Scalloped Parsnip and Sweet Potatoes

The deliciousness of the sweet potato combines with the nutty, earthy parsnip for an interesting and a little decadent side dish.

Ingredients:

2 long sweet potatoes, sliced
3 parsnips, sliced
2 1/4 cups whipping cream, divided
4 oz parmesan, divided
1 tbsp fresh minced thyme
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 oz shredded gruyère or swiss cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Using a mandolin slice the sweet potatoes and the parsnip each into separate bowls.  Pour 2/3 cup cream over each with 1/2 oz parmesan, 1 tsp thyme, salt and pepper. Toss together. Obviously I changed bowls, these were too small to toss in!

Butter a 2 quart oval baking dish and pour the remaining cream into the bottom. Sprinkle with 1/2 oz parmesan and the minced garlic.

Grab a stack of parsnip and line them up on end, then take some sweet potato and continue until the dish is filled. Pour the cream from their respective bowls on top.

Season with salt, pepper and the remaining parmesan. Cover and bake at 400F for 25-30 or until vegetables are tender.

Remove from oven, uncover and top with shredded cheese. Broil 3-5 minutes until bubbly and golden.

Serves 6-8

Adapted from http://www.spoonforkbacon.com/2018/11/cheesy-root-vegetable-gratin/

Mashed Potatoes wth Brussels Sprouts

Give those tired old mashed potatoes a lift!

Ingredients:

8 or 9 brussels sprouts, thinly sliced
2 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup butter
2.2 lbs russet potatoes, cubed
1 lb yellow flesh potatoes, cubed
herbed sea salt to taste

Using a mandolin, slice the brussels sprouts very thinly then, along with the green onions, cook in a skillet with the butter until softened. Add salt to taste.

Boil the potatoes until tender, drain and mash. Add a little milk and butter and stir in the brussels mixture.
Next time I might try leeks!

Serves 8-10

Original recipe from Chef Ricardo of RicardoCuisine

Minted Fruit Cup

So I served this right after the soup on Christmas day. Nice and cooling after the hella hot Healthy  Tomato and Sweet Potato soup... I may have added a tad too many hot pepper flakes! A nice change from the usual veg salad. And the original recipe called for pomegranates and oranges, but you know I had to fiddle with the recipe and add more fruit!

Ingredients:
2 tbsps pomegranate arils (you know...the seeds!)
1 cup blueberries
2 cans mandarin orange segments, drained (reserve one can, see NOTE below)
1 Granny Smith apple, cubed/tossed with 1 tsp lemon juice
cubed persimmon (optional)
1/2 cup lightly packed mint leaves
2 tsps sugar

Pulse the mint and sugar until well chopped and combined, then toss with the fruit.

NOTE: if you're making this a day or two ahead of time toss with 1 can of mandarins and cover the top with the second can to help keep the apples nice and white.

Served in a tall stemmed glass it shows off all it's colours!

Recipe serves 7-8

And here's the link to the soup:
https://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.com/2018/12/healthy-tomato-and-sweet-potato-soup.html

Original Minted Pomegranate Fruit Cup recipe from robinglancenutrition.com

Individual No Bake Peppermint Cheesecake

It's no bake, it's make ahead, it's light and refreshing after a big meal...it's the perfect dessert!

Ingredients:

Oreo Crust:
22 oreo cookies (original or mint is even better!)
3 tbsps butter

Filling:
2 - 250g pkgs cream cheese
2 cups whipping cream
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup icing sugar
1 tsp peppermint extract
pink or green food colouring

Garnish:
Whipped cream, candy sprinkles, mint chocolate, crushed candy canes

For the crust simply toss your cookies (I don't literally mean "toss your cookies"!!) into the food processor with butter and pulse until crumbled.

Press into the bottom of 12 serving dishes. You can use something flat-bottomed to press or use your fingers.

In one bowl beat the cream cheese and white sugar together. In another bowl whip the whipping cream and icing sugar together, then fold both together along with the peppermint extract and food colouring.

Spoon over oreo crust and chill. This can be made 2 or 3 days in advance of when you want to serve them, just cover each with plastic wrap. 

Then when you're ready to serve add the garnishes and dig in!

