Here are some recipes that are servered during the holiday season at our house beside the turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and all the other fixings. On my mom's side we are Ukrainian so here are some Ukrainian favorites mom serves up at Christmas time, perogies (Pyrohy) and cabbage rolls (Holubtsi). Also I have included some dessert favorites, appetizers, cookies, punches and non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks.

Dough
3 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. baking powder
1 egg
2 Tbsp. cooking oil
1 ¼ cup hot water or potato water

Filling
2 cups mashed potatoes
¼ cup Cheese Whiz
4 Tbsp. oil
salt and pepper to taste

Mix flour with salt and baking powder in deep bowl. Beat egg add hot water and oil. Mix with flour. Knead well to make a soft dough. Divide the dough into 2 parts. Cover and let stand for about 10 minutes. Roll dough on floured board as for pie crust and using a round cutter or a rim of a 8 oz glass. After you have peeled and boiled the potatoes (about 4 potatoes makes about 2 cups, mash them, add the Cheese Whiz and oil and mix together well till there are no lumps. Place a little of the filling on each circle. Fold over to form a half-circle and press edges together well. Be sure that the edges are sealed well to prevent the filling from running out. Place the perogie on a tea towel side by side without touching one another. Cover with towel.

Fill pot half full with water. Add one tsp. of salt and bring to a boil. Drop several of the perogies into the boiling water. Do not attempt to cook too many at a time. Stir carefully. Boil 5-6 minutes until perogie come to top of pot. Remove them with a strainer or slotted spoon to a colander and drain thoroughly. Place in a deep dish, sprinkle generously with melted butter, chopped onion browned in butter or chopped crisp bacon could be used if desired. Serve hot. The traditional accompaniment to perogie is sour cream.

1 large head cabbage
5 cups boiling water
1 cup white rice
½ lb. lean hamburger - browned and crumbly
½ cup chopped crisp bacon
2 cups water
1 tsp. salt
1 onion, chopped fine ½ cup butter or Bacel

Remove the core from cabbage and place in pot of 5 cups boiling water, add salt and let stem for a few minutes, until leaves are soft and pliable. At the same time bring the 2 cups water, salt and rice to boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Cook onion in ½ cup butter, mix with the cooked rice, hamburger and bacon and season to taste with salt and pepper. Separate the leaves of the cabbage carefully so not to rip them. Line the bottom of a casserole dish with a few leaves. Place a spoonful of the filling on each leaf and fold sides over the filling and roll bottom to top. Place in layers, seam side up, in a casserole dish. For added flavor add 1 can of stewed tomatoes and pour over the cabbage rolls. Cover and bake at 350°F for 1½ - 2 hours.

Cream butter in large bowl and gradually add flour. Continue to blend and add cheese and seasonings. Turn out mixture onto cookie sheet and spread to ¼-inch thickness. Cut into 3-inch long stripes, about ¼ to ½ inch wide. Preheat oven to 475°F. Bake cheese sticks for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Homemade Crackers

2½ cups (10oz.) shredded Cheddar cheese
½ cup butter or Bacel, softened
¼ cup 1% milk
1 tsp. prepared mustard
2/4 cup cornmeal
toasted sesame seeds or poppy seeds (optional)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour

Beat cheese, butter, milk and mustard in large bowl until well blended. Add cornmeal and flour and mix well. Divide dough in half. Shapr each half into a log about 8 inches long. Tightly cover and refrigerate 2 hours. Heat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease cookie sheet and slice each log into 1/8-inch slices. Placce on cookie sheet and sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds, if desired. Bake about 10 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet to wire cooling rack. Cool completely. Store in a loosely covered container. (To reheat or crisp, bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 350°F for 3 to 4 minutes. Serve with sour cream dip.

Seasoned Sour Cream Dip

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor container and process until smooth. Pour into serving bowl and chill at least 2 hours.

In small bowl, stir into cream cheese all ingredients and blend well until creamy.

Stir in mayo, sour cream, red wine, garlic cloves, pepper, Tabasco sauce and red pepper. Mix together until smooth. Garnish wih a sprinkle of green onions ontop. Makes 1 cup.

Place pink Salmon, cream cheese, sour cream and liquid smoke in a large bowl. Whip until fairly smooth. Turn into a bowl and stir in 2 chopped green onions. Makes 1½ cups.

Let cream cheese soften at room temperature for about 1 hour. Drain tuna. Mash with fork. In medium bowl, combine cream cheese, tuna and mayo. Add lemon juice, curry and salt. Mix to blend well. Add onions and stir to blend. Chill for 1 hour for flavors to blend.

In a large bowl whip together sour cream, mayo, waterchestnuts and soup mix. Add spinach and blend thoroughly. Cover and put in fridge to cool. Just before serving, take french bread and with a fine small paring or craving knife carefully cut all around inside of bread. Take the knife and carefully carve out the bread into big cubes and remove. Take dip from the fridge and pour evenly inside of french bread. Place the french bread on a platter and put cubes of french bread and cut baguette around the outside of the plate.

