|
|
De-Stressing the Holidays
|
|
|
De-Stressing the Holidays
by Terri Bade
- What's Important - Holiday Poem
- Meal Planning Ideas
- Holiday Recipes and Tips
- Gift Ideas
- Christmas Card Ideas
- Making a List
- Easiest Treats
|
|
|
What's Important
Remember, the holidays are a
wonderful time to build memories
for our children. We have to keep
focused on what is important:
enjoying our husbands,
sharing our time, loving our
neighbors, and involving the
children in the baking, gift-giving
and entertaining. Don’t lose
sight of the real meaning of
Thanksgiving and Christmas!
A perfect home is not nearly as
impressive to our children as is
a mom who is cheerful, fun
and available! We’re building
memories everyday whether
we are being purposeful or not.
by Terri Bade
|
|
|
Meal Planning Ideas
Traditions around the world involve eating! Make your gatherings for the holiday’s special, but don’t stress out. By incorporating a few of these tips, you will de-stress preparing a meal even for a large crowd!
For any large gathering, make a list weeks in advance. Write out who is coming and what you would like to eat. Call each guest and assign something for them to bring. I always ask what they enjoy making and try to fit it into my menu. This gives everyone an opportunity to make something really nice. Even single people who live in dorms can bring rolls, drinks, or a pie from a bakery. NOTE: If you know one of your guests is chronically late to most gatherings give them a dessert item to bring. We got hung up one year at Thanksgiving with no potatoes or gravy due to this very situation!
With list in hand, begin deciding what you can make ahead of time. See my suggestions for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. I have indicated which recipes can be made ahead of time with an asterisk (*).
Enjoy yourself! This is supposed to be fun!!!
THANKSGIVING MEAL IDEA:
Table Centerpiece: a low wide dish or platter filled with small gourds and pumpkins from the produce section of the supermarket. Add some fallen leaves in various colors for accent if you have time.
Table Ideas: If you have small tables try making a temporary table from a long piece of narrow plywood laid secured on saw horses or lay on top of your table. OR use a picnic table brought inside. OR try lining up a few tables. OR borrow a long folding table from a good friend! OR have a guest bring a table, early.
Table cloths: We use paper plates usually, but I do like a nice table cloth. Use new flat sheets for long tables. OR check the thrift shop for table cloths. Also, see if you can purchase a few yards of fabric which you can trim to fit as a cloth. I have done this and have not always hemmed the edges. They look nice anyway!
Dinner: Turkey, gravy, stuffing, cream cheese mashed potatoes*, string bean casserole*, corn, peas, salad & dressings, homemade cranberry sauce*, jellied cranberry sauce, veggie platter and dip, rolls*, butter, apple pie, pumpkin pie, homemade cookies*, whipped cream, beverages.
Thanksgiving Dinner is by far the dinner with the largest number of courses we eat all year. It seems to be all about the food! For this meal I would assign all desserts to other people. I would also assign the veggie platter to another person who could bring it 30 minutes before we eat to use as an appetizer. Corn and peas will be from frozen bags. Salad will be from a bag with someone bringing dressings. Rolls can be really nice and store bought too! Also, no matter how wonderful my homemade cranberry sauce is, there is always a cry for the canned jellied sauce, so have some on hand for those die-hard folks.
If I have a new baby in the house, the stuffing may be “Stove Top” which I doctor up with sage and extra celery and onion (cut up ahead of time). Gravy can be from a mix if this stresses you out (use some pan drippings for a portion of the water in powdered gravy to make it taste better!) You can even bake the turkey the day ahead, slice it, put it on a bake-able platter and refrigerate it overnight. On Thanksgiving Day, warm the turkey covered in foil, basting it often with pan dripping, saved from the day before. (I have done this when I had a fragile baby and wasn’t sure how my timing would work out on Thanksgiving).
