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

by Debbie Macomber

  Make the filling:

  In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar and butter. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it begins to boil. Continue cooking and whisking for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the cream until incorporated and smooth. Cool the caramel for 15 minutes, then pour it over the crust, spreading it evenly. Refrigerate the tart for about 30 minutes, until set.

  Make the glaze:

  Place the chocolate chips in a medium heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer over medium-high heat. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips and let sit for 5 minutes. Whisk until completely smooth, then pour the melted chocolate over the caramel and smooth with a rubber spatula. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes, until chilled and set.

  Sprinkle the top evenly with the fleur de sel. Serve chilled.

  Once it’s set, you can cover the tart and keep it for up to 2 days in the refrigerator.

  DRINKS

  I’ll never forget my first taste of champagne. It was a bottle we inherited from Wayne’s mother, Marie, and prior to that, it was a gift from her longtime friend Cy Higginbotham. Wayne’s father had died from a war injury when Wayne was young, and Marie had never remarried. However, Marie dated Cy for years, and when he died childless, he left most of his estate to Marie. Among his possessions were a few bottles of expensive wine and champagne.

  Because Marie never drank any alcohol, she decided to give Wayne this special bottle of champagne with the instruction “Be sure to open this to celebrate when Debbie sells her first book.” At that point, I was already five years into my long sojourn of sending manuscripts to publishers, and it felt like a pipe dream. I feared that the beautiful bottle of champagne would be worth a whole lot of money by the time New York finally accepted one of my stories! Little did I know, I would make that first unforgettable sale within a few short months after we had carefully stored the champagne for safekeeping. I’ve tasted a lot of champagne in the years since, but none is as memorable as the bottle from Cy that Wayne and I used to toast the beginning of my writing career.

  Once our children were grown and out of the house, Wayne and I became interested in collecting wine. Our first trip to the California wine country is what started it all. I surprised Wayne with a trip to Napa and Sonoma for his birthday, and had arranged a hot-air balloon ride along with a wine tour. We purchased our first case of wine that weekend, and we’ve never looked back. We rarely find the need to visit California for wine any longer, because Washington State’s wine production has grown to the point that we have more than enough wineries in our own state to tour, to taste, and to buy wine. Seven years ago we built a wine cellar in our home, which we are both extremely proud to show to family and friends.

  When our family gathers around the table for holidays, or even at dinnertime, a special cocktail or a nice bottle of wine will always be served and enjoyed.

  LAVENDER LEMONADE

  Makes about 2 quarts

  This refreshing floral lemonade is a lovely shade of pink. It’s the perfect drink for a brunch, baby shower, or bridal shower.

  I have several lavender plants in my yard. Over the years I’ve tried several ways to make use of this fragrant flower. Jo Marie from the Rose Harbor Inn series would approve of this one.

  2 cups room-temperature water

  1½ cups sugar

  ¼ cup dried culinary-grade lavender buds

  1½ cups lemon juice

  4 to 5 cups cold water

  In a medium saucepan, combine the room-temperature water and sugar over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the lavender. Let steep for 30 minutes.

  Set a fine-mesh sieve over a medium bowl. Pour the lavender syrup into the bowl. Discard the lavender.

  Pour the syrup into a pitcher. Add the lemon juice and cold water and stir to fully combine. Serve over ice.

  You can keep the lemonade, in a covered container, for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. The syrup can be made up to 2 weeks ahead.

  BLACKBERRY-LIME MOJITO

  Makes 1 drink

  Here’s a refreshing cocktail perfect for a hot summer evening. Leave out the rum and you have a cooling mocktail.

  4 blackberries, plus additional for garnish

  2 tablespoons lime juice

  8 fresh mint leaves, plus additional for garnish

  4 teaspoons superfine sugar

  2 ounces light rum

  2 ounces club soda

  1 cup ice

  Lime slice, for garnish

  Muddle the blackberries in a small bowl. Pour over a fine-mesh sieve into a tall glass. Press the berries with the back of a spoon to extract as much juice as possible. Discard the seeds.

