Hot Stuff

Do you like garlic, ginger, chiles and exotic spices? I'm a fanatic for this type of food and today I made a dish that satisfied every single one of my tastebuds. I took a tip from Aarti Sequeira from the Food Network and re-mixed one of her curry recipes. I made a curried couscous. Simple, flavorful and 25 minutes from pot to plate.

Curried Couscous

1 T canola oil
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced green pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 T fresh ginger grated
2 tsp garlic grated
2 Serrano chiles thinly sliced
1 tsp Garam Masala
1/2 tsp paprika
1 14.5 oz can vegatable broth
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
1 cup golden raisins
2 cups uncooked couscous

In large pan over medium low heat, add oil and warm. Add onions, green pepper and salt and cook (sweat) for about 5 minutes until soft. Add garlic, ginger and chiles. Stir and cook a minute or two. Add Garam Masala and paprika and combine. Add broth, tomato sauce and raisins. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a slow simmer. Cook 15-20 minutes covered. Add the couscous, stir to incorporate the liquid, turn off the burner, cover the pot and let sit for 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork and serve.



This recipe makes enough to feed an army (8 people-that's an army for me). But if you're like me, you'll eat more than your share. It's a great side and I'm thinking it could be a hearty main dish served at room temp with some rotisserie chicken from the market. And maybe jazz it up with baby peas. I might do that tomorrow.

Melt in your Mouth

One of my favorite cookies ever, and especially during the holiday season is the delight I've been calling Mexican Wedding Cookies. They're buttery, and crumbly and dusted (or doused) with confectioners sugar. You may also know them as Biscochetas, Polvorones, Rohlichky, Schweddy Balls (thanks Erika) or as MaryAnne's mom calls them- Holiday Nuggets. Anyway, I made dozens of these balls of heaven this past weekend to share with my friends and think it's the perfect time to share the recipes with you.

The first recipe is based on a recipe from the Joy of Baking. The second is a mocha re-mix of the first. And then I took the whole shebang a step further and made a coconut version. All are easy, have no eggs and are melt in your mouth delicious. I used my Trinity Flour Mix (4 parts AP flour, 2 parts ground oatmeal, 1 part whole wheat flour) but the recipe originally called for AP flour. So both work fine. Also, all three versions each make about 3 dozen.

Sno Balls

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) at room temperature

1/4 cup confectioners sugar

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 tsp salt

2 cups flour

2/3 cups ground walnuts-don't grind to a paste; you just want to avoid big chunks

1 cup confectioners sugar for dusting

IN LARGE BOWL mix butter and 1/4 cup of sugar until well blended. Add vanilla and salt and mix again. Beat in flour, then ground nuts and mix. Divide dough in half forming each into a ball. Wrap separately in plastic and chill about 30 minutes.

PRE-HEAT OVEN to 350. Working with half the dough, roll into balls about 1 inch in diameter. Place balls on parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Let cool on wire rack for about 5 minutes and toss warm cookies in confectioners sugar. Repeat with second ball of refrigerated dough. Cool cookies completely and store in air-tight containers in your fridge.

Mocha Sno Balls

1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

1/4 cup confectioners sugar

2 tsp instant coffee powder (I used de-caf)

1/4 cup unsweetened baking cocoa

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1-3/4 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

2/3 cup ground walnuts

1 cup confectioners sugar for dusting


IN LARGE BOWL mix butter and sugar until well blended. Add vanilla, coffee powder, cocoa and salt and mix well. Add flour and mix until dough is looking crumbly. Add the ground nuts and incorporate. Divide dough in half forming each into a ball. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate 30 minutes.

PRE-HEAT OVEN to 350. Working with half the dough, roll into balls about 1 inch in diameter. Place balls on parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Let cool on wire rack for about 5 minutes and toss warm cookies in confectioners sugar. Repeat with second ball of refrigerated dough. Cool cookies completely and store in air-tight containers in your fridge.

Coconut Sno Balls

1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

1/4 cup confectioners sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp coconut extract

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup shredded sweetened coconut ground in food processor or spice mill

2 cups flour

1 cup confectioners sugar for dusting

IN LARGE BOWL mix butter and 1/4 cup of sugar until well blended. Add vanilla and salt and mix again. Beat in flour, then ground coconut. Divide dough in half forming each into a ball. Wrap separately in plastic and chill about 30 minutes.

PRE-HEAT OVEN to 350. Working with half the dough, roll into balls about 1 inch in diameter. Place balls on parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Let cool on wire rack for about 5 minutes and toss warm cookies in confectioners sugar. Repeat with second ball of refrigerated dough. Cool cookies completely and store in air-tight containers in your fridge.


I have a few more ideas for this cookie, but I don't know if I'll have the stamina to get to them before the holidays. Lemon Sno Balls are at the top of my list. And what about Almond Sno Balls? This kind of recipe gives me Obsessive Compulsive Recipe Disorder. Yeah, I can live with that. As a start, try these and have a ball.