Exploring Autumn’s Delicious Trends with Corporate Chef, Barry Greenberg
…
You can expect Pumpkin Spice, Apple Cider, Spicy Maple Syrup, Ube & Savory Grains on this fall/winter menu, according to Chef Barry Greenberg, culinary team lead at Hormel Foods.
…
Chef Barry Greenberg is an award-winning culinarian and is the Culinary Team Lead at Hormel Foods. But more to the point, he’s a lover of all things autumn. We asked Chef Barry to weigh in on this year’s fall food trends. Read what he had to say about this season’s trending flavors.
“Since I began cooking, I have always felt that fall is the best time to be in the kitchen. Things start to settle down into a rhythm, whether kids are back in school or off to college. Everyone has their own pace,” said Greenberg. “Luckily, we’re again in a position to allow friends and family to easily gather to share food and good times together.”
Greenberg continues, “If you’re into cooking fall vegetables, your time has come. Stews, soups and warm broths are making their way back into your repertoire. Apples, pears, pumpkins and all the squash take a lead role in my baking during fall. Maybe you’re learning some new bread-baking techniques like sourdough, pretzel dough or croissants. Long, slow braises with aromatics, legumes and meat kick off a cooler-weather cooking season at my house.”
“Here are some of the trends and flavors I’m looking forward to this fall.”
…
Pumpkin Spice
“Of course, it wouldn’t be fall without pumpkin spice everything. It’s everywhere, and I don’t think it’s going anywhere anytime soon, either.”
Portable protein balls with Skippy® peanut butter are easy to customize and great to bring along with you for a full day of fun fall activities.
In large bowl, combine peanut butter, rolled oats, pumpkin, maple syrup, 1 tablespoon cinnamon and vanilla.
Shape into 24 balls.
Store in refrigerator.
For the Garnish
Roll balls in desired garnish.
…
Apple Cider
“Another fan favorite this time of year is apple cider. I really love a cider that is apple specific instead of a generic ‘everything in the masher’ type of cider. When you can find a specific flavor profile, the apple flavor really comes through and the appropriate sugar content for the apple is present. Whether it’s hot or cold, fall is cider season.”
This apple cider snack mix is like having autumn in the palm of your hand. Great for entertaining or snacking on the go, this mix is easy and bursts with the taste of fall.
Heat oven to 250°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil.
In large bowl, combine cereal and cashews.
In medium saucepan over medium heat, combine brown sugar, corn syrup and butter. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. Stir in cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, and salt.
Pour mixture over cereal and cashews. Toss to combine. Transfer mixture to prepared baking sheet.
Bake 45 to 50 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool. Stir in dried apple chips.
…
Spicy Maple Syrup
“Hot or spicy maple syrup is something that I hope to see more of in restaurants. I spent a lot of time in Vermont and love a very dark, robust syrup. Spicy maple is usually seasoned with some type of chili pod. Maple syrup is really a spring harvest item, but I always think of it as part of a fall breakfast. It goes great with bacon, sausage and obviously pancakes.”
This SPAM® waffle musubi is a clever way to spice up your breakfast with a fiery blend of savory and sweet.
…
…
SPAM® Classic and Waffle Musubi with Spicy Maple Syrup
Place flour, eggs and breadcrumbs in separate shallow dishes. Dredge SPAM® Classic slices in flour, dip in eggs and roll in breadcrumbs.
In large skillet, pour enough vegetable oil to cover bottom by 1-inch. Heat oil over medium-high heat. Add breaded SPAM® Classic slices to skillet and fry 3 to 5 minutes, turning once, until golden brown. Remove from skillet.
With moist hands, mold rice into eight blocks with same dimensions as SPAM® slices. Place rice blocks on halved waffles. Top with breaded SPAM® Classic slice. Wrap individual nori strips around each middle, moistening edge of nori to fasten it.
In small bowl, combine maple syrup and hot sauce. Serve on side or drizzle on.
