Christmas Series...

The fun has to end sometime right?

Makes me sad.

Happy December to everyone.

I hope you enjoyed learning new recipes and new traditions.  Next year will be bigger and better.  I'm already thinking of great things.
A big thank you to all those that participated.  Thanks for sharing your secret (or not so secret) recipes and your fun traditions...some that I'm going to remember for next year.  Thank you so much.
And thank you to you readers for following along with this fun series.

Here's the round-up of all the tasty recipes and if you would like to read more about them, the title is linked back to the original post.

Breakfast:

Gluten Free Eggnog Pancakes

Gluten Free Sour Cream Banana Bread

Gluten Free High Protein Pancakes

Drinks:

Gluten Free Wassail Punch

Gluten Free Russian Refresher

Gluten Free Hot Chocolate (Heart Attack in a Mug)

Gluten Free Homemade Hot Chocolate

Appetizers:

Gluten Free Sweet 'n Sour Meatballs

Gluten Free Cheese Ball

Gluten Free Candied Almonds

Main Dish:

Gluten Free Carrot Tomato Soup

Gluten Free Tourtiere

Dessert:

Gluten Free Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies

Gluten Free Little Cherry Cheesecakes

Gluten Free Buche de Noel

Gluten Free English Toffee

Gluten Free Christmas Eve Layered Pudding


Gluten Free Chocolate Coconut Bars

Gluten Free Butter Mints
Gluten Free Chocolate Pretzels

Gluten Free Riskrem
Gluten Free Flourless Chocolate Cake
Gluten Free Caramels
Gluten Free Mousse de Chocolat (and French traditions)

Merry Christmas everyone!
I hope that everyone had a good holiday season.
And Happy New Year!
Hope everyone is safe, happy and healthy. 2012 is looking to be a great year full of great gluten free food and more fun along the way.
Here's to another year of being gluten free and not starving!

New Year's and Caramels

I'm Catherine, one of Erin's cousins from Cincinnati, Ohio. (You might have seen my sister's post on tourtière, our Christmas Eve tradition--she talked about Michael, seen posing above by our tree.)

Even though it's Christmas Eve, the tradition I'll share here is a New Year's Eve tradition we have at the Daun house. Once a year my mother allows a short break from the household ban on junk food and we each "order" foods we wish to splurge upon. In early years we would all go grocery shopping together, loading up the cart with donuts, blue Powerade, cream puffs, and little hot dogs. The pickings have changed over the years to sushi, shrimp, cheesecake, and Yagööt frozen yogurt, but the concept is the same--a dinner of usually forbidden or rarely-enjoyed snacks. As Grandpa Smith said on one visit, "That is not dinner."

Since this year we will be in Phoenix, Arizona for New Year's Eve and Day (our lovely cousin Tori Neil is getting married on the 28th!) my family had our junk food feast tonight, on Christmas Eve, and it was wonderful!

My recipe is caramels--my mother likes to give little bags of treats to neighbors and friends, and this year we gave out handmade and hand-wrapped caramel candies. Although totally unrelated to my holiday tradition, the caramels are gluten-free, easy to make, and fun to share. Enjoy, and merry Christmas!

Caramels

2 c. white sugar

1 c. packed brown sugar

1 c. light corn syrup

1 c. heavy cream

1 c. butter

1 ½ t. vanilla extract

Combine the first five ingredients in a saucepan and stir them all gently together. Let the mixture come to 248° F (if you don't have a candy thermometer, this is the firm ball stage), remove it from the heat, and stir in vanilla extract. Pour it into a either one pre-buttered 9x13 pan or two pre-buttered 8x8 pans. Let it cool, then take out the block and cut it into pieces, whatever size you want. Wrap the pieces in wax paper and twist the ends.

Riskrem (Norwegian Christmas Dessert)

First things first: I'm kind of an outsider here because my family isn't gluten free.  But I promise I ran my recipe by Erin first to make sure it's okay for those of you who do eat gluten-free diets. :)

And I'll apologize now because my post is so long!

