Thursday, December 24, 2009

Christmas Eve Dinner (with a whole lot of cookies)

Dinner 12/24

Cabbage & Dill Pierogi

Mushroom & Potato Pierogi

Braised Carrots

Grilled Asparagus

Potato, Pear and Dried Cherry Salad with Maple Syrup Vinaigrette

Dessert

Blondies

Korova Cookies

Thumbprint Jam Cookies

Clothespin Cookies

Eggnog Cookies



If it's Christmas Eve, then it's Cabbage & Dill, and Mushroom & Potato Pierogi. Rounding out the plate was braised carrots and grilled asparagus.



We started off with the salad, a combination of hot creamy fingerling potatoes, crisp pears and tart cherries tied together with a maple syrup vinaigrette. A big bowl of yum!



Before the cookies, here's a palate cleansing look at the holiday table from both sides, starting from the right hand side...



...and one from the left. After the Holiday Party XIII last week, there was a great deal of re-arranging chairs, tables and decorations for the table.



What's that on the back table by the window? Cookies? Why, yes!



Top to bottom: Eggnog Cookies (adapted from Tish Boyle's "The Good Cookie"), Thumbprint Jam Cookies, Korova (a.k.a. World Peace) Cookies (adapted from Dorie Greenspan)



Close-up of the eggnog cookies (using soynog, of course). These require patience as you need an even number (to match the top and bottom) and a deft hand with the tiny "star" cookie cutters for the top half.



The thumbprint Jam cookies used raspberry jam for the filling.



Extensive field studies have shown that the "World Peace" cookies go really well with bourbon. Just sayin' ;)



Moving over to the second tray of cookies, with the ever popular Clothespin cookies on top, and a big batch of Blondies.



The clothespin cookies are one of the most sublime things I have ever eaten -- a flaky cookie with piped in buttercream filling that is as intense in the mouth as it is beautiful to the eyes.

Having said that -- even I don't know the recipe. It comes from Liz's family (that she's veganized), and she won't let me see it either... ;)



Finally, from Wheeler Del Toro's "The Vegan Scoop" dessert book, Blondies.


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