Traditional Swiss Cheese Fondue

This is a family tradition, especially in Winter around the holidays. It's really fun for a casual gathering or as an appetizer. 

Traditional Swiss Cheese Fondue

• 1 clove garlic
• 1 ½ pounds grated Alpine cheeses–¾ pounds Gruyère and ¾ pounds Emmentaler*
• 1 ½ Tbsp cornstarch
• Juice from ½ lemon
• 1 cup dry white wine, I recommend Sauvignon Blanc for its high acidity
• 1 ½ Tbsp Kirsch, also called Kirschwasser, it’s a clear cherry brandy**
• Fresh ground pepper
•  Fresh grated nutmeg

Instructions        

• Rub inside of the fondue pot with the garlic glove, coating the inside. Discard remains of the clove. Light the burner and out the pot in place.***
• Combine the grated cheeses and toss with the cornstarch.
• Add the cheese to the pot in handfuls along with the lemon juice and wine. Slowly stir the cheese as it melts before added more. This takes about 10 minutes. When the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth, add the kirsch, pepper and nutmeg.
• Use bread chunks, apples, pears, baby carrots, or cauliflower for dippers.

Notes:

* I recommend equal parts Gruyère and Emmentaler. However, if you want you can add other Alpine cheeses, like Swiss or Comté, or other high-quality firm Alpine cheese. You can use one or any combination. Also, be sure the cheese is grated so it melts easily and doesn't overcook.

**The Kirsch can be omitted, but it is tradition. You could also use try apricot, pear, or apple, if you want.

***If you don’t have a fondue pot you can make the sauce on the stove in a heavy cast iron pot on medium-low heat.

Cream Cheese Shortbread with Toasted Pecans

I made these for the annual holiday cookie exchange. They're very simple, yet yummy. I didn't get a picture, because I forgot...

Cream Cheese Shortbread with Toasted Pecans

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pecans                    
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Add the chopped pecans, and stir to combine.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter, cream cheese, and sugar on medium speed until the mixture is light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the vanilla and mix on medium speed for 1 minute. Reduce the mixer speed to low, add the flour mixture, and mix for 20 seconds. Take the mixing bowl off the mixer and finish mixing the dough with a rubber spatula.
• Scoop out a small round of dough, about 1 1/2 tablespoons in size. Roll the scoop into a ball, place it on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, and gently press the ball. Repeat, leaving 1 inch between cookies.
• Bake the cookies for 14 to 16 minutes, until they are light brown around the edges. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let them cool.

Note: You can also use Walnuts

Best Carrot Cake Ever

How this recipe has not been posted here, I don't know! This really is the best carrot cake recipe. Even people who don't like carrot cake love this! Definitely a winner!

Prep: 25 min. Cook: 43 min.

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

3 large eggs

2 cups sugar

¾ cup vegetable oil

¾  cup buttermilk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups grated carrots

1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Buttermilk Glaze (see recipe below)

Cream Cheese Frosting (see recipe below)

• Stir together first 4 ingredients.
• Beat eggs and next 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth.
• Add flour mixture, beating at low speed until blended.
• Fold in carrots and next 3 ingredients.
• Pour batter into a greased and floured 13- x 9-inch pan for a sheet cake. For a layer cake, grease two 8x8 square baking pans and line them with parchment paper.

• Bake at 350 for 30 minutes; cover pan loosely with aluminum foil to prevent excessive browning, and bake 13 more minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

• Drizzle Buttermilk Glaze evenly over cake; cool completely in pan. Spread Cream Cheese Frosting evenly over cake. 
• For layer cake, carefully separate cake from side of pan before trying to remove cakes. It will be very sticky because of the glaze. 

Buttermilk Glaze

Prep: 5 min. Cook: 10 min.

1 cup sugar

1 ½ teaspoons baking soda

½  cup butter or margarine

½  cup buttermilk

1 tablespoon light corn syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• Bring sugar, baking soda, butter, buttermilk, and corn syrup to a boil in a Dutch oven (or large frying pan) over medium-high heat.
• Boil, stirring often, 4 minutes or until mixture is golden brown.
• Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Prep: 5 min.

½  cup butter or margarine, softened

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 (16-ounce) package powdered sugar

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

• Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. 
• Add powdered sugar and vanilla; beat at high speed 10 seconds or until smooth. 

Baba Ghanoush

I love eggplant, and I love baba ghanoush, a lovely dip served similar to hummus, but with eggplant instead of chickpeas. It's also smoky and garlicky and just delicious.

Ingredients:

• 1-2 large eggplant
• 1/4 cup tahini, plus more as needed
• 1 bulb, plus 1 minced clove of garlic
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, plus more as needed
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• salt, to taste
• oil olive
• chopped parsley

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Place a bulb of garlic on a piece of foil, drizzle with olive oil, and wrap tightly so that no oil can escape. Place into oven.
• Pierce the skin of the eggplants 4-5 times with a fork.
• If you  have a grill or gas stove, roast the whole eggplant, turning so that the skin turns black. If not, go to next step.
• Prepare a sheet tray by lining with foiling and coating with olive oil 
• Slice eggplants in half length-wise and transfer eggplant to baking sheet, cut side down
• Roast in oven until completely soft, about 20-30 minutes depending on size.
• Remove and let cool slightly. Scope out the roasted eggplant, discarding the skins, and place in a bowl.
• Using a fork, immersion blender, or food processor mash the eggplant.
• Add the tahini, garlic, lemon juice, cumin and mix. Add more tahini and lemon juice as needed.
• Drizzle with olive oil and chopped parsley. 
• Serve with pita chips, baby carrots, or sliced cucumbers.

Note: I like to make this at least a few hours ahead of time, or even the day before, so that the flavors have a chance to mingle. 

Carbonnade Flamande

Also known as Flemish Stew. This dish is made with beef and beer, with onions and bacon. Really, how could this not taste amazing. I first had this dish when a dear friend of mine took me out to a Belgian restaurant and I fell in love with it. So, of course, I had to add it to my repertoire. It's so flavorful, both tangy and sweet. It's absolutely perfect comfort food!

Carbonnade Flamande

Ingredients

• 2 lb. beef chuck, 1-2" chunks
• Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• 3-4 Tbsp. flour
• 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 4 slices bacon, finely chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, pressed
• 3 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced from top to bottom
• 2 cups Belgian Abbey-style ale
• 1 cup beef stock
• 2 Tbsp. dark brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 3 sprigs fresh parsley
• 1 bay leaf
• Bread, for serving

Instructions

• Season beef with salt and pepper in a bowl; add flour and toss to coat. 
• Heat 2 tbsp. butter in a 6-qt. Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add beef; cook, turning, until browned. Set aside. 
• Add bacon; cook until fat starts to render.
• Add remaining butter, garlic, and onions; and caramelize. 
• Add half the beer; cook, scraping bottom of pot, about 4 minutes until slightly reduced. 
• Return beef to pot. Add remaining beer, stock, sugar, vinegar, herbs, and additional salt and pepper to taste; bring to a boil. 
• Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, covered, until beef is tender, about 1-2 hours. 

Serve with crusty bread.