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.”

May Foodie Holidays: Week 2

May 8 - Coconut Cream Pie Day
May 9 - Butterscotch Brownie Day
May 10 - Shrimp Day
May 11 Mocha Torte Day; MOTHER'S DAY!
May 12 - Nutty Fudge Day
May 13 - Apple Pie Day
May 14 - Buttermilk Biscuit Day

Sunday, May 11th is Mother's Day! Seize the opportunity to spend some time with your mom if you can, whether you talk about family recipes or not. 


Not all of the recipes in your family's boxes will be handwritten; expect to find plenty of clippings, too! This one was in my grandmother's box, from Nestle. I wasn't able to find a date, but it's old enough that I don't recognize the package design (so 1970s probably?), and I don't think butterscotch chips are even sold in 6-ounce packages anymore.

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Debbie’s Fudge (white or chocolate)
Ingredients:
1 stick margarine

2 C. sugar

2/3 C. Milnot

14 large marshmallows

small pkg. chocolate chips OR 4 oz. white chocolate

1/2 C. peanut butter OR 1 C nuts
Directions: In a heavy saucepan, boil the first four ingredients for exactly 3 minutes and 20 seconds. Remove from heat and add the chocolate. Stir until melted and add the peanut butter or the nuts. Pour into a buttered 9x9” pan and cut when cool.

NOTE: On a humid day, cook for 10 seconds longer.

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They aren't buttermilk biscuits, but they are my mamaw's biscuits, that Mom stood next to her, measuring ingredients (because her mother-in-law didn't, she just dumped things in a bowl) to get.

Grandma Mabel’s Biscuits

Ingredients:
4 C. self-rising flour
1/2 C. powdered milk
handful shortening
water

Directions: Put flour in a bowl. Make a well in the flour; pour the powdered milk in it. Add the shortening. Add water, a little at a time, working in flour from the sides. When the consistency is right, scoop by handfuls onto a floured surface. Pat into a biscuit shape with floured hands. Bake at 450ºF until light golden brown.

Available at Amazon.