If you’re looking for a chocolate dessert that that will make you swoon then look no further. This wonderful cake is smooth and rich, and perfect for entertaining (Christmas, Valentines, bridal showers, dinner parties, etc.)! While easy to make, the cake does require time in the fridge (about 7 hours) so plan accordingly.

Before serving the cake, drizzle each plate with a little Raspberry Sauce for a beautiful presentation. Enjoy!

Flourless Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Glaze
-recipe by Abigail Johnson Dodge – Fine Cooking Magazine
 
Drop-dead delicious, this cake is a pure chocolate indulgence. Yields one 9-inch cake that serves twelve generously.

For the cake:
12 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (2-1/4 cups)
6 oz. (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, cut into six pieces; more for the pan
5 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1-1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. table salt
3/4 oz. (1/4 cup) unsweetened natural cocoa powder, sifted if lumpy; more for the pan

For the glaze:
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (3/4 cup)
1-1/2 oz. (3 Tbs.) unsalted butter

Make the cake:
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 300°F. Lightly butter the bottom of a 9×2-inch round cake pan and line it with a round of parchment. Lightly butter the parchment and the sides of the pan and dust with cocoa powder. Tap out any excess.

Melt the chocolate and butter in the microwave or in a medium metal bowl set in a skillet of barely simmering water, stirring with a rubber spatula until smooth. Remove the bowl from the water bath and set aside to cool slightly. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the eggs, sugar, vanilla, salt, and 2 Tbs. water. Beat on medium high speed until the mixture is very foamy, pale in color, and doubled in volume, 2 min. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually pour in the chocolate mixture. Increase the speed to medium high and continue beating until well blended, about 30 seconds. Add the cocoa powder and mix on medium low just until blended, about 30 seconds.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a pick inserted in the center comes out looking wet with small gooey clumps, 40 to 45 min. Don’t overcook. Let cool in the pan on a rack for 30 min. If necessary, gently push the edges down with your fingertips until the layer is even. Run a small knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the cake. Cover the cake pan with a wire rack and invert. Remove the pan and parchment and let the cake cool completely. The cake may look cinched in around its sides, which is fine. Transfer to a cake plate. Cover and refrigerate the cake until it’s very cold, at least 6 hours or overnight.

Glaze the cake:
Melt the chocolate and butter in the microwave or in a medium metal bowl set in a skillet of barely simmering water, stirring with a rubber spatula until smooth. Pour the warm glaze over the chilled cake and, using an offset spatula, spread the glaze evenly to within 1/4 inch of the edge. Refrigerate the cake until the glaze is set, 20 to 40 min. Before serving, remove the cake from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature, 20 to 30 min. To serve, cut the cake into small, if not tiny, slices using a hot knife.

Tip: To slice this cake (or any dense, sticky cake), heat the knife first, either by dipping it in a tall container of very hot water or by holding it under hot running water for a few seconds. Then wipe it dry before cutting the cake. The knife will cool quickly, and the cake will start sticking, so expect to rinse and repeat several times. A crème brûlée torch, if you have one, is also handy for heating up a knife.  

Tags: chocolate, chocolate cake, Christmas, Christmas dessert, Dessert, Fine Cooking Magazine, flourless chocolate cake, holiday desserts, holidays, Valentine's Day, Valentine's dessert

This recipe for Chicken Potpie Pasta is an easy-to-fix twist on the classic comfort food dish. You get all the chicken potpie flavors without the fuss of making pie crust…perfect for a weeknight meal!

I added a little white wine and some freshly chopped parsley to the sauce, and substituted a cup or so of frozen peas for the green beans. This would also be a great way to use up leftover turkey. Enjoy!

Chicken-Potpie Pasta
-from Everyday Food Magazine

Serves 6.

Total Time: 30 minutes

Salt and pepper
3/4 pound penne or other short tubular pasta
1/3 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small yellow onion, minced
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
2 carrots, diced medium
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups diced cooked chicken

In large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta 3 minutes less than package instructions. Add green beans and cook 3 minutes, then drain.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt butter over medium-high. Add onion, celery, and carrots and cook until onion is translucent, about 4 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Gradually add broth, stirring constantly, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in chicken and season with salt and pepper.

Stir pasta into chicken mixture.

Tags: chicken pot pie, chicken potpie, Christmas, Comfort Food, leftover chicken, leftover turkey, Martha Stewart Everyday Food, Thanksgiving

This recipe is a great way to use up leftover roast turkey. Or just use deli turkey if you prefer. I love the combo of smoky bacon and blue cheese…yum!

Radicchio is a sturdy leafy green veggie that holds up well to heat. I didn’t have any (and wasn’t going to make another trip to the store) so I substituted arugula. The arugula wasn’t the best substitution (it wilted) but sometimes you just make due with what you have. Enjoy!

