Happy New Year!

I've got a couple more appetizers for you to consider for New Year's Eve. They would also be good for a New Year's Day gathering. If you're having people pop in and out, the wrapped artichokes hearts are especially appropriate because they can be made and hanging out in the fridge until guests arrive. Take out as many as you need as a time.

The crab salad in phyllo cups are a different story. They need to be eaten ASAP after assembling otherwise the cups get mushy. You can, of course, make the salad in advance and pop it into the cups before serving. Do heat the cups first, though, to crisp them up. Otherwise, they snap about as well as a piece of cardboard!

This is my last post of 2007. Sheesh, it seems like it was just Halloween!

Stir Crazy will be on hiatus next week, returning on Jan. 7. I hope you all have a great New Year. I'll meet you back here in '08 for more weeknight meal ideas. Until then make some ...

Prosciutto Wrapped Artichoke Hearts
16 thin prosciutto slices, cut in half lengthwise to make 32 pieces
6 to 8 artichoke hearts (not marinated), cut into 4 to 6 pieces each
1 package Alouette Garlic and Spices Herb Cheese
Toothpicks

Place small spread of herb cheese on each salami slice. Top with artichoke piece and wrap with prosciutto. Secure with toothpick. Can be made up to 3 days in advance.

Makes 32.

Vegetarian Version: Place small spread of herb cheese on lettuce leaf. Top with artichoke piece and wrap lettuce leaf around it. Secure with toothpick.

Crab Salad in Phyllo Cups
2 boxes 15-count 1-inch phyllo cups
¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup finely chopped celery
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
12 ounces crabmeat, picked over
Salt and pepper
Pimento strips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a baking sheet, bake phyllo shells until just crisp and beginning to turn golden, about 5 minutes.

Mix mayonnaise, celery and onion in a medium bowl. Add crabmeat and fold gently to combine without breaking up crabmeat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Scoop crab salad into the cups. Top each with a ½-inch piece of pimento and serve immediately.

Makes 30.

Nibbles for New Year's Eve

2008 approaches. Do you know what you'll be eating on the last night of 2007?

Make these puff pastry pinwheel appetizers anytime between now and next week and you and yours will be ready to say hello to the new year in style. They store like champs in the freezer and, in fact, are simply slice-and-bake cookies for adults.

Puff pastry is the best friend a party hors d'oeuvre ever had. Let it thaw, then slather it with the filling of your choice. Roll it and wrap it and chill it for an hour. If you've not worked with frozen puff pastry before, this is an excellent recipe to get acquainted with this versatile product.

Stilton Pinwheels With Walnuts and Honey
1/3 cup Stilton or other blue cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup cream cheese, at room temperature
1 sheet purchased frozen puff pastry, thawed
2 cups (about 8 ounces) walnut halves
Honey for drizzling

In a mini processor or by hand, mix blue cheese and cream cheese until well blended.

On a lightly floured pastry cloth or board, unfold the pastry sheet according to the package directions. Cut in half lengthwise.

Carefully and without tearing pastry, spread half of the cheese mixture to cover one piece of pastry, leaving a 1/4-inch border on one long edge. Beginning with the long, coated edge, tightly roll the pastry, forming a long jelly roll-style log. Moisten the border with water and pinch the edge to form a secure seam. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour before baking. (Rolls can also be frozen.) Repeat with the remaining piece of pastry and cheese mixture.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or leave ungreased and set aside.

USING FROZEN ROLLS: Remove one log at a time from the freezer and unwrap on a cutting board. Thaw slightly. Measure and mark 1/4-inch increments and slice with a serrated knife. Arrange pinwheels on baking sheet, at least 1 inch apart. Gently press 1 walnut half in the center of each pinwheel. Bake until the pastry is golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and, using a teaspoon or squeeze bottle, drizzle with a crisscross thread of honey. Serve immediately.

Makes about 6 dozen pinwheels.

Variations, using directions above:

For Spinach-Cheese Pinwheels: 1/4 cup cream cheese, 1/3 cup grated Parmesan, 1 package frozen spinach, thawed and well-drained, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder. Mix together, divide and spread on pastry halves.

