Something New for Christmas Breakfast

My mom wanted to try something different this year for Christmas breakfast (what was wrong with the breakfast casserole of my youth??), so I helped her make this Leek, Bacon, and Gruyere Tart. Only it took so long to make, that it was more like a late afternoon snack than a breakfast. Poor planning on our part. I think my mom pulled the recipe from Fine Cooking magazine, but since it was actually pulled completely out, I don't entirely remember. Once we managed to get it cooked, it was actually pretty damn good. I especially loved the thyme in the crust. Nice touch.

Christmas Party Goodies

Tonight we went to my sister's house for a little pre-Christmas party and gift-opening session for those in the family who would not be making the journey to the back woods for Christmas day. Of course we each had to bring an item or two, so I did my two standby favorites that always seem to go over well. The first was Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms, and I honestly don't remember where I managed to run across the recipe years ago. I also made some Cheese and Spinach Puff Pastry Pockets, adapted from a recipe by Giada that is found here. The only major change is that I use smoked gouda instead of the Fontina cheese. I just love the deep flavor it gives the pastries.

Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

40 large mushrooms
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
3/4 cup dry bread crumbs (I use Progresso Italian breadcrumbs)
1/2 cup grated onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp parsley, minced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp oregano
3/4 cup olive oil

Wash mushrooms. Remove stems and chop. Mix all ingredients except mushroom caps and oil. Stuff caps. Pour a bit of oil into baking pan; arrange mushrooms in pan. Pour remaining oil over each mushroom cap. Bake at 350 F for 25 minutes. Place under broiler for 2-3 minutes to brown the tops.

Bow to the Casserole

As a white Anglo-Saxon protestant in the US, I grew up on casseroles. Tuna noodle, hamburger pie, scalloped potatoes, anything you can imagine. It's a part of WASP life. So when I saw this oh-my-gosh-amazing cheesy, hammy, oniony dish of goodness, I knew I had to make it. I bided my time, and luckily Heather from Gild the (Voodoo)Lily eventually posted her recipe (after just about everyone on the internet begged for it). I paid attention when I was cooking so I could clarify it a little more, and it appears below. Oh, and I changed the name.

The Best Damn Casserole....EVER

1/2 pound orzo

1 (32-ounce) box chicken stock

3 tbsp butter

1/4 cup flour

2 cups whole milk

6 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese, divided use

2 ounces shredded Gruyere cheese

Salt and pepper

8 ounces ham, cubed

1 bag broccoli flowerets OR 1 lb fresh broccoli, stems removed OR 1 box frozen broccoli, defrosted

3 ounces french fried onions

Preheat the oven to 350F. Bring the chicken stock to a boil. Add orzo and cook until liquid is absorbed and orzo is al dente, about 9 minutes. The orzo should absorb all of the liquid, and some hot water may need to be added until cooking is complete.

In large saucepan, melt butter. Sprinkle flour over top, mix in with butter, and cook until nutty and slightly browned. Remove from flame and whisk in milk. Return to heat and cook until mixture thickens and bubbles. Add 4 ounces of Cheddar cheese and all of Gruyere cheese. Stir until cheese melts. Season with salt and pepper.

Add ham, broccoli, and hot orzo to the cheese sauce, and mix to combine. Pour mixture into a casserole dish, and top with remaining 2 ounces of Cheddar cheese. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove casserole from oven, sprinkle with french fried onion, and bake an additional five minutes until onions are warm and crispy.

Paper Chef: Shrimp in Brandy Cream Sauce

This month's Paper Chef challenge was to use rice, brandy, blood orange, and crustaceans in a dish. I scoured several grocery stores in my area, but I guess blood oranges haven't made their way to New Jersey yet. I settled for a Satsuma orange. For the crustacean requirement, I decided to pick shrimp since I haven't had them for a while. What came together was a shrimp in brandy cream sauce over orange-scented rice. And let me tell you, it was fantastic.

Shrimp in Brandy Cream Sauce

1 lb extra large shrimp, uncooked, shells reserved

6 cups water

4 tbsp butter

2 large shallots, finely chopped

3 tsp flour

1 tsp Old Bay seasoning

1/2 cup brandy

1/3 cup heavy cream

1 1/2 cup medium grain rice, washed

1 satsuma orange

Salt and pepper

Pull shells off of shrimp and put in a large pot with 4 cups of water. Boil shells for at least half an hour to form a shrimp stock. Strain stock of shells and set aside.

Melt 3 tbsp of butter in a 12" skillet. Add chopped shallots, and saute for approximately 3 minutes. Sprinkle shallots with flour and Old Bay seasoning, and mix in with wooden spoon. Add two cups of reserved shrimp stock; stir to combine. Heat mixture over medium heat until it begins to simmer. Simmer mixture until it is reduced by half. Add brandy. Brandy may be flamed off or simmered off. Add cream, and simmer gently until sauce is thickened.

In a separate pot, add washed rice, remaining 2 cups of water, and the peel of the satsuma orange. Reserve the pulp and juice. Bring rice to a boil, and cook according to package instructions until done. Remove peel. Crush orange pulp and pour the juice into the cooked rice. Fluff with a fork to distribute the juice.

Once sauce has thickened, add shrimp and remaining 1 tbsp butter to saucepan. Simmer for five more minutes, or until shrimp are pink. Season with salt and pepper. Serve the shrimp over the orange rice. Garnish with parsley, if desired.