CHRISTMAS IS NUCKIN’ FUTZ

If you were expecting me to write about how to cook the perfect turkey for Christmas dinner, crisp up your latkes for Hanukkah or up your candied yam game for Kwanza, it’s not happening. December is the most psychotic month of the year for me, not only as a chef but as a father with three of my four kids born this month.

It truly is a festive time of year in our household steeped somewhat in tradition and a world of spontaneous whimsy. Having kids of any age is the greatest way for traditions to be followed but also evolve creating themselves. Elf on the Shelf damn you forever.

My youngest has been counting down the days until Christmas since mid-October and announces how many more days until Christmas every morning as she emerges from her slumber. At bedtime the lights on the tree seem to add to the sparkle in her eyes.

Sharing baked goodies with family and friends is a common tradition at this time of year. Getting people to share their recipes is like asking them to donate a kidney. That said I’m sharing a couple of our family’s favourite recipes for the holidays that my kids request year-round and enjoy sharing with their friends. Have a great holiday season and don’t ask me for a kidney.

DADI RASI COOKIES

INGREDIENTS:

8oz butter at room temperature

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1tbsp. Vanilla

1 ¾ cup rolled oats

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp. Cinnamon

¼ tsp. salt

½ cup crystalized ginger, chopped fine

½ cup toasted almonds coarsely chopped

½ cup dried cranberries coarsely chopped

¼ cup raisins coarsely chopped

½ cup chocolate chips

METHOD:

In electric mixer cream together the butter and sugar. Add the egg and vanilla to the butter mixture and beat again until smooth. In a separate bowl combine all of the dry ingredients together and mix until evenly incorporated. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and gently combine the two at low speed until they are evenly mixed together but do not over mix. Using a couple of soup spoons or cookie scoop to roughly form an inch and a half size scoop of dough and place them evenly spaced onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake the soon to be cookies in a preheated oven at 350f for about 10 minutes, or until golden brown around edges, but still soft in middle. Do not bake longer than 10 minutes. Transfer them to a cookie rack to cool and set. Store in an air-tight container for up to five days.

HELLO DOLLY’S

INGREDIENTS:

¼ cup butter melted

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 cup shredded coconut

1 cup chocolate chips

1 can condensed milk

METHOD:

Evenly spread the ingredients in a 9” glass baking pan, in order starting with the butter.

Bake at 350F for 30-35 minutes

Let pan cool down before cutting into bite size squares. Store covered at room temperature up to 3 days.