Holiday Cooking/Baking -

[skellig58]

So, for me, it's been a while since my favorite baking partner (my Mom), and I were healthy enough to get back into our tradition of baking EVERYTHING for Christmas. But we just managed to do our traditional kolache, stollen, and poticia!

So what are my fellow Kiwis cooking and baking up for whatever winter festivities you celebrate?

 

[Chive Turkey]

I have family that hunt and they sent us a hare that's been sitting in the freezer for a few months, so I'm probably going to help my grandmother make hazenpeper. I'm kinda hype for it, because I've had it quite a few times on Christmas but never had the opportunity to cook it.

 

[skellig58]

I have family that hunt and they sent us a hare that's been sitting in the freezer for a few months, so I'm probably going to help my grandmother make hazenpeper. I'm kinda hype for it, because I've had it quite a few times on Christmas but never had the opportunity to cook it.

That sounds really good! You're so lucky your grandmother is alive to cook with. I miss mine. Both were fantastic cooks/bakers and taught me a lot about old-world type foods. My family is doing a beef roast with root vegetables for Christmas day, and I want to try my hand at Yorkshire pudding!

 

[MerriedxReldnahc]

I looove cooking so the last few years I've taken over the majority of the Christmas food prep. Last year I made a pot roast with cheesy taters and some other crap I don't remember that was tasty. I think I made rolls from scratch too. This year I'm doing steaks, brussles sprouts with dried cranberries and balsamic glaze, and getting some hawaiian rolls. My mom offered to to the mashed taters in exchange for everything else. Haven't decided on dessert yet, I might just do some peanut butter fudge. The star of the evening will be my famous Cheery Cherry Jello Salad. It's alter-ego is Passive-Aggressive Jello Salad. You see, my step grandpa is a bastard. He also does not like cherry. So last Christmas Eve I brought over a delicious Cherry Jello salad to share and he was the only one who didn't try it because he is a bastard. Sucks to be him because it was fuckin' delicious.

I also make cookies with my grandma each year. I don't remember what we planned for this year other than some chocolaty thing and ginger cookies but I'll post pichurs if they turn out pretty.

 

[HIVidaBoheme]

My brother wants us to cook a Christmas ham with cherry glazing, he will do the ham and I'll help out with the drink and dessert, a cherry pie. Should be a fun, cozy and full of family bonding Christmas.

I looove cooking so the last few years I've taken over the majority of the Christmas food prep. Last year I made a pot roast with cheesy taters and some other crap I don't remember that was tasty. I think I made rolls from scratch too. This year I'm doing steaks, brussles sprouts with dried cranberries and balsamic glaze, and getting some hawaiian rolls. My mom offered to to the mashed taters in exchange for everything else. Haven't decided on dessert yet, I might just do some peanut butter fudge. The star of the evening will be my famous Cheery Cherry Jello Salad. It's alter-ego is Passive-Aggressive Jello Salad. You see, my step grandpa is a bastard. He also does not like cherry. So last Christmas Eve I brought over a delicious Cherry Jello salad to share and he was the only one who didn't try it because he is a bastard. Sucks to be him because it was fuckin' delicious.

I also make cookies with my grandma each year. I don't remember what we planned for this year other than some chocolaty thing and ginger cookies but I'll post pichurs if they turn out pretty.

I love cooking too, there is something about cooking for the holidays that just gives a warm feeling, sadly there are always killjoys but overall it's always a fun affair Please post pictures of the cookies, dying to see! And that Cheery Cherry Jello Salad sure sounds mouthwatering, gotta see if I can add that to my planned dishes.

 

[ricecake]

I made my grandma's 1960s Chex Mix recipe last weekend (it's better if it ages, preferably in cleaned out coffee cans just like she did it.)

This weekend I'm making pepperoni rolls and ladylocks aka clothespin cookies aka cream horns. My other grandmother always made ladylocks and I've never made them before; kinda nervous.

