Christmas Traditions

Our Annual Jingle Bell Walk

Christmas for us is a fine balance between preserving long-standing traditions and embracing new ones.  They are all celebrations with family and dear friends, and many involve food traditions.  These last few weeks have been busy ones for us as we welcomed children and their friends home for the holidays, and prepared for their arrival with cooking, baking and crafting!

Hats and Granola for friends

Smoked Trout Pate (from trout that we smoked ourselves, of course!) in a cute little crock was a well received gift.

A new hand knit Christmas hat for everyone

Hand-made pillows(made in Ellicottville) are starting to find new homes!

One tradition we have enjoyed for the past 3 years is helping to distribute turkeys through the House of Friendship and the KitchenerConestogo Rotary Club.  Jim Erb has been instrumental in rolling out this wonderful program where families are provided with turkeys and hams and all the recipes they need for cooking them and transforming any leftovers.
http://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=830780&playlistId=1.1086118&binId=1.815927

Fortifying ourselves at Bake and Booze

The fruits of our labour

We hosted the annual Bake and Booze one week before Christmas.  We mixed up Prickly Pear Margaritas and some Whoopie Machine Sangria, and  everyone contributed to a light dinner before getting down to the business of baking cookies, truffles and squares to exchange.  For the most part be stuck to the tried and true...our perennial favourites that our families have come to look forward to.  Debbie’s daughter, Laura also delivered a box of our creations to Out of the Cold, where she volunteers every week. 

A new event this Christmas was an art show, that Ben organized with about 10 artists from near and far. The evening was a super way to kick off the holidays and experience some exciting new art and ideas.

Christmas dinner at the Hill/ Witzel house featured all of the usual favourites.  This year Ted positively perfected the Smoked Turducken and  Grilled Beef Tenderloin.  All the sides were prepared  in advance:  stuffing, Yorkshire Puddings, Brown sauce, Root Vegetable Mash, Green Bean Salad, Cranberry Sauce, and Chipotle Sauce, with one new addition.....Smoked Red Cabbage.  Only the Brussels Sprouts required last minute cooking. 

Smoked and Braised Red Cabbage

We decided to experiment with the cabbage because we already had the smoker fired up for ribs.  So we placed the cabbages on the upper rack to see if they would absorb the smoky flavour of the whisky chips.....and they did!  This takes a full day of cooking, but needs very little attention.  It made an enormous amount:  enough for 2 large family gatherings with leftovers. 

2 heads red cabbage, cored

2 tablespoons olive oil

6 slices bacon

2 onions, diced

1/3 cup maple syrup

1/3 cup red wine or cider vinegar

2 teaspoons caraway seeds

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon whole cloves

1 cup beef broth

1 cup apple cider

I apple, chopped

Drizzle the cored section of each cabbage with a little olive oil, and wrap the outer sections of the cabbages with foil, leaving the core exposed. 

Scatter soaked whiskey chips over the lit coals in the bottom of the smoker, and place the cabbages on the upper rack.  Smoke for about 4 hours, or until very tender.  Let cool slightly, then shred the cabbage.

Meanwhile, in a large stock pot, brown 6 slices of bacon.  Once the fat has been rendered, use the bacon for whatever purpose you choose (bacon bits for salad, or in a sandwich).  Add the diced onions to the fat, and cook until translucent.  Add the shredded cabbage and the remaining ingredients, and simmer for several hours, until most of the liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally, about 5 hours.

Serve as a side dish for any kind of roast or turkey.