Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce or Creme Anglaise

I had an opportunity to sample both whiskey sauce and creme anglaise with bread pudding served at a Christmas buffet last year, and each was excellent in its own way. So, I dug up the most authentic recipes I could find, and include them  here.

Pudding ingredients:

• 3/4 c. raisins


• 2 tbsp. dark rum


• 1 lb. French bread, cut into 1 inch cubes


• 3 c. whole milk


• 1 c. half and half


• 3 eggs, beaten to blend


• 2 c. sugar


• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted


• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon


• 2 tbsp. vanilla

Pudding preparation:

Place raisins in small bowl. Pour rum over. Let soak 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 325. Generously butter 9x13 inch pan. Place bread in large bowl. Pour milk and half and half over. Let soak 5 minutes. Whisk eggs with sugar, butter, vanilla and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Pour over bread. Add raisins and rum. Toss to coat. Transfer bread mixture to prepared pan. Bake about 1 hour.

Whiskey Sauce ingredients:

• 1/2 c. unsalted butter


• 1/2 c. golden brown sugar, packed


• 1/2 c. sugar


• 1 egg


• 3 tbsp. whiskey


• Whipped cream

Whiskey Sauce preparation:

Melt butter and both sugars in heavy saucepan over low heat stirring until sugars dissolve. Whisk egg in small bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in some of melted butter mixture. Return mixture to saucepan and whisk until smooth, 1 minute, do not boil. Whisk in whiskey. Spoon warm bread pudding onto plate. Spoon sauce over, top with whipped cream.

Creme Anglaise ingredients:


A versatile vanilla sauce, used with many different dishes. With the addition of chocolate and whipped cream, creme anglaise becomes chocolate mousse.

• 3 c. milk


• 8 egg yolks


• 1 c. sugar


• 1 tsp. vanilla extract


• 1/2 c. cold cream

Creme Anglaise preparation:

Boil the three cups of milk; rest. Beat yolks, sugar, and vanilla 3 minutes; it should fold like a ribbon.
Combine yolks and hot milk, then cold cream. When it reaches the correct consistency, strain; cool, refrigerate.

10 Festive Drinks for Christmas (alcohol)

Important note: Have a look at this page before you prepare any of these drinks!
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APPLE PIE SHOT

Ingredients:

• 1 oz vodka


• 1 oz apple cider


• 1 Tbs whipped cream


• 1 pinch cinnamon

Preparation:

In a 2 ounce shot glass, combine vodka and apple cider. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and a pinch of cinnamon.

HOT APPLE TODDY

Ingredients:

• 2 oz whiskey or apple brandy


• 1 tsp sugar


• hot apple cider


• lemon wedge for garnish


• cinnamon stick for garnish


• 2-3 whole cloves for garnish

Spiced Stewed Apples

 
Awesome with roast pork or ham! Also excellent spooned over vanilla ice cream while still warm, with an added drizzle of caramel sauce.

Ingredients:

• 5 large cooking apples*


• 1 cup sugar


• 1 tsp cinnamon


• ¼ tsp nutmeg


• ¼ cup butter


• 2 Tbs water

Preparation:

Peel apples and cut into chunks. Combine sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Sprinkle seasoned sugar over apples until evenly covered. Put seasoned apples, butter, and the 2 Tbs. water into a pot, cover and cook over low heat, stirring 2 or 3 times, for 20 minutes or until apples are tender. Serve hot with meal.
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*Common varieties of cooking apples: Granny Smith, Yellow Delicious, Gravenstein, Jonathan, Gala, McIntosh, Pink Lady

Sweet Potato Pie

 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cooked, mashed sweet potatoes


• 2/3 cup sugar


• 2 eggs, beaten


• 1 cup evaporated milk


• ½ tsp lemon extract


• ½ tsp cinnamon


• ½ tsp salt


• An unbaked pie crust

Preparation:

Scald milk and mix all ingredients together. Pour into the unbaked pie shell and bake a t 425° F. for 20 minutes; reduce to 350° F. and continue another 20 minutes or so. Make sure the crust is well-browned. Test filling with toothpick - it should come out clean.

Cool before serving, but keep in mind that many people like it warm.

