Honey Almond Latte

Nearly every morning I don't have to work or rush out the door for something else, I make myself a latte. I love gourmet coffee drinks, but can't justify spending four or five dollars a pop on a regular basis (not to say that I don't indulge at local coffee shops from time to time). I don't have any illusions that my $30 Mr. Coffee espresso maker makes as good espresso as a professional machine that cost thousands of dollars, but it does the job for my weekend lattes.





There are a lot of different varieties of honey available, ranging from light, floral honeys like the common clover honey to the dark, intensely flavored buckwheat honey, so choose an amount of honey based on the character of the honey you have and how sweet you like your latte. I don't like things terribly sweet, so you my want to add even more honey than I list in this recipe. To amplify the almond flavor, use almond milk in place of dairy or soy milk. This is a subtly flavored latte, with just a bit of extra sweetness and flavor from a plain latte, so if you're looking for a super-sweet dessert like drink, this isn't for you, but perfect if you just want a little something extra in your morning pick-me-up.
 
Honey Almond Latte
serves 1

2-4 t. honey
1/4 t. pure almond extract
2 shots hot espresso
8 oz. warm, frothed milk (dairy, soy, or almond)


1. Add honey and almond extract to a mug and stir to combine. Pour in the hot espresso, stirring rapidly to dissolve the honey. Add the milk and stir, then top with a bit of milk froth. Serve hot and enjoy a few minutes to yourself.

Butternut Squash Couscous

These days I'm usually searching for recipes based on the vegetables I have around to use up. I have pretty well-stocked cupboards so I usually don't have to buy much when I find a recipe I want to make (other than things like some fresh herbs), but I'm still delighted when I come across a recipe that looks delicious and uses up a lot of ingredients I already have on hand. Even though I'm constantly telling myself I need to use up what's already in the cabinets, I always ending finding at least an item or two I just can't live without on a grocery shopping trip, be it because there's a good sale or just because something looks really good. This great recipe used up a good amount of my remaining CSA produce, as well as making a bit of space in my cabinets, and all I had to do pick up was some fresh parsley.

This dish is filling, but not dense, the wonderful homey kind of food that is perfect for a cold winter night but also makes great leftovers for lunch for the next day (or two). Although a mild dish overall, the flavors are complex and complementary and the wonderful perfume of the cinnamon comes through. After eating far too much dense and unhealthy food over Christmas, it was nice to have a healthy, filling meal packed full of the whole grains and vegetables that got neglected over the holiday. Although I'm definitely not one to diet over the holidays (or at all), I will say that I feel much better when I eat healthfully, and this dish was a great way to get back on track.


Butternut Squash Couscous
adapted from Food and Wine
serves 4 to 6

1/4 cup sliced almonds
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large yellow onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
One 15-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut into 3/4-inch dice
1/4 cup golden raisins
3 cups low-sodium canned vegetable or chicken broth or homemade stock
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
One 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups whole wheat couscous

1. In a small frying pan toast the almonds over moderately low heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Or, toast them in a 350° oven for 5 to 10 minutes.

2. In a Dutch oven, heat the oil over moderately low heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cayenne, nutmeg, and cinnamon and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute longer. Stir in the tomatoes, squash, raisins, broth, and 1 teaspoon of the salt and bring to a simmer. Stir in the chickpeas and cook, covered, for 10 minutes. Uncover and simmer until the squash is tender, about 10 minutes more. Stir in the parsley.

3. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, bring the water and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt to a boil. Stir in the couscous. Cover, remove from the heat, and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Serve the stew over the couscous and top with the toasted almonds.

Egg Nog Latte

Egg nog is a treat I indulge in every couple of years, although partly out of nostalgia, because I don't love it nearly as much as I did as a kid. I wasn't planning on picking any up this year, but when I saw that Sassy Cow Creamery made an egg nog, I had to try it. I had a glass spiked with a little Christmas spirit on Christmas Eve, made some into egg nog french toast Christmas morning after starting my Christmas morning with a rich egg nog latte.

I gave a range for both the egg nog and the milk because egg nog varies a lot in thickness and richness from brand to brand. If you're really craving a rich treat and you may even want to go with all egg nog, provided it isn't too thick. Although I could never drink lattes that are so rich on a regular basis, it's a nice once-a-year treat during the Christmas season.

