2018 Holiday Cooking and Baking

[CantCookStillTry]

My first Rocky Road. Seems to be a Christmas 'thing' in these parts. 

[Porthos]

Cookies so far: Chocolate Chips cookies by my DW, the balance by me include Oatmeal Raisin, Cherry Icebox, White Chocolate Chip Craisin, Chocolate Crinkle and Pferrernuesse. Still have 10 to go by next Thursday, not all chosen and on the list yet.

 

In other news, we're planning on a Rib Eye Roast for Christmas dinner.

[gfweb]

On 11/5/2018 at 9:38 AM, David Ross said:

I'm thinking of a roast goose for Christmas.  My Father and I always wanted one, so one year Mother broke away from turkey and cooked a goose.  Of course Father and I thought it was delicious, Mother and my Sister not so much.  I have friends in the UK who always tempt me with their roast goose recipes.

Around here they are $180 each. I've been tempted but never could rationalize it.

[lindag]

My Mom, who was an exceptional home cook, roasted a goose one year for Thanksgiving.  After that we didn't vary from our traditional turkey....it just wasn't the same without turkey.

[Kim Shook]

15 hours ago, Darienne said:

Three batches of Almond-sprinkled, Chocolate-coated both sides Butterscotch Toffee (copycat Enstrom recipe).  All packaged up a la Christmas to be delivered to a variety of folks with whom we do business.  Christmas tradition on the farm.   A few pieces leftover.   I think I'm getting too old for this...

 

 

Probably making that this weekend.  I say a thank you to you when I make this.  It is the best I've ever made.  I can't tell from the picture, but do you do the chocolate on both sides?  I don't anymore because I can't seem to get it right - it just falls off one side or the other when I do that - and it tastes good with only one side anyway.  

[Darienne]

8 minutes ago, Kim Shook said:

Probably making that this weekend.  I say a thank you to you when I make this.  It is the best I've ever made.  I can't tell from the picture, but do you do the chocolate on both sides?  I don't anymore because I can't seem to get it right - it just falls off one side or the other when I do that - and it tastes good with only one side anyway.  

Two sides always.  I watched the Enstrom video of making this toffee last year and so changed my method somewhat.  I turn the toffee out of the cookie pan as soon as it's cool.  Turn the pan upside down and use it that way.  Warm chocolate on one side, sprinkled with ground almonds...cool...turn the toffee over, and the same procedure on the second side.  Last batch, the toffee was so cold (garage in the far frozen north) that I used a hair dryer to keep the melted chocolate from hardening too quickly.  Sure helps if there are two people taking care of this step.  

 

(Secretly:  I do think about doing one side only with some regularity...but seeing as it's my yearly gift to the recipients I wonder if they would notice...)

[Smithy]

We used to have a neighbor who did toffee like that. I loved it. Believe me, I'd have noticed if the chocolate were only on one side!

[JoNorvelleWalker]

13 hours ago, CantCookStillTry said:

My first Rocky Road. Seems to be a Christmas 'thing' in these parts. 

 

I've just been reading up on rocky road in Magnus Nilsson's The Nordic Baking Book!

 

"This is one of those recipes that some might feel does not belong in a book of Nordic baking.  After all, Rocky Road was invented in Australia in 1853 to peddle spoiled sweets (candies) imported from Europe and was later popularized as an ice cream flavor in the US.  However if you were to visit 100 random Swedish families on Christmas Eve I believe you would find that an almost shockingly high number of them would be serving homemade Rocky Road..."

 

Looks lovely by the way.

 

[ElsieD]

19 hours ago, Darienne said:

Three batches of Almond-sprinkled, Chocolate-coated both sides Butterscotch Toffee (copycat Enstrom recipe).  All packaged up a la Christmas to be delivered to a variety of folks with whom we do business.  Christmas tradition on the farm.   A few pieces leftover.   I think I'm getting too old for this...

 

 

 

Would love to have the recipe!

[Darienne]

5 hours ago, ElsieD said:

 

Would love to have the recipe!

Done.

[Kim Shook]

6 hours ago, ElsieD said:

 

Would love to have the recipe!

