2015 Savor the Season

— 2015 —

Savor

e

e

SeaSon a community guide to holiday flavors

A publication of the Daily Record

you’re in for a treat

2 Welcome 3 Stress Free Hosting sponsored by Fitterer’s Furniture

9 What Does it All Mean 11 Health & Safety sponsored by New York Life Insurance

16 Coffee & Hot Chocolate Bar 19 Merry Vegetarian Christmas

inside 21 Cookies with the Kids sponsored by Knudson Lumber

26 25 and Counting 27 Meat Secrets sponsored by Old Mill Country Store

31 Eat Up 33 Think Small with Desserts 37 Common Cooking Mistakes 38 Holiday Treats in a Jar 1

SAVOR the SEASON

WELCOME

welcome We are very pleased to bring you the first edition of Savor the Season, a guide to local community holiday flavors and traditions.

enjoy!

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holidays at home Brought to you by Fitterer’s Furniture

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HOLIDAYS AT HOME

Stress-Free Hosting

© FOTOLIA

SAVOR the SEASON

Does the thought of hosting a big holiday party give you sweats? The planning, the people the cooking — how will you get it all done?

The key to pulling off a great holiday party is having confidence in yourself. Even if you haven’t planned a party of this magnitude before, believing you can is half the battle.

PLAN AHEAD If you wait until the morning of your holiday party to start every recipe, stress is inevitable.

A smart strategy is to get started a day early on the desserts and side items 4

that can comfortably rest in the refrigerator without losing their flavor or freshness.

Don’t forget that people are focused on each other and their time together during the holidays. No one is going to notice if you make a few mistakes in a recipe or forget to grab a certain decoration.

Keep that in mind to help you avoid stressing over every single party detail.

There are plenty of make-ahead recipes or even store-bought extras that can help keep your stress level to a minimum. You can incorporate a lot of small, finger-food items that not only make for easy preparation and overnight storage but easy cleanup as well.

Continued on page 6

Presentation is important too

The design staff at Fitterer’s Furniture in Downtown Ellensburg understand a wonderful dining experience needs a wonderful dining room setting! The showrooms at Fitterer’s are filled with quality, affordable, beautiful dining tables and comfortable chairs that will enhance any meal.

Visit today and let the professionals at Fitterer’s show you just how affordable a complete dining room make over can be! And be sure to grab a fresh chocolate chip cookie when you visit.

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SAVOR the SEASON

HOLIDAYS AT HOME

CONSIDER A POTLUCK

DECORATIONS

The traditional holiday meal may be comprised of grandma whipping up the appetizers, main course, desserts and drinks, but it doesn’t have to be that way.

When it comes to decorations, it’s OK to think simple.Take a walk around you property to find sticks, pinecones or evergreen branches and combine them into a large vase for a natural centerpiece.

Let guests know ahead of time that you’re going with a potluck party format. Have everyone bring a main dish and dessert — and make sure everyone knows what others are bringing. Or decide to cook the main turkey or ham dish and all of the desserts, leaving the side items up to your guests.

Add bowls of bright, vibrant fruit to your table. Items such as lemons and oranges will add some color to your spread, as well as fresh scents to complement the holiday spirit.

Before you know it, your list of items to cook will be whittled down, right along with your stress level.

Refresh your

Home

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Let Amanda and John, Fitterer’s professional trained designers help you refresh and revitalize your home or office.

Call Fitterer’s Furniture in Ellensburg for an appointment.

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Your perfect tree awaits Tree cutting permits available at the Kittitas County Chamber offices in Ellensburg & Cle Elum.

to go s t n prese ee? e m o s tr Need der that e too! un thos , t o g e icates es v f i ’ t e r e W C s sines r Gift be l bu • Cham er 100 loca ets at ov t Tick s e W good he it of t r i p S •

609 N. Main • Ellensburg 312 1st Street • Cle Elum (509) 925-2002 www.KittitasCountyChamber.com

May this Christmas end the present year on a cheerful note and make way for a fresh and bright new year.

Here’s wishing you a

Merry Christmas and

Happy New Year

Marlene Pfeifer, CRS Re/Max Community Realty (509) 899 -0702 marlene@elltel.net www.MarlenePfeifer.com 1386578 Savorf15 GP

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SAVOR the SEASON

TIPS

What Does it All Mean?

By Tresa Erickson

It’s your turn to cook holiday dinner this year, and after days of browsing recipes, you’ve determined what the menu will be. You’ve read through the recipes, made a grocery list and will soon start the shopping. In the meantime, you’re going to familiarize yourself with the recipes.

Blend, bind, beat, scald, simmer, sear—there are a lot of cooking terms, some with very close meanings. Here is a brief review to help you keep them straight.

Blend, beat, bind

Dice, mince

Sauté, sear, braise

Blending and beating are both techniques for mixing ingredients. The difference lies in the touch. Blending generally requires a lighter touch than beating, which may involve the use of an electric mixer. Binding requires a heavy touch involving a thickening agent, like eggs or sauce.

Dicing results in small chunks of food.

Mincing results in very small pieces of food, allowing for more juice to penetrate and flavor the dish.

Sautéing and searing are very similar cooking techniques. Sautéed food is cooked quickly over high heat in oil or butter. Seared food is cooked quickly on the surface, sealing in the juices and preparing it for further cooking. Braising involves searing. Braised food is seared, then simmered in a covered pot.

