Tenth Day of Christmas: Iced Sugar Cookies

On the 10th day of Christmas my true love made for me...

10 Sugar Cookies

"This is Mike's maternal grandmother's cookie recipe, which became a staple for the holiday gatherings. She's made these every X-mas for as long as Mike can remember. They hold a special place in his heart." Reba

Reba's Iced Sugar Cookies

Sift together
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sugar

Cut in 1 cup soft butter to fine particles

Add:

1 slightly beaten egg
3 Tbsp cream or milk
1 tsp vanilla

Blend well and chill. When ready, roll out to about 1/8 inch thickness on a floured surface and cut into desired shapes.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 5-8 minutes. When cool, decorate with colored icings and sprinkles.

Icing: powdered sugar and milk

Start with 1 cup of powdered sugar and add milk by 1/2 tsp until desired consistency. Separate icing into small bowls and add food coloring, if desired. You may need to use more or less than 1cup sugar depending on the # of cookies to be frosted.

 

Ninth Day of Christmas: Cranberry Mouse

On the 9th day of Christmas my true love made for me...

9 glasses of cranberry mousse

"What a fun cooking idea! I'm sending you my mom's recipe for cranberry mousse. We always have it for the holidays, and I think it is a fun way to serve cranberries!"

Leslie's Cranberry Mousse

1 6 oz strawberry flavored gelatin
1 cup boiling water
1 cup crushed pineapple
1 can whole berry cranberry sauce
3 tabl lemon juice
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup crushed pecans

In a large bowl dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Drain pineapple. Set the pineapple aside and add juice to the gelatin. Stir in cranberry sauce, lemon juice and nutmeg. Chill until mixture thickens. Fold in sour cream, pineapple and pecans. Pour into a glass serving bowl. Chill until set, about 2 hours. Top with whipped cream if desired.

Eighth Day of Christmas: May Flower Rolls

On the Eighth Day of Christmas my true love made for me...

8 May Flower Rolls

Note: This recipe gave me some trouble. Cake yeast is 2 or 3 packets to regular water, and I put it in a warm place, not a cold place to get the dough to rise. The family got the recipe from a favorite restaurant, and although the May Flower doesn't exist anymore, this recipe still does.

Grandma Harriett's May Flower Rolls:

6 cups Flour
1 1/2 Tblsp Salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening (we used the butter flavored kind and omitted the salt)
2 cups warm water
1 cake yeast (not regular yeast)
2 eggs, beaten

Pour about 1/2 cup of the water over yeast and allow to soften. Mix remaining water with salt and sugar until dissolved, then stir in melted shortening and beaten egg. Add dissolved yeast to combine thoroughly. Mix in flour to form a soft dough. (A little more than 6 cups may be used if product seems too sticky, but dough should not be stiff). Place dough in a greased bowl, grease top lightly, cover and refrigerate.

Dough should be punched down several times during storage, when ready to use, roll or pat the dough in conveniently sized rectangles about 1/3 to 1/2 inch thick. Spread surface w/melted butter and sprinkle evenly with a mixture or sugar and cinnamon, then sprinkle with chopped nuts. Roll up jelly roll fashion, slice in one inch lengths and place each slice, cut side down, in well greased muffin tins.

Bake at 375 degrees until nicely browned. Top with thin icing made of powdered sugar mixed with a little butter, a dash of salt, a little vanilla, and enough hot water to make it spread easily.

Seventh Day of Christmas: Swedish Cream Wafers

On the seventh day of Christmas my true love made for me...

7 Swedish Wafers

"Cassie--here is some of our favorite Christmas cookies passed down from my grandma Anna."

Note: It said to cut them fairly thick, but I'm not sure if maybe I over-did that part. Only Penne knows for sure.

Aunt Penne's Swedish Cream Wafers

Mix together thoroughly 1/3 cup whipping cream, 2 cups flour, 1 cup butter. Chill.

When chilled, roll out dough, fairly thick. Cut with round cookie cutter. Sprinkle each cookie with sugar and prick a few times with fork.

Bake on ungreased cookie sheet @ 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Cook cookies; put together with filling made of 1 egg yolk, 1/4 cup butter, 3/4 cup powdered sugar and 1/2 t almond extract.

Use food coloring to dye filling green and red.

Sixth Day of Christmas: Crab dip and Shrimp Cocktail

For the sixth day of Christmas my true love made for me...

Six Triscuits with crab dip

"As a child I soo looked forward to Christmas Eve (and not just because we got to open a present early at the end of the night)--I loved as each of the older kids arrived home, the food, the tradition, the eating around the coffee table, the family being together and the lively discussions. I knew our meal was different from what other folks did. I knew-for back then- it was sophisticated fare. It was a special meal on a special night."

