Authors' Booking Service

Books for Our Draws!

2011-09-09T03:24:00.011-03:00

Books! Books! Books! (Prizes for our monthly draws)

Win an autographed book!

Many thanks to the authors and publishers who have generously provided these titles!

There are a minimum of five draws each month of the school year for a free, autographed book from one of our authors.

Here’s how it works:

Your name is entered into the draw once for each session you book with one of our authors. So, if you booked one author for one session, you will be entered once. If you booked one author for three sessions, you will be entered three times, and so on.

Please note that your entry will go into the draw on the month of the visit, and not at the time of booking.

Winners each choose a book; the author inscribes the book and mails it to the winner.
___________________________________________________
And now: A List of Titles!
Listed in Alphabetical order by Author:
(If more than one copy of a title is available, it will appear twice in the list.)

AVAILABLE TITLES:

Don Aker: The Space Between
Rona Arato: Design It!
Rona Arato: On an American Day
Robin Baird Lewis: Aunt Armadillo (Hardcover)
Robin Baird Lewis: The Ale Sea
Karen Bass: Drummer Girl
Karen Bass: Summer of Fire
Matt Beam: Can You Spell Revolution?
Matt Beam: City Numbers
Tim Beiser: Bradley McGogg, the Very Fine Frog
Tim Beiser: Madame de Sevigne and Her Children at the Court of Versailles
Jo Ellen Bogart: Capturing Joy: The Story of Maud Lewis
Jo Ellen Bogart: Capturing Joy: The Story of Maud Lewis
Helene Boudreau: Water Hazard
Helene Boudreau: Real Mermaids Don’t Wear Toe Rings
Erin Bow: Plain Kate
Hugh Brewster: I am Canada: Prisoner of Dieppe
Julie Burtinshaw: The Darkness Between the Stars
Julie Burtinshaw: The Darkness Between the Stars
Gillian Chan: The Carved Box
Gillian Chan: Dear Canada, An Ocean Apart
Veronika Martenova Charles: It’s Not About the Pumpkin!
Veronika Martenova Charles: It’s Not About the Rose!
Svetlana Chmakova: Piece by Piece (anthology)
Lena Coakley: Witchlanders
Lena Coakley: Witchlanders
Marina Cohen: Chasing the White Witch (after Dec/11)
Marina Cohen: Mind Gap
Brian Cretney: Tooter’s Stinky Wish
Brian Cretney: Tooter’s Stinky Wish
Jane Drake/Ann Love: Yes You Can! Your Guide to Becoming an Activist
Harry Endrulat: A Bear in War
Harry Endrulat: A Bear in War
L.M. Falcone: The Mysterious Mummer
L.M. Falcone: The Devil, the Banshee and Me
Alma Fullerton: Burn
Alma Fullerton: Walking on Glass
Natale Ghent: Gravity Brings me Down
Rachna Gilmore: The Flute
Rachna Gilmore: That Boy Red
Celia Godkin: Fire! The Renewal of a Forest
Celia Godkin: Hurricane!
Jacqueline Guest: Ghost Messages
Jacqueline Guest: Ghost Messages
CC Humphreys: The Hunt of the Unicorn
CC Humphreys: The Hunt of the Unicorn
Sharon Jennings: Home Free
Sharon Jennings: The Bye Bye Pie
Kathy Kacer: Whispers from the Ghettos
Kathy Kacer: Margrit: Book One: Homefree
Adrienne Kress: Alex and the Ironic Gentleman
Adrienne Kress: Timothy and the Dragon’s Gate
Lesley Livingston: Wondrous Strange
Anita MacArthur: A Royal Little Pest - switch from Royal Pest listing to individual
Anita MacArthur: A Royal Little Pest: Mine!
Sharon McKay: Thunder over Kandahar
Sharon McKay: Penelope (Our Canadian Girl)
Mireille Messier: Chapeau Charlotte
Robin Muller: The Thirteen Ghosts of Halloween
Mahtab Narsimhan: The Tiffin
Mahtab Narsimhan: The Tiffin
Liam O'Donnell: Power Play
Liam O'Donnell: Media Meltdown
Karen Patkau: Creatures Yesterday and Today
Shane Peacock: Eye of the Crow: The Boy Sherlock Holmes, His First Case
Caroline Pignat: Wild Geese
Caroline Pignat: Timber Wolf
David Poulsen: Last Sam’s Cage
David Poulsen: The Vampire’s Visit
Philip Roy: Submarine Outlaw
Philip Roy: Ghosts of the Pacific
Richard Scarsbrook: Cheeseburger Subversive
Richard Scarsbrook: The Monkeyface Chronicles
Rene Schmidt: Canadian Disasters
Rene Schmidt: Leaving Fletchville
Richard Scrimger: The Way to Schenectady
Valerie Sherrard: Miss Wondergem’s Dreadfully Dreadful Pie!
Valerie Sherrard: Miss Wondergem’s Dreadfully Dreadful Pie!
Marsha Skrypuch: Last Airlift: A Vietnamese Orphan’s Rescue from War
Marsha Skrypuch: Last Airlift: A Vietnamese Orphan’s Rescue from War
Arthur Slade: The Hunchback Assignments
Arthur Slade: The Dark Deeps
Gail Sidonie Sobat: Gravity Journal
Gail Sidonie Sobat: Chance to Dance for You
Chad Solomon: Adventures of Rabbit and Bear Paws: Bear Walker
Martin Springett: Breakfast on a Dragon’s Tail
Ted Staunton: Music By Morgan
Allan Stratton: Borderline
Allan Stratton: The Grave Robber’s Apprentice (after Jan/12)
Jeremy Tankard: Grumpy Bird (board book)
Jessica Westhead: Pulpy & Midge
Jessica Westhead: And Also Sharks
Robert Paul Weston: Zorgamazoo
Robert Paul Weston: Dust City
Janet Wilson: Shannen and the Dream for a School
Janet Wilson: Our Earth: How Kids are Saving the Planet
John Wilson: Crusade: The Heretic’s Secret, Book I
John Wilson: Grail: The Heretic’s Secret Book II
Kari-Lynn Winters: Jeffrey and Sloth
Frieda Wishinsky: Make it Fair (Canadian Flyer # 15)
Frieda Wishinsky: Arctic Storm (Canadian Flyer # 16)
Eric Zweig: Hockey Trivia for Kids 3: Stanley Cup Edition (in English or French)
Eric Zweig: Hockey Trivia for Kids 3: Stanley Cup Edition (in English or French)

SELECTED TITLES (NO LONGER AVAILABLE):

Don Aker: The Fifth Rule - Nov/Dec/11
Erin Bow: Plain Kate - Oct/11
Hugh Brewster: I am Canada: Deadly Voyage - Oct/11
Sigmund Brouwer: Rock and Roll Literacy - Oct/11
Sigmund Brouwer: Justine McKeen, Queen of Green - Nov/Dec/11
Svetlana Chmakova: Nightschool, Vol I - Nov/Dec/11
Jane Drake/Ann Love: Talking Tails: the Incredible Connection Between People and their Pets - Nov/Dec/11
Natale Ghent: Against All Odds - Nov/Dec/11
Loris Lesynski: Dirty Dog Boogie - Oct/11
Loris Lesynski: Boy Soup
Lesley Livingston: Once Every Never - Nov/Dec/11
Mireille Messier: Une Charlotte au Chocolat - Nov/Dec/11
Robin Muller: The Nightwood - Nov/Dec/11
Susin Nielsen: Dear George Clooney: Please Marry My Mom - Oct/11
Susin Nielsen: Word Nerd - Oct/11
Karen Patkau: Creatures Great and Small - Oct/11
Shane Peacock: The Dragon Turn: The Boy Sherlock Holmes, His Fifth Case - Oct/11
Richard Scrimger: Me and Death - Oct/11
Chad Solomon: Adventures of Rabbit and Bear Paws: Bear Walker - Nov/Dec/11
Martin Springett: Jousting with Jesters - Nov/Dec/11
Ted Staunton: Puddleman - Oct/11
Patricia Storms: The Pirate and the Penguin - Nov/Dec/11
Patricia Storms: The Pirate and the Penguin - Nov/Dec/11
Jeremy Tankard: Me Hungry! (board book)- Oct/11
Kari-Lynn Winters: Runaway Alphabet - Nov/Dec/11

Our list of Virtual Visitors

2010-10-30T18:33:00.008-03:00

VIRTUAL VISITS!

We’re delighted that many of our members are currently offering virtual visits, which bring authors and illustrators to your students without the cost and complication of travel.

To date, the following members are available to visit your class virtually:

Arthur Slade: $250.00 + HST, 60 minutes, Skype/Google Talk/iChat

Don Aker: $150 + HST, 60 minutes, Skype

Helaine Becker: $200 plus HST, 60 minutes (may be divided) Skype

Hugh Brewster: $ 120, 60 minutes (may be divided) Skype

Sigmund Brouwer: $250, 60 minutes, Skype, iChat, Facetime. Includes a free ebook for each student and a class set of 25 books.

Marty Chan: $250 plus GST, 60 minutes, Skype

kc dyer: $150 plus HST, 60 minutes, Skype

Joan Marie Galat: $175 plus GST, 60 minutes, Skype

Natale Ghent: $150, 60 minutes, Skype

Vicki Grant: $150 plus HST, 60 minutes, Skype

Adrienne Kress: $150, 45 – 60 minutes, Skype, ichat or by phone

Carol Matas: $250, 60 minutes, Skype

Mahtab Narsimhan: $150 plus HST, 60 minutes, Skype

Monique Polak: $150 plus HST, 60 minutes, Skype

Margriet Ruurs: $200, 50 minutes, Skype

Cyndi Sand-Eveland: $125.00, 45 - 60 minutes, Skype

Lesley Simpson: $150, 60 minutes max, Skype

Gail Sidonie Sobat: $150, 60 minutes, Skype

Allan Stratton: $150 + HST, 60 minutes, Skype

Meg Tilly: $150 plus HST, 60 minutes, Skype

Robert Paul Weston: $175 plus HST, 60 minutes, Skype / Google Talk

Caroline Pignat: $150, 60 minutes, Skype

Lois Peterson: $ 150, 60 minutes (may be divided) Skype

Contact us at abs@authorsbooking.com to book your virtual visit today!

