Be-Lancwtar Fanning, Saturday. December 17, 19M
Christmas
Dinner Ideas
Christmas dinner is probably the
most important meal that you pre
pare all year. You’ll want it to be a
show-stopper.
You can try traditional recipes,
but how about trying something
different perhaps a bit more
elegant.
An easy-to-prepare beef tender
loin roast makes a spectacular holi
day meal. Roasting requires only
three equipment: a shal
low open roasting pan, a rack for
the pan, and a meat thermometer.
Once in the oven, roasts don’t need
much attention so there’s ample
time to prepare other meal compo
nents or to sip a cup of holiday
eggnog with family and friends.
In this elegant but easy holiday
recipe, a beef tenderloin roast is
rubbed with a savory combination
of garlic, basil, rosemary, and
black pepper all standard cup
board ingredients that come
together to make a special combi
nation. After rubbing, the roast is
placed on the rack in a shallow
open roasting pan (without cover
ing it) and cooked until the meat
thermometer registers 140 degrees
for medium-rare or 155 degrees for
medium doneness. Make sure to
insert the thermometer into the
thickest part of the roast, not rest
ing in fat.
One important thing to remem
ber about roasts is that they should
be removed from the oven prior to
reaching the desired internal temp
eratures. Roasts need a standing
time before you carve them (this
allows the juices to set up and
makes them easier to carve). Dur
ing this time the temperature will
continue to rise about 5 degrees.
While the tenderloin roasts, you
can make Holiday Rice. French
style green beans, chopped red bell
pepper, and slivered almonds give
this cooked rice dish a festive fla
vor and flair. Serve the meal with a
salad of mixed greens tossed with a
tangy vinaigrette dressing. For
dessert, offer guests a sliver of
chocolate cake or truffles and
coffee.
BABY CAKES
BUTTER SHORTBREAD
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup butter, softened
'A cup sugar
Colored sugar, sprinkles or col
ored jimmies, if desired
Preheat oven to 32S degrees.
Recipe Topics
If you have recipes for the topics listed below, please
share them with us. We welcome your recipes, but ask that
you include accurate measurements, a complete list of
ingredients and clear instructions with each recipe you sub
mit. Send your recipes to Lou Ann Good, Lancaster Farm
ing, P.O. Box 609, Ephrata, PA 17522. Recipes should
reach our office one week before publishing date.
December 24- Fireside Treats
31- Best Breakfast Ideas
7- Your Favorite Soup
14- Bread and Bread Rolls
January
Place flour, butter, and sugar in a
heavy-duty plastic zip-type food
storage bag. Securely seal bag.
Knead bag with hands to blend
ingredients thoroughly. Open bag;
scrape dough together with rubber
spatula to remove from bag. (If
necessary, refrigerate to firm
dough for ease in handling). Shape
into 1-inch diameter balls. Place 2
inches apart on unbuttered cookie
sheets. Flatten to approximately
'/ -inch thickness with a fork, coo
kie stamp or by pressing with fin
gers. Spinkle with sugar, sprinkles
or jimmies. Bake 20 to 25 minutes
or until lightly browned around
edges. Let stand on cookie sheet 5
minutes. Remove from oven;
transfer to wire racks. Cool
completely.
Variation: Pat dough into two
7-inch diameter cookies on unbut
tered cookie sheet. If desired,
sprinkle with mini semisweet cho
colate chips, colored sugar, sprink
les or jimmies. Bake at 325
degrees 35 to 40 minutes or until
lightly browned around the edges.
While still warm, cut each into 8
pie-shaped wedges. Let stand on
cookie sheet 10 minutes. Transfer
wedges to wire rackes. Cool com
pletely on wire racks.
Stephanie Goodheart
Armstrong Co. Dairy Princess
PUMPKIN DROP BISCUITS
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup unbleached flour
2 tablespoons sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
'A cup cooked mashed pumpkin
1 cup nonfat buttermilk
Combine the flours, sugar, and
baking powder, and stir well. In a
separate bowl, combine the pump
kin and buttermilk, and stir until
blended. Add the pumpkin mixture
to the flour mixture, and stir just
until the dry ingredients are
moistened.
