Yuletide Layer Bars

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

• 2½ cups graham cracker crumbs

• 1½ cups chopped nuts

• 1½ cups flaked coconut

• 1¾ cups (10 oz pkg) Nestle Toll House Holiday Shapes & Morsels

• 1 can (14 oz) Nestle Carnation Sweetened Condensed Milk (Not Evaporated Milk)

Preheat oven to 350º. Melt butter in a 13x9" baking pan in oven; remove from oven. Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs over butter. Stir well; press onto bottom of pan. Sprinkle with nuts, coconut and Shapes & Morsels. Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over top. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool complete in pan on wire rack.

Mock Eggnog

• 2 quarts cold milk

• 1 pkg (3.4 oz) instant French Vanilla or vanilla pudding mix

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 1 tsp ground nutmeg

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/8 tsp salt, optional

• 1 cup heavy shipping cream

• Additional nutmeg, optional

In a mixing bowl, beat milk and pudding mix on low speed for 2 minutes. Beat in the sugar, nutmeg, vanilla and salt, if desired. In another mixing bowl, beat cream until thickened, about 3 minutes. Stir into pudding mixture. Refrigerate until serving. Sprinkle with additional nutmeg, if desired.  Yield: 2½ Quarts

Cranberry Delight Spread

• 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese

• 2 tbl concentrated orange juice

• 1/8 tsp cinnamon

• 1 tbl sugar

• 1 zest of an orange

• 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans, optional

• 1/4 cup finely chopped dry cranberries

• Townhouse Crackers

In an electric mixer bowl, combine the cream cheese, juice, cinnamon and sugar on medium speed until smooth. Fold in orange zest, pecans and cranberries. Refrigerate. Garnish with a slice of cranberry or zest of orange. Serve with crackers.  Makes 1.5 cups spread.

Miniature Fruit Cakes

• 3/4 cup sugar

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1/8 tsp salt

• 1½ cups chopped walnuts

• 1 cup chopped dates

• 3/4 cup chopped mixed candied fruit (about 4 oz)

• 2 eggs, separated

• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• Halved candied cherries

In a bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. Combine egg yolks and vanilla; stir into dry ingredients. In a small mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks from; fold into batter. Fill greased and floured muffin cups two-thirds full. Cover the muffin tin tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake at 275º for 1 hour. Uncover; top each fruitcake with cherries. Bake 5 minutes longer or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of each cup; remove to a wire rack to cool completely.  Yield: 1 dozen

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

• 3/4 lb butter

• 8 oz pkg cream cheese

• 3 cups sugar

• 6 eggs

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 tsp almond extract

• 3 cups all purpose flour

Cream together butter and cream cheese. Blend in sugar. Add eggs, one at a time and b4eat until smooth. Add extracts and flour, mix until smooth. Pour into a greased and flour 10" tube pan. Bake at 325° for 1½ to 2 hours until cake is golden and toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Hershey's Candy-Kissed Twists

• 1 bag small, twisted pretzels

• 1 (13 oz) bag Hershey's Kisses milk chocolates

• 1 (10 oz) bag of Hershey's Holiday bits

Heat oven to 350º. Unwrap Hershey's kisses. Place pretzels on a nonstick cookie sheet. Place 1 unwrapped Hersh/ey's Kiss on top of each pretzel. Bake 5 minutes or until the chocolate is soft, but not melting. Remove from oven and gently press. Put one green, one red and one white Holiday Bit on top of the soft Hershey's Kisses. Cool and serve.

Macaroon Kiss Cookies

• 1/3 cup butter, softened

• 1 (3 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened

• 3/4 cup sugar

• 1 egg yolk

• 2 tsp almond extract

• 2 tsp orange juice

• 1¼ cups all purpose flour

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 5 cups Mounds sweetened coconut flakes, divided

• 48 Hershey's Kisses

Beat butter, cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until well blended. Add egg yolk, almond extract and orange; beat well. Stir together flour, balking powder and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in 3 cups coconut. Cover; refrigerate 1 hour or until firm enough to handle. Remove wrapper from Hershey's Kisses. Heat oven to 350º. Shape dough into 1" balls; roll balls in remaining 2 cups coconut. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 - 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven; immediate press a Hershey's Kiss on top of each cookie. Cool 1 minute; carefully remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.

