Category Archives: Holidays

Ginger Snap Eggnog Ice Cream Sandwich

Posted on by October 25, 2014

Part of keeping my house well-stocked with things like the ingredients for Ginger Snap Eggnog Ice Cream Sandwich is about my serious love for house guests. I can invite people over at the last second with confidence knowing there will be the makings of a delicious meal somewhere in the depths of my pantry. Last weekend, it was Ginger Snap Eggnog Ice Cream Sandwiches. If you haven’t had Jeni’s ice cream, well, be on the lookout, because this stuff is seriously good. This year for her holiday flavors, she made Middle West Whiskey Eggnog. I just found the last of it in the freezer over the weekend. And fortunately, I also had a few gingersnap cookies lying around as well. Needless to say, this Ginger Snap Eggnog Ice Cream Sandwich made for one of the easiest and best desserts ever to be made at the very last minute. The guests were impressed and it took me no time at all. Ginger Snaps Eggnog Ice cream Let the ice cream soften for a minute or two. Scoop a generous ball onto a cookie. Top with another cookie. Voila! You can have guests assemble their own, or make them ahead and store them … Continue reading →

Ricotta and Acorn Squash Tarts

Posted on by February 24, 2015

I made these Ricotta and Acorn Squash Tarts for the first time for Thanksgiving dinner years ago based on a recipe from food and wine. They made it back on the Thanksgiving 2010 menu as well. Ricotta and Acorn Squash Tarts have become one of my go-to knock their socks off hors d’oeuvres, especially for fall and winter entertaining. The Ricotta and Acorn Squash Tarts taste amazing both warm and at room temperature. They’re approachable, but elegant; don’t you love their refined but rustic look? They’re delicious and a bit unexpected; the flavors are perfectly traditional, and yet savory tarts are still a little unusual. They make ahead or freeze ahead perfectly, which is always something I look for in a good entertaining recipe. I will admit that there are a lot of steps to making them, but it’s easy to make several at a time, which makes them especially fun to pull out of the freezer a week or so later and have something special ready at a moment’s notice. And did I mention they’re delicious? These Ricotta and Acorn Squash Tarts are definitely a great dish to have in your arsenal for the night your really want to … Continue reading →

Cherry Lime Scones, Heart-shaped for Valentine’s

Posted on by February 13, 2015

Cherry Lime Scones, Heart-shaped for Valentine’s are a big deal in our house. I’m not the earliest of risers, and Marc eats breakfast immediately upon waking, so cooking brunch or breakfast for him is a rare thing. It’s really a guests thing. Complicating matters, Marc’s favorite meal of the day is breakfast. So, the best Valentine’s gift I give Marc is usually a labor of love in the form of breakfast- bright and early, just the way he likes it. This is my favorite scone recipe. It comes out perfectly every time, and it offers lots of room for changing up the flavors. And variety is the spice of life you know. My favorite combination is cherry and Meyer lemon, but who wants the same flavor every time? Be bold and experiment so you can state your favorite with confidence as well. When you’re pairing the dried fruit and citrus, as a rule of thumb, think about pairing a more tart with a more sweet. Cranberry with orange, cherry with lemon. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Blueberry with tangerine is awesome. And I haven’t even tried a grapefruit pairing yet. But today, since I was making them … Continue reading →

Ginger. Ginger! Ginger!! Cookies with White Chocolate

Posted on by July 2, 2015

It’s colder than molasses in February, which triggers a happy cold weather memory for me and these Ginger. Ginger! Ginger!! Cookies with White Chocolate. In college, my friend Molly and I developed an obsession with these soft, chewy cookies that were sold at the sandwich shop across the street from my apartment. They were seasonal and it had to be pretty miserable out before you could buy these cookies. Every now and then, we’d share a cookie (usually we just bought two, but hey, good behavior now and then is important) and Molly was always in charge of dividing it. She’s really precise about food. I’m pretty sure she grew up in one a one kid divides the treat and the other kid picks first families. When we graduated and moved away from Evanston, I missed these cookies almost as much as I missed Molly and her careful division. I’ve made many versions over the years trying to get them just right. Molly, this one’s for you. I think I’ve finally nailed it. It turns out the secret was ginger, ginger, and more ginger for these Ginger. Ginger! Ginger!! Cookies with White Chocolate. While they were giant cookies originally, I … Continue reading →

