“Cooking is an act of love, a gift, a way of sharing with others the little secrets – ‘piccolo segreti’ – that are simmering on the burners.” - Sophia Loren
Drinks Homemade Irish Cream (Bailey’s) …...........................................8 L’espalier Belgian Malinois Champagne Cocktail ...…...9
Sides Christmas Crabbies ……………………………………………………………..10 Cranberry Chutney ………………………..…...........................................11 Fruit Salsa ……………………………………………………………………….....…...12 Sweet Potato Casserole …………………………………………................13 Taco Dip …………………………………………………………………………………..14
Entrees Aglio e Olio ……………………………………….…...........................................15 Corton ………………………………………………………………………………....…...16 Grandma’s Braciole ……………………………………………………………..17 Scalloped Oysters ………………………………………………………………..18 Smoked Turkey Gumbo ………………………………………………………19 Tourtiere ………………………………………………………………………………….20 Tourtiere [French Canadian Christmas Pie] ……………….21
Sweets Bridie’s Irish Soda Bread ………………….....................................22 Christmas Rice Krispie Treat Bites ………………………………23 Coffee Cake ……………...……………………………………………………......24 Italian Anise Cookies …………………………………………….…..........25 Joy of Cooking Gingersnap Cookies ..…………….…..........26 Lace Cookies ……………………………………………………………............27 Lots of Love ………………………………………………………………............28 Mint Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake .......................................29 No Crust Apple Pie …………………………………………………….........30 No-Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars ………….………..31 Povitica …………………………………………………………………….………….32 Rolled Sugar Cookies w/ Almond Frosting ………………33 Twila’s Bourbon Balls ………………………………………………………34
Homemade Irish Cream (Bailey’s) Ingredients: - 1 cup Irish Whiskey (my mom usually used Seagrams 7 but I’ve used Jameson which
is, top notch) - 1/3 cup white rum (our go to is Bacardi’s) - 2 cups half & half - 3 eggs (shocking I know, it does help with the texture and from what I’ve read it’s
safe – however, feel free to skip and taste will be just as delicious) - 1 can sweet condensed milk - 3 tbsp Hershey’s syrup - 1 tsp vanilla extract
Preparation: - Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor, blend for 5 minutes. Batch will fill approximately one 33oz bottle. You may need to let the liquid settle as you pour into the bottle to fit it all, as it will have some bubbles after blending. Keep cold & serve cold or over ice. Consume by the ‘best by’ date on the half & half and/or eggs.
As long as I can remember, the holiday tradition of gifting this Irish Cream to family & friends has been a tradition. The recipe originated from my Uncle, but my Mom gave it a life of its own. Every year, my mom would have multiple blenders churning and glass bottles lined up, ready to be filled. The tradition requires you to return your glass bottle every year to get a refill J After my Mom made all the batches, I was the delivery Elf who would drive to everyone’s homes to deliver a little boozy holiday cheer! -Catherine Gropp 8
L’Espalier’s Belgian Malinois Champagne Cocktail Ingredients: - 2 oz. Belgian Lindemans Framboise Belgian Lambic - 6 oz. Champagne or other sparkling wine - Fresh raspberries for garnish
Preparation: - Pour Lindemans in glass and top with champagne. Garnish with the fresh raspberries
Back in the days of the old L’Espalier on Gloucester Street in Boston, with one of my best friends, we had the tradition of going there for the pre-holiday tea service. Our afternoon always started with one of their Champagne Cocktails. L’Espalier since moved locations and ultimately closed – but this drink will forever remind me of Christmas. - Emily Livingston 9
Christmas Crabbies Ingredients: - 6 English muffins (best with nooks and crannies) - 1 stick melted butter
- 1.5 tbsp mayo
- 8oz softened port wine cheese
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp seasoned salt - 8oz shredded crabmeat (imitation is OK)
Preparation: - Mix all ingredients well (except English muffins) - Split English muffins - Put mixture on each half of muffins (typically about 1-2 T per ½ muffin) - Place muffins on cookie sheet - Cover lightly with foil or plastic wrap - Put in freezer overnight - Next day, remove covering - Cut each English muffin into quarters - Return to cookie sheet - Bake at 375 until browned – about 30-40 minute
Note to self… If there are more than 25 people, make more – These are crowd pleasers! - Janet Pendexter
10
Cranberry Chutney Ingredients: - 1 ¾ lbs tart apples, chopped
- 2 ¼ lbs cranberries
- 2 cups light brown sugar
- 1 ¼ cups apple cider vinegar
- ½ tbsp cinnamon
- ½ tbsp salt
- ½ tbsp ground ginger
- ¾ tsp ground cloves
- ¾ tsp pepper flakes
- ½ lb dark raisins
Preparation: - Put everything in a saucepan and cook for 45 minutes over a low simmer. Mash haphazardly with a potato masher – you want it to be chunky but to have thicken from the pectin in the apples. - You can store in the fridge for a few months in a hot, clean jar. You can also process and can – I do a boiling water bath canning process in Ball’s 8oz jelly jars and keep them in for about 15-20 minutes.
