Cozy Winter Recipes for Your Cottage Guests

Apple Cider Moscow Mules 

Ingredients

• 1 oz ginger flavored vodka
• 2 oz apple cider (store bought or homemade)
• Juice of one small lime wedge 1/2 cup good quality Ginger beer to top off (adjust to taste)
• Cinnamon to sprinkle

Directions

1. In a copper mug, add the vodka, apple cider and lime juice.
2. Fill the glass with ice, sprinkle cinnamon over the ice, then top off with ginger beer.

3. Stir well and garnish with an apple slice and cinnamon stick.

Source: https://sugarandcharm.com/2014/09/apple-cider-moscow-mules.html?section-5

Figs-in-a-Blanket with Goat Cheese from Epicurious

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 24 dried black Mission figs (medium or large), stems trimmed, halved
• 1 large egg
• 1 (14- or 17-ounce) box of puff pastry (preferably all-butter puff), thawed according to package directions
• All-purpose flour (for surface)
• 6 1/2 ounces plain goat cheese
• Sesame seeds or poppy seeds (for topping; optional)

Directions

1. Arrange racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 400°F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Stir vinegar, honey, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, and 1 cup water in a medium pot. Add figs and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until figs are softened and liquid has almost evaporated and is a syrupy consistency, 7–10 minutes. Transfer figs to a plate; let cool.
3. Beat egg with 1 Tbsp. water in a small bowl. If using a 14-ounce package with 1 sheet of pastry, roll pastry to an 18×12″ rectangle on a lightly floured surface. If using a 17-ounce package with 2 sheets of pastry, roll each sheet to a 12×9″ rectangle. Cut pastry along the 12″ side into 12 (1-inch-wide) strips. Cut each strip crosswise into pieces about 4 1/2″ long. You should have 48 (4 1/2×1″) strips pastry.
4. Scoop a heaping 1/2 tsp. cheese and press into cut side of 1 fig half. Place fig half in the center of 1 pastry strip. Brush 1 end of pastry with egg wash and roll to enclose. Transfer seam side down to prepared sheet. Repeat with remaining cheese, figs, and pastry. Brush top of each pastry with egg wash and sprinkle with seeds, if using. Bake pastries, rotating and switching sheets top to bottom halfway through, until golden brown and puffed, 15–18 minutes

Source: https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/figs-in-a-blanket-with-goat-cheese

Roasted Sweet Potato, Wild Rice, & Arugula Salad

• 2 cups cooked wild rice (about 1/2 cup raw)
• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced (about 3-4 cups)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 cups arugula
• 1/2 cup cashew pieces

for the dressing

• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 lemons – more to taste)
• zest of the lemons
• 1/3 cup good quality olive oil
• 2 teaspoons agave nectar
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Cook the wild rice according to package directions. Meanwhile, make the dressing by pureeing all the dressing ingredients in a food processor. When the rice is done, toss it with a little bit of the dressing and refrigerate. Let it rest for a little while so it takes on the flavors of the dressing (I let it chill completely, but you wouldn’t have to do that).
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the sweet potato pieces directly on a baking sheet. Drizzle with the oil and sprinkle with the chili powder, salt, and pepper. Stir directly on the pan to get everything mixed. Roast for 20-25 minutes, stirring every so often to keep from burning. When the sweet potatoes are golden brown on the outside, remove from the oven and set aside.
3. Toss the arugula, wild rice, sweet potatoes, cashews, and the remaining dressing together. Serve warm or cold. YUM.

Source: https://pinchofyum.com/roasted-sweet-potato-wild-rice-arugula-salad

Charred Steak with Broccoli and Cheese Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 (1 1/2″–2″ thick) boneless New York strip steaks
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 2 1/4 tsp. kosher salt, divided
• 2 bunches broccolini (about 1 lb. total), trimmed, halved lengthwise
• 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 oz. coarsely grated Gruyère (about 1½ cups)
• 3 oz. cream cheese, cut into pieces
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 1/4 tsp. freshly grated or ground nutmeg
• Large pinch of cayenne pepper
• Flaky sea salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Season steaks all over with pepper and 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt. Let sit 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, toss broccolini, oil, and 1/2 tsp. kosher salt on a rimmed baking sheet to combine. Spread out in a single layer and set aside.
3. Using tongs if needed, hold both steaks together fat cap side down in a large ovenproof skillet, then set over high heat. Cook until pan is coated in fat, about 4 minutes. Lay steaks flat and continue to sear until deeply browned, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer skillet to oven and roast steaks until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 120°F for medium-rare, 6–8 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes before slicing.
4. While steaks are resting, roast reserved broccolini until crisp-tender and lightly charred, about 10 minutes.
5. Heat cheese, cream cheese, milk, nutmeg, cayenne, and remaining 1/4 tsp. kosher salt in a medium saucepan over medium, whisking constantly, until a smooth sauce forms, about 5 minutes.
6. Divide sauce among plates. Top with broccolini and steaks; sprinkle with sea salt.

Source: www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/charred-steak-and-broccolini-with-cheese-sauce

Sea Salt Violet Millionaires Shortbread from Butter and Brioche

Ingredients

For the crust

• 250 g all-purpose flour
• 100 g granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp corn flour
• ½ tsp salt
• 200 g unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tsp vanilla bean extract

For the caramel

•  250 g granulated sugar
• 60 ml water
• 125 g unsalted butter, cubed
• 120 g crème fraiche
• Seeds from 1 vanilla bean pod
• ¼ tsp violet essence
• ¼ tsp salt

For the topping

• 200 g dark chocolate, finely chopped
• Fleur de sel or flaked salt, for finishing

Directions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 Celsius. Line a 20 cm square baking pan with non-stick parchment paper. Let the paper slightly overhang the sides. Set aside.
2. To make the crust, add the flour, sugar, corn flour and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the beater attachment. Beat on medium speed for a few seconds to combine the dry ingredients. Set the mixer speed to medium-low and stream in the melted butter. Beat until combined then add in the vanilla bean extract. Continue to beat until the dough is evenly moistened and has begun to roughly come together, a further minute. Stop mixing and tip the mixture into the prepared pan then use your fingers to press the dough into an even and flat layer. Bake until golden brown and just firm, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool completely before covering in the caramel.
3. Next, make the caramel. Combine the sugar and water into a medium-sized saucepan set over medium heat. Heat, swirling the pan often but not stirring, until the mixture begins to turn an even amber color. It should reach about 120 Celsius on a candy thermometer. Lower the heat then add in the butter and crème fraiche and whisk to combine.Take caution with this step -the mixture will sputter, steam and foam when the dairy is added but will subside as it continues to cook, so be careful. Let the mixture continue to cook out for a further two minutes undisturbed then remove it from the heat and stir in the vanilla, violet and salt. It should be dark amber in color, thick, and slightly reduced. Immediately pour the caramel over the cooled crust, making sure that it reaches the edges and into an even layer. Set aside at room temperature to cool until the caramel is firm, about an hour.
4. Now, make the topping. Place the chocolate into a medium-sized heatproof bowl set over a saucepan filled with a few inches of barely simmering water. Do not let the bowl touch the water below. Heat, stirring often with a rubber spatula, until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and use an offset spatula to spread the chocolate into an even layer over the caramel. Place the pan in the refrigerator to chill until the slice is well set, about 2 hours, or overnight. When you’re ready to serve, sprinkle over a little fleur de sel or flaked salt, then use a warm and sharp knife to slice it into even sized bars or squares.

Source: www.butterandbrioche.com/sea-salt-violet-millionaires-shortbread