Pages

Start Saving Today!

Nov 30, 2009

Cowboy Coffeecake

Cowboy Coffeecake

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup vegetable shortening
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided (optional)
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 large eggs, beaten
1 cup sour milk or buttermilk

Grease 2 9-inch layer cake pans or an 11- by 9-inch pan. Heat the oven to
375 degrees.

In a bowl, mix the flour, brown sugar, salt and shortening. Mix until
crumbly. Reserve 1/2 cup of the crumbs, adding 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and the
nuts, if desired.

In another bowl, combine the baking powder, soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, beaten
eggs and sour milk. Add to the remaining flour mixture. Mix thoroughly.

Turn into the prepared cake pan(s). Sprinkle the reserved crumbs over the
top.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes for 9-inch layers (test the larger pan at this
point for doneness and bake more if necessary) or until a toothpick or cake
tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm or cooled

Layered Fruit Salad

Layered Fruit Salad


2 medium apples, unpeeled, cored and diced
1 15-1/4 ounce can apricot halves, drained and sliced
1 15-1/4 ounce can sliced pears, drained
1 15 ounce can sliced peaches, drained
1 20 ounce can
unsweetened pineapple chunks, drained
l/2 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 21 ounce can cherry pie filling
2 or 3 bananas, sliced
1 cup flaked coconut, plain or toasted

Layer apples, apricots, pears, peaches and pineapple in a large crystal
bowl. Combine orange juice and lemon juice, pour over fruit. Spread cherry
pie filling on top. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours. (When salad is to
be served for a morning brunch, I make it the night before.)

Before serving, arrange sliced bananas over pie filling; sprinkle with
coconut. Serve immediately. Yield: 14 to16 servings.

Bean and Weiner Cornbread Pie

Bean and Weiner Cornbread Pie

2 (12 ounce) package all-beef wieners
4 (16 ounce) cans vegetarian beans
1/4 cup catsup
2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons dark molasses
2 teaspoons hot-pepper sauce
2 scallions, including part of the green, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/3 cups yellow cornmeal
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Brown wieners in skillet.
Cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces. Mix beans, catsup,
mustard, sugar, molasses and pepper sauce in 13 x 9-inch
baking dish. Stir in wieners. (This much can be fixed
ahead and refrigerated.) Meanwhile, sauté green onion in
oil until soft. Set aside. Whisk cornmeal, flour, sugar,
baking powder and salt in a bowl. Stir in green onion
with oil. Mix eggs and milk in small bowl. Stir into
flour mixture until smooth and spoon over casserole.
Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool 10
to 15 minutes before serving.

Carmel-Pecan Pie

Carmel-Pecan Pie

36 vanilla caramels, unwrapped
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3 beaten eggs
1 cup pecan halves
9-inch unbaked pastry shell

Combine caramels, water and butter in a saucepan or microwave-safe bowl,
then cook until melted and smooth. Whisk together sugar and eggs, then
gradually fold in caramel mixture. Fold in pecans, and pour into pastry
shell. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes. Pie will appear soft but firms
as it cools.

CALIFORNIA WHITE CHOCOLATE FUDGE

CALIFORNIA WHITE CHOCOLATE FUDGE



2 c. sugar
3/4 c. sour cream
1/2 c. butter
1 (12 oz.) white chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 (7 oz.) jar Kraft marshmallow creme
3/4 c. chopped walnuts
3/4 c. chopped dried apricots

Combine sugar, sour cream and butter in heavy 2 1/2-3 quart saucepan. Bring to full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Continue boiling 7 minutes over medium heat or until candy thermometer reaches 234 degrees, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Remove from heat; stir in white chocolate until melted. Add remaining ingredients, beat until blended.

Pour into a greased 8 or 9 inch square baking pan. Cool at room temperature. Cut into squares. Makes 2 1/2 pounds.

WHITE CHOCOLATE MIX

WHITE CHOCOLATE MIX



4 c. Crispix
2 c. pretzels
2 c. nuts (dry roasted peanuts)
1 lb. white chocolate

Melt white chocolate, pour over Crispix, pretzels and peanuts. Stir until well coated. Pour onto wax paper to cool. After mixture is cooled (about 1/2 hour) break into small pieces and store in plastic bag. Great to snack on!

WHITE CHOCOLATE RICE CLUSTERS

WHITE CHOCOLATE RICE CLUSTERS


1 (14 oz.) pkg. confectioners' white chocolate coating (see
notes)
2 1/2 c. crisp rice cereal
1/2 c. chopped pecans
1/2 c. broken pretzel sticks

Combine melted white chocolate, rice cereal, pecans and pretzel sticks in large bowl and drop by teaspoonful onto wax paper. Let set until firm. Makes about 3 1/2 dozen.

NOTES: Confectioners' white chocolate coating is available at craft and baking/candy shops. Substitutions for coating: 2 cups Nestle's premier white chocolate baking pieces or 2 (6 oz.) Premier white chocolate bars, melted, or almond bark.

TEXAS CHILI

TEXAS CHILI


TEXAS CHILI
(Serves 6 )

1/4 cups (50 ml) vegetable oil
2 lbs. (1kg) of stewing beef cut into 3/4 inch cubes
salt and pepper
1 large onion, finely diced
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. (5 ml) oregano
2 tsp. (10 ml)toasted cumin seeds
3 tsp. (15 ml) chili powder
2 cups (500 ml) of beef stock
1 small tin of tomato paste
1 Tbsp. (15 ml) brown sugar
2 Tbsp. (25 ml) cider vinegar
2 Tbsp. (25 ml) finely chopped cilantro


Small flour tortillas
Hot sauce
Sour cream
Lime wedges

Heat 1 Tbsp. (15 ml) of the oil in an ovenproof Dutch oven over medium-high
heat.

Lightly season the beef the salt and pepper. Brown 1/4 of the meat in the
oil and transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining oil and meat until all
the meat is browned.

Add the onion to the pan and cook until light golden. Stir in the jalapeno
and garlic and cook a further minute.

Add the oregano, cumin, chili powder, stock, tomato paste, brown sugar and
vinegar. Return the browned meat to the pan.

Cook at a gentle simmer on top of the stove for about 2 hours, checking from
time to time to make sure that the chili is not sticking to the bottom of
the pan. (Or cook in a preheated 325F. oven for 2 hours). The meat should be
very tender.

Season the stew with salt and pepper to taste. Add some hot sauce if
desired. Add the cilantro.

Honey-Orange Chicken with Sesame Sauce

Honey-Orange Chicken with Sesame Sauce

Yields: 4 servings
Total Time: 21 min
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 11 min

3/4 cup(s) fresh orange juice
1/3 cup(s) orange blossom or clover honey
1 teaspoon(s) grated ginger
1 teaspoon(s) garlic
1 teaspoon(s) orange zest
1 teaspoon(s) salt
1/8 teaspoon(s) ground black pepper
4 (6 ounces each) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
1 teaspoon(s) vegetable oil
1 teaspoon(s) toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon(s) toasted sesame seeds

Combine juice, honey, ginger, garlic, zest, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Add
chicken; stir to coat. Cover; refrigerate 30 minutes.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat until hot; add vegetable oil and swirl to
coat. Lift chicken from marinade and let excess drip back into bowl. When oil is
hot, add chicken and cook over medium heat 3 minutes per side, or until golden
brown.
Add reserved marinade to skillet and boil over medium-high heat, turning chicken
once or twice, 3 to 5 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and sauce is
reduced by half. Transfer chicken to a cutting board, cut into diagonal slices,
and arrange on a platter. Stir sesame oil into thickened sauce and spoon it over
chicken. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Nov 29, 2009

Christmas Fragrance

Christmas Fragrance

2 c. water
1 Tbsp. whole cloves
3 cinnamon sticks
1 whole nutmeg or 1 tsp. ground nutmeg

Christmas Boil: To fill the house with the aroma of Christmas spices, brew a spicy mixture on the stove. Simmer all ingredients in a medium size pan. Add additional water and spices when needed.

JAM-FILLED HOLIDAY COOKIES

JAM-FILLED HOLIDAY COOKIES

16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter at cool room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg at room temperature
2 cups all purpose flour, bleached preferred
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam or any smooth seedless jam
Confectioner's sugar for sifting

The cookies can be made and assembled a couple of days ahead of time and
stored in an airtight container. I do like the look of confectioner's sugar
sifted over the top of the cookies and that should be done just before
serving. DO NOT CUT OUT any of the cookies until you have found both sizes:
one for the cookies and a smaller one to cut out an opening in the tops. I
found that an apple corer works very well for this task -- you can quickly
stamp holes in dozens of tops.

Place the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium high
speed until pale and light, about 3 minutes. Add the sugar and beat until
light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add
the egg, and beat until combined, about 30 seconds.

Add the flour and salt and mix on very low speed until the dry ingredients
are moistened and a rough, crumbly dough is formed. Shape the dough into a
disc, wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm but pliable, about 2 to 3
hours. (The dough can be made up to 2 days ahead but should be allowed to
sit out for about 20 minutes to become workable.)

Meanwhile, heat the oven to 350 degrees and adjust a rack to the center
position. Working with half the dough at a time, roll out on a floured
surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out in desired shapes (be sure to have
both large and small cutters selected before you start) and transfer onto a
parchment-lined cookie sheet using a thin metal spatula. Using a very small
cutter, make a hole in the center of half of the dough shapes. The cutout
pieces will be used as the top half of the finished cookies, so be sure you
have an equal number of tops and bottoms.

Bake for about 10 minutes, rotating the cookie sheet 180 degrees half way
through the baking time, or until the cookies have taken on a very light
color around the edges. Cool completely on a rack. Repeat with remaining
dough.

Flip over the cookie bottoms (the pieces without cutouts) so that the baked
underside is facing up. Stir the jam well to make it looser and more
spreadable. Spread a thin layer of jam on each cookie bottom. Top with
cutout cookie top. Once filled, the cookies will keep well in an airtight
container for a couple of days. Just before serving, sift confectioner's
sugar over the top of the cookies.

Makes about 30 2-inch cookies

CARNATION FAMOUS FUDGE

CARNATION FAMOUS FUDGE

11/2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup Carnation Evaporated Milk
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 1/2 cups (9 ounces) Nestle Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method: Line 8-inch-square baking pan with foil. Combine sugar, evaporated
milk, butter and salt in medium, heavy-duty saucepan. Bring to a full
rolling boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring
constantly, for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Stir in marshmallows, morsels, nuts and vanilla extract. Stir vigorously for
1 minute or until marshmallows are melted. Pour into prepared baking pan;
refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm. Lift from pan; remove foil. Cut into
1-inch squares.

Makes 64 pieces

Butter Cookie Snowmen

Butter Cookie Snowmen

1 cup butter (no substitutes), softened cup sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
Red and yellow paste food coloring
Miniature chocolate chips

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add milk and vanilla; mix well.
Gradually add flour. Remove cup of dough to a small bowl; tint with red food
coloring. Repeat with 1/3 cup of dough and yellow food coloring; set aside.

For snowmen, shape white dough into 24 balls, 1 inches each; 24 balls, about
1/2 inch each; and 24 balls, about 1/8 inch each. For bodies, place large
balls on two ungreased baking sheets; flatten to ~-inch thickness.
Place -inch balls above bodies for heads; flatten.

Shape red dough into 24 balls, 1/8 inch each, and 24 triangles. Place
triangles above heads for hats; attach 1/8-in. white balls for tassels.
Place red balls on heads for noses. Divide the yellow dough into 24 pieces;
shape into scarves and position on snowmen. Add chocolate chip eyes and
buttons. Bake at 325 degrees for 13 to 16 minutes or until set.

Cool for 2 minutes before carefully removing to wire racks.

Yield: 2 dozen.

Red And Green Cheddar Balls

Makes 24 small balls

1/2 pound cheddar, shredded (2 cups)
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, softened
2 tablespoons medium sherry or beer
Paprika
Minced parsley

Combine cheese and butter, beat until smooth; gradually beat in sherry or
beer. Form into tiny balls. Roll half the balls in paprika and half in
parsley. Chill. Serve alone or on round crackers.

Cinnamon Sugar Snackers

Cinnamon Sugar Snackers

You'll think you're eating warm cinnamon and sugared doughnuts,
but they're biscuits, and they're baked, not fried!

Prep: 30 Min

2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/3 cup margarine or butter, melted
1 (12-oz.) can Pillsbury® Golden Layers® Refrigerated Buttermilk
Biscuits


1. Heat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease cookie sheets.

2. In small shallow bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon; mix well.
Separate dough in 10 biscuits. Separate each biscuit into 3 to
4 layers. Dip each layer in melted margarine; coat both sides
with cinnamon sugar mixture. Place 1 inch apart on greased cookie
sheets.

3. Bake at 400°F. for 6 to 8 minutes or until golden brown.
Serve warm.

Makes 30 to 40 snack chips

Homemade turkey soup.

Homemade turkey soup.
Layer the following ingredients in a glass jar

60 ml (1/4 cup) red lentils
30 ml (2 tbsp) dried onion
20 ml (1-1/2 tbsp) chicken-flavored bouillon granules
7 ml (1-1/2 tsp) dried dill weed
0.5 ml (1/8 tsp) ground celery
0.5 ml (1/8 tsp) garlic powder
1 small bay leaf
250 ml (1 cup) uncooked medium egg noodles.

Then, cover the lid with a round or square of fabric that is cut a bit
larger in diameter than the top of the jar and fasten with a ribbon and a
greeting and the following instructions:

Turkey Noodle Soup: 2 L (8 cups) water, 1 jar Turkey-Noodle Soup mix, 1 305g
package (10 oz.) frozen mixed vegetables, 500 ml (2 cups) cooked, diced
turkey or chicken.

Method: Bring water to boil in large saucepan over high heat; stir in soup
mix. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer 15 minutes. Discard bay
leaf. Stir in frozen mixed vegetables and cooked turkey. Cook 5 minutes
longer or until noodles and vegetables are tender.

Chocolate Chubbies

Chocolate Chubbies

8 squares (8 oz) semisweet chocolate
3 squares (3 oz) unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups toasted walnuts, chopped
1 1/2 cups toasted pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 325 F. Grease three cookie sheets. Melt chocolate with butter in double boiler over simmering water. Cool to room temperature. Beat eggs with sugar in mixer bowl until ribbon forms when beaters are lifted. Beat in chocolate mixture and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl and stir into chocolate mixture just until combined. Do Not Overmix. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Drop batter by quarter-cupfuls 2 inches apart onto prepared cookie sheets. Do Not Flatten. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until barely firm and tops are just dry and slightly cracked. Cool on cookie sheets 2 minutes. Gently transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Yield: 25 cookies

CHEESE BALL

CHEESE BALL

1/2 pound sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1/4 pound Roquefort or blue cheese
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons grated onion
Cayenne pepper to taste
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup finely minced parsley
1 cup chopped pecans

Thoroughly mix all ingredients except parsley and pecans. Combine parsley
and pecans and blend half of them into cheese mixture. Spread remaining
parsley mixture on sheet of waxed paper. Form cheese into a ball and roll it
in parsley mixture until well coated. Chill before serving. Freezes well.

Holiday Green Beans and Bacon

Holiday Green Beans and Bacon
=============================
7 slices bacon
2 - 9-ounce packages frozen whole green beans, thawed
6 medium carrots, cut into 3- to 4-inch-long strips
2 tablespoons margarine or butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon pepper

In a large skillet cook bacon, uncovered, over medium heat for 8 to
10 minutes or until just crisp, turning occasionally. Remove bacon,
reserving 2 tablespoons drippings in skillet; drain bacon on paper
towels.

Add green beans, carrots, margarine or butter, and garlic to
reserved drippings in skillet. Stir-fry over medium-high heat about
5 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender.

Crumble bacon. Stir pepper into vegetable mixture. Remove from heat.
Transfer to a serving bowl. Top with crumbled bacon.

PEANUT BLOSSOMS

PEANUT BLOSSOMS

1 8-ounce bag chocolate kisses
1/2 cup solid shortening
3/4 cup creamy or crunchy peanut butter
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Granulated sugar

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Remove wrappers from kisses. Beat
shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until blended well. Add
1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy.

Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking
soda and salt. Gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar and put on
ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in preheated oven 8-10 minutes or until
browned lightly.

Immediately press kiss into center of each cookie. (Cookie will crack
around edges.) Remove from cookie sheet to wire cooking rack and cool
completely.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

CHEX PARTY MIX

CHEX PARTY MIX

1/2 cups butter
1 1/4 teaspoons seasoned salt
4 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 cups Corn Chex
2 cups Rice Chex
2 cups Bran Chex
2 cups Wheat Chex
1 cup salted mixed nuts

Heat butter in large shallow roasting pan. Stir in seasoning; add Chex and
nuts. Mix until all pieces are coated. Heat 1 hour at 250 degrees. Stir
every 15 minutes. Makes 9 cups. May be frozen; thaw at room temperature in
container in which it was stored.

TURKEY TETRAZZINI

TURKEY TETRAZZINI
Makes 6 servings

You can't have leftovers without a pan of tetrazzini, but this version is
far better than so many gloppy renditions. For the rest of the year, it's
also great with leftover roasted or grilled chicken.

8 ounces spaghetti
Salt
5 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
1/4 cup flour
1 cup turkey or chicken broth or stock
1 cup whole milk
1 bay leaf
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Pinch of cayenne pepper
2 cups cooked bite-size pieces of turkey
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until almost tender.
Drain. Toss with 1 tablespoon butter.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 2- to 3-quart casserole.

Melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter in a heavy large saucepan over medium
heat. Add onion and celery. Saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle
with flour. Cook 2 minutes. Gradually stir in broth, then milk. Add bay
leaf, pepper and cayenne. Simmer until mixture thickens. Remove bay leaf.
Season with salt. Stir in turkey and pasta.

Pour mixture into prepared pan. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake until bubbly,
about 25 to 30 minutes.

TAMALES STUFFING

TAMALES STUFFING
TAMALES STUFFING

2 dozen cooked beef and pork tamales, husks removed
3 1/2 cups Ro-Tel tomatoes with diced green chiles, with juice (28 ounces)
1 (16-ounce) package grated three-cheese blend (mozzarella, Cheddar and Jack
cheese)
2 cups chopped onion
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dark chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 to 3 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, crumble tamales by hand into bite-size pieces. Do not mix
in a mixer or a food processor, which makes the stuffing too dense. In
separate bowl, combine tomatoes and green chiles with juice, cheese, onion,
garlic, oregano, chili powder, cumin and salt. Add to tamales and toss.

Put in large greased baking pan or two (9-inch) ovenproof dishes and bake
20-30 minutes, or until brown and hot throughout.

2 dozen cooked beef and pork tamales, husks removed
3 1/2 cups Ro-Tel tomatoes with diced green chiles, with juice (28 ounces)
1 (16-ounce) package grated three-cheese blend (mozzarella, Cheddar and Jack
cheese)
2 cups chopped onion
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dark chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 to 3 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, crumble tamales by hand into bite-size pieces. Do not mix
in a mixer or a food processor, which makes the stuffing too dense. In
separate bowl, combine tomatoes and green chiles with juice, cheese, onion,
garlic, oregano, chili powder, cumin and salt. Add to tamales and toss.

Put in large greased baking pan or two (9-inch) ovenproof dishes and bake
20-30 minutes, or until brown and hot throughout.

Fruitcake Cookies

Fruitcake Cookies

3 cups chopped dried figs
2/3 cup raisins
2/3 cup candied cherries, chopped
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 pinch salt
2 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
1 cup unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup super fine sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg

In a large bowl, combine fruits, honey, sherry, lemon juice, salt
and walnuts. Cover and marinate overnight.