Fundraising Ideas for Author Visits

2010-03-23T14:00:00.000-03:00

Is your budget too tight to allow for an author visit? Knowing the positive impact author visits can have on students’ interest in reading, it may be worth exploring alternate ways to fund an event. Here are a few ideas we’ve gathered over the years:

Organize a read-a-thon. Students ask family and neighbours to sponsor them for each book read. Sponsor amounts can vary, from a quarter to a dollar per book. The duration of the read-a-thon can be a week or a month prior to the author visit. An alternate may be to hold a spell-a-thon.

Have a parent group organize a used book sale at the school.

Hold a silent auction of donated items (new or gently used).

Hold a monthly raffle for a school sweatshirt or similar item.

And, of course, sharing a date with a neighbouring school or library will help cut down on any travel costs.

We’d love to hear from you if you have fundraising suggestions to add to these!

Inspiring Non-Fiction Author Visits!

2009-06-02T12:59:00.008-03:00

Think a non-fiction presentation is usually dull? Think again! We have authors whose dazzling presentations have students on the edge of their seats. The next time you’re deciding whom to book, consider our rich variety of non-fiction presenters. Here's a sampling:

For the budding sky scientists in your class, we have Albertan Joan Galat, author of Dot to Dot in the Sky and other books. She engages students with astronomy, Greek history and legends.

If Global Warming is on your mind, Jan Thornhill is an ideal presenter. As the author of This Is My Planet: The Kids' Guide to Global Warming, she can demonstrate how one child can make a difference. Celia Godkin is a biologist, ecologist, a writer and an artist. Her amazing background and variety of interests inspire even the most reluctant of readers.

CBC investigative reporter John Chipman is a good choice for high school seniors. He can talk about what it takes to be a journalist, and he can also talk about the real teen behind his book, The Obsession.

Boys love true crime and there is no one who writes it better than journalist Nate Hendley. From the infamous Black Donnellys to the present-day war on Crystal Meth, Nate knows how to keep readers intrigued. And don't overlook Nate's terrific biographies, including the Red Maple nominated title on Jean Chretien. His talks are especially good for grades 7 and up.

Are your students interested in real aliens? Be sure to invite Jacob Berkowitz to your class. Fast on the heels of his amazing theatrical performances of Jurassic Poop, Jake has another out-of-classroom experience for your students with his new book, Out of this World: The Amazing Search for an Alien Earth.

Looking for strong role models for your girls? Anne Dublin's biographies of amazing women will provide just that. Every girl will be inspired to excel after hearing about Bobbie Rosenfeld: The Olympian Who Could Do Everything, or June Callwood: A Life of Action.

Award-winning author Frieda Wishinsky writes fiction, non-fiction and a combination of both. In her non-fiction presentations, Frieda shares the story behind the facts and sprinkles her talk with weird and wacky information. Students are immediately intrigued by subjects as diverse as the history of food to the life story of Albert Einstein.

Ask us about these, or other non-fiction presenters we have. We'll help you find just the right person for your event!

Presentation Perks from our Members!

2009-02-23T16:59:00.011-04:00

Presentation Perks

We asked our members to let us know if they offer any perks (handouts, prizes etc.) at their presentations. Here are their responses:

Jeremy Tankard: I always leave my drawings at the school. And, if I have any in stock, I leave signed posters as well.

Chad Solomon: One or more of: t-shirts/ Posters/ Maple candies/

Frank Edwards offers teachers a half price selection of 10 titles prior to his visit so that students can be introduced to his books. Cost is about $36 plus tax. There is no shipping charge. Frank also brings a quantity of discounted soft-cover books that teachers and students can buy at the discounted rate of $5.00 (taxes included). Frank is happy to sign these.

Brent Sherrard: I distribute signed postcards. When available,I also draw for a t-shirt or a book.

Robin Muller: The students and I make an illustration together, and then one of the
classes (there are usually three in attendance) wins it.

Laura Langston: I bring signed bookmarks for each student. I also give away a signed book each month through my website. All people need to do is drop me a note and I put their name into the hat.

Vicki Grant: I give out signed Puppet Wrangler posters and, when I have them, Quid pro Quo postcards.

Valerie Sherrard: I provide signed postcards for all students. I also offer a prize at sessions for grades 6 and up: a book or a t-shirt or the chance to name a minor character in an upcoming book.

Jennifer Lanthier: I give out bookmarks and one signed poster for the library or classroom.

Martin Springett: I sign and give away drawings that I have created during the presentation. I also hand out signed bookmarks and posters.

Marsha Skrypuch: I give out signed postcards.

Lucy Falcone: I give out postcards of my latest book to each student and am always happy to autograph them. I usually give a free copy of one of my novels at some point during my session. While they last, I give the teacher or librarian a poster of my books.

Natale Ghent: I hold a draw for books at each presentation.

Marina Cohen: I give out signed postcards to all kids and one free book at the end of the presentation. (I like this to be a surprise to the students.)

Rachna Gilmore: I usually hand out signed bookmarks that list all my books.

Peggy Dymond Leavey: I give every child an autographed bookmark at my presentations. If I knew the class has been reading a particular book, I offer an autographed poster as a prize for quiz questions.

Matt Beam: I now have a 3-question, prize-winning quiz in my presentation. The students who get all of the answers are included in a draw for one of my novels.

Nancy Belgue: I do a draw for a yo-yo when I am talking about Casey Little Yo-Yo
Queen and bookmarks or postcards (signed) when I have them available - which is usually when the book is just published.

Tara Anderson: When I am booked for two or more sessions in one day I hold a drawing contest for the students. I donate a signed copy of That Stripy Cat as the grand prize and 2 smaller prizes, which are usually stationery or buttons. The drawings are mailed to me after the event and the winners are chosen.

Alma Fullerton: I give away postcards or bookmarks and have draw at each session for a book, and a tote bag.

James Bow: I offer signed bookmarks and mini-bookmarks to all attendees and offer a draw for one of my books.

Jocelyn Shipley: I give out signed bookmarks, and donate copies of my books to the school library.

Diane Haynes: I always have a set of signed bookmarks -- one for every student -- and will also provide an autographed poster for the school library (depending on availability).

Liam O’Donnell: Every student gets a signed Max Finder bookmark and participants in the Max Finder Mystery Theatre get a Max Finder button.

Wallace Edwards: The drawings I create during the presentation are usually signed and given to the school. Sometimes I have other give-away items provided by my publisher, for example, bookmarks, posters, or postcards. If time and numbers permit, and if requested, I sign autographs with a little sketch included, after the presentation.

Gail Sobat: For residencies (a week or longer), I usually donate a signed copy of one of my books to the school library. I give out bookmarks at all talks/workshops. Often, I'll give out pencils/pens and/or other toys/paraphernalia associated with my books (i.e. pirate patches, witch's brooms, etc.).

kc dyer: I hold a draw for books at each presentation, and give away signed postcards.

David Jardine: Each child receives a signed postcard of There’s A COW Under My Bed, and any artwork created during the presentation is given to the class.

Karen Patkau: At the end of each session, I give out “Creatures” colouring sheets or ask skill-testing questions in exchange for autographed “Sir Cassie to the Rescue” posters.

Allan Stratton: I sign personalized copies of my comic novel, The Phoenix Lottery, at cost: $3.

Jan Thornhill: I hold a draw for a signed poster for one of the kids and donate another to the school library.

Anita Reynolds MacArthur and Karen Roy: We distribute bookmarks or a poster signed by the author and illustrator.

Kari-Lynn Winters offers bookmarks and a magazine draw.

Mireille Messier: I will distribute Night Flight bookmarks to students and will donate one signed Une Charlotte au chocolate poster for each school.

Lois Peterson: I offer a copy of my how-to book 101-and more - Writing Exercises To Get You Started & Keep You Going at each visit. I also hold a student draw for a copy of my current book.

Rene Schmidt: I hand out bookmarks for Leaving Fletchville and I will give a CD of a year’s worth of Fletchville Math lesson plans for interested teachers.

Sharon McKay: Bookmarks, signed posters and occasionally book draws. (More typically I donate a book to a school draw or an upcoming school fundraiser.)

Pam Bustin: I distribute Mostly Happy bookmarks, when age appropriate.

Out-of-Print Books Available from our Members!

2009-02-03T16:48:00.005-04:00

An exclusive offer to you from our authors! For a limited time, you can purchase signed copies of the following out-of-print titles directly from the authors!

All prices include shipping unless otherwise noted.

Contact us if you'd like to order any of these titles and we'll connect you to the author!

Hank and Fergus – picture book, Susin Nielsen - $10.

Mormor Moves In – picture book, Susin Nielsen - $10.

Canadian Disasters - Rene Schmidt - $6.00 plus shipping.

Written on the Wind by Anne Dublin, price $9.00

Jane's Loud Mouth Rachna Gilmore Illustrated by Kimberly Hart
Ragweed Press, 1990 ISBN: 0-921556-10-1 $6.50

The Movie Years: a nostalgic remembrance of Canada's film-making capital.
Peggy Dymond Leavey
This title is adult non-fiction
Trenton, Ontario, 1917-1934.
Publisher: Mika, Belleville; 1989. ISBN: 092134130X
Price per autographed copy: $15.00
Trade paperback, 96 pages, b&w photos, index, notes & bibliography. Of interest to history buffs and students of Canadian film.