For Roasted Red Pepper and Parmesan Pinwheels: 1/4 cup cream cheese, 1/3 cup grated Parmesan, 4 or 5 pieces of jarred roasted red peppers, drained and blotted dry. Mix cheeses, divide and spread on pastry halves. Slice red peppers and arrange strips on pastry sheets in single layers, covering most of the surface.

For Honey Ham and Jack Pinwheels With Mustard: Brown mustard, 6 to 7 thin slices of honey-glazed deli ham, 1/2 cup grated Jack cheese. Spread thin layer of brown mustard on pastry halves then arrange ham in single layers. Sprinkle Jack cheese over all.

For Greek-style Pinwheels: 1/4 cup cream cheese, 1/3 cup crumbled feta, 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1/3 cup chopped Kalamata olives, well drained. Combine cheeses and dried basil. Divide in half and spread over pastry halves. Arrange chopped olives over all.

Sources: "Holiday Baking" by Sara Perry (Chronicle Books; $18.95) and Janet K. Keeler, St. Petersburg Times food editor.

Take a dip for New Year's Eve

Well, aren't you glad that's over? I really love Christmas with all its twinkling lights and pretty packages but come bedtime on Dec. 25, I'm ready to move on. A good time was had by all at my house and I hope the same was true at yours.

There's still New Year's Eve to celebrate (and cook for). You want to be the hit of the neighborhood party? Make Beer Dip and serve it with sturdy pretzels rods. Prepare for double-dipping too. Thank God for football since that gives me the excuse to run the recipe in the Taste section nearly every year. If you're looing for some low-calorie offerings, check out my story on skinny dips. No, not that kind.

Beer Dip is a pretty low-brow offering but with so much flavor you'll be forgiven. There's much discussion about which beer melds best with the other flavors but I say save the good stuff for drinking. I've used Rolling Rock, Pabst, Bud Light and Michelob Light. I like Rolling Rock best. It really comes down to what you want to drink since you'll use barely one bottle from the six-pack.

I'll be treating you to party food recipes on Thursday and Friday ... 

Beer Dip
1 package Hidden Valley dip mix (original flavor)
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese
6 ounces beer
6 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese
Pretzels

Mix first four ingredients and chill for at least 1 hour. Use any kind of pretzels for dipping.

The best for last ...

Okay, this is the most stupid-simple recipe in the world. Plus, it's the most fantastic. The recipe calls for "nuts" so you can use any type you like. I usally use pecan pieces. You could make it Peanut Butter Brickle by using peanut butter chips. Or, a mixture of chocolate and peanut butter.

Looking for last-minute presents or hostess gifts? Make a couple batches of Brickle this weekend. After it's chilled and broken into pieces, place in Ziploc bags and put those in decorative gift bags. Voila! You're a genius.

Funny story about this recipe that ran in 2002. A woman called afterward and complained that the melted butter ran off the pan and into the oven, making a mess. She had used a cookie sheet with no edge on it. Whoa. Kids, don't try that a home.

Stir Crazy will return on Wednesday, Dec. 26, with a few days of appetizer recipes. Until then, have a fantastic Christmas and don't forget to cook!

Brickle
40 saltine crackers
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 12-ounce package chocolate chips
Chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cover baking sheet with 1-inch edge with foil and cover lightly with non-stick spray. Place saltine crackers in single layer on foil.

On stove, melt butter and brown sugar. Bring to full boil and cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove and pour over crackers. Bake for 5 minutes.

Sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Leave until melted, less than 5 minutes Spread out the chocolate and sprinkle with nuts. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Break into pieces. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Source: Judith L. McVaugh, Beverly Hills; Carol Latta Milner, Seminole.

Coconuts over these macaroons

We went a little crazy for the 2003 cookie issue. Our photo editor and my buddy Patty Yablonski made little decorations for each cookie. This one was pretty simple, but some where really very Zsa Zsa Gabor. You've got to look.

