Christmas Morning Eggs Benedict

We had a busy Christmas morning. After indulging in a festive but huge dinner we just couldn't make it out to the Christmas eve service. So we got up early made some coffee and opened up our stocking presents, took the dogs out and then hopped in the car and raced over to Breckenridge for the 9am service. Returned home and plopped on the couch to open up presents... and keep opening up presents. Man, did we get spoiled this year (and every year). By the time we were finished it was 1pm. We headed into the kitchen and whipped up our favorite eggs Benedict. Oh it was so good. So good in fact that I forgot to take a picture before digging in, hence my half eaten plate. I couldn't even finish my second English muffin because it was so big! We received a gift package of English muffins from Nancy and saved these huge ones for sky scraper eggs Benedict!

I really think that eggs Benedict is a pretty easy recipe but oh so elegant and so good! This recipe goes way back in and brings back some great memories. We moved to Colorado in October of 2000. We thought that it was just the four of us (Casey, Chris, Dave and me and George) Over the next year we found out just how many moved out west. There was something like 30 of us between Boulder, Denver, Summit County, Vail and Aspen. It was lots of fun and made living so far from family not so hard. So needless to say our couches were always full on weekends. I made lots of breakfasts for our couch surfers! One in particular was eggs Benedict. In fact my two roommates from college Leila and Erin bought me a egg poacher! I remember opening it and thinking, hmm, this is interesting but why do I need this kitchen gadget? I quickly found out why, they both told me this was so I could make eggs Benedict more easily. Now I got it!! It was not just to ease my time in the kitchen but to make it more frequently!! Needless to say I think of them each time we make this and it brings a smile to my face to think of all the great times we had with our college group before most of them moved back east. Good times!

Sky Scrapper Eggs Benedict
2 sticks unsalted butter
3 egg yolks
1 T fresh lemon juice
white pepper
salt
2 English Muffins
4 eggs

Melt the butter and set aside. After the butter has rested, carefully skim off the white fat. Leaving behind the clear butter. (This is clarified butter.). In a saucepan over very low heat whisk the egg yolks constantly until thickened, about 3-5 minutes. (Be careful not the scramble the yolks.) Add the butter one spoonful at a time to the yolks, whisking constantly. Do not add the solids that have separated and fallen to the bottom of the butter bowl. Once finished adding the butter remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the lemon juice a dash of white pepper and salt.

Toast your muffin and poach your eggs and assemble topping your sky scrapper with the decedent and sinful Hollandaise.

Topping your muffin:
We change it up, but never the traditional Canadian bacon.

Here are a few ideas:
Saute a large handful of fresh spinach with a touch of evoo, lemon juice and salt and pepper
Sliced avocado
Sliced tomato
Bacon
Vegi Sausage

Christmas Eve Dinner

We had a wonderful evening sitting near the fire just the two of us sipping Champagne and eating shrimp cocktail before our delicious dinner.

One the menu this chilly evening:

Simple Greens with vinaigrette and shaved Parmesan

Mushroom Risotto

Scallops for me

Fillet for Dave

Sliced Pears for dessert

Lemon Mushroom Risotto

1 C arborio rice

6-8 C chicken broth

1 shallot, finely diced

1 garlic clove, minced

2 T butter

1 t evoo

6-8 mushrooms diced

1/2 C freshly grated Parmesan

lemon zest

salt and fresh cracked pepper

Heat broth in a pot until warm and cover. In another heavy bottomed saucepan melt the butter and evoo, saute the shallot, garlic and mushrooms until translucent. Add the rice and cook for 2 minute. Add enough broth to cover the rice and cook stirring frequently until most of the liquid in absorbed. Once absorbed add another ladle full of broth and continue stirring until most of the liquid is absorbed. Continue process until the rice is tender but firm to the bite about 35-45 minutes. At this point the risotto should be creamy and delicious looking! Remove from heat and add the zest of one lemon, salt and fresh cracked pepper and grated Parmesan.

For the Steak:

Allow the filet to come to room tempurature. Salt and pepper each side. Dave broiled his steak because it was way too cold to venture outside to the grill. He broiled it for 8 minutes for a perfect medium rare steak.

For the Scallops:

Remove the tough muscle from each scallop. Wash and pat dry. Lightly salt and pepper each scallop. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 T of butter and a touch of evoo. Gently place the scallops in the pan and cook with out touching for 2 on each side, until they carmelize and have a nice brown crust.

It's Christmas Time!

Yep, We are all decked all decked out in the freezing tundra of the Rockie Mountains. We have had a very cold Holiday Season but enjoyed our time at home decorating the house and making some of our own traditions since we couldn't be home with our families this year.






Here is the Mountain Man cutting down our chosen tree.

And here he is carrying our charlie brown Christmas tree!

Saly really enjoyed this outing. She was happy to be trecking through the woods with us on this snowy day.

