QUICK CHRISTMAS TREE BREAD
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, yolk and white separated
3/4 cup (4 ounces) diced dried fruit mix
(or make your own, mixing raisins,
currants, snipped dried apricots, apples,
prunes-whatever's on hand)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice or ground
cinnamon, or 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold, unsalted
butter, cut into small pieces
Granulated sugar
Check to see that one rack is in bottom third of oven and heat oven
to 425
degrees F.
Measure milk in a 2-cup measure, add sugar and egg yolk, stir to mix
well.
Stir in dried fruit. Let stand until ready to use.
Put flour, baking powder, spice, and salt into a large bowl, stir to
mix
well. Add butter and cut in with pastry blender or rub in with
fingers,
until mixture looks like fine granules.
Stir milk mixture and pour over flour mixture. Stir with a fork until
a
soft dough forms. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and
give 10
kneads. (If very sticky, let stand 3 or 4 minutes or add a little
more
flour.) Cut off about one-fourth of the dough. Put remaining dough on
an
ungreased cookie sheet at least 16 inches long. Using both rolling
pin and
fingers, pat and roll dough into a flat triangle about 12 inches long
and 9
inches wide across the bottom. With scissors, make about ten diagonal
cuts
down each long side of the triangle, cutting to within about 1 inch
of the
center.
Shape a small piece of reserved dough into a trunk at bottom of tree
and
remaining dough into a "pot." Dough may now be covered with plastic
wrap
and refrigerated for a couple of hours or frozen for up to 2 weeks.
Bake tree 10 minutes. Beat egg white with a fork until broken up.
Brush
over hot bread, sprinkle with sugar. Bake 5 to 8 minutes longer,
until
light brown. With two spatulas, carefully transfer tree to a wire
rack. If
possible, cool at least 2 hours before serving. Let guests break off
small
pieces.
Yield: 10 to 12 small servings
Mary's SHRIMP BISCUITS
10 ready to cook canned biscuits
Cocktail sauce
Jumbo shrimp (frozen)
Roll to pancake flatness each of the canned biscuits. Spread each with cocktail sauce, wrap around one frozen cooked jumbo shrimp and pin with a cocktail stick. Place in a 450 degree oven for about 8 minutes or until biscuit browns.
SNOWMAN CHEESE BALL
8 oz Softened Cream Cheese (can use low-fat)
5 Cups Powdered Sugar
1/2 tsp. Vanilla
1 bag Flaked Coconut
1/2 cup or so of finely chopped Pecans
Mix Powdered Sugar & Cream Cheese in a bowl. Add Vanilla. Mix well. Add about 1/2 Cup of the coconut. Shape into large ball. (make 3 graduated ones to form an actual Snowman).. Sprinkle (or roll) in remaining coconut. Serve with fruit or graham crackers.
If you choose to make an actual Snowman, you could decorate with mini- M&M's or candies of your choice and get creative to make a hat.
ITALIAN CHRISTMAS CREAM (frozen salad or dessert)
2 medium-sized firm bananas, peeled and sliced
1 cup sliced seedless green grapes
2 cups (16 ounces) sour cream
1 cup coarsely chopped Maraschino cherries
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1/2 cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons grated fresh lemon peel
Lightly coat a 2-quart shallow casserole dish or mold with nonstick spray. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Pour into casserole dish or mold. Freeze overnight. Let stand at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before serving. (Can unmold it onto a serving plate if desired.)
CUT-OUT COOKIE ICING
This icing dries hard and shiny. Choose as many different food colorings as you desire.
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons milk
2 teaspoons light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
assorted food coloring
In a small bowl, stir together confectioners' sugar and milk until smooth. Beat in corn syrup and almond extract until icing is smooth and glossy. If icing is too thick, add more corn syrup.
Divide into separate bowls, and add food colorings to each to desired intensity. Dip cookies, or paint them with a brush.
RUM COOKIES
this recipe is about 80 yrs old
1/2 lb. brown sugar
1/8 pt. dark corn syrup
1/2 tsp rum
3/4 c grated coconut
1 c flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
mix together and form into balls. bake at 350º til lightly brown
CHRISTMAS WREATH FROZEN SALAD
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup maraschino cherries, red, halved
1/2 cup maraschino cherries -- green, halved
20 ounces crushed pineapple -- drained
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 cup whipping cream -- whipped
Combine cream cheese and mayonnaise. Mixing well, stir in cherries, pineapple, pecans and marshmallows. Fold in whipped cream. Pour into 8 cup ring mold. Freeze.
CONFETTI SANDWICHES
1 large can crushed pineapple (drained, reserve juice)
2- 8 oz packages Philadelphia Cream Cheese - room temperature
1 jar maraschino cherries (drained and chopped)
1 cup confectioners sugar
1 loaf white bread
Mix cream cheese, pineapple and cherries with mixer till smooth, add
confectioners sugar. Add some pineapple juice to thin for a spreading consistency. Spread this onto bread. Refrigerate sandwiches until time to serve. *Refrigerate in a sealed plastic container and place a slightly damp paper towel on top. This will keep the bread from drying out.* Cut into quarters when ready to serve!
