TREATS 4 GIFTS
1 bag butterscotch morsels
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1 can chow mein noodles
1 can redskin peanuts (3-4" high can)
Melt butterscotch and chocolate morsels
in large bowl in microwave. Mix well.
Throw in the entire container of both the
noodles and the peanuts. Stir very well
until completely coated. Scoop in heaping
tablespoons onto wax paper. Let sit until
solidified. Store in refrigerator. Makes
approximately 2-3 dozen.
ITALIAN CHRISTMAS EVE FRIED DOUGH
SCRUPELLE (fried dough) - Made on Christmas Eve.
1/2 cup mashed potato (JUST potato, it should be dry)
1 egg
1 cup whole milk
4 Tablespoons butter (softened, but NOT melted)
1 package dry yeast
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons anise seeds (cleaned)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla (optional)
vegetable oil, for frying
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Start adding flour, a little at a time, and continue
kneading the dough. Keep adding flour until the dough is JUST to the point where it is not
sticky.
NOTE:
keep the flour to a minimum. Knead until smooth. Cover and let dough rise
until double in size.
When doubled in size, punch down the dough, cover it and let it rise again, approximately 1
hour or less.
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and cut the dough into shapes. You can cut
odd shapes (squares, triangles, etc.) or use a doughnut cutter. Place the pieces on lightly
floured cookie sheets and let them rise again. They should rise but not be quite double in
size as they will "puff up" while frying.
Heat vegetable oil to 375 degrees in a deep fryer. Fry a few pieces at a time, turning each
after a minute or two. Fry until brown (~ a few minutes depending on their size). Remove
from the oil and blot them on paper towels.
Let them cool completely and store them on paper towels in an air-tight container, or serve
immediately with granulated sugar, powdered sugar, or cinnamon and sugar.
Makes approximately 3 dozen.
LAYERED CHRISTMAS CHEESE
2 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, softened
1/4 c. butter or margarine
3 tbsp. milk
2 (10 oz.) pkgs. frozen, chopped and drained spinach
2 c. fresh parsley, lightly packed
1/2 c. walnuts, chopped
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. oregano
1 1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
French bread slices to serve
In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, butter and milk until smooth. Set aside. In food
processor, combine spinach, parsley, walnuts, vegetable oil, lemon juice, garlic and seasonings.
Process until smooth. Add parmesan cheese and blend thoroughly.
Line 7 1/2 x 3 1/2 x 2 inch loaf pan with plastic wrap. Spread 1/3 of the cream cheese mixture
evenly in the bottom of pan. Top with 1/2 the spinach mixture spreading evenly. Repeat layers,
ending with the cream cheese mixture.
Cover and refrigerate 3 to 4 hours or overnight. Unmold carefully, remove plastic wrap. Use a
garnish of fresh herbs and pink peppercorns to add a colorful touch to this elegant loaf
CRANBERRY SALSA
1 bag (12 ounces) fresh or frozen cranberries
2 Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup sugar
1 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (optional)
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
In a 3- to 4-quart pot, combine cranberries, apples, onion, sugar, raisins, 2
tablespoons of the water, lime juice, garlic, cumin, and salt. Cook over medium-high
heat until sugar dissolves and liquid begins to boil, stirring constantly.
Reduce heat to medium and simmer 7 minutes. Add bell pepper and simmer 3
minutes or until pepper is crisp-tender and mixture thickens. Remove from heat, stir in
remaining 1/2 cup water, cilantro, if desired, and hot pepper sauce.
Rinse clean jars in hot water and fill immediately with the salsa (jars should be hot so
that they do not crack). Seal jars, allow to cool to room temperature, and refrigerate.
Nonstick cooking spray
1/4 cup refrigerated or frozen egg product, thawed, or 1 egg
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons fat-free milk
2 teaspoons cooking oil
Dash salt
1 tablespoon reduced-sugar orange marmalade
1 tablespoon orange juice or water
1 small banana, sliced
1/2 cup sliced fresh strawberries or fresh blueberries
Preheat oven to 400 degree F. For pancakes, coat two 4-1/4-inch pie plates, 4-1/2-inch foil tart pans, or 10-ounce custard cups with nonstick spray. Set aside.
In a medium bowl use a rotary beater or whisk to beat egg product or egg, flour, milk, oil, and salt until smooth. Divide batter among prepared pans. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes or until brown and puffy. Turn off oven; let stand in oven 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl stir together marmalade and orange juice or water. Add banana and strawberries or blueberries; stir gently to coat. To serve, immediately after removing pancakes from oven, transfer to dinner plates. Spoon some of the fruit into center of each pancake. Makes 2 servings.
