Countdown to Christmas: 1 Sleep!!!

Tourtière

-from Laura Calder's 'Dinner Chez Moi'

This is our family's traditional Christmas Eve dinner. It typically doesn't leave a lot of leftovers, which is perfect pre-Christmas, and is still special and show-stopping for a family holiday meal.
Originally a traditional French Canadian meal from Quebec, Tourtière is a type of meat pie, packed with belly-warming flavours. We typically have a nice, warm, homemade soup to start, and serve this pie with a side of peas and chili sauce. As a kid, Tourtiere was always a sign that Christmas had finally arrived, starting off our family celebrations the evening before Santa came to our house.

Merry Christmas!

1lb ground pork
1/2 lb ground veal, hare, or beef (we prefer beef)
1 large onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp dried summer savory
pinch ground cloves
S&P to taste
6 tbsp fresh bread crumbs
1 recipe savory tart dough, divided in two disks (see below)
milk, for brushing

1. In a large sautée pan, bring 1/2 cup of water to a boil. Meanwhile, combine the ground pork, beef, onion, garlic, savory, cloves, S&P, in a large bowl. Stir mixture into water. Cover, and simmer until meat is cooked through and tender, approx. 20 minutes.
2. Stir breadcrumbs into meat mixture, and continue to cook, uncovered, until all liquid has evaporated. Taste for seasonings, adjust as necessary, and let cool completely.
3. Heat oven to 450F. Roll first dough disk out on a lightly floured surface, and gently press into pie plate. Spoon mixture into shell. Roll out second dough disk, and place on top of pie. Make 2 or 3 slits on top to allow steam to escape. Brush top with milk, for a golden crust.
4. Bake until pastry is crisp and golden, about 25 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature (we prefer warm).

Savory Tart Dough:

2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/3 cup ice-cold water

1. Combine flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to combine. Add butter pieces, and pulse until mixture is crumbly, and butter is the size of small peas.  Slowly add the cold water through the feed-tube of the processor, and pules until dough just comes together into a ball.
2. Divide dough into 2 disks. Wrap in plastic, and chill at least 30 minutes before rolling out.

Countdown to Christmas: 2 Sleeps

Grandma's Cabbage Salad

I remember my Grandma bringing this every year to our house for Christmas dinner, and I would gobble it up! I nice cool side-dish for turkey dinner, this salad keeps well for up to a week so it's great for a make-ahead or as leftovers. The recipe below makes A LOT (at least 8-10 servings), so halving it might be a good option for a smaller dinner party.

1 head cabbage - shredded
2 carrots - grated
2 stalks of celery - diced
1/2 cup red or green onion - chopped
2 tsp celery seeds
S&P to taste

Dressing:
1 cup vinegar (I prefer cider)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tbsp vegetable oil

1. Combine cabbage, carrots, celery, onion, celery seed and salt & pepper a large bowl.
2. In a small sauce pan, heat vinegar, sugar, and oil over medium heat, until sugar has completely dissolved. Pour over cabbage mixture, and stir well. Refrigerate overnight. Stir well before serving with a slotted spoon.

Countdown to Christmas: 3 Sleeps

Citrus Cranberry Sauce

Since I'm not a huge fan of gravy, my turkey-side of choice is cranberry sauce. I love the tartness of this sauce, and even spread it on my left-over turkey sandwiches. The addition of fresh ginger is optional, adding a complex yet subtle background flavour to this already delicious sauce.

Fresh cranberries really are best. Frozen may be used in a pinch (like when we can't find any fresh berries in Arizona for Canadian Thanksgiving), but the sauce will be a bit more liquid, as freezing the berries really effects the pectin. 

1 package fresh cranberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 orange - juiced and zested
1/3 cup orange juice
1 tsp fresh ginger (optional)
pinch of salt

1. Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pot. Heat over med-low heat, stirring occasionally, until cranberries begin to "pop" and break-down (approx. 10 minutes). Continue to cook until sauce reaches desired consistency - I like a few cranberries left whole, but if you prefer more of a puree texture, cook a bit longer.
2. Either serve immediately, or refrigerate up to 3 weeks and serve cold.

Countdown to Christmas: 4 Sleeps

Mom's Holiday Sweet Potatoes

(aka Sweet Potato Puff) 

A nice change from the traditional marshmallow-sweet potato side, this dish is creamy, colourful and jammed with delicious flavours. It has always been on our holiday table, and I find myself making double the recipe each year to ensure there are some leftovers. It's great for the holidays, since you can make it ahead of time, and just warm it up in the oven before serving (at whatever temperature the oven may be set to for other items).

This is one of the many dishes that I haven't had a chance to take a picture of, as it is usually devoured shortly after hitting the table! 

2 cups cooked mashed sweet pot

2 tbsp heavy cream (milk or half-and-half work well too, but it's the holidays...go for the cream!)
2 tbsp melted butter
1/4 tsp paprika (smoked adds an interesting flavour, if you have it)
salt - to taste

Topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
approx 1 cup pecan halves

1. Combine potatoes, cream, butter, paprika and salt. Spread into a greased casserole or other shallow dish.
2. For the topping, melt the butter and brown sugar over low heat, until butter has just barely melted.  Spread topping over potatoes, and cover with pecan halves.
3. Keep refrigerated until ready to reheat. When ready to serve, reheat at any temperature until the top has melted and is bubbling.