Aunt Armadillo Robin Baird Lewis Annick Press 1985 - 1st Edition
ISBN 0-920303-38-2 hardcover $10.00 + shipping
(Shipping: 1-4 copies add $4.00, 5+ copies add $7.00)
ISBN 0-920303-39-0 softcover $5.00 + shipping
(Shipping: 1-4 copies add $2.00, 5+ copies add $5.00)

Making Your Own Traditions - Around the Year
By Jocelyn Shipley and Detter Hunter
Traditions Press, ISBN 0-9691869-2-4
Spiral Bound 104 pages $12.00

Gifts
Jo Ellen Bogart, Illustrator Barbara Reid
Hardcover edition. Scholastic North Winds Press 1994
Winner of the Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Medal.
The book is still in print in its paperback edition, but the HC is no longer available. No dust jacket. $28.00

Sir Cassie to the Rescue author Linda Smith / illustrator Karen Patkau
Orca Book Publishers, 2003 ISBN#: 1-55143-243-9 (hard cover) $18.00

Candles: Lynne Kositsky. Anya receives an old Chanukah menorah, which takes her back to a time before she was born. (Ages 10-14) $8.00

Rebecca's Flame: Lynne Kositsky. Rebecca faces the challenges of the Irish Famine in the 1840's. (Ages 12+) $10.00

A Question of Will: Lynne Kositsky. Perin travels back in time and discovers who really wrote the Shakespeare Canon. (Ages 10-14) $8.00

Jeffrey and Sloth (hardcover): Kari-Lynn Winters. $25.00

French titles:

Ma Mere Est Bizarre Rachna Gilmore Illustrated by Brenda Jones
(French translation of My Mother is Weird) Ragweed Press, 1991
ISBN: 0-921556-20-9 $6.50

Tante Frida Est Une Sorciere Rachna Gilmore Illustrated by Chum McLeod
(French translation of Aunt Fred is a Witch) Les Editions D’Acadie, 1991
ISBN: 2-7600-0198-9 $6.50

Un Nuage Sur L’Ile Rouge Rachna Gilmore Les Editions D’Acadie
(French translation of novel A Friend Like Zilla)
SBN:2-7600-0363-9 $6.50

Welcome to Our Blog!

2008-12-15T22:46:00.000-04:00

For information about our members, their rates, publications and presentation details, please visit www.authorsbooking.com

Less permanent news and information will be posted here. We hope you'll visit often!

Marsha & Valerie

Our Holiday Newsletter

2008-10-11T23:08:00.000-03:00

Whatever you celebrate this time of year,
We're wishing you happiness, peace and good cheer!

*****

Marsha Skrypuch: Gramma Jo's Convertible Cookies

Here is my Irish grandmother's "convertible cookie" recipe. With slight variations, you can make peanut butter cookies, chocolate chip cookies or oatmeal raisin cookies.

My grandmother died eight years ago at the age of 94. She was a wonderful no-nonsense cook and always had some nice thing for dessert. What I like about this recipe is that you don't need fancy ingredients. She made these for me all the time when I was a child, and she made them for my mother when she was a child. I made them myself when I was in university and then also made them for my son when he was little. They're very tasty:

base recipe:
1 cup shortening or margarine
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

Cream together the shortening and sugar, then add the eggs, then the rest of the ingredients.

Alternates:

For peanut butter cookies, add a cup of peanut butter and a tbsp of vanilla extract to the base recipe.

For chocolate chip cookies, add a cup of chocolate chips to the base recipe.

For oatmeal cookies, change one of the cups of flour to oatmeal (flakes like quick oats or old fashioned, but NOT steel cut) and add an extra egg to the base recipe. You can add raisins or chocolate chips to this if you wish. Also, cinnamon (1 tsp) if you wish.

Drop from a teaspoon onto a greased cookie sheet and bake in a preheated 350c oven for about 10 minutes. Don't over-bake.

Note: the peanut butter cookies should be flattened on the cookie sheet with the back of a fork before baking.

*****

Valerie Sherrard: Snowflake card hanger
(A craft so simple that even I can make it.)

Thread a length of twine through the centre coil of wooden clothespins, one at a time. Loop and tie each clothespin so that it won’t move sideways on the string. Leave a space of 2 - 3 inches between each clothespin to allow cards to hang freely.

Cut silver (or luminescent white) wrapping paper into squares just large enough to cover clothespins. Fold and cut snowflake patterns into each square. Glue completed snowflakes to one or both sides of clothespins (one side if hung against the wall, both if hung in a doorway). Clip holiday greeting cards with the clothespins to hang.

You can substitute the snowflakes with any cut-out shape or design you prefer.

Happy Holidays from Brent and I!

*****
Beryl Young: Since my father, Charlie, was a Home Child who came from England, he’d never heard of cranberry sauce until he was married and living in Canada. He took to it whole-heartedly and always ate more than his share. My mother, who was quite capable of cooking up raw cranberries into a sauce, had this very clever short-cut for a busy holiday season and my father never knew there was any other kind.

Place a tin of whole cranberry sauce in a bowl and add one or two chopped oranges (not mandarin) and some grated peel, mix and serve.

This is very quick, it tastes almost as good as the fresh berries and the chopped oranges add fresh flavour and texture.

*****

Kathy Kacer: I grew up with a Jewish grandmother whose joy was encouraging members of my family to “Eat!” She didn’t understand portion control and never heard of the concept of “light” cooking. She made the best chicken soup. (What respectable Jewish grandmother didn’t?) My homage to her is this soup recipe. It’s a lighter version, which she might frown upon. But, as long as you eat a lot of it, I know she’ll approve.

Beef and Vegetable Pea Soup

1 lb. Stewing beef cut in one inch chunks
2 large onions, diced
4 large carrots, diced
1 potato, diced
6-8 mushrooms, chopped
2 stalks celery, diced
1 cup dry split peas
1 cup dry barley
1 tbsp vegetable oil
flour for dredging
1 tbsp. Salt
1 tsp. Pepper
2 tbsp. Chicken powder
1 quart water

Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a large soup pot. Add onions and sauté until soft. Dredge the stewing beef in flour and add to pot. Saute until the meat is brown (1-2 minutes). Add all the other ingredients. Stir and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 1 ½ hours. Taste and add more salt if needed. Serve with crusty French bread.

*****

Gillian Richardson: Christmas craft: Holiday Placemats

We all love Christmas cards’ exquisite images. After the holidays, it’s a shame to toss them. Instead, save the memories. Placemats are easy to make, wipe clean and will last forever.

Material for each placemat:

27 cards, solid color MacTac, clear or frosted MacTac, scissors.

Directions:
Cut a 9 cm diameter round template from back of one card.
Use the template to trace around the best part of each card’s image.
Cut out 27 circles.
Arrange 14 circles on the sticky side of solid color MacTac, overlapping them slightly to create an oval placemat 44 cm by 30 cm.
Overlap 10 circles in another oval inside the first.
Use the last 3 circles to cover remaining MacTac with your favorite image at the centre.
Easily peel/rearrange the circles to get a pleasing design of colors or pictures.
Once you are happy with the design, place clear or frosted MacTac over the placemat.
Trim around placemat following the scalloped edge, leaving a .5 cm border of MacTac.
Teachers: give your class advance notice to collect old cards from relatives for a pre-holiday craft.

*****

Vicki Grant: Miss Canada’s Christmas Danish

This dessert really did come from Miss Canada. My dear friend, Sylvia McGuire, was Miss Canada in her twenties, a cop on Vancouver’s Lower Eastside in her thirties and a French teacher thereafter. Not bad for a girl from Windsor Junction, Nova Scotia.

The dessert isn’t as interesting as Sylvia - but they do both share a sweet nuttiness.

Pastry
½ cup butter
1 cup flour
2 tablespoons water

Cut butter into flour. Sprinkle water over mixture. Form into a ball. Divide in half. With fingers, spread into two 12”x3” strips on an ungreased pan.

Almond Puff
1/2 cup butter
1 cup water
1 tsp almond extract
1 cup flour
3 eggs

Bring butter and water to a boil. Remove pan from heat. Stir in almond extract and flour. Beat in eggs all at once until smooth. Spread over pastry strips. Bake 60 minutes at 350 degrees.

Icing
1 ½ cups icing sugar
2 Tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons almond extract
Milk if needed.

Mix ingredients together. Spread icing on cooled Danishes. Decorate with slivered almonds or candied cherries. Makes a great hostess gift – especially since it looks way harder to make that it is.

*****

A Jolly Jurassic Christmas

By Helaine Becker

At Christmastime, in days of yore
‘Twas great to be a dinosaur
The Duckbills jingled all the way
Pulling Santa Claus’s sleigh

The Longnecks strung up all the lights
The Hadrosaurs had snowball fights
And at the Festive Fossil Bash
Apatosaurus made a splash

Spinosaurus spiked the punch
Then burped and hiccupped all through lunch
Giganta gorged on gingerbread
Got scolded and was sent to bed

The Stego-chorus sounded swell
When it sang “Noel, Noel”
But as the carolers came to greet him
T-Rex felt he had to eat them!

The Christmas tree was quite a sight
When Diplodocus took a bite
The Raptors wrapped the gifts all night
But didn’t get the name tags right!

So Allosaur got salad tongs
And CDs full of heartbreak songs
Triceratops got underwear
And whined all day, it wasn’t fair!

But all in all, they had a ball
And celebrated ‘til Last Call
And now they want to raise a toast
To all the kids they love most

So here’s to you from the Jurassic
We hope your Christmas is fantastic!

