The Coffee House

[tirediron]

SharonCat - Lobster pot pie. It's becoming a Thanksgiving regular for us.

Which of the ingredients costs more, the lobster or the pot? (And don't the rolling papers get all soggy?)

 

[Gary A.]

@ Peg: Exactly! That would be the intent is to surprise and amaze. Gary bets you could easily get ... four dozen online (frozen), micro them on the day of consumption, then stack them in a chafing tray or platter for distribution. Easy-Pezy. You can print out instructions to remove the husks (while the husks are full of fiber, it isn't a good idea to eat them, unless you're Gerald Ford). Along with the instructions a short paragraph on Las Posadas. Then an even greater surprise when the six piece Mariachi band arrives and entertains ... the horns hitting those high pitches and the strings filling in ... that would be a Christmas to remember. (Okay, now your dinner count is up to 33, but there wouldn't be any leftover tamales.)

You can thank Gary later.

Las Posadas in Los Angeles:

 

[table1349]

Tamales ... real ones steaming in the corn husks, oozing of masa and chili ... green pork chili, red beef chili, Ortega chili and cheese. ... and a pot of salsa to go within it.

Gary we are in New England not CA. The family would be in shock at such "new" food.

SharonCat - Lobster pot pie. It's becoming a Thanksgiving regular for us.

Interesting idea but for 27 people that may be out of my budget when added to the beef tenderloin. After all I have a very expensive hobby and a teenage daughter.

Forgot to mention this. Make these once and your family will love you for ever. Great to munch on before dinner. Make them a day or two before.



Sugarplums

Total Time:
13 hr 45 min
Prep:
45 min
Inactive:
13 hr
Yield:approximately 80 (1/4 ounce) balls
Level:Easy

Ingredients

6 ounces slivered almonds, toasted
4 ounces dried plums
4 ounces dried apricots
4 ounces dried figs
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon anise seeds, toasted
1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds, toasted
1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds, toasted
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
Pinch kosher salt
1/4 cup honey
1 cup coarse sugar

Directions

Put the almonds, plums, apricots, and figs into the bowl of a food processor and pulse 20 to 25 times or until the fruit and nuts are chopped into small pieces, but before the mixture becomes a ball.
Combine the powdered sugar, anise seeds, fennel seeds, caraway seeds, cardamom, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Add the nut and fruit mixture and the honey and mix using gloved hands until well combined.
Scoop the mixture into 1/4-ounce portions and roll into balls. If serving immediately, roll in the coarse sugar and serve. If not serving immediately, put the balls on a cooling rack and leave uncovered until ready to serve. Roll in the coarse sugar prior to serving.
The Sugarplums may be stored on the cooling rack for up to a week. After a week, store in an airtight container for up to a month.

 

[Warhorse]

Forgot to mention this. Make these once and your family will love you for ever. Great to munch on before dinner. Make them a day or two before.



Sugarplums

Total Time:
13 hr 45 min
Prep:
45 min
Inactive:
13 hr
Yield:approximately 80 (1/4 ounce) balls
Level:Easy

Ingredients

6 ounces slivered almonds, toasted
4 ounces dried plums
4 ounces dried apricots
4 ounces dried figs
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon anise seeds, toasted
1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds, toasted
1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds, toasted
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
Pinch kosher salt
1/4 cup honey
1 cup coarse sugar

Directions

Put the almonds, plums, apricots, and figs into the bowl of a food processor and pulse 20 to 25 times or until the fruit and nuts are chopped into small pieces, but before the mixture becomes a ball.
Combine the powdered sugar, anise seeds, fennel seeds, caraway seeds, cardamom, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Add the nut and fruit mixture and the honey and mix using gloved hands until well combined.
Scoop the mixture into 1/4-ounce portions and roll into balls. If serving immediately, roll in the coarse sugar and serve. If not serving immediately, put the balls on a cooling rack and leave uncovered until ready to serve. Roll in the coarse sugar prior to serving.
The Sugarplums may be stored on the cooling rack for up to a week. After a week, store in an airtight container for up to a month.

Oh man, this sounds good!!

I do not cook, but I am asking my wife to make these. Thanks for posting it!

 

[table1349]

Forgot to mention this. Make these once and your family will love you for ever. Great to munch on before dinner. Make them a day or two before.



