Preparations are in full swing here for the coming holiday, there's excitement in the air that's irresistible! I really love Christmas, I feel sorry for those who find it any other way than a time of rest and reflection and joy. I think the running and shopping and commercialism really wear people out and it's so sad. We aren't out much and most of the stores that we do go to aren't playing canned music anyway, so I don't tire of the sounds of the season. There are sleigh bells on our door and I love the sound that they make when rung, it's such a festive noise! 
I have always wanted to have the gifts wrapped in brown paper and tied with twine and this year I'm actually doing it! Ah, so much to make my heart glad! We have "real" ornaments for the tree and some years we use them, however some years we make gingerbread ornaments and string popcorn and that's what we're doing this year. When we're ready to undecorate we will remove the angel and then take the tree out, edible ornaments and all for a celebration in the barnyard. The turkeys and chickens and ducks will enjoy their treat!
Aleks brought home the Christmas goose this afternoon so plans were quickly changed in order to prepare the bird for the table. We will have ham in addition to goose, also on the table will be homemade cranberry sauce. To make this delectable side dish you place one 12 ounce bag of cranberries in a pot with 1 can of white grape juice and 1 cup sugar, add 3 shredded baking apples and cook on medium heat until berries explode and sauce thickens. Place in pretty glass dish and allow to cool. It is tart and sweet and very different from the canned variety. Also will be homemade pumpkin pie, to make this you bake a pie pumpkin in the oven until flesh is soft, remove flesh (about 2-2.5 cups) and combine with 1.5 cups of cream, 3 eggs, 1-2 cups sugar (preferably brown), 1.5 teaspoons cinnamon, one eighth teaspoon cloves, .5 teaspoon nutmeg, .5 teaspoon ginger and three fourths teaspoon salt. Bake for 10 minutes at 400 and then 45 minutes on 350.
Lovely goose! *grins*
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of cranberry sauce, my mother does exactly what you said when she mades hers, only instead of apples, she puts in slices of orange (cut in the round). The orange gives the sauce a zesty orange taste. Gotta love it!
There never was such a goose. Bob said he didn't believe there ever was such a goose cooked. Its tenderness and flavour, size and cheapness, were the themes of universal admiration. Eked out by apple-sauce and mashed potatoes, it was a sufficient dinner for the whole family; indeed, as Mrs Cratchit said with great delight (surveying one small atom of a bone upon the dish), they hadn't ate it all at last. Yet every one had had enough, and the youngest Cratchits in particular, were steeped in sage and onion to the eyebrows.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree that people put too much hustle and bustle into the CHRISTmas season and forget the real reason we are celebrating! Our Christmas was very relaxing and so nice. Presents were homemade, from the heart, and probably very simple in some people's eyes. I enjoy any chance we get to be with family to live, laugh, and love!! :)
ReplyDeleteFiddlin Girl
Oh, and the goose looks great!! My brothers (me too!) love it when they can "bring home the dinner". So far we have been enjoying some lovely venison that we will be putting into some jerkey, after we have decided we have had enough roasts! ;)
ReplyDeleteYou have a wonderful attitude on the holidays, my dear Mrs. G. I envy you living out. when we were out of town on some land, it was so much more peaceful and enjoyable.
ReplyDeleteI too had always wanted to wrap in brown paper, and that is what we did last year though we didn’t do the twine. This year, instead of exchanging with each other, we found some folks without family, at a nursing home, and gave to them. I give total credit to my daughter, whose idea it was. The little ones really enjoyed it as well.