OK. Are you ready for Christmas? Have the families started to arrive? Is the house noisy and fun? What a wonderful time. There always seems to be a need for a couple of last minute gifts. For those of you who know me well, you know that a homemade gift is the best-food-even better! I came up with a few favorites that we are giving this year, (Please don’t say anything-I don’t want to spoil the surprise) maybe you would like to try one for yourselves. Enjoy these next few days. Many of the people on the road and in the stores are in a panic and their emotions are on “screech” so, have patience, smile and enjoy the time of year. Merry Christmas!
Note: I found that the original recipe was very sweet. By microwaving a small potato-peeling, mashing, cutting the confectioner’s sugar by half to only one lb, and increasing coconut to 1-14 oz bag. We liked this much better.
1/2 tsp. salt
1 lb pkg confectioner’s sugar
1 stick butter
1- 14 oz bag flaked coconut
2 tsp. vanilla
Directions: Peel potatoes and cut into cubes. Fill a 2 quart pot with water and add salt. Boil potatoes until soft. Drain and place in bowl. Mash potatoes with 1 stick melted butter, add confectioner’s sugar, coconut, and vanilla. Mix well.
Spread the mixture out on waxed paper or a buttered cookie sheet. Place in fridge to cool. When hard, cut into small squared and dip into the chocolate mixture, place on waxed paper to cool. Alternatively you can roll the potato mixture into balls, cool, then dip in chocolate.
1 (12 oz.) pkg. chocolate bits
4 sq. unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cake paraffin wax (2.5 x 2.5”)
Directions: Melt chocolate using a double boiler with hot-not boiling water.
1-12 oz pkg of chocolate chips
1 / 4 cup heavy cream (I have used half and half with great success)
Flavored oils or extracts
1 cup water
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cups vodka
2 tablespoons almond extract
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions: Combine water and sugars in a saucepan over medium heat. Heat until the mixture is boiling, and all of the sugar is dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture cool for 10 minutes.
Stir vodka, almond extract and vanilla extract into the mixture. Store in a sealed bottle. This is ready to drink when cooled. Tie a ribbon around the neck-give it away-or serve it to your guests. I’ll be looking forward to hearing from you with any suggestions or recipes you like. I can be reached at susieqcooking@ainop.com or c/o Pioneer Times, PO Box 456, Houlton, Maine 04730. See you next week!
