Cranberry Pistachio French Toast with Blackberries, Honey and Mascarpone cheese

For the past.. oh, 7 years or so my family tradition has shifted from gingerbread houses to a different kind of house. I know that while it is something you can pull out of a box, it is still a very different way of embracing a Christmas tradition that we have all become big fans of. The ingredients to make this particular house used to be delivered in a box, 4 or 5 years ago they stopped the Christmas production and my Mom (the trooper that she is) called the company and requested they get the product back on the shelves or give us an alternative. They ended up sending her a copy of the ingredient list and the measurements to make the base. They used to have you make the base from the cardboard box that the components came in, now I get to pull out my ruler and make a couple house frames out of bristol board and tape each year.

Now that I've got you wound up, here are the ( Read more... )

I wondered if my assertion that any vegetable cooked with the mixture of five whole spices from Bengal, called "panch phoron" (nigella, mustard, fenugreek, cumin and fennel seeds) would be improved, and so far, I have not been proven wrong.

My latest experiment was with roasting sweet potatoes, then skinning and mashing them, and seasoning them with ghee that had onions, garlic and panch phoron browned in it, along with some salt. You could also add some lemon juice and a pinch of cayenne pepper for a little extra oomph, but I liked it simple.

How was it? Well, my husband, kid and friends don't generally like sweet potatoes, but they loved these.

It could be easily done vegan by replacing ghee with canola or some other vegetable oil.

Recipe and yummy photos here.

I catered a small soiree' on New Year's Eve.

The Menu :

Amuse Bouche:
Beef Carpaccio Canapes with Caramelized Onions & Maytag Bleu Cheese
Wild Mushroom Tartlets
Southwestern Crabcakes
Spicy Beef Tenderloin Skewers

En Salat:
Baby Field Greens en Waldorf
Caesar Salad with Anchovy

Entree’:
Grilled Filet en Papillote with Garden Vegetables
Grown Up Macaroni & Cheese

Finite:
Banana Split Brulee’

Here are some of the pics....

Spring Mix with Candied Walnuts, Bleu Cheese and Tart Apple:


Dessert was Banana Split Brulee':


( A Few More )

This is our traditional fare on Christmas Eve and New Years Day:



I'm really lucky that my hubby's family eats it every Christmas and my family makes it on New Years !