Individual Recipes
POTATO CASSEROLE
One of my favourite make-ahead dishes for Christmas
Peel, cook, drain and mash 5 lbs. of potatoes.
Add the following and beat until fluffy:
6 oz. cream cheese
1 cup sour cream
2 tsp. onion salt
2 tbsp. butter
Put in large, greased casserole.
Sprinkle with buttered crumbs (4 slices of bread).
Cover and refrigerate up to 5 days.
Take out 1 hour ahead.
Bake uncovered 3500 F for 50 minutes or until hot.
Can be frozen and adjust cook time.
TURNIP CASSEROLE
Another make-ahead dish to save time & dishes on Christmas day!
Cut up 3 lbs. turnip –
Cook20-25 minutes, drain and mash while hot.
Add:
¼ cup margarine
1 ½ tbsp. white sugar
1 ½ tsp. salt
Dash of pepper
Add 3 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.
Beat until blended and then add:
1 cup soft breadcrumbs
1 ½ tsp. lemon juice
Pour into 1 ½ qt. greased casserole. Cool – chill covered.
Freeze.
SCOTCH SHORTBREAD
2 cups butter,salted, at room temperature
1 cup fruit sugar
3 ¼ cups allpurpose flour[regular or gluten free mix#1]
½ cup rice flour[I use sweet rice flour with the gluten free mix]
Icing sugar for dusting[optional]
1. Cut butter into chunks and place in a mixer.
Beat until butter is light and fluffy, Add sugar gradually and continue to beat until creamy.
2. Whisk the flours together and add to butter mixture.
3. Incorporate by hand or on low speed until all flour is mixed in.
4. Preheat oven to 300F.
5. Separate dough into 3 balls.
Roll out the balls to ½ inch thickness.
6. Prick the dough well and mark into triangle pieces.
7. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges.
8. Recut the triangles when the cookies come out of the oven.
9. Cool on racks and dust with icing sugar after cooled,if desired.
From L.C.B.O.2012 Christmas issue
SWEET & SALTY MIXED NUTS
Salty, sweet, smoky & spicy, these crunchy nuts are the perfect nibble for the first round of cocktails.
A great hostess gift in a gift bag or a fancy container.
Preheat oven to 300F & line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, mix together until evenly distributed
¼ cup white sugar
¼ cup dark brown sugar
1 tsp. smoked paprika
¾ tsp. ground chipotle powder
¾ tsp. fine sea salt
In a large mixing bowl, whisk 1 large egg white until frothy.
Stir in until evenly coated:
1 cup whole almonds
1 cup pecan halves
1 cup raw, unsalted cashews
Sprinkle sugar/spice mix over nuts and stir to coat evenly.
Place nuts on the prepared sheet.
Bake on the middle rack until browned & fragrant, 30-35 minutes.
Cool completely, carefully breaking nuts apart as they cool.
Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 1 week.
FROM: Food & Drink Holiday 2016
NANCY'S WHIPPED SHORTBREAD
Easy but oh so delicious and just in time for
the busy holiday season.
Whip together for 15 minutes:
1 lb. butter
½ cup corn starch
1 cup icing sugar
Add 3 cups all purpose flour slowly while beating.
Put on parchment paper on a cookie sheet about 2” apart, flatten with fork dipped in cold water.
Bake at 350 F for 15 minutes (oven rack should be near top of oven).
Enjoy!!!!
CRANBERRY BREAD
This is a delicious bread to serve Christmas Morning or with the turkey.
Put into bread maker in the following order:
1 ¼ cup cranberry juice
2 tbsp dry milk
1 ½ tsp salt
2 tbsp butter
3 cups white bread/ all purpose flour
1/3 cup dried cranberries
2 tbsp orange marmalade
3 tsp dry active yeast.
Run bread program and enjoy.
NANAIMO BARS
Grease a 9 inch square pan.
In a saucepan, combine and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until smooth and slightly thickened:
½ cup butter
¼ cup white sugar
5 Tbsp. Cocoa
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
Stir in:
1 2/3 cups graham wafer crumbs
1 cup fine dessicated coconut
½ cup chopped walnuts
Press into prepared pan.
Cream ¼ cup butter
Beat in gradually:
2 cups sifted icing sugar
1 egg
Spread over the crumb mixture and chill about 15 minutes.
Over hot water, or in microwave at 40% power:
4 squares semi sweet chocolate
1 Tbsp. Butter
Spread on top and chill.
When set, cut into squares.
NOTE: I watch this carefully while setting and as soon as the chocolate begins to set, I gently score through the chocolate with a sharp knife so it will not break when we cut the squares after they have set.
WILLIAMSBURG ORANGE SHERRY CAKE
Soak: 1 cup raisins in ½ cup dry sherry overnight or at least 8 hours[I used Grand Marnier]
In the morning preheat oven to 350F.
Prepare 2 8” layer pans by lining them with parchment or waxed paper .
Sift together and set aside:
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
In a large bowl, cream together:
¾ cup unsalted butter,softened
½ cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
Add 3 eggs, one at a time beating well after each
Beat in:
1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract
grated zest of 1 lemon
Add flour mixture alternately with:
1 1/2 cups buttermilk or sour milk, beating well after each addition
**start and end with flour**
Stir in ½ cup chopped pecans and the raisin/sherry mixture.
Pour into prepared pans.
Cook for 35-40 minutes or until firm in the centre.
