Holiday traditions from the DRG Advertising Staff

Samson Lang - Account Manager

Tradition

Every year our whole family goes to cut down a Christmas tree together - never bought off the lot.

Recipe - Christmas Tree Shortbread

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons almond extract
3 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup (approx.) raspberry jam
Almond Icing
Green food coloring

Preheat oven to 325°F. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until light. Gradually beat in powdered sugar. Beat in extracts. Add flour and salt and stir just until combined. Gather dough into ball; divide in half. Flatten each half into disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

Line 3 heavy large baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out 1 dough disk on lightly floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness, frequently lifting and turning dough to prevent sticking. Cut out cookies, using 3-inch-long Christmas-tree cookie cutter. Gather scraps, reroll and cut out total of 36 cookies, placing 12 cookies on each prepared sheet. Spread 1 teaspoon jam in center of each cookie.

Roll out remaining dough disk and cut out more cookies. Cut out centers of each cookie, using 1-inch triangle cookie cutter. Using metal spatula, lift cookie frames onto jam-topped cookies. Gather scraps, reroll and cut additional cookie frames, making total of 36. Place on jam-topped cookies. Bake cookies until slightly golden brown around edges, about 25 minutes. Transfer to racks and cool.

Place half of Almond Icing in resealable plastic bag. Mix enough food coloring into remaining icing to make desired green color. Transfer green icing to another resealable plastic bag. Cut very tip off 1 corner of each bag. Pipe white icing along edges of trees. Pipe green icing in dots on trees.

Can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

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Rony Moya - Account Manager

Tradition - "Tamale Wars"

Being from a bi-racial family we tend to have mixed traditions. My mother is from Guatemala where Christmas is celebrated on the 24th of December. So every year on the 24th we have a Guatemalan Christmas, which includes spending the day preparing the traditional Guatemalan Christmas meal that is eaten right at midnight.

The meal is basically tamales, which are only made once a year for Christmas, it takes the entire day to make and the first batch is done right about midnight. Guatemalan tamales are very different from Mexican tamales, in fact if you saw one you probably would never guess it is a tamale.

Along with the tamales we have a special drink, which is called "ponche" which basically mean punch. No it is not the kind of punch with a kick, it is a mixture of pineapple, prunes, apples, cinnamon and several other fruits.

After we eat we open one gift (which is always pajamas), and read the story of Christ birth from the Bible. We then sing Silent Night in English and in Spanish. Of course my brother-in-law Buck, whom some of you know, always has to sing Silent Night for us in Korean. To avoid being a soloist every year he is teaching his kids the song in Korean as well.

With several siblings still in college we always seem to have stranded guests, so if there are any other languages present we get to hear Silent Night in those languages as well, last year we heard Portuguese and Russian. After this series of traditions we then give away tamales to other family members who begin to make their way to our house.

Now, if they are from the Guatemalan side of the family they always bring their own tamales they have just made and give them to us. One must then eat a tamale every time someone shows up with them as a gift. By the end of the night you have had way too many and are feeling sick, just about that time the "tias" and "abuelitas" (aunts and grandmas) start comparing tamales and arguing whose are the best and why. In the mean time, the rest of us are trying to explain to other guests this "battle of the best tamale" which is taking place in Spanish. As the argument between them begins to get heated and they are on the verge of taking back their gift and breaking all family ties, my Dad always steps in to remind everyone what the meaning of Christmas is.

Thus the argument ends, everyone secretly thinking that their tamales are the best but resolved to let it go for the time being because... after all it is Christmas.

Recipe - this recipe is from Tony's family - Thanksgiving Mexican Turkey Leftover Sandwich

On a hard roll or sub put a generous amount of mayo and turkey. The secret is the salsa. In a bowl mix about 1/3 to 1/2 of a red onion chopped, chop a bundle of cilantro and then add lemon juice until the ingredients are swimming. Mix and generously pour over turkey, salt your sandwich and surprise you're done.

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Robin Gingerich - Continuity Coordinator

Tradition

My family typically would put our tree up a few weeks before Christmas. Though not family, for many years I was invited to help a friend and his mother set up their Christmas tree the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

Their live evergreen would have been selected from the lot on the outskirts of town earlier that week. A wooden stand held the large pear of a tree upright, just short of the ceiling.

