A Perfect Appetizer For New Year's...Smoked Salmon Cake

This recipe from Martha Stewart combines traditional partners such as pumpernickel bread, smoked salmon, cream cheese, and cucumbers, in a beautifully presented cake "iced" with more cream cheese.  If you are asked to bring an appetizer and want to make a splash with little work make this!


Ingredients


Serves 8 to 10

3 eight-ounce packages cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup finely chopped red onion

2 tablespoons capers, drained and chopped

2 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped, plus more for garnish

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

2 loaves pumpernickel bread, cut into 16 half-inch slices, with crusts

1 pound smoked salmon, thinly sliced

1 1/2 seedless cucumbers, thinly sliced into 1/8-inch slices, patted dry, plus more for decorating sides of cake

1/2 cup creme fraiche

2 1/2 ounces salmon roe

1 ounce black caviar

Lemon wedges, for garnish


Directions


1.In a small bowl, combine eight ounce cream cheese, red onion, capers, dill, and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper, and stir until smooth. Lay four bread slices on a clean work surface; trim 1/4 inch from all sides of slices. Spread 1 tablespoon cream-cheese mixture on top of one slice, and layer with smoked salmon and cucumber (try not to overlap cucumber slices). Spread another thin layer of the cream-cheese mixture on top. Repeat with two more bread slices.

2.Neatly stack prepared slices, filling side up, squaring the sides with your hands; top with the fourth bread slice. Repeat with remaining bread and filling to create three more stacks in this way.

3.Transfer stacks to a serving platter with their long sides touching. In a small bowl, combine remaining 16 ounces cream cheese and creme fraiche until smooth. Using offset spatula, spread mixture evenly over assembled cake. Refrigerate, covered, two hours or overnight.

4.Before serving, arrange overlapping cucumber slices around base of cake; spoon salmon roe and caviar along the top, and sprinkle with dill. Garnish the platter with lemon wedges

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Recipe Marthastewart.com:

First White Christmas In 100 Years!

Yes, that is right. We are getting our first white Christmas since 1882.  Eat your heart out, Vermont!

A Heartfelt Thanks And A Merry Christmas!

About nine months ago, I moved to this lake with my daughter and our two dogs, Lucy and Lilly.  Life has been, to say the least, quite different but very fullfilling.  I have strived to fill my days with my two blogs and a new life close to my children and grandchildren.  It has been challenging at times but lots of fun most of the time.

This blog, unlike Lindaraxa's Garden, has been a place to post about my new life, our dogs and all our adventures living in the country.  As most of you know, I am at heart a "city" girl and a "northener" but have lived in the country when I was very young and in the South when I was newly married so it hasn't been that tough to adapt.  As a matter of fact my son was born in Asheville, North Carolina.  Who would have thought he would marry a Southener and come down to live not too far from where he was born.

Life here is simpler and more down to earth than New York or Florida.  I have learned a lot this year and made wonderful friends both through this blog and on Twitter where Lucy and I  "hang out" with a group of Westies and their moms from all over the world.  @Snowywestie, @Westiesp @Macintoshwestie @Angusfala and @Missbusybiz are some of those friends and to them I say thank you for a lot of laughs and for being there when I have needed a break. None of my friends (or my kids!) can understand how a grown woman can have fun on Twitter but we do and the friendships I have made there are probably as solid as most of the ones I have made throughout my life.

To my fellow bloggers who follow and comment on this blog, I have left you a message on Lindaraxa's Garden.  To the rest of my readers, thank you for subscribing and commenting, it is most appreciated.

I look forward to another year full of fun, good recipes and lots of entertaining ideas.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas Y'All... don't forget to feed the doggies!

Christmas Dinner At The Lake

For those of you who are spending Christmas at the lake or at one of your vacation homes lucky you!  I've put together and easy but appropriate menu to be enjoyed by many or just a few.  Let's face it, we want to enjoy our time away from the stress of our everyday lives, so why put an elaborate and complicated meal on the agenda. 

You can make these simple hors d'oeuvres ahead to bring with you or simply get some smoked salmon just like I did for the menu on Lindaraxa's Garden.  For those so inclined, there is nothing like popovers to delight everyone at the table.  They can be made while the tenderloin is resting. The cake takes a little effort but not as much as you think. You can make the layers the day before and the frosting early that day; or switch to the Mocha Cake which is a cinch.

So have fun instead and enjoy yourself.  Don't forget to think about what this holiday is all about.  We have many blessings to be thankful for.

Christmas At The Lake

Spiced Pecans

Cheese Wafers

Beef Tenderloin With Shallots And Shiraz Reduction

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes With Rosemary And Thyme

Golden Broccoli Gratin

Popovers

Caramel Italian Cream Cake

What's stress????

Beef Tenderloin With Shallot And Syrah Reduction

If you are coming up to the lake for Christmas chances are you are looking forward to a relaxed holiday.  Here's a perfect yet elegant main course. No fuss, no prep, no mess! 

