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Auntie Boo’s Go-To Cocktail Recipe for the Holidays
Sparkling Tarragon-Gin Lemonade
10 large sprigs tarragon
2 lemons, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup gin
3/4 cup St-Germain
(elderflower liqueur)
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 12-ounce can club soda
Muddle tarragon sprigs, lemon slices, and sugar in a large
pitcher. Add gin, St-Germain, lemon juice, and club soda.
Add ice and stir to combine. Serve over ice.
Ingredients
Directions
Chocolate Coconut Drops
%20caption%20-%20christmas%20morning%2C%201959%20-%20r_c_%20(left)%2C%20r_h_%20(.jpg)
Photo: Christmas Morning (1959) - R.C. (left), R.H. (at the piano), Jim (on the floor) & David Wahlert
1 square unsweetened chocolate
2/3c. Eagle Brand (Sweetened, Condensed) Milk
1/4lb shredded coconut
Melt chocolate in a double boiler. AddEagle Brand milk and coconut. Mix well. Drop by
spoonful on a greased pan. Bake in a moderately hot oven 15
minutes.
Ingredients
Directions
Chocolate Cornflake Cookies
A Christmas favorite of Jennie Boo's
4 cups cornflakes*
16 ounces bittersweet chocolate, tempered
*Crispness is important here, so use a fresh box of cornflakes
Place the chocolate in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time on high power until the chocolate is melted. Be very careful not to overheat it. The chocolate may not look as if it has completely melted, because it retains its shape. The chocolate should be only slightly warmer than your bottom lip. You may still see lumps in it once you've stirred it, but don't worry; the residual heat of the chocolate will melt them. Pour the flakes into a large mixing bowl, then pour about 1/2 of the tempered chocolate over them. Use a rubber spatula and mix until they are coated evenly. The tempered chocolate will immediately begin to set up. Once the chocolate has set repeat with the remaining chocolate to give a second coat. Quickly scoop the chocolate cornflakes into small mounds onto a parchment paper-covered baking sheet. Use one spoon to scoop and one spoon to scrape the mixture onto the sheet. It is important to work quickly because the mixture is easier to scoop before the chocolate hardens. If your kitchen is very hot, you can place the baking sheet in the refrigerator for about 5 minutes to allow the chocolate to harden. Do not leave the cornflakes in the refrigerator for more than 10 minutes; if they get too cold, condensation will form on them when they are removed from the refrigerator because of the difference in temperature between the cold chocolate and the warm air. This will cause the chocolate to turn white. While this doesn't affect the taste, it does ruin the appearance. Store the chocolate cornflakes in an airtight container in a cool, dry area. They will keep for two weeks, if you can resist eating them.
Makes about 6 dozen pieces.
Ingredients
Directions
Chocolate Macaroons
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Kids' Table at Christmas (1968) Starting at Top Left and going around the Table) Kathy, Jennie, Michael, Amy and Rob.
2 egg whites, beaten almost stiff
1 cup sugar, add to egg whites 2 tablespoons at a time
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 ½ baking chocolate, melted
1 ½ cup coconut
Drop onto greased cookie sheet. Make at 325º for 15 minutes.
Ingredients
Directions
Christmas Pasta
Recipe Courtesy of Rachel Ray (Food Network)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
1/4 pound pancetta, thick cut, chopped into small bits (Italian cured pork, ask at deli counter)
1/2 pound bulk hot Italian sausage
1 pound combined ground beef, pork and veal
1 medium carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup good quality dry red wine
1 cup prepared beef stock, paper container or canned
2 (32-ounce) cans chunky style crushed tomatoes
A handful chopped flat leaf parsley leaves
1/4 teaspoon (a couple of pinches) allspice or cinnamon
Coarse salt and black pepper
2 pounds penne rigate, cooked to al dente
Grated Pecorino Romano, as an accompaniment
Fresh, crusty bread, for mopping
Heat a deep pot over medium high heat. Add oil, garlic, bay, and pancetta bits and brown for 1 minute. Add meats and brown and crumble them for 5 minutes. Chop carrot, celery, and onions near the stove and add to the pot as you work. Cook vegetables with meat 5 minutes and add wine. Cook for 1 minute; add stock and tomatoes to the pot. Stir in parsley, allspice, or cinnamon and season sauce with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring sauce to a boil, reduce heat to medium low, and cook 10 to 15 minutes minimum before serving. Reheated sauce only improves. Toss pasta (cook off only as much pasta as you need at the time: half a pound for every 3 people) with a couple of ladles of sauce to coat, then top bowl with extra sauce. Top pasta with lots of cheese and pass bread at the table.
