Showing posts with label holiday cheer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label holiday cheer. Show all posts
Monday, December 24, 2012
Friday, December 21, 2012
December Project: What's Cooking
There is a lot to love about this time of year- parties, presents, White Christmas showing all weekend long on AMC. There is however, one thing the fat kid in me looks forward to more than anything else... COOKIES. More specifically, holiday cookies!
This year, I decided to take my holiday baking up a notch and make holiday cookies for all my friends and relations, both in LA and Singapore. Phew!
Leading up to the big event, I a) tested potential recipes, 2) ate A LOT of cookies, all in the name of research and subsequently) OD on sweets. At the end of the process, I settled upon these 4 treats to delight the kids-- Smokey Bacon Ginger Cookies, Hungarian Apricot Bars, Cranberry Coins, and Double Chocolate Espresso Cookies.
Personally, I loved the Smokey Bacon Ginger Cookies the best! The savory aspect of the bacon lends itself well to the sweet ginger cookie and made for a more elevated "foodie" type offering. Meanwhile, Mama T's favorite were the Hungarian Apricot bars, she went so far as to hoard a batch for herself.
Either way, I thoroughly enjoyed bake, bake, baking and hope my yums helped to spread some holiday cheer to those I hold dear.
Here is the recipe for the Smokey Bacon Ginger Cookies. Happy Holidays!
Smokey Bacon Ginger Cookies
Ingredients
8 oz. thick0cut smoked bacon (about 6 slices) cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp plus 2 tsp unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/3 cup sorghum syrup ( I used unsulfured molasses instead)
1/2 cup raw sugar, like turbinado
Sea salt for sprinkling
Directions
1. Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally until crisp, about 14 minutes. Pour off the fat and reserve (you should have about 1/2 cups plus 2 tbsp fat and 3/4 cup bacon); transfer bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate. Let bacon and reserved fat cool.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Whisk to combine flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, beat butter and both sugars with an electric mixer on medium-high until fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Beat in reserved bacon fat. Add egg and mix until blended, scrapping down sides of bowl if necessary. Add sorghum syrup and mix until blended. Reduce speed to low and add in flour mixture. Mix until blended. Mix in reserved bacon.
4. Shape dough into 1 inch-balls. Roll balls in raw sugar to coat. Space 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets or jelly roll pans. Flatten balls using the palm of your hand or the bottom of a glass. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt.
5. Bake sheets, rotating halfway through, until edges are set and tops are cracked but centers are still soft, about 8 minutes. Let cookies cool completely on wire racks. Cookies can be store in airtight containers at room temperature up to 3 days.
Makes 5 dozen cookies.
This year, I decided to take my holiday baking up a notch and make holiday cookies for all my friends and relations, both in LA and Singapore. Phew!
Leading up to the big event, I a) tested potential recipes, 2) ate A LOT of cookies, all in the name of research and subsequently) OD on sweets. At the end of the process, I settled upon these 4 treats to delight the kids-- Smokey Bacon Ginger Cookies, Hungarian Apricot Bars, Cranberry Coins, and Double Chocolate Espresso Cookies.
 |
| Back off Santa, those ain't for you! (clockwise) Baking, baking!; Cranberry Coins; Cookies in their boxes; Smokey Bacon Ginger Cookies. |
Personally, I loved the Smokey Bacon Ginger Cookies the best! The savory aspect of the bacon lends itself well to the sweet ginger cookie and made for a more elevated "foodie" type offering. Meanwhile, Mama T's favorite were the Hungarian Apricot bars, she went so far as to hoard a batch for herself.
Either way, I thoroughly enjoyed bake, bake, baking and hope my yums helped to spread some holiday cheer to those I hold dear.
Here is the recipe for the Smokey Bacon Ginger Cookies. Happy Holidays!
