Holiday Main Course Dishes
By Rick Wade
Last minute shopping is not always the best idea, but there’s usually some breathing room when buying that special meat for the annual Christmas feast from Lindy’s Downtown Market in Washington.
“Turkeys aren’t in short supply, but we don’t keep many on hand because there isn’t a big demand after Thanksgiving,” said co-owner Jim Linsley. “Ought to order that. For hams and prime and standing rib, you can come in and pick up one until the day of if ,” he emphasized, “ if we have any left.”
Brother Bob Linsley advised customers to order as soon as possible, however. “It’s best to reserve it, not walk in at the last minute and want one,” he said. “We’ve already placed a huge order of Christmas prime rib, based on the current price and what we sold last year. But that doesn’t mean we can’t find more at crunch time.
“We know things happen. You were going out of town, but you had to change your plans and are now having a dinner. We can usually accommodate the situation. We can make something work.”
For the Christmas holiday, Lindy’s sells a spiral-sliced honey-glazed boneless ham made right there in the market.
The meat department will also pre-season the prime and standing ribs upon request, “so the seasoning can get into the meat,” Jim said.
Lindy’s only sells Creekstone Farms Premium Black Angus, top choice, USDA-certified beef. Turkeys are Norbest turkey broth self-basting birds, as well as all-natural, non-hormone, non-antibiotic Amish Country Kitchens free-range turkeys. Hams are locally processed and bear Lindy’s own label.
Customers just call the meat department to order, then come in and pick it up on the date they want it. When ordering, customers tell the meat department how many mouths they plan to feed. That information is used to determine how much meat is needed, said Bob.
“For uncooked meat, boneless, it’s a half pound per person. Bone in, a pound. That applies to prime rib, standing ribs,” he said. “Turkey, we figure a pound. Boneless hams, a half pound. Boneless hams don’t shrink a lot. And, remember, this is all uncooked meat.”
Bob offered his secret to preparing a delicious, perfect prime rib. “Don’t overcook it,” he stated. “Prime rib is really the easiest piece of meat to cook. It scares (people) because of the price.”
First, take the meat out of the refrigerator at least an hour to an hour and a half beforehand. “Don’t expect to put cold meat right into the heat and have it get done according to the recipe,” Bob said. “Let it start warming up. You aren’t gonna get spoilage.”
For a full prime rib, about 11 to 12 pounds, Bob says to pre-heat the oven to 400 to 425 degrees, roast meat one hour, then turn the oven off for one hour. Next turn the oven to 350 degrees, and cook for one more hour. At no point in this process should the oven door be opened, Bob emphasized strongly. Finally, pull the rib out of the oven and let it sit for about 10 to 15 minutes before cutting.
“If you cut meat right out of the oven, you lose all its juices, the moisture. Let the meat rest. Everything seals up. It’s wonderful. You’ve got your dark ends for people who like that, then you’ve got the red in the middle.”
For folks who do not want the fuss of cooking the main course, there is Hickory River Smokehouse in Peoria. “We have all our meats on the menu available – sliced beef brisket, chopped beef brisket, ham, turkey, polish sausage, half chickens, pork loin and pulled pork,” said owner Mike Johnstone. “But for the holidays we also offer whole smoked hams and whole smoked turkeys, and we also have a half ham available. Those turkeys are 14 to 16 pounds; the half ham is 7 to 8 pounds and a whole ham is 16 pounds.
“The nice thing about the ham is, it’s boneless, all meat. People do need to pre-order these prior to the holiday, before Dec. 20 for Christmas. We also have the same food available after the holiday, if they need something for a smaller meal at home later, but the order still has to be in place by Dec. 20 just so we can make sure we have what they need.”
Hickory River – a smokehouse, not a traditional barbecue restaurant, says Johnstone -- also offers full meals that include green bean casserole, choice of half a ham or a whole turkey, dinner rolls, mashed potatoes and gravy and stuffing. All food can be picked up hot or cold with exact heating instructions. “We do everything we can to make sure the quality is the same as if they picked it up hot,” Johnstone said.
To order, simply call the restaurant.
Hickory River Smokehouse is located at 5101 W. Holiday Drive, Peoria. Contact Hickory River at (309) 683-1227, or at www.hickoryriver.com.
Lindy’s is located at 110 Peoria Street in Washington. Contact Lindy’s at (309) 444-3736 or www.lindysdowntownmarket.net.
