Christmas

December 2001- Whether you are anchored in a tropical paradise or in your slip at the Marina, there is a lot you can do to make Christmas and Other Festive Occasions even more special. We always dress-up "Solitaire" for holidays with lights, banners and an appropriate table runner and centerpiece for the salon table. At Christmas-time, we hang up a little flat-on-one-side artificial tree and decorate it with nautical ornaments. We also keep a supply of greeting cards, mini-bottles of champagne, birthday candles and gift bags on the boat for celebrating special events with our Marina family. You don't need a Department Store or Supermarket around the corner when you're a cruiser - the galley can provide everything you need for heartfelt gifts for family and friends. Some ideas include homemade tree ornaments, cookies and candy, salsas and sauces, bread, party mix or even just your favorite recipe on an index card, along with all the ingredients for making it.

Homemade Tree Ornaments - You can make dough with flour, water and a pinch of salt, or your favorite sugar cookie recipe. Roll it out and use a boat-shaped cookie cutter. Bake until set and paint with a mixture of egg yolks and food coloring.

Mulled Wine - This brings back memories of warming up with hot wine in the lodge after a day of skiing at Mt. Baker. To a bottle of red wine, add 1 tsp. ground cloves, 1 tsp. ground cinnamon, 1/4 cup brown sugar, lemon or orange rinds (thinly sliced). Heat and serve.

Rum Balls - Mix dry ingredients; add corn syrup and rum. Mix with hands until blended. Form into bite-sized balls. Roll in cocoa, powdered sugar, coconut, nuts, etc. Refrigerate until firm.

Butter Fingers - Mix 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 12-ounce jar crunchy peanut butter, 4 tablespoons melted butter and 1 cup raisins (optional). Shape into balls or finger-shaped logs. Chill and then dip into a melted mixture of 1 12-ounce package of chocolate chips and 1/2 bar paraffin. Store in refrigerator or freezer.

Party Pecans - Beat egg white until stiff. Fold in sugar, vanilla and spices. Mix in pecans (walnuts are good, too.) Dip out one at a time onto a cookie sheet. Bake at 250 degrees for 25 minutes until golden brown.

Brandied Cheese - Blend 6 oz. Roquefort cheese, ¼ cup softened butter, and ¼ cup brandy. Pack in a small crock and refrigerate at least 24-hours. Serve with apple wedges and crackers.

Sherry Cheese Ball - Blend 8 oz. Cream cheese, 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese, ¼- teaspoon curry powder, and 2 Tablespoons dry Sherry. Pack into a small bowl lined with plastic wrap and chill over night. Un-mold and spread with 1/3 cup chutney. Sprinkle with finely chopped green onions and serve with crackers.

Walnut Cheese Ball - Mix 8 oz. Cream cheese, 2 Cups grated cheddar, 1/3 Cup French Dressing, 1 finely chopped onion, and one minced garlic clove. Form into a ball and roll in chopped walnuts. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate one day.

Rum Nuts - Melt 4 Tablespoons butter in a frying pan – add 2 cups Pecans and sauté until lightly browned. Stir in 4 Tablespoons dark rum, along with 4 Tablespoons soy sauce, 1 Tablespoon salt, and 4 drops of Tabasco. Stir and cook for about 1 minute. Cool on paper towels. Store in an airtight container.

Spicy Pecans - Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix 2 cups pecans with 3 Tablespoons melted butter. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons chili powder and add ¼ cup brown sugar. Toss well and spread on a cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes. Store in an airtight container.

Herbed Marinated Cheese - Mix rosemary, thyme, marjoram, parsley flakes, crushed red pepper, ground black pepper with olive oil. Put an 8-12 oz. Block of goat cheese in a small jar or other airtight container. Cover with the herbed olive oil. This is an excellent way to preserve cheese. After eating the cheese, strain the oil and use for salad dressing.

Humus - Drain 2 cans of chick peas, saving the liquid. Put chick peas and half the liquid in a blender and puree. Add 3-4 cloves of garlic and about 1 Tablespoon Sesame oil; blend until smooth. Store refrigerated in a covered container. Use as a dip for crackers or pita bread triangles.

