Our Holiday Party: Cookies & Hot Chocolate

If you’re a procrastinator who loves Christmas - how do you make sure your Christmas decorations get up before Dec. 24?  Host a holiday party.  For us, that means our annual cookie exchange.

As always, we ate way more cookies than any person – child or adult – should at one sitting.  Probably more than anyone should eat in a week.  But I’m pretty sure that calories consumed amongst friends are good for you.

Chocolate definitely was the – unintentional – theme this year. 

• chocolate chip - an annual favorite, one family always brings these and no-one else bothers to even try to make chocolate chip
• chocolate wafers – perfect to go with coffee, if there were any left
• chocolate covered marshmallows – okay, not really a “cookie” but who’s going to argue when “chocolate” and “marshmallow” are in the name
• cheesecake bars
• shortbread cookies with pecans, chocolate dipped and plain – these were our contribution
• brownies

Cookies packed up ready to share

Since it was freezing cold on the day of the party (I was actually nervous we’d have to cancel for snow), I made hot chocolate in the crockpot.  Of course, I saw the idea on Pinterest and thought “genius!”  Hot, unburned, creamy chocolate. 

Turn the crockpot on, let it heat a little bit. Pour in the can of condensed milk, sprinkle in the melting chocolate.  The kind I used was in little slivers.  Mix until melted together, it’ll be dark and thick. Add a teaspoon of vanilla.  Pour in milk, about a half gallon.  Mix.  Let heat.  Taste, adjust to your preferences.

Hot chocolate fixin's

For a bit of added fun, we had a fix-ins tray for the hot chocolate: marshmallows, mint chocolate chips, chocolate chips.  Kahlua and peppermint schnapps was an adult option.   

As you know, when hosting an event at your home, there’s a lot of prep from getting the food on the table to  putting clean towels in the bathroom.  Usually, when we have a family party, I call out tasks as a kid happens to wander through the kitchen. Not such an efficient plan. This year, I wrote the tasks that needed to be done on cards - clean the bathroom, make table cards for cookies, set out cookie trays, put candy in bowls, set-up plates & silverware.  The kids then picked out their cards and went about getting their tasks done. They seemed to not only like being useful, but took some ownership in their jobs.

My daughter used scrapbookbook paper to make blank table cards for the cookies (guests filled them in when they arrived).  The kids taped together 3 candy canes to make the card holders.

As the children have grown (we’ve lost count how many years we’ve been doing this but there were some kids who didn’t even exist when we started), it’s been harder to find a date that fits perfectly for everyone. We usually have families rolling in before or after a basketball tournament, soccer game, chorus performance, birthday party, or something.  This year, to make it easier, I decided that we would just order food, cooking a few sides, so that we could concentrate our kitchen time on the star of the party. It also made transport of food easier in a busy schedule.

As always, we had a great time.  But with cookies and friends, how could you go wrong?

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Stash of Recipes: Pork & Mushroom Ragu

As I explained in a previous post, I am trying to organize my stack of recipes, torn out from various magazines and newspapers.

I found the original of this recipe for Pork Ragu in the Washington Post (don't know when it was published, I had cut that part off).  It makes a lot, so it's great for a big dinner party or dinner for the family plus extras to go in the freezer for another day.  I adapted a mushroom version, since I don't eat meat.  It's a pretty easy dish, but it does take some time, so I've also included notes on putting it all in a crock-pot.

Mushroom Ragu (left) and Pork Ragu (right)

Pork Ragu for a Crowd (or a Really Big Family)

Makes about 12 cups (12-16 servings) 

Serve over short, thick pasta – rigatoni, penne, cavatappi with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

Make ahead: Prepare the night before, refrigerate and reheat before serving.

Freeze: Pour into freezer bags, freeze.  Reheat in microwave or in casserole dish in oven.

INGREDIENTS:

¼ cup extra–virgin olive oil, more if needed

3 pounds boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt), in 1 or 2 large pieces

Kosher or sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

3 large yellow onions, diced (about 5 cups)

4 medium cloves garlic, minced

1 cup dry red wine, such as cabernet sauvignon

6 cans (14 oz.) diced tomatoes, with their juices

4 fresh bay leaves

1 large or 2 small sprigs rosemary

1pound fresh (mild or spicy, to preference) Italian pork sausage, casings removed

Cook until pork is fork tender.

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oil in large, heavy bottomed Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat
2. Generously season pork shoulder with salt and pepper.  Place in pot and brown for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, turning until all sides are nicely browned.  Transfer to large plate.
3. Reduce heat to medium and add onions to the pot.  Stir, add oil if necessary.
4. Add garlic.  Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent and garlic has softened.
5. Return pork shoulder to pot.  Increase heat to medium-high, then add the wine, stirring to incorporate with onions and garlic.  Let mixture bubble for a minute or two.  Add tomatoes, bay leaves, and rosemary.  Reduce heat to medium-low.
6. Break pork sausage into small pieces, about 1” each.  Add to pot.
7. Cover and cook for about 2-2 ½ hours, adjusting heat as needed so sauce cooks gently, without boiling.  Pork shoulder should be fork tender when done.
8. Use tongs to transfer pork to cutting board.  (Use a cutting board with indented edge to catch juices, if available.)  Use two forks to shred meat to bite-size pieces, then return meat and any accumulated juices to pot.
9. Reduce the heat to low, cook until meat is heated through.  Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.  Discard bay leaves and rosemary before serving. 

“I don’t have time to stand in the kitchen all day” Version

This is a great crock-pot dish.  Depending on prep time available, there are two good points to put this in the crock-pot.

 Trying to get out the door right now:

·      Chop onions and garlic.

·      Season pork with salt and pepper.  Break sausage into small pieces.

·      Put all ingredients in the crock pot, turn on low, cook for 4-6 hours until done.

·      Follow steps 8 & 9 above.

 I’ve got about 20 minutes for prep:

·      Follow main Directions, steps 1-4.  Break sausage into small pieces.

·      Follow crock-pot instructions above.

Adapted from: Washington Post; adapted from “Big Night In,” by Domenica Marchetti (Chronicle Books, 2008)

Mushroom Ragu

Makes about 4 cups

Mushroom ragu served with rigatoni pasta

INGREDIENTS

Olive oil

24 oz. mushrooms – variety according to taste, including portabello

Freshly ground black pepper

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

¼ cup dry red wine

2 cans (14 oz.) diced tomatoes

2 fresh bay leaves

2 small sprigs rosemary

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oil in large, heavy bottomed Dutch oven or pot over medium heat.
2. Add onions to the pot.  Stir.
3. Add garlic.  Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent and garlic has softened.
4. Season mushrooms with pepper.  Place in pot with onions and garlic.  Stir until mushrooms are cooked through and soft.
5. Add the wine, stirring to incorporate.  Let mixture bubble for a minute or two.  Add tomatoes, bay leaves, and rosemary.  Reduce heat to medium-low.
6. Cover and cook for about 1-1 ½ hours, adjusting heat as needed so sauce cooks gently, without boiling.
7. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.  Discard bay leaves and rosemary before serving.