Recipes of the Month
Christmas Fruit Squares
1 stick margarine, softened
1 c brown sugar, firmly packed
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 c unsifted flour
pinch of salt
2 c chopped pecans
1 c diced candied pineapple
¼ lb. Red candied cherries
¼ lb. Green candied cherries
Beat margarine and brown sugar together until very light, add two eggs, continue beating until creamy. Add vanilla and salt. Add unsifted flour that has been measured into cup by spoonfuls.
Butter two 11 x 7 x 2-inch pans. Sprinkle one cup chopped nuts into each pan. Divide batter evenly on nuts and spread around pan. Press the candied pineapple and two kinds of colored candied cherries into top of batter, dividing these evenly.
Bake at 300º degrees for 30 to 40 minutes. Place pans on racks to cool. When just barely warm, cut into squares. Makes 4 dozen. These freeze very well, too, and that is every reason in the world to make them in the fall, for your Christmas cooking.

Butternut Squash Soup
2 tbsp margarine or butter
1 medium onion, chopped (½c)
1 butternut squash (2 pounds), peeled seeded and cubed
2 c water
½ tsp dried marjoram leaves
¼ tsp ground black pepper
⅛ tsp ground red pepper (cayenne)
4 chicken bouillon cubes
1 pkg (8 oz.) cream cheese, cubed
Melt margarine in 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Cook onion in margarine, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender.
Mix onion and remaining ingredients except cream cheese in 3 ½-4-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on low heat setting 6 to 8 hours or until squash is tender.
Place one-third to one-half of the mixture at a time in blender or food processor. Cover and blend on high speed until smooth. Return mixture to slow cooker; stir in cream cheese. Cover and cook on low heat setting about 30 minutes or until cheese is melted, stirring with

wire whisk until smooth.

Slumgullion
2 lbs. stew beef
4 onions
1 lg can tomatoes; if home canned, 1 qt
1 tsp poultry seasoning
salt to taste
Cut stew beef into about 1-inch cubes. Do not brown. Place in a 2-quart casserole. Cover with sliced onions. Salt the onions. Turn canned tomatoes over onions, add another sprinkle of salt and the 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning.
Cover pan; use foil if no cover is available. Bake at 275º or 300º degrees for about 3 hours. In the meantime, combine ⅓ c flour with ½ cup cold water, mix and allow to stand---this prevents lumping when stirred into hot beef mixture. When meat is tender, stir in the flour mixture; this thickens the slumgullion immediately. Serves 6 to 8. Freezes well. Use a double boiler to thaw and reheat. Serve with mashed potatoes or on cooked noodles.

December Anniversaries
12/29   Barbara & Ray L'Heureux