Recipe Swap

I hosted a recipe swap get together to hang out with some fun girls and get some new recipes for the holidays.

Below are the recipes that I tried. I was pleased with how all of them turned out, especially the mulled wine.


Bacon-wrapped Stuffed Dates (Recipe #69)

Savory Parmesan Bites (Recipe #92)

Recipe #95: Mulled Wine
From Food Network’s Ina Garten

4 cups apple cider
1 (750-ml) bottle red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon
1/4 cup honey
2 cinnamon sticks
1 orange, zested and juiced
4 whole cloves
3 star anise
4 oranges, peeled, for garnish

Combine the cider, wine, honey, cinnamon sticks, zest, juice, cloves and star anise in a large saucepan, bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Pour into mugs, add an orange peel to each and serve.


Roasted Asparagus

1 pound asparagus, trimmed
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Snap the dry stem ends off of each asparagus and place on a heavy baking sheet. Brush with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss. Roast until the asparagus is tender, about 15 minutes. Cool completely.


Roasted Red Peppers

Preheat your oven on broil. Brush peppers with olive oil. Place them on a cookie sheet next to broiler for roughly 5 minutes. Flip peppers. Broil for another 5 minutes or so (basically, you want to broil them on each side until they start turning black).

When you take them out, place them immediately in a ziploc bag or in a bowl covered with plastic wrap. Leave them in there for 15-20 minutes, as they will “sweat” and become soft.

Cut off the tops and clean out the core/seeds. If you have the patience, take off the skin.


Recipe #96: Garlic Aioli
From Food Network’s Guy Fieri

1 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 lemon, zested
4 tablespoons finely minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon leaves
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt

In a food processor, combine all ingredients well. Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.

Note: I didn’t add tarragon, and I mixed everything by hand.


Recipe #97: Caramelized-Onion Tartlets
From Gourmet Magazine

2 cups very thinly sliced onion (about 2 onions)
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons water
3/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 (9-inch) refrigerated pie shell (from a 15-ounce package)
3 tablespoons crème fraîche at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh chives

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F.

Cook onion, butter, water, salt, and pepper, covered, in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately low heat, 10 minutes. Remove lid and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is deep golden brown and very tender, about 25 minutes.

While onion cooks, roll out dough to slightly less than 1/8 inch thick. Cut out 12 rounds with cutter and lightly press each into a mini-muffin cup. Bake until pale golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove tartlet shells from muffin pan.

Stir together crème fraîche and chives and divide among shells, then top with caramelized onions.