…
Ube
“I have been thinking a lot about ube lately. It’s is a beautiful deep purple yam that has some nutty-flavor undertones and can be used for baking, as a mashed side dish and even in ice cream. Yes, ice cream (when used in its powdered form). It’s a beautiful color and a somewhat familiar flavor that is going to keep gaining popularity.”
This skillet roll brings the subtle sweetness of ube to the familiar flavor of a cinnamon roll put together with slices of savory Hormel® Black Label®bacon and baked in a skillet.
slices Hormel® Black Label® bacon, plus more for garnish if desired
1
(10-ounce) jar ube paste or jam
ICING
1
cup powdered sugar
2
tablespoons tablespoons ube paste or jam
2
tablespoons milk, or more to thin
Directions
Heat oven to 350°F. Grease a 10-inch cast iron skillet or glass pie plate.
Prepare bacon by placing slices on paper-towel-lined microwaveable plate. Cover with paper towel. Microwave for 3 to 4 minutes or until cooked, but pliable.
Roll dough out into a large, symmetrical rectangle, approximately 18-inch by 8-inch. Spread ube paste evenly over dough. Using a pizza cutter, make four horizontal strips, 2-inches wide. Place bacon end to end on strips and start tightly rolling dough and bacon strips into one large roll.
Place in center of prepared pan. Bake 30 to 40 minutes, or until it’s deep golden brown and springs back to touch. Cover with foil if browning too quickly. Let cool 10 minutes before icing.
For the Icing
Whisk together icing ingredients and drizzle over the roll. Sprinkle with additional bacon bits if desired.
…
Savory Granola
“Savory granola is another ingredient I’ve been watching. Think of the granola that you put on your fruit and yogurt, but it’s not sweet. Savory granola can be used as a complement to a sweet dish, or as a crunchy element to a side dish, pilaf or entrée. I’m envisioning a dish of roasted kabocha squash with coconut curry granola, or a sweet potato soup with a sesame-quinoa granola.”
Savory granola gives this kabocha squash dish a hearty crunch, with this particular mix featuring the savory goodness of Planters® rosemary and sea salt cashews.
Heat oven to 400°F. Place squash and onions on large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with oil. Sprinkle with seasonings. Toss together. Roast 30 to 40 minutes, flipping halfway through. Test for doneness with a fork.
Arrange squash on serving platter. Top with savory granola and goat cheese. Drizzle with additional olive oil , if desired.
For the Savory Rosemary Sea Salt Granola with a Curry Twist
Heat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
In small bowl, whisk oil, maple syrup, and egg white.
In separate bowl, combine oats, nuts, and seasonings.
Poor oil mixture over oats and nut mixture. Stir to coat well. Spread onto baking sheet.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes, stirring halfway, until fragrant and golden in color. Cool on pan, then break up and store in an airtight container.
Another way to enjoy savory grains is with a hearty oatmeal. Incorporating bacon, eggs and your favorite toppings brings an extra warmth to your bowl.
Suggested Toppings: fried eggs, crumbled Hormel® Black Label® Bacon, Wholly® Guacamole, chopped green onions and pico de gallo
Directions
Combine oats, water, milk and salt in a heavy, medium sized saucepan. Bring to boil.
Reduce heat to a slow simmer. Continue to cook 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat. Stir in butter and Parmesan cheese. Add black pepper if desired.
Serve with suggested toppings.
From the familiar comfort of pumpkin spice to the innovative fusion of unexpected ingredients like ube, this season’s flavor trends offer something for everyone. As we bid farewell to the scorching days of summer, we welcome the arrival of autumn with open arms and eager palates. So, whether you’re sipping on a spiced latte, savoring a hearty bowl of oatmeal or indulging in a warm and cozy treat, this year’s fall-flavor trends remind us that there’s always something new and exciting to explore in the world of food.
If there’s one word that sums up the Twin Cities restaurant scene in 2023, it’s bloom. This was a year that seeds planted during (or even before) the early pandemic came to life: Pop-ups went permanent, dreams took shape as markets and cafes, and takeout operations flourished into full-service restaurants. If, in 2024, the restaurant world looks poised to return to pre-pandemic levels of activity and buzz, we owe that to those who tended their gardens amid highly imperfect conditions, contending with inflation and a bumpy labor market but still forging ahead. Here are some of the Cities’ best and brightest new restaurants, bars, pop-ups, and more, from an opening time frame between roughly October 2022 and October 2023.
