Gingerbread Angel Food Cake from cousin Susan F. for Christmas

 

Bake at 375 for 35- 45 minutes

1 cup cake flour 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp ginger

1 tsp allspice

1 tsp cream of tartar
2 cups egg whites
1 tsp vanilla
1 1⁄2 cups sugar divided
2 tsp orange peel grated fine

Sift together 3⁄4 cup sugar with flour, cream of tartar, cinnamon, ginger and allspice
Beat whites until frothy, Beat until light and opaque. Slowly add 3⁄4 cup sugar, add vanilla and orange peel and beat until very light Gently fold flour mixture into egg whites in 3 additions. Careful to not overfold (don’t want to deflate the egg whites)

Delicately spoon mixture into ungreased 10” tube pan
Bake for 35 - 45 minutes until cake tester comes to clean and top of cake springs back when lightly touched
Leave cake in pan and invert on cake pan feet until cool (air needs to circulate underneath)
To remove cake from pan, use a long thin knife to loosen edges of cake from pan. Then loosen bottom of tube from pan with knife

Serve with Caramel Sauce and Whipped rum cream.

Caramel Sauce

2 cups water
2 cups sugar
1.5 cups heavy cream 1/4 cup butter

Stir the water and sugar together in medium sized saucepan. Cover and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Remove lid and cook without stirring, until the mixture turns a light golden colour (this takes about 40 minutes at a med-high heat). Remove from heat. Pour cream through sieve, standing well back. When sputtering subsides, whisk in butter.

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Whip Cream Sauce Base

Base can be made day before. Whip the cream just before serving the cake and mix base and whip cream together

4 Tbsp butter
2 cups icing sugar
1 egg yolk well beaten 2 tsp vanilla
1 1⁄2 cup whipped cream

Cream butter and sugar, add egg and vanilla. Fold in whipped cream add brandy or rum.

Borscht inspired by Auntie Baba

Aunty Angie (Auntie Baba as wee Eileen calls her) is one of the best cooks around and this is an adaptation from her cook book she compiled and gave to members of the family. Her cook book is safe in Vancouver but because I am in Calgary I am doing my best to remember how her recipe goes.  Thanks Auntie Angie for the best recipes ever! Lots of love!

3 tbsp. olive oil

All vegetables are always rinsed, peeled and diced before using.

 2 small onions - diced

4 stocks celery - diced

2 carrots - peeled and diced

3 Yukon gold potatoes - not peeled and diced

8 cups fresh beets peeled diced or spiralized ( This time I bought fresh spiralized beets from the Coop. These are fresh beets that are already cut up which makes making soup so much easier. I have also seen these fresh beets at Whole Foods) SAVE 2 CUPS OF FRESH BEETS to add at the very end. When the soup is finished....open the lid of the pressure cooker safely and add the fresh 2 cups of fresh diced beets.  This will add color and flavor to your already completed soup.  No need to cook any more.

fresh dill or 2 tbsp. dried dill

2 bay leafs

salt & pepper

4 cups chicken stock (use vegetable stock if desired)

4 cups water

1 tbsp. 'Better Than Bouillon' chicken concentrate.

This time I used an instant pot as it is so much easier and quicker to make soup.

Turn instant pot onto sauté first.

Add diced onion, carrots, celery and sauté until onions are semi transparent.

Add beets, potatoes, dill and bay leafs.

Continue to stir in all the vegetables.

Add chicken stock and chicken concentrate and water. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Turn off instant pot and then press 'pressure cook' setting. Set the timer for 20 minutes and close the lid.

Allow to pressure cook for 20 minutes and then allow to cool down or press the lever on the top to release the steam carefully as this can scald very easily.  

Open the lid and add 2 cups of fresh cup up beets.

Allow to sit for 10 minutes.

Add a dollop of sour cream to each bowl of Borscht when serving.