New Year Special 2019

Happy New Year ♌

At the birth of a new year we wish our customers and friends Health, Happiness, Success, Friendship and Love.

We hope your year is filled with everything that brings you joy!

2 Saturday, December 28, 2019

New Year Special

Park Rapids Enterprise

Decorate with inviting holiday aromas

Holiday decor is as much about the sights and sounds as it is about the scents of the season. Few things evoke the holiday spirit as much as the aroma of fresh evergreen or spicy cinnamon and cloves.

Incorporating inviting aromas into holiday decor can make homes feel even more special.

Filling a home with fragrant decor takes a little ingenuity and planning.

Here are some ideas to incorporate the scents of the holiday season into your decor. ► Fill a decorative basket with pine cones and evergreen boughs for that woodsy appeal.

► Create a seasonal scented simmer. Take to the stove to make a homemade air infusion from ingredients in and around the house. Simmer pine branches, citrus peels, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon and whatever else can be placed in a pot or slow cooker with water.

The scents will permeate the house for hours if enough water is added to the mixture. ► Make holiday sachets. Some of the same ingredients for the holiday simmer can be dried and sewn into sachets. Add ribbon and hang on real or artificial trees. Or tuck the pouches into various areas around the house.

Appetizers

Hot Dip

2-lb. box Velveeta cheese 3 tomatoes (puree in food processor) 1 small can jalapenos or green chilies (to your liking of heat) 2 lbs. ground beef, browned and drained 1 lb. seasoned pork sausage, browned and drained 1 large onion, finely diced and sauteed till tender Mix all ingredients together in crock pot, serve hot with Doritos.

Sausage Dip

1 lb. seasoned pork sausage, browned and drained 1 8-oz. cream cheese 14.5-oz. can tomatoes with green chilies and onion Mix together in crock pot and serve hot with Doritos.

Appetizer Pie

2 8-oz. cream cheese 4 Tbsp. milk 1 5-oz. jar dried beef, finely chopped 4 Tbsp. minced onion 4 Tbsp. green onion, finely chopped 1 cup sour cream Mix all together in crock pot and serve hot with Doritos.

Bacon Olive Wraps

1 jar olives with pimentos 1 lb. bacon Cut bacon into four sections, wrap around olive, stick with toothpick. If you use large olives, cut in thirds. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes or until done.

Cheese Pecan Ball

8 oz. cream cheese, softened 1-2 Tbsp. steak sauce (A-1 or Heinz) 1 cup finely chopped pecans 1 clove minced garlic Few drops hot pepper sauce (Tabasco) Chopped parsley paprika Combine and beat cheese, steak sauce, pecans, garlic, hot pepper sauce. Form into ball, wrap in wax paper. Chill for several hours or until firm.

Unwrap and place on serving dish. Sprinkle parsley to make a strip about 1-inch wide down center of ball, sprinkle both sides with paprika. Keep chilled, remove from fridge about 15 minutes before serving.

Serve as spread with assorted crackers. Makes 1-1/2 cups.

► Experiment with scented candles. Scented candles can be found at various stores during the holiday season.

Select among popular holiday aromas like pine, cinnamon, apples and Christmas cookie varieties. ► Utilize essential oils.

Natural food stores and other retailers may sell essential oils, which can be diluted and sprayed on surfaces or into the air.

Exercise caution around upholstery, or test for staining before use. ► Make beeswax ornaments. Add scented oils to melted beeswax and pour into molds.

Hang these creations as ornaments on trees or in

other areas of the home. ► Craft some gingerbread ornaments.

A mixture of cinnamon, applesauce and glue can be used to make ornaments or gift tags that resemble gingerbread cookies, and these ornaments have more staying power than actual cookies. ► Design a pretty pomander. Stud an orange with cloves. Cut off the top of the orange and hollow out a place for a small tea light. The warmth of the flame will produce more scent. ► Rich and inviting aromas can fill a home with the holiday spirit.

