Saturday Meanderings

Hard to believe it was rainy and cold for the Easter weekend, but today, it is sunny and warm, the perfect Spring day. Trees are budding, birds are singing and love is in the air. A sure sign of the season is seeing ducks around in our swimming pool as the female chooses her mate. Here in Phoenix we pray for more days like this because we know that blistering temperature will be heading our way in a few months. Welcome to the first Saturday Meanderings of April, where we chat about all good things this past week. I really appreciate you joining me today with a cup of your favorite beverages while reading this.

Easter Brunch table

Easter Recap

As I mentioned earlier, the wet weather prevented us from having a meal in the palm orchard, but the covered back terrace is the perfect place to gather out of the elements. With a fire going in the fireplace and the outdoor and space heaters on, twelve of us sit down to brunch.

Lots of bunnies at the table

Before our meal, however, is the annual Easter egg hunt. The Easter bunny places 521 plastic eggs (yes, he counted them this year), with 200 of the eggs filled with money. Though a bit wet and muddy, the children (now well into adulthood) fiercely compete to see who is get the most eggs and hopefully the most cash.

Hunting for eggs

It is a very competitive, almost a contact sport but we’ve yet to see any physical injuries as they fill the wicker baskets provided. After the hunt, we start our Easter brunch on the covered back terrace, Spinach and goat cheese quiches, honey baked ham, green salad, fresh fruit, waffle bar and mimosas are on tap. Dessert is the annual lamb cake and limoncello bundt cake. Of course, I did not take pictures. Sigh.

My son, in Chicago, makes his official lamb cake and it is much better than mine! If you don’t follow him on Instagram, you may want to @crozier_cooks. Obviously I didn’t grease my lamb cake mold well enough because the cake did not come out cleanly.

Benjamin’s lamb cake @crozier_cooks

But after some reconstructive surgery and a lot of frosting, here is my lamb cake. Sorry for the awful picture with the messy kitchen in the background. It was a busy day…

My lamb cake

This is a perfect example where the student clearly outperforms the teacher! So proud of his creation.

It is a big day for Finn and he equally loves his stuffed bunny and chicken, snoozing through most of the festivities.

Finn and his honey bunny

Speaking of Finn, he also had his first wellness check at the vet. As you can see, he is not too bothered by the experience!

Finn’s first vet appointment

Spring Flowers

As cold as it was last weekend, on Thursday, it was 85 degrees. The temperature is supposed to drop again this weekend, but the warmer intervals are encouraging the flowers to blossom.

Irises are blooming

Hollyhocks are just showing their pretty blooms too.

Hollyhocks

Nasturtium grows in the same spot every year without any care.

Nasturtium with both orange and yellow blooms

Finn is exploring each and every aspect of the yard; making time to sniff the flowers.

Finn smelling the flowers

Using Rangpurs

My dear friend, Dr. Ryan Krch delivered a bag of rangpurs from his dad’s tree. Rangpurs, sometimes called the rangpur lime, mandarin lime or lemandarin, is a hybrid between the mandarin orange and the citron. It is a citrus fruit with a very acidic taste and an orange peel and flesh. The peel is a bit baggy, like a mandarin.

Rangpurs

Back in 2020, I made a lemon meringue pie using Ryan’s rangpurs (see that post here). This time, I adapt a recipe from The Kitchen McCabe substituting lemon juice with rangpur juice, making individual rangpur tarts.

Individual rangpur tarts

Using a defrosted store-bought pie crust and these sweet individual tart pans, this recipe is rather easy and tasty. Toasting the meringue topping with this small culinary blow torch gives the dessert a professional touch. Note: there are many different types of culinary torches and depending on your budget and use, read the ratings to select the one that best serves your purpose.

Rangpur tartlets

My tartlet pans are 4″ wide by 1.25″, however, I purchased them a long time ago and cannot remember the source. The ones on Amazon are not as tall, but I think they will work equally as well. Webstaurant has one the same size as mine and you can find it here.

The rangpur curd is so unexpectedly different and the dessert is a success.

New Curtains

Our master bathroom is deserving of a total make-over but as I save up for this big project, the curtains in the bathtub nook need replacing. I go to my list of respected resources, but when did the price of curtain panels go up?

