What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more

On Tuesday, my family and I learned the sad news that my last, and favorite grandparent had passed away. Although we were expecting it soon, the sting was still felt by everyone. My Poppy and I have always had a uniquely close relationship. I'm not sure exactly how we became as close as we did, but we did, and I loved that.

This time of year was always one we shared a passion for. Each year I'd help him decorate his tree with half broken ornaments and tinsel that had been stored in boxes probably for decades. We'd munch on grandma's homemade cookies and Poppy's caramels, which one year we had to cut with a buzz saw in the basement because they were so hard! Although we loved decorating the tree and stuffing our bellies with sweets, there was one thing we both looked forward to most during this time of year. Every year on Christmas Eve, I'd sit down with him and read Dr. Seuss', The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, from a tattered, black and white "vintage" copy. Poppy was the one who taught me to read this book when I was little and, as he got older, I took over and started reading to him. Even though we both had every sentence memorized, we never stopped our tradition and we always read it as if it was the first time.

Unfortunately, this year, the tradition will come to an end. As sad as that makes me, I know that we both will never forget all the times we spent together on the couch flipping through antique pages of Cindy Loo Hoo and Christmas Roast Beast.  Instead of being sad this time of year I plan to honor Poppy and our mutual love for the holiday season by eating as many Christmas cookies as possible, decorating my apartment and putting up a tree, spending time with my family and of course, reading The Grinch.

I decided to include the recipe for my grandma's famous butter cookies below. This was just one of the many sweets Poppy and I indulged in while getting in the Christmas spirit. Enjoy!

Grandma's Christmas Butter Cookies

What You Need (cookies):
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
2 eggs
2 cups flour

What You Need (frosting):
3 1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened (1 stick)
3-4 tablespoons milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
red and green food coloring

What You Do (cookies):
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream sugar and butter together, then add eggs and vanilla.
Add flour slowly. Dough should be very stiff.
Wrap dough and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Remove dough from fridge and roll into balls. Place on un-greased cookie sheet.
Press down slowly with fork.
Bake 7-10 minutes or until bottom is brown, top will not change in color.
Cool cookies completely

What You Do (frosting):
Combine sugar, butter, milk and vanilla until creamy
Add milk if necessary
Split into two bowls, add red food coloring to one and green to the other
Frost half the cookies with red frosting and the other half with green

Seafood...And Eat It!

Mast Farm Inn Shrimp & Grits

(Original recipe from Cooking Light)

Yield: 4 Servings (5 shrimp)

What You Need (Shrimp):

1 lb large shrimp (about 20)

2 tsp Cajun Seasoning

Appalachian Hiking Grits

1 c Rosemary-Tomato Sauce

What You Do (Shrimp)

1. Peel shrimp. Starting at tail end, butterfly each shrimp, cutting to, but not through, top of shrimp.

2. Heat a nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and seasoning; sauté 3 minutes or until shrimp are done. 

3. Spoon 1/2 cup Appalachian Hiking Grits onto each of 4 plates; top each serving with 5 shrimp. Spoon 1/4 cup Rosemary-Tomato Sauce evenly around shrimp.

What You Need (Grits)

2 c water

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/8 tsp paprika

1/8 tsp dry mustard

1/2 c uncooked grits

1/4 c (1 ounce) shredded sharp cheddar

2 tsp butter

What You Do (Grits)

1. Bring first five ingredients to a boil.

2. Stir in grits; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Stir in cheese and butter.

What You Need (Sauce)

2 tsp olive oil

1 c diced onion

1 1/2 c diced red bell pepper

1 tsp dried rosemary

4 c coarsely chopped tomato

1/2 c dry white wine

1/4 tsp salt

8 cloves of garlic, minced

What You Do (Sauce)

1. Heat oil in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat.

2. Add onions; sauté for 3 minutes.

3. Add bell pepper and rosemary; sauté 1 minute.

4. Stir in tomato, wine, salt, and garlic.

5. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.

