Category: Holiday Fare

Just adding this new category and will be posting seasonal recipes for Thanksgiving and Christmas

Breads · Breakfast · Daily Thoughts · Holiday Fare

Brunch for a Bunch

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This morning we were invited to a friends house for a brunch. The friends who we were with are all friends who we use to have breakfast with once a month before moving to California. It was great to sit and visit around the table and catch up on simple everyday happenings, which is what makes friendships so great. It doesn’t take a lot of important happenings or earth shattering circumstances to make lasting friendships.
When we moved back here from California, I thought it would be easy coming back to Texas, because after all, it was our home. But, 4 years ago, I thought that moving to California was one of those “bends in the road”. But the truth is, it wasn’t. We truly fell in love with the beauty of California, the home that God had given us there, not to mention the friendships that were developed while we lived there. We were feeling very settled and oh so comfortable in the new environment that we had truly grown to love. But, once again, comes that “bend in the road” that we were not prepared for, moving back to Texas. I guess I fought it more than I expected.

After 8 months of being back, we are really beginning to feel like we are “home”, again. It has taken us a little longer than we anticipated, but days like today remind us that good friends are what makes life so sweet. We know that when we go back to California for visits, we will fit right in again, as that’s just the kind of people they are out there. But, just like this morning, as we all sat around the living room laughing and telling stories of grandkids, vacations and in-law stories, it was as if we had never left. It is times like today that make us feel so blessed to have great friends in our lives, no matter our location. Our lives have been so impacted by people who have reached out to us and loved us, even across State lines. We love you all and are thankful for so many precious friends God has put in our lives…that is what makes a heart feel at home. Thank ya’ll for not forgetting us!

Pam served scones, an egg casserole, fruit and she asked if I would bring French toast. My favorite recipe for baked French toast is from The Pioneer Woman. Everyone always loves it and ask for the recipe. Pam ask me to write it down before leaving her house. So here it is:

Butter for greasing the 9×13 baking dish
1 loaf of Crusty Sourdough or French Bread, cubed
8 whole eggs
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tables vanilla
Topping
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 teas cinnamon (I used 2)
1/2 teas salt (oops, I forgot to add that to mine)
1 stick cold butter
Warm syrup for serving
1 cup fresh blueberries for serving if desired
For the French toast, place cubed bread in greased baking dish, evenly over bottom. Crack the eggs in a large bowl and whisk with milk, cream, both sugars and vanilla. Pour evenly over bread cubes. Cover and place in fridge over night or if needed, you can spread the topping and bake immediately. I think it is better made the night before.
Topping:
Cut the cold butter in slices and mix with the brown sugar and flour with pastry blender until it resembles coarse crumbs. You can add 1 cup chopped pecans if you want. Right before you put the toast in the over, sprinkle topping over the bread and bake for 1 hour at 325, then after the hour, decrease oven to 300 and bake about 20-30 min longer, depending on how crisp you want the French toast. Serve with more butter, syrup and fresh blueberries.
This served 14 of us today along with the egg casserole, scones and fruit. If it is your only entrée, I think it would serve only 8.

Cookies · Desserts · Fruit · Holiday Fare

Glazed Apple-Maple Blondies

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That sounds so good that it should become a OPI color. But until then, these blondies will help us slide into the Fall Season with a new appreciation for Apples. Taken from the Sept-Oct issue of TOH, these will certainly get us in the mood for pulling out the boxes in the garage marked “Fall” on them. Oh, I can just heat the excitement in Peter Pumpkin’s voice as he heads upstairs to put on his wife beater shirt to start unloading boxes.

Makes 2 dz
1 1/3 cups packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 teas vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1/2 teas salt
1/4 teas baking soda
3 cups pealed and chopped apples (about 3 medium sized)

Glaze
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour a 9×13″ pan.
In a large bowl, beat the first 4 ingredients until blended. Beat in eggs.
In another bowl, whisk flour, salt and baking soda. Gradually beat into brown sugar mixture. Stir in apples. Batter will be thick.
Transfer to prepared pan and bake 25-30 min or until blondies test done when knife inserted in middle comes out with moist crumbs on it.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt butter and add the brown sugar and syrup. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir 2-3 minutes or until slightly thickened. Cool slightly. Pour glaze over warm blondies.
Cool before cutting into bars.

Desserts · Fruit · Holiday Fare

Apple-Caramel Cheesecake Bars

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Years ago (and I do mean years, as in 30-35) we use to go to a cafeteria in Corpus which served the best cinnamon topped apple cheesecake. It was on my tray every time we went. When I saw this on the front of my new Paula Deen Magazine I jumped for joy. Thanks Paula for your amazing great Southern Recipes! (that is in case she should ever happen to run across my blog…do I dream big or what?)

