Langley Christmas Recipes 2012

LangleyAdvance Recipes

2008-2012 Over the past many years, the Langley Advance has established a Christmas tradition of inviting members of the community to share their recipes and special family stories or traditions.

Here is a compilation of recipes and, in many cases, accompanying tales we have published over the past five years.

Enjoy!

Bob Groeneveld, Editor,

LangleyAdvance

Christmas amily Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 6, 2011

RECIPE

Apple heritage piece of cake

S

haron Meneely is passionate about many things in her life, apples being one of them.

In her capacity on the board of the Derby Reach-Brae Island Parks Association, she takes great pride in paying homage to the almighty apple.

The association, in partnership with Metro Vancouver Regional Parks, hosts the annual Heritage Apple Day each fall along the banks of the Fraser River, a way to honour a significant part of this community’s history, while planting the seeds of appreciation for the crunchy fruit in the hearts and stomachs of the younger generations.

Meneely said one reason for having a Heritage Apple Day is to get people together and give them the opportunity to taste the kinds of produce their grandparents once grew.

In keeping with her passion for the community and the heritage apple trees, Meneely shared two family recipes – naturally both with apples – that go back more than 30 years with her family.

“The first is an apple cake that is like carrot cake but more moist; the second is a little more elegant apple cake. Both came from very good friends and neighbours,” she said.

She pointed out that apples came to Langley early in the process of European settlement. The first trees were likely planted by Hudson’s Bay Company traders, and orchards more than 150

years old still have a few trees left alive in forgotten corners of parks here and there in Langley.

But try to find any of those varieties of apples in a modern grocery store.

New varieties, better suited to modern,

Langley Advance files

industrialized agriculture, have driven out many types of apples and pears that used to be grown in small orchards or mixed farms.

The Derby Reach Parks Partnership Association is taking steps to bring back some of those apples.

An arbourist has been working with the members of the Derby Reach Parks partners to create a small orchard, created from cuttings of the historic fruit varieties found in the park.

The original trees date from the 1890s and some have fallen over and grow along the ground. They include the northern spy, Baldwin, winter banana, and one that may be called “wolf river.”

Janette’s Apple Cake Ingredients 5 apples, peeled (4 cups grated) 1 cup chopped walnuts 2 cups sugar ½ cup oil 2 eggs, beaten 2 tsp. vanilla 2 cups flour 2 tsp. cinnamon 2 tsp. soda 1 tsp. salt

Directions Grease 9 x 13 pan.

Mix first four ingredients.

Mix eggs and vanilla, and add to first mixture.

Blend dry ingredients and sift into apple mixture.

Bake for 45-50 minutes at 350ºF.

Icing for Janette’s Apple Cake 8 oz. cream cheese ¼ cup butter 1 lb. icing sugar 1 tsp. vanilla Cream all ingredients, ice cooled cake, and enjoy!

Sharon Meneely, organizer of the annual Heritage Apple Day, shares a few of her favourite apple recipes.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010 | LangleyAdvance

RECIPE

Sweet Potato (or Yam) Gratin Shannon Todd Booth, Langley Relay coordinator, Canadian Cancer Society

My in-laws, who live over in Nanoose Bay on Vancouver Island, always come over for the holidays, and my mother-in-law and I always prepare our family Christmas feast together.

We love to do a few of the dishes up ahead of time, so we have more time to visit and play games with the kids, or have a martini or two.

I lost my mom a couple of years ago, and I feel enormously blessed that I have such an amazing mother-in-law with whom to share this emerging family tradition.

My girls, Zoe and Hope, look forward to it every year.

This dish is one of our favourites.

Ingredients 4 tbs. unsalted butter 6 cups thinly sliced yellow onions ½ tsp salt ½ tsp back pepper 2 cups heavy cream 3 sprigs fresh thyme

Preheat oven to 350ºF and put oven rack in the middle.

Cook the onions in the butter over medium/low heat, slowly stirring occasionally, until unions are soft and nicely browned (30 minutes or so).

Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat and set aside.

Put the heavy cream, thyme, orange zest and cayenne in a sauce pan, bring to a boil, remove from heat and let sit for 15 minutes, then remove thyme sprigs.

While cream sits, peel and cut the sweet potatoes into 1/8-inch slices.

Lightly butter a 9x13-inch baking dish.

Arrange about 1/3 of the potatoes in a double layer on the bottom of the dish, slightly overlap-

2 tsp. freshly grated orange zest 1/8 tsp. cayenne (or more if you’re brave) 5 medium sweet potatoes (or yams) 1 cup pecan halves toasted 2 tbs. fresh breadcrumbs 2 tbs. freshly grated parmesan

ping, and lightly season with salt and pepper.

Spread about a third the onions over the potatoes and drizzle about one third of the cream mixture over top Arrange another third of the potatoes in two more layers and season with salt and pepper, then spread remaining onions and another third of the cream mixture.

Layer the remaining potatoes, and press flat, then season with salt and pepper and add the final third of the cream mixture trying to cover all the entire layer.

Put a foil lined baking dish on the lower rack underneath to catch drips – your oven will thank you.

Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for about an hour – until potatoes are almost

tender but still a little firm when pierced with a fork.

Remove foil and bake about 30 to 40 minutes – until potatoes are completely tender and the top is lightly browned and bubbly.

Meanwhile, take the parmesan and pecans and blend/grind/ pound them until they’re coarsely chopped.

Raise the oven temperature to 375ºF and top the dish with the gratin/pecan mixture, and return to the oven for 10 minutes.

(Serves 10-12 people)

• If you want to make this dish a day ahead, just leave out the last two steps, and then the day reheat the dish for 20 minutes at 375ºF, then add the topping and bake for 10 more minutes.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010 | LangleyAdvance

RECIPE

Tarte au sucre (Sugar Pie) Gloria Hall-Proehl

Ingredients 1 unbaked pie crust 8 tbs. all purpose flour 2 cups packed brown sugar (or half brown sugar/half maple sugar) 1½ cups low fat evaporated milk 4 tbs. butter ½ tsp. salt 1 tsp. vanilla or maple extract

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Combine the flour and sugar in a saucepan over heat and slowly stir in the milk to avoid lumps. Then add the butter and salt.

Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and add the vanilla or maple flavouring.

Pour into an unbaked pie shell. Bake at 400ºF for five minutes, then bake for 25 minutes at 325ºF. Let cool before serving with vanilla ice cream or lightly sweetened whip cream.

Heather Colpitts/Langley Advance

Gloria Hall-Proehl wants to share the French-Canadian cooking heritage of her family with her kids and grandkids.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010 | LangleyAdvance

RECIPE

Raspberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake 2¼ cups flour ¾ cup sugar ¾ cup margarine/butter ½ tsp. baking powder ½ tsp. baking soda ¼ tsp. salt ¾ cup sour cream

1 egg 1 tsp. almond extract 8 oz. cream cheese, softened ¼ cup sugar 1 egg ½ cup raspberry preserves ½ cup almonds, sliced

Heat oven to 350ºF and grease and flour the sides and bottom of a springform pan, 9-10 inches.

Combine flour and ¾ cup sugar. With a pastry cutter or fork, mix in margarine to coarse crumble stage. Reserve one cup of the crumble mixture.

To the remaining crumb mix, add baking powder, baking soda, salt, sour cream, one egg and almond extract. Blend well.

Spread this batter over the bottom and two inches up the sides of the pan.

(The batter should be about one quarter inch thick on the sides.)

In a small bowl, mix the cream cheese, ¼ cup sugar and one egg. Pour into the pan. Carefully spoon the raspberry preserves evenly over the cheese filling.

In a small bowl, combine the reserved crumble mixture and the sliced almonds. Sprinkle over the top of the preserves.

Bake for 45-55 minutes or until the cream cheese mixture is set and the crust is deep golden brown.

Can be served warm or cold.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010 | LangleyAdvance

RECIPE

Matrimonial Cake Ingredients 1¾ cup rolled oats ½ pound dates 1½ cup flour ½ cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar ¾ cup butter 1 tsp. soda pinch salt ½ cup water

Mix dry ingredients and place a little over half of it in a cake pan. Cook dates, sugar and water on top of stove until dates are cooked. Spread over cake mixture and place remaining dry ingredients on top. Bake in moderate oven until nice and brown.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010 | LangleyAdvance

RECIPE

Light Fruit Cake Ingredients 1 cup white sugar ½ lb. butter 5 eggs (add 1 at a time) 2 lbs. light bleached raisins 1 lb. mixed fruit or cherries (or ½ lb. fruit and ½ lb. cherries)

1 oz. almond flavouring ½ cup orange juice 3 cups flour 1½ tsp. baking powder

Dust fruit with 1 cup of the flower and baking powder.

Line angel food pan with brown greased paper.

Cook 2½-3 hours at 275-300ºF.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010 | LangleyAdvance

RECIPE

U.K. ex-pats Tom and Doreen Murphy shared their recipe for soda bread, a staple of their household no matter where life took them.

Heather Colpitts Langley Advance

Irish Soda Bread Tom and Doreen Murphy Ingredients 4 cups flour 1 teaspoon salt 3 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda

¼ cup sugar /8 teaspoon coriander or cardomomx ¼ cup margarine or butter 1 egg 1¾ cups buttermilk

1

Combine in a large bowl: Flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and spice. Add butter and cut with a pastry blender.

Beat egg slightly, mix with buttermilk, add to dry ingredients and stir until blended.

Turn onto floured board. Kneed 2 to 3 minutes until smooth, divide in half. Shape each into round loaf, place each in 8 inch pie plate or pan, with sharp knife, cut cross on top of load about ½ inch deep.

Bake at 375ºF for 35 to 40 minutes.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010 | LangleyAdvance

RECIPE

Christmas hot chocolate Langley Township Councillor Steve Ferguson It is not just the recipe, but the mood that really makes the difference.

Ingredients hot milk mixed with cocoa (whatever your choice or budget) whipping cream or any canned substitute marshmallows and candy sprinkles To set the mood all lights off candles fireplace on singing

Santa (Steve Ferguson) delivers the freshly made hot chocolate to the entire family, friends, or whoever will listen to this talented guitar player.

Enjoy, and Merry Christmas!

Tuesday, December 7, 2010 | LangleyAdvance

RECIPE

Grilled Salmon Langley Township fire chief Doug Wade Ingredients 1½ pounds of salmon fillets Lemon pepper to taste Garlic powder to taste Salt to taste 1 /3 cup soy sauce 1 /3 cup brown sugar 1 /3 cup water 1 /4 cup vegetable oil

Season salmon fillets with lemon pepper, garlic powder, and salt.

In a small bowl, stir together soy sauce, brown sugar, water, and vegetable oil until sugar is dissolved. Place fish in a large re-sealable plastic bag with the soy sauce mixture, seal, and turn to coat. Refrigerate for at least two hours.

Preheat grill for medium heat. Lightly oil grill grate. Place salmon on the preheated grill and discard marinade. Cook salmon for 6 to 8 minutes per side, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010 | LangleyAdvance

RECIPE

Graham Wafers in Eagle Brand Margaret Birkett

Ingredients 1 can Eagle Brand milk (sweetened condensed) 1 tbsp. butter 2 squares chocolate (baking) 2 cups crushed graham wafers up to 1 cup chopped walnuts

Heather Colpitts/Langley Advance

Margaret Birkett has contributed to the 3Rs for Seniors program and shares a few recipes with readers.

Cook first three ingredients for a few minutes in a double boiler. Add graham wafter and walnuts.

Roll in white coconut or put in a pan and cut into squares.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010 | LangleyAdvance

RECIPE

Cranberry Bread Langley Township Councillor Grant Ward This warm cranberry bread is perfect throughout Christmas day, but especially for our Christmas dinner.

Ingredients 1 cup seedless raisins 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour ½ cup sugar 1½ tsp. baking powder ½ tsp. soda 1 tsp. salt ¼ cup shortening ¼ cup orange juice 1 egg 1 tbsp. grated orange rind 1 – 15oz. can whole cranberry sauce

Cover raisins with boiling water and let stand for 5 minutes, then drain and dry well on paper towelling.

Sift dry ingredients into mixing bowl.

Cut in shortening until fine.

Beat egg and orange juice lightly with a fork. Add to dry ingredients along with orange rind, cranberry sauce, and raisins.

Stir just to blend.

Spoon batter into greased 9” x 5” x 2” loaf pan and bake in preheated oven at 350F for 60-70 minutes or until toothpick inserted into centre comes out clean. Turn on rack to cool.

Season’s Greetings, and may you be blessed with good health and happiness in 2011.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010 | LangleyAdvance

RECIPE

Crab and Red Pepper Spread

Langley City Councillor Gayle Martin 2 green onions, finely chopped 250 grams light cream cheese 1 can crabmeat, drained ½ cup old cheddar, shredded (light can be used) ½ cup red pepper, finely chopped 1 tsp. Dijon mustard crackers for serving

Mix the ingredients except for two tablespoons of green onion garnish and the crackers. Refrigerate one hour before serving.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010 | LangleyAdvance

RECIPE

Chewy Skor Toffee Bit Cookies Langley Township fire chief Doug Wade Ingredients 2¼ cup all purpose flour 1 tsp. baking soda ½ tsp. salt ½ cup butter or margarine, softened ¾ cup granulates sugar ¾ cup light brown sugar 1 tsp. vanilla extract 2 eggs 11/3 cups Skor toffee bits (Hershey’s Crisp Butter Toffee Skor bits can also be used)

Heat oven to 350ºF. Stir together flour, baking soda, and salt. In large mixing bowl, beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla until well blended. Add eggs; blend thoroughly.

Gradually add flour mixture, beating well. Stir in toffee bits. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto lightly greased cookie sheet.

Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire rack and cool completely.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010 | LangleyAdvance

RECIPE

Cherry Ice Box Cookies Langley City Councillor Rudy Storteboom Mom still enjoys preparing her Dutch Christmas baking for our family’s traditional Christmas Eve event and there’s always enough left over to make the great taste of Christmas last throughout the season.

Ingredients 1 cup butter, softened 1 cup sugar 1 larg`e egg 1 tsp. vanilla extract 2¾ cup all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking powder ½ tsp. salt 16 oz. maraschino cherries, drained and finely chopped 1 cup finely sliced almonds ¼ cup red decorator sugar (optional)

Rudy Storteboom, Langley City councillor and cookie fan.

Rudy’s parents, Grace and John Storteboom

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add one cup sugar, beating well.

Add egg and vanilla, beating well.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add to butter mixture, beating well.

Pat cherries between paper towel to remove excess moisture. Stir cherries and nuts into dough. Cover and chill two hours.

(Speed the chilling of the rolls by placing them in the freezer, then just slice and bake.)

Shape dough into two rolls, eight inches long and about 1.5 inches in diameter. Roll in coloured sugar if desired.

Wrap in wax paper and freeze until firm.

When ready to bake: preheat oven to 400ºF. Lightly grease cookie sheets Unwrap dough and slice into ¼-inch thick pieces, using a sharp knife. Place on prepared cookie sheets.

Bake at 400ºF for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Let cool for 10 minutes on cookie sheets then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010 | LangleyAdvance

RECIPE

Cappuccino Shortbread Coffee Beans Langley City Mayor Peter Fassbender For many years now, my wife Charlene and our very good friend Sharon Paterson have gotten together to do their annual Christmas baking.

One of the highlights are these wonderful cappuccino shortbread cookies, which are special for two very simple reasons.

The first is that they go so well with coffee or milk.

The second is the fact that the chocolate that they are dipped in is that extra treat that, quite honestly, I love to suck off the end of the cookie even before I consume the rest.

The other secret I need to let out now is that, when any one of the three grandchildren were fussy as babies during the Christmas visits, I would soften the chocolate on the end of the cookie and then spread it around their lips. It was amazing to see them stop crying and begin to lick the chocolate slowly away!

Everyone was convinced that I had great grandparenting skills to soothe fussy babies… well… I guess I did.

Every time I have one of those cookies, it reminds me of those special times that I got to spoil my grandkids.

Maybe that is why they all love the cookies today, as well!

Ingredients 2 tbs. espresso coffee, fine grind 2 cups butter 1 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla 3½ cups flour ½ cup cornstarch 1 lb. dark dipping chocolate

Cream butter and sugar together.

Beat in coffee and vanilla.

Stir flour and cornstarch together and blend into butter mixture.

Mold into shape of coffee bean, using a teaspoon to form each cookie.

(They should be egg-shaped.) Shape small, because they expand when baking.

Using a knife, press an indent about 1/8-inch deep, lengthwise along the top of each cookie.

Place on greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 325ºF degrees for 12-15 minutes.

Cool.

Make sure they are cool before removing them from the cookie sheet, or they will break. They are a little delicate.

When cool, dip one end into melted chocolate.

Place on wax paper tray and refrigerate until chocolate is set.

Makes 75-80 cookies.

These cookies freeze very well.

They are always a hit, so enjoy.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010 | LangleyAdvance

RECIPE

Brussels Sprouts in Beer Langley City Councillor Teri James I always hated those little round cabbage-like vegetables my parents forced me to eat every Christmas, and as a result, I never served Brussels sprouts at any Christmas dinner I prepared.

One year we went for dinner at a friend’s house, and she dared me to try one.

Under protest, I finally caved to the peer pressure.

Imagine my surprise when I tried one and it was delicious.

The recipe is extremely easy and turns the ordinary bitter taste of a Brussels sprout into a lovely addition to a Christmas meal.

Ingredients Brussels sprouts Beer

Trim and wash as many Brussels sprouts as you need and place them in a pot. Pour in enough beer to cover them (any beer you like), bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer covered until fork tender.

Drain and add salt, pepper and butter.

Voila – Brussels sprouts in beer!

Tuesday, December 7, 2010 | LangleyAdvance

RECIPE

Brazil Nut Christmas Cake Langley Township Mayor Rick Green Ingredients: ¾ cup sifted all-purpose flour ¾ cup white sugar ½ tsp. baking powder ½ tsp. salt 1 lb. Brazil nuts (whole or cut up) 8 oz. whole maraschino cherries (you can use ½ red and ½ green) 1 lb. dates (cut into three) 3 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla

Line loaf pan with waxed paper and grease well.

Mix first four ingredients together. Add Brazil nuts, cherries and dates, and mix well.

Beat eggs until foamy and add with vanilla to rest of ingredients.

Bake at 300ºF for 1¾ hours.

Langley Family Christmas Langley Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Friday, December 4, 2009

RECIPE

Zucchini chocolate cake

4 Tbsp cocoa 1/2 cup margarine 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1 tsp baking soda 2 eggs 1/2 tsp cloves 1 tsp vanilla 2 cups shredded zucchini 1/2 cup sour milk* 2½ cups flour * to sour milk, add 1/2 Tbsp vinegar or lemon juice and let stand about 5 minutes.

Cream margarine, oil, and sugar. Add eggs, vanilla, and sour milk. Beat well. Mix dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture. Beat well. Stir in zucchini. Put in 9x12-inch pan and sprinkle top with chocolate chips.

Bake at 325ºF for 40-45 minutes.

– Paula Membry

Langley Family Christmas Langley Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Friday, December 4, 2009

RECIPE

Neil family velvet shortbread This recipe has been passed down through the generations of Leigh Castron’s family, from her grandmother Eveline Neil to her mother Dorothy Patterson.

Castron believes the recipe was first conceived in Liverpool, England.

Eveline (nee Williams) brought it over to Canada with her in 1915, when she joined her fur trading husband James Neil at the Hudson Bay Fort at York Factory, Manitoba. James served as the post manager at the fort from 1914 to 1920.

When Eveline arrived, she, too, made a significant contribution to fort life.

Sam, a Eveline Neil and her young daughter Dorothy Cree Indian Neil at the Hudson’s Bay working at post in York Factory, the fort, was responsible for Manitoba, in 1918. cooking. But Eveline, an accomplished baker in her own right, took it upon herself to teach Sam how to bake.

It’s believed this shortbread recipe In a double wedding at the fort in 1915, grooms (back row left) James Buchanan Neil, and (secwas just one of many that Eveline ond from right) S. J.C. Cumming married Eveline shared with Sam, and in turn, the G. Williams (left) and Miss Leith (right). people running the fort.

4 cups 1 tsp 1 lb 1 cup 1

sifted all-purpose flour baking powder butter sifted icing sugar egg

Sift dry ingredients together into a bowl.

In a separate bowl, cream butter, sugar, and egg thoroughly together.

Add dry ingredients, and

knead until smooth. Form into a ball, wrap in foil, refrigerate for one hour.

Roll dough out and cut into desired shapes, place onto baking sheet.

Bake at 300ºF for 15 to 20 minutes.

– Leigh Castron, Co-chair, Langley Christmas Bureau

LangleyAdvance | Friday, December 4, 2009

Langley Langley Family Family Christmas Christmas

RECIPE

Upside-down apple pancake (Great for Christmas morning) 2 Tbsp butter or margarine 1/4 cup granulated sugar 2 tsp cinnamon 3 apples, peeled and sliced

Batter 1/3 cup 1/2 tsp 2 egg

all-purpose flour baking powder yolks

In two 9-inch pie plates or one 13 x 9 inch baking dish, melt the butter in a 400ÂşC oven (about two minutes). Combine the sugar and cinnamon, and sprinkle evenly over the melted butter. Bake for two minutes, arrange sliced apples over the spices, bake for 10 minutes.

In a bowl combine the flour and baking powder.

Blend in the egg yolks and milk. In a large bowl beat the egg whites to soft peak stage, gradually

1/3 cup 4 egg 1/3 cup

milk whites granulated sugar

add the sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold into the milk mixture and spread evenly over the spiced apples. Bake 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and loosen the edges with a knife. Invert into a plate and serve.

Makes six servings.

Per serving: 215 calories, 5 g protein, 6 g fat, 37 g carbs (but I’m pretty sure that’s all void at Christmas).

(From the collection of Heather Colpitts)

Langley Family Christmas Langley Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Friday, December 4, 2009

RECIPE

Nanny Helen’s English trifle In a large glass bowl layer the following: • Sponge cake soaked in red wine or fruit juice • Cover with frozen raspberries or strawberries • Make 3 cups of Bird’s custard and spread 1 cup on top of the fruit after it has cooled.

• Cover with sliced bananas.

Repeat layers two or three times.

Top with whipped cream and toasted almonds.

– Rich Coleman, MLA for Fort Langley-Aldergrove, Minister of Housing and Social Development

Langley Family Christmas Langley Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Friday, December 4, 2009

RECIPE

Tomato-basil skewers Skewering mozzarella balls and cherry tomatoes makes an attractive change from the typical ‘vegi tray’.

– Carol Laviolette, personal trainer 16 small fresh mozzarella balls 16 fresh basil leaves 16 cherry tomatoes Extra-virgin olive oil, to drizzle Coarse salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste.

Thread mozzarella, basil and tomatoes on small skewers. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Nutrition: Per piece: 46 calories; 3 g fat (2 g sat, 0 g mono); 8 mg cholesterol; 1 g carbohydrates; 3 g protein; 0 g fiber; 217 mg sodium; 34 mg potassium.

Makes 16 pieces

An easy and healthy dish recommended by fitness buff Carol Laviolette, is tomato-basil skewers.

Langley Family Christmas

Langley Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Friday, December 4, 2009

RECIPE

Sweet cheesy apples This started out as two separate recipes, one from some uppity cookbook that everyone likes to have on their shelf… but everything in it is so complicated that you never actually use it. I combined a “maple pear” recipe with one for fried bananas, shifted to apples, and this is what I got.

Warning: I cook like my Mom did, so it’s “a little of this, a little of that” instead of empirical measures. It’s okay to play with your food while you’re making it – it adds individuality.

Two for dessert: 2 apples (Macs or Spartans are best) (Or one big apple – but for Donna and me it would have to be a REALLY BIG one) A dab of butter (more is better) Cheese (sharp is best, like old cheddar, but not mouldy like Danish blue) Syrup (again, maple is best, but any pancake syrup is okay – N.B.: Do NOT use birch syrup)

Peel apples and cut exactly in half. Core halves with point of paring knife, so each half becomes a bowl.

Melt butter in frying pan (you’ll need one with a tight-fitting lid), and just as it starts to brown, add the apple

halves, round-side-up, over medium heat until the flat sides are slightly toasted. If using crispier apples, put the lid on the pan for a bit to help soften them.

Turn the apples over and fill the bowls to overflowing with syrup, and top with a slab of cheese. Cover and continue medium heat until the cheese is completely melted and flows over the edge of the apple, into the buttery syrup sauce forming in the bottom of the pan. More butter and more syrup equals more sauce (and an earlier grave). Yum! Lift apple halves into dessert bowls, and spoon buttery syrup with bits of the fried cheese over top.

Only eat as often as you dare!

– Bob Groeneveld, Editor, LangleyAdvance

Langley Family Christmas LangleyAdvance | Friday, December 4, 2009

Langley Family Christmas

RECIPE

Shortbread 1/2 cup 2 cups 1/2 lb.

1/2 cup

cornstarch flour butter icing sugar

- Beth Hooper

Blend all ingredients – work into roll and chill in fridge for one hour.

Cut slices and bake for 10 minutes at 350ºF on ungreased cookie sheet.

– Roxanne Hooper, Reporter, LangleyAdvance

Langley Family Christmas LangleyAdvance | Friday, December 4, 2009

Langley Family Christmas RECIPE

Scripture cake 1 cup Judges, 5th chapter, 25th verse, last clause 1 cup Jeremiah, 6th chapter, 20th verse 2 cup Nahum, 3rd chapter, 12th verse season to taste with II Chronicles, 9-9 2 cup Kings, 4th chapter, 19 verse, last cause 1 pinch Leviticus, 2nd chapter, 13th verse 2 cup I Samuel, 30th chapter, 12th verse 2 Tbsp I Samuel, 14th chapter, 25th verse 1 cup Numbers, 17th chapter, 8th verse 2 tsp Amos, 4th chapter, 5th verse 3 tsp Jeremiah, 17-11

Follow Solomon’s directions for making a good boy, Proverbs 23-14. Look it up – it makes a very good fruitcake.

(From Woman’s Auxiliary, St John the Divine Anglican Church in Burnaby, the collection of Heather Colpitts)

Langley Family Christmas Langley Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Friday, December 4, 2009

RECIPE

Red and White Sautéed Cabbage My maternal grandparents were from Nova Scotia’s south shore, where many of the families were German, and of course, cabbage was a staple in many of their meals.

This is not exactly the recipe that my grandmother used to cook cabbage for Christmas dinner, but it’s very close (for some reason my Grandfather was the only one excited to see the fried cabbage year after year!).

Spirit of B.C. executive director Shirley Stewart recently hunted down some – yes you guessed it – red and white cabbage at Ralph’s Farm Market in Murrayville.

1 small head red cabbage, outer leaves removed 1 small head white cabbage, outer leaves removed 1/2 pound lean slab bacon, cut into 1/4-inch slices and cubed 1 tsp caraway seeds 1/2 cup sour cream Salt and freshly milled black pepper

Halve cabbages and core them. Slice into thin strips.

In two separate pots of boiling water, blanch each type of cabbage for 5 seconds and drain immediately.

In a large skillet, render

bacon until golden brown and drain on paper towels.

Add cabbage to the skillet and cook, tossing over moderate heat, to coat it with the rendered fat. Add the caraway seeds. Fold in the sour cream and season to taste.

Toss and cook until the cabbage is tender. Fold in the bacon pieces and serve.

Yield: Serves 12 – Shirley Stewart, Executive director, Langley Spirit of B.C. committee

Langley Family Christmas LangleyAdvance | Friday, December 4, 2009

Langley Family Christmas

RECIPE

Pumpkin Pie “Pumpkin pie is the one thing I look forward to every year.”

– Mark Warawa, MP Pastry

Roll from the centre outwards each time.

Smooth edges with hands to keep it round.

4. Fit crust loosely into pan, flute edges with a fork and prick crust in several spots.

Pat out any air bubbles.

Bake in a preheated 450ºF oven for 10-12 minutes until golden brown. Cool completely before filling with your mixture.

This recipe comes from a dear friend’s grandmother, a piemaker like no other.

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour 1 tsp salt 2/3 cup shortening 1/4 cup ice water A dash lemon juice or vinegar

1. Combine flour and salt in mixing bowl and cut in solid shortening with 2 knives until mixture is the size of lentils.

2. Sprinkle ice water mixed with lemon juice on dry mixture, a little bit at a time, while constantly tossing with a fork. Add water to the driest parts while pushing lumps to sides, only until dough is just moist enough to hold together.

3. Form into 2 balls. Wrap one in plastic and put in fridge or freezer for storage. Flatten the other one to 1/2 inch thick on lightly floured surface. Roll with rolling pin to the size of your pie plate, plus 1 1/2 inches.

Filling 2 eggs, lightly beaten 23/4 cups cooked, mashed pumpkin (cooked yourself is best, but canned will do) 3/4 cup brown sugar 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp ginger 1/4 tsp cloves 12/3 cups light cream, soy milk, or canned milk Whipped cream for garnish

Mix well. Fill the crust. Bake at 350ºF for 45 minutes.

– Mark Warawa, Langley MP

LangleyAdvance | Friday, December 4, 2009

Langley Langley Family Family Christmas Christmas

RECIPE

Pineapple jewel squares 1 cup 1/4 cup 3 oz pkg.

3 oz pkg.

fine graham cracker crumbs melted butter or margarine orange Jell-o cream cheese (softened)

1/2 tsp 1 cup 2 Tbsp 1 cup

vanilla dairy sour cream sugar crushed pineapple, drained

Mix crumbs, 2 Tbsp sugar and the butter, press into the bottom of 8x8x2 inch baking dish. Chill.

Thoroughly drain pineapple, reserving 1/2 cup juice.

Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Add the pineapple juice, cool.

Blend cream cheese with 3 Tbsp sugar, vanilla, and orange peel.

1Âź cup 3 Tbsp 1/4 tsp

boiling water sugar grated orange peel

Stir 1/2 cup gelatin into drained pineapple, set aside. Stir in sour cream. Pour into crust, chill till firm.

Spoon the pineapple mixture evenly over the cream cheese layer. Chill 4-6 hours.

Makes 6-9 servings.

(From Anne Mufford, The Best of Cooking, Milner United Church, 1966, the collection of Heather Colpitts)

Langley Langley Family Family Christmas Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Friday, December 4, 2009

RECIPE

Fleas navidad muffins If you’re serious about creating all-natural, paw-lickin’ treats for your dogs, and like us you’ve hunted around unsuccessfully for something other than dog bone recipes – here’s a book worth checking out.

Try to lay your paws on a copy of the Three Dog Bakery Cookbook

by Dan Dye and Mark Becklaff.

This book offers a sampling of everything from treats and temptations for the special seasons, all the way through great meal ideas for your canine companions. ’Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, except for the dog eating these off the counter… as quiet as a mouse.

Merry Dogmas!

Reba Hooper took an unapproved look on the counter, at the fixin’s for this special canine Christmas treat.

Roxanne Hooper/Langley Advance

2 Tbsp honey 2 3/4 cups water 1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce 1/8 tsp vanilla 1 egg 1/2 cup chopped peanuts (or in Reba’s case, she prefers almonds) 4 cups whole wheat flour 1 Tbsp baking powder 1 Tbsp cinnamon 1 Tbsp nutmeg 1/2 cup dried cranberries (this is optional, and something we added in because Reba loves them).

Preheat the oven to 350ºF, and in a bowl, mix together the honey, water, apple sauce, vanilla, and egg.

In a separate bowl, mix peanuts (or almonds), flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and stir. Mix well!

Spoon into a greased muffin tin, filling each cup 2/3 full.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, then store in sealed container.

Langley Family Christmas Langley Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Friday, December 4, 2009

RECIPE

Peanut butter balls My daughters are in their 30s, and still request these at Christmas.

The finished peanut butter balls have that frosty look – so look festive.

I try to avoid eating them.

They go straight to my hips!

– Jeannette Black, 1 cup 1/2 cup 1 cup 1 tsp 2 Tbsp

peanut butter chopped walnuts Rice Krispies vanilla melted butter

1 cup 3-4 Tbsp Coconut

icing sugar water

Blend first five ingredients and shape into balls (a bit messy).

Put in fridge or freezer until firm enough to work with.

Combine icing sugar and water to make thin icing.

Dip balls into icing with fork, letting excess run off, and roll in coconut.

Chill until firm, or freeze.

– Jeannette Black, Accounting, Canwest

Jeannette’s daughters, Jenifer and Robyn (above), still crave their Mom’s cooking at Christmas, while Natalie (below) clearly enjoys getting herself involved in her grandmother’s cooking.

Langley Family Christmas LangleyAdvance | Friday, December 4, 2009

Langley Family Christmas

RECIPE

Mincemeat

- Beth Hooper Beth Hooper with her granddaughter Roxanne.

Here’s one recipe that’s never been a personal favourite, but a constant at Christmas in the Hooper household – at least while grandma was alive. In all honesty, I’m glad that tradition is toast. But I know there are still people who enjoy mincemeat.

6 6 2 lbs 2 lbs 2 lbs 4 lbs 6 oz 4 Tbsp 2 cups

lemons, grated rind and juice large apples raisins currants suet sugar fruit peel marmalade brandy

Cut all fruit into small fragments.

Blend together in large pot, stir well after each addition. Sterilize quart sealers – cool. Spoon mincemeant into jars and seal with paraffin wax. We make ours in November for the following Christmas – so it ages over a year before using. The longer it ages, the better, but may be used after one month.

– Roxanne Hooper, Reporter, LangleyAdvance

Langley Family Christmas LangleyAdvance | Friday, December 4, 2009

Langley Family Christmas

RECIPE

Lemon-garlic marinated shrimp Marinating precooked shrimp in garlic- and lemon-infused oil is a simple yet elegant appetizer. – Carol Laviolette, personal trainer 3 Tbsp minced garlic juice, parsley, salt and pepper.

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil Toss with shrimp in a large 1/4 cup lemon juice bowl. Chill until ready to serve.

1/4

cup tsp 1/2 tsp 11/4 lb.

1/2

minced fresh parsley kosher salt pepper cooked shrimp

Place garlic and oil in a small skillet and cook over medium heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add lemon

Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 hours.

Nutrition: Per serving: 73 calories; 3 g fat (0 g sat, 2 g mono); 92 mg cholesterol; 1 g carbohydrates; 10 g protein; 0 g fiber; 154 mg sodium; 108 mg potassium.

Makes 12 servings

Langley Family Christmas LangleyAdvance | Friday, December 4, 2009

Langley Family Christmas

RECIPE

Kid’s Kake 1½ cup 1 cup 1 cup

peanut butter Roger’s syrup white sugar

6 cups

Special K cereal

Icing 6 oz pkg.

6 oz pkg.

chocolate chips butterscotch chips

- Ellen Hooper

Dissolve in large sauce pan the peanut butter, syrup, and sugar on medium heat. Add 6 cups Special K, and mix well.

Spread into a 13X8 inch cake pan and press to cover.

Melt in double boiler both types of the chips and spread for icing.

Cut into one-inch squares after icing has set (about 1/2 hour).

Langley Family Christmas Langley Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Friday, December 4, 2009

RECIPE

Holiday ‘hot’ wings 3 lb. chicken wings Marinade 1/2 cup soya sauce 1/2 cup orange juice (no pulp) 1/4 to 1 tsp hot sauce (your choice of heat level) 1/4 cup cooking sherry 1 Tbsp sesame seed oil 1 tsp minced ginger 1 tsp minced garlic 1 tsp rice wine vinegar Dash of salt and pepper Garnish 1/4 cup 1/4 cup

diced green onions or scallions diced red Thai chili peppers

• combine ‘marinade’ ingredients in medium glass bowl • cut chicken wings into drumettes and wings • place chicken in bowl – mix with marinade • cover bowl and place in fridge for at least 4 hours • pre-heat oven to 450ºF • cover cookie sheet with aluminum foil • remove chicken wings from marinade and place on cookie sheet in single layer • cook chicken wings at 450ºF for 10 minutes – turn over and cook for 5 more minutes • reduce oven temp to 350ºF – cook for 15 minutes • remove from oven and immediately sprinkle / mix scallions and Thai peppers over hot wings • serve and enjoy – Ryan McAdams, Publisher, LangleyAdvance

Langley Family Christmas Langley Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Friday, December 4, 2009

RECIPE

Chocolate (M&M’s to be precise) is one of the key ingredients for Langley Advance graphic designer Nancy Teigraf’s Christmas cookies.

Troy Landreville Langley Advance

Nancy’s happy monster cookies 2 cups margarine 11/3 cups white sugar 11/3 cups brown sugar 4 eggs 31/2 cups flour 2 tsp salt 2 tsp baking soda 2 tsp vanilla 2 cups chocolate chips 2 cups raisins (or dried cranberries) 11/2 cups peanut butter chips (optional) 11/2 cups chopped nuts (walnuts, almonds, or pecans) 4 cups oatmeal 1-2 pkg.

M & Ms 200-400g size (plain and/or peanut)

Cream shortening, add sugars, gradually add eggs and beat well.

Add vanilla. Sift flour, salt, and soda separately, and add to creamed mixture. Add chocolate chips, raisins, peanut butter chips, nuts and oatmeal last.

Spoon drop onto greased (or Pam sprayed) cookie sheet.

Bake in 350ºF oven for 12-15 minutes.

Decorate immediately with M&M ‘happy faces’ when they come out of oven.

– Nancy Teichgraf, Graphic Arts, LangleyAdvance

Langley Family Christmas LangleyAdvance | Friday, December 4, 2009

Langley Family Christmas

RECIPE

Gingerbread house One of my favourite Christmas memories is making a gingerbread house with my daughter. With her help, we created many “masterpieces” over the years. We shared many laughs, tender moments, and a few disasters along the way. Part of the fun was eating lots of ju jubes and candy canes, and sampling the gingerbread and icing.

To this day my daughter and I cherish those memories.

– Mary Polak Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 2 hours

After 30 minutes, position your gingerbread house pattern cut-outs as close together as possible on the sheet of cookies. Cut around the pattern with a sharp knife, remove the pattern, and separate the scrap pieces (may be baked later to eat.)

Return house pieces to the oven, swapping their rack positions, and continue to bake.

Cookie dough 1½ cups whipping cream 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 2½ cups firmly packed brown sugar 2 Tbsp ground cinnamon 2 Tbsp baking soda 1 Tbsp ground ginger 11/3 cups light or dark molasses 9 cups all-purpose flour

While the pieces are baking, any remaining dough may be rolled out for cookies or additional decorative gingerbread house pieces.

Icing cement 2 large egg whites 1/8 tsp cream of tartar 2 tsp water 3 cups sifted powdered sugar Decorations: Ju jubes – lots – one for you and one for the house Candy Canes – Get a few extra for the “Taste Test” Jelly Beans of course these need to be sampled as well

Line 12 x 15 inch rimless baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, whip cream and vanilla until it holds soft peaks. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together brown sugar, baking soda, ginger and cinnamon. Beat in the molasses and whipped cream mixture until well combined.

With mixer running, gradually add flour, beating until completely mixed.

Lightly flour a pastry board or mat. Roll out a portion of the dough until flat, but not so thin that you cannot pick it up without tearing it.

p will vary with the thickness of the slab. For 1/8-inch thick slabs, bake in preheated 300ºF oven for about 1 hour; for 1/4-inch slabs, bake at 275ºF about 1-3/4 hours; and for 3/8-inch slabs, bake at 275ºF for about 2-1/4 hours.

1 hour; for 1/4-inch slabs, bake at Drape over the rolling pin and move 275ºF about 1-3/4 hours; and for to the prepared baking sheet.

3/8-inch slabs, bake at 275ºF for Continue rolling the dough to an about 2-1/4 hours. even thickness on the baking sheet.

This is easily achieved by placing two equally thick wooden strips on either side of the baking sheet to support the rolling pin. An even thickness is important. Lower areas will bake darker in colour and be more brittle. You will need about 2 cups of dough for each 1/8-inch thickness, about 4 cups for each 1/4inch slab, and about 6 cups for each 3/8-inch slab.

Bake two sheets of dough at a time. Bake until fairly firm in the centre. The temperature and time

When pieces are finished baking, loosen gently with a flat spatula and let them cool on the sheet another 510 minutes before moving to a rack to cool completely.

At this point, you may wrap the gingerbread house pieces airtight in a plastic wrap and store up to one month. Or proceed to assemble and decorate your house or cookies using icing cement.

Yield: about 9 cups of dough, or 4½ slabs 1/8-inch thick, 2½ slabs ¼inch thick or 1½ slabs 3/8-inch thick.

Each full slab is 10x15 inches.

Icing Cement:

Beat egg whites, cream of tarter, and water until frothy. Blend in sugar on high speed until stiff, 5-10 minutes. Use immediately or cover and use within 8 hours.

Yield: about 1½ cups icing.

– Mary Polak, MLA for Langley, Minister of Children and Family Development and Minister Responsible for Child Care

Langley Family Christmas Langley Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Friday, December 4, 2009

RECIPE

Gramma’s ginger snaps Each Christmas I waited for my favourite package in the mail.

After I graduated from journalism school and headed off to work in small communities, I would receive holiday boxes from my grandmother, Julain Quaife (in the photos above).

It didn’t matter whether I was in northern Alberta, Prince Rupert, or 100 Mile House, they arrived containing her home baking, often some of her sewing and knicknacks.

Assuming I was bored with the boxes, Gramma asked me one holiday what I wanted. Knowing that her eyesight was failing and time was not on her side, I said the only thing I would accept from her were the recipes of the treasures she had sent me every Christmas.

She seemed surprised at my request.

Like so much of her cooking, her holiday treats had the hallmark of a woman who had spent years on the farm and could whip up a meal for a threshing crew just as easy as scrambling an egg for one.

A manila envelope, containing one of my favourite Christmas gifts of all time, arrived in 2000. It was filled with scraps of paper, grandmother’s handwritten recipes and cooking tips.

And a note: “Hope you can get some good out of these. Baking is not cheap, but it’s nice to have some even for Christmas gifts.”

My Ginger Snaps (Juliain Quaife) 1 cup 3/4 cup 1 1/4 cup 1/2 tsp 1/2 tsp

white sugar shortening (I use butter) egg light molasses salt each of ginger, cinnamon, and cloves 2 scant tsp of soda 2 cup flour

Blend sugar and shortening well.

Add egg then the molasses. (I mix the soda in with the molasses.)

Mix spices with the flour. Mix real well. Roll in small balls, size of a walnut. (They will spread in the pan.)

Dip the tops of balls in sugar and place about two inches apart in pan.

Bake at 350ºF for about 15 minutes. I put my dough in the fridge till it sets and cools off. Can roll them easier.

The Christmas packages stopped around then, and Gramma died in October 2008.

Her manila envelope sits on my shelves, along with the more than 100 cookbooks I’ve collected over the years at garage sales.

Ever since I can remember, old cookbooks have held a fascination. People say get rid of cookbooks because everything is on the web. And yes, for modern fare, the web is helpful, but I still find I would rather thumb through yellowed pages for recipes like tomato soup cake or swiss steak or spiced rhubarb punch.

I love the sociology of old recipes. They come from a time when people knew how to control a woodstove to coax the most out of leavened bread, or a root cellar to store fruits and vegetables much longer than some of our modern conveniences.

Before I moved to Langley in January 2008, I stumbled across three little bound church cookbooks, two from Burnaby and one from Milner United Church women. I had never heard of Milner, B.C. Some of the space is devoted to advertisers who helped fund the cookbooks. Years later, they are as fun to look at as the recipes.

