Category Archives: CHRISTMAS RECIPES

CREAMED SWISS CHARD

Although I have creamed other veggies using this recipe (i.e. spinach, beet greens, and pearl onions), Swiss chard is still my favorite. (Of course it is! It’s the most expensive. Duh!) But regardless of what veggie I use, this preparation turns it into a dish fit for a king, or even one step higher – Mr. C. (It’s incredibly lucky for me that Mr. C. does not read my blog, because if he ever read all the things I tell you about him, he might never speak to me again. He truly does not like being the center of attention.) But putting his feelings aside, I truly do take pleasure in fixing food that I know he is going to enjoy. It’s one of the many joys of being married to such a wonderful man. (This is where you start feeling nauseous or go ahhhhhhh, isn’t that sweet?) Regardless, you are all going to be glad I shared this recipe with you. And no it’s not a new recipe (I’ve been making it for over 30 years), or apt to win me a place in the Julia Child hall of fame (although that would be nice), it’s just one of those recipes that I feel every good cook should have in their repertoire.

  • 2 T. butter
  • 1 large or 2 small shallots, very thinly sliced
  • 1 T. flour
  • ½ tsp. ground nutmeg (dried or freshly grated)
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt or to taste
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 c. milk (preferably whole milk)
  • 1 large or 2 small bunches Swiss chard, ribs removed, leaves roughly chopped

Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add shallots and cook only until translucent. There should be no brown on the shallots. Whisk in the flour, nutmeg, salt, and pepper and cook for about 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and simmer gently until the mixture is thick. Meanwhile, steam the Swiss chard until tender. When the sauce has thickened nicely, add chard and serve immediately.

Note: If you are using spinach or beet greens, use the same amount as the Swiss chard. If you are creaming pearl onions, use 2 small bags from the freezer case.

 

REFRIGERATOR MASHED POTATOES

So, you might be asking yourself, what the lowly potato, and one made into such a non-gourmet dish as “mashed potatoes” could possibly be doing on the Chez Carr Cuisine blog? After all, isn’t this a blog about fine food, entertaining and “the good life”? Well first of all, let me begin to address your concerns by stating unequivocally, that I love potatoes! And without the ever so comfortable and delectable potato, especially when it is mashed, I’m not so sure my life would be half so good. Now don’t get me wrong. We don’t eat potatoes every day. In fact, they are not Mr. Cs favorite starch. But when I do serve them, especially mashed up with yummy additives, he enjoys them and I totally resemble that cartoon dog that floats in the air whenever he is given a dog bone (I think it was a dog bone). Whatever, you get the picture. I believe the term is rapture. And I guess while I am at it, I should go into full disclosure mode and clear up a misconception some of you might have about me. You may think I am a gourmet, but I am not. I was disqualified years ago when I went public about my passion for cheeseburgers. Not any cheeseburger you realize, but a really good cheeseburger with all the trimmings and a sauce that pulls all the wonderful flavors together. (If the saucy stuff isn’t dripping off my elbows by the time I am half way through the burger, then demerits are given and the maker is out of the will.) I take my cheeseburgers that seriously!  So am I the stuff from which gourmets are made, I think not. Are you going to find more recipes like this one on my blog, I think so!

  • 2-1/2 lbs. potatoes, cubed
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • kosher salt
  • 3-oz. cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1/2 c. sour cream
  • ¼ c. butter, room temperature, divided
  • 2 T. freeze-dried chives, plus more for garnish
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • milk

Place cubed potatoes, garlic, and about a tablespoon of salt in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Drain. Mash potatoes and garlic cloves together with cream cheese, sour cream, 2 tablespoons of the butter, chives, pepper, and enough milk to bring to desired consistency. Taste and add salt if required. Spoon potatoes into a buttered baking dish, dot with remaining 2 tablespoons butter, cover and refrigerate until ready to bake. Remove dish from refrigerator 30 minutes or so before you place, uncovered,  in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 30-45 minutes,  or until heated through. Sprinkle with additional chives and serve immediately.

Note: I like to use a combination of red and yellow potatoes in this dish, and depending on how formal the occasion, I decide whether or not to peel the potatoes. (Actually, most of the time I leave the skins on). I like to get as many nutrients in my old body as I can. And potato skins are fairly replete with the same little devils as in the potatoes themselves.

Another Note: This is a great buffet dinner or holiday dish. It can be made well ahead of time, even the day before, and heated just before serving.

