2008 Holiday Recipe Swap - Entrees and Side Dishes About This Page:

[crystalloubear]

Welcome to the 2008 Holiday recipe swap. Through the Holiday season, we all like to pull out our tried and true recipes. Please post your favorite recipes for Main Dishes and Entrees . (Make sure to look for the other threads in the series for starters and salads and a post for Desserts) Feel free to include any special memories you have of the dishes or a story of how the dish became part of your family meals.

Have fun!!

[crystalloubear]

Baked French Toast

dash salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoon sugar
1 cup milk
8 large eggs
2 cup half-and-half
Butter, for pan
1 loaf French bread (13 to 16 ounces)
Praline Topping, recipe follows
Raspberry Syrup, recipe follows



Directions

Slice French bread into 20 slices, 1-inch thick each. (Use any extra bread for garlic toast or bread crumbs). Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices.
In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.
The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 45 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with Raspberry Syrup.

Praline Topping:
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2-teaspoon ground nutmeg
Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well. Spread over bread as directed above.

Raspberry Syrup:
1 cup raspberry preserves
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons raspberry liqueur (recommended: Framboise)
Combine ingredients in a small saucepan and place over medium heat. Stir until warm and thinned out like syrup.

We like to have this on Christmas morning. It is all ready to just toss in the oven while you open gifts.

[genhand]

here's a classic in the french canadian cuisine (I don't know about the rest of canada if they eat something like that!) during the holidays...

Touritère du Lac St-Jean (Meat pie from Lake St-John)

3pounds of pork in cubes
2 pounds of beef in cubes
1 pound of chicken in cubes
2 onions diced
salt and pepper
6 pounds of potatoes (yep 6 pounds)
1 1/2 pounds of dough
8 cups of warm chicken broth

Place the meat in a bowl with the pepper (no salt) in the fridge for the night.

Cut the potatoes in small pieces, cover with water and let sit for the night.

The next morning, take a rotissoire (the huge pan you cook turkey or chicken in, or any big cooking wear like a dutch oven) cover the bottom and side with the dough.

Put a row of meat, follow by a row of potatoes, tahn some salt. Continue like that until you don't have anymore potatoes and meat.

Cover with some dough (like a pie) Cut a hole in the center and poor the broth.

Cover and cook in the oven at 400F for an hour than lower the heat to 250F for 5 to 6 hours. Take off the lid for the last 45 minutes.

In the beggining, this was made with passenger pigeon, that's where it got it's name. But we don't have any for years now. some people like to add some partridge, hare, moose or any other "hunter's meat". You can also add some spice like cinnamon, nutmeg or all-spices.

That's the meal you would have almost at everymeal (family gathering) from the 24 till the 1st of january!

[Irenaroo]

Genhand, thanks for that recipe! My parents are both from New Hampshire, with my grandparents from Quebec. We have meat pie, (I thought it was called Tortiere) on Christmas Eve after midnight Mass. It consists of ground pork, ground beef, a mashed potato, onion and allspice. I don't have the recipe in front of me, but your ingredients seem to be similar, minus the chicken for me! Thanks! Joyeux Noel!

[genhand]

Originally Posted by Irenaroo

Genhand, thanks for that recipe! My parents are both from New Hampshire, with my grandparents from Quebec. We have meat pie, (I thought it was called Tortiere) on Christmas Eve after midnight Mass. It consists of ground pork, ground beef, a mashed potato, onion and allspice. I don't have the recipe in front of me, but your ingredients seem to be similar, minus the chicken for me! Thanks! Joyeux Noel!

Actually, my version is from LAc St-Jean. But the recipes change with the region your family is from. Like in Gaspésie, there no dough in the botom (only on top) but the meat and potatoes are in cube, if your from montreal, there is no potatoes inside but dought in the bottom (like a pie) and it's gound meat. My family is from Montreal but we like the Lac St-Jean version better

I also need to post a recipes for meat balls and pigs feets stew that we have during the holidays... I never eat that except during the holiday and if my mom doesn't make it, she as complain from my father and us...

