Mimi's Cretons (Spiced Pork Spread)

 

Every Christmas, I could count on my maternal, Quebecois-raised, grandmother--who I called Mimi--making a handful of favorites:
Christmas Crack, Tourtière, Chocolate Oat Bars, and Cretons. And these were all just foods ready and waiting when we arrived Christmas Eve, so its a wonder we had any room for dinner--especially with the addictive quality of both the Cretons and Christmas Crack! Although, it may have helped that we wouldn't eat dinner until after midnight mass--when we would come home and celebrate my Mother's Christmas birthday with dinner, Bûche de Noël, and presents in the wee hours of the morning. This recipe is adapted from one in a Quebecois cookbook I had given my mother several years ago, and now sits lovingly on my bookshelf.  I highly recommend the cookbook--Made in Quebec: A Culinary Journey, by Julian Armstrong--if only I had the time to cook my way through it!

Mimi's Cretons

Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs. medium-fat Ground Pork
• 1 c. Progresso Bread Crumbs or 2 slices dried bread crumbled
• 1 medium onion, grated
• 1 tsp. Salt
• 1/2 tsp. Pepper, freshly ground
• 1 tsp. ground Cinnamon, or more to taste
• 1/2 tsp. ground Cloves, or more to taste
• 1/2 tsp. ground Sage, or more to taste
• 1/4 tsp. ground Ginger
• 1/25 cups Whole Milk
• Additional Pepper to taste

Directions

1. Place all ingredients in a large saucepan and cook over medium heat for 1 hour, stirring often at first to break up meat.
2. Remove from heat and use masher to breakup meat even more. 
3. Let cool, and transfer to several airtight (freezer-safe) containers. 
4. Refrigerate containers up to 5 days, or freeze up to two months. 

Serve spread on toasted or grilled bread, strong crackers, or bagel or pita chips; or use as a sandwich filling.

Note: Don't use lean pork, to prevent graininess in the final spread.

Photo courtesy of CLC Canada.

Carrot Raisin Pineapple Salad

 

I'm not sure why I was craving this salad recently, but it may have been the rainbow carrots I bought for a holiday recipe and didn't use.  I've adapted this recipe from several different ones I reviewed--partly to fit my taste, but mostly according to ingredients on hand. It was sweeter than I expected, but I was very happy with the result.

Carrot Raisin Pineapple Salad

Ingredients

• 1 can/12 oz. of Pineapple tidbits, drained w/juice reserved
• 1/2 cup Raisins (golden raisins recommended)
• 1 lb Carrots, washed, ends removed (rainbow carrots recommended)
• 1/4 cup Mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup Pineapple Greek Yogurt
• 1/2 tsp grated Ginger
• 1/2 tsp Lemon Juice
• 1 TBL Granulated Sugar
• Salt to taste
• Lemon Zest (optional)

Directions

1. Drain pineapple and add to medium bowl; reserve juice in a small bowl 
2. Soak raisins in reserved pineapple juice
3. Grate carrots into bowl w/pineapple bits
4. Add raisins to carrots/pineapple, discard juice
5. In a small bowl, combine mayo, yogurt, ginger, lemon juice, and sugar
6. Combine with carrot mixture
7. Add salt and lemon zest (optional) to taste.

Keep refrigerated.  Best served after a few hours, when the flavors have had a chance to combine.

Photo courtesy of Betty Crocker