2014 In Pictures
It was a fun and delicious year both in and (mostly) out of the Nosh With Me kitchen. Thanks for being a part of it, and Happy New Year!
SOLD OUT: LA Cookie Con Info (and Promo Code)
NOTE: THE ORGANIZERS HAVE SAID THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT.
Have you heard of LA Cookie Con? It’s like a dream come true–a day filled with sweets in LA! There will be samples, exhibitors, contests, celebrity chef/author appearances, pastry decorating classes and more. Plus, a portion of proceeds benefit Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.
Save the date–January 25, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the Pasadena Convention Center. Use promo code NOSHWITHME to receive $3 off any VIP or general admission ticket. This code is only good for the first 25 users, so don’t wait!
See you there!
Gingerbread Men Cookies
I love Christmas cookies, especially gingerbread cookies. But being Jewish, I’ve never had to do one of those marathon baking sessions…until now. This year, I decided to bake and ship cookies as gifts, and gingerbread men were on the list.
This recipe is wonderful–it’s easy, the dough rolled out well, and the taste and texture are both fantastic! I’ll be the first to admit that my decorating skills leave a lot to be desired (and may cause nightmares), but that’s part of their charm, right?
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Ingredients
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
Preparation
Mix flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and salt in large bowl. Set aside. Beat butter and brown sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add molasses, egg and vanilla; mix well. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until well mixed. Press dough into a thick flat disk. Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness on lightly floured work surface. Cut into gingerbread men shapes with 5-inch cookie cutter. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges of cookies are set and just begin to brown. Cool on baking sheets 1 to 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks; cool completely. Decorate cooled cookies as desired. Store cookies in airtight container up to 5 days.
Recipe from McCormick.
Status Kuo–New Rotisserie Restaurant in Mar Vista
Earlier this week, I attended a tasting event at Status Kuo, a new rotisserie restaurant in Mar Vista by chef David Kuo, specializing in roasted meats, poultry, seafood, and vegetarian and vegan options as well. Check out their menu.
We enjoyed three main dishes, as well as dessert, and everything was amazing!
House-made hibiscus and blood orange soda with ginger and agave syrup
Rotiesserie chicken with lemon and herbs with a cilantro, queso fresco, and paste of yellow pepper sauce with salad
Asian style Sunday gravy: rotelle with braised pork, bacon, and pickled mustard greens
Whole grilled branzino with rayu, crispy capers, and lemon sections
Fried pink lady apple hand pie with vanilla custard
Status Kuo is now open, so make sure to stop by and try other items on their menu!
Disclosure: I enjoyed a comped meal at Status Kuo, and it was delicious. They even made me a branzino fan!
Sea Salt Caramel Stuffed Snickerdoodles
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Sea salt + Rolos + snickerdoodle cookies = deliciousness! And when you think about it, how can it possibly not be good? I have to admit, these cookies grew on me–when I tried them right after they cooled, I wasn’t a fan. But the next day, I was all over them!
They are a bit time consuming because you have to roll the dough into a ball around the Rolo, but if you’re a chocolate and caramel fan, it’s worth the work!
Ingredients
1/4 cup granulated sugar, for cinnamon-sugar topping
1 tablespoon McCormick Ground Cinnamon
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
5 packages of Rolo chocolate-caramel candies (about 35)
Coarse sea salt
Preparation
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. For the cinnamon-sugar mixture, combine 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon in a shallow dish and set aside.
In a large bowl, beat 1 1/2 cups sugar and butter at medium speed until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl after each addition. Stir in vanilla.
Sift flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt into mixing bowl. With mixer on low, mix until thoroughly combined. Working 1 tablespoon of dough at a time, roll dough into balls, placing a single Rolo inside each ball of dough. Roll dough balls in the cinnamon sugar mixture and place on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with sea salt.
Bake for 7-8 minutes. The cookies should look raw between the cracks and seem underdone. Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Recipe from The Comfort of Cooking.
