Chocolate Wreath Cake

12 Servings
3 c All-purpose flour
1 T Baking powder
1 T Baking soda
1 1/2 t Salt
3 c Sugar
3 c Water
6 oz Semisweet chocolate
-finely,Chopped
1 lb Unsalted butter,softened
3 Large eggs,lightly beaten
2 1/4 c Confectioners' sugar
1/2 t Vanilla extract
-Few drops green food colori
Fresh raspberries,dried
-cranberries,or cherries,
-for garnish
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 10-inch tube pan
with a nonremovable bottom. In a large bowl, sift together the flour,
baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a medium pot, combine the
sugar and water and bring them to a boil. Remove the pot from the
heat and stir in the chocolate and 1 stick of butter. When the
chocolate and butter have completely melted, whisk the mixture to
combine completely. Whisk in the beaten eggs. Pour about half the
chocolate mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk vigorously to
thoroughly combine the ingredients and remove any lumps. Working
quickly, add the remaining chocolate mixture and whisk to combine.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 60 minutes,
until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the
cake cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then turn out onto a rack
to cool completely. In a medium bowl, cream together the remaining 3
sticks of butter and the confectioners' sugar, until light and
fluffy. Remove 1/3 cup of the icing, place in a small bowl, and color
it with a few drops of the green food coloring. Put the remaining
icing in a pot, add the vanilla. Over low heat, stir the icing until
it becomes a pourable consistency. (If it overheats, causing the
butter to spearate, put the icing in the refrigerator to chill and
stir to bring it back together.) Pour the icing over the cooled cake
so that it drips down the center and outside. Cluster the red berries
in groups of 3 on top of the cake. Fill the green icing into a pastry
bag fitted with a leaf tip and pipe a few leaves around each cluster
of berries. Serves 12 to 16.

Party Ham Ring

1 Envelope unflavored gelatin
1/4 c -cold water
1 c Sour cream
1/2 c Mayonnaise
3 tb Vinegar
1/4 ts Salt
Pepper to taste
1 1/2 c Ham; cooked; diced
1 c Celery; sliced
1/4 c Parsely; chopped
3 tb Green onion; chopped
Soften gelatin in water in saucepan; bring to a boil. Blend in sour cream,
mayonnaise, vinegar, salt and pepper. Chill until thickened; whip until fluffy.
Fold in remaining ingredients; pour into 5-1/2 cup ring mold. Chill until firm

CHRISTMAS CANDY CANES

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup crushed peppermint candy canes
or hard peppermint candies
1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter or
margarine, at room temperature
1/2 cup plain or butter-flavored shortening
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon liquid red food coloring
Adjust two racks to divide the oven into thirds. Preheat the oven to
375 degrees. Have ready two ungreased baking sheets. In a small bowl,
mix the sugar with the crushed candy; set aside.
In a large bowl, with an electric mixer at medium-high speed, beat
together the butter, shortening, confectioners' sugar, egg, vanilla,
and peppermint extract until light and fluffy, 2 or 3 minutes. With
the mixer at medium-low speed, gradually add the flour, beating just
until blended. Remove half of the dough from the bowl and set aside on
a sheet of waxed paper. To the dough remaining in the bowl, add the
red food coloring and beat until evenly colored. (At this point both
of the doughs can be tightly wrapped separately in aluminum foil and
refrigerated for up to a week or frozen for up to three months. If
frozen, thaw in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before
proceeding.)
For each candy cane, scoop 1 teaspoonful of the plain dough and the
same amount of pink dough. Roll each scoop between the palms of your
hands to make a 4-inch rope. Twist the ropes together and shape into a
candy cane. As they are made, arrange the canes on an ungreased baking
sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart.
Bake for about 9 minutes until firm to the touch and barely golden.
Reverse the baking sheets on the racks and from front to back once
during baking. The moment the cookies come from the oven, sprinkle
each one with the sugar-and-peppermint mixture. With a wide turner,
immediately transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely.
Store in a tightly covered container, separating the layers with
sheets of waxed paper.

MRS. RICKERT'S CRUMB CAKE

INGREDIENTS
1 cup butter
4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 eggs
1 cup milk
Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease four 6-inch pie pans. Combine the butter,
flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Mix with your hands to form crumbs.
Take out just enough for crumbs on top of cakes, about 3/4 cup. Set aside.
To the remaining crumbs add the eggs and milk; beat well. Divide batter
evenly among prepared cake pans. Sprinkle with crumbs. Bake for 35-40
minutes or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from
oven and set on racks to cool slightly, then remove cakes from pans and cool
completely.

