Almond Crescents

set oven 325

 

1 cup butter (no substitute)

1/3 cup sugar

2 tsp. water

2 tsp. almond flavoring (I like PURE, not imitation)

2 cups f lour

1 cup ground almonds

 

Beat butter and sugar till light. Add other ingredients. Chill for awhile until you can form a small crescent shape.

Bake crescents for about 20 minutes. While they are still hot roll them in powdered sugar if desired. Then dip one end in melted chocolate chips with a little butter added. 

from Cindy Guild

Eggnog Truffles

1 lb. white baking chocolate 4 oz. cream cheese, softened 1/4 c. powdered sugar 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg 1/4 tsp. imitation rum extract ground nutmeg for sprinkling   MELT 8 oz. chocolate . Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, nutmeg, and rum extract in a large bcowl until well blended and smooth. Add melted chocolate and beat until well mixed. oRefrigerate at least 4 hours. SHAPE into 24 (3/4 inch) balls. Place on wax paper lined tray. Refrigerate until ready to dip. COAT only 12 truffles at a time. Melt 4 oz chocolate in a microwave bowl. Using a fork, dip 1 truffle at a time Tap back of fork against edge of bowl to allow excess chocolate to drip off. Sprinkle with nutmeg.   REFRIGERATE 1 hour or until chocolate is set.

from Cindy Guild

Oyster Stew

This recipe is an Oliver family tradition.  (My family eats pop tarts for breakfast on Christmas morning, this took some getting used to.)  My husband's great grandfather served a mission in Ireland and this is the Christmas morning tradition that is the result.  There are two really important things to remember: Don't skimp on the cream, and don't look too closely at the oysters, they aren't pretty.  I took this recipe from the Fannie Farmer Cookbook (1990).

2 cups milk
2 cups light cream
2 cups shucked or canned oysters and their juice
Salt
3 tablespoons butter

Heat the milk and cream in a pot; do not boil.  Add  the oysters and any oyster juice and simmer for 5 minutes.  Season to taste with salt.  Add the butter, heat until it melts, and serve very hot.

We like it with plenty of oyster crackers.  (And pop tarts on the side.)

Merry Christmas!!
from Bernice Oliver