Oro by Nixta: Restaurant of the Year
Chefs Gustavo and Kate Romero have radically changed the meaning of corn in the Cities’ restaurant scene, transcending hybridized sweet yellow cobs and industrial harina and serving corn that is earthy, fibrous, even ferric, its kernels big as gold coins. If expanding their tortilleria and takeout operation Nixta into full-service restaurant Oro was a leap of faith, they took it because they’re the greatest corn evangelists around, and their mission — helping to preserve Mexico’s 59 remaining heirloom corn varieties, threatened by cheap U.S. imports and industrial masa production — was too important to allow otherwise. Nationally, Oro is part of a wave of restaurants making heirloom corn the star of their menus (and yes, it’s making a difference), and locally, it’s serving masa dishes that rarely grace Twin Cities tables elsewhere: tlayudas as broad as a sun hat; blue corn chochoyotes; crispy soft-shell crab folded up in Nixta’s thick, springy tortillas.Those moles, velvety and dark and laced with cinnamon, bind the menu into one seamless whole.
Marty’s Deli: Best Damn Sandwich
Marty’s Deli made its name on its focaccia, the hand-baked, salt-flecked, soft-as-a-cloud bread that fueled Martha Polacek’s sandwich pop-up for two years during the early pandemic. But moving into a sunny storefront in Northeast gave her the space to create the New York-style deli Marty’s was always destined to be, one stocked with capers and egg salad and giardiniera. Polacek’s egg-meat-cheese-hashbrown-collards combo rocked the breakfast scene this year, and her classic sandwiches, with their expert layers of briny meats, bright pickled vegetables, and creamy aiolis, have remained as popular as ever. But Marty’s has also proved to have one of Minneapolis’s most dexterous seasonal menus, featuring sandwich specials stuffed with fried chicken of the woods mushrooms or late-summer heirloom tomatoes; serving sides of corn chowder and polenta cake with rhubarb; and doing frequent local collaborations (like an Animales pastrami egg-and-cheese). Those chocolate olive oil cookies, the weeks that they appear, steal the entire show.
Lito’s Burritos: Best New Pop-Up
Lito’s, the new Chicano kitchen nestled in Richfield’s El Tejaban restaurant, started a small breakfast revolution with its hefty, LA-style burritos. Miguel Hernandez road-tripped around Orange County to craft his menu, gathering intel and inspiration from roadside restaurants he found along the way. The resulting burritos, whipped up in the kitchen of his family’s restaurant, are stuffed with beef birria and queso blanco; chorizo and potatoes crisped in chile de arbol; and, in a true moment of Califorcana, steak with guacamole and French fries. (They’re wrapped in a crunchy cheese crust upon request, a nod to famed LA pop-up Lowkey Burritos.) Hernandez serves a number of other Chicano dishes too, from asada fries to birria tortas, all accompanied by his sister Diana Hernandez’s nutty mazapan frappuccinos, horchata cold brews, and mochas laced with Oaxacan chocolate. These burritos are one-of-a-kind in the Cities — and Hernandez keeps building on the concept, smoking whole briskets for weekend brunches and pouring mimosas.
Diana and Miguel Hernandez with their mother, Rosa Zambrano.
Hi Flora: Best New Bar
Many bars around town have gotten serious about mocktails in recent years, but Hi Flora took a bold leap on a no-proof menu andmerged it with the nascent THC trend, creating a bar program that’s truly unique in the Cities. Chef Heather Klein explores what euphoria there is to be found in new-agey bottled nonalcoholic spirits, but also in plants: the limb-loosening effects of kava root in a tart, punchy lemonade; smoked juniper THC tinctures; electrifying caffeine elixirs; and woody chaga nightcaps laced with tree sap. There’s something wild and enthralling about her vegan food menu too, which is built on nuts, grains, vegetables, and foraged mushrooms and augmented by masterful dupes of nacho cheese (cashews), fried chicken (maitakes), and chocolate mousse (avocado). Plus, she’s the only local chef throwing down a whole Lion’s Mane mushroom steak, big as a ribeye and marinated in a tangy beet brine. And Hi Flora’s fun, offbeat events — from drag brunch to pizza and blunt nights — are infusing new life into the corner of Lyndale and 26th.
