Tuesday Try A New Taste – Yule/Christmas Feast!

Well, the big day is almost upon us! For today’s post, I am going to give you a full Yule/Christmas meal, complete with appetizers, salad, main course, dessert, after dinner drinks, before dinner drinks, witchlet drinks *grin* and of course, what would a Christmas dinner be without fudge..?

Appetizers

* Holiday Cheese Balls *
Posted by Susie

Ingredients:

• 1-8 oz pkg cream cheese
• 2 green onions (chopped)
• 1 pkg Carl Buddig beef (chopped)
• assorted crackers

Directions:

Combine all 3 ingredients together and form a mixture into a ball. Let set overnight in the fridge. Serve with a variety of crackers.

Dawtch’s Cheese Ball
by Me :)

Ingredients:

• One lg. container of Cream cheese with chives & onions (yes, I cheat…lol)
• One pound of deli shaved Honey Ham
• Ritz, Townhouse or Club – I prefer the Ritz in Holiday shapes for this particular situation…or whatever kind you like. You can use several different kinds for a pretty presentation :)

Directions:

Empty the cream cheese into a medium sized mixing bowl. Mash & mix until softened (I use a wooden utensil for this, but is personal preference, really). Take the ham out of the bag and place on a cutting board. If it was well shaved by the deli, all you need to do is pile it up, and make thin slices, each direction,  to get the perfect size pieces. Once the cheese is softened a bit, add the ham to it and mix well – this can take some serious energy to complete…When it is mixed well, form into a ball shape, and place in the center of a plate, or one of those serving dish thingys, and surround with crackers. I always try to let it sit out for about an hour or so to make it soft enough to serve. Always a big hit!

Salad

* Yule Salad *
Recipe by Joanna L. Davis (aka Althaea)
from Storm Wing’s Wicca Page

Ingredients:

• 1/2 bag fresh cranberries
• 3 lg stalks celery
• 3-4 large carrots
• 1 large orange
• 1 can crushed pineapples
• 1 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts, your preference)
• 1 large (or 2 small) box raspberry, or raspberry-cranberry Jell-O
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water

Open can of pineapples and drain, saving the juice. Put aside. Mix the saved juice from the pineapples and 1 cup of cold water together. Prepare Jell-O according to directions, but where the directions call for 2 cups cold water, use the 1 cup cold water/pineapple juice mixture. Before you add the cold mixture to the hot, add the sugar to the hot Jell-O mixture, and dissolve, then add cold water/pineapple juice mixture, combine well and refrigerate. Be sure to put into a large salad or mixing bowl. Shred the carrots finely - put aside. Finely chop celery with a knife or food processor. (I only like the flavor of celery, not the texture, so I use the blender to chop it up very fine). Chop or crush walnuts. Grate orange peel with fine grater (a cheese grater will do). Peel orange and clean as much of the pith (the white stuff) away as possible, and section by hand. In a blender put the cranberries, one handful at a time into the water and chop finely. Add the orange sections and chop more coarsely (using the pulse button on your blender). Add to the Jell-O mixture. Add all other ingredients to the Jell-O mixture and mix well. Refrigerate over night.

Topping for salad:

You may top with whipped cream or Cool Whip, but I love this topping the best, it is a nice accent to the sweetness of the salad.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup real mayonnaise

Blend well and place by the tablespoonful on top of the jelled salad. Enjoy!! Happy Yule!

Breads

* Sweet Bread for Yule Rituals *
From Talmira Lowe

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ oz Active Dry Yeast
• ½ cup Sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 3 eggs, well beaten
• 2 ½ lbs. (10 cups) flour (I use unbleached flour)
• 1 pint milk
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ lb. Butter or margarine
• ½ pt sour cream
• 1/4 lb shortening
• 1 tsp vanilla

Soften yeast in lukewarm water. In large bowl, place flour, butter and shortening; mix with hands. Add sugar, milk, salt and sour cream; continue mixing. Add softened yeast; mix. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well. Knead well for 10 minutes. Roll into a long roll and cut in 6 equal parts. Roll each part thin; brush with melted butter and fill with desired filling. Roll as a jelly roll; place on greased cookie sheet. Let rise in a warm place for 2-3 hours. Bare at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. When done, brush with melted butter.

