Mt. Tamalpais, viewed from the south

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Tag: holidays

  • Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage

    Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage

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    Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage

    Make this Easy Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage (Pressure Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage) for St Patrick's Day! Tender juicy beef brisket classic. By
    Prep Time20 minutes
    Cook Time1 hour 55 minutes
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American, Irish
    Keyword: beef, brisket, meat, St Patrick’s Day
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 452kcal

    Equipment

    • â–¢Instant Pot Pressure Cooker

    Ingredients

    • â–¢2 pounds 996g corned beef (1.5 inches in thickness)
    • â–¢4 cups cold water (I substituted a 16oz can of Guinness for 2 cups)
    • â–¢1 200g medium onion , quartered
    • â–¢4 13g garlic cloves , crushed

    Pickling Spices Seasoning:

    • â–¢1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
    • â–¢1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
    • â–¢1 teaspoon coriander seeds
    • ▢½ teaspoon whole allspice
    • â–¢3 whole cloves
    • â–¢3 bay leaves
    • ▢½ teaspoon ground ginger optional

    Vegetables:

    • â–¢6 370g carrots , peeled & cut to 2.5 inches in length
    • â–¢4 570g red potatoes , quartered
    • â–¢1 1300g cabbage , cut into 8 wedges

    Instructions

    • Rinse Corned Beef: Rinse corned beef under cold water – be sure to rinse well.
    • Pressure Cook Corned Beef: Add rinsed corned beef, quartered onion, 4 crushed garlic cloves, pickling spices seasoning, and 4 cups (1L) cold water in Instant Pot pressure cooker.
    • With Venting Knob in Venting Position, close the lid, then turn Venting Knob to Sealing Position. Pressure cook at High Pressure for 70 minutes + Natural Release (~15 minutes).
    • If the floating valve doesn’t drop after 15 minutes, release the remaining pressure by turning the venting knob from sealing position to venting position. Open lid carefully.
    • Pressure Cook Vegetables: While the Instant Pot is natural releasing, prepare the vegetables as described.
    • Set aside cooked corned beef and 750ml of the hot liquid in a large serving bowl (there should be about 1.5 – 2 cups of liquid left in Instant Pot). Add quartered red potatoes, carrots, and cabbage wedges in Instant Pot.
    • With Venting Knob in Venting Position, close the lid, then turn Venting Knob to Sealing Position. Pressure cook at High Pressure for 2 – 3 minutes + Quick Release. Open the lid carefully.
    • Cut & Serve: On a chopping board, cut Corned Beef against the grain into â…› inch slices. Serve with cabbage wedges, red potatoes and carrots. Enjoy~ 🙂

  • Gingered Green Beans

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    Gingered Green Beans

    This came from the Capay Farms newsletter — we had them and loved them at Thanksgiving!
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: American, Asian
    Keyword: holiday, stir-fry, Vegan, vegetarian
    Servings: 4

    Ingredients

    • 1 lb Whole green beans Remove the stems
    • 3 tbsp olive oil
    • 2 cloves garlic thinly sliced
    • ½ tsp ginger The recipe calls for ground — but I substituted fresh grated
    • ½ tsp crushed red pepper Add to taste
    • Kosher salt Add to taste

    Instructions

    • Fill a large bowl with ice water
    • In a large pot of boiling water, cook beans until crisp-tender (about 4 minutes)
    • Drain the beans and transfer them into the ice water (to stop them cooking)
    • Drain and pat dry
    • In a large skillet, heat olive oil
    • Add garlic and cook over moderately high heat until fragrant (about 30 sec.)
    • Stir in ginger and pepper, then add beans
    • Season with salt
    • Stir-fry until garlic is lightly browned and beans are tender (about 2-3 min)
    • Transfer beans to platter and serve
  • Berry Cream Scones

    Berry Cream Scones

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    Berry Cream Scones

    Based on a recipe from the Williams-Sonoma Baking cookbook.
    Prep Time25 minutes
    Cook Time15 minutes
    Course: Breads, Muffins & Quickbreads
    Cuisine: American, Irish
    Keyword: baking, vegetarian
    Servings: 6 scones

    Ingredients

    For the dough

    • 2 cups flour all-purpose (not bread or cake)
    • 1/4 cup sugar granulated
    • 1 tbsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 2 tsp grated lemon zest
    • 6 tbsp butter cold — if you use salted butter, use less salt
    • 1/2-2/3 cup berries
    • 3/4 cup heavy cream you can substitute whole milk; it won't be as rich, obviously

    For the topping

    • 1 tbsp sugar white, Demerara, or turbonado
    • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
    • 1/4 tsp vanilla powder optional
    • 2 tsp milk or cream

    Instructions

    Making dough

    • Combine flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest.
    • Using pastry blender, two knives, or mixer (with pastry paddle), cut in butter until the mixture forms large, coarse crumbs, the size of small peas.
    • Stir in berries carefully — don't overmix
    • Pour cream over dry ingredients
    • Mix (with rubber spatula or fork if by hand) just until dry ingredients are just moistened
    • Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and press together gently until dough clings together in a ball
    • Pat out into a round about ½-1 inch thick
    • Cut into six wedges
    • Place 1 inch apart on baking sheet

    Making topping

    • In a small bowl, stir together, stir together the cinnamon sugar and (optionally) vanilla powder.
    • Brush wedges with milk/cream
    • Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar mixture

    Baking

    • Bake in 425°F oven until golden brown — 13-17 minutes
    • Transfer to wire rack
    • Serve warm
    • Store in airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days

    Notes

    David makes these with the leftover berries from the Christmas breakfast

  • Latkes

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    Potato Latkes

    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: Jewish
    Keyword: holidays, vegetarian

    Ingredients

    • 6 or 7 large russet potatoes peeled
    • 2 small onions
    • 2 eggs
    • 2 tsp. salt
    • 1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
    • 1/2 to 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
    • 1/4 cup potato starch or replace with flour
    • Oil for frying canola oil works well, though I’ve used peanut oil—which burns hotter and gets them nice and crispy—and olive oil, which has a very… Mediterranean flavor.

    Instructions

    • Preheat an oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with paper towels.
    • Grate the potatoes and onions and place them in a large bowl. Using paper towels, blot up any liquid they have released. Beat the eggs and add to the bowl along with the salt, pepper and enough flour to bind the mixture. (I like this version—my kids like the one below)
    • Alternatively, dice the potatoes and onions. Put half of the onions and 1 egg in a blender and puree until liquefied. Add half of the potatoes and puree until smooth but not liquefied. Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Repeat with the remaining onions, egg and potatoes. Combine the batches in a bowl, add the salt and pepper and, using paper towels, blot up any excess liquid. Fold in potato starch and enough flour to bind the mixture.
    • In a large fry pan over medium heat, warm 2 inches of oil to 350°F on a deep- frying thermometer. Drop in spoonfuls of batter, 4 or 5 at a time, and cook until the latkes are golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Using a slotted spatula, transfer the latkes to the prepared baking sheet and keep warm in the oven while cooking the remaining batter.
    • Serve as soon as the last batch is cooked; latkes will stay crisp for only a few minutes.

    Notes

    Makes about 24 potato latkes.

  • Sharon’s Applesauce

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    Sharon’s Applesauce

    Sharon Lebewohl, author of “The 2nd Ave Deli Cookbook” shares her family’s applesauce recipe. Serve with potato latkes and sour cream. (Or use in Applesauce Cake.)
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: American, Jewish
    Keyword: fruit

    Ingredients

    • 6 medium Cortland apples peeled, quartered, and cored 1/4 cup cranberries
    • 1/4 cup dark-brown sugar
    • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 1/4 cup water

    Instructions

    • In a medium saucepan combine, apples, cranberries, dark-brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and 1/4 cup water.
    • Cover, and place over medium heat.
    • Cook, stirring occasionally, until apples are soft and beginning to burst, about 15 minutes.
    • Pass through the medium disc of a food mill into a medium bowl or blend with a stick blender until not entirely smooth. Use immediately, or cool before serving.

    Notes

    Yield: Makes about 2 1/2 cups

  • Daly’s Famous Stuffing 😉

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    Moist & Savory Stuffing Recipe

    This is how my brother Jim tells the story. He was making Grandma Maura Daly Muth’s (Daly) special stuffing on Thanksgiving. He was talking about how special the recipe was and how carefully Daly guarded it. It just so happens that he was using Pepperidge Farms Stuffing. As he was bragging about Daly’s amazing stuffing he noticed that the recipe on the Pepperidge Farms package was the EXACT same recipe. Daly was always larger that life. Enjoy!
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: holidays, poultry

    Ingredients

    • 2/3-1/4 cup butter 1/2 stick
    • 2 stalks celery coarsely chopped (about 1 cup)
    • 1 large onion coarsely chopped (about 1 cup)
    • 2.5 cups Chicken Broth
    • 1 package 14 ounces Pepperidge Farm® Herb Seasoned Stuffing

    Instructions

    • Heat the butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat.
    • Add the celery and onion and cook for 5 minutes or until tender-crisp, stirring occasionally.
    • Add the broth to the saucepan and heat to a boil.
    • Remove the saucepan from the heat.
    • Add the stuffing and mix lightly. Season to taste.
    • Spoon the stuffing mixture into a greased 9x13x2-inch baking dish. Cover the baking dish.
    • Bake for 30 minutes or until the stuffing mixture is hot.

