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Haflinger Friends' Favorite Recipes from Around the World

Gingerbread Haflinger Farm by Patience Cady, Maine

Dough:
2-1/4 cups shortening
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup molasses
2/3 cup corn syrup
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
9 cups flour

Beat shortening and sugar until fluffy in mixing bowl. Beat in eggs, molasses, corn syrup, and spices until well-mixed. Add flour gradually, approximately 1 cup at a time. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead it until smooth and not sticky, adding flour as needed. Cover and chill several hours.

Cut out all barn pattern pieces and horse template. (Attached Image1.jpg, Image2.jpg, and Image 3.jpg) Cardstock paper works well for printing out the templates on. Cut out the windows in the barn side walls, and if desired, the barn door, and a loft door. The barn roof will be made of cardboard.

Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly grease the foil. Dampen a towel, lay it on the counter, and place pan on the towel. (this will prevent your pan from slipping around). With a lightly flowered rolling pin, roll out 1/6th of the dough onto the foil lined baking sheet into a rectangle approximately 1/4 inch thick. Position barn templates on the dough and using a sharp knife (pizza cutters work great too!), cut out the quantities indicated on templates. With a sharp knife, score outlines to mark the doors and windows where indicated on the template; be careful not to cut completely through the dough. Cut out windows where indicated. If desired, cut out loft door, and also barn door. The loft door and barn door can be "attached" with "frosting glue" at a later point.

Bake at 350*F for 12 to 14 minutes. The edges will just begin to brown. Remove from oven and immediately replace your barn templates on the cookies. Using a sharp knife, cut around the edges to trim off the excess cookie and "reshape" so that they match the templates. Repeat with remaining dough and templates.

YIELD: 1 gingerbread barn and about 2 dozen gingerbread horses

ICING & ASSEMBLY:
1-1/2 cups butter, softened
1-1/2 cups shortening
3/4 cup water
3 tablespoons vanilla extract
12 cups confectioner's sugar
20"x20" heavy duty cardboard for base (or another large, solid base will do); cover your base wit foil
Serrated knife
Red, green, deep gold, and black food coloring
Small paint brush
Pastry bags, heavy duty plastic bags, or parchment paper for folding into cones
Pastry tips -#10 round, #5 round, #1 round, #67 leaf
Heavy mugs (for holding barn pieces in place while the "glue" dries
Decorating candies, cookies, sugars, stick pretzels for fence, etc.
Sugar ice cream cones

To make the icing: Cream butter and shortening in a large mixing bowl. Add water and vanilla, beat until smooth. Gradually beat in sugar; mix well. Place a damp paper towel over the bowl between uses.

To assemble barn frame: Test cookie pieces to be sure they fit together well. File any uneven edges away with your serrated knife. Combine 4 teaspoons water and 1/2 teaspoon red food coloring. Brush onto the barn sides, front, and back with the paintbrush. Let dry completely (over night).

Insert tip #10 into pastry bag; fill half full with icing. Starting with the back of the barn, squeeze a wide strip of icing onto the bottom edge of the back piece. Position on display base. Prop it with your heavy mugs (or other heavy objects). Let set about 3 hrs.

To add the barn sides and front, squeeze icing on the lower edge of a side piece and one side edge of the back piece. Align the pieces at right angles. Prop with heavy mugs. Repeat with the other side. Squeeze icing along the bottom edge around the inside and outside barn edges and back. Squeeze icing onto the bottom and side edges of the front piece. position with other pieces. Prop with heavy mugs. Let dry COMPLETELY. (Several hours, if not overnight).

Barn Roof:
From heavy cardboard, cut two 10-1/2 in. x 3-1/2 in. pieces(A). Also cut two 10-1/2 in. x 2-1/2 in pieces(B). Using masking tape, tape one long edge of roof piece A and B together. Repeat. Tape both A pieces together to from the center roof peak.

Decorating the Barn:
Using tip #5, outline windows and doors with white icing. Tint a portion of the icing with green food coloring; using the leaf tip, decorate a wreath. (Wreath base shape can be cut out of gingerbread dough and baked). Decorate barn roof, add candies, ribbon, sprinkles, etc. as desired. Attach wreath to barn with icing. Pipe icicles on the barn. Frost base around the barn to create "snow".

Making the fence:
Overlap ends of stick pretzels at angles. Fast at intersections with icing. Attach to base with icing. 

