Holiday Recipes

Wassail

Wassail was originally not a drink, but a practice of carroling. In Merry old England carrolers
would bring a cup with them, and, as they sang before the homes of wealthy citizens, their mugs
would be filled with a hot spiced ale, often with a roasted apple slice floating in it.

This recipe is a variation on that ancient theme.

1 bottle burgundy or claret

6 eggs

1/2 cup water

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

2 cloves

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon mace

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 cups sugar

6 baked apples

Heat the bottle of red wine. Meanwhile separate the eggs. Beat the yokes and whites separately,
then fold both together (egg whites should be stiff). Put spices in water and heat for a few
minutes to release flavor.

Now pour all into a punch bowl along with baked apples. Serve warm.

Molasses Cookies

1/3 cup brown sugar (packed)

1/3 cup shortening

2/3 cup molasses

2 3/4 cups flour

1 egg

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt (less salt is okay if you are on a low-salt diet)

First mix the molasses, brown sugar and the shortening. Add in other ingredients. Mix as best
you can. You will be tempted to use your hands to achieve proper consistency. This is okay, but
best not to be tried with young children present.

Cover and refrigerate for one hour.

While waiting, make the Decorator's Frosting (if you plan on frosting the cookies).

1/3 cup flour

1/3 cup butter that has been softened

1 1/2 teaspoons hot water

Thoroughly mix ingredients. If you are using a decorator's tube, you will want to use the #3
writing tip. You may also use a small plastic bag with one corner snipped off.

With your extra time waiting for the dough to stiffen in the refrigerator, read a Christmas story to
the kids. "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas" is always fun and dramatic for all ages.

Now, heat oven to 375 degrees. Roll the dough out to be 1/4 inch thick on a lightly floured
surface. Cut in circles with a drinking glass whose lip has been dusted with flour. Place the
cookies on a greased cookie sheet about 1 inch apart. Decorate the cookies with the decorator
frosting. Bake 7-8 minutes. Test for doneness: make sure cookies are not soggy in middle.

Makes 24-30 cookies.

Eggnog

6 Large eggs

3/4 c Sugar

1 1/2 c Brandy

1/2 c Rum

4 c Milk

4 c Cream

1/2 c Icing sugar

Nutmeg to sprinkle

Separate the yolks from the whites of the eggs. Beat the yolks slowly while simultaneously adding
the sugar; do this until the mixture is pale and golden. Now slowly add in the brandy and rum, then
beat in the milk and half the cream.

Set aside until just before serving, then whisk the egg whites until stiff and fold them into the
eggnog mixture. Whip the remaining cream and icing sugar until thick. Top each glass of eggnog
with whipped cream and a shake of nutmeg. This yields eight servings.

Spiced Nuts

Ingredients

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter or margarine

1 cup pecan halves

1 cup whole almonds

1 cup dry-roasted unsalted peanuts

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Makes 3 cups.

Preparation time: 2 minutes.

Cooking time: 32 minutes.

Step 1:

Preheat the oven to 300°. In a 13- by 9-inch baking pan, place butter; set the pan in the oven to
melt the butter. Remove the pan from the oven; add pecans, almonds, peanuts, and
Worcestershire sauce to the melted butter. Stir until well mixed.

Step 2:

Bake the nut mixture until it is toasted, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Remove the nuts
from the oven and sprinkle the mixture evenly with chili powder, garlic salt, and cayenne pepper.
Toss until well mixed.

Transfer the warm nuts to a bowl and serve immediately, or let cool and store them at room
temperature in an airtight container until ready to serve.

Sangria

Ingredients

2 bottles (750 ml. each) dry red wine (with or without alcohol, chilled)

2 cups fresh orange juice (chilled)

1/4 cup superfine sugar

4 large peaches (2 pounds, peeled and thinly sliced)

2 medium-size, unpeeled oranges (thinly sliced)

1 large unpeeled lemon (thinly sliced)

1 cup club soda (chilled)

2 tablespoons Spanish brandy (optional)

Makes about 2 quarts or 10 6-ounce servings.

Preparation time: 20 minutes.

Chilling time: 1 hour.

Step 1:

In a large pitcher, stir together the wine, juice, sugar, peaches, oranges, and lemon. Cover and
refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight. To serve, stir in the club soda, plus the brandy if you wish.
Pour into tall glasses filled with ice.

Indian Pudding

Ingredients

2 cups low-fat (1% milkfat) milk

1/4 cup dark molasses

1/4 cup cornmeal

2 large egg whites

3 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar

1 tablespoon butter or margarine (melted)

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup raisins

1 tablespoon chopped crystallized ginger (optional)

Makes 4 servings.

Preparation time: 10 minutes.

Cooking time: 50 minutes.

