Cranberry Relish

1-12 oz package raw cranberries
1 seedless orange
6 T sugar

If you froze the cranberries, do not thaw! Rinse the cranberries and drain. Put one-third of the cranberries in the bowl of a food processor. Rinse the orange, but DO NOT peel it. Cut the orange in half, and remove the pith running through the center of the orange. Cut each half into three or four slices. Put about one-third of the orange slices in the processor. Process until the mixture is chopped, but not pureed. Remove the mixture to a mixing bowl.

Process the remaining cranberries and orange slices in two batches and add to the mixture in the mixing bowl. Add the sugar. The relish should be tart, but not too mouth-puckering. If necessary add sugar to taste.

Store the relish in a covered dish. Refrigerate several hours or overnight. This relish tastes best when made a day ahead.

White Bean Dip

1-10 oz can white beans, rinsed and drained
3 T chunky peanut butter
3 T olive oil
2 T plain yogurt
2 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced
juice from 1/2 lime
1 t cumin seed, toasted (See note, below)
3 whole cloves
1/4 t black pepper corns
1/8 t cayenne pepper
1/4 t salt

Combine one-half of the beans and the peanut butter in a food processor bowl, and process until the peanut butter and the beans are incorporated. Scrape the mixture into a mixing bowl.

In the processor bowl, combine the remaining beans and the yogurt, and process until smooth. Scrape the mixture into the mixing bowl. Add the garlic and lime juice to the bean mixture.

In a grinder, or mortar, grind the cumin, cloves, and black pepper corns. Add all of the spices to the bean mixture.

Whisk the dip until all the ingredients are mixed together. Garnish with a swirl of olive oil and paprika. Serve with pita or crackers.

Chicken Paprika

1 large cooked chicken
4 T paprika
3 T cooking oil
2 onions sliced
2 green peppers, chopped
1/2 lb sliced mushrooms
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 c chicken broth
salt and pepper
2 c sour cream
2 T cornstarch

Remove the chicken meat from the skin, bones, and carcass. (Save the skin and bones to make stock.) Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces.

In a dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the paprika and fry for a minute. Add the onions, peppers, mushrooms, and garlic. Fry for five minutes or so until the vegetables are soft. Stir occasionally.

Add the chicken and chicken broth. Cover the pot, and simmer for at least an hour, stirring occasionally.

In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with some of the cooking liquid. Slowly stir into the pot, and cook until the liquid is thickened. Remove the pot from the heat. Slowly stir in the sour cream. Serve over noodles or rice.

Rodkaal – Danish Braised Red Cabbage

Serves 6 – Note: best made at least one day before serving. This recipe come from a Moscow, Idaho childhood friend, Karen Barr.

1 medium head of red cabbage (about 2 lbs)
4 T butter cut into pieces
1 T sugar
1 t salt
1/3 c water
1/3 c white wine vinegar
1/4 c red or black currant jelly
2 T grated apple

Wash the cabbage, remove tough outer leaves and cut the head from pole to pole. Cut out the core and slice thinly to make roughly 9 Cups shredded cabbage.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Combine butter, sugar, salt, water and vinegar in a cast iron Dutch oven or 4 – 5 qt enameled iron casserole. On the stove top, melt the butter mixture and add shredded cabbage, tossing with a wooden spoon. Bring to a boil, cover with a lid, and place the pot in the oven to braise for 2 hours.

About 10 minutes before the cabbage is finished, stir in the currant jelly and grated apple, then pop back in the oven to complete cooking.

The “piquant” taste will improve if by resting the cooked cabbage in the fridge overnight – I add a another Tablespoon of currant jelly, then reheat on top of the stove to serve hot as a side dish for pork, goose, or turkey.

Eggnog

Yields about 1/2 gallon

6 eggs
1 pt Kentucky whiskey or bourbon
1 c dark rum
1 pt heavy cream
1 pt half and half
1/2 c sugar
grated nutmeg

Note: Start this process at least two weeks before you want to drink it.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs until yellow and thick. Add the liquors, and stir until blended.

In another bowl, beat the heavy cream until it is thickened (to very soft peaks - don't overbeat). Fold the whipping cream into the egg mixture. Add the half and half and sugar, and stir until the eggnog is combined.

Pour the eggnog into clean containers (I use empty liquor bottles), and cover tightly. Let this mellow in your refrigerator for at least a couple of weeks, more likely a couple of months. Serve in cups and sprinkle with freshly grated nutmeg.

Toffee

Norma Dobler

1 c butter
1 c sugar
3 T water

Boil rapidly 10 minutes on high.

Add 1 t vanilla. Pour into two 9-inch pie pans. As soon as slightly set on surface, place 1-1/2 Hershey bars on each. Spread to cover surface, cool, and break into pieces. ou can spread surface with chopped nuts.