    Notes

    TIPS You can also use a 3-quart casserole for this recipe.
    For crunchier stuffing, bake the stuffing uncovered.
    For Cranberry & Pecan Stuffing, stir 1/2 cup each dried cranberries and chopped pecans into the stuffing mixture before baking.
    For Sausage & Mushroom Stuffing, add 1 cup sliced mushrooms to the vegetables during cooking. Stir 1/2-pound pork sausage, cooked and crumbled, into the stuffing mixture before baking.
    Make Ahead: Prepare as directed but do not bake. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. To bake, heat the oven to 350°F. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until hot.
    Pepperidge Farm https://www.pepperidgefarm.com/recipe/moist-savory-stuffing/
    Heat the oven to 350°F.
    Prep: 10 minutes
    Bake: 10 minutes
    Serves: 10

  • Nate the Great’s Latkes

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    Nate’s Potato Pancake Recipe

    Latkes – also called potato pancakes – are Nate the Great’s special pancakes for special occasions.
    Course: Breakfast, Side Dish
    Cuisine: Jewish
    Keyword: holidays

    Equipment

    • One grown-up to help you

    Ingredients

    • 2 egg
    • 1/3 cup flour
    • 1/4 cup grated onion
    • 1/4 teaspoons black pepper
    • 4 large potatoes peeled and shredded
    • 3 tablespoons butter

    Instructions

    • Combine the eggs, flour, onion, and pepper in a bowl.
    • Rinse the shredded potatoes and blot dry with a paper towel. Stir into the egg mixture.
    • Melt 1- 1/2 tablespoons of the butter in a pan. Use medium heat.
    • Spoon of 1/3 cup of the mixture into the pan. Spread into a circle.
    • Cook three minutes on each side, or until golden brown.

    Notes

    Makes 12 pancakes.
    Serve with applesauce or sour cream.

  • Almond Macaroons

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    Almond Macaroons

    Grandma Jackie’s famous Passover cookies!
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: Jewish
    Keyword: cookies, desserts, holidays

    Ingredients

    • 8 ounces almond paste see note
    • 1 cup white sugar
    • 3 egg whites from large eggs
    • ¼ teaspoon almond extract
    • A pinch of salt

    Instructions

    • Prepare cookie sheet by cutting pieces of brown paper (from a groceries bag) to fit. Do not grease cookie sheet or brown paper.
    • Preheat oven to 325 degrees
    • Cut almond paste into ½ inch pieces
    • Put into container of food processor fitted with a steal blade and cut up finely turning the motor on and off for several seconds
    • The almond paste should resemble course brown sugar
    • Add sugar to the almond paste and mix together well, stopping several times to scrape down the sides of the container with a spatula
    • Add the almond extract and salt and two egg whites
    • Mix until white are incorporated and no lumps of almond paste remain
    • The mixture should not be stiff but should hold a mass on the spatula
    • Break up the third egg white with a fork and add about half of it to the mixture blending well.
    • Drop small tablespoons sized dollops of batter onto the paper-lined sheets about 1 ½ inch apart. Bake in preheated 325-degree oven about 15 minutes. When cool, macaroons should peel right off parchment paper—wait until they loosen easily. (Dampen back of brown paper before peeling). Keeps well in airtight tin.

    Notes

    Makes 24 2-inch macaroons

  • Chewy Chocolate-Gingerbread Cookies

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    Chewy Chocolate-Gingerbread Cookies

    A delicious holiday dessert
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: bar cookies, desserts, fruit

    Ingredients

    • 7 ounces best quality semi-sweet chocolate chips
    • 1 ½ cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
    • 1 ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
    • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
    • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
    • 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
    • ½ cup dark brown sugar packed
    • ¼ cup unsulfured molasses
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 ½ teaspoons boiling water
    • ¼ cup granulated sugar

    Instructions

    • In a medium bowl, sift together flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and cocoa.
    • In bowl of mix master, beat butter and grated ginger until whitened, about 4 minutes.
    • Add brown sugar; beat until combined. Add molasses; beat until combined.
    • In a small bowl, dissolve baking soda in boiling water. Beat half of flour mixture into butter mixture. Beat in baking-soda mixture, then remaining half of flour mixture. Mix in chocolate; turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Pat dough out about 1 inch thick; seal with wrap; refrigerate until firm, 2 hours or more.
    • Heat oven to 325 degrees. Roll dough into 1 ½ inch balls; place, two inches apart, on baking sheet. Bake until the surface cracks slightly, 13 to 15 minutes; let cool 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

    Notes

    Preheat oven to 325 degrees
    Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.