Happy New Year 2009~!

I'm wishing everyone a very Happy New Year! May we all find prosperity where we need it the most; in business, love, money, and so on.

Caramel Popcorn Martini

This unusual cocktail tastes just like caramel popcorn. It’s made with liquid popcorn, butterscotch schnapps and vodka. The Poprocks on the rim put the pop back into the popcorn. Here’s the formula for 3 drinks.

For the liquid popcorn:

4 c. water

1/4 c. sugar

2 tsp. salt

5 cups popcorn, fresh

For Martini:

• 8 oz liquid popcorn
• 3 oz butterscotch schapps
• 2 oz vodka
• 1 oz heavy cream
• honey, as needed
• Poprocks, as needed

To make the popcorn liquid, bring the water, sugar and salt to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the popcorn and simmer for 5 minutes. Strain through cheesecloth, pushing gently on the popcorn to push out most of the liquid. Discard the kernels, chill the liquid and remove any excess fat.

For the martini, combine the liquid popcorn, schnapps, vodka, and cream and shake in a martini shaker. Spread a bit of honey on the rim of a three chilled martini glasses and dip into some Poprocks. Carefully pour the caramel popcorn martinis and enjoy.

Fettuccine with Spicy Chicken, Sausage, Kale & Tomatoes

Fettuccine with Spicy Chicken Sausage, Kale, and Tomatoes
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 lb spicy italian chicken sausage, casings discarded and sausage crumbled
1 bunch kale, tough stems and center ribs discarded and leaves coarsely chopped
1 tomato, roughly chopped
1/3 lb whole wheat fettuccine
1/3 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup grated Asiago plus additional for serving

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add sausage and brown for 5-7 minutes, breaking up lumps with a spoon.
Meanwhile, blanch the kale in a large pot of boiling, salted water for 5 minutes, uncovered. Remove the kale with a large sieve and drain. Return the cooking water to a boil, then add fettuccine and cook until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta in a colander.
While the pasta is cooking, add the kale and tomatoes to the skillet and saute for 5 minutes. Add the broth, stirring and scraping up any brown bits in the skillet. Add the pasta and 1/4 cup of the pasta water, tossing until combined well. Stir in the cheese to incorporate, and thin with additional pasta water if desired.

2 Servings

Spaghetti Squash

For instructions on baking spaghetti squash, see this post. But really, it's just like baking a potato. Poke a few holes in the skin with a fork and toss it in an oven preheated to 350 for an hour. Be sure to cut it in half once its out so it doesn't continue to cook. Draining is also important so it doesn't give off all of its juices in the sauce.

Amatriciana Sauce

Olive oil for sautéing vegetables

4 onions, coarsely chopped

8 ounces sliced Canadian bacon or smoked ham, cut into 3/4" squares

4 cloves garlic, passed through a press

2 cans (35 ounces or so) whole plum tomatoes, drained (if you're using fresh tomatoes, go for 4 cups)

2 teaspoons sugar

3/4 cup dry red wine

Salt and pepper

Heat the oil in a 10" skillet and sauté the onions for 10 minutes. Add the bacon and garlic and continue to cook for another 5.

Stir in the tomatoes, sugar and wine. Break the tomatoes up a bit with your spoon, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, for 45 minutes. Give it an occasional stir.

Toss with roasted spaghetti squash or with pasta (it's often served with bucatini).

Alton Brown's Swedish Meatball Recipe

Swedish Meatballs
About 4 to 6 servings, or 30 meatballs

2 slices fresh white bread
1/4 cup milk
3 tablespoons clarified butter, divided
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
A pinch plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 pound ground chuck
3/4 pound ground pork
2 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
[My addition; 1 teaspoon ground cardamom, optional]
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups beef broth
1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.

Tear the bread into pieces and place in a small mixing bowl along with the milk. Set aside.

In a 12-inch straight sided saute pan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and sweat until the onions are soft. Remove from the heat and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the bread and milk mixture, ground chuck, pork, egg yolks, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, black pepper, allspice, nutmeg, and onions. Beat on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes.

Using your hands, shape the meatballs into rounds, approximately 1 ounce each. (The size of large walnuts in the shell.)

Heat the remaining butter in the saute pan over medium-low heat, or in an electric skillet set to 250 degrees F. Add the meatballs and saute until golden brown on all sides, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the meatballs to an ovenproof dish using a slotted spoon and place in the warmed oven.

Once all of the meatballs are cooked, decrease the heat to low and add the flour to the pan or skillet. Whisk until lightly browned, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add the beef stock and whisk until sauce begins to thicken. Add the cream and continue to cook until the gravy reaches the desired consistency. Remove the meatballs from the oven, cover with the gravy and serve.

Recipe adapted from Alton Brown

Pink Marshmallows

OH MY!!!

pink marshmallows:
ingredients: 3 cups sugar ~ 4 packets of gelatin ~ 1.25 cups light corn syrup ~ 2 tsps raspberry extract ~ .25 tsp red powder dye ~ .75 cups water ~ .25 tsp salt
method: 1) dissolve gelatin in cold water in bowl of electric mixer 2) boil sugar, salt, and corn syrup until 238 on candy thermometer 3) slowly pour hot syrup into gelatin in mixer on low speed 4) after five minutes turn up speed and add extract and dye, mix on high for 5 more minutes 5) pour fluffy stuff into greased (do not use parchment paper!) casserole dish, leave out overnight, turn out onto powdered sugar, cut, and coat sides with powdered sugar. done.