Every year for the holiday season we make and process a big batch of Cranberry Chutney. You'll think you don't need this condiment in your life, but you do. It makes a leftover turkey sandwich into something special. A teaspoon mixed into some bourbon make a spicy old fashioned. And a few spoons of this with some melted brie is the easiest appetizer of the season. -Monica Fisher
11
Fruit Salsa Ingredients: - Strawberries - Raspberries - Apples - Lemon juice - Raspberry jam - Cinnamon Sugar Pita Chips
Preparation: - Chop up strawberries, raspberries, and apples - Add fresh lemon juice & raspberry jam - Eat with cinnamon sugar pita chips
Not sure if it’s famous or on repeat, but my sister made it for Christmas one year as one of the appetizers on the first table to greet us when we walked in & it was deliciously different! It’s a really fun, easy, and different app with a holiday twist to it! It has a fun light taste that actually can double for a great summer app too. I wish I had a picture, but we ate it too fast. - Erin Bibber
12
Sweet Potato Casserole Ingredients: - 4 to 5 cups baked, mashed potato (about 6-7 sweet potatoes) - 2 eggs
- ½ cup butter, melted
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla
For the topping: - 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1/3 cup butter, softened
Preparation: - Combine potatoes, eggs, butter, sugar, and vanilla. Put into a 13” x 9” casserole glass dish. - Combine topping ingredients and mix with a fork to crumb consistency. Sprinkle over the top of casserole - Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes
This is my Grandmother’s recipe (on Dad’s side) – my Mom has since perfected it and it is a family tradition at both Thanksgiving and Christmas. - Emily McSweeney
13
Taco Dip Ingredients: - 1 - 16 oz sour cream
- 1 – 8oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 – 1oz pkg taco seasoning (Old El Paso or like) - 1 – 16oz jar of salsa (Newman’s Old Mild, or your favorite) - 1 – 8oz pkg shredded Mexican cheese (save ¼ cup for top) - 4 plum tomatoes, sliced
- 1 head Iceberg lettuce, shredded
- 1 bunch of scallions, tops thinly sliced
Preparation: - In a bowl, mix the sour cream and softened cream cheese together until blended and then add taco seasoning mix to the bowl. Once well-blended, layer this as the first layer in the 8x11 pan spread evenly. Next, add salsa on top of the first layer and spread evenly. Next, add a layer of Mexican cheese on top of the salsa layer. Top the cheese layer with the shredded lettuce. Next, you will sprinkle the diced tomatoes over the lettuce layer and do the same with the scallions. Finally, sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of Mexican cheese on the top. - That's it! You are done! Cover and refrigerate until ready to eat. Helpful hint... making this the night before needed allows it to firm up a bit.
My mom has been making Taco Dip for as long as I can remember. She used to make 1 dish for family events and after years of watching the dip disappear within 20 minutes, we now average about 3 dips per family gathering! I love making this taco dip for just about any shindig I host/attend. It is never quite as good as my mom's though! I always look forward to enjoying hers and the added benefit that comes with not having to prepare it myself, haha. My stepchildren absolutely love it and I can't wait to find out if my daughter enjoys it just as much when she grows up! - Shannen Barbato
Aglio e Olio Ingredients: -
A couple cloves of garlic (whole, sliced, or smashed [my favorite]) Olive Oil – lots Salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper – to taste (except for the red pepper, which no one wants to taste but me) White wine – a generous splash (but leave me a glass of that, would ya?) Parsley – a handful, coarsely chopped Parmesan cheese – as needed (even though real Italians don’t put cheese on seafood pasta dishes) Shrimp and littleneck clams – more than you need Linguine – a pound, two pounds? (I don’t know, a pound doesn’t feel like enough. Well – it’s great left over. Yeah, definitely two pounds)
Preparation: -
Simmer water for pasta. Place garlic in heavy skillet with olive oil. Simmer on low for as long as you can without burning the garlic, which ranges from 3 minutes to 2 hours. Remove garlic and set in a bowl for your father to eat later in the night, causing a brief but spirited debate on how badly this will impact the other family members.
