Apple Butter Cupcakes

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 large Gala or other baking apple, peeled, cored, and finely chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1/2 cup apple butter
• Special equipment: 2 (12-cup) muffin pans

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 muffin tins with paper liners.
Using a hand mixer or standing mixer, cream the butter and vanilla sugar together until fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time and vanilla extract, beating until smooth.
Combine the flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Add half the flour mixture to the creamed butter, then add the sour cream, and then the rest of the flour. Beat until well combined, taking care not to over mix. Gently fold in the chopped apples.
Divide batter between prepared muffin tins, filling them 1/2 way full. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean and the tops spring back when pressed gently, about 20 minutes. Cool the cupcakes in the tin on a rack for 10 minutes then remove from the tin and cool completely.
Put apple butter into a small pastry bag with an open tip Squeeze a small amount into the center of each cupcake. Continue cooling completely. Then frost with icing.

For the frosting:

• 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla paste
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar
• Sprinkle Cinnamon on top (optional)

Using a hand or standing mixer, beat cream cheese and butter together, at medium speed, until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add in vanilla and lemon juice. On low speed, gradually add in confectioners' sugar and beat until well combined. Frost as desired.

Clam Sauce for Pasta

Adapted from Rachel Ray and Emeril Lagasse recipes!

Ingredients


1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 to 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tin flat fillet of anchovies, drained, 6 or 7 fillets
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, 4 or 5 sprigs stripped or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup clam juice
1 pound fresh chopped clams
1 lemon, zested

1 pound linguini, slightly undercooked, about 6 to 7 minutes

1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves

Lots of black pepper and some coarse salt

Crusty bread, for mopping

Directions

Heat a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, 4 turns of the pan in a slow stream, red pepper flakes, garlic and anchovies and cook until anchovies melt into the oil. Add thyme and wine. Reduce wine 1 minute. Add clam juice or stock, clam juice will give the dish a stronger clam flavor, chicken stock will give it a buttery personality. Stir in clams and lemon zest. Drain pasta. Add to skillet and toss with sauce 2 to 3 minutes, until pasta is al dente and has absorbed some of the sauce and flavor. Add parsley, pepper and salt, to your taste and serve with bread for mopping up remaining juices.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

Our "Feast of the Seven Fishes" menu:
(1) Shrimp Coktail, (2) Fried Clamari, and (3) Fried Smelts (all courtesy of Joyce!).
(4)  Sardine Pate, Pierre Robert Cheese, and assorted cheeses.
(5) Charley's Chowder
Cold Lemony Asparagus-Mushroom-Red Pepper Salad
Karen, Meredith and Christians HOME MADE Spaghetti with
(6) Grandma's Tuna Sauce (resicpe forthcoming)
(7) Langostino Fra Diavalo
(8) White Clam Sauce

For Desert, Christian and Meredith's Cookie and Bar assortment, and Meredith's Famous Tiramasou

Thanks for coming, everyone!

Cold Lemony Asparagus Salad

Aasparagus, woody ends removed, green or combination of green and white.
Sliced mushroom
Red pepper, diced
Lemon vinaigrette dressing:
1/3C vegetable oil
1/4C lemon juice
1/4C sliced green onions
1 tablespoon Dijon style mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt

First blanche the asparagus. To blanche the asparagus put it in boiling water for 1 minute and then immerse in ice water to stop the cooking. - I just cooked the asparagus, didn't bother with grilling it.

In a container with a tight lid combine all vinaigrette ingredients and shake to combine, add all veggiesto large bowl, pour vinaigrette over all and toss to cover.

Chill until you are ready to serve and you can serve it cold or at room temperature.

The green, white and red make a very christmas-y color combination.

Kheema Matar Aloo (Minced lamb, peas and potatoes)

Ingredients:

Ground lamb
Oil or ghee
Cumin seeds
Garlic, minced or paste
Ginger, piece or paste
Ground coriander
Curry paste or powder or combination
Tomatoes, diced
Potatoes, small cubes
Buttermilk
Peas
Fresh cilantro

Heat oil, add onions and saute until slightly soft.
Add cumin, ginger, garlic, coriander and curry seasonings to taste - more than you think!
Add lamb and brown.
Add potatoes and simmer, if you need to, add some water.
When potatoes cooked, add some buttermilk and then peas.
Cook a few minutes longer, add cilantro and then serve over rice or with naan.
Add

Palak Paneer

Ingredients:

Fresh Spinach, chopped or processed to smallish bits
Paneer cheese, cut into 1 cm or so cubes
Oil or ghee
Onion, diced
Cumin Seeds
Fresh Ginger or paste
Fresh garlic or paste
Curry paste, powder, or combination
Canned tomatoes, diced
Buttermilk

Heat oil in large saucepan. Add chopped onions and saute until slightly soft.
Add cumin seeds, ginger and garlic to taste, saute a little longer.
Add curry paste or powder, more than you think you need.
(I like madras paste, but balti or almost anything will work.)
Add 1 or 2 cans worth of tomatoes with juice.
Add spinach, stir until all coated and wilted.
Add paneer cubes.
Add 1/2 to 1 cup buttermilk, or some cream if you don't have buttermilk.

Simmer until spinach well done, then serve over rice or naan.

Sherried Sardine Toast

From Food Network: Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2009

.Prep Time:15 minInactive Prep Time:--Cook Time:5 minLevel:

4 servings.

Ingredients

•2 (3.75-ounce 2-layer) tins brisling sardines in olive oil
•2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley leaves, divided
•1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
•1/4 teaspoon lemon zest, reserve the lemon and cut into 4 wedges
•Freshly ground black pepper
•4 (1/2-inch) thick slices crusty bread, such as sourdough, country loaf or rye
•1 ripe Hass avocado
•Coarse sea salt

Directions

Drain the oil from 1 tin of sardines into a small bowl and set aside. Drain the oil from the other tin into another small bowl and whisk in 1 tablespoon of parsley, vinegar, lemon zest, and black pepper, to taste. Add the sardines, stir to combine and set aside for up to 1 hour.

After 45 minutes, put a rack 3-inches from the broiler and heat the oven to the broiler setting on high. Brush each slice of bread on 1 side with the reserved oil. Put the bread, oil side up, onto a cooling rack set inside a half sheet pan and broil 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown and crisp.

Halve the avocado and remove the pit. Smash the flesh in each half with a fork.

Spread the avocado evenly onto the toasted bread. Top evenly with the sardines. Pour any remaining dressing on top and garnish with the remaining parsley.

Season lightly with sea salt and serve with lemon wedges.

Crab Alfredo

Ingredients:


4 tablespoons Butter or margarine
4 tablespoons Flour
2 cups Half-and-half (heavy cream If you REALLY feel wicked)
1/2 cup (or more to Taste) grated Parmesan Cheese
Salt and white pepper to Taste
Few grains cayenne pepper (optional)
6 (8 oz.) cooked snow crab meat, Cut into chunks

Directions:

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in the flour, and cook briefly until the mixture looks sandy. Do NOT let it color. Wisk in the half-and-half, and stir until the mixture forms a thick sauce. Stir in the cheese, and season to taste. Simmer for a few minutes to blend the flavors, and stir in the crab meat. Cook JUST until the crab is heated through. Serve over cooked linguini, with additional Parmesan cheese and hot red pepper flakes on the side.

Before some purist jumps me, I KNOW this isn't a classic Alfredo, but it is a very good dish, and remarkably easy to make.

This may be varied by substituting cooked lobster meat for the crab, or by adding 36 cooked, peeled and deveined medium shrimp, and about a quarter of a cup of chopped cooked broccoli instead of the crab meat.

This recipe from CDKitchen for Red Lobster Crab Alfredo serves/makes 6

ALTERNATIVE from AllRecipes.com

Ingredients


8 ounces dried fettucine
3 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups half-and-half
1 (4 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
8 ounces crabmeat, flaked

Directions

1.Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. Keep warm and covered.

2.Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook until garlic releases its aroma, about 2 minutes, being careful not to let the garlic brown. Stir in the flour, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Reduce heat, and cook, stirring constantly for about 2 minutes. Add the half-and-half and stir over medium heat until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.

3.Add the cream cheese and Parmesan cheese to the sauce and stir until cheeses melt and mixture is smooth. Mix in the crabmeat and continue cooking until crabmeat is heated through, about 3 minutes.

4.Divide the fettucine between 2 plates or bowls and top with the crab sauce.

OR here is Classic Alfredo to add crab to:

2 cups whipping cream
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1 In 1-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, heat cream to boiling (ensuring not to burn).
2 Reduce heat to medium; gradually stir in 1 cup Parmesan cheese.
3 Add butter, 1 tbsp at a time, stirring.
4 Add salt and pepper.
5 Makes 2 1/2 cups sauce or enough to serve over 1 1b cooked pasta.
6 To serve, sprinkle with some grated parmesan cheese.

Simple Chicken Saag from Patak's

Ingredients

450g chicken cut into 1" cubes

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 tbsp single cream

100g onions, finely chopped

250g canned chopped tomatoes

1 tsp cumin seeds

3 tbsp Patak's Balti Paste

75g spinach, chopped

175ml water

1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped

1 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped

Methods

Heat the oil in a pan and fry the cumin seeds, add the onions and saute until translucent.

Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes before adding the Patak's Balti Paste. Sprinkle in some water, stir and fry for 2-3 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and water, partially cover and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Boil off any excess water if you prefer your dishes less saucy.

Stir in the spinach and mint. Add the cream and coriander.

Serve with Patak's Naan Breads.