Debbie Macomber's Table: Sharing the Joy of Cooking With Family and Friends Read online

  Copyright © 2018 by Debbie Macomber

  All rights reserved.

  Published in the United States by Ballantine Books, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York.

  BALLANTINE BOOKS and the HOUSE colophon are registered trademarks of Penguin Random House LLC.

  Hardback ISBN 9780399181313

  Ebook ISBN 9780399181320

  Photograph on this page: © iStock/Floortje

  Family photographs: Stephanie Dyane

  All other photographs: Tina Rupp

  randomhousebooks.com

  Book design by Diane Hobbing, adapted for ebook

  Cover design: Belina Huey

  Cover photograph: Timothy Archibald

  v5.2

  ep

  Contents

  Cover

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Introduction

  Before You Use This Book

  Breakfast

  Gratitude Bread

  Chocolate Cherry Quick Bread

  Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Coffee Cake

  Blueberry Crumb Cake

  Overnight Caramel Pecan Rolls

  Muffin Tin Donut Holes

  Pumpkin Apple Crunch Muffins

  Strawberries and Cream Scones with Strawberry Butter

  Maple Pecan Scones with Bacon Maple Butter

  Cream Cheese Danishes

  Chocolate Cranberry Croissant Pudding

  Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

  Baked Oatmeal

  Biscuits and Gravy

  Tomato, Egg, and Prosciutto Tarts

  Sheepherder’s Skillet

  Bacon Spinach Gouda Quiche

  Debbie’s Apple Butter

  Appetizers and Snacks

  Garlic Pizza Knots with Tomato Dipping Sauce

  Mushroom and Caramelized Onion Bites

  Sweet and Salty Nuts

  Savory and Sweet Popcorn

  Tomatillo Salsa

  Bacon-Wrapped Dates

  Warm Goat Cheese and Roasted Cherry Tomato Dip

  Hummus

  Seven-Layer Dip

  Soups and Salads

  Soups

  Carrot Ginger Soup

  Sausage, Kale, and Potato Soup

  Debbie’s Mom’s Borscht

  Debbie’s Light Clam Chowder

  Bacon Corn Chowder

  Cheeseburger Soup

  Dried Soup Mixes

  Taco Soup

  Rainbow Lentil Soup

  Spicy Black Bean Soup

  Salads

  Kale Caesar Salad

  Watermelon Feta Salad with Balsamic Reduction

  Broccoli Apple Cheddar Salad

  Crunchy Ramen Salad with Honey-Ginger Vinaigrette

  Mains

  Grilled Fish Tacos with Cilantro-Lime Sauce

  Garlic Salmon Pasta in a Spicy Cream Sauce

  Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken

  Curried Chicken Salad

  Southwest Bbq Chicken Salad

  Lacombe’s Spare Rib Spaghetti

  Debbie’s Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas

  Greek Chicken Pitas with Tzatziki Sauce

  Snow on the Mountain

  Caramelized Onion Steak Sliders

  Turkey Lettuce Wraps

  Guinness Pot Pie

  Bacon-Wrapped Meatloaf

  Layered Beef Enchilada Casserole

  Mozzarella-Stuffed Meatballs

  Standing Rib Roast

  Easy Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

  Herb Roasted Lamb Chops with Dijon-Rosemary Sauce

  Spicy Pork Chops

  Honey-Chipotle Oven-Roasted Ribs

  Asparagus Tomato Quiche

  Salami and Spinach Stromboli

  Deep-Dish Pizza

  Peanut Butter Noodles with Thai Flavors and Crispy Tofu

  Spinach-Artichoke Lasagna

  Sides

  Cameron’s Garlic and Bacon Green Beans

  Grilled Corn with Sweet and Spicy Butter

  Roasted Sesame Asparagus

  Debbie’s Zucchini with Bacon, Onions, and Jalapeño Over Mashed Potatoes

  Cheddar Garlic Stuffed Potatoes

  Adler Potato Salad

  Baked Polenta Fries

  Laurie’s Rice

  Bacon Macaroni and Cheese

  Debbie’s Grandkids’ Rolls

  No-Knead Dutch Oven Bread

  Desserts

  Cookies and Cream Frozen Dessert

  Laurie’s Cookie “Salad”

