Pasta Carbonara

It's been a carbonara kind of week. You know that week: when you're baking like a fiend and doing holiday cards and running everywhere shopping and have a million engagements? And tired of inhaling fast food or scrounged up leftovers while standing over the sink? A week like that calls for a nice carbonara - warm, easy, homey, and comes together in the time it takes to boil a pot of pasta.

This recipe is from Ruth Reichl's memoir Garlic and Sapphires. Better known as the Editor-in-Chief of Gourmet (as well as restaurant critic), some don't know just what a talented storyteller Ruth Reichl is, and what a fascinating life she has lived thus far. I really do suggest you check out her memoirs, all three of them - great reads, all among my favorite books ever read. Start with Tender at the Bone. And a big thank you to my darling Beah, who put R.R.'s books on my radar.

Back to the recipe: oh so comfy, I love a good pasta carbonara. Insanely simple, quick, yet also mouth-wateringly delicious. Note to first-time carbonara makers: stir that mixture quickly after adding the pasta to the eggs! The heat of the boiled pasta will cook the eggs but you certainly don't want any curdling; you want a nice, creamy sauce.

Pasta Carbonara

(from Ruth Reichl's Garlic and Sapphires)

Ingredients:

1 lb. spaghetti
1/4 to 1/2 lb. thickly sliced bacon
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 large eggs
Black pepper
1/2 c. grated Parmigiano cheese, plus extra for the table

Cut the bacon crosswise into pieces 1/2 inch wide. Put them in the skillet and cook for about 2 minutes until the fat begins to render. Add the whole cloves of garlic and cook about another 5 minutes, until the edges of the bacon just begin to get crisp. Do not get too crisp, otherwise they will not meld with the pasta.

Beat the eggs in the serving bowl, and add pepper.

Remove the garlic from the pan. If it looks like too much fat to you, discard some, but you're going to toss the bacon with most of its fat into the the pasta.

When it is cooked, drain the pasta and immediately throw it into the beaten eggs. Mix thoroughly. The heat of the spaghetti cooks the eggs and turns them into a sauce. Add the bacon with its fat and toss again. Add cheese and serve.

No-Churn Pomegranate Ice Cream

The problem with getting involved in the blogging world: it's almost kinda sorta embarrassing when you try out other bloggers' recipes and post them on your own blog; it feels like cheating somehow. But regardless, I decided this one was worth any potential embarrassment, considering (1) it uses pomegranates, (2) it's ice cream, (3) it looks gorgeous on Lynn's blog, and (4) it's ice cream.

I got this one from Lynn, a talented baker that I found through tastespotting.com. Have you been to tastespotting.com, by the way? I highly recommend it! I've been known to find many a recipe that way.

Anyhoo, back to the story. Pomegranates are such a strange but lovely fruit: when you cut them open, you realize the edible portion is actually in the form of arils, connected to the fruit skin itself in clusters. They look similar to corn kernels, except are translucent with a deep ruby hue and a seed in the middle. A very photogenic fruit! The pomegranate fruit is very tart but sweet; think cranberries with a little bit of sweetness. Pomegranate is great in any number of things (or by itself); it was the gorgeous bright pink ice cream that fit the bill.

The ice cream is incredibly easy to make. The finished product very creamy and tangy and sweet sweet sweet. Perfect. The ice cream doesn't get too terribly firm (resulting from the lack of churning, I'd imagine), but I am already planning to make it again, except perhaps adding some goodies like chopped pistachios, or dark chocolate, or blueberries...

No-Churn Pomegranate Ice Cream

(adapted by Lynn, from Nigella Express)

Ingredients:

1 large pomegranate or 2 small ones

1 lime

1-1/2 c. powdered sugar

2 c. heavy cream

Place about 3/4 of the pomegranate seeds into a sieve placed over a bowl. Reserve the rest of the seeds in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Using a spoon or your hand, crush the seeds down to release their juices.

Add the lime juice to the bowl through the sieve.

Add the powdered sugar and whisk to dissolve.

Whisk in the cream and keep whisking until soft peaks form in the dainty pink cream.

Spoon and smooth the ice cream into a rigid plastic container with a tight-fitting lid. Freeze for at least 4 hours or overnight (I recommend overnight). Scatter the reserved pomegranate seeds over the top when you serve it.

