For all of you out there who read this page in search of the ultimate recipe - here are some of the finest from our very own staffers. These are all traditional holiday treats at their houses.
As a gift to you, we've taken out all the fat, calories, cholesterol, etc. Just kidding . . . but wouldn't it be nice? Anyway, there is plenty of good flavor.*****
RECIPES
GRANDMA RANDALL'S PEPPERMINT CANDY DESSERT
1 package Nabisco Chocolate Fudge Wafers rolled into fine crumbs
1 pint whipping cream, beaten until stiff
1 cup crushed peppermint candy
3 cups miniature marshmallows
40 chopped pecans
Crush fudge wafers into fine crumbs. Beat whipping cream until stiff and add crushed peppermint candy to whipped cream. Add marshmallows to whipped cream. If desired, add chopped pecans.
In bottom of 9-by-13-inch pan, layer half of crushed wafers. Add cream mixture and spread remaining wafers on top.
Freeze at least 1 hour before serving. Remove 20 minutes before serving.
Serves 12.
- From Colleen Randall, Deseret News Library Manager
- Each serving contains 474 calories, 26 g fat, 55 g carb, 60 mg sodium, 54 mg cholesterol.
CANADIAN CARAMEL
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup Canadian or English syrup (Lyle's, for example or any heavy, golden syrup)
1 cube butter or margarine
2 cups light cream (half & half)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup broken nuts (walnuts or pecans)
Boil sugar, golden syrup, butter and cream in heavy pan over medium heat until hard-ball stage on thermometer (or until several drops of candy mix dropped in cold water hold their shape.)
Remove from heat and allow to cool until warm. Add vanilla and beat until candy loses its gloss and holds its shape.
Add nuts and pour onto buttered dish. Should have the consistency of fudge, even though it's called caramel. Makes 3 dozen squares.
- From Twila Van Leer, Deseret News education editor
- Each serving contains 119 calories, 6 g fat, 17 g carb, 32 mg sodium, 12 mg cholesterol.
- Note: Harmon's grocery stores carry Lyle's golden syrup.
LU ANN LINCOLN'S CELERY CASSEROLE
6 cups celery, sliced
2 cans Cream of Chicken soup, undiluted
1 can sliced water chestnuts
3/4 cup butter, or less
1/3 cup sliced almonds
1 1/4 cups crushed onion crackers
Cover the sliced celery with water and boil for four minutes.
Drain celery and stir in soup and water chestnuts. Layer this mixture in the bottom of buttered 9-by-13-inch casserole dish. Set aside.
Saute 1/3 cup sliced almonds in the butter, then stir in crushed onion crackers.
Sprinkle almond/cracker mixture on top of the celery mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
Serves 12.
- From Ivan Lincoln, Deseret News theater editor
- Each serving contains 338 calories, 23 g fat, 27 g carb, 1034 mg sodium, 36 mg cholesterol.
JOYCE HICKS' CREAMY LAYERED PUMPKIN PIE
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon milk
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 cup thawed whipped topping
1 cup milk
2 small (4-serving) packages vanilla instant pudding
1 16-ounce can pumpkin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 graham cracker pie crust
Soften cream cheese in microwave on high 15-20 seconds, if needed.
Mix cream cheese, milk and sugar in large bowl with wire whisk until smooth. Gently stir in whipped topping. Spread in bottom of crust.
Pour 1 cup milk into bowl. Add pudding mixes. Beat with wire whisk until well-blended, 1-2 minutes (mixture will be thick).
Stir in pumpkin and spices with wire whisk - mix well. Spread over cream cheese layer.
Refrigerate at least 3 hours. Garnish with additional whipped topping and nuts, if desired. Serves 8.
- From Christopher Hicks, Deseret News entertainment editor
- Each serving contains 395 calories, 23 g fat, 52 g carb, 510 mg sodium, 18 mg cholesterol.