[stretch2864]

This is a recipe that I usually make for either Thanksgiving or Christmas. It is very yummy, and it is colorful so it makes for a pretty side dish at a holiday table.

Revas Vegetable Casserole

1 1/2 cups chopped onion
2 cups of 2 inch celery strips
1 1/2 cups of carrot strips
2 cups of fresh or frozen green beans (I usually use french cut)
1/2 cup green pepper strips (can also use red or yellow peppers)
2 cups Del Monte (or any other brand) stewed tomatoes
4 Tablespoons butter
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 Tablespoon sugar
3 Tablespoons tapioca

Bake in buttered caserole 1 1/2 to 2 hours at 350 degrees. Can be baked the day before and reheated. Serves 8 - 10.

Enjoy!

[Mouseketeer]

This makes enough for a 9x13 pan, but the recipe can easily be cut in half if you need less. I usually make it the day before, and then pop it in the oven to heat up.


Sweet Potato Casserole

3 cups sweet potatoes, mashed (or 2 29oz cans drained and mashed)
2 eggs - beaten
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 cup sugar (or 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup white sugar)
1/2 tsp salt
1 stick butter
1 tsp vanilla

Mix all together with an electric mixer and put in a 9x13 casserole dish.

Topping:
1/2 stick butter, softened
1/2 cup flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans

Mix topping together, it will be dry and crumbly. Sprinkle on top of casserole. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

[Casper1]

Originally Posted by genhand

Actually, my version is from LAc St-Jean. But the recipes change with the region your family is from. Like in Gaspésie, there no dough in the botom (only on top) but the meat and potatoes are in cube, if your from montreal, there is no potatoes inside but dought in the bottom (like a pie) and it's gound meat. My family is from Montreal but we like the Lac St-Jean version better

I also need to post a recipes for meat balls and pigs feets stew that we have during the holidays... I never eat that except during the holiday and if my mom doesn't make it, she as complain from my father and us...

this is good. my mom-in-law was st.justine.quebec. i loved going there to visit...i miss her much.

[Tinkerbelly]

Originally Posted by Casper1

this is good. my mom-in-law was st.justine.quebec. i loved going there to visit...i miss her much.

Pigs feet stew....is this made with real pigs feat??

[Coinbeach]

This is something that my family has had at Christmas for years. You can make it the day before and just bake it on Christmas day. Saves time..... Enjoy!!!


Mashed Potato Casserole



5 pounds baking potatoes (Idaho or Russet)
1 8 oz. Cream cheese cubed (room tempture)
1 c. sour cream
½ c. milk (heated)

Chives and parsley (optional)

Peel potatoes. Cut into cubes and cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Don’t overcook.
Drain and return to warm pot. Add cream cheese. Use hand held mixer and mash until cream cheese melts. Add in sour cream and milk. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Put into buttered 9 x 13 baking dish. Bake at 375 for 30 to 40 minutes. Add chives and parsley when finished.

[genhand]

Originally Posted by Tinkerbelly

Pigs feet stew....is this made with real pigs feat??

Well it's actually the "hock" (i think that's the translation) it's actually pretty good... can't be worst that snails or frogs legs... Aren't you glad your aren't french!!!

[zpdduda]

OK It's not exactly the holidays anymore but I love getting new ideas for recipes! I don't usually follow them exactly though, I like to play! I saw a recipe for healhty sweet potato cassarole, bite size chuncks of fresh sweet potato, fresh cranberries and orange juice, just bake. WOW, all my friends were really impressed. Very simple really sweet no marshmallows!
I also found the recipe for ratatouille, the movie version, here Movie - Ratatouille | Simply Recipes
It's really long but oh so pretty and delcious! After making it once, I changed things around and made it simpler and faster, now it's my new favorite topping for spagheti squash (throw in some chopped kale, yum!).