Christmas Recipes

[rousseau]

I recall a while back Jimmy Higgins mentioning that he makes a point to do a lot of cooking around the holidays for the sake of his daughter - wanting her to have the memory of good food when she's older. I like this idea but have never done much holiday themed baking or cooking myself.

Our tot is still a tot, though, so this year I'd like to compile some ideas from others to put in store for later years:

Which recipes do you tend to make around the holidays? I'm primarily interested in sweets and desserts but will leave the floor open for anything you think is worthwhile to make. Entire recipes not necessary - just the dish itself will also suffice

 

[bigfield]

My partner makes gingerbread biscuits.

 

[James Brown]

Yes, we have Christmas baking traditions, and my adult son looks forward to them. We make:

* Puppy Chow
* White Trash
* Red Velvet Cake
* Chocolate-Dipped Pretzels

 

[ideologyhunter]

There's a book in the old Time/Life cooking set called The Cooking of Scandinavia, and in there is a recipe for the best holiday bread ever, Norwegian Christmas bread, also known as julekake. Wonderful stuff! It's a yeast bread with cardamom as the dominant spice and candied fruit mixed in. I haven't made it in years (too lazy) but it's a treat. (And don't let the candied fruit fool you: it's nothing like a heavy, clotted hunk of fruitcake.) I just looked up some online recipes and the two that look most similar to Time/Life's are the ones at Betty Crocker and at a site called The Spruce Eats. With one crucial difference, though: Time/Life has you drizzle frosting back and forth over the top of the loaf, and that really sets it off. It goes superbly with coffee. Damn, I think I've talked myself into making some julekake this year.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Soft Gingerbread Pretzels are unique. But, I've only actually made them well once, out of four tries. First failed to rise when I premade the dough and fridged it over night. Second time worked. Third time, not much rise, technically edible, but had to be quick before it hardened. Fourth time, failed to rise.

I've made peppermint candy too. Just have the right thermometer (a precise working one!).

And don't forget the beverages, hot cocoas are nice.

My wife usually makes the cookies and raisin bars (bleh... I don't like raisins in baked goods).

 

[TV and credit cards]

My grocery has Stollen this time of year. Usually it's a pretty good bread. This year it's scones. Not as good. I guess you can play fast and loose with what spices, nuts, and fruit you want. I like powdered sugar on a not overly sweet bread, it's a great tea accompaniment.

 

[ideologyhunter]

That reminds me...Lebkuchen, the wonderful gingerbread cookies from Germany!! The best way to get a bit chubby over Christmas.

 

[gmbteach]

Trifle.

Christmas cake - a rich fruit cake.

Christmas pudding.

Sometimes I will make stained glass jelly too.

 

[ZiprHead]

My grandmother had a GREAT sugar cookie recipe. I've checked with the family members that got her recipe books and boxes. None of them say they have it although I distinctly remember my sister bragging that she had it. Now she says she doesn't. I'm afraid it's gone forever.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

I made this once. I loved how it looked. Didn't care how it'd taste. Which is good, because it didn't taste that great. Wasn't bad, but... wasn't great. I felt guilty about making a jello mold, but I just like the color. FYI, that pic isn't mine.



Big Xmas Eve cooking day. White bread for French Toast Cube bake, peppermint patties, maybe peppermint candies, might make some easy white chocolate soldiers. That actually doesn't sound too busy actually... well, I do have the croissants too. Probably whip the butter Wednesday Night, then get that dough started in the morning... fuck... I only have so much proofing space. Hmm... looks like White bread is shifting to afternoon then.

 

[crazyfingers]

My daughter has been isolating at my mother's unoccupied house as a waypoint between leaving college dorms and coming home for xmas and winter break.

She reports finding a christmas sugar cookies recipe from at least circa 1850 hand written by my great great great grandmother. It calls for dough to be chilled in the snow. It also has ingredients common then but not so common now. She will make some for xmas. I'm looking forward to experiencing a 170+ year old cookie recipe.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

My daughter has been isolating at my mother's unoccupied house as a waypoint between leaving college dorms and coming home for xmas and winter break.

She reports finding a christmas sugar cookies recipe from at least circa 1850 hand written by my great great great grandmother. It calls for dough to be chilled in the snow. It also has ingredients common then but not so common now. She will make some for xmas. I'm looking forward to experiencing a 170+ year old cookie recipe.

If you can, you have to share that! I'd love to see it. Jebus... butter cookies were probably a delicacy back then. Croissants more possible as that is just yeast, flour, and butter, but lots of time.

I remember making a couple recipes in my teen years from my Grandmothers cookbook... as in, it was probably my grandmother's mother's cookbook. Driest cake ever! Could have put a slice in a glass of milk, and it'd likely sucked it all up and still been dry. My mother probably still has that cookbook. I need to go rummaging for it next time I'm over there.

[/derail... it was all crazyfinger's fault! ]

 

[crazyfingers]

My daughter has been isolating at my mother's unoccupied house as a waypoint between leaving college dorms and coming home for xmas and winter break.

She reports finding a christmas sugar cookies recipe from at least circa 1850 hand written by my great great great grandmother. It calls for dough to be chilled in the snow. It also has ingredients common then but not so common now. She will make some for xmas. I'm looking forward to experiencing a 170+ year old cookie recipe.

If you can, you have to share that! I'd love to see it. Jebus... butter cookies were probably a delicacy back then. Croissants more possible as that is just yeast, flour, and butter, but lots of time.

I remember making a couple recipes in my teen years from my Grandmothers cookbook... as in, it was probably my grandmother's mother's cookbook. Driest cake ever! Could have put a slice in a glass of milk, and it'd likely sucked it all up and still been dry. My mother probably still has that cookbook. I need to go rummaging for it next time I'm over there.

