thanksgiving

Simplified Stuffing

By in Fall, Sides, Smithfield, Thanksgiving 1 Comment Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Although I never spent much time in the kitchen growing up my mom”s simple, hearty and homemade cooking had a big impact on me and inspires a lot of the way I cook today. She”s an awesome cook and has produced some of my all time favourite recipes. Today I”m sharing her Simplified Stuffing. If you”re like me and have an aversion to soggy stuffing then I encourage you to give it a try. My mom has converted many a stuffing hater with this recipe.

“The best thing about this stuffing is that it”s so easy to make. No having to take the temperature to make sure it”s cooked through, no complicated steps or procedures and no need to use old crusty bread (fresh is actually best!). Just a simple and delicious recipe that can easily be multiplied to feed a crowd.”

Read more and get the recipe on Smithfield.com

Update: The post is no longer active on Smithfield. But, I don’t want you to miss out so here’s the recipe!

Simplified Stuffing

You can make this up to one day ahead and store it covered in the fridge. Do not add water until just before baking.

  • 12 cups cubed bread (1 loaf)
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1.5 cups chopped celery
  • 1 cup margarine or butter
  • 2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
  • 2 teaspoons dried sage
  • 1.5 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1-2 tablespoons water

Cook onion and celery in butter for 10 min or until softened.

Mix bread and seasonings until well combined. Stir in onions, celery and butter. Toss together.

Put into a large shallow casserole dish or crock pot and pour water around edges.

Bake in the oven at 350ºF for 45 min. or in crock pot on low for 4.5 to 5 hours. Stir occasionally to promote even browning.

Serves: 6

 

Three No-Bake Thanksgiving Appetizers

By in Appetizers, Fall, Thanksgiving 53 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Three No-Bake Thanksgiving Appetizers

I”m not a simple person by nature. The simple life has always appealed to me but I tend to over complicate things and end up going overboard. That “s partly why this blog is so important to me. It helps to remind me to keep things simple and enjoy life. I try to think of ways to help simplify others lives and in turn it helps to simplify mine. So thank you for being my inspiration!

I think the most important thing I have learned this year is to just be myself and not try to fit into the crowd.  I am who I am and I will never live up to someone else”s standards (including my own). I”ve really tried to share things on here that our family truly enjoys and not things that I don”t actually put into practice myself. Sometimes I wish I would put certain things into practice but I”m trying to steer clear of appearing to be and do something I”m not.

All that being said, these no-bake thanksgiving appetizers come straight from my heart. I”m a big believer in make-ahead dishes and at this point in my life the easier and quicker it is to throw together, the better. I do love my time in the kitchen but I love my family more. :) These three recipes can be thrown together in minutes and will hopefully relieve a little bit of holiday meal stress.

Mini “Pumpkin” Cheese Balls

Contrary to their name these don”t actually have any pumpkin in them, but they do have a cute pumpkin shape. I have shared one of my favourite cheese ball recipes below but feel free to use your own and just follow the shaping instructions.

My cheese balls were a little loose because I had to use spreadable cream cheese. I haven”t been able to find the firm blocks here in Norway yet. One day I will find some and then be prepared for baked cheesecakes galore!

Mini “Pumpkin” Cheese Balls

recipe adapted from Kraft Canada

  • 1 (250g/8oz) package cream cheese, softened

  • 1/4 cup finely chopped roasted red peppers

  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

  • pinch cayenne pepper

  • 1 cup grated cheddar cheese

  • 2 green onions

  • paprika, or dusting

  1. Beat cream cheese, red peppers, garlic and cayenne until well blended. Stir in cheddar cheese. Refrigerate 2 hours or until firm enough to handle.

  2. Roll into 1 inch balls and then coat in paprika. Make indents in the side of each one with a knife to make a pumpkin shape (refrigerate longer if needed  before shaping with knife).

  3. Slice green onion into 1 inch pieces (green parts only). Slice each piece in half lengthwise. Roll each half back into a circular shape and stick into the top of the cheese ball. Refrigerate until serving.

Makes: 24 cheese balls (4-6 servings each, depending on the size of crackers.)

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Smoked Salmon Pinwheels

We had something similar to these at a taste-testing at the grocery store and I quickly took stock of the ingredients they were using so I could try to re-create them at home, rather then run off with the tray like I wanted to. Although they didn”t turn out exactly the same, they still are delicious. The dijon/honey mixture really compliments the smoked salmon. It”s such a quick and easy recipe to throw together but they look so elegant your guests will never know.

