Favorite Holiday Recipes...

TarHeelMom

TarHeelMom

Cathlete
Hey folks!

Honeybunch's recipes (which I've been collecting into my own little ringbinder Cathe's Forum Recipes Cookbook) have inspired me -- I made a couple of real goodies this weekend for an open house and thought I'd share them with my favorite educated crowd. Both of these are family recipes that my mother has made at Christmas for years.

The "Shortcut Coconut Cake" is more recent, and it now takes the place on Christmas Day of my mom's famous, but VERY labor-intensive and time-consuming, from-scratch coconut layer cake. I have childhood memories of looking out a frosty window on Christmas morning early to see my mom chasing a coconut around on the patio with a nail and hammer, ready to pound it open for fresh milk and coconut meat. These days she doesn't do that anymore, but my children love their Mimi's "Shortcut" cake just as much.

So -- with my fond compliments. I'd love to see some of your families' favorite recipes, too!



Charleston Butter-Me-Nots:9

These little bite-size biscuits melt in your mouth. They take nothing to prepare and are wonderful on Christmas morning with a wee bit of good ham or bacon tucked inside...

Blend gently together in a large bowl:
1 cup sour cream (don't use fat free, may use low fat)
1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup margarine (the compromise) OR
1 cup butter (better!) (Note: DON'T use all margarine)
2 cups self-rising flour OR 2 cups all-purpose flour plus 1/2 tsp. baking soda and 1 1/2 tsp baking powder

Drop by spoonfuls onto lightly greased baking sheets, or into lightly greased mini-muffin tins. Bake at 400 degrees for 15" until lightly browned. Serve immediately.




Mimi's Shortcut Coconut Cake (courtesy of Joyce O'Shields -- I love ya, Mom!)

1 box Golden Yellow Butter Recipe cake mix (my mom uses Duncan Hines)
1 can Eagle condensed milk (not fat free)
1 can cream of coconut (local brands here are Goya and Coco Lopez, and this is usually found on the grocery aisle with the drink mixers)
2 pkgs Baker's frozen sweetened flaked coconut, thawed
Cool Whip (medium container) thawed, or if you prefer real whipped cream


Bake cake per package instructions, in a 9 X 13 sheet pan. While it's still warm, poke a million deep holes in the cake with a fork (I use a serving fork to make the holes bigger). Don't be afraid to poke like mad -- the more holes the better.
In a small saucepan, warm together the Eagle milk and the cream of coconut. You'll need to whisk this to blend it well. Do not boil.
Pour warmed milks over the sheetcake and cool to room temperature. The milk will soak completely into the cake, and a little may puddle at the corners. Don't worry about that.
When the cake is completely cooled, frost it with the Cool Whip or whipped cream and coat it completely with coconut. (I usually have some left over, but use more than one bag.)

Refrigerate covered. Will stay moist and yummy for about 4 to 5 days, but won't last that long! Totally decadent and delicious! :9:9:9



Happy holidays to all of you!

Kathy S. and the wild boys bunch in Atlanta

(Today's my younger son Evan's 11th birthday!!!)
 
Mincemeat, please!

I love mincemeat, and it ticks me off that it seems to be limited to the Xmas holiday season!! What law is there on the books that says you can only eat mincemeat starting with Thanksgiving!!!!??????? Not fair!

I used to have a great recipe for "Yummy Mincemeat Bars" which I got out of a magazine during the Carter administration, and have lost it. It was very sugary and sickening sweet with a crumbly topping with walnuts. Can anyone help me with this one? I've tried searching the "Soar" site, but can't seem to come up with the exact one I want.

Also, do any of you have a recipe that incorporates chocolate and mincemeat? I've seen pumpkin and mincemeat, but not chocolate. Of course, I don't want to settle for a plain old mince pie.....that's too dull.

Help, please, all you educated eaters!!!!!! ;-)
 
Hey Honeybunch --

I don't have the mincemeat recipe for you, but I did want to mention that I mzde one of your cakes for my son Evan's birthday (The Incredible Melted Ice Cream Cake -- made with Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia) and they were a HUGE hit with the 11-year-old boys crowd!

