Cranberry “Pink Stuff”

Kids Eat it Like Ice Cream – Adults Eat it like Sorbet!

 

1 cup Sour Cream                                        2 16 oz. cans Whole Cranberry 

1 3 oz. Cream Cheese softened                             Sauce

½ cup Sugar                                                 1 8 oz. can Crushed Pineapple,

1 cup chopped Pecans                                            drained

1 8 oz. Cool Whip                                                                              

With electric mixer, combine sour cream, cream cheese and sugar.  Stir in cranberry sauce, pineapple and pecans.  Fold in cool whip.  Put in oiled mold and freeze.  Slightly thaw before serving.

Pumpkin Cookies

 

½ cup shortening                                        1 tsp. baking soda

1 ½ cup sugar                                             ½ tsp. salt

1 egg                                                          1 tsp. vanilla                                     

1 cup pumpkin (Libby’s)                               1 tsp. nutmeg

½ cup nuts                                                  1 tsp. cinnamon

2 ½ cups flour                                             Optional:  1 cup raisins or dried

1 tsp. baking powder                                      cranberries or chocolate chips

 

Mix and bake at 375° for 10 minutes.  It makes about 25-30 cookies.

The holidays are coming and this is one way to make it easier - make your Cheese Balls in advance and freeze them.  This recipe makes 2 large, 3 medium or any assortment you like.  Sometimes I do a very small one for a dinner party and then 2 larger for Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Enjoy!

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).

Okay, I know it's early, but I always like to have recipes in advance to shop and prepare for.  So, here is my Turkey and Stuffing (in the bird, which has all the delicious juices) recipe:

Turkey – Roasted

 

Rub entire exterior of turkey with extra virgin olive oil.

 

Roasting at 225° – roast .55 hours per pound

Roasting at 250° – roast .49375 hours per pound

Roasting at 275° – roast .4375 hours per pound

 

Last 15-30 minutes increase heat to 400° to brown with the lid off.

 

Turkey Stuffing

 

¾ cup minced onion                                     2 tsp. salt

1 ½ cups chopped celery                              1 ½ tsp. ground sage

1 cup butter                                                 1 tsp. thyme leaves

5 cups Pepperidge Farm Seasoned                ½ tsp. pepper

   Bread Crumb Stuffing Mix                          3-4 cups chicken/turkey broth

5 cups Pepperidge Farm Cornbread               1-3 Tbsp. sugar (to taste)

   Stuffing Mix                                               Optional:  mushrooms, giblets

 

Note:  If possible, boil the giblets in chicken broth, celery and onion to make the chicken/turkey broth.  In large skillet, cook and stir onion and celery in butter until onion is tender.  Stir in about 1/3 of the bread cubes.  Turn into deep bowl.  Add remaining ingredients and toss.  Stuff turkey just before roasting

I just returned from a trip to the Northeast and Canada, where I had a wonderful bowl of French Onion Soup.  They topped it off with three (3) cheeses; Swiss, Mozzarella & Gruyere.  So, please try to heap on some tasty cheeses when you make this soup and enjoy it!!

French Onion Soup I

 

4 Tbsp. butter                                              4 14 ½ oz. cans beef broth

2 Tbsp. olive oil                                            1 ½ cups dry white wine or broth

3-4 large onions, sliced thin                          3 Tbsp. flour

1 clove garlic, crushed                                  3 Tbsp. water

½ tsp. salt                                                   dash of thyme

½ tsp. dry mustard                                       3 cups grated Pecorino

½ tsp. sugar                                                French bread slices

                                                              

Combine butter and oil in large pot.  Separate onion slices, and add to pot.  Cook over medium-low heat 30 minutes, stirring often.  Stir in garlic, sugar, salt and mustard.  Cook 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add broth and wine.  Combine flour and water; add to onion mixture, stirring constantly.  Bring to a boil, add thyme, cover, reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.  Toast bread slices with cheese, until cheese melts.  Put a bread & cheese slice on top of soup when serving.

Although it is not yet "cold" outside, my appetite is ready for some fall comfort food . . .

Pot Roast New England Style

 

1/3 cup flour                                               1 cup water

1 ½ Tbsp. salt                                             8 small potatoes, pared & halved

1 ¼ tsp. pepper                                           8 carrots cut in large pieces

4 lb. beef chuck pot roast                             8 small onions, quartered

2 Tbsp. shortening or oil                               ½ tsp. salt

1 jar horseradish (5 oz.)

 

Mix flour, salt and pepper; rub mixture on meat.  In large skillet, heat oil and brown meat on both sides, about 15 minutes.  Reduce heat; spread horseradish on both sides of meat.  Add water, cover tightly and simmer on top of stove or in oven 4 hours at 325° until meat is tender.  About 1 hour before end of cooking time, add vegetables and ½ tsp. salt.  Place meat and vegetables on warm platter; keep warm while making gravy.  Serve gravy with meat and vegetables. 

