HOLIDAYS! 

I've tried most, if not all of these, myself and can say this: You'll be glad you tried them, too!

Ida's Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:

1-#2 1/2 can Libby's pumpkin               4 large eggs

3 cups undiluted evaporated milk       1 1/2 cups sugar

2 deep dish 9" pie shells                     1 tsp. salt, generous

1 tsp. cinnamon, generous                   1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. lemon juice                                 2 T. flour

2 T. Blue Label (dark) Karo syrup

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Blend all ingredients well with mixer.

Be sure you use plain canned pumpkin, NOT seasoned!

Divide mixture evenly into pie shells; they should be nearly to the top of the crust edge. You might want to add the last cup or two while in the oven to avoid sloshing all over.

Bake at 450 degrees F for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 400 degrees F for 40-50 minutes or until knife blade inserted in center comes out clean and pie looks mostly set.

If you have excess pie filling, you can pour it into pyrex custard dishes and bake in a pan of water as for custard.

Lynn's Sweet Fruitcake

Ingredients:

2 packages Pillsbury Date Quick Bread Mix

2 cups chopped pecans   2 eggs

2 cups raisins                   2 cups candied pineapple

2 cups water                     2 cups candied cherries

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease and flour a large Bundt pan.

Combine eggs and water in large bowl and mix well.

Add remaining ingredients and stir by hand until well blended.

Pour into pan and bake for 75-85 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool in pan 30 minutes. Loosen edges and remove to rack to cool completely.

Wrap in plastic wrap and/or foil; store in refrigerator. Makes about 24-36 servings.

Ida's Banana-Nut Bread

Ingredients:

1/3 cup margarine                     2 eggs

3 T. sour milk/buttermilk         2/3 cup sugar

2 cups sifted flour                   1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder               1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 cup bananas, mashed (about 3 medium, very ripe)

1/2 cup chopped combined English and black walnuts

Instructions:

Mix thoroughly the sugar, eggs and margarine.

Stir in the sour milk (you can make your own with 1 T. vinegar to 2 T. of milk) and bananas.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and stir into mixture.

Blend in the chopped nuts. (Do try the black walnuts before you say no; they really add a distinctive flavor to the bread!

Pour batter into one greased 9"x5"x3" loaf pan and let sit for 20 minutes.

While batter is resting, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Bake for 50-60 minutes or till toothpick inserted in center of bread comes out clean. It should sound hollow when you tap the bottom.

This bread freezes well, and actually improves; the density of it gets heavier. Wrap in plastic wrap and foil, and put in a plastic bag in the freezer. Slice thin and serve with cream cheese or margarine. A Christmas Eve favorite!

Jenny's Cranberry-Orange Bread

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour           3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsps. baking powder         3/4 tsp. salt

1/4 cup softened margarine     1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 T. grated orange peel           3/4 cup orange juice

1/2 cup chopped nuts               1 egg

1 cup fresh, frozen or dried cranberries, chopped

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease bottom only of loaf pan.

Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt; stir in margarine until crumbly.

In separate bowl beat egg well, add orange juice (squeeze from orange used for peel) and peel. If you prefer not to use nuts, you may substitute 1/2 tsp. almond extract.

Blend well and add to dry ingredients just until moistened.

Stir in cranberries and nuts, if using.

Spread in baking pan and bake 55-65 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on rack.

Etheleen's Maple-Walnut Fudge

Ingredients:

1 pint whipping cream           1/2 cup corn syrup

3 cups light brown sugar       3 cups granulated sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract             1/2-1 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions:

With butter, grease the upper half of a 6 quart heavy saucepan or Dutch oven.

Combine the cream, corn syrup and sugars well in the pot and let sit for about an hour for sugars to dissolve. Brown sugar should be lightly packed.

Cook on medium heat, stirring frequently, until it is 116 degrees C./240 degrees F. Remove from heat.

Stir in the vanilla extract and walnuts; the amount of nuts can vary depending on tastes.

Fill the sink with cold water so it will reach halfway up the sides of the pot.

Butter a Pyrex baking dish about 13x8x2 inches or so fudge will be about an inch thick.

Immerse pan in cold water to half the depth of it (which will cool the fudge); stir until it starts to thicken.

Before fudge hardens, pour into buttered pan and smooth the surface. Let cool on the counter till firm and cut into one inch square pieces. (Do not refrigerate as the sugar may crystallize.)

Chris' Butterscotch Breakfast Ring

Ingredients:

1 stick butter or margarine         3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 small package butterscotch pudding mix (NOT instant)

1/2 cup dark raisins                     1/2 cup English walnuts

1 bag Rich's frozen dough balls (keep frozen till use)

1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

Instructions:

Assemble the night before use:

Use 1 Tablespoon of the butter or margarine to grease a large Bundt pan, tube pan or angel food pan.

Sprinkle some (not all) of the nuts and raisins in the bottom of the pan.

Arrange frozen dinner rolls evenly around the pan on top of the nuts and raisins.

Sprinkle the pudding mix on top of the frozen rolls and add remaining nuts and raisins on top.

Melt the remaining 7 Tablespoons of butter in a pan and add brown sugar and cinnamon; stir well till completely dissolved and pour over rolls in pan.

Let rise overnight. In the morning, bake at 350 degrees F. for 25-30 minutes.

Turn out immediately onto extra-large plate and serve warm.

Candy Apples

Ingredients:

1 cup Karo light corn syrup     8 red apples

1/4 cup red cinnamon candies   2 cups granulated sugar

10 drops red food coloring       1/2 cup water

Instructions:

Wash and dry apples well and insert 6" pointed sticks through the top down into the core.

In a 2-quart saucepan mix the sugar, Karo corn syrup and water.

Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until a candy thermometer reaches 250 degrees F. or until drops of syrup in cold water form hard, yet "plastic" balls.

Add cinnamon candies and continue cooking to 285 degrees F. or until drops of syrup in cold water separate into hard but not brittle threads.

Remove from heat and stir in food coloring.

Butter a baking sheet; wax paper will stick to apples.

Twirl each apple in syrup to coat, let excess drip off then twirl and place on baking sheet to set.

Applesauce-Cinnamon Christmas Ornaments

Ingredients:

3/4 cup applesauce (not chunky)

1 - 4.12 ounce bottle of ground cinnamon

Dash of nutmeg

Instructions:

Mix ingredients well in mixing bowl to a dough-like consistency.

Applesauce and/or cinnamon may be adjusted for proper consistency.

Roll out to about 1/4 inch thick.

Cut out shapes with cookie cutters; use a straw to poke a hole in the top center for a hanging ribbon.

Let dry for several days; a dehydrator may be used.

Tie thin ribbon through the hole to hang on your tree.

NOTE: Do not eat these ornaments!!

Enjoy the spicy scent all through the holidays!

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