EGGNOG CHERRY NUT LOAF
2-1/2 cups flour
3/4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 beaten egg
Homemade Eggnog or 1-1/4 cups dairy eggnog
1/3 cup oil
1/2 cup walnuts or pecans
1/2 cup chopped maraschino cherries
In mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder and 1 teaspoon salt. Mix egg, Homemade Eggnog or dairy eggnog and cooking oil. Stir into dry ingredients, mixing well. Fold in nuts and cherries. Turn into two greased 8x4x2 inch loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes or till done. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove from pan, cool on wire rack. Makes 2 loaves.
HOMEMADE EGGNOG
2 eggs,
1 cup light cream,
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg.
Beat together. Makes 1-1/4 cups.
BUTTERED RUM MIX
1 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. sifted confectioners' sugar
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 pt. softened vanilla ice cream
Boiling water
Cinnamon sticks
Cream first 5 ingredients together with electric mixer. Add ice cream. Cover tightly
and freeze. Mixture will not freeze solid.
To serve,
preheat mugs with hot water. Empty mugs. Put 2 to 4 tablespoons mixture
in each mug. Add 3 tablespoons rum and fill each mug with boiling water. Stir. Serve
with a cinnamon stick. Serves 12-24.
SPICY APPLE EGGNOG
2 beaten eggs
3 cups milk
2 cups light cream
1/3 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
Dash salt
3/4 cup apple brandy
In saucepan, combine eggs, milk, cream, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Cook and stir over
medium heat until slightly thickened and heated through. Remove from heat; stir in
brandy. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Serve hot.
2 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
2 tsp. Worcestershire
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
2 cans smoked oysters, drained & finely chopped
1/2 sm. onion, grated
3 tbsp. mayonnaise
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 c. fresh parsley, chopped
Cream together cream cheese, Worcestershire, garlic powder, onion, mayonnaise and salt.
Spread mixture on waxed paper until it is about 12 x 8 inches and less than 1/2 inch thick. Chill
in refrigerator about an hour. Spread oysters on top of cheese mixture, and roll up into a log.
Roll log in chopped parsley and chill refrigerator for 24 hours before serving. Serve with
crackers.
This is my own recipe that I started about 20 years ago. Big hit with my family. Recipe can be cut exactly in half for smaller crowd.
4 cups of chopped peeled apples ( I prefer tart - but sweet is ok )
1 1/2 cups of chopped celery
1 1/12 cups of chopped onion
1/2 cup of butter
2 teaspoons of salt
2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
** 2 teaspoons of poultry seasoning - or you can use already prepared stuffing mix,
like Peppridge Farms for the seasoning and bread cubes - but DO NOT use Stove Top. Too spicy.
** 12 cups of cubed bread
2 cups raisons (optional)
1 1/2 cups of water
1 egg
In a large skillet, saute apples, celery and onion in butter until slightly soft - about 10 mins. Remove from heat, stir in salt, cinnamon and poultry seasoning. In a large bowl, combine the bread cubes, raisons and apple mixture. Mix egg and water, then slowly drizzle it into bread mixture. Mix well.
Stuff turkey accordingly or can be baked in a glass pan for about 30 mins. at 350 degrees. Cover pan with foil. Remove foil for the last 10 mins to brown top slightly.
YULETIDE BOWL
2 liters vanilla ice cream
1/2 cup chocolate pieces
1/2 cup chopped glaze cherries
1/4 cup chopped marshmallows
1/4 cup raspberry fruit sauce
1/4 cup cooking m & m sweets( miniatures )
Soften 2 liters of vanilla ice cream and stir in all ingredients. Re-freeze and serve with fresh fruits and fruit sauces
CHOCOLATE CHIP GINGERBREAD
2 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons Ground Ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup molasses
1 egg
1 cup boiling water
1 cup chocolate chips
Vanilla Butter Glaze (recipe follows)
Preheat oven to 350°F. Stir flour, cocoa, baking powder, ginger, baking soda and cinnamon in medium bowl; set aside.
Beat butter, sugar and molasses in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat in egg. Add flour mixture alternately with water, stirring just until blended. Stir in chips. Pour into 10-cup Bundt pan that has been sprayed with nonstick baking spray with flour.
Bake 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan 15 minutes. Invert cake onto wire rack. Cool completely. Prepare Vanilla Butter Glaze. Spoon over completely cooled cake. Let stand until set.
VANILLA BUTTER GLAZE
Mix 3 tablespoons butter, melted,
2 1/4 cups powdered,
3 tablespoons water
1 1/2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
mix in medium bowl until well blended and smooth. Let stand 5 minutes.
