Christmas Almond Paste Roll

I will post the recipe that I use each year for the Christmas roll but you could use any sweet roll recipe.  The filling is either the recipe below, or almond paste, or some of both which is what I do.  The candied fruit is basically to add color.

3 to 3 1/4 cups flour (370-410 grams)

1 pkg yeast (7 grams)

1 cup milk

6 T butter or margarine
1/3 cup sugar (67 grams)

1/2 t salt (3 grams)

1 egg

For Almond Filling:

1/3 cup granulated sugar (67 grams)

2T softened butter   

1/4 cup ground almonds (36 grams)  

1/4 t almond extract  (If you don't use any almond paste, I would double this amount)

Combine 2 cups of the flour and the yeast in a large mixer bowl.  In saucepan, heat together milk, butter, sugar and salt just till warm, stirring constantly till butter almost melts.  Add this to the dry mixture in bowl.  Add egg.  Beat at low speed of mixer for 1/2 minute., scraping bowl constantly.  Beat 3 minutes at high speed.  By hand stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough.  

Knead on lightly floured surface till smooth, about 3 - 5 minutes.  Shape into a ball.  Place in lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease entire surface.  Cover and let rise in warm place till double, about 1 hour.  Punch down dough and let rest 10 minutes (it handles better this way).  

Roll out to an 18 by 12 inch rectangle.  Spread with almond filling (and almond paste if you wish).  Sprinkle with some bits of colorful candied fruit.  Roll up from long edge jelly roll style.  Pinch to seal edge.  Place seam side down and shape into a ring (or candy cane or tree) on large greased baking sheet.  Cut with kitchen shears every 1/2 inch to within 1/2 inch of bottom.  Gently pull slices out a bit.  Let rise in warm place till nearly double, about 45 minutes. 

Bake 375 oven for 20-25 min, or until the bread in the center seems firm  enough to be baked through.   If it doesn't seem done, lay a piece of aluminum foil over the top so it won't continue to brown as it bakes for a few minutes longer.  Let cool slightly and drizzle a bit of icing over the top which will slide down the sides.  Decorate with cherries or candied fruit.  For the icing I just add a bit of lemon juice to confectioners sugar....or you could use milk.  Even if it is a bit thick, it will drizzle down the sides if the bread is still warm.  

When life was very busy, I sometimes made the bread ahead of time, froze it and let it thaw out for a few hours, put it in the oven to heat it through a bit and then frosted it.  

When Grandma Bryant made this, she sliced the jelly roll like you would cinnamon rolls and placed the pieces on a cookie sheet forming a Christmas tree.  Then she just drizzled the frosting over it all.  You can be quite creative with it really.

Almond Filling

Cream together 1/3 cup granulated sugar and 2T softened  butter or margarine till light and fluffy.   Stir in 1/4 cup ground almonds and 1/4 t almond extract.  If you don't use any almond paste, I would double this amount!

Cranberry and Orange Relish

This is the way I've always made it,  though recipes you will find elsewhere will vary slightly....such as adding apples or walnuts.  Though it is especially appreciated with turkey at Thanksgiving and Christmas,we actually eat it all winter, as long as we can buy the fresh cranberries.  It's great on cereal, in yahourts and over ice cream.  The very first time I tasted it was in Alaska in 1972 where they made it from the wild cranberries.  Upon our return to France, we moved to Grenoble and were delighted to find the small wild cranberries at Chamrousse, scattered in with the blueberries we picked each fall.  For the last several years however, they are sold fresh in all the supermarkets in the area.  Recipe from Fanny Farmer cookbook.  Rachel and I kept a constant supply of this in the fridge last winter and even Damien liked it.

Wash
   2 cups cranberries
Cut into pieces and remove the seeds from
   1 small orange
Progressively drop the cranberries and the orange pieces into a food processor on one of the higher speeds until rather finely chopped.  Add
   3/4 cup sugar
Mix thoroughly.  Let stand for 30 minutes before eating.  Better yet, let it stand for several hours.  It will last a long while in the fridge and it also freezes very well.

Chicken Chowder

I first put this together last February but I don't remember if it was before or after the Seattle Bryants left.  One cold evening last week I decided to make it for Woody and Sue and we all just loved it.  The amounts are approximate and you could add or subtract ingredients.  The bacon, cream and cumin really seem to enhance the flavor so I would be sure to use those.