Ten Non-Alcoholic Drinks for the Holidays

 

HOPPY HOLIDAYS

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Orange Juice


• 2 oz. Sour Mix


• 1 oz. Pineapple Juice


• Splash of Grenadine


• Splash of 7-Up


• Orange


• Cherry

Preparation: Build first five ingredients on ice. Chill, shake and strain. Garnish with orange and cherry.
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VERY STRAWBERRY PUNCH

Ingredients:

• 4 packages Strawberry Jello


• 3 large cans Pineapple Juice


• 10 oz. bottle Lemon Juice


• 2 cups Cold Water


• 6 cups Boiling Water


• 3 large cans Ginger Ale


• 5 cups Sugar

Preparation: Combine jello and sugar. Add boiling water first, the cold water, lemon juice and pineapple juice. Refrigerate. Add ginger ale just before serving.

Christmas Past: "Entertaining on Christmas"

December 18, 1915, City Times, Galveston, Texas
ENTERTAINING ON CHRISTMAS

The Christmas season brings to mind the many Christmas days gone by, with their four great features—turkey, cranberry sauce, plum pudding and mince pie.

It was a good old English custom, not to be rejected by the American colonists, although modificatlons were necessary to suit the religion and conditions of living in the colonies, the. Chrlst-splrlt being substituted for the pagan Yuletlde, the famous "boar's, head" was omitted, and the Christmas pie became known as-mince pie. However, many old observances were kept, including the mistletoe and holly, and Christmas was a day for family gatherings, with a feast prepared by the" women of the house.

Christmas Possum

 

GLENNIE NELL'S ROAST CHRISTMAS POSSUM
From The Treasury of White Trash Cooking by Ernest and Trisha Mickler.

Ingredients:

• 1 possum, corn and milk-fed
  for one month prior, cleaned and dressed


• ½ cup vinegar


• Kitchen Bouqet™


• Persimmons jam


• 5-6 slices bacon


• 8-10 medium sweet potatoes


• Salt and pepper

Preparation:

Immerse the cleaned and dressed possum in an enamel dishpan or basin, making sure it's completely covered. Add an half cup of vinegar and let soak in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, drain the water and cut the possum into pieces. Boil the pieces in salted water until done, but not falling off the bone (1-2 hours, depending upon the size and the age of the possum). When done, remove the pieces from water and allow to drain in a colander. This part of the process will remove most of the fat.

After the meat cools, rub the pieces generously with salt and black pepper. Then prepare a mixture of 1/2 jar of persimmons jam (any light-tasting jam may be substituted) mixed with two teaspoons of Kitchen Bouqet.™ Thoroughly coat possum pieces with mixture. Transfer pieces to large roasting pan.

Lay 5 or 6 strips of thick-sliced bacon or salt pork across the glazed possum meat, and surround with the sweet potatoes, which have been peeled and rubbed with oil or Crisco.

Put in preheated 350° F. oven and roast, covered, for 30 minutes. Then uncover and cook until well-browned, but not burned (approx. 30 minutes longer). Baste with drippings every few minutes during this phase of the cooking.

Afterremoving from oven, test the sweet potatoes for doneness with a fork. If not yet completely cooked, transfer them to a lightly buttered casserole dish and finish them off in 350° F. oven.

Victorian Comfort Food: Currant Cream Scones

 

Currant Cream Scones
Marilynn and Sheila Brass - a simple yet elegant addition to any Christmas celebration.
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INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups flour (plus ¼ cup for kneading dough)


• 1 tablespoon baking powder


• ½ teaspoon salt


• ½ teaspoon cinnamon


• ¼ cup butter


• ¼ cup sugar


• 2 eggs


• ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream


• 1 tablespoon grated orange zest


• 1 cup dried currants, plumped in ¼ cup orange juice*


• ¼ cup sugar

PREPARATION

1. Set the oven rack in the middle position. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Cover a 14-inch by 16-inch baking sheet with foil, shiny side up. Coat the foil with vegetable spray or use a silicone liner.


2. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.


3. Cream butter and sugar in a medium bowl. Combine eggs and 1/2 cup of the heavy cream and add to butter mixture. Add grated orange zest. Add sifted dry ingredients and stir until a soft dough begins to form. Squeeze orange juice from currants and incorporate fruit into dough with your fingers.


