Jean Leclerc asked:


December twenty fifth is the day that Christmas is celebrated annually all over the world. This day is called Christmas day. The birth of Jesus Christ of Nazareth is celebrated on this day. It is characterized by gladness and celebrations where friends, co-workers, and family come together to grace the occasion.

A Christmas holiday is associated with giving gifts for families, friends and the needy and it is associated with various decorations like Christmas trees, holly Santa Claus, nativity scenes, Christmas lights and mistletoe.

Though non-Christians celebrate the day too, it is mostly in a non-secular way. All people cerebrating buy decorations like Christmas trees, Santa Claus, Christmas lights among others. Santa Claus gifts are well known and used as Christmas gifts.

There are various Christmas hot deals for Christians and non-Christians. The day starts earlier with preparations and invitations with colorful cards. On the day of the occasion, sumptuous recipes are prepared while others buy meal, deserts and cookies from food stores.

Dinner is the main food for the day. Relatives, friends, workers, and others are invited for a shared meal. Chefs prepare simple holiday recipes until the celebration reach the climax. Party people usually prepare themselves in advance and prepare gifts, food, and drinks to mark the day.
Though many would prefer to buy cooked foods like cakes, homemade are more delicious. They are prepared to the specification of the visitors of the day and depending on the specialty of the December 25. Readymade deserts can be sourced from restaurants, supermarkets and food stores.

Recipes range from holiday Roast Beef with Yorkshire pudding to holiday wassail and much more. Gifts are also normally given during this season and no gift is always more appreciated for than a gift that is personally baked and created for someone.

During this festive season it is also necessary to decorate your home and there are tips that Christmas Gift Cottages gives people to help you turn your living room from cold to warm, inviting, and into a joyous mood. The tips are given on how to decorate your house in a simple and inexpensive way that will bring cheer to this season of love, joy, and giving.

For you to enjoy this Christians, you need to try a variety of options in decorations, homemade recipes, invite new friends, make new contacts and share what you have. Besides, donation to the needy is a worthy Christmas idea. There are more ideas online, on books or from friends. Enjoy your Christmas!



Troy

Kirsty Cussens asked:


Christmas – especially a gluten free Christmas – takes a lot of planning.

Of course you want your celiac child to enjoy the same treats as everyone else… but sometimes you wonder if that is going to be possible! Mince pies, Christmas cakes, selection boxes and advent calendars… there seems to be gluten in everything! Seven strategies which have helped me enormously in planning a gluten free Christmas for my celiac child. I hope they help you with yours!

1. Plan ahead and spot the danger areas. Go through your family’s Christmas itinerary and work out where a gluten free diet might be compromised. Working through my calendar the other day I remembered that the School Christmas Play is always a mince-pie fest. I need to go prepared with my own gluten free mince pies. Christmas parties need to be planned for, even simple events like a carol service will usually serve mince pies or cookies.

2. Bake in advance and freeze enough individual bags of goodies for each event. I usually take a gluten free mince pie and a gluten free cookie to each event for my celiac son, so I have little bags in the freezer ready to take out on the morning of the event (and because they are safely in the freezer they cannot be eaten ‘by mistake’!)

3. Speak to your child’s school about any Christmas parties or events they might be putting on and how your child will be catered for. You may have to provide your own food, or they might be willing to do that for you if they are very understanding, but have a plate ready laden of food that your child can eat. Even sharing a bowl of gluten free snacks with other children could put the celiac child at risk of contamination by gluten on their fingers. It’s not worth the risk! You may also want to check if they are planning to do any baking around Christmas and talk that through carefully with the class teacher.
4. If you are going away for Christmas, speak to your hosts as soon as possible! Make sure they thoroughly understand the gluten free diet because there is nothing worse than spending every meal wondering if your child will be ill afterward. I often find that people are willing to buy in or cook gluten free food, but often don’t realise the dangers of cross-contamination from say, cutting the gluten free Christmas cake with the same knife as the ‘normal’ Christmas cake. Offer to take some gluten free christmas cookies, gluten free mince pies or a gluten free Christmas cake so you know your child will have enough gluten free food. I hate rationing!

