After all the news yesterday about people being so enthusiastic about getting out and starting their shopping I was pretty surpised at how quiet the stores seemed. Then again, we weren't gift shopping, just procuring our standard household items - things like sponges, coffee filters and so on. I also bought two new cookie sheets to replace those that have mysteriously gone missing (I plan to put these to use this evening). My fellow shoppers didn't seem to be buying out the house, so I guess the ol' patriotic shopper syndrome was confined to yesterday.
Although I cannot claim to anywhere near match Sue in the baking department, I do my humble best and tonight will kick off the season with some basic chocolate chip cookies. Tomorrow I'll do some thumbprints (my favorite) and perhaps some Russian tea cakes. Sue's posted a new gingerbread cookie recipe on the site that sounds really great and and which professes to solve the problem of too-hard-to-eat cookies, so I'll give that a whirl too.
Rayne and I had an exchange at her blog about our respective cranberry sauce productions. Although I did not make any for our Thanksgiving dinner, I did set about canning four pints for use as Christmas gifts. To my surpise, it came out somewhat different than last year's batch, although I guess that's what happens when one uses a "bit of this and a bit of that"-type recipe as opposed to an actual, scientifically-developed in a test kitchen recipe. This year's chutney included:
- two bags of cranberries, softies and broken ones picked out
- three tablespoons chopped candied ginger
- quarter cup chopped walnuts
- a can of crushed pineapple
- the juice of one orange
- about a cup of white sugar
- about two tablespoons of crushed red pepper
- three-quarters of a cup or so of mixed raisins
Put all of this in a large saucepan or Dutch oven on medium heat, stirring frequently. As the cranberries cook, they will bubble and pop and the whole mess will gradually become somewhat jam-like in consistency. When things are pretty amalgamated, taste and adjust as you see fit - maybe add more pepper, citrus or sugar. Whatever you think it needs. Pack into prepared mason jars, seal and process in a boiling hot water bath for 15 minutes after the water returns to boil after the cans are added.
Rayne suggested that carmelized Vidalia onions might make a good addition, as well. I agree completely, but didn't quite get around to it. Perhaps next year.
Today's other holiday activities included cranberry and popcorn garlands for our woodland friends, decorating the mantle, pulling the advent wreath and candle holder out of storage (Advent starts tomorrow!)and positioning the now blooming paper whites around the hearth. We rounded this out with a really nice (if I do say so myself) beef stew with dumplings and are now just sort of lazing around resting. Tomorrow will be another busy day filled with decorating and more pedestrian chores such as laundry. But tonight...tonight is all about resting, with nothing more strenuous than cooking making and, possibly, enjoying a cup of hot cocoa.