Davis Family Dining

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies!

2012-02-13T13:03:00.000-08:00

From Carrie

One of the hardest things I've found to bake are chocolate chip cookies- mine are either flat, burnt, too doughy, not sweet enough, etc. when I make them from scratch. Of course they don't always turn out even from the pre-made dough, so I was super excited to get this recipe from my new neighbor, Carrie. This is officially my new standard Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe!!

INGREDIENTS:
2/3 cup butter, softened
2/3 shortening
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 12 oz. bag of chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:
In a large mixing bowl, add the melted butter, shortening and white and brown sugars. Mix well. Then add the eggs, and vanilla and mix throughly. In another bowl, mix the dry ingredients together. Add the dry mixture, one cupful at a time to the cooke dough and mix well. (1/2 of extra flour will make the cookies come out puffier, so add another half cup if desired). Add the bag of chocolate chips and stir. Refridgerate at least 2 hours (overnight is what I did). Preheat oven to 375 and make round tablespoonfuls of cookie dough and place on greased baking sheet; balls should be 1-2 inches apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until cookies are golden brown. Cool cookies on a baking rack or on paper towels on the counter. Enjoy! Makes 4 dozen cookies.

Orzo Salad

2012-02-13T05:48:00.000-08:00

I wanted something to go with our shrimp shish-ka-bobs- and this fit the bill! It was light, yummy and a good alternative to pasta salad!

INGREDIENTS:
Orzo, cooked
Feta Cheese, crumbled
Salt/Pepper
Black Olives, sliced
Artichokes, chopped (I included the marinade)
Tomatoes, chopped
Cilantro, chopped
Cucumber, chopped
Lemon Juice

DIRECTIONS:
Combine all ingredients and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Yummy!

Superbowl Grub

2012-02-07T18:40:00.000-08:00

This is mostly for my memory- because every Superbowl shopping trip I make, I'm always trying to remember what I made last year- I always remember it was GOOD, just don't want to forget anything!

In the crockpots:
Rotel/Velveeta Dip (serve with Tortilla Chips)
Little Chicken Weinies (I like the chicken better than beef) with a yummy BBQ sauce- like Extra Hot Gates or Johnny Harris) and toothpicks come in handy to serve these (I forgot this year!)

Sub Sandwich:
2 tubs of Pillsbury French Loaf Bread
Non-Stick Spray
Garlic Salt
Oregano
Basil
Hard Salami
Turkey
Ham
Muenster Cheese
Baby Swiss Cheese
Onion, sliced thin
Green Pepper, sliced thin
Tomato
Lettuce (shredded)
Mayo
Salt/Pepper
Italian Dressing

I put the dough in a circle on a round cookie sheet- spray with non-stick spray, and sprinkle seasonings on top- bake at 350 for about 25 minutes. When it's done, cut the top off and layer ingredients. Cut into smaller portions... so yummy!

Wings:
I bought a frozen bag of Tasty Bird's wings- they were already fried and coated in buffalo sauce, I just had to bake them in the oven. I did pour some of my own sauce (melted butter and hot sauce, with some Tabasco) on top of half of them because I like wings really saucy (my husband doesn't!). I mix sour cream, mayo and blue cheese crumbles with salt and pepper for a dip and cut up celery to go with it.

Puppy Chow:
The recipe for this is on the back of the chex box- called "Muddy Buddies"... but I like using the corn chex instead of rice chex because the rice chex always taste stale to me once done. Basically chocolate chips, peanut butter, vanilla, butter and powdered sugar. Easy and fun to make! Always get more chocolate chips than the recipe calls for- it never coats enough!

Guacamole:
I use 2-3 avocados, diced onion and tomato and cilantro and a seasoning packet from the produce section. It's always a hit.

And that was it! Yummy food!! :)

Edamame Succotash

2012-02-05T05:19:00.000-08:00

From Rachael

INGREDIENTS:
1 can of corn
1 pkg of edamame, steamed (I buy it in frozen bags that steam in the microwave)
Heavy Whipping Cream
Salt/Pepper
Butter

DIRECTIONS:
Mix all in a bowl and heat in the microwave. Super easy and delicious!

