‘Christmas 101’ offers fine feast for the senses

loading...

CHRISTMAS 101, by Rick Rodgers, Broadway Books, 1999, 173 pages, $15.

Christmastime is a feast for the senses.

It all can come together when you’re cooking: Turn up the carols, plug in the lights and let the food do the rest.

Toiling in the kitchen has been one of my favorite holiday traditions for as long as I can remember. When I was little, I remember decorating cookies or simply lending moral support while the turkey was stuffed. I branched out in high school, adding a “buche de Noel” recipe to the annual family traditions.

Every year for the past few years, I’ve tried a new recipe here and there in my search for those gems to add to the holiday celebrations, and this year is no exception.

I have to admit cookbooks such as “Christmas 101” intimidate me. It’s about lists and organization and detailed directions that make me wonder how I ever learned to cook with just a list of ingredients — often without amounts — and a note on oven temperature and pan size.

After the first few pages, “Christmas 101” makes a bit more sense. It is more than just a cookbook. Author Rick Rodgers loves to entertain people at his home over the holidays and this is his guide on how to eat, drink and be merry this holiday season, even if you are the cook.

The recipes in “Christmas 101” cater to the sophisticated cook with many complex recipes (the Two-Way Duck with Pecan-Orange Rice dish takes two pages to explain), but it also focuses on the basics (such as Scalloped Potatoes 101 or Gingerbread Cookies 101) for beginners and veterans alike.

Recipes for Old-Fashioned Eggnog and Brandied Fruitcake Drops are strictly holiday fare, but ones such as Tortellini Antipasto Salad and Overnight Maple-Pecan Sticky Buns could be made any time for any occasion.

“Christmas 101” has recipes to make up an entire menu for a holiday celebration, from appetizers, beverages and salads to side dishes, stuffings, and meats. It tops it all off with a healthy dose of breads, candies, cookies and desserts.

If you’re looking for some new traditions, along with hints to make your holiday cooking less hectic, “Christmas 101” is for you. Rodgers’ best piece of advice, however, is to ask that family member for your favorite recipe. It will keep your own traditions alive to pass on to another generation.

Santa Fe Crunch is a slightly sweet, salty and spicy snack mix that would go well at any party. Add more red pepper if you like it hot. A whole batch of this is huge; I made a half batch and the roaster pan was two-thirds full.

Santa Fe Crunch

4 tablespoons ( 1/2 stick) unsalted butter

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce 2 tablespoons light brown sugar 2 tablespoons chili powder 1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground red (cayenne) pepper 12 ounce box oven-toasted square corn cereal 4 cups (8 ounces) mini-pretzels 2 cups (8 ounces) dry-roasted peanuts 2 cups (8 ounces) pecans 2 cups (6 ounces) pumpkin seeds

Position rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 300 degrees. In a small saucepan, over medium-low heat, stir the butter, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, chili powder, salt and red pepper until the butter is melted.

In a large roasting pan (such as a turkey roaster), toss the cereal, pretzels, peanuts, pecans and pumpkin seeds, drizzling with the butter mixture to coat.

Bake, stirring every 15 minutes, until heated through, about 1 hour. Cool completely.

The crunch can be prepared up to three days ahead and stored in an airtight container.

Fruit-filled goodies are a treat any time of the year and cranberries give these bars a nice tang.

Cranberry Oat Bars

Cranberry Filling: 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries

3/4 cup granulated sugar Grated zest of 1 orange

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats 1 cup light brown sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with a double thickness of aluminum foil so that the foil extends beyond the two opposite ends of the pan. Fold the overhang down to form handles. Lightly butter the foil.

To make the filling, bring the cranberries, sugar and orange zest to a boil in a medium saucepan, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring often, until thick and reduced to 1 cup, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cool completely.

In a medium bowl, mix the flour, oatmeal, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the butter. Using your fingertips, work the butter into the flour mixture until well combined and crumbly. Press half of of the mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan, and spread with the cranberry filling. Sprinkle the remaining mixture over the filling and gently press into an even layer.

Bake until the top is evenly browned, about 40 minutes. Cool completely on wire cake rack.

Run a knife around the inside edges of the pan to release the bars from the sides. Lift up on the foil handles to remove the bars from the pan. Using a large, sharp knife, cut into 16 bars.

The bars will keep up to 5 days, individually wrapped and stored at room temperature.

Janine Pineo is a NEWS copy editor.