These treats depend on our memories of holidays past to bring even more pleasure to the

These treats depend on our memories of holidays past to bring even more pleasure to the celebrations.

By LISA LOSASSO

VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT

Every family has delicious holiday traditions. The smell and taste of Pumpkin pie, eggnog, gingerbread, cinnamon and peppermint sticks always bring back memories of holidays past. This year, Velvet Ice Cream of Utica, Ohio and Smith’s Dairy of Orrville, Ohio, can put a twist on your traditional holiday treats.

Throughout the year, the Velvet Ice Cream Limited Sensations program features new and seasonal ice cream flavors which are sold in grocery stores, ice cream shops, and Ye Olde Mill, the company’s head quarters in Utica.

Just in time for the holiday season, Peppermint Stick Ice Cream will be added to the holiday flavor line up, along with Pumpkin Pie. Both of these specialty flavors are part of the program and will only be available through December.

“We keep both flavors on hand as ready-to-eat treats for family and friends that stop by our house during the holidays,” said Luconda Dager, vice president of sales and marketing, Velvet Ice Cream. “It’s such a hectic time of year, that I rarely have time to bake pies.”

About eight years ago, Velvet began working with Food Consultant, Connie Cahill. “We’ve developed several ice cream recipes that make Pumpkin Pie and Peppermint Stick ice creams an easy and fun alternative to the traditional dessert, hostess gift or midnight snack,” said Dager. “It’s a way to use ice cream so it doesn’t get lost amongst other holiday desserts.”

The tastes, the smells

Carol Bell of Ellsworth Township said the taste of peppermint brings back fond memories of Christmas with her mom and dad in Fredonia, New York. “I still remember pulling candy canes off the Christmas tree when I was just child. It was such a treat!” And, of course, no Christmas stocking is complete without a candy cane.

Gloria Brittin-Wilkin of Struthers, said she remembers coming in out of the cold to a steaming cup of hot cocoa. This is a sensory experience that instant hot cocoa will never replace. Making hot cocoa on top of the stove, with real milk and rich cocoa, fills a home with a wonderful warm aroma, and it’s worth the wait.

For a new twist on an old favorite, Smith Dairy and Ruggles offer Hot Chocolate Ice Cream. And, just in time for the holidays, Smith’s Lowfat Eggnog and Lowfat Custard Style Eggnog is back on the grocery store shelves. Try warming it up and adding a cinnamon stick. Or, top it off with a dash of cinnamon. It’s another great way to warm up on a long winter night.

According to Smith Dairy, eggnog is not just for sipping. It can also be used as an ingredient for holiday side dishes and desserts. “Consumers buy our eggnog every year not just because of an old-fashioned holiday tradition, but because of its indulgent, rich, and creamy taste,” said Penny Baker, Director of Marketing for Smith Dairy. “That makes it perfect for recipes such as our Santa’s Eggnog Christmas Casserole, a make-ahead holiday brunch stand-out.”

Lynn Henry, of North Jackson, remembers going to her grandparents’ house every Christmas Eve. Her favorite part of the meal, she said, were the fried dough balls, coated with cinnamon sugar. In just one of the dough balls, her grandmother would hide a cotton ball. They were so good, that everyone ate them, even with the fear of getting a mouth full of cotton. Although her mother, Mary Ferko, insists that it was just a tradition, and only meant to be a joke on whoever got it, Henry says that she always thought that her grandmother was trying to teach them a lesson, which was, that you have to take the good with the bad. “You can’t just gobble life up,” she said. “You have to take small bites.”

Smith’s recipes

SANTA’S EGGNOG CHRISTMAS CASSEROLE

1 loaf French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes

4 eggs

3 cups premium eggnog

2 cups milk

2 teaspoons nutmeg

1 teaspoon rum extract

1 cup dried cranberries

2 tablespoon butter, melted

1⁄2 cup brown sugar

1⁄2 cup pecan pieces

Butter a 9x13 baking pan and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine melted butter, brown sugar and pecan pieces. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, eggnog, milk, nutmeg and rum extract. Toss bread cubes and dried cranberries in the eggnog mixture until bread is well coated. Put mixture (including any leftover liquid) into buttered baking dish. Lightly press down the bread so most of it is covered with liquid. Sprinkle with topping. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several ours or overnight. Bake uncovered in preheated 350-degree oven for about 50 minutes, or until inserted butter knife comes out clean.

MINT MOCHA MOUSSE

11⁄2 cup milk

1 tablespoon instant coffee granules

1⁄8 teaspoon mint extract

1 package (3.9 ounces) chocolate fudge instant pudding and pie filling mix

11⁄2 cups frozen whipped topping, thawed Garnishes: Fresh mint sprigs, cocoa

Blend first four ingredients for two minutes or until thickened. Pour into a bowl and gently fold in 1 and one-quarter cups whipped topping. Spoon into four individual dessert dishes; chill.

Top with remaining one-quarter cup whipped topping and garnish, if desired. Makes four servings.

To reduce fat and calories: substitute skim milk, one package (1.4 ounces) sugar-free chocolate pudding and pie filling mix, and reduced-calorie frozen whipped topping.

NO-BAKE CHEESECAKE

1 graham cracker pie crust

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1⁄3 cup sugar

1 cup sour cream

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 (8-ounce) container whipped topping

Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Blend in sour cream and vanilla. Fold in whipped topping. Spoon into crust. Chill until set, at least four hours.