Another suggestion is to eat around 3 p.m. I can put my little ones down for a nap around 2 p.m. and have a couple of hours to enjoy my guests before the toddlers are up! Note to moms with small children: I like to have the meal at my house because I have babies that nap, children that need discipline and also, if we go elsewhere we have to transport ALL of their STUFF for the day! Don’t stress about details. If the food is good and the main rooms are straightened up, everyone will enjoy themselves. I close doors to bedrooms and these are off-limits while guests are at our home. We start early in the week to work on the house, one area at a time. We try to have a movie for kids to watch on Thanksgiving Day that would be approved by everyone coming. I have the kids put away their really special toys so we don’t have BIG problems with them. My 9-year-old can vacuum the carpets. The 7-year-old can dust fairly well. I clean up mirrors and door glass that has kissy--licky marks on it. I talk to them about hospitality and how blessed we are to be able to share our house. We have planned a big walk after the Thanksgiving meal which is fun for any age and gets us out of the house for 30 minutes to a half-hour. There is a park nearby which is fun, too. If the cooking overwhelms you, assign every guest two items to bring if need be, but YOU enjoy some time relaxing with friends this day!
CHRISTMAS MEAL IDEAS
Table Centerpiece: large and wide bowl, basket or dish with pinecones and small red Christmas balls arranged together. Sprinkle on some cranberries and tuck in some fake or real holly leaves.
Table Ideas: If you have small tables try making a temporary table from a long piece of narrow plywood laid secured on saw horses or laid on top of your table. OR use a picnic table brought inside. OR try lining up a few tables. OR borrow a long folding table from a good friend! OR have a guest bring a table, early.
Table cloths: We use paper plates usually, but I do like a nice table cloth. Use new flat sheets for long tables. OR check the thrift shop for table cloths. Also, see if you can purchase a few yards of fabric which you can trim to fit as a cloth. I have done this and have not always hemmed the edges. They look nice anyway!
Dinner: Ham, baked potatoes & fixings, sweet potatoes*, coleslaw*, baked apples, veggie platter and dip, cornbread*, pies, cakes, cookies* (see treats section)..
Remember to ask each guest to bring something, dessert is always a good one for guests to bring.. Single people could bring the baked potato fixings such as sour cream, bacon bits, chives and real butter.
Ham: In recent years I have purchased a spiral cut ham for large family gatherings. They are expensive and it is the one huge expense I allow for our holiday meals because it is so good and easy. These are already baked and need only be reheated according to package directions. Costco has nice ones each year which come with a sauce to spread over it while baking. I usually buy two for our 30-40 people which gives us enough for a meal plus leftovers for a couple of days!
Baked potatoes: wash one potato for each person coming to dinner and then a few extra. Pierce with fork, rub with oil and wrap in foil. Bake for 1-1/2 hours at 375 degrees.
Serve from a large bowl with the toppings set to the side so each person can choose their favorites easily.
Sweet Potato Casserole: This is wonderfully sweet and delicious and there are many variations on this recipe. Maybe your family has a good recipe you can use!
Sweet Potato Casserole
8 sweet potatoes
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup tiny marshmallows
Bake 8 medium sweet potatoes in their scrubbed jackets at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Let cool until you can handle them. Peel them and cut into ½ inch slices. In a 1-1/2 qt greased casserole layer half of potatoes, brown sugar, butter and salt. Repeat layers. Bake, uncovered in a 375 degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes or till glazed and shiny. Sprinkle marshmallows over top. Bake 5 minute longer. Serves 6-8. To make ahead of time, bake for 20 minutes without marshmallows on top, cool and cover in foil to freeze. Thaw on Christmas day in refrigerator and bake in 375 degree oven for 30 minutes, put marshmallows on top and return to oven for 5-10 minutes or until the marshmallows melt to cover casserole.
Coleslaw: Can be made one day ahead and refrigerated until
ready to eat.
Homemade Coleslaw Dressing:
1 cup mayo,
¼ cup vinegar,
¼ cup sugar.
Shake together in jar with screw top. Pour over 1 pound of shredded or chopped cabbage. Serves 6-8 adults.
