Archive for Holiday
Unleash Your Inner Grill Goddess In Time For Memorial Day
Posted by: | CommentsAs some of you know, I write for the column “What’s Cookin’” at Western Mass Women Magazine. For May, I wrote a little piece that you might want to check out before Memorial Day so you can “Unleash Your Inner Grill Goddess.” Check it out here.
Happy New Year…
Posted by: | CommentsMay 2010 bring you all much love, good health, prosperity and, in the words of Alton Brown “Good Eats” (and in the words of this fashionista – new Choos!)
B[u]y The Book: Nigella Christmas and a Tried & True Recipe for Bourbon Glazed Ribs…
Posted by: | CommentsBefore you remind me of exactly what date it is and how I should have reviewed this BEFORE the holidays, hold up. I have to say Nigella Christmas: Food Family Friends Festivities
I flipped through it and the pictures are gorgeous. The recipes are somewhat simple for the home cook and, unlike this gal who blew up a food processor making the accompanying spoon bread (more on that later), everything is pretty straight forward. There are tips for entertaining, brunch ideas, great sides, etc. Some of the recipes that I’ve bookmarked for future “investigation” are the Pomegranate Martini, Boston Baked Beans, Butternut Orzotto, Triple Cheese and Onion Strata and, of course, the Espresso Martini. There’s a chapter on various chutneys, vodkas and other giftable items and even a schedule for the holiday day with what to do when. It’s a book that I will refer to time and time again.
The one recipe that I HAD to try was the Bourbon Glazed Ribs. Having never made a rack of ribs before, this was quite the challenge. I will say that unlike my friends, I don’t often drink Bourbon and I knew I’d have to go out and procure a bottle. In the move, the contents of my liquor cabinet (and the Maker’s Mark) was gifted to SL and I’m slowly rebuilding my Philly bar (Didn’t want to be branded “Lys Capone”). One problem: there are so many bourbons on the market and which one should a gal buy? After consulting with the Bourbon expert, Rifleman, I was told that “any” bourbon would be fine as he felt that Maker’s Mark might be too pricey. However, in true Nigella form, I thought that it would be a disservice to the recipe to not use Maker’s Mark. Having never bought a rack of ribs before, I bought one which turned out to be rancid within a day (shocked and surprised that Genuardis sold that) but after discussions with another butcher and learning what happens when they shrinkwrap ribs, I bought a different brand and attempted the recipe again.
The bourbon glaze is ADDICTING. Seriously, I’m thinking I might have to make another batch of it just to keep in the fridge to glaze chicken and everything. Nigella is prone to recipes that you can whip up the night before and leave in the fridge and this recipe was no exception. The next day we were treated to some amazing ribs and even though I terrorized my Cuisinart with attempting to make too much spoon bread in an 11 cup bowl when it clearly needed a 14 cup bowl, the dinner was a success. The camera was on life support as it fell in the leftover spoonbread batter while I was trying to clean up the chaos. Will I make this again – sure – but I would definitely cut the spoonbread recipe in half. The ribs – heck that’s a tried & true and I’ll probably make it with the Boston Baked Beans next time. Add this rib recipe to your repertoire – you won’t be sorry.
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Bourbon Glazed Ribs
Recipe adapted from Nigella Christmas: Food Family Friends Festivities
Ingredients:
- 24 St. Louis-style pork spareribs
- 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 3/4 cup bourbon
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard (I used dijon)
- 2 tablespoons tomato ketchup
Directions:
- Put the ribs in a resealable plastic bag and add the other ingredients to form a marinade. Place into the refrigerator, putting the bag into a bowl to avoid drips or spillages, and leave overnight.
- The next day, remove the ribs from the refrigerator, and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Pick the ribs out of the marinade and put them into a shallow roasting pan (lined with aluminum foil for easier cleanup), then pour the marinade into a saucepan.
- Cook the ribs for 1 hour, turning them over halfway through cooking.
- When the ribs are cooked, bring the marinade to a boil and cook for about 7 minutes or until it is thick and glossy.
- Plate up the ribs than pour the bourbon sauce over them.
(Disclaimer – in my paranoia, I made a separate batch of the marinade and reduced it for the glaze rather than reuse the marinade from the night prior. What can I say – I get nervous with reusing marinades.)
