(10) Blushing Apple Crescents

2 20-oz cans apple slices
¾ c sugar
½ c red hots (cinnamon candies)
1 t whole allspice
½ c white vinegar

Drain liquid from apples into saucepan; stir in sugar, candies, allspice, and vinegar. Heat to boiling and simmer 5 minutes. Add apples; heat to boiling again. Pour into bowl, cool, and refrigerate 24 hours. Makes 4 cups.

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Mom got this recipe from her friend Wanda Farrell back in 1980, before I was even born! We adore it. It's a perfect blend of sweet and sour--with vinegar--and makes a beautiful and tasty side dish to the main meal. You can use fresh apples if you'd prefer; Mom usually does, I think. We can't get red hots here, though, so this is a special treat for us!

(9) Spritz

1 c butter, softened
½ c sugar
2¼ c flour
¼ t salt
1 egg
1 t almond or vanilla extract

Heat oven to 400°F. Cream butter and sugar. Blend in remaining ingredients. Fill cookie press with ¼ of dough at a time. Form desired shapes on ungreased baking sheets. Baket 6 to 9 minutes or until set but not brown. Makes about 5 dozen.

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If you know anything about Spritz, you know it's a dough that works with a cookie press. I'm sure there are all sorts of shapes and flavours you could make, but my mom always made green Christmas wreaths and put red hots on for bolly berries. Very festive! I haven't made these as an adult, not having a press, but they're lots of fun! And yummy, too. :)

(8) Christmas Meringue Cookies

Dough:
Blend well:

• 2 egg yolks
• 2-1/2 c flour
• 1 t salt
• 1/2 t baking powder
• 3/4 c sugar
• 2/3 c shortening
• 1/4 c milk
• 1 t vanilla
  

Chill dough while making meringue.

Meringue:

• 2 egg whites
• 1/4 t salt
• 1/2 c sugar
• 1/2 t vanilla
• 1/2 t vinegar
• 6 oz chocolate chips
• 1 c crushed candy canes
  

Beat egg whites and salt until soft mounds form. Gradually add sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form. Fold in other ingredients.

Shape dough in balls on ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten balls with glass dipped in sugar. Top with meringue. Bake at 325F for 20 to 25 minutes.

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My mom got this recipe from our friend Sheri Edwards in Christmas 1993. That was the Christmas Mom and Dad returned to the States (from Nigeria) quite suddenly because Dad was diagnosed with cancer. They left us kids with missionary friends here and stayed in Los Angeles for a month with Sheri's mom and dad, good friends of ours from church. Mom made these cookies the next year, when we were all together in Los Angeles, and we fell in love with them, too!

(7) Swedish Shortbread

1 c butter, softened
½ c plus 2 T sugar
2-2½ c flour
1/3 c raspberry jam
1 c powdered sugar
1 t almond extract
2-3 t water

Blend butter and sugar, add flour and mix well. Divide dough into 6 parts. On ungreased sheets, roll or pat each part into a strip about 1½”x12”. Using knife handle, make slight indentation lengthwise down center of each strip (not too deep or cookies will break). Fill indentation with jam. Bake at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. In small bowl, mix powdered sugar, almond and water to make thin glaze. While still warm, drizzle glaze across strips and cut diagonally into 1” slices. Makes 60 cookies.

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This recipe makes thin buttery cookies, and we especially love the almond flavouring. Truth be told, you can use any kind of jam, not just raspberry. Our other favourite is apricot. These cookies are great to take to parties or give as gifts because they look and taste really nice.

(6) Peanut Blossoms

½ c butter
½ c peanut butter
½ c sugar
½ c brown sugar
Add:
1 egg
1 t vanilla
Blend in:
1¾ c flour
1 t soda
½ t salt

Shape into balls. Roll in sugar. Place on ungreased sheet. Bake at 375°F for 8 minutes. Remove from oven. Place chocolate kisses firmly in center. Bake 2-5 minutes longer.

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Chocolate Kisses are one of my favourite candies, so these cookies, that combine peanut butter and chocolate, are just divine. Of course, I'm the weird kind of person who usually eats the Kiss off before eating the rest of the cookie. Oh well! They're simple cookies and taste great (unless you have peanut allergies). I just wish we could get Kisses here so they were easier to make!

