HOFSTRA ADMISSION HOLIDAY COOKBOOK 2011 Edited by Michael Hearne

Dear Sirs and Madams: Congratulations! It is my pleasure to offer you this first ever Hofstra Admission Holiday Cookbook! As a person now in possession of this book, you will be able to enjoy the recipes submitted by various members of the Hofstra University Office of Undergraduate Admission during the holiday season! In the pages that follow, you will find over 25 recipes that are now yours to enjoy. Some of these foods may contain nuts or other allergens, so make sure to keep that in mind when trying them out! Every item in the cookbook is also made with holiday spirit, so they are all sure to be delicious! Special thanks go out to each and every person who contributed a recipe to this book, as it would not be possible without their involvement. While some of the recipes in this cookbook are for appetizers, entrees and beverages, it is very obvious that we all have quite the sweet tooth, and I hope you enjoy each and every page. Happy Holidays everyone! Sincerely, Michael Hearne

TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.APPETIZERS! 2.ENTREES!! 3.DESSERTS!!! 4.BEVERAGES!!!!

APPETIZERS!

Carol’s Crab Puffs by Carol Arent You will need: 1 package English Muffins 1 can shelled crab meat (drained) 1 jar Old English Cheese spread (cheddar) 1 stick softened butter or margarine 1 teaspoon mayonnaise ½ teaspoon seasoned salt ½ teaspoon garlic powder or salt

Open English muffins so there are now 12 sides Mix together all other ingredients and spread over English muffins. Freeze for 10 minutes. Cut into eighths (or 6ths). Bake at 350 for 10 minutes and then broil for 1 minute. Enjoy!

Campagna Tomatoes (Small Round) by Nina Ciavolino You will need: Small round tomatoes Ricotta cheese Salt and Pepper Parsley Diced Italian salami

Cut off the tops and scoop out the inside of the tomato. Then, in a separate bowl, mix with the ricotta cheese, salt and pepper, parsley and diced Italian salami. Then refrigerate, then serve cold on a platter. Serve with garnish of your choice on a platter, and enjoy!

Eggplant-Goat Cheese Rolls by Scott Singhel You will need: 1 Eggplant, cut lengthwise into thin slices (about 1/2 inch thick, makes about 8 to 10 slices) ½ (14 ounce) can water-packed artichoke hearts, drained 6 ounces low-fat goat cheese, crumbled 4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil Ÿ teaspoon pepper 1 (8 ounce) can garlic-and-onion tomato sauce

Eggplant 1. Spray broiler rack with nonstick spray and preheat broiler 2. Place eggplant in one layer on broiler rack; lightly spray with nonstick spray. 3. Broil eggplant 5 inches from heat until lightly browned, 3 4 minutes. (While eggplant is broiling, make filling, see below) 4. Flip eggplant and return to broiler until second side lightly browned, another 2-3 minutes. 5. Let eggplant cool slightly. Filling 6. Chop artichokes 7. Combine artichokes, 6 oz (1/2) goat cheese, 2 tablespoons (1/2) basil and pepper in medium bowl Rolls 8. Lightly coat a shallow baking dish with tomato sauce. 9. Place a portion of the filling on the shorter end of the eggplant slice and roll up. 10. Place rolls, seam side down, in the baking dish. 11. Top rolls with remaining tomato sauce, remaining basil and remaining cheese. 12. Bake in 350 degree oven until rolls are heated through, cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling. (About 15-20 minutes)

Mango Salsa by Geraldine Boalick You will need: • • • • • • • • • •

1 can of corn 1 can of black beans 2 tomatoes (seedless) 2 green peppers (or less) 2 red peppers (or less) 1 red onion 1 large avocado 1 large mango Cilantro (to taste) Red sauce (to taste)

Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl. You can add different items to give it a particular taste. Enjoy!

Mrs. Straub’s Spinach Balls by Lindsay Straub You will need: 1 Box Stove Top stuffing (chicken) 1 Cup Italian Parmesan cheese 1 Box frozen spinach, thawed & drained 1 1/2 sticks butter 4 eggs, beaten Mix all ingredients together. Form balls (golf ball size). Bake in oven at 350 to 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

The Chef Says: “I ALWAYS eat my spinach…and add extra cheese!”

