Finally! All the Christmas recipes in one place!!

Challah/Shabbat Bread

Step 1: In a small bowl, mix together:
1&1/2 TB yeast

½ C warm water

1 tsp sugar. Set aside.

Step 2: In a standing mixer or Bosch, mix:
3 eggs

¾ C sugar

1&1/2 C warm water

½ C oil

1&1/2 tsp salt
3 cups white flour

Step 3: Add yeast mix from step one into the mixer. Then add 5-6 more cups white flour, 1 cup at a time.  Beating well after each addition. Stop adding flour when the dough pulls away from the bowl after mixing. Knead for ten minutes until all integrated and smooth. Let rise one hour.

Step 4: Punch down dough and separate into three loaves. Roll each loaf into three long, smooth ropes. Pinch one end together and then braid the ropes to the end, pinching together the other end.  Place on a greased and floured sheet. 

Step 5: Cover and let rise 1 &1/2 to 2 hours. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.   

Step 6: Whisk 2 eggs with 2 TB water. Brush loaves with the egg and water mixture just prior to baking. 

Step 7: Bake 10-15 minutes.  Cool on rack or eat immediately!

Christmas Eve Lamb Stew

Step 1: Make the spice mix.
2&1/2 TB paprika
2 TB salt
2 TB garlic powder
1 TB pepper
1 TB onion powder
1 tsp. cayenne (or more to taste)
1 TB oregano
1 TB thyme
A pinch of saffron (if you have it)
1 TB rosemary crushed in a mortar and pestle.
Combine all these spices. Set aside.

You will not use all this spice mixture! Save excess for other recipes. 

Stew Ingredients

 4 large Potatoes peeled and cut into bite size

1 lb. fresh Green beans, cut into bite size  

6 Carrots, washed and cut in rounds

3 Fresh chopped or 1 large can diced tomatoes
7 sun dried dried tomatoes chopped

1 TB Herbes De Provence

3 onions, chopped

3 cloves fresh garlic, chopped

1 handful raisins or craisins
1 small handful dried apricots, chopped
7 dried prunes, chopped

 2 TB fresh finely grated ginger root

1 C red wine

Beef stock, just enough to cover the meat in your pot.
1 cinnamon stick

Step 2:
Cut your lamb roast into cubes, put them in a plastic bag and add enough spice mixture to coat all the meat, adding it 1 Tbsp at a time. Shake until all the pieces are covered.  Depending on the amount of meat, you may need to add more or less. Keep track of how much spice mix you added, and add equal amounts of flour to the bag. Shake until fully coated. 

Step 3: Put 4 TB olive oil in the bottom of large, deep pot over high heat, and brown all sides of meat.  

Step 4: Add the red wine and scrape all the browned bits in the pan, cooking on high for a few minutes to burn off the alcohol.  

Step 5: Add beef broth to just cover the meat. Add the chopped onions, garlic, 4 bay leaves, small handful of dried apricots, raisins or craisins, ginger root, and 1 cinnamon stick.  Bring to a boil, turn down to low immediately and simmer for 2 hours until tender.  

Step 6: Add listed fresh vegetables cut in stew sizes, the Herbes De Provence, and salt and pepper to taste at the end.  Cook until vegs are tender.  Thicken stew as needed (after all is cooked perfectly) by whisking together in a separate bowl, a little broth and flour until very smooth, add a little to thicken, if needed. 

Serve over couscous, made according to the box but use chicken stock instead of water, and add the following:

1 tsp. curry

2 TB fresh mint

2 tsp. salt
2 TB  fresh parsley

1 stick cinnamon (cooked with it, then removed and discarded)

Serve the stew over the couscous.  Fabulous!

Israeli Salad

2 long thin, English cucumbers 

2 lbs fresh ripe tomatoes, diced

1/3 cup minced red onion

1/2 cup minced fresh parsley

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

4 tbsp fresh lemon juice squeezed from lemons

1&1/2 to 1&3/4 cup plain yogurt
1 packet of good seasons italian salad dressing and recipe mix (little packets, dry)

Salt and Pepper to taste
Agave to taste

Mix the following and savor a taste of Israel.

Christmas Breakfast Casserole

1 LB. hot bulk sausage or regular if you don’t like hot

2-4 oz cans chopped green chilies

1 LB. longhorn cheese, grated

1 LB Monterey Jack cheese, grated

two handfuls fresh spinach, chopped

½ yellow onion finely chopped

1 small zucchini, chopped

9 eggs, beaten

1 C milk

2 TB flour

paprika

Brown sausage and drain well.  In a lightly greased 9x13 pan, layer sausage, spinach, chilies, zucchini, onion, cheeses.  Combine eggs, milk and flour in a blender.  Pour over all in pan, sprinkle with paprika and bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes until cooked.  Serves 10

Christmas baked apples

Buy a apple center core scooper-outer.  Makes it easy!