Grilled Turkey, Bacon, Radicchio, and Blue Cheese Sandwiches
-recipe from Bon Appétit Magazine

This is the ultimate turkey sandwich. Makes 2 servings.

 
6 slices applewood-smoked bacon

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup crumbled Maytag blue cheese or other mild blue cheese
4 1/2-inch-thick slices country-style white bread (about 5×3 inches)
4 leaves radicchio
6 ounces thinly sliced cooked turkey
4 teaspoons butter, room temperature, divided

Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Transfer to paper towels. Pour off fat from skillet; reserve skillet.

Mash mayonnaise and blue cheese in bowl to coarse puree; season with pepper. Place bread on work surface. Divide cheese mixture among bread slices, spreading evenly. Divide bacon, radicchio, and turkey between 2 bread slices. Top with remaining bread, cheese side down. Melt 2 teaspoons butter in reserved skillet over medium heat. Place sandwiches in skillet. Spread 2 teaspoons butter on top pieces of bread. Cover with lid that is slightly smaller than skillet. Cook sandwiches until lightly browned, about 4 minutes per side.

Tags: bacon, blue cheese, Bon Appetit Magazine, Grilled Turkey Bacon Radicchio Blue Cheese Sandwich, grilled turkey sandwich, holiday recipes, leftover turkey, radicchio, turkey, turkey sandwich

I’m a big fan of just about any kind of caramel and chocolate treat. These gooey bar cookies are definitely a winner: chocolate chips, crunchy pecans and a rich caramel drizzle layered between an oatmeal cookie base and crumble topping. They are rich, delicious and easy to make.

I always use Mrs. Richardson’s brand Butterscotch Caramel Topping, which is available at many grocery stores.

Be careful not to overbake the crust layer or the finished bars will be crunchier then they’re meant to be. Serve with a cold glass of milk or a cup of coffee…mmmm, heavenly!

Caramel Oatmeal Chewies
-recipe from verybestbaking.com.

Chewy oats surround layers of chocolate, caramel and nuts in these hearty bars.

1 3/4 cups quick or old-fashioned oats
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt, (optional)
3/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup caramel ice cream topping

PREHEAT oven to 350º F. Grease bottom of 13 x 9-inch baking pan.

COMBINE oats, 1½ cups flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Stir in butter; mix well. Reserve 1 cup oat mixture; press remaining oat mixture onto bottom of prepared baking pan.

BAKE for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle with morsels and nuts. Mix caramel topping with remaining flour in small bowl; drizzle over nuts to within ¼ inch of pan edges. Sprinkle with reserved oat mixture.

BAKE for 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack; refrigerate until firm. Cut into bars.

Tags: caramel, Caramel Oatmeal Chewies, chocolate caramel bars, chocolate caramel squares, Christmas cookies, holiday cookies, holidays, Mrs. Richardson's Butterscotch Caramel Topping, oatmeal bars, oatmeal caramel bars, oatmeal cookies, squares

Since the holidays are are upon us, here’s a great side dish that will compliment a potpourri of menus. I love the combination of chewy wild rice, roasted butternut squash and sweet corn…delish! This dish goes well with just about any meat, and much of the recipe can be made ahead of time — making it perfect for entertaining.

I roasted the cubed squash on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper which made clean-up a breeze. Plus, I didn’t have to worry about the squash sticking to the pan. Click here for tips on how to peel a butternut squash. Enjoy!

Wild Rice with Butternut Squash, Leeks, and Corn
-recipe from Bon Appétit Magazine (November 2008)

Test-Kitchen Tip: Some kinds of wild rice take longer to cook than others. The rice is fully cooked when the grains are tender but still chewy and beginning to split. Be sure to test the rice before draining.

Makes 10 servings

1 1/2 cups wild rice (about 9 ounces)
2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
3 cups 1/2-inch cubes peeled butternut squash (from 1 1/2-pound squash)
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, divided
1 1/2 cups finely chopped leeks (white part only)
1 1/2 cups frozen white corn kernels, thawed
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley

Rinse rice in strainer under cold water; drain. Bring 6 cups water and 2 teaspoons coarse salt to boil in large saucepan. Add rice; bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered until rice grains begin to split and are tender but still slightly chewy, about 45 minutes. Drain. Spread on rimmed baking sheet to cool. Transfer to bowl. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Oil rimmed baking sheet. Toss squash cubes and 3 tablespoons oil in medium bowl. Spread squash in single layer on prepared sheet; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast just until tender but firm enough to hold shape, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Transfer squash to bowl. Cool. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

Melt 4 tablespoons butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add leeks and 3/4 cup water; simmer until leeks are tender, about 7 minutes. Add corn; simmer 2 minutes longer. Add rice and butternut squash; simmer until heated through and liquid is absorbed, about 4 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons butter and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl and serve.