My name is Tammy, and I keep a food blog called Fish Food Favorites (our last name is a type of fish).  Erin and I met our freshman year of college; we lived a few doors away in the same dorm.  Since she had to pass our door to get to hers, she'd often pay a visit to my roommates and me at curfew.  I remember one time she helped us polish off a carton of ice cream when she looked at the ingredients and saw that it was safe for her to eat.

Tammy & Erin (probably April 2003).

Fun times.  I've got so many awesome memories from my college experience.  Not to mention I met my husband that year (it just took him a couple years and a mission to Japan to figure out we were meant for each other).  Right now my husband, Matt, is in his third year of dental school.

Me with my hot husband and awesome little boys (July 2011).

Anyway.

It's hard for me to pick out one favorite holiday tradition because they all seem so intertwined to me.  We did the same thing every year as far back as I can remember, and it ran like clockwork.  (Well, mostly.)  My dad served a mission for our church in Norway (as did his father and both brothers), and we do have some Norwegian blood in us (as well as Danish and Icelandic--my great-grandmother was a full Icelander).  Because of that, some of our traditions and traditional foods are Norwegian.

Christmas Eve went something like this: Prepare the smorgasbord/feast together as a family (though some years my mom was locked away in my parents' bedroom while she furiously finished wrapping presents).  Stuff ourselves full of all the little finger foods we had made (including smørbrød, which are little open-faced sandwiches with all sorts of stuff on them).  Clean up.  Go look at Christmas lights.  Come home and eat riskrem.  Get ready for bed.  Read the Christmas story in Luke 2.  Open one present (usually from one of our cousins).  Family prayer.  Go to bed.

Christmas Morning: Wake up.  Chill with my two older sisters and wait for Mom and Dad to wake up (my husband won't let me sleep in on Christmas morning anymore, though--he's up before our kids are because he's so excited).  Dad checks to see if Santa came; tells us he didn't and receives the "yeah right, Dad" responses.  We line up in the hallway while Dad lights a fire, turns on the tree, etc.  Go see what Santa brought us.  Stop and have breakfast (Norske Vafler--not gluten free, or I'd post that one, too).  Sit around the tree and take turns opening presents.  Have to pause while grandparents and other relative call us.  Finish sometime around noon or 1pm (my husband is just itching by this time because his family does the complete opposite of what mine does).  Spend the rest of the day eating feast leftovers, talking to family on the phone, and trying out our new stuff.

So you see, I love it all.  My husband and I are still trying to work out what our own traditions will be when we stop going to our parents' houses for Christmas, but we're thinking we'll work some of both families' traditions in, along with incorporating a good deal of Japanese food.

Riskrem (pronounced "rees-krehm") is basically what it sounds like: a rice cream dessert.  But's not rice pudding.  By custom, Norwegian families would take a bowl of riskrem to the barn on Christmas Eve and leave it out for the Fjøsnisse (sometimes referred to simply as nisse or nissen), the guardian of the home and farm.  It's wise to remember him because he can be kind of a trickster, and if you really anger him, you may find your crops have gone bad.

Traditionally in Norway, one whole almond is hidden in the batch of riskrem.  Whoever finds the almond in his or her dish receives a yummy prize of a marzipan candy shaped like a pig, though in my family the prize was typically some See's candy or Smil (a Norwegian candy similar to Rolos).  Sadly, I'm the only one who's crazy about marzipan, so the pig is never an option.

My dad always eats the riskrem by the bowlful; for me, it's been a food for which I've had to acquire a taste throughout my life.  But I hope we can always make a place for it in our family's Christmas traditions.

Riskrem (Norwegian Christmas Dessert)


3/4 cup medium or short grained rice
4 cups milk
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1/2 pint cream
Berry syrup of choice (suggestions: strawberry, boysenberry, raspberry)


Cook rice, milk, and salt covered in a double boiler over low heat, stirring occasionally, until nearly all the milk is absorbed (about 1 1/2 hours).


Remove from heat and stir in sugar and almond extract, then cool in refrigerator until cold (overnight is best).


Whip the cream and fold into the rice cold rice mixture.  Serve with a little berry syrup poured over the top.

If you want to check out Rodgrot, the other recipe I was going to share (but didn't have time to make), click HERE.  (Again, I checked with Erin to make sure it's gluten free.)  It's also Norwegian, and we'd sometimes have it at Christmastime, usually if I got around to making it.