Sugarplums

Total Time:
13 hr 45 min
Prep:
45 min
Inactive:
13 hr
Yield:approximately 80 (1/4 ounce) balls
Level:Easy

Ingredients

6 ounces slivered almonds, toasted
4 ounces dried plums
4 ounces dried apricots
4 ounces dried figs
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon anise seeds, toasted
1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds, toasted
1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds, toasted
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
Pinch kosher salt
1/4 cup honey
1 cup coarse sugar

Directions

Put the almonds, plums, apricots, and figs into the bowl of a food processor and pulse 20 to 25 times or until the fruit and nuts are chopped into small pieces, but before the mixture becomes a ball.
Combine the powdered sugar, anise seeds, fennel seeds, caraway seeds, cardamom, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Add the nut and fruit mixture and the honey and mix using gloved hands until well combined.
Scoop the mixture into 1/4-ounce portions and roll into balls. If serving immediately, roll in the coarse sugar and serve. If not serving immediately, put the balls on a cooling rack and leave uncovered until ready to serve. Roll in the coarse sugar prior to serving.
The Sugarplums may be stored on the cooling rack for up to a week. After a week, store in an airtight container for up to a month.

Oh man, this sounds good!!

I do not cook, but I am asking my wife to make these. Thanks for posting it!

They are. My mother in law loves them so much I make a batch just for her as a Christmas present.

 

[table1349]

Squarepeg

If you really want to blow their socks off make a Christmas Pudding or two for desert. I made this 4 years ago and it was a big hit. If you need to just double the recipe. Pudding steamers are very cheap and can be found online if you can't find one locally.
Mrs. Anderson's Baking Steamed Pudding Mold

Christmas Pudding

• Prep Time: 45 minutes
• Cook Time: 480 minutes
• Marinating Time: 720 minutes

• Total Time: 1,245 minutes
• Yield: Serves 8

INGREDIENTS

• 450g (1lb ) dried mixed fruit (use golden raisins/sultanas* , raisins, currants)
• 25 g (1 oz ) mixed candied peel, finely chopped
• 1 small cooking apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped
• Grated zest and juice
• ½ large orange and
• ½ lemon
• 4 tbsp brandy, plus a little extra for soaking at the end
• 55 g (2 oz ) self-raising flour, sifted
• 1 level tsp ground mixed spice (pumpkin pie spice is fine or make a traditional British mixed spice)
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 110 g (4 oz ) shredded suet, beef or vegetarian
• 110 g (4 oz) soft, dark brown sugar
• 110 g (4 oz) white fresh bread crumbs
• 25 g (1 oz) whole shelled almonds, roughly chopped
• 2 large, fresh eggs

PREPARATION

• Lightly butter a 1.4-litre pudding basin (2½ pint) 17cm
• Place the dried fruits, candied peel, apple, orange and lemon juice into a large mixing bowl. Add the brandy and stir well. Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and leave to marinate for a couple of hours, preferably overnight.
• Stir together the flour, mixed spice and cinnamon in a very large mixing bowl. Add the suet, sugar, lemon and orange zest, bread crumbs, nuts and stir again until all the ingredients are well mixed. Finally add the marinaded dried fruits and stir again.
• Beat the eggs lightly in a small bowl then stir quickly into the dry ingredients. The mixture should have a fairly soft consistency.
• Now is the time to gather the family for Christmas Pudding tradition of taking turns in stirring, making a wish and adding a few coins. (We left the coin part out.)
• Spoon the mixture into the greased pudding basin, gently pressing the mixture down with the back of a spoon. Cover with a double layer of greaseproof paper or baking parchment, then a layer of aluminium foil and tie securely with string.
• Place the pudding in a steamer set over a saucepan of simmering water and steam the pudding for 7 hours. Make sure you check the water level frequently, so it never boils dry. The pudding should be a dark brown colour when cooked. The pudding is not a light cake but instead is a dark, sticky and dense sponge.
• Remove the pudding from the steamer, cool completely. Remove the paper, prick the pudding with a skewer and pour in a little extra brandy. Cover with fresh greaseproof paper and retie with string. Store in a cool, dry place until Christmas day. Note: The pudding cannot be eaten immediately, it does need to be stored and rested then reheated on Christmas Day. Eating the pudding immediately after cooking will cause it to collapse, and the flavours will not have had time to mature.
• On Christmas day reheat the pudding by steaming again for about an hour. Serve with anyone of these lovely accompaniments. Brandy or Rum Sauce, Brandy Butter orCustard.
• Left over Christmas pudding can be reheated by wrapping tightly in aluminum foil and heating through in a hot oven.

If you want the full true experience then this is your presentation method.

