Happy New Year!

Ever since I can remember New Year's Eve meant Portzelky-(raisin fritters.)How we looked forward, as children, to those tasty deep-fried morsels, a grand finale to the festive Christmas season. (It's hard to imagine in our society of indulgence, a time when snacks were rare and measured. In a large family such as ours, it just had to be that way in order to keep the household running efficiently. Of course none of the popular snacks of today had even been dreamed of back then. In our family a snack meant a hearty chunk of home-made bread with peanut butter and honey and this only after school. -There actually was a time when our favourite snack was bread with catsup! - But with all the many options that we have at our finger tips our kids still all love those Portzelky!)

Portzelky
Mix together:
2 cups warm milk
1 cup warm water
1/3 cup melted butter
6 eggs - beaten
2 teaspoons salt

Add:
4+ cups flour to which
4 teaspoons of yeast has been added

Blend and beat with wire whip until fairly thick (this is the tricky part for me every year - since I only make them this one time of the year, I guess at how 'soft or hard' to get the dough -softer than harder is better but if too soft you get greasier fritters. Add more flour as needed.

Now add lots of washed raisins - at least 4 cups. More raisins gets them cooked faster.

Cover the mixture and let rise in a warm place, about 1 hour.
Heat lots of oil in a fryer or electric pan to about 350o. Drop batter carefully by large wooden spoonsful into hot fat. Don't crowd. Cook until golden brown and then gently turn to brown underside. Each batch requires only about five minutes frying time. Lift with tongs into large tray lined with paper towelling. Yummy! We always ate ours without sugar since the raisins are so sweet, and I still do, but many like to dunk the fritters into sugar.

Lentil Soup

Unlike the tradition of the fritters, lentil soup is something I often make but never for a New Year's Eve dinner. We found it to be a wonderful combo with the fritters and one I'll try again. I wasn't that pleased with the photo since I quickly took it before sitting down for our meal with Olga and Linda our special guests.

The 'croutons' on top of the soup are actually nacho chips. A year ago while vacationing in Mexico at Nerdfiesta, we were served a delicious soup called 'Tortilla Soup' on New year's Eve as an appetizer in San Miguel de Allende. It was a vegetable type soup with lots of tortilla strips on top. Now we often add crunchy chips to our soups as a topper. I'll try to post the recipe another time. This is getting too long and the New Year beckons!

One comment about the dishes we used at our dinner. They are made in Mexico and ones which we've brought back with us at various times. I love the vibrant colours and life they portray. We were remembering Mexico and part of our family, Andrew, Dana, Eva and Micah, who make their home there.

I first began entertaining the idea of blogging two years ago. With that in mind I had this photo of Portzelky on file thinking I would like to blog about that some time. So this picture shows the fritters that I made two years ago and which were consumed with great gusto at an extended family gathering that New Year's Day.

O Christmas Tree

Scroll down to December 22 to see this post. I've forgotten how to redate my "drafts" so that when I publish them they appear on the current date. Although Dana guided me through those steps on another occasion, I'm drawing a blank and don't want to take the time to experiment right now. Enjoy the holidays!

Merry Snowy Christmas

"Leise rieselt der Schnee,
Still und stahr ruht der See,
Weihnachtlich glaentzet der Wald,
Freue dich Kristkind kommt bald!"

(Gently swirls the snow,
Calm and still rests the sea,
Festively glistens the world,
Rejoice! The Christchild is here!
(loose translation-anyone, please let me know if I've missed the essence)

After settling down to our short winter's nap after midnight last night, certain that the snow had run its course, we were stunned to see at least another 8-10 inches of that gorgeous white stuff everywhere! We've heard that there hasn't been this much snow in December since 1964. I took the first three photos from my back and front doors just after 8 this morning! Tried to get similar shots as the last post in order to make comparisons! Andrew gave me a couple of good tips yesterday re my camera: take it off its default setting and use the P setting. This allows me to enhance colour and sharpness. So here's hoping - sure appreciate the tip!

Notice the snow still coming down in these photos.

Jennifer and her family came for brunch later and were able to make it in their 4-wheel drive. By this time the snow had stopped. Al had shovelled an area at the bottom of our steep driveway for them to park. They will pick us up later for dinner at their place. Our van is low and we'd have difficulty plowing through our cul-de-sac. We're the last to get the snowplow if in fact we do. It's all good. Christmas brings out the best in people! It's wonderful! We get to see and greet our neighbours, help each other out and spread Christmas cheer. Beautiful. Carlton shovelled the driveway for us before we had our brunch. Yesterday both he and Colin arrived, snow shovels in hand and cleared the driveway and sidewalk for us. Wonderful Christmas presents! And echoing Tiny Tim: "God bless us everyone!"

Winter Wonderland

"Over the ground lies a mantle of white,
A heaven of diamonds shine down through the night...
Walkin' in a winter wonderland!"

A most glorious sight! It's Christmas Eve - we're snowbound...our Christmas Eve church services were cancelled and outside and inside,it's beautiful! We've never had a Christmas Eve like this before - no one is here, plans altered...the air is perfectly still and oh so silent...the snow has stopped falling...it's magical...curtains opened wide, we look out on a neighborhood resplendent in sparkling diamonds...inside and outside Christmas lights twinkle and "O Holy Night" is the track that's thrilling us once more...the treats are laid out...the game board is out..."A Christmas Carol" has just played itself out on tv and glancing out our front door we see tracks to the house. Who's been here? We've heard no bell, heard no one, not even a car...the snow is deep...I reach out to see a card and imported German chocolates on the bench ... Ah, "Peace on earth, good will to all men!"....and to our wonderful neighbours!