[/derail... it was all crazyfinger's fault! ]

I will. Her name was Temperance (Crocker) Parker. Old Cape Cod names.

I'm wondering what ingredients it has. My great great great grandfather was owner/captain of a 3 basted coastwise cargo schooner. He shipped ice from Maine down south and shipped cotton to the mills in New England. He probably could afford nice things.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Funny thing about cooking and family, I suffered a bit of anger during Xmas with my wife's extended family. I had made a Key Lime Pie, a Chocolate (not pudding or mousse) Pie, and a Pumpkin Pie. Her family? Ate the Bob Evans pies that an uncle and aunt brought up with them (something they did every year). I was aghast! I started cooking less and less food in subsequent years (I'd help in the kitchen, but wouldn't make other things), pretty much just baking bread. That family only knew what they did every year, and it was boring.

Post her parent's divorce and a new family attending, I baked three types of bread (White, Wheat, Whole Grain). I learned to stop caring after a while and not contribute after that. Then it became my place for Brunch and people had to eat the food I made.

 

[gmbteach]

I made this once. I loved how it looked. Didn't care how it'd taste. Which is good, because it didn't taste that great. Wasn't bad, but... wasn't great. I felt guilty about making a jello mold, but I just like the color. FYI, that pic isn't mine.

View attachment 30912

Big Xmas Eve cooking day. White bread for French Toast Cube bake, peppermint patties, maybe peppermint candies, might make some easy white chocolate soldiers. That actually doesn't sound too busy actually... well, I do have the croissants too. Probably whip the butter Wednesday Night, then get that dough started in the morning... fuck... I only have so much proofing space. Hmm... looks like White bread is shifting to afternoon then.

Stained glass jelly. I made it once too.

 

[crazyfingers]

My daughter has been isolating at my mother's unoccupied house as a waypoint between leaving college dorms and coming home for xmas and winter break.

She reports finding a christmas sugar cookies recipe from at least circa 1850 hand written by my great great great grandmother. It calls for dough to be chilled in the snow. It also has ingredients common then but not so common now. She will make some for xmas. I'm looking forward to experiencing a 170+ year old cookie recipe.

If you can, you have to share that! I'd love to see it. Jebus... butter cookies were probably a delicacy back then. Croissants more possible as that is just yeast, flour, and butter, but lots of time.

I remember making a couple recipes in my teen years from my Grandmothers cookbook... as in, it was probably my grandmother's mother's cookbook. Driest cake ever! Could have put a slice in a glass of milk, and it'd likely sucked it all up and still been dry. My mother probably still has that cookbook. I need to go rummaging for it next time I'm over there.

[/derail... it was all crazyfinger's fault! ]

My daughter copied it down but misplaced the original. It's somewhere in the house she says. It had better be! I value the old ancestor handwriting more than the recipe itself. She had better find it when we check out the house early next week.

 

[ideologyhunter]

I made this once. I loved how it looked. Didn't care how it'd taste. Which is good, because it didn't taste that great. Wasn't bad, but... wasn't great. I felt guilty about making a jello mold, but I just like the color. FYI, that pic isn't mine.

View attachment 30912

Big Xmas Eve cooking day. White bread for French Toast Cube bake, peppermint patties, maybe peppermint candies, might make some easy white chocolate soldiers. That actually doesn't sound too busy actually... well, I do have the croissants too. Probably whip the butter Wednesday Night, then get that dough started in the morning... fuck... I only have so much proofing space. Hmm... looks like White bread is shifting to afternoon then.

Looks a little like the British dessert called trifle. I made it once just to be 'Englishy'. Took it to a family gathering and the verdict was "It's...interesting." It was big, bland, creamy, and mushy. It satisfied my curiosity. Unless I'm ever in the UK again, I won't have a need to do trifle.

 

[rousseau]

Thanks for all the suggestions so far, I've started up a new Pinterest board. I'll tack on one recipe my parents made in my childhood that I enjoyed quite a bit:

Mars Bars Squares

They're a spin on Rice Krispie Squares, super easy to make, and everyone loves them. Melt butter / 4 - 6 Mars bars, mix with Rice Krispies, melt chocolate chips and top.

 

[gmbteach]

I made this once. I loved how it looked. Didn't care how it'd taste. Which is good, because it didn't taste that great. Wasn't bad, but... wasn't great. I felt guilty about making a jello mold, but I just like the color. FYI, that pic isn't mine.

View attachment 30912

Big Xmas Eve cooking day. White bread for French Toast Cube bake, peppermint patties, maybe peppermint candies, might make some easy white chocolate soldiers. That actually doesn't sound too busy actually... well, I do have the croissants too. Probably whip the butter Wednesday Night, then get that dough started in the morning... fuck... I only have so much proofing space. Hmm... looks like White bread is shifting to afternoon then.

Looks a little like the British dessert called trifle. I made it once just to be 'Englishy'. Took it to a family gathering and the verdict was "It's...interesting." It was big, bland, creamy, and mushy. It satisfied my curiosity. Unless I'm ever in the UK again, I won't have a need to do trifle.

That, my dear person, is definitely not a trifle.

A traditional trifle has cake soaked in liquor and set with jelly at the bottom, fruit and more layers of jelly above that. It usually has several layers. The final layer, in my family, is a milk jelly layer. The whole thing is then topped with custard or whipped cream, and sprinkles if you like, or glacé cherries or fresh fruit.

 

[gmbteach]

Bilby was given a ham by his boss, so apart from the obligatory sandwiches for lunch, I am now thinking up ways of using it.

Yesterday was a salad of cucumber, cherry tomatoes, chopped dill pickle and cubed ham.

Tonight is a hot version using potatoes, carrots, onions, mushrooms and diced ham, cooking in a mixture of spices and a little water. Should be nice.