WFS Winter Cookbook 2020

Winter Recipes That Feed Our Memories Wilmington Friends School

Pretzel Salad Laura Kurz ’97

2 c. crushed pretzels 3/4 c. melted butter 4 T sugar 8 oz pkg softened cream cheese 1 c. sugar 2 c. Cool Whip 1 lg. box of strawberry jello 2 c. boiling water frozen berries Mix crushed pretzels, butter, and 4 T of sugar. Press into the bottom of a 9x13 glass baking dish.

Bake at 375 for just 8 minutes.

Cool well.

Beat cream cheese with 1 cup of sugar until well blended.

Fold in whipped topping and spread mixture evenly over the pretzel layer. Stir jello into boiling water until dissolved.

Add frozen berries. Stir, then let cool until thick.

Pour this over the whipped topping layer.

Chill the entire salad until set, at least a couple of hours.

This is also known as my “Great Aunt Sally’s Pretzel Salad.” The recipe card I have is written in my mom’s handwriting, but I also have recipe cards with Aunt Sally and my grandmother’s handwriting on them. I laugh that they call it a “salad.”

It sounds odd but it is the perfect combination of sweet and salty.

Best served FRESH as the pretzels are soggy on day two (though still delicious).

Why is it called pretzel salad when it is really a pie?

The pretzel salad name harkens back to the days of mid-century Americana where basically anything Jell-O related was considered salad.

Pizzelles Tina Disabatino

6 eggs 3.5 cups flour 1.5 cups sugar 1 cup butter 4 teaspoons baking powder 2 tablespoons vanilla Beat eggs, adding sugar gradually.

Beat until smooth. Add cooled melted butter and vanilla. Sift flour and baking powder and add to egg mixture. Dough will be sticky enough to be dropped by spoon into pizzelle press. Cook for 35 to 40 seconds.

Banbury Tarts Julie Rodowsky

1 ½ cups (3 sticks) butter 1 cup sugar 2 egg yolks 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 4 cups flour Seedless jelly or jam (I prefer currant jelly) Heat the oven to 375 degrees.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes.

Beat in the egg yolks, then the vanilla. Slowly beat in the flour until combined and smooth to form the dough (the dough will be a bit stiff at the end, and you may need to add the last cup of flour by hand).

Form the dough into small balls and make a depression in the middle with your thumb. Spoon a teaspoon or so of jelly into the depression.

Space the cookies about 2 inches apart on a baking sheet and bake until lightly browned, about 15 minutes.

We’ve been making these in my family for as long as I can remember. When we do our annual cookie bake (grandma, daughters, sons, nieces and nephews), at least two of us have to commit to making a double batch.

They go fast!

Pumpkin Cake Monty Harris

4 eggs 2 cups sugar 1 cup vegetable oil 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 t. baking soda 1/2 t. salt 1/2 t.cinnamon 1 t. baking powder 1 15oz can pumpkin 1 cup raisins (optional) Icing: 1 stick butter 6 oz cream cheese 3 cups sifted confectioners sugar 1 t. vanilla Preheated 350 oven.

Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.

Beat eggs, sugar and oil together. Sift flour, soda, salt, cinnamon and baking powder. Add flour mixture to wet mixture. Add pumpkin and beat until smooth.

Add raisins, if desired.

Pour into prepared pan and bake for 45-55 minutes.

Grandma Rhoda’s Rugalach Julia Morse Forester ’00

1/2 lb. butter (unsalted if possible) 3 cups flour 1package dry yeast 1 cup sour cream 3 egg yolks

1/2 tsp. salt 1 cup finely chopped nuts 1/2 cup of brown sugar 2 Tbsp cinnamon

Soften butter, add egg yolks, yeast, then add flour and sour cream. Mix and form into 4 equal balls. Cover with Saran Wrap and chill in refrigerator for 2 hours.

Make a mixture of chopped nuts, brown sugar, and cinnamon.

Roll dough over the cinnamon mixture into large circle. Cut 16 pie shape pieces.

Roll, curl, bend into crescents, tip side down.

Refrigerate 30 minutes.

Bake 350 degrees for about 20 minutes - or until browned well.

Additional Tip: When rolling out dough sprinkle some of the brown sugar mixture on top to keep rolling pin from sticking, or use wax paper or parchment paper on top of the dough as you roll it out to keep pin from sticking.

Cool, eat, enjoy.

This is a family favorite I used to make with my grandmother, and she hers. My own kids will try it this year for the first time! We only wish we could make it with Grammie, but we’ll zoom with her when we take the first bite!

Rugalachi is a Yiddish word that literally means “little twists.”