(5) Snowballs

1 c butter
2 c flour
½ c powdered sugar
1 t vanilla
chocolate chips and/or chopped walnuts

Roll dough into little balls and place on ungreased sheet. Bake at 300°F about 30 minutes.

Cool and roll in granulated or powdered sugar.

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These are my personal favourites. I love them so much that my mom started making them for me even when it wasn't Christmas! My second care package in college (all the way from Nigeria!) was a Tupperware container of snowballs. Yum yum! They're just a basic shortbread, but they taste phenomenal, and I particularly love 'em with chocolate chips. (I'm not a fan of walnuts anyway.) We roll them in powdered sugar, and they do look like snowballs! They've also been called "Russian Tea Cakes." They're great!

(4) Pfeffernüse

½ c shortening
¾ c brown sugar (packed)
1 egg
½ c molasses
2 t anise extract
3-1/3 c flour
½ t soda
½ t white pepper
½ t nutmeg
½ t allspice
½ t cloves
1 t cinnamon
1/3 t cardamom
1½ T grated lemon peel (about 2 lemons)

Heat oven to 350°F. Mix thoroughly shortening, sugar, egg, molasses, anise. Blend in remaining ingredients. Knead dough until of right consistency for molding.

Shape dough by level teaspoons into bals. Place one inch apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake about 12 minutes or until golden brown on bottom. Cool. Glaze. Makes about 6 dozen.

Glaze: Combine:
1 egg white
2 t honey
¼ t ground anise
Add 1½ c powdered sugar.Beat until smooth. Put 12 cookies in a bowl. Drizzle with 2 T glaze. Toss with fork to coat. Dry on rack or waxed paper.

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This recipe, for "Pepper nuts," makes cookies that resemble ginger snaps. They're spicy good! They're even good without the glaze. (My sister and I made them last year that way because we didn't want to buy ground anise just for the cookies...cheapskates!) They also taste fine if you use black pepper instead of white pepper. My mom's been baking these for as long as I can remember, but in our family, they're strictly a Christmas cookie.

(3) Julekage

1 pkg yeast
¼ c warm water
¾ c lukewarm milk
¼ c sugar
½ t salt
½ t ground cardamom
1 egg
¼ c shortening
½ c raisins
1/3 c cut-up citron or mixed candied fruit
3¼ to 3½ c flour

Dissolve yeast in water. Add other ingredients and 2 c flour. Blend. Beat 2 minutes. Add remaining flour. Knead 4 minutes. Rise in bowl 1 to 1½ hours. Punch down. Shape into ball. Place in greased 9” cake pan; brush with butter. Let rise 45 minutes. Bake at 350F for 35 to 45 minutes until golden. Brush with butter. Glaze. Cool.

Glaze: Mix 1 c powdered sugar and 1 to 2 T water.

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This is a traditional Scandinavian Christmas bread. "Julekage" means "Christmas bread." It makes a yummy Christmas breakfast, especially warm and spread with real butter. Another of my mom's Christmas breakfast breads is Stollen, a German bread, but I can't find her recipe for it!

(2) Frosted Cinnamon Icebox Rolls

2 packages active dry yeast
½ c warm water (105F to 115F)
2 c lukewarm milk (scalded then cooled)
1/3 c sugar
1/3 c vegetable oil or shortening
3 t baking powder
2 t salt
1 egg
3 c Gold Medal® whole wheat flour
3 c Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
4 T butter or margarine, softened
½ c sugar
1 T plus 1 t cinnamon
Browned Butter Frosting (below)

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water. Stir in milk, 1/3 c sugar, the oil, baking powder, salt, egg, and 1½ cups of each flour. Beat until smooth. Mix in enough of the remaining flours to make dough easy to handle.

2. Turn dough onto well-floured board; knead until smooth and esastic, 8 to 10 minutes. Place in greased bowl; turn greased side up. Cover; let rise in warm place until double, about 1½ hours. (Dough is read if an indentation remains when touched.)

3. Grease 2 oblong pans, 13”x9”x2”. Punch down dough; divide into halves. Roll 1 half into rectangle, 12”x10”. Spread with half of the butter. Mix ½ cup sugar and the cinnamon; sprinkle half the sugar-cinnamon mixture over rectangle. Roll up, beginning a wide side. Pinch edge of dough into roll to seal. Stretch roll to make even.

