Keeping Christ in Christmas

"Come and sit with Me for awhile. I want you to think about who I really am. I am the only Son of God. I was born completely human and yet I am completely God--all at the same time. This is a mystery that is beyond your understanding. Rather than trying to figure it out, do as the wise men did. They followed a spectacular star, and then they fell down in humble worship when they found me." from Jesus Calling, 365 Devotions For Kids

A cookfriend told me about this Fisher-Price nativity set some years ago. I immediately purchased one for my first grandchild. Now another of my children has a child old enough to begin the dialogue of wonderment of the Baby who came to save us and die for us. I purchased mine through Amazon Prime, and it was here in 2 days. Now it comes with music and lights! This little fellow was quite taken with his gift when he was here for a visit recently. Don't wait until Christmas to order yours for the wee people in your life. Get it now and put it in their little hands so that they can begin to develop a relationship with Jesus Christ who is the Reason for the Season.

Rolls For Royalty

"Bread is the king of the table, and all else is merely the court that surrounds the king. The countries are the soup, the meat, the vegetables, the salad... but bread is king." -- Louis Bromfield

The hardest concept about roll making is that it does take a bit of time, and we are busy people. However, the older I have gotten and the more I have deprived myself of "bread at dinner," I have come to the conclusion that when I am going to eat bread, I want it to be really worth it. So, it is worth it to me to put the time and effort into this delicacy. I will do shortcuts & timesavers in other parts of my meal whenever I can. This recipe was shared with me many years ago from a cookfriend, and the particular "loveknot" shape is from another cookfriend whose own rolls were the prettiest I have ever seen in my life. Ingredient check: leftover mashed potatoes work very well. You can premeasure any leftover mashed potatoes in 1 cup mounds, placing them on a cookie sheet and freezing until solid. Then place potato mounds in gallon zip bag. Make that freezer work! There, one step done. Secondly, don't use cheap honey. I buy local honey at the Farmers' Market. The national stuff is really just colored corn syrup. Not going in my rolls. Procedure check: if you want to do fresh rolls for your event, refrigerate dough after the kneading step covered with plastic wrap and a towel. Can sit here several days. Several hours before your serving time, set out dough to rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about an hour or so. Then proceed with shaping rolls and allowing to rise again as stated below. 
I am ROLLING out the red carpet for my precious family who is my royalty. Plenty of rolls for Thanksgiving. Start planning now to try these for your Christmas dinner. 

Potato Rolls

2 med. potatoes, peeled & quartered   ½ cup butter, melted           2 eggs, beaten           

2 pkgs. dry yeast                              1/4 cup shortening, melted   2 tsp. salt                       

1 tsp. sugar                                      ½ cup GOOD honey           about 6 ½ cups flour

                                                             

1. Cook potatoes in boiling water to cover 15 minutes or until tender. Drain, reserving 1 cup water; set potatoes aside. Cool water to 105°-115°. Stir yeast & sugar into water; let stand 5 min.

2.Mash enough potatoes to measure 1  cup; place in large mixing bowl.  Add butter, shortening, honey, eggs, salt, yeast mixture, & 2 ½ cups flour. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer 2 minutes.Change beater to dough hook, then gradually add remaining flour.

3.With dough hook in place, allow mixer to knead batter 8-10 min. Place in well-greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover & let rise in warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour until doubled in bulk.

4.Punch down dough. Divide into thirds. Shape each third into 15 balls. Place in 3 greased 9” round cakepans. Cover & let rise in warm place, free from drafts, 40-50 min. or until doubled. Bake 400° for 20-25 min. Yield: 45 rolls.

Note: Potato Rolls may be wrapped in alum. foil, then placed in freezer bag, & frozen for up to 2 months. To reheat, let thaw almost to room temperature, place in cakepans, cover with foil, & bake 400° for 10 min. or until thoroughly heated.

To make Libby's Loveknots:  divide dough in half, get 16 pieces (about pingpong ball size) out of each half. Roll out each piece like a skinny hot dog & tie into knot. One roll recipe will yield 32 nice-size rolls. Brush generously with melted butter when removing from oven. To freeze, place 4 cooled rolls on foil and wrap it well to cover. Freeze in gallon zip bags. All foil and bags can be reused.

