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Christmas Edition

Christmas Recipes
Main dishes, desserts, and alcohol-free drinks for the Christmas season

Cranberry Chip Bars
by Marilyn Meeks

1          pkg. 18 oz white cake mix
¼         cup packed brown sugar
2          eggs
¼         cup butter, softened
¼         cup water
1          cup dried cranberries
1          cup white chocolate chips
1          cup chopped almonds

In a large bowl, combine cake mix, brown sugar, eggs, butter and water. Beat on low speed for one minute or until smooth. Stir in cranberries, chips and nuts. Spread batter in greased 9 x 13 inch cake pan. Bake 25 - 30 minutes in preheated oven 350^o F until set. Cool completely in pan. Cut into bars. May ice.

Mincemeat Christmas Cake
by Marilyn Meeks

9-oz tin of mincemeat
½ cup warm water
¾ cup candied fruit
1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 egg
1 cup flour
½ sp soda
½ cup glazed cherries (optional)
½ cup walnuts (optional)

Mix all ingredients together and bake at 350 for ½ hour.

Oatmeal Cookies
By Joyce Smith

1          egg
½         cup brown sugar
½         cup white sugar
1          cup margarine
1          tsp vanilla
1          cup flour
½         tsp baking soda
½         tsp salt
¾         cup coconut
½         cup nuts
½         cup cherries
½         cup dates
¼         tsp nutmeg
½         tsp cinnamon
2          cups rolled oats

Mix ingredients in order given. Roll batter into small balls. Press down with floured fork. Place on greased cookie sheet and bake at 325^o F. Do not over bake.

Cranberry Orange Lamb Chops

6 Frenched Lamb Chops or 4 Loin Chops, 1” thick
½ cup sugar
1 cup cranberries
¼ cup orange juice
1 tsp grated orange rind
1 tsp Dijon mustard
pinch of allspice 

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, cranberries, orange juice, rind, Dijon mustard and allspice. Cook until mixture boils and cranberries pop (about 10 to 12 minutes). Set aside. In a preheated broiler, 4” from heat, broil lamb chops on one side for 6 minutes. Turn chops and broil 4 mins longer. Spoon one generous teaspoonful of sauce over each chop. Broil for 1 minute longer. Serve extra sauce on the side. Serve with parsley potatoes and vegetables julienne

Cranberry Coleslaw
by Stephanie Stacey

1          cup chopped cranberries
¼         cup sugar
3          cups finely shredded cabbage
½         cup orange juice
2          Tbsp. chopped celery
2          Tbsp. chopped green pepper
1          cup seeded halved green grapes
¼         cup mayonnaise or salad dressing

Mix cranberries with sugar. Moisten cabbage with orange juice. Add sugared cranberries, celery, green peppers and grapes. Toss lightly with the mayonnaise or salad dressing. Chill ½ hour. (6 - 8 servings)

Festive Cheesecake Bars
by Deb Stacey

1          cup margarine or butter
1          cup firmly packed brown sugar
3          cups sifted all-purpose flour
1¼        cups finely chopped walnuts
2          cups mincemeat
¾         cup white sugar
3          8-oz pkgs. cream cheese
3          eggs, beaten
1/3        cup milk
3          Tbsp. lemon juice
1½        tsp. vanilla

Cream butter or margarine with sugar until light and fluffy. Add flour and chopped walnuts, creaming with spoon until mixture forms crumbs. Set aside 3 cups mixture for topping. Press remaining crumb mixture into ungreased 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350^o F for 12 - 15 mins. Cool. Combine white sugar and cream cheese. Beat until smooth. Add eggs, milk, lemon juice and vanilla. Beat thoroughly. Spread mincemeat evenly over cooled base, then pour cream cheese mixture on top. Sprinkle reserved 3 cups crumbs over top. Bake at 350^o F for 25 - 30 mins. or until set. Chill before cutting.

Cranberry stuffing
by Marilyn Meeks

1          cup fresh stewed cranberries
¼         cup sugar
¼         cup chopped celery
2          Tbsp. chopped parsley
4          Tbsp. butter
4          cups stale bread crumbs
½         tsp. sweet marjoram
1          tsp. salt

Combine cranberries and sugar. Cook celery and parsley in butter until celery is tender. Blend all together. Stuff your turkey or whatever other meat you might have!

