Over here in the UK, Christmas Dinner is fondly referred to as Christmas Lunch. It's usually served early to mid afternoon on Christmas Day . . . so it's a late lunch or very early supper, planned to be finished by the time the Queen's speech is broadcast on the afternoon telly. This always occurs around 3 PM, so by then most people will have stuffed themselves with an enjoyable meal and then be sitting back to enjoy the rest of their Christmas Day.

I thought that it would be fun this week to go through a variety of courses and recipes for Christmas lunch. That way you might find some new ideas, or new ways of presenting old ideas and still have time to make any purchases needed in order to be able to prepare them.

Today I am doing starters, or first courses. I can promise you there is nothing here that is complicated or incredibly labour intensive. Most have aspects which can be done ahead of time, which is always a bonus. During my years as a personal chef, I got to be quite good at putting together easy and delicious starters for the many, many dinner parties I catered to. These are some of the best!



*Pickled Prawns on Bitter Greens*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

Plan ahead as the prawns need at least an hour to marinate. Pretty, colourful and delicious.

185ml of verjuice (3/4 cup Can use lemon juice if
you are unable to get verjuice)
2 TBS caster sugar (superfine)
1 bay leaf
1 short cucumber, peeled, seeded and finely diced
1/2 red onion, peeled and finely diced
2 pounds of cooked tiger prawns, peeled, deveined, leaving tails intact
1 3/4 ounce mizuna leaves
1 3/4 ounc rocket leaves (arugula)
1/2 head of radicchio, leaves torn
2 TBS extra virgin olive oil

Combine the verjuice, sugar, and bay n a small saucepan over medium heat. Heat gently for 2 minutes, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Set aside to cool.

Place the cucumber, onion and prawns in a non metallic bowl. Add the verjuice mixture and stir well. Cover and chill for at least one hour.

Place the salad leaves into a serving bowl. Remove the prawns from the marinade and toss together with the salad leaves. Combine the olive oil and 2 fluid ounces (1/4 cup) of the marinade by whisking together in a small bowl. Drizzle over the salad and serve.

Note: if desired the salad leaves and prawns can be divided amongst 6 individual chilled serving plates and drizzled with dressing to serve.



*Seared Scallops with Parsley and Lemon Butter*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

These are really special. A bit on the pricey side, but then again, it is Christmas. Amazingly quick and easy too.

18 scallops on the shell
60g unsalted butter, chopped (`/4 cup
the finely grated zest of 1/2 unwaxed lemon
2 TBS fresh lemon juice
1 TBS olive oil
1 1/2 TBS finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

Remove the scallops from the shells using a sharp knife. Rinse and dry the shells. Set aside.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the lemon juice and zest and stir to combine.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add the oil. Sear the scallops in two batches for 30 seconds on each side, or until golden brown, adding a little more oil if necessary. Remove from the pan and place on the prepared shells. Drizzle with a little lemon butter and sprinkle with parsley. Serve.



*Potted Prawns*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

This needs a chilling time of at least 3 hours, so do plan ahead. It is a lot easier than it looks. Impressive.

4 pounds of raw large prawns, peeled and deveined
50g of unsalted butter (1 3/4 ounces)
2 tsp sea salt
60ml of thick cream (1/4 cup)
2 TBS roughly chopped fresh tarragon
1 TBS fresh lemon juice
2 TBS freshly snipped chives
chopped fresh flat leaf parsley to serve
crisp melba toasts to serve

Lightly butter 6 1/2-cup ramekins. Set aside.

Place the prawns into the bowl of a food processor and chop roughly, only a couple of pulses.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped prawns and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 3 minutes or until the prawns are pink and just cooked through. (Do not overcook or they will be rubbery.) Remove from the heat immediately and stir in the cream, lemon juice, tarragon and chives.

Divide the mixture between the prepared ramekins, pressing down to remove any air bubbles. Allow to cool, then cover and chill in the refrigerator for 3 hours or until set. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley to serve, and serve along with some crisp melba toasts.



*Spiced Butternut Squash Soup*
Serves 4 to 6
Printable Recipe

A delightfully spiced soup topped with a delicious ginger cream swirl. Fantastic!