  Cannoli Icebox Cake

  Chocolate Peppermint Trifle

  Caramel Apple Upside-Down Cake

  Boston Cream Pie Poke Cake

  White Chocolate Cheesecake with Strawberries

  Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Zest Frosting

  Almond Biscotti

  Chocolate Espresso Cookies

  Chocolate Thumbprints with Salted Caramel Filling

  Skillet Cookie

  Eggnog Cookies

  Wayne’s Whiskey Bacon Brownies

  Lemon Shortbread Bars with Streusel Topping

  Christmas Fudge

  Renelle’s Christmas Toffee

  White Chocolate Bark

  Marionberry Pie

  Decadent Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel Tart

  Drinks

  Lavender Lemonade

  Blackberry-Lime Mojito

  Summer Fruit Sangria

  Grapefruit Frosé

  Homemade Teas

  Christmas Spice Tea

  Rosy Black Tea

  Minty Lavender Herb Tea

  White Hot Chocolate

  Menus

  Special Recipe Lists

  Dedication

  Acknowledgments

  Books by Debbie Macomber

  About the Author

  INTRODUCTION

  It’s said that two kinds of people exist in the world.

  Those who eat to live.

  And those who live to eat.

  I don’t think you’ll need to guess which category I fall into!

  In our family, food is much more than nourishment. It’s love. It’s appreciation. It’s heritage. It’s celebration. It’s health and happiness, too. Anyone who reads my books is aware of how often I write about food. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve been asked for the recipe for Peggy Beldon’s blueberry muffins. Or the peanut butter cookies that Jo Marie baked to welcome her guests at the Inn at Rose Harbor. Food says a lot about a character, and food helps to bring characters to life in the reader’s mind—and in mine, too. We get to know people by the food they eat, and by their enjoyment of it. And you know what they say—“You are what you eat.” In that case, pass the popcorn. (My personal weakness!)

  Food is also an important part of my heritage. Many of the recipes in this cookbook are family staples passed down to me from my mother, recipes her own mother shared with her.

  My mother was a phenomenal cook. She was a tiny woman, standing only four feet, eleven inches tall, weighing in at about 110 pounds. The most she ever weighed was when she was pregnant with me, topping the scales at 140 pounds. I’ve heard it said, “Don’t trust a skinny cook.” Well, whoever came up with that idea never met my mother! Although she was small, Mom knew her way around the kitchen.

  Some of the fondest memories of my mother are ones that took place in the kitchen. We cooked together, laughed together, and shared recipes back and forth like they were top government secrets. Every conversation included something about food: What were we each cooking for dinner? Had I tried this recipe
or that? It took us weeks to decide what side dishes to serve for our Thanksgiving dinner.

  The kitchen became more than a stove and a refrigerator. It was a counseling center. Some of the most serious conversations I had with Mom took place in front of the kitchen countertop. Our kitchen was a dance hall, too. Mom and I often played music and bebopped around the island. It was the one room where the entire family gathered, sneaking bites of whatever it was Mom and I were cooking. I still have her recipe box from when she was a young wife, and it’s one of my most treasured possessions.

  Since Mom’s passing, a generational shift has taken place. It’s as lively and fun as it’s always been in the kitchen, only now the recipe sharing and the dancing continue with my two daughters and two daughters-in-law. And again, some of the most meaningful conversations have taken place in the kitchen. One generation to the next and…to the next. Yes, the grandchildren often get involved in helping me prepare a meal. As we’re putting together the ingredients for a recipe, the grandkids talk to me about school, their friends, and what’s going on in their lives. Our grandsons enjoy working alongside me in the kitchen as much as our granddaughters. From the time they have been able to stand on a stepstool and reach the countertop, the grandkids have been whipping up recipes with me.