4. Place dough on a generously floured surface. Knead gently five times, turning corners of dough toward the center. Pat dough into a 1/2-inch thick circle. Using a floured knife, cut dough into 12 equal wedges. Using a floured wide spatula, transfer each wedge to baking sheet. Brush wedges with the remaining heavy cream and sprinkle with remaining sugar. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until tops of scones are lightly brown and bottoms are golden brown. Place baking sheet on a rack and cool about 10 minutes. Serve scones warm with butter and jam. They are best when eaten the day they are made.

Makes 12 scones
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*To plump currants in tea, orange juice, or water, bring the liquid to a boil, immerse the raisins, continue to boil for 1 minute and set aside to allow them to absorb the plumping liquid. If needed immediately, place in plastic container and chill in freezer for 10 minutes. If not used the same day, refrigerate and use when needed.

Pineapple Yams

PINEAPPLE YAMS
Courtesy of LaDonna (Donna) Elvig, Snohomish County, WA

Ingredients:

• 1 40 oz. can yams (drained and mashed), OR 2½ lbs. fresh yams, cooked and prepared.


• ¼ c. brown sugar


• 3 Tbs melted butter


• 1 tsp vanilla


• 1 8oz can crushed pineapple


• 1 c. shredded coconut


• 1 c. brown sugar


• ¼ c. flour


• 1/3 c. melted butter


• ¾ c. chopped pecans

Preparation:

• Mix first 5 ingredients and spoon into lightly greased 8 in. baking dish.

• Mix the rest of ingredients & sprinkle over the top.

• Bake at 350° for 30 mins or until golden brown.

Mmm...Pumpkin Cobbler

 
PUMPKIN COBBLER 
Courtesy of LaDonna (Donna) Elvig, Snohomish County, WA

Ingredients:

• 1 large can pumpkin


• 1 12 oz. can evaporated milk


• 3 eggs


• 1½ cups sugar


• ½ tsp cinnamon


• ½ tsp nutmeg


• 1 box yellow cake mix (dry)


• 1 ½ sticks melted butter

Preparation:

• Mix together the first 6 ingredients and spread into a 13 x 9 well buttered baking dish.

• Sprinkle the cake mix over the pumpkin mixture and drizzle the butter on top

• Bake at 350 for 1 hour or until knife inserted in the middle comes out clean

Turkey Soup: An American Tradition

 

It's the day after Thanksgiving. Out there across the nation...millions of pounds of  leftover roast bird. What are we going to do with all that turkey? Sandwiches are fine, but a week’s worth of turkey sandwiches can get old, as many a brown-bag lunch carrying kid will attest to in the week after Thanksgiving.

If you’re of a mind to treat that leftover bird with a bit more culinary finesse than just a sandwich, below is an eclectic assortment of turkey soup recipes.

Pumpkin shortage? Why not try squash pie?

 

In case you haven't heard, stocks of canned pumpkin may be depleted by Thanksgiving, with potentially none left over for Christmas. This is not good...and combined with the fact that the U.S. Post Office will no longer forward letters from children to the N. Pole, that's a double whammy for the festive season.

I'd like to suggest a solution to the pie quandry: (I can imagine the expression on some people's faces as I suggest trying a squash pie this year). Before you get all hot and bothered about it, though, note that the pumpkin itself is a squash:

Pumpkin is a gourd-like squash of the genus Cucurbita and the family Cucurbitaceae (which also includes gourds) (source)

So, if you're one of those kids who didn't like squash, who grew into one of those adults that doesn't like squash, understand that if mom had prepared  a hunk of pumpkin the same way she prepared that "other" yellow vegetable you loathe, you wouldn't have liked it any better. Because all winter squash tastes just about the same, with subtle differences we'll leave to connoisseurs.

The bottom line is that if you hate squash, but like pumpkin pie, a butternut or acorn squash will make a pie that tastes pretty much like the old standard. So if you're fresh out of pumpkin, but can get your hands on a winter squash, or even packages of frozen squash (check your grocer's freezer section), then everything will be fine.

Below are directions for preparing a squash pie, preceded by instructions on how to cook the squash beforehand (if you're using frozen prepared squash, after cooking it will have the perfect pureed texture).

PREPARING WINTER SQUASH

With a sharp knife, cut the squash in half lengthwise - you can tap your knife lightly with a wooden mallet if your knife is not going through. Scoop out the seeds. Lay each half of the squash cut side down on your board and slice again, to create quarters Then lay each quarter flat on your board, and slice off the peel with your chef’s knife. Alternatively,  you may peel each slice with a vegetabl epeeler, then cut each slice into cubes or pieces for cooking. Cook in enough water just to cover the squash. Before mashing/pureeing squash, drain any excess water that remains in pan.

