Holiday Green Beans

1 lb French green beans
24 oz cherry tomatoes ( I like Nature Sweet Cherubs – or the multicolor heirloom mix )
4 oz pancetta, cubed
1 shallot, thinly sliced
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
Kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Season with 3 tablespoons of kosher salt. Add green beans, cover and cook for three minutes. Drain green beans and rinse with very cold water.  Set aside.

On a rimmed baking sheet add tomatoes, pancetta and shallots.  Toss with olive oil and salt and pepper.  Roast for 15-20 minutes until tomatoes are slightly browned and bubbly.

In a saute pan, melt butter over medium high heat.  Add green beans and toss to coat and heat through – approximately 3 minutes. 

Remove green beans to serving dish.  Top with roasted tomato mixture and garnish with freshly grated parmesan.

Spicy Lentil & Sausage Soup

The original recipe for this soup (which I must make at least twice a month in the winter!) was inspired by grandmother’s rich and hearty lentil soup. I’ve spiced things up a bit with Wheaton Meat Company’s hot sausage!

1 ½ lbs hot Italian sausage (casings removed )*
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
5 carrots, peeled & diced
5 celery stalks, diced
1 large sweet onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
48 ounces chicken stock*
16 oz bag of green lentils, picked through & rinsed*
28 oz San Marzano chopped tomatoes 
Salt & Pepper to taste
½ cup parsley, finely chopped
Parmesan Cheese for serving

Notes:
Ingredients I prefer to use in this soup:
Wheaton Meat Company – Hot Sausage
San Marzano brand tomatoes can be found at Whole Foods
Kitchen Basics Organic Chicken Stock
Trader Joe’s Small Green Lentils

Coat the bottom of a large heavy dutch oven ( I like to use Le Creuset ) with extra virgin olive oil.  Over medium high heat , brown sausage and remove to a serving plate.  

In the same pan, add additional extra virgin olive oil to coat and over medium heat cook carrots, celery and onion until translucent ( about 5-7 minutes).  Reduce heat and add the minced garlic.  

Add back the sausage, chopped tomatoes, chicken stock and bring to a simmer.  Cook for approximately 60 minutes uncovered, or until soup is thickened and lentils are soft.  Occasionally stir to prevent sticking – you may need to add water if the soup is getting too thick. 

Adjust seasoning by adding salt and pepper. Five minutes before stirring add in the parsley and stir.

Serve with grated parmesan cheese. Excellent paired with Tri-colore salad and crusty French bread.

Holiday Butter Buttons

Originally from Connecticut, my family has been in the restaurant business for over 50 years. “Song Of My Heart” was a small baking business.  Using only the finest ingredients, I had so much fun creating delicious pretty cookies for all occasions.  There’s no time like the holidays to enjoy sweet treats  with family and friends. These delicate buttery bite sized treats are sure to please!

Cookie:
¾ cup butter, softened
¾ cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt

Cream Cheese Icing:
8 oz cream cheese, softened
½ cup butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the cookie:

In a large bowl cream the butter until smooth.  Incorporate the sugar and beat until creamy.  Add the egg, vanilla and almond extract and mix until fully incorporated.

In a large mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt.  Slowly add the dry ingredients  to the creamed mixture until the dough comes together.  Form the dough into a disk and chill for in the fridge for one hour. 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line cookies sheets with parchment paper.  

On a floured surface, roll dough ¼ inch thick.  For this mini version I used a 1 ½ fluted circle cutter.  Transfer to baking sheets.

Bake for 7 minutes – these are soft buttery cookies – DO NOT BROWN.

Let cool completely before icing.

For the icing:

To make the cream cheese and butter until smooth.  Add powdered sugar and vanilla and continue to beat until it is smooth and creamy.  

Using a disposable icing bag and Wilton tip # 1M pipe a star on the top each cookie with holiday nonpareils ( must be done when the icing is wet ).

Tomato, Corn & Cilantro Salad

Serve this super fresh salad at room temp for a fuller flavor. Best when made with native or high quality cherry tomatoes such as Mighty Vine Robinio. It’s also fun to mix it up by adding heirloom cherry tomatoes if you can find them. I am obsessed with the Barrel Aged Balsamic Vinegar & Arbequina Olive Oil from Fig & Olive. Top it all off with micro cilantro greens from Heritage Farms. Delish!

Salad:
2 - (11-12oz) packages of cherry tomatoes, washed & halved
6 ears of fresh corn, shucked & cut off of the cob
1 - 1.25 ounce package of micro cilantro greens
3 tablespoons of good quality aged balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons of good quality olive oil
1 teaspoon flaky salt
½ teaspoon fresh black pepper

Mix all ingredients together. Serve at room temp. Enjoy! Variation: Dice up two ripe avocados and add to the salad.

Sources: Fig & Olive - oils and vinegars can be purchased on their site. Mighty Vine Tomatoes - sold at Whole Foods Market & sometimes can be found at Jewel-Osco.

Whoopie Pies

These moist chocolaty treats are a Schwager family favorite. We love to dress them up by adding sprinkles to the sides - fun for holidays and special events. Don’t judge the filling ingredients before trying - also known as “Poor Mans Icing” - trust me you will be addicted at first bite!

Pies:
½ cup shortening ( i like to use Crisco sticks - easy to use - no messy measuring cup)
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup cocoa powder (i like to use Rodelle - a little more expensive, but it’s worth it)
2 cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Using an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and incorporate. Add the vanilla. Add dry ingredients and blend. Slowly incorporate the milk. Drop by rounded tablespoon 2 inches apart onto a baking sheet lined with parchment (tip: i use a small ice cream scoop for uniformity). Bake for 8 minutes. Cool completely.

Filling:
5 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1 stick of butter (½ cup)
½ cup of shortening ( again, I like to use the Crisco sticks)
1 cup sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla

Cook flour and milk over low heat, whisking constantly until a paste forms. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely. Using an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and shortening. Incorporate the sugar and vanilla. Add cooled flour mixture and blend until smooth. Assemble the pies: I think it’s easiest to transfer the filling to a Ziploc bag and snip the end about an inch. We like to add colored sprinkles to dress them up. Refrigerate a minimum of an hour before serving ( and keep leftovers in the fridge - if there are any :). Enjoy!

Makes approximately 18 pies