So long 2012, it's been fun!

Wow, once again Christmas is right around the corner. Last year Joel and I were living in Oklahoma and spending time with our families. This year we're far away from the hub bub of our nieces and nephew and other extended family and we're flying solo in the very cold city of Chicago.We're coming up on our one year anniversary in the Windy City, my how time flies!

If you have some folks coming over and you want a quick and easy appetizer to satisfy your guests until the main course is ready, then Smoked Salmon Cheese Dip should fit the bill. Even if you're not having people over, cut the recipe in half and have yourself a delicious treat. I love smoked salmon so much, its hard not to eat it right out of the package but try and contain yourself. One thing I learned from living in Seattle is to appreciate a good piece of salmon. I miss how affordable salmon used to be, there is certainly a mark up from the West Coast to the Midwest!

No matter how you're spending your holidays, with a house full of noise and people or a quiet day with that one person you cherish, I hope it's a good one. Thanks for reading!!

Smoked Salmon Cheese Dip
Serves 12 to 16

8 oz smoked salmon, roughly chopped
1 8 oz pkg Neufchatel cheese
1/4 cup plain greek yogurt
2 TB lemon juice
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
3 green onions, roughly chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley

Add all ingredients, except parsley, into a food processor and pulse until combined and smooth. Transfer to a bowl, cover and chill until ready to serve. Just before serving sprinkle parsley over the salmon dip. Serve with crackers, flatbread, or pita chips.

Over Easy the Easy Way

 

Some of my favorite childhood memories are having breakfast with my father at a chic French restaurant in Tulsa (chic to a 6 year old anyway). Although I would stare endlessly at the pastry display I always devoured the crispy french baguette served with over easy eggs my father would order. With a simple pat of butter and salt and pepper a meal was transformed into something extraordinary. I've been chasing that restaurants eggs for a long time now and I think I've finally found them, or at least something worthy.

My previous method of poaching eggs, which used to be my favorite, consisted of simmering water and vinegar in a shallow pan and breaking an egg over it carefully until it was cooked thoroughly in all the right places. The vinegar keeps the egg from separating but it leaves a distinct but mild vinegar flavor in the final dish. By making soft boiled eggs you can do away with the vinegar and its even easier because you don't have to worry if the whites of your eggs are done, just follow the rules and you'll have perfect hard boiled eggs every time. 

This method comes from Cook's Illustrated. They took 4 pages to talk about soft boiled eggs, I've narrowed it down to three paragraphs so, you're welcome.

Soft Boiled Eggs

Bring 1/2 inch of water to a boil. Add as many eggs as you wish to eat. Cover with a lid and cook for 6 minutes 30 seconds (set a timer.) Remove from heat and run eggs under cold water until cool enough to handle. Peel the eggs or crack the egg along it's equator and eat out of its shell. Eat it alone or with butter, baguette and a bed of arugula or any other number of ways. Sprinkle with salt & pepper, and enjoy.

Neighborly Love

I've spent the last week of my time back in my hometown in Oklahoma. I've discovered I'm more of a big city girl but one of things I miss most about this place are the sunsets. I've never seen a sunset more resplendent than those in my mother's backyard. I like that the air smells fresher and that despite my love for the city, I always feel like I'm coming home when I enter my mother's house.

I got to do a lot of cooking and baking while helping my mom recover from knee surgery and that was fine by me. I made a big pot of chili, chicken pot pie, fajitas, and I even got to bake a cake for my mom's neighbor because that's what people do here, return a favor by baking something. The simple graciousness of baking something for someone else to eat doesn't seem to be as popular as it once was, but I hope this is a tradition that never completely fades away. I'm thankful that my mom is someone who keeps it alive.

Mom wanted me to make a pumpkin-pecan coffee cake from her recipe journal she keeps on hand. Meaning she cuts out recipes and pastes them onto a notebook, so I'm not sure exactly where this recipe originates from. I like this cake because most likely you've already got the ingredients for it on hand and it's great for dessert or with coffee in the morning. I think that's why it's called a coffee cake...
The only thing my mom lacked was pumpkin pie spice, but she had exactly what we needed anyway. If you find yourself lacking pumpkin pie spice in your cupboard just substitute 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves. Your batter will be thick after mixing so spoon it carefully over your oatmeal-pecan topping. Careful not to over bake. This cake is perfect with a dollop of whip cream on top. Your neighbor will love it.

 

Pumpkin-Pecan Coffee Cake
One 9-inch round cake

1 teaspoon butter
1/4 cup regular oats
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons chopped pecans
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Melt 1 teaspoon butter in bottom of 9-inch round cake pan. Combine oats, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, and pecans. Sprinkle oat mixture over bottom of the pan and set aside.
3. Beat 3 tablespoons butter, granulated sugar, and 1/4 cup brown sugar at medium speed of a mixer until mixture is blended (about 4 minutes). Add the eggs and beat well. Lightly spoon the flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, pumpkin-pie spice, and baking soda. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture alternately with the pumpkin and buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.
4. Spoon batter evenly over oat mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool in pan 5 minutes, and invert cake onto a serving plate. Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream.