a A Greenstreet News Co. Publication Good food is such an integral part of the Chrisgmas season that those of us who ori the Dallas Post decided that an appropriate Christmas gift for our readers might be a collection of our favorite holiday recipes. Our gift is all the more appropriate when one considers how essential good food is to the Dallas Post’s operations—we are forever bringing in homemade goodies to share with one another during coffee and soda breaks, a custom which prompted one astonished subscriber to comment that we are the “‘eatingest’’ place of business he has ever seen! Tassajara Whole Wheat Bread Lest our readers think that only the vil employes take part in our food binges, we begin our Wreath of Christmas Recipes with a recipe for Tassajara Whole Whegt Bread from Bill Scranton III, our pup The recipe comes, says Bill, from: the Zen Mountain Center, Monterey, Calif., and in keeping with Zen tradition, the three most essential ingredients in it are time, patience and love. He suggests you try this recipe on a quiet, relaxed day when you have time to fully enjoy the process of bread making. He insists that “if you approach this recipe with a calm and unhurried mind, the rewards are magnificent.” Those of us who nibble on the loaves of whole wheat bread he fre- quently brings to work wholeheartedly agree with him. I. 3 C. lukewarm water 1%» T. yeast 1, C. sweetening (honey, molasses or browry sugar) 1 dry milk 3 to¥4 C. whole wheat flour II. 1%. T. salt 1, C. oil 38% 4 C. additional whole wheat flour 1 ‘to 2 C. whole wheat flour (for kneading) I. Dissolve yeast in water. Stir in sweeten- ing and dry milk. Stir in whole wheat flour until smooth; thick batter is formed. Let rise 60 minutes. II. Fold salt and oil into the batter after it has risen. Fold in additional flour until dough comes away from the sides of the bowl. Knead on floured bread board, using more flour as needed to keep dough from sticking to board, about 10-15 minutes until doygh is smooth. Let rise 50 minutes. Punch it down. Ret rise 40 minutes, then shape into two loalves. Place loaves in oiled bread pans and let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes. Bake in a preheated 350 oven for one hour omove from pans and let cool. Cry Baby Cookies Doris Mallin recalls that her Aunt Eliza used to bake Cry Baby Cookies for her and her brother and sisters when they were children. The cookies were munched by the youngsters while Aunt Eliza told ghost stories—could it be that the cookies were named for those children who couldn’t stand the suspense and dissolved into tears? Doris is the hard-working editor of the Post and lives on Pinecrest Avenue. 1 C. shortening 1 C. molasses 1 C. sugar Lt salt & cinnamon 2't. ginger Y% t. ground cloves 2 t. baking soda 1 C. boiling water 5 C. flour 2 eggs o Mix spices, salt, molasses, shortening, sugar. Add boiling water and baking soda. Fold in flour and add well-beaten eggs last. Stir raisins in batter. Bake in 350 oven until done, about 15 minutes. Raisins can be omitted and nuts can be substituted. Shirley Thomas’s Father-in-law’s Walnut Bourbon Balls Shirley Thomas's father-in-law, Russell Thomas, doesn’t cook much at all—in fact, these Walnut Bourbon Balls are a no-cook recipe. Shirley, our proof-reader, tells us they're delicious; we wouldn’t know, because she always eats them herself! When her father-in-law makes them for her, she laughs, her contribution to their team effort is drinking the left-over Bourbon! 2% C. finely crushed vanilla wafers 1 C. powdered sugar 2 T. cocoa 1C. finely chopped walnuts or walnuts and " shredded coconut (fine). 3 T. corn syrup Photo by Alex Rebar V4 C. Bourbon powdered sugar Mix first four ingredients well. Add syrup and Bourbon and mix well. Roll in one inch balls, then roll in powdered sugar. Yields about 3. dozen. Pineapple Drop Cookies Typesetter Rita McCuen, Kunkle, enjoys preparing these tasty Pineapple Drop Cookies at Christmas time for friends and family who might drop in. This year she intends to make an extra batch for her extra special cookie nibbler—13-month old daughter Stacy. 