Tag: Christmas

Hasty Christmas Pudding (LCBO Food and Drink)

I know it is too late for Christmas 2013, but while the taste is still fresh in my mind I wanted to share this with you all. I looked up the origin of ‘hasty pudding’ and the original dates back to 1599!  Some may recall The Hasty Pudding Club at Harvard University…

In 1795, a society called the Hasty Pudding club was organized by twenty-one Harvard College students. The club’s purpose was to encourage “friendship and patriotism.” Its constitution stipulated that every Saturday, two “providers” were to carry a pot of hasty pudding to the meeting. For the majority of the 19th century, prospective members were forced to ingest large quantities of hasty pudding. According to Harvard University historians, the club was founded by students who sought relief from the food the college provided by cooking their own hasty puddings in fireplace pots. With this ritual, the Hasty Pudding Club found it namesake. Today it is the nations oldest theater company, which annually puts on a spectacular spring production starring men in drag.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasty_Pudding_Theatricals

Trust me, I was as surprised as you were to learn about the men in drag…lol. Here is the recipe. Happy New Year!

HASTY CHRISTMAS PUDDING LCBO – Serves 8 to 12


1 cup (250 mL) raisins
1 cup (250 mL) sultanas
1/2 cup (125 mL) currants (can be omitted)
1 cup (250 mL) dried cranberries
1 cup (250 mL) candied orange or mixed peel
1 cup (250 mL) ground hazelnuts
6 tart apples, peeled and chopped
11/4 cups (300 mL) brown sugar
1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground cloves
2 tsp (10 mL) ground cinnamon
1 tsp (5 mL) ground ginger
1 tsp (5 mL) ground nutmeg
1 tsp (5 mL) salt
1 cup (250 mL) all purpose flour
3 cups (750 mL) fresh bread crumbs
Grated rind and juice of 1 lemon and 1 orange
11/2 cups (375 mL) brandy
6 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup (375 mL) butter, softened, cut up into small pieces

1 In a large bowl, combine the raisins, sultanas, currants, cranberries, orange peel, hazelnuts, apples, sugar, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt and flour. Toss well.

2 Stir in bread crumbs, rind, juice and 1/2 cup (125 mL) brandy. Combine everything well.

3 Cover and leave in a cool place (not the refrigerator) for 4 days, stirring in 1/4 cup (50 mL) brandy each day.

4 On the fifth day, beat the eggs and stir into the fruit. Mix in butter.

5 Line a 10 cup (2.5L) heatproof bowl or individual heatproof moulds with greased foil. Pour in the pudding. Cover with more foil or tie a cloth over the bowl.

6 Place the bowl on a trivet in a large pot. Add water to the pot, but don’t allow the water to touch the bowl. Bring the water to a boil, cover and steam for 3 hours, making sure the water stays boiling. Check the water level occasionally and add more boiling water if necessary.

7 Remove the pudding from the steamer (reheat when needed by re-steaming for 1 hour).

8 Turn out onto a platter, top with Orange Hard Sauce (recipe follows) and garnish with red currants and orange rind, if desired.

Brandy Caramel Sauce:

  • 3/4 cup (175 mL) packed dark brown sugar
  • 4 tsp (18 mL) cornstarch
  • 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
  • 3/4 cup (175 mL) water
  • 2 tbsp (30 mL) brandy or orange juice
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) butterTop of FormBottom of Form

Preparation

Brandy Caramel Sauce: In small saucepan, whisk together brown sugar, cornstarch and salt ; whisk in water. Bring to boil, stirring, over medium heat and boil until thickened, about 3 minutes. Add brandy and butter; reduce heat and simmer for 1 minute. (Make-ahead: Let cool. Store in airtight container for up to 5 days. Rewarm to serve.)

