Cranberry Cordial

1 12oz. pkg fresh cranberries
1 c Sugar
2 c Light corn syrup
2 c Vodka
1 c Water
1/2 c Brandy

Coarsely chop the cranberries in a food processor fitted with the metal blade, or chop with a knife. Stir the cranberries and sugar in a large bowl until the berries are well coated. Stir in the remaining ingredients until blended. Pour the mixture into a large glass jar, cover, and store in a cool, dark place for at least 1 month, stirring or shaking the jar every few days. Before serving, strain the liquid from the cranberries through a fine strainer or dampened heesecloth.
It may be stored tightly covered at room temperature up to 3 months.

Refrigerate it for longer storage. Makes about 4 cups

Cranberry Fruit And Nut Bread

3/4 c Butter (or margarine)
-softened
1 1/2 c Sugar
3 Eggs
2 1/2 c All-purpose flour
1 1/2 t Baking powder
1 1/2 t Baking soda
1 t Salt
1/4 t Nutmeg,ground
1 1/2 c Commercial sour cream
1 t Vanilla extract
3/4 c Cranberries,chopped
1/2 c Pecans,chopped
1/2 c Golden raisins
1/3 c Apricots,dried, chopped
Pecan halves
Whole cranberries
1 c Powdered sugar,sifted
1-1/2 to 2 tb milk

Cream butter in a large mixing bowl; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Combine flour, baking powder, soda, salt, and nutmeg; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix just until blended after each addition Stir in vanilla.

Fold in cranberries, chopped pecans, raisins, and apricots..

Pour batter into 2 greased and floured 8-1/2 x 4- 1/2 x 3-inch loaf pans; arrange pecan halves on top .

Bake at 35 degrees F. for 55 to 60 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out
clean.
Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool
completely.

Arrange whole cranberries on loaf. Combine powdered sugar
and milk, mixing well; drizzle over loaves.

2 loaves.

Cranberry Ring Mold With Apple-Pecan Salad Filling

8 Servings

2 pk Gelatin,unflavored
1/2 c Water,cold
3/4 c Water,boiling
1/4 c Lemon juice,fresh
2 cn Cranberry sauce (16 oz)
1/2 c Water,cold
1/2 t Horseradish,bottled
3 ds Liquid red pepper seasoning
1/4 t Salt

APPLE-PECAN SALAD FILLING
===================
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. In a large mixing bowl sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water to soften. Add boiling water and stir until dissolved. Stir in lemon juice.

2. Combine cranberry sauce and 1/2 cold water in a saucepan. Stir, then beat with whisk until smooth; do not allow to boil. Add horseradish, hot pepper seasoning, and salt. Stir in gelatin mixture.

Pour into a 6-cup ring mold that has been rinsed with cold water. Chill about 4 hours, or until firm. Unmold onto round serving plate.

Fill center with Apple And Pecan Salad. Surround with additional salad if desired.

*** APPLE-PECAN SALAD FILLING ***
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.

Cranberry-Maple Sauce

1/3 c Pure maple syrup
2 T Sugar
1 1/2 c Cranberries
– if frozen,do not thaw
3 T butter,Unsalted
1 1/2 T Bourbon

BRING THE MAPLE SYRUP and sugar to a boil in a small non-aluminum pan, then cook for 3 minutes. Add the cranberries and cook until their skins burst and they begin to pop, 6-to-8 minutes, or slightly longer if they are frozen.

Cut the butter into 3 pieces. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter, 1 piece at a time, waiting until each is incorporated before adding another. Add the bourbon.

Sauce can be served immediately or refrigerated for up to a week.

Reheat gently and thin with 2 to 3 tablespoons water before serving.

Makes 1 1/4 Cups

Cranberry-Nut Bread

1 1/3 c  Flour
1 t  Baking soda
1 1/4 t  Salt
3/4 c  Sugar
1    Orange,grated peel only
6 T  Butter,cut into 1″ pieces
2 lg Eggs
1    Orange,Juice only
1 1/4 c  Fresh cranberries,chopped
1 c  Walnuts (or pecans),chopped

PREHEAT OVEN TO 350F.

Grease a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan and line with a strip of wax paper, greased; or place 18 paper muffin cups in muffin tins. Mix together the flour, baking soda and salt. Put the sugar and orange peel in a bowl, food processor or mixer, along with the butter, eggs and 1/2 cup of the orange juice. Beat or process until smooth. Add the cranberries, nuts and the flour mixture, beating until just combined. Pour into the pan or cups.

Bake 1 hour for the loaf and 30 minutes for the muffins. Remove from pan. Cool on a wire rack.

Makes 1 Loaf or 18 Muffins

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————-

Yes, I know I haven’t finished getting all my Christmas Recipes listed here. I promise I will, but the season is long past and my mode is far more centered on enjoying the warm weather and Barbecue in particular.