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Turn up the heat, add clams and cover. Drain pasta, reserving some water. Put pasta in a bowl with butter so it doesn't stick together in a gross lump. Remember that year you forgot to add the butter? - Don't do that again.
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Once the clams are largely open add the shrimp and a splash of white wine. If you don't know if the clams are open enough, ask every single family member about 3 times. Then the answer will be, yeah, those are probably really overcooked. Don't overcook the shrimp too, OK?
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Once the shrimp are not overcooked, open the lid in a grandiose manner, letting delicious shrimpy, clammy steam go all over the kitchen and aggressively throw in a handful of coarsely chopped parsley. Pour over pasta and "muschenea"...yeah, that means stir. Loudly yell, "hey, shut that TV off, the pasta's done." Add cheese a la fake Italians and devour far more than a forkful...
-
Crap, I forgot to add some of the pasta water. Oh well, it's still delicious and I'm too tired to care.
So this basic Italian dish is fancied up for the holidays with clams and shrimp. Every year, we have fried fish for Christmas Eve ("Is a pound of seafood per person enough?" - Yes mom, yes it is.) Fried fish on Christmas Eve is the tradition I hold onto the tightest. This long, filling and kitchen destroying experience is usually accompanied by cocktails, cheese, champagne, white wine and red wine. "Who's ready for pasta?" - What?! No one. "Fine"... Twenty minutes later - "I don't really care, I want just a forkful. Don't you want just a forkful?" Every year this plays out in almost exactly the same way. To this day, "just a forkful" is parlance in our family for anything you really want but definitely don't need. Given the hour and previous beverages consumed, the quality of the aglio e olio over the years has been highly variable, but always delicious. Whoever said "hunger is the best spice" has not had Christmas Eve at our house. - Paul Penta
15
Corton [Cu-tah] Ingredients: - 3-4 lbs boneless pork butt - 1 onion – grated - 0.5 tsp sage - 0.5 tsp allspice - 0.5 tsp poultry seasoning - 0.5 tsp pepper - Salt to taste
Preparation: - In a pot, barely cover the pork w/ water. Season w/ salt & pepper. Simmer pork until falling apart. Remove pork from water (don’t drain water) and puree in a food processor. Puree only until smooth but not mushy. Add back to water with the grated onion and seasoning. Continue to simmer until almost all water is gone. The amount of water (added to the pot originally & left at the end) is key to ensure the corton is the right consistency once cooled. The amount of fat on the pork will also contribute to the texture. Sometimes if not sure, I will pull out a small amount and put in the fridge. Once solid but still spreadable when cool, place into containers or loaf pans & cool in the fridge. It also freezes very well.
Corton is a French Canadian pheasant pate eaten during the holidays. This recipe has been made in my family for at least 4 generations, but likely a lot longer than that as the recipe is an amalgamation of eastern Canada’s first French settlers’ recipe (a la rilletes) and First Nation preservation methods. However, true European pate would look down its aspic-covered nose at Corton. It is basically boiled meat, but it’s DELICIOUS! Best eaten on a toasted and buttered English muffin or toast. Often eaten cold, it is good salted and put in a toaster oven or broiler to get the edges crispy. - Paul Penta
16
Grandma’s Braciole Ingredients: - 50 slices of Eye roast (or top or bottom round) sliced thin (1/4”) – need meat slicer
or ask butcher to slice for you - ½ lb salt pork
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 4 tbsp sugar
- ½ tsp dried basil
- ½ tsp oregano
- 2 cloves garlic
- 4 cups water
- 3 28oz cans Pastene Ground Peeled tomatoes - 1 12oz can tomato paste
Preparation: Meat - While salt pork is frozen, slice off back piece of fat, then chop into small cubes. Feed into food processor while still frozen, add pepper, oregano, and 1 clove garlic (minced) - Spread each slice of meat with salt pork mixture - Roll up meat & secure with toothpick - Melt leftover salt pork in pan & cook braciola about 5 minutes, until brown - Cover meat and cook 30-40 minutes on simmer - Remove cover and cook until braciola are brown and water evaporates Sauce - Add tomatoes w/ tomato paste, water, sugar, salt, pepper, garlic clove on toothpick, and basil in large pot and mix thoroughly. - Add braciola to sauce and simmer for an hour
This is a recipe that my husband’s family has passed down from Great-Grandma Branca, who came to the US from Italy in 1900. Braciole is different depending on the region of Italy it’s from and this recipe is from a town south of Naples. And “braciole” is also a euphemism for lady parts, therefore one must be careful about exclaiming: “I love my Grandma’s braciole!” -Jill Branca 17
Scalloped Oysters Ingredients: - 1 ½ cups crushed Ritz crackers -
½ cup butter, melted
- 1-2 pints oysters, drained (reserve liquid)* -
½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper -
¼ cup celery, diced
- 2 tbsp parsley, minced - 4 slices cooked bacon, chopped (optional) - 2/3 cup liquid (mix up half oyster liquid w/ half milk, cream, or half&half)
Preparation: - Mix cracker crumbs with melted butter. Spread one-third of the crumbs in a greased baking dish. Spread half of the oysters, salt, pepper, celery, parsley, and liquid over the crumbs (plus optional bacom). - Cover with one-third of the crumbs. - Repeat, ending with remaining crumbs. - Bake in over for 450** oven for 30 minutes * Best with 2 pints of freshly shucked oysters in liquid from fish market; can also use the 8oz containers of oysters in the refrigerated seafood section at the grocery store. ** Because there are usually other things in the oven, cooking at lower temps of 350 or 375 also works.