Indigenous Food Lab: The Visionary
It’s no secret that North American Indigenous food has emerged as one of the Cities’ defining cuisines in recent years, and Indigenous Food Lab — led by chef Sean Sherman of Owamni and the staff of the nonprofit North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems (NATIFS) — made huge gains for accessibility when it opened at Midtown Global Market this year. The cafe menu is simple and quick-serve, but it’s almost revolutionary when you consider the rarity of slow-cooked bison birria, maple-glazed smoked whitefish, and the full assemblage of the Three Sisters (corn, tepary beans, and squash) in your paper to-go dish; iced chaga lattes or brewed cacao in your cup. Revolution is part of the idea: NATIFS has its sights set far beyond the Lake Street location, with intentions to expand to other cities and replicate its model to advance Indigenous food sovereignty across the country. In the meantime, Indigenous Food Lab is chugging away here, hosting visiting chefs like Freddie Bitsoie in the test kitchen and offering classes on everything from seed saving to ethnobotany — moving the dial from hegemony to sovereignty one čhoǧíŋyapi sandwich at a time.
Create lasting memories over plates of authentic Eastern European cuisine at Moscow on the Hill.
…
From laughter-filled gatherings to quiet, intimate moments, let their dishes be the backdrop to your special occasions. Reserve for holiday experience that transports you straight to the heart of Eastern Europe. Whether it’s a leisurely midday meal or a cozy evening dinner, authentic Russian dishes and signature cocktails await to delight your senses.
…
…
About
Moscow on the Hill is where American upper-midwest meets post-Perestroika Russia. We are located in St. Paul’s most European-esque neighborhood, at the corner of Western and Selby Avenues, just up the street from the stately St. Paul Cathedral. Our menu offers a variety of warm Russian comfort foods, with both meat and vegetarian dishes. You will find well-recognized names such as Beef Stroganoff, Chicken Kiev, Borsht and Blini with Caviar next to unfamiliar Pelmeni (meat-stuffed dumplings) and Vareniki (similar to Polish Pirogies). We prefer our meats and produce grown locally. “Wild Acres Farm” and other local farmers supply our poultry and eggs. Additionally, Chef Gary frequently visits the Minneapolis Farmer’s Market and keeps his own private herb garden. To complete your Russian dining experience, we proudly offer an extensive Vodka Menu featuring impressive selections from both Old and New Worlds, as well as our wildly popular collection of house-infusions. Be sure not to miss our own house-recipe Referent Horseradish Vodka , distilled by the 45th Parallel Co. in nearby WI.
Each year, the Star Tribune Holiday Cookie Contest, now in its 21st year, brings several certainties: entrants insisting their grandma’s sugar cookie recipe is the best, warming spices and butter will be bought in bulk, and the bakers’ stories will make us laugh, tug at our heartstrings and impress us — sometimes all at once. (Be sure to read about this year’s winning bakers.) We can also count on a few surprises. This year, it was the number of recipes with pickles as an ingredient (five). While there are no pickles in this year’s winning batch, we do have plenty of warming spices, a hint of Aperol, chocolate and a jolt of heat — plus a few surprises.
Happy holidays, and happy baking!
Earl Grey Butter Cookies with Dark Chocolate-Orange Filling
Makes about 22 sandwich cookies.
Note: Use the tea from an Earl Grey tea bag, which is finer than loose-leaf tea. You’ll need a piping bag with a 1/2-inch tip (or cut a 1/2-inch hole in the corner of a plastic zip-top bag). This recipe also works with gluten-free flour. Our 2023 winning recipe is from Catie (Seltz Drew) Fesko of Ham Lake, who was inspired by the famous Pepperidge Farm cookie and adapted a recipe from bakedambrosia.com.