Makes 12 - 1/2 cup servings

Baby It's Cold Outside Mint Cocktail

"I really can't stay" but if I do, I'd love this merry and bright cocktail!

Ingredients: "Say, what's in this drink?"

1  1/2 oz gin
3/4 oz green spearmint syrup
6 oz steeped and cooled mint tea
Squeeze of lemon
Candy cane to garnish

Shake gin and spearmint syrup together with ice. Add mint tea and a squeeze of lemon, then pour into an ice filled collins glass. Candy cane hooked on the glass and Cheers!

"Maybe just a half a drink more"

Recipe from Blaine August as heard on CJAD radio and lyrics borrowed from Baby It's Cold Outside

Mrs Claus Christmas Welcome Soup

Soup at Christmas dinner should be easy to prepare, light on the tummy and special. This one hits all the right notes!

Ingredients:

1 - 1.89L  V8 vegetable juice 
2 cups beef consomme
2 bay leaves
4 whole cloves
a dash of worcestershire sauce
a dash of hot sauce
garnish dried parsley

Using a piece of cheesecloth or a coffee filter, tie the bay leaves and cloves up in a pouch and place it in the soup pot. Add the rest of the ingredients except the parsley and simmer for 30-60 minutes.

Remove the spice pouch and serve, sprinkling the parsley on top in the shape of a wreath.

Serves 8

From: Yummly.com 

Healthy Tomato and Sweet Potato Soup

At holiday time we seem to (we DO) eat alot of sweets and otherwise unhealthy stuff! 

Fuel up on the good stuff with this soup!

Ingredients:

2 tbsps avocado or olive oil
2 onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 sweet potatoes, diced
2 - 28 oz cans diced tomatoes
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
fresh sage
1/2 tsp hot pepper flakes (optional)

Chop the garlic and onions and let sit for 10 minutes. Why? So the allicin has time to develop. Allicin is a compound that is produced once garlic and onion is chopped or minced and develops after being left a few minutes. It is responsible for the aroma of garlic, but it also has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits. You know, like cold fighting and cancer preventative stuff. So let it sit awhile!

In a large pot cook onions in oil until golden.
Add the diced sweet potatoes and cook another 5 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, broth, salt, pepper, sage and hot pepper flakes. The amount of salt you add will depend on the saltiness of your canned tomatoes and broth. Taste first, then add salt if needed. Cook until the sweet potatoes are tender, about 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in the minced garlic.

Purée the soup with an immersion stick or just throw it in the food processor like I did here.

Serve with more fresh sage and a drizzle of olive oil.

I learned all about allicin and alot more from Nevine's Cuisine who also shared this recipe.

Arabic Spiced Chicken à la Ouzi

The spice mix in this recipe gives both the chicken and rice a very distinctive Middle Eastern flavour. The chicken is marinated twice so while not difficult to make you'll want to start this meal about 5 hours before you  plan on serving it. 

Ingredients:

Spice Mix:
4 tsps cinnamon
4 tsps cumin
2 tsp allspice
1 tsp cardamon or nutmeg

4 chicken legs, separated thigh and drumstick
2 cups plain yogurt
1 lemon, sliced
2 tsps of salt
3 tbsps tomato paste
3 garlic cloves, minced
1  1/2 tsp spice mix
1 tsp liquid smoke
salt and pepper to taste
1 carrot, sliced
1 leek, chopped
2 celery stalks, sliced

Rice:
3 cups long grain rice (I used basmati)
1  1/2 tbsp olive oil
3/4 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup peanuts
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1 tsp turmeric 
7 tsps spice mix
salt and pepper to taste
6 cups water or chicken broth

Garnish: more lemon slices, peanuts, sunflower seeds and pomegranate.


Mix the spices together and set aside.

To start mix 1 cup yogurt, lemon slices and salt. Toss together with the chicken, squeezing the lemon slices and rubbing the marinade into the chicken. Refrigerate 30-60 minutes.

Rinse the chicken in cold water and discard the yogurt mix.
Because smoking the chicken gives it a unique taste and since I didn't have the inclination to smoke it, I added liquid smoke to this next step. Or you could just leave it out.

