Advent 2023 - Day 24

[wiseheart]

This year also Christmas Eve; odd, but that's moving feasts for you. So, let me get this off my chest:

Blessed Christmas everyone! :)

This is our Christmas tree this year; a completely crafty one for a change. Every single item was hand-made by yours truly:
(The image is a bit blurred; illumination wasn't optimal when it was taken.)



And this year's biscuit spread (sans the Ischler and the Vanillekipferl that were already gone yesterday), also hand-made by me:



Other than that, it was a quiet day. Mum got half a dozen phone calls from friends and family (it is also our shared name-day; we both have the same given name) and I worked really hard to make a true, fancy Christmas dinner - with mixed results. The cranberry sauce I made for the first time in my life turned out very yummy and so did the red cabbage with raisins and apples. But the chicken I stuffed and baked in the oven... well, obviously, it wasn't a real one but a fake one, made of rubber or whatnot. It cooked it for an hour and a half, and when I took it out of the oven, it looked great... but couldn't be eaten. It was tough as leather. We scratched out the stuffing and binned the rubber chicken in its entirety, which never happened before.

Well, at least I know never to buy chicken with the label "excellent for making chicken soup" again. I assume this special chicken soup must be simmering for at least 48 hours or whatnot. Although there are some kinds of rubber that get tougher when cooked, so I'm not sure hat would work, either. :((

I also worked a bit on the snowman page in the morning. At least something that turned out the way it was supposed to. *sigh*

Comments

[artemis10002000]

Merry Christmas! I have been busy all afternoon and early evening with the turkey.

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

I've never tried my luck with a turkey. Too big for just two people. But if you have an idiot proof recipe to try I might make an attempt next year.

[artemis10002000]

I don't know if you would consider it that since it has many steps of using different heat settings, but I like it (and it also keeps dad occupied for a few hours, and providing him with entertainment is my main duty for these weeks, so I'm always glad for something)

https://www.chefkoch.de/rezepte/941151199708978/Reginas-Pute.html

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Different heat settings make it unsuitable for me, unfortunately. My oven has exactly two settings: high and low. :(

[artemis10002000]

Sounds like our previous oven. Alas.

[chocolate-frapp.livejournal.com]

Sorry about the shitty chicken but those cookies look amazing!

Merry Christmas!

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

I've never had to throw out an entire meal! Ever! :(
This is why I prefer baking to cooking.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

[mirasaui.livejournal.com]

The tree, with all your handmade ornaments, is lovely, and the tray of cookies (what we call them here) is so impressive. I really could not picture how many different varieties you bake until seeing them all together, and I know that does not include every type.

So sorry about your dinner, how frustrating! I've never had much luck cooking chicken, it always comes out too dry. Luckily, you have those wonderful cookies to fall back on, a treat in itself!

Wish both you and your Mum a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Actually, I find the word "cookie" much better, since "biscuit" means sponge cake in Hungarian, just like in German. But I was taught British English, so I tend to use their expressions. ;))

[adafrog.livejournal.com]

{{{hugs}}}
Happy Christmas Eve

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Thanks, wish you the same! *hugs back*

[adafrog.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

[red-day-dawning.livejournal.com]

Merry Christmas! Hope you have a wonderful festival season!

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Quiet and mostly lonely, as always. At least I had some friends coming over to pick up their cookies.

[elwenlj.livejournal.com]

Oh no! I'm so sorry the chicken was a fail. I hope you managed to salvage something of your day.

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Well, we had all the side dishes, which were excellent. But I'm still very sad about the rubber chicken.

[akane42me.livejournal.com]

Wishing you a most Merry Christmas!
Your cookies look absolutely gorgeous and delicious. So sorry the special name day meal was a disappointment:( After all the work you put in for it.
I have been traveling so now that we are home again I will get caught up with your posts!

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

I'm always glad to hear from you. :)

[noadvertising.livejournal.com]

Oops, you tried to roast a boiling hen? Turns into rubber, indeed! My aunt used to buy those, cook them then cut the meat into tiny pieces and serve it in American dressing, which was ketchup and mayo mostly.
I wish I had bought red cabbage, but had only white one...

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

I must ruefully admit, I didn't even know there was a difference...