CHRISTMAS 15
CANDIED YAM SOUFFLE
1 stick butter
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
4 cans large yams or sweet potatoes, drained
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 (12-ounce) jar marshmallow topping
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add brown sugar and pecans. Simmer for 3 minutes. Meanwhile, place drained yams in a large bowl and mash finely with a potato masher (leaving some chunked pieces). Pour sugar/pecan mixture over yams. Stir until combined thoroughly. Add in cinnamon and nutmeg. Transfer to a metal pie pan. Top with marshmallow topping. Bake for 15 minutes at 325 degrees F. Remove from the oven and raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees F. Bake for an additional 10 minutes at 400 degrees F to brown the top, watching carefully to keep from over-browning.
CUT-OUT COOKIES
17.5-ounce package dry sugar cookie mix
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or other flavoring
1 cup all-purpose flour
ROYAL ICING
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon meringue powder
Water, for icing consistency
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine the cookie mix with the cream cheese until crumbly. Mix in the eggs and flavoring until well combined. Add enough flour to make a firm dough that can be rolled out. Roll dough out on lightly floured board to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out desired shapes.
Place on ungreased baking sheet and bake for about 8 minutes.
While the cookies are baking, make the icing by combining powdered sugar and meringue powder. Add 1 teaspoon of water at a time until it reaches desired consistency.
Decorate cookies with royal icing. Allow to dry for 1 hour.
NOTE
To make the cookies into ornaments, use a toothpick or chopstick to form a hole in the dough at the top of the design before baking. Make the hole large enough to be sure it doesn't close up during baking. Remember to clear the hole before icing hardens.
HOLIDAY 1 DOUGH, 3 COOKIE RECIPES
BASIC DOUGH
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Coarse sugar, for sugar cookies only
Chocolate and Walnut Cookies, recipe follows
Almond-Orange Cookies, recipe follows
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cloves in a small bowl. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes in a standing mixer or 6 minutes with a handheld beater. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Reduce speed to low, then add flour mixture and mix until just combined.
Form dough into a 12-inch log (2 inches in diameter) on a sheet of plastic wrap and roll up in the plastic wrap. Chill dough in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Cut 1/2-inch thick slices from the log with a sharp knife and arrange on 2 ungreased large baking sheets, about 1-inch apart.
BASIC SUGAR COOKIES
sprinkle generously with coarse sugar and bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned and slightly puffed.
Cool on baking sheets for 3 minutes, then transfer with a metal spatula to racks to cool completely.
CHOCOLATE & WALNUT COOKIES
6 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Make basic dough according to recipe above, but adding the cocoa powder to the flour mixture and folding in the nuts just after mixing the batter. Bake for 15 minutes and then cool on sheets for 3 minutes before transferring to racks to cool completely.
ALMOND-ORANGE COOKIES
1/2 orange, zested
1/2 cup sliced almonds, finely chopped in a blender to a coarse flour consistency
24 teaspoons chunky marmalade
1/2 cup sliced almonds, for topping
Make basic dough according to recipe above, but adding both the orange zest and ground almonds when you add the flour mixture.
When cookies are formed, make a slight depression in the middle and fill each with about 1 teaspoon marmalade. Top each with a good pinch of sliced almonds. Bake for 20 minutes and then cool on sheets for 3 minutes before transferring to racks to cool completely.
WHITE CHOCO CHERRY CHUNK COOKIES
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons milk
1 cup chopped macadamia nuts
1/2 cup candied cherries
1 1/2 cups white chocolate chunks
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In a medium bowl, with electric mixer, cream butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until just combined. Set aside.
Sift together flour, soda, and salt. Add milk to the butter mixture and then add the flour mixture. Mix until just combined.
In another bowl, combine nuts, cherries, and white chocolate. Then add to batter, stirring only to blend. Drop by heaping tablespoons onto a greased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake for approximately 11 to 13 minutes. Cool on wire rack.
LIGHT TRIFLE
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, softened
1-1/3 cups sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
4 egg whites
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/3 cup fat-free evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract, optional
1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup baking cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
PUDDING:
3-1/2 cups cold fat-free milk
2 packages (1.4 ounces each) sugar-free instant chocolate pudding mix
1 carton (8 ounces) frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed
1 candy cane, crushed
In a large mixing bowl, beat butter. Gradually add sugar; beat for 2 minutes. Add the eggs, egg whites, sour cream, milk, vanilla and peppermint extract if desired. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; add to butter mixture just until blended.
Pour into a 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pan coated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
For pudding, in a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mixes for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Crumble the brownies; place half of the crumbs in a 3-qt. bowl or trifle dish. Top with half of the pudding and whipped topping. Repeat layers. Sprinkle with crushed candy cane. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
Yield: 16 servings.
