Women’s Club Holiday Happenings

By: Betty Dahms Managing Editor On Monday, November 21, 2011, Gladbrook Women’s Club held their annual Holiday Happenings at the Gladbrook Memorial Building. The room was filled with ladies attending the sit down dinner decorated with a beautiful Christmas theme, in blues and white, and the table decorations were lighted glass blocks wrapped in Christmas bows. These were drawn as the door prizes to the lucky winners. The entertainment for the evening was Gladbrook’s local talent of Rose Russell and Jack Stowe playing contemporary and Christmas songs on flute and guitar, and a quartet made up of Bruce Appelgate, Rose Russell, Linda Goos and Larry Miell singing traditional Christmas songs. The meal was once again served by the gentlemen waiter husbands. Those waiting on the ladies this year were Bruce Appelgate, Don Anker, Merlyn Appelgate, Chuck Bearden, John Clausen, George Goos, Lynn Handorf, Bob Knaack, John Livingston, Dennis Luethje, Larry Miell, Jack Osborn, Glen Lage, and Paul Koester. The appetizers were a Hot Fruit Punch and Sharon Shouses’ infamous breadsticks. The dinner consisted of Broccoli-Grape Fancy Salad, grilled pork loin by Keith Smith, Hot German Potato Salad, and Pumpkin Pie Cake for dessert. Winners of the door prizes were Sandy Hulst, Karen Mussig, Georgia Flater, Karen Oaks, Eleanor Lott, Deb Koester, Paula Cramer, Shellee Jordebrek, Janet Abbe, Shirley Lewis, Mary Lou Grimmius, Shirley Svendsen, Amy Bland, Shelley Smith, and Melissa Sienknecht. Holiday Happenings Recipes

Hot Fruit Punch 6 cups water, divided 2 individual tea bags 1 cup sugar 1 cup orange juice 1/2 cup lemon juice 1/2 cup white grape juice Bring 1 cup water to a boil. Add tea bags; steep for 5 minutes. Discard tea bags, stir in sugar until dissolved. Combine remaining water, juices and tea in a Dutch oven; heat through. Serve warm. Makes 2 quarts.

Broccoli-Grape Fancy Salad 4 c. broccoli (cut in florets) l  c. green grapes (halfed) 1 c. red grapes (halfed) l/4 c. red onion (chopped) 1/3 c. dried cransins 6 strips bacon (fried crispy and crumbled) Add this dressing to above ingredients mix dressing 1 c. miracle whip l tbsp. vinegar l/3 c. sugar Add 2/3 cup cashews a couple hrs. before serving so they stay somewhat crisp.

Hot German Potato Salad - DOUBLE RECIPE (serves 18-20 people)  4 # (12 c)  medium potatoes, boiled in jackets, sliced thin 2/3 # (12 slices) bacon 1 1/2  C chopped onion 4 T flour 4 T sugar 1  tsp salt 1 tsp celery seeds dash pepper 1 1/2  C water 2/3 C vinegar 1 1/2 C chopped celery Fry bacon slowly in skillet, then drain on paper.  Crumble. Sauté onion in bacon fat until golden brown.  Blend in flour, sugar, salt, celery seeds and pepper.  Cook over low heat, stirring until smooth and bubbly.  Remove from heat.  Stir in water and vinegar.  Heat to boil, stirring constantly.  Boil 1 minute.  Carefully stir in the potatoes and celery.  Remove from heat.  To serve immediately, add crumbled bacon.  Or place potato mixture in crock pot or roaster.   Add crumbled bacon just before serving.

Pumpkin Pie Cake 1 can pumpkin (29 oz.) 4 eggs 1 can evaporated milk (13 oz) 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice 1 pkg. yellow cake mix 1 cup melted margarine Beat together the first 5 ingredients and put in an s 9 x 13 inch pan.  Sprinkle dry cake mix over and pour melted margarine over cake mix. Bake at 350 degrees 1 hr. (no longer)  Top with Cool Whip