Macon Magazine

78 | MACON MAGAZINE DECEMBER/JANUARY 2017 a mixing bowl until well blended. Pour the mixture into a shallow dish. Lightly grease skillet over medium heat. Dip one slice of bread at a time into the eggnog mixture, being sure to coat each side of the bread thoroughly. Place the prepared bread slices into the preheated skillet, and cook, turning once, until golden brown on each side. Place cooked slices on a plate and cover with foil to keep warm until all French toast is cooked. Serve warm with powdered sugar and syrup. VASELOPITA (GREEK NEW YEAR'S CAKE) This traditional Greek New Year's Day bread can be served as a coffee cake for breakfast. The person who receives the quarter in their slice gets a year of good luck! 1 cup butter 2 cups white sugar 3 cups all-purpose flour 6 eggs 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 cup warm milk 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1/4 cup blanched slivered almonds 2 tablespoons white sugar Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease a 10-inch round cake pan. In a medium bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light. Stir in the flour and mix until the mixture is mealy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Combine the baking powder and milk, add to the egg mixture and mix well. Then combine the lemon juice and baking soda; stir into the batter. Pour into the prepared cake pan. Bake for 20 minutes in preheated oven. Remove and sprinkle the nuts and sugar over the cake, then return it to the oven for 20-30 additional minutes, until cake springs back to the touch. Gently cut a small hole in the cake and place a quarter in Holiday Guide the hole. Try to cover the hole with sugar. Cool cake on a rack for 10 minutes before inverting onto a plate. Serve cake warm. By tradition, each person in the family gets a slice starting with the youngest. The person who gets the quarter in their piece will have good luck in the new year! Serves 8. << GOOD LUCK BREAKFAST CASSEROLE It's no secret that tradition holds a person should eat certain foods on New Years Day for good luck in the coming year. This breakfast casserole ensures your family and friends will start the New Year strong. 1 (32-ounce) package frozen hash brown potatoes 8 ounces cooked, diced ham 2 (10.75-ounce) cans condensed cream of potato soup 1 (16-ounce) container sour cream 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped 1 cup canned black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese 1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish. In a large bowl, mix hash browns, ham, soup, sour cream, spinach, peas and cheddar cheese. Spread evenly into prepared dish and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake one hour or until bubbly and lightly browned. Serves about 8.

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