Countdown to Christmas: 5 Sleeps

Swirl Cookies

Peppermint and Cinnamon 

- from Heather Baird's 'SprinkleBakes'

Although these cookies have a lot of steps, they really are quite easy to make (and the look fantastic!). For Christmas, I make two batches and stick to the traditional red and green colouring, but the rest of the year I have fun with various extracts and colourings. The biggest hit has been chocolate-hazelnut extract, with a brown centre swirl and chocolate sprinkles on the edges. 

These cookies can also be made up to three months before the holidays, and kept frozen until you're ready to do your Christmas baking. Just thaw in the fridge over night, slice, bake, and enjoy!

2 cups All Purpose flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

2/3 cup confectioners' sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups butter - kept very cold, cut into pieces (2 1/2 sticks)

1 tsp vanilla extract

2-3 tbsp cold water

1/2 tsp clear flavouring extract (for Christmas, I used peppermint in one batch, and cinnamon in the other)

1/2 tsp gel food colouring

1 1/2 cups round sprinkles

1. In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugars. Pulse to mix. Add the cold butter, and pulse until the mixture has a crumbly consistency.

2. Add the vanilla extract and process until a ball forms (add water if necessary - be patient, it will come together!).

3. Divide the dough in half. Return one half to the food processor, add flavour extract and gel food colouring. Process until colour is just incorporated.

4. Roll out each portion of dough between two sheets of waxed paper. Form a rectangle, about 12x8", 1/8" thick. Refrigerate rolled-out dough at least 2 hours, until firm.

5. Peel off top sheet of waxed paper from both pieces of dough. Lightly coat the vanilla dough with water. Sandwich the dough, and gently press the two pieces together. Remove the remaining waxed paper, and trim the edges of the dough to make it square.

6. When the dough is pliable but still firm, and with the vanilla side on the bottom, roll it up from the long side, to form a roll (like a jelly roll). If the dough begins to crack, gently pinch any tears together as they happen, and continue to roll. 

7. Pour sprinkles in a shallow dish. Roll the dough log in the sprinkles, until it is completely coated. Wrap log in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours.

8. Preheat oven to 325F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Slice dough into 1/4" thick cookies. Bake 15-17, until bottoms and edges are just slightly brown.

Countdown to Christmas: 6 Sleeps

Tomato Crostini with Whipped Feta

 - from Ina Garten's 'Barefoot Contessa Foolproof'

What I love about this recipe is that I can make all of the components in advance, and simply assemble them just before our party guests arrive. The heirloom tomatoes add a beautiful burst of colour to the plate, and the simple flavours are fresh and delicious. I made these for our holiday party this year, and will definitely be making them again!

6oz feta, crumbled

2oz cream cheese - at room temperature

2/3 olive oil (EVOO) - divided

2 tbsp lemon juice

S&P

2 tbsp minced shallot

2 tsp minced garlic (approx 2 cloves)

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

2lbs ripe baby heirloom or cherry tomatoes - diced

fresh basil - julienned

1 -2 baguette, sliced diagonally, toasted (425F 6-8min)

2 tbsp pine nuts - toasted (optional)

1. Combine feta and cream cheese in a food processor. Pulse until cheese are mixed. Add 1/3 cup olive oil, the lemon juice, salt and pepper. Remember, the feta is quite salty, so season with caution. Process until smooth.

2. Up to one hour before serving, combine tomatoes with shallots, garlic, and vinegar in a medium bowl. Let sit, at least 5 minutes. Add remaining 1/3 cup olive oil, S&P. Stir gently to combine.

3. To assemble, spread each slice of bread with whipped feta. Top with tomatoes and basil. Garish with pine nuts, if desired. 

Countdown to Christmas: 7 Sleeps

Turkey Brine (x2)

-from foodnetwork.com

We discovered turkey brine's a few years ago, and our holiday birds will never be the same.  From the basic salt-sugar brine which helps to keep the bird moist, to flavourful salty concoctions that add a new and exciting flavour to the sometimes boring turkey, brining is a simple step that only requires a bit of planning. You can brine your thawed turkey for anywhere from 12-48 hours - just remember to rinse your bird before popping it into the oven (or, into the smoker or BBQ!)

Each recipe is for one turkey, thawed, approx 10-15lbs. If you don't have a massive pot that your bird will fit into, Home Depot sells big utility buckets with a lid of $5-$10. For easy clean-up, we sometimes line the bucket with a large plastic bag (brining bag or other) and pour the brine in. We have used these on small chickens before, which we then BBQed "Beer-Butt-Style".

