I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving, dear readers. And now the Christmas season is finally here! Let’s ring in the cheer with some delicious and easy treats.

Here is a recipe for Divinity Fudge that goes all the way back to my dad’s dad’s mom – my great grandmother! These fluffy, melt-in-your mouth candies have a deliciously nutty aroma that you will not be able to resist! You can chop your nuts and mix them in, or you can top your candies with nut halves, or you can do like I did – BOTH!

Divinity Fudge
From my great grandmother

2 cups sugar
½ cup water
½ cup light or dark corn syrup
2 egg whites
1/8 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon almond extract
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans, if desired
40 walnut halves or pecan halves (toasted, if desired)

Combine sugar, water, and syrup in saucepan.  Heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.  Boil without stirring until syrup forms a hard ball in cold water (265 degrees on candy thermometer).  Remove from heat and quickly beat the egg whites and salt until stiff.  Slowly add syrup in a thin stream to the egg whites, beating constantly.  Beat until candy thickens and begins to loose its gloss (about 5-7 minutes, depending on the weather and temperature where you are).  Add almond and vanilla extracts (and the chopped nuts, if desired) Quickly shape with teaspoon into large pieces and drop onto a greased plate or wax paper.  Put half a nut on each piece.

Well, it’s an exciting day for Vintage Victuals, dear readers. It is VV’s third blogoversery! I can’t believe that my first post three years ago has led to so many fun recipes, fun people, and fun food! Thank you all for being a part of this special place – it wouldn’t be the same without you!

My family had an impromptu get together last night, so I whipped together an old-time favorite: a pumpkin roll with cream cheese filling. I started making this tasty treat years ago when I was in college, and it has become a much-loved tradition, especially for my brothers and my husband. I often make it for Thanksgiving, as it nicely complements our usual collection of pies and tarts. It is always a major crowd pleaser!.

Assembly is easier than it sounds – the process is very similar to my Auntie Gladys’s Chocolate Yule Log,which you should check out for Christmas! It helps to have an extra set of helping hands during the rolling process, but just remember – it’s going to taste amazing even if it doesn’t look perfect!

Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Filling
from Libby’s

For cake roll:
1/4 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2  teaspoon cloves
1 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup pumpkin puree

For filling:
1 eight-ounce package of cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted for lumps
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup powdered sugar for sprinkling

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 15″ by 10″ jelly-roll pan, and line with parchment paper. Grease and flour the parchment paper. Lay a smooth tea towel on a flat surface and sprinkle it with the powdered sugar. Set these aside.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt. In a large electric mixer bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until thick and light in color.

Add the pumpkin and beat vigorously. Stir in the dry ingredient mixture until completely moistened. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared jelly roll pan.

Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until the top of the cake springs back when lightly touched. Quickly loosen and turn the cake out onto the prepared towel. Carefully peel off the parchment paper. Sprinkle with more powdered sugar. Roll the cake up in the towel, starting with the narrow end. Allow the rolled cake to cool completely on  a wire rack.

Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla with an electric mixer. The filling should be completely smooth. Carefully unroll the cooled cake, and remove the towel. Spread the filling evenly over the cake, and re-roll the cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour. (I can’t usually manage to get the boys to stay away from it for that long, so good luck!)

You may want to slice a sliver off of the ends of the cake to create a clean look. Plus, you get to sample the slivers just to make sure the cake is completely delicious. Sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving.

If you ask me, fall is the perfect time for an easy. flavorful, crock-pot soup. We all seem to be so busy at this time of year, and everyone would rather be outside enjoying the crisp weather and beautiful fall colors than slaving over a complicated dinner recipe. So throw this easy chicken salsa soup in the crock pot and get outside and enjoy the day!!

To make this recipe even easier, you can add the onion and garlic to the crock pot raw, and use pre-cooked chicken cut into bite-sized pieces. The salsa in this soup is a great shortcut, delivering tons of flavor with minimal work! Use spicy salsa for a zestier soup. I always like to use low-sodium broth in my soups so that I can control the level of salt in the final product. I would recommend serving this soup with a nice cornbread or a handful of tortilla chips. Enjoy!

