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HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL
First course soups
for holiday dinners
Yvonne
Sutherland
Yvonnes@windstream.net
Christmas will be here
before we know it, and its
time to plan Christmas din
ner. How about a creamy
first course soup to add an
elegant touch? On the other
hand, our family is too large
for sit-down dinners so our
special occasion gatherings
are informal buffets. I set
up a crockpot full of soup
surrounded by large cups
and spoons. (This is a good
use for those Christmas cups
the children have given me
over the years.) Early arriv
als can chat with me and
have a steaming cup of soup
while they are waiting for
the main meal.
Cooking a holiday meal
can be hectic so it is a good
idea to make the soup in
advance and put it in the
refrigerator. Early on the
day of the party, put the
soup in a crockpot to reheat.
When the guests arrive, the
“soups on!”
The Cream of Mushroom
Soup and Pumpkin Soup
are based on recipes from
the 1975 edition of The
Joy of Cooking by Irma
S. Rombauer and Marion
Rombauer Becker.
Cream of Mushroom
Soup
1 pound, mushrooms, thinly
sliced
3 tablespoons butter
2 cups water
3 bouillon cubes
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups heavy cream
In a skillet over medium
high heat, saute the mush
rooms in the butter until
they are tender. Set aside.
In a large kettle, mix water,
bouillon cubes, vegetables,
paprika and nutmeg. Bring
to a boil, reduce the heat and
simmer until the vegetables
are very tender. Add the
mushrooms.
Knead the flour and but
ter together'until thorough
ly blended. Increase the
heat to bring the soup to a
SLOW boil. Drop the flour
and butter mixture into the
soup a little at a time, whisk
ing constantly. Continue
cooking and whisking until
the soup is thickened. Stir
in the cream. Reheat and
serve.
Pumpkin Soup
My grandchildren love
this soup, especially the
toddlers! Some adults say,
“Pumpkin soup?!” That is
until they try it. In fact,
the last time I didn’t make
it for Thanksgiving, I was
reminded not to mess with
tradition!
3 cups chicken stock
1 cup finely julienned ham
4 cups cooked, mashed pump
kin
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
1 cup heavy cream
Heat the broth and ham
in a soup kettle. Simmer
about 10 minutes. Stir in
the pumpkin. Add the sugar,
salt, pepper, ginger and cin
namon. Stir until blended.
Knead the butter and flour
together. Bring the soup to a
SLOW boil and whisk in the
flour and butter mixture.
Continue stirring until the
soup is thickened. Add the
cream and heat through.
Roasted Vegetable Soup
Adapted from Special
Occasions -The Best of
Martha Stewart
This soup takes quite a
bit of time, but it’s worth
it. I recommend making it
the day before you serve it
because of the time involved
and because it tastes better
if the flavors meld overnight.
(I know that many people
have a prejudice against egg
plant; however, in this recipe
it just adds body to the soup
which is flavored with roast
ed peppers, garlic, tomato
and basil. Again, it passes
the grandchild test.)
NOTE: It is important to
use RED bell peppers in this
recipe. Otherwise, the color
would be unappealing!
2 red bell peppers
2 medium eggplants
2 small yellow onions
1 head garlic
1 large tomato
2 tablespoons olive oil
20 fresh basil leaves
Sprig of fresh oregano
salt and pepper
3-4 cups chicken bouillon
1 cup Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Place the peppers on a
cookie sheet and place them
about 3 inches from the boil
er. Broil, keeping a close eye
on them, turning them over
until the skin is blistered
and blackened evenly. (Or
roast them over a gas flame
until the skin is black.) Set
aside and let cool. Peel and
seed the peppers and set
them aside.
Heat the oven to 350
degrees. Prick the eggplants
several times with a fork
and place them on a cookie
sheet along with the onion,
garlic and tomato. Roast
for 30 minutes and remove
the tomato. Continue roast
ing another 30 minutes until
the vegetables are very soft.
Place in a bowl to cool.
When the vegetables
have cooled, peel the' egg
plant, onions and tomatoes.
Remove the seeds from the
eggplant and tomatoes and
cut into chunks. Cut the
onions into chunks. Slice
the top off the garlic and
squeeze the roasted cloves
into the bowl with the veg
etables. Add the peeled pep
pers,
In a soup kettle, heat the
olive oil and add the veg
etables along with 10 whole
basil leaves and the leaves
from the oregano sprig.
Season with salt and pepper.
Cook over low about thirty
minutes, stirring frequently.
Add three cups of bouillon
and simmer for another 30
minutes.