This recipe was made by my grandmother and my great-aunt. I have continued the tradition and I cannot show up to Thanksgiving or Christmas with my in-laws without it. -Kathy Wilder
18
Smoked Turkey Gumbo Ingredients: -
2.5 lbs smoked turkey, cut into a large dice (1/2 inch or so) (you can substitute cooked boneless
skinless chicken breast) -
Salt & pepper
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
-
1 lb smoked sausage, cut into ¼ inch slices - ½ cup all-purpose flour
-
5 tbsp butter
- 1 large onion, chopped
-
8 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
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1 green bell pepper, seeded & chopped
- ½ cup Worcestershire sauce
-
¼ bunch flat leaf parsley, stems & leaves, coarsely chopped, plus chopped leaves for garnish
-
1 14oz can stewed tomatoes, with juice
- 4 cups hot beef stock
-
4 green onions, sliced, white and green parts
- 2 cups frozen sliced okra
Preparation: - Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat - Add sausage and cook until thoroughly browned, then remove to a plate - Sprinkle flour over oil, add 2 tbsp butter and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until brown, about 10 minutes. (If your pan starts to smoke, take it off the burner and lower the
temp… this is a slow process. Pour some wine for yourself and enjoy it J - Let the roux cool - Return the Dutch oven to low heat and melt the remaining 3 tbsp butter - Add the onion, garlic, green pepper, and celery and cook for 10 minutes - Add Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper to taste, and the ¼ bunch parsley. - Cook, while stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. - Add 4 cups hot beef stock, whisking constantly.
I have the cooking heart of a Southern Cajun/Creole Grandma, and what better way to make use of leftover Thanksgiving turkey than with this humble, delicious recipe! -Sarah Schwartz
19
Tourtiere Ingredients: - 9” pie crust (feel free to make your own, but who has time? There are presents to
wrap!) - 1 lb fresh ground pork
- 1 cup potatoes, cooked & mashed
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 small onion, diced
- ¼ tsp poultry seasoning
- ¼ tsp allspice
- 1 whisked egg and 2 tbsp melted butter
- salt and pepper to taste
Preparation: - In a large skillet, melt butter and saute onions until cooked. Add pork and cook. Once pork is cooked, DO NOT drain the fat. Fold in mashed potatoes, poultry seasoning and allspice. Add mixture to pie crust and cover with a crust. Pinch edges closed. Poke a few holes to vent top crust. Brush top crust with egg/butter mixture.
Bake at 400 for 30 minutes until crust is crispy golden brown.