Step 1:

Preheat oven to 300°F. In a medium-size saucepan, combine the milk and molasses. Stir in the
cornmeal. Cook, stirring constantly, over moderate heat for 5 to 6 minutes or until thick. Set
aside.

Step 2:

In a medium-size bowl, combine the egg whites, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, and salt. Stir
into the cornmeal mixture. Stir in the raisins and ginger (if using). Spoon mixture into an 8-inch
round baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes.

Green Beans With Tomatoes and Herbs

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive or canola oil

1 clove garlic (finely chopped)

1 small onion (finely chopped)

1 can (14 ounces) crushed tomatoes

1/4 teaspoon dried basil

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 pound green beans

Makes 4 servings.

Step 1:

Rinse green beans under cold water, then snap off and discard the stem ends as well as the tail ends,
if you like. Small green beans can be cooked whole, and large ones can be cut into halves or small
pieces. Shell lima beans by cutting off the end of the pod and opening to remove the beans. Rinse
the beans after shelling.

Step 2:

In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over moderate heat. Add the garlic and onion and cook,
stirring, about 5 minutes, until softened and golden.

Step 3:

Stir in the tomatoes with basil and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, about 2 minutes longer.

Step 4:

Stir in the green beans so that they are all coated with the tomato mixture. Cover the skillet and cook
about 6 minutes, until the beans are crisp-tender.

Giblet Gravy

Ingredients

turkey neck, giblets and liver

4 cups water

1 medium-size yellow onion (cut into wedges)

1 large carrot (cut into chunks)

2 sprigs parsley

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon white or black pepper

1 can (12 ounces) evaporated skimmed milk

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

Makes 3 cups.

Step 1:

Rinse the turkey neck and giblets. Refrigerate the liver. In a large saucepan, combine the remaining
giblets, neck, and water. Add onion, carrot, parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 40 minutes. Add liver. Continue cooking
for 20 minutes more or until tender. Strain broth, reserving 1 1/3 cups. Reserve giblets and neck,
discard vegetables. When cool enough to handle, remove meat from neck; discard neck bones.
Finely chop the neck meat and giblets; set aside.

Step 2:

In a Dutch oven, whisk together reserved pan drippings, milk, flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4
teaspoon pepper. Cook over moderate heat until bubbly. Add the reserved broth. Cook, whisking
constantly, until the mixture starts to thicken. Cook and whisk for 2 minutes more or until
thickened. Stir in neck meat and giblets; heat through.

Step 3:

Roast turkey for 3 to 3 1/2 hours or until thermometer registers 180°F, basting often and covering
with foil to prevent overbrowning if necessary. Bake the covered casserole of stuffing alongside
turkey during the last 30 minutes of roasting, adding an additional 2 to 3 tablespoons chicken broth
if stuffing is dry. Let turkey stand for 15 to 20 minutes before carving.

Step 4:

Meanwhile, cook neck and giblets for Giblet Gravy. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the pan drippings
from roast turkey for Giblet Gravy. Prepare gravy. Carve turkey, discarding skin. Serve turkey and
dressing with gravy.

Divine Divinity

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups sugar

2/3 cup light corn syrup

1/2 cup water

2 large egg whites

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

2/3 cup coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts or chopped red or green candied cherries
(optional)

Makes about 36 servings.

Preparation time: 20 minutes.

Cooking time: 25 minutes.

Step 1:

Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. In a large heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, corn
syrup, and water. Bring to a boil over moderately high heat, stirring constantly with a wooden
spoon to dissolve sugar. (Avoid splashing mixture onto side of the pan.) Boil for 3 minutes. If
using a candy thermometer, carefully clip to side of pan, making sure the bulb is immersed but
not touching the bottom of the pan.

Step 2:

Cook over moderate heat, without stirring, to 260° on candy thermometer, hard-ball stage (15
to 18 minutes). (Or, use this cold water test. Using a spoon, drop a small amount of hot mixture
into very cold, not icy, water. Dip your fingers into the water and form the mixture into a ball.
Remove the ball from the water; it should not flatten but can be deformed by pressure.)

Step 3:

Remove pan from heat; remove the thermometer from saucepan. In a large bowl, with very
clean beaters and an electric mixer on medium to high, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks
form. Slowly pour hot syrup mixture in a fine stream over egg whites, beating with electric
mixer on high for 3 minutes and scraping the side of the bowl occasionally.

Step 4:

Add the vanilla. Continue beating with the electric mixer on high just until candy starts to lose
its gloss and holds soft peaks (5 to 6 minutes), scraping the side of the bowl occasionally. Stir
in nuts (if using).

Step 5:

Working quickly, drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper. If the divinity becomes too stiff,
beat in very hot water, a few drops at a time, until it is a softer consistency. Cool completely.
To store, cover tightly.