4 McIntosh apples/ Jonathan or Granny Smith baking apples

1/2 lemon

4 tablespoons butter, softened

3/4 cup whole-grain granola

1 TB cinnamon

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Heat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Trim the tops and scoop out the center and the seeds of each apple and rub the edges of the trimmed fruit with the lemon. In a medium bowl, combine the butter, granola, sugar, cinnamon and walnuts. Fill the apples with the mixture. Set the apples upright in muffin tins and bake until tender and bubbly, about 20 minutes. Transfer to serving dishes, top with whipped cream or ice cream and serve hot.

German Pancakes

1 Stick of butter

6 eggs

1 C milk

1 C flour (white, whole wheat or half and half)

½ tsp. salt

Serve with syrup, honey, homemade fruit syrups, or favorite topping.

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Melt butter on a 9/13” jelly roll pan (cookie sheet with sides)

While the butter is melting, mix eggs, milk, flour, salt in blender until smooth.  Pour batter over melted butter in pan and close oven door.  Bake twenty minutes.  It will puff up beautifully.  Serve immediately, cut in squares with topping.

Triple berry syrup

3 cups frozen berries: blackberries, raspberries, blueberries

1 C  sugar

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1 teaspoon cornstarch

 Add sugar and remaining ingredients in a pan, cold, and then bring mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Boil, stirring occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes or until sugar is dissolved and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat, and cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Apple french Toast

1 C. brown sugar                       

1 C. butter                                

2 T. corn syrup                                    

9 slices french or Challah bread                 

4 C. tart apples

1/3 c pecans

1/3 C craisins

1 T. minute tapioca

4 eggs

1 T vanilla

1 C milk

Microwave brown sugar, butter, corn syrup for 2 ½ to 3 minutes.

Pour into 9x13 glass dish; distribute apples, sprinkle tapioca, (opt: craisins, and pecans) 

Dip bread in eggs, milk, vanilla.  Place on top of apples. 

Refrigerate overnight, tightly covered.

Bake at 350° uncovered for 30 to 40 minutes in the morning.   DELICIOUS!

Christmas Prime Rib – FOLLOW THIS RECIPE EXACTLY

Buy only prime, not choice, ribeye roast.  I always get mine from Costco

Mix the following and spread on roast:

½ C butter

1&1/2 TB freshly ground pepper

1 TB Herbes de provence

6 large garlic cloves minced

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

Sprinkle generously with Kosher salt

Leave the roast at room temperature for 6 hours before cooking.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees

Take the exact weight of your roast and multiply it by 5.  Round up to the nearest minute.

That number is the exact number of minutes you cook the roast at 500 degrees.

DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN DOOR!

Turn off the oven at that exact point and leave the roast in for two more hours.

Serve immediately.

Au Jus/Gravy for Prime Rib

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup red wine

1&1/2 C beef broth

Drippings and herbs from bottom of Prime Rib pan

To make the Au Jus: Remove the cooked prime rib roast and cover to keep warm.  Place the roasting pan on stovetop burners on medium low, (if it was cooked in a pan that can be put on burners-if not, transfer to a pan), skim off most of the fat, and add all remaining drippings, wine, beef broth, whisking in Worcestershire sauce, and scraping up little brown bits from the bottom of the roasting pan. Bring to a simmer and reduce slightly. Serve along with the sliced prime rib.  If desired, take half of total amount of au jus and whisk 2 TB flour into 1/3 C red wine or beef broth, to thicken for gravy for the mashed potatoes.

Christmas Salad / red and green!

Assorted dark greens including spinach

Mandarin oranges, mushrooms, red grapes, pomegranates, chopped cooked bacon

Chopped green onions

Dressing:

1 C oil

½ C red wine vinegar

1 handful frozen raspberries or strawberries

1 TB Dijon mustard

1/3 C sugar

½ tsp. salt

½ red onion

Blend with a hand immersion blender.

Christmas creamed spinach

In a large deep frying pan,

Saute 1 lb.  chopped mushrooms and 1 yellow onion chopped, in butter/olive oil until browned and carmelized. Remove from pan.

In same pan, melt 2 TB butter, add a giant Costco bag of spinach a little at a time on medium heat, adding small white wine splashes until it cooks down. 

Add to spinach when wine is cooked off:

1/3 square of cream cheese,

3/4 C parmesan cheese,

salt and pepper to taste,

carmelized onions and mushrooms

Amazing!