Baked Oatmeal

When I was a kid, my family always ate their oatmeal with lots of butter and salt. My college roommates and friends enjoyed it any number of ways: with milk, sugar, fruit, raisins. As an adult, though, I find myself rarely making oatmeal. I realize the health benefits, but no matter what I put on top, it was never really that exciting.

I got my latest Penzey's catalog in the mail, and lo and behold: it included an oatmeal recipe. I decided to give it a whirl this weekend (by the way, this is a total plug for Penzey's spices: they are awesome. I use them all the time. Give em a try sometime). What was interesting is that you mixed everything into it beforehand, and just baked it in the oven.

This baked oatmeal is similar to the stove-top version, obviously, but also so different: slightly firm, with an almost crusty top and soft interior. Hot and filling with lots of goodies packed inside. So perfect for a cold morning.

Baked Oatmeal

Ingredients:

2 1/4 c. quick cooking oats (or 2 3/4 c. old-fashioned oats)

2/3 c. firmly packed brown sugar

3/4 c. raisins or other dried fruit (I used dried goji berries)

1/2 c. chopped walnuts

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

3 1/3 c. skim milk

4 egg whites, lightly beaten

1 tsp. veggie oil

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Milk, yogurt, sugar, and/or fruit (optional; for topping)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray an 8-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine oats, sugar, raisins, walnuts, cinnamon and salt. Mix well. In a medium bowl, combine milk, egg whites, oil and vanilla and mix well. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until well blended.

Pour into the baking dish. Bake at 350 F for 55-60 minutes or until center is set and firm to the touch. Cool slightly.

Serve topped with milk or sugar or yogurt and fruit, if desired. Store leftover oatmeal tightly covered in the refrigerator.

Eggnog Cheesecake with Caramel-Rum Sauce

Oh eggnog.

We have a love/hate relationship, me and eggnog. I hate actual eggnog, I think it's the thickness of the drink (or the thought of raw eggs) that turns me off. Just the thought of drinking it makes me want to gag; I can't stand the stuff. However: the smell and taste I enjoy, so if offered a slice of eggnog pound cake or ice cream or cookies, I can't resist. And that is how it was with was recipe: eggnog cheesecake? Sure! I'll give it a try.


I actually came across an eggnog cheesecake recipe here, but there are dozens more all over the Internet. Each seemed to have its own complaints (not enough eggnog, too much rum, crust was flavorless, etc.) so I took bits and pieces from several different recipes to come up with what you see below. It was rather good, too: creamy and filling as any good cheesecake should be, with the distinctive custard-y nutmeg flavor that eggnog is known for. The caramel-rum sauce is rich and thick and is just perfect as a topping drizzled over each slice.


Eggnog Cheesecake with Caramel-Rum Sauce





Ingredients:
1 c. ground gingersnaps
3 Tbsp. melted butter
3 (8-oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1 c. white sugar
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 c. eggnog
2 eggs
2 tsp. rum extract
1 pinch ground nutmeg
Sauce:
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 c. water
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
1/3 c. packed light brown sugar
1 tsp. rum extract

Preheat oven to 325 F. In a medium bowl combine ground gingersnaps and butter. Press into the bottom of a 9-in. spring form pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool.

Preheat oven to 425 F. In a food processor combine cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, flour and eggnog; process until smooth. Blend in eggs, rum extract, and nutmeg. Pour mixture into cooled crust.

Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.

Reduce heat to 250 F and bake for 45 minutes, or until center of cake is barely firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and immediately loosen cake from rim. Let cake cool completely before removing the rim.

For the sauce:
In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in water. In a medium saucepan, melt 2 Tbsp. butter. Stir in brown sugar and the cornstarch mixture. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and add 1 tsp. rum extract. Allow to cool.

Face Off: Ham Tea Sandwich

Time again for the Face Off! In which we choose the type of tea sandwich Nemmie makes for the bridal shower she's hosting soon! This time, we're doing a ham sandwich. On ciabatta. Because that's the bread I like, and that's what attendees are going to get, darn it.

First up: the only cold sandwich. Supposedly the "classic" ham tea sandwich according to whatever-site-it-was where it originated, this sucker has ham, shaved parmesan, and a butter-and-green-onion spread on top. And a nice grind of black pepper. It was actually really good, but not quite good enough. The other two were definitely better. Off we go to #2!

