Kitchen Encounters

~ And Just Like That -- Christmas Vacation was Over ~

Meet my Marty Moose eggnog cups.  Made famous in National Lampoon's 1986 flick Christmas Vacation, these glass cups have been serving eggnog to family and friends in my kitchen from the day I gleefully found out I could purchase a set.  They are just, plain, fun.  In the midst of all the fun and celebratory toasts, have you ever wondered why we drink egg nog over the holidays, and moreover, why we drink eggnog in small cups, or, why it's even called eggnog?

Why we drink eggnog to celebrate Christmas & New Year's:

Eggnog means eggs in a cup, and it is used on both sides of the Atlantic to toast to health.  Nog is an old English term for a small wooden cup.  It descended from a hot British drink called posset, made from eggs beaten with milk, sugar and some type of spirit. During that period, alcoholic drinks were served at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Because it was cooked, posset traveled and adapted well to local tastes.  One such place: the American colonies, which were full of farms which were full of chickens, cows and lots of cheap rum -- our signature ingredient. 

Fast forward to present day.  Over the holidays, pasteurized eggnog is sold in milk-like cartons in almost every grocery store in America.  Here is where I stick my two cents in.  All store-bought eggnog is not created equal.  Most mass-produced name brands are cloyingly sweet, leaving an almost bubblegum-like aftertaste.  Most purists agree (I am one), those who don't like this traditional Yultide beverage have simply never had the opportunity to taste real-deal eggnog.

References to eggnog date back to the 1800s, when, even back then it was served during the Winter holiday season. Known as "egg milk punch", it was and still is a sweetened dairy-based beverage made with milk, sugar, raw egg yolks, whipped egg whites and a splash of rum and/or vanilla extract. Nowadays cream is always included in place of some or all of the milk, because today's milk has a much lower fat content than milk in the 1800's, which had cream on top.

Brandy, rum and/or bourbon are almost always added.  The plain truth:  Eggnog just tastes A LOT better with some alcohol in it.  Each smallish finished serving is poured into a punch cup, then it's topped off with a dollop of freshly-whipped cream and a sprinkling of freshly-ground nutmeg.

Slurp it down, suck it up & set the alarm, a new year starts now!

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/2021)

~ Thick-and-Zesty Gluten-Free Ground-Beef Lasagna ~

I'm not sure how many lasagna recipes one cook is supposed to have, but, I'm guessing most households have more than one.    Here in my kitchen, I make four different types of lasagna, each with its own unique sauce: Bolognese, seafood, vegetable, and, kid-friendly ground beef. Today, because a few of you have asked for a gluten-free lasagna recipe recently, I'm posting my easy-to-make version, which is a spin-off of my crowd-pleasing kid-friendly ground beef lasagna.

Notes before starting:  It goes without saying you'll need gluten-free lasagna noodles -- your favorite brand, your choice, that's fine, mine are brown rice noodles.  There's more.  Even though I do not boil any store-bought lasagna noodles to make lasagna,  I do not recommend any of the no-boil type noodles -- experience has taught they tend to get gummy.  Next, it's important to know that I use McCormick spices exclusively, because they guarantee all their products to be gluten-free.  I also specify Hatfield sausage, because it too is gluten-free too -- not all sausage products are.  One last point:  Generally speaking, I do not like to use shredded block cheeses when I make lasagna.  I prefer the block cheeses be sliced.  Why?  Because sliced cheese eliminates the airspace that shredded cheese creates, which makes for a prettier lasagna. Because the thickness of the cheese does matter, ask your deli-person to slice the cheese as thin as possible without the slices breaking or crumbling.  If the cheeses are sliced too thick, there'll be too much cheese, and you'll have a bubble-over mess in your oven when the lasagna bakes.

Part One -- Making the meat sauce:

For the meat sauce:

3  tablespoons olive oil

2  generous cups diced yellow or sweet onion (12 ounces)

1  pound sliced white button mushroom caps

1  tablespoon McCormick garlic powder

3  packets McCormick Thick & Zesty spaghetti sauce mix

3  pounds 90/10 ground beef (90% fat free)

1  pound Hatfield sweet Italian sausage, casings removed

1  28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

~Step 1.  Place the oil in a 12" chef's pan.   Prep onions and mushrooms as directed, placing them in pan as you work.  Place over low heat for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Increase heat to sauté, stirring frequently, until onion softens and mushrooms have lost almost all moisture, about 15-20 minutes, using a large spatula to chop up mushrooms a bit as they cook.  Stir in the garlic powder and packets of spaghetti sauce mix.  Continue to sauté for about 30-60 seconds.  Mixture will be thick and pasty.

