Brrr ... Temperatures Drop

 

This is what our outdoor thermometer showed at 9:30 this morning, the last day of autumn. Tomorrow is December 21, the shortest day of the year and the first day of official winter - winter solstice. The past few days have been bright and sunny so the days don't seem that much shorter - very nice. Let's see if tomorrow will bring the large snowfall that has been predicted for the past 24 hours.

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SNOW

The snow fell softly through the night,
It made a blanket soft and white.
It covered houses, trees and ground,
But did not make a single sound.

Snow makes whiteness where it falls,
The bushes look like popcorn balls-
And places where I always play,
Look like somewhere else today.

Snow Angels - hmm...how did that snow angel get onto my back yard? Jenn's boys had been over and I'd been thinking about making snow angels with Jared in the back yard but it didn't happen. Then the snow started to really come down and his Mommy thought it would be best to head for home before road conditions worsened.

Oh well, I'm just glad Al didn't get a shot of me extricating myself without damaging "my image" - hah!

It's the prairie girl in me...the child...the Gramma...the school teacher...I love childrens' literature, poetry, songs, activities - I can do them! The innocence of children, their purity and wonder...are uncomplicated - uplifting and refreshing! No wonder our Lord loved kids so much and did you know the Bible tells us that their angels, kids' angels, always see the face of God? (see Matthew 18:1-10) Wowie! Let's treat these little ones well.

Raspberry Jam

My family loves jam...any kind of jam but especially raspberry jam. And raspberry jam is the easiest jam to make. I make sure I get a lot of fresh berries into the freezer during July and then I can make it throughout the year. I've started to add a small ratio of frozen blueberries-Raspberry Blues I call this jam- which I also get in summer and freeze. Most people seem to enjoy receiving some of this jam from time to time. I've started using smaller jars in order to keep up. After Daniel finished with baby food jars last year, Jenn kept many for me and I started using these jars and found them to be great for jam. Way too small for anything but a couple of pieces of toast for sure but a nice treat just the same. Now he's long out of baby food and I've used up the last of my neat little jars with this batch of jam.

Yesterday I sterilized jars -different sizes...one a quart size especially prepared for Al for his unrestricted use- and lids, then made jam from a very simple recipe which my mother used for every kind of jam.

Recipe:
1:1 Ratio: 1 part prepared fruit to an equal part of sugar (no pectin is required)

In very large heavy pot thaw raspberries on very low heat. (I measure the berries after they are thawed and have bubbled somewhat. The fruit can be left on the lowest heat without much attention once the juices have started to flow)

Add some frozen blueberries but only about a quarter as many as raspberries or even less depending on how you like the ratio.

After everything has come to a gentle bubble - adjusting heat accordingly - I pour the mixture into my 8 cup measuring cup. (I've found any quantity greater than this doesn't let the jam gel as nicely as if the batch is no more than eight cups.) From this you can see the amount of fruit you have. Add the same amount of sugar and return to stove with the heat on high. Now the jam has to come to a rolling boil but make sure it isn't sticking to the bottom. Once it's boiling hard - only a minute or two - reduce heat to low and boil gently for 4 more minutes. Now your quantity has increased. Pour hot jam immediately into measuring cup in order to fill clean, hot jars almost to the top. Make sure the lip of the jar is clean before sealing.

While the jam is boiling I place all the lids into a small pot of boiling water to sterilize. The jars are waiting in the sink, clean and filled with boiling water from the kettle. When everything's ready, empty the jars and set them upside down on a clean towel beside the sink. They're ready to go. I let the finished jars sit on the counter for 24 hours to gel and then refrigerate them. This morning I labelled and wrapped them in fancy cellophane ready to share with someone during this festive season.

Mountains-Garibaldi Range

We enjoyed a beautiful sunny day yesterday. I headed out for a neighborhood walk at about 4 pm and at the last minute decided to take my camera. I've been waiting to catch a good shot of those amazing mountains to the north of us - the Garibaldi's I call them. Of course my little camera, zoomed out to the full range, can't do them justice. But I was energized and exhilarated once again and so grateful that I can literally look around my immediate neighborhood and enjoy such stunning beauty. And then there's gorgeous Mt. Baker as I turn around and look southward. How blessed I am! As I finished I noticed the full moon just rising above the trees and was pleasantly surprised I was able to even get this shot. These pictures all look so much better on a full computer screen than when they're posted.

I'm thinking these are the Golden Ears, further west on the range of mountains, and taken from a higher elevation further up the hill on my walk.