JEAN'S STOLEN-FROM-CAROL BENCH SEAFOOD DIP
2 cups shredded mozarella cheese
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/2 pound bay shrimp
1 can crabmeat, well-drained
6 green onions, sliced (white part only)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 8-ounce bottle seafood sauce
1 large tomato, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
Sprigs of fresh cilantro
In food processor or with your own physical strength, mix together cream cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise. Mix in green onion.
In separate bowls, marinate shrimp and crabmeat in 1 tablespoon lemon juice each.
Fold well-drained shrimp into cream cheese mixture.
On serving plate, mound cream cheese mixture on top of mozarella cheese. Cover with well-drained crabmeat.
Top cream cheese mixture and crabmeat with seafood sauce. Sprinkle with chopped tomato and green pepper. Garnish with cilantro sprigs. Serve with crackers. Serves 24.
- From Jean Williams, Deseret News food editor
- Each serving contains 104 calories, 7 g fat, 4 g carb, 263 mg sodium, 38 mg cholesterol.
GRANDMA DONNA BILLS' CHRISTMAS SNOWBALLS
48 vanilla wafers
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 egg
1 cup drained, crushed pineapple
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Whipped cream
Coconut
Maraschino cherries
Cream together butter, sugar and egg. Add pineapple and nuts.
Spoon mixture on top of one vanilla wafer, repeat again twice, with final wafer on top. (Wafer, mix, wafer, mix, wafer, mix, wafer.)
Refrigerate overnight. Coat with whipped cream and coconut. Top with maraschino cherry. Serves 12.
- From Todd Curtis, Deseret News copy editor
- Each serving contains 298 calories, 21 g fat, 26 g carb, 140 mg sodium, 70 mg cholesterol.
HELEN BOLYARD'S HOLIDAY MINCEMEAT PIE
Pastry for two-crust pie
1 28-ounce jar prepared Borden's mincemeat
1 1/2 cups peeled, chopped apples
Roll one pastry shell out and place in pie tin.
Combine mincemeat and apples. Spoon mixture into pie shell.
Roll out second pastry shell and place over pie. Trim and seal edges with water. Flute edges with fork. With remaining pastry scraps, cut shapes of apples and leaves and decorate top. Attach shapes with small amount of water. Cut slits in top of crust with sharp knife.
Bake at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Cover edges with foil to prevent burning, if necessary.
- From Nancy Bolyard, Deseret News city desk secretary
- Each serving contains 389 calories, 16 g fat, 62 g carb, 604 mg sodium, 0 cholesterol.
RAISIN FILLED COOKIES
Filling:
1 1/2 sugar
1 1/2 water
3 cups raisins
1 cups nuts (optional)
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Cookie:
2 cups sugar
1 cup milk
1 cup shortening
2 eggs
7 cups flour
4 teaspoons cream of tartar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
Cook filling until thick. Cool in refrigerator for approximately one hour.
For cookies: Cream shortening, sugar, vanilla and eggs. Next, alternate adding dry ingredients (flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt) and liquid (milk) until mixed.
Roll out cookie dough, cut with round cutter, drop teaspoon of filling in center of cookie, place another round on top and seal edges.
Bake at 375 degrees for 15 min. Makes 3 dozen.
- From Heather Tuttle, Deseret News artist
- Each serving contains 278 calories, 8 g fat, 49 g carb, 114 mg sodium, 12 mg cholesterol.
TWO-MINUTE VELVET FUDGE
3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup confectioner's sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup walnut pieces, chopped (optional)
Grease an 8-inch square pan. Microwave chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk uncovered in a 2 quart bowl on high for 2 minutes.
Stir until smooth. Stir in sugar and vanilla, then walnuts until well- blended. Pour into prepared pan; spread evenly.
Chill until firm, about 1 1/2 hours. Cut into 16 2-inch squares.
Store tightly covered in a cool place up to 2 weeks.
- From Heather Tuttle, Deseret News artist
- Each serving contains 362 calories, 16 g fat, 51 g carb, 72 mg sodium, 12 mg cholesterol.