I will finish the Christmas and in particular my fudge project in plenty of time for the next holiday season. For now its time to get my fingers sticky with succulent BBQ.

Christmas Fruit Cookies

72 Servings

1/2 c Shortening
1/2 c Brown sugar,firmly packed
2 Eggs
1/2 t Vanilla
1/2 t Soda
1 1/2 T Buttermilk
1 c Flour
1/4 t Allspice
1/4 t Nutmeg
1/4 t Cinnamon
1/4 c Bourbon
1/2 lb White raisins
1/2 lb Candied cherries
1/2 lb Candied pineapple
1/2 c Flour
1 1/2 c Pecans,chopped

Cream shortening and sugar; beat in eggs and add vanilla. Dissolve
soda in buttermilk. Combine 1 c. flour and spices; add to creamed
mixture alternately with buttermilk and bourbon. Beat well after
each addition.

Coat fruit with 1/2 c. flour; stir fruit and nuts into batter. Drop
by teaspoonfuls onto greased baking sheets and bake at 350 deg. For
10-15 min.

Makes 6 doz. cookies

Christmas Oyster Soup (Soupe Aux Huitres De Noel)

4 Servings

2 Carrots,mediun
-peeled & in long,Grated
-thin shreds
1/2 c Celery,finely diced
1/4 c Butter,melted
4 c Milk,or 1/2 milk, 1/2 cream
4 c Oysters
-salt and pepper,To Taste

Peel and grate in long thin shreads, the carrots and add finely
diced celery. Melt butter in saucepan and add the vegetables. Stir.

Cover and simmer over very low heat for 20 minutes, without
browning the vegetables. Add milk (or use 1/2 milk, 1/2 cream);
bring to a boil.

Heat oysters in enamelled cast iron pan over medium heat; do not
boil. Pour into milk and serve. Uase salt and pepper to taste.

The soup should be served as soon as ready, otherwise it tend to
curdle. The milk and vegetables can be be prepared ahead of time
and the oysters heated and served at the last minute.

Christmas Pasta Sauce

6 Servings

1/4 c Extra-virgin olive oil
Small carrot,*
Small onion,*
Small celery stk,*
Large garlic clove*
1 lb Italian sausage
1/3 lb beef,Ground
6 1/2 oz Pancetta,diced
1/2 t Salt
1/2 t pepper,Freshly Ground
1/4 t nutmeg,Freshly Grated
1/2 c Dry red wine
1/2 c Tomato paste
1 c Italian tomatoes,chopped
2 T Parsely *

1. Soak the porcini in warm water for at least 1/2 hour. Remove
from the water, squeeze dry and chop.

2. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan or flameproof casserole, heat the
olive oil over moderate heat. Add the carrot, onion and celery and
saute until the onion is golden, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic
and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

3. Add the sausage, ground beef and pancetta to the pan. Cook
over moderate heat, stirring to break up the meat, until the beef
and sausage are no longer pink. Drain off any fat. Season with the
salt, pepper and nutmeg.

4. Pour in the red wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until it
evaporates, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste, tomatoes,
porcini and 1/2 cup of warm water. Simmer for 30 minutes. If the
sauce gets too thick, add a little more water.

Add the parsley just before serving.

Christmas Stollen

6 Servings

1 1/8 lb Flour
7 oz Sugar
1 pn Salt
1 t Vanilla
1 t Lemon juice
4 T Rum
1 pn Cardomom (generous)
1 pn Mace (generous)
2 Eggs
4 1/2 oz Butter
4 1/2 oz Currants well,Drained
9 oz Sultanas
9 oz Almonds,finely chopped
3 1/2 oz Candied lemon peel
1 3/4 oz Butter for brushing
2 T Powdered sugar for dusting
1 3/4 oz Beef drippings
9 oz Cottage cheese,well drained

Mix and sieve together the flour and baking powder onto a pastry
board or cool slab. Make a well in the center and pour in the
sugar, vanilla, rum, lemon juice, and the eggs. Draw in some flour
from the sides of the well to mix with these and form a thick
paste. Add the cold butter, cut into small pieces, the finely
chopped beef drippings, cottage cheese, currants, sultanas, nuts
and candied peel.

Cover the fruits with more of the flour, and then starting from the
middle, work all of it together quickly with your hands into a
firm, smooth paste. If it should stick, add a little more flour.
Form the mix into a long, oval shape, and then fold it over
lengthwise to give it the traditional “stollen” shape.

Line a baking dish with greased waxed paper and place stollen on
this.

Preheat the oven for 5 minutes at 500F. Then bake at a moderately
hot over (375F) for 50-60 minutes. As soon as the stollen comes out
of the oven, brush with melted butter and dust thickly with
powdered sugar.