3, C. butter or margerine, softened 1 C. granulated sugar 1 egg 14 C. pineapple preserves 214 C. sifted all-purpose flour 1 t. soda Is t. salt ‘Cream butter and sugar till light. Beat in egg and preserves. Sift together dry mixing thoroughly. Drop from teaspoon, two inches apart, on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes. Cool one or two minutes; remove from pan. Top with perserves. Makes 42. Ham Loaf In at least one way, the Dallas Post represents a mother and daughter effort: Clara Kitchen works diligently each Wednesday afternoon in the mailing department to make certain that the news- paper. subscriptions taken by her daughter, Midge Smith, arrive safely at their destinations. Her Ham Loaf is a good recipe for post-holiday leftovers. 2 lbs. ground smoked ham 1 1b. ground beef or hamburg 1 lb. ground fresh pork 1 egg 1 C. bread crumbs 1 C. milk Mix all ingredients together and bake in a loaf pan at 350 for one hour. Serves 16. ingredients; add, Date Nut Cake Midge Smith, affectionately known as “our circulation gal,” delights friends and family with her Christmas gifts of food— most especially the Date Nut Cake for which she has earned a well deserved re- putation. Moist and simply stuffed full of dates and nuts, the cake is a holiday favorite with everyone around the Post. 1 pkg. dates 1 t. baking soda 1 C. hot water 1 C. oleo 1 egg 1 C. sugar 1% C. flour - Y t. salt 1» C. any kind nut meats Cut dates in small bowl. Sprinkle with 1 1456785 WHIMS 718 9011 THE DALLAS POST, DEC. 21, 1971 rest 11 fd boa | Christmas goodies from the kitchen are an essential part of the holiday season, and staff members of the Dallas Post hope to share with you, our readers, a collection of our favorite recipes. Seated in the picture above are, from left to right: Gladys t. baking soda and 1 C. hot water. Set aside. Mix together oleo, sugar, egg and salt. Cream well. Add flour and dates; mix. Add nuts and complete mixing. Pour into greased and floured small tube pan. Bake approximately 45 minutes or until knife comes out clean. Jello Surprise Although 3-month Heather Sotko hasn’t yet acquired a taste for her mother’s yummy Jello Surprise, we're willing to bet it won’t be long before she’s gobbling it down with gusto. Mother Tina Sotko, a Harveys Lake resident, is a typesetter at the Post. 2 1g. boxes of gelatin 11g. can of pineapple 3 C. water 1 C. pineapple juice 1 carton Cool Whip Graham crackers Dissolve gelatin in 2 C. hot water; then add 1 C. cold water and 1 C. pineapple ‘juice, strained from the can of pineapple. Let set overnight. Mix well with the Cool Whip. Line an oblong pan or dish with graham crackers. Place half of the filling over them, then put more graham crackers over the filling. Use the remainder of the filling over the top and sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs. Chill, then serve. Makes eight generous portions. Strawberry Christmas Daiquiris Charlot ‘‘Tooties’’ Denmon wears many hats these days—she is presently a jack of all trades in the Post’s production depart- ment, serves as our correspondent in the Dallas and Shavertown neighborhoods, and works in the public relations office at the Wilkes-Barre Campus ot Penn State. Her strawberry Christmas Daiquiris make especially colorful libations during the yuletide season inasmuch as they are pink in color and are garnished with green maraschino cherries and mint. 1 tray crushed ice cubes 1-10 oz. pkg. frozen whole strawberries 5 oz. Bacardi rum Place ice in blender, add strawberries and rum. Blend or liquify until of sherbet consistency. Serve in daiquiri glasses garnished with green maraschino cherries and mint. MR Black Chocolate Cake Carolyn Gass brought this recipe for rich Black Chocolate Cake with her when she came from Bethel, Conn. to settle in Dallas last year. A tried-and-true recipe from her late grandmother’s collection of desserts, the cake has also been tried—and often— by her 21»-year old daughter, Christina. Carolyn, the Post’s advertising repre- sentative, lives on Machell Avenue. 