Cranberry Salad

• 1 can jellied cranberry sauce

• 1 large box cherry Jell-O

• 1 cup hot water

• 1/2 pint sour cream

• 1/2 cup pecan pieces

Dissolve the Jell-O in the hot water. Mix dissolved Hello-O with the cranberry sauce. Refrigerate until soft set. Fold in sour cream and pecans and refrigerate overnight.

Rice Krispies Treats Holiday Cutouts

• 3 tbl margarine or butter

• 1 pkg (10 oz) regular marshmallows or 4 cups miniature marshmallows

• 6 cups Holiday Rice Krispies cereal

Melt margarine in large saucepan over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat. Add Holiday Rice Krispies cereal. Stir until well coated. Press into a shallow 15½"x10½"x1: pan coated with cooking spray. When slightly cool, cut into shapes with Holiday cookie cutters coated with cooking spray. Frost or decorate as desired. Best if served the same day. 

Caribbean Christmas Ring

Stuffed Baked Potatoes

• 8 baking potatoes

• vegetable oil

• 1/3 cup butter

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives 

• 1 tsp salt

• 1/4 tsp pepper

• 1/3 to 1/2 cup evaporated milk

• paprika

Rub the potato skins with oil; pierce with a fork. Bake at 400º for 1 hour or until tender. Allow to cool. Cut a thin slice off the top of each potato. Scoop out pulp, leaving a thin shell. In a large bowl, mash the pulp with butter, chives, salt, pepper and enough milk to obtain desired consistency. Spoon into potato shells; sprinkle with paprika. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake, uncovered, at 325º for 30 minutes or until heated through. Makes 8 servings.

Eggnog Bread

• 1/4 cup butter

• 3/4 cup sugar

• 2 eggs, beaten

• 2¼ cups all purpose flour

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 cup dairy or canned eggnog

• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

• 1/2 cup raisins

• 1/2 cup chopped red and green candied cherries

In a large bowl, combine butter, sugar and eggs; mix well. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir into butter mixture, alternately with eggnog; mix only until dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in pecans, raisins and cherries. Spoon into a greased 8½" X 4½" loaf pan. Bake at 350º for 70 minutes or until bread tests done. Makes 1 loaf.

Cheery Cherry Macaroon Bars

• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs

• 1 cup sugar, divided

• 1/4 cup butter, melted

• 3¾ cup sweetened coconut flakes

• 1/4 cup all purpose flour

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 3 egg whites

• 1 egg, slightly beaten

• 1 tsp almond extract

• 13 red or green Maraschino cherries, halved and drained

Heat oven to 350º. Lightly grease 9" square baking pan. Stir together crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar and melted butter. Press onto bottom of prepared pan. Bake 5 minutes. Remove from oven; leave oven on. Stir together coconut, remaining 3/4 cup sugar; flour and salt. Add egg whites, egg and almond extract. Spread mixture over crumb mixture; press in cherry halves. Bake 30-35 minutes or until lightly browned around edges. Cool completely in pan on wire race. cover; cut into bars. Makes 25 bars.

Glogg ( Christmas Wine)

• 10 whole cloves

• 8 cardamom pods, crushed

• 6 dried prunes, pitted

• 3 sticks, cinnamon

• 1/2 inch piece gingerroot (optional)

• shredded peel of 1 medium orange

• 1 cup water

• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

• 2 bottles (4/5 quart each) port

• 1 bottle (1 pint) muscatel

• 1 tbl aromatic bitters

• 1/2 cup raisins

• 24 blanched almonds

• 1 cup vodka

Tie cloves, cardamom, prunes, cinnamon, gingerroot and orange peel in cheesecloth bag.  Heat water and cheesecloth bag to boiling in 1 quart saucepan; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 30 minutes. Remove cheesecloth bag. Mix spiced water, brown sugar, port, muscatel, bitter and raisins in a Dutch oven; stir until sugar is dissolved. Cover and let stand at least 8 hours. Stir almonds into wine mixture. Heat until wine mixture is hot (do not boil). Slowly add vodka. Pour Glogg through strainer. Spoon a few raisin and 2 almonds into each of 12 small cups; pour Glogg on raisins and almonds. Makes 12 servings, 1/2 cup each.

