Don’t you just love the smells coming from a holiday kitchen? Well, we do! Many of our NFH staff members are happily sharing some of our favorite recipes with our readers this year. Enjoy and have a wonderful holiday season!Caramel CornAngie MorlanMy mom and dad make this every year, and now I make it with my family – Tom and Christopher. It is so good that it is tempting to make it even when it is not Christmas.1/2 cup margarine, melted1 cup brown sugar1/4 cup white syrupMicrowave above ingredients (a large glass measuring cup works best) for four minutes on high.Add 1/4 tsp. soda and 1/2 tsp. vanilla. Pour above mixture over five quarts of popcorn in a large paper bag. Microwave on high 1 1/2 minutes. Shake bag.Microwave on high for 1 minute. Shake bag.Microwave on high for 1/2 minute. Shake bag.Place on cookie sheet to cool.Eggnog Sugar CookiesMichelle BarretteThe eggnog in this recipe makes for an incredibly moist sugar cookie. My daughters insist that we bake and decorate these cookies every Christmas and deliver them to our neighbors.1 cup butter1 1/2 cup sugar1 egg2 tsp. vanilla3 cups flour1 tsp. salt1/2 tsp. baking powder1/2 cup eggnogCream butter, sugar, egg and vanilla. Mix dry ingredients together and mix into creamed mixture. Alternate with eggnog. Chill overnight or for a few hours. Roll out dough (about 1/4″ thick) on floured board, cut out shapes with cookie cutters. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Let cool. Decorate with a variety of colored frostings and sprinkles.Merry Christmas!Japanese FruitcakeLindsey HarrisonThis recipe reminds me of my mom. She used to make the fruitcake every year – no one would eat it but her. I can still see her sitting in the living room by the Christmas tree, eating a piece while the whole family wondered what she loved about it. I finally got up the nerve to try a piece and now I look forward to the special loaf she makes me every year!16 oz. pecans, halved8 oz. candied cherries, halved7 oz. shredded coconut16 oz. dates, cut into thirds1 can Eagle Brand condensed milkMix all ingredients manually. Press firmly into lined and oiled 9 x 5 loaf pan. Bake in oven at 250∫ for 1 1/2 hours. *To make multiple loaves, use smaller pans or spread the mixture more thinly throughout the pans. To prevent burning, check frequently and cook for a shorter amount of time.Fantasy FudgeDon Josleyn6 cups sugar1 1/2 cups butter1 1/3 cups evaporated milkMix and boil for five minutes – or 230 degrees by candy thermometer.Add 2 12 oz. packages of chocolate chips, one 13 oz. jar of marshmallow cream, 2 cups walnuts and 2 tsp. vanilla. Mix well and pour into two 11 x 13 greased pans.Makes six pounds.Scottish ShortbreadNatalie GowenThis recipe came from Scotland with my MacKay ancestors. They carried it with them on the boat and then across the Great Plains before they settled in Utah in the 1840s. It’s important to weigh the ingredients because altitude and humidity make a huge difference.1 lb. butter1 lb. lard4 lb. flour1 lb. sugar1 teaspoon saltMix the flour, sugar and salt together and place in a warm oven. Stir occasionally until the mixture is warmed through. Don’t skip this step! It’s the key to mixing in all four pounds of the flour.Melt the butter and lard together and mix in the dry ingredients. Keep the dough warm and mold the cookies on a non-floured surface. Cut cookies into desired shape. Bake at 400 degrees F for 12 minutes.Sweet Potato Pear SoupKathleen WallaceWhen it’s cold outside, I crave hearty soups. Here’s a recipe I’ve made many times!Ingredients:2 tsp. vegetable oil1 medium onion, chopped2 cloves of garlic, minced3 lbs. raw sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed2 large pears, peeled and cubed5 cups chicken broth3/4 cup milk1/2 cup heavy cream1 large pinch ground cinnamon1 large pinch ground cloves1 tsp. chopped, fresh thyme plus more for optional garnish1/4 to 1/2 tsp. salt1/4 tsp. pepper1 pear, cored and thinly sliced for garnishIn a five-quart saucepan, sautÈ the onion and garlic in the vegetable oil over medium heat for 10 minutes until tender but not brown.Add the sweet potatoes, pears and chicken broth.Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 25 to 35 minutes or until the sweet potatoes and pears are tender. Allow to cool.In a food processor or blender, puree the sweet potatoes and pears in batches until smooth.Return the pureed mixture to the saucepan and add stock, milk, cream, cinnamon and cloves.Stir the soup as it comes to a simmer.Season with salt and pepper.Serve hot with a garnish of pear slices and a sprinkling of thyme.Minnesota Caramel BarsDeb StumpfWhen I was in high school in Colorado Springs, our next door neighbor made these every year. We called them Minnesota Caramel Bars because she was from Minnesota. I’ve made minor tweaks over the years, e.g., a few extra chocolate chips never hurt anyone, but it’s the same basic recipe we make year after year.Melt 32 Kraft caramels and 5 tbs. of cream (half and half will work as a substitute) in a double boiler.In the meantime, mix together1 cup flour1 cup oatmeal3/4 cup brown sugar1/2 tsp. baking soda1/4 tsp. salt3/4 cups softened butter or margarinePut 3/4 of this mixture in a 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 10 minutes. Gently spread the melted caramel over the top of the crust. Sprinkle with 1 cup (or a little more) of semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1/2 cup pecans (optional), followed by the remaining crumb mixture.Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes or until bubbly. Cool and cut into squares.Cranberry SauceDean MaurryBuy a can of cranberry sauce.Open the can.Hit the back of the can so the sauce plops out making that slurping sound, ensuring the ridges from the can are still seen in the sauce.DO NOT alter the appearance of the sauce.Place the sauce in a mismatched dish and place proudly in the center of the table.Enjoy.All-Natural Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups Marylou DoehrmanA friend introduced me to this recipe, and I keep the chocolate in the freezer and have a piece every night. Depending on the mixture, this can be a low-calorie treat – honest.You will need the following:Jarrow Formulas extra-virgin coconut oil (a must use brand)Agave NectarUnsweetened cocoa powder or carob powderPure peanut butterYou will use equal parts of the first three ingredients, so you can vary the amount you make. I usually use 1/2 cup of each.Heat the coconut oil over the stove at medium to low temperature. Or microwave first in a glass bowl and transfer to stove.Add equal part of Agave Nectar and stir.Add equal part of cocoa or carob powder and stir until the mixture is creamy.Pour a 1/4 inch layer of mixture into cups or cupcake pan (I use silicone mini-pans or cupcake pans).Dabble peanut butter on top of the first layer and then layer again with the chocolate mixture.Freeze overnight.You can cut the finished product into bite-size pieces or big pieces. Make whatever amount you want. It’s a great treat.Sopapilla Cheesecake PieBill SinclairIngredients:2 (8 oz.) packages of cream cheese, softened1 cup white sugar2 tsp. vanilla extract2 (8 oz.) cans refrigerated crescent rolls3/4 cup white sugar1 tsp. ground cinnamon1/2 cup butter, room temperature1/4 cup honeyDirections:Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Prepare a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.In a bowl, beat the cream cheese with 1 cup of sugar and the vanilla extract until smooth.Unroll the cans of crescent roll dough, and use a rolling pin to shapeeach piece into 9 x 13 inch rectangles.Press one piece into the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.Evenly spread the cream cheese mixture into the baking dish, then cover with the remaining piece of crescent dough.Stir together 3/4 cup sugar, cinnamon and butter. Dot the mixture over the top of the cheesecake.Bake in the preheated oven until the crescent dough has puffed and turned golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and drizzle with honey. Cool completely in the pan before cutting into 12 squares.From: www.allrecipes.com