Soften the butter or margarine to room temperature and cream
together with cloves, and white and dark sugars until smooth. Add egg
and mix well. Mix together the flour and salt and slowly add to
butter mixture. Do not overmix. Blend in the fruit and nut mixture.
Chill dough until stiff enough to handle. Lightly flour work surface
and divide dough into 2 equal portions. Roll into logs and cover.
Place dough in freezer for at least an hour.

Preheat oven to 350F. Cut logs into thin rounds and place on cookie
sheet. Leave 1 inch between slices. Bake 10 to 13 minutes or until
golden brown.

German Spice Cookies

German Spice Cookies

3 eggs
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped walnuts

In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Add the brown sugar, cloves, cinnamon, and the pepper. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add to the egg mixture. Stir in the raisins and the walnuts. Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto lightly greased baking sheets. Bake at 400 F for 8-10 minutes or until the surface cracks. Remove to wire racks to cool. Makes 3 1/2 dozen cookies

Peppermint Stick Sauce

This is perfect for the holidays and also makes a delicious hostess gift.

1 1/2 cups finely crushed peppermint candies
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 (7 ounce) jar Marshmallow Creme

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat until smooth
and candy is melted, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Remove from heat.
Pour into an airtight container and refrigerate.

Serve chilled over ice cream or pound cake.

Servings: 8

Honey Crunch Cookies

2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup honey
2 eggs
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup butterscotch chips
4 cuprs rice cereal

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and the salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Add the honey a little at a time. Beat well after each addition. Add the eggs, one at a time. Beat well after each addition. The mixture will appear curdled. Gradually add the dry ingredients. Beat until moistened. Fold in the coconut, chips, and the cereal. Drop by teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 F for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool.
Makes about 5 dozen

Buffalo Chips

1 cup Butter
1 cup Shortening
2 cups Brown sugar
2 cups Granulated sugar
4 Eggs
2 ts Vanilla
4 cups Flour
2 ts Soda
2 ts Baking powder
2 cups Oats
2 cups Corn flake cereal
2 cups Chocolate chips
1 cup Coconut
1 cup Pecans

Melt together butter and shortening. Cream with brown sugar, granulated sugar,
eggs, and vanilla. Sift together the flour, soda, and baking powder. Add to
creamed mixture. Mix in oats, cereal, chips, coconut and pecans. Drop large
spoonful onto cookie sheet. Bake in 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.

Black Forest Pudding Cake

1 1/4 cups Sugar
1 cup Flour
3 tb Cocoa, unsweetened
2 ts Baking powder
1/4 ts Salt
1/3 cup Butter, melted
1/2 cup Packed brown sugar
1 1/2 ts Vanilla
1/4 cup Cocoa, unsweetened
1 1/4 cup Hot water
1/4 cup Kirsch or 2 tb. water
1/2 ts almond or rum extract
1 Can cherry pie filling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a medium-size bowl, combine 3/4 cup of the sugar, flour, three tablespoons of
the cocoa, baking powder and salt
Blend in milk, melted butter and vanilla; beat until smooth
Spread into an 8 inch square pan
In a small bowl, combine remaining 1/2 cup sugar, brown sugar and remaining 1/4
cup cocoa; sprinkle mixture evenly over batter
Combine hot water and kirsch; pour over batter. Do not stir
Bake for 40 minutes, or until center is almost set. Let stand 15 minutes
Transfer to dessert dishes and spoon pudding from bottom of pan over cake
Serve with cherry pie filling as sauce

Cranberry Apple Relish Salad

Cranberry Apple Relish Salad

2 c raw chopped cranberries
2 cups diced Tart apples
2 cups sugar
2 c diced celery
2 c chopped walnuts
1 pkg Strawberry Jello
1 pkg. Orange Jello
3 c hot water

Mix jello and water, refrigerate till starts t set. mix cranberries & sugar.
When jello is set, add cranberries and all remaining ingredients.

Nov 28, 2009

Impossibly Easy Vegetable Pie

Impossibly Easy Vegetable Pie
Makes: 6 servings

2 cups chopped broccoli or sliced fresh cauliflowerets
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
1/2 cup Original Bisquick® mix
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 eggs

Heat oven to 400ºF. Grease 9-inch pie plate. Heat 1 inch salted water to boiling
in medium saucepan. Add broccoli; cover and heat to boiling. Cook about 5
minutes or until almost tender; drain thoroughly. Stir together cooked broccoli,
onion, bell pepper and cheese in pie plate.
2. Stir remaining ingredients until blended. Pour into pie plate.
3. Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until golden brown and knife inserted in center
comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes.

Substitution
Grab a 10-ounce package of chopped broccoli or cauliflower from the freezer. Use
it instead of the fresh broccoli or cauliflower; it doesn't need to be boiled.
Just thaw, drain and add it to the pie.

Jingle Turkey Salad

Ingredients
1 3-5 lb. turkey breast Turkey Breast
1 large sweet green bell pepper
1 large sweet red bell pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
5 Tbs. Miracle Whip, or to taste
1/4 C. sweet white onion, chopped
10 whole green olives stuffed with red peppers, sliced
¦
Directions

Cook turkey breast a day ahead of time. Can be done in the crockpot at slow cook or by boiling in a large, deep pot until cooked through.Shread meat from top to bottom, like string peels. Peel the entire breast and place in a deep, large serving bowl. Add remaining ingredients except olives. Mix well and top with olive slices.

Sausage-Cheese Balls

Sausage-Cheese Balls

3 cups Original Bisquick® mix
1 pound bulk pork sausage
4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (16 ounces)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves, crushed
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley or 1/2 teaspoon parsley flakes
Barbecue sauce or chili sauce, if desired

1. Heat oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease bottom and sides of jelly roll pan, 15 1/2x10 1/2x2x1 inch.
2. Stir together all ingredients, using hands or spoon. Shape mixture into 1-inch balls. Place in pan.
3. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until brown. Immediately remove from pan. Serve warm with sauce for dipping.

Hash Brown Casserole

Hash Brown Casserole


Hash Brown Casserole

2 lb. frozen hashbrowns, thawed
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup chopped onions
16 oz. sour cream
2 cups of cream of chicken soup
10 oz. Cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix potatoes and butter; add rest of ingredients. Butter casserole dish and
bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Orange Tart with Orange Cream and Pistachios

Orange Tart with Orange Cream and Pistachios

1 frozen puff pastry sheet (from a 17 1/4-oz package), thawed but kept chilled
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
11 navel oranges
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons shelled salted roasted pistachios (not dyed red), chopped

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Unfold pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface and roll out pastry with a
floured rolling pin into a 12-inch square. Brush off excess flour from top and
bottom of square and from work surface. Trim a 3/4-inch-wide strip from all
sides of square and reserve. Put pastry square on a baking sheet and prick all
over with a fork. Brush pastry square with some of egg and arrange 1 strip on
each edge of pastry square, overlapping strips at corners, to form a raised edge
around pastry, and trim overhang. Brush strips with some of egg, then sprinkle
pastry evenly with granulated sugar. Bake in middle of oven until golden brown,
15 to 17 minutes. Carefully slide pastry from baking sheet to a rack to cool,
then gently flatten inner part of pastry with your palm if very puffed.

Squeeze 2 tablespoons juice from 1 orange.

Cut peel, including all white pith, from remaining 10 oranges with a sharp
paring knife and cut each orange crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange
slices in 1 layer between paper towels to drain briefly.

Whisk together cream cheese, confectioners sugar, vanilla, salt, and orange
juice and spread evenly over center of pastry, spreading it to raised edges.

Arrange oranges, overlapping, on pastry and sprinkle with pistachios.

Soft Buttermilk Sugar Cookies

Soft Buttermilk Sugar Cookies

1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk

In a small bowl, combine the 1/4 cup of sugar and the cinnamon. Set aside. In a large bowl, cream the shortening and the remaining sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Add to the creamed mixture alternately with the buttermilk. The Batter Will Be Moist. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with the reserved cinnamon-sugar. Bake at 375 F for 8-10 minutes or until the edges begin to brown. Remove to wire racks.
Makes about 2 1/2 dozen

Lemon Cream Cheese Crunch Bars

Lemon Cream Cheese Crunch Bars

1 (8-ounce) can Reduced Fat Crescent Rolls
1 (4-serving) package Jello sugar-free vanilla cook-and-serve pudding mix
1 (4-serving) package Jello sugar-free lemon gelatin
1 cup Carnation Nonfat Dry Milk Powder
1 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1 (8-ounce) package Philadelphia fat-free cream cheese
1 1/2 cups raisins
1/4 cup (1 ounce) chopped pecans
1/4 cup flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a 9-by-13-inch rimmed cookie sheet with
butter-flavored cooking spray. Pat rolls in pan, being sure to seal
perforations. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until light golden brown. Place cookie
sheet on a wire rack and allow to cool. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine
dry pudding mix, dry gelatin, dry milk powder, and water. Cook over medium heat
for 6 to 8 minutes or until mixture thickens and starts to boil, stirring
constantly. Remove from heat. Add coconut extract and cream cheese. Mix well
using a wire whisk. Fold in raisins, pecans and coconut. Spread mixture evenly
over cooled crust. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Cut into 24 bars.

Glazed Pineapple Cookies Cookies

Glazed Pineapple Cookies Cookies

1 can (8 3/4 oz.) crushed pineapple
2 c. sifted all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. shortening
1 c. light-brown sugar, firmly packed
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Drain pineapple, reserving liquid.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Lightly grease cookie sheets and set aside.


Sift flour with baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
In a large bowl, with wooden spoon, or portable electric mixer at medium speed,
cream shortening with sugar until light. Beat in egg and vanilla until light and
fluffy. Add drained pineapple; mix well.
Stir in flour mixture until well combined. On a prepared cookie sheet drop
cookie dough by rounded teaspoonfuls, 2 inches apart.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden-brown. Remove to wire rack; cool
partially.