5. Bake lots! Gluten free Christmas food is so expensive if you have to buy it all, and gluten free mince pies cookies and so on are relatively quick and easy to make. You can use your usual recipe with gluten free flour and baking powder, or have a look on my blog for gluten free christmas recipes (see below). A gluten free Christmas cake is a Must, and again, no harder to make than any other cake. If you are reading this, thinking ‘I never bake anything! I buy the lot of it!’ Well, it might be worth spending a Sunday afternoon in the kitchen with the kids! I tend to bake gluten free for the whole family – celiac or not – which means my celiac child feels no different to everyone else.

6. Beware of the hidden gluten in selection boxes and other Christmas candy. I found that selection boxes may be mainly gluten free… but there is just one bar that is forbidden. It’s not worth it! And a bit rough on the child if they have to lose a bar as soon as they open it. I found some big glass storage jars this year, and filled them with candy that I know is gluten free. They look fantastic and really Christmassy with a big red bow on top – and my celiac child will probably still make himself sick… but his I know it won’t be because of gluten!

7. Look for gluten free Christmas dinner alternatives for the whole family. Gluten free turkey stuffing and gravy tastes just as good. If everyone is eating the same, you don’t have to watch your celiac child the whole time, you can just relax. Of course, if you are eating in someone else’s home this is harder, but hopefully you have discussed it with them carefully beforehand and your child also knows what he/she can and can’t eat.

Have a fantastic gluten free Christmas!



Ruby

Grandma Linda asked:


Here we are in October and already the Christmas decorations are hitting the stores.  It may seem early to be thinking about the holidays but in actuality, we will be preparing holiday meals, or dishes to take to holiday meals, before we know it.  If you are looking for something different to prepare this year for Thanksgiving or Christmas, let these recipes help you out.  All of these recipes are from my vintage recipe collection.  Most are from my mother’s estate but I have no idea where she got most of them.  If you like seafood, try Oyster Dressing this year.  Want to do something different with sweet potatoes?  Try this Sweet Potato Apple Scallop.  For a different touch to the dessert selection, add this tasty Cranberry Meringue Pie.  Be bold, step out, and add a few new touches to your holiday table this year.

CRANBERRY MERINGUE PIE

1 pkg (12 oz) fresh or frozen cranberries (thaw frozen berries)

1 cup orange juice

3/4 cup water

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/3 cup quick cooking tapioca

2 tsp grated orange peel, optional

1/4 tsp salt

MERINGUE:

4 egg whites

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

1/2 cup sugar

1 baked 9-inch pie shell

Place cranberries in a food processor; cover and pulse until coarsely chopped. In a large saucepan, combine the cranberries, orange juice, water, sugar, tapioca, orange peel and salt. Let stand for 5 minutes. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; simmer for 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Keep warm.

In a clean, cold mixing bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Add cream of tartar and beat on medium speed of an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Beat until stiff peaks form. Spoon the warm filling into the pie shell. Spread meringue over filling being careful to seal the edges to the crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 1 hour. Chill, covered, in refrigerator for at least 4 hours before serving. Refrigerate any leftovers.

SWEET POTATO APPLE SCALLOP

2 lbs sweet potatoes (3 medium)

2 med apples, peeled and cored

1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup chopped pecans

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp orange extract

2 tbsp butter

Place sweet potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil; cook 20-25minutes or until tender. Drain and cool. Peel potatoes and cut into 1/4-inch slices. Place in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish or pan that has been greased. Cut apples into 1/4-inch rings; cut in half. Arrange over sweet potatoes. Sprinkle apple slices with lemon juice. Combine the brown sugar, pecans, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and orange extract. Sprinkle mixture over apples. Dot with butter. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until apples are tender.

