My Absolutely Brilliant Thought for A RF Holiday

Since we are all far and asunder, here and there, to and fro and all that, I was trying to think up an all inclusive Roadfood Holiday Celebration. Here's what I've come up with. In the tradition of the Holiday Cookie exchange, we're going to have a Roadfood Holiday Recipe Exchange. On this thread, please submit your favorite holiday celebration recipes: Appetizers, Main Dishes, Sides, Ethnic Specialties, Breads, Cookies and Candies, Desserts and Pastries and Beverages. (make sure you specify which category you wish them to go in) I will then type all submissions up and put them in several formats such as text file, pdf, word etc and email them out to all interested parties. I will make a separate request thread for those who wish to receive this to sign up in. The tentative deadline for submissions will be Sunday December 19th and with any luck and lots of caffeine , I'll have them out to you by the 21st.(maybe too late for this year for some of you, but hey...there's always the next!) Now show us your best , people!

quote:

Originally posted by redtressed

Since we are all far and asunder, here and there, to and fro and all that, I was trying to think up an all inclusive Roadfood Holiday Celebration. Here's what I've come up with. In the tradition of the Holiday Cookie exchange, we're going to have a Roadfood Holiday Recipe Exchange. On this thread, please submit your favorite holiday celebration recipes: Appetizers, Main Dishes, Sides, Ethnic Specialties, Breads, Cookies and Candies, Desserts and Pastries and Beverages. (make sure you specify which category you wish them to go in) I will then type all submissions up and put them in several formats such as text file, pdf, word etc and email them out to all interested parties. I will make a separate request thread for those who wish to receive this to sign up in. The tentative deadline for submissions will be Sunday December 19th and with any luck and lots of caffeine , I'll have them out to you by the 21st.(maybe too late for this year for some of you, but hey...there's always the next!) Now show us your best , people!

Super idea..................now, I will have to decide what my very favorites are.

Very inspired RT!!!! I will dig through my stuff at home and get posting!!!

Me too! Great idea!! Have to go through the family cookbook.....

OK:
wild rice casserole-from Flora Thumb's cafe-across the river from Ft. Madison, Iowa.
circa-late '40's
1 lb. wild rice
5 medium onions
2lb. beef roast or chicken
8 slices toasted bread
Mushrooms(canned or fresh)

Wash rice, put in cold water, cook til done
rinse after cooking
roast or boil meat, saving juices
cook onions, drain


assemble ingredients, mixing toast in torn pieces throughout.
Season to taste with salt, pepper, and garlic(optional)
pour saved juices over casserole
Bake at 350º for approximately 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
cover as necessary to prevent drying of rice.
This was an everyday menu item at Flora Thumb's cafe, where my grandfather would take SantaFe Bigwigs who would saunter down from Chicago to check things out.(To come eat Catfish and Fried Chicken, says my mom) My grandfather finally coerced the recipe out of Flora, hence the somewhat ambigious directions. This is one of those pinch of this, tad of that type of dishes, so use this as a basic guide to reach wild rice heaven and modify as to your tastes. I would say that meat and wild rice were meant for each other.
We've had this every holiday season for the last 50 years.
Bill

Aunt Mary DelRegno's Thumbprint Cookies: These have been in the family forever!

Dough:
1 cup soft butter
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 egg yolks
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt

Filling:
6 ozs. semi sweet chocolate
3 oz. cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup water

Topping:
Whole Walnut Pieces

Cream butter & sugar. Add egg yolk & vanilla. Sift in flour then blend together and roll into a large ball. Chill 1/2 hour. Roll dough into 1 1/2 inch balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheets 1 1/2 inches apart. Make a depression in the center of each ball with your thumb. Bake cookie -without filling - at 350 for 12-15 minutes. For the filling: Melt chocolate. Combine with cream cheese, vanilla & salt. Beat with a rotary beater until creamy. Add water slowly and blend. Fill cookie when cool, placing a whole walnut on top of the filling. The filling will slightly harden with time.

My most popular food for holiday potlucks and parties is gravadlax. It's Scandinavian cured salmon.

