Liisa's fun and fast Christmas recipes

Archived Articles | 16 Dec 2005 | Liisa UllmanEWR

Last year's Christmas issue featured Estonian holiday recipes from Karin Annus Kärner and Liisa Ullman. (Karin's Estonian Tastes and Traditions cookbook was launched last Saturday just in time for jõulud, available now throughout North America and in Estonia by spring.) We asked Liisa, who has been winning awards with regularity in Montana for her jams and jellies, for some fun recipes for Christmas entertaining that fast and easy. Here's what she sent, along with a hearty häid pühi for all her esto friends across North America.

Strawberry Zip Sauce
(great on ice cream, cheese cake or angel cake)
* 2 cups crushed strawberries
* 1/2 cup granulated sugar
* 1/3 dry red wine
* 4 teaspoons Amaretto
Place crushed strawberries in saucepot with sugar on medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and add wine and amaretto. Stir well and let simmer for 5 mins. Makes 3 cups. Can be served warm right away or can be refrigerated - then heated up when ready to use.

Raspberry Cranberry Sauce
(great on pancakes, waffles or eggrolls!)
* 2 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
* 1 8oz jar of raspberry jam or preserves (can be store bought)
* 3/4 cup cranberry juice
* 1/2 cup brown sugar
* 1/2 corn syrup
Combine all ingredients in a saucepot on medium heat -mix well. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and boil gently for 20-25 mins or until fruit is soft. Use hand mixer or blender to puree until smooth. That's it! Ready to eat!

Strawberry Cheese Pancakes
* 4oz cream cheese, softened
* 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
* 1 1/2 cups chopped fresh strawberries
* 1/2 cup strawberry preserves
Place cream cheese and vanilla in a bowl, mix together. When smooth and well mixed, add chopped fresh strawberries and mix some more. Spoon 2-3 heaping tablespoons of filling mixture down centre of each pancake and roll up. Place filled pancake in buttered baking dish. Bake 15-20 minutes or until thoroughly heated. When you take pancakes out the oven spread the strawberry preserve over the top. Makes 4-5 servings
Pancake recipe:
* 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
* 3/4 cup milk
* 2 eggs
Combine all ingredients in bowl and beat with hand mixer until smooth. Melt butter in hot fry pan. Pour approx. 1/4 cup batter in pan, tilt pan and spread evenly. Then lightly brown both sides. Try to make pancakes thin like crepes. Makes 10 thin 6" pancakes

Montana Kahlua
(always a good holiday drink)
* 2 cups water
* 2 cups white sugar
* 1/2 cup dry instant coffee (must be fresh)
* 6 tablespoons vanilla
* 1 1/2 cups vodka
Boil water and sugar until dissolved. Turn off heat. Add dry instant coffee while stirring. Add vanilla and vodka to mixture. Keep stirring. When nicely mixed together, then pour into a glass bottle or a couple quart canning jars (container must be glass - plastic can change flavour). Put on lids to glass container tightly. The Kahlua mixture must sit for 2 weeks and you need to shake it everyday so the ingredients don't separate. At the end of the 2 weeks, pour the Kahlua through a coffee filter to catch any leftover instant coffee grinds. Makes about 4 cups. Tastes great in hot coffee or mixed with milk (White Russians)

Here's a great snack! Nuts in Honey
* 1 cup honey
* 1/2 cup unsalted butter
* 1/2 cup whole blanched almonds
* 1/2 cup unsalted peanuts
* 1 cup toasted shredded coconut
* 1/4 cup sesame seeds
* 1/2 cup cashews
Place the honey and butter in a saucepan and stir over low heat until butter has melted. Simmer gently for 5 minutes, until mixture is golden brown. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the nuts, coconut and sesame seeds. Drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or tinfoil. Let the clusters sit for 2 hours to set and cool. Store in airtight container. Good for 3 months-makes about 50-60 clusters. Yummy! I sometimes dip one end of the clusters in melted semi-sweet chocolate -Heavenly!

Traditional Cranberry Sauce with a twist!
* 1 lb. fresh cranberries
* 1/4 cup Strawberry or Raspberry Liqueur
* 2 cups water
* 2 cups sugar
Put water in large saucepan - bring to a boil. Add cranberries and sugar. Cook on medium heat and keep stirring until all cranberries have popped (about 25-30 minutes). Take off heat and add 1/4 cup strawberry or raspberry liqueur and stir until mixed well. Ready to serve on turkey or verivorstid!

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