**Salted Almonds**
While dinner is cooking...let them knosh.
2 T butter
3 cups blanches whole almonds
2 tsp salt
Melt butter on rimmed baking sheet in 350F oven. Spread almonds on sheet; sprinkle with salt. Bake, stirring occasionally, for 15 - 20 minutes or until butterscotch-brown colour. With slotted spoon, remove to paper towels to drain and let cool.
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**Baked Mashed Squash**
2 butternut or Hubbard squash (4 lb/2 kg total)
1/4 cup butter
1/4 tsp nutmeg
salt and pepper
1 T packed brown sugar
Cut squash into half and seed. In baking dish, cover and bake squash in 325F oven for 50 - 60 minutes or until tender. (Or cover and microwave at HIGH fro 8 - 10 minutes; drain).
Remove from rind and mash or puree in food processor along with 3 T of the butter, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste. Spoon into greased 4 - cup baking dish; dot with remaining butter and sprinkle with sugar. (Recipe can be prepared up to this point, covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day; bring to room temperature before baking.) Bake uncovered, in 350F oven for 30 minutes or until hot throughout.
Serves 8
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**Roast Turkey with Bread Stuffing & Hector's Gravy**
The secret to the crisp, golden turkey skin is rubbing it in butter and basting often. This is my absolute favourite way to cook the turkey!!! Bake any extra dressing in a greased casserole for the last 40 minutes of roasting.
15 lb/6.75 kg turkey
salt and pepper
1/4 cup butter
Bread Stuffing:
1/2 cup butter
2 onions, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
1 T each crumbled dried sage and savory
1 tsp each salt, pepper, granulated sugar and dried thyme
12 cups stale bread cubes
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
Hector's Gravy:
1/4 cup flour
3 cups stock (made with giblets)
1 T apple jelly
1/4 tsp each dried sage, savory, marjoram and thyme
dash each Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce
In skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Cook onions, celery, sage, savory, salt, pepper, sugar and thyme stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes or until tender. In large bowl, toss together bread cubes, onion mixture, parsley; let cool. (Stuffing can be prepared and refrigerated up to 1 day).
Remove giblets and neck from turkey and use for stock. Rinse and pat turkey dry inside and out; sprinkle cavity lightly with salt and pepper. Fill neck cavity with stuffing; cover with neck skin and skewer to back. Stuff body cavity; tuck legs under band of skin or tie together with kitchen string.
Place turkey, breast side up, on greased rack in roasting pan. Spread butter over turkey; sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Tent with foil, dull side out, tucking in ends, and leaving sides open. Roast in 325F oven for 4 hours, basting every 30 minutes. Uncover and roast 1 hour longer or until juices run clear when turkey is pierced and thermometer registers 185F when inserted in thigh and 165F when inserted in stuffing. Transfer to platter, tent with foil and let stand for 30 minutes.
Hector's Gravy: Meanwhile, skim off fat in pan. Stir in flour, cook, stirring, over medium heat for 1 minute or until browned. Gradually whisk in stock, 1 cup at a time until desired consistency; bring to boil, stirring to scrape down brown bits.
Reduce heat to low; stir in apple jelly, sage, savory, marjoram, thyme, Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste; thin with more liquid if desired. Simmer over low heat, stirring often, for 5 - 10 minutes or until blended. Strain if desired. Serve with turkey.
Serves 8
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**McInnes Plum Pudding**
2 cups fine fresh bread crumbs
1/2 cup hot milk
3 oz ground suet
3 eggs beaten
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup strawberry jam
1 T grated orange rind
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tsp garted lemon rind
2 T lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp each cinnamon, ground cloves and nutmeg
3/4 cup each lexia raisins and sultana raisins
3/4 cup each chopped dates and figs
3/4 cup halved red cherries
3/4 cup diced candied pineapple
3/4 cup mixed candied peel
In bowl, stir breadcrumbs into milk; let cool. In large bowl, whisk together suet, eggs, sugar, molasses, jam, orange rind and juice, lemon rind and juice, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Whisk in bread mixture. Stir in raisins,dates, figs, cherries, pineapple and candied peel, mixing well.
