Favorite Holiday Recipes from our homes to yours

Favorite Holiday Recipes
from our homes to yours
2
Nossaman’s Favorite Holiday Recipes
Chez Panisse’s Brined Roasted Turkey................................................................................................................... 7
Challah Bread Stuffing............................................................................................................................................ 9
Luby’s Cafeteria Mac n Cheese............................................................................................................................. 11
Cranberry Salsa–A New Holiday Tradition.......................................................................................................... 13
Holy Pseudo–Mole Chicken Stew......................................................................................................................... 15
Barbara’s Lasagna ................................................................................................................................................. 17
Mulligatawny Soup............................................................................................................................................... 19
Tourtière: French-Canadian Meat Pie .................................................................................................................. 21
My Grandmother’s “Green Jell-O” Salad ............................................................................................................. 23
French Onion Soup ............................................................................................................................................... 25
Spiced Cranberry Chutney ................................................................................................................................... 27
Creamed Spinach .................................................................................................................................................. 29
Easiest Corn Casserole Ever.................................................................................................................................. 31
Holiday Guacamole............................................................................................................................................... 33
Green Bean Casserole........................................................................................................................................... 35
Grandma Mary’s Albondigas Soup...................................................................................................................... 37
Shrimp & Avocado Ceviche................................................................................................................................... 39
Chocolate Hazelnut Dacquoise............................................................................................................................ 43
Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies............................................................................................................... 47
Shaker Lemon Pie.................................................................................................................................................. 49
Rona’s Thumbprint Cookies.................................................................................................................................. 51
Easy Chocolate Truffles......................................................................................................................................... 53
Sour Cream Coffee Cake ....................................................................................................................................... 55
Pizzelles.................................................................................................................................................................. 57
Pumpkin Cheesecake............................................................................................................................................ 59
Overnight Cardamom-Scented Cinnamon Rolls................................................................................................. 61
Heltrando-Chiri Cranberry Almond Biscotti ....................................................................................................... 65
Christmas Fruit Cake............................................................................................................................................. 67
Cheesecake-Filled Pumpkin Cupcakes................................................................................................................ 69
Crock Pot Apple Butter ......................................................................................................................................... 71
Pumpkin Cheesecake with Whiskey-Caramel Sauce.......................................................................................... 73
Whiskey-Caramel Sauce........................................................................................................................................ 75
Pineapple Custard Cake........................................................................................................................................ 77
Sweet Holiday Sweet Potato Souffle’................................................................................................................... 79
Season of Joy Bars................................................................................................................................................. 81
“Land of Nod” Cinnamon Buns ............................................................................................................................. 83
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cheesecake....................................................................................................................... 85
Death by Lemon Torte........................................................................................................................................... 87
Black Walnut Pound Cake..................................................................................................................................... 89
Key Lime Pie........................................................................................................................................................... 91
Best Pumpkin Bread on the Planet Earth............................................................................................................ 93
Marshmallow Sauce.............................................................................................................................................. 95
Kahlua Bundt Cake................................................................................................................................................ 97
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savory
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Chez Panisse’s Brined Roasted Turkey
Submitted by Mary Antoine, Partner, Sacramento
INGREDIENTS
21/2 gallons cold water
2 cups kosher salt
1 cup sugar
2 bay leaves, torn into pieces
1 bunch fresh thyme, or
4 tablespoons dried
1 whole head of garlic, cloves
separated and peeled
5 whole allspice berries, crushed
4 juniper berries, smashed
Place the water in a large nonreactive pot that can easily hold the liquid
and the turkey. Add all the ingredients and stir for 1-2 minutes until the
sugar and salt dissolve.
Put the turkey into the brine and refrigerate for 24 hours. If the turkey
floats to the top, weight it down with a plate and cans to keep it
completely submerged in the brine.
Note: You may halve or double the recipe, based on the size of your turkey.
The important thing is to prepare enough brine to cover the turkey completely.
To roast the turkey:
Remove the bird from the brine, rinse and drain well. Pat dry.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spread 2 Tbsp of softened butter over the skin.
Then sprinkle skin and cavity with 11/2 tsps ground pepper. Tuck the wing
tips under, loosely truss the legs and place the turkey on a v-shaped rack in
a roasting pan. Tent the breast with foil and place the turkey in the oven.
Start checking the internal temperature after about 11/2 hours of roasting
time. If the legs begin to overbrown, cover loosely with aluminum foil.
Baste the turkey, if desired, with 1/2 cup stock or pan drippings, every 20
minutes.
Roast until the internal temperature reaches 165°F, about 2-23/4 hours.
If you would like to make gravy from the pan juices, note that they may be
very salty from the brining process–you may not want to use all of the
juices.
Let the cooked turkey rest for at least 30 minutes before carving so all of
the natural juices have a chance to reenter the meat.
Original recipe from:
San Francisco Chronicle
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Challah Bread Stuffing
Submitted by Brooke Wahlberg, Associate, Austin
INGREDIENTS
1 large loaf of challah bread
2 cups celery, diced
2 cups onion, diced
2 cups Cremini mushrooms, diced
8-10 sprigs thyme leaves, chopped
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
3 cups vegetable stock
3 oz. butter
4 oz. melted butter
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
Cut the challah into 1” cubes. Leave the cubes out on a parchment-lined
sheet pan on the counter to get stale, at least overnight and preferably 3
days.
Melt 3 oz. of butter in a large heavy sauté pan. Sauté the onions until
wilted, add the herbs, celery and mushrooms until just slightly cooked
through.
In a large bowl, combine bread cubes, vegetables, melted butter and
vegetable stock, and salt and pepper. Test for seasoning and adjust.
Press stuffing into a large buttered baking dish. Cover with buttered
parchment and then foil. At this point, the stuffing can be held for several
hours, but should be at room temperature before baking.
Bake at 350°F for 45-55 minutes. Remove the foil and parchment for the
last 10-15 minutes to crisp the surface.
Original recipe from:
www.mrswheelbarrow.com
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Luby’s Cafeteria Mac n Cheese
Submitted by Mary Seals-Aguirre, Legal Secretary, Washington, DC
INGREDIENTS
2 cups dry elbow macaroni
2 Tbsp nonfat dry milk powder
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp butter
11/4 cups boiling water
3 cups American cheese, shredded
1/4 tsp salt
Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain and set aside.
Heat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, mix dry milk, flour and butter.
Gradually add boiling water, beating constantly. Add 11/2 cups cheese and
continue beating until smooth and creamy. Stir in macaroni, 1 cup of the
remaining cheese and salt.
Transfer to lightly greased 2-quart baking dish. Cover with foil. Bake 25
min. Remove foil. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Continue baking
1 min., or until cheese melts.
Original recipe from:
Houston Chronicle, Nov. 13, 1996, p. 4F
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Cranberry Salsa–A New Holiday Tradition
Submitted by Morgan Muir, Associate, San Francisco
INGREDIENTS
12 oz. fresh cranberries
1 medium yellow onion
1 bunch of cilantro
1 lime
1 Tbsp Sugar
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and
minced
Blend cranberries in Cuisinart to a varied texture, not too fine. Chopping is
fine as well. Stir in chopped onion, chopped cilantro, and jalapeño pepper.