Fried Rice

2012-01-31T10:56:00.000-08:00

I had a bunch of left over rice, so this was the perfect compliment to our orange chicken! I would add a meat or more veggies if I was making this dish alone, though.

INGREDIENTS:
Oil (I used olive)
1-2 Eggs
2-4 cups of cooked, cooled rice
Frozen Peas
Soy Sauce
Hoisin Sauce (optional)
Green Onions, sliced

DIRECTIONS:
In a skillet, heat about a TBL of oil. Fry the eggs on the oil- breaking them apart with a fork. Remove the eggs, and add another 2-3 TBL of oil. Add in the rice and stir constantly- frying the rice. After 3-4 minutes, add in soy sauce and hoisin sauce for flavor. Add in frozen peas and green onions (could chop up carrots, also). Salt and Pepper to taste.

Orange Chicken Rice

2012-01-31T10:52:00.000-08:00

This was a total experiment- and honestly, I thought it was going to be a failure (I'm always nervous about frying chicken and not getting it done entirely!) but it was the best orange chicken I've ever had- full of taste, easy and definietly a repeater!

INGREDIENTS:
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken, chopped into bite sized pieces
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp white pepper
peanut oil (for frying)
1/2 cup cornstarch , plus
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup wheat flour
1 tablespoon ginger root, minced (I just used powdered)
1 teaspoon garlic , minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red chili pepper flakes
1/4 cup green onion, chopped
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar (or you could use rice vinegar)
1/4 cup water

Orange Sauce for Stir Fry
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons orange juice
2 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 orange, zest of

DIRECTIONS:
Place chicken pieces in large bowl. Stir in egg, salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon oil and mix well.
Stir cornstarch and flour together in a separate bowl. Add chicken pieces, stirring to coat.
Heat oil for deep-frying in wok or deep-fryer to 375 degrees (I just used a big pot).
Add chicken, small batches at a time, and fry 3 to 4 minutes or until golden crisp.
Remove chicken from oil with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels; set aside.

Mix together orange sauce.

In another skillet (or wok) add 1 tablespoon oil. Add ginger and garlic and stir-fry until fragrant; about 10 seconds. Add and stir-fry crushed chiles and green onions. Add vinegar and stir 3 seconds.
Add Orange Sauce and bring to boil.
Add cooked chicken, stirring until well mixed.
Put orange zest on top, if desired.

Serve over rice.

Antipasto Platter

2012-01-22T07:14:00.000-08:00

One of my all time favorites- a hand-me-down recipe from my Granny (my mom's mom) and the copy I have is in her handwriting- so special! I always make this at Christmastime... it's so yummy. And, according to my Granny it's 462 calories per main dish serving!

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups cauliflower flowerets
1 small zucchini, sliced (1/4 inch thick)
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 6 oz. can ripe olives, drained
1 .75 oz envelope garlic and herbs dry salad dressing mix
Olive Oil
Vinegar
4 oz. sliced genoa salami
4 oz. sliced prosciutto (ham)
6 round slices provolone cheese quartered (about 6 oz)
6 round slices colby cheese, halved (about 4 oz)
Lettuce (I used boston bibb and butter lettuce)

DIRECTIONS:
In a saucepan, cook (with water) cauliflower and zucchini about 2 minutes- drain and cool. Place cauliflower, zucchini, tomatoes and olives in a plastic bag- prepare dressing mix according to directions on the packet and pour over vegetables and close bag and marinate in refrigerator for 6 hours. Turn bag occasionally. To serve, slice and dice meat and cheese- drain veggies and arrange vegetables and meat on a bed of lettuce, on a large platter. Serve with hot french bread and wine.

