Happy New Year!

A sweet new recipe to start off the new year.

Roasted Pears with Rosemary
serves 4

2 pears, sliced in half lengthwise, core removed
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
handful of fresh rosemary stems
olive oil

Pre heat the oven at 400˚F
Spread the olive oil over a foil lined cookie sheet. Place 1 sprig of rosemary into each pear half and turn them  (cut side down) on to the cookie sheet. Sprinkle bits of fresh rosemary on top and on the sides of the pears. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until the pears are easy to pierce with a fork and juice dribbles out of the sides. If you want you can turn the pears over and turn on the broiler for about 3 to 4 minutes, watch the pears!
Meanwhile, in a small but heavy pot, slowly cook down the balsamic vinegar until thick and syrupy, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Place each half of the pear onto a plate and garnish with fresh rosemary. Pour the syrupy balsamic vinegar over the pears and serve warm. You can also add some fresh vanilla ice cream to the top of the pears.

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays!

May this year come to a close leaving behind only sadness, anger, despair and hunger.

May the new year only bring forth health, happiness, bountiful blessings, friends and 

good food! 

As we sit down to our scrumptious holiday feast(s) this year let us give thanks for making it through another year. 

Please, as you sit down with your family this Christmas/Chanukah/Holidays, think of what you want to share with everyone and how this year, just as many other years... we have made it though to another holiday, another feast, and another year.  I am very blessed this year, in home and in work, with friends and with family, and most of all with all of you who share my thoughts, memories, feelings, and recipes!

 Our minds, our spirits and our security with the world and our place in it has been shaken to the core. Just like in years past, we must pick ourselves out of the despair and hurt, shake  our country and world off and continue again. In my mind, this time of year is a time to cut our losses from these past 12 months and begin fresh and whole again. 

A little wiser, maybe, but a whole lot stronger!

 

My wish for you ...

May you face this season and this new year fresh in spirit, fresh in hope, fresh in love and with fresh new recipes.

Blessings to you all and happy holidays! 

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays!!!!!!  

with love, Kate

Sunday Brunch and a Show

Last Sunday we to a trip to Chicago to visit with my family and see the play,

Young Frankenstein

Escalators in Macy's

Christmas decorations

A Beautiful Fountain

I am not the only one taking pictures!

Brunch at Atwood Cafe

The most darling spot to eat!

Mexican Hot Chocolate with a Homemade Marshmallow

Delightful Apple Cider Donuts

Dipped in homemade Apple Butter

My mushroom veggie burger with goat cheese and  garlic. I was holding this post, waiting and hoping the staff at Atwood Cafe would send me the recipe.  I can't wait, this was so delicious and unique! I want to make it at home.  Yum!

PS: I found this recipe on Atwood Cafe's Facebook page (Insert evil laugh here) '')

Now if I can just find the recipe for the Mexican Hot Chocolate

WILD MUSHROOM VEGGIE BURGERS 

Atwood Cafe

Serves 6 

For the burgers: 

•2 tablespoons olive oil 

•1 medium onion, finely chopped 

•2 cloves garlic, minced 

•8 ounces crimini mushrooms, wiped clean with dampened paper towels and finely chopped 

•1 cup cooked brown rice (over cook it so that it is sticky by adding ½ cup more water during cooking) 

•1/2 cup old fashioned oatmeal 

•4 ounces coarsely grated parmesan cheese (about 3/4 cup) 

•1 tbsp onion powder; 1 tbsp garlic powder 

•Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 

•2 to 3 tablespoons fresh chopped thyme 

For Serving: 

•4 whole-wheat hamburger buns 

•Ketchup and/or mayonnaise and/or mustard  

(My veggie burger had goat cheese and mixed greens and a whole wheat or mixed grain bun and  served with a side salad with balsamic dressing)

1. Prepare the burger mixture. Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until soft but not brown, about 4 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high; add the mushrooms, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and most of the mushroom liquid has evaporated, about 4 minutes. 

2. Stir in the brown rice and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Stir in the oats, cheese, thyme, garlic and onion powder. Add salt and pepper. The mixture should be sticky and seem a bit wet. Cover the mixture and refrigerate until firm, 3 to 4 hours. 

3. Line a baking sheet or large plate with plastic wrap. Wet your hands slightly and form the vegetable mixture into 6 patties. Place the patties on the prepared baking sheet, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour. 

