Mince Pies

Tonight I thought I would share a Christmas tradition that my family has had for as long as I can remember. Mince Pies. My Dad is from England and my Mom from Newfoundland. Growing up, we had many traditions that I thought everyone in NL had. It wasn't until I lived in England that I realized that these traditions were actually from England rather than from NL. Of course, many Newfoundlanders are of English descent, so there are a lot of people who also have these traditions, but there are also many who don't. Being married to an Englishman means that this tradition will continue. This was especially confirmed this afternoon when Charlotte came in and right away asked to have one. She loves all the traditional Christmas goodies -  Fruit cake, mince pies, and I am assuming Christmas pudding as evident this weekend when she wanted to try Daddy's 'cake'. 


Mince pies are very easy to make. Especially the way I make them. I'm a pretty good baker, but one thing I can't make is pastry. So, I cheat and buy the Pillsbury pastry. I have to say, it's pretty good. Well, good for someone who can't make pastry. With regards to mince meat, that's easy too. It comes in a jar that's found in the baking section in your local grocery store. It's made of raisins, currants, cherries and spices. All the traditional Christmas ingredients. 


To make the pies, use two different sized round cookie cutters (or even two different sized glasses) and cut out enough tops and bottoms that the pastry will make. Put the bottoms in a shallow muffin pan. Put about a teaspoon (amount depends on size of bottom) of mixture in each cup and cover with the tops. Pinch the tops and bottoms together. Prick the top of each pie.


Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and bake pies for 6 mins. Remove from the oven and brush each pie with egg white and sprinkle with sugar. Return to the oven for a further 6-8 minutes or until the pies are golden.


Remove, cool and enjoy. They are great on their own or with vanilla ice cream.


It's tradition that each time you have a mince pie from someone new, you make a wish. I made my first wish tonight and will probably make my second one Saturday night when we go to my Mom's. Now her pastry is excellent! Looking forward to it!


If you like fruit-based baked goods like Christmas cake, you should give these a try and maybe start a new tradition of your own. Don't forget to make your wish!

Make a wish and enjoy!

Life's simple things

As we get further into this holiday season, it is easy to get caught up in all the preparation and one may tend to start to worry. Am I getting the right gift for that special person, will my child be happy with what I have bought, did I buy enough, did I buy too much? Have I made enough cookies, did I make too many? How are we going to fit everything in? Am I going to have any time just to relax....... what's relax?


I was reminded once again last night what is important. I was meeting a friend for coffee and was leaving before Charlotte was in bed. Charlotte is going through a stage at the moment where Mommy has to be involved in pretty much everything. Andrew and I are working on it, and it is getting better as evident last night. We find, as long as we prepare Charlotte for a change in her usual bedtime schedule she's Ok. So, yesterday, on the way home from school, I told Charlotte I was going out for coffee with a friend. We chatted about that for awhile and I told her that Daddy would be putting her to bed and that I wanted her to be a good girl. She seemed to take that information in stride (with the help of an oreo cookie).


After supper she and Harrison had a bath and she was then allowed to watch one Micky Mouse Clubhouse before bed. While she was doing so, Harrison was fed and put to bed. It was then time for me to leave. I told her I'd see her in the morning and that I loved her. She said her good byes and off I went.


As I was getting in the car I noticed that Charlotte was in the window. I went up to say goodbye and caught her by surprise (she was twirling in the curtains). I banged on the window and well, did she ever jump. But then, the biggest smile came on her face and she waved and blew me a kiss. I so wish I had a camera to get that picture but I took a mental one and will remember it forever.


A feeling of contentment came over me that warmed my heart. I realized, at that moment, that there was nothing to worry about because I had everything I needed in that house. Everything else is just stuff. Whatever I get people for Christmas will be appreciated. Whatever I bake will be eaten at some point. If I need more, then Sobeys is just down the road. If I don't get to see someone over Christmas, there's another full year ahead for visits. The most important thing is to enjoy this Christmas with the ones I love. It's our first with Harrison and the first that Charlotte will really remember. That's what's important. We've dedicated days to see close family and friends and well, everything else will happen as it happens. No worrying here, I've got it all.


