Mom's Italian Xmas Cookies
By: Mike Bennett
Ingredients:
Cookies
4 C. Flour
8 tsp. Baking Powder
1 C. Sugar
1/2 C. Milk 3 Eggs
1 C. Melted Butter
4 tsp. Anise
Glaze
1 lb. Powdered Sugar
4-5 tbsp. Milk
3 tsp. Anise
Food Coloring - Red, Green, Blue suggested
Instructions:
Cookies
Mix all ingredients together. Refrigerate the batter 2-24 hours. Roll into small balls and flatten slightly. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Cool on cooling racks.
Glaze
Mix all ingredients together. Glaze should be loose, but not runny. Split glaze into 4 separate bowls and add a different food coloring to 3 of the bowls and leave one white.
Spicy Stuffing for a Roasted Turkey
By: Steve Somerman
Ingredients:
For an 18-to-20-pound turkey, you need three boxes of Stove Top Herb Stuffing, and mix, in a large bowl, one diced red bell pepper, one diced gold bell pepper, one diced green bell pepper, one diced small white onion and one cup diced mushrooms. Set the bowl of bell peppers, onions and mushrooms aside. Have cayenne pepper and one stick (1/2 cup) of butter ready, which you will need later.
Instructions:
Make all three boxes of Stove Top Stuffing as per the instructions on the box in a large pot. After the stuffing is done, add cayenne pepper to taste (This makes the stuffing and the turkey spicy!). After the stuffing is done, fold in the, the mixture of diced bell peppers, onions, and mushrooms until it is evenly mixed in with the stuffing. Add the stick (1/2 cup) of butter and mix it in with the stuffing. Stuff your turkey and, with the remaining stuffing, place it in a 9 x 13 glass or metal cooking dish and refrigerate it. When the turkey is almost done, take the stuffing out and bake it for 20 minutes at 325 degrees or until lightly crisp on top.
Sweet Stuffing for a Roasted Turkey
By: Steve Somerman
Ingredients:
Three boxes of Stove Top Herb Stuffing, one cup of light raisins, one cup of Craisins, one cup of brown sugar and one stick (1/2 cup) of butter.
Instructions:
Make all three boxes of Stove Top Stuffing as per the instructions on the box in a large pot. After the stuffing is done, fold in the Craisins and brown sugar until it is evenly mixed in with the stuffing. Add the stick (1/2 cup) of butter and mix it in with the stuffing. Stuff your turkey and with the remaining stuffing, place it in a 9 x 13 glass or metal cooking dish and refrigerate it. When the turkey is almost done, take the stuffing out and bake it for 20 minutes at 325 degrees or until lightly crisp on top.
French Connection
By: Ryan Romero
Ingredients:
2 Glass and 2 min of steam to warm the glasses
1 1⁄2 ounces Courvoisier brandy
1 ounce Grand Marnier
Instructions:
Take out your brandy snifter and add Courvoisier. Then the Grand Marnier. Suspend the snifter over a glass of very hot water, gently heating the drink, which really helps release the aromas and makes the alcohol bite a little smoother.
Not Your Average Potato Gratin
By: Kevin Jordan
Ingredients:
Baking Potatoes, the amount depends on your dish size and potato size (at least 5 or 6)
Baking Dish (depth depends on how much you want to make) and a baking sheet
Large Pot
Gruyere Cheese, a decent size block for shredding/grating
Pint of whipping/heavy cream
Salt, Pepper (preferably white pepper, but not catastrophic if you don't)
Butter
Instructions:
Slice potatoes horizontally in even slices, approx. 1/2 in slices after washing. You do not have to peal potatoes, but you can depending on your presentation preferences. Place potatoes in a pot and cover with heavy cream. Do not bring to a boil but a low simmer until potatoes are half cooked, this is why slices should uniform for layering so they cook at an even pace. Cook halfway, because if you cook until all the way for tender, they will fall apart. Grease a baking pan with butter and add the first layer of potatoes. Salt and pepper the potatoes at this time then layer with grated/shredded Gruyere cheese (for those that like nutmeg, try layering ground nutmeg with the salt and pepper). Repeat these steps, not forgetting the salt and pepper at each layer until almost all the way to the top, final layer cheese. Pour in some of the cream from the pot used to tenderized potatoes, about 3/4 to the top of the baking pan. This is where your richness for the dish comes into play. Cover your baking pan with aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet to catch spillage. Bake at 375 for 35-45 min, until knife tender to the bottom of the pan. Remove foil, crank up the heat to 450 for the final 5-10 min or until top of the gratin is lightly brown and remove. You must let the dish rest for a minimum of 20-30 min, so when you dig in, the dish will not fall apart such as a unrested lasagna. Bonus tip, if your baking a ham for the holidays, baste it with Dr. Pepper Soda. So good!
Southern Oyster Pie
By: Grace Ammons
Ingredients:
2 quarts of fresh oysters (shucked and cleaned)
2 sleeves of saltine crackers crushed
2 sticks of real butter
1 pint of heavy cream
fresh ground black pepper
Instructions:
Pre-heat oven to 350. In a baking dish, layer 1 sleeve of crushed saltines, sprinkle with freshly ground pepper, top with one stick of butter "slices". Layer oysters evenly over saltines, pepper and butter. Top with another layer of crackers, butter and a generous sprinkle of pepper. Bake uncovered for 30-45 minutes (or until cracker crust is golden brown and the "pie" is heated through.
