Cherished Christmas Memories--and the Recipes that Bring Them

Take a heap of child-like wonder

That opens up our eyes

To the unexpected gifts in life—

Each day a sweet surprise.

Mix in fond appreciation

For the people whom we know;

Like festive Christmas candles,

Each one has a special glow.

Add some giggles and some laughter,

A dash of Christmas food,

(Amazing how a piece of pie

Improves our attitude!)

Stir it all with human kindness;

Wrap it up in love and peace,

Decorate with optimism, and

Our joy will never cease.

If we use this healthy recipe,

We know we will remember

To be in the Christmas spirit,

Even when it's not December.

Tacey’s Hot Cocoa
Modified from “The Mitford Cookbook”

1 10.5 oz bag semi sweet chocolate chunks
1-2 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder
1 Can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 Cup Boiling Water
¾ Cup Granulated Sugar
A Pinch or two of Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla
4 Cups Milk, Scalded

• In a heavy saucepan, melt chocolate chunks, with the cocoa, condensed milk boiling water sugar and salt.


• When the chocolate is melted and the ingredients well combined, remove from heat and let syrup cool.


• To make the hot chocolate, warm milk and vanilla on medium heat until milk is scalded.


• Add 8 tablespoons of syrup and stir until well combined. Delicious! (served with whipping cream, pictured above)

Michelle's One Hour Cinnamon Rolls

*This recipe makes 4 cookie sheets worth of rolls! If you are just making the rolls for your family definately cut the recipe by half.

Mix and let rest for 15 min:

3 1/2 c warm water

1 c oil

6 Tbsp dry yeast

3/4 cup sugar

Then Add:

1 Tbsp Salt

10 1/2 c flour

3 eggs beaten

• Mix and shape immediately into rolls: roll out dough to a thin layer; sprinkly generously with sugar and cinnamon (can add raisins) roll up like a jelly roll. Cut into individual rolls and place each roll on a greased cookie sheet.
• Let rise 10 minutes
• Bake at 400-425 degree oven for 10-12 minutes (ovens differ).
• Place on a cooling rack

Glaze:

1 stick margarine or butter

1/2 cup milk

1 lb powdered sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Leah--Easy Fudge

Combine chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk in a bowl and heat in the microwave for 1 -2 minutes or until chocolate is melted.

Add walnuts and stir all together.

Pour into a baking dish and refrigerate overnight.

Alice--Microwave Cranberry sauce

• 2 cups fresh whole cranberries
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• grated rind of 1/2 orange

Mix all ingredients together in large bowl, cook in microwave on high abut 5 minutes or until cranberries "pop". Chill

Michelle's Caramel Corn

1 stick butter

1 cup light karo syrup

2 cups brown sugar

1 tsp salt

Cook until sugar is dissolved. (Michelle cooks to ~240 degrees). Pour over 3 quarts of popped corn.

Gayle -CARAMEL SAUCE (LA Times)

1 cup sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
½ cup heavy cream at room temperature
¼ tsp sea salt

1. Place sugar, lemon juice and ¼ cup water into a large pot. On medium-high, bring to a boil, stirring occasionally


2. Cook until turns a deep bronze, about 8 minutes
   Remove from heat


3. Pour in the cream all at once--it will bubble and froth up
   Add salt and stir with a wooden spoon until smooth and stopped boiling.


4. Cool
   

Doris Lassen--Hot Fudge Sauce (Martha Stewart Revised)
3 cups cream
2/3 cup corn syrup
2 17.7-oz Belgium milk chocolate
¾ of 17.7-oz bar Belgium bittersweet chocolate

Bring cream and corn syrup to a boil, stirring constantly
Remove from heat and add broken up chocolate and stir until melted and smooth
Serve warm over ice cream or as fondue

THANKSGIVING themed dishes

May your stuffing be tasty
May your turkey plump,
May your potatoes and gravy
Have nary a lump.
May your yams be delicious
And your pies take the prize,
And may your Thanksgiving dinner
Stay off your thighs!
~Author Unknown

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SCALLOPED YUKON GOLD AND SWEET POTATO

