NQR - I'm making bread today! What are your Family Recipe Traditions?

[JuliaDay]

My grandma, Vovo used to make rolls and bread for all family get togethers. This is the first year in about 4 that we are home (and I am on vacation from real work) so I am taking the plunge! The dough recipe is very easy, just seems like a lot of waiting while the darn thing rises (over and over again). I hope it goes well so i can keep the tradition going.

My mom is in California, so we had to do the recipe by phone. She was great with all of her directions.

Also this thanksgiving we are making our favorite stuffing, Shana's frozen turkey, and my Hubby is making his creme brulee. I think he does it just to breat out the cool burny torch!!

Best quote of the day yesterday from the Day Household. . . My question to Rob (my hubby), "what kind of vegetables do you want on Thursday?"

" there are vegetables on a thanksgiving table?", Rob

[SandraC]

My favourite is using a sweet dough and making it into a big braid. Bake it then drizzle jam in the creases and a thin icing on the humps....I could eat the whole thing I think!

I haven't actually made it in a few years now I have a craving!! And this is the week I thought I'd try cutting back on the beloved carbs a bit. I want to lose a bit of weight before my trip to Scotland next year.

[kimmiequilts]

We don't make any breads but our traditions come from both my husband's family and mine. I make mashed turnips, cole slaw, and stuffing with cranberries in it, sometimes walnuts like my Nanny used to. We have to have many vegetables, broccoli, cauliflower, corn, green beans(from my garden this year!), creamed onions, jellied cranberry sauce as well as the whole berry kind and garlic mashed potatoes!

I sent a paackage over to Iraq for my nephew, and I ask everyone to include out military personnel and their families in you blessings, please!

Happy Thanksgiving to each and every one of you, may your turkey be golden and juicy and your potatoes not have any lumps and my you enjoy the Lord's bounty with those you love.

[mrsbishwit]

My family food traditions are the Friday after Thanksgiving instead of hitting the crowds at the malls we stay home and my daughters and me make perogies (we are Polish and my grandmother is an excellent cook so all of our family recipe traditions come from her ).

Then since we usually go to a relatives for Thanksgiving I always have a second Thanksgiving meal that I cook at my house for my DH, and kids the Saturday or Sunday after so I can have turkey leftovers and my favorite sides

For all of the holidays I am always told to bring a cheesecake or don't even bother showing up, lol There's a story that goes along with this....When I first started dating my DH during the holidays when we got together with DH's side there was always a cheese cake (not the typical New York style cheesecake that is dense but a creamier cheesecake that had a sour cream topping to it) anyways it was a recipe that my DH's Polish grandmother use to make and when she died the only one that made it/ had the recipe was my DH's aunt, which she would not share with anyone except with my DSIL whom divorced my DH's brother last year. Anyways when the aunt moved out of state no one made the cheesecake not even the DSIL (she tried but she smoked up her kitchen because she used too much butter in her crust and it leaked out the bottom of the cheesecake pan and burned on the bottom of the oven and she never tried it again). Anyways one year I decided to make my polish grandmother's cheesecake recipe it was very simiular to the other...my FIL swore it was better than his mother's cheesecake and so that is why I have to make it for all holidays or not even show up. BTW the inlaws didn't know that I had this recipe until we were married for 5 years and they were without cheesecake for 3 years, lol

DH tells me all of the time if we ever got divorced he would have put in the divorce degree that I would have to bake certain items throughout the year for him...I guess it's true what they say "a way to a guy's heart is through his stomache"!!!

[Neher-in-law5]

Do you share your cheesecake recipe? I would love to have it.

We just do the regular traditional when we make the meal, but there have been times when the kids were younger and we were busier that on Thanksgiving day we have had chili, subs, pizza, whatever hit us at the time. Sure beat some of the cleanup, before and after! We are having ours this year Friday night so the local daughter and family can spend Thursday with his family.

[QuiltsbyNini]

We have two...one is sweet potatoes with marshmallows on top (sometimes burnt) and a fruit salad made with jello, cottage cheese, coolwhip, and canned fruits.... it was my step mothers contribution for many years. She has been gone for about 14 years now, and it is still not the holidays with her fruit salad!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Nini

[calicokat]

I have a roll recipe that DS & I make each year. It uses the bread machine so that makes it super managable for a busy holiday kitchen! It came from a friend and she only shared it with me when I promised not to give it out or take them to any gathering we both were going to -- they were her specialty!

[mrsbishwit]

Of course I share the recipe, my grandmother who is now 92 years old believes all good recipes should be shared so here it is...

Grandma J's Cheesecake

Crust:

1 C graham cracker crumbs

2 T sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 C melted butter

Filling:

3 (8 oz) pkgs of cream cheese, softened

3/4 C sugar

3 eggs, seperated

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Topping:

1 C sour cream

2 T sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. For the crust, in a med bowl combine all of the crust ingredients then press into the bottom only of a 10" springform/ cheesecake pan. Set aside...do not pre bake crust.

For the filling, in a mixing bowl beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add egg yolks and vanilla. Beat egg whites seperately until frothy (has air bubbles beat into it but not to meringue stage) fold egg whites into cream cheese mixture, until well combined. Pour filling over crust in pan. Bake for 20 minutes. Then with cheesecake in oven, and door closed turn off oven and let it sit there for another 10 minutes. Remove cheesecake from oven and let cool on top of stove.

For the topping: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine topping ingredients and spread on top of cooled cheesecake and bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and let cheesecake cool again then refrigerate. Before serving let cheesecake get to room temp for easier cutting.

[sammi357]

Juliaday, it does take a long time to make bread, but, fortunately, there's other stuff to do in the meantime. Like quilting! (as if you aren't going to be up to your elbows in dinner prep!)

Just remember that every time you punch that dough down and the yeasties get to do their work, it's going to taste better and better!

Mrs Bishwit, thank you for the recipe! dh and I love cheesecake!

whenever someone talks about something on a forum, it always makes your mouth water for that item...and you were kind enough to supply the recipe!

s.

[JuliaDay]

Dough is coming along really well. On my third punch down.

My mom did a great job in helping me figure out what you can prep and cook ahead of time. Honestly, with over 15 years of me prepping holiday meals from 4 people up to 30, it is a piece of cake now.

Okay the FUNNY thing this year is that it is just the 4 of us and most of the recipes are for 12-16. I guess I am going to freeze some!

I told Rob we're not shopping for anything but Wine until next week.

[seakitten]

I haven't heard The Green Bean Casserole mentioned. You know, the one with the canned or frozen green beans, a can of cream of mushroom soup, and canned onion rings on top. No natural ingredients that I know of, tons of salt and preservatives, and it barely looks green. Now THAT's a Thanksgiving vegetable!

Seriously, thanks for the recipe Joann, I will certainly try it, it looks great.

[Bekah]

we are going up north to be with my dh daughters and all their families so I don't get to cook this year:( my recipes are home but I would love to share my cheesecake recipe and if I get a chance I will post it before tomorrow.

I have always made bread in fact my kids never had a piece of store bread unless they were at someone elses home. do any of them bake bread now? You got it that is a big fat NO. maybe one of my 18 grandchildren will pick up that ball.

thanks for sharing recipes and stories.

[Stagecl]

My daughter, Jessica and I make 3 stollen. We freeze two...keeping one for Christmas and the other when ever after the first of the year. Usually, that means as soon as the second one is gone:):P

We also love a reduced fat pumpkin bar. We make it with fresh pumpkin. Yum...I could eat the whole pan! The fresh pumpkin just tastes so much better than canned pumpkin.

[quiltmonkey]

I really don't have any "traditions" with Thanksgiving dinner. My employer lets us all off early today so when I get home I am preparing a challah loaf of bread for Thanksgiving. I haven't made a challah in a long time, so DH will appreciate it I think. I'm also baking Linda Rech's pumpkin cheesecake this afternoon when I get home.

