Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!


We know that everyone has their favourite holiday treats here is your place to share them!
Share your recipes, help other guests track down a long forgotten treat,
or just sit and drool over the lovely food.

Take your place in line -
The Grande Buffet is now OPEN!

One of my favorite things about the holidays are the all of the yummy treats that I get to bake and sample. I'll be leaving some treats here at the end of the buffet line with the recipes for each. Enjoy! First up...

1/2 c. butter
2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. molasses
1 egg
1 Tbsp vinegar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves

Mix butter at medium speed until softened about 30 seconds. Add about half of the flour, sugar, molasses, egg, vinegar, baking powder, baking soda, and spices. Mix all together, then mix in the remaining flour. Divide dough in a half and chill until easy to handle 2-3 hours.

Roll out each portion of dough to a 1/4 inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut out shapes using cookie cutters. Ginny likes to make hers in the shape of lightning bolts, Hagrid's hut, and broomsticks but Christmas shapes are fun too!

Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 6 to 8 minutes. Cool for 1 minute then remove from cookie sheet and cool on wire rack. Decorate with icing if you wish!

Oooo... love holiday cooking, partly because everything makes the house smell so heavenly! This next is a very simple dish for busy folks which (I am assured) is quite good for you!



Rinse berries thoroughly. Do watch for the occasional bad one.

Mix the water, cider and sugar in a medium pot, dissolving the sugar thoroughly. Bring to a boil.
Add the berries and return to a boil. Boil gently for 10 minutes. Stir in orange zest. Cool to room temperature, then refridgerate.

This is yummy as a side to most poultry dishes and can act as a nice side to a hot salad.

It's hard to pick a favorite but this recipe is a good one:

Krum Cookies

1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flour
2 cups unseasoned, dry, fine breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups chocolate covered raisins
(can also try with the new dark chocolate covered raisins or a combo of original and dark )

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (about 177 Celsius). Mix together the butter and the sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and beat well. In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients and then stir them into the butter mixture. Wait until the end to add the chocolate covered raisins.

On lightly greased cookie sheets, place the dough by the spoonful. Bake at 350 for 10 -12 minutes until golden brown.

Please inform the house-elves and Fred & George for that matter, that these snowballs are for eating not throwing.

Snowball Cookies

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix butter on medium speed until softened (about 30 seconds). Add half the flour, sugar, egg yolk and vanilla. Beat until well-blended. Add in the remaining flour. Knead choc. chips into the dough. Shape dough into 1 inch balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes or until edges are firm.

Remove from oven and cool on wire rack for a short time. Now here's the messy part. Put a few warm cookies in a plastic bag with the powdered sugar. Shake them around gently, remove carefully from bag, and let cool on wire rack. Before serving, sift a bit more powdered sugar over cookies.

An apple a day keeps the Healer away! To prevent an overnight in the Hospital Wing, Madame Pomfrey recommends this apple cake, best served warm with a dollop of french vanilla ice cream (for the calcium, of course).


Cream butter with sugar; add egg. Sift flour and measure adding salt and baking powder. Alternate milk and flour mixture to batter, adding vanilla as you go along. Spread the batter into a non-stick baking pan approximately 11 x 17 x 1 inches (deep cookie sheet will do).

Cut apples into eighths and arrange in rows on top of batter in pan. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture on top and dot with raisins.

Bake approximately 40 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Lovely if served warm (cold is fine too!) most especially with a dollop of french vanilla ice cream. (quite nice with cheese, whipped cream or entirely alone as well!)

Ok, all this food is making me thristy. Here are some of my favorites drinks, for those of age to drink alcohol, of course. Sorry I don't have exact measurements for all of them:

Lupin’s Chocolate Mint Coffee
One shot of Bailey’s Mint Chocolate
Crème de Menthe
Coffee
Whipped Cream
Maraschino cherry

Pour coffee and Bailey’s into a glass coffee cup. Add Whipped cream. Drizzle with crème de menthe. Top with a cherry

Mrs. Weasley’s Adult Christmas Cookie
½ shot crème de menthe
½ shot white crème de cocoa
½ shot peppermint schnapps
½ shot Bailey’s Irish cream
2 scoops of vanilla ice cream
Whipped cream
Chocolate syrup

Swirl inside of glass with chocolate syrup. Put ice cream and all liqueurs in bender. Top with Whipped cream and a touch of crème de menthe and chocolate syrup.

