Thursday, December 23, 2010

Hot Toddy Taste Test

As you know by now, I've had a cold for a few weeks. Desperate for any advice that might help, I've turned to the hard stuff--hot toddies. A cousin suggested I knock a few back with this easy recipe:

1.5 ounces of Bourbon (or rum or cognac), tea, hot water, lemon and honey. Use a big mug. Drink a few and you will feel much better.

Simple, right? But with the variety of liquors and teas out there, I was able to try a few variations. But first, a few words about the hot toddy itself. It's a mostly Scottish, and sometimes Indian, concoction that has a history in soothing the common cold. According to Wikipedia, The American Lung Association recommends against the hot toddy as a treatment for a cold because "alcohol causes dehydration". But just like everything else in life, there's little harm in moderation. And it won't hurt to keep up with your fluids if you are fighting a cold or flu like me.

I decided to start with a concoction that was about as close to my cousin's recipe as I could feasibly make with the ingredients I had in my kitchen. The second and third toddies were variations on the tea + alcohol + lemon juice + honey combination.

Hot Toddy #1

1 Black Tea teabag (I used a mixed berry variety--my favorite)
1 oz dark rum
a splash of lemon juice
12 oz hot water
honey, to taste (about 2 teaspoons)
1 cinnamon stick

The verdict: Surprisingly delicious! Obviously the rum was strong, so I recommend drinking this with a full belly of food and plenty of non-alcoholic liquids. But it was sweet, not too strong, and it really helped rid me of my cough. After drinking about half of it, I was ready to curl up and go to sleep. A success!

Hot Toddy #2
1 sweet tea bag (vanilla would be ideal--I used english toffee)
2 oz amaretto
a splash of lemon juice
12 oz hot water
honey, to taste (about 2 teaspoons)
1 cinnamon stick

The verdict: I had forgotten that I'm not a huge fan of this particular tea...it's too...buttery? The amaretto just wasn't strong enough and I couldn't taste it at all. While warm, this potion just didn't have the same soothing quality as the first toddy.

Hot Toddy #3
1 herbal tea bag (chamomile would work nicely--I used Sleepytime)
2 oz becherovka
a splash of lemon juice
12 oz hot water
honey, to taste (about 2 teaspoons)
4 whole allspice berries

The verdict: Because the becherovka and sleepytime tea have the same licorice/spicy undertones, the combination was actually quite nice. Did it cure my cough as well as the first toddy? Not so much. But it was definitely enjoyable.

And what was Doni doing while I mixed up all these toddies? Creating his own spin on the warm, comforting, alcoholic drink. So maybe the chocolate won't soothe your cough or make your cold a little lighter, but an Amaretto Hot Cocoa is always delicious!

Amaretto Hot Cocoa

1 serving of your favorite hot cocoa, prepared according to package directions.
2 oz amaretto
a whopping dollop of whipped cream
a dash of sprinkles

I think you can figure out the details on your own. Cheers!

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

All the Sweet Stuff: Candy Cane Varieties

This month, due to a really long cold that just won't go away, my posts have been few and far between. I just haven't been able to do much cooking. So what's gotten me through these cold winter days? Besides Doni serving up lots of hot cocoa, it's all about the candy canes. Why buy cough drops when there are so many varieties of candy canes out there right now (at about 40 - 60 calories a pop)? Here's a little photo essay of the canes I love and those I definitely want to try.

(Kosher note: I cannot guarantee the kosher status of these candies, so please check before purchasing if this is important to you.)







Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Midnight Snack: Sloppy Kettle Corn Treats & Hot Cocoa

I always get the munchies at midnight. Tonight, I couldn't decide between kettle corn and a sloppy krispy rice treat (with marshmallow fluff and the famous cereal) to go with my fat free hot cocoa. So I decided to go a little nuts and combine the two. The verdict? Delish!

Do try this at home: Combine 1 bag of 100 calorie kettle corn microwave popcorn, popped and 2 T fluffy stuff. I put the fluff in a baggy and piped it out over the bowl, while stirring with one hand. If you want to go nuts, add 1/4 cup of melted chocolate chips, using the same method.

Now this makes so much to eat that I really think it's two servings. (Just in case that gave you the wrong idea--I totally devoured the entire thing myself!) With that in mind, I think that the calorie count is 70 calories per serving. You could bump it up to 100 or 120 calories with some added chocolate.

As for the hot cocoa, it's exactly what it looks like. 1 packet of store brand, fat-free hot cocoa mix, hot water, whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles. Sweet dreams!

