Holiday Cooking

I sincerely hope that you have had time to enjoy Holiday Cooking. Our family has a long tradition of baking and candy making for the holidays. Each family member has a favorite dish and we are so blessed that my Mother always tries to have at least one favorite for everyone to enjoy during the holidays. This year I have shared several of our favorites with you. I so look forward to additional postings in the coming year with recipes and entertaining tips.

Wishing you and yours a Happy Holiday Season - Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah!
Sincerely,
Marilynn
www.giftsetc.com

Holiday Brown Sugar Cookies

2 cups butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups brown sugar firmly packed
1 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla
4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans

Reserve 1/4 cup of brown sugar. Using an electric mixture combine butter and 1 1/4 cups brown sugar until fluffy. Add in vanilla, mix well.

Swift together flour and salt. Slowly add dry ingredients to creamed mixture, mixing well. Hint add about 1 cup of dry ingredients at the time. Refrigerate for about 2 hours. After dough has chilled. Shape dough into logs about 1 1/2 inch in diameter.

Place in zip lock bag pecans, flaked coconut,and the 1/4 cup of brown sugar - mix ingredients well by shaking. On wax paper pour out pecans and coconut mixture. Roll logs into mixture coating the edge of the dough.

Cut dough into slices about 1/4" thick. Place on parchment lined baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for about 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet and cool on wire racks.

Enjoy and do not be afraid to try something different to make this your own dish!
Marilynn

Holiday Oatmeal Cookies

January is Oatmeal Month. I will be posting additional recipes featuring Oatmeal as an ingredient. I just could not wait to post this one. In our family we have a long tradition of making cookies and candies as part of our holiday celebration. Many of these recipes have "special" ingredients and this recipe features ingredients slightly different than the traditional oatmeal cookie.

Holiday Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar (light firmly packed)
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups quick cooking oats
3/4 cup pecans
1 cup dates – chopped (can be sugar coated – must be pitted dates)
1 cup flaked coconut

Combine shortening, brown sugar and white sugar with electric mixer. Add vanilla and eggs, mix well. Sift flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda together. Add to sugar, egg, shortening mixture. Mix by hand into bowl of all other combined ingredients oats, pecans, dates and coconut.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Drop by teaspoonfuls dough onto GREASED cookie sheets placing dough about 2" apart. Bake for about 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from cookie sheets and cool on racks. Makes about 6 dozen cookies.

Note: Do not use canned coconut; use the flake coconut from the bag. The cookie count will depend on the size of the spoonfuls you drop on the cookie sheet. You can also flatten the top of the cookie with a plastic glass dipped in sugar.

These make wonderful cookies for Santa and are perfect when served on one of our square monogramed plates which can be personalized. I like the red and green colors for the holidays. The red is my favorite since it can be used for other holidays such as Valentines and the 4th of July. When I was a child Santa always like a big plate of cookies; we suggest the 10" plate.

Enjoy and do not be afraid to try something different to make this your own dish!
Marilynn

Sugar Cookies

1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Cream butter and sugar with a electric mixer until fluffy. Add eggs separately mixing well. Add vanilla and almond extract.

Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture mixing well with the mixer at a low speed.

Chill dough for about 30 minutes.

Roll dough on a lightly floured surface. Dough should be 1/4" think when rolled out. Cut with floured cookie cutters. Place on greased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Remove from baking sheets; cool on wire racks. Makes about 6 dozen 2" cookies.

Note: Most sugar cookie recipes to not have almond extract as an ingredient. I know this is not "traditional". My Aunt Marilynn loved almonds and almond favoring so my family started adding almond or extract to a variety of dessert recipes when cooking for her. I learned from experience always use less almond than vanilla.

When in a rush you can make a log about 2" in diameter with the dough and then and simply cut the dough into piece about 1/4" of an inch thick.

Cookie dough can be decorated with sugar colored with food coloring or nuts. I have used sliced almonds and pecans in the past. If time permits you can always decorate with frosting.

Enjoy and do not be afraid to try something different to make this your own dish!
Marilynn

Jane's Fruit Cake

Recipe ingredients are divided into three segments with special instructions for each.

1 lb candid pineapple
1 lb candid red and green cherries
1 lb white raisins
3/4 lb. chopped pitted dates
1 lb pecans
1 cup flour
***** Chop all fruits and nuts. Use the cup of flour to flour all fruit and nuts. (This is to keep them from sticking together.)

2 cups of flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
***** Mix by sifting these ingredients together.

1 cup brown sugar (packed)
1 cup shortening
1 cup dark corn syrup
1/2 cup milk
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
***** Cream sugar and shortening. Add ingredients from section two of the list (dry ingredients), corn syrup, and milk alternating. Add unbeaten eggs one at a time. Add vanilla. Mix Well.

Fold into sugar, syrup, shortening mixture fruit and nuts. Use a large spoon to mix this, do not use a mixer. This recipe makes about 5 pounds of fruit cake. Cook at 275degrees until done (approximately 1 1/2 hours but this depends on the size of the pans used). Cake pans should be greased well and lined (bottom) with parchment paper that has been greased well.

Added option with extra fruit. The tops of the fruit cake can be decorated after the cake has cooled. Brush the top of each cooled cake with corn syrup then arrange pieces of candid pineapple and cherries on the top.

Note: I must admit I like fruit cake. This is my grandmother's recipe. She prepared fruit cake each year. She always decorated the top of the cakes with extra fruit. The recipe does not include fruit in the measurements. I normally buy extra and use the extra candid fruit for other recipes. I can remember as a small child picking the extra cherries off the top and always getting in trouble for doing so; it was the same mistake as taking an extra sugar rose off of a birthday cake that was not for you.

Christmas and the Holiday Season are about celebrations and tradition. For my family my grandmother's fruit was a tradition. My mother still bakes fruit cake for our family. I hope you and your family have or can find dishes that are part of your holiday tradition. Cooking is really about sharing and it is so much more than just food!

Enjoy and do not be afraid to try something different to make this your own dish!
Marilynn
www.giftsetc.com

Hot Cheese Dip --- Quick and Super Easy

2 cups (1 bag 8 oz) Shredded Cheese - Extra Sharp Cheddar or Colby
1 cup Mayonnaise
1/2 cup onion finely diced

You can add one of these options to the basic recipe for something different
~ Add 1 tablespoon of diced pimentos - drained
~ Add sliced Jalapenos peppers to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl (about 1 1/2 quart size bowl). Stir well with spoon. (I do not recommend using a food processer. Mix this by hand for best results.) Place mixed ingredients in ungresed baking dish. Use about 1 quart size.
Bake at 350 degrees, uncovered for about 15 minutes. Bake until hot and bubbly. Serve with assorted crackers.

Enjoy and do not be afraid to try something different to make this your own dish!
Marilynn
www.giftsetc.com

Shrimp Cocktail Sauce

2 cups Catsup
2 cups Chili Sauce
1/4 cup diced onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped bell pepper (green)
3 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoon horseradish
2 tablespoon white vinegar
2 drops hot sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Put all ingredients into blender, turn on and blend until well mixed.
Refrigerate.

Note: You can increase the about of hot sauce if you prefer a hotter taste.
It is best to prepare about 24 hours in advance of serving and refrigerate.
It is perfect as a make ahead dish to use with boiled shrimp as an appetizer.

I like serving this sauce in a bowl like our 6 1/4" round bowl with the lobster / crawfish pattern on it.