Christmas Shortbread

Oma's Rolled Shortbread

Mix 1/2 pound (1 cup) butter with 4 tbsp. of icing sugar.  

Knead in 2 cups of flour.  

We brought this recipe into the new millenium by using 

Oma's new Kitchenaid mixer up to this stage.

Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead in up to an additional cup of flour.  We found we didn't need much more flour.  Roll to desired thickness and cut using cookie cutters.  Oma likes to put on a pattern by pricking the shortbread with a fork.  Today we decorated the shortbread with candied cherries. 

Bake on a cookie sheet with parchment paper in a 350 degree oven on the middle rack for about 10 to 15 minutes.

Oma's Scotch Pan Shortbread

1 cup soft butter

1/2 cup rice flour

1/2 cup berry sugar

1 1/2 cup flour

Mix flour and sugar together, then work in butter with hands until mixture holds together.  We used the mixer by first mixing the flour and sugar together , then adding the butter and continuing to mix.

Put dough into a 8x8 or 9 x 9 pan into which you have put parchment paper.  Pat the mixture into the pan.  Prick with fork all over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 to 25 minutes.  While warm sprinkle with berry sugar and cut into desired pieces.

This recipe can be used for rolled shortbread by rolling out between wax paper and cutting into shapes.

Watch for gluten free shortbread recipe soon.

Update 2022

Tried this Shortbread Recipe (first try halfed it) This recipe has a little more sugar than Oma's and a little less flour per/ butter.  Also has cornstarch.  Seemed to mix up nicely.

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Chicken Pilaf with Spinach and Walnuts

Tried this recipe today and decided it was a keeper.  Grandpa enjoyed it too. I didn't cube the chicken or chop the spinach.   I found that the rice took a little longer to cook than it said. I think next time I will try precooking the rice a bit and see how that works.  I was also cautious with the spices and will be more generous next time.  Overall it was yummy, with a comfort food feel. Easy and a great combination of healthy ingredients.  Thank you Oma and Opa for the saucepan.  It worked great for this recipe.  

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 lb (450 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs (cubed)

(I didn't cubed the thighs)

3/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup basmati rice or other long-grain white rice

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/4 tsp. ground allspice (nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves as substitute)

pinch of cinnamon

4 cups loosely packed baby spinach, coarsely chopped

2 tbsp. chopped fresh dill

On rimmed baking sheet, toast walnuts in 350 degree oven until golden, about 8 minutes, set aside.

Sprinkle chicken with half each of the salt and pepper. In large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat; brown chicken.  Using slotted spoon, transfer to bowl.

In same saucepan, cook onion and garlic over medium heat until slightly softened, about 2 minutes.  Stir in rice, cumin, allspice, cinnamon and remaining salt and pepper; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.  Return chicken and any juices to pan, stirring to coat.

Stir in 1 3/4 cups water; bring to boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer until rice is tender and no liquid remains, about 20 minutes.  Turn off heat; let stand on burner for 5 minutes.

Stir in spinach, dill and toasted walnuts.

Cinnamon Anise Poached Pears

Peel, halve and core 2 pears.  

Put in a shallow dish with 1 cup water, 1/3 cup sugar, 

1 cinnamon stick and 1 star anise pod.  

Cover with pastic wrap and microwave until the pears are soft, 8 minutes.  

Meanwhile, beat 1/2 cup heavy cream with 1 tablespoon of sugar 

and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

until soft peaks form.

 Serve the pears with the syrup and cinnamon cream.

Logan helps Grandmaman by passing the cored pears to Oma.

Sadie places the pears in the pan with Oma's help.

Oma checks the progress.

Yummy!

Curried Chicken and Artichoke Casserole

Curried Chicken and Artichoke Casserole

4 cups shredded cooked chicken (equivalent to 2-3 boiled chicken breasts)

1 can (14 ounces) artichoke hearts, drained and quartered

1 package (8 – 10 ounces) fresh mushrooms (pre-sliced)

1 can cream of mushroom soup (or cream of chicken)

1 cup low-fat sour cream

½ cup low-fat mayonnaise

1-2 tablespoons curry powder (to taste)

½ cup pre-cut slivered almonds

1. Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
2. Cook the mushrooms in a sauté pan over medium heat in oil or butter until cooked.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the chicken, artichoke hearts, mushrooms, mushroom soup, sour cream, mayonnaise, and curry powder.  Stir until well-blended.
4. Transfer mixture to a 13 x 9 glass or ceramic baking dish.  Scatter the almonds over the top.
5. Bake the casserole until it is bubbling and the almonds are toasted, about 1 hour.  Check after 45 minutes to see if it needs to be covered loosely with foil to prevent over-browning.
6. Remove from oven and serve at once with rice.

