I have been thumbing through Nigella Lawson cookbooks (I have three), contemplating what to make for Christmas Eve dinner. I’m having a hard time of it, though. Not because Nigella doesn’t have many fabulous recipes-- she does-- but because I get caught up in reading those recipes, even when it isn’t something I would ever eat. Just reading this makes me drool:
Chocolate Raspberry Pavlova
You just cannot beat a pav in summer, and in particular this dark beauty. The crisp and chewy chocolate meringue base, rich in cocoa and beaded nuggets of chopped plain chocolate, provides a sombre, almost purple-brown layer beneath the fat whiteness of the cream and matt, glowering crimson raspberries on top: it is a killer combination.
I love cookbooks, but I love words even more… and Nigella (or her ghostwriter?) has a way with words. It doesn’t hurt that she’s hotter than her pre-heated oven, either. And did I mention her accent? Swoon.
See why I’m having problems planning my Christmas Eve dinner menu?
Martha Stewart is a goddess. I was looking for a yummy chocolate cookie recipe (because, you know, the two dozen cookbooks I have— some of them specifically chocolate cookbooks— don’t have enough chocolate recipes) and came across this beauty. I will be making these tomorrow night come hell, high water or fallen Christmas tree and I may eat every last cookie by myself. So there.
Outrageous Chocolate Cookies
Makes 2 dozen; Prep time: 20 minutes; Total time: 45 minutes
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chunks
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Heat chopped chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl in 20-second increments, stirring in between, until almost melted; do not overheat. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
2. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla on high speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low; beat in melted chocolate. Mix in flour mixture until just combined. Stir in chocolate chunks.
3. Drop heaping tablespoons of dough 2 to 3 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are shiny and crackly yet soft in centers, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on sheets 10 minutes; with a thin metal spatula, transfer to racks to cool completely.
Notes:
1. Don’t worry if the batter seems thin. It should look more like brownie batter than cookie dough.
2. Do not bake the cookies to a crisp; they are meant to be soft and chewy. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for two to three days.
I vaguely remember my mother doing Weight Watchers when I was a kid. Then she tried Atkins. Then she tried a diet that involved eating grapefruit and bananas every two hours or something. I lost track of all the diets she tried, but that’s okay because they keep coming back! Retro-diets are hot! Now you can diet like they did in the 70’s, but without the platform sandals and orange bell bottoms!
I saw the link to this frightening collection of recipes at Put Down the Donut and had to share. For anyone who has ever tried Weight Watchers (hello, Rose!), this should be proof that the folks at Weight Watchers are not only rolling in the dough after thirty-something years of watching the country’s weight, they’re also laughing all the way to the bank.
Personally, I’m planning on making Mexican Shrimp Orange Salad and Chicken Liver Bake for my next dinner party! Who wants to come?? But please, for the love of all that is good in the world, I’m begging you not to bring the dreaded Liver Pate en Masque.
Perhaps the original intent of Weight Watchers was to help you lose weight through food aversion therapy. Hmm?
The Pasta Fagioli was amazing. I added zucchini, beef broth and more cheese than the recipe called for. It was thick and rich and yummy. Definitely a recipe I’ll use again.
Speaking of recipes, I need to post my apple pie recipe from Thanksgiving. It was really good and I’m not big on pie.
The holidays are here and I haven’t done any holiday baking. I have cooking and baking to do this week for various things (a birthday cake for Thursday; lasagna and another cake for a work party on Friday; chili and yet another cake, as well as some other goodies, for a Navy party on Sunday), but I haven’t started my annual cookie, brownie, fudge, candy extravaganza. I should, hopefully, have some time next week. What would Christmas be without chocolate chip cookies and two kinds of fudge?
I’ll starve myself in January…
I’m cold. I’m sleepy. I’m grumpy. I need comfort food.
I think I’m going to make this for dinner:
Pasta Fagioli
1 tablespoon diced garlic 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 diced purple onion
1/2 cup chopped (or torn) fresh cilantro
1 can Italian style tomatoes
1 can Cannellini beans (white kidney beans)
1 can Kidney Beans, dark or light
6 oz of small shell pasta
4-6 oz. of spicy italian sausage
1 small can of tomato sauce
1 cup of water
1 cup of white wine
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
Heat oil in large stock pot and brown the sausage with the garlic and onion. Add all remaining ingredients, except for the pasta shells and shredded cheese. Simmer until heated through and beans are tender. Toss in the pasta and cook until pasta is al dente.
Serve with sprinkling of shredded parmesan to taste.
The recipe is courtesy of the multi-talented Joelle. I’ll probably add a few more vegetables and some beef broth to make it heartier.
Yum. I’m hungry. Thanks for the idea, Joelle.
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Sex. Books. Movies. Travel. Politics. Feminism. Academia. Insomnia. Rants. Raves. Chocolate. Lots of chocolate. Some names have been changed, some stories have been embellished. Thanks for stopping by and beware of the dog. Read more...
