“As we express our gratitude we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” John F. Kennedy
Life is a gift. Each day is precious. We are all busy. Folks ask me how I am. I reply, “Oh, just busy.” Wrong answer. So, I have been working on taking care of my family by telling them I love them and also in showing them. Yes, we have work and to-do lists we have to attend to but we must remember what is important—people. There are ones we love that won’t be around forever. The ones who anger us and the ones who make us smile. We realize it is wonderful to make memories with family.
Can you feel Christmas? On Christmas day the warmth, bustle of the kitchen and the rich aroma of cooking permeates the house. It is time for both thankful reflection and joyful feasting. A part of the holiday is the cherished memory of Christmas dinner with friends and family. Enjoying a meal while remembering, exploring and celebrating a shared spiritual heritage adds even greater value to those treasured times. The soul of Christmas dinner is the sweet comfort of fellowship. These are the true blessings of life.
A part of Christmas is the cherished memory of baking traditional foods. (I always think about adding a new recipe each year, but I never do.) The Christmas table is a place where food is the foundation of a meaningful gathering creating memories for generations to come.
As I am writing my Christmas dishes and baking dishes are in the dish washer. Holidays are a wonderful time to get busy in the kitchen. No holiday would be complete without the delicious baked goods that make every occasion special.
During the year folks have asked again and again for the baklava recipe. Baking baklava is a stroll down memory lane as I head for the kitchen to create holiday memories.
Baklava recipe
1/8 pound nuts, ground
1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon
1 ½ pounds nuts, chopped
1 pound Filo
¾ pound butter
Syrup
1 cup sugar
16 ounces honey
slice of orange peel
1 cup water
cinnamon stick
slice of lemon peel
Prepare syrup first to give it time to cool. Place sugar, water, honey, cinnamon, and bring to boil. Add slices of lemon and orange to pan. Boil for about 15 minutes. Cool completely before using.
While syrup cools, melt butter in saucepan, set aside. In a large bowl, mix together walnuts, sugar and cinnamon. Using a 14×20” pan, butter bottom and sides with melted butter, using a brush. Place six sheets Filo in bottom of pan, buttering every two as you layer them, Filo should come up over sides of pan. Sprinkle a thin layer of walnut mixture over this, layer with another 2 Filo, butter Filo and sprinkle with more walnuts, layering in this fashion until all the mixture is used up. Top with 6 more Filo sheets, buttering each as before. Place pan in refrigerator for about ten minutes so butter can solidify (this makes Filo easier to cut). When ready, using a sharp knife, cut pastry in diamond shape (before baking). Place pan in a pre-heated 375degree oven and bake for 1 hour. Filo should be golden brown. (depending on stove).
Remove from oven and pour cold syrup over top of hot Baklava, immediately.
Allow to set for a few hours for syrup to be absorbed.
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