Since I am looking for a temporary fix until I fully determine the future new look of the bathroom, I don’t want to spend a lot of money. I find these linen curtains on Amazon for less than $40 for 2 panels, which come in 11 colors and multiple lengths!

Curtain Photo on Amazon

Not expecting the best quality, I am very surprised when the curtains arrive. Yes, they are linen and even though the background is more natural vs. white, they are quite pretty. They let the light through but provide some privacy to the outside.

Bathtub nook curtains

Since I ordered the wrong length, I will need to hem them, but other than that, I am quite pleased with the quality at such a low price. They do have grommets (not my favorite attachment method), but for an interim curtain, it will do. Or I can hem them from the top and add with a pocket for the rod or a way to attach hooks.

From the Internet

The Crowned Goat

I don’t know about you, but for me, Spring is the time to open the windows, and switch things up a bit to welcome the new season. Simple tasks such as reorganizing a hutch or shelves can give a room a fresh, new look. CoCo from The Crowned Goat has Eight Easy Tips for Styling a Dining Room Hutch. Don’t have a hutch? Her tips can be used anywhere you have a set of shelves. Plus her photos are just dreamy.

Pinecones and Acorns

When the weather gets warmer, I dream about finding the perfect, easy casual dress to wear. However, being on the shorter side (5’4″), some dresses with voluminous fabric make me look like a sack of potatoes. So, I spend time looking but making never making a decision. Elizabeth from Pinecones and Acorns shares a collection of spring dresses in various patterns and silhouettes.

If anyone has had success in finding a pretty, affordable, spring dress please let me know. Seriously, I look every year and don’t buy anything.

Celebrate and Decorate Spring Home Tour

Many of you met my sweet friend, Chloe Crabtree, at our Fall Styling Workshop last year. You have often heard me rave about her beautiful home in Celebration, Florida. Now you can see it too. Chloe graciously welcomes you into her home with her recently posted video Spring Home tour.

Mary’s Must Haves

Boho blouse

As the weather gets warmer, I am ready for long sleeve blouses vs. jackets. An affordable favorite (truly, I get compliments every time I wear it), is this boho, loose blouse that is currently 24% off on Amazon, at $27.99. It comes in 20 different colors/patterns and I currently own two of them. Launders easily and still looks good a few years later.

I am in the market for a new belt and good quality t-shirts. Each summer I try and buy a new white one, but lately, it seems the fabric is so sheer (what’s that about?). If anyone has a resource for the perfect t-shirt (crew neck) and a good quality belt, please let me know.

Well, that’s a wrap! Trying to get all of Easter put away, doing some spring cleaning projects and gardening this weekend. Wishing you a relaxing and happy weekend!




St. Patrick’s Day Dinner~Two of my Favorite Recipes

Whether you are Irish or not, I believe we all need the luck of the Irish right now! St. Patrick’s Day is special in our home as it is the birthday of both my daughter and my mother. To learn more about the history of this holiday, please click here. Today, I have two recipes for you: Guinness Pie and Baileys Irish cream cheesecake.

Guinness pie on the way to the oven

Most people think of corned beef and cabbage for St. Patrick’s Day. But I am not a huge fan of the traditional dishes. Each year, I make both of these recipes and since they are so delicious, I make them again and again! The original recipe for Guinness Pie was published in the New York Times but if you try and get it online, they make you pay for a weekly subscription. Not sure how I scored a paper copy of it, but the printable recipe is below. I will provide a link to the cheesecake recipe.

Guinness Pie

If you need a pie crust shortcut, I strongly recommend Trader Joe’s pie crust. These are a staple in my freezer as I use them for both sweet and savory pies. You can find them in the freezer section of your local Trader Joe’s. This is my favorite preferred alternative to a homemade crust and super easy to use. However if you don’t have a Trader Joe’s, you can make your own crust or use another store-bought brand.

Before I start any recipe, I gather all my ingredients.