MAKING THE PIE

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup sugar


• 1½ tsp cinnamon


• ½ each of tsp salt, nutmeg and ground ginger


• ¼ tsp each of allspice and ground cloves


• Two eggs


• 1½ cups cooked,pureed winter squash


• 1 2/3 cups whole milk or cream

Preparation:

Combine sugar, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and ground ginger allspice and ground cloves. Beat the two eggs, then mix with 1 1/2 cups cooked, pureed winter squash and 1 2/3 whole milk or cream. Add dry ingredients and mix until smooth. Pour into a pie shell. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake for 30-35 minutes, until set. Cool and serve.

Rum Ball Muffins

 
Ingredients:

• 1¾ cups plain flour


• ½ cup sugar


• 4 tsp. baking powder


• ¼ cup of cocoa powder


• ½ cup of coconut (plus some for the tops)


• ½ tsp. salt


• ½ cup raisins


• ½ cup brown rum


• 2 eggs, lightly beaten


• 1 cup milk


• 4½ oz. of butter, melted

Preparation:

1. Soak the raisins with the rum for at least 2 hours.


2. Heat the oven to 400° F.  Line 18 muffin tins with paper cases or brush oil on the bottoms.


3. Sift the flour, cocoa, salt and baking powder into a bowl. Mix in the coconut and sugar.


4. In another bowl mix the milk, eggs and melted butter. Stir in the rum and raisins.


5. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients all at once. Using a fork fold the ingredients together only until the mixture is uniformly moist (do not over-mix!)


6. Spoon the mixture into muffin tins and sprinkle the tops with coconut.


7. Bake for approximately 15 to 20 minutes. They are ready when a skewer or toothpick comes out clean.


8. Place muffins on a wire rack to cool.

A Cup of Holiday Cheer: Chai Grog

Here's something a little different, as holiday drinks go.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup ginger root (sliced thin with a vegetable peeler and tightly packed)


• 4 sticks cinnamon


• 16 cloves


• 1 tsp. powdered cardamom


• 1 tbsp. vanilla extract


• 1 tsp. nutmeg


• ¼ cup sugar


• 1 cup honey


• 12 tea bags (preferably Darjeeling)


• 8 cups milk, hot (do not boil)


• 1 cup rum


• Whipped cream (optional)

Preparation:

Combine gingerroot, cinnamon sticks, cloves, cardamom, vanilla extract, nutmeg, sugar, and honey. Add 8 cups boiling water and tea bags.  Simmer for 5 minutes. Add  rum, strain. Add the hot milk and top with whipped cream, if desired, and garnish with cinammon stick.

Serves 12

"Men may talk of Country-Christmasses"

Men may talk of country-Christmasses and court-gluttony,
Their thirty-pound* buttered eggs, their pies of carp's tongues,
Their pheasants drenched with ambergris, the carcases
Of three fat wethers bruised for gravy, to
Make sauce for a single peacock; yet their feasts
Were fasts, compared with the city's...

Did you not observe it?
There were three sucking pigs served up in a dish,
Ta'en from the sow as soon as farrowed,
A fortnight fed with dates and muskadine,
That stood my master in twenty marks apiece,
Besides the puddings in their bellies, made
Of I know not what. -- I dare swear the cook that dressed it
Was the devil, disguised like a Dutchman.

Phillip Massinger (1583-1640)

*About 240 eggs

Virgin Wassail Bowl (no alcohol)

VIRGIN WASSAIL BOWL

- 1 cup brown sugar
- 12 whole cloves
- 2 Tbsp (or more) ground cinnamon
- 2 lemons, sliced thin
- 2 oranges, sliced thin
- 1 apple, sliced thin
- 1 gallon sweet cider
- 1 pint 7-Up or ginger ale

Make syrup of brown sugar and 1 cup water; add cloves and cinnamon.
Simmer for 10 minutes; add fruit. Simmer for 10 minutes longer with
cider; do not boil. Add 7-Up just before serving. Serve in mugs with
cinnamon stick. Yield: 20 servings.

A Cup of Christmas Cheer, #3 (alcohol)

I'm going to be sending a lot of recipes your way from now until Christmas - for both food and drink - so tune in and turn on that holiday cheer!