Smoked Salmon Pinwheels

  • 1 teaspoon dijon

  • 2 tablespoon mayo

  • 1 tablespoon sour cream

  • 1/2 teaspoon honey

  • pinch of dried dill

  • 100g thinly sliced smoked salmon

  • 3 (6 inch) flour tortillas

  1. Mix together djon, mayo, sour cream, honey and dill. Spread 1 tablespoon of the mixture onto each tortilla. Top with a thin layer of salmon, leaving a 1 inch gap on one side (to leave room for the shifting fillings when rolling). Roll up toward the gap and wrap firmly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

  2. To serve: Trim the ends and slice each roll into 6 slices. Serve immediately.

Serves: 6 (3 pinwheels each)

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Creamy Pumpkin Pie Dip

I have been having major problems finding pumpkin of any form here. Whether it be canned or whole. I have seen pumpkin pie filling (which is what I use in this recipe) but have only seen canned pumpkin puree once, and they were sold out. Needless to say, as soon as I see some I am buying a wackload to last me through the winter. Now you know why I make so many ingredients from scratch. I”m too lazy to search the city, I”d rather do the work in my kitchen. :)

This pumpkin dip is probably my favourite of the three. James said he liked it even better then pumpkin pie! It”s cool and creamy with a hint of those spicy fall flavours we all love so much. I served mine with Cinnamon Almond Crisps, which I purchased from the store. I have to find a recipe for those soon because the combination is addictive!

Creamy Pumpkin Pie Dip

  • 1 (250g/8oz) package spreadable cream cheese, room temperature

  • 1 cup pumpkin pie filling

  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

  • 1/2 teaspoon ginger

  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

  • 1/4 cup sour cream

  1. Cream together cream cheese and pie filling until smooth. Stir in cinnamon, ginger, vanilla and sour cream. Refrigerate 2 hours before serving.

  2. Serve with graham crackers, ginger snaps, cinnamon cookies or fruit such as apples and pears.

Makes: 2 cups

* If using plain pumpkin puree ADD: 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg (or: 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice). PLUS: 3/4 cup icing sugar.

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I hope all of my fellow Canadians have a wonderful and stress free Thanksgiving weekend! (And, everyone else too.) :)

Cranberry Ginger Jelly

By in Condiments, Fall, GF Sides, Gluten Free, Thanksgiving 7 Comments Tags: , , , ,

Cranberry Ginger Jelly

Canadian Thanksgiving is just around the corner and although I don”t make a huge feast for just the three of us, I do have fun making a few things here and there to remind me of home.

A turkey dinner is just not complete without some Cranberry Jelly (or sauce, depending on your preference). I never realized just how easy it was to make until I stumbled across this recipe on Martha Stewart.

There seems to be an error in the original recipe as it didn”t set up when done as written (and from reading the comments I wasn”t the only one with this problem) so I reheated the “jelly” and added another tablespoon of gelatin and that gave the perfect consistency for me (this is how it is written below).

I really love the addition of the ginger. It rounds out the flavour of the cranberries and adds something a little special. If you don”t like ginger you could substitute orange zest, or leave it out completely to enjoy a clean cranberry taste.

Any leftovers would be great on freshly baked scones with a pad of butter and would add some life to leftover turkey sandwiches.

I don”t think I”ll ever go back to buying the canned stuff. It”s just too easy and delicious to make it yourself.

One Year Ago: Oslo Food Festival, Butterscotch Apple Crisp

Cranberry Ginger Jelly

adapted from Martha Stewart

  • 2 (12-ounce) bags fresh or frozen (thawed) cranberries

  • 2 cups sugar

  • 2 teaspoons finely grated peeled ginger

  • 2.5 cups water, divided

  • 2 tablespoons unflavoured gelatin

  1. Place cranberries, sugar, ginger and 2 cups of water into a saucepan and cover with a lid. Bring to a simmer and let cook for 10 minutes or until the berries have burst.

  2. Pour 1/2 cup water into a large bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over and let sit for 5 minutes until softened.

  3. Pour cranberry juice through a fine sieve into bowl with gelatin, pressing on solids to extract juice.

  4. Remove sieve and discard solids. Stir liquid in bowl until gelatin is dissolved. Pour into a container and set aside to cool to room temperature before covering.

