Holiday Goodies

Whenever my sister-in-law comes to visit, she tries to sneak in rum balls. There's a deli near Union Square that sells them and it must be sending out a homing signal. A rum ball beacon. It doesn't matter what we're doing or where we are, it's only a matter of time before she says "who wants to go get rum balls!" It's not really a question so much as a rallying cry.

So this holiday season I decided to make them. Not having eaten very many of them makes it hard to know if I have duplicated the version my sister-in-law likes so much. Lee says they are actually better than the deli version. All the recipes I could find are fairly similar. You can use rum or bourbon, cocoa or chocolate, walnuts or pecans and vanilla wafers, chocolate wafers or graham crackers. The crucial element in the beloved rum balls seems to be that they are covered in chocolate sprinkles (or jimmies as they are sometimes known). Making them stick presented a problem but not an insurmountable one.

For the holidays I'm serving chocolate mini-candy bars at home and giving them as gifts. They're a lot of fun to make. They taste great and look so cool.

For everyone who doesn't have the time, I am making them to sell.  If you don't live in the LA area, I can mail them to you.  You can email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

MAKING THEM AT HOME

To make chocolates requires a few specialized tools, some of which may already be in your kitchen.

A double boiler or two saucepans that can fit together, a Silpat or nonstick sheet, and a silicone spatula are the basics. If you want to make individual chocolates, you will also have to invest in hard plastic or silicone molds sold in restaurant supply and some kitchen supply stores. 

Be prepared to do a lot of tasting in pursuit of a chocolate you like. What you need to find is chocolate sold in bulk, not chocolate bars that are designed to be consumed like candy bars. Once you find a chocolate you like, start thinking about flavors and nuts.

My husband has been begging me to make rugelach for years now.  They are the favorite cookie of his youth and he has always raved about his mother's rendition of them.  I've just never gotten around to making rugelach happen.

About five years ago, my husband attempted to make his own batch of rugelach.  Oh my goodness, they were these horrible little petrified pieces of doodoo.  They were so hard and burnt they exploded when you took a bite.  Of course I laughed and didn't think about making them for a long time. 

About a year ago, this recipe was published in my local paper and I held on to it until now.  It belongs to Margaret Hasson from Portland, Oregon whose rugelach is sought out by friends whenever she is baking.  I truly believe it, because these little bites are pretty much heaven on a plate. 

It's already in full swing. Thanksgiving turkey mania. You know what I'm talking about. The endless, frenzied debate over how to cook the perfect turkey. With all the food magazines, cooking shows and turkey hotlines available, I know you'll find more information than you ever wanted on the bird. 

That's why I'm posting about Thanksgiving side dishes: They're much less controversial. You can't brine sweet potatoes or deep fry cranberry sauce. At least, I don't think you can.

Last year I shared four Thanksgiving side dishes with a twist: Perennial favorites like sweet potatoes and string beans got a makeover. They looked fabulous. But we can't make the same veggies this year. Well, except for the String Beans with Prosciutto, Pine Nuts, and Lemon. I have to make those again. Don't worry though. I've got a few new ones for you that won't disappoint.

Let's start with Festive Stuffed Acorn Squash. A robustly sweet and tangy filling of shallots, cranberries, prunes and pecans is nestled inside of a hot roasted acorn squash half.