BLTizza

2012-01-22T06:35:00.000-08:00

Another great pinterest find! Basically a yummy salad, on top of a flat bread. Here is the original link... here's what I did:

INGREDIENTS:
4 cups mixed baby greens
3-5 small tomatoes, diced
1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
6 slices bacon, crumbled
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette dressing, with a spoonful of spicy mustard, a drizzle of honey and
a couple spoonfuls of mayo mixed together.
3, 8” flatbreads

DIRECTIONS:
Put the flatbreads in the broiler to crisp (be careful not to burn). Toss all other ingredients in a large bowl. Remove flatbreads from the oven and top with the 'salad'. Cut into pizza slices and enjoy!

Baked Spaghetti

2012-01-22T06:28:00.000-08:00

I found this recipe on Pinterest, and it's a HIT at our house. HERE is the original link, and here's my version!

INGREDIENTS:

8 ounces uncooked spaghetti
1 pound ground beef
1 large can spaghetti sauce (26.5 ounces)
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup chopped red or green pepper
2 TBL pesto
1/3 cup chopped onions
8 ounces cream cheese
2 tablespoons milk
Fresh grated Parmesan cheese
French Fried Onions

DIRECTIONS:
Cook spaghetti according to directions on the package. Cook to al dente, drain and set aside.
Brown ground beef. Drain excess grease. Add spaghetti sauce to skillet and heat.
Combine onions, peppers and butter in small glass bowl. Cover and microwave 4 minutes on HIGH until soft.
Add pesto, cream cheese and milk to vegetables and stir well. (If cream cheese is not soft, nuke it for 20-30 seconds to make it easy to spread.)
Using a 10 x 6 dish, assemble in the following order:
Thin layer of spaghetti sauce on the bottom of the casserole dish.
Spaghetti
Cream cheese/vegetable mixture
Spaghetti sauce
Parmesan Cheese (amount subject to your own taste)
French Fried Onions (added during last 5 minutes of cooking)
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Top with French Fried onion and continue baking 5 more minutes.

Serve with bread and a salad! Yum!

PW's MM Sandwich Updated

2012-01-22T06:25:00.000-08:00

We love Pioneer Woman's MM Sandwich- so when I saw this version, I had to try it! SO yummy!
Click HERE for the recipe.

Dill Egg Salad

2012-01-22T06:22:00.000-08:00

In Savannah, there is a great deli that has an awesome egg salad. This is the closest I can come to replicating it!

INGREDIENTS:
8 eggs
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
2 tablespoons prepared Dijon-style mustard
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 red onion, minced
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil; cover, remove from heat, and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, peel and chop. (Or for a faster version- buy already peeled, hard boiled eggs at the store!)
In a large bowl, combine the egg, mayonnaise, mustard, dill, paprika, onion and salt and pepper. Mash well with a fork or wooden spoon.
Serve over bread or bagels (I like the everything bagel thins!). Yummy!

Raspberry Cheese Spread

2012-01-11T08:35:00.000-08:00

INGREDIENTS:
4 cups/16 oz. finely shredded cheddar-jack or colby-jack cheese
1 bunch chopped chives or 3-4 scallions
chopped pecans (about 1/4 cup)
Smuckers Raspberry Preserves
Hellmann's or Duke's Real Mayonnaise

DIRECTIONS:
Mix cheese and chopped chives/scallions together. Add just enough mayonnaise to hold cheese together. Roll into a log or pat into a shape on a platter. Press chopped pecans onto outside of cheese log. Just before serving, stir raspberry preserves well with a knife to break up and liquify somewhat, then spread preserves on top.

Serve with buttery crackers such as Pepperidge Farm Entertaining Trio or Keebler Toasteds Butterthins.

Buffalo Chicken Bites

2011-12-18T05:04:00.000-08:00

I found this on pinterest, but the original recipe had too little 'stuffing' for the amount of bread- so I tweaked it a bit for my tastes. The picture isn't the best- but these were really yummy!

