this year:
Turkey-Spaetzle Soup
Ranch Turkey Pizza
Turkey Ala King

What do you make with your leftovers? Do you have any traditions for the day after Thanksgiving?

Non-Traditional Holiday Meals?

jillbcooks — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:37:00 GMT

I have to admit that when it comes to food, tradition is my master. The thought of seeking out new ideas for the holiday table has crossed my mind lately, but, to me, it really just feels like deviation from some unwritten plan that I’ve actually already made up my mind to follow.

Growing up, it was turkey at Thanksgiving, a hot and cold buffet on Christmas Eve, and traditional Italian food on Christmas. I realize that my predilections are not shared by everyone, namely my husband, who grew up with a totally different set of family holiday food traditions than I did. Being Jewish, he has no register for what a traditional Christmas is like, so it was through his urging that we branched out when holiday entertaining. We’ve made beef tenderloin (his favorite, which he would gladly have over turkey on Thanksgiving), rack of lamb and even Cornish game hens. Definitely not my mother’s typical milieu—these foods were practically foreign to me before I learned how to cook.

I am reminded of a friend who decided to make a huge Christmas Eve feast for her husband’s extended family. She was intent on finding something that would wow and make her seem like an accomplished, albeit new, wife and homemaker. She decided that the main dish would be fish, and endeavored to bake whole red snappers in salt crusts. She made a variety of Mediterranean salads and a rice dish to accompany her entrée. Her husbands’ family, in from out of town and staying at a local hotel, politely picked at the fish and, as her family’s lore goes, ordered sandwiches at a Sheetz gas station on the way back to their hotel. Needless to say, red snapper did not become a tradition.

I am thinking of reviving an old family favorite for Christmas this year—maybe as a side or with Christmas brunch, tourtiere, a French Canadian meat pie that my French Canadian grandmother served at (Canadian) Thanksgiving (it is in October, not November like America’s).

What are your family traditions? Does your family love something that might be viewed as unique, strange or unusual by other people’s standards?

Bread Sculptures

jillbcooks — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:21:00 GMT

Last weekend, my husband and I headed off on a day trip to Red Wing, Minnesota to find a bite to eat, window shop and take in the scenery. We stopped into a bakery (well, because I can’t resist small town bakeries) and I was impressed and delighted by a whole display of Halloween breads.

I would love to learn how to do this, especially with Thanksgiving right around the corner. Check out this funny Turkey Bread Sculpture. I think small cornucopia or sheaves of wheat would be fun at each place setting.

Here are directions for making bread sculptures. This would make a great family activity, especially since the ingredients are not too expensive and the outcome would be so fun and memorable.

Use Up Leftovers: Beer Cheese Soup

jillbcooks — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:12:00 GMT

Inspired by fellow blogger Catherine (and trying to stick to my goal to eat at home more often), I have been looking in my pantry, refrigerator and freezer as I plan dinners. I try to use up what I’ve got, and I like to look at it as a little challenge.

A few weeks ago we had guests over for dinner, and one of the guests brought beer, which my husband and I very rarely ever drink, so there were a couple bottles hanging around in the refrigerator. It occurred to me that even though I might not drink them, I might be able to cook with them. With the clock “falling back” and a real fall crisp in the air, I endeavored to try making Beer Cheese Soup.

Bisquick Beer Cheese Soup

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 1/2 medium carrots, finely chopped (3/4 cup)
1 medium stalk celery, finely chopped (1/2 cup)
1 small onion, finely chopped (1/4 cup)
3 cups Progresso® chicken broth (from 32-oz carton)
1 cup Original Bisquick® mix
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
1 cup milk
4 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (1 lb)
1/2 cup regular or nonalcoholic beer

1. In 4-quart Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add carrots, celery and onion; cook about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender.
2. In large bowl, mix broth, Bisquick mix, pepper and red pepper until smooth. Gradually stir into vegetable mixture. Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Boil and stir 1 minute.
3. Stir in milk and cheese. Heat until cheese is melted. Stir in beer.

I was a bit skeptical about the Bisquick as a thickening agent, but it worked perfectly. I also cut down the amount of butter by a bit more than half and added a touch more broth. I used my stovetop popper to make popcorn for a garnish, which is traditional on Beer Cheese Soup. I admit that I kept adding popcorn every time I spooned it off my soup to eat.

This will be my plan whever I have the odd bottle of beer in the refrigerator.

Candy Corn Waffles

jillbcooks — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:26:00 GMT

My husband says I have two superpowers—one is a canine-like sense of smell and the other is the ability to take any food and make it as delicious (and caloric) humanly possible. I have to admit that I am not a fan of no-fat and low-fat preparations. I think of someone like Paula Deen who has an unabashed love of butter, and I think I am not exactly that enthusiastic about my particular predilections, but I at least acknowledge them.

So, I love that Halloween is on a Saturday this year because it offers an opportunity to celebrate the day in a way that time will allow us to indulge, rather than on a school or work day. For me, when I try to think creatively about food, there are no no-fat, low-fat boundaries that I feel like I can’t traverse. I really didn’t eat too healthily as a child, so I don’t immediately think about eating for nutrition rather than pleasure. But, on holidays, I let the tension between eating well and having fun slide. In thinking about Halloween and some fun ideas, one of my happiest memories of my dad came into my mind. My parents were traditional in their division of labor and my dad rarely cooked, so I am not surprised that one of my earliest memories of him is in the kitchen since it was so unusual. I remember that my dad made my older sister and I pancakes, but he put M&Ms candies in them. It isn’t healthy. It isn’t conventional. But it was fun and memorable.

