Almond Crescent Cookies

The holidays are upon us and festive food is just so much fun!  Though I don't have much of a sweet tooth, there is something so special about these cookies and I feel the need to indulge in them every year!

I tried this recipe with Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free flour and it worked quite well! 

 What is not to love?

Holiday Crescent Cookies

Good for the Spirit.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, room temperature
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 cup almond flour
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

1.  Cream the butter and the sugar together until light and fluffy.  Add the extracts and mix.
2. Add the flour and almond flour.  Mix thoroughly.  Dough should be slightly crumbly, but I find it is helpful to add a couple of tablespoons of warm water at this point and continue mixing.
3. Take a generous tablespoon of the dough and roll it into a small ball.  From there, roll it between your hands and pinch the ends a bit to shape it into a crescent.  
4. Place onto parchment paper on a cookie sheet and bake at 350F for 15-20 minutes or until a lightly golden brown.
5. Pour the powdered sugar into a bowl and carefully, after cooling them briefly, one at a time place the cookies in the sugar bowl and cover with sugar.

This recipe makes about 24 cookies.

Pumpkin Risotto

During this busy holiday season,  I haven't had the luxury of time or the sense of calm to cook creatively.  I've been relying on old stand-bys like vegetable souffles, lentil soup, poached beets, and cheese and crackers.

But the other night, I finally had the time, the space, the quiet, and the drive.  And it was delicious!  Pictured below is the pumpkin risotto served with seared sea scallops, a delicious, if bland looking combination!

 Pumpkin risotto

A meal to linger over

Easy, yet special

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, diced
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 cups arborio rice
• 1 1/4 cup white wine
• 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated or minced
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
• 1 Tbsp butter
• Salt and Pepper to taste

1.  Sautee the onion in olive oil over medium heat for three to five minutes, or until soft.  
2. Add the rice and allow to cook, stirring for a minute or two.  Slowly add the wine.
3. Start to add the vegetable broth, one 1/2 cup at a time.  Allow the moisture to cook off (at least 5 minutes) before adding the next 1/2 cup.  Stir constantly.
4. After about 20 minutes of this, the rice should be cooked through and you should have a thick, creamy consistency.  
5. Add the remaining ingredients, stir well, cook a few minutes longer until heated through, and serve!

I really enjoy this risotto, which has a creamy subtle flavor, with seared sea scallops and a bit of Parmesan cheese grated on top.

You can make this with a fresh pumpkin, which was my intention, by scraping out the seeds (go ahead and roast them with salt to sprinkle over the sea scallops) and baking the pumpkin, in pieces, in the oven for 30 minutes or so.  I'll make it again and add more specific instructions.