BABA AU RHUM

One never knows what might just come from a simple question asked by your husband while he is completing a cross word puzzle. One morning  Mr. C. was doing his daily New York Times cross word puzzle (he does them every morning in the time it takes me to drink my Americano) and the clue was Baba au _ _ _ _ (fill in the blanks). Well he came up with rhum, but neither one of us had any idea what it meant. I happened to be near my computer so I did a search. Well the first thing that came up was Ina Garten’s recipe for “Baba au Rhum”. I read the recipe and told Mr. C. about my discovery. The recipe sounded so good, I just had to give it a try (with my own spin, of course). So, since it was a couple of weeks before Christmas, and I needed a dessert for both Christmas Eve and Christmas day, I thought a double recipe of Baba au Rhum would be perfect.  I don’t believe “perfect” adequately describes this dessert. It is possibly the best thing I have ever put in my mouth. Everyone else loved it too. It has now become number 1 on the “Extended Family Holiday Sacred Side Dishes and Desserts List”. I’m fairly certain that if I don’t make this fabulous dessert again next Christmas, and every year thereafter, I might meet the “hereafter” sooner than nature and the Gods of such things had originally planned for me! Just sayin’…….

  • 1/3 c. dried currents
  • 1 T. + 2/3 c. dark rum
  • 5 T. butter, divided, room temperature
  • 1/2 c. milk
  • 1 T. active dry yeast (1 pkg.)
  • 2 T. + 1 c. sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 2/3 c. flour
  • 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
  • ½ tsp. + 2 tsp. vanilla
  •  3/4 c. apricot preserves
  • 1 T. water
  • 2 c. heavy cream
  • 3-4 T. powdered sugar

Combine the currants and rum in a small bowl and set aside. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and brush a Bundt pan, tube pan, or kugelhopf mold with the melted butter. Be sure every surface is coated with the butter. Warm the milk and pour it into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. (You don’t want the milk to kill your poor little yeasty beasties, so not too warm.) Stir in the yeast and 2 tablespoons sugar and allow to sit (proof) for 5 minutes. Add the eggs, flour, salt, and remaining 4 tablespoons of butter. Beat the mixture for 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, cover with a damp towel, and allow dough to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. After the dough has doubled, stir in the currants. Spoon the very sticky dough into the prepared pan, smooth the top, cover with a damp towel, and allow to rise for another 50 minutes to an hour. Place the Baba in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Then gently encourage the Baba to release from it’s pan and land gracefully on a serving plate. (Saying “good Baba” whilst releasing Baba from its baking pan always helps, by-the-way!) Meanwhile, while the Baba is baking, prepare the rum syrup that will be poured over the cake when it is out of the oven. Place the remaining 1 cup sugar and 1 1/2 cups of water in a small saucepan. Simmer until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining 2/3 cup dark rum and the ½ teaspoon vanilla. Set syrup aside until the cake is out of the oven and on its final resting place. While the cake is still hot, gently and slowly pour or spoon as much of the rum syrup onto the cake as it will absorb. (Don’t be surprised if it sucks up almost all of the liquid. It will be a thirsty little Baba, make no mistake.) You will know when it has had its fill (so to speak), when standing puddles of liquid start appearing on the cake plate. At this point heat the apricot preserves with the 1 tablespoon of water and brush the mixture over every little nook and cranny of the Baba. Let cool completely before serving. When you are ready to serve, whip the heavy cream to hard peaks (not too long or you will end up with butter), add the powdered sugar, and the remaining 2 teaspoons of vanilla and continue whipping just until all ingredients combined.  Serve slices of Baba with a dollop of whipped cream on each piece.

At this point, I think it might be a good idea for me to recommend that before you serve this amazing dessert, you take the time for just one more tiny little preparation. In order for you to be ready to humbly and graciously acknowledge all the glowing compliments you will receive from your guests, you should mentally prepare what I lovingly refer to as an “acceptance” speech. Nothing over the top you realize, just  a conception of how you are going to graciously accept the many compliments you are inevitably going to receive. You might consider, for example, a modest nod to your superior baking skills, perhaps an antidote about how clever you were to find the recipe, an honest statement about how horribly hard this recipe is to prepare, and perhaps close with an endearing comment about how happy it makes you to be able to serve this incredible dessert to those you hold so dear. Like I said, a humble and gracious acknowledgement, nothing over the top!

