Weekly Trip to the Library for Nannies and Au PairsFrom simple solutions to sophisticated scenarios, 365 Ways to Prepare for Christmas by David E. Monn provides straightforward tips on how to do holiday shopping, entertaining, decorating, gift wrapping, cooking, and more.
There are think-ahead strategies designed to keep you out of the trenches the week before Christmas; dozens of ways to involve the whole family in easy-to-do holiday dinners (from buffet to sit-down); and dozens of imaginative yet easy-to-create gifts, wraps, decorations, and party favors.
Some of the recipes include: flavored vinegars and condiments, Chocolate Applesauce Cake, festive pasta dishes, jar cakes for gift-giving, and complete menus for everything from a Holiday Cocktail Party to a Christmas Eve Open House.
The book shows how to dry spring and summer flowers for holiday bouquets, make easy ornaments such as Paper Snowflakes, and many different types of garland.
There is a place to record gift, card, and party guest lists, a template to create individualized gift tags, and a host of recipes both new and traditional.
I also love that the book features a concealed wire "O" binding allowing it to lie flat when opened for easy use.
Here is a sample recipe which is my favorite Christmas recipe year after year for Almond Christmas Wreath Bread found on page 154. I often bring this bread as my hostess gift when attending winter holiday parties.
Almond Christmas Wreath Bread
I also love that the book features a concealed wire "O" binding allowing it to lie flat when opened for easy use.
Here is a sample recipe which is my favorite Christmas recipe year after year for Almond Christmas Wreath Bread found on page 154. I often bring this bread as my hostess gift when attending winter holiday parties.
Almond Christmas Wreath Bread Prep: 15 minutes Stand: 2-1/4 hours Bake: 20 to 25 minutes Makes: 1 loaf
1 envelope (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1/2 cup warm milk
3 tablespoons honey
4 tablespoons softened butter
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 eggs
1-1/2 teaspoons lemon zest
3-1/2 cups flour
Almond Filling (recipe follows this recipe in the book)
2/3 cups powdered sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add milk, honey, butter, salt, cardamom, eggs, and lemon zest. Beat until well blended. Gradually mix 3-1/4 cups of flour. Turn out onto a floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic, 10 to 15 minutes, adding remaining flour as necessary if dough sticks. Place in a clean large bowl, cover with a damp kitchen towel, and let rise until doubled, about 1-1/2 hours.
2. Grease and flour a cookie sheet. Punch down dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough into a 9- x 30-inch rectangle, Sprinkle filling to within 2-inch of edges. Starting from a long side, tightly roll up dough. Moisten edge with water and pinch to seal.
3. Using a floured knife, cut roll lengthwise in half. With cut sides up, twits ropes around each other to form a single piece. Slide onto a cookie sheet and shape dough into a circle. Pinch ends to seal.
4. Let rise uncovered, until dough is light and almost doubled, about 45-minutes. Fifteen minutes before end of rising time, preheat oven to 375 F.
5. Bake bread 20 to 30 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let cook on a rack.
6. In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon water. Stir together until smooth and well blended. Drizzle glaze over cooled bread.
For Almond Filling:
See page 155 of 365 Ways to Prepare for Christmas by David E. Monn
1 envelope (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1/2 cup warm milk
3 tablespoons honey
4 tablespoons softened butter
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 eggs
1-1/2 teaspoons lemon zest
3-1/2 cups flour
Almond Filling (recipe follows this recipe in the book)
2/3 cups powdered sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add milk, honey, butter, salt, cardamom, eggs, and lemon zest. Beat until well blended. Gradually mix 3-1/4 cups of flour. Turn out onto a floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic, 10 to 15 minutes, adding remaining flour as necessary if dough sticks. Place in a clean large bowl, cover with a damp kitchen towel, and let rise until doubled, about 1-1/2 hours.
2. Grease and flour a cookie sheet. Punch down dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough into a 9- x 30-inch rectangle, Sprinkle filling to within 2-inch of edges. Starting from a long side, tightly roll up dough. Moisten edge with water and pinch to seal.
3. Using a floured knife, cut roll lengthwise in half. With cut sides up, twits ropes around each other to form a single piece. Slide onto a cookie sheet and shape dough into a circle. Pinch ends to seal.
4. Let rise uncovered, until dough is light and almost doubled, about 45-minutes. Fifteen minutes before end of rising time, preheat oven to 375 F.
5. Bake bread 20 to 30 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let cook on a rack.
6. In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon water. Stir together until smooth and well blended. Drizzle glaze over cooled bread.
For Almond Filling:
See page 155 of 365 Ways to Prepare for Christmas by David E. Monn
Stop by tomorrow for Product Review Sunday and again next Saturday for another Weekly Trip to the Library.
What is your favorite holiday recipe?
