Have yourself a merry little Christmas

Where oh where has this year gone, and what has been happening to all my time? Last thing I remember it was the start of October and I had a few little sewing projects on the boil, the we hit 'wedding season' again (including a lovely little holiday to New Zealand), not to mention chasing around my now crawling baby. Then all of a sudden it was December, and people were putting up trees, playing carols, and posting Santa photos on Facebook... and I was completely disorganised! 

I offer many apologies for being so neglectful to you, and here is a little catch up on what I have been up to of late.

The sewing has been going in peaks and troughs the last few months, but here's what has been happening:

I am loving these sweet little cuddly elephant toys, and have given them to new babies and as Christmas presents too. The awesome PDF pattern is available from Retro Mama's Etsy store. 

I have patched a few more baby quilts, and working on a bias binding free version, which is much easier, and gives a pretty nice result. Watch out for a tutorial on those babies next year.

And lastly, a wee stocking for our beautiful girl's first Christmas, pattern courtesy of Noodlehead. This was a pretty easy little pattern, though it took me forever as I kept putting off the hand embroidering of the name. This one taught me the valuable lesson of sometimes just follow the pattern, as I did my own thing and messed up the lining so had to do it twice.

The Christmas baking has been a little lower key this year than last, but the customary Strawberry and Rhubarb Jam and Russian tea cakes have of course been coming out of my kitchen hard and fast this month. 

We are hosting my family for our traditional Christmas Eve dinner this year, my first year as host, which will be lovely. We always have a big platter of prawns with Mum's seafood sauce for starters, then the big hot Christmas dinner, and if there is any room left some amazing sweet my sister has concocted. It's been our little tradition for years now, and is so nice because we then all get Christmas morning together too before heading off to our partners families for Christmas day. 

That is what it is all about after all. Being together. Sharing food and happiness with the ones you love most. 

And so, from our family to yours, may your days be merry and bright while you enjoy a safe and happy holiday season.

xx

Foodie Christmas Gift Idea - Cookies in a Jar

This year has been all about making gifts for our loved ones. These 'cookies in a jar' were a great solution for my baking inclined foodie friends, and looked beautiful all done up in their jars.

For full instructions and the yummy recipe see http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/22549/abbys+cookies+in+a+jar 

xx

Gingerbread

Gingerbread

125gm unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup golden syrup

1 egg yolk

2 and 1/2 cups plain flour

1tablespoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon mixed spice

1 teaspoon bicarbonate soda

• Preheat oven to 180°.
• Line 2 large baking trays with baking paper.
• In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until thick.
• Beat in syrup and yolk, then use a spoon to fold in flour, ginger, spice and soda until a smooth dough forms.
• Form dough into a disc, cover in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
• Bring dough back to room temperature, then divide into 2 pieces. Roll dough out between two sheets of baking paper to about 5mm thick. 
• Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes, then space out on baking tray (you may need to do a few batches).
• Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden.
• Cool on wire racks.

Decorate with a stiff icing (eg. 1 cup icing sugar to 2 tbsp warm water) and piping bag or, if are lazy like me, get some icing pens from the supermarket and use these as an easy, mess free alternative.

xx

Strawberry and Rhubarb Jam

We are blessed to have so many amazing friends in our life, and at Christmas it is nice to be able to show those people how much they mean to us. Unfortunately, with starting a new business and a new baby on the way, we need to find some resourceful ways of making gifts.
This is the third Christmas I've made this jam, and I love how beautiful and festive it looks in the jars. I collect the jars during the year, so come Christmas I have enough to do a few batches.
This recipe is delicious, as the lemon juice and the rhubarb cut the sweetness a little. I particularly love it on a croissant Christmas morning.

Christmas Strawberry and Rhubarb Jam

1kg white sugar

1kg strawberries, hulled, quartered

2 cups (250gm) coarsely chopped rhubarb

1/3 cup lemon juice

50g packet jamsetta

1. Preheat oven to 150°C (130°C fan forced). Spread sugar in a shallow baking dish, warm in the oven, uncovered, for 10 minutes stirring occasionally. This will help the sugar dissolve quickly, giving a clear conserve/ jam.
2. Meanwhile, combine strawberries, rhubarb and lemon juice in a large saucepan (fruit and sugar mixture should not be more than 5cm deep). 
3. Simmer, uncovered, over low heat for 5-10 minutes or until the fruit is soft, stirring occasionally. 
4. Add jamsetta and sugar, stirring until dissolved.
5. Bring conserve to the boil; boil vigorously, uncovered for 5-10 minutes or until mixture jells, stirring occasionally. When mixture falls heavily from the spoon test if it is ready by placing a spoonful on a clean plate in the freezer for 1 minute; if it wrinkles when pushed with a finger, it is ready.
6. Skim any scum from the surface.
7. Pour conserve into hot sterilised jars; seal while hot.
8. Decorate lids with fabric and ribbon if giving as gifts.

This amount generally makes about 5 jars of jam.

(Australian Women's Weekly, 'Christmas & Holiday Entertaining', 2007)

For sterilising the jars, I wash them in warm soapy water then dry in the oven for 15 minutes at about 110°. Metals lids are fine to go in the oven too.

For more information on sterilising jars see: www.taste.com.au/how+to/articles/572/how+to+sterilise+jars+and+bottles 

Happy holidays xx 

It's beginning to taste a lot like Christmas

I adore Christmas. I love it when December 1st rolls around, and I can crank the carols, put up my tree and start baking. I think I have inherited this obsession with all things festive from my mother, and so many of the things I love to do and cook this time of year are from her, and from the things she has traditionally cooked in our family home.
Without fail, one of the most beloved of Christmas treats are Jen's Russian teacakes. Buttery, sugary, short bread balls with a subtle crunch of walnuts. These are always a favourite among family and friends alike.

Jen's Russian Tea Cakes

Ingredients:

250gm butter, softened

1/2 cup icing sugar (sifted)

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

2 and 1/4 cups plain flour, sifted

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts

Additional icing sugar for coating

Recipe:

• Cream butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy
• Blend in sifted flour and salt
• Stir in walnuts
• Chill dough in the fridge for 1 hour (at least)
• Roll teaspoons of dough into balls and place on paper lined baking trays (should make about 50)
• Bake at 170 degrees for 10-12 minutes, or until set but not brown
• Roll once in icing sugar while still warm, then cool on wire rack. When completely cool roll in icing sugar again.
• Store in airtight container.

I hope they are as enjoyed at your Christmas as they are at ours xx