Egg Nog Latte
serves 1

1/2 to 3/4 cup egg nog
1/4 to 1/2 cup whole milk
2 shots espresso (or very strong coffee)
Ground cinnamon and nutmeg, for garnish

1. Combine the egg nog and milk and heat, either in a small saucepan on the stove or in the microwave taking care not to scald the milk. Froth the milk with the espresso maker (if you have one).

2. Pour the espresso into mug and add the hot egg nog mixture, stirring during the addition. Top with a bit of froth and a sprinkle of cinnamon and nutmeg. Enjoy hot.

No-Bake Chocolate Custard

Although I'm not really a fan of Christmas, I will take any available opportunity for a special meal. Per my request, my husband and I enjoyed a quiet Christmas Eve meal at home, just the two of us. For dinner we had absolutely amazing smoked pork chops from Pecatonica Valley Farm that I picked up at the farmer's market and wonderful baked Kennebec potatoes from my CSA, topped with local cheese and sour cream. I wanted to end the meal with a rich and decadent dessert, and my thoughts immediately went to chocolate mousse. Recipes for chocolate puddings, custards, and mousses abound, but I needed one that only made two servings since this dessert was just for the two of us and we'd be leaving for a family Christmas gathering the next day, which led me to this wonderful recipe.

Since this recipe is all about the chocolate, picking a high-quality chocolate is critical, so splurge on something amazing. Great brands include Ghiradelli, which is widely available and relatively inexpensive, Green and Black's, and Scharffen Berger, although this is by no means an exhaustive list. I would also recommend choosing high quality cream, butter, and eggs; I opted for Sassy Cow Creamery heavy cream and Wuthrich unsalted butter, and Pecatonica Valley eggs (the only kind I buy), all high-quality Wisconsin products.

Although at first glance you might find the portions a tad small, once you take a bit of this insanely rich custard you'll understand. This dense dessert is beautifully smooth and packed with rich chocolate flavor, the kind of dessert to linger slowly over, savoring each taste slowly as it hits your tongue. This is an extremely easy, but impressive dessert, perfect for any special occasion. There's only really one place this recipe could go wrong-adding the hot milk mixture to the egg yolk. Make sure to add the milk slowly, especially at first, while whisking constantly or you'll end up scrambling the eggs instead of incorporating them smoothly into the milk mixture. Enjoy!


No-Bake Chocolate Custard
from Food and Wine
serves 2

1/4 cup milk
3 tablespoons sugar
1 large egg yolk
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped, plus shaved chocolate, for serving
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup heavy cream
Pinch of ground cinnamon

1. In a small saucepan, combine the milk and 2 tablespoons of the sugar and heat until steaming and the sugar is dissolved. Put the egg yolk in a small bowl and gradually whisk in the hot milk. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over moderate heat, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.

2. Off the heat, add the chopped chocolate and salt and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the butter. Pour the custard into 2 shallow bowls and refrigerate briefly, about 5 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, beat the heavy cream with the cinnamon and the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar until softly whipped. Dollop the cream on the custards, sprinkle the chocolate shavings on the cream and serve.

Wilted Cabbage with Mustard and Horseradish

I often fall in love with an ingredient or flavor for a while and try to incorporate it into dishes as often as possible. Ever since making cranberry relish at Thanksgiving, I've been a bit obsessed with horseradish. With the last head of green cabbage I went with a spicy, raw preparation so this time I wanted to try something warm and hearty, like the braised cabbage I made with my head of red cabbage. The butter makes the cabbage rich and silky, which is a really great contrast to the punch from the horseradish and grainy mustard. I could have used even more horseradish flavor, but my husband liked it as is (in general he likes things milder in flavor than I do). To add a little extra flavor, substitute your favorite beer for part or all of the water used to cook the cabbage and make the sauce. This is a great weeknight side dish that it takes less than half an hour from start to finish and goes well with many different proteins, especially pork chops or hearty sausage.

Wilted Cabbage with Mustard and Horseradish
from Gourmet, via Epicurious
serves 4

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 to 2 1/2 lb green cabbage, quartered, cored, and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick strips (12 cups)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1 tablespoon coarse-grain mustard
1 teaspoon bottled horseradish
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour

1. Heat butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté onion, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in cabbage, salt, and 1/2 cup water and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is just tender, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish.

