New Year's Eve Dinner

Ian and I had a pretty quiet New Year's Eve, which was just fine with both of us. We were in bed long before midnight struck, but to make the evening a little special I cooked up a yummy risotto dinner and tried out a new dessert.

My sister-in-law Whitney gave me this fabulous set of party plates for Christmas. Perfect for serving desserts!

I got this recipe for risotto several years ago from Bon Appetite...I think, but it's been so long I can't remember for sure.


Risotto Bianco
About 3 cans low sodium chicken stock
2 tablespoons extra virgin oil olive
1 cup minced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon sea salt
2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper

Pour the stock into a saucepan and bring to a bare simmer. Heat the olive olive in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, salt and saute until onion is soft, about 8 minutes, do not let color.  Stir in rice an cook, stirring until rice is hot, about two minutes. Add wine and simmer, stirring until absorbed. Begin by adding the hot stock one cup at a time, stirring often and adding more liquid only after the previous liquid is absorbed.  Adjust heat to maintain a simmer. It should take about 20  minutes for rice to become creamy and al dente. You may not need all the liquid, if you need a little more use boiling water.
Remove risotto from heat and stir in butter and cheese. Season with salt and pepper and divide among warmed bowls. Serve immediately.

Note: I often serve this risotto "plain" but sometimes I like to add veggies like asparagus or mushrooms. I cook the veggies separately and add with the butter and cheese.


My Grandpa Bob and Grandma Liz sent me a cookbook called Rustic Fruit Desserts by Cory Schrieber and Julie Richardson for Christmas and I've been looking forward to trying one of the recipes. I decided on Cranberry Upside-Down Almond Cake for last night's dessert.

Cranberry Upside-Down Almond Cake

1 tablespoon unsalted butter at room temperature, for pan

Fruit Topping:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup sliced almonds
3 cups cranberries fresh or frozen

Cake:
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
14 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup (4 oz) almond paste
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch round baking pan.
To make the fruit topping, melt the butter in a small saucepan, then remove from heat and stir in the brown sugar.  Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and spread it in an even layer. Sprinkle the almonds over the sugar mixture, then evenly distribute the cranberries in the pan.
To make the cake, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Using a handheld mixer with beaters or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, almond paste, and sugar together on medium-high speed for 3 to 5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition, then stir in the vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture in three additions alternating with the buttermilk in two additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Gently spread spread the batter over the cranberries in an even layer.
Bake for  60 to 65 minutes. Cool for 20 minutes.
To flip the cake out of its pan, first run a knife around the edges, then place a flat plate or serving platter face down over the top of the cake and quickly invert the cake onto a platter in one fell swoop. Serve with a dollop of creme fraiche or Chantilly cream.
Storage: wrapped in plastic wrap, this cake will keep at room temperature for 2-3 days.