*****

Lesley Simpson: This year it's my turn to host our annual family Chanukah party. That means I will be making about 3,000 latkes, the potato pancakes fried in oil and guaranteed to thin your thighs. My favourite part is when we light the menorahs in the window. We ask people to bring their menorot (that's the plural in Hebrew) and we line them up in the window with different coloured candles. Each night another candle is added and lit. So imagine at least 20 different menorot (from Mickey Mouse to sculptured clay to sterling silver to cast iron.) From artful to tacky and everything in between. We turn off the lights, say the blessings, and you see flames flickering like a dance in the reflection of the window. Outside it's black. And this tradition is one small way of creating more light in the world.

*****

Val Wyatt: Here's my family tradition:

Fortunenuts: Some years ago, we started wondering what we could possibly do with all those Christmas nut shells once the nut itself has been removed. The answer is a hard-shelled version of fortune cookies. Simply insert a handwritten fortune between two walnut, pecan or other shell halves and tie, glue or tape the shell together. Put the nuts in a bowl and take turns picking and opening one before Christmas dinner.

*****

Philip Roy: Submarine Stew
(from: Submarine Outlaw Series)

Submarine stew is wonderful for long voyages at sea, especially in the Arctic. First, you fashion a home-made desalinator to remove the salt from seawater. Alfred’s desalinator looks like a teapot from ancient Persia, with a copper tube sticking out the top to collect steam into another pot. Alfred finds that it takes two boilings and a filter to remove all the salt, but that once-boiled seawater is perfect for stew. Add: one carrot, one potato, one onion, one clove of garlic, one tablespoon butter and a pinch of pepper, sage, rosemary and thyme. Stew for at least an hour. Eat with hard biscuit and piece of cheese. Excellent for Christmas away from home. Make double batch if you’re going to share with the crew.

*****

This year's Christmas season is proving to be a busy one for Julie Burtinshaw. As one of the judges for the 2011 Red Cedar Awards in British Columbia, she has over a hundred books to read before April, in order to select the best reads for BC elementary students. She has also has a book coming out in the spring and one more in progress. Julie wishes everyone a Happy Holiday Season.

*****

Sharon Jennings: A Fun Recipe for Tiny Hands

Children love to help bake...but that can cause so many problems! Years ago I came across this recipe in a magazine, tarted it up a bit, and now make it only when my great nephews and nieces are around. Each child makes his or her own batch and wraps it up as a gift for mommy and daddy or grandparents or teachers or....

Adult: Melt one large bag of dark chocolate chips.
Child: Break one large bag of Oreo cookies into bits.
Adult: "Stop eating the cookies!"
Child: Stir broken cookies into melted chocolate.
Adult: "Good job!"
Child: Stir in a handful of dried, mixed fruit (cherries, blueberries, etc.).
Adult: "Terrific!"
Child: Spread mixture on a cookie sheet lined with parchment (waxed) paper
Adult: "Wow!" Pry tray away from child (this may take some doing) and place in fridge until hardened.
Child: Break chocolate bark into small pieces. Sample.
Adult: "One is enough!"
Child: Put chocolate bark into a tin. Give to someone special!

*****

Helene Boudreau: Snow for the Holidays

I have a large family. So large and so scattered that we usually plan a pre-holiday get-together to avoid traveling during the iffy weather of late December.

This year was our turn to host and, as it is with extended families, it was a bit tricky to settle on a date. We finally did—but in very early November. The pumpkins hadn’t even been composted yet but we were determined to make our get-together as festive as possible.

So, a fresh tree was acquired (not an easy task right after Halloween!) and copious amounts of food were prepared. Though, cooking for thirty-five guests in a small house means things can get a bit cramped and a lot hot.

As the thermostat rose, the kids began to get shack happy. I stole a crazed glance at my husband across the crowded room. What to do? It was only 3 pm! He understood, grabbed my brother, and hustled out of the house.

Twenty minutes later, they arrived with a truckload full of Zamboni snow, which they dumped on our front lawn.

Snowball fight!

A sure-fire way to cool things off AND get into the holiday spirit on a spring-like November afternoon.

*****

Matt Beam: Christmas: The School of Hard Knocks

In the mid-1970s, I was five and had graduated to Christmas gift-giving, as had my older sister. The expectations for my gifts were low; an astral configuration made of Popsicle sticks and glue was perfect. While the parent/child gift-giving contract was very clear, the intersibling exchange hadn't exactly been hammered out.

And so: I wanted Walkie-Talkies. Desperately. The morning finally came. Stockings were emptied, toes pinched to the ceiling. Wrapping paper was removed with such efficiency it’s a wonder this wasn’t the evolutionary purpose for our articulated digits.

Finally, all that was left at the bottom of the tree was the red tree-stand and my sister’s present to me.

To my great delight, the wrapped box was exactly two Walkie-Talkies big. The devices would stretch my sister’s allowance capabilities, but this wasn’t a time for pragmatism. Christmas is a time to dream, so I went at the final present, expectations high.

The wrapping paper was shred in seconds. The box lid, to cover shoes not Walkie-Talkies, flew open.

There were no Walkie-Talkies. No shoes.

Inside was another box. Just a little smaller: a tight fit for two hand-held radio devices, but my optimism was unyielding.

Inside was an even smaller box. One Walkie-Talkie? I looked up at my sister with irritation. Who was I going to talk to?

Inside that box was another. And then another…

As each box grew smaller, so did my hopes. By the time I pulled out my sister’s macramé bracelet, I was furious and in tears, and was sharply ordered to spend the rest of the morning in my room.

Several hours later, after a long discussion, an apology, and a sister/brother hug, I had evolved, from a greedy child to an it’s-the-thought-that-counts kid.

*****

Rosemarie Boll: My husband, daughter and I lived in Europe for five years, and we decided we would travel each Christmas. In 2003, the Foehn wind in Cadaqués, Spain nearly blew us into the Mediterranean, and then we laughed ourselves silly in England when the Christmas goose wouldn’t fit in my aunt’s oven. Snow-hushed Switzerland charmed us on New Year’s Eve 2004, when we sat on a rooftop high in the Alps and watched fireworks flower in the valley below. The next year we went tropical, and Bangkok’s Chakuchek Market – perhaps the world’s largest – elevated Christmas shopping to a whole new level. In 2006, tourists were still scarce in post-bombing Bali, but we selfishly loved having the beaches to ourselves.
But our most moving experience was 2007 in Morocco. We were catapulted back in time. On Christmas Eve, our battered taxi bumped along the road from Marrakech to Essaouira. People dressed in long hooded capes travelled on donkeys alongside the road. It could so easily have been 2000 years ago, with Mary and Joseph on the long trek to Bethlehem. Then New Year’s Eve riding camels in the Sahara Desert, more stars than I’d ever seen, the Christmas star almost close enough to touch.

*****

Laura Langston: Our family Christmas Eve buffet is a much-loved tradition, originally borne out of necessity to feed a group of people (some arriving that night) before an early church service. When the kids were young, food was selected on the basis of make-ahead ease. As they grew, it evolved to cover our ethnicity. And since we cover the gamut from Ukrainian and Polish to Russian, Turkish, French, English and Irish (and my Italian cousins often join us), we inevitably end up with a veritable feast of nations. We have smoked salmon and proscuitto; bread and olives and dips; borek and varenyky; cheese from around the globe; tourtiere and pate; tiny crepes stuffed with grilled mushrooms or fish; hot spiced wine and a glut of sweets: baklava, kutya, Bouche de Noel, fruit cake. This year, my daughter won't be joining us. She has moved east where she'll celebrate with new friends. As sad as I am, it's comforting to know that when her candles are lit and her music is cued, she'll feast on many of the same foods we're feasting on in Victoria.

*****

Karen Bass: My mother tells a story of growing up on the farm in northern Alberta. One of her younger sisters was bedridden with a contagious disease, so none of the family could attend the annual Christmas concert, which was the highlight of the winter season. My mother was devastated. Christmas morning arrived, though it hardly felt like Christmas at all. Then a noise outside sent her to the window. She breathed a view hole on the frosty glass and peered outside. There, across the yard, was Santa Claus, stepping out from behind the chicken coop. (This part of the story always puzzled me, until I decided he had passed up the house’s steep roof and parked his sleigh on the shallow incline of the chicken coop’s roof, which would be much safer to climb down from.) He crossed the yard, sack in hand, entered the house, stomping to knock the snow from his boots, and handed out gifts to the three house-bound girls. But he didn't just leave gifts; he left the joy of Christmas with that visit, one that a little girl has carried in her heart for over seventy years.

*****

Jeremy Tankard: My family aren’t ones to make a big deal of holidays. Call it laziness. However, we did have a tradition that revolved around books. Amongst other things we all received books at Christmas. In a nicely unspoken tradition we would open presents after attending Christmas Mass; then lunch (nothing fancy); then sitting in comfy chairs in companionable silence reading our new books and snoozing the afternoon away before getting up and making a nice dinner.

Some people have suggested that I make more of a “big deal” about Christmas. You know, for the sake of my kids. I respectfully disagree with those people. I loved my quiet family Christmases. A quiet afternoon with a good book seems the BEST way to celebrate any holiday. Holidays in the Tankard house were never stressful affairs. And really, is there a better way to pass the time than in the company of your favourite people and a couple of good books? I think not.

*****

Larry Verstraete’s Easiest-Ever Holiday Punch
(Simple, but festive and tasty.)

I can frozen raspberry juice concentrate
1 can frozen cranberry juice concentrate
1 - 2 litre bottle of club soda

Mix ingredients. Add ice. Garnish with whole cranberries and/or raspberries. Serve and enjoy!

