HOLIDAY RECIPES

• Baked Squash and Apples
• Garlic Mud Chicken or Turkey
• Squash Soup
• Baked Brie
• Turkey Leftovers Quesadillas
• Cinnamon Apples
• Pumpkin Bread
• Vaughnzilla's Coffee Cake
• Pumpkin Pie With a 'Tude
• Scones
• Chocolate Sugar Bombs

Baked Squash and Apples

• 2 medium butternut squash
• 8 tart green apples
• 3/4 cup dried currants
• 3/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/3 cup butter, chunked
• 1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
• nutmeg, salt and pepper, to taste

Plump currants in 1 cup boiling water. Let stand. Peel, quarter lengthwise, seed and cut cross-wise the squash into 1/4 thick pieces (about 6 cups). Cook in a large pot of boiling water until almost tender (about 3 minutes). Drawn well and set aside. Peel, quarter and cut crosswise apples into 1/4 inch thick slices, (about 6 cups). Sprinkle with lemon juice. Lightly oil a 13x9x2 glass pan. Drain currants and mix them with apples and squash in the pan. Season generously with spices. Combine maple syrup and butter in a large glass measuring cup. Microwave at 10% power until the butter melts. Stir and pour over the pan. Toss to coat evenly. Bake at 350 until squash and apples are very tender, abotu 1 hour. Can be made ahead one day. Let cool, cover and keep refrigerated. Rewarm in microwave or oven. Leftovers can be frozen!

Garlic Mud Chicken or Turkey

• 1 large roaster chicken OR
• 1 large turkey breast
• 50-60 cloves of garlic (about 4-5 heads)
• 1 Tbsp cajun spices
• 1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper ot taste
• 3/4 cup oilice oil
• 1 cup flour

Preheat oven to 325. Wash and pat dry poultry. Put peeled garlic into a blender and 1/2 cup olive oil and spices. Blend until creamy, adding more oil if necessary. Place garlic "mud" in large blowl. Mix salt and pepper in with flour. Add flour slowly, mixing until a very heavy, thick, smooth, mud-like clay consistency is achieved. Thoroughly DRY the poultry or the mud will not stick! Using a spatula, coat poultry and as evenly as possibly with the mud. Fill all crevices, including between the wings and legs. Spread any left-over inside the cavity. Place on rack, roast 1.5-2.5 hours, depending on size, until well-browned. Salt and pepper are necessary to cover the 'floury' taste.

Squash Soup

• 2 cups cooked squash or canned pumpkin
• 2 Tbsp melted butter
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp dry mustard
• 1/2 cup diced fresh mushrooms
• 2 - 4 cups chicken stock
• 1/4 cup brown sugar

Saute onion, garlic and spices in melted butter until very soft, adding water if it begins to stick. Add mushrooms and cook 10 minutes more. Puree together with the squash. Pour puree into a large stock pot. Add chicken stock to desired consistency. Stir in brown sugar until it dissolves. Cook until hot, increasing spices to taste.

Baked Brie

• round of Brie cheese (must be uncut with white casing intact
• butter
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp parsley
• 1 tsp sage
• 1/2 to 1 cup cranberry sauce
• slivered almonds

Place cheese on an oven-proof plate. (A pie pan works well.) Spread top with butter. Mix spices together and sprinkle on to the butter, cover with almonds. Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes, or until the center is soft when you push down with the back of a spoon. While cheese is baking, warm leftover cranberries. Pour over top of cheese round. Serve warm with crackers or thinly sliced bread.

Turkey Leftovers Quesadillas

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 each red, green peppers, seeded and sliced into thin strips
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 1 cup chopped cooked turkey
• 1-2 cups cheddar or pepper jack cheese, shredded
• 4 eight inch flour tortillas

Heat oven to 400. Heat oil in medium skillet. Add peppers and saute until hot and crisp-tender. Add tomatoes and cook 3 minutes. Stir in turkey.until warmed. Place 2 tortillas on a large cookie sheet. Divide the turkey mixture into two and spread on each tortilla. Top with cheese. Top with another tortilla. Bake for 10 minutes. Cut into wedges to serve. Doubles nicely! Can spice it up if you desire with hot peppers, salsa, etc.

