Christmas Brunch Casserole

This recipe is great to prepare on Christmas Eve and bake on the morning of Christmas Day.

Ingredients

• 1 pound bacon

• 2 onions, chopped

• 2 cups fresh sliced mushrooms

• 1 tablespoon butter

• 4 cups frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 4 eggs

• 1 1/2 cups milk

• 1 pinch dried parsley

• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Place bacon in a large skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Drain and set aside. Add the mushrooms and onion to the skillet; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent and the mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes.

2. Grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish with the tablespoon of butter. Place potatoes in bottom of prepared dish. Sprinkle with salt, garlic salt, and pepper. Top with crumbled bacon, then add the onions and mushrooms.

3. In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs with the milk and parsley. Pour the beaten eggs over the casserole and top with grated cheese. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

4. Preheat oven to 400F.

5. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour or until set.

Christmas Stollen

This recipe comes from London's Dorchester Hotel. It's packed with dried fruit and filled with a marzipan surprise.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast

• ⅔ cup warm milk (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

• 1 large egg

• ⅓ cup white sugar 

• ½ tablespoon salt

• ⅓ cup butter, softened

• 2 ½ cups bread flour

• ⅓ cup currants

• ⅓ cup sultana raisins

• ⅓ cup red candied cherries, quartered

• ⅔ cup diced candied citron

• 6 ounces marzipan

• 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar

• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

• Step 1

  In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.

• Step 2

  In a large bowl, combine the yeast mixture with the egg, white sugar, salt, butter, and 2 cups bread flour; beat well. Add the remaining flour, 1/4 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. When the dough has begun to pull together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead in the currants, raisins, dried cherries, and citrus peel. Continue kneading until smooth, about 8 minutes.

• Step 3

  Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

• Step 4

  Lightly grease a cookie sheet. Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the marzipan into a rope and place it in the center of the dough. Fold the dough over to cover it; pinch the seams together to seal. Place the loaf, seam side down, on the prepared baking sheet. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

• Step 5

  Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C), and bake for a further 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow loaf to cool on a wire rack. Dust the cooled loaf with confectioners' sugar, and sprinkle with the cinnamon.

Marzipan Christmas Kringle

This marzipan tubular bread is an ABSOLUTE must for the Christmas season, and a traditional dinner would not be complete without this Christmas Kringle for dessert. It may seem complicated at first glance, but if you follow the recipe step by step, it is actually quite easy and you will amaze your family with this beautiful dessert. This is an extremely rich and decadent treat so guests only need a little. Often a coin is hidden in the kringle and it is thought that the finder will be guaranteed good luck for the upcoming year. As such, it is considered bad luck not to indulge at Christmas!

Ingredients

• ½ cup warm milk

• 1 tablespoon white sugar 

• 1 (.25 ounce) envelope active dry yeast

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour

• ¼ cup white sugar 

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom

• ½ cup butter

• 1 (8 ounce) can almond paste

• ½ cup crushed sliced almonds

• ½ cup white sugar 

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon almond extract

• ½ cup white sugar 

• 1 egg white, beaten

• ½ cup sliced almonds

Directions

• Step 1

  In a small bowl, stir together the milk and sugar. Sprinkle the yeast over the top and let stand for 10 minutes to dissolve. Stir in cream.

• Step 2

  In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, salt and cardamom. Cut in the butter using a pastry blender or pinching with your fingers until it is a course mealy texture. Stir in the yeast mixture until well blended. Pat into a ball, flatten slightly, then wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.

• Step 3

  To make the filling, mix the almond paste, almonds, sugar, cinnamon and almond extract using an electric mixer until evenly blended. It may be crumbly.

• Step 4

  Roll the chilled dough out into a 2 inch wide and 24 inch long rectangle. Spread the filling to within 2 inches of the sides and roll up into a tube. Cover your work surface with sugar, and roll the tube of dough in the sugar to coat thoroughly. Roll and stretch the dough out to form a long rope about 40 inches long. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and shape into a pretzel shape.

• Step 5

  Brush the top of the pretzel with egg white and sprinkle with almonds. Cover loosely with a towel and let rise for 45 minutes.

• Step 6

  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Bake the kringle in the preheated oven until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Cut into slices to serve.

Sugar Coated Pecans

These sweet pecans are wonderful snacks for any occasion.

Ingredients

• 1 egg white

• 1 tablespoon water

• 1 pound pecan halves

• 1 cup white sugar

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Grease one baking sheet.

2. In a mixing bowl, whip together the egg white and water until frothy. In a separate bowl, mix together sugar, salt, and cinnamon.

3. Add pecans to egg whites, stir to coat the nuts evenly. Remove the nuts, and toss them in the sugar mixture until coated. Spread the nuts out on the prepared baking sheet.

4. Bake at 250 degrees F for 1 hour. Stir every 15 minutes.

Christmas Star Cookies

"A festive sandwich style cookie. Excellent for Christmas or New years' celebrations."

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons strawberry jam
• 1/4 cup green decorator sugar (optional)

Directions

1. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually add eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir flour mixture into the butter mixture until well blended. Refrigerate dough for three hours.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease several cookie sheets.
3. On a floured surface, roll out 1/2 of the dough at a time to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut dough into star shapes using a 3 to 4 inch star cookie cutter. Using a 1 to 2 inch star cookie cutter, cut a star into the center of half of the big stars. Sprinkle colored sugar on the cookies with the center cut out if desired. Put onto prepared cookie sheets about 1 inch apart, and bake for 6 to 8 minutes.
4. After cookies cool completely, spread 1 teaspoon of preserves in the center of each cookie that does not have a star cut out in the middle. Place a cookie with a cut-out on top of the layer of preserves. Pack cookies in a covered tin to preserve freshness.

Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies

These taste just like Loft House sugar cookies and are just as soft.

Ingredients

• 1 cup vegetable shortening
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup butter
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, or more to taste
• 2 tablespoons milk, or as needed

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Beat vegetable shortening, white sugar, 1/4 cup milk, eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract together in a bowl. Whisk flour, salt, and baking soda in a separate bowl. Slowly beat flour mixture into shortening mixture to make a smooth dough.
3. Roll dough out 1/4-inch thick on a floured work surface and cut into shapes. Arrange cookies on baking sheets.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until cookies are firm, about 10 minutes. Let cool.
5. Beat butter, confectioners' sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons milk in a bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until frosting is spreadable and slightly fluffy. Frost cooled cookies.