OYSTER DRESSING

1 pint fresh oysters

6 to 7 cups dried bread crumbs

1 cup chopped onions

1 tbsp sage

1 tsp each of rosemary and thyme

Dash of salt and of pepper

2 to 2 1/2 cups turkey broth (or chicken broth)

1/4 cup melted margarine

Wash oysters thoroughly. Combine oysters with remaining ingredients. Pour mixture into a well greased baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes.

Note: This recipe is from an old complimentary grocery store card.  

 



Terry

Melanie Smith asked:


If one will conduct a survey asking people on their favorite day of the year, most will probably say, Christmas. And when asked why, some might give you answers like they enjoy getting lots of presents, while others might say they look forward to parties, listening to Christmas carols, fixing wonderful decorations on every home and establishments, or others simply love the holiday.

The wonderful memories that this season invokes become a primary reason for the yearly traditions that are passed on from generation to generation. This case is definitely true for my family. At the first sign of autumn, we started to get excited for the most anticipated holiday of the year. With the coming of this festive season, here are five traditions which you and your family can start to practice.

Watching Christmas Movies

This tradition started way back then on a Thanksgiving Day by watching the 1947 black & white version of the movie entitled Miracle of 34th street. Since then, we were able to get more than 30 movie collections with Christmas themes in DVD’s and videos. And so, it has become a yearly tradition for the whole month of December. We would gather in the living room together, sipping hot cocoa and eating Christmas cookies.

Baking during the Holidays

At home, every family member looks forward to the first week of Christmas vacation. For the first week, all of us would go into baking, spending 3 to 4 days baking our favorite Christmas recipes. Sometimes, we would get together at someone else’s house and every person gets to bake their favorite holiday treats. While baking, we would reminisce good old times and enjoy a hearty laugh. When all is done we split up all the goodies we’ve made and enjoy them or give them as gifts.

Putting up our Christmas tree

This tradition varies from generation to generation. They differ in so many ways, that it would sometimes lead to arguments as there are people have a strong opinion on topic. Many families put up their Christmas tree a week after Thanksgiving is over, some a bit earlier, while others wait until Christmas Eve. Some prefers buying an artificial tree, while others prefer the fragrant, freshly-cut tree. However, the most important part of putting up our Christmas tree is for the whole family to be involved while decorating it. Agreeing on a theme will give everyone a good idea on how to go about the decorations.

Putting up Christmas Stockings

Hanging Christmas stockings on Christmas Eve has been a long tradition practiced by many. These stockings come in many sizes, styles and colors. They range from the most sophisticated store bought ones to the simple homemade handcrafted ones. You may opt to use different designs every year or you may use the same one every year for economical reasons, whatever your choice may be, be sure to fill them up with lots of goodies and wonderful little things.

Writing letters to Santa Claus

Writing letters to Santa Claus is a popular children’s tradition. It lets them tell Santa how good they have been for the year and how deserving they can be for toys as a reward for the all the good deeds they have done. However, you might want to consider a new twist on this old tradition is having Santa write them back and encourage their good deeds.



Patrick

Grandma Linda asked:


Following are a couple of recipes from my vintage collection.  Both of these recipes are often thought of as Fall or Holiday foods.  Both, however, are good for anytime.  Turkey Dressing can also be used with chicken (or turkey) year-round.  During these times of high grocery prices, turkey and chicken are almost always good buys.  A meal can be made around either of these poultry items to feed family very economically.  Squash is a vegetable that we could eat more of.  It is healthy, tasty, and often overlooked.

OLD FASHION TURKEY DRESSING

This recipe is from an old church cookbook. No date, or town.