Pineapple Ambrosia Cake

Pineapple Ambrosia Cake

4 eggs
1 package pineapple cake mix
1 cup orange juice
1 small can cocoanut flakes

Glaze:
1 cup confectioner's sugar
2 tablespoons orange juice

Blend all cake ingredients in a large bowl then beat at medium speed for 2
minutes. Spread batter in a greased and floured 10 inch tube pan. Bake at
350ºF for 45-55 minutes. Cool upright for about 15 minutes.

To make glaze:

Mix ingredients together and pour over warm cake.

Variation:
You can substitute an orange cake
mix for pineapple.

Ranch Chicken Breasts

Ranch Chicken Breasts

1 packet ranch salad dressing mix
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup skim milk
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

Combine the salad dressing mix and bread crumbs in a plastic bag. Dip the
chicken breast halves in milk, then place them in the plastic bag. Close the bag
and shake until the chicken is well coated. Arrange the coated chicken on an
ungreased, non-stick cookie sheet. Bake in a preheated oven at 375º for 50
minutes or until the chicken is tender and juices run clear.

Mocha Chocolate-Chip Muffins

Mocha Chocolate-Chip Muffins

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, and more for sprinkling on top
3 Tbsp cocoa powder
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup strong coffee, room temperature
1/3 cup, plus 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract

Sift all dry ingredients together in a bowl.

In a large measuring cup, mix all wet ingredients.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir ONLY till moistened. It's very
important not to over-mix or they can get very tough.

Line a muffin tin with paper liners and fill with batter. Sprinkle with some of
the remaining chocolate chips and then baked for 18 minutes in a 400 degree
oven.

Makes 12 good size muffins

Turkey Broccoli Alfredo

Turkey & Broccoli Alfredo


Prep Time: 10 min.
Cook Time: 20 min.

Ingredients:

1/2 pkg. (8 ounces) linguine
1 cup fresh or frozen broccoli flowerets
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup (Regular or 98% Fat Free)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
2 cups cubed cooked turkey


Directions:
Prepare the linguine according to the package directions in a 3-quart saucepan. Add the broccoli during the last 4 minutes of the cooking time. Drain the linguine mixture well in a colander. Return the linguine mixture to the saucepan.

Stir the soup, milk, cheese, black pepper and turkey in the saucepan and cook over medium heat until the mixture is hot and bubbling, stirring occasionally. Serve with additional Parmesan cheese.

Tip: Substitute spaghetti for the linguine.

Serving Suggestion: Serve with a Caesar salad. For dessert serve your favorite fresh fruit.

Serves 4.

Rich alfredo pastas are always good served with salads tossed with tangy dressing, like Caesar or balsamic vinaigrette.

Christmas Quiche

Christmas Quiche

Ingredients
¦Olive oil for brushing
¦4 Tbs. cooked tukey breast, cubed
¦4 Tbs. stuffing
¦4 Tbs. mashed potatoes
¦4 Tbs. fresh or frozen spinach
¦4 Tbs. cream cheese
¦4 Tbs. mozzerella cheese
¦2 Tbs. green onions, minced
¦8 egg whites
¦1 egg yolk
¦2 Tbs. butter
Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In each ramekin, you will use 1 Tbs. of all ingreadients except eggs and turkey mixture.



In skillet, saute green onions and turkey in butter. Once onions begin to soften, add spinach and stir until cooked or heated through. Set aside.



Brush ramekins with olive oil. Line each dish with stuffing and flatten out over entire bottom with back of spoon or spatula. Layer cream cheese on top of stuffing. Add 2 Tbs. of turkey/spinach mixture to each dish (spread out over stuffing). Add approximately 2 Tbs. whipped eggs into each dish, making sure eggs are spread out evenly. Add a layer of mashed potatoes to each dish. Top with mozzerella cheese.



Place the Ramekins onto a cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 2-3 minutes before serving.

CHOCOLATE BUTTERMILK PIE

CHOCOLATE BUTTERMILK PIE

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons flour
Pinch of salt
3 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 crust for 9-inch pie (home-made, pre-made or frozen)

Set oven to 300 degrees. Melt chocolate in a double boiler. Add dry
ingredients.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth. Stir in buttermilk and
vanilla and pour into prepared pie crust. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Makes
eight servings.

Nov 27, 2009

IDEAS FOR THANKSGIVING LEFTOVERS

Too many leftovers to handle?


Scrap that tired cold turkey sandwich and turn to one of our creative ideas for transforming yesterday's leftovers into delicious new meals.

Thanksgiving Turkey Salad

Mix chopped turkey with dried cranberries, walnuts, chopped celery and a little minced red onion. If you like blue cheese, crumble some in. Stir in some mayonnaise and serve on toasted brioche or leftover rolls from Thanksgiving dinner.

Stuffing Casserole
Butter a baking dish and line it with leftover stuffing that has been mixed with packaged french-fried onions, pressing the stuffing up the sides as best you can to make a little stuffing “pie shell.” In a bowl, mix together a can of cream of mushroom soup, 3/4 cup milk, frozen peas (or leftover green beans) and chopped turkey. Pour mixture into stuffing shell and sprinkle some cheese over the top. Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes, or until the filling is set and the top is golden and bubbly.

Thanksgiving Tacos
Saute a chopped onion in olive oil until translucent. Add minced garlic and saute for 1 minute more. Stir in shredded leftover turkey, 1 cup salsa and 1/3 cup water, and cook over low heat until the mixture looks soft and stew-like (about 15 minutes). Sprinkle with chopped cilantro, then fill taco shells with the mixture and top with shredded lettuce, cheese and sour cream.

Turkey Hash
Peel and dice 3 to 4 sweet potatoes into 1/2-inch pieces and cook in boiling water for about 5 minutes, or until tender; drain. Saute a chopped onion and green pepper in oil until soft, then season with garlic powder, salt and pepper. In a large bowl, mix the onion-pepper mixture, the sweet potatoes and chopped leftover turkey. Heat olive oil in a large skillet and add the sweet potato mixture, flattening it to the pan with the back of a wooden spoon. Cook potatoes until they form a crispy crust, then flip and cook until crispy on the other side.

Asian-Style Turkey Lettuce Wraps
Mix together equal amounts of hoisin sauce and barbecue sauce (use enough to generously coat the amount of turkey you have). Saute minced garlic and ginger in sesame oil for 1 minute, then stir in the hoisin mixture. Mix in finely chopped leftover turkey and minced scallions, and simmer for about 10 minutes. Serve with romaine lettuce leaves for wrapping up the mixture.

Turkey-ghetti
Saute chopped onions and green peppers in olive oil until softened. Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add finely chopped leftover turkey, spaghetti sauce and a splash or three of red wine, then cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Toss with cooked spaghetti and Parmesan cheese.

Corn Bread and Ham Muffins
Prepare your favorite corn bread mix according to the directions on the box. Before baking, fold in some chopped leftover ham, some shredded cheddar cheese and a sprinkling of sliced scallions. Fill muffin cups halfway with the mixture and bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm.

Mashed Potato Gratin
Saute onions, shallots or garlic (or all three) until soft. Blend with leftover mashed potatoes, minced leftover ham, a tablespoon or two of mustard and a small amount of milk or cream (just enough to make the potatoes soft again). Fill a buttered baking dish with the mixture and sprinkle some shredded cheese on top. Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake at 300 F until heated through (about 15 minutes).

Turkey Tortilla Soup
Slice corn tortillas into thin strips and cook in hot oil until crisp; remove to paper towels to drain. In a large pot, combine 32 ounces of chicken broth, 1 cup salsa (or stewed tomatoes) and a chopped zucchini. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add chopped leftover turkey and heat through. Serve soup topped with your fried tortilla strips, sour cream and a splash of fresh lime juice.

Cranberry Sauce Chutney

This recipe assumes you have about 2 cups of leftover cranberry sauce to work with—adjust measurements to suit. Chop a medium onion and half an apple and saute until soft. Mix in 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger and cook for 1 minute, then add the cranberry sauce and 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool to room temperature and enjoy with cheese on crusty bread.

Ultimate Day-After Turkey Sandwich
Generously spread mayonnaise and ketchup on 2 slices of your favorite bread. Layer stuffing, turkey (dark meat is great here), cranberry sauce and a bit of mashed sweet potato on one slice of the bread. We’ve been known to sprinkle on some leftover fried onions from the green bean casserole as well. Top with remaining bread slice.

Leftover Hors D'oeuvres Soup
This is a great way to use up the crudites and cheese tray that no one touched. Cut your vegetables into 1- to 2-inch pieces. Saute a few chopped shallots in some butter until softened. Add your chopped vegetables and a few sprigs of thyme; saute for a minute, stirring to coat the vegetables in the butter. Add about 3 cups of chicken or vegetable stock for every 2 cups of vegetables that you’ve used. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes. Puree half the soup, then add it back into the pot and season with salt and pepper. Toast a few slices of leftover bread, sprinkle with cheese and broil until melted and golden. Float the cheesy croutons on top of the soup.

Curried Turkey Shepherd’s Pie
Saute chopped onions in olive oil until golden. Add a tablespoon of curry powder and some minced garlic and fry until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in a can of cream of chicken soup and 1/2 cup white wine. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until thickened but still fluid. (You can add a bit more wine if it gets too thick.) Mix in some frozen peas and some finely chopped leftover turkey meat and pour into a buttered casserole dish. Spread or pipe mashed potatoes over the mixture and top with some shredded cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 F for 20 to 30 minutes, or until heated through and bubbly.

Husband’s Dinner
Cook enough rice for four people and let it cool. In the largest skillet you have, saute chopped onions, minced garlic and chopped pepperoni in olive oil for 4 to 5 minutes. Add chopped leftover turkey, diced apple and sliced scallions. Mix in a generous helping of curry powder and cook until everything is heated through. Thoroughly mix in the cooked rice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with some more fresh scallions before serving. This recipe was invented by a kindly husband who wanted to give his wife a break from cooking the day after Thanksgiving.

