TAYLOR COLUMN: Couple of ideas for old-fashioned fruitcake

Call it the great fruitcake divide, or at least the riskiest present you ever could give someone. Because fruitcake is one of those holiday foods that people either love or intensely dislike.

Comedians trot out the fruitcake jokes every year. Websites poke fun, too, such as the No. 1 use for Christmas fruitcakes: Bury them in your backyard for future archaeologists to discover.

Well, those of us who happen to like fruitcake -- good fruitcake, that is -- just grin and eat it.

Just like the jokes, a recipe request comes around annually. A caller is wanting an old-fashioned fruitcake with candied fruits, raisins and nuts that is soaked in spirits.

"This recipe came from Southern Living several years ago. Although it requires a lot of chopping, it is well worth the work. When allowed to age, it is awesome!" says Leslie Stoyer of Mount Pleasant.

2 cups golden raisins

3/4 cup dry sherry

2 cups chopped candied pineapple (about 1 pound)

1 1/2 cups chopped red candied cherries (about 3/4 pound)

1 1/2 cups chopped green candied cherries (about 3/4 pound)

4 cups chopped pecans

3 cups all-purpose flour, divided

3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

6 large eggs

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon ground mace (optional)

3/4 cup whipping cream

1 (10-ounce) jar strawberry preserves

3/4 teaspoon almond extract

3/4 teaspoon orange extract

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Soak raisins in sherry 8 hours; drain and set aside. Combine pineapple, candied cherries, pecans, and 1 cup flour, tossing to coat. Set aside.

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy; gradually add sugars, beating well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

Combine remaining 2 cups flour, salt, allspice, cinnamon and, if desired, mace. Add to butter mixture alternately with whipping cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Add preserves and extracts, beating well. Stir in reserved raisins and fruit mixture.

Spoon into a greased and floured 10-inch tube pan.

Bake at 275 degrees for 3 hours or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 20 minutes; remove from pan, and cool completely on wire rack. If desired, soak cheesecloth in 2/3 cup dry sherry, wrap around cake, and place in an airtight container; refrigerate 7 to 10 days.

Leslie's notes: "Because the sherry reacts with aluminum foil, I wrap the cheesecloth-covered cake in wax paper first before placing in container. A cut apple may be placed in the center of cake during storage. Check regularly and dampen with sherry as needed. Best if allowed to age 3-4 weeks."

Rosemary Klein of Moncks Corner writes, "I have had this recipe for over 40 years and it was given to me by my mother-in-law, who had it for over 20 years. She cut it out of a magazine that had an ad for Wesson oil.

"My father loved this cake. He has told me several times that it reminds him of the fruitcakes that his mom had made when he lived at home. Several cousins look forward to this cake from me each year, even my brother and my mom."

1 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups brown sugar packed

4 eggs

3 cups sifted all-purpose flour, divided

1 cup thinly sliced citron

1 1/2 cups whole candied cherries (red and green)

1 cup chopped candied pineapple (red, green and yellow)

1 cup seedless raisins

3 cups coarsely chopped nuts

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons allspice

1 teaspoon cloves

1 cup orange juice

Wine or brandy

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Line two 9x5x3-inch pans with lightly greased brown paper.

Combine oil, sugar and eggs. Beat for 2 minutes.

In large bowl, combine 1 cup flour with fruits, raisins, and nuts.

Sift remaining flour with baking powder, salt and spices. Stir in oil-sugar-egg mixture alternately with orange juice. Pour batter over fruit mixture, blend well. Turn into prepared pans.

Place pans on middle rack of oven. Bake cakes 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until done. Cool on wire racks. Remove from pans, peel off paper, wrap in cloth dampened with wine or brandy. Then wrap in foil and store in an airtight container until ready to serve.

Glaze

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon corn syrup

2 tablespoons water

Bring all ingredients to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes. Pour over cakes. Chill for easier slicing.

Also thanks to Marina Sharts of Summerville.

Baked potatoes

A West Ashley reader was looking for potato side dishes that are baked.

Marie-Louise Ramsdale of Sullivan's Island shared two of her favorites. She says of the first, "When I first ate this at a preschool Thanksgiving event I was hooked and got the recipe."

8 to 10 large potatoes peeled, boiled and mashed

1/4 cup milk

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

8 ounces sour cream (nonfat OK)

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons melted butter

Grated Parmesan cheese to taste

Crumbled cooked bacon (optional for garnish)

Mix first 5 ingredients together. Put in casserole dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Top with butter and cheese and bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour. May add crumbled bacon on top after cooking.

The second "must-have" recipe:

8 large red potatoes

1 cup ranch salad dressing

1 cup sour cream

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 cup crumbled cooked bacon or bacon bits

Salt and pepper to taste

Cut potatoes in quarters and boil until tender. Drain. Combine ranch dressing, sour cream, cheddar cheese and bacon in a large bowl. Add potatoes and mix well. Season to taste and put in casserole dish.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Carol Dotterer of Charleston saved this from the newspaper:

Crisp Potato Squares

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 1/2 pounds boiling potatoes

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

3 tablespoons butter

Spread oil over bottom of a 9x13-inch baking pan. Boil potatoes in salted water until almost cooked through, 20-25 minutes.

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Drain potatoes, and peel and shred. Toss them with salt and pepper and press into prepared pan.

Melt butter and pour over potatoes. Bake on bottom rack of oven until bottom is golden, about 40 to 45 minutes. Heat broiler and broil about 3 inches from heat source until top is golden and crisp, about 8 minutes.

Mary Larry of Charleston passes along a recipe from the local "Popular Greek Recipes" cookbook.

2 cups canned tomatoes

1/2 cup olive or vegetable oil

3 onions, thinly sliced

1 garlic clove, crushed

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

1 1/2 tablespoons salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

4 to 6 large potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

4 bell peppers, cut into 2-inch pieces

Mash tomatoes with fork. Combine with oil, onions, garlic, parsley, mint, salt and pepper. Alternate layers of tomato mixture, potatoes and peppers, ending with tomato mixture, in a greased 12x8x2-inch baking dish.

Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Uncover and cook until the vegetables are tender.

Joanne Alexander of Charleston writes, "This is a recipe that uses a boxed potato product, so it may not be to everyone's taste. However, it gets rave responses whenever I serve it.

"Also, I think the Hungry Jack brand tastes best in this recipe, although it is not my regular brand for other dishes."

8 ounces evaporated milk

5 ounces water

2 tablespoons butter

1 box Hungry Jack Au Gratin potatoes (potatoes and sauce)

5 ounces sour cream

1/4 cup or more chopped green onions

4 slices precooked bacon, chopped

1/2 cup grated sharp cheese

Spray a 1 1/2-quart casserole dish with nonstick spray. Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the milk, water, butter and potatoes in a pot and heat on medium until it comes to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream, green onions and bacon. Put in casserole dish. Top with cheese. Bake 30 minutes.

Looking for a recipe or have one to share? Reach Food Editor Teresa Taylor at food@postandcourier.com, 937-4886 or 134 Columbus St., Charleston, SC 29403-4800.