Season's Eatings!

Merry Christmas to all of you who celebrate Christmas! I salute all the home cooks and chefs who have spent countless hours determining what to prepare, shopping for the items, and preparing the meal(s).  Growing up, my family had breakfast , then opened presents, followed by completing tasks to ensure dinner would be ready by mid-afternoon. The dinner preparations actually started a day or two before. Each year a member of the family was designated to retrieve all the gifts from under the tree and distribute them to the recipients
 This year I'm celebrating Christmas in my new space. I asked Santa for one thing - an omelet pan to .replace the pan that I've used as an omelet pan and ruined as a result. I'm hopeful that Santa will deliver. On my menu today:

Butternut squash soup

Cranberry, orange and walnut relish

Green beans with dried cranberries and almonds

Savory stuffing with roasted chestnuts

Turkey breast tenderloin

Flourless chocolate cake

 

 

 

It's my first time trying the recipes for the soup, green beans and flourless cake. If the dishes taste good I'll be certain share details about the recipes.

 

So, if you don't celebrate Christmas, is there a way to enjoy the holiday season? Absolutely!   One suggestion: visit a city or town you've always wanted to visit and go - just  research to make sure there are dining venues open. Hotels frequently have specials because room occupancy is low. I decided to visit New York City for Christmas. Unlike New Year's Eve in New York City, Christmas Day is quiet, peaceful and at times feels quaint.  During my whirlwind visit I  had a delicious three course lunch at an East Indian Restaurant , dinner at Zoë Restaurant on the Lower East side,  and saw Chris Botti perform at the Blue Note Jazz Supper Club. I met international visitors and locals alike. The highlight of the trip was when Chef Zoe Feigenbaum came out and said hello. You see, when the restaurant called to confirm my reservation I asked the chef would be present. The voice on the phone responded, "Yes, I will be there".  After a momentary squeal of delight I explained that I had watched her on the Food Network's television program Chopped, and had been rooting for her. She seemed genuinely appreciative of the support.  I checked this year- it appears the  Zoë Restaurant space is for sale. I wish Chef  Feigenbaum success in her endeavors wherever she goes.

 

Mimi and her fiancé have suggested I explore Atlantic City at Christmas. They visit every year and speak highly about  the variety of things to do.  I'll look into it.

What traditions do you have for the holiday season? Is there a city you enjoy visiting during the holiday season? Share your comments below.

Season's Eatings!


Be well,
Technicolor girl

image created by Ink+ LLC

Cranberry Walnut Bread

One of my favorite late fall/winter fruits is cranberry. The sweet and slightly tart taste as well as the scent of cranberries reminds me of the holidays and festive times. It was served a Thanksgiving dinner. It was sometimes served at Christmas dinner. It was always consumed and didn't go to waste. The past few years I have become more adventurous and attempted to make cranberry relish from scratch. 

Recently I used the remaining cranberries from a package I'd purchased to make a cranberry walnut bread.  The recipe is from allrecipes.com. The recipe on the site makes three loaves. I adjusted the quantity of the ingredients to make a single loaf.

Makes servings USMetricAdjust Recipe (Help)

          

1/4 cup butter, room temperature

1 cup white sugar

1 egg, room temperature

1 tablespoon, orange zest

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 orange juice

1 cup whole cranberries

2/3 cup and 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts

 

My steps:

I prepped all the ingredients first. I juiced one orange and used a microplane to zest the orange ( grater or zester will work too). The cranberries were run through a mini chopper for about 10 seconds and placed in bowl that I set to the side. I also ran the walnuts through the mini chopper, placed them in container and set them aside. All the dry ingredients were measured into bowls of varying sizes.  I greased an 8x4 load pan and preheated the oven to 350 degrees F (approximately (175 degrees C).

 

I sifted the flour, salt baking powder, and baking soda in a separate bowl and set it aside  

 

In my mixing bowl, the butter and sugar were beat until light and fluffy.

 

I added the orange zest to the butter mixture. I then added the egg and made sure it was blended well into the mixture

 

Next, I alternated adding the bowl of sifted ingredients and  orange juice to the mixture.

 

Then the cranberries and walnuts were folded in.

 

 

 

The mixture was poured into the loaf pan and baked for approximately an hour. I checked the bread for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center of the loaf (it should come out clean).

 

 The recipe on the allrecipe.com site recommends covering the loaf with aluminum foil to prevent the loaf from becoming too dark. I didn't follow the recommendation.

 

The baking bread has a wonderful aroma. The bread keeps well and is  great with coffee, tea, or your favorite beverage. 

 

Do you like cranberries? Or walnuts? If you make this bread please share your experience in the comments below.

 

 

Be well,

 

Technicolor girl

 

image created by Ink+ LLC

 

 

 

                        

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                        

 

                        

 

                        

 

A Day of Giving and Gratitude

Do you have traditions that you maintain on Thanksgiving Day? Watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade? Attend local high school football games? Gather at the home of family or friends for dinner or dessert?

Today is a day of giving and gratitude for me. I will spend Thanksgiving morning volunteering  with Food & Friends to deliver meals. Food & Friends has more than 800 turkeys and all the sides that need to be delivered. They estimate 3,500 people will sit down to give thanks and enjoy a meal from Food & Friends on Thanksgiving Day. Food & Friends states, "this is what Thanksgiving is all about – coming together as a community to care for our neighbors in need". I consider it an honor to serve as a volunteer.

A friend sent me a  text message yesterday: there is such joy in gratitude. On this Thanksgiving Day I am grateful for and am joyful about many things, including:

• Access to shelter, food, and water
• Family and dear friends
• Employment
• The many chefs, servers, greeters/hosts/hostesses and other staff who have made me feel welcome in their dining establishment.
• The business owners and vendors who have agreed  to be interviewed on the Technicolor dining  blog site.
• You, for supporting Technicolor dining by reading the blog posts and telling others about the blog site, Facebook page, and Twitter presence. Technicolor dining's continued growth is due largely to you. Thank you!

I am also blessed to spend part of my Thanksgiving Day with Bebe and her family. When I asked what I should bring,  Bebe told me to bring a healthy appetite and a good bottle of wine. Bebe's menu includes turkey,  duck and  at least three dessert options.. I'm hopeful that the weeks attending wine school  have helped me make acceptable wine choices. Stay tuned.

Yes, I have prepared a small meal as well.

On the menu:

roasted turkey breast (the turkey was submerged in a brine solution for several  hours)

herb stuffing with sausage and roasted chestnuts

homemade turkey gravy

cranberry, orange and walnut relish - see the Ocean Spray site for the recipe

brussel sprouts with apple and almond (this dish is a favorite with my immediate family)

Wishing you and yours a day filled with joy and gratitude. Happy Thanksgiving!


Be well,

Technicolor girl




image created by Ink+ LLC