Read this

Candy Cane Shot, Version 1:

• 1/4 oz Peppermint Schnapps


• 3/4 oz Cherry Brandy


• Garnish with small candy cane or a sprig of fresh peppermint

Candy Cane Shot, Version 2:
Layer in a shot glass.

• 1/3 oz Grenadine


• 1/3 oz Peppermint Schnapps


• 1/3 oz Creme de Menthe

 Peppermint Aztec
Pour in order listed and garnish with peppermint stick.

• 2 oz. Peppermint Schnapps


• 1 oz. Kahlua


• 1 cup chocolate milk

English farmhouse fare: Gloucester Cheese and Brown Ale

This has been served as a farmhouse supper dish since the Middle Ages, and still makes a nice precursor to a Christmas Eve meal. Here, mild cheddar has been substituted for the Gloucester (pronounced: GLOSS-ter) cheese to accommodate American tastes (and because imported Gloucester is expensive), but if  you wish to be 100% authentic, you can get double Gloucester cheese (which has a very strong, sharp taste) at most grocery stores with an international cheese selection. I have found it difficult to find single Gloucester, which is supposed to be milder.


INGREDIENTS:

- 1/2 lb mild Cheddar, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon prepared English Mustard (prepared from dry or potted)
- 1/2 cup brown ale
- 4 thick slices of wholewheat bread (artisan-type bread recommended)

PREPARATION:

Arrange slices of cheese in bottom of a large but shallow ovenproof dish and spread the prepared mustard over the top. Pour in just enough of the ale to cover the cheese. Cover with foil and bake in preheated 375° oven for about ten minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Meanwhile, toast the bread.  Top bread with melted cheese and serve immediately, with brown ale as a beverage, if you like. The toast may also be sectioned before the cheese is added, so as to be divided up between more than four persons.

Victorian Appetizer: "Angels on Horseback"

This was a popular appetizer or "savory" in Victorian times when oysters were both inexpensive and abundant.

INGREDIENTS:

- 8 oysters, shucked
- 8 bacon slices
- 4 slices of toast
- Unsalted butter
- Coarsely ground pepper
- Parsley or watercress to garnish

PREPARATION:

Wrap a bacon slice around each oyster and, and sprinkle all with coarse ground pepper.  Place on a broiler rack with the seam side down. Cook under hot broiler until bacon is crisp, then turn over to crisp the underside.

Cut two circles from each slice of toast and butter the circles. Place one roll on each circle of toast. Garnish with parsley or watercress.

This dish can be varied according to your tastes. You may marinate the oysters in any number of different mixtures before preparing, and the finished rolls needn't necessarily be placed atop toast, but can be speared with a toothpick, or served on the half shell. You can also wrap pitted dates in bacon and broil, serving these alongside as "Devils on Horseback."

A Cup of Christmas Cheer No. 2 - Cinnamon & Apple-Cinnamon Martinis

These particular drinks both call for Cinnamon schnapps, of which the most famous variety is Goldschlager, a Swiss product with flakes of real gold floating in it. Some have been concerned that the gold may cause an adverse reaction in individuals who are sensitive, but Wikipedia assures us that "there is currently less than a tenth of a gram (0.1 g) of gold flakes in a 750 ml bottle of Goldschläger^[1], which, as of July 9, 2008, amounts to about 3.00 USD on the international gold market.^[2]" I don't know why this information, in itself, should assure us, but no matter: you can get cinammon schnapps without the gold (although certain other brands have copied Goldschlager). DeKuyper's Hot Damn!™, for example, doesn't contain gold flakes, and it is on the Washington State Liquor Stores Current Price List.It also has the advantage of being a fiery red color, which goes with Christmas.


Now, having made all these qualifying statements, the recipes themselves are very straightforward--

CINNAMON MARTINI

Ingredients:
- 1/2 oz Cinammon Schnapps
- 1 oz. Vodka

Preparation:

Pour both liquors into glass - do not mix or stir. Serve on the rocks or straight up. Add cinnamon stick garnish.

APPLE-CINNAMON MARTINI

3/4 oz Apple Schnapps
1/4 oz Cinnamon Schnapps
2 oz Vodka

In a mixing glass filled with ice, combine ingredients and shake. Strain into glass. Drop in a thin wedge of green apple (e.g., Granny Smith var.) or mount on glass and add cinnamon stick.