Serves 4 -6

Cut a few slices of  bacon into small pieces (like our lardons fumés)and fry slightly, either in a large heavy skillet with a lid or in a heavy casserole like a Creuset.  Add some olive oil and the following diced ingredients, mixing well with the oil.  Cover and simmer for a few minutes.
   1/2 cup carrots
   2 cups potatoes
   1/2 cup celery
   1 cup onion
   1 leek

Then add and let simmer, covered,  for even an hour or so to blend the flavors.
   some corn
   some cooked and diced chicken (a short cut....boil chicken tenders in enough water to be able to use that water for the bouillon, adding just seasonings or a bouillon cube)
   2 1/2 cups chicken bouillon  (or stock which you can buy)
   salt, pepper, cumin, herbes de provence, etc......

Just before serving add a cup of cream.  It can be thickened, but I didn't.  Stir well and serve it up!

Chicken and Rice Casserole

This is the only chicken and rice casserole I've made for the past 25 years.  A friend at the small church in Marshallberg NC brought it to a Sunday potluck and I asked her for the recipe.

INGREDIENTS

3 cups (more or less) cooked chicken
1 cup (or more) cooked rice
1 cup chopped celery (boiled in chicken broth and drained)
2 T. chopped onion
1 pkg slivered or sliced almonds, uncooked
1 small can water chestnuts, drained and sliced
2 cans cream of chicken soup (can also use mushroom soup)
1 cup mayonnaise

Mix all ingredients together.  Add salt and pepper.  Spoon into buttered baking dish.  Cover lightly with Pepperidge Farm Stuffing (regular) mix.  I just use bread crumbs and add a few herbs, since I can't get stuffing mix here!

Bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until cooked through.

It's easy to make a day in advance and keep it in the fridge overnight or else freeze it for several days/weeks until needed.

Boeuf Bourguignon

Ingredients

8 ounces bacon, coarsely chopped

3 pounds well-trimmed boneless beef chuck, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes (from 7-bone chuck roast)

1/3 cup all purpose flour

1 1/4 pounds boiling onions, peeled or 2 large onions, sliced

3/4 pound large carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces

12 large garlic cloves, peeled (left whole)

3 cups canned beef broth

1/2 cup Cognac or brandy (optional)

2 750-ml bottles red Burgundy wine

1 1/4 pounds mushrooms

1/3 cup chopped fresh thyme or 2 tablespoons dried

1 tablespoon dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon tomato paste

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325°F. Sauté bacon in heavy large Dutch oven over high heat until brown and crisp, about 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels. Season beef generously with salt and pepper; coat with 1/3 cup flour, using all of flour. Working in 3 batches, brown beef in same pot over high heat, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer meat to large bowl. Add onions and carrots to same pot and sauté until light brown, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Transfer vegetables to bowl with beef.

Add 1 cup broth and Cognac to pot; boil until reduced to glaze, scraping up browned bits, about 8 minutes. Return meat and vegetables and their juices to pot. Add wine, mushrooms, thyme, sugar, tomato paste and 2 cups broth. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Cover pot and place in oven. Cook until beef is tender, about 1 hour 20 minutes.

Ladle liquid from stew into large saucepan. Spoon off fat. Boil liquid until reduced to 2 3/4 cups, about 40 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Pour liquid back over beef and vegetables. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.) Rewarm over low heat before serving.

Adapted from Epicurious.

Hollandaise Sauce

If you want a real treat for a lazy Saturday morning brunch, make Eggs Benedicte.  All you need is toasted English muffins, topped with one or two poached eggs and a drizzle of this easy Hollandaise sauce to cover it!  We made this in the fall when all the CA Bryants were here and it was a hit from the youngest to the oldest.  As Grandma Bryant taught us all,  Hollandaise sauce is great over broccoli too.

3 egg yolks
1/4 t. salt
1 to 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
a pinch of dry or Dijon mustard
1/4 pound (1/2 cup, 8 T) butter, melted

Melt butter to bubbling but do not brown.  Put the egg yolks, salt, lemon juice and mustard into a blender.  Turn onto a low speed and gradually add hot butter through the top.  Blend a few seconds until thickened and smooth.

This recipe is a Bryant combination from NY Times/Osterizer cookbooks.
Hint for clean-up.....do not rinse blender with hot water (it "cooks" the egg yolk onto the sides, making it difficult to clean).  Soak in sudsy cool water before washing in hot water.

Chestnut Soup

This easy soup is unlike anything we've ever tasted with an incredibly smooth, velvety texture.  
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 lb. Canned, peeled chestnuts
4 cups beef stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 T. Butter
2 T chopped Parsley

1. Place the chestnuts in a saucepan with 3 cups stock. Bring to simmer (uncovered) for 40 to 50 minutes adding extra stock as needed to keep the chestnuts covered.

2. When the chestnuts are tender puree with immersion blender. Add heavy cream, seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Add butter just before serving and parsley as garnish.   

Originally from a "French Women for All Seasons".