If you like brown sugar fudge, you’ll love this Gluten-free Brown Sugar Fudge Square! With a cake-type base, it’s the fudge icing that makes this square and takes it from plain to yummy. It’s like having cake and candy at the same time! Continue reading Gluten-free Brown Sugar Fudge Square
Turkey Chowder is the perfect way to use up leftover turkey. It’s a welcome tummy-warming and tasty chowder for cold winter days and is a real treat after skiing, a long winter walk, snowshoeing, or coasting on the snow-covered hills. Serve with warm rolls or biscuits straight from the oven for an extra special treat. Continue reading Turkey Chowder Recipe
Just hear those sleigh bells jinglin’, ring ting tinglin’, to…..This is the song this tablesetting brings to my mind. Set with 222 Fifth’s Andover pattern, this dinnerware features a horse and sleigh in front of an old log cabin. This dinnerware evokes a very nostalgic setting that is reminiscent of Christmas past.
The border on the outside of each plate is a rust-red shade with ivory pinecones and holly. The horse and sleigh design is gray on an ivory background. This design appears only on the supper plate. The dinner plate has a plain center which allows the food to present well on it.
The cereal/soup bowl features only the log cabin design in the bottom of the bowl.
I used an off-white tablescloth and matching napkins to connect to the background in the dinnerware. Holly-berry napkin rings make napkin preparation very easy and add, what I call, jewelry to the table.
It seemed only fitting that the centerpiece for the table should feature a sleigh.
And, of course, who should be in the sleigh but old St. Nick!
And, here is a look at the table all set for dinner!
I added a few small tree candles to draw in that feature from the dinnerware design.
This is a very pretty set of dishes and, keeping the centerpiece simple, they get to be the stars on the table.
To view photos of other Holiday tablesettings from My Island Bistro Kitchen, click on the links below:
Glitz ‘n Glamour New Year’s Eve Tablesetting
The Warmth of the Christmas Light Tablesetting
Christmas Eve Tablesetting and Dinner
A Tartan Holiday Tablesetting
Pretty Poinsettia Tablesetting
Poinsettia Trio Tablesetting
The Holiday Table
The Pink and Green Holiday Table
Christmas at My Island Bistro Kitchen
Purple Tablesetting for the Holidays
Evergreens and Reindeer Christmas Tablesetting
Cupcake Tablescape
Twas The Night Before Christmas
These gluten-free melting moments cookies prove that being on a gluten-free diet does not mean one has to compromise on favorite sweet treats!
I use a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour, such as Bob’s Red Mills brand, for these cookies. I also add a small amount of very finely ground almonds to the batter as this lends a tenderness to the cookie crumb which justifies the name of the cookies because they do melt in the mouth!
These cookies are very easy to make. Mix up the dough. Pinch off small amounts of the dough and form into small balls. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets and flatten with the tines of a fork. Bake. It’s really no more complicated than that!
[Printable recipe follows at end of posting]
Gluten-Free Melting Moments
Ingredients:
½ cup butter, softened at room temperature
¼ cup icing sugar (aka confectioner’s sugar or powdered sugar)
¼ tsp pure vanilla
½ cup 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour
¼ cup finely ground almonds
¼ cup cornstarch
Method:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Cream butter. Add the icing sugar and cream well with the butter. Mix in vanilla.
In separate bowl, whisk the flour, ground almonds, and cornstarch together. Add to the creamed mixture and blend until well incorporated.
Form dough into small round balls (apx. 5/8 oz dough per ball). Place balls on prepared baking sheets, about 2“ apart, and flatten each ball with the tines of a fork. Decorate with small bits of maraschino cherries, if desired.
Bake for approximately 15-18 minutes, just until edges of cookies start to tint a golden tan color. Don’t over-bake. Let cool on baking sheet for 2-3 minutes then transfer cookies to wire rack to cool completely.
Yield: Apx. 1½ dozen cookies
These melt-in-your-mouth gluten-free melting moments cookies have a tender crumb and delicate butter and almond flavor.
Ingredients
Instructions
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For other tasty gluten-free cookie recipes, click on the links below:
Gluten Free Lemon-Filled Thumbprint Cookies
Gluten Free Snickerdoodles
Gluten-free Earl Grey Cranberry-Orange Shortbread
These easy-to-make gluten-free Earl Grey Cranberry-Orange Shortbread cookies are brimming with flavor. The ground Earl Grey tea leaves lend a subtle hint of tea flavor as well as add wonderful specks of interest in the cookies. The addition of the dried cranberries and grated orange rind make these very flavorful and tasty cookies.