  Why a cookbook, and why from me? I’m certainly not a professional chef. I’ve never attended a culinary school. Sure, I love to cook and eat, but that doesn’t make me unusual. We all need nourishment, but to me, food is so much more. I am eager to share with you how food not only feeds the body but also the soul, with a lot of heart thrown in.

  In this cookbook, I’m welcoming you into my home, into my kitchen, and into my life. My purpose is to share the many ways food touches each one of us. Food can be the helping hand we extend to a friend in need. It can be a way of showing our appreciation to those whose kindness touches us. It’s a means of gathering family and friends together, providing them a chance to laugh and to share around the table. Food helps us to celebrate life’s many occasions.

  I’m delighted to share this collection of fun and delicious recipes with you.

  I think my mom would be proud.

  BEFORE YOU USE THIS BOOK

  Many ingredients come in different forms: fresh or dried, salted or unsalted, small, medium, or large, coarse or fine, bleached or unbleached.

  Unless a recipe says otherwise, all:

  Eggs are large.

  Flour is all-purpose. Bleached or unbleached is up to you.

  Sugar is granulated. If the recipe calls for brown sugar and doesn’t specify light or dark, use whatever you have on hand or whichever you prefer.

  Butter is unsalted.

  Cream is heavy or whipping cream.

  Milk is whole milk. You can probably substitute 2% with good results, but I won’t guarantee what a recipe will taste like if you use skim or nonfat.

  Salt is kosher salt. If you use regular table salt, start with half the amount specified in the recipe and adjust the seasoning to your taste.

  Pepper is freshly ground black pepper.

  Cheese is full fat. You can use white or yellow Cheddar, whichever you prefer.

  Scallions or green onions should always have the roots and tops trimmed. Unless otherwise noted, use both white and green parts.

  Vegetable oil is any neutral-tasting vegetable oil, like canola or a mild olive oil.

  The recipes give volume (cup, teaspoon, and tablespoon) measurements wherever possible. If you don’t like having a half or quarter of an onion lying around, it’s helpful to know that 1 small onion is about ½ cup; 1 medium onion is about 1 cup, and 1 large onion is about 2 cups.

  If I know a substitution can successfully be made for an ingredient, the recipe or headnote will say so.

  You can use butter or cooking spray to grease baking pans or muffin tins, whichever you prefer. I find it easier to use cooking spray on muffin tins, myself.

  Several recipes call for toasted nuts or roasted garlic.

  To toast nuts in the oven:

  Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the nuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 5 to 10 minutes, until the nuts are fragrant. Stir or shake the pan once or twice while the nuts are toasting.

  Remove the pan from the oven and cool the nuts on a plate.

  To toast nuts in the microwave:

  Spread ½ cup nuts in a single layer in a microwave-safe dish. Add ½ teaspoon melted butter or oil. Stir to coat the nuts. Microwave for 1 minute. Stir and microwave for another minute. Continue to microwave in 1-minute increments, stirring after each time, until the nuts are lightly browned and fragrant.

  To roast garlic:

  Preheat the oven to 400°F. Slice off and discard the top third of a head of garlic so that each clove is exposed. Place on a piece of aluminum foil and drizzle the garlic with olive oil. Wrap up tightly in foil, place in the oven, and bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until the center cloves are soft when pierced with a knife. Let cool for 10 minutes.

  BREAKFAST

  I’ve always been a big fan of breakfast, because I’m a morning person. (Okay, the truth—I’m a fan of every meal.) When we were first married, Wayne asked me if I had to shine so brightly in the mornings. As I stated earlier, two kinds of people exist in this world: those who eat to live and those who live to eat. Well, I misspoke. There are also those who wake up and say, “Good morning, God!” and those who grouchily awaken to say, “Good God, it’s morning.” I doubt you’ll have trouble figuring out which category Wayne falls into!

