Archive for December, 2008

These cookies are a holiday favorite in my family – and the source of much debate over which version is better -  the pecan or coconut. Coconut gets my vote!

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter or margarine
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 c. flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 egg whites
• 2 c. finely chopped pecans or coconut

Directions

Cream butter, sugar, egg yolks and vanilla. Mix flour and salt into creamed mixture. Chill dough. Roll 1 tsp. of dough into balls. Dip in slightly beaten egg whites then roll in nuts or coconut. Place on baking sheet and press finger into center of each. Bake in 350 degree F. oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Fill cooled cookies with tinted butter cream frosting.

The extra Vitamin C and soothing warmth of this tea makes it a great homemade gift for your friends and family during cold and flu season.  This recipe is easily doubled or tripled and can be made with sugar-free ingredients if you choose.

Ingredients

2 cup Tang

1 cup instant tea (no sugar)

1-1/2 cup sugar

1 pkg. lemonade mix

1 tsp. ground cloves

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Directions

Mix together and store in a jar. To make a single serving, use 2-3 heaping tsp. per 6 oz. cup or to taste. Add boiling water or ice water to serve cold.

Ingredients

·         4 cups granulated sugar

·         2 (5 ounce) cans evaporated milk (1 1/3 cup total)

·         1 cup butter

·         1 (12 ounce) package semisweet chocolate pieces (2 cup)

·         1 (7 ounce) jar Marshmallow Crème

·         1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

·         1/2 cup coarsely broken peppermint candies

Directions

Line a 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan with foil, extending foil over edges of pan. Butter foil and set pan aside. Butter the sides of a heavy 3-quart saucepan. In the saucepan, combine sugar, evaporated milk and butter. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until mixture boils. Reduce heat to medium and continue cooking and stirring for 10 minutes.

Remove pan from heat. Add chocolate pieces, Marshmallow Crème and peppermint extract. Stir until chocolate melts and mixture is combined. Beat by hand for 1 minute. Spread into prepared pan. Sprinkle with peppermint. Score into 1-inch pieces while warm. Cover and chill.

When fudge is firm, use foil to lift it out of the pan. Cut into squares. Store in tightly covered container in the refrigerator. Makes about 4 pounds (96 pieces).

Make this recipe ahead and freeze; then get them out the night before Christmas for a tasty snack in the morning. The bananas keep these muffins moist and delicious.

Muffin Ingredients

·         2 cups all-purpose flour

·         1 cup sugar

·         1 teaspoon baking powder

·         1 teaspoon salt

·         1/2 teaspoon baking soda

·         1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

·         2 eggs

·         1 cup sour cream

·         1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

·         2 medium ripe bananas (1 cup)

  Streusel Ingredients

·         1/4 cup sugar

·         3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

·         1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

·         2 tablespoons butter or margarine

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. In a small bowl beat eggs, sour cream, butter and bananas; stir into dry ingredients just until  moistened. Fill greased or paper lined muffin cups three-fourths full. For streusel, combine sugar, flour and cinnamon in a small bowl; cut in butter. Sprinkle over muffins. Bake at 375F for 20 to 25 minutes.

During the busy holiday season, this simple recipe works overtime – one great dinner plus sandwiches when you don’t have time to fix something else.

 INGREDIENTS

·     1/4 (10 pound) fully-cooked ham

·     2 tablespoons and 2-1/2 teaspoons brown sugar

·     1 tablespoon and 1-1/4 teaspoons apricot jam

·     1/4 teaspoon dry mustard powder

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. Place the ham cut side down onto a sheet of aluminum foil. I like to put the shiny side up. Mix together the brown sugar, apricot jam and mustard powder in a small bowl. Brush onto the ham using a pastry or barbeque brush. Reserve any leftover glaze. Enclose the foil around the ham and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 2 hours in the preheated oven, or if you ham is a different size, figure 14 minutes per pound. Apply the remaining glaze 20 minutes before the ham is done and leave the foil off so the glaze can carmelize slightly.

A fun non-edible recipe to make with children during the holidays. It smells wonderful and can be used as tree ornaments or package decorations.

Ingredients

·         1 cup cinnamon

·         2 T. pumpkin pie spice

·         3/4 cup applesauce

·         3 T. Elmer’s Glue

Directions 

Mix spices and applesauce until a moist dough is formed. Then add glue and mix until smooth. If crumbly, add more glue. Sprinkle a flat surface with cinnamon, then roll out the dough with a rolling pin to cookie thickness. Cut out with seasonal cookie cutters. Make a small ribbon hole with a straw. Allow to air dry, turning over once. When fully hardened, pull ribbon through hole.

Talk about advertising that works – the mere taste of this Chex mix reminds me of their retro holiday commercial showing the family Christmas gathering because it is so much like my own memories – right down to my mom’s cat-eyed glasses.

 Hot and Spicy Chex Mix

·         3 cups Corn Chex cereal

·         3 cups Wheat Chex cereal

·         3 cups Rice Chex cereal

·         1 cup pretzels

·         1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

·         2 to 3 teaspoons red pepper sauce

·         1 cup mixed nuts

·         1 cup bite-size cheese crackers

·         1/2 stick margarine

·         1 1/4 teaspoons seasoned salt

Heat oven to 250^oF. Melt margarine in large roasting pan in oven. Stir in seasonings. Gradually stir in remaining ingredients until evenly coated. Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread on paper towels to cool. Store in airtight container.

These little bite size treats look very festive and taste great.

Ingredients

• 2 pints cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 pound cooked shrimp – peeled and deveined
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Cut the top off each cherry tomato, and scoop out the pulp. Place the tomatoes upside down on paper towels to drain. In a food processor, mix the shrimp, cream cheese, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, horseradish, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Blend until smooth. With a pastry bag, pipe the shrimp mixture into the cherry tomatoes. Garnish with parsley, and refrigerate until serving.

This twist on the traditional eggnog will shake up your next holiday gathering!

Ingredients

• 2 oz. Eggnog
• 1- ¼ oz. Triple Sec
• 1 oz. Vanilla Vodka
• ¼ oz. Vanilla liqueur
• Green maraschino cherry for garnish

Combine ingredients with cracked ice and shake well. Strain into chilled martini glasses. Garnish with a cherry.

Like miniature pecan pies, these cookies are a bite-sized tradition during the holidays.

Ingredients

• 6 oz. pkg. cream cheese
• 1 cup butter
• 2 cups sifted flour
• 2 T. butter
• 1-1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
• 1 T. vanilla
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 2 eggs
• 1-1/3 cups broken pecans

Directions

Cream softened cream cheese and butter together. Blend in flour. Chill dough at least 1 hour.

Cream 2 T. butter and brown sugar together. Add salt, vanilla and eggs and beat well to make filling.

To form cookies, make 48 balls of chilled dough; press into bottom and sides of greased mini muffin tins. Sprinkle each of the cookies with chopped pecans, place 1 tsp. of filling on top of pecans, then sprinkle with a few more pecans. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from tins immediately.