Walnut-Toffee Triangles

Crust

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

• 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar

• 1 large egg yolk

• 1½ cup unsifted all-purpose flour

Topping

• 1 cup packed light brown sugar

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into bits

• 1/4 cup honey

• 1/2 cup heavy cream

• 4 cups chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350º. With aluminum foil, line bottom and sides of a 13x9: baking pan, extending ends of foil beyond 2 short pan sides. 

Crust: In a medium bowl, with electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter until smooth and creamy. Beat in sugar and egg yolk until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. With mixer on low speed, beat in flour until mixture is smooth. Press mixture evenly into bottom of prepared baking pan. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly golden and set.

Topping: While crust is baking, in medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine brown sugar, butter and honey; heat until butter is melted. Bring to boil; let boil 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in heavy cream and walnuts. Pour mixture evenly over prepared crust. Return to oven. Continue to bake, 21-23 minutes or until topping is bubbling.  Cool in pan on wire rack. Lift foil by short ends to transfer bar to cutting board. Invert onto wire rack; carefully remove foil. Reinvert bar onto cutting board. Cut crosswise into 10 equal strips; cut each strip diagonally into 5 equal triangles.

Planter's Holiday Chocolate Nut Squares

• 1½ sticks margarine

• 3/4 cup sugar

• 1¼ cups flour

• 2 tbl heavy cream

• 1¾ cup pecans or walnuts, coarsely chopped

• 1 cup flaked coconut

• 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Beat 1/2 cup margarine and 1/4 cup sugar until creamy. Blend in flour. Press on bottom of an ungreased 9x9x2" baking pan. Bake at 350º  for 18 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Heat 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup margarine and heavy cream in saucepan, stirring until spread melts and mixture is blended. Stir in pecans; set aside. Sprinkle coconut and chocolate over crust. Top with pecan mixture. Bake for 20 minutes more until golden. Cool; cut into squares.

Decadent Chocolate Cherry Fruitcake

• 1 pkg Pillsbury Nut or Date Quick Bread Mix

• 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans

• 1 (10 oz) jar maraschino cherries, drained, cut in half

• 3/4 cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips

• 3/4 cup water

• 1/4 cup kirsch (cherry-flavored liqueur) or 2 tsp almond extract plus 1/4 cup water

• 1 tbl oil

• 1 egg

Glaze

• 1 cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips

• 2 tsp oil

Heat oven to 350º. Grease and flour bottom of 9x5" loaf pan. In large bowl, combine all fruitcake ingredients. Stir by hand until mix is moistened. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan. Cool completely. 

In a small saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate chips and oil, stirring until smooth. Drizzle over fruitcake. Allow glaze to set in refrigerator. Wrap well in plastic wrap or foil and store in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or freeze up to 3 months. Of optimum flavor, refrigerate at least 24 hours before serving. Makes 16 servings.

Tip: Three 3x5" loaf pans can also be used. Prepare as above. Divide batter evenly between the pans. Bake at 350º for 40-50 minutes.

Redenbacher's Ribbon O' Fudge Bars

• 4 cups miniature marshmallows

• 1 cup butterscotch chips

• 3 tbl butter

• 3 qts popped Orville Redenbacher Gourmet Popping corn

• 1 (12 oz) jar hot fudge sauce

In a large Dutch oven, over low heat, melt marshmallows with butterscotch chips and butter; stir occasionally until smooth. Add popcorn; toss until well coated. Press half the mixture firmly in a greased 9" square pan. Spread fudge sauce evenly over mixture. Press remaining popcorn mixture over fudge. Allow mixture to cool and harden. Slide a spatula under entire mixture and slide onto a cutting board to cut into bars. Makes 16 bars.

