Ingredients
1 pound Guittard French Vanilla
semi-sweet
chocolate
2 1-oz. squares Baker’s unsw choc
6 oz. whipping cream
6 oz. Grand Marnier liqueur
Grated rind of one orange
Cereal bowl full of Guittard dark chocolate
A ‘Peels (or small wafers) for dipping chocolate Directions
Melt the semi-sweet choc and 1 oz. unsweetened choc in the whipping cream using a double boiler or microwave (med setting; one min at a time, stirring in between until choc is totally melted). Do not allow to boil. Mix in GM and orange rind. Chill for ½ hour. Whip until slightly thicker than consistency of thick meringue. Chill for one hour. Scoop out balls using a spoon or melon scoop to make centers. Chill for 30 minutes. Roll lightly between fingers to make a smooth ball. Chill for at least one hour. Melt A’Peels and 1 oz unsw choc in double boiler or microwave (med setting; one min at a time, stirring in between until choc is totally melted). Put a center in the dipping choc. Swirl around with candy dipping utensil or regular fork. Lift coated center out of dipping choc and let excess dipping choc drip back into bowl. Place truffle on a waxed-paper covered cookie sheet. Allow to cool. Continue until all centers are dipped. Makes 60-80 depending on size.
Mayor Severson’s Pork Tenderloin with
Currant Glaze
(New Year’s Day Tradition)
This dish is absolutely delicious and very easy.
What could possibly be better for the holidays? Ingredients
2 pounds small pork tenderloin roast
2 tablespoon dry mustard
2 teaspoon dry thyme
½ cup pineapple juice
½ cup soy sauce
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dry ginger Directions
Place tenderloin in shallow pan. Rub with dry mustard and thyme. Combine pineapple juice, soy sauce, garlic and ginger. Pour over meat. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Turn meat over frequently to marinade. Pour off marinade when ready to cook, reserving some to use as basting while roasting. Roast uncovered at 325 degrees for 1 hour. Slice pork into medallions and serve with currant glaze.
Currant Glaze
1 10 ounce jar currant jelly
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoon pineapple juice
Over medium heat melt the jelly with added soy sauce and pineapple juice. Stir and simmer for 2 minutes. Serve over pork slices. Recipe serves 6 people (about 1/3 pound per person).
Maxine’s Holiday Punch
My family really enjoyed this delightful drink, and the color is so festive for the holidays.
Ingredients
1 quart ginger ale or 7-Up
1/3 cup orange juice
¼ cup lemon juice
½ cup grenadine syrup Directions
Pour together into a large bowl, stir well and place in the freezer until slushy. Serve immediately.
Optional: Can also add pomegranate berries/seeds to slush. Take care to remove all rind from the berries as you clean the pomegranates. The Trotters have also added a citrus fruit-pomegranate skewer for decoration and it was very festive.
Mayor Trotter’s Traditional Holiday Recipes Grandma Ida’s Christmas Cookies
Ingredients
¾ cup soft shortening or butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 ¼ cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt Directions
Mix the shortening, sugar, eggs and vanilla in a mixer.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to mixer.
Chill cookie dough for at least one hour.
Roll out the dough on a floured cutting board and cut shapes with cookie cutters. Decorate with sugar and sprinkles. Bake cookies at 400 for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges turn golden brown.
Sue’s Southern Pecan Pie
Ingredients
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1½ tablespoons flour
1 cup corn syrup
1 cup pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 unbaked pie crust Directions
Cream softened butter and sugar. Add remaining ingredients and pour in unbaked pie crust. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 1 hour. Severson likes to double recipe and do two at a time. Freezes well.
Mayor Trotter’s Traditional Holiday Recipes Grandma Ida’s Christmas Cookies
Ingredients
¾ cup soft shortening or butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 ¼ cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt Directions
Mix the shortening, sugar, eggs and vanilla in a mixer.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to mixer.
Chill cookie dough for at least one hour.
Roll out the dough on a floured cutting board and cut shapes with cookie cutters. Decorate with sugar and sprinkles. Bake cookies at 400 for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges turn golden brown.
Panda Bearry Truffles
Ingredients
1 pound Guittard French Vanilla semi-sweet chocolate
1-oz. square Baker’s unsweetened chocolate (unsw choc)
6 oz. whipping cream
6 oz. Chambord (raspberry) liqueur (Ch)
1.5 oz. raspberry syrup
Cereal bowl full of Guittard white chocolate A’Peels (dipping choc)
Small paint brush Directions Melt the semi-sweet choc and 1 oz unsw choc in the whipping cream using a double boiler or microwave (med setting; one min at a time, stirring in between until choc is totally melted). Do not allow to boil. Mix in Ch and raspberry syrup. Chill for ½ hour. Whip until slightly thicker than consistency of thick meringue. Chill for one hour. Scoop out balls using a spoon or melon scoop to make centers. Use two different size scoops, one medium and one small. Chill for 30 minutes. Roll lightly between fingers to make a smooth ball. Slightly flatten two opposite side of the larger ball and one side of the smaller ball. Chill for at least one hour.
Melt some A’Peels in double boiler or microwave (med setting; one min at a time, stirring in between until choc is totally melted). Put a center in the dipping choc. Swirl quickly around with candy dipping utensil or regular fork. Lift coated center out of dipping choc and let excess dipping choc drip back into bowl. Place truffle on a waxed-paper covered cookie sheet. Allow to cool in the air and then chill. Some of the dark chocolate ball may have melted into the white chocolate so the outer coating is “dirty.” If so, then dip again in fresh bowl of A’Peels, and then chill. Repeat dipping and chilling steps until outer coating is “pure.” Continue until all centers are dipped.
To assemble the truffle, put a larger ball with one of its flat sides down on a cookie sheet covered with waxed paper. Place a smaller ball on top of a larger ball, flat side to flat side. “Cement” together with a little melted white chocolate. Melt some dark chocolate. Dip a small paintbrush into the melted dark chocolate and paint the design of a panda bear onto the truffle (ears, eyes, nose, arms, legs, tail, smile). Let dry. Enjoy!
Chipmunk Maple Walnut Truffles
Ingredients
1 pound + of Guittard French Vanilla semi-sweet chocolate
1-oz. square Baker’s unsw choc
6 oz. whipping cream
6 oz. high-grade maple syrup
¼ cup finely chopped walnuts, plus some
extra larger pieces of walnut
Cereal bowl full of Guittard dark chocolate A‘Peels (small wafers) and white chocolate A‘Peels (dipping or coating choc) in equal proportions
1 large and 1 small melon scoop
Note* This recipe makes one pound. To make 40 or so chipmunks, make two pounds. Directions
Melt the semi-sweet choc and 1 oz unsw choc in the whipping cream using a double boiler or microwave (med setting; one min at a time, stirring in between until choc is totally melted). Do not allow to boil. Mix in MS and chopped walnuts. Chill for ½ hour. Whip until slightly thicker than consistency of thick meringue. Chill for one hour.
Scoop out balls using a melon scoops to make centers. Make equal amounts of large and small balls. Chill for 30 minutes. Roll lightly between fingers to make a smooth ball. On the small balls, slightly flatten one side. On the large balls, slightly flatten two opposite sides. Chill for at least one hour.
Melt dark and light chocolate A‘Peels together in double boiler or microwave (med setting; one min at a time, stirring in between until choc is totally melted). Put a center in the dipping choc. Swirl around with candy dipping utensil or regular fork. Lift coated center out of dipping choc and let excess dipping choc drip back into bowl. Place truffle on a waxed-paper covered cookie sheet. Allow to cool. Continue until all centers are dipped.
To assemble the truffle, put a larger ball with one of its flat sides down on a cookie sheet covered with waxed paper. Place a smaller ball on top of a larger ball, flat side to flat side. “Cement” together with a little melted dipping chocolate. Cement a small piece of walnut onto the “tummy” of the chipmunk. Paint some arms/hands around the walnut with the coating chocolate. Melt some dark chocolate. Dip a small paintbrush into the melted dark chocolate and paint the design of a chipmunk bear onto the truffle (ears, eyes, nose, tail, mouth, fingernails/toenails, stripes – 5 down the back and 2-3 on each side of the face). Let dry. Enjoy!
Chipmunk Maple Walnut Truffles
Ingredients
1 pound + of Guittard French Vanilla semi-sweet chocolate
1-oz. square Baker’s unsw choc
6 oz. whipping cream
6 oz. high-grade maple syrup
¼ cup finely chopped walnuts, plus some
extra larger pieces of walnut
Cereal bowl full of Guittard dark chocolate A‘Peels (small wafers) and white chocolate A‘Peels (dipping or coating choc) in equal proportions
1 large and 1 small melon scoop
Note* This recipe makes one pound. To make 40 or so chipmunks, make two pounds. Directions
Melt the semi-sweet choc and 1 oz unsw choc in the whipping cream using a double boiler or microwave (med setting; one min at a time, stirring in between until choc is totally melted). Do not allow to boil. Mix in MS and chopped walnuts. Chill for ½ hour. Whip until slightly thicker than consistency of thick meringue. Chill for one hour.
Scoop out balls using a melon scoops to make centers. Make equal amounts of large and small balls. Chill for 30 minutes. Roll lightly between fingers to make a smooth ball. On the small balls, slightly flatten one side. On the large balls, slightly flatten two opposite sides. Chill for at least one hour.
Melt dark and light chocolate A‘Peels together in double boiler or microwave (med setting; one min at a time, stirring in between until choc is totally melted). Put a center in the dipping choc. Swirl around with candy dipping utensil or regular fork. Lift coated center out of dipping choc and let excess dipping choc drip back into bowl. Place truffle on a waxed-paper covered cookie sheet. Allow to cool. Continue until all centers are dipped.
To assemble the truffle, put a larger ball with one of its flat sides down on a cookie sheet covered with waxed paper. Place a smaller ball on top of a larger ball, flat side to flat side. “Cement” together with a little melted dipping chocolate. Cement a small piece of walnut onto the “tummy” of the chipmunk. Paint some arms/hands around the walnut with the coating chocolate. Melt some dark chocolate. Dip a small paintbrush into the melted dark chocolate and paint the design of a chipmunk bear onto the truffle (ears, eyes, nose, tail, mouth, fingernails/toenails, stripes – 5 down the back and 2-3 on each side of the face). Let dry. Enjoy!
Penguin Blackberry Truffles
Ingredients 17 oz. Guittard 61% chocolate wafers
6 oz. whipping cream
6 oz. blackberry liqueur
Bowl full of Guittard dark chocolate A’Peels
Bowl full of Guittard white chocolate A’Peels
1 large and 1 small melon scoop
Flat wooden toothpicks colored with orange food coloring (for beaks)
Small paint brushes
Directions
Melt the semi-sweet choc in the whipping cream using a double boiler or microwave (med setting; one min at a time, stirring in between until choc is totally melted). Do not allow to boil. Mix in blackberry liqueur. Chill for ½ hour. Whip until slightly thicker than consistency of thick meringue. Chill for one hour. Scoop out balls using a spoon or melon scoop to make centers. Use two different size scoops, one medium and one small. Chill for 30 minutes. Roll lightly between fingers to make a smooth ball. Slightly flatten two opposite side of the larger ball and one side of the smaller ball. Chill for at least one hour.
Melt some white chocolate A'Peels in double boiler or microwave (med setting; one min at a time, stirring in between until choc is totally melted). Put a large center in the white dipping choc. Swirl quickly around with candy dipping utensil or regular fork. Lift coated center out of dipping choc and let excess dipping choc drip back into bowl. Place truffle on a waxed-paper covered cookie sheet. Allow to cool in the air and then chill. Some of the dark chocolate ball may have melted into the white chocolate so the outer coating may be “dirty.” If so, then dip again in fresh bowl of white A’Peels, and then chill. To decorate each body, hold top and bottom between thumb and a finger and dip half the body into the dark chocolate so that half the ball is white and half is dark. Chill. Paint feet and wings on the body with some melted dark dipping chocolate.
Paint the toothpicks orange and allow to dry. Follow basic dipping procedure above for small centers dipped in dark chocolate A’Peels. Stick a toothpick in the dark dipped head to be the penguin’s bill. Chill. Paint eyes on with some melted white dipping chocolate.
To assemble the truffle, put a white/dark ball with one of its flat sides down on a cookie sheet covered with waxed paper. Paint some melted chocolate onto the top flat side. Place a smaller dark ball on top, flat side to flat side. Let dry. Enjoy!
Snowy Owl Hazelnut Truffles
Ingredients
17 oz. Guittard 61% chocolate wafers
6 oz. whipping cream
6 oz. Frangelico (hazelnut) liqueur
About 20 hazelnut filberts, chopped fine
Additional whole hazelnuts for beaks
Bowl full of Guittard white chocolate A’Peels
1 large and 1 small melon scoop (or spoon)
Candy dipping utensil (or fork)
Small paint brushes
Directions
Insides: Melt the 61% chocolate wafers in the whipping cream using a double boiler or microwave (med setting; one min at a time, stirring in between until choc is totally melted). Do not allow to boil. Mix in Frangelico liqueur and chopped hazelnuts. Chill for ½ hour. Whip until slightly thicker than consistency of thick meringue. Chill for one hour. Scoop out balls using a spoon or melon scoop to make centers. Use two different size scoops, one medium and one small. Chill for at least 2 hours. Roll lightly between fingers to make a smooth ball. Slightly flatten two opposite side of the larger ball and one side of the smaller ball. Chill for at least one hour.
Covering: Melt some white chocolate A’Peels in double boiler or microwave (med setting; one min at a time, stirring in between until choc is totally melted). Put a large center in the white dipping choc. Swirl quickly around with candy dipping utensil or regular fork. Lift coated center out of dipping choc and let excess dipping choc drip back into bowl. Place truffle on a waxed-paper covered cookie sheet; flat side of truffle should be down. Allow to cool in the air and then chill. Some of the dark chocolate ball may have melted into the white chocolate so the outer coating may be “dirty.” If so, then dip again in fresh bowl of white A’Peels, and then chill. Decoration:
Consult a bird book to decorate to look like a snowy owl. Mix some yellow food coloring into some white chocolate A’Peels and paint yellow eyes onto the smaller truffles. Cut a whole hazelnut filbert in half vertically and, using some melted white chocolate, “glue” the half a hazelnut point down between eyes for the beak (trim hazelnut as desired to make more pointed). Refrigerate. With white chocolate, paint wings, a tail, and feet onto the larger truffles. Refrigerate. When cold, using some melted white chocolate, “glue” the head onto the body – flat side to flat side. Refrigerate. When cold, using 61% dark chocolate, paint dark feathers onto head, wings, and tail. Paint talons onto the feet. Let dry. Enjoy!
Bald Eagle Dark Chocolate Truffles
Ingredients 17 oz. Guittard 61% chocolate wafers
6 oz. whipping cream
6 oz. Godiva chocolate liqueur
Hazelnut filberts for beaks
Bowl full of Guittard white chocolate A’Peels
Bowl full of Guittard dark chocolate A’Peels
1 large and 1 small melon scoop
Small paint brushes
Candy dipping utensil (or fork) Directions Insides: Melt the 61% chocolate wafers in the whipping cream using a double boiler or microwave (med setting; one min at a time, stirring in between until choc is totally melted). Do not allow to boil. Mix in Godiva liqueur. Chill for ½ hour. Whip until slightly thicker than consistency of thick meringue. Chill for one hour. Scoop out balls using a spoon or melon scoop to make centers. Use two different size scoops, one medium and one small. Chill for at least 2 hours. Roll lightly between fingers to make each ball smooth. Slightly flatten two opposite side of the larger ball and one side of the smaller ball. Chill for at least one hour. Covering:
Melt some white chocolate A’Peels in double boiler or microwave (med setting; one min at a time, stirring in between until choc is totally melted). Put a small center in the white dipping choc. Swirl quickly around with candy dipping utensil or regular fork. Lift coated center out of dipping choc and let excess dipping choc drip back into bowl. Place truffle on a waxed-paper covered cookie sheet; flat side of truffle should be down. Allow to cool in the air and then chill. Some of the dark chocolate ball may have melted into the white chocolate so the outer coating may be “dirty.” If so, then dip again in fresh bowl of white A’Peels, and then chill. Dip large centers in dark chocolate A’Peels using same method. Decoration:
Consult a bird book to decorate to look like a bald eagle. Refrigerate between steps as necessary. Cut a whole hazelnut filbert in half vertically and trim as desired to make more pointed. Paint with yellow food coloring. Using some melted white chocolate, “glue” the hazelnut onto front of the white head. Using dark chocolate, paint large eyes on either side of the beak. Mix some yellow food coloring into some white chocolate A’Peels and paint yellow irises on top of the dark eyes, and feet on the front of the body. Using dark chocolate, paint pupils on top of yellow iris. With white chocolate, paint tail on back of body. Refrigerate. When cold, using some melted white chocolate, “glue” the head onto the body – flat side to flat side. Refrigerate. When cold, paint dark wings onto sides of body. Paint talons onto the feet. Let dry. Enjoy!
Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA