Main Course & Trimmings

Brussel Sprouts
(serves 4)

12-16 brussel sprouts
2 quarts water
2 tbs. salt
1 tbs. olive oil
2 garlic cloves chopped
2-4 strips of bacon

Remove outer layer of brussel sprout.
Add water and salt to pot, bring to boil.
Add brussel sprouts and gently boil until tender - approximately 10-15 minutes.
Remove from heat and drain water well.
In skillet, heat olive oil until hot. Chop bacon, sauté until lightly browned.
Add garlic and continue sautéing until lightly browned.
Add brussel sprouts and sauté lightly. Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately.

Roast Goose With Port Gravy

1 (12 pound) fresh goose
3 onions
2 stalks celery
4 slices French bread
2 carrots
1 cup boiling water
1 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup tawny port wine
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups chicken broth
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste

1. Remove loose fat from goose. Remove neck, cut into large pieces, and reserve. Rinse goose inside and out, and pat dry. Pierce skin of goose all over, and season with salt and pepper.
2. Loosely pack neck cavity with enough bread to fill. Fold neck skin under body, and fasten with a small skewer. Quarter 1 onion and cut celery into 2" lengths, and place inside the body cavity of the goose. Tie legs together loosely with kitchen string, or insert legs through slit in lower skin flap. Place goose, breast side up, on a rack set in a deep roasting pan.
3. Cut remaining 2 onions in quarters and carrots into 2 inch pieces. Scatter onion and carrot pieces, neck pieces, and giblets in roasting pan. Roast goose at 425 degrees C (220 degrees) in the middle of the oven for 30 minutes.
4. Reduce temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) and carefully pour boiling water over goose. Continue roasting goose, skimming off fat and basting with pan juices every 20 minutes. Cook for 2 to 2 1/2 hours , or until a meat thermometer inserted in fleshy part of thigh registers 175 degrees F (80 degrees C). When done, the juices should run clear when thigh is pierced with a skewer.
5. Transfer goose to a heated platter, remove string and skewers. Keep goose warm, loosely covered with foil, until ready to serve.
6. With a slotted spoon remove and discard vegetables, neck pieces, and giblets from pan. Spoon fat from pan juices, and reserve. Deglaze pan with white wine and port over moderately high heat; scraping up brown bits. Add chicken broth, and boil mixture until reduced by about half. Combine 1/4 cup reserved fat and flour; whisking to prevent lumps. Add to pan and bring gravy to a boil, whisking constantly. Turn down heat. Simmer gravy, whisking frequently, for 5 minutes or until thickened. Season gravy with salt and pepper. Transfer gravy to a heated sauceboat.

Turkey Soup

There is nothing better than soup made from the carcass of the Christmas turkey. Begin by making the stock.

Making Stock
1) Remove all the usable meat from the carcass, save for making sandwiches later or for adding to the soup.
2) Put the bones and skin into a large stock pot and cover with water. Add any drippings that weren't used to make gravy, add slices of celery and onion, and any giblets (except liver) that haven't been used already.
3) Add 1 tsp of salt, 1/2 tsp of pepper. This seasoning depends on how big your turkey is. You can always add more to the soup later.
4) Bring to a boil and then reduce to a high simmer.
5) Simmer uncovered at least 4 hours, occassionally skimming off the foam that comes to the surface.
6) Remove the bones and strain the stock.
7) If making stock for future use in other recipes you may want to reduce the stock by simmering a few hours longer to make it more concentrated and easier to store.

Making the Turkey Soup
Add chopped carrots, onions, and celery in equal parts. Add some parsley, a couple cloves of garlic. You can add rice, noodles or barley. Shred meat you saved when making stock into bite sized pieces and add to the soup. Add poultry seasoning, sage, thyme, marjoram to taste and/or a bouillion cube. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Turkey Stuffing

1/2 pound dried bread
1 peeled onion
3 celery stalks
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup fresh, packed parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons dried sage
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
2/3 cup chicken stock
pepper
 
In food processor fitted with steel blade, break 3 or 4 slices bread into bowl at a  time and process to coarse crumbs adding to large bowl.
Slice onion,cellery and mushrooms into small pieces.
Heat butter in skillet and add vegetables, mushrooms,pine nuts and seasonings; cook over low heat, about 10  minutes. Add to bread crumbs and mix well. Combine beaten egg and stock, mix into bread crumbs.
Line turkey cavity with cheesecloth, then add stuffing, tieing ends of cheesecloth together to make a bag. When turkey is done remove cheeesecloth bag and empty into serving bowl.

Desserts & Sauces

Brandy Cream Sauce

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
3 egg yolks
5 tablespoons cream
2 tablespoons brandy
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon grated orange rind

Cook sugar and water over slow heat and allow to boil slowly for 10 minutes from the time it starts to boil. Beat egg yolks until thick and lemon color, add cream, salt, orange rind and brandy. Add the boiled sugar and water, slowly, beating constantly until the sauce thickens.

Christmas Fruitcake

1/2 cup small mixed candied cherry mix
1/2 cup dried currants or raisins
1/2 cup Myers dark rum
1/2 cup unsifted cake flour
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup unsulfured molasses
2 tablespoons milk
Note: For a sweeter cake replace 2 tablespoons of molasses with light corn syrup

Prepare in a 3-cup plain cake pan and decorate with rolled marzipan, or in a Bundt-style muffin tin. The batter makes 12 little cakes, baked for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 325 F.

At least 24 hours ahead, spray your food processor with cooking spray and mince the candied fruit and citron. Soak mixture with the raisins in 1/4 cup rum covered tightly and stored at room temperature.

