Christmas Recipe - Peppermint Bark

Everyone I know loves Peppermint Bark at Christmastime. Dark chocolate, white chocolate, minty candy canes. While it's always best to temper your chocolate, you can use untempered chocolate. If you do, however, please be aware that Peppermint Bark made from untempered chocolate will melt quickly and will need to be stored in the refrigerator. Also, it will not travel at all well.

Ingredients:

8 oz. (1 1/3 Cups) dark chocolate, chopped
8 oz. (1 1/3 Cups) white chocolate, chopped
6 peppermint candy canes

Directions:

1. Unwrap the candy canes and place them in a food processor. Pulse on/off several times, until the canes have been chopped into small pieces. Alternately, place the candy canes in a large Ziploc bag and seal tightly. Use a rolling pin or mallet to roll/smash the candy canes until they are the size you desire.

2. Prepare a cookie sheet by covering it with smooth aluminum foil.

3. Melt and temper the dark chocolate. Pour the chocolate onto the prepared cookie sheet using an offset spatula to spread it to a uniform 1/8” thickness. The chocolate does not have to reach all sides of the sheet, as it will be broken up later. Place the tray in the refrigerator to firm up for 15 minutes.

4. While the dark chocolate hardens, temper the white chocolate.

5. Remove the tray from the refrigerator and spread the white chocolate in an even layer over the dark chocolate.

6. While the white chocolate is still wet, sprinkle the chopped candy cane pieces over the entire surface evenly. Press down very slightly to ensure they stick. Place the tray back in the refrigerator to firm up for 30 minutes.

7. Once bark is completely set, break into small, uneven pieces by hand.

Enjoy!

Christmas Recipe - Provencal Turkey Roast

My husband is French, and he prefers his holiday meals with a French accent. This Provencal Turkey Roast with Riesling is perfect for either Thanksgiving or Christmas. And it’s so easy to prepare, much easier than a whole turkey. There are no bones to worry about, and carving couldn’t be easier. Braised in fruity Riesling wine from the Alsace region of France, the white meat is light and juicy. You don’t have to get up early on holidays, either, at least not for this turkey. While it does require two hours in the oven, it takes only minutes to prepare. And the sweet shallot gravy is certainly a plus.

.
Provencal Turkey Roast with Riesling

Ingredients:

1 4- to 4 ½ pound turkey breast roast, without bones, tied by your butcher
2 T. Herbes de Provence
8 sage leaves
1 sprig of fresh rosemary
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 T. Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper
3 T. olive oil, plus 1 T.
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 carrots, sliced on the bias into chunks
10 cipollini onions, peeled
1 C. low sodium chicken stock
1 C. dry Riesling wine
2 T. butter
3 shallots, finely chopped
2 T. flour

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

2. Set the turkey breast roast in a roasting pan and make the rub by mixing together the herbes de Provence, chopped fresh sage, rosemary, and thyme, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, and garlic. Use your hands to pack the herb paste on the turkey breast, and make sure your rub it all over the roast.

3. Toss the chunks of carrots can cipollini onions with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and salt and pepper. Scatter then in the roasting pan on either side of the turkey breast.

4. Pour the chicken stock and Riesling wine into the bottom of the roasting pan around the turkey.

5. Roast in oven for two (2) hours, basting occasionally.

6. While the turkey rests, make the shallot gravy by melting butter in a saucepan, then adding the shallots and sautéing for five (5) minutes until they are translucent. Add the flour and cook for one (1) minute more. Pour in the roasting sauce and turkey juices, and whisk until thickened – about three (3) or four (4) more minutes.

7. Cut the string off the turkey, and slice the roast. Serve with the roasted vegetables alongside and the gravy on top.

Serves about six.

Christmas Recipe - Christmas Grog

The first people who drank grog drank nothing but a mixture of hot rum and water, sometimes with a few spices sprinkled on top. Not bad, but not nearly as good as what we enjoy today.

In the 18th century, Edward Vernon, a British admiral, was nicknamed "Old Grog" because of the grogram fabric he liked to wear. "Old Grog" served his men a pint of rum a day in an attempt to prevent scurvey. Of course it didn't work, but his sailors enjoyed their admiral's efforts. :) Then "Old Grog" issued the now-famous Captain's Order Number 349, stating that all rum must be mixed with water, a dash of brown sugar, and lime juice in order to make it more palatable. The sailors really didn't like this too well, but nevertheless, they christened the weakened drink after Vernon.

Grog has undergone many changes since "Old Grog's" sailors drank it. Today, we drink grog comfortingly warm or refreshingly cool, and we enjoy it either way. Surprisingly, the rum originally used in grog didn't become available to the general public until the 1980s. (Yes, the 1980s!) It is sold under the label, "Pusser's Navy Rum," pusser being navy slang for purser, the person who sold the rum to the sailors. (And by the way, the British navy stopped rationing rum to its sailors only in the late 1970s.)

And if you're ever told you have "grog blossoms," you might want to check the mirror. Grog blossoms refer to the broken blood vessels in your nose - an effect of drinking too much of this delicious beveridge.

Warm grog is always a great drink to have around Christmastime, and it lends itself especially well to parties. Just make sure designated drivers stay far away from the drink (and all other alcoholic drinks), and don't let even non-drivers have too much. It is potent.

Ingredients:

2 ounces dark rum, preferably Pusser's Navy Rum
1/2 ounce fresh lime juice (make sure this is fresh)
1 teaspoon brown sugar
4 ounces hot water
Slice of orange
Cinnamon stick

Directions:

Mix the rum, lime juice, brown sugar and hot water together until the brown sugar is dissolved.

Serve warm garnished with a slice of orange and a cinnamon stick.

You won't even feel the cold!

A Great Wintertime Recipe - Blueberry Chutney

Although this blueberry chutney is great any time of the year, I especially love it in the winter. I usually make a lot of it and serve it with brie or camembert and crackers on Christmas Eve. It's always a great hit. It can also be used as a sandwich spread (it's terrific with ham).

Ingredients:

3 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1/4 cup minced onion
1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger root
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 cinnamon stick
dash salt

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients in medium saucepan, then bring to boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Boil 1 minute and remove cinnamon stick. Cool completely, place in tightly sealed containers, and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. Then, enjoy!