4. Cut roll into 12 slices. Place slightly apart in 1 pan. Wrap pan tightly with heavy duty aluminum foil. Repeat with remaining dough. Refrigerate at least 12 hours bu tno longer than 48 hours. (To bake immediately, do not wrap. Let rise in warm place until double, about 30 minutes. Bake as directed below.)

5. Heat oven to 350F. Remove foil from pans. Bake until golden, 30 to 35 minutes. Frost with Browned Butter Frosting while warn. Makes 24 rolls.

Browned Butter Frosting: Heat 3 T butter or margarine over medium heat until delicate brown. Stir in 1½ cups powdered sugar, 1 T milk, and ¾ t vanilla. Beat until smooth and of spreading consistency. Frosts 1 pan of rolls.

(Note: If larger rolls are desired, roll dough into rectangle, 10”x9”. Cut each roll into 9 slices. Place in greased baking pans, 9”x9”x2”. Makes 18 rolls.

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Okay, I admit: These aren't strictly a holiday tradition in my family. Mom makes them reasonably often. But they're a year-round favourite, and she likes to make favourites at Christmas, so they often make it onto the breakfast table this time of year. They are simply to die for - the best home-made cinnamon rolls I've ever had in my life. They're right up there with Cinnabon!!

Mom tried to make these Christmas '99 when we were in the States for my sister's wedding. We were staying for two weeks in an unused apartment in a neighbourhood or retired missionaries. There was yeast in the fridge, so Mom used that for the rolls. They didn't rise at all! We had teeny tiny rolls that year, but they still tasted fine!

Yummy-in-your-tummy Christmas Countdown

Between now and Christmas, I (Saralynn) am putting up recipes for ten food items I think are essential to Christmas. This blog has become woefully neglected in the past few months as I've had a baby and my mom has now traveled to another country for two months.

SO...

I'm raiding my mother's recipe file, which she left behind, and am posting some of my own favourites. I sadly don't have Mom's recipe for cider, but I'm putting up all my other top foods & drinks from my childhood Christmases. Hope you like them!

(1) Makeover Eggnog

1¾ c sugar
¼ c flour
½ t salt
6 eggs, lightly beaten
3 t vanilla
2 t rum extract
4 c half-and-half
½ t nutmeg
2 qts milk (2%)

In large heavy saucepan, combine sugar, flour, and salt. Gradually whisk in milk and eggs until smooth. Cook and stir over low heat to 160F, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, add extracts. Cover and chill 2 hours. Just before serving, strain eggnog. Add half-and-half and nutmeg. Makes about 3 quarts.

From Guideposts, December 2003.

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We can't get eggnog in Nigeria, so Mom has often made her own. Sometimes she uses a mix from the States, but sometimes she makes it from scratch. I'm not sure what recipe she uses, but I found this one in her recipe file, so I thought I'd throw it in. Christmas just isn't Christmas without eggnog!

All-Time Favorite Lemon Bars

1 c flour
1/4 c powdered sugar
1/2 c butter
2 eggs
1 c sugar
2 T flour
1 T grated lemon peel
1/2 t baking powder
2 T lemon juice

Heat oven to 350F. In large bowl, combine flour and powdered sugar. Cut in butter until crumbly. Press flour mixture into ungreased 8" or 9" square pan. Bake at 350F for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in small bowl, beat eggs and sugar until light coloured. Stir in remaining ingredients. Pour egg mixture over partially-baked crust. Return to oven and bake 18-25 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely. If desired, sprinkle with powdered sugar. Cut in 24 bars.

Can be doubled for a 9"x13" pan. To double:
Double the ingredient amounts. Bake in a 9"x13" pan 25-28 minutes.

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This recipe is from the Pillsbury Kitchens' Family Cookbook and has been a family favourite for years. I don't usually sprinkle sugar on top. They're very sweet as it is. It's a great way to use up lemons!

Imperial Chicken

Chicken Marinade
1 large chicken, cut up in bite-sized pieces
1-1/2 t sugar
1-2 t hot sauce, such as Tabasco
dash MSG
1-2 t sesame oil
3 t oyster sauce, enough to just cover chicken

Combine marinade ingredients and marinate chicken overnight if possible or 4 hours minimum.