Chicken Salsa Soup

From AllRecipes.com

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic
2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 jar of your favorite salsa
1 package of frozen corn
2 cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
Hot sauce, to taste
Sour cream, avocado, and/or cilantro for garnish

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and add the onion. Cook over medium heat until translucent and beginning to brown. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Empty the skillet into your crock pot, and add the chicken pieces. Brown the chicken over medium-high heat and add to the crock pot. Add the salsa, corn, beans,  chicken broth, and cumin. Cook on low for 4-6 hours or on high for 2-4 hours. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and hot sauce to taste. Serve with your choice of garnish.

This delicious cheese spread was a big hit when we brought it to a St. Patrick’s Day party earlier this month. The sharp cheddar balanced by the mellow stout is a perfect mach with hearty rye toast. With flavors reminiscent of rarebit sauce on toast, this is a perfect appetizer for a casual dinner party!

Guinness-Cheddar Cheese Spread
Adapted from The Galley Gourmet

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 tablespoons cream cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup Guinness Stout
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce
12 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, grated
2 tablespoons finely chopped yellow onion
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
A pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
1 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, with extra for garnish
Bite-sized rye bread, buttered and toasted

In the bowl of a food processor (or in a bowl using an immersion blender, as we did) combine the butter, cream cheese, Guinness, mustard, and Worcestershire, blending until fully combined. Next, add cheddar cheese, the onion, black pepper, and cayenne. Puree until smooth and fully combined. Stir in the parsley. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, but up to 3 days. Allow the mixture to return to room temperature before serving. Garnish with a sprig of fresh parsley and serve with freshly toasted rye bread.

If you ask me, sweet potatoes are hard to improve upon – the simple richness of a sweet potato baked to caramelized perfection is my ideal. That is why I love this simple, old-fashioned recipe for mashed sweet potatoes. It subtly enhances the flavor and texture of the sweet orange flesh without overwhelming the main ingredient with unnecessary embellishments. This dish is pleasingly fluffy and light, and it melts in your mouth like sweet candy.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes
adapted from Southern Cooking by Mrs. S. R. Dull

4 medium sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons milk
1 large egg
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar, packed

Place clean potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender (boiling time will depend on the size of the potato). Carefully peel the hot potatoes and slice cross-wise into 1/2″ slices – this will prevent any stringy parts of the potato from ruining the texture of the dish. Place the potato pieces in a medium bowl and mash with the butter until melted and incorporated. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Add the salt, milk, egg, and brown sugar. Beat gently with a fork until light. Spoon the mixture into a greased baking dish. (At this point, you can cover and refrigerate the dish for up to 24 hours.) Bake uncovered for 20-30 minutes, until piping hot all the way through and edges are beginning to brown.

Note: For a more upscale dish, you could embellish this recipe by mixing brown sugar, cinnamon, and chopped pecans and topping the potatoes with this crumbly mixture. But sometimes I just like the simple sweet decadence of the potatoes alone!

Happy New Year, dear readers!! Best wishes for a wonderful 2011 to you all!!

My mom has been making this recipe since the 1970s when, she says, it was “all the rage.” We have tweaked the original to suit our family’s tastes. It is a delicious and festive appetizer that we often serve during the holidays. My whole family gets excited and hovers around the famous cheese ring. I believe that the combination of cheese, jam, and nuts on a cracker is a Southern thing – if you haven’t tried it, it will change your life!!

Cheddar Cheese Ring
based on Rosalynn Carter’s Cheddar Cheese Ring

1 pound sharp cheddar cheese, finely grated
1 cup pecans, chopped and toasted
1/4 cup finely chopped sweet onion
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup mayonnaise
Strawberry jam
Crackers

Toss together the shredded cheese, pecans, onion, and pepper in a large bowl. Add the mayo gradually, using only enough so that the mixture comes together in a mold-able dough-like ball. Use your hands to shape the cheese mixture into a ring on your serving platter. The ring should be about 6″ from edge to edge. You can cover and refrigerate the ring at this stage for up to 48 hours.

Fill the center of the ring with the strawberry jam. Serve with crackers. For those who aren’t familiar with this setup, you smear some cheese on the cracker and then top with a dab of jam. Enjoy!!

I am sad to announce, dear readers, the passing of a much-loved blog that I and many others have enjoyed over the past several years. For unknown reasons, Katie has taken down her food blog, Good Things Catered. In celebration of and appreciation for her contribution to the food blogging community, to our kitchens, and to our imaginations, I am sharing one of my favorite Good Things Catered recipes with you all.

I hope you will enjoy this delicious dip. Katie amped up the flavor of this classic appetizer by roasting the artichokes before adding them in to the creamy, earthy goodness of spinach blended with a variety of cheeses. This is a great recipe to have on hand during the holidays, when guests are dropping by unexpectedly or when we are called on to bring a dish to a neighborhood party. You can even mix these ingredients together up to three days in advance and then warm the dip in the oven just before serving.

Roasted Artichoke and Spinach Dip
from the now deceased blog, Good Things Catered

2 14-ounce cans of premium artichoke hearts (frozen works, too)
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
16 ounces baby spinach leaves (frozen works, too)
1 medium onion, minced
2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1/4 cup mayonnaise
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature (I subbed goat cheese – divine!)
1 1/2 cups assorted cheeses, grated (I used paremsan, cheddar, mozzarella, and romano)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoons minced thyme leaves
A pinch of cayenne pepper
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated (I used a combo of parm and cheddar)

Preheat your  oven to 450 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil.

Toss drained artichokes with one tablespoon of the olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Spread the artichokes out over the baking sheet and roast, stirring occasionally. Until browned at the edges, about 25 minutes. Let the artichoke cool and chop coarsely.

Meanwhile heat one tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Sautée spinach until wilted. Drain thoroughly and remove from the pan.

Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and add the onion. Cook for until softened, about 5 -7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer the onion and garlic to a bowl with spinach.

Stir in the mayonnaise, cream cheese, grated cheeses, lemon juice, thyme, and cayenne and thoroughly combine. Gently fold in the artichokes and season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the mixture to a large baking dish and sprinkle the top with parmesan. (At this stage, you can cover and refrigerate the dip for up to three days if needed.)

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Bake the prepared dip uncovered until hot throughout and top is golden brown, about 20-25 mins. Let cool at least 5 minutes before serving. Served with tortilla chips or sturdy crackers. Enjoy!

I think you can tell from the photograph where this delicious treat gets its name!

This creamy and delicious salad was a favorite in my family when I was growing up.  My mom first found it in The Congressional Club Cook Book (8th Edition, 1970) and it has been a tradition in our house ever since.  We usually have this around Christmas time, ,but I think that it makes a gloriously green addition to any St. Patrick’s Day or Easter table, too!

Sea Foam Salad

1 14-ounce can of pears, with their juice
1 3-ounce box of lime Jell-O
6 ounces of cream cheese, softened
1 cup whipping cream

Place a strainer over a bowl and drain the pears. You should have about 1 cup of pear juice – if you fall short, just add water until you have 1 cup of liquid. Heat the pear juice in the microwave for about 1 minute. Dissolve the Jell-O in the hot pear juice. Let set until slightly thickened.

Meanwhile, mash the pears with a fork and mix in the cream cheese.

When the Jell-O has thickened slightly, whip it with an electric mixer until frothy. In a separate bowl, whip the cream until soft peaks form. Fold all the ingredients together until fully incorporated.

Chill the mixture in one large mold or in several smaller molds. Chill overnight or until set. Turn out of molds, and garnish with cherries or greenery.

So when I went out in search of the perfect recipe for boeuf bourguignon, I knew right where I would start:  Julia Child.  After perusing her flawless recipe, I knew I’d found The One.  I made very few changes to the original recipe, mainly altering a few ingredients for the sake of convenience.

The result?  Boeuf Bliss!!!  Even the husband remarked that it was one of the best dishes I have ever made for him.  The sauce is so rich, each layer of flavor reveals itself to you in turn as you make your way through the dish.  This is no ordinary beef stew.

