DECEMBER MEANS CHRISTMAS and so much more....Parties, Caroling, Cookie & Candy Swaps; ALL WITH JOY!

This Christmas blog is for you. It holds a lot, not only about Christmas, but recipes and information about Kwanzaa and Hanukkah.

 Enjoy going through it and I wish everyone a very Blessed Christmas, a solemn Hanukkah, and joyous Kwanzaa.

 

A CHRISTMAS TRADITION; PORK PIE

My internet research states that the tourtière is a French-Canadian meat pie that originated in Quebec as far back as 1600. Most recipes for tourtière include ground pork and occasionally other ground meats.  The tourtière has become a traditional part of Christmas and New Year’s celebrations in Quebec, but the pie is also enjoyed at other times throughout Canada as well as in the upper midwest and eastern parts if the United States.

 There is a difference of opinion about the origin of the name of the dish. Some believe that the dish is named after the now extinct passenger pigeons, called “tourtes,” that were cooked into the original pies.  Another opinion is that the pie is named after the deep ceramic baking dish that families used to create the pies.  It is, however, agreed that by 1611, the word tourtière had come to refer to the pastry containing meat or fish that was cooked in this medium-deep, round or rectangular dish.

A while back, Dede from Hampstead NH sent me her family recipe for French Canadian Pork Pie.   She shared with me her childhood memories of Christmas Eve which included pork pie, and her family’s customs that have evolved in more recent Christmases.

I love hearing about traditions that develop from ones heritage and past generations, especially when celebrating the bigger holidays. I have learned so much from listening to others tell of their beloved traditions and memories. It is a wonderful way to learn about the world around us. So I thank Dede for her story and her family recipe. She told me she enjoyed taking a stroll down memory lane as she wrote the recipe and its history. 

 

Dede explains her Christmas tradition with pork pie:

“The French custom, as I remember from my childhood, was that tourtiere (pronounced took-kay) was served after attending midnight mass on Christmas Eve.  The fasting rules for receiving communion at that time were very strict, leaving a long time with nothing to eat or drink before one received communion at mass. By the time one returned home, many hungry hours had passed.

 We would leave our house around 11 p.m. in order to get a seat, because midnight mass was always packed to the rafters in most churches.  Of course part of the Christmas Eve night was arriving early to hear the choir sing beautiful Christmas carols before the mass began, and thus, "officially" starting Christmas Eve. Since the High Mass said on Christmas Eve usually lasted anywhere from 1 1/2 to 2 hours (or more after all the Merry Christmases were said), we were pretty hungry by the time all was said and done and we arrived home.

 After returning from midnight mass, relatives would gather together at one home and there would be a feast of delicious foods. Several "took-kays" were always on the table prepared by different aunts and grandmothers.  After eating all kinds of special holiday food, we would stay up and open our gifts, finally going to bed in the wee hours of the morning.

 Today, since Christmas mass times have changed and are more frequent, many families choose to eat their "took-kay" in the morning for breakfast instead. This is the custom that my family has adopted. The aroma of the pie cooking in the oven early in the morning woke up the family in anticipation of starting a wonderful Christmas day. Others like to take a tourtiere along to a Christmas dinner.  No matter when it was eaten, tourtiere was always part of the French tradition in celebrating Christmas.

 Many French people also serve tourtiere at Thanksgiving as well.  Since pork is more plentiful now, many do not wait to serve it just on Thanksgiving and Christmas.  It is a culinary favorite that can be enjoyed all winter long. 

 Hope you give it a try and become a French Canadian for one Christmas Eve! Ah oui !”

 

Tourtiere (French Canadian Pork Pie)

 Ingredients:

2 and ½  pounds of lean ground pork

1 large onion, diced

½  teaspoon of EACH;  cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg

1 and ½  teaspoon salt

¼  teaspoon pepper

¼  teaspoon Bell's seasoning (or poultry seasoning)

2 cups of water

1 large potato, peeled and boiled

Crust for TWO 9" pies (top and bottom)

 Makes two good sized meat pies

 In a large saucepan, combine ground pork, onion, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt and pepper. 