Holiday Peas and Rice

• 1/2 cup raw regular rice

• 1/8 tsp rubbed sage

• 2 tbl butter or margarine

• 1 can Campbell's Chicken Broth

• 1 cup frozen peas

• 2 tbl diced pimiento

In a saucepan, brown rice with sage in butter. Add broth. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Cover; simmer 15 minutes; add peas. Simmer 10 minutes more or until done. Stir occasionally. Stir in pimiento. Makes about 3 cups.

Holiday Morning French Toast

• 1 cup brown sugar

• 1/2 cup butter, melted

• 3 tsp McCormick ground cinnamon, divided

• 3 tart apples (such as Granny Smith), peeled, cored and thinly sliced

• 1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins

• 1 loaf Italian or French bread, cut into 1 inch slices

• 6 large eggs

• 1½ cup milk

• 1 tbl McCormick vanilla extract

Combine brown sugar, butter and 1 tsp cinnamon in a 13x9: baking dish. Add apples and cranberries; toss to coat well. Spread apple mixture evenly over bottom of baking dish. Arrange slices of bread on top. Mix eggs, milk, vanilla and remaining 2 tsp cinnamon until well blended. Pour mixture over bread, soaking bread completely. Cover and refrigerate 4 to 24 hours. Bake, covered with aluminum foil, in a preheated 375º oven for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake 5 minutes. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes. Serve warm. Makes about 12 servings.

Merry Berry Cheese Bars

• 2 cups unsifted flour

• 1½ cups oats

• 3/4 cups plus 1 tbl firmly packed brown sugar

• 1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened

• 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

• 1/4 cup lemon juice from concentrate

• 1 (16 oz) can whole berry cranberry sauce

• 2 tbl cornstarch

Preheat oven to 350º. With mixer, beat flour, oats, 3/4 cup sugar and butter until crumbly. Set aside 1½ cups mixture; press remaining mixture on bottom of greased 13x9" baking pan. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Meanwhile, Beat cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in condensed milk until smooth, stir in lemon juice. Spread over baked crust. Combine cranberry sauce. Top with reserved crumb mixture. Bake 45 minutes or until golden. Cool and cut into bars. Refrigerate leftovers.

Cranberry-Nut Coffee Cake

• 1/4 cup brown sugar (packed)

• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

• 1/4 tsp cinnamon

• 2 cup Bisquick

• 2 tbl granulated sugar

• 1 egg

• 2/3 cup water or milk

• 2/3 cup whole cranberry sauce

• Powdered Sugar Icing: Recipes follows

Heat oven to 400º. Grease square pan, 9x9x2". Mix brown sugar, walnuts and cinnamon. Combine Bisquick, granulated sugar, egg and water. Beat vigorously 1/2 minute. Spread in pan; sprinkle with nut mixture. Spoon cranberry sauce over top. Bake 20-25 minutes. While warm, spread with Powdered Sugar Icing. Makes 9 servings.

Powdered Sugar Icing: Blend 1 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp vanilla and about 1 tablespoon water.

Cherry-Nut Bread  (this is a beautiful holiday bread)

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 cup chopped walnuts

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar                                              

• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

• 1/4 cup shortening

• 1 cup butter milk

• 1/4 cup maraschino cherry juice

• 3 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 2 eggs

• 1/2 cup maraschino cherries, chopped and drained 

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom only of loaf pan. Beat all ingredients except maraschino cherries in large bowl on low speed 15 seconds. Beat on medium speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Stir in maraschino cherries. Pour into pan. Bake 70 to 75 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean. Immediately loosen sides of loaf from pan; remove from pan. Cool complete on wire rack before slicing. Garnish top of loaf with maraschino cherries and sliced green candied pineapple if desired. For best results, wrap refrigerate at least 8 hours before slicing. 

