holiday traditions and songbook
A supplement to the december 11, 2011 edition of
For many, Christmas is impossible to imagine without a wreath on the front door, strings of lights along the roof, and a tree in the living room. Handcrafted decorations, made with the help of children, add to the festive atmosphere and bring back a bit of tradition to our consumer-oriented times. A Christmas mobile Ask the children to cut out different seasonal shapes from pieces of cardboard and then decorate them on both sides with drawings, glitter, or paint. They could also cut out pictures from magazines or make photocopies of photographs. Hang all these pictures around a ring made
Ten tricks to avoid holiday weight gain
from fairly rigid metal wiring with the help of narrow ribbons cut in different lengths. The mobile can then be hung horizontally from a hook by three ribbons. Gift place cards Children can also make special place cards so that everyone will know where to sit at the table for Christmas dinner. To do this, give them wrapping paper to cover small recycled boxes and their lids. They can then write the name of each guest on a label to be attached to one end of a strip of ribbon, while the other end of the ribbon is attached to the decorated box. Place a small treat in each then place a name label on each plate with the boxes in the middle of the table. Each guest must follow the ribbon to find his or her box.
photo: digital vision / thinkstock
Frosted garlands Little ones love making snowflakes by cutting out different patterns from folded paper. Link the snowflakes with green and red ribbons to create horizontal garlands for the top of a wall or for vertical garlands to be hung side by side in a window.
Handmade decorations help everybody get in the mood for the holidays.
Personalized cards With all the scrapbooking material available in the stores and the endless possibilities of computers and digital photographs, you can help your children create personalized Christmas cards that will delight their grandparents, teachers, and friends.
Sometimes unpleasant surprises come to haunt us after the Christmas holidays, such as frighteningly large credit card statements or a few extra pounds. Finding a solution to the credit card bill is a little more complicated, but here are some tips to avoid holiday weight gain: 1. Try not to come to the table starved. Serve some vegetable soup or salad before the main course, and drink a large glass of water before sitting down to eat. 2. Try your best to avoid hors d’oeuvres. Those made with flaky pastry are very high in calories and fat. Skip the creamy dip on the veggie tray as often as you can. 3. Choose your foods carefully. Avoid the empty calories of chips, pastries, and fried foods; opt for nutritious foods that will leave you feeling full and energized, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean meats. 4. Stay away from buffets. It has been proven that we eat more if we can choose items one at a time rather than
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having a complete meal served to us on a plate. If the buffet is unavoidable, why not ask a friend to put together a nutritious plate for you? 5. Drink with moderation. Alcohol is high in calories, so drink slowly and alternate with low-calorie nonalcoholic drinks. 6. Eat slowly and breathe between bites. Adopt the rhythm of the slowest eater at your table. 7. Eat light meals in between social events. Opt for fruits and vegetables, which are often under-represented in Christmas meals. 8. Decline a second serving. When seconds are offered, take a breath and a sip of water, and check in with yourself to see if you’re feeling full. 9. Exercise. During the holidays we tend to eat more and exercise less. In fact, it’s important to keep moving when we’re eating more. 10. Sleep! Lack of sleep deprives us of the necessary energy to resist temptations and excess.
photo: bananastock / thinkstock
Decorate for Christmas with the kids
KELLY MAIXNER, DMD NICK METHVEN, DDS
Offering Pediatric Dentistry by Dr. Maixner Main 357-6684 | Pediatrics & Surgery 357-1628
We eat more at a buffet, choosing for ourselves, than when served a complete meal on one plate.
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Only a few hours left before your guests arrive? Don’t panic. You still have enough time to decorate your home so that you can welcome your visitors into a festive atmosphere that they won’t soon forget. Start by giving some panache to your plants by wrapping the pots with pieces of fabric and tying them with metallic or brightly coloured ribbon. You don’t have any place cards ready? Write the name of each guest on a piece of heavy paper and attach them to small bells or a sprig of evergreen. Don’t forget to add a ribbon for a finishing touch. The pleasure of Christmas begins with the eyes: table napkins tied up with ribbons and a dinner service with a Christmas pattern are a great start. To add a simple touch of magic to your table, apply some adhesive stars to the outside of wine glasses. There’s nothing to prevent you from using Christmas tree decorations elsewhere in the home; try filling a large glass vase with Christmas tree balls for an original centrepiece. Scent in your home can add a real welcoming touch. Orange and spice fragrances are great for warming up the ambiance of a home, so insert about 20 whole cloves into some oranges and place them in a pretty bowl or string them from a ribbon. As the oranges begin to dry, they will release their Christmassy scent throughout your house. Alternately, create your own diffuser by simmering two oranges cut into quarters with three cinnamon sticks, two bay leaves, 125 ml of cloves, and a nutmeg in a litre of water on low heat — what a heavenly scent!
Unique gift wrap It’s great to give beautifully wrapped gifts to our loved ones, but who wants to waste paper? Perhaps the solution to this problem can be found in our closets, where all sorts of materials can be discovered and salvaged. Just search around and you’re sure to find something to create gift wrappings as elegant as they are original. They’re also eco-friendly, which is a real treat for both giver and receiver. Sort out some fabric scraps to wrap your gift boxes with; glue the fabric in place or sew gift bags with draw strings. Use brightly coloured or patterned fabrics for a more festive touch. You could also reuse fruit baskets that you paint with gold or silver or another seasonal colour; decorate them with ribbon or a small evergreen branch for a yuletide look. Baskets are perfect for holding homemade jams, and the recipient will be delighted as much with their presentation as with the anticipation of savouring the contents.
photo: thinkstock
A pretty, unused tea towel is just the thing for wrapping up all those great kitchen gadgets or homemade baked treats; hold the towel together with clothes pins and ribbons. And while you’re at it, why not include a set of Christmas themed cookie cutters? A gourmet chef will adore this thoughtful gesture.
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Bubble wrap is another useful material. To please a kid with a futuristiclooking gift wrapping, cover a box with bright tissue paper and then with bubble wrap, finishing it off with a metallic decoration — an old necklace of silvery or golden pearls would be perfect. Or wrap a present with the comic section of the newspaper; your teenager will then have something to do during the slow moments on Christmas morning! Children will have lots of fun helping you decorate gifts with materials you have on hand. Who knows, maybe salvaging materials will become a family tradition!
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December 11, 2011
photo: thinkstock
Creating a festive atmosphere
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Makes 4 seRvings
Orecchiette pasta with rapini & olives • 3 cups dry orecchiette pasta (if unavailable, use penne pasta) • 2 tbsp olive oil • 3 cloves garlic, chopped • 1/4 cup white wine (optional) • 1/2 cup chicken stock • 1 bunch fresh rapini, stalks removed and diced
• 6 filets anchovy (optional) • 1/4 cup green olives or sun-dried black olives, pitted, halved or leave whole • Salt to taste • Freshly ground black pepper to taste • 1 tbsp butter
Filling: • 1 cup white chocolate, chopped • 2 cups fresh or frozen mixed berries (e.g., raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and/or strawberries) • 1 cup whipping cream • 7 tbsp butter • 2/3 cup sugar • 1 egg • 3/4 cups flour Pastry shell: • 1 cup flour • 1/4 cup sugar • 1/4 cup cold butter • 1 egg • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract • 1 tbsp water (for kneading)
In a bowl, combine flour and sugar and cut in butter until butter resembles small peas. Make a hole in center of flour mixture and add egg and vanilla and mix until just combined. On a lightly floured surface, turn dough out and knead, adding water if needed. Return dough to bowl, cover in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour. Remove from refrigerator and on a lightly floured surface, roll out dough into a circle then press down and with fingers to form a larged circle that will fit into tart pan. Line an 8-in (20-cm) tart pan with parchment paper. Carefully place dough in pan and form edges with fingers. Distribute chocolate and berries evenly on bottom of shell, carefully cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. In a stainless steel bowl or mixer, whip cream,
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Recipe and photo: New World Provence, Arsenal Pulp Press
Elegant wild salad
Clafoutis with white chocolate & mixed berries Makes 6 seRvings
On high heat, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rapid boil. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. (Orecchiette pasta takes longer to cook than other pastas, so be sure to check the package.) Meanwhile, in a large frying pan on medium-high, heat oil. Add garlic, wine, and stock and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring continually to allow liquid to reduce. Add rapini and anchovies to sauce, and cook for 3-4 minutes, until rapini is wilted. Add olives, salt, pepper, and butter and mix to incorporate. When done, strain, toss with sauce, and serve.