Gravad Lax
1/2 cup kosher rock salt
1/2 cup sugar (vary to taste, less is sometimes better)
1 ounce vodka or gin
1 bunch fresh dill
10 whole allspice
15 whole black pepper
1 whole salmon fillet
Cut the fillet in half or simply bend in half. Place some chopped dill in bottom and add 1/2 fillet in a glass container just slightly larger than the fillet. Mix together salt, sugar, allspice and pepper. Spread evenly on the fillets. Put several sprigs of dill on the fillet and cover with the other half fillet. Pour the vodka or gin over and top with some more chopped dill. Cover with plastic wrap and then put a brick or other heavy object on top of it. Every six hours, turn over salmon and baste with juices. After 12 hours spoon juices inside between fillets. Marinate for up to 2 days, turning and basting several times. Remove fillets and drain brine----dry off fillets completely. Slice thin, garnish with fresh chopped dill and serve with Mustard Dill Sauce.

Mustard Dill Sauce
1/2 cup Dijon Mustard
3 Tablespoons canola oil
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
6 sprigs dill, chopped fine
2 tsp. sugar
Mix ingredients together and whisk until smooth.

This is always a hit and makes a great presentation for a holiday table!

ohhhhhhhh these all look good........I've just come up with another brilliant idea......I'm gonna make Grampy help with this thing since he has extensive experience with cookbook authors and the writing of them , etc. Don't y'all tell him though, just let me sneak up on him and make him think it's all his idea. muahahahaha

What a killer idea!!---got some for ya!



Biscout---as my Noni called them-can see my Grampa dunking them in his thick black coffee!---Enjoy!--(thats DBiscotti to the rest of us!)


12 eggs
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup butter, melted
1 cup milk
2 fluid ounces anise flavor
1 cup raisin
1 cup nuts
5 Tablespoons Baking powder
flour
1. Mix in order of ingrediants

2. add flour just until a slightly sticky dough is formed

3. roll into logs--2 or 3 and pat them down to 1/2 original thickness

4. bake at 425 till light brown on cookie sheet

5. slice diagonally about 3/4 inch thick and place them back on racks set in cookie sheet

6. place back in oven till sliced sides are light brown

quote:

Originally posted by redtressed

ohhhhhhhh these all look good........I've just come up with another brilliant idea......I'm gonna make Grampy help with this thing since he has extensive experience with cookbook authors and the writing of them , etc. Don't y'all tell him though, just let me sneak up on him and make him think it's all his idea. muahahahaha

Maybe he can suggest the ideal "holiday beverage" too------It would be great to read these while sipping one of Grampy's favorites!

BTW----When are you starting the thread where we can "order" these? Great idea Redtressed!

Ok--heres another--actually a fudge---but not just any fudge---Velveeta Cheese Fudge!!!---I know I know--you thinkining im nuts!!!---those are good in it btw---but hang in there---and the kids will love making it!!!

velveeta Cheese Fudge

1 pound Margarine or Butter
1 pound Velveeta Cheese
1 cup Cocoa
4 pounds Powdered Sugar
2 cups Nuts, Chopped (optional)
2 teaspoons Vanilla

Melt margarine and cheese together. Mix in remaining ingredients. Spread in greased pan. Cool. Cut in squares. Keep in refrigerator. Makes enough for a big party.

Beverage-
Nice Punch for Holiday visitors who like juicey,sweet punch.

1.75 or 2 Fifths Peach Schnapps
1 Half gallon Peach Cranberry Fruit Drink
1 Half Gallon Orange Juice
1 Quart of either Pineapple or Grapefruit juice or Squirt Soda
(you choose Pineapple for sweeter, or Grapefruit for Tarter)
1 Fifth 80 proof Vodka

Mix well and store in 'Frig' til needed. Float some Orange slices with marashino cherries on the slice on top of the Punch in the Punchbowl. Makes a bunch, but is storable for several parties if needed.

Ed: This is the only time of year I ever make Gravlaks. But, if there is any Gin involved it goes into me, not the salmon.