Cool 10 minutes and remove from pan.
Cool completely before icing
FROSTING:Cream together
½ cup unsalted butter
4 cups icing sugar
4-5 Tbsp Cointreau[ I used Grand Marnier] or enough of other orange liqueur until the frosting is spreadable, but not runny;
beat in 2 Tbsp. Finely grated orange zest.
Frost and decorate with orange slices. FROM:Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook.
TURTLE CHEESECAKE
Preheat oven to 325F
Lightly grease 8” or 10” springform pan
CRUST: Blend together
1 cup Oreo cookie crumbs & 3 Tbsp. melted butter……press into pan.
Pour ½ cup caramel sauce over top and spread carefully.
Refrigerate 10 minutes.
FILLING: Beat until smooth:
3-8 oz. Softened cream cheese with ¾ cup white sugar
Add 1 Tbsp. vanilla
Add 3 eggs, one at a time blending after each just until blended.
Pour over the caramel.
Put on a cookie sheet lined with aluminum or parchment paper.
Bake 65-70 minutes or until centre is set.
Loosen while still warm.
Cool at room temperature and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight before removing the sides.
After removing sprinkle with pecan pieces & drizzle ¼ cup caramel sauce over the top and then drizzle ¼ cup melted chocolate chips.
Refrigerate
From: barefeetinthekitchen.com
ROCKY ROAD CHEESECAKE
From 1992 Homemaker’s Magazine
Crust:
Combine:
1 1/3 cups Oreo Cookie Crumbs
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
Press onto bottom of 9” spring form pan. Set aside.
Filling:
Beat 2- 250 gr. pkgs. Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened until smooth,
Blend in 1 1/3 cups white sugar.
Set aside.
Sprinkle 1 envelope or 1 tbsp. unflavored gelatin over ½ cup cold water.
Let stand 5 minutes.
Stir over low heat (you can use microwave) until gelatin dissolves.
Blend gelatin mixture into cheese mixture.
Melt 4 squares semi sweet chocolate and beat into above mixture.
Whip ½ cup whipping cream and fold into above mixture.
Pour into prepared pan.
Topping:
1 cup miniature marshmallows
¼ cup coarsely chopped, toasted pecans
¼ cup sweetened, shredded coconut
2 squares semi sweet chocolate, melted
Sprinkle marshmallows, pecans and coconut over cake.
Drizzle with melted chocolate. Refrigerate until firm, about 4 hours
GUMDROP CAKE
On two slightly greased cookie sheets,
spread 2 cans Pillsbury Crescent Rolls.
Flatten slightly and pinch seams together.
Bake at 350o F for 8 minutes.
Mix together:
2-8 oz. cream cheese
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 cup Miracle Whip
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. dill weed
Spread on cooled crust.
Refrigerate overnight.
Combine and spread evenly over filling.
1 ¼ cup grated carrot
2 cups finely chopped cauliflower
2 cups finely chopped broccoli
¼ cup chopped green pepper
¼ cup chopped red pepper
1 tbsp. chopped green onion
Top with grated cheddar or marble cheese.
Cut into small squares to serve.
Enjoy!!!!!!
TUITTI FRUITTI COOKIES
Mix together and make into long skinny logs about 1 ½ inches in diameter:
2/3 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. almond flavour
1 cup candied red/green cherries
1 cup chopped slivered almonds
In the morning, slice and put on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
Bake at 350F until brown[approx.8-10 minutes]
Store in airtight container
These are also called icebox cookies.
CHRISTMAS BARK
TIPS FROM “THE NOOK”
CHOCOLATE BARK
Using Merkins Wafers, melt 1 lb. in the microwave on 40% power, until smooth, stirring occasionally.
Add one cup of any of the following combinations..
*unsalted almonds
*cranberries
*cranberries/pistachios
*unsalted cashews
Spread on a cookie sheet, put in freezer for an hour.
Bring out and break up when at room temperature.
Will keep well if stored in a container.
TIGER BARK
Melt 2 lbs. white wafers
Add 1/3 cup smooth peanut butter and mix well.
Spread on a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper.
Drizzle melted Chocolate wafers over the top and swirl into the wafer/peanut butter mixture to give it the tiger look.
Let set and cut up into bite size pieces.
MINT CHOCOLATE BARK
Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper & set aside.
STEP 1-Melt 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips in Microwave at 40%, stirring often
When smooth, spread on waxed paper smoothing out to 1/4’’ thickness
STEP 2- Using the same method, melt 1 cup pure white chocolate chips and 1 tsp. oil.
When smooth add 1 tsp. peppermint extract and 2 drops green food colouring.
GINGERBREAD COOKIES
Blend in a large mixing bowl:
3 1/2 cups all purpose[regular or gluten free] flour
1 tsp. each Baking powder[1 ½ tsp.G/F] and Baking Soda
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. each ground cloves, cinnamon, allspice
Add:
½ cup softened butter
¾ cup molasses
1 slightly beaten egg
Mix until completely blended.
Dough will be stiff so you may need to use your hands.
Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350 F
Roll dough to ¼ inch thick on a lightly floured surface.
Cut into shapes with a cookie cutter. Place cookies on a lightly greased cookie sheet [I use Parchment Paper] about 2 inches apart.
Bake at 350 F for 10-12 minutes. Shorter time will result in a softer cookie; for crisp cookies, bake longer but take care not to burn.