inner pickle

A Slice of Wednesday: not quite a White Christmas

 

You know you're a bit saturated in northern hemisphere culture when your Australian kids ask whether it really is Christmas time, like, where's the snow?

We don't do fake snow on the trees or windows over here. We embrace a warm Christmas and a cool seafood lunch. 

More on Christmas traditions another day, I want to give you this White Christmas before it becomes a slice of Thursday. (By the way, chicken processing all went very well thank you, it was quick and interesting and the birds look wonderful. We had one roasted with lemon and garlic and thyme last night and it was nearly 4kg - a big bird - and delicious. But a 3.30am start and working all day yesterday and today in the commercial kitchen baking for a big market this weekend: I'm a bit cactus.)

 

Not Quite White Christmas

440g white chocolate (I just used 2 x 220g blocks), melted

1 cup rice bubbles

1 cup dried cranberries

1 cup (100g) slivered almonds

½ cup of shredded coconut

 

Melt the chocolate in a big bowl (I did this in the microwave) and stir all the other ingredients in together. 

Press into a slice tin and chill in the fridge for about half an hour until firm.

SO QUICK. 

It takes precisely 2 minutes to make this and doesn't even need cooking. 

It's festive and simple and would look sweet stacked and wrapped in cellophane as a gift. 

My main challenge is hanging onto it until tomorrow night when my usual slice of Wednesday girls are getting together! (And staying awake until then.)

Have you had a good Wednesday? Is the run up to Christmas fun for you or if one more person asks you if you've finished your Christmas shopping are you going to poke them? 

Could just be me. 

Looking for my festive spirit. Looking, looking, looking. Meanwhile, White Christmas. Yummy.

xxx

 

Over here we are...

.. lying low

.. raising tadpoles

 

.. hosting visiting friends and family

 

.. happy to have finished at least some of the Christmas sewing on time!

 

.. and we're talking about Santa's visit and eating leftovers!

We had a lovely Christmas lunch here yesterday for extended family. There were lots of hands on deck to cook, light barbeques and to wash up, there were excited children and there was lots of delicious food!

Ah, all those Christmas cooking magazines. So many fun options. I am also unable to cater a large gathering without trying at least a few things for the first time. Cheap thrills. Eek, will it work?!

One of the dishes I was most happy with was one of our circulating entrees, a chilled avocado soup sip, served in shot glasses, topped with sliced prawns. Far out it was nice. 

I've made soup sips for degustations in the past, such a  lovely way to eat, like tapas. 

This is so simple and cool and fresh. Perfect for summer.

Here it is:

Chilled Avocado Soup Sip with Prawns

Adapted from a recipe in Australian Gourmet Traveller: Simple (ACP Books, 2003)

INGREDIENTS

 2.5 avocados

1 clove of garlic, chopped

2 tbsp lime juice

1 litre chicken stock (cold)

Cooked prawns for garnish

 

METHOD

Process the avocado, the garlic and the lime juice in a food processor until smooth. Add the cold stock and process until combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide between shot glasses and serve topped with sliced prawns.

Keeps well in the fridge (separately to the prawns) for at least a day (we had it for lunch today too!)

 

So what's going on over your way?!

xxx 

lastminute dot chaos

Ah well. When it falls apart it kind of makes sense for it to all fall apart. 

I have a pretty solid habit of leaving things to the last minute. Er, make that everything. I know better. I do. I just never learn. 

Here's what happened yesterday.

Yesterday was Henry's last day of school. Very exciting. The end of Kindergarten. Un-freaking-believable in many respects.

Tilly and Ivy and I had a lovely day - a last minute dash out to IKEA for fabric for gift-making and at half-past two we were at home, both girls sound asleep. Need to leave at quarter to three for pick up. Last one. 

I'd made a last minute big chocolate slab cake to take to the park where Henry's class were gathering to celebrate the end of the year. I'd quickly finished balling up the chocolate brandy balls in a glass jar for the teacher (a little extra gift from Henry, the whole class went in on a big gift for her earlier in the week.)

It's quarter to three, and I transfer Ivy, asleep, to her carseat and wake Tilly, bribe her out to the car with a handful of smarties, and we're off. 

'Cept we're not. 

I'm turning the key in the ignition and nothing's happening. Turning over, not starting. Then it hits me. We are driving a Peugeot, and there's something about the fuel tank and parking on a slope and even at quarter of a tank it not starting. *cough* I may have done this once before. 

I could call the NRMA and I know (from experience) they will bring you $20 worth of fuel, enough to get you started and to the petrol station, but you have to pay them cash.

And I gave my last $20 to my fifteen year old neighbor half an hour previously when he came in, cashless, needing a loan to get into the city. 

I turn the key once more in desperation. The whole damn remote locking thingo crumbles to pieces in my hand. There's a tiny bit of metal left stuck in the ignition. It's been threatening to do this for weeks. Of course it's today that it carks it. 