That year,I picked the recipes from cookbooks. No surprise, they took up one entire page more. The recipes from readers always reflect what real home cooks are making. In the cookbooks, you find much more fussy stuff.

This is not one of those fussy recipes. The macaroons come together so easily and the little dip of chocolate really elevates them to fancy stuff. You've got time ... make them!

Chocolate Dipped Coconut Macaroons
2-2/3 cup flaked coconut, firmly packed
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup unbleached flour
4 egg whites, unbeaten
1 cup sliced almonds
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine coconut, sugar and flour. Stir in egg whites, almonds, vanilla and almond extract. Form balls from rounded tablespoonfuls and place 2 inches apart on lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until golden. Remove from pans while hot and allow to cool.

For or chocolate edge: Melt chocolate in double boiler, stirring until two-thirds melted; remove from heat and continue stirring until completely melted. Dip one edge of each cookie into chocolate and set on waxed paper to allow chocolate to set.

Makes about 30.

Source: “Christmas from the Heart of the Home” by Susan Branch (Little, Brown & Co., 1990).

Mocha macadamia mama

Mocha Macadamia Shortbread is a departure from what you usually find on the Christmas cookie tray. When I select recipes for our annual cookie issue, I always imagine how they would all look on a plate laden with goodies. I want a variety of tastes and shapes. Coffe, or mocha, is a good flavor that doesn't find its way into holiday cookies too oftn.

This recipe is interesting because the pricey macadamia nuts aren't in big chunks in the cookie, but rather they are pulverized in a food processor along with the sugar. This leaves their flavor but not the bits in the cooie.The shortbread is good on its own but the mocha icing really seals the deal. If you want it less sweet, don't ice the entire cookie like the ones in the photo. Just drizzle little squiggles over the top.

These slice-and-bakes beat anything you'll find in a tube in the grocery store ...

See you back tomorrow for another sweet treat. 

Mocha Macadamia Shortbread
3/4 cup (3 1/2 ounces) salted macadamia nuts
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into half-inch pieces
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

Mocha icing:
1 tablespoon instant coffee granules
3 tablespoons boiling water
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1 3/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Place the macadamia nuts and sugar in a food processor and pulse for about 30 seconds, or until the mixture resembles a fine meal. Add the vanilla extract and butter. Process just until smooth. Add 11/4 cups of the flour and pulse just until the flour is incorporated. Stir in the remaining cup of flour and process just until the dough starts to form a ball. Briefly knead the dough to fold in any loose crumbs.

Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a log about 8 inches long on a sheet of waxed paper or plastic wrap. Tightly wrap the dough and twist the ends closed. Chill for several hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the chilled dough into 1/3-inch-thick slices and place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake in the center of the oven for about 8 to 9 minutes, or just until set but not brown. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack (careful, they're fragile while they're still warm).

To make glaze, dissolve the coffee in boiling water. Whisk in the melted butter, confectioner's sugar and vanilla, mixing until smooth. Cover the icing with plastic wrap, with the wrap actually touching the surface, until you use the icing.

Glaze the cookies while still warm with mocha icing, using a pastry brush. For less sweet cookies, drizzle the glaze over cookies. Store completed cookies in an airtight container to retain crispness.

Makes 4 dozen.

More Rachael Ray in 30 minutes

Are you one of those people who think Rachael Ray is in danger of over-exposure? The Food Network would disagree. I do wonder if she ever regrets the cheesy photo shoot for FHM magazine.

The network has just ordered 60 new episodes of "Thirty Minute Meals," plus agreed to two years of a new show! Another show! Can you imagine?

"Rachael’s Vacation" debuts at 9 p.m. on Jan. 12. The Yum-o Queen will take us along to eat tapas in Barcelona, hoist a pint or two at a Dublin pub or peruse a farmer's market in Bordeaux. She’ll also visit bookstores, shoe shops, boutiques, museums and street festivals.

Her network talk-show has been renewed through 2010. No word on how long she'll be pushing Ritz crackers and Dunkin' Donuts. 