12 cups dry bread crumbs

1 cup butter or margarine

1 cup finely minced onion

1 1/2 cups finely minced celery

4 eggs, well beaten

1/2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp dried sage

poultry seasoning to taste (a lot)

1 qt milk

giblets chopped

broth

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Melt butter in heavy skillet. Add onion and celery to skillet and cook until they are softened. Put bread crumbs into a very large bowl. Add celery and onion to crumbs. Add eggs, baking powder, salt, pepper, sage, and poultry seasoning; mix together. Add milk, gilblets, and enough broth to make the mixture quite moist. Pack turkey loosely. If baked in roaster, baste with turkey juices.

Note: You can save time, especially at the holidays, by chopping the onions and celery a day or two ahead of time. Seal in a bowl or plastic bag and save up to 3 days.

APPLE FILLED SQUASH HALVES

2 acorn squash

1 lb ground beef

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 tart apples, pared and coarsely chopped (about 2 cups)

1/4 cup raisins

salt

4 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp butter or margarine, melted

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Wash squash and cut each in half. Remove all seeds and fibers from centers of squash. Place halves cut sides down in an ungreased baking pan. Add water to a depth of 1/4 inches. Bake uncovered until squash is tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Meanwhile, brown meat and drain off fat. Remove from heat and stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, cinnamon, apples, and raisins. Turn squash to cut sides up; drain any remaining liquid from the pan. Scoop out pulp from shells, leaving a 1/4 inch thick wall in each. Season shells with salt. Mash pulp and mix into the meat mixture. Spoon mixture into shells. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the brown sugar over each and drizzle with the butter. Bake, uncovered until the apple is tender, 20 to 30 minutes.

NOTE: If you prefer, substitute 1/2 lb bulk pork sausage for 1/2 lb of the ground beef.

Enjoy!



Robert

Shelly Hill asked:


During the Thanksgiving and Christmas Holidays, I enjoy serving a sweet potato side dish with our holiday meals.

The first recipe features fresh cranberries, so I like to serve that one during the Christmas meal. The second recipe is one that I like to make for Thanksgiving dinner and even the children seem to enjoy it.

If you have any left-overs, I would not freeze them as they don’t seem to freeze well for me, however, they will keep for up to 3-4 days in your refrigerator.

Yam and Cranberries Casserole

2 large cans of sweet potatoes

1/2 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 cups fresh cranberries, washed and drained

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Wash and drain cranberries and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large 2 quart baking dish combine the sweet potatoes with their juice, butter, brown sugar, salt and pepper until all ingredients are well combined. Gently stir in the fresh cranberries. Cover the casserole dish and place in a 350 degree oven and bake for 45 minutes or until done.

Sausage Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

6 large sweet potatoes

2 tablespoons butter, softened

2 1/2 tablespoons milk

1 large egg

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon oregano

4 ounce package of sausage links

In a preheated 350 degree oven, bake the sweet potatoes in a dish until softened. If you prefer, you can bake them in a microwave for about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and scoop the potato pulp out and into a large mixing bowl. Stir in softened butter, milk, egg, salt and oregano until ingredients are combined with the pulp. Chop up your sausage links into bite sized pieces and gently fold into the pulp mixture. Spoon the pulp back into the sweet potato shells and place back into the baking dish.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until done.



Katie

Sean Carter asked:


For all those who have an appetite for fun and get an irresistible festive tickle for yummy fruitcakes, gingerbread cookies, chestnut soups, apple ciders, sizzling turkey on the table, hot chocolate fudge and more, here are some easy-to-do and great-to-taste Christmas recipes for you to lay hands on ! These recipe ideas for Christmas would surely juice up the your Christmas dinner table and have your guests—friends, family or beloved—craving for more ! Remember, Christmas recipes have to be different from the run-of-the-mill everyday menu, precisely because it’s Christmas ! A well thought-out Christmas recipe would instantly bring your invitees in the holiday spirits. So pull up your socks, slip into the chef’s gear and kick off a culinary carnival with these cool Christmas recipes. Treat your folks to your sumptuous Christmas recipe ideas this season. Get started now.

