We've been at it again in the test kitchen at Cafe Zupas. To off set the chilling temperatures this week, enjoy a bowl of Swiss Onion Soup. We spent days getting the creamy consistency just right along with pairing simple yet satisfying spices to create the perfect bowl of soup for a cold day.
Our soup features a mild Jarlsberg cultivated in Norway. This adds a buttery, nutty and slightly sweet flavor.
Tired of all the sweets from Christmas? I know I am. I'm sure that won't last long but until then, here are some delicious treats that won't hit your sweet tooth. These tasty little bites are made with Swiss cheese which gives them a nice little bite. They are perfect as a side dish with dinner, or as hors d'oeuvres if you're having a little New Year's Party. And they're easy to make too!
Cheese Puffs
makes about 2 dozen
1 cup water
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 cup all purpose flour
4 eggs
1 1/4 cups Swiss cheese, grated
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon dried parsley
In a large saucepan, bring the water, butter, salt and pepper to a boil. Quickly add the flour and stir until it all comes together and forms a ball. Set aside and cool for 5 minutes. Add eggs, one a time and mix well after each one. Continue beating until mixture is smooth. Stir in Swiss cheese, mustard and parlsey. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 425 degrees for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.
I hope you enjoy them! Happy New Year!
I love making New Year's Resolutions. I will admit, though- I'm like so many others out there who aren't very good at keeping their resolutions. But last year, I made a food related resolution to make and blog about at least one recipe from each of my cookbooks, and I'm glad to say that I am one post away from finishing that resolution.
This upcoming year, I plan to eat more seasonally and to try new ingredients, cuisines and techniques in the kitchen. I'm also going to keep up on cooking from my cookbooks. What are some of your "foodie" resolutions for the new year?
There's nothing like a steaming hot bowl of clam chowder in the winter months. In the Zupas Test Kitchen we decided to mix things up a bit and give a good ole' classic a twist. Our Manhattan Clam Chowder is the perfect remedy for a cold day. 
We really placed an emphasis on using fresh vegetables for this featured recipe. The chowder starts with a classic mirepoix and is full of fresh tomatoes and loaded with an array of spices. 
It took testing over and over again to find the perfect combination of 9 spices to make this recipe a winner. The texture and vibrant color of our Manhattan Clam Chowder make it unique and oh so satisfying. 
Now serving....at all Zupas locations.
One thing about starting a new family is coming up with new holiday traditions to celebrate. With our first child coming early next year, my husband and I have been having fun combining the traditions of our families, along with thinking of new traditions that we'd like to do throughout the holiday season.
One tradition that we started last year is having German Scones on Christmas morning. I think my husband has been looking forward to Christmas just so that he'll get scones!! These are super easy - the dough can even be prepared the night before and refrigerated so all that you have to do on Christmas morning - once the presents are unwrapped of course - is to fry the dough. Your family will be begging for them again until next Christmas!
German Scones
2 packages dry yeast
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup butter
2 teaspoons salt
3 eggs, beaten
4 1/2 cups flour
Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the 1 tablespoon of sugar; set aside.
Pour the boiling water over the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, the butter, and the salt. Add the eggs, mix well. Add in the yeast mixture and 2 cups of the flour. Beat with a mixer until smooth. Add the remaining 2 1/2 cups flour and mix in. Let this rise for 1 hour (I just kept it in the mixing bowl) and then refrigerate until cold.
Roll out very thin (about 1/4 inch) on a floured surface, and cut into 3 inch squares. Fry in hot oil until brown, then flip and fry until both sides are browned and puffy.
Serve with butter and honey, cinnamon honey butter, jam, or coat them with granulated sugar.
Cinnamon Honey Butter
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Combine all ingredients and whip with mixer until light and fluffy.
Biscotti is always in season, but Gingerbread Biscotti is perfect for the holidays. It fills your home with the most amazing aroma, you'll want to bottle it up and make it last all year long! Biscotti is simply a twice-baked cookie. It is simple to make and perfect for dunking in hot cocoa or coffee.
To make it extra special, dip half in melted chocolate and you'll have an amazing treat!
Gingerbread Biscotti
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup molasses
3 large eggs
3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup sliced almonds, toasted
In a large bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cloves. Set aside. Cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add molasses and eggs and mix until smooth and blended. Slowly add flour mixture until incorporated. Stir in almonds. Divide dough in half and shape into 2 loaves on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Loaves should be about 12 inches long, 3 inches wide and about 1/2 inch thick. Bake at 375 degrees for about 25-30 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and let cool about 10 minutes. Slice into 1/2 inch thick pieces on the diagonal. Place back on the cookie sheet and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until crispy.
Happy holidays!!