  Even now, with an empty nest, I make sure Wayne and I have breakfast together the same way I did when the kids were living at home. When they were toddlers, I read classic children’s books to them each morning during their breakfast. Then the hectic mornings of school began, getting them all ready for their day, but never without a good breakfast before they headed out the door.

  My own mornings start early, usually before four or shortly thereafter. I know, I know—it’s early. Those predawn hours begin with Bible reading and journal writing. I’ve kept a journal my entire life. I have three for each year: a personal journal, a gratitude journal, and a prayer journal. I write in each one every single day. This process usually takes about ninety minutes, and then I change into my swimsuit and head for the local community pool where I swim a half-mile. (Trust me, a half-mile is a lot farther in the water than on land!) Once I’m back home, I stir Wayne into the land of the living with coffee and the promise of breakfast.

  Breakfast also played a key role when I developed the premise for the Inn at Rose Harbor series. I needed to find a way to bring the guests of Jo Marie’s inn together so that the plots weren’t random and disjointed. Those luscious breakfasts that Jo Marie created connected the characters in the series. Over juice, fruit, muffins, and coffee, the guests bonded during their morning conversations, the same way it happens in my home.

  GRATITUDE BREAD

  Makes 1 (8 x 4½-inch) loaf

  Remember the friendship bread craze from a few years back? This is a different take on that idea. Giving a loaf of this delicious bread is a sweet way of expressing appreciation to those who have touched your life. I imagine this recipe is one Shay, from Any Dream Will Do, would use to thank those who guided and helped her after her release from prison.

  2 cups flour

  ⅔ cup sugar

  1½ teaspoons baking powder

  ½ teaspoon baking soda

  ¾ teaspoon salt

  1 cup buttermilk

  1 egg

  4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter, melted and cooled

  1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  Your choice of mix-ins (see below)

  Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan. Line the pan with parchment paper cut to fit the length of the pan with 2 inches hanging over the sides.

  In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the buttermilk, egg, butter, and vanilla, and stir with a ru
bber spatula just until combined.

  Gently fold in your choice of mix-ins.

  Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs attached.

  Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn the loaf out onto a wire rack to cool. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature.

  Mix-ins:

  Northwest Mixed Berry: Fold in 1½ cups fresh or frozen mixed berries.

  Peach Almond: Reduce the vanilla extract to ½ teaspoon and add ¾ teaspoon almond extract. Fold in 1 cup chopped peeled fresh peaches and ¾ cup chopped almonds.

  Pear Walnut: Fold in 1 cup chopped fresh pears and ¾ cup chopped walnuts.

  Cranberry Pecan: Fold in 1 cup dried cranberries and ¾ cup chopped pecans.

  You can use any combination of fruits and nuts as long as you keep the proportion of 1 cup fruit to ¾ cup nuts. If you’re only using fresh fruit, use 1½ cups per loaf.

  This will keep, wrapped in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, for 3 days at room temperature or for 3 months frozen.

  CHOCOLATE CHERRY QUICK BREAD

  Makes 1 (9 x 5-inch) loaf

  This moist loaf packed with cherries isn’t overly sweet. And it’s one way to have chocolate for breakfast! It’s not a bad afternoon pick-me-up, either. Try it with a glass of ice-cold milk or a cup of strong coffee.

  1¾ cups flour

  ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

  1 teaspoon baking powder

  ½ teaspoon baking soda

  ½ teaspoon salt

  2 (10-ounce) bags frozen pitted cherries, unthawed, 1 bag coarsely chopped

  1 cup sugar

  ½ cup sour cream

  3 eggs

  6 tablespoons (¾ stick) butter, melted and cooled

  Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.

  In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

  Empty the bag of whole cherries into a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, until warmed. Add the sugar and use a potato masher to crush the cherries. Cook for 15 minutes, or until the mixture has reduced and thickened and is syrupy but chunky. Transfer the cherries to a large bowl and let cool for 10 minutes.