Each month, Northeast Ohio Bloggers share their favorite – tried and true – recipes. Here are the December picks from appetizers, side dishes to deserts.
View the Northeast Ohio Bloggers here!
Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti (Makes 36)
Melissa Koski Carney, Northeast Ohio Parent blogger of “I Crashed the Web.”
“My mom is 100% Italian, so biscotti were plentiful all year round,” Koski Carney says. “But I especially love biscotti around the holidays. They are the perfect cookie to enjoy any time of day (even breakfast!) This cranberry pistachio biscotti is my mother-in-law’s recipe.”
Ingredients:
2½ C flour
1 C sugar
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1⅓ C dried cranberries (soak 5 min in hot water)
1 C pistachios, chopped
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 300° F. Grease a jelly roll pan or cookie sheet.
Combine first five ingredients (flour through salt).
Add eggs and vanilla. Work into dough using hands.
Drain cranberries, and add to dough with pistachios.
Roll the dough into two logs. Flatten logs slightly and place on
greased pan. Brush dough with egg wash and water mixture.
Bake in preheated oven for 50 minutes.
Remove from oven, and slice each log into about 18 pieces.
Put each piece on its side.
Put back into the oven, and bake an additional 10 minutes per side.
Dutch Apple Pie (Serves 8)
Leah Artman, Northeast Ohio Parent blogger of “NEOhio Frugal Living” “Discovering what the difference was between an apple pie and a dutch apple pie was a game changer: the crumble topping and caramel drizzle bring a traditional apple pie to the next level, and it’s absolutely to die for,” Artman says.
Prep Time: 30 min, inactive time: 2 hours.
Cook time: 1 hour.
Total time: 3 hours, 30 min
Ingredients:
Pie Crust:
1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
10 tsp unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes (1 1/4 sticks)
2-4 tsp ice water, as needed
Filling:
5-6 large apples, peeled and cut (I like to use Gala, since it adds additional sweetness)
1/3 cup honey
3 T flour
1 1/2 tsp ground
cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
Topping:
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
3/4 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp nutmeg
1/3 cup butter, softened
10 Werther’s brand caramel candies
Directions:
Pie Crust:
1.) Add flour and salt to food processor and pulse to combine.
2.) Add butter to food processor, and pulse until bean-sized crumbs are formed.
3.) Add ice water 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough just begins to form.
4.) Form dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 2 days.
Pie:
1.) Preheat oven to 350° F.
2.) Mix apples, honey, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg, toss to coat. Set aside.
3.) In a separate bowl, mix the topping ingredients. Set aside.
4.) Roll out one disk of dough to 1/4 inch, or desired thickness, and press into pie plate.
5.) Cut off excess dough from sides and crimp edges.
6.) Spoon apple mixture evenly into the crust.
7.) Spread topping evenly over apples.
8.) Place pie dish on a cookie sheet, and bake for 1 hour.
9.) Remove pie from oven. Melt caramel candies in a small saucepan over low heat.
10.) Drizzle caramel over pie, then let cool for 1 hour. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, if desired.
Sweet Kugel
Michelle Dickstein, Northeast Ohio Parent blogger of “Life Coaching, LLC.”
Pronounced: KOO-gull, Origin: Yiddish, traditional Ashkenazi casserole frequently made with egg noodles or potatoes. “Kugel can be sweet or savory and can include anything from apples and raisins to herbs and cheese,” Dickstein says. “It is versatile and can be eaten as an appetizer, side dish, or dessert. I enjoy leftover kugel for breakfast! This is my favorite kugel recipe and reminds me of my childhood every time I smell it in the oven. Enjoy hot, warm, room temperature or cold!”
Ingredients:
½ lb. fine or medium egg noodles
½ lb. low-fat cottage cheese
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
4 T butter, softened
2 cups milk (skim, 1% or 2%)
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
½ cup sugar
Pinch of cinnamon
Topping ingredients:
4 T butter, softened
1 tsp sugar
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
Pinch of cinnamon
Instructions:
Cook noodles according to package, and preheat oven to 350° F.
Blend remaining ingredients through pinch of cinnamon (up to topping ingredients). Mix in cooked noodles.
Pour mixture into a 13” x 9” pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Mix topping ingredients together. Sprinkle on top of pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.