Squeeze in lime juice and add sugar to taste.
From Morgan:
This is a funky take on traditional cranberry sauce that my fiancé and I came up with
a couple of years ago while experimenting with our new Cuisinart. We love to make
homemade salsas, so we tried to replicate the process for this holiday favorite. It’s a
light, refreshing way to add traditional cranberries to your meal while still keeping
things interesting! Add a couple dollops atop your turkey and gravy on Thanksgiving
day, or use it as a spread on leftover turkey sandwiches!
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Holy Pseudo–Mole Chicken Stew
Submitted by Morgan Muir, Associate, San Francisco
INGREDIENTS
2 large onions
1 oz. ground chilies (smoked/
flavorful is better than spicy)
3 bay leaves
4 frozen chicken thighs
1 can tomato sauce (unflavored)
2 cloves garlic
½ lb. brown or white mushrooms
1 pinch of cinnamon
2 pinches ground ginger
Extra virgin olive oil/cooking oil
Butter
1 cup red wine (don’t cook with it if
you don’t enjoy drinking it!)
1 tsp flour
Corn tortillas, rice or your favorite
steamed veggies (as preferred)
Stirring constantly, sauté onions on high heat with ground dried chilies.
Add 2 Tbsp butter and 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil.
Cut mushrooms in half (no thicker than half inch) and add to onions. Keep
heat high until mushrooms begin to soften. Chile should be browning and
sticking to the pan.
Add ¼ cup of water. As water boils, use spatula to scrape chilies and
residue off pan to create a sauce.
Once you see sauce beginning to thicken, add red wine, tomato sauce, bay
leaves, ginger, cinnamon, and garlic.
Add frozen chicken (while still frozen).
Cover and simmer for 35 minutes.
Remove chicken and shred with opposing fork action into bite-size pieces.
Add chicken back into sauce and gently sprinkle flour over sauce–do your
best to avoid clumping!
Continuously stir sauce with high enough heat to keep everything
simmering for 90 seconds.
Remove from heat. Serve over rice or warm tortilla, or with steamed
veggies. Enjoy!
From Morgan:
This is a wonderfully-flavorful comfort food dish for the holiday season. It is very simple
to make and perfect for just a few people or can be easily expanded to host a large
dinner party!
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Barbara’s Lasagna
Submitted by Barbara Virga, Legal Secretary, Sacramento
INGREDIENTS
Sauce
11/2 lbs. ground meat (½ ground
turkey, ½ extra lean ground beef)
1 large onion, chopped fine
1 lb. sliced mushrooms
1 can tomato paste
1 large can crushed tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1 jar Arrebiata pasta sauce
1 jar tomato basil pasta sauce
1 cup red wine
1 package frozen chopped spinach,
thawed and drained
2-3 heaping tsps crushed garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
A few small shakes of crushed red
pepper to taste
Lasagna
1 large tub of Riccotta cheese
1-2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese
4+ cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
2 cups shredded triple Mexican cheese
mix
1 package lasagna noodles, cooked
per package instructions
Sauté onions and mushrooms. When done, add in the ground meat and
cook until meat is done and chopped into fine crumbles. Add in the
remaining ingredients and simmer on low for about 30 minutes.
In a large roasting pan layer the following:
• Lasagna noodles
• Sauce mixture (be generous)
• Ricotta cheese (teaspoonful droplets evenly over sauce)
• ½ of the Parmesan cheese
• Lasagna noodles
• Sauce mixture
• ½ of the Mozzarella cheese
• Lasagna noodles
• Sauce mixture
• ½ of the Mexican cheese mix
• Last layer of lasagna noodles
• Sauce mixture
• Mozzarella cheese, Mexican cheese mix and Parmesan cheese
The way you divide the mixtures of cheeses and amounts between the
layers is not set in stone.
Cover with foil and bake at 425°F-450°F for about 30 minutes. Remove foil
and bake for another 15-30 minutes so top is bubbling and getting golden
brown with cheese melted.
Remove from oven, cool for about 15 minutes to set and serve.
Buon Appetito!
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Mulligatawny Soup
Submitted by Joanne Koch, Legal Secretary, Sacramento
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 carrot, diced
1/4 cup butter
11/2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
11/2 tsp curry powder
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 apple, cored and chopped
1/4 cup white rice
1 skinless, boneless chicken breast,
cut into cubes
Salt to taste
Ground black pepper to taste
1 pinch dried thyme
1/2 cup heavy cream, heated
Sauté onions, celery, carrot, and butter in a large soup pot. Add flour and
curry, and cook 5 more minutes. Add chicken stock and apple, mix well,
and bring to a boil. Simmer about 1/2 hour.
Add rice, chicken, salt, pepper, and thyme. Simmer 15-20 minutes, or until
rice is done. When serving, add hot cream.
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Tourtiere: French-Canadian Meat Pie
Submitted by Andrée Blais, Partner, Los Angeles
INGREDIENTS
3-4 lbs. lean ground pork
1 large onion
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 bay leaf
1 grated potato
1 cup water
½ tsp allspice
In a large pot combine all ingredients and simmer for 1/2 hour, stirring
often. When nearly through cooking, add ½ tsp poultry seasoning and salt
to taste.
Prepare your favorite pie pastry.
Fill pie shells, being careful to not overfill.
Put pies in oven at 400°F for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350-375°F
and bake for ½ hour. Makes 4 pies.
Reheat a pie in the oven at 350°F for about an hour.
From Andrée:
Tourtière is a traditional French Canadian holiday treat. Our family always has these
tasty pies on hand to share with family and friends visiting throughout the season.
Tourtière is also an essential part of the late night meal at réveillon. This recipe comes
from my Great Grandma Éveline Blanchette. While Grandma Éveline’s ancestry can be
traced back to 1617 in Canada, we are not sure just how old this recipe for Tourtière
might be.
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My Grandmother’s “Green Jell-O” Salad
Submitted by Terry Velasquez, Legal Secretary, Austin
INGREDIENTS
2 large boxes of lime Jell-O
2 cups of apples, peeled and chopped
coarsely (skin can be left on if you
prefer)
2 cups of celery, chopped coarsely
2 cups of pecans, chopped coarsely
This recipe is made the day before you are planning on serving.
Chop all ingredients with the apples being last. In a large rectangle pan
make Jell-O according to box directions and add apples, celery and
pecans. Make sure all ingredients are coated with the Jell-O. Place in
refrigerator and allow to set.
From Terry:
My mom said this is what my Grandmother always served with her Thanksgiving and
Christmas meals and she has continued the tradition. When I was young, I always
helped her do the chopping. I don’t remember a holiday meal without it, even the time I
was in the hospital having my first child! My mom brought a bowl full of “Green Jell-O”
to the hospital. My sister or I now make this salad for our holiday meals.
Oh! NEVER EVER use any other flavor of Jell-O, it’s not the same! No matter what we
serve for our holiday meal, we always have our Green Jell-O.
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French Onion Soup
Submitted by Jennifer Capitolo, Senior Policy Advisor, Sacramento
INGREDIENTS
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 pounds yellow onions, sliced 1/4-inch
into half circles
1 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dry sherry
3 cups beef stock
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme or 3/4 tsp
dried thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small French baguette, sliced
crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
8 oz. Gruyère cheese, grated on the
large holes of a box grater (about 3
cups)
Melt butter in a large dutch oven or heavy pot on medium-low heat.