ENTREES!!

Anselmo Family Beef Stew by Sheri Anselmo You will need: 1 can of tomato soup or sauce ½ large onion 1 celery stalk 4 or 5 medium size potatoes 1 lb. or more of stewing beef (extra lean) 4 or 5 carrots (fresh) A handful of fresh string beans or half can of canned string beans Small can of peas Small can of mixed vegetables

Peel and cut potatoes into halves or quarters. Peel and slice carrots. Cut meat into 1 inch cubes. Dice onion and slice celery. Cut fresh string beans or use half cup of canned string beans, drain liquid. Put ingredients into oven safe pot and pour sauce or soup over top. Season with salt, pepper and garlic to taste.

Mix all ingredients together, cook at 350 degrees for 3 hours. *Add water if needed.

Mushroom-Spinach Risotto by Kathryn Chlosta You will need: • 1 tbsp olive oil • 25g butter • 1 sweet onion, chopped • 140g shiitake mushrooms , sliced • 1 fat garlic clove, crushed • 140g arborio rice • 150ml dry white wine • 4 sundried tomatoes , chopped • 500ml hot vegetable stock • 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley • 25g parmesan, freshly grated • 100g fresh young leaf spinach , washed and patted dry • warm ciabatta and green salad , to serve •

1. Heat the oil and butter in a large deep frying pan. Add the onion and cook gently for 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the mushrooms and garlic and cook gently for 2-3 minutes. 2. Stir in the rice to coat with the onion and mushroom mixture. Pour in the wine and cook over a moderate heat for about 3 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the wine is absorbed. 3. Reduce to a gentle heat. Add the tomatoes and 125ml/ 4fl oz of the stock and cook for about 5 minutes until the liquid is absorbed. Pour in a further 125ml/4fl oz stock and continue cooking until absorbed. Repeat with the remaining stock, until it is all absorbed and the rice is creamy and tender. 4. Stir in the parsley and half the parmesan. Season to taste. Scatter the spinach over the risotto. Cover and cook gently for 4-5 minutes until the spinach has just wilted. Serve immediately sprinkled with the remaining parmesan.

Pot Roast with Port and Mushrooms by Katie Quille You will need: 2lb chuck pot roast 2T olive oil 1 cup tawny port 1 cup beef broth or stock 2 T all-purpose flour 2 T butter ½ lb fresh mushrooms, sliced 3 garlic cloves, crushed Brown meat in hot olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Add wine and simmer, uncovered, until wine is reduced by half. Add beef broth, cover, and simmer for one hour. [Dutch oven may also be placed in a 350 degree F oven and baked for one hour.] After one hour, prepare a roux from the butter and flour and whisk into broth in Dutch oven to thicken broth. [To prepare a roux, melt butter in a pan, stir in flour with a whisk, and heat while stirring until mixture is combined and begins to thicken. Heat for about one more minute to brown the mixture, stirring constantly with the whisk. Remove from heat.] Add mushrooms, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover pan and simmer for an additional ½ hour [or return to oven for ½ hour.] Serve over rice or noodles.

DESSERTS!!!

Ambrosia by Christine Bestany You will need: 1 large can of mandarin oranges 1 large can of fruit cocktail 1 large can of pineapple chunks 2 cups of sour cream 2 cups of mini marshmallows 2 cups of shredded coconut

Drain all fruit well

Mix all ingredients, chill in refrigerator for a few hours! That s it!

Mini Black-and-White Cookies by Madelena Ryerson Yield: Makes about 5 dozen cookies Active Time: 1 hr Total Time: 1 1/2 hr

You will need: For cookies 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/3 cup well-shaken buttermilk 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 large egg For icings 2 3/4 cups confectioners sugar 2 tablespoons light corn syrup 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 4 to 6 tablespoons water 1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

Special equipment: a small offset spatula

Make cookies:

