Christmas Foods - Seasons Greetings!

• 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.

• 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.

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.