 

 

GREEN BEANS

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Ok, I know what most of you are thinking. What in the name of all things healthy is Patti doing posting a recipe for simple steamed green beans? Hasn’t she got better recipes to offer? Doesn’t she know my time is valuable? But wait, ye of little faith, this is more about procedure than ingredient content.  It’s all about making life easier for the person preparing and serving a buffet dinner and as such the first recipe in my DINNER PARTY MENUS series.

Most buffet dinners include, at a minimum, appetizers, a main dish, starchy side, veggie of some sort, salad, perhaps bread, and a tasty dessert. This formula provides plenty of variety and seemingly an easy menu to plan. But if you are like me, the choice of the veggie component can be most vexing. And there is the general appeal of the flavor combinations to be considered.  If, for example, you are serving a creamy main dish such as Swedish Meatballs or pasta, the last type of veggie dish anyone would enjoy eating would be one smothered in yet another rich sauce. In fact, most of the time, any main dish or starchy side dish you plan to serve is going to be fairly rich. So, over the years I have learned to serve plain veggie dishes with buffet dinners. And preferably a veggie that can be prepared ahead of time and just heated up at the last minute as in this green bean recipe. So give this recipe a try for your next dinner party. And of course you can use this same method with other veggies such as broccoli or carrots. Just don’t overcook your veggies. Nothing shows off your cooking skills better than a perfectly prepared vegetable. And another little hint. Don’t try to be too precious when serving a buffet dinner. If not all of your guests will be seated at a table, don’t leave the green beans in their original long and lovely state. Do your guests a favor and cut those stunning beauties into bite size pieces. Believe me, it will not change the flavor of the beans, and your guests trying to balance a plate of food, a fork, a napkin and a beverage on their lap, will be eternally grateful that a knife was not required.

  • 2 lbs. green beans, cut into bite sized pieces
  • butter
  • kosher salt
  • juice of one lemon, opt. (don’t even think about using bottled juice – it’s fresh lemon juice or nothin’)

 

Steam or cook the beans in boiling water until crisp tender. Do not overcook. Immediately pour beans into a colander and spray with cold water until beans are no longer even warm. Allow to drain for a few minutes. Pour into a microwave safe serving bowl and dot with butter. Cover and place in refrigerator until just ready to serve. When ready to serve, warm beans in the microwave (remember, you don’t want them to really cook any more, just get warm). Remove from microwave, sprinkle lightly with kosher salt and drizzle with lemon. Stir and serve. 2 lbs. of beans serves about 20 people nicely.

Note: I love the 2 pound packages of green beans from Costco for a dinner party. They are of uniform length and just the perfect bite size when cut in half.

 

 

CRAB BISQUE – also reverently referred to as Heaven in a Bowl!

I absolutely love serving a first course soup at dinner parties. I have a large selection of flat bottomed coffee cups (short, squat, straight sided, with the bottom and top sharing the same circumference) that I picked up at our local Goodwill. After the appetizers and beverages have been served, and my guests have had sufficient time to tell me how wonderful the appetizers tasted (always allow time between courses for unsolicited compliments), I hand out small cups of a rich soup like this bisque before the main course is served. The servings are small because my first course soups tend to be very rich, and a tiny amount goes a long way. In fact, I try to serve fairly small portions of every dish that I serve. I have always felt that a person’s taste buds (like mine for example – that can legitimately be classified as overworked) get tired after a few bites of any flavor, regardless of how fabulous. So rather than too much quantity of any one food, I prefer to offer a greater assortment of small dishes, with lots of different and interesting flavors and flavor combinations represented. And yes, I know that it takes more time and effort to prepare the food for a dinner party using my criteria, but happy taste buds dancing around your dining room is worth the effort.

  • 2 T. butter (don’t even think about using margarine)
  • 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
  • ¼ c. loosely packed basil chiffonade* (rolled into the shape of a cigarette and very thinly sliced)
  • 2 ½ T. flour
  • 2 c. vegetable stock
  • 8-oz. can tomato sauce
  • 1 c. heavy cream
  • 1/8 tsp. white pepper
  • 1/3 lb. fresh or canned crab (do not use that fake crab stuff in MY Crab Bisque recipe – or else!)

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté for 2 or 3 minutes, or until soft. Add basil and continue sautéing for 1 minute more. Whisk in flour and cook until mixture is bubbly, 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add veggie stock and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil. Add heavy cream and bring back to just under a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, add white pepper and crab, reserving a tiny amount to add as a garnish, and continue cooking 3 or 4 minutes. Serve immediately garnished with reserved crab.

*rolled into the shape of a cigarette and very thinly sliced