Note: I brought my electric fondue pot, and left the electric cord at home, so no cheese fondue this time. With yesterday's eggnog and the crab dip and shrimp, the Christmas Eve Feast is almost complete.

Aunt Beth's/Grandma's Crab Dip

1 package of cream cheese (have this softening on the counter-top for a few hours)
Green Onion
Worcestershire Sauce
1 can of crab 6 oz (Crown Prince fancy white lump preferred)
Pam

Preheat over to 300 degrees.
\Pam the inside of medium small casserole dish.
Chop very thin green onions using white and light green sections only
Mix drained crab, cream cheese and onions in a bowl
Add Worcestershire until mix goes from white to very light cream (or to taste)
Put in casserole dish and level out evenly in the dish
Place in oven for 30 min or until top is golden brown.

Serve with triscuits (a Carlton family tradition) or Carr's water crackers. I double this when I have people over-exact ingredients times 2. I add more time for cooking based on top going golden brown.

For the shrimp, I bought store bought shrimp and cocktail.

Fifth Day of Christmas: Eggnog

On the fifth day of Christmas my true love made for me...

Five golden glasses of eggnog

I don't have many pictures because I was distracted by how difficult getting egg whites to stiffen was when you don't have egg beaters. I can provide a picture of my tears, if you'd like.

"Evokes lots of great Christmas memories--Brian's eggnog, Cindy's Beer and cheese fondue, Beth's hot sauce for shrimp, mom's hot crab dip! Sitting at the coffee table in front of the Christmas tree." --Aunt Cindy.

Brian's Better Eggnog
(adjusted to serve Carlton's need for "More")

7 eggs
3/4 sugar
6 milk
3 teaspoons of Vanilla
1 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup Apricot Brandy (I omitted this...this time)

1) Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry
2) Mix egg yolks, add sugar and milk, beating until well blended . Add vanilla. Fold in egg whites, fold whip cream for extra thickness.
3) Pour into champagne glasses. Sprinkle Nutmeg on top.

Fourth Day of Christmas: Pizza Squares

On the fourth day of Christmas my true love made for me...

4 Pizza Sqaures

"Cassie- the first time I made this recipe, there was some doubt from the family, especially after seeing it. But once they tried it, it became a request every Christmas ever. Should any be left over it's finished off on New Year's Eve. Hugs."

Terri's Pizza Squares

Preheat oven to Broiler

1 pound ground chuck
1 pound Hot Italian Sausage--casing removed
1 pound Light Velveeta-cubed
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 loaf party rye bread

In a large skillet cook meat until browned stirring to make sure that all is combined and crumbled. While still warm, spread mixture, about 1 TBLSP, on slices of party rye

Broil until lightly browned and bubbly. Make sure that the rack is not too close to the broiler or squares will burn and not heat completely

Can be made ahead and frozen uncooked for later use. Place squares on a cookie sheet to freeze individually and stored in a plastic freezer bags.

Thaw before broiling(from 1980s).

Third Day of Christmas: Corn Casserole

On the third day of Christmas my true love made for me..

3 bowls of corn casserole

"My family learned this one from friends who were from MA when we were kids. It immediately became out favorite side for both thanksgiving and Christmas! Hope you enjoy!"

Heather's Corn Casserole

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1 can creamed corn
1 can kernal corn
1 cup sour cream
1 egg
1 box jiffy corn mix
1 stick of butter pats

Mix all ingredients until combined. Pour into 9x13 casserole dish. Top with butter pats.

Bake at 350 degrees until golden borwn and center is set. 35-45 minutes.

Second Day of Christmas

The second day of Christmas my true love made for me...

2 Southwest Salads

"This is a fun salad to serve at holiday gatherings," says Grandma Jeanne.

Jeanne's Southwest Salad

1 Package shredded cabbage
1 inch nacho flavored Doritos

Mix with Western dressing. Sprinkle with shreddeed cheese. Amounts vary by number of guests expected.

12 Days of Christmas

I am taking a quick break from "Sweet Aunts" and will be doing a recipe a day for a "12 Days of Christmas" theme from my holiday collection. It will be much briefer, as I will only include what the friend or family member wrote for me on the card.

The first day of Christmas my true love made for me...

3 loaves of Pumpkin Bread.

I started with this one because even if it isn't "pumpkin season" this is a delicious way to start your day (or end it). It is moist and delicious and the best pumpkin recipe I have tried.

Pumpkin Bread Recipe from Doris

3 c sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
3 tsp baking soda
1/2 c. brown sugar
3 1/2 c flour
1 c walnuts
2 c pumpkin (small can)
2/3 c water
1 c oil
4 eggs

Mix all dry ingredients and then add the remaining ones. Beat well until blended. Bake in loaf pans. Fill pans 1/2 full. Grease pans and bake at 350 for 1 hour. This recipe yields 3 pans.

