Archive for December, 2008
A fantastic Christmas, if not a little chaotic, as Christmas should be. Morning at my sister’s with the family (including, between us, 5 boys 5 and under), noon to mid-afternoon at ma-in-law’s, then home to drop off Lou and make the trifle before heading back over to my parents’ house for dinner. Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, carrots, peas, cranberries, green salad with candied pecans. Fudge. Butter tarts. Post-modern fruitcake from The New Yorker (meh). Mince tarts made with puff pastry and phyllo from Jamie Oliver’s Christmas special (both courtesy of A & R). Chocolate bundt cake from B. Red wine.
Although I did taste each dessert (in the name of research, you understand, and mostly picked at between 4 and 7 as we worked in the kitchen) I tried to save myself for the fruitcake trifle. As you may remember, my fruitcake did not survive re-entry, and so I crumbled a lot of it into an old trifle dish I wish had belonged to my Grandma but really my Mom bought me at a restaurant going-out-of-business sale, doused the cake chunks with a glug of sherry and topped it with two apples and two pears that had been peeled and sauteed in butter with a sprinkling of sugar and cinnamon, then a batch of custard made with Bird’s Custard Powder, and topped the lot with whipped cream.
Ladies and gentleman, we have a winner. My Mom, who grew up with aunts who made trifle, said it was the best she had ever tasted. The now-moist dark fruitcake reminded her of her aunt Noreen’s plum pudding, which was always served with custard and whipped cream. I love plum pudding, but never do seem to get around to making it; I worry no one will go for it with the same enthusiasm I have, leaving me to polish it off myself. Don’t think I won’t do it.
Mike was equally enthusiastic (although without the accompanying nostlgia) and I have officially answered the question of what to have for Christmas dinner – fruitcake on its own is too much, I’ve already eaten too much chocolate, and I want something topped with whipped cream. This satisfies all my festive needs.
Tomorrow my goal is to get dressed and leave the house only to go tobogganning (and maybe get coffee on the way) with the new sled Santa brought. That will be the sum of my efforts. And, of course, come up with dinner.
Here’s hoping your Christmas was just as happy.
December 25 2008 | dessert | 7 Comments »
I’ve been eating more or less nonstop since around 3, when we kicked off the Christmas party on the Homestretch, followed by turkey dinner at my Mom-in-law’s, a party at a friend’s house, and finally wrapping gifts and stuffing stockings in close proximity to a bag of cheesies and tub of Nutella. But technically dinner would have been the turkey, cooked by Mike while I was working (a small 10 pounder stuffed with our usual simple stuffing of onion and celery sauteed in butter and oil, a small loaf from Urban Baker, torn into chunks, and plenty of sage) and transported over to his Mom’s; she added peas, (very) roasted potatoes, the same mashed carrots and turnips they have had for at least 20 years, and almost-grey Brussels sprouts, and half a Safeway chocolate cake. The menu (and even a good deal of the conversation and other goings-on) could have been plucked right out of the early 90s. Which in many ways is what makes Christmas so comforting, isn’t it? We regress to that childhood need for consistency and repetition, just because it’s so familiar.
W is nestled all snug in his bed, but I’m quite certain sugarplums are not among the visions dancing in his head. (More likely: snowmen, cutting Lou’s tail with nail scissors, The Monster at the End of This Book, being forced to eat peas against his will, the notion of a big old man in a fur-trimmed red suit sneaking into his house while we’re all asleep.) But I intend to bring back the sugarplum, not only during the holidays as a healthier (and gluten, egg and dairy-free; vegan, even) alternative to the chocolates and caramels and cookies I end up cranking out, but throughout the year as what I imagine would make a spanking addition to any cheese plate.
Sugarplums are made of finely chopped dried fruit and nuts; the types you choose really depend on what you have in the cupboard or what you’re in the mood for. I like using soft dried figs, on their own or with apricots; toasted almonds and hazelnuts, and the dark cocoa and honey (or Lyle’s Golden Syrup – something, come to think of it, I wish I had asked Santa for – the only thing in the world better than jam on buttered biscuits or crumpets or toast) make them sweet and chewy like candy, only better. Try flavouring them with cinnamon, orange zest or flavoured extracts; or try whizzing in a spoonful of mincemeat. If you put them in little paper cups and tell your three year old they are candies, they will totally believe you.