1 tsp cumin seeds
1 TBS olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic, peeled and chopped
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp dried chilli flakes
750g of peeled butternut squash, chopped (1 3/4 pound)
1 litre vegetable stock (4 cups)
100g of bacon lardons (3 1/2 ounces)
1 TBS finely chopped fresh coriander leaves (Cilantro)

For the Ginger Cream:
90g ounces sour cream (1/3 cup)
2 1/2 fluid ounces double cream (1/3 cup)
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 tsp lemon juice
1 TBS finely chopped fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)

Place the cumin seeds into a small frying pan. Heat over medium heat until they become very fragrant. Remove from the heat and crush using a pestle and mortar until finely ground.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and cook over medium heat to soften without colouring. Add the garlic, ginger, cumin, ground coriander and chilli flakes. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Add the squash and stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until the squash is very soft.

While the squash is cooking, fry the bacon lardons in a small frying pan until golden brown and crisp.

To make the ginger cream, combine the sour cream, cream, ginger and lemon juice in a small bowl, beating together until slightly thickened. Fold in the chopped coriander.

Blend or process the soup until smooth. Return to a clean saucepan and reheat gently over low heat. (This much can be done ahead and reheated on the day.) Ladle the hot soup into heated bowls and top each with a dollop of the ginger cream and a sprinkle of fresh coriander and bacon lardons. Delicious!



*Mushroom Tartlettes*
Makes 12
Printable Recipe

Rich little tartlettes with a delicious filling of chestnut mushrooms, roasted chestnuts and Madiera.

For the Pastry:
100g (7 TBS) unsalted butter, chilled and diced, plus more for greasing
225g plain flour, plus extra for dusting (2 cups)
pinch salt

For the Filling:
1 1/2 TBS unsalted butter
1 tsp olive oil
1 shallot, peeled and minced
1 clove of garlic, peeled and minced
8 roasted chestnuts, peeled and roughly chopped
200g chestnut mushrooms, chopped (a scant half pound)
2 TBS Madiera
150ml double cream (5 fluid ounces)
1 large free range egg, plus 1 egg yolk
fine seasalt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
chopped fresh parsley to serve

First make the pastry. Sift the flour into a large bowl. Add the salt and then rub in the cold butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add a little cold water, just enough to bring the dough together. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly. Divide the dough in half.

Butter and flour 12 3-inch patty tins.

Roll out each half of the pastry to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out 3 1/2 inch rounds. Place each into the prepared patty pans. Place in the refrigerator while you make the filling.

Melt the butter with the oil in a small skillet. Add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 8 minutes until softened, without browning. Add the chestnuts and mushrooms and cook, stirring for several minutes. Add the Madiera and cook for a few minutes longer. Set aside and let cool.

Pre-heat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Take the patty pans out of the fridge. Line each with some baking parchment and fill with baking beans. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Carefully lift out the paper and beans. Reduce the oven temperature to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5.

Whisk the cream, whole egg and egg yolk into the cooled mushroom mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide the mixture between the baked cases. Bake for 10 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing from the tin. Scatter with chopped fresh parsley and serve.



*A Festive Prawn Cocktail*
Serves 8
Printable Recipe

Very pretty and always very popular. You can make all the elements ahead of time, just putting together the final cocktails quickly at serving time. (Toss the avocado cubes with a bit of lime juice to help prevent browning, or cube them at the very last.)

125ml of tomato ketchup ( 4 fluid ounces, 1/2 cup)
1 tsp chilli sauce
1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
2 1/2 pounds of cooked tiger prawns
2 ruby grapefruits
1/2 small head of iceberg lettuce, shredded
2 ripe avocados, peeled, stoned and diced

For the Mayonnaise:
2 large egg yolks
1 tsp english mustard powder
1 tsp salt
300ml peanut oil (10 fluid ounces, 1 1/4 cups)
1 tsp white wine vinegar
white pepper to taste

To Garnish:
lime slices
fresh dill

Make the mayonnaise. Put the egg yolks into a bowl and add the mustard powder, salt, and white pepper to taste. Beat together well. Using a stick blender or an electric whisk add the oil one drop at a timeat a time, making sure that you work very slowly and the oil is incorporated as you whisk. Do not try to rush this. Once the mixture begins to thicken and stiffen, whisk in the vinegar and then continue to dribble in the remaining olive oil in a thin stream, whisking constantly until you have used up all the oil and you have a thick mayonnaise.

Mix the mayonnaise, tomato ketchup, chili sauce and Worcestershire Sauce together in a small bowl. Cover and chill until required.

Remove the heads from the prawns and peel off the shells, leaving the tails intact. Slit along the length of the back of each with a very sharp knife and remove and discard the dark vein. Set aside.

Cut a slice off from the top and bottom of each grapefruit. Peel off the skin and any pith with a sharp knife. Cut in between the membranes to section into segments.

When ready to serve, make a bed of shredded lettuce in the base of 8 chilled glass dishes. Divide the prawns and grapefruit segments and avocado cubes between them. Spoon over the mayonnaise dressing. Serve with a garnish of lime slices and dill sprigs.



*Chicken Liver pate*
Serves 4 to 6
Printable Recipe

A delicious pate which goes great with melba toasts, or crisp crackers.

7 ounces butter (7/8 cup)
8 ounces chicken livers, thawed if frozen
2 TBS brandy
1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh sage
1 clove of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
150ml double cream (5 fluid ounces)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
fresh bay or sage leaves
melba toast or crisp crackers to serve

Melt 1 1/2 ounces of the butter in a large heavy skillet. Once it begins to foam add the chicken livers and cook over medium heat for about 4 minutes on each side. They should be browned on the outsides and still pink in the centres. Transfer to a food processor and blitz until finely chopped.

Stir the brandy into the frying pan, scraping up any browned bit with a wooden spoon. Add this to the food processor along with the chopped sage and 3 1/2 ounces of the remaining butter. Process until smooth. Add the cream, season with salt and pepper to taste, and process until thoroughly combined and smooth. Divide amongst individual ramekins, smoothing the surface over.

Melt the remaining butter in a small saucepan. Pour the melted butter carefully over top of the chilled ramekins to cover the pate, discarding any milky sediment left in the pan. Decorate with a sage or fresh bay leaf. Allow to cool, then cover and chill in the refrigerator.

Serve with melba toast or crisp crackers.



Over in The Cottage today, a delicious Turnip and Jerusalem Artichoke Soup.

One of the very first Christmas Gifts that my ex mother in law gave me when I was first married oh-so-many moons ago, was a little handwritten notebook. It is something that I still treasure and these are the recipes that are my standard go to's for most of the basics in my kitchen.



It's tattered and torn and falling apart now . . . it's pages splattered and the ink is quickly fading. I really need to transpose everything into another book, but then . . . it is 34 years old and very well used.



A friend of mine was telling me yesterday how very much she loves cornbread, and I was telling her how very easy it was to make. You don't need a mix or anything special to make it in or with. All you need is a great recipe, and this is it. I've been making this for years. My mother in law called it corncake, but . . . it's cornbread, really!



This is quick, easy and very simple to make. You just basically put everything into a bowl and mix it together, pour it into the pan and bake! Easy peasy lemon squeasy.



It turns out perfect every single time. No gimmicks, or fancy smancy. Just plain old fashioned goodness.



We had some today after church with some franks and beans. It was some good. The simple things in life often are.



*Mother In Law's Corncake*
Makes one 9 inch round or square pan,
or 12 small muffins
Printable Recipe

My ex mother in law's simple, no fail recipe for a tasty cornbread that comes out perfect every time. Quick, easy and oh so tasty.

7/8 cup of plain flour (I don't know how many ounces this is in British measurements,
Just measure out 3.5 ounces and take about a TBS out)
1.7 ounces sugar (1/4 cup)
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
6 ounces polenta (1 cup cornmeal)
1 large free range egg, beaten
250ml of whole milk (1 cup)
75ml of vegetable oil (1/4 cup)

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Grease and lightly flour a 9 inch round or square baking tin. (Or 12 small muffin cups). Set aside.

Measure the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and polenta into a bowl. Beat together the egg, milk and vegetable oil. Add all at once to the dry ingredients and mix quickly just to combine. Pour into the prepared pan(s). Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until well risen and lightly browned on top and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Serve warm, cut into wedges or squares.



Over in The Cottage today a delicious Tuna and Artichoke Melt.



Also, for anyone who might be interested, the people from Super Jam have launched a new venture, just in time for Christmas! BakeLab is a monthly baking class based in London. (at this time) Their first class is to be on Wednesday 21st December where they will all be baking Christmas presents (and packaging them beautifully!)! I sure wish I lived closer to London. It sounds like fun!

The people from Dr Oetker recently sent me some lovely decorations to use in my Christmas Baking, along with a few other goodies. Today I decided to test out the Shimmer Sugar, Soft Shimmer Pearls and Sugar Strands.

Dr. Oetker is a family owned business which has been creating high quality foods for over 100 years. They produce everything from frozen pizzas and baking mixes to quality Icings, Chocolate, baking aids and decorations.