Cinnamon Apples

• 8 tart green apples
• 3/4 cup red cinnamon candies
• 3/4 cup water
• 2-3 cups water

Put everything but the apples into a pan. Bring water to a boil, stirring gently, so that the candies will dissolve. Peel apples, core and cut into quarters. Cook over very low heat until apples are tender. Let cool. Place in fridge overnight. Return to pan (or place in microwave!) and heat before serving. A nice treat with a pork roast.

Pumpkin Bread

• 1 Tbsp yeast
• 1/4 cup sugar, plus 1 tsp
• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3 Tbsp butter, softened
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp almond extarct
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 1 Tbsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp allspice
• 1/2 tsp salt

Proof yeast and 1 tsp sugar in warm water. Scald milk, remaining and sugar and butter in microwave safe bowl. Cool to 155 degrees. Pour into large mixing bowl. Beat in egg, extracts and pumpkin. Stir in yeast mixture. Combine flour with spices and salt and knead together with yeast mixture. Blend in remaining flour gradually to form a smooth, stiff dough. Knead well utnil dough is smooth and moist. Turn into greased bowl. Let rise until doubled. Pound down dough, let rest. Roll out on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle measuring about 12xz14 inches. Smear butter on surface of the dough, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Roll up like a jelly roll. Seal ends and edges well and place in a buttered loaf pan. Let rise until doubled. Bake in 375 oven for about 40 minutes.

Vaughnzilla's Coffee Cake

• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups flour
• 1 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour a 13x9 pan. Cream together the butter and sugar, add eggs and beat well. Mix together in a separate bowl: flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Blend into creamed mixture alternately with the water. Stir in remaining spices, sour cream and chocolate chips. Do not overmix. Batter should incorporate all of the flour, but not be completely smooth. Pour into pan and sprinkle on topping. TOPPING: 1 cup brown sugar, 6 Tbsp butter, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 cup chopped nuts, 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Bake for 30 minutes. NOTE: Can also be made in small loaf pans.

Pumpkin Pie With a 'Tude

• 1 9 inch pie shell, unbaked
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/5 cup evaporated milk
• 1/2 tsp grated orange rind
• 3 egg whites
• 1/4 cup brandy

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix in a large bowl: sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves. Add pumpkin and stir well. Add vanilla, milk, rind and egg whites. Beat until smooth. Fold in brandy. Pour into pie shell and bake 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 and bake 45 minutes more or until test knife comes out clean.

Scones

• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter, room temperature
• 4 Tbsp sugar
• 3/4 cup buttermilk (see notes)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 500. Mix dry ingredients together, cut in the butter. Stir together buttermilk and beaten egg. Blend lightly and quickly into dry ingredients. Knead gently 8-10 times on floured board with just enough flour ot keep it from sticking. Sprinkle on more flour as you need it to keep the dough from sticking. Mold into a large, thick circle (for large scones) or two equal and small circles for smaller scones. Circles should be about 3/4 inches thick. Slice into wedges and remove to a lightly greased cookie sheet. Separate wedges. Turn down oven to 450 degrees. Bake 15 minutes or until JUST beginning to brown. Remove. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Let cool. Makes 8 large or 16 small scones. NOTE: May need up to 1 cup buttermilk.

Chocolate Sugar Bombs

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 bag Hershey's^TM Kisses
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup finely chopped pecans
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar (set aside)

Mix butter, sugar and vanilla together in a large mixing bowl. Beat until fluffy. Turn mixer speed to low and slowly add in flour and nuts. Scrape dough into bowl, cover and let it chill (about 2 hours.)

Unwrap Kisses (very important!) and set aside. Shape dough into balls around individual kisses. Completely cover the chocolate kiss. Set about 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake in 375 degree oven for about 10 minutes, or until set and lightly golden in color.

Remove from pan when done and roll into confectioner's sugar. Put on a baker's rack to cool. When completely cool, roll again in confectioner's sugar. Place into tight-sealing container. YIELD: About 3 1/2 dozen.

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