BUCKS COUNTY

Delaware River Valley// Upper Black Eddy, Pennsylvania

Braised Cabbage

2-3 large purple cabbages

3 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar or beer

salt, pepper, red pepper flake, to taste

In a large cast iron skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add cabbage and cook for about 5-10 minutes until soft. Turn heat to high and add vinegar or beer. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flake. Bon Appetit.

Linzertorte

Makes a 9 inch torte with lattice crust

12 oz slivered almonds

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 egg

1/2 cup flour

1 tsp lemon zest

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon clove

1 cup lingonberry or raspberry jam

1 egg yolk

1 tsp water

In a food processor, process almonds until nuts are finely ground. Add flour and spices and mix together. Put butter into dry ingredients. In a small dish beat the egg and lemon zest, stir into butter/flour mixture. Knead dough until it forms a ball. Divide in two and refrigerate until firm.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a 9 inch pie pan, work one of the dough balls into the bottom of the pan, guiding the dough up the sides of the pan forming the crust. Pour jam onto curst. In between two pieces of wax paper, roll out other dough ball until about 1/4 inch thick. Cut dough into 1 inch strips and layer atop pan(watch a tutorial here!) In a small dish mix together egg yolk and water. With a pastry brush, gently paint the lattice topper. Bake in oven 45-60 minutes until golden.

Gingersnap Perfection// Upper Black Eddy, Pennsylvania — Gingersnap Perfection// Upper Black Eddy, Pennsylvania

Gingersnaps

Makes about 4 dozen

2 1/4 cups (281 grams) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons (10 grams) baking soda
1/2 teaspoon (2 to 3 grams) salt
3 teaspoons (6 grams) ground ginger

3 teaspoons (6 grams) fresh ginger
1 teaspoon (2 grams) cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon (1 gram) allspice

1/2 teaspoons (1 gram) chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
2 sticks (8 ounces or 227 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (96 grams) brown sugar
1 large egg
1/3 cup (79 ml) unsulphured molasses

handful crystalized ginger, cut into strips

In a large mixing bowl, mix butter sugars until fluffy. Add egg and molasses. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients and slowly add to wet ingredients. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least an hour or until firm. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet at least two inches from on another. Place crystalized ginger atop. Bake for 12-14 minutes until golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack. Enjoy!

Veins to the Sky// Upper Black Eddy, Pennsylvania — Veins to the Sky// Upper Black Eddy, Pennsylvania

Winter Traditions// Upper Black Eddy, Pennsylvania — Winter Traditions// Upper Black Eddy, Pennsylvania

Ma's Chocolate Bark

10 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1 cup whole roasted, salted cashews

1 cup dried apricots, chopped

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup dried cherries

1/2 cup toasted coconut

In a double boiler, melt together chocolates. On a sheet of parchment paper measure a 9 x 10 rectangle. Pour chocolate over rectangle and sprinkle cashews, apricots, cranberries, cherries, and coconut atop. Let set for 2 hours until firm. Break into pieces and serve.

Catalpa Tree// Upper Black Eddy, Pennsylvania — Catalpa Tree// Upper Black Eddy, Pennsylvania

Tree Lights// Upper Black Eddy,Pennsylvania

Delaware River Valley at Devils Tea Table// New Jersey — Delaware River Valley at Devils Tea Table// New Jersey

Little Red Riding Hood// Pipersville, Pennsylvania

Creek Scenes// Upper Black Eddy, Pennsylvania

The Gallows// Upper Black Eddy, Pennsylvania — The Gallows// Upper Black Eddy, Pennsylvania

Orange// Pipersville, Pennsylvania — Orange// Pipersville, Pennsylvania

NEW YORK

Ms. Lyle's Sausages

BY CLARA LYLE

I have countless memories of my mother, standing at our butcher block, with a glass of red wine, eyes fixed on the newspaper, eating soft peppers with translucent onions and crackled hot and sweet sausages; each bite cloaked with large gobs of Maille Dijon mustard. Every good meat eater relishes in the feeling of biting into a hot sausage, dripping with fennel seed and fat. In this dish, the acidic red pepper and onion perfectly complement the crisped sausage.

Recently I had the privilege to invite my wonderful friends over for a reunion. I did not intend to spend the entire evening at my usual post in the kitchen, and so I made the classic and served it with a large green salad dressed in an herbed lemon dressing. Not only was the meal consumed with the finest of company, but in its simplicity I was able to sit down and enjoy it with everyone. So next time you are preparing a meal with good friends, consider this:

Shelley’s Bleeker St. Sausage

3 medium Spanish onions, julienned

¼ Cup of extra virgin olive OIl

4 red and yellow Bell peppers, cored and julienned

Salt and pepper

3 Tablespoons Vinegar (preferably Champagne or Red Vinegar)

5 Lbs of Sweet/Hot Sausage from Faiccos on Bleeker Street

Heat a medium cast iron and add the olive oil. When hot, add the onion and wait for it to be slightly translucent, about three minutes. Add the vinegar and cook for a minute longer. At a medium heat add the peppers and cover the pan partially, stirring occasional to prevent burning. Salt and pepper to taste.

Put a separate pan on medium heat and while waiting for it to warm, gently poke each sausage twice with a fork, making small holes in the casing to help release heat and allow for an even sear. Place the sausage in the pan ensuring that there is enough room for the sausage to cook evenly, work in batches if you have to.

When the peppers and onions are cooked all the way through they should be soft to the touch but still maintain the integrity of their original form, no mush allowed!

Finally, combine the sausage with the peppers and onions and cook on a slow, low heat for 3 more minutes, allowing the flavors to meld ever so slightly.

Serve with mustard.

Big Green Salad w/ Herbed Lemon Vinaigrette

1 head of romaine, washed and torn

1 head of escarole, washed and torn

Mix together:

½ cup of EVO

Juice of one lemon

1 tsp Dijon

1 minced shallot

½ cup of equal chopped parsley, chive, and tarragon

1 soft boiled egg

1 TBS capers (optional)

Chinatown Underbelly// New York, New York — Chinatown Underbelly// New York, New York

Details// New York, New York — Details// New York, New York

The Masters of Russ and Daughters// New York, New York — The Masters of Russ and Daughters// New York, New York

PHILADELPHIA

TGV// Philadelphia, Pennsylvania — TGV// Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

City Hall// Philadelphia, Pennsylvania — City Hall// Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Christmas Time// Philadephia, Pennsylvania — Christmas Time// Philadephia, Pennsylvania

Aunt Sis's Pecan Tassies

BY VIRGINIA RAYWOOD
This recipe makes two dozen, but can be easily doubled to make four dozen. The pastry can be made ahead of time and refrigerated or frozen until the cookies are ready to be baked. The cookies also freeze very well.

PASTRY
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup flour, sifted
Mix together cream cheese and butter until creamed. Stir in flour and form into ball of dough. Wrap in wax paper or plastic wrap and chill slightly in fridge (like you would pie dough).
When ready to bake, break off pieces of dough and form into 1" balls by rolling between hands. Place balls into cups of mini muffin pan that has been lightly sprayed with non-stick spray (PAM, etc.) Press dough into shape of cup using thumb or shot glass, or anything else that fits the shape. There is a small wooden mallet that makes this part much easier to do, and if you have one or can get one I suggest using it. The wooden mallet needs to be dipped into some flour before each pressing.

PECAN FILLING
1 large egg
3/4 cups dark brown sugar (or you can mix half dark brown and half light brown sugar together if you want)
1 tsp. vanilla
2/3 cup coarsely broken pecans (I never measure the nuts, so you may need more or less)

Fill cups about half way with pecans. Mix together egg, sugar and vanilla. Add to pecans in cup. (I have a pitcher that has a funnel type spout on it that works very well ) Fill cup until about 3/4 full. DO NOT OVERFILL. If you overfill, the cookies will not pop out of the pan when done.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Let sit in pan for about 5 minutes before turning out. I set out a cookie sheet or tray and put a flat brown paper bag or some newspaper on it then top that with a layer or two of paper towels and pop out the cookies on that to cool. I guess you could also use cookie cooling racks. Enjoy!

I recently moved out of Philadelphia and back to my family's bed & breakfast the Bridgeton House on the Delaware in Upper Black Eddy, Pennsylvania. Our 1836 Inn overlooks the Delaware River and is riddled with my childhood memories. I remember all the incarnations of the Inn's kitchen and I always loved sitting at the counter, watching the chef prepare breakfast, but mostly I was in it for the cakes & cookies.

Today was the first day I had free reign of the kitchen and prepared breakfast for the guests. While mastering my omelet game & making pumpkin cornbread waffles, I made a simple cranberry orange compote. After breakfast was all said and done it was time to make cookies for tea time (my dream). I decided to make a simple ginger snap but also wanted to get rid of my excess cranberry sauce. After baking off the snaps, I decided to take the compote add a little sugar and cream cheese and make a filling for whoopie pies! The color alone is super fun and they taste even better.

Gingersnap Whoopie Pies with Cranberry Orange Ganache

Gingersnaps

makes about 4 dozen cookies

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon table salt

3 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon allspice

2 sticks unsalted butter (room temperature)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 large egg

1/3 cup unsulphured molasses

Method

Combine dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars. Slowly add the egg and molasses and beat until combined, scraping the edges of the bowl often. Slowly add dry ingredients and scrape sides of bowl until mixed. Transfer dough into plastic wrap and refrigerate for and hour or until firm.

Preheat oven to 350. With a small ice cream scoop or spoon, roll into 1 inch balls. Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until deep brown. Sprinkle with Turbinado suagr for a festive pop.

Cranberry Orange Ganache

3 cups Fresh Cranberries

1 or 1/2 cup Maple Syrup

Zest of 1 Orange

1/2 cup Cream Cheese

In a sauce pan over medium heat, add cranberries and simmer until berries burst and release juices(5-10 minutes). Add zest and syrup to taste and let cool. In a mixing bowl, add the cranberry mixture and cream cheese and combine.

Assembly

Take two like sized ginger snaps and place about a tablespoon of the ganache in the center. Press together and practice serious self control in trying not to eat them all!