Christmas Eve = Paninis for lunch

Mom thought paninis would be a quick and easy lunch, so while Mom and her sister dropped my cousins and Granma off at the L stop, I put together lunch. Mine (pictured) was fresh mozzarella, Italian seasoned baked tofu (gotta use it up), and spinach. Mom and Aunt Dana's was fresh mozzarella, prosciutto, spinach, and balsamic vinegar. Dad's was fresh mozzarella, prosciutto, spinach, and Dijon mustard.
I personally liked the creaminess from the tofu and flavor from its seasonings went quite well with the chewiness of the melted mozzarella.

White Asparagus

Dad picked up some asparagus and a $5 rotisserie chicken from Costco. Going through the cheese drawer, he came up with white white asparagus, using Manchego, white cheddar, and cream cheese. He didn't know there was still fresh ricotta (though a week old, so probably almost at it's end.)

Cookie Tins

This year the cookies I delivered to our neighbors were the tassies that Granma made, Grasshopper Squares, and a new recipe: Pistachio Cranberry Icebox Cookies.

I hope they're enjoyed.

Pistachio Cranberry Icebox Cookie

I originally saw this recipe last month browsing the December issue of Gourmet during breakfast. I changed it a bit, but barely, more to suit the ingredients I have and know how to get. Mine don't look nearly as square as the ones in the magazine picture, but I'm bad with shapes. They taste good (the batch that wasn't darkened, that is), and that's the important part.
I found it was easier to handle the dough taking only one bar out of the fridge at a time, I didn't have to worry about it softening too much that way.

Pistachio Cranberry Icebox Cookies
from December 2006 Gourmet

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon fresh orange zest
2 1/2 oz cup shelled pistachios (around 1/2 cup)
1 1/4 oz dried cranberries (around 1/3 cup)

1 large egg, lightly beaten
turbinado sugar


First make dough:
Stir together flour, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl.

Beattogether butter, granulated sugar, and zest in bowl of an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 3 batches, mixing until dough just clumps together; mix in pistachios and cranberries. Gather and press dough together, then divide into 2 equal pieces. Using a sheet of plastic wrap as an aid, form each piece of dough into a rectangular prism of a log with a base of approximately 1x1 inch.

-Approximately 2 hours to 3 days later slice and bake cookies:
Put oven racks in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Brush egg over 4 long sides of bars (but not ends). Sprinkle turbinado sugar on a separate sheet of parchment or wax paper and press bars into sugar, coating well (or press sugar into bars, which is a bit more effective).

Cut each bar crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices, rotating bar after cutting each slice to help keep square shape. Arrange cookies about 1/2 inch apart on lined baking sheets.

Bake sheets one at a time until edges are pale golden, about 9 to 15 minutes. Transfer cookies from parchment to racks using a spatula and cool completely.

Makes about 4 dozen.

Pumpkin Spice Mini Loaves

I wanted to give my friends a present, and as much as I didn't want it to be edible, it makes it easiest, and the most fun on my part. Armed with cheap foil mini-loaf pans and a can of pumpkin puree, I was ready to bake! I dug out Pumpkin Bread recipe from last year, and with a
few simple changes I hoped would make it better, out it came. Next time though, I won't top it with nuts (they burned) and load it with fresh cranberries on the inside, and maybe some chopped walnuts or pecans.

Pumpkin Spice Mini Loaves
Makes 5 mini
loaves

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
3 large eggs
1 15-ounce can pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350º Fahrenheit.
Grease (I use Baker's Joy because I'm lazy) 5 mini loaf pans.

Sift flours, spices, rising agents, and salt into a large bowl.

Beat sugar, butter, and applesauce together in another large bowl. Mix in eggs, pumpkin, and vanilla extract. Stir flour mixture into pumpkin mixture in two additions, just until combined.

Divide batter evenly between prepared pans (or 3 #10 scoops per pan). Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer to racks and cool 5 minutes, then remove from pans and cool completely on racks.

Chicken and Cheese Casserole

Mom and I were going to be late home, so Granma made dinner and my cousin joined us.
Granma says it would've been better with water than wine, but she was scared she wouldn't be able to get it open.

They also must slaughter chickens the size of turkeys now, because those were some huge chicken breasts. Or they were pumped up later...

Chicken and Cheese Casserole
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 can Cream Of Mushroom Soup
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 cup white wine (or water)
slices of swiss cheese
breadcrumbs

Place chicken in casserole dish and top each breast with a layer of swiss cheese.

Mix soup and wine together until its the right consistency. If more wine is needed, use more. Pour over chicken in dish.

Top with breadcrumbs and drizzle with melted butter.

Put it oven at 350 or 55 minutes or until chicken cooked through and top is crispy.

Pork Chops with Mushroom Dressing

A dish from Mom's One Dish meals cookbook that she loves so much.
Thereis a bad memory associated with this dish from quite a few years ago, and I'm not sure if Mom had made it since then. But I learned my lesson: leave pot holders near hot dishes, or even better, on top of them.

Pecan Tassies

This would be a tradition in our family. There aren't too many of those that I can think of. Granma makes them every year, and since she came up for Christmas a week ago, and I told her (I know I should have asked instead) to make some, I came home from school to the smell of tassies on Monday. Now Dad, and the neighbors, can enjoy them.

Golden Tassies
Makes 4 dozen

Crust:
2 sticks (1/2 lb) butter, softened
1 (6 oz) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups flour
1/8 teaspoon salt

Filling:
3 slightly beaten eggs
2 1/4 cups brown sugar
2 tablespoons melted butter
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup chopped pecans

To make crust:
Place butter and cream cheese in a bowl. Work in flour and salt with a fork. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Pinch off dough and roll into approx 1/2 inch balls and press into mini muffin tins.

Making filling:
Mix together all ingredients for filling and spoon approximately 1 teaspoon of filling into each prepared muffin cup.

Bake for 20 minutes at 350º and then 10 minutes at 250º.

Lamb

We had a leg of lamb in the fridge, and Dad always seems to find a way to turn it into a delicious meal. Usually involving plenty of garlic and onions. This one also had celery, peppers, and tomatoes, and was paired with spinach rice.

Gingerbread Crowd

I decided to give making Gingerbreadfolk a try with a recipe that came in my e-mail as part of Cooking Light's 25 days of cookies.

Gingerbread People
makes 5 dozen
Cookies:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (about 10 ounces)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup molasses
1 large egg
Icing
1 cup powdered sugar
2-3 tablespoons water

To make cookies, combine first 7 ingredients in a bowl.

Place granulated sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth and well blended. Add molasses and the egg and beat until well blended.
Beat flour mixture into sugar mixture until well blended.
Divide dough in half; shape each dough portion into a flat disk. Wrap dough portions separately in plastic wrap; chill 1 hour or until firm.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Roll one round of dough to a 1/8-inch thickness on a floured surface. Cut with a 3-inch boy or girl cookie cutter. Place cookies 1/2 inch apart on parchment paper or silicone mat lined baking sheets. Reroll scraps and repeat with all dough. Bake at 350° for 9-11 minutes or until edges of cookies are lightly browned.
Remove from pans and cool completely.

To give the cookies features, combine powdered sugar and water, stirring until smooth. Spoon mixture into a Ziplock bag and snip a tiny bit off of one corner of the bag. Pipe eyes, buttons, hands, and feet onto cookies with more precision than I did.