IN THIS ISSUE
September 2011
Break from the Holiday Hustle
By Sue Elsasser
‘Tis the season for family, friends, cheer, and running yourself ragged. You’re rushing here and running there. You deserve a break from that chaos we call the holidays. What better way to relax than with a satisfying meal? Lucky for you there are many delicious options.
Wing Stop
Located in the heart of Peoria at University and Glen, Wing Stop is an ideal spot for a quick bite in between holiday shopping jaunts.
Bone-in wings, boneless wings, and chicken strips are fried fresh in minutes. They’re then tossed with the sauce of your choice. Teriyaki, garlic parmesan, hickory smoked BBQ, Cajun, and atomic are a few of the nine flavors available.
“We prepare the wings any way the customer wants and offer ranch, blue cheese, and honey-mustard dips,” says Wing Stop Co-Owner Brian Davis. Side dishes such as homemade potato salad, coleslaw, baked beans, and freshly-baked yeast rolls complete the Wing Stop dining experience.
For more information, visit www.wingstop.com.
Michael’s Italian Feast
With the convenience of three locations, it’s easy to enjoy delicious, fresh food at a Michael’s Italian Feast near you.
“Everything we make is made from scratch. Our bread, our pasta sauces, everything is preservative free,” says Veronica Axelson, who owns the restaurants with her husband Mike. “We try to provide a home-cooked, made-from-scratch meal at the best price possible.”
Pizza, spaghetti, tortellini, lasagna, sub sandwiches, hot sandwiches, salad, and fresh- baked bread are just some of the tasty Italian foods offered for dine-in or carryout. For a quick family dinner, consider Michael’s Family Feast, which includes a 16-inch sub sandwich, a half-gallon of pasta, garlic bread, and a two-liter bottle of soda.
For more information, visit www.michaelsitalianfeast.com.
Hickory River Smokehouse
Located near the Shoppes at Grand Prairie at Rt. 91 and Rt. 150, Hickory River Smokehouse is perfectly situated to offer you the fuel you need to power through those holiday errands.
Unlike some barbecue places that use cheap cuts of meat then try to boost the flavor by drenching the meat with barbecue sauce, Hickory River uses high-quality cuts of beef, pork, chicken, and turkey. The meats are seasoned with a special Texas-style dry rub, then smoked slowly over real hickory wood.
“Our meats are so flavorful you don’t need to add sauce to make it taste good,” says Hickory River Managing Partner Mike Johnstone.
Hickory River also offers a variety of homemade side dishes including, macaroni and cheese, ranch beans, potato salad, coleslaw, and corn bread.
Hickory River Smokehouse is equally ideal for dine-in or carryout. For more information, visit www.hickoryriver.com.
Retro American Tap
If your idea of a break from the holiday rush involves good food, a cocktail, and televised sports, you’ll love the Retro American Tap on Water Street.
In addition to more than 30 American beers, including retro flavors like Pabst Blue Ribbon, Hamms, Stagg, and Schlitz, the drink menu features wines, margaritas, martinis, and more. There are also over 30 retro cocktails featured on the menu.
Beyond the beverages, the extensive food menu is sure to please all palates. A wide variety of appetizers, sandwiches, salads, and entrees appeal to diners looking for American, Mexican, and/or Italian flavors. And there’s more. The Retro American Tap is becoming well known for its tender beef brisket, pulled pork, turkey, and chicken, which is all smoked on-site.
The Retro American Tap is complete with an arcade room and multiple televisions showing all the big games. For more information, visit www.retrotap.com
Fairview Farms
A short trek out of the shopping district offers an ideal holiday escape. Fairview Farms has been serving up the best in homemade cuisines since 1952.
Located in a residential area just off Maxwell Road on Heuermann Road, this beautiful farmhouse turned restaurant takes diners back to the days of true comfort food. “We serve real food,” says owner Ken McKeever. From the creamy French salad dressing to the mashed potatoes and gravy, everything is made from scratch with top-quality ingredients.
Chicken is delivered fresh and hand washed one piece at a time before being hand battered, fried, and served hot and crispy. Other meats, including Swiss steak, roast beef, and ham, are also tasty and tender. Beyond entrees, some diners say the side dishes make the meal here. Whether you order a plate dinner or a family-style meal, your main course will be accompanied by fresh corn fritters, warm wheat rolls, coleslaw or tossed salad, choice of potato, and green beans with seasoned ham.
For more information, visit www.fairview-farm.com
Cookies, Cakes and Pies – Oh My!