My father is Italian and my mother is French-Canadian. Most of the time the Italian side drove the menu, but during the Christmas season, my mom would make two recipes that her mom, Jeanette Poisson, had made – and her mom, Memere Guerrete had made. My grandmother was one of 14 children, so hearty, cheap food was a necessity. Tourtiere is a traditional meat pie and a French-Canadian holiday staple. My mom’s family would eat it on Christmas night after midnight mass. Coffee and whiskey were the accompanying beverages. In our family, we always ate it for breakfast with ketchup. To this day, it doesn’t feel like Christmas without it. - Paul Penta
20
Tourtiere – French Canadian Christmas Pie Ingredients: Your favorite two-crust recipe – Check out the King Arthur website, or keep it simple and buy them. -
2 lbs ground pork - 1 ½ cups cold water 1 tsp black pepper - 1 tsp dried thyme ½ tsp cinnamon - ¼ tsp ground cloves 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped - ½ tsp nutmeg - Salt to taste - 1 egg (for egg wash)
Preparation: - Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees - Make the pastry dough and chill at least 12 hours Make the filling: - In a large frying pan over medium heat, add the pork and water and heat to boiling. Add onion and all spices, and cook covered over low heat for 90 minutes. Add more water if the mixture dries out (sometimes I add some wine because I’m usually drinking it and YOLO). Season with salt, to taste. Stir in rolled oats and cook while stirring for about 2 ½ minutes. This takes a while but is completely hands off time. Cool the mixture completely so it doesn’t melt the crust. Assemble the Tourtiere: - Line 9” pie plate with pastry, spoon meat mixture into pie shell. Cover with remaining pastry, trim, seal edges, add some steam vents, and decorate if you’re feeling fancy, with cutouts. Bake in oven for 15 minutes at 425 degrees, turn oven down to 375 degrees and bake another 15 minutes. Brush with egg wash (lightly beaten egg and a few teaspoons of water) and bake for another 5 minutes or until golden.
My dad’s family is French-Canadian and growing up, every Christmas we had Tourtiere. Every family in Canada has their own version, and this one goes back to my great-grandmother Delphine who was from Saguenay and didn’t speak any English. I’m sure her version was different than the version my mom made, and different than the one I make, but it’s not THAT different. -Monica Fisher 21
Bridle’s Irish Soda Bread Ingredients: - ½ cup sour cream
- Milk
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 egg
- 3 ¼ cup flour
- ½ cup sugar
- 3 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda - ½ cup currants (optional – people tend to either think raisins in baked goods are an abomination or you love them – you do you)
Preparation: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour (or spray) a 9 inch round cake pan. Put 1/2 cup sour cream in a 2 cup liquid measuring cup. Fill to the 2 cup line with milk and stir. Melt 1 tbsp butter in a mixing bowl and add 1 tsp salt and 1 egg (make sure butter isn't too hot to scramble egg). Mix together with the milk / sour cream mixture. In smaller bowl sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and sugar. (I just dump things and whisk instead of sifting). Add wet ingredients to the dry and mix just until the flour is absorbed. Add 1/2 cup currants, if you'd like. Pour into pan and spread in pan. Sift a tiny bit of flour on the top. Make depression (it likely won't stay, don't worry about it) in the center with the handle of a spoon or spatula. Bake for 45 - 50 minutes and cool for 10 minutes on a rack before taking out of the pan and cooling completely on the rack. Per her recipe: "Wrap in a clean dish towel" which I have done religiously for years. It only hit me recently that this is less integral to the process and more because she didn't believe in plastic wrap or tin foil.
My great grandmother was born in a thatched hut in County Kerry in 1902 and immigrated by herself to the US when she was 18 years old. She lost her husband to lingering WWI injuries and was left with a 2, 3 and 4 year old when he died in 1926 and raised my grandmother and her siblings by taking in laundry and cleaning houses. Every single holiday Great Nana would bring her soda bread. I like to make it to remember her, and how lucky I am. It is amazing toasted with butter and freezes well. - Monica Fisher
22
Christmas Rice Krispie Treat Bites Ingredients: - 9 cups mini marshmallows
- 9 tbsp butter
- 9 cups Rice Krispie cereal
- Green & Red food coloring
- Nonpareils Christmas sprinkles
Note: The ingredients above will be broken out into 3 batches: Red Batch – 3 cups Rice Krispie Treat Mixture (3 tbsp butter, 3 cups marshmallows, 3 cups cereal) / 6 drops Americolor Super Red food coloring White Batch – 3 cups Rice Krispie Treat Mixture (same as above) / no food coloring Green Batch - 3 cups Rice Krispie Treat Mixture (same as above) / 5 drops Americolor Leaf Green food coloring
Preparation: 1.
For each batch, melt butter in a large sauce pan on medium-low heat
2. Add your marshmallows to the melted butter. Stir the marshmallows so they are completely covered 3. On medium-low heat, stir the marshmallows continually until they are completely melted 4. As soon as they are melted, take pan off the heat. 5. Add your cups of cereal to the marshmallow mixture 6.
Gently fold the cereal into the marshmallow mixture, working quickly, keep folding until every piece of cereal is covered.
7.