Blanch, poach Blanching and poaching both involve the cooking of food in liquid. Blanching takes a lot less time than poaching—dipping asparagus in hot water to tenderize it, for example. It is usually just the start of the cooking.

Fold in, cream Folding in and creaming combine different ingredients together.

Folding in gently combines the heavy and the light, creating layers and retaining volume. It requires a much lighter touch than creaming.

Creaming combines the soft with the dry, butter and sugar, for example, forming a paste.

Toss, whip, puree All involve the mixing of ingredients. As with beating and blending, the difference lies in the touch. Tossing requires gentle mixing. Whipping and pureeing require vigorous mixing—the former until the mixture is light and fluffy and the latter until the mixture is a smooth paste.

Bake, roast, broil, plank All require heat. Baking occurs in dry heat, usually in an oven. Roasting may occur in the oven or over an open flame, and the food is often rotated. Broiling occurs in the broiler under dry, intense heat. Planking involves baking or broiling food on a hard piece of wood known as a plank.

Stir fry, fry, deep fry All involve the use of oil in different amounts. Stir frying requires very little oil. Food is tossed frequently and cooked quickly over high heat. Frying requires a bit more oil. Food is cooked in a thin layer of oil in a skillet. Deep frying requires a lot of oil. Food is submerged in a pan of hot oil and cooked quickly.

Boil, scald, simmer All of these involve the heating of liquids to various degrees. Boiling involves very high heat. Food is cooked until bubbly hot. Scalding also involves high heat.

Food is cooked almost until bubbly hot.

Simmering involves high heat and low heat. Food is cooked until bubbly hot and then reduced to a lower temperature.

Steam, stew Both of these techniques involve the cooking of food in liquids. Steaming takes place in water, stewing, in the food’s juices and water.

These are just some of the terms you may come across while cooking your holiday feast.

There are many others, and some may have a slightly different meaning or more than one meaning depending upon what the recipe calls for.

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Five generations of our family serving your families.

an People c eir th t e g now eats Owens M favorite from the products t machine ea Owens M rrol’s! at Je

Seattle s s Busine 2014 ine Magaz ll Family a #1 Sm ess of Busin ear the Y

The Owens family traditions always include FAMILY. We have large breakfasts that include crepes and Grandpa’s sausage and prime rib for dinner. We hunt together, ride horses, bikes and side by sides together. We travel, make plans and work together. We cherish the time we spend with family and friends. We would like to take this time over this holiday season to thank all of our loyal customers for all the wonderful years of allowing our family and business to serve you and be part of your family’s Holiday tradition.

We carry a full line of Pork • Lamb • Beef • Chicken

OPEN 7 Days A Week!

502 E. First Street – Cle Elum, WA

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health & safety Brought to you by New York Life Insurance Company

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SAVOR the SEASON

TIPS & REMINDERS

Health & Safety Safety

Š FOTOLIA

I

n our haste to prepare and present the perfect holiday meals, let us not forget one of the most important aspects of our get-togethers — our health.

Every holiday season, we should feel grateful to put another healthy year behind us and look forward to another one ahead.

And we should try to carry on that healthful spirit into our holiday parties. But home fires involving cooking peak on major holidays such as Christmas Eve and Christmas.Additionally, unattended cooking equipment is the leading cause of home cooking fires, according to Electrical Safety Foundation International.

So be safe this holiday season by following common-sense

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Continued on page 14

Jessica M. Noyes is here for the Kittitas Community

Jessica M. Noyes

Agent, New York Life Insurance Company Bus: 509.925.1450 Cell: 509.929.0490 jnoyes@ft.newyorklife.com

• Life Insurance • Fixed Annuities • Estate Conservation • College Funding • Retirement Planning To help secure your family’s financial future, contact me today.

Give them a permanent gift.

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New York Life Insurance Company 1206 Dolarway Road Suite 205 PO Box 1461 Ellensburg, WA 98926 *The experience of the individual described herein may not be representative of the experiences of other clients.

Furthermore, the experience obtained by this individual is not indicative of the future experiences that may be obtained by other clients.

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SAVOR the SEASON

TIPS & REMINDERS

cooking practices in the kitchen.Take these tips from the National Fire Protection Association, as well.

• Stay in the kitchen while cooking on the stovetop; • Remain home when cooking your turkey, ham or duck and check on it frequently; • Always keep children at least 3 feet away from the stove or oven to keep them safe from steam or splashing from vegetables or gravy; and • Keep the floor clear so you don’t trip over pets, bags or toys.

WORK OFF SOME CALORIES Another aspect of the holidays that can compromise our health is the amount of food and lack of exercise that can come with them. Creamy pies and generous portions can cancel out all of the hard work you’ve done throughout the year trying to lose weight and maintain a healthy waistline.

Take some simple steps — literally — to change this pattern. Put together a game of football in the yard before your meal.

Recommend a family walk around the neighborhood after dessert.These types of activities can help keep you on track with your weight and cholesterol levels during this holiday season.

No matter what you decide to take up this Christmas, make it a tradition. Having something to look forward to that isn’t food-related will keep you from being plunked down into grandma’s couch all day watching football and basketball.

New York Life Insurance Company 1206 Dolarway Road Suite 205 PO Box 1461 Ellensburg, WA 98926

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y

Deliver

0 7 0 7 5 2 9 te Open La

PIZZA COLIN Very Good Pizza in Beautiful Historic Downtown Ellensburg

Leftover Turkey Pizza

408 N. Main Street www.pizzacolin

Let us do the hard work!

Pre-Made 1 pound pizza dough Hand-Made Dough All-purpose flour, for dusting 1 teaspoon cornmeal 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 teaspoon sugar 3/4 cup mashed potatoes Med. Lrg. 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese 2 teaspoons whole milk 1 cup prepared stuffing 1 roasted turkey or chicken thigh, with skin 1/4 cup chunky cranberry sauce 1/4 cup gravy

$2 $3

Turkesy meet Pizza

Preheat to 425 degrees F. Stretch the pizza dough into a 12inch round on a floured surface. Dust a pizza peel or upside-down baking sheet with 1/2 teaspoon cornmeal and put the dough on top. Brush with the olive oil and sprinkle with the sugar and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon cornmeal. Slide onto the hot pizza stone or baking sheet and bake until golden on the bottom, 5 to 7 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix the mashed potatoes with 1/4 cup cheese and the milk in a bowl; set aside. Roll tablespoonfuls of the stuffing into 1-inch balls to look like meatballs. Shred the turkey meat and julienne the skin.

Slide the crust back onto the peel. Spread the cheddar mashed potatoes over the crust, then top with the shredded turkey. Spoon the cranberry sauce over the pizza and drizzle with the gravy.

Arrange the stuffing balls on top and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese and the turkey skin.

Return the pizza to the oven and bake until golden brown, 8 to 10 more minutes.

1376402 Savor15 GP

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TREATS & RECIPES

Coffee & Hot Chocolate Bar

© FOTOLIA

SAVOR the SEASON

The holidays mean cold weather for most of the country, which means warm, comforting drinks, and what’s more holiday-inspired than coffee and hot chocolate?

Having a great variety of both in alcoholic and non-alcoholic choices can be the finishing touch for a festive holiday party.

coffee than a traditional 12-cup pot, which will help you spend less time making coffee and more time enjoying your company.

You can achieve this in the form of a fancy coffee and hot chocolate bar set up on your kitchen island or a side table. Here’s what you’ll need:

Considering that not everybody is a coffee fan, be sure to have plenty of hot chocolate on tap for your guests, as well.Your guests can mix individual packets with warm milk for the perfect holiday treat.

Mugs and glasses No bar is complete without the mugs and glasses that will be used to serve your delicious concoctions.You can break out the humorous, tacky holiday mugs or opt for classier, more elegant drinkware.

Stack up your cups and mugs on a tray, and let guests serve themselves.Also, don’t forget the to-go cups and lids for the non-alcoholic beverages if there are guests who aren’t able to stay long at your party.

The Drinks Coffee is the perfect option for a cold day, so invest in some store-quality thermoses that guests can pump themselves.These can hold much more 16

The Extras Once the main aspects of the coffee and hot chocolate bar are planned out, it’s time to work on the extras.

These can include candies and cookies to complement your drinks, or holiday decorations to dress up your table.

Don’t forget the drink add-ons.

Creamers, sugar and marshmallows as companions for your guests’ drinks. Many creamers come in peppermint, butter toffee or even rum cake — delectable flavors with the perfect holiday twist for your drink bar.

Family Traditions We h W have one ffavorite i that h we llook k fforward d to every year: the Saturday after Thanksgiving day we load up all the leftover food, home-made coquito (Puerto Rican eggnog) and hot buttered rum, the sleds, the hack saws and all the warm clothes we can pull out of the winter trunks and load them into the 4-wheel drive cars and trucks and head for the hills. Since living here in Ellensburg we take off down the Taneum Creek road and take one of the turns that goes way up on the south hill above the Taneum. We build ourselves a big bon fire, eat ‘til we’re stuffed, sled if there’s snow and cut down a few Christmas trees. It’s an all day event, and regardless of the weather has always been considered a success. This marks the beginning of the Christmas season for us. No holiday decor goes up until that Saturday, and we like it like that. Each season in its turn, you know? It is a tradition that our whole family looks forward to, and the friends who have become family over the years take part in. It truly is a magical tradition to hand down to our children.

Holiday Greetings from the Valley Cafe Family 925-3050

107 West 3rd Avenue Ellensburg

1381193 Savor15 GP

We source our seasonal fresh produce from local farmers

Come in during Happy Hour to try our hot buttered rum and our coconut eggnog from 3-6

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Come in and discover a new holiday tradition Live & Cut Christmas trees Free in-town delivery Free Smore roasting on weekends Wreaths, swags, garland & greens Unique artisan gifts & home dĂŠcor Complimentary Gift Wrap 1116 E. Mountain View Ave. (509) 925-7878

Open 7 days a week through Dec. 23

1380434 Savor15 GP

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SAVOR the SEASON

RECIPES

Merry Vegetarian Christmas

By Ronda Addy

Not everyone enjoys the traditional turkey or ham Christmas dinner. Maybe this is the year you prepare a vegetarian meal for your dinner guests.Try one of these savory dishes to enhance your holiday spirit.

Vegetarian Christmas Pudding

Vegetarian Christmas Roast ROAST 8 oz. dark brown lentils 1 large onion, thinly sliced 1 bay leaf 4 oz. Brazil nuts, shelled and finely chopped 4 oz. walnuts, shelled and finely chopped 4 oz. hazelnuts, shelled and finely chopped 2 T. chopped thyme 2 T. chopped parsley 1 t. chopped rosemary 4 T. dry red wine Salt and fresh ground pepper 1 T. chopped savory ROAST: Combine lentils, sliced onion and bay leaf in a pan of water; bring to a boil and continue boiling until they are well softened. Remove the bay leaf then drain and mash the onion and lentils. Add the nuts to the lentil puree then stir in the herbs, wine and seasoning.

