2018 Holiday Cooking and Baking

[Kim Shook]

2 minutes ago, Porthos said:

Once my friends try hard-cooking eggs by steaming they never go back. Steamed eggs simply peel easier.

Yup.  That's all I do anymore.  But I still have to use the spoon trick sometimes.  When I get eggs from Mr. Kim's co-worker who keeps chickens, I always have to - too fresh to peel easy.  

[pistolabella]

spoon method?

[gfweb]

I quick chill the boiled eggs. They seem easier to peel

[Kim Shook]

5 hours ago, pistolabella said:

spoon method?

Here you go.  (I thought I already did this - sorry to take so long!)

[MelissaH]

On 11/9/2018 at 2:33 PM, BeeZee said:

Not a bad idea, I can just separate a small amount of the stock. Will keep it in mind if needed.

Why bother? My family has always used cornstarch to thicken our gravy, the whole batch.

[Anna N]

38 minutes ago, MelissaH said:

Why bother? My family has always used cornstarch to thicken our gravy, the whole batch.

And if you enjoy it then why not? But I am not keen on corn starch thickened gravy. 

[David Ross]

I use a French technique to thicken gravy if needed.  Just let some butter come to room temperature and then mash it with some flour.  I use equal parts.  Then just whisk it in.  You don't have a flour taste but a rich flavor that I think does a better job flavor wise to thicken gravy.  Another technique I use is to stir in some Wondra flour.  I always rave about Wondra, a product that's been sold for decades and still great for thickening.

[ElsieD]

13 minutes ago, David Ross said:

I use a French technique to thicken gravy if needed.  Just let some butter come to room temperature and then mash it with some flour.  I use equal parts.  Then just whisk it in.  You don't have a flour taste but a rich flavor that I think does a better job flavor wise to thicken gravy.  Another technique I use is to stir in some Wondra flour.  I always rave about Wondra, a product that's been sold for decades and still great for thickening.

 

I've never seen Wondra here but I think this must be the Canadian equivalent.  I use it to thicken gravy and it works well to make lump free gravy.

[David Ross]

I think that's probably the same as Wondra.  Wondra is very fine and is a mix of wheat flour and malted barley flour.

 

[Anna N]

2 hours ago, David Ross said:

I use a French technique to thicken gravy if needed.  Just let some butter come to room temperature and then mash it with some flour.  I use equal parts.  Then just whisk it in.  You don't have a flour taste but a rich flavor that I think does a better job flavor wise to thicken gravy.  Another technique I use is to stir in some Wondra flour.  I always rave about Wondra, a product that's been sold for decades and still great for thickening.

But I think the original problem was providing gravy for someone who was gluten sensitive. Someone suggested separating out enough gravy for that person and thickening it with cornstarch. That is what I would do. But I would not thicken all the gravy with corn starch. 

[rotuts]

@Anna N

 

I do agree.

 

of note , now that Wondra has come up :

 

I keep mine in the refrigerator , as the seals on the top are not that tight.

 

I don't use it that often

 

but when I kept it on the counter ...

 

I noted some Wild-Life had crawled in , and were enjoying them selves.

 

justto point that out

[quiet1]

14 hours ago, Anna N said:

But I think the original problem was providing gravy for someone who was gluten sensitive. Someone suggested separating out enough gravy for that person and thickening it with cornstarch. That is what I would do. But I would not thicken all the gravy with corn starch. 

 

There’s gluten free flour these days that claims to be substitutable in many things. We have a bag atm as it happens, I could do a quick test I suppose. (I do the roux method.)

[Anna N]

2 hours ago, quiet1 said:

 

There’s gluten free flour these days that claims to be substitutable in many things. We have a bag atm as it happens, I could do a quick test I suppose. (I do the roux method.)

OK just to clarify: I am NOT making gravy gluten-free or otherwise.  Here  is the post that instigated this conversation. 

[BeeZee]

As I was the one who originally posted, I will update to say that I will not be having a guest with gluten issues, so I no longer need suggestions, but thanks to all.