Boeuf Bourguignon
adapted from Julia Child’s amazing recipe

6 ounces of bacon, cut into 1″ pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 lbs. stew beef cut into 2-inch cubes
1 carrot, thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 tablespoons flour
3 cups of full-bodied red wine (I used a nice Chianti)
2-3 cups of beef stock
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, mashed
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf, crumbled

18-24 pearl onions, peeled
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup beef stock
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon parsley
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 lb. fresh mushrooms, quartered
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.

Heat the olive oil in an oven-proof, stove-proof casserole (I used a small dutch oven) over medium heat on the stove. Brown the bacon pieces in the oil for 2-3 minutes. Remove them to a large plate using a slotted spoon.

Next, pat dry your beef and sautee the pieces, a few at a time, until well browned on all sides. Remove the meat to the plate with the bacon.

Finally, sautee the carrot and onion in the same pan, cooking them until slightly soft. Remove these to the same plate as the meat.

Pour off any fat remaining in the bottom of the casserole. Return the bacon, meat, and veggies to the casserole, tossing them together with the salt and pepper. Sprinkle the flour over the top of the mixture, and place the casserole, uncovered, in the oven for 4 minutes. Remove from the oven, toss the mixture again, and return to the oven for another 4 minutes. This step is important because the cooked flour will help to thicken your sauce – yum!

Add the wine to the casserole. Then add enough of the broth to barely cover the top of the meat mixture. Stir in the tomato paste, the garlic, the thyme, and the parsley. Bring the entire mixture to a boil on the stovetop.

Lower the oven temperature to 325. Cover the casserole and bake so that the mixture slowly simmers – you can adjust the oven temperature if necessary. Allow to cook for 3-4 hours, or until the meat is easily pierced with a fork.

When the meat is almost finished cooking, you can prepare the onions and the mushrooms.

For the onions, combine the butter and the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, and sautee for about 10 minutes, so that they brown evenly without the layers coming apart. Pour in the stock, add the pepper and herbs, and cover the skillet. Simmer the onions over low heat for 40-50 minutes. The onions will be very tender, and almost all of the liquid will be gone. Remove the onions from the pan and set aside.

For the mushrooms, heat the butter and oil over medium-high heat in a skillet. As soon as the foamy part of the butter begins to disappear, add the mushrooms. Stir the pan frequently as the mushrooms brown lightly – this should take about 5 minutes. Then remove them from the heat.

To finish off the stew, remove the casserole from the oven. Place a sieve over a saucepan on the stove, and pour the contents of the casserole through the sieve. Wash out the casserole so that you can start with a clean slate. Remove the beef and the bacon from the sieve into the clean casserole. Set the onion and carrot aside (Julia says to throw this part away, but it makes a nice snack for later!!!). Place the mushrooms and the onions on top of the meat in the casserole.

Simmer the sauce for 2-3 minutes, skimming the fat off the top as necessary. The sauce should lightly coat the back of a spoon. If the sauce is thin, then simmer it until it boils down and thickens. If it is too thick, then add some extra beef stock. Taste the sauce and adjust the salt and pepper to your taste.

Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables. Simmer the mixture for about 2-3 minutes before serving. Serve in the casserole or on a warm platter surrounded by noodles, potatoes or rice and garnished with fresh parsley. We had ours with buttered egg noodles, and it was divine. Enjoy!

Here is a recipe from my Grandma – my dad’s mom.  Most of my recipes from Grandma are simple, but super-flavorful – and this one is no exception!

Grandma’s Cheese Ball

1 jar Old English Cheese
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
4 ounces of bleu cheese crumbles
2 tablespoons onion, grated
1 large garlic clove, grated
1 cup chopped pecans
Parsley, for garnish

Combine the Old English cheese and the cream cheese, blending until completely combined.  Fold in the bleu cheese crumbles, the onion, and the garlic.  Place the mixture in plastic wrap, forming it roughly into a ball.  Chill for at least 1 hour, or until firm enough to handle.

Roll the cheese ball in the chopped pecans until completely coated.  Garnish with parsley.