~Step 2.  Add all of the ground beef and sweet sausage to onion/mushroom mixture.  Cook mixture over medium-high heat, stirring frequently and using the spatula to break up the meats into small bits and pieces, until the meat has lost its red color, is steamed through, and almost no moisture remains in the bottom of the pan, 25-30 minutes.

~ Step 3.  Add and thoroughly stir in the crushed tomatoes.  Adjust the heat to a gentle, steady simmer and continue to cook, stirring constantly with a large spoon, about 15 minutes.  This meat sauce, which is also a great meat sauce for spaghetti, is ready to use.  That said, I like to remove the pan from the heat, cover it, and let it rest for about 30 minutes prior to assembling the lasagna, to give the flavors time to marry.  That said,  it is important to have the sauce warm-to-hot when assembling the lasagna as it will pre-soften the noodles before the lasagna goes into the oven.

Part Two -- Assembling & baking the lasagna:

For the assembly:

all the meat sauce,  from above recipe

1  10-ounce box ruffled-edge gluten-free brown-rice lasagna noodles, uncooked

1/2-3/4   pound thinly-sliced Cooper CV sharp cheese, or white American cheese

1/2-3/4   pound thinly-sliced provolone cheese

1/2-3/4  pound thinly-sliced mozzarella cheese

1/2-3/4  cup fine-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1-2  teaspoons Italian seasoning blend, or dried oregano

no-stick cooking spray

~Step 1.  Spray the bottom of a 13" x 9" x 2" casserole with no-stick.  Spoon a thin but even layer of meat sauce in bottom of casserole dish.  Arrange lasagna noodles, side by side, over the sauce.  Four noodles will fit lengthwise.  Break one noodle to fit in the remaining space.  Arrange a single layer of Cooper CV cheese slices over the noodles.  Arrange a single layer of provolone slices over the CV.  Arrange a single layer of mozzarella slices over the provolone.  Spoon a second layer of meat sauce over the cheese layer.  Generously sprinkle Parmigianno-Reggiano over meat sauce.  

~Step 2.  Arrange a second layer of lasagna noodles in the dish and repeat the above process (a second layer of cheeses, a third layer of meat sauce, plus a sprinkling of Parmigiano-Reggiano). Sprinkle Italian seasoning blend over all.  The lasagna is now ready for the oven or the freezer, or, it can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated overnight, returned to room temperature (which takes about 3-4 hours) and baked the next day.  I highly recommend refrigerating it over night -- it's convenient, but more importantly, it gives all the great flavors time to marry.

~ Step 3.  Cover lasagna with a piece of foil that's been sprayed with no-stick.  Place foil, sprayed side down, over lasagna and cover tightly.  Bake on center rack of 350° oven, 45 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake 25-30 more minutes, or until browned and bubbly.  Remove from oven and rest, 30-60 minutes prior to slicing and serving -- 30 minutes if you want to eat your lasagna at that "ooey-gooey" stage, or, 60 minutes if you want nicer, neater slices and a more refined presentation.

One bite & all agree -- no need to reveal this as a GF recipe:

Thick-and-Zesty Gluten-Free Ground-Beef Lasagna:  Recipe yields 8-12 hearty servings. 

Special Equipment List: cutting board; chef's knife; 12" chef's pan w/straight, deep sides & lid,; large spatula; large spoon;  13" x 9" x 2" casserole dish; plastic wrap (optional); aluminum foil

Cook's Note: For the record, I do not eat a gluten-free diet, nor do I recommend that anyone for any other reason than being a bona fide celiac adopt a gluten-free diet. Simply stated, depriving the body of gluten, meaning wheat or by-products of wheat, for any long-term length of time, causes. not cures, health problems -- research it.  That said, I do know two bona fide celiacs, and, when either pay a visit to my kitchen, I accommodate -- which isn't remarkably hard because lots of foods (meat, poultry, fish, seafood and vegetables), pantry ingredients and meals are gluten-free, and, for the record, there are some very good gluten-free pastas available, so know, a GF pasta dish or three are helpful to keep in your back pocket.  Here are ~ My Five Basic Tips for Foolproof GF Cookie Baking ~.  

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2021)

~ Why We Ring in the New Year w/Pork & Sauerkraut ~

If you ask Americans across our country what they're serving for dinner on New Year's Day, the most common response will be:  pork and sauerkraut -- and the reason is not just because it is a delicious meal.  It's a time-honored tradition based on the belief that pork and sauerkraut will bring luck and prosperity in the new year -- and who couldn't use a good bit of both.  This tradition is closely linked to the Pennsylvania Deutsch (crediting the Germanic or German-speaking immigrants from Germany and Switzerland for this cuisine, with the more commonly used term, Pennsylvania "Dutch", being the early English settlers slang for the German word "Deutsch").  