First enjoyed this meal at Jenny's when a friend brought it over as a "welcome Oliver supper".  Grandmaman made the casserole served with rice tonight on a rainy, rather stormy, Alberta summer supper.  Grandpa is thrilled that there is enough for him to take for lunch tomorrow.

Grandmaman's Saskatoon Pie

Find a berry patch, usually from the third week of July to the first week of August.

Get Grandpa to help pick the berries......he picks fast and climbs through heavy brush to get the best berries.

Float the berries in cool water and pick out the bits you don't want.

Find out how many berries you need-around 4 cups.

Prepare the filling.....see recipe below.

Prepare the pastry, crimp edges, mark with your favorite design (today's pie is S for Saskatoon or Sadie), brush with cream or milk and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees and then another 35 minutes at 350 degrees.
Serve with ice cream.  Grandpa likes his pie with ice cream, cheddar cheese and a big glass of cold milk.

First Saskatoon Berry Pie Filling

4 cups of Saskatoon berries (Service berries in USA)

3/4 cup of granulated sugar

3 tablespoons of flour

1/4 cup of water

2 tablespoons of lemon juice

In a saucepan, simmer berries in water for 10 minutes.  Add lemon juice.  Stir in granulated sugar mixed with flour.  Pour into pastry lined pie plate.  Dot with butter.  Cover with top crust.  Bake in 425 F oven for 15 minutes then reduce heat to 350 F for an additional 35 to 45 minutes. 

Another Saskatoon Pie Filling 

(this is the one I used for these pics)

3 1/2 cups of Saskatoon berries

1/2 cup of water

3/4 cup of sugar

3 tablespoons of cornstarch

2 teaspoons of lemon juice

1 tablespoon of butter

1/2 teaspoon of Almond Extract (or vanilla)

Cook berries in water until boiling.  Reduce water if using frozen berries.  Add mixed cornstarch and sugar and boil until clear, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.  Add lemon juice, butter and almond extract.  Cool.  Use as a filling for single or double crust pie, tarts or on a cheesecake.  

Pastry

Use your favorite premade piecrust or recipe or 

here's a new one I tried.  It was yummy.

Pâte Sucrée

2 1/2 cups flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup cold unsalted butter (cut into small pieces)

1 large egg yolks. lightly beaten

1 to 4 tbsp cold heavy cream or ice water

Pulse flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor until combined.  Add butter, and pulse just until mixture resembles coarse meal.  Add yolks and drizzle 2 tbsp. cream evenly over mixture; pulse just until dough begins to come together, no more than 30 seconds.  If dough is too dry, add remaining cream, 1 tbsp. at a time and pulse.  Divide dough in half, pat each half into a disk and wrap in plastic.  Refrigerate 1 hour or up to 2 days, or freeze up to 3 months (thaw in refrigerator before using).

Reegan made a Saskatoon and Raspberry Pie today using the second recipe and it was yummy.

Rainbow Cake

 Need an idea for a special cake.  

Bake a rainbow cake or choose your own colours cake.

Decide on how many layers and colours you would like, then using your favourite cake recipe for a white or yellow cake make the batter.  

Divide the batter into amounts for each layer, add enough paste food colour to create each vibrant colour and bake.  

Cool the cakes and using your favorite icing stack the 

cakes with icing separating the layers.  

Frost the cake and enjoy the surprised look on your guests' faces when you slice and serve this delightful dessert.  

Victorian Cream Tea Scones

Oma and Grandma enjoyed Victorian Cream Tea Scones with butter and blackberry jam along with a steaming cup of mandarin orange green tea for Sunday lunch today.  

2 cups flour

2 tbsp. white sugar

4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/3 cup butter

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1/2 cup light cream

egg white, lightly beaten

granulated sugar for sprinkles

Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
(Oma's tip: can also grate cold butter)
Combine egg, egg yolk and cream in small bowl.  Beat with fork to blend.
Add all at once to dry mixture, stirring with fork to make soft, slightly sticky dough (you may add more cream if needed, I did).
Press into a ball and knead gently on floured surface about 10 times.
Roll out dough to 1/2 inch thickness.
Cut into triangles or circles.
Place on ungreased baking sheet (I used parchment paper).
Brush with egg white and sprinkle lightly with sugar.
Bake in 425 degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden.

Makes 12 to 16 scones!!!

Serve warm with butter.  Spread with raspberry or strawberry jam, grape jelly or honey.

This recipe is easy to double.