So last night was out annual company Christmas party and we always have it at the bosses house; mostly due to the fact that there are only thirteen employees but also because we like an intimate homey setting. And even though every year we say that we are going to tone down the food that is served, there is always too much left over. This year I decided to try out something new, Candied Bacon. Seriously who doesn't love bacon, except the two vegetarians we have on staff, it is salty, smokey goodness and when you add sugar and spce it gets even better.
For best results try and get your hands on some slab bacon cut a little thicker than what you normally get in the packages of bacon. So I took my pound of bacon, layed it out in a single layer on a baking rack set on top of a sheet pan. For easier cleanup cover that bottom pan with tin foil to catch all the grease that will collect in the pan. Mix together a third of a cup of brown sugar, two shakes of cayanne pepper, two shakes of chili powder, one shake of cumin, two or three shakes of cinnamon and a little black pepper. Rub this onto one side of the bacon and then place the tray under the broiler and cook until it looks good to you. I personally like my bacon a little crispy, but it is all personal preferance. Serve this hot and watch it dissappear.
Our Chiristmas party always has a few traditional foods. like shrimp cocktail and my mothers Christmas meatballs. I don't have her recipee but I can tell you that the little meatballs are a Jewish style Christmas meatball due to the Manaschevitz wine in the recipee. Last night one of the employees brought her new favorite dip which was also a huge hit, Amy's Sausage Dip.
Amy will tell you herself that she is not a cook, but she has a homerun in this dip. Saute one of those logs of sausage until well crumbled and add one drained can of Rotelle tomatoes. Cook this down so that everything is broken up and hot before mixing it up with two packages of room temperature cream cheese. Spread it all into a small baking dish and cook at 350 degrees until hot and bubbly.
Our annual Christmas party is always a lot of fun, we have a blast with our Yankee gift swap. For those of you who don't know what that is, everyone brings a gift valued between ten and fifteen dollars, wrapped but not labled. All the gifts are placed in a pile in the center of the room and names are drawn. When your name is picked you grab a gift from the pile, if someone else has something you want then you can swap with them. We go through everyone's names twice and it never fails that there is one gift that everyone really wants. This year the Playboy cologne gift set was popular with the teenage boys; I seriously doubt that smelling like Heff is going to help get them the ladies, but more power to them. On a persoal note for the first time in nine years I ended up with what I wanted out of all the gifts, funny thing is that it was the gift I brought!
Candied Bacon
1 lb. bacon, slightly thick cut
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 shake cumin
2 shakes cayanne pepper
2 shakes chili powder
2 shakes cinnamon
black pepper
Lay out the bacon on a rack over a baking tray. Combine the remaining ingredients and rub onto one side of bacon. Broil until done to your liking.
Amy's Sausage Dip
1 pkg. bulk sausage
1 can Rotelle tomatoes, drained
2 pkgs. cream cheese
Saute the sausage until well crumbled, add the tomatoes and cook until everything is well combined and broken down. Combine the sausage mixture to the room temperature cream cheese, pour into a baking dish and bake at 350 degrees until hot and bubbly.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Let's Fondue
Every few weeks my friends and I set aside one evening for girl’s night; some times we go out but lately we have been cooking together. After all I do need guinea pigs for all these recipes. To date one of my favorite evenings was fondue night. As we sat around a pot of cheese we talked about everything; work, houses, being single-white-femaled, insane co-workers and roommates, fashion and of course men. (I never have a shortage of stories to amuse them with, maybe I should write a book). Before we knew it we had consumed half a loaf of bread, a garden full of vegetables and more cheese than I care to admit to. But in the process we laughed uncontrollably about all the wacky things that had happened to each of us since we had last been together. See the beautiful thing about fondue is that everything is bite-sized making it the perfect conversation food. You think that you are just snacking but before you know it you’re stuffed and vowing to hit the gym the next day.
Fondue was developed in Switzerland as a food preservation method. See, back in the dark ages (before refrigerators or the hill towns last December) food that was made abundantly, i.e. bread and cheese, would quickly get dry and hard, essentially inedible. That was until some enlightened person melted down that cheese with wine and soaked the stale bread in it. Today we dip everything in fondue: meat, pasta, vegetables, fruit and even cheesecake.
Making fondue is not rocket science; but you kind of need the right tools, by this I mean a fondue pot. These can be as simple as a tea light heated pot to an electric unit with temperature settings. I typically use an electric one because the candle ones don’t give off consistent heat and well frankly it’s what I own. Equally as important are the fondue forks, which should come with your pot. If they are not long enough with heatproof handles you will burn your little fingers. If you do not have these you can substitute wooden skewers.
Okay, so let’s start with the appetizer course, cheese fondue. If you have an electric pot turn it to its lowest setting or create your mixture over low heat on the stove. First melt two tablespoons of butter and stir in three fourths a cup of milk, a dash of garlic salt, one-tablespoon flour and a dash of Tabasco sauce. When this thickens start melting in about three and a half cups of shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Once this is all melted pour in about half a cup of white wine; if your cheese mixture is too thick just add more wine. Make sure to keep the heat at a low setting so you do not burn the fondue. All you need now are things to dip such as bread cubes, raw vegetables and tortilla chips.