According to the folklore, the forward movement of pigs, when they root for food in the ground, aka a forward trajectory, combined with the green color of cabbage being the color of money, signified starting the year ahead with life on the right track (you wouldn't want to go backward into the new year) and a prosperous future (symbolically, the shreds of cabbage represent the amount of wealth you'll acquire in the new year).  Two foods you might consider avoiding:  Lobster, because they walk backwards, and, chicken, because they scratch the ground backwards. 

Eating pork and sauerkraut (singularly or together) started in the cold climates of Eastern Europe -- for practical purposes.  The Autumn slaughter of porcine has been going on for centuries, and, it just happened to coincide with the Fall cabbage harvest.  The onset of the cold months ahead meant that large cuts of meat could be kept safely chilled or frozen for consumption during the Winter.  The cabbage would be shredded, placed in large barrels or crocks, and allowed to slowly ferment, so it could be eaten until fresh vegetables became available again.  It only made sense that the New Year's Day choice of celebratory meat would be a prime-cut of rich porcine. The 'kraut crock was cracked open revealing the perfect side dish.  New Year's dinner was served.

When You Say PA Dutch, Why We Say PA Deutsch:

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2021)

~ My Five Basic Tips for Foolproof GF Cookie Baking ~

For the record, I do not eat a gluten-free diet, nor do I recommend that anyone for any other reason than being a bona fide celiac adopt a gluten-free diet.  Simply stated, depriving the body of gluten, meaning wheat or by-products of wheat, for any long-term length of time, causes. not cures, health problems -- research it.  That said, I do know two bona fide celiacs, and, when either pay a visit to my kitchen, I accommodate -- which isn't remarkably hard because lots of foods (meat, poultry, fish, seafood and vegetables), pantry ingredients and meals are gluten-free, and, for the record, there are some very good gluten-free pastas available, so know, a gluten-free pasta dish or three are helpful to keep in your back pocket.  I can count the number of gluten-free recipes in my repertoire on one hand, and, for my needs that's just fine.

Tip #1.  Cleanliness comes first -- zero cross-contamination.

While baking gluten-free cookies requires no special equipment, it is important the equipment you do use be spotless -- literally.  Why?  The answer is cross-contamination -- and it is very, very dangerous.  Celiac disease can be triggered by even the smallest spec of gluten. This means if you recently prepared foods using wheat flour, the first step (and it's a must) is to fully wipe down all baking surfaces, wash all hardware (mixing bowls, beater blades, baking pans, wire cooling racks, miscellaneous utensils, etc.), and, remove any products or gluten-containing ingredients that are nearby.  For an added layer of protection, I recommend placing a sheet of parchment on each baking pan that has been used previously to bake cookies/anything containing gluten.

Tip #2.  Use gluten-free all-purpose flour -- not a GF flour blend.

Generally speaking, the only thing that contains gluten in cookies is flour, which is made from wheat.  This means:  once you swap out the all-purpose flour and swap-in the gluten-free all-purpose flour, you've got a gluten-free cookie recipe.  Find a gluten-free all-purpose flour you like and use it exclusively.  Why?  This product does vary slightly from manufacturer to manufacturer, and, since baking is a science, a little can mean a lot.  I use King Arthur gluten-free all-purpose flour exclusively.  I do not recommend gluten-free flour blends unless you enjoy playing roulette with your outcome, and, that includes taste -- and many leave an unpleasant aftertaste in baked goods. When trying a recipe for the first time, use whatever is recommended in the recipe.

Tip #3.  Add extra leavener & salt + always add xanthan gum.

I like to add a 2:1 ratio of baking powder and baking to soda to all of my gluten-free cookie recipes, and, when converting a conventional recipe to a gluten-free recipe, I increase the amount by about 1/2  teaspoon.  I do the same with salt, meaning:  I increase the amount of salt by 1/2 teaspoon.  While on the topic of salt, when butter is called for in the recipe,  I always use salted butter -- trust me on this point.  Xanthan gum is a stabilizer that acts "sort of" like the gluten in wheat flour.  It keeps your cookies from falling apart, and, gives them a bit of elasticity ("chew") too.  King Arthur gluten-free all-purpose flour contains no xanthan gum, and, generally speaking, my gluten-free cookie recipes contain 1-2 teaspoons of this all-important stabilizer.

Tip #4.  Rest the dough, use smaller scoops, &, flatten balls.

