New Year's Eve Party Time

It seems most people do some partying on New Year's Eve.  A lot of people go to commercial establishments such as bars or clubs.  Some go to house parties.  Probably most stay home and do a little celebrating with family members (spouses, children).

We use to do our partying with the children early.  Letting them think they were staying up til midnight.  It worked until they got too old and understood time and how clocks worked.

Whether it was an early celebration or an on-time one, we made some special dish, snack or treat.  It seems everyone tries to bring in the New Year with food and drink.

There are several good drink recipes on the "Drink Recipe" link above.  Check it out in case you don't have something special already lined up for that night.

But this week, I'm talking food for that New Year's Eve celebration.  If you are staying home or needing to take an item to that party you're attending, I've got a couple of easy dishes.

The New Year's Eve parties are usually snacking events as apposed to full dinners.  So it's always fun to try and figure out a dish that is relatively easy to make, works well for people standing around trying to balance food and drink at the same time and doesn't break the bank.

Dips are one way to go.  They are usually easy to throw together (even if they have to be heated).  Using a chip, cracker or vegetable chunk is also easy to do while standing and talking.  Lastly, most dips and there accompanying instruments of dipping are reasonably priced.

This week I have two dip recipes that are served cold or at room temperature and don't need cooking.  The  first is easy to throw together using a food processor.  It's a recipe for "Roasted Red Pepper & Artichoke Dip."  There is no chopping.  You just put the ingredients in the food processor in steps.  There are enough different types of chips out on the market now that we're not talking your usual potato chip type.  Actually, the different types of chips, the new age crackers that are available and of course healthy vegetables all work well with this dip.

The second dip recipe is for a "Greek Layered Dip."  This takes a little more work but is still very easy to put together.  It's colorful, fairly healthy and goes better with the chips and cracks.  However, some vegetables would work well here too.

I hope you get a chance to enjoy them even if it's not New Year's Eve.  They work well year round.  I wish everyone a great and "Happy New Year."  Thank you all for your support of my food blog this past year and in the year to come.

"Happy Cooking" until next week.

Whole Frosted Pecans

Whole Frosted Pecans

(serving-)

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups Granulated Sugar

½ cup Sour Cream

1 ½ tsp. Vanilla

1 lb. Whole Pecans

Directions:

Mix sugar and sour cream together in medium sauce pan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Continue to boil for 5 minutes stirring constantly. Remove the pan from heat and add in the vanilla and pecans. Stir mixture until pecans are well coated. Pour out onto waxed paper in a single layer and let cool. Separate pecans after mixture is cool and enjoy.

Note: You could use pecan pieces or even other nuts of your choice.

Ideas for Future Efforts

Easy Fool-Proof Fudge

Easy Fool-Proof Fudge

(servings-9x13 dish)

Ingredients:

1 (12 oz.) bag Chocolate Chips

1 can sweetened Condensed Milk

2 tsp. Vanilla

1 cup Nuts, chopped (your favorite)

1 ½ cups Mini Marshmallows

Directions:

In a large microwavable bowl, combine the chocolate chips and milk. Microwave for 5 minutes on high. Stir mixture until chips are melted. May need a little more time in microwave depending on your microwave. Add vanilla, nuts and marshmallows and stir to combine well. Pour mixture into a 9x13 baking dish lined with wax paper. Refrigerate and chill for two hours before cutting into pieces to serve.

Note: If you can't have nuts or don't like them in your fudge, omit them.

Note: For a thicker fudge, use a 7x11 or 9x9 pan.

Ideas for Future Efforts

Getting Ready for the Holidays

The Christmas and New Year holidays are upon us again.  Many are saying "How'd they get here so fast" or "I have no time to get anything done."  Well, if you are one of these people, take a deep breath and get organized.

Figure your guest count.  Determine how many meals you need to plan.  Make a list (not your Christmas gift one either) of what needs to be done.  Get rid of any items you truly don't have time to do.  Now put the list in order by days of what you need to accomplish on each one.  Big tasks look and are much easier when you break them down.  Then just worry each day about what you need to be doing that day.  If you attack each day this way, the big day or days will be a piece of cake for you.

Besides the meals to satisfy the company that will be dining with you during these days.  What else to you want to do special for the holidays?  Do you want to make holiday treats or breads (sweet or savory) for guests and/or give to special friends to enjoy?

Unless you have lots of time or start early in November, I'd limit the number of different types of items.  Each year I make different jellies, jams and salsas early for holiday gift giving too.  I like doing 3 or 4 different specialties that I do well.  All though I will add an item or two if they are quick and easy at the last minute.  I also like to add a new item each year to help with the variety.  If it is a big hit, then I'll bring it back the next year and drop something else.

I usually ask our children what their top two desires are for this season.  Surprisingly it does change over time.  This year for the first time I can remember, all four had the same item as their top one.  That item was My Favorite Thumb Print Cookie (V).  The recipe says 2 dozen for what you'll get out of it.  But the scoop that I use gives me around 2 1/2 dozen.  I also double the recipe when I make it and get about 5 dozen cookies per batch.

There are already several good holiday recipes on the "Desserts & Baking Recipe" tap above besides this one.  Be sure and check them out.  Also great ideas for those holiday meals you're planning too.