Bake your bonbon, bake your bonbon

2004 was a very good year for Christmas cookie recipes. This one from Linda Siedle of Palm Harbor creates a frenzy in our house. I made a batch over the weekend and was forced to hide a dozen in the far-reaches of the fridge. My young wolverine loves them so much he'll eat 'em frozen.

Often adults have warm and fuzzy memories of holiday cookies. I get lots of letters from people who tell very sweet stories about how just a bite of this cookie or the smell of that treat makes them remember their mothers or grandmothers. I always get choked up when I read them. I hope I'm making those kind of memories for my son.

But here's the reality check. These are his very favorite cookies. He calls them the Christmas Turds. You can see why from the photo. Go figure.

Be warned: they will be very soft when they come out of the oven. Do not fear, the firm as they cool.

Holiday Chocolate Bon Bon Cookies
1 package (6 squares) white baking chocolate
11/2 packages (12 squares) semisweet baking chocolate
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Chop each white chocolate square into 8 chunks; set aside.

Microwave semisweet chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on high 2 minutes, or until butter is melted, stirring after 30 seconds. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Blend in milk and vanilla. Add flour and walnuts; mix well (dough will be stiff).

Shape 1 level tablespoonful of dough around each white chocolate chunk, enclosing white chocolate completely. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.

Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until soft and shiny (cookies will firm as they cool). Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes 4 dozen cookies.

Source:

A week of Christmas cookies

As promised, I'm sharing the recipes for my favorite cookie recipes this week. All of them come from our annual Christmas cookie issue and most of them submitted by St. Petersburg Times readers. With Christmas just a week away, it's now or never for baking. C'mon, start your mixers!

Peppermint Wands were submitted in 2004 by Marion Haupt of Zephyrhills. I've made them every year since, sometimes even twice a season. They get me off of the hook from making the frustrating candy cane cookies my husband so adores. You know the ones, dye half the dough red (really pink), roll out ropes of dough and then braid them together to make a candy cane. Mine always crumble or break in two after baking.

The dough for Peppermint Wands is essentially the same, and so is the taste. It's very tender because of sweetening by confectioners' sugar rather than granulated. Don't make logs larger than suggested. I smash up candy canes for sprinkling because they crush easier than candies. Somebody could make a lot of money coming up with peppermint candy pieces for baking. Did I just give up my million-dollar idea?

Peppermint Wands
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
For coating:
4 ounces German sweet chocolate, melted
10 red, green and white peppermints, crushed, or finely chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with aluminum foil. (We used parchment paper.)

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in bowl; set aside. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. On low speed, beat in flour mixture until combined. Refrigerate 30 minutes.

Roll 1 teaspoon of dough into a log, about 21/2 inches long. Place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, placing cookies 11/2 inches apart.

Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until pale golden at edges. Remove cookies to wire racks to cool.

For coating: When cookies are cool, dip one end of each cookie into melted chocolate. Return to wire rack. Sprinkle each dipped end with 1/4 teaspoon crushed peppermints or finely chopped nuts. Cool on racks in refrigerator for 20 minutes to set. Store in airtight containers at room temperature. Makes about 7 dozen cookies.

Source: Marion Haupt, Zephyrhills, 2004

Date night dinner

If I was having a date night dinner tonight I would totally make this. Though I'd leave out the sun-dried tomatoes. I don't really like them and they seem so, well, so '80s. I remember hunting high and low for them when they were so trendy that grocery stores didn't have them. Now they're everywhere but I don't really like the taste.

Anyway, with the chicken I'd serve some roasted green beans and fresh pasta dressed with a bit of butter, olive oil, coarse salt and a few strands of lemon zest for brightness. Nice Caesar salad with some fresh herbs snipped in.

I think maybe he'd ask me out again ... Come back next week for Christmas cookies!!!

Roasted Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Olive oil cooking spray
4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
10-ounce bag frozen chopped spinach, thawed
4-ounce log goat cheese, cut into 8 rounds
8 oil-packed sun-dried tomato halves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat it with cooking spray.

Carefully cut each breast almost in half horizontally, leaving about 1/2 inch of meat uncut. Peel back the top half clam shell-style. Set aside.