It's almost three and it would take almost half an hour to walk up to school now, so I start calling my school mum friends to pick up Henry. No one picks up their phones. I finally get onto my friend Vanessa who's not there but her husband is and in a complicated series of mobile semaphore Henry gets collected by multiple people as the first messages filter through. I worried he'd fuss about me not being there with the gift for the teacher, but my friend Gaye managed to herd him down to the park with her tribe without incident. 

Meanwhile I piled a very grumpy Tilly and woken-up Ivy out of the car and got Ivy into the pram and balanced the big slab cake on top. We walked to the park. 

We met our friends, everyone had cake and biscuits and a big play and it was lovely. 

The kids and I stopped on the way home at the ATM. I called the NRMA and the nice man arrived with his jerry can. 

And even though I had sworn off chocolate (seems to affect Ivy), I may have indulged in a couple of the teacher's chocolate balls. Now destined to be eaten by us. Sorry Mrs Fisk. 

Here they are:

I love these. 

My Mum used to make them, but we made them into sausage shapes and always called them 'hairy sausages'. Then when we were teenagers we made them ball-shaped just for the sheer joy of serving around elegant plates of 'hairy balls'. 

I've altered the recipe slightly, it needs just a little bit of copha to set them nice and firmly, and also protects them a bit if they're gifts and they're not going to be refrigerated immediately. Mum's had sherry in them, I prefer brandy (and a bit more of it. I'm a dreadful glophead.) I use arrowroot biscuits, but you can use any crushed plain biscuit you like. 

RECIPE FOR BRANDY BALLS

1 (250g) pkt arrowroot biscuits

1 (395g) tin condensed milk

2 tbsp cocoa

2 oz copha

2 tbsp brandy

coconut for rolling

METHOD

Crush biscuits finely - I use a food processor but have used a rolling pin in the past which works fine. In a large bowl mix the crumbed biscuits, the condensed milk, cocoa and brandy. Melt your copha over a low heat. Add to the rest of the ingredient and stir to combine. Place in the fridge until firm (half an hour min?). 

Using small teaspoons full, roll into balls and roll the balls in coconut. 

Keep refrigerated. 

 

And you know what? Leave these to the last minute to make. It's a safe bet. They take no time at all and if they're in the fridge you run the risk of eating them before you give them away. 

Or, do my trick, and mess up your day so sufficiently you fail to give them away at all. 

I really wouldn't be taking any planning advice from me.

You should see my Christmas gift sewing list.

Last week before Christmas - a bit last minute?

xxx

following the breadcrumbs

 

There's something a little bit magic about a gingerbread house. The longevity of the gingerbread, mostly. It's crazy - it lasts and lasts and still tastes great. 

Gingerbread is a business I wish I was in. 

And the house building at Christmas time. Essential Christmas revelry. 

 

(Everything is more fun with Gran.)

 

 

No, I didn't make this from scratch.

I didn't even make the icing. 

Mum came home with a package from a Blue Mountains company and we just stuck it together. 

Next year I'd like to make my own (Mum has a book, with patterns and recipes), but this year I've kinda left everything to the last minute and am disastrously behind in my gift making plans, so this was a perfect project!

We're skating down the hill to the end of the school term and there's so much fun Christmas cooking to do! Truffles! Shortbreads! Puddings! All sorts of treats. 

The tree is up. The advent calenders are out. The Christmas storybooks are in high rotation. 

Another week and I'll be hiding Rudolph and possibly in wrapping fatigue (if I can get anything finished to wrap) but right now I'm soaring on the wings of Google looking for a good mince pie recipe.

Got one?

Or any Christmas traditions to share?

xxx 

the family fruitcake

How did fruitcake become a byword for twit?

I'd really like to know. 

There is nothing stupid about a good slice of fruitcake. Perfect with a cup of tea. In fact, a small gathering of Reading Between the Wines members tonight polished it off with a selection of herbal tea, coffee and shiraz. It's the cake for every mood. 

And THIS one. This one is Special. 

This is an adaptation of my Mum's recipe the origin of which was Diabetes Australia Magazine I think, but I'm not sure. 

It has no fat in it, and only the sugar from the fruit. So it's kind of a noble cake. 

Plus, it's AWESOME.

Don't take my word for it, make it. Truly. It's so quick. And delicious. 

Obviously it doesn't have the depth or the longevity of a good rich fruit cake (and rest assured there'll be one of those appearing here in the next four weeks) but did you see my earlier point about noble? 

And awesome?

 

AWESOME FRUIT CAKE

Ingredients:

1kg dried fruit

1 cup pitted prunes, chopped

1 big teaspoon mixed spice

2 cups pear juice

2 cups self raising flour

 

Method:

Soak all the fruit and the spice in the juice for at least four hours, or overnight if you've timed it right.  

Then stir through the flour. 