Smokey Bacon Ginger Cookies
Ingredients
8 oz. thick0cut smoked bacon (about 6 slices) cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp plus 2 tsp unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/3 cup sorghum syrup ( I used unsulfured molasses instead)
1/2 cup raw sugar, like turbinado
Sea salt for sprinkling
Directions
1. Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally until crisp, about 14 minutes. Pour off the fat and reserve (you should have about 1/2 cups plus 2 tbsp fat and 3/4 cup bacon); transfer bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate. Let bacon and reserved fat cool.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Whisk to combine flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, beat butter and both sugars with an electric mixer on medium-high until fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Beat in reserved bacon fat. Add egg and mix until blended, scrapping down sides of bowl if necessary. Add sorghum syrup and mix until blended. Reduce speed to low and add in flour mixture. Mix until blended. Mix in reserved bacon.
4. Shape dough into 1 inch-balls. Roll balls in raw sugar to coat. Space 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets or jelly roll pans. Flatten balls using the palm of your hand or the bottom of a glass. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt.
5. Bake sheets, rotating halfway through, until edges are set and tops are cracked but centers are still soft, about 8 minutes. Let cookies cool completely on wire racks. Cookies can be store in airtight containers at room temperature up to 3 days.
Makes 5 dozen cookies.
Monday, December 10, 2012
Holiday Entertaining
Sometimes I think my life goal is to be a hostess with the mostess. I like to imagine myself Gwyneth Paltrow and day dream about throwing soirees like its 1999. Then in the very next second I realize a) I'm not Gwen, b) I don't have infinite funds and c) I don't have enough friends to host! Just kidding... kinda, sorta!
That said, I have thrown a dinner gathering or two in my lifetime. Most recently, I had my two lovely co-workers over for a mini-dinner party and a Christmas movie-- Meet Me in St. Louis. It was a deelightful night filled with good laughs, great food and holiday cheer!
Since dinner parties and social gatherings, whether on a Gwyneth-scale or little-ole-me scale can prove to be rather stressful, here are my prep tips to keep that entertaining cray to a minimum.
Two weeks before:
1) Plan early: The professional event planner in me knows that advanced planning is key. So especially during the holiday season, when calendars fill up quickly (that sounds so grown up to say!), nail down your date and invitees early!
2) Menu: If you're anything like me, trying out a new recipe when guests come over is a big no no (The RISK!!! Ahhh). So turn your kitchen into a test kitchen two weeks before and start exploring menu ideas.
Three days before:
3) Plan your tableware and decor: If your're using linens, make sure they are cleaned and pressed. Unless you are throwing a 90's-catering theme party, skip the dated napkin swans and go rustic by rolling up your napkins and tying them together with a piece of ribbon or twine. Decide which flatware, silverware and glasses you are going to use... that is if you fancy and have more than one option for the occasion. Plan out your centerpiece and tablescape.
Two days before:
4) Finalize your menu & shop: Stop experimenting and go by them ingredients. Grocery lists organized by dishes are the way to go here. Even better, when you get home from the store, organize your ingredients by dishes or by courses. For example, the ingredients for your appetizer salad all go in the same shelf in the fridge etc.
5) Stock the bar: Read Tips #4 and #5 here for my thoughts on this.
6) Clean up! Scrub the living daylights out of your sink, tub, toilet and floors.
Day before:
7) Plan your cooking timeline: Knowing what order things are to be chopped, cooked, or popped into the oven will make your life much easier.
8) Make ahead: If there is anything you can make ahead of time, do it now.
9) Set your table: Lay out your tablecloth, napkins, glasses etc.
Happy hosting!
That said, I have thrown a dinner gathering or two in my lifetime. Most recently, I had my two lovely co-workers over for a mini-dinner party and a Christmas movie-- Meet Me in St. Louis. It was a deelightful night filled with good laughs, great food and holiday cheer!
Since dinner parties and social gatherings, whether on a Gwyneth-scale or little-ole-me scale can prove to be rather stressful, here are my prep tips to keep that entertaining cray to a minimum.
Two weeks before:
1) Plan early: The professional event planner in me knows that advanced planning is key. So especially during the holiday season, when calendars fill up quickly (that sounds so grown up to say!), nail down your date and invitees early!
 |
| Paperless Post |
2) Menu: If you're anything like me, trying out a new recipe when guests come over is a big no no (The RISK!!! Ahhh). So turn your kitchen into a test kitchen two weeks before and start exploring menu ideas.
