Food Friday: Home-cooking on the east coast for the holidays

The holidays have a way of sneaking up on us sometimes. Next thing you know, there are a lot of cookie swaps going on, fruit cakes in stores and chocolate, chocolate, chocolate... everywhere!

I checked in with some Red Crossers to find out what’s on their plates for the holidays. Canadian Red Cross Emergency Response Unit delegate, Lynn Henderson, is sharing the recipe for her family tradition – homemade bagels.

“We have always eaten bagels, cream cheese, and smoked salmon for Christmas morning breakfast,” says Lynn. “The last couple of years I have been making the bagels. We do them the night before. Now that we live on the east coast, we have added local, smoked haddock to the menu as well, and last year our Christmas dinner was lobster. Very non-traditional, but very fun for us former Ontarians.”

Lynn Henderson and her family are ready for the holidays.

You’ll need:
1-1/3 cups warm water, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp oil, 1 tsp salt, 4 cups flour (Lynn usually inlcudes 2 cups white, 2 cups whole wheat), 2 tsp instant yeast

Here’s what you do:

• Mix all ingredients in bowl
• Knead the dough for 10 minutes
• Separate into 8 balls
• Let rest 20 minutes
• Form into bagels 
• Let rise 20 minutes
• Place in boiling water, 1 minute on each side
• Add seeds to the top if desired
• Bake on greased cookie sheet at 450 degrees F for 10 minutes on each side.

 That’s it! Good luck with your bagels. Happy holidays!