Holiday Cooking, my favorite recipes, share yours!

[Guest guest]

I warned our Lady of the Lilacs that I was thinking of doing this so here is the

first posting.

 

I have always enjoyed making things to give for the holidays: little breads,

candies, cookies, freezer survival food (casseroles and things for non-cooking

friends). etc. So as I share some of my holiday recipes, how about YOU share

yours? Oh I know there are other that do this, but to me

is HOME.

 

This posting I will give you a candy and a bread.

 

Blobs (I came up with these one year when I had leftover cookie/candy making

things and couldn't see them go to waste. They were a huge hit, especially with

dentists...)

 

1 bag Kraft caramels, unwrapped (I say unwrapped because I have actually been

asked before if they should be unwrapped...of course it was the same person who

asked how long I BAKED Rice Krispie Treats)

1 bag Semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips, your choice

1 tablespoon cream or milk or soy stuff

Rice Krispy type cereal, about 2 cups

Waxed paper

 

In one pot, melt the caramels, adding the tablespoon of cream. Stir as it

melts. Add Krispie cereal then spoon by the tablespoon to sheets of waxed

paper, coaxing it to spread out. (You don't want a huge thick blob of Blob).

Let the caramel/cereal mixture harden. While it is firming up, melt the

chocolate, stirring. Using a teaspoon, barely dribble chocolate over the blobs;

random lines, criss cross sort of thing. Let harden, (refrigerating them works

well), then remove from waxed paper. If you will be stacking them for storage,

put waxed paper between layers of blobs. It tastes/feels like a 100 Grand

chocolate bar by Hershey's. Do they still make those?

 

The next is a really odd bread. No kneading is needed (sorry, I could not resist

that), and at one point is the oddest looking concoction. It is refrigerated to

mature for 3 or 4 days before serving, so it ships well with a cold pack in the

box. The only down side is that the carrots in the bread don't taste like

carrots. Of course if you don't actually like carrots that is a good thing...

 

Carrot-Coconut Bread

Makes one large or two small loaves

 

3 eggs, room temperature

1/2 cup oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups finely shredded carrots

2 cups grated coconut

1 cup raisins

1 cup chopped walnuts

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup sugar

 

This makes one large (9 " X5 " ) loaf pan, or two small (7 1/2 " X 3 1/2 " ) pans.

Line pans with buttered waxed paper.

 

In a large bowl, break the eggs and beat until light in color. Stir in the oil

and vanilla. Blend in the carrots, coconut, raisins and nuts. In another bowl,

sift or blend together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and

sugar. Sift or spoon the dry ingredients into the carrot-coconut mixture. Stir

only until it is well blended. The flour will all but disappear as it is

absorbed by the wet ingredients. This is normal.

 

Spoon the mixture into the pans that have been lined with buttered waxed paper.

Let stand while oven heats to 350*F.

 

Bake until the loaf is a dark golden brown and a wooden toothpick inserted in

the center comes out clean and dry.

 

Remove bread from oven. Let the loaves cool completely on the wire rack before

wrapping tightly in plastic wrap or foil. Put loaves in refrigerator to mature

for 2 to 4 days before serving.

 

OK, now share yours!

 

 

 

 

 

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