OUR PERSONAL CHRISTMAS EVE MENU FOR 2014

 

MENU -

CHEESE PLATE

 

AMBROSIA SALAD

BAKED HAM

DRESSED UP MAC & CHEESE

CHAMPAGNE

DESSERT TRAY - MINCE PIES, THUMBPRINT COOKIES, MOLASSES COOKIES, BANANA BREAD MINIS,  FUDGE

RECIPES -

 

CHEESE  PLATE

Arrange boursin cheese with spreader, sausage slices, cheese cubes, dried apricot slices, a small bowl of pomegranate seed, nuts in the shell w/nutcracker

BAKED HAM

15 lbs whole bone-in ham

1 lb brown sugar

1 T ground cloves

1/2 cup yellow mustard

aluminum foil

 In a medium size mixing bowl, mix yellow mustard, cloves & brown sugar until you have a thick"paste".  Take all wrappers off of ham and trim away excess fat.  Line baking pan (I spray with Pam in case some of the brown sugar mixture escapes, clean up is easier) with Aluminum foil.  Place ham on foil and spread brown sugar/mustard paste on top.  Fold and seal foil.  Do not open again until ham is done.  Bake at 350° for 4 hours.  Let set for about 1 hr then carve.

 AMBROSIA

2 diced apples

12 ounces mandarin oranges

20 ounces pineapple chunks

1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows

8 ounces sour cream

Drain fruit well.  Mix all ingredients together.

 

FRUIT MINCE TARTS

1/2 cup butter, softened

3 ounces package softened cream cheese

1 cup all-purpose flour

fruit mince

2 cortland apples

1/4 cup packed chopped dried cherries or 1/4 cup dried apricot

1/4 cup packed chopped dried cranberries or 1/4 cup dried apricot

1/2 cup packed chopped dates or 1/2 cup raisins or 1/2 cup prune

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons margarine, melted

2 tablespoons raw sugar

3 tablespoons apricot jam or 3 tablespoons orange marmalade

In a mixing bowl, beat butter and cream cheese until thoroughly blended. Stir in flour. Roll rounded-teaspoonsful of dough into balls. Press evenly into the bottom and up the sides of mini-muffin cups. Fill each pastry with 1 heaping teaspoon of desired filling.  Bake at 325 degree for 25-30 minutes or until pastry is golden and filling is puffed.  Cool slightly in pan  Remove from cups and cool completely on a wire rack.  Sprinkle with powder sugar for garnish,

 

Fruit mince:   Place dried fruit and water in small saucepan. Bring to boil and remove from heat. Let stand 15 minutes.  Peel, core and dice apples into 1/4" bits.  Combine apples, dried fruit plus remaining water, sugar, margarine and jam until all fruit is coated evenly.  Pour into pie crust.  .  Filling:.  In a small mixing bowl, beat ingredients together until mixed well.  

MAC N CHEESE

10 ounces elbow macaroni

1 (8 ounce) package shredded sharp cheddar cheese(2cups)

1 (8 ounce) package Velveeta cheese, pasteurized processed cheese, cut up (1 cup)

1/4 cup butter, cut into pieces

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk

1 (10 3/4 ounce) can condensed cheddar cheese soup

1/4 teaspoon seasoning salt

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper (white if you have it)

Crumbled bacon and diced jalapeno

Let cheeses and butter stand at room temperature.  Cook macaroni according to package directions until almost al dente'.  Drain macaroni and transfer to a large bowl.  Add 1 cup shredded cheese and Velveeta cubes to hot pasta and stir gently til cheeses start to melt.  In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, butter, milk, soup, salt and pepper.  Stir this mixture into the cooked macaroni mixture.  Transfer half into a 13x9 sprayed baking dish.  Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of shredded cheese and additions of bacon and jalapeno.  Top with remaining macaroni mixture.  Bake covered at 325 degrees for 30 minutes.  Uncover.  Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheese.  Return to oven and bake 15 minutes more until cheese is melted and bubbly brown.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving to meld flavors.

 Microwave fudge

1 lb milk chocolate chips

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

1/4 cup margarine

 Place chocolate chips, condensed milk and butter in a microwave proof bowl.  Put in microwave on MEDIUM heat for 1 minute then stir, continue heating and stirring every 30 seconds until chocolate is completely melted. This prevents the chocolate from burning.  Add chopped nuts and stir to mix. Pour into a lightly greased slice tin and put in the fridge to set, usually overnight, if you can wait that long!

Thumbprint cookies

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 1/2 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 large egg, beaten

1 tablespoon water

7 ounces sweetened flaked coconut

raspberry jam

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until just combined, and then add the vanilla. Separately, sift together the flour and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the creamed butter and sugar. Mix until the dough starts to come together. Dump on a floured board and roll together into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.  Roll the dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. (If you have a scale, they should each weigh 1-ounce.) Dip each ball into the egg wash and then roll it in coconut. Place the balls on an ungreased cookie sheet and press a light indentation into the top of each with your finger. Drop 1/4 teaspoon of jam into each indentation. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the coconut is a golden brown. Cool and serve.

Banana Bread

1/2 cups flour

3 cups sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 eggs

2/3 cup water

1 cup vegetable oil

2 cups bananas, mashed

1 cup pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine ingredients in large mixing bowl.  Pour batter into 2 prepared bread pans or 1 prepared bundt pan.  Bake for 1 hour or until firm and golden brown.  Cool on wire rack for at least 15 minutes before turning bread out onto tray

Molasses coookies

3/4 cup all vegetable solid shortening

1 1/2 cups white sugar, divided

1/4 cup molasses

1 egg

2 cups white flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven 350°F.  Mix on low speed electric mixer shortening, molasses, 1 cup sugar and egg. Cream mixture.  Slowly add the remaining ingredients except 1/2 cup of white sugar. Mix on medium (you may need to use your hands to finish).  Get 1/2 cup white sugar and pour into plate. By teaspoonful roll dough into ball then into sugar. Place each cookie on greased baking sheet. Bake 5-10 minutes. You are looking for cookie to puff up and start to crack slightly.  Take out as soon as cookies appear to have cracks allover. This will ensure you have a chewy cookie.