The 21st Century Housewife's© Mincemeat and Brandy Cake

This is such an easy recipe to make and it just tastes of Christmas! It is also wonderful for people who are not big fans of traditional fruitcake (like me!) because although it has many of the elements of a fruitcake, the sponge makes it so much lighter. It will keep for three or four days if you wrap it well and it tastes even better the day after it is made. It isn’t the prettiest cake in the world, but it sure tastes good!

1 cup mixed dried fruit
3 tbsp brandy - dark rum or whisky work too, but you have to slightly adjust the name of the cake to Mincemeat and Rum or Mincemeat and Whiskey Cake :)
½ cup plus 1 tbsp butter, softened
¾ cup white sugar
3 large eggs, beaten
1-¾ cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 cup mincemeat
3 to 4 generous tablespoons of demerera sugar for the topping

Put the mixed dried fruit in a bowl and pour the liquor over top. Stir and set aside. Grease and flour (or line) an eight or nine inch square pan.

Cream the butter and sugar in an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and beat in. Gently blend in the flour.

Using a wooden spoon, fold in the mincemeat and soaked dried fruit (along with any liquor left in the bowl), stirring until just mixed through.

Pour into the cake tin and sprinkle the demerera sugar over the top. Bake at 300℉ (150℃ ) for 30 to 40 minutes. Ovens vary so radically in how quickly they cook, it really is worth keeping an eye on this the first time you bake it so it does not brown up too fast. The cake is done when a skewer (or piece of uncooked spaghetti) inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Cool, and the cover tightly with foil or store in a sealed tin. It is lovely served on its own with a cup of tea, or serve it as a dessert with some good vanilla ice cream.

My Mom's Mincemeat Tart Oat Squares

This recipe is one of my Mom’s, from the recipe box she left me. The box is such a treasure to me as it contains so many memories of my Mom and the things we used to cook together. I have to admit to playing with the recipe a bit over the years to make it my own, but the original idea is my Mom’s. These squares are great for this time of year as not only are they seasonal, but the oats in them almost allow you to convince yourself they are good for you!  It’s the perfect recipe for a Saturday afternoon, when hopefully you have not only the time, but also the inclination, to bake something delicious. Having said that it is so quick and easy you could even put it together after a frantic day of shopping.   These delicious squares can be cut in small squares for dessert buffets, or larger ones if you want to serve it as a dessert at a sit down dinner.  (In which case a scoop of good vanilla ice cream or a nice dollop of whipped cream is a lovely accompaniment!) Be sure to use proper oatmeal, not the instant kind.
 
¾ cup rolled oats (not instant)
¾ cup all purpose (plain) flour
¼ teaspoon baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup brown sugar, packed
½ cup butter, (cold, cut in small cubes)
1 – ¼ cups mincemeat (store bought is fine, but choose a good brand)
2 tablespoon rum, brandy, Cointreau or Grand Mariner
(Cointreau or Grand Mariner give the recipe a gorgeous citrus hit)
 
Grease and flour an eight inch square pan.  Preheat the oven to 350ºF or about 150º - 170ºC.  Put the mincemeat in a small bowl and stir in the liquor.
 
In a medium size bowl or in the food processor, combine the oats, flour, baking soda, salt and sugar.  Add the butter and either process or cut in until the mixture is crumbly.  Firmly press half this mixture into the square pan.  Pop the pan in the freezer for about fifteen minutes.  Put the remaining of the oat mixture in the fridge for the same amount of time.
 
Remove the square pan from the freezer and the remaining oat mixture from the fridge. Carefully spread the boozy mincemeat over the top of the oat mixture in the square pan.    Gently sprinkle the remaining oat mixture evenly over the top.  Bake in the oven for about 20 to 25 minutes.   (Ovens vary so wildly it is hard to say so please do keep an eye on the pan.)  When the squares are cooked they will be lightly golden brown on top.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool.  (Seriously, do not cut into these when they are warm as they will just crumble everywhere.)
 
When they are totally cool you can slice in either small squares to eat with your fingers as a snack or on a buffet, or in larger ones to serve with whipped cream or ice cream as a dessert.  If you have any left over, they will keep in a sealed container for a few days. You can store them in the fridge, but bring them to room temperature before eating.

I hope you enjoy these as much as we do in our house!

The 21st Century Housewife's© Christmas Parsnip Soup

There is nothing like coming home from a hard day's Christmas shopping knowing that you have something lovely and warming for supper in the fridge. Parsnips are plentiful this time of year and combined with the nutmeg, they just taste of Christmas. This soup is so easy to make, and although it takes a bit of time, very little of that is labour intensive. It is wonderful served with crusty bread or rolls, or with your favourite sandwich. It travels well in a thermos too, if you want to take it along for lunch on the go!