*****

Jane Drake and Ann Love: Playdough for Baking -- Making Seasonal Ornaments

Using traditional cookie cutter shapes and this recipe, we made tree ornaments with kids ages 7, 5 and 3 this year. From the kitchen gadget drawer, we found that the garlic press made great hair and manes. After the first batch, the kids started free-styling shapes with a plastic knife and adult supervision. We now have a whip-tail lizard, tractor, and fossil hanging from our tree as well as bells, reindeer, and Santa faces.

You’ll Need:
1 cup salt
4 cups flour
2 oz glycerine (available at the pharmacy)
1 ½ cups water
a narrow stick such as a chopstick
water-based paints and brushes
narrow ribbon

Method

1. Mix the salt and flour together.
2. Add the glycerine to the water.
3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix.
4. Knead on a lightly floured counter until very smooth and the dough forms a not-too-sticky ball
5. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to mould.
6. Roll out and cut as a cookie. With the stick, cut a clean hole top and center on the shape for hanging.
7. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 300 F for about 1 ½ hours or until hard.
8. When cold, paint one side, then the other.
9. When the paint dries, thread a narrow ribbon through the hole (step 6) and tie in a loop.

Happy decorating, happy holiday!

*****

Margriet Ruurs: My family and I hold on to our Dutch heritage by celebrating St. Nicolaas Day on December 5. All the origins of Santa can be found in St. Nicolaas, who was a child in Spain - giving gold coins to poor farmers and gifts to his friends on the eve of his birthday.

In our house we set a wooden shoe, with a carrot for his horse, by the fireplace, sing songs. Our (now grown) children make fun gifts for each other which are given along with a long poem, teasing the receiver with an event that happened in the past year. When we get together to exchange these gifts, have traditional cookies, hot chocolate and a LOT of fun reading poems and opening fun gifts.

The tradition has allowed us to keep the gifts away from Christmas, which is a more sober, candlelit affair with a tree and a big dinner with friends and family. For Christmas, we give each other a gift from the World Vision or UNICEF catalogues. This year it will be two goats in Kenya.

*****

Janet Wilson: No matter what faith or culture, no one should be alone in our shared holiday season. For more than thirty years, my husband and I have kept to our rules for Christmas dinner--no family, no presents. Anyone without family to share Christmas for whatever reason, is welcome to join us. Over the years we've had guests who were recently bereaved, newly divorced, new immigrants, war refugees, ill, or just lonely. While our numbers have fluctuated from barely enough to set a table, to loaves and fishes multitudes, the menu is consistent--turkey, port cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, turnip, cauliflower pie, brussel sprouts and chestnuts, finishing with a flaming figgy pudding and a rousing chorus of "We Wish you a Merry Christmas." We wear silly paper hats, sing carols, toast absent friends, congratulate the milestones, welcome new babes, drink too much, and then I put my feet up while I listen to the happy babble while the dishes are done after dinner.

*****

Anyone who knows Marina Cohen, knows she has a pathological obsession with gingerbread. Determined to find the absolute perfect recipe, she scoured the earth (and the internet)—even going so far as to pretend she had various food allergies in order to get the local awesome bakery to divulge their secrets. After much experimentation (several pounds gained and a few stomach aches), she has it! The absolute best ever gingerbread recipe and she is willing to share!

Best Gingerbread Ever

1 ½ sticks of butter
2/3 cup of fancy (unsulfured?) molasses
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 ½ tsp grated lemon peel
2 ½ cups of flour
**2 packages (2 large tablespoons equivalent!) German “lebkuchen” spice mix
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp baking powder

**if you do not have access to a German delicatessen which will sell these packages around the holidays, you can mix it yourself with the following: cinnamon, coriander, cloves, fennel, Anis, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg.

Melt butter, molasses, sugar and spices together in a sauce pan. Let cool. Mix dry ingredients. Add butter mixture and egg. Dough will be a bit sticky. Refrigerate for an hour or less (otherwise dough will get too hard and you will need to let it warm or work it hard before you can roll it!). Bake at 325 for about 13 minutes. You can ice them with a mixture made of icing sugar, lemon juice and water, if you wish or eat them plain! Now, this dough is a diva. It appears to break easily but if you press it back together the cookies will turn out in one piece--they are well worth the hassle!!!

*****

Safe and Happy Holidsays to ALL!
We'll be back in January.

Marsha and Valerie

Holiday Newsletters from Years Gone By

2008-10-11T10:39:00.000-03:00

2006:

Lesley Simpson's Unrecipe

Here's my 'unrecipe' recipe. I call it an 'unrecipe' because I don't
like measuring. I like improvising, forgiving food. So, without further
ado let me introduce my latest. A drumroll please for:

Apple pear sauce.

Thinly slice lots of apples and pears. Heat on low heat with a touch of
lemon juice and cook until nice and mushy. You can cook on very low heat
for 45 minutes. Mash with wooden spoon and unleash your inner five year
old. You can add small amount of water, and use different kinds of
apples in the mix. A dash of cinnamon or cardamom optional as is sugar.
A bit of lemon zest adds that citrus perk that helps you feel fresh and
invigorated in the winter.

Serve with potato latkes for Chanukah, as a topping for plain yogurt, or
as simple dessert, warmed up. Makes you wonder why you would ever
considered buying applesauce in jar.

P.S. You know when fruit starts to turn mushy in the crisper? Here's a
chance to use it rather than feed it to the composter.

Rachna Gilmore's Tandoori Salmon

In a fine sieve, or a sieve lined with cheesecloth, put in about 3/4
carton of low fat yogurt and let drain for an hour or more, until the
liquid has drained and the yogurt is very thick. (The sieve can be
placed over a large bowl, covered and refrigerated for several hours. I
use 1% fat yogurt. Do not use yogurt with gelatin.)

Discard liquid.

Add to the thick yogurt:
approx 6-8 cloves of garlic very finely crushed or chopped, or more
1 to2 inches or more piece of peeled ginger, grated finely
(slightly less in volume than garlic)
1 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
3/4 teaspoon Garam Masala (available in Indian grocery stores)
salt to taste
pinch cayenne pepper or to taste
juice of ½ 1 lemon
small amount of cooking oil

Note: The sauce should taste very tangy and very garlicky almost too
strong. If the above quantities of ginger/garlic aren't enough, add
more. The flavours mellow with cooking.

Coat salmon fillets with sauce, making slashes in salmon and press sauce
into slashes. Marinate, covered, several hours. Don't cover with tin
foil as the tin foil reacts to sauce.

Bake in oven, 370-385 until salmon is just cooked. Approx 12 - 20
minutes, depending on thickness of salmon.

Serve with lemon wedges.

From Robin Baird Lewis -- Scottish Shortbread
(followed for 6 generations & counting)

1/2 cup (250 ml) brown sugar
1 cup (500ml) butter, softened (lightly salted okay)
2 cups (1000ml) sifted all purpose flour
4 heaping "dessert spoons" (50 ml) of rice flour
(double or triple above as required)
Cream all above together and chill before molding out (slicing and
pressing with wooden cookie pattern press). Tossing in some caraway
seeds makes this shortbread more unique and gives it a hint of
flavouring I discovered was used in old Fort York, Upper Canada.
The RICE flour is the secret factor...makes all the world of difference too.
Bake in moderate oven (325 F degrees...not metric on that yet) until
lightly brown. Watch!
Let cool for 10 minutes before removing due to their crumbly tendancy.
As usual...all broken ones lose their calories and must be consumed by
bakers right away.

Valerie Sherrard's favourite homemade gift:

Super Fast and Easy Peanut Brittle

In a microwave safe bowl combine:

1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup white corn syrup
Nuke on high for 4 minutes

Add 1 cup of salted peanuts.
Nuke for another 4 minutes on high.

Add 1 tsp vanilla and
1 tsp butter
Nuke for 1 - 2 minutes

Stir in 1 tsp baking soda and pour immediately on a greased cookie sheet.
When cool break into pieces and store in air tight container.

One batch fills a medium sized cookie tin.
Add a bow and card for a super fast and easy gift!

Jo Ellen Bogart's Creamy Pralines

Stovetop long boil: This recipe calls for long boiling of sugar. Kid cooks will need adult supervision.

3 cups white sugar
1 cup buttermilk with 1 teaspoon of baking soda added
½ pound (this is one cup) butter
¼ teaspoon of salt
2 tablespoons of corn syrup, dark or light
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups pecans (halves are best)

Melt the butter gently in a very large heavy saucepan. Add the buttermilk
with the baking soda, the sugar, and the corn syrup and stir to combine.
Cook at medium high heat stirring constantly with a long handled wooden
spoon. Continue cooking until the mixture reaches the hard ball stage at
250 degrees F. (Do use a candy thermometer- it's so much easier.) At this
point, remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and pecans. Then beat
the mixture until it turns glossy and thick and drop by spoonfuls onto waxed
paper or a very lightly greased cookie sheet. Work quickly to get the
mixture spooned out before it cools. Remove from the waxed paper as soon as
the pralines cool and store in an airtight container.

Marsha Skrypuch's Sviat Vecher Kolach
(Ukrainian Christmas Eve braided egg bread)
makes one Kolach

1/2 cup lukewarm water
2 tsp dry granulated yeast
1 tsp sugar

1/2 cup butter
1 cup scalded milk
4 eggs, whisked (reserve one tablespoon for later)
1/2 cup sugar
a dash of either vanilla or lemon extract
1 1/2 tsp salt

4 to 5 cups Robin Hood "Best for Bread" unbleached white flour

canola or other oil

Stir the tsp of sugar into the lukewarm water and then add the yeast.
Let it soften for about 5 minutes (it should bubble up).

Meanwhile, in a big bowl, put in the butter, scalded milk, sugar,
extract and salt. While the yeast is softening, stir this mixture to
melt the butter. Once it's melted, the milk will be cool enough to add
the eggs. Then stir the softened yeast and add it to the liquid mixture.