You won't be sorry.  It is the best!  I would never tell her, but my mom used to make one that was SO thin and used melted chocolate chips for the chocolate.  I quite liked it until I tasted this one.  Ruined Momma's for me forever!  LOL

[Kim Shook]

Successful Peanut Brittle, thanks to @pastrygirl and @Darienne:

I got interrupted making the syrup and wondered if I could bring it back up to temp.  They encouraged me to do so and it worked just fine.  This is my favorite peanut brittle.  It is from the great aunt of a friend.  I'm thinking the recipe is a fairly old one - his parents are much older than mine (mine are 80), so I'm guessing the aunt was born near the turn of the century.  The "recipe" was interesting - no temperatures, just descriptions of the process.  I wish I had kept her language when I redid the recipe for my webpage.  

[ElsieD]

28 minutes ago, Darienne said:

Done.

Thank you!

A couple of questions.  I only use unsalted butter.  It would not normally be a problem to buy another pound of butter, salted in this case, but I have 14 pounds of unsalted butter in the freezer (Lanctantia @2.88/lb).    Could I use that and add a bit more salt?  Also, the recipe calls for milk chocolate.  Ever try it with dark chocolate?  

Thanks again.  I'm looking forward to making (eating) this.

[andiesenji]

4 hours ago, ElsieD said:

Thank you!

A couple of questions.  I only use unsalted butter.  It would not normally be a problem to buy another pound of butter, salted in this case, but I have 14 pounds of unsalted butter in the freezer (Lanctantia @2.88/lb).    Could I use that and add a bit more salt?  Also, the recipe calls for milk chocolate.  Ever try it with dark chocolate?  

Thanks again.  I'm looking forward to making (eating) this.

I have converted unsalted butter to salted.  Let the butter soften and beat it in a mixer.  Most salt is too granular, unless you like the crunch because it will not dissolve.  BUT, just like you can make sugar superfine or powdered, you can make salt superfine in a spice grinder.  Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon per pound of the superfine salt over the whipped butter and whip some more.  Allow it to "rest" for 30 minutes.  Taste and add more if needed. Some butters require more.

I have found that if you taste immediately after mixing in the salt, you won't get the full flavor, thus the resting. 

 

This is the same process I use when I make butter.  I use a superfine "velvet" salt.

[Martin Fisher]

On 10/24/2018 at 4:58 PM, David Ross said:

I'm getting an early start on planning my Holiday cooking and baking.  (I know, I'm already getting some comments from family and friends that it's only late October and it's too early to talk about such things).

 

I thought I'd start by showing my collection of November past issues of Bon Appetit that my parents collected over the years.  I bring them out every season to go through the recipes that I've tagged with bits of paper and stickers.  Some of the covers are tattered and torn, taped back on, and over the years I've cut out some of the recipes.  While I've read these every year, some dating back to the  1970's, I always seem to find a new recipe to find.  What are you planning to make for the Holidays this year?  Are you introducing some new dishes, staying with the classics or updating them with some new tastes and textures?

 

 

 

I wish they'd make them all available via DVD like "The Mother Earth News" did with their back-issues! 

Edited December 16, 2018 by DiggingDogFarm (log)

[Darienne]

13 hours ago, ElsieD said:

Thank you!

A couple of questions.  I only use unsalted butter.  It would not normally be a problem to buy another pound of butter, salted in this case, but I have 14 pounds of unsalted butter in the freezer (Lanctantia @2.88/lb).    Could I use that and add a bit more salt?  Also, the recipe calls for milk chocolate.  Ever try it with dark chocolate?  

Thanks again.  I'm looking forward to making (eating) this.

Can't say about the unsalted butter any better than you can.  

OTOH, I am dumbstruck that I never mentioned the chocolate in this recipe.  I'll fix that one in my printed recipe.   I have NEVER used milk chocolate.  I HATE milk chocolate.  I've used only dark and darker and sometimes half dark and half darker...you know 54% and 70%. 

 

Done. 

Edited December 16, 2018 by Darienne (log)

[David Ross]

9 hours ago, DiggingDogFarm said:

 

I wish they'd make them all available via DVD like "The Mother Earth News" did with their back-issues! 

 

That would be wonderful.  I even found a few more great back issues of Gourmet and Bon Appetit this year.

 

[Darienne]

Our local library was disposing of about 10 years of Gourmet.   I dragged them all home and went through them one by one, returning them all for someone else...sans a few pages here and there, of course.  The cost of mailing them would have been prohibitive.  