Fillings:

*Nut Filling

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground nuts (I prefer walnuts for this)
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 1 cup white raisins
• 2 tsp. Cinnamon
• warm milk

Add enough milk to make a spreading consistency. Combine ingredients and spread on dough.

*Poppy Seed filling:

Ingredients:

• ½ lb ground poppy seeds
• ½ cup scalded milk
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tbs melted butter

Combine all ingredients well. Spread on dough.

This bread is also great with prepared plume butter, apricot butter, apple butter try many different filling you will love them.

Main Course Choices

*Chicken Wreath*
Posted by Susie

Ingredients:

• 2-8 oz cans Pillsbury crescent rolls
• 5 oz can chicken drained
• 2/3 can cream chicken soup
• 4 oz Monterey jack cheese
• 1 onion
• 1 red pepper
• 3/4 cup sm broccoli cuts
• 1/4 cup water chestnuts

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Chop all veggies very tiny or use food processor. Flake chicken up small as well. Combine all but the dough in a bowl. Arrange crescent triangles in a pan so the bases are overlapping a little and the points are pointing out. Scoop filling onto widest part of each triangle. Fold each point of dough over filling and tuck under the base at the center. Filling will not be completely covered. Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cut with pizza cutter and serve.

 

* Brazos Turkey Chili *
Posted by Susie

Ingredients:

• 4 red chili peppers
• 4 green chili peppers
• 1 onion
• 6 garlic cloves
• 2 tblsp cumin seeds
• 3 tblsp chili powder
• 1 tblsp coriander
• 1 tblsp cinnamon
• 1 tblsp pepper
• 2 lb ground turkey
• 3 tblsp oil
• 4 cups tomatoes
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup beer
• 7 oz jalapeno
• 1/4 cup baking cocoa
• 1 tblsp green onions
• 2 tblsp cilantro
• 1/4 cup sour cream

Directions:
Lightly toast red and green chili peppers on a griddle. Cover with boiling water and let sit 15 mins. Drain and blend in a food processor, adding just enough soaking liquid, to make a paste; set aside. In a lg. skillet, sauté chopped onion, crushed garlic cloves, and cumin seeds over medium heat for about 10 mins. Add the chili peppers paste, chili powder, coriander, cinnamon, and pepper, sauté for 5 mins., set aside. In a large kettle brown ground turkey in oil, add chopped tomatoes, chicken broth, beer, and chopped jalapenos. Add the vegetable mixture and bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer uncovered for 30-45 mins. Just before serving, stir in unsweetened baking cocoa. Garnish with chopped green onions, cilantro, and sour cream

 

Dessert

* Granny's Dark Christmas Cake *
From Sam

Ingredients:

• 6 eggs
• 1 lb softened butter (room temp not melted)
• 1 lb flour ( all purpose sifted)
• 1 lb sugar (white)
• 2 lbs currants
• 2 lbs raisins
• 1/2 lb of cherries (candied)
• 1/2 lb of mixed peel or dried candied fruit
• 1/2 lbs of nuts (any kind - optional)
• 2 tbsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp lemon extract
• 1/2 tsp clove (ground)

Choose one or other: 1 10-12 oz bottle of maraschino cherries (juice and all) *or* 1 med can of crushed pineapple (juice and all) Choose one or other: Booze of any kind 4 oz in cake and the remaining 8 oz for marinade (Brandy or Dark Rum are very nice) *or* 4 oz of orange or pineapple or apple juice.

This recipe makes a small 3 tiered wedding cake or 2 medium fruitcakes in 8x8x 4 inch pans. Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Place a small tin of water in the bottom of the oven. Line the cake pans with oiled brown paper or parchment paper. In a very large bowl mix all the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl beat the eggs into the softened butter until creamy. Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients along with all the fruit, fruit juices, and 4 oz of liqueur. Mix well. You may need a spare pair of arms to mix the batter as it is heavy and stiff and very tiring to mix well. Spoon into pans and bake. Bake until wooden skewer stuck into middle comes out clean.

Approximate Cooking times
For a 3 tiered cake: Small tins approx. 2 hours
Medium tins approx 3 hours
Large tin approx 4 hours
2 8x8 squares treat - 2 hours and test for doneness.

To Marinade
Let cake cool in pans. Lift out. Place on plate with a rim and peel off the paper. Prick all over with skewer on both sides and pour 4 oz of liquor over the cake. Turn cake over and repeat with the remaining 4 oz. Use pieces of cheesecloth to soak up all the remaining liquor and wrap each cake. Then wrap each package in foil and store in back of fridge or in cake tins in cold storage. Turn them over every 2 or three weeks. Add more booze or fruit juice to moisten cheese cloth if it feels dry. Eat anytime after 2 months. Keeps well for 4-6 months refrigerated. May be iced with almond paste or steamed and served with hard sauce like Xmas pudding.
* Hard Sauce Recipe

Note: for a perfect sauce beat long and hard until it is fluffy and smooth. This takes time.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup of butter (Let stand at room temp until soft but not melted)
• 1 cup of sifted icing sugar (powdered or confectioner’s sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

Cream butter thoroughly Gradually beat in sugar Beat until as light as whipped cream. Beat in vanilla. Chill or serve at room temperature.

Variations on Hard Sauce:
For richer sauces beat 1/4 cup heavy cream or whipping cream and add to the Hard Sauce once made. For Brandy or Wine Flavored Sauce flavor with 1 tsp brandy or 1-3 tsp sherry instead of vanilla.
For Lemon Flavored Hard Sauce add 1/3 tsp lemon extract or 1 tsp lemon juice and 1 tbsp grated lemon rind instead of vanilla.
For Mocha Hard Sauce flavor with 2 tbsp strong coffee and 2 tsp dry cocoa instead of vanilla.
For Orange Hard Sauce use 2 tbsp orange juice and 2 tbsp grated orange rind instead of vanilla.

Beverages

* Christmas Cappuccino *
by Yvonne Womack, found at Pastry Wiz

 

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 c Espresso beans
• 3 c Boiling water
• 2 tbs Sugar
• 1 Vanilla bean, split
• 4 c Milk
• 4 oz. bittersweet chocolate chopped
• Whipped cream - optional

In a coffee mill, finely grind the beans. In a coffee maker, brew the espresso with the boiling water. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon and set aside. Using a small knife, scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into a medium saucepan. Pour in the milk and scald over moderate heat, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add chocolate and stir until melted. Cover and keep warm over very low heat. Divide the hot espresso into 4 cups. In a blender, begin whipping half of the warm chocolate milk at low speed. Gradually increase the speed to high and blend until frothy, about 1 minute. Pour the chocolate milk into the cups of coffee, stir briefly and top each serving with some of the milk froth. Sprinkle the reserved cinnamon sugar on top. Serve immediately with a dollop of whipped cream, if desired.

* Colonial Hot Buttered Rum *

found at Recipe Source

Ingredients:

To serve 2:

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar                  
• 4 teaspoons butter – softened
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 whole clove
• 1 dash ground cinnamon
• 1 dash ground nutmeg
• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 1/2 cup rum

To Serve 15:

• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 pinch of salt
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 6 whole cloves
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 2 cups rum

For both:

• heavy cream, whipped
• nutmeg

For 2 servings: In a 2-cup measure stir together the brown sugar, butter or margarine, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir in the warm water. Micro-cook, uncovered. on 100% power for 3 to 4 minutes or till steaming hot. Stir in the rum. Serve in mugs. Garnish with lemon slices, or cinnamon stick, broken in half to make 2, if desired. Or top with heavy cream, sprinkled with nutmeg

For 15 servings: Put all ingredients, except rum, cream and nutmeg into crockpot. Add 2 quarts hot water. Stir well. Cover pot and cook on low for 5 hours. Add rum; stir to blend. Serve from pit in warm mugs with a scoop of whipped cream & a dusting of nutmeg.

