Zada Stephens Paradise Salad

 This has been a family favorite for generations, served at every Thanksgiving dinner, and often at Christmas too. When Grandma Stephens first made this the miniature marshmallows hadn't been invented yet. She would take the large marshmallows and chop each one into little bits, which sounds a lot easier than it is! If you aren't a big consumer of marshmallows, have the kids use the remainder of the package to make strings for the Christmas tree.

1 lg. box lemon jello (or 2 small)
1 pint whipping cream
3/4 c. sugar
2 large Delicious apples, diced
2 large bananas, diced
1 8 oz. jar maraschino cherries, sliced in halves
1 8 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained
1 c. chopped nuts
about 24 mini marshmallows
1 T. vanilla flavoring

Make the jello up in a large bowl according to directions on the box. Place in refrigerator. When it starts to set up whip to a froth. Fold in the fruits, nuts and marshmallows. Whip the cream, adding sugar gradually, then the vanilla. Fold whipped cream into the mixture. Allow to set overnight. 
Serves 15 or more.

Chocolate Guinness Cake

Thanks to one of our favorite cooking blogs, Simply Recipes, for this fantastic recipe. I've made only very slight changes, as it was wonderful as it was in the original. What could be more perfect for St. Patrick's Day than a cake made with Ireland's favorite beer? The cake is moist and rich, with an old-fashioned texture.

Chocolate Guinness Cake

Ingredients

1 c. Guinness (or other Stout variety)
10 tablespoons salted butter
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 c. white sugar
1/2 c. dark brown sugar
3/4 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 T pure vanilla extract
2 c. all-purpose flour
2  t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cream cheese frosting recipe

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 8 or 9-inch springform pan with butter or cooking spray and line the bottom with a round of parchment paper.

In a large saucepan place the beer and butter. Place over medium-high heat until the butter has melted. Add the cocoa powder and sugars and whisk together. Take off heat and allow to come to room temperature.

In another bowl beat together the sour cream, eggs, and vanilla extract until fluffy and somewhat homogenized. Add to the butter and beer mixture and whisk together.

In another bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add to the beer-butter mixture and whisk together until it just comes together. Pour into the prepared pan and give the pan a few short drops onto the counter to shake the larger air pockets in the batter to the surface and out of the cake. Bake for 50-60 minutes. Touch the center of the cake lightly to test doneness before testing with a skewer or it may cave in. If it doesn't bounce back to a light touch give it another five minutes or so before testing again.

Allow to cool on a wire rack. Run a knife around the edge to separate the cake from the pan and pop the ring off the springform. Leave the cake on the pan bottom when placing it on the serving plate. If the pan bottom tends to slip around on the plate use paper doilies under it to minimize the slipping.

Spread a thin layer of the cream cheese frosting on the top of the cooled cake and serve.

Makes one 8 or 9-inch cake

Eggnog Poundcake

This a nice fine grained pound cake that isn't too sweet and goes nicely with coffee or tea. It's also a nice way to use up any eggnog leftover from the holiday season. The only caution is, follow the directions carefully. If you under-mix when creaming the butter, sugar and eggs, or over-mix the flour, the result will be coarse textured and heavy or tough.

• 1/2 c. butter (1 stick) softened
• 1 c. sugar

Start by beating the butter, adding the sugar in small amounts until thoroughly creamed together. Keep beating until smooth and looking like frosting.
3 large eggs
Beat each egg in separately, beating until the mixture again resembles smooth frosting, with enough body to hold little ridges. When all 3 eggs have been incorporated add the remaining ingredients.

Distribute over the butter mixture:

• 1 t. vanilla
• 1/2 t. nutmeg
• 3/4 t. salt
• 1 1/2 t. baking powder

Then, mixing by hand or on the slow speed of the mixer, alternate flour and eggnog. Do not over-mix or the cake will be tough.

• 2 1/4 c. flour
• 3/4 c. eggnog (may need to add another 2 T. depending on how dry the mixture is in the final stage)

Pour batter into one large or two small loaf pans (spray bottoms with no-stick spray)
If desired, decorate top with sliced almonds. Place them near the center line, as the loaf will split on top as it bakes and they will move toward the sides of the pan.

Bake at 325 degrees F about 1 hour (for small loaves) or 1:15 min - 1:30 for a large loaf.

Pozolli - Posoli - soup

Pronounced poh-soh-leh. . . no matter how you spell it this is a nourishing dish that has been a tradition in the soutwestern parts of the US for centuries. Each area from Mexico to Utah has its own variation. Pozolle has become a traditional Christmas Eve dish in New Mexico.

This is the recipe we've been using when we make it for Christmas Eve. It's from the Pueblo Indian Cookbook, by Phyllis Hughes, with a few alterations to the spices to suit our own taste, and though Hughes' recipe begins with making the hominy from scratch, we substituted the canned variety.

1/2 lb. pork meat
1 T. chili powder
1/2 t. cumin
1/2 t. Italian seasoning
1/2 t. garlic powder or 2 cloves fresh garlic, diced
2 t. salt (or to taste)
2 t. Mexican oregano (You can use the Italian type if you can't find Mexican. Look for it in the Mexican foods section, in little cellophane packets.)
1 small can diced green chilies 
Chop the pork into bite size pieces, brown in a little olive oil, then put in a stock pot with just enough water or broth to cover. Simmer seasonings and meat until the meat is very well cooked, at least four hours. Simmering all day is best if you have the time. If you like lots of chili flavor and heat, drop one or more dried chilies into the liquid to simmer with the meat. Remove the pulp when the meat has finished cooking.
Add:
29 oz. can hominy [If you like a thicker soup put 1/4 of the hominy through the blender and add it to the soup, or put half of it in the stock pot and continue to simmer until it's soft, then add the remaining hominy.]
1 can water (use chicken broth for richer flavor)

A variety of toppings

1 medium onion, chopped (save half for the garnish- I like the looks of red onion)
The diced green chilies can also be added at this point if desired.
Simmer covered for an additional 30 minutes. Serves 4

Serve in wide soup bowls with a variety of fresh garnishes

Garnishes:
finely shredded cabbage or lettuce, chopped red onion,
chopped cilantro, sliced avocado, sliced radishes, grated cheese, tortilla chips

If you try this recipe and like it, or have suggestions for alterations, please leave a comment!

Pumpkin Roll

This has been a holiday favorite in our family for many years. It's easy to make, freezes well, and is always a hit at parties.

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Mix:
1 c. pumpkin
1 c. sugar
3 eggs
1 t. salt
1 t. baking powder
1 t. ginger
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. lemon flavoring or juice
1 c. flour
Pour into 11x17 greased jelly roll pan. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts, almonds or pecans.

Bake 13-15 minutes, or until done (do not overbake!). Sprinkle with powdered sugar and roll from the long edge. Cool in refrigerator. When cool, unroll and fill. [I admit I've always been challenged by this step. The cake often wants to crack. I have had pretty good luck turning the cake out onto a clean dish towel - the smooth cotton type, or waxed paper - and rolling it with the towel or paper, which helps to keep it supported when you unroll it.]

Filling
cream together:
1 c. cream cheese
1/2 c. powdered sugar
4 t. butter
1 t. vanilla
1 t. lemon (I often use more, or include some grated zest)
Blend until smooth, spread on the unrolled cake and then re-roll.
Roll the completed cake roll in foil and refrigerate.

This keeps well, and freezes well, so is a great make-ahead for the holidays.

Texas Caviar

We've made this a family tradition for the holidays.
The practice of eating black-eyed peas for luck is generally believed to date back to the Civil War. At first planted as food for livestock, and later a food staple for slaves in the South, the fields of black-eyed peas were ignored as Sherman's troops destroyed or stole other crops, thereby giving the humble, but nourishing, black-eyed pea an important role as a major food source for surviving Confederates.Common accompaniments include cornbread (representing gold) and cooked greens (representing paper money).

Ingredients:
4 cups of cooked black-eyed peas (or 2 16-oz cans), drained and rinsed of all juice
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced, green part only
1 tablespoon fresh oregano
1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
3 canned or fresh jalapeño chilies, chopped
1 can Rotel tomatoes or 1 ripe, chopped tomato
3/4 cup olive oil
Juice from one lime
1 yellow bell pepper, finely chopped
3 cloves fresh garlic, pressed or minced

Combine ingredients in a large bowl and serve with your favorite chips, pita bread, or serve as a side dish.