I was drafting a list of recipes that we tried out over the last week of entertaining to email to the moms, and I thought we might get a conversation going here about the tasty things we ate this holiday. If nothing else, having an index assembled will save some Googling when the next batch of house guests rolls into town and it’s time to plan another menu.
Here are some things we enjoyed in Baltimore:
Chestnut and Celery Soup
A perfect way to use up the the extra 2.5 cups of roasted and peeled chestnuts you might have left over after making these cookies if you had a really good batch of nuts like I did.
Butternut Squash Soup
I never have Calvados on hand, but I have never gone wrong substituting a bit of bourbon or cognac.
Red Pepper Bean Dip
Be sure to drain out all packing liquid well or it can get a little soupy.
Walnut Pesto on Toasts
I triple the sun-dried tomatoes.
Marinated Salmon with Pepper Crust
We served it on a bed of sautéed swiss chard. B handled the meat-cooking honors with panache.
Roasted Mushrooms
Best for a casual affair where no one will get uncomfortable if you lean over with your dinner roll and drag it around in the buttery, caper-loaded sauce.
The Best Waffles
I added a pinch of nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla extract to the batter. Then, when all was said and done, I accidentally stashed my mom’s waffle iron out of sight when she wasn’t looking and she headed home without it. Sorry!
Rye Bread
Best, most professional looking and tasting bread I have managed to make at home to date. The bar is set on this one.
Nutty Granola
Makes for a great breakfast or between-meal snack with some yogurt and/or whatever fruit is around.
Popovers
These are already insanely impressive, but they are even tastier served with a bit of butter mixed with a drip of maple syrup.
…and too many cookies to count! Mom brought Lebkuchen this year and it was a holiday highlight for sure.
Based on the generosity of my family, it looks like I’ll be spending 2011 covered in flour. I can’t wait to get started.