In the Milner book, there are ads for Roger and Boyds Feeds, head-officed in Fort Langley, Duckworth’s Stores at 20500 Trans-Canada Highway, the Derby Drive-in at 9103 Glover St., and the Langly (sic) Hotel at 20340 Fraser Highway.

The book gave me a taste of Langley before it became my home.

– Heather Colpitts, Reporter, LangleyAdvance

Langley Family Christmas Langley Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Friday, December 4, 2009

RECIPE

Wife-saver French toast 1 cup brown sugar ½ cup light corn syrup ¼ cup butter 10 slices French or Texas bread 2 eggs 1½ cups milk 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 Tbsp flour Dash salt 2 Tbsp white sugar 1 tsp cinnamon

Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.

Stir the brown sugar, corn syrup, and butter together, and heat in a saucepan until bubbly.

Pour into the baking dish, then

arrange the sliced bread evenly over the syrup.

Whisk eggs, milk, vanilla extract, flour, and salt until smooth.

Pour over the bread.

Cover, and refrigerate overnight.

Stir together the white sugar and ground cinnamon; sprinkle over the French toast.

Bake at 350ºF until golden brown, about 50 minutes.

– Peggy O’Brien, Advertising Sales, LangleyAdvance

Langley Family Christmas LangleyAdvance | Friday, December 4, 2009

Langley Family Christmas RECIPE

Eggnog Thumbprints These don’t use eggnog, but taste like they do. You can substitute 1/4 tsp rum extract and 1 Tbsp milk for the rum.

3/4 cup 1/2 cup 1/4 cup 2 cups 1 1/2 tsp 1/4 tsp 1/4 cup 1 cup 1 Tbsp 1 pinch

butter, softened white sugar packed brown sugar all-purpose flour egg vanilla extract salt butter confectioner’s sugar rum ground nutmeg

Cream 3/4 cup butter with white and brown sugars. Add egg, vanilla, and salt. Mix well.

Gradually add in flour at slow speed on the mixer or by hand, until a dough forms.

Shape into 1-inch or 1/2-inch balls (1-inch balls yield 40 cookies, 1/2-inch yield 75-90).

Place balls on ungreased cookie sheets and make a thumbprint well into each cookie.

Bake at 350ºF for 12 minutes. Cool completely.

To make the filling: combine 1/4 cup butter or margarine with the confectioner’s sugar and the rum (or substitute). Spoon rounded teaspoonfuls of filling into the cookie thumbprints.

Sprinkle with nutmeg.

– Arlene Grant, Advertising Sales, LangleyAdvance

Langley Family Christmas Langley Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Friday, December 4, 2009

RECIPE

Easy fudge 1/2 cup 1 cup 4 tbsp 2 cups 1 tsp 2 oz.

1/2 cup

butter or margarine sugar – brown or white Pacific milk (evaporated) icing sugar flavouring chocolate chopped walnuts (optional)

- Beth Hooper

paper or cookie sheet to cool.

For variety of flavours and colour, leave out chocolate and use vanilla, lemon, almond, peppermint, or coconut (yuk!!!).

To keep batch a light colour use white sugar. With brown sugar, varieties may be maple, vanilla, or In large sauce pan melt together cocoa. over medium heat the margarine For further variety walnuts, aland sugar. As it starts to boil, add monds, shredded coconut, or even the canned milk and allow it to a few raisins can make an interestcome to boil – remove from heat. ing difference.

Add shaved chocolate and walFood colours may be used to nuts, as well as icing sugar. designate flavours, ie. yellow for Beat with electric mixer until lemon, green for peppermint. Use well blended and pour onto waxed your imagination and have fun.

– Roxanne Hooper, Reporter, LangleyAdvance

Langley Family Christmas LangleyAdvance | Friday, December 4, 2009

Langley Family Christmas RECIPE

Dip in a hurry 1 cup plain yogurt 1 cup sour cream 3/4 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing 1 pkg. onion soup mix pepper to taste (other herbs to taste)

Beat together with a hand mixer. Chill for at least two hours to let the flavours meld. It should be on the thick side, making it good for vegetables or chips.

(From the collection of Heather Colpitts)

Langley Family Christmas Langley Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Friday, December 4, 2009

RECIPE

Special cranberry sauce 3 pkgs (340 g each) fresh cranberries 2¼ cups fresh orange juice 2 cups sugar 1½” cinnamon stick 2 tsp finely grated orange peel pinch ground cloves

Combine berries, juice, sugar, and cinnamon stick in large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat.

Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for approximately 30 minutes or until cranberries burst open and mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Remove from heat. Stir in orange peel and cloves.

Spoon into sterilized jars and cover with towel so the heat will seal the lids.

Makes 6 cups.

– Rosemary McCarten, Distribution, Canwest

Langley Family Christmas Langley Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Friday, December 4, 2009

RECIPE

Cranberry bread pudding Chef Dez is a food columnist and culinary instructor in the Fraser Valley.

Visit him at www. chefdez.com.

Send questions to dez@chefdez.com or to P.O. Box 2674, Abbotsford, B.C. V2T 6R4

“A combination of both fresh and dried cranberries makes for a flavourful and more complex cranberry taste.” – Chef Dez 1 – 454g (1 pound) French loaf 4 large eggs, beaten 1¼ (one and a quarter) cups sugar 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1 tsp. ground cinnamon ¼ (one quarter) tsp. salt Zest from 2 lemons, finely chopped 2 cups 10%MF cream (half and half) 2 cups milk (2%MF or 3.5%Homogenized) ¾ cup sweetened dried cranberries ¾ cup cranberries (fresh or frozen), halved Vanilla bean ice cream, optional

On Cooking

by Chef Dez

bread pieces and the dried cranberries, and toss together thoroughly with your hands. Let sit for 10 minutes for the bread pieces to absorb the fluid.

4. Put one half of the custardsoaked bread mixture into the prepared baking dish and top with half of the fresh/frozen halved cranberries. Add the remaining bread mixture (and scrape all liquid from the bowl) to the dish and top with the remaining fresh/frozen halved cranberries. Bake for approximately 1 hour until the top browns and puffs up. An inserted butter knife should come out clean.

5. Let sit for at least 10 to 15 minutes before serving warm with vanilla bean ice cream.

Makes 10 to 12 portions

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Tear the French bread into approximate 1 inch to 2 inch chunks and spread evenly on a large baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, tossing the pieces around about halfway through. Remove from the oven and let sit while you prepare the rest of the pudding.

2. Decrease the oven temperature to 350ºF and prepare a 9x13 baking dish by buttering it.

3. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and the zest thoroughly. Whisk in the cream and milk. Add the toasted Recipe created by Chef Dez/Gordon Desormeaux www.chefdez.com

Langley Family Christmas Langley Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Friday, December 4, 2009

RECIPE

Cari’s cookie covering These are soooo good… I have made them every year.

1½ cups butter, softened, divided ½ cup sifted icing sugar ¼ tsp salt 1¼ cups all-purpose flour 1 can (300 ml) regular or low fat Eagle Brand condensed milk 3 tbsp corn syrup 1 tsp vanilla extract 3 squares (85 g) semi-sweet chocolate, melted

Beat 1 cup butter, sugar, and salt until fluffy. Add flour; mix well.

With floured fingers, press evenly into greased 9-inch square pan. Bake in preheated 350°F oven 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool slightly.

In 2-quart glass measure with handle, in microwave oven, melt remaining 1/2 cup butter on high power for 1 minute.

Stir in Eagle Brand milk and corn syrup. Microwave on high 6 to 8

minutes, stirring after each minute, until mixture turns a light caramel colour. Stir in vanilla.

4. Spread over warm shortbread.

Drizzle with chocolate. Chill until firm. Cut into bars. Store covered at room temperature.

Serving: 24 cookies

Cari Scott, Ad Control, LangleyAdvance

LangleyAdvance | Friday, December 4, 2009

Langley Family Christmas Proud mother’s recipe

Butter tarts bring a bit of Christmas to Afghanistan

A

rlene Grant and her sister Jan Robillard have already finished their Christmas baking for this holiday season.

Grant is a marketing consultant with the Langley Advance, and her 22-year-old son, Dave Kirkness, is a private serving with the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry first batallion C-company deployed to Afghanistan in mid-October.

If she had any hope of a care package reaching her son before Christmas, it had to be sent by Nov. 16.

So Grant and Robillard spent a few weeks compiling items for the Christmas package.

It includes board games, fudge, chocolate, beef and salmon jerky, books, magazines, and some fun and silly little toys like tiny toy soldiers, slinkies, spinning tops, and even a whoopy cushion for him to torment his bunk mates.

“My sister’s granddaughter Tea – my great niece – also made some cards for Dave, too, that were added to the box,” Grant recalled.

“Oh one more thing: we sent a rubber ducky (for comic relief). He will get a chuckle out of that,” she

noted, proud of her son who had talked about joining the Canadian Forces since he was 14 years old.

But the piece de resistance in this care package will be a tin containing a few dozen homemade butter tarts.

“Hopefully they make it,” she said. “Hopefully they’re still good.”

Just in case they don’t weather the trip, she’s planning to have at least dozen stashed away for his visit home in early January.

“We’ll have a late Christmas celebration this year.”

Pte. Dave Kirkness is looking forward to a care package from his mother that is currently enroute to Afghanistan.

RECIPE

The Best Butter Tarts

1 cup corn syrup 2/3 cup brown sugar 2 eggs slightly beaten (keep separate) 1/4 cup butter or margarine 1/4 tsp salt 1/2 tsp vanilla (we add a little more) 1 Tbsp milk Walnuts and/or raisins

Bring corn syrup and brown sugar to a boil. Set aside to cool a bit.

Add all ingredients, adding eggs LAST. Bake at 400ºF for 15-20 minutes. You can use readymade or homemade shells.

Makes about 20 tarts.

– Arlene Grant, Advertising Sales, LangleyAdvance

Langley Family Christmas LangleyAdvance | Friday, December 4, 2009

Langley Family Christmas

RECIPE

Generations of recipes Admittedly, I’m not much of a cook, or a baker, for that matter. I can muddle through with great assistance from a recipe – if I have to. As you can tell, I haven’t starved.

What I have been able to do, intentional or otherwise, is surround myself with people who have those abilities. And from my grandmother, to my mother, to my wife – all the key women in my life have been able to cook and bake.

So while I can’t give much credit to my mother or grandmother for teaching me the way around the kitchen – and not for lack of trying – I can thank them for passing down many recipes that have become holiday traditions.

My grandmother, Beth Hooper, made a tasty and easy shortbread and mouth-watering fudge. When we’d get together for family Christmases, these items always augmented my mother’s (Ellen) holiday treat tray, along with her wicked Kid’s Kake and always scrumptious butter tarts.

While neither of these ladies is still around, the images of each of them trying to teach me to bake, and the enjoyment of My mother, Ellen Hooper, (right) always knew how to savouring their creations will live put on a spread. on in my memories.

Butter Tarts 1 cup 1 cup 2 Tbsp 1 1/2 tsp 1/2 tsp

sultana raisins brown sugar butter egg vanilla nutmeg

- Ellen Hooper

Scald raisins with boiling water – drain. Add brown sugar, butter and beaten egg while fruit is still hot. Stir well. Spoon into tart pastry shells and bake in 400ºF oven for 15 minutes.

Langley Family Christmas Langley Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Friday, December 4, 2009

RECIPE

Brownies

3 cups 2/3 cup 1½ cups 6 oz. can 1 tsp

digestive cookies (rolled fine) walnuts (chopped) if desired chocolate chips evaporated milk (3/4 cup) vanilla

Melt chocolate chips in milk on low heat.

Add vanilla. Set aside 1/2 cup for topping.

Add cookie crumbs into remaining chocolate. Press into 8x8-inch pan. Spread reserved chocolate over top.

Refrigerate, then cut into small squares before completely hard. – Roger Membry, Deputy Director IT, Canwest Community Publishing

LangleyAdvance | Friday, December 4, 2009

Langley Family Christmas

RECIPE This is a simple breakfast dish even I can whip up without worrying about burning the house down – or keeping my cordless phone by my side with 911 on speed dial as I sit on the toilet with a bucket on my lap.

I call it: Troy’s Breakfast Pucks.

And, as I write this, two hours after inhaling a couple of them, so far so good…

Troy’s breakfast pucks

Troy Landreville/Langley Advance

The baked breakfast pucks can be scooped out of the muffin pans using either a butter knife or a spoon.

Cooking spray Eggs Skim (or other) milk (optional) Some sort of meat Cheese, shredded Green onion, chopped Pepper

Pre-heat oven to 375ºF. Liberally dose cooking spray over a half a dozen cups in a muffin pan.

In a separate bowl, beat the crap out of a half dozen eggs (remember to remove the shells).

You can use more eggs than that, depending on how many pucks you want to eat.

I use a little bit of skim milk in my egg mixture.

Cut a meat of your choice into tiny pieces. I like to use Italian saus-

age, but skinless chicken or lean turkey are healthy alternatives. Sprinkle the meat into each cup.

Then, pour the egg mixture, followed by a palm-full of shredded cheese into each cup. I also like to use the feta variety.

Cut up some green onions and sprinkle the pieces on top of each cup.

To add more flavour, shake a liberal dose of pepper onto each creation.

Once the oven is ready, place the pan inside and bake the pucks for 25 minutes.

Once the time is up, remove the pucks from the oven and scoop them out of the cups, using either a butter knife or a spoon.

Voila! Breakfast!

The nice thing about these pucks is, you can stick ’em in a plastic bag and throw ’em into the fridge or freezer for future consumption.

If you want to eat them later (try to keep it under a week, please), simply throw the pucks into the microwave – on high – for about a minute to warm them up again.

They actually taste better the next day.

The pucks are terrific on top of toasted, buttered English muffin halves. I like to layer a mound of mayo on one side of a toasted English muffin, cream cheese on the other, and make it into an artery-clogging puck sandwich.

In this case, I suggest keeping your friendly neighbourhood cardiologist on speed dial.

– Troy Landreville, Sports, LangleyAdvance

A Langley Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 9, 2008

RECIPE

Pearson Family Tourtiere “I only make this pie at Christmas.”

Lynne Pearson

“This recipe comes from my mother-in-law in Buckingham, Que., and has been adopted by the Pearsons on the West Coast,” explained Lynne Pearson.

“I only make this pie at Christmas, and usually will make two or three times throughout the holiday season. Grandma quite likes the idea that her grandchildren ‘eat her pies.’”

2 lbs of extra lean ground pork (or 1lb each of beef and pork) 1 large onion, diced 3 garlic cloves, chopped 1 tsp ground cinnamon Salt and pepper Pastry for covered pie (2 shells) Water to cover Brown ground pork, pour off all excess fat.

Sauté onions and garlic combine with cooked pork.

Add cinnamon, salt, and pepper to taste.

Add enough water to cover and simmer 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450ºF. Use a glass pie dish, pour all of the meat filling into an uncooked pastry shell, cover with remaining shell, glaze the pastry, bake for 15 minutes; reduce heat to 350ºF and continue to bake for another 30 minutes.

This can be served with a traditional spinach salad, or mashed potatoes (with gravy) and seasonal vegetables.

Lynne Pearson is executive director of the Langley Child Development Centre

A Langley Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 9, 2008

RECIPE

Tooth-Tugger Toffee 4 cups white sugar 4 cups white corn syrup 600 ml Eagle Brand condensed milk 2 cups butter Combine ingredients in saucepan; heat to slow boil.

Simmer for hours, stirring occasionally.

Test by dropping small amount into ice-water. Toffee is ready when test-piece hardens and breaks when quickly bent. Remove from heat, pour into shallow pans,

and let cool.

When brittle, pig out!

(Pre-arrange dentist visit to replace fillings and crowns.)

“A half-batch goes much faster, but this stuff is incredibly good, and you’ll need a lot!”

Bob Groeneveld is the editor of the Langley Advance

A Langley Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 9, 2008

RECIPE

Toblerone Shortbread ½ cup cornstarch ½ cup icing sugar 1 cup flour ¾ cup butter, softened 2 small Toblerone bars (not large bars, the smaller novelty ones) Sift together cornstarch, icing sugar, flour. With a large spoon, thoroughly blend in butter. Work with hands until soft, smooth dough forms.

Roll dough into log shape about 2” in diameter. Wrap in cling wrap or waxed paper, and freeze until firm (about 1 hour). Slice into ¼” slices.

Place about 1½” apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 300ºF for 1520 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

Remove from oven; put one small

“We love these at our house.”

Wendy Johnson

triangle of Toblerone on each cookie.

Chocolate will melt slightly.

Move cookies to a wire rack.

Cool completely on wire rack. Sift icing sugar over cookies when cooled.

Store in tightly covered container at room temperature.

Yields 2 dozen cookies (can be doubled)

Wendy Johnson is a new Langley Township school trustee

A Langley Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 9, 2008

RECIPE

Tracycakes Sugar Cookies 1½ cups margarine (or butter) 1½ cups sugar 2 tsp. vanilla 2 eggs 8 tsp. milk 4 cups flour 3 tsp. baking powder ½ tsp. salt Beat margarine until fluffy, add sugar, eggs vanilla and milk.

Add dry ingredients.

Bake at 375ºF until done (approx.

8-10 min.)

Frost with icing and enjoy!

Share if you must…

“…making those moments extra special with a delicious array of homemade treats…”

Tracy Dueck

Tracy Dueck is owner of Tracycakes Bakery Cafe in Fort Langley and Abbotsford

A Langley Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 9, 2008

RECIPE

Spicy Ginger Molasses Cookies 2 cups flour 1½ tsp. ginger 1 tsp. baking soda ½ tsp. cloves ½ tsp. cinnamon ¼ tsp. salt ¾ cup butter, softened 1 cup sugar ¼ cup molasses additional sugar for rolling Beat margarine until fluffy, add sugar, eggs vanilla and milk.

Add dry ingredients.

Bake at 375ºF until done (approx.

8-10 min.)

“…making those moments extra special with a delicious array of homemade treats…”

Tracy Dueck

Tracy Dueck is owner of Tracycakes Bakery Cafe in Fort Langley and Abbotsford

A Langley Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 9, 2008 RECIPE

Chef Dez in the kitchen.

Spicy Fennel Nuts The anise aroma and flavour from the fennel seeds make these nuts a very inviting snack. If you don’t have a mortar & pestle to grind the fennel seeds, a food processor or spice grinder can be used instead.

4 tsp. fennel seeds ¼ cup + 2 Tbsp. SPLENDA No Calorie Sweetener, granulated 1½ tsp. salt 1 tsp. ground cinnamon 1 tsp. ground cayenne pepper 1 egg white 2 cups pecan halves 1 cup whole almonds Preheat oven to 300ºF. Grind fennel seeds in a mortar & pestle until mostly ground – they do not need to be completely ground into a fine powder.

Combine the ground fennel seeds

Chef Dez is a food columnist and culinary instructor in the Fraser Valley.

Visit him at www. chefdez.com.

Send questions to dez@chefdez. com or to P.O. Box 2674, Abbotsford, B.C. V2T 6R4

On Cooking

by Chef Dez

with the SPLENDA® granulated, salt, cinnamon, and cayenne in a small bowl, and set aside.

Whip the egg white to moist peaks in a large bowl.

Fold the spice mixture into the whipped egg white until thoroughly combined.

Add the pecans and almonds and gently mix together until the nuts are thoroughly coated, and then spread evenly over a large baking sheet.

Bake for 25 minutes. Halfway through the baking time, use a metal flipper to separate the nuts from the pan and redistribute the nuts.

Cool the cooked nut mixture on the pan until it is room temperature – the nuts will crisp up as they cool on the pan. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container.

Makes 3 cups Preparation time: 10 minutes Bake time: 25 minutes

A Langley Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 9, 2008

RECIPE

“For me, Christmas is the time for the ultimate in comfort food memories. It never really feels like Christmas for me until I get a tin of butter tarts from my mom, usually sent to me by Greyhound bus!

“Some of my best memories of the holidays include the food I grew up with: a frightening version of marshmallow salad with tinned pineapple tidbits and whipped cream or a sweet potato casserole with melted marshmallows on top (what can I say, my grandmother had an affinity for marshmallows).

“I have taken most of those recipes and made them my own, scaled back on the marshmallows a bit and created my own traditions.

“For a few years, we did a comIt never really pletely vegetarian version of Christmas dinner and I made this recipe for nut feels like loaf with mushroom gravy. It is deliChristmas for cious, incredibly satisfying and a great me until I get alternative to the traditional roast dinner – this is a recipe I still make all a tin of butter the time, we love it.” tarts from my

mom.

Angie Quaale

Angie Quaale owner of Well Seasoned gourmet food store

Spiced Fig and Orange Caramel 4-5 dried figs, stems removed and finely chopped ¾ cup sugar ½ cup water zest and juice of an orange ½ cup whipping cream pinch cinnamon (optional) pinch allspice (optional) In a small saucepan, cover the figs with orange juice and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Simmer for about 10 minutes, until the figs are very soft and mushy. Drain off any excess liquid and set aside while you make the caramel.

In a heavy medium saucepan, stir together the sugar and water, and set

over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, without stirring, for about 8 minutes or until the mixture is a deep amber colour. Occasionally swirl the pan and brush the sides down with a pastry brush dipped in cold water.

Carefully add the orange zest, juice, whipping cream and spices; step back, as the mixture will bubble and spit. Turn down the heat to low and whisk until smooth. Stir in the figs and cool completely.

Makes about 1½ cups.

Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks; re-warm on the stove or in the microwave.

A Langley Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 9, 2008

RECIPE

Shortbread “Here is my favourite shortbread recipe.”

Rick Green

1 lb. butter (not margarine), softened ¾ cup sugar, half brown and half icing (confectioners) 4 cups all-purpose flour Red and green sugar, mixed Candied cherries, cut up.

Mix butter, sugar, and flour together well.

With your hands, squeeze and work until it will hold together. Make 4 rolls about 1½” (3.5 cm) in diameter.

May be sliced and baked at this point, but makes a much rounder cookie if chilled first. May be chilled overnight or

just an hour or two. Slice ¼” thick. Arrange on ungreased baking sheet.