For the cookies:
• 1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
• 1/4 c. plus 1 tbsp. cornstarch
• 3/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 8 tbsp. (1 stick) butter, room temperature
• 1/2 c. powdered sugar
• 1/3 c. granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. loose Earl Grey tea (see Note)
• 1 tbsp. milk
For the ganache:
• 1 c. (8 oz.) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 c. heavy cream
• Zest of 1 orange (about 2 tsp.)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
To prepare the cookies: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and both sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl and then add the egg, vanilla and Earl Grey tea, beating to combine.
Beat in the flour mixture on low speed until just combined, then add the milk and beat a few seconds more until incorporated.
Transfer the batter into a large piping bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip. Pipe the batter in 2-inch logs onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing each log about 3 inches apart. (See baking tip below.)
Bake the cookies one sheet at a time until lightly golden brown at the edges, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely on a wire rack.
To prepare the ganache: Place the chocolate in a medium bowl. Combine heavy cream and orange zest in a small saucepan. Heat on stove over medium heat until barely simmering.
Add hot cream mixture to bowl with chocolate and let sit for 1 to 2 minutes. Mix with a whisk until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth and glossy. Let ganache cool to room temperature.
Transfer cooled ganache to a piping bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip. Pipe the ganache onto the flat side of 1 cookie, then sandwich together with the flat side of another cookie (alternatively, you can spread the ganache onto each cookie with a knife or offset spatula). Repeat until all the cookies have been filled and sandwiched.
Baking tip: To ensure the cookies are a uniform size, use a toothpick as a guide when piping. Alternatively, draw 2-inch lines on parchment paper with a pencil or marker, flip parchment over and use that as your guide.
…
Ginger Chocolate Bliss
Makes about 35 cookies.
Note: This cookie must be prepared in advance to allow time for the fillings to chill and the cookies to set. From Lori Lippert of St. Paul. Lippert created the Ginger Chocolate Bliss by combining and adapting recipes from seriouseats.com and the 2003 cookbook “Once Upon a Tart,” by Frank Mentesana and Jerome Audureau.
To prepare the dough: Adjust the rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine sugar, butter, molasses, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cocoa, cloves and salt. Mix on low until moistened, then increase to medium and cream until soft and light — at least 5 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add flour all at once, then drizzle in cream and mix until fully incorporated.
Divide the dough into 70 even pieces, about 1 rounded teaspoon, or 1/2 ounce, each. (Keeping the size consistent is important in having neat sandwich cookies.) Roll into balls. Roll half of the balls in decorating sugar. Place at least 1 ¼ inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake for 10 minutes, until cookies start to brown and the tops crackle on top; they will firm up and flatten as they cool. (Finished cookies will be about 2 1/4 inches in diameter.) Cool to room temperature on the baking sheet.
To prepare the chocolate layer: Melt chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl or double boiler. Spread a thin layer of chocolate on the flat side of each unsugared cookie, 1 teaspoon or less. This is the side of the cookie that was touching the baking sheet. Refrigerate the cookies with chocolate for 30 minutes to set.
To prepare the ganache layer: In a small saucepan, bring cream to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in chopped white chocolate. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes. Add grated ginger. Stir thoroughly until ganache is smooth. Cover and, if necessary, refrigerate until thick enough to spread (about an hour).
To assemble: Pair up your cookie, pairing one sugared half with one chocolate-topped half, matching sizes as close as possible. Use a piping bag or spoon to spread a heaping teaspoon of ganache filling on the chocolate half, leaving about 1/8 inch around the outside edge. Cap with a sugared cookie and squeeze slightly.
If desired, store finished cookies in the refrigerator to keep the fillings firm.
…
Good Thai Dings
Makes about 36 cookies.