Add onions. Spread them out in as thin a layer as possible. Sprinkle with
sugar and cook, stirring just as needed to keep onions from sticking and so
they are soft, golden brown, and beginning to caramelize–about 1 hour.
Sprinkle flour over onions, and stir to coat. Add sherry, stock, and thyme,
and bring to a simmer. Cook, partially covered, for about 30 minutes to
allow the flavors to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Meanwhile, lightly toast bread under a broiler; set aside.
Ladle hot soup into six ovenproof bowls. Arrange the bowls on a baking
pan. Place one or two slices of toasted bread over each bowl of soup.
Sprinkle 1/2 cup grated cheese over bread in each bowl, and place under
the broiler until cheese is melted and crusty brown around the edges.
Watch carefully that bread doesn’t burn. Serve immediately.
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Spiced Cranberry Chutney
Submitted by Mandy Patterson, Legal Secretary, Austin
INGREDIENTS
41/2 lbs. cranberries
2 cups water
11/2 cups golden raisins
3 cups granulated sugar
2 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1 Tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp Tabasco sauce
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 Granny Smith apples, cored, diced
1 medium white onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, diced
Zest of 1 lemon
Put cranberries, water, raisins, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, Tabasco,
and lemon juice in a large (approx. 5 qt. capacity) pot. Bring to a boil, then
reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes.
Add apples, onion, celery, and lemon zest. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for
about 45 minutes until ingredients are soft and the liquid has reduced.
Adjust seasoning to taste.
From Mandy:
This recipe was passed down from my grandmother to my mother and on down to
me, and remains a staple on my family’s Thanksgiving table. I’ve taken this to several
holiday potlucks and it always receives rave reviews, even from people who don’t
care for traditional canned cranberry sauce. The chutney keeps for several days in the
refrigerator (it’s great on a turkey sandwich!) and can be frozen as well. Enjoy!
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Creamed Spinach
Submitted by Leslie Leder, Legal Secretary, Sacramento
INGREDIENTS
6 Tbsp butter
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 shallot chopped
1 bay leaf
2 cups whole milk
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
¼ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
(or your favorite easy melting cheese )
2 10 oz. bags ready-to-use fresh
spinach (or 2 10 oz. boxes of frozen
spinach)
Melt 4 Tbsp butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add
flour and stir until lightly golden, about 7 minutes. Stir in shallot and bay
leaf. Gradually whisk in milk.
Whisk until mixture boils and thickens, about 10 minutes. Add Dijon
mustard and jack cheese, stirring to completely incorporate.
Reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes longer, whisking frequently
(sauce will be very thick). Remove bay leaf.
Cook spinach in large pot of boiling water just until wilted and tender,
about 2 minutes. Drain.
Transfer spinach to bowl filled with ice water to cool. Drain well.
Roll up spinach in kitchen towel and squeeze out as much liquid as
possible. Transfer spinach to processor and finely chop.
Add spinach to warm sauce, simmer over low heat until spinach is heated
through, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Stir in remaining 2 Tbsp of butter.
Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.
When bringing the dish to the table, sprinkle it with grated Parmigiano
Reggiano cheese.
NOTE: If you are using frozen chopped spinach rather than fresh, thaw and
drain it, squeezing out all of the liquid.
From Leslie:
This is a staple at our holiday meals. I find that this is a very versatile dish. It goes
equally well with a beautiful standing rib roast or a simply prepared piece of fish.
Enjoy!
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Easiest Corn Casserole Ever
Submitted by Jiwon Lee, Business Development & Client Relations Manager, Washington, DC
INGREDIENTS
1 can of whole kernel corn
1 can of cream corn
1 box of Jiffy’s corn muffin mix
1 egg
1/2 cup of sugar
1/4 cup of oil or melted butter
1/2 cup of sour cream (optional)
Put all ingredients in a bowl and hand mix a few times until combined.
Pour into cake pan and bake at 350°F for about 25-30 minutes or until
golden brown.
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Holiday Guacamole
Submitted by Jason Armstrong, Marketing Writing Specialist , Los Angeles
INGREDIENTS
5-6 Hass avocados, slightly soft to the
touch
2 large red ripe tomatoes, finely
chopped
1 jalapeño pepper (2 if extra heat is
desired), finely chopped
1 lime
1 small can of chopped black olives
½ cup of finely chopped fresh cilantro
½ cup of finely chopped onion
Garlic salt to taste
Mash avocados into a large bowl–a potato masher works well. Add
chopped tomatoes, jalapeño pepper, olives, cilantro and onion. Squeeze
lime across the mixture and add garlic salt to taste. Blend together with a
fork.
Best served with heated, fresh, lightly salted corn chips.
From Jason:
I make this guacamole recipe year-round, but I particularly enjoy serving it as an
appetizer during festive holiday gatherings. Packed with colorful, flavorful ingredients,
it is a crowd pleaser at any party.
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Green Bean Casserole
Submitted by Ashley Setoudeh, Policy Advisor, Sacramento
INGREDIENTS
5 cups of fresh green beans
4 cups of chicken broth
2 cans condensed cream of mushroom
soup
1 cup diced yellow onion
1 cup diced mushrooms
2 cups of French fried onions
1 cup Cheddar cheese
¼ cup of butter
Garlic powder and pepper to taste
Slice the green beans and boil them for 7-8 minutes in the chicken broth.
Strain the green beans.
Melt the butter in a high heat pan and sauté the onions and mushrooms
until cooked through. Add the cooked green beans, mushroom soup, and
1 cup of French fried onions to the mushroom and onion mixture and add
garlic powder and ground pepper to taste. Mix together well and put into
a greased baking dish.
Bake for 15 minutes then pull out and add 1 cup of French fried onions to
the top. Bake another 10 minutes and pull out and add Cheddar cheese to
the top. Bake again until cheese is melted.
From Ashley:
Every year the green bean casserole is the dish I make for my family Thanksgiving
dinner. This was the first year I tried making green bean casserole with fresh green
beans. I will never turn back to canned green beans for this dish…fresh makes a big
difference! Enjoy!
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Grandma Mary’s Albondigas Soup
Submitted by Denise Trotta, Legal Secretary, Los Angeles
INGREDIENTS
11/2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 handful long grain white rice
1 egg, beaten
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 cups of carrots, peeled and sliced
1 zucchini
14 oz. can of whole or diced tomatoes
1 small can of tomato sauce (use about
½ cup or less for color)
½ cup of long grain rice or 1 small
potato peeled and cubed
1 Tbsp of dried oregano
1 small bunch of fresh cilantro,
chopped
1 can of vegetable broth (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 stalk of celery, sliced
Use a 5 quart dutch oven or stock pot and fill about half-way with water
and add vegetable broth and heat to a boil.
Meanwhile, combine first 4 ingredients and about a ¼ cup of the chopped
cilantro, make into balls, set aside. Once liquid is boiling, add meatballs,
carrots and seasonings, and cook on medium heat.
