Festive cocktail lets you keep the season merry
The big Christmas day has come and gone. Hopefully you slept in a little this morning. All this holiday-ing is enough to wear anyone out. The stress and chaos are worth it when you’re able to make someone’s holiday special.
We gathered for our large Farha family Christmas Day feeding 35 or so people our traditional menu of Prime Rib, turkey, lamb, grape leaves, mashed potatoes and gravy, kibbanea (we’ll call it Lebanese beef tatare, for those of you that don’t know what it is), broccoli and tahini sauce, hushwa (Lebanese ground beef, rice and cinnamon), tabbouli and a few other things that the plate couldn’t hold. Our pies this year, made by yours truly, included the Pecan Cream Cheese that was included in the column a few weeks back, pumpkin – because so many people love it – and a gluten-free blueberry. There was golden brown, perfectly baked baklava, picture-perfect Christmas cookies, and too many candies to list.
Hopefully your fridge is full of leftovers and you won’t need to cook for a few days. But if not, grab some takeout and make yourself a Cranberry Old Fashioned. I found this recipe on a blog called Inspired by Charm. Isn’t it so lovely you can “meet” such creative people online and be inspired by their musings? Michael, the author of the Inspired by Charm blog, described himself many ways including having an addiction to sweets and a love for anything gold. He’s golden in my book.
This week between Christmas and New Year’s is my favorite week of the year. So many friends and family are in from out-of-town, and there are many opportunities to gather and catch up. The air of festivity lasts well past Christmas Day. Enjoy the season and all it’s warmth.
Adriene Rathbun is an enthusiastic Wichita cook who offers cooking classes through her business, Social. Reach her at socialcookingclasses.com or ar@adrienerathbun.com.
Cranberry Old Fashioned
3 ounces quality bourbon whiskey
1 ounce cranberry simple syrup*
3 shakes Angostura bitters
Garnish: orange peel, fresh cranberries and rosemary
In a serving glass with ice, stir together the bourbon, cranberry simple syrup, and bitters. Garnish with orange peel, fresh cranberries and rosemary.
Cranberry Simple Syrup
In a saucepan, bring 2 cups of water, 1 cup of sugar and one cup of fresh cranberries to a boil. Once boiling, cook for 4-5 minutes. Strain with a fine mesh sieve. Cool before making cocktails.
Recipe by InspiredbyCharm.com
Instant Pot Acorn Squash with Pecan Stuffing
Serves 4
1 cup white basmati rice
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided, plus more for sprinkling
2 small acorn squash
1 small yellow onion
2 cloves garlic
2 stalks celery
1 tablespoon olive oil or pecan oil, plus more for drizzling
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Fresh ground black pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup raw pecan pieces
Feta or goat cheese crumbles, optional
Cook the rice: In an Instant Pot or digital pressure cooker, stir the rice, sage, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 cup of water. Pressure cook on high for 3 minutes. (Note: It takes about 5 minutes for the pot to “preheat” before it starts cooking. During cooking, avoid touching the metal part of the lid.) After the pot beeps, use the Natural Release method and wait 10 minutes to let the pot cool down naturally (set a timer so you don’t forget). Then vent any remaining steam by moving the pressure release handle to “venting,” covering your hand with a towel or hot pad. (Never put your hands or face near the steam release valve when releasing steam.)
Meanwhile, prep the veggies: While the rice cooks, cut the squash in half and remove seeds, then cut it in half again (into quarters). Set aside until ready for Step 5. Dice the onion and celery. Mince the garlic.
Toast the pecans: In a dry skillet over low heat, toast the pecans for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant.
Make the stuffing: Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onion and celery 5 to 7 minutes until tender and translucent. Add the garlic, thyme and oregano and sauté for an additional 2 minutes until fragrant. When the rice is cooked, stir it into the skillet. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, the fresh ground black pepper, butter, and pecans.
Cook the squash: Rinse the Instant Pot and place the steamer basket in the bottom with 1 cup of water. Rub the squash quarters with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with a few pinches of dried oregano. Place the squash quarters in the pot, stacking as necessary. Pressure cook on high for 6 minutes. (Note: It takes about 5 minutes for the pot to “preheat” before it starts cooking.) After the pot beeps, immediately do a Quick Release: vent any remaining steam by moving the pressure release handle to “venting,” covering your hand with a towel or hot pad.
Serve: Carefully remove the squash from the Instant Pot and sprinkle it with kosher salt. (Do not omit this step: it brings in the necessary flavor.) Spoon the stuffing over the squash quarters and serve immediately.
This story was originally published December 25, 2018 at 9:45 AM.