Mini Black-and-White Cookies continued‌ Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 2 large baking sheets. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Stir together buttermilk and vanilla in a cup. Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes, then add egg, beating until combined well. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture and buttermilk mixture alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture, and mixing just until smooth. Drop rounded teaspoons of batter 1 inch apart onto baking sheets. Bake, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until tops are puffed, edges are pale golden, and cookies spring back when touched, 6 to 8 minutes total. Transfer to a rack to cool. Make icings while cookies cool: Stir together confectioner s sugar, corn syrup, lemon juice, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl until smooth. If icing is not easily spreadable, add more water, 1/2 teaspoon at a time. Transfer half of icing to another bowl and stir in cocoa, adding more water, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, to thin to same consistency as vanilla icing. Cover surface with a dampened paper towel, then cover bowl with plastic wrap. Ice cookies: With offset spatula, spread white icing over half of flat side of each cookie. Starting with cookies you iced first, spread chocolate icing over other half. Cooks' note: Once icing is dry, cookies keep, layered between sheets of wax paper or parchment, in an airtight container at room temperature 4 days.

Carol’s Rocky Road by Carol Arent You will need: 2 lbs. melting chocolate Approximately ¾ cup- mini marshmallows Approximately ¾ cup - shelled unsalted peanuts Approximately 1 teaspoon - peanut butter

Throw away lasagna pan (low sides preferable, but it doesn t really matter...)

(I say approximately because you add to your liking more, less marshmallow, etc...)

You may like fewer peanuts or

Melt chocolate in double boiler (or a pot inside a pot with low water) part of the recipe! Stir frequently until smooth. 1. 2. 3. 4.

this is the hardest

Once melted, remove from heat add peanut butter and peanuts stir. Line lasagna pan w/mini marshmallows (make sure the whole pan isn t filled too many marshmallows is too much) Once chocolate mix is cool enough not to melt marshmallows, but not too cold to harden, add to lasagna pan w/marshmallows. Mix all together. Put in freezer for 10 minutes or so. Remove, cut into squares. Enjoy!

Carrot Cake Jam by Evan Koegl You will need: * 1 1/2 cups finely grated peeled carrots * 1 1/2 cups finely diced peeled and cored tart apples, such as granny smith * 1 3/4 cups canned crushed pineapple, including juice * 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice * 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon * 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg * 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves * 1/2 cup raisins * One (1.75-ounce) package powdered fruit pectin * 6 1/2 cups granulated sugar * 1/2 teaspoon butter * 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts Procedures: 1. If you are going to preserve conserve, prepare jars and lids: place 7 half-pint jars on rack in large pot. Add enough water to cover jars, and bring to boil over high heat. Boil for 10 minutes, then turn off heat and allow jars to rest in the hot water. Meanwhile, put bands and lids in small saucepan and cover with water. Heat over medium heat until the water is simmering, then remove pan from heat and allow bands and lids to rest in hot water until ready to use. 2. Combine carrots, apples, pineapple, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in large, heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, pulse raisins in food processor until finely chopped. Set aside. 3. After 20 minutes, remove pot from heat and stir in pectin until dissolved. Stir in raisins, breaking up clumps with back of spoon. Return pot to heat and bring to boil. Add sugar all at once and return to boil, stirring constantly. Add butter and boil hard for one minute. Remove pot from heat, skim off any foam, and stir in walnuts. 4. Ladle hot conserve into hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Wipe rims of the jars, cover with lids, and screw bands on until just barely tight. Place jars on rack in pot and cover completely with water. Cover pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for 10 minutes. Turn off heat, uncover pot, and allow jars to rest in water for five minutes. Remove jars from pot and allow them to rest undisturbed on countertop for six hours or overnight.

Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal Cookies by Evan Koegl

You will need:

* 1/2 cup dried cherries * 1 cup boiling water * 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour * 1 teaspoon baking soda * 1/2 teaspoon salt * 1 1/2 sticks butter, at room temperature * 1/2 cup sugar * 1/2 cup light brown sugar * 1 teaspoon vanilla extract * 2 large eggs * 3 2/3 cups old fashioned oats* 1/2 cup dark chocolate buttons Procedures: 1. Place cherries in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand 8 minutes and drain. Set aside. 2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. 3. In a large bowl, beat together butter, sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. 4. Beat in vanilla. Beat in eggs until well combined. 5. Add flour mixture to bowl and beat until just combined. Use a spoon to stir oats into dough. 6. Add chocolate and cherries and stir until evenly incorporated. Cover dough with plastic wrap and let sit in refrigerator for 30 minutes. 7. Preheat oven to 350° F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. 8. Form dough into 2 inch balls and place on prepared baking sheets. Bake cookies until golden, about 10 minutes.

