Brewster Berrie Smoothie

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...We normally are restrained breakfast eaters, but when we travel, bacon and eggs and hearty breakfast fare become the order of the day. The Silver Fox and I did not follow that pattern this year. We were on Cape Cod during a period of really high heat and humidity. We were prepared for the heat, but the humidity caught us, and I might add the locals, completely by surprise. The weather was not conducive to a trencherman's breakfast, so I quickly substituted a series of smoothies that our peckish appetites would be better able to handle. While the smoothie that I'm featuring today has a hint of sweetness,  I honestly would have to describe it as tartly refreshing rather than sweet.  We enjoyed it and I think those of you who give it a try will like it as well. It is extremely easy to make, and your breakfast will come together in about 5 minutes, if you have all the ingredients at hand. The cranberries add gorgeous color and flavor to a smoothie that would be quite ordinary without them. I freeze quantities of cranberries every year, so I always have a supply of them on hand for recipes such as this one. I have noticed that our local markets now carry cranberries in their frozen fruit section, so I suspect they are  available year round in most areas.I do hope you'll give this recipe a try. I think you'll enjoy this refreshing smoothie. Here is how it is made.

Brewster Berrie Smoothie...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Carol Berrie

Ingredients:
1/2 cup frozen sliced strawberries
1/4 cup frozen cranberries
1-1/2 cups orange juice
1/2 cup cranberry juice
6-oz. raspberry yogurt
1 large scoop vanilla frozen yogurt

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a blender jar and process until smooth. Serve in tall glasses while still frosty. Yield: 2 servings.

If you have enjoyed your visit here, I hope you'll take a minute to...

      

One Year Ago Today: Pavlova with Lemon Curd and Mixed Berries

Two Years Ago Today: Frenchified Meatloaf

Three years Ago Today: Curried Egg Salad

Four Years Ago Today: Warm Sausage and Potato Salad

Maple Flavored Cranberry and Cornmeal Quick Bread

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a nice recipe to have on hand when you're responsible for providing meeting sweets and treats. The recipe can be made with a bowl and wooden spoon if need be, and while it comes together quickly, I've found that the flavor of the bread vastly improves if it is made the day before you plan to serve it. The original recipe, which can be found here, was developed by Susan Reid for Bon Appetit magazine and the cranberries make it a perfect quick bread to serve at this time of year. The addition of cornmeal adds a nice, slightly grainy texture to the bread and gives the crust wonderful color. This is one of those recipes that will neither make nor break your reputation as a cook. It is a filler. The bread is easy to make and it's nice to have a loaf for those unplanned eventualities that seem to occur at this time of year. Here's how it is made.

Maple Flavored Cranberry and Cornmeal Quick Bread...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Bon Appetit magazine

Ingredients:
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour
1 cup medium-grind whole grain cornmeal or regular cornmeal
1/2 cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/4 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon maple extract
3/4 cup chopped pecans plus 10 pecan halves for garnish
3/4 cup dried cranberries (about 4 ounces)

Directions:
1) Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 x 5 x 3-inch metal loaf pan with nonstick spray.
2) Whisk both flours, cornmeal, sugar, salt, and baking powder in large bowl. Whisk buttermilk, melted butter, maple syrup, eggs, and extract in medium bowl. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture, stirring to blend. Fold in chopped pecans and cranberries. Spoon batter into pan. Arrange pecan halves in row down center of batter.
3) Bake bread until top is golden brown and paring knife inserted into center of bread comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Tent bread loosely with foil if browning too quickly. Cool in pan on rack 20 minutes. Turn out onto rack; cool. Yield 1 loaf.

One Year Ago Today: Quick-Fix Orange Ginger Chicken

Two Years Ago Today: Marionberry Muffins

Three Years Ago Today: Braised Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Golden Raisin