At this point, decide if you need a little more liquid and add. About 30
minutes later, add tomatoes, cook 1 hour, then add zucchini and half cup
of rice (or cut potato) and cover and then cook another 30 minutes with
lowered heat.
Turn off stove and let soup sit and cool for about 30 minutes so flavors
come together.
Serving suggestion: serve with toasted garlic bread.
From Denise:
On a cold day this was a family favorite and I learned this recipe by standing over the
stove watching my grandmother cook it.
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Shrimp & Avocado Ceviche
Submitted by Cinthia Velez , Legal Secretary, San Francisco
INGREDIENTS
1 lb. medium-small shrimp,
peeled and deveined
2 Tbsp salt
3/4 cup lime juice (juice from 4-6 limes)
3/4 cup lemon juice (juice from 2-3
lemons)
1 cup finely chopped red onion
1 cup chopped cilantro
1 cucumber, peeled diced into 1/2-inch
pieces
1 avocado, peeled, seed removed, cut
into 1/2-inch chunks
2 small Roma tomatoes
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
In a large pot, bring to a boil 4 quarts of water, salted with 2 Tbsp salt. Add
the shrimp and cook for 1 to 2 minutes max, depending on size of shrimp.
(Over-cooking the shrimp will make it rubbery.) Remove shrimp with a
slotted spoon and place into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.
Drain the shrimp. Cut each piece of shrimp in half, or into inch-long pieces.
Place shrimp in a glass or ceramic bowl. Mix in the lime and lemon juice.
Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Mix in the chopped red onion, olive oil and tomatoes. Refrigerate an
additional 30 minutes.
Right before serving, add the cilantro, cucumber, and avocado.
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sweet
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Chocolate Hazelnut Dacquoise
Submitted by Ray Ivey, Legal Technology Trainer, Los Angeles
INGREDIENTS
Meringue
1¼ cup toasted hazelnuts
1 Tbsp cornstarch
Pinch of salt
1 cup sugar (divided)
4 large egg whites, room temperature
¼ tsp cream of tartar
Ganache
12 oz. good quality semi-sweet
chocolate block, chopped
1 cup Nutella Hazelnut Spread
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 cups heavy cream
This is a beautifully assembled dessert that you make with three
components: meringue layers, buttercream, and ganache.
Adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 350°F. Cut a piece of
parchment paper to fit your sheet pan, and with a pencil mark a 13” x 11”
rectangle on the paper. Flip the parchment paper over and grease.
Meringue Layers
Toast the hazelnuts in a 350°F oven for about 20 minutes. Remove the nuts
and lower the oven temperature to 250°F. Remove the skins by putting the
hot nuts in a dishtowel and wrap them for a few minutes. Rub the nuts in
the towel vigorously to remove the skins. Don’t worry that some of the
skins remain.
In food processor, process the almonds, hazelnuts, cornstarch, and salt until
the nuts are finely ground. Add 1/2 cup sugar and pulse until incorporated.
Whip the egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until foamy.
Increase speed to medium-high and whip the whites until soft peaks form.
Gradually adjust the mixer to high speed as you slowly add in remaining
1/2 cup sugar and continue to whip until glossy, stiff peaks form. Gently fold
in nut mixture in two batches, being careful not to deflate the whites.
Bake at 250°F for 75-90 minutes. Turn off heat and leave in oven for an
additional 90 minutes. While waiting, prepare the Chocolate Nutella
Ganache.
Once cooled, carefully invert the layer and, using a ruler, cut it into four
equal pieces. Pour ganache on only three of the pieces and chill to set.
Chocolate Nutella Ganache
Place chocolate in a large mixing bowl. Add Nutella and butter.
Heat cream in a saucepan until very warm, not quite boiling, but a light
simmer. Pour hot cream over chocolate and whisk until chocolate and
butter are melted and well-blended. Allow ganache to set for a little bit
before using.
Continues on next page
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Chocolate Hazelnut Dacquoise, cont.
INGREDIENTS
Nutella Buttercream Frosting
1 lb. unsalted butter, room
temperature
13 oz. of Nutella Hazelnut Spread
2¾ cup powdered sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Nutella Buttercream Frosting
Place the butter and Nutella in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a
paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high for 3 minutes. Add the
powdered sugar ¼ cup at a time. Add the vanilla once all the powdered
sugar has been incorporated. Beat on medium for another 3 minutes until
light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low for 1 minute. This helps to smooth
the icing and release any air bubbles.
Assembly
Spread buttercream generously over the non-ganached plank. This is your
bottom layer. Carefully invert the first ganache layer over the bottom one.
Cover with more buttercream. Repeat for the other two planks (see photo
to the left).
Shape the assembled layers so that their edges are as sharp as you can get
them. Cover carefully with plastic wrap and chill overnight if possible.
Carefully warm up the remaining ganache (using a double boiler). Then let
the ganache sit so that it’s still loose, but not very warm.
Slowly pour ganache over the cake. Smooth over the sides. Chill for a
couple of hours and then repeat until the ganache runs out. This will build
up a smooth, thick outer layer of chocolate.
Garnish as desired and serve.
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photo from U
Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies
Submitted by Katherine Barden, Legislative Assistant, Washington, DC
INGREDIENTS
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla (or 2 tsp peppermint
extract for super peppermint flavor)
4 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate,
melted and cooled
4 large eggs
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1-2 cups powdered soft peppermint
candies
Urban Strawberries
In large bowl, stir sugar, oil, vanilla, and chocolate until well mixed. Stir in
eggs, one at a time. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt. Refrigerate for at
least 3 hours.
Heat oven to 350°F. Grease cookie sheet.
Drop dough in teaspoonfuls into powdered peppermint candy and roll to
coat. Shape into balls and place about 2 inches apart.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until almost no indentation remains when
touched. Move immediately to wire rack to cool.
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Shaker Lemon Pie
Submitted by Katherine Barden, Legislative Assistant, Washington, DC
INGREDIENTS
Crust
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup shortening
1/3 cup and 2 Tbsp frozen butter
2 or 3 Tbsp ice water
Lemon Curd Filling
1 lb.lemons, about 3 medium
or 4 small
2 cups sugar
5 large eggs
1/4 tsp salt
Powdered sugar (for finishing)
Crust:
Mix flour and salt together. Add shortening and using a grater, grate frozen
butter into flour. Using a fork or two knives, cut mixture together. You can
use hands to finish, but do it quickly so you don’t melt everything. Add
1 Tbsp of ice cold water at a time and mix until dough has softened and
comes off side of bowl. Form into disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and put in
refrigerator for 45 minutes, or until dough is set and pliable. Flour the
surface, roll out, and put in pie plate.
Lemon Curd Filling:
Place lemons in large pot and cover with 2” of water. Bring water to full
boil. Replace this water with a fresh batch of water and bring to a steady
boil for 10 minutes. Remove lemons and cool them in a bowl of water. Let
lemons cool completely and drain.
Place the oven rack to its lowest setting, and preheat the oven to 375°F.
Cut lemons into quarters over a strainer and bowl to catch all the juice.
Remove the seeds. Put seeded quarters into food processor and pulse until
largest pieces are no larger than 1/4”. Pour this into bowl with juice and stir
in sugar, eggs, and salt. Pour into crust.
Bake until crust is deeply golden and the filling has set, about 30-35
minutes.