Sand Tarts

Susan Morovati Finizio ’87 1 cup butter 2 cups sugar 2 eggs 4 cups flour 1/2 teaspoon salt cinnamon sugar egg white mixed with a few drops of water decorative sprinkles Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter and sugar in mixer. Add well-beaten eggs and mix.

Slowly add flour and salt, and work in well. Wrap in wax paper and chill overnight.

Roll out dough on lightly-floured surface to about 1/8 inch thickness.

Cut with cookie cutters and place on greased cookie sheet.

Brush cookie dough shapes with the egg/water mixture.

Sprinkle lightly with the cinnamon/sugar and decorate with sprinkles.

Bake 8-10 minutes.

Growing up, my mom baked these for Christmas with my grandmother. I have made them with my mom since I was a baby. My husband joined in after we were married, and our kids have participated since they were babies.

It isn’t Christmas without Sand Tarts.

Buckeyes Sara Gaines

1/4 lb Margarine 1 Cup Peanut Butter 2 3/4 Cup Powdered Sugar Chocolate for dipping Melt margarine; Mix peanut butter & sugar with margarine using your hands until it is smooth. Roll into 1 inch balls.

Melt chocolate. Using a toothpick, dip the peanut butter balls into the chocolate, leaving the top undipped to look like a Buckeye.

Place on wax paper covered cookie sheet in refrigerator until set.

Growing up in Ohio, most families in our area made Buckeyes around the holidays, so have always been a part of our tradition.

When Richard and I got married on campus at Ohio State, we gave Buckeyes as favors at our reception.

Ohio Buckeye Balls Tara Agne

1 1/2 cups peanut butter 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 3 cups powdered sugar unsifted 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 tablespoon shortening 1. To a stand mixer add the peanut butter, butter, vanilla and powdered sugar and beat it until it forms a stiff dough, then roll the dough into balls about 1 inch in diameter.

2.Put the balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper then refrigerate for at least an hour. Just before removing the balls from the refrigerator, use a microwave safe bowl to melt the chocolate and shortening in 30 second increments until fully melted (mix in between each 30 seconds, for 60-90 seconds total).

3. Using a toothpick or candy dipper, dip the balls almost all the way, leaving the eye of the peanut butter ball showing then carefully push the Buckeye ball onto the parchment paper, using another toothpick, if necessary. Let the balls harden for at least 30-45 minutes in the refrigerator before eating.

My mother is from Ohio, and these balls were present at every family Christmas gathering with her relatives.

Now, I make several batches of Buckeyes with my four daughters and we distribute them to our neighbors and friends in holiday-themed tins.

Chocolate Pie Chad O’Kane

store bought chocolate Oreo crust 1 box of chocolate instant pudding Milk Cool Whip Instructions: Follow the instructions on the box to make the pudding and let it set in the fridge for about an hour. (the box says 5 minutes, but give it longer.)

Place the pudding into the crust and spread cool whip on top about an inch thick. Refrigerate ’till ready to serve.

That’s it! Super easy and you will be a star.

My aunt made this when I was a kid and then my mom took over when they moved to Florida. Now my wife makes it and it’s quite the crowd pleaser.

It’s messy, but worth the extra napkins.

Pull-Apart Cinnamon Monkey Bread Lisa Peyton-McNeill

1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 2 cans (16.3 oz each) Pillsbury™ Grands!™ Southern Homestyle refrigerated Buttermilk biscuits (8 biscuits each) 1 cup packed brown sugar 3/4 cup butter or margarine, melted 1. Heat oven to 325°F. Lightly grease 12-cup fluted tube cake pan.

2. In large plastic food-storage bag, mix granulated sugar and cinnamon. Separate dough into a total of 16 biscuits; cut each into quarters. Shake in bag to coat. Arrange in pan. Mix brown sugar and butter; pour over biscuit pieces.

3. Bake 47 to 52 minutes or until golden brown and no longer doughy in center. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Turn upside down onto serving plate; pull apart to serve. Serve warm.

TIPS: For the best results, keep the biscuit dough in the refrigerator until just before you use it. Warm dough might get sticky and be hard to handle.

On Christmas we celebrate with the grandparents by having brunch. We make the monkey bread in the morning to snack on until everyone arrives. This was an easy recipe for the kids to make while I prepared brunch. Now EVERYONE expects this when they first arrive. The kids (now young adults) still make it.

Chocolate Chip Macaroons Linda Jaworski

2 1/2 cups flaked coconut 2/3 cup semisweet mini chocolate chips 2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk 1 teaspoon vanilla Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray cookie sheets with non-stick spray.

Combine all ingredients in medium bowl: mix until well blended.

Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto cookie sheets.

Press dough gently with back of spoon to flatten slightly.

Bake 10-12 minutes or until light golden brown.

Let cookies cool for 1 minute before placing onto wire racks.

Although traditionally a Passover treat, chocolate chip macaroons are an easy dessert that I like to make over the Jewish holidays. My friend Wendy Cutler, parent of a 2017 WFS alum, introduced me to this recipe many years ago while our children were in middle school.

She baked these for my son’s Oneg Shabbat at the time of his Bar Mitzvah, and they were a huge hit.

I am not much of a baker and this 4 ingredient recipe is quick, easy and impresses!

Placing the macaroons in colorful or festive mini cup cake liners adds to the presentation.

6th Grade Easy Apple Pie Carlos Charriez

2 pie shells 8 medium tart apples 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon salt Peel, core and slice apples thin. In a bowl, stir sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together and toss together with apples stirring to coat.

Unroll first pie crust and place in pie pan. Add apple filling. Top with second pie crust. Pinch edges of the crust to seal.

Bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes.

The 6th Grade started this pie bake in 2013 as part of their MLK celebration/day of service, but now the pies are made for Thanksgiving. They are given to the Sunday Breakfast Mission. The recipe is not fancy, but for 6th grade bakers, it is VERY forgiving of mistakes.

It is also delicious.

Christiana Campbell’s Rum Cream Pie Sara Gaines Crumb Crust: 2 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs 1/2 cup butter, melted 2 Tbs. sugar 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1 envelope unflavored gelatin 5 egg yolks 1 Cup Sugar 1/3 Cup Dark Rum 1 1/2 cups whipping cream Unsweetened chocolate Combine crumb crust ingredients and press into a 9 inch pie pan; Chill.

Soften gelatin in 1/2 cup cold water. Place over low heat and bring almost to a boil, stirring to dissolve.

Beat egg yolks & sugar until very light.

Stir gelatin into egg mixture; cool.

Gradually add rum, beating constantly.

Whip cream until it stands in soft peaks and fold into gelatin mixture.

Cool until mixture begins to set, then spoon into crumb crust and chill until firm.

Top with grated unsweetened chocolate before serving (can be done before chilling).

This recipe was picked up by my mom on a trip to Williamsburg where it is still served today at Christiana Campbell’s Tavern.

She made it as the Christmas dessert all throughout my childhood and I still love to make it today. Yummy!

Sweet Potato Souffle (Casserole) Chad O’Kane

3 cups of sweet potatoes (usually about 5 large potatoes) 3/4 cup sugar 1/2 tsp salt 2 eggs 1/2 stick butter 1/2 cup milk 1 tsp vanilla (Topping) 1 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup flour 1 cup chopped pecans 1/3 cup butter (softened) Instructions: Peel the potatoes and boil them till they are soft.

Dump everything into your stand mixer and mix till smooth.

Pour or spoon it into a casserole dish sprayed with Pam (non-stick spray).

Mix topping and sprinkle on top .

Bake at 350 for 1 hour or until the topping is dark and bubbly.

My wife makes this every year for both Thanksgiving and Christmas because that’s what her aunt did growing up. Everyone loves it, but especially my wife. She eats it for lunch (and a snack) for days until it’s all gone.

Potato/Vegetable Latkes Sherry Brilliant

4 medium potatoes 2 medium zucchini 2 large carrots 1 large onion 3 eggs, lightly beaten

3/4 cup matzoh meal 1 tsp kosher salt 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper canola oil

Grate all vegetables and place them in a colander.

Press to force out most of the liquid.

Transfer vegetables to a large bowl, add beaten eggs, and stir.

Stir in matzoh meal, salt, and pepper.

Pour oil into pan and heat to 375 degrees.

With a slotted spoon, drop spoonfuls of the vegetable mixture into the pan.

Wait 20 seconds and press into the thickness you prefer.

Cook for 4 minutes, as they brown, turn to the other side.

Remove crispy latkes and place them on paper towels to drain.

Serve with applesauce and sour cream.

Hanukkah recipes pay homage to oil and many dishes that are traditionally served during Hanukkah use oil, a reminder of the oil that lasted far longer than expected.

Even though the story of Hanukkah is an ancient one, the potato latke recipe was created by European Jews at the end of the 18th or early 19th century.

Easy Potato Latkes Linda Jaworski

1 20 oz package Simply Potatoes Shredded Hash Browns 2 eggs ( or 1/2 cup egg beaters) 1/3 cup all purpose flour or whole wheat flour 1/4 cup finely chopped green onion (or onion) 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon baking powder Step 1 - In a large bowl stir together all ingredients.

Step 2 - Heat 2 to 3 tablespoons of canola or vegetable oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat.

Step 3 -Cook 4 latkes at a time: spread 1/4 cup potato mixture for each latke into 3 1/2 inch circles in skillet.

Step 4 - Cook 4 to 5 minutes turning once. Repeat with remaining potato mixture and add oil to skillet as needed to make sure the latkes are crispy and golden.

Place cooked latkes on a paper towel lined baking sheet or plate, and pat with paper towels as they are ready to drain any excess oil.

Potato latkes are a traditional Hanukkah treat and I can’t remember ever celebrating Hanukkah without them. Every year we make latkes but we also try new recipes using different types of potatoes and seasonings to create variety. Sometimes we even use sweet potatoes.

I chose this recipe to share because it was was introduced to me as a working mom of young children many years ago. Saving time by using already shredded potatoes allowed me to keep the tradition of eating latkes alive while also holding everything else together. You can also defrost a bag of frozen shredded potatoes, but have to be sure to squeeze and drain all of the liquid before preparing the latke batter.

Baked Chicken Parmesan Monty Harris

6 boned and split chicken breasts 1/2 cup melted butter 1/3 clove garlic, crushed 1 tsp dijon mustard 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce 1 1/2 cups Italian bread crumbs 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 tsp salt 1 Tbsp chopped parsley Preheat oven to 350.

Mix butter, garlic, mustard, and Worcestershire in small bowl.

In second bowl mix bread crumbs, cheese, salt and parsley.

Dip chicken in butter mixture, then in crumb mixture, coating well.

Place chicken in shallow pan and bake uncovered until golden brown and tender.

Pro-tip: You can dip just one side of the chicken in the butter mixture and both sides in the crumb mixture.

Bacon Mac & Cheese Michelle Kirton

8 ounces noodle of choice - about 2 cups (cooked 7- 8min and drained) 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp dry mustard 1/4 tsp pepper 1 tsp corn starch 2 tbsp butter 2 cups white cheddar cheese, shredded 2 cups swiss cheese, shredded 8 pieces of cooked bacon, crumbled 2 1/2 cups milk of choice Preheat oven to 375.

In medium sauce pan combine corn starch, salt, mustard, pepper, milk and butter. Stir constantly, bring to boil on medium heat 1 min.

Pour cooked noodles into casserole dish, add cheeses and bacon, mix, sprinkle a little cheese on top and add milk mixture.

Bake uncovered 25 min or until lightly browned.

This was the first meal we had after we had our second son.

Hot Bacon Cheese Spread Sara Gaines

1 loaf round bread 12 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled 8 oz shredded Colby or Monterey Jack cheese 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 cup mayonnaise 1 small onion finely chopped 1 clove garlic, minced Cut lengthwise slice from the top of bread loaf, remove center, leaving 1-inch-thick shell. Cut removed bread into bite sized pieces; set aside.

Mix remaining ingredients in small bowl. Spoon into hollowed bread shell. Cover shell with top of bread; place on cookie sheet.

Bake at 350° for 1 hour. Serve with bread pieces and crackers.

Note: to reheat, microwave filled bread shell with top on High 1 to 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. (We rarely have leftovers!)

I started making this for family holiday gatherings as a new appetizer when my kids were little.

It has become one of their absolute favorites and is a requirement this year even though we will not be gathering with extended family. There will be no problem eating it all! It’s delicious!

Holiday Whiskey Sour Hannah Brilliant ’09 Makes 2 cocktails

First, make the Cranberry Simple Syrup: 1 cup fresh cranberries 1 sprig fresh thyme 1 cup water 1 cup sugar 1 cinnamon stick

In a medium-sized saucepan add cranberries, water, sugar, and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to a simmer and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries have burst open and can easily be stirred into the syrup, resulting in a smooth consistency. This will take about 10 minutes.

Remove syrup from heat. Strain the simple syrup, leaving all of the large chunks and skin behind. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before using.

Then, make the cocktail:

3 oz Cranberry Simple Syrup 3 oz bourbon or whiskey (or 6 oz plain seltzer for alcohol-free version) 2 oz lemon juice 0.5 oz orange juice Ice cubes & cocktail shaker for mixing Additional ice cubes for serving Orange peels or small thyme sprigs for garnish (if desired) For the alcoholic version: Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker.

Shake vigorously for at least 30 seconds. Divide evenly into 2 glasses filled with ice. Garnish with orange peel and/or thyme sprig.

Serve immediately.

For the alcohol-free version: Combine all ingredients other than whiskey into a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously for at least 30 seconds. Divide evenly into 2 glasses filled with ice. Top with seltzer.

Garnish with orange peel and/or thyme sprig. Serve immediately.

We made these for a holiday zoom party.

It was very festive because everyone had the same drink. They were easy to spot on camera because the drink is such a pretty color.