Brown the meat and onions for about 5 minutes on medium/low heat. Cover meat mixture with the 2 cups of water. Simmer on low heat for approximately 1 and one-half to 2 hours, until meat is light brown and water on the bottom of pan has almost completely evaporated.  Stir occasionally. If water evaporates too quickly and meat is sticking to the bottom of the pan, add a little water, as necessary, to keep mixture moist during cooking time. When finished, there should be only about a tablespoon of water with juices remaining on the bottom.

While meat is cooking, boil the potato until it is soft but not mushy.  Drain and mash cooked potato with a fork, leaving tiny chunks of potato for texture. Set aside.

 When meat is done, stir in the one-quarter teaspoon of Bell's seasoning into meat mixture. Fold in the mashed potato.  Place half of the meat filling in one of the prepared 9" pie plates. Cover with the top crust.  Make vent holes in top of crust.  Repeat with the remaining meat and other pie crust.

Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 40 minutes until top crust is golden brown. Bon appetite!

 Dede’s Note:
Some people like to use ground pork butt, but I find that it makes the meat filling fatty and greasy.  I prefer to use lean ground pork in my recipe, and the taste is not compromised.
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Peppermint Bark   

Crushed peppermint candy gives this chocolate bark a festive look and a seasonal taste. I always have to double the recipe. Great for an office party, candy swap, school class party, and homemade gift-giving.

 Ingredients:

12 ounces high quality semi-sweet chocolate

1 pound white chocolate with cocoa butter

½ teaspoon peppermint extract

½ to ¾ cup candy canes or peppermint candy, crushed 

Line a 15x10 inch jelly roll pan with foil extended over sides. Grease foil with non-stick spray.

Melt chocolate chips in a double boiler over medium-low heat. Pour evenly into pan and smooth with spatula. Sprinkle with about one-quarter cup peppermint candy. Place in refrigerator until firm.

Heat white chocolate chips in a double boiler over medium-low heat until chocolate is almost melted. Remove insert from pan and stir until completely melted. Stir in extract. Cool slightly. Pour over chocolate layer and spread quickly to cover. Sprinkle with one-half cup crushed candy. Chill until both layers are firm. Lift foil out of pan and shake off excess candy. Peel foil gently from bottom of candy. Trim edges and cut into 2 inch squares.

Note: When I made this I did not use as much crushed peppermint candy as the recipe called for.    Makes approximately 2 pounds

Butter Cookie Snowmen                          

 This is a perfect recipe to make with your small children or grandchildren. The dough is easy to shape, and no matter what you do to them, they taste buttery and delicious. They do not really brown, they bake till "set", so be carefull not to overbake. This recipe calls for tinting a small portion of dough red ( for the red hats), and also a small amount of dough tinted yellow ( for the neck scarf).

If you would rather, you can make the entire cookie plain, and than use tubes of red and yellow frosting for the hats and scarves. Your choice!

When you bake cookies with children,

you are giving them such warm memories,

 so put on those carols and have fun this weekend.

Ingredients: 

1 cup softened butter ( no substitutes)

 1/2 cup sugar

 1 tablespoon milk

 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

red and yellow paste food coloring

mini chocolate chips (for eyes and buttons)

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add milk and vanilla; mix well. Gradually add flour. Remove 1/3 cup of dough to a small bowl; tint with red food coloring. Repeat with 1/3 cup of dough and yellow food coloring; set aside, keeping covered.

For snowmen, shape white dough into 24 balls, about 1-1/4 inch each, and 24 balls about 1/2 inch each; and 24 balls, about 1/8 inch each. For bodies, using the larger balls, place on ungreased baking sheets; flatten to 3/8 inch thickness. Place the 1/2 inch balls above the bodies, for the heads; flatten to same thickness.

Shape red dough into 24 balls, 1/8 inch each, and flatten into triangle shapes (to look like a red knit cap). Place above heads. Attach the 1/8 inch white balls to the tip of the red triangle for the tassels.  Place small red balls on heads for a little red nose. Divide the yellow dough into 24 pieces; shape into scarves and position on the cookie at base of head. Add chocolate chip eyes and buttons. Bake at 325 degrees for 13-16 minutes, just until set. Cool for 2 minutes before carefully removing to wire racks or brown paper to cool.  Makes 2 dozen.

