Breads, Cookies and Candy, Oh My!

In the 1983 edition of Holiday Cooking, readers shared their favorite recipes for breads, candy, cookies, desserts, hors d’oeuvres, salads, side dishes, and leftovers. Here are some of the recipes.

Double peanut clusters

1 6-ounce package butterscotch pieces
1⁄2 cup peanut butter
1 1⁄2 cups whole salted peanuts
Melt butterscotch pieces and peanut butter in top of a double boiler over hot, not boiling water. Add peanuts. Stir until blended. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper or foil-lined cookie sheet. Chill until firm.
— Connie P. Saunders of Hillsboro

Sugar plums

1⁄2 of 5-ounce jar cheese spread with pineapple
1 3⁄4 cup sifted confectioner’s sugar
1⁄8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pitted dried dates, plums, figs or apricot halves
Sugar
Stir together cheese spread, confectioner’s sugar and cinnamon. Spread cheese mixture on fruit halves. Top with another half. Roll in sugar. Place on a tray, cover tightly and store in refrigerator.
— Charlene Baker of Manchester

No-bake fruitcake

1 16-ounce box graham cracker crumbs
1 10-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 can flaked coconut
1 pint candied cherries (red and green)
1 pint candied pineapple
1 cup raisins
1 pound pecans, chopped
Combine all ingredients and press into a lightly oiled 13- by 9-inch pan. If mixture is a little dry, add 1⁄4 cup orange juice.
— Dianne Jones of Versailles

Pink arctic freeze

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
3 tablespoons sugar
1 can whole berry cranberry sauce
1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, drained
1⁄2 cup walnuts, chopped
1 carton (9 ounces) whipped topping
In a large mixing bowl, mix cream cheese with mayonnaise and sugar. Add cranberries, pineapple, walnuts and whipped topping. Mix well and pour into a 9- by 9-inch baking dish. Freeze for 6 hours or overnight. Remove from freezer about 10 minutes before serving. Cut into squares and serve.
— Frances Allen of Pikeville

Southern peach yam bake

1⁄2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons flour
1⁄2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons margarine
1⁄2 cup chopped pecans
2 17-ounce cans yams, sliced and drained
1 16-ounce can peach slices, drained
1 1⁄2 cups miniature marshmallows
Combine brown sugar, flour and nutmeg. Cut in margarine until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add nuts. Arrange yams and peaches in 1 1/2-quart casserole dish. Sprinkle with sugar mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Sprinkle with marshmallows. Broil until lightly browned.
— Bettye Norsworthy of Flemingsburg

Orange candy slice cake

2 sticks butter
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 1⁄2 cups buttermilk
1 teaspoon soda
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
4 cups flour
1 pound orange jelly candy slices, halved
1 pound dates, chopped
2 cups nuts, chopped
Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well. Add 1 cup buttermilk, beating well. Add soda to the other 1⁄2 cup of buttermilk. Add to mixture. Combine flour and salt and add orange slices. Then add dates and nuts; blend. Pour mixture into a tube pan that has been sprayed with cooking oil and lightly floured. Bake 2 1⁄2 hours at 275 degrees.
To make orange icing: To 1 small can frozen orange juice concentrate (thawed), add 1⁄2 cup light brown sugar. Let stand while cake bakes. Pour on while cake is hot. Let cake cool in pan before removing.
— Mildred C. Rose of West Liberty