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills,
from whence cometh my help.
My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth...
from Psalm 121 KJV

Gluten-Free Bread

Further to the recipe I included on the last blog "Festive Fesper"*:
Al made a full recipe, a substantial loaf, but included some tapioca flour and 1 teaspoon xanthum gum. Talking to Erica about this, who has expertise on this through years of experimenting and perfecting recipes, she advised not to use too much tapioca flour since it provides a gummy texture. We found this to be true. I liked it more than Al did who says he'll lessen the tapioca flour and not include more than 1/4 cup. The greenish hue of the loaf must come from the pumpkin seeds.

*The "Festive Fesper" was a collaborative affair, which I neglected to include in the original post. All my sisters and my aunt graciously brought some festive goodies to add to the fun!

Festive Fesper

Christmas Bread - Weihnacht's Stollen
Recipe - for bread maker:

2/3 cup warm water
1/2 cup warm milk
1/3 cup melted butter
2 eggs-beaten

Add:
4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon yeast

Start dough cycle. During the cycle add:
2/3 cup golden raisins
2/3 cup mixed fruit

When the cycle is complete and the dough has filled the pan, remove and turn dough out onto oiled counter top. Cut the dough into two equal parts, cover one with cloth while patting the first one into an oval. Fold one side over the other not quite touching the end. Gently pat down. Place on parchment lined baking sheet. When both are done -they will both fit onto one sheet- set into a slightly warmed, but not on now, oven to rise - about an hour. When ready, remove and place on oven, cover with cloth until oven is hot-350o.
Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Remove from pan to cool on wire racks. Ice when cool.

Icing:
Melt a slice of butter in a measuring cup by adding a small amount of boiling water. Add about 1 and a half cups icing sugar and stir until smooth. Adjust the consistency by adding more water or icing sugar. Add almond extract. Decorate to your hearts content with glaced cherries.

Gluten-Free Bread -Al's recipe

In 2-cup measuring cup:
2 eggs, beaten
3 tablespoons oil

-add 5 ounces of warm milk
-add enough warm water till all liquids measure 13 ounces

Place in bread maker.

Add:
4 cups of gluten free flour such as rice,( Al makes it about half rice flour), then potato flour, cornmeal and some oatmeal.*
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons yeast

Add flax seed, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds as desired.
Al uses the regular cycle to bake this bread.

*Oatmeal, according to some sources, is becoming acceptable for gluten intolerant people.
This recipe works well for cinnamon raisin bread too. Just add cinnamon and 1/2 cup raisins during the cycle.The picture features a loaf Al baked this morning but smaller than usual since he made only half a recipe. He thinks the larger, above, recipe works better.

ps I cut the pink roses this morning, rain-drenched but still pretty nice. It's so heartening to bring something living inside from somewhere in the garden, even a snippet of cedar or boxwood - evergreen!

My special Fesper guests insisted that we take some pictures of the table.

And who were these special guests? Three of my dear sisters, Ingrid, Erica, Hedy together with our dear Aunt Helene - my Dad's youngest sister and only living sibling. We sure missed our eldest sister, Herta!

Holiday Ring Cake

Recipe
Beat together:
1 cup butter
8 oz. cream cheese
1 and 1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Add:
4 eggs
2 teaspoons lemon zest

Blend in:
1 and 3/4 cups flour
1 and 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt

Add:
1/2 cup seedless raisins
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup mixed candied fruit
1/2 cup chopped maraschino cherries
1/2 cup chopped nuts
Mix the fruit first with 1/4 cup flour before adding to batter

Pour into greased and floured 10 inch Bundt pan.
Bake in 300o F oven for 70-80 minutes.

Cool in pan 10 minutes then turn out on wire rack. Dust with icing sugar when cool.

Many years ago Al's sister Olga baked this cake for us and gave us a whole Holiday Ring as a gift. It's a winner. Olga graciously shared her recipe and I've baked it often since. Yesterday was the day. I took the pictures late last night after hearing the most magnificent rendition of Handel's Messiah I have ever heard. It was electrifying and so inspirational. Then I enjoyed some of this cake with a cupa - very yummy! Al was in bed by this time, but no worries I'd baked him his favourite gluten-free Almond Blueberry cake of which he enjoyed a piece before hitting the hay. I will take pictures and post that recipe another time. It's also very delicious - rich but wonderful!

The little posy is made from Boxwood of which I have a lot. The day before I was given some carnations and I cut them down to make several of these little posies. Such fun!

Back to the Messiah, the reason for the season:

For unto us a child is born,
unto us a son is given,
and the government shall be upon His shoulders.
And he shall be called Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God, Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6