My gluten-free cookie doughs are not "stickier" than conventional recipes.  At the onset, my general rule of thumb is to add two extra tablespoons all-purpose GF flour for every cup of all-purpose flour (example:  2 cups all purpose flour = 2 cups + 2 tablespoons all purpose gluten-free flour).  Once my dough is mixed and all add-ins (baking chips, nuts, etc.) have been folded in, rest the bowl of dough for 45-60 minutes.  Why?  GF flour has a grainier texture that all-purpose flour. This gives the GF flour time to absorb moisture from the "wet" ingredients (butter, eggs, sugar and extracts).  My standard rule is to use a 1 1/2" cookie scoop (smaller than the 1 3/4" scoop I use for conventional cookies).  After that, 90% of the time, using my fingertips, I flatten the balls.

Tip #5.  Lower oven temp by 25° & cool in the pan 1-1 1/2 minutes.

Experience has taught that gluten-free cookies benefit from a slightly lower oven temperature, and, on occasion, up to an extra 1-2 minutes of baking time.  Gluten-free cookies are at their best when just cooked through to their centers and light-golden in color on the bottoms.  A lower oven temperature gives them the time they need to do both.  Gluten-free cookies should remain the same taste as texture for as long as conventional cookies too -- up to two weeks.  A lower oven temperature, remarkably, achieves this.  Once the parchment-lined pan of cookies (always use parchment) is removed from the oven, allow the cookies to remain and cool in the pan for 1-1 1/2 minutes, to firm them up a bit, prior to transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Try my Simply-Delicious Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies: 

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/ Copyright 2021)

~Crazy Good GF Chocolate Walnut & Craisin Cookies~

Dried cranberries, aka craisins, are one of my favorite dried fruits.  They are at the top of my list right next to dried sour cherries -- with craisins being more available and affordable.  So much so, there's always a bag on-hand in my kitchen for the sole purpose of snacking.  Craisins are not just tart and sweet, they're tart and sweet on steroids.  There's more.  They are fantastic incorporated into any raisin or sour cherry cookie recipe (in place of the raisins or sour cherries).  The recipe I'm sharing today is one of my favorite GF cookies to bake during the holidays -- with craisins, walnuts and Toll House chocolate chips being one of my favorite cookie combinations.  

For the record, I do not eat a gluten-free diet, nor do I recommend that anyone for any other reason than being a bona fide celiac adopt a gluten-free diet.  Simply stated, depriving the body of gluten, meaning wheat or by-products of wheat, for any long-term length of time, causes, not cures, health problems -- Google it you idiot.  That said, I do know two bona fide celiacs, and, when either pay a visit to my kitchen, I accommodate -- which isn't remarkably hard because lots of foods (meat, poultry, fish, seafood and vegetables), pantry ingredients and meals are gluten-free, and, for the record, there are some very good gluten-free pastas available, so know, a gluten-free pasta dish or three are helpful to keep in your back pocket.  I can count the number of gluten-free recipes in my repertoire on one hand, and, for my needs that's just fine.

My criteria:  GF cookies that taste as good as they look using readily-available ingredients, &, in the case of GF, cleanliness is next to godliness -- let's talk about cross-contamination:

While baking gluten-free cookies requires no special equipment, it is important the equipment you do use be spotless -- literally.  Why?  The answer is cross-contamination -- and it is very, very dangerous.  Celiac disease can be triggered by even the smallest spec of gluten. This means if you recently prepared foods using wheat flour, the first step (and it's a must) is to fully wipe down all baking surfaces, wash all hardware (mixing bowls, beater blades, baking pans, wire cooling racks, miscellaneous utensils, etc.), and, remove any products or gluten-containing ingredients that are nearby.  For an added layer of protection, I recommend placing a sheet of parchment on each baking pan that has been used previously to bake cookies/anything containing gluten.

My result:  A GF cookie no one will ever guess is GF:

For the dry ingredients:

2 1/4  cups gluten-free all-purpose flour

2  teaspoons baking powder

1  teaspoon baking soda

2  teaspoons xanthan gum

1 1/4  teaspoons sea salt

For the wet ingredients:

1  cup salted butter, at room temperature, very soft (2 sticks)

2  large eggs

2  teaspoons pure chocolate extract

2  teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1  cup very-lightly-packed dark brown sugar

1/2  cup granulated sugar

For the add-ins (feel free to eliminate or substitute add-ins, being sure to add 3 1/2 total cups) :

2  generous cups Nestlē Toll House semi-sweet chocolate morsels

1  very generous cup coarse-chopped walnuts, lightly-toasted in a 350° oven for 4-5 minutes

1  very generous cup craisins (dried cranberries)

~ Step 1. Preheat oven to 350°.  Line 5 large baking pans with parchment. In a medium bowl, place and thoroughly stir the dry ingredients: the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  When oven is preheated, place the walnuts on a small baking pan.  Roast on center rack of oven until lightly-toasted and fragrant, 5-6 minutes.  Set aside to cool.

