If you are shopping for a foodie this Christmas (or even if you are not) here is my broad guide to great Christmas gifts for the kitchen.  It’s a series of things that I love that make life in the kitchen better.  If you have any comments on things that I have listed or have things that I have missed, leave them in the comments.

Inexpensive Christmas Gifts & Stocking Stuffers: Under $25 

Wine Aerator

Adding air and slowing down the pour of your wine enhances flavor and bouquet. This unique aerator by slows the flow and gently adds oxygen into the wine by funnelling it through a series of channels inside.

Wondering if a wine aerator is worth the money and hassle?  It depends on the kind of wines that you drink.

Red wines intended to have earthy flavors or age for years in a cellar (and often cost more than $10 or $15) can get to their optimal flavor faster with aeration. Inexpensive and fruity red wines are often fruitiest and most enjoyable directly from the bottle and either don’t improve or taste worse with aeration. White wines (especially fruity white wines) generally don’t improve with aeration.

• Available from Amazon | $6

Soapstone Whisky Chilling Stones

Don’t let melting ice water down your drinks.  Instead use cold frozen soapstones to keep your whiskey cold and preserve it’s rich taste.

• Get it from Amazon | $3

Silicon Pastry Mat

Silicone's is both flexible and things won't stick to it.  It's ideal for rolling pastry and cookies.  It not only makes things easier on you but it means you can use less flour, resulting in a more delicate and tender product which means everyone wins.

• Purchase from Amazon | $10

Thoughtful yet Inexpensive Christmas Presents:  $25 to $50 

CucinaPro Pasta Fresh machine

Nothing beats a plate of truly fresh pasta. And now it's easy to roll out your own at home. Whether the craving is for spaghetti or fettuccine, this sturdy machine handles the job with efficiency and style. CuninaPro pasta maker looks great on the counter and is easy to use--there's nothing to plug in as this is the tried-and-true hand-crank variety.

The easy-lock adjustable dough-dialer rolls thick or thin pasta, and it comes with spaghetti and fettuccine cutters. Cutters for tagliatelle, ravioli and angel hair pasta are available separately

• Purchase from Amazon.com | $29

Aeropress Coffee Press

It makes one of the best cups of coffee you'll ever taste. This innovative uses the ideal water temperature and gentle air pressure brewing to produce coffee and espresso that has rich flavour with lower acidity and without bitterness. It makes 1 to 4 cups of coffee or espresso (enough for 1 or 2 mugs), features a micro filtered for grit free coffee, and takes just 1 minute to make coffee (actual press time takes only 20 seconds).

 Here is how it works

• Purchase from Amazon | $25

• Find it online at Amazon.com for $23

Belgium Waffle Iron

Enjoy delicious fluffy Belgian waffles with the Hamilton Beach Belgian Style Flip Waffle Maker. Made with easy to clean non-stick grids to bake the perfect waffle with deep pockets to hold butter and syrup. The indicator lights let you know just when to add the batter and the removable tray and grids make for easy clean-up.

• Purchase from Amazon | $35

Oxo Kitchen Scale

A scale is really necessary if you're going to do serious cooking because wherever possible, you should measure your ingredients by weight, not by volume. 

A given mass of flour can vary a lot in volume, depending on things like humidity, temperature, and how long it's been sitting.  A weight indicator shows the capacity left on the Scale before maximum capacity is reached. Press the zero button to offset the weight of a container or to set the weight back to zero to add additional ingredients. The display features large, easy-to-read numbers which measure in 1/8-ounce and 1-gram increments and the platform can be removed for cleaning. The Scale has a 5-pound capacity and two AAA batteries are included.

• Purchase from Amazon | $25

Cusinart Immersion Blender

Don't buy a cheap one--stick with Braun, Cuisinart, or KitchenAid.  They aren’t cutting edge but if you don’t have one, you don’t know what you are missing.  I use mine for my making Caesar Salad Dressing, mixing up packets of mix and pureeing soups

• Find it at Amazon | $35

With a stylish design and durable stainless steel carafe, this 8-cup coffeemaker is perfect for home, office or practically anywhere you want hot, fresh coffee at the touch of a button. All this, plus an easy-clean control panel and dishwasher-safe removable parts for effortless cleanup.  The advantage of the carafe is that you won’t be stuck with hot burnt coffee in case you don’t get it off the maker in time.  The coffee will be as hot and fresh later as it is right now.