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
6 – 7 medium parsnips, peeled and cut in fairly small chunks
1 litre chicken stock
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly ground if possible
125 to 250 ml milk or single cream
paprika or a swirl of cream for garnish

Heat the butter and oil in a saucepan. Add the onion and cook over low heat until softened. The longer you can cook the onion the more flavourful it will be, provided you keep the heat very low. If you have time, you can leave them cooking away for about fifteen or twenty minutes; if you are in a rush, just make sure that they are nicely softened.

Stir in the parsnips, making sure to coat them with the melted butter and oil. Turn the heat down as low as you can and put the lid on the saucepan. Set the timer for ten minutes and let the parsnips sweat in their buttery coating. You can peek, in fact I encourage you to, just to be sure they are not sticking. Turn the heat back a bit if they do start to stick a little. Let them sweat away in the pan, giving them the occasional stir.

After ten minutes, remove the lid and add the stock. Bring to the boil. Now turn back the heat. Stir in the nutmeg and simmer gently for about 20 to 30 minutes until the parsnips are very, very soft. Take the soup off the heat.

Cool for a few minutes so the liquid and parsnips are not scalding hot. When the soup has cooled a bit, puree it in the blender in batches. If I am going to serve it later, this is the point at which I allow the soup to cool right down and then refrigerate it as I prefer to add the milk or cream just before serving.

If you are serving the soup right away, however, wash out the pan and dry it, and put the soup back in. (If you made the soup earlier and you now want to serve it, remove it from the fridge and allow to sit at room temperature for about twenty minutes -so it isn't icy cold - before putting it in a pan on the stove. ) Place the pan over a low heat and begin to stir in the milk or cream. Now the amount of milk you add depends on the thickness of the liquidised parsnips and stock you have in your pan, and indeed whether you have chosen to use milk or cream (which is slightly thicker). Just take it slowly as there is nothing worse than thin soup. Remember, you can always add more milk or cream, but you can’t take it away! Heat until piping hot. Carefully taste the soup, adding a little bit more nutmeg if you feel it needs it.

Serve in bowls or mugs with a sprinkling of paprika or swirl of cream for garnish.

The 21st Century Housewife's© Sausage and Balsamic Roast Shallot Pasta

This is a great recipe for this time of year because it is quick and easy, yet tastes like it took a lot of time and effort. It is also easy on your purse or pocketbook! The shallots and spice give it an excellent flavour and the brussel sprouts add a lovely Christmassy touch. Please don’t go all funny on me about these – properly cooked they are gorgeous. (Overcooked, soggy and wilted they are awful!!) Having said that, if you really hate them, please feel free to leave them out. We love them in our house! In fact, I think I may be the only Mom who can say that when my son was little he used to stand in the vegetable aisle in the grocery store and say, “Please buy me some brussel sprouts mummy, I haven’t had them in ages!” Honestly, he did! People used to look at us, amazed – hearing a child ask for any vegetable is pretty incredible - hearing them ask for brussel sprouts is nigh on miraculous!

Anyway, if you are using fresh chillies, be sure to wear gloves or wash your hands very thoroughly after chopping them – and keep your fingers well away from your eyes until you have washed your hands. Believe me, chilli can burn. I have found ready-chopped chillies preserved in jars here in England and I must admit I use them quite a lot. The ones I buy are from the English Provender Company and are quite appropriately called ‘Very Lazy Chillies’. They do ‘Very Lazy Garlic’ as well (which you could also use in this recipe). I am sure there must be something similar if you live in North America and if you can find it, do please feel free to use it in this recipe! Anything to save a bit of time and effort at this busy time of year!! (NB. I use about half a teaspoon of the chillies when I make this, and about a teaspoon of the garlic.)

Passata is cooked, sieved tomato and is sold in jars or those cardboardy tetra-pac containers. If you can’t find it, feel free to use a tin of tomatoes instead. If your family is like mine and doesn’t like chunks of tomato in their food, just whiz the tomatoes in the food processor or blender before using.

This is a pasta meal that is definitely good enough to serve to guests, but it also makes a super family meal. The quantities listed below serve two to three hungry adults, but the recipe is easily doubled.

