Sweet Treats for The Christmas Cookie Tray

 

I always loved this time of year when my children were growing up. I would spend the few weeks in the run up to Christmas baking all sorts of treats for my children and family to enjoy over the holidays. I also used to like making up Christmas Cookie Trays as gifts for my family and friends. 

There wasn't always a lot of money to buy gifts for others, but I always knew that a cookie tray was something that could put a light in anyone's eyes!

Of course, my children had their favorites that they liked me to bake such as Candy Cane Cookies. Somehow mine never came off looking as pretty as they did in the magazines, but the children didn't mind. They loved them all the same.

Each year I would do them a gingerbread house or some other gingerbread creation.  I had so much fun decorating them.  This Gingerbread Cookie Wreath was always very popular.

One year I actually did a Gingerbread Tree, which took me hours and hours to decorate.  The children loved it!  It was covered with gummy bears and all sorts of sweeties.  The decorations slowly disappeared over the holidays, but I never did see anyone in particular eating them. It must have been the Elf on the Shelf.

One year I decorated our Christmas Tree with gingerbread men and popcorn & cranberry garlands.  That, I think, was my absolute favorite tree of all time.

I thought it would be fun today to share with you some of my favorite cookies that I like to bake for the holidays. I also thought it would be nice if you could share some of your favorites in the comments section. Let's share!

RASPBERRY THUMBPRINTS - It wouldn't be Christmas without a few of these on the cookie tray. They have a short buttery texture which is perfectly set off by the dollop of raspberry jam in the middle. I like to give them a sweet drizzle glaze to dress them up.

SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK SNOWBALLS -With only 5 ingredients, these make a quick and easy Christmas cookie. Everybody loves them. Not too sweet, they are puffy, but are very reminiscent of shortbreads. These are fabulously delicious.

SUGARED DATE SQUARES - Delectable little bites of Christmas happiness I only make once a year. There is no baking required. Dates, walnuts, crisp rice cereal, etc. Things are heated and mixed in a saucepan, then pressed into a pan. Once they are solid you cut into squares and roll them in icing sugar.  These are a real family favorite.

WHIPPED SHORTBREADS - These always turn out perfectly with no faffing about or trouble.  Easy peasy lemon squeasy as they say. Simply beat everything together, drop on the pan, decorate with a bit of cherry or some sprinkles and bake. These are the easiest and tastiest shortbread cookies you could ever make.

EGGNOG THUMBPRINTS - Crisp, short, buttery and filled with plenty of eggnog flavor. Mix up, roll into balls, indent the center and bake. A lush eggnog buttercream icing fills the center of the finished cookies.

ITALIAN CHRISTMAS COOKIES - These are not Biscotti in the sense of the crunchy dunking Italian Biscotti, but rather they are soft buttery vanilla pillows of scrumminess.  Adapted from a recipe found on The Merchant Baker.  These are simple, quick and delicious to make. Very pretty.

GINGERBREAD BISCOTTI - The smell of these cookies baking will rock your world to heaven and back again. Crisp and spicy, perfect with a nice hot cup of mocha.  These are beautiful on a cookie tray, or gift them to a good friend along with a nice mug and a container of their favorite coffee blend.

RUGELACH COOKIES - Crisp buttery cookies rolled around a delicious walnut, honey and cinnamon filling.  The recipe can be successfully cut in half, in which case I recommend you leave out the egg yolk. They are a tiny bit faffy, but well worth the effort. Plan ahead as the dough needs to chill. 

OLD FASHIONED GINGER CUTOUTS - Cut them into stars or gingerbread men, or whatever shape you wish to cut them into. These deliciously crisp and spicy cookies are a wonderful addition to any holiday tray.

DUTCH ALMOND COOKIES - These delicious cookies won a Christmas Cookie contest at Canadian Living Magazine. I clipped the recipe from the magazine years ago and have been making them every year since. Crisp, buttery, almondy with a sweet almond filling. These are fabulous. 

MARY BERRY'S SHORTBREAD - This is the perfect shortbread. Baked in a round, marked into wedges prior to baking.  I guarantee nobody will be sorry if you give them a tin filled with these short buttery cookies/biscuits!

And there you have it, some of my very favorite Christmas Bakes. This is by no stretch everything I love to bake at Christmas, but I can guarantee each of these recipes is an absolute winner!