Vegetables
2 large green peppers, chopped
anything else like bamboo shoots, water chestnuts
1 c peanuts (unsalted)

Prepare vegetables. Heat frying pan until very hot. Add oil. Stir-fry chicken until almost cooked. Quickly place in casserole dish and cover to keep warm. Add more oil to empty frying pan. Sautee vegetables until crisp tender. Add small amount of oyster sauce if pan becomes too dry. Add peanuts at the end. Add chicken to reheat. Serve over rice.

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For the vegetables, I've always used snow peas, but really you can use anything, as the recipe notes. I also use salt instead of MSG. This recipe is from a friend at UCSD (in the early '80s) with whom I was in a cooking co-op. One day a week, she cooked a dinner for us as well as her family, and another day a week, I cooked for them as well as my family. This recipe was one she cooked for us that I liked so much I asked for a copy. Her name was Barbara; that's all I remember.

Chinese Almond Custard

3/4 c water
1/4 c sugar
1 envelope unflavoured gelatin
1 c milk
1 t almond extract
2 11-oz cans Mandarin oranges, undrained

Heat water, sugar, and gelatin to boiling, stirring occasionally, until sugar and gelatin are dissolved. Remove from heat. Stir in milk and almond extract. Pour into 9"x5" loaf pan. Cover and chill at least 4 hours.

To serve: Cut into 1" squares or diamonds. Serve with undrained fruit. If Mandarin oranges aren't available, canned sliced peaches, with slices cut in half, can be substituted.

Serves 4 to 6.

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This is a very light, cool dessert for a very hot day, or to end a very rich meal. It's nice and refreshing. I don't remember where I got it, but I do have a similar recipe in one of my Chinese cookbooks, so I know it's authentic. Also, I chill the fruit before serving so the gelatin doesn't melt as fast. Almost every time I make it and serve it to guests, they think it's tofu until they taste it!

Zucchini Bread

3 eggs
2 c sugar
2 c (3 medium) shredded zucchini*
1 c oil
2 t vanilla
3 c Pillsbury's Best® All Purpose or Unbleached Flour**
1/2 c chopped nuts (optional)
1 t salt
1 t soda
1 t baking powder
2 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
1/4 t cloves

Heat oven to 325F. Grease (not oil) bottoms only of 2 9"x5" or 8"x4" pans. In large bowl, beat eggs until foamy. Stir in sugar, zucchini, oil, and vanilla. Add remaining ingredients; by hand blend well. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake at 325F for 50 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pans. Cool completely. Makes 2 loaves.

*Young tender zucchini need not be peeled or seeded.
**Self-rising flour is not recommended.

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I've never made this with nuts, but they are in the original recipe from Pillsbury Kitchens' Family Cookbook. The bread makes a wonderful Christmas present. If you make smaller loaves, and this recipe makes 4, then you can wrap them in colourful cellophane and give them as gifts. The bread is also great to take to events and parties, especially in the smaller loaves. And it makes a great housewarming gift.

Bau-Dz (Chinese Stuffed Steamed Buns)

Dough:
1 lb flour (+/-)
1-1/2 t yeast (1/2 package)
1 c water
1 T sugar

Soften yeast in room-temperature water with sugar until dissolved. Gradually add flour until you have a stiff dough. Knead for ~10 minutes. Cover and set aside to let rise.

Filling:
1 lb coarsely minced pork
3 young leeks, chopped
2 spring onions, chopped
1 t salt
2 t sugar
1 T soy sauce
1 t sesame oil

Mix well and let stand for 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Divide dough into 24 equal balls. Flatten each ball in the palm of the hand. Then place 1 T filling in the centre. Carefully draw the sides up around it and pinch it to seal at the top without breaking the dough. (It should look sort of like a fat chocolate Kiss.) Make sure to pinch it sealed at the top, or it will burst open when it cooks. Arrange 1/2" apart in a steamer. When the water in the steamer bottom is boiling vigorously, put them on to steam for 30 minutes.

Makes 24 small buns.

