Author: Ang Anderson

Christmas Kringler

Posted on by Ang Anderson

So, the holidays have come and gone.  I should have posted this recipe a month ago BEFORE the holidays.  But, you see, I am just not always that on top of things.  Alas, the time must be right because this is when this post is taking place.  Now.  When I can think clearly and reflect on the wondrous creation that is Christmas Kringler, with nary a thought of gift wrapping or cookie baking to be found in my over-stimulated brain.

Kringler is a Scandinavian pastry and is, hands down, my all time favorite thing in the whole wide world.  It holds deep childhood memories for me, as it was tradition for my own dear mom to grace us with this delightful confection on Christmas morning.  My grandma made it for my mom, and my great-grandmother made it for my grandma.  I’m not exactly sure where the legacy begins.  I just know I love it and never want it to end.  So, I continue the legacy with my sweet family.  Kringler also contains the very same almond extract that always makes my heart go pitter-patter.  Oh almond extract!  Divine.  Delightful.  And did I mention that it’s IN the Kringler?  AND in the frosting?   Be still, my beating heart.  Without further ado, I introduce you to the renowned and glorious Christmas Kringler.

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Read through all directions before beginning, as there are three parts to the process.

But don’t be afraid.  It’s all very basic.  And DIVINE.

Kringler Recipe

 

 

 

I like to enlist my husband to help with the mixing in of the eggs (one at a time) portion.  It gives him the satisfaction of helping and saves my arm from the heavy stirring.

I have also used milk when I did not have any cream and it works just fine for the frosting.

We even shared this with friends once as dessert.  Although, usually it holds its sacred spot of December 25th.

I invite you to try this recipe and if it feels right, to add it to your Christmas morning tradition.

Happy 2014!

P.S.  If you get the urge for Kringler throughout the year, try these Almond Meltaway Cookies.

The Day the Crayons Quit

Posted on by Ang Anderson

thedaythecrayonsquit
My son received this wonderful book, The Day the Crayons Quit, for his 7th birthday from our dear friends. It was a huge hit with both of my children, current ages four and (you guessed it) seven. My son loved it so much that he brought it to school to share with his class.  We received a note in return, expressing how much the teacher and all the kids LOVED it.  I am sharing it with you because it makes a terrific gift. With Christmas right around the corner, I figured you may need to find something sweet to share with the little ones in your life.  In this story, author Drew Daywalt weaves an imaginitive tale where the crayons come to life, expressing sentiments of frustration and suggestions for improvement to their owner.   The illustrations by Oliver Jeffers are equally as gorgeous as the narrative.  My children giggled a lot, especially at the embarrasing predicament of peach crayon.

The Day the Crayons Quit comes with 4 thumbs up from our family.  I highly recommend adding it to your family collection or giving it to a child or educator in your life.  Enjoy!

Turkey Tetrazzini

Posted on by Ang Anderson

Are you looking for something to do with your leftover turkey? I have the answer for you with this delightful Turkey Tetrazzini. Of course, the fact that I retrieved this recipe from the one and only Ree Drummond (The Pioneer Woman) only adds to the splendor of this delicious pasta. I will warn you that it is a labor of love. Preparation and assembly of the ingredients will take about an hour of your precious time. But in return, you will receive twelve beautiful servings of pasta goodness with which you can do whatever you like. Have a dinner party and share it all. Feed your family and freeze the rest. Make little gift dinners for your loved ones.

I discovered that it makes very good sense to prepare all the ingredients first when making this pasta. The first time I made this, I just started going along with the instructions and cutting and measuring as I went along. My counters were a disaster and my mind in disarray. So, I highly recommend taking the time to cut everything up and measure things out before you begin. Also, the pasta begs to be broken up ahead of time and placed in a bowl. Listen to the pasta. I promise that your kitchen and your brain will thank you. (Or go for the chaos. Who am I to tell you what to do?)

My favorite accompaniments are a french baguette with rosemary herb butter, pear gorgonzola salad, and of course wine. (Some of you may be thinking “you had me at french baguette”. You are my people.)

Cheers to the lovely baguette, delicious pasta, and wine!  Enjoy your holiday weekend!

Turkey Tetrazzini

Click here for the Printable Recipe

Ingredients
•1-½ pound Thin Spaghetti, Broken In Half
•4 Tablespoons Butter
•4 cloves Garlic, Minced
•1 pound White Mushrooms, Quartered
•½ teaspoons Salt
•1 cup White Wine
•⅓ cups Flour
•4 cups Turkey (or Chicken) Broth
•1 block 8 Ounce Cream Cheese
•3 cups Cooked (leftover) Turkey (or Chicken), Shredded Or Diced
•1 cup Finely Chopped Black Olives
•1-½ cup Frozen Green Peas
•4 slices Bacon, Fried And Cut Into Bits
•1 cup Grated Monterey Jack Cheese
•1 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
•Salt And Pepper, to taste
•Extra Broth For Thinning
•1 cup Panko Bread Crumbs

Preparation Instructions

Cook pasta until not quite done – al dente according to package instructions (it will finish cooking in the oven.) Drain, rinse, and set aside.

In a large pot, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add garlic and saute for a couple of minutes. Add mushrooms and salt, then saute for a couple more minutes. Pour in the wine and allow it to cook with the mushrooms for several minutes, or until the liquid reduces by half.

Sprinkle in flour, then stir the mushrooms around for another minute. Pour in the broth and stir, cooking for another few minutes until the roux thickens.

Reduce heat to medium low. Cut cream cheese into pieces and add it to the pot. Stir it to melt (don’t be concerned if the cream cheese remains in little bits for awhile; it’ll melt eventually!) Add the leftover turkey, the olives, the peas, the bacon, and the cheeses. Stir to combine, adding salt and pepper as needed.

Add the cooked spaghetti and stir it to combine. Splash in more broth as needed; you want the mixture to have a little extra moisture since it will cook off in the oven. If it’s a little soupy, that’s fine! Add up to 2 more cups of liquid if you think it needs it.

Pour the mixture into a large baking dish and sprinkle the top with Panko crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes, or until the casserole is bubbly and the crumbs are golden brown.