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar
about 10 shallots, peeled and quartered
6 good quality pork sausages, chopped in three to four pieces each
2 garlic cloves
half a small red chilli (ribs and seeds removed), chopped OR
a pinch of dried red pepper flakes
½ cup white wine
1-1/2 cups passata (cooked, sieved tomatoes)
1 generous teaspoon white sugar
1 chicken stock cube
a good handful of brussel sprouts, washed, peeled and finely sliced
9 to 10 ounces (250 – 300 grams) whole wheat pasta

Pre-heat the oven to very hot (400℉ or 200℃). Put the shallots in a roasting dish and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the oil and 1 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar. Here is how mine looked before they went into the oven:-



Roast the shallots in the oven for about twenty minutes, stirring once, until softened and golden, like this:-




Meanwhile, heat the other tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan (with a lid) on the stove top. When it gets to medium heat, add the pieces of sausage and fry gently, stirring as little as possible so they don’t fall to pieces. When they are starting to brown, grate in the garlic using a fine grater. (You can chop it finely if you prefer. I saw Rachael Ray grating garlic into a recipe on television one day, thought it was a fantastic idea, and have never looked back!) Add the white wine, passata, chillies or red pepper flakes and the white sugar. Crumble the chicken stock cube over the top and then stir everything gently together. Pop the lid on the pan and simmer over low heat for about fifteen to twenty minutes or until the sausages are cooked through.

While the sauce is simmering, cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to package directions.

Once the sausages are done, toss the sliced Brussel sprouts and roasted shallots into the sauce and stir gently to mix. Pop the lid back on and cook for about three to five minutes over low heat just to let the sprouts soften.

Drain the pasta and return to the pan. Pour the sauce over the pasta and stir gently to mix. Serve and enjoy.

PS - This is really, really delicious with a nice glass of full bodied red wine, like a merlot or cabernet sauvignon - or a glass of red grape juice!

The 21st Century Housewife's© Creamy Christmas Turkey with Rice

I love leftovers - anticipating well in advance what I will do with them - so Christmas is a great time for me. It's the season of leftover everything - and the only limit is my imagination! The key to using up your leftovers is to be sure to cool them quickly and refrigerate them promptly. This keeps them fresh, safe and appealing. Also remember to buy extra fresh vegetables so that you can use them creatively with your leftovers - after all, you can only eat so many sandwiches!

Because the cream sauce is pale and delicate, I use only light meat turkey for this recipe. It's reminiscent of Chicken A La King, but with a much more evolved flavour and texture. Please don't omit the nutmeg - it adds a fantastic hit of spice that suggests Christmas, but is not immediately identifiable. It's one of those - "what is that?" flavours that takes a recipe from good to great.

It goes without saying that this works very well with leftover cooked chicken too. And please do not feel you have to make the stock from scratch, ready made or from a cube is fine.

To serve four people you need:-

2 tbsp butter (unsalted if possible)
2 tbsp flour
2 cups chicken, turkey or vegetable stock (you may not need it all)
½ cup light cream or half and half (again you may not need it all)
Leftover white meat turkey – roughly 2 cups chopped
1 red pepper
3 – 4 leeks, washed, thinly sliced and drained
1 cup frozen peas, measured into a cup and set aside to thaw a bit
½ tsp dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly ground if possible
salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a low heat. Add the leeks and cook slowly, stirring occasionally. The longer you cook the leeks in the butter, the softer and more meltingly tender they will get. If you can leave them for about fifteen minutes that is wonderful. If you are in a hurry, ten will do.



Sprinkle the flour over the leeks and stir to coat. Add the stock gradually, stirring and allowing the sauce to thicken after each addition. You want it to be fairly thick, but remember you still have cream to add, so don't feel you have to add all the stock. Just go slowly.

Meanwhile, cook enough rice four people in boiling water according to package directions. (I usually find about a cup and a half of rice is more than enough for four, but check the package directions.)

Add the red pepper to the creamy leeks and sauce and cook for about five minutes. Add more stock if necessary.



Now add the turkey, frozen peas, oregano, nutmeg and about half the cream. Stir together and heat over low heat with the lid on, stirring occasionally if necessary. After about five minutes, add more cream if you feel it needs it. You want a nice consistency; not too runny, not too thick.

When you get your desired consistency and everything is heated through, take a small spoonful to taste. (Careful, it's hot!). Add salt and pepper if necessary. (I highly recommend a bit of pepper, but I've always skipped adding any more salt to this recipe. However taste is a personal thing so you should do as you like - except if you are on a low-sodium diet - in which case, please be good and don't add any salt! )

Serve the Creamy Christmas Turkey on a bed of rice.

The 21st Century Housewife's© Christmas Gravy

With Christmas on the horizon, I’ve been thinking about all things poultry, and have been doing a lot of experimenting in the kitchen around that theme. I first developed this gravy in an attempt to jazz up some chicken breasts. (It worked!!) It is brilliant with turkey as well, and I have even served it with sausages and mashed potatoes. It’s also a great multi-purpose gravy for everyone. Vegetarians can use vegetable stock instead of meat stock and vegans can do that as well as eliminate the butter and use olive oil instead. It’s delicious every way I’ve made it, and really, really easy. I know that onions are not necessarily a normal part of a Christmas gravy, but wow, do they make a delicious addition!