Mast Farm Inn Shrimp & Grits

Nutrition Content: 
1 Serving (5 shrimp, 1/2 c grits, 1/4 c sauce): Calories: 234; Fat: 7g; Sat. Fat: 3.1g; Protein: 21.6g; 
Carbs: 21g; Fiber: 2.1g

The Modern-Day Meat & Potatoes

Seared Scallops with Cauliflower Puree

(Modified recipe from MyRecipes.com)

Yield: 4 Servings (4 scallops, 1/2 cup puree)

What You Need:

2 cups chopped cauliflower florets
1 cup cubed peeled Yukon gold potato
1 cup water
1/2 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 pounds sea scallops
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
3/4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper


What You Do:

1. Bring first 4 ingredients to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 6 minutes. Once potatoes are tender, remove pot from heat and let sit, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
2. Heat olive oil in a non-stick pan on medium heat until pan is very hot.
3. Pat scallops dry with paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Add scallops to pan; let cook for 3 minutes on each side, letting them brown on both sides. Remove scallops from heat.
4. Pour cauliflower and potato mix into food processor. Add butter, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Blend until smooth. Season again to taste.

There is absolutely no reason to fear scallops any longer! Like many, I used to shy away from cooking seafood especially these little guys. Not only are scallops a different way to pack protein into your diet, but they are low in calorie content and cook extremely quickly. This recipe is a healthy version of the good 'ole meat and potatoes dish our parents used to eat. By using cauliflower as the "starch" in this dish, you are cutting calories once again and sneaking in your veggies all at the same time. I found myself adding more salt than the recipe called for as well as more red pepper flakes to spice things up a little more, but it's really up to you. 

Nutritional Content:

1 Serving: Calories: 232; Fat: 8.9g; Saturated fat: 3.1g; Protein: 23.8g; Carbohydrate: 13g

Fiber: 2g; Cholesterol: 54mg; Iron: 1.1mg; Sodium: 632mg; Calcium: 46mg

Get Your Garlic On

Big Lucy's Vinaigrette

(A Schnuck family recipe passed along to my mom)
Yield: 1 1/4 cups

 What You Need:

4 cloves garlic - pressed or finely chopped

3 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1/2 c olive oil

1/2 c white balsamic vinegar

salt to taste

3/4 tsp pepper

honey to taste, I think I use 1 to 2 tsp

What You Do:

1. Whisk together garlic, mustard, vinegar, S&P, honey. 

2. Slowly whisk in olive oil in a very slow stream. 

3. Adjust seasoning as needed.

* Instead of whisking I used my Ninja Kitchen System Pulse food processor, which allowed for the oil and vinegar to emulsify and remain combined even hours later.

So, it's easy to see just how simple this salad dressing recipe really is, especially if you take my advice and use a food processor! In only a few minutes you can make your very own homemade vinaigrette, perfect to keep in the fridge and drizzle on lettuce to make a drab salad, dazzle. I, myself, am guilty of pouring this stuff on everything... grilled chicken breasts, sandwiches, roasted vegetables, etc. Your options are endless! Thanks Big Lucy, whoever you are.

SO Trendy

Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Dried Cherries with Quinoa (Gluten-Free)

(Modified from original recipe found on Cookie and Kate)

Yield: Serves 2

What You Need:

1 lb Brussels sprouts, tips cut off, discolored leaves removed and sliced in half
1 Tbsp olive oil
salt
1/3 cup dried cherries (you can also use dried or fresh cranberries)
1/3 cup goat cheese or Gorgonzola
1/3 cup toasted pecans
1 1/2 cup cooked quinoa
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar, or more to taste

What You Do:

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Set a pan over medium-high heat on the stove. Let it heat for 2-3 minutes. It should be so hot that a few drops of water sizzle and disappear.
3. In a medium-sized bowl, toss the sprouts with olive oil and salt. Sprouts should be evenly coated.
4. Once pan is hot, pour sprouts into pan and quickly rearrange them so the flat sides are face down. Let cook for 2 minutes.
5. Add cherries to sprouts and place into baking dish. Transfer to broiler. Let the sprouts cook about 10 minutes-- when done, their tops should be a little browned and bottoms caramelized.
6. Reheat quinoa in microwave. Remove sprouts and cherries from oven. Combine quinoa, goat cheese, pecans and sprout/cherry mixture in a bowl. Toss with balsamic vinegar and season with salt.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Cherries with Quinoa

This side dish packs a punch and is a great combination of grain and veggies, not to mention, pretty trendy. Brussels sprouts have made their way onto most menus these days and are a great vegetable to experiment with if you haven't done so yet. They cook relatively quickly and don't require much added flavor. With even just a sprinkle of salt and pepper you've got yourself a flavorful, healthy side dish to any meal. This recipe however, is a little more complex.

The combination of tart cherries, toasted nutty pecans and caramelized sprouts tossed together with the tangy and creamy goat cheese is a wonderfully unique eruption of flavors. The quinoa and warm sprouts blend together, melting the cheese and creating a gooey, yet light dish. 