Eggnog Pie

• 1 1/2 cup scalded milk                                                                                            

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 3 tbl flour

• 1 tbl cornstarch

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 3 eggs, separated

• 1 tsp plain gelatin

• 1 tbl cold water

• 1 tbl butter

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 1/2 cup evaporated milk, whipped

• nutmeg

• Piecrust (below)

Combine salt, sugar, flour, cornstarch. Add milk gradually. Cook over hot water until thick and smooth. Pour hot mixture over beaten egg yolks, return to double boiler and cook 3 minutes longer. Soften gelatin in cold water, then add it to hot egg mixture, whipping hard. Add butter and cool. Fold in  stiffly beaten egg whites, whipped milk and vanilla. Pour into shell, sprinkle generously with nutmeg. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

Piecrust:  Mix 16 graham crackers (crushed) or 1 1/4 graham cracker crumbs with 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup softened margarine. Press against sides and bottom of a 9 inch pan. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 8 minutes. Cool and fill with pie filling.

Angel Food Strudel

Mix together by hand the flour and butter. Add egg yolks and water. Lastly, add vinegar. Divide dough into 7 balls. Refrigerate overnight. 

Filling:

• 1/2 lb ground nuts

• 1 1/2 cup sugar

• 1 box angel food cake mix

• maraschino cherries

Mix together nuts and sugar. Prepare an angel food cake mix. Roll each ball of dough on a floured towel in a 10-inch circle. Sprinkle with sugar and nut mixture. Place 16 dabs of angel food cake batter on each circle. Place a piece of cherry on each dab. Roll dough with a towel. Seal edges. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. When cool, ice if desired.

Heritage Cake

• 1 cup sugar

• 1/2 cup butter or margarine                                

• 3 eggs. separated

• 2 cup sifted cake flour

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1 tsp grated lemon rind

• 1/8 tsp nutmeg

• 3/4 cup milk

All ingredients should be at room temperature before mixing cake. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare two 8-inch lay pans by greasing lightly and dusting with flour. Soften butter in a large mixing bowl. Add sugar gradually, creaming until daffodil yellow. Add 3 egg yolks, beating until mixture is light. Resift flour with baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Add lemon rind. Stir to blend. Add flour mixture to butter mixture in three parts, with third of milk at each addition. Stir batter until smooth after each addition. Pour into prepared layer pans. Bake in preheated oven 25  minutes or until cake springs back to touch. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes. Then turn onto rack to complete cooling. Use favorite filling or icing.

Poinsettia Sandwich "Cake"

Trim all crust off top and bottom of 1 round white loaf of bread. Slice loaf in 3 circles 1 inch in width. Spread each circle with soft butter. Spread bottom slice with ham filling; top with slice of bread and cover with egg filling. Top with third slice, with buttered side nest to egg filling. Chill several hours wrapped in clear plastic wrap. 

Ham Filling:

• 2 cups chopped cooked ham

• 1/3 cup pickle relish

• 1/4 cup chopped celery                                            

Mix well.

Egg Filling:

• 5 hard-cooked eggs. well chopped

• 1/3 cup chopped stuffed olives

• 1/3 cup mayonnaise

• 1 1/2 tsp prepared mustard

• 1 tsp grated onion

• salt and pepper to taste

Mix well.

Trimming:

• 16 oz cream cheese

• 1/3 cup light cream

Beat until smooth and fluffy. Spread on sides and top of loaf. Trim top with a poinsettia cut from pimiento. Use sifted hard-cooked egg yolks for center of poinsettia. 

Serves 10

Christmas Salad

• 1 pkg lemon gelatin                                                            

• 2 cups hot cranberry juice cocktail

• 1 banana

• 1 tbl lemon juice

• 1/2 cup crushed pineapple

• 1/2 cup finely chopped celery

Dissolve gelatin in cranberry juice which has been slightly sweetened and chill. Slice banana and cover with lemon juice. Add Pineapple and chopped celery to banana and fold all into slightly thickened gelatin. Turn into individual Molds. Chill until firm. Unmold on crisp lettuce. Serve with cranberry mayonnaise made by folding 1/2 cup heavy cream whipped into 1/3 cup mayonnaise. Add a sprinkling of slat and 1 1/2 tablespoon cranberry juice cocktail. If a sweeter dressing is desired, add a small amount of confectioners sugar.