Fix-It and Forget-It Christmas Cookbook (129 page)

Read Fix-It and Forget-It Christmas Cookbook Online

Authors: Phyllis Pellman Good

Tags: #Cooking, #Methods, #Special Appliances, #Holiday

Chocolate Fondue

Vera Schmucker

Goshen, IN

Vicki Dinkel

Sharon Springs, KS

Makes 8-10 servings

Prep. Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 3-7 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 3½-qt.

1 Tbsp. butter

16 1-oz. chocolate candy bars with almonds, unwrapped and broken

30 large marshmallows

1⅓ cups milk,
divided

angel food cake cubes; strawberries; chunks of pineapple, bananas, apples, oranges; pretzel pieces

1. Grease slow cooker with butter. Turn to High for 10 minutes.

2. Add chocolate, marshmallows, and ⅓ cup milk.

3. Cover. Turn cooker to Low. Stir after 30 minutes.

4. Continue cooking for another 30 minutes, or until mixture is melted and smooth.

5. Gradually add remaining milk.

5. Cover. Cook on Low 2-6 hours.

6. Bring cooker to table, along with angel food cake, fruit chunks, and pretzels for dipping.

Chocolate Covered Pretzels

Beth Maurer

Harrisonburg, VA

Makes 10-12 servings

Prep. Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 30-60 minutes

Ideal slow cooker size: 2-qt.

1 lb. white chocolate bark coating

2 blocks chocolate bark coating

1 bag pretzel rods

1. Chop white chocolate into small chunks. Place in slow cooker.

2. Cover. Heat on Low setting, stirring occasionally until melted, about 30 minutes. Turn off cooker.

3. Using a spoon, coat ¾ of each pretzel rod with chocolate. Place on waxed paper to cool.

4. Chop chocolate bark into small chunks. Microwave on High in a microwave-safe bowl for 1½ minutes. Stir. Microwave on High 1 more minute. Stir.

5. Microwave on High in 30-second intervals until chocolate is smooth when stirred. (Do not allow chocolate to get too hot or it will scorch.)

6. Put melted chocolate in small bag. Snip off corner of bag. Drizzle chocolate over white chocolate covered pretzels.

Tip:

These are easy to make. They also taste wonderful and are good holiday gifts when thoroughly cooled and placed in small gift bags!

Hot Fudge Sauce

Beth Nafziger
, Lowville, NY

Makes 1½ cups

Prep. Time: 15 minutes

Ideal slow cooker size: 1-qt.

¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

half a stick (4 Tbsp.) butter

⅔ cup sugar

5-oz. can (⅔ cup) evaporated milk

1. In a small heavy saucepan melt chocolate and butter together.

2. Add sugar. Gradually stir in evaporated milk.

3. Bring mixture to a boil, and then reduce heat. Boil gently over low heat for 8 minutes, stirring frequently.

4. Remove pan from heat. Pour sauce into slow cooker.

5. Set cooker control to Warm—the ideal temperature for serving.

Serving suggestion: Use as a dipping sauce for
angel food cake cubes
,
banana chunks
,
pineapple chunks
, and
mini-pretzels
.

Note:

I have served this for many years as part of our family Christmas-Eve celebration.

Our grandchildren come to help me cut out and decorate sugar cookies during the holidays. They each have their own rolling pins—not toys, but smaller versions than mine. We began this tradition when they had to sit on our laps to help. It’s a very messy but enjoyable time!

Naomi Ressler, Harrisonburg, VA

Equivalent Measurements

dash = little less than ⅛ tsp.

3 teaspoons = 1 Tablespoon

2 Tablespoons = 1 oz.

4 Tablespoons = ¼ cup

5 Tablespoons plus 1 tsp. = ⅓ cup

8 Tablespoons = ½ cup

12 Tablespoons = ¾ cup

16 Tablespoons = 1 cup

1 cup = 8 ozs. liquid

2 cups = 1 pint

4 cups = 1 quart

4 quarts = 1 gallon

1 stick butter = ¼ lb.

1 stick butter = ½ cup

1 stick butter = 8 Tbsp.

Beans, 1 lb. dried = 2-2½ cups (depending upon the size of the beans)

Bell peppers, 1 large = 1 cup chopped

Cheese, hard (for example, cheddar, Swiss, Monterey Jack, mozzarella), 1 lb. grated = 4 cups

Cheese, cottage, 1 lb. = 2 cups

Chocolate chips, 6-oz. pkg. = 1 scant cup

Crackers (butter, saltines, snack), 20 single crackers = 1 cup crumbs

Herbs, 1 Tbsp. fresh = 1 tsp. dried

Lemon, 1 medium-sized = 2-3 Tbsp. juice

Lemon, 1 medium-sized = 2-3 tsp. grated rind

Mustard, 1 Tbsp. prepared = 1 tsp. dry or ground mustard

Oatmeal, 1 lb. dry = about 5 cups dry

Onion, 1 medium-sized = ½ cup chopped

Pasta

Macaronis, penne, and other small or tubular shapes, 1 lb. dry = 4 cups uncooked

Noodles, 1 lb. dry = 6 cups uncooked

Spaghetti, linguine, fettuccine, 1 lb. dry = 4 cups uncooked

Potatoes, white, 1 lb. = 3 medium-sized potatoes = 2 cups mashed

Potatoes, sweet, 1 lb. = 3 medium-sized potatoes = 2 cups mashed

Rice, 1 lb. dry = 2 cups uncooked

Sugar, confectioners, 1 lb. = 3½ cups sifted

Whipping cream, 1 cup unwhipped = 2 cups whipped

Whipped topping, 8-oz. container = 3 cups

Yeast, dry, 1 envelope (¼ oz.) = 1 Tbsp.

Assumptions about Ingredients

flour
= unbleached
or
white, and all-purpose

oatmeal or oats
= dry, quick
or
rolled (old-fashioned), unless specified

pepper
= black, finely ground

rice
= regular, long-grain (not minute or instant unless specified)

salt
= table salt

shortening
= solid, not liquid

sugar
= granulated sugar (not brown and not confectioners)

Three Hints

1	If you'd like to cook more at home—without being in a frenzy—go off by yourself with your cookbook some evening and make a week of menus. Then make a grocery list from that. Shop from your grocery list.
2	Thaw frozen food in a bowl in the fridge (not on the counter-top). If you forget to stick the food in the fridge, put it in a microwave-safe bowl and defrost it in the microwave just before you're ready to use it.
3	Let roasted meat, as well as pasta dishes with cheese, rest for 10-20 minutes before slicing or dishing. That will allow the juices to re-distribute themselves throughout the cooked food. You'll have juicier meat, and a better presentation of your pasta dish.

Substitute Ingredients

for when you’re in a pinch

For one cup
buttermilk
—use 1 cup plain yogurt; or pour 1⅓ Tbsp. lemon juice or vinegar into a 1-cup measure. Fill the cup with milk. Stir and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir again before using.