Christmas Recipes

Giblet Gravy

Neck and giblets reserved from turkey
4 cups water
1 celery rib with leaves, cut into pieces
1 onion, quartered
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper

Combine first 4 ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 2 hours, removing liver after 20 minutes to prevent overcooking. Remove from heat. Pour broth through a wire-mesh strainer into a bowl. Remove neck meat from bone; chop, and set aside. Chop remaining giblets, and set aside.

Stir 3 1/2 cups broth into reserved turkey drippings in broiler pan that turkey roasted in, or in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Combine flour and 1/2 cup water, stirring until smooth; gradually whisk into boiling broth. Add salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium, and cook, whisking constantly, 5 minutes or until thickened. Stir in chopped neck meat and giblets; cook until thoroughly heated. Makes 6 1/2 cups

Swedish Holiday Cookies

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons dark molasses
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
Sugar

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add 3/4 cup sugar, beating until smooth. Add molasses, cinnamon, and cardamom, beating until blended.

Combine 1 tablespoon water and baking powder, stirring until baking powder is dissolved; add to butter mixture. Gradually add flour to butter mixture, beating until blended. Cover; chill 8 hours.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; roll to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with a 2-inch round or other desired shape cutter. Place, 2 inches apart, on lightly greased baking sheets. Brush evenly with egg white, and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake at 375° for 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets 5 to 6 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Makes 5 dozen

Swedish Holiday Cookies

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons dark molasses
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
Sugar

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add 3/4 cup sugar, beating until smooth. Add molasses, cinnamon, and cardamom, beating until blended.

Combine 1 tablespoon water and baking powder, stirring until baking powder is dissolved; add to butter mixture. Gradually add flour to butter mixture, beating until blended. Cover; chill 8 hours.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; roll to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with a 2-inch round or other desired shape cutter. Place, 2 inches apart, on lightly greased baking sheets. Brush evenly with egg white, and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake at 375° for 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets 5 to 6 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Makes 5 dozen

Citrus-Glazed Ham

1 (6- to 7-lb.) fully cooked, bone-in ham
30 to 32 whole cloves
1 (10-oz.) bottle orange juice-flavored soft drink
1 1/4 cups orange marmalade
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
Garnishes: apple slices, orange slices, orange rind, salad greens

Remove skin from ham, and trim fat to 1/4-inch thickness. Make 1/4-inch-deep cuts in a diamond pattern, and insert cloves at 1-inch intervals. Place ham in an aluminum foil-lined 13- x 9-inch pan. Stir together soft drink and next 3 ingredients until smooth. Pour mixture evenly over ham.

Bake at 350° on lower oven rack 2 hours and 30 minutes, basting with pan juices every 20 minutes. Remove ham; let stand 15 minutes before serving. Garnish, if desired. Makes 12 to 14 servings

Lamb with Herbs and Garlic

1 leg of lamb (about 6 lb.), boned and butterflied (boned weight 4 1/4 to 4 1/2 lb.)
4 cloves garlic, cut into thin slivers
1 cup dry red wine
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons cream sherry
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
5 sprigs (4 to 6 in. long) fresh rosemary, rinsed
About 1/2 teaspoon salt
About 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Rinse lamb and pat dry; trim off excess surface fat. With a small, sharp knife, cut slits about 1/2 inch wide and deep all over lamb and insert slivers of garlic.

In a 9- by 13-inch noncorrosive baking dish or large bowl, mix wine, olive oil, lemon juice, sherry, thyme, rosemary sprigs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add lamb and turn to completely coat with marinade. Cover the lamb and chill, turning occasionally, at least 2 hours or up to overnight.

Lift lamb from marinade and spread out flat on an oiled barbecue grill over a solid bed of medium coals or medium heat on a gas grill (you can hold your hand just above grill level only 4 to 5 seconds). If cooking over charcoal, drop rosemary sprigs from marinade onto coals for aromatic smoke, if desired.

Discard marinade. Close barbecue lid. Cook lamb, turning once, until a thermometer inserted in center of thickest part registers 135° for medium-rare (still slightly pink; cut to test), 20 to 35 minutes; thin parts will be well done.

Transfer lamb to a rimmed cutting board or platter, cover lightly with foil to keep warm, and let stand 10 to 15 minutes. Slice meat thinly and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Makes 8 servings

Decadent Lemon Cake

Lemon Filling
3 1/2 cups cake flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar, divided
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk
7 egg whites
White Chocolate Frosting

Prepare Lemon Filling. Cover and chill at least 8 hours. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add 1 3/4 cups sugar, beating at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add lemon rind, lemon juice, and vanilla; beat well. Add flour mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition.

Beat egg whites at medium speed with an electric mixer until foamy; gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Fold one-third of egg whites into batter. Gently fold in remaining beaten egg whites just until blended. (Do not overmix.) Pour batter into 3 greased and floured 9-inch round cakepans.

Bake at 350° for 18 to 22 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.