Three days before:
3) Plan your tableware and decor: If your're using linens, make sure they are cleaned and pressed. Unless you are throwing a 90's-catering theme party, skip the dated napkin swans and go rustic by rolling up your napkins and tying them together with a piece of ribbon or twine. Decide which flatware, silverware and glasses you are going to use... that is if you fancy and have more than one option for the occasion. Plan out your centerpiece and tablescape.
Two days before:
4) Finalize your menu & shop: Stop experimenting and go by them ingredients. Grocery lists organized by dishes are the way to go here. Even better, when you get home from the store, organize your ingredients by dishes or by courses. For example, the ingredients for your appetizer salad all go in the same shelf in the fridge etc.
5) Stock the bar: Read Tips #4 and #5 here for my thoughts on this.
6) Clean up! Scrub the living daylights out of your sink, tub, toilet and floors.
Day before:
7) Plan your cooking timeline: Knowing what order things are to be chopped, cooked, or popped into the oven will make your life much easier.
8) Make ahead: If there is anything you can make ahead of time, do it now.
9) Set your table: Lay out your tablecloth, napkins, glasses etc.
Happy hosting!
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Holiday Cheer: DIY Holiday Cider
If you don't know by now that I ADORE the Holidays, then you don't know me at all (cue music "If you don't know me by now, you will never never know meeee").
How can one not love the magic that's in the air as it starts to look a lot like Christmas. It's the happiest season of all! With those holiday meetings and gay, happy greetings when friends come to calllll....
Alright, enough of this karaoke session!
Anyway, this year, I'm really trying to turn it up a notch on my DIY holiday projects (more on this to come) so I thought I would share this little Holiday Cider DIY I found, courtesy of Rue Magazine.
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And in case you need a little help on the cider recipe, here's my favorite!
Ingredients
6 cups apple cider
1/3 cup maple syrup, Grade B
2 Cinnamon Sticks
6 whole cloves
6 whole all spice berries
1 orange peel, cut into strips
1 lemon peel, cut into strips
Directions
1. Pour the apple cider and maple syrup into a large stainless steal saucepan.
2. Place the cinnamon sticks, cloves, all spice berries, orange peel and lemon peel into a washed cheesecloth and tie with kitchen string. (I usually start with 8 strips of orange and lemon peel each) Drop spice packet in to cider mix.
3. Place the cider over moderate heat for 8 to 10 minutes until the cider is very hot but not boiling.
4. Remove the cider from the heat and discard the spice package. Ladle into glasses and add a fresh cinnamon stick for garnish.
Makes 6 servings.
Friday, November 30, 2012
December Project
In my renewed efforts to keep fresh content on this blog of mine, I've been dreaming up new "campaigns" to delight and entertain you wonderful readers... all 5 of you!
In that light, I am going to embark on a picture project for the awesome month of December- all 31 days of it- to show you where I've been this year and also where I currently am. Hope you enjoy!
1. Yourself
2. Something that makes you Smile
3. Morning
4. Breakfast
5. In your Bag
6. Someone you love
7. Childhood
8. Daily Routine
9. Inside your Refrigerator
10. Something Old
11. Colors
12. Guilty Pleasure
13. Inside your home
14. Lunch
15. Nature
16. Dinner
17. Happiness
18. Something you're reading
19. Outside your window
20. Adventure
21. What's Cooking
22. Your Shoes
23. Breakfast
24. Family
25. Christmas - Merry Merry All!
26. Current Obsession
27. Vegetables
28. Dessert
29. Friendship
30. Your Sky
31. HAPPY NEW YEAR'S EVE!
In that light, I am going to embark on a picture project for the awesome month of December- all 31 days of it- to show you where I've been this year and also where I currently am. Hope you enjoy!
1. Yourself
2. Something that makes you Smile
3. Morning
4. Breakfast
5. In your Bag
6. Someone you love
7. Childhood
8. Daily Routine
9. Inside your Refrigerator
10. Something Old
11. Colors
12. Guilty Pleasure
13. Inside your home
14. Lunch
15. Nature
16. Dinner
17. Happiness
18. Something you're reading
19. Outside your window
20. Adventure
21. What's Cooking
22. Your Shoes
23. Breakfast
24. Family
25. Christmas - Merry Merry All!
26. Current Obsession
27. Vegetables
28. Dessert
29. Friendship
30. Your Sky
31. HAPPY NEW YEAR'S EVE!
Friday, December 24, 2010
Friday Pics: A Christmas Edition
Merry Christmas Eve everyone!
