Christmas Menu

Wassail, traditionally a drink for the holiday season, is served hot.  This recipe is made with cider; however, ale, sherry or Maderia wine may be substituted.

Ingredients are highlighted in recipe.

For baked apples - butter two baking dishes and insides of covers.

Wash and core 12 small size, firm baking apples (such as Jonathans)

Core by inserting corer in stem end and cut toward blossom end.  Push half-way into apple.  Remove corer and insert in opposite end.  Make a complete turn with corer in both ends.  Remove all the core.  pare about 1 in. strip of peel at the stem end of each apple.

Arrange apples in baking dishes, pared sides up.  Fill each with 2 to 3 tsp of the following mixture:

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 tsp nutmeg
3/4 tsp cinnamon and top each with one-half tsp of butter.

Combine in a saucepan and bring to boiling 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water.  pour over apples in baking dish.

Cover and bake at 350°F for 30 to 40 min., or until tender when pierced with a fork.  Baste every 5 min. for the first 15 min., and then every 15 min.

For Wassail - sitr together in saucepan 2 cups water, 1 tbs ginger, 1 tbs nutmeg, 6 whole cloves 6 whole allspcie and 2 2in. cinnamon sticks.  Cover and bring to a boil and boil for 10 min.

Combine in 6 qt. saucepan 1 gal apple cider, 3 cups sugar and 1-1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar.  Simmer over low heat, stirring frequently.  Stir in water-spice mixture and continue cooking 5 to 10 min.  

Beat until very thick and lemon colored 12 egg yolks. 

Beat until rounded peaks are formed 12 egg whites.

Slide beaten egg whites into punch bowl.  Pour beaten egg yolks over egg whites.  Fold together.  Add the hot mixture very slowly, stirring constantly.  Stir in 1 cup brandy and float baked apples in hot beverage.  Serve hot.  About 50 servings.  

Note:  for a hot cider punch, omit baked apples, egg yolks and egg whites.

Deep Fried Turkey

Pecan-Crusted Squash Casserole

Lightly grease 1 qt. casserole and set aside

Ingredients:

3/4 cup (about 3 oz.) pecans, coarsely chopped
1 pkg (1 lb.) frozen squash
3 tbs melted butter or margarine
2 tbs cream
1 tbs brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/3 tsp ginger
3 tbs white corn syrup
2 tbs brown sugar
1 tbs melted butter or margarine

Cook squash and blend thoroughly the squash and 3 tbs butter and cream.  Add 1 tbs brown sugar, salt, pepper, corn starch and ginger.  Blend in  1/2 cup pecans and place in your casserole dish.  Combine remaining pecans with white corn syrup, 2 tbs brown sugar and 1 tbs melted butter.  Lightly drizzle this mixture over squash in casserole.  Bake at 350°F for about 20 min., or until the glaze sets to form a crust.

Candied Yams

Ingredients:

6 medium-size (about 2 lbs.) yams or sweet potatoes
1/3 cup butter or margarine
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt

Wash and scrub with a vegetable brush the yams.  Cook covered in boiling salted water to cover - cooking 30 to 35 min., or until tender when pierced with a fork.  Drain potatoes and peel; set aside.

Melt butter in skillet over medium heat. Blend in brown sugar and salt.  Bring mixture to boiling.  Add potatoes.  cook over medium heat, turning potatoes several times, about 20 min., or until potatoes are well glazed and thoroughly heated. 4 to 6 servings.

Christmas Cinnamon Stars

Ingredients:

2 cups (about 2/3 lb.) unblanched almonds, finely chopped
3 egg whites
1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
1 tsp grated lemon peel
3/4 tsp cinnamon

Lightly grease and flour two cookie sheets.  Shake off excess flour. and set aside.

Beat egg whites until stiff peaks are formed. and gradually add 1 confectioners' sugar.  Beat egg white/sugar mixture for 5 min. with an electric mixer on medium speed.  Blend in lemon peel and cinnamon.  Set aside 1/2 cup of the meringue mixture.

Fold almonds into remaining meringue mixture.  Gently pat or roll out 3/8 in. thick on board sprinkled with confectioners' sugar.  Lightly sprinkle the top of the dough with more confectioners' sugar.  cut out stars with a star-shape cookie cutter dipped in confectioners' sugar.  Carefully place stars on cookie sheets.  Drop 1/2 tsp of the reserved meringue onto each cookie, drawing meringue out onto each point of the star.  Bake at 325°F about 20 min.  Immediately remove cookies from cookie sheets to cooling racks.  Makes about 3 dz. cookies.

Ingredients:

1 lb. broccoli
1/4 cup butter or margarine
2 tbs finely chopped onion
1/3 tsp pepper

Remove and discard outer leaves and cut off though ends of stalks from the broccoli.  Soak brocolli 20-30 minutes in salted water.  Split havey stalks lengthwise, about 1/2 in.  cook broccoli in sauce pan until tender and drain.

In a small skillet heat butter and onion and mix in pepper.  pour onion mixture over broccoli.  Serve immediately.

Almond Buttered Broccoli

Follow recipe above and omit onion and seasonings.  Increase butter to 1/3 cup.  When butter is hot, stir in 1/2 cup (about 2 oz.) toasted almonds, slivered.  Remove from heat.  Pour over broccoli in serving dish.

NOTE:  Asparagus or Brussels Sprouts may be substituted for Broccoli.

Eggnog Dessert in Chocolate Cups

Twelve 2-in. muffin pan wells will be needed.  Place a bowl and beater in refrigerator to chill.

Melt over simmering water the chocolate chips.

Remove from heat and stir.  With back of teaspoon or small spatula, spread chocolate on insides of baking cups, covering all of the interiors.  Place cups in muffin pan wells. Place in refrigerator to chill until firm (about 1 hour).

Meanwhile, prepare eggnog pie filling - use 1/2 recipe of the below.

When ready to fill, remove chocolate cups from refrigerator and peel off paper cups.  When eggnog mixture has begun to gel, fill cups.  Return filled cups to refrigerator until filling is firm.  Using a chilled bowl and chilled beater, beat until stiff 1/3 cup chilled whipping cream.  Decorate each dessert with whipped cream forced through a pastry bag and No.27 decorating tip.  Add decorative sprinkles or sprinkle with a little nutmeg and serve.

Eggnog Pie Filling
1/4 cup cold water
1 tbs (1 env.) unflavored gelatin
1-1/2 cups milk
5 tbs sugar
1/2 tsp salt
4 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1 cup chilled whipping cream
2 egg whites
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 tbs rum
2 tsp vanilla extract

Place rotary beater and bowl in refrigerator to chill.  pour into a small cup or custard cup 1/4 cup cold water and sprinkle evenly over water the gelatin.  Let stand about 5 min. to soften.

Mix thoroughly in top of double boiler and heat over simmering water until milk is scalded the milk, sugar and salt.

Vigorously stir about 3 tbs hot mixture into 4 egg yolks (slightly beaten) and immediately blend into mixture in double boiler top.  Stirring constantly, cook over simmering water until mixture coats a silver spoon.  Immediately remove from heat.  Blend in softened gelatin, stirring until gelatin is completely dissolved.  Chill in refrigerator or in pan of ice and water until mixture begins to gel (gets slightly thicker).  (If mixture is placed over ice and water, stir frequently; if placed in refrigerator, stir occasionally.)

Using chilled bowl and beater, beat whipping cream until it is oven medium consistency (piles softly).  Set in refrigerator while egg whites are beaten.  using clean beater, beat until frothy the 2 egg whites.  Gradually add sugar and nutmeg, beating thoroughly after addition.  Beat until rounded peaks are formed.