French Canadian Tourtiere Recipe

 

Tourtiere

 French Canadian tradition

for

 Christmas

This recipe makes 3 double crust savoury meat pies.

I use the pastry recipe off of the box of Tenderflake Lard.

Make the pastry ahead of the filling as the dough needs to be in the fridge for an hour before rolling out.

Filling 

2 tsp olive oil

2 cups finely diced onions

3 cloves of garlic

1 cup of finely minced celery

2 pounds ground pork

1 pounds lean ground beef 

1 tsp ground sage spice

1/4 tsp each ground cloves and ground cinnamon spices

1 tsp salt 

1/2 tsp ground pepper

1 cup water

3 cups mashed potatoes

1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley

In a large pot heat the oil and saute onions, celery and garlic until soft.

Add the ground meat and cook until no longer pink.

Drain any fat from the pot.

Add the sage, cloves, cinnamon, salt, pepper and water

Add a lid to the pot and simmer for 30 minutes.

Remove from the heat and add the mashed potatoes and parsley stir well to mix.

Cool on counter.

Roll out the pastry dough thinly and line 3 pie plates 

make sure to save enough dough to top each pie.

Fill each pie with the filling.

Roll out the pastry tops and seal edges.

Cut in some vents in the tops for steam to escape.

(You can use a very small star cookie cutter to make these vents attractive)

Brush pies with egg yolk and milk

bake for 35 - 40 minutes in a 375 degree oven.

If you make these ahead you can freeze the uncooked pies.

remove from freezer, thaw then in a fridge then bake them.

Allow pies to sit on the counter after baking for about 20 minutes before slicing them.

Serve with the condiment of your choice...

HP sauce 

piccallilli

Branston pickle

sweet mustard pickles

Hope you have fun making these tourtiere pies.

They are usually served on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.

Merry Christmas!

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Christmas Traditions

There are many traditions that we embrace over the holidays...

We hang this hand made wreath that was made in the ealy 1960's.

This was made by a friend of my husband's mother.

It has shiny baubles, pine cones, faux holly and vintage rhinestone brooches.

We were fortunate to be given this wreath...

we hang it in The Humble Bungalow dining room every Christmas season.

Christmas is going to be VERY different this year because of the pandemic.

We will be visiting each other via ZOOM and FACE TIME.

Baking and cooking for Christmas occupies a lot of my time

 I am enjoying trying out new recipes.

Sharing Baskets and Food Hampers with family.

We'll be doing driveway drop offs!

With a focus on comfort these days I want to share a super simple pot roast recipe.

Pot Roast with whipped potatoes and peas.

Savoury Pot Roast

3 pound beef blade pot roast

2 Tbsp. oil

1/4 cup wine vinegar

1/4 cup ketchup

2 Tbsp soy sauce ( I use Braggs)

2 Tbsp worcherstershire sauce

1/2 Tsp minced garlic 

1/2 Tsp dry mustard

3 Tbsp flour

1/4 cup water

In a Dutch oven heat oil and brown roast on all sides.

Sprinkle with salt

Combine the rest of the ingredients and pour into pot.

Simmer covered for 2 hours.

Remove to a carving board and cover with foil to rest for 5 minutes.

Make a slurry of  3 Tbsp flour and 1/4 cup of water and shake in a bottle.

Whisk into the fluid left in the pot and thicken and use as a Gravy.

Enjoy!

How are you celebrating the holidays this year?

Are you able to meet in person?

I'll be busy for the next week or so baking and preparing gifts.

Are you ready for Christmas?

Thank you for dropping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

December Vibes

 

The Christmas tree and fairy lights

we've added a few festive touches.

Our decorating has happened much sooner than usual.

Spending most of our time in The Humble Bungalow during the pandemic 

has made us much more aware of our surroundings and we need more Cheer!

Snow capped Mount Baker in the background at Willows Beach.

Walking along the sandy beach listening to the sound of the waves 

gulls calling as they fly overhead.