Figgy Pudding

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite..."Now, bring us some figgy pudding and bring some out here". I'm sure you've heard this secular carol, but have you ever had the pudding the carolers demanded as a reward for their singing? Both the carol and the pudding have stories that are intertwined. In old England, groups of traveling singers would entertain the wealthy for food or pay. These groups were called "waits" and they were extremely popular at Christmastime. There was a Christian tradition of showering them with gifts to thank them for their music. "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" is one of the songs they used to regale their listeners and Christmas pudding is one of the foods used to reward them for their performance. The tradition and this carol were resurrected in Victorian England by carolers who included the song in their repertoire. The distribution of the pudding is even older than the carol and dates back to to 16th century. At that time, the Catholic Church decreed that it should be made on the Sunday before the beginning of Advent, also known as Stir-Up Day. The pudding traditionally would contain 13 ingredients to represent Christ and the 12 apostles. Every member of the family was expected to help stir the pudding , rotating from east to west to commemorate the path traveled by the Magi as they searched for the Christ child. As time went on, coins and other small treasure were buried in the batter and steamed with the pudding. These tokens were thought to bring luck to the person who found them. I've shared another version of Christmas pudding with you, as well as one for a Three Kings Cake that is intended especially for children. I wanted to try a new version this year and as soon as I read Dorie Greenspan's recipe I knew I found what I was looking for. It sounded delicious, though the amount of brandy and rum used in its preparation, make it a truly adult affair. There are lots recipes that soak fruit before adding it to the ingredient mix. The figs and raisins used here are truly soused. If quizzed, many folks express their dislike of fruitcake or Christmas puddings. I'm not a missionary and my intent is not to dissuade them, but I'd love to have them try this version before they completely rule out those desserts. This pudding is like a spice cake that is used to hold fruit and nuts in suspension. It is really lovely. I made two changes to the recipe that I have not noted below. I used a well greased pudding mold instead of a bundt pan to make our pudding. I also added a cup of toasted walnuts to the batter. I flamed the the figs and raisins as suggested by the recipe and I will flame the pudding at the table when I serve it on Christmas Day. I hope you'll give this a try. I think you'll love it. It is a perfect way to end an English-style Christmas dinner. Here's how it is made.

Figgy Pudding...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Dorie Greenspan

Ingredients:
12 plump dried Calymyrna figs, snipped into small pieces
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup dark rum
1/3 cup cognac or brandy
1/2 cup raisins
1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 (packed) cup brown sugar
2 cups fresh white bread crumbs (made from about 8 inches of baguette)
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup dried cherries
1 cup dried cranberries
Optional: 1/3 cup brandy, cognac or rum, to flame the pudding
Lightly sweetened whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or applesauce for serving

Directions:
1) Getting ready: You’ll need a tube pan with a capacity of 8 to 10 cups — a Bundt or Kugelhopf pan is perfect here — and a stock pot that can hold the pan. (If you’ve got a lobster pot, use that; it’ll be nice and roomy.) Put a double thickness of paper toweling in the bottom of the pot — it will keep the pudding from jiggling too much while it’s steaming. Spray the tube pan with cooking spray, then butter it generously, making sure to give the center tube a good coating
2) Put the figs and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and, keeping an eye on the pan, cook until the water is almost evaporated. Add the cognac or brandy, rum and raisins and bring the liquids back to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat, make sure it’s in an open space, have a pot cover at hand and, standing back, set the liquid aflame. Let the flames burn for 2 minutes, then extinguish them by sealing the pan with the pot cover. For a milder taste, burn the rum and brandy until the flames die out on their own. Set the pan aside uncovered.
3) Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and salt and keep at hand.
4) Working in a mixing bowl with a whisk, beat the eggs and brown sugar together until well blended. Switch to a rubber spatula and stir in the bread crumbs, followed by the melted butter and the fig mixture (liquids included). Add the dry ingredients to the bowl and gently mix them in — you’ll have a thick batter. Fold in the cherries and cranberries.
5) Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and seal the pan tightly with aluminum foil. Set the pan into the stock pot and fill the pot with enough hot water to come one-half to two-thirds of the way up the sides of the baking pan. Bring the water to a boil, then cover the pot tightly with foil and the lid. Lower the heat so that the water simmers gently, and steam the pudding for 2 hours. (Check to make sure that the water level isn’t getting too low; fill with more water, if necessary.)
6) Carefully remove the foil sealing the pot — open the foil away from you to protect your arms and face — and then take off the foil covering the pan. To test that the pudding is done, stick a skewer or thin knife into the center of the pudding — the skewer or knife should come out dry.
7) To remove the pudding from the pan (a tricky operation), I find it easiest to carefully empty the water into the sink, and then carefully ease the baking pan out on its side. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and let the pudding cool for 5 minutes. Detach the pudding from the sides of the pan using a kitchen knife, if necessary, then gently invert it onto the rack. Allow the pudding to cool for 30 minutes.
8) If you’d like to flame the pudding — nothing’s more dramatic — warm 1/3 cup of brandy, cognac or rum in a saucepan over medium heat. Pour the warm liquid over the top of the pudding, and then, taking every precaution that Smokey Bear would, set a match to the alcohol. When the flames die out, cut the pudding into generous pieces. Actually, there’s so much fruit in the pudding, the only way to cut neat slices is to make the slices generous. Serve the pudding warm with whipped cream, ice cream or apple sauce. Alternatively, you can cool the pudding completely, wrap it very well in several layers of plastic wrap and refrigerate it for up to two weeks. When you are ready to serve, butter the pan the pudding was cooked in, slip the pudding back into the pan, seal the pan with foil, and re-steam for 45 minutes. Yield: 8 to 10 servings.








Baby Jesus Birthday Cake















Christmas Pudding

Frozen Maple-Mousse Cake with Candied Cranberries

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I'm so pleased to be able to share this recipe with you. I found it while scouting for desserts that would compliment the non-traditional menu I was planning for our Thanksgiving dinner. It sounded wonderful but it seemed involved and was more work than I had intended to do. I put the recipe away, but I kept thinking about it and in a weak moment decided to give it a try. The maple flavored mousse cake was an enormous hit with my taste testers, and their praise guaranteed it a spot on the Thanksgiving menu. As a matter of fact, the Silver Fox, who I swear channels Bob Cratchit, gave it his highest and most sought accolade, "Another triumph, my dear!" That always leaves me tongue-tied and verklempt. The cake was originally developed by Kathleen Callahan for Food and Wine magazine. Her creation has a pecan crust that's topped with a frozen mousse and garnished with cranberries that simmer to tart perfection in a bath of simple syrup. The berries add wonderful color to the cake and help cut the sweetness of the frozen mousse. The cake and candied cranberries can be made up to 4 days before serving and that makes them a boon for busy cooks. While the cake is frozen, it never gets rock solid and it can be served directly from the freezer, so it's a real space saver for overcrowded holiday kitchens. Do not make the mousse with imitation syrup. If you are unable to find grade B syrup, grade A can be substituted, but the cake will be lighter in color and lack the caramel-like flavor that grade B syrup imparts. I really like this dessert, and, yes, it had my socks going up and down. I hope you will try it. Here's the recipe.

Frozen Maple-Mousse Pie with Candied Cranberries...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Kathleen Callahan and Food and Wine magazine

Ingredients:
Crust
2 cups pecans (8 ounces)
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
Mousse
1 cup pure grade B maple syrup
2 large egg whites, at room temperature
Pinch of cream of tartar
Pinch of salt
1-1/2 cups chilled heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Candied Cranberries
8 ounces fresh cranberries (2 cups)
1-1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup water

Directions:
1) To make crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread pecans on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for about 8 minutes, until fragrant. Let cool completely. Pulse pecans, sugar, nutmeg and salt in a food processor until nuts are finely chopped. Add butter and pulse to combine. Press crumbs in an even layer into a 9-inch springform pan. Refrigerate until firm.
2) To make mousse: Bring maple syrup to in a medium saucepan. Simmer over moderate heat until slightly reduced and a candy thermometer inserted in syrup registers 235 degrees F, about 8 minutes. Watch carefully to prevent it boiling over. Meanwhile, using an electric mixer fitted with a balloon whisk, beat egg whites with cream of tartar and salt until stiff peaks form. Reduce speed to medium and drizzle hot syrup onto whites, beating until incorporated. Increase speed to high and beat meringue has cooled to room temperature, about 5 minutes. In a separate large bowl, beat heavy cream with vanilla until soft peaks form. Fold meringue mixture into whipped cream until blended. Scrape mousse into crust and spread evenly . Freeze until firm, about 24 hours.
The mousse will not freeze hard like ice cream.
3) To make candied cranberries: Put cranberries in a large heatproof bowl or into top of a double broiler. Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve sugar. Pour syrup over cranberries and cover bowl or top of double boiler with plastic wrap. Set over a pan of simmering water and cook, undisturbed, over very low heat until syrup is rosy and cranberries are tender but not broken down, about 45 minutes. Remove bowl from saucepan and let cranberries cool completely. Refrigerate until berries are chilled.
4) To serve: Loosen sides of springform pan with a warm knife. Remove ring from pan. Cut cake into wedges and transfer to dessert plates. Spoon candied cranberries over top of each cake and serve. Yield: 12 servings.








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Two Years Ago Today: Pot Roast with Carrots and Potatoes

Minted Peas, Apple Stuffing and Red-Currant Cranberry Sauce

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Our holiday menu is falling into place. The soup, salad and main courses have been decided and it's time to finalize what the other dishes will be. I chose this pea and onion combination for its unique, minty flavor and the color punch it will add to a meal whose colors are, so far, at the beige and orange end of the spectrum. I'm going to use frozen vegetables to make this dish, and because we will be feeding a large number of people, it made more sense to buy large bags of vegetables and combine them, rather than use premixed heat and eat boxes. The recipe I use can be made stovetop or in a microwave. I'll be using the microwave because all the burners have already been claimed by other dishes. I really like this combination and I hope you'll give it a try. I do have one caution to share with you. If your mint leaves are large, tear or cut them into much smaller pieces and add them to the vegetables just before serving. Here's the recipe.

