Have you ever wondered what your favorite author’s eat for the holidays? In the spirit of Christmas, the author of our Winter Selections have shared the recipes to their favorite holiday goodies.
Jennifer Erin Valent’s Sweet Potato Casserole
Sweet Potato Casserole
(Delicious! It’s like a dessert in and of itself!)
2 lbs. sweet potatoes
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tbsp. butter
1 egg, beaten
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2-3/4 cup milk
1 cup miniature marshmallows
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook potatoes and mash. Combine all ingredients except the marshmallows. Spoon mixture into a greased 1 1/2 qt. casserole. Top with marshmallows and bake 25-30 minutes or until the marshmallows are golden brown. Serves 6-8.
Bonnie Grove’s Holliday Chocolate Bon Bon Cookies
1 pkg. (6 squares) BAKER’S White Chocolate
1-1/2 pkg. (12 squares) BAKER’S Semi-Sweet Chocolate
1/4 cup butter
1 can (14 fl oz/300 mL) sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
2 Tbsp. icing sugar also called confectionary sugar, sifted
HEAT oven to 350°F.
CHOP each white chocolate square into 8 chunks; set aside. Microwave semi-sweet chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until butter is melted, stirring after 30 sec. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Blend in milk and vanilla. Add flour and nuts; mix well. (Dough will be stiff.)
SHAPE 1 level tablespoonful of dough around each white chocolate chunk, enclosing white chocolate completely. Place, 1 inch apart, on ungreased baking sheets.
BAKE 6 to 8 min. or cookies are until soft and shiny; Cool completely. (Cookies will firm up as they cool.) Sprinkle lightly with sugar.
How to Warm Cooled Cookies: To warm cookies and soften white chocolate centers after cooling, microwave each cookie on HIGH 10 to 15 sec. or just until warmed. Substitute pecans or almonds for the walnuts if you want to mix it up a little. You can also put any kind of chocolate in the center – bittersweet, dark, semi- sweet. If you’re not into the chopping, you can always use Hersey’s Kisses!
Tom Davis’ Divinity and Christmas Wassail
Divinity:
Ingredients:
4 cups sugar
1 cup white corn syrup
3/4 cup cold water
3 egg whites
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
2 cups chopped pecans
Directions
In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stir together the sugar, corn syrup, and water. Stir only until sugar has dissolved. Do not stir after this point. Cook syrup mixture until it reaches 250 degrees F on a candy thermometer, bringing it to a hard ball stage.
While the syrup is cooking, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Once the sugar mixture reaches 250 degrees F, carefully pour a slow steady stream of syrup into the stiffly beaten egg whites, beating constantly at high speed. Add the vanilla and continue to beat until mixture holds its shape, approximately 5 minutes. Stir in pecans.
Using 2 spoons, drop the divinity onto waxed paper, using 1 spoon to push the candy off the other. This may take a little practice because the technique is to twirl the pushing spoon, making the candy look like the top of a soft serve ice cream. If the candy becomes too stiff, add a few drops of hot water. You will need to work fast when making this type of candy. After you spoon the cooked sugar and nuts onto the waxed paper, you’re done. Cool the candies on racks completely.
Christmas Wassail
Ingredients:
12 small red apples
3 whole cloves
3 whole allspice
3 cardamom seed, coarsely broken
1 cinnamon stick, broken
6/7 quarts apple cider
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups sugar
6 eggs, separated
Directions:
Bake apples at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Set aside. Tie cloves, allspice, cardamom and cinnamon in cheesecloth bag. Place in kettle with 2 cups cider, ginger and nutmeg. Heat slowly 10 minutes; remove spice bag. Add remaining cider and sugar. Heat slowly 20 minutes. Do not boil. Beat egg whites to firm peaks. Beat yolks and fold in whites. Slowly beat in hot cider mixture until smooth. Carefully pour in punch bowl. Float apples on top. Serve warm in heated mugs or cups.
From our kitchen’s to yours, we wish you the most blessed and Merry Christmas!