I have a question re: the Candy Bar Cake -- do you make up the cake batter per package directions, or just use the dry mix? The recipe doesn't seem to have enough liquid in it to just use the dry mix.

Thanks so much for all the yummy ideas!

Kathy S.
 
Hi Kathy! What a great idea. I also think its cute that you have created a forum recipe book. I'm not home right now to give a recipe but I will certainly print out yours and give them a try (along with honeybunches). YUMMY :9
 
RE: Hey Honeybunch --

No, you don't make the cake according to the package directions. Using just the brown sugar, melted margarine and eggs is enough moisture to make the batter.

That chick IS the "Cake Mix Doctor," and she sure tweeks the normal procedure of putting together a dull old cake. I'll bet I've sold a lot of copies of that book for her!!!
 
Hang in there Kath. I keep seeing this when I am at work and unable to reach my cookbook from here. I will try to write a couple down in the next day or two. One is called Bright Stars, a recipe from back home (Germany). It is more of a pastry cookie with apricot filling and takes quite a bit of time. The other is not really a holiday cake but a chocolate layer cake with a cream cheese and chocolate candy bar filling. MMMMMMM!
 
Cathe!!!!! I'm really looking forward to that cake recipe with the candy bar filling!!!!!! This weekend I'm making a "Holy Cow Cake." Can't wait for this one!!!!!! I get excited easily over sweets, you see. :9:9:9:9:9:9:9:9:9:9:9:9:9:9:9:9:9:9

It's probably something from my childhood, because I wasn't allowed to have a lot of sweets when I was growing up, and now I just go nuts. Thank goodness for discipline and Cathe tapes!!!!!
 
EVERYONE....

...would get EXCITED over sweets if they tried HB's recipes. She makes it tough on us that need to FIGHT the urge to indulge, but hey, it's worth popping a Cathe vid in right before or after you treat yourself! :9 Your-Friend-In-Fitness, DebbieH :)
 
Here's what I'm munching on now....

...it's not Christmas in my house without butter tarts. I made these for my kids' daycare party using pre-made tart shells, but you can use pie pastry to line muffin tins and make them that way too (more authentic).

Here's the filling:

1 1/2 c seedless raisins
1/3 c butter (works better if melted first)
3/4 c brown sugar
3/4 c corn syrup
1/8 tsp salt
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla (I substituted 1/2 tsp maple extract)
2 tsp vinegar (I used lemon juice)
dash cinnamon, nutmeg or allspice (optional)

Soak raisins in hot water first, drain and dry. Combine all other ingredients BY HAND, if you use a hand or electric beater it foams all over the place when baking.

Okay, now fill the tart shells with the raisins, then pour filling over to 2/3 full or so.

Bake at 400 F for 10 minutes, turn down to 350 and bake 10 minutes more till pastry is golden and filling is bubbly.
Makes 24-30 small, or 12-15 large tarts.

Bet you can't eat just one!

Sophie
 
MILK CHOCOLATE BAR CAKE

Here is the recipe to the milk chocolate bar cake. I will post the "Bright Star" recipe a little later.

MILK CHOCOLATE BAR CAKE

1 (18.25 ounce) package Swiss Chocolate cake mix

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softenend

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

10 (1.5 ounce) milk chocolate candy bars with almonds, divided

1 (12 ounce)container frozen whipped topping, thawed


PREPARE...cake batter according to package directions. Pour into 3 greased and floured 8 inch round cake pans.

BAKE...at 325 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean (if not, lick the tooth pick clean:9 and put cake back in the oven for a short bit) Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes(now, now, did you use a fresh toothpick to test it? HA). Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.


BEAT...cream cheese, powdered sugar, and granulated sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until mixture is creamy.

CHOP...8 candy bars finely(you don't have to use nuts in your candy bars if you don't want too). Fold cream cheese mixture and chopped candy into whipped topping.

SPREAD...icing between layers and on top and sides of cake. Chop remaining 2 candy bars. Sprinkle half of chopped candy bars over cake. Press remaining chopped candy along bottom edge of cake(of course, you can always add more candy if you like:9)

DIG IN!!!!
 
