1 pkg (or 1 tablespoon) active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (110°F to 115°F)
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Combine the sugar, cardamom, salt, egg, milk and oil in a large bowl. Mix well. Add the yeast mixture, flours, raisins and nuts. Mix well. Add enough extra flour to make soft dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Shape into a round loaf.
Put the dough into a lightly-oiled 8-inch-round cake pan. Cover with a damp towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Bake in a 350°F oven 35 to 40 minutes, or until brown.
Makes 15 servings.
Fragrant Basil Vinegar
1 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
Pour vinegar into non-aluminum 2-quart saucepan. Heat until very hot, stirring occasionally. Do Not Boil. (If vinegar boils, it will become cloudy.)
Pour into glass bowl; add basil. Cover with plastic wrap. Let stand in cool place about 1 week until desired amount of flavour develops. Strain before using. Store up to 6 months in jar or bottle with tight- fitting lid.
Variations: Substitute 1 tablespoon of either fresh oregano, thyme, chervil or tarragon for the basil. Or, substitute cider vinegar for the wine vinegar.
Spirited Coffee Punch
8 cup boiling water
1/3 cup instant coffee granules
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup kahlua or other coffee-flavored liqueur (optional and non alcohol flavors can be used)
2 cup 2-percent milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 quart vanilla ice cream, softened
whipping cream, whipped, optional
Combine water, coffee granules and sugar, stirring until coffee dissolves; chill. Add Kahlua and milk, vanilla and ice cream, stirring until blended. Ladle beverage into cups. Top with whipped cream, if desired.
Makes 14 cups.
Recipe From: Christmas with Southern Living 1992.
Please Drink Responsibly. John @ The Cooking Inn.
Steamed Cranberry Pudding
2 cup cranberries chopped
3/4 cup walnuts chopped
1/2 cup dried apricots chopped
2 cup flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup bread crumbs fine dry
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup chopped suet *
2 egg
2/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon almond extract
* Suet Substitutes: Beef Tallow, also some times hard to find like suet and maybe expensive as well. Lard. Vegetable Shortening. Ghee and Butter. You can also go to a butcher and get scraps of both beef and chicken fat, slow cooking these will result in a liquid that you can strain into jars that you can use in place of suet.
Grease two 1 quart moulds and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Combine the cranberries, walnuts and apricots and dredge with 1/4 cup of the flour. Sift the remaining flour, baking powder and salt together. Combine with the bread crumbs. Beat together the brown sugar, suet and eggs. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk to the suet mixure. Stir in the almond extract and the floured fruit and walnuts, combining well. Turn the batter into the prepared moulds. The moulds should be no more than three-quarters full.
Cover with a double thickness of wax paper and foil and tie securely with string. Place on a rack in a large pot. Pour boiling water around the moulds to two-thirds of the way up the moulds. Cover tightly and steam for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or until the top of the pudding is no longer sticky. Add more boiling water if necessary during this time, but make sure the water just simmers in the pan as the pudding steams. Remove the moulds from the water. Let the pudding set in the moulds for about 5 minutes, then turn out onto a warm platter and serve hot with Caramel Sauce, Almond Sauce or Hard Sauce. If you are using Hard Sauce, try substituting 2 tablespoons apricot brandy for the flavouring.
Makes 12 servings.
Hot Chocolate
6 oz bittersweet chocolate; broken into pieces
2 tablespoon sugar
2 cup boiling water
2 cup milk
1 cup half-and-half
2/3 cup kahlua or tia maria (optional)
1/2 cup whipping cream; whipped
Place chocolate and sugar in a heavy saucepan. Pour in boiling water. Stir with whisk until chocolate is melted. Cook, stirring occasionally, over low heat to simmering point, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Heat milk and Half and Half in a saucepan over low heat, just until bubbles form around edges. Slowly pour milk mixture into chocolate mixture, whisking until smooth. Simmer 5 minutes, then add liqueur. Beat cream until stiff. Ladle chocolate into mugs and top each with whipped cream. Makes 6 cups.
