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 There are many foods that people look forward to
as part of the Christmas feast. A traditional Christmas dinner might
include turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberries,
and vegetables such as green bean casserole or carrots. Most
everyone looks forward to pumpkin, apple, or pecan pie or raisin
pudding for dessert.
Family recipes are handed down from grandma to mom to children to
grandchildren, along with the stories that accompany the recipe.
These special recipes, though different around the world, cannot be
modified without the threat of being tossed out of the family.
In Israel, latkes are served during Hanukkah, a Jewish holiday, also
known as the “Festival of Lights.”
This holiday celebrates a miracle recorded in the Old Testament of
the Bible – one night’s oil lasted for eight nights. Therefore, many
foods eaten during Hanukkah are fried. The latkes are a potato cake
fried until golden and crispy. Sometimes served with a sweet
topping, the latke is a favorite Jewish food tradition.
Potato Latke
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/16073/potato-latkes-i/
Ingredients:
2 cups peeled and shredded potatoes
1 TBSP grated onion
3 eggs, beaten
2 TBSP all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp salt
½ cup peanut oil for frying |
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Instructions:
Place the
potatoes in a cheesecloth and wring, extracting as much
moisture as possible.
In a medium bowl stir the potatoes, onion, eggs, flour and
salt together.
In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat,
heat the oil until hot. Place large spoonful’s of the potato
mixture into the hot oil, pressing down on them to form ¼ to
½ inch thick patties. Brown on one side, turn and brown on
the other. Let drain on paper towels. Serve hot!
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In England, mince (also called mincemeat) pies
have been a Christmas food tradition since European crusaders
returned from the Holy Land. It is thought that they brought with
them exotic spices that when mixed with meats and fruits created
sweet and savory pies.
Typically, three spices were used in the pies: cinnamon, cloves, and
nutmeg, representing the three gifts the Magi gave to the Christ
child.
Rich people showed off at Christmas with pies made into different
shapes: stars, hearts, crescents, and flowers, which proved that
they could afford the best pastry chefs.
Ingredients for a mince pie have changed over time, but it is still,
today, a favorite holiday tradition in some families.
Deborah Parker learned to make Mincemeat pie from good friends, Buck
and Lois Snyder, using venison or beef. For a while Parker’s dad,
Jack Getchel, was the only one who ate it. It wasn’t long, however,
before Parker’s boys grew to love it and request it when they were
in Illinois (from Tennessee) for Christmas.
Mincemeat Pie Filling
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/12587/
mincemeat-pie-filling/?internalSource=
hub20recipe&referringContentType=
Search&clickId=cardslot%2010
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups diced cooked beef
4 cups chopped apples
1 ½ cups raisins
¼ cup sweet pickle juice
¼ cup pineapple juice
1 large orange, peeled and cut into bite-size
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 ½ cups white sugar
½ cup sorghum
1 cup beef broth |
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Instructions:
Combine
the cooked beef, apples, raisins, sweet pickle vinegar,
pineapple, orange, salt, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar,
sorghum and 1 cup beef broth. Store in the refrigerator or
freeze until ready to us.
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The Yule log was burned during a feast to
celebrate winters end. To cleanse the air of the previous year and
usher in the spring, logs were decorated with holly, pinecones and
ivy. In France, a cake version of the Yule log, the “Bûche de Noël”
was popularized in the 19th century.
The Yule log cake was a filled sponge cake, rolled to look like a
log and frosted with chocolate buttercream to look like tree bark.
Bakeries competed with elaborate decorations of meringue mushrooms,
marzipan holly sprigs, and spun sugar cobwebs. Few family bakers
make Yule log cakes today, but if you get the chance you should not
pass up a slice.
Bûche de Noël (Yule Log)
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/255736/
buche-de-noel-yule-log/?internalSource=
hub20recipe&referringContentType=Search
&clickId=cardslot%204
Cake
Ingredients:
2 tsp butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ tsp fine salt
4 eggs, separated
¾ cup confectioners’ sugar, divided
1 tsp vanilla extract |
Cake
instruction:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9X13-inch jelly roll
pan with 1 tsp butter and line with parchment paper. Grease
parchment paper with 1 tsp butter.
Whisk flour, cocoa power, and salt together in a small bowl.
Beat egg whites in a bowl on a medium-high speed until
foamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add ½ cup confectioners’
sugar and beat until stiff peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes more.
Fold egg yolk mixture gently into the egg whites. Fold flour
mixture in gradually until batter is smooth.
Pour batter into the prepared jelly roll pan and spread
evenly with an offset spatula.
Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into
the center comes out clean, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool, about
30 minutes. |
Whipped
Cream Filling:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
3 TBSP confectioners’ sugar
1 TBSP sour cream
Chocolate Ganache:
½ cup heavy whipping cream
8 oz dark chocolate chips |
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Assembly:
Combine 1
cup heavy cream, 3 TBSP confectioners’ sugar, and sour cream
in a bowl; blend with an electric mixer on medium-high speed
until stiff, 1 to 2 minutes.
Turn the jelly roll pan so the shorter side faces you.
Spread whipped cream over the cake, leaving a 2-inch border
at the top. Roll up cake toward the uncovered border,
letting the parchment paper fall away as you roll. Place
roll seam-side down on a serving platter.
Place ½ cup heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium-low
heaty until warmed through, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat
and stir in chocolate chips. Let stand until chocolate
softens, about 3 minutes. Stir with a spatula or wooden
spoon until ganache is smooth and creamy.
Drizzle chocolate ganache over rolled cake. Let stand until
set, about 5 minutes.
Run a fork through the ganache to create a tree bark effect. |
[to top of second column] |
 Teresa Schrader shared that her husband, Randy,
bakes “Orange Cookies” and delivers them on Christmas Eve.
The tradition of Christmas cookies in the United States can be
traced to the early 17th century, brought by the Dutch. More like
biscuits, the first Christmas cookies were neither soft nor sweet.
Instead, they were hard and lasted weeks without spoiling.
The tradition of leaving cookies for Santa started with the Dutch
children leaving treats out for Father Christmas’ horse. Leaving
cookies and milk for Santa can be drawn to the Great Depression.
During this time, parents wanted to teach their children to share
with others.
Schrader has been sharing his cookies for at least 15 years. So,
many of his loved ones look forward to the Christmas delivery each
year. The Schrader’s have two adult sons who request warm Orange
Cookies when they are home for Christmas.
Grandma’s Special Orange
Cookies
Cook
ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1 cup margarine, softened
2 eggs, beaten
¾ tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk mixed with 1 tsp baking soda
4 ½ cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
Juice and grated rind of large orange (good skin)
½ cup nuts or raisins, optional |
Cookie
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°.
Grease a cookie sheet.
Cream sugar, margarine, and eggs.
Sift together flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed
mixture alternately with the buttermilk-soda, starting and
ending with dry ingredients.
Add orange juice and rind. Mix until smooth.
Drop by tsp on cookie sheet and bake for 12 minutes.
Bake for 12 minutes. |
| Frosting
ingredients:
1/3 cup
margarine, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1 lb confectioners sugar
Juice and grated rind of orange |
Cream
margarine and vanilla.
Gradually add confectioners sugar, beating thoroughly after
each addition.
Mix in rind and add 3 – 4 TBSP orange juice gradually
beating until frosting is of spreading consistency. |
Caryn Quarton Collins and her husband, Steve, had dear friends when
their children were little. Since no one in the other family cooked
much, the Collins family invited them over for several years around
Christmas time. They always served breakfast for supper and on the
menu each year were “Mom’s Cinnamon Rolls.” Collins did not share
the entire recipe but shared the difference from conventional
cinnamon roll recipes.
Mom’s Cinnamon Rolls
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The filling was
brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter. After the rolls were
rolled out, cut in slices, and put in the pan, they were
allowed to rise. Bake for 15 minutes at 350°
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Icing:
In a large pan, combine 2 cups sugar and 1 2/3 cups cream of
Half and Half. Bring to a boil while stirring to dissolve
sugar. Remove from heat and stir in ¼ tsp. baking soda.
Remove cinnamon rolls from oven and pour evenly over rolls.
Return to oven and bake until golden, about 5 more minutes.
Serve warm.
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Karen Hargis and her son, Scott, were adopted into
Hargis’ best friend’s family about 40 years ago. For as long as they
can remember, the Paris/Seggelke special Christmas dinner was “Champ
Sandwiches.” What is a Champ Sandwich? Hargis asked the same thing
when she first heard of it.
The Champ Sandwich from Jerry’s Restaurant located in Lexington,
Kentucky had thinly sliced ham grilled with swiss cheese, tomato,
lettuce, and a special sauce, kind of like thousand island dressing.
While Jerry’s Restaurant in Lexington closed in 1989, the Champ
Sandwich can still be found on the menu at the privately owned
Jerry’s Restaurant in Paris, Kentucky.
For the Hargis’ and this wonderful family, the Champ Sandwich was an
ongoing tradition; the perfect “go to,” easy to fix, family friendly
meal they could eat quickly so they could get back to the real party
. . . the Christmas story, games and gifts.
Just the mention of Christmas, brings different images into the
minds of those who celebrate. There is something comforting about
following the same traditions mom and dad did during the holidays,
especially when it comes to food. Certain foods are fully ingrained
into family holidays and eaten only once a year. What makes these
recipes so special are the memories with family, year after year. It
is the traditional favorites that make Christmas perfect!
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