sincerely yours, dena

Somebody STOP ME! I am addicted to random holidays! I guess it’s better to be addicted to this than to let’s say… crack.
I promise… this is my last one.

French Onion Soup Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Collection Series
This soup’s success depends on caramelizing the onions and leeks, a technique that takes time and patience. Caramelization occurs when the sugars naturally present in a vegetable slowly develop a less purely sweet, more complex flavor through long cooking over medium-low or medium heat. Adding a sprinkling of sugar encourages the caramelizing process.

*my special note about this recipe: make it the day before and put it in the fridge to let the flavor really marinate. It was by far tastier as leftovers than when it was fresh off the stove.*

You’ll Need:

• 2 Tbs. vegetable or olive oil
• 4 large red onions, thinly sliced *red onions??? I know! Imagine my surprise!*
• 1/4 tsp. sugar
• 4 leeks, including tender green portions, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 8 cups beef or chicken stock or prepared broth
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp. minced fresh thyme or 1/4 tsp. dried thyme
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 12 baguette slices, each 1/4 inch thick
• 3/4 cup shredded Gruyère or Comté cheese

In a large nonaluminum saucepan over medium-low heat, warm the oil. Add the onions and sauté, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 15 minutes. Add the sugar and leeks and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until richly colored and caramelized, 30 to 45 minutes. (You may need to increase the heat to medium to add some color at the end.)

Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the stock, wine, bay leaf and thyme. Cover partially and simmer until the flavors are well blended, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaf and discard.

To serve, preheat the broiler. Ladle the soup into individual flameproof soup bowls. Place 2 or 3 slices of bread on top of each bowl and sprinkle with the cheese. Slide under the broiler about 6 inches from the heat element. Broil until the cheese is bubbly and lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Serve immediately. Serves 4 to 6.

Variation Tip: Beef stock is the traditional stock used for French onion soup. For a lighter version, use chicken stock.

Soup by Diane Rossen Worthington (Simon & Schuster, 2001).

I’ve already been holiday crazy this week so why not see it all the way thru till Friday… I normally hate oatmeal cookies but let me tell you, these are delicious!

Schrafft’s of Boston Chewy Oatmeal Cookies

You’ll Need:

• 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned or quick-cooking rolled oats (not instant oatmeal)
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup whole or lowfat milk
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 2 cookie sheets.
2. Whisk together the rolled oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and allspice in a large bowl.
3. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter with the two sugars in a large bowl until smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until light and well blended. With the mixer on low speed, add the oat mixture and the milk, beating until well combined and a stiff dough forms. Stir in the raisins and nuts. (If not using immediately, refrigerate the dough for up to 12 hours.) Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Press the tops gently to flatten very slightly.
4. Bake until the edges are brown and the centers are still soft and puffy, about 11 to 14 minutes. Cool on wire racks. Store in a covered container for up to 3 days or freeze

Recipe taken from The New England Cookbook, October 1999

I packaged the cookies in a large candy bag and gave it as a Thank You gift to a friend who helped me out this week.

I’m really into these wacky and weird holidays this week. My husband’s favorite pie is pecan, so naturally it was the pie I choose to celebrate the day with. If never hurts to butter up the hubby.
You’ll Need:

Single-Crust Pie:

• 1 1/4 c all-purpose flour
• 1/3 c shortening
• 4 to 5 tbls cold water

1. Stir together flour and 1/4 tsp salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in shortening till pieces are pea size.
   Sprinkle 1 tbs of water over part of the mixture; gently toss with a fork. Push moistened dough to the side of the bowl. Repeat moistening dough, using 1 tbs of the water at a time till the dough is moistened. Form dough into a ball.
2. On a lightly floured surface, use your hands to slightly flatten dough. Roll dough from center to edges into a circle about 12 inches in diameter.
3. To transfer pastry, wrap it around the rolling pin. Unroll pastry into 9 inch pie plate. Ease pastry into pie plate, being careful not to stretch pastry.
4. Trim pastry to 1/2 inch beyond edge of pie plate. Fold under etra pastry. Crimp edge as desired.