 

To make gravy, pour drippings (fat and juices) into a bowl, leaving brown particles in pan.  Let fat rise to top of drippings; skim off fat, reserving ¼ cup.  Place reserved fat in pan.  Blend in ¼ cup flour.  Cook over low heat, stirring until mixture is smooth and bubbly.  Remove from heat.  Measure meat juice; add water to measure 2 cups liquid and stir into flour mixture.  Heat to boiling, stirring constantly.  Boil and stir 1 minute.  Season with salt and pepper.

 

Pumpkin Bread

I love to Make Mini Loaves and Hand Them Out as Gifts!

 

3 ½ cups flour                                             ½ cup oil

2 tsp. soda                                                  ½ cup apple sauce

1 ½ tsp. salt                                                4 eggs

1 tsp. cinnamon                                           2/3 cup water

1 tsp. nutmeg                                              1 can pumpkin

1 tsp. allspice                                               1 cup nuts, chopped

3 cups sugar

 

Mix all (dry first).  Bake at 350° in 3 loaf pans for 1 hour OR 8 mini loaves for 30-35 minutes.

I made a fajita buffet for a crowd this week and served this on the side instead of a rice dish!

 

Zucchini Cornbread Casserole

 

4 cups shredded zucchini                              ½ tsp. salt

1 onion, chopped                                         ¼ tsp. pepper

2 eggs, beaten                                            8 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded

1 (8.5 oz.) pkg. cornbread mix                     optional:  1 Tbsp. jalapenos, chopped

 

Preheat oven to 350°.  Grease a 2 qt. Casserole dish.  In a large bowl, mix together the zucchini, onion, eggs, cornbread mix, jalapeno (if desired), salt and pepper.  Stir in 4 oz. of the cheese.  Spread this mixture into a greased 2 qt. Casseroled dish, top with remaining 4 oz. of cheese.  Bake in oven for 60 minutes.

Stuffed Tomatoes

 

10 oz. pkg. Chopped Broccoli                       ½ cup Greek yogurt

4 oz. Brie cheese, rind removed, chopped     2 Tbsp. Chopped Onion

1 cup Bread Crumbs                                     4 Tbsp. Pecorino Cheese

4-6 Large Tomatoes                                    Salt & Pepper to taste

2 Tbsp. cream cheese, softened

 

Scoop out tomatoes.  Mix broccoli, Brie cheese, bread crumbs, yogurt, onion, cream cheese, 2 Tbsp. Pecorino cheese, salt and pepper.  Put mixture in tomatoes, sprinkle with remaining 2 Tbsp. Pecorino.  Bake 30 minutes at 350. 

 

Aunt Leona's Garlic Pickles

(John & Kathy Thomas’ Aunt Leona’s Recipe)

 

4 medium onions                                         1/3 cup salt

4 quarts cucumbers, peeled & cubed              5 cups sugar

5 cloves garlic, cut up (more if you                1 ½ tsp. turmeric

   Like a lot of garlic)                                    1 ½ tsp. celery seed                 

2 green peppers, diced                                 3 cups apple cider vinegar

 

Put all veggies together in a very large bowl and cover with 1/3 cup of salt.  Cover with ice and let set for 3 hours.  Drain and slightly rinse.  Fill warm sterile pint jars with veggies, making sure some garlic gets into the jar.  Heat 5 cups of sugar, 1 ½ tsp. of turmeric, 1 ½ tsp. of celery seed and 3 cups apple cider vinegar.  Pour over the jars of pickles and clean the tops good to not leave sugar or residue on the jar rims.  Seal.  I always put jars in a water bath and boil for 10-12 minutes, so that they do seal properly when taken out to cool.  These pickles will keep in the refrigerator unsealed if they for some reason do not seal!

Macaroni Salad

 

1 16 oz. pkg. macaroni, cooked                     1 cup chopped celery

4 hard boiled eggs, chopped                         ½ cup chopped red onion

1/2 cup mayonnaise                                     ½ cup green stuffed olives                 

½ cup sour cream                                        ¼ cup chopped sweet pickle

1/2 cup Greek yogurt                                    2 carrots, grated

¼ tsp. ground mustard                                 1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 T. sweet pickle juice                                  2 T. celery seed

Dash of white vinegar                                   2 Tbs. pimientos or green olives

                                                                   Salt & pepper to taste

 

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water until al dente.  Drain and rinse.  Set aside.  In a large bowl, mix mayonnaise, sour cream, yogurt, dry mustard and sweet pickle juice.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  In large bowl, combine macaroni, celery, onion, olives, sweet pickles, carrots, red bell pepper, celery seeds, olives and eggs.  Stir in dressing, salt and pepper and mix well.  Chill.  Serve.