Cranberry Sauce Fudge Sundaes
In a small saucepan, mix cranberry sauce with a few tablespoons of Gran Marnier and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, warm up your favorite hot fudge sauce in a separate saucepan (or in the microwave). Scoop vanilla ice cream into bowls and drizzle the two sauces over the top. You might never look at cranberry sauce the same way again.

Green Bean Casserole Pasta
Saute generous amounts of chopped garlic and a pinch of red pepper flakes in olive oil. When the garlic is soft, toss in shrimp and cook until just pink. Add leftover green bean casserole and 1/2 cup white wine (or water) and let bubble for 3 to 4 minutes, or until heated through. Toss with hot penne or fusilli pasta.

Black Friday Power Breakfast
Heat butter until it foams, then add thick slices of cold leftover stuffing and fry until crispy on both sides. Remove stuffing slices to a plate and top with a sunny-side up egg. Drizzle with reheated gravy. Shop without fear of ever getting hungry.

Simple Breakfast

Toast leftover corn bread and slather on butter and cranberry sauce.

Stuffing and Cheese Strata
Saute mushrooms in a little bit of butter until they have released most of their liquid and have started to brown. Add minced garlic and a couple handfuls of spinach and cook, stirring, until spinach is wilted; remove to a large bowl. In a separate bowl, beat together 2 cups whole milk and 3 eggs to make a custard; season with salt and pepper. Add crumbled leftover stuffing to the mushroom-spinach mixture, then pour into the custard. Stir in handfuls of grated cheese—a nutty cheese like Gruyere works well here—before pouring the mixture into a buttered casserole dish. Bake at 350 F for 30 to 40 minutes, or until strata is puffed and golden.

Turkey or Ham Calzones
Mix chopped turkey or ham with a good-quality marinara sauce. On a floured cutting board, roll out ready-made pizza dough into a circle (you can make either one large calzone or several smaller ones). Put a layer of shredded mozzarella cheese on one half of the circle, being careful to leave an inch-wide border free of toppings around the edge of the dough. Spread a layer of the turkey mixture on top of the cheese. Moisten the edge of the dough and fold the empty half of the pizza dough over the filling; crimp the edges together to seal. Carefully transfer the calzone to a baking sheet and bake in a 450-degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Pulled Turkey Sandwiches
Saute a large minced onion in oil until golden and soft; let cool. Add 1 cup ketchup, 1 cup barbecue sauce, 1/3 cup white vinegar and 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce and mix well. Add shredded leftover turkey and let marinate overnight in the refrigerator. When it’s time to eat, simmer the turkey mixture in a covered pot for 20 to 30 minutes, then uncover and simmer another 10 minutes. Adjust the seasoning, adding more water (or a splash of beer) if it’s too salty for your taste. Serve on toasted rolls—with grated mozzarella cheese if you’re feeling decadent.

Vegetable and Tortellini Bake
Toss leftover roasted vegetables with cooked tortellini and butter until the butter melts and coats everything nicely. Pour into a shallow casserole dish or pie plate. Sprinkle the top with generous amounts of grated Gruyere or Emmenthal cheese, plus a little bit of Parmesan. Broil until golden and bubbly.

Ginger and Chocolate Bread Pudding
Cut leftover bread (you need about 1 pound) into 1-inch cubes. Toss the bread with 8 tablespoons melted butter and 1 cup chocolate chips; transfer to a baking dish. Make a custard by mixing together 2 1/2 cups half-and-half, 1 cup sugar, 6 large eggs, 4 large egg yolks, 2 tablespoons vanilla and 1 tablespoon grated ginger. Pour custard over the bread mixture and let soak for 30 minutes. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons brown sugar over the top and bake at 350 F for 1 hour.

Thanksgiving Ole 9-Layer Dip
In a small bowl, mix one 14.5-ozcan of drained black beans with the juice of half a lime, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, a can of drained green chiles and a pinch of salt. In another small bowl, mix 1 cup sour cream with 1/2 cup mayonnaise. In the bottom of a glass pie plate or casserole, create a thin layer of leftover stuffing. Top that with a layer of minced leftover turkey, then layers of the bean mixture and sour cream mixture. Top this with a layer of guacamole, then a layer of salsa (drained if necessary). Sprinkle with Monterey Jack cheese and thinly sliced scallions and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Salmon Croquettes With Leftover Mash

In a medium bowl, mix together equal parts leftover mashed potatoes and drained canned salmon, 1 egg, some minced celery, thinly sliced scallions, 1 or 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill and 1 teaspoon garlic powder. Form mixture into golf-ball-size balls, then flatten into patties. Coat the patties with breadcrumbs, then pan-fry them in canola oil until golden and crispy on both sides.

Cranberry Chicken Skillet Supper

Chop a medium onion and saute in a few tablespoons of butter until translucent. Add strips of chicken breast and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in a cup of whole-berry cranberry sauce, 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoons whole grain mustard and 1/2 cup ketchup. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Serve over rice or potatoes. (You could also use leftover turkey in place of the chicken. Just add it after the sauce has simmered to heat it through.)

Stuffing Stuffed Squash
Pierce a whole acorn squash in a few places with a sharp knife, then cook on high in the microwave for 4 minutes. Turn over and cook for another 4 minutes. Carefully cut the squash in half and remove seeds and strings. Fill the cavity with a mixture of leftover stuffing, crumbled cooked sausage, a pinch of red pepper flakes, some minced garlic and 2 to 3 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese. Brush exposed squash flesh with melted butter, then bake on a cookie sheet at 350 F for 25 to 30 minutes.

Candied Yam Bread
This is a great way to use up that extra just-in-case can of candied yams you bought. Pour a 14-ounce can of candied yams into a medium bowl and blend with 4 eggs, 1 1/4 cup sugar and 1 1/2 cups canola oil until smooth. In a separate bowl, sift together 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1 teaspoon salt and 2 teaspoons each of baking soda and baking powder. Gradually blend the flour mixture into the wet ingredients. If you like, add a handful of chopped pecans or diced crystallized ginger. Pour batter into a well-greased and floured Bundt pan and bake at 350 F for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Stuffing Pies
In a medium bowl, mix together your leftover stuffing, finely minced leftover turkey and enough leftover gravy to moisten the mixture (if you don’t have any more gravy, try Marsala wine, sherry or chicken stock). Add a pinch each of dried sage and thyme, and some finely minced garlic. Using ready-made piecrust, cut out circles of dough large enough to line muffin cups. Carefully ease the dough circles into the muffin cups and fill with the stuffing mixture. Brush the edges of the pie dough with water and top with a circle of pie dough that just fits on top. Crimp the edges together as best you can, make a vent on the top with a knife and bake at 375 F for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the stuffing mixture is heated through.

Turkey Marsala
Saute chopped onions in butter until golden brown. Add sliced mushrooms and cook until soft. Take the pan off the heat and add 1/2 cup or so of Marsala wine. Return skillet to the heat and scrape up all the tasty brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Add 2 cups of liquid to the pan (a combination of leftover gravy and chicken broth would be ideal) and let simmer until reduced by one-third. Add slices of turkey to the sauce and heat through. Season with salt and pepper and serve over pasta or rice.

Honey-Mustard Turkey Pasta Salad

Cook pasta (fusilli or farfalle would be nice) according to the directions on the box. Rinse pasta in a colander under cold water to cool, then drain and toss with a tablespoon of olive oil. In a large bowl, combine the pasta with 3 tablespoons mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon honey, chopped leftover turkey, minced red onion, chopped basil and cherry tomato halves. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Nov 26, 2009

California Rangers

California Rangers

1 cup shortening like Crisco
1 cup white sugar
1 cup light brown sugar--packed
2 eggs (large)
1 tblsp milk
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

2 cups rolled oats (not instant)
1 cup coconut
2 cups corn flakes

Sift flour, soda, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Set aside. In large mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugars, add eggs one at a time and mix well after each addition. Add milk and vanilla. Mix. Add flour mixture a little at a time to the creamed mixture, scraping bowl often. Now add rolled oats, coconut and cornflakes. Mixture will be thick. I have always added these last 3 ingredients by hand mixing with a wooded spoon.

Place rounded teaspoonful of dough on ungreased cookie sheet*. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Mexican Beef Supreme

Mexican Beef Supreme

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 pound cubed beef stew meat
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 lime, juiced
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
3 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, or to taste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 (7 ounce) can green salsa

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the
onion, and cook for a few minutes, then stir in the beef, and garlic.
Cook, stirring frequently until meat is evenly browned.
2. While the meat is cooking, stir together the lime juice, jalapeño,
cilantro and green onion. When the meat is browned, stir in the
cilantro mixture and oregano. Pour in the salsa, cover and cook for
about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the meat is cooked through.

Nacho Turkey Casserole

Nacho Turkey Casserole
Makes: 8 servings

5 cups slightly crushed tortilla chips
4 cups cubed cooked turkey or chicken
2 16-ounce jars salsa
1 10-ounce package frozen whole kernel corn
1/2 cup dairy sour cream
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeño peppers or mozzarella
cheese

1. Lightly grease a 13x9x2-inch baking dish or 3-quart rectangular casserole.
Place 3 cups of the tortilla chips in bottom of dish. In a large bowl combine
turkey, salsa, corn, sour cream, and flour; spoon over tortilla chips.

2. Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree F oven for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with the
remaining 2 cups tortilla chips and the cheese. Bake, uncovered, for 5 to 10
minutes more or until heated through.

To Tote: Cover tightly. Transport in an insulated carrier.

For 4 Servings: Prepare using method above, except assemble in a 2-quart square
baking dish.

