Three Layer Cake

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year:  Christmas in the United States
by Kristina Gill
photos and food styling  in printed version by Niccolo` Bazzani

Even if you don't celebrate Christmas, or you celebrate another holiday, when you're in the United States in December and through the New Year, it's virtually impossible to avoid the holiday spirit.  In many cities, the season's decorations will have already been put up by the day after Thanksgiving, the first day of the Christmas season.  At work, office parties are planned, names are drawn for gift exchanges, and vacations are planned.  In stores, the official shopping season begins and songs like White Christmas, Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!, Baby It's Cold Outside, and Mistletoe and Holly play over the loud speakers sung by favorite artists like Nat King Cole, Lena Horne, Margaret Whiting and Johnny Mercer, and Frank Sinatra.  In homes, the search for the perfect Christmas tree begins, the box of decorations comes out of the closet, shopping begins.  Families may see plays, ballets, or newly released films together, but most of all, they look forward to the chance to gather at home and share a large family meal, catch the parades and bowl games on TV, and just relax. 

No Christmas meal is complete without stuffing and a homemade pie.  If grandma didn't pass down her secret recipes, or you'd like to try something new, NYCVE has developed some recipes with 'Northeastern' flair that the whole family can make together.  Happy Holidays!

For Kids (Don't forget to leave a plate of these for Santa!): Sugar Cookies

• 2 cups flour
• 1 3/4 sticks butter
• 2/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp orange extract
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease or line baking sheets.  Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add vanilla and almond extract. Sift dry ingredients together well, then add to butter mixture.  Mix Well.  Roll out the dough to 1/4" thickness between two sheets of waxed paper.  Cut out cookies in your favorite shapes.  Bake in the oven for 7 to 8 minutes til set but not browned.  Let cool for a few minutes on sheets before moving to a cool surface.  Makes about 2 dozen cookies depending on size.

 
For Bread Lovers:  Cosmopolitan Stuffing (serves 10)

 
Ingredients:

• 7 cups of your favorite bread, stale, cut or torn to tiny pieces
• 2 medium sized yellow onions, chopped
• 2 large rib of celery
• 1 medium carrot, chopped
• 1/4 c chopped flat leaf parsley
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh sage
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
• 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 1 lb. Of your favorite sausage
• 2 large apples, peeled, cored and diced
• 1 1/2 cup fine chicken stock, warm
• 1/4 cup your favorite New York State wine (or Veneto wine)
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 Tbsp butter
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Sauté the sausage until cooked through, remove to a bowl.  Add onion, celery, garlic, and carrots and sauté until softened but not browned.  Add to sausage.  Melt butter in pan, sauté apples until softened and add to the bowl with eggs, bread crumbs, sage, thyme, and parsley and mix well (kids you can use your hands to mix this!), slowly adding the chicken broth and wine until the mixture is moist but not too wet, add more if necessary. Put stuffing in a buttered baking dish, and cook covered with aluminum foil for thirty minutes uncovering half way and cooking until golden brown, be careful not to dry out stuffing.  Serve warm with your favorite bird and favorite wine. 

For Pie Lovers:  Pecan Pie

Ingredients:

• 1 9" Ready made pie crust
• 3/4 c dark brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp. flour
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 3 Tbsp. butter
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 1 pinch of salt
• 2 cups of pecan halves

Preheat oven to 325F.  Place pie crust in pie pan, prick bottom with a fork.  Mix sugar and flour together.  Add half the pecans and remaining ingredients and mix well.  Arrange pecan halves on top of pie.  Cook in oven until filling is set, about 1 hour.  Cool before serving.

For the Adventurous:  Northeast Eggnog

Ingredients

• 6 eggs, separated
• 1 cup superfine sugar
• 1/2 pint brandy
• 1/2 pint rum
• 1/2 pint grappa (or flavored brandy)
• 2 pints milk
• 2 pints heavy cream
• Nutmeg