Orange Almond Sweet
Potato:
Ingredients:
2 Lbs. Sweet potatoes
10 oz. Frozen concentrated orange juice
4 oz. Almonds, sliced
Salt
Fresh ground black pepper
Procedure:
Peel the potatoes and cook the in enough water to cover until about
3/4 cooked, or until they just become tender. Drain and allow to cool
Slice the cooled, semi-cooked potatoes in 3/4 inch slices. Place the
sliced potatoes in an oven proof casserole dish
Pour the orange juice over the potatoes to coat, season to taste and
sprinkle over the almonds
Bake in a preheated 400°F oven until the almonds are brown and the
potatoes are fully cooked, about 20 to 30 minutes
Serve and garnish
Notes:
Serve with an entrée
The almonds can be tosted ahead of time and sprinkled on the potaoes
after they are baked and before service
Can be garnished with chopped parsley
Ingredients:
1/4 C. Brandy
1 T. Fresh thyme, chopped
1/2 teaspoon Ground cloves
1/4 C. Finely minced onion
1/2 t. White pepper
1/2 t. Salt
4 oz. Bacon
1 1/2 Lbs. Ground turkey
6 Egg whites
2 Feet sausage casings
Procedure:
Combine the brandy, thyme, cloves, onion, pepper and salt in a small
saucepan and place over medium heat. Cook for 3 minutes, then scrape into
the bowl of a food processor
Add the bacon and puree until smooth
Place the mixture in a mixing bowl, add the ground turkey and egg
whites and mix well
Stuff the mixture into casings or form into patties
Grill or cook the sausages and serve immediately
Notes:
For this sausage, the turkey should be 2 parts dark meat to 1 part
white meat. Ground turkey from the supermarket works well in this recipe
Serve with breakfast items
Ingredients:
6 Lbs. Fresh Turkey
1/2 C. Soya sauce
1 1/2 t. Ground ginger
2 Garlic clove, minced
1/2 C. Oil
2 T. Honey
1 1/2 t. Dry mustard
Procedure:
Cut turkey into pieces as follows; 2 wings, 2 drumsticks, 2 thighs, 4
breast pieces and 4 back pieces
Combine the oil, soya sauce, honey, ginger, mustard and garlic to form
a marinate. Marinate the turkey in the soya mixture for at least 2 hours
in a refrigerator
Drain the turkey pieces, reserving marinade
Place the drumsticks, thighs and breast pieces 6 to 8 inches abouve
medium hot coals. Grill for 30 minutes, turning accasionally
Add the wings and back pieces. Grill for another 30 minutes, turning
occaisionally. Baste with the marinade and grill until the turkey is
tender, about 20 minutes
Serve and garnish
Notes:
Serve on a bed of rice pilaf and with vegetables
Can be garnished with sprigs of fresh herbs, onion curls, etc.
Chicken can be used in place of the turkey
Ingredients:
2 c. Golden raisins
2 C. Currants
2 C. Dried apricot halves
2 C. Dried figs, halved
1 C. Pitted prunes
1 C. Pitted dates
4 c. Walnuts, in large pieces
2 C. Pecans, in large pieces
3 Grated orange zest
3 Grated lemon zest
1/2 C. Candied ginger, chopped
2 t. Cinnamon
1 t. Ground allspice
1 t. Mace
1/2 t. Cloves
1 C. Molasses
2 C. Brandy (or substitute apple juice or water)
1/2 C. Orange liqueur (or orange juice)
4 C. All-purpose flour
1 T. Baking powder
1 t. Baking soda
1 1/2 t. Salt
1 Lbs. Butter
3 C. Dark brown sugar
8 Eggs
1 T. Vanilla extract
Procedure:
The day before combine all dried fruits, nuts and zest in a mixing
bowl. Add the candied ginger and the spices and toss well to mix. Add
molasses and liquids and mix well. Cover and let stand overnight at room
temperature
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 275°F. Grease 4 (9 by 5 by 3
inch) loaf pans, line them with waxed paper and grease the paper. Coat
lightly with flour
Sprinkle 1 cup flour over the fruit mixture and stir it
Combine the remaining 3 cups of flour with baking powder, baking soda
and salt and sift them together on a sheet of waxed paper
Cream the butter, add the brown sugar and beat well. Add eggs, 2 at a
time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla. Add all the dry
ingredients and beat until batter is blended and smooth
Pour the batter over the fruit, mix well until everything is coated
with batter. Divide batter among loaf pans, filling to 1/2 inch below the
top
Bake for 2 hours. Don't worry if they crack on top. Cakes are done