GRATIN WITH FRESH HERBS

~EMILY

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds medium Yukon Gold potatoes
1 1/2 pounds medium red-skinned sweet potatoes

2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh Italian parsley
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon minced fresh sage
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/4 cups (packed) coarsely grated Gruyère cheese (about 5 ounces)

Preparation

• Fill large bowl with cold water. Working with 1 Yukon Gold potato at a time, peel, then cut into 1/8-inch-thick rounds and place in bowl with water. Repeat with sweet potatoes.
• Combine cream, butter, and garlic in medium saucepan; bring to simmer. Remove from heat. Mix all herbs in small bowl. Mix sea salt and black pepper in another small bowl.
• Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Drain potatoes, then pat dry with kitchen towels. Transfer half of potatoes to prepared baking dish. Use hands to distribute and spread evenly.
• Sprinkle with half of salt-pepper mixture, then half of herb mixture. Sprinkle with half of cheese. Repeat with remaining potatoes, salt-pepper mixture, herb mixture, and cheese. Pour cream mixture over gratin, pressing lightly to submerge potato mixture as much as possible.

DO AHEAD Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and chill. Remove plastic wrap before baking.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Cover gratin tightly with foil. Bake 30 minutes. Uncover; bake until top of gratin is golden and most of liquid is absorbed, about 25 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes; serve.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CRANBERRY SUPREME SALAD
~DITTE

• 3 cups fresh cranberries (12 oz pkg.)
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup red seedless grapes
• 1 cup tidbit size pineapple
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
• 1/2 cup heavy cream, whipped

-wash cranberries and grind w/ medium blade in food processor. You want small chunks, not mush. I’ve used a salsa maker and that works well. Place cranberries in a colander and sprinkle sugar on them and mix in. Let sit overnight or for a few hours in the colander that’s over a bowl to let the juices drain out.

-next day, cut grapes in half. Add grapes, pineapple pieces and buts to well drained cranberry mixtures. Fold in whipped cream. Place in a lettuce filled bowl for serving.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PUMPKIN CHIFFON

~MARTHA

• 3 egg yolks
• ½ tsp ginger
• ¼ C cold water
• ½ C sugar
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 3 stiff-beaten egg whites
• 1 ¼ C Pumpkin
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• ½ C sugar
• ½ C Milk
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 pkg unflavored gelatin
• pie shell (graham cracker is recommended)

DIRECTIONS:

In a heavy saucepan, beat egg yolks and ½ C sugar until thick; add pumpkin, milk, salt and spices; cook until thick. Soften gelatin in cold water; Put a little of the pumpkin mix into cup, the stir all into hot pumpkin mix. Beat egg whites and adding ½ C sugar. Take Pumpkin mix off the heat and gently fold in the egg whites. Pour into pie shell and chill. A graham cracker crust is great with this.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FROZEN CRANBERRY SALAD

~KATHY

• 1 16 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained
• 1 lb. can whole cranberry sauce
• 1C. sour cream
• 1/2 C. chopped pecans
• 1 oz. shredded coconut

Combine all ingredients and spoon into muffin pan or ice cube trays & freeze.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

GREEN BEANS WITH CARMELIZED ONION
~MICHELLE

2 lbs. fresh green beans
4 medium sized sweet onions
4 Tablespoons butter or margarine
4 Tablespoons brown sugar
3-4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar (optional)

Cook green beans in boiling water to cover 15 minutes; drain and chill (overnight if desired)
Cut onions into thin slices, and cut each slice in half
Cook onion in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 8 to 10 minutes (do not stir), then
Cook, stirring often, 5 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Reduce heat to medium; stir in butter and brown sugar.
Add green beans, and cook 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Toss grean bean mixture with vinegar, if desired.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TURKEY TACO MEAT--

GREAT FOR THANKSGIVING DAY LEFT-OVERS

~MICHELLE

1 lb. turkey meat (cooked and shredded)
8 oz. tomato sauce
8 oz. stewed tomatoes
4 oz. diced green chiles
3 T onion flakes
2 T oregano flakes
2 tsp cumin
Garlic salt to taste

Combine in skillet. Heat for 15 minutes on medium heat, stirring frequently.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PUMPKIN PIE CAKE

~MICHELLE

Base:
1 pkg. yellow cake mix, divided
½ C melted butter
1 egg

Mix and spread in 9x13 cake pan.

