It is hard to believe, but once again the time has rolled around for the Parkersburg News & Sentinel 66th Annual Holiday Cookbook contest.

Through the years, many people have told me that they would like to submit a recipe but just didn’t have the time to do so. This year, there is no excuse because of the COVID-19 virus many are confined to your homes, so now is the time to pick your favorite recipe and send it to the Parkersburg News at P.O. Box 1787, Parkersburg, WV 26102.

Due to the virus, the categories have been downsized this year, but they have kept the most important ones: Party Snacks, Main Dishes and Desserts. By the time the Cookbook comes out this year, it will once again be time for Christmas and holiday events, and we can all use new party snack recipes.

For sure it will be nice, plus exciting, to try new main dishes for our Christmas dinner and new main dishes are usually a big hit with the family.

No way can we leave out the well awaited after dinner desserts that everyone will be wanting to try. I always look for something different and unique for dessert when I have company. My specialty over the holidays is making Baklava (the popular Greek dessert with fillo dough, nuts and a honey syrup). Every year I will turn out over 65 pans of baklava, along with a variety of other desserts.

I look forward yearly to all the wonderful and exciting recipes that have been submitted by so many great cooks in the area. To me it is a real enjoyment sitting and taking my time reading each and every recipe in detail. When the newspaper receives the recipes, they take the name of the person submitting the recipe off so when I and the other judges receive them, each entry has only a number, therefore we have no idea as to whose recipe we are judging and that prevents any problems. This is why the Parkersburg News & Sentinel Cookbook is celebrating its 66th year and is the most popular publication in the Mid Ohio Valley.

Many are looking forward to the 2020 edition of the Cookbook that will come out in the November 22 edition the newspaper.

Keep in mind that someone will be a grand prize winner again this and receive a $500 gift card from Piggly Wiggly grocery store.

So do not hesitate in sending your recipes to Parkersburg News & Sentinel. Good luck to all of you!

See submission rules at ( extras.newsandsentinel.com/cookbookrules.pdf )

Till next week.

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QUICK FRUIT SALAD

1 can peach pie filling

1 cup Mandarin oranges, drained

1 13.5-ounce can pineapple chunks, drained

2 bananas, sliced

1 cup miniature marshmallows

nuts, optional

Combine pie filling, oranges and pineapple. Let stand in refrigerator overnight. Just before serving, fold in bananas, marshmallows and nuts.

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24 HOURS SALAD

2 cups bing cherries, drained, pitted

2 cups pineapple bits or chunks, drained

2 oranges, peeled, sectioned and cut up

12 marshmallows, cut in fourths

marachino cherries

Toss fruits and marshmallows together. Blend in Old-Fashioned Fruit Dressing (below.) Chill several hours. Serve in large bowl with or without salad greens or in individual lettuce cups. Garnish with orange sections and maraschino cherries.

Old Fashioned Fruit Dressing

2 eggs

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice

2 tablespoons pineapple juice

1 tablespoon butter

dash of salt

3/4 cup whipping cream, whipped

Beat all ingredients together. Cook in saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, just to boiling. Remove from heat. Cool. Fold in 3/4 cup whipping cream, whipped.

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DEPRESSION CAKE

2 cups sugar

2 cups strong coffee

1/2 cup shortening

2 cups raisins

1 apple, peeled and grated

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon allspice

1 teaspoon cloves

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup chopped walnuts

In large saucepan, simmer the first five ingredients for 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Cool 10 minutes. Blend together the remaining ingredients and stir into mixture. Pour batter into well greased and floured 13×9 pan. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool, then dust with powdered sugar if desired.

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RHUBARB UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

3 cups cut rhubarb

1 cup sugar

1 cup small marshmallows, packed

1/2 cup butter

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup additional sugar

Combine rhubarb with 1 cup sugar and marshmallows and turn into a greased 9×13 pan. Cream together the butter and brown sugar. Add eggs and salt. Beat well. Add vanilla. Mix flour with soda and cinnamon and add alternately with the buttermilk. Mix until smooth, but don’t overbeat. Pour over the rhubarb mixture. Bake at 375 for 30-40 minutes. Sprinkle the 1/4 cup sugar over the batter before baking if a “sparkly” crust is desired. Let cool in pan at least 15 minute before turning out or simply cut into squares and serve upside down.

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SLUSH PUNCH

6 bananas

2 large cans frozen orange juice

2 large cans frozen lemonade

1 large box gelatin (any flavor, depending on color punch you want)

6 large bottles ginger ale

1 large can pineapple juice

Dilute orange juice and lemonade according to directions on can. Use blender to crush bananas and reconstitute orange juice and lemonade. Dissolve gelatin in hot water according to package directions. Mix all together, except ginger ale, in a roaster pan or other large container and freeze in three gallon milk jugs. Add food coloring before freezing, if you desire a deeper color. Take out of freezer five hours before using. Cut top off of jug and slide punch into punch bowl. When ready to serve, cut through frozen punch several times and pour two bottles ginger ale over all for each bowl. Make one bowl at a time to retain fizz. Makes enough to fill three large punch bowls.

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SANGRIA

1 25-ounce bottle dry red wine

1/2 of a 6-ounce can frozen lemonade concentrated

1/2 cup brandy

1/2 cup orange juice

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 cups chilled ginger ale or club soda

orange slices for garnish

Combine all ingredients except ginger ale or club soda and orange garnish. At serving time, transfer mixture to a large pitcher. Stir in ginger ale or club soda, garnish with orange slices and serve.

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Kiki Angelos is a food columnist for the Parkersburg News and Sentinel.