RE: MILK CHOCOLATE BAR CAKE

Wow, does that sound terrific, Cath! It certainly gets this chocoholic's mouth watering -- can't wait to try it over the holidays!

What's Santa bringing to our favorite little kickboxer, by the way?

Kathy S.
 
Hey HB, Get over here!

This sounds like a "chocoholic's" dream. Thanks Cathe~This will definitely be in my Christmas plans to make. I LOVE cream cheese in recipes! :9 Your-Friend-In-Fitness, DebbieH :)
 
RE: Mincemeat, please!

I found a recipe for Cranberry Spiced Mini-Tarts on the back of a pkg. of craisin.
1 1-pound 12 oz. jar rum mincemeat
1 1/4 cups craisins Sweetened Dried Cranberries
2 1 pound 2 ozs. pkgs. refrigerated sugar cookie dough
Preheat oven to 350 Spray mini-muffin tins with a non-stick spray.
Combine mincemeat and dried cranberries in a medium mixing bowl;
set aside.
Cut cookie dough into 32 1/4 inch slices. Roll easch slide into a ball; place one in each muffin cup. Bake for 10 minutes or until dough is golden brown and slightly firm but has not set.
Remove from the oven; use a round measuring tsp. to dently press down dought to form a shallow indent. Spoon 1/2 tbsp.filling into each tart shell. Bake for an additional 10 minutes or until shell is frim. Let cool for 3 minutes. Remove from tins.
Makes 32 mini tarts.

I bought all the ingredients to make them this weekend if there is time. I'll let you know how they are. ( No Chocolate though)
Maybe you could make them with chocolate refrigerated cookie dough .... food for thought!!!!
Love your recipes.
 
RE: MILK CHOCOLATE BAR CAKE

Thanks, Cathe!!! That's my kind of cake!!!!!:9
 
Hey HB!

Just to let you know, I went to B.J.'s at Chapel Hill tonight and bought 36 Hershey Bars w/Almonds for $11 and some odd cents. I thought that was a good price. (Plus, that's enough candy bars to make the recipe 3X!!!!!!) I haven't been able to stop thinking about this recipe since Cathe posted it! Sounds like it's an IMax-day tomorrow! :D Your-Friend-In-Fitness, DebbieH :)
 
Re: a deal on Hershey Bars

Thanks for the tip....I bake so much that I buy some of my ingredients in bulk at the wholesale clubs. I just did a recipe with Butterfinger Candy Bars, which I will be posting later.

I will try Cathe's recipe next week!!!:9:9:9:9

This will be an all-out exercise week with Saturday the 23rd and next Monday the 25th being pig-out days. The truck stop is having another holiday buffet, so Sweetie Pie are going there for Xmas brunch. :9:9:9:9:9

Ain't we got fun??!!!! :D
 
BRIGHT STARS COOKIES

This one takes a little time and its a fussy dough but the cookie is YUMMY. It is more like a pastry type cookie than a crunchie dense cookie.

BRIGHT STARS

5 cups sifted flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 pound Crisco
6 egg yokes
1 1/4 cup milk
2 yeast packets (follow directions for yeast on packet)
2 to 3 jars Bakers Apricot Filling


Mix together all of the above ingredients(except for Apricot filling). Divide dough into 6 parts for easier handling. Place parts on cookie sheet and refrigerate for one hour. Now, mix one cup of sugar and two cups of ground walnuts in a bowl and divide into 6 parts. Once dough is chilled, pour one sugar nut mixture on board and roll out one portion of dough thin. Make pinwheel cut outs and fill center with 1/2 teaspoon apricot filling(or desired filling). Place on cookie sheet one inch apart. Bake at 375 degrres for 10 to 12 minutes. Edges will be lightly browned when done. Remove from cookie sheet immediately to cool. When ready to serve, sprinkle with confectioners sugar.

Store any left over cookies in refrigerator. When ready to eat, let stand 10 minutes and then sprinkle with confectioners sugar.

Enjoy!
 
RE: BRIGHT STARS COOKIES

Cath, another one worth waiting for. You said this is from "the old country" -- a grandmother recipe? And do you know why they're called Bright Stars? Do they look like stars when done?

Thanks!

Kathy S.
 
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