Christmas Mush
Before we had children, we managed
to fit both of our families into our Christmas routine: Christmas eve
with his folks, Christmas morning with mine. The first Christmas we
had Ivory, I refused to drive anywhere, and everyone came to us. The
second Christmas we lived thousands of miles away from any family and
for the very fist time we were on our own Christmas morning. We are
about to celebrate our third Christmas away from our families and
there are a few traditions that we have brought with us and some that
we are cultivating on our own.
Adam plays a Christmas eve
morning game of phone tag with parents, siblings, aunts and cousins
that I simply roll my eyes at, and I bake a giant wreath of cardamon bread that was a staple during my childhood holidays.
Every Christmas since Ivory was
born, we have woken to the smell of cinnamon and apples and then have
opened presents with steaming cup of coffee and a bowls of Christmas
mush at our side.
The night before Christmas, usually
around midnight, I pull out my Super Baby Food book, leaf through the
pages until I find the Whole Grain Crockpot Breakfast Recipe.
Christmas
Mush
1 cup barley
1 cup brown rice
½ cup raisins
2 peeled and chopped apples
6 cups water
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 jar of peaches
Put all ingredients except for the
peaches in the crock pot. Cook them overnight on the low setting.
In the morning add a jar of peaches to
the pot or spoon them over the individual bowls and top with cream
(whipping is optional). I usually don't add sugar to mine, but Adam
(who is a sugar addict) spoons on brown sugar and/or maple syrup.
As time passes, we are adding a few
more traditions: handmade wrapping paper,
 |
| Wrapping Paper 2010 |
 |
| Wrapping Paper 2011 |
and new this year – my grandmothers's Swedish Fruit Soup.
I have taken the liberty of including the recipe here as well, along with her notes. (Thank you Grandma, for sending it to me).
Fruit Soup, Mixed
BLANDAD
FRUKTSOPPA
The
Best of Swedish Cooking & Baking, 1966, Marianne
Gronwall van der Tuuk
Many
Americans like this typical Swedish Fruit Soup, which in Sweden is
served chilled, for dessert. In America I have been served the
same soup as salad with roasted pork which was also a nice
combination.
Makes
4-5 servings.
XX
XXX
2/3
cup dried apricots
1 1/3 2
2/3
cup dried prunes
1 1/3
2
6
cups water*
1
stick cinnamon
2
3
2
lemon slices
4
6
2
tablespoons quick cooking tapioca
4
6
1/4
cup sugar
1/2 3/4
2
tablespoons raisins
4
6
1
apple, peeled and sliced
2
3
Wash
dried fruits and soak in cold water half an hour.
Add
cinnamon stick, lemon slices, tapioca and sugar; simmer covered until
almost tender (about 10 minutes), stirring occasionally.
Stir
in raisins and apple slices and cook a few minutes longer.
Taste
soup, if you wish a stronger flavor add more sugar or lemon juice, or
add 2 tablespoons of fruit syrup or grape juice.
*I
have always doubled, mainly tripled, the recipe.
When
I double, I add 4 cups of water to the dried fruit. After the
fruit cooks, I usually add about 1 cup of cold water. After the
addition of the raisins and apple slices, I cook perhaps 10 minutes
and then add about 1 cup of cold water. I continue to cook the
soup, with lid on but stirring occasionally, for approximately 10 to
20 minutes longer. Length of time probably depends on the
firmness of the apples and one’s personal preference. I cool
the soup in the pot, no lid. Stir it from time to time.
When
tripling, extrapolate from above.
Use
heavy-bottom pot. I use stainless steel Dutch oven with heavy
bottom.
As the Christmases go by, I hope that our family traditions will reflect who we are and where we came from and even if our families are not close by they can be found in the smells and tastes that fill our home during the holiday season.
Merry Christmas!
P.S. I would love to hear some of your holiday traditions, old and new!
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