Tags: Bon Appetit Magazine, butternut squash, Christmas, corn, holiday recipes, holiday side dish, holidays, Thanksgiving, vegetarian, wild rice

Here’s some great advice on how to safely store your holiday leftovers (or any meal for that matter):

Leftovers Aren’t Forever
-from Thanksgiving 101 by Rick Rodgers

On Thanksgiving, store your leftovers safely. Get any leftover turkey and stuffing into the refrigerator within two hours of serving. Never leave leftovers out overnight.

Slice all of the turkey meat from the carcass and place in shallow plastic containers or self-sealing plastic bags, or wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Scrape all of the stuffing from the carcass, and refrigerate it separately from the turkey meat. (If you plan to use the carcass for soup, chop or break it into manageable pieces and store in plastic bags.) Refrigerate at 40°F or below, and serve within two or three days, or freeze and use within three months. 

Tags: Christmas, holiday, holiday leftovers, leftover turkey, leftovers, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving leftovers, turkey carcass

Pumpkin admirers will love this moist pumpkin cake. It’s easy to make, not too sweet, and tastes pumpkin pie-ish (only better)!

The cake took longer to bake than the recipe states. I had to turn my oven down a bit so it wouldn’t brown too much. Check the cake at 30 minutes and if it’s still wet in the middle, turn the oven down about 25 degrees and check in 10 more minutes (repeat as needed until toothpick inserted in middle of cake comes out clean). Enjoy!

Pumpkin Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting
-recipe from Cook’s Country Magazine (October/November 2007)

Why this recipe works:
Pumpkin cake recipes should be easy, but the pumpkin cake recipes we tried made damp cakes with a harsh burn of spice. And the cream cheese frosting was way too sweet and rich. To avoid these pitfalls, we made the cake with packed pumpkin puree (without spices or sugar) instead of canned pumpkin pie filling (with spices and sugar). The cake made with the puree actually tasted like pumpkin, which was one of the features we wanted for our Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting. Using puree also allowed us to control the spices ourselves, and we opted to use just a bit of ginger, cinnamon, and allspice to give the cake a subtle spiciness. And to solve the problem of heavy and cloyingly sweet frosting, we lessened the amounts of butter and confectioners’ sugar and increased the amount of cream cheese. The result was a tangy frosting that perfectly complemented the spiced cake and gave us our ideal Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting.

Serves 16.

Cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
4 large eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree

Frosting:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, cut into 8 pieces and softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract  

For the cake: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 13 by 9-inch baking pan. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices in bowl. With electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat eggs, oil, and granulated sugar until thick and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Reduce speed to low, add pumpkin, and mix until incorporated. Slowly add flour mixture and mix until only a few small lumps of flour remain, about 1 minute. Scrape batter into prepared pan and bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack and cool completely.

For the frosting: With electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and confectioners’ sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add cream cheese 1 piece at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Add vanilla and mix until smooth. Turn cooled cake out onto wire rack, then invert onto serving platter. Frost cake and serve. (Cake can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.) 

Tags: autumn, cake, Christmas, Cook's Country Magazine, holiday baking, holiday dessert, pumpkin, pumpkin bars, pumpkin cake, pumpkin dessert, Thanksgiving

I love sweet potatoes (yams) but I’m not a fan of the cloyingly sweet dishes that call for sugar and marshmallows. Instead, I prefer savory sweet potato recipes like this one that includes smoky chipotle chiles. The heat of the chiles is really delicious with the natural sweetness of the sweet potatoes. This recipe is perfect for a holiday dinner or Southwestern-themed meal.

You can also skip the potato skins and bake the potato mixture in a greased baking dish (about an 8×8 size) at 425° for 20-25 minutes. Enjoy!

Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes with Chipotle Chile
-recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine

Chipotle chiles are smoked jalapeños. For  this recipe, you’ll need them canned in adobo; you can usually find them with other canned chiles in the Mexican section of the supermarket. The stuffed potatoes can be  made a day ahead, covered, and refrigerated. Bring them back to room temperature before  baking.

Serves four.

4 small sweet potatoes of similar size (about  3 pounds total), scrubbed
1 to 2 tsp. olive oil or vegetable oil
1/4 cup sour cream; more for serving
1/2 chipotle chile in adobo, minced to a paste; more to taste
2 Tbs. unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 lime, cut into quarters

Heat the oven to 425°F. Put the potatoes on a foil-lined baking sheet, rub them with the oil, and arrange them so they’re spaced as far apart as possible. Bake until a skewer or fork slips easily into the center of the potato, 50 to 55 minutes. Set on a rack to cool but leave the oven on.

When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, slice off about the top one-quarter or one-third (lengthwise) of each potato to expose the interior. Peel off and discard the skin from this top section and put the potato flesh in a medium bowl. Use a spoon to scoop out the rest of the flesh of each potato, leaving about 1/4 inch of sweet potato attached to the skin to help retain its structure. Put the potato flesh in the bowl.