Fresh ingredients

Since this recipe requires a bit of chopping, having sharp knives is important. The sharper the knife the safer the chop. Before you sharpen your knife, please note the type of knife you have. We have a sharpener for my Asian blades and a different one for the German blades. Here are several choices in knife sharpeners.

Chef’s Choice Asian

With all the vegetables chopped and ready to go, cooking commences.

lots of chopping

Carrots, celery, onion, garlic, mushrooms are cooked in a oven-safe pot. I used my Le Creuset pot~~which I love (and wish I had a few more!). But any Dutch oven or heavy stock pot will do.

A side note about my Le Creuset~ this signature porcelain enameled cast iron Dutch oven is an investment, but you will not be disappointed. Mine is 5.5 quarts (or #26). With this recipe I believe you could go with a smaller one, maybe a 4.5 or 3.5 quart size.

5.5 quart Le Creuset

I use my Le Creuset frequently. It’s perfect for everything from baking homemade bread to making soups and stews. This pot will be passed down to the next generation. You really can’t go wrong with purchasing it.  

While this cooks, your kitchen will smell so good!

Cooking the veggies

The recipe calls for 3 pounds of brisket. Though it does not instruct to trim the fat from the brisket, I did~~about 7 oz. of it. The fresh rosemary is clipped from the garden. If you don’t have an herb garden, I really encourage you to have fresh herbs in a pot. Simple pleasures and how intoxicating is the smell of fresh rosemary?

Chop and salt the beef

The recipe also calls for 4 cups of stout beer. I had two bottles of Guinness but when I measured it, the volume was only 3 cups. However, the beer did cover the beef in the pot, so I didn’t feel a need to add more.

Measuring the Guinness beer

What makes this stew so delicious, is that, after sautéing all the vegetables and beef, is the slow-baking in the oven for 2 1/2 hours. After the appropriate baking time, freshly shredded cheddar cheese is added (or trotter gear, if you have it). Look at the rich texture and color of the stew! While the stew is cooking you can work on the crust.

Rich, flavorful filling

Just a side note on trotter gear. It involves pig’s feet (ewww) so the cheddar cheese option is fine with me. But here’s a recipe if you are interested in making it.

The pie crust can be placed in either a 8-inch square Pyrex dish or a pie pan. I like using a 9″ deep dish glass pie dish. After I add the beef stew, I put the remaining cheddar cheese on top and then top it with a basketweave crust using different widths of dough. With the leftover dough, I use shamrock cookie cutters for a decorative touch.

If you are not familiar with a basketweave top crust, a standard pie crust top is fine.

Shamrock cookie cutter

Using green food coloring, I paint the shamrocks with a pastry brush. I did this for the first time last year and really thought it made the Guinness pie look more festive. Then pop the pie into the oven for another 45 minutes until the crust is puffy and golden.

Brush the dough shamrocks lightly with green food coloring

This is such a flavorful, hearty pie, which is perfect for this time of year. Though the recipe yields 6 servings, I could easily get 8 out of the pie. Since we are having guests for dinner on Thursday, I will be making 2 pies. Plus the leftovers are equally delicious!

Hot out of the oven

In addition, I will serve my arugula salad with lemon dressing so we have more greens for St. Patrick’s Day. We have a bumper crop of arugula that will bolt soon as the temperatures rise, so I am trying to harvest as much as I can from the garden.

Hearty meat pie

Bailey’s Irish Cream Cheesecake

The next recipe is very decadent but such a festive dessert for St. Patrick’s Day. Just a note: The recipe recommends a 5 hour refrigeration time so plan accordingly. Here is the direct link to the cheesecake recipe~~click here. I will be making this the day before and finishing it on St. Patrick’s Day before company arrives.

Ingredients

For the crust, put whole Oreo cookies in the Cuisinart to get 2 cups of crumbs~~approximately 18 to 20 cookies. Mix in melted butter.

The recipe tells you to put the crumbs in a spring form pan, yet isn’t clear on if they only go on the bottom or up the sides. Keep the crust on the bottom (per the pictures on the link). Bake for 8-10 minutes. If you need a 9″ springform pan, see one here.

Oreo crust

The directions are a little vague about wrapping the springform pan. I wrap the bottom and the sides with double foil to make sure no water will enter the inside of the pan during the hot bath.