[Tri2Cook]

On ‎11‎/‎9‎/‎2018 at 8:45 AM, Kerry Beal said:

Here's my mom's recipe - and I one I always make

 

Scalloped Potatoes

1 large onion sliced into thin rin 5 cups potatoes peeled and sliced 1 tsp salt and pepper 2 cups milk, 500 grams 3 tbsp flour, 25 grams 3 tbsp butter, 45 grams Make white sauce by melting butter, cooking together with flour, salt and pepper. Stir in milk and cook until thickens. Place a layer of potato slices, topped with a layer of onion slices into a large casserole. pour over some of the white sauce. Continue to layer potatoes, onions and white sauce. Top layer should be white sauce. Bake 375 for 2 hours.

That looks like the recipe Ann used. I didn't know the numbers, she always made it, but it looks the same as far as I can remember. She learned it from her mom so the recipes have that in common too. 

[quiet1]

6 hours ago, BeeZee said:

As I was the one who originally posted, I will update to say that I will not be having a guest with gluten issues, so I no longer need suggestions, but thanks to all.

 

Now I’m curious anyway though.  If I try the experiment I will report my findings.

[Kerry Beal]

On 11/13/2018 at 6:54 AM, Tri2Cook said:

That looks like the recipe Ann used. I didn't know the numbers, she always made it, but it looks the same as far as I can remember. She learned it from her mom so the recipes have that in common too. 

I measured out the amounts - mom's recipe was a bit more rudimentary!

[David Ross]

I've told this story before, but I think it's appropriate to tell again since it relates to Holiday cooking. We were discussing hams and it reminded some of us of Kentucky Ham.  Specifically country ham from Broadbent Hams.  For many years our family took an annual trip to the Kentucky State Fair horse show.  One of our required trips at the fair was to always go see the country ham competition display and the winners showcase.  Huge country hams that are auctioned for charity each year with winning bids consistently going for 10's of thousands of dollars.  Well we never went to the annual country ham auction breakfast, but it sparked Father to gain a huge interest in country ham.  We could always go down the road to a Piggly Wiggly and but all sorts of country ham products, (which, sadly, we can't find here in the Pacific Northwest).  Well one year, against my Mother's wishes, Father ordered a full size country ham delivered to our home in Salem, Oregon.  Of course, a huge ham like that was far too much for four of us.  We had no clue how to cook the thing, so we used the recommended soak and soak and bake in a brown grocery store shopping bag.  Well it was either the ham, or us, or both but I still remember Mother's rants, the smell that lingered in the house and how Father, probably sheepishly being dishonest, proclaimed it as "the best ham I ever ate."

 

So today I'd buy country ham for the holidays, but I think rather than a whole ham I'd stud it into the dressing, put it into some sort of hashbrown casserole or macaroni and cheese dish, or use kayb's suggestions below and make a ham spread to serve on crackers.  Any ham cookery planned in your house this season?

 

 

[Darienne]

I did note on page one that chez McAuleys we were going to have a spiral ham.  I have no idea at this point how to cook it.  Or if it comes fully cooked and I have only to reheat it. 

 

I've spent a lifetime hating ham and when my friend in Moab announced three years ago that her son was bringing a spiral ham for Christmas, I had a small meltdown (quite small).  We brought a French Canadian tortiere...made by Ed as always.  (OK.  I've forgotten again how to put accents into this format).  However, I was pleased to eat this spiral variety.   Nothing like the traditional ham studded with pineapple rings and maraschino cherries and quite wet. 

 

And so our decision for Christmas 2018.  There will also be tortieres made of course.  Four to be exact. 

[PassionateAmateur]

On 11/5/2018 at 12:33 PM, BeeZee said:

I may have a guest for Thanksgiving dinner who must eat gluten free (sorry, no gravy for her, not making two batches) does anyone have a favorite recipe for rice dressing in case I need it? I don't mind making a small batch in addition to the bread variety since I will eat the leftovers. My bread stuffing/dressing has mushrooms and onions, so an alternate flavor profile would be nice (maybe dried fruit?).

BeeZee -- can't help you with the rice dressing, but King Arthur makes gluten free flour - I wouldn't trust it for baking bread, but it works just fine as the thickener in gravy (I had "that one guest" at my place last year).  Worked exactly the same as normal all-purpose.

 

Whoops -- just saw your later post.  Oh well, someone else might need the suggestion!