• Purchase from Amazon | $48

• Available from Amazon for $57

The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day: The Discovery That Revolutionizes Home Baking

 

With more than half a million copies of their books in print, Jeff Hertzberg and Zoë François have proven that people want to bake their own bread, so long as they can do it easily and quickly. Based on fan feedback, Jeff and Zoë have completely revamped their first, most popular, and now-classic book, Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day.

Responding to their thousands of ardent fans, Jeff and Zoë returned to their test kitchens to whip up more delicious baking recipes. They’ve also included a gluten-free chapter, forty all-new gorgeous color photos, and one hundred informative black-and-white how-to photos. They’ve made the “Tips and Techniques” and “Ingredients” chapters bigger and better than ever before, and included readers’ Frequently Asked Questions.

This revised edition also includes more than thirty brand-new recipes for Beer-Cheese Bread, Crock-Pot Bread, Panini, Pretzel Buns, Apple-Stuffed French Toast, and many more. There’s nothing like the smell of freshly baked bread to fill a kitchen with warmth, eager appetites, and endless praise. Now, using Jeff and Zoë’s innovative technique, you can create bread that rivals those of the finest bakers in the world in just five minutes of active preparation time.

• You can get it for $19 from Amazon

 Alcohol Dispenser for Vodka, Whiskey, etc

For centuries, whiskies have been aged in wooden kegs. The charring on the inside of the keg helps to filter the beverage from impurities while also giving whiskey its unique, brown color. 
To celebrate the advent of the slow, smoothing, and character building process of aging liquors, here is a handsome glass keg decanter complete with a wooden resting cradle. 

• Find it at Amazon | $60 

Lodge Pre-Seasoned Sportsman's Charcoal Grill

If you are a griller who loves to cook on charcoal, you will want to check out this cast iron hibachi grill.

• Measures 19 by 10-1/4 by 8-1/4-inch; limited lifetime warranty.
• 2 Adjustable heights temper cooking speed; wash by hand
• Draft door regulates heat; coals accessible behind flip-down door
• Cooking grate measures 17-1/4 by 9-inch; seasoned and ready to use
• Rugged, charcoal, hibachi-style grill made of durable cast iron

• Purchase at Amazon.com | $95

Bodum Tea Press

A lovely way to brew tea to your exact preference, the Bodum Shin Cha tea press combines elegant shaping with crafty functionality. The spherical glass pot features a stainless-steel plunge infuser inside and a stainless-steel lid. Fill the infuser with loose leaf or tea bags, add hot water, wait the desired amount of steeping time, then plunge. The plunger pushes the tea below the infuser holes, so brewing stops on a dime and tea does not over steep to the point of bitterness. To clean up, the unit goes safely in the dishwasher. With its glass spout, body, and handle, the Shin Cha showcases tea colors beautifully but does require somewhat careful handling. 

• Purchase at Amazon.com | $67

Burr coffee grinder

For grinding larger quantities of coffee beans for a coffee-drinking crowd, Capresso's commercial-grade Infinity grinder handles 8-1/2 ounces of beans at a time. Sixteen different settings--four each in the four categories of extra fine, fine, regular, and coarse--let you adjust the grind to the specific blend of coffee and method of brewing. The finest setting is ideal for preparing Turkish coffee, which is a rare feature to find in a grinder.

A built-in timer sets the grind for anywhere between 5 and 60 seconds so you can walk away without having to constantly press a button to continue the grinding process. The Infinity has an advanced conical burr design made of steel that is usually only found on commercial grinders. This burr design slows down the gears and reduces the amount of friction and heat to preserve coffee's flavour and aroma. The coffee container holds up to 4 ounces of grounds and remains sealed during grinding. For safety, the bean container also needs to be locked into place for the Infinity to operate. For easy cleaning, the bean container and upper burr lift off so you can clean the grinding chamber with the included brush and wipe down the exterior housing.

• Purchase from Amazon | $100

Cuisinart 5-in-1 Griddler

Yes you have a George Forman grill but this is so much more than that.  The Cuisinart Griddler is actually five appliances in one. A hinged, floating cover and one set of removable and reversible cooking plates turn the Griddler into a contact grill, panini press, full grill, full griddle, or half grill/half griddle. Dual temperature controls and indicator lights make this product easy to use.