I'm also making tartiflette and homemade ranch dip for a veggie tray. Then I'm packing it all up and driving it hundreds of miles to my parents' house.

 

[Fliddaroonie]

Not baking related, so feel free to shitcan me if needed. But I'm spending christmas alone (I swear to God I know no1curr, I am fine with this and I am not looking for sympathies) but are there any joints of meat anyone would suggest are worth/easy to cook for one person please? I do not wanna fuckarse about with a whole bird, I was leaning towards beef of some sort of pork tenderloin but if anyone has any other suggestions, I would happily take any.


Many thanks, and like I say, I know nobody cares, but I'd love something tasty, and hassle free to cook. for preference something which is gonna give me awesome sandwiches for a couple of days after

 

[StrawberryDouche]

Not baking related, so feel free to shitcan me if needed. But I'm spending christmas alone (I swear to God I know no1curr, I am fine with this and I am not looking for sympathies) but are there any joints of meat anyone would suggest are worth/easy to cook for one person please? I do not wanna fuckarse about with a whole bird, I was leaning towards beef of some sort of pork tenderloin but if anyone has any other suggestions, I would happily take any.


Many thanks, and like I say, I know nobody cares, but I'd love something tasty, and hassle free to cook. for preference something which is gonna give me awesome sandwiches for a couple of days after

Go to the butcher and get thee a tomahawk steak. Sear it in cast iron then finish it in the oven, or grill it if you have one. Then steak sandwiches the next day.

I made 496 cookies from scratch yesterday to deliver to various groups and people who deserve them. A lot of fun, but I am wrecked today.

For Christmas dessert I will make cinnamon rolls with the most ethereal dough and sprinkle toasted pecans atop the icing.

 

[GeorgiaGuidestones]

Since it’s just me and my SO this year, I’m making a prime rib with roasted parmesan asparagus as a side and au jus for him and horseradish sauce for me. I can’t wait for the sandwiches the leftovers of that meat is going to give us.

For desert, I’m making my mom’s apple cinnamon crumb cake. It was always my favorite at Christmas and I try to keep her recipes alive since her passing. I’ll make 2 of them since I have some elderly neighbors that I feed whenever I cook a big meal.

 

[Spastic Colon]

I spent 4 hours yesterday making coconut macaroons and baklava for my husband's co-workers (who really do not deserve it, but my husband wanted to give it to them). My side of the family does Christmas Eve at our house and this year I am attempting to make my first Turkey. I'm a vegetarian and I've never cooked one before, but I can follow instructions and I've got a meat thermometer, so I should be okay. I'm slightly worried that it won't be thawed on time, but I'll switch to the cold water method early tomorrow morning if it isn't quite there yet. I'm also making my grandma's macaroni and cheese which took me years to finally get right since she never had a recipe and I only watched her make it when I was a teenager. And deviled eggs for my dad since those are his favorites. Sweet potatoes, stuffing, salad, and maybe some corn casserole. Desert will be apple pie (my husband's favorite) and Christmas cookies (if my teenage kids still want to make them ).

I like to cook, but cleaning up after cooking is not my favorite thing.

 

[Buster O'Keefe]

If anyone is making roast potatoes with their Xmas feast, I have something to share, and you should take heed, because I am of the spud eater race.
Parboil your peeled spuds ahead of the big day, let them cool, spread them on a baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper, and stick them in the freezer. When they are frozen, you can bag them up and keep in the freezer until needed. Roast in fat of choice, from frozen, and you will have roast spuds which are super crunchy on the outside, super fluffy on the inside.

 

[MerriedxReldnahc]

Cookie time with grandma!

These are supposed to be Milanesini which I guess means "delicious buttery bitches with lemon icing". Grandma only had three actual cookie sheets, two of which were occupied by the chocolate cookies waiting for their turn, so we used an assortment of pizza pans and other flat baking objects to cook them.

