Dash of Class: Close to Christmas

By NORA SWEAT

Just a little over two weeks until Christmas Day, and I dare say many of you are starting to make goodies and putting them in tins for the holidays.

Just last week I was at two holiday functions. One was a Christmas luncheon and the other a Christmas tea. Just this past Tuesday, I attended another Christmas luncheon with Cecilia Homemakers.

Many of you have given me some new recipes or old recipes that have been discovered by others and others of you have introduced me to an easier way of making some sweets.

The first recipe I’m sharing with you today is my mom’s recipe for bourbon balls.

Now, I agree there are some very good bourbon ball vendors out there, but I have to say that I think my mom’s recipe is as good as any.

At the Woman’s Club of Elizabethtown luncheon, my fellow hostesses and I, along with the help of my husband, made 150 bourbon balls. Mike is a great bourbon ball dipper, so we took full advantage of that.

The next recipe was served at The Woman’s Club/Heritage Council Christmas tea, and Diane McCamish told another of the guests at our table all about Benedictine spread.

This particular guest is a physician at Ireland Army Hospital and had not heard of the spread’s history. The following is a quote from Linda Lewis, who wrote the food column in Kentucky Living, the magazine for Kentucky Rural Electric for many years.

 “So many Kentuckians are grateful to Miss Jennie Benedict, a Louisville caterer, for creating Benedictine spread before the turn of the century. I grew up enjoying this famous green spread when my family would entertain. My mother would order green      and pink loaves of bread from the bakery. She would cut off the crusts, slice the bread thin, and fill the green loaves with pimiento cheese and the pink loaves with this great Benedictine. These finger sandwiches were so colorful at her parties and club nights. I love my version, but admit that a dash of Tabasco added to the mixture makes it even better.”

It was served at the tea on white and wheat crustless bread.

The third recipe is for Country Ham Salad, which was also served at the tea.

I used the recipe from Bruce Richardson’s Elmwood Inn. I used the country ham left from the Woman’s Club Harvest Breakfast in October.

The fourth and fifth recipes are for fudge and jam cake. These are shared by a college friend, Bonnie Newton Claycomb, whose brother, sister and nieces and nephews live in Hardin County. Bonnie’s husband, Eddie, coached at Elizabethtown Catholic High School during the Vietnam War. Eddie’s National Guard unit was called to active duty, but head coach Hardin McLane and the ECHS Knights were headed to the state basketball tournament.

Unbeknownst to Mr. Claycomb, several ECHS students petitioned President Johnson to let their assistant coach, Claycomb, have leave for the state tournament, and President Johnson did.

Bonnie and I made the long trip from Bowling Green to Louisville on a Greyhound bus to watch the basketball game.

Nora Sweatis a native of Hardin County and a retired home economics/family and consumer science teacher. She can be reached at norasweat@thenewsenterprise.comor by mail at 408 W. Dixie Ave., Elizabethtown, KY 42701

 

Bourbon Balls

1 stick margarine

1 pound powdered sugar

¼ cup bourbon

Pecans, finely chopped (optional)

Wilton chocolate melts

Mix margarine, powdered sugar and bourbon together until well blended. If mixture seems sticky, add more powdered sugar. Roll into small balls and place on waxed paper to dry. Wait 24 hours. Then dip in melted chocolate melts made by Wilton. Light cocoa is milk chocolate and dark cocoa is semi-sweet chocolate. You can use candy coating available at the grocery, but it does not have the rich taste of the chocolate melts. They are available at Michael’s, Wal-Mart and maybe other places in town.

Source: Juanita Vaillancourt

 

Benedictine Spread

8 ounce package cream cheese, softened

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

3 tablespoons grated cucumber, drained well on a paper towel

1 teaspoon finely chopped green onions with tops

1 drop green food coloring

Dash of Tabasco, optional

Blend all ingredients together and mix well. Yields 10 to 12 servings.

Note: Serve as dip or use as spread for finger sandwiches.

Source: “Kentucky’s Best: Fifty Years of Great Recipes,” by Linda Allison-Lewis

 

Country Ham Salad Sandwiches

1 ½ pound country ham

6 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 tablespoons honey mustard*

1 large can crushed pineapple, drained

Trim all fat off country ham and then grind. (I used my grinder attachment on my Kitchen Aid large mixer). Mix ground ham with mayonnaise, honey mustard and crushed pineapple. Add more mayonnaise if needed for a creamy spread.

Source: “A Year of Teas at The Elmwood Inn,” by Bruce and Shelley Richardson

*Rather than buying honey mustard for that small amount, I made my own.

Nora’s Honey Mustard

4 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 tablespoons mustard (I used yellow)

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoons lemon juice

Mix all together until creamy and smooth.

 

Quick and Easy Fantasy Fudge (Chocolate or peanut butter) 

3 sticks margarine

3 cups sugar

5 ounces evaporated milk

12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips (peanut butter chips for peanut butter fudge)

7-ounce jar marshmallow cream

1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

1 teaspoon vanilla

Microwave margarine for one minute. Add sugar and milk and mix well. Microwave for five minutes, stirring after three minutes. Stir mixture again after final two minutes.

Microwave again for five and a half minutes. Stir after three minutes. Stir again after final two and a half minutes. Add chips and stir until melted. Add marshmallow cream, vanilla and nuts. Pour into buttered dish. Makes three pounds.

Source: Bonnie Newton Claycomb, retired home economist

 

Quick and Easy Jam Cake

1 box Duncan Hines Spice Cake mix

1 cup blackberry jam

1 cup strawberry jam

1 cup pecan pieces

1 cup raisins

Mix cake mix as directed on back of box. Add jams, pecans and raisins. Pour into three prepared pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes. 

Frosting

1 stick margarine

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup milk

2 cups powdered sugar

Melt margarine; add brown sugar. Boil for two minutes. Add milk and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add powdered sugar. Use an electric mixer to get out any lumps.

Source: Bonnie Newton Claycomb, retired home economist