Large Christmas bulbs carefully draped the branches - the boughs bowed ever so slightly by the weight of heirloom glass ornaments. Candy canes twisted their way around the tangle of needles, waiting to be plucked by smaller hands.

Night always fell before we were finished and a soft glow from each light, flashing in turn, filled our eyes. The smells of warm cider and leftover turkey and noodles wafted through the house.

Upon leaving the house for the evening, I could see the fruits of our efforts. There, framed within the large picture window for all who braved the winter streets to see was the true opening of the Christmas season.

Recipe - Years ago I would make bourbon balls, a soft no bake cookie, taking these to friends houses.

1/2 cup bourbon
2 tablespoons corn syrup
2 1/2 cups of vanilla wafers, crushed
1 cup confectioners' sugar + small amount additional

Combine bourbon & syrup. Combine crushed wafers and sugar. Thoroughly stir wet ingredients into dry. Roll into 1" balls. Roll balls into confectioners' sugar to lightly coat outside.

Patsy Franz - Account Manager

Tradition

When my kids were young, on Christmas Eve, we would have an early dinner then open gifts. We would put the table cloth on the table, get out the good china and have steak, potatoes and the works! After dinner we would open gifts. There was one catch -- the dishes had to be done before we could open the gifts.

As the kids grew older, they realized that if they had to do dishes and clean up, it would take longer to open gifts. They begged and pleaded to order pizza on Christmas Eve instead of having the formal dinner. We tried it once and have been having pizza on Christmas Eve ever since.

Mom's corn recipe:

A bag of frozen corn garden's summer crop of sweet corn
Salt
Pepper
Ritz crackers crumbed
Butter
Milk
An Egg
Sugar

How much you ask? Just enough. That's how mom cooked. You just know how much.

Bake at 350 until it's done.

Marie Madson - Account Manager

Tradition: Christmas Eve

When I was a kid we always went to Midnight Mass and all of us kids would sing for it. Now that all of us siblings have our own kids we will all hit the Children's Mass at that same church and sing for it.

The Shulfer clan all gather there and yes, all of us, go to one of my sibling's home. (Mom, all five of us kids along with our spouses and children -- the count is now 11 adults and 19 kids and now some of the older ones have significant others and spouses and kids and yes they all come too.)

We all gather for a meal which we all bring a dish to pass (the dish that we are to bring is usually an agreed dish request from the other siblings). A little lefse (soft Norwegian flatbread) is even shared at the meal... the Norwegians like a little of their tradition too with us Polish folk. I bring the 2 coolers filled with 5 different buckets of slush.

Slush was something that Mom always made but not to that extent. We all eat at the same time, the kids all play, and then we wait for Santa to show up, when Santa shows up we sing, dance, act goofy, sometimes even get some secrets out along with gift sharing and have wonderful conversations!

The only thing that has changed has been the location, it all started in Smokey Spur at Mom and Dad's, when Linda got married (the eldest) and started having kids it was moved to her home until Dad got sick, then it was moved to Mom and Dad's for a short period and now it is at the "baby's" home which is just down the road from the country Catholic church.

A Shulfer tradition that Boomer was told that could never be broken, and so far hasn't... I believe that Santa will always make a guest appearance unless there are no children in the family and so far.... Hasn't happened!

Recipe - Margarita pie

1 1/4 cups finely crushed pretzels
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons margarine or butter melted
1 (14 oz) can Eagle brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/4 cup Reallime Lime juice
1/4 cup tequila
2 tablespoons triple sec or other orange-flavored liqueur
1 cup chopped fresh or frozen unsweetened strawberries, thawed and well drained
Red food coloring (optional)
1 1/2 cups Borden or Meadow Gold Whipping cream, whipped
Crust
I do not like the crust too salty, so I buy a pre-made graham cracker crust, but if you want to make the crust, here is the recipe.
Combine pretzel crumbs, sugar and margarine: press firmly onto bottom and up side to rim of lightly buttered 9 inch pie plate to form crust.

In large bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk, Realime brand, tequila and triple sec; mix well. Divide mixture in half. Add strawberries and food coloring to one half. Divide half of the whipped cream between each mixture. Spoon mixtures alternately into prepared crust. With metal spatula swirl through mixtures to marble.

Freeze 4 hrs or until firm. Remove from freezer 10 minutes before serving. Garnish as desired. Freeze un-garnished leftovers.

