How to Serve Food Like the Pros

Holiday How To — Day 10 — Each day leading up to Christmas I’ll post a bit of holiday know-how that will help make your season a little easier.

Here’s a tip that will make your dinner guests feel extra special. Before serving your meal, take a moment to warm your dinner plates. Serving food on plates that have been gently warmed has long been the mark of a fine dining establishment. The best restaurants will take the time to make sure the temperature of the plate matches the temperature of the food. Hot foods should be served on plates that are warm to the touch and foods served cold are best presented on plates that have been chilled. The fact that a warm plate will help keep food warmer longer is an added benefit. (The same holds true for chilled plates, too.)

No special equipment or expensive plate warmers are required. You simply turn your oven to its lowest setting and pop your plates in for a few minutes just before serving. Again, the oven should be on its lowest setting (warm or 150°F tops). The goal is plates that are slightly warm to the touch, not piping hot plates that are too hot to handle. To chill plates, a few minutes in the fridge will suffice.

 

How to Make Your Own Brown Sugar

Holiday How To — Day Nine — Each day leading up to Christmas I’ll post a bit of holiday know-how that will help make your season a little easier.

At some point during your seasonal baking you’ll likely find yourself out of one ingredient or another. If brown sugar’s the culprit, you can mix up your own in minutes.

Brown sugar is simply granulated white sugar with molasses added to it. To mix your own, simply place the granulated sugar in a bowl and with your mixer running, gradually add the molasses, mixing until it’s evenly distributed. You can make brown sugar by hand by simply stirring the molasses into the sugar, but the mixer produces a smoother, more even product.

The result should resemble the brown sugar you buy. Adjust the amount of molasses to suit your taste, using less for light brown sugar and more for dark brown. A general rule of thumb is to add about a tablespoon of molasses to one cup of sugar.

Your homemade brown sugar will have a slightly more pronounced molasses flavor than the store bought version, but in most cases the additional flavor will be a good thing.

How to Give the Gift of Deliciousness

Holiday How To — Day Eight — Each day leading up to Christmas I’ll post a bit of holiday know-how that will help make your season a little easier.

Here’s another delicious edible gift from last month’s visit to the Metropolitan Cooking and Entertaining Show – Mother Myrick’s Buttercrunch. Think rectangles of the butteriest toffee you’ll ever taste, covered in milk or dark chocolate then rolled in chopped almonds and cashews.

I’ll give you a moment to wipe the drool from your mouth.

Every crunch is made from scratch by the folks at this family business based in Manchester, Vermont. They’re available in one or two pound gift boxes or in 4 and 7 ounce packs. Order lots, because you will definitely not want to share!

How to Make an Hors d’oeuvre in a Hurry

Holiday How To — Day Seven — Each day leading up to Christmas I’ll post a bit of holiday know-how that will help make your season a little easier.

Whether you’re hosting an open house, a cocktail party or a holiday dinner, it’s a good idea to keep your pantry stocked with fixings for a few quick and delicious finger foods. These Blue Cheese Grapes with Toasted Pecans can be assembled in minutes with a handful of ingredients. They’ll definitely make your taste buds happy in a hurry!

Blue Cheese Grapes with Toasted Pecans

• 1 tablespoon butter
• ½ cup pecan halves
• 1 4.5 ounce wedge blue cheese, crumbled
• 2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
• ½ pound red seedless grapes (about 40)

Melt butter over medium high heat in a small sauté pan. Add pecans, stirring to coat with butter. Cook until pecans begin to brown, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, chop finely and set aside to cool.

In a medium bowl, mix together the blue cheese and cream cheese until well combined. Cover each grape with about a teaspoon of the cheese mixture, pressing with your fingers until cheese adheres to grapes. Roll cheese-covered grape in toasted nuts. Chill until serving.

Makes about 40.

How to Choose the Right Flour for the Job

Holiday How To — Day Six — Each day leading up to Christmas I’ll post a bit of holiday know-how that will help make your season a little easier.

As the holiday baking season gets underway, it’s important to stock your pantry with the right flour for the right job. Most recipes will specify what type of flour you should use, but just in case here’s a quick primer on three popular flours to make sure your cakes, cookies, breads and whatever else you’re baking turn out just right.

Let’s start at the beginning. Flour is made by grinding wheat. The different sections of the wheat kernel produce flours of different textures when they’re ground. The harder parts of the wheat kernel have a higher protein content and produce a harder, coarser flour. Softer parts of the wheat kernel, which have lower protein content, produce softer, finer flour.

All-Purpose Flour (APF) is a mix of both hard and soft flours. Consider this the workhouse of flours since it’s produced to work in a variety of foods.

Bread Flour is a hard flour. It has a coarser texture and more protein than APF. The extra protein makes it ideal for making, you guessed it, breads.

Cake Flour is a soft flour. Its fine texture makes it perfect for producing tender cakes and cookies. You can make your own cake flour by measuring one cup of APF. Remove two tablespoons of the flour from the cup and replace it with two tablespoons of cornstarch. Sift and voila, cake flour.

How to Create a Five Minute Centerpiece

Holiday How To — Day Five — Each day leading up to Christmas I’ll post a bit of holiday know-how that will help make your season a little easier.

Holiday music; check. House filled with the aroma of delicious foods; check. Cocktails at the ready; check. Centerpiece for your dining table: uh-oh.

Creating a centerpiece is an often overlooked detail when planning a dinner party, as most people tend to focus on the food (and rightly so). If you find yourself looking for a quick centerpiece that you can pull together quickly using stuff you likely have on hand, look no further. You can assemble this one in a flash.