2 tablespoons plus 1 tablespoon butter
2 large onions, red or white, peeled and thinly sliced
2 heaped tablespoons flour
2 to 3 cups of turkey, chicken or vegetable stock
(made from cubes or store bought works just fine)
3 heaping tablespoons cranberry sauce from a jar

Melt the 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Turn the heat back to low and fry the onions gently, stirring occasionally. Frying the onions slowly over low heat makes for a sweeter gravy, so I usually let them cook for ten to fifteen minutes. By this point, the onions should be softened and just beginning to take on a bit of colour.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter, and melt it through the onions. Give it all a stir and then sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir through to coat. Slowly begin to add a bit of the stock at a time, stirring constantly. When the mixture begins to thicken, gradually add more stock, a bit at a time, until you get a nice, thick, pourable gravy. (Keep stirring!) You may need slightly more or less stock, depending on how your mixture cooks up.

When the gravy reaches your desired thickness, add the cranberry sauce and stir to melt through the gravy. Taste, and add a bit of salt and/or pepper if you want to. Decant into a gravy boat and serve.

Very Versatile Vanilla Sugar

If you didn’t already know, the funny looking thing pictured above is a vanilla pod (sometimes referred to as a vanilla bean). Vanilla pods are the dried, cured pods of the vanilla orchid which grow most commonly in Mexico and Central America. Vanilla is also cultivated in Madagascar. Pollination of these plants is only done by certain breeds of bees and hummingbirds, so vanilla often has to be pollinated by hand - a very time consuming and laborious process. It is one of the reasons vanilla can be so expensive.

Now there is nothing wrong with vanilla extract, provided you use a good brand (not one that is artificially produced). However there is something else that you can use as well to give a lovely deep vanilla-y hit to your cooking and baking - vanilla sugar.

Vanilla sugar is often looked on as a luxury ingredient, most likely because of those tiny pots of very expensive vanilla sugar you see in the supermarket or speciality stores. I urge you to ignore these (except for gift inspiration, but more about later). For a less than the cost of one of those tiny jars you can buy a vanilla pod - and with it you can make lots and lots of lovely vanilla sugar. I’m not denying vanilla pods are themselves expensive - it is always a shock to pick up a very light, virtually empty jar containing one little pod and have to fork over quite a lot of money for it (they cost about £4 in the UK, and about $5 in the US and Canada). However you can make so much vanilla sugar with just one pod, it is a very good investment indeed.

To make vanilla sugar, all you need is the aforementioned vanilla pod and a pound (or about half a kilogram) of granulated white sugar. Pour half the sugar into a container you can seal tightly. I use one of these:-



but any container that seals well will do.

Cut the vanilla pod in half and put both halves in the container on top of the sugar. Pour the rest of the sugar on top. Seal and leave for at least two days. That’s it. The flavour gets deeper the longer you leave it and you can keep topping it up with more sugar as you use it. Just remember to give the container the odd shake from time to time so the vanilla flavour gets distributed evenly. One vanilla pod will flavour as much sugar as you can use for at least six months. I tend to run the contents of my container down when it gets close to being six months old - refraining from adding any more sugar - and then start fresh. I just give the container a good wash, dry it thoroughly and start with a fresh vanilla pod and fresh sugar.

You can substitute vanilla sugar for white sugar in almost any recipe, except for ones in which the primary flavour is savoury. For example, I use a teaspoon of sugar in most tomato based sauces and I sure would not use vanilla sugar in that case! But it is fantastic for baking - in everything from cookies to cakes and pies. It is worth pointing out here that I still use vanilla extract if it is called for in recipes in which I have substituted vanilla sugar for ordinary white sugar. It has never given too strong a flavour in my opinion. In fact, the flavour of vanilla extract is slightly different from that given by vanilla sugar and in my experience one enhances the other.

You can also get very creative if you feel so inclined and make a variety of different sugars based on vanilla sugar using smaller containers and smaller bits of vanilla pod. I like to keep a small container filled with sugar, a piece of vanilla pod and a couple tablespoons of ground cinnamon. It’s gorgeous on toast or stirred into hot milk or cocoa. You could also make versions with ginger or mixed spice if you wanted to.

You can even give vanilla sugar - or vanilla cinnamon sugar - as gifts. Just find a pretty storage jar to fill with sugar and a vanilla pod, tie with a ribbon and you are done. (If it is a smaller jar, just use half - or a third - of a vanilla pod.) It is a great idea for anyone who likes baking and is a lot nicer than those jars of vanilla sugar you buy in speciality stores! You could even tie a little recipe card on the container with a ribbon giving instructions on how to keep the “starter” you have given going. It’s a really reasonable gift (depending on how much you spend on the jar!) and yet it looks like a lot.

There is nothing like vanilla sugar for baking your favourite treats, especially at Christmas, and if you start a container now it will be ready in plenty of time for either baking or gifting!