Isanti County Historical Society

Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer. We hope you have fun in the sun while taking in a parade, going to the beach, or simply relaxing in your own backyard.

PATRIOTIC TRIFFLE

16-20 Servings Prep: 30 min. + chilling
30
30
Ingredients
1 package (3 ounces) berry blue gelatin
1 package (3 ounces) strawberry gelatin
2 cups boiling water
1 cup cold water
2 cups cold whole milk
2 packages (3.4 ounces each) instant vanilla pudding mix
1 carton (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided
1 pint fresh blueberries
1 quart fresh strawberries, quartered
1 prepared angel food cake (8 to 10 ounces), cut into 1-inch cubes

Directions
In two small bowls, combine each gelatin flavor with 1 cup boiling water. Stir 1/2 cup cold water into each. Pour each into an ungreased 9-in. square pan. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until set.
In a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mixes for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Fold in 2 cups whipped topping.
Set aside 1/4 cup blueberries and 1/2 cup strawberries for garnish. Cut the gelatin into 1-in. cubes. In a 3-qt. trifle bowl or serving dish, layer the strawberry gelatin, half of the cake cubes, the remaining blueberries and half of the pudding mixture.
Top with blue gelatin and remaining cake cubes, strawberries and pudding mixture. Garnish with reserved berries and remaining whipped topping. Serve immediately. Yield: 16-20 servings.

Patriotic Trifle published in Simple & Delicious July/August 2007, p15

View the Top 10 Patriotic Dessert Recipes.

Learn more cool tricks like this during a Taste of Home cooking show. ICHS is sponsoring a show on March 5 at the Cambridge-Isanti High School.

The Taste of Home cooking school will be here before we know it, and we are busy finalizing details.

Ticket prices are as follows: $16 General Admission (575 seats?); $40 VIP (Rows D/E/F on each Side & Rows B/C/D/E/F Center=105 seats); $55 Front Row (Rows B on each side & Row A Center=20 seats).
 
Tickets will go on sale to everyone January 24.

We're getting ready for the Taste of Home cooking show around here, and we thought we'd share a few recipes. Tickets for Saturday, March 5 show go on sale in January. Here's a few recipes to celebrate the new year.

5 Non-Alcoholic Drinks to Serve at Your New Year's Eve Party

Celebrate and stay sober while ringing in the New Year with these holiday drink recipes

The Festive Sparkler
Combine cranberry juice, sparkling water and a lime wedge garnish to make a refreshing beverage that is perfect any time of year.
—Provided by Ocean Spray®
1 Servings
Prep/Total Time: 5 min.
Ingredients
8 ounces Ocean Spray® Cranberry Juice Drink, any flavor, chilled
2 ounces sparkling water
Lime wedge, garnish
Directions
Fill a tall glass with ice. Add cranberry juice drink. Top with sparkling water. Garnish with a lime wedge. Yield: 1 serving.


Golden Fruit Punch
This is a refreshing punch that isn't as sweet as most. My family loves the tart "wake-me-up" flavor. As an added bonus, this punch won't stain carpeting the way a red punch would!
—Cindy Steffen, Cedarburg, Wisconsin
21 Servings
Prep: 10 min. + freezing
Ingredients
4 maraschino cherries
1 medium navel orange, thinly sliced
1 small lemon, thinly sliced
1 small lime, thinly sliced
1 can (12 ounces) frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
1 can (12 ounces) frozen limeade concentrate, thawed
1 can (12 ounces) frozen pineapple-orange juice concentrate, thawed
2 liters diet ginger ale, chilled
Directions
Arrange fruit in a 5-cup ring mold; add 3/4 cup water. Freeze until solid. Add enough water to fill mold; freeze until solid.
Just before serving, in a punch bowl, combine juice concentrates with 2 cups water. Stir in ginger ale. Unmold ice ring by wrapping the bottom of the mold in a hot, damp dishcloth. Invert onto a baking sheet; place fruit side up in punch bowl. Yield: 21 servings (4 quarts).


Effortless Eggnog
This easy, smooth and rich-tasting beverage takes no time at all to prepare and tastes like real eggnog—but without using any eggs!
—Paula Zsiray, Logan, Utah
16 Servings
Prep/Total Time: 5 min.
Ingredients
1/2 gallon cold milk, divided
1 package (3.4 ounces) instant French vanilla pudding mix
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons Spice Island® Pure Vanilla Extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Directions
In a large bowl, whisk 3/4 cup milk and pudding mix until smooth. Whisk in the sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir in the remaining milk. Refrigerate until serving. Yield: 16 servings (2 quarts).


Mulled Pomegranate Sipper
This warm comforting cider fills the entire house with a wonderful aroma.
—Lisa Renshaw, Kansas City, Missouri
16 Servings
Prep: 10 min. Cook: 1 hour
Ingredients
1 bottle (64 ounces) cranberry-apple juice
2 cups unsweetened apple juice
1 cup pomegranate juice
2/3 cup honey
1/2 cup orange juice
3 cinnamon sticks (3 inches)
10 whole cloves
2 tablespoons grated orange peel
Directions
In a 5-qt. slow cooker, combine first five ingredients. Place the cinnamon sticks, cloves and orange peel on a double thickness of cheesecloth; bring up corners of cloth and tie with string to form a bag. Add to slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 1-2 hours. Discard spice bag. Yield: 16 servings (about 3 quarts).

