HOLIDAY

 

 

HALLOWEEN WITCH BROOMS:

Make: 20 cookies
 Ingredients:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 tablespoons cream or milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
20 pretzel rods, about 5 inches long
2 teaspoons butter
2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 cups white chocolate chips, melted
 Heat oven to 350ºF. Mix brown sugar, butter, cream and vanilla in medium bowl. Stir in flour and salt. Shape dough into twenty 1 1/4-inch balls.  Place pretzel rod on ungreased cookie sheet. Press ball of dough onto the end of each pretzel rod. Press dough with fork to resemble "bristles" of broom.
Bake about 12 minutes or until set but not brown. Remove from cookie sheet. Cool completely on wire rack, about 30 minutes. Cover cookie sheet with waxed paper. Place brooms on waxed paper. Heat butter and chocolate chips over low heat, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth; remove from heat. Spoon melted chocolate over brooms, leaving about 1 inch at top of pretzel handle and bottom halves of cookie bristles uncovered. Drizzle with melted white chocolate chips. Let stand until chocolate is set.

VALENTINE'S DAY - WALDORF ASTORIA RED CAKE

1/2 cup shortening

1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 ounces red food coloring
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon baking soda
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream together the shortening, sugar, and eggs. Make a paste with food coloring and cocoa. Add to shortening mixture. Add salt and buttermilk to mixture. Next add flour, vanilla, vinegar, and baking soda in that order. Mix. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F in two 8 inch round greased and floured cake pans. Let cool. To Make Frosting: Cook 5 tablespoons flour and 1 cup milk until thick, and then cool. Cream together 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 cup butter or margarine and 1 teaspoon vanilla until fluffy. Add to flour mixture. Cut layers of cake in half lengthwise. Spread frosting on each half layer. Stack and frost over all.

ST. PATRICK'S DAY - CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE

5 lb. corned beef brisket

1 large onion stuck with 6 whole cloves
6 carrots, peeled and halved
8 medium potatoes, washed and quartered
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 small bunch parsley
1 head cabbage (about 2 lbs), quartered

Horseradish Sauce:

1/2 pint whipping cream
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2-4 tablespoons prepared horseradish
(Whip cream until it stand in peaks. Fold in mayonnaise
and horseradish.)

Put beef in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil with the lid off the pot. Add thyme, parsley and onion. Turn to simmer and cook for 3 hours. Skim fat from top as it rises. Add cabbage, potatoes, and carrots. Simmer for 20-30 minutes until cabbage is cooked. Remove the meat and cut into pieces. Place on center of a large platter. Strain the cabbage and season it heavily with black pepper. Surround the beef with the cabbage, carrots and potatoes. Serve with horseradish sauce.

EASTER - MARSHMALLOW EASTER EGGS

2 tablespoons Knox gelatin

1/2 cup cold water
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup hot water
1 cup white Karo syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla
corn starch for hands
melted milk chocolate

Mix gelatin and cold water. Set aside until water is absorbed. Combine sugar, hot water, 1/2 cup of the Karo syrup and cook to the soft ball stage (240 degrees). Cool a few minutes. Beat with mixer at

full speed. Add the remaining Karo syrup and all of the gelatin mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time. Beat 7 to 8 minutes after the last addition of the gelatin. Add vanilla. Pour into a well greased 7 x 9 inches pan and chill thoroughly. Dust hands with cornstarch. Spoon marshmallow out of pan and form eggs. Brush excess cornstarch off and let dry for 1/2 hour on waxed paper. Pour melted milk chocolate over eggs and let set. Refrigerate for easier handling.

PASSOVER - MATZOH BALLS

Have all the ingredients at room temperature.
2 eggs - separated

3 Tbl chicken fat
3/4 cup Matzoh meal
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp finely chopped parsley
1/4 cup seltzer
1/4 cup chicken broth in two equal portions
3 cups water
1/2 cup chicken broth

Beat the egg yolk and mix into the chicken fat. Using a fork, blend the Matzoh meal, salt, ginger, nutmeg and parsley into the egg/fat mixture. Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold into the mixture. Add the seltzer and 1/2 the soup and mix well. Let it stand at at room temperature 10-15 minutes. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Add the rest of the soup to the Matzoh Ball mixture and stir rapidly for 3-5 minutes. Wet your hands and form the Matzoh Balls. Each one should be around the size of a golf ball. Put them aside. In a large stockpot bring the 3 cups of water plus the remaining soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and gently drop in the Matzoh Balls. Be sure that they are not crowded - you may have to do two batches. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. They should be fluffy. Warning: If you boil them or uncover the pot, they will fall apart. Let them cook in peace.

CINCO DE MAYO - SEVICHE DE VIERAS

1/2 pound sea scallops, rinsed, cut in 1/2" pieces

1/3 cup fresh lime or lemon juice
1/4 cup diced white onion
2 jalapeno chiles, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 teaspoons minced fresh cilantro
Coarse salt
Fresh lime wedges
Fresh herb sprigs (oregano, parsley, etc)
1 head endive, separated into leaves

In a non-metal bowl, combine scallops, lime or lemon juice, onion, chiles, oil and dried oregano. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours, stirring occasionally. Stir in red pepper and cilantro; season with salt to taste. Garnish with fresh herbs; serve with fresh lime wedges and endive leaves for scooping. Serve cold (place bowl into a larger bowl of crushed ice to keep chilled).

MEMORIAL DAY - MARINATED FLANK STEAK

1/4 cup soy sauce

3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 (1 1/2 pound) flank steak

Combine soy sauce, honey, vinegar, ginger, garlic powder, and vegetable oil in a small bowl. Lay steak in a shallow glass or ceramic dish. Pierce flesh all over front and back with a sharp fork. Pour marinade over steak, and then turn and coat the other side. Cover, and refrigerate overnight. Preheat grill for high heat. Place grate on highest level, and brush lightly with oil. Grill for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once. Check for doneness, slice thinly across the grain, and serve.

HALLOWEEN - BLOODY EYEBALLS ON THE ROCKS

12 Radishes

7 oz. Olives, pimiento-stuffed
46 oz. Tomato juice

Prepare these bloody eyeballs the day before you plan to serve them. Peel radishes, leaving thin

streaks of red skin on them for blood vessels. Using the tip of the vegetable peeler or a small, knife,
carefully scoop out a small hole in each radish. Stuff a green olive, pimiento side out, in each hole. Place 1 radish eyeball in each section of an empty ice cube tray. You may need to pare your eyeballs down a bit to fit. Fill the tray with water and freeze overnight. Pour tall glasses 3/4 full of tomato juice and add a pair of eyeballs to each glass.

THANKSGIVING - SOUTHERN CORNBREAD AND OYSTER DRESSING

1/4 cup butter

1 large onion, chopped
4 green onions, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
3 cups crumbled cornbread
3 cups soft bread crumbs
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper, to taste
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 pint shucked oysters, drained
1/2 cup oyster liquid, from drained oysters

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Saute onions and celery in 2 tablespoons of the butter until wilted, not browned. Combine cornbread and bread crumbs in a large bowl; mix in sauteed onions, salt and pepper, and parsley. Add beaten eggs and toss more; moisten with the oyster liquid until moist but not soggy. Add the oysters.
Pat the mixture into a lightly buttered rectangular cake pan (it should make a 1-inch layer in the pan). Dot with remaining butter and bake about 45 minutes, until golden brown and set in the center.

CHRISTMAS - EGG NOG PIE

4 3/4 ounce package vanilla pudding and pie filling mix

2 cups eggnog
1 1/4 cups milk
1 tablespoon light rum
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
9" graham cracker pie shell
Whipped cream
Nutmeg

Cook pudding mix for for pie filling using 2 cups eggnog and 1 1/4 cups milk. Stir in rum and nutmeg; pour into crust. Cover surface with plastic wrap; chill several hours. Garnish with whipped cream and nutmeg.

CHRISTMAS - WASSAIL

2 1/4 cups white sugar
4 cups water

2 cinnamon sticks
1 - 1/4 inch thick slice ginger
4 cups orange juice
2 cups lemon juice
8 cups apple cider or juice
8 allspice berries
1 tablespoon whole cloves

In a large saucepan, combine sugar and water. Boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and add cinnamon sticks, allspice berries, cloves, and ginger. Cover and let stand in warm place for 1 hour. Strain liquid into a large pot. Just before serving, add juices and cider and quickly bring to boil. Remove from heat and serve.