Please Drink Responsibly @ The Cooking Inn.
11 Ways For That Hot Chocolate Christmas Surprise
Peppermint Hot Chocolate: Spread marshmallow fluff on the rim of a mug and then dip the mug in crushed candy canes. Pour instant hot chocolate mix into the prepared mug, add water as directed and stir in 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract.
Mexican Hot Chocolate: Stir a generous pinch each of ground cinnamon and cayenne pepper into 1 mug of prepared instant hot chocolate. Garnish with cinnamon stick.
Malted Milk Hot Chocolate: Stir malted milk powder into 1 mug of prepared instant hot chocolate. Garnish with crushed Whoppers (optional).
Orange Hot Chocolate: Stir a splash of orange water or orange extract into 1 mug of prepared instant hot chocolate (optional). Garnish with whipped cream and finely grated orange peel.
Bourbon-Pecan Hot Chocolate: Soak pecan halves in bourbon for 15 minutes. Drain, reserving bourbon and pecans separately. Spike 1 mug of prepared instant hot chocolate with the bourbon, then thread pecan halves on a skewer and use as garnish.
Chai Hot Chocolate: Stir bottled chai tea latte concentrate into 1 mug of prepared instant hot chocolate. Garnish with freshly ground black pepper (optional).
Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate: Stir dulce de leche or other caramel sauce, plus a pinch of salt, into 1 mug of prepared instant hot chocolate. Top with whipped cream and a drizzle of dulce de leche.
Eggnog Hot Chocolate: Stir a splash of store-bought eggnog (or more if you really like it) into 1 mug of prepared instant hot chocolate. Sprinkle with freshly grated nutmeg.
Toasted Coconut Hot Chocolate: Stir cream of coconut into 1 mug of prepared instant hot chocolate. Top with whipped cream and toasted, sweetened shredded coconut.
Raspberry Hot Chocolate: Stir raspberry jam into 1 mug of prepared instant hot chocolate. Thread fresh raspberries on a skewer and use as garnish.
Pumpkin Spiced Hot Chocolate: Whisk 1 or 2 tablespoons canned pure pumpkin into 1 mug instant hot chocolate. Top with whipped cream and sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice.
Mint Coffee
1/2 cup coffee flavored liquer; (optional)
4 cup hot coffee
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 container (8oz) frozen; thawed whipped topping
1/4 cup green creme de menthe
4 mini mint patties
Pour coffee liquer evenly into 4 coffee glasses. Divide coffee and cinnamon evenly as well. Mix. Spoon whipped topping evenly over each coffee. Drizzle creme de menthe over the whipped topping. Place a mint pattie on top of each coffee. Serve immediately
Also try putting the mint pattie in with the hot coffee and just let the mint and chocolate melt into the drink.
Please Drink Responsibly @ The Cooking Inn.
Eggnog
60 eggs, separated
4 cup cognac or bourbon
2 cup sugar, or to taste
1 cup dark rum
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 cup heavy cream, whipped
nutmeg
Please Drink Responsibly @ The Cooking Inn.
Beat the egg yolks until light. Beating contantly, slowly add the cognac or bourbon. Dissolve the sugar in the rum and stir into egg yolk mixture. Add the salt and vanilla. Stir in the whipped cream. Beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry and fold in. Sprinkle with nutmeg.
Please Drink Responsibly @ The Cooking Inn.
Eggnog
3/4 cup sugar
12 eggs, separated
1 pint bourbon
2 cup heavy cream
Slowly add the sugar to the egg yolks and beat until very stiff and white. Beat the egg whites until stiff. Stir the bourbon into yolk mixture. Mix in whites and the cream with a wire whisk. Chill until served. This is better on the second day. You can add a sprinkle of nutmeg to each serving.