Dementor "Kiss" Martini
Crushed peppermint stick
1 ½ shots of vodka (Stoli Vanil)
Crème de Menthe

Moisten the rim of a martini glass and dip in the crushed peppermint. Add vodka and Crème de menthe. Hang a candy cane from the rim of the glass.

Snape's Spiced Rum Apple Cider
2 parts cloudy apple cider
1 part vanilla-infused Bacardi 8 or Gold rum
Fresh ground nutmeg
Heavy whipping cream

Combine first three ingredients (heat cider) and top with whipped cream.

Dumbledore's Lemon Drop Martini
1 ½ ounces vodka
½ ounce Triple Sec
1 teaspoon superfine sugar
¾ ounce lemon juice
Ice cubes
Superfine sugar for dipping
Twisted peel of lemon

Mix the vodka, Triple Sec, sugar, and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice; shake well (supposedly the cocktail is to be shaken 40 times to make sure the sugar is well blended). Pour strained liquor into sugar-rimmed martini glass and garnish with a twisted peel of lemon.

Here's a treat that Molly likes to prepare for her clan on Christmas morning. It's the perfect snack to nibble on when opening presents. And it's just like Molly...sweet, with a hint of tartness.

Cranberry Banana Bread

1 c. sugar
1/2 c. softened butter
1 c. mashed banana (2 or 3 very ripe bananas)
1/4 c. milk
2 eggs
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 c. coarsley chopped cranberries
1/2 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2 inch loaf pan. In medium bowl mix together dry ingredients: sugar, flour and baking powder. In a large bowl, mix sugar and butter together until completely blended. Add mashed banana, milk and eggs and mix well. Then add dry ingredients, mixing just until moist. Stir in cranberries (and walnuts if you wish). Pour batter into loaf pan and bake for 1 hour and 10 min. I check with a toothpick after 1 hour to be safe. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.

Y'all are making me hungry here, the only problem is that I can't really cook well. Do you think that Dobby would be willing to help me out some?

KIM

Ernie MacMillan's Stay-soft-and-chewy-and-quite-big HufflePuff Chocolate Chip Cookies

4 cups of flour
1tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups of melted butter or margerine
1 cup of white sugar
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
2 TBLSPs Vanilla
4 cups of chocolate chips (if you can't handle it, you can always add a little less)
2 cups of of packed brown sugar
1tsp of salt

-Heat oven to 325 degrees F

-Grease cookie sheets

-Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium largish size bowl.

-In a really big bowl cream together the melted butter, brown sugar, and white sugar untill well blended. Then beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolks until light and creamy. Now, mix in the sifted ingredients until just-blended.

-Stir in the chocolate chips using a wooden spoon.

-Drop cookie dough (by about the quarter of a cup) three inces apart on a greased cookie sheet.

-Bake 15-17 minutes in the preheated oven.

-When you take them out of the oven, let them cool for a few minutes on the baking sheets, then on wire racks.

OMG!!! All the Harry Potter themed food~~ And oven heat... This is all... too much... *faints*

Peanut brittle!!!
I have no idea how my mom just made it but it tastes good!

Nut Kiffles!

1 lb. margarine
4 cups flour
Unbeaten egg white
3 egg yolks
1 ½ cup sour cream
1 ½ cup ground nuts
1 ½ cup of sugar

Cut margarine into flour, as for pie dough. Beat egg yolk and sour cream and add it to margarine and flour. Divide the dough into 6 parts. Wrap in waxed paper and chill 6 hrs. Roll each piece on floured board to 12” circle. Cut into 12 wedges. Brush each with egg white. Sprinkle with combined nuts and sugar. Roll from wide end to a point. Curve into crescents. Dip each into egg whites and nut mixture. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet 350º about 15-20 min. or until lightly browned. (For some reason, I seem to have to always make more nut mixture and have to bake them longer than 20 min.)

