FReeper Weekly Recipe Thread ~Dec 24th~{Merry Christmas}

FreeRepublic Cooks | Dec 24, 2011 | libertarian27

[libertarian27]

Welcome to the 3rd installment of the FReeper Weekly Recipe Thread 2012.

Looking for something new to make or made something new that came out great? Please share a 'tried-and-true' recipe or three- for fellow FReepers to add to their 'go-to' Recipe Stack of Family Favorites!

Here's the place to share and explore your latest and greatest favorite recipe.

[llmc1]

Christmas French Toast

Panettone, 1/2” slices
some eggnog
some milk
a couple eggs
dash nutmeg
butter
syrup

Mix nog, milk, eggs, and nutmeg. Quickly dip the panettone into mixture and fry in butter until browned. Top with more butter, if desired, and syrup.

Have a Very Merry Christmas, All!

[susannah59]

I am making these tomorrow AM for breakfast along with bacon and sausage links. I rarely cook breakfast but always on Christmas.

Cranberry Orange Scones

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2/3 cups sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup butter (no substitutes)

1 tsp. finely grated orange peel

1 cup chopped fresh or frozen cranberries

3/4 cup buttermilk Combine dry ingredients in mixing bowl. cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add cranberries (I will probably used dried ones, soaked for just a bit in water and drained). Add orange peel. Stir in buttermilk just until moistened. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Gently knead 6-8 times. Divide in half; Pat each half into an 8-inch circle. Cut into 8 wedges. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from pans to wire racks. Serve warm. Serve with butter!!

[illiac]

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

One of my grandmothers best....

Devils Food Cake with Divinity Frosting

1 - boxed devils food cake mix prepared using directions on the box.

When cool, frost with the following:

EASY NO - COOK DIVINITY

1 pkg. fluffy white frosting (dry)
1/3 c. Karo syrup
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. boiling water
1 lb. powdered sugar
1 c. chopped pecans

In small bowl, combine frosting mix, Karo, vanilla, and boiling water; beat on high until stiff peaks form (about 5 minutes). Transfer to a large bowl - on medium speed, blend in powdered sugar gradually. Stir in nuts.

Melt one bag semi sweet chocolate chips in a double boiler with a touch of heavy cream.

When completely melted, pur over the top of the divinity frosted cake making sure some of it drizzles down the side of the cake.

MMMM MMMM good

[susannah59]

I tried cooking a goose, once.

I was cooking it in my electric roaster.

For some reason, about halfway through, the smell suddenly got to my stomach, and I got really nauseated. I had to move the roaster outside to finish cooking, and air out the house.

I don't think I ate any of it. I'm not sure how it turned out. I'd be willing to try it if someone else cooked it, but I wouldn't try cooking it again. I don't know why it turned on me like that. I'll usually try just about anything.

My husband is not at all adventurous. He says he doesn't like things I am certain he has never tried, and if it isn't beef, pork, chicken, or turkey, forget it (well, maybe a little fish on occasion).

I told him once that if my ancestors had been as picky as he is, I would not be here.

My mother grew up in North Carolina in the mountains during the depression, and I've been told my grandmother would cook anything except possum.

[susannah59]

When I was little I remember my mother making cookies she called Tea Cakes. They were a lot like Sugar Cookies except I think a little thicker and maybe not quite as sweet.

I got to thinking about these and started looking for a recipe. Most of the recipes I found looked pretty much alike and I tried one. Not bad, but not what I was looking for. I finally found this one in a cookbook, and then altered it after the first batch to make it taste more like what I remembered.

Tea Cakes

1 cup butter, softened but not melted

1 cup sugar

1/4 tsp. almond extract

1 tsp. vanilla extract

4 eggs

3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter and sugar together. Add flavorings, mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, alternately with flour (about 1 cup at a time). Add enough flour to make a slightly stiff dough. (Using a stand mixer works better than a hand mixer). Using a cookie scoop, scoop out and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle a pinch of sugar on top of each cookie, then flatten each with a wide-bottom glass or cup (dip bottom of glass or cup in sugar to prevent sticking). Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until lightly brown around the edges.

You can roll these out and cut them out but I prefer my method! It is easier and you handle the dough less. You could also use colored sugar for the holidays if you wish.

[patriot08]

Please, FReepers, learn to make your cranberry sauce from scratch- don't serve that grey glop out of the can!

Cranberry Sauce Recipe

Ingredients

1 cup (200 g) sugar 1 cup (250 mL) water 4 cups (1 12-oz package) fresh or frozen cranberries

Method 1 Wash and pick over cranberries. In a saucepan bring to a boil water and sugar, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add cranberries, return to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer for 10 minutes or until cranberries burst.

2 Remove from heat. Cool completely at room temperature and then chill in refrigerator. Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools.

Cranberry sauce recipe makes 2 1/4 cups.

If you don't want whole berries, strain it.

And NO, there's no need to add anything to this recipe. NO orange.. No cinnamon..NO nothing. Anything you add masks/takes away from the delicious taste of fresh cranberries.

[illiac]

This year we have to stray from our normal prime rib ($12.99/lb at Costco) because we have 16 to feed. So we decided on the following:

Orange Glazed Ham

Ingredients
1 (14 to 16-pound) fully cooked, spiral-cut smoked ham on the bone
6 garlic cloves
8 1/2 ounces orange marmalade
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 orange, zested
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the ham in a heavy roasting pan.

