Thanksgiving Dinner 2014

Pedro and I really enjoyed hosting his family for Thanksgiving this year. Together we prepared all the fixings with some new twists on old classics.

Some of my favorite parts of the dinner this year include mashed potatoes with LOTS of garlic and a delicious homemade cranberry sauce that Pedro made with Grand Marnier. 

We served the meal buffet style on a beautiful set of china that Pedro inherited from his paternal grandmother, Cliceria Montemayor de Maiz.

We had a wonderful holiday!

Christmas Minestrone 2014

For years my family has enjoyed a Christmas Eve supper centered around a hearty minestrone soup alongside meats and cheeses selected from the Pennsylvania Macaroni Co. in Pittsburgh's Strip District.

This year Pedro and I hosted Christmas Eve at our home in Mt. Lebanon.

I made a version of Jamie Oliver's minestrone soup from his cookbook Jamie's Italy (one of my favorite cookbooks!).

The only adjustments I made to the recipe were to eliminate the fennel (my sister doesn't like it), eliminate the spinach (my mom doesn't like it), and add some ground beef. I also chose to use dried borlotti beans instead of cannellini, and I used a special pasta called fusilli pugliesi from the puglia region of Italy.

The two ingredients that I really felt made this soup so special are the cup of wine and the bacon. Both added an aged smoked flavor to the soup that was just delicious. The other accompaniment that this soup will never be the same without are Pedro's Holiday Caraway Poppers (a roll-like version of Pittsburgh's well-known caraway salt sticks).

I made a double batch of this soul and will enjoy thawing a few bowls throughout the winter. 

Buen provecho!

Holiday Caraway Poppers

Salt sticks with caraway seeds are a longtime Pittsburgh tradition. Pedro made a roll-like version for Christmas Eve dinner this year and they were so delicious. We enjoyed them with my homemade minestrone. My mother in particular really enjoyed the rolls and the family together decided this recipe is a keeper! 

Pedro used a Red Sea salt to make these rolls festive for the holidays. We came up with the name together - Holiday Caraway Poppers!

Mix the below ingredients and let rise in a warm dark place for hours:

4 c bread flour

2 c water 

2 tsp salt

3/4 tsp yeast

Caraway to taste

Make little mozzarella balls with the dough and brush with egg wash. We used a whole egg with a splash of mill for our wash. Sprinkle course Hawaiian Red Sea salt on top and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Poppy's Spinach Salad

I love this salad! Just make sure you use Heinz ketchup 😄

Pain Bagnat

I ordered this tuna sandwich from Bluebird Kitchen in Pittsburgh the other day and loved it so much that I had to make a clone for Pedro. It's really easy and unique.

Start with a fresh baguette, slices lengthwise. Line the bottom half with fresh kalamata olive tapenade. You can buy pitted kalamata olives and chop them up in a food processor or nut chopper.

Next layer on some canned tuna. I prefer tuna in water vs. olive oil. And top with some roasted cherry tomato halves. These are easy to roast up in the oven. They take about 30 minutes or so and the roasting really sweetens them up.

I paired the sandwich with my Poppy's famous spinach salad recipe with tomato vinaigrette (see salad section for full recipe).

Enjoy!

New, beautiful labels for our 2013 Cabernet Savignon

Merry Christmas from the Maiz-Waller home! Pedro created these custom 2013 labels using one of our engagement photos. The Cabernet Savignon grapes are from California and we're looking forward to sharing these bottles with family.