2019 Holiday Cooking and Baking

[andiesenji]

I couldn't find a topic for this year so am starting one now.

 

All I am doing with this one is posting my annual REMINDER to NOT discard any dried fruits; raisins, figs, apricots, peaches, plums  and even the "fruitcake mix"  because ALL THIS STUFF IS EXPENSIVE.

IT CAN BE RECONSTITUTED AND RE-INFUSED AND MADE USEFUL - IT JUST REQUIRES STEAMING.

Here is an example of a tray full of very dry dried fruit that looks beyond help.

 

And this is that same tray of fruit after steaming for 20 minutes.

Just like magic it has become soft, moist, translucent and ready to be chopped and used in baked goods.

 

[kayb]

Ohhh, I haven't even thought about holiday gift baskets. The usual fudge and pralines. Some kind of cookies; some kind of quick bread. Maybe raincoast crisps and some kind of spread. Pickled quail eggs and sausage, for the novelty value. Candied pecans, Chex mix. Whatever else strikes my fancy.

 

[lemniscate]

Does Halloween count?   Because I am in the middle of making Martha Stewart's Ladies Fingers and mens toes for an early Halloween party today.  If they come out OK I'll post pics in the daily baking thread.

 

I am planning to do a lot more of the King Arthur Caribbean rum cake,  soon, in small loaf pans for Christmas sharing.

 

I don't think I'll do any cookies this year.   But I could change my mind.

[Okanagancook]

And as @gfweb showed us over on the CSO thread, one can steam dried fruit in the little oven.  In fact, I did that yesterday to resurrect some rather shrivelled looking raisins.  Works a treat and easy.

[lemniscate]

I couldn't decide if this link to an archive of Christmas and Holiday fruitcakes and puddings and cookies recipe booklets needs to go in the Fruit Cake thread, the Christmas cookie/baking thread or the Out of Print cookbook thread.    The first few pages of each of these old gems are fruit cakes of various styles.   I enjoyed perusing them, I hope somebody finds recipes they like or thought they lost.

Edited November 9, 2019 by lemniscate (log)

[lemniscate]

On 10/26/2019 at 7:57 AM, kayb said:

Pickled quail eggs and sausage

@kayb

Can  you tell me more about this preparation?  Are the eggs and sausage pickled together or separately?

Edited November 9, 2019 by lemniscate (log)

[kayb]

I boil the quail eggs about three minutes, which I figure ought to be close to medium for the little things. Chill and peel, cut up the sausage, put garlic, a bay leaf, some red pepper flackes and some dill in the jars, and pour hot brine over. Then water-bath process for 10 minutes. If you were just going to keep them in the fridge, I'd boil them a bit longer.

 

[ElsieD]

18 minutes ago, lemniscate said:

I couldn't decide if this link to an archive of Christmas and Holiday fruitcakes and puddings and cookies recipe booklets needs to go in the Fruit Cake thread, the Christmas cookie/baking thread or the Out of Print cookbook thread.    The first few pages of each of these old gems are fruit cakes of various styles.   I enjoyed perusing them, I hope somebody finds recipes they like or thought they lost.

 

 

Thank you.  I am going to have soooo much fun going through these.

[heidih]

32 minutes ago, kayb said:

I boil the quail eggs about three minutes, which I figure ought to be close to medium for the little things. Chill and peel, cut up the sausage, put garlic, a bay leaf, some red pepper flackes and some dill in the jars, and pour hot brine over. Then water-bath process for 10 minutes. If you were just going to keep them in the fridge, I'd boil them a bit longer.

 

 

I am just impressed that you can peel them well. They can be a pain. 

[kayb]

My trick for peeling quail, or any other, eggs is this: Drain the water, then bounce the pan around vigorously to crack all the shells. Then fill with ice water and let sit for 15 minutes or so. Drain again, roll eggs in your palms to create a fine network of cracks all over the shell, and start peeling at the blunt end, where the air pocket is. Quail eggs will often peel in one long "ribbon", quite easily.

[Margaret Pilgrim]

I try to keep a tradition from my husband's family alive.    I seem to be the last woman (alive) in his family who makes this bread, which I learned from his Austrian mother: poteca, walnut roll.

