Food For Entertaining
And Gift Giving
Parties to prepare, finger foods
to take along, and food gifts to
send. These are the recipes we
need again and again.
Here are some special favorites
from readers and from the Penn
sylvania Dairy Promotion Pro
gram that will help make your holi
day baking easier and more
enjoyable.
The closer you get to Christmas
Day, the busier you’ll get Many of
these recipes can be made ahead of
time so start early.
Make an extra batch to give to a
friend or to store in your freezer for
last-minute guests.
If you give food gifts, package it
creatively. A basket lined with a
festive napkin or a colorful tin or
holiday bag lined with red or green
tissue paper is a good choice. Or
deliver your gift in the container in
which it is made, tied together with
ribbons and bows. Write out the
recipe on a fancy card and tie it to
the package with a ribbon. Make
sure you include instructions on
reheating and storing.
RICOTTA BALLS
pound butter
cups sugar
eggs
pound ricotta cheese .
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
4'/i cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
Cream together butter and
sugar. Add eggs, ricotta cheese,
vanilla, and salt. Sift together
flour, baking soda and baking
powder. Add dry ingredients to
mixture; mix well in electric mix
er. Drop on cookie sheets. Bake at
350 degrees for 10 to 15 mintues.
Make approximately 5 'A dozen.
Frost with icing.
Ricotta Balls Icing:
1 pound confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 heaping tablespoon
shortening
Pinch salt
Few drops milk for smooth
consistency
Frost cookies when cool. If
desired, separate icing and add
food coloring. Great Christmas
"Okie soft and delicious.
Jennie Maulfair
Lebanon
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! Recipe Topics |
If you have recipes for the topics listed below, please share g
them with us. We welcome your recipes, but ask that you |
include accurate measurements, a complete list of ingre- S
dients and clear instructions with each recipe you submit. *
Send your recipes to Lou Ann Good, Lancaster Farming, P.O. S
Box 609, Ephrata, PA 17522. Recipes should reach our office 8
one week before publishing date. 5
December
25- Christmas Dinner
January
« 1- Soups & Stews |
K 8- Breakfast Favorites |
| 15* Pasta Dishes «
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Borne On The Range
ALMOND CHRISTMAS
BALLS
1 cup butter.
2 cups flour
/% teaspoon salt
'A cup confectioners’ sugar
1 cup ground almonds
1 teaspoon vanilla
Candied cherries
Cream butter; add sugar. Add
remaining ingredients except cher
ries. Mix well. Shape into a small
ball using a teaspoon of dough.
Place a cherry in the center and roll
into a ball. Bake on greased cookie
sheet at 325 degrees for 30
minutes. Remove from oven and
roll in confectioners’ sugar. Makes
4 dozen cookies.
Ruth Ann Zimmerman
Romulus, N.Y.
CRUSTLESS ITALIAN
TARTS
3 eggs, beaten
1 pound ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded Provolone
cheese
'/i cup buttermilk baking mix
'/j cup chopped sun-dried
tomatoes
'A cup dairy sour cream
A cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons chopped chives
'/> teaspoon Italian seasoning
'/• teaspoon pepper
Chives, if desired
Sun-dried tomatoes, if desired
Place all ingredients in a large
mixing bowl. Mix until well com
bined. Fill buttered microwave
able muffin cups three-fourths full.
Microwave at 50 percent power 6
to 7 minutes., or until knife
inserted near center comes out
clean. Turn after half the cooking
time. Cool in pan 10 minutes.
Carefully remove and cool com
pletely on wire rack. Garnish with
chives and tomatoes. Refrigerate,
wrapped in plastic wrap, up to 5
days. To reheat, microwave at SO
percent power approximately 45
seconds per tart.
Tarts may be frozen up to 1
month. Thaw in refrigerator
overnight.
To bake in oven, preheat oven to
375 degrees. Fill buttered 2 J /< -inch
muffin cups three-fourths full.
Bake 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in pan
10 minutes. Carefully remove and
cool completely on wire rack.
For gifts or to serve guests, these star-shaped Herb-Cheddar Biscuits, Blue Cheese
Walnut Bread, and Crustless Italian Tarts are sure to please your friends and family.
ENGLISH TOFFEE BARS
Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Grease 13x9x2-inch pan. To one
half basic dough, mix Vlcup
brown sugar and 'A cup quick oats.
