Basmati Rice "Stuffing"

My original thought was to do this with Wild Rice, but I was ill-prepared for Christmas dinner this year, and forgot to buy some. Luckily there was Basmati in the fridge to save the day.
As is frequent in my cooking, I did not measure during this recipe so some tweeking may be required on your part.


EQUIPMENT
Large Pan
Wooden Spoon/Spatula
Knife


INGREDIENTS
3Tbl. Unsalted Butter
3 Cloves garlic, minced
4-5C Day old rice
Handful of dried cranberries
1/2-3/4C Rough chopped Pecans
3Tbl Fresh chopped Parsley
1Tbl Fresh chopped Thyme
1-2tsp. Dried Savory
Salt to taste


Melt butter in pan over medium heat, add garlic and sweat for 1 minute. Add in rice and stir for another minute or so. Add in cranberries and nuts, cook for a few minutes until cranberries have softened slightly. Add in herbs and salt when you are almost ready to serve as you do not want to over cook the herbs.

Serve warm.




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Rum Balls

Rum Balls have been a holiday staple in my house for a while now. They are very easy to make and instantly make people think of the holidays.
You can add more rum then in this recipe, but be careful not to add too much or you won't have a solid ball, it will remain soft.

EQUIPMENT
Lrg. Mixing Bowl
Sm Saucepan
Measuring Spoons
Measuring Cups
Hand Mixer (by all means use a stand mixer if you have it)
Baking Sheet (12 x 17)


INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 Sticks unsalted butter, cut in pieces
6 oz. Semisweet chocolate, finally chopped
3 Eggs
1/2 C. Packed brown sugar
1tsp. Vanilla Extract
1/2tsp. Coarse salt
3/4C. All-purpose flour
1/4C. Plus 3Tbl Dark rum (I used Captain Morgans Spiced Rum this time)
Decorating sugar (regular sugar is fine if you don't have decorating sugar)

Preheat oven to 350, and coat baking sheet with non-stick spray (unless your pan already is non-stick). Melt butter and chocolate in small saucepan over medium heat, you could do it in a bowl in the microwave also if you're in a hurry or just don't want to dirty another pan.

In large mixing bowl whisk together eggs, brown sugar, vanilla and salt. Mix in melted chocolate and butter. Whisk in flour, and mix well.

Pour batter onto greased cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.

When cooled, move "brownie" to large mixing bowl, add the rum and mix all together. Roll into approximately 1 inch balls. Roll rum balls in decorating (or sanding sugar). As you make the balls set them on a baking sheet and refrigerate uncovered for about 2 hours.

These can be served cold or at room temperature, for them to last a few days keep them refrigerated when you aren't munching on them.

*NOTE The alcohol is NOT cooked out of these. It's just like dipping a brownie in a glass of rum!



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Chocolate Peppermint Muffins

This is a super easy holiday recipe, I suggest not using muffin papers for them though. The candy cane pieces in them tend to stick to the paper as they melt.



EQUIPMENT
Small saucepan or microwave safe bowl
Mdm. Mixing bowl
Lrg. Mixing bowl
Spatula
Whisk
Measuring Cups
Measuring Spoons
Muffin tin



INGREDIENTS
6Tbl. Butter
1/2C Chopped bittersweet chocolate
1 3/4C Flour
3/4C Sugar
1/2C Cocoa powder
1tsp. Baking powder
1/2tsp. Salt
1/4tsp. Baking soda
1C. Milk
1 Egg
1tsp. Vanilla
1/4C (or so) peppermint candies, crushed


Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease your muffin tin.

In medium mixing bowl, mix flour through baking soda.
In microwave safe bowl (or saucepan) melt butter and chocolate together.
In large mixing bowl whisk together the milk, eggs and vanilla. Add in flour mixture, when incorporated add chocolate and butter.

In a bag smash your peppermint candies, then fold into chocolate batter.

Fill pre-greased muffin tins and bake for 25 minutes.




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MIA

I know it's been a while since I last posted something tasty. I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving. November ended as a busy month. Thanksgiving didn't go the way I had hoped, so I don't have any amazing Thanksgiving day dishes to talk about. I was ill and was just a helper this year, it was a bummer not to do the full menu planning like usual. A couple days after Thanksgiving a friend and I went to Vegas for a couple days, so nothing got cooked there. There will be something soon I promise. Tonight I'm cooking one of my all time favorite recipes to ever come from Bon Appetit Magazine...Roasted Chili Citrus Chicken Thighs with Mixed Olives and Potatoes. Perhaps there will be pictures and a recipe for everyone tomorrow. Monday I'm going to attempt Curried Chicken and Dumplings and a lemongrass/coconut ride pudding. It may end up just as Coconut rice pudding if I can't find some good lemongrass...mine is currently dormant and of no use for cooking.
I am on my way to being back on track.




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