Sugarplums
5-6 dried figs (stems trimmed)
7-8 dried apricots
1/3 cup sliced or slivered almonds, toasted, or 1/2 cup toasted whole hazelnuts
3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa
3 Tbsp. honey or golden syrup (or less, if your fruit is nice and soft and sticky already)
a bit of grated orange zest (optional)
1/4 tsp. almond or vanilla extract (optional)
1/4 tsp. cinnamon (optional)
sugar, for rolling
Trim tough stems from figs and cut them in half. In a food processor, pulse the figs, apricots, almonds and cocoa until finely chopped. Add the honey, orange zest, vanilla and cinnamon and pulse until well combined. Add some extra cocoa or nuts if the mixture is too wet; some extra honey if it won’t stick together.
Place some sugar in a shallow dish. Roll the sugar plum mixture into bite-sized balls, then roll them in sugar to coat. If you like, place them in paper or aluminum candy cups, like truffles. (Sugar plums can be made up to a week ahead; store in an airtight container at room temperature, or in the fridge.)
Merry Christmas everyone. I sure am glad to have you in my life.
December 24 2008 | snacks | 14 Comments »
Day 358! I may just have a heart attack.
I did CBC early this morning and was on traffic duty again on the Homestretch this afternoon, so leaving at 6 and stopping for one last gift en route, then getting stuck in hockey game traffic got me home at almost 7. I didn’t plan dinner (you’d think that after 357 days I’d learn something) but did pull a baggie of frozen chicken strips in buttermilk out of the freezer, and called to tell Mike to get sweet potato fries started. (Very unromantic of me, considering it’s our anniversary, but really we have the whole season to celebrate.) By the time I got home W had fallen asleep (he was up again at 8:30) and the chicken and fries were fairly cold and soggy… I nibbled on a few but was mostly interested in bread and jam while we made our last few batches of caramel corn with mixed nuts and fleur de sel caramels to give out tomorrow.
If I was really pressed to name my favourite food of all time, like if my life depended on choosing, I might say toast and jam. Dull, maybe. But I’d choose toast (or fresh, warm biscuits) with butter and jam over chips or chocolate anytime.
Dark, runny jams are my favourite; cherry, plum and black currant, although I go through semi-annual marmalade phases and would not turn down apricot or peach or a nice spiced apple jelly. I could happily go through life with an entire wardrobe of jams; a whole shelf dedicated to them. I do adore jam.
Years ago I made a couple of holiday-inspired jams that I decided to ressurect this year (considering my vow to not set foot in a mall for the few weeks before Christmas – I made and am still making a bunch of stuff, and I am a little bit hooked on etsy) and recently stumbled upon a new one. Besides the baking and caramels, I like having little pots and jars (I get old glass ones throughout the year at Value Village, church sales and the dollar store) filled with preserves to bring everywhere I go on the days leading up to Christmas.
This mandarin jam is my new favourite. It’s nothing like marmalade, as it contains no peel. It made perfect use out of the second half of a case of mandarin oranges we had lost interest in.
Mandarin Jam
adapted from The Travellers’ Lunchbox
2 lbs mandarin oranges mandarins, well-washed
2 1/2-3 cups sugar
juice of 2 lemons
Finely grate about a tablespoon of zest from your mandarins, then peel all of them, removing as much of the white pith as possible. Cut each mandarin in half around its middle and pick out any seeds. Place in the bowl of a food processor with the zest and remaining ingredients and pulse until well blended and fairly smooth.
Transfer to a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Turn the heat down and simmer for about 30 minutes, until it sets – keep a small saucer in the freezer to drop small spoonfuls onto – if you can run your finger through and it leaves a trail, it’s set.
Pour into hot, sterilized jars, seal and cool, or refrigerate for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 6 months.
Slow Cooker Apricot Jam
This is virtually effortless – the slow cooker does all the work! It’s perfect to make while you’re doing other things around the house.
1 lb. dried apricots, coarsely chopped
1 3/4 cups sugar
3 cups water
a knob of fresh ginger, grated (about a tablespoon)
2 cinnamon sticks or a shake of ground cinnamon
Combine everything in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 2 – 3 hours, stirring a couple times if possible. Uncover and cook on high, stirring occasionally, for another 2 hours or until it’s thick and jam-like.
