Mer and I travel to spend time with family on the holidays, so its difficult to have traditions of our own. Our Yule/Christmas tradition (which sometimes happens on Yule, but almost never on Christmas) involves a screening of A Solstice Carol and anything we want for dinner. In past years, this has included cereal (I’m a huge fan of Marshmallow Mateys, and in fact prefer them to their brand-name counterpart), donuts, and bagels with lox and capers. This year, we were inspired by our local winter farmer’s market. The sweet potato came from Two Gander Farm in Oley, PA, the cheese was Alpine from Birchrun Hills, and the fresh eggs were from Turning Roots.

Holiday Quiche

Ingredients:

• Two unbaked pie crusts (pre-bought or use your favorite recipe)
• One large (2/3 lb) sweet potato
• 6 ounces prosciutto
• 6 ounces nutty cheese (Emmentaler or a strong Swiss will do nicely)
• 6 whole eggs
• 1 cup whole milk
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350° F. Place pie pans on a cookie sheet and line with pie crusts.

Peel the potato and grate it using the largest hole of a box grater. Sprinkle grated potato in the bottom of the pie shells, dividing evenly. Grate the cheese and sprinkle on top of the potato. Slice the prosciutto finely and add to pies. Beat eggs well and add milk, salt, and pepper. Carefully and slowly pour egg mixture into pies, pressing ingredients as needed to eliminate bubbles.

Bake for 45 minutes, or until quiche is just firm to the touch. Serve hot with a dollop of sour cream or crème fraiche.

My goodness! Too much cooking/blogging, too little time. No matter. I’ve been keeping track of new tasty treats in my handy dandy notebook, and I hope to spend the next week or two getting caught up on what I’ve missed. Alas, there are very few pictures involved, as I keep forgetting, but I’ll supplement with stock when I can. On to the food!

What do you do when you crave sausage gravy but have no sausage? Well, we made beef and biscuits.

Beef and Biscuits

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
• 3 tablespoons minced onion
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3/4 cup flour
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 6-8 of your favorite biscuits

Cook the ground beef in a large pan over medium-high heat, breaking the meat up as it browns. When it’s still barely pink, add seasonings and cook 3 minutes longer. Remove beef from pan with a slotted spoon so that the fat remains in the pan. (You may need to supplement with butter or vegetable oil if your meat is lean.) Sprnkle the flour evenly over the fat in the pan and whisk to combine. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until flour no longer smells raw. Add milk, a little at a time, whisking to combine. Mixture will thicken quickly with the first few tablespoons of milk but will loosen as more milk is added. Return beef to the pan, reduce heat to low, and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until sauce has thickened slightly. Serve over biscuits.

I enjoy collecting old cookbooks, and pick them up at yard sales and flea markets whenever I can. Each Saturday, I post excerpts from my collection. Today’s post comes from Kate Smith’s Favorite Recipes.

Kate’s “Hermits” are in the Tea Cakes section of the book, and appear to be something of a cross between drop cookies and scones. Mace, one of the spices called for in this recipe, is actually the outer web-type covering of the nutmeg, dried and usually ground for use in cooking and baking. It’s similar enough in flavor to nutmeg to complement it well, but it does impart a unique oomph that is all its own.

Hermits

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sifted Swans Down Cake Flour
• 2 teaspoons Calumet Baking Powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon mace
• ½ cup butter or other shortening
• ½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs, well beaten
• 2 cups raisins
• ½ cup broken nut meets

Sift flour once, measure, add baking powder, salt, and spices, and sift together three times. Cream butter thoroughly, add sugars gradually, creaming until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat thoroughly; then raisins and nuts and mix well. Add flour gradually, mixing well. Drop from teaspoon on greased baking sheet and bake in moderate oven (350° F.) 15 minutes. Makes 4½ dozen hermits.

Granola is so much more than its hippie/crunchy/earth mama associations. When homemade, it’s a simple, hearty, and healthy dish with a myriad of applications. Forget the chewy store-bought bars and $8 per pound “granola cereals” – this is the real deal.

So, what can you do with granola? Serve it cereal-style in a bowl with milk, microwave it with a little water and butter for a hot dish, or eat it straight out of the bag as a snack. The image above is my breakfast from this morning: granola with almonds, cranberries, and milk, hot out of the oven.

Granola

Ingredients:

• 5 cups rolled oats
• 2/3 cup agave nectar*
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup powdered milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom (optional)
• Your choice of add-ins, in any quantity and combination: nuts, seeds, wheat germ, dried fruit, etc.

Preheat oven to 375° F and lightly grease two 13×9″ pans. Whisk together the agave and oil; set aside. Combine oats, powdered milk, salt, spices, and all non-fruit add-ins in a large bowl and toss until thoroughly combined. Add agave/oil syrup and toss until all ingredients are coated and slightly moist. Pour into prepared pans and bake for 5-10 minutes, or until lightly toasted (do not overbake, especially if using nuts!). Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Move to bowl and toss with fruit add-ins. Store in an air-tight container.