By Lisa Ferolo
It’s December and you’ve made it to the holiday home-stretch. Just a few short weeks and you’ll be leaving your plate of cookies for Santa and waiting to see if he can fit that new Jacuzzi down the chimney. Cookies – what cookies? You have gift exchanges to figure out, holiday parties to attend, and teachers, postal carriers, and paper boys to thank. The baking of cookies is not on your list, but luckily it’s been taken care of.
Surely you’ll find something Santa likes at Trefzger’s Bakery. Using original recipes and serving the best in freshly made bakery items, Trefzger’s has been a Peoria landmark since 1861. This holiday season their staff will be working overtime as usual to grace your table with sweet treats and even a gift or two. Donna Draher, bakery manager, says their gingerbread boys are one of the most popular cookies every year. At over 5” tall, with a shiny glaze, and chocolate-piped face, these cookies won’t fail to impress Santa or anyone on your list. Just a few wrapped in cellophane and tied with a bright bow would be a perfect hostess gift. Far from the only cookie in their ovens, Trefzger’s will be baking Christmas tree and snowman cut-outs, sugar plums, divinity drops, and their famous thumbprint cookies decorated in holiday reds and greens. Perhaps Santa deserves a whole cake this year like their holiday red-velvet or spice cake. How about an elegant chocolate mousse cake to ring in the New Year? With your choice of fillings, rich buttercream frosting, and custom decorations, these cakes are a winning centerpiece. Or try their new specialty and dessert cupcakes for something a little less ordinary. Santa and snowman specialty cupcakes will be in the case as well as a wide selection of dessert cupcakes in 18 different flavors like raspberry dream, Oreo, and Snickers, a chocolate/peanut cake filled with caramel with chocolate icing and crumbled Snickers on top. Pumpkin pies are still available, or try apple/cranberry for a perfect complement to the season. Their home-made pies include chocolate, coconut cream, French silk and lemon just to name a few. But get your orders in soon because there’s only 24 hours in the baking day and pre-orders will be shut off. You can drop in and pick up pre-made cookie boxes, trays, and holiday-themed collections and still enjoy their traditional baked goods. Holiday items will be available the first part of December so come in and see the bakery’s decorated windows and the baker’s stockings hung with care.
Over the river and through the woods at Lindy’s Downtown Market in Washington, the holidays are in full swing at their bakery counter. Julie Harms, bakery manager, gladly described their wide array of sweet selections. Lindy’s is known for their cookies, bars, and new this season, homemade candy. Traditional frosted sugar cookies in tree and star shapes mingle with frosted pumpkin, and red velvet thumbprint. Cookie selections rotate and when they’re gone, they’re gone…until tomorrow. Bar cookie flavors run the gamut from pecan, toffee, peanut brittle, and gingerbread to turtle and ooey-gooey. They are packaged 3 pieces to a tray and a rotating selection is always available. You can pre-order larger quantities of bar cookies for your holiday table or pick up a few small trays so you’ll be ready for that last-minute gift that didn’t make it onto your list. Lindy’s new homemade candy line will be available in-store (sorry, no pre-orders) so come in quick to snag an array of peanut clusters, turtles, fudge, and, my favorite, toffee. If that doesn’t get your sweet tooth aching, try one of their Elegant Farmer brown bag apple or caramel apple pies made by hand and cooked in the bag. Lindy’s also offers their own pumpkin, apple, cherry and other fruit pies that can be pre-ordered for your convenience. It’s, well, easy as pie! And did I mention cupcakes? An assortment of white chocolate, red velvet and other flavors are available now.
Santa will surely be happy to find any of these sweets on his plate (and maybe a few extra to keep in his sleigh)! So, Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good bite.
Trefzger’s Bakery
3504 N. Prospect Road
Peoria, IL
309-685-9221
Tues-Sat 6:30am-6:00pm
Christmas Eve 6:30am-3:00pm (re-open Dec 29)
New Year’s Eve 6:30am-3:00pm
Lindy’s Downtown Market
110 Peoria Street
Washington, IL
309-444-3736
Mon-Sat 7:00am-9:00pm
Sun 8:00am-8:00pm
Christmas Eve open until 5:30pm
New Year’s Eve open until 8:00pm
On The Side
By Kevin Roecker
Now that you have planned your holiday featured item, such as a turkey, prime rib or crown roast of pork, what are you going to prepare for the sides? Sometimes, a little extra planning may be in order. I think one our family’s biggest issue was the turkey. We have the good fortune of receiving one every year, however, sometimes it would weigh in excess of 20 pounds!! This takes up a lot of oven space and it was hard to bake anything else. And with most of us living a distance, it wasn’t feasible to prepare something hot at home and transfer it to mom and dad’s. Anyone else have this problem?