~Step 2. In a small mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum and salt.  Set aside.  In a large bowl, place the butter, eggs, both extracts, brown sugar and granulated sugar.  On high-speed of hand-held mixer, beat until creamy, about 1-1 1/2 minutes.  Lower mixer speed and beat in the flour mixture until a smooth, sticky dough forms.

~Step 3.  Using a large rubber spatula, fold in the chocolate chips, toasted walnuts and craisins -- adding them all at once is fine.  SET THE BOWL ASIDE AND ALLOW COOKIE DOUGH TO REST 45-60 MINUTES -- do not skip this step.  Using a 1 1/2" ice-cream scoop as a measure, drop cookies, slightly apart, by rounded tablespoonfuls onto each of 6, parchment-lined, 17 1/2" x 12 1/2" baking pans.  Twelve balls of dough will fit nicely on each pan -- fifteen is ok too.

~Step 4.  Bake, one-pan-at-a-time, on center rack of 350º oven, 10-11 minutes, until light-golden.  My cookies baked for exactly 11 minutes today. Remove from oven and use a small spatula to transfer to wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Simply perfect for the Thanksgiving & Christmas holidays too. 

Crazy Good GF Chocolate Walnut & Raisin Cookies:  Recipe yields 6 dozen, 2"-round cookies.

Special Equipment List: small shallow baking pan; 6, 17 1/2" x 12 1/2" baking pans; parchment paper; spoon; hand-held electric mixer; large rubber spatula; 1 1/2" ice-cream scoop; thin spatula; wire cooling rack

Cook's Note:  Home-baked cookies.  They're one of life's simple pleasures, and perhaps, the quintessential sweet treat -- not to big, not to small, portable feel-good satisfaction.  While everyone has a favorite cookie, more often than not, folks will declare the chocolate chip to be their number-one favorite or a close second, and, everyone who bakes cookies has a favorite chocolate-chip cookie recipe (or three).  That said, if you're baking cookies for a celiac, you need a recipe you can rely on and mine is the one.  It's spot-on -- taste and texturally, there's no need to announce it's GF.  Be sure to try my ~ Keep-it-Simple Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies ~.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preshutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2021)

~ Just Nuts - Salted Peanut & Peanut Butter Cookies ~

Is any celebratory cookie table display complete without a plate of some type of peanut butter cookies on it?  We all know the answer is no.  Peanut butter cookies are beloved by all, and, it genuinely saddens me that folks with peanut allergies will never know the joy of a salty and sweet peanut- and peanut-butter-laced cookie.  Some recipes contain oatmeal and chocolate chips, other recipes are simply over-the-top, I've likely baked them all.  In this version, salty cocktail peanuts get added, which adds to the peanutty goodness.  The ratio of wet-to-dry ingredients has been adjusted too, which produces crispy-on-the-outside and slightly-soft-in-the-center cookies.

Crispy on the outside & slightly-soft in the center...

For the dry ingredients:

2  cups unbleached, all-purpose flour

1  teaspoon baking powder

1/2  teaspoon baking soda

1/2  teaspoon sea salt

For the wet ingredients:

3/4  cup salted butter, at room temperature, very soft (1 1/2 sticks)

2  large eggs

1  cup granulated sugar

1  cup lightly-packed dark brown sugar

2  teaspoons peanut butter flavoring

2  teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1  cup creamy peanut butter

For the add-ins:

2  cups salted cocktail peanuts

~Step 1.  In a large bowl, place the softened butter, eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar and peanut butter flavoring and vanilla extract.  On high speed of hand-held electric mixer, while scraping down the sides of the bowl with a large rubber spatula, beat until thoroughly combined and creamy, 30-45 seconds.  Lower the mixer speed and thoroughly fold in the peanut butter.  

~Step 2.  Add the dry ingredients. On low speed of mixer and with the aid of a large rubber spatula, incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.  A thick, cookie dough will have formed.  Add the peanuts.  Using the spatula, thoroughly fold them into the cookie dough.

~Step 3. Using a 1 1/2" ice-cream scoop, place 12-15 balls of cookie dough on each pan.  Bake cookies, one-pan-at-a-time, in preheated 350° oven, 10-11 minutes.  Cookies will be very lightly browned around the edges and slightly on the tops.  Do not over-bake these cookies.  Remove from oven and allow to cool and firm up on pan 1-1 1/2 minutes, then use a thin spatula to transfer cookies from pan to wire rack to cool completely.

... different from Grandma's Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies:

Just Nuts - Salted Peanut & Peanut Butter Cookies:  Recipe yields 5 1/2 dozen, 2"-round cookies.

