Favorite Holiday Recipes

When we invited our readers to send us their favorite Holiday recipes we received a little something for everyone.

Enjoy!

Marshmallow Thanksgiving Turkeys

Submitted by CWO Editor, Katie O'Sullivan

• 3 Tbs butter
• 10-ounce bag mini-marshmallows
• 6 cups Rice Krispies (plain or chocolate)
• waxed paper
• red licorice
• orange gumdrops (sliced)
• colored or chocolate decorator icing
• toothpicks

1. Melt margarine & 4 cups marshmallows in microwave on high 2 minutes.
2. Stir until smooth. Add cereal, stir well.
3. Drop heaping spoonfuls of the mixture onto the waxed paper and let them sit until cool enough to handle.
4. For each turkey body create a ball the size of a fist. The heads should be the size of golf balls. Stick the heads to the bodies (use toothpicks if you need to)
5. To make feathers - stick licorice into the back of turkey body while still soft enough.
6. Use the icing as "glue" to attach the following items: for eyes use the marshmallows with icing for pupils; for beak and feet use orange gumdrop slices; for the wattle under the bird's neck use licorice.
   Should make 6-8 turkeys...

And now for something
COMPLETELY DIFFERENT:

Barbara Struna’s Healthy Snack Bars

Good tasting snacks can be expensive, but if you make them yourself they cost less than half of the prepackaged items you get at the grocery or health food store. A homemade “Power Bar” far surpasses the run-of-the-mill cardboard-tasting treat.

Here’s my version of a wonderful snack bar that you can make in about 20 minutes and store for up to 2 weeks. I carry them in my purse in case I’m late for lunch or dinner; they’re a great high fiber and protein treat with good complex sugars.

Healthy Snack Bars

• ¾ cup corn syrup
• ½ cup lightly packed brown sugar
• 1 ½ cups chunky peanut butter
• 1 cup skim milk powder
• 1 cup low-fat granola
• 1 cup wheat bran or oat bran
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup chocolate chips

1. In a large saucepan, over high heat, combine corn syrup and sugar. Bring to boil.
2. Remove from heat; stir in peanut butter. Add milk powder, granola, bran, raisins, and chocolate chips. Stir until combined.
3. Press into 9x13 inch pan; let stand for 45 minutes or until firm.
4. Cut into 36-40 bars; wrap individually in plastic.

Each bar averages only 126 calories!

You can customize the recipe by adding different flavored chips to melt into the bar or add orange flavored cranberries with extra nuts.

Try substituting the one cup of oat bran with ½ cup oat bran and ½ cup of a good cereal like Total or any oatmeal crunch.

Anita A Caruso shares her
traditional Jewish family fare

I’ve always cooked the traditional Jewish dish of potato latkes for my family for the festival of Hannukkah. Why potato latkes? Well, they are fried in oil.

In 165 B.C. the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed. The Maccabees successfully rededicated the temple to Judaism commemorating the oil in the lamp, which was only to burn for one day, but miraculously provided light for eight days.

That is why, on the Jewish festival of Hanukkah, we light the menorah by kindling a candle each night for eight nights and eat potato latkes.

Potato Latkes

• 4 potatoes: peeled, grated and drained
• 1 grated onion
• 1 tsp salt
• ¼ tsp freshly ground pepper
• 1 beaten egg
• 3 Tbsp flour (King Arthur brand is best)
• ½ tsp baking powder
• About ½ cup Grape Seed Oil (enough to fry latkes)

1. Mix potatoes, onion, salt, pepper, egg, flour and baking powder until smooth.
2. Drop into the heated oil in frying pan by tablespoons (I use Grape Ola Grape Seed oil)
3. Turn several times.
4. When browned, remove from pan and place on paper towels to drain excess oil.

If you’re having a lot of company, double the above ingredients.

Puddings (Kugel) and strudel are mainstays of festive meals at all Jewish holidays. Kugels are a main dish, and Strudels are primarily for desserts. However, I make all of the above, all year long, for all Holidays and special occasions with my family and friends.

Strudel

Crust:

• ½ lb butter
• ½ lb cream cheese
• 2 cups flour (King Arthur brand)

Filling:

• 1 small jar apricot jam
• 1 small jar grape jam
• Raisins
• Coconut
• Chopped walnuts

1. Soften butter and cream cheese together. Add flour a little at a time. Make into a ball and refrigerate overnight.
2. Mix 2 flavors of jam together
3. Roll out dough on floured cutting board
4. Spread jam combo, then sprinkle on raisins, coconut and walnuts
5. Roll up and put on ungreased cookie sheet
6. Bake at 350 degrees until brown. Remove from oven and let cool.
7. When cool, sprinkle on powdered sugar.
8. Cut and serve, or put into freezer for future use.

Cheese Noodle Pudding

• 1 package medium size egg noodles
• 1 lb ricotta cheese
• ¼ lb melted butter
• 3 beaten eggs
• 1 ¼ cups milk
• 3 oz package of cream cheese
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tsp vanilla
• Salt to taste
• cinnamon

1. Boil and drain noodles.
2. Mix all ingredients together. Pour into a greased 9x13 Pyrex.
3. Sprinkle a small amount of cinnamon and sugar over the top.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 45 minutes.

The White Lace and Holiday Wreath recipes are from the table of Brewster JP Marie Sherman. They’re easy and fun to make with children or grandchildren, and add a little variety to Holiday cookie trays!

White Lace

• 2 cups Corn Chex
• 2 cups Rice Chex
• 2 cups Wheat Chex
• 2 cups Bran Chex
• 2 cups Cheerios
• 2 cups Mini Pretzels
• 1 cup mixed nuts
• 2 12-ounce packages of white chocolate morsels
• 2 Tbs oil

1. Mix first 7 ingredients together in a large bowl
2. Melt the white chocolate with the oil in microwave, stirring every 20-30 seconds
3. Mix chocolate into cereal mixture
4. Spread onto a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper
5. Put in freezer for 15 minutes
6. Remove from freezer and break into pieces
7. Store in air tight container

Holiday Wreath

• 30 marshmallows
• ½ cup butter
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 tsp green food coloring*
• 3 ½ cups cornflakes
• candies for decorations (i.e. red hots, red and green m&ms, silver dragees)

1. Combine marshmallows, butter, vanilla and food coloring.
2. In top of double boiler, heat over water until melted, stirring often.**
3. Gradually stir in cornflakes.
4. Drop from spoon onto waxed paper.
5. Shape with hands into a wreath. (You may want to butter your hands or wear disposable rubber gloves. It can get mighty sticky!)
6. Decorate with candies.

*This is a traditional recipe. Today’s food coloring is more concentrated. Please use your judgment as to how much is needed for the right color of green.

**Marshmallows can also be melted in microwave, 2-3 minutes on high; stir vigorously when removed from microwave. Have cornflakes already measured in a large bowl, and pour melted marshmallows over cereal, stirring together carefully.

Fruit Noodle Pudding

• 1 package medium size egg noodles
• 6 eggs, beaten
• ½ cup orange juice
• 1 ½ cups undrained crushed pineapple
• ½ cup raisins (light or dark)
• 4 apples, peeled and sliced thin
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• Cinnamon

1. Boil and drain noodles
2. Mix all ingredients together. Pour into a greased 9x13 Pyrex.
3. Sprinkle a small amount of cinnamon and sugar over the top.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 45 minutes.

Both Noodle Kugels can be served with crushed strawberries, sour cream or both.