The Gift of Family

In November 1982, the Herald-Leader published a cookbook that featured readers’ best recipes for holiday entertaining and gift giving. The recipes focused on old family favorites.

Baked ham

1 boneless canned ham (or pre-cooked)
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon cloves
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
2 tablespoons melted butter
1⁄2 cup pineapple juice

Bake ham for 30 minutes. Combine remaining ingredients and pat onto ham. Lay pineapple slices on top and wrap in heavy foil. Bake at 325 degrees, about 1 1⁄2 hours. Remove ham from oven and slice. Cover slices with drippings, rewrap and return to oven for another 30 minutes, with the oven turned off.
-- Lois Arnett of West Liberty

Crumbly chicken

1 medium frying chicken
1 1⁄2 sticks margarine, melted
1 cup bread crumbs
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 teaspoon garlic salt
Salt and pepper to taste
Cut up chicken. Dip chicken pieces in melted margarine. Mix together bread crumbs, grated cheese, garlic salt, salt and pepper. Roll chicken in mixture and arrange in a shallow baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Makes 6 servings.
-- Virgie Holder of Winchester

Baked pineapple

3 eggs, beaten
1⁄2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 can (12 ounces) crushed pineapple
1 stack of round butter crackers, crushed
1⁄4 cup butter, melted
Spray a 1-quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Mix eggs, sugar and flour. Add pineapple, including juice. Mix well. Pour mixture into casserole dish. Mix crushed crackers with melted butter. Sprinkle over pineapple mixture. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove cover and bake another 30 minutes.
-- Mildred L. Rogers of Jackson

Cheese salad

1 package (3 ounces) lemon gelatin
1 cup hot water
3⁄4 cup non-dairy frozen whipped topping, thawed
3⁄4 cup chopped pecans
2⁄3 cup grated yellow cheese
1 can (8 1⁄4 ounces) crushed pineapple
1⁄4 cup stuffed olives, sliced
Mix gelatin with hot water and stir until gelatin is dissolved. Let stand until nearly set. Whip mixture. Fold in whipped topping and remaining ingredients. Pour into a mold and let congeal.
-- Effie Pence of Jackson

Holiday eggnog

1 pint peppermint ice cream
2 quarts eggnog
Reddiwip
Blend ice cream into eggnog on slow speed of an electric mixer. Pour into punch bowl. Decorate with Reddiwip.
-- Carol Van Sickle of Versailles

Potato walnut cake
1 cup hot mashed potatoes
3⁄4 cup butter
2 cups sugar
4 eggs, separated
2 squares baking chocolate, melted
1 1⁄2 cups flour
1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1⁄2 cup milk
1 cup raisins, lightly floured
1 cup walnuts, lightly floured

Boil a couple of potatoes and mash. Cream butter and sugar. Add egg yolks, and mix well. Add hot potatoes and melted chocolate. Sift flour, baking powder and spices together and add alternately to potato mixture with milk. Mix well.

By hand, mix in nuts and raisins and fold in beaten egg whites. Pour into greased and floured angel food cake pan. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 1 hour. Keep cake sealed. It improves with age, so bake 2 to 3 weeks before the holidays.
-- Barbara Howard of Lexington

Rum balls

1 package (6 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate pieces
1⁄2 cup sugar
1⁄3 cup rum
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
2 cups crushed vanilla wafers (44 wafers)
1 cup walnuts, finely chopped
Sugar
In a saucepan, melt chocolate pieces over low heat. Remove from heat. Stir in sugar, rum and corn syrup. Fold in vanilla wafers and nuts. When cool, shape mixture into 1-inch balls, using 2 teaspoons mixture for each. Roll in additional sugar. Store in an airtight container for several days. Makes 4 dozen.
-- Regina Caton of Burgin