Mince the garlic in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the marmalade, mustard, brown sugar, orange zest, and orange juice and process until smooth. Pour the glaze over the ham and bake for 1 hour, until the ham is fully heated and the glaze is well browned. Serve hot or at room temperature.

CEDAR PLANKED SALMON

One cedar plank soaked in water for several days.

One salmon filet

Dill sprigs

Meyer lemons (if you can find them - other wise plain old lemons will work) Sliced thin.

Butter

Capers

Lay out the filet on the cedar plank and sprinkle with dill. Lay the lemon slices on top of the filet. Place a few pats of butter n top of the lemons. Sprinkle with capers. Place the plank with the filet on the BBQ and cook at about 350 degrees until done (20 - 30 minutes)

[trisham]

Both recipes sound delicious! 16 people-bless you!

[trisham]

Merry Christmas! Thank you for the thread!

[illiac]

All 16 are family members (we’ll be missing four from the Seattle area). We will also have four small dogs so it should be a real rodeo!

MrsIlliac and I have been making spritz cookies, ginger cookies, frosted sugar cookies, chess pie request from my 93 year old mom), lemon curd pie, peanut brittle, divinity, and lord knows what else.

By about 7 PM she and I will collapse after they leave with a glass of good wine and great memories of family together.

[concerned4mysonsfuture]

We LOVE corn pudding for the holiday meals. Sometimes we will take a couple of cups of canned corn and puree them in the food processor and add to the mix. One thing we always do now is grate about a quarter cup of asagio cheese and add it to the mix...

[Nea Wood]

Bless you for that! I’ve been wanting a recipe for just that kind of cookie.

[edpc]

You’re welcome. Merry Christmas.

[Joya]

Peanut Butter & Pretzel Truffles

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup crunchy natural peanut butter
1/4 cup finely chopped salted pretzels
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips, melted (see Tip)

PREPARATION
Combine peanut butter and pretzels in a small bowl. Chill in the freezer until firm, about 15 minutes. Roll the peanut butter mixture into 20 balls (about 1 teaspoon each). Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper and freeze until very firm, about 1 hour. Roll the frozen balls in melted chocolate. Refrigerate until the chocolate is set, about 30 minutes.

TIPS & NOTES
Make Ahead Tip: Store airtight in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Tip: To melt chocolate, microwave on Medium for 1 minute. Stir, then continue microwaving on Medium, stirring every 20 seconds, until melted. Or place chocolate in the top of a double boiler over hot, but not boiling, water. Stir until melted.

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/peanut_butter_pretzel_truffles.html

= = =
Hat-tip to Granny for alerting me to the eatingwell dot com website.

[trisham]

That sounds perfect. :)

[Joya]

I’ve not heard of making French Toast with eggnog, good idea if there’s some left over.

I had a Native American co-worker ask me a couple weeks ago what eggnog tasted like. I told her it was about as sweet as a melted milkshake would be. SO, last Sunday, I took a gallon of eggnog to the “Employee Appreciation Day” at work (corporate does not allow holiday parties of any kind whatsoever).

Folks were disappointed I’d not brought anything to spike it with but my intent was not to get myself fired.

The event ran all day, and so, I asked my co-worker if she had tried any next time I saw her. She had tried it but did NOT like it. Well, at least now she knows what it tastes like.

I should have checked the fridge in the training room before I left work yesterday to see if there was any eggnog left. I could have brought it home and have made French Toast with it!

[MissMagnolia]

You can’t go wrong with cheese!! Another variation - my SIL’s corn pudding recipe has a few sauteed onions in it - different taste, but still very good.

[kalee]

My English aunt occasionally does one for Christmas. Goose is all dark meat and very fatty. Make sure you remove the wishbone and clumps of visible fat and lightly pierce the outer skin all over. Do not pierce deep enough to break the flesh beneath. Baste with the dripping as it cooks. Serve with Madeira sauce.

[pops88]

We celebrated Christmas early. I found this recipe for left over turkey that was some of the best left overs I ever had-

Turkey Club Pizza- http://busycooks.about.com/od/pizzarecipes/r/clubpizza.htm

I accidentally bought Havarti instead of Muenster cheese and used Mozzarella instead of Swiss. Swiss wasn’t appealing to me, and I’m guessing one can be a bit flexible with the cheese. My daughter and I loved it. I have left over cheese and will be making another in a couple days.

Another recent winner-

Turtle Shortbread Cookies- http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/turtle-shortbread-cookies-cookie-exchange-quantity/1a4ab719-0c79-4e65-bf44-fd0f693554c2

After reading the dough preparation and reviews, I just bought shortbread and used that. They were easy and soooo good.

[kalee]

Sea bass with pomodoro sauce with salad for supper tonight. After church tonight, we will just snack. Sausage
Tomorrow’s dinner will be shrimp cocktail, ribeye steaks with whiskey cream sauce and sauteed mushrooms, Brussels sprouts, crash hot potatoes and English plum pudding and Christmas Cake.
I will post the recipe for the potatoes, Oh My Goodness! They are the best potatoes I have ever eaten.