What are the cookies/bakes you have to make each Christmas for your family?  Let's share recipes!

This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com 

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Sheet Pan Pork Tenderloin

 

I really love sheet pan dinners. They are so quick to throw together and usually cook very quickly. Everything altogether on one pan, no fuss, no muss and very little to clean up.

This recipe I am sharing with you today is one that I adapted from a recipe I found in the book Scrumptious, by Christy Denney, The Girl Who Ate Everything. 

 

Be careful not to confuse Pork Loin with Pork Tenderloin. They are not the same thing at all.  Pork tenderloin is the leanest most tender pieces of meat that you can buy but can also be a bit pricey because of that. 

The tenderloin is a long narrow, boneless piece of meat that runs along the backbone of the pig, whereas the pork loin is wider, flatter piece of meat coming from the back of the animal and can be found either bone in or bone out. 

Tenderloin cooks much faster than the loin and it is important to time it's cooking very carefully so that you don't dry it out.

 

It cooks a lot faster than the loin which lends itself beautifully to sheet pan cooking. I have always found that it also has a lot more flavor than many of the other cuts of pork.

It is a cut that I will cook more often than any other, partly because of its tenderness and partly because it cooks more quickly, and I am always looking for ways to get dinner on the table faster.

 

One thing which really appealed to me about this recipe was that everything cooks together and the whole meal is done in about half an hour tops, from start to finish.

I did cook some mashed potatoes to serve on the side, which cooked in about the same time as it took to cook the pork and the vegetables.

 

In the original recipe, she cooked green beans to go with the other vegetables and she added them in the last 5 to 7 minutes of cook time.   I'll be honest here. I don't really like roasted green beans that much.

I find that they don't get cooked properly enough for my liking and I am not fond of squeaky green beans. I do, however, really love brussels sprouts which lend themselves beautifully to oven roasting.  

They also happen to work wonderfully with both pork and with butternut squash.  The three together formed a triune of beautiful taste and textures, which I quite enjoyed.

The leftovers worked well as a hash the next day.

 

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE SHEET PAN PORK TENDERLOIN

You might be surprised at the simplicity of the ingredients required. There is nothing extraordinary here. Simple ingredients done well. 

• 1 1/4 pound (566g) pork tenderloin sliced into thick slices
• 3 TBS olive oil, divided
• 1 TBS Dijon mustard
• 1 TBS pure Maple syrup
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1/2 tsp dried summer savory (can use oregano)
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 10 ounces (284g) butternut squash, peeled and cubed
• 1/2 pound (8 ounces/228g) brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

 

 

I cut my pork into 2-inch-thick slices, which worked very well.  Not too thin, they cooked to perfection in the time allotted. 

Do trim off the silverskin before slicing the pork. Silverskin is a thick connective tissue which does not break down very easily. It must be removed prior to cooking because it is tough and chewy and doesn't dissolve during the cooking process, like fat does.

You can find an excellent video here on YouTube which perfectly illustrated how to trim it off. 

 

Don't be tempted to use pancake syrup. Pancake syrup and maple syrup are not the same thing. You could use honey in its place if you don't have maple syrup. 

 

Cut your vegetables into sizes that are all about the same. If your sprouts are larger, cut them in half lengthwise.  Making sure your vegetables are all of a similar size ensures that they will all be cooked in the same amount of time.

 

HOW TO MAKE SHEET PAN PORK TENDERLOIN

It's very simple really and if you are lucky, you might even find your squash already cubed, which really speeds up the prep time.

Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray the foil with some baking spray.

Place the pork slices on one end of the pan. Whisk together 1 TBS of the oil, the Dijon mustard, maple syrup, garlic, savory, and salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle this evenly over the pork.

 

Toss the butternut squash with 1 TBS of oil and season. Place next to the pork on the baking sheet.

Toss the brussels sprouts with the remaining TBS of oil and season. Place next to the butternut squash.

Roast in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, then check the temperature of the pork. It will be done perfectly at 145*F/63*C. If done, remove and keep warm.

Give the squash and sprouts a stir. If the pork is not quite done, flip it over. Bake for an additional 5 to 7 minutes. Everything should be perfect by then.

I like to serve this with fluffy mashed potatoes.

