Oh bring me some figgy pudding!

December 16, 2012

Yesterday, I started singing "Oh bring me some figgy pudding..."  Got me going on today's blog!!

Good morning from Miss Dottie's kitchen.  Come on in and we can chat ~~ coffee's on, so help yourself.  Today, I decided to make my former mother-in-law's steamed cranberry pudding with butter sauce!!  Ye ha!!  Yummy!

For years, I made the family Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners.  It started out as a labor of love, though as the years rolled by it eventually seemed more labor and less love!  I'm kidding of course!  Now my daughter lives in Florida and my son likes to have Thanksgiving at his home so I'm usually a guest.  I must say, I miss getting my hands and kitchen messy with all the preparations that went in to providing a feast for my family.  Things change when our children leave the nest and establish families of their own.

My mother-in-law, Leila, was a wonderful lady and fabulous cook.  My personal favorites of hers were her turkey dressing and the infamous cranberry pudding with butter sauce.  She prepared the pudding as a special treat for her family and we oohed and aahed over it's wonderful aroma and dense moist texture.  Funny thing ... it's very easy to make and doesn't require a pudding mold.  She used tin cans tying on some wax paper on the top with string and that's the way I've done it as well.

I would NEVER consider serving this pudding without the sauce; they are a pair.  The pudding is light, only faintly sweet and studded with bright cranberries.  The sauce is rich, sweet and sumptuous.  Both can be made well ahead and rewarmed before serving which makes it quite convenient for holiday dining.

Leila's Steamed Cranberry Pudding with Butter Sauce
1 cup fresh cranberries

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 tsp baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup light syrup

1/2 cup boiling water

Mix dry ingredients then add cranberries then liquid.  Steam in well greased cans.  Tie cans with several thicknesses of wax paper on top.  Place cans in pan of hot water and cover.  Steam cans from 1 1/2 to 2 hrs.  A double recipe  makes two No. 2 1/2 cans and one No. 2.

Butter Sauce:  1 cup sugar; 1/2 cup cream; 1/2 cup butter.  Mix & boil enough to blend and serve hot over pudding.

There are two things I remember about Leila Anderson.  First of all, she was such a kind, loving mentor and secondly, was her love of baking and cooking.  Even though she passed away at such a young age, I am certain that her legacy has lived on into the second generation and beyond.

I hope that you are enjoying the fruits of your heritage this Christmas and are passing down traditions as well as making new ones.  As for me ... it's time to start spending more time in the kitchen!!

Miss Dottie

PS 

For those of you who watch what you eat, here's the final word on nutrition and health. It's a relief to know the truth after all those conflicting nutritional studies.
1. The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
2. The Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
3. The Chinese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
4. The Italians drink a lot of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
5. The Germans drink a lot of beer and eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

CONCLUSION: Eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is apparently what kills you.

Merrryyyy  Christmassss...
Now bring on some cheer!!!!!