1) Combine dry ingredients in large mixing bowl.

2) Add remaining ingredients except boiling water; beat at medium speed 2 minutes.

3) Remove from mixer; stir in boiling water (batter will be thin)

4) Pour into two greased and floured 9-inch or three 8-inch layer pans or one 13-inchx9-inch pan.

5) Bake at 350° for 30 to 35 minutes for layers. 35 to 40 minutes for 13-inchx9-inch, or until cake tester (inserted in center) comes out clean.

6) Cool 10 minutes on rack.

7) Remove from pans; cool completely.

8) Top with your favorite frosting.


Chocolate Cream Liqueur

(This drink contains alcohol and should not be consumed by anyone underage.)

1 cup whiskey
1 14oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup (1/2 pint) heavy cream or half-and-half
4 fresh eggs
½ cup chocolate-flavored syrup
2 tablespoons instant coffee
2 tablespoons vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients in a blender and whirl until smooth (or, using a mixer, beat eggs first, then beat in remaining ingredients). Chill to blend flavors. Stir before serving; pour over ice if desired. Store in a tightly covered container in refrigerator for up to one month. Makes about fifteen one-third cup servings.


Base Ponche de Navidad (Christmas Punch)

1/2 cup of water
1/3 cup of sugar
3 broken sticks of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of cloves
3 cups of apple juice (cold)
1 large can of peach nectar (cold)
1/4 cup of lemon juice

In a small skillet, combine sugar, cinnamon, cloves and 1/2 cup of water; heat until boiling. Lower to medium heat, cover and let it simmer for about 10 minutes. Drain the liquid and discard the spices. Store in refrigerator for a while (one hour). Then add apple juice, peach nectar and lemon juice. Makes 5 cups of punch that you can use for these preparations:

Ponche con Piquete (Punch with Spirits):
(This drink contains alcohol and should not be consumed by anyone underage.)
In a punch bowl, combine punch with 2 cups of vodka, brandy or rum. Stir until well blended.

Ponche sin Piquete (Virgin Punch): In a punch bowl, combine 4 bottles of lemon-lime or grapefruit soda.


Rompope Fácil (Easy Egg-nog)

(This drink contains alcohol and should not be consumed by anyone underage.)

4 cups of milk
3 tablespoons of sugar
2 cups of rum
1 egg

Pour all the ingredients in a blender container and mix at high velocity for about 20 seconds. Serve in tall glasses. You can add crushed ice if you like.


Spiced Coffee Grog

(This drink may contain alcohol and if so, should not be consumed by anyone underage.)

2 tablespoons of coffee orange Cappuccino or any other flavor
1 teaspoon of butter
4 teaspoons of brown sugar
A pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and cloves
1 1/3 cups of boiling water
1 teaspoon of rum extract or 2 tablespoons of rum
1/4 cup of light cream
Cinnamon stick and/or orange peel for garnish
Place orange Cappuccino, butter, sugar and spices in coffeepot or carafe. Add boiling water and stir until dissolved. Add rum extract or rum. Add cream. Serve in mugs or heatproof glasses. Garnish as desired. Makes 2 servings.


Holiday Margaritas

(This drink contains alcohol and should not be consumed by anyone underage.)

1/2 cup cranberry juice
1/3 cup tequila
1/3 cup Triple Sec
1/4 cup grapefruit juice
2 tablespoons lime juice
4 cups ice cubes
Lime slices

Combine liquid ingredients and ice in a blender container. Blend until slushy. Garnish with lime slices. Makes 6 servings.


Christmas Pecans

1 egg
1 tsp. water
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 lb pecans

Combine egg and water. Whip with fork until frothy. Add sugar, salt, cinnamon. Pour this mixture over 1 lb. of pecans and toss until coated. Spread on cookie sheet and bake at 250 degrees for one hour.


Tom and Jerry Batter

(This drink contains alcohol and should not be consumed by anyone underage.)

1 dozen eggs
5 cups powered sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp cloves
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp. cinnamon

Beat egg whites until stiff; add salt and one half of the powdered sugar. Beat until smooth. Beat yolks until thick and pale and add the rest of the powdered sugar and spices. Fold yolk mixture into the whites.

To make Tom and Jerry's: Fill cup with 1/2 jigger light rum, 1/2 jigger brandy, fill cup to 2/3 full with batter, add boiling water to fill cup. Garnish with spice of your choice.


Hvidde Nodder

4 egg yolks
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 cup butter
3 cup flour
1 cup walnuts

The night before planning to serve: cream sugar and shortening [or butter]; add egg yolks, beaten. Stir in flour and add nuts, shape into two loaves. Let stand in refrigerator overnight. Next day slice thin pieces and bake on cookie sheet at 350 degrees until golden.


Quick Swedish Meatballs

2 lbs ground beef
2 cup soft breadcrumbs
2-3 oz packages cream cheese
1/4 cup Dry onion soup mix
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 ground nutmeg
2-1/2 cup milk
2 tbsp. flour

Thoroughly combine the meat, breadcrumbs, cheese soup mix, salt, nutmeg and 1/2 cup of the milk. Shape into about 40 small balls; brown lightly in large skillet, shaking skillet to keep balls round. Cover and cook 20 to 25 mins or until done. Remove meat; drain off excess fat, leaving 1/4 cup fat in skillet. Blend flour into fat, stir in remaining milk all at once. Cook and stir until thick and bubbly. Return meatballs to skillet; cover and cook until heated through. Makes 10 to 12 servings.


Special K Bars

1 cup sugar
1 cup white syrup
3/4 cup Peanut butter
6 cups Special K cereal
1 12 oz. pkg. chocolate chips
2 tbsp. Peanut butter

Combine sugar and syrup in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Do not cook. Add 3/4 cup peanut butter and the cereal. Mix and spread in a buttered 9 x 12 pan. Melt chips with the remaining peanut butter. Spread over cereal mixture. Refrigerate to set.


Divinity

2 2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup water
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup broken nuts (pecans or walnuts are a favorite)

Heat sugar, corn syrup and water in a saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved. Cook without stirring until mixture reaches 260 degrees (on a candy thermometer) or until a *very* small amount dropped into very cold water forms a hard ball. Remove from heat. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form; continue beating while pouring hot syrup mixture in a thin stream into egg whites. Add vanilla; beat until mixture holds its shape and becomes slightly dull in appearance. (Mixture may become too stiff for mixer.) Fold in nuts. Drop mixture from the tip of a buttered spoon onto waxed paper. Let it set up, cooling completely. Enjoy.


Spiced Pecans

3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 large egg white (room temperature)
1 tablespoon water
2 cups pecan halves

Center tack in oven; preheat to 275 degrees. Combine sugar and spices in a small bowl, blending well. Beat egg white and water till soft peaks hold; gently fold in nuts, coating completely. Add spices, stir to coat. Turn onto jellyroll pan, separating as much as possible to make a single layer. Toast for 30 minutes. Remove from oven; loosen nuts; transfer nuts to another jellyroll pan, again separating as much as possible, cool completely on rack. Serve.


Butter Cookies with Cherry Preserves

2 cups sifted flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
Approximately 1/2 cup cherry preserves

Sift together flour and salt, set aside. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, mix in extracts. Slowly mix in flour 1/2 cup at a time, until barely blended. Chill dough for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Shape dough into 1 inch ball, handling quickly, space 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Press each ball with thumb to make a deep print - fill each with a small amount of the cherry preserves. Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly colored. Transfer to wire racks to cool; when completely cooled, store in the refrigerator. Makes about 4 dozen.


Christmas Crinkles

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted.
1/2 cup oil
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 dark brown sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup pecans, finely chopped
Confectioners' sugar

Mix chocolate with oil and sugars. Add eggs one at a time; add vanilla. Sift dry ingredients; blend into creamed mix. Add nuts. Chill 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll dough into balls, then roll them in confectioners sugar. Place on greased cookie sheet 2-3 inches apart. Bake 10-12 minutes. Cool slightly before removing from pan. Makes about 4 dozen.


