Holiday Recipe / tips / tricks etc... thread

Inspired by Tonichelle's Favorite Holiday Goodies thread -

Let's start one for the holidays. Although this might be the busiest time of the year for personal time I thought I would give it a shot.

Got any time, would you like to share????

Alas, I came to raid, not share. Does anyone have a good recipe for those nutty little drop cookies dipped in powdered sugar?

Or for homemade fruitcake?

Below is my mother's instructions for nutballs, aka Russian Tea Cakes (I suspect that the real reason they weren't called Russian tea cakes in her family was it would have given my very Ukranian grandmother and great-grandmother fits. Not big fans of the Russians, they.)

For fruitcake...try visiting the Food Network website and looking for Alton Brown's ("Good Eats") recipe. It's got real dried fruit instead of candied.

NUTBALLS

2/3 c butter 3 T. sugar
1 c ground walnuts 1 t. vanilla
1 c flour Confectioners' sugar

Cream butter, add next 4 ingredients & work with fingers
until well blended. Pinch off bits of dough and roll into
balls the size of marbles. Bake on lightly buttered cookie
sheet in preheated oven (375o) for 10 minutes. While hot
roll in confectioners sugar. Reroll before serving.

The above cookies are Russian Tea cookies. However in my family they were just called nutballs because we made them in very small bite sizes.

This one may take a little practice. They are best when the walnuts are not too finely chopped. I like them better when you notice the nuts. It’s best to cream the butter with a mixer but it is important to work the rest of the ingredients in by hand. This dough can be hard to work with when warm. I would advise that you cool the dough before you form the cookies. It is also important not to over grease the cookie sheet as these will spread.

It is also important to watch these cookies. The time for baking is approximate depending on the size you make. I like them smaller like a (cat eye marble) They can be made larger like the size of a shooter marble. At that size the bottom flattens more.

Remove them from the pan to cool. Be careful, they have been known to stick or if too large to crumble when you take them off the pan. If you plan on using them immediately roll them in powdered sugar while they are warm. Cool and then reroll just before serving.

These can be frozen with no problem. If I plan to freeze them I do not roll them in sugar. I wait and roll them in sugar after they have thawed and just before I use them.

Click to expand...

Thanks so much, Juliet! These sound pure and delicious. All your mother's little tips are much appreciated. I will definitely try them. Also will check out Food Network for fruitcake.

I knew I could count on Goldenskate for great recipes.

Green Bean Casserole

just 'cuz mom had to make some for a church function and I do / did it this way... Also it is easy.

3 cans of cut G.Beens
1 can cream of mushroom
2 hard boiled eggs
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Celery salt
and chow mein noodle OR crushed Pringel's Potato crisps

Soak the g. beans in their brine with a tbsp of Garlic powder, Onion powder and the Celery salt over night. Next day eat one and see what you think about more or less to add to the final. Boil the eggs (10 min) drain G.Beans put in casserole dish (I prefer a bowl) with soup adding 1/4 of the milk to make soup. Chop and add the eggs fold / stir carefully the ingredients and taste - remember salt and pepper are on the table for those who want more - add more seasoning if you like. Bake 375 for 30 minutes add noodle / broken crisps on top and stick it in front of them

IMO, the only way to "kill" a casserole is too much seasoning or ingredients, so this one is pretty safe and a tradition for many. And no, this is not "to good" for your health either - where is the festive spirit in that?

If you want to go healthier, then buy fresh GBeans and chop boil and then soak and do not add any salt (just powders and fine diced celery 1/4 cup or more) and use a skim milk. or no milk at all is fine too Where is the fun in that, and the chopped celery will increase cooking time by 20 (50 min) minutes at 325 for "fuller" flavor.

Mushroom fans feel free to add a can or fresh (clean) mushrooms slices. I am an onion fan so if it is for me I add about a half large onion diced and lessen the onion powder. I have also made it with cream of celery instead, and once a cheddar soup, and fresh chopped garlic alternatives. My cooking tip always stands true, Salt and pepper are on the table but I always use a little when cooking at the minimum. And never cook frustrated or mad - just like love - let it go and deal with the issues other than cooking AFTER cooking. It won't help ANY situation to get an ulcer.:agree: And taste your food at different stages.

julietvalcouer said:

Below is my mother's instructions for nutballs, aka Russian Tea Cakes (I suspect that the real reason they weren't called Russian tea cakes in her family was it would have given my very Ukranian grandmother and great-grandmother fits. Not big fans of the Russians, they.)

Click to expand...

Julietvalcouer: I made these this afternoon and they are PURRFECT! Just exactly what I wanted to send my sister in CA. Now I am going to make another batch for my uncle. They were so easy and they melt in your mouth. I've always wondered how to make those little shortbread cookies. Now I can. Thanks again!