I think that flaming Christmas pudding must be wonderful at Hogwarts! Here's a recipe that would fit right in:

A traditional recipe for a rich dark moist pudding. Ideal to be served with a brandy or whisky sauce.

The Ingredients
To make 2 x 2 pound or 4 x 1 pound puddings
3 ounces of flour
5 ounces of bread crumbs
5 ounces of suet
1¼ pounds of mixed dried fruit
1 small orange
1 small lemon
1 small cooking apple
2 eggs
1 tablespoonful of treacle
½ teaspoonful of mixed spice
½ teaspoonful of cinnamon
½ teaspoonful of nutmeg
1 small carrot
6 ounces of sugar (brown or white)
4 ounces of candid peel
Pinch of salt


To make 4 x 2 pound or 8 x 1 pound puddings
5 ounces of flour
10 ounces of bread crumbs
10 ounces of suet
2½ pounds of mixed dried fruit
2 small oranges
2 small lemons
1 cooking apple
4 eggs
2 tablespoonfuls of treacle
1 teaspoonful of mixed spice
1 teaspoonful of cinnamon
1 teaspoonful of nutmeg
1 carrot
11 ounces of sugar (brown or white)
6 ounces of candid peel
1 pinch of salt


The Method of Mixture
Mix flour, bread crumbs, suet, and mixed dried fruit into a large bowl. Add grated orange and lemon rind and juice. Add grated cooking apple. Mix well. Add eggs, treacle, spices and grated carrot. Add sugar, candid peel and salt. Mix well. (Optional ingredient tablespoon of whisky or brandy).

Allow mixture to stand over night in a covered bowl.

Place mixture into well greased pudding bowls. Cover with grease proof paper and secure with string.

Pressure cook according to pressure cooker instructions.

Allow to mature for approximately one month before final serving.

The Serving
Warm through using a saucepan of water on a low heat for two hours approximately, being careful not to let any water enter the pudding or the saucepan to boil dry. DO NOT MICROWAVE.

The pudding may then be flamed at the table. Pour over the pudding two tablespoons of high proof whisky and set alight.

Ideally serve with a brandy or whisky sauce.

No problemo! Here's a French recipe that is easy as 1-2-3!




(We can't all be chefs!)

They all sounds so yummy, now I'm really hungry.

It not exactly a Potter recipe but it could be made in a cauldron.

Fudge

3 cups sugar
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter or margarine
1 small can (5 oz.) evaporated milk (about 2/3 cup)
1-1/2 pkg. (12 squares) Baking Chocolate, chopped (chocolate chips work too)
1 jar (7 oz.) Marshmallow Creme
1 tsp. vanilla

Line 9-inch square pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan; set aside. Place sugar, butter and evaporated milk in large heavy saucepan. Bring to full rolling boil on medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil 4 min. or until candy thermometer reaches 234°F, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Remove from heat.
Add chocolate and marshmallow creme; stir until completely melted. Add walnuts and vanilla; mix well.
Pour immediately into prepared pan; spread to form even layer in pan. Let stand at room temperature 4 hours or until completely cooled; cut into 1-inch squares. Store in tightly covered container at room temperature.

I have a scrumpdidilyumptiouse recipie!

Chocolate Covered Peanut Crunch:

1 3/4 cup of chocolate chips
2 1/2 cups of peanuts (salty)
Handful of Captin Crunch (regualr or Peanut Butter)
----
A microwavable bowl
Spatula
empty stomach
Tupperware box for storage
----
Take your chocolate chips and pour into your bowl. Zap them in the microwave (PAY ATTENTION!) for a minute, watching so you don't burn the chocolate
----
then when you finish melting them, take a spatula and stir it up. Pour in your peanuts and Captin Crunch and stir until it is all mixed in.
------
Now, take little handfulls and place onto a clean surface to cool.
----
after they harden and cool, take one or two, milk or soy milk, and eat.
----
Store in a tupperware or ziploc box and place either in the refrigerator or in your cuppord.
----
Finish!

I just talked to Fleur and she eez afraid that she will burst out of 'er dress robes weeth all of zis 'eavy food!

As a loyal Fitty, I am offering up a lower cal dessert. I made got it from the Fitting It In forums, and I made it for Thanksgiving. It was more popular than the pumpkin pie!

Taffy Apple Salad

3 cups diced apples (granny smith taste best)
1 small sugar-free butterscotch instant pudding
1 8 oz can crushed pineapple
1 8 oz container fat free cool whip

Toss diced apples, butterscotch, pineapple, and cool whip. Add to apple mixture. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.

You can use peeled apples or unpeeled. Serving size 1 cup.

WW Points: 1 or 2 points per serving.

Yum! Those sound soo good!

Here's one I found on Food Network....

Monster Cookies! They're so good! You're not going to want to stop eating them!

3 eggs
1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (12-ounc) jar creamy peanut butter
1 stick butter, softened
1/2 cup multi-colored chocolate candies
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup raisins, optional
2 teaspoons baking soda
4 1/2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal (not instant)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats.
In a very large mixing bowl, combine the eggs and sugars. Mix well. Add the salt, vanilla, peanut butter, and butter. Mix well. Stir in the chocolate candies, chocolate chips, raisins, if using, baking soda, and oatmeal. Drop by tablespoons 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Do not overbake. Let stand for about 3 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool. When cool, store in large resealable plastic bags.

OK--Here is a savoury recipe--it can't ALL be sweets!

Humphrey Belcher's Four Cheese Pate'
(for all we know, this recipe may have given him the idea for a Cheese Cauldron!)

Ingredients:
3-8 oz. packages of cream cheese, softened
2 Tablespoons milk
2 Tablespoons sour cream
3/4 cup chopped nuts (I like walnuts or pecans for this)
4 oz. (1 cup) shredded Swiss Cheese
4 oz. Brie or Camembert, rind removed, softened
4 oz. crumbled Bleu Cheese
1/2 cup Pecan halves
crackers,
red and green apple slices
decorator's holly

Method:
In a mixing bowl, beat one package of the cream cheese with the milk and sour cream until smooth.
Spread in a bowl or pie plate lined with saran wrap.
Sprinkle with chopped nuts.
In a separate mixing bowl, beat Brie, Swiss, and Bleu cheese with remaining cream cheese until thoroughly mixed.
Gently spread over chopped nuts, smoothing top to make a flat surface.
Cover, and chill overnight. (can be left to chill up to 3-4 days.)
Before serving, invert bowl or pie pan onto a serving plate and remove plastic wrap.
Arrange pecan halves on top, and decorate with synthetic (non-poisonous) holly sprig.
Serve with apples, crackers, or both.

Variations:
Try Poached Pear slices with this on Banana Bread--delicious!
Softened, it can be piped into fruit halves or onto crackers!

Enjoy!

PP

I also have a nother one:

THin Mint Ice-cream:

1 container of vanilla ice-cream
some thin mints
chocolate chips
a sprig of mint (or some other form of mint... like extract of mint)
----
A tall glass (like ones from ice-cream parlors)
A scoop for ice-cream
something to make mint shredded (adult help if possible)
spoons
old vanilla container to put new ice-cream in
-----
Okay, first open up your vanilla and scoop out enough for there to be room inside to mix-in some things
----
crush up the mint, thin mints, anc chocolate chips
----
throw your minty chocolate mix into your container of ice-cream
-------
stir it up (it helps to get the ice-cream melty so it is easy to stir)
------------
Put it into the freezer and wait a bit for it to freeze up again. In the meantime, clean up and eat the vanilla ice-cream you had to take out
-----
Now, one the ice-cream is all frozen again, take it out and scoop into glass.
----
Put a mint leaf or two on top and stick in a thin mint
----
Eat and enjoy!


(( Sooooo fatty, I know))

Rum balls are a Christmas tradition and don't require any cooking.

