Food. It’s at the center of every gathering and the star of most celebrations. The aroma and taste of special dishes and drinks we’ve shared over the years with family and friends is one thing 2020 can’t take away from us. And yes, I have the extra pounds to prove it.

In the final few days before Christmas – and before the end of this Annus Horribilis (as Queen Elizabeth I so famously once said) – I’d like to gift you with a few of my favorite holiday recipes. Some of them come from family. Others from friends. But each one includes many sweet memories of happy times during the yuletide season.

By the way, don’t you love this holiday place setting? I have Christmas dishes (are you surprised?), but I still haven’t unpacked them. Seeing how pretty this looks, I’m going to drag my dishes out of storage this afternoon. Who cares if I’m not having company? 🙂 Now, on to the recipes!

Hot Spiced Percolator Punch (for a crowd)

9 cups unsweetened pineapple juice

9 cups cranberry juice

4 and 1/2 cups water

1 cup brown sugar

4 tsp. whole cloves

4 cinnamon sticks, broken

1/4 tsp salt

Put cloves, cinnamon and salt in basket, and other ingredients in the pot. Perk. Serves 30.

Noah’s Ark Clam Chowder

1 can New England clam chowder

1 can cream of potato soup

1 can cream of celery soup

1 pint half and half

1 can of minced clams, drained

salt and pepper to taste

(optional) Fry a few slices of bacon until crisp to crumble over top.

Combine ingredients and heat thoroughly. Crumble bacon over top of each serving.

Unbelievable Broccoli

2 pkgs. frozen chopped broccoli (10 oz size) Prepare and set aside

1 medium onion, chopped

4 oz mushrooms, drained

1/4 cup butter

6 ounces of Kraft Old English Cheddar (comes in jars)

2 tsp garlic powder (more or less to taste)

1 can cream of mushroom soup

Sauté onion and mushrooms in butter. Add cheese, garlic powder, and soup. Stir. Add broccoli to mixture and thoroughly combine. Turn mixture into baking dish, cover and put in refrigerator overnight so flavors blend. Bake, uncovered, in 350 degree oven until bubbly. I usually double this recipe, as it’s a popular one.

Easy Bacon Cheddar Potatoes

2 lb frozen hash browns, thawed

1/4 cup melted butter

1/2 tsp pepper

1 (2.8 oz) can French-fried onions

1 (2 oz) jar real bacon pieces (or you can fry and crumble 2 oz of bacon)

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 pt. sour cream

2 cups shredded Colby cheese

1 cup crushed corn flakes

additional 1/4 cup melted butter (to drizzle over top)

Mix all ingredients and put in greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Sprinkle corn flakes on top. Drizzle butter over top. Bake covered with foil at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes. Remove cover for last 15 minutes.

Cranberry Cake with Hot Butter Sauce

Cake:

1 cup sugar

3 Tbsp. butter

2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

1 cup milk

2 cups washed, raw cranberries

Cream sugar & butter. Sift dry ingredients & add alternately with milk to creamed mixture. Add cranberries. Pour into greased pan (9×13) and bake at 350 degrees until done. (about 40 minutes). Top slices with hot butter sauce.

Butter Sauce:

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup cream

1 tsp. vanilla

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Gift yourself or someone you care about with a book this holiday season! Learn more about Pat’s books:

I am Mrs. Jesse James

The Becker Family series

Collections and Children’s