I often use their baking decorations and have always been really pleased with the results. I especially love their little wafer daisies, which look so pretty on cupcakes etc.



So, today I decided to bake some Angel Cookies. It all sounded so pretty in my mind. I would use a basic sugar cookie type of dough and then make shapes with it . . . triangles for the bodies and flat circles for the heads.



The wings would be made from pretzels. (It's the sweet/salty thing that is moreishly scrummy.)
I used some of the shimmer balls for angel eyes. They did look very nice prior to baking.



After baking the shimmer balls had kind of melted a bit, making them look a bit like their mascara had run . . . so I have to say don't bake with them . . . reserve them for decorations after baking.



I planned on dipping the edges of the wings and bottoms of the dresses into melted white chocolate and then into the sugar crystals and sugar strands.



This worked perfectly and looked very pretty.



Only thing . . . however scrummy they tasted . . . my angels came out looking decidedly alien-like.

ET . . . phone home.



*Angel Cookies*
Makes about 2 dozen
Printable Recipe

These are supposed to look like angels! Ideally they should. Mine looked like ET, but they tasted good so no harm done!

280g plain flour (2 cups)
1/2 tsp baking powder
6 ounces butter, softened (3/4 cup)
75g golden caster sugar (2/3 cup)
1 large free range egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
48 heart shaped pretzels (the smaller ones)
100g bar of white chocolate (4 ounces)
a variety of sprinkles and jimmies

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Line a couple of baking sheets with baking paper. Set aside.

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Whisk together the flour and baking powder. Beat this into the creamed mixture.

Lay out the pretzels on the baking sheets, placing the curved ends together like wings and keeping space between them for the cookies to spread.

Shape 24 walnut sized balls with the dough. Shape 24 balls about 1/4 the size of the others. Roll the large balls into a cigar shape. Pinch one end narrower than the bottom, and then flatten into a triangular shape. Press each of these onto one set of the wings, covering the joining. Take the smaller balls and flatten them into a circle and place at the top end of the triangles, covering the top and wing joinings. Repeat until all are done. You can then place two small balls for eyes onto the heads of each.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Break the chocolate into bits and then carefully melt. Place your decorations into small bowls. I used sugar crystals for the wings and sugar strands for the bottoms of the dresses. Dip each of the pretzel edges in white chocolate and then into the sugar crystals. Likewise dip the edge of the dresses into white chocolate and dip them into the sugar strands. Set aside on a wire rack to set.



Many thanks to Dr Oetker for sending me these lovely little decorations to help me get on with my holiday baking. Dr Oetker products are available in grocery stores nation wide.

Feel free to like their facebook page, where you'll find lots of recipes, contests and other fun things!



Over in the Cottage today, Jam Surprise Muffins!

One of the nicest things about the holiday season is that the shops are loaded with affordable, well prices little boxes of these delightfully delicious little morsels of temptation. Another nice thing is that . . . because it's Christmas, after all . . . one doesn't have to feel totally guilty about indulging . . . well, I don't at any rate! (I'll worry about that in January, thankyou very much!)



I went a bit crazy in Lidl's the other day and bought umpteen little boxes of these Ferrero Roche . . . thinking that I would give one to each of the sisters that I visit teach and . . . well . . . somehow I ended up with an extra one! Don't ask me how that happened . . . I have no feasible or believable explanation . . .



Anyways, I was going to make some cupcakes today because the missionaries were bringing over an investigator to teach in our home and I thought it would be a nice thing to do. I was just going to make my old plain buttery cupcake recipe and then I had an epiphany of sorts . . .



I looked at the cupcake recipe and then I looked at this extra box of ferrero rocher and I thought . . . oh wouldn't a cupcake just be the most delicious thing on earth if you hid a ferrero rocher in the middle of it before you baked them??? I mean, how wonderful would that be???



And so . . . I did it. I baked those cupcakes with a tasty little ferrero rocher chocolate truffle hidden in the centre of each one . . . and then . . . well . . . I slathered the tops of them with tons of gorgeous buttery moreishly delicious chocolate buttercream icing.
And then . . .



Why, I ate one of course! You wouldn't expect me to feed anything to anybody without having tasted it first would you??? I thought so . . . oh my the sacrifices I must make in the line of duty are nobody's business!



*Surprise Cupcakes*
Makes about 9
Printable Recipe

Buttery cupcakes with a sweet surprise centre of a truffle or other treat, and slathered with Chocolate Buttercream Icing. Decadently delicious!

