BROCCOLI AND CAULIFLOWER CASSEROLE
Ingredients:
2 cups water
 1/2 teaspoon salt
 1 1/2 to 2 pounds of fresh broccoli and cauliflower pieces (frozen is okay)
 1 1/2 cup milk
 4 to 5 tablespoons butter
 4 tablespoons flour
1 cup vegetable stock 
salt and pepper to taste
 dash nutmeg
 2 tablespoons fine dry bread crumbs 
1 to 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese 
1/8 teaspoon paprika

Directions:
In a large saucepan, bring water and salt to a boil. Add broccoli and cauliflower; cook just until crisp-tender.  Add milk to the vegetable stock..
Turn vegetables into a shallow 2-quart baking dish.  Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in the saucepan over medium heat.  Blend in the flour, stirring until smooth and bubbly.  Gradually stir in milk mixture.  Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened and smooth.  Season with the salt, pepper, and nutmeg.  Pour sauce over broccoli and cauliflower.  Dot with remaining 1 to 2 tablespoons of butter.  Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and paprika; sprinkle over vegetables. Bake at 450E for about 20 minutes, until casserole is bubbly.  <Christmas Recipes back-to-top>

CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS
Ingredients:
1 stewing chicken
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup of shorting
1/2 cup of milk

Directions:
Cut up chicken; place in deep pot, barely cover with water, add salt and simmer until meat is tender.  Remove chicken and set aside; reserve the broth.  Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt; cut in shortening.  Add milk to make a stiff dough. Roll out to 1/4-inch thickness on floured board.  Cut into 1-inch squares, and sprinkle with flour.  Drop into briskly boiling chicken stock.  Cover tightly and simmer gently for about 40 minutes.  Add meat and serve.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings.  <Christmas Recipes back-to-top>

GLAZED HAM
Ingredients:
5 pounds ready-to-eat ham
1/4 cup whole cloves
1/4 cup dark corn syrup
2 cups honey 2/3 cup butter

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).  Score ham, and stud with the whole cloves.  Place ham in foil lined pan.  In the top half of a double boiler, heat the corn syrup, honey and butter.  Keep glaze warm while baking ham.  Brush glaze over ham, and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes in the preheated oven.  Baste ham every 10 to 15 minutes with the honey glaze.  During the last 4 to 5 minutes of baking, turn on broiler to caramelize the glaze.  Remove from oven, and let sit a few minutes before serving.  <Christmas Recipes back-to-top>

ROASTED TURKEY
Ingredients:
16 lb Turkey
1 cup Butter or Margarine
some flour
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
2 whole onions
5 stalks of celery
4 cloves of garlic crushed
1 green bell pepper rough chopped
Turkey Roasting Bag

Directions:
Remove giblets and neck from turkey; wash, and set aside.  Wash turkey thoroughly inside and out.  Pat dry with towels.  Remove any excess fat.  Preheat oven to 325F.
Stuff some butter, onion, celery and bell pepper in to cavity of turkey Place butter and garlic under the skin of turkey. 
Insert 4 or 5 poultry pins at regular intervals.  Lace cavity closed with twine, bootlace fashion and then tie.  Bend wing tips under body, or fasten to body with poultry pins.  Tie ends of legs together.  Brush with some butter; sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Place turkey in roasting bag tie bag.  Then put shallow roasting pan.  Roasted uncovered about 4 « hours, or until meat thermometer registers 185F.  Leg joint should move freely.  Remove from oven and take out of bag (note: bag is HOT) place on serving tray.  Take the remaining juice in bag and roasting pan heat mix with a little flouring until thick and there is the gravy.  <Christmas Recipes back-to-top>

Turkey Roasting Time Guide: 
Unstuffed, chilled turkey at 325F:

6-8 lbs 2 3/4 to 3 1/2 hours
8-12 lbs 3 1/4 to 4 hours
12-16 lbs 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours
16-20 lbs 4 to 6 hours
20-26 lbs 5 1/2 to 7 1/2 hours

ASPARAGUS AU GRATIN
Ingredients:
2 tbsp butter
1tsp  salt
2tbsp flour
2 cups milk
1 cup freshly grated parmesan
1 1/2 cups  toasted bread crumbs 
1 cup cashews toasted
2 cups asparagus heads

Directions:
In a saucepan over medium low heat, melt butter; stir in salt and flour. Cook for about 4 minutes, then add milk gradually, stirring. Add grated cheese and cook, stirring, until thickened. Remove from heat. Combine toasted bread crumbs with the cashews. Reserve a few tablespoons for topping.
In a buttered casserole, place a layer of asparagus, a layer of toasted bread crumb  mixture, then a layer of sauce. Repeat the layers, ending with the reserved crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes, or until top is browned.
Serves 4.  <Christmas Recipes back-to-top>

CRAB BALLS
Ingredients:
2lbs crab meat
2 cups bread crumbs
handful of minced onion
juice of one lemon
some parsley
some dill
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 lbs  thinly slice bacon

Directions:
Pick over crabmeat and remove any shell or cartilage.  In medium bowl, combine crabmeat, bread crumbs, lemon juice, minced onion, and enough wine to moisten the mixture.  Mix thoroughly and shape into walnut-size balls.  Cut bacon slices in half crosswise and wrap each crabmeat ball in a half slice of bacon, covering crab mixture completely.  Secure bacon to crab balls with toothpicks.  Broil on a rack in middle of oven about 15 minutes, turning frequently, or until bacon is crispy on all sides.  Makes about 40 appetizer crab balls.  <Christmas Recipes back-to-top>