Ladle into clean, hot jars and seal according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 to 15 minutes or refrigerate up to a month.
Makes about 4 1/2 cups.
Christmas Preserves
This I came up with with a friend when we were, like, 20, and felt so grown up making our own jam in her own kitchen. If I made it again today I might attempt it without pectin; use it though if you’re nervous about your preserves (kind of like a marmalade) setting.
3-4 medium oranges
2 small lemons
3/4 cup water
1/8 tsp. baking soda
6 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1 cup raisins
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. each ground allspice and cloves
1 – 85 mL pkg. liquid pectin
Coarsely grate the zest off the oranges and lemons. Peel off the white pith and membranes (throw them away) and chop the fruit. Place the zest in a saucepan with the water and soda and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, then add the fruit and cook for another 10. Add everything else but the pectin and boil hard for a minute. Remove from heat and stir in the pectin, let sit for 7 minutes, skimming off foam if you need to, then ladle into hot jars and seal.
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December 23 2008 | preserves | 9 Comments »
(Just a taste.)
Am quite exhausted. It appears I haven’t scheduled in any actual sleep between now and Boxing Day. I’m starting to panic a little, squeezing Christmassy activities into every spare hour (wrapping, making gifts, going to look at Christmas lights) but not really scratching many off my list. I was up at 6 again this morning to go do 4 segments on BT, and then was on traffic duty on the Homestretch again tonight until after 6. I did see W in between from 12-2, but even that was a crush of stuff.
Sorry, when did this blog become a Dear Diary, this is what I did today? I suppose it all leads up to dinner, and I need to absolve myself of guilt over ordering Inglewood pizza again. To pick up on the way home. Generally we have Chinese food at least once around the holidays, but we’re lizard-sitting my niece and nephew’s Christmas present, and the “super worms” the thing eats live dangled writhing over its face with a chopstick may have turned me off sesame noodles forever.
I’ve also been eating this mincemeat Christmas cake I made on BT this morning all day – I was calling it 5-Minute Fruitcake, but it really is nothing like a fruitcake – you use jarred all-fruit mincemeat and it comes out this dense, moist, spicy cake that is wonderful plain and I’ve never attempted to ice. Maybe anti-fruitcake? D, who is a fruitcake hater, said this was the best cake she had ever eaten. I wouldn’t go quite that far, but still – it’s pretty good for something you can mix up in under 5 minutes.
The original recipe calls for a high-sided 9 inch round pan (a springform pan would work as well), which creates a cake that is sunken in the middle. I kind of like the look of this, but since this is such a dense batter and such a large quantity baked at once, you could bake it in a Bundt pan (for about 45 minutes) which would prevent the problem of the middle not baking as quickly as the sides. I’ve done both.
Mincemeat Christmas Cake
Adapted from Nigella Lawson’s Feast
½ cup butter, softened
1 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
zest of a lemon and an orange (optional)
2 large eggs
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
1 ½ cups mincemeat (I use all-fruit)
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a high-sided 9” round baking pan with parchment and spray the whole thing with nonstick spray.
Put the butter, brown sugar and lemon and orange zest into the bowl of a food processor and blitz it to blend and get rid of any lumps of brown sugar. Whiz in the eggs. Add the flour, baking powder and baking soda and pulse until almost combined; add the mincemeat and pulse just until blended.
Scrape into the pan and bake for 1 ½ hours, until the cake is springy to the touch; if it’s darkening too quickly, lay a piece of tin foil overtop. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
December 22 2008 | cake | 11 Comments »
You know it’s Christmas when you have leftover dip, hambone pickings and Clodhoppers for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
We had an amazing afternoon with Tagyn and Diego at A Christmas Carol – Diego, whom I drove crazy asking to say “dulce de leche” and “Feliz Navidad” about 50 times (he’s 7 and speaks Spanish) brought me a batch of homemade shoe soles – like small, oval, sweet pancakes native to Mexico, with a ketchup-shaped bottle of – something I’ve forgotten the name of and just realized the bottle is on the back seat of the car, and I’m in my PJs and it’s a hundred below outside – it’s like dulce de leche, only darker and better, with a cooler name. We dipped into the stash when the lights went down and squirted caramel on our shoe soles and tried to eat them without getting busted.
