12 Holiday Food Comas: Butternut Squash Galette

December 19, 2013 - Elspeth 1 Comment

Did anyone else just realize that Christmas is less than a week away? Even though I’m in the middle of posting all these holiday recipes, it only hit me last night as I was pouring over my gift-giving Google spreadsheet and realizing how many people I had left to shop/craft for this year. That’s right, folks. You may be the lucky recipient of a handmade, gold-filigree pine cone dipped in glitter and mounted on a stand composed of bedazzled Popsicle sticks and Play-Doh.

In other news….

Deb did it again, that clever girl. This isn’t one of her newer recipes, but it’s definitely a favorite amongst her many, many followers. And how could it not be? Joyous squash. Merry caramelized onions. Fancy sage leaves fluttering everywhere. It’s a sexy dance of flavors that may cause excessive selfishness and gluttony.

The only alteration I would make is to the cheese, which I thought was a bit melty with all fontina. Maybe half Gruyere and half fontina would strike the right balance for my gentle palate.

Butternut Squash Galette

from Smitten Kitchen

Pastry:

1 1/4 c flour
1/4 t salt
1 stick butter, cut into 16 pieces
1/4 c sour cream
2 t lemon juice
1/4 c ice cold water

Filling:

1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-1″ dice
2 T olive oil
2 T butter
1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced into half moon slivers
1 t salt
pinch sugar
1/4 t cayenne
3/4 fontina cheese, grated (or half fontina, half Gruyere)
1 1/2 t chopped fresh sage leaves

For the pastry: In a bowl, combine the flour and salt. In a separate bowl place the cut butter. Place both bowls in the freezer for one hour. Remove and place flour/salt in a Cuisinart. Scatter the butter over and pulse (about 10 1-second pulses) until no large bits of butter appear (should appear like cornmeal). Place in a large bowl and make a well in the center. In a separate bowl, stir together the sour cream, lemon juice, and water, then add to the flour mixture. With a spatula, gently fold the liquid in until incorporated. Do not over mix! Remove lumps as they form so that you do not overdo them. Pat the dough into a ball inside the bowl, cover with saran wrap, and refrigerate for one hour.

For the filling: Preheat your oven to 375. Toss the squash with the olive oil and 1/2 t salt, then place in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes or until tender. Stir halfway through. Meanwhile, melt butter in a heavy-bottomed skilled and add onion slivers, 1/2 t salt, and sugar. Cook over low heat until soft and golden brown, about 25-30 minutes. Stir in cayenne.

Raise oven temperature to 400. Mix squash, onions, cheese, and herbs together in a bowl. Set aside.

On a floured surface, roll the dough out into a 12-inch round. Place onto an ungreased baking sheet, spread squash mixture into the center (leave a 1 1/2″ border), and fold the edges over the squash. The center will be open and glorious. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown, melty, and delicious looking. Nom!

12 Holiday Food Comas: Classic Sugar Cookies

December 18, 2013 - Elspeth Leave a comment

Is there anything more holiday-like than a cookie decorating party? I think not.

These are dangerous. Highly addictive. Delicious. I loath myself for making them because a pile is sitting on my counter…taunting me every time I walk by.

“Eat me!”

You’re a jerk, cookie! You have no power over me! I am a warrior against your siren’s call of doom!

But, despite my most courageous efforts, they are mostly gone. After 24 hours. I hang my head in shame.

For these treats I turn to none other than the queen of the old school, can’t-fail, most fool proof recipe book I’ve come across: Fanny Farmer. That lady knows how to make a mean sugar cookie, a delicious apple bread, and a billion kagillion other treats that will have you saying “Martha who?”

These are not the thin and crispy cookies and they don’t have stupid bits of lemon zest in them (love me some lemon zest, but there is NO PLACE for it in a sugar cookie. Get out, dirty citrus).

Classic Sugar Cookies

Fanny Farmer Baking Book

2 sticks butter, softened
3 cups flour
1/2 t baking soda
1 t salt
1 c sugar
2 eggs
1 T vanilla

Buttercream frosting:

1 stick butter, softened
3-4 c powdered sugar
1-2 T milk
1 T vanilla
pinch of salt

Cream the butter in a standing mixer for about 30 seconds. Gradually at the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl, return to medium speed and add the eggs (one at a time) and vanilla. Scrape down the bowl, return to medium speed, and beat for about 3 seconds or until mostly smooth. Stop and scrape down the sides, then add the flour, salt, and baking soda. Mix on low until incorporated and no streaks of flour remain. Turn the dough onto a piece of saran wrap, flatten into a disc, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for 1-4 hours, or until firm. Preheat oven to 375 and line baking sheets (I had about 4 batches total, so I used 2 sheets) with parchment paper. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and roll to about 1/4″-1/2″ thickness. Using floured cookie cutters, cut out shapes and lay them about 1-2″ apart on the baking sheets. Press the dough scraps together, roll out again, and cut more shapes. Bake about 10 minutes, or until you can lift up a corner of a cookie and it doesn’t break apart. Continue until all dough has been used up or eaten (it’s very tasty raw). Remove the cookies to a cooling rack and, when at room temperature, frost with buttercream and sprinkles!

12 Holiday Food Comas: Spinach Dip

December 17, 2013 - Elspeth 1 Comment

While the rest of the country has been suffering through a truly heinous winter with -50 degree winds, never-ending snow, and icy roads covered in car-degrading salt, Californians across the state have been horrified to hear their own fate: a low of 35 degrees. Heavens! When will our afflictions be over? Is there no god above to protect us from this hell?

Thankfully, we powered through and are back to just “chilly” (that’s what 60 degrees feels like to our delicate bodies). It’s a Christmas miracle that we came out alive and can appreciate the little things in life once more. Like food.

I’ve always had a bit of a love-hate thing going on with spinach dip. Oh sure, it’s a wonderland of creamy, spinachy goodness, but you’ll always encounter a mega mayo fan who puts the ratio at 10:1 and ruins it. There’s nothing like a palate full of mayonnaise to remind you of how life was so good without it.

Obviously, it’s all based on personal preference, so my attempt is to go for more spinach, a touch of brie, and a kick with some spice. This isn’t a gooey recipe, so if you want more creaminess I would increase the sour cream by another half cup and maybe add some cream cheese chunks for a festivus flair.

Spinach Dip

1 can artichoke hearts, rinsed and chopped
2 lbs frozen, chopped spinach, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 c sour cream
2 green onions, sliced finely
2 triangles of brie
1/4 c shredded parmigiano cheese
1 t dry mustard
1 t paprika
1/2 t red pepper flakes
1 t salt

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9″x 13″ baking pan. Press the spinach in a dish towel to get out as much moisture as possible. In a large bowl, mix the spinach, artichokes, parmigiano, sour cream, green onions, mustard, paprika, red pepper flakes, and salt. Cut the brie triangles into 1/2″ — 1″ chunks and layer half onto the bottom of the baking pan. Spread the spinach on top and layer the rest of the brie on top of that. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until brown on top. Serve hot with sliced baguette, crackers, etc.