  Add the lime juice, mint leaves, and sugar to the blackberry juice. Muddle together until the mint leaves are bruised. Stir in the rum and club soda, then top with ice. Garnish with a lime slice, extra mint leaves, and a blackberry, if desired.

  SUMMER FRUIT SANGRIA

  Makes 3 to 4 quarts

  There’s no place on earth more beautiful than the Pacific Northwest in summer when the sun is out. Wayne and I enjoy this drink sitting on our patio during the summer months and gazing out over the beauty of Puget Sound.

  ¼ cup sugar

  ½ cup peach-flavored vodka or peach schnapps

  ¼ cup brandy

  1 pound yellow or white peaches, nectarines, apricots, or plums, pitted and diced or thinly sliced

  1 (750-milliliter) bottle red wine

  1 (1-liter) bottle ginger ale

  In a large pitcher, stir the sugar, vodka, and brandy until the sugar is dissolved. Add the fruit and red wine and stir. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Add the ginger ale just before serving.

  To serve, spoon some of the fruit in each glass, top with ice, and pour the sangria over the top.

  Don’t spend too much on the wine for the sangria. The other ingredients will overpower any subtle flavors. A nice sturdy pinot noir, merlot, or zinfandel would be perfect.

  GRAPEFRUIT FROSÉ

  Serves 4 to 6

  Looking for the perfect sipper for a brunch or a shower? Look no further than this sweet-tart treat. It’s like a slushy for grown-ups. When our kids lived at home, the only flavor soda pop they wouldn’t sneak and drink was grapefruit, which quickly became the only cans left for Wayne and me. Over the years I’ve grown quite fond of grapefruit anything!

  2½ cups no-sugar-added grapefruit juice (not from concentrate)

  ¼ cup sugar

  16 ounces rosé

  Pour the grapefruit juice into ice cube trays and freeze until solid, about 2 hours.

  In a blender, blend the frozen grapefruit juice cubes, sugar, and rosé on high speed or the ice crush setting until slushy and no big chunks of ice remain.

  Pour the frosé into glasses and serve immediately.

  HOMEMADE TEAS

  A cup of tea can get you going in the morning, give you a break in the middle of the day, or make for a calm ending to the evening. I almost always have a tea break in the afternoon.

  Packaged in an attractive jar with a pretty spoon, your own special blend of either black or herbal tea makes a lovely gift for a special friend or colleague. It’s especially nice if you use herbs from your own herb garden, as I do.

  You, too, can treat yourself to a cup of tea made with fresh picked leaves and blossoms. Some of the best herbs for tea are lemon balm, lemon verbena, basil, chamomile, mint, sage, lavender, and rosemary. All are easy to grow and can be used dry as well as fresh. They can be used alone or in any combination that pleases you. A good rule of thumb is one tablespoon of fresh herbs or one teaspoon of dried herbs per cup. Of course you can use more or less to taste.

  Do not use herbs or flowers that have been sprayed with pesticides.

  To dry herbs:

  Cut your herbs during the growing season, when they are plentiful and lush. Don’t wait
until they are starting to wilt or have dried out from the summer heat. Cut midmorning, after the morning dew has dried from the leaves but before they are wilting in the afternoon sun.

  Remove any dried or wilted leaves, and rinse the herbs with cool water. Gently shake off the excess water, then pat completely dry with paper towels. Wet herbs will mold and rot.

  Bundle 4 to 6 stems together and tie into a bunch with string. Label paper bags with the name of the herb and date. Punch several holes in each bag for ventilation. Place one herb bundle upside down in each bag and gather the ends together around the stem. Tie closed with a string, leaving a long tail on the end. Hang the bags upside down in a warm, well-ventilated room. You can tie multiple bags to a hanger; a ladder works as well.

  Check the herbs after 1 week. Discard any that have molded. Keep checking every few days until the herbs dry completely, when the leaves sound like crisp cornflakes when crushed.

  Store in a dark, airtight container. Dried herbs will keep for about a year.

