A Winner! and Some Holiday Recipes

It's always so fun to announce a winner and especially now during holiday time. Again, I thank CSN for giving me this opportunity through their generosity. Soooo...the winner is....Domestic Diva...!! Since she liked the World Traveler wrapping, I've put a fresh red bow on it :-) Congratulations, I hope you enjoy this gift, CSN has everything! Happy Holidays and Happy Shopping! Thanks for all of the comments. I loved hearing what wrapping appealed to everyone. I have to say that gift bags are one of my favorites for their ease, and also since they can be reused. But I think I have to agree with Meredith that, "Let's see...ribbons? Well I'd say I am Martha looking for berries & bells on a lovely French coastline." I guess I'd just have a gift bag in my hand to collect it all ;-)

If you are looking for some ideas for holiday entertaining or for homemade gifts, here are a few things from my archives and I'll have more to follow in the coming weeks.

Chocolate Cherry Martini

Mascarpone and Chive Dip

Tapenade

Figs and Proscuitto with Comte and Port Wine Glaze

Millefeuille d'Aubergine and Chevre Frais

Baked Brie with Sweetened Almonds and Honey

Jams To Go With Cheese

Spicy Nuts

Twist and Shout Pretzels

Roasted Pumpkin Chestnut Soup

Grilled Shrimp with Ginger Citrus Viniagrette

Crab Cakes With Piment D'espelette Alioli

Goat Cheese Mini Souffles

Rolled Christmas Cookies

David Lebovitz's Fresh Ginger Cake

Turkish Delight

Truffles

Penguin Truffles

Snowman Truffles

Lavender Sugar

Fleur de Sel Caramels
Miniature Lemon Poppy Seed Loaves

Hot Chocolate

Danish Ebelskiver Pancakes
Cherry Oat Scones with Almond Glaze

Scones

Cherry Almond Low Fat Granola

And remember....the best gift is the time spent with family and friends!

I ♥ Homemade Hot Chocolate

Baby, it's cold outside! Sometimes we just need a little hot chocolate to warm the cockles of our heart. Real chocolate...not the mixed up, additive-full concoctions sold as hot chocolate. We need pure, dark chocolate combined with whole milk and topped with dreamy, creamy marshmallows that puff up and melt into it's goodness. Or freshly whipped cream that is either lightly sweetened, flavored or with a hint of spice. The higher the quality of chocolate, the better your drink will be. In Paris, Angelina's has hot chocolate so rich it seems like a dessert. I have gotten their packaged Hot Chocolate to make at home and it didn't resemble what they serve at all. It seems hard to translate freshly made hot chocolate into a powdery mixture. Café Le Sélect serves pitchers of warm chocolate and steamed milk to mix together for your own tastes. I like that. In European countries, hot chocolate is a breakfast beverage just like coffee and tea. Now that is civilized! A simple hot chocolate recipe can be used as is or as a base for other flavorings that compliment chocolate. Lindt makes a chili pepper dark chocolate bar that can be substituted for the plain chocolate to give your drink a little kick. Add a cinnamon stick to that for an even more exotic taste. Or you can simply use a candy cane to stir plain hot chocolate. It not only gives a minty flavor, but looks festive as well. Add a little coffee for a mocha pick me up. Homemade marshmallows that are as light as a snowy night, slowly melt into the dark chocolate sweetness. Now that is bliss! My friend Debbie gave me an old family recipe for hot chocolate. It uses whipped cream to make it light and creamy. I love getting recipes that have been passed around family and friends.

Of course, all of the flavorings can be like gilding the lily, but sometimes a twist on the classic makes it even more special.

Basic Hot Chocolate

2 (480ml) cups whole milk
4 (120 grams) ounces dark chocolate* Chopped or grated into small pieces
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
*for a less dark chocolate flavor, use 3 ounces bittersweet and 1 ounce milk chocolate.
Add the milk, grated chocolate and vanilla into a saucepan, and heat over medium heat while whisking. Do not let it boil. Taste for sweetness and whisk in optional sugar, if desired. For a frothy drink, use a hand held immersion blender to foam.

Makes 2 cups.

Variations:

~Heat the milk and infuse with 2 slices of fresh ginger and a pinch of allspice. Serve with cinnamon flavored freshly whipped cream.

~Whisk in a pinch each of ground cardamom and cayenne pepper. Serve with whipped cream topped with an orange slice.

~A splash of Kahlua, Amaretto, schnapps or other liqueur adds warmth as well as flavor.

~Stir in 1/2 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice powder and add a splash of Clément Créole Shrubb liqueur. Garnish with a whole star anise.

~Substitute the plain dark chocolate for a flavored chocolate, such as Chili Chocolate or Orange Chocolate.

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Angelina's Le Chocolat l'Africain

3/4 cup whole milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
4 ounces Omanhene bittersweet chocolate* (72% cacao), chopped
whipped cream for serving
*may substitute with another high quality chocolate that is at least 70% cacao

In small saucepan, heat the milk, cream and sugar over medium high heat until hot, but not boiling. Remove from heat and whisk in the chocolate until well blended and the chocolate is melted.

Serve very warm with a bowl of lightly sweetened whipped cream.

Makes 1 cup.

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Debbie's Hot Chocolate

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup cold water
3/4 cup sugar
pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup heavy cream
hot whole milk

In a medium saucepan, add the chocolate and water and cook while stirring over medium heat, until smooth. Add the sugar and salt and continue cooking for 4 minutes. Remove from heat, add vanilla and let cool. In the meantime whip the heavy cream until light and fluffy and then fold into the cooled chocolate mixture. Spoon about 3 tablespoons into a cup and add hot milk to fill. Stir and serve.
Note: The chocolate sauce can be made in advance. Fold the whipped cream in just before adding the hot milk and serving.

Makes 6 servings.

Ribbons, Bows and a Giveaway!

What kind of ribbon or bow do you like? Simple and elegant? Natural with animal instincts? Rosy and romantic? Are you a little bit country? Or a little bit Rock 'n Roll? Are you, oh so Martha? Or a world traveler whose bow is a little smashed and coming undone (hmmmmm...let's not go there!) Are you traditional and go for the bells and berries? Or easily opt for the gift bag? Drawn by the sea? Or a little Frenchy? CSN has graciously offered another giveaway, so whatever kind of ribbon or bow you like, you can wrap it around this giveaway!! Whenever I go to their website, I am amazed at the choices. You can get anything from bar tables and stools and cookware to baby items. It makes holiday shopping easier, and especially with a $45 gift certificate in your pocket. In this season of giving, I thank CSN for giving me the opportunity to give to you.* So please leave a comment and I'll put you in once, and if you are a follower, mention it and your name goes in twice. And for fun let us know what kind of ribbon or bow sings to you. I will post the winner on Saturday, December 11th.

Thanks for stopping by and Happy Holidays to all. I have some fun things planned to share this month, so stay tuned.

*This giveaway is open to everyone in The US and Canada.

Dee's Tapanade by Canal Saint-Martin

It seemed like dumb luck, serendipitous dumb luck. My friends, Dee, Mary Jo and I were having dinner at Astier in Paris, and decided to spend the afternoon in the area. Getting off at the Republique metro stop, we walked around and then decided to stop along the Canal Saint-Martin for a few minutes. All seemed quiet on this late fall afternoon, as people walked across the footbridge and on the cobblestone walkway. It was peaceful, until we heard a huge rush of water. Looking up, I realized the canal locks were operating to allow the passage of a few barges. The canal was ordered to be built by Napoleon I in 1802, to supply fresh water to Paris and the construction was funded by a new tax on wine. We watched the locks fill up with the barges patiently waiting to continue their voyage down the canal. As the sun filtered through the trees, Dee pulled out a container of homemade tapanade from her bag. I had a ficelle au fromage in my bag and Mary Jo had something to drink and glasses. Parfait...a picnic was made! If I'm ever stuck on a deserted island, I want to be there with a flight attendant. They always have food and water in their bags, just waiting for the right moment to appear. I suppose it comes from years of travel and always having to be prepared for the unexpected or the opportune. I don't think we could have planned it any better if we had tried.

Dee's Tapanade

1/2 pound mixed black olives, pitted (Kalamata olives work well)
2 anchovy fillets
5 garlic cloves, peeled
1-2 tablespoon capers
1 small handful basil leaves, rinsed
1 small handful fresh parsley, rinsed
1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Place all of the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Process to combine, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl, until the mixture becomes a coarse paste. Transfer to a bowl and serve at room temperature.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups.