Tomato Tartlets

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Colorful, summery and perfect when you need a little bite.

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

1 C grated Fontina or Swiss cheese (2-3ounces)

3 medium tomatoes, cut into twelve ¼- inch slices

Extra virgin olive oil for brushing

Ground pepper

1/3 C small basil leaves left whole or large and thin sliced

Preheat the oven to 375°. Lightly flour a work surface and rolling pin and roll out the puff pastry to 14×16-inch rectangle. With a 4 inch cookie cutter, cut out 12 rounds and transfer to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. With a fork, prick each round all over. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon cheese on each, leaving a small border, and top with one tomato slice; brush with oil, season with pepper.

Bake until pastry is deep golden at the edges, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through. Let cool completely before garnishing with basil. Makes 12.

Turmeric and Ginger Tea

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ginger-and-turmeric-tea-health-boosting_7

 

 

Great for what ails you! Turmeric and ginger both have anti-inflammatory properties, making this an ideal tea if you have a cold. It’s very comforting on a cold winter’s day, served piping hot. But it’s also refreshing as a summer pick-me-up, so keep it in mind when those seasonal allergies strike. It’s also a very good digestive. Fresh turmeric is available at Harris Teeter, Whole Foods, Wegman’s and Asian supermarkets. Fresh ginger is widely available at supermarkets. Adrienne demoed this at Brookside and USBG in January 2016.

Two 2½-inch pieces fresh turmeric root, finely grated
2-inch piece fresh ginger root, finely grated
Few grinds of black pepper
1/4 t ground cinnamon
1/4 C honey
Freshly squeezed juice of ½ a lemon

Combine ingredients in a small jar or bowl. Stir until well blended. Cover with a lid, and store in the fridge. To make the tea, heat 8 ounces of water in a cup and add one teaspoon of the ginger-turmeric mixture. Garnish with a grinding of black pepper.

Baker’s Dozen Holiday Recipes from the Archives

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Below are some of the dishes we’ve worked on over the years that have made their way to our holiday tables. We have many favorites, and more can be found by searching the website under a particular ingredient (Adrienne’s Persimmon Pudding, anyone?).  Wishing that the holidays find you in a place of love and good food.  Just bring your appetite!

FigCranberryRelish

 

A wonderful new twist on cranberry relish, try this with your turkey this year.

Cranberry-Fig Chutney

 

deviledeggs-asparagusWe re-introduced these perennial favorites at a demo at US Botanic Garden earlier in the fall and decided they would be on our holiday buffet table.

Asparagus Deviled Eggs

 

 

ombre

 

 

This dish has such special beauty, it will make your holiday table look spectacular and it tastes pretty great too.

Ombre Carrots and Chard

 

 

carrotAnother one that would work great for the buffet table or serve the souffles as hors d’oeuvres, without the extra veggies, but topped with a small dollop of mascarpone, softened to room temperature.

Mini Carrot Souffles with Baby Vegetables

 

creamy greensKids (kids!) can’t get enough of this. A must for our Thanksgiving table.

Creamy Winter Greens au Gratin

slaw

 

A sprightly twist on Brussels sprouts that will enliven any holiday buffet.

Brussels sprouts with lemon and hazelnuts

 

Lemon Pepper Green Beans {Blogsgiving 2015} // The Speckled PalateThanksgiving brings out the competitive spirit in our family and the sweet potato dish is at the forefront when it comes to making the best side. This one’s likely to win hands-down — and no one will miss the marshmallows.

 

Bourbon Sweet Potato Casserole

 

citrus-salad-spiced-honey-sl-l

 

 

Gorgeous on the dessert table, but equally at home as an accompaniment to ham, pork, a lovely roast tenderloin. Use your imagination but count this one in.

 

                       Citrus Salad with Spiced Honey

butternut

 

With a bright, addictive flavor that is all holiday and deeply warming, this soup is a winter staple in our household. Freeze it for drop-in guests or roll it out on a blustery day that sends you scrambling for comfort food, even just for lunch.

Butternut-Tangerine Soup

 

shrub

 

We love this as a refreshing non-alcoholic drink, but it’s also a great flavoring for alcoholic drinks — try it with a shot of vodka or drizzled in a chablis or sauvignon blanc.

                                                            Cranberry-Lime Shrub

red cabbage

 

There are plenty of ways to fix red cabbage, the perennial favorite for the holiday buffet or dinner table. This one adds the crunch and flavor of chestnuts. What a great marriage.

Red Cabbage with Chestnuts

beans

 

Tired of green bean casserole? Try these and be prepared for a new Thanksgiving tradition at your table.

Green Beans with Meyer Lemon

salad

 

If you like to combine the cheese and salad course, try this salad, which, like the cheese platter, includes fruit and nuts.

Radicchio, Pear and Pecan Salad

Cranberry-Lime Shrub

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shrubPopular in colonial times, a shrub is a sweetened fruit and vinegar syrup. It’s mainly used as a drink mixer, as in this recipe, but you can also use it to brighten a pan sauce for chicken or pork, to boost the flavor of a vinaigrette, or to add some zing to whipped cream for a unique dessert topping. Yields about 1 quart shrub, enough for 16 drinks.  This recipe is from the archives. We demoed it at a class at Brookside Garden in November, 2011. We trot it out every year for teetotalers and anyone looking for something fresh and thirst-quenching. Adapted from Fine Cooking.

12 oz. (3 C) cranberries, rinsed and picked over
1 C granulated sugar
3/4 C white wine or apple cider vinegar
lime zest from one lime
Seltzer or water
Vodka (optional)

In a 4-quart saucepan, combine the cranberries, sugar, vinegar, and lime zest with 3 cups of water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the cranberries are completely broken down, about 20 minutes. Let cool.

Purée with an immersion blender or in a food processor. Strain through a fine sieve set over a large bowl, pressing hard on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible.

Per drink, combine 3 to 4 Tbs. of the chilled shrub with one cup cold seltzer or water, or to taste. Add vodka as desired.

The shrub will keep, refrigerated in a jar, for up to two months.