Mix 1 cup yogurt, tomato paste, garlic, 2 tsps spice mix, salt, pepper and liquid smoke.

Tuck some marinade under the skin of the chicken then rub the rest all over. Return to the fridge for 2-3 hours.

Now you're ready to cook!  Oil a large roaster and place the chicken in a single layer. Add the carrot, leek and celery then pour in just enough water to cover the bottom of the pan.

Cover the pan with foil and bake in a 350 F oven for 45 minutes. Then remove the foil and return to the oven for another 15-20 minutes. You may also choose to broil the top for a couple of minutes.

While the chicken cooks you can start the rice. Wash and rinse the rice three times in hot water, then soak for 10 minutes. Drain.

Heat oil in a large skillet. This recipe makes ALOT of rice! Add onions to the skillet and cook until translucent then add rice, peanuts, sunflower seeds and seasonings. Toss a couple of minutes then add the water. Bring to a boil and cover. Reduce heat and simmer 15-20 minutes or until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender.

Once the chicken is cooked nestle it with some veggies on a bed of rice.

And garnish with more lemon slices, peanuts, sunflower seeds and pomegranate. 

Chicken serves 4-6
Rice serves an army!

Hairy Moose Farts

I found this no bake moose fart cookie ball recipe from Newfoundland on Pinterest. The name intrigued me so I had to try them!

The original recipe was just plain old moose farts rolled in graham cracker crumbs, but I added the "hairy" part because, why not?!?

Ingredients:
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup melted butter
1 tsp vanilla
1  1/2 cups coconut
1  1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1  1/2 cups chocolate chips, both mini and regular
1/2 cup crushed shredded wheat cereal (or Mini Wheats)
1  1/2 tsps butter
1/4 cup chopped pecans
pinch of salt

Melt 1/4 cup butter and pour into a large bowl. Stir in the condensed milk and vanilla. Add the graham crumbs, coconut and chocolate chips. Combine well and refrigerate for 1 hour. This is so easy, right?

While that's chilling melt 1  1/2 tsp butter in a frying pan, then add the crushed cereal, nuts and salt. Toss 2-3 minutes to toast, then cool.

Roll the moose fart dough into 1" balls and roll each ball in the shredded cereal mix (the hairy!)

Store in a container with wax paper separating layers in the fridge.

Makes 65 sweet hairy moose farts!

With lots of chocolate chips in every bite! Canadian eh!

Adapted from Moose Farts on Rock Recipes, Newfoundland Canada

Apple Kugel

Always wanted to make a kugel and since I cooked way too many egg noodles to go with the Swedish Meatballs yesterday I thought I'd give it a try.

Ingredients:

12 cups cooked egg noodles (about 350g dry I think)
6 tbsps butter, melted
6 eggs
1 cup cottage cheese
2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 dried cranberries
1/4 cup raisins
2 apples, peeled and sliced
2 apples peeled and shredded
1/2 cup butter, divided
1 cup brown sugar, divided

If you don't already have leftover noodles, cook and drain the noodles. Set aside.

In a food processor mix the melted butter, eggs, cottage cheese, sour cream, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt together until smooth.

Pour custard over noodles and mix well.

I made one 8 X 8" dish with cranberries and another 8 X 8" with raisins, but you could make one 13 X 9". I will continue the recipe as for two.

Divide the noodles in half and add one shredded apple to each.

In each baking dish, melt 1/4 cup butter and sprinkle 1/2 cup brown sugar. Top each with sliced apples. Stir the cranberries into one bowl of noodles, raisins in the other.

Pour noodle mixture into prepared baking dishes. From what I've read, traditionally kugel is supposed to be crunchy on the top so I left one uncovered. I tried the other covered.

Bake in a 375 F oven for 50-60 minutes. Can't argue with tradition...those crunchy noodles look pretty good!

After cooling 5 minutes I flipped the kugel I had covered out onto a plate like an upside-down cake. The other (crunchy) one I served straight from the dish.

This was really interesting as noodles to me have always been for dinner and not for dessert!

Kind of a cross between rice pudding and bread pudding. 
And I think I'm going to eat this for breakfast!

Serves 12 or more