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Alannah’s Favorite Holiday Recipe

Pineapple Cookies

2 Cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Few grains salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ cup butter/margarine
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup crushed pineapple
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla

Drain pineapple well, reserving liquid for icing. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt. Dissolve baking soda in pineapple. Mash butter until smooth, add sugar – blend well. Add egg and vanilla, mix well. Gradually add sifted ingredients – mixing after each addition. Blend in pineapple

Bake 6-8 minutes at 375

Icing:

2 Cups powdered sugar
3 Tablespoons pineapple juice

Mixed together powdered sugar and pineapple juice and glaze cookies.

Cathryn’s Favorite Holiday Recipe

This is a family recipe that has been handed down from generation to generation. It’s so easy and a family favourite.

Peanut Butter Squares

1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup graham wafer crumbs
2 cups icing sugar
2 teaspoons of milk

Put all ingredients together and spread in 9 by 9 inch greased pan.

Melt one half a package of chocolate chips (1cup) with one teaspoon of peanut butter and spread on top.  Let set, but cut before firm.

Janelle’s Favorite Holiday Recipe

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cookies (super easy and SO yummy!)

Ingredients:
1 (18-24 count) package of miniature peanut butter cups, unwrapped
1 (18 ounce) package Pillsbury refrigerated peanut butter cookie dough

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. Before starting, unwrap peanut butter cups and place in freezer.
2. Using miniature muffin tins, place a 1-inch ball of dough in each cup.
3. Bake for 5 minutes (less than package instructions of 7-8 minutes)
4. Remove from oven and leave cookies in pan.
5. Remove candy from freezer and carefully press one into each cookie.
6. Remove from tins after they have cooled, and cool completely on a rack.

Jessie’s Favorite Holiday Recipe

This is one of my favorite holiday recipes!

(From Chef Andrew Sprugin link: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/brussels-sprouts-chestnuts-bacon)

Brussels Sprouts with Chestnuts and Bacon (From Sunset Nov 2012)

• Yield: Serves 8 to 10

Ingredients

• 12 ounces canned or vacuum-packed shelled chestnuts, large pieces cut in half (or about 1 lb. fresh, if available)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds brussels sprouts, ends trimmed, halved
• 6 slices (8 oz.) thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-in. pieces
• 1 large shallot, sliced thinly
• 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Toss chestnuts in oil and put on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake, turning often, until slightly toasted but not dry, 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add brussels sprouts and cook until bright green and just tender, about 6 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.
3. Cook bacon in a large frying pan over medium heat, stirring often, until almost crisp. Drain bacon in a strainer, reserving fat in a bowl.
4. Wipe out pan and add 3 tbsp. reserved bacon fat. Add shallot and cook, stirring often, until softened and starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Add drained brussels sprouts and cook, stirring often and adding more fat if needed, until browned and starting to crisp, about 6 minutes. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, nutmeg, and lemon juice, stirring to combine.
5. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with reserved bacon and chestnuts.

Karen’s Favorite Holiday Recipe

Okay, I’m a total cheater. When I make sugar cookies with my kids, I use the Betty Crocker sugar cookie pouches. It’s just so much easier! We can bust those cookies out in no time. But I do make homemade frosting and the secret I learned from my grandma to make the frosting taste extra delicious? Include a splash of coffee. Yes, coffee! Sadly, she doesn’t make sugar cookies during the holidays anymore but I do. Trying to keep up the tradition!

Frosting recipe:

2 cups powdered sugar
1 stick salted butter
1-2 tablespoons of milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Splash of coffee

Stir until desired thickness/consistency. Taste test to make sure it’s sweet enough to your liking! Then get to frosting all those cookies. 😉

Here’s a link to a photo from a couple of years ago – me making all the cookies and various holiday goodies and the mess I leave behind (note the diet Coke in the photo, too funny): http://karenwritesromance.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/misc-010.jpg

Mari’s Favorite Holiday Recipe

Cream of Crab Soup

Ingredients

• ¾ cup butter
• ¾ cup flour
• 2 chicken bouillon cubes (crushed)
• dash of white pepper
• salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon Old Bay
• 1 quart whole white milk
• 1 quart half and half
• 1 pound back fin crabmeat

Directions

1. Remove cartilage from crabmeat.
2. In a Dutch oven, melt butter. Blend in flour, pepper, and Old Bay. Stir and simmer over low heat 2-3 minutes.
3. Add milk, half and half, and bouillon. Simmer and stir constantly until bouillon is absorbed and the mixture thickens enough to coat a metal spoon.
4. Salt to taste, then add crabmeat. Heat through; do NOT boil.

Note: You can simply double recipe for a bigger amount.

Marquita’s Favorite Holiday Recipe

So, I’m not much of a cook, but Hot Builder (my husband) is and he makes the most delicious chocolate tarts.  Every one loves them, especially me!

Chocolate Tarts

Ingredients:
8 ounces of semi-sweet dark chocolate, chopped
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup of milk
¾ cup of heavy whipping cream
1 package of individual small pie shells
1 tub of cool whip

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350
• Place pie shells on baking sheet
• Combine heavy whipping cream and milk in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until hot. Don’t forget to stir! Add chocolate, stirring until blended. Let stand for about 5 Whisk in egg. Pour mixture into pie shells and bake for about 23 minutes. Allow to cool for fifteen minutes. Place tarts upside down on plate and add dollop (or two or three) of cool whip on top. Serves six, unless you like to share. I don’t.

Melody’s Favorite Holiday Recipe

One of my favorite fall/festive recipes is ‘Mom’s Apple Cake’ from the Smitten Kitchen cookbook. It’s a delicious, buttery cake that’s perfect for get-togethers: just add whipped cream or ice-cream, or even eat some for breakfast like I do. (recipe courtesy of the Smitten Kitchen)

Mom’s Apple Cake

6 apples, Mom uses McIntosh apples
1 tablespoon cinnamon
5 tablespoons sugar

2 3/4 cups flour, sifted
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
4 eggs
1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a tube pan. Peel, core and chop apples into chunks. Toss with cinnamon and sugar and set aside.
• Stir together flour, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together oil, orange juice, sugar and vanilla. Mix wet ingredients into the dry ones, then add eggs, one at a time. Scrape down the bowl to ensure all ingredients are incorporated.
• Pour half of batter into prepared pan. Spread half of apples over it. Pour the remaining batter over the apples and arrange the remaining apples on top. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours, or until a tester comes out clean. Cool completely before running knife between cake and pan, and unmolding onto a platter.

Violet’s Favorite Holiday Recipe

Aunty Pam’s Cornbread Recipe

This recipe is near and dear to my heart.  I’ve always loved cornbread.  Always.  However, growing up in Hawai‘i with immigrant parents from Japan, it wasn’t exactly a staple of my diet.  Luckily, my dad was a fan also.  The first time I tasted really good cornbread, I was hooked.  When I was younger, we didn’t have much money and I used to shop for books in thrift stores (yes, a book addict even then).  I found an old local cookbook circa faded brown paper and basic clipart for images and just a few colors on the cover.  I distinctly remember the cornbread recipe in it – “Aunty Pam’s Cornbread” it was called.  Even though I lost the book after we moved years later, I never did forget how good that cornbread was.  Fast forward a few decades after my marriage to the love of my life.  I met a good friend of my husband’s parents, like an extended aunty for him through most of his life, who was well-known for the fabulous cornbread she always makes for parties – almost cakey and just scrumptious.  The woman’s name?  Aunty Pam.  The Aunty Pam.  Living on a small island, things like this happen all the time.  And my taste buds sure are thankful!  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 cups Bisquick   mix
1 cup Sugar
2 sticks of Butter
2 Eggs
1 cup Milk
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
1/8 cup Cornmeal

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together well.
2. Pour into a 9″ x 13″ pan.
3. Bake at 350º for 1/2 hour.
4. Let cool before cutting.

P.S.  I know that’s a lot of butter (I just close my eyes and throw the sticks in). That’s why I only make this during the holidays. LOL! Here’s the link to another cornbreadk recipe I like with less butter! ^_^

http://www.food.com/recipe/copycat-marie-callenders-cornbread-62571

Sawyer’s Favorite Holiday Recipe

This one’s my absolute favorite holiday recipe!

Pumpkin Roll

Ingredients

3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup pecans, finely chopped
1 cup confectioners’ sugar, plus more for sprinkling
Two 3-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick butter (1/2 cup), room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 17 1/2- by 12 1/2-inch jellyroll pan.

With an electric mixer, beat the eggs, granulated sugar, pumpkin and lemon juice until smooth. Sift together the flour, ginger, salt, baking powder and cinnamon. Add the sifted ingredients to the egg mixture and blend until fully combined. Spread the batter in the jellyroll pan. Sprinkle the dough with the chopped pecans. Bake until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 14 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes.

Invert the cake onto a wire rack. Sprinkle some of the confectioner’ sugar on a large tea towel and carefully transfer the warm cake to the towel, folding the sides of the towel over the cake. Roll the cake up in the towel and cool in the refrigerator thoroughly for about 45 minutes.

With an electric mixer, combine the confectioners’ sugar, cream cheese, butter and vanilla and beat until smooth. Carefully unroll the cooled cake and spread the mixture on top of the cake. Gently re-roll the cake up and refrigerate it until you’re ready to slice and serve. Dust with confectioners’ sugar just before serving.