Spinach and Cheese Strata & Garlic Butter Roasted Mushrooms

I tried two new recipes on Christmas day, both came from Smitten Kitchen, and both were a huge hit! The strata is meant to be made the night before, which is key, because it really cuts down on time in the kitchen when you are entertaining. The mushrooms were a simple, light, and tasty side dish addition to our Christmas dinner-- though I could probably do with all the capers, it was a nice change of pace.

Spinach and Cheese Strata

Adapted from Gourmet (sniffle), February 2003

Serves 6 to 8

1 (10 ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed, squeeze of all excess liquid, and chopped
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion (1 large)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
8 cups cubed French or Italian bread in 1-inch cubes (1/2 lb)
6 ounces coarsely grated Gruyère (2 cups)
2 ounces finely grated parmesan (1 cup)
2 3/4 cups milk
9 large eggs
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Sauté onion in butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and nutmeg and continue cooking for one minute. Stir in spinach, remove from heat and set aside.

Spread one third of the bread cubes in a well-buttered 3-quart gratin dish or other ceramic baking dish. Top with one-third of bread cubes,one-third of spinach mixture and one-third of each cheese. Repeat layering twice with remaining bread, spinach and cheese.

Whisk eggs, milk, mustard and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper together in a large bowl and pour evenly over strata. Cover with plastic wrap and chill strata for eat least 8 hours or up to a day.

The next day, let it stand at room temperature for 30 minutes while preheating the oven to 350°F. Bake strata, uncovered, in middle of oven until puffed, golden brown, and cooked through, 45 to 55 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Garlic Butter Roasted Mushrooms
Perfect as can be from Gourmet.com

1 pound mushrooms such as cremini or white, halved lengthwise if large
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and chopped
3 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in middle. Toss mushrooms with capers, garlic, oil, 1/8 teaspoon salt and several grinds of pepper in a 1 1/2- to 2-qt shallow baking dish. Top with butter and roast, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are tender and golden and bubbly garlic sauce forms below, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and parsley. Serve immediately, with crusty bread on the side for swiping up the juices.

Christmas Menu

The holiday craziness has me totally slacking on blogging... I'm not even going to post a recipe, just some links to things I'm going to be making for Christmas day... Maybe you'll get some inspiration or last minute ideas.

We are spending Christmas morning at our house for the first time since Caleb and I got married.

For Christmas morning, we're having coffee, oj, and these cinnamon rolls.

Christmas brunch will be this breakfast casserole, bacon, and fresh fruit.

I'll also have plenty of this homemade vanilla- caramel half and half. In my opinion, half and half is a little slice of heaven on earth, and this recipe is brilliant! PS: If anyone can find me a glass pint bottle like the one in the picture on this link, I would be eternally grateful!

We're heading to Christmas dinner at my Grandmother's, and I'll be taking these buttermilk biscuits and this mushroom casserole.

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and happy eating! :)

Stuffed Shells

I've gotten out of my cooking and posting groove as of late-- partially because I'm not cooking as much, and partially because, when I do cook, I don't have time to post. I blame it on pre- holiday craziness. But here is a winner-- it was easy, tasted good, my kid (the one who actually eats real food) loved it, and it tasted better reheated! It didn't make as many shells as the recipe said it would (maybe I just over- stuffed my shells), and knowing that it reheats well, I might double the recipe next time and just freeze half.

This recipe is from Martha Stewart Living (I can't remember exactly which one).

1 box (12 oz) jumbo pasta shells

1 Tbsp extra- virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

4 oz thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 red onion, chopped

1 head radicchio, cored and shredded (4 cups)

1 tsp red wine vinegar

12 oz. fresh ricotta cheese (1 1/4 C)

8 oz fresh mozzarella, chilled and cut into small cubes (1 C.)

salt and pepper

5 C. tomato sauce (I used my favorite pasta sauce)

unsalted butter, for dotting

finely grated parmesan for garnish

1. Bring large pot of water to boil. Cook shells for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse. Transfer to a bowl. Drizzle with oil. Let cool.

2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large high- sided skillet over medium heat. Cook prosciutto, garlic, and onion, stirring, until prosciutto starts to carmelize, 6 to 8 minutes. Add radicchio; cook until tender but not mushy, about 4 minutes. Stir in vinegar; cook until evaporated. Let cool slightly. Stir in ricotta and mozzarella; season with salt and pepper.

3. Pour 2 cups sauce into bottom of each of two 8x12 in. baking dishes. Stuff 32 shells with 1 heaping Tbsp of filling each. Pack 16 shells into each dish. Cover with foil. Freeze if desired.

4 Preheat oven to 375º. Dot shells with butter. Bake, covered, for 40 minutes. Uncover, and raise oven temperature to 450º. Bake until golden and bubbly, about 15 minutes more. Heat remaining sauce; serve with shells. Garnish with parmesan.

**Notes**

1. I just used a 13x9 baking dish.

2. I think it would be super good with regular bacon, too.

3. I don't think I let the radicchio get tender enough, so watch that.

4. I think you could probably just put all the sauce in the dish, but it probably gets more golden without so much sauce in there, which is nice.

Baked French Toast

Used challah for this when I made it (couldn't find brioche), and it was delicious.

Source: Martha Stewart Living (a recent issue, not sure exactly which one).

6 large eggs

2 C. milk

1/3 C. heavy cream

1/3 C. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg (we used ground)

1/2 tsp. salt

10 slices day- old brioche

1 C. pecans, coarsely chopped or crushed

3 Tbsp. sugar

1. Beat the eggs in a bowl. Whisk in milk, heavy cream, sugar, vanilla, nutmeg, and salt.

2. One at a time, dip the brioche slices into the batter to coat. Overlap slices in a 9 x 13 in. ceramic or glass baking dish. Pour remaining batter over top. Refrigerate, covered, for at least 2 hours.

