Slow-Cooked Scrambled Eggs with Green Herbs

I made these scrambled eggs for Christmas Day breakfast with my family. These eggs were beautifully fluffy with specks of green from the fresh herbs and scallions. Delicious with a side of bacon!

Source: Slow-Cooked Scrambled Eggs with Green Herbs, Ina Garten

Ingredients
10 extra-large eggs
16 tablespoons whole milk or half-and-half
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves
1 tablespoon minced scallions, white and green parts
1 tablespoon minced fresh dill

Directions
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a large sauté or omelet pan. Add the eggs and cook them over low heat, folding them over almost constantly with a rubber spatula, until the desired doneness. Off the heat, add the remaining tablespoon of butter, the parsley, scallions, and dill. Stir until the butter is melted. Check for seasonings. Serve hot.

Eggnog Crème Brulee

McHubby and I love crème brulee, but I wanted to do something a bit more festive for the holiday. This eggnog crème brulee was wonderful—a decadently delicious dessert! Whenever we serve crème brulee at our dinner parties, each guest gets to torch their own, making it fun and entertaining, as well!

Source: Eggnog Crème Brulee, Brian M. Jones

Ingredients
2 cups eggnog
4 egg yolks
¼ cup white sugar
3 ounces mascarpone cheese, softened
1 dash ground nutmeg (optional)
1 dash ground cinnamon (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place 4 ramekins or custard cups into a shallow baking dish, and fill the dish with water to half-way up the sides of the ramekins.

Pour the eggnog into a pan over medium heat. Cook and stir occasionally until the mixture simmers, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the egg yolks and sugar into a mixing bowl; beat until light colored and frothy. Stir in the mascarpone until well blended and smooth. Whisk ¼ cup of the heated eggnog mixture into the eggs. Gradually whisk the remaining eggnog into the eggs. Pour the mixture through a fine sieve to remove any egg strands. If desired, stir in the nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla. Pour into the prepared ramekins, dividing evenly.

Bake in preheated oven until custard has set, 30 to 45 minutes. Centers should wiggle slightly when shaken, but not be soupy.

Remove from oven and cool 30 minutes; refrigerate at least 3 hours before serving.

Sausage-Stuffed Mushrooms

I love mushrooms, and for the second Barefoot Bloggers selection this month, we are making Sausage-Stuffed Mushrooms. I made these as appetizers for our family’s Christmas Eve dinner. Since my sister is vegetarian, I made some with sausage (pictured below) and some without (pictured at the bottom of this post). Either way, they were savory and delicious, and received rave reviews! A special thanks to Michelle of Welcome to the Club for choosing this recipe, and Merry Christmas and happy eating to all!

Source: Sausage-Stuffed Mushrooms, Ina Garten

Ingredients
16 extra-large white mushrooms
5 tablespoons good olive oil, divided
2 ½ tablespoons Marsala wine or medium sherry
¾ pound sweet Italian sausage, removed from the casings
6 scallions, white and green parts, minced
2 garlic cloves minced
⅔ cup panko crumbs
5 ounces mascarpone cheese, preferably from Italy
⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan
2 ½ tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Remove the stems from the mushrooms and chop them finely. Set aside. Place the mushroom caps in a shallow bowl and toss with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and Marsala. Set aside.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage, crumbling it with the back of a wooden spoon. Cook the sausage for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until it's completely browned. Add the chopped mushroom stems and cook for 3 more minutes. Stir in the scallions and garlic and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the panko crumbs, stirring to combine evenly with all the other ingredients. Finally, swirl in the mascarpone and continue cooking until the mascarpone has melted and made the sausage mixture creamy. Off the heat, stir in the Parmesan, parsley, and season with salt and pepper, to taste, Cool slightly.

Fill each mushroom generously with the sausage mixture. Arrange the mushrooms in a baking dish large enough to hold all the mushrooms in a snug single layer. Bake until the stuffing for 50 minutes, until the stuffing is browned and crusty.

Mediterranean Couscous Salad

I love couscous, especially the Israeli variety. This dish was a great side dish as part of our Christmas dinner. Not only was it beautiful with the various colors from the cranberries, fresh herbs, and almonds, but it was also delicious.

Source: Mediterranean Salad, Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus ¼ cup
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (1-pound) box Israeli couscous (or any small pasta)
3 cups chicken stock
2 lemons, juiced
1 lemon, zested
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
½ cup chopped fresh mint leaves
¼ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup slivered almonds, toasted

Directions
In a medium saucepan, warm 3 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the couscous and cook until toasted and lightly browned, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Carefully add the stock, and the juice of 1 lemon, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the couscous is tender, but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the couscous.

In a large bowl, toss the cooked couscous with the remaining olive oil, remaining lemon juice, zest, salt, and pepper and let cool.

Once the couscous is room temperature, add the fresh herbs, dried cranberries, and almonds. Toss to combine and serve.