Sprinkle some cookies with sugar.

Lightly push piece of cherry into centres of some others. Bake in 325ºF oven for about 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned around edges. Remove from baking sheet to counter top.

Makes about 6 dozen.

Note: For a whiter shortbread, use all icing sugar instead of part brown sugar.

May also be rolled on lightly floured surface and cut into shapes.

Rick Green, new mayor of Langley Township

A Langley Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 9, 2008

RECIPE

Seared Beef on Rosemary Crostini with Cherry Chutney 1 centre cut tenderloin sliced into ½ inch portions 1 Tbsp. blackening spice 2 Tbsp. olive oil To prepare beef, rub slices with blackening spice. Drizzle with olive oil to coat. Preheat grill to medium high heat (375°F). Place the tenderloin down on grill and cook for 1 minute. Flip and continue to cook for 1 minute or until desired doneness. Remove from grill, loosely cover with foil, and let rest. Place beef on bread slices and top with cherry chutney. Serve immediately.

Crostini 1 French stick sliced into ½ slices ¼ cup softened butter 2 Tbsp. fresh rosemary chopped Salt and pepper to taste To make crostini, mix butter, rosemary salt and pepper together in a small bowl.

Slice bread in to ½ inch slices and spread evenly with butter. Place bread slices on sheet pan and cook for 2 minutes until warm and slightly crisp.

Blackening spice ½ cup paprika ¼ cup salt ¼ cup onion powder ¼ cup garlic powder ¼ cup plus 1 teaspoon cayenne ¼ cup white pepper 2 Tbsp. black pepper 1 ½ Tbsp. dried thyme leaves 1 ½ Tbsp. oregano leaves In a medium bowl mix all spices together well. Place in an airtight jar.

Cherry Chutney ½ cup sun dried cherries, chopped ¼ cup sun dried cranberries, chopped 2 Tbsp. chopped red onion 1 tsp. tomato paste 4 cloves roasted garlic ¼ cup brown sugar 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar In a small bowl mix together all ingredients until well combined.

Place in the refrigerator and allow to sit for 1-2 hours.

Angie Quaale owner of Well Seasoned gourmet food store

A Langley Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 9, 2008

RECIPE

Salmon Paté “I like recipes that are deceptively simple. This makes an elegant spread with few ingredients. The trick is to make it a day ahead. It can be frozen (leave off the garnishes until ready to serve) but you may have to remix it as some moisture may separate out.”

16 oz. cream cheese (light is fine) 2 cloves garlic, finely minced 2 Tbsp. mayonnaise 1 cup smoked salmon chopped (cold-smoked preferable but hot-smoked works as well) green onion or chives, chopped cayenne pepper

Heather Colpitts

Mix together the first four ingredients. Garnish with onions/chives and cayenne.

Heather Colpitts is a reporter with the Langley Advance

A Langley Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 9, 2008

RECIPE

Pumpkin Spice Roll This pumpkin cake roll is filled with cream cheese filling and sprinkled with chopped pecans.

3 eggs 1 cup granulated sugar 2⁄3 cup pumpkin puree 1 tsp. lemon juice ¾ cup flour 1 tsp. baking powder 1½ tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. ground ginger ½ tsp ground nutmeg ½ tsp salt 1 cup finely chopped pecans confectioners’ sugar

.

Filling: 1½ cups confectioners’ sugar 8 oz. cream cheese, softened 4 tablespoons butter ¾ tsp. vanilla milk or cream as needed

In a mixing bowl beat eggs on high speed of electric mixer; gradually beat in sugar, beating until light and lemon-coloured. Stir in the pumpkin and lemon juice.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, spices, and salt. Fold flour mixture into the pumpkin batter. Spread in a generously greased and floured 10”x15” jelly roll pan. Top with the chopped pecans. Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 15 minutes, or until cake bounces back when touched lightly with finger.

Turn cake out onto a clean dish towel which has been generously sprinkled with powdered sugar.

Starting at narrow end, roll towel and cake up together; cool. Unroll.

Combine the 1½ cups confectioners’ sugar, cream cheese, butter, and vanilla; beat until smooth, adding milk or cream if mixture is too stiff. Spread over the cooled cake and roll up. Chill.

Makes 10 to 15 servings, depending on thickness of slices.

This pumpkin cake roll freezes well.

Wesla Wong is traffic reporter with Global TV Morning News

A Langley Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 9, 2008

RECIPE

Delicious Pineapple Delight “Here is a recipe that our family has enjoyed during the holiday season for many years.”

Rob McFarlane

Part 1

Part 2

2½ cups graham cracker crumbs ½ cups butter (or margerine) Cream butter and add crumbs. Pat into 8” x 8” pan. Save ½ cup of crumbs for topping.

Bake at 300ºF for 15 minutes.

Remove from oven.

While cooling, start Part 2.

½ cup soft butter (or margarine) 2 egg yolks 1½ cups icing sugar Cream together.

Spread gently over crumb base while base is still warm (not hot).

Part 3 1 can crushed pineapple, well drained ½ pint whipping cream.

Whip cream. Fold in pineapple.

Spread over first two layers.

Sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture.

Keep in refrigerator until serving.

Enjoy.

Rob McFarlane is a new Langley City school trustee

A Langley Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 9, 2008

RECIPE

Turkey Gobblers When you’ve used as much of the leftover turkey as you can handle for sandwiches, soup, and even a few turkey pot pies, if you have any left over, think about us hounds.

We’d love some, and here’s a way to make a little leftover turkey (provided it’s not too old), go a long way for your faithful canine companions. Trust me that your dog will be forever grateful.

1 cup ground turkey 2 cups white flour 1 cup cornmeal 1 egg 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil ¾ cup water 2 tsp. tarragon [Optional: add ½ - ¾ cup finely chopped broccoli or other veggie your dog favours.]

Preheat oven to 375ºF. In a frying pan cook up the ground turkey – not too brown – and break up into small, itty bitty bits. Set aside on a paper towel (but make sure it’s out of reach of your four-legged friend).

Combine flower and cornmeal in a large bowl, then in a separate bowl beat egg, oil, and water, and then add tarragon.

Blend wet and dry ingredients, and mix well.

Fold in the ground turkey, and mix again.

Abby is a five-year-old Brussels Griffon mix who gobbles up attention and Rufus’s special Turkey treats.

Turn dough out on a lightly flowered surface and knead until thoroughly mixed together. Roll out dough to ½” thickness, and cut out in desired shapes – whether that be in the shape of a traditional dog bone or even a turkey.

Place on a greased baking sheet, and bake for 15 minutes, or until firm.

Cool and serve.

It will make about two dozen average-sized treats.

Remember to store these treats in the fridge at all times. Not only will it hopefully prevent your buddy from indulging when you’re back’s turned, but a warning: since the turkey may already be a few days old, you may opt to freeze them, or use them up relatively quickly.

Rufus is the mascot for the Langley Animal Protection Society and the new Patti Dale Animal Shelter

Violet, a four-year-old Rottweiler, enjoys the treats, but not too many.

She’s watching her girlish figure.

Rufus doesn’t understand what all the fuss is about at Christmas, but loves the after party – especially leftover turkey.

Corkey, a 12-year-old Cocker Spaniel, hopes his new home has good treats.

Dawn is a six-month bloodhound mix longing for love and good eats. She’s a fan of Rufus’ Turkey gobblers.

A Langley Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 9, 2008

RECIPE

Fleas Navidad Christmas Cake

Here is a fun banana/carob chip doggie cake called Big Dog Little Dog Bakery’s Fleas Navidad Christmas Cake. All canines are guaranteed to love it.

Cake Ingredients:

2 ripe bananas 1/8 tsp. pure vanilla extract 2 cups purified water 1 egg 4 Tbsp. honey 1 cup whole wheat flour 1 cup oat flour 1 cup rolled oats 1/2 Tbsp. baking powder 1/2 cup carob chips (never use chocolate for animals) Preheat oven to 350°F. In a mixing bowl mash the ripe bananas.

Add the vanilla, water, egg, and honey.

Sift together the dry ingredients: whole wheat flour, oat flour, and baking powder.

Add rolled oats.

Mix until everything is just moistened. Pour mixture into an eight-inch cake pan sprayed with a nonstick spray.

Sprinkle the carob chips on top.

Bake at 350ºF for 45-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean.

Let the cake cool to room temperature before icing.

Maddie is the director of product development, while Austin is the quality assurance manager at Big Dog Little Dog Bakery.

Icing Ingredients: 12 ounces nonfat cream cheese (room temperature) 1 tsp. vanilla 2 Tbsp. honey Cream all together.

Split into 3 portions.

Add 1 tsp. beet powder to one of the three portions to make the pink icing.

Add 1 tsp. spinach powder to the second portion to make the green icing.

Now you have three colours to ice the cake with!

Ice the cake as desired using an icing bag if you wish to do fancier decorations.

Set the cake in front of your favourite pooch.

His/her eyes will bulge out of their sockets – guaranteed.

Maddie and Austin are the official taste testers at Big Dog Little Dog Bakery in downtown Langley

A Langley Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 9, 2008

RECIPE

Oatmeal White Chocolate Craisen Cookies 1 cup margarine 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup sugar 2 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla 2½ cups flour 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. baking soda 3 cups oatmeal 1 cup white chocolate chips 1 cup craisens Beat margarine till fluffy, add sugar, eggs vanilla and milk.

Add dry ingredients.

Bake at 375ºF until done (approx. 8-10 min.)

“…making those moments extra special with a delicious array of homemade treats…”

Tracy Dueck

Tracy Dueck is owner of Tracycakes Bakery Cafe in Fort Langley and Abbotsford

A Langley Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 9, 2008

RECIPE

Nut Loaf 2 Tbsp. olive oil 1 Tbsp. marjoram 1 cup diced onion 1 Tbsp. salt 1 cup diced celery 1 Tbsp. black pepper 1 cup diced mushrooms 2 cups cooked brown rice ¼ cup diced parsley 12 oz. soft crumbled tofu 1 Tbsp. dried basil 2 cups toasted finely chopped almonds 1 egg 2 cloves garlic Pre-heat oven to 350ºF. In a large frying pan, sauté the onion, celery, mushrooms, garlic, fresh herbs and spices in the olive oil until tender.

Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and

combine with cooked rice, nuts, crumbled tofu and the egg. Mix well.

Lightly oil a loaf pan and press the mixture into the pan. Bake at 350ºF for 1 hour – allow to cool for 15 minutes before you remove from the pan. Run a knife around the edges and invert onto a serving platter. Serve immediately with or without mushroom gravy.

Mushroom Gravy 5 cups sliced button mushrooms ¼ cup flour ¼ cup tamari 2 cups water 1 Tbsp. olive oil Sauté mushrooms in olive oil until soft and slightly brown. Mix flour, tamari, and water well, and add to the sautéed mushrooms. Cook on low for about 10 minutes, stirring regularly.

Angie Quaale owner of Well Seasoned gourmet food store

A Langley Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 9, 2008

RECIPE

Neapolitan Squares “A family favourite, we’ve been making for at least 25 years.”

Leigh Castron

Bottom Layer: 1¼ cup Graham wafer crumbs ½ cup melted butter or margarine ½ cup packed brown sugar ¹⁄³ cup all purpose flour Combine ingredients together, press quite lightly into 9” x 9” pan.

Bake 350ºF for 10 minutes.

Second Layer: 2 cups medium grind coconut 1 tin sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated) Combine coconut with condensed milk, spread over bottom layer.

Bake in 350ºF oven for 20 minutes or until very light brown begins to show on the edges. Allow to cool before frosting.

Icing: 2 cups icing sugar 4 Tbsp. butter 3 Tbsp. juice from maraschino cherries or a bit of red food colouring with ¹⁄³ tsp. cherry or almond flavouring.

Beat all together adding a bit more juice if needed to make icing soft enough to spread. Spread over cooled bars. Cut into 36 squares.

Leigh Castron, (a.k.a. Mrs. Claus) co-coordinator for the Langley Christmas Bureau

A Langley Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 9, 2008

RECIPE

Mars bar squares Three 65g (large) Mars bars, chopped up 3 oz. butter

Three to four cups of rice crispies 8 oz. chocolate 1 oz. butter

Melt the 3 oz. butter and the chopped Mars bar pieces in a pot on the stove. Add the rice crispies.

Spread in a 9�x9� tin.

Melt the one ounce butter and all the chocolate on a medium heat and spread over the mixture in the tin.

Allow the mixture and chocolate to cool and cut into squares.

Lynn Colliar is a news anchor with Global TV Morning News

A Langley Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 9, 2008

RECIPE

Finger Sandwiches Cucumber sandwich 6 slices of bread ½ cup herb cream cheese one cucumber, peeled and sliced lengthwise Spread the cream cheese on each side of the bread, preferably white.

Lay cucumbers sliced lengthwise, on one side of the bread.

Place one side on top of the other and slice off crusts on all four sides.

Cut into three finger slices.

Egg salad sandwich 2 eggs, shredded for egg salad 2 tsp. mayonaise dash of dill Place two slices of bread on cutting board, spread with one Tbsp. egg salad.

Place one side on top of the other and slice off crusts on all four sides.

Cut into three finger slices.

Turkey (or ham) sandwich 2 slices turkey 1 tsp. butter 1 tsp. mayonnaise Place the bread (preferably whole wheat) on a cutting board. Lightly cover one side with one tsp. mayonnaise.

Lightly cover one side with butter. Add two thin slices turkey or ham.

Place one side on top of the other and slice off crusts on all four sides.

Cut into three finger slices.

“…making those moments extra special with a delicious array of homemade treats…”

Tracy Dueck

Tracy Dueck is owner of Tracycakes Bakery Cafe in Fort Langley and Abbotsford

A Langley Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 9, 2008

RECIPE “One of the special times every Christmas Day is when the family gets to take a collective breath together,” said Pat McCarthy.

“You know, after the presents are open, the church service finished and the family is back home together, there is the simple joy we will share of belonging together. And as we talk, reveal and enjoy the other treasures this special day brings us, in our hearts we are stowing the memories of Mom, Dad, the kids, grandparents and the rest of the folks relaxing and appreciating each other.

“Of course, someone will be hungry, since there was little time for a regular Bryon Berry/Langley Advance breakfast with all the morning’s activPat McCarthy, owner of A Bread Affair, was ities. caught baking fruit cake.

“I know I want to stay in the family room, since the days when all the relations are together never happen enough.

Others may want to save some of their energy in the kitchen for the turkey a little later in the day.

“But it is Christmas, and the family is looking for something special. And yes, they are looking at you to help them. Well, here’s a favourite at my home that is quick and can be prepared in advance. In fact, it is better when it is made up the night before and simply popped in a hot oven. No effort at all is needed on Christmas Day. “If you are able to have some of the youngsters help make it the night before, it will be more special the next day as he or she tells everyone about how they made breakfast. Be sure to have plenty of fairy dust (known in our home as icing sugar) or maple syrup on the table to ensure the smiles on those faces, young and old.”

Pat McCarthy is the owner of A Bread Affair in downtown Langley

Christmas Cranberry Orange Pecan French Toast ½ cup butter ¾ cup brown sugar 2 Tbsp. corn syrup 1 tsp. orange zest ½ cup coarsely chopped pecans 6 large eggs ½ cup orange juice 1 cup milk or light cream Pinch of salt 8 Slices of Cranberry Semolina or other Cranberry Bread Lots of icing sugar for dusting The Day Before (Christmas Eve) Lightly coat with a non-stick spray a 9” x 13” square glass oven-safe pan.

In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, melt butter with brown sugar. Add corn syrup and stir constantly until thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in nuts. Pour into a 9”x13” baking dish.

Layer the Cranberry Semolina bread in the baking dish.

Beat the eggs, milk, or cream, orange juice, and salt in a bowl and pour mixture over the bread.

Cover and refrigerate.

Christmas Day Preheat your oven to 350ºF. Place the pan in and set the timer for 20 minutes. Remove when a toothpick comes out clean, and serve.

Reheats great in the microwave if you have late risers.

At A Bread Affair, we burst with pride that Langley has welcomed us so warmly and made A Bread Affair a part of so many of your family’s Christmas traditions. And so from each of us at the bakery to everyone in your family let me wish you all a Merry Christmas.

A Langley Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 9, 2008

RECIPE Here’s Steve Darling’s recipe for corn pudding.

It’s something his mother-in-law introduced him to when he got married, and now it’s his favourite holiday recipe.

Steve’s corn pudding 1 can of creamed corn 2 Eggs – beaten ¾ cup milk ½ cup cracker crumbs (1011 soda crackers) 2 Tbsp. melted Butter Sprinkle of salt & pepper

Put in a buttered casserole dish and bake for approximately 45 minutes at 350ºF. Steve Darling is a news anchor with Global TV Morning News

A Langley Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 9, 2008

RECIPE

Gary’s Christmas Salad “I first tasted this the first year I knew my wife, who was my fiancee at the time we spent our first Christmas together. I tease her that it was because she agreed to bring this recipe along with our marriage that I married her,” shared Envoy Gary Johnson.

“To make it really special Linda only makes this salad once a year and I don’t need any dessert when I have this salad with my Christmas dinner.

“I hope you try it and enjoy it as much as I do.

“Blessings and regards.”

“…I don’t need any dessert when I have this salad with my Christmas dinner.”

Gary Johnson

Part A - Custard 3 egg yolks Juice of 1 lemon ½ cup milk ¼ cup white sugar Make a custard of the ingredients. Set aside to cool.

Part B 1 pkg. large white marshmallows 1 cup whipping cream One 14 oz. can crushed pineapple Drain pineapple. Whip the cream. Mix marshmallows, crushed pineapple, and whipped cream together. Add this mixture to the custard.

Part C Lightly spray jelly mould, place the mixture into it, and cover. Place in refrigerator for 24 hours.

To take the salad out of the jelly mould take the cover off and place a serving plate over the top of the jelly mould and turn upside down. Place a hot cloth around the outside of the jelly mould for a few seconds.

Carefully lift off the jelly mould and serve. Garnish as you wish.

Gary Johnson is Envoy for the Langley Salvation Army

A Langley Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 9, 2008

RECIPE

“Don’t you know that the ladies love chocolate,” said Santa, with a wink.

The jolly old elf has only recently made this cheesecake part of his holiday traditions. “It was the first time I made a cheesecake, and everyone loved it,” he said, recalling his surprise. “So, I knew it was a keeper. It keep everyone who tastes it thinking about Santa all year round, not just at Christmas.”

Santa is visiting with hundreds of children each day at Willowbrook Shopping Centre, but he still finds time to do a little baking heading into the holiday season.

Langley Advance files

Santa’s Chocolate Cheesecake ¼ cup melted butter 1¼ cup ground almonds 3 pkg. (250g each) Philadelphia cream cheese ¾ cup Splenda 3 eggs 6 squares Baker’s unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled 1 tsp. vanilla ¼ cup Disaronno liqueur or hazelnut liqueur Preheat oven to 350ºF, mix almond and butter in a nine-inch glass pie dish to make the crust.

Beat softened cream cheese and Splenda with electric mixer until well blended. Add eggs one at a time, beating just until blended. Stir in chocolate and vanilla; pour over the crust.

Bake 45 minutes or until centre is almost set. Let cool and refrigerate for four hours, add whipping cream or strawberries or (?) before you serve.

Note: to soften cream cheese, microwave unwrapped packages on high for 30-45 seconds or until slightly softened.

Santa Claus can be found visiting with kids in Willowbrook Shopping Centre

A Langley Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 9, 2008

RECIPE

Chicken and Broccoli Braid A wonderful part of the holidays is the chance to visit with friends you don’t see nearly enough the rest of the year. This relatively fast – and tasty – recipe always proves popular during those gettogethers.

2 cups of cooked chopped chicken 1 cup chopped broccoli ½ cup chopped red bell peppers 4 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese 1 garlic clove, pressed ½ mayonnaise 1 tsp. dried dill weed ¼ tsp. salt 2 packages (235g each) refrigerated crescent rolls 1 egg white, lightly beaten 2 Tbsp. slivered almonds Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Chop the broccoli and chicken (or buy the already diced chicken) and place in a large bowl.

Add bell pepper and cheese to the mix.

Press garlic over vegetable mixture, add mayo, dill, and salt – then mix well.

Unroll one package of the crescent dough, do not separate.

Arrange longest side of dough across width of 12” X 15” rectangle baking

“This relatively fast and tasty recipe always proves popular during those get togethers.”

Roxanne Hooper

stone. Repeat with remaining package of dough. Using dough and pizza roller, roll dough to edge of baking stone, sealing performations. On longest side of the stone, cut (but do not remove) dough into strips 1 1/2 inches apart and 3 inches deep using a pizza cutter (that should leave six inches in the centre for the filling).

Spread filling evenly over the middle of the dough.

Then, to braid, lift strips of dough across mixture to meet in the centre, twist each strip one turn. Continue alternating strips to form a braid.

Tuck ends up to form a rim at the end of the braid.

Brush egg white over the dough using a pastry brush, sprinkle with almonds, then back 25-28 minutes – or until golden brown.

This finished dish should provide 10 or more sample servings, or comfortably feed four to five people for a meal.

Roxanne Hooper is a reporter with the Langley Advance

A Langley Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 9, 2008

RECIPE

Cherry White Chocolate Scones 2½ cup flour 2 Tbsp. sugar 2½ tsp. baking powder ½ tsp. each baking soda and salt ½ cup butter (margarine) 1 cup buttermilk 1 egg 1 cup dried cherries (craisens) 3 oz. white chocolate, chopped Drizzle with 2 oz. white chocolate, melted Using food processor, cut butter into dry ingredients until crumble forms. Add buttermilk and egg. With hands, work into a ball and flatten to ½” thick. Cut out with cookie cutter (rounds) Bake at 400ºF for 10-15 minutes. Dust with icing sugar and serve.

