Christmas in Kentucky

December 11, 2007|Betty Smith

The clock is ticking, time is short, and Christmas is just a few days away.And yet there is shopping to be done. I believe that any one who loves to cook would be thrilled to have Michelle Stone's "Merry Christmas from Kentucky," a cookbook with recipes for the season. An attractive hardback book with a red cover and green accents, the book is filled with recipes for appetizers and beverages, breads, breakfast and brunch, soups and salads, side dishes, entrees, desserts, candies and cookies and gift-giving ideas. Not counting the index, the book contains 156 recipes.

For a different appetizer, try sausage and broccoli party squares. Unroll one eight-ounce package of refrigerated crescent rolls and put onto the bottom of a nine by nine-inch baking pan, overlapping and pressing to fit; set aside.

Combine 2/3 cup finely chopped, fully cooked smoked turkey sausage and two teaspoons brown mustard in a bowl and spoon evenly over the dough. Sprinkle with 2/3 cup finely chopped broccoli, 1/2 cup chopped red or green pepper, 1/4 cup hopped onion ad 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minute or until golden. Cool and cut into 25 squares. Delicious!

And for something different and easy, how about ho crackers? Place 1 box saltine crackers in a large bowl with a lid. Then combine 1 1/3 cups canola oil, 1 envelope ranch dressing mix and 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper.

Drizzle the mixture over the crackers, seal and turn every 15 minutes for one hour, coating well. Oyster crackers can be substituted, increasing the oil to 1 1/2 cups with three bags of oyster crackers.

Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without wassail, and here is an easy recipe for the season favorite.

Combine in a large saucepan 32 ounces cranberry juice cocktail with 1 cup water, 1/3 cup frozen pineapple-orange juice concentrate, thawed, two cinnamon sticks and two whole cloves. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the cinnamon and cloves from the mixture using a slotted spoon. Transfer the slightly cooled mixture to a small punch bowl. Garnish with orange peel strips and cinnamon sticks. Makes about 10 servings. So good!

And how about raspberry aspic?

Dissolve one three-ounce package raspberry gelatin in 1/2 cup boiling water and add 1/2 cup of tomato juice reserved from a 14.5 ounce can of drained stewed tomatoes. Stir until completely dissolved and add remaining juice, tomatoes and 1/2 cup chopped celery. Stir well and pour into greased molds or a baking dish and chill until set.

Unmold or cut into squares and serve on bibb lettuce leaves. Top the square with 1/2 teaspoon of mayonnaise.

And one of my favorites is red cabbage and apples. Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add 1/2 head red cabbage, shredded and three apples, chopped and peeled. Add 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 cup brown sugar or Spenda.

Cook over high heat for 2 or 3 minutes, stirring to combine. Lower the heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes, then simmer until the cabbage mixture has cooked down, about 45 minutes. Add more sweetener if proportions are not correct. It should have a sweet/sour taste. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

This small book is filled with Christmas recipes that can be carried well into the New Year and beyond, although each page is decorated with Christmas arrangements.

(McClanahan Publlishing House, Inc. P.O. Box 100, Kuttawa, KY 42055. $21.95) Available at Court Street Gifts.

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