Marinade: • 1/4 cup olive oil • 1/2 tsp dried thyme • 1 tbsp cognac • 1 tsp salt • 1/2 tsp black pepper • 2 rabbit loins • 3 tbsp olive oil • 1 1/2 cups fresh wild mushrooms (e.g., morels, chanterelles, bluefoots, hedgehogs) or more common varieties • 2 tbsp fleur de sel • 1/2 tbsp black pepper
Makes 4 seRvings
Vinaigrette: • 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil • 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar • Salt to taste • Freshly ground black pepper to taste
then cover in plastic wrap and set aside in refrigerator. In a different or cleaned bowl or mixer, combine butter and sugar and whip on medium-high speed until well combined. Add egg and whip until lignt and fluffy and color changes from yellow to white. Stop mixer and add flour. On low speed, mix until just combined. Do not overmix. With a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, fold in pre-whipped cream. Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Remove tart pan from refrigerator, carefully uncover, and pour filling evenly over berries and chocolate. Place tart pan on a baking sheet and bake 45 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool for 2 hours before serving. Recipe and photo: New World Provence, Arsenal Pulp Press
• 3 cups mixed organic greens • 1/4 cup fresh foie gras (optional) (place in freezer for 1 hour to set) In a large roasting pan or bowl, combine all ingredients for marinade. Add rabbit loins, and coat with marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 12-24 hours, turning rabbit over halfway through time. Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). In a frying pan or high, heat 3 tbsp olive oil. Add mushrooms and sauté for 5 minutes, until browned. Saeson with 1 tbsp fleur de sel and 1/4 tbsp black pepper and set aside. In a separate frying pan on high heat, sear marinated rabbit for 2 minutes on each side, until browned evenly. Transfer rabbit to roasting pan (or if frying pan is oven-proof, just place it in oven) and
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roast for 7-10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Once cooled, cut into thin slices and set aside. In a bowl, mix all ingredients for vinaigrette until well combined. In a large bowl, toss mixed greens with vinaigrette. Divide salad among four plates. Separate rabbit slices into four equal portions and place around and over each salad, then add mushrooms. With a potato peeler, shave off five pieces of foie gras per serving and gently place on top of each salad. Spinkle with remaining 1 tbsp fleur de sel and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Recipe and photo: New World Provence, Arsenal Pulp Press
December 11, 2011
serves 4
Slow-roasted pork loin with rosemary, Madeira, and orange • 3 lb. centre loin of pork • 1 cup Madeira wine • 1/2 cup freshly sqeezed orange juice • 2 sprigs of rosemary, bruised
Classic Christmas cake makes one 9-inch cake
• 2 oranges, cut into 4 slices each • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper • An instant-read thermometer
Score the fat with a criss-cross pattern and season the meat with plenty of salt and pepper, rubbing it in well. Put a double thickness of thick aluminum foil in a large roasting pan and turn up the edges. Put in the meat fat side down and pour in the Madeira and orange juice. Add the rosemary, then cover and let marinate in the regrigerator for about 2 hours if possible. Recipe and photo : Easy Christmas Classic Recipes For The Perfect Christmas, Ryland Peters & Small
Remove the meat from the refrigerator and put in the middle on a preheated oven at 325ºF (160ºC) and slow-roast for 1 hour. Carefully turn the meat over, then add the orange slices and about 1/2 cup water if it is starting to dry out. Cook for a further 30 minutes. Raise the oven temperature to 425ºF (220ºC) for a final 10 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer registers 175ºF (80ºC). Lift the meat out onto a serving dish and arrange the orange slices around it. Carefully pour the juices into a pitcher, then serve.
Roast beef with all the trimmings
serves 8
• 6 1/2 lb. bone-in forerib of beef (2-3 bones) • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour • 1 tbsp hot mustard powder • 3 oz. beef dripping or vegetable shortening • 3 onions, quartered • 8-10 potatoes, chopped and parboiled • 5-6 parsnips, halved lengthwise • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper • 2 lb. green caggage • 1 recipe gravy, to serve
Sift the flour, spices, and salt into a bowl. Mix the dried fruit, cherries, almonds, and zests in a separate bowl and stir in half the flour. Set aside.
Horseradish sauce: • 1 large horseradish root • 1 tbsp white wine vinegar • 1 cup heavy cream Yorkshire puddings: • 1 cup plus 1 tbsp milk • 2 eggs • 1 cup all-purpose flour • An instant-read thermometer • A 6-hole muffin pan
Cream the butter and brown sugar together in a large bowl until pale and creamy, then gradually beat in the eggs. Fold in the remaining flour mixture, then the fruit mixture. Stir in the brandy, mixing well. Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake pan and level the surface. Bake in a preheated oven at 300ºF (150ºC) for about 2 hours, or until a fine skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
Place the cake upside-down on a cake board and brush the top and sides with the glaze. Roll out half the marzipan on a surface dusted with confectioners’ sugar to fit the top of the cake. Put the marzipan round on top of the cake, then smooth over and neaten the edges. Roll out the remaining marzipan into a long strip to fit the sides of the cake, then roll up, place one end against the side of the cake, and unroll to cover the sides completely. Use a palette knife to smooth over the sides and joins. Leave in a cool, dry place for 1-2 days, to allow the marzipan to dry.