Manitoulin Island Christmas Cake
by Rev. Jean Brown

We make gum drop cake at Christmas time- it’s moist and looks cheery on the plate.  Too many traditional Christmas cakes are so dry.  Give it a taste.

1 lb. Raisins (2 ½ cups)
1 lb. Gumdrops (2 ½ cups)- don’t use the black ones.

In one bowl- oak raisins in boiling water to cover and let stand overnight to plump up.

In another bowl, cut gumdrops into pieces with scissors and  add them to the soaked up raisins, coating all in a light dusting of flour.

 In another bowl, cream together
1 cup white sugar
½ cup butter.

Add
2 well beaten eggs
1 tsp. Soda
1 cup sour milk.

If you don’t have sour milk put 1 tbsp. vinegar in cup and then fill cup with milk, then add soda.

In another bowl sift together
2 cups flour
½ tsp salt
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg.

 Mix all ingredients together, and bake in a slow oven at 300 F for 1 to 1 ½ hours.  This tastes yummy.

Christmas morning Breakfast
by Rev. Jean Brown

Get it ready the night before and put in frig, then cook it on Christmas morning while you are opening gifts. 

12 slices day old bread
½ lb. Cheddar cheese
2 2/3 cup milk
4 eggs
¾ tsp salt (can use less)
¼ tsp pepper
1/8 tsp paprika

Trim crusts from bread.  Lay 6 slices in bottom of buttered baking dish.  Slice cheese and lay it over the bread.  Cover with remaining 6  bread slices.  Beat the eggs and add milk and seasonings.  Pour over bread and cheese.  Cover and put in refrigerator overnight.  Bake on Christmas morning at 359 F for 45 minutes.  Enjoy.

Manitoulin Meat balls
by Rev. Jean Brown

1 lb ground beef
½ cup diced parsley flakes
2 tbsp. soya sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
1 cup corn flake crumbs
2 eggs
2 tsp pepper
1/3 cup ketchup
2 tbsp. minced onion

Combine the above ingredients, blend well, make into small meatballs and arrange in a roast pan.

Meanwhile in a saucepan combine

16 oz can jellied cranberry sauce
1 cup brown sugar
1 scant tsp. Horseradish
1 – 12 ounce bottle chilli sauce
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Combine all of these ingredients in the saucepan and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally until mixture is smooth and cranberry sauce melted.  Pour over raw meatballs.  Bake uncovered for 45 minutes at 350 F .  Serve with toothpicks- enjoy.  Have a blast.     

Red Rhubarb Salad
by Anne Lawrence of Big Gull Lake

3 cups finely cut rhubarb
½ cup sugar
1/3 cup water
2 (3 oz) pkg. Strawberry Jello
1 cup crushed pineapple
½ cup chopped nuts or chopped celery
2 ¼ cups water

Cook rhubarb, sugar and the 1/3 cup water.  Add strawberry jello, crushed pineapple, chopped nuts or celery and 2 ¼ cups water. Chill until firm and then serve.  The rhubarb gives a tangy taste, and I like to serve this at the lake on  a warm summer day, however it would also be good at Christmas time.

Crazy Crunch
by Doris Forbes

This was a favourite of my Mother, the late Ethel Forbes and is offered in her memory.

2 quarts popped corn
1 1/3 cups pecans
2/3 cup almonds
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 cup margarine
1 tsp. Vanilla
½ cup corn syrup or lily white syrup
¼ tsp. Salt

Mix popped corn and nuts on cookie sheet.  Combine sugar, margarine, salt and corn syrup in 1 ½ quart sauce pan;  bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.  Boil, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes or until mixture turns a light caramel colour.  Remove from heat.  Stir in vanilla.  Pour over popped corn and nuts;  mix to coat well.  Spread to dry.  Break apart;  store in tightly covered container.  Makes about 2 pounds.

Oatmeal shortbread cookies
by Leta Peterson of the Ponderosa in memory of the late Clifford Peterson

1 cup butter
½ cup brown sugar
1 ¼ cups flour
1 ¼ cups rolled oats
dash salt

Mix all together and roll in balls.  Flatten with fork and bake at 350 F for 10 to 12 minutes.