1 can of shrimp, drained and washed or 1½ cups of fresh shrimp
1 pkg. lite philly cream cheese
2 Tbsp. lite Miracle Whip
½ cup cocktail sauce
2 tsp. horseradish
2 tsp. ketchup Brenton or Ritz crackers on side

Whip together cream cheese and mayo and set aside. Mix together cocktail sauce, horseradish and ketchup. Spoon cream cheese mixture into 1-inch thick serving plate. Pour ontop of cream cheese mixture the cocktail sauce mixture. Sprinkle the shrimp onto of cocktail mixture. Place the crackers around the sides of the plate.

24 fresh mushrooms
¼ cup butter or Bacel
1 clove garlice, finely chopped
½ cup dry white wine
2 Tbsp. chopped parsley
1/3 cup fine breads crumbs
¼ cup buttered crumbs
1 pkg. shrimp
4 Tbsp. pamesan cheese

Wash & dry mushrooms; remove caps, and finely chop stems. Saute` caps very briefly in ¼ cup butter; remove and set aside. In same pan saute` garlic until soft. Add mushroom stems, wine & parsley. Cook, stirring over low heat, 3 minutes. Stir in 1/3 cup bread crumbs. Fil caps with mixture, sprinkle with buttered crumbs and brown lightly under broiler. Makes 14-15 caps.

8 slices bacon, cut in half
½ lb. Cheddar cheese, sharp
Dash of cayenne pepper
8 cherry tomatoes, halved

Slice bacon in half. Cut Cheddar cheese in small even cubes. Sprinkle cheese cubes with a dash of cayenne pepper. Wrap bacon slices around each cheese cube. Fasten with wooden toothpicks. Place on a baking sheet or in an overnproof glass dish. Broil for about 5 minutes, turning over after about 3 minutes or until cheese starts to melt and bacon is cooked to your liking. Garnish with cherry tomatoes. Serve as an appetizer with celery or carrot sticks or tortilla chips. Makes 4 servings.

¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
½ tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. oregano
4 cups regular-flavor potato chips

Preheat oven to 375°F. In small bowl, stir Parmesan with basil and oregano. Arrange potato chips in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet. Generously sprinkle Parmesan mixture over chips. Bake in centre of preheated oven until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.

2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme or 2 tsp. dried thyme
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh marjoram or 3/4 tsp. dried marjoram
½ tsp. paprika
2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
2 small loaves (4 ounces each) Italian or French bread.

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a samll bowl, combine the garlic and oil; mix well. In another small bowl, combine parsley, thyme, marjoram, and paprika. Add Parmesan; mix well. Cut each loaf crosswise into diagonal slices, without cutting all the way through. Brush cut sides of slices with garlic oil. Sprinkle herb mixture between slices. Wrap each loaf in foil; place on a baking sheet. Bake until heated through, about 10 to 15 minutes. Unwrap the loaves and place them on a breadboard or in a basket. Serve immediately. Freezer: Follow the recipe through Step 2, but wrap each loaf in plastic wrap then in foil. Freeze for up to 1 month. To hear, preheat oven to 350°F. Remove foil and plastic wrap from loaves; rewrap in foil. Place on a baking sheet and bake until heated through, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Shells
4 cups flour
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 lb. lard
1 egg, beaten with fork
1 Tbsp. vinegar

Combine vinegar, egg and add cold water to fill 2/3 cup. Crumb flour and lard with a pastry cutter. Combine with water mixture and mix enough to make a smooth dough.

Filling
1/3 cup butter or Bacel
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 Tbsp. 1% milk
½ cup raisins
½ cup walnuts
½ tsp. vanilla

Cream sugar and butter. Add beaten egg, milk and vanilla. Last add raisins and walnuts. Fill unbaked pastry shells 2/3 full. Bake at 450°F for 8 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F and bake another 15 to 20 minutes.

1 lb. butter or Bacel
3 cups flour
½ cup potato flour
1½ cups icing sugar
pinch of salt
½ cup red and green cherries, cut in half

Cream butter and sugar. Add sifted dry ingredients and mix well. Shape dough into 4 rolls 2" in diameter and roll in wax paper. Chill overnight. Cut with a sharp knife, thin slices ¼" thick. Take cherries and place a half cherrie ontop of each cookie. Bake on greased cookie sheets 375°F for 10 minutes.

Base
½ cup butter or Bacel, melted
2 cups Graham Wafer crumbs(26 wafers)
5 Tbsp. cocoa
1 tsp. vanilla
1 eggm beaten
5 Tbsp. sugar
1 cup coconut
½ cup chopped walnuts

Place softened butter, sugar, cocoa, vanilla and egg in a bowl. Set bowl in pan of boiling water, Stir mixture until the mixture is the consistency of custard. Mix wafer crumbs, coconut and nuts together and add to the cocoa mixture. Pack into ungreased 9 inch square pan.

