It’s still a few days until summer begins, but I thought I would add a couple of posts to my Christmas Recipe blog for those of you planning on celebrating Christmas in July.

Christmas Creamy Egg Nog Recipe – Allrecipes.com

This rich and creamy drink was especially designed for cold Christmas nights.

Publish Date: 06/13/2010 18:34

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/christmas-creamy-egg-nog/

Christmas Recipe Ideas | Food Processor Juicer

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 …

Publish Date: 06/16/2010 1:19

http://foodprocessorjuicer.org/1887/christmas-recipe-ideas/htm

Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe – Allrecipes.com

(I guess that’s supposed to stop the top from cracking). Very tasty. Will do again in 4 weeks for Christmas. Was this review helpful? [ YES ] 9 users found this review helpful. Awesome recipe! Used 1/3 less fat Philly brand cream cheese …

Publish Date: 06/13/2010 2:12

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/double-layer-pumpkin-cheesecake/

Twitter Tidbits:

By ludgip at 06/16/2010 16:47

By rashton2004 at 06/16/2010 11:39

By geneklein2 at 06/16/2010 10:58

Some YouTube Videos on Christmas Cooking

How to Cook Classic Christmas Meals : Traditional Holiday Ham Recipe

Christmas is a time of indulgence! Learn how to make traditional holiday ham from scratch in this free how-to instructional video clip on classic Christmas cooking. Expert: Louis Ortiz Bio: Louis Ortiz is a professional chef instructor at a culinary …

How to Make Green Bean Casserole: Christmas Recipes : Utensils for Green Bean Casserole Recipe

Learn the right cooking utensils to make green bean casserole for Christmas in this free cooking video. Expert: Jael Baez Bio: Jael Baez has been cooking for 7 years for her family. She comes from a long line of cooks in her family. Many of her recip…

[tags]Egg Nogg, Christmas in July, Pumpkin Cheesecake, Ukrainian Christmas, Springerle, new Christmas Traditions, Holiday Ham, Green Bean Casserole[/tags]

Check out my newest Publication: “Make Your Own Homemade Chocolates”

The book Make Your Own Chocolate isn’t something you consume once; it is a valuable asset full of information and tips that you will cherish for many years to come. The tips and information in this book will be things you use again and again for many years to come. Making chocolate will become a new tradition in your household making memories that will last a life time.

For more info go to “How To Make Your Own Homemade Chocolate“

A 2-Minute Fudge

36 Servings

1 lb Powdered sugar
1/2 c Cocoa
1/4 t Salt
1/4 c Milk
1 T Vanilla extract
1/2 c Butter
1 c Nuts,chopped

In a 1 1/2 qt. casserole, stir sugar, cocoa, salt, milk and vanilla together until partially blended (it will be too stiff to blend thoroughly). Put butter over top in center of dish. Microwave at high for 2 minutes, or until smooth. If all butter has not melted in cooking, it will as mixture is stirred. Blend in nuts. Pour into a lightly buttered 8×4x3″ dish. Chill 1 hour in refrigerator or 20 to 30 minutes in freezer. Cut into squares. Makes about 36 squares.

Almond Rocca

6 Servings

1 c Pecans,chopped (we use
-chopped almonds on some
-batches)
3/4 c Brown sugar (packed)
1/2 c Butter (or margarine
-(butter)-makes it richer)
1/2 pk (6 oz size) semisweet
-chocolate chips. (1/2 cup)

Toffee: Butter square pan, 9×9x2 inches. Spread chopped nuts in pan.
Heat sugar and butter to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil over medium heat, stirring constantly, 7 minutes (watch it real close the last minute or two). Immediately spread mixture evenly over nuts in pan. Sprinkle chocolate pieces over hot mixture; place a baking sheet over pan so contained heat will melt chocolate. Spread melted
chocolate over canndy. While hot, cut into 1 1/2 inch squares. Chill until firm.

Americana Peanut Cheesecake

12 Servings

3/4 c Chopped roasted peanuts,div
2 T Chopped roasted peanuts,div
1 c Graham cracker crumbs
1/3 c Butter (or margarine),melted
2/3 c Creamy peanut butter
4 pk (3 ounces each) cream cheese
-softened
1 cn (14 ozs) sweetened condensed
1/3 c Lemon juice
1 t Vanilla extract
1 pk (4 ozs) whipped toppi,Frozen
-thawed

In small bowl, combine 3/4 cup chopped peanuts, graham cracker crumbs and melted butter; mix well. Press crumb mixture into bototom and 1″ up sides of 9-inch springform pan. Refrigerate crust 20 minutes or until set. In large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed, beat softened cream cheese and peanut butter until fluffy. Gradually beat in condensed milk and mix well. Add lemon juice and vanilla; blend well. Fold in whipped topping. Pour mixture into prepared crust; garnish top with remaining 2 tablespoons chopped peanuts. Refrigerate 2 to 3 hours, or until well chilled.