  

[Smithy]

1 hour ago, Margaret Pilgrim said:

I try to keep a tradition from my husband's family alive.    I seem to be the last woman (alive) in his family who makes this bread, which I learned from his Austrian mother: poteca, walnut roll.

  

 

I'm impressed! In northeastern Minnesota, especially the Iron Range, potica (their spelling) lives on. Before I retired I had opportunities to go by a bakery that made a nice potica. I've never tried making it myself. 

[David Ross]

Last week at a Dr. appt., I left my Doctor and his assistant with some of my Holiday recipes. I think they were a bit suprised.  I told them patients are more than just a chart number, and likewise, I know that my healthcare team is more than just titles.  They have family and friends and much of their days are spent in stressful situations.  I said I wanted to bring them some Holiday cheer by creating some dishes at home.  They were so thankful and I'm glad I did that for them.  I gave them recipes for candies and cookies. 

[David Ross]

A friend of mine who lives in the MidWest did something similar.  At her latest scan and tests after cancer surgery a year ago, she brought her healthcare team many, many holiday cookies.  Her thanks to them, and their appreciation back to her.  I think I'm starting a new holiday sharing tradition this year.  (and I'll include the Dentist in the sweet holiday offerings.  I know, giving the dentist lots of sugar, teeth, cavities and all the rest, but they'll still love it).

[RobertM]

On 11/9/2019 at 3:31 PM, Margaret Pilgrim said:

I try to keep a tradition from my husband's family alive.    I seem to be the last woman (alive) in his family who makes this bread, which I learned from his Austrian mother: poteca, walnut roll.

  

I am from the Iron Range in Minnesota, (As Smithy mentioned) and Potica was always a holiday staple.  Any chance (fingers crossed) you would share your recipe???  

[kayb]

Well...we've begun.

 

Peanut brittle. Crossing my fingers on this one. It's a recipe I haven't used, one where you use the microwave. Like @Kim Shook, I didnt get much foam, but I do have bubbles.

 

 

Sweet and spicy nuts. Lawry's seasoned salt, smoked paprika, guajillo pepper, egg white.

Chex mix! First of several batches I will make betwixt now and New Year's. 

 

As all the cooling/drying room is mostly taken, I believe I shall make a liquor store run before I take on anything else.

 

[Kim Shook]

@kayb - I think Chex mix is such a great thing to make.  Everyone loves it, but no one ever makes it anymore.  Kind of like Rice Krispy treats - the store bought just isn't as good.  

 

I am so freaking late doing everything this year.  I seriously don't know if it is going to get done.  My #1 priority is getting gifts and cards in the mail before it is too late.  Then food.  Sigh.  Some things I'm doing while I deal with wrapping and addressing.  

 

@JohnT's sausage rolls (ready for the freezer) and baby quiche for Christmas breakfast:

 

They are a little pale because I bake them just short of done since I bake them to get them hot when they are served. 

 

Lemon chess tarts:

[ElsieD]

@Kim ShookDid @JohnT post his recipe somewhere?  They look amazing.

[heidih]

1 hour ago, ElsieD said:

@Kim ShookDid @JohnT post his recipe somewhere?  They look amazing.

 

Perhaps this is it  click wherre it says John T to go to linkk. Software maddening me....

 

Edited December 10, 2019 by Smithy
Problem report addressed (log)

[Kim Shook]

37 minutes ago, ElsieD said:

@Kim ShookDid @JohnT post his recipe somewhere?  They look amazing.

Here's my version of his recipe.

[andiesenji]

I haven't made sausage rolls for several years and they sound so appetizing.  Many years ago I used to make pork mincemeat (for the pork cake) and as there was always a lot of "extra" mincemeat, I would form the extras into little "links" and wrap them in pizza dough cut into triangles to make them a bit fancier.

To make the "links" I just formed the mincemeat into a "rope" about the size of Tootsie rolls and then cut with a bench scraper into 3 inch sections.  

If I was in a hurry, I rolled the dough out into a rectangle, placed the uncut "rope" along one edge, rolled it into a cylinder and cut that into sections.

Not at all greasy.