  5. Refrigerate for 4 hours before serving. Should stay good for one week the in the fridge.

Makes approximately: 4 cups

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Making Cranberry Juice

By in Beverages, Cold, Fall, GF Sides, Gluten Free, Homemade, Thanksgiving 36 Comments Tags: , , , ,

Making Cranberry Juice

I am not one to usually make juice from scratch. For some reason in my mind it always seemed like a lot of work and I didn”t understand the reasoning behind it, when it is so readily available to purchase. But, after making homemade Cranberry Juice I have been converted. It is pure. It is tasty. And, you can control the ingredients. No more overly sweet fruit juice for me!

This juice is a cranberry lovers dream (just ask my mother). The tart flavour cleanses the palate and lends itself to avoiding becoming overly sweet. The ruby red color has an elegant translucent sparkle, which makes it perfect for entertaining. There are awesome health benefits too. Of the many, it helps in the fight against cancer, gives you better cholesterol, and helps you loose weight. It takes no work at all to make. You just let it do it”s thing and you get amazing juice as a result. A divine drink all around!

This is the last instalment in my countdown to Thanksgiving. For those of you who are celebrating, enjoy your time with family and friends! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Cranberry Juice 24

Cranberry Juice

adapted from Tartelette

  • 600g pckg. frozen cranberries, thawed (or fresh if you prefer)

  • 6 cups water

  • 1 cup sugar

  1. Place the cranberries and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to med. heat and cover loosely. Simmer 10 min. until the cranberries have burst.

  2. Strain through a colander lined with cheesecloth. Resist the urge to press on the fruit to extract more juices.

  3. Pour the strained juice back into the sauce pan and add sugar. Bring to a boil and simmer for 3 min.

  4. Let cool to room temperature before cooling the the fridge.

* I did not have cheesecloth at the time so I used a sturdy paper towel.. just don”t use too much as it soaks up the juices and you do not want any juice to go to waste. :)

** The amount of sugar needed may vary depending on your taste and the sweetness of the berries. If you think you may prefer it more tart start with 1/2 cup and work your way up.

*** A great way to make this juice stretch further is to serve it half and half with ginger-ale.

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Breadstick Twigs

By in Breads, Fall, Kids, Sides, Thanksgiving 13 Comments Tags: , ,

Breadstick Twigs

You know those people that you just know well enough that every time you run into them you have to strike up an awkward conversation? So, you try desperately to pretend that you have not noticed them because you are not in the mood for small talk? I think we all know at least one person like that. Well, today I ran into THAT person and realized that the feeling was mutual.

I was on my way to get into line at the bank machine when I noticed THIS person as he turned his face to look in the opposite direction. I quickly pushed passed and looked straight ahead so that it would seem like I had not noticed him. (How horrible is it that I am admitting this?) Then once I had secured my spot in line I saw him look at me out of the corner of my eye. I braised myself for the conversation that was sure to ensue (he is a very talkative and inquisitive man). But, to my surprise he slowly started backing up, practically tiptoeing as to not be noticed, until he was out of my eye-line. What! I am supposed to pretend I didn”t see you buddy, not the other way around! If I had been in a sitcom I would have huffed up asking him why he would feel the need to avoid me, when clearly it should be ME that should want to avoid HIM! But, this is real life, and in truth I was just glad that I didn”t have to talk with him and that we could now mutually avoid each other. Until the fatefull day when we have no choice but to make eye contact and strike up a conversation. (I promise I am not a snob, just a little shy.)

Twig Breadsticks

I very strongly considered calling these babies, Breadtwigs, but I couldn”t quite get over the cheesiness. Whatever you want to call them, they are a lot of fun to make and you can even get the kids involved in the shaping. They look quite elegant in the right setting and add such a nice touch of fall to the table.They are a crisp breadstick so don”t be expecting any pillowy softness. The biscuit-like flavour and firm crunch would be perfectly paired with a large bowl of soup. If you do not have a food processor I am sure they would turn out equally well being mixed by hand. Just cut in the butter as you would when making biscuits or pie crust. These are so easy to make, and so pretty to look at, that they are being put into my repertoire for when company comes over.

Twig Breadsticks

Breadstick Twigs

adapted from Martha Stewart

  • 2 cups flour

  • 2 tsp. sugar

  • 1 tsp. salt

  • 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed

  • 2/3 cup whole milk

  1. Place flour, sugar and salt into a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until mealy. Gradually add milk with machine running until dough is formed.

