As regularly as the snow flies in the mountains, seasonal menus appear. Turn the calendar to November, and the baking pans cycle through the oven again and again. But let the first of December draw near, and kitchen activity intensifies.
Tried and true recipes stock pantries, refrigerators and even back porches as the holidays approach.Despite the sheer comfort of traditional family favorites during the celebrating season, a spate of holiday cookbooks appears on the market.
Glorious color photographs issue invitations to alter the familiar menus, to explore new ways of acknowledging festivities.
Consider the following volumes:
THE THANKSGIVING COOKBOOK; Holly Garrison; Macmillan Publishing; New York; 1991; 340 pages; $22.95.
Billed as a one-stop reference to a successful holiday dinner, Garrison's book covers the feast from beginning to end. Included in the text is a complete chapter on the turkey plus another on alternatives to the bird like chicken, capon, goose, ham, squab or prime rib.
The 340-recipe collection includes a wealth of traditional recipes with clear and concise instructions but lacks illustrations or diagrams. Nutritional analysis of recipes is also overlooked.
For a novice cook or a seasoned veteran, the recipe collection covers holiday standbys like Baked Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallows or innovative new ideas like Fresh Sage, Sausage and Apple Stuffing, one of 37 stuffing recipes.
WHAT SHOULD I BRING? GREAT GIFTS FOR EVERY OCCASION; Alison Boteler; Barrons; Hauppauge, N.Y.; paperback; 240 pages; $11.95.
Whether a carefully blended jar of cider-based barbecue sauce or a basket of chocolate-covered cherries, this creative volume contains more than a hundred ideas for the guest who wants to create a memorable hostess gift.
Boteler, a frequent guest on the "Today Show," amasses a broad collection of food and craft ideas to share with friends, neighbors or guests.
From baby or wedding showers to holidays and housewarmings, the book is stuffed full of carefully illustrated ideas. Readers will find instructions for home-made vinegars, crudite bouquets, a gourmet cooking basket or "edible architecture," a series of cracker, cereal and candy houses.
Also included are ideas for packaged gifts, a standard stock list of must-have supplies and a special section on gifts for kids.
HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS; FESTIVE BAKING WITH WHOLE GRAINS; Ken Haedrich; Bantam; New York City; 268 pages; $25.00.
Turn the oven on and start sifting.
Haedrich, in a specialized sequel to his popular collection, "Country Baking," focuses on a season's worth of recipes for breads, cakes, cookies, rolls, muffins and pies, all simply crafted to allow a relaxing holiday time.
With a concentration on whole grains and family cooking, the author incorporates his philosophy of featuring seasonal ingredients and natural flavors, textures and character.
Recipes are punctuated with family-focused anecdotes or additional information about less-familiar ingredients.
Speaking as a father of four, Haedrich also offers suggestions on successful cooking with children.
The recipes are not illustrated, but instructions are detailed, and most ingredients will be found on pantry shelves. Nutritional analysis is excluded, but the overall tone of the collection boasts a healthy focus.
GOURMET'S HOLIDAYS AND CELEBRATIONS; Conde' Nast Books; Random House; New York City; 213 pages; $25.00.
Holidays throughout the year become move festive with the use of Gourmet magazine's four-star collection of recipes.
Divided by season, the generously color-illustrated book contains recipes for year-round celebrations. Whether a Memorial Day picnic or a country Christmas, the collection introduces menu groupings accompanied by descriptive commentary.
Menus are typically Gourmet magazine-style but provide a welcome change from daily fare and serve as an innovative guidebook to entertaining. Some ingredients like broccoli rabe or damson plums may be difficult to find locally, but most recipes contain ingredients available in any grocery store.
THE HARROWSMITH COUNTRY LIFE BAKING BOOK; Sandra J. Taylor; editor; Camden House Publishing; Charlotte, VT; paperback; 223 pages; $18.95.
From a little-known magazine, Harrowsmith Country Life, comes a collection of well-known recipes submitted by magazine readers. Tried-and-true family favorites like Orange-glazed Rolls are paired with new ideas like Almond Poppy Seed Muffins or Peaches and Cheesecake.
The text includes personalized comments with each recipe, a sort of biographical sketch of recipe origin and use.
Line drawings appear with chapter headings as well as throughout the collection. Some recipes are illustrated with color plates.
Published by the same group that produces Eating Well magazine, Harrowsmith Country Life provides a cozy, old-family-favorites approach to baking.
PARTY FOOD; Barbara Kafka; William Morrow and Company; New York City; 322 pages; $25.
According to Kafka, formal entertaining has disappeared in the hectic pace of everyday life and has been replaced by glorified grazing.
Party nibbles replace numerous sit-down courses. The elegant dinner party has been upstaged by relaxing, casual gatherings.
And with the passing of formality comes a comfy, little bites menu.
Kafka's collection suggests more than 350 ideas for glamorous munchies like pate' en croute or a stock of simple salsas. Recipes were created for those who have ample time for kitchen duty as well as those who face more limited schedules.
A special green coding marks a long list of vegetarian recipes.
Whether elegant and easy, succulent and simple, Kafka's philosophy of totally enjoying entertaining prevails in the recipe selection.
CHRISTMAS IN THE HEARTLAND; Marcia Adams; Clarkson N. Potter; New York City; 164 pages; $25.
The queen of Midwest cookery concentrates on the holiday season with a collection of recipes, crafts and decorative ideas that represent the region.
PBS network cook, Marcia Adams, invites readers to journey with her through the country's midsection and celebrate every step of the way.
With as nearly as many color photographs as recipes, Adams conveys the hospitality of the heartlands in four different families, including her own.
The Hippensteel's treat a country Christmas while two Pennsylvanian families share Moravian holiday traditions. Victorian Christmas belongs to the Mattes family. Each imparts a total holiday look with food, table and house decorations.
While Adams first impulse includes food, the decorating ideas and homey touches are equally as prominent in the volume.
(Recipes)
FRESH SAGE, SAUSAGE AND APPLE STUFFING
1 pound pork sausage
8 slices whole wheat bread, dried, and cubed
1 cup celery, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2-3 tablespoons minced sage or 1 tablespoon dried leaves, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds, optional
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored and diced
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1/4 pound butter, melted
1/2 cup half-and-half or chicken broth
Brown sausage; remove from drippings and drain. Combine sausage, bread, celery, onion, sage, caraway seeds, salt, pepper, apples and walnuts. Drizzle the eggs and melted butter over the mixture; toss to combine. Slowly add the half-and-half, a little at a time, tossing until mixture is very moist. Makes about 10 cups or enough to fill a 12-pound turkey with 3-4 cups leftover.
- From "The Thanksgiving Cookbook"
- Each 1-cup serving contains 264 calories; 21 gm fat; 484 mg sodium; 90 mg cholesterol.
APPLE ORCHARD BARBECUE SAUCE
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 cups pressed apple cider
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon whole mustard seed
1 teaspoon celery salt or celery seed
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon liquid smoke
2 bottles (12 oz.) chili sauce
Hot pepper sauce to taste
Bring ingredients to boil in a large saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer until sauce is thickened and volume is halved. Pour hot sauce into two 1-pint sterilized jars. Seal with sterilized lids. Water-bath process for 10 minutes. Remove with tongs; cool or may also be stored in refrigerator until use.
- From "What Should I Bring?"
- Each 1/4-cup serving contains 61 calories; 0 gm fat; 313 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol.
CHOCOLATE CHIP PECAN BROWNIES
1/2 cup butter
4 squares (4 oz.) semisweet chocolate
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup pecans, chopped and preferably toasted
Butter and lightly flour an 8-inch square glass pan; preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Melt butter over low heat; add chocolate. When the chocolate is soft, add Beat eggs until frothy; stir in vanilla. Whisk melted chocolate into egg until smooth, then add flour. Fold in chocolate chips and pecans.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan; smooth with a fork. Bake for 40 minutes. Cool brownies on rack. For easy slicing, cover with plastic and chill for about 1 hour to firm up chocolate chips. Makes 16 brownies.
- From "Home for the Holidays, Festive Baking with Whole Grains"
- Each serving contains 253 calories; 16 gm fat; 101 mg sodium; 43 mg cholesterol.
RUSSET POTATO AND RICOTTA CHEESE PIE
1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
2 cups baking potato, cooked and mashed
15 ounces skim-milk ricotta cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup fresh chives, snipped
2 large eggs, beaten lightly
5 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
Paprika to taste
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into bits
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Coat the bottom and sides of a buttered 9-inch pie plate with bread crumbs. Tap the excess into a bowl and reserve. In a large bowl combine the potato, ricotta, sour cream, chives, eggs, 4 tablespoons of Parmesan, salt and pepper; spoon the mixture into the prepared pie plate. Sprinkle with the reserve bread crumbs, remaining 1 tablespoon Parmesan, and paprika; dot with butter. (The pie can be made 2 hours ahead up to this point and kept refrigerated, covered.)
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until puffed and golden. Serves 8.
- From "Gourmet's Holidays and Celebrations"
- Each serving contains 219 calories; 11 gm fat; 277 mg sodium; 86 mg cholesterol.
ALMOND AND POPPY SEED MUFFINS
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup plain yogurt
2 teaspoons almond extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons poppy seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Sliced almonds
Cream butter and 1 cup sugar; beat in eggs, one at a time, then stir in yogurt and almond extract. In separate bowl, combine flour, poppy seeds, salt, remaining 1 cup sugar and soda. Add to creamed mixture; blend just until moistened. Pour into greased or paper-lined muffin tins. Sprinkle each muffin with sliced almonds; bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Makes 1 dozen.
- From "The Harrowsmith Country Life Baking Book"
- Each serving contains 356 calories; 11 gm fat; 193 mg sodium; 56 mg cholesterol.
SMOKED TURKEY ROLL-UPS
10 sliced smoked turkey
3/4 cup Olive Cream Cheese
Olive Cream Cheese:
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup pimento-stuffed green olives, drained
2 tablespoons sour cream
11/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 cup pecan pieces, chopped
Beat cream cheese in processor until smooth; add remaining ingredients and pulse until olives are coarsely chopped.
Spread 1 tablespoon cream cheese mixture on each slice of smoked turkey. Roll, jelly roll fashion; wrap and chill 1 hour. Slice and serve. Makes 60 pieces.
- From "Party Food"
- Each serving contains 27 calories; 2 gm fat; 39 mg sodium; 4 mg cholesterol.
VICTORIAN SPICED NUTS
1/2 cup water
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 pound English walnuts, toasted
Oil a large cookie sheet and set aside. In a heavy saucepan, combine all ingredients but walnuts. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Remove lid and insert candy thermometer; continue boiling until mixture reaches 260 degrees or hard ball stage. Remove from heat; add nuts immediately and stir until well coated.
Quickly transfer the hot mixture to the cookie sheet; separate the nuts into small clumps while still warm. Allow to cool completely; store in airtight tin. Makes about 3 cups.
Note: Toast unsalted raw walnuts on cookie sheet at 300 degrees for 5-10 minutes or until nuts begin to change color. Watch closely and turn occasionally with a spatula.
- From "Christmas in the Heartland"
- Each 1/4-cup serving contains 199 calories; 13 gm fat; 145 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol.