Treats and traditions top Longboaters holidays

Sometimes the holidays just aren’t right without certain treats and traditions. From crafting gingerbread houses to whipping up some rum cake, Longboat Key residents shared with the Longboat Observer their favorite holiday recipes and traditions.

Who knows, maybe this list will you give you some ideas to spice up the dessert table or change up the routine of Christmas.

Baker's Holiday Rum Cake from Mary Baker

Ingredients

Mix the following for 3-5 minutes:

•  1 box Duncan Hines butter recipe golden cake mix
•  1 small box vanilla instant pudding mix
•  1/2 cup each: light rum, water, vegetable oil
•  4 eggs

Pour into well-greased and floured Bundt pan. Bake one hour at 325 degrees.

While cake bakes, combine a stick of butter, 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 cup of rum in sauce pan. Cook until frothy and slightly thickened.

Cool cake in Bundt pan for 15 minutes. Remove and pour glaze over while cake is still warm. You won’t have leftovers. It’s even good for breakfast!

Cranraisin Oatmeal Cookies from Maryann Mazzaferro

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Quaker Oatmeal
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup butter or margarine
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup cranraisins

Combine butter or margarine, sugars, and egg until light and fluffy.

Mix together in separate bowl oatmeal, flour and baking soda. Add to wet mixture along with cranraisins mixing well until all is incorporated.

Drop cookie-sized balls onto baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees until light brown and edges are slightly crispy. Cool 5 minutes on trays then remove to wire rack to cool completely. Makes approximately 20-22 cookies.

Pumpkin Ice Cream Pie from Chuck Sobieck

Ingredients

• 1 cup pumpkin, cooked or canned
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. ginger
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1 quart vanilla ice cream
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/16 tsp. ground cloves

Prepare a pastry for a one-crust pie, bake until done and chill in freezer, or you can place mixture in cupcake papers.

Combine the ingredients and fold the mixture into the ice cream. Put this into a chilled crust and freeze. Garnish with pecan halves and whipped cream.

 Pumpkin Roll from Alexandra Lowe-Mains

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup powdered sugar (to sprinkle on towel)
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup Libby's 100% Pure Pumpkin
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Filling

• 1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Powdered sugar (optional for decoration

For cake

•  Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 15-by-10 inch jelly-roll pan; line with wax paper. Grease and flour paper. Sprinkle a thin, cotton kitchen towel with powdered sugar.
•  Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle with nuts.
•  Bake for 13-15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. (If using a dark-colored pan, begin checking for doneness at 11 minutes.) Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool on wire rack.
•  

For filling

•  Beat cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth. Carefully unroll cake. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Reroll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least an hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.

Helpful hint: Be sure to put enough powdered sugar on the towel when rolling up the cake so it will not stick.

 Musical merriment

Christmas Eve was always special for our family sharing with grandparents and siblings.

We would have a simple, elegant supper followed by carol singing accompanied by George (Cindy’s husband) or my mother on the piano, and my father would always bring his violin and play. Baked stuffed shrimp was a favorite. Then on to midnight Mass.

-- Cindy Noble

Trotting tradition

My family is Jewish and Hanukkah falls somewhere between Thanksgiving and Christmas, depending on the year. We also have family birthdays ranging from Nov. 6 to Dec. 28, plus my parents’ anniversary on Dec. 19, so our family holiday gathering is just when we decide it is. Nine years ago, we started doing a family Turkey Trot (I use the word ‘trot’ lightly as some people walked and some people completely slept through it). But we made up T-shirts and it has become a fun tradition – especially since I now live almost exactly a 5K from my parents up Gulf of Mexico Drive. As for family recipe … you can find our ultimate chocolate chip cookie recipe on the back of the Nestle Tollhouse chocolate chip bag: Why mess with perfection?

-- Suzy Brenner

Traditional Turkey Day

Florida is a unique place to spend holidays. Over the years, most of our Thanksgivings have been traditional. The family together, cooking, enjoying each other and we always watch the Macy’s Day Parade. Some years we are able to eat outside on the picnic table. We have even had a couple years where we went out and let someone else do the work. I think our one tradition, is to always be together and be thankful for each other!

-- Stephanie Claussen

Building memories

I actually have a wonderful tradition that I have enjoyed with my grandchildren for 17 years. We always decorate gingerbread houses together a few weeks before Christmas. I just recently did the last one a few nights ago with my three youngest grandchildren, Harper who is 7, Keith who is 3, and our newest addition, little Whitney Anne who was 3 days old. So much fun! The other four grandchildren are 18, 16, 15 and 13 and in Ohio, where we decorated some amazing gingerbread houses. I gave them the option of giving up the tradition since they were so “old.” Absolutely not was the unanimous decision. Made me so happy!

-- Marcia Gutridge

 Nut Butter Balls from Jan Cady

Ingredients

• 1 cup softened butter
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 cup finely chopped nuts (I use toasted, chopped pecans from Trader Joe’s)

Mix butter with sugar until creamy. Add salt, extract, flour and nuts. Mix well. Chill dough until easy to handle. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Using fingers, shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake until light brown. While warm, roll in powdered or granulated sugar.

Old Fashion Sugar Cookies from Lyn Haycock

Ingredients

• 3 cups plain flour
• 1/2 tablespoon of baking soda
• 1/2 tablespoon of baking powder
• 1 cup of butter (2 sticks)
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of lemon flavoring
• Sift together flour, baking soda and powder.

Sift together flour, baking soda and powder.

On low speed cut butter into flour mixture until it resembles corn meal.

In a small bowl, beat eggs, add sugar and flavoring. Blend egg mixture into flour and butter. Chill overnight.

Roll dough out on floured surface to 1/8 inch thick. Cut the cookies and sprinkle with colored sugar. Bake at 375 degrees for 6-8 minutes or until brown.

Gingersnap Cookies from Lyn Haycock

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup shortening
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2 1/4 cup flour
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ginger
• 1/2 tsp. cloves
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Cream shortening, brown sugar, egg and molasses. Mix in remaining ingredients. Cover and chill 1 hour. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Shape dough by rounded teaspoonfuls into balls. Dip tops in granulated sugar. Place balls sugar side up 3 inches apart on lightly greased baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or just until set. Enjoy with milk!

Christmas custom

The story is, in 1997, our city, Grand Forks, (N.D.), was decimated by a flood, and the Salvation Army came to our rescue and stayed with us until things got back to a somewhat normal situation. It took us 15 years to totally recover, but for what the Salvation Army did for our community, I have always felt a sincere obligation to them, and that’s about when I started ringing the bell. Being retired in the year 2000, I have had time, and I can’t think of any group that I would rather support with my time than the Salvation Army. Weldon Frost rang the bell for 26 years, and when I lost Weldon, he was a dear friend, and I wanted to step up and take his spots in memory. I try to do at least 10 shifts during the time it runs.

-Cash Register

 

Frolicking friends

Instead of feeling lonely or sad, we decided (four years ago when we began to stay put at Christmastime instead of traveling north to be with family), that we would entertain others who would likewise be alone on Christmas night. 

We begin weeks before asking our neighbors in Spanish Main and other friends what they are doing that evening. If they have no plans we invited them to our home for dinner and also a pre-dinner cocktail party across the street at the home of our friend Cindy Kuhnel. We usually end up with around a dozen folks and have a wonderful time together.

My husband, Tom, is an amateur gourmet chef, so he carefully plans the menu, does the shopping, then the cooking. I set the table and clean up and everything in-between. The cocktail party at Cindy’s is a delight and ice breaker before coming to dinner. Most who attend want to bring wine and a part of the meal, which cuts down on our preparation and adds variety. No one is ever in a rush to leave after eating, so we end the evening sitting around the table playing quiz games and laughing a lot.

As for menu, it usually centers around filet of beef and we go from there. It ends up a delicious feast from beginning to end. Christmas décor and little gifts everyone brings for all attending adds to the festivity.

-- Sue Reese

Timeless Tradition

Our holiday tradition takes place on New Year’s Day. I was born on that day, more years ago than I care to recount, and it has always had a special meaning. A decade ago, my wife, Linda, and I decided to celebrate in a way that has more significance than indulging in cake and ice cream. Each year, we visit one of our favorite restaurants with a stunning view of the bay and give thanks that we are able to live on an island as beautiful as Longboat Key. We linger over a long lunch, accompanied by a few adult beverages, and reflect on the loved ones we have lost, the ones we’ve gained, and what we hope to accomplish in the coming year. Our focus has shifted with the steady passage of time. Where we once discussed professional goals and adventurous travel, we now plan how we can spend more days together with family and friends. In the end, we believe, that is truly what life is all about.

-- Michael Jordan