Hot wassail

http://www.yummyhealthyeasy.com/2013/11/best-ever-hot-wassail-recipe.html

Chicken in Creamy Tomato Curry: Chicken Tikka Masala

Ingredients

• Marinade:
• 1 cup plain yogurt, whisked until smooth
• 3 tablespoons Ginger-Garlic Paste, recipe follows (or 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger and 3 cloves garlic put through a garlic press or finely minced)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, poked with a fork, and cut into large bite-sized chunks
• Sauce:
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup Ginger-Garlic Paste, recipe follows (or 6 cloves garlic and 2-inch thumb ginger minced)
• 2 serrano peppers, minced (seeds removed if you don't want it spicy)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 8 Roma tomatoes, diced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 to 2 cups water
• Oil, for grilling
• 1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves (optional)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• Minced fresh cilantro, for garnish
• Cooked rice, naan, or crusty piece of bread, for serving
• Ginger-Garlic Paste:
• 1/2 cup cloves garlic, whole
• 1/2 cup fresh ginger, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 1/4 cup canola oil
  
  
  
  

  Directions

  Watch how to make this recipe.

  Sauce:

  • For the marinade: In a large bowl, mix together the marinade ingredients. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Marinate at least 30 minutes, or in the refrigerator up to overnight.

  • For the sauce: When you're ready to make the curry, place a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oiland butter. When the butter has melted, add the Ginger-Garlic Paste and serrano peppers. Saute until lightly browned around the edges. Add the tomato paste and cook until the tomato has darkened in color, about 3 minutes. Add the garam masala and the paprikaand saute for about 1 minute to draw out their flavors.

  • Add the tomatoes, salt, and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer, and cook until thickened, about 20 minutes. You may need more water depending on how much liquid the tomatoes give off.

  • Meanwhile, fire up your grill. When it is nice and hot, lightly brush it with oil. Place the chicken on the grill, shaking off some of the excess marinade. Cook until it's charred, about 2 minutes on each side. (Don't worry that the chicken will still be a little uncooked, it finishes cooking in the sauce).

  • Pour the sauce into a blender or food processor, or use an immersion blender, and process until smooth. Pour back into the skillet and bring back up to a boil. Add the chicken and fenugreek leaves, if using. Take the heat down to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes. Add the cream and stir through. Garnish with minced fresh cilantro, and serve over rice, with naan, or a crusty piece of bread!

  Ginger-Garlic Paste:

  • Throw the garlic, ginger, and canola oil in a mini-food processor and let it go until it forms a semi-smooth paste. There will still be tiny little pieces in there, but overall, it should resemble a paste.

  • Save what you don't use in a small glass jar. It should last in the fridge for 2 to 3 weeks. It's a delicious addition to marinades, pasta sauces, stir frysauces, slow-cooker recipes, gravy etc. We always had a jar of this stuff in our fridge growing up.

  Recipe courtesy of Aarti Sequeira

  Show: Aarti Party

  Episode: Indian Take Out

  
  

  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/aarti-sequeira/chicken-in-creamy-tomato-curry-chicken-tikka-masala-recipe2.html

Cranberry Hootycreeks

Ingredients:
5/8 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:
1- Layer the ingredients in a 1 quart or 1 liter jar in the order listed
2- Attach a tag with the following instructions: Cranberry Hootycreeks 1. Preheat oven to 350 degreed F (175 decrees C). Grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper. 2. In a medium bowl, beat together 1/2 cup softened butter, 1 egg and 1 tsp of vanilla until fluffy. Add the entire jar of ingredients, and mix together by hand until well blended. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets. 3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until edges start to brown. Cool on baking sheets, or remove to cool on wire racks.

(from Allrecipes.com)

Molded Shortbread Cookies

Makes 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temp

1 cup plus 2 Tbs sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup cornstarch

4 cups flour

Instructions:

1. Place butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until combined

2. Beat in egg, vanilla, salt, and cornstarch

3. Beat in flour, a cup at a time, until mixture begins to come together (you will have a little flour left over)

4. Turn dough out onto a floured work surface and knead in remaining flour until dough is no longer sticky

5. Divide dough into thirds and form into flattened balls. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes to stiffen

6. Preheat oven to 275

7. For cut cookies: roll out dough on a floured work surface to 1/2-inch thick. Cut into desired shapes. Place an inch apart on a non-stick baking sheet. Bake until lightly golden, about 40 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool on a wire rack

8. For cookie molds: press dough into mold and bake until golden and cooked through, 30-40 minutes

9. After the cookies have cooled completely, they can be decorated

No bake cookies

Ingredients

2 cups sugar

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup milk

3/4 cup peanut butter

3 Tbs cocoa

1 tsp vanilla

3 cups quick oats (or 2 cups quick oats + 1 1/2 cups Cheerios or corn flakes)

Instructions

Mix cocoa and oats in a large bowl and set aside. Mix sugar, butter, and milk in saucepan. Bring to boil. Boil 1 minute then remove from heat. Quickly add peanut butter. Add vanilla. Stir until peanut butter is melted. Immediately add to cocoa/ oats. Stir. 

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper. Work quickly so the mixture does not harden. Let cool and enjoy. 

Dark chocolate mousse

5 1/4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

14 ounces cold heavy cream

3 large egg whites

1 -ounce sugar

Sweetened whipped cream, for garnish, optional

Shaved bittersweet chocolate, for garnish, optional

Directions

Place chocolate in a large bowl set over a bain marie or in a double boiler at a low simmer. Stir chocolate until melted. Turn off the heat and let stand.

Beat the cream over ice until it forms soft peaks. Set aside and hold at room temperature. With a mixer, whip egg to soft peaks. Gradually add the sugar and continue whipping until firm.

Remove the chocolate from the bain marie and using a whisk, fold in the egg whites all at once. When the whites are almost completely incorporated, fold in the whipped cream. Cover the mousseand refrigerate for approximately 1 hour or until set. Serve in goblets topped with more whipped cream and shaved chocolate, if desired.

Biscuits supreme

Preheat oven to 400

Ingredients

2 cups flour*

4 tsp baking powder**

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

2 tsp sugar

1/2 cup shortening

2/3 cup milk

* alternate flour such as whole wheat or gluten free also work well in this recipe

** alternate shortening a such as butter and palm oil also work well in this recipe

Instructions 

• Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, cream of tartar, and sugar. 

• cut in shortening till mixture resembles coarse crumbs

• add milk all at once

Stir only till dough follows fork around bowl. Turn out on lightly floured surface, knead gently 1/2 minute. Pat or roll 1/2 inch thick. Cut with biscuit cutter. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet 10-12 minutes in 400 degree oven.