Minted Peas and Pearl Onions...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons water
2 cups (10-oz.) frozen pearl onions
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
4 cups frozen petite green peas
1/2 cup small fresh mint leaves

Directions:
1) Stovetop: Heat butter and water in a pan over medium-high heat. Add onions, and cook for 4 minutes. Stir in peas and 3/4 teaspoon salt, and cook for 2 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Do not overcook. Stir in mint. Serve immediately. Yield: 12 servings.
2) Microwave: Combine onions and peas in a large microwave container with a lid. Add 1/4 cup water. Cover and cook on High power for 3 minutes. Stir. Cover again, and cook for an additional 3 minute, or until vegetables are tender. Drain off water. Add butter and salt and let sit until butter melts. Stir in mint. Serve immediately. Yield: 12 servings.



I had not intended to serve stuffing with our meal, but the Silver Fox convinced me that its absence would be conspicuous. Rather than use the dressing I normally serve with poultry, I decided to give this savory apple version a try. I'm so glad I did that. This marries beautifully with the brined pork loin and it requires no gravy because it is so moist. If you are still looking for a stuffing recipe, you might want to give this one a try. It is really very nice. Here's how its made.

Apple, Sage and Sausage Stuffing...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Whole Foods

Ingredients:
1 loaf sourdough hearth bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 11 cups)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3/4 pound fresh mild pork or chicken sausage, bulk or removed from casings
4 Braeburn, Gala or other apples, cored and diced
3 ribs celery, thinly sliced
1 large onion, diced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2-1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup chopped fresh sage leaves
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Spread bread cubes out on two baking sheets and bake until dried but not browned, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
2) Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook, breaking up chunks with a spoon, until browned, about 6 minutes. Add apples, celery, onion and butter and cook, stirring occasionally, until apple and vegetables are softened, 8 to 10 minutes more. Add to bread. Stir in broth, sage, salt and pepper.
3) If using to stuff a turkey, cool completely before stuffing. If baking separately, heat oven to 350 degrees F; bake in a buttered casserole dish until lightly browned and crisp on top, 50 to 60 minutes. Yield: 12 to 14 servings.



This condiment is another attempt to bring vibrant color to the table. The sauce is sweet but not cloying. If you like heat, you might want to add hot pepper flakes to the ingredient list. Here's the base recipe.

Red-Currant Cranberry Sauce...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Martha Stewart

Ingredients:
1 bag (12 ounces) frozen cranberries
1 jar (12 ounces) red-currant jelly

Directions:
In a medium saucepan, combine cranberries and jelly. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until cranberries have burst and liquid has reduced to a syrup, 20 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, and let cool.

Cranberry Almond Coffee Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a lovely cake to serve for brunch or a holiday breakfast. It's really easy to prepare, but the ingredients needed to make it may require advance planning. Almond paste and fresh, or frozen, cranberries are among the items you'll need to have on hand. If almond paste is not available in your stores, you can find a recipe for a home made version here. Hopefully, you have a stash of cranberries in your freezer. I make it a point to freeze several bags each season so we can enjoy cranberry desserts throughout the year. In a pinch, frozen raspberries can be used as a substitute. The cake has a very stiff batter and any berry you use has to be able to stand up to the folding process. Freezing helps if you are not using cranberries. The almond paste gives this cake wonderful flavor and it is the perfect foil for the tart cranberries. This is not a sweet cake, but those of you who like European-style cakes and pastries will really enjoy it. I hope you will try it. Here's the recipe.

Cranberry Almond Coffee Cake...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Anne Keenan

Ingredients:
1/2 cup almond paste
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
3 eggs
1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-1/4 cups fresh or frozen cranberries

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a 8-inch square pan.
2) Cream almond paste, butter and 1/2 cup sugar until fluffy in a medium bowl. Add two eggs, beating well after each addition.
3) Combine 1 cup flour and baking powder. Add to creamed mixture. Beat in remaining egg and flour. Stir in extracts. Gently fold in cranberries.
4) Spread batter evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle with remaining sugar. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near center of cake comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Yield: 9 servings.







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Two Years Ago Today: Berry Patch Cake









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Cranberry Streusel Cake - Saved by the Egg Timer
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Cornmeal Cranberry Cake - Food Republik

Couscous and Cranberry Salad

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a really simple chop and chill salad. It was originally developed for picnics and al fresco meals, but I've recently started to use it for covered dish suppers and winter buffets. There is always a lot going on in my kitchen and various commitments have created a real need for dishes that are fast and simple to prepare. If you lead a busy life and are looking for recipes that will make your life easier, I think you really will enjoy this flavorful salad. Here's the recipe.

Couscous and Cranberry Salad...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 package plain couscous
1 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup chopped green onions
3/4 cup chopped sweet yellow or red pepper
3/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions:
1) Prepare couscous according to package directions. Transfer to a large bowl; fluff with a fork. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until chilled. Stir in cranberries, onions, yellow pepper and almonds.
2) Whisk lemon juice, oil, paprika, salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until serving. Yield: 14 servings.









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