I have been having very good success using 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour, such as Bob’s Red Mill, for my gluten-free baking. The addition of finely ground almonds adds both flavor and a layer of tenderness to the shortbread crumb.
I use my old coffee grinder to grind the loose tea leaves very finely. This releases their essence which, in turn, infuses the dough with the tea aromatic. Use dried, not fresh or frozen, cranberries for these cookies and make sure they are chopped quite finely.
The dough will be quite soft so form it into a round log shape, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or waxed paper, and refrigerate it for 2-3 hours before slicing and baking. Refrigerating the dough helps to firm it up enough so that, when sliced with a sharp knife, the slices cut cleanly. Empty cardboard paper towel rolls make great cylinder “sleeves” in which to chill the cookie dough because they help to keep the round shape. Simply slit open the paper towel roll, place the wrapped cookie log inside the “sleeve”, draw the edges of the cylinder together, and secure with tape. Rotate the cookie dough log a couple of times during the chilling process to distribute its weight and help to keep the round shape.
These cookies are a great addition to the menu of anyone on a gluten-free diet. In fact, anyone can enjoy these cookies, regardless whether they have a sensitivity or intolerance to gluten or not – I’ll bet you’d never guess they’re made with gluten-free flour!
[Printable recipe follows at end of posting]
Ingredients:
½ cup unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
½ cup sifted icing sugar (aka confectioner’s or powdered sugar)
¾ tsp finely grated orange rind
1/2 tsp pure vanilla
1/8 tsp almond flavoring
¾ cup 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour
¼ cup finely-ground almonds
1½ tbsp cornstarch
¼ tsp salt
¾ tsp finely ground Earl Grey tea leaves
¼ cup finely chopped dried cranberries
Method:
Cream butter and sugar together until smooth. Beat in orange rind, vanilla, and almond flavoring.
Whisk flour, ground almonds, cornstarch, salt and ground tea leaves together. Blend dry ingredients into creamed mixture until just combined. Stir in cranberries.
Form dough into log approximately 1½” in diameter. Wrap tightly in wax paper or plastic wrap. Slit open an empty paper towel cardboard cylinder and place cookie log in cylinder. Draw cylinder sides together and secure with masking tape. Refrigerate cookie log for 2-3 hours, turning roll every hour or so to distribute the weight of the log and to keep the shape round. (Unbaked cookie logs may be stored for 2-3 days in the refrigerator before baking, provided they are stored in sealed plastic bags or airtight containers.)
Preheat oven to 325°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. With a sharp knife, slice cookie log into ¼” thick slices. Place cookies on prepared baking sheets, spacing the cookies about 1½” apart. Bake for 20-21 minutes, or until edges of cookies start to tint golden brown, rotating baking sheet half way through the baking. Let cookies cool on sheets for 3-4 minutes and then transfer to wire rack to finish cooling completely.
Store in airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks or freeze for longer storage.
Yield: Approximately 24 cookies
A flavorful gluten-free shortbread cookie infused with a hint of Earl Grey tea and flavored with grated orange rind and dried cranberries.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Melting Moments
Snickerdoodles
Lemon-Filled Thumbprint Cookies
Christmas Icebox Cookies are a tradition in my household. There are many varieties of cookies that beg to be made, shared, and eaten over the holiday period and these are always a perennial favorite.
The richness of the butter and sugar combined with the slight chewiness of the mixed glazed fruit and currants results in a tasty and flavorful cookie. Use finely chopped fruit and the small currants for these delicate cookies.
Icebox cookies are very easy to make and don’t take any unusual or difficult-to-find ingredients. The dough gets divided into thirds and then each third is formed into a round log shape, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or waxed paper and refrigerated for at least 3-4 hours before slicing and baking. This is because the dough needs time to firm up enough to be able to cut clean-edge slices.
Plan ahead and save three empty paper towel cardboard cylinders. Slit up the length of the cylinders, these make great “sleeves” for the cookie logs and help to keep the shape of the logs round, or reasonably so. Secure the cylinders closed with tape.