Kitchenaid Convection Oven

It’s a great replacement for the stove in the summer and a supplement to the oven when you are making a big meal or for parties.  I am surprised how much cooking and baking I can do with it.

• Purchase at Amazon | $130

Kitchenaid Stand Mixer

The Professional 600 TM has a powerful motor that is crafted for commercial-style performance, the direct drive, all-steel gear transmission delivers unyielding power for professional results. The mixer can effectively mix up to 14 cups of all-purpose flour per recipe and produce up to 8 pounds of mashed potatoes. The Soft Start mixing feature helps minimize ingredient splatter and flour puff with gentle acceleration to selected speed after start-up. Electronic Speed Sensor monitors operation to maintain precise mixer speed. Commercial-style motor protection automatically shuts off the mixer when overload is sensed to protect the motor. Durable all-steel gears provide reliable service. The mixer includes a 6-quart-capacity stainless-steel mixing bowl with a contoured handle, as well as a professional wire whip, a burnished flat beater, a spiral dough hook, and a one piece pouring shield. Its multipurpose attachment hub with a hinged hub cover flips open to allow for easy installation of attachments. The Professional 600 Series bowl-lift design raises the bowl into the mixing position, and its solid, truly seamless one-piece motor head design is easy to clean and comes in a variety of fashionable colors.

• Purchase from Amazon.com | $329

• Full tang extends the length of the knife, adding balance and strength
• Triple-riveted, ergonomic handle ensures comfort and control
• Satin-finish, stainless steel blade provides precise cutting, peeling and slicing
• 18 Pieces Forged Premio Knife Block. Set Includes 3 inches paring knife, 5 inches serrated utility knife, 6 inches utility knife, 7 inches santoku hollow edge, 8 inches chef's knife, 9 inches sharpening steel, 8 inches bread knife, 5 inches boning knife, kitchen shears.Stamped Steak Knives (8 Pieces) Hardwood Block

• Find it at Amazon | $200

If you are looking for a set of knives a step up in quality, check out the Zwilling J.A. Henckels Twin Signature 19-Piece Knife Set with Block for $330.  If you want to go nuts on a knife set, you will want to look at the Zwilling J.A. Henckels Twin Pro-S 18-Piece Knife Set with Block

The J.A. Henckels Twin Professional S (or Pro S) knife series features trustworthy quality and classic three-rivet styling--it’s a line of knives admired by both professional chefs and home cooks of all skill levels. The Twin Pro S line contains knives for all tasks, including the following open stock knife types: parer, bread, peeling, sandwich, utility, carving, steak, chef’s, Granton edge slicer, santoku, and others. Twin Pro S knives are also available in a range of block sets and gift sets, to be sure that your cutlery needs are covered.

 

Out of Old Saskatchewan Kitchens

• Get it locally at McNally Robinson or from Chapters/Indigo for $25.

Canon Powershot S120

 

For the Foodie and food reviewer on your list, check out the Canon Powershot S120 camera.  Why do you want it?  It’s compact and great in low light which means that your food shots in a restaurant or even in your own home won’t need a flash.  No more washed out looking meals or annoying waiters and those around you.  Great photos also mean better reviews and more traffic to your blog.

If you are looking for more or past Christmas Gift Guides, check out my husbands excellent series of Christmas gift and idea guides that he posts each year on his website.  If you think I am missing something, let me know in the comments below.

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 2 tablespoons lobster base
• 3 1/2 cups 2% low-fat milk
• 1 cup white wine or 1 cup cooking sherry
• 8 ounces monterey jack cheese, shredded
• 1 (4 ounce) cans baby shrimp
• 2 (8 ounce) packages imitation crabmeat, flake style
• 10 (6 inch) flour tortillas, old mission restaurant style
• paprika

Sauce Directions

1. Melt butter in a 2 quart saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add flour.
3. Cook and stir for 5 minutes(should have a nutty aroma).
4. Add 1/2 tsp white pepper.
5. Stir in 2 tbsps lobster base and cook for an additional minute.
6. Add milk & wine.
7. Add 2 oz. of the cheese.
8. Continue to cook until thickened.

