I have started researching my contribution to Sister #3’s annual Christmas Cookie exchange and I have come across a couple of delicious recipes.  This one is:

Macadamia Moons with Browned Butter Glaze

Cookie batter:1 c butter, softened

2/3 c granulated sugar

3/4 t ground ginger

1/2 t vanilla

2 1/4 c flour

1 c finely chopped macadamia nuts

Glaze:

1/4 c butter

2 c icing (powdered) sugar

1/4 t ground ginger

2-3 T milk

1/2 c finely chopped macadamia nuts

freshly ground nutmeg (optional)

Preheat oven to 350.  In a large bowl, beat the 1 c butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 secs.  Add granulated sugar, the 3/4 t ginger and vanilla.  Beat until combined, scraping bowl occasionally.  Add flour and 1 c nuts, beating on low speed until combined.

Shape dough into 1 inch balls.  To shape moons, roll each ball into a short log with tapered ends.  Curve slightly into a crescent shape and place 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet,  Bake in a pre-heated oven for 10-11 mins or until set and lightly browned.  Transfer cookie to a wire rack and cool.

For glaze: In a small heavy bottomed saucepanm heat butter until melted, then caarefully stir constantly until butter bubbles and beecomes very fragrant. Cool slightly. 

In a small bowl combine browned butter , sugar and ginger.  Stir in enough of the milk to make a glaze of spreading consistency.

Spread glaze over cooled cookies.  Sprinkle immediately with crushed nuts and ground nutmeg (if desired).  Makes about 48 cookies.  To store: place cookies between sheets of waxed paper in an air tight container; cover.  Store at room temperature for up to 3 days of freeze up to 3 months.

After you have retired for the night, listen for footsteps leading to the freezer in the basement.  If you hear the lid being raised, check your cookie supply the next morning.  The midnight Christmas cookie marauder may have struck your house as is frequently the case in ours.

Kath’s quote: “A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand” Unknown

Let love be multiplied.

We had some challenges funding the place as I mistakenly thought that the name of the restaurant was also the address.  I am obviously not a New Yorker.  I marvel at how they navigate their own city especially the subway.  Stations will be marked by certain street addresses and they are no where near those streets! But I digress….  Our “Almost Six in the City” split up for Sunday matinees-three seeing “Wicked” and two for “Billy Elliot“.  It was when we reassembled to have some supper before a night tour of Manhattan that we got a little mixed up.  What a happy event as there was a street market happening right in Time Square and the shopping was marvellous.

I am rambling a titch about the events surrounding the day because when we found the restaurant on the second floor of the Renaissance Hotel the food itself was underwhelming.  I was almost content with my Baked Ziti with sausage and eggplant but those that ordered the Hazelnut Pesto Fettucine were disappointed with its complete lack of flavour.

No matter, we ordered some high faluting drinks and the view of the Square was a million dollar one.  We prairie gals know how to do New York city!

Kath’s quote:  “Manhattan is a narrow island off the coast of New Jersey devoted to the pursuit of lunch.”– Raymond Sokolov

Let love be multiplied.

Just to set the record straight…the life of a foodie is not always about dining out, trying new products and concocting inventive dishes, sometimes we just wanna be a couch potato.  Last night I served my family popcorn for supper.  And it wasn’t the trendy new sweet and salty variety and it wasn’t even air-popped.  It was Orville Redenbacher’s “Buttery”  (I thought that I exhibited amazing restraint by not grabbing the “Extra Butter” variety).  To make matters worse I didn’t pull it out of my well-stocked foodie pantry…I ran out and picked it up at Mac’s just before we settled in to watch “The Amazing Race” (a Sunday evening TV treat).  Since I have created this time of self-confession I should fess up that I then proceeded to watch another 2 hours of  TV because it was the finale show of “So You Think You Can Dance Canada” (my Wednesday TV treat).

So that you don’t get all concerned that I only consumed fat and carbs last night, I also had a two “just pulled from the garden” carrots and a glass of red wine.  So I did ingest some vitamins and anti-oxidants too.

In reality we did have a lovely sit down Sunday lunch instead of our usual dinner as D’s folks were able to join us from the country (hence the carrots).

Kath’s quote:  “But some of us are beginning to pull well away, in our irritation, from…the exquisite tasters, the vintage snobs, the three-star Michelin gourmets. There is, we feel, a decent area somewhere between boiled carrots and Beluga caviare, sour plonk and Chateau Lafitte, where we can take care of our gullets and bellies without worshipping them.”-J.B. Priestley

Let love be multiplied…..

My West Kildonan sojourn continued with a stop at Lisi”s (Ranch House Restaurant-1761 Main St.) -a place we had driven by so many times and never had a reason to try.  On this day I stopped in for take out and to be honest, I was glad that I was not dining in.  I can manage spartan or outdated decor.  In fact, some of my favourite out of the way places would be in the running for “Restaurant Make-Over”.  But on this day when the sunshine was glorious outside I was not impressed by their lack of natural light and wood panelled walls.  Some might think it “cozy”-just not my cuppa tea.

What did I care anyway as long as the take out was good right?  Well…..the chicken fingers that we were willing to sample for the sake of comparison did not pass the test.  They were a pre-fab version that you find anywhere. We were putting all our hopes for Lisi’s on the pizza…and it came through!  The meat lovers had literally stacks of meat-as if you had just bitten into a deli sandwich.  The crust was obviously hand mixed and tossed as it had the right combination of crustiness and yeastiness.

Would I try Lisi’s again?  Since I live across town, likely not.  But if I was in the neighbourhood, I would definitely have it n my list by the phone for Friday night’s pizza and a movie.

Kath’s quote:  “There’s a pizza place near where I live that sells only slices. In the back, you can see a guy tossing a triangle in the air.”-Steve Wright

I have lived in Winnipeg all of my life and am still finding new little places that fascinate.  My husband and my son often chat about donairs from their backpack trip through Europe together.  I have never tasted a donair but understand that it is beef and veggies on a pita.  If it is made with chicken, does it become a shawarma?  I need to do some more research-yum…..

On the day that I visited Baraka Pita Bakery (1783 Main St.) pita pies and pita pockets were going in and out of the oven and there were a number of people sitting at tables waiting for their late lunch.  I was intrigued by a little pita packet displayed on a counter that was folded into a triangle.  When I inquired, I found out that it was a spinach fatire and the handsome gentleman behind the counter offered me one to taste.  I bought a dozen to have at home with soup or as an appetizer and this past Sunday proved to be the right time to test the taste with my family.  They loved the concept but found that the spinach was too lemony.  Perhaps next time we’ll try the beef fatires.  There looks to be falafel, dolmades and a  number of dips.  I am planning on shopping at Baraka again soon to have a bon voyage dinner for my husband who is off to Israel next month. 

Kath’s quote: “On the subject of spinach: divide into little piles. Rearrange again into new piles. After five of six maneuvers, sit back and say you are full.”-Delia Ephron, ‘How To Eat Like A Child’