Dough will be crumbly. Pat firmly
and evenly into prepared pan.
Bake IS minutes or until no
imprint remains when lightly
touched with finger. Remove from
oven; immediately sprinkle 'A cup
semi-sweet chocolate pieces even
ly over crust. Place baking sheet
over pan so contained heat will
soften chocolate pieces. Spread
softened chocolate over crust;
sprinkle with A cup chopped nuts.
While warm,cutintol'/l -inch dia
mond shapes. Makes 2 'A dozen.
Contributor writes: The English
Toffee Bars and Greek clove cres
cents are two of 11 special holiday
recipes to bake from one basic
dough. They have been our favo
rites for at least 33 years.
Louise Graybeal
Renick, W.V.
MACADAMIA NUT FUDGE
2 cups sugar
2 squares unsweetened
chocolate
Dash salt
1 cup light cream or half and
half
2 tablespoons light com syrup
/* cup butter
Butter loaf pan; set aside. Com
bine sugar, chocolate, and salt in
3-quart mixing bowl or casserole.
Stir in cream and com syrup; add
butter. Microwave, covered, on
high S minutes. MU well. Micro
wave, uncovered, 10 to 14
minutes, or until soft ball stage is
reached. Cool mixture without
stirring to 120 degrees on edges.
Add vanilla and nuts. Beat until
mixture is thick and creamy and
starts to lose its shine. Quickly
spread in pan. (If fudge is too thick
to spread, stir in a few drops of
cream). Cool completely. Cut into
1-inch square pieces. Store in air
tight container in cool, dry place
for up to two weeks.
BLUE CHEESE
WALNUT BREAD
3 A cups buttermilk baking mix
V* cup sugar
V* cup finely crumbled blue
cheese
'A cup chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon chives
1A cups milk
1 egg, beaten
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I Featured Recipe |
8 Whenever a recipe calls for whipping cream you know it’s special. 5
| The latest collection of recipes from American Dairy Associations
£ brings together the best whipping cream creations you’ll find—from g
w- creamy pasta entrees and tender biscuits to flavored whipped cream R
S toppers. Tips for whipping cream also are included. To Older send a$
® stamped, self-addressed business-size envelope to: Whipping Cream |
5 Tips and Recipes, Middle Atlantic Milk Marketing Association, P.O.s
g Box 19464, Towson, MD 21206. 5
g Here is a recipe from the brochure.
Whipped Cream Cake
12 servings
| 2 cups sifted cake flour
S 1 cup granulated sugar, divided
$ 2'A teaspoons baking powder
| 'A teaspoon salt
« 1 cup whipping cream
S 'A cup water
* 1 teaspoon almond extract
8 3 egg whites, at room temperature
S '/< teaspoon cream of tartar
J '/% cup red raspberry or strawberry preserves «
| Confectioners’ sugar £
w Preheat oven to 330° F. Butter and flour two 9-inch round cakeS
5 pans. Sift together flour, V> cup granulated sugar, baking powder and |
R salt; set aside. Beat whipping cream on high speed until stiff peaks j
K form, scraping bowl occasionally. Gradually add water and almond K
$ extract, stirring until smooth. With clean beaters, beat egg whites andS
< cream of tartar until foamy. Gradually beat in 'A cup granulated sugars
| until stiff but not dry. Fold egg white mixture into whipped cream «
S* mixture. Sprinkle flour mixture, a few tablespoons at a time, over ft
whipped cream mixture, folding in by hand until blended. Pour into |
I prepared pans and bake 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes. |
f Remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks. To assemble,«
| place 1 layer on serving plate; spread with preserves. Top with second «
v layer and sprinkle lightly with confectioners’ sugar. 5
S Serving size: 1/12 of cake S
S Calories per serving: 238 R
I Protein 3 g, fat 8 g. carbohydrates 40 g |
R Calcium 58 mg, riboflavin (BJ .14 mg |
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine baking mix and sugar in
large mixing bowl. Stir in cheese.
nuts, and chives. Combine milk
and egg. Stir into dry mixture just
until blended. Spoon batter into
four buttered 5V* x3'/« -inch loaf
pans. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or
until a wooden pick inserted in
center comes out clean. Cool in
pan 10 minutes. Remove from pan
and cool completely on wire rack.
(Turn to Pag* B 8)
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