CHOCOLATE SAUCE

INGREDIENTS:

2 ounces bittersweet chocolate (finely chopped) 1/2 cup water 1/4 cup heavy cream 3 tablespoons sugar

DIRECTIONS:

1. Bring everything to a boil in a sauce pan while stirring. 2. Reduce the heat to low and continue stirring until the sauce thickens.

PASTRY CREAM

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup whole milk 1 vanilla bean (sliced and seeds scraped) 2 egg yolks 3 tablespoons sugar 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch (sifted) 1 1/4 tablespoons unsalted butter (room temperature)


DIRECTIONS:

1. Bring the milk and vanilla bean seeds to a boil in a saucepan. 2. Mix the egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch in another sauce pan. 3. Temper the egg yolks and with the milk and combine. 4. Strain the mixture back into the sauce pan. 5. Bring the mixture to a boil while whisking and continue to whisk for a minute. 6. Transfer the cream to a bowl and set the bowl in an ice water bath to cool while still stirring. 7. Once the mixture has cooled some stir in the butter. 8. Return the bowl to the ice water bath and continue to stir until completely cooled.

CREAM PUFFS (CHOUX PASTRY)

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup whole milk 1/4 cup water 1/2 stick unsalted butter (cut into 8 pieces) 1/8 teaspoon sugar 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 3 eggs (room temperature)

DIRECTIONS:


1. Bring the milk, water, butter, sugar and salt to a roiling boil. 2. Reduce the heat to medium and mix in all of the flour, stirring with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together. 3. Continue to stir for 2-3 minutes. The dough will be soft and smooth. 4. Pour the dough into a bowl and beat in the eggs one at a time. 5. Form the dough into the desired shapes on parchment paper lined baking sheets. 6. Bake in a pre-heated 375F oven and bake for 7 minutes. 7. Stick the handle of a wooden spoon into the oven door to hold it ajar and bake for another 5 minutes. 8. Rotate the baking sheet from front to back and bake for another 8 minutes or until the eclairs are puffed and golden brown. (With the door ajar.) 9. Let the eclairs cool for a few hours.

CHOCOLATE ECLAIRS

INGREDIENTS:

cream puff pastry chocolate glaze (warmed) pastry cream

DIRECTIONS:

1. Slice the eclairs in half horizontally with a serrated knife. 2. Place the tops on a rack above parchment paper. 3. Spread the glaze over the tops and allow the chocolate to set. 4. Fill the bottoms with pastry cream. 5. Place the set tops onto the bottoms and enjoy.

GREEK STYLE ZUCCHINI FRITTERS WITH TZATZIKI

INGREDIENTS:

1 small zucchini (grated) 1/4 cup feta (crumbled) 1/2 cup flour 1 egg 1 green onion (chopped) 1 handful dill (chopped) salt and pepper to taste 2 tablespoons oil

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix the zucchini, feta, flour, egg, green onions, dill, salt and pepper in a bowl. 2. Heat the oil in a pan. 3. Spoon the zucchini mixture into the pan and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 4 minutes per side.

WHITE CHEDDAR AND GARLIC MASHED POTATOES

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound potatoes (your favorite) 1 head garlic (peeled) 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (room temperature) 1/2 cup low-fat sour cream 1/4 cup heavy cream 1/2 cup white cheddar cheese (grated) salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:
1. Boil the potatoes and garlic until the potatoes are fork tender, about 20-30 minutes. 2. Drain the potatoes and garlic and mash. 3. Mix in the butter, sour cream, heavy cream and cheese. 4. Season with salt and pepper.

CHRISTMAS FRUIT CAKE.

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup currants
1 cup mixed candied peel
3/4 cup candied pineapple (chopped)
3/4 cup red candied cherries (halved)
3/4 cup raisins
1/2 cup brandy
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 pinch of salt
6 tablespoons butter (softened)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons strawberry jam
1 tablespoon molasses
3 eggs
3/4 cups walnuts (chopped)


DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix the currants, mixed peel, pineapple, cherries, raisins and the brandy in a bowl, cover and let sit for 24 hours, stirring occasionally.
2. Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a bowl.
3. Mix 1/4 cup of the dry mixture into the wet mixture.
4. Mix the butter, sugar, jam and molasses in a bowl.
5. Mix the eggs into the butter mixture one at a time.
6. Mix the remaining flour mixture into the butter and egg mixture.
7. Mix in the fruit mixture along with the nuts.
8. Pour the mixture into baking pans lined with double parchment paper.
9. Place a baking pan with water on the lower rack of the oven.
10. Cover the cake pans with foil and bake on the middle racks of a preheated 300F oven until a toothpick pushed into the center comes out clean, about 45-60 minutes.
11. Let cool.
12. Soak some cheese cloth in some brandy and wrap it around the cake.
13. Wrap the cake in foil and refrigerate for 30 days.