STUFFING 1 onion, sliced and chopped 4 T. olive oil 4 oz. whole wheat breadcrumbs Salt and fresh-ground pepper 6 sage leaves, chopped 5 T. dry red wine TOPPING 3 oz. whole wheat breadcrumbs 4 T. olive oil 2 t. sesame seeds

mixture in a flat oven-proof dish.

Spread the stuffing mixture over it and cover with remaining lentil mixture. Mold into an oblong loaf.

TOPPING: Combine breadcrumbs, oil and sesame seeds and press the mixture over the roast. Bake in pre-heated STUFFING: Gently cook the oven at 400 degrees for about onion in the oil until the onions 45 minutes or until the topping soften. Remove the pan from the mixture is brown and crispy. heat and add the breadcrumbs, seasoning, sage and red wine.

Spread half the lentil and nut

2 c. flour 1 c. sugar 1 c. raisins 1 c. dried mixed fruit and chopped dates 2 ¼ c. milk 1 T. butter or margarine 2 t. baking soda

Sift the flour and add the sugar. While mixing, add the raisins, dates and dried fruits.

Separately boil the milk and butter together then add the baking soda. Pour this over the flour mixture. Mix well until the milk and butter mixture blend with the flour. Place the mixture in a pudding cloth and steam for two hours.

Gingerbread ½ c. raisins ½ c. pitted dates, chopped 1 ¾ c. water ¾ c. raw sugar or other sweetener ½ t. salt 2 T. cinnamon 1 t. ginger ¾ t. nutmeg ¼ t. cloves 2 c. flour 1 t. baking soda 1 t. baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine dried fruits, water, sugar and spices in a large saucepan and bring to a boil.

Continue boiling for two minutes, then remove from heat and cool completely. When fruit mixture is cool, mix in the dry ingredients. Spread into a greased 9x9-inch pan and bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the top comes out clean.

If you decide to cook a vegetarian meal for your guests you should probably warn them in advance because to some people it wouldn’t be the holidays if there weren’t meat.

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s ’ y b Ru in Cle Elum Printing, Scrapbooking & things, llc

(509) 674-2296 • 116 E. 1st St., Cle Elum www.rubysstore.com

Fabrics, Quilting, Yarn, Scrapbooking & Crafts 6th Annual

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cookies with the kids Brought to you by Knudson Lumber

umber L n on s d u n K

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SAVOR the SEASON

COOKIES FAMILY

Cookies © FOTOLIA

with the

Cooking is a holiday tradition that should be enjoyed by people of all ages — even the kids. And depending on the age of your children, there are plenty of cooking activities to which they can lend a hand this year.

All it takes to get them involved is some clean hands and plenty of patience on your part.

You can assign different tasks to your children depending on their age.This will help keep them organized and focused on their own specific roles.

It also will ensure that the appropriate jobs are being handled by the appropriately aged children. Mixing and beating, for example is probably not a job for your 2-year-old toddler, while adding sprinkles to cookies may very well be.

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Kids

Here are some ideas of how you can involve your children in the cooking process, depending on if they’re younger (ages 2 to 5) or older (ages 6 and above).

YOUNGER CHILDREN Youngsters love cracking eggs.And as long as you’re there to supervise to make sure they’re not ingesting them, this can be a fun, educational experience for your toddler.

You also can enlist your youngest children to pour ingredients into a Continued on page 24

From the Kitchens of Knudson Lumber Snicker Cake

me warm This Snicker cake is aweso

ed cream or ice cream!

or cold topped with whipp

From

Jack’s Kitchen

Ingredients . caramels cake mix 1 14 oz. pkg colate chips 1 box German chocolate . cho pkg oz.

1 12 r 1 stick margarine or butte 1/3 cup milk ) ans or whatever you like 1 cup nuts ( walnuts, pec

x 13 pan and bake at 350 Directions a greased and floured 9 o int ½ r Pou ed. ect dir Prepare cake mix as re els are melted. Pour mixtu degrees for 20 minutes. heat, stirring until caram r low on pou n lk mi the ts, and , nu els and am Melt margarine, car er with chocolate chips rees for 20 minutes remove it from oven. Cov over cake as soon as you possible. Bake at 250 deg as nly eve as top the r ove x mi e the remainder of cak 350 degrees. then 10 more minutes aat

Candy Cane Kiss

Peppermint Cook

ie

s This has been a holid ay favorite for me sin for the holidays? ce I was a little girl.

From

Renee’s Kitchen

What is better than a kiss Ingredients 1 cup softened butte r 1 tsp peppermint ex ½ cup sugar + extra tract for dough balls 10 finely crushed pe ¼ tsp salt ppermint candies 2 cups flour 1 package Candy Ca ne Hershey kisses Directions Cream together the butte candies. Add the flou r and peppermint extract, and then beat in the crushed r, sugar and salt an pe d stir well. Chill the then roll into 1 balls dough for at least 30 ppermint , then roll in sugar.

