Tuesday, December 09, 2008

'DECK THE HALLS' ~ WINTER GREENS with CRANBERRY PORT VINAIGRETTE / EGGNOG MUFFINS

Deck the halls with boughs of holly,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.



WINTER GREENS with CRANBERRY PORT VINAIGRETTE
~ Delicious 'wilted' salad clipped from Bon Appetit (Dec 1992)
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1 cup tawny port
1/3 cup sliced shallots
1 cup fresh cranberries
1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
3 Tbsp. raspberry vinegar or red wine vinegar
coarse salt & freshly ground pepper
8 cups assorted greens
2/3 cup crumbled Stilton or blue cheese
1/4 cup chopped pistachios
  • Combine Port and shallots in heavy small saucepan. Boil until liquid is reduced to 2 Tbsp. about 10 minutes. Add Cranberries, oil and vinegar. Boil 3 minutes. Season vinaigrette with salt & freshly cracked pepper.
  • Combine greens in large bowl. Pour vinaigrette over greens and toss. Sprinkle with cheese and nuts. Toss lightly and serve warm with Eggnog Muffins.(6 servings)
________
EGGNOG MUFFINS
3 cups flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 large organic eggs
1 cup milk or sour cream
1/2 cup melted unsalted butter
2 tsp. rum (or rum extract)
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • Preheat oven to 400-degrees.
  • Combine flour, baking power, sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon in large bowl. In medium bowl, whisk eggs, milk, oil and rum. Pour liquid ingredients over dry and stir, just until mixed. Spoon batter evenly into 12 large greased muffin cups.
  • Combine remaining sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over muffin tops.
  • Bake in oven for 20 minutes or until golden. (12 muffins)

8 comments:

Meems said...

Hello Joey, You've done a fine job of decking the halls. Your beautiful photography is worthy of any hall at Christmas or otherwise. happy day.
Meems

Anonymous said...

Eggnog muffins -- how great is that?! Another recipe to try!

Roses and Lilacs said...

I love your photo collages.

The eggnog muffins sound yummy.

I bought a pint of Jack Daniels Eggnog the other day. I could get addicted to that.
Marnie

Anonymous said...

oooo - you are so Christmasy over here! Lovely.
K

Pat said...

Intoxicating recipies...
Hmmm...'tis the season?

joey said...

I finally had a moment to pop over and visit your beautiful world, Meems. 'Deck your halls' after dark ... if the weather here was still conducive to living outside, believe me, I would choose for outside living and hone inside after dark.

Thanks Nancy ... perhaps if you try these muffins, think of me ;)

Dear Marnie ~ I often sip wine when cooking but ... Jack Daniels ... watch out ;) anything you cook, good or bad, might taste good!

Hi Karen ... I'm popping over for a visit and peekin' in to see if you've been 'good or bad' ;)

Indeed, 'tis the season, dear Patsi!

Marysol said...

You really do know how to deck the halls, my dear!

My tree is partially decorated.
Truth is, I've only managed to put lights on two thirds of the tree.
Hopefully, I'll get all of it done before Santa infiltrates the house through the fireplace.
In the meantime, Thumper and I have began working on a Gingerbread decoration. News at 11, or perhaps the 25th, at the rate we're going.

Merry Christmas, my creative friend!

joey said...

Ooh! A joint venture ... can't wait to see the masterpiece (wish I was a little elf; I'd peek in your window).