Tips:

Choose a dry day. Because sugar absorbs moisture from the air, divinity may never set up if
you try to make it on a humid day.

Start with room temperature egg whites. They heat up to a greater volume than cold egg
whites.

Use a heavy-duty, freestanding electric mixer. Beating divinity puts a strain on a mixer's motor.
Portable mixers and lightweight, freestanding mixers may not have heavy enough motors.

Follow the recipe directions carefully. Timing is important. Adding the hot syrup too quickly
or not beating the candy mixture long enough can cause divinity to fail. Overbeating the
divinity will cause it to set up before you can drop it into individual pieces.

Cranberry Punch

Ingredients 2 cups cranberry juice 2 cups pineapple juice 1 cup orange juice 3/4 cup triple sec (optional) 1
pint strawberries, hulled and sliced 1 lime, thinly sliced 4 cups ginger ale, chilled

Introduction: This sparkling red punch is a good choice for a buffet at holiday time with a citrus bite. For a
less sweet punch, substitute seltzer or club soda for the ginger ale. Makes about 1 1/2 quarts. Total time: 20
minutes, plus chilling time. Step 1: In a large glass container, combine ingredients and chill thoroughly.

Step 2: Just before serving, slowly stir in the ginger ale. Pour into a punch bowl or large jug and add ice
cubes.

Baked Yams

4 yams

1 tablespoon shortening

Many people think that yams and sweet-potatoes are the same thing. Actually, sweet-potatoes
may be grown nearly anywhere in the country, while Yams are tropical and generally are grown
in warmer regions of the country.

For easy baked yams that go well with a Christmas ham, rip off four sheets of aluminum foil, just
big enough to wrap the yams. Smear shortening (you can also use bacon grease for this
operation) all over the yam and wrap tightly in the foil.

Bake yams in 375 degree oven for about 1 hour. They can probably safely cook for considerably
longer, if necessary or desired.

You may also try wrapping each yam in a strip of bacon. Be careful how you wrap the yam, make
sure that any openings are toward the top. Place a pan on the rack below to catch any dripping.
If you stab the tuber to test for doneness expect some bacon grease to drip.

Baked Ham

Ingredient: 1 Ham

There are two kinds of ham the fully precooked ham and the ham that is partially cooked. Most
hams now-a-days are fully cooked and safe to eat cold, but this is not necessarilly the case. Be
sure to check the label to find out which kind of ham you have before you pop a slice into your
mouth before placing the ham in the oven.

Baking a ham is a pretty simple process. Place it, fat side up, on a rack in a baking pan. Cut thin
shallow scores (about 1/4 inch deep) over the fat surface in a diamond pattern. If you have a
thermometer you will want to insert it at this point.

Bake the ham in a 325 degree oven. For a fully cooked ham, you will want the thermometer to pop
at 140 degrees, for a ham that is not fully pre-cooked, the internal temp should get to 160 degrees.
If you do not have a thermometer, not to worry. Use the following chart as a guide:

Ham Type Weight Approx Cook Time

Fully Cooked 1 1/2 - 3 lbs 1 - 1/2 hours

Fully Cooked 3 - 7 lbs 1 1/2 - 2 hours

Fully Cooked 7 - 10 lbs 2 - 2 1/2 hours

Fully Cooked 10+ lbs 2 1/2+ hours

Not Fully Cooked 1 1/2 - 3 lbs 1 1/2 - 2 hours

Not Fully Cooked 3 - 4 lbs 2 - 2 1/2 hours

Not Fully Cooked 4 - 7 lbs 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 hours

Not Fully Cooked 7 - 10 lbs 3 1/2 - 4 hours

Not Fully Cooked 10+ lbs 4+ hours

Of course, all times are approximate.

You can glaze the ham, if you wish to go through the trouble. Just spoon off fat from the baking
pan about 30 minutes before the end of the baking time. Spoon or brush the fat over the meat
every ten minutes or so.

Apple Cranberry Crisp

Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cook Time: 30 Minutes Ready in: 50 Minutes

1 1/2 cups quick cooking oats

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/3 cup butter flavored shortening, melted

1 tablespoon water

1 (16 ounce) can whole berry cranberry sauce

2 tablespoons cornstarch

5 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and sliced

1Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

2In a medium bowl, mix together the oats, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Stir in the butter flavored
shortening and water to form a crumbly mixture.

3In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, mix together the cranberry sauce and cornstarch and
bring to a boil. Stir in the apples and coat with the cranberry sauce.

4Spread the mixture into an 8x8 inch glass baking dish. Crumble the oat mixture over the
apples.

5Bake in the preheated oven 30 minutes, or until the apples are tender. Serve warm.