December Foodie Holidays: Week 4

Dec. 22: Date Nut Bread Day
Dec. 23: Pfeffernüesse Day
Dec. 24: Egg Nog Day
Dec. 25: Pumpkin Pie Day
Dec. 26: Candy Cane Day
Dec. 27: Fruit Cake Day
Dec. 28: Chocolate Candy Day
Dec. 29: Pepper Pot Day
Dec. 30: Bicarbonate of Soda Day
Dec. 31: Champagne Day

This is my paternal grandmother's aunt's recipe for fruit cake. She was born in 1892, and died the year I graduated from high school. Sadly, I never met her.

And that's the year in "foodie" holidays! If you want to add something extra to your cookbook, why not include contributor's birthdays, and the corresponding food holiday, just for fun?

Here are the websites I referenced while writing these pages:
https://www.thenibble.com/fun/more/facts/food-holidays.asp
http://www.tfdutch.com/foodh.htm
http://www.ocfoodies.com/page/foodie-holiday-calender

December Foodie Holidays: Week 3

Dec. 15: Cupcake Day
Dec. 16: Anything-Chocolate-Covered Day
Dec. 17: Maple Syrup Day
Dec. 18: Roast Suckling Pig Day
Dec. 19: Hard Candy Day
Dec. 20: Fried Shrimp Day, Sangria Day
Dec. 21: Hamburger Day

Mom makes these at Christmas, among many others.

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

1 1/2 C. flour

1/2 C. cocoa

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 C. margarine

1 C. sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

10 oz. jar maraschino cherries

1 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 C. sweetened condensed milk

2 tsp. maraschino cherry juice

Directions: Sift together the first six ingredients. Cream margarine and sugar; add egg and vanilla. Gradually add flour mixture; beat until well blended. Shape into 1” balls, place on cookie sheet, and press center with thumb. Drain the cherries, reserving juice. Put a cherry in the depression. Heat chocolate chips and milk until chocolate melts; stir in juice. Spoon a tsp. of this over the cherry, covering it. Bake at 350ºF for 10 minutes.

December Foodie Holidays: Week 2

Dec. 8: Chocolate Brownie Day
Dec. 9: Pastry Day
Dec. 10: Lager Day
Dec. 11: Noodle Ring Day
Dec. 12: Cocoa Day
Dec. 13: Popcorn String Day
Dec. 14: Bouillabaisse Day

The same aunt who contributed the Egg Nog Bread also gave me this, and I can vouch for them 100% – they're amazing.

“Once-a-Year” Brownies

1 C. flour

1 C. sugar

1/2 C. margarine, softened

4 eggs

1 1/2 C. Hershey’s chocolate syrup

nuts, if desired

Directions: Grease a 13x9” pan. Combine all ingredients; beat until smooth. Pour in pan. Bake at 350ºF for 25-30 minutes. Do not overbake. While brownies are still hot, pour on fudge frosting; cool. Store at room temperature.

Comments: “J. R. calls these ‘once-a-year’ brownies; I make them more frequently than that, but not often enough for him. And God forbid I try a new recipe! ‘What’s wrong with the one we like?’”

Fudge Frosting

1 12 oz. pkg chocolate chips

1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Directions: Melt the chocolate chips with the sweetened condensed milk. Add vanilla. Pour over hot brownies and cool. Frosting will harden to “fudge” consistency.

December Foodie Holidays: Week 1

December is National Fruit Cake Month and Egg Nog Month.

Dec. 1: Pie Day
Dec. 2: Fritters Day
Dec. 3: Apple Pie Day
Dec. 4: Cookie Day
Dec. 5: Sacher Torte Day
Dec. 6: Gazpacho Day
Dec. 7: Cotton Candy Day

From one of my husband's aunt's:

Eggnog Bread 

3 C. flour

1/2 C. sugar

4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1 beaten egg

1 3/4 C. canned OR dairy eggnog

1/2 C. cooking oil

1/2 C. chopped pecans

1/2 C. golden raisins

1/2 C. sifted powdered sugar

2-3 tsp. eggnog

Directions: In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Combine the eggnog, egg and oil; add to the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined. Stir in the nuts and raisins. Turn into a greased 9x5 loaf pan. Bake in a 350ºF oven for 60-70 minutes. Cover with foil after 50 minutes is bread browns too quickly. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove bread from pan and cool on a wire rack. Wrap bread; store overnight. To serve, stir together powdered sugar and enough eggnog to make of drizzling consistency. Drizzle over bread.

Comments: “This is a nice bread to give away.”