Americana Peanut Cheesecake

12 Servings
3/4 c Chopped roasted peanuts,div
2 T Chopped roasted peanuts,div
1 c Graham cracker crumbs
1/3 c Butter (or margarine),melted
2/3 c Creamy peanut butter
4 pk (3 ounces each) cream cheese
-softened
1 cn (14 ozs) sweetened condensed
1/3 c Lemon juice
1 t Vanilla extract
1 pk (4 ozs) whipped toppi,Frozen
-thawed
In small bowl, combine 3/4 cup chopped peanuts, graham cracker
crumbs and melted butter; mix well. Press crumb mixture into bototom and
1" up sides of 9-inch springform pan. Refrigerate crust 20 minutes or
until set. In large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed, beat
softened cream cheese and peanut butter until fluffy. Gradually beat
in condensed milk and mix well. Add lemon juice and vanilla; blend
well. Fold in whipped topping. Pour mixture into prepared crust;
garnish top with remaining 2 tablespoons chopped peanuts. Refrigerate
2 to 3 hours, or until well chilled.

Lamb And Sausage Couscous

3 lb lamb shoulder cut into 2-in
- cubes
1/2 t salt,or to taste
1 black pepper,Freshly Ground
1 T olive oil
1 md onion,quartered
4 md carrots,peeled and cut into
- 1/2-i
2 celery stalks cut into 4
-pieces
1/4 c tomato paste
3 T all-purpose flour
1 c dry white wine
6 c low-sodium chicken broth
-=or=- wate,r
1 t cayenne pepper
1 T cumin,Ground
6 spicy sausages preferably
-merguez-,style
2 md zucchini cut into rounds
-1-in thic,k
1 1/2 c couscous
PREHEAT OVEN TO 325F. Pat the meat dry and sprinkle with salt and
pepper as desired. Heat the oil in a large covered casserole or Dutch
oven over high heat on top of the stove. Add the meat, without
crowding, in batches if necessary, and brown well on all sides.
Remove pieces to a plate as they are done and reserve. Repeat until
all meat is browned. Do not pour off fat. Replace the casserole over
medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery and tomato paste. Cook,
stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Use your spoon to loosen and
dissolve the brown bits stuck to the bottom of the casserole. Add
flour and cook, stirring, an additional minute. Add wine, meat (and
any juices on the plate), stock, cayenne and cumin. Cover, bring to a
boil and place in the oven for 1 1/4 hours, or until meat is tender.
Meanwhile, combine sausage and zucchini in an ovenproof dish, cover
and place in the oven until sausages are cooked, about 20 minutes.
Follow directions on the back of the box and cook the couscous.
Remove stewed lamb and the sausage/ vegetable mixture from the oven.
Using a slotted spoon, remove the meat from the sauce and place it in
a serving bowl. Pour off and discard any excess fat from the sausages
and add sausages and vegetables to the lamb. Pour the thin gravy
through a fine strainer into the serving bowl and discard the
vegetables and spices that remain in the strainer. To serve, place
the couscous in another serving dish. Pour the broth into a pitcher
or soup tureen. Encourage guests to place couscous in their soup
bowl, top with the meat and vegetables and moisten with

Moroccan-Style Salmon With Couscous

6 Servings
INGREDIENTS
1 small onion,sliced
2 cloves garlic,minced
1 T olive oil
1 28 oz can whole,Peeled
1 tomatoes
4 t honey
1 t lemon peel,Grated
3/4 t cumin,Ground
1 1/2 t lemon juice
1 salt,black pepper and
1 cayenne pepper,To Taste
6 salmon fillets (4-6 oz ea)
1 if necessary,Thawed
2 T toasted almonds,Chopped
2 T fresh coriander,Chopped
3 c couscous (or rice),Cooked
PREPARATION
Saute onions and garlic in olive oil in a medium skillet over
medium-high heat until golden. Stir in tomatoes, tomato liquid,
honey, lemon peel and cumin. Simmer 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in
lemon juice and season with salt, pepper and cayenne to taste.
Meanwhile, season salmon fillets with salt and pepper. Broil 4-6
inches from heat, allowing 10 minutes cooking time per inch of
thickness, measured at the thickest part. Place each steak on a
dinner plate. Top with tomato sauce. Sprinkle with almonds and
coriander. Serve with couscous.