Marmalade Chews

Marmalade Chews

1/4 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup orange marmalade
1/2 cup chopped pecans, optional

For The Frosting:
2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp orange peel, grated
2 to 3 tbsp orange juice

In a large bowl, cream the shortening and the sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add to the creamed mixture. Mix well. Stir in the marmalade and the pecans if desired. Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 F for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool. Makes about 4 1/2 dozen

Oriental Turkey Noodle Salad

Oriental Turkey Noodle Salad

1 package (3 ounces) chicken-flavored instant Oriental noodle soup mix
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/8 pound fresh snow peas
3/4 pound fully cooked oven-roasted turkey breast, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
4 ounces water chestnuts, drained and sliced
2 large fresh mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1/2 cup diagonally-cut carrots
2 tablespoons sliced green onions

Prepare soup mix according to package directions.

In small bowl combine sesame oil, soy sauce and prepared soup mix. Cover and refrigerate.

Blanch snow peas by plunging pea pods in boiling water for 45 seconds. Immediately drain and plunge into ice water.

In large bowl combine cooked turkey, water chestnuts, drained snow peas, mushrooms, carrots and green onions. Fold noodle mixture into turkey mixture.

Cover and refrigerate 2 hours.

Makes 4 servings.

Crisp Apple and Turkey Salad

Crisp Apple and Turkey Salad

2 1/4 cups cooked turkey, cubed
2 cups celery, diced
2 cups Granny Smith apples, cored and diced
1/4 cup golden raisins
2 tablespoons reduced-calorie mayonnaise
2 tablespoons low-fat plain yogurt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Salt and pepper

In large bowl, combine turkey, celery, apples and raisins.

In small bowl, combine mayonnaise, yogurt, nutmeg and cinnamon; fold into turkey mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Makes 6 servings.

Turkey Cranberry Croissant

Turkey Cranberry Croissant

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup orange marmalade
1/2 cup chopped pecans
6 croissants, split
1 pound cooked turkey, thinly sliced
3/4 cup whole berry cranberry sauce
6 red leaf lettuce leaves, washed and chilled

In small bowl combine softened cream cheese, marmalade and pecans.

Spread cream cheese mixture on both halves of croissants. Layer turkey, cranberry sauce and lettuce on bottom half of croissant.
To serve, top with other half of croissant.

Makes 6 servings.

Nov 25, 2009

Dutch Apple Pie Recipe

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
3/4 cup butter, melted
FILLING:
2/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1-1/4 cups cold water
3 cups diced peeled tart apples
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, oats and butter; set aside 1 cup for topping. Press remaining crumb mixture into an ungreased 9-in. pie plate; set aside.
For filling, combine the sugar, cornstarch and water in a large saucepan until smooth; bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in apples and vanilla.
Pour into crust; top with reserved crumb mixture. Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Buttery Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe

Ingredients

2 cans (15-3/4 ounces each) sweet potatoes, drained and mashed
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Dash salt

TOPPING:

1 cup coarsely crushed butter-flavored crackers (about 25 crackers)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
Directions
In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Transfer to a greased 8-in. square baking dish. Combine the topping ingredients; sprinkle over sweet potato mixture.
Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160°. Yield: 6-8 servings.

TURKEY CREAM PUFF PIE

1 small tomato
1 small onion, finely chopped (1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 large white mushrooms, finely chopped (1/4 cup)
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 cup plus For filling
1 small tomato
1 small onion, finely chopped (1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 large white mushrooms, finely chopped (1/4 cup)
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 cup plus
Added To Shopping List!
Instructions

1.Make filling:

2.Using a sharp knife, cut a shallow X in bottom of tomato and immerse in a saucepan of boiling water 10 seconds. Immediately transfer tomato with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice and cold water to cool, then drain. Peel, seed, and finely chop tomato.

3.Cook onion in butter with salt in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 4 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms begin to brown, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with flour and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute, then stir in broth and bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring, 1 minute (sauce will be thick). Remove from heat and stir in turkey, parsley, chopped tomato, and pepper to taste.

4.Make cream puff dough:

5.Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F.

6.Bring water to a boil with butter and salt in a 1 1/2- to 2-quart heavy saucepan. Reduce heat to low and add flour all at once, then stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until dough forms a ball and pulls away from sides of pan, 1 to 2 minutes.

7.Remove from heat and stir vigorously for 1 minute more to release steam, then beat in 3 eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated after each addition. Stir in Swiss cheese, 1 tablespoon parmesan, and mustard, then spread dough with dampened hands into a buttered 9-inch pie plate. Create a 6-inch-wide hole in center by pulling dough toward edge of pie plate, then mound filling in hole. Push dough 1 inch up sides of filling, leaving top of filling exposed. Lightly beat remaining egg and brush some over dough (reserve remainder for another use), then sprinkle with remaining tablespoon parmesan.

8.Bake pie until dough is puffed and golden, about 40 minutes, then cut 4 slits with a small knife around side of dough to release steam and bake 10 minutes more. Let pie stand 5 minutes before serving.

Chocolate Orange Cupcakes

Chocolate Orange Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp grated orange peel
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Confectioners' sugar

In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and the salt. In another bowl, combine the mayonnaise, orange peel, and vanilla. Gradually add the orange juice until blended. Stir into the dry ingredients just until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips - The Batter Will Be Thick. Fill the paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350 F for 18-23 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from the muffin tins to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with confectioners' sugar.
Makes 9 cupcakes

Nov 24, 2009

Pumpkin Spice Cake

3/4 cup(s) (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup(s) firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 cup(s) sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup(s) pumpkin purée
1/2 cup(s) buttermilk
1 teaspoon(s) pure vanilla extract
2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoon(s) baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon(s) ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon(s) baking soda
1/2 teaspoon(s) fresh-ground nutmeg
1 recipe Pumpkin Cream-Cheese Frosting

1.Prepare cake pans: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat three 8-inch cake pans with softened butter. Cut three 8-inch circles out of parchment paper and fit them into the bottom of the cake pans. Lightly coat the paper circles with butter and set aside.
2.Make the batter: Cream butter until smooth in a large bowl with an electric mixer set on medium speed. Add the sugars and mix until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, until the mixture is smooth and light. Set aside. Combine the pumpkin purée, buttermilk, and vanilla in a medium bowl and set aside. Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and nutmeg in a large bowl and set aside. In thirds, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture to the butter mixture, blending well after each addition until smooth.
3.Bake the cake: Pour batter into the prepared pans and bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle of each cake comes out clean -- 35 to 40 minutes. Cool the cakes in the pan on wire racks for 30 minutes. Remove cakes from pans and return to the wire racks until completely cool.
4.Assemble the cake: Place one layer on a cake plate and top with one-third recipe of Pumpkin Cream-Cheese Frosting. Repeat with the second and third layers. Serve or store refrigerated for up to four days.

Oatmeal White-Chocolate Apricot Cookies

Oatmeal White-Chocolate Apricot Cookies

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
8 ounces white chocolate chips
7 ounces dried apricots, chopped (1-1/2 cups)

1. Mix flour, oatmeal and baking soda in a medium bowl. Cream butter and sugars
until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and add salt, vanilla and eggs; beat
until well combined, about 1 minute. Add flour mixture gradually, beating until
just combined. Stir in chocolate and apricots. Cover and refrigerate until cold,
about 30 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

3. Drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing
2 inches apat. Bake until edges are golden brown but still soft in the center,
14-16 minutes. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheets. Transfer to wire rack; cool.

Makes 4 dozen cookies

Cranberry-Ginger Sauce

2 large ruby-red grapefruits
2 tablespoon(s) unsalted butter
1 medium red onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon(s) kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/2 cup(s) sugar
12 ounce(s) fresh cranberries
1 tablespoon(s) grated fresh ginger

DIRECTIONS

1.Peel about 10 curls of skin from 1 grapefruit, then juice both grapefruits into a bowl; reserve.
2.Melt butter in a pot over medium-high heat and add onion, grapefruit peels, and salt. Sauté until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Add sugar, grapefruit juice, and cranberries and bring to a simmer.
3.Continue to simmer until the berries have completely softened, about 12 minutes. Stir in ginger and let cool. Serve at room temperature.

Cranberry-Ginger Sauce

2 large ruby-red grapefruits
2 tablespoon(s) unsalted butter
1 medium red onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon(s) kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/2 cup(s) sugar
12 ounce(s) fresh cranberries
1 tablespoon(s) grated fresh ginger

DIRECTIONS

1.Peel about 10 curls of skin from 1 grapefruit, then juice both grapefruits into a bowl; reserve.
2.Melt butter in a pot over medium-high heat and add onion, grapefruit peels, and salt. Sauté until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Add sugar, grapefruit juice, and cranberries and bring to a simmer.
3.Continue to simmer until the berries have completely softened, about 12 minutes. Stir in ginger and let cool. Serve at room temperature.

Cranberry-Ginger Sauce

2 large ruby-red grapefruits
2 tablespoon(s) unsalted butter
1 medium red onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon(s) kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/2 cup(s) sugar
12 ounce(s) fresh cranberries
1 tablespoon(s) grated fresh ginger

DIRECTIONS

1.Peel about 10 curls of skin from 1 grapefruit, then juice both grapefruits into a bowl; reserve.
2.Melt butter in a pot over medium-high heat and add onion, grapefruit peels, and salt. Sauté until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Add sugar, grapefruit juice, and cranberries and bring to a simmer.
3.Continue to simmer until the berries have completely softened, about 12 minutes. Stir in ginger and let cool. Serve at room temperature.

Caramel Icing

INGREDIENTS

3 cup(s) light brown sugar
1 1/2 cup(s) heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon(s) lemon juice
5 tablespoon(s) butter, cold, cut into pieces


DIRECTIONS

1.Make the icing: In a medium saucepan with a candy thermometer attached, stir sugar, heavy cream, and lemon juice together. Cook the mixture, without stirring, over medium-high heat to soft-ball stage (238 degrees F). Remove from heat and cool the caramel mixture to 140 degrees F. Place the butter on top of the cooled caramel mixture. Remove the thermometer and, using a handheld mixer set on medium-high speed, beat the caramel until it thickens enough to hold its shape, lightens in color, and changes from translucent to opaque -- about 5 minutes. Apply icing immediately.

