Happy Holiday and Merry Christmas!

Helpful Tips and Yummy Recipes
Enjoy Both!
Breathe

Live in the moment

Love yourself with abandon

Be grateful for all that is kind & good in your life

Put yourself and your health needs before gifts and parties

Allow love and good will to be the central ingredient in your holiday

Enrich your life and the lives of others in ways that create peace and joy after the season

Surround yourself with people, places, and special things that bring you joy and contentment
‘Tis the time to share some family recipes!
Some of these treats are from my kitchen, some from family members, and others are from some long forgotten recipe book. 
Pecan Pie
1 cup Karo Syrup
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons margarine
1 cup pecan…halves or chopped        
1 unbaked 9 inch pastry shell
Mix all ingredients for filling together.  Add pecans last.  Pour into pastry shell.  Bake at 400 for fifteen minutes then reduce heat to 350 and bake for 30 – 35 minutes longer.  When pecans pie is done the outer edges of the filling should be set and then center slightly soft but not runny.   When you begin to bake at 400 watch the crust as it might get too brown and burn (depends on your oven) to prevent this I usually start at 350 and bake until done.
Peach Pie     Mum Mum’s special treat
Line unbaked pie crust with peach halves or sliced peaches.  Then mix together the following.
3 Tablespoons butter
1 Cup sugar
½ Tablespoon butter melted
2 Eggs                                                                        
3/4 Cup milk
1 Teaspoon vanilla
Pour in pie shell over peaches.   Bake at 350 and until the custard is gelled and begins to brown.
Pumpkin Cake Roll           Aunt Becky’s Christmas Treat
3 eggs                                                              3/4 cup flour
2/3 cup pumpkin                                             2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon lemon juice                                    1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon baking powder                              ½ teaspoon salt          
1 cup sugar                                                      1 cup finely chopped nuts
Beat eggs at high speed of mixer for 5 minutes.  Gradually beat in sugar.  Add pumpkin and lemon juice.  Combine dry ingredients and fold into pumpkin mixture.  Pour into a greased and floured 15 x 10 x 2 pan.  Sprinkle with nuts all over.  Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.  Turn out on towel sprinkled with powdered sugar.  Roll cake and towel together, let cool.  Unroll and spread with filling and re-roll.  Place on serving plate seam side down and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Filling
1 cup powdered sugar
2 packages (3 oz) cream cheese softened         Combine and spread on pumpkin roll and re-roll.
½ teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup butter softened
Red Velvet Cake       A holiday family favorite
½ cup shortening                               1 ½ cup sugar
2 eggs                                                  2 ounces red food coloring
2 teaspoons cocoa                              2 1/4 cup plain flour
1 scent teaspoon salt                          1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon soda                                 1 cup buttermilk (made with milk and lemon juice)
1 teaspoon vinegar
Cream shortening, sugar and eggs.  Make a past with color and cocoa and add to the creamed mixture.  Add salt and flour with buttermilk and vanilla.  Alternately add soda and vinegar and do not beat hard…just blend.  It is very important that the ingredients be added exactly as directed for this cake to be successful.
Vegetable Soup                Nana’s Kitchen
1 ½ cup of mixed frozen vegetables      Or simply use a variety of fresh or frozen veggies
2 cups stew vegetables frozen                 from your frig
long grain and wild rice
1 large can tomato juice
1 tomato paste and equal amount of water
1 tomato sauce
1 cup water                                                    
spices:
oregano
basil
garlic powder
black pepper
chili powder
Nana’s Lasagna   
1 ½ cups hot water
2 tablespoons oil                                                         2 eggs beaten
2 cloves garlic minced                                     1 pint cottage cheese or ricotta.  I use ricotta
1 medium onion minced                                             ½ pound Mozzarella cheese
1 pound ground beef                                                  1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 ½ teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoons rosemary or basil
1 tablespoon minced parsley
2  – 6 ounce cans tomato paste
Cook noodles.  Drain.  Heat oil.  Cook garlic and onions.  Add beef and seasoning and cook until crumbly.  Add tomato paste and hot water.  Simmer 5 minutes.  Set aside.  Blend beaten eggs, with ricotta cheese.  In baking dish, 9 x 13, put thin layer of sauce, half the noodles, half the ricotta-egg mixture and repeat ending with tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese.  Bale until bubbly.  About 30 minutes.  350 oven.
Nana’s Granola           
Mix together
1 to 1 ½ pounds rolled oats (not instant)        1 cup wheat germ
1 cup coconut                                                  ½ teaspoon salt
1 cup slivered almonds
1 cup of raisins (optional)
In another bowl mix with beater
3/4 cup safflower oil                                       1 ½ teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup water                                                  3/4 cup honey
Pour oil mixture over oat mixture and mix well.  Use hands.  Spread about ½ inch thick on oiled cookie sheet and bake in slow 250 for about 1 ½ hours.  After about 30 minutes turn mix on pan and then turn again about ever 15 minutes until done.  Add raisins when cool.  Sore in airtight container.
Nana’s Moravian Chicken or Veggie Pie          
Pastry                                                              Filling
Pillsbury Frozen Pie Crust                              3 cups finely chopped chicken
                                                                         1/4 cup flour
                                                                         1 1/4 cup chicken broth
                                                                        Salt and pepper to taste
For pastry:  Place filling ingredients in the shell. Cover with top crust.  Pinch edges of crust together to seal.  Flute around the edges.  Bake 375 for 40 to 60 minutes.
Veggie Filling (for Vegetarians)                                  salt and pepper and dot with small amount of
mix cubed tofu and frozen or fresh veggies               butter for added flavor.
together to fill the pie pan, mounded as the               Use 325 – 350 oven.  Cook until crust is
veggies shrink as they cook.  Substitute                     brown and the pie looks done.
veggie broth for chicken broth.  Add flour

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