“…making those moments extra special with a delicious array of homemade treats…”

Tracy Dueck

Tracy Dueck is owner of Tracycakes Bakery Cafe in Fort Langley and Abbotsford

A Langley Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 9, 2008

RECIPE

Cherry Icebox Cookies “Please include a generous portion of best wishes for happy holidays.”

Rudy Storteboom

“This is my Mom’s Christmas Cookies recipe, which she has been using since Christmas 1966,” explained Rudy Storteboom, adding, “Please include a generous portion of best wishes for happy holidays to everyone.”

1 cup butter, softened 1 cup sugar 1 large egg 1 tsp. vanilla 2¾ cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking powder ½ tsp. salt 16 oz. jar maraschino cherries, drained and finely chopped 1 cup finely sliced almonds ¼ cup red decorator sugar (optional) Beat the butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add 1 cup of sugar, beating well. Add the egg and vanilla, beating well.

Combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the butter mixture, beating well. Pat the cherries between paper

towel to remove excess moisture. Stir in cherries and almonds. Cover and chill two hours.

Shape the dough into two 1½-inch diameter, eight-inch long rolls. Roll in coloured sugar, if desired. Wrap the rolls in wax paper and freeze until firm but not frozen.

When ready to bake: preheat the oven to 400ºF. Lightly grease cookie sheets.

Unwrap the frozen dough and cut it into ¼-inch slices, using a sharp knife. Place on the cookie sheets.

Bake for eight to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool one minute on the cookie sheets. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Yield: four dozen.

Hint: Speed the chilling of the dough by placing the rolls in the freezer. Then just slice and bake.

Rudy Storteboom is a newly elected Langley City councillor

A Langley Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 9, 2008

RECIPE

Cheese biscuits “These are so easy, but delicious!”

Kobi Howard

“My Aunt Gerri sent my mom this recipe from Winnipeg over 20 years ago, and we have them every year at Christmas parties, so they remind me of gathering with friends and family,” said Kobi Howard. “I like them because they are cheesy and crunchy, because they remind me of home as nobody seems to make them but my mom, and because it is the only time of year we have them.

“These are so easy, but delicious!”

1 lb. butter (not margarine), softened 1½ cups flour 1 cup margarine 1 pkg. Imperial Cheese dash of cayenne dash of garlic powder Mix and roll in wax paper. Slice into ¹⁄8” thick pieces (refrigerate first if necessary) Cook for 10 minutes at 350ºF. Will yield about 3 dozen biscuits, depending on how you roll out the dough.

Kobi Howard is the collections assistant at Langley Centennial Museum

A Langley Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 9, 2008

RECIPE

Butter Tarts 1 cup brown sugar ½ cup butter 1 cup raisins, currants or Craisins 1 egg 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. vanilla ½ cup walnuts or pecans ¹⁄³ cup Creamo (half and half) Boil water and pour over raisins, drain and add melted butter and remaining ingredients.

Pour into unbaked tarts shells and bake at 400ºF for 10 minutes.

“…making those moments extra special with a delicious array of homemade treats…”

Tracy Dueck

Tracy Dueck is owner of Tracycakes Bakery Cafe in Fort Langley and Abbotsford

A Langley Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 9, 2008

RECIPE

Boiled Fruit Cake 2 cups sugar 1 cup butter 2 cups hot water (or substitute – 1 cup juice (I like apricot) and 1 cup rum) 2-3 cups of mixed fruit (I use mixed Christmas fruit, and add raisins or dried cranberries or apricots – or use what you like!)

2 tsp. cinnamon 2 tsp. nutmeg 3½ cups all-purpose flour 2 tsp. soda ¹⁄8 tsp. salt 2 cups chopped nuts (almonds, pecans or walnuts, or mix them up!)

Combine sugar, butter and liquids in a large pot, bring to a boil.

Boil for 1 minute; cool. I let it just sit overnight.

Combine all dry ingredients and sift into the fruit mixture. Stir in the nuts.

Grease and flour pans or line with parchment paper. You can use a tube pan or loaf pans.

Fill only about 2/3 full. Spread so the top is even.

Bake at 325ºF for about an hour.

It will depend on the size of pans you use. The tube pan will take longer.

When a toothpick comes out clean, it is done. Do not over-bake, or they will begin to burn.

Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then

“This is a recipe that I have adapted from a very old Family Favourite Eastern Star book that was given to me by my mother. I have been making this cake for more than 30 years, and it is still our favourite.”

Pauline Huth is executive director of Langley Meals on Wheels turn out to cool on a rack. Let cool thoroughly.

I poke the top with a tooth pick and pour Amaretto over the top.

Brandy is good, too!

Wrap well in waxed paper, then in foil. Keep in the fridge for at least a week before opening, or freeze and

defrost. They only last a long time if you do not open them up.

I use the rum-and-juice version, and sometimes omit the juice and just use the rum. Everyone likes my fruit cake!

Enjoy the holidays and this easyto make fruit cake!

A Langley Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 9, 2008

RECIPE

Christmas Birdsnest Cookies

There are thousands of recipes that can benefit from a dab or two of berry jams, but the Christmas birdsnest cookies are a long-standing favourite, said Pauline Schroeder.

Admittedly, this is not her own recipe, but that of Krause Berry Farms owner Sandee Krause.

Schroeder, however, has been making them by the dozens and selling them in the Krause store since it first started opening for Christmas just a few years ago.

“I think it’s so popular because a lot say, ‘It’s like grandma use to make,’” Schroeder explained.

2 cups butter 2 cups shortening 2 cups packed brown sugar 8 eggs – separated 2 tsp. vanilla 8 cups flour 2 tsp. salt Oatmeal to coat Krause Berry Farm jam – strawberry, raspberry, blueberry or blackberry Mix butter, shortening, egg yolk, sugar and vanilla thoroughly.

Add flour. Shape into balls.

Beat egg whites slightly. Dip balls of dough into egg white.

Roll coated balls into oatmeal.

Place on greased cookie sheet.

Use rounded teaspoon to make indentations into cookies. Fill with jam.

Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes.

Yields 60 cookies.

Pauline Schroeder is the kitchen manager at Krause Berry Farms

Roxanne Hooper/Langley Advance

Pauline Schroeder, kitchen manager at Krause Berry Farms, and her birdsnest cookies.

A Langley Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 9, 2008

RECIPE

Banana Lover’s Banana Bread I’ve baked these flavourful, moist loaves at Christmas since I was a teenager, because they make delicious homemade gifts for family and friends.

I always give them away, and there’s more than enough love in one loaf to share with everybody.

When I ask my family what they would like me to bake for Christmas, they request this banana bread, which has become one of my trademarks.

Lynn Lawrence is the production manager of the Langley Advance

1 cup white sugar 3 large bananas (important to let them turn brown first) 4 Tbsp. melted butter 1½ cups white flour ¼ tsp. salt 1 tsp. baking soda 2 eggs

Blend bananas and sugar, then add eggs.

Add melted butter, salt, soda, then flour.

Bake in loaf tin in preheated oven 350ºF for approximately one hour.

Tip: freeze loaf first, then thaw and serve... it will be more moisture.

A Langley Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 9, 2008

RECIPE

Artichoke Dip “It’s definitely one we use a lot around Christmas, because we get together with a lot of friends and family.”

Mary Reeves

“Here is one of my favourite appetizer dips,” said Mary Reeves. “It’s definitely one we use a lot around Christmas, because we get together with a lot of friends and family.”

Every year, for instance, her family of about 75 people hold a massive get-together during the holidays, and while Reeves brings the baked beans, her daughter Tracey brings this popular artichoke dip.

This dip has definitely become a seasonal favourite in the Reeves household.

8 oz. cream cheese ½ cup mayonnaise ½ cup sour cream ½ cup grated parmesan cheese ½ cup asiagio cheese, grated 1 clove crushed garlic One 14 oz. can of artichoke hearts (not marinated) Mix and bake 20-30 minutes in 350ºF oven. Serve with crackers and toasted breads.

Christmas is about family times, catching up with friends, and just an overall sense of peace.

Mary Reeves is the executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Langley

A Langley Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 9, 2008

RECIPE

Christmas Apple Torte Cheesecake Crust: ½ cup butter 1⁄3 cup sugar ¼ tsp. vanilla 1 cup flour Cream together, then add the flour. Press into spring form pan.

Filling: 250 g cream cheese ¼ cup sugar 1 egg ½ tsp. vanilla Mix together - beat with electric mixer till smooth and creamy. Spread over crust.

Topping: 4 cups of sliced apples (6 or 7) 1⁄3 cup sugar ½ tsp. cinnamon Mix and sprinkle over cream cheese layer Bake at 450ºF for 10 minutes.

Optional: Sprinkle ¼ cup of sliced almonds on top of apples. Then bake at 400ºF for 25 minutes more.

Mark Madryga is meteorologist with Global TV Morning News

Family Christmas Family Christmas

Tuesday, December 4, 2012 | LangleyAdvance

RECIPE

Make that turkey behave!

W

e never had turkey dinner at Christmas when I was a kid, simply because we just couldn’t seem to cook one properly.

It wasn’t that my parents were not good cooks, it’s that, for one reason or another, the turkey would just not cooperate. It was either tough, underdone, overcooked, or dry – or any combination of the above.

As a result, the Long household had to settle for ham as our Yuletide main meal.

So when I grew up and had to fend for myself in the kitchen, I determined that I would break the curse and cook a bird that was just right.

Over the next several years I tried all the options in search of a juicy, tender, colourful, and tasty turkey experience.

In the end, I believe I have succeeded, so I offer you the following recipe to ensure that your family and guests can always enjoy turkey at Christmas.

Christmas turkey Get a nice looking bird, it doesn’t matter what kind – Grade A, B, or C; frozen or fresh. It just has to look the right shape.

Rinse it in water and sprinkle all over with poultry seasoning.

Stuff with a mixture of cut-up bread fried in a wok with finely chopped celery, onions, and anything else you have kicking around (walnuts, mushrooms, giblets, sausage, etc.) – and again lots of poultry seasoning.

Place in roasting pan using a turkey lifter (a grill with handles that goes under the bird). This is important, because the bird will be so tender it will fall apart when you try to lift it out without one.

Smear 1/4 cup of butter over the breast and cover loosely with a foil tent, shiny side out.

Cook at 450ºF for an hour, then reduce the heat to 375ºF for about 20 minutes a pound. Remove the foil tent for the last 20 minutes, until the bird

turns golden brown.

Remember to rotate and baste the bird often, using one of those giant eyedropper-looking things, and poke a hole in the skin just above the drumstick and squirt the juices into it.

Now here are the real important bonus tips: Turkeys cook best if there’s lots of activity in the kitchen, with everyone trying to tell you better ways to cook it and different ways to tell if it’s done.

Some want to use bags, Dutch ovens, thermometers, pop-up devices, and more. The real way to know it’s ready is to shake the leg.

It should move freely, but if you’re not sure, give the leg a little twist, and if you think it will pull right off, it’s done!

Take the bird out and let it stand 15 minutes, and let the juices drain.

Then remove it for carving.

There should be lots of juice left to make a nice gravy.

Gravy? Oh, that’s another story…

Merry Christmas and bon appetite!

(For more on stuffing and/or gravy, visit www.chickenbob.com/ stuffing.html and www.chickenbob. com/GibletGravy.html.)

– Bob Long, Langley Township Councillor

RECIPE

Thermometer worth its weight in gold

O

ver the years, I have discovered many simple methods to help easily perfect the meals we serve. Some are so obvious, like a meat thermometer, that it is bizarre when I come across a household that does not have one.

Always during the approach of traditional holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter I seem to get bombarded with questions about how long a turkey should cook.

Although I appreciate the opportunity for helping people in the kitchen, the answer to me always seems so obvious that it is surprising that more

by Chef Dez meat for the entire people don’t already have the solution.

Chef Dez is a food columnist and culinary cooking process. instructor in the Fraser Valley.

If an instant-read Not only will a Visit him at www.chefdez.com. thermometer is used simple oven-proof meat Send questions to dez@chefdez.com thermometer help to or to P.O. Box 2674, Abbotsford, B.C. instead, and the temperature is checked at save your turkey dinV2T 6R4 intervals, valued juices ner, it will also be the will be lost from the resolution to mastermeat with each puncture. One of the ing the doneness of a myriad of meat most important goals in cooking meat roasting recipes. is to keep it moist while still reaching I have owned my current meat the desired doneness. thermometer for probably close to 15 The area of a turkey where the years, and it is still going strong. Not thermometer should be inserted is the bad for an investment of only a few thickest part of the inner thigh, withdollars. out touching the bone.

Get one that is heat resistant (oven A stuffed turkey should be done proof) so it can be left in the piece of

On Cooking

Approximate cooking times For stuffed and unstuffed turkey These parameters are not intended to be used as the main indicators of doneness, but only as an aid in using your meat thermometer.

If your turkey is cooked in a 160ºC (325ºF) oven, then this table will offer an approximation, to help in planning other parts of the meal.

Weight 3 to 3.5 kg (6½-8 lb.)

3.5 to 4.5 kg (8-10 lb.)

4.5 to 5.5 kg (10-12 lb.)

5.5 to 7 kg (12-15½ lb.)

7 to 10 kg (15½-22 lb.)

Unstuffed 2½ – 2¾ hours 2¾ – 3 hours 3 – 3¼ hours 3¼ – 3½ hours 3½ – 4 hours

Stuffed 3 – 3¼ hours 3¼ – 3½ hours 3½ – 3¾ hours 3¾ – 4 hours 4 – 4½ hours

when the thermometer reads 82ºC (180ºF). Unstuffed, it should be 77ºC (170ºF).

You should also notice that the legs move easily when twisted, and the juices run clear.

There is a difference in the two temperature readings, because a stuffed turkey is denser, and the stuffing needs to reach a high enough temperature to kill any bacteria present.

That said, I realize people appreciate approximate cooking times to effectively coordinate side dishes to the main course, and it is for this reason only that I will provide guidelines for you (see box, above right).

Do not use these parameters as your main indication of doneness, but rather as an additional plan to your trusty meat thermometer.

There are many factors for example that will play havoc on the final accuracy of the cooking time: the temperature of the turkey prior to roasting, the temperature of the stuffing (if used), or maybe the possibility that your oven is running a bit hotter or colder than the set temperature.

Where you decide to purchase your meat thermometer is not important, as they are available almost everywhere.

What is important is that you get one, and that you enjoy the benefits of it for years to come.

Family Christmas Tuesday, December 4, 2012 | LangleyAdvance

Family Christmas RECIPE

Debbie’s Delicious Turkey Roasts Ingredients: 3 lb. boneless turkey roast ½ cup maple syrup ¼ very soft butter 2 tbsp. poultry seasonings ( or fresh sniped 4 tbsp.)

the foil and cook for approximately another 30 minutes, basting frequently.

Cooking time should be approximately 1½ hours, and the thermometer reads 170ºF. Pre-heat oven to 325ºF Wrap the roast Leaving on the string in foil and let it sit netting, rinse the turkey for 10 to 15 minutes breast and pat dry with before removing the paper towels. string netting.

Whisk together maple Recipe will feed 5 syrup, butter, and seasonadults. ings in a bowl, and then Jack and Debbie Froese • For other variations, just brush mixture well over take your favourite cranberry turkey breast roast. sauce, wine jelly, or chutney and cover Place turkey roast skin side up in a the turkey breast with foil, and bake. roaster and cover with foil. Cook for – Debbie Froese, JD Farms (and wife approximately one hour, then remove of Township Mayor Jack Froese)

Tuesday, December 4, 2012 | LangleyAdvance

Family Christmas RECIPE

“Thai One On” Ingredients: 1 lb. chopped chicken 1 jar of Save-On-Foods Peanut Satay sauce 1 package (250 grams) frozen chopped spinach 1 microwavable pre-prepared rice.

Fry chicken In frying pan. Add spinach and warm up.

Microwave your rice.

Add satay sauce to frying pan.

Put rice on dishes and pour chicken over top.

Add naan bread for more calories :) Scott Allen, TWU coach, Men’s Basketball

Tuesday, December 4, 2012 | LangleyAdvance

Family Christmas Family Christmas RECIPE

Singer’s cookies come with twist

L

angley pop artist Marika Siewert insists, amidst releasing her new CD and hosting and participating in empowerment events for girls and women, on finding quality time with her husband and three children.

The 32-year-old Willoughby singer and songwriter has enjoyed fame with two singles making it to the top five on Canadian radio charts, a number Stacy Siewert photos one song in Korea, and numerZoey, Jaedon, Stacy, Marika, and Zac Siewert make it a a ous songs used by the television Christmas tradition to bake up sugar cookie pops. and film industry.

Before ramping up her marketing campaign for her newest album, Unstoppable, in the new year, she’s excited to spend the next few weeks focusing on family and Christmas.

One Siewert family tradition is baking sugar cookies, but not just any sugar cookies.

Christmas Sugar Cookie Pops!

You can use your preferred type of ingredients – organic, wholewheat, gluten-free, etc.

Ingredients: 125g butter 50g sugar 175g flour To decorate: Cookie sticks (from Michaels) Jelly Tots (a special English sweet from Langley’s own Black Pudding Imports. They carry amazing Christmas sweets and gifts!)

Sprinkles, icing sugar: your choice!

Whisk butter in a bowl till soft, add sugar gradually, then fold in the flour.

Roll out dough. Use shaped cookie cutters to cut out shapes. Lay cookie sticks on cookie sheet, and place shapes on top of sticks. Press gently to secure so they will bake on the stick.

Bake in oven 300ºF for 25 minutes.

Ice and decorate with Jelly Tots, sprinkles, decor of your choice.

Eat and enjoy!

– Marika Siewert, Singer/songwriter

Tuesday, December 4, 2012 | LangleyAdvance

Family Christmas Family Christmas RECIPE

Rum balls remind of favourite person

S

Ma B (as she was ean Baker called by friends and doesn’t think family) that made her it’s much of an my favourite person exaggeration in the world,” Baker to call his grandsaid, describing her as mother’s rum balls “among many things, “world famous.” an amazing cook, Just like the woman golfer, skier, and who made the treats caregiver.” part of his family His parents shipped Christmas tradition, him and his sister off the rum balls are to their grandparents’ “incredible,” said farm on Georgian Baker, general manBay, Ontario’ each ager of the Patti Dale summer, “where we Animal Shelter. would live the good This isn’t a recipe Sean Baker doesn’t share his life for eight weeks… that could be shared grandmother’s famous rum balls with never wanting to with any of the fourhis dog Rufus, the LAPS mascot. But he return home.” legged friends and highly recommends them to his two“Because we lived family members that legged friends. out west, we never he helps care for experienced the rum balls in her home through the Langley Animal Protection as we were never there for Christmas.

Society each year. But for all those of However, each year after Dec. 1, we the two-legged variety, he recommends would check the mail each checking out this recipe. day to see if the ‘packHe actually has a little “There was something age’ had arrived,” Baker cookbook that his grandrecalled. mother put together at the extra special about Ma Sadly, Ma B was diagencouragement of family, B that made her my nosed with pancreatic canfriends, neighbours, and favourite person in the cer in September 2001 and “anyone who had the joy world.” died on Remembrance Day of enjoying one of her that same year, at age 71. meals,” Baker said.

Although she’s gone, Baker said, she “I know that we are all supposed to lives on in his memories, and each year remember our grandmothers as amazing when he makes the rum balls, he thinks people, but even with that requirement, fondly of all Ma B brought to his life. there was something extra special about

World famous rum balls Ingredients: 1 cup vanilla wafer crumbs 1 cup chopped pecans 1 cup icing sugar 2 tablespoons white corn syrup ¹/3 cup rum 2 tablespoons cocoa Crush the vanilla wafers very thin in a plastic bag with a rolling pin or in the blender. Add the chopped nuts, icing sugar, and the cocoa.

Blend well, add the corn syrup and rum.

Mix well to a paste. Chill overnight in refrigerator.

Next day, roll into balls about ¾ inches in diameter and dip into dish filled with white sugar. Coat balls completely with sugar.

Store them in a tin box until needed. They may also be frozen for later use.

This recipe makes about 20 to 25 balls.

“I usually triple this recipe at Christmas time,” Ma B wrote in her recipe book.

– Sean Baker, Langley Animal Protection Society general manager

Tuesday, December 4, 2012 | LangleyAdvance

Family Christmas RECIPE

Whatever’s fresh in the fridge quinoa salad I make this salad as red and green as possible for Christmas!

Ingredients: 1 cup quinoa Spices, seasoning Various vegetables, etc.

Add oregano, cilantro, black ground pepper and salt to quinoa. Bring to boil in 1-1/2 cups of water.

While it boils, cut up fresh vegetables (I like a lot of colours): carrots, celery,

peppers, green onions, red onions, cherry tomatoes.

Add some extra flavour: dried cranberries, walnuts.

Once the quinoa has simmered and cooled down off the element, add Zesty Italian dressing and everything else.

I like serving with avocado chunks and 2 sliced-up hard-boiled eggs.

– Cheryl Jean-Paul, TWU coach, Women’s Basketball

Tuesday, December 4, 2012 | LangleyAdvance

Family Christmas RECIPE

Family Christmas

Biscuits and liqueur offer Italian flare to the season

Family Christmas

O

ne of Chef Dez’s preferred holiday treats is Italian polenta buns.

“These are not actually buns, per say, but more like biscuits, as they are essentially classified as a quick bread, not yeast raised,” the Langley Advance On Cooking columnist explained.

“Polenta is basically

by Chef Dez cooked cornmeal, so these buns are designed to reflect Chef Dez is a food columnist and culinary instructor in the Fraser Valley. a sweet version of polenta Visit him at www.chefdez.com. in a biscuit form. The addiSend questions to dez@chefdez.com tion of grappa soaked raisins or to P.O. Box 2674, Abbotsford, B.C. V2T 6R4 are a wonderful addition in taste, but also add a complimenting visual and texture aspect,” he said.

He always has a small amount of grappa to sip when having them.