Special Equipment List: , 17 1/2" x 12 1/2" baking pans; parchment paper; spoon; hand-held electric mixer; large rubber spatula; 1 1/2" ice-cream scoop; thin spatula; wire cooling rack

Cook's Note: If it's full-throttle roasted-peanut flavor and crunch you crave, there's no need to look elsewhere for a peanut butter fudge recipe. Lightly-roasted peanuts, crunchy peanut butter, peanut-butter morsels, and, peanut butter flavoring team up in my version, and, trust me, nobody can eat just one piece of this peanutty fudge. This recipe (which has been tested, tasted and approved by many) is super-easy and foolproof, so, for those who've never tried making fudge before, or novice cooks, this recipe is ideal.  You gotta try my ~ Ultimate-Best Peanut Butter Fudge ~.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2021)

~ Cranberry, Walnut & White Chocolate Chip Cookies ~

Dried cranberries, aka craisins, are one of my favorite dried fruits.  They are at the top of my list right next to dried sour cherries -- with craisins being more available and affordable.  So much so, there's always a bag on-hand in my kitchen for the sole purpose of snacking.  Craisins are not just tart and sweet, they're tart and sweet on steroids.  There's more.  They are fantastic incorporated into any raisin or sour cherry cookie recipe (in place of the raisins or sour cherries).  The recipe I'm sharing today is one of my favorite drop cookies to bake during the holidays -- with craisins, walnuts and white chocolate chips being one of my favorite cookie or quick-bread combinations.   

One of my favorite combination cookies all year long...

For the dry ingredients:

2 1/4  cups unbleached, all-purpose flour

1  teaspoon baking powder

1  teaspoon baking soda

1  teaspoon salt

For the wet ingredients:

1  cup salted butter (2 sticks) at room temperature, very soft

2  large eggs

3/4   cup granulated sugar

3/4  cup lightly-packed dark brown sugar

2  teaspoons pure cranberry extract

2  teaspoons pure walnut extract

2  teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the add-ins:

1  generous cup craisins (dried cranberries)

1  generous cup coarse-chopped walnuts, lightly-toasted in a 350° oven for 4-5 minutes

1  generous cup Nestlë white chocolate morsels

~ Step 1.  Preheat oven to 350°.  Line 5 large baking pans with parchment. In a medium bowl, place and thoroughly stir the dry ingredients: the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  When oven is preheated, place the walnuts on a small baking pan.  Roast on center rack of oven until lightly-toasted and fragrant, 5-6 minutes.  Set aside to cool.

~Step 2.  In a large bowl, place the softened butter, eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar and all  extracts.  On high speed of hand-held electric mixer, beat until thoroughly combined and creamy, 30-45 seconds.  Add the dry ingredients. On low speed of mixer and with the aid of a large rubber spatula, incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.  A thick, cookie dough will have formed.  Add the craisins, walnuts and white chocolate chips.  Using the spatula, thoroughly fold the add-ins into the cookie dough.

~Step 3.  Using a 1 1/2" ice-cream scoop, place 12-15 balls of cookie dough on each pan.  Bake cookies, one-pan-at-a-time, in 350° oven, 9-10 minutes.  Cookies will be very lightly browned around the edges and tops.  Do not over-bake these cookies.  Remove from oven and allow to cool on pan 1-1 1/2 minutes, then use a thin spatula to transfer cookies from pan to wire rack to cool completely.

... perfect for the Thanksgiving & Christmas holidays too. 

Cranberry, Walnut & White Chocolate Chip Cookies:  Recipe yields 5 1/2 dozen 2"-round cookies.  

Special Equipment List: 5, 17 1/2" x 12 1/2" baking pans; parchment paper; spoon; hand-held electric mixer; large rubber spatula; 1 1/2" ice-cream scoop; thin spatula; wire cooling rack

Cook's Note: Cherry-vanilla is one of my favorite flavor combinations. Cherry-vanilla or black-cherry-vanilla cream soda, cherry-vanilla ice-cream, cherry-vanilla milkshakes, cherry-vanilla yogurt and cherry-vanilla biscotti -- to name a few. I didn't invent the idea for cherry-vanilla fudge, but once I had a great base recipe for fudge, cherry-vanilla was my first spin-off. Try making my ~ Double-Cherry & Double-Vanilla Lover's Fudge ~ using craisins and cranberry extract in place of dried cherries and cherry extract.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2022)

~ Cinnamon-Orange Choco-Walnut Brownie Cookies ~

Made using a box of store-bought brownie mix, if you're a chocolate lover and you've never tried chocolate brownie cookies, you are missing out on something good -- something very, very good. They're just the right ratio of crispy-on-the-outside to chewy-in-the-inside, and, they're loaded with ooey-gooey chocolate chips and crunchy toasted walnuts too.  In the case of my recipe, they're flavored with cinnamon and orange, which is the perfect compliment to all the chocolatey goodness.  There's more.  These really are best made using a store-bought brownie mix -- homemade recipes vary too much from cook to cook -- the mix takes all the guesswork out of it.