Crab Mix Directions

1. Lightly chop the flaked imitation crab.
2. Combine with shrimp in a medium size bowl.
3. Add 1.5 cups of cold sauce.
4. Mix well.

Enchilada Directions

1. Lay out the tortillas on a flat surface.
2. Place 2 to 3 heaping tablespoons of the crab mix across the center of each tortilla.
3. Place flap of the tortilla over the crab mix and roll.
4. Place flap side down onto a plate or in your baking dish.
5. Ladle warm sauce over the enchiladas.
6. Top with remaining monterey jack cheese.
7. Put into a preheated 425 degree convection oven for 12-14 minutes. In a conventional oven you may want to microwave on high for a minute or 2 before placing in the oven.
8. Watch and do not allow to burn(brown spots).
9. Sprinkle with paprika.

There are a lot of mediocre beef stroganoff recipe's out there but after trying this one, I think you will agree with me that it stands out and is still easy to make.

Ingredients

• 500 g beef strips or fast fry steaks, cut into thin strips
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp fresh-ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 227-g pkg sliced cremini mushrooms
• 5 cups no-yolk egg noodles
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 cup 35% cream
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves

Directions

1. Boil a large pot of water for noodles.
2. Toss meat with flour, salt and pepper in a medium bowl until well coated.
3. Melt 2 tbsp butter in a large non-stick frying pan set over medium-high. Add meat and stir for about 3 min. Transfer to a bowl. Add remaining butter to pan, then onion and mushrooms. Cook until mushrooms start to soften, about 4 min.
4. Add noodles to boiling water and cook, following package directions. Add wine to mushrooms and cook until absorbed, about 3 min. Add cream and return meat and any juices to pan. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until sauce starts to thicken, about 2 min. Stir in thyme. Drain noodles and serve meat sauce overtop.

Ingredients

• 6 green chiles -- skinned, seeded, chopped
• 2 teaspoon fresh ginger -- peel,chop
• 4 cl Garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 2 pound sirloin steak -- cut in-1/2 inch strips
• 6 tablespoons of oil
• 2 cups onion -- chopped
• 2 Bell peppers -- cut in strips

1. Puree chiles, ginger, garlic, spices, and wine to a smooth paste.
2. Brown beef in hot oil.
3. When evenly browned, remove and drain off all but 2T oil.
4. Saute onion in the oil until soft but not browned.
5. Add the bell peppers and saute for an additional 3 mins.
6. Add the chile puree and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
7. Add the beef and mix until strips are coated with sauce.
8. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes more until the beef is done.

The entire collection can be viewed at Yahoo!

Ingredients

• 2 pounds of dried lasagna noodles
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 pounds of ground beef
• 2 pounds of ground Italian sausage
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 cup of finely chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon of chopped oregano leaves
• 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
• 2 cups of red wine
• 2 (28-ounce) cans of tomatoes (recommended: San Marzano)
• 3 tablespoons of heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 quarts ricotta cheese, (2 containers)
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound of mozzarella cheese, shredded
• Grated Parmesan and mozzarella, for topping

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cook the lasagna noodles in plenty of boiling salted water until pliable and barely tender, about 10 minutes. Stir with a wooden spoon to prevent sticking. Drain the noodles thoroughly and coat with olive oil to keep them moist and easy to work with.
3. Coat a large skillet with olive oil, add beef and sausage and brown until no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. In a food processor, combine the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, basil, parsley, an oregano. Process until pureed, add to the pan with the ground meat and stir to combine. Stir in the flour. Add the wine and cook until it has reduced by half. Stir in the tomatoes and add the heavy cream and the cinnamon.
4. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta and the parmesan. Stir in the eggs and season with salt and pepper.
5. To assemble the lasagna: Coat the bottom of a deep 13 by 9-inch pan with olive oil. Arrange 4 noodles lengthwise in a slightly overlapping layer on the sauce. Then, line each end of the pan with a lasagna noodle. This forms a collar that holds in the corners. Dollop 1/2 of the ricotta mixture over the pasta, spread to the edges with a spatula. Spread 1/2 of the meat mixture over the ricotta. Sprinkle 1/2 of the mozzarella on top of the ricotta. Top with a ladle full of sauce, spread evenly. Repeat with the next layer of noodles, ricotta, sauce, and cheeses. Top last layer with noodles, sauce, shredded mozzarella and Parmesan. Tap the pan to force out air bubbles. Bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven. Let lasagna rest for 30 minutes so the noodles will settle and cut easily. Cut into 2-inch squares and serve.

In the video below he tells you what to do if someone puts ice in your whiskey.

Fun even if you aren't a whiskey drinker.  

Richard Paterson is one of the world’s best-known Master Blenders, having travelled the globe extensively as an ambassador not just for Whyte & Mackay, but for Scotland, becoming a Master Blender at the incredibly early age of 26.

The Master Blender’s role is undeniably one of the most important and complex in the whisky making process.
With a truly unique talent for ‘nosing whisky’, one of the main tasks of the position is nosing often hundreds of samples of whisky over the course of a day, and being able to distinguish each to maintain particular layers of flavour, aroma and depth.

The Master Blender is ultimately responsible for creating whiskies, watching them closely as they mature, maintaining quality and ensuring they are released when they are their best.

Richard began his career as a general production assistant at A. Giles & Company Whisky Blenders & Brokers where he learned the art of blending before joining Whyte & Mackay, one of Scotland’s leading makers and distributors of Scotch whisky. Richard is a former president of The Wine & Spirit Club of Scotland and the Institute of Wine & Spirits in Scotland.

He has been awarded The Spirit of Scotland Trophy at the International Wine & Spirit Competition and is a Diploma Lecturer for Scotch Whisky for the Wine & Spirit Education Trust in London. In 2008 Richard published his very own book, Goodness Nose.

via

From the New York Magazine

What is decanting? Simply put, it means transferring (decanting) the contents of a wine bottle into another receptacle (the decanter) before serving. It may sound silly (how can pouring wine from one vessel into another make it taste better?), but it works.

Wine geeks love to sit around for hours and debate the pros and cons of this procedure, but I'm confident -- based on my experience of opening, decanting and tasting hundreds of thousands of bottles of wine -- that careful decanting can improve most any wine.

Obviously, it's not the mere act of shifting liquid from one container to another that accounts for the magic of decanting. Rather, when you decant a bottle of wine, two things happen. First, slow and careful decanting allows wine (particularly older wine) to separate from its sediment, which, if left mixed in with the wine, will impart a very noticeable bitter, astringent flavor. Second, when you pour wine into a decanter, the resulting agitation causes the wine to mix with oxygen, enabling it to develop and come to life at an accelerated pace (this is particularly important for younger wine).

Check out the New York Magazine for information on how to decant.

Ingredients

• 4 large yellow onions -- thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup butter
• 3 cups rich beef stock
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup medium dry sherry
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 clove garlic – minced
• 6 slices of buttered French bread
• 1/4 cup of Romano or parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Using a large frying pan, slowly sauté the onions in butter until limp and glazed.  Transfer to crock-pot.
2. Add beef stock, white wine, sherry, Worcestershire and garlic. Cover.  Cook on low (200F) 6 to 8 hours.
3. Place French bread on a baking sheet.  Sprinkle with cheese. Place under preheated broiler until lightly toasted.  To serve, ladle soup into bowl.  Float a slice of toasted French bread on top.

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut up
• 1 1/2 cups slicked fresh mushrooms
• 1/2 cup sliced green onions
• 1 3/4 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules
• 1 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 can (5 ounces) evaporated milk
• 5 teaspoons cornstarch
• Hot cooked rice

Directions

1. Combine salt, pepper, and paprika in a small bowl; sprinkle over chicken
2. Layer, chicken, mushrooms, green onions and bouillon in a slow cooker.  Pour white wine and water over the top.  Cover; cook on HIGH for 3 hours or on low for 5 to 6 hours.  Remove chicken and vegetables to platter; cover to keep warm.
3. Combine evaporated milk and cornstarch in a small saucepan, stirring until smooth.  Add 2 cups liquid from the slow cooker; bring to a boil.  Boil 1 minute or until thickened, stirring constantly.
4. Serve chicken over rice and top with sauce.