1. Turn out the steamed pudding onto a serving plate with a good-sized rim around the edge to catch any spirit.
2. The important thing is to get the spirit really hot. Pour 2-3 tablespoons of brandy, rum or whisky into a long-handled metal ladle and heat it over a gas flame until hot. (If you don’t have a gas stove, heat it in a small saucepan first, then transfer it to the ladle.)
3. Light the spirit by tilting the ladle slightly over the gas flame so the fumes ignite, or use a match, then immediately pour it over the pudding. Carefully take it to the table and wait for the flames to go out before serving.

 

[limr]

Morning, hosers.

Took me 1.5 hours to get to work this morning. Charming.

Still waiting to find out about the dealer finding me a hatchback with the manual tranny. He texted earlier to see if I minded a tan interior so he could expand the search (I don't. No kids, no dogs, so it's much easier to keep clean!). If he can find me the dark blue with tan interior, I'll be one happy girl. Fingers crossed, hosers!

 

[SquarePeg]

Las Posadas in Los Angeles:

Beautiful shots Gary!

 

[snowbear]

Morning, hosers.

Took me 1.5 hours to get to work this morning. Charming.

Still waiting to find out about the dealer finding me a hatchback with the manual tranny. He texted earlier to see if I minded a tan interior so he could expand the search (I don't. No kids, no dogs, so it's much easier to keep clean!). If he can find me the dark blue with tan interior, I'll be one happy girl. Fingers crossed, hosers!

 

[terri]

@SharonCat: my suggestion would be to add a *first,* like a soup that could be made a few days in advance. A nice seasonal soup would be something like a butternut squash soup. My recipe calls for 2 small/med butternut squash and 1 large baking potato - all peeled and cut in chunks. Throw in diced yellow onion, carrots and celery, garlic and cook down in 4-5 cups of low-sodium vegetable broth. Once it's all tender (only 30 minutes or so), you ladle it into your blender and blend it to this lovely smooth consistency (a few ladles at a time, of course). You can then freeze or refrigerate and have it ready on the big day. Heat it up and once in bowls, drizzle olive oil over the top. It's quite amazing.

In your part of the country, a good seafood bisque might go over better. They're a bit more labor-intensive, but delicious and can still be done in advance. Also, salad, rolls, and I agree with the roasted green veggie ideas.

Every thing you've outlined sounds delicious so far! What time should I be there??

 

[terri]

Morning, hosers.

Took me 1.5 hours to get to work this morning. Charming.

Still waiting to find out about the dealer finding me a hatchback with the manual tranny. He texted earlier to see if I minded a tan interior so he could expand the search (I don't. No kids, no dogs, so it's much easier to keep clean!). If he can find me the dark blue with tan interior, I'll be one happy girl. Fingers crossed, hosers!

ugh - that sucks!!! Been there, done that - both going and returning from work. Ain't fun.

Good luck on the hatchback search! I drove a Buick Skyhawk for 8 years, 5 speed manual. My only mistake was letting my ex drive it for a few months - he didn't tell me when the clutch started slipping and cost me $1100 to repair. (That's partly why he's an ex.) I loved that car!!

 

[terri]

View attachment 131263 View attachment 131262
iPhone

Buenas Dias Coffee Hosers. Gary took his new siphon coffee up for its first flight this morning. It is good, very good. Just a tad richer than Gary's French Press. But then the basic recipe uses 50% more beans for an equal amount of drink. But on Wednesday Gary should be set up to roast his beans. Raw beans cost about 50% less than roasted beans, so Gary Thinks he's doing good.

Now THAT looks interesting. Hubby is stumping for an AeroPress - he used one daily for a couple of weeks visiting his sister and swears by it. Dunno.

 

[JonA_CT]

View attachment 131263 View attachment 131262
iPhone

Buenas Dias Coffee Hosers. Gary took his new siphon coffee up for its first flight this morning. It is good, very good. Just a tad richer than Gary's French Press. But then the basic recipe uses 50% more beans for an equal amount of drink. But on Wednesday Gary should be set up to roast his beans. Raw beans cost about 50% less than roasted beans, so Gary Thinks he's doing good.

Now THAT looks interesting. Hubby is stumping for an AeroPress - he used one daily for a couple of weeks visiting his sister and swears by it. Dunno.

The aero press is a minor investment ($20 maybe), you should let him have it! I'm biased though, of course.

 

[minicoop1985]

Morning, hosers. I'm shopping for a digital Hasselblad setup for a friend of mine. Oh darn, I don't know if I can handle that. lol

 

[Frank F.]

Took my new plaything 105E for a joyride: