2010 So Far

I can't say that I was unhappy to see 2009 ride off into the sunset. Gone are the days when we spent the week between Christmas  and the new year on a hot sunny beach.  In my opinion the view from a beach chair is the ultimate way to celebrate the new year.  That being said, now we get to celebrate with our friends-- it may be cold, but it is always fun.

Remnants of New Year's Eve:

John was working on New Year's Day, so a Law and Order SVU marathon while taking down the Christmas decorations was just fine with me.

By the next day, though,  we were ready for some company.  J and L were coming for dinner.

We had peppadews stuffed with garlic herb cheese:

And bar nuts:

Both perfect with a martini.

We then had roasted chicken with olives and lemons followed by a salad of chicory and romaine lettuce tossed with Parmesan and walnuts.

As we were finishing our pinot noir, our friends called from the road to say that they were coming for dessert. We cleared the dishes then added two more places. When they arrived they were toting a bottle of grappa.  All was well.

We had some creamy coffee ice cream splashed with Patron XO Cafe and topped with crunchy Holy Mole Pecans and espressos all around.

The holidays are finally just a memory, and last weekend the usual suspects showed up for politics and pizza.  The only thing was, T asked for guacamole--so I swapped the pizza for roasted pork tenderloin with a mole Poblano sauce,  Mexican rice and roasted grape tomatoes.  A Penfold's Bin 28 Shiraz complemented the spiciness of the pork beautifully.

The next night J and L came for dinner and a movie.  We had various antipasti including these salami crisps with sour cream:

Then I made one of L's favorite pizzas--thinly sliced new potatoes sprinkled with salt, rosemary, extra virgin olive oil, then topped with Parmesan:

And the wine was a smooth blend of cabernet, syrah and merlot:

The movie was good, too.  So far 2010 is shaping up just fine.

Going Nuts

No matter how much I plan--and I do plan--there are always a million things to do on the last days before Christmas. Is there enough food, enough snacks, enough cookies, enough wine, enough gifts? Although none of the above has ever occurred, I live in fear. Each year I seem to get sucked into the last minute frenzy.

So what am I doing? I'm going nuts--party nuts, that is. Party nuts are wonderful snacks to accompany a drink, a dessert or a cup of coffee. They could be savory, sweet or spicy. They are generally easy and quick to make, and they give you a big bang for your buck. They are great to have on hand during the holidays for last minute hostess gifts or to serve to drop-in guests. Just pop a batch into the freezer, and you will be good to go.

This is Wine Bar Nut Mix ready for the oven





Wine Bar Nut Mix from The Casual Vineyard Table by Carolyn Wente and Kimball Jones

2 cups pecans
2 cups almonds
2 cups walnuts
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons extra- virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped mixed fresh rosemary, sage, savory and thyme (or dried equivalent of whatever you have)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I use 1/2 teaspoon)
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350F. In a bowl, toss the nuts with the maple syrup, olive oil, herbs and cayenne. Spread nuts on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned. Season with salt and pepper and toss frequently until cool. Makes 6 cups. Can be stored in an airtight container for 2 weeks.

My favorite recipe for party nuts has to be Holy Mole Pecans that was posted on the now defunct PersonalChefsNetwork.org. Although they are simple to make, they take about 1 1/2 hours to roast in a slow oven. This is not a problem if you are at home anyway doing other things. They are perfect served as is or as a great crunchy topping for ice cream topped with Tia Maria, or my favorite, Patron XO Cafe.

Holy Mole Pecans before entering oven



Holy Mole Pecans

1 large egg white (2 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (Mexican if you can get it)
2 cups raw pecan halves
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
Pinch habanero powder, or cayenne if you want a touch of heat

Preheat oven to 225F. Line baking sheet with parchment or non-stick foil.

Place egg white in bowl and whip until frothy. Whip in vanilla, then gently add pecans and toss until completely coated with mixture.

Sift remaining ingredients into a medium-sized bowl. Add sugar-cocoa mixture to pecans one quarter at a time, and very gently toss until well coated. I use my hands. Transfer pecans to prepared sheet and arrange in a single layer. Try not to let pecans touch each other.

Bake 30 minutes. Gently turn over nuts and continue to bake, stirring every 15 minutes until coating is lightly colored and dried out, about 1 hour and 15 minutes total. Remove from oven an immediately loosen nuts with metal spatula. Cool completely before serving.

Holy Mole Pecans out of oven



So, during this holiday season, don't go nuts--get into the kitchen and make some party nuts.

Merry Christmas to all!