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In north China, these were good traveling food because when you traveled, you could stop at a bau-dz stand and get bau-dz. It had a skin to peel off so that no matter who had touched it, it was still sanitary to eat. That's what my father told me. If you make them without the filling, they're called man-tou, just the steamed bread. I grew up eating these from time to time in Taiwan.

Julie's Rigatoni with Bell Peppers

4 large bell pepper (3-4 peppers)
1 lb rigatoni or other tube-shaped pasta
2 T butter, melted
2 T olive oil
5 whole garlic cloves, peeled (4-5 cloves)
2/3 c parmesan cheese, grated
20 large basil leaves, fresh, grated (16-20)

Heat oil in large skillet. Put in garlic cloves and brown on each side. Discard garlic. Add peppers to the oil and saute until tender (15-20 min). Season with salt & pepper. Boil pasta and drain. Return to pan. Pour melted butter over pasta and toss. Add peppers, parmesan cheese and basil. Toss and serve. Top pasta with extra cheese.

Makes 6 servings

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I got this recipe from my sister-in-law Julie, who's ethnically Italian. She wrote it out for me on a paper restaurant placement, and I still have that in my file. Fresh basil is best, but in a pinch, I substitute dry basil. It can be a wholesome vegetarian meal or can accompany something like fried chicken.

Cherry Swirl Coffee Cake

Cake
4 c Bisquick® baking mix
1/2 c water
1/4 c butter or margarine
1/2 c milk
1 t vanilla
1 t almond extract
3 eggs
1 can cherry pie filling**

Heat oven to 350F. Grease jelly roll pan, 15-1/2"x10-1/2"x1" or 2 square 9"x9"x2" pans.

Mix all ingredients except pie filling and glaze. Beat vigorously 10 seconds. Spread 2/3 of the batter (about 2-1/2 cups) in jelly roll pan or 1/3 of the batter (about 1-1/4 cups) in each square pan. Spread pie filling over batter (filling may not cover batter completely). Drop remaining batter by tablespoonfuls onto pie filling.

Bake until light brown, 20-25 minutes. Drizzle with glaze while warm. Serve warm or cool.

Glaze
1 c powdered sugar
1-1/2 T milk

Beat powdered sugar and milk until smooth and of desired consistency.

Makes 18 servings.

**Note: Can use cherry, apricot, or blueberry pie filling - 21oz (600g) can.

Biscuit mix in place of Bisquick®:
4 c flour
2 T sugar
6 t baking powder
2 t salt
Combine and cut in
1 c shortening

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The recipe came from Bisquick®. It makes a nice entry at a breakfast buffet or a teatime coffee celebration of some kind. It tastes good, and it looks pretty. It even freezes and keeps well. Also, it's easy and makes a can of pie filling go a long way. I haven't tried the other kinds (besides cherry) but will someday.

Creamy Mustard Chicken with Toasted Couscous

1-1/2 c couscous
1 t chicken bouillon, instant
2 large chicken breasts, skinned and boned
5 T butter
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 c half-and-half
2 T chopped parsley
1 T Dijon mustard with seeds

In large bowl, combine couscous, bouillon, 1-3/4 cup boiling water, and 1/4 t salt; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Spread couscous on large plate; let stand at room temperature to cool slightly, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut chicken into 1" cubes. In 12" skillet over high heat, in 3 T hot butter, cook couscous about 10 minutes or until lightly browned and toasted, stirring often. Remove couscous to platter; cover and keep warm. Wipe skillet clean.

In same skillet over high heat, in 2 T hot butter, cook chicken cubes about 5 minutes or until lightly browned, and fork-tender, stirring constantly. With slotted spoon, remove chicken to small bowl.

In drippings in skillet over medium-high heat, cook onion until golden brown and tender. Stir in half-and-half, chopped parsley, and mustard; cook, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens slightly. Return chicken to skillet; heat. Arrange mixture on platter with couscous.

Serves 4.

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I think I first encountered this recipe in a Good Housekeeping magazine, under recipes with few ingredients. But now I don't think about how many ingredients it has because I just make it, and everyone likes it. It can easily be doubled for more people.