Fall is just around the corner and that means Carrot Cake to me!!!

Carrot Cake 

4 eggs                                                         2 tsp. cinnamon

½ cup vegetable oil                                      3 cups grated carrots

½ cup applesauce                                         1 cup chopped pecans

2 cups sugar                                                         

2 tsp. vanilla                                                 ½ cup butter, softened

2 cups flour                                                  8 oz. cream cheese, softened

2 tsp. baking soda                                        4 cups powdered sugar

2 tsp. baking powder                                    1 tsp. vanilla

½ tsp. salt                                                   ½ cup chopped pecans

Note:  This recipe cuts the fat by halving the 1 cup of oil with applesauce.  Preheat oven to 350°.  Grease and flour a 9 X 13” pan.  In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, sugar and 2 tsp. vanilla.  Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.  Stir in carrots.  Fold in pecans.  Pour into prepared pan.  Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.  Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.  For frosting ~ Note ~ recipe is for a layered cake.  You can cut this recipe by ¼ and it will still make plenty.  In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla.  Beat until smooth and creamy.  Frost the cooled cake.  Sprinkle with pecans.

 

Y U M!

Cinnamon Rolls w/Maple Icing

An Elegant Twist to Cinnamon rolls 

1/3 cup sugar                                              ½ cup brown sugar                                     

1 cup warm water                                        2 ½ tsp. cinnamon

1 pkgs. active Dry Yeast                               3 oz. cream cheese, softened

3 ½ cups flour                                              2 Tbsp. butter, softened

2 2/3 Tbsp. oil                                              1 ½ cups powdered sugar

1 tsp. salt                                                    ¼ tsp. vanilla extract

3 Tbsp. butter                                              ¼ tsp. maple extract

1/8 tsp. salt

Put first 6 ingredients in bread machine in order recommended by manufacturer.  Press “dough” and start.  When dough is ready, roll out onto floured surface into a 16 X 21” rectangle.  Spread with 3 tablespoons of butter.  Sprinkle with 1/2 cup brown sugar and 2 ½ tsp. cinnamon.  Roll dough starting on the long side.  Slice into 12 equal slices and place in 13 X 9” pan.  Bake until brown at about 400° until lightly browned and cooked on bottom.  Let cinnamon rolls cool.  Mix cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, maple extract and salt.  Spread on rolls and enjoy!

Enjoy a cool summer salad . . .

New York Salad

Sweet, Tart, Crunchy all in one Divine Salad

Mixed greens                                                Kiwis

Mix of Blue Cheese and Feta                           Pears

Craisins                                                        Sugared Walnuts or Pecans

Grapes                                                         Purchased Raspberry Dressing

Sugared Walnuts/Pecans:

1 Egg White                                                  1 tsp. Salt

½ cup Sugar                                                 1 lb. Nuts

Preheat oven to 225°.  Oil or spray a rimmed baking sheet.  In a small bowl, whisk egg white until foamy.  Add sugar and salt, whisking until well blended.

Add nuts; stir with a fork until coated.  Pour onto prepared baking sheet.  Spread in an even layer.  Bake for 1 hour, turning and stirring with a spatula after 30 minutes.  Nuts will be slightly soft, but will firm up as they cool.  Cool completely.  Break apart any nuts that stick together.  Store in an airtight container.

My husband brought home a surprise:  Prosciutto and Italian aged Provolone! 
I made this sandwich . . .

Volpi Prosciutto, Blackberry Jam, Pear & Italian Aged Provolone Cheese Sandwich

2 slices Grainy Bread                                         thin sliced pear (or apple)
Blackberry Jam                                                 Italian Aged Provolone sliced thin

crisped Volpi Prosciutto

(cook in oven about 7 minutes to crisp)

Spray a pan with Pam (or if you dare - use butter). Spread the jam on the bottom piece of bread, then the crisped Prosciutto, sliced pear or apple, sliced cheese and top piece of bread. Grill in the pan until golden brown and cheese is melted (I cover the pan with a lid).