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 cups flour
1/2 teas kosher salt

Filling:
4 large Pink Lady (or Gala) apples, peeled, halved, cored and diced (about 8 cups)
1 cup granulated sugar, divided
1 1/2 teas ground cinnamon, divided
1/2 teas ground nutmeg
2 ( 8oz) packages cream cheese, softened
2 large eggs
1 cup flour
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 teas salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Caramel Ice Cream topping (like Smuckers, remember if it is Smucker’s, it has to be good)

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 13×9″ baking pan with parchment paper, letting excess extend over the sides of pan.
For crust; in a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar with mixer until fluffy. Add flour and salt, beating until combined. Press mixture into bottom of prepared pan. (remember if you do not have parchment paper, just spray the bottom of the baking pan with Pam or butter it well)
Bake for 20 min or until golden brown. Let cool completely.
Meanwhile, back on the farm…in a large bowl, stir together apples 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1 teas cinnamon and nutmeg. Transfer apple mixture to a colander set over a bowl; let stand for at least 30 min.
In another large bowl, beat cream cheese, eggs and remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar with mixer until smooth. Pour over cooled crust. Spread drained apple mixture over cream cheese mixture.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour & next 3 ingredients and remaining 1/2 teas cinnamon. Using a pastry cutter or fork, stir in butter and pecans until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over apples.
Bake for 35-40 min or until center is set. Let cool in pan to room temperature. Then place in fridge until completely chilled.
Using excess parchment paper as handles, remove from pan and cut into bars. drizzle with caramel right before serving.
If you did not use parchment paper, you can leave in pan and cut into bars right before serving, using a spatula to serve.

Desserts · Holiday Fare

Praline Pumpkin Dessert

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It is truly summer & with temps going to the 100’s, who wants to have the oven on?
Looking through an old 1987 Sothern Living magazine this no-bake dessert drew my attention.
Not wanting to wait for Fall to experience my love of pumpkin, I immediately tore this one out. It is a keeper.
Crust:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
Mix and press into bottom of a 9″ spring form pan.
Filling:
1 can (14 oz) Sweetened Condensed Milk (aka Eagle Brand)
1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
1 can (16 oz) canned pumpkin
1 teas pumpkin pie spice
1 (8 oz) container frozen whipped topping, defrosted
Blend all ingredients and pour over crust. Put into freezer for at least 4 hours, covered. Spread 1 qt of vanilla softened ice cream over the top. Return to freezer, covered. Allow to stand at room temperature 5 min before serving. Serve with Praline Sauce*
*Praline Sauce
1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup water
1 table butter
1 teas vanilla
Pour contents of can in deep casserole dish. Cover and cook in microwave 3 minutes. Stir and cook another 2-3 min. Stir in brown sugar, water and butter. Microwave an additional 1-2 min, covered. Add vanilla and stir until smooth. Cool or chill before using over pumpkin dessert.

Cakes · Desserts · Holiday Fare

Pumpkin CheeseCake

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I am not waiting for Fall to make this luscious dessert. Just looking at the picture made me want to push aside the can of cocoa to find a can of pumpkin. So here is the new Fall Favorite cheesecake.
Crust
Use an 8″k spring-form pan
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup ginger snap cookies
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teas cinnamon
8 tables melted butter

Cheesecake Filling
3 (8 oz) packages cream cheese
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
2/3 cup light brown sugar
3 eggs
1 teas vanilla
1/2 teas salt
1/2 teas cinnamon
1/2 teas nutmeg
1/4 teas ground ginger
1/4 teas ground cloves

Sour Cream Layer
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 teas vanilla
1/8 teas cinnamon
1/8 teas nutmeg *freshly ground if possible

Whipped Cream
2 pints heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar

Additional toppings if desired: Caramel Sauce and crushed gingersnap cookies

Crust
In medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, ginger snaps, sugar and butter; mix well. Press crust into a spring form pan. Press crumbs about 1/2 way up sides of pan. Refrigerate crust while you continue preparing filling.
Allow extra time for mixing up this filling.*
Remove the pumpkin puree from the can and place in a couple of large paper towels.
Wrap the pumpkin puree with the paper towels.
This will soak up the excess water from the pumpkin for about 1 hour before making the pumpkin cheesecake.
Bring the remaining ingredients for the filling to room temperature while the pumpkin puree is being drained. With a mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth, add eggs one at a time and then combine all ingredients for the filling in a mixing bowl, including the drained pumpkin puree. Blend until very smooth. For best results, allow all ingredients to reach room temperature.
Remove crust from fridge and pour filling over crusts.
Bake cheesecake at 350 for 30 min and then reduce oven temperature to 325 for an additional 30 min. When you remove the cheesecake, it should be slightly jiggly in the center. The cheesecake will set up nicely as it cools.
Sour Cream Layer
When you remove the cheesecake from the oven, combine the sour cream, sugar and spices in a bowl. Blend well. Spread the sour cream mixture over the baked cheesecake filling evenly. Place the cheesecake back in the 325 oven for about 8 minutes or until the sour cream layer is set.
Whipped Cream
Allow the cheesecake to cool completely. Allow to sit in fridge at least 6 hours or overnight.. When ready to serve top with the whipped cream.
In medium bowl, beat cream and sugar until stiff peaks form. Serve with cheesecake, caramel syrup and crushed gingersnap cookies sprinkled over each slice

Cakes · Desserts · Holiday Fare

Mini Macaroon Cupcakes

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Looking through a Land o Lakes Holiday cookbook, I found these little gems which I will bake to take Thursday. They are just perfect for the Springtime brunch/lunches. Since Easter is Sunday, I will be using a little colored coconut to sprinkle on the top.

Cupcake Batter:

1 3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup softened  Land o Lakes butter

1 (3 oz) package of cream cheese, room temperature

1/4 cup milk

3 eggs at room temp

1 teas vanilla

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup sweetened coconut

Frosting:

1/3 cup butter, softened

4 oz white chocolate, melted, cooled slightly

3 cups powdered sugar

3 to 4 tables Land O Lakes half & half

3/4 cup sweetened coconut (I will tint mine light pink)

White edible glitter or sparkling decorator sugar

Heat oven to 350. Place mini paper baking cup liners into 48 mini-muffin pan cups; set aside.

Combine sugar, 3/4 butter and cream cheese in a large bowl; beat at medium speed until creamy. Add milk, eggs and vanilla. Continue beating until well mixed. Stir in flour and1 cup coconut. Spoon batter into prepared pan cups. Bake for abut 13-17 minutes, depending on your oven, until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.

Cool 5 -10 minutes on cooling rack.

Meanwhile, combine butter and white chocolate; mix well. Add powdered sugar and half & half, 1 tables at a time until desired spreading consistency.  Since I like the flavor of almond, I add 1 teas almond extract to the frosting. Frost cooled cupcakes by piping on frosting and then sprinkling a little coconut on top with the decorator sugar.

 

 

 

Holiday Fare · Salads

Whole Wheat Orzo Salad

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Taken from Taste of Home, this is such a pretty & colorful salad, full of flavor and perfect for these spring dinner luncheons or dinners. My sister-in-law just finished making it to take to a party and let me have a spoonful. Trust me on this one…it is a keeper!

2 1/2 cups uncooked whole wheat orzo pasty (about 1 lb)

1 can (15 oz) white kidney or cannellini beans, rinsed and draned

3 medium tomatoes, finely chopped

1 English cucumber, finely chopped

2 cups feta cheese (crumbled)

1/2 medium green bell pepper, finely chopped

1/2 medium red bell pepper, finely chopped

1 medium sweet yellow bell pepper, finely chopped

1 1/4 cups pitted Greek olives (about 6 oz) chopped

1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped

Dressing:

14 cup lemon juice

2 Tables olive ol

1 tables grated lemon peel

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teas pepper

Cook orzo according to package directions. Drain orzo; rinse with cold water.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients (except dressing). Stir in orzo.

Combine dressing ingredients and toss into the salad. Refrigerate until serving.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Breads · Breakfast · Casseroles · Daily Thoughts · Holiday Fare · Meats

Four Turtle Doves…Cheesey Sausage Breakfast Bread

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IMG_1998

I know I am going backwards on the Twelve Days of Christmas, but I like the song better when it is counting down than up…much more fun to sing. So today, I am associating the Four Turtle Doves to this….It was cool enough to wear a Christmas tutleneck shirt while eating four chocolate Dove candies. I know, I know, ridiculous. Anyway, am posting the cheesy sausage biscuit bake that I took to church today. There was not a crumb left, and since our class isn’t Baptist, who is known for eating food, no matter what;(and since I am Southern Bapt, I can say that), the fact that there was not a crumb left let me know that the class liked it. Then several ladies ask if I was going to post the recipe. So here it is;
You know the moment that you take something out of the oven and you just know you have a winner, this was one of these recipes. Taken from Face Book, I was so anxious to make it because it sounded like a dish we would love. I modified it just a touch, well, maybe more than a touch.
1 16 oz can of flaky biscuits
1/2 can milk (I used whipping cream)
5 eggs
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese
1 small can of diced green chiles (opt)
1/2 lb of mild Jimmy Dean Sausage (or half a package of bacon, fried and crumbled)
1/2 teas garlic powder
1/2 teas black pepper
1 teas Lawry’s Seasoned salt
1/2 cup finely diced yellow onion or green onions

Saute sausage in small skillet with onion. Drain and set aside.
Cut each biscuit into 4 parts. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, whip the eggs with the cream (milk). Add the seasonings and cheese. Stir until well combined. Add the drained sausage-onion mixture and stir. When blended. add the cut biscuits. Allow to sit for about 30 minutes giving the biscuits time to absorb some of the egg mixture. Pour into a well greased 9×13 baking dish. Bake in 350 preheated over for about 45 min of until it tests done in the middle IMG_1998</a preheated 350 oven until golden and bubbly and knife is clean when inserted into middle. About 30-40 minutes, depending on your oven. Serve immediately.
Will taste delish after coming in from watching Rose Parade. Serve with fruit plate and hash browns!

Sa

Cakes · Daily Thoughts · Desserts · Fruit · Holiday Fare

Five Golden Ring Recipe: Cherry Date Pecan Cake

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How did it get to be 5 days before Christmas? The days just go by so quickly before I make it halfway down my “to do” list of grand ideas to make this Christmas more special than ever. I haven’t even had time to sit by the fire and look through Christmas magazines yet this year to see all the great new recipes. Last night, I actually went to pick up our Christmas cards and addressed them and mailed them this morning.. I am so proud. The salon where I get my nails done had an open house today. They had trays of egg rolls, spring rolls,meat pies and cookies and invited all the customers to come by to say Merry Christmas. It was a very nice gesture and makes it feel like Christmas. Enjoying the festivities today made me want to do something nice for someone so I am going to really try to do something nice for someone these next 5 days. Someone who could never repay me and someone who would never expect it. .

The next 5 recipes are what I would call “golden” and have become very special through the years. They just make it feel like Christmas. This first one is Cherry Date Pecan Cake which I use to watch my mom make for years, before she passed it down to me. When I saw her buying dates and cherries, I knew it was Christmas baking time. Have just finished mixing this cake and is in the oven as we speak. Am using them as hostess gifts for several open houses we are invited to attend. My favorite way to eat them is with a big dollop of fresh whipped cream.

1st Golden Ring Recipe: Cherry Date Pecan Cake

1 lb chopped dates

1 lb candied cherries ( I live my whole, but you can chop them if you like)

3 cups chopped pecans

1 cup sugar

4 eggs, separated (works better at room temperature)

1 cup flour

2 rounded teas of baking powder

1 teas salt

2 teas vanilla

Cream sugar and egg yolks until creamy. Add vanilla. Add flour, baking powder and salt. to creamed mixture. With clean beaters, (no grease on them as egg whites do not whip up stiff if grease is on bowl or beaters) whip 4 egg whites until they are still, around 4-5 minutes. Add fruit  and pecans to batter with heavy spatula. This is hard to mix but keep folding until fruit is distributed into batter. Add beaten egg whites and fold in to mixture until it is all folded in. Pour into individual greased loaf pans or a greased bundt pan . Bake until toothpick comes out clean when inserted in middle of cake. Baking time depends on size of pan you use. The batter made 4 small loaf pans and 1 long loaf pan. When finished baking, cool and wrap as gifts. These little cakes keep for a long period of time in the fridge. So make them this weekend and eat on them all through Christmas.

Casseroles · Holiday Fare · Meats · Starches

Bacon-Cheese Stuffed Shells

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From the Thanksgiving Issue of Taste of Home, this recipe “called” to me when I saw that most of the ingredients were different types of cheese. A great dish for company.

24 uncooked jumbo pasta shells

1 cup chopped fresh mushrooms

1 cup finely chopped onion

1 tables, puls 1/4 cup butter, divided

1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened, divided

1 1/2 cups shredded Asiago cheese, divided

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 cup crumbled cooked bacom

2 tables minced fresh parsley, divided

1 teas garlic powder or fresh minced garlic

1/2 teas ground nutmeg

1/2 teas black pepper

2 tables flour

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup milk

2 cups shredded Romano cheese

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook pasta according to directions on package. Drain and set aside. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, sauté mushrooms and onion in 1 table butter. until tender.

in large bowl, beat ricotta and 4 oz cream cheese until blended. Stir in 1/2 cup Asiago cheese, Parmesan cheese, bacon, 1 table parsley, garlic, pepper, nutmeg and mushroom mixture. Spoon into shells, and then place shells in a greased 13×9″ baking dish.

In a large saucepan, melt remaining butter. Stir in flour and stir until smooth. Gradually add the cream, broth and milk. Heat until mixture begins to boil and stir for 1-2 minutes.

Stir in Romano cheese and the remaining cream cheese, Asiago and parsley. Pour over shells. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Cover and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 10-15 minutes longer or until mixture bubbles.

P.S. You can always leave the bacon out or substitute 1 cup chopped cooked chicken.