Place the thawed spinach in the center of a kitchen towel and twist it tightly around it. Over the sink, squeeze the spinach to remove any water.

Spread a quarter of the spinach over the bottom half of each breast, then top with 2 rounds of goat cheese and 2 sun-dried tomato halves. Flip the top half of the chicken breast over the fillings.

Spritz the chicken with cooking spray, then season with salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes, then increase heat to broil. Watching it carefully to prevent burning, broil the chicken for 5 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Serves 4.

Source: Associated Press

A simple, satisfying pasta dish

Have you ever made brown butter? It's a simple task and the taste is fantastic. All you do is melt butter in a saute pan then let the milk solids brown. As the solids brown, the taste becomes nutty. Brown butter makes a lovely sauce for pasta.

Try this recipe tonight. Orecchiette is the pasta that's sometimes called little ears cause that's the shape of them. You could use another pasta but the sauce nestles into the little ears so beautifully. If you don't like or want t use currants, leave them out.

Have a great day!

Orecchiette in Brown Butter with Toasted Pine Nuts, Capers & Currants
12 ounces orecchiette
1/4 cup capers, finely chopped
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
1/3 cup currants
Zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese + more for serving
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup reserved pasta water
Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons minced parsley

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente, about 10-12 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the capers, pine nuts, currants, lemon zest and Parmesan cheese and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter solids begin to turn brown and release a nutty aroma, about 5-6 minutes.

Immediately add in the shallots and garlic and saute, stirring constantly, until shallots soften, about 3 minutes. Pour in the white wine and cook until reduced by half.

Strain pasta when finished, reserving pasta water. Add noodles and 1/4 cup of the pasta water to the skillet and toss until the noodles are fully covered with the sauce. Remove from heat, toss with the caper and pine nut mixture until thoroughly combined, and season to taste with salt and pepper. If desired, add more pasta water to thin. Toss in parsley, and serve with Parmesan cheese for grating at the table.

Serves 4.

Source: San Francisco Chronicle

My favorite Christmas cookies

Join me everyday next week for my very favorite Christmas cookie recipes, most of them submitted by readers of the St. Petersburg Times. For the last six years, we've published a cookie issue and some of the recipes have become part of my family's holiday traditions. Like the Peppermint Wands from 2005 and the Thumbprints from the year before.

Feel free to ask me your baking questions, too. And I'll share what I just told a reader who called: If there's stuff crawling in the flour, don't use it.

Rotisserie Chicken Wednesday

Hey. It's lunch time. Just noticed. I guess I've had my nose to the grindstone for a few hours. Now I'm hungry. And when I'm hungry I always crave Mexican food.

I like Chimichangas, which are fried burritos, but you just gotta know that the fried food isn't good for you. Here's a version that's baked ... pretty clever. Pick yourself up a rotisserie chicken on the way home along with some fresh fruit to serve with. Yeah, you can do rice and beans but that's so heavy.

Come back tomorrow!

Oven-Fried Chicken Chimichangas
2/3  cup  favorite salsa 
1  teaspoon ground cumin 
1/2  teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crushed 
1 1/2  cups cooked chicken, chopped 
1  cup shredded cheddar cheese 
2  green onions, chopped with some tops (about 1/4 cup) 
6 (8  inch) flour tortillas 
2  tablespoons margarine, melted 
Shredded cheddar cheese, for serving 
Chopped green onions, for serving 
Salsa, for serving 

Mix chicken, salsa, cumin, oregano, cheese and onions. Place about 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture in the center of each tortilla.
Fold opposite sides over filling.

Roll up from bottom and place seam-side down on a baking sheet. Brush with melted margarine.

Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes or until golden. Garnish with additional cheese and green onion and serve salsa on the side.

Makes 6.

Source: www.recipezaar.com

Put on your thinking caps

Stir Crazy visitor "leosatter" has left this post a couple of times but I admit my stumped. Anyone out there have any suggestions? The only food shopping I do online is an occasional bottle of olive oil from zingermans.com.

Add your comments for Leo!

