Don't be intimidated by madeleines. These French butter cakes come together really quickly and easily and they are so delicious. You can even prepare the batter the day before, and then pop them in the oven just before you want to eat them.
Little bite-sized cakes... could anything be cuter? They go perfectly with tea in the afternoon, but I will eat these any time of day. They are certainly at their best within an hour or so after baking, so either prepare, bake, and then eat them right away, or cover your batter tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you are ready to bake them (within the next 24 hours).

The only special equipment that you need is, of course, a madeleine pan, which gives the cakes their shell shape. I recommend this nonstick version which makes baking these a snap. This recipe was adapted from The Violet Bakery Cookbook by Claire Ptak. Claire weighs all of her ingredients which is the most precise way to bake, but not the way I normally do it. However, I recently acquired a little scale (small, stainless, and so easy to store) and used it for this recipe. I am also including Claire's cup measurements below.

Simplest Madeleines

Makes about 20

• 7 tablespoons (100 g) unsalted butter, melted, plus a little more for greasing the madeleine pan
• 1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
• 2 medium eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
• 3/4 cup (100 g) all-purpose flour, plus a little more for dusting the madeleine pan
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• powdered sugar, for sprinkling

1. First, brush some melted butter onto your madeleine pan and dust with flour, shaking it about to cover evenly and letting the excess fall away. Pop the pan into your freezer.

2. Preheat your oven to 325 F.

3. Melt the rest of your butter in a small pan, and then remove it from the heat and let it cool slightly.

4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar and eggs until smooth. Whisk in the (now cooled) melted butter and the extracts. In another bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder. Whisk this mixture into the egg and butter mixture until smooth.

5. Spoon the batter into the prepared madeleine pan. You only want to fill each mold about 2/3 full. The batter will expand and fill the mold, so better to do too little than too much and have it overflow. For me, it was less than a tablespoon per mold. You should have enough batter to make one full pan, and then about 8-10 more cakes.

6. Bake for 10-12 minutes. The tops should spring back to the touch and be golden around the edges. Let cool for a minute or two, and turn out onto a baking rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Enjoy as soon as possible for maximum deliciousness.

* Prepare in advance: You can make the batter up to a day in advance. Press plastic wrap tightly over the batter, and store in the fridge until ready to bake. 

Panna cotta is a creamy, elegant dessert that is very simple to make. This recipe adds the flavors of clementine and warm vanilla.
Panna cotta, and its fancy Italian name, has the air of a dish you would only order at a restaurant. In fact, it is incredibly easy to make. The only challenging part about it can be unmolding it to create a perfectly smooth dome. I prefer to make it in a pretty dish and not bother with unmolding. Because it isn't baked, you can serve it in just about any pretty glass (a martini glass, for example) or bowl (like the lotus bowls that I used here).

It does need to be made in advance, so that it has time to firm up in the fridge. The good news is that it can be made the day before, so it is one less thing to think about while prepping your dinner!

Clementine Vanilla Panna Cotta

Makes 4 servings

• 1 packet powdered gelatin (such as Knox Gelatin)
• zest and juice from 1 large or 2 small clementines (or 1 orange)
• 3/4 teaspoon clementine zest 
• 1/2 vanilla bean (or 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 cups heavy cream

1. Heat up the heavy cream and sugar in a heavy saucepan just until sugar is dissolved (steaming a bit, but not boiling). Remove from heat. Add the zest. If you are using vanilla extract, stir it in. If you are using a vanilla bean, scrape the seeds into the hot cream and toss in the bean as well. Cover and let infuse for 30 minutes. Remove the bean, and then reheat before continuing.

2. Place the juice into a medium bowl. Sprinkle the packet of gelatin over the juice, and let sit for 5-10 minutes.

3. Pour the very warm cream mixture into the bowl with the gelatin and juice. (If the cream had cooled to let the vanilla infuse, be sure to reheat it until just steaming before adding.) Stir well until all the gelatin has dissolved.

4. If you are planning on unmolding, lightly oil four ramekins, custard cups, or whatever you choose to use. If you aren't going to unmold them, you can skip this step.

5. Divide the panna cotta mixture equally between the 4 ramekins. Refrigerate a couple hours before serving. (Or you can make them the day before. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

6. If you are unmolding, dip the ramekin briefly into very hot water and then invert onto a plate. If you aren't unmolding, just dig in.

Adapted from a basic panna cotta recipe by David Lebovitz.

Looking for a light and bubbly alternative to the usual mimosa? Give this hibiscus rum sparkler a try. Sweet and floral with berry notes, this cocktail is perfect for your next brunch.
How about that beautiful blush color? That rosy hue is thanks to the hibiscus simple syrup which is super easy to make, and I have included the recipe below. It just takes a couple of tea bags, water, and sugar. When you decide to make your simple syrup, put your sparkling water in the fridge so it will be chilled and ready to go.
This is a light drink with only a nominal amount of alcohol, although you could certainly add a bit more rum. On the other hand, you can try leaving out the booze altogether. It is still delicious!

Hibiscus Rum Sparkler

Makes 1 drink

• .75 oz white (or silver) rum
• 1 oz hibiscus simple syrup (recipe follows)
• about 3 oz chilled sparkling water
• orange twist, for garnish

Combine rum and hibiscus simple syrup in a champagne flute. Top with chilled sparkling water. Garnish with orange twist.