Cool on rack. When cool, sift powdered sugar on top and serve with fresh
whipped cream.
From Katherine:
Usually I use a pie crust, my grandfather’s recipe, but this also can be made as a tart in a
spring form pan. I’ve added crushed almonds to a tart crust, and it has been very tasty.
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50
Rona’s Thumbprint Cookies
Submitted by Jo Ginns, Paralegal, Sacramento
INGREDIENTS
3 sticks of butter
¾ cup sugar
3 egg yolks
3 cups flour
Your favorite jelly or jam
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in egg yolks. Add flour
and mix well.
Roll dough into balls. Indent each ball by pressing thumb into the middle.
Drop a small spoonfull of jelly/jam into the thumbprint.
Bake until the edges are golden brown.
From Jo:
My mother-in-law, Rona, was a fantastic baker. Every holiday, she would bake goodies
for all to enjoy. We’ve missed her presence in our lives since 2000, but we honor her
memory with the delicious recipes that she passed down to the family.
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52
Easy Chocolate Truffles
Submitted by Lorraine Burgess, Legal Secretary, Sacramento
INGREDIENTS
Truffles
18 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 14 oz. can Eagle Brand® sweetened
condensed milk
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
Coatings
Finely chopped toasted nuts
Flaked coconut
Chocolate sprinkles
Colored sprinkles
Unsweetened cocoa
Powdered sugar
Colored sugar
Melt chocolate chips with sweetened condensed milk in large saucepan
over low heat. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.
Pour into medium bowl. Cover and chill for 2–3 hours or until firm.
Shape into 1” balls; roll in desired coating. Chill for 1 hour or until firm.
Makes about 6 dozen small truffles.
From Lorraine:
I used to make fudge every year for Christmas. Then I came across this recipe and
started making these truffles instead. Truffles look decadent and are easy to make. I like
to give these and cookies away as gifts to people who service our needs, letting them
know how much I appreciate what they do – car mechanic, bus drivers, mail delivery
person, etc. I think anything made by hand gives that special touch of showing you
care.
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54
Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Submitted by Sabrina Carden, Management & Compliance Consultant, Sacramento
INGREDIENTS
Coffee Cake
¾ cup sugar
½ cup butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup sour cream
Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and lightly flour bundt pan.
In large bowl, beat sugar and ½ cup butter until light and fluffy. Add vanilla
and eggs; mix well. In small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking
soda and salt. Stir flour mixture and sour cream alternately into sugar
mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
In small bowl, combine all filling/topping ingredients; mix well.
Sprinkle half of filling/topping mixture in pan then cover with half of cake
batter. Sprinkle remaining half of filling/topping mixture; pour remaining
batter in pan.
Bake at 350°F for 35-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes
out clean. Cool in pan for 15 minutes. Invert onto large plate and enjoy!
Filling/Topping
1¼ cups packed brown sugar
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 tsp cinnamon
3 Tbsp butter, melted
55
56
Pizzelles
Submitted by Beth Cassioli, Legal Secretary, Los Angeles
INGREDIENTS
3 eggs
13/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp anise seed or extract (optional)
1/2 cups butter, melted
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Beat eggs and sugar. Add cooled melted butter, vanilla, and anise.
Sift flour and baking powder and add to egg mixture.
Drop the stiff batter by spoon onto the pizzelle iron.
The batter can be refrigerated and used at a later time.
Makes about 30 pizzelles.
From Beth:
Growing up on the south side of Butler, PA, where a majority of immigrant Italian
families resided, my mother and I would make pizzelles for Christmas. Although we
truly enjoyed making and eating pizzelles, they could only be made once a year.
Why? Well, only 1 or 2 families on the south side owned a pizzelle iron. The owners of
the pizzelle iron would pass along the iron from family to family during the Christmas
season. My mother would make the batter and drop it on the hot iron for me. She told
me to count to 10 and then turn the handle of the iron so that the other side of the
pizzelle would cook. Another count of 10 and the pizzelle was placed on an brown
grocery bag to cool. Once they were cooled, we stacked and wrapped the pizzelles
away until midnight mass on Christmas Eve when they were brought out for an aftermass party.
57
58
Pumpkin Cheesecake
Submitted by Ashley Remillard, Associate, Orange County
INGREDIENTS
Crust
13/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 Tbsp light brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 stick melted salted butter
Filling
24 oz. cream cheese,
room temperature
1 15-oz. can pureed pumpkin
3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1/4 cup sour cream
11/2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Crust:
In medium bowl, combine crumbs, sugar and cinnamon. Add melted
butter. Press down flat into a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.
Filling:
Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add pumpkin puree, eggs, egg yolk, sour
cream, sugar and the spices. Add flour and vanilla. Beat together until well
combined.
Pour into crust. Spread out evenly and place in oven for 1 hour. Remove
from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and
refrigerate for 4 hours.
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60
Overnight Cardamom-Scented Cinnamon Rolls
Submitted by Kevin Boyd, Creative and Marketing Technology Specialist, Sacramento
INGREDIENTS
Dough
4 large egg yolks, room temperature
1 large whole egg, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup buttermilk, room temperature
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp active dry yeast
1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
Vegetable oil or cooking spray
Filling
1 cup light brown sugar
11/2 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/3 cup chopped pecans
Pinch of salt
11/2 Tbsp melted unsalted butter
Dough:
In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whisk the egg
yolks, whole egg, sugar, butter, and buttermilk. Add approximately 2 cups
of the flour along with the yeast and salt; whisk until moistened and
combined. Remove the whisk attachment and replace with a dough hook.
Add an additional 11/4 cups of the remaining flour and knead on low speed
for 5 minutes. Check the consistency of the dough, and add more flour, up
to 3/4 cup, if necessary; the dough should feel soft and moist but not sticky.
Knead on low speed 5 minutes more or until the dough clears the sides of
the bowl. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface; knead by
hand about 30 seconds. Lightly oil a large bowl. Transfer the dough to the
bowl, lightly oil the top of the dough, cover and let double in volume, 2-21/2
hours.
Filling:
Combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl.
Mix until well incorporated. Add raisins and pecans. Mix well. Set aside
until ready to use.
Rolls:
Butter a 9 by 13-inch glass baking dish. Turn the dough out onto a lightly
floured work surface. Gently shape the dough into a rectangle with the
long side nearest you. Roll into an 18 by 12-inch rectangle. Brush the
dough with the 3/4-ounce of melted butter, leaving 1/2-inch border along
the top edge. Sprinkle the filling mixture over the dough, leaving a 3/4-inch
border along the top edge; gently press the filling into the dough.
Beginning with the long edge nearest you, roll the dough into a tight
cylinder. Firmly pinch the seam to seal and roll the cylinder seam side
down. Very gently squeeze the cylinder to create even thickness. Using a
serrated knife, slice the cylinder into 11/2-inch rolls; yielding 12 rolls.
Arrange rolls cut side down in the baking dish; cover tightly with plastic
wrap and store in the refrigerator overnight.
Continues on next page
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62
Overnight Cardamom-Scented Cinnamon Rolls, cont.
