I am sharing another favorite Christmas cookie with you today. It just wouldn't be Christmas without some of these delicious Walnut Cherry Slices on the cookie tray!
Short, crisp, buttery and studded with plenty of red and green candied cherries and toasted walnuts. No, you are not going blind. There are no walnuts in my cookies.
I left them out this time because my family here in Nova Scotia are not overly fond of them! I added extra cherries in their place!
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These cookies are very much a holiday tradition here in the Maritimes, and something which I grew up with. They have a lovely texture very similar to a short bread cookie with lots of bits of sweet cherries in them.
I always try to use both red and green cherries, which really gives them a festive look! I would never ice these as it would make them far too sweet for my liking. I do, personally, like toasted walnuts in them, but . . . you know.
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You can also keep it wrapped in the refrigerator for a week or so, ready to slice and bake as and when you want them.
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They really make a beautiful show on the Christmas Cookie tray, especially if you use both red and green cherries. In terms of ease, these are quite simply one of my favorite cookies to bake.
But then I am a huge fan of the slice and bake cookie. My Washboard Cookies are a slice and bake cookie as are my Mom's Butterscotch Cookies.
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WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE WALNUT CHERRY SLICES
Very simple baking ingredients. You probably have everything but the glace cherries and those can easily be purchased at the shops.
- 1 cup (240g) butter, softened
- 1 cup (130g) sifted icing sugar
- 1 large free-range egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 (315g) cups plain all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (116g) chopped toasted walnuts (my family is not overly fond of walnuts, so I just add extra cherries)
- 2 cups (450g) chopped candied cherries
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Glace cherries (also known as candied cherries) are fresh cherries that have been simmered in a thick sugar syrup until they are "candied." Cherries have been preserved in this way since the 14th century.
They can be found in the grocery store along with any other candied fruit that might be used in making fruit cakes.
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If you are using walnuts (and I love them with walnuts myself), do toast them. You will find the flavor of the nuts is so much better when they are toasted.
You can either do this in a dry skillet over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, or you can spread them out on a baking sheet and toast them in a moderate oven (350*F/180*C) for 5 to 10 minutes. Leave them to cool before using.
Keep a watch on them as they can go from perfect to burnt in seconds.
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As with any ingredients you are going to use in baking, it is better that they all be at room temperature. This ensures a much more even and reliable result. This goes for butter, eggs, milk, flour, etc.
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HOW TO MAKE WALNUT CHERRY SLICES
Nothing could be easier.
Cream the butter and icing sugar together in a bowl for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until well incorporated
Beat in the flour until well combined, and then fold in the chopped cherries and nuts (if using). Use a wooden spoon to stir these through the cookie dough and be gentle so as not to break them up too much.
Turn the dough out onto a sheet of non-stick baking or wax paper. Shape into a long log, about 18 inches in length. Roll the log in the paper, twisting the ends tightly. Wrap again in plastic wrap.
Refrigerate for one hour if you are planning to bake on the day. You can refrigerate the cookie dough for 3-5 days or freeze for up to 3 months. (If frozen, remove dough from freezer and allow to sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes and continue with the following steps.)
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When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 325*F/165*C/ gas mark 3. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper and set it aside.
Unwrap the cookie log. Using a sharp knife, cut the log into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
Lay the slices onto the prepared baking sheet leaving an inch of space in between cookies. Bake for 12 minutes or until the bottom edge of the cookies has turned golden brown.
Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring cookies to a wire rack to finish cooling. Store in an airtight container.
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These really are one of my favorite Christmas cookies. Don't be tempted to use maraschino cherries to make these. They are not the same as glace cherries. In the US if you are having a problem finding them a very popular brand is Paradise, and these can be found online on Amazon.
Don't worry about using them up. I have lots of recipes on here where you will be able to use them, and they are not all Christmas recipes.
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Some of those recipes are:
ROCKY ROAD BROWNIES - Rocky Road Brownies are a glorious amalgamation of dense and fudgy, filled with toasted nuts, candied cherries and loads of chocolate flavor. Topped with a fudgy icing and mini marshmallows.
CHERRY AND VANILLA SCONES - Buttery and light and perfect split and filled with jam and cream. Delicious served with a nice hot cup of tea, herbal or otherwise.
Yield: 30 cookies
Walnut Cherry Slices
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 12 MinInactive time: 1 HourTotal time: 1 H & 27 M
You can prepare the dough for these delicious Christmas cookies ahead of time and freeze. (Up to a month in advance.) When ready to bake, just slice and bake until done. It wouldn't be Christmas without these! Plan ahead as the dough for these needs to chill for at least an hour. (I prefer overnight, myself.)
Ingredients
- 1 cup (240g) butter, softened
- 1 cup (130g) sifted icing sugar
- 1 large free-range egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 (315g) cups plain all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (116g) chopped toasted walnuts (my family is not overly fond of walnuts, so I just add extra cherries)
- 2 cups (450g) chopped candied cherries
Instructions
- Cream the butter and icing sugar together in a bowl for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until well incorporated
- Beat in the flour until well combined, and then fold in the chopped cherries and nuts (if using). Use a wooden spoon to stir these through the cookie dough and be gentle so as not to break them up too much.
- Turn the dough out onto a sheet of non-stick baking or wax paper. Shape into a long log, about 18 inches in length. Roll the log in the paper, twisting the ends tightly. Wrap again in plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate for one hour if you are planning to bake on the day. You can refrigerate the cookie dough for 3-5 days or freeze for up to 3 months. (If frozen, remove dough from freezer and allow to sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes and continue with the following steps.)
- When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 325*F/165*C/ gas mark 3. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper and set it aside.
- Unwrap the cookie log. Using a sharp knife, cut the log into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
- Lay the slices onto the prepared baking sheet leaving an inch of space in between cookies. Bake for 12 minutes or until the bottom edge of the cookies has turned golden brown.
- Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring cookies to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Store in an airtight container.
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It's been rather a cold blustery day here in Nova Scotia today. I fancied making myself some soup. I had picked up a lovely looking cauliflower when I was out with my sister the other day so thought I would use that. I love cauliflower soup, and especially cauliflower cheese soup.
I actually cut this recipe in half but am showing you the full-sized measurements. It is rich and creamy, and just cheesy enough.
Cauliflower Cheese is one of my absolute favorite things to eat. I could make a meal of that without anything else on the plate. I also love it when I mix broccoli in as well.
Cauliflower cheese as a soup is also really delicious, and something which I enjoy.
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This recipe I am sharing today is very elegant and not boring in the least. It is rich and creamy and filled with lovely flavors. I adapted it from a recipe I found in a Gooseberry Patch Cookery book, entitled, "A Very Merry Christmas Cookbook."
I enjoyed it as a supper dish along with some tasty bread, but it would also make an excellent first course for a dinner party or celebratory dinner.
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WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE CAULIFLOWER & CHEESE SOUP
Very simple ingredients. Nothing extraordinary here.
- 1 head cauliflower, chopped
- 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
- 2 sticks celery, trimmed and chopped
- 4 cups (950ml) chicken broth
- 2 cups (480ml) whipping cream
- 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup (120g) grated sharp cheddar cheese
- salt and white pepper to taste
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HINTS AND TIPS
When you are preparing the celery, remove the strings. Your pureed soup with be much smoother if you do. I just take a sharp knife and hold the end of each string between my thumb and the knife and pull down. The strings pull right out. Discard them.
Don't let the soup come to a boil after you have added the cream and the cheese, or it will curdle.
If you want a really smooth finish, put the soup through a fine sieve before you add the cream and the cheese. Discard any solids.
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Use a nice strong/sharp farmhouse cheddar for this if you can get it. The flavor can't be beat!
If you want, you can garnish the soup with some chopped chives for even more color. They would also add a hint of sharpness that would be quite nice with the flavor of the cauliflower and the cheese.
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HOW TO MAKE CAULIFLOWER & CHEESE SOUP
This is really very simple. As I mentioned above, for a smoother finish you can press the cooked vegetable mixture through a sieve, although I do not mention that in the recipe. Its a personal preference of mine.
Combine the cauliflower, onion, celery and chicken broth in a large saucepan. Bring to the boil over high heat, then reduce to low and simmer until the cauliflower is very tender.
Working in batches, transfer the mixture to a blender and process until pureed. Return to the soup pot.
Blend in the cream, Worcestershire sauce and cheese. Season to taste with the salt and pepper, mixing all in well together.
Cook over medium heat until thickened and heated through. I like to sprinkle some more cheese and chopped parsley on top to serve.
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I served mine with a really delicious Fizzy Soda Bread. It went very nicely. Crackers would be nice as would crusty rolls or bread.
