Christmas in Indiana : Memories: The fruits, the vegetables, the pork roast and even the red cedar Christmas tree came from our farm.

Our Christmas tree was always a red cedar tree cut somewhere on Grandpa Buse’s farm or from a road bank at some distance from our house. Dad would not allow the native cedars to grow on his land because they were host to cedar-apple rust, a threat to his apple orchard. So my brothers and I always kept a sharp eye all year long for a pretty, cone-shaped cedar that had escaped my father’s ax. When we found it, we kept the secret until Christmas was at hand.

Then, on a Sunday afternoon, about the second week in December, we would troop to the secluded place to cut down our Christmas tree and bring it home. Sometimes we needed the horses and wagon if the tree was too big to carry, and one year we used a horse and sled to get through the snow.

We started in right after Thanksgiving making decorations for the tree. With scissors and flour paste, we cut and stuck together colored paper loops to make yards and yards of red and green garlands. We strung popcorn on strings and cut out lacy white paper snowflakes to hang from the branches.

The tree was placed in front of the double front windows of the living room, its trunk braced in a tub of wet sand and swaddled in mother’s cotton quilt batting. Our homemade decorations, along with a few treasured glass ornaments and long icicles of silver tinsel dripped over the sharp-needled cedar boughs, were the evergreen’s simple adornments.

There it stood, in the same place every year, the most beloved and essential decoration of the joyous season. It was a colorful magnet, drawing us toward its fragrance and centering our imaginations upon the approaching day.

Our family tradition was to “have Christmas” when we returned from the Christmas Eve program at the Lutheran Church in Holland, Ind. The house would be dark when we came into the cedar-scented living room, because kerosene lamps were always blown out when we left home. For a few minutes we would stand waiting, just inside the front door, in breathless anticipation, while Mother went to the kitchen in darkness to light a lamp.

As she walked toward us, returning, the lighted lamp held aloft cast soft, dancing shadows across the walls. Light gradually reached the Christmas tree and illuminated the mysterious mound of ribboned packages under it.

All too quickly, secrets were revealed and the brief magic time when wishes come true was gone for another year. It was time for bed and a contented snuggle in the feather beds without the delicious torment of Christmas-is-almost-here staving off sleep.

And there was still another Christmas dinner to come!

Christmas dinner was a sumptuous meal following in the tradition of our Thanksgiving feast. Most of our food came from the farm and our garden and orchard. We often butchered at Christmas time, because Dad, a teacher, was home during school vacations. Our holiday dinners centered on a crisp-crusted pork roast with sage dressing baked around it.

We ate the home-grown garden vegetables that Mother had canned: green beans, corn, beets. From the garden, too, were the turnips for grandpa and mashed “Irish” potatoes for Dad, even if we had sweet potatoes. From the cellar, there were relishes, pickles, jelly and apples for Waldorf salad made with bought celery, grapes and English walnuts. There was cranberry sauce, carefully cooked to keep the berries whole, and Mother’s light yeast rolls made with potato water. And pies--minced meat, apple and one made from the fresh coconut Dad always bought for the holiday season.

On the library table, there would be a fruity blackberry jam cake along with an indulgence of sweets for snacking during the afternoon and evening--popcorn balls, divinity, cocoa fudge and sugar cookies in the shapes of Christmas trees, stars and Santas.

Befitting such riches, Christmas dinner was eaten in the dining room, not the kitchen where we usually ate our meals. The dining room opened into the living room through a wide arch. The table could be extended to its fullest length with extra leaves, so some of us were sitting in the dining room and some of us were sitting in the living room. I liked to sit with my back to the “Warm Morning” stove so I could look at the wonderful Christmas tree, with its simple red and green paper garlands, popcorn strings, paper snowflakes, silver tinsel and treasured glass baubles, all during the meal.

After dinner, Dad would tilt back in his chair and sigh in satisfaction. “Well, well,” he would say. “Christmas is over--until next year.”

Here are some recipes from Christmas dinners I remember in my parents’ farmhouse in southern Indiana. I like to prepare them now for my own family. We move the dining table into the living room so we can all sit together at one table by a crackling log fire and enjoy the tall, slender red cedar Christmas tree that still casts its nostalgic spell upon us all.

CROWN ROAST PORK WITH FRESH SAGE

1 (10- to 12-chop) cown roast of pork loin

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Fresh sage

Fresh Sage and Bread Dressing

Pickled crab apples or pitted prunes

Rub meat with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Tuck small piece of fresh sage leaf between each rib. Place Fresh Sage and Bread Dressing in center of crown. Cut circle of heavy aluminum foil to make cover for ends of rib bones and dressing, closing down tightly to keep bones from charring but leaving bottom part of roast uncovered. Insert meat thermometer between ribs, not touching foil.

Place roast on rack in roasting pan and roast, uncovered, at 325 degrees, allowing 35 minutes per pound or until meat thermometer registers internal temperature of 170 degrees. Baste outside of roast during last hour with drippings from pan, but do not baste stuffing.

Transfer roast and stuffing to hot platter. Garnish bone ends with paper frills, pickled crab apples or soft, uncooked pitted prunes.

Makes 10 servings.

FRESH SAGE AND BREAD DRESSING

For extra dressing, double, triple or quadruple recipe and bake amount left over after stuffing crown roast in buttered loaf pan or casserole of appropriate size at 325 to 350 degrees 30 to 45 minutes or until top is browned and dressing is firm.

4 cups firm white bread pieces

1/2 cup finely chopped celery and celery leaves

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon snipped fresh sage leaves

1 egg, beaten, plus water to make 2/3 cup liquid

1/4 cup butter, melted

Mix bread slices in large bowl along with celery, onion, salt, pepper and sage. Scatter egg-water mixture over dressing, little at a time, tossing with fork to moisten bread evenly. Add melted butter and toss again.