Note: This recipe was from my mother's best friend, Norma Dobler. This was always a Christmas treat, and we often received a box of toffee from the Doblers.

Light Fruit Cake

Mrs. Mildred McIlvaine

1 c shortening
1 c sugar
1/2 c honey
3 c flour
1/4 t soda
2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1 c milk
1 c apricot jam
1 c coconut, chopped
1 jar fruit mix
grated rind 1 orange
grated rind 1 lemon
4 eggs, separated
1 c white raisins, chopped
1/2 c citron, chopped
1 c candied cherries
1/2 c candied pineapple
1/2 c walnuts
1/2 c almonds
1/2 c cherry juice
1/4 c lemon juice
1/4 c orange juice

Cream shortening and egg yolks. Add sugar, gradually, then honey and jam. Beat well.

Sift 2 c flour with soda, baking powder, and salt. Use remaining c of flour to flour fruits and nuts.

Add the sifted flour alternately with milk to the creamed shortening mixture, beating well after each addition. Stir in the coconut and grated rinds.

Whip egg whites until they hold shape, almost stiff, and fold in. Stir in flour fruits and nuts.

Bake in slow oven (300°) for 1-1/2 hours. This will make 3 small cakes or 2 large ones.

Pour fruit juice over dake while still warm.

We made this fruitcake many times over the years. This is mother's version of Mrs. McIlvaine's recipe. You can tell it's a popular recipe, because the card is spattered with many years of cake batter.

Happy's Duck Pâté

Make this recipe the day after you roast a duck. Save the neck, giblets and the roasted carcass and make a rich duck stock to use in this recipe.

3 c shredded duck meat (neck, giblets, carcass)
2 eggs
2 T duck fat
1-1/2 c duck stock (brown stock)
1 c port
2/3 c breadcrumbs
1 t crushed peppercorns
1/2 t kosher salt
1 t dried sage

Combine 1 c stock and the port in a saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil over medium heat until the liquid is reduced to 1 c.

In a mixing bowl, combine the shredded meat, fat, bread crumbs. eggs, and spices. Adjust to your taste. If mixture appears dry, add some additional stock.

When the stock/port mixture is reduced, remove from heat and cool slightly. Stir into the duck mixture. The result should appear moist, but hold its shape.

Grease a quart covered baking dish. Scrape the duck mixture into the baking dish. Set the baking dish into a larger baking pan, and pour boiling water in the pan halfway up the side of the dish. Bake in a 300° oven for 1 hour.

White Fruit Cake

1 c butter
1-1/2 c sugar
1/3 c pineapple juice
1 T lemon juice
2 T orange juice
2/3 c coconut
1/2 c almonds
1 jar fruit mix
2 t baking powder
1/4 c white raisins
1/3 c chopped candied cherries
1-1/2 t vanilla
1/2 t salt
1/3 c chopped figs
1/2 c chopped dates
5 eggs beaten
2 c flour

Cream butter and sugar. Add rest of the ingredients and mix thoroughly. Pour into a loaf pan that has been lined with waxed paper. Bake 2 hours in a slow oven. Increase heat and bake for 20 minutes. Put pan of water in oven.

Note: Slow oven is 300°. I'm pretty sure you put the pan of water in the oven when you increase the heat to 350°. I'm guessing that you can substitute 1 lb of mixed candied fruit for the jar of fruit mix.

Dark Fruit Cake

1 lb (2 c) buter
2 c brown sugar
1 c dark molasses
1 c dark jam
6 eggs
4 c flour
1/2 t soda
1/4 t salt
2 t cinnamon
1 t allspice
1 t mace
2 t nutmeg
1/2 t cloves
1 c coffee, triple-strength
1/2 c orange juice
2 T lemon juice
2 c currants, chopped
2 c raisins, chopped
1 c dates for figs, chopped
2 c citron, chopped
1 c candied cherries
1 c candied lemon rind
1 c candied orange rind
1 c almonds
1 c walnuts

Cream butter, add brown sugar. Stir in molasses & jam & add egg yolks, beaten slightly. Beat until creamy & smooth. Reserve 2 c flour for nuts & fruits & sift rest with soda, salt, & spices. Stir in flour mixture alternately with coffee & fruit juices & beat thoroughly. Whip egg whites until they hold shape, almost stiff & fold in. stir in floured fruit, rind, & nuts.

Bake in cake pans lined with thin waxed paper. Bake 3 hours in very slow oven (250°) for large cakes; 2-1/2 hours in slow oven (300°) for small ones. This will make 2 large or 4 small cakes.

I grew up with this recipe. Every year during the long Thanksgiving weekend, Mom, Dad and I would make this fruitcake recipe, or the white fruitcake. I always like this one the best. This is a very good recipe. The cakes should be tightly wrapped and aged for at least a month before eating.