Brunch

Crockpot Breakfast Casserole

1 (30-oz.) pkg. frozen hashbrown potatoes 1 lb. breakfast sausage, browned or 1 lb. diced ham 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese 1/4 cup green onion 1 green pepper, chopped (optional) 1 doz. eggs 1 cup milk 1 tsp. dry mustard 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. pepper Bacon for topping (optional) Grease crockpot or use a crockpot liner. Make two layers each of the hashbrowns, meat and cheese in the crockpot.

Beat the eggs, milk, dry mustard, salt and pepper together. Pour egg mixture over the layers. May top with cooked bacon pieces if you wish. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or until thoroughly cooked. Start at midnight and it will be ready when you wake up.

Serves 8-10 people.

Breakfast Bundt Cake

1 cup diced ham 2 cups tater tots, still frozen 1 dozen whisked eggs 1 can (8-oz.) Pillsbury Grands biscuits, diced up, raw 2 cups cheese of your choice 1/4 cup of skim milk Mix together all ingredients.

Place in greased bundt pan. Bake

Metro Service

Embrace delectable holiday scents in seasonal decor.

at 400 degrees for minutes. When done onto platter and cut serve. You can use meat or any veggie want!

45 flip and any you

Skillet-Roasted Potatoes with Mushrooms and Pancetta

4 oz. pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch cubes (see note) 3 Tbsp olive oil, plus more if necessary 1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, unpeeled, scrubbed and quartered Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 10 oz. cremini or brown mushrooms, quartered 6 garlic cloves, peeled and halved crosswise 2 tsp. dried thyme Several fresh thyme sprigs for garnish (optional) Arrange a rack at center position and preheat the

oven to 400 degrees.

In a large, heavy, ovenproof frying pan (preferably cast iron) set over medium heat, saute the pancetta until golden and crisp, 5 to 7 minutes.

Remove with a slotted spoon to drain on paper towels.

Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the drippings from the pan. (If you don’t have 2 tablespoons, add olive oil to make this amount.) When hot, add the potatoes and sautŽ, stirring, until they start to take on a little color, 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and place the frying pan in the oven.

Roast for 15 minutes.

Remove the frying pan from the oven and add the mushrooms, garlic and the 3 tablespoons of olive oil.

Add the dried thyme and season with more salt and pepper. Toss to coat well.

Return the pan to the oven and roast until the potatoes are golden brown and tender and the mushrooms are softened, about 15 minutes more.

Remove the frying pan from the oven and stir in the reserved pancetta. If desired, garnish the center of the pan with fresh thyme sprigs. Serve warm.

Note: If buying pancetta from a deli, ask for it to be cut thickly into 1/4inch slices. Prepackaged pancetta is often thinly sliced. Serves four.

Peppermint Mocha Creamer

1 cup milk, cream, half and half, or milk substitute 3 Tbsp. pure honey 3 Tbsp. cocoa powder 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. pure peppermint extract Pour milk (cream, half and half, or milk substitute) into a small saucepan.

Heat over mediumhigh heat until the milk begins to steam. Reduce the heat to medium-low.

Add the honey and cocoa powder and whisk until both have dissolved and no lumps remain. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add 1/4 tsp. of peppermint extract. Stir the creamer and taste it.

Add additional peppermint extract or honey as desired.

Store the creamer in a sealed jar in the refrigerator. Use within 2 weeks. Yields 1 cup.

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New Year Special

Park Rapids Enterprise

Saturday, December 28, 2019 3

How to make your pointsettias last longer

Poinsettias are synonymous with the holiday season. These colorful plants brighten up homes with their vibrant hues in variations of red, white and pink, making them a holiday decoration many people cannot live without.

While they’re most visible during the often chilly holiday season, poinsettias prefer warm weather. Poinsettias are native to Central America and originally flourished in an area of southern Mexico. The Aztecs used the plant for decorative and medicinal purposes.

The poinsettia may have remained a regional plant if not for the efforts of Joel Roberts Poinsett, who was the first U.S. ambassador to Mexico under President James Madison.