Spoon into 8-cup greased heatproof pudding mould. Make wide pleat in large piece of waxed paper, place over mould. Cover with enough foil to press down side of mould, tie string tightly around mould.
Place on rack in large saucepan, pour in enough boiling water to come 2/3rds up sides. Cover and simmer over medium heat, adding water as needed to maintain level, for about 4 hours or until cake tester inserted in mixture comes out clean.
Let plum pudding stand for 15 minutes. Remove foil and paper, unmould pudding onto serving plate.
Makes 8 - 10 servings
Plum Pudding can be cooked, cooled, then wrapped and refrigerated for up to 2 months or frozen for longer storage.
To reheat in microwave, turn out onto microwaveable dish; invert large bowl over top and microwave at HIGH for 5 - 10 minutes or until hot.
To reheat on stove top, return pudding to mold; cover and steam as in recipe for 1 - 1-1/2 hours.
To flame, warm 1/4 cup brandy over medium-low heat until hot but not boiling. Remove from heat and carefully light edge with long matchstick; pour over pudding.
**Warm Brandied Sauce**
1 cup water
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 T cornstarch
2 T butter
2 T brandy
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt
In saucepan over medium-high heat, stir together water, sugar and cornstarch for 3 - 4 minutes or until boiling and thickened.
Remove sauce from heat. Stir in butter, brandy, vanilla and salt. (Sauce can be set aside for 2 hours, reheat gently, stirring occasionally).
Makes about 2 cups
**Christmas Vanilla Hard Sauce**
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup icing sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla
In bowl, beat butter until fluffy; gradually beat in sugar until blended. Blend in vanilla.
Transfer sauce to serving bowl. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.
Makes about 3/4 cup
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**Creamy Smooth Chocolate Sauce**
2 oz unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 T butter
3/4 cup 18% cream
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
pinch salt
1 tsp vanilla
In heavy saucepan and using whisk, melt chocolate with butter over low heat, whisking constantly.
Blend in cream, whisk in sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, for about 10 minutes or until slightly thickened.
Remove sauce from heat; stir in vanilla. (Sauce can be refrigerated in airtight container for up to 1 week)
Makes 2 cups
While dinner is cooking...let them knosh.
2 T butter
3 cups blanches whole almonds
2 tsp salt
Melt butter on rimmed baking sheet in 350F oven. Spread almonds on sheet; sprinkle with salt. Bake, stirring occasionally, for 15 - 20 minutes or until butterscotch-brown colour. With slotted spoon, remove to paper towels to drain and let cool.
******************************************************************************** ******************************************************************************** **********
**Baked Mashed Squash**
2 butternut or Hubbard squash (4 lb/2 kg total)
1/4 cup butter
1/4 tsp nutmeg
salt and pepper
1 T packed brown sugar
Cut squash into half and seed. In baking dish, cover and bake squash in 325F oven for 50 - 60 minutes or until tender. (Or cover and microwave at HIGH fro 8 - 10 minutes; drain).
Remove from rind and mash or puree in food processor along with 3 T of the butter, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste. Spoon into greased 4 - cup baking dish; dot with remaining butter and sprinkle with sugar. (Recipe can be prepared up to this point, covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day; bring to room temperature before baking.) Bake uncovered, in 350F oven for 30 minutes or until hot throughout.
Serves 8
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**Roast Turkey with Bread Stuffing & Hector's Gravy**
The secret to the crisp, golden turkey skin is rubbing it in butter and basting often. This is my absolute favourite way to cook the turkey!!! Bake any extra dressing in a greased casserole for the last 40 minutes of roasting.
15 lb/6.75 kg turkey
salt and pepper
1/4 cup butter
Bread Stuffing:
1/2 cup butter
2 onions, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
1 T each crumbled dried sage and savory
1 tsp each salt, pepper, granulated sugar and dried thyme
12 cups stale bread cubes
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
Hector's Gravy:
1/4 cup flour
3 cups stock (made with giblets)
1 T apple jelly
1/4 tsp each dried sage, savory, marjoram and thyme
dash each Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce
In skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Cook onions, celery, sage, savory, salt, pepper, sugar and thyme stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes or until tender. In large bowl, toss together bread cubes, onion mixture, parsley; let cool. (Stuffing can be prepared and refrigerated up to 1 day).