While the mixture is still warm, liberally add Christmas Sprinkles
8. Wait until the mixture cools enough so you don't burn yourself, but still warm enough to be malleable. Grab a spoonful and roll it into bite size balls. Repeat. 9.
Allow the bites to cool before you store them
10. Enjoy!
My family’s go-to for all the kids! - Emily Francis
23
Coffee Cake Ingredients: Topping - 1 cup sugar walnuts Batter - 2 sticks butter (room temp/soft) - 1 tbsp vanilla - 2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tbsp cinnamon
- 1 cup finely chopped
- 2 cups sugar - 4 eggs, well-beaten - pinch of salt - 2 tsp baking powder - 1 8oz small container of sour cream
Preparation: Topping: Mix the following in a separate bowl and set aside (1 Cup Sugar, 2 tbsp Cinnamon, 1 Cup Chopped Walnuts) Batter: •
Cream 2 sticks of butter with 2 cups of sugar
•
Add 4 eggs (beat well before adding)
•
Add 1 Tablespoon of vanilla
•
Add 1 (8 oz.) small container of sour cream
•
Mix wet ingredients
• Add the following dry ingredients slowly until batter becomes heavy but still runny (like cookie dough) • 4 Cups of flour • 2 Teaspoons of baking powder • 2 Teaspoons of baking soda • Pinch of salt Once batter is mixed, grease tube pan, layer batter / topping / batter / topping. Leave enough topping for very top Bake at 350 for 1 hour Best to use a 2-piece tube pan so you can easily remove when baked (Amazon.com: Chicago Metallic Professional 2-Piece 9.5-Inch Angel Food Cake Pan with Feet, 9.5" x 4": Home & Kitchen)
My grandmother made this all the time. It was a family must have at every event and still is even after she passed. Also felt like a good one to add considering the vast majority of SEI'ers were hired over a cup of coffee. - David Grosso
24
Italian Anise Cookies Ingredients: - 6 eggs
- 4 cups flour
- 2 sticks butter or margarine
- 1 ¼ cup sugar
- 5 tsp anise extract
- 5 tsp baking powder
- Powdered sugar
- margarine, melted
- ½ tsp vanilla
- ½ tsp anise
- milk
Frosting ingredients
Preparation: - Melt butter or margarine - Add sugar, baking powder, flour, anise extract and eggs, and mix well - Refrigerate for about 20 mins - Roll bits of dough into walnut size balls - On an uncreased cookie sheet, bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes cool cookies, then frost... - To make the frosting... - Mix melted margarine, powdered sugar, vanilla and anise add milk gradually until desired consistency is reached dip the cookies in the frosting, add sprinkles if desired (Grammy used rainbow sprinkles)
My maternal grandmother was famous for these ... She made them during Christmas, she mailed them to me when I was in college or on deployments, and I later found out that my buddies had sent her separate letters requesting their own batches so they didn't have to share. Grammy was famous for never using recipes, so we had her visit once shortly after Robin and I were married ... she made a bunch of everyone's favorites, and Robin documented, ultimately creating a cookbook for the family. - Erin Sullivan
Joy of Cooking Gingersnap Cookies Ingredients: - 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- Pinch salt
- 2 ½ tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter (room temp)
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup dark molasses (not bootstrap)
- ¼ tsp finely grated lemon zest
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
Preparation: Makes about 40 2/14 inch cookies. - 1. Preheat over to 350 - 2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Set aside. - 3. In a large bowl beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. - 4. To the butter and sugar add in the egg, molasses, lemon zest and lemon juice. Beat until well combined. - 5. Stir the the flour mixture until blended. - 6. Form the dough into 3/4 inch balls and arrange on greased or parchment covered baking sheets - about 2 inches apart. - 7. Bake one sheet at a time for about 12 minutes (1 minute longer for crispier cookies). The cookies will flatten and develop a crinkles surface as they bake. Let cool briefly before moving to a rack to cool.
Growing up my mother used to make at least 10 kinds of cookies each year. She would make them them across the months of December and freeze them away for Christmas Eve/ Christmas. These were always a family favorite and due to our 'cookie sneaking' we realized early on that they are excellent eaten just out of the freezer. These have since also become Christmas favorites for my kids... either room temp or straight out of the freezer. - Emily Livingston
26
Lace Cookies Ingredients: - 1 cup quick oats
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp orange juice (secret ingredient)
- 1 stick melted butter (must be fully melted)
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- ½ tsp salt
- 6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 3 tbsp flour
Preparation: 1.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Place parchment paper on baking trays 3. 3. Mix all ingredients together (except the chocolate) 4. Place 1/2 tsp of batter on baking sheet to form cookies. Beware - these cookies spread! 5. Bake 8-10 minutes until golden brown 6.
