Make holiday dishes more memorable
By Sandy Thorn Clark December 20, 2011 9:20PM
Related Stories
Updated: January 22, 2012 8:00AM
Before time runs out, Swap Shop is answering Christmas-related recipe requests for a leftover turkey-cranberry sandwich, from D.E. of Woodstock; old-fashioned gingerbread cake served with whipped cream, from F.Y. of Chicago, and easy red velvet cookies, from R.P. of Chicago.
Gooseberry Patch Big Book of Home Cooking, a must-have cookbook just published by Oxmoor House, provides the unique addition of horseradish to its Turkey Panini recipe. Betty Crocker’s recipe for pretty Red Velvet Cookies could not be easier — it begins with packaged sugar cookie mix.
Trudy Swanson of Gurnee sent her favorite Gingerbread Cake recipe, which she found online and which originated in the ’30s, hoping it would be reminiscent of F.Y.’s grandmother’s memorable cake.
To make Gingerbread Cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, Grease and flour (8-inch) square pan. In a bowl, cream together — one ingredient at a time, creaming between each addition — ½ cup shortening, 1/3 cup sugar, 2/3 cup molasses and 2 large eggs.
In separate bowl, mix together 1¾ cups flour, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1½ teaspoons ginger, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves and 2/3 cup sour milk (add 3½ teaspoons vinegar to milk to make 2/3 cup).
Combine wet and dry ingredients and mix. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in middle comes clean. Serve warm with whipped cream.
Requests
I adore Jerusalem artichokes and would appreciate a recipe for artichoke soup.
D.W., Chicago
Any chance someone has a recipe for a salsa that includes apples? I enjoyed it on a cruise buffet, but couldn’t talk them into the recipe.
C.K., Gurnee
My kids love potato tots, but mine always turn out soggy, not crispy. Any recipes with a solution?
E.C., Chicago
Send recipes and requests to: Swap Shop, Chicago Sun-Times, 350 N. Orleans St., 9th Floor, Chicago 60654 or by e-mail, swapshop@sun times.com. Please include a daytime telephone number.
