BAVARIAN (PINEAPPLE-EGGNOG)

2/3 cup sugar
1/2 t salt
3/4 t nutmeg
2 envelopes plain gelatin
3/4 cup milk
1 8-1/2 oz. can crushed pineapple
3 eggs
2 T lemon juice
1 t rum or brandy flavor
1 cup whipping cream
pineapple slices for garnish

Stir together 1/3 cup of sugar, salt, nutmeg and gelatin.  Add milk, undrained crushed pineapple and beaten egg yolks.  Cook over hot water stirring now and then until mixture thickens and coats a spoon.  Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and flavoring.  Chill until mixture thickens and mounds on a spoon.  Beat egg whites until frothy, gradually beat in remaining sugar until stiff peaks form.  Beat cream until stiff.  Fold egg whites and ceam into pineapple mixture.  Turn into 1-1/2 quart mold.  Chill until firm.  Unmold and garnish with slices of pineapple if desired.  (Star mold is the perfect size.)

This is really different but good, not as hard to make as it sounds, just a lot of different bowls going.  I decided to mold these into little santa head molds with a cherry for the nose.  Make sure and spray the mold first for easy removal.  If you like pineapple and/or egg nog, you'll probably like this.

CHESTNUTS (Roasted)

Slit each chestnut and place about a dozen on ech sheet of heavy aluminum foil.  Wrap in a tight package.  Place on coals for about 25 minutes, turning once.  (Or place in very hot oven, 450, for 35 to 40 minutes).  Shell and sprinkle with salt and pepper or dip in melted butter.

I've always wanted to try these since it sounds so cozy in the Christmas song.  I did them the oven way, and they turned out fine.  They're pretty easy to shell just using your fingers, sometimes a butter knife.  We dipped them in melted butter.  The flavor is not that exciting, just kind of a mellow taste, nothing to really get excited about, but I'm glad I tried it!

DIVINITY

Sugar - 3 cups
Karo light corn syrup - 1 cup
water - 1/2 cup
cider vinegar - 1 t
egg whites, beaten dry - 2
vanilla extract - 1 t
walnuts, broken - 1 cup

Place the sugar, corn syrup, water, and vinegar in a pot and stir until the sugar is dissolved.  Cover and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes.  Remove the cover and cook to 260 to 265F.  (If the weather is dry, cook to 260.  if it is damp and rainy outside, cook to 265F).  Remove pan from the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.  Then pour syrup over the beaten egg whites and beat vigorously until the mixture is very stiff.  Cool until lukewarm (about 110F).  Add the vanilla and the nuts mixing them in well.  Then drop from a butter teaspoon on waxed paper or a buttered cookie sheet.

This recipe card has the ingredients listed like this, so that's unique.  I've come to the conclusion that nobody really cares for or eats divinity anymore.  It's not that this recipe is bad or anything.  Just nobody eats it.  I do love the directions for different types of weather though!

COOKIE CANDY

2 pkgs (6 oz. each) chocolate chips
2 pkgs. (6 oz. each) butterscotch chips
1  5oz or 6 oz can chow mein noodles

Melt chips in double boiler over hot water.  When thoroughly melted, stir in chow mein noodles.  Remove from heat and drop by teaspoonfuls on wax paper and allow to harden.  Store in refrigerator.

I've made these before, commonly referred to as haystacks.  Always good, always a favorite addition to Xmas baking, and always easy to make.  Just make sure you have plenty of napkins on hand as they can be finger-licking good!

PEANUT BRITTLE (MICROWAVE)

1 cup roasted salted nuts
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup white corn syrup
1 t butter
1 t vanilla
1 t baking soda

Stir together peanuts, sugar and syrup in a bowl or casserole.  Microcook on high for 7-8 minutes, stirring after 4 minutes.  Add butter and vanilla, stirring well.  Cook on high 1-2 minutes more until peanuts are lightly browned and syrup is hot.  Add baking soda and stir gently until light and foamy.  Pour immediately onto greased cookie sheet and let cool at least 1/2 hour.  When cool break into pieces and store in an airtight container.  Makes approximately 1 pound.

This is fast and easy.  I love the old-school terminology "microcook."  They must have thought they were entering the age of the future with this!  Good tasting too.