Pasture Christmas Trees:
Place sugar cones strategically thru pasture and around barn. (You can cut 1/3 to 1/2 the sugar cone off to create different sized trees). Tint a portion of the icing deep green; using the leaf tip or a star tip, decorate the trees. Use small candies for decorations or sprinkle with powdered sugar for a "dusting of snow".

Decorating the Horses:
(attached image4.jpg)
Tint a small portion of frosting golden yellow. Using round tip #1, outline the horses face, back, legs, neck, and belly with yellow. Using round tip #5 and white frosting, add a tail, mane, and forelock. Tint a portion of the frosting black. Dab a small amount of black for each hoof, the eyes, nostril, and mouth. "Glue" the horses to the base in the pasture and near the barn with frosting. If added "support" is needed, white gumdrops work well! 

Fill the gingerbread barn with extra candy and gingerbread Haflingers!

Christmas Morning Casserole from Emily Gibson, Washington state (put together Christmas eve and baked Christmas morning) Ingredients:

One loaf of french bread--cut into cubes and place in greased 10x12" rectangular baking dish

In a large bowl combine:
12 eggs
4 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
dash black pepper

Pour egg/milk mixture over bread cubes

On top of the bread/egg/milk place:
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 cup diced tomatoes
1 lb. fried bacon, crumbled
sprinkle with dried parsley

(other ingredients to consider: we sometimes cut up varied colors of fresh sweet peppers to put on top, or you can substitute sausage for the bacon, or go totally meatless)

Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight. Bake at 325 degrees for at least two hours (time may vary a bit), making sure the center is done. Serves 10-12

BEER CAKE from Sonya Hall, West Virginia

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
1 cup shortening
3 cups self-rising flour
1 1/2 tablespoons Gr. Cinnamon
1 teaspoon Gr. cloves
1 teaspoon Gr.allspice
1 cup chopped (candied) dates (if you can't find candied dates substitute w/ 1 cup chopped walnuts)
1 cup chopped pecans
2 eggs
2 cups strong tasting beer

  CREAM BROWN SUGAR & SHORTENING UNTIL SMOOTH. ADD EGGS BLENDING WELL. COMBINE DRY INGREDIENTS, ADD TO CREAMED MIXTUE ALTERNATELY WITH BEER, BEATING WELL AFTER EACH ADDITION. STIR IN PECANS & DATES, SPOON BATTER INTO A WELL GREASED & FLOURED 10 INCH TUBE PAN. BAKE AT 350 DEGREES FOR 1 HOUR AND 15 MINTUES. ICING: BETTER CROCKER BUTTER PECAN OR A HOMEMADE CARMEL FROSTING.

  I TOOK THIS TO A FAMILY GATHERING, AND IT WAS GONE 10 MINUTES AFTER IT WAS CUT, IF YOU LIKE A GOOD SPICE CAKE, YOU'LL LIKE THIS ONE.

FRUIT CAKE From the Kitchen of Mildred McComas, Ona WV

heat oven to 250 degrees

Combine: 1 lb. butter,3 eggs, 3cups sugar

  Add: 1 lb. candied fruit, 1 box raisins, 1lb. English walnuts, 1- 15 oz. can applesauce, 1- 8 oz. can crushed pineapples, 1 small jar of red marshino cherries chopped, 1 small jar of green marshino cherries chopped, 2 teaspoons vanilla

Mix well, 4 cups self-rising flour, 2 teaspoons cinnamon,1 teaspoon ground cloves, 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg and add to first mixture, blending well.

Pour into two well greased and floured 10 in angel food pans, or tube pans

Bake for 2 1/2 hours.

Let cool completely, wrap in plastic, put in tin, and let age in refrigerator, the longer you let it age the better it is. I usually start baking fruit cakes in September, but believe me the earlier you can get them baked the better they are. I had one for almost two years, downstairs in the cooler and it was the best one yet.

