Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Christmas Food Traditions


My mother always made fudge on this plate at Christmas time so now I carry on the tradtion! I can remember her making Fudge and Divinity by hand and sitting on the back porch while doing it. I have been able to master the Fudge but the Divinity is another story. Other than my neighbor across the street no one makes Divinity like my mom. Many people don't like Divinity but they never had the really good stuff!

Fudge

4½ c. sugar
1 can evaporated milk
2 sticks butter
1 pint jar of marshmallow cream
1 t. vanilla
1 pkg. semi sweet or milk chocolate chips
nuts, optional

In a medium heavy saucepan combine sugar, milk, and butter. Boil hard for 12 minutes. Take off of the heat and add chocolate chips, vanilla and marshmallow. Beat until the fudge stands in peaks or changes in texture. Pour and let stand 24 hours.

Divinity

2 c. sugar
2 egg whites, beaten stiff
½ c. corn syrup
½ t. salt
½ c. hot water
1 t. vanilla
nuts as desired

Dissolve sugar, salt, and syrup in hot water. Cook without stirring to spin with thread or when it cracks in cold water. Remove from heat and gradually pour over stiffly beaten egg whites beating constantly. Add vanilla and continue beating until mixture stands in peaks. Drop by the spoonful on wax paper.


Toffee, Divinity, Fudge

When we see a certain pan come out of the cupbaords we know that it is time for Kerry to make Toffee, yum, yum. He has made this candy every year since we got married thirty years ago. Now he is teaching all of our girls to make it. *This can't be made on a humid night or the toffee will turn to sugar. The same with Divinty and Fudge.
Toffee

1 lb. butter
2 T. corn syrup
2½ c. granulated sugar
½ c. water
1 c. slivered almonds
1 pkg. chocolate chips

Boil in a heavy pan to 300 on candy thermometer. Stir until dark golden brown. Turn onto a cookie sheet and top with chocolate chips. Spread nuts on top.

This is a new favorite for the family, so easy and yummy! Thanks to Natalie

Oreo Yummies

1 Package of Oreos, Crushed up fine (food processor)
1 Package Cream Cheese, Softened

Mix together and roll into balls.

Dip in melted chocolate and place on wax-paper-lined-cookie sheet. Put sheet into fridge until hardened.

If you want, drizzle with white chocolate. (Or coat with white and drizzle with brown... whatever!)



Introduced to us by my sister, Rosemarie many years ago this has been a fun tradition for us all to make and to give to neighbors as a simple gift. They can actually be molded into any shape we just started out with "Bears and Bunnies!"

“Bears and Bunnies”

6 oz. bag puffed rice or wheat
2 c. brown sugar
2 sticks butter
1 c. corn syrup
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Boil butter, sugar, syrup and milk for about 6 minutes. Place cereal in a large bowl and pour the mixture over the tip, mix well. Spray mold with a vegetable spray and fill with the mixture. Remove from mold immediately.

Hopscotch

½ c. peanut butter
2 c. mini marshmallows
2 c. chow mein noodles
6 oz. butterscotch chips

Melt peanut butter and butterscotch chips. Pour over noodles and marshmallows and turn into a 9x13 pan, chill. Cut into squares and serve.


Caramel Corn

1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 lb. brown sugar
1 c. corn syrup
1 stick butter

Combine ingredients and bring to a boil, to a soft ball stage. Cover 10 quarts popped popcorn.


Peanut Butter Cups

1 pkg. graham crackers
2 c. peanut butter
4 c. powdered sugar
2 sticks softened butter, not melted
1 pkg. chocolate chips.

Mix together graham crackers, peanut butter, powdered sugar and softened butter, blend well. Form into balls or place in mini cupcake holders. Melt chocolate chips and spread over the peanut butter mixture.

(Grandpa Smith really loved these for special treats.)

This cookie recipe is a year round favorite! One special memory for me is a Christmas one when my three oldest girls were quite little. We had a cookie decorating party at our house with their friends. What a mess!! But at the same time so much fun. Everyone certainly left our home on a sugar high that day. And who doesn't like to leave Sugar Cookies for Santa Claus?

Sugar Cookies

1½ c. powdered sugar
1 c. butter or margarine, softened
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
½ t. almond extract
2½ c. all purpose flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. cream of tartar

Mix powdered sugar, butter, egg, vanilla and almond extract. Mix in flour, baking soda and cream of tartar. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Preheat oven to 375. Divide dough into halves. Roll each half on to a lightly floured board. Cut into shapes. Bake until edges are light brown 7-8 minutes.
Swiss Cheese Pie

1 prepared pie crust
4 eggs
1 can evaporated milk
2 t. instant minced onion
1 t. salt
dash cayenne pepper
dash nutmeg
6 oz. Swiss cheese, grated
½ lb-1 lb. bacon cooked, crumbled or
½ lb-1 lb. cooked ham, cut into small cubes.

Combine eggs, milk, minced onion, salt, cayenne, and nutmeg. In the bottom of the pie crust place the bacon or ham, top with the Swiss cheese and then pour the egg mixture on top. Bake in a 450 degree oven for 15 minutes, reduce heat to 325 and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean.

(The first time I ever ate this was in Portland when I went to meet Kerry’s family for the first time. I had never had Quiche so it sounded really strange to me. I loved it of course and it has become a Christmas morning tradition for our family over the years.)
Peppermint Brittle(Jessica)
1 bag white chocolate chips, preferably Guittard
1/4 c. crushed peppermint candy canes
1/2 t. peppermint extract
In a glass bowl place the chocolate chips and place int microwave. Heat for 30 seconds at a time and stir between each heating. When chips are melted and smooth add the extract and stir until smooth. Finally add the candy and stir. Pour the mix onto a wax paper covered cookie sheet and chill until firm. Later break the candy up into pieces and serve.

1 comment:

Cydney Jensen said...

mmmm! I am so glad that I was there for some of these this year!

The Pantry

The pantry can be a life saver if it is well stocked and can help when you just don't know what to fix for dinner.

As I have made meals over the years I have stocked up on things that are common in my recipes so all I have to do is shop from my shelves. It is easy to come up with things quickly when you have supplies on hand. It may seem like a lot to have on hand but these are some of my pantry/storage staples and if you build slowly it isn't oppresive to purchase. Watch the ads and sales in your local stores.

Canned/Storage:
Tomato Sauce
Tomato Paste
chicken broth
beef broth
tuna
chicken
corn
olives
beans- kidney. canellini, black, refried
dried beans, red, white, pinto, split peas
creamed soups, mushroom. chicken. celery
tomato soup
bean with bacon soup
rice
flour
sugar
favorite spices
variety of pasta's
peanut butter

Freezer:
chicken breasts
bone in hams
chuck roasts pork roasts
pork chops
lean ground beef
ground turkey
Itailian sausage
vegetables

Refrigerator:
milk
eggs
butter
Tillamook cheddar cheese
Lowfat mozerella cheese
sour cream
cream cheese
mayonnaise
miracle whip
ketchup
mustard
half and half
cucumber
lettuce
celery
carrots
apples
limes

Pantry Shelf:
onions
avocados
tomatoes
garlic
potatoes, red and Idaho russet

Home Canned Items: (I love to can!)
tomatoes
chicken breasts
green beans
salsa
chile sauce

Favorite From the Pantry Recipes



Lauri's Italian Sauce

3 bottles whole tomatoes (4cans approx. 1 lb size)
2 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
3 8 oz. cans mushrooms

3 T. dried Oregano
3 T. dried Marjoram
3 T. dried Basil
1 ½ T. dried Thyme
T. Fennel (optional)
dried onion or two chopped fresh onions
2 T. minced dried garlic or 5 cloves fresh garlic minced (if using fresh onion and garlic sauté them in olive oil until transparent and then add the remaining ingredients)

Combine all of the above ingredients and bring to a boil, simmer on low heat until thickened. (I usually simmer it for several hours)

Meat Sauce

4 lbs, lean ground beef
2 chopped onions
2-3 cloves garlic, minced

Brown the meat and add the onion and garlic and cook until tender. Add to the marinara sauce and simmer.