Gathering The Marinade Ingredients
The Final Product – Hungry yet…
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And, as promised, the spoonbread evidence…
Part I – it’s in the Cuisinart…
Part II – WHIRRRRRRR, It Mixes…
and – Part III – Spoonbread Batter – EVERYWHERE…
I need the new fancy Cuisinart… (or so I’ll keep saying to justify buying it instead of a new pair of Loubous…)
Happy Holidays….
Posted by: | CommentsJust taking a moment to wish you and yours a wonderful holiday season ~Merry Christmas from our kitchen to yours…
Gift Guide For The Aspiring Gourmet…
Posted by: | CommentsThe holidays are right around the corner and are you still stumped for that *perfect* gift for the foodie in your life? Well, Cooking in Stilettos is here to help. Some of these gifts are just too cute to pass up (even if it’s for yourself – shhh – don’t worry, I won’t tell).
Check out these adorable Cupcake notecards from Felt & Wire Shop
Sometimes, you want to experiment with other styles of cooking but aren’t sure if your spice cabinet is up to par. You know what Emeril says “that red box of pepper from 1989 – toss it out”. Well, you might want to check out this “I Like It Spicy” spice kit with all the essential spices for only $18.00 from Out of the Blue Delivered. This kit contains everything from Sea Salt to Chilis – you can’t go wrong with that.
What about Thai cooking – you can check out their “Let’s Have Thai Tonight” spice kit with such spices as Lemongrass, Kaffir Lime Leaves and more.
What about that person that aspires to be the next Bobby Flay? I know we’re in this midst of a blizzard up here in Philly but there are people who will grill regardless of the temperature drop. Well, check out these fabulous “Grill Grates” with two interlocking grates and a GrateTool that set you on the path to becoming the next GrillMaster. No more charred veggies that fall to the abyss.
Wine is always a great gift for the holidays, but for that sommelier in training, well why not give a fabulous decanter? Check out Spiegelau’s Siena decanter that came across this gal’s path. To quote Rachel Zoe “I. Die.”
Speaking of the Za Za Zu factor, Lenox has this gorgeous 2 qt. Aspen Ridge Round Covered Baker that has me at hello. Now, I don’t know about you but a quality baker is something that gets used quite a bit in this gal’s kitchen.
I know I have a habit of printing out recipes that I’m testing and they run the risk of getting splattered. This Portochef Recipe Album from Umbra is a perfect idea!
One of the items I could not see my kitchen without is a quality cutting board. The people over at Michigan Maple Block have a Cutting Essentials Kit that would be wonderful under the tree, complete with a professional grade, solid maple butcher block cutting board; a bottle of Emmet’s Elixir Cutting Board Conditioner and a LamsonSharp 7” Santoku knife with a gorgeous Rosewood handle. Now tell me that wouldn’t look fabulous in your kitchen?
Now, being a shoe gal, I had to point out that this set of Cinderella Espresso Spoons are a great stocking stuffer for that stiletto lover!
I absolutely cringe when I have a bottle of wine in the fridge that has lost its edge. The Sharper Image has this Wine Preservation Kit with 4 Stoppers that can make sure that you never have to feel the pain of sipping wine that has been lost to the horrors of shelf life.
Speaking of the Wine Lover, what about a membership to The California Wine Club? The prices are reasonable (hello – $34.95), there is no yearly commitment and exposure to wines one might not normally come across. Even has a 100% guarantee.
Ok, what about a Chef’s Coat to go with one’s stilettos? Check out this “Fitted Chef’s Coat” that would look great with this gal’s new Elizabeth & James stilettos… Plus – it can be customized… hmmmm.. Think I need to place an order quick!
Finally, a stocking stuffer this gal would love – an adorable “I Like Shopping” tote from reisenthel that fits in a purse. BRILLIANT! How many times have you been caught out and about without a reusable shopping bag or, like I often do, remember that they are in the trunk of the car. (Hate that) At just $9.50, you can get one (or three… just in case of a “Shoe shopping emergency” ).
Happy Holidays everyone!
