Christmas is the time for parties and entertaining. I came across three important rules of entertaining in Jean Pare’s Company’s
Coming book, Christmas Celebrations, 2006. I fail on all accounts. The rules are:
- Always make time on the day of the party to relax and get ready without being rushed.
That is easier said than done. It seems to always take longer to do the list of jobs than one thinks. When I see guests arriving, often that is the time to dash off to change clothes and to fix my sweaty face.
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- Delegate whatever you can and accept offers of help.
I work best in my kitchen by myself. It seems hard to concentrate on what needs to be done while visiting with someone. On the other hand, offers for cleanup are warmly accepted.
- Never apologize for something you might have forgotten or didn’t get done from your to-do list. No one knows but you.
I catch myself doing this all the time. I’ll try and do better.
Seating arrangements
- Know a little bit about each guest. Bring together those with shared interests, hobbies, plans or personalities that might hit it off.
- Mix up friends. Instead of visiting with the same people, everyone can meet someone new.
- Don’t worry about the ratio of men to women. Focus on inviting people you want and who you think will enjoy each other’s company.
- If you find planned seating stressful, make a game out of it. Give each guest one half of an old Christmas card and have them match it to the other half on a plate at the table.
Who is Frederic Steiger
Dear TEAM: Would anyone know anything about the artist Frederic Steiger? I have two pictures of his. One is a woman entitled Forgotten and one of a man entitled Drought. I can’t seem to find anything about this artist. – L.M., Rosetown, Sask.
Dear L.M.: I was able to find out that Frederic Steiger was born Oct. 21, 1899, in Austria and died in 1990 in Toronto. He was a resident of Saskatoon from 1920 to 1943. He was mostly a self-taught artist.
He worked in many media including oil, acrylics, watercolour and graphics.
His work included portraits, landscapes, abstract and semi-
abstract paintings and character studies of western Canadians.
He had many exhibitions of his work in galleries across Canada.
I will send you a list of his commissions, major collections and exhibitions that I was able to locate in records at the public library in Saskatoon.
Lemon and almond stuffing
A tasty recipe for cooking the stuffing separate from the turkey.
½ cup butter 125 mL
1 cup chopped onion 250 mL
1 cup thinly sliced celery 250 mL
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley 75 mL
1½ teaspoons sage 7 mL
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel 5 mL
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon mix 5 mL
½ teaspoon thyme, crumbled 2 mL
½ teaspoon savoury, crumbled 2 mL
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper 2 mL
¼ teaspoon salt 1 mL
6 cups day-old white bread cubes 1.5 L
6 cups day-old whole wheat 1.5 L
bread cubes
½ cup sliced almonds, toasted 125 mL
2 eggs
1can (10oz.) chicken broth 284 mL
¼ cup fresh lemon juice 60 mL
Melt butter in a large frypan over medium heat. Add onion and celery; sauté until softened, about five minutes. Stir in next eight ingredients (parsley through salt); cook; stirring for one minute. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes.
Combine onion mixture, bread cubes and almonds in a large bowl. Whisk together eggs, broth and lemon juice until blended. Add to bread cube mixture and stir until combined. Spoon mixture into a greased, shallow three quart (three L) baking dish. Bake, covered at 325 F (160 C) for 45 to 50 minutes or until heated through. Serves eight to 10.
Source: Holiday Collection, Atco Blue Fame Kitchen 2008 cookbook.
To purchase Blue Flame Kitchen cookbooks, call 800-840-3393. The website is www.
atcoblueflamekitchen.com.
Microwave Christmas pudding
The newest Atco holiday cookbook has this microwaved Christmas pudding. Serve with the vanilla cream sauce that follows.
1½ cups raisins 375 mL
2/3 cups dried currants 150 mL
2/3 cup coarsely chopped, 150 mL
stemmed dried figs
½ cup candied deluxe 125 mL
mixed fruit,chopped
1/3 cup chopped dried apricots 75 mL
1/3 cup dry sherry 75 mL
1½ cups soft fresh white bread 375 mL
crumbs
½ cup flour 125 mL
½ teaspoon cinnamon 2 mL
¼ teaspoon ground ginger 1 mL
¼ teaspoon nutmeg 1 mL
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves 0.5 mL
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice 0.5 mL
1/8 teaspoon salt 0.5 mL
½ cup butter 125 mL
½ cup packed brown sugar 125 mL
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla 10 mL
½ cup unsweetened applesauce 125 mL
Grease a six cup (1.5 L) microwave-safe bowl and line the bottom with a five inch
(12.5 cm) round piece of parchment paper. Grease parchment paper. Combine raisins, currants, figs, candied fruit, apricots and sherry in a separate microwave safe bowl. Microwave, covered, on medium-low power for 10 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed.
Cool, uncovered, to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
Combine next eight ingredients (bread crumbs through salt) in a bowl; set aside.
Using medium speed of an electric mixer, beat together butter and brown sugar until fluffy.
Beat eggs, one at a time, until blended. Beat in vanilla. Stir in applesauce. Add bread crumb mixture and stir just until combined. Fold in fruit mixture. Spoon mixture into prepared bowl, spreading evenly.
Cover bowl with double thickness of parchment paper, leaving a two inch (five cm) overhang. Secure parchment paper by tying string around sides of bowl. Microwave on medium-low power for 35 minutes. Remove pudding from microwave oven and let stand, covered, for 15 minutes. Remove parchment paper cover. Invert pudding onto a serving plate. Serve warm with vanilla cream sauce.
Serves eight to 10.
Vanilla cream sauce
¾ cup sugar 175 mL
1 tablespoon cornstarch 15 mL
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg 0.5 mL
pinch salt
1 cup whipping cream 250 mL
¼ cup butter, cubed 60 mL
1½ teaspoon vanilla 7 mL
Combine sugar, cornstarch, nutmeg and salt in a small saucepan. Gradually stir in cream until blended; add butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about two minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. 
Serve warm or at room temperature.
Makes about 12/3 cups (400 mL).
Source: Holiday Collection, ATCO Blue Flame Kitchen cookbook, 2008.
We found the sauce “made” the pudding. I would double this sauce recipe for the pudding above.
Simple group game
Looking for a group game for a gathering of colleagues or family? This simple little game might work with your group.
Everyone stands in a circle. Someone in the centre of the circle holds a coin that will be tossed.
Participants are asked to put their hands on their head if they think it will be “heads”, or on their derriere if they think it will be “tails.” The coin is tossed. If the toss is heads, all those with their hands on their head remain standing and remain in the game. Those with their hands on their derriere sit down and are out of the game.
The process is repeated with another coin toss until only one person is left standing. That person wins the game.
Alma Copeland is a home economist from Elrose, Sask., and one of four columnists comprising Team Resources. Send correspondence in care of this newspaper, Box 2500, Saskatoon, Sask., S7K 2C4 or contact them at team@producer.com.
