Raspberry Rice Christmas Salad

 2 Cups water

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 Cup rice (rinsed)

Boil rice, water, and salt until thick

Add

3 Cups whole milk

1 Cup sugar

Boil at a low temperature stirring often until thick  (it might take :45 minutes)

Raspberries

3 or 4 Cups Raspberries

(If they’re whole frozen add some water and heat on stove)

Drain raspberries, in a small saucepan pan cook raspberry juice with cornstarch until thick.

Cool all ingredients 

Whip 1 cup whipping cream

Fold whipped cream into cooled rice mixture

Layer rice mixture and raspberry mixture in a glass bowl for Christmas dinner. 

Spicy Dark Gingerbread

3 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
2 Tbsp ground ginger
2 Tbsp peeled and grated fresh ginger
1 cup butter
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 cup light molasses
1 cup buttermilk
Cream Cheese frosting

Preheat oven to 350. Butter a 10 inch bundt pan. Dust lightly with flour and shake out any excess. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, ground ginger, and fresh ginger. In another large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter and brown sugar until light and creamy. Beat in the egg. Add the molasses and beat until well blended, about 2 minutes. Beat in the dry ingredients in 3 additions alternately with the buttermilk in 2 additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then turn out of the pan, slipping a knife between the cake and pan to loosen any stuck edges. Turn the cake right side up and let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. Serve slices with cream cheese frosting.

Made this for New Years 2018. Fantastic! Dense and flavorful.

Russian Tea Cakes

1 cup soft butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 Tablespoons confectioners sugar
2 cups flour
1 cup chopped walnuts

1/3 cup confectionary sugar to roll cookies after they've cooled

350 degree oven and bake for 12 - 15 minutes, cool, and roll X2 in sugar.

Story; Grandma Iszler made these every Christmas, so good. Also Wills favorite Christmas cookies.

Ruth's Chris Sweet Potato Casserole

This is absolutely fantastic!

INGREDIENTS:
Topping

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1 cup chopped nuts (pecans preferred)
• 1/3 stick butter, melted

Combine brown sugar, flour, nuts and butter in mixing bowl. Set aside.

Sweet Potato Mixture

• 3 cups mashed yams
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 eggs, well beaten
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

PROCESS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a medium-size casserole dish with nonstick spray.
2. Combine sweet potato mixture in a large mixing bowl in the order listed. Beat thoroughly with a hand mixer to increase the fluffiness of the sweet potato mixture.
3. Pour mixture into buttered baking dish.
4. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. (At this point, dish can be covered and refrigerated.)
5. Sprinkle the surface of the sweet potato mixture evenly with the topping mixture and return to oven for 10 minutes. Allow to set at least 30 minutes before serving.

The brown sugar and pecan crust should be slightly browned and crunchy.

Okinawa Family Toffee

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon corn syrup
3 tablespoons water
1 cup chopped pecans
3/4 cup milk chocolate chips

In a nonreactive sauce pan, combine butter, sugar, corn syrup, and water.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until a temperature of 290 degrees is reached measuring with a candy thermometer (takes about 20-30 minutes).  Mixture will be a rich caramel color.  Be careful not to over or under cook.  When ready stir in 1/2 cup chopped pecans.  Pour into a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and spread evenly.  Wait 1 minute until it is slightly set and sprinkle with chocolate chips.  Wait 5 minutes and spread the melted chips.  Sprinkle with remaining pecans.  When cool, break into pieces.


This is another recipe from Joanne Baldwin from Okinawa.  She tweaked the recipe until it was perfect.  She would send this to the marines overseas so it definitely ships well.  I made it while at the lake for Christmas 2013.  It flew off of the pan.  I don't think it ever made it into a serving dish!  Granted, we were all indulging a bit much!

Russian Tea

5 apple cinnamon teabags
3 cups boiling water
2 cups pineapple juice
16 oz. orange juice concentrate
16 oz. lemonade concentrate
9 cups water
1 1/2 cups sugar (can use half splenda)

Directions & Story:  Pour 3 cups boiling water over tea bags and steep for 5 minutes.  Remove tea bags.  Add remaining ingredients and simmer.  You can also add whole cloves and cinnamon sticks while simmering.