Chocolate Pecan Pie by Jade Keena You will need: 1 9 inch pie crust (pre-made) 3 eggs 1 c. light or dark corn syrup 1/2 c. sugar 1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips 3 tbsp. butter 1 tsp. vanilla 1 1/2 c. pecans (chopped) Instructions: 1. Preheat 325 degrees 2. Poke holes in the bottom of the pie crust with a fork 3. Bake the pie crust for about 10 minutes, then remove it from the oven and set it aside. 4. In a bowl, mix corn syrup, sugar, vanilla, and eggs. 5. In a separate bowl, microwave chocolate chips and butter until both are melted. 6. Stir chocolate and butter into the bowl with the other mixed ingredients, until the mix is smooth. 7. Stir in chopped pecans. 8. Pour the mixture into the pie crust. 9. If you have halved pecans, place them on top. 10. Bake at 325 degrees for about 50-60 minutes, until a knife inserted into the center of the pie comes out clean.

Chocolate Pecan Pie continued‌ Notes: *If the crust is done before the rest of the pie is, cover just the crust with tin foil and continue baking at 300 degrees. *To give the pie a glossy look, baste the top (pecans and crust) with an egg wash (egg and water mixture) halfway through baking.

Chocolate Pile-Up Cookies by Jessica Lincks You will need: • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

2 cups all-purpose flour 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature 3/4 cup white sugar 3/4 cup brown sugar 2 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 tablespoons coffee-flavored liqueur 1 cup finely chopped toasted hazelnuts 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips 1 cup milk chocolate chips 1 cup white chocolate chips

Directions 1. Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a bowl, mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. 2. Beat the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar together in a bowl with an electric mixer until soft and creamy, then beat in the eggs, vanilla extract, and coffee liqueur. Gradually beat the flour mixture into the butter-sugar mixture until well combined. Stir in the hazelnuts, semisweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, and white chocolate chips until evenly distributed through the dough. Drop by rounded teaspoons, about 2 inches apart, onto the prepared baking sheets. 3. Bake in the preheated oven until the edges are slightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Eggnog Bread by Katie Quille You will need: 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour 2tsp baking powder 1 tsp table salt 2 eggs ¾ cup granulated sugar ¼ cup butter, melted 1 cup commercial eggnog 2 tsp butter rum or eggnog flavoring 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract red candied cherries green candied cherries ½ cup chopped pecans Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl; set aside. Combine eggs, sugar, and butter in a large mixing bowl. Beat well with a mixer. Add flour mixture alternately with eggnog, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Place several candied cherries of one color in a small bowl and cover with a light dusting of flour. On a cutting board dusted with flour, cut whole cherries in half. Add approx.. ½ cup of halved cherries of each color to cake batter. Add chopped pecans to batter. Stir just until combined. Batter will be stiff. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour an 81/2 x 41/2 x 3 inch loaf pan. Add batter to loaf pan and bake for 1 hour. Check for doneness with a toothpick and bake for 5 more minutes if needed. Remove pan from oven, let cool 5-10 minutes and then remove cake from pan and place on wire rack to cool.

Jamie’s CT Deli Rice Pudding by Suzanne Shareef

You will need: 6 cups milk 1 pint heavy cream 3 egg yolks, beaten ¾ cup of rice (short grain) ¾ cup sugar 2 tsp vanilla ¼ tsp salt Cinnamon

Directions: • • • • • •

Rice a pot with cold water and DO NOT DRY (very important so it does not stick to bottom). Heat milk to boiling point. Add rice, bring to boil again and simmer low for about 55 minutes. Remember to stir frequently to keep from burning. Meanwhile combine heavy cream, egg yolks, sugar, vanilla and salt. When the rice is tender add the mixture, and return to boil again. Remember to stir frequently to keep from burning. Remove from heat, place in serving dish and cool for 4 hours.