2 cups shredded (cooked) chicken breast
3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
5 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese
2/3 cup hot sauce (Frank's buffalo sauce is what I used)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 1/4 teaspoons rapid rise dry yeast
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup warm milk (I used skim)
2 1/2 cups of flour

To make the buffalo chicken mixture, in a small bowl, combine the chicken, blue cheese, cheddar cheese, softened butter and hot sauce; set aside.

In a 1 cup measuring cup, heat the milk and then add the 2 tablespoons brown sugar; stir into warm milk until dissolved; place in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook.

Add 2 1/2 cups flour and yeast to the stand mixer and mix on low speed until a soft dough forms, adding up to 1/2 cup additional flour, a little at a time, if necessary. Allow the dough to knead in the stand mixer for 5-7 minutes. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead a few times to form a smooth ball. Place dough into a clean bowl that's been lightly oiled. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled and bubbles appear on surface, about 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in the middle of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and cut into 4 equal pieces. Lightly dust your hands with flour, then gently roll and stretch 1 piece of dough to form a 12-inch-long rope. Flatten dough and arrange so a long side is nearest you, then roll out to a roughly 12- by 4-inch rectangle with a lightly floured rolling pin. Gently press one fourth of buffalo chicken mixture into lower third of rectangle, leaving a 1/2-inch border along bottom edge. Stretch bottom edge of dough up over filling and press tightly to seal, then roll up as tightly as possible to form a rope. Cut rope into 12 pieces and transfer to a sheet pan. Make 3 more ropes with remaining dough, filling and cut into pieces, transferring to sheet pans. Let rest at room temperature, uncovered, 30 minutes (dough will rise slightly).

Bake buffalo chicken bites in the preheated oven for 5-7 minutes or until the tops are lightly browned. Remove from oven (some cheese may have melted out.) and brush tops with melted butter before serving (optional).

Super Special Salad

2011-12-15T13:31:00.000-08:00

Salad is one of my FAVORITE things to eat! One of my favorite hometown restaurants (Aldo's) has a salad called "Super Special Salad"... since I'm far away now, this is my best effort to recreate it! When you go to the restaurant, it is PILED high on your plate- but this was just a side dish, so I made them small.

INGREDIENTS:
Romaine, Greenleaf and Butter Lettuce
Salami, sliced
Shredded Italian Cheese (I used provolone- but mozzarella would be good, too: provel would be the best, but it's not available around here)
Hearts of Palm, sliced/diced
Artichoke Hearts, sliced
Green Olives, sliced
Black Olives, sliced
Tomatoes, sliced

Pepperoncini
Salt/Pepper
Vinegar/Oil or Italian Dressing

DIRECTIONS:
I lightly toss the lettuce with a very small amount of vinegar and oil. The toppings have so much flavor themselves, I don't want a heavy dressing. Then top with the remaining ingredients, and add salt and pepper to taste.

Cheesy Quesadillas

2011-12-14T11:47:00.000-08:00

Such an easy snack or lunch- especially for my kids!

INGREDIENTS:
Butter
Tortilla Shells (I use whole wheat)
Shredded Cheese (I use a mexican blend)
Cream Cheese
Pico de Gallo or Salsa/Sour Cream

DIRECTIONS:
In a skillet, melt butter. Put cream cheese onto the shell- lay down in the skillet (cream cheese side up) and sprinkle the shredded cheese. Top with another tortilla shell. Flip as shell browns and cheese melts. Slice and serve with your choice of toppings!

Mexican Chicken Lasagna

2011-12-13T07:35:00.000-08:00

INGREDIENTS:
4 cups of shredded chicken breast (I boil 4 big breasts and then pull them apart with forks)
12 oz. (about) pkg of whole wheat tortillas
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1 can of rotel or 10 oz. of pico de gallo/salsa
1 can of cheddar cheese soup or nacho cheese soup
1-2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
Cilantro, Green Onions, Olives, Peppers, Onions (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
Mix shredded chicken, soups and rotel/salsa in a big bowl. In a casserole dish, spray with non-stick spray and lay down the first tortilla shells. Top with chicken mixture, and layer more tortilla shells- making about three layers. End with chicken mixture and top with shredded cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes. Top with fresh cilantro or green onions. You can also mix in olives or sautee some peppers/onions and add into the chicken mixture- depending on your taste. The recipe sounds like it will be overly cheesy, but it was really yummy!