  CHRISTMAS SPICE TEA

  ½ cup loose black tea leaves, such as Darjeeling

  5 cinnamon sticks, broken up

  3 tablespoons crushed dried orange peel*

  2 tablespoons whole cloves

  Put all the ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. Pour into a pint mason jar and seal with the lid. Attach a decorative spoon or scoop, an infuser or small package of tea bags, and directions for brewing.

  Directions:

  Scoop the tea into a tea bag or a tea infuser.

  For a single serving, use 1 to 2 teaspoons per 1 cup boiling water.

  For a teapot, use 3 tablespoons per 4 cups boiling water.

  Let steep for 5 to 7 minutes, then strain and serve.

  *Peel an orange with a vegetable peeler, avoiding the white pith. Place on a cooling rack set over a rimmed baking sheet and let dry at room temperature until brittle, about 24 hours. Break into ¼-inch pieces. Store in an airtight container.

  ROSY BLACK TEA

  1¼ cups black tea leaves, such as Darjeeling

  ¾ cup dried rose petals, crumbled

  Put all the ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. Pour into a pint mason jar and seal with the lid. Attach a decorative spoon or scoop, an infuser or small package of tea bags, and directions for brewing.

  Directions:

  Scoop the tea into a tea bag or a tea infuser.

  For a single serving, use 1 to 2 teaspoons per 1 cup boiling water.

  For a teapot, use 3 tablespoons per 4 cups boiling water.

  Let steep for 5 to 7 minutes, then strain and serve.

  MINTY LAVENDER HERB TEA

  ¾ cup dried mint leaves, crumbled

  ¾ cup dried lemon balm leaves, crumbled

  ½ cup dried lavender buds

  Put all the ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. Pour into a pint mason jar and seal with the lid. Attach a decorative spoon or scoop, an infuser or small package of tea bags, and directions for brewing.

  Directions:

  Scoop the tea into a tea bag or a tea infuser.

  For a single serving, use 1 to 2 teaspoons per 1 cup boiling water.

  For a teapot, use 3 tablespoons per 4 cups boiling water.

  Let steep for 7 to 10 minutes, then strain and serve.

  WHITE HOT CHOCOLATE

  Serves 6 to 8

  Sweet, creamy, decadent, and delicious, here’s a coffee-shop-worthy drink you can make in no time at home. Serve it as is to the kids, or add a splash of your favorite liquor for the adults.

  6 cups milk

  10 ounces white chocolate, chopped

  Pinch of salt

  1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  Whipped cream, peppermint sticks, and/or marshmallows, for serving

  In a medium saucepan, heat the milk, white chocolate, and salt over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the milk is hot and the white chocolate has melted, being careful not to let it boil. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla.

  Serve in mugs with your choice of garnishes.

  MENUS

  Sometimes the hardest part of putting together a meal for a special occasion is planning the menu! Here are some suggestions—some simple and some fancy—for meals I share with family and friends.

  If a menu component isn’t a recipe in this book, it’s in italics.

  DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING FEAST

  When you have grown children with spouses and significant others, holidays can mean an empty seat at the table. I’ve given up trying to get everyone together on Thanksgiving Day, but no one ever misses our pre-Thanksgiving dinner.

  Mushroom and Caramelized Onion Bites

  Standing Rib Roast

  Cheddar Garlic Stuffed Potatoes

  Cameron’s Garlic and Bacon Green Beans

  Debbie’s Grandkids’ Rolls

  Caramel Apple Upside-Down Cake

  ALL-DAY CHRISTMAS BUFFET

  Rather than sitting down to a specific meal on Christmas Day, I put out a buffet so we can graze all day.