But I do have a tradition for Christmas eve and it's fun, I think. I buy all sorts of specialty cold cut meats, the numma yumma cheeses from the deli, different breads, crackers, spreads, pickled asparagus, pickled green beans and all sorts of fun munchables and some nice beers and wines, of course!! It's kinda spendy but a special treat. The great thing is, easy to prepare and and quick to clean up. Not much mess.

[quiltmonkey]

Joann,

Would you share your grandma's perogy recipe? I would LOVE to make these some time. I've eaten them before. (yum) and I know DH would snarf 'em down.

[liz2075]

Mrsbishwit I'm currently baking your cheesecake! I saw it and realized I had all the ingredients!

Thank you very much for the recipes everyone.

[JuliaDay]

OMG - they smell just like when I was a kid. i guess i did it right!

[Suezquilts]

recipe for the above picture please.

I have all day tomorrow, as we won't have the 40 pounder until 5, thank God I purchased a dbl oven I can make the bread and the Tom at the same time.

Happy Thanksgiving you all

[mrsbishwit]

Here's the Pierogi recipe...the filling is potato and cheese.

Potato & Cheese Pierogi (makes about 12 dozen but can be frozen up to 6 months)

Filling:

1 med onion (chopped finely and sauted in 1T of butter)

5 lbs of potatoes (peeled, boiled then mashed)

8 oz cream cheese

1/2 tsp paprika

1 tsp garlic powder

1 T salt

1/2 tsp white pepper

1 C shredded cheddar cheese

Pierogi Dough:

8 C flour

8 eggs, well beaten

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1/2 C water (more can be added 1 T at a time to form dough if needed)

2 sticks of butter, softened

Filling: Combine all of filling ingredients except cheddar cheese, beat until smooth, add cheddar cheese then set aside.

Pierogi Dough: Combine all of dough ingredients in a heavy duty stand mixer fitted with a dough hook on low speed (I use a 6qrt kitchen aide profeesional stand mixer for this...burned up a motor on an inexpensive stand mixer in the past, lol learned my lesson ). Increase speed to med until dough comes together and is smooth (you may need to add the additional 1T spoonfuls of water at this point depending on how your humidity level is in your house). Roll out portions of dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8" thickness. Cut into 3 1/2" circles moisten slightly with water the edges of the circle, fill each circle with about 1T of filling (enough to fill dough circle 1/2 way) fold circle in half encasing filling (make sure that there is no filling along the edges of the circle because in order to have a good seal there needs to be dough to dough contact) crimp/ pinch edge of semi circle to seal the filling in the pierogi. Make about 6 at a time then set aside. Bring a med stock pot of water to boil. Drop pieogis 6 at a time into boiling water (they will sink...if your edges are crimped properly this is when you will know because the filling will escape the dough semi-circle). When the poerogis float to the top they are ready to be removed from the water with a sloted spoon. At this point I will spray them with a butter cooking spray (so they don't stick together) and place a dozen of them in a gallon size Ziploc freezer bags. They can be frozen at this point. Continue to do this until all of the dough has been used (you may have left over filling depending on how much you put in each pierogi. When you are ready to cook/prepare them to eat for a meal, you will defrost the frozen pierogis. Preheat a large nonstick skillet using 1T butter with 1T canola oil (the oil prevents the butter from burning too fast) and finely chopped onions. Fry them until they are lightly golden brown on both sides over med heat. Can be eaten by themselves (as a side dish) or you can dip them in sour cream.

It is a very labor intensive recipe usually takes my daughter and me all afternoon but well worth it. BTW I only make these once a year, I use half on Christmas Eve and the other half on Easter.