Wrap in foil and water bath

Once the cheesecake is finished baking and has cooled, it needs to be refrigerated for at least 5 hours or overnight.

Coat cheesecake with ganache

I let mine cool overnight and will make the chocolate ganache the next day.

Properly made ganache will shine like a mirror

Last year I failed to get a photo of an individual piece, so this is from 2 years ago. My ganache last year is much shinier, which is the trademark of a successful ganache. Regardless, the taste of the cheesecake is just amazing.

Makes a tasty and pretty dessert

I hope you will try these recipes because I only recommend the ones that I have personally tried and tasted. There’s nothing worse than spending time in the kitchen only to have an underwhelming dish.

Also, if you missed the post on decorating a St. Patrick’s Day table to go with these fabulous recipes, you can see that here. Enjoy!

If you enjoy this post, please share on Pinterest.


Guinness Pie

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1012397-guinness-pie

  • 4 Tbsp butter
  • 2 large red onions (chopped)
  • 4 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 2 carrots (peeled and chopped)
  • 2 ribs celery (chopped)
  • 10 mushrooms (trimmed and sliced)
  • 3 lbs brisket (preferably second-cut) or stew meat (chopped into bite-size pieces)
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 Tbsp flour
  • 1 sprig rosemary
  • 4 cups (2 cans) Guinness or other stout
  • 1 cup trotter gear or 8 ounces Cheddar (freshly grated)

For the Pastry

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) very cold unsalted butter (diced)
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1 egg yolk (lightly beaten)
  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

  2. In a large, ovenproof pan fitted with a lid, heat 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium-low heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, about 10 minutes.

  3. Add the carrots, celery, mushrooms and remaining 2 tablespoons butter and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are dark in color and the moisture released by them has evaporated, about 15 minutes.

  4. Season the beef pieces all over with salt and pepper. Add the beef, flour and rosemary to the pan and cook over high heat, stirring often, for about 5 minutes.

  5. Add enough Guinness to just cover the beef. Cover the pan and put it in the oven for 1 1/2 hours. Remove from the oven and stir. If using trotter gear (https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1012399-fergus-hendersons-trotter-gear), stir it in now. If using Cheddar, fold in about half. Return to the oven and cook for 1 hour more. If it remains thin, set the pan over medium-low heat, remove the lid and reduce the liquid.

  6. While the stew is cooking, prepare the pastry: sift together the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Using a pastry cutter or your hands, quickly work the butter into the dough until it is the texture of coarse meal. Add ice water, a splash at a time, until a firm dough forms. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

  7. Place the dough between two sheets of plastic wrap and, using a rolling pin, roll to the thickness of a computer mouse pad. Pour the stew into an 8-inch-square, 2-inch-high Pyrex dish or a deep 9-inch pie pan. If using Cheddar, scatter the remaining cheese across the top. Place the dough on the top of the pie and pinch it closed around the edges using the tines of a fork, then slash the center lightly with a knife. Brush with the egg yolk, place on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes, or until the pastry is puffy and golden

I use a Trader Joe’s frozen pie crust and did both a bottom and a top crust.  This is optional as the recipe only uses a top crust.

Main Course





Saturday Meanderings

For the last Saturday Meanderings of 2023, I am including two weeks of good things to chat about. With every intention to post last Saturday, well, you know how life goes the week before and after Christmas. Happily with a house full of family and guests, I never finished my post and here it is, a week later and there is more to add. So grab a cup of coffee or tea, and let’s chat about all good things over the last two weeks.

Before Christmas

What a week! On Saturday, December 16th we made the 6 hour drive to Newport Beach, California where we celebrated my husband’s birthday.

Coffee and sunrise over the Pacific

Newport Beach

With the average house price in Newport Beach being nearly $4mm, it is obviously a place we cannot buy, but we certainly love to visit. We always stay at Marriott Newport Coast Villas, which overlooks the Pacific Ocean and is situation right on the Pacific Coast Highway. This location is just perfect for our family and after coming here every summer when the children were younger, it feels a bit like a home away from home.