Place on lightly gre minutes and for about 12 minutes ased cookie sheets . Immediately press and ba a several minutes on the pan before movin kiss in the middle of each cookie and th ke at 350 en g to cooling racks. Th is will make about 3 cool for dozen.

ls Dad’s Popccoorrnn Bal

g popcorn balls. d makkes great tastin and Cherry flavors an do to sy ea is it e oose the Lime recipe becaus I love the following Christmas for my Dad so I generally ch at at any time of the year, gre e at I usually make thes Christmas flare. However any flavor is a From of Jell-O to give them al issues as these are chewy!! nt de ve ha u yo if beware Ingredients up 1 cup light corn syr rate batches) x in half for two sepa n’t finish popping) 1/2 cup sugar bo ge lar a lit (sp lo d Jel y kernels that did 3oz Package flavore (try to get rid of an orn pc po ed pp po 3-4 Quar ts of at and boil, remove from he tly gh mixture comes to a n sli he ol W co Directions d. let lve ll, so we dis x orn and mi sugar until Cook corn syrup and solves into the mixture. Pour over popc rate pat them back together. it dis sepa stir gelatin in until per. If balls start to d paper. and set on waxed pa xe and then form balls cool and then wrap each ball up in wa ely let mp co til un Let sit

Kari’s Kitchen

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK

1791 Vantage Hwy. • (509) 962-9811 • www.knudsonlumber.com 1377902 Savor15 GP

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SAVOR the SEASON

FAMILY

YOUNGER KIDS

• Rolling cookie dough into balls; • Flattening the cookie dough balls with their fingers; • Rolling balls of cookie dough in sugar; and • Transferring cookie balls onto a baking sheet.

OLDER KIDS

Other roles for kids

• Stir in chocolate chips, raisins or other ingredients; • Cut out cookie shapes from the rolled dough; • Unwrap and press chocolate kisses into the tops of cookies; • Frost and decorate cookies by themselves; • Dip cookies in melted chocolate or drizzle the chocolate over the cookies; and • Pipe frosting features on gingerbread men and other desserts.

mixing bowl after you have measured them out.

The most fun step for children of any age may be frosting the desserts, so step back and let them have a little fun.

OLDER CHILDREN If you trust your older children to use hand-held electric mixers, they can help you take care of this step while you combine other ingredients.

You may want to step in when the time comes to add messy items such as flour, sugar or softened cream cheese.

I love my home-made sugar cookies and/or chocolate chip cookies

The end. ~ Martin Shelley

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1377904 Savor15 GP

I start off by begging my wife to please turn on the oven to 325 degrees. Then I go to Safeway as it’s warming up and buy eggs, flour, chocolate chips, sugar, etc… and bring it home. Then I tell my wife, Kari, to get busy and start baking. As she is mixing all the ingredients together, I turn on the T.V. and start watching football games. When I hear the buzzer on the stove, I return to the kitchen and eat the cookies hot out of the oven. Sometimes I have to wait for the sugar cookies, as they have to cool a bit before Kari can frost them for me.

My Granny’s Apple Pudding

By Miranda (Schnebly) Nash

G

rowing up in the Fairview area just a mile from my Grandparents (Dorse & Peggy Schnebly) I would frequently visit them. I would shout “Granny” as I slid open the glass door to their red farm house.

It seems my Granny was always in the kitchen. After being greeted with her warm smile and a hug, she would invite me to join her while she cooked. I would sit on the green wooden bench in the kitchen, listening to her stories while observing her whip up a culinary marvel. Through the years we shared many recipes with each other, along with a passion for food, family and traditions. One of those traditions is baking her apple pudding for the Holidays. With an abundance of apples, picked from their trees and stored in the cellar, this was a perfect recipe to highlight the season’s harvest. Our family’s Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners are not complete without a serving (or two) of this spiced, cake like, moist dessert with warm butter sauce. We all love this recipe and it is one of my Dad’s favorites. My Granny said she got this recipe from a long-time neighbor and friend, Mrs. Lillian Pennington. I am honored to share this recipe with you. Happy baking and warmest wishes through the Holidays.

APPLE PUDDING From the recipe box of Peggy (Charlton) Schnebly

Ingredients for Apple Pudding: ¾ - 1 cup sugar (*note – sweet apples use less sugar, tart apples use more) 1 cup flour 1 teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon cinnamon ½ teaspoon nutmeg ¼ cup melted butter or canola oil 1 egg – whisked 3-4 apples – peeled, cored and shredded to yield about 2 cups

Directions for Apple Pudding: • Preheat oven to 325’ • Grease and flour 8x8 inch baking pan • In large bowl mix sugar, flour, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg.

• Add melted butter(or canola oil), whisked egg and shredded apple and thoroughly mix. Batter will be thick.

• Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 35 minutes.

• Remove from oven to wire cooling rack and prepare butter sauce.

Ingredients for Butter Sauce: ½ cup butter ¾ cup sugar ½ cup light cream 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla Dash of nutmeg

Directions for Butter Sauce: • Add about 2” of water in bottom pan of double boiler. Making sure the bottom of the top pan will not be touching the water when it is inserted into the bottom pan. Bring water to simmer and adjust heat to maintain simmer while placing the top pan on double boiler.

• In the top pan of the double boiler add butter, sugar, light cream and vanilla. Stirring constantly cook 15 minutes.

• Remove from heat and add a dash of nutmeg.

• Serve immediately over warm apple pudding adding a dollop of whipped cream if desired. *Recipe can also be doubled to accommodate a 9x13 baking dish

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SAVOR the SEASON

GIFTS

25 AND COUNTING

By Tresa Erickson You get together with your extended family every holiday season, and now that all of your nieces and nephews are grown, the number of people in your family has nearly doubled.