“Grappa is an acquired taste that has more cynics than lovers, as I have even heard rumours of some cafes in Italy actually use grappa to clean their windows,” said Chef Dez. “My honest advice to you is to try it, but be prepared to hate it. Rum can easily be substituted for the grappa if you prefer.”

On Cooking

Italian polenta buns with grappa Recipe created by Chef Dez – www.chefdez.com A favourite in Italy, this freshly baked sweet biscuits reminiscent of rich polenta. Grappa is an Italian liqueur made from fermenting grape remnants after pressing them for wine. (This recipe makes 8 biscuits.)

Ingredients: 4 tbsp raisins 2 tbsp Italian grappa liqueur (plus more for sipping) 1 cup fine cornmeal 1 cup milk, heated to almost boiling 1 cup corn flour ²/3 cup sugar ¼ cup all-purpose flour 1 tbsp. baking powder ½ tsp. salt ½ cup cold butter, cut in small pieces cold milk, optional icing sugar In a small bowl, soak the raisins in the grappa.

Preheat the oven to 425ºF and prepare a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a separate bowl, stir the hot milk and the cornmeal together. It will get very thick as the cornmeal swells and absorbs the milk.

In another bowl combine all of the other dry ingredients together: corn flour, sugar, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Work the cold butter pieces into this dry mixture with a pastry cutter until the butter pieces are about the size of peas. Do not work the butter in with your hands, as this will melt the butter.

Stir the raisins and grappa mixture into the milk/cornmeal mixture. Then mix this with the dry ingredients and butter mixture until it is just combined – do not over mix.

If it is too dry, add a little extra milk. It should resemble a thick muffin batter.

Spoon 8 equal portions onto the prepared baking sheet and bake immediately for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Carefully remove the biscuits from the pan and let cool slightly on a cooling rack. Dust with icing sugar and serve warm with a small shot of grappa, coffee, or espresso.

Family Christmas Tuesday, December 4, 2012 | LangleyAdvance

Family Christmas RECIPE

Festive favourite

A

nother favourite recipe from a lady Vera worked with many years ago.

The cherries and coconut make it a festive treat.

Pineapple slice Base: 1¾ cups sifted flour 1 cup butter 2 tbsp. sugar Pinch of salt Filling: 1 14-oounce can crushed pineapple ¼ cup white sugar 2 tbsp. cornstarch ¼ cup cold water ¾ cup chopped maraschino cherries

Topping: 2 egg whites 2 tbsp. white sugar Almond flavouring Coconut Blend ingredients for base together until mixture becomes a soft, crumbly dough. Pat into 9” x 9” pan. Bake in 350ºF oven for about 20 minutes or until lightly brown.

Mix first 4 ingredients of filling together and cook

until thick.

Cool and add cherries. Spread over baked base.

For topping, beat egg whites and sugar until stiff.

Add flavouring.

Spread over filling and sprinkle with coconut.

Bake in moderate oven until meringue is golden.

Cool and cut into squares.

– Grant Ward, Langley Township Councillor

Tuesday, December 4, 2012 |itLangleyAdvance Wrap up

Family Christmas RECIPE

A

Fun to make, fun to eat

fond memory of my childhood was when my mom and us kids made Pull Taffy.

Mom would make a gooey concoction then place it on the buttered pan. The pan was then placed on the porch to cool. When it was cool enough to handle, we would start to pull the mixture until it was thicker in texture and white in colour.

We then twisted it into rolls and cut it into bite size pieces.

Mom said, “We kept it simple because we didn’t have all the fancy ingredients. It was the only time of the year the children got candy. That is why they all have good teeth.”

Many laughs were shared between me and my five siblings. A memory of Christmas and family that are very special to me.

Old Fashioned “Pull” Taffy Ingredients: 4 cups sugar ¼ teaspoon of salt 1 cup (white) vinegar Place all the ingredients into a deep kettle.

Boil to hard ball stage, and then pour into a buttered pan. Cool the mixture until it can be handled.

Rub hands with butter.

Then pull the mixture until it turns white.

The fun part is pulling the Taffy between two pairs of hands.

Cut into pieces and wrap each piece in wax paper. Use an airtight tin or jar to store.

– Rich Coleman, MLA for Fort Langley-Aldergrove

Family Christmas Tuesday, December 4, 2012 | LangleyAdvance

Family Christmas RECIPE

Nachos: appropriate celebratory feast

O

n his birthday Nov. 23, 15-year-old Walnut Grove teen Brendan Whieldon had much to celebrate, including officially being cancer free and off chemotherapy for two years.

Officially, he’s told, his neuroblastoma – a typically fatal form of cancer with which he was diagnosed at the age of four – is in remission.

Brendan became well-known in Langley when, despite being in the midst of a terrible battle with cancer, he began fundraising to help other children with cancer, as well as their families, through BC Children’s Hospital and the B.C. Childhood Cancer Parent’s Association (BCCCPA).

The Grade 9 Walnut Grove Secondary student is still selling calendars to raise money and doing public speaking for BCCH to support the new hospital.

“He’s doing it so all the children can get the same chance he got with the new oncology unit,” said his mother, Shannon.

Anyway, to celebrate last week, Brendan chose to make a batch of his famous nachos, which are always a hit with his family and friends.

The difficulty arose, however, when it came to sharing the recipe. As a self-proclaimed, freestyle chef, Brendan didn’t have it written down any where, commenting that it always changes – depending on what he craves and what’s available.

So, in order to share it, he had his secretary (a.k.a. his mother Shannon) to write everything down as he created.

“He’s a rotten teenager at times but fortunately they are getting fewer and farther between, but mostly he is a pretty cool kid,” said Mom.

Brendan’s teenage nachos Ingredients: 1 Jalapeno pepper 1 Anaheim pepper 1 Habanero pepper 1 Tabasco pepper 1 Bell pepper, red, orange, green 1 jar black olives 1 bag Tortilla Chips 1 block old cheddar cheese 1 container sour cream 1 container hot salsa sauce Preheat oven to 350ºF. Wash peppers.

Use ¼ of each pepper. Cut into chunks.

Pour tortilla chips on a baking sheet.

Sprinkle peppers on top of tortilla chips.

Grate cheese. Half a block, or more, so don’t let your parents see how much you use. The more cheese, the better.

Sprinkle cheese generously on top of tortilla chips.

Bake in oven 5-10 minutes until cheese melts.

Watch carefully, because I’ve had a few fires, and it is hard to hide the smoke with the smoke alarm screaming.

“Cooking? I wasn’t cooking.”

Serve with sour cream and salsa.

Straight from the jar, no need to make more dishes to clean up.

For the past two years, Brendan Whieldon has been wearing a lizarof, a device designed to lengthen his leg. He has to turn the pins ever six hours, the intention being that the bone would regrow between the broken bone, and lengthen his leg – just one of the complications of all his years of cancer treatments. It should all be over by Christmas.

– Brendan Whieldon Cancer survivor and fundraiser for BC Children’s Hospital

Tuesday, December 4, 2012 | LangleyAdvance

Family Christmas RECIPE

Meringue made holiday special despite hard financial times

A

nne Marrison started making meringues when she kept chickens on a rural acreage and fed them mainly bran cooked with kitchen scraps from her big vegetable garden.

“We let them roam the place in summer, fall, and winter, whenever the crops could handle chicken,” she said.

“They ran fast enough to catch flies.”

The family was very poor, but had lots of eggs, and meringues made nice Christmas gifts for very little money, she explained.

“In those days, I always made meringues with a hand beater, and cooked them in an oil range, which also heated water for the bathroom.

“One Christmas, we got a blow-back down the oil range chimney and a whole sheet of meringues that was out to cool turned black with soot,” Marrison recounted. “So did I.” “It was a tiny old house (650 square feet) built on tree trunks, and the back bedroom had been used to dry out mink skins. At night we could hear bits of wood falling from carpenter ants inside the walls. But we were young, healthy, thrilled to have a home of our own, and we had good neighbours,” she said.

“We had some very happy Christmases in that little house.”

Upside-down meringues Ingredients: Parchment paper Tiny amount of vinegar 3 egg whites Pinch cream of tartar 1 cup icing sugar First I line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Then I wipe the bowl I’ll use with a paper towel wetted with vinegar. It’s important to make sure no trace of fat is left on the bowl.

Next I crack three eggs very carefully.

If any speck of egg yolk gets into the whites, the meringues won’t thicken properly. I dump the egg whites in the bowl and add a pinch of cream of tartar.

This stabilizes the egg whites.

Then I beat the whites with an electric

Advance columnist Anne Marrison shares her recipe for upside-down meringues, and a bit of its history.

beater until they’re thick. At that point I add about a tablespoon of icing sugar and beat some more.

Then add another tablespoon of sugar and beat for another minute. Keep this up until all the icing sugar is used.

When the whipped egg whites stand in stiff peaks and a small spoonful dumped on the cookie sheet holds its shape, the mix is ready for the cookie sheet.

I spoon out a tablespoon per time and flatten the top of each.

Some ovens are hotter than others.

Mine is cooler than average. I set the temperature for 275ºF. My aim is to cook the meringues so they’re crisp all the way through, and I usually leave them in for two hours. People who like them soft in the middle or do tiny, teaspoon-size meringues won’t need to cook them as long.

Topping 1 cup melted chocolate Pistachio nuts, chopped small or grated Melt enough chocolate chunks to brush over the meringues. Then sprinkle the chopped, grated, or ground pistachio nuts over the melted chocolate.

Eat the meringues with the chocolate at the bottom. The hardened chocolate makes a kind of dish, and you avoid getting meringue crumbs all over your clothes.

It seems expensive to buy a whole box of cream of tartar for one pinch – but I have been using the same box since the late 1960s, mainly because I’ve never figured out what else I can use cream of

tartar for.

The quantity of icing sugar needs to be increased if the eggs are huge.

Most fondue bowls can melt the chocolate if you allow enough time.

Otherwise use a double boiler for melting.

You can make meringues in all kinds of sizes and colours. They keep for many months in a tin at room temperature (if you hide them).

– Anne Marrison Langley Advance garden columnist

Tuesday, December 4, 2012 | LangleyAdvance

Family Christmas

Why is that on the menu?

The recipe for roast duck: “Dress, singe, wash The foods of Christmas have and wipe a roasting duck.” In other words, dinner was still wearing its feathers and innards. changed over the last few decades, so holiday dining should Who’s hungry?

Housekeeping’s Meals Tested, Tasted, be about making memories that andGood Approved from 1930 shows the start of our matter to you. modern Christmas menu.

by Heather Colpitts hcolpitts@langleyadvance.com

M

emory is a funny thing, particularly at Christmas.

We like to think that Christmases of old (by that I mean before most of us) were somehow better than the ones of today.

Someone like Nat King Cole singing Christmas songs sounds truer to the spirit of the season than something churned out by New Kids on the Block with a back beat and synth accompaniment.

And memories are just as selective when it comes to food.

Many people have warm memories of the food of Christmases past.

But have you ever gone back to try some of those foods?

Me and my two sisters used to get a glass jar with ribbon candy in our stockings and we were elated. I tried some of the candy a couple of years ago and while nice, wasn’t the snitchfrom-your-sister’s-cache-when-she-wasn’t-looking treat I remembered.

Christmas dinners of the past were far less lavish affairs. What we consider staples of the holiday feast – turkey, dressing, cranberry, mashed potato, gravy, and sweet potato – weren’t always.

I thought I’d thumb through some of my old cookbooks to find out what they had about Christmas cookery.

I started with one of my newest acquisitions – Experiences with Food, a home economics textbook from the 1950s and labeled Langley Secondary School.

It doesn’t have much to say on the subject except “in entertaining guest at Christmas, the family may enjoy greater elaborateness of menu and of service.”

Okay, then what does Sarah Field Splint have to say in her 1927 cookbook The Art of Cooking and Serving?

The Christmas menu includes: oysters on the half shell, stuffed celery, ripe olives, cream of mushroom soup, bread sticks, roast goose or duck, fried apples, glacé sweet potatoes, creamed cauliflower, dinner rolls, currant jelly, heart of lettuce salad, mince pie, French ice cream, nuts, mints, and coffee.

There are also menus for “company luncheon with a maid, company luncheon without a maid, picnic – motor lunches, and campfire parties.” Yes, very different times.

Food preparation was more work back then.

A two-course dinner would include: roast duck or broiled chicken, mashed potatoes, buttered onions, canned cranberry jelly, cabbage and green pepper salad, canned plum pudding, hard sauce and coffee.

The three-course meal is garnished oyster bisque, roast turkey with dressing, giblet gravy, mashed potato, Hubbard squash, creamed onions, cranberry sauce (note it’s not canned jelly), celery curls, plum pudding, sunshine sauce (a fluffy sauce of sugar, water, egg yolk, vanilla and whipped cream) and coffee.

Those wanting to put on a swank do would serve the five-course feast: Christmas star canapes, oyster bisque, croutons, turkey and chestnut stuffing, mushroom giblet gravy, mashed potato, creamed onion, Hubbard squash, celery hearts, cranberry sauce, endive salad, olives, paprika crackers, plum pudding, sunshine sauce, nuts, stuffed dates and demi-tasse.

continued on B5…

“For the Christmas star canapes, cut bread in star shapes. Marinate minced green pepper, hard cooked egg whites and pimiento in a little French dressing. Place green peppers and pimiento on alternate points of the star and fill the center with the egg white.”

Flipping through old cookbooks gives a good indication of the attitudes of the era. Who nowadays has time to make labour-intensive items like canapes?

But the cookbook includes an interesting passage unique for the era. It assumes there were women who worked outside the home, different from the cultural stereotype.

“When one holds a position outside the home and still wishes to ‘carry on’ in the home with the help of a part-time worker or probably no help at all, compromises, of course, must be made. Meals must be kept simple and they cannot take long to prepare.”

Jiggling during the holidays Go today to any grocery store and there is a staggering array of gelatin flavours. But back around 1935, the housewife had the choice of “six tempting flavors” including strawberry, raspberry, lime, cherry, orange and lemon.

That was when Jell-O was starting to pitch the notion of the dish you either love or hate – the jellied salad.

My mom was partial to the lime so we only ever had green salads, with canned mandarin orange slices and other fruits or vegetables in jiggly suspended animation. I was always envious of friends whose families with the flavours in the red end of the spectrum (your strawberries, cherries or raspberries) or mini-marshmal-

lows. Sorry, kids there as no cranberry Jell-O when I was a kid in the 1970s).

I got over my envy when I realized I didn’t actually enjoy any of the jellied salads I had ever tasted but the image of an orange salad garnished with cream cheese and filled with apricot halves caught my eye in my 1935 The Service Cook Book No. 2, 200 Cooking Tricks, 700 Recipes by Mrs.. Ida Bailey Allen.

I have a Five Roses Flour cookbook from the 1930s but soon after I moved to Langley in 2008, I found a 1915 version of Five Roses Cookbook, Being a Manual of Good Recipes (carefully chosen from the contributions of over two thousand successful users of Five Roses Flour throughout Canada. Also useful notes on various classes of good things checked and re-checked by competent authority.)

How’s that for a subtitle?

For many, Christmas means Christmas cake or fruit cake.

This edition has English Christmas Cake, with the notation, “It is the best I have ever met.

And everybody who has ever eaten the cake thinks it splendid.”

3/4 pounds butter 1 pound brown sugar 2 pounds currants 2 pounds raisins 1 pound dates 10 eggs (8 will do) 1/4 pound almonds 1/4 pound walnuts 1/2 cup molasses (or rose water) 1/2 teaspoon cloves 1 teaspoon allspice 1 teaspoon mace 1 teaspoon mixed spice Vanilla 3/4 teaspoon soda 5 cups Five Roses flour 3/4 or 1 cup brandy Brandy may be mixed with other ingredients or poured over cake when baked. Bake in a very slow oven 3 or 4 hours.

Notice there is very little in the way of instruction? That’s because people assumed that users knew how to make a cake. The term “very slow oven” is another holdover from the past. It means 225-250 degrees Fahrenheit. A slow oven is 250-300ºF, moderate is 300-350ºF, hot is 350-400ºF, quick is 400-450ºF, very hot 450-550ºF, and broil is 600ºF. Christmas puddings is a variation on Christmas cake, pretty much the same ingredients just steamed for hours in a cotton bag.

What’s the appeal?

Most people these days don’t have palates that appreciate these historical foods (mine included).

Truth be told, I think the appeal of say Christmas cake or steamed pudding lies in a couple of factors – the booze… and the generous helpings of caramel or some sugary sauces.

Ahhh, Christmas foods.

Tuesday, December 4, 2012 | LangleyAdvance

WrapFamily it up Christmas RECIPE

Cheesecake modified for Daddy

I

n my family, I am known as the “cheesecake queen.”

I held a desserts and drinks housewarming once. I made 10 different kinds of cheesecakes. Yes, 10.

That is not a typo.

For another occasion, a family reunion at my parents, I made six different kinds (that was when I was crowned and given my title) and I have always considered cheesecake to be my go-to dessert.

My secret is that for many of the cheesecakes I make, I have a standard base, to which I add a variety of things.

So whether I’m making an eggnog cheesecake with rum sauce, a pumpkin cheesecake, an Oreo cookie Reporter Ronda Payne (right) has cheesecake, or a mango citrus cheesecake, they all become the cheesecake queen start with the same base. amongst her family (above). This But, a challenge cropped up a few years ago when picture includes her mother and my dad was diagnosed as having Celiac disease. I father and older brother Michael. needed to modify my base crusts. Now, I make gluten-free cheesecakes all the time, and no one ever notices they are any different.

Ronda’s secret (and gluten-free) cheesecake base Ingredients: ½ cup butter 1 bag gluten-free arrowroot cookies crushed into crumbs (or 1¼ cups gluten-free graham wafer crumbs) 2 blocks Philadelphia cream cheese softened ½ cup sugar ¾ cup sour cream 2 eggs ½ tsp. vanilla 1 tbsp. lemon juice Set oven at 350ºF. Grease a 9-inch springform pan. Line with waxed paper, grease waxed paper.

In a medium bowl, melt ½ cup butter.

Mix crumbs into butter. Press into bot-

tom of springform pan, pushing the extra up around the edges in a lip. Refrigerate.

In large mixing bowl, using electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth.

Add sour cream and sugar and beat until incorporated. Add eggs, vanilla, and lemon juice, mix until incorporated. Stop mixer, scrape sides and bottom of bowl, mix for 30 seconds to ensure all ingredients are fully mixed.

Pour mixture into prepared springform pan. Bake 45 minutes or until firm.

Remove from over, let stand 10 minutes.

Run knife around edge of pan. Cool completely, then chill for minimum 3 hours.

– Ronda Payne Advance reporter

Family Christmas Tuesday, December 4, 2012 | LangleyAdvance

Family Christmas RECIPE

Snaps a band director’s weakness

G

inger snaps are admittedly one of Peter Luongo’s biggest weaknesses when it comes to holiday treats.

There’s so many things Luongo loves about Christmas. As a principal at Gordon Greenwood Elementary, he loves the excitement that envelops all the children in his school leading up to Christmas.

As the music director of the Langley Ukulele Ensemble, a lot of his energies are focused on the band’s upcoming Christmas concert on Sunday, Dec. 16 (3 p.m.) at the Peace Portal Alliance Church in South Surrey (www.langleyukes.com).

And as a father and husband, he loves the season for all that it does to bring his family together. So, on behalf of himself and his wife Sandi, as well as Mark and Tracy, Lisa and Matt, Paul and Stephanie, he’s sharing one of his favourite holiday recipes. The smell of these cookies will apparently bring at least one of Santa’s musical elves to his knees.

• This recipe has been used in many homes for at least 100 years. Chicken fat Ingredients: in place of shortening added “flavour” ½ cup white sugar to the originals. ¾ cup molasses • Our great-grand½ cup melted shortening mothers revealed their ½ cup clear, hot tea ingenuity by utilizing whatever was available 1 tsp baking soda as a means of getting cook3½ to 4 cups of all-purpose flour ies to the oven. Molasses and 1 tsp salt ginger cookies were the most 1 tsp ginger widely made, since molasses was 1 tsp cinnamon common and spices were consid½ tsp cloves ered a staple in every household.

Mix molasses, sugar, hot tea, White sugar, when it became soda, salt, and spices. available, was used only for special Let stand until luke warm, then occasions at a wedding, a christening, add flour and mix until well blended. or when the minister came to call.

Chill dough overnight, or at least There are those who claim that ginger two hours, before rolling it. snaps can never taste as good as the This improves the flavour and makes ones made in the old wooden stoves of the dough easier to roll out. our great grandmothers. However, today Roll ¼-inch thick on lightly floured our approval comes from the finished surface. Cut with a round cookie cutter. product in a convection oven.

Bake 350ºF for eight to 10 minutes on – Peter Luongo a greased cookie sheet.

Langley Ukulele Ensemble

Luongo’s ginger snaps:

Tuesday, December 4, 2012 | LangleyAdvance

Family Christmas

Holiday baking tips

Cold ingredients key to keeping flaky pie dough flaky On Cooking

by Chef Dez

Chef Dez is a food columnist and culinary instructor in the Fraser Valley.

Visit him at www.chefdez.com.

Send questions to dez@chefdez.com or to P.O. Box 2674, Abbotsford, B.C. V2T 6R4

N

othing compares to the aroma of baked Christmas goodies when you’re coming in from the cold winter weather.

Our olfactory senses – sense of smell – contribute up to 80 per cent to our sense of taste, and thus is a very important part of our ability to recognize and enjoy flavour.

The art of holiday baking is a regular activity in many households this time of the year, and some baking tips may be helpful to you.

Flaky pie dough is a pastry that has a mixture of shortening and/or butter that is “cut in” so that there are small chunks still left in the finished product.

Those little chunks aid in creating steam pockets within the crust, which help with the leavening process, and thus creating the flaky texture.

It is best to keep pie pastry as cold possible while mixing and rolling, to prevent melting the butter and shortening pieces prematurely.

The best way to do it is to first focus on your ingredients.

