Winter is here..and bringing with it all the good stuff

Clementines, Fresh Chestnuts and Star Shaped Vegan Pretzels

Morning...just wanted to take a moment to post this photo before I get started in the kitchen. My Love surprised me last night with a bag of fresh chestnuts from a Farm Shop. Now usually I have to use tinned chestnuts or vacuum packed chestnuts so these were a very exciting find! lol. My Love drove past this Farm Shop whilst out on the work travels and saw the sign for them and stopping in and found out they stock fresh ones until March! Wehooo! And they were so much cheaper than the canned/packed ones. I feel a chestnut recipe fest coming on. lol 

But nothing says the winter is here and the holiday season is upon us for me then the small but delicious little Clementines...I also love the large Navel oranges you can buy too. But seeing the bowl of chestnuts and the clementines made me smile and think of the christmas holidays from my childhood...me and my cousins with our parents and Grandad and Nan...and then later with my sister and brothers...It's not the presents I remember but the time spent together as a family...which sadly doesn't happen now. And when I think about those times the smells that come with those memories are of oranges and clementines...dates...roasted potatoes and the rich fruit cakes. The horrific smell memory was always the turkey...I never could stomach the smell and always thought it was wrong. Thankfully I haven't had to content with turkey dinner for years... 

The star shaped pretzels are the first buy for the Holidays stash and I think are quite beautiful being a star shaped or snowflake shaped snack. Now I finally accept that the Holidays are upon us and I'm hoping I'll find my Ho Ho Ho soon...because I feel a little Bah Humbug every now and then...lol 

Today I'm making a Cashew Nut Roast, Susan V's Thanksgiving Loaf and a Nut Roast Loaf for the holiday season to go in the deep freeze until needed. Less stress during the holidays is a good thing, no? lol.

The Mystery Ingredient Challenge Recipe will be along later as normal...just felt the need to share these three holiday memory inducing foods..

What foods remind you of Holidays or winters past? And why? I would be happy to hear from you...

~R~