I got this recipe from the wife of Dale's commanding officer.  She had us over for dinner while the guys were deployed to Afghanistan and I think I drank the entire pot of this cider (I was pregnant so it's ok).  I then made it a few times throughout the holiday season.  It makes the house smell amazing and is a great addition to any holiday menu.  After simmering on the stove I put it in a crock pot to keep warm.

Crunchy chocolate Bars

1 Large package chocolate chips (either semi-sweet or milk chocolate will work)
1 Cup crunchy peanut-butter
1 Large bag miniature marshmallows

Directions & Story; Melt chocolate chips and peanut butter in microwave. Melt for a 1/2 a minute at a time as this will burn easily. Stir and melt as needed until melted. Allow to cool slightly and stir in marshmallows, spoon in a 9 X 9 pan- cool or freeze. It works well to double this recipe, too.

Grandma Dean made these every Christmas, They are so delicious and easy to make-good holiday treats to make ahead and store in the freezer until they are ready to enjoy!

Bladjinda

Dough:
1/2 cup butter
2 cups cream
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
3 teaspoons baking powder
5 cups flour

Mix and roll out dough. cut into 4 inch rounds or squares.

Filling:
3 cups pumpkin
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions and Story; Put one heaping teaspoon/Tablespoon of filling on one side of the cut 'rounds' (I use a small mixing bowl as a guide to cut the rolled dough) fold and pinch the sides together. Place on greased cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees.

We found this recipe in the 'Golden Manor nursing home' cook book from about the late 1980's. The recipe is traditional German cooking. We would make these between Christmas and New Years. This makes a large batch

Salted Nut Rolls

1 package caramels
1/4 cup evaporated milk

1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 - 2 cups powdered sugar

16 oz jar of peanuts

Directions & Story; Melt caramels and evaporated milk in microwave, add butter and powdered sugar and cool. Drop onto dry roasted peanuts and roll.

Good but messy both to make and eat. This was given to me by Fran, the wife of the real estate agent who sold us our Lisbon house in town.

Chocolate Turtles

1/2 cup butter-melted
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs well beaten
6 Tablespoons cocoa
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon vanilla

Frosting
Powdered sugar
butter
cocoa (unsweetened)
water - just enough to spread frosting

top with a 1/2 a walnut (optional)

Method & Story;combine all of the ingredients and mix well. Heat regular waffle iron and drop a teaspoon of dough on each section of the iron. close cover and bake 50 - 60 seconds. do not over bake. Lift off with a fork, cool on cooling rack.

Grandma Cay would make these around holiday time in the winter. They are quick and fun to make. The walnut on the top makes them a little more festive, you could decorate them with other ideas, too.

Caramel corn

Boil for 2 minutes-no more than 5 minutes

1 cup brown sugar
1 stick of butter (1/2 a cup)
1/2 cup white syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt

Remove from heat and add
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Add to a brown paper bag
4 to 5 quarts popped pop corn
pour caramel mixture on top of pop corn

Close by folding over paper bag
Cook in microwave on high for 1 1/2 minutes
remove and shake bag
cook for another 1 1/2 minutes
remove and shake bag
cook for :20 seconds

Pour out in large container and cool

Story; Sheila brought this to holiday get together. It is easy and clean up is quick.

Krumkake

1/4 cup crisco
1/4 cup butter
Melt the above ingredients and cool

3 eggs-slightly beaten
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup flour
vanilla or almond flavoring

mix together and drip by tablespoon on krumkake iron, and roll to form krumkake
Story;this is the recipe that seems to turn out every time. Grandma Cay got this recipe from Adeline, Betty's mother-it is the same recipe Jill Bogart uses. Aunt Eva made Krumkake for Alvin's and Hjalmer's for Christmas every year. She would send a huge cardboard box with goodies and Grandma Cay would store them in the cool entry by the basement. It would be a treat to have these cookies at lunch and for dessert.

Popcorn Cake

16 cups pop corn
1/2 cup peanuts
M & M candy

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 pkg marshmallows

Method & Story; Melt butter, oil and marshmallows in microwave; add popcorn, peanuts and candy. press in a 9 inch tube pan until set.
Dianne often brought this to holiday parties. Use Christmas M & M candies makes it festive. We made it for the piano recitals, and it would be one of the first goodies plate to be empty. We didn't get to bring any home!

