How many sleeps until Christmas? Is Santa coming the tomorrow after tomorrow? Are you sure that he got my list? Is there really a Santa? Where are my presents?
These are the questions I face at my daily briefing. My answers vary as I am sharing the excitement along with my children. It is so much fun to be a part of the magic that Christmas brings. It is not the buying of gifts or the tinsel or glitter, but rather the sparkle in the eyes of children.
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I remember as a child being so upset that I could not get to sleep on Christmas Eve. I was so excited, but I had been told that Santa would not come unless I was asleep. It was one of life’s first real stresses. My great-grandmother, Anna Kingwell, with whom I spent a lot of time, used to give me a peppermint and tell me that it was a sleeping pill. Due to mint miracles, this often worked and I would become sleepy, but not on this particular Christmas Eve. Eventually, I must have caved in to dreamland, because Santa came.
For our TEAM Christmas cookbook draw this year we were also reflecting back and asked you, our readers, to share your traditions, whether they be Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year’s or Easter. We received a wonderful variety of ideas, family stories and recipes. We would like to share some of them with you.
Starting off with style
R.W. of Domain, Man., said: this Christmas holiday will be difficult for our family. I lost my sister-in-law to cancer in April. As I think about the upcoming celebration of Christmas, I remember with fondness the treats that she enjoyed preparing for family gatherings. She worked full time at a 9-5 job, but studied recipe books in the evening. Weeks before the event, she would fill her spare time creating delectable hors d’oeuvres by the dozens to place in the freezer for baking on Christmas Day. Here’s the recipe for one that we particularly enjoyed.
Stuffed mushroom caps
50 mushrooms
2 tablespoons 30 mL
vegetable oil
1/4 pound bacon, 115 g
finely diced
1/3 cup chopped red 75 mL
pepper
1/4 cup diced red onion 60 mL
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt 2 mL
1/2 teaspoon pepper 2 mL
1/2 cup goat cheese 125 mL
1/2 cup shredded medium cheddar cheese 125 mL
2 tablespoons 30 mL
chopped fresh parsley
Remove stems from mushrooms and chop finely. Place mushroom caps, hollow side down, on greased, rimmed baking sheet. Brush with oil. Bake in 400 F (200 C) oven until slightly softened, about eight minutes. Let cool, drain off liquid. Place hollow side up on clean foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. In a non-stick skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, about five minutes.
Drain fat. Add red pepper, onion, garlic, chopped mushroom stems, salt and pepper to the skillet. Cook, stirring until onion is softened, about four minutes. Let cool.
In a bowl, stir goat cheese with cheddar cheese. If you do not like the taste of goat cheese substitute an old cheddar or cheese of your choice. Stir in bacon mixture.
Spoon a heaping tablespoonful into each mushroom cap.
Bake at 375 F (190 C) for 12 minutes, until golden. Sprinkle with parsley before serving.
To make ahead: freeze on baking sheet until firm. Layer between waxed paper in airtight container and freeze for up to two weeks. Bake from frozen, increasing baking time by five minutes.
Taco squares
This recipe was sent in by L.C., Gull Lake, Sask. It is great for a light meal or could be used as an appetizer when friends stop in for a visit.
Layer 1:
1 cup Bisquick 250 mL
1/2 cup cold water 125 mL
Combine and press into a greased
9 x 9 inch (22 x 22 cm) pan.
Layer 2:
1 pound ground beef 500 g
Fry and add 1/4 cup (60 mL) water and a pack of dry taco seasoning. Drain off liquid and place over the base layer.
Layer 3:
Sprinkle chopped onion, tomato and green pepper over the hamburger layer.
Layer 4:
Combine:
1/4 cup sour cream 60 mL
3 tablespoons 45 mL
mayonnaise
1/2 cup grated cheese 125 mL
Place over the vegetable layer.
Sprinkle top with paprika and bake at 375 F (190 C) for 30 minutes.
Note: if you are using a glass baking dish reduce the temperature to 350 F (180 C) and bake for 25
minutes.
Christmas ribbon salad
T.P., Olds, Alta., wrote that this salad has been served with their Christmas meal for many years.
Layer 1:
2 packages 3 oz./85 g
lime Jell-O
21/2 cups boiling water 625 mL
Combine the following and mix until the Jell-O is dissolved. Pour into a 9 x 13 inch (22 x 33 cm) glass pan. Let stand until firm in refrigerator.
Layer 2:
1/2 cup pineapple juice 125 mL
20 large marshmallows
1 package 3 oz./85 g
lemon Jell-O
11/2 cups boiling water 375 mL
1 package cream 8 oz./250 g
cream cheese, softened
Heat pineapple juice and marshmallows in a pan until the marshmallows melt. In a separate bowl dissolve the package of lemon Jell-O in the boiling water. Combine the hot marshmallow pineapple liquid, Jell-O and cream cheese. Mix well and pour over the first layer. Let stand in the refrigerator until firm.
Layer 3:
1 package cherry 3 oz./85 g
Jell-O
1 package straw- 3 oz./85 g
berry or raspberry Jell-O 21/2 cups boiling water 625 mL
Combine the above ingredients until Jell-O is dissolved. When cool, pour over the second layer and let stand until firm.