Beat the sweet potato flesh, sour cream, chile paste, butter, and salt with an electric hand mixer on medium speed just until smooth. Taste and, if you want more heat, mince more chipotle to a paste and add it. Mound the mixture into the potato skins and set them in a  baking pan. Bake the stuffed potatoes at 425°F until hot, 20  to 25 minutes. Serve with the lime wedges and more sour cream.

Tags: chipotle chile in adobo, chopotle chile, Christmas, Christmas side dish, holiday side dish, holidays, sweet potato, sweet potatoes, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving side dish, twice-baked potatoes, twice-baked sweet potatoes, yams

If you’re looking for a creative stuffing/dressing recipe for this holiday season, you’ll want to give this one a try. I had never tried rice stuffing before and was intrigued by the list of ingredients in this recipe from best-selling author Debbie Macomber: crunchy water chestnuts, toasted hazelnuts, tart apples, and sweet raisins. Hazelnuts (filberts) are grown here in Oregon, so this recipe is a great way to show them off. The delicious rice stuffing is a perfect Autumn/Holiday side dish for roast chicken, turkey, pork and beef.

I had trouble finding peeled (skinned) hazelnuts so I bought some with the skins on and tried peeling them myself — a time-consuming and messy process. Do yourself a favor and find them already peeled (removed of their outer skin). If you can’t find peeled hazelnuts, pecans or pinenuts would be a good substitute.

I used 1/2 cup each of dried cranberries and golden raisins in place of 1 cup of raisins, which turned out to be a great substitition/combo. Enjoy!

Mom’s Rice Stuffing with Water Chestnuts, Apples and Hazelnuts
-recipe from Debbie Macomber’s Christmas Cookbook by Debbie Macomber

Mom served this rice dish every Thanksgiving and Christmas. The recipe was handed down by her mother, who emigrated from the Black Sea region of Ukraine as a young married woman in the late 1800s. Until now, it’s never been written down, but passed from one daughter to the next. -Debbie Macomber

Serves 12 to 16.

6 tablespoons ( 3/4 stick) unsalted butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
2 1/2 cups white rice (uncooked)
5 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
8-ounce can water chestnuts, drained and chopped (about 1 cup)
2 tart apples, peeled and chopped
1 1/2 cups hazelnuts, toasted, peeled and coarsely chopped
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
Salt and black pepper

Melt butter in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery and thyme; cook for 6 minutes, stirring often. Add rice and broth; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook for 22 minutes, without stirring, until liquid is absorbed and rice is just tender. Stir in water chestnuts, apples, hazelnuts, scallions, raisins and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.

If stuffing turkey: Loosely fill cavity with dressing. Place any leftover dressing in a buttered casserole. Cover dish with buttered foil, buttered-side down. Bake dressing for 30 minutes at 350 degrees, or until heated through.

If not stuffing turkey: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 15-by-10-inch glass or ceramic baking dish. Stir 1/2 cup turkey drippings into dressing; spoon into prepared dish. Cover dish with buttered foil, buttered-side down. Bake dressing for 40 minutes, or until heated through.

TIP: Save time and hassle by using prepeeled and chopped hazelnuts. Find them in the baking section of your market.

Tags: Christmas, Christmas recipes, Debbie Macomber, Debbie Macomber's Christmas Cookbook, dressing, filberts, hazelnuts, holiday recipes, holidays, Oregon hazelnuts, rice dressing, rice stuffing, stuffing, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving recipes, water chesnuts

This is seriously one of the easiest side dishes I’ve ever made. If you like brussels sprouts then you’ll love the extra flavor that roasting brings out in them. If you don’t like brussels sprouts then maybe it’s time to try them. C’mon, I dare you! These pint-sized cabbages are loaded with Vitamins A and C and fiber. I like to buy them still on the stalk and then cut them off right before using (find them on the stalk at Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods).

I roasted the brussels sprouts for less time because they were on the small size and I didn’t want to overcook them. I also didn’t add more salt like Ina did after they were finished roasting because they tasted perfect as is. Serve with roasted turkey, chicken, beef, pork…just about anything. Enjoy!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts
-recipe from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook by Ina Garten

Makes 6 servings.

1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts
3 tablespoons good olive oil
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut off the brown ends of the Brussels sprouts and pull off any yellow outer leaves. Mix them in a bowl with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Pour them on a sheet pan and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Shake the pan from time to time to brown the sprouts evenly. Sprinkle with more kosher salt ( I like these salty like French fries), and serve immediately.

Tags: brussel sprouts, brussels, brussels sprouts, Christmas, holidays, roasted brussels sprouts, Side Dish, sprouts, Thanksgiving