christmas dinner

roasted garlic ~ pumpkin bisque

w/ herb potato dumplings

& homemade creme fraiche

recipe can be found in:

the northwest best places cookbook

christmas eve

i love the tradition of certain christmas celebrations, but i especially love cooking new things each year. christmas eve we made a warm salmon spread made from local cape clear smoked salmon, savory crustinis made from local pane d amore bread & red lentil pate.

a many, many thanks to our good friends ben & mary for gifting us such exquisite & unique foodies. pictured here is our first "bookers" manhattan with spiced vermouth & tipsy cherries ~ wow!

making krumkake

making krumkakes for the first time on christmas day using a Johnson family recipe. bob and i acquired this exact replica of gramma kelly's krumkake iron, made in st. paul minnesota by the rustad company.

snow soup

i don't have children to trick into eating strange or unattractive foods,

but if i did i would call this snow soup...or better

yet, dirty snow soup if you've been naughty!

1 1/2 cups chopped onions

1 1/2 cups chopped celery

1 tsp salt

2 tbls butter

3 cups cubed, peeled red potatoes (you can leave the skins on if you want a dirtier look!)

3 cups water

2 tbls chopped fresh dill

2 tsp chopped fresh marjoram

1 cup milk

4 tbls neufchatel or cream cheese

in a soup pot, saute onions, celery & salt for 5 minutes on medium high.

add in potatoes, water dill marjoram, cover, bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook until potatoes are soft, about 10 - 15 minutes.

in a blender working in batches, puree the vegetable mixture with the milk & neufchatel. return to soup pot and gently reheat.

super tasty.

super cheap.

super easy.

brown sugar trees w/ royal lemon icing

you can double this recipe for a family,

i cut it in half as i make them for just two.

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted, soft butter

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1/2 tbls pure vanilla extract

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

royal icing (recipe follows)

in large bowl with mixer on medium, beat butter & sugars until light & fluffy.

add in the eggs & vanilla & beat until well mixed.

in a medium bowl mix dry ingredients.

slowly add to wet on low speed.

pat the dough into a rectangle, wrap in plastic & chill for 4 hours or up to overnight.

preheat oven to 350

remove dough from fridge and let sit for 10 minutes to soften.

on a lightly floured surface roll the dough into 1/4 inch thickness.

carefully transfer the tree cutouts onto the baking sheet with parchment paper.

bake for roughly 10 - 15 minutes, turning the baking sheet once during baking.

cool completely then ice.

royal icing:

1 egg white

roughly 2 - 2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar

juice of half a lemon

with a wire whisk beat the egg white like crazy until it forms stiff white peaks, stir in sugar until desired consistency, add in lemon.

persian rice & pistachio salad w/ spiced paneer

serves 4 ~ 6

1 cup raw white basmati rice

2 tbls canola or veg oil

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

generous pinch cardamom

pinch of ground black pepper

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp freshly grated orange peel (i used an entire orange & thought it was great)

2 cups water

1/2 currants, chopped raisins, dates or dried apricots

1/2 cup coarsely chopped pistachios, toasted (single layer @ 350 for 10-15 min)

1/2 cup minced celery

juice of one orange

juice of one lemon

*in saucepan on medium heat, warm 1 tbls oil. add rice and saute for 3 minutes stirring.

*stir in cinnamon, cardamom, black pepper, salt & orange peel, cook for 1 min.

*stir in water, cover & gently simmer for 20 -25 minutes (do not disturb by taking off lid, peeking at it or stirring the rice)

* in a serving bowl mix together hot rice & fruit, cool for 20 minutes

* add in the pistachios, celery, orange juice, lemon juice and remaining tbls of oil. stir well

* serve at room temp or chill for 30 minutes

spiced paneer ~

4 tsp canola or veg oil

2 tsp ground cumin

1/8 tsp cayenne

1/4 tsp ground cardamom

1 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1 1/2 cups paneer, cut into small cubes (found in cheese section of well stocked grocery store or indian market)

* warm oil over low heat. add in spices & cook for 2 minutes

* add in yogurt & paneer, turn heat up to medium high

* cook for 10 minutes stirring often as the whey will evaporate away from the yogurt, leaving a tastey curd that will coat the paneer!

