TOMATO CHOW (Chutney)

Hi! I’m Melina, Catholic wife, mother of 11, and Grandmelina to 7!

I like to eat my tomato chow on my tourtiere (French Canadian meat pie), my cousin puts it in her ham sandwiches, and it’s great on meatloaf or hamburgers. My Mom gives me a couple of jars each Christmas, so it’s also full of precious memories (the chow recipe is my Nanny’s, the tourtiere recipe is from my Grandmaman, and my Mom puts them together with love).

TOMATO CHOW

STEP 1 – In large pot combine:

• 3 large cans tomatoes (diced)
• 1 and 1/2 cups white vinegar
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 tbsp salt
• 2-3 tbsps pickling spice (wrapped securely in cheesecloth)

…Simmer while preparing Step 2…

STEP 2 – Dice into tiny pieces:

• 7 small apples (peeled)
• 3 large onions
• 5 long pieces celery

Place all in a second pot. Bring to a boil and simmer until tender.

STEP 3 – Add 2nd pot to 1st pot. Simmer for 3 hours. Cool slightly and bottle.

Note: Recipe makes enough for 7 – 500ml canning jars.

Great with TOURTIERE.

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GUMDROP COOKIES

Hi! I’m Melina! Catholic wife, mother of 11, and Grandmelina to 7!

Christmas isn’t Christmas without gumdrop cookies.

GUMDROP COOKIES

Heat your oven to 350 degrees F.

• 1 cup Brown Sugar, packed
• 1 cup Butter
• 1/4 cup White Sugar
• 2 Large Eggs
• 1 tsp. Vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups Flour
• 1 tsp. Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp. Salt
• 1 cup Rolled Oats
• 1 cup Gumdrops (or chopped jujubes, no black)

Cream butter and both sugars together. Mix in eggs one at a time. Mix in vanilla. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and oats then mix until just combined. Add gumdrops and mix until incorporated. Drop by spoonfuls onto a lined cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes at 350°F. Makes 3 dozen.

Enjoy!

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BUTTER TARTS

Hi! I’m Melina, Catholic wife, homeschooling mother of 11, and Grandmelina to 6 (soon to be 7)!

I tried my hand at making butter tarts, for the very first time, last weekend. They were not only a hit, they were probably the best butter tarts we have ever eaten. No word of a lie!

This time I made them plain, but next time (very very soon!) I will make some plain, some with raisins, and some with pecans, and the Great Canadian Debate will begin in our home. What is the proper way to make, serve, and eat butter tarts?? lol

I’ve promised my daughter I will make another batch of butter tarts when grandchild #7 is born – and she’s due in 3 days, so…

I took the easy way and used ready made tart shells from the freezer section of the grocery store. Feel free to use your favourite pie crust recipe and make your own shells.

Happy baking!

BUTTER TARTS

Heat your oven to 375 degrees F.

• 12 frozen tart shells, or make your own ( I used Tenderflake. )
• 1/3 cup butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp. table cream or whipping cream
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 large egg
• optional: pecans or raisins

Place your frozen tart shells with their tin cups on a cookie sheet. Allow to defrost as you make the filling. If making your own mini shells, prepare first, then continue with the filling.

Filling:

Melt the butter in a microwave safe bowl, or in a medium saucepan. Add the brown sugar and beat with an electric mixer or whisk. Remove from the heat. Add the cream and vanilla and beat some more. Allow the mixture to cool for about 5 minutes. Now you can add the egg and beat again.

If using, add a few pecan pieces or raisins in the bottom of the tart shells. Pour the filling into the shells until 3/4 (or a little more) full. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 13 to 15 minutes until the filling is bubbling.

Let cool completely before serving.

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TZATZIKI RECIPE

Hi! I’m Melina, homeschooling mother of 11, and Grandmelina to 5 1/2!

I love tzatziki! And it’s so easy to make, that there’s no reason not to have it in the fridge. I served it this past weekend during our feast for Christmas in Greece, because, well, it’s Greek. lol. Tzatziki is great as a dip for vegetables and for pita bread, but I also enjoy eating it with meat, mixed in my rice, or on my potatoes. It’s very versatile.

And now…

GREEK TZATZIKI RECIPE

• 2 cups grated cucumber (no need to peel or seed the cucumber first, just grate on the large holes of your box grater, but squeeze out the liquid from the cucumber with your hands before adding to the yogurt)
• 1 ½ cups plain Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 medium pressed garlic clove
• ½ teaspoon salt

Mix all the ingredients together, refrigerate for at least 1 hour to blend the flavours. Of course, you can always serve immediately, but the flavour won’t be as melded.

HINTS: I didn’t have Greek yogurt, so poured my yogurt into a strainer, placed the strainer in a bowl, then place the whole thing in the fridge to drain the whey out and thicken the yogurt…works great! And second, I also drained the cucumber the same way, after sprinkling it with salt, but it was still too wet and made the yogurt runny again…I think I would put a weight on it too and drain it for longer…still yummy though!

Enjoy! Bon appetit!

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SOLEMNITY OF ST. JOSEPH (March 19)

Hi! I’m Melina, Catholic wife, homeschooling mother of 11, and Grandmelina to 5 1/2!