2. Whisk together mustard, horseradish, and flour in skillet, then add remaining 1/2 cup water and whisk until combined well. Simmer 2 minutes, then stir into cabbage. Season with salt and pepper. 

Winter Vegetable Shepherd's Pie

I picked up the final box from my winter CSA last week, so I have a bounty of vegetables that will last me clear into the new year. With so many vegetables to use up, I couldn't have asked for a more perfect recipe. This shepherd's pie is incredibly flavorful and hearty and was the perfect dinner on a snowy Monday evening. This is also a great entree to serve at a holiday dinner or winter dinner party with vegetarian guests and could easily be made vegan by substituting olive oil for butter when cooking the vegetables and a vegan shortening (like Earth Balance) for the butter in the mashed potatoes. But if you're like me and can't get enough dairy in your life, top the mashed potatoes with shredded cheese before putting it under the broiler.

The combination of vegetables are endless; I used Kennebec potatoes, one red onion and one yellow onion, parsnips, celeriac, and carrots, though I can think of many other wonderful combinations. My favorite brand of broth is Pacific Natural Foods, and I used their organic free range chicken broth, but their vegetable and mushroom broths would also make excellent choices. In general I prefer to use low-sodium commercial broths or stocks so I can adjust the salt level myself. Anytime a recipe calls for prepared broth and salt it is advisable to add less than full amount the recipe calls for to start because the saltiness of commercial broths and stocks varies widely.

Not only does this make a fantastic dinner, but the leftovers are absolutely superb the next day. While the texture is best fresh out the oven since the potato topping is nice and crispy, the flavors are even more developed.


Winter Vegetable Shepherd's Pie
adapted from Food and Wine
serves 4 to 6

2 pounds baking potatoes (about 4), peeled and cut into large pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1/2 cup milk
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large onions, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
4 cups sliced mixed winter vegetables, such as celery, turnips, Brussels sprouts, parsnips, fennel, cabbage, or celery root
2 carrots, sliced
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
3 cups canned low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth or homemade stock

1. Put the potatoes in a medium saucepan of salted water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and put them back into the saucepan along with 1 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Mash the potatoes over very low heat, gradually incorporating the cream and 4 tablespoons of the butter. Cover and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter over moderately low heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the sliced mixed vegetables, carrots, thyme, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Mix well.

3. Stir in the broth and bring to a simmer. Cook over moderate heat, covered, until the vegetables start to soften, 5 to 10 minutes. Uncover, increase the heat to moderately high, and cook until the vegetables are tender and almost no liquid remains in the pan, about 10 minutes longer.

4. Heat the broiler. Transfer the vegetables to a 9-inch pie plate, spread the potatoes over the top, and cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.

Whole Wheat Gingerbread Squares

Although I'm actually not a big fan of Christmas, I am a fan of many of the foods that appear this time of year, the ginger-based confections (gingersnaps, gingerbread, etc.) being among them. I adore ginger and will eat crystallized ginger by the (small) handful if I have it around. I was in the mood for a slightly sweet treat and this super quick and moderately healthy version of gingerbread was just the ticket.

I used molasses, as is typical for most gingerbread recipes, but I have a jar of local Rollings Meadows sorghum that I'd like to try substituting for the molasses the next time I make this recipe. There three grades of molasses-mild, dark, and blackstrap, all of which may be sulfured or unsulfured-and you can use any you like in this recipe. Blackstrap molasses comes from the third boiling and concentration of molasses and has the lowest sugar concentration (and calories) of the three varieties. It is also often sold as a health supplement because of its high potassium, calcium, magnesium, and iron content, so you may want to go that direction for a healthier, but less sweet gingerbread cake.

Whole Wheat Gingerbread Squares
adapted from Cooking Light
makes one 9-inch square cake

1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup turbinado sugar
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/2 cup molasses
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350° and spray a 9-inch square baking pan with cooking spray.

2. Combine flour, ginger, cinnamon, and baking soda in a medium bowl, stirring to thoroughly combine.

3. Combine sugar, buttermilk, molasses, butter, and egg in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Stir in flour mixture.

4. Pour batter into baking pan and bake at 350° for 18 to 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Sprinkle gingerbread with powdered sugar.