[heidih]

Exactly - library donation sales are a great source. Hello all those National Geographics.

[CantCookStillTry]

On 12/16/2018 at 4:50 AM, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

I've just been reading up on rocky road in Magnus Nilsson's The Nordic Baking 

 

 

Oh! Thank You for the info! 

It's everywhere here, but I'm not a sweet orientated person. I'm at the stage in life where I am trying to make 'traditions' for my wee family - as none of mine are weather appropriate! 

[CantCookStillTry]

Pecan & Jalapeno Cheese Ball has been assembled and stored. 

Anything to put off wrapping! 

 

[gulfporter]

 Still not sure what we are making for Xmas or Xmas Eve.  It's just the two of us, so it's not a panic situation.

 

This morning I went to a local carniceria and placed an order for two duck breasts and two lamb shanks.  I had never ordered lamb shanks here before and I wrote down the translation.  El jefe understood what I wanted but was surprised that I wanted them.  He kept asking me if I was sure and whether what I really wanted was pierna (leg),  and sin huesos (boneless).  He does business with CDN and US expats and I guess this is the more standard special order for lamb.  He was dubious whether he could get either item by Saturday (he like most businesses will be closed Xmas Eve). 

 

His duck breasts are very large (way bigger than what I buy in US) and one is enough to share, seared with a few interesting sides.  The other breast was slated to be made into prosciutto by my DH but it takes 7 days to cure so that's now a NYE target for sure (yeah, I am late in ordering for Xmas....I have finally adopted the manana mindset, for good or bad). 

[suzilightning]

I love everything y'all have done but I just want to scream and run away.  John is supposed to get back from Thailand on Wednesday night(here)/ Thursday morning to his body.  I called my one BIL and SIL to ask them plans...nailing freaking jello to a tree would be easier than asking anyone in Poughkeepsie what they are doing...and my BIL, Larry, in ALL SEROIOUSNESS said " well we'll just got to the grocery store on Monday".   😣

As I am now supposed to cook breakfast, lunch and dinner for several days with the NEW STOVE / OVEN for between 6 and 15 people and none of them know when they are going to show up I am thinking about pleading (mental)illness.  I won't but will show up and do the right thing.  HOWEVER  I am going to request that before next year we create some sort of plan.

I got a Hatfield ham, I have the sweet petite gherkins, I do REFUSE to use canned sweet potatoes, brown sugar and marshmallows - I will bake them and then whip them, some green beans and roasted carrots.  After that I really don't care.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Darienne]

54 minutes ago, suzilightning said:

I love everything y'all have done but I just want to scream and run away.  John is supposed to get back from Thailand on Wednesday night(here)/ Thursday morning to his body.  I called my one BIL and SIL to ask them plans...nailing freaking jello to a tree would be easier than asking anyone in Poughkeepsie what they are doing...and my BIL, Larry, in ALL SEROIOUSNESS said " well we'll just got to the grocery store on Monday".   😣

As I am now supposed to cook breakfast, lunch and dinner for several days with the NEW STOVE / OVEN for between 6 and 15 people and none of them know when they are going to show up I am thinking about pleading (mental)illness.  I won't but will show up and do the right thing.  HOWEVER  I am going to request that before next year we create some sort of plan.

I got a Hatfield ham, I have the sweet petite gherkins, I do REFUSE to use canned sweet potatoes, brown sugar and marshmallows - I will bake them and then whip them, some green beans and roasted carrots.  After that I really don't care.   

My childhood memories of Poughkeepsie include a mental institution.  Perhaps they will have room for you.   

[suzilightning]

1 hour ago, Darienne said:

My childhood memories of Poughkeepsie include a mental institution.  Perhaps they will have room for you.   

It shut down quite a few years ago...😛.  While most of my husband's family DO belong there I do believe I will try to find a meeting to go to.

 

It wasn't far from where John's grandmother lived.  I also worked for a year at a psychiatric hospital, Greystone, here in Morris County NJ.  It was...interesting....  Claim to fame was that Woody Guthrie lived at Greystone while he was in the final throws of Huntington's disease.  And one of the administrators there at the time had known him when he started out as an orderly.