Christmas

An Italian Christmas Eve – Buon Natale!

December 29, 2015

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there’s always such a big build up to christmas, and then just like that – it’s all over. 

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– our first christmas as mr & mrs –

adam and i hosted our italian christmas eve at our house, with a big thanks to my brother for helping to make all of the food. we had 19 people for dinner, including a surprise guest – my other brother who flew down on christmas eve! no one knew about it, which was a surprise in itself because at least one person is always in on it, but this time he surprised us all and showed up at the front door just in time for dinner. it really was an awesome christmas surprise! 

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adam and i have prepped the house, ready for the guests to arrive – all the baked goods were ready, we had candied salmon, smoked salmon and goat cheese + crackers for appetizers. since it’s christmas eve, italians are not supposed to eat any meat – instead we only eat fish. the ‘fest of seven fishes’ is the traditional italian dinner for christmas eve. 

my brother made the tuna seafood pasta sauce, and the mussels and prawns, i baked two massive pieces of salmon a friend of ours caught up in the queen charlottes this summer, and we also had baccala that my nonna made. there was so much food we could barely eat it all. you’d think with seafood it wouldn’t be as filling, but after the pasta and platefuls of prawns and mussels i almost had no room left for the fish – but of course, i did. 

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to top it all off i made tiramisu, we had panettone, pizzelle, baci, lots of chocolates and other baked goods with espresso. 

it was such an amazing night, and truly one of the best christmas eve’s with the entire family here for this first time in a very long time. i love keeping traditions going, and i can’t wait for next year!

Dessert, Raw, Vegan

Raw Vegan Salted Turtles

December 23, 2015

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Christmas is almost here!!!

I’ve been slowly baking and getting some treats together for Christmas Eve and Christmas. Since I have a full time class now I felt like I was behind in the baking this year, but I’ve still managed to get some things baked just in time – including these Raw, Vegan Salted Turtles. 

Adam and I are hosting Christmas Eve for the second time this year, which means the feast of seven fishes for the Italian side. I’m definitely looking forward to the mussels, prawns, baccala, salmon, and pasta. I also stocked up on panettone, cheese and pellegrino. A must.

We’re having 18 people over – though I’m not sure where we will all fit! Luckily the main floor of our house is open concept, so the living room, kitchen and dining room are all open and there’s lots of space for us to spread out, while still being able to socialize. 

If you’re looking for a quick holiday treat to share this christmas, these turtles take no time, and little ingredients to prepare. 

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Today is also Adam and I’s six year anniversary – six years since our first date, and two years today since he proposed! I’ll do a full wedding re-cap in the new year, once all the christmas chaos is over.

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Raw Vegan, Gluten Free Salted Turtles
Yields 24
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Ingredients
  1. Dark Chocolate - 6-8 squares good quality dark chocolate
  2. 2 cups pitted Medjool Dates, fresh are best so they're nice and juicy
  3. 2 Tbs. Peanut butter - natural, creamy
  4. 3 Pecans per turtle - about 60
  5. sea salt
Instructions
  1. Process dates in a food processor until they become a sticky and very thick in consistency - you may want to add a splash of hot water to help make a paste.
  2. Add in the peanut butter and process again.
  3. Using a small ice-cream, cookie scoop, scoop the date mixture onto a silpat or parchment paper in small rounds.
  4. Press 3 pecan halves into the date balls - making a star.
  5. In microwavable dish, heat chocolate on medium power setting for two minutes, stir until fully melted.
  6. Pour a small amount of sauce over each date/pecan ball using a small spoon, or a icing bag with the end snipped.
  7. Place in the fridge to set for at least 10 minutes - the chocolate will harden and hold everything together. Sprinkle with sea salt just before it's set.
  8. Enjoy!
Notes
  1. These keep well in the fridge in container for a few days, or freeze. allow to come to room temperature before serving.
  2. Alternatively, you can put the pecans down first and press the date mixture on top, then drizzle with chocolate.
b a k e a h o l i c https://www.bakeaholic.ca/

 

Cupcakes

Gingerbread Cupcakes

December 8, 2015

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It’s the 8th of December and Adam and I haven’t put up a christmas tree yet. That’s not to say we haven’t made a valiant effort. The first weekend of December we had a neighbourhood get together and we couldn’t make it out to get a tree before then, however I did get out all the other decorations. Then this last weekend we were out of town saturday and sunday.

So, last night we ventured out after work to a u-cut tree farm we had seen a sign for up the road from us. By the time we got there it was dark, and the signs that lead us up the street and around the corner appeared to be misleading.

We couldn’t find the house or farm, and there were no signs of a christmas tree farm anywhere. We went to another garden centre and contemplated buying a living christmas tree to use outside afterwards, but the lady informed us that it needs a couple weeks to acclimatize before bringing it inside, or else the needles might all fall off. So that was a no.

We finally went to home depot for some wood and took a look at the trees, but they were all so sad looking, slumped up against the side all wrapped up. It didn’t feel like the christmas tree choosing atmosphere i had hoped for. So, we left empty handed without a tree.

I’m hoping this week or weekend we can make it out to a tree farm in the daylight to choose a tree.

In the meantime i’m trying to get some christmas baking done for our staff party this weekend. This year my favourite flavour has been gingerbread. Usually i don’t make any gingerbread men or houses, but the flavour combination definitely feels like christmas to me. I adapted this smitten kitchen recipe to make cupcakes. They were perfect. Deinitely a christmas recipe keeper. You can also make it in cake form.

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Gingerbread Cupcakes
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Ingredients
  1. 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into chunks
  2. 1 cup water
  3. 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  4. 2/3 cup packed dark-brown sugar
  5. 1 cup unsulfured molasses
  6. 2 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
  7. 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
  8. 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  9. 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  10. 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  11. 1/2 teaspoon ground or freshly grated nutmeg
  12. 2 teaspoons baking powder
Instructions
  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
  2. Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan and add baking soda — it will foam up! Let stand for 5 minutes, then stir in butter until melted. Whisk in dark brown sugar, molasses. Mixture is usually just lukewarm by now, but if it still feels quite hot to the touch, set it aside to 10 to 15 minutes to cool further before using.
  3. Place flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and baking powder in a fine-mesh strainer or sifter.
  4. Transfer molasses mixture to a large mixing bowl. Whisk in eggs until just combined. Sift dry ingredients over wet, then stir the wet and dry ingredients together until just combined.
  5. Pour batter into prepared muffin tin, bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
Notes
  1. Frost with your favourite vanilla buttercream, or cinnamon buttercream!
Adapted from smitten kitchen - gingerbread snacking cake
Adapted from smitten kitchen - gingerbread snacking cake
b a k e a h o l i c https://www.bakeaholic.ca/