You’ll need a clear, glass vase, a bag of fresh cranberries and a taper candle. Pour the cranberries into the vase, filling it about half way, then nestle the candle in the center of the cranberries, making sure the bottom of the candle meets the bottom of your vase. The cranberries will hold the candle steady. Pop one or two of these in the center of your table and you’re ready, set, center-pieced for your dinner party.

How to Give the Gift of Deliciousness!

Cashew Brittle with White Chocolate

Holiday How To — Day Four — Each day leading up to Christmas I’ll post a bit of holiday know-how that will help make your season a little easier.

In the midst of a busy holiday season it’s always a treat (and a convenience) to find a store-bought gift that feels homemade. On a recent visit to the Metropolitan Cooking & Entertaining Show in DC last month, I came across a few of these hard to find gems that combine great taste with the ease of online shopping, gift wrapping and shipping.

The Cashew Toffee with White Chocolate from Red Rocker Candy, the producers of assorted handmade toffees, brittles, barks and more, will make just such a delicious gift this holiday season. The toffee is the perfect blend of sweet and slightly salty and the addition of the white chocolate truly makes it an unforgettable goodie perfect for hostess gifts (try the 1-pound box) or stocking stuffers (the 2-ounce bag is just the right size for a snack).

You can order directly from their website at www.redrockercandy.com or pick it up from a local store if you’re lucky enough to live near one of the stores that carries their products. Order soon for holiday arrival.

Happy crunching!

How to Host a Cupcake Exchange

Holiday How To — Day Three — Each day leading up to Christmas I’ll post a bit of holiday know-how that will help make your season a little easier.

Think outside the cookie jar this holiday season by upgrading your annual cookie swap with cupcakes. A few minor changes to your usual SOP (Swap Operating Procedure) are all it takes to send friends and family home with cupcakes galore.

Mail or email invites early enough to give guests a chance to prep for the new format and try out their recipes. Include the number of cupcakes each guest should bring – enough for tasting and swapping. The more they bake, the more they can take! Remind them to bring a container to transport their goodies home in and as the RSVPs roll in, find out what type of cupcake everyone plans to bring, to prevent duplicakes, of course.

Have your cupcake display area set up when guests arrive. If you don’t have enough on hand, pick up inexpensive platters and trays at your local dollar store. Assign each guest a platter and use your computer to print a place card for each cupcake to help guests identify each treat.

Ask each guest to bring printed copies of their recipe for sharing or have guests email them before the swap and print a copy of all the recipes for everyone.

Happy Swapping!

How to Set Up a Buffet

Holiday How To — Day Two — Each day leading up to Christmas I’ll post a bit of holiday know-how that will help make your season a little easier.

The delicious details are what separate a good party from a great one and an organized and pretty buffet table is one detail your guests won’t forget. Setting the table, especially a buffet, may seem like a last minute no-brainer, but a well-dressed buffet table will help you put your best food forward.

1. Select platters for each dish and arrange them on your table the night before your party. You’ll have plenty of time to work out any layout or spacing issues. Don’t forget to leave plenty of space for plates, napkins and flatware.

2. Write the name of each food you’re serving on a sticky note and adhere them to the bottom of the appropriate platter. There’ll be no last minute decisions about which platter’s for which food and any guest who volunteers to help will have all the direction they need.

3. Keep your buffet line moving smoothly by arranging platters along both sides of your table so guests can serve themselves from more than one side.

4. Prevent a long line from forming by stationing food in other parts of the house. Place an hors d’oeuvres platter on a coffee or end table. Be sure to place plates and napkins there, as well.

5. Put place cards featuring the name of each dish next to your platters so guests know what they’re choosing.

6. Display food at different heights by covering stacked phone books or inverted pots or pans with cloth napkins or smaller tablecloths if you’re short on cake stands or tiered platters.

7. Make it pretty! Garnish platters with fresh herbs. Place votive candles between platters, making sure not to place them in a Reach Zone, areas of the table where guests will reach to access the food.

8. Wrap silverware in napkins tied with ribbon to make it easier for guests to carry along with their plates. Brightly colored napkins and ribbon will give even disposable flatware a festive look.

Holiday How To — Your Guide to Cooking, Entertaining & Giving for the Season

Welcome to day one of  Holiday How-To!

Each day leading up to Christmas I’ll post a bit of holiday know-how that will help make your season a little easier. First up, How To…

Give Gifts That Matter

Giving may be the best gift of all this holiday season, when so many are facing tough financial times. While it’s easy to get wrapped up in the holiday spending frenzy, a practical, thoughtful and useful gift may be just the thing for a friend, family member or stranger in need. Here are four ideas to help you give a gift that matters.

1. Raindrops on Roses – Fill a basket with several of your giftee’s favorite nonperishable foods or products. Think snacks, beauty products, even essentials like cereal, ground coffee or shower gel.

2. Gift Card Blanche – Pick up gift cards for your local grocery store or even a gas station close to your friend or family member’s home. Visa or American Express gift cards are also great choices because they can be spent anywhere.

3. Luxury – Treat a deserving friend to a night out or a fun experience they may have had to curtail due to money troubles. Buy a gift card for use at their favorite restaurant, a movie theater or even a gift certificate for a massage, mani-pedi or other special treatment they may not be able to afford right now. An afternoon or evening of fun and relaxation can do wonders to lift spirits.

4. Party with Purpose – Ask guests at your holiday soiree to bring canned goods or other nonperishable food items. Your local food bank or homeless shelter will gladly accept your donation. Be sure to call ahead first to let them know about your plans.