Fall and Winter Holiday Recipes to Remember

Several additional harvest celebration recipes are offered in Favorite Autumn and Winter Holiday Recipes. This Hub Continues with some additional offerings, including the foods that North America has celebrated for centuries: salmon, corn, turkey, and oranges.

Continuing with Winter Holidays:

• Pearl Harbor Day - December 7th. -- In America, some people celebrate this by acknowledging the lives of the individuals lost during the surprise attack of Japan on Pear Harbor, Hawaii on December 2, 1942. Three are moments of silence, and some families prepare the favorite foods of the relatives that were lost in the attack.
• Wright Brothers Day - Dec. 17th
• Kwanzaa
• Winter Solstice
• Christmas Eve/Christmas - December 23/24
• New Years Eve/New Years Day - December 31/January 1 -- On New Year's Day, some people descended from the Irish, Scottish, British, and Welsh lines make pillow cases for good fortune in the new year. See the story at: New Year's Traditions - The Pillowcase.
• Orthodox Christmas Day – January 7 (2008)
• Orthodox New Year – January 14 (2008)
• Martin Luther King Day – January 19
• Inauguration Day – January 20
• National Freedom Day – February 1
• Groundhog Day – February
• Tu B'Shevat (Jewish Arbor Day) - 15th of Shevat
• Valentine's Day – February 14
• Presidents' Washington and Lincoln Day – February 16
• Carnivale; Shrove Tuesday; Mardi Gras
• Ash Wednesday

Provides 36 appetizers

This is great for Autumn or Winter Holidays to celebrate Native Americans and First Nations, or Thanksgivings in Canada and the USA. It might even be served on Jewish Arbor Day.

 INGREDIENTS

• 2 Cups peeled, cubed white or red potatoes
• 1 Cup diced onion
• 2 Garlic cloves
• 2 large eggs
• 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 Cup minced green onions, white and green parts
• Vegetable oil for cooking
• 6 Ounces smoked salmon
• 1/2 Cup sour cream – use low-fat or non-fat if you wish.
• Parsley or chopped green onions for garnish (or chives)

 PREPARATION

• BATTER: Place potatoes, diced onions, garlic, eggs, flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper into a blender or food processor and blend well for 30 seconds toi achieve a grainy texture. Stir in green onions.
• Heat 3 Tablespoons oil in a large skillet over high heat and add 2 Tablespoons of the batter; spread to make a pancake 2 inches in diameter. Repeat as many pancakes as fit in the pan without touching. Cook 3 minutes a side or until brown.
•  Transfer pancakes to a wire rack and make more pancakes.
• Cut salmon into squares that fit the pancakes and place on top.
• Place a dollop of sour cream on each and sprinkle with additional green onions or chives.

Serves 8-10

INGREDIENTS

• White Bean Spread
• 1 Can (15-ounce) cannelloni (white) beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 Tablespoons flat leaf parsley leaves
• 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Sage Pesto
• 1/4 Cup fresh sage leaves
• 1/4 Cup flat leaf parsley leaves
• 1 Clove garlic
• 1 Tablespoon toasted pine nuts
• 2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Thin toasted bread or crackers and carrot & celery sticks

PREPARATION

• Combine beans, parsley, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper in food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Spread bean mixture in a shallow dish about 5 by 4 inches.
• Combine sage, parsley, garlic, pine nuts and Parmesan cheese in a blender and pulse to chop and blend. Drizzle olive oil into mixture and blend until smooth. Season to taste. Spread in a thin layer over bean mixture.
• Serve at room temperature with the bread, crackers, and vegetables.

Makes 10 to 12 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 8 Fresh ears of corn, cut from cobs and 1 red bell pepper, Diced or 3,11-12oz. cans of Mexican Corn [with sweet red peppers]
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 leek, chopped
• 1/2 Cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1.5 Cups Shredded cheddar cheese
• ½ Cup sour cream and ½ Cup mayonnaise, or to taste
• Tortilla chips for dipping (blue or white corn are great!) or other dippers.

PREPARATION

• Mix the corn, cumin, cayenne, leek and cilantro together well.
• Add cheddar and sour cream to taste and desired consistency. .
• Serve with the tortilla chips.

Makes 5 dozen cookies

(Make and keep a roll of this dough in the freezer.)

INGREDIENTS

• 1.5 Cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon EACH baking soda, cinnamon, ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 Stick of unsalted butter, well softened
• 1/2 Cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 Cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• Grated zest of 1 orange
• 1/2 teaspoon orange extract
• 1 Large egg

PREPARATION

• Mix flour, baking soda, and spices in a large bowl.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, beat butter and both sugars until well mixed. Or do this in another bowl by hand.
• Beat in the zest and orange extract.
• Beat in the egg and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Next add all the dry ingredients and beat well.
• Scrape dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a cylinder 2-inches in diameter.
• Wrap in wax paper or plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm - 1 hour. [Can be frozen for up to 1 month.]
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Line baking sheets with parchment.
• Cut dough into 6 slices per inch - rotate the roll so it doesn't get squashed. Place slices on baking sheets with 2 inches between them.
• Bake until cookies are slightly puffy and feel firm - 12 to 15 minutes.
• Remove from oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes and then place on a cooling rack
• Serve at holiday parties or dinners.