So, I thought for this month’s article, I would give a few tricks, short cuts and oven “musical chair” advice to help you juggle the oven merry-go-round.
The thing I like about mashed potatoes is they can usually be made quickly and hold heat well if you need to hold them. For the best mashed potatoes use the potatoes marked “bakers” or “russets” as these usually have less water content in them than red or new potatoes. I like to peel them and cut them into 1” cubes. I know this takes a bit longer, but feel it give better results in the end. Start your cubed potatoes in cold salted water, bring to a boil and then to a simmer. Cutting the potatoes this small will allow them to cook quicker. Drain them well and return them to the pan and put them over low heat, stirring frequently to dry them out. This is where the small cut really pays off. The water drains off and out of the potatoes faster so you don’t have to worry about them sticking to the bottom of the pan during the drying period. I add my butter at room temperature and heat my cream in the microwave before adding them to the potatoes, then mash or whip away adding some salt and white pepper to the mix. Or instead of mashed potatoes, you can dry out the cubes and toss them with cheese sauce. When you have oven space, pop them into a greased casserole and you have a version of au gratin potatoes.
Making green bean casserole and out of oven space? An alternative way is to cook your beans until (your version of) done. Add the remaining ingredients – mushroom soup, cheese or whatever the recipe calls for – and warm over low heat. When the turkey comes out, turn up the heat, pop your mixture into a greased casserole pan, top with fried onions, if that is your “thing”, and bake away. By pre-heating these ingredients, the bake time should be reduced and your casserole should be done by the time you allow the turkey to rest and carve it. This trick can be used for your dressing, too. If you pre-saute your onions, garlic, celery, carrots, etc., and add them to your hot broth, you can quickly combine the vegetable-laden broth to your dried bread cubes – or corn bread – to speed the cooking process once the bird, prime rib, etc., is done.
If you are looking for a fun thing to do that doesn’t require oven space, I have two suggestions: dumplings and fritters. Since I’m of German heritage, it seems like a big meal never gets put on the table without spaetzle which, in essence, is a tiny dumpling. I’m sure an Internet search will return you a recipe. They are mainly flour, egg, milk (or water) and salt. I put in a touch of nutmeg, which I’m sure when my mother reads this will garnish a berating phone call. The batter is then dipped by half teaspoonfuls into boiling water and within a few minutes you have a mini dumpling. I like to make mine ahead of time and cool them off on a sheet tray. When ready for them, I heat a little butter and pan fry them until lightly golden and a little crisp. Grandmother would then melt a lot of butter, stir in some bread crumbs and parsley and pour the mixture all over the spaetzle when the breadcrumbs became golden brown. There is a name for this concoction, but I have a hard enough time pronouncing it let alone spelling it, so I’m not even going to try. If you chose to do this and want bigger dumplings, I’d suggest dropping the temperature of your water or stock to a simmer or just enough to keep the bigger dumplings from sinking and sticking to the bottom. As with the smaller version, when they float, they are done. As for fritters: This works great if you have a little deep fryer. If not, a wide, heavy bottom pot will do. Heat the oil to 350 degrees. The quick method for this is to use a cornbread mix and use about 3/4 of the liquid called for on the box. Add some fun ingredients while mixing like additional corn, cheese, minced ham, onions, peppers, etc. Make sure these ingredients are fairly dry. Drop by tablespoonfuls into the hot oil. These do have a tendency to float, so turn them every so often. I find it best to make one and pay attention to how long in takes to properly cook. Usually, this size takes about 3 minutes. If you find them falling apart a bit because you’ve added extra ingredients, stir an egg or two into your batter. While keeping them warm while you fry more can be an issue, they do tend to hold heat well on their own.
I hope I have given you some step savers and new ideas to make your holiday cooking more enjoyable.
See You Around The Table…..
Chef Kevin
Holiday Cheers
By Hugh Higgins
With Thanksgiving behind us, we mark our calendars with dates when we share our homes with friends and families. We revel indoors, hopefully basking in cozy warmth as winter spreads its blanket of cold across our stark Midwestern landscape. Some of us bring evergreens into homes, and decorate with bright objects and light. Some traditions encourage fasting. Whether you light a kinara or a menorah, celebrate Ramadan, Diwali, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Christmas, or the winter solstice; there is usually a common ground for us all that culminates with a feast. And in my opinion, no feast is complete without libations. This year I will offer suggestions both old and new. Some are borrowed and some are from Hugh.