This guy is a baked sandwich, recipe compliments of a coworker. And, I would think, very very nice for a large group. Ham, swiss, and a poppy/onion/mustard/butter mixture that you spread on the bottom. Then wrap up in foil and bake for about 20 minutes until hot and bubbly. I heard that you can make these suckers by the dozen, wrap in foil, and freeze. Then just thaw the day before baking. And they are quite scrumptious. However: how many ladies at a bridal shower want poppy seeds stuck in their teeth? Yeah, exactly. So on to the third...

This was the yummiest by far. A nice toasted ham sandwich with brie, mango chutney, and a touch of mustard. I loved how the chutney brought out the sweetness of the ham, and the brie? Well. Everyone loves a nice creamy brie. All on a crusty, toasted sandwich. Perfection. The only worry with this guy: toasting involves a bit more "standing over the stovetop" action, which is tricky when I'm making dozens of handwiches...

So, for once, the Stand Off does not have a clear winner. I will sleep on this one, figure out which is best for the bridal shower I'm throwing for Miss Northstrom. Until then, enjoy the 3rd recipe, compliments of allrecipes.com.

Ham and Brie Sandwich

Ingredients:
6 slices black forest ham
1/2 (8 oz) wedge Brie cheese, sliced
4 Tbsp. mango chutney

1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 "personal-sized" ciabatta rolls
1 Tbsp. olive oil

Cut the ciabatta rolls in half length-wise. Assemble the sandwiches by layering the ham, brie cheese, chutney, and mustard on the bottoms of each roll, topping with the top of each roll. Brush the top of each sandwich with olive oil.

Heat a grill pan over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, lie the sandwiches, oiled side down, in the pan. Brush the top of each sandwich with oil. Cook each side until the bread is golden brown, about 3 minutes per side.

Bridal Shower Wild Rice Salad

My sister Aimbot got married in the summer of 2006, in gorgeous southern California. Her friend Cat threw her a bridal shower a few days before (so everyone flying in could attend). Just the sweetest little shower I've ever attended: much giggling and chatting and glasses of champagne, no games or other such things. Good conversation and good food, what could be better?

The lunch included yummy little sandwiches and sides and an awesome strawberry tiramisu, but it was the wild rice salad that really did me in. I didn't want to be a total pig, so I took a very ladylike portion, but seriously I could've eaten an entire vat of the stuff. It was fruity and nutty and yet savory. Quite good. And Cat was gracious enough to share the recipe, that lovely woman. I'm forever indebted.

I have dubbed this Bridal Shower Wild Rice Salad because that's my fond memory of it, plus it is something that's perfect for just such an occasion: dainty and healthy, with a charming mix of ingredients. Blueberries and nuts with onion and celery to round out the flavors. Probably more of a summery salad, but I love to make this one year-round.

Bridal Shower Wild Rice Salad



Ingredients:
2 c. water
1 tsp. salt
1 c. wild rice (about 6 oz)
1/2 c. dried blueberries
1/3 c. chopped toasted pecans (About 1 ½ oz)
1/3 c. chopped unsalted cashews (About 1 ½ oz)
1/4 c. chopped green onion tops
2 Tbsp. finely chopped celery
2 Tbsp. finely chopped red onion
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. sugar
1/3 c. oil (I use a vegetable and olive oil mix)

Combine water and salt and bring to boil. Add rice, reduce heat to medium low and cover and simmer until rice is tender, about 45 minutes. Drain well and cool.

Transfer rice to large bowl. Add next 6 ingredients. Can be prepared one day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

Mix next 5 ingredients in blender. With blender running gradually add oils. Pour dressing over rice and toss. Season with salt and pepper.

Cherry Almond Chip Cookies

And... the cherry craving struck again. Curses. I had a girlie get-together to attend one evening, and a little over an hour to whip up a treat. I found several cherry-chocolate recipes online, but that would not do. Oh no, I wanted almond-y cherry white chocolate cookies. No regular chocolate allowed! So I improvised a bit, and came up with what you see below.

This recipe is a good go-to when a girl is in need of a quick cookie fix. They come out chewy and soft, yet hold their shape well. And of course, that classic cherry-almond taste is sooo good. Add white chocolate, and voila - total decadence!