4. Preheat grill to high. 

5. When ready to cook, brush each side of the burger with olive oil. Grill, turning carefully with a spatula, until nicely browned on both sides, 4 to 6 minutes per side, as the burgers cook; toast the buns over the flames as well. Serve as you would any burger. **You can also cook the veggie burgers in a non-stick sauté pan if you don’t have a grill. 

The beautiful theater

Before the show started

Happy 4 days, 22 hours, 36 minutes until Christmas!

Balsamic Steak Goodness

One of my absolute favorite recipes is Balsamic Steak. I am not a big red meat person. I like steak, but I prefer fish, chicken and turkey as a more cost efficient meal.  Steak is really good for a special occasion or when you get a great deal and I always buy meat on sale and freeze it for a future dinners. But this recipe is worth the wait and the cost.  I have been making this recipe for so long, I don't even know which cookbook I got it from.

I really only cook steak a few ways, but I love this recipe so much that 9 times out of 10,  I will make it.  In fact, when I told my Dad that I was making steak tonight, he knew exactly which recipe I was using.
I love this steak with balsamic sauce so much, I could easily eat all of these steaks... no matter how full I am! As I was licking the plate (yes I did!!!!!!!),  I was wishing for a good crusty bread to dip into the sauce.

Katie's Plate-Lick'n Balsamic Steak

4  steaks ( I used flat iron steaks)
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
olive oil
1 shallot, diced (optional)

Heat a large  non-stick pan on high and sprinkle 2 tablespoons kosher salt in the pan. When the salt begins to jump (yep, jump) add in the steaks and cook on medium-high for about 3-4 minutes per side until the inside temperature reaches 145˚F. You can sear the steaks and transfer to the oven if you prefer.   Remove the steaks and allow them to rest.

Turn the heat to medium and in the same pan add the butter and a few drops of olive oil to keep the butter from burning. Add in about 1/2 cup balsamic and the optional shallot. Be careful, the balsamic might splatter.  Turn the heat up to medium-high.  Stir for a few minutes until the balsamic sauce has thickened up to a syrup, about 3-4 minutes, add in the remaining balsamic vinegar.

Serve the steak with noodles, rice or mashed potatoes to soak up the delicious sauce. Pour the balsamic sauce over the steak and get ready to lick the plate.

Yum!!!!!!!!!

A Giveaway!!!!!!!!!!

Ok, I promised a yummy recipe today... but not the way you think. Todays awesome recipe is actually a treat for you. I ordered holiday post cards to send to my family and friends... but thanks to Vista Print, I ordered many more than originally planned. These are not just holiday post cards, they are a special family favorite recipe that hasn't been given to you before this.  I think you will like it!

Hint:  This is by the way, one of my top 5 favorite foods!

Intrigued?  I have a 15 cards to give out now so we are going to make this into a little contest.

 So if you are out there... you are there right? 

To be entered into the drawing... I want to hear about your worst and craziest kitchen or holiday disaster. 

• Perfectly roast a turkey to find that the inside is still bloody frozen?
• Set fire to your favorite cookbook? 
• Lose a nail in the lasagna?
• Burn a roast? 
• Add salt instead of sugar?

I want to hear about it! And if you don't feel like sharing or don't have any crazy stories yet, just send me a happy holiday note and I will put you into a drawing for the postcard/recipe card.  

Send me a comment  or your craziest holiday or kitchen disaster before Monday December 14th. 

Make sure to check back on Tuesday December 15th to see if you won!  

Happy Holidays!  Kate

PS... to leave a comment go to the title of a Giveaway!!!!!!! and below it will say comment. Click on the word comment and scroll to the bottom of the page.  Email me with any questions if you need help at   

notjustvanilla.kate@gmail.com

Haunkkah Dinner and a few Stories

Last night I had dinner with my friends Shannon and Phil. We made a Hanukkah dinner with latkes and my Aunt Reba's Chicken and my Mom's Cranberry applesauce.  It was so delicious. Phil and I planned this dinner around the release date of Julie and Julia. However, we ate so late, everyone was ready for bed before we even sat down to watch the movie. I blame it on all the food! LOL

Bubbe and Granpa's Hanukkah Latkes

This recipe has been used for many many years in my family. I am lucky enough to have one of the original Temple Sisterhoods' Cookbook. I have my Bubbe's copy and I love it. This recipe is the favorite in my family.

Potato Latkes

4 large potatoes, grated

2 eggs

1 tsp salt (trust me you will need a lot more kosher salt)

dash pepper

1 teaspoon grated onion ( I use about 1/4 a cup or so depending on how sweet the onion is)

1/2 cup flour scant

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

As for oil, the cookbook recommends vegetable oil, I use olive oil and my Dad likes peanut oil. I prefer a combination of vegetable and olive it you want to go with a more flavorful oil.