Walking under sunny skies is preferable to the rain...

unfortunately 

there is rain in the forecast for most of the week

so I will don my new red raincoat and grab a brolly...

Needs Must!

Cooking through Covid is helping me stay focused on comfort food.

Why not make a soothing meal each night for dinner?

Ina has hit the ball right out of the park with this timely cookbook.

The Ultimate Beef Stew recipe is full of flavour and makes a big batch.

Leftovers can easily be frozen for a future meal.

While this stew was simmering in the oven our Bungalow 

sumptuous scents wafted out from the dutch oven.

We were extra hungry by the time it was ready to sit down to dinner!

This wonderfully written book is transporting me back to Tuscany.

Its a delight to read...thank goodness for armchair travel!

Mr HB is busy building our deer fence. 

He installed the 3 panels this past weekend.

The tall cedar posts will be cut down and capped.

Hopefully 

Our roses out front should be safer next Spring and Summer.

We listened to Dr. Bonnie Henry's announcement yesterday and learned that the Covid cases here in BC are showing no bend in the curve...

We are not allowed to gather with friends or family inbdoors or outside.

Fines will be issued if we do not obey the rules.

Christmas will be only allowed for the family that live under one roof...

so we will need to be creative 

meet up remotely via Zoom or FaceTime.

In good news the vaccines are on their way!

How are you holding up during the pandemic?

 What are you reading?

Have you decorated earlier than usual for the festive season?

Stay Safe

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

My Stylish French Box reveal...

I just hopped on to the blog to quickly share the November contents of My Stylish French Box! The luxurious items were themed "holiday chic" and they did not disappoint. Sharon Santoni and her team know their clientele very well.

My favoutite item is a bespoke cashmere and wool wrap.

It is so cozy!

Our weather is colder now so it is perfect for the chilly afternoons and evenings.

I am draping this over my shoulders and don't feel any of the usual drafts in our 100+ year old bungalow.

This lipstick is super moisturizing and luscious.

The box is pretty too and opens up like a flower petal.

The lipsticks are refillable and come in a red velvet pouch.

Emollient balm

Writing paper and a beautiful pen.

Antique crystal drop strung onto a purple velvet ribbon

It can be worn as a necklace or hung in a window to refract the light.

A lovely pouchette to use as a bag or for makeup or whatever you fancy!

I've got to run now as I have a bunch of things that I need to get done.

It surprises me how busy my days are during the pandemic.

The homekeeping chores haven't gone away and despite the fact that we are not entertaining I cannot let the dust bunnies take over.

I've been cooking a ton of new recipes, reading oodles of books, walking, and more recently I have ventured out to the shops to buy gifts for friends and family.

Take care, stay safe.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Adding some festive touches in The Humble Bungalow.

Welcome to The Humble Bungalow

we've started adding a few festive touches a wee bit earlier than usual.

With all the time that we are spending in our home these days...

 why not?

Festive starry candle holder 

a recent purchase from the Victoria Art Gallery gift shop.

I love to decorate with warm creamy white accents.

Sweet white hearts are hung from the knobs on the cupboard.

These were also found at the Art Gallery gift shop.

I think they would be really pretty hung on a tree with all white lights.

Cookie tins and English crackers.

We have no idea if we will be permitted to have our family come over for Christmas with the Covid cases still climbing.

I bought the crackers just in case...

I will drop them off when I pass over the gifts

 if we are not allowed to meet up in person.

The tins will hold cookies and chocolate bark...

which I will start making in a couple of weeks.

Battery powered LED lights add ambiance in The Humble Bungalow Kitchen.

These lights are warm and add festive cheer.

We plan to put up the tree this coming weekend and will pull out some of the other decorations.

Are you decorating for Christmas early this year?

Do you think Christmas will be celebrated differently this year due to lockdown?

Have you started shopping for the holidays?

Are you shopping online or supporting the local small businesses?

I am making a concerted effort to buy local.

I want to see the small shops survive...

it's so sad seeing those that have already closed up shop.

Stay safe and wear your masks!

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~