Cherry, Almond, and White Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients:

2 1/2 c. all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

8 oz. unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 c. granulated sugar

3/4 c. light brown sugar, packed

2 large eggs

1 tsp. almond extract

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 c. dried cherries, coarsely chopped

1 c. whole almonds, toasted and chopped

6 oz. white chocolate chips (I bet a white chocolate baking bar would be fantastic too!)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

With an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar together until creamy. Add eggs and extracts; beat on low speed for about 10 seconds.

Using lowest speed of mixer or by hand, stir in flour mixture. When flour is incorporated, stir in cherries, almonds and white chocolate.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Place on center rack of preheated 350F oven, and bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until light golden brown. Cool slightly before removing from cookie sheet.

Makes about 36 cookies.

Racine Kringle

Peabody of food blogging fame has recently purchased a home. She and her husband have quite the lovely new digs, and I must admit I am more than a little jealous of that amazing new kitchen of hers. In a show of her usual generous and charming spirit, Peabody has invited fellow food bloggers to attend a virtual housewarming of sorts. Now, how could anyone resist such an invitation? I decided to attend.

I thought and thought, wanting to bring something personal to the potluck. Something that represented me and my background. Also it would need to travel well (potluck is potluck, after all, even if it is a virtual one). What I decided on was the uniquely Wisconsin treat known as kringle.

In Danish, the word kringle refers to cookies and tea cakes made with butter. In the Wisconsin town of Racine, a large concentration of Danish settlers instead used this term to refer to a pastry made of layers of dough and butter glazed with brown sugar and cinnamon, a filling of pecans or fruits, and sugar icing. It was an oval ring in shape when baked, and was best consumed warm with a healthy slathering of butter. The results were quite popular. Today the Racine kringle is legendary and, to be authentic, should be only from this town in Wisconsin.

Racine kringle bakeries use a drawn-out method of layering the dough 3 dozen times (!) with butter, and also letting the dough sit for 3 days. I don't have the time or skills to do that, so I found this simpler method online. The result is similar and if you ask me, very close to the traditional kringle. I decided to change things up a bit, added 1/2 c. of dried blueberries to my filling (1 c. pecans) and some lemon zest, to bring out the fruit. It ended up being a very good combination.

So here's my dish, ready for the potluck. A favorite from a proudly born-and-bred Wisconsinite. And also, a self-admitted early bird (heh, only about 2 weeks ahead of deadline...). Congratulations on the new home, Peabody! Enjoy the kringle! One out of probably 100 desserts that will pop up at the party, knowing your crowd :)

Racine Kringle

Ingredients:

1 package active dry yeast

1/4 c.warm water (110 to 115 F)

1/2 c. cold butter

2 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. sugar

1/2 c. warm milk (110 to 115 F)

1 egg, beaten

Nut filling (recipe follows)

Glaze (recipe follows)

2 Tbsp. chopped pecans or walnuts

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water.

Using a pastry blender or two knives, in a large bowl, cut butter into flour and salt until particles are the size of small peas. Add yeast mixture, sugar, warm milk, and egg; beat until smooth (dough will be very soft). Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours but not more than 24 hours.

When ready to use, remove from refrigerator. Punch dough down and divide in half; return other half to refrigerator. On a well-floured board, working quickly before dough softens, roll into a 15 x 10-inch rectangle, approximately 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick (if dough gets too warm from handling, return to refrigerator).

Spread half of the prepared Nut Filling down the center of the rolled-out dough rectangle in a 2-inch strip. fold sides of dough over filling, overlapping 1 1/2 inches; pinch edges to seal. Shape into an oval; pinch ends together. Place seam side down on a large greased baking sheet. Repeat same process with remaining dough and filling. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes or until double in size.

Preheat oven to 375 F. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes.

Spread prepared Glaze over kringles. Sprinkle with chopped pecans or walnuts. Serve kringles warm or at room temperature.

To re-warm, preheat oven to 300 F. Slide a whole, uncut kringle onto a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Cover loosely with a large piece of aluminum foil and heat for 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and remove aluminum foil before slicing.

Nut Filling:

1 1/2 c. finely chopped pecans or walnuts

1 c. firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 c. butter, room temperature

In a large bowl, combine pecans or walnuts, brown sugar, and butter.

Glaze:

1 c. powdered sugar

5 tsp. water

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, combine powdered sugar, water, and vanilla.