Ingredients
Directions
Classic Sugar Cookies
1 c. powdered sugar
1 c. granulated sugar
2 sticks margarine
1 c. butter flavored Wesson Oil
1 Tbsp. vanilla
2 eggs
4 ½ c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cream of tartar
Cream powdered sugar, granulated sugar and margarine well. Add Wesson Oil and Vanilla. Mix well. Add eggs, then gradually add flour, salt, baking soda and cream of tartar. Cover bowl and refrigerate several hours or overnight. Spoon off with a teaspoon, shaping into round shapes with fingers onto ungreased
cookie sheet. (They do not spread much in cooking.) Flatten and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake at 350º F for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
Very fragile, yummy cookies!
Ingredients
Directions
Dream Bars
For Step 1:
1 c. flour
½ c. butter
½ c. brown sugar
For Step 2
2 Tbsp. flour
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. coconut
½ c. chopped pecans
2 eggs
½ c. baking powder
Step 1: Mix flour, butter and brown sugar and pat in 10” square pan. Bake at 375º F for 15 minutes. Cool slightly.
Step 2: Mix flour, brown sugar, coconut, pecans, eggs, and baking powder and spread on above mixture. Bake at 375º F. for 15 minutes. Cool and cut into squares.
Great served warm with ice cream!
Ingredients
Directions
Grandma’s Drunkin’ Pumpkin’ Pie
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Recipe as written by Jean Stoltz in the cookbook she made for her daughter, Jennie.
2c. brown sugar
¾c butter
1c. PET (evaporated) milk
4 eggs, beaten
4c. pumpkin
1tsp. each cinnamon, mace & nutmeg
½ c. whiskey (bourbon) or to taste – (plus a ½c for Gramma -WHOOPIE!!!)
Cheat – 2 frozen deep-dish pie shells, thawed
Cream together butter and sugar. Add beaten eggs and spices, PET milk & pumpkin and mix well. Add bourbon and mix well. Pour into pie shells and bake at 400 º F for 50 minutes.
Makes two 9” pies.
This recipe was given to your great - grandmother Canepa by Mrs. T. G. Breant in 1898. Grandma was the head housekeeper at Selma Hall outside of Festus, MO.
Ingredients
Directions
Jean's Crunch Cake
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Photo: Christmas (2002) - Mom & Jennie Baking Christmas Cookies at the House in East Dubuque
Topping:
½c. margarine
1/3 c. sugar
1 c. chopped pecans
1½c. crushed vanilla wafers
Batter:
1 c. margarine
2 c. sugar
4 eggs
1 c. milk
1½t. vanilla
2 2/3 c. flour
1½t. baking powder
½t. salt
Mix topping ingredients and pat on sides and bottom of two greased loaf pans.
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy – this step is very important, it is almost impossible to over-beat. Add eggs and beat well. Mix milk and vanilla, add to batter, alternating with the dry ingredients (mix dry ingredients) – starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Pour into pans. Bake at 300° for 1¼ hours*. Turn out onto racks to cool.
*After 1 hour, check cakes with toothpick. I found occasionally the crunch part would get too brown if left in the full time. If toothpick comes out clean – take cakes out.
Makes 2 loaf cakes.
Ingredients
Directions
Mom Stoltz’s Pecan Butter Balls
1 c. butter
¼ c. honey
2 c. flour
½ tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
2 c. chopped pecans
Powdered sugar
Cream butter. Add honey, etc. Form into balls. Put on ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 300º F for ½ hour. Roll in powdered sugar while warm and again when cool.
Ingredients
Directions
Mystery Pecan Pie
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Photo: Thanksgiving, 1960 Jimmy is standing in front (l to r behind) Bobby, Dick Friedman, Jean, R.C., Ron W.
8 oz. cream cheese
1 egg
1/3 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
¼ tsp. salt
3 eggs
¼ c. sugar
1 c. light corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla
(Make 9” unbaked pie crust ahead of time.)
Blend cream cheese, egg, sugar, vanilla and salt well together and spread mixture into bottom of pie crust.
Sprinkle 1 ¼ cups chopped pecans over the cream cheese mixture. Beat eggs only until blended. Add remaining ingredients and blend well. Gently pour corn syrup mixture over pecans. Bake at 375º for 35 to 40 minutes until center is firm to touch.
Ingredients
Directions
Pumpkin Cookies
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Recipe from Betty Simpson - “I make them every fall!”
Photo: Thanksgiving Dinner - Jim, Jean, Dave, Celeste & R.H. Wahlert (circa 1950)
2 cups sugar
2 c shortening
1 – 16 oz. can pumpkin
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
4 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
½ tsp. allspice
2 cups raisins
1 cup nuts (optional)
Cream together sugar shortening and pumpkin. Stir in all remaining ingredients. Drop by teaspoonful on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes.