"Maybe you can help me out with something…? I want to order all of my food online from now on because of various reasons, but I don’t know where to go for quality food. I have tried 2 companies so far, Fresh Dining, and and Celebrity Foods, but I wanna get others I can try out. Do you know of any? The main thing I’ve ordered so far is steak. I guess you can say, I’m a steak junkie. LOL!!! From what I have found out (from what I have ordered so far) I think I am able to regulate the quality of beef I buy. I hate going to a store and getting that crappy slab of beef that I have to cut down until there is like nothing left. Hahaha!!!! (it's so true though) Anyhow, sorry that I made this comment so long. If you can help me out or point me in a direction where I might find more quality foods online, I would greatly appreciate it."

Real shoppers need quiche

Happy Tuesday good people! Sorry to leave you recipe-less yesterday but I took a day off to bid good riddance to my cold and to the money in my wallet. Finished the Christmas shopping and, as usual, spent more than I'd planned. I don't think I bought anything full-price, though. Amazing sales out there. Even got wrapping paper for 60 percent off at one store. Now I'm ready for next year!

I really like quiche and think it's a great weeknight meal with a salad. Especially when everyone is in a rush. Make it tonight; serve it tomorrow. This recipe from J.M. Hirsch of the Associated Press attacks some of the fat content by using two whole eggs and two egg whites. Evaporated milk adds richness in the place of cream or half and half.

Below the quiche recipe, there's a Cranberry Martini from Rebecca Rather's "The Pastry Queen Christmas." Not suggesting you drink your dinner but it really does sound delicious and festive!

Sweet Onion, Gruyere and Bacon Quiche
6 slices turkey bacon
1 cup chopped sweet onion (about 1 medium)
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
3/4 cup evaporated skim milk
3/4 cup low-fat milk
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 grated Gruyere cheese
1 frozen deep-dish 9-inch pie shell

Place oven rack in lower third of oven. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In the microwave or on the stovetop, cook the turkey bacon until crisp, according to package instructions. Crumble and set aside.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden, about 10 minutes. Stir in crumbled bacon and set aside to cool.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and egg whites. Add evaporated milk, low-fat milk, cornstarch, pepper, salt and nutmeg, then whisk to combine.

Mix cheese into cooled onion-bacon mixture, then spoon the mixture into the pie shell in an even layer. Pour the egg mixture evenly on top.

Bake the quiche for 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown on top and set in the center. Transfer to a rack to cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing.

Serves 8.

Nutrition information per serving: 247 calories; 14 g fat (5 g saturated); 73 mg cholesterol; 18 g carbohydrate; 12 g protein; 1 g fiber; 438 mg sodium.

Source: Associated Press

Cranberry Margarita
Ice
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup orange liqueur (such as triple sec)
1/2 cup 100 percent agave tequila
1/2 cup cranberry juice
4 thin slices of lime, for garnish
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine all ingredients and shake well. Pour into ice-filled glasses or canning jars. Garnish each glass with a slice of lime.

Makes 4.
(Recipe from Rebecca Rather's "The Pastry Queen Christmas," Ten Speed Press, 2007, $32.50)

Colorful pasta treat

Don't be put off by the length of this recipe. It's really simple and should take only about 15 minutes to put together. Remind yourself it's super healthy ...

Have a great weekend ... meet you back here next week ..

Chicken, Broccoli, and Cherry Tomato Fusilli

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (each about 8 ounces)
3 cups chicken broth, homemade or low-sodium canned
1 tablespoon kosher salt
6 cloves garlic, 2 smashed and 4 minced
2 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
3 slightly heaping cups small broccoli florets (about 7 ounces)
12 ounces spinach fusilli pasta (about 3/4 of a pound box)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon chile flakes
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano, plus more to pass
Freshly ground black pepper

In a small saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, combine the chicken, broth, 1 teaspoon of the salt, smashed garlic, and parsley. Bring just to a boil, remove from the heat, and set aside, covered, until just cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove the chicken, strain the broth. Pull the chicken into strips and put in a bowl with about 1/4 cup of the broth. Reserve the rest of the chicken broth.