While I blast my jams (christmas carols, what else!) and preheat the oven in preparation for cooking tonight's family xmas eve dinner, I do hope the Christmas cheer is as alive in your heart as it is in mine!
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Holiday Cheer: Snowmen Bars
Hello folks. How goes it?
I've landed safety in Singapore and have spent the last few days suffering from a serious case of jet lag, but have also been busying myself with Christmas prep.
Today Mama T and I finally put up the Christmas decorations and after I type this quick post, we're off to get the groceries for Christmas dinner.
I do hope your holiday prep has been going well, that the turkey has been bought and stuffed, that the gifts are sitting merrily under the tree, and most importantly that the mood in your home is festive and happy.
In the meantime, if you are in need of a quick and easy handmade gift, here is my sweet treat for you!
Simply rewrap store-bought chocolate bars to make these cheerful little confections!
Tools and Materials:
Chocolate Bars
Ivory paper
Glue stick
Orange paper
Pen
Ribbon or yarn
How to:
1. Wrap bar in white paper, taping seams.
2. Using your marker or pen, draw eyes and mouth.
3. Glue small triangle of orange paper for nose.
4. For scarf, wrap ribbon or yarn around the bar twice; knot, and trim to desired length.
Happy almost Christmas!
Monday, November 29, 2010
Holiday Cheer: Christmas Traditions
Happy Monday everyone! Now that Thanksgiving has come and gone. It's finally time to switch our focus to Christmas- by far, hands down, no contest here, my favorite holiday of the year!
There is something about those twinkling lights on the tree, the Christmas carols that I know by heart, the shopping for the perfect gift, the wrapping of said perfect gift, the build up and preparation for the big day, and the coming together of friends and loved ones that makes my heart fill with glee.
Growing up in Singapore, my holiday memories did not center around the cold weather, snow days or hot chocolate.
Instead, we celebrated our warm weather Christmas with traditions of our own: Putting up the fake Christmas tree and decorations as a family (well to be honest, more like we started as a family but by the end of the day, it was just poor ole Mama T finishing up), Mama T taking us kiddies to go buy our Holiday gift wrap for the year (we usually chose 2 or 3 different rolls of wrapping paper in complimentary colors and found the matching ribbons for it), spending the afternoon wrapping gifts with Christmas carols blaring in the background, spending evenings listening to Christmas carols as we watched the twinkling of the Christmas tree lights... I could go on and on.
With the passing years some traditions have remained exactly the same, while others have grown and changed with time. But no matter the tradition, Christmas is still my favorite holiday ever and I can hardly wait for the 2010 festivities to start!
What are you looking forward to this holiday season? What are the traditions that you keep?
There is something about those twinkling lights on the tree, the Christmas carols that I know by heart, the shopping for the perfect gift, the wrapping of said perfect gift, the build up and preparation for the big day, and the coming together of friends and loved ones that makes my heart fill with glee.
Growing up in Singapore, my holiday memories did not center around the cold weather, snow days or hot chocolate.
Instead, we celebrated our warm weather Christmas with traditions of our own: Putting up the fake Christmas tree and decorations as a family (well to be honest, more like we started as a family but by the end of the day, it was just poor ole Mama T finishing up), Mama T taking us kiddies to go buy our Holiday gift wrap for the year (we usually chose 2 or 3 different rolls of wrapping paper in complimentary colors and found the matching ribbons for it), spending the afternoon wrapping gifts with Christmas carols blaring in the background, spending evenings listening to Christmas carols as we watched the twinkling of the Christmas tree lights... I could go on and on.
With the passing years some traditions have remained exactly the same, while others have grown and changed with time. But no matter the tradition, Christmas is still my favorite holiday ever and I can hardly wait for the 2010 festivities to start!
What are you looking forward to this holiday season? What are the traditions that you keep?
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