Slow Cooker SpicedCranberry Pork

31/2 to 4 pound pork shoulder 1 (6-oz) can jellied cranberry sauce 2/3 cup sugar 3/4 cup cranberry juice 2 tablespoons Dijonstyle mustard 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cloves 1 teaspoon ground black pepper Salt to taste Trim fat from pork roast, if necessary. Place roast in 4- to 6-quart slow cooker.

Use wire whisk to stir together cranberry sauce and sugar in medium bowl.

Stir in juice, mustard, cloves and pepper until well combined.

Pour cranberry mixture over roast in slow cooker.

Cover slow cooker and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or until pork roast is tender. Season roast to taste with salt; serve juices with roast. Serves 8.

Zpaghetti Marinara with Shrimp

28 oz. (about 4 medium) zucchini 8 oz. (about 16) raw large shrimp, peeled, tails removed and deveined 1/4 tsp. Italian seasoning 1/4 tsp. garlic powder 1/8 tsp. black pepper 1 cup Marinara sauce (see below)

Poinsett, who would later found the Smithsonian Institution, had a love of botany and became enamored with the brilliant red plants he saw in Mexico. Eventually, Poinsett began growing the plants at home in South Carolina, and friends and others soon coveted them.

Poinsettias are beautiful and the bracts can be vibrantly colored. That signature vibrancy is why many people would like to preserve their poinsettias to last beyond the New Year, which is possible with the right care. ► Start with healthy plants that have full leaves, bracts and deep colors. ► Poinsettias do best when the temperature is between 65 and 75 degrees.

Temperatures

2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese Preheat the oven to 375 F. Lay a large piece of heavy-duty foil on a baking sheet and spray with nonstick spray.

Using a spiral vegetable slicer, cut zucchini into spaghetti-like noodles. (If you donÕt have a spiral veggie slicer, peel zucchini into super-thin strips, rotating the zucchini after each strip.) Roughly chop for shorter noodles.

Place zucchini noodles in the center of the foil and top with shrimp.

Sprinkle with seasonings.

Top with marinara sauce and Parmesan.

Cover with another large piece of foil. Fold together and seal all four edges of the foil pieces, forming a well-sealed packet.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until zucchini noodles have softened and shrimp are fully cooked.

Cut packet to release hot steam before opening entirely.

Transfer packet contents to a large bowl, and toss to mix.

Marinara Sauce: 3cups canned crushed tomatoes 1/4 cup tomato paste 1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

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Poinsettias are beautiful and the bracts (modified leaves) can be vibrantly colored. That signature vibrancy is why many people would like to preserve their poinsettias to last beyond the New Year, which is possible with the right care.

below that or drafts from cold windows can cause leaves to drop. ► Position the plant in a room that gets indirect sunlight for at least six hours per day. If direct sunlight can’t be avoided, diffuse the light with a sheer curtain. ► Poinsettias need well-drained soil.

Overwatering or allowing roots to sit in wet soil can cause the leaves to fall off prematurely.

Water thoroughly only when the pot looks dry.

In households with temperatures around 70 degrees, the plant should be watered about once a week. ► Fertilize the plant after the blooming season with a balanced, allpurpose fertilizer. ► Try placing poinsettias

in or near a bathroom, as they prefer high humidity.

It may be possible to get poinsettias to rebloom next season. Allow the poinsettias to dry out a little more in the spring. In May, cut about four inches from each stem to produce a lush, full plant during the winter. The plants can be moved outside in June and during the summer, but keep them away from direct sunlight. Return the poinsettias indoors beginning around October.

Make sure the plants get at least 12 hours of darkness per day for around eight weeks in October and November. This will help them develop a deep hue and bloom on time for Christmas.

smoker to 245 degrees.

Spread out the wings on a sheet pan and wipe away any excess marinade.

Sprinkle liberally with the dry rub, coating the wings all over.

Position the wings on the grill away from the direct heat of the coals or burners, and add hickory to the smoker, or place hickory chips on the coals or gas burners.

Cook the wings for about 3 hours, flipping every 30 minutes (their internal temperature should be about 165 degrees when cooked).