Tandoori Chicken

3 medium onions
salad oil
1 garlic clove
1/4 c plain yogurt
2 T lemon juice
1 T minced, peeled ginger root OR 3/4 t ground ginger
2 t salt
1-1/2 t ground coriander
1 t sugar
1/2 t ground cumin
1/2 t turmeric
1/4 t ground red pepper
2 2-1/2 lb broiler fryers, cut into quarters

Five hours before serving or early in the day:

1. Dice 1 onion. Slice remaining onions. Set aside. In blender or food processor with knife blade attachment, place diced onions, 3 T salad oil, and remaining ingredients, except chicken. Cover. Blend at high speed until mixture is pureed. Pour mixture into 9"x13" glass or Pyrex dish.
2. Add chicken to marinade, turning pieces to coat well. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, turning chicken occasionally.
3. Preheat broiler if manufacturer directs. Place chicken quarters, skin-side down, on rack in broiling pan. Baste with some marinade. About 7-9" from source of heat or at 450F, broil chicken 25 minutes until browned. Turn chicken skin-side up. Baste with marinade. Broil 15-20 minutes longer until fork-tender.
4. Meanwhile, in 3-qt saucepan over medium-high heat, in 2 T hot salad oil, cook sliced onions until golden and tender, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. To serve, arrange chicken on warm large platter. Top chicken with onion slices. Makes 8 servings.

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This recipe is from the February 1984 issue of Good Housekeeping magazine. It's a family favourite. I often make it with poori--a whole-wheat deep-fried Indian bread. You can eat it with curry, pilaf, rice, etc. For cooking, I usually allow a total of an hour. I also generally try to make it the night before and marinade overnight. Bon appetit!

The Best Peanut-Butter Cookies Ever

1/2 c peanut butter
1 egg
1-1/2 c flour
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c shortening
1/2 t soda
1/2 c white sugar
1/2 t vanilla
1/2 t salt

Shape into balls and flatten. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes in a 350F oven.

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This recipe is from the Kitchen Fare Desserts Cookbook, and it is the best recipe I've found for peanut-butter cookies. I use butter instead of shortening, and the cookies are rich and chewy. Be careful not to overbake them--as with all cookies. Saralynn says they're "delectable."

One-Rise Caramel Rolls

TOPPING
1 c firmly packed brown sugar
1 c whipping cream - do not substitute

FILLING
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c chopped nuts
1/2 c margarine, softened
2 t cinnamon

ROLLS
1 c very warm water
2 T soft margarine
3-1/4 c flour (3 to 3-1/2 cups)
1/4 c sugar
1 t salt
1 package yeast
1 medium egg

In 9"x13" pan, combine brown sugar and heavy cream; mix well. In large bowl, blend warm water, margarine, 1-1/2 c flour, sugar, salt, yeast, and egg at low speed until moistened. Beat 3 minutes at medium speed. By hand, stir in remaining flour. Knead on floured surface 1 minute. Press or roll dough to 15"x7" rectangle. In small bowl, combine filling ingredients and spread over dough. Starting with 15" side, roll up (jelly-roll fashion) tightly. Pinch edges to seal. Cut into 20 rolls. Place rolls cut-side-down in cream mixture. Cover. Let rise in warm place until light and doubled in size, 35-45 minutes.

Heat oven to 400F. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and rolls sound hollow when lightly tapped. Cool 5 minutes; invert onto foil.

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This is from the Pillsbury Cookbook, and you must use whipping cream. Substitutes don't work. They're a great Saturday-morning breakfast, and my daughter likes to make them for Christmas. They also make good birthday presents, or for a Christmas potluck brunch. Everybody always asks me for the recipe. One of the first times I made it, I made it for our friends, the Crossans. We had them over in 1979, and that's the first time I remember making the rolls.

Oriental Sesame Noodles with Turkey & Vegetables

8 oz vermicelli noodles
1/2 lb mushrooms--medium-sized
1 medium red pepper
1 medium yellow pepper
1 bunch green onions
1/2 lb turkey breast slices--diced and cooked
2 T Oriental sesame oil
1/4 t crushed red pepper
1/3 c creamy peanut butter
3 T soy sauce
2 T white vinegar
2 T dry sherry--optional
2 t sugar
1/4 c salad oil
1/2 t salt
1 t sesame seeds