Remove giblets and neck from turkey and use for stock. Rinse and pat turkey dry inside and out; sprinkle cavity lightly with salt and pepper. Fill neck cavity with stuffing; cover with neck skin and skewer to back. Stuff body cavity; tuck legs under band of skin or tie together with kitchen string.
Place turkey, breast side up, on greased rack in roasting pan. Spread butter over turkey; sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Tent with foil, dull side out, tucking in ends, and leaving sides open. Roast in 325F oven for 4 hours, basting every 30 minutes. Uncover and roast 1 hour longer or until juices run clear when turkey is pierced and thermometer registers 185F when inserted in thigh and 165F when inserted in stuffing. Transfer to platter, tent with foil and let stand for 30 minutes.
Hector's Gravy: Meanwhile, skim off fat in pan. Stir in flour, cook, stirring, over medium heat for 1 minute or until browned. Gradually whisk in stock, 1 cup at a time until desired consistency; bring to boil, stirring to scrape down brown bits.
Reduce heat to low; stir in apple jelly, sage, savory, marjoram, thyme, Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste; thin with more liquid if desired. Simmer over low heat, stirring often, for 5 - 10 minutes or until blended. Strain if desired. Serve with turkey.
Serves 8
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**McInnes Plum Pudding**
2 cups fine fresh bread crumbs
1/2 cup hot milk
3 oz ground suet
3 eggs beaten
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup strawberry jam
1 T grated orange rind
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tsp garted lemon rind
2 T lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp each cinnamon, ground cloves and nutmeg
3/4 cup each lexia raisins and sultana raisins
3/4 cup each chopped dates and figs
3/4 cup halved red cherries
3/4 cup diced candied pineapple
3/4 cup mixed candied peel
In bowl, stir breadcrumbs into milk; let cool. In large bowl, whisk together suet, eggs, sugar, molasses, jam, orange rind and juice, lemon rind and juice, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Whisk in bread mixture. Stir in raisins,dates, figs, cherries, pineapple and candied peel, mixing well.
Spoon into 8-cup greased heatproof pudding mould. Make wide pleat in large piece of waxed paper, place over mould. Cover with enough foil to press down side of mould, tie string tightly around mould.
Place on rack in large saucepan, pour in enough boiling water to come 2/3rds up sides. Cover and simmer over medium heat, adding water as needed to maintain level, for about 4 hours or until cake tester inserted in mixture comes out clean.
Let plum pudding stand for 15 minutes. Remove foil and paper, unmould pudding onto serving plate.
Makes 8 - 10 servings
Plum Pudding can be cooked, cooled, then wrapped and refrigerated for up to 2 months or frozen for longer storage.
To reheat in microwave, turn out onto microwaveable dish; invert large bowl over top and microwave at HIGH for 5 - 10 minutes or until hot.
To reheat on stove top, return pudding to mold; cover and steam as in recipe for 1 - 1-1/2 hours.
To flame, warm 1/4 cup brandy over medium-low heat until hot but not boiling. Remove from heat and carefully light edge with long matchstick; pour over pudding.
**Warm Brandied Sauce**
1 cup water
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 T cornstarch
2 T butter
2 T brandy
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt
In saucepan over medium-high heat, stir together water, sugar and cornstarch for 3 - 4 minutes or until boiling and thickened.
Remove sauce from heat. Stir in butter, brandy, vanilla and salt. (Sauce can be set aside for 2 hours, reheat gently, stirring occasionally).
Makes about 2 cups
**Christmas Vanilla Hard Sauce**
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup icing sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla
In bowl, beat butter until fluffy; gradually beat in sugar until blended. Blend in vanilla.
Transfer sauce to serving bowl. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.
Makes about 3/4 cup
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**Creamy Smooth Chocolate Sauce**
2 oz unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 T butter
3/4 cup 18% cream
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
pinch salt
1 tsp vanilla
In heavy saucepan and using whisk, melt chocolate with butter over low heat, whisking constantly.
Blend in cream, whisk in sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, for about 10 minutes or until slightly thickened.
Remove sauce from heat; stir in vanilla. (Sauce can be refrigerated in airtight container for up to 1 week)
Makes 2 cups
