A few of Granny Gumdrop's
favorite Christmas time recipes.
holiday crafts, tips, recipes and stories
Ingredients
3/4 cup butter
2 cups white sugar
1 cup chopped almonds
2 cups milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup finely chopped almonds
Directions
1 In a saucepan over low heat, combine the butter, sugar and 1 cup chopped almonds. Stir constantly until mixture reaches soft-crack stage, or 270 degrees F
2 Pour onto a large buttered cookie sheet. Immediately press chocolate chips onto the hot candy. As the chocolate melts, spread it into a coating over candy.
3 Sprinkle finely chopped almonds over the top: cool, and break into uneven pieces.
Makes 5 dozen
Broccoli-Cheese Casserole
Ingredients
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
Directions
2 In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together condensed soup, mayonnaise, beaten egg, and, if desired, chopped onion.
3 Place frozen broccoli into a very large mixing bowl. (I like to use my large stainless steel bowl to mix this recipe thoroughly.) Break up the frozen broccoli. Using a rubber spatula, scrape soup-mayonnaise mixture on top of broccoli and mix well. Sprinkle on cheese and mix well. Using a rubber spatula, scrape and pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Smooth top of casserole using spatula. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and paprika.
4 Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Serve hot.
Makes 6-8 servings
Ingredients
2 (14.5 ounce) cans green beans, drained
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (6 ounce) can French fried onions
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Directions
1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175
degrees C).
2 Place green beans and soup in a large microwave-safe bowl. Mix
well and heat in the microwave on HIGH until warm (3 to 5 minutes). Stir
in 1/2 cup of cheese and heat mixture for another 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer
green bean mixture to a casserole dish and sprinkle with French fried
onions and remaining cheese.
3 Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven until
the cheese melts and the onions just begin to brown.
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients
1 (2 pound) package frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
1 (8 ounce) package cubed processed cheese food
2 cups half-and-half
1/2 cup butter
Directions
1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175
degrees C).
2 Place frozen potatoes in a 13 x 9 inch baking dish.
3 In a saucepan on the stovetop or in microwave on low, melt together
cheese and butter or margarine. When melted, blend in the cream. Pour
mixture over frozen potatoes, and cover pan with foil.
4 Bake for 1 hour. Remove foil, and bake 15 minutes more.
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients
3 1/2 cups white sugar
1 1/2 cups light corn syrup
1 tablespoon red food coloring
Directions
1 Lightly grease one 12x18 inch or larger baking sheet.
2 In a large heavy saucepan, combine the water, sugar and corn syrup. Heat over high, stirring constantly with a heat resistant spoon, until all sugar is dissolved. Stop stirring and bring to a boil. Boil until a candy thermometer reads 310 degrees F (154 degrees C). Remove from heat.
3 When bubbling has ceased, stir in the flavoring and a food coloring. Spread into the prepared pan so that the candy is no more than 1/4 inch thick. Cool for 45 minutes in the refrigerator. Remove from refrigerator, crack into pieces and enjoy!
Makes 2 pounds
A perfect way to use up left over turkey
Ingredients:
1/2 cup milk
Directions
1 Roll out bottom pie crust and place
in the 10 inch pie pan and set aside.
2 Place 2 tablespoons of the butter in a skillet. Add the onions,
celery, carrots and spices. Sauté until the veggies are soft. Stir in
the bouillon and 2 cups of water. Bring mixture to a boil. Stir in the
potatoes and cook until done.
3 In a separate sauce pan melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter,
stir in the turkey and flour, mixing well. Add the milk and heat through.
Stir the turkey mixture into the vegetable mixture and cook until thickened.
Pour mixture into the unbaked pie shell. Roll out the top crust and place
on top of filling. Flute edges and make 4 slits in the top crust to let
out steam.
4 Bake in a preheated 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) oven for 15
minutes. Lower oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and bake
for 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown.
Makes one 10" pie
Ingredients
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In
medium bowl, mix flour, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. With pastry blender
or two knives used scissor-fashion, cut in shortening until mixture resembles
coarse crumbs. Sprinkle 3 to 4 tablespoons cold water, 1 tablespoon at
a time, into flour mixture, mixing lightly with a fork after each addition
until dough is just moist enough to hold together. Shape dough into a
ball.
2. Reserve one-fourth of dough for leaf cutouts. On lightly floured
surface, with floured rolling pin, roll remaining dough into a round 1
1/2 inches larger all around than inverted 9-inch pie plate. Gently ease
dough into pie plate; trim edge, leaving 1/2-inch overhang. Fold overhang
under; press onto pie-plate rim.
3. Roll reserved dough 1/8 inch thick. With sharp knife or small
cookie cutter, cut out as many 2" by 1" leaf shapes as possible. Moisten
piecrust edge with water. Press leaf cutouts onto piecrust edge, overlapping
leaves slightly.
4. With fork, prick bottom and side of pastry in many places to
prevent puffing during baking. Line piecrust with foil and fill with pie
weights, dry beans, or uncooked rice. Bake piecrust 15 minutes; remove
foil with weights and bake 5 minutes longer or until golden. Cool piecrust
on wire rack. Turn oven control to 350 degrees F.
5. In large bowl, with wire whisk, beat pumpkin, remaining ingredients,
and 1/2 teaspoon salt until well mixed. Pour pumpkin mixture into crust.
Cover edge of crust with foil to prevent overbrowning. Bake pie 1 hour
and 10 minutes or until knife inserted in center of pie comes out clean.
6. Cool pie on wire rack 1 1/2 hours, then cover and refrigerate
until chilled.
Serves: 10 Work Time: 45 minutes Total Time: 2 hours
Merry
Christmas and have a wonderful and safe New Year!