Christmas Foods - Seasons Greetings!

• ½ cup butter, softened
• 1 tsp. granulated sugar
• 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 2 tsp. crushed dried rosemary
• ½ tsp. paprika

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Using electric mixer beat together butter and sugar. Beat in Swiss cheese.

In separate bowl, mix together flour, rosemary and paprika.

Using a wooden spoon, stir flour mixture into butter mixture. Divide dough in half.

On lightly floured surface, shape dough into two 7 in. logs. Cut into half in. coins. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheet.

Bake in centre of oven for 14 to 16 minutes, or until golden.

Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1cup white flour
• ½ cup margarine, melted
• 3 tbsp. white sugar

Filling

• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 1cup icing sugar
• 1 large container Cool Whip
• 3 cups frozen berries [blue or others if preferred]

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Mix ingredients together and spread out onto cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Cool and break into crumbled pieces.

In a mixing bowl, whip cream cheese and icing sugar together. Fold in Cool Whip and berries.

In a serving bowl, layer ½ crumbled pieces. Spoon on top the filling. Top filling with other half of crumbled pieces.

The dough:

• ¾ cup butter, at room temperature
• 3 tbsp. confectioners’ sugar
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour

The filling:

• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• Grated peel of 2 lemons
• Juice of 2 lemons
• ¾ cup butter, at room temperature

The Garnish:

• 1 lemon
• Granulated sugar for sprinkling

Cream together the butter and confectioners’ sugar for the dough. Add the flour and blend until coarse and grainy. Place the dough in a plastic bag and refrigerate 30 minutes. Press the dough onto the bottom and sides of a 10 inch tart pan. Bake the pastry shell in a preheated 425ºF oven for 10 minutes. Remove and cool.

Blend together the eggs and the granulated sugar. Add the grated peel, lemon juice, and butter. Mix well. Place the tart pan on a cookie sheet and pour the filling into the pastry shell. Peel the outer rind off another lemon so that only a thin layer of white pith remains (a potato peeler works great)! Cut 8 thin slices from the peeled lemon and carefully place the slices in eighths on the tart.

Bake in a 350ºF oven for 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle a little granulated sugar on the slices of lemon on the tart. Turn the oven to high broil. Place the tart under the broiler on the top rack and allow to brown slightly on top. Watch closely so that you don’t burn the crust. Allow to cool completely. You could also use a blowtorch to add an attractive browning to the top of the tart.

• 2½ lbs. beef stew meat
• 5 lbs. Granny Smith apples, cored and chopped but not peeled
• ¾ lb. beef suet, coarsely ground
• 1½ lbs. dark raisin
• ½ lb. mixed candied peel, chopped
• 1 lb. brown sugar
• 1 cup distilled white vinegar
• ½ cup molasses
• 1 lb. currants
• 1 cup apple juice
• 1½ tsp. ground cloves
• 1½ tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1½ tsp. ground allspice
• 1½ tsp. ground cinnamon

Place the stew meat in a 4-quart pot and add just enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 1 hour. Drain the meat and grind coarse.

Place the ground meat in an 8-quart pot along with the remaining ingredients. Stir together and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer gently for 1 hour, stirring the mixture occasionally. Allow to cool. The filling is ready to use, or pack it into 1-quart canning jars and freeze for later use.
Mincemeat Pie

• 1 qt. mincemeat
• 1 granny smith apple, cored and chopped but not peeled
• Pie crust

Egg Wash:

• 1 egg, beaten with 3 tablespoons of water

Combine the mincemeat pie filling with the apple and place in the bottom of the pie crust. Spread out evenly.

Cut ½ inch strips out of the remaining dough and lay over the filling in a lattice design. Brush lattice strips with the egg wash. Bake in a preheated 375ºF oven for 1 hour, until golden brown and bubbly.
Easy Basic Crust

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• ½ cup margarine
• ½ cup Crisco
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp. white vinegar
• 3 to 4 tbsp. ice water

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in the margarine and shortening. Keep working the flour and shortening until the mixture is rather grainy, like coarse cornmeal. Mix the egg and vinegar together and, using a wooden fork, stir the mixture into the flour. Add enough of the ice water so that the dough barely holds together. Place on a marble pastry board or a plastic countertop and knead for just a few turns, enough so that the dough holds together and becomes roll able. If using a wooden rolling pin makes sure to dust it with some flour, otherwise your dough will end up sticking to the it.

The dough:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• ½ cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup walnuts, chopped

Cream the butter, sugar, and vanilla together until fluffy. Add the flour and walnuts and blend to form dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
Candy Mixture for the Garnish:

• ¼ lb. of peppermint candy
• ½ cup confectioners’ sugar

In a small bowl, combine both ingredients. Set aside. Three tablespoons of this mixture will be used in the filling and the remainder is used to garnish cookie balls.
The Filling:

• 2 tbsp. cream cheese, softened
• 1 tsp. milk
• 1 drop red food coloring
• ½ cup confectioners’ sugar
• 3 tbsp. candy mixture

In a bowl, blend together the cream cheese, milk, food coloring, and the confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Blend in the 3 tbsp. candy mixture.

Remove the dough from the fridge and for each cookie pinch off a rounded teaspoon of the dough. Form into a ball and shape the dough around your thumb to make a little compartment in the middle. Place about ¼ tsp. of the cream cheese filling in the depression. Pinch the dough back together and roll it back into a ball. Repeat this process with the remaining dough and filling. Place the balls on a non-stick cookie sheet. Bake in a preheated 350ºF oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Do not brown.

Remove the cookie balls to a cooling rack. To garnish, roll the cooled cookie ball in the remaining candy mixture.

• 1¾ cup hot water
• 1 cup salt
• 4 cups all-purpose flour

Egg Wash:

• 1 egg, beaten with 3 tbsp. water

Pour the hot water into a bowl with the salt and stir for 1 minute. The salt grains will reduce in size, but they will not completely dissolve. Add the flour and blend until all the water is absorbed. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for a few minutes until it is smooth and pliable. Cover the dough in a plastic bag if you do not plan to use it after the 5 minutes of resting time.

Roll the dough out 3/8 inch thick on a floured surface and cut out shapes with cookie cutters. Place the cookies on a non-stick baking sheet and brush lightly with the egg wash. Bake in a preheated 300ºF oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until golden brown. You can also press the dough into lightly oiled fancy ceramic molds or lightly floured wooden molds and bake as instructed by the manufacturer.

• 2 eggs, beaten
• ¼ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. ground cardamom
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tbsp. butter, melted
• Peanut oil for frying

Garnish:

• Confectioners’ sugar

Beat the eggs, salt, cardamom, and sugar together in a mixing bowl. Beat the flour and milk alternately into the mixture. Stir in the melted butter.

To make rosettes, heat the peanut oil to 375ºF (1½ inches of oil in an electric frying pan works great for this). Dip a rosette iron into the hot oil, then into the batter. Do not let the batter run over the top of the iron as this may make it difficult for the rosette to release. Immerse the batter-coated iron in the hot oil until the rosette comes out free. Fry for 20 to 25 seconds. Remove the rosette to drain on paper towels. Reheat the iron in the oil and repeat the process. Dust with confectioners’ sugar.

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 3 cups Quick oats
• ½ cup walnuts, chopped fine
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup shortening
• 2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. grated lemon peel
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp, ground nutmeg

In a bowl, combine all the ingredients and knead together to form a dough. Place half the dough, shaped into a rough rope, on a large piece of plastic wrap. Fold the plastic over and work the dough into the shape of a log 2 inches in diameter. Repeat with the remaining dough. Freeze the logs until hard, about 2 hours.

To make the cookies, cut the dough into 3/16 inch slices and place on non-stick cookie sheets. Bake in a preheated 350ºF oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool or eat warm from the oven.

The dough:

• ¾ cup butter, at room temperature
• 3 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1 tbsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg, at room temperature
• 1 tbsp. grated lemon peel
• 1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 3 cups all-purpose flour or more

Cream the butter and cream cheese together until fluffy. Blend in the baking powder, salt, sugar, egg, grated lemon peel, and the lemon juice. Gradually blend in the 3 cups flour, or more, and knead to form soft dough. Force the dough through a cookie press with a number 16 plate to form 3-inch long cookie bars. Press the cookies directly onto a baking sheet.

Bake in a preheated 400ºF oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Allow to cool on a rack.
The icing:

• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• ½ tsp. fresh lemon juice
• 4 tsp. milk
• 2/3 cup walnuts, chopped fine

In a small bowl, blend the sugar, lemon juice, and milk together until smooth. Brush half the top of the cookie with icing. Sprinkle the icing with the nuts. Place the cookie on a rack to dry the icing. Repeat the process until all the cookies are done.

• ¾ cup butter, at room temperature
• ½ cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 4 tbsp. sesame oil
• 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp. cold water, or more to form dough
• ¾ cup raw sesame seeds

Cream the butter and the sugar with the vanilla and sesame oil. Blend in the flour until mixed thoroughly. Add the 2 tablespoons cold water, or more, to form dough. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls, in the sesame seeds. Place on a baking in a preheated 350ºF oven for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until the sesame seeds begin to turn golden brown and the insides of the cookies are not doughy.

The dough:

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 cup butter
• 1 8-oz. container sour cream
• 2 egg yolks, reserving the whites for the meringue filling below
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• Confectioners’ sugar

Combine the flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Cut in the butter until grainy. In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, egg yolks, and lemon juice. Blend the sour cream mixture into the flour mixture. Knead together to form a smooth dough. Place the dough on plastic wrap and pat it into a 6 x 8 inch rectangle. Wrap and refrigerate 2 hours, or overnight.
The filling:

• 2 egg whites, reserved from making the dough
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped fine
• 2½ tsp. ground cinnamons
• ¼ tsp. salt

Whip the egg whites until stiff but not dry. Gradually whip in the sugar to form a meringue. Whip until the meringue holds soft peaks. Fold in the remaining ingredients.

Dust a rolling pin and the counter with flour. Roll the chilled dough out into a thin (1/8 inch maximum) rectangle measures 24 x 15 inches. Cut the dough into 3 inch squares and dust with confectioners’ sugar. Place a rounded teaspoon of the filling in the center of each dough square. With a tiny bit of water, dampen 2 opposite corners. Fold the two opposite corners over each other and press the center together lightly. Place the cookies on a non-stick baking sheet and bake in a preheated 350ºF oven for 30 minutes, or until lightly browned.

• ¾ cup butter, at room temperature
• ¾ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• ½ cup dark molasses
• 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 4½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1½ tsp. baking soda
• ½ tsp. ground cloves
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2½ tsp. ground gingers
• ¼ tsp. cardamom
• ½ tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp. salt
• 3 tbsp. cold water

Cream the butter and brown sugar together until fluffy. Add the molasses and lemon juice and beat again. Combine all dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Add the dry to the butter mixture and blend until crumbly. Add the cold water and mix until dough is formed. Knead a minute by hand so that the dough holds together. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1½ hours.

Roll the dough out to a ¼ inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut the figurines out of the dough with a gingerbread man or women cookie cutter. Arrange the figures on a non-stick cookie sheet. Bake in a preheated 350ºF oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies begin to turn brown.

• 1 cup butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 cups pitted dates, chopped course
• 3 cups applesauce
• 2 cups walnuts, chopped coarse
• 2 cups raisins
• 2 cups mixed candied fruit, chopped coarse
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp. ground cloves
• 1 tbsp. baking soda
• 4 cups all-purpose flour

Cream the butter and sugar together. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, along with the vanilla. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until all is incorporated. Divide the batter among 3 greased loaf pans, approximately 8 x 4 x 3 inches each. Bake in a preheated 350ºF oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove to a cooling rack. When cool enough to handle, remove the loaves from the pans and cool completely on the rack. Wrap in plastic wrap and keep in the freezer.

• 2 cups mixed candied fruit, chopped coarse
• 1 cup candied cherries, halved
• 3 cup raisins
• 1 cup currants
• ½ cup bourbon
• 1 cup butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 6 eggs, at room temperature
• ½ oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted
• 3 cups walnuts, coarsely chopped
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp. ground cloves
• ½ baking soda
• ¾ tsp. salt
• ½ cup brandy

In a large bowl, combine the candied fruits, raisins, currants, and bourbon. Mix well, cover, and marinate 3 hours on the counter.

Cream together the butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Add the melted chocolate, walnuts, and the marinated fruit along with the bourbon. Blend for a minute and add the flour, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, and salt. Mix well until all is incorporated. Pack the heavy batter into a greased 10 x 4-inch tube pan. Bake in a preheated 300ºF oven for 2 hours and 10 minutes. Remove to a rack. When the cake is cool enough to handle, remove it from the pan and cool on the rack.

Place the cooled cake in a stainless-steel pot with a lid and drizzle half the brandy over it. Cover and allow resting on the counter for 1 week. Slice and serve. This cake will keep for months in the fridge.

• ½ cup butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup honey
• 1 tbsp. grated lemon peel
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 2 eggs
• ¾ cup chopped pitted dates
• ½ cup chopped pecans
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1½ tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp. ground nutmeg
• ½ tsp. ground cloves
• 1 cup milk

With an electric mixer, beat the butter and honey together until smooth. Add the lemon peel and lemon juice and blend again. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix the dates and pecans with 2 tbsp. of the flour and set aside.

Sift together the remaining flour with the other dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture alternately with the milk. Stir in the dates and nuts.

Butter a 2-quart mold, including the lid. If the mold has no lid, butter some aluminium foil and tie it on the mold as a lid. Pour the batter into the mold and cover. Place the mold in a large pot and add water to come halfway up the sides of the mold. Bring the water to a boil, cover the pot, and simmer for 2 hours, or until the pudding pulls away from the sides of the mold. Let stand 10 minutes before unmolding. This may be done at dessert time. If necessary, simply reheat in a standard oven at about 325ºF. Serve with the whiskey sauce.
The Whiskey Sauce:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 egg, well beaten
• 2 tbsp. whiskey, or more to taste

In a double boiler, cook the butter and sugar is completely dissolved and very hot. Remove from the heat. Add the beaten egg, using a whisk, so that it will not curdle. When very smooth, allow to cool. Add the whiskey to taste.
Hard Sauce

• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup confectioners’ sugar
• 3 tbsp. rum or brandy

Cream the butter and confectioners’ sugar together until fluffy. Beat in the rum or bandy, 1 tablespoon at a time. Place in a serving bowl. Chill until firm, but let it come to room temperature when ready to serve.

• ½ cup butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 6 eggs, at room temperature
• ½ cup chopped citron
• 1½ cups pitted prunes, chopped
• ½ cup dark raisins
• 1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 1½ cups fine bread crumbs
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ground nutmeg
• ½ tsp. ground allspice

Garnish:

• Whipped cream

Cream the butter and sugar together in an electric mixer. Beat the eggs in, one at a time. Combine the citron, prunes, raisins, and pecans in another bowl. Add the flour to the fruit and nuts and toss together so that everything is coated with flour. Add to the butter and egg mixture along with the remaining ingredients. Blend for 1 minute so that all is incorporated. Grease and flour a soufflé dish, about 7 x 4 inches. Add the heavy batter and bake in a preheated 350ºF oven for 50 to 55 minutes, or until nicely browned. Serve warm by spooning out or cool and cut into pieces. Garnish with the whipped cream.

• ½ cup butter, at room temperature
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup molasses
• 2 cups dried figs (about 1 lb.), stems removed, chopped fine
• ½ tsp. grated lemon peel
• 1 cup buttermilk
• ½ cup walnuts, chopped
• 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

Garnish:

• Whipped cream

In a electric mixer, cream the butter until fluffy. Add the eggs and molasses and beat again. Add the figs, lemon peel, buttermilk, and walnuts and blend 1 minute. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until everything is incorporated. Grease and flour an 8 x 4-inch soufflé dish and pour in the batter. Bake in a 325ºF oven for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Spoon the pudding out onto plates or cut it into wedges. Garnish with the whipped cream.

The batter:

• 1 cup butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 cups currents
• 3 cups applesauce
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp. ground cloves
• 1 tbsp. baking soda
• 4 cups all-purpose flour

Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients for the batter and beat again. Grease 3 loafs pans, 8¼ x 4½ x 3 inches each. Divide the batter among the pans. Bake in a 300ºF oven for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the pans to a cooling rack.
The syrup:

• ¼ cup honey
• ¾ cup sugar
• ¾ cup water
• 3 whole cloves
• 1½-inch piece cinnamon sticks
• 1 tbsp. rose water

Combine the ingredients for the syrup, except the rose water, in a small saucepan. Heat until the sugar dissolves. Add the rose water.

To finish, pour the hot syrup over the warm cakes in their pans. Allow to soak in and cool. Unmold on a rack, slice, and serve.

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1½ tsp. baking powder
• ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• 1 tbsp. instant coffee
• ½ cup boiling water
• ¼ cup vegetable oil or peanut oil
• 1 cup honey
• Grated peel of 1 orange
• 2 tsp. rose water (found in most Greek supermarkets)
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and baking soda. Set aside. Dissolve the instant coffee in the water in a mixing bowl. Blend in the oil, honey, grated orange peel, and rose water and set aside. In a large bowl, beat the eggs until frothy. Gradually add the sugar and beat for 1 minute.

Add the honey mixture to the eggs and sugar. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture alternately with the dissolved coffee, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Stir in the walnuts. Pour the batter into an oiled and waxed paper-lined 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking pan. Bake in a preheated 325ºF oven for about 50 minutes. Test for doneness with a toothpick. If moist, continue baking until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Invert the cake onto a wire rack. Cool. Peel off the waxed paper and wrap in aluminium foil to maintain freshness. Cut into squares when ready to serve.