Apricot Fruitcake Recipe

4 eggs

1 lb candied mixed fruit

1 cup dried apricots

1/2 cup apricot nectar

1 cup water

1 cup white sugar

3/4 cup butter

1 cup golden raisins

1 pound red and green candied cherries

6 candied pineapple slices

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped pecans

Stage 1

First keep two 9 inch tube pans greased or buttered. Next, preheat the oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Cook apricots in water over medium heat until they are a little pulpy. Sieve them and let aside to cool. Now beat only the egg yolks until color turns lemony. Then beat the egg whites until stiff peaks are formed. Mix the butter and sugar together. Next add the beaten egg yolks and the apricots in this and blend thoroughly.

Stage 2

Add the candied cherries, raisins, candied pineapple, and mixed dried fruits in a bowl, that is coated with one cup of the flour. Put the flour, baking soda, and salt into this. Add this flour mixture alternately to the earlier mixture of stage 1 along with the apricot juice. Meld this batter into the mixed fruits. Add the chopped pecans or walnuts and fold in the beaten egg whites. Turn the batter into the greased or buttered pans.

Stage 3

Bake your mixture at 275 degrees F (135 degrees C) for about 2 hours. Garnish the fruitcakes with candied pineapples and cherries. And there you are all done and dusted with your yummy Christmas fruitcake recipe in real !

All in a Soup ! Here’s the Recipe.

5 cups chicken stock

2 chopped garlic and cloves

3 chopped onions

2 ½ cups whole cooked chestnuts or 1 (9-12 oz) can whole chestnuts

1 1/2 apples, peeled, cored and chopped into 1-inch chunks

3/4 cup thick cream

Salt and pepper (as per taste)

Simmer onions and garlic for about half an hour. Add chestnuts (drain it if canned) and apple pieces to the onion-garlic mixture. Cook for another 10-15 minutes. Now pour in the chicken stock and cook until the mixture is uniformly soft. Put contents into a blender or food processor and blend till it liquefies. Strain and add cream and seasoning to taste. Serve hot and steaming. This is one of those Christmas recipes that enhance the festive appetites like no other. So watch out, it’s all in a soup !

The roasted turkey recipe you’ll get under our Thanksgiving sections. So while you check it out there, here’s some more groovy Christmas recipe ideas to rev up your richly laid-out Christmas holiday table !

Steamed Fish—Recipes getting a little fishy, aren’t they ?

6 (6 ounce) fillets of any fish (salmon, trout, cod, halibut etc)

3 tsp onion powder

3 tsp dried dill weed

1 pinch garlic powder

1 pinch lemon pepper

2 tsp dried parsley

2 tbsp lemon juice

1/4 tsp paprika

Salt as per taste

Keep the oven preheated to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Cut 6 squares of foil, big enough to cover each fish fillet. Put the fillets at the centre of the square foils and scatter each with parsley, dill weed, onion and garlic powder, seasoned salt, lemon pepper and paprika. Now sprinkle lemon juice over each fillet and fold the foil over fillets to cover them completely. Lastly, place the foil sets on a baking sheet and bake in the preheat oven for half an hour. These make delectable Christmas eatables that your friends, folks or sweetie pie would love to savor to the last bit.

It’s Ham Honey ! Tantalize your taste-buds !

5 lbs ready-to-eat ham

2 cups honey

2/3 cup butter 1/4 cup dark corn syrup

1/4 cup whole cloves

Keep the oven preheated to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Then score ham and stud with the whole cloves. Put the ham in a foil-lined pan. Now heat the corn syrup, honey and butter in the top portion of a double boiler. Make sure the glaze is warm while you’re baking ham. Baste glaze over ham and bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Moisten ham every 10-15 minutes with the honey glaze. In the final 4-5 minutes of baking, turn on broiler to caramelize the glaze. Remove from oven and let it settle for a few minutes before serving. This Christmas recipe will leave everyone drooling for another helping for sure. So why not give them a helping ‘ham’ this Christmas ? Go have them slobber for more toothsome treats. And remember to wish them a very Merry Christmas too !