INGREDIENTS
Icing
4 oz. Cream cheese, softened
3 Tbsp Milk
11/2 cups Powdered Sugar
1/2 tsp Cardamom
Zest of one orange
Baking:
Remove the rolls from the refrigerator and place in an oven that is turned
off. Fill a shallow pan 2/3-full of boiling water and set on the rack below the
rolls. Close the oven door and let the rolls rise until they look slightly puffy;
approximately 35 minutes. Remove the rolls and the shallow pan of water
from the oven.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
When the oven is ready, place the rolls on the middle rack and bake until
golden brown, or until the internal temperature reaches 190°F on an
instant-read thermometer, approximately 30 minutes. Do not overcook.
While the rolls are cooling slightly, make the icing by beating the cream
cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer until creamy. Add the milk and mix
until combined. Sift in the powdered sugar, cardamom, and orange zest,
and beat until smooth. Spread over the rolls and serve immediately.
From Kevin:
I’ve made these rolls to the delight of my family and friends for many years. I’ve found
that using a springform pan, like you would use for a cheesecake, makes these rolls stay
moist and chewy.
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64
Heltrando-Chiri Cranberry Almond Biscotti
Submitted by Janet Chiri Esposito, Legal Secretary, San Francisco
INGREDIENTS
21/4 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cube margarine
1 Tbsp vegetable shortening
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 whole eggs
1 egg white for mixture
1 egg yolk, beaten, for brushing tops
of biscotti
1 Tbsp almond extract
1 cup sliced, toasted almonds
1 6-oz. package of “Craisins” (dried
cranberries)
Cream margarine and shortening with sugar and almond extract. Add
whole eggs and egg white and beat thoroughly.
In a separate bowl combine dry ingredients (except almonds and Craisins).
Add combined dry ingredients to creamed mixture, mixing until just moist.
Then add almonds and Craisins, mix thoroughly.
On floured surface, divide mixture into 4 loaves. Then place them on a
greased cookie sheet, about 1" apart. Pat loaves down (squish ’em a little),
then brush the loaves with beaten egg yolk. Sprinkle tops with sugar, if
desired.
Bake at 325°F for 15-20 minutes, until very barely light brown. Cool slightly,
then cut each loaf diagonally into 1-inch-thick slices (a little thicker if you
prefer). Leave in same position on cookie sheet as the loaf was before
cutting, and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes at 300°F.
If you want larger biscotti, simply make 3 loaves instead of 4.
From Janet:
This biscotti recipe has been handed down through my family’s generations. They turn
out slightly soft and pleasing to eat – not hard, dry and crunchy. Not mentioned in the
recipe: once completely cooled, they freeze well when placed in an air-tight freezer bag;
AND they’re extra yummy when dipped in melted semi-sweet chocolate, then allowed
to dry. Delizioso!
If you omit the cranberries and almond extract, this is a good “basic” biscotti recipe to
add different ingredients (such as anise oil and fennel seed; orange zest with crushed
hazelnuts; etc.). The dough gets very thick like bread dough; a mixer with a dough hook
works best. If you’re mixing by hand —­you’re gonna have some buffed arm muscles
after baking these!
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66
Christmas Fruit Cake
Submitted by Andrée Blais, Partner, Los Angeles
INGREDIENTS
1½ cups butter
21/3 cups brown sugar
9 eggs
2½ cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp nutmeg
1 cup pineapple juice
2 lbs. raisins (half light color and half
medium color)
1 lb. glazed fruit
½ pound mixed peel fruit
1 lb. cherries
1 lb. glazed pineapples
1 lb. coconut
1 cup jelly (either apple,
cranberry or currant)
1 cup flour
½ lb. almonds
½ lb. pecans
1 lb. Brazil nuts
.
Cream together butter and brown sugar. Add eggs. Combine flour, baking
powder, and nutmeg, then add to butter and sugar and mix until
combined.
In another bowl combine raisins (half light color and half medium color),
glazed fruit, mixed peel fruit, cherries, glazed pineapples, coconut, and
jelly. Pour over pineapple juice and mix.
Pour remaining 1 cup of flour over almonds, pecans, and Brazil nuts.
Mix it all together. Bake in lined loaf pans at 275°F for 3½–4 hours. Take
steps to keep cake from drying out as it slowly bakes—put a pan of water
in the oven and wrap the outside of the loaf pans with foil.
Don’t forget to wrap—and frequently rewrap—the cakes in cloths
moistened with dark rum and keep them cool—but do not freeze.
For prettier fruit cake slices, put the nuts and fruit in whole.
From Andrée:
This fruit cake is prepared in November and then wrapped in cloths moistened with
dark rum and stored in the cold room. During the holidays the cake is presented in
very thin slices as an after dinner treat. This recipe comes from my Great Grandma
Gruending and is an essential part of our holiday festivities every year.
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68
Cheesecake-Filled Pumpkin Cupcakes
Submitted by Tom Curtis, Partner, Orange County
INGREDIENTS
Cupcakes
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 large eggs, plus 1 large egg white
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
11/2 cups flour
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
11/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
Frosting
2 Tbsp butter, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
Cupcakes:
Place a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350°F degrees.
Line a 12-cup muffin pan with baking liners. Using an electric mixer, beat
the cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar for 3 minutes. Beat in egg white
and 1/2 tsp vanilla.
In a bowl, whisk the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and 1/2 tsp
salt. In another bowl, mix the pumpkin puree, 2 eggs, granulated sugar, oil
and 1 tsp vanilla. Whisk in the flour mixture.
Layer each muffin cup with some of the pumpkin batter, then the cream
cheese mixture, then more of the batter. Bake until springy to the touch,
25 minutes. Let cool.
Frosting:
Combine butter, vanilla, and cream cheese in a medium bowl; beat with a
mixer at medium speed until combined. Gradually add the powdered
sugar, beating until well combined.
Spread the frosting evenly on the cupcakes.
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70
Crock Pot Apple Butter
Submitted by Barney Allison, Partner, Los Angeles
INGREDIENTS
3 lbs. of organic apples (about 4 Gala
and 2 Green apples), peeled, cored
and sliced ¼ thick
2/3 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup sugar
2½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
½ tsp allspice
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp salt
1 cup unfiltered, organic apple cider
1 Tbsp organic apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 Tbsp Meyer lemon juice
Place apples in 5 quart crock pot (about half full).
Place brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger and
salt in a bowl and toss to combine. Sprinkle over apples and toss several
times to combine.
Pour apple cider and apple cider vinegar over apple mixture and toss to
combine. Cover crock pot and heat on low for 17 hours. Do not remove lid.
After 17 hours, remove lid and mash apple mixture with a large fork. Cook
with lid off for an additional 1½ hours or until thick and most of liquid had
been removed.
Place apple mixture in a blender or food processor and pulse until smooth.
Add butter and lemon juice and stir to combine.
Place in refrigerator until ready to use.
From Heidi Allison, wife of Barney:
Nothing is more comforting in the fall than homemade apple pie, and this rich, thick
apple butter tastes just like apple pie on a spoon! Not too sweet, deeply complex and
nuanced, this recipe is made in the French fashion for jams: cooked for at least 17 hours
and at a low temperature, which creates flavor that captures the essence of the fruit,
rather than sugar. This “low-and slow” time-honored culinary technique also creates a
wonderfully thick texture that does not rely on pectin additives.