*Your favorite sticky sweetener (honey, corn syrup, molasses, maple syrup) can be substituted for the agave.

Whether you’re allergic to eggs or just too lazy to go to the store (like I was this afternoon), I present for your gastronomical pleasure a sweet, hearty, and delightfully delicious no-egg cornbread. It doesn’t hold together quite as tightly as it would with eggs, but but it under your favorite chili and you won’t notice a thing.

Buttery No-Egg Cornbread

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks butter, softened, divided
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2/3 cup powdered milk
• 1/3 cup plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 2/3 cups cold water
• 2/3 cup finely ground cornmeal
• 1/3 cup granulated cornmeal (for texture; if you prefer a creamier consistency, use 1 cup total finely ground cornmeal)
• 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Preheat oven to 400° F. Heavily grease a 13×9″ metal baking pan with 2 tablespoons softened butter. Reserve 1 tablespoon butter for topping.

In a lidded container (snap-tight container, jelly jar, etc.), combine milk powder, cornstarch, and water. Shake to combine, whisking with fork if necessary to break up clumps. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together cornmeals, flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream sugar and remaining butter. In alternating batches, slowly add cornstarch/milk slurry and dry ingredients. Mix until just combined – batter will be loose.

Pour into prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes or until edges are brown and skewer inserted in center comes out clean. Rub top of bread with reserved butter immediately after removing from oven.

Cool for 10-15 minutes before cutting and serving. Serves 10-12.

Edited 1/9/10 to remove a typographical error that included 6 tablespoons of, well, nothing. – Dani

Easy as pie (easier, actually) and healthier than store-bought, toaster pastries are a fun breakfast surprise. They also make an excellent midnight snack, which is how I found myself making them late one night. Of course, when making pastries at an odd hour of the night, one should be careful to properly crimp the edges. I must say, though, that the browned jelly goo slid nicely off the pan and made a delightful treat.

Toaster Pastries

Ingredients:

• 1 recipe butter-crust pie dough*
• Jams and other fillings, to taste

Make your pie dough according to your preferred recipe and allow it to chill for one hour. Divide into 8 parts and roll each into a square (for rectangular pastries) or circle (for half-moon shaped pastries) approximately 3/8″ thick. Spread filling on one half of the dough, leaving a 3/4″ margin on 3 sides. Lightly dampen margins with water and fold empty side over to seal. Transfer to lined or greased baking sheet and crimp edges with floured fork tines. Dock the top of the pastry to allow steam to escape. If desired, coat lightly with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.

To par-bake for later toasting: bake in a 350-degree oven for 8-10 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Freeze.

For a soft crust: bake as-is in a 350-degree oven for 12-15 minutes. Serve hot or cool on wire rack.

For a crisp, browned pastry: chill crimped, docked dough on sheet pans in freezer for 20 minutes or in refrigerator for one hour. transfer directly from freezer/fridge to a 425-degree oven and bake for 8-10 minutes. Serve hot or cool on wire rack.

Filling suggestions: strawberry or blueberry jam, apple butter, peanut butter mashed with a bit of cocoa powder, Nutella, lemon curd, well-drained ricotta cheese and sun-dried tomato paste, b’stilla filling, the goo portion of a favorite strudel, and anything else you can imagine might do well with a butter crust – sweet or savory.

Icing: if you’d like to ice your, er, toaster tarts, combine four parts confectioner’s sugar to 1 part water, milk, or juice and smear on top after baking.

*Might I suggest this one? Substitute an equal amount of butter for half of the shortening/lard.

These creamy, dense scones are one of my favorite breakfast indulgences, and they’re easy enough to make on a sleepy Sunday morning before coffee.  They’re also excellent with tea as a late-afternoon snack.  You should be able to find currants in your local grocery store next to the raisins or with the dried fruits and nuts.

Currant Cream Scones

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream, divided
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• heavy pinch salt
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1 tablespoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 3/4 cup dried currants

Preheat oven to 400° F.

In a small bowl, whisk together the cream (1/2 cup), egg, vanilla, and sugar.  Set aside.  Place the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl and whisk to combine.  Cut in the butter with a fork, two butter knives, or cool fingers, and continue until the mixture is coarse but uniform.  Add the wet ingredients and the currants, and mix gently until the dough comes together.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead gently for 45-60 seconds.  Divide into 12 equal pieces and shape each into a small round.  Place rounds on an un-greased baking sheet and brush with reserved cream.  Bake 15 to 18 minutes, or until golden brown.  Serve warm.

Makes 1 dozen small scones.