Coat a baking sheet with non
stick cooking spray. Drop heaping
tablespoonfuls of dough onto the
sheet, placing the biscuits one
half-inch apart for soft biscuits, or
VA -inches apart for crusty
biscuits.
Bake at 37S degrees for about 18
minutes, or until lightly browned.
Transfer to a serving plate, and
serve hot.
For an easy and elegant holiday meal, serve Herbed Tenderloin and Holiday Rice.
While the beef tenderloin cooks, there’s time to prepare rice accompaniment.
SALAD IN THE PINK
20-ounce can crushed pineapple
6-ounces strawberry gelatin
16-ounces whole bury cranber
ry sauce
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
3 tablespoons lemon juice
'/«teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups sour cream
Vi cup chopped pecans
Drain pineapple; reserve juice.
Combine reserved rice, 1 cup
water and gelatin in saucepan.
Heat to boiling, stirring to com
pletely dissolve gelatin. Remove
from heat. Stir-cranberry sauce,
lemon peel and juice, and nutmeg
into gelatin mixture. Chill until
slightly thickened. Fold sour
cream, pecans, and pineapple into
cranberry mixture. Pour into
2-quart mold or 13x9-inch pan.
Chill undl firm.
2 tablespoons butter
% cup chopped onion
V* cup coarsely chopped red bell
pepper
1 clove garlic, crushed
9-ounce package frozen French
style green beans, defrosted,
drained
3 cups hot cooked rice
Vs cup slivered almonds, toasted
In large skillet, heat butter over
medium heat until melted. Add
onion, bell pepper-, and garlic.
Code 5 minutes or until tender,
stirring occasionally. Add beans;
continue cooking 2 minutes, stir
ring occasionally.
Reduce heat to low. Stir in rice
and almonds; cook 2 minutes or
until heated through, stirring occa
sionally. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
BJ. Light
Lebanon
SMART’CHEFS
CREATING ♦ MENUS • FOR
-HEALTHFUL • EATING I -
HOLIDAY RICE
CHRISTMAS
DELIGHT BALLS
Vi cup butter
1 egg
1 cup sugar
1 cup chopped dates or raisins
3 cups rice crispy cereal
Vi teaspoon vanilla
'/a cup nuts
Dash salt
Cook first four ingredients in a
saucepan for S minutes, stirring
constantly. Cool slightly, add
remaining ingredients, and mix
well. Form into small walnut-size
balls and roll in confectioners’
sugar. For variety, color some
flaked coconut red and some green
to roll the balls into.
Melissa Burdick
Crawford Co. Dairy Maid
Featured Recipe
Armstrong Dairy Princess Stephanie Goodheart and Crawford
County Dairy Maid Melissa Burdick want to remind readers to use real
dairy products in holiday recipes; Here are two recipes from Melissa.
X A pound Velveeta cheese
'A pound butter
'A cup cocoa powder
'A teaspoon vanilla
2 pounds confectioners’ sugar
14 cup nuts (optional)
Heat cheese and butter until soft enough to combine. Add remaining
ingredients. Stir and knead until thoroughly mixed. Spread in a large
flat buttered pan and allow to cool and become firm. Cut in 1-inch
squares.
Yield 3 pounds.
CREAM CHEESE SPRITZ
1 cup butter
3-ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour
'A teaspoon salt
'A teaspoon baking powder
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and cream cheese in a
large mixing bowl. Gradually add sugar and beat until well blended.
Beat in egg yolks and vanilla. Combine flour, salt, and baking powder.
Gradually add to creamed mixture. Fill cookie press. Use attachment
to form cookies on an unbuttered cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 14 minutes
Cool completely on wire racks
Note: Before baking, dough may be tinted. Sprinkle with colored
sugar or a cinnamon-sugar mixture or decorate cookies with frosting
NO-BAKE FRUIT CAKE
1 box graham crackers
1 box dark raisins
1 box white raisins
8-ounce package dates, chopped
1 box figs, chopped
1 fruit cake mix, candied
1 pound English walnuts,
chopped
IVi package mini
marshmallows
1 package maraschino cherries
1 can condensed milk
Crush graham crackers and mix
together all ingredients. Grease a
tube cake pan and press mixture
into pan. Chill. Slice to serve.
Josephine Matenus
Dallas
(Turn to Pago B 8)
CHEESE FUDGE