While any apples will do, another culinary trick that creates a rich depth of flavor is to
use at least two different types of Organic Apples — tart Green Apples and sweet Red
Apples, to create balance and complexity. I like to use organic, green Granny Smith
and organic red Gala Apples. But whatever is organic and fresh will be your best bet.
Try using two types of red apples and one green apple, for even more nuance of flavor!
While most apple butter recipes use cloves as part of the spice blend, I find this spice
overpowering, and switch out cloves for Ground Ginger instead.
This recipe could not be easier – rather that simmering and stirring the fruit mixture in
copper pots for 17 hours, this rendition is made in your crock pot. If you want to “hurry
it up”, just reduce the amount of apple cider. And don’t forget the butter at the end—it is
a secret ingredient that adds richness, and smooths out the flavor.
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72
Pumpkin Cheesecake with Whiskey-Caramel Sauce
Submitted by Courtney Krause, Associate, San Francisco
INGREDIENTS
Crust
3/4 cup gingersnap crumbs
1/2 cup pecans (1 3/4 oz.), finely chopped
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter,
melted and cooled
Filling
11/2 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin
3 large eggs
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 Tbsp heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp cornstarch
3 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
24 oz. cream cheese, at room
temperature
Topping
2 cups sour cream
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
Crust:
Invert bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan (to create flat bottom, which will
make it easier to remove cake from pan), then lock on side and butter pan.
Stir together crumbs, pecans, sugars, and butter in a bowl until well
combined. Press crumb mixture evenly onto bottom and 1/2 inch up side of
pan. Chill crust for 1 hour.
Filling:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
Whisk together pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar, cream, and vanilla in a bowl
until combined.
Stir together granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and
salt in large bowl. Add cream cheese and beat with an electric mixer at
high speed until creamy and smooth, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to
medium, then add pumpkin mixture and beat until smooth.
Pour filling into crust, smoothing top, then put spring form pan in a
shallow baking pan or wrap the bottom of the pan in foil (in case it leaks).
Bake until center is just set, 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool 5
minutes. (Leave oven on.)
Topping:
Whisk together sour cream and sugar in a bowl, then spread on top of
cheesecake and bake 5 minutes.
Cool cheesecake completely in pan on rack, about 3 hours. Chill, covered,
until cold, at least 4 hours. Remove side of pan and bring to room
temperature before serving with Whiskey-Caramel sauce (see pg. 75).
From Courtney:
I have been making this cheesecake since college. It started off as holiday experiment,
but has remained in heavy demand over the years. It has made the menu for
Thanksgiving, Christmas and even birthdays!
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74
Whiskey-Caramel Sauce
Submitted by Courtney Krause, Associate, San Francisco
INGREDIENTS
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
6 Tbsp Irish whiskey
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp salt
Bring sugar and water to a boil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over mediumhigh heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Boil without stirring, but
washing down any sugar crystals with a brush dipped in cold water, until
syrup begins to turn golden, about 5 minutes. Continue to boil, swirling
pan occasionally, until syrup is a deep golden caramel.
Remove pan from heat and carefully add whiskey, cream, and salt (mixture
will bubble up and steam and caramel will harden). Be careful, the steam
can scald your fingers and hand.
Return pan to heat and simmer, stirring, until caramel is dissolved and
sauce is smooth. Cool to warm.
To serve: slice cheesecake and drizzle caramel sauce over each piece.
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76
Pineapple Custard Cake
Submitted by Marion Tom, Legal Secretary, San Francisco
INGREDIENTS
1 box of yellow or French vanilla
cake mix and ingredients on cake
mix to prepare
1 large box of French vanilla pudding
mix
20 oz. can crushed pineapple (and
juice)
1 cup sugar
11/2 cups flaked sweetened coconut
(toasted in oven for 10 minutes)
1 cup of heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup sugar
Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare cake mix as directed and pour into a
greased 13x9 pan; bake 30-35 minutes.
During last 10 minutes of baking, spread flaked coconut in pie pan and
bake 10 minutes alongside cake. Edge will burn faster than middle. Upon
removing from oven, mix flakes together and allow to cool. When cooled,
put into plastic bag until ready to use.
While cake is baking, combine crushed pineapple and sugar and bring to a
boil, then simmer 15 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before cake is done.
Remove cake from oven and pierce holes into cake (I use the small end of a
chopstick). Poke holes evenly throughout cake.
Pour pineapple mixture over hot cake and set aside for 1 to 2 hours.
Prepare pudding mix and spread over cooled cake. Refrigerate until
chilled.
Prepare whipped cream with 1/3 cup sugar and spread over top of cake.
Immediately before serving cake, garnish with toasted coconut.
From Marion:
This is a crowd favorite. I will prepare up to adding the pudding and whipped cream
and then finish the pudding and whipped cream when I get to my destination.
Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving. Do not garnish with toasted coconut until ready
to serve or it’ll become soggy. 77
78
Sweet Holiday Sweet Potato Souffle’
Submitted by Andrew Cogan, Records Coordinator, Los Angeles
INGREDIENTS
5 or 6 small sweet potatoes
2 Tbsp real butter
½ cup pineapple juice
Dash of salt
¾ cup chopped nuts (use your
favorites)
½ cup of raisins
1 bag of marshmallows
Boil the potatoes until they are completely soft. Drain well. Skin potatoes.
Mash potatoes until perfectly smooth. Add butter and pineapple juice.
Beat the potatoes until they are light and smooth. Add salt.
Mix in the nuts and raisins.
Place in a greased baking dish.
Cover the top with a layer of marshmallows. They will bake down into the
potatoes.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Bake for about 30 minutes or until the marshmallows have fully browned.
Let cool if desired and serve in slices.
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80
Season of Joy Bars
Submitted by Andrew Cogan, Records Coordinator, Los Angeles
INGREDIENTS
¼ cup butter
¾ cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup flour minus 1 Tbsp
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp water
1/3 cup chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Cream together the butter and brown sugar. Add the egg.
Measure the flour ensuring that it is 1 Tbsp less than a cup. Add the baking
powder to the flour and mix them together, then add to previous mix.
Add the vanilla extract, water and the chocolate chips. Mix vigorously.
Spread into 8" greased pan. Place in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes.
Let cool and slice into rectangular shaped bars.
Enjoy!
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82
“Land of Nod” Cinnamon Buns
Submitted by Mary Lynn Coffee, Partner, Orange County
INGREDIENTS
20 frozen dough rolls
1 cup brown sugar
¼ cup vanilla instant pudding
1-2 Tbsp cinnamon
¾ cup pecan pieces
¼ cup raisins (optional)
½ cup melted butter
Before you turn off the lights and head to bed, grease a 10" bundt pan and
add frozen rolls. Sprinkle with brown sugar, pudding powder, cinnamon,
nuts and raisins. Pour melted butter over all. Cover with a clean damp
cloth, and leave out at room temperature overnight. Turn out the lights
and say good night!
In the morning, preheat oven to 350°F, then bake for 25-30 minutes or until
brown. Let sit for 5 minutes.
Turn out on a serving plate, decorate with a bow in the middle, and enjoy!
From Mary Lynn:
This recipe is perfect because you can sleep in on holiday mornings and still eat well!