Here are the stockings hung by the chimney with care.

And here is our beautiful tree coved in our wonderful ornaments.

Merry Christmas everyone!!

Swiss Chicken Cutlet

Okay, this is a childhood favorite. As many of you know I come from a very long line of amazing cooks. Coming from a pretty large and close Italian family goes hand in hand with really good eating. I mean really good! So after many years of eating this I can finally say that I have made it!

My Aunt Linda is the keeper of this recipe. I feel blessed to have finally added it to my recipe box. Thanks Linda!

Here is a little glimpe into the Bertolami clan. So you can see what I am reminded of each time I think of this dish. Between Thanksgiving and Christmas lies my cousin Truckie's birthday. (In fact about 90% of my family's birthdays are between September and December.) It became a family tradition to celebrate Truckie's birthday each year even if he wasn't present. As we all got older and went on to college his birthday was still celebrated... without him! For some reason I can't remember any other main dish served at this gathering even though I know we probably didn't eat it all that often. What can I say about a young girl's food obsessed mind, tunnel vision!

Swiss Chicken Cutlet

5 chicken breasts, butterflied

salt

2 beaten eggs

1 C fine dry bread crumbs (or as much is needed to coat chicken)

1/4 C evoo (or as much is needed to cook chicken)

3 T butter

1/4 C flour

1/2 t salt

1/4 t pepper

2 1/2 C milk

1/2 C dry white wine

1 C shredded Swiss cheese

Avocado slices

Tomato slices

Butter fly each chicken breast to make two pieces out of each breast. Place chicken between two pieces of wax paper. Pound out toa bout 1/4 inch thickness using a meat mallet. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Dip in beaten egg then in bread crumbs.

In skillet heat 2 tablespoons of oil. Brown chicken cutlets in batches adding more oil as needed. Set browned chicken on a paper towel lined plate and set aside.

In a saucepan melt butter, wisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Add salt and pepper. Wisk in milk and cook until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in wine. Pour half of the sauce into a baking dish. Arrange chicken cutlets atop sauce. Top with remaining sauce.

Cover and chill for several hours or overnight. Bake covered in 350 degree oven for about 40-50 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinke with cheese, top with avocado and tomato. Return to oven for 5-8 minutes or until cheese is melted. Makes 10 servings.

Source: My Aunt Linda

Potstickers

I've been wanting to make these for a while now. After looking through each and every issue of Cook's Illustrated that we own (to make some room on the bookshelf) I fell upon this recipe and decided it must be made! Yes, time consuming but well worth it. I made them two Sunday's ago and froze them so we could have them on a work night. I try to make at least two meals each weekend so we don't have to worry about preparing an entire meal after working all day. As you can see from my picture I could only find square wrappers so our potstickers were triangular rather then the traditional dumpling but just as good. Oh and I chose chicken instead of pork since I don't each pork. To grind your own chicken, use your food processor and pulse quickly. Don't over pulse or your chicken will turn to mush. Delicious and easy if you take the time to prep them beforehand. Enjoy!

Potstickers

3 C minced napa cabbage leaves

1/2 t salt

2 chicken breasts, ground

6 T minced scallions

pinch of ground black pepper

5 T soy sauce

1 1/2 t grated ginger

2 garlic clove, minced

2 egg whites

24 round gyoza wrappers or square wonton wrappers

4 t vegetable oil

Scallion Dipping Sauce

1/4 C soy sauce

2 T rice vinegar

2 T mirin

2 T water

1 t suracha sauce

1/2 t sesame oil

1-2 scallions, minced

Combine all dipping sauce ingredients and set aside.

Combine all filling ingredients in a boll and mix thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate until mixture is cold, at least 45 minutes or up to 24 hours.

Place 4 wrappers on work surface. Place one slightly rounded tablespoon of filling in the center of each wrapper. Using your fingertip, moisten edge of wrapper with water. Fold each in half and pinch edges together firmly to seal. Making sure the press out any air pockets. Repeat with remaining wrappers. Filled dumplings can be refrigerated over night or frozen.

To freeze place dumpling in a single layer and not touching on a baking sheet. Once completely frozen transfer to a plastic bag and place back in freezer. Do not thaw before cooking. They will defrost and cook during the remaining process.

Add 2 teaspoons oil to a nonstick skillet and heat to medium high. Arrange dumplings in skillet, lying flat on one side and just slightly overlapping if necessary. Cook without moving until dumplings are golden brown on the bottoms, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add 1/2 cup of water and cover. Cook until most of the water is absorbed and dumplings are slightly translucent. Uncover, increase heat to medium high, cook without stirring until bottoms are browned and crisp. Transfer to paper towel lined plate and repeat process with remaining dumplings. Serve immediately with dipping sauce.

Source: Cook's Illustrated March & April 2006