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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. * JIK/ HU Vi ' * ~ P wUHfsJV** Jm sfc * «pgpjl }’£ a—aaiUpl & .ttnMlf "'■xSsSsSk, ?> l§@gi§?|J§K|P * „ ''' i 4^R^ y f I|% : y "\ -4 • J' i" »riW 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