Add in the flour a bit at a time, stirring as you go. When the mixture
is too stiff to stir, knead it in. Once the dough pulls away from the
side of the bowl, work in enough flour so that the dough is smooth.
Don't try to work in all the flour if it won't go and don't over-knead
the dough. Dump out the excess flour and then drizzle the dough and bowl
with about a tablespoon of oil and then pat the dough so the whole thing
is lightly covered in oil.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest in a warm place
(a cold oven with the light turned on is ideal) until it has doubled in
size -- about an hour.

Punch down the dough and then divide into three pieces. Oil your hands
lightly and roll each piece out into a foot long rope.

Braid the three ropes together. Coil into a greased round cake pan (a bundt pan is ideal, as is a spring-form pan) and let rest again until doubled.

Mix a tsp of water into the tablespoon of reserved egg.

Baste the top of the bread ring with the egg mixture, then bake at 375
for 10 minutes, then lower the temperature to 325 or so and bake for
another 30 or 40 minutes. Check the kolach frequently because it puffs
up fairly high and can easily scorch. When it's ready, it is darker than
most white breads. You can tell that it's down by flipping it out of the
pan and tapping on the bottom -- if it sounds hollow, it's ready. Cool
on a wire rack and enjoy!

From L.M. Falcone's recipe shoebox: Vegan Fat-Free Cornbread

1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
¼ cup sugar (or a little more if you like sweet cornbread)
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ENERG egg replacers
1 cup fat-free soy milk
Almost ½ cup applesauce, unsweetened

Mix it all together just until it's completely mixed. Put it in a
non-preheated 450 degree oven. Bake for 20 -- 25 minutes.

2007:

Sheryl McFarlane's Dog Biscuits

Here is the perfect holiday present for dog lovers of all ages. Make a
batch of these scrumptious dog biscuits. Gift wrap them along with a
copy of Sheryl McFarlane's picture book, This is the Dog. Your
friends and their canines will love you forever.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 ° F (180 ° C).

In a bowl, add 2 tsp. of dry yeast to 1/2 cup lukewarm water. Let rise.

Add the following and mix in with the above
1 1/2 cups cooled chicken broth (can be purchased, home-made, or made by
dissolving 2 bouillon cubes in boiling water)
2 tablespoons dry parsley
3 tablespoons honey
1 egg.

Gradually mix in 5-6 cups whole wheat flour until a stiff dough is formed.

Transfer to a floured surface and knead until smooth (about 3-5 minutes). Shape the dough into a ball, and roll to 1/4-inch (6 mm) thick. Using small bone-shaped cookie cutters, make biscuits!

Transfer to ungreased baking sheets, spacing them about 1/4 inch (6 mm)
apart. Gather up the scraps, roll out again, and cut additional biscuits.

Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and turn over. Bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until lightly browned on both sides. Let cool overnight.

Makes several dozen small bones that keep and freeze well.

Note: if you want to hang some on your Xmas tree, poke a hole in one end
of each biscuit before baking. (hole will shrink while baking). Let it
cool, and then thread it with a narrow ribbon.

Happy Holidays. Sheryl McFarlane

For the kids (to play with, not to eat!) Helaine Becker's Whey Cool
From: Science on the Loose

It's for making plastic out of milk. You can use the resulting glob of moldable matter to make holiday ornaments! Mooove over, petroleum by-products! Did you know you can make your own plastic -- from milk? You will need:

1 cup/250 ml milk (full fat milk works best)

1 tablespoons/15 ml white vinegar

Eye dropper or small spoon

Saucepan

Measuring cup

Mixing spoon

Measuring spoon

Pour the milk into the saucepan.

Have an adult help you with this step. Gently warm up the milk,
without letting it boil.

When steam is rising from the milk (about 5 minutes) add a few drops
of vinegar. Stir.

Keep adding vinegar, a few drops at a time, while you stir.

When you have added about 2 teaspoons of vinegar/10 ml, you should
start to see lumps forming in the milk. These are called curds.

Keep adding vinegar drop by drop until the liquid turns clear (this
is called whey) and the curds form a lump on the bottom of the pot.

Have an adult carefully pour off the liquid, leaving only the blob of
curds behind.

Allow the blob to cool so that you can handle it. When it is just
warm to the touch, not hot, remove it from the pot and wash it off with
cool water. Knead the blob until it has the consistency of dough.

Mold or model the plastic dough into any shape you like. You can poke
a hole in it and use it as a pendant. Let it dry and harden overnight or
for a few days. Then you can decorate it any way you like.

Marina Cohen's Crème Caramel French Toast

Ingredients:

2 Tbls. Corn syrup
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 lbs. cinnamon raisin bread
6 eggs
2 cups milk
2 cups light cream (or more milk)
1/3 cup sugar
1 Tbls. Vanilla
sour cream

Preparation:

In a saucepan combine corn syrup, brown sugar and butter, melt until
smooth and bubbly. Spread on 11 x 17 glass baking dish. Overlap bread
like dominoes on the syrup. In large bowl combine eggs, milk, cream,
sugar, vanilla. Pour over bread. Cover with foil.

Refrigerate overnight. Bake at 350 degrees, covered, 50-55 minutes uncovering last 10 minutes. Toast should be puffy and golden. Cut into 8 or 10 pieces and invert to serve. Top with sour cream and fresh fruit! Enjoy!

Robin Baird Lewis' Singing Hinnies

The Singing Hinnies scone recipe has stood our family in excellent stead over the years. It was a staple of my popular Devon Cream Teas here in Guelph when I could boast a dining room table. My brother Christopher swore it helped him when he shamelessly laid on a Scottish High Tea for his Doctoral Defense. They were as putty in his hands once they had sunk their teeth into the Singing Hinnies, he always claimed. Today at the outrageous price of $2.50 A SCONE!!!! at the local eco-bakers I am returning to this recipe with alacrity and delight...it's the sour cream that cinches it. Enjoy!

2 ½ cup sifted flour
½ tsp salt
½ cup sugar (short)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup butter
1 egg beaten
1cup sour cream
optional
½ cup currants
rind of ½ lemon/orange
water

Dredge currants in about 2 tbs of flour.
Re-sift the remaining flour with dry ingredients.
Cut in butter until mixture resemble a coarse meal.
Mix egg with 1 tbs water and add to flour along with the sour cream,
currants and rind.
After blended well, divide dough into 10-12 portions and flatten into ½"
thick scones, although you can make them virtually any size you desire
but watch the baking time.
(I always prefer to shape them into triangles for some reason.)
Bake on greased cookie sheet in a preheated 400 to 425 F degree oven for
12-15 minutes or until golden brown.
Yield: about 12 (3") scones.

Jennifer Lanthier's /Martello Tower/ Tea Biscuits

Ingredients:
two cups of unbleached all-purpose flour
one stick of butter
four teaspoons baking powder
pinch of salt
some milk - perhaps a half-cup or so

Cut the butter into the flour/baking powder/salt mixture;
Work it into tiny bits with your fingers;
Stirring with a fork (never a spoon!) add milk until the dough can be
formed into a ball.
When it is a good working texture - not too sticky, not too dry - break
off pieces and form into biscuit shapes

Bake at 450 degree oven about ten minutes - until tops are golden or
tinged or with brown and
Serve warm, with jam and butter, or fresh fruit and lightly whipped cream.

N.B. These biscuits are so easy to make and foolproof that you will soon
discard the recipe and prepare from memory. You will do other things
while baking - like read - because they are so very easy.
This ensures that one day, when distracted by a great book, you will
inadvertently substitute baking SODA for powder. The biscuits will look
stunning - smooth and golden brown. One bite and the memory will linger
forever. Do not feed to the dog. Discard and make a new batch properly.
Soda-based biscuits appear every couple of years in our house, often
coinciding with a new Ian Rankin or Jonathon Coe novel. We call them:
Librarian's Laments.

Gail Sobat's Brandied Cranberry Sauce:

1 lb fresh cranberries
2 c sugar
1 T grated orange rind (optional)
1 handful of candied ginger (optional)
dried apricots (soften in orange juice in microwave and slice)

Combine all ingredients in a large flat ovenproof dish. Set aside for
20-30 minutes. Cover dish with foil and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 40
minutes. Cool slightly and pour into glass containers. Refrigerate.

Can be made with orange juice instead of brandy. Add some or all of the
optional ingredients. The candied ginger is particularly good in this!

Rachna Gilmore's One-Pot Bhaji

FROM: A Group of One by Rachna Gilmore

All measurements are approximate. To enjoy cooking something like this it is best to be flexible about the quantities and to be willing to experiment.

Pour small amount of cooking oil in a large pot. Non-stick is best as it can minimize the oil needed. When the oil is heated (medium heat) add approximately: 1 tablespoon
grated ginger, 1 tablespoon minced or pressed garlic, 1 hot green chili finely diced. (The ginger and garlic and chili can be whizzed together in a food processor).

Stir a minute or so, and add 1 ½ teaspoons whole cumin seed, 2-3 whole cloves, 2-3 cardamoms, about ½ inch whole cinnamon. Stir about half a minute or until the cumin seeds brown slightly.

Add approximately 3-4 baby turnips peeled and cubed, 3-4 new potatoes cubed, 1-2 onions cut in chunks. Stir for several minutes and then add: 1-3 teaspoons ground coriander, 1-2 teaspoons ground cumin, ½ teaspoon turmeric, crushed red chilies to taste, 1-2 bay leaves, salt and pepper to taste. (At this point you can add some more ginger/garlic puree if you like).

Stir for a minute or so until the spices darken slightly and are fragrant.

Add 5-8 chopped or pureed tomatoes, and 1-2 cans rinsed chick peas.