Nutritional Analysis: 3/4 cup equals 267 calories, 9 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 50 mg cholesterol, 352 mg sodium, 40 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 7 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2-1/2 starch, 1-1/2 fat.
SOUTHWESTERN STAR DIP
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup mayonnaise*
1 can (4-1/2 ounces) chopped ripe olives, drained, divided
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies, undrained
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 medium tomato, chopped
1/4 cup chopped green onions
Tortilla chips
In a bowl, combine cheese, mayonnaise, 1/3 cup olives, chilies, garlic powder and hot pepper sauce. Transfer to an ungreased 9-in. pie plate. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Sprinkle tomato on top in the shape of a star; outline with remaining olives. Sprinkle onions around the star. Yield: 2-2/3 cups.
NOTE
Light or fat-free mayonnaise may not be substituted for regular mayonnaise.
RUBY-RED PRETZEL DIP
1 can (16 ounces) jellied cranberry sauce
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup vinegar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cold water
Red food coloring, optional
Pretzels
In a saucepan, combine the first seven ingredients; whisk over medium heat until smooth. Combine flour and cold water until smooth; add to cranberry mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; stir in food coloring if desired. Cover and chill overnight. Serve with pretzels. Yield: 2 cups.
STARRY CHEESE SPREAD
needs to chill
6 cups (24 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
2/3 cup apple juice
2 tablespoons chopped stuffed olives
Sliced pimientos, yellow pepper strips and one stuffed olive slice
In a mixing bowl, beat cheeses, butter, horseradish, apple juice and olives on low speed for 1 minute. Beat on high until almost smooth. Press 3/4 cup into a 4-in. star-shaped mold coated with nonstick cooking spray. Cover and chill for 3 hours or until set. Refrigerate remaining cheese mixture for another use or for the Party Sandwich Tree. Run a sharp knife around mold to loosen cheese spread and unmold. Garnish with pimientos, peppers and olive. Yield: about 3-3/4 cups.
PARTY SANDWICH TREE
11 slices thin rye bread
3 cups Starry Cheese Spread (recipe above) or cheese spread of your choice
Chopped pecans
10 slices deli roast beef, halved
Leaf lettuce
Stuffed olives, halved cherry tomatoes and sliced radishes
Cut each slice of bread into a 3-1/2-in. x 3-in. rectangle, removing crusts. Spread with cheese spread. Cut each rectangle in half diagonally, forming triangles. On a 24-in. x 18-in. serving tray or covered board, form the tree. Near the top, place two bread triangles 1/2 in. apart with 3-in. sides facing. (Leave room at the top of the tray for the Starry Cheese Spread mold if desired.) For the second, third and fourth rows, place two triangles with long sides together to form six rectangles as shown below. Place a triangle on either side of rectangles. Center two remaining triangles under last row for trunk; sprinkle with pecans. Top the rest of the triangles with beef and lettuce. Add olive, tomato and radish “ornaments” with toothpicks. Yield: 22 appetizers.
GELATIN CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS
needs to chill
Maraschino cherries with stems give the look of wire hangers.
3-1/4 cups white grape juice
1 package (6 ounces) lime gelatin
1 package (6 ounces) raspberry gelatin
6 each red and green maraschino cherries with stems
Mayonnaise, sour cream or whipped cream in a can
In a saucepan, bring grape juice to a boil. Place lime gelatin in a bowl; add half of the juice and stir until completely dissolved. Repeat with raspberry gelatin. Pour lime gelatin into six muffin cups (about 1/3 cup in each) coated with nonstick cooking spray. Repeat, filling six more cups with raspberry gelatin. Refrigerate for 4 hours or until firm. Loosen gelatin around the edges with a sharp knife; invert muffin tin onto waxed paper. Use a metal spatula to transfer to serving plates. Fill a small plastic bag with mayonnaise; cut a small hole in corner of bag. Pipe a small circle near one edge of each ornament; place cherry in center. Decorate ornaments with additional mayonnaise if desired. Yield: 1 dozen.
CRANBERRY MEATBALLS
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 teasp. salt
1/8 teasp. pepper
2 eggs, slightly beaten
SAUCE
12 oz. chili sauce
1 cup jellied cranberry sauce
Heat oven to 375°. In large bowl, combine all meatball ingredients; blend well. Shape into 1-inch balls; place in ungreased 15x10x1-inch baking pan.
Bake at 375° for 25-30 minutes or until meatballs are browned and no longer pink in center.
Meanwhile, in large saucepan, combine sauce ingredients; blend well. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low; simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add meatballs to sauce; stir to coat. Cook over medium heat about 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally. Makes 60 meatballs.
Make-Ahead Tip:
Prepare and bake the meatballs up to 24 hours before your party. Cover and refrigerate them. Just before serving, prepare the sauce and heat the meatballs in it.
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