* Wassail Bowl With Baked Apples *
Posted by Kriss

Ingredients:

• 3 large cooking apples cored
• 1 gallon of Cider, apple
• 6 whole cloves
• 6 whole allspice
• 2 tsp of ground nutmeg
• 16 ounce can of frozen orange juice concentrate
• 16 ounce can of frozen lemonade concentrate.
• 1 cup of brown sugar, packed sugar
• short cinnamon sticks

Preheat oven to 350' Cut apples in half crosswise and place cut size down, in a 13"x9" baking dish (see ya cut them crosswise, you have our Mothers Pentagram!). Bake 25 minutes or until the apples are fork tender. Meanwhile, in covered 6 quart saucepot, over low heat, simmer 2 cups of cider, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg 10 minutes. Add remaining apple cider, undiluted lemonade and orange juice concentrates and brown sugar. Heat until hot, but no boiling, stirring occasionally. Pour hot cider into a heated large punch bowl (always heat the punch bowls or they can crack when you pour hot liquid in them. Just put it in the oven on warm, not directly on the oven rack, but on a kitchen towel that is on a cookie tray.) Float apples, skin side up, and sprinkle tops with a little sugar. To serve, ladle about 1/2 cup of the hot punch in a punch cup and add a short cinnamon stick to each serving.

* Hot Chocolate A La Jena *
Posted by Jena

Need:

• Hot chocolate mix - any kind
• Milk (has to be milk or a milk -soy thingy)
• Wallymart's Sam's Choice Mint Cups (the ones covered in chocolate that are waaaaayyyy hip-spreading when you eat the whole bag in one sitting)

Heat your milk to scalding, add two or three of the mint cups, stir until they are melted in, and add your hot chocolate mix to it. If you put whipped cream on top it is even nummier!

* Spiced Pumpkin Fudge *
Posted by Nem

Ingredients:

• 3/4 c. butter
• 3 c. sugar
• 2/3 c. evaporated milk
• 1/2 c. canned pumpkin
• 1 t. pumpkin pie spice
• 2 c. butterscotch baking chips
• 7 oz. jar marshmallow cream
• 1 c. chopped toasted almonds or desired nuts
• 1 t. vanilla

In heavy saucepan, combine first 5 ingredients; bring to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Continue boiling until mixture reaches 234 Degrees on candy thermometer (about 4 minutes at a roiling boil). Remove from heat; stir in butter scotch chips and marshmallow cream until melted and smooth. Stir in nuts and vanilla. Pour into buttered 9x13 or larger pan. cool completely, cut into squares.
Makes about 3 pounds.

* Bailey's Irish Cream Fudge *
Unknown source

• 24 ounces milk chocolate chips
• 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
• 14 ounces marshmallow cream2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2/3 cup Bailey's Irish Cream liqueur
• 2 cups chopped nuts
• 4 1/2 cups sugar
• 12 ounce can evaporated milk
• 1/2 pound butter

Line a jelly roll pan (10 x 15 x 1 inch) with foil. Butter the foil. In a very large heavy bowl, place all the chocolate chips, marshmallow cream, vanilla, Bailey's Irish Cream and nuts. In a heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, evaporated milk and butter over medium heat and bring to a boil. Cook slowly, stirring constantly for 11 minutes. Pour the hot milk mixture over the chocolate chip mixture, stirring by hand. The hot milk will melt the chocolate chips and marshmallow cream. Continue to stir until everything is well blended. Pour mixture into the prepared pan and chill until set. Turn out onto a large cutting board and peel off the foil. Cut into small squares.

Store refrigerated.

Yield: about 5 pounds of fudge

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from this blog.