This was a really simple, delicious soup. Perfect for a light lunch or a first course. Enjoy!
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If you are a fan of cauliflower in general, you might also enjoy the following recipes:
TWICE BAKED CAULIFLOWER CHEESE POTATOES - Two of my favorite things all rolled into one! Cauliflower Cheese and Twice Baked Potatoes. Let me tell you, it doesn't get much better than this!! These are fabulously tasty!
LOADED CAULIFLOWER & CHICKEN CASSEROLE - This is low carb, gluten and sugar free and is very diabetic and keto friendly! I might also add it's incredibly simple to make and very delicious!
Yield: 4
Cauliflower Cheese Soup
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 35 Min
This is heartwarming and delicious. A real favorite.
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower, chopped
- 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
- 2 sticks celery, trimmed and chopped
- 4 cups (950ml) chicken broth
- 2 cups (480ml) whipping cream
- 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup (120g) grated sharp cheddar cheese
- salt and white pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine the cauliflower, onion, celery and chicken broth in a large saucepan. Bring to the boil over high heat, then reduce to low and simmer until the cauliflower is very tender.
- Working in batches, transfer the mixture to a blender and process until pureed. Return to the soup pot.
- Blend in the cream, Worcestershire sauce and cheese. Season to taste with the salt and pepper, mixing all in well together.
- Cook over medium heat until thickened and heated through.
- I like to sprinkle some more cheese and chopped parsley on top to serve.
I thought I would give you the recipe for the bread that I prepared to serve with this. It was delicious as well. It was actually meant to be biscuits, but the dough was far too wet to cut, so I just spread it into the baking tin.
Once baked it was very easy to cut into squares and was lovely.
It has a beautiful light texture and a somewhat tangy flavor. The bottom was lovely and buttery. I quite enjoyed it. This would go well with any soup, salad, stew, etc.
Yield: 12 squares
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Fizzy Soda Bread
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 25 Min
This is light, buttery, and delicious. We like it with soup, stews or salads.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (240g) biscuit baking mix
- 1/2 cup (120g) dairy sour cream
- 1/2 cup (120ml) lemon lime soda
- 1/4 cup (60g) butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450*F/230*C/ gas mark 7. Have ready an 8-inch square pan.
- Measure the baking mix into a bowl. Drop in the sour cream and cut it into the baking mix using a pastry blender or two round bladed knives.
- Add the soda and mix until you get a dough.
- Melt the butter in the bottom of the 8-inch pan. Spread the dough in the pan on top of the butter.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes until golden brown. Cut into squares to serve.
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I have been craving Chinese food for weeks and weeks now. I could probably just take myself to a Chinese restaurant if I wanted to, but to be honest the food at the restaurant here in town is the pits. The best one is in the next town over and when I think about driving all the way there, I end up just eating whatever I have in the house.
Sometimes I do go with my father and his friends for a Chinese meal, but that is a very rare occurrence. I am not one to go out and eat all by myself. Where is the fun in that.
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It's not often that our local grocery store has flank steak for sale. When my sister and I were there yesterday we spied to packages of it. I snapped up one and she snapped up the other.
And then I headed to the produce aisle to pick up some broccoli so I could make myself a stir fry for my supper.
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I love, Love, LOVE Beef and Broccoli. It is one of my favorite Chinese dishes. I had spied a tasty looking Mongolian Beef & Broccoli recipe the other day however, and I wanted to try that.
I have adapted this recipe for Mongolian Beef & Broccoli with noodles from one I found on a page called Creme de la Crumb. The original recipe was sized for four people. I small batched it to feed only two.
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I chose that recipe because I happened to have all of the ingredients needed in my larder. I keep a whole shelf on the door of my refrigerator stocked with ingredients to make Chinese food.
I also love any Chinese dish that contains noodles. One thing I used to love ordering when I lived in the UK was the Singapore noodles with vermicelli.
My husband hated it because he didn't like noodles, but oh well, more for me!
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WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE MONGOLIAN BEEF & BROCCOLI WITH NOODLES
It looks like a long list, but really once you have gathered all of the components, this is a dish that goes together in a flash!
