Ninth Annual Bake and Booze

All the walkers minus Lynn gathered at Kris’ house for our traditional Bake and Booze event where we share some festive cocktails while baking our favourite cookies to divie up.  Aside from the great fun and laughs we have together it is nice to have a tin of Christmas treats at the ready for when family members start drifting home for the holidays.  Bev fueled the fun with her Whoopie Machine White Sangria which is much more potent than it seems, and Barb and Terry provided some nibbles.  Once all the cookies were prepared and cooling we sat down to a light meal of soup, two spinach salads and some yummy cheese biscuits.  I remembered the next day that I was supposed to make skewers of something or other for the grill but that detail fell off my radar in the busyness of the season. 

Our beautiful and gracious hostess!

 Barb’s Ham and Gruyere Pinwheels

1 package (397grams) frozen puff pastry, thawed

1 egg

FILLING:

1/2 cup  mango chutney, strained

115 grams thinly sliced Black Forest ham

1/2 cup shredded Gruyere cheese

On floured surface, roll out half of the pastry into 12 inch square.

FILLING: Leaving 1/2 inch  border, spread half of the mango  chutney over pastry square. Arrange half of the ham in a single layer over top; top with half of the cheese.

Whisk egg with 1 tbsp water; brush lightly over border. Roll up firmly into cylinder; pinch seam to seal. Repeat with remaining pastry, filling , and egg mixture. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

Using serrated knife, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices. Arrange on  baking sheets. Bake at 425 degrees  until golden, about 15 minutes.

Makes about 30 pieces.

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

1 butternut squash

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 apple, peeled, cored and sliced

3 cups vegetable or chicken stock

1 can coconut milk

Juice of ½ lime

Salt, to taste

For the Spice Mixture:

3 tablespoons coriander

2 tablespoons ground turmeric

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seed

1 1/2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns

1 teaspoon fenugreek seed

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1/2 teaspoon ground clove

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

For the Garnish:

Chopped fresh cilantro

Toasted unsweetened coconut flakes

Preheat oven or barbecue to 400°F.  Halve the squash, scoop out the seeds, and place them cut side down on a baking sheet.  Bake for 45 minutes, until very soft, remove from heat and let cool.

While the squash is baking, combine all the spice ingredients in a spice mill or grind with a mortar and pestle. (you will not use the entire mixture in the soup but it can be stored in an air tight container for several months).

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large pot and add the onions and peppers.  Cook until very tender, stirring occasionally.  Add the apples, ginger and garlic, stir for a minute until very fragrant, and sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the spice mixture over top.  Mix thoroughly, then pour in the stock.  Peel the skin from the squash and place all the flesh in the pot.  Simmer until the apples are very tender, then let cool slightly before pureeing in batches in a blender.  Return the soup to the pot and stir in the coconut milk and lime juice.  Season with salt to taste, and add more of the spice mixture if desired.  Heat gently before spooning into warm bowls or mugs.  Garnish with cilantro and coconut flakes. 

Grandma Harris’s sugar cookies

Bev and her daughter Nora co-produced these beauties!

3 ½ c flour

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1 c shortening

1 ½ c sugar

2 well-beaten eggs

1 ½ tsp vanilla

royal icing to decorate, if desired

Beat sugar and shortening. Add eggs and vanilla.

Sift dry ingredients together. Stir into wet ingredients.

Do not chill dough. Roll out immediately and cut with your favourite shapes. 

Bake 400° 6 – 8 minutes.   Let cool well before decorating.

Nancy took a lot of grief for her bottled dressing, but it was delicious!

Savoury Ched­dar Cheese-Rosemary Biscuits

....adapted from Ruby Watcho Cheddar Cheese Biscuits

(makes 12 biscuits)

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp gran­u­lated sugar
1 tbsp bak­ing pow­der
¹⁄₂ tsp bak­ing soda
¹⁄₂ tsp pep­per

½ tsp cayenne pepper
¹⁄₂ tsp salt
6 tbsp cold but­ter, cut in pieces
1 ¹⁄₄ cups grated old ched­dar cheese
1 cup but­ter­milk(or 7/8 cup milk + 2 tbsp white vinegar)
1 egg, beaten with 1 tbsp milk

1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped
Coarse salt for sprinkling

Pre­heat oven to 400°F.
Com­bine first7 ingre­di­ents in a food proces­sor and blend. Add chunks of butter and pulse until mix­ture resem­bles coarse crumbs. Add grated cheese and pulse until com­bined. Add but­ter­milk, and puls­e until the mix­ture clumps to form a ball.
Trans­fer the dough to a lightly floured sur­face. Sprinkle chopped rosemary on top and knead lightly, then shape dough into a large ball. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and chill at least 30 min­utes.
On a lightly floured sur­face, roll dough into 3/4-inch thick­ness, then cut into 3-inch bis­cuits, using a round cookie cutter, or glass jar. Gather scraps to form additional biscuits.

 Place on ungreased or parchment lined cookie sheet.

 Brush with egg mix­ture and sprin­kle with coarse salt.
Bake in the oven for 20 min­utes or until golden brown and flaky. Serve warm.