View from our deck: Sunset over the Pacific

Four days of chock-a-block activities with the whole family (and significant others), from Disneyland to our favorite beach, the time is filled with lots of laughter and new memories. This Marriott property is so well maintained with beautiful landscaping too.

Unedited~bird of paradise

One of the highlights of blogging is meeting some truly wonderful people. During my September trip to Newport Beach, I learn that Wendy, from WM Design House lives in the area. So on this trip, we schedule time to meet for lunch and immediately, we become fast friends.

Meeting Wendy from WM House Designs

I love scheduling 4 to 5 days before Christmas to do something extra special with our family. Not only do we focus on my husband’s birthday (which can get lost in the holiday crunch), but hotel prices are still reasonable and accommodations available. Plus it’s a nice break from the holiday frenzy.

The Loofa (or luffa) is Ready!

This loofa plant has been the highlight of the garden this year. The vine is slowly dying off and I am picking dried loofa from the vine. If you recall, here is how it looks over the summer. At this point, this vegetable is very edible. Surprisingly, it did very well in our exceptionally hot summer.

Loofa growing on the vine

As it matures, the fruit lightens in color and loses water weight. The shell hardens and starts to separate from interior fibers. Here is what the loofa looks like now.

Dried loofa

The dried skin easily peels off and the seeds shake out from the inside. I find this plant so interesting! If you would like to grow this in your garden, here is a link to luffa seeds. I haven’t used it yet as a body scrubber but will keep you posted!

Annual Holiday Competition

My son, Benjamin has long-time friends (Emily, Max and Jeffrey) who gather each Christmas and compete in a food/drink cookoff. To date, the competition has included BLTs, stuffing, and hamburgers. This year they decide to do a cocktail one with categories of stirred, blended, shaken and shooters.

And the competition begins!

With a cleared kitchen island, each friend has a prep station. Official descriptions and judging sheets are provided to us and our friends, Rick and Janie. Not only are the drinks innovative and delicious, but it is so joyful to see the camaraderie between these incredible friends. Judging scores includes presentation, taste and innovation.

Great friends-Great cocktails

From tropical pinã coladas to snowball Negronis, this group did not disappoint. Operating as skilled mixologist, each and every drink is delicious.

Whiskey sour

Cocktails are rated with a numbering system and judged with a blind tasting. It’s always hard to pick one winner because such effort and attention is done by all three participants.

Christmas Day and After

Christmas morning is a very casual and relaxing affair here at Bella Terra. After the traditional breakfast of Eggs a la Goldenrod (see the recipe here), smoked salmon (made by my husband), bagels, and fresh squeezed orange juice for mimosas, we open our presents in the living room. It is possible there are more dog than people presents!

Annual Stairs photo

A late afternoon dinner is served in the dining room. What is fun about this year’s meal is that it was thrown together without a lot of forethought. The menu includes a smoked pork loin, a salad made from fresh garden greens and sweet potatoes, prepared in the most delicious way (recipe to come soon), cornbread muffins and a previously homemade (and frozen) pumpkin pie.

Smoked pork loin with creamy mustard sauce with fresh thyme

The table centerpiece is simply created with bottlebrush trees gathered from other parts of the house. Though our dining room is small and can only accommodate 10 people, it is very conducive to lively conversation and ambiance.

2023 Christmas dinner table

Celebrating the 12 Days of Christmas

I know many people are already dismantling their Christmas decorations, but not here at Bella Terra. This year, I decide to truly celebrate the 12 Days of Christmas (from Christmas Day to January 6, the Epiphany). My mother kept all decorations up until January 6th, a tradition we continue here.

Paperwhites

What I love about this time between those two dates is the unique period of tranquility. I can fully enjoy the quiet beauty of the winter wonderland of our home without the stresses of the holiday bustle. In this sense of peace and stillness, I will slowly read and enjoy all the Christmas cards and letters we’ve received. Daily, I am watching a Christmas movie.

My Santa painting from 2019

Even though Valentine’s Day merchandise is in the stores, I plan to be present and enjoy the peace and quiet of these 12 days. I invite you to join me in using this time for quiet reflection, to connect with nature’s stillness, spend quality time with loved ones, embrace deliberately slowing down, and savor your traditions and rituals.

Christopher Radko ornament

When do you take down your decorations? Do you celebrate the 12 Days of Christmas?

Wishing you the best in 2024

As we say goodbye to 2023, I send you the biggest hugs and best wishes for a healthy, happy and exciting 2024. Keep those you love close to you and always extend a hand to those less fortunate. That’s what life is all about. See you in the New Year!




Trying my Hand at DIY Salt Dough Ornaments

In a previous Saturday Meaderings, I share beautiful salt dough ornaments by both Miss Mustard Seed and Eleanor Rose Home. My recollection of salt dough ornaments are from childhood, where they are rather goofy and painted bright colors. But times have changed and wooden molds are certainly more sophisticated. I find a pretty mold and try my hand at making salt dough ornaments.

Salt dough ornament using a pinecone mold

Wooden Molds

I order two wooden cookie molds. The pinecone one arrived very quickly, however, the other is still en route. If you order these, note where they are coming from….obviously the one that hasn’t arrived is somewhere out of the country. Of course, I didn’t realize that when I placed the order.

Wooden cookie mold approx. 3″ x 5″

If you google wooden cookie molds there are various resources from Amazon to Etsy.

Making the Dough

There are two types of dough you can make. Simple salt dough or gingerbread salt dough. The difference is in the color of the dough~whereas one is more white and the other is tinted brown by adding cinnamon.

Miss Mustard Seed plain salt dough ornaments

Since I am making pinecones, I mix up a batch of the gingerbread salt dough. However, I don’t have enough cinnamon so I do half cinnamon and half allspice. I must say, the kitchen certainly smells of Christmas while these are baking.

Miss Mustard Seed gingerbread salt dough ornaments

I make one batch of dough giving me 7 pinecone cookies. Depending on the size and detail of your mold, your quantity will vary. It is also easy to double or triple the dough recipe. The equipment you will need:

  • Cookie molds
  • Baking Sheets
  • Parchment Paper
  • Toothpick or skewer
  • Ribbon or Twine
  • Scissors
  • Tapestry or large needle

The ingredients for the gingerbread salt dough are:

  • 1 cup of flour
  • 1/2 cup salt
  • 3/4 cup cinnamon
  • 3/4 cup of water

If you are making regular salt dough the ingredients measurements are slightly different:

  • 2 cups of flour
  • 1 cup salt
  • 1 cup water
Mixing dough with paddle attachment

Mix the dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Add water and stir together with a spoon. Using the paddle attachment, mix the dough until it is brought together and all dry ingredients are absorbed. Dough will be crumbly but should hold together when squeezed.

Dough should be crumbly, but should hold together when squeezed

Turn out dough on a floured surface and knead for 30 seconds to bring dough together in a ball.

Form dough in a ball

Using the Mold

Lightly brush the mold with flour.

Flour the mold

Press the dough into the mold.

Press dough into mold

I then press the dough down using a bench scraper to make sure the dough is in all the nooks and crannies. However, I leave the surface of the dough slightly higher than the plane of the mold. It seems easier to remove the cookie impression this way.

Press dough into mold

Tap out the dough or loosen one edge and it should easily release from the mold. Place cookies on a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Get cookies ready to bake

Before baking, I use a wooden skewer to start a hole for the ribbon.

Wood skewer for ribbon hole

Bake at 200 degrees for 30 minutes with decorative side up. Flip over ornament and cook for another 30 minutes. Put on a cooling rack to cool.

Baked pinecone ornament

The salt in the salt dough ornament rises to the surface, as you will note the pinecone is lighter than the pre-baked color.

Pinecones ornaments

Some things to Note

The skewer hole is not big enough to use a needle to string the ribbon. My husband drills a larger hole so I can use this needle to get the ribbon through. I am debating whether I should add a little glitter, but I feel like these particular ornaments look more realistic glitter-less.

Ornaments with green satin ribbons

I will probably try making these again using the standard salt dough (no cinnamon) and see how they turn out.

With all the beautiful molds and resin replicas of vintage molds, I can see this being an annual DIY.