Low Cal Lunches: Veggie Chicken Sammy

Because I'm always throwing something together for a quick, healthy--and usually very late--lunch, I decided today to create a new post series on just that. Low Cal Lunches will be short and sweet and always diet friendly.

On today's menu? A veggie chicken patty sandwich! I prefer mine to be all Morningstar Farms all the way. Today, I spread some light mayo and mustard on my new favorite thing: a 100 calorie "everything" flagel, microwaved (I was just too hungry to commit to waiting for the toaster oven!) the patty and put it all together with a quartered orange on the side.

Total Calories: about 250 (higher if you add more condiments) + 64 for the orange.

Okay, so I took the photo with my cell phone and it's not so clear. We'll call it arty.

Variations on this recipe? You can use any other fake chicken (or real if that's your sort of thing!) and bread varieties out there. I think some fake bacon, a sprinkle of cheddar cheese, some romaine lettuce or spinach, even pickles would all be delicious on this sandwich. Go nuts!

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Breakfast of Champions: Asian Pear Cream o'Wheat

Last night was New York City's first real snow. When I woke up this morning, our street was lightly dusted with the white stuff and I was desperately craving a warm, healthy breakfast. Trying hard to shed the cold that I (and the rest of my family) caught from my adorable baby niece over Thanksgiving, I finally felt strong enough to return to my trusty kitchen and give myself the nutrition that I needed. After rummaging through the fridge and pantry, I found an asian pear and a nice big box of semolina (Cream of Wheat) and I knew that was all I needed to feel better.


Asian Pear Cream O' Wheat

3 T Semolina
2/3 cup, 2T water separated
1 asian pear
1/4 cup milk, if desired
1.5 t butter (I use Smart Balance)
1/4 t cinnamon
dash freshly grated nutmeg
1 t stevia
1/4 t vanilla or almond extracts

In a small bowl, mix together the semolina and 2/3 cup water and microwave for 1 minute. Meanwhile, chop the asian pear into small chunks, cover with 2T water in a small bowl and microwave for 1 minute. Toss the fruit, spices, butter and milk (if desired) into the creamed wheat and stir until just combined. If the mixture is too thick, add in a T or two of water or milk. If it is too thin, microwave for an additional 30 seconds. Microwave cooking times vary.

Enjoy!

Flashback to Tofurkey Day

One upon a time, when I was an angsty teenager, Thanksgiving was my not my cup of tea. A whole day dedicated to two of my least favorite things (football and poultry)? No thanks. Over time, however, two major factors dramatically changed my point of view.

First, during and just after college, I elected to spend the national holiday with friends and boyfriends and their families. Through these experiences, I realized that this time the grass was not greener on the other side. My family, it turned out, was actually kind of awesome and it felt as if no other family had such a fun and traditional holiday. Similarly, I really began to miss seeing my family. While so many take this for granted, living almost 2,000 miles away for almost 10 years really changes things. Especially when my adorable and tiny niece and nephew, and three (originally 5) feisty grandparents are thrown into the mix.

The second major change in my approach to Thanksgiving is, big surprise!, my foodie ways. You probably know by now that I'm mostly self-taught in the kitchen. So back during those teenage years of aforementioned angst, it just hadn't quite yet occurred to me to make Thanksgiving my own. But now that I am a little too comfy in the kitchen and utterly obsessed with fall flavors (cinnamon, nutmeg, pecans, anything pumpkin) I understand better than ever that Thanksgiving has more foodie potential than just about any other holiday I know. And my family's turkey? No match for my favorite tofurkey. (Just because no one I know agrees with this, doesn't mean it's not true!)

When cooking and baking throughout the year, it's usually just me and my pan. Sometimes I'll bake for Baked from the Heart with one of the talented Js, but more often than not cooking is a solitary affair. Thanksgiving, however, is a whole other crock pot. Unless your time in the kitchen is after everyone else is asleep, which I did a few times this year--I won't lie, it's pretty much impossible to work alone. Almost every dish on our Thanksgiving table this year was a collaborative effort. There's something really lovely about that--even if some people like the heat more than others. Here is the spread from our Turkey day buffet (A special thanks to my sister for providing the photos!) :

From left to right, top to bottom: Our Shabbat candles were an important part of the spread because we actually had our feast on Friday night (all the men in the family spent Thursday at a football game). No Thanksgiving is complete without a Corn Casserole--my absolute favorite dish!--and a Green Bean Casserole, which we made from scratch this year. Naturally, my non-veggie family has a kosher turkey on the table--my beloved tofurkey had the honor of a special place on the actual table next to my plate. This year, I added to the spread a savory squash. If you look closely, you'll notice that I carved Butternut Squash Leaves from the thick trunk of the gourd. We also made an Orange-Cinnamon Cranberry Sauce, a recipe that my mom and I created last year. After years of hearing from the rest of the family all about her incredible Apple-Cranberry Sweet Potatoes (below), I was really excited to try it out this year in place of the old standard, marshmallow-topped dessert, er, I mean casserole (which obviously I adore).