M&M's Merry Snow Meringues

1 cup sugar
4 egg whites
3 feet parchment paper
1 package (16 ounces) M&M's (preferably the holiday ones)

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Combine sugar and egg whites. Using an electric mixer, beat until stiff peaks form. Spoon mounds of the mixture onto two cookie sheets lines with parchment paper. Sprinkle M&M's onto the mounds. Bake at 250 degrees for about 1 hour. Test by turning over and tapping the bottoms; they should be hard and sound hollow. Makes approximately 2 dozen.

(from an add in a magazine)


Peppermint Spirals

1 cup butter
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
red food coloring

Cream butter, gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add egg and peppermint extract, mix well. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture, beating just until blended. Divide dough in half and place into separate bowls. Add a few drops of red food coloring to one of the bowls; knead until coloring is evenly distributed. Cover, refrigerate both halves until firm (about 1-2 hours).

On floured wax paper, roll each half of dough to a 16 inch by 8 inch rectangle. Invert white dough onto red. Peel wax paper from white dough. Tightly roll dough in jellyroll fashion, starting with the long end and peeling the red dough as you roll. Cover and refrigerate for several hours.

Slice dough about 1/4 inch thick and place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Remove and place on wire racks to cool. About 5 dozen.


Pumpkin Orange Cookies

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 3/4 cups (15 ounce can) LIBBY'S pure Pumpkin
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
Orange glaze (recipe follows)

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in medium bowl; beat until creamy. Add egg, pumpkin, orange juice and orange peel; beat until combined. Gradually add flour mixture; beat until combined. Stir in nuts. Drop dough by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 12-14 minutes or until edges are set. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Spread each cookie with about 1/2 teaspoon orange glaze. Makes about 4 dozen.

Orange glaze: Combine 1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar, 2 to 3 tablespoons orange juice and 1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel in a medium bowl until smooth.

(recipe from Libby's brand pie filling)


Kahlua and Eggnog

(This drink contains alcohol and should not be consumed by anyone underage.)

1 quart dairy eggnog
3/4 cup Kahlua
Whipped cream
Ground nutmeg

Combine Kahlua and eggnog in a 1 1/2 quart pitcher. Pour into punch cups. Top with whipped cream. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Makes about 8 servings.


Hot Pineapple-Cranberry Sip

2 cups pineapple juice
2 cups cranberry juice cocktail
1/4 cup honey
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
4 lime slices

Combine juices, honey and cloves in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, boiling for one minute. Ladle into heatproof glasses. Garnish with lime slices. Males 4 (8 ounce) servings.


Fluffy Lemon Berry Pie

1/2 package (4 ounces) cream cheese
1 1/2 cups cold milk
2 packages (4 serving size) Jello lemon instant pudding mix
1 tub (8 ounces) Cool Whip
1 shortbread or graham cracker pie crust
1 cup blueberries, raspberries, *or* sliced strawberries

Beat cream cheese in a large bowl with a wire whisk until smooth. Gradually beat in milk until well blended. Add pudding mixes, beat 2 minutes or until smooth. Immediately stir in 1/2 of the Cool Whip. Spoon into crust. Top with remaining Cool Whip. Refrigerate 3 hours or until set. Garnish with desired berries.


Fruitcake Cookies

4 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup shortening
2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed
2 eggs
2/3 cups buttermilk
1 cup chopped pecans
2 cups dates, cut up
1 cup candied cherries, cut in quarters
2 - 4 ounce (1 cup) candied fruits and peels
Red or green candied cherries for top (optional)

Sift together flour, soda and salt. Cream shortening. Add sugar and eggs, beat until light and fluffy. Add buttermilk and flour mixture and mix well. Add nuts, cherries, dates and candied fruits, mix. Chill dough for several hours.

Drop by teaspoon about 2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Top each cookie with 1/2 of a candied cherry. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Makes about 8 dozen.