The Solemnity of St. Joseph is a fun feast to celebrate in the middle of Lent. A solemnity is higher than a feast. Today is also Father’s Day in Italy.

The tradition of the ST. JOSEPH TABLE has its origins in Sicily, Italy during the Middle Ages. Legend has it that a devastating drought ended because of prayers to St. Joseph. These prayers brought massive rains that spared the Spring crops. So this celebration is a THANK YOU to St. Joseph for his goodness to them all those years ago, and a renewal of their devotion to him. Things have come and gone over the years, but 2 things have remained constant: no meat, and sesame covered breads.

We don’t know much about St. Joseph, but here’s what we do know:

• he is the husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary
• he is the foster father of Jesus
• he is the protector of the Holy Family
• he is a carpenter
• he was born in Bethlehem and lived in Nazareth
• God spoke to him in dreams – once to take Mary into his home, once to flee to Egypt, once to return from Egypt
• he disappears before the public ministry of Jesus
• he is the patron saint of many things and places, including the Universal Church and Canada

This is how our family will be celebrating the Solemnity of St. Joseph today:

• with a 3 tiered altar (symbolizing the Holy Trinity) called the ST. JOSEPH TABLE
• at the top will be a statue of St. Joseph
• the altar will include sesame covered breads baked into shapes such as a staff, a cross, the child Jesus, a fish, a hammer, a sheaf of wheat (the sesame seeds symbolize tears)
• our altar will also include candles, flowers, desserts, fruit, olives, a vase of dried spaghetti and fava beans
• citrus fruit are included (especially lemons, but in our case oranges) so that unmarried girls can steal one for blessings on their future marriage
• fava beans are included to remember the crops that were saved by the rains
• our desserts will include fig cookies and ZEPPOLE (recipe link below)
• we will have a reenactment of the Joseph and Mary seeking shelter before the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. It is called Tupa Tupa because St. Joseph knocks on 2 doors before the 3rd door that directs him to the stable where Mary gives birth to Jesus
• we will wear red
• we will eat pasta smothered in butter and garlic, and sprinkle with breadcrumbs to symbolize sawdust (St. Joseph was a carpenter)
• usually, this meal is eaten with guests or as a big feast in a hall
• donations at the meal are taken up for food banks and shelters
• and greet everyone with:

MAY ST. JOSEPH SMILE ON YOU!

Recipes for:

ZEPOLLE

PASTA WITH BREADCRUMBS

OAT CAKES (Scottish Cookies)

Hi! I’m Melina, Catholic wife, mother of 11, and Grandmelina to 5 1/2!

I used to occasionally make these cookies when my older kids were little, but it’s been a long time. I resurrected the recipe for our Christmas in Scotland meal today. Perfect! And just as good as I remember.

OAT CAKES

Heat your oven to 350 degrees F.

• 3 cups rolled oats
• 3 cups flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Combine the above ingredients in a large bowl.

Add:

• 2 cups shortening or lard

Cut in the shortening or work it in your hands, until the dough is manageable.

Now add:

• 1/2 cup cold water

Moisten the dough with the cold water. After the dough is well mixed and holding together, you can roll out the cookies, not too thin, and cut it into shapes (use rolled oats on the board to prevent the dough from sticking), but I like to roll my dough into balls and squish with the floured bottom of a glass right onto the cookie sheet. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes. Remove when cool. I usually get 4+ dozen cookies.

More Scottish desserts:

Shortbread Cookies

Tablet (Scottish Fudge)

TABLET (Scottish Fudge)

Hi! I’m Melina, Catholic wife, mother of 11, and Grandmelina to 5 1/2!

I’ve been making this fudge for years, and often get asked to make some. And it’s perfect for our Christmas in Scotland meal that we’re celebrating on January 25, 2021 (each month we celebrate Christmas from a different country). I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

If you’re using a candy thermometer, have it ready before you start. You’ll also need your electric mixer ready. Make sure your sink is empty and that your cord from your mixer is long enough to reach the sink. You could alternately pour the mixture after cooked into a stand mixer and mix until it begins to set. Have your cake pan ready before you start cooking your tablet. You’ll also need a soup spoon for stirring the tablet while cooking.

TABLET

• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup butter
• 3 cups granulated sugar
• 2 tsp. corn syrup
• 1 cup sweetened condensed milk

Combine all of the ingredients in a heavy medium size pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often with a soup spoon. Boil the tablet until a candy thermometer reaches 240 degrees F or soft ball stage (when you drop a tiny bit of the mixture into a cold glass of water and it holds its shape but squishes easily). When it reaches the correct temperature/stage, turn off the burner and remove the pot from the stove. I like to place the pot into an empty sink and run cold water beside it (be careful that it isn’t splashing into the pot) to cool down the mixture. After the boiling has stopped, I use an electric mixer (or you could use a large spoon) and mix the tablet until it begins to thicken and has lost its gloss. This should take about 10 minutes. Next, pour the tablet into a buttered 8 inch cake pan (I like to put aluminum foil in my cake pan before buttering to easily remove after set). Allow to set 4 hours to overnight.