Sweet Aunts: Helen's Sugar Cookies

No, this is not named for my Aunt Helen---I don't actually have an Aunt Helen. This comes to me by my Aunt Penne.

The best thing about this recipe: These are great sugar cookies. My jaw dropped when I saw 4 cups--read--4 cups of flour for this one recipe. There is enough here to feed a Viking horde.

1 Cup Margarine (I use butter)
1 Cup Shortening
1 Cup Powdered Sugar
1 Cup Sugar
2 eggs

Cream ingredients together and then add dry ingredients:

 

4 Cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar

Chill for 1/2 hour. Roll and cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Cook 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Decorate as desired.

 

Vegetarian: This is already vegetarian. I'm hoping all of my dessert recipes are.

Aunt Penne is truly a kindred spirit. I am not really surprised that she would pick sugar cookies. They are sweet, light, with a great sense of fun. Everyone likes them, and it can be a really fun project for the family. It really reflects her personality. She is bubbly and optimistic, and the only Bears fan in a house full of Vikings. I suppose you would have to be optimistic in a house like that. She is a woman with a compassionate and loving heart. When I think of her, I think of love. I think we could all try to be more like her.

Mothers and Grandmothers: Grandma's Buttermilk Brownies AKA Lazy Cake

This recipe was brought to me by Nick's mother JoAnne. It is actually Nick's great grandma Cole's recipe.

The best thing about this recipe: I hope I am not sacrilegious when I call it "lazy cake" but it has the same ingredients as cake, without all of the hassle. It is moist, chocolaty buttery goodness. It may not be good for the waistline, but it is good for the soul. I make these for Nick's Birthday every year.
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup Oleo (must be an Iowa thing...I use butter)
1 cup water
3 TBS Cocoa
2 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk*
2 tsp Vanilla

This makes 2 13X9 pans, so feel free to halve it.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar and salt. Meanwhile, in a small pan, heat together the Oleo, water and cocoa until the oleo melts. Stir occasionally. While still hot, pour over first mixture and mix well.

 

In a small bowl mix eggs, soda, vanilla, and buttermilk. Beat well and pour into first mixture.

 

 

Pour into buttered pans and bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Let cool and frost with the recipe on the back.

Buttermilk*: 3 Tblsp dry buttermilk and 1/2 cup water.

Frosting
1/2 cup Oleo (butter)
3 Tablespoons Cocoa
6 Tbs milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 box of powdered sugar

Mix oleo, cocoa, milk in sauce pan over medium heat. Stir constantly and do not boil, until butter melts. Take from heat and add vanilla and powdered sugar. Beat until smooth and then frost.

 

Yum!



 



I love Nick's mother because I see a lot of similarities between the two. Quite the introvert, you can see that she observing a lot and is very clever, but she reveals very little. She never shies away from doing the hard thing, or the right thing, and is very independent. She doesn't put much stock in status symbols, or fancy things used to impress other people. She is who she is and is honest and authentic. She has a huge heart for animals; you can find her feeding kittens in her yard or adopting blind puppies in her spare time. My favorite memory was a trip we took before her wedding. We did a lot of fun things getting ready for the wedding, and we all came together like a family. I think this recipe is a lot like her. You don't need to make a fancy cake with chocolate on a double boiler and an electric mixer. You can use the same ingredients in a simpler way and get the same delicious result.

The Perks of Being Friends with Gardeners: Part 2

This is my Stackable Eggplant Parmesan. I didn't top it with mozzarella because I didn't have any in the house. However, we can pretend that I did it on purpose as a way to cut out the calories, or something. By omitting that extra layer of cheese, you can focus more on the natural flavors of the eggplant. Yeah, I'll go with that one.

 

 

First, slice the eggplant and salt them. Leave them to "weep" out their bitter juices in a colander for a half hour. Then rinse off really well.

 

Then, put slices in an egg wash and breading made of Italian breadcrumbs and seasonings with at least 1/4 cup of parm. Fry them in batches until they are golden brown.

 

 

 

Spoon tomato sauce onto the stacks with some more parm.

 





 

Repeat. Remember, the largest slices should go first so you can have pretty and stable stacks. If your slices are thinner, you can probably just serve it as is. If you don't think they are really cooked all the way, you can put it in the oven to cook for about 15 minutes at 375 or so.

 



 

This is my favorite way to eat eggplant. The Italians really know what they are doing.

Special thanks to Brandon for providing the (free) produce. It IS more satisfying knowing that it is freshly picked from a local garden. He has such a cheerful and helpful spirit. I am really glad to know him. Bon Appetite!