Before serving cut into squares.
Raspberry delight
This recipe was sent in by L. M., Rosetown, Sask. It has become such a tradition that their Christmas would not be complete without it.
2 cups graham wafer 500 mL
crumbs
1/4-1/2 cup sugar 60-125 mL
1/4 cup melted butter 60 mL
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1 mL
(optional)
Mix well and save some to spread on top. Press into an 8 x 8 inch (20 x 20 cm) pan.
Next dissolve one package of raspberry Jell-O in one cup (250 mL) boiling water. Add one package of frozen raspberries. Let partly set, and pour over the base. Melt 20 marshmallows in 1/2 cup (125 mL) of milk. Let cool. Fold in two cups (500 mL) of whipped cream. Put on top of the raspberry mixture and cover with remaining crumbs.
Special Christmas treats
M.L., Coronation, Alta., and D.B., Maple Creek, Sask., both wrote in about Norwegian lefsa as a family tradition at Christmas.
M.L. wrote: This past year my husband passed away of cancer. Lefsa was his favourite. A family member even served this dish at a memorial luncheon.
When I met my husband in 1963, lefsa was unfamiliar to me. I soon began to realize that it was a tradition in the family, especially at Christmas. Soon we were a family and our two children ate it like candy. They could not wait for a special occasion so it would be made and served with syrup and butter.
This is a recipe for lefsa that Alma has tried. Do you think that Santa would like it dripping in his beard? He probably would not care.
4 cups potatoes, cooked, 1 L
mashed and cooled
1/2 cup butter or 125 mL
margarine
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt 2 mL
11/2 teaspoons baking 7 mL
powder
4-5 cups flour 1-1.25 L
Preheat griddle to 500 F (260 C).
Flour a board. Roll dough as thin as possible, into rounds. Shake off excess flour if necessary. Roll into
8-9 inch (20-22 cm) rounds. If you have a large grill the rounds can be larger.
Place rolled out dough on a dry griddle to cook. Turn after about one minute, or when tiny bubbles form and it is lightly browned. Finish cooking for just another minute or so. If overcooked, they will be dry. Cover with a towel until cool.
Spread with butter, sprinkle with sugar, and roll up like a jelly roll. Can be quartered or left whole. May be frozen.
Yield: Approximately 20, eight inch (20 cm) lefsa.
Source: Saskatchewan 4-H 80th Anniversary Cookbook, 1997.
Last minute gifts
Here is a recipe from A.S., St. Paul, Alta., that is great as a gift or to have on hand when unexpected guests arrive.
Tuck a jar of it into a basket of apples or pears and add a gift tag with simple instructions for baking a crisp. The label should also state that the mixture should be kept in the refrigerator or freezer. This makes enough topping for four fruit crisps or cakes. I store it in the freezer in two cup (500 mL) batches ready for any fruit crisps.
Crunchy topping
4 cups old-fashioned oats 1 L
2 cups chopped 500 mL
walnuts or pecans
1/2 cup all-purpose flour 125 mL
1 teaspoon nutmeg 5 mL
1 cup granola 250 mL
2 cups brown sugar 500 mL
2 tablespoons cinnamon 30 mL
11/2 cups softened 375 mL
butter
In a large bowl, blend all ingredients until crumbly. Store in four resealable plastic bags in your freezer until ready to use. Sprinkle the topping over approximately four cups (one L) of sliced fruit to be baked in an eight inch (20 cm) square pan. Bake at 375 F (190 C) for 30 minutes.
E.W., Kelowna, B.C., shared her recipe for candied popcorn. She originally made up the recipe as a Halloween handout. It was so popular that mothers would dress up and come over for a treat. She then started making large amounts, and the supply would be available until at least Christmas. She then started making bags of this candied corn to give away at Christmas. Now she lives far away from her family, but she still sends a large box of it by bus for the holidays. This makes her feel connected even though they are not together.
Here is the recipe:
16 cups popped corn 4 L
(approx. 2/3 cup of unpopped) 2 cups sugar 500 mL
2/3 cup corn syrup 150 mL
2/3 cup water 150 mL
1/2 cup butter or 125 mL
margarine
11/2 teaspoons salt 7 mL
11/2 teaspoons vanilla 7 mL
Pop corn and place it in a large, greased bowl or roasting pan. Cook and stir the next five ingredients over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Boil to the soft ball stage and add vanilla. Pour over popped corn.
Seasonal reading
Here are some great new Christmas publications that just reached our desk. They would make great gifts and useful holiday resources.
Christmas Decorating and Crafts is a beautifully photographed book filled with innovative and easy-to-prepare ideas to make your home festive. It includes tree ornaments, as well as table, mantle and stairway decorations. Craft traditions are an important part of Christmas and it includes creations with instructions and photos so the whole family can take part.
The Essential Canadian Christmas Cookbook includes recipes for the perfect Christmas dinner and appetizers for holiday parties.
For more details go to www.lonepinepublishing.com/campaigns/61 or call 780-433-9646.
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night. Even if you need a peppermint.
