Sunday, December 6, 2009

Favorite Cabin Christmas Recipes

Crissy's friend, Kay Landry from LA
introduced this recipe to our family.
It is an annual treat!
Sweet Potato Souffle
2 C Mashed Sweet Potatoes
1/2 stick Butter
1/2 t Nutmeg
1/2 t Cinnamon
1 C Milk
2 Eggs
1 1/4 C Sugar

400 degrees 30 minutes or until set

Add topping and heat
Topping
3/4 C Crushed Corn Flakes
1/2 stick Butter
1/2 C Brown Sugar
1/2 C Nuts



This is an old favorite that I found in a Dear Abby column many years ago: 

Southern Pecan Pie
1 C White Corn Syrup
1 C Brown Sugar
1/3 C Melted Butter
3 Eggs
Dash Vanilla
Pinch Salt
1 C Pecans
Mix all ingredients well.  Pour into unbaked pie crust.
Bake at 350 - 45-50 minutes or until set.
Pie Crust (from the crisco package)
2 C Flour
1 t Salt
3/4 C Crisco
5 T Cold Water
Mix flour and salt.  Cut in crisco.  Add water 1 T at a time.



A Christmas morning must-have with hot chocolate or coffee:
Peppermint Pound Cake
Cream together:  
1 C Shortening
2 C Sugar
Add, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition:
4 Eggs
Stir in:
1 t Peppermint Extract
1/2 t Salt
Beginning and ending with flour, add alternately:
3 C Flour
3/4 C Buttermilk
Combine and add to mixture:
1 t Soda
1 T Vinegar
Fold in:
1/4 C Crushed Peppermint Candy
Tint1/3 of batter with:
1/2 t Red Food Coloring
Alternately spoon pink and plain batter into greased and floured bundt pan.  Cut through batter with knife to give streaked effect.  Bake 325 for 1 hour 10 minutes.  Cool 10 to 15 minutes.  Remove from pan.  Sprinkle top of cake with additional crushed peppermint candy.  Finish cooling on wire rack.

Yummy, pretty and CHOCOLATE:
Peppermint BonBon Cookies
8 oz Bittersweet or Unsweetened Chcolate, chopped
1/2 C Unsalted Butter
1 1/2 oz Unsweetened Chocolate, chopped
1/2 C finely crushed hard Peppermint candies
6 T Sugar
3 Eggs
1 t Vanilla
1 t Peppermint Extract
1 1/2 C Flour
3/4 t Baking Powder
1/4 t Salt
1/2 C semi-sweet chocolate chips
Additional crushed hard Peppermint candy.
1/2 C Powdered Sugar
2 1/2 t Milk
1/2 C Semisweet Chocolate Morsels

Combine first 3 ingredients in a large saucepan. Cook over low heat until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 C crushed peppermint and 6 T sugar.  Let cool 30  minutes.
Add eggs one at a time, stirring well.  Stir in extracts.
Combine flour, baking powder and salt: add to chocolate mixture, stirring until combined.  Stir in chocolate morsels.  Cover and chill dough 2 hours or until firm enough to shape.
Shape into 1 1/2" balls, place on parchment lined baking sheets.  Bake at 325 for 12 to 13 minutes or until cookies are puffed and cracked on top.  Sprinkle crushed peppermints onto cookies, press lightly into cookies.  Cool 5 minutes.  Transfer to rack to cool completely.  Whisk together powdered sugar and milk, drizzle over cookies.  Drizzle melted chocolate.  Sprinkle again with crushed peppermint. 

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Favorite Christmas Movies at the cabin

We have these movie traditions each year.  I am sure that most families do and probably they are not much different than ours.

We started years ago with Christmas Vacation.  The holiday season just hasn't officially started until we have seen this one.  And everytime we see it, we find something new. 
Our favorite lines?  
Clark, "WORSE? How could things get any worse? Take a look around here, Ellen. We're at the threshold of hell."
"Where do you think you're going? Nobody's leaving. Nobody's walking out on this fun, old-fashioned family Christmas. No, no. We're all in this together. This is a full-blown, four-alarm holiday emergency here. We're gonna press on, and we're gonna have the hap, hap, happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby tap-danced with Danny ------- Kaye. And when Santa squeezes his fat white --- down that chimney tonight, he's gonna find the jolliest bunch of ------- this side of the nuthouse."


Playing next is Christmas with the Kranks.  This movie is geared more toward our age group and was made from the novel, Skipping Christmas by John Grisham.  It just seems to suit us and our love of cruising!  Cruise or Christmas?  hmmm.......

Of course, we enjoy Home Alone.  "Is this toothbrush approved by the American Dental Association?" is the question asked by Kevin when he has to shop.  And then there is this request for Santa, "This is extremely important. Will you please tell Santa that instead of presents this year, I just want my family back. No toys, nothing but Peter, Kate, Buzz, Megan, Linnie and Jeff. And my aunt and my cousins. And in a few years time, my Uncle Frank. Okay?"  We should all be so appreciative of our families! 

Elf was introduced to us a couple of years ago and we think that it is a very cute Christmas fantasy!  My favorite line, "SANTA'S COMING! I KNOW HIM! I KNOW HIM!"  Our favorite tune from Elf is 'Baby, it's cold outside!' 
 
Last year, we watched for the first time A Christmas Story.  Made in 1983, this movie was set in the 50s - our time!  "I want an Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle!" is the only desire of Ralphie!  But the common response throughout the movie is, "You'll shoot your eye out, kid."  It reminded us so much of our childhood - such a simple time! 
 
Happy holiday movie watching!