Happy Thanksgiving!

To all of you lovely readers out there, have a safe trip if you're traveling and enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday!

As usual, my trusty sous chef Miss Mahni will be manning the blog while I'm off for a long weekend of eating and shopping and eating some more. She would also like to remind you to root for *the best football team ever* this Thanksgiving:

That is all. See you soon.

Cin-Full Pumpkin Pie (get it??)

I must apologize for that God-awful title, it's not my fault. Blame it all on the Chicago Tribune, where this recipe originated. That's their little creation. Witty, huh? And of course I had to make this pie, if only because of the gratuitous use of cinnamon: cinnamon in the crust, copious amounts in the pie, as well as in the whipped topping and pecan decoration. Awesome.

One change I did make: the recipe calls for this wimpy "toss warmed pecans with brown sugar and cinnamon" stuff for decoration. Whatever. I was craving some nice warm spiced pecans. So I boiled together a base of brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and a splash of water. Brought it to soft-ball stage, then stirred in some vanilla and my pecans. Instead of delicate cinnamon-sugar "scented" pecans, my pie is graced with some heady, crunchy, candied pecans.

This is my contribution to our Thanksgiving feast tomorrow at Hub's aunt and uncle's (Arnita and Busey's) house. That is why you get no photo right now of the innards, although if I remember (and don't feel like a complete moron doing so in front of his entire family), I might take one when we cut the pies, to add later.

Have a great holiday everyone!

Cin-Full Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:

Crust:

8-9 whole cinnamon graham crackers, crushed (about 1 c. crumbs)

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

1/2 stick (1/4 c.) butter, melted

Filling:

2 eggs

1 can (15-oz.) pureed pumpkin

1 can (12-oz.) evaporated milk

1 tsp. brandy

3/4 c. packed brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. each: ginger, nutmeg

1/2 c. sweetened toasted pecans, optional, see note

Cinnamon-scented whipped cream:

2 tsp. confectioners' sugar

1/4 tsp. cinnamon or to taste

1 container (1/2 pt.) whipping cream

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Heat oven to 325 degrees. For crust, combine the graham-cracker crumbs and brown sugar in a large bowl; stir in the melted butter until thoroughly combined. Press crust into bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie pan; bake until set, about 6 minutes. Remove pan from oven; cool on wire rack.

Raise heat to 425 degrees. For filling, combine the eggs, pumpkin, evaporated milk and brandy in a small saucepan over medium-low heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until warm, about 7 minutes. Set aside.

Combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg in a large bowl; stir in the pumpkin-egg mixture. Pour into the crust; bake 10 minutes. Lower heat to 350 degrees; bake until set, 35-45 minutes. Remove pie from oven; arrange pecans around rim. Let stand until cooled, about 1 hour. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

For the whipped cream, combine the confectioners' sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl; set aside. Combine the whipping cream and vanilla in a large bowl; beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar mixture to the whipped cream; beat until medium peaks form, about 2 minutes; set aside. Serve pie with whipped cream.

Note: For sweetened pecans, toast pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; add 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Toss to coat.

*They also included the nutitional information, but none of us really want to see that. So I didn't re-print it.

Cranberry Lime Tart

Tip from Nemmie #87: If left too long in the microwave, white chocolate will catch on fire.

Just one of a few technical problems I had with this tart. Yes, I was too lazy to do the double-boiler thing over the stovetop, and nuked my white chocolate. And made my house smell very, very bad. I also bought a ganky bag of cranberries (shame on you, Oceanspray), so I didn't have enough for my tart. They don't completely cover the top in their ruby-jeweled glory as they are supposed to. And also, I think I baked my crust a wee bit too long, although I will blame this one on the new heating element in my oven not being calibrated correctly. So yeah, definitely not the most beautiful tart ever made.

Ahem. I got this recipe from epicurious.com, it was gorgeous looking and sounded really interesting. It is actually very easy, just has several steps. And the taste is definitely different: tart cranberries that pop in your mouth when you take a bite, surrounded by their sticky-sweet and spicy glaze, and perched on a deliciously sour lime curd and more sweet in the white chocolate layer. Plus a lovely almondy crust. Very interesting flavor combinations! And I think (if made with the correct number of cranberries) something that would look quite lovely on the Thanksgiving table. A nice change from the usual old pumpkin pie.