* remove from heat, set aside.

tastes great with above salad, alone or on top of lentil soups or dal

spaghetti ala vodka ~

~ bob larson by way of peter simons ~

As to sauce....

being a seafood thing you want to make it subtler than meat sauce
begin by sautéing in 3 tblspn EVOO - low heat - large deep sauté pan - not cast iron BUT stainless steel
a few shallots (salted to sweat the water out)
a couple of sweet red peppers
a carrot
a couple of anchovies
a clove or two of garlic (at the end)
a tblspn or so of good Italian seasoning
some red pepper flakes
when translucent
stir in two/three large cans of fire roasted or tuscan tomatoes - break up with hands while adding to base
puree in skillet with a wand (or pour into blender and puree)
add a big can/bunch of clams including the liquid
a couple of tblspns of sugar of sugar to reduce acidity
add a 1/2 cup of Vodka before reducing down
add salt and pepper to taste
add chopped Italian parsley at end if you want
cook down on simmer ... clams should cook about 10 minutes

* we omit all seafood & it is still terrific!

fattigmann norwegian cookies

~ kitchen of bob ~

2 whole eggs

2 egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup melted butter

1 tbls baking powder

2 1/2 - 3 cups flour

1/4 tsp vanilla

powdered sugar for dusting

beat eggs & sugar

add butter & cream & vanilla

stir in baking powder & slowly add in flour, 2 1/2 cups, adding more for the right rolling consistency

roll dough into a 1/2 inch thick and cut into diamonds that are 3 inches long X 1 1/2 inches wide. cut a slit in the center of cookies & pull bottom of the diamond thru the slit.

drop into hot oil to fry until light brown, drain, cool and dust with powdered sugar!

listen: sufjan stevens christmas singalong!

"Sufjan indulged in the project initially as an exercise to make himself “appreciate” Christmas more" It seems Sufjan was interested in the contrast between the excesses of Christmas and the spirit of it (or the "sacred and the profane"). Many of the songs were the work of an annual collaboration between Sufjan and his friend and minister Vito Aiuto; the songs themselves were distributed to friends and family.

learn more & purchase : asthmatic kitty records

walnut fudge ~ in 15 minutes

makes 2 1/2 pounds

16 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp salt

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

1 tbls pure vanilla extract

1 cup coarsley chopped walnuts

~line a 8 inch square baking pan with tin foil (enough to rise up the sides) press in tightly.

~lightly grease foil with oil or baking spray

~toss chocolates, soda & salt in a heatproof bowl until mixed

~set bowl over 4 quart saucepan containing 2 cups of low boiling water, stir with rubber spatula until almost fully melted 2 - 4 minutes.

~ remove and keep stirring until all melted & smooth, 2 minutes.

stir in walnuts

~transfer fudge into lined pan and spread evenly, refridgerate for 2 hours, then remove & cut.

~ store in plastic wrap in a cool place for up to 2 weeks

enjoy with Lighthouse Coffee ~ Captain Bert's....a simons-larson favorite!

peanut butter surprise cookies

Makes 36; Prep time: 20 minutes; Total time: 50 minutes
These cookies will have a moist, brownie-like texture the day you make them and then get crispier the following day. You can also make them with other favorite chocolate candies. Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to two weeks. Adding marshmallows to the container will prevent the cookies from drying out.

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup firmly packed light-brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar, for rolling dough
36 mini chocolate peanut-butter cups, chilled and unwrapped


1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a mixing bowl, cream peanut butter and butter until smooth. Add brown sugar; beat until combined, scraping down bowl as needed. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat until incorporated.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. With mixer on low speed, gradually beat in flour mixture in two batches.

3. Scoop off dough by the tablespoon; roll into balls. Place granulated sugar on a plate; roll balls in sugar, coating completely. Place 2 inches apart on a nonstick insulated baking sheet.

4. Bake until cookies begin to puff up slightly, about 7 minutes. Remove from oven. Press one peanut-butter cup in center of each cookie. Return to oven; continue baking until cookies are golden brown and chocolate has begun to melt, about 6 minutes more. Let cool at least 10 minutes on baking sheet before transferring cookies to rack to cool completely.

Note: For chewier cookies, refrigerate the balls of dough on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before placing in the oven.

macrina sweet spicy nuts

from Macrina Bakery in Seattle

yeilds 4 cups

1 cup each: whole almonds, peanuts, pecans & halved walnuts

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp allspice

1/4 tsp cardamom

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 pepper

1/2 tsp cayenne

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup light corn syrup

heat oven to 350* & line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper & lightly oil the paper with canola oil.

combine all nuts in a bowl, combine spices in a dish then toss in with nuts

over low heat, gently warm the honey & syrup, then pour over nuts & mix by hand. put nuts onto greased parchment paper and smooth into a large layer

bake for roughly 20 minutes and let cool completely on pan. break apart and store in an air tight container.