Big Breakfast

It happens every time our family is together... we eat. A long-standing tradition is Big Breakfast. Though the dishes served vary from event to event, there are a few staples. Cheese grits, biscuits, sausage gravy, and Bloody Marys. I had a recent request for my Bloody Mary recipe, so someone else must be having in a breakfast bunch over the Thanksgiving weekend. Mimosas will also be available here, but for the "tailgate" types, here is my concoction. It really morphs into a mini-salad with all of the vitamin A and antioxidants packed into it with the tomato juice, citrus juice, and veggies. Any leftover can go right into your next pot of soup. For the virginal types, just leave out the vodka and enjoy the nutrition. Nevermind if we have all the fun.

Tailgate Bloody Marys 

from Birmingham Jr. League

1-46 oz. tomato juice                                                            

1 tsp. salt                                    

5 Tbsp. Worcestershire

1-46 oz. can V-8 juice (Zing Zang is my favorite)                                                          

1 tsp. black pepper                        

8-10 drops Tabasco (opt)

½ cup fresh lemon juice                                                            

2 tsp. celery seed                                    

vodka to taste (opt)

¼ cup fresh lime juice                                                            

1 Tbsp. prepared horseradish            

Garnishes: Celery stalks with leaves, marinated green beans, marinated carrots (Kroger or Harris Teeter), lemon and lime wedges, large green olives

 

Combine first nine ingredients. Add Tabasco, if desired. Refrigerate up to 48 hrs.

Just before serving, pour vodka into individual glasses and add mix.  

Pumpkin Pie

You know it must be a good pie if the baby child of the family comes home with recipe-in-hand. Her best friend's grandmother makes this particular variation of pumpkin pie, and it has been adopted into our family tradition. It is nice to have the 3 pies to spread over the eat-a-thon which, at our house, spans at least a week. I keep the batter in the refrigerator and bake pies as needed over the course of the week since I really like my pumpkin pie warm and fresh. 

Nanny’s Pumpkin Pie

2 lg. cans Libby’s Pumpkin Pie Mix

4 cans Borden’s Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk

½ tsp. pumpkin pie spice

6 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

Beat eggs, mix in remaining ingredients. Bake 45 min. or so. on 350. Will be slightly jiggly still when done. Allow to sit on counter an hour before slicing. Makes 3 pies.

                                                                                                                                   

A Surprise Ingredient

If you have never baked with Heath Brickle Bits, allow me to introduce you to a scrumptious little morsel. Found in the grocery aisle near the chocolate chips, they are little toffee crunchies that morph into something amazing in these Pecan Pie Bars. A delectable treat any time of the year, the bars are a nice variation for Thanksgiving with so many pies around (is that really ever a problem?)! Crust and filling mixed all in the same bowl, too. How much easier can that be? 

Pecan Pie Bars

2 cups flour

½ cup confectioners’ sugar

1 cup cold butter 

1-14 oz. Eagle Brand Condensed Milk

1-6oz. pkg. Hershey's Heath Brickle Bits

1 egg

1 cup chopped pecans

1 tsp. vanilla                       

                                   

In medium bowl, combine flour & sugar; cut in butter until crumbly. Press into 13x9 pan. Bake in preheated 350 oven for 15 minutes. In same bowl (no need to wash) combine Eagle Brand, egg & vanilla. Stir in brickle bits & pecans. Spread evenly over crust. Bake 25 min. until golden. Cool completely. Cut into bars. Store in refrigerator or freeze for later.

Turkey Tips

Over the years I have gathered information from several sources and have settled on this recipe for our turkey. Simply put, there is no way to a better turkey. Not bragging, just honest. Ask my family.  After a soak in a brine, the turkey is to be outfitted with this fresh herb paste. Using disposable gloves, the herb paste will be worked under the skin as much as possible, then everywhere else on the turkey. See below. Not only is the color going to be spectacular, the taste... well, let's just say, it is worth the bit of extra effort. Unconventional slicing allows the herb paste to be shared by as many as would like some.  Think of the breastbone down center of turkey. My husband uses an electric knife. I have him take knife parallel to bone (on each side) and cut away the entire breast half from each side as whole as possible. Then on cutting board, turn that breast piece 90 degrees from how it came off turkey and cut slices that way. See photo, particularly on the right of the platter. The breast meat will also go a bit further sliced this way, but the main reason is to share the delicious herb paste. The rest of the turkey is sliced as you always have. I also prefer a fresh turkey. I order mine from Fresh Market. Don't  be overwhelmed by the length of this blogpost. Take your time and proceed. You will be Turkey Terrific by the end of the day. And remember to check my blog from November 2011... do not throw out this beautiful turkey carcass... read blog from a year ago to find out what to do with it if you need information.

Herb Roasted Turkey & Gravy

1 fresh turkey, 12-14#, rinsed thoroughly  
1½ cups canning  salt    
1/3 cup brown sugar            

¼ cup Worcestershire                              
3 Tbsp. garlic powder            
1 Tbsp. pepper

1. Brine: Dissolve salt in 2 gallons cold water in large stockpot or clean bucket or cooler. Add remaining brine ingredients. Add turkey & refrigerate 2 days (keep ice floating in cooler).

2. Remove turkey from brine & rinse under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels inside & out, or place turkey breast side up on flat wire rack set over rimmed baking sheet & refrigerate, uncovered, 8-32 hours, depending on your time table. Before roasting, allow turkey to set on kitchen counter for 1-1 ½ hours.

3. Herb Paste: parsley, thyme, sage, rosemary, green onion, fresh garlic (pressed through press), zest from 1 lemon, ¼ tsp. salt, 1 tsp. pepper, 1 tsp. Dijon mustard, ¼ cup olive oil

Place herbs, onion, garlic, & lemon zest in Cuisinart & process until coarse paste, ten 2-second pulses. Add mustard & olive oil, processing until smooth paste. Transfer to small bowl.

4. Adjust oven rack to lowest position, heat oven to 400. Spray rack & pan with Pam. Wipe away any water collected on turkey which has been set on the counter for 1-1 ½ hrs; set turkey breast side up on baking sheet.

5. Using disposable gloves, carefully loosen skin from meat of breasts, thighs, & drumsticks. This gets easier when working in the herb paste. Using fingers, slip 1 ½ Tbsp. paste under all of these areas, over the entire turkey, and inside the cavity, flipping turkey to coat thoroughly; reapply any paste that falls on pan. Tuck wings & drumsticks.

6. Roast: breast side down on rack 1 hour at 400; remove turkey from oven & reduce heat to 325; turn turkey over & continue roasting for 2-2 ½ more hours until thickest part of thigh registers 170-175, or breast 165. Tent with foil during the latter part of cooking time when browned sufficiently. Transfer roasted turkey to carving board, keep covered with foil for warmth, allow to sit at least 30 minutes before carving.            
from Cooks Illustrated 11/05

Homemade Gravy

1/4 # (1 stick) unsalted butter                      

1 Tbsp. Cognac or brandy                                   

1 1/2 cups chopped onion (2 onions)                                             

1 Tbsp. white wine, opt.

1/4 c. flour                                                                        

1 Tbsp. heavy cream, opt.

1 tsp. kosher salt

defatted turkey drippings + chicken stock to make 2 cups, heated

1. In lg. saute pan (12"), cook butter & onions over med-high heat 12-15 min. until onions lightly browned. Don't rush this step; it makes a difference when onions are well-cooked.

2. Sprinkle flour into pan, whisk in, then salt & pepper. Cook 3 min. Add hot chicken stock mixture & Cognac & cook uncovered 4-5 min. until thickened. Add wine & cream, if desired. Season to taste. Makes 3 cups gravy.                from Barefoot Contessa

The Hive

“I don’t feel very much like Pooh today," said Pooh.

"There there," said Piglet. "I’ll bring you tea and honey until you do.” 
― A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

Beehive: a crowded, busy place

As I prepare for my hive to be full for Thanksgiving, I am reminded of the tremendous blessing of being Honey. As my father said two nights before he died, "I feel such joy." May all who read this experience that joy as the bees begin to swarm in your home.