Cookin' with Carol recipes on NBC5 - December 2006
Cream
of Tomato Soup with Basil
Serves
4
Warm
up with a bowl of this delicious soup. It is perfect to serve as a first course
for holiday entertaining.
1
tablespoon olive oil
1
onion, diced
1
carrot, diced
3
cloves garlic, minced
1
(28-ounce) can whole tomatoes with juices
Salt
and pepper to taste
2
cups chicken stock
8
basil leaves
1/2
cup whipping cream
1
cup croutons, for garnish
Heat olive oil in a large saucepan or stockpot and sauté onion, carrot, and garlic on medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes with juices, salt and pepper to taste, and chicken stock. Bring mixture to a boil and simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes on low heat, until flavors have blended. Purée mixture with fresh basil in a food processor or blender in batches, until smooth. Return mixture to the saucepan and warm on low heat. Add whipping cream and heat until just warmed through---keep temperature on low and don't let it boil. Season soup with salt and pepper, if desired. Ladle soup into four soup bowls and garnish with croutons.
Notes:
For
a lower-fat option, you can omit the whipping cream and garnish each serving of
soup with 1 tablespoon fat-free or lowfat sour cream.
(Air Date: December 2, 2006)
Almond
Biscotti
Serves
24; 2 biscotti each
Share
these tasty gifts from your kitchen with your family and friends this holiday
season.
2
cups all-purpose flour
1/2
cup sugar
1
teaspoon baking powder
1/8
teaspoon salt
2
eggs, lightly beaten
1/4
cup butter, melted
1/2
cup almonds, whole or pieces
2
cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine in a bowl, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add eggs, melted butter, and almonds. Using a fork, stir the liquid ingredients in the center, slowly incorporating all of the dry ingredients. It may tend to be crumbly and lumpy. Using your hands, gently knead the dough for about 15 seconds, until it comes together and is smooth. Lightly spray a baking sheet with vegetable oil spray. Separate the dough into two pieces and roll each piece into a cylinder shape about 12 inches long. Place each “loaf” on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Remove biscotti from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Cut each loaf crosswise diagonally into 1/2-inch slices. Place the slices on the baking sheet, cut-side-down, and return the cookies to the oven to bake at 350°F for 5 minutes, then turn each slice to the other side and bake an additional 5 to 8 minutes, or until crispy. Allow biscotti to cool thoroughly on a wire rack and store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. If desired, you can dip each biscotti cookie halfway into melted chocolate and place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate cookies for 10 minutes, or until chocolate is firm. Makes about 48 biscotti cookies.
(Air Date: December 9, 2006)
Sugarplums
Makes
20 sugarplums
These delightful fruit confections are easy to make and wonderful to give as gifts for the holidays. Interestingly, sugarplums are not often made with plums at all, however, you are welcome to add dried plums as desired. I’ve chosen not to use dried plums simply because they are darker in color and I prefer the gold and red colors of the apricots, raisins, and cherries for presentation.
1/2
cup dried apricots, quartered
1/2
cup walnuts
1/4
cup golden raisins
1/4
cup dried cherries
1/4
cup sweetened coconut
2
tablespoons cherry brandy (or orange juice)
1
teaspoon vanilla
1/2
cup powdered sugar
Finely chop apricots, walnuts, raisins, cherries, and coconut in a food processor (or by hand using a sharp knife). Add cherry brandy (or orange juice) and vanilla and process for 5 seconds (or add fruit/nut combination to a bowl, then add liquids and stir). Using your hands, form mixture into 1-inch balls. Roll balls in powdered sugar and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Notes:
Try using different dried fruits such as figs, prunes (dried plums), apples, cranberries, etc. Also, use any liquor or liqueur you’d like, or substitute any fruit juice if you prefer.
(Air Date: December 16, 2006)
Serves 6
This zesty casserole packs a punch with chiles and hot breakfast sausage! Perfect for an easy breakfast meal this holiday season.
3
cups frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
8
ounces hot breakfast sausage, cooked and crumbled
1
(4-ounce) can diced green chiles, drained
1/2
cup diced roasted red bell peppers
1
cup shredded cheddar cheese
2
eggs
1/2
cup milk
Salt
and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9-inch pie plate with vegetable oil spray. In the pie plate, mix together potatoes, cooked breakfast sausage, green chiles, roasted red bell peppers, and cheddar cheese. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and salt and pepper to taste. Pour egg mixture over hash brown mixture and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until center is set. Place breakfast casserole on a cooling rack and let rest 5 minutes before slicing into wedges. Enjoy!
Notes:
You can use egg substitute, low-fat cheese, reduced-fat sausage, and fat-free milk to reduce the amount of fat and cholesterol. You can also assemble this casserole ahead and refrigerate up to 8 hours before baking. Prepare it the night before serving; get up in the morning and pop it in the oven for a freshly baked breakfast casserole. Happy Holidays!
(Air Date: December 23, 2006)
Black-Eyed
Pea Soup
Serves
4
Eating black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day brings the hope of good luck for the New Year. This easy-to-make homemade soup is delicious, beautifully presented, and perfect for cooler weather.
3
cups chicken broth, divided use
1
(15-ounce) can black-eyed peas with liquid
1
teaspoon onion powder
1/2
teaspoon garlic powder
1/2
teaspoon cumin
Salt
and pepper to taste
4
slices applewood bacon
2
Italian plum tomatoes, diced
1/4
cup chopped red onion
2
tablespoons chopped parsley
In a blender or food processor, combine 2 cups of the chicken broth, black-eyed peas, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, and salt and pepper to taste. Process for 20 to 30 seconds, or until smooth. Pour mixture into a saucepan and add the remaining 1 cup chicken broth. Bring mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 5 to 6 minutes, or until flavors have blended. Meanwhile, dice applewood bacon and cook in a skillet over medium-heat until crisp, stirring occasionally. Drain on paper towels. In a small bowl, stir together bacon, tomatoes, onion, and parsley. Spoon one-quarter of this vegetable/bacon mixture into the middle of a soup bowl. Carefully pour the soup around the vegetable/bacon garnish for a dramatic presentation. Repeat with remaining vegetable/bacon mixture and soup.
Notes:
This is a puréed soup. If you would like to preserve some of the black-eyed peas for texture and presentation, you can reserve 1/4 cup of the black-eyed peas before adding the remaining amount to the blender. Add the reserved whole black-eyed peas to the vegetable/bacon mixture for the garnish in the bottom of the serving bowls.
(Air Date: December 30, 2006)
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2007 !