Chocolate Blitzens

This is going to be part of our dessert on Christmas Eve, along with some shortbread. Yummy! Maybe I'll leave one for Santa?

Ingredients:

1/2 oz. (15ml) Vodka
1/2 oz. (15ml) Dark Creme de Cacao
1 oz. (30ml) Baileys Irish Cream
1 1/2 Cup Chocolate Ice Cream
Chocolate Sprinkles
2 oz. (60ml) Melting Chocolate



1. Rim glass with hot melted chocolate and dip in chocolate sprinkles.
2. Blend vodka, creme de cacao, baileys and ice cream. Do not blend the ice cream completely to a liquid. Let it maintain some of it's thickness.
3. Pour into chocolate rimmed glass and add sprinkles on top.

Christmas Quinoa Salad

A fresh and modern take on a classic combination of cranberry and orange. Perfect with your  turkey dinner or weeknight roast chicken!  Pretty and delicious!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cup water
• 2 large leaves of kale
• 2 cup cranberries, fresh
• 2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp honey
• 2 TBS orange zest, grated
• 6 small oranges
• ¹/₄ cup mixed nuts
• ¹/₄ cup pomegranate arils
• ¹/₄ cup mint, fresh, chopped

Instructions:

1. Rinse with water: 1 cup quinoa
2. Bring to boil: 2 cups water
3. When water is boiling, transfer rinsed quinoa and return to boil.
4. Cover, reduce heat to low and continue to cook until the water is gone and quinoa is cooked, about 12-15 minutes.
5. Wash, remove from stems and finely chop: 2 large kale leaves
6. Pulse in a food processor to coarsely chop: 2 cups fresh cranberries, 2 tblsp olive oil, 1 tsp honey
7. When quinoa is done, transfer to a mixing bowl and mix with chopped kale. Allow to cool to room temperature.
8. Stir in with the quinoa: 2 tblsp orange zest, grated
9. Peel and coarsely chop: 6 small oranges
10. When quinoa is cooled completely, gently stir in the oranges and cranberry mixture.
11. Stir in: 1/4 cup mixed nuts, 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds, 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
12. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Irish Cupcakes with Guinness & Baileys

Serving: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:
1 cup stout (Guinness)
16 tbsp. unsalted butter
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1½ tsp. baking soda
¾ tsp. salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup sour cream
For the Baileys ganache filling:
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp. butter, at room temperature
2 tsp. Baileys Irish cream
For the Baileys butter cream frosting:
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
3-4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
4-8 tbsp. Bailey's Irish cream

Directions:
1) To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350° F. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners. Combine the stout and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
2) In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the eggs and sour cream to blend.  
3) Add the stout-butter mixture and beat just to combine. Mix in the dry ingredients on low speed just until incorporated. Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners, filling them about 2/3 to ¾ full.
4) Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 17 minutes. Allow to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
5) To make the ganache filling, place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until simmering, then pour it over the chocolate. Let sit for one minute and then whisk until smooth. If the chocolate is not completely melted, place the bowl over a double boiler or give it a very short blast in the microwave (15-20 seconds). Add the butter and Baileys and stir until combined. 
6) Set aside to let the ganache cool until it is thick enough to be piped. (You can use the refrigerator to speed the cooling process, but be sure to stir every 10 minutes or so to ensure even cooling.)
7) Meanwhile, cut out a portion from the center of the cupcake using the cone method (a small paring knife works best for this). Once the ganache has reached the correct consistency, transfer it to a piping bag fitted with a wide tip and pipe it into the cupcakes.
8) To make the frosting, place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Gradually add the powdered sugar until it is all incorporated. Mix in the Baileys until smooth.
9) Add more if necessary until the frosting has reached a good consistency for piping or spreading. Frost the cupcakes as desired.

Shortbread Bites

I've started thinking (I know - already!) about Christmas baking. Saw this cute recipe from Nigella Lawson (one of my favorite cooks). They are so pretty, have few ingredients, and are easy. Will make great gifts......

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cup(s) all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoon(s) sugar
• 1/2 cup(s) (1 stick) butter (no substitutions), cold, cut into pieces
• 1 tablespoon(s) red and green nonpareils or sprinkles or 1/2 cup mini baking bits

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. In food processor with knife blade attached, pulse flour and sugar until combined. Add butter and pulse until dough begins to come together. Place dough in medium bowl. With hand, gently knead in nonpareils or baking bits until evenly blended and dough forms a ball.
3. On lightly floured waxed paper, pat dough into 8" by 5" rectangle; freeze 15 minutes. Cut dough into 1/2-inch squares. Place squares, 1/2 inch apart, on ungreased large cookie sheet.
4. Bake cookies 18 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned on bottom. Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool. Repeat with remaining dough. Store cookies in tightly covered container at room temperature up to 1 week, or in freezer up to 3 months.

Slow Cooker Pasta Fagioli

So easy! And so good for a hearty autumn meal!

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 4 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 (28 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 (16 ounce) can red kidney beans, drained
• 1 (16 ounce) can white kidney beans, drained
• 3 (10 ounce) cans beef stock
• 3 teaspoons oregano
• 2 teaspoons pepper
• 5 teaspoons parsley
• 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce (optional)
• 1 (20 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
• 8 ounces pasta

Directions:

1. Brown beef in a skillet.
2. Drain fat from beef and add to crock pot with everything except pasta.
3. Cook on low 7-8 hours or high 4-5 hours. Add pasta the last 30 minutes.

Serve with a nice crisp green salad and some garlic bread!