Serves 8

Ingredients:


1 beef tenderloin, 2 1/2 to 3 lb.

2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

2 tsp. minced fresh thyme

1 1/2 tsp. fine sea salt

1 tsp. freshly ground pepper

2 Tbs. minced shallots

1 cup Syrah

2 1/2 Tbs. unsalted butter


Directions:

Preheat an oven to 450°F.

Rub the beef all over with the olive oil, then rub on the thyme, salt and pepper.

Place the roast on a rack in a shallow roasting pan just large enough to accommodate it. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers 115° to 120°F for rare, about 20 minutes; 125° to 130°F for medium-rare, about 25 minutes; or 130° to 140°F for medium, about 30 minutes. Transfer the roast to a cutting board, cover loosely with aluminum foil and let rest for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, remove the rack from the roasting pan and place the pan on the stovetop over medium heat. Add the shallots and sauté, stirring them into the pan juices, until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the wine a little at a time, stirring to scrape up the browned bits from the pan bottom. Continue to cook until the wine is reduced by nearly half, then stir in the butter. When the butter has melted, remove the pan from the heat and cover to keep warm.

To serve, cut the beef into slices 1/2 inch thick. Arrange the slices on a warmed platter and drizzle with the sauce. Serve immediately. 



Adapted from Williams-Sonoma, Christmas Entertaining, by Georgeanne Brennan (Simon & Schuster, 2005).

Spiced Pecans

Make some this weekend to serve at Christmas and New Years or give away as gifts!


Ingredients

4 tsp. salt


1/2 tsp. cayenne

1 tsp. each ground white pepper, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice (or 4 tsp. quatre épices)

4 cups pecan halves (about 12 oz.)

1/4 cup butter, melted

1/3 cup dark maple syrup (or 1/2 cup regular maple syrup



Directions

Up to two weeks ahead: Heat the oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, toss together the salt, cayenne, white pepper, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice. Add the pecans and toss well. Drizzle the melted butter over the pecans and mix well. Turn out onto a rimmed baking sheet, scraping any spices and butter from the bowl and spreading the nuts into one layer. Bake until lightly toasted, stirring occasionally, about 9 min. Drizzle the maple syrup over the nuts, stir to combine, and bake about 10 min. longer, until the nuts turn glossy and slightly dark. Let the nuts cool in the pan for 30 min. and then scrape the nuts and any maple drippings into a bowl; break up any large clusters.

These can be stored in ziplock bags in the freezer.

Caramel Italian Cream Cake

I don't like to serve cake for dessert after dinner but Christmas Eve is a different situation.

Although this seems long and complicated it's not.  Don't get put off by the time, most of it is cooking and cooling the cake. Brown sugar is the shortcut to quick caramel flavor in both the cake layers and the frosting.


Total: 2 hours, 25 minutes
Yield: Makes 12 servings

Ingredients

3 cups shaved coconut
1 cup finely chopped pecans
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
5 large eggs, separated
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Quick Caramel Frosting

Cream Cheese Frosting


Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Place shaved coconut in a single layer in a shallow pan. Place pecans in a second shallow pan. Bake coconut and pecans at the same time 5 to 7 minutes or until coconut is toasted and pecans are lightly toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through.

2. Beat butter and shortening at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy; gradually add granulated and brown sugars, beating well. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Add vanilla, beating until blended.

3. Combine flour and baking soda; add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in pecans and 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut.

4. Beat egg whites at high speed until stiff peaks form, and fold into batter. Pour batter into 3 greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans.

5. Bake at 350° for 23 to 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely (about 1 hour).

6. Prepare Quick Caramel Frosting. Immediately spread frosting between layers and on top of cake. Spread Cream Cheese Frosting over sides of cake; press 3 cups toasted shaved coconut onto sides of cake.


Quick Caramel Frosting

Like the classic caramel frosting, this one hardens quickly, so cool the cake layers before you start to make it.

Total: 20 minutes
Yield: Makes 5 cups

Ingredients


1 cup butter
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preparation


1. Bring first 3 ingredients to a rolling boil in a 3 1/2-qt. saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly (about 7 minutes).

2. Stir in cream, and bring to a boil; remove from heat. Pour into bowl of a heavy-duty electric stand mixer. Gradually beat in powdered sugar and vanilla at medium speed, using whisk attachment; beat 8 to 12 minutes or until thickened. Use immediately.

Test Kitchen Tip: Don't panic if you overbeat the frosting. Thin to a spreadable consistency by adding 1 to 2 tsp. hot water.


Quick Cream Cheese Frosting


Prep Time: 10 minutes
Yield: Makes about 1 3/4 cups

Ingredients
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Preparation

Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until blended; stir in vanilla.


Southern Living, December 2010