Gift Spotlight: All Things Julia & Julia…
Posted by: | CommentsKicking off a series of “HOLIDAY GIFT SPOTLIGHTS” – let’s start with a spotlight on all things Julie & Julia
First of all, Sur La Table has this phenomenal gift set with both the DVD of Julie & Julia and the epic “Mastering The Art of French Cooking” which should be a staple for any home cook, no?
For those that adored the character of Julie Powell, you might want to check out her latest novel, Cleaving: A Story of Marriage, Meat, and Obsession
or the book upon which the movie is based, Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously
What about those that love the classic Julia Child. Well, in addition to any of her cookbooks, you can also pick up the DVDs of:
Julia Child – The French Chef
Julia Child’s The Way To Cook DVD
or
Julia & Jacques Cooking At Home
Finally, you know what would REALLY be great – what about wrapping up the DVD of the movie within the Mauviel Oval Copper Fry Pan 
You just can never go wrong with Julia Child…
Cookie Spotlight: Coconut Almond Macaroons…
Posted by: | CommentsGrowing up, one thing I always remembered around the holidays was my Aunt Maddie’s macaroons. She would always have those on hand along with her famous fudge and other sweet treats. When I saw this recipe in the December 2009 issue of Cooking Light, I thought that it would be perfect for the holidays.
Try it and start a family tradition of your own…
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COCONUT ALMOND MACAROONS
Recipe courtesy of Cooking Light, December 2009
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons almond paste
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 large egg whites, divided
- 1 1/3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 1/2 cups flaked sweetened coconut
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350º.
- Combine almond paste, vanilla and 2 egg whites in a large bowl; beat with a mixer until well blended.
- Combine powdered sugar, baking powder and salt.
- Add powdered sugar mixture to almond paste mixture, beating until blended.
- Stir in coconut.
- Place remaining 2 egg whites in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until soft peaks form using clean, dry beaters. Gradually add granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form.
- Gently fold egg white mixture into coconut mixer.
- Drop dough by level tablespoons 2 inches apart onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
- Bake at 350° for 17 minutes or until firm. Cool on pans 2 to 3 minutes on a wire rack.
- Remove cookies from pan and cool completely on wire rack.
Yields 32 cookies.
Holiday Online Shopping – Getting More Bang For The Buck…
Posted by: | CommentsI’m one of those gals who avoids much of the holiday chaos- namely Black Friday and the chaotic mall shoppers. Why should I feed the frenzy when I can maximize my dollar with online sales, shopping and cash back, right?
Well, here’s the refresher course for y’all along with some new finds and for the new readers – welcome, bookmark and enjoy.
First of all, here are the sites to sign up with – g’head, it should open in a new window so I’ll wait for ya.
Cash Back:
Coupon Sites
Now that you are all signed up and bookmarked, here’s how this works. First thing you need to understand is that most cash back will be available 60-90 days after the purchase – to allow for returns, etc. So, let’s say you are doing your holiday shopping – well, in March, you should be getting some extra green in your wallet – just in time for St. Patty’s Day and everyone is a winner.
Start off with going to EVReward to see who offers the MOST cash back – that’s vital. If you know where you are going to shop, then why not get the best deal out there, right?
I often know the item I’m looking for – like, let’s say a great pair of Elizabeth & James shoes from ShopBop. I head to EVReward to see who’s giving the most cash back on ShopBop which is, in this case, Cashbaq with 7% cash back on my purchase. So, let’s say I buy the boots I’ve been coveting – which are $276. 7% cash back of that will mean that come March, $19.32 will be my cash back reward. To maximize my cash back dollar, I will also make note of any coupon codes for ShopBop through RetailMeNot.com or any of the other coupon sites that have done great by me in the past. Works like a charm every. single. time. Often you can find coupons for free shipping, etc. especially with the retailers wanting to make this holiday season their best one ever.
Here’s another thing – my bff, Meowmix, often shops online via eBay. Did you know you can get cash back for any eBay shopping? Big Crumbs offers up to 36% cash back. Bing! offers 10% cash back while Ebates offers 2%. You see where I’m going with this.
Now, for those of you buying those big ticket items from, let’s say BestBuy – here’s my suggestion – buy online through Bing! with 5% cash back, select the “Pick Up In Store” option and you don’t even have to worry about the shipping. Most times, it’s ready in an hour or so and you don’t have to deal with all the craziness. This helps especially when you are looking for that TV, Video Game System or other high ticket item and you don’t want any shipping drama but still want the maximum cash back.
