Holiday Snack

Roasting in New York City since 1886, A. L. Bazzini has been supplying Yankee Stadium with peanuts since its inaugural game against the Red Sox in 1923, and it is the nutroaster of choice for the finest restaurants and hotels, including the Waldorf Astoria, and Four Seasons. As far back as 1945, generous Bazzini 4-pound Elephant Tins have supplied the best kitchens.

Need a great snack in under 1 hour? And- with no concerns about added holiday fat intake, like the usual snack mix with butter. Make another viewer favorite and most requested party snack is my seasoned spiced nuts recipe. My recipe, roasted in the oven with egg whites, that's sans the butter!

I’ve listed options to mix-in with the nuts if you want to put your own spin on my holiday snack. Oh, and BTW- it makes a great hostess/ host gift when wrapped up in clear cello bags with a festive ribbon.  

Spiced Nuts Recipe

Add any of the following to above make your own spin on Holiday Snack

1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup white raisins
1 cup Indian nuts, aka pinion, or pine nuts
2 cups mini pretzel sticks
1 cup wasabi nuts

(Not for me, but if you like a more sweet version, add)

1 cup chocolate or white chocolate chunks

Short Ribs

The holidays are a time for sharing and I’m picking one of my most requested recipes from my TV series for you and your family. This is a warming, one-pot-dish which is so full of flavor. The key to this fall off the bone, melt in your mouth beef dish is slow, and low cooking. The delicious aroma it creates in the kitchen is an added bonus. Enjoy.

Short Ribs of Beef with Orange Ginger Sauce 

Makes four servings 
As seen on George Hirsch Living it UP! TV series  | www.chefgeorgehirsch.com 

4 pounds Beef short ribs, bone in 

1/4 cup flour, for coating beef short ribs 

2 Tablespoons olive oil 

4 cloves garlic, sliced thin 

1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and chopped 

1 leek, whites only cut into one inch pieces 

2 teaspoons sesame oil  2 teaspoons sherry 

2 teaspoons soy sauce  juice of one orange 

1 1/2 cups beef broth 

Coat beef ribs with flour, shaking off any excess. 

Pre heat a braising or sauce pot to medium high temperature. Add olive oil and sear beef short ribs until well browned, turning only once on each side. 

Drain any excess oil. Lower temperature of pot, add garlic, ginger, leeks, sesame oil, sherry, soy sauce, orange juice and beef broth. Bring sauce up to a boil, then lower to a gentle simmer, cover and cook for 1 1/2- 2 hours or until meat is beginning to fall away from the bone. 

When short ribs are fully cooked, remove meat from pot. Raise the temperature of the sauce to a low boil. Reduce the sauce to naturally thicken. 

Serve with steamed rice or creamy mashed potatoes.

Three Generations of Shortbread

The Heritage Shortbread story is heart warming and so are their all natural sweet biscuits. Willow McGrain's South Carolina Lowcountry kitchen is where each and every buttery-rich shortbreads are baked from. The century old shortbread recipe was never written down- I'd say, the best kept family secret from Willow's Scottish origin. I wonder if Willow's great-great-grandmother imagined her holiday baking tradition would become a holiday shopping demand around the country? You can get them or send them.

Authentic Sacher Torte

Exclusively available at the Hotel Sacher Wien, the Hotel Sacher Salzburg, the Café Sacher Innsbruck, the Café Sacher Graz and at the Sacher Shop in Bolzano. Just like 175 years ago, the cakes are covered with apricot jam, iced with chocolate and packed in wooden boxes by hand. 

This Hotel Sacher specialty is a purely natural product, made without chemical preservatives. The "Original Sacher-Torte" is traditionally served with unsweetened whipped cream and a cup of "Original Sacher Café". More than 300,000 cakes are produced at the Hotel Sacher per year, more than half of them are sent to destinations all over the world. 

If you missed your flight to Vienna this weekend, order takeout: Order by December 8th to receive prior to Christmas: Original Sacher-Torte 19.50-39.50 EUR plus 26 EUR for 14 day air mail delivery (aprox $59-$85U.S.).

Pick of the Crop

What are you having for breakfast? It's cold outside and you need something that sticks to your ribs to power you up for the day. Eat oatmeal. For 150 years John McCann's Steel Cut Irish Oatmeal product hasn't changed a bit. The packaging is virtually the same too. Well, they have added a few quick cook versions, for those that can't wait 30 minutes for the traditional Irish porridge way. I prefer mine topped with 2% milk and a little Turbinado Sugar.

Words from McCann's...

"Steel-Cut Oats are whole grain groats (the inner portion of the oat kernel) which have been cut into two or three pieces using steel discs. Golden in colour and resembling mini rice particles, they are as nature intended – nothing added and nothing taken out.

Grains are essential to a healthy lifestyle and form the foundation of the food pyramid. Steel-Cut oats are inherently full of nutritional value and are high in B-Vitamins, calcium, protein and fiber while low in salt and unsaturated fat. One cup of Steel-Cut oatmeal contains more fiber than a bran muffin and twice as much fibre as Cream of Wheat. The quality of Irish Oats and the distinctive crunchy texture make McCann's Steel-Cuts a gourmet delight."

 Did I mention- it's good for you?