Serve with cinnamon on top.

Let’s Get Cocoa-Nuts! by Mike Staub and His Trio of Friendly Robots These aren t 100% original, but they ve become a Staub family tradition over the past decade or so! Before we begin our time together today, I d like to give a warning .If you don t like coconut or chocolate (which sounds like a personal problem) go ahead and skip these right over, but if you like the unholy combination of chocolate and coconut (like in Mounds bars) this recipe is for YOU! The first step of my baking process is to get out a radio, or an iPod, or a laptop and put on your favorite bakin music. Some people may want to rock out to AC/DC while other Fanilows may get out their Barry records, and if you re too awesome for your own good, bust out Sabotage by the Beastie Boys. I always go with the soundtrack from The Last Samurai because Hans Zimmer rules. Now that your music selection is made: You need an 8x8 inch baking pan

.

You will need: • • • • •

2 cups of graham cracker crumbs 2 cups of flaked coconut ¼ cup margarine, melted 1 (14 ounce) can of sweetened condensed milk A little over 6 oz of chocolate it can be milk, or semi-sweet. We usually go semisweet, and we normally melt chocolate morsels but you can also melt bars if that s what you want. It s about 4 x 1.5 oz chocolate bars.

Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 C for you folks that have gone metric which is a pretty good band, but I digress). 2. Grease that 8x8 pan 3. In a medium-sized bowl, stir the graham cracker crumbs and the coconut. Everything should stick together, and try not eating the mixture. 4. Pour in the condensed milk and the melted margarine, and mix well until blended. If you have a Kitchen Aid, just let that thing do that work while you read a book, or watch the latest episode of Battlestar Galactica because that s what I do don t judge me.

Let’s Get Cocoa-Nuts! Continued‌ 5. Once everything is well blended and looking delicious, press the mixture evenly into that pan we greased before. Pop that business into the oven for about 10-12 minutes. Remove and let it cool! 6. When the coconut-graham mixture is cooled, melt the chocolate in either a microwave, or a double boiler. I personally like the taste of boiled chocolate over radioactive chocolate, but hey, some of us have some very good friends who may happen to be radioactive (Spider-Man and I go way back). You want to stir the chocolate occasionally so that it s nice and smooth. 7. Take your melted chocolate and spread it evenly across the top of the cooled mixture. Chill the mixture until everything has solidified. This mixture should yield 16 bars. 8. Eat your coconut bars, or dress them up nicely and take them to your holiday parties 9. Have a safe and wonderful holiday!

Monkey Bread by Carol Arent

You will need: 3 packages refrigerator biscuits ½ cup sugar 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1 stick butter ½ cup brown sugar

Grease bundt pan. In bowl, mix together 1 stick melted butter and brown sugar. Set aside. In another bowl, mix ½ cup sugar with 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Cut biscuits into 4 and coat w/cinnamon sugar mixture

Put coated biscuits in bundt pan pour butter/brown sugar mixture over it. Add another layer of biscuits and cover with remaining butter mixture.

Bake at 350 for 20

25 minutes.

Best when served same day warm.

Enjoy!

Pudding Cookies by Christine Burke You will need: 2 c flour 1 tsp baking powder 2 sticks of butter, softened ¾ c brown sugar ¼ white sugar 1 package vanilla instant pudding mix 2 eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 c chocolate chips or M&Ms

Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 350. 2. In a smaller bowl, mix flour and baking soda ( dry bowl ). 3. In a larger bowl, beat butter, brown sugar and white sugar. Once mixed together, beat in pudding mix. When powder is no longer visible, beat in eggs and vanilla extract. 4. Gradually beat dry bowl ingredients into larger bowl. 5. Add Chocolate Chips or M&Ms and mix with spoon. 6. Place teaspoon sized cookie dough onto ungreased baking sheet. 7. Bake for approximately 10 minutes, or until bottoms are just golden brown. 8. Take off cookie sheet immediately and let cookies cool on rack.

The Chef Says: For extra soft and fluffy cookies, it’s a great alterative to your traditional chocolate chip cookies.”