Chunky Chocolate Brownies

Chunky Chocolate Brownies

Preperation time 20 minutes
Cooking time 45 minute

Preheat the oven to 190 c / 375 f / gas mark 5

Makes 18


2 cups / 7 oz / 200 g / milk chocolate
3 cups / 10 oz / 300 g / dark chocolate
225 g / 7 1/2 oz / 2 sticks / unsalted butter, softened
3 eggs
2 cups / 7 1/2 oz / 225 g /light muscovado brown sugar
3/4 cup / 3 oz / 75 g / self-raising flour
1 1/2 cups / 6 oz / 175 g / walnuts, broken

Grease and line a 28x28 cm / 11x8 inch shallow baking tin.

Roughly chop up the milk chocolate. Melt the plain chocolate then stir in the
butter.

Beat together the eggs and sugar, then beat in the melted plain chocolate
mixture.

Turn into the tin and level the surface. Bake until the centre feels just firm
on the crust but soft underneath. Take care not to overcook.

Leave to cool in the tin, then turn out and cut into 18 squares.

WALNUT HORN COOKIES

Walnut Horn Cookies

1 cup plus 1 tsp butter,
softened & divided
1 pkg (8 oz.) cream cheese,
softened
3 cups flour
4 cups ground walnuts
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
1/2 cup 2% milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt

In a large bowl, beat in 1 cup of the butter and the cream cheese until light
and fluffy. Gradually add the flour. Beat until the mixture forms a ball.
Divided the dough into four portions. Roll each into a 12 inch circle. Melt
the remaining butter. In a large bowl, combine the walnuts, 3/4 cup sugar,
milk, vanilla, salt, and the melted butter. Spread over the circles. Cut each
into 12 wedges. Roll up the wedges, starting from the wide ends. Place point
side down on the greased baking sheets. Curve the ends to form crescents. Bake
at 325 F for 35-40 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks.
Place the remaining sugar in a small shallow bowl. Roll the warm cookies in the
sugar. Makes 4 dozen

Cheesy Bacon Potatoes

Cheesy Bacon Potatoes

Turn plain mashed potatoes into a dish they will love.

Prep: 10 min

4 cups hot mashed potatoes
1 container (8 oz.) BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream
6 slices OSCAR MAYER Center Cut Bacon, crisply cooked, crumbled
1 cup KRAFT Shredded Mild Cheddar Cheese


MIX all ingredients. Serve immediately.

Makes 10 servings

Milky Way Cake

1 cup butter, divided
8 Milky Way candy bars (2.05-ounce)
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup pecans, chopped
Milky Way frosting, optional (recipe follows)

Melt 1/2 cup of the butter; combine with candy bars in saucepan.

Place over low heat until melted, stirring constantly. Cool.

Cream together sugar and remaining 1/2 cup butter until light and fluffy.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating very well after each addition. Stir in
vanilla.

Combine buttermilk and baking soda; add to creamed mixture alternately with
flour, beating well after each addition.

Stir in candy bar mixture with pecans.

Pour into greased and floured 10- inch tub pan and bake at 325 degrees for 1
hour and 20 minutes or until cake tests done.

Let cool in pan 1 hour, remove from pan and completely cool on wire rack.

Frost if desired.

Milky Way Frosting

4 Milky Way candy bars, approximately 8 ounces total
1 stick butter
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 box (half of a 1-pound box) confectioner's sugar

Melt together candy bars and butter

Add milk and confectioner's sugar, blend well.

Spread on cooled cake.

A fairly similar recipe was contributed by Sue Cavanaugh of Dorchester
County, although it didn't include pecans in the batter and the frosting was
different. Sue got the recipe in the 1970s from her stepmother, Liz
Fortenberry. Here's the frosting recipe, an alternative to the one above:

Milky Way Cake Frosting II

1/2 can large evaporated milk (5-7 ounces)
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon butter
3/4 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup marshmallow creme

Combine milk, sugar and butter in a saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil and
boil hard for 4 minutes. Take off heat. Add chocolate pieces and marshmallow
creme. Beat until desired spreading consistency. Spread on cooled cake.

Banana Cream Layer Cake

Ingredients
Cake
2 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups mashed very ripe bananas, (about 3), plus 2 whole bananas, divided**
1/2 cup nonfat buttermilk, (see Tip)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour, (see Ingredient Note)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Bavarian Cream
3/4 cup low-fat milk
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup whipping cream

Preparation
To prepare cake: Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat two 9-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with wax paper or parchment paper.
Whisk eggs, 1 cup sugar and oil in a large bowl. Stir in mashed bananas, buttermilk and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Stir whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Add to the banana mixture and fold in just until blended. Divide the batter between the pans.
Bake the cake until the tops spring back when touched lightly, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and let cool completely.
To prepare Bavarian cream: Place milk in a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over the milk and let stand for 1 minute to soften. Stir in 2 tablespoons sugar and heat over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the gelatin. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and transfer to a medium bowl. Refrigerate, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has thickened to the consistency of raw egg whites, 40 to 45 minutes.
Beat whipping cream until soft peaks form. Whisk one-third of the whipped cream into the milk mixture. Fold in the remaining whipped cream. Refrigerate until set and thickened to the consistency of whipped cream again, about 1 hour.
To assemble cake: Shortly before serving, place 1 cake layer on a serving plate and spread half the Bavarian cream over it. Peel and slice the remaining bananas; arrange half the slices evenly over the cream. Top with the second cake layer. Spread the remaining cream over the cake and arrange the remaining banana slices decoratively over the top.

Heath Bit Peanut Butter Cookies

Heath Bit Peanut Butter Cookies

1/2 cup shortening
3/4 creamy peanut butter
1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups Heath Toffee bits, divided

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Beat shortening, peanut butter, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in a large bowl
until well blended. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into
peanut butter mixture. Stir in 1 cup Heath bits; reserve remainder for topping.

Drop by heaping teaspoons about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet, top
each with reserved heath bits.

Bake 7 or 8 minutes or until set. Do not overbake. Cool 2 minutes. Remove to
wire racks and cool completely.

Makes approx. 7 dozen

Banana Split Trifle

Banana Split Trifle

3 cups cold milk
1 (5.1 oz.) box vanilla or cheesecake flavored instant pudding mix
1 (8 oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 prepared angel food cake, cut into cubes
1 cup strawberries, sliced
1 (8 oz.) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 medium firm banana
1/4 cup pecans, chopped
12 ounces Hot Fudge Microwaveable Ice Cream Topping

Whisk milk and pudding for 2 minutes in large bowl. Stir in pineapple. Place
half of the angel food cake cubes on the bottom of a separate large, clear,
glass bowl. Spread 1/3 of pudding mixture on top. Cover with sliced
strawberries. Spread layer of whipped topping over strawberries.

Remove lid from hot fudge topping and heat in microwave on HIGH for
approximately 30 seconds. Pour half of the topping over the previous layer and
then layer with remaining cake cubes.

Spread another 1/3 of pudding mixture on top. Cover with sliced bananas. Cover
with remaining 1/3 pudding mixture. Spread whipped topping over all.

Drizzle with hot fudge topping and sprinkle with pecans(optional).

Chill until serving. Garnish with strawberries and bananas when served, if
desired.

Honey Maple Cookies

Honey Maple Cookies

1 cup shortening
3/4 cup honey
3/4 cup maple syrup
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet
chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans

In a large bowl, beat the shortening until light and fluffy. Add the honey and the syrup a little at a time. Beat well after each addition. Add the eggs, one at a time. Beat well after
each addition. The mixture will appear curdled. Beat in the vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, and the salt. Gradually add to the honey mixture. Mix just until moistened. Stir in the chocolate chips and the pecans. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 F for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool. Makes 5 dozen

Whole Wheat Cookies

Whole Wheat Cookies

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup honey
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup nonfat dry milk powder
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
1 tsp baking soda

In a large bowl, cream the butter, peanut butter and honey. Beat in the egg and the vanilla. Combine the dry ingredients. Gradually add to the creamed mixture. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Drop by teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Flatten with a fork dipped in sugar. Bake at 350 F for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool on the pans for 1 minute before removing them to wire racks to cool completely. Makes about 4 dozen

Nov 23, 2009

Icebox Fruit Cake

Icebox Fruit Cake

1 box vanilla wafers, crushed
2 cups chopped pecans
2 cups chopped walnuts
1/2 pound raisins, chopped
1 medium bottles red cherries drained and chopped (reserve 8 halves for
garnishing cake)
3 tbsp. cherry juice
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Combine dry ingredients. Mix cherry juice with milk and pour over dry
ingredients. Mix thoroughly. Form into ring. This can be done easily by pacing a
medium tumbler in the center of a plate and pressing mixture around tumbler.
Cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate with tumbler until firm. Remove
tumbler and recover in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 48 hours before serving.
Refrigerate leftovers

Maple Pecan Oatmeal Cookies

Maple Pecan Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup ap flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 egg
1 cup rolled oats (regular or quick cooking)
1/2cup coarsely chopped cinnamon glazed pecans

Preheat oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and
salt. Set aside.

Cream butter and brown sugar together in a large bowl. Beat in maple syrup and
egg. Stir in flour mixture and oats, adding pecans at the last minute. Stir only
until just combined.

Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto parchment lined baking sheet.
Bake at 375 for 9-12 minutes, until set and golden brown around the edges.

Makes about 2 dozen.

Turkey Cranberry Salad in Wreath

Turkey Cranberry Salad in Wreath

2 8-ounce packages refrigerated crescent rolls
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons honey Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
2 cups cooked turkey (or smoked), chopped
1/2 cup celery, sliced
3 tablespoons fresh parsley,snipped
1/2 cup dried cranberries
4 ounces Swiss cheese, shredded (1 cup)
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
1 egg, separated

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Unroll crescent dough; separate into 16 triangles. With wide ends of triangles
toward the center, arrange 8 triangles in a circle on Large Round Stone.
Corners of wide ends will touch and points will extend 1 inch beyond the edge.
Match wide end of each remaining triangle to wide end of each outer triangle;
seal seams with fingertips (points will overlap in center; do not seal).