If you remove the whole tablet before cutting it up, it makes things easier. Store in a sealed container until ready to serve. It keeps for a long time at room temperature. I have never had it go bad. Serve in 1 inch pieces.

For gift giving, I cut my tablet into 9 pieces and wrap them individually in plastic wrap.

You can also double the recipe and pour into a 9×13 cake pan, and cut into 12 pieces for gift giving.

MORE SCOTTISH DESSERTS:

Oat Cakes (cookies)

Tablet (fudge)

HONEY BAKED CHICKEN

Hi! I’m Melina, mother of 11, and Grandmelina to 5!

This is a recipe I grew up with, and it was so common at potlucks that we attended it became famous in a Christmas song for the times – a remake of the 12 Days of Christmas…On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me, a plate full of Honey Baked Chicken!!! lol. Great memories.

HONEY BAKED CHICKEN

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Arrange 3 lbs of chicken legs or pieces on a cookie sheet, skin side up (parchment paper placed first will make clean up a lot easier.)

Combine and pour over:

• 1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 1/3 cup honey
• 2 Tablespoons prepared mustard
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon curry powder

Bake 45 minutes, basting every 15 minutes, or until chicken is tender and nicely browned.

Enjoy! Bon appetit!

MICROWAVE CARAMEL

Hi! My name is Melina, homeschooling mother of 11, and Grandmelina to 5!

Did you know that I used to have a small cottage business making and selling chocolates and fudges?? The kids and I sold at farmers markets, country fairs, festivals, craft sales, and even our local corner store. But like all good things, this era came to an end. At sales, but not at home. Especially at Christmas time. Long live candy!

I like to make a chocolate similar to Turtles, with ooey gooey caramel, lightly toasted pecans, and of course, chocolate. I do make them with milk chocolate, but my absolute best seller (and personal favourite) are made instead with white chocolate. I’ll post the recipe soon!

And now I feature…caramel that is not only ooey and gooey, but also quick to make…in the microwave! Like all things that I make (big family!), it makes a lot, so don’t be afraid to make a 1/2 recipe.

MICROWAVE CARAMEL

Before you start, you’ll want to prepare the dish that you will pour the caramel into. I use an 8×8 baking pan greased well with butter. These caramels can be cut into small squares after cooled (or used to make homemade caramel pecan chocolates -Turtles! More on that later).

Now, place all of the ingredients (except the water) into a microwave safe bowl or 8 cup glass measuring cup.

• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup corn syrup
• 1 cup sweetened condensed milk
• (and a glass of cold water for later for testing the caramel)

*Please be careful. This mixture will get very hot.

Stir the ingredients well (in the bowl) using a rubber spatula (or large spoon). Put the spatula to the side, and place the bowl with the well mixed ingredients (but not the water!) into the microwave. Microwave on high for 2 minutes, then stir. Repeat 2 more times, making sure to stir in between. Now, you’re going to need the glass of cold water. Place a few drops of caramel mixture into the glass. You want those drops to hold their shape, but squish easily between your fingers, or reach 145 degrees Fahrenheit with a candy thermometer. It will also become darker in colour. This is good. If you’re not sure if it’s quite done enough, it probably isn’t. If it’s not ready yet (and it probably won’t be), return to the microwave for another 2 minutes of cooking on high. Stir again. Test in the water again (get fresh cold water if needed). Keep repeating until you have the right consistency. (It took me 14 minutes yesterday). Now, pour your caramel into the prepared 8×8 or 9×9 pan (check the instructions before the ingredients!). Stores well at room temperature for at least a week. Cut into small squares before or after storing. Cover with plastic wrap to keep fresh.

RICE PUDDING

Hi! I’m Melina, homeschooling mother of 11, and Grandmelina to 5!

I like to make extra rice for supper one night just so we can have some rice pudding for dessert later that week. We quite enjoy this. Sweet, but not overly filling. A great gluten free dessert too, when needed. My daughter replaces the milk with coconut milk for a tasty dairy free version for her family. It is so versatile!

I suggest reading through the whole recipe before beginning.

Please note that there are 2 separate recipes with different amount. Use one or the other.

Enjoy!

RICE PUDDING

• 2 cups cooked rice
• 3 cups milk
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 Tbsp. brown sugar

Add all of the ingredients to a pot. Bring to boil on the stove. Lower temperature to simmer. Stir in 1/2 tsp. vanilla and 1/4 cup raisins. Simmer 30-45 minutes, or until almost all milk is absorbed. (Needs to bubble while simmering.) Add 1/2 tsp. cinnamon. For creamier pudding add an extra 1/2 cup milk.

OR (for a larger amount of rice pudding)

• 3 to 3 1/4 cups cooked rice
• 1 liter (quart) milk
• 3/4 cups white sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar

Add all of the ingredients to a large pot. Bring to boil on the stove. Lower temperature to simmer. Stir in 1 tsp. vanilla and 1/3 cup raisins. Simmer 30-45 minutes, or until almost all milk is absorbed. (Needs to bubble while simmering.) Add 1 tsp. cinnamon. For creamier pudding, add an extra 1/2 cup milk.

Bon appétit!

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