Cover and simmer on low until the potatoes and turnips are nearly cooked, stirring occasionally.

Add in order of time taken to cook: ½ - 1 cauliflower, broken into florets, 1-2 cups okra (tops cut off and cut into half or quarter). Cook until the vegetables are all tender. Add, if you like, a handful of fresh green coriander leaves, chopped. Adjust salt and pepper as needed.

Note: if you don't like okra, you can replace it with something like spinach or rapini or green beans. Any of the vegetables can be changed around to taste. Add more tomatoes or hot water if the bhaji seems too dry.

Serve with whole wheat pita and mango pickle and plain yoghurt. ENJOY!

Don Aker's wife's Make-Ahead Potatoes (Serves 12)

This dish may not be holiday-related, but it's perfect for any large gathering because it can be made a day ahead (hence the name). The real attraction for me, though, is the taste---eating Make-Ahead Potatoes is like having dessert with your main course. And don't worry about cooking a dish intended for 12---the leftovers taste even better!
Ingredients:
9 large potatoes
1 large pkg. cream cheese (softened)
1 cup sour cream
2 tsp. onion salt
1 tsp. salt
1 dash pepper
2 Tsp. butter
1 egg (beaten)

Directions:
Cook potatoes.
Mash well.
Add remainder of ingredients.
Beat (with beater) until fluffy.
Put into a large greased casserole dish.
Put into fridge until an hour before meal.
Daub with butter.
Bake at 350º for one hour (until heated through).
Serve.

Gail Nyoka's Decadent Sweet Potato Pudding

Sweet potatoes (5-7 med size)
1 cup dried, unsweetened coconut (or fresh coconut)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs beaten
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup orange juice
1 tsp vanilla

Topping:
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup butter
1 cup pecans, chopped

Boil sweet potatoes until tender. Then peel and whip the sweet potatoes
with a mixer or food processor.
Add cinnamon, brown sugar, butter, eggs, milk and vanilla.
Whip all ingredients together and spoon our pour into a casserole dish.
Mix the topping ingredients together so it's all crumbly and sprinkle it
over the top of the casserole.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.

Marsha Skrypuch's cheddar cheese pyrohy (perogies)

This recipe is such a favourite that it has been served in three of my books: Silver Threads, Hope's War and Prisoners in the Promised Land (Dear Canada). Pyrohy are a meal all by themselves or you can have them instead of potatoes. Pyrohy are traditionally served as one of the twelve meatless courses for Ukrainian Christmas Eve (January 6th).

The dough:
2 ½ to 3 cups of unbleached all purpose flour
1 egg
a tablespoon or so of vegetable oil
a teaspoon or so of salt
water

The filling:
three medium potatoes (Yukon Gold are the best but any will do)
a cup or so of sharp cheddar cheese, shredded parmesan cheese
salt
pepper
garlic

Making the dough:

In a medium sized bowl, mix the flour and salt, then crack in the egg and dump in some oil. Mix that up and then add about half a cup of water. Keep adding water until you have a soft firm dough. It shouldn't be too sticky but should be firm enough to pull away from the sides of the bowl and you should be able to knead it gently right in the bowl without getting your hands too gunked up. Add more flour if it's too gunky.

Knead it just a bit and then let cover it with a plate or waxed paper and let it rest for an hour. It is important to let the dough rest before rolling it out because otherwise it gets a funny texture.

Making the stuffing:

Boil the potatoes and then drain and mash them. While they're still hot, add a cup or so of shredded sharp cheddar cheese and then season with salt, pepper and garlic. You can add some parmesan cheese as well to zing it up. The texture of the filling should be like whipped potatoes. Don't put in so much cheese that it's gooey. Use the best cheddar that
you can find, like extra old from the farmers' market. If you must get grocery store cheese, Balderson's Extra Old isn't bad.

Rolling out dough:

After the dough has rested for at least an hour, divide it in half and roll out the first half on a floured board until it is about eighteen inches round and relatively thin. You can liberally dust the top of the dough with flour as you're rolling and flip it over frequently so it doesn't stick. You'll notice that it snaps back to the size that it wants to be, so keep on working in the flour and rolling it until it gets to be about eighteen inches round without snapping.

Stuffing:

Once the dough is rolled out, use a 2 ½ to 3 inch diameter round cookie cutter to press out circles of dough. A mayonnaise lid works well if you don't have a cookie cutter. Some peanut butter jar lids are the right size as well.

The circles should be easy to pick up because they've got flour on both sides. Once you've cut all the circles, put a big pot of salted water on to boil. As you're waiting for it to boil, you can stuff your dough.

Take a dough round and shake off any excess flour, then place it on the counter. Take a rounded teaspoon of potato-cheese mixture and place it in the centre of the dough round. Fold the dough over top of it so that it looks like a half circle and press the edges firmly to seal them. If it doesn't stick, you can use a bit of water on the edges, but the edges
should stick without having to resort to extraordinary measures. Repeat this process for all of the dough rounds, then roll out the second portion of dough and do it all over again.

A good place to put the raw pyrohy is on a greased cookie sheet. Don't let them touch each other though, because they'll stick.

Boiling:

Once the pyrohy are all formed and your water is at a rolling boil, drop all of them into the water four or five at a time. Gently stir with a wooden spoon so they don't stick. Depending on the size of your pot, you may have to do them in more than one batch.

They are almost ready when they begin to bob up and float on top of the boiling water. Once most of them are doing this, wait another minute and then strain them.

Serving:

Pyrohy are delicious drizzled with melted butter. You can serve sour cream on the side. If you want to be really decadent, garnish with minced fried bacon or onions.

Jo Ellen Bogart's Buttermilk Coconut Pie

1 1/4 c sugar
2 tbsp flour
1/2 cup butter melted
3 eggs beaten
1/2 C buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
1 can (3 1/2 ounces) flaked coconut, divided
1 9 inch pie crust, unbaked

Combine sugar and flour. Add butter, eggs, buttermilk, vanilla and 2/3 of the coconut. Mix well and pour into crust. Sprinkle with the rest of the coconut. Bake for an hour at 325 degrees, or until set. Keep refrigerated. Note: I cut the butter by 2 tablespoons and the sugar down to a cup and it was still delicious.

Valerie Sherrard's Super Easy Christmas Balls

Combine:

1 regular package mini marshmallows (either white or coloured)
2 cups graham crumbs
1 cup chopped maraschino cherries (red or green or both)
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Mix well, then chill overnight.
Form into small balls and roll in coconut.

Store in the fridge or freezer.

Laura Langston's Tiger Butter

Cupid, from Laura Langston's upcoming release The Trouble with Cupid is a bulldog who prefers people food over dog food. He favors doughnuts and chow mein, pizza and croissants. And, of course, chocolate with peanut butter. . . which, as a dog, he absolutely should not have. Fortunately, most humans don't have that problem. And it's a good thing, because once a person starts eating tiger butter, they cannot stop. Lock up the dogs.

1/2 lb white chocolate, chopped 250 g
1/2 lb semisweet chocolate, chopped 250 g
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter 125 ml

Line the bottom of a 9-inch (1.5 L) round or a 10 inch (3 L) square cake pan with wax paper. In a double boiler over hot but not boiling water, melt white chocolate. (or use a glass measuring cup and melt in the microwave) Scrape melted chocolate into a bowl, and stir in peanut butter. Clean and thoroughly dry the top of the double boiler, then melt
semi-sweet chocolate over hot water. Pour the white chocolate/peanut butter mixture into the prepared pan, and spread evenly. Pour semi-sweet chocolate over top, and spread evenly. Draw a table knife through the chocolate to create a marbled effect. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes or until solid. Cut into wedges or squares. Makes about 16 candies.

2008:

Frieda Wishinsky: Mom's Traditional Latkes - Still the Best

My mom made the best potato latkes (pancakes). They were light, not too oily and would melt in your mouth.
You need to move quickly when you make latkes. You need to grate the potatoes before they turn brown, mix it all together quickly, fry them in just enough (but not too much oil), flip them at the perfect moment and then pop them off the pan before they burn to a crisp. My mom orchestrated it all until she was 90.
Mom died last year at 91 on November 16th.
Last Chanukah three of us (My friend, Shari Siamon, her husband Jeff and I) made the latkes. It wasn't easy for the three of us to orchestrate what one aging Jewish Grandmother (with my daughter's help, but not that much help!) was able to do with finesse. I was awed remembering how mom, despite crippling arthritis in her hands and a heart condition, had been able to do it all-- almost alone.
We all missed her latkes, her presence and her joy at all the compliments we showered on her as we devoured each, unbelievably fattening morsel.

Valerie Sherrard: Holiday Shortbread

Cream:

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1/2 beaten egg

1 tsp almond extract

Add:

2 cups flour with 1 tsp baking powder mixed in

Press into glass pie plate. Glaze with the other ½ of the beaten egg.

Bake at 350 for 30 - 35 minutes. Remove from oven and press down gently with spoon to remove excess air. Cut into wedges.