[quiltmonkey]

Thanks, Honey!!!!! (((hugs)))

[JuliaDay]

Vovo's Rolls (Vovo was my Grandmother)

STEP 1

½ pound butter

1 tsp salt

2 cups sugar

Melt together, melt butter then add salt and sugar

Then add in and mix

2 cups of warm water

Set on stove covered for awhile. Let cool but not get cold.

STEP 2 – Mix the Yeast/Sugar

1 cup of warm water and put in at least a 2 cup measuring cup container

Sprinkle little bit of sugar and add 3 packages of yeast to the mixture

Put aside and allow to rise where it is not drafty. If it doesn’t rise (double the size in an hour) the yeast is bad and start over. MUST be left at least an hour and double in size.

If yeast rises, add to the first butter/sugar mixture. If mixture cools down too much, you can warm up a bit on the stove. Don’t want to hot or too cold as either extreme will kill the yeast. Go for body temperature.

STEP 3 – Mix in the Eggs and Flour

Can use Kitchen Aid to mix up mixture. Need total 5 pounds of flour and 10 eggs.

Start adding slowly eggs to the above mixture. Do Not allow mixing bowl to be cold. Then start adding the flour. Or add eggs then some flour alternating, but use up eggs first.

At some point you will have to add remaining flour outside of the bowl and knead in by hand

By the time you are done, you have added enough flour that the dough no longer sticks to your hands. That is when you know that you are done mixing. I know this sounds weird, but you start to panic and then the flour works it’s way in and the dough becomes very easy to handle.

STEP 4 – Let the Dough Rise

When you have completed mixing, put the dough mixture back into a large mixing bowl and cover and place in a warm dry area. You can sprinkle flour in the bottom of the bowl. Sit for an hour covered

• After an hour, it should have risen to have filled the bowl. Punch it so it deflates and re-cover

• Sit another hour and punch it so it deflates and recover

• Sit another hour and punch it down and reshape the dough

STEP 5 – Shape the Rolls

Shape up the rolls. The larger you make them, the more moisture they hold. The smaller they are the more they dry out. These ended up larger than I expected, but turned out great for sandwich roles. Before you put them in the oven, beat an egg and coat the top of the dough with a pastry brush. Before you cook the rolls, cover them and let them rise again (about 1/2 hour. Just so they have enough time to puff up again.

Cooking for roles is 400 degrees for 15-20-25 minutes. Until the look golden & done. Sorry about the time. This depends on your humidity, altitude, oven etc. For my oven and in KC, I baked for 20 minutes.

This yeast bread recipe will make rolls, bread (remember the braided bread- can sprinkle poppy seeds on top). Vovo also used to buy candied fruit and you can add in with fruit or nuts.

Can also roll out the dough and add in almond paste and roll back up.

To make Malassadas (Portuguese fried dough)-

Malassadas (two s's) originated on the island of São Miguel which was a Portuguese colony. Apparently, Azorians on the other eight islands called them filhós.

Save some of the dough from above. Vovo uses canola oil. Have the oil hot, so a splash of water will make the oil sizzle.

Size about the same as your palm, take a section, flatten out and lay flat in the oil to cook. Cook on both sides. Pull out and let drain on cookie sheet with paper towels.

Then put into bowl of sugar and coat both sides. My sister and I used to fight over who would get to have the last one (our Papa usually took care of that fight and ate it).

ENJOY ALL!! I am going to try the pierogi recipe above. sounds yummy

Julia

[quiltmonkey]

Thanks, Julia! I am definitely going to try your recipe.

[ffq-lar]

I have old stand-by recipes that I can't alter or everyone gets upset. Last year my son and his then-new girlfriend went to her folks for dinner and then our house for a second dinner (!) and dessert. My son told me this year that the other household's holiday dinner was "weird" and mine soooo much better! It's all about what you are used to and what you look forward to I guess!

Tomorrow they will do it again--maybe my son will start some new traditions--sigh---wish they would get married and make me a grandbaby!! They do have a new kitten together and treat it like a new baby, so maybe there is hope yet!!

Happy Thanksgiving to all--I have made such good and dear friends here!