Now on to the main course which is a hot oil fondue (Bourguignonne) that you dip meat, potato and stuffed pasta in. All you have to do is heat up peanut oil to between 325 and 350 degrees; once it’s hot just submerge small marinated or seasoned meat in it until cooked to your liking. I know that this sounds kind of bland so to turn up the volume you need to put sauces on the meats. For beef mix three-fourths cup of sour cream with one tablespoon each of minced onion and horseradish. For chicken try mixing half a cup each of mayonnaise and Dijon mustard or one and a half cups mayonnaise, one and a half tablespoons lemon juice, one tablespoon minced garlic and half a teaspoon of Tabasco sauce. Finally for chicken, pork of seafood try a spicy oriental sauce made from two tablespoons soy sauce, one and a half tablespoons lemon juice, 1 chopped green chili, one minced garlic clove, and 2 teaspoons of sesame oil. Any one of these sauces will add a bit of zing to your meat fondue course.
Finally, la piece de la resistance chocolate fondue. Start by simmering two tablespoons of half and half with one tablespoon each of butter and dark rum. Then remove the pot from the heat and whisk in eight ounces of either chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate and one more tablespoon of rum. If the mixture is too thick just add a dash or two of half and half to loosen it up. Now you can go crazy with the dippers; try fresh fruit, pound cake, brownies, marshmallows, cheesecake, pretzels and fortune cookies.
One last thing I want to mention is fondue etiquette. Never let your lips or tongue touch the fondue fork and no double dipping. Also if you drop and lose a dipper in the pot you either have to buy a round, if male, or if female you have to kiss the all men at the table. That’s why I am so selective about whom I eat fondue with, I have kissed enough frogs already.
A few years ago I was taken out to a fondue restaurant for my birthday and my best friend’s husband was hesitant about the choice; I think that he was afraid there wouldn’t be enough food he liked. Ha ha was he wrong, by the time we had finished with the meat course no one was sure how we were going to eat any of the dessert fondue. But have no fear some how we found the space for all that chocolaty goodness. Traditionally this is a communal meal, which means it is meant to be shared with family or friends; let me tell you those Swiss really knew how to bring people together. So the next time you get together with a group of friends put away the box of wine and break out that circa 1976 fondue pot and chat the night away.
Basic Cheese Fondue
2 Tlbsp. Butter
¾ cup Milk
¼ tsp. Garlic Salt
¼ tsp. Tabasco sauce
1 Tlbsp. Flour
3 ½ cups Shredded cheddar cheese
½ cup White wine
Cubed bread
Vegetables
Tortilla chips
Melt butter in a fondue pot then add the next 4 ingredients and cook until smooth and bubbly. Stir in cheese in small batches and cook until melted. Add wine to thin out the mixture, adjust this until your desired consistency. Serve with bread, vegetables and chips.
Basic Meat Fondue - Bourguignon
Peanut Oil
Beef, cut into small cubes
Chicken, cut into small cubes
Shrimp
Raviolis
Fill your fondue pot about half way with peanut oil and heat to between 325° and 350°. Submerge your meat or pasta on forks in the oil until cooked.
Horseradish Sauce
¾ cup Sour cream
1 Tlbsp Onion, minced
1 Tlbsp Horseradish
Mix all ingredients well and serve chilled with beef.
Dijonaisse Sauce
½ cup Mayonnaise
½ cup Dijon mustard
Mix all ingredients well and serve with chicken.
Aioli
1 ½ cups Mayonnaise
1 ½ tsp. Lemon juice
1 Tlbsp Garlic, minced
1 tsp. Tabasco
Mix all ingredients well and serve with chicken or shrimp.
Spicy Oriental Sauce
2 Tlbsp Soy sauce
1 ½ Tlbsp Lemon juice
1 Chili, chopped
1 clove Garlic, minced
2 tsp. Sesame oil
Mix all ingredients well and serve with any meat.
Basic Chocolate Fondue
2 Tlbsp Half and Half
1 Tlbsp Butter
2 Tlbsp Dark Rum
8 oz. Chocolate, semi sweet or bittersweet
Fruit
Marshmallows
Brownies
Cheesecake
Pretzels
Pound cake
Fortune cookies
Melt butter with half and half and 1 tablespoon rum. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate until melted, add the other tablespoon of rum. If the mixture is too thick add a dash of half and half to loosen it up. Serve with bite size cakes, fruit or cookies.
Fondue was developed in Switzerland as a food preservation method. See, back in the dark ages (before refrigerators or the hill towns last December) food that was made abundantly, i.e. bread and cheese, would quickly get dry and hard, essentially inedible. That was until some enlightened person melted down that cheese with wine and soaked the stale bread in it. Today we dip everything in fondue: meat, pasta, vegetables, fruit and even cheesecake.
Making fondue is not rocket science; but you kind of need the right tools, by this I mean a fondue pot. These can be as simple as a tea light heated pot to an electric unit with temperature settings. I typically use an electric one because the candle ones don’t give off consistent heat and well frankly it’s what I own. Equally as important are the fondue forks, which should come with your pot. If they are not long enough with heatproof handles you will burn your little fingers. If you do not have these you can substitute wooden skewers.
