Wine & Dine

Episode #37 - Holiday Gifts From Your Kitchen

Salted Caramel Sauce
Chipotle and Thyme Roasted Nuts
Stoney Ridge Truffles

Salted Caramel Sauce

1 ½ cup sugar
½ cup water
1 cup cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon sea salt

Simmer 1 ½ cups sugar and ½ cup water in a sauce pan over medium-high heat, swirling the pan but not stirring, until dark amber, about 12 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in 1 cup cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla and ½ teaspoon sea salt. Let cool, and then divide among jars and chill. Decorate & label.

Chipotle and Thyme Roasted Nuts

Light olive oil
3 cups whole roasted unsalted cashews (14 oz)
2 cups whole walnut halves (7 oz)
2 cups whole pecan halves (3 oz)
½ cup whole almonds (3 oz)
½ cup pure maple syrup
¼ cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
2 teaspoon ground chipotle powder
4 tablespoons minced fresh thyme leaves
Sea salt

Preheat the oven to 350 deg. Brush a sheet pan generously with light olive oil. Combine the cashews, walnuts, pecans, almonds, 2 tablespoons of light olive oil, the maple syrup, brown sugar, orange juice and chipotle powder on the sheet pan, toss to coat. Add tablespoons of thyme and 2 teaspoons of salt and toss again. Spread the nuts in on layer. Roast for 25 minutes, stirring twice with a large metal spatula, until the nuts are glazed and golden brown. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with more teaspoons of salt and remaining 2 tablespoons of thyme. Toss well and set aside at room temperature, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking as they cool. Taste for seasoning. Put in decorative bags and tie up with ribbons. * Rosemary is a good choice of seasoning too.

Stoney Ridge Truffles

1 package original Oreo cookies
1 8 oz package cream cheese – softened
1 package chocolate almond bark
Sprinkles or frosting gels for decorating

Using a food processor, completely crumble the Oreo cookies. Mix cream cheese into the Oreo crumbs (using your hands to mix) roll into balls the size of unshelled walnuts. Put balls on cookie sheet. Chill or freeze overnight. Melt chocolate almond bark in a double boiler. Dip cookie balls in melted chocolate using a toothpick. Completely cover with chocolate. Place on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Decorate immediately after each dipping so sprinkles adhere. Drizzled frosting or gels can be decorated later. For gift giving – use little tins or boxes with tissue paper. Usually 4-6 truffles per container. Decorate container if necessary.