Make sure you are using ice water,

instead of cold water, and frozen butter grated into the flour mixture is ideal. The frozen butter particles then are already the required size from the grater, and will not suffer from the warm friction of too much mixing or cutting-in.

Secondly, try not to touch the dough with your hands too much, as the warmth from them will melt the butter. It is best to form the dough by folding it over consistently with a chilled metal dough cutter.

Once the dough is formed into a flat disk, wrap and place it in the refrigerator until thoroughly chilled.

Remove, and proceed with rolling, ideally on a chilled marble surface.

Cookies and quick breads are also very popular, and they both rely on baking soda and/or baking powder to rise.

Baking soda and baking powder are considered chemical leaveners.

Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate, and it requires liquid and an acid to make a gaseous reaction. It is usually added to recipes that have a naturally occurring acid in the ingredients, such as buttermilk, yogurt, sour cream, honey, molasses, and/ or fruits.

Baking powder, on the other hand, is a complete leavener, as it only requires liquid for it to react in the same manner.

The baking powder reacts on its own because it contains a mixture of baking soda and a balanced amount of acid, along with starch to help prevent it from lumping.

That is why you will see some recipes that call for baking powder and others with baking powder and/or baking soda.

A good comparison of this would be a pancake recipe, compared to a buttermilk pancake recipe.

Whatever desserts you choose to celebrate with, I wish you all the best of health and happiness this holiday season.

Dear Chef Dez,

Could you please tell me how I can make self-rising flour by myself?

Kimie T., Maple Ridge

Dear Kimie, Yes, by all means. Mix together 1 cup of flour with one and a half teaspoons of baking powder, and half a teaspoon of salt.

Tuesday, December 4, 2012 | LangleyAdvance

Family Christmas Family Christmas RECIPE

Diane Warawa’s Cranberry Rhubarb Cookies Ingredients: 1 cup softened butter 1 cup packed brown sugar ½ cup sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1¾ cups all purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon gr. cinnamon ¹/8 teaspoon nutmeg 2½ cups old-fashioned oats 1¼ cups diced rhubarb, fresh or frozen patted dry.

1 cup vanilla chips 1 cup dried cranberries 4 ounces white baking chocolate, chopped Pre-heat oven to 350ºF. Cream the butter and sugars in a large

bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in the oats, rhubarb, chips and cranberries.

Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake approximately 12 minutes, or until set. Remove to wire racks to cool.

In a microwave or double-boiler, melt white chocolate, stir until smooth.

Drizzle over the cookies. Let stand until set.

M-m-m-m. Makes about 4 dozen delicious cookies!

– Diane Warawa, wife of Langley MP Mark Warawa

Tuesday, December 4, 2012 |it LangleyAdvance Wrap up

Family Christmas RECIPE

Troy’s cocoa balls

H

ere’s a golden oldie that was passed on to me by my wife. Her mom used to mix up this holiday favourite, and the best part is, you don’t have to worry about turning the oven on.

Ingredients: ½ cup Kahlua (or as a non-alcoholic substitute, chocolate syrup) ¼ cup light corn syrup ¹/3 cup chopped candied cherries ¹/3 cup chopped golden raisins 1 cup powdered sugar (no lumps) ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder 2½ cups fine vanilla wafer crumbs 1 cup finely chopped pecans No cooking! Blend sugar, cocoa, crumbs, and pecans. Combine mixtures.

Shape into small balls. Roll in desired coating. Freeze or store in an airtight container. Makes four dozen.

Cheese please!

Here’s another quick and easy recipe, one that I made up all by myself, using my natural culinary instincts.

Ingredients: Microwave popcorn half cup of butter two cups Smart Food White Chedder Popcorn Cook up microwavable popcorn.

Add melted butter.

Mix in several handfuls of Smart Food White Cheddar Popcorn. Shake so the popcorn mixes together.

Enjoy!

Troy Landreville/Langley Advance

Reporter Troy Landreville’s cheesy popcorn is a huge hit with the toddler set, including his twoyear-old son Cole.

– Troy Landreville Advance reporter/photographer

Tuesday, December 4, 2012 | LangleyAdvance

Family Christmas RECIPE

Christmas Breakfast

Ingredients: 6 slices of bread, buttered and cut into cubes ½ lb. sharp cheese quartered 1 lb. bacon, ham or sausage cut into pieces 8 eggs ½ tsp. salt ½ tsp. pepper 4 cups milk

Place bread in a greased 9” X 13” pan.

Sprinkle meat, cheese on top.

Add bacon, eggs, and milk – pour over top. Cover with foil and put into fridge overnight.

Bake uncovered at 350ºF for 1 hour.

This is the best Christmas morning breakfast ever! Enjoy!

– Ryan Hofer, TWU coach, Women’s Volleyball

Tuesday, December 4, 2012 | LangleyAdvance

Family Christmas RECIPE

Apartment building rolls with the chocolate punches

M

y favourite family recipe is a cake called a Chocolate Roll, passed down from my mother. It The original recipe has been a Christmas and New Ingredients: Year’s tradition in my family since I was born… and long before.

5 egg yolks It certainly does not fit within 1 cup icing sugar the healthy living guidelines. ¼ cup sifted enriched flour As one of five children, por½ teaspoon salt tions were controlled by sib3 tablespoons cocoa ling competition, and as child 1 teaspoon vanilla number three, I tended not to 5 stiffly beaten egg whites win those competitions. There Beat egg yolks until certainly were never any leftthick and lemon colovers. oured.

After marriage and pre-chilSift sugar, flour, salt, dren, portion sizes became more and cocoa together three of a risk… but we made some times. Beat into yolks until alterations (whipped cream became lite well blended. Add vanilla and fold Nutriwhip, cake no longer included five eggs) in egg whites. making it somewhat healthier… or perhaps, Bake in well greased, paperless unhealthy is a more accurate description. lined, and greased again 15½” X Oddly my fondest memory of this recipe 10½” X 1” jelly roll pan at 375ºF has no relation to Christmas or New Year’s. for 15-20 minutes.

Not long after we were married, my wife Immediately turn out onto tea decided a celebration of my birthday afloat towel well sprinkled with icing was in order (I have been a sailing addict sugar. since childhood), so we borrowed my parents Quickly peel paper off cake and “well used” sailboat and off we went for a roll up in towel and let cool. sailing adventure up Howe Sound.

Unroll and spread sweetened Somehow she managed to bake a verwhipping cream, then roll and ice sion of that recipe in that very little, very with chocolate icing. old, propane oven – but its tiny proportions Robert McFarlane, Vice-Chair, did not allow the prescribed baking pan.

Langley Board of Education Consequently, the cake was too thick.

As she attempted to roll the cake, to her great frustration, it repeatedly broke.

While our philosophy was “more icing” could fix any Chocolate Roll problem, this one did not look like much of a roll.

After dinner, contemplating the leftovers (no children at that point, so there actually were leftovers) she pronounced that the shape was all part of her master plan for the new tradition: the “Chocolate Apartment Building.” Now, every time a Chocolate Roll does not turn out quite right, it magically transforms to the perfect Chocolate Apartment Building, which somehow tastes even better.

During birthdays and holidays, it really is all about having the right perspective (or maybe it’s the extra icing).

Happy holidays to all!

Chocolate Roll

Family Christmas Tuesday, December 4, 2012 | LangleyAdvance

Family Christmas RECIPE

Quality of chocolate key to recipe

R

equests come in every year from family and friends, asking Sharon Meneely to make her shortbread. But it’s no ordinary shortbread, as she explains.

“It is my most requested Christmas recipe,” said Meneely, a member of the Derby Reach Brae Island Park Association.

“My family loves these shortbread cookies and everyone who tastes them asks for the recipe.”

The key to its popularity and success, she claims, lies in the quality of chocolate.

She uses Bernard Callebaut dark chocolate (which can be found in the bulk section of the supermarket) “It works very well, as does Purdy’s semisweet cooking chocolate,” she said, sharing her secret. “I promise… you’ll be hooked!”

Sharon Meneely shares the recipe and the secret ingredient that makes her shortbread such a hit.

Chocolate-dipped cappuccino shortbread (makes about 3 dozen cookies) Ingredients: 4 teaspoons instant coffee 1 cup butter, at room temperature ½ cup sugar ½ teaspoon vanilla 1¼ cups all-purpose flour ¼ cup cornstarch 6 one-ounce squares semi-sweet melted chocolate Finely crush instant coffee in coffee grinder.

Cream together butter and sugar; beat in instant coffee and vanilla.

Sift flour and cornstarch together; stir into butter mixture.

Mould into the shape of coffee beans,

using a kitchen tablespoon for the mould and one tablespoon of dough to make the cookie.

Place the cookies on a greased baking sheet.

Using the back of a knife, press an indent about 1/8-inch deep, lengthwise, across the top of each cookie.

Bake cookies at 325ºF for 15 minutes.

Place on a wire rack to cool.

Dip both ends of cookies in chocolate.

Place on baking sheet lined with wax paper and refrigerate.

– Sharon Meneely Apple Day organizer for Derby Reach Brae Island Park Association

Tuesday, December 4, 2012 | LangleyAdvance

Family Christmas RECIPE

Tart tradition into third generation

B

renda Alberts, owner of Birthplace of B.C. Gallery in Fort Langley, hunted through her attic in search of a photograph.

She had hoped to find an image of her and her late mother, but was equally thrilled to discover a picture of herself, at about age two, sitting on the bumper of her Grandma Vincent’s car.

It was this woman who first introduced Brenda to an all-time favourite butter tart recipe she still whips up every Christmas.

“She passed away when I was five, but her butter tarts live on,” Alberts said.

“When I was a little girl growing up in Northern Ontario, Christmas was a time that special gifts were handmade and special recipes were baked,” she recounted.

“This particular recipe is from my Grandma Vincent, which dates back to the 1920s and which was passed onto my mom and onto me,” Alberts added, noting that she lost her grandmother when she was five, and more recently her own mother in 1986, but keeps this family tradition alive in their absence.

“She would be pleased that I pass on our special recipe,” Alberts said, sharing fond memories of baking the tarts with her mother. “I used to stand on a chair and help roll the dough; a special glass was used to make the right size for the tart. It was a special time that was just my mom and I, and this fond memory I pass on to you.”

Brenda Alberts as a youngster, had her picture taken sitting on the bumper of her Grandma Vincent’s car. She now shares her grandmother’s butter tart recipe with all.

Grandma Vincent’s butter tarts Ingredients: • Pastry 5 cups flour 4 tsp. brown sugar ½ tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. salt 1 lb. lard

• Filling ½ cup flour ½ cup brown sugar 2 eggs 4 tbsp. Carnation milk Raisins or pecans

Put an egg in a cup and fill with milk Mix all pastry ingredients together and roll out, cut into circles to line tart pans.

Mix together remaining ingredients, and fill tart shells.

Bake 350ºF approximately 30 minutes until pastry is golden and filling is set.

This pastry can be used for other pies, tarts or quiches.

– Brenda Alberts, Birthplace of B.C. Gallery

Family Christmas Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 6, 2011

RECIPE

T

Mom’s White Cookies

his recipe is special to me, especially at Christmas. It was my grandmother’s – we make these cookies every Christmas.

They are easy to decorate and a family favourite, and I now make them with my grandchildren.

Ingredients Directions Mix soda and tartar together, then add to the flour 3½ cups of white flour and add the sugar. Mix. 1 cup of white sugar Work butter in with your hands. Add eggs one at a ½ tsp. soda time binding the mixture together with your hands.

1 tsp. cream of tartar Knead the dough till it forms a ball. Roll out and 1 cup butter (or margarine ) cut into whatever cookie cutters you have.

3 eggs Bake for 7 mins at 350ºF. Diane Thornton, president, Langley Memorial Hospital Auxiliary

Family Christmas Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 6, 2011

RECIPE

Triple Layer Bar

I

n addition to the work she does on behalf of the Langley Community Music School, board member and volunteer Susan Lim brings her wonderful homebaked goodies to board meetings.

Ingredients ½ cup margarine or butter 2 cups graham cracker crumbs 22/3 cup (7 oz) flaked coconut 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk) 2 cup (12 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips ½ cup creamy peanut butter Directions Preheat oven to 350ºF. Melt margarine/butter in a bowl.

Add graham cracker crumbs and mix

together. Press crumbs into 13 x 9 inch baking pan. Top evenly with coconut, then sweetened condensed milk. Bake 25 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Melt chocolate chips and peanut butter in microwave for one minute. Stir to melt and mix. Spread melted chocolate/ peanut butter over hot coconut layer.

Cool 30 minutes.

Chill thoroughly.

Cut into bars. Store loosely covered at room temperature. (makes 36 bars)

Family Christmas Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 6, 2011

RECIPE

Stuffed pastry This stuffed meat and cheese pastry is one of my favourites, and though it may seem a bit unconventional, it leaves you with a feeling of true culinary artistry.

Ingredients 1 lb sliced ham (lunch meat) 1/3 lb sliced hard salami ½ lb fontina, grated 6 oz cream cheese 6 oz chevre 1.5 lbs ground bison (or ground sirloin) browned and drained 2 6-oz packages baby spinach 2 eggs 2 slices fresh bread cubed 2 TBS flat leaf parsley chopped 10 cloves garlic minced Pastry for 2 pie crusts 1 TBS olive oil salt and pepper to taste dash of nutmeg NOTE: I use a 9” springform pan – if you have a 10” pan you may have to increase the amounts of salami, fontina, and chevre/cream cheese mixture.

Directions In a large skillet, brown the ground meat, season with pepper.

Add onion and 4 of the minced garlic cloves, cooking until onion is transparent. Add the parsley and bread cubes.

Set aside in a bowl.

In the same pan, over med-high, heat one tablespoon olive oil.

Add the rest of the minced garlic and cook for one minute.

Add all of the baby spinach and two tablespoons water.

Cover for 1 minute. Then uncover and stir – once it’s bright green and wilted, remove it from the heat and let cool for 10 minutes.

Add about half of the beaten eggs to the spinach and stir.

If using homemade pie crust or purchased pie crust, utilizing 2/3 of the dough, a floured surface, and rolling pin: form into a ball and roll out to 16” circle about 1/8” thick. Carefully place in a 9” springform pan.

With fingers, lightly press into bottom and sides of pan. Trim edges to be just higher than the edges of pan.

Beat both eggs. Brush bottom of pastry crust with egg.

Charlie Fox, Township councillor

Using half the ham, cover the bottom of the pastry, overlapping slices.

Spoon in the ground meat.

Top with spinach and egg mixture.

Spread the grated fontina over the spinach.

Layer the salami slices on top of the fontina – overlap to cover the cheese completely.

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Mix the chevre and the cream cheese.

Add a dash of nutmeg. Spread this mixture on top of the salami.

Layer remaining ham over the cream cheese mixture.

Using your remaining pie crust, roll into a 9” circle. Cut design out of centre. Place over filling in the pan and press/crimp edges to seal. Brush top of pastry with remaining egg yolk.

Bake at 375ºF for one hour. Remove from oven, tent with foil, and let cool for 5-10 minutes. Carefully remove the springform.

Serves 8-10

Family Christmas Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 6, 2011

RECIPE

Daughter continues tradition

A

recipe for Snowballs goes back in the Lechleiter family history a few generations, at least.

Maryanne Lechleiter, the agency principal at Urban Life Media in Langley, was taught how to make these non-cook Christmas treats when she was a youngster.

And now, her daughter Megan is carrying on the tradition.

Maryanne recounts how she was taught the technique of making these cookies by her mother, Anne Langston – a few moons ago.

Since then, she taught her daughter.

But willingly bowing out of the kitchen

Megan Lechleiter, at the age of four (in 2002) discovered how much fun it could be to make Snowballs with her mother, Maryanne. duties in this case, Maryanne said the grandmother and granddaughter are the ones today who typically schedule a time each Christmas to get together and make the Snowballs.

Family Christmas Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 6, 2011

RECIPE

Scotch Eggs

T

When the egg is covered in the sausage here’s no recipes written out meat, roll it in breadcrumbs. Repeat for because everything was done the other eggs. in guess, but I can tell you off Heat a deep-fryer with beef fat (or use hand. For the herbs, add anya deep skillet). Using the little baskets in thing that you add to stuffing just to give the deep-fryer, submerge the eggs in the the meat flavour. fat. Turn them every now and then until 4 hard-boiled eggs, shelled they become brown and crispy. Remove 1 lb. sausage meat and drain on paper towels. Refrigerate.

Salt and pepper to taste When the eggs are cold, cut them in Herbs for flavour (e.g., sage, garlic) half (or quarters); then you have the 1⁄2 cup breadcrumbs, dried In a large bowl, mix together the meat, brown, the white and the yellow. Lay the egg halves on a dish of lettuce leaves, salt and pepper, and herbs. Take a quarwith chunks of tomato in between. Make ter of the mixture and wrap it tightly around a hard-boiled egg to cover it com- the dish look really pretty. Presentation counts. Serve cold. pletely, without any cracks. Pat it down Yield: 4 to 8 servings well, to a thickness of 1⁄2 to 1 inch.

Patricia Broughton is one of the local seniors includes in a new recipe book

FamilyChristmas Christmas Family

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 6, 2011

RECIPE

Treat worth waiting for

T

here’s one Christmas treat that Vanessa Dueck remembers from when she was a little girl, and actually still enjoys today.

“My grandmother is known for her wonderful recipes, and this one is definitely a Christmas favourite,” said Dueck, who is a freelancer for the Langley Advance.

“Every Christmas season, Grandma would make advent calendars for my brothers and I, and if there was a special ticket inside of one of the pouches, we knew we’d be getting a special treat,” Dueck recalled.

Downstairs on the kitchen table would be a Ziploc bag of grandma’s peanut butter balls to take to school.

“They never even made it past the bus ride there,” she said. “Though my brothers and I are too old for advent calendars now, every year Grandma still makes each of us a big Ziploc bag full to enjoy during the holiday season.”

Admittedly a little reluctant at first, Dueck said she finally overcame her selfish inclination in favour of sharing the recipe.

It’s not one that will go down in the history books as an excellent holiday recipe, she said.

But it is a time-honoured tradition, courtesy of her grandma, Agatha Kuebler.

Vanessa Dueck and her grandma Agatha Kuebler in the kitchen over the holidays.

Grandma’s Peanut Butter Balls

Directions Cream together 4 heaping tablespoons softened butter and 2/3 cup peanut butter Add 2 cups icing sugar and a pinch of salt. Stir.

Add 2 cups rice krispies.

Shape into balls. Freeze until solid.

Melt 4 squares semisweet chocolate with 2 tablespoons paro wax.

Dip balls into melted chocolate, coat entirely, and place on cookie sheet.

Cool and serve! Great for freezing!

Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Langley Meals on Wheels

Memories of Christmas When people think of Christmas, they often recall fond memories of the foods of their past because food touches on all the senses. Four residents share their stories in a book called Reminiscences, Recipes & Remedies, Langley seniors reminisce about their food heritage.

M

uriel Webster, now 97, was born in a town with about eight houses, Billings, B.C. That’s where she learned about cooking and where the family make pretty much everything they ate.

“My mother made everything. She made my clothes and dressed me very nicely. My mother had me cook my own breakfast and I learned to make pies. She was an excellent cook and she taught me to cook. Stew was one of my favourites. You browned meat and put carrots and potatoes and parsnips. We used pork or we used beef. We had cows, chickens and we always had a pig.

Mother took very good care of the animals too. Water was precious, so you caught rainwater and somebody had to carry rainwater from a central well. So when Mother had water and did her washing, she used that water and scrubbed her floors, and after the floors she took the water out and scrubbed the pig. The pig loved it, and was kept nice and clean.”

Webster would go on to become a nurse and have two children.

Her husband worked for Indian Affairs so she’s lived and worked in various Canadian communities, before spending the last 22 years in Langley. She recalled the wonderful Christmas meals the staff used to enjoy when she was nursing up in Hazelton.

Jack Muench can trace his Langley history back to around 1853 when his father’s father came from Germany, married a native woman and had about a dozen kids.

Jack still lives at Derby Reach and was married at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church. He recalls his first encounter with electricity in his story Salted Salmon in Crocks.

“We had a root cellar. We never had electricity in the house until 1946 or ’47. You can imagine. The first electricity I had was at the Fort Langley School. When I graduated high school in 1947, I don’t remember anyone of the 53 graduates who didn’t have acreage in Fort Langley, up to 150 acres.

Where the golf course is today was a big dairy farm. The milk

truck stopped there about eight in the morning and if you got there in time, you would catch a ride to our farm. Otherwise you walked the four miles. Never had a car and if you had a car, where would you go?

Unbelievable when you think about it.”

Muench, a fisherman who still enjoys a good feed of pickled herring, shared his tales about how people used to preserve fish. He explained how salmon fillets were layered in a crock with lots of salt – a great preservation system “as long as you didn’t let the fish get away from the salt.”

When it came time to eat the fish, it was soaked in a few changes of fresh water which essentially rehydrated the fish.

For Muench Christmases, the treats were typically English, as that was where his mother had come from, so Christmas pudding and cakes were common.

At 92 Patricia Broughton still has her British lilt as she tells of working as a servant in some of England’s grand houses.

“I worked for the nobility before the (Second World) war,” she

explained.

She worked a lathe as well as soldering, drilling and welding during the war, though her late father didn’t want his girls exposed to the rough and tumble of factories.

“I had my finishing school in a factory,” she joked.

She shared her recipe for Scotch Eggs (on page B4) and was even willing to share the secret – put the herbs in the sausage meat the night before so the flavours can meld.

“I won ribbons for Scotch eggs, carrot cake, sausage rolls and a lot of different things. It was always at Christmastime with my mum, it was always me that helped with sausage rolls and minced pies. My neighbours always used to say, if they came in Boxing Day for a drink, and they’d say, ‘Only if Patricia has made sausage rolls.’ I used to make them after that for my son and sonin-laws for Christmas, put it in their Christmas stock- ings.”