Notes:
“I frost them with butter frosting that I tint orange with
food coloring.” I dip them in crushed nuts.”
*I use ½ butter and ½ Crisco shortening*
“I usually bake cookies one day and frost them the next day. BIG JOB!”
Ingredients
Directions
Rosettes
I got this recipe from the Christmas-cookies.com website, but Mom used to make these as one of her cookies “in the old days”. I think they were quite time consuming but talk about yummy. And they are so delicate and beautiful to look at.
2 eggs
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Combine eggs, sugar, and salt; beat well. Add remaining ingredients; beat until smooth. Heat rosette iron
in deep, hot oil (350° to 375° F) for two minutes. Drain excess oil from iron; dip in batter to 1/4 inch from top
of iron, then immediately into hot oil. Fry rosette until golden, 10 to 30 seconds. Lift out; tip upside down
to drain. With fork, push rosette off iron onto rack placed over paper towels. Reheat iron 1 minute; make
next rosette. If you have two rosette irons, reheat one while using the other. Stir batter from time to time
as you will get some oil in it. Sprinkle rosettes with confectioner's sugar.
Ingredients
Directions
Sour Cream Cookies
½ cup butter
1 ½ cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 ½ cups flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cups nuts
Mix – chill – drop – bake at 350°
Ingredients
Directions
The Best English Trifle in the World
2 pound cakes
1 cup raspberry jam
¾ c. sherry
¾ c. raspberry juice (from frozen raspberries)
2 c. custard* (2 small packages of French Vanilla pudding can be substituted)
Fresh Fruits:
2 c. crushed pineapple
2 sliced bananas
2 10 oz. packages of frozen raspberries
2 or 3 c. sliced or diced peaches
(Any other fruits in season can be substituted for above)
2c. whipping cream
For Custard:
4 egg yolks
¼ c. sugar
Pinch of salt
2 c. milk
1 t. vanilla
Note: This works best if you have a traditional trifle bowl but if not use a bowl with straight sides that is about 8” high and 8” in diameter.
Cut the pound cake into slices (about ½” thick). Place slices to cover the bottom of the bowl. Cut the pieces in half and then into diamond shapes as necessary to fill the gaps. Spread cake with ¼ c. of jam. Combine the sherry and raspberry juice. Pour 1/3 of mixture over cake. Spread with ¼ of the custard. Add layer of pineapple. Repeat with cake layer, jam, sherry & juice, custard, bananas and raspberries. And then again, cake layer, jam, sherry & juice, custard, and peaches, ending with a fourth layer of custard. Cover with a thick layer of stiffly beaten whipped cream (1 cup)
.
Before serving beat the second cup of whipping cream until it just starts to thicken. Pour whipping cream over trifle served in bowls.
Custard:
Beat egg yolks. Add sugar and salt. Scald milk and add slowly to egg mixture in
top of double boiler. Cook over hot water stirring constantly until custard thickens.
Cool. Add vanilla. Chill temporarily.
Approximately 8 servings (unless JDS is at the table)
Ingredients
Directions
Yule Log (Buche de Noel)
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6 egg whites - let egg whites warm to room temperature
3/4 c. sugar
6 egg yolks
1/3 c. cocoa
1-1/2 t. vanilla
dash salt
Filling:
1 1/2 c. whipping cream
1/2 c. confectioner's sugar
1/4 c. cocoa
2 t. instant coffee
1 t. vanilla
Icing:
1 c. whipping cream
confectioner's sugar
Grease bottom of a 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1" jelly roll pan, line with waxed paper - grease lightly.
Preheat oven to 375° degrees. In a large bowl, at high speed, beat egg whites just until soft peaks form. Add 1/4 c. sugar, 2 T. at a time, beat until stiff peaks form. In separate bowl, beat yolks at high speed, adding remaining 1/2 c. sugar, 2 T. at a time. Beat until mixture is very thick, about 4 minutes. At low speed, beat in cocoa, vanilla and salt, just until smooth. Gently fold the cocoa mixture into egg whites just until blended. Spread evenly in pan. Bake 15 minutes - just until surface springs back when gently pressed. Sift confectioner's sugar in a 15" x 10" rectangle on clean towel. Turn cake out on sugar - lift off pan - peel off paper. Roll up jelly - roll fashion starting with short end, towels & all. Cool completely on rack seam down. To make filling: combine ingredients - whip until thick and then refrigerate. Unroll cake, spread with filling to 1" from edge, re-roll, place seam down on plate. Whip 1 cup cream and ice cake. Decorate. Cover with heavy foil and you may freeze. To thaw, let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.
Ingredients
Directions
Christmas Cookies & Other Things for the Holidays
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