Mushroom and Kale Tamales

Posted on by May 8, 2016

Of the three different tamales on my Hot Tamale Dinner Menu, these Mushroom and Kale Tamales are my favorites. That is quite the accolade too, because they’re all amazing. The strong mushroom and kale flavor is perfectly balanced against the dark chile rojo salsa. Even when we make all 30 of each kind, and we’re eating them for months, I never get tired of these Mushroom and Kale Tamales. The only modification I make from the original recipe is to omit the cheese and cilantro. While I’m sure they’re really good as conceived, I’ve never made them that way. To be sure, they are plenty rich without the cheese and it’s nice to have options for guests who are lactose intolerant. This is important to me because one of my favorite tamale builders tends to stay away from cheese. I’m glad I skipped it the very first time, because now I make it cheese free every time. So, so good. That’s all you need to say. While tamales are truly a lot of work, these Mushroom and Kale Tamales will make you incredibly glad you put in the time and your freezer is full of leftovers. … Continue reading →

Cranberry Frozen Margaritas

Posted on by February 12, 2015

Despite it being the middle of Winter, the high tomorrow is 61° F, so I feel comfortable getting back on the posting track with cold Cranberry Frozen Margaritas. The cranberries and limes make this Cranberry Frozen Margarita both seasonal and tart, but if you keep them in your freezer, you can have Cranberry Frozen Margaritas year ’round. And I have a great tip if you want to keep it simple, and skip all the juicing. Smoothie making has taught me several things in the last year. The most important: when you’re blending something, especially with a powerful blender, you don’t need to juice ANYTHING. Peel the lime and throw it straight in the blender. Add the cranberries, tequila, triple sec and ice. Blend until very smooth. These Cranberry Frozen Margaritas are definitely tart little drinks. Is super tart not your dish? Don’t worry, to make these less tart, use ½ a lime and one orange, and add an extra ¼ cup triple sec. But I like Cranberry Frozen Margaritas really tart. Cranberry Frozen Margaritas makes for an excellent Mocktail if you’re so inclined. Just use some orange juice and simple syrup to taste since you’re not using triple sec in the Cranberry Frozen … Continue reading →

Leftover Eggnog Pancakes

Posted on by October 26, 2014

It’s possible I like these Leftover Eggnog Pancakes even better than the Nog from which they’re made. And I really like the Nog. They’re a Swedish pancake style, but they’re heavier than my traditional cakes, since there’s all that cream and sugar in them. And alcohol. Don’t forget about that. Leftover Eggnog Pancakes are a reason to put up with Winter, a really good reason. 2 cups Leftover Nog ⅔ cup all-purpose flour grated nutmeg Once the nog is made, these are REALLY simple. Add the flour directly to 2 cups of Nog in the storage container. Shake is vigorously. Let it rest a few minutes. Shake it again. Heat your pan to medium. Shake the batter one more time. Pour just under ⅓ cup of the batter into the pan and turn it to spread it evenly over the pan. Grate fresh nutmeg over the top for those that like it. Cook 1-2 minutes until you can see that the pancake is completely set and there are bubbles all over the surface. Using your spatula, ensure that it isn’t sticking anywhere. Because of all the sugar and alcohol, it can occasionally be more tricky to work with than regular Swedish pancake … Continue reading →

Happy New Year Party

Posted on by October 26, 2014

Happy New Year! Dirty Laundry Kitchen is now about a year old. I want to take a moment to thank you all so much for reading the blog and sharing 2013 with me. There’s no place I’d rather be than in my home, cooking and sharing my passion for life with friends and family. This blog is all about that passion. You’ve all made that possible. So thanks. A new year calls for reflection and celebration. And lots and lots of sparkles. You can see how I decorated for New Year’s Eve below, and check out my Happy New Year Party. Here’s a closeup of the glittered pom poms and holly leaves next to the gold candles with silver candlesticks. I think they came out great. Here you can see that I put glue all over some of the leaves, but others I painted just the edges. This way there was lots of contrast on the leaves.  The glittered holly leaves looked amazing.Using skewers and styrofoam balls, I made the glittery pom poms. I just dipped them in glue and rolled them in glitter. It was really fun, but I totally forgot how messy glitter is! I wrapped some of … Continue reading →