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84
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cheesecake
Submitted by Steve Wiman, Partner, Los Angeles
INGREDIENTS
Crust
30 chocolate sandwich cookies
6 Tbsp butter, melted
Dash of salt
Cheesecake
32 oz. cream cheese
5 eggs
1½ cups brown sugar
1 cup smooth peanut butter
½ cup cream
1 tsp vanilla
12 oz. Reese’s Peanut Butter miniature
cups, unwrapped and roughly
chopped
Topping
½ cup cream
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 8 oz. package Reese’s Minis
Preheat oven to 325°F.
Crust:
Put the chocolate sandwich cookies in a food processor and process until
they form fine crumbs. Add in the butter and salt and process to combine.
Press the mixture into the bottom and halfway up the sides of a 9"
springform pan. Bake for 10-12 minutes, then set aside to cool. Wrap
aluminum foil around the sides and the bottom of the springform pan
tightly to ensure water cannot leak through.
Filling:
Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add in the eggs, one at a time,
scraping down the sides of the bowl in between each addition. Add in the
brown sugar, peanut butter, cream and vanilla; beat until combined.
Gently fold in the chopped up Reese’s Miniatures. Pour the mixture into
the cooled crust.
Place the pan inside a larger pan and carefully add about 1 inch of hot
water in the larger pan. Bake the cheesecake until it is just set, about 1
hour 15 minutes. Turn off the oven and allow the temperature to come
down gently for about an hour. Remove from the oven, cool completely,
then refrigerate.
Topping:
Heat the cream until simmering, just before boiling. Remove from the heat
and add the chocolate chips. Allow the mixture to sit for a couple minutes,
then stir until smooth. Pour over the top of the cheesecake, allowing it to
drip down the sides. Sprinkle the Reese’s Minis over the top of the
cheesecake.
From Steve:
Rich and decadent, this peanut butter cheesecake starts with a cookie crust, is filled
with Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, then topped with a chocolate ganache and even more
peanut butter cups.
85
photo: Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times
86
Death by Lemon Torte
Submitted by Steve Wiman, Partner, Los Angeles
INGREDIENTS
11/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 large egg
1 stick unsalted butter, chilled and
cut into 1/2” cubes
Rind & juice of 5 lemons
11 large eggs
2 cups sugar
11/2 cups heavy cream
Glaze
1/3 cup apricot preserves, melted
Toasted almonds, slivered
In a mixer with the paddle attachment, combine flour, sugar, and butter.
Mix until mixture resembles coarse oatmeal. Add the egg and mix until
blended. Chill 1 hour in refrigerator.
Butter 9” springform (cheesecake) pan. Press the crust along the bottom
and about 2/3 of the way up the sides of the pan. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Whisk eggs and sugar until well mixed. Add cream, lemon juice and rind,
stir well. Pour into crust.
Bake about 35-45 minutes. Time will vary depending on your oven. Cake
should be even, golden brown color and springy to the touch. Smell is a
good indicator as well. If you can smell it, most likely it is done.
Cool completely, then spread with melted apricot preserves and slivered
almonds. Serve with whipped cream.
Original recipe from:
The Los Angeles Times
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88
Black Walnut Pound Cake
Submitted by Terry Velasquez, Legal Secretary, Austin
INGREDIENTS
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
3 cups sugar
5 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup black walnuts, chopped
Beat butter and shortening at medium speed with an electric mixer about
2 minutes or until soft and creamy.
Gradually add sugar, beating at me­dium speed for 5-7 minutes; add eggs,
one at a time, beating just until yellow disappears.
Combine flour and baking powder; add to creamed mixture alternately
with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix just until blended
after each addition. Stir in vanilla and walnuts.
Pour batter into a greased and floured 10" bundt or loaf pan. Bake at 325°F
for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes
out clean.
Cool in pan for 10 to 15 minutes; remove from pan, and let cool completely
on a wire rack.
From Terry:
In 1824, in The Virginia Housewife, Mary Randolph talks of adding the common black
walnut to ice cream. Use this jewel in poundcake to add flavor and a texture variation.
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Key Lime Pie
Submitted by Jane Towell, Research Librarian, Washington, DC
INGREDIENTS
14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup key lime juice (Nellie & Joe’s
Famous Key West Lime Juice)
1 graham cracker crust pie shell
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Mix sweetened condensed milk and egg yolks at low speed. Add key lime
juice slowly continuing to mix at low speed. Mix until thick (about 3
minutes or so).
Pour into pie shell.
Bake for 20 minutes. Remove and cool on rack. Refrigerate overnight.
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Best Pumpkin Bread on the Planet Earth
Submitted by John Smolen, Associate, Washington, DC
INGREDIENTS
31/3 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1½ tsp sea salt
1 tsp Saigon cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp freshly ground cloves
1½ cups refined sugar
1½ cups dark brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil (or, 1/3 cup
vegetable oil, 2/3 cup apple sauce)
4 eggs
2/3 cup water
2 cups pumpkin pie filling
(or 2 cups of canned pumpkin)
Mix and sift dry ingredients. Make a well in the center and add eggs, water,
and oil (or oil/apple sauce) and mix well. Add pumpkin and mix well.
Grease and flour loaf pan(s); fill halfway.
Bake at 350°F for 50-60 min.
Serve warm with fresh butter or fresh cream cheese.
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photo from ChowHound
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Marshmallow Sauce
Submitted by Patricia Cooper, Regional Office Administrator, Sacramento / San Francisco
INGREDIENTS
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup hot water
2/3 cup light corn syrup
2 egg whites
1/2 tsp vanilla
Dash salt
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp grated orange rind
Combine sugar, corn syrup and hot water. Heat, stirring until sugar
dissolves. Then boil, without stirring, to firm ball stage (244°F to 248°F on
candy thermometer).
Beat egg whites to stiff peaks. Slowly add hot syrup beating at high speed
until thick and fluffy. Add salt and vanilla.
Gently fold in mayonnaise and orange rind. If too thick, fold in 1 to 2 Tbsp
more mayonnaise, or 1 to 2 tsp water.
Keep refrigerated until served.
From Patricia:
I actually got this from the old Nut Tree in Vacaville – always have this as an appetizer
with fresh pineapple, oranges and strawberries.
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Kahlua Bundt Cake
Submitted by Patricia Cooper, Regional Office Administrator, Sacramento / San Francisco
INGREDIENTS
Cake
1 Butter cake mix
8 oz. sour cream
1/4 cup Kahlua
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup Crisco shortening
4 eggs
2 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
In a large bowl combine first five ingredients. Add eggs and mix well.
Pour 1/2 of the mixture into a well-greased bundt cake pan.
Pour 1/2 of brown sugar mixture on top of cake mixture. Pour remaining
cake mixture on top of brown sugar mixture. Sprinkle remaining brown
sugar mixture on cake mixture.
Bake at 350°F for 1 hour–insert a cake tester (toothpick, thin knife) at
50 minutes to see if cake is done … and again at 55 minutes if needed.
Cool in pan 10-15 minutes. Put on a plate and pour on glaze.
Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
3 Tbsp Kahlua
Chopped walnuts
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May you find the perfect recipe for
a joyous holiday season!
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