Here's the Mince pie. Most of it is still in the fridge. I think it's just too sweet! Another quart is still in the jar in the fridge. Maybe I can turn it into plum pudding or some kind of cake?
We had a hitch in the Holiday plans. My Daughter, who would come and help cook and eat the best dinner on Christmas Eve, got a migraine and had to stay in bed. I was a little rushed to get the dinner cooked, then we ate hastily and took dinner to my Daughter's house. Not how it was planned. And I was so sorry she felt so bad.
My Husband and I went on to Spring Mill Inn as planned and that went very well indeed. We opened our presents and there were very satisfying surprises on both sides. I'll do a post on my gifts soon as they have sparked some activity here at home! We walked in the village early in the cold morning, ate of their lovely breakfast buffet (which is ridiculously cheap), sat in front of the fire and then went home. Christmas dinner was easy as everything was cooked already. Our company came, we talked, we ate and finally we opened presents. I think everyone got things they needed or even loved. The last bit of Christmas cheer was watching Downton Abby before bedtime.
We missed having a white Christmas by two days! Tuesday morning it looked like this! Just beautiful. But short-lived. By afternoon it had mostly melted.
I am afraid Mary Lincoln didn't make it home in time for Christmas. When I undressed her I found she had no skin! She needed more underwear too.
Now here she is with new skin, new petticoats and a tiny corset! The dress is under construction and full of problems. More on that later.
The menus for the week were all about left-overs.
Monday we ate cold sliced ham and cheese, salad, potato casserole heated in the oven and Christmas cookies.
Tuesday, Chicken and dressing, also left-over
Wed Quiche and home-canned green beans
Thursday Canned beef stew and chicken sandwiches with Swiss cheese, broiled
Today: Left-over Quiche, last of the asparagus, dark chocolate for dessert.
Saturday, Hamburgers and roasted garlic potatoes and the last of the cookies.
Sunday: Large Shrimp cocktails, baked potatoes with sour cream, tossed Chef's salad, white wine.
Quiche recipe:
Crust:
3 cups plain flour
scant 1/4 cup sugar
1 stick butter or 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1/4 cup oil
!/2 cup ice water
Mix sugar and flour and cut in solid shortening until mealy.
Mix oil and water and pour into flour mixture all at once. Stir gently until mixture makes a ball. Divide into 2 or 3 portions. 1/2 makes a bottom crust and some lattice strips for the top. Or make 3 thin bottom crusts. Keeps well for several days in the fridge.
Filling:
2 eggs
1 clove garlic
several slices of onion
4 ounces or more sharp Cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon dried parsley
salt and pepper to taste
Put these ingredients in the blender and pour in milk to the 2 cup line. Blend until cheese is just little chunks.
Arrange in the raw crust bottom 1 1/2 cups just barely cooked crispy broccoli and chunks of ham, about 1 cup.
Pour liquid filling over. Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes or until center is mostly set or a knife comes out clean. I left out the onion this time and sliced some green onions over the top when I took it out of the oven.
I am thinking about New Year's resolutions and how I might improve on last year's performance. More on that later.
I have been reading a new blog - Semiswede, she e-mails me whenever she posts. Last week she had lovely pictures of her Saffron buns and a description that had me setting the saffron to soak in milk that very night. Next day I made them and they were very popular and now I have requests for the recipe.
Here is the address of that post (with permission) http://semiswede.com/2011/12/13/lucia-and-lussekatter/
She gives her recipe.
I am sorry that I did not take pictures of mine before they were all eaten up but she has lovely pictures. I did take pictures of the cookie making here this week.
These are just sugar cookies flavored with oil of peppermint, spread with Hershey's dark chocolate and dipped in crushed candy cane. They are a bit labor intensive but the tiny stars are flavorful enough to satisfy your sweet tooth!
This is the caramel popcorn baking in the oven. This amounted to about 10 quarts of not-too-sweet confection. The honey-roasted peanuts were added at the end. This is a favorite recipe given to me by a dear Friend.
While the popcorn was cooking I made French Bread Pizza. Here the loaf of whole grain bread is cut into three layers.
Left-over meaty spaghetti sauce was slathered on, then pizza cheese, then mushrooms and green peppers (yes, the ones I had frozen). It was ready to put in the oven when the caramel corn came out. It was more than we could eat at one sitting but left-over pizza never goes begging at our house.
Two and a half gallons of caramel corn, ready for munching by the fire.
Here is a new Christmas decoration this year. It cost $1.50 at an Antique Mall here in Bloomington. I actually love it!
All the Christmas presents are wrapped. One last present is eagerly hoped for in the mail this afternoon. Tonight is the first family get-together. Tomorrow is Christmas Eve! The getting ready is all a part of the celebration. Tomorrow I'll bake the Mince pie, make the Aoli, and put the ham in the oven. When my daughter comes, she will whip mounds of potatoes, make cream biscuits and chop for the salad. At the last minute we'll simmer the asparagus a little. Not too strenuous at all. I am so looking forward to it. Happy Christmas to you all!
