Every year our staff shares their favorite recipes. Here are the 2008 pics.

from Jeri Dansky

This recipe comes from my step-mother. I haven’t made it myself yet, but I snapped up the recipe, because it was delicious. And it’s easy, too!

Southwestern Baked Corn Pudding

Makes 4-6 generous servings

2 eggs, beaten

Two 16-ounce cans of cream-style corn, yellow or white

3⁄4 cup yellow cornmeal

1 clove garlic, minced

1 large onion, chopped

1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder

1⁄3 cup margarine

One 4-ounce can chopped green chile

1⁄2 pound grated sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 375 F.  Grease a two-quart casserole. Combine all the ingredients in the order given and pour the mixture into the casserole. Bake for 45 minutes at 375 F; turn the oven down to 325 F and bake another 30-45 minutes.

from Dyane Hendricks

This is great for parties and gatherings.

Apple Charoset Cake

Needless to say, we do not serve this at Passover!

Charoset Mixture

6 apples, coarsely chopped

2⁄3 cup chopped  walnuts

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1⁄2 teaspoon nutmeg

1⁄2 teaspoon ginger

Grated rind of 1 lemon

4 tablespoons vanilla

2⁄3 cup sour cream, regular or light

Mix apples, walnuts, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, lemon, and vanilla. Blend in sour cream. Set aside.

Cake Mix

2 cups flour

1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking soda

1⁄4 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

3⁄4 cup mayonnaise

1 cup cold coffee, the stronger the better

1 tablespoon brandy

Preparation:

Preheat over to 350 F.

Sift together the flour, soda and salt. Cream together the sugar, mayonnaise, water and brandy. Add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture; stir until well blended. Fold in charoset mixture.

Pour batter into greased bundt pan Bake at 350 F for about 45 minutes. Cool enough to remove from pan. Refrigerate for at least two hours before slicing.

Hint: If you’re in a rush or don’t want to bake from scratch, use a yellow cake mix. Most mixes call for three eggs, oil and water. Simply use two eggs, and substitute the mayonnaise for the oil and third egg, and substitute the coffee for the water.

from Janet Periat

Of the five kinds of cookies I bake for Christmas, this is my family’s singular favorite. I started baking these when I was 12 and every year the family insists I continue the tradition. If I were you, I’d bake them for myself and not share them. People with Chocolate Crinkle addictions are not a pretty sight.

Chocolate Crinkles

Makes about six dozen cookies.

1⁄2 cup vegetable oil

4 squares unsweetened chocolate

(4 ounces), melted

2 cups granulated sugar

4 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1⁄2 teaspoon salt

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

Mix oil, chocolate and granulated sugar. Blend in one egg at a time until well mixed. Add vanilla. Mix dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and salt) in a separate bowl. Add dry ingredients to oil/chocolate/sugar/vanilla mixture. Mix well. Chill overnight or several hours. (Quickie way: Stick the bowl in the freezer for an hour or so.)

Heat oven to 350 F. Sift confectioners’ sugar onto a dinner plate or large, flat bowl. Drop teaspoonfuls into sugar, roll around until completely covered. Place balls about 2 inches apart on a greased baking sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Do not overbake! You want the middles to be a bit moist — like the inside of brownies.

Warning: Laughing and Crinkles do not mix! When you bite into the cookies, the powdered sugar has a tendency to get airborne in your mouth. If you laugh or suck in any air during this dangerous time, you will inhale sugar! Super unpleasant!

from Vicki Skinner

Remember to wrap and assemble all presents before imbibing.

Vicki’s Christmas Eve Egg Nog

I always double it for my annual Christmas Eve party. Doubled, it makes enough for one huge punch bowl.

6 egg yolks

2 cups of sugar

1 pint bourbon

1 cup Jamaican rum

1 cup brandy

3 pints heavy cream

1 pint milk

6 egg whites

Nutmeg

Beat egg yolks and sugar until thick and lemony. Slowly stir in booze. Blend in heavy cream and milk. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff. Pour the booze mixture into the punch bowl.  Gently fold egg whites in on top. Dust with nutmeg to taste.

Disclaimer: I am not responsible for any clogged arteries or hangovers from this recipe — or salmonella poisoning from the raw eggs (but I think the booze kills that).

from Gwen O’Neill

This recipe is from my cousin who married a native Cuban. It’s a simple dish and doesn’t require complicated additions to the meal. Although there are a lot of ingredients, nothing could be easier or create a more wonderful smell of cheer throughout the house. It’s a great recipe for an open house because you can increase the size of the pot very easily.

Cuban Chicken

2 broiler-fryer chickens cut in pieces (I recommend skinless parts)

5 garlic cloves finely chopped

1 onion chopped

½ green pepper chopped

2 cans (15 oz) tomato sauce

4 bay leaves

1 tsp ground cumin

½ tsp dried oregano

1 cup raisins

1 cup pimento stuffed olives sliced

1 teaspoon vinegar

salt to your taste

Put everything in dutch oven, cover and bring to boil. Simmer for 1 hour turning occasionally. Be sure to keep the chicken covered with sauce. Serve with rice.

Variation:  2 cups of potatoes cut in small squares can be added. Also just before finished cooking, add 1½ cups of frozen peas and cook until hot.

And if you are having a party, these are two dishes that go together well and are always a hit.

Chinese Noodles

Ingredients

¼  cup chopped scallions

10 oz Chinese noodles (fresh or dry—

if using fresh, may cook more quickly)

Sauce

3 heaping tablespoon peanut butter

3 tablespoon black soy sauce (if available)

2 teaspoon Chinese vinegar (red preferred)

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon (or more to taste) chili oil

Cook noodles one minute or until done. Mix sauce until not quite smooth. Pour sauce over noodles. Toss and sprinkle scallions on top.

Eggplant, Szechuan Style

Sauce

2 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon hot brown bean sauce

Assembly

1 tablespoon minced ginger

1 or more garlic cloves thinly sliced

1½ lb eggplant

1 cup oil

1 teaspoon sesame oil

2 teaspoon white vinegar

Mix sauce; place garlic and ginger on small plate. Set aside.

Cut eggplant into 2- x 1/2- x 1/2-inch finger slices. Heat wok until very hot, add oil, then eggplant. Stir and turn for 5 minutes. Fry eggplant a little at a time so heat is not diminished. Pour into strainer, drain. Reserve oil.

Heat same wok with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add garlic and ginger and stir 1 minute. Add sauce and eggplant and cook 2 minutes. Add vinegar and sesame oil. Serve hot or cold.