Peel potatoes and grate on a fine grater or a food processor. Pour off 1/2 liquid that accumulates and add rest of  ingredients. Drop batter by 1/4 cups onto a hot, well-greased frying pan. Test the first batch latkes to see if you need less salt and to see if the center is cooked throughly. Fry, browning both sides. Serve hot with applesauce and sour cream.

I fry the latkes and place them on a foil and paper towel lined cookie sheet. To keep them warm while continuing to fry the remainder of the batch, I keep them in the oven at 250˚.

In my family there has always been 2 ways to serve up hot latkes. My way with applesauce and sour cream. I mouthful of crispy, hot fried with cool sweet applesauce and soft creamy sour cream. The perfect mouthful.  And my cousins way of serving hot latkes with cinnamon and sugar sprinkled on top.  It is up to you how you serve them, but I like my way best!

My mother's Cranberry Applesauce is really soft and full of fresh and bright flavors. I love that it has a very rich and almost decadent feeling to it and that it is one of the easiest recipes to make. This year I made it in my crock-pot.

Ellie's Cranberry Applesauce
3 lbs Golden Delicious Apples, peeled, quartered, cored, and cut into 3/4 inch pieces
1  1/2 cups apple juice
1/2 cup sugar
1  1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries

Combine all ingredients in a heavy large saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until apples are tender and begin to fall apart, about 25 minutes. Cover and chill. This can be made up to 2 days ahead.

Now I made the applesauce in 2 parts, not sure if everyone would like the cranberry applesauce.  I started out with the apples, sugar and apple juice in the crock-pot on high until the juice began to boil. Then reducing the crock-pot to low I ran out to do a few errands, including picking up cranberries.  After about 4 hours, the apples were really starting to fall apart. I processed them in two batches, 1 smooth and 1 chunky. I mixed the applesauces together and refrigerated the batch.

Using a medium pot, I mixed together 1 cup fresh cranberries, 1/2 cup sugar and 1 cup apple juice and brought it to a boil.  I reduced the heat to medium and let it cook, uncovered for about 20 minutes, until the cranberries were very soft and the juice was more syrupy.

I also ran the cranberries in the food processor in two batches, chunky and smooth and refrigerated them for about 1 hour.  I divided the applesauce into 2 containers and in one container I added the cranberry sauce and mixed it well.  Please taste as you do this, I really didn't need to add all of the cranberries, it was a bit tart. I sweetened it with a some of the plain applesauce.

I served both together with sour cream for the latkes. I never should have worried about the cranberry applesauce, everyone loved it!  The plain applesauce was a hit too!

Me lighting the  Hanukkah candles

Aunt Reba's Traditional Sanibel Hanukkah Chicken
 This chicken is a traditional dish for the Kaplans'. I first had it many many years ago in Sanibel Florida. My family would stay with my Bubbe and Granpa in their condo and my cousins would rent a condo in the same complex, Lighthouse Point.  It was very fun, all my cousins were 1 floor and 2 hallways away. We used to celebrate Hanukkah there, all together, crowded into a green condo. Everything inside the condo was green! We would make latkes, exchange gifts, play dreidel and eat and eat and eat. Latkes, brisket, applesauce, chocolate gelt (chocolate coins), and Aunt Reba's Chicken.  We did this for many years, all of us in a green condo, eating, laughing, and celebrating.

Now, many years later, we all have our own lives and almost no one goes down to Sanibel Island anymore. So we transfered the party to my cousin's home in Chicago. We all try to make it to her home for what we still call...Sanibel Hanukkah Dinner. We still exchange gifts. I just got the email this past week with the kids( everyone under 50) secret santa list.  We still celebrate Christmas by eating Chinese food and spending the day at the movies. And we still make latkes and Aunt Reba's Chicken.

Aunt Reba's Chicken
Thanks Jen for the recipe!

Chicken (thighs or breasts work best)
1 bottle apricot jelly
1 bottle cantalina salad dressing
1 package Lipton's onion soup mix

Mix the jelly, salad dressing and soup mix together and pour over chicken in a 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350˚ until internal temperature reaches 160˚ to 165˚.  Every 20 minutes I spooned sauce over the chicken.  This chicken is really good served over rice.

Happy Hanukkah from my family to yours!!!!!!!!!!!!!!