Cool slightly and puree the
soup in small batches in a
blender. Return the soup to
the pot and return to a sim
mer. Stir in the Parmesan
and cook over law heat, stir
ring until it is melted. If the
soup seems too thick, thin
it with additional bouillon.
Before serving stir in the
butter, taste and adjust the
salt and pepper if necessary.
Garnish with the remain
ing basil leaves.
Carrot Soup with
Coriander and Cumin
This is totally yummy with
a surprising zip!
1 tablespoon butter or mar
garine
1 medium yellow onion-thinly
sliced
2 cups chicken or vegetable
stock
2 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons grated fresh gin
ger root
1 pound carrots-sliced
1 small potato-sliced
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup sour cream
salt and cayenne pepper to
taste
Melt the butter or mar
garine in a soup pan and
add the onion, garlic and
ginger. Saute until they
are soft. Add the stock and
spices, carrots and potato,
bring to a gentle boil, reduce
the heat to low, cover and
simmer until the carrots
are very tender. Add the
orange juice. Puree the soup
in small batches. Return
the soup to the pot, reheat
gently and stir in the sour
cream. Season to taste with
sjalt and pepper and garnish
with cilantro or parsley.
Yvonne Sutherland’s reipes
are in the Home Journal
every Wednesday.
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Cocktail Bonbons for the Holidays
Throwing a party this hol
iday season? As you’re cel
ebrating with family, mak
ing merry with co-workers
or ringing in the New Year
with friends, these sophis
ticated sweets are a must
have treat.
For the bonbons, the
melted candy is combined
with cream and a few read
ily available ingredients to
create the “cocktail” fla
vors. For example, grated
lime jzest and peppermint
flavoring make a candy rem
iniscent of Mojitos. Prefer
Cosmopolitans? Just add
chopped dried cranberries
and lime zest. Once the
flavors are added, shape
into balls, dip into addi
tional melted candy to coat,
then roll in colorful sugars.
They’re as pretty to look at
as they are yummy to eat.
Cheesecake Pops? Three
ingredients easy and so deli
cious! Cream cheese is added
to the melted candy, then
chilled. Next, the candy
cheese mixture is rolled into
balls and coated with gra
ham cracker crumbs. Insert
GLORIOUS CAKES
From page iB
walnut
Hummingbird Cake -
Sweet, spicy and very
moist. And the flavor
becomes even better if the
cake is baked and frosted the
day before serving. The bat
ter is easily mixed by hand,
but you will need an electric
mixer for the frosting.
For the cake:
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground Ceylon
cinnamon*
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar,
packed
3 large eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup fresh pineapple,
crushed
2 cups mashed banana (4
large, ripe bananas)
1 cup chopped California wal
nuts
For the frosting:
l/2sticks) chilled unsalted but
ter
3 eight ounce bars cream
cheese, chilled
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
11/2 cups sifted confectioners,
(powdered) sugar
1 1/2 cups chopped California
walnuts
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Butter and flour three fl
inch round cake pans. Cover
FOOD
a lollipop stick. How easy
is that?
Serve the colorful bon
bons in martini glasses for
a unique presentation. Or
insert a lollipop stick and
arrange them with the
Cheesecake Pops in a tall
glass or tumbler filled with
colored sugar - very invit
ing! (Better make plenty.)
1 package (14 oz.) white Candy
Melts® brand confectionary
coating, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup heavy, whipping
cream
1 package (14 oz.) white Candy
Melts® brand confectionary
coating, melted
In microwave-safe bowl or
on top of stove, melt chopped
Candy Melts with cream
over low heat, stirring con
stantly. Add desired ingredi
ents listed below. Pour into
9-inch square baking pan.
Refrigerate 1 to 2 hours or
overnight until firm but pli
able.
Roll chilled mixture into
1-inch balls to make bon
bons. Dip in melted candy
and place on parchment or
waxed paper-lined cookie
the bottom of each pan with
a round of parchment paper
or waxed paper, cut to fit,
pressing the paper snugly
over the bottom of the pan.
Combine the flour, cinna
mon, baking soda and salt,
then sift them together into
a bowl or on to a large sheet
of waxed paper; set aside.
Put the granulated sugar
and brown sugar in a large
mixing bowl, add the eggs,
and stir vigorously until
smoothly blended with the
sugar. When the eggs and
sugars are blended, whisk in
the oil and vanilla. Add the
flour mixture all at once and
stir just until moistened and
the ingredients are evenly
combined. Do not beat. Add
the pineapple, banana, and
walnuts, and stir just until
blended.
Divide the batter among
the three prepared cake
pans, spreading it evenly.
After filling the pans, give
each one a bang on the coun
tertop, to dislodge any air
bubbles in the batter. Bake
for 25-30 minutes, or until
the cakes spring back when
pressed gently with your fin
ger and a toothpick or cake
tester inserted in the center
of a layer comes out clean.
Cool in the pans for 5 min
utes, and then turn the lay
ers out onto cooling racks to
cool completely before frost
ing. If the parchment or
waxed paper has clung to
the layers, peel it off.
To make the frosting, you
will need an electric mixer,
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2007 ♦
sheet. Add desired colored
sugars, lollipop sticks melted
candy and/or coconut as list
ed below. Chill until coating
is firm.
• Margarita Bonbons -
Add 1 tablespoon grated lime
zest to candy-cream mixture
before chilling. Roll dipped
bonbons in light green sug
ars.
•Mojito Bonbons - Add 2
to 3 drops peppermint candy
flavor and 1 table
spoon grated lime zest to
candy-cream mixture before
chilling. Roll dipped bon
bons in dark green sugars.
• Cosmopolitan Bonbons
- Add 1/2 cup chopped dried
cranberries and 1 table
spoon lime zest to candy
cream mixture before chill
ing. Roll dipped bonbons in
red sugars.
• Cherry Bomb Bonbons
- Add 1 to 2 drops cher
ry candy flavor, red candy
color (optional) and 1/2 cup
chopped dried cherries to
candy-cream mixture before
chilling. Drizzle chilled bon
bons with melted Red Candy
Melts.
• Pina Colada Bonbons
preferably a freestanding
one, although a powerful
hand-held mixer will work.
Cut the butter into 2-inch
pieces and put in a large
bowl of the mixer. Start
slowly, gradually increas
ing the speed, and beat the
chilled butter on medium
speed until it becomes mal
leable, yet still cool, about
3 or 4 minutes. Cut the
cream cheese into 2-inch
pieces also, add to the but
ter, and continue to mix
until smooth and thoroughly
blended. Add the vanilla,
then slowly add the confec
tioners, sugar and mix until
blended. Increase speed
slightly and continue mixing
for 2-3 minutes, until the
frosting becomes light and
fluffy. By hand, fold in the
walnuts.
To assemble the cake, place
one of the layers, bottom side
up, on a plate. Spread with
about 2/3 cup of frosting.
Top with a second layer, bot
tom side down, and spread
with an equal amount of
frosting. Set the third layer,
top side up, over the others.
Frost the top and sides of
the cake with the remaining
frosting. Store the frosted
cake at a cool but not refrig
erated area until serving.
Makes one 9-inch three
layer cake, serving 12 * 16
Recipe and photo cour
tesy of Chef Scott Peacock
of Watershed Restaurant
in Decatur. For the Walnut
Marketing Board
- Add 3/4 cup finely chopped
dried pineapple, 1/2 cup
flaked coconut and 1/2 tea
spoon rum extract to candy
cream mixture before chill
ing. Roll dipped bonbons
in toasted flaked coconut
before chilling.
Cheesecake Pops
Makes about 3 dozen
lpackage (8 oz.) cream cheese,
softened
1 package (14 oz.) white Candy
Melts® brand confectionary
coating, melted and cooled'
Coarse graham cracker
crumbs
In large bowl, beat cream
cheese with electric mixer
until light and fluffy, about
5 minutes. Gradually beat
in cooled melted candy; mix
well. Pour into 9-inch square
baking pan. Refrigerate 1 to
2 hours or overnight until
firm.
Scoop out chilled mixture
and roll into 1-inch balls; roll
in graham cracker crumbs to
coat. Insert lollipop sticks.
Refrigerate until ready to
serve.
Source: Wiltons.com
Bacardi Rum Cake
Cake:
1 cup chopped, toasted pecans
or walnuts
1 18-1/2 ounce yellow cake
mix
1 1-3/4 ounce (4-serving size)
instant vanilla pudding mix
4 eggs
1/2 cup cold milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup Barcardi dark rum
Glaze:
1 stick butter
1/4 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup Barcardi dark rum
Cake: Preheat oven to
325 degrees F. Grease and
flour 12-cup Bundt pan.
Sprinkle nuts on bottom
of pan. Combine all cake
ingredients. Beat for 2 min
utes on high with electric
mixer. Pour into prepared
pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool in
pan. Invert on serving plate.
Prick top with fork. Drizzle
glaze over top of cake. Use
brush or spoon to put extra
dripping back on cake.
Glaze: Melt butter in
saucepan. Stir in water and
sugar.
Boil 5 minutes, stirring
constantly. Remove from
heat and stir in rum. Note:
The rum will cause steam.
Be careful not to burn your
self.
3B