Cheers, John

Redtressed: there's a lot of recipes out there for Xmas Eggnog, so I'll not bore you with mine. But, use lots of good Rum, and enough cheap Brandy to bring up the alcohol content to a respectable level. And, beat up the egg whites , the egg yolks, and the heavy cream, all separately and gently fold together with the sugar and Rum and Brandy. When serving, grate a little nutmeg on top of each cup while the guest is holding it. Serve with the cookies and Christmas fruitcake and candy as suggested above by our fellow Roadfooders.

Cheers, John

ps: While your guests are enjoying their Eggnog, do yourself a favor and sip a bit of that good Rum neat - or sneak a Martini in the kitchen.

John

Beverage -

My mom makes this all the time and so do I and it's really simple and good and dont laugh at me! :)

I use for a small gathering

2 liters of Ginger Ale
1 1/2 gallon of your choice of lime sherbert, orange sherbert or rainbow sherbert

You chill your ginger ale and add to a punch bowl then put a few big scoops of sherbert into the bowl with the ginger ale and voila you have my mom's holiday/special occasion punch!

Crystal... Take your Mom's recipe and combine it with mine and we will have one hell of a beverage !!

Dessert -

I always take to my mother in laws on christmas day a key lime pie it's different from traditional and we all love it

I use

1 premade graham cracker crust or if not in a hurry I make my own using ground up graham crackers and butter
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
5 egg yolks
1/2 cup key lime juice (if in a pinch and can't find key limes you can use regular lime juice either fresh or in a bottle)

Cream your egg yolks and then add the sweetened condensed milk and combine then add your lime juice and completely combine ingredients and add to your pie shell bake in a preheated oven for 15 minutes at 375. Allow to cool completely either on the counter or in a fridge until set and not runny. I usually put it in the fridge for a couple of hours. If you want to make it extra elegant you can add a bit of lime zest to the pie and garnish with real whipped cream along the edge of the crust.

Al your punch recipe looks really really really good ! I might have to make that :)

Forgot to add that if you make your own crust for the pie to prebake it for a few minutes in the oven I don't have a time for how long to I usually use my nose and I can tell when it's done

Side: Mean Green Bean Casserole

2 cans (~14 1/2 oz. each) French-style green beans, drained
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup (2 - 3 oz) shredded Swiss cheese (finely shredded preferred)
1/2 cup milk
1 oz. (1/3 - 1/2 jar or can) real bacon bits or pieces
1 tsp. onion flakes
1/8 tsp. black pepper
3/4 cup (divided) French's French fried onions

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat the inside of a 1 1/2 qt. casserole with Pam or a similar spray. In a bowl, mix well, but gently, the first 7 ingredients and 1/4 cup of the French fried onions, and pour into the casserole. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees F. Stir gently. Top with the additional 1/2 cup of French fried onions and bake 5 minutes more or until golden brown. Serves 6.

Note: The differences between this recipe and the regular green bean casserole I have highlighted in red.

Okay, for all of those out there who have had their suspicions. Here's the proof that I'm the strange one. I'm known for my fruitcake & here's my recipe.

White fruitcake

preheat oven to 300F grease & flour 2-8x4 loaf pans or 1 large tube pan. Cut a piece of waxed paper to fit the bottom of the pan to help in removing the cake when cool.

cream 1 cup sugar with 1 1/2 cups softened butter, then at a low speed add in 1 3/4 cups flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1 tbsp vanilla, 1 tbsp lemon extract, add in 5 eggs one at a time, beat 2 minutes at medium. Stir in 1 lb pecans, 1 lb candied pineapple (cut up in chunks) and 3/4 lb red candied cherries. (candied in these fruits translates to glaceed)
Spoon batter into pans & bake 1 1/4 to 2 hours or until tester comes out clean.
Cool in pans, remove from pans. When completely cool (I usually wait a day), using Bacardi's white rum ( about 1/2 cup per loaf cake), I inject the rum into the cake using one of the flavor injecting needles. Inject around the sides & then in the top. Wrap in cheescloth & dampen cloth with a little more rum, then wrap with heavy duty foil. store in refrigerator. These cakes won't keep indefinitely but are supposed to last up to 6 months, never had any make it past the end of January.