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Christmas Morning Wife Saver

When our kids were small, we used to make this recipe from the Best of Bridge http://www.bestofbridge.com/ cookbook. It was easy to prepare the night before and then just put in the oven while opening presents. Not sure saying wife saver is politically correct these days, but here it is –

Christmas Morning Wife Saver

prep time: 20 minutes Total time: 1 hour and 20 minutes Serves 8

 Ingredients

  • 16 slices white bread, crusts removed
  • slices of Canadian back bacon or ham
  • slices of sharp cheddar cheese
  • 6 eggs
  • 1/2 tsp. pepper
  • 1/2-1 tsp. dry mustard
  • 1/4 cup minced onion
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper
  • 1-2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 3 cups milk
  • dash Tabasco
  • 1/4 lb. butter
  • special “K” or crushed cornflakes

Directions

Put 8 pieces of bread in a 9×13 buttered glass baking dish. Add pieces to cover dish entirely. Cover bread with thinly sliced Canadian style bacon. Top with slices of cheddar cheese. Cover with slices of bread. In a bowl, beat eggs and pepper. Add mustard, onion, green pepper, Worcestershire, milk and Tabasco. Pour over bread, cover and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, melt butter and pour over top. Cover with crushed special “K” or cornflakes. Bake at 350 F uncovered, 1 hour. Let sit 10 minutes before serving.

Cranberry Pistachio Salted Caramel Bars

Squeezing this one in at popular request… Larry made these for a pre-Christmas get together. The recipe is found in the 2012 Holiday Issue of Food and Drink (LCBO Magazine available only in Ontario). They were awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They would be great for your New Year’s Eve celebrations….

Cranberry Pistachio Salted Caramel Bars (LCBO)

Cookie Base :

1 ¼ cups all purpose flour

½ cup wheat germ

1 teaspoon salt

¾ cup unsalted butter softened

¾ cup packed light brown sugar

1 large egg YOLK

Filling :

2 cups sugar

½ cup water

2 Tablespoons corn syrup

1/3 cup whipping cream, heated

1 ½ teaspoons salt

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter cut into pieces

1 cup unsalted and roasted pistachios, chopped

1 ½ cups dried cranberries, plumped in boiling water for 10 minutes and drained

½ teaspoon sea salt (optional)*

Preheat oven to 350 F or 180 C.

Line a 9 x 13 baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

Combine flour, wheat germ and salt. Set aside in a bowl.

Combine butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat together until light and fluffy. Beat in the yolk until combined. Add in flour mixture and beat until combined. Crumble dough into prepared baking pan and use damp fingers to press into a single layer with a slight lip at the edges. Bake for 25 minutes or until dry to the touch and golden. Set aside.

Combine sugar, water and corn syrup in a heavy bottom pot and stir just enough to moisten the sugar. Place pot over medium heat, bring to simmer and cook without stirring for 10 minutes or until deeply golden (between 320 and 340F OR 159 to 170C) on a candy thermometer.

Working quickly and carefully, add cream and salt, stirring to combine and then add butter (1Tablespoon at a time) until incorporated. Remove from heat.  Let caramel stand for 10 minutes to cool slightly then add pistachios and cranberries and stir until coated.

Scrape caramel mixture onto the prepared cookie base and use a spatula to even out topping. Return to oven and bake for 15 minutes or until caramel is bubbling at the edge.

Sprinkle bars with salt if desired. Let cool for two hours to firm up and then remove from pan. Peel down parchment and cut into 48 rectangular bars. Will keep well in a sealed container for one week at room temperature.

Brandied Fruit and Nut Cookies

This recipe is from my blogging friend, Karen. Since today’s earlier recipe might not be ready in time for the holidays, I am sending you one of HER cookie recipes which I just baked. I didn’t bother with the glaze…your choice… Check out her other recipes as well as beautiful photos of her home in New England at Christmas – http://backroadjournal.wordpress.com

Brandied Fruit and Nut Cookies BYJ

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  •  1/3 c. brandy (I used Calvados apple brandy)
  • 1/2 c. golden raisins
  • 1/2 c. orange flavored Craisins or dried cranberries
  • 1 c. dried apricots, chopped in small pieces
  • 3/4 c. packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 c. butter, softened
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp. ginger
  • 2 c. flour
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 c. chopped pecans

Mix the fruit and brandy in a bowl and let marinate for 10 minutes. Cream together the brown sugar, butter, eggs and spices. Drain the brandy from the fruit into the sugar mixture and stir. Mix in the flour and baking powder. Stir in the reserved fruit and nuts.