Bottled Coleslaw Dressing is very good and is located in the salad dressing section of your supermarket.
Whether you purchase your cabbage shredded or shred it yourself, this is a wonderful salad to accompany a ham or beef dinner.
Baked Apples: Early in the day empty 1 large can of Costco apple slices into a crock pot. In a jar mix 1 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon. Sprinkle over apples and set on low all day. This is really good with your meal or served as a dessert with vanilla ice cream on top! If you don’t have a crock pot this can be baked in the oven at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
Homemade Cornbread: 1 c. cornmeal, 1 c. flour, ¼ c sugar,
4 tsp baking powder, ¾ tsp salt, 2 eggs, 1 c. milk, ¼ c. veg oil. Mix
all ingredients together and turn into greased 9x9x2 inch pan. Bake 425 degree oven for 20-25 minutes. Or use glass pie pan and microwave for 8 minutes. Serves 8, bake ahead one day and refrigerate, covered..
Note to mothers of small children: Rethink Christmas! What is the purpose of the day? Our family has totally changed this tradition recently. We enjoy a relaxing day in our pajamas playing with our children and enjoying a slower pace. We have not had a huge Christmas dinner at our home for 3 years. Instead we have a huge dessert night. Each family member is assigned to bring their favorite Christmas treat. We supply beverages, egg nog, coffee, etc. and an assortment of our cookies on a tray. This evening get-together begins around 7:00 p.m. and everyone enjoys it. It gives my children the entire day to play, nap, eat and sometimes we even fit in a long brisk walk together before our dinner. I am totally UN-STRESSED the entire day and can smile when my evening guests arrive!
I suspect that when everyone is out of diapers and finished napping and my level of work is eased up, we can go back to a busy, fun-filled, guest-filled day. But for now, we take a break and I am loving it!
|
|
|
Holiday Recipes and Tips
by Terri Bade
Turkey suggestions: Thaw 1 day before in refrigerator. Pull out giblets and neck and wash inside of turkey thoroughly. If you are stuffing the turkey line it with bread slices pressed into the cavity and then stuff it. You can use homemade filling or Stove Top! They both taste great.
To add flavor try some of the following: rub with oil and sprinkle with fresh herbs (rosemary, basil, thyme, sage), slices of raw bacon laying on top of turkey breast, between skin and meat put slices of garlic or onion or fresh herbs, paint breast with ½ cup orange or pineapple juice, or think of your own creative additions! Bake according to package directions.
Another suggestion for turkey that we’ve recently heard about but have not tried is from Ken and Darcy Standing. They thaw the turkey, season it to their taste, wrap it in foil and put it on their gas grill! They set the grill on a medium heat and close the lid (after removing the upper rack so the turkey fits well. They check it every hour or so. Add 2 hours to regular baking time if roasting your turkey this way. This is a great idea because it leaves your oven empty during the last hour of baking everything else! And maybe your husband can perfect this method of baking a turkey and take it on as a project!
Stuffing: This can be made either inside the turkey cavity or in a greased casserole dish. For flair add a chopped apple, fresh sage, chopped roasted and shelled chestnuts, or chopped mango.
Homemade stuffing
1 c. finely chopped celery
½ c. chopped onion
½ c. butter
1 tsp sage
½ tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
8 c. dry bread crumbs
¾ to 1 cup chicken broth or water
In a saucepan cook celery and onion in butter till tender but not brown; remove from heat and stir in sage, salt and pepper. Place the dry bread cubes in a large mixing bowl. Add the onion mixture. Drizzle with enough broth or water to moisten, tossing lightly. Use to stuff one 10 pound turkey. Makes 8 to 10 servings. OR place finished stuffing in a greased casserole dish and bake covered at 350 degrees for 1-1/2 hours. To spiff this up add one of the following: 1 chopped, peeled apple,1 pound peeled and chopped roasted chestnuts, chopped mango or pineapple, or some more herbs such as rosemary, thyme, lemon thyme or basil. We also like brown rice in our stuffing. Add one cup rice as a substitute for 1 cup of the bread crumbs.
Or use Stove Top or other brand of ready made stuffing mixes and add more herbs, celery, and onion to make it taste even better. Or use stuffing croutons and recipe on the bag. Everyone will love it no matter how it is made!
Gravy: Homemade gravy is really good, but it may be easier to use a packet or jar of gravy. To make jar or powdered gravy taste better, add pan drippings to it while mixing it up.
Homemade Gravy Recipe
Roasted Turkey
Hot drippings
¼ c all purpose flour
2 cups water or broth
Remove turkey to a serving platter and cover to keep warm. Leaving crusty bits in the roasting pan, pour pan drippings into a large measuring cup. Skim off and reserve fat from the pan drippings. In a medium saucepan mix ¼ cup of the fat and the crusty bits from the roasting pan. Stir in flour. Cook and stir over medium heat till bubbly. Remove pan from heat. Add enough water or broth to the drippings in the liquid measuring cup to equal 2 cups total liquid. Add all at once to the flour mixture in pan. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 1 to 2 minutes more. Season to taste. Makes 2 cups. If the gravy is lumpy and this bothers you, run it in a food processor for one minute before serving!
Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes: These are absolutely delicious and can be made a week or more ahead of time and baked and frozen. On Thanksgiving Day, thaw this casserole dish and reheat 30 minutes ahead of mealtime.
Mom’s Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes
5 pounds red potatoes, cooked and mashed
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese
1 egg beaten
½ c finely chopped onion
salt and pepper to taste
Combine potatoes, cheese, beaten egg, onion, salt and pepper.
Place in buttered casserole. Bake at 350 degrees for 30
30 minutes. To make ahead, bake for only 20 minutes, cool
it and then cover with foil and freeze until Thanksgiving.
Remove to thaw in morning. Bake for 30 minutes at 350,
Serve hot.
Quick Homemade Cranberry Sauce: Buy some extra bags of cranberries now, while they are in the stores. At Christmas you can string them onto thread and hang them on your tree! They are also delicious in breads and muffins for gifts!
Homemade Whole Cranberry Sauce
2 cups water
1-3/4 cups sugar
4 cups cranberries (16 ounces)
Bring water and sugar to boil in large saucepan. Boil
rapidly for 5 minutes. Add cranberries; return to boil. Cook,
uncovered, over med-high heat for 5 minutes or until skins
pop. Remove from heat. To thicken more, boil for 10 to
12 minutes. Can be molded in a 4 cup mold, chill until firm.
Everyone’s Favorite String Bean Casserole: This, too, can be made ahead and frozen. On Thanksgiving Day, thaw this and just before heating, add crunchy onions to the top!
String Bean Casserole
2 9-ounce packages frozen French style green beans
1 10-3/4 ounce can condensed cream of mushroom soup
2 TBSP chopped pimiento
1 tsp lemon juice
½ of a 3 ounce can French fried onions
Cook frozen beans according package directions and drain.
Combine the cooked beans, soup, pimiento and lemon juice.
Turn mixture into a 1 quart casserole. Bake uncovered, in a
350 degree oven for 35 minutes. Sprinkle with French-fried
onions and continue baking, uncovered for 5 more minutes.
Serves 6 adults.
To make ahead and freeze, Bake for only 20
minutes without onions, cool, cover with foil and freeze for
Thanksgiving Day. Remove from freezer that morning and
allow to thaw before baking and adding French onions on
top, 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve hot.
Homemade Cookies: Have a platter of yummy cookies ready
for those who eat quickly and want a treat. I try to have a bowl of mints and chocolates as well. Recipes for cookies abound. You can make cookies months ahead and freeze them. I take them directly from freezer bags to the platter I am serving them on. Purchase ingredients for cookie and keep on hand so you can whip up cookies quickly and freeze them when you have extra time. Also, if you are limited on time, make up the cookie dough and freeze it, then bake it at a later date. Cookie dough can be frozen in Ziploc bags. Keep those pesky cookie dough thieves out of the bags!! Also, to save time I will bake drop cookies as a bar cookie by baking them at 350 degrees for 25 minutes in a 15 x 10 or on a jelly roll pan. Cut them into squares and freeze.
Also, try the recipes from the easy treats section of this book.
|
|
|
Gift Ideas
Ornaments (with the date written on the bottom)
purchased pretty crocheted snowflake ornaments from this
company as well as other cute ones. You have to fish through
the junky stuff sometimes. I like using them because they
employ handicapped people and really give them good jobs.
Gift bags filled with goodies. Last year I purchased Christmas gift
bags through oriental trading company and lovely ornaments,
that were hand-crocheted. At the $1 store I found CDs
of Christmas music. I line up 25 bags in my bedroom on a
dresser and began to drop things into them as I found things.
These bags were filled without much effort and made
lovely little gifts for special friends and teachers.
Grandparents love pictures! Use digital photos blown up
to 5” x 7” or 8”x 10” and find frames at the dollar store!
Large frames are hard to find at the $1 store.
Frame some child’s art for a grandparent or other relative.
Put together a booklet of family recipes that you can copy
and hand out to family on Christmas Day. Use pretty
Christmas paper or other colored paper, staple. Use
a format similar to this booklet.
Other booklet ideas: funny family stories, vacation memories,
a collection of children’s art, etc.
Dollar Store Delights to give as gifts:
candles & holders, set of three frames, ladies bath items,
mugs filled with cocoa mix (see recipe section), an
assortment of journals, family movie night munchies,
books, cute plates for homemade cookies, hat & gloves,
vase, dinosaur collection, address book, and on it goes!
Notecards from discount rack
Paper airplanes galore! Down load paper airplane folding
instructions from the internet and add to the gift a ream
of multi-colored paper. Boys love this!
Basket full of: favorite junk food, asst of coffee, pasta/sauce/
spaghetti fork, tea cup and tea assortment, baby items,
children books, games, giant mug & hot chocolate, rolled
up cloth napkins tied with ribbons, etc.
Everyone loves homemade cookies. For a college student or single
person give a tin (from thrift shop) filled with homemade
cookies and a note that says he/she can give back the tin
any time for a refill for an entire year. Great for guys!
Canning jars filled with: gourmet hot chocolate mix, Russian tea
mix, asst candies (Hershey’s kisses and Brach’s pepper-
mints look pretty together), scriptures written on small
cardstock cards for the person to memorize, coupons
for free services that you can provide, soup mix, beans
and recipe, etc. Use your imagination! See gift idea
section.
Ziploc bags filled with mixes to make cornbread, muffins,
pancakes, rice dishes, etc. To make it extra cute, put
the sealed Ziploc bag into a cloth bag that you sew
and tie a ribbon around it.
Teacher gifts: any homemade goodies, notecards, bath/body
basket, apple candy in a jar, asst $1 store frames, pretty
bookmark made by student, book, journal, easy recipes
for playdough and other fun stuff that you down load
from the internet.
|
|
|
Christmas Card Ideas
Fewer people are sending cards, which I think is sad. Christmas is the only time of year that we communicate with some of our friends who are spread out around the globe. What is it that stresses you out about Christmas cards? Let’s see if we can simplify this daunting task!
If you send cards to more than 25 people, consider typing all addresses into your computer and making printable labels for the envelopes.
Instead of writing a message in each card, consider typing a fun letter and sending to everyone. If you can afford to, include a photo. At Costco, you can make multiple copies of a photo for 19 cents each. Everyone loves receiving a photo!