My short cuts ...
Pre-made graham cracker crust
Cool whip vs. whipping cream
I do not use food coloring, but use extra strawberries instead. I use frozen ones and chop them up without waiting until they thaw.

Karen Ousley - Traffic Manager

Tradition

Christmas has always been a special time of year. It was my mother's favorite holiday. She loved to give gifts. Since I was a small child it has been a family tradition to attend church service on Christmas Eve. With my own family, that tradition was carried on. I was blessed to actually have a child born on Christmas Day so it is definitely a special time of year.

Recipe - Date Pudding (this has been in my family for years)

1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour
1 lb. dates (cut into pieces)
milk (enough to make stiff dough to spread)

Mix all ingredients and add enough milk to make a stiff dough. Spread in a 9" x 13" pan. Bake at 400 degree until cake-like. (don't overbake)

Cool. When ready to serve break into small pieces and fold into whipped cream. The more whipped cream the better.

Large cool whip can be substituted for the whipped cream.

John Boggs

John's Candy Recipes

Truffles

1 pound of bulk chocolate (any flavor - white, milk, dark semi-sweet)
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons of creamy liquid - heavy cream, or any combination of 1/2 heavy cream and 1/2 liqueur (Grand Marnier, Cherry Kirsch, White Creme de Menthe etc.) or 1/2 flavoring like raspberry jam, or even whole amount of creamy liqueur like Bailey's Irish Cream.

Place ingredients in a bowl and place in the microwave. Heat on high for 1 minute, stir. Microwave another 20-30 seconds and stir to melt. After you blend the mixture, refrigerate until set (at least two hours). Then scoop into balls, refrigerate again. Dip refrigerated balls into dipping chocolate (below) and store in airtight container in cool dry place.

Coconut Cream Centers

1 Can of Eagle Brand
1/4 lb of margarine
1 lb of powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 packages coconut. (Chopped nuts can be substituted)

Mix all ingredients and chill. Roll into balls and chill. Cover chilled centers with dipping chocolate (below).

Peanut Butter Centers

1 lb margarine
2 lb peanut butter
3 lb powdered sugar

Mix ingredients (heat slightly with microwave to help mix), chill, roll into balls and cover with dipping chocolate (below).

Cherry Cordial Centers

1 Can of Eagle Brand
1/4 lb of margarine
2 lb of powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. Almond Extract
2 bottles of maraschino cherries.

Mix all ingredients except cherries. Refrigerate. When stiff, place a cherry into the center of a spoonful of mixture and cover completely. You may add a pinch of cream of tartar to each cherry right before covering (the cream of tartar causes the cherry to create the syrup center associated with cherry cordials). Freeze covered cherries overnight. Cover frozen cherries with dipping chocolate (below).

Caramels

2 lb. brown sugar
1 lb butter
2 can Eagle brand
8 oz. Karo syrup

Combine all ingredients in a large pan and place over medium to medium high heat on the stove, stirring constantly. Heat to a soft ball stage. Remove (1 & 1/2 cup of chopped nuts can be added at this point if desired), pour into a greased pan. These can be cut into squares eaten as pure caramels or covered with dipping chocolate according to your taste.

Dipping Chocolate

You can use any type of bulk chocolate or chocolate chips you wish; White, Milk, Dark, or Semi-Sweet. The important thing is to melt slowly in a microwave and add about a tablespoon of shortening per lb. Stir the chocolate & shortening until smooth. Use plastic utensils to dip centers into covering. As chocolate hardens you can microwave for a short period keep it liquid. Store dipped centers in cool dry place. If you really love chocolate you can double-dip your items in the same or different chocolates. After all it's your waist line.

Snacks to Dip in Chocolate: Pretzels, Cookies (coconut macaroons are great this way), Nuts, Coconut or Marshmallows.

Chocolate Charlie

Equal quantities of peanuts and miniature marshmallows
Melted chocolate
Toasted coconut

Mix peanuts, marshmallows and chocolate. Sprinkle in a little toasted coconut and stir just a little. Pour out onto a greased cookie sheet. Break into chunks when set.

Jane Lodde - Account Manager

Tradition

I always make Christmas sugar cookies with the family. I was always the one who made them, but the whole family would gather around the table and decorate! It is fun to have the different color frostings, sprinkles and see what each person designs.