Terry Causton has been serving people food since he was 16. The 69-year-old is one of the owners of Choo Choos Restaurant, one of the venues for the very popular Food and Friends seniors meals, and was

only too happy to help Meals on Wheels with the book.

“I think it’s a charity that does really good work,” Causton said.

He has never forgotten the much humbler Christmases of his childhood in England.

“It was tight and there was no money, but we had some good times at Christmas,” Causton said.

He gained a love of food from a very busy mother.

“There were always pies and tarts,” he said of Christmas. “My mother used to make bread pudding by the panload.”

His tale in the book is Tate and Lyle’s Golden Syrup. It was while the four were sitting around swapping tales with the Langley Advance that Broughton mentioned that her grandfather, an artist, had designed the logo and slogan for the company. Small world.

The books will be printed by about Dec. 19, just in time for Christmas. Each book costs $20 (including taxes) and all proceeds benefit Langley Meals on Wheels.

To order, call 604-533-1679.

FamilyChristmas Christmas Family

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 6, 2011

RECIPE

Children added to tradition

A

favourite at our house! This is the Betty Crocker recipe I would make every Christmas as a child, and now I have the joy of sharing it with my daughters!

Three-year-old Jenna and nine-year-old Emma are my helpers for today.

Merry Christmas everyone and a very happy New Year!

Jenna, Emma, and Michelle Sparrow.

Maraschino Cherry Bars Ingredients

Crust 2 cups all purpose or unbleached flour 1/3 cup sugar ¾ cup margarine or butter, softened

Filling 2 eggs, slightly beaten 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1/3 cup flour 1½ teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon vanilla 1 (10-oz.) jar maraschino cherries, drained, chopped, reserving liquid ½ cup chopped walnuts

Frosting 2 tablespoons margarine or butter, softened 2½ cups powdered sugar 3 to 4 tablespoons reserved cherry liquid 3 to 4 tablespoons flaked coconut

Directions Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off.

In large bowl, combine all crust ingredients; blend at low speed until crumbly. Press mixture firmly in bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch pan. Bake at 350°F for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned.

In large bowl, combine all filling ingredients; mix well. Spread evenly over partially baked crust. Return to oven and bake for an additional 15-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool completely.

In small bowl, combine two tablespoons margarine, powdered sugar and cherry liquid, adding enough cherry liquid until frosting is of desired spreading consistency; beat until smooth.

Spread over cooled bars; sprinkle with coconut.

Family Christmas Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 6, 2011

RECIPE While many of the recipes in this year’s Langley Advance Family Christmas section have been passed down from a mother, a grandmother, or perhaps a favourite aunt, this traditional German recipe was provided by Fort Langley artist Barbara Boldt, from an old folder of recipes gathered together, written out, and saved for her by her daughter, Dorothy, whom she lost to cancer years ago.

Lebkuchen the famous old-time German Christmas honey cakes Mix together and bring to a boil ½ cup honey ½ cup molasses Cool thoroughly.

Stir in ¾ cup brown sugar 1 egg 1 tbsp. lemon juice 1 tsp. grated lemon rind Sift together and stir in 2¾ cups sifted flour ½ tsp. soda 1tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. cloves 1 tsp. allspice 1 tsp. nutmeg

Place one inch apart on greased baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes in 400ºF oven until when touched lightly, no imprint remains.

While cookies bake, make glazing icing (below). Brush it over cookies the minute they are out of the oven. Then quickly remove from baking sheet.

Cool and store to mellow in a tight container for several weeks.

Makes about six dozen 2”x3” cookies.

Glazing Icing Mix in 3 tbsps. hot water ½ cup cut-up citron 1/3 cup chopped nuts ½ tsp. vanilla extract Forrt Langley artist Barbara Boldt with 1½ cups confectioner’s one of her paintings of generations of Chill dough oversugar. her family that background her art . night.

Stir water and vanRoll small amount illa into confectioner’s at a time, keeping rest sugar and mix until blended. Brush onto chilled. Roll out ½-inch thick and cut the warm cookies. into oblongs 1½ x 2½ inches, ¼-inch Barbara Boldt thick.

Family Christmas Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 6, 2011

RECIPE

Grasmere Apple Cake Ingredients 4 cups all-purpose flour ½ tsp. salt 1 tsp. baking powder ½ cup sugar ¾ lb. butter for margarine 2 eggs, beaten 6 - 9 apples ¾ cup sugar ½ tsp. cinnamon Juice of ½ lemon 1 cup sifted icing sugar

Directions Prepare 9 x 13 pan.

Sift flour with salt and baking powder. Add the 1/2 cup sugar; cut in butter or margarine. Add beaten eggs and blend in with fingers. Divide dough in half; pat one half into the bottom of the pan.

Grate unpeeled apples and spread on dough in pan.

Mix the 3/4 cup sugar with spice. Sprinkle over apples; gently pat on remaining dough.

Bake in 325ºF oven for 55 minutes. Set on cake rack in pan to cool; then spread top with icing sugar mixed with lemon juice.

Serves 10-25

Tuesday, December 7, 2010 | LangleyAdvance

RECIPE

The gift of a seasonal beverage

T

he holiday season is a special time of year, celebrated with favourite food and drinks, with family and friends.

Of the many beverages and appetizers that help capture the essence of the season, eggnog is probably the first that comes to mind.

Eggnog is a drink seems to have originated in Britain, from a drink called “posset” – a mixture of eggs, milk, and ale, sherry, or brandy. Posset was served in small, carved wooden mugs, called “noggins.” Thus the name “eggnog.”

In North America, rum replaced the ale, sherry, or brandy.

Today’s eggnog is not necessarily served with alcohol at all, and is a favourite for all ages.

Due to the busy season’s hectic schedules, many consumers buy it pre-made in a carton, rather than making it from scratch. Grocery stores also include a light version that is lower in fat, and at some locations, a no-fat variety.

However, making eggnog from scratch adds an old-world classic touch to your celebrations, and the taste is incredible.

This recipe is my gift to you. This eggnog is so rich and fresh tasting that any store-bought variety will shadow in comparison. If you can, try to buy whole nutmeg and grate it fresh, versus pre-ground, as a garnish. Essential oils of the nutmeg are released upon grating, adding an extra aromatic essence to your mug of holiday cheer.

Food and beverages are a great social aspect of bringing people together, and even more wonderful when you have made them from scratch.

Seasonal beverages do not have to contain alcohol to be enjoyable. A heated cranberry or grape juice, for example, with warming spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and star anise can replace mulled wine. And there are many choices of fantastic herbal teas and syrups for coffees that capture the essence of the season beautifully.

Whatever beverage you choose to help celebrate during the holidays with your cuisine, please drink responsibly and have a magnificent time.

On Cooking

by Chef Dez

Homemade Eggnog Recipe created by Chef Dez /Gordon Desormeaux The constant stirring of the egg mixture while it is cooking is vital to ensure that the eggs don’t become scrambled eggs.

Ingredients 6 egg yolks ½ cup sugar 1 cup whipping cream 1 cup whole milk ½ tsp. ground nutmeg Pinch of salt 1 additional cup whipping cream 6 Tbsp. dark or spiced rum In a stainless steel bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until smooth.

Mix in one cup of whipping cream, the milk, nutmeg, and salt until completely combined.

Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water. For a more temperate heat, make sure that the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl. Whisk the mixture constantly, until it reaches 175ºF. Remove the bowl from the heat and immediately chill uncovered in the refrigerator until cold.

While the mixture is cooling, whisk the remaining cup of whipping cream until soft peaks form. Once the egg mixture is cold, gradually fold it in.

Stir in the rum, pour into glasses, and garnish with more freshly grated nutmeg.

Makes just over 5 cups

Chef Dez is a food columnist and culinary instructor in the Fraser Valley.

Visit him at www.chefdez.com.

Send questions to dez@chefdez.com or to P.O. Box 2674, Abbotsford, B.C. V2T 6R4

FamilyChristmas Christmas Family

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 6, 2011

RECIPE

Marshmallow treats resemble stained-glass

L

inda Horn could barely reach the counter, and for many years had to stand on a chair to help bake her favourite Christmas recipe.

Horn, who today has her own blog, Let Them Eat Cake – and Ice Cream, still makes Christmas Windows. And she does it in honour of her mother Barbara Rogalsky, whom she lost to cancer 18 years ago.

Horn, who grew up in Langley,

describes herself as a designer, cake baker, gardener, road runner, humourist, wine enthusiast, and accidental blonde who credits any talents she enjoys today on the baking front to her mother.

“She is my daily inspiration,” Horn said. “She was a fantastic baker, and she taught me everything I know about baking.”

These chocolatey slices of colourful marshmallows resemble stained-glass windows, and the coating of shredded coconut is reminiscent of a light dusting of Christmas snow.

This no-bake slice is still one of her favourite Christmas treats, always rekindling fond childhood memories of being in the kitchen making them with mom.

“My Mom, my sister, and I would make these together every year before Christmas, even when we could barely reach the counter.”

Barbara Rogalsky’s Church Windows Ingredients 4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, melted and cooled slightly 2 tablespoons butter 1 egg, beaten lightly 1 cup icing sugar 4 cups miniature coloured (fruitflavoured) marshmallows 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional) ½ cup sweetened shredded coconut Directions 1. Melt chocolate with butter, cool slightly. Mix in beaten egg, stir until combined. Stir in icing sugar and vanilla until combined. Fold in marshmallows and nuts (if using).

2. Spread mixture on a large piece of parchment or wax paper. Using the wax paper, form mixture into a rolled log about 4” thick. Coat with coconut.

Robin Horn photo

Churchy church windows are delicious (without the pesky broken glass and lead poisoning of real stained glass).

3. Freeze log for about an hour.

Remove from freezer and slice into 1/2” thick slices. Keep church windows in a sealed container and refrigerated.

Makes about 2 dozen slices.

FamilyChristmas Christmas Family

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Cook pleads: give fruitcake a break

A

ngie Quaale, a recognized barbecue expert and owner of Well Seasoned gourmet food store in Langley, shares her grandmother’s fruitcake recipe, and a little insight as to why it’s so special to her.

“I suppose I understand it, but I really don’t think it is fair. Why does fruitcake get such a bad rap?” Quaale questioned.

“It is the butt of jokes internationally, and as the holidays approach, I brace myself for the annual mocking of the fruit cake… I even occasionally participate, so as not be singled out at a party, but I really have to admit it: I love fruitcake.”

While she will acknowledge there is no shortage of terrible fruitcake on the market – the real deal can be something Quaale describes as “truly magnificent.”

She recommends dried cherries, apricots, prunes, currants, and cranberries mixed with orange and lemon peel, fresh nuts, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, demerrara sugar, eggs, vanilla, and flour baked and then soaked in good booze for weeks or even months.

“If you think about the components of the fruit cake, and you love them all individually, why does it create such terror when they are all combined and unfortunately wrapped up as bricks and distributed usually by elderly family members?” Quaale said.

“As I grew up, I would watch my grandmother proudly distribute the cakes she had lovingly laboured over for months… My family members accepted their fruitcake and secretly joked that there really only were one or two fruitcakes in the whole world, and that they just got re-distributed or regifted.”

Well, she knew that wasn’t true, because she actually ate hers every year… hoarded it, in fact, even froze some of it so she could take it out in the spring and enjoy it secretly with a glass of wine and a piece of good cheese.

“I shared my little secret with a cousin and ultimately found myself with her fruitcake.

“She told her sister, who told her mom, and suddenly it was Dec. 27, and I had five fruitcakes.

“Yikes, enough is enough – there really is, after all, only so much fruitcake a girl can eat.”

Christmas Cake

Angie Quaale and her grandmother, Zetta Dickey, both had an affinity for fruitcake.

Ultimately, her grandmother found out that everyone was re-gifting their fruitcake to Quaale, and since grandma and Quaale were the only ones eating them, grandma threw up her hands in defeat and just quit making them – cold turkey.

“Boo-hoo!” Quaale said.

“So now, here I am with no fruitcake at all, when once I had an endless supply. My grandmother has since passed away and I do have her recipe, but I have to ask myself why I would I go to all of the effort and the expense of making it myself, only to give it away to friends and family, when I know it will just be met with snickers and ridicule?

“Do people really need another reason to make fun of me?” Quaale queried.

Today, she has to rely on the total fearlessness of some great local suppliers to make and deliver fruitcake to her store (www.wellseasoned.ca), where she will spend an inordinate amount of time trying to convince customers that fruitcake really is delicious, and they should really give it another chance.

“I will ultimately sell a couple hundred locally made fruitcakes during the holiday season, some to customers who carry them out with their heads held high – ready to slice them up and serve them with pride at their next party – and some to customers who ask me to wrap them in brown paper so they can sneak them into the house and eat them in small pieces while no one else is looking,” Quaale said. “I am begging you: give the fruitcake another chance, but at least give the person who gave it to you a break, and if you aren’t going to eat it, regift it to someone who will.”

Ingredients 1 cup dried prunes 2 cups cold water ¾ cup shortening 1 teaspoon each cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg 1 cup dark brown sugar 4 eggs, separated – egg whites stiffly beaten 1/3 cup almonds, chopped 1 teaspoon fresh grated lemon zest 1 cup seedless raisins, chopped 1/3 cup candied red cherries, chopped 2 cups sifted all purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon baking soda 1/3 cup each candied citron, chopped 1/3 cup candied orange peel, chopped Directions In a small pot cover prunes with cold water, bring to a boil. Simmer 5 minutes and drain. Cut prunes in ½ and discard pits. Cream shortening and sugar, add the beaten egg yolks and mix. Add dried fruit, nuts – stir to combine. Add the sifted dry ingredients and fold in the egg whites which have been stiffly beaten.

Pour mixture into 2 quart casserole that has been greased and floured. Bake in a slow oven – 300ºF for 2 hours. Allow to cool.

Cake should mature for 1 week before slicing.

Family Christmas Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 6, 2011

RECIPE

Jack’s Favourite Christmas Morning Breakfast

T

his is a Froese family tradition that goes back many years. It is very easy to make, and best of all, it’s made a day ahead and just needs to be baked in the oven on Christmas morning.

We like to serve it with fresh fruit, JD Farms breakfast sausages, and champagne and orange juice.

For a nice treat, my family enjoys topping it with maple syrup.

Make it the day before, and pop in the oven in the morning. Serves 8.

Ingredients 16 slices white organic bread (crust removed) 2 lbs. thinly sliced JD Farms turkey ham 16 slices old cheddar cheese 8 eggs ¼ cup chopped green onion 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce ½ tsp. dry mustard ½ tsp. pepper 3 cups whole milk ½ cup melted butter and crushed corn flakes Directions Place 8 slices of bread in a buttered glass baking dish. Cover with slices of turkey ham and the cheddar cheese.

Cover that layer with remaining 8 slices of bread.

In a large bowl, beat well together

Jack and Debbie Froese eggs, mustard, onion, Worcestershire sauce, milk, and pepper. Pour over bread mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning, melt butter, pour over casserole, and top with crushed corn flakes. Bake at 350ºF for about 70 minutes or until knife comes out clean.

Cut into squares and serve hot.

Serve with fresh cut fruit and JD Farms breakfast sausages.

FamilyChristmas Christmas Family

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 6, 2011

RECIPE

Christmas chocolates

by Anne Marrison Special to the Langley Advance

M

y Aunt Vi was wonderfully inspiring always.

She was the only person in my whole family who ever told me to go out and have fun.

Christmas at my aunt Vi’s always included her wonderful home-made chocolates. She couldn’t eat any herself because she was diabetic.

She died years ago, but her memory is still very much alive, especially when I make chocolates.

This is a very simple, basic recipe for chocolates made with uncooked fondant – no marble slab, no cream, no paraffin wax, no tempering.

These chocolates are best refrigerated.

At room temperature, they soften.

Basic fondant You’ll need one pound of softened butter Icing sugar – mix in sufficient quantity to make a stiff mixture that can be rolled into balls.

I usually split the mixed fondant into three separate bowls. They can be refrigerated to be worked on another day, if necessary.

Refrigerated fondant takes a couple of hours at room temperature to be easily workable.

Meanwhile, dipping chocolate (available in supermarket bulk bins) should be starting to melt under low heat in the top of a double boiler. For dipping, it should be liquid and gently warm (not hot).

Place wax or parchment paper on a cookie sheet.

Additions to the plain fondant can be: peanut butter, finely shredded coconut, ground almonds, crushed walnuts, lemon or orange peel, a little dipping chocolate, minced candied cherries, raisins, dates, crushed toffee bits or liquid coffee essence. Quit adding when it tastes right to you.

Flavourings could be peppermint, almond essence, maple, lemon, orange, coconut – or whatever your imagination suggests.

Anne Marrison is a long-time garden columnist for the Langley Advance.

Peel, raisins, cherries or dates could be soaked in the alcoholic beverage of your choice.

All must be well-drained before adding to fondant, or you’ll get leaky chocolates that have to be double-dipped.

Dates become very alcoholic.

Roll fondant into balls, squares, whatever. Insert a toothpick into each one and refrigerate or freeze until the fondant is very solid.

Toothpicks should be the round, wooden, pointed kind, because they are less likely to break. They can be washed and re-used if you’re careful.

I have had bad experiences with the cheap ones.

Check that toothpicks are intact when you remove them. Any chocolate harbouring a broken toothpick should be garbaged.

When dipping chocolate is ready, dip fondant pieces one by one, laying finished ones back on paper-covered cookie sheet.

Add fancy toppings individually, right after dipping, while they can stick to the chocolate.

Toppings can be: various nuts, coloured sugar, crystallized violets, etc.

Leave the fondant at room temperature till toothpicks can be removed. Then mend any toothpick holes with dipping chocolate.

Refrigerate and pack while still cool.

Store in refrigerator.

Family Family Christmas Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Music in the kitchen

Pressure builds for pudding

T

he Atchison (now Stearns) pudding was certainly a favourite Christmas recipe in her family through the years, explained Illa Stearns, president of the Langley Community Chorus.

“It was made by my mother until she passed away in 1990… We would have it for dessert every single year, following the traditional Christmas dinner,” Stearns explained. “We all loved it, even my boys – as children and as they grew up.”

The problem, as Stearns tells it, is this pudding is a “bit” labour-intensive to make, and the last member of her clan who made it was her sister Elaine Steckler.

“In the past couple of years, nothing,” Stearns said. “No one wants to take on the old-fashioned chore that was a staple of all Christmas dinners past,” sharing the recipe on the eve of the chorus’s second Christmas concert.

Finding the time to take on the family pudding project is always a bit difficult, given Stearns’s longstanding involvement with the chorus.

The musical group’s busy schedule each holiday season leaves little extra time.

The chorus has already performed two showings of So This Is Christmas. The

first was held Nov. 26 at the Willoughby Christian Reformed Church, and Sunday’s show was at Sharon United Church.

The final concert of the season is set for Sunday, Dec. 11, at St. Dunstan’s Anglican Church, 3025 264th Street, Aldergrove.

That is a matinee at 3 p.m.

“This season we are trying something new and coordinating a shared cost/profit concert with St. Dunstan’s,” she explained.

While tickets will be available at the door starting 30 minutes prior to the performance, people may want to get them from chorus members or via the website www.langleychorus.org in advance.

Prices are $15 for adults, and $10 for students while those six and younger are admitted free.

Anyway, Stearns hopes that, by sharing this recipe with the community, maybe others will keep help to keep alive.

And she admits that, maybe with a little extra public pressure, she might be able to convince her sister to resurrect their family tradition.

Illa Stearns and her sister Elaine Steckler, the most recent Christmas pudding maker, fooled around in old family furs on Christmas Day just a few years back.

RECIPE

Grandma Atchison’s carrot pudding Pudding ingredients 1 cup suet 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup grated raw carrots 1 cup grated raw potato 1 cup raisins 1 cup currants 1 egg 1 tsp salt 1 tsp baking soda juice from 1 lemon ½ cup flour ½ tsp cinnamon ½ tsp cloves ½ tsp nutmeg 2 tbsp sour milk – or enough to make drop batter (Put a few drops of vinegar into milk to sour it.)

Directions Mix all the ingredients together.

Put into jars with lids. Leave 1½ to 2 inches head space.

Steam for 2 to 2½ hours to cook.

Refrigerate to store until Christmas day.

You can either steam again to warm up, or microwave before serving.

Christmas pudding sauce ingredients ¼ cup butter 2 tbsp flour 2 tbsp white sugar 1 cup boiling water ½ tsp vanilla or lemon Directions Melt butter, add flour, sugar and blend. Add water stirring constantly, bring to boiling point over low heat, stirring constantly. When ready to serve add vanilla or lemon.

Illa Stearns

Family Christmas Family Christmas

LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 6, 2011

RECIPE

Holidays time for sharing memories… and meals

T

he holidays are a great time for families to come together. My fondest memories of this time of year are some of the great meals my Mom creates. She continues keeping the family together with her incredible cooking, and I have her to thank for my passion in the kitchen.

With holiday entertaining on the front of everyone’s mind, I’m sharing a few special dishes that are fairly low-impact in the kitchen, but receive generous praise at the table.

For the first course, I take great pleasure in serving these small bites. My idea stems from a dish served at the Patit Creek Restaurant in Dayton, Washington.

The mixture of sweet and salty pairs incredibly with this sparkling wine. This pairing is sure to get everyone into the holiday spirit.

Bacon dates Ingredients 24 whole dates, pits removed 3-4 oz Chevre 8 pieces uncooked bacon, cut into thirds Directions Carefully cut the date open – like a hot dog bun.

Using a spoon and your fingers, fill each date with about a teaspoon of the chevre – or more, if it will fit!

Charlie Fox, Township councillor

Wrap each stuffed date in a piece of the bacon, and secure with a toothpick.

Broil the bacon wrapped dates until the bacon is cooked – approximately 1015 minutes.

One of my favourite magazines recently offered up a similar recipe that stuffed the dates with chorizo. I have tried it, and having a combination of chorizoand chevre-stuffed dates is a great way to spice up any holiday affair.