Kristmas KRum Balls

1 1/2 cups toasted pecans, finely chopped (hazelnuts, walnuts, or almonds can be used)

1 1/4 cups finely crushed shortbread or vanilla wafer cookies

1/2 cup confectioners sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1/4 cup Myer's dark rum

1/2 cup confectioners sugar, sifted (for coating)


Process the vanilla wafer cookies or shortbread cookies in the food processor until finely ground. Add the crumbs to the finely chopped pecans. To this mixture add the confectioners sugar and cocoa powder and stir until combined. Add the corn syrup and rum and mix well. Chill if necessary and then shape into 1 inch (2.54 cm) balls. Place the sifted confectioners sugar into a small bowl and roll the rum balls in the sugar.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. These are best if made several days in advance of serving to allow the flavors to mingle.
Serve at room temperature.

Feed a Hungry Weasley Oatmeal Cookies

¼ cup of milk
1 cup of butter
1 cup of sugar
2 eggs
1 ½ tsp of maple flavoring
2 cups of flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
2 cups oatmeal
1 cup of raisins
1 cup chopped walnuts


1. Cream sugar with shortening.
2. Beat eggs separately and add to sugar/shortening.
3. Add maple flavoring and mix well.
4. Sift salt, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon, then mix with oats (in a separate bowl from the wet ingredients).
5. Add wet mixture to dry mixture a spoonful or two at a time. When it becomes too dry to mix very well, add a little milk. Keep doing this until all of wet mixture is mixed with the dry.
6. Add walnuts and raisins.
7. Drop to cookie sheet with spoon. Size according to preference, but not too big because you don’t want the edges to burn.
8. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes at 350º.

"Yule" Love This Cavatini

For the sauce:

3-15oz cans of chopped tomatoes (smash them just a bit)
1 or 2 Tbsp sugar (make it just barely too sweet)
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup Red wine--I like the flavor of Merlot
2 tsp Italian Seasoning
2 tsp Garlic Seasoning--I use Susie Q's Santa Maria Style
Ground Black Pepper

Combine all ingredients, and simmer.

For the filling:

1/2lb Italian Sausage
1/4lb Canadian Bacon, sliced thin
1/4lb Dry Salami, sliced thin
Pepperoni, sliced thin, to taste--it's really greasy
1 med Onion, coarsly chopped
1lb Mushrooms, sliced
1 Green Bell Pepper, sliced
2-4oz cans sliced Black Olives
10oz cooked, shaped pasta--like Rotini

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain.
Saute onion in a bit of Olive Oil for about 1 minute, then add Italian Sausage. When the sausage starts cooking, add mushrooms and green pepper. Cook thoroughly. Combine all meats and the olives, and heat through.

Add filling and pasta to sauce. Mix thoroughly. Put in a casserole, and top with about 1 cup grated mozzerella cheese. Bake at 375F about 45 minutes, until hot and bubbly.

This is great recipe for New Year's Eve Buffets.

Wanted to drop by and add another alternative to all these wonderful sweets:

Robert Dip

AKA Mexican Layer Dip

16 oz. can refried beans ( I use vegetarian)
1/2 packet of taco seasoning

Mix together and spread in a 9x13 dish.

8 oz. container of sour cream.
Spread over the bean layer.

Layer the following in order (or not as you choose):
chopped onions
chopped green chilies
chopped tomatoes

Fully cover top with shredded Monterey Jack cheese.

Serve at room temperature with any commercial dipping chips that you choose.

Variations:
(The best thing about this recipe is that you can tailor it to suit your needs and your tastes. Increase amounts for a larger group. Leave out or add in items of your choice.)

**Add 1/2 jar of picante sauce or salsa to bean layer and stir in well. Mix the other half with the tomatoes before adding as a layer.

**Substitute avocado dip for the sour cream.

**Add chopped black olives.

**Use another type of cheese. (Pepper Jack, anyone?)

**Top with shredded lettuce.

Rudolph's Cookie Kisses

Ingredients:

1 cup softened margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup sugar
1 2/3 cup flour
1/4 cup cocoa
1 bag (9 oz) chocolate kisses

Beat margarine, sugar & vanilla until it is creamy. In separate bowl, stir together flour and cocoa. Blend into other mixture, mixing well. Refrigerate for about 1 hour or until dough is easy to handle. Mold scant tablespoon dough around each kiss, covering completely. Shape into balls, then bake on cookie sheet for 10 to 12 minutes or until set. Cool, then roll in powdered sugar. Makes 4 1/2 dozen.