Christmas Cake Recipe from Yvon from England

Ingredients:

1 cup of water
1 cup of sugar
1 tsp.salt
1 cube of butter
lemon juice
4 large eggs
lots of nuts
2 cups of dried fruit
1 litre Vodka

Sample the vodka to check quality. Take out a large bowl then check the vodka again. To ensure it is the best quality pour one level cup and drink. Turn on the electric mixer; beat the cube of butter in a large fluffy bowl. Add 1 teaspoon of sugar and beat again. At this point it's best to make sure the vodka is shtill O.K. Try another cup...just in case. Turn off the mixerer. Break 2 leggs and add to the bowl and chuck in a cup of dried fruit; pick fruit off floor and put it in bowl. Mix on the turner; if the fried druit gets stuck in the beaterers pry it loosh with a sdrewscriver. Test the vodka to check for tonsisticity. Next sift 2 cupsh of salt. Or something. Who giveshz a ****. Sample the vodka; now shift the lemon juice and strain your nuts. Add 1 table then add a shpoon of sugar, or somefink. Whatever you can find. Greash the oven . Turn the cake tin 360 degrees and try not to fall over. Don't forget to beat off the turner. Finally throw the bowl through the window, finish the vodka and fall into bed!

CHERRY MISTMAS.

Prawn Cocktail From Emma Maynard, South Queensland, Australia
(Serves 4 - we normally triple recipe)
Degree of difficulty: Low
You need:
20 green King Prawns
1 iceberg lettuce
1 lemon
6 egg yolks
500ml olive oil
500ml vegetable oil
1 tblsp mustard
1 tblsp Worcestershire sauce
5-tblsp tomato sauce
4 drops Tabasco
1 nip cognac
Seasoning

Method: Boil the prawns in salted boiling water until pink. Cool in iced water. Peel and devein, leaving four with their tails on for presentation. Wash, dry and finely shred the lettuce. Place it in martini glasses.Top with prawns, adding salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon.

MAYONNAISE: Blend the egg yolk with the mustard, salt and pepper and lemon juice and slowly drizzle in the oil.
COCKTAIL SAUCE: Once the mayonnaise is ready add all the other ingredients and mix.

Serving Suggestion: Pour over the cocktail sauce immediately before service. Garnish with lemon and dill. Serve chilled.

Horse Treat Recipes

From Patience Cady from Maine, USA

~Molasses Cookies

*1 cup molasses

*1 cup sugar

*1 cup shortening - melted

*1 tsp. cinnamon

*1 tsp. ginger

*1 tsp. salt

*1 cup boiling water mixed with 2 tsp. baking soda

*4-1/2 to 5 cups flour

Preheat oven to 375*F.

Mix molasses, sugar, and shortening. Add the 1 cup boiling water

mixed with the 2 tsp. baking soda. Mix dry ingredients together in

separate bowl. Pour dry ingredients into wet and stir. Roll dough out

on floured surface to about 1/4 in. thickness. Cut into desired

shapes and bake for approx. 12-14 minutes.

(Mixing the 1 c. boiling water with the baking soda is very

necessary -- I didn't do it once, and the cookies did not come out

very well! They were really "baking soda" flavored!)

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~Gingerbread Cookies

*1/2 cup shortening

*1/3 cup brown sugar

*1/4 cup dark molasses

*1 egg white

*1/2 tsp. vanilla

*1-3/4 cups flour

*1/2 tsp. baking soda

*1/4 tsp. baking powder

*1/2 tsp salt

*1 tsp. cinnamon

*1 tsp. ginger

Mix shortening, brown sugar, molasses, egg white, and vanilla until

smooth. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices.

Add to shortening mixture and mix well. Roll dough out on well

floured surface to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes and

bake approx. 6-8 mins. at 350*F preheated oven.

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~Molasses Carrots & Apples Horse Treats

*2 cups flour

*1/2 cup shredded apples

*1/4 cup shredded carrot

*1/4 cups ground oats

*1 cup peanut butter

*1 cup rolled oats

*1 cup molasses

Combine all ingredients into bowl. Dough will be stiff - if not very

stiff, add more oats. Roll out dough to about 3/8 inch thickness.

Bake in 200* F oven for about 1-1/2 hours. Should be very dry

and "crunchy". Allow to sit out over night for extra drying time

before storing.

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This is what my horses and ponies get on their birthdays and don't

they enjoy it!

~Carrot Cake

*4 eggs

*1-3/4 cup brown sugar

*1/4 cup molasses

*1 cup shortening or vegetable oil

*2 cups flour

*1 tsp. salt

*2 tsp. cinnamon

*2 tsp. baking soda

*3 cups grated carrots

Combine all ingredients. Pour into a greased 9 x 13 in. pan. Bake at

350* for about 40 minutes or until cake springs back.