Tag: Christmas

Gingerbread and sesame truffles

Makes: 12 balls 

Source: Green kitchen stories app

Ingredients:

  • 14 soft dates (approx 150 grams)
  • 60 grams walnuts or sunflower seeds
  • 1 tbs tahini
  • 1 tbs coconut oil
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
  • 1/4 tsp allspice
  • 1/4 tsp cloves
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 4 tbs sesame seeds, to roll the truffles in

Instructions:

  1. Mix all the ingredients (apart from the sesame seeds) in a food processor.
  2. Roll the mixture into balls and roll them in sesame seeds.
  3. Refrigerate until firm. Eat within a week (if not frozen).

Dairy Free Blueberry Truffles

Serves: 2 dozen

Source: Ricardo, Holidays 2016

Ingredients:

  • 8 ounces of chopped dark chocolate
  • 1 – 1 1/3 cups thawed blueberries, drained
  • sifted cocoa powder to dust the truffles

Instructions:

  1. Place chocolate in a bowl.
  2. Puree drained blueberries. You will need 1/2 cup of puree.
  3. Bring blueberries to a boil and pour blueberry puree over chocolate and let melt for 3 minutes without stirring. Then whisk chocolate and blueberries puree until it is a smooth ganache.
  4. Pour ganache (chocolate mixture) into an 8 inch glass dish and refrigerate for 2 hours.
  5. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Form the ganache into ball (about 1 tablespoon per ball. Roll each ball in cocoa powder. Let the truffles set for at least 3 hours in the fridge or freeze for up to 3 months.
  6. Bring to room temperature before serving.

***Note: I used some disposable food gloves to form the truffles.

Old Fashion Sausage Dressing

Serves: 8 – 10

Source: Audry Stafford
Ingredients

  • 1 lb sausage meat (Maple Leaf)
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1/2 cup chopped celery
  • 8 cups day old bread crumbs
  • 1 Tsp salt
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 egg beaten
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley

Instructions:

  1. Crumble sausage meat and cook until pink disappears
  2. Add onion, celery and cook until transparent
  3. Add to bread crumbs in a large bowl/pan
  4. Sprinkle with salt and add parsley
  5. Combine milk and egg and then add to other ingredients
  6. Mix well and pour into greased or foil lined casserole – cover top
  7. Bake at 350F until heated through – approx 40 min

Fruitcake You Actually Want to Eat

Serves: 8 – 10 Servings

Source: The Food Matters Cookbook, by Mark Bittman

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter plus more for greasing
  • 4 cups loosely packed mixed dried fruit (like cherries, raisins, dates, apricots, citron, pineapple, apples) chopped as needed
  • 1/2 cup crystallized ginger (optional) or use more fruit
  • 1 cup dark rum, brandy, or orange juice
  • 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
  • 1 cup of water
  • 1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
  • 3/4 cups chopped nuts (any kind)
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • pinch of salt
  • pinch of either allspice, nutmeg or cloves
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup molasses

Instructions:

  1. Heat oven to 300°. Generously grease a 9 * 5 inch loaf pan with butter. Put the fruit, ginger if you are using it, rum, zest, and one cup of water in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then remove the pan from the heat. Cover and let cool for 15 to 20 minutes.
  2. Combine flour, nuts, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and spice in a small bowl. In a large bowl, beat 2 tablespoons of butter, eggs, and molasses together until the mixture is thick (about 3 to 5 minutes).
  3. Drain fruit over a third bowl, pressing down on fruit to capture as much liquid as possible (saving for another use). Stir the fruit into the egg mixture. Add the dry ingredients by hand stirring just to combine; do not beat. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan, smooth the top, and put the pan on a baking sheet.
  4. Bake for about 1 to 1 1/4 hours or. until the sides of the cake pull away from the pan and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Let cake cool in the pan before inverting it onto a wire rack. Remove the pan and then turn the cake right side up. Slice and serve or store at room temperature wrapped in foil for up to 2 weeks.

Anne’s Peanut Butter Balls

Serves: ?

Source: Anne Ditchburn

Serves: ?
Source: Anne Ditchburn

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 CUP BUTTER
  • 2 CUPS CRUNCHY PEANUT BUTTER
  • 2 2/3 CUPS CUPS ICING SUGAR
  • 3 CUPS RICE KRISPIES

Instructions:

  1. Mix above and roll into balls.
  2. Melt chocolate wafers and dip the balls in it
  3. Place balls on cookie sheet and put in fridge to set.

PS: (Greg and Darcy can’t have any!)

