Advent Calendar: Christmas Recipes

It's the annual Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories!  I've participated the past four years (2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012), but this year, there are some new prompts, and the sequence has changed for some old prompts used in previous years.  For the latter, in some cases I'll simply re-post, while in others, I will link to the older posts, and - when applicable - post about something else that's at least somewhat related.

The prompt for today is:  December 5 – Christmas Recipes

The smell of cookies baking in the oven or perhaps mulled wine on the stove top. What are your favorite recipes during Christmastime? Are they different than the Christmas foods your mother made? What about your ancestors – what were their favorite recipes and Christmas foods? Share your favorite recipe and the story behind it.  Post your favorite Christmas recipe and your memories of Christmases past.

Sister Jean Marie Salad, aka "Pink Stuff," from Thanksgiving 2010

This is a little different than the previous prompt of Holiday Foods, so I'm going to pull a piece out of that one for this post.  There are upcoming prompts for both Christmas Cookies AND Christmas Baking, and most of our recipes and special foods fall in that category.

The one non-baked dish we have (at every family gathering) is something I call "Sister Jean Marie Salad," for my maternal aunt (Jo Ann Guokas) who I think originated the recipe.
 
Here's the recipe:
Mix together:

• 3 regular size cans of fruit cocktail, drained
• 12 oz. carton of Cool Whip
• 3 oz. package of Jello crystals, any flavor*
• 48 oz. of small curd cottage cheese

*It's typical in my family to use a red jello like cherry or strawberry, hence the salad turns out pink. The more common name for this salad, in my family, is "the pink stuff" and my sister Karen typically makes it for family gatherings.

© Amanda Pape - 2013 - click here to e-mail me.

The Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories (ACCM) allows you to share your family’s holiday history 24 different ways during 24 days in December! Learn more at http://adventcalendar.geneabloggers.com.