Vinegar Pie and Other Holiday Treats to Make Ahead

These are delicious recipes that I have collected over the years from the Midwest and near southern states. They are especially useful during the harvest season and associated feast days that extends from September through the end of year holidays in North America.

These recipes include dishes thay can be - or must be - stored at least overnight in the refrigerator to blend flavors and/or to set up to a required firmness, and others that can be kept up to 7 days in the refrigerator, and still others that can be frozen.

Provides 8-10 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 1.5 Cups sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon each of nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice
• 1.5 Tablespoons powdered cocoa or 1/2 cup chopped pecans – or both
• 4 Whole eggs, well beaten
• 1/4 Cup butter, melted and cooled a bit - don't allow it to congeal
• 1.5 Tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 9-inch pie shell – your own recipe or purchase from the market freezer case. Some stores sell pie shells in a package in the baking aisle as well.

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Mix the sugar and all the spices until mixed thoroughly.
• In another bowl, combine the beaten eggs, butter, vinegar, and vanilla and beat together
• Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until well mixed.
• Pour the batter into the pie shell and bake until set, for 45 - 50 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack. Store overnight in the refrigerator, covered tightly, if required.

Serves 10 and can be made 1-2 days ahaed of time. Keep coveres in a a plastic container in the refrigerator.

INGREDIENTS

• 10 good-flavored eating apples
• 10, 6-inch wooden apple skerers or popsicle sticks
• 1, 13-OZ jar of a good chocolate hazelnut spread like Nutella
• Assorted edible decorations - chopped peanuts, raisins, dried cranberries, colored sugar sprinkles, powdered sugar, small chocolate chips, slivered almonds, crumbled cookies, crumbled waffle cones, etc.

INSTRUCTIONS

• Remove all of the stems from the apples and wash them, then pat dry with a clean towel.
• Insert a stick in the stem end of each apple. With a spatula, cover the apples with chocolate-hazelnut spread.
• Next, roll the choco-covered apples in the decorations of yoru choice and place them carefully on a plate covered with waxed paper.
• Place dessert into the refrigerate until chocolate is set firm. Stpre in a plastic tupperware-type container with the lid on of not serving the same day.

This dip can be made up to 7 days ahead of time.

INGREDIENTS

• 8 OZ cream cheese at room temperature & softened
• 2 Cups powdered sugar 1, 15-OZ or 16-OZ pumpkin (not the pie filling or pumpkin pudding - the cans look similar)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• Cookies and fruit slices for dipping.

INSTRUCTIONS

• Put the cream cheese and powdered sugar into a mixing bowl and beat well.
• Next, add in the pumpkin, cinnamon, and ginger and beat again.
• Pour the dip mixture into an airtight container, cover it, and chill at least 8 hours or overnight before serving.
• When ready to serve the dip, sit it on the kitchen counter until it reaches room temperature. Place dip in a serving dish and surround it with gingersnaps, vanilla wafers, apple slices, pear slices or whatever else you might like.
• Keep remainder refrigerated up to 1 week.

This salad needs to refrigerate at least overnight and can be kept for a total of 2 days in the refrigerator inan air tight container. After that, it begins to become a bit runny.

Provides 6-8 Servings

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Cup low-fat sour cream
• 8 OZ cream cheese, at room temperature and softened
• 1 Cup Cool Whip or whipped cream
• 1.5 Cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 3 Pounds of seedless grapes

EASY FAST INSTRUCTIONS

• Place everything all at once into a large mixing bowl and stir until the grapes are coated.
• Place salad in an air tight container and refrigerate overnight.

Serves 6 and is great for the days after a holiday. Can be frozen.

INGREDIENTS

• 3½ Cups leftover cooked turkey
• 4 Cups spring water
• 2 boxes (about 6 OZ each) of quick-cooking long grain and wild rice mix
• 1 can reduced-fat cream of mushroom soup
• ½ Cup skim or 2% milk
• ¾ Cup of shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

• Coarsely chop the turkey and set it aside.
• In a deep nonstick skillet with a lid, stir the water, rice mix, and seasoning packets, cream of mushroom soup, and the milk.
• Next, put the skillet over medium heat and bring it to the boil.
• Just as the mixture boils, cover the skillet and reduce the heat to medium-low and cook 5 minutes.
• Uncover the pan and cook 5 minutes, until nearly all liquid is absorbed. Add in the turkey and stir briefly.
• Sprinkle the cheese over the new mixture and cover again -- cook on low heat for 2 - 3 minutes until the cheese melts and turkey is heated through.

Recipe makes 2 loaves that can be frozen

INGREDIENTS

• 2, 15- or 16-OZ Cans of pumpkin OR 1, 26-OZ can (bread will not be quite as moist, so add another Tablesoon of oil called for below)
• 3.5 Cups flour
• 3 Cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons soda
• 1.5 teaspoons salt
• 4 Whole eggs, lightly beaten
• 2/3 Cup Spring water
• 1/3 Cup vegetable oil
• 1 Cup chopped almonds or pecans or walnuts

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and cooking spray and dust with flour, two 9- by 13-inch loaf pans.
• In a mixing bowl, mix the pumpkin, flour, sugar, cinnamon, soda, and salt well. Then add the eggs, water, oil, and nuts of your choice.
• Divide the batter equally between the loaf pans and then bake for one hour or until a knife blade inserted in center comes out clean.