Scottish/Canadian Christmas Cooking starts now!

Just realized I forgot to list bacon in the gravy recipe.. added now

 

I thought bacon was always assumed and didn't technically need to be listed, except, of course, for Jello recipes?

 

@runswithdogs "NOT Anise seeds! Star Anise.. Not the same thing..."

Roger. Good copy! Good thing you said something as I surely didn't know LOL! To be honest, I never even heard of Star Anise before! I only recently heard of Anise Seeds as wife used them to make something Mexican (think it was Mexican)... Okay so I still need Star Anise. No problem. I got time before New Years... I just got back from store and OMG! I tried to get into Walmart but parking lot was completely full and there was a line of cars all the way down the street trying to get in...I blew it off and managed to get into Albertson's but it was touch and go if I was going to make it out alive. I did get the Sherry and Port but the Liquor Store was completely packed with a line clear around the store. I learned a lot from this venture about holiday season shopping like - don't do it! Never again, I'm staying home until after Christmas... LOL!

 

errrr... Could you elaborate a bit more for those of us that are cooking challenged? Like how much, do we cut it into small pieces or just throw in slices while the base is cooking/simmering?

EDIT: Wait. We already put suet into the base...this is a joke, right?

 

LOL,
OK.. If you cant get an ingredient for the gravy, its somewhat flexible.. so no star anise isent going to ruin it.. dont like thyme? you can leave it out . no sherry.. just use port.. no port.. well you could use red wine (a sweeter one though) etc..
No fresh cranberrys, use some cranberry sauce instead (just add to the simmer stage.. not the roasting stage)

Bacon, 2-3 strips of streaky bacon sliced up into bits and add to the pan with the veggies etc to roast.
Suet dosent taste like bacon.. & you dont need to use suet if you cant get it.. pork fat, goose fat, duck fat, olive oil will all work.

 

LOL.....
yeah, thats why I do most my shopping online & make sure I have everything I need well in advance. I hate shopping & Shopping at Christmas time?.. My idea of hell

 

Right. I have reviewed my notes and think I have everything (except star anise) I require plus a clear set of mission orders....errrr, a clear recipe. Thanks so much @runswithdogs for your patience. I will try this out New Years.

I honestly never heard of this stuff until now...We'll look in the grocery stores and if not there we can order it. We'll find it but I am not holding up production come New Years because of it, turkey ain't turkey without gravy.

 

@runswithdogs

Sorry Ms RWD , my wife say Im a idiot , she knew .

I was asking about not the juice of the gravy but all the meat & spices carrots, 2 onions and some celery and toss in, add cranberries, rosemary, sage, thyme, a couple bay leaves, allspice, 1-2 star anise, couple cloves of garlic and a couple slices of good bacon chopped up.chicken wings (about a dozen & you want to break/crush the bones to release the flavour) and any giblets/neck from your turkey if available, Throw them on top. Toss in some suet (screw your "healthy" olive oil jamie!) salt & pepper???

That food must be used somewhere .

Sloth

 

Its kinda like making stock... once you cook it to the point where its breaking down & you strain/squeeze off all the juices.. all thats left is mushy goop & bones... It gets chucked out. all the good stuff/flavour is in the gravy

 

Day 2 comences with the Carrot apple cupcakes... sorry guys, your not gonna want those... They're the dogs


Cranberry sauce next..

Bag of cranberries, zest & juice from one organic orange (cause who wants to zest pesticides & lord kens what into your sauce?) stick of cinnamon, one star anise, 2 shots of Stags breath (its a honey whisky liqueur) Sugar to taste.
Simmer/stir till all the berrys are popped and the consitancy is thick and shiny.

 

Cream Cheese Icing for the carrot cakes...



CARROT CAKE
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
2 - 3 oz pkgs cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 tsp vanilla ..................beat together until fluffy. Add
2 cups sifted powdered sugar........add gradually, beating well, gradually add
2 1/2 to 2 3/4 cups additional powdered sugar to reach spreading consistency.
(Thats for 1 cake, I doubled it to do both together)

Ready to Nom!


Doggy Cupcakes finished off with a cream cheese & peanutbutter "icing"


And veg all peeled & ready to go. (put in water with lemon to keep fresh)

 

Nubian Roll going in oven...

 

Parsnips and purple Brussels sprouts? I have never seen purple ones.

 

Tatties, Carrots, Parsnips & Brussel spouts, both purple & standard edition

Sooo.. made Pumpkin Spice mix...


For Pupmpkin Pie Cupcakes ( Low Carb Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes)
Ready to go in oven..


Nubian Roll, filled with St. Dalfour Black Cherry (its a "jam" made with grape must to sweeten, no sugar) and chocolate whipped cream.


Rolled & finished with more chocolate whipped cream and pecans.

 

Nubian Roll recipe for anyone that wants it
NUBIAN CHOCOLATE ROLL

6 eggs, separated
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp vanilla
powdered sugar

Filling:
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/3 cup powdered sugar
3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp vanilla
chopped pistachios or walnuts
Oven 375 degrees
beat egg whites stiff, fold into rest of batter
grease and line 10x15 jelly roll pan with wax paper
Bake 12 min
sift powdered sugar onto clean towel, turn out cake onto sugar, peel off wax paper
trim edges with knife
from long side, roll up cake in towel, cool, seam side down
make filling, beat until stiff
gently unroll cake, remove towel
spread with 3/4 filling
reroll seam side down
spread top and sides with rest of filling, sprinkle with nuts
refrigerate
serves 10

I also add a layer of fruit compote or jam.. This year it was the black cherry but ive also used marmilade & raspberry . I always use St. Dalfours for this & make sure its something that goes with chocolate.

 

And I used a piping bag to put the whip cream icing in the roll.. not usally a problem if your just doing that, but if your doing a jam layer to,, then it all smears together and you cant get it to spread out evenly.. so piping bag to the rescue!

 

Bacon wrapped chippolatas ready for tomorow.


some people give christmas cards.. This is what I send out to the neibours...

 

Id post you some but doubt it would make it past customs LOL