December is the time of year when our oranges are ripe. Like in years past, I’ve used our oranges to make something sweet for holiday gifts. This year, though, I made my umpteen batches of fudge while wearing a little 8 month old in a front carrier. Little fingers and wiggly legs are a distraction, yes, but they added extra sweetness to my Christmas gifts.

Ingredients: 

1 package (16oz) Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 can evaporated milk
1 orange, zested
1/4 c pistachios, chopped
sea salt

Instructions:

First, line a pan with parchment paper. In a double boiler, melt the chocolate. Add the evaporated milk when the chocolate is fully melted. Stir in zested orange peel and chopped pistachios. (You can leave some for sprinkling on the top, or add more zest and pistachios to your liking.) Sprinkle with sea salt. Put in fridge for at least 6 hours to harden. Cut into small squares before serving.

I’ve been remiss in posting lately; this actually has less to do with the fact we have an active and wiggly kid, but more that I only have seedlings in my garden at the moment. My oranges are almost ripe, and radishes are ready to be eaten, so maybe new recipes will inspire me soon.

Alas, I couldn’t skip posting about my favorite holiday: Thanksgiving! We had 18 friends share our table, and like any potluck around here, the food was divine. I made sweet potato gratin, not from our potatoes, but from Gary’s parents’ potatoes which were lovingly mailed to us through the USPS. Although they were unable to join us, the sweet potatoes on our plate were a little taste of our Midwestern family.

Ingredients: 

3 sweet potatoes, peeled
3 Yukon potatoes, peeled
2 c heavy whipping cream
1/4 c butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 T minced fresh rosemary
1 1/2 t fine sea salt
3/4 t freshly ground black pepper
1 1/4 c (packed) coarsely grated Gruyére cheese

Instructions:

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. After peeling the potatoes, use a mandolin to finely slice them (although beware of fingers!). Slice them into a bowl of water so they won’t brown. After this is finished, combine the cream, butter, garlic, salt and pepper in a small pan, heat on the stovetop and bring to a simmer. Take off from heat and set aside.

In a 13×9 baking dish (or large dutch oven, like I used), layer the potatoes, chopped rosemary, and cheese. Pour the cream mixture over the potatoes. Bake uncovered for one hour, or until the top becomes golden brown.