Stollen

Peter Reinhart's Stollen from Artisan Breads Everyday.

It was delicious.

It is the same recipe as the panettone; just shape and bake without letting it rise.

Skillet Macaroni and Cheese

From Cook's Illustrated: The Best Skillet Recipes.

I served it over a bed of baby Arugula and topped it with a piece of fried Serrano ham.

Serves 4.  

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

Working with our skillet pasta method when developing our skillet macaroni and cheese recipe, we brought a mixture of water and evaporated milk to a simmer in a skillet, stirred in the macaroni, and cooked it until tender. Evaporated milk was key to making the sauce silky smooth. To make a quick sauce for our macaroni and cheese recipe we mixed an additional amount of evaporated milk with cornstarch to thicken it, and for flavor we added dry mustard and hot sauce. As for the cheese, we got the best results from equal parts cheddar, for flavor, and Monterey Jack, for meltability.

You can substitute small shells (about 3 1/2 cups) for the macaroni.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 1/2cups water , plus extra as needed
• 1(12-ounce) can evaporated milk
• 12ounces (about 3 cups) elbow macaroni (see note)
• Salt
• 1teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/2teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/4teaspoon hot sauce
• 6ounces cheddar cheese , shredded (1 1/2 cups)
• 6ounces Monterey Jack cheese , shredded (1 1/2 cups)
• 3tablespoons unsalted butter
• Ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. Bring 3 1/2 cups water, 1 cup of the evaporated milk, the macaroni, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a simmer in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat. Cook at a vigorous simmer, stirring often, until the macaroni is tender and the liquid has thickened, 9 to 12 minutes.
2. 2. Whisk the remaining 1/2 cup evaporated milk, the cornstarch, mustard, and hot sauce together in a small bowl, then stir into the skillet. Continue to simmer until slightly thickened, about 1 minute.
3. 3. Off the heat, stir in the cheddar and Monterey Jack, one handful at a time, adding water as needed to adjust the consistency of the sauce (I needed almost an extra cup of water for the shells). Stir in the butter, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

Wild Mushroom Soup with Arugula and Crispy Serrano Ham

By Bobby Flay

• INGREDIENTS

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 pounds assorted wild mushrooms (portobello, cremini, shiitake, oyster, porcini), wiped clean and chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small Spanish onion, thinly sliced
• 12 cremini mushrooms, coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 6 cups homemade Rich Chicken Stock, recipe follows, or low sodium canned chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon porcini powder (make by grinding porcini mushrooms to a fine powder)
• 2 cups canola oil
• 8 slices serrano ham

• 1/4 pound wild or regular arugula
• White truffle oil, for drizzling
• 
  

• Rich Chicken Stock:
• 4 pounds chicken bones, chopped
• 3 large Spanish onions, quartered (skin left on)
• 1/2 head celery, coarsely chopped
• 2 large carrots, coarsely chopped
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 cup whole peppercorns
• Small bunch flat-leaf parsley, stems only
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme
• 
  

• DIRECTIONS for Soup

  Heat 3 tablespoons butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large stockpot over high heat. Add the wild mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms are golden brown and their liquid has evaporated, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to a bowl.
  
  Heat 1 tablespoon butter with 1 tablespoon oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft. Add the cremini mushrooms and cook until golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle flour over mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes. Add the stock and porcini powder and cook for 20 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Strain the stock through a strainer into the stockpot that you sauteed the wild mushrooms in and discard the onion and mushrooms.
  
  Cook stock over medium heat until thickened slightly and then stir in the sauteed wild mushrooms and cook for 15 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
  
  While the soup is cooking, heat the canola oil in a high sided saute pan over high heat until the oil begins to shimmer. Carefully add the ham, in batches, and cook until crispy, about 45 seconds to 1 minute. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels.Ladle the soup into bowls, add a handful of arugula, top with a slice of the crispy ham, and drizzle with a teaspoon of white truffle oil.

  DIRECTIONS for stock

  Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
  
  Combine chicken bones, onions, celery, and carrots in a large roasting pan; toss with oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Roast until the bones and vegetables are a rich golden brown, about 30 to 40 minutes.
  
  Transfer the bones and vegetables to a large stockpot, add 12 cups cold water, and the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 4 hours, skimming the scum that rises to the top with a ladle every 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and strain through a mesh strainer into a clean pot. Place back on the stove over high heat and cook until reduced by half. Use immediately or let cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate or freeze until ready to use.
  
  Yield: about 6 cups 

Cheesecake Anne

This light, crustless cheesecake is a favorite of the home economists who develop and perfect recipes for Sunset Magazine. It is excellent with strawberries and other fresh fruit.

Cheesecake Anne

3  (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
6  eggs, separated
1  cup sugar
2  tablespoons flour
1  cup sour cream
1  teaspoon lemon juice
1  teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a mixer with a paddle attachment, beat cream cheese with egg yolks until smooth.  Beat in sugar, flour, sour cream, lemon juice and vanilla.  Whip egg whites until they hold short peaks.  Fold into cheese mixture.

Pour batter into a parchment lined (bottom and sides) 9 or 10-inch springform pan with high sides. 

Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until center no longer seems soft.  Cool, then refrigerate.

Before serving, remove pan sides.

NB: tried this in a convection oven and wasn't happy with the results (tasted great but didn't look so hot).