December 2015

French Toast Bread Pudding

The arrival of a New Year calls for something decadent. Welcome 2016 with this French toast bread pudding for brunch. It’s crowned with a crunchy almond streusel and served with a buttered maple syrup. Use convection mode to ensure the bread pudding is evenly cooked inside with a crisp golden-brown topping. You can prepare the recipe ahead of time, so all you have to do in the morning is bake it.   The Wolf Gourmet countertop oven with convection bakes, broils, roasts, proofs, toasts, and warms – all in a fast, energy efficient way.

Fig and Gorgonzola Crostini with Onion Jam

Treat your holiday guests to elegant hors d’oeuvres that are deceptively easy to prepare. Crisp, lightly browned baguette slices topped with caramelized onion jam are the base for this deceptively simple-to-prepare appetizer. The sweetness of the onion jam pairs beautifully with Gorgonzola and fresh figs. Contrasting textures of the toasted baguette and creamy, melted cheese come together in one delicious bite. The onion jam can be prepared ahead of time. It would be wonderful atop a pan-seared pork cutlet or roasted chicken sandwich.

Creamy Cauliflower Soup from Heather Christo

This creamy, silky, snowy white cauliflower puree is the most beautiful bowl of healthy and tasty soup. I can never get over how pretty it is, and therefore it has made many appearances on my dinner party tables, and makes an absolutely perfect starter for Christmas or New Years dinner. The best part (besides its good looks) is how light it is. I sip the hot soup directly from the bowl, and have been known to finish a whole batch myself over a day or two- eek! I love a drizzle of truffle oil on the top, but have garnished… Read more

Standing Rib Roast

A classic holiday meal centerpiece, standing rib roast needs no introduction. Also known as prime rib, it is a tender, flavorful roast cut from the center of the rib section. Traditionally seasoned with rosemary, thyme, Kosher salt and pepper, you can have it ready for the oven in mere minutes. Have your butcher separate the roast from the bones then tie the roast back together. Roasting with the bones adds more flavor, and carving is much easier. The countertop oven will fit a 7 pound roast, leaving your main oven free for other holiday sides. Using the integrated probe ensures the ideal… Read more

Sesame Rose Milk from Betty Liu

  A wedding photographer based in Boston, Betty combined her love of food photography and experimenting in the kitchen to share visually-focused recipe stories over at le jus d’orange. She loves to re-create and share her mother’s traditional Chinese recipes, bringing a bit of authentic Shanghai cuisine to readers’ virtual feasts. Her recipes are often flavored with Asian touches, as Betty loves to incorporate the ingredients she grew up with into desserts and other dishes to create new flavor profiles. Black sesame is often the frontrunner when it comes to desserts or treats, due to its beautiful silvery-grey color when mixed. The… Read more

Dutch Baby Pancake from Hummingbird High

Hi everybody! My name is Michelle, and I’m the blogger behind the baking blog, Hummingbird High. My blog has been a finalist for Saveur Magazine’s Best Baking & Desserts Food Blog Awards, and my recipes have been featured in Better Homes & Gardens, Food52, The Kitchn, and more.           Dutch baby pancakes are a decadent breakfast dish that comes together effortlessly and in almost no time at all. Pancake batter is baked in a cast iron skillet on high heat for 15 minutes to create a giant, puffy pancake similar to a popover. I first discovered… Read more

Blended Eggnog Cocktail

Eggnog has been a popular cocktail since English settlers came to America. The bevy of eggs, dairy cows, and liquor made it an easy libation for the colonists to prepare. The drink has endured through the last few centuries, and continues to be on many holiday cocktail menus. Making your own eggnog is quite simple and the rich, foamy texture is a vast improvement over anything you can buy at the store. The Wolf Gourmet blender whips cream in less than 30 seconds and the rest of the ingredients come together in a few additional seconds. Using freshly grated nutmeg… Read more

Minty Brownies with Candy Cane Crunch

Dressing up a classic dessert for the holidays, these brownies incorporate fresh mint in the batter and candy canes on top. White chocolate chips add an additional layer of richness. They will stand out at the holiday dessert table, or wrap them in wax paper tied with red and white string and you have an ideal holiday gift. The brownies freeze well, so you can make them ahead of time and frost them before serving.   For a more cake-like, less fudgy brownie, bake for an additional ten minutes until tester comes out completely clean. For easy removal and cutting… Read more