SHRIMP COCKTAIL

repare Cocktail Sauce. Place cocktail sauce in a martini, drinking glass, or any decorating bowl. Place several fresh shrimp on the rim of the glass with the tails on the outside. Make one cut in each lemon slice starting at the center and cutting through to the outside. Place a cut lemon slice on each glass where you made the cut so that it stands up. Add a sprig of parsley and serve.

Makes 4 servings.

COCKTAIL SAUCE:
Recipe by Dave Bucholz of Clackamas, OR

1/2 cup chili sauce or catsup
2 tablespoons hot cream-style horseradish
1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
2 teaspoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice
4 drops Tabasco
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced

In a small bowl, mix ingredients together to taste, cover and chill until ready to serve and to develop flavor.

Makes 2/3 cup.

GOAT CHEESE SPREAD WITH HERBS OLIVER OIL

8 ounces goat cheese (about 1 cup)
2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream, more if needed
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling
2 tablespoons dry white wine
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (choose at least two from the following: parsley, chives, tarragon, dill)
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
Good crackers or slices of walnut bread
About 1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 celery heart, cut into sticks

Put goat cheese, whipping cream, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and wine in a food processor (or mix in a bowl with a wooden spoon). Pulse just to blend. Mixture should be spreadable; if it's too thick, add 1 or 2 tablespoons more cream and pulse again. Season with salt and pepper, pulse again, and taste, adjusting seasoning as necessary.

Reserve 1 teaspoon herbs for sprinkling, and add rest to processor. Add 2 teaspoons lemon zest. Pulse once more to blend. Line a small (about 1 1/2-cup) round bowl or cup with a sheet of plastic wrap and fill with cheese mixture. Cover and chill at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.

To serve, invert bowl onto a serving platter and peel off plastic. With back of a spoon, level off top of cheese and make a small depression. Drizzle olive oil over top. Sprinkle with reserved herbs and lemon zest. Arrange crackers or bread slices, tomatoes and celery around cheese and let guests serve themselves.

Makes about 1 1/4 cups or 6 servings.

CREAMY BAGNA CAUDA

2 cups heavy cream
6 cloves garlic
1/4 cup butter
10 finely chopped flat anchovy filet packed in olive oil, drained
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 (1 pound) loaf crusty Italian or French bread, cut into 2-inch sections

Wash and prepare the vegetables several hours before using them. Cut vegetable into strips about 3 inches long and 1/2-inch wide. Place all the vegetables in ice water to crisp.

In a large heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, add cream and garlic; bring just to a boil, lower heat to medium, and cook, stirring constantly, approximately 15 minutes or until the cream has thickened and reduced by half. Remove from heat and let cool.

In another saucepan, melt the butter. Mash anchovies with a fork and add to butter, along with parsley and cayenne; cook until the anchovies dissolves into a paste, about 5 minutes.

When cream has cooled, mash the garlic with a fork. Force the cream and garlic through a sieve into the butter mixture. Heat the sauce, stirring, but do not let it boil.

Serve in warming dish over candle (a fondue pot works well). If sauce begins to separate while standing, a few turns with a whisk will bring it back together. Sauce may be made ahead and kept refrigerated in covered jar. To re-warm, place jar in cold water in a pan and gently raise the heat until mixture is liquid again.

Dip vegetables into the bagna cauda (a fondue-style fork will help), holding a piece of bread under the vegetable after dipping. After dipping a few pieces, the bread will be fragrant with oil and delicious to eat.

BEEF OSSO BUCO

4 thick beef shanks (3-4 pounds)
salt and pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil (1 1/2 tablespoons for the shanks + 1 1/2 tablespoons for the vegetables)
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cups tomato purée
2 cups dry white wine
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme



INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 300F and put the rack in the middle position. Season the shanks generously with salt and pepper. Prep the remaining ingredients.

2. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot and shimmering, add the shanks to the pan with space between them. Sear the shanks, pressing the meat to the pan occasionally, until they are very brown, 2-4 minutes. Turn and brown the second side. Remove the shanks to a plate.

3. Turn the heat down to medium and add the carrot, onion and celery. Sprinkle the vegetables lightly with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes, then stir in the garlic . Stirring constantly, cook for another minute or so, until the vegetables are soft.

4. Add the tomato paste and stir to caramelize it well, 2-3 minutes. Add the tomato purée and white wine to the Dutch oven. Stir and scrape to release the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Nestle the shanks into the liquid, and pour in any juices that accumulated while it rested.

5. Add enough water to come up almost cover the shanks. Cover and roast in the oven, turning 3-4 times until the meat almost falls off the bone, 2-2 1/2 hours. Stir in the thyme 15 minutes before taking the shanks out of the oven.