While the wings are cooking, cut the butter for the sauce into 1-inch cubes

and refrigerate. Whisk the cornstarch into the white vinegar in a small bowl.

In a medium saute pan over medium heat, bring the hot sauce to a simmer and whisk in the thickened vinegar. Return to a simmer, cook for 1 minute, and remove from the heat.

Add the cayenne and slowly whisk in the cold butter. Keep warm until serving.

Remove the wings from the smoker or grill and put half of them into a bowl, cover with the sauce, and toss. Repeat with the remaining wings and serve on a platter, with the blue cheese dip on the side.

Virgil’s Dry Rub: 2-1/2 cups sweet paprika 1 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup Texas-style chili powder 1/2 cup minced onion 1/2 cup granulated garlic 1/4 cup dried parsley flakes 6 Tbsp. kosher salt Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk together until completely incorporated. Transfer to a covered bowl with a tightfitting lid. Store in a cool, dry place. Makes 5 to 5-1/2 cups.

Main Entrees

1/2 tsp.onion powder 1/4 tsp.salt 1/8 tsp. black pepper Combine ingredients in a large sealable container.

Mix until uniform. Seal, and refrigerate until ready to use.

Smoked Chicken Wings With Blue Cheese Dip

Blue Cheese Dip: 2 cups blue cheese crumbles, divided 1 cup mayonnaise 1/2 cup buttermilk 2 tsp. hot sauce 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 1/2 tsp. kosher salt 1/4 cup finely chopped scallions 1/4 cup finely chopped celery Marinade: 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1/2 cup hot sauce 4 Tbsp. Virgil’s Dry Rub (see below) 4 Tbsp. granulated garlic 4 Tbsp. granulated onion Juice of 1/2 lemon Wings: 8 large chicken wings 1/2 cup Virgil’s Dry Rub (see below) Sauce: 10 Tbsp. unsalted butter 1 tsp. cornstarch 4 Tbsp. white vinegar 3/4 cup hot sauce 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper To make the dip, combine 1 cup of the blue cheese, mayonnaise, buttermilk,

hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and salt in the bowl of a food processor and blend on low until smooth.

Remove to a medium mixing bowl and fold in the rest of the blue cheese, scallions and celery, being sure to break up the large blue cheese crumbles.

Place in a covered container and refrigerate overnight.

Mix all the marinade ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Place the wings in a large container with a lid and pour the mixture over the wings.

Toss until the wings are thoroughly coated. Cover and refrigerate for 2 days.

Preheat the grill or

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New Year Special

4 Saturday, December 28, 2019

Park Rapids Enterprise

Grandma Sunny’s Perfect Divinity candy will sweeten the season

Ann Arbor Miller/Forum News Service

The sweet confection divinity is typically made with sugar, corn syrup and egg whites. Some recipes call for the addition of a flavor like vanilla extract or adding chopped nuts like pecans.

By Sarah and Tony Nasello Forum News Service My beloved grandmother, Sunny Mathison, passed away just before Thanksgiving this year, at the age of 101.

My grandmother was a wonderful cook, and I’ve shared many family favorites here over the years, but there’s one specialty that, to me, embodies the very spirit of my Grandma Sunny: her perfect clouds of divinity candy.

Divinity is an oldfashioned specialty made by mixing stiff egg whites with a hot sugar syrup to create a candy that is best identified as marshmallow-meetsfudge-meets-meringue.

Grandma Sunny made this confection every year, and it just wouldn’t be Christmas without it.

I never made divinity with my grandmother and have always felt a bit daunted by the task.

From conversations with her, I know that it can be temperamental – requiring a climate with low humidity and agile

hands that can work quickly before the candy mixture hardens.

Last week, I pulled out a copy of her recipe and set about trying to master this candy. I took comfort in the fact that she was still making divinity even well into her mid-90s, even with her arthritic hands and diminished eyesight.

My hands and vision are fine, and I’m nowhere near 90 years old, so how hard could this be?

What hubris. Grandma Sunny’s recipe requires the syrup to be cooked to three separate heat stages and added to the whipped egg whites after each stage is achieved. My first batch turned gray (no idea why) and ended up looking like clouds of cement.