  Overnight Caramel Pecan Rolls

  Baked Oatmeal

  Italian Herbed Popcorn

  Hummus with crackers and raw vegetables

  Cold cuts, sliced cheese, rolls

  Broccoli Apple Cheddar Salad

  Laurie’s Cookie “Salad”

  Chocolate Cranberry Croissant Pudding

  BABY SHOWER

  Lavender Lemonade

  Carrot Ginger Soup

  Curried Chicken Salad

  Lemon Shortbread Bars with Streusel Topping

  MOTHER’S DAY OR WEDDING BRUNCH

  Grapefruit Frosé

  Strawberries and Cream Scones with Strawberry Butter

  Asparagus Tomato Quiche

  Green salad

  Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Zest Frosting

  FATHER’S DAY BARBECUE

  Watermelon Feta Salad with Balsamic Reduction

  Grilled Fish Tacos with Cilantro-Lime Sauce

  Grilled Corn with Sweet and Spicy Butter

  Cookies and Cream Frozen Dessert

  Summer Fruit Sangria

  PERFECT POTLUCK DINNER

  Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

  Crackers and raw vegetables

  Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken

  Layered Beef Enchilada Casserole

  Spinach-Artichoke Lasagna

  Kale Caesar Salad

  Boston Cream Pie Poke Cake

  ELEGANT DINNER FOR SPECIAL GUESTS

  Bacon-Wrapped Dates

  Green salad

  Herb Roasted Lamb Chops with Dijon-Rosemary Sauce

  Boiled new potatoes and steamed green peas

  Decadent Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel Tart

  SWEET SIXTEEN/GRADUATION PARTY

  Garlic Pizza Knots with Tomato Dipping Sauce

  Parmesan Popcorn

  Seven-Layer Dip

  Chips and assorted veggies

  Easy Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Nachos

  White and Dark Chocolate–Drizzled Popcorn

  White Chocolate Cheesecake with Strawberries

  BREAKFAST FOR DINNER

  Sheepherder’s Skillet

  Cream Cheese Danishes

  White Hot Chocolate

  SUMMER PICNIC

  Kalamata Olive Hummus

  Raw veggies

  Greek Chicken Pitas with Tzatziki Sauce

  Adler Potato Salad

  Chocolate Espresso Cookies

  LUNCH FOR FRIENDS/COMMITTEE/BUSINESS MEETING

  Spicy Black Bean Soup

  Crunchy Ramen Salad with Honey-Ginger Vinaigrette

  Chocolate Thumbprints with Salted Caramel Filling

  DEBBIE’S CHRISTMAS TEA FOR FRIENDS

  Maple Pecan Scones with Bacon Maple Butter

  Muffin Tin Donut Holes

  Eggnog Cookies

  Christmas Fudge

  Almond Biscotti

  White Hot Chocolate

  Christmas Spice Tea

  DA
TE NIGHT

  Roasted Sesame Asparagus

  Garlic Salmon Pasta in a Spicy Cream Sauce

  Wayne’s Whiskey Bacon Brownies

  CHRISTMAS PROGRESSIVE DINNER

  Warm Goat Cheese and Roasted Cherry Tomato Dip

  Kale Caesar Salad

  Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken

  Laurie’s Rice

  Chocolate Peppermint Trifle

  SPECIAL RECIPE LISTS

  GIFTS OF FOOD

  Chocolate Cherry Quick Bread

  Debbie’s Apple Butter

  Dried Soup Mixes

  White Chocolate Bark

  Christmas Fudge

  Renelle’s Christmas Toffee

  Homemade Teas

  WHEN YOU’RE ASKED TO BRING A DISH

  Laurie’s Rice

  Bacon Macaroni and Cheese

  Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken

  Debbie’s Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas

  Layered Beef Enchilada Casserole

  Spinach-Artichoke Lasagna

  FOR FRIENDS IN NEED

  Blueberry Crumb Cake

  Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Coffee Cake

  Overnight Caramel Pecan Rolls

  Carrot Ginger Soup

  Easy Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

  Mozzarella-Stuffed Meatballs

  Bacon Macaroni and Cheese

  Debbie’s Mom’s Borscht

  Wayne’s Whiskey Bacon Brownies

  Almond Biscotti

  Minty Lavender Herb Tea

  RECIPES FOR A CROWD

  Muffin Tin Donut Holes

  Pumpkin Apple Crunch Muffins