 

[David Ross]

I haven't made sausage rolls in a few years, but think I will this season.  But one question.  In the past I've always felt the interior of the puff pastry that is around the sausage is really wet and gooey.  The outside is crisp and golden, but is there a way to put a barrier between the sausage and pastry so it basically doesn't turn the inside pastry raw?

 

 

[Kim Shook]

6 minutes ago, David Ross said:

I haven't made sausage rolls in a few years, but think I will this season.  But one question.  In the past I've always felt the interior of the puff pastry that is around the sausage is really wet and gooey.  The outside is crisp and golden, but is there a way to put a barrier between the sausage and pastry so it basically doesn't turn the inside pastry raw?

 

 

I honestly don't remember whether this was a problem with mine last year.  @Shelby makes them a lot more often, so maybe she has an answer.  But I'm thinking that something along the lines of brushing a little egg wash, like you would do with a pie shell or maybe a sprinkling of Parm or Romano?

[Shelby]

I've not had that problem......but then again, mine are the most basic things ever lol.  Jimmy Dean breakfast sausage and puff pastry.  

[David Ross]

I'm glad we have this dedicated discussion.  I've posted a few new recipes and dishes in other threads, but I think they fit better right here. Some of these dishes are from my eGullet archives, with a few updates, others are new dishes I've been working on.

 

When I was a kid Mother made pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Thanksgiving was pumpkin and mince pies.  Christmas was pumpkin pie but most of us went for the plum pudding with hard sauce.  Those were the days when we could get a traditional plum pudding at one of the local department stores.  (Now I have to order them through Amazon).  Anyway, this is a new type of pumpkin tart.  It uses my primary shortbread crust recipe, then a basic pumpkin filling.  But the surprise are the canded cranberries.  I started making them last year and now love them for tarts because of the burst of tart juice and the sweetness and bit of crunch from the sugar.  Now that I think of it, sugared cranberries would be a good garnish for plum pudding.

Spiced Pumpkin Tart with Candied Cranberries-

 

For the Candied Cranberries-

• 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar for dusting
•  
• For the Shortbread Crust-

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup powdered sugar
• 12 tbsp. butter, melted
•  
• For the Spiced Pumpkin filling-

• 1 15oz. can pumpkin puree
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• fresh whipped cream for garnish

Make the Candied Cranberries-

1. Make the candied cranberries the day before Thanksgiving. Combine the water and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring to melt the sugar. Bring to a simmer then take off the heat and pour into a container.  Stir in the cranberries and let them sit in the warm syrup for 3 minutes. Drain the syrup and reserve to use in drinks.

2. Place the sugar in a pie dish and roll the cranberries in the sugar until they are fully coated. Place the cranberries on a sheet of parchment paper on a cookie rack and let them dry overnight. The next day, toss the cranberries again in sugar before garnishing the pumpkin tart. Keep the candied cranberries stored in a covered container.

Make the Shortbread Crust  and Spiced Pumpkin Filling-

1. Make the shortbread crust and bake the pumpkin tart the morning of Thanksgiving so it can chill in the fridge at least 4 hours before serving. (Or make a day ahead).

2. In a bowl combine the flour, powdered sugar and melted butter and stir to combine until the mixture forms a soft dough ball.  Press the dough with your fingers into the bottom and up the sides of a 9x9" tart pan with a removeable bottom. Trim off any extra pastry around the rim of the tart. Refrigerate the pastry in the tart pan for 20 minutes to firm up the butter in the dough.

3. Preheat the oven to 325. In a mixer bowl, add the pumpkin, heavy cream, sugar, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and eggs and beat at low speed to combine. Pour the pumpkin filling into the chilled shortbread crust.
4. Place the pumpkin tart on a cookie sheet and put into the oven. Bake for 45-50 minutes until the filling is set but still a bit soft in the middle. Remove the tart from the oven and cool on a cookie rack. Place the pumpkin tart in the refrigerator and let it cool for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Serve the Tart-

1. Just before serving, garnish the Pumpkin Tart with some of the Candied Cranberries. Spirnkle the top of the tart with Holiday cookie sprinkles. Serve slices of the Pumpkin Tart with fresh whipped cream.