Posted on 12/14/2016 4:32:03 PM PST by Jamestown1630
A fun thing to do for the Holidays, especially with kids, is to make paper snowflakes. I once decorated the picture windows in my office building with these, and everybody wanted to know how to make them – I guess they hadn't learned this important skill in school ;-)
Searching around the web, you can find many patterns; but I like doing them free-hand, and being surprised by what comes out. Here is a ‘refresher course in paper snowflakes’, but there are many other instruction pages on the Web. Once you've got the folding of the paper down, it's all up to your imagination:
http://www.theluxuryspot.com/diy-spotting-a-refresher-course-in-paper-snowflakes/"
My husband really likes Apple Cider, and I had never thought of making it until a few days ago, when we were enjoying a jug we’d bought. Here is an easy ‘crock-pot’ recipe that we’re going to try this weekend, and I can imagine that it does make the house smell absolutely wonderful. (This is not hard cider, which I’d also like to learn but which seems nearly as exacting as making wine. My husband likes to tell of getting unpasteurized cider in the country when he was growing up, and leaving it alone for awhile to become ‘fizzy’. His story always reminds me of Dom Pérignon’s purported quote about ‘tasting stars'):
http://wellnessmama.com/25946/apple-cider-recipe/
Many years ago, Dr. Marc Cathey, who was the Director of the National Arboretum, had a gardening radio show on a local station here. He was a very charming, avuncular presence every weekend, and I tried never to miss him. Each Christmas, he would share his ‘Christmas Tree Preservative Recipe’, which I wrote down and now can’t find; but I think it was very similar to the ones you find now on a google search, using water, Clorox, corn syrup and lemon juice:
http://www.food.com/recipe/christmas-tree-preservative-399438
Dr. Cathey’s obituary:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/10/AR2008101002952.html
-JT
Seen squirrels get drunk on the fruit. Funny as all get out. Poor guys, they must have suffered a massive hangover.
I didn’t know about these, but perhaps someone else does. Where do you buy them?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tortas_de_aceite
I ordered them from La Tienda. In my little burg, everything interesting is mail ordered. They were having a sale on small packages of Serrano ham and manchego cheese, both of which have always been twenty times out of my price range. If no one else has tried to make them, I will volunteer and report back.
I was mostly curious about the anisette and fennel. I don’t think I would like biting into a fennel seed.
METHOD Layer bottom of Catalina-style glass with chocolate sauce. Pour in
blender-combined oz ea Bailey's, Kahlua, peppermint schnapps, vanilla ice cream.
SERVE topped w/ whipt cream, Christmas cookie shavings.
Palo's Chocolate Soufflé /Disney Cruise Line / Serves 6
METHOD Melt 6 tb butter over med. Add 3 tb ea flour/cocoa; whisk til smooth, paste-like.
Reduce heat; cook a min. Slowly add cup hot milk, whisking smooth, then blend in 2/3 c semi
or bitter melted chocolate; cool 5 min, then stir in 4 egg yolks. Stir in heaping spoonful
4 stiff/sugared egg whites to lighten, then fold in rest whites; just combine.
FINAL Pour into 6-4 oz buttered/sugared soufflé cups. Bake in bain w/ boiling water halfway up sides 350 deg 20 min.
SERVE immediately, topped with scoop of vanilla gelato, warm vanilla sauce chocolate sauce in tiny pitchers.
PREP WHITES Beat 4 egg whites frothy. Slowly add 6 tb sugar, tablespoon at a time, til stiff, glossy peaks form.
VANILLA SAUCE Bring 1 1/4 c h/cream and 1/4 split vanilla bean to low boil on med.
Combine 3 tb sugar and 2 small egg yolks. Temper w/ 2 spoonfuls boiling cream; stir well,
then pour into pan; cook/stir on low 3-4 min.
yummy and gluten free for the increasing numbers of our gluten free friends! Thank you for posting.
I’m also a fan of La Tienda; but also, again: I don’t want to pay those prices ;-)
BUTTERNUT SQUASH W/ BLEU CHEESE / in NIGELLA EXPRESS COOKBOOK
METHOD Roast tender squash cubes sprinkled w/ ol/oil, thyme leaves 425 deg 30-45 min.
Liftout to bowl; scatter w/ toasted pecans, crumbled blue cheese; toss gently.
SERVE garnished w/ sprigs of thyme.
CRANBERRY CREAM COCKTAIL
Blender to a nice froth: 2 tbl ea cranberry juice, apple juice, vodka, 3 tbl
light rum, 1/2 oz canned coconut cream, juiced lime, dash grenadine syrup,
finely crushed ice.
Serve in footed glass, garnished w/ skewered cranberries.
I love anything with Blue Cheese.
My office had a party today, and someone brought figs wrapped in bacon, with some kind of cheese and almonds stuffed inside.
I’d never had anything like it. Does anyone have a recipe
-JT
FIGS HONEY AND BLUE CHEESE
METHOD Set fig halves on b/sheet cut-side up--broiler 2 min to warm and
slightly brown edges. Set on server, sprinkle on blue cheese; drizzle w/ honey.
VARY wrap w/ prosciutto---or bacon---then bake crisp.
I think it was Blue Cheese; but I made a mistake - it was dates, not figs; and there were sliced almonds. I was surprised, because I like figs, but dates have always seemed too ‘sticky-sweet’ to me; and yet I liked this a lot.
Anyway, both look wonderful!
Martha does this date recipe.
Stuff pitted dates with whole blanched almonds. Cut bacon strips into thirds; wrap each bacon piece around a date. Place bacon-wrapped dates, seam side down, on a baking sheet. Broil until bacon is crisp, turning once, 6-10 minutes. Drain on paper towels; serve warm.
That sounds like it. I brought a few of these home, and dissected them with the Husband Unit. I was told that they had cheese and almonds, but we didn’t find any in the ones that we had. But I’m sure there were almonds in the ones that I ate at the party.
Will try; they really are nice.
Those look fine, have had something similar, but w/ goat cheese. Blue cheese sounds better. I would eat twigs if they had blue cheese on them.
My catering company served those back in the day. I haven’t had them in years, may have to make some for New Years Eve.
I want to make the forgotten cookies!
Sounds yummy. Do you add broth or water?
Hope you are ok!
I miss good venison the way they make it in Switzerland. Reh rücken or rack of venison. It has to be on the plate with spaetzle, baked apple slice, red berries, Brussels sprouts, and candied chestnuts. Food doesn’t get any better.
If you do that then leave out the vegetable bouillon and add salt to taste. I was not cooking in my own kitchen so I was making do with what I could find in the pantry.
I am fine, it was my mother who was ill. She is now back home and so are we.
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