Notes about Recipes in this book

• Grasshopper squares

  • Rutabaga on December 16, 2014

    More candy than brownie, these squares are super rich. I made them for the first time last year, and my mint ganache was a little too soft, so when I tried to spread the chocolate ganache (which was thicker) on top, it made a mess and I wound up mixing the two together as I spread it. It was ugly, but tasty. This year I put the bars with just the mint ganache layer in the freezer until fairly firm, and gently heated the chocolate ganache before spreading, to make it just soft enough to top the mint layer without melting it. Really, you shouldn't chill the chocolate ganache at all, or you'll end up with the same problem I had last year. Let it cool to the point where it is room temperature, yet still very soft and spreadable. I had run out of cream, so substituted a mix of crème fraiche and whole milk for the chocolate ganache, which worked great.

• Rustic nut bars

  • Rutabaga on April 02, 2014

    These were a huge hit this past Christmas, especially with my husband and his father. They are incredibly rich, so a small bar will suffice for most people... or maybe not! They keep well for about a week.

• Spoon cookies

  • Rutabaga on April 03, 2014

    I love the rich, brown butter flavor and crumbly texture of these cookies. As recommended in the accompanying article, I waited two days after baking them before even tasting one (such self control!). The article also implied that these cookies are a lot of work, but I didn't find that to be especially true. If you are experienced with browning butter that part isn't too hard, and you can break up the work by making the dough one day, then baking them on the next. You could even fill them the day after baking them, too.

• Wilted cabbage with mustard and horseradish

  • lisari on December 31, 2024

    Halved the recipe & used a bag of coleslaw for the cabbage. Did not half the sauce (added more horseradish). Quick & delicious, perfect with ham.

• Broccolini with lemon oil

  • Rutabaga on October 15, 2014

    I made this with just one bunch of broccolini, but still used the zest of one lemon. This is very quick to throw together, and a great accompaniment to a rich pasta dish. If making pasta, boil the broccolini in the water first, then scoop it out and set it aside while the pasta boils until you are ready to heat it back up in the lemon oil. Bonus: even my three-year-old liked it!