Under Garlic and Onion

Reindeer Bread

noreply@blogger.com (juanamaria) — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 12:22:00 +0000

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans, divided
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions:

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add one egg at a time mix well after each addition. In a separate bowl blend together flour, baking soda, salt, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg and the ginger. Slowly stir 1/3 of the flour mixture into the sugar mixture. Then stir 1/3 of the pumpkin into the sugar mixture. Next stir in 1/3 of the flour and then the rest of the pumpkin. Finally stir in the last of the flour mixture. Gently fold in chocolate chips and 3/4 cup of pecans. Grease and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Pour mixture into loaf pan and sprinkle with remaining pecans. Bake for one hour until a knife inserted in the middle of the loaf comes out clean. Cool completely. For the icing stir together the confectioners' sugar and heavy cream. Add cinnamon and nutmeg and stir until smooth. Drizzle icing over bread loaf when completely cooled.

Almond Cinnamon Icebox Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (juanamaria) — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 12:20:00 +0000

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
3 eggs
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup finely chopped almonds
2 (2.45 ounce) packages whole unblanched almonds*

Instructions:

Cream the sugars into the butter. Add eggs, one egg at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually add the flour, baking soda and cinnamon. Lastly add the chopped almonds and try to distribute as evenly as possible. Split dough in half and shape into log like rolls. Wrap the rolls in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or until ready to bake. Slice about 1/4 inch thick and top each slice with a whole almond (*you can substitute sliced almonds if you don't want to use whole ones). Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until golden brown edges start to appear, then cool on wire racks.

Candied Apples

noreply@blogger.com (juanamaria) — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 12:25:00 +0000

Ingredients:

2 cup granulated sugar
2 cup corn syrup
1/3 cup cinnamon candy
1 cup water
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teapoon cloves
3/4 teasppon red food coloring
6 of your favorite type of apple, roughly medium in size
wooden skewers (these are often found in the produce dept this time of year)
cookie sheet sprayed with no stick cooking spray or a long sheet of waxed paper

Instructions:

First thing you want to do is as you usually would remove the apple stems and wash them up. Grab a skewer and stab it right into the middle of the apple and repeat for each apple. Be careful not to poke out the other side of the apple though. In a small or medium sized saucepan combine sugar, corn syrup, cinnamon candies, and water. Stir and keep stirring until everything is dissolved. Then stir some more to make sure it's all dissolved. Medium heat here, you don't want it to boil at this point because that will just make a mess. Once you've got it all dissolved add cinnamon, vanilla, cloves, and food coloring to the mix. Now we want that to boil to a 300 degree temperture on the candy thermometer. Dip your apples into your candy coating and be sure to coat them well. Place them skewer pointing up on the waxed paper or cookie sheet and allow them to harden. Make sure you let them cool completely to room temperture before eating! They will be hot for sometime and no one wants a burnt mouth on Halloween.

Cheesecake the Eggnog Way

noreply@blogger.com (juanamaria) — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 14:23:00 +0000

Ingredients:

CRUST:
2 cups crushed vanilla wafers
6 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

CHEESECAKE:
4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
1 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons rum*
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 cup heavy cream
4 egg yolks

Instructions:

Make the crust by mixing together the crushed wafers, butter and nutmeg. Press the mixture into the bottom of a spring form pan. Bake the crust for 10 minutes at 325 degrees F. Blend together cream cheese, flour, sugar, rum and vanilla. Add one egg at a time to the mixture and continue to blend well after each addition. Then blend in the 4 additional egg yolks and the whipping cream. Pour cheesecake filling into prepared pan. Bake for one hour at 325 degrees F. Completely cool before removing from spring form pan then refrigerate over night.

*For a non-alcoholic family friendly version you can use rum extract, vanilla extract, white grape juice or apple juice!

Party Parfaits

noreply@blogger.com (juanamaria) — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 12:18:00 +0000

As Donkey would tell Shrek, everybody likes parfait!