Chicken Bacon Pasta

2011-12-07T06:28:00.000-08:00

I tweaked a recipe I had to make this... turned out really yummy- not the healthiest dish ever, but good!

INGREDIENTS:
1 pkg of bacon, cut in thirds
2-3 chicken breasts, cubed
Green Beans- I used a bag of fresh ones
1 onion, sliced
Red Pepper Flakes
Salt/Pepper
Penne Pasta
Heavy Whipping Cream- 1/4 pint
1 block of cream cheese
1/4 cup of parmesan cheese
2 eggs

DIRECTIONS:
In a skillet, cook the small strips of bacon until almost done. Begin cooking pasta according to box directions. Remove most of the grease from the bacon skillet (leave some to cook the rest of the ingredients with), and then add in chicken, green beans and onion- sprinkle red pepper flakes and salt/pepper over while cooking. Cook until chicken is done (green beans and onions should also be tender). Remove from heat and drain pasta. In a sauce pan, heat the whipping cream and block of cream cheese- with a whisk break up and stir until the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat, and add parmesan cheese and eggs. Add back in the hot pasta and bacon/chicken mixture. Add more pepper if needed. The hot ingredients will cook the eggs- no need to return to heat. Serve and enjoy!

Herb Roasted Turkey

2011-11-29T13:05:00.000-08:00

It seems kind of crazy to be having turkey this soon after Thanksgiving, but we had a fried turkey for the holiday (YUM!) and it was so good, there were no leftovers. I had a couple dishes I wanted to try with left over turkey, and we had lots of sides left, so we decided to just do a small turkey breast for dinner last night. It turned out really great!

INGREDIENTS:
1 turkey breast, 6 1/2 to 7 pounds
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons good olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup dry white wine

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place the turkey breast, skin side up, on a rack in a roasting pan.

In a small bowl, combine the garlic, mustard, herbs, salt, pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice to make a paste. Loosen the skin from the meat gently with your fingers and smear half of the paste directly on the meat. Spread the remaining paste evenly on the skin. Pour the wine into the bottom of the roasting pan.

Roast the turkey for 1 3/4 to 2 hours, until the skin is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees F when inserted into the thickest and meatiest areas of the breast. (I test in several places.) If the skin is over-browning, cover the breast loosely with aluminum foil. When the turkey is done, cover with foil and allow it to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. Slice and serve with the pan juices spooned over the turkey.

Broccoli Cheese and Rice Casserole

2011-11-29T13:00:00.000-08:00

I have long been on the search for a version of this recipe that I love- and my Aunt Mary gave it to me with her Thanksgiving recipes! I was excited to try it, and the kids loved it!

INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons of butter
5 ribs celery, chopped
1 med onion, chopped
8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced (I left these out because my husband is 'allergic' to mushrooms...)
1 10 oz bag of frozen broccoli
1 8oz cheese whiz
1 101/2 oz cream of chicken soup
1 cup minute rice (I used brown)
Shredded Cheese for a topping (I used cheddar).

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350. Cook broccoli according to package directions, then drain. Saute in a skillet (with the butter) celery, onion and mushrooms. Put the broccoli in a casserole dish and add minute rice (uncooked), cheese whiz, soup, salt and pepper and enough water to moisten (if necessary). Add the celery,onion, mushroom mixture and mix well. Top with shredded cheddar cheese and cook for 1/2 an hour.

Christmas Traditions

2011-11-27T18:06:00.000-08:00

Well, it's that time of year! Thanksgiving has passed, and so we are all gearing up for Christmas. I know everyone has a different level of activity when it comes to Christmas- but my family is deep-rooted in Christmas traditions. Without them, it just doesn't feel like Christmas. Here are some of ours- some are unique, others are common. None-the-less we have A LOT. It's hard to keep up... and I might be forgetting some, so I'll continue to add to this post as the month goes on. What are your traditions?!