The Late Leta Blake’s Christmas Thimble cookies
by Lorne Blake and family- in memory of  Leta

2 cups soft shortening
1 cup brown sugar
4 egg yolks
4 cups flour
2 tsp. Vanilla
½ tsp salt
red or green jelly
1 thimble- sterilized or covered with saran wrap.

Combine shortening, brown sugar, egg yolks, flour, vanilla and salt.  Form into balls, the size of robins eggs.  Take the thimble and  put a dent in the ball.  Cook 5 minutes at 350 F.  Remove from oven and cool.  Drop red or green jelly into the dent in the cookies.  Good for Christmas, or any special event.

Christmas Wreath Cookies
by Marilyn Meeks

½ cup sugar
2 ½ cup flour
1 cup flour
1 cup margarine
2 egg yolks
¼ tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
red and green cherries, chopped

In a large bowl, mix sugar and the next five ingredients. Beat with mixer on low. Preheat over at 350. Roll a heaping teaspoonful of dough at a time into a 6-inch rope. Place each rope on cookie sheet in a circle, but cross one end over the other with ½” extending at each end. Brush cookies with egg white and sprinkle on some sugar. Press pieces of red and green cherries to make a pretty decoration. Bake until light golden brown. Cool.

No-Bake Refrigerator Squares
by Joyce Smith

1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
½ cup butter
2 cups graham wafer crumbs
1 ½ tsp vanilla
1 cup coconut
chopped nuts 

Cook sugar, egg and butter in double boiler until thickened. Remove from heat and add other ingredients. Press into a 9x9 inch pan. Cool. Ice with white or chocolate icing, then cover with chopped walnuts. Refrigerate. Cut into squares.

Unbaked Squares
by Joyce Smith

1 can Eagle Brand milk
3 cups graham wafer crumbs
½ cup walnuts
½ cup coconut
½ cup mixed fruit
1½ cups miniature marshmallows

Mix dry ingredients together. Stir in milk and press evenly into a buttered 9-inch square pan. Chill before cutting.

Cranberry Lemon Scones
by Marilyn Meeks

2 cups flour
1 tbsp. Baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup cold butter cut into pieces
½ cup dried cranberries
2 tsp. grated lemon rind
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg beaten

Preheat oven to 400 F. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar in a bowl. Add butter and work with your fingertips or fork until mixture is the size of small peas. Mix in cranberries and lemon rind. Gently stir in buttermilk and mix. Do not overmix. Turn onto a floured surface and gently knead until dough just holds together. Roll or pat out in a circle 1” thick. Cut into 8 triangles and place on baking sheet. Brush tops lightly with beaten egg. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until puffed and golden. Makes 8 scones. (I used orange rind instead of lemon.)

Alcohol-free drinks for Christmas

The Sunrise Blend
In a blender, add 1cup ice, 3 oz. fresh orange juice, 3 oz. fresh pineapple juice, 2 fresh strawberries and 1 banana. Blend until slushy and strain into a large tumbler. Garnish with strawberries.

Foaming Dragon
Kingston Brewing Co. Ltd.

Into a shaker glass over ice, add 4 oz. cranberry juice, 4 oz. orange juice, 1 tablespoon icing sugar. Shake and strain onto fresh ice in a highball glass and top with 7-Up. Garnish with fresh cranberries on a cocktail pick ...Created by Van-Allen Turner.

Cajun Clamato Cocktail
The Hub Bars & Restaurants - Francois

Rim glass with celery salt. Blend: ice, clamato juice, dash of Worcestershire sauce , dash of Tabasco, salt & pepper, fresh horseradish. Garnish with a celery stalk

Baby Bellini
Le Chien Noir
Chilled Sparkling Cider
2 oz. Peach Nectar
1 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice

Pour the fruit juices into a chilled champagne flute.  Stir well.  Add cider to the rim.  Stir again gently. 
Bartender:  Deidre Tylecki

Yellow Bird
The Hub Bars & Restaurants - Francois

1 oz. each of orange juice - pineapple - grapefruit
2 oz. Sprite or 7-up
ice
float grenadine on top and let it dribble through for effect
garnish with orange or pineapple

The Gentle Breeze

Fill a gobler with ice.
Add 4 oz. cranberry juice and 4 oz. grapefruit juice.
Garnish with a fresh cranberry and mint leaf.

For more fun alcohol-free drinks visit www.mocktails.ca