Holiday Lunch/Tea Recipes 2007

(click your browser's back button to return to previous page)

Carrot-Ginger Soup

Makes 9 servings

2 Tbsp olive oil

¾ cup chopped onion

½ cup chopped green onions

4 cups finely chopped carrot (about 1 ¼ lbs)

3 cups cubed peeled potatoes (about 1 lb)

1 Tbsp grated peeled fresh ginger

¾ tsp salt

¼ tsp curry powder

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

¼ tsp black pepper

1/8 tsp ground cloves

3 (15.75 oz) cans chicken broth or stock

2 bay leaves

Chopped green onions, optional

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions; sauté 3 minutes. Add carrot and potato; cook for 1 minute. Add ginger and remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Cover. Reduce heat; simmer 1 hour. Discard bay leaves. Place 6 cups in a food processor; process until smooth. Return to pan, and stir well. Garnish with green onions, if desired.

Holiday Quiche

Makes 5-6 servings

1 cup ham, cubed

Olive oil

¾ cup sliced onion

¾ cup sliced mushrooms

1 cup half & half

3 to 4 eggs

1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 (9-inch) deep dish pie crust, partially baked

¼ cup chopped fresh sage

½ tsp salt

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Pour olive oil into small skillet, and sauté the onions and mushrooms over medium-low heat until translucent, approx. 5-10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

In a medium-size bowl, whisk together half & half, eggs, sage, salt, and pepper.

Place ham in bottom of pie crust, then cheese and top with the onions and mushrooms, pour custard mixture gently over and bake until golden, 1 hour. Let the quiche stand 10 minutes before cutting.

Olive Tea Sandwiches

Makes 36 tea sandwiches

1 (7.5-ounce) jar pimiento-stuffed olives, drained and chopped

½ small onion, diced

2 hard-cooked eggs, chopped

1 cup toasted pecans, chopped

1 cup mayonnaise

36 slices Pepperidge Farm Very Thin White Bread

Stir together first 5 ingredients. Cover and chill 1 hour. Spread olive mixture on one side of 18 bread slices; top with remaining bread slices. Trim crusts from sandwiches; cut each into triangles, or cut with decorative cookie cutters.

Chicken Chutney Tea Sandwiches

Makes 36 sandwiches

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp mayonnaise

4 ounces cream cheese

4 ounces chutney (mango, peach, etc.)

2 cups cooked and finely chopped chicken

¼ cup finely chopped dried cranberries

1/8 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger

½ cup toasted slivered almonds

Pepperidge Farm Very Thin Wheat Bread

Blend first four ingredients together. Add remaining ingredients, blend well and chill. Spread mixture on one side of 18 bread slices; top with remaining bread slices. Trim crusts from sandwiches; cut each into triangles, or cut with decorative cookie cutters.

Key Lime Scones w/Ginger Curd

Makes about 30 (2-inch) scones

2 cups all-purpose flour

5 Tbsp sugar, divided

1 Tbsp baking powder

¾ tsp salt

5 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, diced

1 (3-ounce) pkg cream cheese, cubed

1 egg, lightly beaten

3 Tbsp fresh key lime zest

1 ½ Tbsp fresh key lime juice

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ cup + 2 Tbsp heavy cream, divided

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, 4 Tbsp sugar, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter and cream cheese until mixture is crumbly. Stir in egg, lime zest, lime juice, and vanilla extract. Slowly mix in ½ cup cream until combined.

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface; knead lightly. Roll dough to ¾-inch thickness. Using a 2-inch round cutter, cut scones. Repeat with remaining dough. Place on prepared baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush tops of scones with remaining cream. Evenly sprinkle with remaining sugar. Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Ginger Curd

Makes about 1 ½ cups

¾ cup ginger preserves

½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

3 Tbsp unsalted butter, cubed

2 egg yolks

2 large eggs

Garnish: candied ginger

In the top of a double boiler, combine preserves, brown sugar, lemon juice, and butter. Place over simmering water; cook just until butter is melted. Stirring constantly, add egg yolks and eggs; cook 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Remove from heat; strain, and cool. Cover and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours. Garnish with candied ginger if desired.

Apple-Orange Brownies

Makes 24 bars

Brownies:

6 Tbsp butter

1 cup packed brown sugar (light)

½ cup applesauce

1 tsp shredded orange peel

1 beaten egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 ¼ cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp baking soda

½ cup chopped pecans

Combine butter and brown sugar in saucepan; cook and stir until melted. Beat in the applesauce, orange peel, egg, and vanilla. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and soda. Stir into the applesauce mixture. Stir in the pecans. Pour into a 13x9-inch baking pan that you have sprayed with vegetable spray. Spread evenly, then bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, or until cake tester comes out clean.

Orange Glaze:

1 ½ cups sifted confectioners’ sugar

Dash of salt

½ tsp vanilla

Approximately 2 Tbsp orange juice

Orange oil

Mix above ingredients together until blended thoroughly. Pour over brownies while they are warm. Add a couple drops of orange oil. Cut into bars when cool (cut 4 rows x 6 rolls).

Eggnog-Pecan Pound Cake

Makes one 10” cake or two loaf cakes

1 cup butter or margarine, softened

½ cup vegetable oil

3 cups sugar

6 large eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 Tbsp ground mace

1 ½ cups refrigerated eggnog

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp lemon extract

2 cups coarsely chopped pecans

Beat butter and vegetable oil at medium speed with an electric mixer about 2 minutes. Gradually add sugar, beating at medium speed 5 to 7 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until yellow disappears.

Combine flour, baking powder, and mace; add to butter mixture alternately with eggnog, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in flavorings; fold in chopped pecans. Pour batter into a greased and floured 10-inch tube pan (or 2 loaf pans).

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean; cover cake loosely with aluminum foil after 45 minutes to prevent excessive browning. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack 10 to 15 minutes; remove from pan, and let cool completely on wire rack.

Fruit Cookies

Makes 14 dozen

4 well-beaten eggs

2 cups sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1 ½ cups melted butter

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 pound raisins or currants

2 tsp ground cloves

8 cups finely chopped pecans or walnuts

1 pound finely chopped dates

2 tsp soda dissolved in ½ cup hot water

Add sugar to beaten eggs and beat well. Mix remaining dry ingredients together then add to egg mixture. Add butter. Add dates and pecans last. Mixture will be quite stiff. Drop by small teaspoonfuls on cookie sheet and bake at 300 degrees until slightly browned, about 20 minutes.

(click your browser's back button to return to previous page)