I wouldn't dream of posting about Thanksgiving without a pie montage! This year, I made a Classic Pumpkin Pie with Leaves of Crust. This recipe was actually a challenge because I was not so sure how to make the pie parve (non-dairy). As it turns out, you can just replace the condensed milk from any recipe (including that one from the back of an orange can) with the same amount of parve soy milk.


Meanwhile, my Grandma Sylvia made an Apple Pie with a nice melted brown sugar topping and my sister created the classic Jello Chocolate Pudding Pie.

You didn't actually think I'd deprive you of some recipes, did you?

Corn Casserole


1 can creamed corn
1 can regular corn, rinsed and drained
4 T corn meal
1 c milk (or ½ c soy milk)
½ c butter, melted
3 eggs, beaten
3 T sugar
dash salt

Butter a 9x13 casserole dish and preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together every ingredient thoroughly. Pour into casserole dish and bake for 1.5 hours, or until set.


Green Bean Casserole

1 - 2 cups fried onions
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) margarine
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
14.5 ounces mushroom or veggie broth
1 cup soy milk
Pinch salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Parboil green beans until just tender, about 5 minutes. Soak in cold water, drain and dry. In a large saucepan, melt margarine over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and sautee until soft. Sprinkle salt, pepper and flour. Stirring constantly, cook for 1 minute then pour in soy milk and broth. Whisk until smooth. Simmer for 5 minutes, until the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon. Fold in the green beans and pour into a 9x13 casserole dish. Bake for 10 - 15 minutes, or until the casserole is bubbling around the edges. Top off with fried onions in any pattern you choose and enjoy! This recipe is an adaptation.

Butternut Squash with Leaves (low calorie!)

1 whole butternut squash
cooking spray
chili powder
garlic powder
salt
pepper
dried oregano

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut squash trunk into several 1/4 inch round slices. Peel bulb, scoop out seeds and chop into small chunks. Place in a greased baking dish. Coat squash with cooking spray and set aside. Use a small leaf-shaped cookie cutter or a pairing knife to cut the squash into leaves. Make small lines with a knife to create veins and coat with cooking spray. Place leaves on greased cookie sheet. Lightly sprinkle a desired amount of spices over the tops of the squash leaves and chunks. Bake until squash is soft and can just be pierced with a dull fork. Form a wreath with the leaves around squash chunks in the dish.

Orange-Cinnamon Cranberry Sauce

3/4 cup sugar
1 cup water
12 ounces fresh cranberries
2 t cinnamon
zest of one half orange

Bring water and sugar to a boil. Toss in the cranberries and return to a boil. Toss in the zest and cinnamon. Stir and let boil for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and set aside until cool. Refrigerate for an hour and serve cold.

Apple-Cranberry Sweet Potatoes
Recipe TK!

Classic Pumpkin Pie with Leaves of Crust

pie filling:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t salt
1/2 t ground ginger
1/4 t ground cloves
1/4 t ground nutmeg
2 eggs
15 oz pumpkin puree
12 oz soy milk

pie crust:
2 1/2 cups flour
2 Tbsp sugar
pinch of salt
3/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp cold butter, cubed
1/2 cup ice water

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Sift together the flour, sugar and salt. Combine with butter and ice water. Knead on a floured surface and cut in half. Refrigerate for 30 minutes – 1 hour. Roll out into 2 large circles or 10 small circles. Place one circle in pie pan and trim edges to fit. Pinch the edges to make a decorative trim, if desired. In a large bowl, combine all filling ingredients and mix thoroughly; pour into pie crust. Bake for 15 minutes. Use tinfoil or silicon cover to cover the crust of the pie to prevent burning. Decrease heat to 350 degrees and bake for 40 -50 minutes, or until set. Meanwhile, use a leaf-shaped cookie cutter and make several leaves. Place on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, or until golden. Place decorative leaves on pie as desired.