Cookies must cool completely (about 5 min) then they will come off the tray easily
7.
Melt chocolate chips (microwave or double boiler)
8. Spread thin layer of chocolate between two cookies to make a sandwich 9.
Place on tray and allow to cool. You can also place in refrigerator or freezer to harden the chocolate quickly. These cookies are fine to freeze for awhile though it's unlikely that you will have leftovers.
My mom can't cook to save her life, but every year she makes these lace cookies and no family member can resist them. It's a right of passage for kids in the family when they get to help with the chocolate. - Jill Jacobs
27
Lots of Love Ingredients: - 2 sticks butter, melted
- 3 cups flour
- 4 eggs
- 1 can cherry pie filling
- 2 cups sugar - 1 ½ tsp vanilla - 1 ½ tsp baking powder
Preparation: - Mix together well: butter, eggs and sugar using a mixer - Add to above mixture vanilla, baking powder, flour and mix slowly until blended - Grease 9x13 pan - Spread all but ½ cup of batter in pan - Place cherry pie filling on batter and spread across all of batter - Drizzle remaining ½ cup of batter over the cherry pie filling (if batter is too sticky, microwave for 15 seconds so it can be drizzled) - Bake @350 for about 43-47 minutes - until golden brown on edges (edges may be dark it will be fine!)
Note to self…, These are great warm (not hot), or cold, and you will get a sugar high! - Janet Pendexter
28
Mint Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake Ingredients: - 1 pkg Duncan Hines Devil’s Food Cake mix - 1 ¾ oz pkg Instant Chocolate Pudding - 3 eggs - ½ cup oil (vegetable or canola) - ½ cup water - ½ cup Crème De Menthe - 1 cup sour cream - 6 oz pkg of chocolate chips (milk or semi-sweet – your choice!)
Preparation: - Mix ingredients together - Bake at 350 for 50 minutes - Dust with powdered sugar once it has cooled
This cake was always made by my aunt when we would travel to their house in Cape Cod for Thanksgiving and is something that my brother and I remember fondly as kids. I'm pretty sure it has its origins from the back of a bygone box of Duncan Hines cake mix, rather than some storied family history, but it's delicious all the same and simple to make.. It's rich and yet somehow also refreshing on account of the creme de menthe and is great served warm or cold with a dollop of vanilla ice cream. Can also be a great breakfast treat when you can't wait all day for a shot of sweet! - David O’Donnell
29
No Crust Apple Pie Ingredients: - 6 apples, peeled & sliced - 1 cup flour - 1 cup granulated sugar - 1 stick of butter - 1 egg
Preparation: - Peel & cut apples and place in pie plate or baking dish (depending on size of apples may need to use 9x9 or 9x13) - Soften butter to mix with the dry ingredients and add in egg (beating before mixing in) - Mix in the flour & sugar - Pour mixture over the cut apples in the dish - Bake at 350 for 1 hour until golden brown
The story of this No Crust Apple Pie is that when I was a kid, my family called it Swedish Apple Pie. I'm not sure why, because no one in my family is Swedish. Nonetheless - my Dad's mother passed down this easy to make Apple Pie and it is sweet & delicious! - Catherine Gropp
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No-Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars Ingredients: - ½ cup salted butter (I’ve used unsalted as well & it works fine) - 1 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 8 full sheets) - 2 cups confectioners’ sugar - 1 cup + 2 tbsp creamy peanut butter (divided and I usually use Skippy creamy) - 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Preparation: - Line 8x8 or 9x9 square baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper and set aside (this is an important step, makes cutting later easier!) - Mix melted butter, graham cracker crumbs and confectioners' sugar together in a medium bowl. Stir in 1 cup of peanut butter, then press evenly into the prepared baking pan. - Melt remaining 2 tbsp of peanut butter with the chocolate chips in the microwave or stove. Stir until smooth. - Spread over peanut butter layer. - Chill in refrigerator until completely firm (At least 2 hours). - Allow to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before cutting. - Serve chilled - but okay to sit out at room temp for a few hours. Note I usually place the cut pieces into cup cake papers to make them easier to pick up and not touch all the pieces :)
These No-Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars were a staple for every Thanksgiving and Christmas on my Dad's side of the family. When I was little we would still have large extended family gatherings (my Dad was 1 of 5) and it was so much fun to be with so many people during the holiday. I was never quite sure who made the peanut-butter bars but they always were a hit. I recently found a recipe for them and started making them again to revive the tradition. They are always a hit wherever I bring them! - Catherine Gropp
