Christmas. The Holidays. Though I was raised in a Jewish household, my connection to the weeks surrounding December 25 goes back to the sixties and seventies. As Andy Williams sang, "It's the Most Wonderful Tme of the Year." I love the music, the communual joy in everyone's greetings, from people you recognize from your daily Starbuck's run to strangers holiday shopping in the mall. And the winter holiday season is about sharing favorite dishes, family traditions or new favorites, with friends and family.
In my last post, I advised "stepping away from the cookie plate." I've reconsidered. Within reason!
On a recent rainy Sunday afternoon, I got together with some dear friends to play pokeno and toast the holiday season over pretty pink-hued cocktails, caprese-inspired quiche, a tasty pomegranate salsa, and desserts. These girls nights out are a highlight of my month, a chance to unwind with some great women. Each month, we coordinate dishes and a cockail to go with our selected theme.
As the resident nutritionista, I generally come up with some sort of dish involving kale or quinoa. This month, after some consideration, I thought I'd mix it up. I had planned to make these addictive fruitcake cookies from the Barefoot Contessa. You know -- a pound or so of unsalted butter, white flour, tubs of those candied emerald green and ruby red fruits. The caveat? The candied fruits were nowhere to be found. And the dough needed to be chilled for an hour and a half. After a long day of work, that wasn't going to happen.
I glanced over at the supermarket holiday baking display, set up front center by the entrance. You know by now that I am a from scratch kind of girl. I avoid processed foods even when we're talking tarte tatin. But, I was exhausted and famished. That box of Krusteaz shortbread mix was my salvation.
In addition to my passion for nutrition, I am a bit of an armchair food trivia buff. I remembered Krusteaz was started by a Seattle area bridge group back in the 1930s who had come up with an easy at home piecrust mix. Since I'd be baking treats for my game night friends, I relished the nostalgic connection.
Inspired by Ina Garten's recipe, I wandered over to the produce section where I found pomegranate-flavored dried cranberries. Next stop, baking aisle for some dark chocolate chips and crushed toffee.
I returned home to whip up two boxes of shortbread mix with 3 sticks of unsalted butter, adding in my extra ingredients. Dropped by tablespoons onto a cookie sheet and baked for 10 minutes. Voila!
The cookies have become my go to recipe for the holiday season!
To celebrate the holidays, I share with you two recipes from my game night friends. A pomegranate/corn/black bean salsa my friend Michelle and a killer Passion X champagne drink from my friend and cocktail master Fran.
Happy Holidays!
Love,
Beth
Michelle's Fruit Salsa
(PS You know I had to tweak to avoid GMO corn, additional sodium and add avocado!)
1 bag frozen organic corn
1 tub pomegranate seeds (Trader Joe's)
1 can low sodium black beans
1 avocado, cubed (optional)
Mix in a bowl. Serve with organic tortilla chips.
Fran's Pink Passion Cocktail
1 bottle X-Rated Fusion Liquer
1 bottle sparkling wine or champagne
1 bottle club soda or seltzer
quartered limes
Pour one part X-rated Fusion Liquer with one part chanpagne. Top with sparkling water and serve with lime.
Cheers!
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