Have you ever made these before? If so, let me know how it went.

If you enjoy this post, please share on Pinterest.


Salt Dough Gingerbread Ornaments

These easy ornaments mimic gingerbread and can last for several years.

  • Cookie Molds
  • Baking Sheets
  • Parchment Paper
  • Wood Skewer
  • Scissors
  • Ribbon or Twine
  • Tapestry or large needle
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup salt
  • 3/4 cup cinnamon
  • 3/4 cup water
  1. Mix dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl.

  2. Add 3/4 cup water and stir together. Mix in a mixing bowl using a paddle attachment until dough is brought together and all dry ingredients are mixed well. Dough will be crumbly but should hold together when squeezed.

  3. If the dough is too dry, add more water a little at a time. The dough should be stiff and workable, not sticky. Turn dough out on a floured surface and knead for 30 seconds to bring the dough together in a ball.

  4. Press dough into molds, scraping off excess with a bench scraper or knife. Carefully release dough from mold and transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Use a wood skewer to create a hole at the top of each ornament for hanging.

  5. Bake at 200 degrees for 30 minutes with decorative side facing up. Flip over ornaments and cook for another 30 minutes. Put on a cooling rack to cool.

  6. Add ribbon or twine in the hole with a tapestry or large needle.





Savor the Flavor: Explore our Delectable Thanksgiving Menu and Recipes

If you are like me and do the cooking for Thanksgiving Day, this is the post for you! Getting all the ingredients ahead of time is so helpful so you can prepare recipes before the big day. Each year we have our tried and true family traditional dishes and often, I will experiment with one or two new ones. So here is the Thanksgiving menu I served last year.

Our Thanksgiving table

The Main Star~the Turkey

Typically I get a 20-25 lb. turkey because I love the leftover meat. Over the last few years my culinarily adventurous son convinced me to part from the traditional method of roasting the bird, to faster, and tastier methods. Here are my top two ways to cook a turkey:

Expertly Spiced and Glazed Roast Turkey

Bon Appetit Expertly Spiced and Glazed Roast Turkey

This recipe, by Bon Appetit, was developed “to miraculously roast a turkey that is well seasoned, juicy, and—can we type this loudly enough?—PROPERLY COOKED! Every part of the bird deserves equal love and appreciation, without a dry bite in the house. The absolute inarguably best way to cook a turkey is to break it down into parts, dry-brine it, and roast it on a wire rack in a baking sheet. The parts expose every piece for even cooking”.

Here is why I love this recipe.

  • The cooking time is very fast. For a 15 lb. bird, the turkey is done in approximately 100 minutes (depending on your oven, thickness of breast, etc.). The glaze for this is D.E.L.I.C.I.O.U.S!
  • You can prep this up to 2 days in advance. There is a easy rub to make and once you apply that, the refrigerator does the rest. There are very detailed instructions on how to separate the turkey. If you are not comfortable doing that, ask your local butcher.
  • All you need to bake this is a wire rack and a rimmed baking sheet

Click here for the recipe.

Super Crispy Skin Turkey with a Dry Brine

Dry Brine method from Serious Eats

We tried this different approach to preparing the turkey in 2019 and again, the turkey is juicy and the skin is extra crispy. Simply combine one part baking powder with three to four parts kosher salt (about a teaspoon of baking powder per tablespoon of kosher salt will work), add some black pepper to taste, then sprinkle it evenly over the surface of the skin. Then—and this is key—let it rest, uncovered, in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours. The best part of this recipe:

  • Can prepare it up to 24 hours in advance
  • Simple dry brine which is easy to make and spread over the bird
  • There is no basting during the cooking time
  • Fabulous results
  • You can present a whole cooked turkey to your guests

You can find this Serious Eats recipe here.

The Stuffing

Sage and Sausage stuffing from Serious Eats

Typically, I make Martha Stewart’s Herbed Corn Bread Dressing from her 1982 book Entertaining. But this year, I made the Serious Easts Classic Sage and Sausage Stuffing recipe (see it here). It is clearly a winner. Again, this can be made a day in advance, which helps reduce the chaos in the kitchen.