Cookies & Candies: Super Easy Cake Mix Cookies

2 eggs, lightly mixed
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 box (~18 1/4 oz) cake mix (any flavor)
general purpose flour (to flatten cookies)
1/2 - 3/4 can frosting (any flavor)

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large bowl combine eggs, oil and cake mix; stir until thoroughly moistened. Shape dough into 1 inch balls; place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. With the bottom of a drinking glass dipped in flour, flatten to ~ 1/4 inch thickness. Bake at 375 degrees F for 6 to 8 minutes or until edges are a light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets. Spread frosting over the cookies; let frosting set before storing. Store in tightly covered container. Makes 30 - 36 cookies.

This is how we do Christmas breakfast in the O.C. That's Orange County, VA y'all.

Fried Oysters

4 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. salt
2 T. peanut oil
2 cups plain cracker meal
1 quart drained oysters
Lard

Place eggs in a bowl, add salt, beat well with a fork and add in the peanut oil. Place the cracker meal on a sheet of wax paper. With a fork, pick up each oyster, dip it in the egg mixture and stick it in the cracker meal. Place each breaded oyster on another sheet of wax paper, and let them sit a minute.
To fry, heat an aluminum skillet with 1/2 cup of lard. When it reaches the smoking point, put in the oysters and fry them til they turn a golden brown...that's about two minutes on each side. Drain the oysters on brown paper and serve while hot.

quote:

Originally posted by ocdreamr

Okay, for all of those out there who have had their suspicions. Here's the proof that I'm the strange one. I'm known for my fruitcake & here's my recipe.

White fruitcake

preheat oven to 300F grease & flour 2-8x4 loaf pans or 1 large tube pan. Cut a piece of waxed paper to fit the bottom of the pan to help in removing the cake when cool.

cream 1 cup sugar with 1 1/2 cups softened butter, then at a low speed add in 1 3/4 cups flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1 tbsp vanilla, 1 tbsp lemon extract, add in 5 eggs one at a time, beat 2 minutes at medium. Stir in 1 lb pecans, 1 lb candied pineapple (cut up in chunks) and 3/4 lb red candied cherries. (candied in these fruits translates to glaceed)
Spoon batter into pans & bake 1 1/4 to 2 hours or until tester comes out clean.
Cool in pans, remove from pans. When completely cool (I usually wait a day), using Bacardi's white rum ( about 1/2 cup per loaf cake), I inject the rum into the cake using one of the flavor injecting needles. Inject around the sides & then in the top. Wrap in cheescloth & dampen cloth with a little more rum, then wrap with heavy duty foil. store in refrigerator. These cakes won't keep indefinitely but are supposed to last up to 6 months, never had any make it past the end of January.

I LOVE fruitcake!!!!!!

Fruitcake gets a bum rap. i love fruitcake too, and I used to make up a big batch of them and give them to friends and family- until one day I realized that friends and family were avoiding me at Xmas time. So I stopped making them and guess what? My wife goes out and buys one for us every year!

cheers, John

WhereGreggEats.com's Mother's Christmas Stollen ...

This seems like a lot of work. I've never made it myself. At our house, it is generally a Christmas Eve (and Christmas morning, if there is any left) tradition. Have plenty of spreadable butter on hande at serving time. Maybe a big glass of milk.

Mix together:
1 Cup lukewarm milk
1/4 Cup sugar
1 tsp. salt

Crumble into mixture:
1 cake compressed yeast*
Stir until yeast is dissolved

Stir in:
1 egg
1/4 Cup soft shortening

Mix in first with spoon, then with hands:
3-1/2 – 3-3/4 Cups sifted flour

Add flour in 2 additions, using the amount necessary to make it easy to handle.

When the dough begins to leave the sides of the bowl, turn it out onto a lightly floured board to knead. Knead until smooth, elastic, and doesn’t stick to the board.

Place in a greased bowl, turning once to bring greased side up. Cover with damp cloth and let rise in warm, draft-free spot (80 to 85 deg.) until double (1-1/2 to 2 hrs.)

Press two fingers into dough. It will leave indentation when dough is doubled.

Punch down: thrust fist into dough, pull edges into center and turn completely over in bowl. Let rise again until almost double in bulk (30 to 45 min.)

After second rising, turn dough onto lightly floured board and flatten.