Spoon stuffing into top of 12-chop crown roast of pork and bake as directed.

Makes about 4 servings.

ROASTING PAN GRAVY

1/4 cup fat from roasting pan

1 quart water and 1 bouillon cube, or 1 quart broth or stock

1/4 cup cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cold water

1 1/2 teaspoons salt or to taste

1 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon black pepper or 1/2 teaspoon herb pepper

1/2 teaspoon Kitchen Bouquet

Drain all except 1/4 cup fat from roasting pan of pork roast. Heat fat. Add water and bouillon cube or stock. Cook and whisk over medium heat until all browned bits from pan have loosened and mixture comes to boil.

Gradually whisk in cornstarch mixture. Continue cooking and whisking until gravy thickens, about 2 minutes. Add salt, sugar, black pepper and Kitchen Bouquet. Serve with meat and dressing.

Makes about 4 1/2 cups.

WALDORF SALAD

4 large apples, cored and diced

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 cup diced celery

1/2 to 1 cup seeded and halved purple grapes

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup mayonnaise thinned with about 2 tablespoons whipping cream

Sprinkle apples with lemon juice. Add celery, grapes and nuts. Toss mixture with thinned mayonnaise. Cover and chill before serving.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

SWEET POTATO PUFFS

For really sweet puffs, add 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed, 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon and 1 tablespoon rum to sweet potato mixture.

4 cups mashed or pureed cooked sweet potatoes

2 egg yolks

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup butter, melted

4 cups crushed cornflakes, combined with 1/2 cup melted butter

8 or 9 large marshmallows

Combine cooked sweet potatoes (reserve 1 cup potato water for Potato Rolls recipe), egg yolks, salt and melted butter. Mix well. Form into 8 or 9 balls, measuring about 1/2 cup for each. Roll each ball in crushed cereal to coat all sides. Push 1 marshmallow into center of each ball, molding ball around it, but leave top open to show marshmallow. Chill or freeze.

To bake, place chilled or frozen balls on lightly greased cookie sheet, casserole or in individual custard cups. Bake at 350 degrees until heated thoroughly and marshmallows have melted, about 30 minutes.

Makes 8 or 9 puffs.

SWEET POTATO ROLLS

1 package dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water

Dash ground ginger

1 teaspoon plus 1/2 cup sugar

1 cup reserved hot sweet potato water

1/2 cup oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs, beaten

4 to 4 1/2 cups flour

Sprinkle dry yeast over warm water in small bowl at temperature recommended on yeast package. Stir until dissolved. Add ginger and 1 teaspoon sugar. Set aside.

Place hot potato water in large bowl. Add oil, remaining 1/2 cup sugar and salt. Cool to lukewarm, then add yeast mixture. Add beaten eggs. Stir in flour until dough is stiff and pulls away from side of bowl.

Turn dough out onto floured board and knead until smooth and elastic, 5 to 8 minutes. Place dough in greased bowl and turn to grease top of dough. Cover with plastic wrap and let dough rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Punch down dough. Shape into rolls. Place in greased 13x9-inch baking dish. Cover and let rise again until doubled in size. Bake at 375 degrees on middle rack until lightly browned, about 15 to 18 minutes.

Makes 12 rolls.

REGAL PECAN TART CRUST

CRUST

1 cup flour

1/3 cup powdered sugar, sifted

3/4 cup butter, cut into 12 pieces (butter should be cold if using food processor, at room temperature if using mixer)

Dash salt

Mix flour, powdered sugar, butter and salt in food processor fitted with metal blade or in medium bowl until dough holds together and forms soft ball. Press pastry evenly over bottom and 1 inch up sides of 9-inch springform pan. Pierce crust with fork and set aside.

FILLING

3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed

3 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

3 eggs, at room temperature

3/4 cup dark corn syrup

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 cups chopped pecans (about 8 ounces)

1 1/2 cups pecan halves (about 6 ounces)

Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for serving, optional

From “The Dessert Lover’s Cookbook,” by Marlene Sorosky.

Beat brown sugar and butter in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, corn syrup, vanilla and salt. Mix thoroughly.

Sprinkle chopped pecans over bottom of prepared crust. Add half of filling. Arrange pecan halves in concentric circles over entire surface. Carefully pour remaining filling over pecans.

Place pan on baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees until knife inserted in middle comes out clean and pastry is golden, about 60 to 70 minutes. Tart may be kept covered at room temperature or in refrigerator overnight, or it may be frozen in pan, covered with plastic wrap and foil. Defrost wrapped tart at room temperature.

Serve tart at room temperature, or reheat at 350 degrees 15 minutes and serve warm. Before serving, remove sides of springform pan. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

Makes 8 servings.

FRESH COCONUT CREAM PIE

1/4 cup sifted flour or 1/4 cup cornstarch

Sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups milk, scalded

3 egg yolks, slightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups grated fresh coconut, drained

1 baked 9-inch pie shell

3 egg whites, stiffly beaten

Mix flour or cornstarch with 2/3 cup sugar and salt in heavy pan. Gradually stir in scalded milk, whisking constantly. Cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and comes to boil. Cook 2 minutes more, lowering heat if necessary, while stirring constantly. Remove pan from heat.

Add small amount of hot mixture to egg yolks, then gradually mix with remaining hot mixture. Return pan to heat and cook 1 minute longer, stirring constantly. Add vanilla and 1 cup coconut. Cool slightly. Pour into baked pastry shell.

Meanwhile, add 6 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, to beaten egg whites while beating continuously. Spread meringue evenly over pie to edges of pan. Sprinkle top with remaining 1/2 cup coconut. Bake at 350 degrees until peaks of meringue are lightly browned, 12 to 15 minutes.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.