Take time this busy holiday season to appreciate all that you have already. Anything else you get is a wonderful bonus.

One of my favourite pictures of Charlotte with our dog Paks. Paks died just over a year ago.
Charlotte doesn't really remember her but when she does mention her she calls her "her friend Paks"

The search for English chocolate

As I mentioned in a previous post, being married to a man who loves his food is one thing. Being married to an Englishman who loves his English food is another thing altogether. Especially at Christmas time. 


This past week, besides the hunt for the perfect Christmas tree, we went in search for English chocolate. There are five locations in the St. John's and surrounding area that I know of that you can get proper English Chocolate and other foods from across the pond. I have heard as well that the new candy shop downtown may also have chocolate, but I have yet to be there. 


For just a quick 'inexpensive' sugar rush where a galaxy, flake, buttons, milky bar or a Yorkie will suffice, there's the bulk barn or the candy boutique downtown. For food products besides Cadbury's chocolate (Cadbury's chocolate from Canada has a COMPLETELY different taste than Cadbury's from England), there is Fat Nannies downtown, Coleman's in Mount Pearl and Bidgood's in the Goulds.


Over the past week or so we've been to all of them in search for chocolate for Christmas. Well, we had success in two. In Coleman's in Mount Pearl, we managed to get a box of Roses and Heroes. Roses is similar to Quality Street and Heroes, are miniature Cadbury's bars, many of which you don't get in Canada. Andrew also got very excited when we saw (and bought) a tin of Victoria biscuits and Butter biscuits. I think I've managed to get out of making more shortbread as a result! 


Yesterday, Andrew decided he'd venture further afield in search for the perfect box of chocolates. As far as he's concerned, the perfect box of chocolates is Celebrations. Celebrations are also miniature bars made by Mars. You get Mars bars, snickers, milky way, galaxy, and malteasers plus a couple more. Personally, I don't understand the excitement that Andrew demonstrated when he got home from his venture and showed me the large box he'd found. They are mini chocolate bars. But, the English just love them. They are everywhere this time of year over there. When he told his Dad and Mel about his find, they too got very excited. Good thing we got them a box as well I guess. 


All in all, it was another Christmas miracle. English chocolate for my Englishman. We also got some mince meat (fruit mixture, not the beef kind) for our mince meat pies. The best part though? The chocolate wasn't expensive. At least not in Coleman's and Bidgood's. They cost no more than what you'd pay here. Now that, is a Christmas miracle.


So, if you, or someone you know would love to have a part of England for Christmas, head on out to Coleman's or Bidgood's soon, before they're all gone!

Harrison is Four Months Old Today!

Today, Harrison is four months old. The time has gone by so fast. With Christmas quickly approaching it seems the time is going by even faster. Time doesn't stand still nor do we. Or at least, not enough.


Harrison continues to grow ever so quickly. He's interacting with us more, watching everything we do, almost turning over from back to tummy, starting to sit up straighter, reaches out and grabs objects, especially Mommy's fingers, is starting to really find his voice and laughs at all his sister's antics. 


Thankfully, Harrison is pretty much sleeping through the night. I've started waking him around 11pm for a top-up of milk. We used to do that with Charlotte and that helped her sleep through the night. When I first started this with Harrison, he'd still wake up around 4am, crying out. I'd get up and feed him. I then started to wonder if maybe he was just crying out in his sleep and because I went and got him and fed him (he certainly won't refuse) he'd wake at the same time each night. I know that happens to me. Well, I started to ignore the cries (easier said than done when you have a three year old sleeping next door), but in doing so, he goes back to sleep. Some nights he cries out more than others, but it doesn't last long and he goes back to sleep. Eventually I'll try cutting out the late night feed and see what happens. 


Harrison's favourite thing to do at the moment is get naked and kick on his mat. He'll lie there for a long time before he decides he's had enough. We've made it part of his bedtime routine and once he's had a bath, a kick and some milk, he's down for the count. Not before bedtime stories with Charlotte and Mommy has kissed those kissable cheeks though!


We love you babes!