Holiday Peppermint Bark

This is our friend Amy’s favorite peppermint bark. She asks for it every year for the holidays. I keep telling her that it couldn’t be easier to make! This peppermint bark brings out the sweet taste of the holidays!

Ingredients

24 ounces milk chocolate bark
24 ounces white chocolate bark
12 candy canes, broken into small pieces

Directions
Over a double boiler, melt the milk chocolate until smooth. Remove from heat and pour into a sheet pan. Spread the chocolate to the edges of the pan. Bang the pan on a counter several times to even out the chocolate and release any air bubbles. Place the pan in the refrigerator and allow to cool and harden, about 20-30 minutes.

While the milk chocolate is cooling, melt the white chocolate over a double boiler until smooth. Remove from heat and pour over top of the milk chocolate in the sheet pan. Spread the white chocolate to the edges of the pan. Bang the pan on a counter several times to even out the white chocolate and release any air bubbles. Sprinkle the candy cane pieces into the white chocolate. Place the sheet pan back into the refrigerator to cool and harden, about 60 minutes.

Once hardened, use a knife to break apart the bark into pieces.

Spinach and Gruyère Soufflé

This savory soufflé looks much more complicated than it really is. The soufflé bakes beautifully puffed and brown. Serve this dish when you want to impress.

Source: Everyday Food magazine, December 2009

Ingredients
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for baking dish
⅓ cup plain dried breadcrumbs
5 cups (5 ounces) packed spinach, trimmed and washed
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons whole milk
½ cup grated Gruyère cheese
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 large eggs, separated, plus 2 large egg whites

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a round 1-quart tall-sided baking dish and dust with breadcrumbs; set aside. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons water over medium-high. Add spinach and cook, stirring constantly, until wilted, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a strainer to cool; press to release liquid.

In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium until bubbling. Add flour and whisk until a paste forms. Continue to cook until pale blond in color, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisking, gradually add milk. Cook, whisking, until lumps are gone and mixture is thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in cheese until melted; season with salt and pepper. Transfer soufflé base to a large bowl.

In a food processor, pulse spinach and egg yolks until coarsely puréed. Add ¼ cup soufflé base; pulse until blended. Stir spinach mixture into remaining soufflé base. (To store, press plastic wrap against surface and keep at room temperature, up to 4 hours.)

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat 4 egg whites and pinch of salt on medium-high until stiff peaks form (do not overbeat), about 3 minutes. In 2 additions, gently fold egg whites into soufflé base. Pour batter into prepared dish and bake until soufflé is tall, browned, and firm to the touch, about 35 minutes. (Avoid opening oven during first 25 minutes of baking.) Serve immediately.

Chocolate Banana Pound Cake

Whenever I have very ripe bananas, I start thinking about banana bread. This time, though, I found this recipe for a chocolate pound cake that uses ripe bananas. It also uses cinnamon chips, which is well worth the effort to find. The cinnamon chips really add to the flavor and melt into the cake as it bakes—it doesn’t stay in chunks the way chocolate does. This cake was nearly effortless to make and oh so moist, delicious, and beautiful!

Source: Chocolate Banana Pound Cake, Chocolate from the Cake Mix Doctor

Ingredients
Vegetable oil spray for misting the pan
Flour for dusting the pan
2 ripe bananas
1 package (18.25 ounces) plain German chocolate cake mix
¾ cup buttermilk
½ cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup cinnamon chips

Chocolate Cinnamon Glaze
½ cup sugar
5 tablespoons butter
¼ cup milk
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
⅔ cup cinnamon chips
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions
Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly mist a 12-cup Bundt pan with vegetable oil spray, then dust with flour. Shake out the excess flour. Set the pan aside.

Peel the bananas and place them in a large mixing bowl. With the electric mixer on low speed, blend them until mashed. Add the cake mix, buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla to the bananas. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping the sides down again if needed. The batter should look thick and well combined. Fold in the cinnamon chips, making sure they are well distributed throughout the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing it out with the rubber spatula. Place the pan in the oven.

Bake the cake until it springs back when lightly pressed with your finger and is just starting to pull away from the sides of the pan, 38 to 40 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes. Run a long, sharp knife around the edge of the cake and invert it onto a rack to cool completely, 20 minutes more.

Meanwhile, prepare the Chocolate Cinnamon Glaze. Place the sugar, butter, and milk in a medium-size saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until the butter melts and the mixture comes to a boil, 3 to 4 minutes. Still stirring, let the mixture boil for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the cocoa powder, cinnamon chips, and vanilla until the cinnamon chips are melted and the glaze is smooth. Stir, and let the glaze cool for a few minutes, until it thickens slightly.

Spoon the glaze over the cooled cake. Let the cake rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Place the cake on a serving platter, slice, and serve.