Let’s Be Merry!

Are you ready for Christmas? It’s only a week away. We’ve had a few really warm days, so it doesn’t feel very Christmassy right now, but maybe we’ll get some first snowflakes next week. Actually, scratch that – no snowstorms, not ready yet!
I’m looking forward to a very very quiet Christmas: just the immediate family, and it’ll be just me and the kid for Christmas Eve. He’ll be decompressing from finals, and I’ll be decompressing from basically life. The dog doesn’t need any R&R. She only has two modes: “on” and “sleep”.
I actually have no idea what to make for Christmas. I know there will be (gluten free) manicotti and Napa cabbage salad with roasted pumpkin, pepitas and chèvre crumbles. I want to make either or both:  a lemon tart topped with marshmallows or chocolate-vanilla mascarpone log cake. I’m clueless about any other dishes. I do want to keep it a bit lighter and not overload it with too much food. My mom will bring a couple of traditional Russian appetizers of smoked fish and caviar, so we might call it a day.
What’s your holiday menu? Share it to give me and others some ideas.

 

Merry Christmas from Diana and Afina!

 

 

What’s Cooking This Week 

It’s Christmas week so we’re eating Christmassy foods. Generally it’s the time for holiday cookies. I thought keeping up with the tradition is just the right thing to do. Making all different kinds of cookies was definitely out of the question – you’ll be staring at (and eating) loads of sugary goodness. I do not have that big of a willpower! I decided to go smaller and a bit healthier. At least in a way of using natural food dyes. Pizzelles are simple Italian waffle cookies that are generally done with anise seeds or just vanilla. They’re quick and easy to make if you have a pizzelle maker at home. I make them often but this week, I decided to jazz them up with extra color to celebrate Christmas. Instead of using artificial dyes though, I used natural food coloring from purple sweet potato, beetroot and blue butterfly pea powders.

Gluten Free Pizzelles

 

 

You can use purple sweet potato, blue butterfly pea and beetroot powders as natural dyes.

The rest of the ingredients are your basic staples.

Start with combining flour with baking powder and anise seeds, if using any.

Beat together eggs, melted butter, sugar, and vanilla.

Gradually add flour mix into wet ingredients till it’s combined.

Divide the batter into three parts (or four, if you also want plain ones) and mix in powders to combine thoroughly.

Pre-heat pizzelle maker, according to directions.

Drop a spoonful of batter in the middle of each pizzelle grid and close the lid tightly, cooking for about 20-30 seconds, then promptly transferring them to a cooling tray.

Repeat the instructions with the remaining batter.

You’ll get an array of colorful cookies that don’t have any artificial ingredients.

They keep well for several days in any airtight container.

And they go well with your morning coffee or an afternoon tea.

They’re sweet, delicious and totally Christmassy!