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree

Well, yesterday, after a couple of unexpected delays including a tour of Bauline, we went in search of the perfect Christmas tree. This year, we were looking for three trees. One for us, one for my Mom and Dad and one for Andrew's Dad and Mel. Armed with a couple of saws we traversed the land through wet conditions and dry, avoiding the moose droppings (Dad as usual found them first) hoping we'd soon come upon the "ones".


We have one rule, a pretty simple one. You take the tree you cut. If you've ever gone looking for a tree you may have found it's difficult to tell how big the tree is. What may seem small in the vastness of the land is actually quite big once you get it home. Andrew and I found that out the hard way the first time we went looking for a tree in Ontario. Being the first time he'd ever cut his own tree, and because we had high ceilings in the house we were renting, he wanted a big tree. Well, we got it and more. We finally got it to fit into the house and well, it was huge! The biggest we'll ever have and well worth the $20 we paid to cut a tree on the farm.


This year, we wanted a nice sized tree that would fit in the corner of our living room. Mom and Dad wanted a small tree and Brian and Mel one in between. Within an hour we had all three. Sure, the tree Andrew had originally found for Mom and Dad ended up being ours due to its size, and Mom figures she may have to prune theirs a bit to get it to fit in their corner, but we each got a tree. We dragged them back, got them in the cars and took them home for Christmas.


Now, decorated,  with its lights giving off a lovely glow, it is adorned with decorations that each have a story. There are ones that we got the first year we were in Canada, Winnie the Pooh ornaments that we've gotten each year for Charlotte and now Harrison's "Baby's First Christmas" ornament, birds (a tradition Mom has started with Charlotte) and many that were handmade by Dad to name a few.


We're very happy with the tree. Andrew says he thinks it's the best one we've had (besides the one in ON) and Charlotte, well, she loves it too. What more could you ask for?


Our hunt for the perfect tree in pictures.

On our way to find a tree

Someone is not impressed with what she finds

That looks like a good tree 

Looks like a good tree indeed 

It is a good tree

Daddy, I'd like a tree for my room, please

On the way back to the car

Nana and Charlotte carry her tree back to the car 

Let's start decorating 

Putting on the decorations

Time for the angel 

Reach!

Our tree in all its glory

Some of the first ornaments we got when we moved back to Canada

Harrison's first ornament

Special ornaments for the kiddies

Charlotte's Birds

One of the ornaments Dad made

An update on Shakey

Well, with just over 2 weeks to go, I thought I'd give an update on Charlotte and Shakey.

If you're not a regular reader of my blog, welcome, and let me explain Shakey. Shakey came to us the night after the Downtown Christmas Party. Charlotte was starting to get very excited about Christmas and if Halloween was going to be any indication, it was going to be one crazy month. I told Charlotte that I had called Santa for some help on ideas for keeping her on Santa's nice list and he had sent one of his elves. Charlotte named him Shakey and every night after Charlotte is alseep, he leaves and reports to Santa about Charlotte's activities during the day and whether she's been a good girl or not. Then, he returns to a different part of the house before she wakes. When she wakes, the idea is for Charlotte to go looking to see where he is. Did it work? Is she on the naughty or nice list?

Well, here's where we are:

1) A couple of months ago, Charlotte started coming up every night after going to bed. Whether it be for a drink, to turn down the TV, hearing a noise, just wanting to say goodnight again, she found a reason to come up often numerous times in a night. We'd tell her if she came up again she'd lose a TV show, books or songs before bed. She often did because she didn't listen. Since Shakey's arrival, Charlotte has probably been up twice in the last 2 weeks and even then she came up once and didn't come up again. All we tell her is that Shakey is waiting for her to go to sleep before he can go to see Santa.

2) Where's Shakey? Charlotte used to get up 6am before Shakey. We told her we didn't want her getting up before she heard Mommy or Daddy. She didn't always listen and was often up early, looking to watch TV which we told her wasn't happening. Now, she doesn't get up (or at least doesn't come out of her room) until she hears one of us and then, the first words our of her mouth are "Where's Shakey"?

