December 2004 ARCHIVE:
Recipes For Happy and Healthy Holidays
Just a quick note from me about one of my favorite subjects: food. Holiday food, actually. More specifically, the part about preparing and (yum) consuming holiday food. It doesn't matter which holiday you celebrate, particularly, only that you approach this time of year with thoughts of celebration in your head and a plate of something delicious in your hands.

Here are a few of my favorite snacky thingys to bring to or serve at a holiday party. They're easy. Really. And fun. Try one or two of them before heading over to the dreaded office party or to your parents' where you'll be reverting to your 8-year-old self and will probably end up in a food fight with your sister anyway...

The CHEESE CRISPS are deadly addictive (you've been warned) and can be made more or less spicy, depending on the amount of red pepper used. Same thing goes for the CUMIN AND CAYENNE CASHEWS, which have a disarming sweet/spicy taste. I've been trying to duplicate the cheese fondue served at Le Crepe Nanou in New Orleans and this one comes pretty close. Serve the THREE-CHEESE FONDUE at an intimate dinner party (as long as no one's freaked out about the communal dipping...) and things could get very interesting...

CHEESE CRISPS

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 crushed red pepper
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
3 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
1 cup rice cereal

Preheat oven to 350.

In a food processor, combine flour, salt, red pepper.
Pulse until blended.
Add the butter, cheese and thyme and pulse until dough forms; bits of cheese should still be visible.
Transfer dough to a large bowl and gently fold in rice cereal.

Working with a scant tablespoon at a time, roll the dough into balls. Place the balls 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten slightly to 1 l\2 inch rounds.

Bake the crisps for about 15 minutes or until firm to the touch and just beginning to brown. Let cool on the sheet for a couple of minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Store in airtight container for up to one day or freeze, well-wrapped for up to one month.

 CUMIN AND CAYENNE CASHEWS

1 egg white
1 pound salted roasted cashews
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp coarse salt
1 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 250.

In a medium bowl, whisk the egg white with 1 tbsp water until foamy.  Add the cashews and toss to coat.
Transfer the nuts to a strainer, shake and let drain for at least 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, wipe out the bowl and add the sugar, cumin, salt and cayenne. Add nuts and toss to coat thoroughly.

On a large baking sheet with sides, spread the nuts out in a single layer.
Bake for 40 minutes. Stir with a spatula and spread the nuts out again.
Reduce the temperature to 200 and bake for 30 minutes until dry.

Using a spatula, loosen the nuts from baking sheet.
Let them cool to room temperature on the sheet.

THREE CHEESE FONDUE

1 cup white wine
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
7 ounces Gruyere cheese, cubed
7 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, cubed
7 ounces Emmentaler cheese, cubed

Bring the wine to a boil in a small saucepan.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium low heat.
Whisk in the flour, and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly to avoid sticking and burning.

Once the flour is cooked, stir the wine into the flour mixture slowly. Use a whisk to smooth the mixture.
Slowly add cubes of Gruyere, Cheddar, and Emmentaler cheese; stir until cheese is melted.
Transfer cheese mixture to fondue pot.

Keep warm over low flame..

Enjoy!