O Christmas Tree

"O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
How lovely are your branches..."

It's always a highlight getting the Christmas tree set up. We've succumbed to the fake look for convenience sake for many years now. A star is what I like to put on as its crown since it was "the star" which led the wisemen to Jesus.

Looking back in a family album I see a picture, taken 62 Christmases ago, of my mother and six of her little brood around her with my baby brother less than two months old, cradled in her arms. A tiny, sparsely decorated evergreen tree boasting a few white homemade decorations and one glass ornament, is our Christmas tree -Weihnachtsbaum.

No twinkling lights grace its boughs as it stands safely behind a large chair. A collection of dolls and a homemade teddy bear of some kind nestle in a doll bed, while one perches in a toy high chair. So simple - so rich. Our hearts burst with joy as we sit primly in our designated places, hands folded, Christmas dresses in order, posing for the photographer, our Dad. We are a family, we are together, and we are so content. Dad had bought the Photo Studio in Winkler and moved his family from a tiny village into the town of Winkler six months earlier. Studying this photo now, with many photo shoots behind me, I can imagine the logistics involved in getting five girls ages 2-10 to sit up and smile while our dear Mom, holding her first son, was probably holding her breath hoping that all would go well, while the novice photographer was in action! Our first Christmas in Winkler - 1946. (I hope to scan that picture into here.)

Over the years I've received many beautiful ornaments which I treasure. I have many ornaments which I treasure but aren't so beautiful anymore, yet hold significance and meaning for me. I like to think of the person connected with each tree ornament as I hang each one in place. It's a very eclectic mix but interesting to me.

At Christmas time I recall an incident that happened at our Christmas Eve service in our church in Winkler when I was about 11 years old. While a young man was singing, "There's a Star in the East..." the huge, beautifully decorated Christmas Tree came crashing down, lights and all, landing in the aisle of the church. I don't think anyone was hurt but it did cause quite a stir!

A star for its crown...
and a manger at its feet.

Borscht... Buns...Dessert

Winter is here and those turkey bones will be ready to stew into a healthy, hearty soup stock. With that in mind I'm posting these photos together...because what is borscht without a bun followed by something sweet? Apple pie of course would be the 'creme de la creme' but I don't have a picture of the apple pie we had in honour of Colin's birthday the other day. The raspberry cake is a close second though. This is equally good with fresh or quick frozen raspberries or blueberries. The buns, twirly buns as our kids always referred to them, are a derivative of a wonderful large recipe from my sister Herta. Years ago she made them by the dozens and I followed suit when I started whipping around in my own kitchen. Since then I've dropped the milk and eggs from the original recipe and make a mere fifteen or so, using only a very basic formula to suit my breadmaker. Now I simply divide the breadmaker dough into two portions patting each down in a circle. I cut them into wedges and roll them up. Proof in a warm oven until chubby, then bake and eat.

Borscht is my very favourite soup and - everybody has their own version of the best borscht. My soups are never the same from one time to another. My mother said the cabbage was important - fresh, crisp cabbage. The cabbage I had for this batch had been sitting in my basement fridge since September, very ready to be used. But after severe trimming of that massive head, we found the soup to be delicious even so! But I do know from personal experience that a fresh cabbage in summer makes it even better. Sometimes I use the cabbage and carrots from a packaged chopped coleslaw. That speeds up the process when in a hurry. Sometimes I add a yam or turnip - very nice. But basically I use what I have in the fridge like pickled beets instead of fresh beets. Before sealing the hot soup in sterilized jars, I add as much chopped turkey as I've got or want. Refrigerate the jars when cool and use as needed.

Borscht - this recipe

Cook turkey bones in water for several hours.
Chop and saute in small amount of oil: (do this right in heavy soup pot)
2 large onions
2 cloves garlic
1 medium Cabbage

Add boiling water to cover and simmer. Meanwhile chop and add carrots, celery, peppers, green onions, potatoes. Now add the strained turkey stock, or chicken or beef or just plain water adding bouillon as needed. Simmer gently. Add a bunch of parsley and dill. When vegetables are done season with salt, peppercorns in a tea ball, 1-2 bay leaves, a few red pepper flakes, about 1/2 cup of salsa and a large splash of catsup. Bring back to boil and then simmer. (I added a liter of chicken bouillon to thin the vegetables.) This is when we have our first bowl of borscht - it's good but we know that tomorrow's soup will be even better...it just is.

Easy Twirly Buns

In breadmaker mix:
13 oz water
1/8 cup oil plus 1 tablespoon of soft butter-or more
4 cups white flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons yeast

Set on dough cycle. Roll dough, let rise then bake at 400o for 14 minutes

Raspberry Cake
Recipe from my Aunt Anna - Tante Anna

1/3 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspooon salt
1 cup milk
2 cups raspberries

Cream butter and sugar. Add well-beaten egg, vanilla. Add dry ingredients with milk, beating just enough to keep batter smooth. Pour into greased/floured 9"x13" pan*. Sprinkle with raspberries.

Bake at 375o 30-40 minutes. Drizzle with thin vanilla icing while warm.

*I baked the pictured cake in a springform pan for aesthetic purposes. Doing this I had to bake it a lot longer since the center stayed soft much longer.

Decorate with fresh raspberries, fresh mint (from my garden) and serve with ice-cream.

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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