Christmas at the Bissell Centre by Gail Sidonie Sobat

8:30 a.m. patrons arrive
doors are open
clientele spills in
business day begins
business as usual
the business of staying alive
another day
then another cold night

smiling clerks
hand out complimentary coffee
Christmas cheer
greet the regular customers
ragman, hawker, huckster
knights of the road
ladies of the night
this morning they flood the market
clerks smiling hope there is enough
food in the larders for turkey dinner

Noon: the Christmas luncheon
the line forms on the street
moving slowly, incessantly
people of the inner city
with no purchasing power
wait patiently for a plate

listen to the shrill voices of the youth choir
brought in from suburban privilege
to sing a carol or two
for the urban market
applaud politely
request "Silent Night"

in two hours
the very young
the very old
those lost somewhere in between
are a little less hungry
they go out into the Christmas air
with a gift of toiletries from Santa
as we run off to last-minute shopping

tonight on Christmas Eve
where will they be
these patrons of the street
come-on men
personnel of urban squalor?
canvassing or soliciting
cooped-up in one-room solitude
roaming the sidewalks for the highest bidder
singing a song of the season to an empty bottle
against a backdrop of impervious skyscrapers
consumers of the inner city
are slouching towards Bethlehem

Season's Greetings and this tidbit from John Wilson:

Okay, we all know what Christmas Day is, but it is also:

Humphrey Bogart's birthday, the day it was announced that Vivien Leigh was to play Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind, the day Goldfinger premiered in the US, and the 190th anniversary of the first performance of a Christmas Carol (Silent Night).

Marsha Skrypuch's Fruit Squares

(for when you just found out company is coming and you can't get to the grocery store)

Fruit Squares

Preheat oven to 350F

Grease an oblong pyrex baking dish

2/3 cup margarine
1 cup white sugar
3 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup orange juice (or substitute ginger ale or another fruit juice)
2 1/2 cups general purpose flour (mix 2 teaspoons of baking powder into the flour)
any kind of fruit, dried or canned or fresh -- prunes, raisins, apples, cranberries, peaches, pears etc

Beat margarine with the sugar and gradually beat in the eggs, making a fluffy consistency. Add in the vanilla and orange juice. Add the baking powder/flour mixture a bit at a time.

Spoon batter into the pyrex dish and then place the fruit on top, making sure that once you cut it, you'll have a fruit piece in the middle of each square. You can poke the fruit into the batter so it's partially covered. Dried fruit works especially well, but any fruit will do.

Bake for approximately 30 minutes, depending on your oven. It's done when you can stick a toothpick into the middle and it comes out dry. It should be a light golden colour.

You can sprinkle a light coating of white sugar on top. Cut into squares and let cool while still in dish.

Christmas Snow by Nate Hendley

When I think of winter, I think of snow. That might seem obvious but it isn't. I live in Toronto, and we typically don't get a lot of snow. Not the kind of snow that sticks around anyway. It snows then it rains and the snow goes away. Or the snow stays and gets dirty from all the pollution in the air. Our lack of snow has something to do with the "lake effect" and the heat emitted by millions of people and thousands of cars.

Better to think of snow in other places I've lived in, like Waterloo, ON where my parents still reside. There, snow was a serious affair and a lot more of it fell than in Toronto. At Christmastime in Waterloo you were always presented with that most Canadian of landscapes: pure white, snow-draped streets. Snow that would crackle underfoot as you tromped along in thick winter boots.

The abundance of snow in Waterloo is another reason to look forward to seeing my parents for Christmas. I get to visit my family, share in the holiday spirit and be surrounded by very white snow of the kind that just seems so right for Christmas.

Holiday greetings from Karen Krossing

David Poulsen: Chocolate Peaks

(A Christmas favourite at the Poulsen House. My wife barb and I co-host a television show-Cowboy Country-and this recipe came to us from a talented young country singer-remember this name--Brett Kissel)

1/2 - 3/4 cup butter (not margarine)
2 cups icing sugar (or enough to make stiff mixture)
1/4 cup light cream
3 cups medium coconut
(1 cup dark chocolate chips used later for topping)

Melt butter in saucepan over low heat. When butter is golden brown, slowly stir in icing sugar, cream, and coconut. (Add coconut & icing sugar until mixture quite stiff). Mix well and remove from heat. Drop coconut mixture by spoonful onto wax paper (the smaller the better) & very gently shape into a mountain/peak shape. Chill.

Topping: melt 1 cup dark chocolate chips and drizzle by spoon over coconut mixture.

Note: If cookie mixture does not seem stiff enough, add more icing sugar. Keep chilled or frozen. Yummmmm!!

Lesley Simpson: One a year we have a family Chanukah party. It is now called The Family Schmooze where we get together with our cousins, and our cousins' kids and sometimes there are friends thrown in for good measure. Our tradition is the communal story. We sit in a circle, and someone begins a story, often about either a dreidel or a potato latke. The next person in the circle adds a line. The age range in this circle ranges from 5 years old to 75. By the time you wind your way around the room, there's no telling what kind of story might unfold. Happy Chanukah, and may your latkes always be crisp, hot and addictive!

Larry Verstraete: Cheesy Brussels Sprouts
(The Canadian Living Christmas Book)

Ten years ago, my family discovered this recipe and since then it has become a holiday favourite. Even those who don't normally enjoy brussels sprouts seem to relish them this way. (Bonus! Even a novice cook like me can look like an award-winning chef).

2 lb/1 kg brussels sprouts

3 tbsp/50 ml butter

3 tbsp/50 ml all-purpose flour

2 cups/500 ml milk

1 tsp/5 ml Dijon mustard

3/4 tsp/4 ml salt

1/2 tsp/2 ml pepper

1/4 tsp/1 ml nutmeg

1 cup/250 ml shredded Cheddar cheese

Cut X in bases of brussels sprouts. Boil for 7 to 9 minutes until tender-crisp. Drain and refresh under cold water; remove excess water with towel. Let cool; cut in half and set aside.

In saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; stir in flour and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Add milk; cook, stirring, for 3 to 5 minutes until smooth and thickened. Stir in mustard, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Remove from heat; stir in half of the cheese until melted. Gently stir in brussels sprouts.

Spoon into greased 11 x 7 inch baking dish. (can be prepared to this point, covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day). Sprinkle with remaining cheese; bake in 375 F (190 C) oven for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Brown under broiler for 2 minutes. 8 servings.

Bon appetit!

From A Path through the Trees, by Peggy Dymond Leavey.

The red van with the Christmas tree tied on top pulled up at the front of the Stoppard house shortly after noon on Christmas Eve. Great Aunt Caroline watched from her doorway this latest horde of visitors.

The three children were immediately enlisted to help unload the van, making numerous trips back and forth, arms loaded with bags and boxes, tracking in snow.

"I hope you were ready for this invasion," Uncle Richard teased in his loud, cheery voice. He didn't give Caroline time to respond before he set a long package into her hands. "Smoked salmon," he said, with a wink. "A real treat. You'll love it."

The front hall quickly filled with people shedding winter coats and boots, pieces of luggage, boxes of ornaments and yards of garland. Once released from its sheath of mesh, the Christmas tree opened out to such an amazing size that the only place for it was right there in the entrance hall, to the left of the curved staircase.

Robin Baird Lewis: Last Christmas my resourceful, Waldorf trained niece visited from France with her family and made the most exquisite layered circles of tissue paper window decorations as presents. Based on the cut snowflake design we all know, her talents created a remarkably impressive splash of welcome colour in our windows for the holidays and indeed for the duller season afterwards.

Start simply. Choose only two or three analogous colours in tissue cut the same circle size. Fold them into the finest triangular-like segment you can and carefully slice out slivers of tissue with very sharp scissors. Open and place on top of each other. Keep centre points registered with a pin and shift circles around into the best kaleidoscope of colour. To finish, dot with white glue and paste layers together. Optional: apply coloured tape around circumference and fix a loop to hang. Now try one with three different sized circles! Switch layers for different effects.

These are delicate, beautiful but ephemeral...not lasting but fun to make: A meditative invention exercise for the whole family to enjoy and delightful window decorations for all!

Janet Wilson: When my two boys were young, rather than having Christmas dinner with family, we invited friends we knew or knew of who didn't have family to spend Christmas dinner with, either because they were new to this country or were experiencing family problems. We called it the 'Waifs and Strays' Christmas. We cooked the turkey and the rest was potluck. Instead of exchanging gifts we fostered a child through Plan. Now, thirty years later, we still celebrate with the original core group of people and welcome newcomers each year. The average number of guests is 22 and the turkey weighs slightly more. When the brandy is lit on the figgy pudding, we begin a rousing "We'll all have some figgy pudding" and sing carols for the rest of the evening. Now that our boys are grown, we agreed to eliminate the buying of gifts. I bake Scottish shortbread and pies-mincemeat and tortiere, and make the best maple syrup fudge in the world. Our 'doggy' Christmas cards were much anticipated but, sadly, last year they were depicted as angels. Happily, we had our first grandson to dress-up and carry on the tradition.

Best wishes for a warm, cozy and safe holiday season! - Mahtab Narsimhan

Hadley Dyer: (Her mom, Rosalee Dyer's recipe)

When I was a little girl in the north end of Halifax, nothing was more fun than joining my sisters and mother at the stove to make candy. We'd boil sugar and water, then drip bits into a glass of cold water to see if it had reached the "soft ball" stage or "hard ball stage," depending on the recipe. Oh, it was divine!

Barley Sugar Twists

2 cups sugar

1 cup water

1 Tbsp. cider vinegar

1 tsp. peppermint extract

Red and green food colouring

In a 2-quart saucepan, mix sugar, water, and vinegar. Cook covered for a few minutes to let steam wash down sugar crystals.

Cook uncovered, without stirring, until it reaches 300° on candy thermometer or drops of syrup tested in cold water form hard, brittle threads. Add peppermint extract.

Turn half into another pot. Add a few drops of green colouring to one pot, red to the other.

Pour onto two lightly greased cookie sheets. Cut into 6 inch long stripes that are approximately 3/4 inch wide.

Place in warm 250° oven. Remove one strip at a time and twist into spirals. Cool on a tray.

Jocelyn Shipley: Cinnamon Butterflies

Glue 3 cinnamon sticks together one on top of another so it looks like butterfly wings.

Let dry completely.

Tie with pretty ribbon in a festive bow.

Use to decorate your house, tree or gifts.

Happy Holidays!