Holiday Popcorn Crunch
Makes about 5 cups or 1 pound
Ingredients:
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
(1 stick)
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup pecans
1/3 cup almonds
4 cups popped corn
DIRECTIONS:
Combine sugar, margarine and corn syrup in 1 1/2 quart heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to a boil. Continue cooking stirring occasionally, to the soft crack stage (290 degrees). Mixture will have a light caramel color. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
Meanwhile, toast nuts in slow oven (300 degrees) until almonds are light brown. Spread popped corn and nuts on lightly greased baking sheet. Pour hot syrup over popped corn and nuts. With two tablespoons, toss corn and nuts to completely coat with syrup. Let cool. Break popped corn and nuts apart and store, as soon as cool, put in a tightly covered container.
**This is a fabulous holiday treat to eat, serve or give as gifts. My dear friend June Beaver from Basehor, Kansas, also gave me this recipe.
Po Po’s Christmas Cake (Prune Cake)
Serves 12
Ingredients:
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 beaten eggs
2 1/4 cups sifted flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves
1 1/2 cups pitted prunes
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup chopped nuts
DIRECTIONS: Cream shortening and sugar; add beaten eggs. Sift together flour, salt, cinnamon & cloves. Add alternately to shortening mixture the buttermilk with soda, and flour mixture. Add and stir in cooked pitted chopped prunes and chopped nuts. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour in greased and floured bunt pan. Cool 10 minutes on rack, then turn over and remove from pan. Frost if desired.
**This was my fathers favorite holiday cake and I would always make him one at Christmas time. I got the recipe when I was just a teenager from my Aunt Rowena. This has always been a traditional holiday cake from Thanksgiving through New Years.
Christmas Morning Wife Saver
Serves 8
Ingredients:
16 slices white bread with crusts
removed
Slices of Canadian bacon
Slices of sharp cheddar cheese
6 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2-1 tsp dry mustard
1/4 cup minced onion
1/4 cup green pepper chopped fine
1-2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
3 cups whole milk
Dash red pepper (Tabasco)
1/4 lb butter (1 stick)
DIRECTIONS: In 9” x 13” buttered glass baking dish put 8 slices of bread. Add pieces to cover dish entirely. Cover bread with slices of bacon sliced thin. Lay slices of cheddar cheese on top of bacon and then cover with slices of bread to make it like a sandwich. Beat eggs in a bowl, salt and pepper, Worcestershire sauce, milk and Tabasco. Pour over the sandwiches. Cover and let stand in refrigerator overnight. In the morning melt butter and pour over top. Cover with crushed Special K or Corn Flakes. Bake uncovered for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with fresh fruit or hot cinnamon rolls for a great holiday breakfast, brunch, supper or just anytime.
**This is another fabulous recipe from the “Best of Bridge” series from Canada. This one came out of the yellow book. Enjoy!
Chalupa Pot Roast
Serves 6
Ingredients:
2-3 lbs trimmed pot roast
1 Tbs chili powder
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp garlic salt
1 Tbs cumin
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp oregano
1 can Rotel plus 1 tsp Tabasco
for hotter spice (if desired)
1 medium chopped onion
1 lb uncooked pinto beans
DIRECTIONS: Wash and sort beans. Cover with boiling water 3” above roast and beans in large crockpot. Add all ingredients; cook 10-12 hours starting on high for 1 hour, then low for remaining time. Shred meat and serve burrito style on warm flour tortillas…or serve with cornbread and a green salad.
**This recipe was shared by a dear friend Gail Steagall of Ft. Worth, Texas. She is married to popular cowboy, poet and singer, Red Steagall. When the National Finals Rodeo was held in Oklahoma City for 20 years, Harry and I used to love to go to Red’s dances. He had a great band and we loved to dance to his kind of music. I see them every year at the NFR, now held in Las Vegas. Gail is a fabulous cook and I so enjoyed them coming to our 2003 Spring Horse round up, Red riding with the men, and Gail helping cook for all the crew.
