Cabbage Rolls for New Year's Good Luck!!!

Holubtsi - Cabbage Rolls

 

We make these for New Year’s Day as “Good Luck”

¾ lb. Lean Hamburger                              1 Large Onion

2 cups Rice                                                 1 16 oz. can Tomatoes

6 slices Bacon                                            Salt & Pepper (about 3 tsp. Salt)

1-2 Cabbage Heads                                   Garlic Powder

½ cup Olive Oil                                           ¼ tsp. Dill

½ cup Vinegar                                            Ham Hocks

Cut core from cabbage and drop in pot of boiling water until leaves a little soft.  Chop bacon and sauté w/chopped onion.  Mix raw hamburger, washed rice, bacon and onions, salt & pepper, garlic powder & dill.  Line bottom of roaster with outer cabbage leaves.  Roll cabbage rolls LOOSE and put in roaster.  Put in ham hocks, tomatoes, oil, vinegar in & fill with water to top of cabbage rolls.  Cover with left over leaves (to prevent scorching).  Bring roaster to full boil on top of stove, then turn down for ½ hour on top of stove.  Then to oven at 325 for 2 ¼ hours.  Take lid off for ½ your if very wet.

Shortbread Cookies for the Chocolate Lover!!

These are wonderfully old fashioned, but with a twist ~ drizzled with chocolate!!!!  I make some with and some without chocolate for the purist. 

Shortbread Cookies

¾ lb. unsalted butter, room temperature          3 ½ cups flour

1 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling                ¼ tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla extract                                    ¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  With an electric mixer fitted with a paddle, mix together the butter and 1 cup of the sugar until they are just combined.  Add the vanilla.  In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt, then add them to the butter and sugar mixture.  Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together.  Dump onto a surface dusted with flour and shape into a flat disk.  Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes. 

Roll the dough ½” thick and cut with a 3 X 1” finger shaped cutter.  Place the cookies on an ungreased or parchment lined cookie sheet and sprinkle with sugar.  Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the edges just begin to brown.  Allow to cool to room temperature.  Allow to cool to room temperature.

While still on the parchment paper, put ½ of the chocolate chips in a glass bowl and microwave for about 30 seconds on high.  Stir with a wooden spoon.  Continue to heat and stir the chocolate chips in 15-30 second spurts until chocolate is just melted.  Add the remaining chocolate and allow it to sit at room temperature, stirring often, until it’s completely smooth.  Stir vigorously until the chocolate is smooth and slightly cooled.  Stirring makes it glossier.  Drizzle ½ of each cookie with just enough chocolate to coat it.  Don’t do the whole cookie – you need “finger room”.

Appetizers for the holidays that are easy and oh, so tasty!

These are great snacks and appetizers to have during the holidays and gatherings . . .

Artichoke Jalapeno Dip

With a Texas Flair!

1 8 oz. cream cheese, softened                    1 clove garlic, minced

1 14 oz. can artichoke hearts, chopped        2 Tbsp. parmesan or asiago cheese   

1 Tbsp. chopped jalapenos                           2 Tbsp. seasoned bread crumbs         

1 Tbsp. lemon juice                                      1 Tbsp. butter, melted

salt & pepper to taste

Mix cream cheese, drained, chopped artichoke hearts, jalapenos, lemon juice, garlic, parmesan and a little salt and pepper.  Pour into buttered baking dish.   Mix bread crumbs with melted butter.  Sprinkle on top.  Bake at 350° about 15 minutes, until heated through and lightly browned on top.  Serve with crackers.

Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts

These are great for parties & showers – make plenty!

Water chestnuts, drained                                      brown sugar

Thin sliced bacon, cut into thirds                  few drops of maple syrup

Wrap each water chestnut with a piece of bacon and secure with a toothpick.  Line a pan with foil (for easy clean up).  Place bacon wrapped chestnut on the foil and put a few drops of maple syrup on each one.  Sprinkle the tops with brown sugar.  Broil until the bacon is done.

Cheese Ball

Great to make ahead and freeze for the holidays!

3 8oz. pkg. Cream Cheese, softened           1 lb. shredded Cheddar Cheese

½ tsp. minced Garlic                                    1 cup Pecans, coarsely chopped

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce                       ¼ cup chopped fresh Parsley

1 Tbsp. Hot Pepper Sauce

These are great to make ahead and freeze for the holidays! In a large glass bowl with mixer, combine cream cheese, garlic, Worcestershire sauce and hot pepper sauce.  Blend well.  Add Cheddar cheese and mix until the Cheddar is fine, but still very visible. Shape the mixture into balls or logs. Wrap individually in plastic wrap and place in the freezer.  While the balls are in the freezer, combine the ground pecans and parsley in a shallow bowl.  Remove the balls from the freezer and roll them in the pecan and parsley mixture.  Makes 3-4 balls (make several sizes to accommodate sizes of gatherings).

Stuffed Potatoes

New Potatoes make these little darlin’s irresistable

24 new red potatoes, halved                        ½ cup crumbled cooked bacon, plus             

2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil                               more for garnish         

1 ½ cup sour cream                                     ¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 cup crumbled blue cheese                         ¼ chives, finely chopped

Salt & fresh ground pepper                          paprika for garnish

Preheat oven to 400°.  In a medium bowl, toss the potatoes with the olive oil.  Place cut side down on a baking sheet and bake until the skins are crisp, about 20-25 minutes.  Let cool.  Scoop out the center of each potato half and place in a medium bowl.  Stir in the sour cream, blue cheese, salt and pepper, bacon, parsley and chives.  Fill each potato skin with the sour cream mixture and top with more crumbled bacon, paprika and parsley. 

Tortilla Rollups

Everyone loves these – taste great – make ahead!

1 pkg. smoked turkey                                  2 celery stalks

1 green onions                                            1 8 oz. cream cheese, softened

¼ cup green stuffed olives                          flour tortillas

Chop first 4 ingredients in food processor.  Add to cream cheese.  Spread over tortillas and roll up tightly.  Refrigerate at least 2 hours and slice into 1” pieces.

Elegant and Easy Christmas Dinner

For an Elegant and Easy Christmas Dinner . . .  this allows you a little time in the kitchen and lots of time with family.  Serve with Sweet Potatoes that can be made in advance.  Relax, enjoy and laugh alot!!! 

Pork Tenderloin – Family Favorite

Looks Fancy & Impressive but Amazingly Easy

1 ½-2 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs  2 lbs. Pork tenderloin

Pinch of sage and salt                                  ¼ - ½ cup olive oil

Preheat oven to 425°.  Mix bread crumbs, sage, salt and olive oil in bowl to reach consistency that will be moist enough to stick to the meat when pressed.  Place pork on a shallow cooking sheet.  Press the crumb mixture onto all sides of the meat until there is no pink showing, usually ¼” thick.  Bake for at least 35 minutes until a meat thermometer reads 165°, or until there is no pink when the pork is cut.  Let the pork rest for 10 minutes, then cut into ½ “ slices.

Sweet Potato Casserole

3 cups Sweet Potatoes                                 Topping:

4 Tbsp. Butter                                              ½ cup Butter

¼ cup Milk                                                   ½ cup Pecans

¼ cup Brown Sugar                                     ¼ cup Flour

1 tsp. Vanilla                                                ½ cup Coconut (optional)

                                                                   ¼ cup Brown Sugar

Whip together potatoes, butter, milk, brown sugar & vanilla.  Place in buttered casserole.  Mix topping and spread on potatoes.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Christmas Main Dish

This is an Elegant and Delicious Christmas Main Dish:

Pork Loin Stuffed with Cranberries & Dressing

1 3# Pork Loin                pinch of sage
Stuffing Mix                     olive oil
Dried Cranberries            salt & pepper

Filet the pork loin to a thickness of 1".  Lay pork flat and rub with olive oil.  Mix cranberries with your favorite stuffing mix.  Spread stuffing and cranberries over pork and roll up.  Tie wih string to secure.  Rub outside of pork with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Roast at 325 for 1 hour.  Check to be sure temperature reaches 160 degrees.  Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.