Decorating the Inside of our House: We've been slowly accumulating things over the years (after Christmas sales!) and thanks to my Mom's awesome craftiness and sewing skills- we have a beautiful table setting this year!

Maybe one day I'll have Christmas dishes and a dining table to display them! :)

I LOVE these- my Mom sprayed the little wooden rings with chalkboard paint and so we can write with chalk a different name on them. She also made the napkins!

We have personal stockings, too- they are personalized and each with a different scene. Growing up, my family hung stockings, but we never actually had 'stocking stuffers' nor did we do St. Nick's Day or anything. My husband's family did the stuffers- so we are starting to for our kids as well! What do you do?

Advent Calendar: Another super cute project my Mom made! She made these little envelopes and I printed off the bible story into 25 different days. We hung them from a garland strand across our kitchen window- easy access to do the envelopes each night after dinner! I also have a "Berry Merry Christmas" advent calendar where the little bear moves every night to search for Christmas. It was from my childhood, so kind of neat.

I love this, because it is so easy to get distracted from the real meaning of the season. We have to tailor the story to be adaptable for our young children's ages, but they also have a little Fisher Price Nativity Set in their room- set up on a special table that they can play with and we talk about the story of Baby Jesus' birth.

We have done the "Elf on a Shelf" although not the official one. I have an elf figurine that my brother gave me when I was little that we're using instead. I love the idea and it's helping SO much for behavior reminders... not to mention pretty fun to hide each day! My favorite decoration is our mistletoe...even my one year old stops under neath it and says "KISS"!!

Tree decorations: Two traditions from my childhood....

Ribbon Garland. Each year the kids get to pick out two ribbon colors and we cut sections and add to the garland. This is the first thing we put on the tree, and each year we'll add to it. (The first year it started so small, it looked funny!). I remember being so excited to get to pick out ribbon and add to our garland- and the one at my Mom's house is still one of my favorite parts of her decorations!

Hallmark Ornaments: Each year, my Mom and Dad picked out a Hallmark Ornament that best fit what I was up to that year (one was a telephone, one was a barbie, etc.) and then would write a little paragraph about why they picked that ornament. They did this until I got married- and then I was presented with the entire box and papers of the past 24 years. It was pretty neat to have ornaments for our first tree married, and to also look back on all those memories through my parents' eyes. We started this for our children, too!

Our kids each have a mini-tree in their room, too. It's so easy to put those out and they LOVE having their own personal tree.

Christmas Card Garland:

Another super cute idea my Mom did! She took our Christmas cards and modge podged them onto wooden slats, and tied with a ribbon. Right now since we only have 2, they are just hanging up on our candle deco, but eventually, they'll hang from garland (hopefully if we have a home with a staircase, going up the steps!).

We always take the kids to visit Santa, make Christmas cookies (chocolate chip, sugar and Ultimate Chocolate Dipped Cookies and Reese's Cookies) and do a tour of driving around to all the Christmas lights while singing Christmas carols and drinking hot coffee or hot chocolate. Not to mention decorating our own house with lights:

Christmas Eve, we go to Mass, and come home to get our first presents- Christmas Pajamas and Christmas Books (we read the books before bedtime!) and on Christmas morning, we discover that Santa has visited us throughout the night (that is, if our Elf on the Shelf has given Santa a good report!).

Merry Christmas- I hope you are embracing the season!

Cranberry Ring

2011-11-27T17:12:00.000-08:00

INGREDIENTS:
3 cups of Cranberries, ground or finely chopped
1 1/2- 2 cups of sugar
1 8 oz. can of crushed pineapple (well drained)
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 pkg cream cheese, softened
1 cup heavy cream whipped (yes, whip it before putting it in- should take just a few minutes with a hand mixer to make soft peaks form)

DIRECTIONS:
Combine cranberries, sugar, pineapple and nuts. Stir and then gradually add cream cheese in. Mix well, and then fold in cream. Pour into a 6 1/2 ring mold and freeze. About an hour before serving, set out of the freezer and onto a serving plate. Really yummy!

Pumpkin Pecan Layer Pie

2011-11-27T17:07:00.000-08:00

I'm going to be posting some of our Thanksgiving recipes- I realize it's too late for everyone to make for this year, but it's really more for me to have them handy for next year! We spend every holiday in different places and with different people- but I love making some of our families' favorites to bring "home" to wherever we are! This one is a pie Andy's Grandma Allen made the last Thanksgiving we had with her. She and Grandpa were so happy to make a copy of the recipe and share it- it makes me smile thinking of her when I make it!

INGREDIENTS:
15 oz. can of pumpkin
12 oz. can of evaporated milk
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
3 eggs
2 graham cracker crusts
18 oz. pkg of butter pecan cake mix
1/2 cup chopped pecans, divided
1 cup melted butter
Whipped Cream (I make my own using 2 cups of heavy whipping cream, 1 tsp vanilla and 6-8 TBL sugar- and just beat with a hand mixer until peaks form)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350. Stir together pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugar, spice and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Pour 1/2 the pumpkin mixture into each pie crust. Sprinkle 1/2 of the cake mix over each pie. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of pecans on each pie. Pour 1/2 cup melted butter over each pie. Cover edges of pie with aluminum foil to keep from over-browning during baking. Bake for 40 minutes. Allow pies to cool before cutting. Serve with whipped cream!

Pumpkin Smoothies

2011-11-27T12:57:00.000-08:00

We started our day with these smoothies that I saw on Pioneer Woman's cooking site. I added honey to ours- and they weren't a HUGE hit with us, but if you love pumpkin pie, you'll probably love this smoothie!

INGREDIENTS:
1 can of pumpkin
3 cups of milk
Cinnamon
Honey
1/2 cup of yogurt (I used vanilla, low-fat)
Cinnamon Graham Crackers

DIRECTIONS:
Freeze the can of pumpkin (in a different container) the day before using this recipe. Put the frozen block into the blender, adding milk and yogurt. Sprinkle in cinnamon, add honey to taste and top with crushed cinnamon graham crackers.

Corn Soufflé

2011-11-25T09:18:00.000-08:00

One of my favorites from my Aunt Mary!

INGREDIENTS:
5 cans of corn drained
1/2 cup of butter
1/2 cup of sugar
1 TBL of flour
1 1/2 tsp of baking powder
1/2 cup of evaporated milk
2 eggs, well beaten

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350. Melt the butter and stir in the sugar, gradually add flour and baking powder. Blend in milk and eggs, add corn and mix well. The mixture should resemble pancake batter (not runny), pour into a greased baking dish and bake for 35 minutes or until done (all liquid gone). Remove from the oven and you can put melted butter on top, but I just serve it straight from the oven.

Sweet Potatoes

2011-11-25T07:23:00.000-08:00

From my Aunt Mary

INGREDIENTS:
4 Whole Medium Sweet Potatoes
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Milk
2 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla
1 tsp Salt
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup pecans (chopped)
1/2 cup flour
3/4 stick of butter

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375. Wash sweet potatoes and bake for 30-35 minutes (until a fork easily goes through- bakings times will differ on size of potatoes!). Remove from oven and slice them open and scrap out flesh into a bowl. Turn oven up to 400. Add 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup of milk, 2 eggs and 1 tsp of vanilla and salt. With a masher, mash up potatoes and mix the mixture together. You don't want the potatoes to be perfectly smooth. In another bowl, add brown sugar, pecans, 1/2 cup flour and 3/4 stick of butter and mash together until combined. Put potato mixture into a baking dish and sprinkle the crumb mixture on top. Bake at 400 for 30 minutes or until golden brown.