Angel Food Candy

10 Servings

2 c Light Corn Syrup, Karo
2 c Brown Sugar, Firmly Packed
4 t Baking Soda
4 oz Semi-Sweet Chocolate, Cut Up
12 oz Chocolate Chips,1 Pk
1/4 c Butter (Or Regular
-Margarine)
Paraffin,*

NOTE: The first 4-Oz of semi sweet chocolate is in the block style.
Also the chocolate chips should be semi-sweet. * The paraffin
should be a 2 1/2 X 3-inch piece that has been cut up.

Combine the corn syrup and brown sugar in a 4-quart heavy Dutch oven.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture boils.
Continue cooking the mixture until it reaches the hard crack stage
(300 degrees F) on the candy thermometer, stirring occasionally.
Remove from the heat and carefully stir in the baking soda being
careful as the mixture will foam up. Pour the mixture at once in to
a greased 13 X 9 X 2-inch baking pan. When cool, turn out of the pan.
Break into pieces using a meat mallet or wooden spoon. Combine the
semi-sweet chocolate pieces and the chocolate chips, butter and
paraffin wax in the top of a double boiler. Place over simmering
water, stirring until melted. Remove form the heat, but keep over
the hot water. Dip the candy into the chocolate using a large
cooking fork. Place on waxed paper lined baking sheets. Let stand
until chocolate is set. Store the candy in a cool place in covered
containers. If you wish, do not coat the candy with the chocolate
Candy can be stored for several months in the freezer.

Makes 3 pounds of candy.

Apple-Pecan Salad Filling For Cranberry Molds

16 Servings

2 c Apples, peeled/chopped
1 t Lemon juice
1/2 c Celery, thinly sliced
1 c Pecans, coarsely chopped
1/4 c Mayonnaise
1/4 t Salt
1/2 c Heavy cream, whipped

1. Combine apples, lemon juice, celery, pecans, mayonnaise, and salt; stir to blend. Cover and refrigerate until about 1 hour before serving. Fold in whipping cream. Return salad to refrigerator until time to serve.

2. Makes sufficient salad to fill 2- 6-cup cranberry molds, with enough left over to surround mold with salad.

Apple-Pepper Jelly

4 Servings

2 c Water
6 oz Frozen Apple Juice, Thawed
1 3/4 oz Powdered Fruit Pectin,1 Pk
3 3/4 c Sugar
1 Red Pepper, Crushed, To Taste
1/8 t Red Food Coloring

Stir the water, apple juice concentrate and pectin in a 3-quart saucepan, until the pectin is dissolved. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Add the sugar and red pepper then heat to a rolling boil, stirring constantly.

Remove from the heat and strain. Add the red food color.
Immediately pour into hot sterilized jars or glasses or freezer containers. Cover tightly and cool. Refrigerate no longer than 4 weeks or freeze no longer than 2 months. Serve with meat.

Makes 4 half pints of jelly.

GRAPE JELLY:

Substitute 1 can (6 oz) of frozen grape juice concentrate for the
apple juice concentrate. Omit the red pepper and food color.

TANGERINE JELLY:

Substitute 1 can (6 oz) frozen tangerine juice concentrate for the
apple juice concentrate. Omit red pepper and food color.

Apricot-Ginger Cranberry Sauce

6 Servings

INGREDIENTS
14 Dried apricots,each cut into 3 strips
1/2 c Cranberry juice
12 oz Fresh (or thawed),Frozen
-cranberries
1/2 c Plus 1 tbsp. sugar
1 T Minced,pared, fresh ginger

Soak the dried apricots in the cranberry juice in a medium saucepan for ten minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and stir them well. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat until the cranberries have popped and the syrup has thickened slightly – that should take about 5 minutes. Let the sauce cool to room temperature, then refrigerate it (covered) until it’s *cold*.

It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Transfer the sauce to a serving dish and serve while it’s still cold. The colder the better, so long as it isn’t frozen.

Apricot-Raisin Jam

6 Servings

1/2 lb apricot halves, Dried
-coarsely, chopped
1 c Golden raisins
Juice and rind of 1,Grated
-lemon
1 c Orange juice
2 c Sugar

1. Place the apricots and raisins in a bowl and add water to cover. Cover the bowl tightly and let it stand overnight.

Drain the liquid into a large, heavy saucepan and chop the apricots coarsely. Add the apricots, raisins, lemon juice and rind, and orange juice to the pan, place over low heat, and bring to a simmer. Cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Add the sugar and continue cooking, stirring frequently until the mixture of fruit is very soft and the syrup sheets when dropped from the side of a spoon (220 degrees on a candy thermometer), 15 to 20 minutes.

Spoon the jam into sterilized half-pint jars. Seal the jars, process in a boiling-water bath for 10 minutes and cool.

Store in a cool, dark place.