Make sure to rotate the cylinders every hour or so during the 3-4 hours of dough chilling as this will help to distribute the weight of the dough and aid in keeping the cookie log round. When ready to bake the cookies, simply unwrap the chilled logs and, with a sharp flat-bladed knife, cut the logs into 1/4″ slices, place on parchment-lined baking sheets, and bake for 8-10 minutes. These cookie logs can be made two to three days in advance of baking and kept in the refrigerator so they are a great make-ahead cookie dough.
One of the great things about icebox cookies is that they can be made ahead and frozen, either before or after baking. Store the unbaked cookie logs in sealed bags in the freezer until they are needed. Simply let the dough sit at room temperature for approximately 30 minutes or so before slicing and baking. They’re also great to have on hand if unexpected guests drop by – you can pop a pan of the cookies in the oven and have your house smell tantalizing while your guests await fresh-from-the-oven cookies!
These make great host/hostess gifts, too, either baked or unbaked. A festive tin filled with these delectable cookies will be a sure hit with anyone.
They’re also fun to package in cute little bags. Who doesn’t love to get a bag with homemade cookies inside!
If you wish to let the host/hostess bake the cookies when they so desire, simply wrap a chilled or frozen cookie log decoratively and include the baking instructions.
Sometimes, I’ll enclose a small log of unbaked cookies in a little decorative bag and add a few of the baked cookies just to whet the recipient’s appetite!
These are easy-to-make, flavorful cookies that are very versatile – they look great on sweet trays, are easy to package in boxes, tins, or bags for gifts, and they are also wonderful treats in lunch bags, too!
[Printable recipe follows at end of posting.]
Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened at room temperature
1 2/3 cups brown sugar, lightly packed
2 extra large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 cup mixed glazed fruit
½ cup currants
Method:
Cream butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla.
Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Beat into creamed mixture until dry ingredients are combined. Stir in cherries and currants until blended into dough.
Divide dough into thirds and shape each portion of dough into three separate logs, each approximately 2” in diameter. Wrap tightly in wax paper or plastic wrap. Slit open 3 empty paper towel cardboard cylinders and place one cookie log in each cylinder. Draw cylinder sides together and secure the cylinders with masking tape. Refrigerate cookie logs for 3-4 hours, turning rolls every hour or so to distribute the weight of the logs and to keep the shape round. (Unbaked cookie logs may be stored for 2-3 days in the refrigerator before baking, provided they are stored in sealed plastic bags or airtight containers.)
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. With a sharp knife, slice cookie logs into ¼” thick slices. Place cookies on prepared baking sheets, spacing the cookies about 1½” apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until lightly browned. Let cookies cool on sheets for 3-4 minutes and then transfer to wire rack to finish cooling completely.
Store in airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks or freeze for longer storage.
Unbaked cookie logs may be frozen in tightly sealed bags or containers for up to 2 months. Remove logs from freezer and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes or so before slicing and baking as above.
Yield: Approximately 5½ dozen cookies
Traditional buttery-rich Christmas icebox cookies filled with mixed glazed fruit and currants.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Classic Raspberry Linzer Cookies
Frypan Cookie Balls
The Rumrunners – Rum and Raisin Cookies
Marvelous Melting Moments
Molasses Spice Cookies
Hearty Hermits
Christmas Fruitcake Drop Cookies
Custard Sandwich Cookies
Cranberry and Eggnog Drop Cookies
The Bistro’s Scotch Cookies
Gluten-free Gumdrop Cookies
Gluten-free Melting Moments
Plum Puff Cookies
Brown Sugar Jam-Filled Cookies
I’m going with a green theme for this seasonal Christmas Greens Holiday Tablesetting, drawing the color scheme from the green leaves in my Royal Albert “Lavender Rose” china.
I often like to use a three-piece floral centerpiece featuring one larger arrangement flanked by two smaller satellites.
There is no need to completely replicate the smaller satellites to match the main arrangement entirely. However, the satellites should draw one or more colors and flowers from the central arrangement so that the three arrangements all connect and tie together.
During the Christmas season, I keep buckets of various types of greenery in my garage and then use them in arrangements. I like to limit the selection of flowers to two to three colors but use different kinds of flowers in the same colors. Here I have used two different kinds of white flowers and two different green flowers.
Floral centerpieces need not cost a lot. I often buy packages of supermarket flowers and use them to build the centerpieces. Economical containers can often be found in dollar stores.
I also like to use different shapes and textures of greenery, flowers, and berries. They add interest and depth to arrangements.
