Christmas Dinner & Memories of Bethlehem

Despite the never-ending shopping trips and the constant chores mom creates for all, (mom treats the day as if it is Jesus being born at our home) I mean whsol cleans under and over every nook and cranny despite all that Christmas preparation is my favorite.

Growing up, Christmas day was often done at my grandparent’s house. The table was set in the center of the house with an abundance of chairs to make room for all. The menu was traditional Palestinian food. Usually, stuffed chicken or lamb, grape leaves, salads, spice scented rice jeweled with nuts and minced meat, eid soup, and so much more. Amto Aida would always give us chocolate santas imported from Germany, socks, and pjs.

My earlier recollections of Christmas go back to my father’s mysterious closet (the one that held all of our Christmas goodies that we were not allowed to open until Christmas) I also vividly remember spending the whole day decking the house with golden string, lights and ornaments, and most importantly, the olive wood manjor that my dad got in Bethlehem. Falling asleep to the flickering lights from the Christmas tree and the plastic Santa who was carefully watching was one of my favorite memories. As young kids, Santa’s rosy cheeks and jolly spirit became alive in our dreams.

My sister Reem and I always had matching outfits for the holidays. My mom saved this red dress and all my 3 girls wore it once for Christmas.

My 2 brothers and sister Reem. My baby sister Zaina wasnt born at the time infront of our Christmas tree.

As you can imagine, Christmas in Bethlehem, was a major event. The streets are all strung with Christmas lights, and there are Christmas markets, plays, and choirs from all over the world coming to perform at the Manger Square. Other events special to Bethlehem consisted of multiple services and processions led by the many different Christian denominations.

My family and I often went to the church tree lighting.The church bells rang loud and proud so all people would know of the major events taking place. As the years went by, the light of the tree in Bethlehem dimmed and the magic slowly disappeared. Palestine was occupied, and the celebrations and the decorations slowly disappeared during the Intifada. Even though there were years where we couldn’t see the tree lighting of the Christmas because there simply was no tree, it stood tall and strong in the memory of all who believe of hope, peace and tree lighting once again.

Today I long for the tree lighting in Bethlehem, for the celebrations at Manger Square, for my home, for my grandmothers food and moms cookies, for chocolate Santa from amto and for Christmas in Palestine.

Pictures of the Church of the Nativity in Bethelehm that I took on my last trip.

Christmas Dinner Menu:

• Stuffed chicken https://www.almondandfig.com/single-post/2019/04/23/Dajaj-chicken-Mahshi-stuffed-with-Freekeh

• Ruz hashweh https://www.almondandfig.com/single-post/2019/04/04/Hashweh

• Eid soup with mastic and meatballs https://www.almondandfig.com/single-post/2019/01/30/Homemade-Chicken-Stock

• Dawali or stuffed tomatoes

https://www.almondandfig.com/single-post/2019/12/22/Bulgur-Herb-Mahshi-Tomatoes

• Baba ghanouj it’s moms must have

• Sfeeha Meat Pies

https://www.almondandfig.com/single-post/2019/12/11/Sfeeha-Meat-Pies-Holiday-Edition

My moms Christmas spice cookies

https://www.almondandfig.com/single-post/2019/12/23/My-Moms-Spice-Cookies

Khalto's Ghraybeh

https://www.almondandfig.com/single-post/2019/12/14/White-Chocolate-and-Rose-Ghraybeh

#christmas #christmasinbethlehem #bethlehem #palestinianfood #palestinianchristians #christ #christmasmenu

My Mom's Spice Cookies

If I would leave one cookie for Santa it will be this fruit and spice cookie. It’s the flavors of my childhood it’s the smell we woke up to on Christmas morning. My mom made these cookies our whole

entire lives during Christmas time. Although no one knows how the recipe came about I am pretty sure it’s adapted from the German spice cookie. My mom called them the “Rock” or kuchen. After much discussion into this I found that Kuchen was the name Palestinian Christian families adapted from the German cookie “Lebkuchen” which is a traditional German cookie that is usually baked for Christmas. Its like a gingerbread cookie soft and cakey, loaded with warm spices and citrus peel. All of the flavors blend together so nicely and to me tastes like the holidays.

My mom learned these cookies from my aunt Aida. You see my aunt Aida taught at the Lutheran school where both my mom then later I and my siblings went in the old city of Jerusalem. So we believe that's how this cookie came about. The German influence came from the German language teachers that taught at our school at the time.