There are now 25 of you and several more on the way. Buying one gift for each person in your extended family has become an expensive endeavor and the price will only go up in the future as the family grows.You and your siblings have decided it is time to put the brakes on individual gifts and find some other less expensive route.

Giving individual gifts can get costly in large extended families.

One gift for 25 or more people can add up quickly. To curb this, many large extended families resort to other gift-giving tactics. Some of these include: • Family gifts.

This works well for extended families with several members.

Each of the immediate families either exchanges names or buys one gift for each other. The Walkers, for example, might draw the Smiths' name and buy a gift for them that applies to the whole family, like a set of movie tickets or a gift certificate for dinner.

If there are just a few immediate families, then they might just buy each family a gift. The Walkers might buy movie tickets for the Smiths, a gift certificate for dinner for the Tripps and a gym membership for the Stevers.

• Gift trade. This also works well for extended families with several members. All immediate families must purchase a generic gift for each 26

member of their family and wrap them. The gifts are divided into two piles, one for adults and one for kids. Each person picks a gift randomly from the table and opens it. Then everyone begins trading for the gift they really want.

• Kids only. This works well for extended families with several young kids. The adults in the family buy gifts for the kids only. If there are a significant number of kids, the adults may draw an equal number of kids' names and buy just for them.

• Name draw.

This works well for extended families with mostly grown adults.

The names of everyone within the extended family are thrown into a hat. Each person draws one name from the hat and purchases a gift for that name.

• Secret Santa.

This works well for extended families with mostly grown adults.

The names of everyone within the family are put into a hat. Each person draws one name and buys small gifts for that person which they deliver secretly throughout the event. At the end of the event, the Secret Santas reveal themselves.

These are just five ways to exchange gifts within a large extended family without spending a bundle. Other options are available.

With some thought, you and your siblings are sure to come up with just the right one for your extended family.

meat secrets Brought to you by Old Mill Country Store

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SAVOR the SEASON

MAIN COURSE

Meat Secrets O

n dining room tables across America, the star of the holiday meal is the meat.Turkey, duck, ham or steaks — you can’t go wrong in wowing your guests with a perfectly executed meat dish.

© FOTOLIA

Fittingly, a lot of pressure is on the cook to prepare, cook and carve the meat in just the right way. Follow the tips below to make sure you pull off the meat dish your guests are anticipating.

Roasting Tips There are all sorts of fancy cooking methods for meat, but one of the most tried and true is the simple roast. Especially good for large cuts of meat, the basic roast will leave your meat juicy and tender.

Be sure that your meat is at least 2 inches

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Continued on page 30

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SAVOR the SEASON

MEAT

thick. The meat depends on its own juices to provide some of the flavor and extra juiciness, so roasting too thin a piece can be counterproductive.

Carving Tips Different meats pose different challenges when it comes time for carving. A succulent pot roast is best carved against the grain of the meat for the ultimate cut. The turkey, on the other hand, is best cut into different segments to appease your white meat and dark meat fans.

juices like it would if cut immediately out of the oven.

You can either carve at the table or on a large cutting board with a well at one end to hold the juice. Use a long, sharpened carving knife to slice the meat and a long-handled fork to keep your cuts straight and steady.

The steps to a perfect roast

Roasts, turkeys and whole chickens benefit from 15 minutes of standing time to allow them to finish cooking.

• Place the meat fat side up on a rack in an open roaster; • Do not add water, as the meat will use its own juices;

Meat is also easier to carve after it stands, and will not lose its

• Insert a meat thermometer into thickest part of roast when the cooking time is nearing the end; and • Allow the meat to stand for 15 minutes before carving.

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Eat Up

Holiday Traditions around the globe

By Ronda Addy

No matter where they live, people love to celebrate special occasions with good food, particularly at Christmas. While Americans tend to feast on turkey, ham, stuffing, potatoes, pumpkin pie and other dishes during the holiday season, other countries have their own favorites. Let's take a look at some of them.

In Australia, Christmas occurs in the middle of summer and lunch typically consists of roast turkey, ham, pork, vegetables, cranberry sauce and mince pies or flaming Christmas pudding with brandy sauce for dessert.

Although gold nuggets were once placed inside the Christmas pudding during the Australian gold rush, small favors are tucked inside it today, and anyone who finds a favor will have good luck all year long. In recent years, hot weather and cultural diversity have resulted in the addition of seafood salads, cold meats and barbecue to the holiday menu and many Christmas lunches now take place at a park or on the beach.

In France, a late supper is eaten after midnight mass. The food served varies from region to region, but the most common meal consists of turkey, cranberry sauce, mince pies and pudding. Some regions serve fish, such as carp or sole. For dessert, bûche de Noël, a cake rolled and filled with chestnut cream and coated in homemade marzipan, is served.

In Germany, Christmas Eve is called "dickbauch," or "fat stomach," because anyone who does not eat well on that night will be haunted by demons. Traditional food includes suckling pig, the sweet cinnamon "reisbrel," white sausage and macaroni salad. The Christmas meal includes roast goose; "chiststollen," long loaves of bread with nuts, raisins, dried fruit and citron; "lebkuchen," spice bars; marzipan; and "Dresden stolen," moist, heavy bread filled with fruit.

In Greenland, two delicacies are served for Christmas. After everyone has sung carols and had their coffee, "mattak," whaleskin with a strip of blubber inside that is supposed to taste like fresh coconut, is passed around. Another Christmas delicacy is "kiviak," the raw flesh of the arctic birds auks that has been buried whole in sealskin for several months until it has reached an advanced stage of decomposition.

