Mmmmmm!

Sticky Lemon Buns

I'm on vacation from work this week -- it was sort of the "booby prize week", since my co-workers got their dates on the calendar before me.  But did I get the best March week ever?  The weather is unbelievable.  I totally feel like I've gone away somewhere instead of just staying at home for a week.

But I digress.  A couple of weeks ago my friend Susan found this recipe at The Kitchn Blog.  She forwarded to me and I decided that vacation was a good time to experiment with sticky lemon buns!  So last night I made the dough, and the sugary-lemony filling, rolling them up tight, slicing into buns and leaving them in the refrigerator overnight.

This morning I pulled the pan out to warm up and have a bit of a rise.  Then into the oven for half an hour.  I opted out of the cream cheese frosting and chose a simple powdered sugar and lemon juice glaze -- why gild the lily?!  And now I can report...

They're delicious!  And especially when eaten with a strong cup of coffee in the 60-degree-outdoors-March-morning!

Something completely different

Things have been kind of dark here lately. But today was a beautiful summer day and my book group came for our discussion. So I decided to make a vegetarian paella as the main course.

Once the ingredients were lined up on the counter, I began by browning the vegetarian sausages.

Chopped onion, garlic, and three bell peppers.

Then everything into the pan -- peas and artichokes added, too.

I don't have a photo of it completely done.  We sat to discuss the book (American Salvage by Bonnie Jo Campbell) and then devoured the paella along with two green salads.  Delicious!

Weihnachtsstollen

It's a tradition.  Thanksgiving week I bake Weihnachtsstollen.  Yesterday was the day.

I met my first Weihnachtsstollen in 1979 when I was doing a semester abroad in Germany.  I lived with an elderly woman who had survived the firebombing of Dresden in the second World War, then escaped with her husband and the clothes on their backs just ahead of the Iron Curtain.  Grossmutti, as I called her, baked her stollen (which is also known as Dresden Stollen) in late November or early December, then placed the well-wrapped loaves "im Kammer" (which meant in the unheated vestibule closet) for a few weeks. 

The big reveal came the last Advent Sunday before Christmas, when at coffee time she'd bring out strong German coffee and slices of this delicious, yeasty, eggy bread full of dried fruit and nuts.  Resting for those weeks allowed the fruitiness to permeate the sweet bread.  It's fragrant and rich and delicious.  Did I say delicious? 

Baking Weihnachtsstollen is an all day affair.  Simply mixing all of the ingredients together until smooth takes a good long time, even in a mixer.  And it kind of wrecks your kitchen!

Then there are two long "rises" in the bowl.  My dough never appears to rise much.  I always worry about it.  But I think it needs a rest as much as a rise, so I stick with the recipe.

By mid-afternoon the dough is ready to be formed into loaves.  Then the loaves have a rise.  Finally, just about the time I'm making my supper, the loaves go into the oven for an hour or so.  And that sweet, yeasty smell finds its way into every nook and cranny of the house. 

Now you're thinking "start the coffee, the stollen's coming out of the oven!" aren't you.  But remember Grossmutti's practice -- a couple of weeks at least tightly wrapped and stored away.  It's hard, so hard, not to taste a slice right out of the oven, but look at how beautiful it is!

I want to have my stollen as the centerpiece of my Eggnog party table.  So I wrapped it tightly, and now it's sitting.  Waiting.

And so am I.

Breakfast

I've made sixteen pints of strawberry jam since picking 10 pounds of berries last week.  I have just one thing to say.

MMMMMMMMMMMMMM!

Santa's Sweetest Wish

"Oskar, what should we leave under the tree for Santa?"  "PEANUT BRITTLE!"

We got our recipe from the Granite State Candy Shoppe.  Here it is:

3 c sugar

1 c corn syrup

1/2 c water

4-1/2 c peanuts

4 T unsalted butter

2 tsp baking soda

Takes about 1-1/2 hours, 30 minutes active.

Coat a 12x17 inch low-sided pan with spray oil (or rub with butter).

In a heavy 5 qt saucepan with a tight fitting lid, combine sugar, corn syrup and water.  Cover the pot and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally.

Once the sugar has boiled, leave cover on another minute (creates steam to wash sides of pan).

Remove the lid and reduce heat to medium.  Continue stirring until it reads 230F on candy thermometer (soon, maybe 1 minute).  Add the peanuts and stir with wooden spoon until mixture reaches 300F.  This will take a while, but keep a close eye on it -- the final five degrees happen fast!

Immediately remove from the heat and stir in butter and baking soda.  It will foam up.  Stir thoroughly.

Pour into center of prepared pan and spread out with wooden spoon.  Allow to cool for 1 hour.

Turn brittle out of the pan and snap into pieces.  Enjoy!

We cover the empty peanut cans with our own labels (this one says "I'd rather be eating peanut brittle").  Makes great gifts!

Nummy Nog!

Please, won't you join me in a nummy nog? Use the absolute freshest ingredients -- I only use today's eggs.

To make a single large or two regular sized nogs, use

1 egg, separated yolk and white
1/8 cup sugar
3-4 oz. milk (any strength)
3-4 oz. half and half
enough whipping cream to daub on top
spiker of choice (I prefer dark rum)
nutmeg, orange rind

Whip the cream and set aside. Rinse beaters.
Whip the egg white and set aside.

Mix the egg yolk and sugar until blended. Slowly pour in the milk and half and half to blend. Fold in the beaten egg white to fluff everything up. Spike with rum, cognac, whiskey, brandy, whatever you prefer, if desired. Float the whipped cream on top, grate some nutmeg and/or orange rind on top.

Serve in a beautiful glass. Don't be afraid to use your finger to get every last fluffy drop!

(Adapted from Martha Stewart's recipe. The painting in the photo is by Debra Henderson.)

Cheers!

Thank god for serious science!