Christmas Plum Pudding
My German-descended Grandmother prepared this desert every Christmas of my childhood. Despite its name, it is not a traditional plum pudding, but it is one of my favorites.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons unflavored gelatin
1 cup cold water
1 pint milk
1 1/2 squares unsweetened chocolate
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup currants
3 egg whites
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup chopped dates
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Preparation:
Dissolve gelatin in the cold water and set aside.
Melt the chocolate with some of the milk and a little of the sugar.
Heat remainder of the milk and the raisins, currants and dates in the top of a double boiler.
Add the melted chocolate, dissolved gelatin, and the remainder of the sugar and salt.
Stir until smooth. Remove from heat and set aside until mixture thickens.
Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
Fold egg whites into chocolate and fruit mixture.
Add the walnuts and vanilla.
Pour into molds and chill until firm.
Unmold and serve with sweetened whipped cream.
Susan Stamberg
A Taste of NPR for your Holiday Table: Mama Stamberg's Cranberry Relish
Susan Stamberg has been sharing her mother's cranberry relish with listeners for nearly 30 years. The tangy flavor of the relish will perk up your turkey or your roast beef.
Ingredients:
Yield: 1 1/2 pints
2 cups whole raw cranberries, washed
1 small onion
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons horseradish (red is milder than white)
Preparation:
Grind the berries and onion together. (Mama Stamberg uses an old-fashioned meat grinder. If you use a food processor, pulse until the mixture is chunky, not pureed.)
Add the sour cream, sugar and horseradish.
Mix thoroughly and transfer to a plastic container. Freeze overnight.
Early in the morning, move the relish to the refrigerator to thaw slowly.
When you serve it, it should still have some little icy slivers in it. The relish will be thick, creamy and shocking pink.
Gingered Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Submitted by Deb Anderson of San Jose,CA
A yummy spicy alternative to the "traditional" marshmallow topped concoction we all know from childhood.
Ingredients:
4 - 5 large sweet potatoes or yams
1 inch piece of fresh ginger peeled and grated
skim milk
2 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
Boil or bake sweet potatoes/yams until cooked through. Peel and cut into quarters and place in large bowl. Mash potatoes.
Add ginger, butter & about 1/4 cup skim milk. Whip potatoes until fluffy adding more milk as needed. Add salt & pepper to taste.
Bourbon Balls
Submitted by Kathleen Michaud
Ingredients:
2 cups ground pecans
5 cups vanilla wafers (large box)
2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa
6 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 cup bourbon
Preparation:
In a blender grind nuts & vanilla wafers. Add to a large bowl.
Mix cocoa & sugar and add to wafer and nut mixture.
Add syrup and bourbon. Add more wafers or bourbon to make the right
consistency.
Shape into small balls and roll into powdered sugar. Let
stand and roll again.
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