Discouraged but still determined, I turned to the internet and researched several other recipes and methods. I discovered that cooking the syrup in multiple stages helps create the pillow-like texture of my Grandma’s divinity. However, most folks in the South, where divinity is still popular, only cook the syrup once

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several hours later, I was stunned to find that my divinity had set into snowwhite clouds of candy that tasted almost as good as my Grandma Sunny’s – airy, light and wonderfully sweet. Even in failure, my grandmother’s recipes are still some of the best around.

I smile now, thinking about how delighted she would be to know that there will still be divinity at our table this Christmas. And, once my bruised ego heals, I plan to make divinity again, and again, and again, until it’s as divine as my Grandma Sunny.

well as the vanilla extract.

Continue beating on high speed until the mixture begins to lose its gloss, about 5 to 10 minutes.

If adding nuts, stir them in as soon as the mixture is ready. Working quickly, use the 2 greased spoons to drop rounded tablespoonfuls of the candy mixture onto the lined baking sheets. Use 1 spoon to scrape the mixture off the other spoon, swirling the top to create peaks on the candy.

Allow the candy to cool completely at room temperature for several hours, or even overnight.

Once the candy is dry to the touch and no longer sticky, it may be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for at least 1 week, refrigerated for up to 2 weeks or frozen for several months. To freeze, separate each layer with wax paper and store in an airtight container.

Makes about 40 candies Difficulty level: Hard.

“Home with the Lost Italian” is a weekly column written by Sarah Nasello featuring recipes by her husband, Tony Nasello. The couple owned Sarello’s in Moorhead and lives in Fargo with their son, Giovanni. Readers can reach them at sarahnasello@gmail.com.

Grandma Sunny’s Perfect Divinity

3 cups sugar 1/2 cup light corn syrup 1/2 cup cold water 3 egg whites 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Line two baking sheets with wax paper and coat 2 spoons lightly with cooking spray or butter; set aside.

In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, syrup and water until

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to a temperature range between 250 to 260 degrees.

I gave this method a try, starting with one batch cooked to 260 degrees, and the next one cooked to only 250 degrees.

While both batches looked OK, neither one had the light-as-air quality of my Grandma Sunny’s triplecooked divinity.

So, I went back to Grandma Sunny’s recipe for one final attempt.

After adding the second round of hot syrup to the egg white mixture (which was looking just terrific – beautifully bright-white and billowy), I returned the remainder of the syrup to the stove to finish cooking and pulled my beater up from the candy mixture to admire my seemingly perfect divinity.

That’s when I noticed that a fair amount of the hot syrup had formed a nest of spun sugar all around the top of my beater, and shortly after that I realized that the remaining syrup on the stove was quickly burning.

Ugh. Upon returning to it

combined.

Cook over low heat, stirring just until dissolved. Continue cooking the mixture over medium-low heat until it reaches 234 degrees (softball stage), using a candy thermometer to ensure accuracy.

Meanwhile, in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until stiff, about 3 minutes.

Once the syrup mixture has reached 234 degrees, remove 1 cup of the syrup and continue cooking the syrup over low heat.

With the mixer running on medium speed, slowly pour the cup of hot syrup into the egg whites. Once the syrup has been added, increase speed to high and continue beating.

When the syrup mixture reaches 280 degrees, decrease the mixer speed to medium and slowly pour half of it into the egg white mix while still beating. Increase speed to high and continue beating.

Cook the remainder of the syrup until it reaches 287 degrees (almost hard crack stage). Reduce mixer speed to medium and add the remaining hot syrup to the egg white mix as

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New Year Special

Park Rapids Enterprise

Saturday, December 28, 2019 5

Salads

Snicker Salad

together with your desired amount of dressing until combined. Serve immediately.

2 cups red grapes 2 cups green grapes 2 cups kiwi, cut up 2 bananas, cut up 2 snicker candy bars, cut up 8-oz. Cool Whip Mix all together. Very tasty!