In Portugal, Christmas Eve supper consists of codfish with boiled potatoes and cabbage. Dessert may include "filhoses," fried pumpkin dough; "rabanadas," similar to French toast; or "azevias," round cakes made of a crust filled with a mixture of chickpeas, sugar and orange peel. Although it started out as a New Year's cake, the fruitcake "bolo rei" has also become popular at Christmastime. It can contain one of two surprises: a fake metal doll ring or a raw broad bean. Anyone who finds the bean has to buy the "bolo rei" the next year.

Many other desserts can be found throughout Portugal at Christmas, including "aletria," vermicelli sweet with eggs served in the Douro and Minho regions.

This is just a tiny sample of what Christmas meals consist of in other countries. While some are very similar to the meals served in the United States, others are not. Whatever is served, one thing is for certain-those eating the meal most certainly enjoy it!

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Eat Drink and BeMerry SPICE UP THE HOLIDAY…

DOTTIE'S HOT BUTTERED RUM 1 lb. butter 1 quart vanilla ice cream 2 cups sugar 2 cups dark brown sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon (I like cinnamon I’m generous) 1 teaspoon (freshly ground if possible) nutmeg Let the butter and ice cream soften, Mix soften butter with sugars and spices Add in ice cream and blend until smooth Store in refrigerator, keep in air tight containers To serve: add 2 tablespoons of mix and 1 oz (one shot) rum in your favorite mug, fill with hot water sprinkle with nutmeg. Enjoy!

Makes a great gift in a classic mason jar with two holiday mugs, and a great bottle of rum.

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SAVOR the SEASON

RECIPES

Think Small with Dessert Once the appetizers have been served and the main course finished off, you guests will be looking for dessert. Don’t let them down.

Convenient and cute, appetizer-sized desserts are the perfect way to keep your guests happy.

It’s even better if you can translate holiday favorites into mini versions, like the two ideas below.

Gingerbread Cupcakes For the cookies:

1 stick butter 8 ounces sour cream 2 cups all-purpose flour 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

For the frosting:

8 ounces softened cream cheese 1 stick softened butter 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1/2 cup sugar Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin pan with paper liners.

Combine butter with sour cream in mixer.

Meanwhile, sift flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and cloves into a small bowl.With the mixer on low speed, slowly add flour mixture to butter and sour cream mixture until smooth.

Divide batter into muffin pan liners. Bake on middle rack of oven for 25 to 30 minutes.

For the frosting, mix cream cheese, butter and vanilla in a bowl.Add sugar and mix until smooth.

© FOTOLIA

Mini Cheesecakes

3 tablespoons butter 6 whole graham crackers 1/2 cup sugar 1 large egg One 10 1/2-ounce log fresh goat cheese, softened 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons crème fraîche (5 ounces) Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a muffin pan with paper liners.

In a food processor, grind the crackers with the melted butter and 1 tablespoon of sugar.

Pack the crumbs into the paper liners, pressing to compact. Bake for 10 minutes for crispiness and let cool.

Beat the egg, salt and remaining 1/2 cup sugar at medium speed for 2 minutes.Add goat cheese and beat until smooth. Fold in crème fraîche. Spoon mixture into molds and smooth tops.

Bake for about 30 minutes. Let cheesecakes cool, then refrigerate them until chilled, at least 1 hour.

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Healthy HOLIDAY

FOOD brought to you by Kittitas Valley Healthcare

Healthy Substitutions Heavy cream For each cup of heavy cream try any of these alternatives: • One cup fat-free half and half • One cup fat-free evaporated milk • One cup 1% milk plus 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Frosting Make a meringue topping instead. Meringue is made from just egg whites and sugar.

Mashed potatoes Mashed cauliflower. A fraction of the calories, and the taste is nearly the same. Try half potato and half cauliflower for picky eaters.

Oil or butter Unsweetened applesauce. One cup of applesauce replaces one cup of oil or butter. This works for sweet breads (like banana or zucchini), muffins, and even boxed brownie or cake mixes.

Creamy dips Try a hummus instead of a creamy dip. Dip vegetables sticks instead of chips to make the snack even healthier.

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Roasted Sweet Potato & Apple Salad 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed ½ tsp salt, divided ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper 3 tbsp low calorie apple juice cocktail 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 tbsp Dijon mustard 1 tbsp honey 2 tsp snipped fresh chives 1 medium Gala apple, cored and chopped (about 1 cup) ½ cup celery ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion Lettuce leaves INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Arrange sweet potatoes in single layer on baking sheet. Spray with nonstick cooking spray, season with Ð tsp salt and pepper. Roast 20 – 25 minutes or until potatoes are tender, stirring halfway through. Cool completely.

Meanwhile, whisk apple juice cocktail, oil, vinegar, mustard, honey, chives and remaining Ð tsp salt in small bowl until smooth and well blended.

Combine sweet potatoes, apple, celery and onion in medium bowl. Drizzle with dressing, gently toss to coat.

Arrange lettuce leaves on 4 serving plates. Top evenly with sweet potato mixture.