Filling:

• 3 slightly beaten eggs
• 1 c corn sryup
• 2/3 c sugar
• 1/3 c margarine or butter, melted
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/4 c pecan halves

1. For filling, combine eggs, corn syrup, sugar, margarine or butter, and vanilla. Mix well. Stir in pecan halves.
2. Place the pastry-lined pie plate on the oven rack. Carefully pour the filling into the pasty shell.
3. To prevent overborwing, cover edge of the pie with foil. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25 mins. Remove foil. Bake for 20-25 mins more or till a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Refridgerate within 2 hours; cover for longer storage.

Recipe taken from Better Homes & Gardens New Cookbook: 11th Edition

Blonde Heath Brownies recipe: Yes, there is a Blonde Brownie Day, I kid you not.

You’ll Need:

• 1 1/2 cups sifted flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup almond toffee bits
• 6 ounces white chocolate chips

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Cream butter with both sugars. Add eggs and vanilla extract, then beat until fluffy. Blend in dry ingredients. Stir in white chocolate chips and Heath toffee bits. Spread batter in a well-greased 9 x 13-inch aluminum pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool before cutting.
Makes 24 brownies.
Recipe taken from RecipeGoldMine.com

January is hot tea month and what better way to celebrate but with a hot cup of tea and some tasty tea cake sandwich cookies.
You’ll Need:

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups (21/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 1/2 tablespoons whole milk
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Nonstick vegetable oil spray
• Assorted decorations (such as powdered sugar, icing, colored sugar crystals, and edible glitter)
• 2/3 cup preserves (such as apricot, seedless raspberry, or seedless blackberry)

Here’s How:

Whisk flour and salt in medium bowl to blend well. Using electric mixer, beat butter and 2/3 cup sugar in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in milk, lemon peel, and vanilla extract. Add flour mixture and beat until blended. Gather dough into ball; divide in half. Flatten into disks. Wrap in plastic and chill at least 2 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled. Let soften slightly before rolling out.)

Roll out each dough disk between sheets of waxed paper to 14×11-inch rectangle, occasionally lifting waxed paper to smooth out wrinkles. Refrigerate dough on baking sheets, still between sheets of waxed paper, until cold and firm, about 30 minutes. Place 1 dough piece on work surface. Peel off top sheet of waxed paper. Press same waxed paper gently back onto dough. Turn dough over (still between waxed paper sheets). Peel off top sheet of waxed paper and discard. Using 2 1/4-inch scalloped round cutter and with dough still on waxed paper bottom, cut out cookies. Using 1- to 1 1/4-inch scalloped round cutter, cut out center from half of cookies. Gather dough centers and excess dough around cutouts; shape excess dough into disk and chill. Slide waxed paper with cutouts onto baking sheet and chill. Repeat with remaining dough disk, cutting out rounds, cutting centers from half of rounds to make top rings, and gathering and chilling excess dough. Roll out excess dough between sheets of waxed paper, making more cookie bottoms and top rings. Repeat rolling and cutting until all of dough is used.

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Spray 2 large baking sheets with nonstick spray. Using metal spatula to lift cutouts from waxed paper, transfer cookie bottoms to 1 prepared sheet and top rings to second sheet, spacing slightly apart (cookies spread very little). Sprinkle some top rings with colored sugar crystals (or leave plain to decorate later). Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until pale golden, about 8 minutes. Cool cookies on baking sheets 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks; cool completely.

Arrange cookie bottoms on work surface. Spread each with 1 teaspoon preserves. Sift powdered sugar over plain cookie rings or decorate with icing and sugar crystals or edible glitter as desired. Press 1 top ring onto each prepared cookie bottom. (Cookies can be made 3 days ahead. Store airtight between sheets of waxed paper in refrigerator.)

Makes about 32.
Taken from Bon Appétit, December 2002