CUCCIDATI, ITALIAN FIG & DATE COOKIES
CRUST
3/4 cup margarine
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
Rind of 1 orange
4 teaspoons orange juice
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
FILLING
1 string of figs
8 ounces raisins
8 ounces brown sugar
1 pound walnuts
1 pound dates
1 orange
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 ounces whiskey
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 cups water
FROSTING
3 cups powdered sugar
4 ounces butter
Orange juice
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
CRUST
In large bowl, cream together first 3 ingredients. Add orange juice and orange rind. In separate bowl, combine flour and baking powder. Add to creamed mixture along with vanilla.
*FILLING
Prepare several days ahead of time. In a food grinder, grind figs and raisins. In large saucepan, simmer raisins and figs with brown sugar and water for 15 minutes. Grind walnuts, dates, and orange. Stir into hot mixture along with cinnamon, black pepper, and whiskey. Remove from stove, mix well, cover, and let mellow for 3 days.
NOTE
This recipe makes enough filling for 2 batches of crust and can be divided and frozen for up to six months.
Roll dough into 3-inch wide strips on pastry cloth. Lay filling down the center and wrap dough to form a long "sausage-like" cookie. Roll back and forth until crust seems very thin. Cut in diagonal about every 1 1/2 inches. Place on cookie sheet close together and bake for 10-13 minutes. Cookies should be barely brown. Cool and store in tins 5 days, then frost.
FROSTING
In medium bowl, mix together margarine and powdered sugar until well blended. Add enough juice to make a thick glaze. Top cookies with a thin coat. Let frosting dry a couple of hours then store in tins as follows.
To Store:
Line tins with foil, place a layer of cookies, then a layer of wax paper (NOT plastic wrap). Keep repeating, ending with foil and then the lid.
*NOTE:
You have to make the filling 3 days ahead.
SCOTTISH CHRISTMAS PUDDING (CARROT PUDDING)
1 1/3 cups carrots - grated or put through meat grinder
1 1/3 cups potato - grated or put through meat grinder
1 1/3 cups suet
1 1/3 cups sugar - dark brown
1 1/3 cups raisins
1 1/3 cups currants
1/4 cup peel - glazed
1 1/3 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup milk ( sour ) or water
Add the baking powder, cinnamon and cloves to the flour. Stir in the first 7 ingredients.
Put soda and Vanilla into the water/milk mix thoroughly combine with the flour mixture. Mix thoroughly.
Put in a greased oven-proof glass bowl, put in steamer. Steam for 4 hours and Keep water boiling.
Top with Pudding sauce
PUDDING SAUCE
1 1/3 Cups Sugar - white
3 Heaping tablespoons Cornstarch
Water - cold (1 - 2 Tablespoons)
1/2 teaspoon Butter
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
4 - 5 Cups Water - Boiling
Optional:
Dash Cinnamon & Nutmeg
Combine sugar and cornstarch. Moisten with cold water just enough to blend. Put on heat and add boiling slowly until desired consistency. Add butter, Vanilla and cinnamon
NOTE
to make milk sour remove 1 Tbs of milk and add 1 Tbs of lemon Juice or Vinegar. Do NOT use electric mixer it will chop all the fruit and burn out your mixer!
CHRISTMAS TREE VEGGIE PIZZA ~ COPIED
2 8-oz. cans Pillsbury Refrigerated Crescent Dinner Rolls
1 8-oz package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
3 cups finely chopped assorted vegetables (bell peppers, broccoli, carrot, cucumber, and/or green onions)
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Remove dough from cans in rolled sections (2 sections from each can); do not unroll. Cut each section into 8 slices (16 slices from each can).
Place slices, cut side down, on ungreased cookie sheets to form trees. To form each tree, start by placing 1 slice for top; arrange 2 slices just below, with sides touching. Continue arranging a row of 3 slices, then a row of 4 slices, ending with a row of 5 slices [it should look like a triangle-shaped tree]. Use the remaining slice for the trunk. Refrigerate 1 tree.
Bake 1 tree at 375 degrees for 11-13 minutes, ro until golden brown. Cool 1 minute, carefully loosen with spatula and slide onto wire rack to cool. Bake and cool second tree.
Place each tree on a platter. In small bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream, dill, and garlic powder. Mix until smooth. Spread the mixture over both trees. Decorate the trees with assorted vegetable pieces. efrigerte until serving time. To serve, just pull apart the slices of the tree.
Note: The trees are decorated with broccoli florets, carrot coins, cubes of red and yellow peppers, etc. It's topped with a star cut from a yellow pepper, and matchstick strips of red pepper zigzag across as the "garland."
The recipe also notes that you can use reduced-fat refrigerated crescent rolls and reduced-fat cream cheese and sour cream.
SWEET POTATO SHEPARD'S PIE
2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon light butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 large carrot, diced
2 cups white button mushrooms, wiped clean
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons steak sauce
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup beef broth
1 pound turkey thighs, roasted and shredded, skin removed (can use turkey meat of your choice)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place the sweet potatoes into a nonstick saucepan. Cover with cold water. Bring to a simmer and cook until fork tender. Drain well. Mash with potato masher. Add buttermilk, cinnamon, and light butter and continue mashing until well blended. In a separate nonstick saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add carrot and mushrooms and continue sauteing for 1 minute or until the mushrooms are soft. Add tomato paste and steak sauce and mix until well blended. Sprinkle flour into the mixture. Mix with a wooden spoon until the flour has absorbed all of the moisture. Slowly pour the beef stock into the mixture and stir to blend completely. Add the shredded turkey and simmer until the sauce is thick. Pour the turkey mixture into a 2-quart casserole dish. Top with the sweet potato mixture. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the sweet potatoes are slightly browned.
