Holiday Food!

This might be it until after the big day. We have to move out of this house in approximately 21 days. We haven't packed. We have my whole family coming and Christmas to celebrate somewhere in there....hmmm. I think things are about to get a little crazy:) That being said, I took a stroll around my new bedroom on the new second floor of the new house tonight and it was very exciting....so I'll see what I can do about getting some pictchas posted.

Food is a huge part of the celebration in this house, so I thought I'd share a few Murphy-Seaby Holiday favorites...


[Artwork by DJ Berger]

Goat Cheese Torta



Ingredients
3 tbsp (45 mL)
Hickory Smoked Almonds, finely chopped
1/4 cup (50 mL)
Balsamic Vinegar of Modena - Two Leaf
2 tbsp (25 mL)
100% Pure Maple Syrup
1 pkg (300 g)
Soft Unripened Goat's Milk Cheese
1
onion, finely chopped

Directions
1. Line 2 to 2-1/2 cup (500 to 625 mL) bowl with plastic wrap. Sprinkle almonds to cover bottom of bowl.
2. In frying pan, cook vinegar, maple syrup and onions over medium-high heat for 6 to 8 minutes or until onions are softened and most of liquid is absorbed. Remove pan from heat.
3. Cut goat cheese crosswise into 1/2-inch (1 cm) thick slices. Arrange half of goat cheese on top of almonds. Top with all of onion mixture. Arrange remaining goat cheese on top of onions. Cover with plastic wrap. Gently press down on torta to compact layers. Remove plastic wrap from top of torta, turn out onto a serving platter. Serve with crackers.

Bestest Holiday Shortbread
These little cookies live up to their name. We made these as welcome gifts for our wedding and I inevitably end up whipping up a batch two days before Christmas every year. The recipe is from Phipp‟s, the famous bakery at Avenue and Eglinton, in Toronto. The key ingredient? The toasted flour, no question.

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups Flour, all purpose
1 cup Fruit sugar
1/2 pound Belgian chocolate
1 pound Butter, soft
1 cup Sifted rice flour

Directions
1. Spread the all-purpose flour on a cookie sheet and place under a pre-heated broiler about 4-5 inches from the element. Roast the flour, watching it all the time until it is medium brown. Turn the flour with a spatula to brown the other side. The entire procedure takes about three minutes and gives the flour a rich nutty flavour. Let the flour cool.
2. Mix the soft butter with the fruit sugar and add the sifted rice flour. Fold in the roasted flour and blend well.
3. Chop the chocolate into chunks just a little smaller than a sugar cube. Mix them into the dough, taking care you don't soften the chocolate too much.
4. Shape as desired. Bake at 300F for 1 hour.
5. Cool, then store in an airtight container.

Christmas Cranberry Cream Cheese Bars
A Murphy Family Christmas Tradition. It‘s just not Christmas without these…or without my friend, Brooks, licking the sweetened condensed milk cans clean. Oh, Brooks……

Ingredients
2 cups All Purpose Flour
1 1/2 cups oats
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (14 ounce) can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 (16 ounce) can whole berry cranberry sauce

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In large bowl, combine flour, oats, 3/4 cup brown sugar and butter; mix until crumbly. Reserving 1 1/2 cups crumb mixture, press remainder firmly on bottom of greased 13x9-inch baking pan. Bake 15 minutes.
2. In small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk until smooth; stir in lemon juice. Spread evenly over prepared crust. In small bowl, combine remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and cornstarch; stir in cranberry sauce. Spoon evenly over cream cheese layer. Top with reserved crumb mixture.
3. Bake 40 minutes or until golden. Cool. Chill. Cut into bars. Store covered in refrigerator.

Enjoy!