Hibiscus Simple Syrup

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
4 bags hibiscus herbal tea (I recommend this organic tea)

Put sugar and water into a small pot and heat until the sugar dissolves completely. Remove from heat, and had the 4 tea bags. Let steep for 5-10 minutes. Remove tea bags, and let cool completely. Pour into a jar, and refrigerate for about a week or so.

My husband picked up Simply Nigella from the library for me and I was immediately smitten. Apparently I spent most of December blabbing about how great it was, because two different people got it for me for me as a Christmas gift. Why do I love this book? It is just perfectly in line with how I want to eat and cook right now. I love spending time in my kitchen, but I certainly don't want to be there all day. Simply Nigella embraces that balance and you can clearly see how the author loves the ritual and the creativity of cooking (and certainly relishes the final product).

Here are a handful of recipes that I have tried and recommend: Cauliflower and Cashew Nut Curry, Roasted Radishes, Oven-Cooked Chicken Shawarma, Maple Pecan No-Wait, No-Cook Oats. But there are so many more I would like to try. The photos are beautiful and Nigella's tone is wry and amusing. (For what it's worth, I did purchase another Nigella cookbook and didn't like it nearly as much.)
But back to the recipe at hand. Nigella considers this a light supper, but for me it makes a perfect lunch. It takes a bit of foresight with the pickled onions, but 20 minutes will get the job done and I can think of plenty of other things I can do around the house during that brief interim. You should use the best ingredients you have because the individual flavors shine equally in this dish. If you can find fresh feta use it. And this is also the time to use a really nice olive oil if you have it.

 Feta and Avocado Salad with Red Onions and Pomegranate Seeds

Serves 2

• 1/2 red onion, peeled and sliced into thin half-moons
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 8 ounces high quality feta cheese
• 1 ripe avocado
• 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
• 1 or 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon nigella seeds* 

1. Place the red onion slices into a small, non-reactive bowls, cover with vinegar and leave for 20 minutes. You can cover it with plastic wrap and leave it for several hours and it will be even better.

2. After the onions are pickled, get out your two plates and divide the feta cheese between them, breaking the feta into largish chunks.

3. Peel the avocado, remove the pit, and cut into long crescents. Arrange them around the feta. Sprinkle the pomegranate seeds over the top and drizzle the olive oil. Put some of the pickled onions on each plate.

*If you have nigella seeds go ahead and sprinkle them. I thought perhaps the author had made up the name of this seed, but it is in fact a real thing called "kalonji" in Indian cooking. I could not find them or her recommended substitute, black mustard seeds. It was perfectly delicious without them. A grind or two of good black pepper would suit this very well. I also tried a sprinkle of Za'atar, a middle eastern spice blend.

The Whiskey Flip is a creamy, custardy drink that might just be the cocktail equivalent of a warm sweater on a brisk evening. With a sprinkle of nutmeg, it is reminiscent of eggnog, but not nearly as thick or cloying. It makes a great after-dinner cocktail.
If you know one thing about "flips," you probably know this: they are made with eggs. Raw eggs. And this is what gives them their velvety smooth consistency. The idea of raw egg in a drink might make some people a bit squeamish. I get it. But for those who can deal with it for the sake of a delicious boozy drink (you are my people), just be sure that your eggs are from a reputable source and you have no concerns that they have been sitting around too long or stored at a warm temperature. To read up a little more about egg safety, you can check out this info from Serious Eats. Generally speaking the risks are low, and this drink is tasty.

Whiskey Flip

serves 1

• 2 oz whiskey or bourbon
• 1 whole egg
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar or superfine sugar*
• 2 teaspoons heavy cream
• ice
• nutmeg, for sprinkling on top

Put whiskey, egg, sugar, and cream into a shaker filled with ice. Shake it vigorously for a minute. Strain it into a coupe glass, a lowball, or whatever vessel makes you happy. Grate some nutmeg over the top and enjoy.

*Superfine sugar is basically granulated sugar that is ground until it becomes.. yeah, super fine. You can do this in your food processor if you like and then store some in your pantry for this type of occasion. (It dissolves faster which makes it useful for cocktails.) Or just use granulated sugar and give it a few extra shakes in the shaker that you are already vigorously shaking. Don't use powdered sugar which has a funky taste.

The Negroni is one of my favorite cocktails. It has a complex flavor - bitter, yet sweet... fruity, yet herbal - that belies the ease of making it. With its festive ruby red color, this cocktail would be a fabulous choice for your next holiday party.

Negroni

serves 1

1 oz gin
1 oz sweet vermouth
1 oz Campari
orange peel, for garnish
ice

Pour gin, vermouth, and Campari into a mixing glass filled with ice. Stir until well combined and chilled, and then strain into a cocktail glass. I think this drinks looks very elegant in a coupe glass. Garnish with orange peel.

Note: This drink is a great candidate for making a large batch before a party. To make 8 drinks, mix together 1 cup gin, 1 cup sweet vermouth, and 1 cup Campari and stir in mixing glass with ice. Strain into 8 cocktail glasses, or strain into a pitcher and keep chilled until ready to serve.