Christmas 2011 in Nova Scotia!

After the most stressful semester/year of all time, I am finally home. 

Papa and I went shopping for Mama. Mama and I went shopping for Papa.

I've caught up on MASSIVE amounts of missed/poor quality sleep.

Mama and I have made gingerbread men/women (soon to be iced! Photo below)

Most lovely part so far? The weather. Green and balmy. 8-10 degrees. They are calling for snow on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, then warm weather again.

HOW PERFECT IS THAT!?! :) I hope it's true. For an idea of a green NS Christmas, see photos below! Smells so fresh outside. Aaaah.

View of front yard/driveway and farm across street

View of backyard and the river

Neato Instagram photo of the basement wood stove

Papa lovin' on his cousin's grandkiddies. Can't wait for his own. :P
(He'll have to though!!!)

Mama's 2011 Christmas book. The Canadian 12 Days of Christmas.
It's pretty darn funny!

Naked ginger people!! Lookin' tasty. :)

Mama did a wonderful job on the tree. Gorgeous, as always.

I shall keep you posted on the things Santa brings us. I'm especially excited about presents for my mom. I love how the older I get, the less Christmas is about what I get, and more about how happy I/we can make the people we love. Heartwarming!

I love playing Santa Christmas morning. :)

NOW, before I forget, and it's totally unrelated to Christmas (maybe?), but for those of you who were intrigued by my post about the Julep Maven program, NOW is the time to try it out! If you use the code "SHAREON", you'll get your first box for a penny (and free shipping)! They're normally $19.99. I got my first one for $9.99. If you're at all interested, just click the link in the sidebar and take the style quiz (it actually works). 

You will NOT be disappointed! You can always cancel if you don't like the intro box, and you'll only be out a penny anyway! Amazing. Use the code before it expires! 

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone! I'll be back in a few days with updates! :)

Gina

Warm Food for Christmas-timez

Fact: I got in trouble at work today. I'm denying all charges.


Fact: I got in trouble at school today. I'm denying all charges. 


Fact: I just ate A LOT of M&Ms. I'm denying all calories.


Fact: You're going to LOVE THESE RECIPES.


Recipe #1: Mushroom Pesto Risotto


Yep. You read that right. And your tummy just rumbled because it WANTS THIS.


Ingredients:

• 2 cups sliced mushrooms (I went with crimini, because that's as exotic as our grocery store gets)
• 1/3 cup diced shallots
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 6-7 cups chicken broth (or 6 cups, plus 2/3 cup of white wine/vermouth/brandy)
• 1 3/4 cups dry arborio rice
• Pesto (the amount is up to you. I am not here to judge)
• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, at least

Ready? Melt the butter in a big pan. Add shallots and mushrooms. Cook for 5 minutes until you fear you might omit the rice and call that dinner. Add the rice. Stir all around until the rice is coated in butter (this is necessary). Add the booze OR 2/3 cup of the warm broth.

Simmer and stir, simmer and stir, until most of the broth/wine is absorbed. Then add more broth (1/2 to 3/4 cup at a time) and let it absorb. Repeat until the rice looks pretty durn creamy (25 mins or 6 cups later). 

Stir in the pesto. The original recipe was for "chives". I said "I don't have chives, and chives are boring".  So...I add a few tablespoons of ready-made pesto.

Best decision I ever made in life. 

Stir. Add the parm. Stir. Put in a bowl. WAIT. Blow on it.....

....WAIT

....ok. Eat. 

A burnt tongue = a wasted meal. 

Recipe #2: Gingerbread Cookies (gluten-free!)


If you slice em thinner and REALLY WATCH THEM, they will be Ginger Snaps. I discovered this on my last bit of the batch, and they burned. So...that's your warning. If you want them thick and chewy, cut them thicker (duh) and take them out before they firm up.


Ingredients:


~4 cups Bob Red Mill's All-Purpose Baking Flour (you'll see the reason for the "~" soon)
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 Tbsp Grandma's Molasses 
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 Tbsp ground ginger (I ran out, was supposed to be 1 Tbsp...but they turned out good!)
2 Tbsp cinnamon (replaced the missing ginger...it was supposed to be 1 1/2 Tbsp)


Cream the butter and sugars. Add the eggs and molasses. Mix well. Mix the dry stuff and add it to the wet stuff.


Mix mix mix. Then mix. It'll be sticky, so add more flour. Mix. Add more flour. Mix. When you're able to pick it up and knead it a bit without it sticking to everything, plop it on the counter in some flour and knead it into a ball, until your fingerprint pops back slowly. Cut it into two or three pieces and refrigerate.


After a few hours, take out and form (quickly! while cold!) into rectangular loaves. You can make about three loaves with this recipe. Refrigerate overnight.


Take out one loaf and slice off rectangles. Place them on a cookie sheet (on parchment paper!) and bake at 350-375. It'll depend on thickness. If they're thin, bake them at a lower temp and watch carefully. They should be ready in about 5-8 mins. Our oven is screwy, so I never know. 


Cool on a wire rack and then store in a container or plastic bag so they stay chewy. Makes about 60 decent-sized cookies...would probably make 100 thin ginger snaps. :)


These are also REALLY yummy when decorated with icing and candy. 


Enjoy! Remember to share. ;)


Also, if you try rolling the dough out and cutting gingerbread, please post photos! I wanted to do this but I don't have any cookie cutters here. I will live vicariously through you. :)


Have a great weekend eating all these warm, chewy, yummy things!