Laraine Anne Barker
(Visit Laraine's website by clicking here)

(Suitable for those who need to limit their fat intake)

2 cups mixed fruit
8-9 prunes, chopped (use kitchen scissors)
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp mixed spice and
1 tsp cinnamon (or spices to taste)
1 egg
1/4 cup brandy
1 cup plain flour
1/4 tsp (rounded) baking soda
1/2 tsp (rounded) cream of tartar (or 1 tsp baking powder)
3/4 cup boiling water
1 desertspoon (2 tsp) butter or margarine
1 tsp baking soda

Mix the first lot of ingredients thoroughly together then sift in the flour
and raising agent. Melt the butter or margarine in the boiling water, add
the baking soda, pour into fruit and flour mixture and mix well. Place in
greased pudding tin and steam as long as possible, 5 to 8 hours. The longer
the pudding is steamed the darker it will look and the richer it will seem.

The original of this recipe had no raising agent added with the flour, no
egg, no prunes and used only one cup of fruit and 1 tsp of spice. Instead of
the brandy, an extra 1/4 cup of boiling water was used.

Laraine Anne Barker
(Visit Laraine's website by clicking here)

2 oz walnuts
1-1/2 lb currants
4 oz raisins
1 tsp each cinnamon, nutmeg and mixed spice
1 tsp salt
4 oz melted butter
1 cup grated apple
6 oz dried apricots
2-3 oz crystallised peel
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup sherry (or brandy)
Juice and grated rind of 1 lemon

Put walnuts, apricots, raisins and peel through mincer, with half of the currants, using a coarse knife. (I use a food processor, but these weren't around when this recipe was published). Add rest of ingredients and mix well. Leave the mixture in the bowl for several hours, stirring often, then pack in clean dry jars, cover and store in fridge. Makes about 3-1/2 lb mincemeat.

Laraine Anne Barker
(Visit Laraine's website by clicking here)

1 lb butter
8 oz sugar
1 egg
3 TB cold water
1-1/2 lb flour
1 tsp baking powder

In a large bowl soften butter and cream with sugar. Add egg and beat again. Add water and beat in. Sift flour and baking powder and blend into the creamed mixture. Depending on the day and the size of the egg, more or less flour will be needed, but enough is added when the dough forms a smooth ball. Divide it into four and wrap each piece for the freezer. When wanted, thaw and knead smooth before rolling. Makes just over 3 lb pastry which will roll thinly to make about 4 dozen good-sized lidded mince pies at Christmas.

Robin Bayne
(Visit Robin's website by clicking here.)

3 c. boiled mashed yams
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
2/3 tsp. allspice
2/3 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 stick butter
3/4 c. milk

Mix potatoes, sugar, salt, butter, milk, spices and eggs in order given. Add vanilla. Mix and pour into 2 quart casserole.

Topping:
Combine 1/3 c. flour
1/3 stick butter
1 cup chopped pecans

Mix with fork until crumbly.Top potatoes, bake 350 degress for 35 minutes.

By: Elizabeth Delisi
(Visit Elizabeth's web site by clicking here.)

(a.k.a. Russian Teacakes or Mexican Wedding Cakes)
1 cup butter
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/4 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup finely chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts)

Mix butter, sugar, and vanilla thoroughly. Stir flour and salt together;
blend in. Mix in nuts. (Dough will be crumbly.) Chill dough for at least
an hour.

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Roll dough into 1" balls (dough will hold
together when squeezed). Place on ungreased baking sheet. (Cookies do
not spread so you can place them fairly close together.) Bake 10-12
minutes, or until set but not brown. While still warm, roll in
confectioners' sugar. Cool. Roll in sugar again. (Makes about 4 dozen 1"
cookies.)

Variation: Roll cool cookies in red or green-colored sugar.

NOODLE CLUSTERS

By: Elizabeth Delisi
(Visit Elizabeth's web site by clicking here.)

Melt 2 pkg. (6 oz. each) or 1 12-oz. pkg. semi-sweet chocolate pieces over hot water. Cool to room temperature. Mix in 1 cup Spanish peanuts and 1-2 cups chow mein noodles. Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper. Place in refrigerator to set, about 2 hours. Makes 2-3 dozen clusters.