Note: The crystallized ginger should be soft; the recipe calls for 3 to 4 rounds. Tajin is a Mexican chili-lime spice blend; if your store doesn’t carry it, look for other brands, such as Red Hot. And Good Life peanut butter can be found at area co-ops. From the mother-daughter baking team of Michelle Laurent of Chanhassen and Grace Laurent of Minneapolis. The pair based the base cookie on a favorite peanut butter cookie recipe clipped from the Taste section decades ago. The candied peanuts, from Sarah Kieffer’s book “100 Cookies,” are delicious — double or triple the recipe and keep the rest on hand for snacks.
For the candied peanuts:
• 1 c. dry-roasted, salted peanuts
• 1/2 c. granulated sugar
• Pinch of salt, if desired
For the cookies:
• 1 1/4 tbsp. lime zest, from about 3 to 4 limes, finely minced
• 1 1/4 c. granulated sugar
• 1 1/4 c. flour
• 3/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt (sea salt or granulated salt)
• 1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 c. chunky-style sugar-free peanut butter, such as Good Life, at room temperature
• 1/4 c. honey
• 3 tbsp. crystallized ginger, finely minced (see Note)
• 1 tsp. fresh ginger, finely minced
• 1 egg, at room temperature
• 1 tbsp. whole milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 c. peanut butter chips
For the dough coating:
• 4 tsp. Tajin (see Note)
• 1/2 c. reserved sugar with lime zest
• 1/2 c. granulated sugar, or to taste
Directions
Prepare the candied peanuts: In large skillet, mix peanuts, sugar and salt over medium-low heat. Stir constantly and cook until the sugar starts to melt, and then turn down the heat to low. Continue to stir until peanuts are lightly caramelized, up to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and continue to stir until peanuts are coated. Pour onto parchment paper and allow to cool.
Once cool, roughly chop and reserve for cookie topping.
Prepare the cookies: In a medium bowl, mix lime zest and granulated sugar together with your fingers, so the juice from the lime zest permeates the sugar. Reserve 1/2 cup for coating sugar, and set the rest aside.
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat butter and peanut butter together with a mixer until fluffy. Add honey, 3/4 cup lime sugar, fresh ginger and crystallized ginger and beat until smooth. Add egg and mix well. Add milk and vanilla extract, mix until combined.
Add flour mixture and combine with a spoon or with the mixer on lowest speed. Mix in peanut butter chips by hand or with mixer on lowest speed.
Let dough rest, covered, in the refrigerator for several hours, but preferably overnight, 12 to 24 hours.
To assemble: Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Prepare the sugar mixture bycombine Tajin, remaining 1/2 cup reserved lime sugar, and up to 1/2 cup granulated sugar to reach desired spice level.
Roll chilled dough into balls about 1 to 1 1/2 inches (about 2 tablespoons). Roll in the sugar-Tajin mixture. Place on the parchment-lined baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Press pieces of candied nuts on top of cookie, but do not flatten cookie.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes, and do not overbake. Cookies may seem slightly underdone but they are not. Remove from oven and cool cookies on sheets for 2 to 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
…
Aperol Sparklers
Makes about 48 cookies.
Note: Find premade sweetened dehydrated orange slices at stores like Trader Joe’s; you can also make your own; there are several recipes available online. From Joanne Holtmeier of Edina, who developed it with her favorite cocktail from Italy in mind.
For the cookies:
• 2 c flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3/4 c. granulated sugar
• 4 tsp. freshly grated orange zest
• 3/4 c. (1 1/2) sticks butter, softened
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp. Aperol Italian liqueur
For the glaze:
• 2 tsp. freshly squeezed orange juice
• 2 tsp. Aperol Italian liqueur
• 3/4 to 1 c. powdered sugar
For decoration:
• Pearlized crystal sanding sugar
• Sweetened dehydrated orange segments, optional (see Note)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment.
To prepare the cookie: Combine flour and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
Combine the sugar and orange zest in a large mixing bowl with your fingers so that the zest permeates the sugar.
Using a mixer, cream the butter and the orange zest-sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg along with the Aperol liqueur. Mix until combined. Slowly add the flour mixture until incorporated thoroughly.