Pizza with Prosciutto & Caramelized Onions

1 tsp. active dry yeast                            2 purple onions, halved, sliced thin

1 ½ cups warm water                             ¼ cups brown sugar

4 cups flour                                           ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1 tsp. Kosher salt                                   fresh mozzarella, sliced thin

1/3 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling          6-10 slices Prosciutto

Add yeast to 1 ½ cups warm water and let stand for a few minutes. In large bowl, combine flour and salt. Drizzle oil over flour mixture and mix until combined. Pour water and yeast mixture over flour mixture and mix until the dough becomes sticky. Coat a large glass bowl with olive oil and form dough into a all. Toss to coat dough in olive oil, then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set it aside for 1 to 2 hours, or store in refrigerator 24 hours. When you are ready to make the pizza, grab half the dough and roll out the pizza dough into a large rectangle. Spread it on an oiled baking sheet or pizza pan. Drizzle a little olive oil on the dough and sprinkle some Kosher salt. Preheat oven to 500°. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet. Add onions and brown sugar and stir and cook until brown and cooked. Lay slices of mozzarella over the top of the crust. Spread caramelized onions over the mozzarella. Lay prosciutto over the onions. Bake 15-17 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

I love this picture of my grandfather "Pop" on the back cover of my cookbook "Cooking Up Memories".  He was such an inspiration in so many ways.



http://www.susanlavery.com/

This is just plain good!

Brown Sugar Meatloaf

Crowd Pleaser – Especially for Meat Lovers!

½ cup packed brown sugar                           1 ½ tsp. salt

½ cup ketchup                                             ¼ tsp. pepper

1 ½ lbs. Lean ground beef                            1 small onion, chopped

¾ cup milk                                                   ¼ tsp. ground ginger

2 eggs                                                         ¾ cup finely crushed saltine cracker

   Crumbs or bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350°.  Lightly grease a 5 X 9” loaf pan (or equivalent).  Press the brown sugar in the bottom of the prepared loaf pan and spread the ketchup over the sugar.  In a mixing bowl, mix thoroughly all remaining ingredients and shape into a loaf.  Place on top of the ketchup.  Bake in oven for 1 hour or until juices are clear.  Note:  If you fail to read instructions first and just mix all the ingredients – that is good too!

Beef Brisket

 

6 lb. beef brisket, trimmed                            1 Tbs. liquid smoke

2 Tbs. Worcestershire Sauce                         ½ tsp. Beau Monde seasoning

Salt & pepper to taste                                  1-2 tsp. Brown Dog seasoning  

1 Tbs. garlic powder                                     OR:  use David’s Marinade & Brown Dog

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.  Rub the seasonings on both sides of the raw brisket.  Place in plastic container and marinade overnight.  Place meat fat side up in roaster and roast for 6-7 hours at 275.  Lift fat from meat, slice and serve.

Cole Slaw – Ma & Pa’s Real Good Slaw

1 small or ¾ of lg. head of cabbage              4 T. horseradish

3 medium carrots                                         ¼ tsp. black pepper

½ small or ¼ large onion, chopped fine         ½ tsp. salt

1/3 cup Splenda                                           1 T. lemon juice

¼ cup vinegar                                              1 cup mayonnaise

Shred the cabbage and carrots.  Thoroughly mix the rest of the ingredients and add to cabbage and carrots.  Chill 3-4 hours.  Serve cold.

I made these tonight for a bunch of men and they loved them!

Spinach Mushroom Enchiladas

8 oz. baby portabella mushrooms, sliced       1/2+ cup ricotta cheese

1/2 cup onion, chopped                                corn tortillas

1 Tbsp. olive oil                                            28 oz. green chili enchilada sauce

Salt, pepper & garlic powder                         sour cream or Greek yogurt

1 pkg. frozen chopped spinach                     

Saute mushrooms and onion in oil, season with salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Cook until the pan is just dry.  Squeeze all liquid out of spinach and add to mushroom mixture, mixing well.  Add ricotta cheese to the spinach mixture until creamy.  Heat corn tortillas (either in skillet or wrapped in towel in microwave).  Put a spoonful down center of each tortilla and roll up.  Mix ½ cup of sour cream or Greek yogurt with ½ cup green chili enchilada sauce and spread in bottom of 11X13” baking dish.  Put the rolled up enchiladas on the sauce, in the dish.  At this point, you can either mix the enchilada sauce with more of the sour cream or yogurt, or just the green enchilada sauce.  You can make it as creamy as you like or not – both are good.  Cover with enchilada sauce and bake until bubbly, about 20 minutes at 350 degrees.  I like mine with green sauce and the sour cream/yogurt on the side.

The grandchildren are coming!  This is so fun for the little ones:

PB&J Sushi

(I make these for the Grandkids)

2 Tbsp. peanut butter                                   2 slices white bread

2 Tbsp. favorite jam or jelly

Remove crusts from bread.  With a rolling pin, completely flatten bread.  Spread 1 Tbsp. peanut butter and 1 Tbsp. jam or jelly on each slice of bread.  Roll each slice into a tight spiral.  Cut each spiral into 4 pieces!