COOKIES, CAKES ADD TO HOLIDAY

Cookies, cakes and candy, along with the smell of warm cider are all the sweet smells of the Christmas season. It seems that every party we attend there is a crowd grazing around the dessert buffet.

Today we have a nice variety of treats to add to your holiday serving table.

The first comes from my cousin, Helen Poirot in Nashville, Ill. Helen made these delicious bars for our family reunion in July, but we are enjoying the recipe again now.

Coconut cheese bars

1 box yellow cake mix

1 stick margarine or butter, melted

1 egg

1 cup coconut

1 cup pecan pieces

1 (1 pound) box powdered sugar

2 eggs

1 (8 ounce) container cream cheese

Mix together the dry cake mix, melted margarine and the egg; pat down on a greased and floured 17 1/2-by-11 1/2-by-1-inch cookie sheet with sides. Press mixture evenly. Spread 1-cup coconut and 1 cup pecan pieces over the cake mixture. Mix the powdered sugar, 2 eggs and the softened cream cheese. Pour over the cake mixture. Bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees, watching not to over brown.

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Marlene Crites of Cape Girardeau enjoys pina colada pie during the holiday, but she shrinks down the sugar and calories by making it on the light side.

Pina colada pie

1 large can unsweetened pineapple, drained

2 small boxes sugar-free vanilla instant pudding mix

1 (98 ounce) tub plain yogurt

1 large carton fat-free frozen whipped topping, thawed

2 low fat graham cracker crumb pie crusts

Combine the pineapple, pudding mix, and yogurt, stirring well. Fold in the thawed whipped topping. Pour into two graham cracker shells. Garnish top with toasted coconut. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.

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When you want to serve a warm beverage, try this hot apple punch. Diane Sides of Cape Girardeau gave this recipe to me years ago after serving it at a church meeting. We really enjoy it on cold evenings.

Hot Apple Punch

2 quarts apple juice or cider

2 quarts pineapple juice

1 quart orange juice

1 cup lemon juice

1 teaspoon cloves

1 cinnamon stick

Sugar to taste

Combine all ingredients and heat until desired temperature, stirring to dissolve sugar. You can put the liquid in a coffee maker and the spices in the basket and perk until finished.

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Around Christmas I can always count on Cheryl Mothes to show up with a plate of homemade candy. She has some very good recipes and most of them are very simple and quick to do.

Cherry Mash Candy

2 cups sugar

Dash of salt

1/2 cup margarine

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup peanut butter

2/3 cup evaporated milk

12 large marshmallows

6 ounces cherry chips

12 ounces chocolate chips

1 package salted peanuts

Combine sugar, milk, salt, marshmallows and margarine in a saucepan. Boil five minutes. Add cherry chips and vanilla. Pour into buttered 9x14-inch pan. Melt chocolate chips and peanut butter. Crush peanuts and add to chocolate. Spread over cherry mixture and chill. Cut into small squares.

Cookie Candy

1 (13-ounce) package chocolate chip cookies, crumbled

1-cup graham cracker crumbs

1/2 cup chopped peanuts

1/3 cup honey

1 cup chunky peanut butter

1/3 cup butter

Combine the crumbled cookies, graham cracker crumbs and peanuts; set aside. Melt together the honey, peanut butter and butter in the microwave. Stir the two mixtures together. Press into paper lined mini-muffin tins.

The cookies and the peanuts can be prepared in a food processor, if desired. This mixture will be a little crumbly, but will soften and stick together after they sit a day.

Cheryl's PayDay in A Pan

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup light corn syrup

1 cup sugar

1 cup coconut

1 cup dry roasted peanuts

6 cups corn flake cereal

Microwave or heat in a pan the peanut butter, syrup and sugar. Stir to dissolve sugar completely. Stir in the coconut, peanuts and cereal. Press evenly into a buttered 9x13-inch pan. Cut into small squares.

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Last week we had a request for Italian Beef and I have one to share, and will have more next week. This one came to us from Cape Girardeau.

Italian Beef

1 can beer, any brand

1 whole onion

15 beef bouillon cubes or equivalent of beef base

Oregano to taste

2 whole garlic cloves or equivalent of minced

Pepper and salt to taste

Rump roast of beef

Combine in a dutch oven. Add rump roast. Cover with water and simmer 2 hours on low. Remove meat, strain juices. Chill the roast and the juice separately in the refrigerator. Remove fat from the juices. Slice meat into thin slices, and return to juices, and let sit about two days in the refrigerator. To serve, heat slow to warm the meat. Serve on hard rolls or buns and use the juice to dip. This is good served with spicy mustard.

We also had a request for Kettle Beef and we have one reply this week to share. It is an easy version using the crock-pot or slow cooker.

"Kettle" Cooked Beef

Place a roast in a slow cooker. Add three packages dry gravy mix (brown, onion, mushroom, au jus, or any combination). Add a little water to almost cover and cook until meat nearly falls apart. Add Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce, lemon pepper, seasoned salt, garlic, celery salt, bay leaf, or any spices you desire of your choice. You may need to add more water. Thicken as desired with cornstarch and water and serve hot over mashed potatoes.

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We have two requests this week. The first is for a pie recipe using fresh cherries, not canned. I assume this time of year they are pitted fresh frozen.

The second is from La Wanda of Cape Girardeau. She is looking for a good recipe for bread pudding. She had a recipe that used about a loaf of bread and about 6 eggs. She baked it in a 9x13-inch-baking pan. I know we have some good cooks who will share their recipes with her.

This will end another week of Recipe Swap and as we draw closer to Christmas, take time to stop and reflect on the true meaning of Christmas and I hope this special meaning stays in your heart all year.