Weekend links and photos

by Aimee

Christmas eve is just two weeks away and slowly but surely everything is coming together.

Yesterday Clara weighted out all the dried fruit and nuts for my fruitcake and we baked it together. I brushed the finished cake with whisky, wrapped it in a cheesecloth and tucked it away out of sight. It is just one of the treats we prepare in advance of the celebrations.

The freezer is packed with mini Tourtière hand pies, shortbread cookies and pie dough for mince tarts, and a jar of mincemeat is aging in the fridge. The pantry is stocked with everything for baking, including three enormous bags of rolled oats, waiting to be toasted into granola for teacher’s gifts; I think that will be tomorrow’s project with the children.

In case you are still making your baking lists and planning your menus for the upcoming holidays, I’ve got a round-up of recipes and ideas from around the web that you are sure to enjoy.

Weekend Links

Winter Farro Breakfast Bowl :: In Pursuit of More ~ A nourishing breakfast to balance out the holiday eats.

Manchego Cheese, Ham and Olive Bites :: My Kitchen Love ~ Need a fast and easy appetizer? Here you go.

Orange Cranberry Bundt Cake :: Brooklyn Supper ~ Showstopper dessert idea for the big day.

Spicy Maple Rosemary Roasted Nuts :: Flavor The Moments – A great idea for a hostess gift or snack.

Eggnog Pound Cake :: Creme de la Crumb ~ Another good edible gift idea.

Loaded Hummus :: What’s Gaby Cooking ~ I wish every holiday party had a bowl of this dip.

This Pear Sangria from How Sweet it Is looks lovely for a holiday party.

Chewy Ginger Molasses Spice Cookies (gluten-free, dairy-free) :: Food for My Family ~ One more for the cookie jar.

And lastly, a simple dinner idea from my archives. This Slow-Cooker Christmas Chicken in Milk with Orange, Cinnamon & Savory is on our menu plan for next week. It’s perfect holiday comfort food.

Favorite Photos

‘Tis the season for gathering friends around a copious cheese board and hang out talking far into the night. I stash a batch of homemade fruit and nut crisps in the freezer for occasions such as this, as well as plenty of olives, nuts and other nibbles in the pantry.

Orange pomanders are still one of my favourite holiday decorations, especially paired with winter fruits and greenery. They make for a simple and seasonal centerpiece that smells as pretty as it looks.

My annual big batch of tourtiere is prepped and in the freezer for the week of the Christmas, especially Christmas eve. This seasoned Quebec pork pie is a favourite, paired with a simple kale salad or tray of roasted vegetables.

Comforting Sunday dinners are back: roasts, Yorkshire pudding, and the newly popular Hasselback butternut squash. This one was maple-glazed and delicious!

Mince tarts are already in regular tea-time rotation, and will be present right through New Years. I use a combination of my all-butter pie crust and my very Canadian mincemeat.

Who needs to go out in the snow when we can team up in the kitchen as a family? Noah made these scones and they turned out rather well. He likes them plain but for the holidays I love a cranberry orange combination.

Have a wonderful weekend, friends!

is a post from Simple Bites

© 2010-2016 Simplebites | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Simplebites.net subscribers. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited. If you are reading this content elsewhere, please contact hello@simplebites.net to let us know. Thanks.