Please Drink Responsibly @ The Cooking Inn.
Christmas Nog
6 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup rye whisky
1/3 cup jamaica rum
1 cup whipping cream
nutmeg
Beat the egg yolks until lemon color, then add liquors a tablespoon at a time beating constantly. Beat the egg whites until stiff, but not dry and add all but one Tbls sugar. Combine two mixtures. Add the remaiing sugar to the whipped cream and fold it into the eggnog, reserving two Tals of cream. Serve in punch glasses top with remaining cream and dust with nutmeg.
Please Drink Responsibly @ The Cooking Inn.
Cherry Chewbilees
Crust:
1 cup walnut pieces, divided
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter flavor shortening
1/2 cup flake coconut
Filling:
2 pkg (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla
1 can (21 ounces) cherry pie filling
Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 13x9x 2-inch pan with Butter Flavor shortening. Set aside. Chop 1/2 cup nuts coarsely for topping. Set aside. Chop remaining 1/2 cup nuts finely. For crust, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in Butter Flavor shortening until fine crumbs form. Add 1/2 cup finely chopped nuts and coconut. Mix well. Remove 1/2 cup. Set aside. Press remaining crumbs in bottom of pan. Bake at 350°F for 12 to 15 minutes, until edges are lightly browned.
For Filling: Beat cream cheese, granulated sugar, eggs and vanilla in small bowl at medium speed of electric mixer until smooth. Spread over hot baked crust. Return to oven. Bake 15 minutes longer or until set. Spread cherry pie filling over cheese layer. Combine reserved coarsely chopped nuts and reserved crumbs. Sprinkle evenly over cherries. Return to oven. Bake 15 minutes longer. Chill. Refrigerate several hours. Cut into bars, about 2x 1-1/2 inches.
Preparation time: 15 minutes Bake time: 45 minutes
Recipe From: Treasury of Christmas Recipes (1991).
Mocha Nut Butter Balls (Christmas)
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoon instant coffee powder
1/4 cup cocoa
1 3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cup pecans, finely chopped
Cream butter, sugar, and vanilla until light. Add next four ingredients. Mix well. Add nuts. Shape in 1" balls on ungreased sheets. Bake at 325°F for about 17 to 20 minutes. Roll in powdered sugar while warm. Store in tin box between layers of wax paper.
Orange-Nutmeg Tea Mix
1 cup instant tea powder
1 cup sugar
1 package unsweetened orange-flavored drink mix, 0.15 ounces
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
In a small bowl, combine all ingredients; stir until well blended.
Store in an airtight container.
To Serve: Stir 2 tablespoons tea mix into 6 ounces of hot or cold water.
Recipe From: The Creative Christmas Kitchen.
Pumpkin Pie Biscotti
3 1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
(can also use egg substitute or 4 egg whites)
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 tablespoon butter, margarine, or a healthy alternative
1 1/4 cup macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped (optional)
Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; stir well. Combine pumpkin, eggs and vanilla; stirring well with a wire whisk. Slowly add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture, stirring until dry ingredients are moistened. (Mixture will be very crumbly; it will gradually become moist after stirring.)
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add macadamia nuts. Cook, stirring constantly, until nuts are browned. Remove from heat, and cool completely. Knead or gently stir cooled nuts into dough.
Place dough on a lightly floured surface, and divide into 4 portions. Lightly flour hands, and shape each portion into a 1" x 15" slightly flattened log. Place logs 3" apart on lightly greased large cookie sheets.
Bake at 350°F for 23 minutes; cool logs 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F.
Cut each log crosswise into 1/2" slices, using a serrated knife. Place slices on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 300°F for 15 minutes. Cool completely on wire racks.
Recipe From: Christmas with Southern Living 1996.