Oat Demerara Shortbread

Serves: 12 to 16 Wedges

Source: Canadian Living, December 2010

Serves: 12 to 16 Wedges
Source: Canadian Living, December 2010

Ingredients:

  • 1/2cup (125 mL) large-flake rolled oats
  • 1cup(250 mL) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2cup cup(125 mL) packed Demerara sugar or dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp(2 mL) salt
  • 1-1/2 cups(375 mL) all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup(50 mL) cornstarch

Topping:

  • 2 tbsp(25 mL) (2 large-flake rolled oat

Instructions:

  1. On baking sheet, bake oats in 325°F (160°C) oven until lightly toasted, 7 to 10 minutes. Let cool.
  2. In large bowl, beat butter, sugar and salt until fluffy. In separate bowl, whisk flour, cornstarch and oats; stir into butter mixture just to combine.
  3. Press into parchment paper–lined 9-inch (2.5 L) spring-form pan. Score into 12 to 16 wedges.

Topping

  1. Prick wedges with fork; sprinkle with oats and press lightly into dough.
  2. Bake in 325°F (160°C) oven until browned, about 50 minutes. Let cool in pan on rack for 5 minutes. Cut through score lines. Let cool completely.

Crockpot Stuffing

Serves: 10 Srvings

Source:

Serves: 10 Servings
Source:

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups chopped onions
  • 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced celery
  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 1 tablespoon ground sage
  • 1 teaspoon ground marjoram
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon savoury
  • 12 cups bread, cubes
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock

Instructions:

  1. In a large fry pan sauté onions, celery and carrots in canola until onion is just translucent.
  2. Stir in sage, marjoram, salt, pepper and savoury. Combine vegetable mixture with the bread cubes and parsley and combine well.
  3. Pour stock over bread crumb mixture and combine well.
  4. Cover and cook on high for one hour. Reduce to low and continue cooking for 2-3 hours, stirring every hour.

Gingerbread

Serves: 40 Cookies

Source:

Serves: 40 Cookies
Source:

Ingredients:

  • 1 3/4 cups (425 mL) all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cups (150 mL) whole wheat flour
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) ground ginger
  • 1 tsp (5 mL) cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp (2 mL) each allspice, nutmeg and baking soda
  • 1/2 cups (125 mL) Becel Salt-free margarine
  • 1/2 cups (125 mL) each brown sugar and fancy molasses

Instructions:

  1. In a bowl, using a fork, stir flours with spices and baking soda until well mixed.
  2. In large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat Becel with sugar and molasses until smooth. Gradually beat in flour mixture until well combined. Tightly form into 2 balls, then flatten each ball into a disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.
  3. Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Working with 1 disc dough at a time, remove from fridge. For easy rolling, lightly flour both sides of disc dough, then roll ¼-inch (0.5 cm) thick between 2 sheets plastic wrap. Dip cookie cutter into flour and cut shapes.
  4. Place on prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2-inches (5-cm) apart. Bake until firm to the touch, 10 minutes. Cool on a pan 1 minute before transferring to rack. Cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough. Store in an airtight container.

Pride O’Scotland Shortbread Wedges

Serves: 16 wedges

Source: Tompson Family

Serves: 16 wedges
Source: Tompson Family

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
    -1 cup soft butter
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • Icing Sugar

Instructions:

  1. Put dry ingredients in a bowl. Add butter, egg, and vanilla, and mix with a fork or fingers until dough holds together.
  2. Divide dough into two parts with floured hands and roll each ball and press into a 9 inch pie plate. Flatten and crimp edges. Prick surface with a fork.
  3. Bake at 375° for approximately 20 minutes.
  4. Remove and sprinkle with icing sugar and cut into wedges.

Turkey Stuffing

Serves: 10

Source:

Serves: 10
Source:

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup of olive or canola oil
  • 8 medium onions, chopped
  • 4 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 2 carrots, finely grated
  • 8 stalks of celery, sliced
  • 1/2 cup of chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 teaspoon of dried sage
  • 1 teaspoon of dried savory
  • 1 loaf of whole wheat bread, cubed or chopped in food processor
  • salt and pepper
  • turkey or chicken stock to moisten (about 1/2 cup)

Instructions:

  1. Prepare bread for stuffing.
  2. Saute vegetables in oil until softened.
  3. Add prepared bread to sauted vegetables. Add dried herbs and salt and pepper.
  4. Place stuffing in a greased 9 x 13 baking dish. Drizzle with stock and bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour.