I can't stress enough that you don't have to have the best of everything to have an enjoyable meal during the holidays. I remember my first Holidays on my own, not a lot of the dishes matched, nor did the chairs. The food as I recall wasn't the best either but the friends (when available) that came over and what decorations were there made it such a pleasant environment for all those who were present or in the event no one came over, it was still a pleasant time just for me.
Do the best with what you have.
Merry Christmas.
John Sutton and The Cooking Inn Staff, 2010.
Mix together a pound and a quarter of wheaten flour or meal, half a pint of sweet cream, a pound of stoned raisins, four ounces of currants, four ounces of potatoes, mashed, five ounces of brown sugar, and a gill of milk. When thoroughly worked together, add eight large spoonfuls of clean snow; diffuce it through the mass as quickly as possible; tie the pudding tightly in a bag previously wet in cold water, and boil four hours.
The book states that “It is a singular fact that puddings may be made light with snow instead of eggs – a circumstance of some importance in the winter season, when eggs are dear and snow is cheap. Two large tablespoonfuls are equivalent to one egg. The explanation is found in the fact that snow involves within its flakes a large amount of atmospheric air, which is set free as the snow melts.”
Recipe From: The New Hydropathic Cook-book. Trall, R.T, New York, 1854
An 1860 Christmas Dinner
Small Boiled Turkey
Put into the pot four quarts of water, three teaspoonfuls of salt, one of pepper, have the turkey ready stuffed, * see Veal Stuffing; when the water boils, put in the turkey, and four pieces of salt pork or bacon, of about half a pound each, or whole, if you prefer it; also add half a pound of onions, one of white celery, six peppercorns, a bunch of sweet herbs; boil slowly for one hour and a half, mix three ounces of flour with two ounces of butter; melt it in a small pan, add a pint of the liquor from the pot, and half a pint of milk, the onions and celery taken out of the pot, and cut up and added to it; boil for twenty minutes, until it is thickish; serve the turkey on a dish, the bacon separate, and pour the sauce over the bird.
A turkey done in this way is delicious. With the liquor, in which you may add a little colouring, a vermicelli, rice, or clear vegetable soup can be made; skim off the fat, and serve.
The above with a plum pudding made the day before, and re-warmed in boiling water in the pot whilst eating the soup and turkey, and the addition of potatoes, baked in the embers, under the grate, is a very excellent dinner, and can all be done with the black pot.
* Veal Stuffing
Chop half a pound of suet, put it in a basin with three quarters of a pound of breadcrumbs, a teaspoonful of salt, a quarter of pepper, a little thyme, or lemon peel chopped, three whole eggs, mix well, and use where directed. A pound of breadcrumbs and one more egg may be used, it will make it cut finer.
Plum Pudding
Put in a basin a pound of flour, half a pound of stoned raisins, ditto of currants, ditto of chopped suet, two tablespoonfuls of treacle, and half a pint of water. Mix all well, put in a cloth or mould, and boil from four and a half to five hours.
Sauce: Melted butter, sugar, and juice of a lemon, if handy.
A tablespoonful will well sweeten half a pint. A little spice, or a few drops of any essence, or lemon, or peel chopped; a little brandy, rum, will be an improvement.
Creamed Chestnut Pates
Shell a pint of chestnuts and peel off the brown skins. Wash In cold water and boil in milk until very tender. Drain and sprinkle over them half a teaspoon of salt. Keep hot. Add to the milk in which the chestnuts have been boiled sufficient cream to make a pint, and thicken with a teaspoon of corn starch mixed with a little cold milk: stir in a double boiler until boiling, then add a teaspoon of butter and a little grated onion; let boil up, add the chestnuts; when steaming hot spoon into hot pate shells. One has to gauge the amount of sauce to the size of the shells. Serve garnished with parsley and sliced lemon.
Recipe From: The Fort Wayne Sentinel, (Indiana) dec 21 1903
Eggnog
To make a gallon of this eggnog will require a pound and a quarter of pulverized sugar, twelve fresh eggs, a quart of cognac, half a pint of champagne, two quarts of fresh milk, one quart of rich cream, and about a tablespoonful of powdered nutmeg. Mix these ingredients thoroughly, then incorporate with them the yolks of the dozen eggs that have been beaten to a froth. Stir persistently and steadily until the blend is perfect; pour the result into the well chilled punch bowl, and if you can procure some very old rum, add about three tablespoonfuls. Beat the white of the twelve eggs until very stiff, place this meringue on top of the eggnog, and you may feel reasonably assured that your guests will have no cause to complain about your mode of entertainment.
Recipe From: The New York Times, December 15th 1907
Hot Port Wine Punch
Should a hot drink be desired, one may always depend upon the “hot port wine punch” that “The Only William” esteemed as the most appropriate of Christmas tipples. To prepare it mix a quart of claret with a quart of Rhine wine and two quarts of port wine, and put them over the fire, with two pounds of sugar. Let them heat slowly, for they must not be permitted to boil, and stir them sufficiently to assure the sugar being dissolved. When the mixture has become very hot pour it into a tureen in which there shall be the juice of four lemons, and half a bottle of the best arrack; stir for a moment and serve. For a Christmas Eve or Christmas night party no hot drink can be better.