One of my current vices is the new bacon-cheddar ciabatta breakfast melt from WaWa. I’m not a big “breakfast out” person (no people before coffee on the weekends), so this morning I set out to create my own. Fresh eggs and bacon, with a generous helping of butter, I’ll be sticking with this from here on out.

I learned the fluffed egg technique years ago from an ex – the wooden spoon (or other wide, flat utensil) is crucial here. Using a fork for this technique will produce ribbons rather than cloudy poufs.

Brown Butter Fluffed Egg Sandwiches

Ingredients (per sandwich):

• 3 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon half and half
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 flat, crusty roll, sliced in half lengthwise (I used a Portuguese roll from my local bakery)
• 2 slices bacon, cooked as per your preference
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons ketchup*

Combine eggs, seasonings, and half and half; whisk to combine. Set aside. Heat one tablespoon butter in a medium pan over low heat. Add half the roll, cut side down, and increase heat to medium-high. Cook until edges are golden brown. Remove bread and repeat with another tablespoon of butter and the other bread half. Set aside.

Decrease heat to medium and add final tablespoon of butter. Add eggs and immediately begin stirring with a wooden spoon, making sure to get all areas of the pan. Stir constantly until eggs have come together and are fluffy but still wet. Remove from heat and stir in cheese. Transfer to roll and top with ketchup and bacon. Serve immediately.

Serves 1.

*We (well, most of us) put ketchup on our eggs in this area of Pennsylvania. It’s awesome. If this is too weird for you, feel free to substitute your condiment of choice. Meredith suggests HP Sauce.

This is what fruitcake aspires to be – moist, fruity, and flavorful, without a hint of gummy, odd-colored candied bits. I love experimenting with different teas in this recipe – Earl Grey for a hint of bergamot, chai for extra spice, and herbal lemon teas have all been successes for me (although not all at once!)

When Mer tried this bread, she thought it tasted like something that the British Colonialists would enjoy when doing business in Colonial India: from that point on, we’ve called this our “Imperial bread”.

Dried currants can be found in the grocery store with the raisins and other dried fruits, and they’re a great pantry staple – I like them in place of raisins in oatmeal and other hot cereal.

Tea and Currant Breakfast Bread

Ingredients:

• 1 cup packed brown sugar (dark or light)
• 1 1/2 cups strongly brewed tea of your choice (chai or other spiced teas work well)
• 3/4 cup dried currants
• 2/3 cup raisins
• 2 teaspoons brandy or rum
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons grated orange zest
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• heavy pinch salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease and line two loaf pans. In a medium bowl, whisk brown sugar and hot tea until sugar is dissolved. Stir in currants, raisins, and rum, and allow to set for 2 hours or until fruits are plump and mixture hass cooled. Add butter and egg, mixing well. Set aside.

Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl and whisk well to combine. Pour wet mixture into dry and stir until just incorporated. Divide evenly between prepared pans and bake for 50 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely before cutting.

Serves 12-16.

Meredith says:

“My family isn’t much for baking, and we don’t have a holiday cookie tradition at all. What we do have are Date Squares.

Date Squares are actually one of the original, orange-book Betty Crocker recipe known as “date bars”, with very minor tweaks accumulated over the years. My grandmother would make them for breakfast whenever my Aunt Sue and Uncle Bob would come and visit for a weekend, so there would be an easy, quick breakfast available, since Sue and Bob were usually bopping around on errands while they visited. Sue thought they were the best things ever, especially since they’re sort of healthy for a cookie, and the rest of them enjoyed them, too.

As the years have gone by and the few food traditions my family does possess have been distributed to the different branches of the family, date squares seem to have gotten lost in the shuffle. Since I’m the first person to think of making them for years, this one is now mine. I took a pan to my family’s Christmas dinner, and they were a big hit. So, now you get to try them.

They’re a great bar cookie, landing somewhere between brownies and granola with fruit. They’re not too sweet, and great for breakfast, dessert, or any time you need a treat that won’t make you feel too overly guilty, and they’re definitely a wholly American recipe right out of the Donna Reed era that deserves to be remembered.”

Date Squares

Ingredients for filling:

• 16 ounces dates (Dromedary brand works best)
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/4 cup white sugar

Ingredients for crust and topping:

• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3 c oats

Chop dates finely (sharp scissors or kitchen shears are the perfect tool for this.) Add chopped dates, water, and sugar to a wide heavy-bottomed sauce pan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture has thickened and turned a deep brown color. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease or line a 13×9″ pan. In a medium bowl, cream together brown sugar and butter. Add remaining ingredients and stir until thoroughly combined.

Layer half of the oat mixture in the bottom of the pan, covering the bottom completely and pressing firmly to ensure a dense base. Smear the cooled filling on the crust and lightly crumble the remaining oat mixture on top.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until top is golden brown. Cool before slicing into squares. Makes 18-24 squares.

Image by Roboppy.