Sweet Traditions: Christmas Recipes from Home

I have enjoyed coming into your home every other month and sharing with you easy recipes from the heart of Kentucky.  I hope that you have tried a few to share with your family and friends. I simply share with you things that I love and hope that you will love them too! I wish for you a blessed holiday season, filled with love, laughter, and good food — blessings, Sandy

DATE PUDDING

1 cup dates, cut fine

1 teaspoon soda

1 cup boiling water

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg, beaten

½ teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground cloves

½ cup chopped pecans

1 teaspoon vanilla

Whipped cream for topping

Place dates and soda in a small bowl and pour boiling water over them. Let cool.  Cream butter and sugar, add beaten egg. Add flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and pecans.  Mix well.  Add date mixture and mix.  Add vanilla.  Pour in 8x8 inch pan.  Bake at 325 for 30 minutes.  Cool.  Store in refrigerator; top with whipped cream when serving.

*This is my friend Sheila’s mom’s recipe, Sheila said that her mom used to make Date Pudding every Christmas.  Thanks to Sheila and her mom, Doris Jean*

DANISH WEDDING COOKIES

½ cup butter, room temperature

¼ cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans

Powdered sugar for rolling

Beat butter and sugar until creamy.  Mix in vanilla.  Add flour and salt.  Beat until smooth.  Stir in nuts.  Shape into ½ in balls.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet.  Flatten slightly.  Bake at 350 for 15 minutes until lightly browned.  Remove from oven.  Quickly roll hot cookies in powdered sugar.  Completely cool and roll in powdered sugar again.  Store in airtight container at room temperature.

SUMPTUOUS BREAD PUDDING WITH CHANTILLY SAUCE

1 (1lb) loaf French Bread

1 quart half & half or whole milk

3 eggs beaten

½ cup white sugar

½ cup brown sugar

1 cup chopped dates

½ cup chopped black walnuts

2 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

½ cup butter, cubed

If you cannot get day old bread, leave the loaf out overnight.  Break bread into bite-size chunks in a very large bowl.  Add half & half, squish the mixture well with your hands (you can wear gloves if you wish).  Mix the eggs, sugars, vanilla, spices, dates and walnuts.  Spoon the batter into a sprayed or buttered 9x13 glass pan.  Cut chunks of butter and place on top of mixture.  Sprinkle additional cinnamon and sugar over entire surface.  Bake at 325 for 30-40 minutes or until the pudding is firm; the middle might be a little more soft than the edges.

CHANTILLY SAUCE

1 pint half and half

2 cup powdered sugar

½ stick butter

1 teaspoon Vanilla

½ teaspoon Nutmeg

Slowly heat the half & half with the butter until the butter melts.  While this is heating, add a little milk to the powdered sugar until it becomes a liquid.  Pour the sugar mixture in to the warm milk stirring so it won’t lump.  Let this cook until the cream gets smooth but not thick.  Add the vanilla and nutmeg.  Serve this warm over the bread pudding.  Sumptuously delicious!