Cranberry Lime Tart

Ingredients:

Lime curd

1/2 c. fresh lime juice

1/2 tsp. cornstarch

3/4 c. sugar

6 large egg yolks

1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces

2 1/2 tsp. grated lime peel

Crust

1 1/4 c. all purpose flour

1/2 c. powdered sugar

1/3 c. whole almonds, toasted, cooled

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 c. (1 1/2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Cranberry Topping
1/4 c. water
1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch
2/3 c. sugar
3 Tbsp. honey
1 1/2 tsp. Chinese five-spice powder (optional; I used a mixture of ground cloves and cinnamon) 1 12-oz. bag (3 cups) fresh cranberries or frozen, partially thawed

White Chocolate Cream

5 oz. white chocolate, chopped

1/2 c. plus 2 Tbsp. sour cream

1/2 tsp.vanilla extract

For lime curd: Whisk lime juice and cornstarch in heavy medium saucepan. Whisk in sugar and yolks, then add butter. Whisk constantly over medium heat until mixture simmers and thickens, about 8 minutes. Strain into small bowl. Mix in lime peel. Cover; chill overnight.

For crust: Finely grind flour, sugar, almonds, and salt in processor. Add butter and vanilla; cut in, using on/off turns, until mixture just forms soft moist clumps. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic. Refrigerate 1 hour. Press dough onto bottom and up sides of 11-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Using thumb, press dough up sides to extend 1/8 inch above rim of pan.

Freeze crust 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake crust until golden brown, pressing with back of spoon if crust bubbles, about 25 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool completely.

For cranberry topping: Whisk 1/4 cup water and cornstarch in heavy large saucepan to blend. Add sugar, honey, and five-spice powder, if desired. Stir over medium-high heat until mixture comes to boil. Add cranberries; cook until mixture boils and berries just begin to pop but still maintain shape, occasionally stirring gently, about 5 minutes. Cool completely (mixture will thicken).

For white chocolate cream: Stir chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove from over water; whisk in sour cream and vanilla. Cool completely. Spread white chocolate cream into crust; freeze 15 minutes.

Spoon curd over; spread evenly. Spoon cranberry topping by tablespoonfuls over, then spread carefully to cover completely. Cover and chill overnight. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.) Remove pan sides; transfer tart to platter.

Roasted Balsamic Chicken

There are few things in life I love as much as balsamic vinegar. I drizzle it over salads. I reduce it down and slather it on top of steak. I dip bread in it (no oil please, I'll just have the vinegar). It's good on cooked veggies and in rice dishes and, especially, with roasted meats.

This recipe is compliments of Giada De Laurentiis' cookbook Everyday Italian, and it's a staple at our house. I love the tart vinegar with tangy mustard and spicy garlic, what a combination. The thick sauce you make is to-die-for on the meat, and I usually roast potato slices so they can get a healthy drizzle of the sauce as well. And a big plus: you can make the marinade the night before, just throw it in a Ziploc bag with the chicken pieces. Makes for a quick hot meal the following day.

Roasted Balsamic Chicken

Ingredients:

1/2 c. balsamic vinegar

1/4 c. Dijon mustard

1/4 c. fresh lemon juice

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1/4 to 1/3 c. olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 (4-pound) whole chicken, cut into pieces (guts stuff reserved for another use)

1/2 c. low-salt chicken broth

1 Tbsp. lemon zest (optional garnish)

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley leaves (optional garnish)

Whisk the vinegar, mustard, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper in small bowl to blend. Combine the vinaigrette and chicken pieces in a large resealable plastic bag; seal the bag and toss to coat. Refrigerate, turning the chicken pieces occasionally, for at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Remove chicken from the bag and arrange the chicken pieces on a large greased baking dish. Roast until the chicken is just cooked through, about 1 hour. If your chicken browns too quickly, cover it with foil for the remaining cooking time.

Transfer the chicken to a serving platter. Place the baking dish on a burner over medium-low heat. Whisk the chicken broth into the pan drippings, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the baking sheet with a wooden spoon and mixing them into the broth and pan drippings. Reduce to desired thickness (I usually let it go about 10 minutes, to get very very thick).

Drizzle the pan drippings over the chicken. Sprinkle the lemon zest and parsley over the chicken, and serve.