Our chocolaty boys needed to sit at room temperatures after being blobbed on the pans before baking, hence the pan shortage. They are sooooo good. It's a flourless recipe so they're very gooey. Those are pecans in top, the recipe calls for walnuts but I don't want to poison my mom.
Not pictured are the gingernaps we started. They take 3 hours for the dough to chill so grandma will bake them tomorrow.

Also, here is the recipe for my Cherry Jello Salad, with a special notation for Bastard Step-Grandpa's pork tenderloin marinade.
You do not have to include the pinapple in the Jello, I personally leave it out. I'll be making this tomorrow along with the fudge (which I've posted about in the open recipe book thread) so I'm not doing so much on Christmas. We also have gluhwein and lambic so shit's gonna get JOLLY.

*Edit* Recipe says Dream Whip, but Cool Whip works also. I have it noted at the bottom of the recipe. Also "6 cream cheese" was supposed to have "ounces" in there.

 

[Buster O'Keefe]

I spent 4 hours yesterday making coconut macaroons and baklava for my husband's co-workers (who really do not deserve it, but my husband wanted to give it to them). My side of the family does Christmas Eve at our house and this year I am attempting to make my first Turkey. I'm a vegetarian and I've never cooked one before, but I can follow instructions and I've got a meat thermometer, so I should be okay. I'm slightly worried that it won't be thawed on time, but I'll switch to the cold water method early tomorrow morning if it isn't quite there yet. I'm also making my grandma's macaroni and cheese which took me years to finally get right since she never had a recipe and I only watched her make it when I was a teenager. And deviled eggs for my dad since those are his favorites. Sweet potatoes, stuffing, salad, and maybe some corn casserole. Desert will be apple pie (my husband's favorite) and Christmas cookies (if my teenage kids still want to make them ).

I like to cook, but cleaning up after cooking is not my favorite thing.

There's a lot of mad arcane bullshit associated with roasting turkeys. I've followed my gal Delia's recipe before and it turned out pretty well: https://www.deliaonline.com/how-to-cook/chicken-and-other-birds/how-to-roast-turkey
I think the secret is a fuckton of streaky bacon. Personally I fucking hate turkey meat and will be roasting a chicken for the O'Keefe Festivus gorge-fest

 

[Curious Addie]

I make wassail, using this recipe. It frightens people and I get to drink most of it. I tell everyone that most of the alcohol is boiled off, but I add extra brandy so I can get decently lit. You gotta do what you gotta do.

 

[BIG BILL HELL'S]

I was leaning towards beef of some sort of pork tenderloin

My go-to Pork Tenderloin recipe, it works pretty well under the broiler as well.

 

[Fliddaroonie]

My go-to Pork Tenderloin recipe, it works pretty well under the broiler as well.

OOOoh, that sounds fantastic, thank you! I went with a joint of beef in the end. I'm going to rare-roast it, and have it witth spuds, peas, carrots, yorkshire pud, and sprouts roasted with chestnuts and pancetta. And a shedload of wine, haha.

But that's for sure one I'm going to have to try, so thank you for sharing!

 

[ulsterscotsman]

Only thing I made this year for Christmas day desert was this Banoffee Pie. Only real cooking I needed to do was melt some butter and boil two cans of sweetened condense milk for 4 and a half hours.
Extremely simple and the greatest dessert ever.

Neighbour made us this really nice looking Pavlova as well.

 

[NumberingYourState]

Gonna help my mom put together a pork loin roast with peppers, potatoes, onions, and mushrooms.

It'll be rad.

 

[Mr. Skeltal]

I made an orange glazed ham this year with mashed potatoes, gravy from homemade chicken stock, and steamed broccoli cauliflower mix. Mrs. Skeltal made green bean casserole (she loves it) and candied yams.

All in all a good Christmas dinner. I have to make more cookies though, probably a combination of sugar, chocolate chip, and molasses crinkles.

 

[Sushinope]

Tried making jalapeño jelly but screwed it up a bit still tastes pretty good and tried some 2 ingredient fudges that turned out really well. Then tomorrow I'm making the Christmas dinner so I've been pretty busy in the kitchen lol.