Read Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove Cookbook Online
Authors: Debbie Macomber
Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove Cookbook (24 page)
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hallots, a very mild onion, add punch to the dressing for this dark green salad. Toasted walnuts add crunch.
Serves 8
1 small shallot, minced
2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
10 cups baby spinach (about 12 ounces)
1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
2
/
3
cup toasted walnuts, chopped
1.
In a large serving bowl, whisk shallot, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper until blended. Add oil in a steady stream, whisking to blend well.
2.
Add spinach, tomatoes and walnuts; toss to coat.
TIP
If you can’t find baby spinach, substitute baby romaine or spring greens—regular spinach is too tough for this salad.
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ince you can make potato salad a day ahead, it’s perfect party food. Drizzling the still-warm potatoes with a mixture of pickle juice and vinegar adds a flavor punch to the spuds. Let the salad stand at room temperature for about 1 hour before serving.
Serves 10
3½ pounds Yukon Gold or boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons pickle juice (from pickle relish jar)
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
2 cups mayonnaise
1 tablespoon powdered mustard
¼ teaspoon celery seed
3 stalks celery, finely chopped
¼ cup sweet pickle relish
¼ cup finely chopped red onions
6 hard-boiled eggs, cut into small cubes
½ cup chopped fresh parsley Ground paprika, for garnish
1.
Place potatoes in a large saucepan and add salted water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to boil over high heat; reduce heat and simmer about 8 minutes, until potatoes are tender.
2.
Drain potatoes and transfer to a large bowl. Fold in pickle juice and vinegar to coat potatoes. Let sit until just warm, about 30 minutes.
3.
In a large serving bowl, combine mayonnaise, powdered mustard and celery seed. Add cooled potatoes; toss to coat. Fold in celery, pickle relish and onions, and season with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled. Gently fold in diced eggs just before serving. Garnish with parsley and paprika.
TIP
Use firm-textured Yukon Gold potatoes. They hold their shape after cooking and won’t turn mushy in a salad.
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cheery fruit salad is a welcome addition to any holiday table, especially if kids are included.
Serves 8
1 pint fresh raspberries
1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered
1 pint fresh blueberries
1 cup fresh pineapple chunks
1 cup halved green grapes Zest and juice from
1 lime (about 1 teaspoon zest and 2 tablespoons juice)
2 6-ounce containers vanilla yogurt (1 ½ cups)
1.
In a large serving bowl, toss all the berries, pineapple and grapes with 1 tablespoon of the lime juice.
2.
In a small pitcher, combine yogurt with remaining 1 tablespoon juice and zest. Serve yogurt dressing on the side for drizzling over the fruit salad.
TIP
Remember to zest the limes before juicing them.
S
ince smoked hams are fully cooked, here you are just warming the meat and adding a delicious sweet and savory crust.
Serves 8 to 10
1 fully-cooked bone-in ham with rind (about 7 pounds)
1 cup apple cider
½ cup Dijon mustard
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
1.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a large roasting pan with heavy-duty foil. Place ham on a rack in a large roasting pan. Trim any tough rind and fat from upper side of ham, leaving ¼-inch-thick layer of fat. Using long sharp knife, score fat in 1-inch-wide diamond pattern. Place ham in prepared pan. Pour cider over ham, coating as much of the ham as possible. Cover ham and roasting pan completely with heavy-duty foil, sealing tightly at edges of pan. Bake ham 1 ½ hours. Remove from oven. Increase oven temperature to 400°F.
2.
Remove foil from ham. Drain and discard liquids from roasting pan. Spread mustard evenly over top and sides of ham. Pat brown sugar over mustard coating, pressing firmly to adhere. Sprinkle entire ham with pepper. Place ham back on rack in roasting pan and bake about 30 minutes, spooning any mustard and sugar glaze that slides into roasting pan back over ham.
3.
Transfer ham to serving platter; let cool at least 15 minutes. Slice ham and serve warm or at room temperature.
TIP
Select a bone-in ham for best flavor. Avoid packages labeled “Ham and water product.”
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his moist cake makes an elegant ending to any springtime dinner party. Omit the glaze for a fantastic brunch treat.
Makes 1 loaf
1 ½ cups cake flour (not self-rising)
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons lemon zest
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), melted, plus extra for greasing the pan
GLAZE
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1.
Preheat oven to 350°F; set oven rack to middle position. Lightly butter and flour a 9-by-5 inch-loaf pan.
2.
In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt.
3.
In food processor, pulse granulated sugar and zest until combined. Add lemon juice, eggs and vanilla; process until combined. With machine running, add 1 cup melted butter in steady stream. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Fold in flour mixture until just combined.
4.
Pour batter into prepared pan; smooth top. Bake 60 to 70 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack; cool in pan 15 minutes. Run a knife around pan edges; invert cake onto rack. Turn cake right-side up and cool completely.
5.
For glaze: In a small bowl, whisk 2 tablespoons melted butter, 2 tablespoons lemon juice and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Drizzle over cooled cake.
TIP
Always use pure vanilla extract, which has a far superior flavor to imitation vanilla
A
lthough you can buy a pan shaped like a bunny, you can also create a perfectly cute bunny using two 9-inch cake pans. Kids can join in the fun by decorating the cake with jelly beans for eyes and nose and licorice for whiskers.
Serves 10 to 12
CAKE
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 cups granulated sugar
1 ¼ cups vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs
3 cups grated peeled carrots (from about ¾ pound carrots)
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
FROSTING
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2½ cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
1.
Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly butter two 9-inch cake pans. Line pan bottoms with parchment or wax paper; butter paper.
2.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, soda, salt and cinnamon until combined. In a large bowl with electric mixer, beat granulated sugar, oil and vanilla until blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Slowly add dry ingredients, beating just until blended.
3.
Fold carrots, pecans and coconut into batter until combined. Spread batter into prepared pans, smoothing top. Bake 50 to 55 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Transfer to wire rack; cool for 15 minutes. Run a knife around edges of cake to loosen from pan; invert onto wire rack to cool completely. Remove wax paper.
4.
For frosting: In a large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla until smooth and completely blended, about 2 minutes. Slowly add confectioners’ sugar, beating until smooth. Increase speed and beat 2 minutes until frosting reaches spreading consistency.
5.
Place one cooled cake at the bottom of a large platter or foil-lined rectangle of cardboard. Place the other cake on a cutting board. Cut two long oval-shaped bunny ears out of the cake on the cutting board. Place the ears above the cake on the platter. (Reserve or eat the scraps.) Frost the bunny cake. Decorate as desired. (You can also cover the entire cake with additional shredded coconut before adding a bunny face.)
TIP
You can also assemble the cake in the traditional layer cake shape. Either way, you’ll have enough frosting.