when a straw inserted in the center comes out clean
Remove from the pans and allow to cool on wire racks
Notes:
Traditional winter holiday cakes made with an assortment of candied
fruit, nuts, spices and usually liquor or brandy. Fruitcakes can have a
moderate amount of cake surrounding the chunky ingredients, or usually
enough to hold the fruits and nuts together. dark fruitcakes are generally
made with molasses or brown sugar and dark liquor such as bourbon. Dark
coloured fruits and nuts, such as prunes, dates, raisins and walnuts, may
also contribute to the blend. Light fruitcakes are generally made with
grulated sugar or light corn syrup ans light ingredients such as almonds,
dried apricots, golden raisins, etc. Fruitcakes are baked slowly and,
after cooling, usually covered with a cheesecloth moistened with liquor or
brandy and tightly wrapped in foil. Stored in this manner, they have
tremendous staying power and, providing they are occasionally remoistened,
can be kept for years
Ingredients:
4 Eggs, separatd
3/4 C. Sugar, divided
1 T. Vegetable oil
1 t. Almond extract
2/3 C. Cake flour, sifted
1 t. Baking powder
1/4 t. Salt
2 T. Powdered sugar
Mocha Buttercream Froting
Ingredients for Mocha Buttercream Froting:
1/2 C. Butter, softened
5 C. Powdered sugar, sifted
1/3 C. Cocoa
1/4 to 1/2 C. Cold strong coffee
2 t. Vanilla
Procedure fpr Tule Log:
Brush the bottom and sides of a 15 by 10 inch jellyroll pan with
vegetable oil and line with wax paper, oil and flour that wax paper and
set aside
Beat egg yolks at high speed with an electric mixer until thick and
pale, gradually add 1/4 cup sugar, beating constantly. Add 1 Tablespoon
oil and almond extract, stirring well
Beat egg whites until foamy and gradually add remaining 1/2 cup sugar,
beating until stiff but not dry. Fold the whipped egg whites into the yolk
mixture
Combine flour, baking powder, salt and gradually fold into the egg
mixture
Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan
Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 8 minutes or until the center
of cake springs back when touched
Sift the powdered sugar in a 15 by 10 inch rectangle on a cloth towel.
When the cake is done, immediately loosen it from sides of pan, and turn
out onto a clean towel. Carefully peel of the wax paper. Starting at the
narrow end, roll the cake and towel together, jelly roll fashion, cool
completely on a wire rack, seam side down
Unroll the cake, spread with 1 cup of the Mocha Buttercream Frosting
and carefully reroll without the towel. Place, seam side down, on a
serving plate. Spread remaining frosting over cake
Diagonally cut a 1 inch slice from 1 end of cake, and place against
top center of cake to resemble the knot of a tree. Score frosting with
fork tines to resemble bark
Chill at least 1 hour. Garnish, if desired
Procedure for Mocha Buttercream Frosting:
Beat the butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.
Add the powdered sugar, cocoa, 1/4 cup coffee, and vanilla, beating well
Add enough remaining coffee to reach desired spreading consistency
Use in conjunction with the yule log recipe
Notes:
The mocha buttercream frosting can be used to ice other cake recipes
Can be garnished with cocoa, holly leaves,and cranberry
There is a custom that on Christmas Eve an enormous log of freshly cut wood called the Yule log would be fetched and carried to the house with great ceremony. On Christmas Eve, the master of the house would place it on the hearth, make libations by sprinkling the trunk with oil, salt and mulled wine and say suitable prayers. In some families, the young girls of the house lit the log with splinters from the preceding year which they had carefully tucked away. In other families, the mother had this privilege. It was said that the cinders of this log could protect the house from lightning and the malevolent powers of the devil. Choices about the variety of wood, the way in which it was lit and the length of time it took to burn constituted a genuine ritual which could vary from region to region