The right ratio of crispy-outsides to slightly-chewy centers...

For the dry ingredients:

1  18.3-ounce chocolate-fudge browning mix (Note:  I use Duncan Hines.)

7  tablespoons all-purpose flour

1  teaspoon baking powder

2  teaspoons ground cinnamon

For the wet ingredients:

2  large eggs

5  tablespoons vegetable oil

1  tablespoon pure orange extract

For the add-ins:

3/4  cup Nestlê Toll House semi-sweet chocolate morsels

3/4  cup coarse-chopped walnuts, lightly-toasted in a 350° oven for 4-5 minutes

~ Step 1.  Preheat oven to 350° and line 3 large baking pans with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, place and thoroughly stir the dry ingredients: the contents from brownie mix, the flour, the baking powder and ground cinnamon.

~Step 2.  In a large bowl, place the eggs, vegetable oil and orange extract.  On high speed of hand-held electric mixer, beat until thoroughly combined and frothy, about 30-45 seconds.  Add the dry ingredients.  On low speed of mixer and with the aid of a large rubber spatula, incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.  A thick, somewhat shiny, sticky but manageable cookie dough will have formed.  Add the chocolate chips and walnuts.  Using the spatula, thoroughly fold the add-ins into the cookie dough. 

~Step 3.  Using a 1 1/2" ice-cream scoop as a measure, place 12-15 balls of cookie dough on each parchment-lined pan.  Bake cookies, one-pan-at-a-time, in preheated 350° oven, 9-10 minutes.  Cookies will be slightly flattened and crinkles will have started to form across the top.  Do not over-bake these cookies.  Remove from oven and cool on pan 1-1 1/2 minutes, then use a thin spatula to transfer cookies from pan to wire rack to cool completely.

... & loaded w/gooey chocolate chips & toasted walnuts too:

Cinnamon-Orange Chico-Walnut Brownie Cookies:  Recipe yields 3 1/2 dozen 2"-round cookies.  

Special Equipment List: 3, 17 1/2" x 12 1/2" baking pans; parchment paper; spoon; hand-held electric mixer; large rubber spatula; 1 1/2" ice-cream scoop; thin spatula; wire cooling rack

Cook's Note:  Every chocolate lover remembers their first bite of fudge -- that creamy, semi-soft confection made with corn syrup and/or sugar, butter, cream and flavoring.  The most popular flavor is dark chocolate, with milk chocolate second.  Peanut butter, butterscotch, maple and vanilla are all contenders for third. When I was growing up, our neighbor loved to bake, and we adored her ~ Dark Chocolate Lover's Dark-Chocolate Fudge ~. 

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2021)

~ The Best Boxed Stovetop Scalloped Potatoes Ever ~

Yep.  It's true.  I keep a box or three of cheesy scalloped potatoes in my pantry at all times.  You'll also find some Stovetop Stuffing in there, along with some Rice-a-Roni and a couple bottles of store-bought pasta sauce too.  You see -- I'm no different than the rest of the world.  On occasion, there are times in all our lives when we need to rely on a convenience food in order to get dinner on the table in a hurry.  There's more.  "Doctoring up" a boxed mix is one of my specialties, meaning adding a few ingredients and/or tweaking the instructions to make it semi-homemade.

Truth told:  I like boxed scalloped potatoes prepared on the stovetop more than when they're prepared in the oven.

2  tablespoons salted butter

1 1/2  cups water

1  cup + 2 tablespoons cream (Note:  half-and-half or milk may be substituted, but, cream really makes for a rich delish dish.)

1  teaspoon dehydrated minced garlic

1  teaspoon dehydrated minced onion

1/4  teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2  teaspoon coarse-ground pepper

1  5-ounce box Betty Crocker Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes, dehydrated potatoes and seasoning packet

~Step 1.  In a 2-quart saucepan, place all the the ingredients as listed.  Give the mixture a thorough stir.  Bring to a boil, stirring frequently, over medium- medium-high heat.

~ Step 2.  Adjust heat to a gentle but steady simmer, cover the pot and continue to cook until potatoes are cooked through and tender, and, a thick, rich cheese sauce has formed, about 20-25 minutes (taste it to test for doneness).  Turn the heat off and/or remove from heat.  Set aside 5-10 minutes prior to serving.