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Povitica [poh-vee-TEE-tsah] Ingredients: For the dough- 4 cups flour (all-purpose) - 1 cup lukewarm milk - 2 egg yolks (reserve whites) - Karo syrup for sprinkling - 2 loaf pans (1 pan for 2 rolls) For the nut filling- 1 ½ cups ground walnut - 2 tbsp honey - 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp salt - ½ cup real butter (1 stick) softened/warm - 2 packets yeast cakes (Fleischmann’s Rapid Rise) - 1 tbsp softened/melted butter for brushing
- 1 cup milk - 2 cups sugar - 2 tbsp butter
Preparation: (*make walnut filling first) Walnut Filling- Heat milk over low heat, add walnuts and stir. Add honey, sugar, butter, lemon juice - Set aside and let cool to room temp before spreading on dough Dough- Crumble yeast into a cup (a coffee mug works). Add milk & sugar and let it stand - Mix butter and flour in a large bowl. Make a well & add egg yolks, salt, and yeast mixture - Mix until smooth and dough leaves the sides of the bowl. Divide into 4 balls and roll out as thin as possible (usually 14” circles). Brush with softened butter - Spread nut filling and sprinkle with karo syrup and roll dough up in a tight pinwheel design. Place two rolls in pans greased with butter. Brush crust with egg whites and let stand in a warm place for one hour (windowsill on a sunny day is perfect) - Bake at 350 for approximately 45 minutes or until brown. Remove from oven and cover immediately with a damp cloth. Keep covered for 10 minutes to make a nice crust - Remove rolls from pans, slice, and enjoy!
Povitica is a Croatian sweet bread which my family has always enjoyed around Christmastime. My paternal grandmother would make loaves of this every year, and send everyone home with festive tins of it, even after indulging on a few pieces already. My mom wrote the recipe down about 6 years ago while she and my grandmother were baking it together, not knowing it would be the last time my grandmother would make it, as she passed the following year. Since then I’ve made it a holiday tradition to make povitica each year and give/send it to my family in memory of my grandmother. - Philip Gustin-Helms
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Rolled Sugar Cookies w/ Almond Frosting Ingredients: Cookies - 1 ½ cups butter - 4 eggs - 5 cups all-purpose flour - 1 tsp salt Butter Frosting - 1/3 cup butter - 1/4 cup milk
- 2 cups white sugar - 1 tsp vanilla extract - 2 tsp baking powder
- 4 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar - 1 tsp almond extract
Preparation: Cookies - Step 1 In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight). - Step 2 Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. - Step 3 Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely. Butter Frosting - Step 1 In a bowl beat butter until fluffy. Gradually add 2 cups of the confectioners' sugar, beating well. - Step 2 Slowly beat in the milk and almond extract. Slowly beat in remaining sugar. Beat in additional milk, if needed, to make of spreading consistency. Tint with food color, if desired.
I made these cookies for the first time around Christmas 2004. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing and I ran out of vanilla after making the cookies. So when it came time to whip up the butter frosting, I used almond extract instead. The end result was pretty darn delicious. I passed plates of these cookies out to my neighbors and friends, including a young John Duci who lived down the street. He (somewhat awkwardly) called to tell me how much he loved my cookies, as this was a time well before texting. Then, only days later at a New Year's Eve party, he professed his love for me and here we are. I make these cookies almost every Christmas season and my children refer to them as "the cookies that made Dad fall in love". I like to remind them that my sparkling personality was also a factor, but alas, the cookies continue to get most of the credit. Enjoy! - Kellie Duci
Twila’s Bourbon Balls Ingredients: - 2 cups vanilla wafers, ground (about 1 box) - ½ cup bourbon - 2 cups ground pecans - 4 tbsp white karo - 1 cup powdered confectioners’ sugar - 2 tbsp cocoa
Preparation: - In a large bowl, combine confectioners’ sugar and other ingredients - Sift one cup confectioners’ sugar onto a sheet of wax paper - Shape mixture into small balls and roll in powdered sugar before serving
This is my great grandmother Twila Moore's recipe. It is a deliciously light non-bake cookie that packs a punch. At holiday time, this was always the biggest hit on our family farm. When I was a kid, the adults would let us have ONE cookie before naptime...we slept great. This makes a double batch and if you can believe it, as an adult I've cut down the bourbon! - Lauren Lane
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-to be continued-