Measure mayonnaise, mustard and pepper into bowl. Add turkey, celery, parsley
and cranberries to bowl, grate cheese into bowl. Mix filling. Scoop filling
over seams of dough, forming a circle.

Coarsely chop walnuts; sprinkle over filling. Beginning in center, lift one
dough triangle across mixture. Continue alternating with outer strips, slightly
overlapping to form wreath. Tuch last end under first.

Separate egg ov a small bowl. Beat egg white lightly; brush over dough using
pastry brush. Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cut and serve.

Yield: 10 servings.

Yule Log

4 cups Rice Krispies cereal
1/2 cup Peanut Butter
3/4 cup Light Corn Syrup
1/2 cup Butter or Margarine
1 dash Salt
1 teaspoon Vanilla
12 ounces Chocolate Chips -- melted

In a large saucepan, combine butter, corn syrup and peanut butter, and cook over medium heat until butter is melted and ingredients are mixed well. Remove from heat, and add salt and vanilla. Mix well, then add rice krispies cereal to mixture and stir until all cereal is coated with mixture. Pour warm mixture into a wax paper lined 9 x 13 inch pan, and spread, then lightly pack with buttered hands, to form a flattened crust. Spread melted chocolate chips onto top of crust. You will need to work quickly to roll your Yule logs. First, using a sharp knife, cut the crust down the center forming two separate squares of crust. Next, working from the center-out, roll the logs jelly roll style, toward the outer ends of the pan, making two separate Yule logs. Tightly wrap logs for slicing later, or slice immediately, and place slices into a sealed container to retain softness.

Baklava

2 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 pound pecans -- chopped
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 pound filo dough
1 cup butter -- melted

Prepare syrup first: bring to boil 2-1/2 cups sugar and water; add lemon juice. Simmer until it is a pale yellow color. Syrup should be thick and cold when poured over hot Baklava. Mix nuts, 1/4 cup sugar, and spices; set aside. Butter 9" x 13" cake pan thoroughly. Keep filo pastry covered with a damp tea towel while working with individual sheets. Layer sheets in baking pan, one at a time, brushing each layer with melted butter. After layering six or so, begin alternating layers of filo pastry with nut mixture. Brush one layer with butter and sprinkle the next with 1/2 cup nut mixture. Continue to alternate buttered layers and nut-covered layers until all but ten of the sheets have been used. Layer the last ten sheets as you did the bottom six, brushing each with butter. Bake at 325 degrees for 1-1/2 hours. Remove from oven and let cool for five minutes. Score pastry into diamond shapes about 1-1/2" X 2".
Pour cold syrup over hot pastry. Allow to cool to room temperature before cutting and removing from pan.

The Very Best Eggnog Ever

The Very Best Eggnog Ever

1 quart milk
2 cinnamon sticks
1 vanilla bean, split
5 cloves
10 blades of mace
12 egg yolks
1&1/2 cups sugar
1&1/2 cups dark rum or 1 ½ tsp flavoring
1&1/2 cups brandy or 1 tsp flavoring
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 quart of "half-and-half"* or 1 quart of light cream or 1 cup of heavy
cream plus 3 more cups of milk
freshly grated nutmeg to taste

Combine milk and spices including vanilla bean in a heavy saucepan and let them infuse over lowest possible heat for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, combine yolks and sugar in a large bowl and whisk until mixed. Bring milk to a boil and gradually whisk it into the yolk mixture. Return the mixture to the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring steadily with a wooden spoon, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until foam subsides and mixture thickens to consistency of heavy cream. (Mixture should thickly coat the back of a wooden spoon.) Do not boil, or mixture will curdle. Strain mixture into a large bowl and let cool to room temperature. Stir in rum, brandy, half-and-half, vanilla and nutmeg. Refrigerate eggnog for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight. Just before serving, dust top of eggnog with additional nutmeg.
Yield: 12 servings.

Miniature Fruit cakes

Miniature Fruit cakes (makes 6 dozen)

1/2 cup light molasses
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 box (15 ounce) raisins
1 pound candied fruit (chopped)
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 cup plus 1 Tablespoon flour
1/4 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup milk
1 cup chopped nuts

In a sauce pan, combine molasses, water, vanilla, and raisins and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in fruit. Cool. Meanwhile in a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir together the dry ingredients. Add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Stir in fruit mixture. Mix well. Fold in nuts. Spoon in paper lined miniature muffin tins. Fill to top. Bake at 325 degrees for 22-25 minutes.

Pecan Goody Cups

Pecan Goody Cups

3/4 cup butter, softened
2 pkg. (3 oz each) cream cheese,
softened
2 cups flour

Filling:
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tbsp butter, melted
48 pecan halves

In a large bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Gradually add the flour. Beat until the mixture forms a ball. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes. For the filling: In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, eggs, and butter. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls. Press onto the bottoms and up the sides of the greased miniature muffin cups. Spoon the filling into the cups. Top each with a pecan half. Bake at 350 F for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 2-3 minutes before removing from the pans to wire racks. Makes 4 dozen

Holiday Spritz

Holiday Spritz

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup conectioners' sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp rum extract
2 1/2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
Colored sugar

In a small bowl, cream the butter and the confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and the extract. Combine the flour and the salt. Gradually add to the creamed mixture. Mix well. Using a cookie press fitted with the disk of your choice. Press the cookies 1 inch apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Sprinkle with colored sugar. Bake at 375 F for 6-9 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for 2 minutes before removing from the pans to wire racks to cool completely. Makes 7 dozen cookies

Nov 22, 2009

Pecan Meltaways

Pecan Meltaways

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup chopped pecans
Additional confectioners' sugar

In a large bowl, cream the butter, confectioners' sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Combine the flour and salt. Gradually add to the creamed mixture. Mix well. Stir in the pecans. Refrigerate until chilled. Roll into 1-inch balls. Place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 F for 10-12 minutes or until set. Roll the warm cookies in additional confectioners sugar. Cool completely on the wire racks. Roll the cooled cookies once again in confectioners' sugar. Makes about 4 dozen

Walnut Horn Cookies

Walnut Horn Cookies

1 cup plus 1 tsp butter,
softened & divided
1 pkg (8 oz.) cream cheese,
softened
3 cups flour
4 cups ground walnuts
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
1/2 cup 2% milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt

In a large bowl, beat in 1 cup of the butter and the cream cheese until light and fluffy. Gradually add the flour. Beat until the mixture forms a ball. Divided the dough into four portions. Roll each into a 12 inch circle. Melt the remaining butter. In a large bowl, combine the walnuts, 3/4 cup sugar, milk, vanilla, salt, and the melted butter. Spread over the circles. Cut each into 12 wedges. Roll up the wedges, starting from the wide ends. Place point side down on the greased baking sheets. Curve the ends to form crescents. Bake at 325 F for 35-40 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks. Place the remaining sugar in a small shallow bowl. Roll the warm cookies in the sugar. Makes 4 dozen

THANKSGIVING CRANBERRY CRUMBLE

THANKSGIVING CRANBERRY CRUMBLE

6 large tart apples such as McIntosh or Granny Smith (about 2 1/2 pounds)
1 teaspoon powdered cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 cup dried cranberries
Topping and Garnishes
3/4 cup oats (regular or quick, not instant)
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup light brown sugar
2/3 cup coarsely chopped pecans
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and diced plus extra for greasing the baking dish
Confectioner's sugar
Fresh mint sprigs, optional

Arrange a rack at center position, and preheat oven to 375 F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch Pyrex baking dish or an oven-to-table baking dish of similar size.

Peel and core apples, then cut into1/2-inch-wide wedges. Cut wedges in half crosswise, and place in a large bowl. Add cinnamon and ginger and toss apples well to coat with spices. Spread apples in dish and sprinkle cranberries on top.

Mix cranberries and apples together so that cranberries are evenly distributed.

For topping, combine oats, flour, brown sugar and pecans in a medium bowl.

Add diced butter and rub into dry ingredients using your fingertips, until mixture resembles pea-sized clumps. Scatter mixture evenly over the fruit.

Bake, uncovered, until topping is crisp and golden brown and fruit beneath is hot, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove and cool 5 minutes. (Crumble can be prepared 4 hours ahead; leave at room temperature. Reheat in preheated 350 degree oven 15 minutes or longer.) If desired, garnish center of crumble with mint sprigs.

Dust crumble with confectioner's sugar.

Carrot Raisin Salad

Carrot Raisin Salad

3 cups grated carrots
1 cup finely chopped celery
2/3 cup dark seedless raisins
1/2 cup coarsley chopped pecans
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp grated orange rind
1/2 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients in order given and toss lightly. Serve on lettuce or
as a side dish.

Cauliflower Au Gratin

Cauliflower Au Gratin

1 medium cauliflower
4 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
1 3/4 cups milk
1/2 cup grated cheese

Cook cauliflower and drain well. In a frying pan heat 1 tbsp. butter until
brown and roll cauliflower in it. Place in a baking dish, salt and pepper
lightly. Make a white sauce with the remaining butter, flour and milk. Salt
and pepper to taste and pour over hot cauliflower. Sprinkle cheese on top
and bake uncovered for 20 minutes at 400 F

Banana Cream Cheesecake

Banana Cream Cheesecake

1 1/2 cups vanilla wafer cookies, finely crushed
1/2 cup melted butter
2 lbs. cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
3 eggs
3/4 cup mashed ripe bananas
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Combine butter and cookie crumbs; press evenly into the bottom of a greased
springform pan, chill.

2. Beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.

3. Beat in sugar and cornstarch. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each
addition.

4. Add the bananas, whipping cream, and vanilla. Pour mixture over prepared
crust.

5. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.

6. Reduce oven temperature to 200 degrees and bake an additional 75 minutes, or
until center is almost set.

7. Allow to cool completely, then refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 6 hours.