4 ounces butter, softened (1/2 cp)
4 ounces white sugar (1/2 cup plus 1 TBS)
2 large free range eggs
4 ounces self raising flour (3/4 cup plus 2 TBS)
1 tsp baking powder

For the Buttercream Icing:
2 TBS cocoa powder, sifted (not chocolate drinking powder)
3 TBS hot water
6 ounces butter, softened (1/2 cup plus 4 TBS)
12 ounces icing sugar, sifted (3/4 pound)

To fill:
9 truffles, ferrer roche, etc.

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Line 9 muffin cups with paper liners. Set aside.

Measure all the cake ingredients into a bowl and beat well for about 2 to 3 minutes until well blended and smooth. Fill the paper cups 1/3 up with some of the batter. Press one truffle (or whatever you are using) lightly into the centre and then top with another dollop of cake batter to cover. The cups should be ab out half full.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until well risen and golden brown. Remove from the oven and then from the tin to cool completely on a wire rack before proceeding.

Once the cakes are completely cooled make the buttercream.

To make the icing, blend the cocoa powder and hot water together. Allow to cool slightly, then add the butter and icing sugar. Beat until smooth and fluffy. Spread a portion of this buttercream over the top of each cupcake.

Store any leftovers in an airtight container.



Over in The Cottage today, delicious Grilled Chicken with Herbed Butter, Almonds and Gruyere.

I have a confession . . . we are pie nuts in this house. Sweet pies, savoury pies, creamy pies, meat pies, vegetable pies . . . if it's pie we are all over it. It has ever been so. (You probably already knew that, I know . . . we eat pie a lot!) The UK is famous for it's pies, especially steak pies . . . but then there are also chicken and mushroom, chicken and ham, pork, steak and mushroom, etc. All very tasty indeed.



Last week when I was in the shops I spied some tasty looking steak pies which looked to be topped with a vegetable mash. Oh my but they did look good . . . but with a price tag of £2.99 a piece (for a single serving pie!) I thought to myself . . . no way. I can make those at home for a lot less than that. And they'll probably taste better too!



I mean . . . how hard is it to stew some steak and make some pastry?? Not hard at all. Especially if you do your pastry in the food processor, or you could even cheat and purchase it ready made if you wanted to. (DO get the all butter one if you do though. It's much, much better.)



I thought that a parsnip mash would make a very tasty topping for these pies and I had a bag of parsnips that needed using up. Parsnips are a fabulous root vegetable with a slight sweetness, which goes very well with beef indeed.



I spiced the mash with a bit of grainy mustard and left it a bit rough, both for texture and for looks. Just look at all those craggy browned bits. I just love taking the traditional and jazzing it up with a special twist, don't you? Horseradish would also be very nice, but just a touch mind you . . . instead of the mustard.



Oh my but these were some good, with a simple vegetable on the side and lashings of beef gravy for pouring over.

I did good I think. Nom! Nom!



*Steak and Mushroom Pies*
with a Parsnip Mash topping
Makes 6
Printable Recipe

Deliciously tender steak pies in a crisp crust base, topped with a lovely parsnip mash. Fabulous! (I like to make the beef filling the day before.)

One quantity of short crust pastry
(Enough to line 6 individual pie dishes, or large muffin cups)

For the filling:
a small handful of dried porcini mushrooms
2 TBS vegetable oil
2 1/2 pounds of good quality braising steak, cut into large chunks
2 large onions, peeled and roughly chopped
2 tsp of golden caster sugar
4 TBS plain flour
300ml of dark ale (about 1 1/4 cups)
2 beef stock cubes, diluted in 400ml (1 1/2 cup) of boiling water
small bunch each of fresh thyme, bay leafe and parsley, tied together
200g of chestnut mushrooms, halved
salt and black pepper to taste

Parsnip Mash:
2 1/2 pounds of parsnips, peeled and any woody centres discarded
2 TBS butter
3 TBS milk
1 TBS grainy mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Cover the dried mushrooms in boiling water for 20 minutes, then squeeze out, reserving the soaking water.

Preheat the oven to 160*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.

Heat half of the oil in a large oven/stove top proof casserole. Add the beet and brown it really well, working in batches so that it browns instead of stewing. Add the onions to the pan and cook, stirring until they begin to soften. Add the remainder of the oil and add the fresh mushrooms. Cook and stir until browned. Add the soaked mushrooms, sizzle for about a minute longer. Sprinkle with the sugar and flour, stirring until the flour browns. Tip the meat and any accumulated juices back into the casserole. Pour over the ale, stock and porcini soaking liquid. Season to taste with some salt and pepper, tuck in the herbs and cover. Place in the oven and bake for about 2 hours until the meat is very tender. (At this point I remove it from the oven. Remove the herb stems, cool to room temperature and then place it in a plastic container and refrigerate overnight. This really helps to develop the flavours.)