In a small bowl, whisk the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and then the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the molasses and milk. Add candied fruit mixture with the soaking rum and beat until blended. Batter will be slightly curdled. Scrape batter into a greased and floured pan and bake 40-45 minutes or until it springs back when lightly touched and tester comes out clean

Let cool in pan for 10 minutes and then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of rum.

Moisten a piece of cheesecloth with 1 tablespoon rum. Place cheesecloth on plastic wrap, unmold cake onto it, and sprinkle top with remaining 1 tablespoon rum. Wrap top and sides of hot cake with cloth and wrap. Cool to room temperature then wrap in foil. Keep airtight.

Serve at room temperature, cut into thin slivers with hard sauce.

Gingerbread Men

3 1/2 c. flour; divided
1 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1 c. brown sugar; packed
1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup molasses
1 egg
2 t. ginger
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. allspice

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and spices. In a second bowl cream together butter, molasses and egg, stir in dry mix; dough will be stiff. Cover and refrigerate one hour. Roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness on a lightly floured surface, adding additional flour if dough is too sticky. Cut with cookie cutters and place on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Makes 5 to 6 dozen cookies.

Grandma's Ginger Bread

2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted before measuring
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup molasses
1 egg
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup hot water

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine by sifting together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and spices. Stir in melted butter, molasses, egg, and buttermilk. Beat in hot water.

Pour batter into a 8-inch square pan, generously greased and floured.
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until cake springs back when lightly touched with finger.

Serve gingerbread with whipped cream.

English Plum Pudding

1/2 lb. Stale Bread Crumbs
1 cup Scalded Milk
1/4 lb. Sugar
4 Eggs
1/2 lb. Raisins, seeded, cut in pieces, and floured
1/4 lb. Currants
1/4 lb. Finely Chopped Figs
2 oz. Finely Cut Citron
1/2 lb. Suet
1/4 cup Wine and Brandy mixed
1/2 Grated Nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/3 teaspoon Clove
1/3 teaspoon Mace

Soak bread crumbs in milk, letting stand until cool, add sugar, beaten egg yolks , raisins, currants, figs, citron, chopped suet, and cream, combine mixture by hand, then add wine, brandy, nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, mace, and whites of eggs beaten stiff. Turn into buttered mould, cover, and steam six hours.

Rum Hard Sauce

1/2 cup soft light brown sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 cups cream
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup dark rum
Heat sugar, cornstarch and salt. Gradually stir in milk and butter, heating until thick and creamy.
Stir in the spice and rum, pour into a sauceboat, reheat at serving time.
Makes 2 cups.

Scottish Shortbread

1 cup butter
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Mix and pat into a 9-inch pie pan. Prick with a fork. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes. Cut in wedges while warm.

Whipped Shortbread

3 cups flour
1 cup icing sugar
1 cup corn starch
1 lb. butter (room temp.)

Mix well, knead, use a cookie press to put on ungreased cookie sheet.
Decorate with candied fruit or gum drops.
Bake at 320 degrees F for 15 minutes.

Eggnog Bread

Makes 1 loaf, you may want to double recipe.

Granulated sugar 1 cup
1 egg
Butter or margarine melted 1/4 cup
Eggnog 1 1/2 cups
All-purpose flour 3 cups
Baking powder 1 tbsp.
Salt 1 tsp.
Cinnamon 1/2 tsp.
Nutmeg 1/2 tsp.
Chopped pecans 2/3 cup
Cut glazed fruit mix 1 cup

Beat sugar and egg in mixing bowl, then beat in melted butter, add eggnog, mix.

Sift flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg into mixture, stir until moistened.

Mix in pecans and fruit, turn into greased 9 X 5 X 3 loaf pan. Bake in 350 degree oven for about 1 hour until wooden tooth pick comes out clean when inserted. Turn out onto rack to cool.

Birdhouse Ornament

This ornament is made from a 1 1/2" length of 3/4" X 3/4" outside corner molding and a 1" length of 3/4" square stock. Drill a 3/16" entrance hole in the front of the square part. Paint the two parts contrasting colours then glue them together, insert a small screw eye to hang it with string.

Dollar Nuts

Clean out the insides of the walnut, place a folded up dollar bill inside and glue the shells back together. Glue a string loop at the top and hang them on the tree to give to visiting children.

Slips of paper with maps to hidden treasures may be substituted and placed on the dinner table at each place setting to be cracked open after dinner.

Egg Carton Bells

Cut an egg carton into separate cups to make the bells, decorate with bright Christmas colours. Tie a small metal bell or bead to one end of a six inch length of string, make another knot about one inch above the bell or bead, punch a hole through the top of the bell and thread string through it. Make a loop in the other end of the string to hang it on the tree.

Cut from thin wood, 1/4" thick or less, heart may be cut out from mitten, or cut one out of contrasting material and glue it to mitten. May be painted, or left natural. Another alternative is to leave it natural and with a wood burning tool add the heart and perhaps a child's name to it. Drill a hole at the top to loop a length of yarn through.

Stocking

Cut from thin wood, 1/4" thick or less, heart may be cut out from stocking, or cut one out of contrasting material and glue it on. May be painted, or left natural. Another alternative is to leave it natural and with a wood burning tool add the heart and perhaps a child's name to it. Drill a hole at the top to loop a length of yarn through.

Tiny Knitting Baskets

Make a cute Christmas ornament that looks like a knitting basket from half a walnut shell. Glue both ends of a length of yarn to the bottom of the shell for a hanger. Wind up little balls of different coloured yarn and glue into the shell. Stick in a couple ball head pins for knitting needles.