Cranberry Freeze

3 cups cranberries, finely chopped 1-1/2 cup sugar 1 8-oz. can crushed pineapple, undrained 1/2 cup chopped walnuts 1 8-oz. cream cheese, softened 1 8-oz. Cool Whip, thawed Mix cranberries, sugar, pineapple and nuts.

Gradually add to cream cheese and fold in Cool Whip. Pour into 1-1/2 quart bowl, ring mold or 9-by-5-inch loaf pan.

Freeze until firm. Festive color for holidays. Serves 10 to 12.

Wild Rice Chicken Salad

3 cups cooked wild rice 3 cups cubed cooked chicken or turkey 1/3 cup chopped onions 1/3 cup chopped celery 1 can (8-oz.) sliced water chestnuts, drained and halved 2/3 cup light mayonnaise 2/3 cup light sour cream 1 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. pepper 1/2 tsp. dill weed 1 cup cashews, divided (optional) 1 cups seedless red grapes, cut in half Combine the rice, chicken, celery and water chestnuts in a bowl. In a different bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, sour cream, salt, pepper and dill weed. Pour this dressing mixture over the wild rice salad. Stir. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. If using the cashews, coarsely chop 3/4 cup of cashews. Just before serving stir in the grapes and the chopped cashews.

Garnish with remaining 1/4 cup cashews. Serves 6 to 8 people.

Very Good Salad

For the dressing, mix together:

1 cup oil 2/3 cup sugar 1/2 cup red wine vinegar 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. pepper Salad ingredients: Romaine lettuce blend, topped with sliced strawberries, Monterrey Jack cheese and 1/4 c. toasted walnuts or pecans.

Nuts are optional.

Dressing is very good over the above ingredients. Can also use over any combination of raw vegetables.

(don’t substitute) 3/4 cup sugar Mix above ingredients.

Spread out in jelly roll pan.

Bake at 450 degrees until bubbly, about 3 minutes).

Cool. Break into small pieces.

Mix: (2) 8-oz. pkgs. cream cheese 3/4 cups sugar, until smooth Add: (3) 20-oz. cans crushed pineapple (drain well) Add:

Pretzel mixture cheese (2) 8-oz. cool whip 1/4 cup sliced almonds, Makes a good-sized toasted bowl. half small red onion, thinly sliced Avocado Strawberry poppyseed dressing Spinach Salad with (recipe below) Poppyseed Dressing: Poppy Seed Dressing 1/2 cup olive oil 6 cups fresh baby 3 Tbsp. apple cider spinach 1 pint strawberries, vinegar 2 Tbsp. honey hulled and sliced 1 Tbsp. poppy seeds 1 avocado, diced (or pinch of ground dry you can double this to 2 mustard (optional) avocados) 4 oz. crumbled salt and pepper gorgonzola, feta or blue Toss all ingredients

Cranberry Pecan Turkey Salad

2 cups cooked turkey breast, diced 1/4 cup chopped pecans 1/4 cup chopped celery 1/4 cup dried cranberries 1/2 cup mayonnaise Salt and pepper to taste Combine all ingredients together in a bowl and mix well. Can serve over lettuce, with crackers or just eat by itself. Good way to use up leftover turkey from Thanksgiving. May use chicken in place of turkey.

Pineapple Fluff Salad

Make ahead: 2 cups crushed pretzels (small chunks) 1 cup melted butter

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New Year Special

6 Saturday, December 28, 2019

Desserts

Apple Squares

1-1/4 cup pastry flour** 1-1/4 cup all-purpose flour 2 Tbsp. sugar (plus 3/4 cup for later) 3/4 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. baking powder 4 Tbsp. tub margarine 5 Tbsp. canola oil 3/4 cup ice water 1 large egg, separated 4 cup thinly sliced firm tart apples, such as Granny Smith, Empire or Cortland (peeled, if desired) 1 tsp. cinnamon Whisk pastry flour, allpurpose flour, 2 Tbsp. sugar, salt and baking powder in a large bowl.