Remove the cake from the oven and let cool in the pan for 30 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack and let cool completely. Wrap the cake tightly in wax paper and foil and store in a cool, dry place for at least 1 week.
To make the icing, lightly whisk the egg whites and liquid glucose in a bowl. Stir in the confectioners’, sugar until it forms soft peaks. Spread evenly over the cake. Let dry in a cool place for 24 hours, then decorate as desired.
To make a glaze, heat the jam in a saucepan, with the water, until melted. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 1 minute. Strain through a nylon sieve.
Recipe and photo : Easy Christmas Classic Recipes For The Perfect Christmas, Ryland Peters & Small
December 11, 2011
Holiday Book
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour • 1 tsp apple pie spice • 1 tsp ground cinnamon • A pinch of salt • 2 2/3 cups golden raisins • 1 1/3 cups raisins • 1 1/3 cups ready-to-eat dried apricots, chopped • 2/3 cup glacé cherries, chopped • 1 cup slivered or chopped almonds • Finely grated zest of 1 unwaxed orange • Finely grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon • 6 oz. unsalted butter, softened • 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar • 4 eggs, beaten
• 4 tbsp brandy • 3 tbsp apricot jam • 2 tsp water • 16 oz. ready-made marzipan or almond paste • Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting Icing: • 3 egg whites • 3 tsp liquid glucose or glycerine • 4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted • A deep 9-inch round cake pan, greased and lined with a double layer of parchment paper and with a double thickness of parcel paper tied around the outside of the pan
Sift the flour, spices, and salt into a bowl. Mix the dried fruit, cherries, almonds, and zests in a separate bowl and stir in half the flour. Set aside. Cream the butter and brown sugar together in a large bowl until pale and creamy, then gradually beat in the eggs. Fold in the remaining flour mixture, then the fruit mixture. Stir in the brandy, mixing well. Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake pan and level the surface. Bake in a preheated oven at 300ºF (150ºC) for about 2 hours, or until a fine skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and let cool in the pan for 30 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack and let cool completely. Wrap the cake tightly in wax paper and foil and store in a cool, dry place for at least 1 week. To make a glaze, heat the jam in a saucepan, with the water, until melted. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 1 minute. Strain through a nylon sieve. Place the cake upside-down on a cake board and brush the top and sides with the glaze. Roll out half the marzipan on a surface dusted with confectioners’ sugar to fit the top of the cake. Put the marzipan round on top of the cake, then smooth over and neaten the edges. Roll out the remaining marzipan into a long strip to fit the sides of the cake, then roll up, place one end against the side of the cake, and unroll to cover the sides completely. Use a palette knife to smooth over the sides and joins. Leave in a cool, dry place for 1-2 days, to allow the marzipan to dry. To make the icing, lightly whisk the egg whites and liquid glucose in a bowl. Stir in the confectioners’, sugar until it forms soft peaks. Spread evenly over the cake. Let dry in a cool place for 24 hours, then decorate as desired. Recipe and photo : Easy Christmas Classic Recipes For The Perfect Christmas, Ryland Peters & Small
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Happy Holidays! Page 6
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” ! s a m t s i r h C y r er
At Chimo’s we say
“M December 11, 2011
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Jesus is the Reason for the Season. Have a Blessed Christmas! 376-2700 Page 8
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y for l r a e Shop election s best
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First Baptist Church of Wasilla Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which translated means, “God with us”. Christmas Cantata – Dec. 18 at 11:00 am Christmas Eve Candlelight Service – Dec. 24 at 7:00 pm Jesus’ Birthday Celebration – Dec. 25 at 10:00 am 900 Leatherleaf Loop (Corner of Bogard & Leatherleaf Loop) • Wasilla, AK 99654 376-4668 • www.fbcwasilla.com
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Merry Christmas from
Happy Hooker Towing 376-9114 December 11, 2011
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s ’ n o s a e s g n i t S ree G from the
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December 11, 2011