Aaron

neelkamal asked:


If you’re planning any kind of family Christmas or Yuletide celebration this year, especially if you’re hosting the event. Or even if you’re thinking of what you need to do in terms of preparing food for a family gathering then now, the beginning of November, is where you need to begin your cooking. Many Christmas cakes and confectionaries need to be prepared well in advance so that they can be allowed time to mature. This is particularly the case with rich fruit based cakes and puddings such as Christmas cake, for more details visit to www.300-dip-recipes.com Twelfth Night Cake and Christmas Puddings. Even Stollens are better if stored for a week or two before consumption.

With that in mind, and to help you with your festive planning here are some classic Christmas recipes for you. This first is for the traditional Twelfth Nigh cake, which is typically served at Epiphany, or the Twelfth Nigh but which can also double as a rich Christmas cake:

Twelfth Night Cake

Ingredients:

350g butter

350g caster sugar

6 eggs, beaten

75ml brandy

350g plain flour

1 tsp ground allspice

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cinnamon

700g mixed dried fruit

50g blanched almonds, chopped

45g apricot conserve or apricot jam

900g almond paste (or marzipan)

4 egg whites

900g icing sugar

3 tsp lemon juice

2 tsp glycerine

glacé fruit, candied angelica and silver balls, to decorate

Method:

Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Gradually add the beaten eggs, mixing well after each addition then add the brandy. Fold-in the flour, spices, fruit and nuts. Grease a deep 25cm cake tin and line the bottom and sides with greaseproof paper. Tip the cake mixture into this and tap to remove any trapped air. Place the cake in an oven pre-heated to 150°C and bake for about 2.5 hours, for more details visit to www.chicken-wing-cookbook.com or until the cake is firm to the touch. If the top of the cake darkens too quickly cover with a sheet of folded greaseproof paper about half-way through the cooking. Remove the cake from the oven, allow to cool in its tin for 30 minutes then tip onto a wire rack and allow to cool completely.

Once cold cover the surface of the cake with the apricot preserve or apricot jam. Roll out the almond paste and cut just enough of the paste to go around the side of the cake. Then roll the remainder of the paste out and use to cover the top of the cake. Allow the cake to set for at least two days then prepare the icing by lightly beating the egg whites and incorporating the icing sugar into this to form a stiff paste. Add the lemon juice and glycerine and incorporate well. Then, using a palette knife spread the icing all the way around the sides and top of the cake. Place in a tin and allow to set for at least two days. When ready form a crescent of the candied fruit and anjelica on top of the cake and decorate with the silver balls.

The next recipe is a ‘twist’ on the classic Christmas pudding that I call the ‘Roman Christmas Pudding’. It’s a traditional rich Christmas pudding but made with ingredients that the Romans would have had to hand. It also uses the classic Roman combination of fish sauce and pepper in desserts. This has been so successful a recipe that I have to make it for the family every year now!



Tyler

Karen Ciancio asked:


There are so many Christmas cookie recipes around but often so little time to bake during the busy holiday season.

The solution? A great tasting basic cookie recipe that quickly and easily turns into such a variety of easy to make Christmas treats, friends and family will think you poured over all your favorite Christmas cookie recipes.

Let’s start with the basics:

Basic Cookie Dough Recipe

1/2 cup (or 1 stick) butter (or margarine) at room temperature

1/2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except the flour. Beat with an electric mixer, scraping the sides of the bowl several times, until the mixture is light and fluffy. With mixer at a low speed, add the flour gradually, beating just until everything is well blended.

Place the mixture on a baking sheet using a tablespoon measure and press down with a spoon to flatten a bit. Or roll our and cut into shapes with a cookie cutter. Bake at 350ºF for about 12 to 15 minutes, until golden.

