Getting in the Spirit

Its been a difficult season for me to get into the holiday spirit, which is frustrating me since Christmas is one of my favorite holidays. However, some family issues have prevented a festive feeling, and it looks like I might be spending this holiday alone. In an effort to raise my spirits at this prospect, I'm hitting the bottle!

I saw this recipe for Rosemary Gin Fizz and it sounded like it might do the trick. Christmas in a glass? Yes please! It is very easy, and tasty, and I think I'll have another one tonight! Go on over to Sassy Radish and get the recipe.

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I also knit up this wine bottle cozy last night. Its a great alternative to using a bag or something as a wrapper for a gift. Its also a great stash buster to use up left-over partial skeins you might have. The pattern is from Tara's Knits, her Swirled Wine Bottle Cozy. I used some red and green yarn held double, and instead of doing the swirl pattern I went for plain stockinette since my variegating yarn looked too busy with the pattern as well. I also knit if flat and then seamed it up because I don't have the right size double-pointed needles.

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And my little fiber optic Christmas tree.

Bring on the Fall Foods!

Fall seems to be officially here - last week we had the largest rain storm out here apparently since the '60s, with winds gusting to 60mph. I think I hydroplaned most of my way home from work that evening. Then it got hot and muggy, and then it rained some more. Gotta love that weather!

Now that it is autumn I find myself spending more time in the kitchen (its warm!), cooking warm appetizers, winter squashes, baked goods, and hearty tasting foods. I went to a party Friday night with lots of wine, chocolate martinis, and tasty food, and might have woken up still drunk the next morning. A delicious dinner Saturday night sounded like a wonderful way to rest.

First up... Stuffed Mushrooms


I saw this recipe for mushrooms stuffed with mini-meatloaves, and with my love of miniature foods, I made it my own. The stuffing is based on the bean burgers from Bittman's "How to Cook Everything Vegetarian."

Ingredients

1 can (14 oz.) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
1/2 cup oat (not quick-cooking)
Fresh rosemary and sage
Salt and pepper
1 egg

Combined all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until chunky but not pureed. Let mixture rest in the fridge for a while (I left mine for about thirty minutes).

Assembly

Preheat over to 375°F and line a baking sheet with foil. Clean and remove the stems from however many mushrooms you want to make. I used baby portabellos, but I've seen mushrooms labelled "stuffing mushrooms" in the store. Put a cube of cheese (I used marinated mozzarella balls) in the mushroom cup. Wet hands, since the bean mixture is very sticky, and top the mushroom with a patty. Bake for 20 minutes.

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Main course... Tri-Tip with Rosemary Red Wine Reduction (from the Raley's "Something Extra" magazine, but I can't find it on their website)

Ingredients

1 tri-tip, prepared according to your favorite recipe
2 cups red wine
1/2 pan drippings or stock (I used no-chicken stock)
1/3 cup finely chopped shallots
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
1/2 cup butter, cut into pieces
Salt and pepper

Bring wine, pan drippings/stock, shallots, and rosemary to a boil in a saucepan. Cook for 20 minutes or until reduced to about 1/2 cup. Remove rosemary and whisk in butter until melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve over prepared tri-tip, which in this case I marinated in a garlic herb mixture all day long and then barbecued. I used a Naked Chick'n cutlet for me to make it vegetarian.

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Side dish... Butternut Squash with Wilted Spinach and Blue Cheese Vinaigrette (from Whole Foods "The Whole Deal" magazine)

Ingredients

1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles
3 tablespoons lemon juice
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 5-oz package baby spinach
4 cups roasted 1" cubes butternut squash

To roast butternut squash, peel and chop into 1" cubes. Toss on a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast at 400° until tender and golden brown, about 30 minutes, tossing occasionally.

Use a fork to mash together blue cheese and lemon juice in a large bowl to make a thick, smooth dressing. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add spinach and cook, tossing often, until slightly wilted and warm, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer to the bowl with the dressing, add the warm squash, season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine.

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The squash was great, the red wine reduction was great (it reminded Chris of pot roast though, he likes a sharper red wine). And more importantly, it was hearty and gourmet-y and warming on a chilly fall evening. Even better was topping it off with my favorite chocolate cookies and coffee!