Filling:
1 large can pumpkin
3 eggs
2/3 C milk
½ C packed brown sugar
¼ C white sugar
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg and clove

Mix and spread over cake mix in pan.

Topping:
1 C reserved cake mix
½ C flour
¾ C sugar
½ tsp baking powder
½ C butter, softened
½ C chopped pecans and walnuts

Combine 1st 4 ingredients. Cut in butter, then add nuts. Crumble over pumpkin mixture.
Bake at 350* for 50 minutes or until set. Best if served same day.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SUGAR COATED PECANS

~MICHELLE

2 egg whites
1 T vanilla
1 lb. pecan halves
1 C white sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
¾ tsp salt

In a mixing bowl, whip together egg whites and vanilla until frothy. In a separate bow or zip top bag, mix together sugar, salt and cinnamon. Add pecans to egg white mixture, stir to coat nuts evenly. Remove the nuts and toss them in the sugar mixture until coated. Spread the nuts on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 250* for 1 hour. Stir every 15 minutes.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

CHICKEN/TURKEY MUSH

(great for left overs)

~VIOLET

3 cups hot mashed potatoes

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1 can French Fried Onions

1 shredded cooked chicken or trukey breast

Carrots and Celery cooked

1 can cream of Chicken soup

1 cup milk

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 375. In medium bowl, combine mashed potatoes, ½ cup cheese and ½ can French Fried Onions, mix thoroughly. Spoon potato mixture into greased casserole dish. Using back of spoon, spread potatoes across bottom and up sides of dish to form shell. In large bowl, combine chicken, vegetables, soup, milk and seasonings; pour into potato shell. Bake, uncovered, at 375 for 30 min. or until heated through. Top with remaining cheese and onions; bake, uncovered, 3 minutes or until onions are golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CREAM OF CORN

~JEN

20 oz. Bag of Frozen Corn

8oz. of Milk

8 oz. of Cream

6 tbsp of Sugar

1 tsp of Salt

1/2 tsp of Pepper

Low boil ingredients together. Once heated,
Make a breu in a separate sauce pan:

2 tbsp of flour

2 tbsp of butter

stir together until thick and smooth.
Then add breu to the Cream Corn to thicken it.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FROZEN CRANBERRY SALAD

~KATHY

1 16 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained

1 lb. can whole cranberry sauce

1C. sour cream

1/2 C. chopped pecans

1 oz. shredded coconut

Combine all ingredients and spoon into muffin pan or ice cube trays & freeze.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CORN PUDDING

~TACEY

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ORANGE APPLESAUCE CUPCAKES
~ANNA

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
INSTANT PUMPKIN PIE

~TARALYN

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TUSCAN BREAD SALAD

~KELLY

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FIVE-NUT CARAMEL TART

~Valerie

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SWEET POTATO SOUFFLE WITH PRAILINE TOPPING ~VALERIE

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CRANBERRY ALMOND SLAW

~VALERIE

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HARVEST (BRAID) BREAD

~Becky

2 packages dry yeast
5 to 6 1/2 cups unbleached flour
2 cups hot water from tap (about 120 degrees)
2 Tbl sugar
1 Tbl salt
2 Tbl oil

· Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, yeast, salt and sugar. Mix well.
· Add oil to water and add to above flour mixture.
· Beat at low speed for 3 minutes to dissolve yeast.
· Add flour to make a moderately stiff dough. (I use about 3 cups.)
· Knead 5 minutes.
· Turn dough into greased bowl. Cover. Let rise 2 hours or until double.

· Divide dough in half; then each half into thirds. Roll each into a 16” rope. Braid. (Will make 2 braid loaves.)
· Lightly grease cookies sheet. Place braids on sheet and let rise until double. (about 30-45 mins)

· Just before baking, mix one egg yolk and one Tbl water and brush over braids. Sprinkle sesame seeds over the top.
· Bake 400 for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------