 

Applesauce would be very nice served as a relish for this, or you could make a small saucepan of Bisto gravy to serve on the side if you wanted things to be a bit saucier.

I enjoyed it just as is with a nice pat of butter on my potatoes.  The meat was tender and juicy and filled with flavor and the vegetables were perfectly cooked as well, just how I like them.

 

If you are looking for other sheet pan dinners might I suggest the following:

SHEETPAN PORCHETTA DINNER - In this delicious recipe pork tenderloin gets rubbed in a delicious herb mixture composed of garlic, fennel seeds, thyme and crushed red pepper flakes, and then wrapped in Prosciutto ham before baking on a sheet pan to perfection with an assortment of vegetables on the side. Its fabulously tasty! 

SHEET PAN SAUSAGE AND PEPPERS - Clearly simple. Clearly delicious. No fuss no muss. Delicious served in crusty rolls or with a crisp skinned jacket potato.  

Yield: 6

Author: Marie Rayner

Sheet Pan Pork Tenderloin

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 35 Min

Tender pork with squash and brussels sprouts, all cook together on one baking sheet. The pork is marinated in a sweet Dijon mustard sauce which pairs very well with the vegetables.

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 pound (566g) pork tenderloin sliced into thick slices
• 3 TBS olive oil, divided
• 1 TBS Dijon mustard
• 1 TBS pure Maple syrup
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1/2 tsp dried summer savory (can use oregano)
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 10 ounces (284g) butternut squash, peeled and cubed
• 1/2 pound (8 ounces/228g) brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray the foil with some baking spray.
2. Place the pork slices on one end of the pan. Whisk together 1 TBS of the oil, the Dijon mustard, maple syrup, garlic, savory, and salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle this evenly over the pork.
3. Toss the butternut squash with 1 TBS of oil and season. Place next to the pork on the baking sheet.
4. Toss the brussels sprouts with the remaining TBS of oil and season. Place next to the butternut squash.
5. Roast in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, then check the temperature of the pork. It will be done perfectly at 145*F/63*C. If done, remove and keep warm.
6. Give the squash and sprouts a stir. If the pork is not quite done, flip it over. Bake for an additional 5 to 7 minutes. Everything should be perfect by then.
7. I like to serve this with fluffy mashed potatoes.

Did you make this recipe?

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This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com 

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Corned Beef and Macaroni Casserole

 

 

It seems these days that every time I go to the grocery store my shopping cart is costing me more and more.  The cost of food is rising at an exorbitant rate!  I don't know how families are making ends meet.

This tasty casserole recipe I am sharing with you today comes from the pages of my big blue binder and it is a great way of making a bit of this and a bit of that stretch a long way in a most delicious way. It is a store cupboard family favorite! 

I am not a snob when it comes to using tinned meat. Whenever it is on offer, I will pick up a tin or two. Corned beef, Spam, chicken, ham, stewed beef, you name it. These are great items to have in the larder and are great money savers when it comes to feeding the family.

My children used to love this when I made it for them.  I confess, I love it too.  Its creamy and delicious and quite hearty. All you need on the side is some crusty bread, a vegetable and perhaps a salad of some sort.

 

These days it would be coleslaw of some sort as the cost of lettuce is going through the roof at the moment for some reason.  I like this Deli Coleslaw.  

This tangy cold salad is delicious.  It's quite different than your usual creamy coleslaw in that there is no mayonnaise involved, just a simple oil and vinegar dressing.  It goes great next to deli sandwiches or even on deli sandwiches!

And it makes the perfect side dish when you are serving a casserole.  It also lasts for days in the refrigerator, unlike the mayonnaise kind.

 

This Corned Beef and Macaroni Casserole is the type of dish your grandmother might have made or maybe even your mom. Hearty and delicious it goes together very quickly and uses basic store cupboard ingredients.

The recipe comes from the pages of my Big Blue Binder. I am pretty sure it is a recipe I got from my friend Leona probably 40 odd years ago now!

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE CORNED BEEF AND MACARONI CASSEROLE

Simple store cupboard ingredients.