This basic cookie mixture is also the base for the following cookie recipes (all baked in a preheated oven at 350ºF).

Orange Cookies

(Makes about 32)

Add 1 tablespoon of grated orange zest to the recipe. Shape into a log that is about 1 1/2″ in diameter and refrigerate for 4 hours.

Slice dough into 1/4″ thick slices. Place on cookie sheet. Cookies can be decorated with candies, rolled in colored sugar, or cut into pretty holiday shapes before baking. Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, until lightly browned.

Cherry Coconut Chocolate Squares

(Makes about 54 squares)

In addition to the basic dough you will need:

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

3 cups flaked coconut

1/2 cup maraschino cherries, well drained and coarsely chopped

Line a 13″x9″ baking pan with foil.

Stir cocoa powder into basic dough mixture. Press evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the crust looks dry.

In a medium bowl whisk together eggs, sugar, almond extract and baking powder until well blended. Stir in coconut and cherries. Pour over the baked crust.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until top just begins to brown and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack. Lift it out on to a cutting board using the foil ends and cut into 1 1/2″ squares. Squares can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

Coconut Pineapple Cookies

(Makes about 36)

In addition to the basic dough you will need:

1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut

1/3 cup pineapple preserves (use raspberry or apricot if you prefer)

Add 1 cup of the flaked coconut to the basic dough mixture and mix well. Shape the dough into 1 1/2″ balls and roll in the remaining coconut to coat them. Place the balls 1″ apart on lightly greased cookie sheets. Make a deep indentation in the center of each cookie with your fingertip.

Bake for 12-15 minutes until the cookie is firm and the coconut is lightly toasted. When cooled, fill each hole in the center of the cookies with the preserves.

You can vary this basic dough to make a wide variety of Christmas cookie recipes. Add other flavorings like maple, ginger or cinnamon. Add chopped dried fruits like apricots or dates. Or bake them plain in holiday shapes and decorate with colored icing.

Christmas is such a wonderful time of year. Here’s hoping these quick and easy Christmas cookie recipes help keep the pressure off the cook.



Danny

Daljit kaur asked:


To those of us that don’t know, crockpot recipes are among the best out there! Did you receive a crockpot as a gift at your wedding shower or perhaps as a birthday gift and have no idea how to use it? Crockpots are great kitchen tools that offer a convenience like none other. Many meals from basic chicken recipes to fancy Christmas recipes can be made in the crock pot. Crockpot recipes can be made ahead of time, say in the morning, and cooked slowly throughout the day. Then, when you come home from work, tired and worn out, dinner is waiting for you! Finding free recipes is easy.

There are many websites that offer them recipes free of charge to anyone. Things like fondue recipes and even specialties like Mexican recipes can be easily found. To find these websites, simply type "recipes" in your search box. Many will appear, browse through some until you find what you are looking for. Within the website, you will be able to search for what types of recipes you are looking for. To do this, type in "crockpot recipes" and the will appear. If you do not have the Internet, go to your local library to find books on the types of recipes you are looking for. Crockpot recipes are full of good ingredients. Make sure to purchase the correct flavorings or correct cuts of meat for your recipe. Fresh produce can sometimes be replaced with frozen, but make sure to follow the directions on the recipe.

Many times, you can through together a crockpot dinner from the things you already have within your pantry, refrigerator and freezer. Also, be sure to cut your ingredients to the proper size in order for the to cook properly. Cutting too small will cause them to over cook or turn mushy. Cutting too large, may keep them from being fully cooked. Lastly, make sure you read and understand how to use your crockpot. They have different settings for different types of food. Different types of meat will cook at different speeds. Same goes for vegetables. You need to understand how your crockpot works in order to prepare a delicious meal. Following the instructions on the recipe and understanding your crockpot will surely help you turn out a wonderful meal using simple crockpot recipes!



Larry