Bring a large pot of cold water to a boil over high heat, then salt it generously. Add the broccoli and cook until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Transfer broccoli with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Return the water to a boil, add the fusilli and cook, stirring occasionally until al dente to tender but not mushy, about 8 minutes.

While the pasta cooks, combine the minced garlic, oil, and chile flakes in a large skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until lightly browned and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring, until somewhat soft, about 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup of the broth, the remaining 2 teaspoons salt, and stir in the butter and 1/4 cup of the pecorino until incorporated. Stir in the chicken and broccoli, bring to a simmer, and remove from the heat.

Drain the pasta in a colander in the sink. Transfer to a bowl and toss with the remaining 1/4 cup pecorino. Pour the sauce over the pasta, season with pepper, and toss to combine. (If the sauce around the pasta seems "tight", add a little more broth, until it loosely naps the fusilli.) Serve in large bowls and pass additional cheese at the table, if desired.

Cook's Note: Once you've poached the chicken in the broth it doubles in flavor. Freeze or refrigerate any leftovers for other recipes.

Serves 4.

Source: Food Network

Famous last meals

Have you seen this cool photo-concept book called "My Last Supper: 50 Great Chefs and Their Final Meals" by Melanie Dunea? Famous chefs offer up what they want for their very last meal and who they want to eat it with. For my money, the photographs are better than the menus ... especially the one of a totally nude Anthony Bourdain with large animal bone strategically placed. The photo of Lidia Bastianich with a hat made of dried pasta is cool too.

Here's what Mario Batali wants to eat before he takes his last breath ...

Shrimp in Crazy Water (Gamberoni all'Acqua Pazza)
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium Spanish onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice (1 1/2 cups)
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons seeded and chopped hot chili peppers, such as red jalapeno
1 fennel bulb, chopped into 1/2-inch dice, fronds reserved (2 cups)
1 28-ounce can whole plum tomatoes, crushed by hand, with juice
2 cups dry white wine, such as sauvignon blanc
1/2 cup seawater, or 1/2 cup water mixed with 1 to 2 teaspoons salt
16 jumbo shrimp, peeled, heads and/or tails on
Freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat until it is almost smoking. Add the onion, garlic, chili pepper and fennel; cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is soft and light golden brown. Add the tomatoes and their juices, the wine, and the seawater or salted water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook for about 5 minutes, until they are just cooked through. Season with black pepper to taste.

To serve, pour into a soup tureen or divide among individual deep bowls; garnish with the reserved fennel fronds.

Serves 4.

Adapted by the Washington Post from "My Last Supper: 50 Great Chefs and Their Final Meals," by Melanie Dunea (Bloomsbury, 2007).

Rotisserie Chicken Birthday

Okay, I'm still sick but that's old news. Today's top story is ... my birthday! That's sort of "old" news too. It's a milestone birthday, one I've been dreading for a while but now that it's here, I feel pretty good. (Except for the dang cough.) Fantastic earrings from my husband and the new documentary on The Who called "The Amazing Journey" from my son. Looking forward to watching my favorite band tonight.

My older sister did the coolest thing for me. She made a necklace out of the decorative handle tip on my baby spoon. She must have clipped off the bowl part then had the handle bent over. A beautiful silver chain is threaded through. How cool is that? The funny thing is that after she did it, my mother said maybe it wasn't mine at all, maybe it was my sister's! That's how things roll in our house. No matter to me ... I love it anyway.

Anyway, for those dying to know ... I'm 50 today! Too old to be a blogger in the New World?

In honor of my birthday, go buy a rotisserie chicken and make this recipe ...

Pasta With Chicken, Andouille & Mushrooms

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, cut in small dice
1 garlic clove, minced
2 green onions thinly sliced
1/2 pound andouille sausage, casings removed, thinly sliced
6 ounces mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
Kosher salt as needed
1 pound dry rotini or fusilli pasta
2 cups chicken stock or broth
2 cups whole evaporated milk
1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons cold water
2 cups cubed cooked chicken breast 
1/2 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons chopped parsley

Start bringing 4 to 6 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large, deep pan. Add the yellow onion, garlic and green onions and cook until the yellow onion turns translucent, approximately 3 minutes.