Prime Rib Horseradish sauce

Make this two days ahead

1/4C finely grated tart apple

1/4C plain yogurt

1/4C light matyonnaise

1 TB horseradish

Mix and enjoy with prime rib

Christmas Yorkshire Pudding/ serve with prime rib

4 large eggs

1&1/2 C whole milk

½ tsp. coarse salt

1&1/4 C white flour

4 TB oil

Blend in a blender the above, minus the oil. Make the day before. 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a large muffin tray, put 1 tsp oil into each section – put in the oven until smoking hot. 

Take out and immediately fill (from the pitcher to do it fast) – ¾ full in each muffin space. 

Put it back fast and cook for 15-20 minutes.  Serve immediately.

Chocolate Peppermint Log role

Beat 4 egg whites until stiff. 

Add ½ C sugar.  Set aside.

Beat yolks and 1 tsp. vanilla.  Beat for two minutes and then add:

1/3 C sugar,

1/3 C cocoa,

1/3 C water.

1/2 C flour,

½ tsp baking powder,

¼ tsp.  soda,

1/8 tsp. salt

Fold in whites and sugar mixture.

Spread on a jelly roll pan lined with parchment paper and greased.

Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.

When cooked, invert onto cheese cloth, or clean kitchen towel sprinkled with powdered sugar. Roll up the cake in the towel.  Set on a rack until completely cool.  Unroll and fill with peppermint ice cream.

Optional Glaze:  Melt 2 TB butter, add 2 TB cocoa, stir until thickens, but don’t boil.  Blend in 1 cup powdered sugar, and 1 tsp. vanilla. Drizzle over the cake.  Freeze and then slice off to serve.

Egg Nog

6 eggs

2 quarts orange juice, not concentrate

½ Cup lemon juice

1/4 C sugar

1 tsp cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg

1 gallon ice cream

2 L ginger ale

Beat eggs till very frothy, mix in OJ, lemon, sugar, and spices.  Add softened ice cream in a HUGE bowl.  Mix and then add ginger ale, sprinkle nutmeg on top.

Great Grandma’s steamed carrot Christmas pudding

1&3/4 C flour

1&1/2 C sugar

1&1/2 tsp baking soda

½ T salt

2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp. nutmeg, ginger and cloves

3/4 C grated carrots

3/4 C grated potato  

3/4 C grated apples

1/4 C melted butter

Grate vegs and apples in food processor, just wash them, there is no need to peel the fruit or vegs.  Put in a bowl with additional ingredients.  Mix well together. Put in small, well-greased bundt pan, then place that pan inside another larger pan with two inches of water in it.  Cover the larger pan, not the inside bundt pan and steam on low for two hours. 

Rum sauce

1&1/2  C brown sugar

2/3 C light corn syrup

½ C water

1 capful rum flavoring

dash of salt

2/3 C canned evaporated milk

Put everything except the evaporated milk in a sauce pan on the stove and cook until soft ball stage (you can drop a spoonful in a shallow bowl of cold water and form a soft ball with your fingers) then remove from heat. Allow sauce to cool for a few minutes and then whisk in the evaporated milk until smooth. 

Serve warm with either whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.  A part of Christmas for generations!!

Christmas Caviar - yield about 10 cups

The amounts here are exact. So make it just like this:

In a large bowl, add two cans of yellow corn (drained), 1 can black beans (drained and rinsed), 1 can of black eyed peas (drained), 4 cans diced tomatoes (do not drain- add with liquid), 1 entire bunch green onions (washed & chopped fine from white to green ends), 1 can olives (drained), 1 whole bunch cilantro (washed, chopped fine, stems removed), 2 packets of dry Italian seasoning (ignore instructions on package), plus 1/2 cup vinegar and 1/2 cup olive oil , 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, 2 tsp oregano, 1 tsp Italian seasoning.  Mix all the above, cover and refrigerate.  When ready to serve add four diced avocados.  Gently mix and serve with tortillas chips.

New Year's Eve Fondue Party Recipes

Chocolate Turtle Fondue
1 bag chocolate ghiradelli semisweet chips 16 0z
1 cup whipping cream
melt the above together on medium low
add 1 C caramel sauce swirled in
sprinkle chopped pecans on top

Dip marshmallows, macaroons, poppy seed cake, pound cake, strawberries, pears, bananas

Cheese Fondue (we usually triple this)
1 C beer
1 clove crushed garlic
1 TB flour
1 & 3/4 C sharp cheddar cheese
1 & 1/4 C swiss cheese
1 tsp. dry mustard powder
2 shakes Worchestershire sauce
Heat beer and garlic, grate cheese, sprinkle with flour, then gradually stir in the cheese, add mustard and worchestershire sauce, add more cheese until desired thickness.

Dip apples, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, ham, hearty breads, bell peppers