Sweet n' Sour Meatballs

Well hello there! 

I'm guest blogger of the day {Aubrey Nielsen} My personal blog {Here}. Thanks to Erin for the invite! Its always fun to share yummy recipes and holiday traditions. A little about me, I am an ER RN not a Chef. BUT, I love good food. I don't necessarily LOVE slaving away in the kitchen, but I really don't mind it if I know the end result is worth the trouble. So I am always on the hunt for faster, healthy, tasty recipes to feed a crowd. My sister and I head up a group recipe blog called Oh So Delicioso {click HERE} It's full of tried and true recipes that are just my style.

I chose to share the meatballs from this blog because it is my go-to-recipe for parties. And Christmas time is full of parties and potlucks! My favorite memories from Christmas-time growing up are all the large family parties. We always lived a few hours away from any relatives, so it was an exciting time travel and see cousins. And the food at the parties was always superb. 

Even now, I just love the warm parties displaying Christmas trees and lights. Caroling and games. So much fun and love. And a good party is always based around good food. So here's to holly and jolly, and all sorts of Christmas joy as we party, make memories, and eat meatballs! 

To make this delectable little treat this is what you will need:

1 lb lean ground beef

3/4 C oatmeal

1 egg, slightly beaten

2 T minced onion

2 T milk

1 clove garlic minced

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1 cup heinz chili sauce

1 cup red currant or grape jelly

1/2 cup water

Here's how to make:

Basically you are making some meatballs with a rockin sauce! Combine beef, Oatmeal, egg, onion, milk, garlic, salt and pepper to form bite size meatballs. Brown the meatballs in a little oil and drain excess fat or bake in oven 350 for about 10-15 minutes.

Combine chili sauce, jelly, and water pour over meatballs in the fry pan. Bring to a soft boil, stirring occasionally until jelly is melted. Lower heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes until sauce has thickened. Serve in chaffing dish, crock pot or fondue pot to keep warm. 

Depending on size of meatballs will make 20-30 appetizers. 

Simple right? And delish! You will be the talk of your Christmas Party with these babies!

Wassail Punch

I am so excited to be a guest on the Blog, thanks Erin for asking me, she is such a great sister.
I do not have any pictures but I am in the ones Erin posted yesterday ( I am the youngest girl)

One of my most memorable Christmas's was Christmas of 2003. Every Christmas my family gets up early and before we do anything else we go skiing. We ski for a few hours and when the crowds begin to gather we had back home to open presents and enjoy the rest of our Christmas.  This Christmas went a little differently, we got up went skiing like normal. On the second run of the day my dad fell, I took this opportunity to go and spray him with snow and maybe see if he was OK. As I got closer I noticed all the snow around him was red. What I did not know is his ski had come up and sliced the back of his head. I immediately began freaking our and yes my dad who was bleeding from his head had to calm me down. I yelled down to the rest of my family to go and get the ski patrol. Well they came and got my dad all loaded up on the sled and took him down to the medical room. They bandaged him all up and we load up and since he could not drive Erin had to drive, it was her first time driving down from skiing. She did a good job and we got down safely. My mom took my dad to the hospital where he got all stitched up. When they got home we carried on with Christmas and it was wonderful.

My Recipe is Wassail Punch which is one of my favorites to drink during the Holidays, It is so delicious and warms you right up!
The Wassail Punch 

2 quarts apple cider
2 cups orage juice
1/2 cup lemon juice
12 whole cloves
4 cinnamon sticks
1 pinch ground ginger
1 pinch ground nutmeg

In a slow-cooker or large pot over low heat, combine apple cider, orange juice and lemon juice.  Season with cloves, ginger and nutmeg.  Bring to a simmer.  If using a slow cooker, allow to simmer all day.  Serve hot.

Hope you enjoy, and Merry Christmas 

Gluten Free Eggnog Pancakes

Welcome to the "Christmas Traditions Series" day one.

This is going to be an exciting month full of fun and yummy new holiday recipes.
I have lots of guest bloggers sharing some of their Christmas memories and fun traditions.  And of course, everyone is sharing their favorite holiday recipe.
Isn't this just going to put you in the Christmas spirit?
I hope so!