Pumpkin Pie Milk Shake

15 oz canned pumpkin
2 cups milk
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup Splenda (or sugar)
2 cups frozen Cool Whip
Notes/Story: Blend all ingredients in blender. Serves 4.

Just made this for the first time today! I used Splenda and didn't taste too bad actually.

Creamy Sweet Potatoes

5 # Sweet Potatoes (use the canned sweet potatoes)
4 eggs-lightly beaten
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup butter softened
1 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon nutmeg
Salt to taste

Method & Story;Beat the above ingredients with hand mixer and pour into a 3 quart casserole
Bake 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes, Top with miniature marshmallows for the last 5-10 minutes of baking time. We've served this at Thanksgiving for many years, also Christmas. It serves 10 - 12 people and is good warmed up the next day.

Homemade Peppermint Oreos

2 boxes devil's food cake mix
4 eggs
2/3 cups vegetable oil

Frosting:
1 (8oz) pkg cream cheese
1/2 cup butter, soft
4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp peppermint extract

Notes/Stories: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with wax paper. In a large bowl combine cake mixes, eggs, and oil with a mixer. Batter is stiff. Pinch off pieces of batter and roll into 1 inch balls. Place one inch apart on prepared cookie sheet and flatten slightly. Bake 8-10 min. Remove immediately from the cookie sheets and cool.

In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese and butter until completely blended. Gradually add the powdered sugar and peppermint and mix until the icing is smooth. Spread 1/2 of the cookies with icing and top with remaining cookies. Store in refrigerator.

Made this recipe for work and an ugly sweater christmas party in 2010.

Molasses Sugar Cookies

3/4 cup butter, soft
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp ginger
Notes/Stories: Mix butter and 1 cup sugar until creamy. Add molasses and egg, beating until well blended. In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, cloves and ginger. Add to molasses mixture; mix well. Cover and chill. Form dough into 1 inch balls. Roll each in sugar, place on cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake at 375 degrees for 6-8 min.

This is from the molasses bottle label. So good! Made this for Thanksgiving 2010.

Knephla Soup

2 Quarts water
3 cups chicken broth (I use 2 cans Swanson's chicken broth)
add
5 Med Potatoes-cut into small pieces
2 onions-chopped
3 grated carrots
1 bay leaf
4 whole allspice

Let simmer until vegetables are tender - during this time make Knephla's

3 cups flour
1 Tablespoon salt
1 egg
1 Cup water

Mix and knead dough, add the flour as needed-start out with 2 cups and add as it is kneaded until using the 3 cups.
Let rest for 20 minutes (turn the bowl upside down over the dough and floured surface.

Roll 1/2 inch thick
cut into 1 inch strips and again into 1/4 inch pieces.

Drop into boiling broth

boil 5 minutes after all of the dough has been added.

Before serving add about 3/4 pint of cream and salt and pepper to taste. (Try not to boil after cream has been added)

Remove bay leaf

Story; Oyster stew followed by game playing was a long standing holiday tradition. As time went on, some folks developed an allergy to oysters, others just didn't like them, and a couple of us Norwegians married guys who were of German ancestry. We obviously needed to branch out and include more food variety for this holiday celebration. Thus, we took on the task of making Knephla soup, a German soup and served regularly in South Central North Dakota. After visiting sales barns in Napoleon and Wischek, and reading German cookbooks, we took the 'best' of the recipes and tastes and developed this recipe as our own. Many people make this soup, but this recipe is tasty and rich, we think one of the best. The holiday tradition evolved to include vegetable and knephla soup along with ham, buns, fresh vegetables, salads, and dessert.

Grandma I's Fudge

3/4 cup peanut butter chips
1 1/4 cups chocolate chips
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Notes/Stories: Melt in microwave just until melted. Spray circle pan. Line pan with walnuts. Spoon fudge on walnuts. Refrigerate or freeze.

Grandma made this for the holidays and would make many rings and give as gifts to others. We seldom made it back home with a full ring because we ate it on the way back from Grandma's.