Cut margarine into small pieces and quickly rub them into the dry ingredients with your fingers until smaller but still visible. Add oil and toss with a fork to combine, Whisk water and egg yolk in a small bowl. Add to the flour mixture and stir until it begins to come together. Knead the dough with your hands in a bowl a few times until it forms a ball. Divide the dough in half and shape into 5-inch disks. Wrap each in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 9-by-13inch pan with cooking spray and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper.

Combine apples, the remaining 3/4 cup sugar and cinnamon in a large bowl.

Roll one portion of the chilled dough between sheets of parchment or wax paper into a 9-by-13-inch rectangle.

Peel off the top sheet and invert the dough into the prepared pan. Peel off the remaining paper. Trim the dough so it covers just the bottom of the pan. Spread the apple filling evenly over the dough. Using the parchment or wax paper, roll out the remaining dough, invert it over the filling and trim the edges so it just covers the filling.

Whisk the egg white in a bowl until frothy and evenly over the top crust.

Lightly sprinkle the crust with additional sugar, if desired.

Bake until golden brown and bubbling, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool for at least 1 hour before cutting into 12 squares. **To make pastry flour, remove 2 Tbsp. all-

purpose flour and replace with 2 Tbsp. cornstarch and whisk for 3 minutes.

Eggnog Truffles

1 lb. white chocolate, divided (I use Baker’s because it melts great) 4 oz. cream cheese 1/4 cup confectioners sugar 1/4 tsp. McCormick ground nutmeg 1/4 tsp. McCormick Rum extract Nutmeg for sprinkling on top Melt 8 oz. of the chocolate as directed on package. Beat cream cheese, confectioners sugar, nutmeg and extract

in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended and smooth.

Add melted chocolate; beat until well mixed. Cover.

Refrigerate 4 hours or until firm. Shape into 24 (about 3/4-inch balls).

Place on waxed paper lined tray. Refrigerate until ready to dip.

Coat only 12 truffles at a time. Melt 4 oz. of the remaining chocolate in small bowl on medium 1-1/2 minutes, stirring after 1 minute. Using a fork, dip 1 truffle at a time into the chocolate.

Place on wax paper-lined tray. Sprinkle truffles

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Chocolate Shortbread

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour Pinch of kosher salt 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted 8 oz. (16 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1Ú2-inch pieces 1/2 cup granulated sugar Flour for dusting Filling: 1 cup mascarpone cheese 1 Tbsp. granulated sugar 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract In a bowl, stir together the flour, salt and cocoa powder and set aside.

Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a

stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on low speed until the butter and sugar begin to incorporate, about 15 seconds. Add the dry ingredients and continue to mix until the dough comes together, about 3 minutes. It will look dry just before it comes together.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough ¼-inch thick. Using a 2-inch star cutter, cut out as many cookies as possible. Gather together the scraps, reroll, and continue cutting out cookies until you have 36 cookies. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 1 inch apart. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Bake the shortbread until firm, about 35 minutes. At the midway point, switch the baking sheets between the racks and rotate them 180 degrees to ensure even baking. Let cool on the baking sheets to room temperature.

To make the filling: In a small bowl, stir together the mascarpone, sugar and vanilla until smooth.

Turn 18 of the cookies bottom-side up on a work surface. Using a table knife or a small icing spatula, spread about 1 tablespoon of the filling on the bottom of each cookie. Top with the remaining cookies, bottom-side down. Makes 18 cookies.

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with nutmeg. Repeat with remaining 4 oz. chocolate and remaining truffles.

Refrigerate 1 hour or until chocolate is set. Store truffles in refrigerator; they freeze well.

When dipping the truffles, do so in two batches (as directed above) as the coldness of the truffles may cause the melted chocolate to harden. Another tip is that I use one of those little coffee cup warmers to keep my chocolate warm and it works great.

They are actually easy to make, just a little putsy but then so is any dipped candy. They are really

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New Year Special

Park Rapids Enterprise

Saturday, December 28, 2019 7

New Year’s traditions around the world

New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day traditions vary across the globe. The following is a look at the unique ways people ring in the new year throughout the world. ► Filipinos embrace round fruits for the new year.

