Fresh Whipping Cream

Carton of whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. sugar

· Whip cream, vanilla, and sugar with electric mixer.
· Cream will eventually become stiff and peak.
· Serve or use any time you would use Cool Whip.

Sheila Witherington
The difference between store-bought Cool Whip (or similar brands) and fresh whipped cream is huge. It is easy to whip your own cream. Even if you omit and vanilla and sugar, the cream will whip and be sweet and good.

Fresh Pumpkin

Fresh pumpkin, cut into chunks
Water
Brown sugar

· Cut fresh pumpkin from shell, as close to rind as desired.
· Cover pumpkin in stewing pot with half as much water as pumpkin to keep from sticking.
· Bring to a boil and simmer until pumpkin is very soft and tender. Add more water to keep from sticking, if necessary.
· When done, drain excess water.
· Add 2 tbsp.brown sugar for every cup of pumpkin and continue to simmer until thoroughly mixed and sugar is dissolved.

submitted by Myrna Witherington
My grandma Dona taught me to cook pumpkin when I was a little girl because it was one of my favorite foods. She would cook fresh pumpkin for me at all times of the year, so I know she must have preserved it.

Deviled Eggs

Boiled eggs, peeled
Mustard
Mayonnaise
Salt
Pepper
Paprika, optional

· Slice boiled eggs on the horizontal side.
· Remove yolk carefully and place yolks together in a boil.
· Lay whites of eggs on a platter and set aside.
· Crush cooked egg yolks together with a fork.
· Mix in 1 tsp. mustard and 1 tbsp. mayonnaise for every four egg yolks.
· Add dash of salt and pepper.
· Refill whites of eggs with a spoonful for egg yolk mixture, dividing the mixture evenly among the egg whites.
· Top each egg with sprinkles of paprika, if desired.
· Once you mix egg with mayonnaise, keep refrigerated. Take out to serve only when ready to eat. Whatever is not eaten with an hour or so should be returned to the refrigerator or discarded.

submitted by Sheila Witherington
Deviled eggs have been a favorite dish in my family for Sunday dinners and special occasions ever since I was a little girl. People love deviled eggs. You can also spice them up with chopped onion, crushed garlic, or a tad of cayenne pepper. If you are low on ingredients, it is also possible to make them with all mustard or all mayonnaise. Mustard makes them spicier. Mayonnaise makes them creamier.

Crêpes

2 eggs
1 c. milk
½ tsp. salt
1 c. flour
2 tbsp. oil


· Blend all the ingredients in a blender, food processor, or mixer.
· Coat flat surface skillet with cooking spray or oil and heat until hot.
· Pour about ¼ cup mixture into hot skillet and immediately roll the skillet slowly and carefully to spread the mixture into a super thin type pancake, filling the skillet.
· Crêpes cook quickly, so watch the skillet carefully. As soon as the crêpe begins to dry and curl on the edges, it is ready to flip and cook on the other side.
· Stack cooked crêpes on an oven-proof plate and set inside oven set on lowest warm setting, just to keep warm until all are done.

submitted by Sheila Witherington
I learned to make crêpes from Maria Maillo from Venezuela when she and her family lived with me in Salt Lake City. Even though meals were provided in the Homestay, every once in a while, she would tell me not to cook, and that she would make dinner. She would go to the grocery store herself and just start cooking. Making crepes was one of the meals she made. You can provide all types of fillings for crepes, but the family favorites have become Nutella, whipped cream, peanut butter, sliced ham, grated cheese, cream cheese, spiced pumpkin, applesauce, creamed salmon, refried beans, salsa, and other spreads.

Coconut Pie

3 eggs, separated
1 tbsp. flour
1 c. sugar
1 c. milk
½ tsp. vanilla
½ c. shredded coconut
1 tbsp. butter

· Mix yolk of eggs with sugar, flour, and milk.
· Cook over medium heat until thick.
· Remove from heat and add vanilla, coconut, and butter.
· Whip egg whites separately with 3 tsp. sugar to make pie topping.
· Pour pie mixture in baked pie crust and spread with whipped topping.
· Bake in oven until egg whites are brown.
· Ingredients make one pie.

submitted by Wanda Witherington
Wanda always made the best pies. This is her recipe.

Coconut-Date Balls

1 pkg. (8 oz.) pitted dates
1 c. sugar
1/3 c. butter
2 tbsp. orange marmalade
2 eggs, well beaten
3 c. crisp rice cereal
2 c. flaked coconut (plus extra for rolling)
1 c. pecans or walnuts, chopped

· In saucepan, mix together dates, sugar, butter, marmalade, and eggs with fork.
· Cook over low heat until dates are dissolved and mixture begins to thicken.
· Set aside to cool.
· Stir in cereal, 2 cups coconut and pecans.
· With buttered hands, shape in 1-inch balls, roll in coconut, and place on waxed paper to set.
· Store air-tight between layers of waxed paper.
· Makes about 6 dozen.

submitted by Janis Hopper
Janis starting making the same Christmas goodies every year when her children were very small. They became family traditions. The traditions carried over, and I started making them for my own family’s Christmas celebration.

Chocolate Pie

3 eggs, separated
1 tbsp. flour
1 c. sugar
1 c. milk
½ tsp. vanilla
3 tbsp. cocoa
1 tbsp. butter

· Mix yolk of eggs with sugar, flour, and milk.
· Cook over medium heat until thick.
· Remove from heat and add vanilla, cocoa, and butter.
· Whip egg whites separately with 3 tsp. sugar to make pie topping.
· Pour pie mixture in baked pie crust and spread with whipped topping.
· Bake in oven until egg whites are brown.
· Ingredients make one pie.

submitted by Wanda Witherington
Wanda always made the best pies. This is her recipe.

Chili Cheese Balls

2 lbs. Velveeta cheese
2 8-oz. pkgs. cream cheese
1 c. chopped nuts
½ tsp. garlic powder
Dash of salt
Chili powder

· Place Velveeta cheese and cream cheese in large bowl.
· Let come to room temperature.
· Mix cheeses well.
· Add nuts, garlic powder, and salt.
· Mix well.
· Shape into ball.
· Roll in chili powder. Wrap in foil.
· Chill until firm.

submitted by Janis Hopper
Janis starting making the same Christmas goodies every year when her children were very small. They became family traditions. The traditions carried over, and I started making them for my own family’s Christmas celebration.

Holiday Dressing (or for any time)

1 pan old-fashioned cornbread
1 c. chopped onions
1 c. chopped celery
4 eggs
1 stick melted butter
1 tsp. black pepper
3 tbsp. sage
1 c. bread crumbs
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
Vegetable broth

· Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
· I usually double this recipe and make two pans of cornbread.
· The original family recipe calls for poultry broth, but I prefer vegetable broth to keep it meat-free.
· Crumble cornbread and bread crumbs in roasting pan.
· Add each of the other ingredients, mixing the dry mixture with the broth.
· Reserve about 2 cups of broth to make gravy, 4 tablespoons of dressing, and a chopped boiled egg.
· You will know the dressing is the right mixture when it is firm, yet easy to stir. Don’t be tempted to over stir. That makes mushy dressing. Leave it lumpy. If it is hard to stir, add more broth.
· If you run out of broth, use water, oil, or melted butter in water.
· Bake for about an hour, long enough for the onions and celery to cook.

submitted by Bill & Wanda Witherington
Daddy and Wanda get the credit for teaching me how to make dressing, although I can have changed it quite a bit. Daddy's secret (no surprise) was adding lots of cayenne pepper. This recipe can be altered in several ways and still be delicious. A good dressing can be made with fewer eggs, less onions, and less celery. Once I omitted the melted butter by mistake and it came out good.

Blonde Christmas Brownies

2 c. all purpose flour
½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 c. brown sugar, firmly packed
2/3 c. shortening, melted
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 tsp. vanilla
1 c. (6 oz.) chocolate chips
1/3 c. nuts, chopped

· Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
· Mix flour, soda, baking powder, and salt.
· Add sugar to shortening; mix well.
· Blend in eggs and vanilla.
· Add flour mixture gradually, mixing well.
· Spread in 13 x 9 in. pan.
· Sprinkle with chocolate chips and nuts.
· Bake for 30 minutes.
· Cool in pan; cut in bars.
· Makes 48.

submitted by Janis Hopper
Janis starting making the same Christmas goodies every year when her children were very small. They became family traditions. The traditions carried over, and I started making them for my own family’s Christmas celebration.

Baked Beans

2 c. navy beans, small white beans, or Great Northern beans
Water for soaking
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. mustard, dry or cream
5 tbsp. dark brown sugar
4 tbsp. molasses

· Soak beans overnight and drain.
· Cover beans with water in crock pot.
· Mix in remaining ingredients.
· Slow cook in crock pot on high for six hours or on low all day.

submitted by Sheila Witherington
If you used canned beans, just mix the ingredients with the canned beans and bake in the oven (350 degrees) for 30 minutes. You can also add chopped onion and cooked hamburger to this recipe.