Olla-Podrida

Thursday, December 24, 2015

Festive Fruit Bars

As I mentioned in this post, I am one of those people who actually likes fruitcake, and, brace yourselves people, there are a lot of us. When Mr. O-P makes his annual fruitcake there are always plenty of takers when we offer up a jewel-toned, rum-soaked slice.

This is an easy version of fruitcake in cookie form. The recipe dates back to the seventies, and was one of the first cookies I'd make for the holidays because it was easy, made a good amount, and looked so pretty on the cookie tray.

Now is the time to watch for sales on mixed glazed fruit, so the perfect time, I thought, to share the recipe. It makes a wonderful afternoon treat whether accompanied by a soothing cup of tea, or even more soothing glass of wine.

Festive Fruit Bars

6 Tablespoons butter
1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup shredded coconut
2 cups cut up mixed candied fruit
1 cup chopped dates
1 cup pecans, chopped
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Melt butter and pour into the bottom of a 9” x 12” pan. (A 9” x 13” pan is too big; I used a 10” x 10”.) Sprinkle crumbs evenly over butter. Pat down. Sprinkle coconut over crumbs. Sprinkle mixed fruit, dates, and nuts evenly over coconut. Press mixture down lightly to level in pan. Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over the top. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan before cutting.

PRINT RECIPE

This post is linked to:

Crafty & Delicious

Create It Thursday

Home and Garden Thursday

Thursday Favorite Things

Simple and Sweet Fridays

Foodie Friday & Everything Else

Fridays Flash Blog
Friday Frenzy

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Rustic Holiday Table for Two

Earlier in the week I showed you some pretty splashy, festive holiday tables. Beautiful holiday tables are all over the web this week, but sometimes I like simple and rustic, and a table set for two. If you won’t be hosting a big crowd this season and will only be serving dinner for two, or one, then you might enjoy seeing this simple table. Truth be told, it’s the coffee table because sometimes (a lot, in fact) I like to enjoy dinner while watching the game.

I placed a nubby runner on the top, tucking it into the second shelf of this three-tier table, and then set it with some new dishes that I treated myself to this season.

I wanted very little color so made use of the brown glassware that used to be my mother’s, along with some white-on-white Santa and reindeer mugs.

The centerpiece was simple as well with a metal reindeer and a trio of wooden evergreens.

I decided to get festive with the napkins and found this fold amazingly easy. It goes perfectly with this table and will go well with one of the two tables that I’ll be setting for my big dinner on Boxing Day. You can do this simple fold yourself by following the easy tutorial that I found here.

Isn’t this the sweetest little ceramic basket that you’ve ever seen?! Dad and I unearthed these while going through boxes of my late mother’s holiday decor. It was quite a surprise find as they had each been wrapped in bubble wrap and carefully placed into a box that once contained a Johnson Brothers “Friendly Village” pattern teapot. I thought I was getting the teapot (we still don’t know where it is), but instead got these, and I couldn’t be happier.

In keeping with the theme, of course, I had to place a couple of wintergreen leaves in each.

Runner – Pottery Barn

Plates – “Evergreen” from Pottery Barn

Mugs – Williams-Sonoma

Flatware – Pottery Barn

Napkins – Macy’s

This post is linked to:

Create It Thursday

Home and Garden Thursday

Thursday Favorite Things

Tablescape Thursday

Simple and Sweet Fridays

Foodie Friday & Everything Else

Fridays Flash Blog
Friday Frenzy

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Pattie's Pickled Padrons & Pearls

Picture it: You’re into the holiday home stretch. Everything, and I mean everything, is under control. You are ticking things off of your “To Do” list: one, two, three. You are feeling so proud and so smug about sailing through such a successful holiday that you’re all ready to kick off your shoes and celebrate. And then, as you roast your toes by the fire while sipping some mulled cider, the lights sparkling on the tree, it hits you! You’ve forgotten one gift. Before you put on your track shoes and beat it down to Walgreen’s to sift through the detritus of holiday remnants, here is a gift that is so quick and easy to put together that it is almost instant. Enter Pattie’s Pickled Padrons & Pearls (or whatever combination of onions and peppers that you happen to have on hand, seriously, you can use almost any kind.)

Grab yourself a bowl, toss in some peppers and onions, boil up some pickling solution, stir it all together, and artfully arrange it in a jar. That’s pretty much it. A jute, raffia, or colorful ribbon along with a tag makes this look as though it had been planned for ages.

Here is the recipe that I used, but feel free to substitute. If you saw my post about How to Peel Pearl Onions, then you should already have some in your freezer or fridge. Good! While you can use quartered shallots or cipollini onions, pearl onions, particularly a variety of them, make this look really special.

For peppers, I chose Melissa’s Padrons because, like Shishitos, they are fun little peppers that are largely mild, but every once in a while you get a hot one. Think of it as pickled pepper roulette.

Both peppers and onions make an excellent addition to a hero or sub sandwich, a spicy addition to a salad, or a welcome addition to antipasto or cheese plates.

Pattie's Pickled Padrons & Pearls

1/2 pound Melissa’s Padron Chiles or Shishito Peppers
6-8 pearl onions, blanched and peeled

½ cup white wine vinegar

½ cup cider vinegar
1/4 - 1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
3 fresh thyme sprigs
1 large garlic clove, thinly sliced
Pinch of dried crushed red pepper
Pinch of coarse kosher salt

Place peppers and onions into a medium bowl.

In medium saucepan place vinegars, sugar, water, fresh thyme, garlic, dried peppers, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat and allow to simmer until sugar and salt are dissolved. Remove from heat and slowly pour over peppers and onions. Cover bowl with a towel and allow to stand until the mixture reaches room temperature. Transfer to pint-size jars, pressing peppers and onions into liquid to cover. Screw jar lids on tightly and chill at least 4 hours or up to a week.