Drop cookie dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto a Silpat or parchment lined baking sheet. They do spread out so if you want them smaller, follow the directions and keep small). Bake about 10 minutes or until the cookies are light brown. Place cookies on cooling rack. Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

If you wish to glaze the cookies mix 2 c. of powdered sugar, 2 to 3 Tbsp. brandy and 1 tsp. vanilla together and dip the tops of the cookies into glaze and let dry.

Curried Fruit Sauce for Easter Ham

I know I just posted that chicken recipe, but with this being Easter, it brought back memories of this great dish that Gloria made as a side to the ham. The recipe came from an old magazine called “Taste of Home”. You can vary the fruits. I sometimes have used apricots in place of the pears. And then sometimes I leave out the cherries entirely. Choose your favorite fruits. Why not add some fresh figs?

Curried Fruit Sauce for Ham

  • Prep: 20 min. Bake: 30 min.
  • Yield: 20 Servings

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter, cubed
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 to 3 teaspoons curry powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 can (20 ounces) pineapple tidbits, drained I substituted fresh mango!
  • 1 can (15 ounces) mandarin oranges, drained
  • 1 can (8-1/2 ounces) sliced peaches, drained and chopped
  • 1 can (8-1/2 ounces) sliced pears, drained and chopped
  • 12 maraschino cherries, halved

Directions

  • In a small saucepan, melt butter. Stir in the brown sugar, curry powder and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. In a lightly greased 2-qt. baking dish, combine the fruit; mix well. Pour sauce over the mixed fruit. Bake, uncovered, at 300° for 30 minutes or until heated through. Yield: 5 cups.

Funky Brined Turkey (courtesy of Emeril Lagasse)

I have been making this turkey for many years and it always is stunning! Hope you will take the time to try it and let me know how you liked it. It does work just as well with a whole turkey as a breast! For my Yucatecan friends, the Poblano Chocolate Mole sauce follows on a separate posting…

Funky Bird (a.k.a. Southwestern Turkey Breast)

Brine:

  • 1 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 3/4 cup orange juice
  • 1 cup kosher salt
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 cup chopped yellow onions
  • 2 oranges, halved
  • 2 jalapenos, minced (with their seeds)
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
  • 1 (6 1/2 pound) whole turkey breast
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon Essence, recipe follows
  • Poblano Chocolate Mole, recipe follows

Directions

In a large non reactive container, (I use a large clear garbage bag with NO deodorizers and if necessary, put it outside if you are in Canada in a cooler in your garage) combine lemon juice, orange juice, kosher salt, light brown sugar, yellow onions, oranges, jalapenos, cilantro, garlic, chili powder, ground cumin, and oregano with 1 gallon water and stir to dissolve the sugar and salt. Put the turkey in a large colander and rinse under cold, running water, then add the turkey breast to the brine, cover, and refrigerate, turning occasionally, for at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Remove the turkey from the brine and put it breast side up in a large, heavy roasting pan and pat dry with paper towels. (DISCARD ALL OF THE BRINE!!!)

Rub the turkey with vegetable oil and sprinkle both sides with Essence (see below) Roast until deep golden brown and an instant read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 degrees F., about 1 hour and 45 minutes. Transfer to a platter and let stand for 15 minutes before carving.

Essence (Emeril’s Creole Seasoning):

  • 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
  • 2 tablespoons salt
  • 2 tablespoons garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
  • 1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.