Holiday Traditions

I’m too impatient to enjoy piping and flooding sugar cookies alone. In fact, I find it tedious and virtually impossible. I know some of you feel differently and look at the art of cookie decorating as therapeutic. But for those of us with a shaky hand (especially after a few too many cups of coffee) and a lack of artistic ability, it’s not therapy. In fact it may be the trigger that gets me to a shrink.

But look at the picture. I am so proud. I feel like I can brag a bit since I’ve really worked hard over the years to get to the point of being able to create such pretty cookies. Don’t look too closely though, since they are far from perfect--- no straight lines or smooth edges. My decorated masterpieces are more like impressionistic paintings; viewed best from a distance.

This year my friend Jenn wasn’t able to join me in my annual cookie making tradition. She’s now a professional baker after opening The Little Daisy Bakeshop in Montclair NJ, an amazing little dream come true for her. I have Jenn to thank for teaching me most of what I’ve learned (as I’ve written about through the years). I missed her tremendously this year but my friend Christina proved to be a darn good substitute.

For starters, Christina was kind enough to host our cookie decorating in her spacious kitchen, allowing my sloppy self to spread out comfortably among stacks of cooling racks, baking sheets, sprinkles and icing. She mixed and colored the icing, as Jenn used to do, getting the perfect consistency for the edges and filling and also helped me roll and cut some last minute chocolate cookie dough. But most importantly, Christina was there for the encouragement I always need for the project, my gentle nudge to get it done and ultimately, my way to enjoy an otherwise challenging project. I bounced my decorating ideas off of her as she willingly shared unique ways to design whimsical cookies. More often than not, she left her own cookies to make more icing or demonstrate a design idea. We spent five enjoyable hours together, baking and decorating while talking endlessly about who knows what.

This year I used Martha Stewart’s basic roll out sugar cookie recipe, which yields a flatter cookie. I really like the way the chocolate cookies turned out, especially the mittens, and have Wilton to thank for that recipe. Royal Icing is royal icing and as Christina says, you just mix the confection sugar, water and Just Whites slowly until you get the fluffy and tasty consistency you’re looking for.

Holiday traditions, baking, cooking or entertaining, don’t just enrich our lives. Sometimes they make something possible that otherwise could not have happened. Once again I will proudly present these cookies as hostess gifts and to teachers, relishing every bit of their ooh’s and aah’s. I worked hard for those!

Wonton Fun

I never knew it could be so fun to stuff and fold Chinese wontons until Christina, Suzy and I had our wonton making date.

Suzy came a few hours early to make a batch of homemade chicken stock, which she planned on serving with the wontons. She arrived ready to go, a huge stock pot in one hand and an overstuffed grocery bag in the other. She marched right into my kitchen, unloading not just her stuff but some guilt as well, apologizing for taking over my kitchen every week. She even threatened to stop our regular Tuesday gig. I quickly interrupted her purge, reminding her that we’d be cooking every week regardless of her kitchen renovation like we’ve done for years. Plus, I reminded her, these cooking dates benefit me as much as her. What better way in my busy life to get dinner on the table than to spend a blast of a time with a friend?
So, she settled comfortably in and started her chicken soup, throwing veggies, herbs and chicken into her pot to boil and simmer. Her original intention was to leave and let the soup slow cook while I worked. But as she settled in, a magazine in hand, she decided to hang out and wait while I worked. It was fantastic for me since she soon dropped her magazine and began helping me make pizza and soup for our pre-wonton making lunch. Plus, I really like when people make themselves at home in my kitchen.

Christina arrived a tad late but we greeted her with a cup of a hearty squash soup, which Kathe and I made the day before and a delicious flatbread Zucchini and parmesan cheese pizza. This was designed to provide energy to twist and seal her 60 wontons and some of mine too. Since there’s no room in my small kitchen for three bowls, trays and grown-ups, we spread out into my dining room.

I got teased a bit for my wonton folding ability (or lack there-of), requesting that Christina demonstrate several times in slow motion. As Christina’s wontons remained upright neatly lined on her baking tray, mine just lay down, relaxed and ready to take a nap. Suzy, who laughed that she usually isn’t that coordinated with crimping other foods like empanadas, proudly got the hang of it, cranking out a good bunch herself. As usual, I set out to make double everyone else since it’s not that much more work and I’ve got a wonton loving bunch in my house. I made two fillings, a pork and chicken. The only difference: scallions were added to the chicken.

Here’s the recipe, guided by an expert Chinese cook, my pal Christina.

Enjoy!

Wontons
Makes 60

1 pound ground chicken (or pork)
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
A few pinches of salt
Several splashes of soy sauce
Several splashes of sesame oil
1 egg, lightly beaten
Corn starch
Handful of chopped scallions
Package of wonton wrappers (60)

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together. Stuff, twist and fold the wontons: place a teaspoon of filling into the wrapper, facing point side down. Moisten the edges and fold over the filling into a triangle. Twist on corner under the other and seal. Repeat. Lay on parchment paper lined baking sheet until hardened, freeze until hard and then transfer to freezer bags. Boil in water (or chicken stock) for about 7 minutes. Serve in homemade chicken soup with chopped chives and steamed spinach.

My First White Halloween

My first white Halloween came with strange and eerie consequences. Heavy snow settled on leaf-filled branches, the weight of which caused many downed limbs and uprooted trees. People lost power and still haven’t gotten it back even six days later. For the lucky few (like my family) who lost power for a mere 13 hours, our homes have become makeshift support centers where friends and neighbors can eat a good meal, take a shower, do laundry and let their kids spend a night with the luxury of heat and a TV show. It’s a bizarre reality that is affecting people’s moods during an otherwise glorious fall season.

When my power first when out, I was terrified that I would lose the food I’d been cooking and freezing for several upcoming events. (I even began questioning the purpose of cooking and freezing food at all!) I immediately had to find a house with a generator to transfer the 18 quarts of turkey chili Liz and I had made for the upcoming Election Day bake sale and the dozens of pumpkin and banana breads I baked for an impending healthy breakfast at school. Once I had successfully found a freezer for my donated food, I worked on saving my own family’s food by transferring wontons, dumplings, and tomato sauce from my freezer to Christina’s down the street.

Cooking With Friends soon came to the rescue as I fed my powerless hungry neighbors. Banana muffins and breads became a quick breakfast and pesto was a delicious vegetarian dinner. And the big beef burritos stashed in my freezer (that I had made with Suzy) came in handy as a quick meal for my friend CJ, a fireman who had no time between emergencies to eat. For many days and still continuing, friends and neighbors are coming and going, using my house as theirs. My friend Kathe settled in on Halloween with her family, helping me make huge batches of meatballs, sauce, corn bread and chili to feed neighbors after trick-or-treating. Thankful to have a kitchen to cook in, Kathe even made a delicious apple crisp for dessert.

My friends keep saying they “owe” me for my hospitality, which is kind but completely ridiculous. Here on the bright side of the street looking over at my neighbors’ dark homes I feel bad and want to help in any way I can. I am thankful to have power and can’t think of a better way to use it than to help my friends. The only thing my friends owe me is continued friendship. And when the power goes out on my side of the street I’m sure there will be a place for my family!

Big Beef Burrito
Makes 8 Big Burritos

Kids and adults all love the Big Beef Burrito. And it’s Homemade Take-out at its easiest. The burritos are simple to make in large batches and take only minutes to warm up for lunches, snacks, or dinners. This is definitely a dish to experiment with-try pulled chicken, ground beef, all veggie, or rice and bean. The recipe below is our favorite Big Burrito basic. Make sure you offer a toppings bar of sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes, and onions, and include your own guacamole and salsa.

1 pound lean ground beef
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed and minced
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup cooked rice
8 Flour Tortillas (10’’ large size)
2 1/2 cups shredded cheese (cheddar, Monterey Jack, or a blend)
½ cup cilantro, chopped

In a large saucepan, begin to brown the beef for a few minutes while seasoning with chili powder, salt, cumin, onion powder and chili powder. Add the onions, garlic and jalapeno peppers and cook for 7 minutes. Add black beans and heat through. Add rice and mix well.

Warm the tortillas slightly so that they do not break apart when folding. (The microwave works well. Simply place the tortillas on a plate, cover with a damp paper towel and heat for one minute.) Keeping the tortillas covered so that they don’t dry out, remove one at a time and begin filling. Spoon about ¾ cup of filling into each tortilla and follow with ¼ cup of cheese on top of each, followed by a sprinkling of cilantro.

Fold in two edges and roll burritos carefully making sure to enclose all filling. To freeze, wrap each individually in plastic wrap after you fold each one so they don’t dry out. Then, place in freezer bags and lay flat in the freezer. To reheat the burritos, unwrap, place burrito on a plate and microwave on high for 1 ½ to 2 minutes on each side, checking to make sure edges do not become hardened.