Flax Seed Fruit Cake by anonymous

Mix in your largest bowl - 11 cups of chopped dried fruit and 6 cups
of chopped nuts. Options are: citrus peel, cranberries, dates,
currants, raisins, dried apricots, candied ginger and walnuts,
almonds, sunflower seeds. Drizzle over this mix - half cup of brandy,
liqueur, sherry or other powerful stimulant/preservative that will
soak into the fruit and nuts. Leave this half a day or more.

Gently boil 6 tablespoons of flax seeds in 2 cups of water, then let
sit - this makes the "glue". Slightly heat to make it flow nicely - 1
and a half cups honey. Add 3 teaspoons vanilla, 1 teaspoon salt.

Stir into the fruit mixture - 3 cups flour - I use half and half -
white and spelt or whole wheat. Add the honey mixture and the flax
mixture and stir with a BIG spoon.

Heat oven to 300 degrees. Line 5 loaf tins with plain brown paper and
rub the insides with margarine. Pack cake mixture tightly in the pans
(they'll be only a half to one third full). Cover tightly with foil
and bake 1 hour. Then uncover and bake another 10-20 minutes.
YUM! These keep all winter in the fridge, wrapped in foil or in
brandy-soaked linens if we want to get back to the linen theme! They
cut well into non-crumbly blocks of energy food.

Happy Holidays!

Ginger Cake by Marjo Wheat

Prep time = 30 minutes
Total cooking time = 1 hour

125 g (4 oz) unsalted butter (I use margarine)
_ cup Molasses (I use Fancy)
_ cup golden syrup (I use water – less sweet)
2_ cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp Allspice
_ tsp ground cinnamon
_ cup firmly packed soft brown sugar
1 cup milk
2 eggs, slightly beaten
_ jar candied Ginger, drained

1. Preheat oven to 350∞lightly grease 8 inch square cake pan.
2. Combine butter, molasses, and syrup or water in a saucepan and stir over low heat until the butter has melted. Remove from heat.
3. Stir the flour, b powder and soda, and spices in a large bowl, add the sugar and stir until well combined. Make a well in the centre. Add the butter mixture to the well, then pour in the combined milk, ginger, and eggs. Stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth and well-combined. Pour into the baking pan and smooth the surface.
4. Bake for 45-60 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted in the centre of the cake. Leave in the pan for 20 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.

This cake will store well for up to a week in an airtight container, and improves if it stands for a day or two before being eaten.

Hot Mulled Apple Cider with Cranberry by Renate Giesbrecht

1 jug organic Santa Cruz apple cider
1 cup Just Cranberry juice (it is straight cranberry, no apple or grape in it, nor any sugar)
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 t ground cinnamon
1 orange, cut in slices
 
Heat all in slow cooker till hot. Serve in hand pottered mugs. Lovely!
 
Optional: add your own mulling spices, squeeze in some fresh orange juice, add fresh apple slices

Lemon Poppyseed Shortbread by Kim McTaggart

1 cup butter
1 cup icing sugar
2 tbsp poppy seeds
2 tbsp grated lemon zest
2 cups flour
 
Beat butter with sugar until creamy.  Stir in seeds and zest. Gradually add flour.  Gather into a ball and chill for a while if sticky.  Roll and cut as desired.  Bake on ungreased sheets in 300F degree oven.

Easy Almond Wedges by Lauralee Life

1 egg - beat till fluffy
1 cup sugar
2 - 2 1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 cup melted margarine
1 cup flour
Pour into greased lined round pan with oiled brown paper/parachment
paper/waxed paper. Decorate with whole almonds centered where you expect to
cut lines for pieces. Bake 350F for 30 minutes or lightly brown. Turn out of pan,
take paper off. Cool completely, then slice. Very quick, easy to make and
delicious.
(Recipe can be doubled)

Cavishe (great h'or d'eurves)

2 8oz cans of shrimp
pimento
red pepper
green pepper
1 stick of celery
1 sweet onion
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 package of flour totillas
pepper and salt to taste
paprika

In a large skillet bring a tablespoon of oil to heat. Slice the flour tortillas into strips or wedges. Fry for two minutes on each side sprinkling paprika and salt and pepper as you go. When they start to brown remove and drain them on paper towel. Continue until all tortillas are used. When finished store in a cookie can or plastic container. This will be good for 24 hours at room temperature and several days in a refrigerator.
In a bowl place finely chopped pimento, red pepper, green pepper, celery, and sweet onion. (Olives can be chopped and added too.) Soak shrimp for a few minutes in very cold water. Drain shrimp and stir into vegetable mixture. Pour lemon juice over this mixture, and let stand for several hours. Before serving fold gently. Serve in a suitable dish so that it can be dipped up onto the the tortilla strips. Enjoy.

How bad is that!

It is so bad that when I just read my last post I realized that I thought it was the 19th when it was only the 17th ..... my head is just not screwed on right..... that's what Christmas does to me.

The church pageant is tomorrow night and so we have been busy prepping for that. I spent the day shopping and so that is all finished... except I bought lots of paper towel instead of toilet paper.... so I have to go to the store Monday and do that. I'm pleased to say that there is no one else to shop for. I am still waiting for Hubby's gifts to come in the mail but at least I have a couple of things for him.

We are finished with the setting up of the furniture and painting the floor but we still need to decorate the house for Christmas.... we will be working on that tomorrow and Monday.

Hubby and I decided to have an open house on the 29th of December so I am going to have to start thinking about getting some cooking done for that. Tuesday will be my day for wrapping and cooking. I also have to get the Turkey for Christmas day... can't forget that or I'll be like Dave from the Vinyl Cafe.

I thought you might like to try some of my favorite recipes for the holiday season... I will post some here over the next few days.

I'm starting to feel more organized. As soon as the tree is up I will post picture of my little abode. At least I now know what day it is....

Meanwhile, watch over the next few days for yummy recipes that I will be working on.....