Makes 4 servings | Per serving: calories 133, total fat 4 gm, protein 1 gm, carbohydrate 26 gm, cholesterol 0 mg, dietary fiber 3 gm, Sodium 424 mg Diabetic Cooking Sept/Oct 2013

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SAVOR the SEASON

TIPS

Common Cooking Mistakes

By Tresa Erickson We’ve all been there.You’re in the kitchen whipping up your favorite dish when the phone rings, the kids start yelling or a neighbor knocks on your door.You take care of business, but then you’re distracted and forget an ingredient or set the oven timer for far too long.You end up with a notso-great dish, most of which ends up in the garbage disposal. Mistakes happen, even with the best of cooks. This year as you begin planning for all of the holiday dishes ahead, keep these common cooking mistakes in mind to reduce the risk of kitchen mishaps.

Skimming the recipe Good cooks read the recipe from beginning to end long before they set out to prepare the dish. They understand what is entailed and make sure they have all of the right tools and all of the right ingredients to complete all of the right steps.

Skimping on ingredients Good cooks use the highest-quality ingredients they can afford. They understand the quality of ingredients makes all the difference in the quality of the results and select good ingredients and handle them with care.

Making too many substitutions Good cooks use the ingredients recommended. They understand the taste of the final product depends heavily upon the ingredients used and make substitutions only when necessary.

Measuring haphazardly Good cooks measure ingredients carefully. They understand the difference between liquid and dry measuring cups and know how to use them to get an accurate measurement.

Rushing steps Good cooks take their time in the kitchen.

They understand cooking is a multi-step process and take the time necessary to chill the dough, heat up the pan, simmer the gravy, etc.

Poking at food too much Good cooks know when to back off and leave the food be. They understand food needs time to cook, sometimes hours, and make sure the food is ready before they stir or flip it.

Leaving the taste tests to the end Good cooks taste the food as they go.

They understand there are a lot of variables in cooking and rely on their palate to make sure the seasonings, cooking times and results are spot on.

Overfilling pans Good cooks use the size of pan recommended and fill it properly. They understand food needs space for steam to escape and allow for it, even if it means they have to discard leftover batter or get out another pan.

Overlooking oven variances Good cooks know their oven’s quirks. They understand not all ovens work the same and make the necessary adjustments to accommodate for their oven’s quirks, whether moving a pan over to avoid a hot spot or extending the cooking time.

Refusing to admit mistakes Good cooks know when they have made one too many mistakes and are willing to start over. While some cooking mistakes can be overlooked or corrected, big ones, like forgetting to use a meat thermometer and burning the meat, cannot be undone. No amount of gravy will camouflage the taste and texture of charred meat. Good cooks understand that, admit their mistakes and are willing to start over, even if it means pizza tonight and a traditional holiday dinner tomorrow or next week.

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SAVOR the SEASON

GIFTS

Holid ay Treats In A Jar

By Doris A. Black

Are you looking for an inexpensive yet creative and original gift idea this holiday season? Well, treats in a jar fit the bill. Not only are they easy to prepare and delicious to eat, but they are about as generic a gift as you can create. In other words, it’s a gift you can give to just about anyone— teachers, friends, family or neighbors.

What are treats in a jar? It is a combination of dry ingredients layered in a decorated canning or Mason jar. The recipient then adds the wet ingredients (eggs, milk, butter, etc.) before baking. It is such a simple concept that anyone, including kids, can make one.

SUPPLIES Mason jar with lid One favorite recipe (cookies and brownies are favorites) Paper (for creating a label and recipe) Glue • Ribbon or raffia

Choosing a recipe:

Almost any baked good recipe will work. Layer the ingredients in the order given in a one-quart wide-mouth Mason jar. Firmly pack each ingredient in place. It will be a tight fit.

Filling the jar:

Filling the jar is just a little trickier than it sounds because the dry ingredients need to be packed into the jar firmly. Read the recipe and carefully measure each ingredient. Plan to layer ingredients to get the most interesting visual effect, such as white sugar, brown sugar, coconut, chocolate chips, etc. After pouring the ingredient into the jar, tap the jar gently on the countertop to compact it. Do this with each ingredient. You may need to jiggle the jar a little when adding ingredients like chocolate chips since they take up a lot of space. Be sure to pack brown sugar as well as possible using a spoon for the best compaction.

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One of the nicest things about treats in a jar is that you as the gift creator have complete control over the project. If the last half-cup of ingredients doesn’t fit into the jar, don’t sweat it. Just make sure you list that last half-cup of ingredients on the recipe. If you want to skip the chips, you can. Again, just list them as products the recipient will add to the mix.

Recipe and label:

When the jar is filled, it’s time to create a label and recipe card. A label can be as simple or as elaborate as you want. You can handwrite one or create one on the computer but it should contain certain information, such as who the gift is from and what it is called. Make up your own name if you want, such as Mike’s Mighty Muffins or Cranky Carrot Cookies. Be creative and humorous. Attach the label to one side of the jar with glue. Put the recipe on the other side. Be sure to make a distinction between which ingredients are enclosed in the jar and which ones the recipient needs to furnish. Then just give some basic directions for baking the item.

Decorating the jar:

Again this is flexible. You’re in control. A simple ribbon around the neck of the jar is fine, or you can spend hours handpainting the jar or decorating it with fabrics, sequins or seashells. It’s up to you.

This holiday season, instead of agonizing over what to give some of the hard-to-buy-for people on your list, try a treat in a jar. They are relatively inexpensive but nice enough to look like you spent hours on them.

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Ornament Coloring Craft Grab your markers, crayons or pencils and color the ornaments. Have an adult help you cut them out.

Punch a hole through the top and string with some ribbon. Hang from your tree or your window for a fun and festive homemade craft!

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thank you We hope you have enjoyed reading the first edition of Savor the Season.

Happy Holidays!

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