Holiday Treats

Each family has it's own holiday traditions.  One of my family's favorites is my grandfather's stuffing.  We enjoy it every  Thanksgiving and Christmas.  It has a lot of ingredients and prep but is well worth the effort. Even people that claim they don't enjoy stuffing loved this recipe.  It is very savory.   It used to take mom three days to prep but with the use of food processors and modern convenience I have been able to simplify without loosing any of the flavor.  If this is a first time venture, my best advice is to read all recipes twice, purchase the ingredients three days in advance and have everything prepped before assembly.  It becomes easier each time you prepare it. 

Savory Dressing
 I usually use two loaves of country white with the crusts cut off, cubed and dried.  You can toast at 325 degrees for 20-25 minutes.  Some stores have breads already cubed and dried.  I cut it 4 days in advance and  let it get stale on cooking tray.  I suggest making dressing one day in advance.  Remove giblets from turkey at this time.  This is prepared when we are serving turkey but pairs well with a beef roast or beef tenderloin.  You need giblets.  You can buy them separately if you aren't preparing turkey but I recommend serviing with the bird.

2 loaves of dried cubed bread, crusts removed
4-5 cups of chicken stock (low sodium)
1 1/2 lb of chopped, crimini mushrooms
3 ribs of finely cubed celery
2 finely diced onions
1 1/2 sticks of real butter
2 T. poultry seasoning
1 bunch of minced parsley
5 beaten eggs
1 T. sea salt
fresh cracked pepper
1/2 t. white pepper
simmer  giblets and neck from turkey in stock for 45 minutes, let cool and mince finely(save your stock!)  Prep and measure everything first.  Melt one third of the butter over medium heat, saute onions ten min till soft,  then saute celery in 1/3 of butter till translucent, and repeat with mushrooms.  I do each veg separate ...then set aside.
Preheated oven at 350 degrees

I assemble in the bottom of a roaster tray because it is easier to mix together.  Place bread cubes on bottom, add all the veg, seasonings, eggs, giblets and parsley.  Add stock a cup at a time. It should be wet and texture of mashed potatoes.   It should be very wet.  Place mixture in a buttered 13x9 casserole dish.  Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes till light brown on top.

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.The Snow is Falling here.  Beautiful day to bake my Christmas Cookies.  I usually make four to five varieties and put in gift tins and deliver as gifts.

Cookies...Rugelach, an old German recipe that I have simplified.  Most of the work is just getting ingredients laid out.  Super easy!  Make it like an assembly line.

Ingredients
2 premade pie crusts (Pillsbury-rolled out) thaw in fridge if frozen
1/4 apricot preserves (mix with 1 T hot water to thin)
1/4 c sugar (mix with cinnamon)
1 t. cinnamon
2 T melted butter (cooled)
4 T raisins
4 T. ground pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Roll out dough, brush on 1 T. melted butter per crust
spread on 2 T apricot preserves, sprinkle 2 T cinnamon sugar mixture), sprinkle on 2 T ground nuts, sprinkle on 2 T. raisins per crust.  Take rolling pin and gently roll over to press ingredients into crust.
Cut into 12 triangle wedges (like you would cut a pizza), roll into crescent.  Brush with egg wash and sprinkle additional cinnamon sugar on top.  Bake for 20 minutes on parchment paper lined jelly roll tray (cookie tray).  Let cool on cooling rack.  When cool ...dust with confectioner's sugar. Baking tip:  I purchased silpat silicon.  they replace parchment paper.  They are professional grade. $20 each but they can be washed in dishwasher and in the long run are far cheaper than parchment paper.  Cookies never stick to silpat and aid in heat distribution.

Rugelach cookies

Chocolate Chip with Dried Cherry Nut Cookie

Ingredients:
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 sticks room temp unsalted butter
 1 t fine salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 beaten eggs
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup finely chopped pecans
2 cups diced dried cherries
2 1/4 c. all purpose flour
1 t. baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, line two cookie pans with silpat sheets or parchment paper.
Measure out all ingredients first.  In mixer, cream together butter, sugar, vanilla.  Add eggs and blend together.  In another bowl combine all dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking soda).  Add 1/3 cup of flour at a time and mix till it forms a dough.  Then mix in chocolate chips, nuts and cherries by hand with a large spoon,  Using a medium cookie scoop or a tablespoon...drop in mounds two inches apart and bake for 11 minutes.  Cool on cooling racks and repeat.   Recipe makes about three dozen cookies.  The cherries make the cookies super moist.  Store in large plastic airtight container.  They keep well for about two weeks.