Makes 3 to 4 servings

• 3 pounds beef round steak, 1/2 inch thick
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 2 medium onions thinly sliced and separated into rings
• 2 cans (4oz each) sliced mushrooms drained or -- 1/2 lb mushrooms
• 1 can (10  1/2 oz) condensed beef broth
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 1/2 cups sour cream
• 1/4 cup flour, hot buttered noodles or fluffy rice
• 3 tablespoons fresh minced parsley

1. Trim all excess fat from steak and cut meat into 3 inch strips about 1/2 inch wide.  Combine 1/2 cup flour, the salt, pepper and dry mustard; toss with steak strips to coat thoroughly.  Place coated steak strips in crockpot; stir in onion rings, white wine, beef broth, and mushrooms.
2. Before serving combine sour cream with 1/4 cup flour; stir into crockpot.  Serve Stroganoff over hot buttered noodles garnished with minced parsley.

Click if you want a full sized graphic.

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 2 tablespoons lobster base
• 3 1/2 cups 2% low-fat milk
• 1 cup white wine or 1 cup cooking sherry
• 8 ounces monterey jack cheese, shredded
• 1 (4 ounce) can baby shrimp
• 2 (8 ounce) packages imitation crabmeat , flake style
• 10 (6 inch) flour tortillas, old mission restaurant style
• paprika

Directions:

Sauce

1. Melt the butter in a 2 quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour.  Cook and stir for 5 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon of white pepper. Stir in 2 tablespoons lobster base and cook for an additional minute. Add milk & wine.  Add 2 oz. of the cheese.  Continue to cook until thickened.

Crab Mix

1. Lightly chop the flaked imitation crab.  Combine with shrimp in a medium size bowl.  Add 1.5 cups of cold sauce and mix well. 

Enchiladas

1. Lay out the tortillas on a flat surface and place 2 to 3 heaping tablespoons of the crab mix across the center of each tortilla.  Place flap of the tortilla over the crab mix and roll.

2. Place flap side down onto a plate or in your baking dish.  Ladle warm sauce over the enchiladas and top with remaining monterey jack cheese.

3. Put into a preheated 425 degree convection oven for 12-14 minutes. In a conventional oven you may want to microwave on high for a minute or 2 before placing in the oven.  Watch and do not allow to burn(brown spots).

4. Sprinkle with paprika.

• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 1/4 cup of flour
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup of shredded Swiss cheese
• 2 cup of chicken (cooked, fine chopped)
• 1/4 cup of celery (finely chopped)
• 2 tablespoons of Pimento (chopped)
• 2 tablespoons of dry white wine
• 1/4 cup of mayonnaise

1. Melt butter in 1/4 cup boiling water. Add flour and a dash of salt; stir vigorously.
2. Cook and stir until mixture forms a ball that doesn't separate.
3. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
4. Add egg; beat vigorously until smooth. Stir in cheese.
5. Drop dough onto greased baking sheet, using 1 level teaspoon dough for each puff.
6. Bake at 400F for 20 minutes. Remove from oven; cool and split.
7. Combine remaining ingredients, 1/2 teaspoon salt and dash of pepper. Fill each puff with 2 teaspoons.

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb boneless sirloin steak (preferably top butt; about 1 inch thick)
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped rosemary
• 2/3 cup dry white wine

1. Trim excess fat, then thinly slice steak. Toss with flour, 3/4 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper.
2. Heat 1 1/2 Tbsp oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté steak in 2 or 3 batches until no longer pink on the outside, about 2 minutes per batch, adding 1 1/2 Tbsp more oil as needed. Transfer to a plate.
3. Sauté garlic and rosemary in remaining Tbsp oil over medium-high heat until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine and 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper and boil, scraping up brown bits, until reduced by half. Return beef with juices to skillet and warm through.

From the Globe and Mail

As the wine flows, it undergoes turbulence, accelerating its contact with air. Oxygen can enhance a wine’s aroma and also, especially in the case of reds, soften astringent tannins. The wine will taste more complex and smoother. Even young bottles can benefit, especially those sealed under screw cap. If you don’t own an aerator… you can accomplish much the same effect with a decanter or any pitcher. Empty the bottle into the vessel, then pour it from the decanter into glasses. Or, if you don’t have a decanter, swirl the wine in your glass.