To send a photo inexpensively to more than 100 people on a Christmas card list, consider making a postcard out of your photo. Use three good copies of your favorite photo. For the back of the post card leave a space for the label on the right side, and type a message for the left side. I take my three copies of the same photo, my typed message and a big smile to Jerry at Postal Annex, 816 W. Francis, (near Francis and Monroe). He makes up our postcards and cuts them. We do not purchase Christmas cards and we don’t need 37 cent stamps now. In one evening, we add a preprinted address label from our computer printer and 23 cent stamps to the back of the postcards! Even our older children can help with this! It seems a bit impersonal, but we have over 250 people on our list and want everyone to hear from us. We also use these as gift tags for teachers, work associates, friends and neighbors. If we give someone a tray of cookies or a gift, they get this postcard as their tag. I punch a little hole in the upper left corner and string it onto a ribbon wrapped around the gift.
Another suggestion is to begin writing out your Christmas cards in October or early November. Then you can address and stamp as you go and by Thanksgiving you can be finished and ready to mail them.
Remember after Christmas to purchase your cards for next year. This way you can dig them out early and get started!
|
|
|
Making a List
My husband always laughs at me and my lists. I must say I am a woman devoted to writing everything down. When I forget to write it down, it’s forgotten.
For this busy time of year, purchase an inexpensive copybook, journal or notebook from the $1 store. Begin a page for gift giving. Write the name of each person you would like to give a gift to, including your children, family members, teachers, people at the office and others. If you’d like to give a plate of cookies to someone, write that down too.
Leave some spaces after each name. Write suggestions for each person and keep this precious book with you at all times! Don’t let anyone get into it or it will ruin the surprises!
I check this list often. I keep it in the car or in my purse or other bag. I can see who needs what and what I have already purchased. I also write down where I have hidden the gifts I have purchased. Some years I lose things and find them months after Christmas. So I now need to keep track of where everything is.
The list comes in very handy as you compare prices, stores, etc. Keep track of what you saw where and how much it was at that store. Also, list addresses in this book of stores you want to visit when looking for an item.
Consider shopping at discount, second hand, consignment and thrift shops. My little children don’t really care where something comes from or if it has new packaging on it. I have saved a lot of money this year by purchasing large toy trucks at a second hand store and cleaning them up with some soap and water. These will be perfect for Christmas morning for two little people I know. Now if I can just remember where I’ve hidden them!
Another place I LOVE to shop is www.ebay.com. Beware on ebay not to pay too much for something. Remember shipping is part of the price you pay. I have been able to buy some things in quantity and combine shipping with one seller. If you have time and patience you can find some really great buys on ebay.
|
|
|
Easiest Treats
From my earliest memories, Christmas time has been a time of baking. Now with a houseful of children, I find it a challenge to keep the cookie jar full of yummy goodies. I have found these easy recipes to be a great addition to our holiday entertaining and eating. I can whip up something quickly if I have the ingredients on hand and send a platter to the office with my husband or to school with a child having a party that day.
Chocolaty Peanut Bark
1 bag chocolate chips
1 cup dry roasted, unsalted peanuts
Melt chips in saucepan on low heat. Stir well until all chips are melted and no lumps remain. Add peanuts and stir well. Spread mixture onto a greased, foil wrapped cookie sheet and put in freezer. In 2 hours break bark into pieces and enjoy!
White Chocolate Peppermint Bark
1 bag white chocolate chips
1 cup crushed peppermints or candy canes
Melt chips in saucepan on low heat. Stir well until all chips are melted and no lumps remain. Add mints and stir well. Spread mixture onto a greased, foil wrapped cookie sheet and put in freezer.
In 2 hours break bark into pieces and enjoy!
Other Bark ideas: Butterscotch and coconut, chocolate and peppermint, white chocolate and macadamia nut, Peanut butter and chocolate chips mixed. You come up with ideas based on your likes and tastes. It’s so easy that even kids can do a lot of this!
Quick Fudge
Fudge makes a great gift wrapped in saran and pretty paper and placed in a pretty box or basket.