Citrus Wassail
I found this healthy wassail recipe in a cookbook. My daughter first prepared it to go with our day-after-Thanksgiving leftovers meal, and everyone loved it!
—Julie Williquette, Hartselle, Alabama
13 Servings
Prep/Total Time: 25 min.
Ingredients
8 cups unsweetened apple juice
2 cups unsweetened pineapple juice
2 cups orange juice
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
Directions
In a Dutch oven, combine all of the ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes. Serve warm. Yield: 13 servings (about 3 quarts).


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The Taste of Home Cooking Show is coming to Cambridge Saturday, March 5. Here's a recipe for Christmas morning.

Sausage-Potato Bake Recipe

I not only make this dish for breakfast, but sometimes for a main meal. It's very good. You can substitute finely diced lean ham or crumbled turkey bacon for the sausage for a change of pace.

6 Servings
Prep: 20 min. Bake: 55 min. + standing
Ingredients
1/2 pound bulk pork sausage
3 large potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 jar (2 ounces) diced pimientos, drained
3 eggs
1 cup 2% milk
2 tablespoons minced chives
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme or oregano
Additional minced chives, optional
Directions
In a large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain.
Arrange half of the potatoes in a greased 8-in. square baking dish; sprinkle with salt, pepper and half of the sausage. Top with remaining potatoes and sausage; sprinkle with pimientos. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, chives and thyme; pour over the top.
Cover and bake at 375° for 45-50 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Uncover; bake 10 minutes longer or until lightly browned. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting. Sprinkle with additional chives if desired. Yield: 6 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 1 serving equals 202 calories, 11 g fat (4 g saturated fat), 124 mg cholesterol, 407 mg sodium, 18 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 9 g protein.
Sausage-Potato Bake published in Country Extra March 2008, p51

Get ready for the Taste of Home cooking show coming to Cambridge on Saturday, March 5. Here's a recipe for some delicious Christmas cookies.

Tiny Tim Sandwich Cookies Recipe

When I was growing up, my mother and I created special Christmas memories in the kitchen preparing these cute, bite-size cookies. Vary the food coloring for holidays throughout the year.

60 Servings
Prep: 45 min. Bake: 10 min./batch + cooling
Ingredients
1 cup sugar, divided
2 to 3 drops red food coloring
2 to 3 drops green food coloring
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
FROSTING:
2 cups confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons butter, softened
4-1/2 teaspoons heavy whipping cream
3/4 teaspoon almond extract
Red and green food coloring, optional
Directions
In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup sugar and red food coloring; set aside. In another small bowl, combine remaining sugar with green food coloring; set aside.
In a large bowl, cream the butter, shortening and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in extract. Gradually add flour and mix well. Shape into 1/2-in. balls.
Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Coat bottom of two glasses with cooking spray, then dip one in red sugar and the other in green sugar. Flatten cookies alternately with prepared glasses, redipping in sugar as needed.
Bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
For frosting, in a small bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, butter, cream and extract. If desired, tint half of the frosting red and the other half green. Frost the bottoms of half of the cookies; top with remaining cookies. Yield: 5 dozen.

Nutrition Facts: 1 cookie equals 83 calories, 4 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 6 mg cholesterol, 22 mg sodium, 12 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 1 g protein.
Tiny Tim Sandwich Cookies published in Taste of Home's Holiday & Celebrations Cookbook Annual 2007, p90

Get ready for the Taste of Home cooking show coming to Cambridge on Saturday, March 5. Here's a recipe for Christmas cookies.

Mocha Truffle Cookies Recipe
Crisp on the outside, gooey on the inside, these mocha-flavored cookies from Pamela Jessen in Calgary, Alberta are the perfect treat for chasing away winter doldrums. Why not invite a friend over some snowy afternoon to share a plateful and a cup of coffee?

15 Servings
Prep: 15 min. Bake: 10 min. + cooling
Ingredients
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1-1/2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon Spice Island® Pure Vanilla Extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons baking cocoa
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup English toffee bits or almond brickle chips
1 ounce milk chocolate, melted
Directions
In a microwave-safe bowl, melt butter and chocolate; stir until smooth. Stir in coffee granules until dissolved; cool for 5 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl. Add the sugars, egg and vanilla.
Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; add to chocolate mixture and mix well. Stir in toffee bits.
Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto a baking sheet lightly coated with cooking spray.
Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until set. Cool for 1 minute before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Drizzle with melted milk chocolate. Yield: 15 cookies.

Nutritional Analysis: 1 cookie equals 152 calories, 7 g fat (4 g saturated fat), 25 mg cholesterol, 94 mg sodium, 22 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 2 g protein.
Mocha Truffle Cookies published in Cooking for 2 Winter 2006, p33