3) Self Control. Charlotte doesn't always listen when we tell her not to touch something. I guess it's difficult for a child not to touch something that looks so interesting. Well, we're working on it. We tell her to "Look with her eyes, not with her hands". Sometimes works, sometimes doesn't. Shakey, isn't allowed to be touched or he'll lose his magic. When he first arrived, he stayed up quite high. Now, he's gradually getting lower and lower, testing to see if she'll touch him. So far, if anyone comes into the house, she tells them they are not allowed to touch him.

4) Excited little girl. With 2 weeks to go and constant talk about toys, Santa, toys and Santa, all Charlotte wants to do is open her gifts. We explain to her that she has to wait until Christmas Day to open her gifts (another example of self control) and that it's not all about receiving. We've taken her shopping for gifts for Harrison and other members of the family to teach her about giving gifts and of course about Baby Jesus. Shakey? Well, he helps us when she starts to get too excited as we remind her that he's watching and that Santa is still watching to see if she's behaving.

Today we had a VERY excited little girl on our hands but she was also a good little girl which was a Christmas miracle considering what we're doing tomorrow. Tomorrow, we're off to get our tree, decorating the house (including her room) and having our lighting ceremony (she's been patiently waiting for the outside lights to be turned on). Tonight, she went to bed and didn't come up.

So, all in all, with 2 weeks left I would say Shakey is working wonders and Charlotte is still on Santa's nice list. The next two weeks will be interesting and I'll give you an update next week. But if tonight was anything to go by, I think we'll be OK. Hopefully.

We love you Shakey!

Introducing Shakey!

Shakey made his first appearance here

Checking out the dining room

Charlotte wasn't that impressed he was playing with her duck

Getting closer to her level, Charlotte played him a tune

A Gingerbread Tradition

For me, Christmas is all about traditions. Growing up, we had a number of traditions we did during the holidays and I looked forward to them every year. As I grew older, I helped to keep them going. Setting up the living room on Christmas Eve with the Christmas glasses for egg nog, liqueur glasses & bottle of Sherry for the toast to absent friends, a CD player for music, re-arranging the furniture.  All of it was part of our Christmas morning tradition.


Now, with my own family, we too are developing our own traditions as well as continuing ones I had with my family and those Andrew had with his. It's a blending of our two families into our own. 


One tradition I've started with Charlotte is to bake gingerbread cookies. Yesterday, Charlotte and I went to the bulk barn and picked out the candy to decorate the cookies. When we got home we donned our aprons. Wearing the apron that I had when I was a little girl, she helped me make the dough for the cookies. One of her favourite parts of making cookies is turning on the mixer and watching the ingredients mix. She loves to crack the eggs and add them to the mixture and is getting better at cracking them without the shell falling into the bowl.

Adding the lemon zest

One final mix

Once the mixture was made and had rested in the fridge for a couple of hours, we cut out the shapes. Charlotte is like her Mom and loves to eat the cookie dough. Luckily, it makes a lot of dough ;) Interestingly enough, she wanted to make more round cookies in the dough rather than the actual gingerbread men and women. 

Cutting out the shapes

But, we did manage to get some of the traditional little dudes an dudettes and she decorated her first one tonight. That seemed to be her favourite part.

Ta-Da!

Here is the recipe from allrecipes.com. The orange zest really adds a nice flavour. Also, the original called for dark corn syrup, I used molasses.


Gingerbread Men

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 tablespoons orange zest
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. 
   
   1. 
      
   Cream the butter and the sugar together. Add the egg and mix well. Mix in the orange peel and molasses. Add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, ground cloves and salt, mixing until well combined. Chill dough for at least 2 hours, I like to chill overnight. 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out to 1/4 inch thick. Cut into desired shapes using cookie cutters. Place cookies 1 inch apart on the prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until cookies are firm and lightly toasted on the edges.

I hope as she grows up, Charlotte continues to enjoy the traditions we're trying to develop with her and Harrison. I hope that she'll look forward to making the gingerbread cookies with me each year and once she has her own children (in about 30 years), she'll continue it with them and look back at the traditions we had with fond memories as I do with mine.