Distribute evenly over dough:
1/2 Cup cut-up blanched almonds
1/4 Cup each, cut-up citron and candied cherries (or use all cherries)
1 Cup seeded raisins
1 Tbsp grated lemon rind

Knead them into the dough. Pat out dough into an oval about 8” by 12”. Spread with soft butter. (Or, if preferred, divide dough in half and form into two smaller ovals.) Fold in two the long way. Form into crescent. Press folded edge firmly so it won’t spring open. Place on lightly greased heavy baking sheet. Brush top with melted butter. Let rise until double (35 to 45 min.) Bake at 375 deg. For 30-35 minutes.

Frost while warm with confectioners’ sugar icing. Decorate with shaved toasted almonds and pieces of cherries.

*To use dry yeast: Omit 1/4 cup of milk. In place of compressed yeast, soak 1 pkg. dry granular yeast in 1/4 cup lukewarm water for 5 min. without stirring. Stir well before adding.

All right. I am makin' the stollen. YUM YUM YUM YUM.

Fröliche Weinachten!!!

Ohhh this is a good idea!!! Here's a favorite recipe in my family for broccili, rice and cheese.

Broccoli, Cheese & Rice Casserole

1 small onion, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
1 tablespoon butter
1 (10.5-ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (5-ounce) can evaporated milk
8 ounces American processed cheddar cheese, cubed (velveeta works great)
3 cups cooked rice
In a large skillet over medium heat, cook onion, celery and broccoli in butter for 5 minutes. Add soup and milk and heat thoroughly. Remove from heat, add cheese and stir until cheese has melted.
Spread cooked rice in a greased 8-inch square baking dish. Pour broccoli/cheese mixture over; do not stir.
Bake, uncovered, at 325*F (160*C) for 30 to 35 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.
Serves 8 to 10.

And it wouldn't be the holidays if we didn't make divinity candy.

2 and 2/3 cups of sugar

2 egg whites
2/3 cup of light corn syrup

1 teaspoon of vanilla flavoring
1/2 cup of water*

2/3 cup of chopped nuts

Stir the sugar, corn syrup and water over low heat until sugar is dissolved.

Cook without stirring, to 260* on candy thermometer (or until small amount of mixture dropped in very cold water forms a hard ball).

In mixer bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.

Continue beating while pouring hot syrup in a thin stream into egg whites.

Add vanilla and beat the mixture until it holds its shape and becomes slightly dull. (Mixture may become too stiff for mixer.)

Fold in the chopped nuts.

Drop the mixture from a buttered spoon onto wax paper.

Makes about 4-dozen candies.


*Use 1-tablespoon water less on humid days. Also, very important if you are in very humid areas like the Texas Gulf Coast modify the way you cook this slightly. Whip the egg whites as normal and cook the syrup up to the hard ball stage. Have another person in the kitchen to help you because it becomes a 2 person job at this point. Pour half of the syrup slowly into the egg whites while someone works the mixmaster in it and then put the remaining half of the syrup back on the stove and cook to the soft crack stage and then pour the rest of the syrup into the semi cooked egg whites at this point but very slowly. Proceed to finish the divinity the normal manner. It never fails and will always set up when cooked like this, even if a tropical deluge is pouring down outside.

My Grandma's Shoo-Fly Pie

Filling:
1 cup molasses
1 egg
3/4 cup hot water
3/4 tsp. baking soda

Crumb topping:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar
Work ingredients together to resemble coarse crumbs--set aside.

Beat egg in a separate bowl. Stir together molasses, water, and soda, and then add beaten egg. Put filling in a 9-inch pie shell. Top with crumb topping. Bake 15 minutes at 400 degress F and 30 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Maple Syrup Muffins
--these are good for Christmas morning breakfast/brunch. This recipe is set up weird, but this is how I got it from my momma.

In one bowl, beat one egg slightly with fork. Stir in 1/2 cup of milk and 1/2 cup of maple syrup and 1/4 cup of oil. In another bowl, sift together and add to wet mixture: 2 cups flour, 1/4 cup sugar, 3 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. salt. Stir just until moist. OK for the batter to be lumpy. Bake at 400 degrees F for 20-25 minutes. Yield: 12 muffins