EGGNOG SPICE CAKE

1 box spice cake mix

Eggs, vegetable oil, and/or other ingredients, as called for in cake mix directions

1 (30-ounce) container premium eggnog

1 cup powdered sugar

1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1⁄2 cup pecans, toasted and chopped

Prepare the spice cake mix according to the package directions, but use an equal amount of premium eggnog instead of water. Bake in a prepared bundt pan according to package directions. Let cake cool to room temperature. In a small bowl combine the powdered sugar and vanilla with 2 to 3 tablespoons of premium eggnog; drizzle glaze over the cake. Sprinkle with the toasted pecans. Slice and serve.

Makes 10 to 12 servings

SUGAR COOKIE HOLIDAY ICE CREAM LOAF

4 cups sugar cookie ice cream, softened

2 cups chocolate vanilla cream-filled sandwich cookies, coarsely crushed (about 16 cookies)

1 (16-ounce) jar hot fudge sauce

1 teaspoon pure orange extract

Sprinkle a standard loaf pan (81⁄2 x 41⁄2 inches) with water and line with plastic wrap; the water will help the plastic wrap adhere to the pan. Spread 11⁄2 cups of the softened sugar cookie ice cream evenly in the bottom of the loaf pan. Then sprinkle one cup of the crushed cookies evenly over the ice cream layer. Repeat this process, ending with a layer of ice cream. There will be three layers of ice cream and two layers of cookies. Cover the loaf pan with plastic wrap and place in the freezer until frozen.

When ready to serve, heat the hot fudge sauce according to the directions on the jar. After heating, add the orange extract to the sauce and stir. Remove the ice cream loaf from the pan and peel off the plastic wrap. Slice the loaf into 8-10 slices. Pour hot fudge sauce over the slices and serve.

(Note: Recipe designed for Ruggles brand.

Makes 8 to 10 servings

Traditional recipe

OLD-FASHIONED HOT COCOA

1⁄4 cup cocoa powder

1⁄3 cup sugar

4 cups milk

In saucepan, add one-quarter cup cocoa powder, one-third cup sugar and four cups milk. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly. Heat all the way through. Do not allow it to boil. When steam begins to build and a few bubbles escape along the sides of the saucepan, the cocoa is done.

Velvet recipes

PUMPKIN APPLE SHAKE

3 cups Ginger Gold or Gala apples cored, unpeeled, diced

1⁄4 cup lemon-lime soda

4 cups pumpkin pie ice cream

1 cup apple cider

1⁄3 cup caramel sauce

1 teaspoon vanilla

Whipped cream

Caramel sauce

Candied pecans, chopped

Toss apples with lemon-lime soda. Drain and place apples on a cool sheet and freeze for approximately 15 minutes. In a blender, comb the ice cream, cider, frozen apples, caramel sauce and vanilla. Blend until smooth. Pour into dessert cups or glasses. Top with whipped cream, additional caramel sauce and chopped pecans.

Makes 5 cups

PUMPKIN PECAN PARFAITS

1 (56-ounce) carton pumpkin pie ice cream

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1⁄4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons dark rum

2 tablespoons maple syrup

2 cups pecan halves

1 (12.25-ounce) jar caramel ice cream topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a saucepan, combine sugar, salt, butter, rum and maple syrup and bring to a boil. Cook until thick and bubbly. Toss in pecans and coat evenly with sugar mixture. Spread pecans onto a greased cookie sheet and bake 10-15 minutes until the pecans turn a dark amber color. Remove the pecans, place on a platter and cool.

Place one tablespoon of the chopped pecans into each of six goblets. Place one scoop of pumpkin pie ice cream into each glass. Top with candied pecans and a Tablespoon of caramel topping. Repeat with another layer of ice cream, pecans and topping.

CARAMEL APPLE NAPOLEANS

1 sheet of puff pastry, defrosted

4 tablespoons butter, divided

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

3 to 4 large apples, cored and sliced

1⁄4 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons apple pie spice

2 tablespoons dark rum

2 cups cinnamon ice cream

4 tablespoons caramel ice cream topping

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut the puff pastry into 8 equal pieces and place on a nonstick baking sheet. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter and crush onto puff pastry squares. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the pastry squares. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until lightly browned.

In a 10-inch skillet, melt remaining butter and add the brown sugar, apple pie spice and rum; stir. Add the apples and cook for 10-12 minutes, or until softened.

While the pastry is hot, place one square of pastry on 4 individual dessert plates.

Using approximately 1⁄2 of the sautéed apples, top each pastry with apples. Place a 1⁄2 cup scoop of cinnamon ice cream over the apples.

Top each dessert with remaining pastry and apples. Pour one tablespoon of caramel topping over the top. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

PUMPKIN CREAM DELIGHT

1 (1.75-quart) container pumpkin ice cream

11⁄4 cups chopped pecans, toasted*

1 (8-ounce) bottle Caramel Ice Cream topping, warmed

1 (7-ounce) can whipped cream.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray the bottom of an 8x4-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Combine the required ingredients for the quick bread mix and bake according to package directions. Cool the bread for 10 minutes in the pan and then remove to complete cooling.

In a glass pie plate, roll eight scoops of the pumpkin ice cream over the toasted pecans. Refreeze until ready to serve. Slice the cooled pumpkin loaf into 8 pieces and place each on a dessert plate. Top with the pecan coated ice cream balls. Drizzle the caramel syrup over the ice cream and top with the whipped cream. Serves 8.