For many families, cooking and enjoying the special holiday foods prepared by our loved ones is a big part of the joy of Christmas. Authors Vasthi Reyes Acosta, Gail Sattler, Lynette Sowell, and Carrie Turansky would love to take this opportunity to have a little fun and share some of our favorite holiday recipes with you! We hope you enjoy these treats as much as we do.
Sarah's Carrot Cake
| 1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice | 1 tablespoon vanilla extract |
| 3 cups all-purpose flour | 1 1/2 cups shredded carrots |
| 2 3/4 cups white sugar | 1 1/4 cups flaked coconut |
| 1 tablespoon baking soda | 1 cup chopped walnuts |
| 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon | 1 cup confectioners' sugar |
| 1 teaspoon salt | |
| 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil | |
| 4 eggs, beaten |
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan.
Drain pineapple and reserve the juice, set aside.
2. In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
Make a well in the center of flour mixture and add oil, eggs and vanilla.
Beat until combined. Fold in carrots, coconut, walnuts and pineapple.
3. Pour into a 10 inch Bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C)
for 45 to 50 minutes, or until cake pulls away from pan. Cool in pan 15
minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
4. In a medium bowl, combine confectioners sugar and 2 tablespoons pineapple
juice. Beat until smooth, then drizzle over cake.
***
Holiday Stripes (a light dessert that's great after eating too much supper)
| 1 small package jelly powder (a dark color works best) | 1 1/2 cups boiling water |
| 1 tub Cool Whip |
Dissolve jelly powder in boiling water. When jelly powder is dissolved, immediatly whisk in 2 cups of the Cool Whip and pour into individual see-through serving dishes or parfait glasses. Chill until set. This separates into 2 layers. When set, top with unused thawed Cool Whip (must be set enough so the added Cool Whip will not sink. Serves 4
***
Cabbage Roll Casserole (just like cabbage rolls, but no rolling!)
| 3 cups coarsley shredded cabbage | 1 cup uncooked long grain rice |
| 1 lb ground beef | 1 package bacon |
| 1 onion, chopped | 1 tsp salt |
| 1 can tomato soup | 3 cups water, or more to taste |
| 1 package onion soup mix |
Cook ground beef until the red is gone, so it is cooked but not browned. In a separate pot, cook the rice with 2 cups water until only half cooked, set aside, do not drain. Fry bacon until crisp, drain, and chop into small pieces. When the ground beef is cooked and the rice is half-cooked, pour rice (and water) into same pan as the ground beef, add remaining ingredients, including remaining 1 cup water. Mix well and pour into oven-style casserole. Bake at 325 degrees for approx 1 1/2 hours until cabbage is tender and water is absorbed.
***
Ginger Snaps
| 3/4 cup butter | 2 1/4 cup flour |
| 2 tsp. soda | 1/2 tsp. cloves |
| 1 cup brown sugar | |
| 1/2 tsp salt | |
| 1/4 cup molasses | |
| 1 tsp cinnamon | |
| 1 egg | |
| 1 tsp ginger |
Mix the butter, brown sugar, molasses and egg until creamy. Add the flour, soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves and mix. Form into small balls and roll in granulated sugar. Bake 375 degrees for 12 minutes.
***
Seven Layer Salad
| Romaine lettuce, 1/2 head sliced | |
| Iceberg lettuce, 1 large wedge sliced | |
| Red cabbage, one small wedge | |
| 1 can water chestnuts | DRESSING |
| 1 small red onion thinly sliced | 1/2 cup light mayonaise |
| 4 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded | 1/4 cup light sour cream |
| 1 pkg. frozen petite green peas | 1/2 tsp curry powder |
| Red and green pepper for decoration | 1 Tbsp lemon juice |
Layer the ingredients in a pretty clear glass bowl. Top with the dressing (recipe above), totally covering the salad. Decorate with a creative design made with red and green peppers. We've made poinsettias, stars, an American Flag, and hotrod car! You can make this salad 24 hours ahead because the dressing seals and protects the vegetables. Enjoy!
***
AVENA (Dominican Oatmeal)
| one cup of water | 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract |
| 10 teaspoons of oatmeal | lemons zest |
| 3 dashes of nutmeg | 3 cups of milk |
| 1 stick of cinnamon | 5 tablespoons of sugar (or to taste) |
| 1 teaspoon of salt |
Heat water and add ingredients as listed. Stir until desired thickness. Serve warm. Serves four.
***
TOSTONES (Fried green plaintains)
2 green plaintain peeled and sliced half an inch thick
3 tablespoons of frying oil
Quick fry the sliced plaintains until bright yellow on both sides. Drain
on paper towels to absorb oil. Flatten plaintain between two small plates
and refry until golden. Sprinkle with garllic powder or salt. Serve warm.
Serves four.
***
COQUITO (non-alcholic Puerto Rican Egg Nog)
| 2 eggs | |
| 2 cans condensed milk | |
| 2 cans coconut milk | |
| 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon | |
| 1/4 teaspoon powder cloves | |
| 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg | |
| 1 teaspoon vanilla extract | |
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Amazon.com
Or you can buy it at your favorite online or local bookstore. |
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