I would like to start the series out by sharing one of my favorite Christmas memories.

{Visiting Santa with my brothers and sisters.  Yep, that's me, the oldest on the left.  The one with the awesome nerd glasses...}

It all started when my mom's vacuum stopped working the beginning of December.  My poor mom, having 5 young kids running around knew that she was going to be needing a vacuum sooner than later.  So my dad took her out vacuum shopping (totally romantic, really) and as they were browsing the latest models, deciding which to get, my dad, my dear Father gets this wonderful idea.  

Why is he getting my mom the vacuum?

Shouldn't he get it for the the kids, the ones using it?

This was a sure-fire way that we kids could never use the line, "we can't vacuum, it's mom's."  

Smart guy.

{Being goofy, I just turned 11}

Now, keeping all this background information in mind, back to me and my siblings side of the story.

Our BIG family Christmas present showed up, wrapped beautifully carefully placed under the tree.

And it was a big one!  

My brother, who is also very smart figured it all out.  Mom and Dad got a us....

A BRAND NEW COMPUTER!!

The Christmas present had to be a new computer.  What else could come in such a big box, and my dad worked at HP, it just had to be.  

Seems rational enough right.

So, my brother (#3 out of 5) convinced us all that it was a brand new computer. 

Then, the arguing started about who got to use it first. 

To solve the problem it was simple solution.

My brother made a sign-up sheet, and hung it on the fridge.

Everyone was to sign up in 30-minute increments and he and my sister (#2 out of 5) promptly filled their names into the first two slots.

Now, me being the oldest knew that I didn't need to sign up.
I was the oldest, therefore by birthright I got to use the brand new computer first.

I didn't need a dumb sign-up sheet.

Yes, I kept this assumption to myself, which was a good thing.

The weeks dragged on and on.

The anticipation of the brand new computer was just eating away at us.

We couldn't wait to tear off the paper and get the computer all set up and start our 30 minutes of free, glorious play.

My parents at this time are not giving any hints at all what it might be.

(But inside, my mom was dying with her dirty floor!)

Christmas morning came.

My brother had the sign-up sheet ready to go.

Everything was in place for our brand new computer.

Like savages, we tore off the wrapping, prepared to let out our squeals of delight and excitement we noticed that we were not getting a brand new computer.  

What did the box say?

Yep, you're right.

A BRAND NEW VACUUM CLEANER!

(So glad I didn't sign up or admit that I knew I would be the first user of our new gift) 

I think my sister (the second one signed up) recovered from the shock first.

"I knew it was a vacuum cleaner, I knew it all along".

As we looked at each other in disbelief, my parents were busting a gut laughing.

It was a Christmas to remember.

And my brother did take his first turn with our brand new vacuum cleaner.

 {My family with my grandparents in front of our Christmas tree}

Now, on to the recipe.
One family tradition at our house is drinking Eggnog.  

I know some people don't like eggnog because of it's rich, creamy texture, but we would always, always dilute it.  Half eggnog/half milk, or half eggnog/half sprite.

Try it, it's really delicious.

The recipe that I would like to share with you are for Gluten Free Eggnog Pancakes.  

It's about as close as you can get to eggnog without saying, "Drink some nog".

Even if you don't like eggnog, I think you'll really like these fluffy pancakes.

They taste more eggnog-y the next day, so if you have a busy morning, cook them at night and reheat in the morning.

I hope you like them.

Gluten Free Eggnog Pancakes

1 cup eggnog

1 T. apple cider vinegar

3 eggs 

3 T. melted butter

1 1/2 cups GF mix

2 t. xanthan gum

3 T. white sugar

1 1/2 t. baking powder

3/4 t. baking soda

3/4 t. salt

Measure out eggnog and add vinegar.  Lightly stir to combine.  Let sit while you mix the rest of the ingredients.

Whisk together the eggs and melted butter.

Add the rest of the ingredients.

Stir in the eggnog, until all the lumps are gone.

Pour 1/4 to 1/3 cup batter onto a preheated skillet or frying pan.  Cook until bubbles appear on the surface.  Flip with a spatula and cook until golden brown on the other side.

Serve with syrup and enjoy!

Merry Christmas!