Divide the dough in half and place each half onto a sheet of plastic wrap or parchment and shape into logs 2 inches in diameter. Chill the logs in the refrigerator for 30 to 60 minutes. (Tip: When placing dough logs in the fridge, place each log into a paper towel tube that has been cut down the middle. It helps to keep the round shape.)
When firm, slice dough into 1/4-inch slices. Place the slices on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until set and edges are barely beginning to brown. Remove from heat and let cool completely on a wire rack.
To prepare the glaze: Whisk the orange juice, Aperol and powdered sugar into an icing consistency. Adjust sugar and liquid until you get the desired consistency.
Dip tops of cooled cookies in the icing, place on a wire rack, sprinkle with pearlized crystal sanding sugar and place a small sweetened dehydrated orange segment on the side of cookie, if desired. Let icing set before serving or storing.
…
Nanaimo Bar Thumbprint Cookies
Makes 30 cookies.
Note: This recipe must be prepared in advance to allow at least an hour for the dough to chill. Find Bird’s Custard Powder at World Market or online. If custard powder isn’t available, substitute vanilla pudding mix (preferably natural or organic). Use boxed graham cracker crumbs or crush 6 graham cracker sheets until finely ground in a food processor, or place crackers in a plastic zip-top bag and crush them with a rolling pin. From Annette Gustafson of Maple Grove, who developed the cookie for this contest, but also entered it into the State Fair — and won a red ribbon.
For the cookies:
• 1 c. all-purpose flour
• 3/4 c. graham-cracker crumbs (see Note)
• 1/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2/3 c. dark brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/3 c. finely chopped walnuts or almonds
• 2/3 c. unsweetened shredded coconut
For the filling:
• 6 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. heavy cream
• 2 tbsp. custard powder, such as Bird’s (see Note)
• 1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
For the drizzle:
• 1/2 c. bittersweet chocolate chips
Directions
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
To prepare cookies: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, graham-cracker crumbs, cocoa powder and salt. Set aside.
Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined, about 1 minute. Reduce speed to low. Add the flour mixture, then the nuts and coconut and mix until combined.
Scoop the dough into 30 equal portions, then roll into balls, about 1 tablespoon of dough per ball. (A size #60 cookie scoop is helpful.)
Space the balls evenly on the prepared baking sheets, 15 per sheet. Using your thumb or the end of a wooden spoon handle, press an indent into the center of each ball.
Chill the prepared dough balls for 1 hour in the refrigerator. (If space is limited, chill the prepared dough balls on one baking sheet and then divide them on the other baking sheet before baking.)
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Bake for 11 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and re-press the indentations while the cookies are still warm (the end of a wooden spoon handle works well; the cookies will be hot). Cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before filling.
To prepare filling and drizzle: Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium speed for about 1 minute. Add heavy cream and custard powder and mix until combined. Slowly add the powdered sugar and mix on low until incorporated. Then mix on medium-high until smooth, light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
Microwave chocolate in bowl at 50% power, stirring occasionally, until melted, about 1 to 2 minutes.
To assemble cookies: Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a #3 tip (alternatively, place buttercream in a large plastic zip-top bag and cut off the tip). Fill each cookie indentation with buttercream. Spoon or pipe drizzles of chocolate over each cookie.
Allow chocolate to set in the refrigerator or at room temperature before serving or storing.
Children of all ages can visit with Santa in The Lexington’s festively decked out Williamsburg Room, and then enjoy an all-you-can-eat buffet-style brunch. The menu includes bacon, sausage, hash browns, scrambled eggs, a variety of quiches, French toast, biscuits and gravy and choice of non-alcoholic beverage. Wine, beer and cocktails will be available for separate purchase.
Celebrate the holidays with a classic afternoon tea amid festive seasonal decorations. Served in the Snyder Building’s charming Tea Room and Fireplace Room, a selection of traditional teas will be accompanied by soup, finger sandwiches, pastries, and other delightful treats.
…
…
Savories
Chef’s Soup of the day (V, VG, GF)
Roasted Turkey with Apple Cranberry Relish Tea Sandwich