Let's talk candy for the holidays.  I think most people shy away from this because they think it is too difficult. Not always true.  What it does take is having the right equipment for the recipe.  The most important one is probably a "candy thermometer" to make sure you reach the correct temperatures required for a particular recipe.  Another is following the recipe and it's instructions.  If you have everything ready before you start and have the equipment needed, candy can be fun and easy.  Not to mention the bonus of having to taste your results before you let others.

Just to give you a taste of the ease and fun that candy making can be, I've got two recipes for you this week. I'm starting you with ones that don't require any special equipment.  They are both easy to make (fool proof all most), taste great and will give you the desire to try more recipes.  The first is "Easy Fool Proof Fudge."  The second one is for "Whole Frosted Pecans."  Please give them a try and share your results with friends and family.

"Happy Cooking" until next week.

Drop Biscuits

Drop Biscuits

(12-biscuits)

Ingredients:

8 tbsp. Unsalted Butter, small cubes at room temperature (see note)

2 cups All Purpose Flour (see note)

2 tsp. Baking Powder

½ tsp. Baking Soda

½ tsp. Kosher Salt

¾ cup Buttermilk

Directions:

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Add the cubed butter and blend into mixture using your hands. Crush the butter cubes between your fingers. Similar to making pie dough. Slowly add the buttermilk while you continue to mix the dough. Don't overwork the dough. Now drop the dough onto a greased or sprayed baking sheet by a spoon. The drop biscuit should be about the size of a peach. The dough should make 12 biscuits. Place baking sheet into a pre-heated 400 degree oven for about 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Note: Try using lard in place of the butter for this recipe. Use 4 ounces of lard for the 8 tbsp. of butter.

Note: Substitute cake flour for the all purpose flour to make a lighter biscuit.

Ideas for Future Efforts

Sweet Potato Biscuits

Sweet Potato Biscuits

(8-biscuits)

Ingredients:

2 cups All Purpose Flour

1 tbsp. Baking Powder

1 tbsp. Sugar

½ tsp. Salt, fine

¼ tsp. Baking Soda

¾ cup Milk (recommend whole milk)

1 cup Sweet Potato, baked & mashed

8 tbsp. Unsalted Butter, frozen

¼ cup Heavy Cream

Directions:

Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl. In another large bowl, mix the milk and sweet potato until well combined. Next grated the butter using a large holes of box grater. Toss with the dry mixture until butter is coated. Now add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients. Mix lightly until dough forms a shaggy mass. Turn mixture out onto a floured surface and knead until it comes together. The dough will not be a smooth mixture. Pat dough into a circle and using a floured rolling pin, roll to a thickness of ¾ inch. Cut into 3 inch circles with a biscuit cutter (see note). Gather leftover dough and redo until you have 8 biscuits. Place biscuits on a baking sheet and brush tops with the heavy cream. Bake on middle rack in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until bottoms are golden brown.

Note: If you don't have a biscuit cutter, there are other items you can use. Try donut cutter, cookie cutter, a glass or any type of item that you believe will work. Be sure to flour these items before cutting so dough doesn't stick. If you don't have anything, you could always cut the biscuits free hand. I'd make the dough into a square or rectangle and cut into square biscuits using this method.

Ideas for Future Efforts

A little Biscuit History.

Biscuits are an American staple, especially in the south.  However, they really originated with the Roman Legions.  The Romans carried them as part of their food previsions.  They were a hard dry disc that didn't spoil easily.  The word comes from the Latin words "bis" and "coctus" that mean "twice" "cooked."

Now just as history and society has evolved since then, so to has the "biscuit."  In England, a biscuit refers to a cracker, small cake or cookie.  Those are not the type of biscuit I'll be talking about today.  I'm going to talk about the "American version of the biscuit."

The "American Biscuit" was a product of Southern Plantations.  It is a leavened product.  The European original was and is an unleavened biscuit.  Baking soda and baking powder are key ingredients to the leavening of the American biscuit.  Other key features of the American biscuit are the use of buttermilk or sour dough as an ingredient.

Typical American biscuits are rolled out dough that is cut into circles, placed on a baking sheet and baked. American biscuits can be savory or sweet depending on other ingredients added.  The sweet ones are usually used for dishes like strawberry shortcake.

Biscuits can be eaten at any meal or with almost any food.  But the most common way to use them is in a southern dish of "Biscuits & Sausage Gravy."  Of course this dish is now served everywhere in the USA, not just the south.

Another southern variation of the biscuit is the "drop biscuit".  The drop biscuit is a fast and simple recipe that takes little time to make.  The batter doesn't have to be kneed or rolled.  Notice I said batter not dough.  It is about the consistency of a quick bread batter but a little less runny.  You do need to watch the amount of milk used; too little and they fall apart, too much and they have no shape.

The drop biscuit is just that.  Using a spoon, you just drop some batter on a baking sheet to the size desired. Space the others and place in an oven to bake.

Both types of biscuits are habit forming.  So enjoy whichever one you have at the moment.  Remember to try them as a base to top with another product, like toast with jelly or jam or as a tool to make a sandwich (breakfast ones are best).

If you're not up for making your own from scratch, you can always buy refrigerated ones in the tube or frozen ones too.  If you haven't tried them before, give them a chance soon.

This week's recipes are for a simple "Drop Biscuit" and a seasonal one "Sweet Potato Biscuits".  Have a great week and "Happy Cooking."