Skinny Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie by Samantha Verini You will need: 16 oz 1/3 Less Fat Cream Cheese 1 Pie Crust (chocolate or Oreo is best) 1 cup Canned Pumpkin 1/4 cup Fat Free Half and Half 1/4 cup All-purpose Flour 1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice 1/2 cup Light Brown Sugar 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract 3 eggs 1/2 tsp Cornstarch Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a food processor, with the metal blade, mix the cream cheese until smooth. Add the brown sugar and blend. Add the eggs 1 at a time to thoroughly incorporate into the cheese mixture. Add the half and half. Add the flour, salt, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla and blend until smooth. Add the mashed pumpkin and blend until smooth. Pour into pie crust. Bake for 35 minutes or until the cake is set. Remove from the oven. Completely cool the cake before cutting. serve with whipped cream

Spice Molasses Cookies by Katie Quille You will need: ¾ cup shortening [like Crisco] 1 cup granulated sugar 1 egg ¼ cup mild molasses [unsulphured] 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp.baking powder ¼ tsp table salt 1tsp ground ginger 1 tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp ground nutmeg ¼ tsp ground cloves ¼ tsp ground allspice Cream shortening and sugar together with a mixer. Add egg and molasses and mix well. Combine flour and remaining ingredients in a separate bowl. Add this mixture in four portions to creamed mixture using a mixer until dough gets too stiff, then mix gently by hand until no flour mixture remains separate. Dough will be stiff. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill one hour. Remove dough from refrigerator and preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place some granulated sugar in a wide, flat bowl; this will be used to roll the balls of dough. Shape dough into 1 balls, roll each in sugar, and place 2 apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 9-11 minutes. Cookies will spread slightly leaving crackled tops. Remove from oven and let cookies cool slightly on the sheets before removing them to a cooling rack.

Swedish Kifflins by Eileen Mantovi You will need: 1 lb of butter 2/3 cup of sugar 4 ½ cups of flour ½ tsp. of salt ½ lb of almonds chopped fine and packed tight Mix softened butter then add sugar, flour, salt and nuts. Form a ball wrap in wax paper and chill in refrigerator overnight. Take out and leave at room temperature for one hour. Break off small pieces and pat to ¼ inch thick or roll between 2 pieces of wax paper. Cut into crescents with a wine glass. Bake at 300 degrees till light brown about 15 minutes. Gently lay cookies on a pan covered with sifted confectionary sugar then lightly cover the top of cookies with sugar. Store in a tin if they last that long.

Vanilla Pudding Graham Cracker Explosion by Stephanie Perrotti You will need: box of instant vanilla pudding. A tub of cool whip Cinnamon graham crackers Milk

Make the pudding

let set

After it s made, stir in half of the Cool whip. (I like to put some cinnamon in the pudding too.)

Get a glass cake dish. Layer the bottom with graham crackers. Then layer with pudding. Layer with graham crackers, layer with pudding. When you get to the top finish it off with the rest of the cool whip. I crush graham crackers and put them on top. You can also add bananas to the layers if you would like.

The Chef Says: “It tastes better the next day because the crackers get soft.�

Walnut Bourbon Balls by Christina Caudill You will need: About 5 dozen packaged vanilla wafers, finely crushed, (2 cups or 1 box) 2 Tablespoons cocoa 1 cup sugar 1 cup finely chopped walnuts, or walnuts and flaked coconut 3 Tablespoons corn syrup ¼ to ½ cup bourbon Confectioner s sugar

1. Mix together well crumbs, cocoa, sugar, and walnuts. Add corn syrup and bourbon; mix well. 2. Shape into one-inch balls and roll in confectioner s sugar. Store in covered container a day or so to ripen; these keep very well. Makes 3 dozen

The Chef Says: “You can make these without nuts too!”

BEVERAGES!!!!

Hot Peppermint Chocolate by Melanie Mardirossian You will need: 3 cups of hot whole milk 10 small chocolate peppermint patties 1/8 teaspoon salt 1 cup of cream* Combine 1/2 cup of hot whole milk with peppermint patties. Add salt and balance of hot whole milk and heat until it simmers. Add cream and serve. *I usually replace the cream with a cup of whole milk.

The Chef Says: “Here is my winter specialty - traditionally sipped while watching the Thanksgiving Day parade.