Recipe From: The New York Times, December 15th 1907
Old Fashioned Hard Candy
2 cups white sugar
1 cup water
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 drop red food coloring (optional)
1/8 cup confectioners' sugar
In a heavy 2 quart saucepan, combine the sugar, water and corn syrup. Cook, stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved; then cook without stirring, lowering the heat and cooking more slowly during the last few minutes, to the hard crack stage (300°F), If sugar crystals form on sides of pan, wipe them off with a damp brush.
Remove from heat, add oil flavoring and enough food coloring to color; stir only to mix. Pour into 2 well buttered 9 inch pans. Set one pan of candy over a sauce pan containing hot water (unless you have a helper to help cut the candy). As soon as the other pan of candy is cool enough to handle, cut it with scissors into 1-inch strips. Then snip the strips into pieces. Work fast. Drop the pieces onto a buttered baking sheet. If the candy cools too quickly, set it on a saucepan over hot water to soften it, but if it gets sticky, return at once to the work counter.
Toss in a small amount of powdered sugar to keep from sticking together. Repeat with the second pan of candy.
Bailey's Irish Cream Truffles
1/4 cup Bailey's Irish Cream liquer
1 Tablespoon butter
12 oz. semisweet chocolate
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup heavy cream
Melt chocolate, Bailey's and heavy cream tog over very low heat.
Whisk in yolks, one at a time, mixture will thicken. Whisk in butter.
Refrigerate overnight, or until firm.
With spoon make small balls. Roll in powdered sugar, cocoa, chopped nuts, sprinkles, etc.
Place in festive little cupcake or candy wrappers, place in little candy box or plastic wrap with some ribbon.
Makes 1 dozen cookies.
Old-Fashioned Ginger Snaps
2 3/4 cups self-rising flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup margarine or butter, softened
1 egg
1/4 cup light molasses
Combine flour, soda, and spices in a bowl and set aside. Cream sugar and
margarine. Beat in egg and molasses until light and fluffy. Stir in flour
mixture just until blended. Chill for 2 hours or more.
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls, roll in granulated sugar, and place on
lightly greased baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Flatten each ball with
the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar. Bake about 8 to 10 minutes, until
set.
Makes 8 dozen cookies.
Peppermint Meltaways
Cookies:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
Glaze:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 Tablespoon butter, Softened
1 to 2 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 to 3 drops red food color, if desired
hard peppermint candy or candy canes, crushed
Combine sugar, butter and 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract in large bowl. Beat at medium speed until creamy.
Reduce speed to low; add flour and cornstarch. Beat until well mixed.
Cover; refrigerate until firm (30 to 60 minutes).
Heat oven to 350°F. Shape rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into 1-inch balls.
Place 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Let stand 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets. Cool completely.
Meanwhile, combine 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons butter, 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract and enough milk for desired glazing consistency in small bowl.
Stir in food color, if desired. Drizzle over cooled cookies. Immediately sprinkle with crushed candy.
Makes 4 dozen cookies.
Chocolate Chip Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
10 Tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup white chocolate chips
3/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh or frozen cranberries
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F.
Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
Whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in medium bowl to blend.
Using electric mixer, beat butter and both sugars in large bowl until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla.
Add flour mixture and oats and stir until blended. Stir in chocolate chips and cranberries.
Drop batter by rounded tablespoonfuls onto prepared sheets, 2 inches apart.
Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until edges are light brown, about 14 minutes. Cool on sheets 5 minutes.
Transfer to rack; cool completely.
Makes 2 dozen cookies.
Coffee-Walnut Toffee
1 1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup packed golden brown sugar
1/3 cup water
1 tablespoon dark unsulfered molasses
2 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toaste
4 1/2 oz bittersweet chocolate finely chopped
Butter small cookie sheet. Melt butter in heavy 2-1/2 quart saucepan over low heat. Add both sugars, water, molasses, espresso, cinnamon and salt; stir until sugar dissolves. Attach clip-on candy thermometer to pan. Increase heat to medium; cook until thermometer registers 290 degrees F, stirring slowly but constantly and scraping bottom of pan with wooden spatula, about 20 minutes.
Remove pan from heat. Mix in 1-1/2 cups nuts. Immediately pour mixture onto prepared sheet; do not scrape pan. Tilt sheet so that toffee spreads to 1/4-inch thickness. Sprinkle chocolate by generous tablespoons atop toffee, alternating bittersweet and white chocolates. Let stand 1 minute. Using back of spoon, swirl chocolates to spread slightly. Shake sheet to form even chocolate layer. Using tip of knife, swirl chocolates to create marble pattern. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup nuts. Refrigerate until toffee is firm, about 1 hour. Break toffee into pieces. (Can be made 2 weeks ahead. Chill in airtight container.) Serve cold or at room temperature.
Recipe From: Bon Appetit, December 1993