1. In large saucepot, prepare vermicelli as label directs; drain. Return to saucepot.
2. Meanwhile, cut each mushroom into quarters; cut red and yellow peppers into thin strips. Cut green onions into 1" pieces; cut turkey into 1/2"-wide strips.
3. In small saucepan over medium heat, in hot sesame oil, cook crushed pepper one minute. Stir in peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar, sherry, sugar, and 2 T water. Stir until smooth (if not using dry sherry, increase water to 1/4 cup); remove saucepan from heat.
4. In 12" skillet over high heat, in hot salad oil, cook mushrooms, red and yellow peppers, green onions, and salt, stirring frequently, until vegetables are tender crisp, about 5 minutes. Add vegetables, sauce, and turkey to vermicelli in saucepan; toss well. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Makes 4 servings.

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This is a great potluck dish and can easily be doubled. You can substitute chicken for the turkey, and you don't have to use red and yellow peppers; green are fine. Spaghetti is a good replacement for vermicelli, too. Also, you can use a tin of mushrooms instead of fresh ones. See? Very flexible. My family loves this recipe!

Debbie's Oriental Salad

• 1 bunch romaine lettuce in bite-sized pieces
• 1 bunch sliced green onions
• 1 bunch broccoli flowerettes
• 1/2 c chopped pecans or walnuts
• 1 package Ramen noodles
• 2 T butter

Dressing:

• 1/4 c oil
• 1/4 c sugar
• 1/8 c wine vinegar
• 1 T soy sauce

Saute nuts and broken up noodles in butter, and cool. Put lettuce, green onions, and broccoli in salad bowl. Top with the Ramen/nut mixture. Combine dressing ingredients. Add to vegetables. Toss and serve immediately. Serves 4 to 8.

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Note: If I go to a potluck, I take the nut mixture and dressing separately, and then I put them together at the venue so the noodles don't get soggy.

I got this recipe from Debbie, who's a college school-mate with whom I reconnected after almost 35 years. She had us over for dinner in 2003 and served this salad. When I got home, I wrote her a thank-you note and included a blank self-addressed and stamped postcard, asking her to copy out the recipe and send it to me. Sure enough, a few days later, I got the recipe on that postcard!

Jaci's Almond Bars

• 2 c flour
• 2 c sugar
• 1 c butter
• 4 eggs
• 1 t almond extract
• 1/2 t salt

Cream together very well. Spread evenly in greased 9"x13" pan. Bake 30-35 minutes at 350F. Cool. Cut into bars.

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Jaci cuts my hair at 3:00 on Thursday afternoons, once every quarter year or so. She doesn't charge anything, so once in awhile I bake something and take it to her. One day I went there, and while she was cutting my hair, she was telling her house-helper to bake something. She listed the ingredients, and I asked her what she was getting made. "Almond bars," she said. So I tried to remember all she said and wrote it down as soon as I got home! Everywhere I take them, they're always a hit, and they're always appropriate for the event or occasion. So that's how I got this recipe--while I was getting my hair cut! Thanks, Jaci!

No-Work Chicken

Place chicken snugly skinside down (I take off the skin) in flat baking dish in one layer.
Make marinade by mixing together the following:

• 1/2 c honey
• 1/2 c dijon-style prepared mustard
• 1 T curry powder
• 2 T soy sauce

Pour over chicken and refrigerate 6 hours or overnight. When ready to bake, turn chicken and cover dish with foil. Bake at 350F for one hour. Remove foil. Baste well. Continue baking uncovered 15 minutes. Serve with bulgar pilaf, or rice.

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I've had this recipe since 1980, probably, given to me by the wife of a retired Cameroon missionary doctor who became a good friend and mentor to me in Orange County (CA). My daughter Lisa calls it "Honey-Mustard Chicken," but it's the same thing. Very easy, and I serve it with rice. The leftover marinade makes a good sauce for the rice. Also great with sourdough biscuits!

Chocolate Refrigerator Cookies

• 1/2 c butter or margarine
• 1 c granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 t vanilla
• 1 c flour
• 1/2 c cocoa powder
• 1/4 t salt
• 1 t baking powder

1. Mix butter and sugar together in a large bowl until creamy.
2. Beat the egg with a fork in a cup.
3. Add the egg and vanilla to the butter mixture. Mix well.
4. Sift the flour, cocoa, salt, and baking powder together in another bowl.
5. Sift the flour mixture (1/3 at a time) into butter mixture and mix well.
6. Shape the dough into a long roll about 2" in diameter.
7. Wrap it in aluminum foil or plastic wrap.
8. Chill in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours or longer.
9. When you are ready to bake, cut the cookies off the roll in very thin slices.
10. Put them on a greased cookie sheet.
11. Bake in a 400F oven for 8-10 minutes.

