♬ Countdown to Christmas - Wassail for Saints and Sinners ♬

Photo and Recipe courtesy of Allrecipes.com

The Wassailing Song - Jim Carrol via You Tube

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Back in the day, the excitement in our house on Christmas Eve was so intense that it could be cut with a knife. To keep the children from bouncing off the walls, two other moms and I formed an impromptu children's choir that would go caroling on Christmas Eve. The children had bell clear voices and once they understood they were not trick or treating, we could kill a couple of hours entertaining older neighbors with traditional Christmas carols, that even then, were not often heard. Between us there were 11 children, so supervision of the already excited crew was no easy matter, but it kept the kids occupied and gave us the opportunity to wish the neighbors a timely happy holiday. The outing, of course, ended with hot drinks, usually chocolate, and cookies that were never in short supply. While the children left cookies with the neighbors, an exchange of sorts developed and it seemed they came home with more than they had delivered. Times have changed and certain traditions seem to have fallen by the wayside. Caroling, at least in our area, is one of them. I miss it. Wassailing, or caroling, can be traced back to pre-Christian times when villagers would travel through fields and orchards singing in a raucous fashion believed to drive away evil spirits that might prevent a successful harvest. The custom evolved and in Victorian England, wassailers went from door to door, singing and drinking to the health of their neighbors. The carolers would return home after a night of singing and warm themselves by the fire with a pot of spiced wassail I suspect those whose wassail was fortified with spirits slept quite well. I'm featuring two recipes for wassail in tonight's post. One is fortified, the other is not. If you are looking for a novel punch to serve your guests this holiday, one of these might be just what you are looking for. Here is how they are made.

Wassail for Saints...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Allrecipes.com

Ingredients:
3/4 cup white sugar
4 whole cloves
1-1/2 cups water
1-1/2 cinnamon sticks
3/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup lemon juice
8 cups apple juice

Directions:
In a saucepan, combine sugar, cloves, water, and cinnamon. Bring to a boil, and continue to boil for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and allow to cool for 1 hour. Stir in orange juice, lemon juice, and apple juice. Return to heat, and boil for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove cloves and cinnamon sticks before serving. Yield: 16 servings.

Photo and Recipe courtesy of Southern Living magazine

Wassail for Sinners...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Southern Living magazine

Ingredients:
2 (12-oz.) bottles brown ale
2 cups apple cider
1 cup port
1 cup lemonade
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 apple, diced
2 whole allspice
2 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks
6 whole cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
Garnish: lemon wedges, cinnamon sticks (optional)

Directions:
Stir together ale, apple cider, port, lemonade, brown sugar, diced apple, whole allspice, 2 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, cardamom in a 5-qt. slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW 3 hours or until hot. Remove diced apple, if desired. Ladle into mugs. Garnish, if desired. Yield: 14 (1/2 cup) servings.

                    

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Countdown to Christmas - Orange Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Cookies

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I suspect your children are much like mine. While surround by confections from around the world, their clear favorites were gingerbread men and frosted sugar cookies. Some of you may even have a spouse like mine. Now, my intent here is not to waken sleeping dogs, or open doors that should remain forever closed, but the Silver Fox and others like him, have a serious problem. Their mother's loved them more than we do. These women, to hear it told, dropped everything to bake their son's favorite cookie, no matter what else might be going on. In the midst of cooking dinner for 30, favorite cookies would miraculously appear to please,or as the case may be, appease, the Little Prince. The Little Prince was known to his sisters by a name that cannot be mentioned here, and only age has closed the breech caused by the special treatment he received. He, unfortunately, neglected to include the cookie clause in his marriage contract, so I can honestly say I have never dropped anything to make him cookies on a whim. This year, however, I had some extra time and included his favorite chocolate chips in my Christmas cookie mix. There are hundreds of recipes for CCCs floating through cyberspace, and the only thing that sets his apart from any of the others, is a bit of cinnamon and some orange zest. I must admit they add a great deal to the standard cookie. I found the recipe in Taste of Home magazine and I haven't strayed much from the original instructions, save for increasing the amount of cinnamon and changing the way the cookies are shaped. I found the rolling and cutting tedious, so using about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie, I created balls which I flattened to a half inch in thickness and made quick work of the chore. I think you will enjoy these cookies as much as the No-Longer-Little Price does. Here is how they are made.

Orange Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Cookies...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Taste of Home magazine

Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 tablespoon orange zest, minced
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips ( 2 cups)
1 cup walnuts, chopped

Directions:
1) In a large bowl, cream butter and both sugars until light and fluffy.
2) Beat in eggs, orange zest and vanilla.
3) In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt, then gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in chips and walnuts, then cover and chill 2 hours or until dough is easy to handle.
4) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease several cookie sheets.
5) When dough has chilled, on a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/2-inch thick. Cut with lightly floured 3-inch round cookie cutter. Place 1 inch apart on prepared cookie sheets. Bake 12-14 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire rack to cool. Yield: 3 dozen cookie.