Stilton Tart with Blueberry Sage Compote

Posted on by October 26, 2014

This Stilton Tart with Blueberry Sage Compote is a lovely thing to make for a New Year’s Eve cocktail party. One of the best parts about it is that since it’s made with a special stilton, it’s perfect as an hors d’oeuvres or as a savory dessert. It’s amazing with a special port or glass of champagne or wine. I’ve based my Stilton Tart with Blueberry Sage Compote on a Gourmet recipe, but it has a lot of updates. I have a 12-inch round fluted tart pan with a removable bottom, so I have it calibrated for that size. I add walnuts to the crust, and I serve it with a blueberry sage compote and my refrigerator jam. Cranberry chutney is also, lovely at Christmas, and I’ve also served it with leftover Thanksgiving cranberry relish. But there’s something about the blueberries with this Stilton Tart with Blueberry Sage Compote. Crust: ¾ cups all-purpose flour 1 cup walnuts 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter; diced ¼ teaspoon salt 1-2 tablespoons ice water In a food processor, pulse the nuts into a flour-like texture. Add the flour and salt. Add in the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal with pea-size clumps. Drizzle … Continue reading →

Pickled Pear Bruschetta

Posted on by October 26, 2014

The hearty cracker as the base makes for a beautiful and rustic dish with my Pickled Pear Bruschetta. The rich mascarpone shallot spread is both delicate enough in flavor to showcase the pear and creamy enough to make this nibble feel substantial. Pickled Pear Bruschetta sets a perfect winter tone and the lush gold color of the pear adds to the golden hue of the menu. Wasa Crackers (I like the thick multi-grain) Filling: 1 cup shallots 2 tablespoons butter ¼ cup white wine ¼ teaspoon five spice powder ¼ or less freshly grated nutmeg ½ teaspoon salt dash cayenne 8 ounces mascarpone Pickled Pears: 1 bosc pear (firm is important, but really any variety will do) 1 cup white vinegar 2 tablespoons salt ¼ cup sugar Mince the shallots. Sauté the shallots in butter on medium low until very soft (20-30 minutes). Add the white wine and continue to cook until the liquid has evaporated. Add the five spice, nutmeg, salt and cayenne, stir well and then cook an additional 1-2 minutes. Remove to a bowl. Stir in the mascarpone until well-distributed. Slice the pears very thin (a mandoline works best) from the bottom. The round slices will curl into … Continue reading →

Swedish Orange Cardamom Stars

Posted on by October 26, 2014

These Swedish Orange Cardamom Stars provide a festive and light dessert that will pair nicely with the cocktail and further our theme of glitter and sparkles for New Year’s. You can make the dough ahead a couple of days and store in the refrigerator, but baking ahead isn’t the best. These are definitely a cookie that’s best fresh. Swedish Orange Cardamom Stars also make great tea cookies though, as they’re almost crisp-like. 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup powdered sugar ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon ground cardamom ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ cup almond paste, crumbled 1 tablespoon butter, chilled 1/3 cup orange juice concentrate (thawed) 3 tablespoons canola oil Icing: 2 cups powdered sugar 3 tablespoons orange juice concentrate (thawed) Combine flour, 1 cup powdered sugar, baking soda, cardamom, and salt in a food processor; process until blended. Add almond paste and butter; process until blended. Add juice and oil. Process until dough forms a ball. Divide dough in half. Press into a two disks and wrap with plastic. Chill 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350°. Working with 1 disk at a time roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface. Cut cookies out with a star-shaped cookie cutter. Place … Continue reading →

Plum Sparkler

Posted on by August 31, 2016

A New Year’s Party requires a special cocktail, complete with lots of bubbles. New Year’s Eve is all about the champagne, so if you’re making a cocktail, you better make it a champagne cocktail, which is exactly what I did when I made my Plum Sparkler. If you spent your fall packing fruit into brandy, like I did, a New Year’s Party is definitely an occasion that warrants cracking open one of those extra special jars. But if you didn’t, you should be able to find plum brandy at a good liquor store; just ask for Slivovitz or Slivovitsa. Believe it or not, plum brandy made from Damson plums is very popular in Eastern Europe. Of course it won’t take exactly the same as this homemade hooch based drink, but that’s a big part of the fun in mixology in my humble opinion. This cocktail has lots of sweetness to it, but the soda and sparkling wine balance it out perfectly. Just make sure to buy a brut sparkling wine to ensure this cocktail doesn’t get too sweet. You can always adjust the sweetness up and down by adding more or less of the lillet blanc and orange liquor. The … Continue reading →