The recipe I have used since I was a wee child is:

1 1/4 C Sugar
1C Butter
2 eggs
1 Tbsp of Vanilla
1/4 C Corn syrup
3 C flour
3/4 Tsp baking powder
1/2 Tsp Baking soda
1/2 Tsp salt

Mix all but flour together. Slowly add flour and mix. Put in fridge for 2 hours. Roll out with rolling pin and cut into fun Christmas shape with cookie cutters.

Preheat oven to 375 Degrees. Grease cookie sheets. Cook for 5-9 minutes.

Frost and decorate as you like!

Jan Clemmons - Account Manager

Tradition

One tradition that we've always had, and my daughter continues, is to invite any friends without family in town to join us for Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner which is an all-day affair with lots of music, laughter and wine.

We always have an interesting mix of people. Last year we had a former drag queen performer and a hard-shell Baptist at the same table. I could sell tickets to some of these dinners. We've had as many as 20.

Now that we've moved and don't have family in town, I discovered that our next door neighbors do the same thing and have invited us to join them this Thanksgiving.

Most requested recipe - Stuffed Mushrooms

Clean and remove stems from mushrooms. Save 1/2 of the stems, chop and add to butter, onion and garlic in pan to saute. Add sausage and drain after cooked. Stuff mushroom caps with 1/2 tsp of cream cheese & sausage mix, sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top and heat in oven 15 minutes.

I usually also make a vegetarian version without the sausage as well by setting aside some of the sauteed stems, onion & garlic to stuff the caps. This is an easy one to do the night before and pop in the oven just before guests arrive.

Diane Kocal - Sales Manager

Tradition

Christmas is a big deal at our house. We transform our home...both the inside and outside. With 3 small kids (ages 11, 7 and 2), everyone wants to participate. So, it is tradition (and was for me as a child) to have the entire family decorate our home the weekend after Thanksgiving. Since it is a long weekend for most of us, we spend the 3 days following Thanksgiving putting up Christmas trees (yes, multiple trees), hang stockings, decorate with garland, put lights on the house, candy canes in the yard and Santas everywhere!

The last decoration is a very special train given to my kids from my father. We put this train under the tree and the kids love to watch the train travel under the Christmas tree and around the gifts. I've seen many of their toys ride the train throughout the years...Barbies, Beanie Babies, sippy cups and dinosaurs. They love that train and even love it more since Grandpa gave it to them! Christmas is a very special time and even though our kids think of Santa and presents, they do understand the importance of the holiday and love spending the holidays with friends and family.

Recipe - "Special K Bars"

6 cups of Special K cereal
1 cup sugar
1 cup of white Karo syrup
1 1/2 cups of smooth peanut butter
1 package of chocolate chips
1 package of butterscotch chips

Heat sugar and Karo syrup on low in large pot, continue to stir -- do not boil. Add peanut butter and stir to smooth consistency.

Turn off stove. Add Special K cereal - mix thoroughly. Press into 9 x 13 pan.

Frosting:
Melt chocolate chips and butterscotch chips -- double boiler works best - low heat.

Frost bars. Cool and cut into squares.

Carly Myers - Promotions Manager

Tradition

Early on in my marriage, my husband and I (both only children) became so frustrated by the constant coming and going on Christmas eve and day. We're both from amicably divorced families, and all of the parents wanted their share of time with us.

However, for years, we never really enjoyed the holidays. Once we'd get to one location, we'd have to eat fast, exchange gifts in a hurry and leave to go to the next destination (all at opposite ends of the city, of course).

So, now, we believe that the holidays are for the two of us. We have cut down on the number of destinations and try to rotate where we go each year so that it's fair. But, one of the days, we don't go anywhere. We eat whatever we want to make. We go for a drive by ourselves (which is especially fun during snowy times). Or, we watch TV all day. (Twilight Zone marathons are especially good. So are old movies on AMC.) And, that is a tradition that we enjoy. An errant parent may get a little miffed when we aren’t there, and family is important. But, that also includes the family that we call the two of us (and assorted animal companions that are OUR children).

Recipe

My suggestion to all of you out there for a "different" recipe during the holidays is to make a traditional dish without meat, dairy or eggs. Love your family, spare an animal. Plus, this helps cut down on the holiday weight gain and bloat we all dread.

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