Cream Cheese and Anything or Everything - The old standby for a last minute appetizer is to place a block of cream cheese on a plate and top with any one of the following: canned shrimp & cocktail sauce; or 1 jar of chutney; or 1 jar of jalapeno jelly; – use your imagination. Serve with crackers

Fabulous Fudge - I spotted this recipe in “Living Aboard” magazine. With only two basic ingredients and no baking required, it sounded perfect for the boat – and it tastes every bit as good as its name. Basic Ingredients: 18 oz. chocolate chips and 1 can of sweetened evaporated milk. Add: 1 Teaspoon vanilla, chopped nuts, chopped candied cherries or anything else that sounds good. Melt chocolate chips in milk at low heat on top of the stove, stirring constantly until chips melt. Add nuts and other goodies. Spoon into a pan and chill.

My Aunt Phyllis’ Peanut Butter Fudge - I try to make a batch or two of this at Christmas time and it always disappears immediately! Boil milk and sugar for one minute, stirring. Remove from heat and beat in peanut butter, chips and vanilla. Poor into a foil-lined pan, chill, cut and watch it disappear.

Almond Roca - I got this recipe from my seventh grade home economics teacher and have made it ever since. Melt butter. Stir in sugar and bring to boil. Add water and corn syrup. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly. Heat to 290 degrees then remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup of nuts. Pour onto a buttered sheet. Put chocolate chips on top to melt and spread evenly and sprinkle with remaining nuts. Loosen with a spatula as it cools. Break into pieces.

1 cup Butter 1 cup Sugar

2 T. Water 2 T. Light Corn syrup

3/4 cup Almonds 6 oz. Chocolate Chips

Toffee Squares - Mix butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla. Stir in flour and salt. Pat into a 13 X 10 greased pan. Bake 25 minutes at 350 degrees. Break up chocolate bars on top and spread until melted. Sprinkle with nuts. Cut into squares.

1 Cup Butter 1 Cup Brown sugar

1 Egg Yolk 1 teaspoon Vanilla

2 Cups Flour 1 pinch Salt

6 oz. Chocolate bars 1/2 Cup Chopped nuts

Norwegian Lemon Bon Bons - I tasted these for the first time at my Aunt Dorothy’s house nearly fifty years ago. They are still one of my favorite cookies. Blend butter, flour, salt, sugar and cornstarch. Roll into marble-sized balls. Chop up pecans finely and scatter on waxed paper. Place balls on top of nuts and flatten with the bottom of a glass. Place on un-greased cookie sheet with the nut side up. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Make frosting with lemon juice, powdered sugar and butter. Frost cookies when cool.

1 Cup Butter 1 Cup Flour

1/8 teaspoon Salt 1/2 Cup Powdered sugar

3/4 Cup Cornstarch 1/2 Cup Pecans

Juice from one lemon 1 Cup Powdered sugar

1 teaspoon Butter

Candy Cane Cookies - My son’s favorites were always Candy Cane Cookies – white and red sugar cookie dough flavored with peppermint candies and twisted together before baking.

Christmas Wassail - Combine cider, sugar and fruit concentrates. Add spices. Bring to boil and simmer 20 minutes. Remove spices. Add sherry and heat again. Serve in small mugs with Christmas Cookies.

1 quart apple cider

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup frozen lemonade, thawed

1/4 cup frozen orange juice, thawed

3 sticks cinnamon

2 whole cloves

2 whole allspice

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated

1 fifth dry sherry

Date Nut Pinwheels - These are my Mom's favorite Christmas Cookies. Prepare Date Filling: Mix Dates, Water, and Sugar. Cook in a saucepan until thick. Cool slightly and stir in chopped nuts. Mix other ingredients into dough. Roll into two rectangles. Spread each with date filling. Roll-up like a jelly roll and refrigerate over night. Slice into rounds. Bake 10 minutes at 400 degrees.

¾ lb. Dates, cut

1/3 C. Water

1/3 C. Sugar

1/2 Cup Walnuts, chopped

1/2 Cup Shortening

1-3/4 C. Flour

1 each Egg

1/2 teaspoon Vanilla

1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda

1 Cup Brown Sugar

1 pinch salt