Spread 3/4 cup White Chocolate Frosting between each cake layer; carefully spread 1/2 cup Lemon Filling over White Chocolate Frosting between each cake layer. Spread remaining White Chocolate Frosting on top and sides of cake. Chill until ready to serve. Store in refrigerator. Makes 12 to 15 servings

Lemon Filling

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
4 egg yolks, lightly beaten

Combine first 6 ingredients in top of a double boiler. Cook over simmering water, stirring constantly, until butter melts. Gradually stir about one-fourth of hot mixture into egg yolks; add to remaining hot mixture, stirring constantly. Cook over simmering water, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and coats back of a spoon (about 15 minutes). Remove from heat; cool. Cover and chill. Makes 1 cup

White Chocolate Frosting

2 1/2 (4-ounce) white chocolate baking bars
1 1/2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Melt chocolate in top of a double boiler over simmering water until melted. Remove from heat; let cool. Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add powdered sugar, beating until smooth. Add juice and chocolate just until combined. Makes 4 3/4 cups

Baked Ham with Maple-Mustard Glaze

1 cooked, bone-in half ham (about 7 to 8 lbs.)
15 whole cloves
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 325°. Cut off the tough, leatherlike skin from ham (if it has it; some hams will not), and score the fat in a crosshatch pattern. Stud ham all over with cloves, put in a large roasting pan, and loosely tent with foil. Bake until a thermometer inserted in center of thickest part (not touching the bone) registers 135°, about 20 minutes per lb. or 2 to 2 1/2 hours total, basting occasionally with any accumulated juices.

While ham is baking, make the glaze: In a medium bowl, combine brown sugar, maple syrup, and mustard. Whisk until smooth. When ham has about 40 minutes left to bake (internal temperature will be 120° to 125°), brush generously on all sides with glaze. Continue baking until ham reaches 135° and glaze is well browned. Makes 8 to 10 servings

Sun-Dried Tomato and Herb-Stuffed Leg of Lamb

1 cup boiling water
1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed without oil
Cooking spray
1/3 cup finely chopped shallots
4 garlic cloves, minced and divided
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary, divided
1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
1 (1 1/2-ounce) slice sourdough bread
1 (2 1/2-pound) rolled boneless leg of lamb

Combine 1 cup boiling water and tomatoes in a bowl; let stand 30 minutes or until soft. Drain and chop.
Preheat oven to 425°.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add shallots; sauté 3 minutes or until tender. Add tomatoes and 2 garlic cloves; sauté 1 minute. Stir in 1 teaspoon rosemary, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place bread in a food processor; pulse 25 times or until coarse crumbs measure 3/4 cup. Stir crumbs into shallot mixture.

Unroll roast; trim fat. Place roast between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 3/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Sprinkle roast with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Spread breadcrumb mixture over roast. Reroll roast; secure at 1-inch intervals with twine. Combine remaining 1 teaspoon rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 2 minced garlic cloves; rub over roast.

Place roast on rack of a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 30 minutes. Remove roast from oven; cover loosely with foil. Bake an additional 20 minutes or until a thermometer registers 145° (medium-rare) or until desired degree of doneness. Let roast stand 15 minutes before slicing. Makes 8 servings

Roast Leg of Lamb with Balsamic Onions

4 onions (6 oz. each), peeled and quartered
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper
1 leg of lamb (5 to 6 lb.)
3 cloves garlic, slivered
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary leaves or dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Rosemary sprigs

In a bowl, mix onions with 2 tablespoons olive oil and the balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Let stand at least 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, rinse lamb; trim off and discard excess surface fat. Cut 1/2-inch slits all over the leg and insert garlic slivers. Rub lamb with 1 tablespoon olive oil and the lemon juice, then pat rosemary leaves and oregano onto meat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set lamb in an 11- by 17-inch roasting pan. Spoon onions and marinade around lamb.

Roast in a 375° oven until a thermometer inserted in thickest part of leg to the bone registers 140° for medium-rare, 1 hour and 10 minutes to 1 1/2 hours; or 150° for medium, 1 hour and 20 minutes to 1 hour and 40 minutes. If drippings begin to burn, add water 1/4 cup at a time as needed.

Transfer lamb to a board or platter and, keeping warm, let stand 10 to 15 minutes. Keep onions warm in pan while lamb rests. Spoon onions and drippings around lamb; garnish with rosemary sprigs. Slice meat and serve with onions and juices. Add salt and pepper to taste. Makes 8 to 10 servings

Honey and Brown Sugar-Crusted Ham

1 (9- to 10-lb.) ready-to-cook, bone-in ham shank
3/4 cup honey
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves

Slice away hard outer skin from ham with a sharp knife, leaving a thin layer of fat. Place ham, fat side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Score top of ham in a diamond pattern; insert a meat thermometer into ham, making sure it does not touch fat or bone.

Bake ham on lowest oven rack at 325° for 1 1/2 hours. Remove ham from oven, leaving oven on. Brush ham with honey. Combine sugar and spices; pat over honey, coating ham well.

Return ham to oven, and continue to bake at 325° for 35 to 45 minutes or until thermometer registers 148°. (Cover ham with aluminum foil during the last 20 minutes, if necessary, to prevent excessive browning.) Let ham stand 15 minutes before carving. Makes 10 servings