Edited November 15, 2018 by PassionateAmateur (log)

[kayb]

3 hours ago, David Ross said:

I've told this story before, but I think it's appropriate to tell again since it relates to Holiday cooking. We were discussing hams and it reminded some of us of Kentucky Ham.  Specifically country ham from Broadbent Hams.  For many years our family took an annual trip to the Kentucky State Fair horse show.  One of our required trips at the fair was to always go see the country ham competition display and the winners showcase.  Huge country hams that are auctioned for charity each year with winning bids consistently going for 10's of thousands of dollars.  Well we never went to the annual country ham auction breakfast, but it sparked Father to gain a huge interest in country ham.  We could always go down the road to a Piggly Wiggly and but all sorts of country ham products, (which, sadly, we can't find here in the Pacific Northwest).  Well one year, against my Mother's wishes, Father ordered a full size country ham delivered to our home in Salem, Oregon.  Of course, a huge ham like that was far too much for four of us.  We had no clue how to cook the thing, so we used the recommended soak and soak and bake in a brown grocery store shopping bag.  Well it was either the ham, or us, or both but I still remember Mother's rants, the smell that lingered in the house and how Father, probably sheepishly being dishonest, proclaimed it as "the best ham I ever ate."

 

So today I'd buy country ham for the holidays, but I think rather than a whole ham I'd stud it into the dressing, put it into some sort of hashbrown casserole or macaroni and cheese dish, or use kayb's suggestions below and make a ham spread to serve on crackers.  Any ham cookery planned in your house this season?

 

 

 

I had my first Broadbent ham when I won it as a door prize at a conference. Fortunately, I did not have to wag it home from Atlanta on the plane -- it was shipped to me. I didn't think I'd EVER get through it. Since then, I've ordered the packaged sliced ham and kept it in the freezer, cooking as I wish.

 

For Christmas, we'll have a sliced ham (Aldi's Appleton Farms is my current favorite). Although it's fully cooked, I like to coat it down with ballpark mustard and either brown sugar or the packet of powdered ham glaze that comes with it, and bake it for 20 minutes per pound at 300 degrees. Already have the ham in the freezer. That will be part of a holiday buffet that will also include Broadbent's country ham, rare roast beef and some sliced smoked turkey, next to the big basket of homemade slider rolls. I may go ahead and make up some deviled ham, as well, as the buffet will lean toward the munch-and-graze-all-day variety.

 

We'll also have shrimp with cocktail sauce, and possibly little crabmeat imperial tartlets. I have yet to settle on "sides" and dessert.

[Porthos]

We will be going to an "everyone brings an already-agreed-upon item" Thanksgiving at my wife's younger brother's home. We were asked to bring an a pumpkin pie. Since neither my wife or I (and I believe also my younger daughter) don't care for pumpkin pie, she countered with perhaps a pumpkin cheesecake. I called my dear wife and suggested that we could also offer to bring the pumpkin pie (which we would purchase) along with an apple-walnut-raisin-cranberry pie. It's a recipe from my dearly-missed MIL.

[heidih]

Sometims "store-bought" with lovely freshly whipped cream hits the mark

[Smithy]

@Darienne, I feel for you on the ham. I dislike most hams (hated them as a child) because of the extra sweetening on an already sweet meat, although what we call "picnic hams" were an exception. Since my sister also disliked ham, it went missing from the family holiday dinners as the family scattered because my parents couldn't deal with the leftovers. Then my husband, who loves ham, joined the family. In order to help him feel welcome, Mom tried a spiral-cut ham. It was a huge hit with all of us. It masn't sweet! It made great sandwiches, it reheated well for dinners, we snitched pieces as snacks. (Nowadays I'd put chunks into scalloped potatoes or mac 'n' cheese, but I didn't think along those lines back then.) WELL, what a success! So Mom made sure to buy a spiral ham every Christmas season.

 

It wasn't until years after she'd passed that my husand confessed he'd always thought the ham disappointingly dry. He kept the secret well, knowing that the ham was for him. 

[Smithy]

@Porthos, that apple-walnut-raisin-cranberry pie sounds interesting. Is there any chance you're share the recipe? It might be a nice twist for our family gathering.