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Isaac Recipe Update!

Isaac Mizrahi Lemon-Rosemary Shortbread Cookies

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup blanched slivered almonds, toasted

2 tablespoons finely chopped rosemary

1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Chocolate drizzle:

5 ounces semisweet chocolate

3 tablespoons water

Directions

In a food processor, pulse 2 tablespoons of the flour with the almonds, chopped rosemary and lemon zest for 20 to 30 seconds or until the mixture is finely ground, but not a paste. 

Sift the remaining flour and salt together into a medium bowl. Stir in the almond mixture until the ingredients are mixed. Set aside.

Beat the butter, granulated sugar and confectioners’ sugar in an electric mixer bowl at medium speed for about 2 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture, beating until just combined. Stir in the vanilla and lemon juice. Shape the dough into a disk and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until the dough is firm.

Heat the oven to 300 degrees and position the rack in the center of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4-inch thickness, adding only enough flour to prevent the dough from sticking. You will definitely need to be delicate about this process and you will need a bench-scraper or spatula to unstick the dough from the bench. Cut with a 2-inch round cookie or biscuit cutter or a small novelty-shaped cookie cutter. Place the cut cookies about 1/2-inch apart. Bake 1 sheet at a time for about 20 minutes or until the shortbread is lightly browned underneath. Remove immediately to wire racks to cool.

Cool the shortbread completely. Place the chocolate and the water in the top part of a double-boiler while the lower part is on the range and with boiling water. Reduce the heat to low and stir until the chocolate is smooth and shiny, about two minutes. Dip one-half of each cookie into the melted chocolate and place them on a wire rack set over a cookie sheet to catch any drippings. OR dip the back half only and place on the rack chocolate side up. Refrigerate for 1 hour to set chocolate. Store shortbread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

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Original Posting:

With the lighting of the Rockefeller Tree this week, it really feels like the holiday season is in full swing. What I look forward to most about the holidays can be summed up by the ‘Three F’s!’: Friends, Family... and FOOD!

Cooking (and eating!) is such a wonderful way to come together during the holiday months. In my opinion, my mom is the best cook this side of the North Pole! I feel so lucky to have grown up learning from my mother in her kitchen. I am always so grateful to have her recipes on hand in my own kitchen this time of year. It’s like always having a little piece of home wherever you have a stove, pots, and pans.

Last week I blogged about pie and I’d like to continue that tradition as long as I can by offering up my mom’s special pumpkin pie recipe I made this year for Thanksgiving and that we will most certainly have again for Christmas!

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Merry Kiss-mas Praline-Pecan Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients

1 (9 inch) unbaked deep dish pie crust

For the pumpkin filling:

1/4 cup white sugar

½ cup light brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

2 eggs

1 (15 ounce) Pumpkin puree

1 (12 fluid ounce) can Evaporated Milk

For the praline layer:

¾ cup chopped pecans

½ stick unsalted butter

¾ cup brown sugar

Dash salt

Stir pecans, brown sugar for praline layer, butter, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat just until butter is melted. Turn heat to low and continue to stir constantly for 5 minutes or until well-mixed.  Pour into bottom of pie shell and let set for 10 -15 minutes.

While this cools, Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Combine sugar for pie filling, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs lightly in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. Pour into pie shell.

Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees F.; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

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It’s important during the holidays to have wardrobe pieces that can go from kitchen to table then back again when your family wants seconds! :-) Cotton is one of my favorite breathable fabrics in the world. If it’s a basic piece you need, opt for cotton! Isaac’s essential long sleeve T shirt is a wardrobe staple for me so I own multiple colors. A217653 – the V neck style is a must-have for wintertime layering. It is such thick cotton that, as Isaac has pointed out on our show, can even be belted like a sweater!

And speaking of sweaters, a cardigan is always the perfectly feminine piece to pull together any festive look. A211516 - This super cozy boyfriend cardigan in 2 Ply cashmere is Isaac’s answer to what would make the PERFECT holiday gift. And who has to know if you get one for yourself, too?! What I love about this amazing cardigan is that it is the absolute highest quality cashmere, as well as the ribbing detail on the trim of this sweater.  Perfect when pushing up your sleeves while putting the last minute touches on your grandmother’s famous gravy or setting the family table.

For more Isaac fashion and lots of new holiday styles, be sure to tune in to ISSAACMIZRAHILIVE! this Monday, Dec. 5^th at 10pm EST – I’ll be chatting with you live over Twitter! See you then!

~Adriane