                    

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Countdown to Christmas - Cranberry and White Chocolate Blondies

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Cookies for the neighbors have been packed and wrapped and we'll drop them off tomorrow afternoon. Most of the cookies I've shared with them are barely sweet, so I wanted to top the tins with one sweet confection that I know will please those who have a ravenous sweet tooth. While these cookies are a last minute addition, the Silver Fox has given them two thumbs up, so, despite limited testing, I am comfortable sharing the cookies with the neighbors and the recipe with you. These fall into the easy-peasy category of holiday cooking and they are perfect for those of you who are looking for a last minute filler for your holiday cookie trays. They are so simple to make, that I have no special insights or techniques to share with you, other than to say, if you like sweet things, or your sweet things like sweet things, this recipe will not disappoint you. Do give it a try. Here is how this simple white chocolate brownie is made.

Cranberry and White Chocolate Blondies...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Taste of Home magazine

Ingredients:
Blondies
3/4 cup butter, cubed
1-1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup dried cranberries
6 ounces white baking chocolate, coarsely chopped
Frosting
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon grated orange peel, optional
6 ounces white baking chocolate, melted, divided use
1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Set aside.
2) Melt butter in a microwave. Stir in brown sugar. Transfer to a large bowl and cool to room temperature.
3) Beat in eggs and vanilla.
4) Combine flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a separate bowl. Gradually add to butter mixture. Stir in cranberries and chopped chocolate (batter will be thick).
4) Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake at for 18-21 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean (do not over bake). Cool on a wire rack.
5) To make frosting: Beat cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and orange peel in a large bowl until blended. Gradually add half
of melted white chocolate and beat until blended. Frost blondies. Sprinkle with cranberries. Drizzle with remaining melted white
chocolate. Cut into bars. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: 2-1/2 dozen.

                    

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Countdown to Christmas - Chocolate Shells with Eggnog Cheesecake Mousse

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a bit fussier than most of the desserts I've been experimenting with this holiday season, but it's really not that all hard to do. Making the chocolate shells can be off-putting to some, and while they are a bit messy to prepare, wikihow has a marvelous tutorial that will walk you through the steps needed to get them to your table. You'll find them much easier to make if you use parchment liners for your muffin cups. They make for a smooth release, and while standard liners work, these make the job much easier. If they are not available in your area, parchment liners can be ordered, here. Once you've made the shells they must be kept cold to prevent unwarranted melting,so it is best to fill them just before serving. I've filled mine with a mousse-like, eggnog flavored cheesecake that is delicious and almost effortless to make. This filling is versatile and can also be served in small pudding cups or used to fill cream puffs. This is a nice holiday dessert and it might work well for those of you who are looking for something a bit different to serve your guests. The dessert works best if it is assembled just before serving, but all of the components can be prepared well ahead of time. If you have time. I hope you'll give the shells a try. I think you will be quite pleased. Here is how the shells and filling are made.

Chocolate Shells with Eggnog Cheesecake Mousse...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Taste of Home magazine

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 package (8 ounce) Cream Cheese, softened
1 cups cold eggnog
2/3 cups cold whole milk
1 packages (3.4 ounces each) instant vanilla pudding mix
1/4 teaspoon rum extract
Pinch of ground nutmeg
1 cup heavy whipping cream, divided use

Directions:
1) To make chocolate cups: Melt chocolate over a double boiler until smooth. Line a 12-cup cupcake tray with silicone (parchment) paper liners and scoop approximately 1 tablespoon melted chocolate into each cup. Use a pastry brush to evenly coat each cupcake liner and paint chocolate up the sides of each liner, stopping about 1/2-inch from the top. Freeze tray for several hours or overnight. Peel off cupcake liners and store the chocolate cups in the freezer.
2) To make eggnog mousse: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Beat in the eggnog, milk, dry pudding mixes, extract and nutmeg until smooth. Whip 1/2 cup cream until stiff peaks form. Fold whipped cream into pudding mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.
3) Just before serving, whip remaining 1/2 cup heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Spoon eggnog mixture into chocolate cups. Top each filled chocolate shell with whipped cream. Yield: 12 servings.

                    

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Countdown to Christmas - Cratchit's Crumble Pie

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Desserts in our house are considered to be Christmas fare if they are red or green. Some folks consider that to be a bit of a stretch, but we are easy to please, and I view it as a kindness for red and green desserts that simply don't get enough play during the rest of the year. This simple pie may not make the cut for a formal Christmas dinner but it would be a perfect  addition to a game day spread come the 1st of the year. It is delicious, ridiculously easy to make, and I do hope you'll give this effortless recipe a try at some point during the holiday season.. The pie falls into the tart-sweet category and if you enjoy your desserts barely sweet, you'll love this one. Here is how this remarkable pie is made.