2 C. granulated sugar Searfoss, 2 C. flour 1 t. baking powder 2 t. baking soda 34 C. cocoa 1» C. melted shortening 1 C. boiling water 1 C. sweet milk 1 t. vanilla 2 unbeaten eggs Put sugar in mixing bowl. Add melted shortening; mix, then add eggs. Beat for one minute. Mix in separate bowl; flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cocoa. Sift together three times. Add dry ingredients alternately to first mixture with water and then add milk and vanilla. Beat two minutes. Batter will be thin. Bake at 350 oven for 45 minutes. ~ Cool; frost with white frosting or whipped cream. Christmas Chocoroons Ellen Dobinick, Oak Hill, is a busy mother of five who works in our paste-up department three days a week. She tells us that her family is a big help in getting the housework and cooking done while she’s at work, and she frequently expresses her appreciation for their efforts by baking something good—something like these Christmas Chocoroons. Melt 1» C. semi-sweet chocolate pieces in 2 T. milk over hot water. Cream 3%; C. butter; add '» C. sugar, % t. salt and*2 t. vanilla; cream well. Blend in chocolate. Add 2 C. sifted flour gradually; mix well. Stir in '» C. nut meats, finely chopped. Shape rounded teaspoonsful into balls; roll in colored sugar or coconut. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in 350 oven. Makes about four dozen. Peanut Butter Sandwich Louise Edwards, a resident of Forty Fort, swears that she doesn’t know how to cook, and the despondent look which crossed her face when we asked for her favorite recipe half convinced us that she meant it. When she finally did submit her recipe for peanut butter sandwich, we believed, we believed. Louise, another of our typesetters, moonlights as a dental hygienist two days a week for Drs. Er- colani and Miller, Wilkes-Barre. 2 slices whole wheat bread 2T. peanut butter (from health food store; better for the teeth). 2 T. jam or jelly (any kind; homemade is best). Put one slice of bread on flat surface. Spread peanut butter all over it. Slosh on jam or jelly. Slap other piece of bread squarely on top of this and eat. Goes good with milk. . Glogg Dottie Beckham, our resident Southern Linda: Dytiond, Charlot Scranton III (the thorn among the roses), and Doris Mallin. Standing are: Tina Sotko, Jane Opalicki, Velma Davis, Shawn Murphy, Rita McCuen, Shirley Thomas, Dottie Beckham, Carolyn Gass, Connie Lanning and Rose Marie Stravinsky. A Wreath of Christmas Recipes for our Readers Denmon, Bill Belle, has a treasure trove of fantastic re- cipes which she has acquired from her many friends throughout the country. An ardent (and expert) bridge player, Dottie is a member of the Post’s news staff. Her recipe for Glogg, she tells us, is a New Year’s Eve specialty in the Winston-Salem home of Alvah Erichson, a Swedish bronze medalist in the 1952 Olympics. 2 C. claret 2 C. dry sherry 1, C. Cognac two thirds C. sugar one third C. light raisins one third C. blanched whole almonds 10 whole cloves 2 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks. In large saucepan, combine all in- gredients. Heat over medium heat, stirring, just until vapor starts to rise. Ignite with a match; stir until sugar is dissolved. Heat 10 minutes, stirring occas- ionally. Ladle immediately into demitasse or punch cups, spooning some of the raisins and almonds into each cup. (Makes 8 servings). Cocoa Bars That perennial favorite, cocoa, is the basic ingredient in Jane Opalicki’s favorite recipe—Cocoa Bars. Jamie, her young son, is as fond of them as his mother, who serves as head typesetter at the Post. Jane is a Dallas High School graduate and resides presently with her husband and son at Harveys Lake. 14 C. butter or margerine 1 C. sugar 1 t. vanilla 2 eggs 1; C. milk 1 C. sifted flour 2 T. cocoa yt. salt 1, C. chopped California walnuts Cream butter to soften. Gradually add sugar and vanilla, creaming well. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in milk. Sift together dry ingredients; stir into creamed mixture. Add nuts. Spread in greased 9x9x2-inch pan. Bake in moderate oven (375) for 20 minutes or till done. AT ONCE, frost cake with Cocoa Frosting. Cool cake, cut in bars. Makes two dozen. Cocoa Frosting With spoon, blend 1%» T. cocoa, 1 T. milk, ly t. vanilla, 11» t. soft butter or margarine and two thirds C. sifted confectioner’s sugar. Wine Cookies What could be more festive for the Christmas season than a batch of Rose Marie Stravinsky's Wine Cookies? Rose, the Compugraphic operator who sees to it Page 9 BY Shawn Murphy that the reams and reams of punched tapes are translated into typed copy, lives on Lehman Avenue in Dallas. 1'» C. sugar 1'» C. butter Mix till creamy; add 3 eggs, '» glass wine or whiskey, 1 lb. chopped walnuts, 1 Ib. chopped raisins, !» lb. candied cherries. Combine 4 C. flour with 1 heaping T. baking soda; add to creamed mixture, stirring well. Drop by teaspoons on cookie sheet and bake in 350 oven from 10 to 15 minutes until brown. Corn Bread Dressing Corn Bread Dressing ala Mississippi comes to us by way of Beaumont, where Linda Dymond lives with her parents. This recipe for dressing promises to bring murmurs of approval from persons living even north of the Mason-Dixon Line, Linda assures us. The Post’s headline operator. Linda has earned the nickname “Fingers” for her skill at the keyboard of that machine. Crumble one small loaf of corn bread in large bowl. Add: 3 green onions, 1 large white or yellow onion, 1 medium green bell pepper, 3 or 4 stalks celery—all chopped. Add enough stock or bouillon to moisten, then season with poultry seasoning, salt and pepper. Bake in covered casserole one hour. Crazy Cake Connie Lanning of Hunlock Creek borrowed this recipe for Crazy Cake from her mother Luceil, who customarily makes it for Connie and her three brothers. Connie, our bookkeeper and a recent graduate of Lake-Lehman High School, promises that the cake is as good as it is easy to make. Sift together in baking pan: 3 C. flour 2 C. sugar 6 T. cocoa 2 t. baking powder 2 t. baking soda yt. salt Mix together in a 13x9x2-inch pan and make three wells. In one put 2 t. vanilla; in the second put 2 T. vinegar and in the third put 10 T. vegetable oil. Pour two boiling C. boiling water over top and mix well. ! Bake at 350 for half an hour. Tea Balls Confections by the unlikely name of Tea Balls are buttery and delicious and es- pecially compatible with (what else?) tea. The recipe is offered by Gladys Searfoss of Kunkle, the gal responsible for cutting out and pasting up advertising copy in the Post. : i, C. shortening 1, C. butter 1, C. confectioner’s sugar 21, C. sifted flour 1; t. vanilla 3, C. finely chopped nuts Cream together butter and shortening, add sugar gradually and cream well. Sift flour and salt together and add to creamed mixture; work in vanilla and nuts. Chill dough. Form into balls one-inch in diameter. Place on lightly greased baking sheet. Bake 14 to 17 minutes at 375. While still warm, roll in confectioner’s sugar and when cold, repeat in rolling in confec- tioners sugar. French Cherry Pie Shawn Murphy, news editor, enjoys entertaining dinner guests almost as much as she enjoys reading. In order to have time for both hobbies, she chooses recipes that taste like she’s been slaving in the kitchen for hours but are so simple to prepare, she has time to curl up in an easy chair with a cup of steaming tea and a new novel. Her French Cherry Pie is just such a dessert. 1 small pkg (3 oz.) cream cheese 1, C. powdered sugar 1» t. vanilla 1 C. whipping cream 9-inch baked pastry shell 1 can (1 lb. 5 oz.) prepared cherry pie filling mixed with lemon juice or almond extract. Cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla together. Whip cream and fold in carefully. Pour into pastry shells, spread evenly, re with prepared cherry pie filling. ” Chill thoroughly before serving. Serv Six. “a For another version, substitute prepa blueberry pie filling, with 1 T. lemon juice, for the cherry pie filling.