Winter warmers- Coffee drinks have always been a reliable standby, and coddling a warm mug on a cold day is comforting. Set up a coffee station where people can take of themselves, allowing you to be the host instead of the bartender. A selection of liqueurs can lend a luxurious international flare and make things a bit more exotic and festive. I would suggest Kahlua or Tia Maria coffee liqueur, Amaretto, Sambuca, dark Crème de Cocoa, brandy and Irish whiskey.
These ingredients would cover the bases for a number of recipes including;
Keoke coffee- ½ oz. each of Kahlua, brand, crème de cocoa
Swiss coffee- 1 oz. each of Kahlua, amaretto, crème de cocoa
Café Amaretto- 1 oz each Kahlua and amaretto
Café Italiano- 1 ½ of Sambuca
Irish coffee- 1½ oz. Jameson Irish whiskey, 1 T brown sugar
Tam O’ Shanter- 1 oz Jameson Irish whiskey, 1 oz. Kahlua
A small card with each of the recipes listed would give your guests a chance to experiment and find the flavors that would appeal to them. Be sure to have whipped cream for garnishing. In the past year, Kahlua has introduced 3 flavored coffee liqueurs in addition to their flagship brand. Kahlua Hazelnut, French Vanilla, and Mocha now offer new twists on the old classic and make the possibilities even more unique.
Hot Cider- Apple cider is something we enjoy by the gallon every autumn. For gatherings, we break out our old crock pot and heat up a gallon or two. Over the years, we’ve tried a number of spiked versions at bonfires and camp outs. Rum or spiced rum were the ones we tried first, but we thought the alcohol was too strong and overpowering. Cinnamon schnapps was offered at a friends home one Halloween party, and the lower proof of schnapps we found more enjoyable. The cinnamon flavor was also complimentary with the cider. At our next gathering, I chose to add Hiram Walker Butterscotch schnapps instead. My thought was to try and replicate the flavor of a Taffy Apple, and it worked. The sweet caramel flavor of the schnapps blended nicely with the cider, wasn’t too spicy or too strong, and was a big hit. Unfortunately, ciders’ seasonality makes it harder to find once the leaves have all been bagged. So to extend our cider cycle, we usually purchase a couple extra gallons towards the end of the season, pour a glass from each gallon, and put them in the freezer so they will be waiting for us when we want them.
Cocktails- We touched on some of the more traditional suggestions, but the next couple of cocktails are very new. Hiram Walker cordials have been reinvigorating their line of products the last couple of years, and have created some innovative flavors that are unique. This year, they have two items that are “seasonal” offerings, designed with just enough inventory created to last for a few months, and then they will disappear. Hiram Walker Pumpkin Spice liqueur was actually introduced last year for the holidays, and enjoyed such popularity that it was brought back again this year. We had a lot of fun creating new cocktails around the flavor, and here are two of my favorites.
Pumpkin Pie- 1 part Hiram Walker Pumpkin Spice, ½ part Kahlua, ½ part butterscotch schnapps, and ½ part cream. Shake with ice and strain into martini glass. Garnish with a dollop of whipped cream and sprinkle with powdered pumpkin spice.
Honey Pie- Add equal parts Hiram Walker Pumpkin Spice and Wild Turkey American Honey liqueur over ice. American Honey is a bourbon based liqueur, and the rich infusion of honey makes it deceivingly smooth.
The newest addition to the lineup this season is Hiram Walker Gingerbread liqueur. Delicious! One whiff and you know it’s going to be good. The taste is everything you would want and expect. I experimented around and came up with the following;
Gingerbread Latte martini- 1 ½ oz Absolut vodka, 1 oz HW Gingerbread liqueur, ½ oz, Kahlua, 1 oz. milk. Shake ingredients with ice, strain into martini glass, garnish with whipped cream and nutmeg.
Windmill Cookie- 1 1/2 oz Absolut Vanilia vodka, 1 1/2oz. HW Gingerbread liqueur, ½ oz amaretto. Shake with ice and strain into martini glass.
Enjoy the holidays responsibly and be a good host. Be sure to offer food and non-alcohol beverages as well to make sure your guests are safe. Count your blessings, remember the good things, and do something nice for someone. Charity is its own reward.
Peace and health,
Hugh