Cratchit's Crumble Pie...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Taste of Home magazine

Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cans (15 ounces each) pitted tart cherries, drained
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
1 large Egg, lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 unbaked pastry shell (9 inches)
Streusel Topping
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup cold butter
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2) Combine sugar, flour, cherries, sour cream, egg and almond extract in a large bowl. Spoon into the pastry shell. Bake for 20 minutes.
3) Meanwhile, make topping. Combine oats, flour, brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in pecans. Sprinkle over filling. Cover edges of crust to prevent over-browning.
3) Continue baking for another 25-30 minutes, or until topping is lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour, then refrigerate. Yield: 8 servings.

                    

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Countdown to Christmas - Swedish Cardamom Wreaths

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...If the aromas coming from fall kitchens give me shivers, I must admit that those drifting from Christmas kitchens make me positively weak-kneed. I think it is the addition of cardamom to the spice mix that does me in. I was raised in a row house that shared a common basement with five other families and during the lead-up to the holidays that basement was the place to be. The baking went on for days at a time, and as the more pedestrian aromas of cinnamon and nutmeg mingled with those of ginger and cloves, the unforgettable fragrance of the spice mix and cardamom actually permeated linens hung to dry. It gave new meaning to the phrase sweet dreams. Our Swedish and German neighbors took Christmas baking to heart and each of them made a version of the cardamom coffee ring I'm featuring today. They differed mainly in the quantity of eggs and butter that was used, but the finished cakes they shared with neighbors were remarkably similar in form and taste. Like many children, I was fascinated with the braiding and twisting that was used to shape the cakes and I loved to see them rise. I suspect my love of bread, the baking and eating of it, had it origins in those kitchens and that basement which captured and held the aromas of Christmas. I, unfortunately, have no vintage recipes to share with today, but this version, which comes from Taste of Home magazine, comes awfully close to the ones I remember. I do hope you'll give it a try. Here is how cardamom wreaths are made.

Swedish Cardamom Wreaths...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Taste of Home magazine

Ingredients:
4-1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/3 cup warm water
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
4 large eggs
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
2-1/4 teaspoons ground cardamom
2 teaspoons salt
7 to 7-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon milk
Toasted sliced almonds
Coarse or granulated sugar or confectioners' sugar glaze

Directions:
1) In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in 3 eggs, evaporated milk, yeast mixture, sour cream, orange peel, cardamom, salt and 6 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.
2) Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch dough down; turn onto a floured surface. Divide into six portions. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Shape each portion into a 24-in. rope. Place three ropes on a greased baking sheet and braid. Form into a ring; pinch ends tightly together. Repeat with remaining dough. Cover and let rise until almost doubled, about 45 minutes.
3) Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
4) Beat milk and remaining egg; brush over wreaths. Sprinkle with almonds and sugar. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. Yield: 2 loaves

                    

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Countdown to Christmas - Chocolate Macadamia Nut Balls

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I wanted to squeeze this recipe in while you still had your ovens going. It makes a really nice cookie and while it's not an heirloom recipe, it does harkens back to the days when candy was eaten rather than used as a baking ingredient. That, of course, never prevented adventuresome cooks from making creative equivalents to use in their cookies, especially once chocolate chips were available to them. This recipe probably dates back to the mid 1970's when macadamia were first marketed for cooks here in the states. This is an easy cookie to make, but I have a caution or two to share with you. The cookies can be bland if the butter or nuts you use are not salted. That can be remedied with the addition of 1/4 teaspoon table salt that will greatly improve the flavor of the finished cookies. It is also important to chill, but not over-chill, the cookie dough. It has to be cold enough to shape, but malleable enough to cover the chocolate-nut filling. I usually make the filling before the cookie dough, so I can better gauge readiness for assembly. Sometimes, I actually get it right. I do hope you'll give this recipe a try. Here is how these cookies are made.

Chocolate Macadamia Nut Balls ...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Taste of Home magazine

Ingredients:
Cookie Dough
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 jar (3-1/2 ounces) Macadamia nuts, finely chopped
Cookie Filling
1 cup (6 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips.
1/2 cup Macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped
C0nfectioners' sugar

Directions:
1) To prepare dough: Combine butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat until light and fluffy. Add vanilla. On low speed, gradually add flour. Add nuts. Dough will be stiff. Cover and chill.
2) To prepare filling, melt chocolate chips. Stir in nuts and cool slightly. Drop by small teaspoons onto parchment lined baking sheets. Cover and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes.
3) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
4) Shape chilled teaspoons of dough around each piece of chocolate-nut mixture until completely covered. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
5) Bake for 12-14 minutes or until lightly browned. Roll warm cookies in confectioners' sugar and cool on wire racks. Yield: 2-1/2 dozen cookies.

                    

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