Citrus-Molasses Glazed Ham
by: Hector Davila Ingredients:
1 fully cooked bone-in ham (7 to 9 pounds)
GLAZE:
1/2 cup grapefruit juice
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup molasses
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 teaspoons coarsely ground pepper
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 325°. Place ham on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Using a sharp knife, score surface of ham with 1/4-in.-deep cuts in a diamond pattern. Cover and bake until a thermometer reads 130°, 1-3/4 to 2-1/4 hours. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine grapefruit and orange juices. Bring to a boil; cook 6-8 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half. Stir in remaining ingredients; return to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 12-15 minutes or until thickened. Remove ham from oven. Brush with 1/3 cup glaze. Bake, uncovered, basting occasionally with remaining glaze, until a thermometer reads 140°, 15-20 minutes longer.
Amy’s famous cheeseballs
By: Rosalie Lawrence
Ingredients:
1 pack of Lipton soup mix
2 packs of cream cheese
8 oz shredded cheese
6 oz blue cheese
Worcestershire sauce
Instructions:
Combine all ingredients well and form 3-4 balls. Roll balls in parsley and then in chopped pecan. Wrap in Saran wrap Fridge overnight.
Crumb Cake
By Lacey Zara
Ingredients:
(Found on Pinterest)
For the cake: 2 and 1/2 cups of all purpose flour (spoon and leveled)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1.5 sticks unsalted butter (room temperature)
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs (at room temperature)
1 cup full fat sour cream (at room temp) 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Crumb topping (half the recipe is ok too):
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
4 sticks unsalted butter
5 cups of flour
Optional: Confectioner's sugar for topping
Instructions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 and grease 9x13 baking pan
2) Make crumb topping: Mix the brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon, and salt together. Stir in melted butter and mix flour using fork. Do not overmix. Set aside.
3) Make the cake: Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together. Set aside.
4) Beat butter and sugar together on high speed until smooth (2 minutes) Add eggs, sour cream and vanilla. Beat on medium-high until combined. With mixer on low, mix in dry ingredients until smooth.
5) Spread batter into baking pan. Top with crumb topping. Press topping into cake.
6) Bake for 45-55 minutes.
7) Allow to cool and add confectioner's sugar on top.
Baked Ham and Cheese Pin Wheels
By: Marc Doolin
Ingredients:
1 tube crescent dough sheet
3/4 lb. Ham thinly sliced
12 slices swiss cheese thinly sliced
1/2 cup butter melted {I use salted}
1 tsp. fresh cracked pepper
1 Tbsp. yellow mustard
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350ºF and grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Roll out your crescent dough and and press into an approximately 13x18 inch rectangle. Top with ham and cheese.
Starting on the long side, roll the dough up tightly. Pinch the ends together and place with the seam facing down. Cut into 12 pieces.
Place your rollups in your baking dish, evenly spaced.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the butter, pepper, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Pour the sauce evenly over the rollups.
Bake, uncovered, for 25 minutes until lightly browned.
Five-Cup Salad
By: Jennifer Binford
Ingredients:
1 can Pineapple Chunks (8.25 oz), undrained
1 can Mandarin Oranges (11oz), drained
1 container (8 oz) Sour Cream (daisy’s light)
1 cup Coconut Flakes (or shredded)
1 cup Miniature Marshmallows
Instructions:
Drain pineapple chunks, reserving 1 Tablespoon of the juice. Mix pineapple chunks, reserved juice, mandarin oranges, sour cream, coconut flakes, and miniature marshmallows: toss lightly. Cover. Refrigerate several hours or until chilled.
Corn Casserole (Mid-west style)
By: Jennifer Binford
Ingredients:
3 cans regular corn
3 cans creamed corn
1 sleeve saltine crackers
2 Tbsps. butter
2 eggs
¼ c sugar
Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions:
Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish and set aside. In a large bowl, drain 3 cans regular corn, mix in with the creamed corn. Lightly beat 2 eggs in a bowl; add to corn mixture. Scrunch up 1 sleeve of saltine crackers; add to mixture. Stir in sugar. Add salt and pepper, combine well and pour into prepared baking dish. Cut up butter into thin slices and place on top of corn mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes until knife inserted comes out clean.
Cranberry-Orange Cookies
By: Jennifer Binford
Ingredients:
Orange Sugar:
½ c Sugar
1 tsp fresh grated orange peel (combine and set aside)
Cookie Dough:
1 C Sugar
1/2 C Dried Cranberries, Chopped
3/4 C Butter, room temp
1 fresh grated orange peel
1 Egg 1/2 C macadamia nuts, chopped
2 C All Purpose Flour
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
¼ tsp Baking Soda
Instructions:
Combine 1 C Sugar, butter and egg; beat at medium speed until creamy. Reduce speed to low, add flour, baking powder, baking soda. Beat until well mixed. Add remaining ingredients. Continue until well mixed. Shape into 1 inch balls, roll into the orange sugar mixture. Place 2 inches apart on parchment lined baking sheets. Flatten with bottom of a glass to make 1.5 inch circles. Bake at 350 degrees, 7-11 minutes, until lightly browned. Do not overbake. Cool 1 minute then store in airtight container. These can be frozen as well.