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Saralynn got a cookbook way back when she was small called Easy Cooking for Kids by Sandra Sanders. I've edited this recipe a bit for our purposes, using cocoa instead of melted chocolate. But these are easy and taste good, too. The book's rather old and falling apart, but I'm still using it. (Saralynn says she doesn't want it anymore.) Enjoy!

Mocha Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 1/2 c butter
• 1/2 c dark brown sugar (packed)
• 1/2 c granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 t vanilla extract
• 1 c flour
• 1/4 c cocoa
• 2 T instant coffee powder
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 t baking soda
• 1-1/2 c (9oz) chocolate chips
• 1/2-1 c coarsely chopped walnuts.

Preheat oven to 350F, rack in centre position.

Cream butter, add sugars; beat. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat.

Sift together dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture.

Blend well. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts.

Drop rounded teaspoonfuls 3" apart on greased cookie sheet. Flatten mounds slightly. Bake 10-12 minutes. Cool 5 minutes. Remove to racks to cool completely.

(Makes 3 dozen)

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This recipe is taken from the book Mrs. Witty's Monster Cookies and can be used to make monster-size cookies (as big as 9" across!). The monster cookies are fun to use as birthday gifts (with someone's name written in icing, for example), but they're also great as regular cookies, too. The recipe is a bit different for the monster-sized cookies. Let me know if you'd like to know how it's done.

Five-Cup Salad

Combine

• 1 c pineapple chunks, drained
• 1 c mandarin oranges, drained
• 1 c coconut
• 1 c sour cream
• 1 c mini marshmallows

If possible, refrigerate overnight. Easy to multiply.

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I substitute my thick, plain yogurt for the sour cream, and sometimes a tin of sliced peaches (halved & drained) for mandarin oranges, which we can't often get here. It's called many things in cookbooks--ambrosia, for example--and sometimes people add chopped nuts or dates. I've seen it in different forms. It makes a good dessert, as well as a salad with dinner (especially for a sweet-toothed family like mine!).

Carrot & Pineapple Cake

Cream until fluffy:

• 3/4 c white sugar
• 3/4 c brown sugar
• 1-1/2 c salad oil

4 eggs--Add one at a time, beat well.

Stir together and add:

• 2 c flour
• 2 t baking powder
• 1-1/2 t baking soda
• 1 t salt
• 1-1/2 t cinnamon
• 1/2 t nutmeg

Then stir in:

• 2 c finely grated carrot
• 1 c drained, crushed pineapple
• (1/2-1 c nuts, raisins, currants--optional)

Bake in a 9"x13" pan (40 minutes) at 350F or in three round 8"-9" pans (30 minutes).

Mix for frosting:

• 6 oz cream cheese (I use my own very thick yogurt)
• 1/4 c butter
• 1 t vanilla
• 2 c icing sugar (1/2 box)

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This recipe is from the Crocodile Cookbook, no longer in print and unavailable. The first few weeks after we arrived in Nigeria, we were assigned to housing that included a Crocodile Cookbook and a few food items in the cupboard. When I went to make this recipe with much excitement and anticipation, I was crushed to find the cake tasted terrible! It turned out that the bottle of groundnut (peanut) oil in the cupboard was rancid and totally spoiled the cake! It made quite a memory. Check your oil before you start cooking!

MRH Pickles

Mix:
1-1/2 c thinly sliced onions
12 c thinly sliced cucumbers

Sprinkle with 1/4 c salt. Add enough water to cover. Leave for 2 hours.
Drain off excess moisture. Do not rinse.

Add:
3 c sugar
1-1/2 c vinegar
1 t turmeric

Mix and refrigerate.

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This recipe makes the delicious fridge pickles we all know and love from MRH. I've been making them since Edna Robfogel was there, at least ten years. And they've been a hit ever since!