Adding a pine cone or two always adds interest to Christmas arrangements.
One of the advantages of this style of centerpiece is that various juxtapositions can be used with them on the table – the arrangements can be placed in a straight line, at angles to each other, close together to make it look like one large centerpiece, or spaced apart for distinctly unique pieces.
I’m letting the wood in my table shine in this tablesetting as opposed to covering it with a tablecloth. I am using a white placemat for each setting. The gold charger plates pick up the gold rim of the china and add an air of elegance to the table.
I like the shape and colors in this china pattern. The shades of pink, lavender, and green in the pattern lend themselves to a wide variety of color options for the tablesetting.
A simple pointed pocket fold for the napkin provides a nest for the forks. This type of fold works particularly well for napkins that, like these, have a motif on one corner.
One sure way to add sparkle to any table is to use glassware with lots of cuts. Sometimes, I mix and match my glassware but, since I am using my formal china in this setting, I decided to use all the same pattern of glassware.
This is the look when all the elements of the tablesetting are put together. The other great thing about the trio of floral arrangements is that, if the table is larger, there can be more than one larger centerpiece and/or more satellites to extend down the length of the table. It’s the type of centerpiece that is scaleable to the size of the table.
I hope you have enjoyed viewing my Christmas Greens holiday tablesetting.
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Follow “the Bistro” on Pinterest at https://www.pinterest.ca/peibistro/ and pin the Pinterest-ready photo at the end
For more holiday tablescape inspiration, click on the links below:
Glitz ‘n Glamour New Year’s Eve Tablesetting
The Warmth of the Christmas Light Tablesetting
Christmas Eve Tablesetting and Dinner
A Tartan Holiday Tablesetting
Pretty Poinsettia Tablesetting
Poinsettia Trio Tablesetting
The Holiday Table
The Pink and Green Holiday Table
Christmas at My Island Bistro Kitchen
Purple Tablesetting for the Holidays
Evergreens and Reindeer Christmas Tablesetting
Cupcake Tablescape
Twas The Night Before Christmas
Making homemade Irish Cream Liqueur is very easy – it’s a matter of simply combining all the ingredients in a blender and blending on high for 25-30 seconds. Easy-peasy.
This liqueur will keep, tightly sealed in a sterilized bottle, in the refrigerator for the length of time the fresh cream used in the recipe will stay fresh as noted on the cream carton or bottle.
It’s important to shake the liqueur well before using . This liqueur serves well over ice or mixed with eggnog (1 part liqueur to 2 parts eggnog). Of course, it can also be used in a multitude of other ways as well, such as a flavorful coffee creamer.
Presented in decorative bottles, this liqueur makes a wonderful host or hostess gift.
[Printable recipe follows at end of posting]
Ingredients:
1 cup 18% fresh cream
1 – 300ml can condensed milk
1½ cups whiskey
2½ tbsp chocolate syrup
2 tbsp cold strong brewed coffee
2 tsp pure vanilla
¾ tsp almond flavoring
Method:
Combine all ingredients in blender and blend on high for apx. 25-30 seconds, just until ingredients are blended. Transfer liqueur to sterilized decorative bottle. Seal tightly.
Store in refrigerator for the length of time the fresh cream used in the recipe is “best before”. Shake liqueur well before serving.
To serve, pour liqueur into glass and add ice.
Yield: Apx. 1 litre
Serving Suggestion: Pour 1 part liqueur into glass and top with 2 parts eggnog. Add ice and serve.
Ingredients
Instructions
Click on this link for my recipe for Irish Cream French Toast.
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This Carrot Pudding is an old-fashioned steamed pudding made with very plain, simple ingredients – it doesn’t get much more plain than grated carrots and shredded potato! Continue reading Steamed Carrot Pudding Recipe
How can a cookie with only 6 simple ingredients taste this good!!! Well, they’re not called Marvelous Melting Moments without good reason. One bite of these sweet temptations and, from the rich, tender crumb of the cookie, you’ll find they quickly melt in your mouth. Continue reading Marvelous Melting Moments Recipe
One of my favorite foods to make is the traditional fruitcake – both dark and light versions. And, I adore the scent in my home as the cakes bake. I don’t make both dark and light every year. Rather, I make a dark cake one year then, the following year, make a light cake. Continue reading Festive Light Fruitcake Recipe