While you are at it, you may as well learn how to taste wine properly.

by Chef Mollie Ahlstrand and found in The Oprah Magazine Cookbook.

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil.
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 pound button or wild mushrooms (such as porcini, cremini, shiitake) with stems removed, chopped)
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1/2 tsp. salt.
• 1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper
• 24 small (1/2 in thick) slices of country-style bread (preferably ciabatta) toasted.
• 1 pound fresh salted buffalo mozzarella, cut into 24 slices.
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh Italian parsley

Directions

1. Preheat over to 375 degrees.  In a 12-inch non-stick skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Sauté garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add chopped mushrooms and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes.  Pour in wine; increase heat to high and cook, stirring, until liquid evaporates, about 5 minutes.  Mix in salt and pepper.
2. Arrange break on a large country-style bread baking sheet.  Top each piece with a slice of mozzarella.  Bake 5 to 7 minutes, until cheese is melted.
3. Top crostini with mushroom mixture; sprinkle with parsley.  Serve warm.

Makes six servings.

Readers Digest asked two dozen servers from across the country tell you if they could get away with it? Well, for starters, when to go out, what not to order, what really happens behind the kitchen’s swinging doors, and what they think of you and your tips. Here, from a group that clears a median $8.01 an hour in wages and tips, a few revelations that aren’t on any menu.

• On Christmas Day, when people ask why I’m there, I might say, “My sister’s been in the hospital,” or, “My brother’s off to war, so we’re celebrating when he gets back.” Then I rake in the tips.
• If you make a big fuss about sending your soup back because it’s not hot enough, we like to take your spoon and run it under really hot water, so when you put the hot spoon in your mouth, you’re going to get the impression—often the very painful impression—that your soup is indeed hot.
• I’ve seen some horrible things done to people’s food: steaks dropped on the floor, butter dipped in the dishwater.
• I get this call all the time: “Is the chef there? This is so-and-so. I’m a good friend of his.” If you’re his good friend, you’d have his cell.
• Trust your waitress. Say something like “Hey, it’s our first time in. We want you to create an experience for us. Here’s our budget.” Your server will go crazy for you.
• If you walk out with the slip you wrote the tip on and leave behind the blank one, the server gets nothing. It happens all the time, especially with people who’ve had a few bottles of wine.
• If you’re worried about cleanliness, check out the bathroom. If the bathroom is gross, you can be sure the kitchen is much worse.

Ingredients

• 1 pkg (250 g) light cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup (50 mL) light mayonnaise
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp (1 mL) pepper
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) dry white wine
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup (50 mL) grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1 pkg (227 g) imitation crab meat, Flake Style, chopped, divided
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) chopped fresh parsley

Directions

• Beat cream cheese, mayonnaise, garlic and pepper until smooth. Gradually beat in wine. Stir in green onions, 2 tbsp (30 mL) Parmesan cheese and half the crab.
• Spread evenly in 8” (20 cm) pie plate; sprinkle with remaining crab and Parmesan. Bake at 375°F (190°C) about 20 minutes or until bubbling. Cool slightly; sprinkle with parsley. Serve with crackers.
• Hint: For convenience, prepare this spread up to 24 hours ahead; cover and refrigerate. Bake, uncovered, at serving time. Also great baked and served chilled. Instead of wine, substitute 1/2 cup (125 mL) chicken broth.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp garlic oil

• 75g/2½ oz pancetta cubes

• 6 spring onions, finely sliced

• 1 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary

• 500g/1lb boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces

• ½ tsp celery salt

• 125ml/4½fl oz white wine

• 1 x 400g/14oz can chopped tomatoes

• 2 bay leaves

• ½ tsp sugar

• 1 x 400g/14oz can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (optional).  You can also serve it with steamed rice.  I prefer Basmati rice.

Directions

1. Heat the garlic oil in a pan and fry the pancetta, spring onions and chopped rosemary for 2-3 minutes.

2. Add the chicken pieces, sprinkle in the celery salt and stir well.

3. Pour in the wine and bring to a simmer, then add the tomatoes, bay leaves and sugar. Cover with a lid and leave to simmer for 20 minutes.

4. Add the drained cannellini beans, if using, and simmer until the beans are warmed through and the chicken is completely cooked through.

5. To serve, divide among four serving dishes.