Filling

4 Tbsp. butter or Bacel
3 Tbsp. vanilla custard pudding powder
2 cups icing sugar, sifted
1 Tbsp. 1% milk

Cream butter and add rest of the ingredients one at a time, blending well. Spread over wafter base and allow to harden. Cover with 1 cup melted semi-sweet chocolate chips mixed with 3 Tbsp. milk. Refrigerate.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Beat the eggs and vanilla together lightly. Mix together the brown sugar, flour, baking soda, salt and nuts. Add to the eggs and mix well. Melt the butter in a 9 square pan. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for about 20-25 minutes, until firm to the touch. While hot, loosen with a spatula and turn out onto wax paper, buttered side up. Dust lightly with confectioner's sugar while still warm, then cut into squares.

2 (11½ oz. ea) frozen layer cakes
1/3 cup butter or Bacel
1 3/4 - 2 cups powdered sugar
2/3 cup cocoa
1/3 cup half & half
1 tsp. vanilla
1 pkg. (3oz.) cream cheese
2 tsp. granulated sugar
4 drops yellow food coloring
3 drops red food coloring
1 drop green food coloring
spearmint gum drops
red cinnamon candies

Unwrap cakes and place end to end on serving platter. Set aside. In large mixing bowl, microwave butter on medium low (30%) for 45 seconds to 1 minute, until softened. Beat butter at medium speed of electric mixer until creamed. Add powdered sugar and cocoa alternately with half & half while beating at medium speed of electric mixer, until desired spreading consistency. Beat in vanilla. Reserve 2 Tbsp. frosting. Set aside. Spread top and sides of cake with remaining frosting. Draw lines of fork through frosting for barklike appearance. Set aside. Place cream cheese in small bowl. Microwave for 15-30 seconds, or until softened. Add granulated sugar and food colorings. Mix well. Spread ends of log with cream cheese mixture. Use wooden pick to apply reserved frosting in concentric circles on each end of log. Garnish log with gumdrop leaves adn red cinnamon candies.

2 egg yolks
2 Tbsp. Kahlua liqueur
¼ cup sugar
3 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
¼ cup butter or Bacel
2 Tbsp. Kahlua liqueur
2 egg whites
1½ tsp. sugar
1 cup whipping cream
Mint leaves, for garnish
Mint chocolate sticks, for garnish

Beat egg yolks and 2 Tbsp. Kahlua in the top of a double boiler. Beat in ¼ cup sugar and beat until slightly thickened and color lightens. Place pan over boiling water. Cook and stir until thickened, about 10 minutes. Set top of double boiler in a bowl of cold water. Beat until mixture is thick, 3 to 4 minutes. Melt chocolate and butter together. Stir in remaining 2 Tbsp. Kahlua. Add to egg mixture. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Add remaining sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form. Add to chocolate mixture. Beat whipping cream until stiff. Fold into chocolate mixture. Spoon mousse into parfait glasses or dessert cups. Chill 3 hours before serving. Makes 4 servings.

4 even baking apples like Rome Beauty or Pippin Water, lemon juice.

Filling
3 Tbsp. butter or Bacel
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cloves
3 Tbsp. chopped walnuts

Rinse apples. Cut in halves. Core. Do not peel. Place apples in cold water with a little lemon juice. Prepare filling. Melt butter in a saucepan. Add sugar, flour, cinnamon and cloves. Heat. Add chopped nuts. Mix to blend. Remove apples, pat dry. Place apple halves in an ovenproof dish. Fill holes with nut mixture and mound filling on top of each apple. Bake apples at 350°F for about 35 minutes or until tender and filling is golden brown. Serve apples warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Filling
3 packages (8 oz. ea)nonfat cream cheese, softened
1¼ cups granulated sugar
1 cup nonfat sour cream
1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. vanilla
2 large eggs
2 squares (2 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate, melted

Pie Crust
1 cup chocolate wafer crumbs (about 18 wafers)
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter or Bacel, melted

Preheat over to 325°F. To prepare crust, in a small bowl, combine crumbs and butter. Mix well. Press into bottom of an 8-inch springform pan. Wrap outside of pan with heavy-duty foil. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer set on medium speed, beat cream cheese and sugar for 2 minutes. Beat in sour cream, flour and vanilla. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Transfer 1½ cups of batter to a small bowl. Stir in chocolate. Spread half of vanilla batter over chocolate batter. Spoon remaining vanilaa batter over chocolate batter. Top with remaining chocolate batter. Using a knife, gently swirl batters together. Place pan in a shallow roasting pan; add enough boiling water to come half way up sides of springform pan. Bake until just set, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Place pan on a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Cover and chill for 4 hours. Make 10 slices.

Turn pie filling into a 10-inch pie pan or 8-inch square cake pan. Mix in the Amaretto or almond extract. In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar and baking powder. In a small bowl, mix together the milk, egg and melted butter. Stir the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients to make a stiff dough. Spoon micture over the pie filling in the pan, making 4 equal-sized portions. Bake at 425°F for 30 minutes or until cherrie are bubbly and the topping is lightly browned. Sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar and toasted almonds. Spoon into dessert dishes. Serve warm with whipping cream, if desired.