3. Preheat oven to 375º. Top with pecans and sprinkle with sugar. Bake, covered with parchment- lined foil, for 25 minutes. Uncover; bake until top is golden brown and crunchy, 20- 25 minutes more. Serve with syrup.

** we also decided it would be really good with berry compote or syrup.

Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins

These muffins are FAN- TAS- TIC! Easy, yummy... if you're looking for something surprising to bring to your Thanksgiving dinner... this could be it (unless you're expected to bring the turkey-- people might be disappointed :). I will definitely not be reserving these for fall. They deserve to be eaten all the time.

This is yet another recipe from the Nov. 2010 issue of Everyday Food. Yep, this issue was a winner!

For the batter:

10 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature

3 C. all- purpose flour

2 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. coarse salt

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground allspice

1/3 C. buttermilk

1 1/4 C. pure pumpkin puree

3/4 C. light- brown sugar

2 large eggs

For the sugar coating:

3/4 C. granulated sugar

2 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 C. unsalted butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Butter and flour 12 standard muffins cups **(I just sprayed with cooking spray and no flour-- too much time and mess). To make batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt , nutmeg, and allspice. In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk and pumpkin puree. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down bowl as needed. With mixer on low, add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with two additions of pumpkin mixture and beat to combine.

2. Spoon 1/3 C. batter into each muffin cup and bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean, 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine granulated sugar and cinnamon. Let muffins cool 10 in pan on wire rack. Working with one at a time, remove muffins from pan, brush all over with butter, then toss to coat in sugar mixture. Let muffins cool completely on a wire rack. (Store in an airtight container, up to 1 day.)

These can be frozen, up to 3 months. Reheat in a 350º oven, then coat in butter and sugar.

Pumpkin- Chocolate Tiramisu

I have made this recipe twice now, and both times it has been a hit! It is just the right mix of pumpkin and chocolate. Bonus: it is SUPER SIMPLE and quick to make.

source: Everyday Food, Nov. 2010

You can serve this the same day it's made, but it's best when refrigerated overnight.

1 C. mascarpone cheese

1 1/4 C. cold heavy cream, divided

3/4 C. confectioners' sugar

5 Tbsp. almond flavored liqueur (any of the amarettos, recipe suggests Disaronno), divided

1 can (15 oz) pure pumpkin puree

2 oz. semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped, or chips (I used milk chocolate chips)

1 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder, plus 1 1/2 tsp. for dusting

27- 30 ladyfingers (I bought these at the bakery in my grocery store)

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon, for dusting

1. In a large bowl, whisk the mascarpone until smooth. Add 1 C. heavy cream, confectioners' sugar, and 2 Tbsp. liqueur; whisk until soft peaks form, 5 minutes. With a rubber spatula, fold in pumpkin puree until completely incorporated.

2. In a small microwave- safe bowl. combine chocolate and 1/4 C. heavy cream. Microwave in 10- second increments, stirring each time, until chocolate is melted. Stir until mixture is smooth. Transfer one- third of the pumpkin mixture to a medium bowl and fold in chocolate mixture until combined. In a small bowl, whisk 1 Tbsp cocoa into 1/3 C. hot water; add 3 Tbsp. liqueur.

3. Cover bottom of an 8- in. square baking dish with ladyfingers (about 9). Liberally brush with cocoa mixture and top with half the pumpkin mixture. Add another layer of ladyfingers, brush with cocoa mixture, and top with all the pumpkin- chocolate mixture. Add a third layer of ladyfingers, brush with cocoa mixture, and top with remaining pumpkin mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 4 hours (or up to 3 days). To serve, combine 1 1/2 tsp. cocoa powder and cinnamon in a small fine- mesh sieve and dust tiramisu.

Jerk Chicken Chili

Made this chili for dinner this evening using a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store that I cleaned and shredded this afternoon. This was a super simple, quick recipe to prepare. I only got 4 cups of shredded chicken off the bird I had (instead of the 6 cups required by the recipe), so I only made a half batch. This was plenty of chili with enough for Caleb and I to have another meal. A full batch would be enough for 2 meals or entertaining. Also, since I had more than half the amount of chicken, it made the chili thicker, which I liked. I did use the cornmeal/ water slurry at the end to thicken it up, but depending on how thick you like your chili, you might not need it. I got this recipe over at Smells Like Home, and she adapted it from Pam Anderson's One Dish Dinners. I have to admit, I didn't like the smell of this chili while it was cooking, but it sure did taste good when I tried it.

1 tbsp olive oil

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1 yellow bell pepper, chopped

3 tbsp chili powder

1 1/2 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground allspice

1 large rotisserie chicken, meat removed and shredded (about 6 cups)

4 cups chicken broth

1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes

1 can (15 oz) black beans, undrained or partially drained

1 can (15 oz) small white beans, undrained or partially drained

2 tbsp chopped pickled jalapenos

3 large garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 oz semisweet chocolate

2 tbsp cornmeal or 3 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water (optional for thickening)

1.Heat oil in a large pot over medium- high heat.

2. Add onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring until softened, about 5 minutes.

3. Add chili powder, thyme, cinnamon, and allspice. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

4. Add chicken and stir to coat with spices. Add broth, tomatoes, beans, and jalapenos, bring to a boil, cover partially, reduce heat, and simmer to blend flavors, about 20 minutes.

5. Stir in garlic, cilantro, chocolate, and either cornmeal or cornstarch/water slurry if desired. If you add the cornstarch slurry, bring the heat up to medium-high and allow the chili to thicken. Turn off the heat and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.