Add the sausage and cook until browned, breaking up the meat into bite- size pieces as it cooks. Add the mushrooms and cook for another 3 minutes. Meanwhile, when pasta water boils, add 1 tablespoon salt and the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the water. Add pasta and cook until three quarters done, approximately 5 to 6 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water, and drain again.

Add the chicken stock, evaporated milk and cornstarch slurry to the sauce. Bring to a boil, add the pasta and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the chicken, Parmesan, butter and parsley, then taste and season with salt. Stir until the butter melts and the chicken has heated through, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Serves 6

Source: San Francisco Chronicle

Speedy meal with slow taste

I'm still sick. Today, I sound like Suzanne Pleshette. I filmed a video this morning with a chef in Tampa and in the middle I was wracked with a huge coughing fit. Nice. I took another swig of cough medicine and on the drive back to St. Pete I was afraid I was going to get pulled over. I felt really loopy. Anyway, the video of Hacking Hannah and Chef John Pivar sharpening knives will be online Dec. 12 at www.dining.tampabay.com. It's a companion piece to my colleague Laura Reiley's guide to buying knives.

I really don't feel up to making this tonight but I think everyone needs a short-cut coq au vin recipe. This one comes from Jamie Geller's "Quick & Kosher." It's an appropriate dish for tonight since Hanukkah starts at sundown. Happy Festival of Lights!

Speedy Coq Au Vin
1 chicken (about 3 1/2 pounds), cut into 8 pieces (ask your butcher to do this)
8 small white onions, peeled
16 small white button mushrooms
3/4 cup dry red wine
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
2 teaspoons crumbled dried thyme or 4 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
2/3 cup margarine, melted
2 dried bay leaves
Preheat the oven to 375 F. Lightly coat a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

Rinse the chicken and pat it dry with paper towels. Arrange the pieces in the prepared pan. Arrange the onions and mushrooms around the chicken. Pour the wine over the chicken and vegetables.

Sprinkle the parsley, thyme and pepper over the chicken and vegetables, then drizzle everything with the melted butter. Tuck the bay leaves into the liquid.

Bake, uncovered, for 1 hour 15 minutes. Serves 4.

Source: Jamie Geller's "Quick & Kosher," Feldheim Publishers, 2007, $34.99

Soup for what ails you

I'm sick. I'm also one of those people who come to work sick. You can hate me if you wish but I've got a lot to do. The worst was over the weekend and now I've got this barking cough. I sound like a seal when I cough. But when I talk, I sound like Brenda Vacarro for Playtex Tampons. Remember those TV ads? She had that super husky voice. It might sound sexy if people weren't worried I was passing along typhoid.

I don't need many excuses to eat soup but being sick is really at the top of the list. Here's a quick recipe for pasta e fagioli (pasta & beans). Say it pasta fazool. This one has greens in it which adds even more nutrition. Colds hate nutrition. Plus, all those red pepper flakes are sure to soothe my stuffy nose! (Too much information?)

See you back tomorrow ...

Pasta and Fagioli with Greens

2 cups tubetti or other small pasta
4 ounces pancetta (Italian bacon) or bacon, chopped
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 cups chopped greens such as kale or spinach
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 can (14 ½ ounces) chicken broth
1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans, drained
½ cup ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Heat a large pan of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add pasta; cook according to package directions until almost tender, about 10 minutes. Drain; keep warm.

Meanwhile, cook pancetta in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until fat renders and meat is browned, about 6 minutes. Add garlic; cook, stirring, until it begins to color, about 1 minute. Add greens, stirring to coat with fat. Cover; stirring occasionally, until almost tender, about 20 minutes (if using spinach, the cooking time will be 5-10 minutes).

Add salt and pepper to taste; stir in the pasta, broth and beans. Cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Add ricotta, stirring until mixture is creamy. Season with the red pepper flakes.

Serves 4.

Source: Chicago Tribune