FOR HANUKKAH;

HERBED LAMB & ROASTED VEGETABLES

 E. S. of Andover, a reader for many years, was gracious to send me her comments on her family's celebration:
“Hanukah is a holiday that commemorates the victory of the Maccabees over Antiochus of Syria. It is traditional to light the menorah, sing songs, eat fried foods and play with the dreidel (a 4-sided top).
Since I come from Colombia and my husband is originally from Israel, we tend to "include" our backgrounds in the foods that we eat during Hanukah. We fry every day (oy vey!), mostly latkes which are traditional among Eastern European Jews. We also fry yucca and plantains, usually eaten in Colombian households on a daily basis. And many nights we make Sufgniyot (Jelly Doughnuts) for dessert. There is nothing like eating a Sufganiya as soon as it done!”
Whether celebrating Hanukkah or Christmas, you will be proud to serve this lamb roast and deliciously flavored roast vegetables.

Menu suggestion:

Round out your menu with potato latkes, fresh applesauce,

and bimuelos (sweet fritters).

 Herb Crusted Lamb

Ingredients:

Two, 6-rib lamb rib roasts, about 2 pounds each

 1 teaspoon kosher salt

 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

 1/4 cup olive oil

 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

3 large shallots, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 tablespoons fresh thyme, minced

2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, minced

Mix olive oil and Worcestershire sauce with salt, pepper, shallots, garlic, thyme and rosemary. Using your fingers, gently rub and press herb mixture onto all meaty sides of the lamb. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

When ready to roast, place lamb, meaty side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Roast in a 325 degree oven till meat thermometer inserted in a meaty portion of lamb registers 140 degrees for medium-rare, about 1 - 1 and quarter hours.

Transfer lamb to cutting board. Cover loosely with foil, let stand 15 minutes before carving. To carve, cut into chops by slicing between  rib bones. Recipe plans for 2 chops per person.

 Roasted Vegetables w/honey and fresh sage - Serves 8

Ingredients:

 4 medium parsnips, peeled, halved lengthwise and cut into 1 inch pieces

4 medium turnips, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces

2 small Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters OR

 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces

 3 medium carrots, halved lengthwise and cut into 1 inch pieces

 2 medium yellow onions cut into 1 inch wide wedges

8 leaves of fresh sage, slivered

3 tablespoons olive oil

 1 and ½ teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

 ¼ cup honey

 2 leaves fresh sage, snipped- for garnish

In a large greased roasting pan, combine all vegetables and slivered sage.

Combine oil, salt and pepper. Drizzle over vegetables; toss.

Roast, uncovered, in a 425 degree oven for 35 minutes or till vegetables are lightly browned and tender, stirring twice.

Drizzle with honey; stir gently. Bake for 5 minutes more. Serve sprinkle with snipped sage.

Kwanzaa begins on December 26.

It is a celebration of family, community, heritage, and culture.

It is traditional to serve sweet potato pie.

This pie is so delicious that everyone should make it and will enjoy it. It's really good!

Sweet Potato Pie with Pecan topping

Ingredients:

2 cups peeled, cooked sweet potatoes, well drained

or (1) 16 oz. can sweet potatoes, drained

1(14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

  1/4 cup butter, melted

2 eggs

1/4 teaspoon salt

 1 teaspoon cinnamon

 1/2teaspoon grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon grated orange rind

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 - 9" pie shell, unbaked

Pecan topping:

In small mixing bowl, combine 3 tablespoons light brown sugar, 3 tablespoons dark corn syrup, 1 large egg, 1 tablespoon melted butter, and 1/2 teaspoon maple flavoring. Beat till well blended, stir in pecans.

Directions: Beat sweet potatoes in a large mixing bowl at medium speed until smooth. Add milk and next 7 ingredients and beat till blended. Pour filling into pie shell. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Sprinkle pecan topping evenly over filling. Bake an additional 20-25 minutes or until set. Serve warm, or cool on a wire rack.