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound frozen phyllo sheets
1 cup melted butter
2 cups finely chopped walnuts or blanched almonds
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup honey
1 cup water
1 tablespoon lemon juice

PREPARATION:
Directions for baklava
Thaw phyllo pastry and separate sheets according to package directions. Keep pastry not being used covered with clean damp dish towel to keep it from drying out. Place half of pastry sheets in a greased 15x10x1-inch baking pan, one by one, brushing each sheet quickly and all over with melted butter. Combine nuts, 1/2 cup sugar, and cinnamon; sprinkle over buttered pastry. Place remaining sheets on top, brushing each with melted butter. Cut baklava pastry into 2-inch diamonds. Bake at 400° until brown and crisp, about 30 to 35 minutes. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine remaining 3/4 cup sugar, honey, 1 cup water, and lemon juice; bring to a boil. Boil baklava syrup for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until syrupy. Cool and pour over baklava.

OMG, getting so hungry reading the recipes!!! They all sound great!!!

Lucius' Luscious Malfoy Morsels

1-1 1/2 Packets Chocolate Cream Biscuits
300 Ml can of Condensed Milk
2 Cups Coconut

Put Biscuits in blender and grind until they resemble breadcrumbs.
Put into clean bowl and add the condensed milk, add 1 cup coconut.
Roll small amounts of mixture into small balls and then roll in remaining coconut.
Refrigerate.
Can last up to a week.

YUMMO!!

These are a Thanksgiving favorite but will work for any feast! Every time I make them I am asked for the recipe. So yummy and easy to make. Enjoy!

"Sweet Ginny" Potatoes

Wash, prick with fork and cook in microwave until soft: 3 large sweet
potatos or yams (should be about 3 cups cooked sweet potatos). Using
mixer, whip together the sweetpotatos, 2 eggs, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/3 C.
milk, and 1/2 C. melted butter or margarine.

Put in shallow glass baking dish. Cover with topping (recipe below).
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 - 30 minutes, or until warmed through.

Topping:
1 C. brown sugar
1/2 C. flour
5 T. melted butter or margarine
1 C. chopped pecans

Mix all together & spread over sweet potato mixture before baking.

1. Put the cream soda in a pan to boil.

2. Melt the butter and sugar together until the sugar has dissolved.

3. Pour the butter and sugar mixture into the pan of boiling cream soda (make sure the soda is boiling, or the butter and sugar will solidify)

4. Add the cream.

5. Add the Werther's Originals and stir continuously until they melt.

6. Serve hot.

You can also add a couple of shots of Butterscotch Schnapps for that extra kick ;-)

Anyone else know of other HP-themed drinks recipes? If you have some good ones, we may even arrange to have them at Sectus!

You aren't the only one!!!!

Well there's Elf made wine. If you are feeling brave you can actually try your hand at a bit of home brewing (plenty of time before Sectus!). If not I'm sure someone artistic could create some great labels to stick on a bottle of Merlot!

Another thing we did at Rangers was Christmas sweets. We found it in the Sainsbury's magasine.

Bash up about 5 hard boiled sweets.

Cove some Christmas shaped cutters in olive oil.

Pour the sweets (now like powder) into the shapes.

Bake (I think for five minutes but I forgot! well, until they're melted I think).

Then leave them to cool.

If you mix the colours of the sweets they look like stained glass.

Also, if you put a stick through the top before you put them in the oven, they come out with a hole on top and you can hang them on the Tree. If you like, while they're cooling you can put some silver balls on, but they do fall off.


I've just had the most georgeous (sp?) Chocolate Log from Sainsbury's

Here's one of my favorites for christmas,

Cranberry Salad~

1 cup ground cranberries*
1 cup crushed pineapple
1 cup pineapple syrup (from crushed pineapple)
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup sugar
1 3oz. lemon jello
1 cup of hot water
½ cup of walnuts (optional)

Directions:

Dissolve jello in hot water. Add syrup. Chill until partially set. Combine cranberries and sugar. And cranberries mixture, pineapple, celery, and nuts to jello mixture. Chill until set.