I just changed the dried fruit of the typical bright green and red candied cherries that my mom used, to dried cherries, apricots, and figs. The cookie is often flavored with rum, warm spices like all spice, cinnamon, ginger & nutmeg.

Everyone has a specific taste of the holidays. Mine is this spice soft and cakey cookie that filled our home growing up with warm aromas and now it fells my heart and connects me with home.

Recipe

Serving 24 cookies

moms recipe card.. she typed all her recipes

Ingredients:

2 cups flour sifted

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp cardamom

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp salt

1 egg

1/2 cup softened unsalted butter

3/4 cup walnuts chopped

2/3 cup sugar

Zest of one orange

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

3/4 cup mixed dried fruit or you can use one kind (figs, Cherries or cranberries and apricots) my mom used candied red and green cherries

2 tbls orange juice

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350

Mix together the dry ingredients

Beat the sugar with the butter, add the egg, and the vanilla

Slowly add the dry ingredients until it’s all incorporated. Stop few times and scrape the bowl.

Add the nuts and dried fruit

Mix to make sure all incorporated

Let the dough rest for half hour

Shape into a ball (golf ball size)

Place on a parchment sheet spacing the cookies 1/2 inch apart Bake for 15 min until they are set but slightly soft in the center Store in an airtight container for a week or so

#cookies #spicecookie #christmascookies #germancookie

Bulgur & Herb Mahshi Tomatoes

During this busy and festive time of the year it's important to take time to think about what the holidays really mean. For many of us, that means celebrating culture-based traditions with our loved ones many of which revolve around delicious food!

Stuffed meats and vegetables “Mahshi” are the anticipated dishes during the holidays growing up in Palestine. They are made with patience and love and fill your home with the most delicious aromas.

The word mahshi in Arabic means “stuffed” so bandoura mahshi would mean stuffed tomatoes. Arabs in general and especially Palestinians love to stuff anything from meats to vegetables. We even stuff our meats with stuffed vegetables ;). Stuffed vegetables are definitely one of my favorites. From zucchini, to eggplants, carrots, onions, cabbage, grape leaves, potatoes, tomatoes and even cucumbers can be stuffed.

For Christmas dinner it’s often eggplants, squash and stuffed grape leaves. But since I am hosting Christmas dinner and cooking solo I could use all the help I can get. Tomatoes are so easy to hallow out and the stuffing is so simple to make & so versatile. I stuffed my tomatoes with a bulgur herb filling but if you are using rice on your holiday table incorporate that instead of the bulgur, I have done freekeh and orzo before its delicious too. Tomatoes are so festive and their vibrant color is so fit for the Christmas dinner table.

Traditions are part of what keeps us in tune with our culture, they remind us of great memories. Cooking some of the traditional dishes from my home growing up keeps their memory alive especially when I share them with Others.

The holidays are the perfect time to gather with loved ones and celebrate with delicious food that means so much to us.

No matter what culture, the traditions of food are almost always central in connecting family, friends and community.

Servings: 4 as a main course or 8 as a side dish

Filling Ingredients:

8 vine ripened tomatoes about 2 pounds

2 cups of cooked coarse bulgur (cooked according to package)

2 garlic cloves minced

1 small onion diced

1 cup halloumi cheese, nabulsi, feta, or fresh mozzarella

3 tbls fresh minced parsley

3 tbls fresh minced mint

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp Aleppo pepper

2 tbls pine nuts

1/4 cup olive oil

Juice of one lemon

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375F

Make the bulgur according to package instructions

Sauté the diced onions and garlic in 2tbls of olive oil until translucent about 5 min

While the bulgur cooks prep the tomatoes

Cut the tops off.

Using a pairing knife make a round incision leaving a boarder

With a small spoon carefully hollow out the tomatoes (seeds and all) set aside we will make the sauce out of that

Prep the filling:

Combine the cooked bulgur, sautéed onions, garlic and all the filing ingredients

Season with salt, pepper, Aleppo pepper, and lemon juice to taste.

Season the tomatoes with salt and pepper

In a baking dish add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to coat the baking dish, add the juice and pulp of all the tomatoes that we hallowed out. If you have big chunks make sure you give them a rough chop.

Fill the tomatoes with the bulgur mixture. Add them in a single layer on top of the tomatoes sauce bake at 375 degrees for 35-45 minutes until tomatoes are cooked through and cheese is slightly melted.

Serve with the pan sauce.

#vegetarian #stuffedvegtables #stuffedtomatoes #mahshi #christmasdinner