A High Country Christmas, For Sure

Thanks to Bob Inman and the great folks at The Hayes Center in Blowing Rock, I have received my initial dose of the “Christmas Spirit.” We were fortunate to be with friends- and among the first few hundred - in attendance for the world premiere of Inman’s High Country Christmas Carol stage production on Friday – and what a night it was. Not only was old Silas McTavish’s heart “revived,” I’m quite sure the majority of the audience had a few moments of personal reflection, as well.

Then, on Saturday evening, we celebrated with great friends from High Country Classics Car Club at our annual party and again on Sunday with friends in their home and that evening, enjoyed the children’s wonderful Christmas play at Mount Vernon Baptist Church. Whew – no rest, but what fun!

Even after a 10-hour workday on Monday, I was still “over-flowing” and rushed home to cook and begin my holiday baking with familiar tunes flowing from the radio. Our Christmas tree is still standing basically unadorned in the middle of our living room floor and gift-wrapping is a work in progress on the dining room table, but I’m getting there!

Hope these fun recipes help move you a little closer to Christmas, as well. (And get the family to Blowing Rock this weekend for High Country Christmas Carol and then to Farthing Auditorium for The Nutrcracker!)

No Sugar Christmas Cookies

1 cup raisins
½ cup chopped dates
½ cup chopped apples
1 cup water
½ cup margarine
1 cup plain flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup quick cooking oats
2 eggs, beaten
¾ cup chopped nuts

Cook first 4 ingredients for 3 minutes on low heat. Add margarine; cool slightly. Add remaining ingredients, mix well and refrigerate overnight. Drop by spoonful on greased baking sheet and bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Delicious for dieters and diabetics! (May also add 1 packet of Sweet ‘N Low, but it’s not really necessary).

Christmas Coffee

½ cup sugar
1/3 cup water
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa
¼ tsp. cinnamon
Hot coffee - 10 cups

While brewing a 10 -cup pot of coffee, mix first 4 ingredients together in a large saucepan. Bring to boil for one minute over medium/high heat, stirring frequently. Add the hot coffee to the mixture. Stir and serve with milk, sugar and whipped topping if desired.

Best Ever Peanut Brittle

1 cup white sugar
½ cup light corn syrup
¼ tsp. salt
¼ cup water
1 cup peanuts
2 Tbsp. butter, softened
1 tsp. baking soda

Grease a large cookie sheet. Set aside. In a heavy 2-qt. saucepan, over medium heat, bring to a boil sugar, corn syrup, salt, and water. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Stir in peanuts. Set candy thermometer in place, and continue cooking. Stir frequently until temperature reaches 300 degrees F (or until a small amount of mixture dropped into very cold water separates into hard and brittle threads.)
Remove from heat; immediately stir in butter or margarine and baking soda; pour at once onto cookie sheet. With 2 forks, lift and pull peanut mixture into rectangle about 14x12 inches; cool. Snap candy into pieces.

Easy Christmas Bread Pudding

2 cups milk
2 eggs
¼ cup sugar
½ tsp. vanilla
3 slices bread, buttered and quartered
Mix milk, eggs, sugar and vanilla with a large spoon in a medium-size bowl until well blended. Put mixture in a 9-inch pie plate. Spread slices of buttered bread on top.
Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until lightly browned and firm.
For a thicker pudding, add more bread. For more of a custard use less bread. Raisins may be added if desired.

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