Christmas Pie

I've been busy baking all month and it looks like my son wanted to get in on all the fun. He created this special dish for our breakfast tomorrow. Oh how I can't wait to dig into this! If you'd like to replicate it, mix together (in no particular order) oranges, bananas, cinnamon, candy canes, milk, green food coloring, raspberries, salt, sugar, bread, carrots, marshmallows, and collard greens.

Stollen (German Christmas Bread)

My husband served a mission in Germany. He loves German food and one of his favorites was stollen. After we got married, I looked at many recipes of stollen to try and make some for him. The authentic ones are all a little time intensive, but I found this one in Good Housekeeping that is quite simple. Floyd's analysis of the bread - good, but real stollen is a drier and harder. Since neither of those are necessarily qualities I desire in bread, I will stick with this one.

Stollen

2 1/3 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter or margarine, cold
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup dried fruit (I use Craisins), finely chopped
1/3 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp grated lemon peel
2 eggs
powdered sugar

Stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Use a pastry blender or two knives to cut in butter until it resembles fine crumbs. Stir in ricotta, dried fruit, pecans, vanilla, lemon peel, and eggs until well combined. Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead until blended. Roll dough into an oval shape (approximately 8"x10"). Fold the dough in half lengthwise, allowing the bottom half of the dough to extend about 1". Bake on a greased cookie sheet at 325 degrees for 50-60 minutes. Before serving, sprinkle with powdered sugar to coat.

**Note - Sometimes I substitute almond extract for the vanilla and think it is good. I also never put the nuts in because we aren't nut people.**

OSM (Oat, Sunflower, Millet) Bread

I love to eat breakfast at the Bunnery in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. I especially love their OSM bread. After Barry and I went to Jackson this fall, I came home and searched the internet for a recipe for OSM bread. But to no avail. So, I made up my own. I think I've finally gotten it good enough to write it down! I'm posting it now because it's going to be great with the white chicken chili I'm making tonight, thanks to Kate's recipe!

OSM bread
2 1/4- 2 1/2 C. warm water
1 1/2 T. active dry yeast
1/2 C. honey
5/8 C. canola oil
1 T. salt
1/2 C. rolled oats
1/3 C. sunflower seeds
1/4 C. millet
6 C. whole wheat flour
1/2 C. white flour

Measure water into a large bowl. Add yeast and 3 C. flour and mix well. Cover and let rise 20 -30 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Knead for 8-10 minutes, until dough passes a windowpane test. (dough will stretch and look like a windowpane rather than tear.) Add flour or water as necessary--you want the dough to leave a little residue on your finger when tested, but not stick like glue. Cover and let rise until doubled (usually just over an hour for me). Shape into two loaves and place in pans. Allow to rise and double again. Bake about 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees.

If you're going to make this bread, or any other bread, I highly suggest you stop by my friend Camille's blog and read Connie's bread making tips--they've greatly helped my efforts! http://www.camilleskitchen.blogspot.com/

Creamy White Chili

My husband does not care for regular chili, but loves this. It is adapted from a recipe I found in Taste of Home a few years ago.

1 pound boneless skinless chicken, cubed or shredded
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp oil
2 cans (15 1/2 oz each) great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
2 cans (4 oz each) chopped green chilies
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whipping cream

In a large saucepan, saute chicken, onion, and garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add the beans, broth, chilies, and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 20-30 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and whipping cream.

Cream Fondant

I love this recipe. It comes from a lady in my parent's ward, Ileen. The only trouble is that my husband does not love chocolates, so I eat WAY too many. Luckily, my daughter seems to have inherited my sweet tooth, so it looks like I'll have a little help devouring these. So, here it goes:

3 cups sugar
1 cup whipping cream

Stir together and let sit for a few minutes.

Add 2 1/2 Tbsp. white corn syrup

Cook over medium heat until the mixture boils. When it boils, put a lid on for a few minutes and then wash down the sides with a pastry brush and warm water. Cook to 226 (see note below) on candy thermometer. Pour out to cool on counter or a marble block. Slice 2 Tbsp. butter over the fondant while it is still hot.

Allow it to cool for a few minutes and then beat with a wooden spatula until creamy.
Here are a few pictures of the progression from syrupy to creamy.

At some point while you are beating it, you will probably think you ruined it because it doesn't seem like anything is happening...

...and then it will suddenly change and you will be SURE you ruined it because it is so dry suddenly.
You just need to pick it up and start rolling it into balls once it reaches this stage and it will be just fine. Try to find any chunks and squash them out.


Once it is creamy, you can separate it into smaller amounts and flavor them. My favorites are rum and butter and peppermint. I also leave some of it plain to wrap around cherries. Once you have flavored the fondant, roll them into balls or logs or disks or whatever shape you choose. I do some of each so that I know which is which once they are dipped in chocolate.



At this point, they are ready to be dipped. There are lots of methods for melting the chocolate and dipping. Ileen used a double broiler. I prefer the microwave (just melt it slowly and stir it often), my fingers, and forks. It is not a pretty process...I'm still perfecting that part of candy making!

Note: 226 degrees is for sea level...if you don't live at sea level, watch for when the mixture reaches a full boil, take note of the temperature, and subtract the difference of that number and 212 from 226. So, if it boils at 205, the difference is 7 and you subtract 7 from 226 and cook the syrup to 219.

Edries's Fudge

I got this fudge recipe from my ninety-something neighbor, Edries. She makes the best fudge, candy and hand-dipped chocolates. When I lived at home we always fought over her Christmas plate!

4 C. Sugar
1 Can evaporated milk
1/4 c. butter
1 jar marshmallow creme (7 oz)
1 tsp. vanilla
2 pkg. milk chocolate chips, or 1 pkg chocolate chips and 1 large hershey bar

Bring sugar, milk, and butter to a boil over medium heat (stirring constantly). Cook to medium ball stage. Take pan off heat and beat in remaining ingredients. Pour into buttered 9x13 pan.

Vegetarian Chili

This is one of my favorite recipes. It's easy and fast, really good for you, and DELICIOUS! I often make this soup at the first of the week and then eat it every day for lunch.

1 T. olive oil
2C cholpped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 C water, divided
2 T. sugar
2 T. chili powder
2 T. worcestershire sauce
2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (15 1/2 oz) can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 0z) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained (I sometimes double the kidney beans)
1 (15 0z) can pinto beans, rinsed and drianed
1 (6 oz ) can tomato paste

1. Heat oil in a large dutch oven over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic; saute 3 minutes or until tender. Add 3 cups water and next 8 ingredients, stirring to combine.

2. Combine remaining cup of water and tomato paste in a bowl, stirring with a whisk until blended. Stir tomato paste mixture into bean mixture. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated through. Serve with shredded cheese, if desired.

* You can use any combination of beans that you like--cannellini, great northern, etc. These are just my favorites.

nutritional info per 1 1/2 C. soup (this is a good sized portion--very full bowl!) Calories 276; Fat 3.5 g (sat .3g, mono 1.3g, poly 1 g); Protein 12.7 g; Carb 49.7g; Fiber 14.7g; Chol 0g; iron 4.2 mg; Sodium 587 mg; calc 107 mg.

Original recipe published in Cooking Light (hence the nutritional info--no, I don't have a scientific analysis lab in the kitchen!)

Zuppa Toscano

Tuscan Soup, if you don't speak Italian. This is perfect for a cold night. If you opt for hot Italian sausage, omit or go really easy on the seasonings or it might be too spicy (especially if you have a husband like mine). Also, I usually only put about half as much cream as it calls for and think it is still yummy.

1 12-16 oz pkg pork sausage or hot Italian sausage
1 medium onion
2 cups chopped collard greens (optional)
64 oz chicken broth
1 T. garlic
6 russet potatoes
3/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 pint heavy cream or half and half
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot cook sausage, onion, and garlic. Fry until sausage is cooked. Break up sausage while cooking. When browned, drain fat. Add chicken broth, potatoes, and seasoning. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until potatoes are tender. Remove from heat and add cream. Heat through. Add collard greens just before serving.

Pumpkin Roll

This is my absolute favorite Thanksgiving dessert, and that's saying a lot because I LOVE pie. The instructions make it seem kind of tricky, but it's really not--don't let all the steps scare you off.

Ingredients:

CAKE
1/4 cup powdered sugar (to sprinkle on towel)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
FILLING
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Powdered sugar (optional for decoration)

Directions:FOR CAKE:PREHEAT oven to 375° F. Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan; line with wax paper. Grease and flour paper. Sprinkle a thin, cotton kitchen towel with powdered sugar. COMBINE flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle with nuts. BAKE for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. (If using a dark-colored pan, begin checking for doneness at 11 minutes.) Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool on wire rack. FOR FILLING:BEAT cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth. Carefully unroll cake. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Reroll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.

Some tips I've learned:

Pam with flour (especially for baking) or baker's joy cooking spray work even better than greasing and flouring and they're much easier. (don't use only regular pam, though--I've had trouble with the cake sticking.)

Be sure to put enough powdered sugar on the towel when rolling up the cake so it will not stick.

And most importantly: DO NOT use generic brand cream cheese. Only Philadelphia. Now I'm not above skimping and using generic brands of some items, but generic cream cheese absolutely ruins this dessert!! It makes the filling gluey instead of that nice, flaky, and dense mixture you want. I promise it's worth the extra money!

Also, I never use the nuts. I'm sure they'd be yummy, but I love nuts and my family hates nuts, hence I don't add them. I already eat most of the roll anyway, why set myself for disaster if I'm the only one eating it???