Happy 2012

Happy New Year!

Comfort Food: Turkey A La King

My mom made most of the "A La Kings" as I was growing up - chicken, turkey, tuna.  These dishes were  primarily made with butter, flour, milk, broth, meat,  seasoning, and pimentos. These simple ingredients made a delicious sauce. The "A La Kings" were always served over toast.

The ingredients haven't changed all that much in this recipe.  I have omitted the pimentos and used mushrooms, added a little of this and that to the seasoning, used a little cream instead of milk, and added some white cooking wine.    Not only do I serve my turkey a la king over toast, I also serve it over noodles, rice, and biscuit halves.

A La King meals are a tasty way to use  up leftovers and are great for catch up days.  Catch up days are when I cook meals that are relatively inexpensive.   Best of all it is quick and easy to make.



                                                   Turkey A La King


Ingredients:

¼ cup unsalted butter plus 2 tablespoons
2 cups sliced baby bella mushrooms
1/3-cup flour
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1-teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1-3/4 cups chicken broth
¼ cup white cooking wine
2 cups diced turkey breast cooked
½ cup heavy cream
Snipped chives for garnish (optional)


Directions:

1. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet.  Add mushrooms and sauté.  Remove from heat and set aside.
2. Melt the remaining butter in a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat.
3. Add the flour to the melted butter and stir. Cook for 1 minute. Add the dried parsley flakes, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, ground black pepper, and chili powder to the flour mixture.  Stir and cook for 1 minute.
4.  Whisk in the chicken broth and white cooking wine.  Bring to a boil stirring frequently.
5.Add the diced chicken and mushrooms to the sauce.  Stir, cover and simmer for 20 minutes stirring occasionally.
6. Stir in the cream and heat through.
7. Serve over noodles, rice or split biscuits.  Garnish with snipped chives, if desired.

Serves 6

Sauce

Diced Turkey

Turkey A La King

White Hot Chocolate

Last night, the kids and I returned from our day after after Christmas shopping.  To warm us up, I made us cups of Hot White Chocolate.

I use whole milk flavored with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.   To this mixture I add vanilla extract and Nestle's Premier White Morsels which are vanilla-flavored baking pieces.  The result is a  sweet, rich,  creamy cup of  hot chocolate.  This drink is perfect for anyone with a sweet tooth.


                                                     White Hot Chocolate

Ingredients:

3 cups whole milk
3 inches cinnamon stick
4 whole cloves
1 nutmeg sliver
1-teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup Nestle Premier White Morsels


Directions:

1. Place the milk in a heavy-bottomed 3-quart saucepan.
2. Bring to a simmer over low heat whisking occasionally. This prevents the milk from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
3.  Remove the milk from the heat.  Add the cinnamon stick, cloves and nutmeg sliver to the milk.  Steep for 10 minutes.
4. Strain the milk and place it back in the saucepan and return to a simmer over low heat.
5. Whisk in the vanilla extract and white morsels.  Whisk until the white morsels have melted.
6. Remove from heat and pour into mugs.

Makes 3 servings

Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cloves

Straining Milk

Laura Bush's Cowboy Cookies

I baked some Cowboy cookies over the holidays  and they were delicious.  I found this recipe when I was surfing the web.  In reading over the recipe, the cookies sounded so good I had to make some.  I was not disappointed.  They are chewy cookies with lots of chocolate chips, nuts and coconut.  In my book, this recipe is a keeper.

                                                  Laura Bush's Cowboy Cookies

                                                        Christmas-Cookies.com

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 tablespoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cup butter (at room temperature)
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
1-1/2 cups packed light-brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 cups sweetened flake coconut
2 cups chopped pecans

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a bowl.
3.  In an 8-quart bowl, beat butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy, 1 minute.
4.  Gradually beat in sugars; beat to combine, 2 minutes.
5.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each.  Beat in vanilla extract.
6.  Stir in flour mixture until just combined.
7.  Add chocolate chips, oats, coconut, and pecans.
8.  For each cookie, drop 1/4 cup of dough onto ungreased baking sheets spacing 3 inches apart.
9.  Bake for 17 to 19 minutes until edges are lightly browned.  Rotate sheet halfway through.
10.  Remove cookies form rack to cool.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas  Everyone


I hope you have a Very Merry and Blessed Christmas.

Eggnog Chai Mix

This is a great seasonal warm-up.  A nice cup of tea blended with the flavors of the season - eggnog, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves.  It is quick and easy to make.  Just heat up some milk, add the mix and stir.  Result: You have a great tasting cup of Chai.

Eggnog Chai Mix is also a quick and easy gift from your kitchen.  I put the mix  in an airtight container, attach an instruction card, decorate it with a nice bow and voila - I have  a tasty gift.  You can also put it in cellophane Holiday bags.





                                                          Eggnog Chai Mix


Ingredients:

3 cups sugar
1 (5oz) carton powdered Aspen Eggnog mix
2 cups unsweetened instant tea
1-½ cups powdered nondairy coffee creamer
1-¼ cups nonfat dry milk powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1-teaspoon ground nutmeg
1-teaspoon ground cardamom
1-teaspoon ground cloves
1-teaspoon ground allspice


Directions:

1.Stir together all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl until well mixed.
2. Spoon a medium portion of the mixture into a blender.  Cover and process until the mixture is powdery.   Repeat until all the mixture has been powdered.
3. Transfer to an airtight container.
4.To Prepare:  Place 3 tablespoons of the mixture in a mug.  Add hot milk and stir well.

Yields about 8 cups of mix

Stirring All Ingredients

Ready to Blend

Eggnog Chai Mix

Macadamia Nut Bread

Macadamia Nut Bread is my favorite quick bread for the holidays.  I often refer to the bread as my Hawaiian Fruit Cake.  I first discovered this recipe in the December 1980 issue of "Redbook" magazine.  The recipe was submitted by Betsy Balsley, who was the food editor of the Los Angeles Times.

I have not changed a thing in this recipe all the years I have been making it.  To me, it is perfect as is.  The little loaves are flavorful and very moist.   I cut the loaves in thin slices as serve them with a hot beverage.   I often double the recipe to give as  Christmas Presents.

Mele Kalikimaka





                                                                        Macadamia Nut Bread
                                                           "Redbook" December 1980 Betsy Balsley


Ingredients:
1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained very well
1(9-ounce) jar macadamia nuts, chopped (about 1 1/4 cups)
1 cup packaged sweetened flaked coconut
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt (reduce to 1/4 teaspoon if nuts are salted)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chopped Macadamia Nuts

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
2. Grease three 5x3 inch loaf pans and line bottoms with wax paper.  You can also line the pans with aluminum foil and grease.
3. Mix pineapple, nuts and coconut in a large bowl.

Pineapple, Nuts, and Coconut

4. Whisk the flour, salt, and baking powder together in a medium bowl.
5. Pour the flour mixture over the pineapple mixture. Add sugar and mix gently until nuts and fruits are well coated.

Flour Mixture and Sugar Over Pineapple Mixture

Nuts and Fruit Mixed Well

6. Beat the eggs in a small bowl.  When foamy stir in the vanilla extract.

Foamy Eggs

7. Pour the eggs over the nut mixture and stir until well mixed.

Eggs Poured Over Nut Mixture

Batter in Pans

8. Spoon the batter into the prepared pans.
9. Bake 60-70 minutes.  Remove from the oven and cool on wire racks.
10. Wrap in plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
11. Store in the refrigerator.

Makes 3 small loaves.

Cooling

Little Loaf of Goodness