Orange-Tea-Bourbon  Brine Zest (in wide strips) & juice of 5 oranges 2 cups Kosher salt 1 cup sugar 12 black tea bags 4 bay leaves 6 cloves 12 peppercorns 1 cup bourbon (or cheap whiskey) 2 quarts water

Lemon-Juniper Brine 2 cups Kosher salt 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar 2 tbsp juniper berries 1 tbsp peppercorn 3 bay leaves zest of one lemon, in wide strips

1. Fill a large pot with above ingredients (not the turkey!). Bring to a boil, and simmer 10 minutes. Add 4 quarts of cold water (or many ice cubes) and let cool.
2. Rinse turkey under cold water, and pat dry. Add turkey to brine, and add water, if necessary, to cover bird. Refrigerate overnight, or up to 48 hours (if you're anywhere but Arizona, where it's cold and snowy, you can keep the brining bird in the cold garage or on an outdoor patio - just be sure to have a good cover for your container)
3. Remove turkey from brine. Rinse well and pat dry (we forgot to rinse our bird last year - it was SUPER salty, so don't forget this very important step!). Cook turkey however you feel comfortable - roasted, BBQ, rotisserie, smoked - until a thermometer inserted into the thigh reads 165F. Let bird rest up to 30 minutes before carving.

Countdown to Christmas: 8 Sleeps

Mom's Dinner Rolls

Of all the wonderful food I find on our holiday table each year, these homemade rolls are what really say "Christmas Feast!" to me (or Easter, or Thanksgiving, or even Sunday night dinner). I remember as a kid, helping my Mom shape the dough into clovers, and my brother and I fighting over the coveted FIVE leaf clover roll! A bread-machine makes quick and easy work of the dough preparation, and allowing the dough to rise 2-3 hours rather than the recipes suggested one hour, will reward you with light, fluffy, and delicious dinner rolls for your Christmas dinner!

1 1/3 cups milk (skim or other)

1 1/4 tsp salt

2 tbsp granulated sugar

2 tbsp unsalted butter - cubed

3 1/4 cups bread flour (all purpose may be substituted in a pinch)

1 1/4 tsp bread machine yeast

1. Measure ingredients into bread-machine baking pan, in the order they appear above. Place pan in bread-machine, and set to "dough-cycle".

2. Once cycle is complete, remove dough to a lightly-floured surface and let rest 10-15 minutes.

3. Lightly grease each cup of a muffin pan. Divide dough into 12 pieces, then each piece into three. Roll into balls, and place 3 in each muffin cup. Cover with a tea-towel and let rise in a warm place for 2-3 hours, until buns have doubled in volume.

4. Preheat oven to 375F. Bake buns 15-20 minutes, until golden brown. While buns are still warm, brush with melted butter.

Countdown to Christmas: 9 Sleeps

Holiday Punch

A great staple to have for parties, I leave my punch "virgin" (without alcohol), and leave out various bottles of liquor for people to add their own Christmas spirit (gin is always a favourite). A quick and easy drink to serve to a crowd.

I must admit, in the chaos leading up to our holiday party this year, I forgot to take a picture! You'll have to trust me - this punch is a beautiful pink colour, and the addition of an ice ring filled with orange slices and cranberries really makes it look festive!

1 can citrus juice concentrate, melted (5-alive is best, lemonade works well too)

1 can fruit juice concentrate, melted

2-2L bottles ginger ale

1. In a large punch bowl, combine all ingredients just before party. Gently stir to combine.

2. Add ice ring, just before serving. An ice ring will take much longer to melt, so your punch will not become too watery and stay colder, longer.

For Ice Ring:

1 orange, sliced

1 cup fresh cranberries

water

1. Layer a few cranberries in the bottom of a bundt pan. Top with orange slices. Add just enough water to cover the orange slices (cranberries float, so don't add too much water!). Freeze first layer.
2. Add more orange slices and cranberries, and top with more water. Freeze again.
3. If desired, add more water for a third layer of ice.
4. Pop out of bundt-pan* and add to punch just before serving.

*If you have a silicon bundt-pan, it will make your life a million times easier - just pop out the ring right before serving. If not, line a metal pan with plastic wrap, to help pull the ice from the pan when ready.

Countdown to Christmas: 10 Sleeps

Cake Batter Rice Krispie Squares

Ever since I was a kid, I've loved Rice Krispie Squares. I didn't think it was possible to improve on the classic square recipe, until I came across these - the addition of dried cake-mix adds a delicious background of sweet vanilla flavour that I can't resist. It may be simple, it may  be childish and old fashioned, but I can't get enough of these delicious sticky squares!

3tbsp butter
1 package mini-marshmallows (approx 10oz)
1 tsp vanilla extract
5-6 cups Rice Krispies cereal
1/3 cup boxed vanilla cake mix
sprinkles!

1. Grease a 13x9 pan with butter. Set aside.
2. Melt butter in a large, non-stick pot. Add marshmallows, and stir over medium heat until completely melted. Remove pot from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
3. Add cereal, cake mix, and sprinkles to marshmallows. Stir well to combine. Transfer mixture to prepared pan. If desired, top with more sprinkles. Let set at least 1 hour before serving (if you can wait that long!).