*Normally, I just use the whole 12oz. bag of cranberries.

Hagrid's Buffalo Chicken Lasagna

12 Whole Wheat Lasagna Noodles, uncooked
1 Pound Cubed Chicken Breast, talons removed
3 Cups of Ragu Garden Vegetable Spaghetti sauce
(or any sauce you like)
1 Cup Buffalo Wing Sauce
1 and 1/2 Cups of Water
15 Ounces Ricotta Cheese
1/2 Cup Egg Substitute
9 Slices of Pepperjack Cheese
Blue Cheese dressing (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Spray skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Cook chicken over medium heat until nearly done. Stir in sauces and water. In small bowl, combine ricotta cheese and egg substitute. Spray a 9 x 13 pan with nonstick cooking spray. Spread one cup of sauce in the bottom of the pan. Arrange four noodles over the sauce. Spread more sauce, then a layer of ricotta cheese mixture. Add another layer of sauce, and repeat process until you end with a layer of sauce. Cover and bake 60 minutes. Uncover and place cheese slices on top, then bake, uncovered, another 10- 15 minutes or until cheese melts. Let stand for ten minutes, then slice up and serve. You can drizzle Blue Cheese dressing on individual servings if you like.

here is another cranberry sauce receipe that has become a thanksgiving tradition at our house.



PEAR-HONEY CRANBERRY SAUCE

prep 5 minutes/cook 10 minutes
plus 2 hours to chill

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
3 pears, pared, cored, cut into medium dice
12 oz. fresh or thawed frozen cranberries
1 cup honey
2 tsp. (or to taste) fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. grated lemon zest (we use the kind from a bottle)

1. Heat the water and sugar to boiling in medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly to dissolve sugar. Stir in pears, reduce heat to medium, and cook gently, stirring frequently, 3 minutes.

2. Add cranberries and honey to pears and stir well. Cook over medium heat until cranberries pop and syrup thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Let cool slightly, then stir in lemon juice and zest. Let cool to room temperature; refrigerate covered until cold. (Can be stored in refrigerator up to 1 week.) Transfer to serving dish and serve cold.

Serves 8
220 calories per serving; 0 g protein, 0 g fat, 54 g (100%) carbohydrates; 0 mg cholesterol; 3 mg sodium.

for christmas dinner we usually have prime rib, yorkshire pudding, mashed potatoes (with most dinners!) and asparagus.

my favorite is the yorkshire pudding! but i have no idea how to make it ...usually my brother in law makes it. it is quite yummy!

Oooh just thought I would drop by with my favorite easy fruit salad that always seems a hit:
15 oz can mandarin oranges
17 oz can of peaches (Cut up)
20 oz can of pinaapple chunks
1 jar of maraschino cherries
6 oz of miniature marshmallows

Drain all fruit from can. Layer into a large serving bowl. Serve with Fruit Salad Dressing (below) Spoon dressing over the fruit mixture and toss lightly. Cover and chill in refrigerator overnight.

Fruit Salad Dressing
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon paprika
3 Tablespoons lemon juuice
3 Tablespoons orange juice
1/4 oil

Combine all ingredients in a screw-top jar. Cover tightly and shake vigorously to blend well. Store in refrigerator. Shake well before using.

Hope you enjoy. Merry Christamas everyone!

And to think that I was complaining the other day in the Great Hall about not having enough food!

My, my. You all have out done yourselves. I think to be fair that I must have a sample of each!

Thanks for all of the delicious food and recipes!

I just wanted to take a quick photo of the fabulous buffet table before it is all gone!

This is my favorite pumpkin bread recipe. I got it from allrecipes.com

· 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
· 4 eggs
· 1 cup vegetable oil
· 2/3 cup water
· 3 cups white sugar
· 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
· 2 teaspoons baking soda
· 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
· 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
· 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
· 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
· 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 7x3 inch loaf pans.
2. In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, water and sugar until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Pour into the prepared pans.
3. Bake for about 50 minutes in the preheated oven. Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

enjoy!!

These all sound and taste so yummy! Thanks for the recipes everyone!