Why I like this recipe~

  • I like making my own bread crumbs which is super easy and far better than the ones you buy in the store
  • With the turkey parts leftover from separating the turkey, I easily made my own stock for the recipe. Made me feel like I am using all parts of the turkey and not being wasteful.
  • Since I did not buy enough sage sausage, I did add the remaining 1/2 pound needed with hot sausage and the results are fine
  • Able to use fresh herbs from my garden

The Gravy

Gravy from Serious Eats

Plan on doubling this recipe as there is never enough gravy. This is another recipe you can make ahead of time~up to 5 days in advance. I really like Costco’s organic chicken stock but homemade or other store brands will work too. The recipe asks for 1/4 teaspoon of Marmite, which I didn’t add. I’m not really sure what it is but eliminating it didn’t seem to affect the flavor or consistency. This is a lighter colored gravy~just FYI. See recipe here.

Side Dishes

Bourbon Sweet Potatoes

Every year we make what we call Drunken Sweet Potatoes, based on a fun Thanksgiving where my in-laws were adding more and more bourbon~mostly to their mouths and then some to the recipe! From a very worn and tattered 1974 The Family Circle Cookbook, there are no marshmallows, just sweet potatoes, butter, bourbon, orange juice, spices and topped with pecans. Easy to make, easy to bake. This, too, can be prepared ahead of time. See recipe below.

Brussel Sprouts

Brussels Sprouts roasted in maple syrup

My family loves this Trader Joe’s recipe (see it here). Who doesn’t love something roasted in maple syrup and olive oil? The Brussels sprouts caramelize to a gorgeous color. Spoon the maple syrup sauce over and sprinkle with either fresh pomegranate arils or dried cranberries. You can either roast a whole stalk of Brussels sprouts or use bags of individual ones.

Caesar Salad

I try not to have the menu be carbohydrate loaded so any opportunity to add more vegetables I take. With the greens being so delicious and abundant in the garden, a simple salad is made. Just greens and grated Parmesan cheese, homemade croutons and my friend, Chloe’s Caesar dressing. This is now my favorite go-to dressing for a Caesar salad. You can see it here.

Making the croutons is easy as I just cut up some bread, seasoned it with salt, pepper, garlic powder and some black truffle sea salt (which is yummy on just about anything), drizzle with olive oil and bake until crispy. Another easy recipe that is so much better than store-bought croutons.

Cranberry Sauce

There is nothing easier to make than cranberry sauce. All it takes is cranberries and sugar and water. Boom. That’s it. Heat until the berries start to wrinkle. Turn off the heat and it all becomes a nice, thick cranberry sauce. You really don’t need anything else, unless you want to spruce it up. Personally, I like the plain old simple recipe. We use the leftover cranberry sauce as a spread on sandwiches too. Just yummy. Recipe is generally on the bag of berries. And you can make it way ahead of time too.

Desserts

Serious Eats apple pie recipe

For our dinner last year, we did keep the desserts simple. Two pumpkin pies and one apple. My husband makes the pumpkin pies and they are so delicious. A happy error in one ingredient many years ago is why his pies are the best and in demand year after year.

I am always experimenting with apple pies and I am a bit fond of this new recipe. Again, it is a Serious Eats one with the title, A Perfect Apple Pie. You can see the recipe here.

Have a wonderful Tuesday and I hope you will enjoy some of these recipes for your holiday cooking.


Bourbon Sweet Potatoes

  • 4 pounds sweet potatoes or yams
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
  • 1/3 cup bourbon (or more to taste)
  • 1/3 cup orange juice (I use fresh squeezed)
  • 1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp apple-pie spice
  • 1/3 cup chopped pecans
  1. Scrub potatoes. Cook, covered in boiling salted water to cover in a large saucepan, about 35 minutes, or just until tender. Drain; cool slightly; peel.

  2. Place potatoes in a large bowl; mash. Add the butter, bourbon, orange juice, rown sugar, salt and apple-pie spice; beat until fluffy smooth.

  3. Spoon into a buttered, 6-cup baking dish; sprinkle nuts around the edge.

  4. Bake in moderate oven at 350° for 45 minutes, or until lightly brown.


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