Viennese Pecan Crescents

Christmas cookie season is upon us! I am working again with Boom Island Brewing Company to pair up these festive treats with each of their beers. But even if you aren't a beer person, these cookies are sure to please. Buttery shortbread, rich pecans and a healthy dusting of powdered sugar...what's not to love!  The shaping of these cookies is a tad tedious, but worth the extra time. And after these cookies are baked, they freeze beautiful so you can happily enjoy them throughout the holiday season.

Recipe adapted from Gale Gand

Yields about 5 dozen cookies

Ingredients

• 1 c unsalted butter, softened
• ¾ c sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 ½ c all-purpose flour
• 1 c finely ground pecans
• powdered sugar for coating

Directions

• Cream together the butter, sugar, and vanilla and beat until fluffy. Gradually add the flour and nuts and mix until just combined. The dough with be very crumbly.
• Shape the dough into tiny crescents using about 2 tsp of dough for each cookie. Place on an ungreased sheet pan in rows, leaving 1 inch in between. Chill the cookies for at least one hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Bake about 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges begin to brown.
• Allow cookies to cool slightly and then dredge in powdered sugar to coat.

Garlic Butter Shrimp over Quinoa and Spinach

I'm pretending this is a healthy dish, paraded over a bed of quinoa. But it's really not. It's shrimp drenched in garlic butter. No, it does not compare to the wonder that is Giovanni's Shrimp Truck on the North Shore of Oahu. But few shrimp dishes are. I'll take what tasty seafood I can get in this land locked state.

adapted from Pinch of Yum

The Ingredients:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
7-9 cloves of garlic, minced, divided
1 1/2 cups uncooked quinoa
1 1/2 tsp chili powder, divided
3 Tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
4 cups fresh spinach, torn
4 cups vegetable or shrimp stock (save those shells for just this purpose!)
6 Tbsp salted butter, divided
1 lb shrimp, peeled and de-veined
2 Tbsp dry white wine
salt and pepper to taste
fresh parsley for serving
lemon wedges for serving

The Process:
Heat the oil in a large saucepan set over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add 2 cloves of the minced garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes more, or until fragrant. Add the uncooked quinoa and ½ teaspoon chili powder. Cook, stirring frequently for another 1 minute until the quinoa is coated in chili and oil. Add the broth, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until quinoa is tender.  Add the spinach during the last 2-3 minutes cooking and steam until wilted. Fluff with a fork and toss with parsley.

While the quinoa is cooking, melt 1 Tbsp of the butter in a large skillet over medium high-heat.  Add the shrimp and remaining 1 tsp chili powder. Cook until the shrimp are opaque, 3-4 minutes. Add 2-3 minced cloves of garlic and swirl around in the pan until the garlic is fragrant.

In a small saucepan over medium-heat, melt the remaining 5 Tbsp butter.  Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. Whisk in the dry white wine.

To serve, layer the quinoa mixture into the bottom of a casserole and top with a layer of the shrimp. Top with chopped parsley and drizzle with garlic butter. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.

Bourbon Soaked Bundt Cake

With nearly a cup of bourbon and three sticks of butter, this is a cake to reserve for special occasions. Happy birthday, Love!

adapted from Bake it with Booze and the Brown Eyed Baker

yields 1 cake

The Ingredients

for the cake

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

4 eggs, room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 cups cake flour, sifted

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 cup buttermilk, room temperature

1/3 cup bourbon

Bourbon Soaking Sauce

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup bourbon

The Process

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Generously oil a 10 cup bundt pan and set aside. 

In the large bowl, cream together the butter with the granulated and brown sugars until the mixture is light and fluffy (about 5 minutes on medium high using a stand mixer or hand held beaters). Scrap done sides of bowl as needed. 

Beat the eggs into the butter mixture one at a time, incorporating fully after each addition. Add the vanilla extract.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the bourbon and buttermilk. 

Alternately add the flour mixture and bourbon mixture to the butter, beginning and ending with the flour. Add the last addition by hand, folding until flour is just incorporated.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake, uncovered for 50-55 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Remove from oven to a wire rack and allow to cool in the bundt pan for about 10 minutes.

While the cake cools prepare the bourbon soak by Melting the butter in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Add the sugar and vanilla and stir until the sugar is fully dissolved. Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the bourbon. Whisk until fully combined.

Using a long skewer, poke several holes throughout the cake. Slowly pour about 3/4 of the bourbon soak onto the cake, allowing to soak in. Reserve the remaining bourbon soak.

Allow the cake to cool completely in the bundt pan, about 2 hours. Once completely cool, invert the cake onto a serving platter and remove from pan. Rewarm the remaining bourbon soak and brush onto the surface of the cake to glaze. 

Slice and enjoy!

Beer Ricotta Gnocchi with Lemon-Thyme Browned Butter Sauce

Remember I few days ago when I made the saison ricotta? Get ready to make another batch for this recipe!

I love how the beer carried through to the end of the recipe. The bready, boozy notes were still there. To keep the flavors light and bright, I wanted a simple sauce, so I turned to a browned butter base. Browned butter and sage is a common accompaniment to gnocchi. To brighten the sauce and change it up a bit, I opted to add lemon and thyme. Part of me hoped the citrus and herbs would mimic the hop flavors that were lost in the gnocchi. The end result was wonderful.

Gnocchi recipe adapted from The Splendid Table
Sauce recipe adapted is my own

serves 4

The Ingredients:
for the gnocchi
1 lb saison ricotta, drained
3/4 cup to 1 cup flour, plus more for rolling
1 egg
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp melted butter
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of black pepper

for the sauce
6 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp honey
 
The Process:
In a large bowl combine the ricotta, flour, egg, butter, Parmesan, salt, nutmeg and pepper. Gently knead with your hands until a sticky dough forms, added additional flour as needed. Cover and chill for one hour.

Divide the dough into four. On a lightly floured surface, roll each quarter out into a 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch round log, about 18 inches long. Cut into 1-inch pieces. Arrange the gnocchi on a lightly floured sheet, leaving space between. Cover and chill at least 1 hour, or up to 2 days.

To cook, bring 6 cups of salted water to a boil. Working in batches, cook the gnocchi for 3-4 minutes, until they float to the surface. Gently scoop them out of the cooking liquid with a slotted spoon, transferring to a serving bowl. Keep warm.

for the sauce:
Cut the butter into pieces. Melt in a small heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-low heat. Simmer butter until golden brown in color, about 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from heat and immediately add lemon juice, salt, thyme, and honey, swirling to blend.  The butter will foam up when the liquid is added.

Pour half of the sauce over gnocchi and gently toss to coat. Divide among four plates and drizzle with remaining sauce.

Serve sauce immediately.