The Main Attraction

Salmon with Mushrooms & Red Pepper Sauce (Gluten-Free)

(Modified from original recipe found on Elana's Pantry site)

Yield: 4 servings

What You Need:

2 large red bell peppers

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 packet Truvia

1/2 tsp sea salt

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, diced

6 ounces shiitake mushrooms, sliced

4 (6 oz) salmon fillets

What You Do:

Pepper Puree

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Place peppers in a baking dish and roast for 10-20 minutes, until skin begins to shrivel (I like mine more roasted so I baked for 30 minutes)

3. Remove stems, slit open and remove seeds. Place peppers, lemon juice, Truvia and salt in a processor and blend until smooth.

4. Transfer pepper mixture to small sauce pan and heat on low to keep warm

Mushroom Mixture

1. Place the 2 Tbsp olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat.

2. Add the onion and sauté for a 1-2 minutes, then add the mushrooms.

3. Reduce heat, cover and cook for 10 minutes.

Salmon Preparation

1. Turn oven on to 500 degrees F.

2. Leave the skin on the fish; rinse and pat dry with paper towel.

3. Place fish skin side down on a metal baking sheet.

4. Rub fillets liberally with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt.

5. Roast 8 to 13 minutes depending how well done you like your fish.

Assembling the Dish

1. When salmon is finished, place some of the red pepper puree in the center of each plate.

2. Place salmon on top of the puree, then spoon mushrooms onto the salmon.

Salmon with Mushrooms & Red Pepper Sauce

This recipe was a huge success! From start to finish this dish required about 45 minutes--the longest part being the roasting of the red peppers. Each step was very straightforward, perfect for a beginner in the kitchen. The final product is one vibrant in color, tart, tangy and earthy in flavor. After finishing my piece of fish, I felt full but with plenty of room for dessert. A great main dish for a Saturday night in or for entertaining company.

Let's Start Things Off With My Favorite

Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake With Salted Pretzel Crust (Gluten Free)

(Modified from Food Network Kitchens recipe)

Yield: 12 Servings

What You Need:

CRUST
1 1/4 cup Snyder's Gluten Free Pretzel Rods crumbs
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter

FILLING

2 oz Hershey's Semi Sweet Chocolate Baking Bar
24 oz 1 percent cottage cheese
8 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons Gluten-Free Baking Flour
1 egg
2 egg whites
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Fresh strawberries

What You do:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray.

2. Crust: Put pretzels into food processor and grind into crumb consistency. Mix with sugar, water, and melted butter in a medium bowl until moistened. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes, while preparing the filling.

3. Filling: Put chocolate in microwave safe bowl. Microwave on medium power until soft and melted, about 1 minute, depending on the power of you oven. Stir until smooth. Puree the cottage these in the bowl of a food processor until smooth. Add the cream cheese, sugar, cocoa, and flour and continue to puree, scraping down the sides of the bowl, until smooth. Add the egg, egg whites, espresso, and vanilla and puree until incorporated. Add the melted chocolate and pulse until just combined. Pour over the prepared crust.

4. Put the pan on the upper rack in the oven and bake until just set and the center jiggles slightly, about 50 to 55 minutes. Turn off the oven and let stand in the oven for 1 hour. Remove cheesecake cooling rack and run a knife around the edge of the pan.

5. Let stand at room temperature until cooled, about 2 hours, and then refrigerate until well chilled, 8 hours or overnight. Let stand at room temperature for about 1 hour before serving. 

6. Slice with a clean, hot knife and serve with strawberries.

Nutritional Information:

Calories 245; Total Fat 9g (Sat Fat 5g); Protein 12 g; Carb 31 g; Fiber 2g; Cholesterol 36mg; Sodium 373mg

Let's Get Cooking, Eating, & Photographing!

Welcome to The Corner, where food and photography meet!

I'm Callie, the cook, photographer and author behind this blogging adventure. I started this site to satisfy my love for creating and, more importantly, trying new food along with exploring my new-found passion for photography.Who knew that what was once a college course requirement would become a hobby of mine? Well, it happened.

Here, you can expect to find recipe reviews, restaurant reviews, emerging food industry trends and a whole bunch of pictures all mixed in! For those of you who are gluten-free, like me, please be sure to check out that portion of the site for GF recipes, helpful tips, new products and gluten-free friendly restaurants...the few that are out there.

I hope I can inspire you to go out and try different culinary creations, experience the old and the new of restaurants, and maybe even get your stomach growling too! Enjoy.