Bake for approx 1 and three quarter hours at 150 degrees in a 20cm square pan (or a smaller pan for a higher cake. I know you don't need me to spell this out. You're smart.)

That's it. 

Enjoy. 

Mum's recipe calls for one and a half cups of prune juice and a quarter cup of orange juice, so you could always try that. I like pear. And I have multiple family members who are allergic to orange juice.

Next time I make this I'm adding nuts. 

Because if you're going to be fruity you might as well go nuts. 

Right?

xxx

festive

:: Celebrating sweet small person moving from not feeding, needing to be constantly carried and very obviously utterly miserable to small sweet person with a headcold. I think she may have had a dreadful sore throat yesterday, today she's just snotty but peaceful. And feeding. (Important in a Walmsley.)

:: Writing lists of handmade Christmas gift ideas, inspired by this post over at Soulemama. I've got a few ideas: dresses or skirts for small girls, stencilled T-shirts or pyjama pants  for boys, maybe a beanie or two if I can get the damn gauge right. (I've blogged too many beanie stuff ups here already.) Pickles or jam? Caramel, chocolate hazelnut truffles or Peppermint bark? SO MUCH FUN. 

People have so much stuff they don't want, already. The whole idea of the big commercial Christmas, exchanging more stuff that no one needs makes me very uncomfortable. Short of giving everyone a goat, which is earnest but not so much fun, I'm going to put my head down and make some things. Any ideas?

:: Nibbling on honey jumbles. Recipe from here. The kids like them with the crazy egg white and sugar pink and white icing - but it's sugar that's not necessary for these soft and delicious bikkies. Love them. 

:: Bubala is celebrating her first giveaway! Go join in!

:: Celebrating fish! Squirming about the fact that fishfood is made out of fish. But celebrating anyway. 

(That's Matilda introducing her beloved billy goats to the fish. Billy goats, from Gran, a set of three to tell the story with, are travelling with her everywhere presently. Today they were in her 'precious jewels' box, and are now in bed. Dedicated billy goats.)

Are you feeling at all festive yet? (Er, October's not too early is it?!)

xxx

all starred out

Goodness me how many of THESE have I eaten this week?

Mowielicious's Gingerbread Stars.

Quick and delicious, perfect with egg nog or whisky or espresso, I love these biscuits. 

I made about 100 stars per batch but that depends on the size of your cookie cutter and how many family members are lingering, "chatting", waiting till you turn to the sink for a second to take the chance to purloin cookie dough.

My Dad is the worst culprit. All my baking life I've ended up with just a twist less of whatever it is I'm making if he's in the vicinity. He even loves uncooked scone dough. I scold, because it's expected, then spend a minute longer at the sink than I need to until he and all my brothers-in-law skulk off guiltily victorious. It's tradition.

GINGERBREAD STARS

from Mowielicious

130g butter

4 tbsp golden syrup

100g muscovado sugar

330 plain flour

2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp bicarb soda

METHOD

Preheat oven to 170C and line two or three baking trays with paper.

Melt butter, sugar and syrup in a suacepan together over a medium heat.

Mix flour, ginger, bicarb soda in a bowl and add melted ingredients to dry mix. Mix well until a ball of dough forms.

Roll out onto floured surface to whatever thickness you like (they rise slightly in oven.) Use cookie cutter to cut desired shape. (Tip: it helps to dip cutters into a bowl of water between use.)

Place on paper lined baking tray and bake for about 10 mins until golden brown. They harden once out of oven.

Dust with icing sugar.

Note to self: Give away as many as you can or you may find yourself turning into a gingerbread star.

xxx 

P.S. There are worse things to be. Room for a small one. They have such a delicious ginger snap.

 

Totally Cheating Christmas Trifle

So what is a festive dessert you can make a couple of days before Christmas when you have a bunch of people coming for dinner and visitors staying and you're still hoping the last online toy order you made will be delivered on time and where on earth is all that Christmas wrapping paper you know you had left from last year?

Totally Cheating Christmas Trifle.

Yes I made it up. No one would publish something with this many pre-prepared items. 

And it was delicious. And unbelievably quick.

 

Given it is now after Christmas and you may never feel like looking a trifle in the eye again let alone a piece of Christmas cake, I'll index it and you never know, maybe next year?

Totally Cheating Christmas Trifle

INGREDIENTS

800g light fruit cake 

Approx 100ml brandy

450g mixed frozen berries (defrosted) or fresh berries if you like.

500ml vanilla pouring custard

500ml thick brandy custard

fresh cherries and icing sugar to decorate

METHOD

Cut the fruit cake into cubes and line a glass bowl with them. Pile rest into middle. Soak cake in brandy. Tip in berries. Pour in pouring custard. Spoon on thick brandy custard on top and smooth out. Decorate with fresh cherries and icing sugar.

A trifle festive? 

Any other short cuts, always welcome here thanks!

xxx