Spiced Christmas Beef
1/2 teaspoon powdered cloves
1/2 teaspoon powdered mace
1/2 teaspoon coarsely crushed black peppers
1/2 teaspoon coarsely crushed allspice
1 tablespoon dried thyme
225 gm moist dark brown sugar
1 piece beef silverside, (2.3 kg.) flank, top rump roast
225 gm sea salt
15 gm salt petre
6 dried bay leaves
12 juniper berries, crushed
1 bouquet garnish
2 carrots, chopped
2 sticks celery, chopped
1 onion; chopped
2 wine glasses port
575 ml beef stock
15 gm gelatin
1 large bunch parsley, finely chopped
Mix powdered and crushed spices, and the thyme. Mix half the mixture with the sugar. Cover the meat with it in a shallow earthenware dish, and leave to stand for 24 hours. Now add the salt, salt petre, bay leaves and crushed juniper berries, rubbing them into the meat and let it steep in the mixture for a week, rubbing and turning it daily.
When ready to cook the meat, rinse it and soak for 1 hour in cold water. Dry it well, spread the reserved spices over the inside of the beef, roll it up tightly and tie with a string.
Put it into a heavy iron casserole which just fits it. Surround it with the bouquet of herbs and the chopped carrots, celery and onion. Pour on the 2 glasses of port and the stock and cover tightly with its lid. Cook for 4 to 5 hours very, very slowly with the liquid quietly plupping, turning the meat occasionally, or braise it in a very low oven, 300°F. for 4 to 5 hours until very tender. Eat hot or cold, allow to cool to lukewarm in the cooking liquid then take it out and put it between two boards with a 450 g weight on top.
Leave it overnight. The next day eat it plain or coat it with a jelly.
To Make The Jelly: Remove the fat from the top of the cooled cooking liquid. Strain, skim and taste it. If it tastes too strong and salty dilute it with red wine or weak stock.
Measure 575 ml. of the liquid. Put the gelatin in a cup with 3 to 4 tablespoons of the liquid, heated, and place it in a shallow pan of hot water, over a moderate heat, stirring until it has completely dissolved. Add it and the chopped parsley to the measured amount of liquid and put it in the refrigerator, stirring it occasionally until it becomes thick and syrupy. Put the beef to chill at the same time.
As soon as the gelatin becomes thick, syrupy and almost set, remove the string from the beef and spoon the glaze over it. Chill and repeat this, giving two more coats so that the beef has a nice thick glaze with green parsley embedded in it.
Pour the rest of the jelly into a shallow pan, allow to set in the refrigerator. Then when it has set, cut it into squares and pile around the beef on its serving dish.
Serve, sliced with pickles, and plenty of mustard.
Turkey Cranberry Pancakes
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup chopped cooked turkey
1/2 cup cranberry sauce
2 tablespoon chopped green onion
In large bowl, beat together egg, milk, sour cream and butter. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt just until blended. Fold in turkey, cranberry sauce and onion.
Heat nonstick pan or lightly greased griddle until a few drops of water bounce and sizzle when sprinkled on pan. Drop 1/4 cup batter for each pancake onto hot pan, spreading into circle 1/2 inch thick.
Cook over medium-high heat for 4 minutes or until bubbles appear on top; turn and cook for 4 minutes or until bottom is golden brown. Remove to warm serving platter. Makes 8 to 10 pancakes.
Recipe From: The Canadian Living Christmas Book.
Wisconsin Spicy Apple Eggnog
2 beaten eggs
3 cup milk
2 cup light cream or half and half
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 dash salt
3/4 cup apple brandy
ground nutmeg
In a large saucepan combine beaten eggs, milk, light cream or half-and-half, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Cook and stir over medium heat till mixture is slightly thickened and heated through, but do not boil. Remove from heat; stir in apple brandy. To serve, ladle mixture into 12 heat-proof glasses or cups. Sprinkle each serving with nutmeg. Serve warm.
Recipe From: Treasury of Christmas Recipes (1991).
Please Drink Responsibly @ The Cooking Inn.