GREEN BEANS
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds green beans - trimmed 
1 tbsp olive oil 
1 1/2 tsp freshly grated lemon zest 
1/3 cup hazelnuts toasted

Directions:
In a kettle of boiling salted water cook beans until just tender, 3 to 8 minute s.  Drain beans in a colander and in a large bowl toss while still hot with oil , zest, nuts, and salt and pepper to taste.
(Note: Beans may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Reheat beans, preferably in a microwave.)  <Christmas Recipes back-to-top>

ROSEMARY POTATOES
Ingredients:
10 medium potatoes
4 x 5ml spoons dried rosemary, crushed
8 oz olive oil (extra virgin)
4 Garlic cloves, crushed

Directions:
Scrub potatoes in their skins and cut into four.
Steam for ten minutes, then toss in olive oil, rosemary and crushed garlic.  Place the potatoes on a warmed baking tray and roast in hot oven for 30-40 minutes at 375.
Serve immediately, the outside should be crunchy  <Christmas Recipes back-to-top>

TURKEY STUFFING
Ingredients:
2-4 tbsp olive oil
1 onion
1/4 cup oysters chopped (retain the juice)
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 apples, cored and chopped
2/3 bag dried cranberries
1 cup juice from roasted turkey
turkey giblets chopped finely
6 cups fresh whole wheat bread crumbs
1 tsp dried sage, crushed
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions:
Sauté the turkey giblets  and with part of the onion in 2 tbsp of oil. Combine giblet mixture with the rest of oil, onion, oysters, celery and apples in a large skillet. Sauté for about 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.  Remove from the heat.  Add the remaining ingredients.  Make sure you also add the juice from the oysters.  Toss gently to mix well.  Place mixture into an oiled 2-quart baking dish.  When baking the dressing in a casserole, cover and bake in a 325F oven for about 1 hour.
<Christmas Recipes back-to-top>

BOURBON BALLS
Ingredients:
1 cup crushed vanilla wafers
1cup finely chopped pecans
1 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, divided
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
2-4 ounces of bourbon
1 1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup

Directions:
Combine vanilla wafer crumbs, chopped pecans, and confectioners' sugar.  In a measuring cup, blend the Bourbon and corn syrup; stir into the dry mixture.  When thoroughly blended, cover and refrigerate for an hour or more.  Sift about 1/2 cup of confectioners' sugar onto a large piece of waxed paper.  Shape small amounts of the dough into balls then roll in powdered sugar.  Store tightly covered in the refrigerator. These can be frozen. Makes about 3 dozen.  
<Christmas Recipes back-to-top>

FUDGE
Ingredients:
6 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups butter
1 large can evaporated milk
2 packages chocolate chips
1 jar marshmallow cream
1 cup nuts

Directions:
Cook in heavy pan until boiling, boil 10 minutes, stirring all the time.  Take off burner and add chips, marshmallow cream and nuts, make sure you mix well, pour into 9 x 13 buttered pan.  It will make 6 pounds.  <Christmas Recipes back-to-top>

GINGER BREAD MEN
Ingredients:
3 and 1/4 cups flour
1.2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground cloves
1 cup salted butter, softened
3/4 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1 large egg
1/2 cup molasses
2/3 cup confectioners sugar
1 - 2 tsp milk

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325'
2. Whisk together flour, salt, cinnamon, baking soda, ginger, and cloves
3. Cream butter and sugar.  Scrape down sides of bowl. Add egg and molasses and beat on medium speed until smooth.
4. Scrape down bowl and add flour mixture, blend on low speed until just combined -- do not over mix!
5. Separate dough into 2 balls and flatten into disks.  Wrap each disk tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour.
6. On floured surface with floured rolling pin, roll dough out to 1/4" thickness.  With floured cookie cutters cut into shapes.  Gather scraps and re-roll dough until all is used.  Place on ungreased baking sheets about 1/2" apart.
7. Bake 9-11 minutes -- do not brown.  Transfer to cool, flat surface and cool.

Preparing Icing:
1. Whisk sugar and milk until smooth but still liquid.
2. Add extra milk if seems dry.
3. Spoon icing into a pastry bag with small piping tip, or other icing dispenser.
4. Decorate as desired.  <Christmas Recipes back-to-top>

SHORTBREAD COOKIES
Ingredients:
 2 cups butter softened
1 3/4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
4 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

Directions:
Cream butter, gradually beat in sugar. Add and beat in flour a part at a time. Wrap dough in wax paper and chill.  Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).  Allow dough to warm slightly; knead for 1 minute.  Roll out dough on lightly floured board to 1/4 inch thickness and cut with cookie cutters.  Decorate as desired.   Bake in preheated oven 14-20 minutes.  <Christmas Recipes back-to-top>

SUGAR COOKIES
Ingredients:
1 cup shortening
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup colored sugar for decoration

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.  In a large bowl, cream together the shortening, white sugar and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time then stir in the vanilla.  Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; blend into the creamed mixture.  Roll dough into 1/2 inch balls and place them 1 inch apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.  Flatten each ball slightly and sprinkle with colored sugar.  Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven.  Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.  <Christmas Recipes back-to-top>