Sour Cream Enchilladas


Mix
4 lb. hamburger
2 onions, chopped
6 carrots, grated or chopped
1 or 2 green pepper chopped
2 T. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1/4 t. garlic salt

Brown beef and drain, add prepared vegetables. Cook until tender and drain, cool.*

Add to hamburger mixture
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1/4 oz. can green chili's chopped (more if you want a little more spice)
1 c. sour cream
1 c. milk
Monterey jack and cheddar cheese grated (to your taste)
corn tortillas

Fill corn tortillas with meat mixture. Place seam down in a 9x13 baking pan. Layer with sauce and cheese. Bake at 350 for 25 mins. This can also be served lasagna style in a casserole dish. This saves time rolling the enchiladas. It just depends on how you want the dish to look on the plates.

*This meat mixture is great to use for other things as well, it can be used to make sloppy joes, tacos, or with other ground beef recipes. It is a great way to add more vegetables to meals with out children or picky eaters even knowing. Just freeze into portions in a zippered bag and thaw when you need a quick meal.

Tips

Always fill your sink with hot soapy water and wash as you go. This helps to keep the mess under control. (I love to cook to I really hate to clean up after!)

When you fix rice for a meal make extra and freeze some of it in a zipper bag. With this premeasured rice it is easy to do a quick thaw and serve or add to other ingredients for a quick and easy meal.

Post a shopping list where you can find it, when you run out of something simply write it down and teach your family to do the same. You are less likely to be caught off guard when you are making your favorite dish.

Make a menu and include your shopping list. You spend less time in the store when you have a plan. When you make more trips to the store you simply spend more money. Having worked with a large grocery chain I learned some of the tricks used to get you to buy more. Be prepared when you go!

Shop the Ads. Make your menu out with the ad and use the shopping list. Most people don't have time to run from store to store getting the best deal on just a few things. When you compare and find the best prices it saves you time, money, and gas.

When making dishes like lasagna, manicotti, chicken pot pie, and many casseroles make two at the same time and freeze the second one for rainy day or a sick friend. It takes little effort to make the extra and it can be a big bonus in your freezer.

Tomatoes should not be stored in the refrigerator but on your counter top. The cold causes them to break down and turn mushy.

If you need to ripen your avacados faster place them in a small paper bag with a banana or apple. The gas that they put off causes the avacado to ripen faster.

Don't store onion and garlic together because the garlic goes bad faster from the gas emitted from the onions,

Applesauce Spice Cake

2 c. sugar
1 c. shortening
2 c. thick unsweetened applesauce
2 eggs
2 t. cinnamon
1 t nutmeg
1/2 t. cloves
1/2 t. allspice
1 t. salt
8 t. baking powder (that's right)
3 c. flour
1 c. nuts chopped (optional)

Cream together shortening and sugar, add eggs. Mix dry ingredients and combine both mixes. Spread on to a sheet cake pan and bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

Frosting:

½ c. plus 2 T. butter
5 c. powdered sugar
2½ t. Mapleline flavoring
3 T. milk

Soften butter and combine with remaining ingredients, spread on top of cake.

This is good to take to Pot Luck dinners or large gatherings. I would also freeze leftover cake in individual servings for my kids after school or when they needed a quick, small snack.

Zucchini Blues

Took it for granted
When it was planted
That I had just enough

Now during my days
I'm trying new ways
To use up all this stuff

My basement is crammed
It's been jellied and jammed
Make into bread and cake

It's been chopped and sliced
And grated and diced...
There's nothing else to make!

I've baked it and planned it
Boiled and canned it
And frozen all I need

I have had my fill
There's too much... and still
It's growing like a weed.

(After going away for a week I came home to find six zucchini that were bat size in the garden. Seems like the kids didn't look as hard as they said they did! So I thought of this poem. Anyone need some Zucchini?)




Tablescapes
My blog is being extended to my family. My girls are so creative in some of the things they are doing and I am always asking them to send me the recipes and pictures. I decided to make them co-authors to save a step or two. Of course the "Gourmet Guy" is a great cook and so he is also on board. So if you see the names, Jessica, Natalie, Rachel, Cydney, Rebecca, or Kerry (the Gourmet Guy) you know who they are!