Up to that point, you understand I had eaten exactly this: leftover biscuits toasted with butter and mandarin jam, nut balls, ham pickings, Clodhoppers and coffee. We dragged our feet on the way back to pick W up from Mike’s Mom’s (his first time staying there with both his Mom & sister – he requires a team effort) and so stopped at Beano to get a cafe mocha, just because we could.
Which was delicious, but didn’t make us feel much better. After some chaotic Christmas gift returns (that’s what you get for being on the ball and buying stuff early – it ends up being broken) and a stop at the grocery store for my segments (4!) on BT tomorrow morning, we got home at close to 8 more wanting something that didn’t resemble chocolate than actually being hungry. We had leftover edamame walnut dip and mini lamb burgers with tzatziki while I made stuff for tomorrow.
Mini Lamb Burgers in Mini Pitas with Tzatziki
These would make great full-sized burgers too, but the rich lamb and feta is perfect for nibbling.
1 lb. ground lamb
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup crumbled feta
1/4 cup currants
1 egg
1-2 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint
1 tsp. dried oregano
salt & pepper
mini pitas, cut in half crosswise
spring greens
Tzatziki (below)
Roll them into meatball-sized balls, and flatten them a little into tiny patties. (If you are doing a lot, put them all on a rimmed baking sheet and then squish them down by pressing another sheet on top of them.) If you like, you could freeze them at this point and bake them from frozen. Otherwise they could be frozen after they are baked.
Bake at 425°F for about 10 minutes, until they are cooked through.
To serve, stuff into half a mini pita with a few leaves from a box of spring greens and a glop of tzatziki.
Tzatziki
Regular yogurt, preferably thick Greek yogurt, is far superior to the runny low fat or fat free varieties that are most commonly found at the grocery store. Even ‘full fat’ yogurts generally only contain about 3 grams per half cup, and it’s much more delicious and satisfying. If you like, strain the yogurt through some cheesecloth for several hours to thicken it. (Save the drained-off liquid to use in pancake or muffin batter.)
1 small cucumber, peeled if necessary
1 – 2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 cups good quality plain yogurt, preferably Balkan-style
Salt & pepper to taste
Grate the cucumber with a box grater onto a double thickness of paper towel. Gather up the cucumber in the towel and squeeze out as much excess water as you can.
Combine cucumber, garlic, yogurt, salt and pepper in a bowl and stir until well blended. If you like, add a squeeze or lemon. The garlic flavor will intensify the longer it sits. Makes 2 1/2 – 3 cups.
Per 1/3 cup: 45 calories, 1 g total fat (0.6 g saturated fat, 0.3 g monounsaturated fat, 0.1 g polyunsaturated fat), 3.5 g protein, 5.6 g carbohydrate, 3.7 mg cholesterol, 0.3 g fiber. 20% calories from fat
Instead of cookies today I’m offering up another small sweet (and only because you got two cookies yesterday) – Mike is a huge fan of maple fudge. And fortunately my friend Marty Curtis, who owns Marty’s Cafe in Muskoka, has a maple fudge recipe in his new(ish) book, Marty’s World Famous Cookbook. (In it, his World Famous Butter Tart recipe, which is not allowed to be reprinted. Sorry. But trust me, people come from all over for these – they even won the Toronto Star’s best butter tart competition.) Digging up a link to that mandarin jam recipe, I just stumbled upon a muscovado fudge recipe that looks pretty damn heavenly too. Mike just may find both in his stocking. He has been pretty good this year, don’t you think?
Muskoka Maple Fudge
From Marty’s World Famous Cookbook. This is also good with nuts – add about 1/4 cup chopped walnuts while creaming the fudge.
2 cups (pure!) maple syrup
3/4 cup 10% cream (that’s half & half)
2 Tbsp. butter
Grease an 8″x8″ pan.
In a saucepan over high heat, combine all the ingredients and bring them to a boil. (Do not cover.) Bring the temperature to between 235F and 240F on a candy thermometer, and then drop a little in cold water – it should form a soft ball. Remove the heat and monitor the temperature until it drops to 110F. Beat with a wooden spoon or heat proof spatula until creamy. Pour into the pan and cool, then cut into squares.
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December 21 2008 | appetizers and lamb and sweet stuff | 8 Comments »
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