3 cups (18 oz) choc chips
1 (14 oz) can Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk
not evaporated milk
salt
½-1 cup chopped nuts (if desired)
1-1/2 tsp vanilla
In heavy saucepan, over low heat, melt ships with condensed milk and salt. Remove from heat and stir in nuts if desired and vanilla. Spread evenly into wax paper lined 8 or 9 inch square pan. Chill 2 hours or until firm. Turn onto cutting board, peel off paper and cut into squares. Store in refrigerator.
Variations: Use ¾ cup peanut butter chips instead of nuts. OR glaze above fudge with ½ cup melted peanut butter chips mixed with ½ c. whipping cream. Stir until thick and smooth and spread on fudge before chilling it.
Marshmallow fudge: Proceeds as above but omit nuts and add additional 2 TB butter to mixture. Fold in 2 Cups miniature marshmallows.
We’ve made peppermint fudge with crushed candy canes. Also, peanut butter fudge with all peanut butter chips. Your imagination can really help make this fun and delicious!
Blonde Brownies
Easy and delicious cookies that are fast and great to double, triple or quadruple. They always turn out.
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ cup butter or margarine
2 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 c. chopped walnuts or other nut
Grease a 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan. Combine flour, baking powder, and ¼ tsp salt. Melt butter; remove from heat. Stir in sugar. Add eggs and vanilla; stir till combined. Stir dry ingredients and walnuts into sugar mixture. Spread in pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Cut into bars while warm. Makes 48. Excellent as the bottom of a Blonde Brownie Sundae!
Easy Toffee Cookies
These are so scrumptious that just typing in these ingredients will make my mouth water!
1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 6 oz package (1 cup) semi sweet chocolate pieces
1 cup chopped walnut or pecans
Beat butter for 30 seconds, add brown sugar and beat until fluggy. Add egg yolk and vanilla, beat well. Gradually add flour to beaten mixture, beating constantly. Stir in cholocate pieces and nut. Press evenly in an ungreased 15 x 10 x 1 pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 to 18 minutes. Cut into bars while warm. Makes 48.
For English Toffee (an extra special pretty cookie): Prepare cookie the same way except omit chocolate pieces and nuts. Bake cookies. When you remove them from the oven and while they are steaming hot sprinkle on chocolate pieces and spread with a spatula to cover cookies. Sprinkle with finely chopped nuts.
Cereal-Peanut Butter Bars
These are fast and really delicious.
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup light corn syrup
1-1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
3 cups cornflakes cereal
½ cup chocolate chips
Combine sugar and corn syrup in saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, stir in peanut butter. Pour over cereal in a bowl and mix well. Spread in greased 9-inch square pan. Melt chocolate in saucepan over very low heat stirring constantly. Spread over cereal mixture in pan. Let stand until chocolate is firm. Cut into small bars. Makes 32. Really good without chocolate too!
At Christmas add green food coloring to batch before spreading in the pan and omit the chocolate. Form cookies on waxed paper lined cookie sheets into small 3” across wreath shapes and add small, red cinnamon candies to make them look like wreaths with holly on them! My kids were delighted with these to take to school.
Jello Jigglers
Make in red and green for Christmas (lime and berry jello). Recipe is on Jello box.
Susan Leavitt’s FAST Cake Mix Cookies
1 cake mix (any flavor)
2 eggs
2/3 cup shortening
Mix eggs with shortening. Cream together. Add ½ cake mix at a time and mix well. Drop by teaspoonsful onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes.
Homemade Popcorn
Vegetable Oil
Popcorn kernels
In large pot, pour enough oil to cover bottom to a depth of a kernel of popcorn (1/16 inch or so). Drop in 5 kernels, turn heat to medium and put on lid. When all five kernels pop, add enough popcorn kernels to fill bottom of pan in one layer. Cover. Listen for popping to begin. Shake pan well every few minutes while popping continues. When popping has slowed to scant pops, turn off heat and dump popcorn into large bowl. Salt immediately because salt will stick to hot popcorn. For an extra treat, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar (1 cup sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon mixed together) instead of salt.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
.jpg)