The next day when you are ready to proceed, peel your parsnips and cut into chunks, discarding any woody centres. Place into a saucepan of lightly salted boiling water. Cook, until tender, about ten minutes, then drain really well. Return the parsnips to the pot, add the butter, milk, mustard and salt and pepper to taste. Roughly mash. (you want some chunks for texture) Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 220*C/425*F/ gas mark 7. Place a large flat baking tray in the oven to heat. Roll out your pastry and cut into circles large enough to line your pie dishes, or muffin cups, pleating it to make it fit. Divide your meat filling amongst the 6 pastry lined dishes. Top each with an equal quantity of mashed parsnips. Place onto the heated baking sheet in the oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes until golden brown on top, the filling is bubbling and the pastry is crisped.

I like to serve this with a few vegetables and some gravy for pouring.

Note: for an added depth of flavour you can sprinkle each pie with just a bit of stilton cheese before topping with the parsnip mash. Delicious!



Over in The Cottage today, you will find a delicious Butterscotch Pudding!

One thing my mother always made at least once during the holidays was peanut butter fudge. It was never chocolate or any other kind . . . always peanut butter, but we didn't mind because we loved it so very much. It was a real treat!



She always made it in the same pot, an old aluminum one that she had gotten in her original set of Wearever cookware back in 1955. I think it cost almost as much as a house, but here we are 2011 and she is still using it. Money well spent, I'd say!



She never measured anything. She didn't need to . . . it was all done by memory, and she knew exactly how much of each thing she needed to add by sight alone . . . and it always worked like a charm, every time. (Me . . . I made fudge sometimes for my children when they were growing up, and 9 times out of 10 they'd end up having to eat it with a spoon.



We'd watch her as it went together . . . as if by magic . . . and then sometimes she would let us beat it when it was ready, with her big old wooden spoon . . . if we'd been very good . . .we'd be given the pot and spoon to lick clean . . . we did a pretty good job of that, coz it would always be as clean as a whistle by the time we were done.



The beaten fudge would be poured into the same pan each time . . . it was an old aluminium tin, blackened through use . . . it's bottom engraved in a swirly pattern of raised tin. Some how those little traced swirls on the bottom of each piece only added to it's flavour . . . cakes used to come out with that swirly pattern as well. Nom! Nom!



After I grew up, I was determined to learn how to make it for myself and my family, and so I had her dump in the ingredients one at a time one evening . . . and I carefully measured them as she did so. It worked out pretty well, as I have had a great peanut butter fudge recipe for years that I can count on to turn out every single time.



It never quite tastes quite as good as the memory of the taste of hers . . . but then . . . I don't have that special touch of magic mother's love that she put into it . . . nor do I have a swirley bottomed pan.



*Mom's Peanut Butter Fudge*
Makes one 8 inch square pan
Printable Recipe

It just wouldn't be Christmas without a pan of this to munch on! Creamy and peanut buttery. If you don't like peanut butter, look away now!

21 ounces of white sugar (3 cups)
3 TBS smooth peanut butter
250ml of whole milk (1 cup)
2 ounces butter (1/4 cup)
1 tap vanilla

Butter an 8 inch square pan. Set aside.

Place the sugar, peanut butter and milk into a LARGE saucepan. (You will need a really big one as it really increases in volume when it is boiling. Trust me on this.) Heat, whisking, until the peanut butter is completely melted into the mixture. Increase the heat slightly and bring to a rolling boil. Reduce the heat to a medium boil and continue to boil, stirring occasionally to help prevent it from catching. You will want to boil it to the soft ball stage, (115*C/235*F) This should take between 18 to 25 minutes or so. Once this happens, remove from the heat immediately.

Stir in the butter and vanilla. Beat with a wooden spoon until it begins to look creamy and begins to lose it's gloss. Pour into the prepared pan immediately. (Don't wait too long or it will harden in the pot and you won't be able to pour it into the prepared pan. You just want it to begin losing it's gloss.) Allow to set for about an hour at room temperature, before cutting into squares to serve.

Store in an airtight container. This also freezes well.



Over in The Cottage today, a delicious Cauliflower Cheese Pie in a Potato Crust.