• 1 cup (116g) dry macaroni
• 1 (12 oz/340g) tin of corned beef
• 1 cup (120g) grated strong cheddar cheese
• 1 cup (240ml) whole milk
• 1 can (10.74 oz/400g) tin of condensed cream of chicken soup
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 small onion, peeled and minced
• 3/4 cup (45g) cracker crumbs
• 1 TBS butter, melted

 

I am not a tinned corned beef snob. It comes in really handy.  We enjoy it in Corned Beef hash and even in sandwiches.  In the UK, you can buy it sliced and ready to pop into sandwiches and they are delicious!

I am also not a tinned soup snob. I always buy several cans when it comes on offer. It is very useful for things like casseroles such as this one.  In the UK, know that I mean condensed soup, such as Batchelors. This is the kind of soup that you need to add milk or water to.

HOW TO MAKE CORNED BEEF AND MACARONI CASSEROLE

This is a very simple and quick make, which makes it the ideal weeknight casserole for these busy days before the holidays when we don't know if we are coming and going!

Preheat the oven to 375*F/190*C/ gas mark 5. Butter an 8-inch square, 2-inch-deep baking dish. Set aside.

Cook the macaroni according to the package directions until just al dente. Drain well and then return to the saucepan. Mix in the milk and soup until well combined. Season lightly with salt and black pepper. Stir in the cheddar cheese and onion. Crumble in the corned beef.

 

Turn this mixture into the prepared casserole dish. Stir together the cracker crumbs and melted butter. Sprinkle this evenly over top of the casserole dish. Cover tightly with foil.

Bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for a further 15 minutes until the cracker crumbs are nice and golden brown and the casserole is bubbling.

Serve hot with a vegetable, some crusty bread and salad of some type on the side.

If you are not fond of tinned corned beef you can use other meats in its place. Ham, cooked hamburger, chicken, etc.  All work well. Even tuna or salmon would be nice.

It's a great way to make your food dollar stretch. For the smaller family, it also freezes very well. Just break it down into two casseroles, bake one and freeze the other.

I can say with authority as well that any leftovers are brilliant fried up in some butter in a skillet. (Yes, I am that person!)

If you are looking to stretch your food dollars, might I suggest the following delicious recipes:

AMERICAN CHOP SUEY

 A delicious spin on an old family favorite with plenty of meat, sauce, pasta and vegetables.  You can vary the cost depending on the meat you choose to use.  Obviously ground steak will cost more than hamburger or ground turkey. This is comfort food pure and simple.  The pasta helps to stretch things and keeps everything nice and hearty.  A bit of bread and some salad on the side and dinner is served!   

OVEN ROASTED SMOKED SAUSAGE AND POTATOES 

This easy recipe for sausage and potatoes in the oven has to be one of my most popular recipes on here.  It has had literally millions of views.  No surprise there. This is a FABULOUS recipe.

I love sheet pan suppers.  They are so quick and easy to make and when you are talking about smoked sausage and potatoes, DELICIOUS as well!  In this house we like to enjoy this with tinned baked beans!  But any vegetable would work well on the side!

 

 

Yield: 4

Author: Marie Rayner

Macaroni & Corned Beef Casserole

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 1 HourTotal time: 1 H & 10 M

This store cupboard special is a really tasty money saver! Old fashioned delicious. This is the type of dish your grandmother would have cooked.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (116g) dry macaroni
• 1 (12 oz/340g) tin of corned beef
• 1 cup (120g) grated strong cheddar cheese
• 1 cup (240ml) whole milk
• 1 can (10.74 oz/400g) tin of condensed cream of chicken soup
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 small onion, peeled and minced
• 3/4 cup (45g) cracker crumbs
• 1 TBS butter, melted

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375*F/190*C/ gas mark 5. Butter an 8-inch square, 2-inch-deep baking dish. Set aside.
2. Cook the macaroni according to the package directions until just al dente. Drain well and then return to the saucepan. Mix in the milk and soup until well combined. Season lightly with salt and black pepper. Stir in the cheddar cheese and onion. Crumble in the corned beef.
3. Turn this mixture into the prepared casserole dish.
4. Stir together the cracker crumbs and melted butter. Sprinkle this evenly over top of the casserole dish. Cover tightly with foil.
5. Bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for a further 15 minutes until the cracker crumbs are nice and golden brown and the casserole is bubbling.
6. Serve hot with a vegetable, some crusty bread and salad of some type on the side.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @marierayner5530 on instagram and hashtag it # marierayner5530

This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com 

Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again! 

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