  2. Divided the dough into 24 pieces (approx. 1 Tbsp. in size). Roll each piece into a log that is 1/2 inch wide. With kitchen scissors or a sharp knife make diagonal slices along both sides of the breadsticks, making sure to switch it up to give it that random twig feel. Gently stretch each twig to help separate the thorns. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

  3. Bake at 350ºF (180ºC) for approx. 24 min. until a pale golden brown.

Makes: 24

* These can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

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Almond Pear Tart

By in Fall, Fruit, Pastries, Sweets, Thanksgiving 12 Comments Tags: , , , ,

Almond Pear Tart

I am pretty sure that I have not yet had the chance to meet all of my lovely readers, and you know what? I would love to meet you! So why not introduce yourself? And, for those of you that I have had the honour to “meet” already, I would love to know more about you. To get the ball rolling I will fill you in on some tidbits about me that you may not know:

A couple of years ago I was a live host of an hour long radio show for young teens. I also script wrote and directed a short mini-drama for each show called “The Adventures of Bob and Alfred.”

I used to volunteer at a hospital where I accidentally dropped a frog on an immobile elderly lady. I promise we were only trying to add a little excitement to her life, just not that much.

I also used to be the bus driver for said hospital and ended up lost in the woods with 5 old people, trying to find my way back to the hospital, while one of them got up every time I stopped because she wanted to go to the bathroom in the woods.

I am extremely stubborn and if you tell me that I can”t do something, I will just have to prove you wrong. This is how I blacked out just before the finish line in the 200 metre dash in my high school track-meet. But, I still came in third, gosh darn it!

Now it”s your turn. You don”t have to get quite so personal. But, I would love to know something about you. So, fill me in people!

Almond Pear Tart

Now about this tart. Let me tell you, it is delicious. Neither me or my husband have stopped thinking about it since I made it. And, he doesn”t even like pears! We managed to polish it off the day after it was made. There is so much wonderful flavour in this flaky pastry parcel. The sliced almonds add a lovely nuttiness, while the lemon zest adds a brightness that make it taste fresh and inviting. The crust itself is amazing, I may just use it for all of my freeform tarts. It”s easy to work with, flaky and buttery. Just perfect! I will be making this again soon, and this time I think I might try it with apples, for my loving husband (even though he gobbled it down just fine with pears). :)

Almond Pear Tart

adapted from TasteofHome

  • Pastry dough

  • Pear filling

  • 1 Tbsp. butter

  • Egg wash (1 egg white + 1 tsp. water, whisked together)

  • 1 Tbsp. sugar

  • Glaze

  • 1/4 cup sliced or slivered almonds, toasted

  1. Roll the pastry dough out to a 14 inch circle. Place on a large baking sheet.

  2. Spoon the filling over the pastry leaving a 2 inch wide rim. Cut the butter into small cubes and sprinkle over the filling. Fold the edges of the pastry over the filling, pressing the pastry together, to seal.

  3. Brush egg wash over the pastry and sprinkle with sugar.

  4. Bake at 375°F for 45-50 minutes, until golden brown.

  5. Pour glaze over the warm tart and sprinkle with almonds.

Serves: 8-10

Pastry Dough

  • 1 1/3 cups flour

  • 3 Tbsp. sugar

  • 1/4 tsp. salt

  • 7 Tbsp. cold butter, cubed

  • 2-3 Tbsp. cold water

  1. Combine flour, sugar and salt. Cut in cold butter until the mixture is crumbly.  Add water 1 Tbsp. at a time until the dough sticks together to form a ball. (You may need more water depending on the humidity in your area. Just make sure it sticks together without being sticky to the touch.)

Pear Filling

  • 3/4 cup sugar

  • 1/4 cup sliced or slivered almonds, toasted

  • 1/4 cup flour

  • 1.5 tsp lemon zest

  • 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

  • 4 medium sized ripe pears, peeled and sliced

  1. Toss together all ingredients until pears are well coated.

Glaze

  • 1/4 cup icing sugar

  • 1.5 tsp. milk

  • 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

  1. Mix together until smooth. (Do this just before glazing so that it does not start to set)

*Note on toasting almonds: My preferred way to toast nuts is on the stove top in a frying pan. Just place over med. heat, stir occasionally and keep a close eye. As soon as you can smell the nutty flavour and see a bit of color they are done. You must keep a close eye because they can go from perfect to burnt pretty fast.

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