And now, my big Halloween breakfast breakthrough: Candy Corn Waffles. I am going to mince a bit of candy corn and sprinkle it on the batter when I fill the waffle wells. When I serve the waffles, I plan to sprinkle them with powdered sugar, a dollop of whipped cream and a single candy corn. If putting candy in waffles is wrong, I gather that I don't want to be right. If Halloween is all about tricks and treats, I guess the trick is to realize it is a once a year treat.

Happy Halloween!

Three Dimensional Sugar Cookies

jillbcooks — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:43:00 GMT

After uploading photos to Flickr a few weeks ago, I spent some time exploring other Flickr members food-related photo streams. I came across an amazing set of photos of three dimensional Halloween cookies. I’ve seen 3-D cookies before, like Christmas trees built from a variety of different sized stars. The cookies I saw on Flickr were built from two pieces with matched notches that fit together.

You can buy fancy cutters that have the notch, or use very plain cutters (like pumpkins or round ornaments) and use a knife to cut notches. Or, a plain, rectangular base can be made to stand cookies up, sort of like paper dolls. Here is an example of a uniform base on Easter cookies. Here's some winter cookie inspirations.

I am going to make 3D turkeys as place cards for my Thanksgiving table using this Betty Crocker recipe.

This is a 3-D cookie tree I made a couple years ago.

Have you tried making 3-D cookies? What did you make?

To Slow Cook or Not to Slow Cook?

jillbcooks — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:48:00 GMT

There are some polemic topics that seem to divide people. Are you a dog or cat person? A vanilla or chocolate ice cream fan? A slow cooker fan or a cook who scoffs at the thought of cooking in one?

Slow cookers are often associated with homey comfort foods rather than gourmet meals. One of my favorite cookbooks is Not Your Mother’s Slow Cooker Cookbook, which offers more innovative recipes than those that give slow cookers a bad rap. While my husband has a fondness for stew meat, a packet of onion soup mix and water that cooks on low all day long, that is not my picture of a good dinner. If you find yourself avoiding the slow cooker (and dining out or driving through for convenience’s sake), reconsider using one and finding recipes that appeal to you.

Here are some of my favorites:
Slow Cooker Barbecued Pulled-Pork Fajitas
Slow Cooker Chunky Chicken Chili
Slow Cooker Roast Pork with Fruit
Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff for Two

Here’s dinner tonight: Tomato Pot Roast
A three pound beef roast, a can of diced tomatoes, sliced onion and a couple bay leaves. We are going to have it over mashed potatoes.

What do you like to make in the slow cooker?

Fun Food Field Trip: Wisconsin Cheese Factory

jillbcooks — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 18:16:00 GMT

I love fun food field trips. Ben and Jerry’s. Utz Potato Chip factory. Eli’s Cheesecake World. Factory tours are terrifically fun, educational and often very inexpensive or even free. This past weekend we happened to be in Wisconsin and stopped into the Bass Lake Cheese Factory in Somerset. The place isn’t too large, but offers a retail store and tasting room and a great view to glimpse at the cheese making facilities that are attached. There were also many antique dairy and cheese making related tools to discover. Bass Lake Cheese Factory would not allow cameras inside, because of their proprietary cheese making secrets. But, I snapped this cute pic of a dairy tank. I loved that resembled a cow.

Now, the good stuff. I just about fell in love with something called Butter Jack. It was a mild but firm cheese that became more creamy when chewed. There were multiple varieties of this Butter Jack, and one that I especially liked, Butter Jack with Cinnamon.

We loaded up with many different cheese before heading home: Smoked Cheddar Cheese, Colby, Horseradish Gouda (which is already gone), and two types of cheese curds. I tried about a dozen types in the store. Deciding what to buy was no easy task. Want even more cheese? Read Andi's recent post, Apples and Cheese.

Right now I am waiting for dinner to finishing baking, macaroni and cheese made with the Smoked Cheddar Cheese. A bit of bread and a lettuce salad are rounding out tonight’s dinner.

Have you been on a fun food field trip? Tell us about it.

More Russian Tea Cakes, Sam's Club Size!

jillbcooks — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 17:09:00 GMT

A couple weeks ago I wrote about how I desperately wanted Russian Tea Cake cookies. I made them on a whim and was very happy to eat them. Strolling through Sam’s Club last weekend, I saw large boxes of Betty Crocker cookie mixes in flavors I hadn’t seen before. Among them? Yes, Russian Tea Cakes. I decided to buy the box and give it a try—it cost about $6 for two mixes in the box.

I was impressed by how easy these mixes were to make. When I made my Russian Tea Cakes a few weeks ago, it required getting out the food processor to chop the nuts (I used walnuts and pecans). For this mix, all I had to do was add softened butter to the cookie mix. I tried to combine the mix and butter with a wooden spoon, hoping that I could avoid messy hands (and the requisite butter that ends up under your fingernails, ugh). The wooden spoon was a no-go. I decided that there had to be an easier way. I put the mix and butter in a plastic freezer bag, squeezed out the air and just kneaded the bag until the butter was evenly distributed and I had dough.

With Russian Tea Cakes, forming consistently sized balls that are attractive is also a challenge. After trying to shape a few with my fingers, I realized mine were tablespoon sized rather than teaspoon sized. I’ve tried cookie scoopers in the past, and I’ve never gotten them to work, so I wanted to avoid that. Instead, I cut a corner off the freezer bag and piped out dough which was then much easier to form into a small ball. This was by big aha moment.

I am starting to think about what other kinds of cookies I can “knead” to avoid a mess. This freezer bag method would be a great way to make these cookies with kids or elderly people—fine motor skills aren’t necessary, messes are minimized and making cookies is fun.

The kit even came with powdered sugar.

If you like Russian Tea Cakes, this is a great cookie kit. The convenience of this mix sacrificed nothing—truly rich and buttery, just the way I like them.