Basically – most of the stores you shop online are on the cash back wagon and why shouldn’t you be too?
Now, the disclaimers – keep track of your purchases and receipt emails to make sure that you get credit for everything. Most of the cash back companies are great with tracking, but some purchase can fall through the cracks. Just send their customer service an email after a week or so and they’ll jump right on it. Secondly, yes there are referral links which means that both you and I are getting a Win/Win as they put a little something in your cash back stocking.
I am happy to say that after 3 years of living the cash back mantra, I can never go back to online shopping the old way. I always make sure that I’ve maximized everything through cash back and coupon codes and couldn’t be happier. Heck, I’ve even gotten cash back for my cable installation – who the heck knew you could do that.
So, while the holiday brings out the crazy in shopping, know that you can enjoy CyberMonday behind the computer with your coffee in one hand and the mouse in the other as you click your way to cash back happiness. And, if you have any questions, know that I’m only an email away.
Happy Shopping!
Tried and True: Barefoot Contessa’s Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast…
Posted by: | CommentsFor the holiday this year, I decided to keep it simple and didn’t freak out making a whole turkey but just a good size turkey breast. When it came to doing research as to the *right* recipe to try, I thought “Barefoot Contessa – one can’t go wrong with a Barefoot Contessa recipe” and I’m glad I went with that idea.
Preppin’ for the initial rub
In a small bowl, combine the garlic, mustard, herbs, salt, pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice to make a paste. Loosen the skin from the meat gently with your fingers and smear half of the paste directly on the meat. Spread the remaining paste evenly on the skin. Pour the wine into the bottom of the roasting pan.
FoodBuzz 24, 24, 24: A Very Cranberry Soiree…
Posted by: | CommentsRinging in the New Year last night, I decided to keep it safe, simple and, most of all, fun. I often joke that Central Florida is full of transplants – many of us are here sans family and find that we make our own family through our friends. Not to mention, they say who you spend your New Years Eve with sets the tone for the year ahead. Who better to spend it with but my friends.
I was honored to be selected by FoodBuzz to participate in their 24, 24, 24 New Year’s Eve Event - 24 meals, 24 Hours, 24 Blogs. So, after much thinking, I decided to create a dinner for my “adopted fam” with one of the featured ingredients being the festive holiday fruit – Cranberry. I took some of my tried and true recipes and embellished on them a bit while I also attempted some new ones. I have to say it turned out to be a resounding success.
I was pretty much pleased with the menu. Some of the menu selections were items that have been a hit at other dinners and the Spiced Apple/Cranberry Sangria was inspired by my recent trip to Jose Garces‘ restaurant, Amada, in Philadelphia (more on that in a future post). Couple that with my new fave linens from Williams Sonoma (in a festive shade of cranberry!), the party went off with nary a hitch.
Also, as a sentiment to start the New Year off right, my guests and those that were not able to make it will get a little “care package” containing some Cranberry centered items, namely their own small Cranberry Vodka, Erin Cooks! fabulous Cranberry Orange Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies and the recipes for all the recipes used (and some that were considered) for this event. I’m also surprising my co-workers with Confession of a (Sometimes!) Serendipitous Girl aka SSG’s fabulous Apple Cranberry Crumble on Monday. I was going to make it yesterday however when I was going through the recipe, I forgot two very vital ingredients. Note to self: Shop with a grocery list NOT on the blackberry. Lys = Airhead. Oops! I’ll make sure to do an entry on it with SSG’s permission of course.
Well, not being one to exclude y’all, I’m also going to make the recipes available for my readers. So, should you want the recipes, shoot me an email at Justanothagal [at] gmail [dot] com with the subject “24/24/24 Recipes” and I’ll be happy to shoot them off to you.
Much thanks to FoodBuzz and my wonderful adopted fam here in Orlando. What a way to ring in 2009!
~ NOTES~
* The recipe is an Orange/Cranberry Vodka because the FN Recipe for Cranberry Vodka is wrong. Just let the vodka soak in cranberries and you will love it. Trust!
** I substituted 2 tbsp. of cranberry chutney for the equivalent of grape jelly. The flavors were perfect with the chili sauce.