The custom includes gathering 12 different round fruits for each month of the year. The round shape symbolizes wealth and prosperity. ► Around Stonehaven, Scotland, people wield large fireballs for the Hogmanay festival on New Year’s Eve. The idea is to ward off evil spirits by swinging balls of fires over the heads of trained professionals and then tossing them into the sea. The tradition has endured for more than 100 years. ► In the Eastern Orthodox Greek Church, Christmas isn’t celebrated until Jan. 7. Aghios Vassilis, the Greek

Santa Claus, makes his rounds on New Year’s Day. ► Chilean families celebrate the arrival of the new year by commemorating deceased friends and family members. It is common for those in Chile to set up chairs next to graves in the cemetery. ► Burmese people end the Thingyan water festival on New Year’s Day. Since April, they have celebrated the arrival of Thagyamin, a celestial Buddhist figure, with the firing of water cannons. The water-logged revelry ends with the new year. ► Siberians celebrate the new year with the planting of the New Year’s tree underneath frozen lakes. This “yolka” is said to symbolize the coming of Father Frost, but also represents starting over. ► Grapes are a hallmark of Spanish New Year’s

celebrations. Throughout Spain, revelers gobble a grape per second as they count down the last 12 seconds of the year. Each grape corresponds to good luck for the 12 months of the new year. ► In Denmark, residents break old dishes on the doorsteps of family and friends on New Year’s Day. The bigger the pile, the more friends and good will in the new year. ► In China, where the new year is celebrated on Feb. 5 this year according to the lunar calendar, celebrants paint their doors red or hang red curtains or cutouts on windows to symbolize good luck.

The origins of Baby New Year Baby New Year is one of the more recognizable symbols of the New Year’s holiday, particularly in print advertisements and television commercials.

While he may seem like a relatively modern icon, this cultural mainstay has a lengthy history.

One theory suggests Baby New Year was celebrated as far back as 600 B.C. in ancient Greece, when a child was paraded around in a basket upon the arrival of the new year. The baby represented rebirth, and Greeks believed their god of wine, Dionysus, was reborn on New Year’s as the spirit of fertility.

Other historians say that the custom even predates the Greeks to the ancient Egyptians.

Even though the Baby New Year custom was originally frowned upon by Christians and deemed a pagan tradition, eventually Christians embraced the symbol as well, albeit in a different way. The end of the year is marked by the birth of the Christ child, and this became a special way to interpret Baby New Year.

In modern times, Baby New Year has lost any connection to a deity or religious figure. Rather, he is now interpreted as a child who arrives at the start of the year and eventually ages into Father Time. The baby is depicted as an infant or toddler wearing a diaper and a

Marinated Carrots

Cook 1 pound carrots in salted water. Drain and cool. Mix together: 1 can tomato soup 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup vinegar 1/4 cup oil 1 small onion, sliced and separated Boil and cool, then pour

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sash with the year he is representing (and often a top hat). He is sometimes depicted holding or associated with an hourglass, a noisemaker or other item either pertaining to time or New Year’s Day festivities.

Baby New Year is a symbol of the fresh start the new year brings. His relevance in celebrations has endured for centuries.

Side Dishes

1 tsp. minced garlic 2 eggs, slightly beaten 1/4 cup soy sauce On medium high heat, Fried Rice heat the oil in a large 3 cups cooked white or skillet or wok. Add the brown rice peas and carrots mix, 3 Tbsp. sesame oil or onion and garlic. Stir fry olive oil until tender.

1 cup frozen peas and Lower the heat to carrots, thawed medium low and push the 1 small onion, chopped mixture off to one side,

dressing over carrots and marinate overnight. These are so good.

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then pour your eggs on the other side of skillet and stir fry until scrambled.

Now add the rice and soy sauce and blend all together well.

Stir fry until thoroughly heated. Try adding some green onion.

Add shrimp, pork, beef, or chicken, etc. for a complete meal.

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Peace on Earth

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God Bless the World

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Park Rapids Enterprise

New Year Special 8 Saturday, December 28, 2019