My Great Recipes Collection

Great Recipes From the Past

Holiday

Shrimp Christmas Tree

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The Shrimp Christmas Tree comes from the Cross Country Cookery cookbook.  The recipe suggests that you could also make the Shrimp Christmas Tree with ivy leaves. For summer you might try fresh strawberries and serve with bowls of powdered sugar so guests can dip their own.

This makes quite attractive center piece and is a conversational item!

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Shrimp Christmas Tree

Servings 12 servings

Ingredients

  • 3 lb frozen shrimp peeled and deveined
  • 2 quart water
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 4 large bunches curly endive
  • 1 styrofoam cone - 2 1/2 foot high
  • 1 styrofoam square 12x12x1
  • 1 small box round toothpicks

Instructions

  1. Place frozen shrimp in salted boiling water. Let shrimp return to boiling. Cook from 2-3 min. Do not overcook. Drain and chill.

  2.  Separate and wash endive. Drain well. Chill.

  3. Place cone in center of styrofoam square and draw circle around the base of the cone. Cover base and cone with overlapping leaves of endive. Fasten endive to styrofoam with tooth pick halves. Start at the outside edge of the base and work up. Cover fully with greens to resemble Xmas tree.
  4. Attach shrimp to tree with toothpicks. Provide cocktail sauce for dunking.

Spumoni with Holly Berry Sauce

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This ice cream dessert is perfect for Christmas time, and it comes from Cross Country Cookery.  Feel free to use frozen orange juice concentrate in place of the triple sec.

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Spumoni with Holly Berry Sauce

A delightful finale for a Yule meal!

Ingredients

For the ice cream

  • 3 pints chocolate ice cream softened
  • 1 pint pistachio ice cream softened
  • 2 pints vanilla ice cream softened
  • 1/2 cup candied mixed fruits
  • 2 teaspoon rum flavoring
  • 1 1/2 cup heavy cream whipped

For the Holly Berry Sauce

  • 1 10 oz pkg frozen raspberries defrosted
  • 1 10 oz pkg frozen strawberries defrosted
  • 2 tablespoon triple sec

Instructions

Make the Ice Cream

  1. Place a 2 1/2 quart melon mold in freezer.
  2. In large bowl, beat chocolate ice cream until smooth, but not melted. Quickly press evenly inside mold in 1" thick layer. Freeze until firm.
  3. Repeat with pistachio pressed evenly over chocolate.
  4. Combine vanilla ice cream, candied fruits, and rum flavoring. Beat till well blended, but not melted. Press into center. Freeze.

Make the Holly Berry Sauce

  1. Put berries and triple sec into blender. Whirl till smooth. Strain. Serve in refrigerator till serving time.

Finish the Dessert

  1. Unmold the ice cream. Decorate with sweetened whipped cream. Serve topped with Holly Berry Sauce.

No Bake Fruit Cake

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This recipe for no bake fruit cake was found in the Red Plastic Box Collection.

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No Bake Fruit Cake

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup pet milk
  • 3 tablespoons orange juice
  • 16 marshamellows finely cut
  • 4 dozen graham crackers
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon cloves
  • 1/2 cup dates finely cut
  • 1/2 cup golden raisins
  • 1/2 cup dark raisins
  • 3/4 cup walnuts broken
  • 1/3 cup candied pineapple finely cut
  • 1/3 cup candied cherries finely cut
  • 2 tablespoons candied orange peel finely cut

Instructions

  1. Line with wax paper bottom and sides of a 5 cup loaf or tube pan.
  2. Put pet milk, orange juice, and marshmellows in a bowl until needed.
  3. Roll graham crackers into fine crumbs. Combine with remaining ingredients.
  4. Add milk mixture. Mix with spoon, then with hands, till crumbs are moistened. Press firmly into pan.
  5. Decorate with additional nuts and fruit. Cover tightly.
  6. Chill two days before serving. Keep in cool place.

Christmas Cheer Recipe

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Take bushel of tinsel, sprinkle well throughout the house.

Add two dozen stars and one Xmas tree.

Take a generous spray of mistletoe, an armload of holly, and a full measure of snow laid in curved hills along the window sills.

Toss in a Christmas carol and season well with good will and friendly laughter.

Light the candles, “one” for adoration, two for celebration.” Let the first burn brightly, and may those you love be near.

The yield: One Happy Christmas.

–

This recipe is from Cross Country Cookery which was published privately by Mrs.N.C. (Helen Bemis) Black, 2214 South Goebbert, Arlington Heights, Illinois 60005. Bicentennial Edition, 1976.

Old-Fashioned Butter Cookies

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Old-Fashioned Butter Cookies from the 1981 edition of My Great Recipes, Cookies #26 Card #3.

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Old-Fashioned Butter Cookies

Course Dessert
Servings 32 cookies

Ingredients

  • 2 cups unsifted all purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup butter room temperature
  • 4 tablespoons sour cream
  • 1 egg white unbeaten
  • Pearl sugar or coarsely crushed sugar cubes

Instructions

  1. Mix flour and butter together until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Blend in sour cream and stir until dough forms. Shape into smooth ball.
  2. Divide into quarters. Divide the quarters into quarters, making 16 portions. Divide each of those into 2 portions. Shape each into an 8 inch long strand.
  3. Dip the strand in egg white, then into coarse sugar. Place on cookie sheet, shaping strands into pretzels.
  4. Bake at 400 for 12 minutes or until cookies are firm, just slightly golden.

Recipe Notes

Makes about 32 cookies

These cookies may be stored in an airtight tin or frozen until ready to serve.

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