December 18, 2008
10 Best Holiday Recipes
Hey Soul Food Lovers! Welcome to the seventh edition of our special Holiday Newsletter. Every week for six weeks, I have sent you this newsletter to help you prepare for the holidays. I hope you have enjoyed receiving it as much as I enjoyed putting it together. Today, I want to share with you my 10 favorite dessert recipes for the holidays.
So sit back and enjoy these recipes! Happy Holidays.
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BUTTERMILK POUND CAKE
3 cups sugar
1 cup shortening
6 eggs, separated
2 teaspoons lemon extract
3 cups un-sifted all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
Blend sugar and shortening. Add egg yolks one at a time; blend well after each addition. Add flavoring. Sift dry ingredients together. Add to sugar mixture alternately with buttermilk. (Begin and end with dry ingredients).
Beat egg whites until stiff; carefully fold into mixture. Bake in greased and floured tube pan in a 350 degree oven for 60 to 70 minutes. Top of cake should be firm with a crunchy-like crust.
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COUNTRY BANANA PUDDING
1 large can evaporated milk (15 oz)
1 cup regular milk
4 egg yolks (reserve whites for topping)
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 to 5 ripe bananas
1 (11-oz) package Vanilla Wafers
Heat evaporated and regular milk in double boiler over high heat. Let milk get hot, but not boiling. In a separate mixing bowl, separate the egg yolks from the whites. Slightly beat egg yolks.
Pour slowly hot milk mixture into egg yolks. Mix well. Add sugar and continue to stir. Return milk mixture to double boiler, stirring occasionally for about 20 to 30 minutes or until mixture thickens. Remove from heat then add vanilla. Stir then let cool. Mixture will thicken more when cooled.
Line the bottom of a 9 X 13 casserole with vanilla wafers. Slice bananas on top of wafers alternating with wafers and bananas until you have 2 layers. Pour cool pudding mixture over bananas and wafers. Top with Meringue. Yield: 8 to 10 servings.
MERINGUE
4 egg whites
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
In a clean bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar on high speed until peaks began to form, but not dry. Add sugar gradually. When it peaks, spread it on top of pudding and place in the oven on boil to slightly brown. Meringue browns quickly, so watch carefully.
TIP: If you choose not to top pudding with meringue, you can crumble about 6 vanilla wafers and sprinkle on top of pudding.
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CREAM CHEESE POUND CAKE
1 stick of butter
2 sticks margarine
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
6 eggs
3 cups sugar
3 cups cake flour, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons brandy extract
2 teaspoons rum extract
2 teaspoons lemon extract
Cream butter and margarine. Add cream cheese and continue to cream. Add sugar and cream until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour and extracts. Blend well. Pour batter into well-greased and floured tube pan. Bake 1 hour and 15 to 25 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool 10 minutes in pan.
TIP: This is a very good cake, however, you can cut back on the extracts if you prefer. You can use the vanilla and lemon extract and omit the rum.
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DEB'S LEMON CHESS PIE
1 1/3 cups sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
1 stick butter or margarine, melted
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon corn meal, self-raising
1 teaspoon lemon flavor
1 9-inch unbaked pie shell
In a large bowl, mix together, sugar and margarine until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time beating after each one; add vinegar, corn meal, and lemon flavor. Mix well. Pour into unbaked pie shell. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until firm in the middle. Yield: 6-8 servings.
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ELNORA’S SWEET MILK & JELLY CAKE
1 cup margarine, softened
2 cups white sugar
5 eggs
3 cups self-rising flour
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
1 teaspoon lemon flavoring
2 cups strawberry jelly
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan. In a large bowl, beat eggs, sugar, and margarine together. Add flour a little at a time. Beat. Add milk and beat with mixer. Add flavorings. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for about 1 hour or until the center springs back when pressed lightly. Spread strawberry jelly over the cake while it's warm.
Thanks Carolyn for this family recipe.
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EGG CUSTARD PIE
1 (9-inch) deep pie crust
4 slightly beaten eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon lemon extract
2 1/2 cups scalded milk (very hot milk)
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Chill pie shell while making filling. Blend eggs, sugar, salt, vanilla and lemon extracts. Gradually stir in scalded milk. Stir in nutmeg. Pour into chilled unbaked pie shell. Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Pie is done when knife inserted halfway between outside and center of custard comes out clean.
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OLD-FASHIONED CARROT CAKE
1 1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups shredded raw carrots
1/2 cup crushed pineapple, drained well
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Combine oil, sugar and eggs. Mix well. Add cinnamon, vanilla, carrots, and pineapple, mixing well. Add flour, baking soda, salt, and pecans; blend well.
Pour into greased and floured 9X13 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes. Cool in pan.
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
1 3-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon margarine, softened
1/3 cup crushed pineapple, drained
1/4 cup pecans, chopped
Mix cream cheese, sugar and margarine, until fluffy. Add pineapple and pecans, mix well. Frost cooled cake.
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ORANGE SWEET POTATO PIE
4 large sweet potatoes
3 eggs, slightly beaten
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1 stick of butter or margarine
1 cup of evaporated milk
1 1/2 tablespoons of cinnamon
1 1/2 tablespoons of nutmeg
1 1/2 tablespoons of finely grated orange peel (don't leave out)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Clean and rinse sweet potatoes. Place into deep cooking pot and boil until tender. Drain and remove skin. Place mashed potatoes in large mixing bowl. Add eggs and butter. Blend for 2 minutes with electric mixer. Add granulated sugar, brown sugar, and milk. Continue beating then add cinnamon, nutmeg, orange peel, and vanilla. Blend well.
Prick bottom and sides of thawed crust with fork; sprinkle lightly with granulated sugar, about 1 teaspoon. Place pie crust in over for 5 minutes or until crust rises or is lightly browned, let cool. Pour pie mixture into pie crust and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until done. Cool for 30 minutes, then refrigerate. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.
TIP: The orange peel is what makes this pie deliciously different. Try it!
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SOUTHERN PECAN PIE
1 cup sugar
½ cup dark Karo syrup
3 eggs, room temperature
¼ cup butter, melted
1 cup pecan halves
1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust
Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, mix together sugar and Karo syrup. Add eggs, one at a time; add butter. Blend well. Add pecans halves. Mix well. Pour into pie crust and bake for 40 to 45 minut4es. Cool before cutting.
TIP: This was the first pie I ever made. It’s a great recipe, not too sweet, yet very delicious. I still make this pie for family and friends. An old soul food favorite that has been in my family for over 50 years.
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7-UP POUND CAKE
3 sticks butter
3 cups sugar
5 eggs
3 cup flour
3/4 cup 7-UP
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract
Cream together butter and sugar, add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add remaining ingredients. Bake at 350 degrees for 65 to 70 minutes in a greased and floured tube cake pan.
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Recipes are Compliments of Soul Food Advisor.com.
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The regular monthly newsletter will start back in January with more original content and I will be addressing some of your requests from those who completed our Reader’s Poll.
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Cassandra Harrell is the editor of Soul Food Lovers’ Newsletter, author of the new Soul Food Lovers’ Cookbook, and this Special Holiday Edition, 2008.
Cassandra Harrell
Editor & Soul Food Advisor
(c) copyright 2008
http://www.soul-food-advisor.com/
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