- 1/3 cup (80ml) soy sauce
- 1/4 cup (60ml) water
- 1/4 cup (50g) soft light brown sugar
- 1 tsp. minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp. sriracha sauce
- 1 TBS hoisin sauce
- 1 TBS rice wine vinegar
- 1 1/2 TBS cold water + 1 tsp. corn starch (corn flour)
- 1 cup broccoli florets
- 1 TBS light olive oil
- 3/4 lb. (340g) stir fry beef - or very thin sliced steak
- 1 package ramen noodles - boiled until tender and drained
- chopped spring onions - for garnish (optional)
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Use the freshest broccoli that you can find and then cut your broccoli into bite sized pieces. Cut any larger florets in half. You don't want anything larger than a bite.
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If you are slicing your own steak to use in this, it's much easier to slice it thinly if your steak is partially frozen. I don't really like buying stir fry strips of beef. I find them to be too thick. I prefer to cut my own.
I highly recommend using flank or sirloin steak for this, but you can use whatever steak you wish. It is so thin and so quickly cooked it won't be tough anyways.
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My son told me about these Ramen noodles a few months ago. The brand is Indomie Mi goreng fried noodles. They are lovely. I like them much more than other kinds. You can find them at Walmart and on Amazon and in the grocery stores.
They come with seasoning powders and oils in the packets. You won't need them for this recipe. Just the noodles.
My grandsons have gotten the prep of these noodles down to an art form. They delighted in showing me how they make them on their recent visit to me. They really are delicious.
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HOW TO MAKE MONGOLIAN BEEF & BROCCOLI WITH NOODLES
This is a really quick and easy dish to make, especially if you have all of your ingredients measured, prepped, gathered and grouped prior to beginning cooking.
Whisk the soy sauce, water, brown sugar, garlic, sriracha sauce, hoisin sauce, and rice wine vinegar together in a cup. Set aside.
Heat your oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef strips and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes. Add the broccoli florets and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes longer.
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Whisk the cold water and corn starch together in a small bowl until the corn starch dissolves.
Add ingredients in the sauce cup to the skillet and bring to a boil. Whisk in corn starch slurry until the sauce thickens. Reduce the heat to low.
Stir in noodles, and heat through. Garnish with spring onions if desired and serve.
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I really REALLY enjoyed this dish, and it satisfied my Chinese food craving, for the time being anyways! It was quick and easy to make and incredibly delicious.
You could serve it with steamed rice if you wanted to or add extra vegetables if you like. I was quite fond of it just as is. If you like your food really spicy why not add some dried chili flakes?
A sprinkle of chopped salted peanuts on top is also very nice. I was in such a hurry to eat this that I completely forgot to sprinkle the spring onions on top before I took all my photos! They do add a nice sharpness to the dish so don't leave them out!
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VEGETABLE CHOW MEIN - What if I told you that you could fix a quick and easy Vegetable Chow Mien which is delicious and nutritious and contains plenty of crunch and color? I have used fresh cabbage, carrots, cooking onions, and spring onions along with some fresh bean sprouts, mushrooms and a few water chestnuts for plenty of crunch. This is simply delicious.
QUICK AND EASY FIRECRACKER CHICKEN - Quick, easy, spicy and delicious!Chunks of crispy chicken in a sweet and spicy glaze. This quick and easy dinner option is sure to be popular with the family! I served it with steamed rice and broccoli spears.
Yield: 2
Mongolian Beef & Broccoli with Noodles
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 25 Min
Perfectly cooked beef and crispy tender broccoli in a spicy sweet and garlicky sauce with noodles. Delicious!
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup (80ml) soy sauce -
- 1/4 cup (60ml) water
- 1/4 cup (50g) soft light brown sugar
- 1 tsp. minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp. sriracha sauce
- 1 TBS hoisin sauce
- 1 TBS rice wine vinegar
- 1 1/2 TBS cold water + 1 tsp. corn starch (corn flour)
- 1 cup broccoli florets
- 1 TBS light olive oil
- 3/4 lb. (340g) stir fry beef - or very thin sliced steak
- 1 package ramen noodles - boiled until tender and drained
- chopped spring onions - for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Whisk the soy sauce, water, brown sugar, garlic, sriracha sauce, hoisin sauce, and rice wine vinegar together in a cup. Set aside.
- Heat your oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef strips and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes. Add the broccoli florets and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes longer.
- Whisk the cold water and corn starch together in a small bowl until the corn starch dissolves.
- Add ingredients in the sauce cup to the skillet and bring to a boil. Whisk in corn starch slurry until the sauce thickens. Reduce the heat to low.
- Stir in noodles, and heat through. Garnish with spring onions if desired and serve.
Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
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