Thick, rich, creamy, full-flavored & perfectly cooked potatoes:

The Best Boxed Stovetop Scalloped Potatoes Ever:  Recipe yields 2-4 servings.

Special Equipment List:  2-cup measuring container; 1-cup measuring container; 2-quart stockpot; large spoon

Cook's Note:  We all love a one-skillet dinner.  It's family-style eating at its best.  Theres more.  A skillet that goes from stovetop to table cuts down on cleanup time too.  One-skillet dinners are usually not overly complicated, but, when you're seriously in a pinch (you know, those stress-filled times -- time and patience ran out, an ingredient got left at the grocery store, or, a popup snowstorm made for bad traveling), if it can be made with a few pantry ingredients and some pork chops or chicken breasts you've had tucked in the freezer, it's a welcome relief.  Try my  ~ Scalloped Potatoes & Pork Chop Dinner~.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2021)

~One-Skillet Scalloped Potatoes & Pork Chop Dinner~

We all love a one-skillet dinner.  It's family-style eating at its best.  Theres more.  A skillet that goes from stovetop to table cuts down on cleanup time too -- we all appreciate that.  One-skillet dinners are usually not overly complicated, but, when you're seriously in a pinch (you know, those stress-filled times -- time and patience ran out, an ingredient got left at the grocery store, or, a popup snowstorm made for bad traveling), if it can be made with a few pantry ingredients and a package of pork chops or chicken breasts you've had tucked in the freezer, it's a welcome stress relief -- FYI, there's no shame in an occasional save-the-day convenience-food recipe.

'Tis the season to add a new snowstorm dinner to the repertoire:

2  tablespoons butter or oil

4  1/2"-3/4"-thick bone-in pork loin chops

freshly ground sea salt and peppercorn blend

3  cups water

1/2  teaspoon ground nutmeg

2  teaspoons dehydrated minced garlic

2  teaspoons dehydrated minced onion

3/4  teaspoon coarse-grind pepper

2  5-ounce boxes Betty Crocker Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

2 1/4  cups cream (Note:  half-and-half or milk may be substituted, but, cream really makes for a rich delish dish .)

~Step 1.  In a wide-bottomed 3 1/2-quart enameled casserole or 3 1/2-quart chef's pan with straight, deep sides, melt the butter over low heat. Place the chops in pan and lightly season with freshly ground sea salt and peppercorn blend -- go light on the salt.  Increase heat to medium.  Sauté chops until golden brown on the first side, about 10-12 minutes.  Flip chops over, lightly-season second sides, and sauté until golden on second side, about 8-10 minutes.  Turn heat off.  Transfer chops to a plate and set aside.

~Step 2.  Add the 3 cups water to the pan.  Using a spatula, gently loosen the flavorful browned bits (the fond) from the bottom of the pan.  Add the spices: the nutmeg, the dehydrated garlic and onion, and, pepper.  Open the two boxes of scalloped potatoes and stir in the seasoning packets, followed by the cream -- don't add the potatoes just yet.

~Step 3.  Over low heat, stir constantly until the majority of the lumps from the seasoning packet mixture have turned the mixture into a smooth sauce, about 1-1 1/2 minutes.  Add and stir in the dehydrated potatoes.  Adjust heat to medium-high. Stir constantly until mixture reaches a boil, then, lower the temperature to a gentle but steady simmer.  Continue to cook, uncovered, until the sauce is thick and potatoes are almost cooked through, about 14-15 minutes.  Place the still warm pork chops atop the potatoes.  Cover the pan and continue to simmer gently until potatoes are cooked through and pork chops are steaming hot, another 14-15 minutes.  Remove from heat, allow to rest 5-10 minutes, then serve. 

An in-a-pinch family-style pantry-cooking recipe at its best:

One-Skillet Scalloped Potatoes & Pork Chop Dinner:  Recipe yields 4 hearty servings.

Special Equipment List:  3 1/2-quart enameled cast iron casserole or 3 1/2-quart chef's pan w/straight, deep sides & lid;  1-quart measuring container; 2-cup measuring container; spatula

Cook's Note:  I know I'm not alone on this point,  C-19 has changed what I store in my pantry -- truth told, it's not bad, just different.  In preparation for those potential lockdowns that could happen at any time, I've stocked several boxes of Rice-a-Roni, four boxes of Kraft macaroni and cheese, a big box of Hungry Jack instant mashed potatoes, and, a few boxes of Stovetop stuffing mix and Betty Crocker cheesy scalloped potatoes. Thanks to them being staples in my mom's pantry, I knew these easy-to-make convenience-food side-dishes not only have a long shelf life, they're tasty.  Here's  ~ How to Doctor Up a Box of Scalloped Potatoes ~.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2021)