Okay, so let’s start with the appetizer course, cheese fondue. If you have an electric pot turn it to its lowest setting or create your mixture over low heat on the stove. First melt two tablespoons of butter and stir in three fourths a cup of milk, a dash of garlic salt, one-tablespoon flour and a dash of Tabasco sauce. When this thickens start melting in about three and a half cups of shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Once this is all melted pour in about half a cup of white wine; if your cheese mixture is too thick just add more wine. Make sure to keep the heat at a low setting so you do not burn the fondue. All you need now are things to dip such as bread cubes, raw vegetables and tortilla chips.
Now on to the main course which is a hot oil fondue (Bourguignonne) that you dip meat, potato and stuffed pasta in. All you have to do is heat up peanut oil to between 325 and 350 degrees; once it’s hot just submerge small marinated or seasoned meat in it until cooked to your liking. I know that this sounds kind of bland so to turn up the volume you need to put sauces on the meats. For beef mix three-fourths cup of sour cream with one tablespoon each of minced onion and horseradish. For chicken try mixing half a cup each of mayonnaise and Dijon mustard or one and a half cups mayonnaise, one and a half tablespoons lemon juice, one tablespoon minced garlic and half a teaspoon of Tabasco sauce. Finally for chicken, pork of seafood try a spicy oriental sauce made from two tablespoons soy sauce, one and a half tablespoons lemon juice, 1 chopped green chili, one minced garlic clove, and 2 teaspoons of sesame oil. Any one of these sauces will add a bit of zing to your meat fondue course.
Finally, la piece de la resistance chocolate fondue. Start by simmering two tablespoons of half and half with one tablespoon each of butter and dark rum. Then remove the pot from the heat and whisk in eight ounces of either chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate and one more tablespoon of rum. If the mixture is too thick just add a dash or two of half and half to loosen it up. Now you can go crazy with the dippers; try fresh fruit, pound cake, brownies, marshmallows, cheesecake, pretzels and fortune cookies.
One last thing I want to mention is fondue etiquette. Never let your lips or tongue touch the fondue fork and no double dipping. Also if you drop and lose a dipper in the pot you either have to buy a round, if male, or if female you have to kiss the all men at the table. That’s why I am so selective about whom I eat fondue with, I have kissed enough frogs already.
A few years ago I was taken out to a fondue restaurant for my birthday and my best friend’s husband was hesitant about the choice; I think that he was afraid there wouldn’t be enough food he liked. Ha ha was he wrong, by the time we had finished with the meat course no one was sure how we were going to eat any of the dessert fondue. But have no fear some how we found the space for all that chocolaty goodness. Traditionally this is a communal meal, which means it is meant to be shared with family or friends; let me tell you those Swiss really knew how to bring people together. So the next time you get together with a group of friends put away the box of wine and break out that circa 1976 fondue pot and chat the night away.
Basic Cheese Fondue
2 Tlbsp. Butter
¾ cup Milk
¼ tsp. Garlic Salt
¼ tsp. Tabasco sauce
1 Tlbsp. Flour
3 ½ cups Shredded cheddar cheese
½ cup White wine
Cubed bread
Vegetables
Tortilla chips
Melt butter in a fondue pot then add the next 4 ingredients and cook until smooth and bubbly. Stir in cheese in small batches and cook until melted. Add wine to thin out the mixture, adjust this until your desired consistency. Serve with bread, vegetables and chips.
Basic Meat Fondue - Bourguignon
Peanut Oil
Beef, cut into small cubes
Chicken, cut into small cubes
Shrimp
Raviolis
Fill your fondue pot about half way with peanut oil and heat to between 325° and 350°. Submerge your meat or pasta on forks in the oil until cooked.
Horseradish Sauce
¾ cup Sour cream
1 Tlbsp Onion, minced
1 Tlbsp Horseradish
Mix all ingredients well and serve chilled with beef.
Dijonaisse Sauce
½ cup Mayonnaise
½ cup Dijon mustard
Mix all ingredients well and serve with chicken.
Aioli
1 ½ cups Mayonnaise
1 ½ tsp. Lemon juice
1 Tlbsp Garlic, minced
1 tsp. Tabasco
Mix all ingredients well and serve with chicken or shrimp.
Spicy Oriental Sauce
2 Tlbsp Soy sauce
1 ½ Tlbsp Lemon juice
1 Chili, chopped
1 clove Garlic, minced
2 tsp. Sesame oil
Mix all ingredients well and serve with any meat.
Basic Chocolate Fondue
2 Tlbsp Half and Half
1 Tlbsp Butter
2 Tlbsp Dark Rum
8 oz. Chocolate, semi sweet or bittersweet
Fruit
Marshmallows
Brownies
Cheesecake
Pretzels
Pound cake
Fortune cookies
Melt butter with half and half and 1 tablespoon rum. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate until melted, add the other tablespoon of rum. If the mixture is too thick add a dash of half and half to loosen it up. Serve with bite size cakes, fruit or cookies.
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