Design Crafters

My grandmother on my mother’s side of the family is German, and every Christmas, she would bake her homemade German Gingerbread Loafs.  My family loved them - they were just the right combination of sugar and spice.  Before my grandmother passed away a few years ago, she handed down this recipe to me, and now every Christmas I am the one in the kitchen baking.

To moake my grandma’s german gingerbread here is what you will need:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups packed brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2/3 cup honey
• 1/4 cup orange liqueur
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup blanched slivered almonds

Here is what you will need to do:

1. To begin, whisk together the flours, baking powder, and spices.

1. Next, in a large bowl, mix together the butter or margarine with the brown sugar.
   
2. Then, beat in the eggs, then the honey, orange liqueur, sour cream, and orange juice.
   
3. Once it is all mixed well, beat the flour mixture into the creamed mixture, and then stir in the raisins and almonds.
   
4. Once the batter is mixed thoroughly, turn batter into a greased and floured tube pan, and bake cake at 350 degrees F for 80 minutes, or until it tests done with toothpick.
   
5. Transfer to a rack to cool.

This is a really easy recipe…very little work for a great loaf of bread.

Yum -That sounds good just reading it, doesn’t it?  This is a great recipe for those big family dinners, because it combines just the right amount of sweetness, and it can be made a day ahead of time and re-heated, so it is super easy! The red cabbage goes really well with red meats, so try it with a Roast Beef Brisket.

• 2 tbsp. (30 mL) vegetable oil
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1 small head red cabbage, quartered and thinly sliced
• 2 apples, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) red wine (any kind)
• 1/4 cup (50 mL) apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp. (15 mL) sugar
• 2 tsp. (10 mL) salt
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) apple jelly

What you will need to do:

1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and cook, stirring for 5 minutes, until softened.
2. Next, add the cabbage and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes or until the cabbage is thoroughly wilted and softened.
3. Add in the apples, wine, vinegar, sugar and salt, lower the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 1-1/2 to 2 hours, stirring once every fifteen minutes or so.
4. Lastly, stir in apple jelly, then replace the cover on the pot and continue to simmer for another 15 to 20 minutes, and then you are done.  Either serve and enjoy, or refrigerate/freeze and save for later!

Every year around Christmas Eve, my mom and I get together to bake a holiday favorite: Monkey Bread.  Monkey Bread is similar to sticky buns, except in Monkey Bread, it is a bunch of little sticky buns baked together. Yum!  There are a lot of variations in making Monkey Bread, some people like to add raisins, or dried cranberries, others add walnuts and chocolate chips.  No matter what little extras you add to the recipe, this recipe will surely be a hit with your family this holiday!

Here is my easy-made Monkey Bread recipe.

Ingredients

4 cans refrigerated biscuits
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 sticks butter (3/4 cup)
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins or walnuts (optional)

How to make Monkey Bread:

First, preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and while it is heating, grease a 9-10 inch tube pan. (Tube pans can be found at almost any home-goods store.)

Next mix the white sugar and cinnamon together in a medium sized plastic bag, and shake really well to ensure that it is evenly distributed.

Then, take out the refrigerated biscuits, and cut them into quarters.  Once they are all cut, place four to six pieces in the bag with the white sugar and cinnamon, and shake to coat. Repeat until all pieces are coated.

Next, place the dough pieces in the bottom of the greased pan, layering over and over until all of the biscuit pieces are in the pan.  If you are using raisins or walnuts, place them among the biscuit pieces as you are layering.

Then, melt the butter with the brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat until it boils. Boil for 1 minute, and then pour the melted mix over the layered biscuits.

Place in the oven and bake for 35 minutes. Once done, let the bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn upside down to place onto a plate.

To eat, simply pull apart and enjoy!