Ingredients:

2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup orange juice
1 cup fat-free milk
1 (8 ounce) package reduced-fat cream cheese, cubed
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel
1 (11 ounce) can mandarin oranges
1 (20 ounce) can unsweetened crushed pineapple, undrained
1 (8 ounce) container reduced-fat frozen whipped topping, thawed
1/2 cup chocolate graham cracker crumbs, divided

Instructions:

Combine gelatin and orange juice and let stand for 5 minutes. Heat milk until boiling and add to gelatin. Transfer to blender and blend until well blended. Add cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, orange peel and blend again. Drain oranges reserving the juice in a small dish. Add pineapple and reserved juice to gelatin mixture and blend again. Fold in the whipped topping. Divide up half the oranges into 8 dessert dishes. Layer with half the gelatin mix and half the cracker crumbs. Repeat, gelatin, crumbs, and top with oranges. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving, sprinkle with more crumbs and maybe a dollop of whipped cream on top.

Sweet Potato Pie

noreply@blogger.com (juanamaria) — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 12:16:00 +0000

Ingredients:

2 cups sweet potatoes, cooked and drained
4 tablespoons margarine, melted
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 9" pie shell, baked
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Instructions:

Mash together your cooked sweet potatoes with melted butter or margarine. Whip in eggs, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. When well mixed add in the milk and vanilla. Pour it all into your baked pie shell and heat in the oven for about 40 minutes at 350 degrees F. It's done when the center is somewhat firmed up. Scatter chopped pecans over the top of the pie before serving.

Christmas Spirit Eggnog

noreply@blogger.com (juanamaria) — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 12:14:00 +0000

Ingredients:

4 cups milk
5 whole cloves
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 egg yolks
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 cups light cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Instructions:

Place a large saucepan over very low heat. Put the cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla, cloves and milk in the saucepan. Heat milk about 5 minutes bringing to a boil very slowly. Whisk together egg yolks and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Egg mixture should become fluffy. Slowly whisk milk mixture into the eggs until blended well. Place egg milk mixture back into the saucepan. Being sure not to allow the mixture to boil and stirring continuously, cook mixture over medium low heat for approximately 3 minutes or until mixture thickens. Once the mixture thickens remove cloves. Let mixture set and cool for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Once mixture has cooled stir in 2 teaspoons of vanilla, cream and nutmeg. Blend well. Cover and refrigerate overnight. When ready to serve sprinkle nutmeg over the top.

Lucky Year Black Eyed Peas

noreply@blogger.com (juanamaria) — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 12:13:00 +0000

Eating black eyed peas is one of many foods that is said to bring luck to you in the New Year. It goes good with pork chops!

Ingredients:

1 pound dry black-eyed peas
2 cups chopped cooked ham
Salt and pepper to taste
1 heaping spoonful minced garlic
2 onions, diced
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes or tomatoes from your garden

Instructions:

Pour black eyed peas into a large soup pot and cover with water until the pot is about 3/4 of the way full. It takes a lot of water to get dry beans cooked and tender and ready to eat! Mix in the ham, onions, garlic and salt and pepper to your tastes. Smash the tomato up a bit before adding it to the pot as well. Now bring it all to a boil. Cover and simmer for 3 hours or until black eyed peas are tender and well cooked. Great served over top of pork chops or left over ham slices.

All Butter Apple Pie Crust

noreply@blogger.com (juanamaria) — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 12:10:00 +0000

There are times when a ready pie dish will do but Thanksgiving is special so why not try making your own pie crust… it’s not as difficult as you may think.

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups sifted flour
½ cup chilled butter cut into cubes
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cold water

Makes 1 9-inch pie crust

Directions:
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter cubes and blend with a fork or your fingers until mixture is well blended. Gradually add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing the dough gently after each addition. Once dough is well blended shape into a large ball, wrap in cling film and place in refrigerator for approximately 20 to 30 minutes.
Remove the dough from fridge and placed onto a floured surface. Using a rolling pin roll dough to form a 10 to 11 inch circle. Line a 9 inch pie pan with dough and chill until ready to use. Reserve remaining dough to top pie crust.

Vegetable Chow Mein

noreply@blogger.com (juanamaria) — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 15:12:00 +0000

While this recipe is a veggie-based, your favorite meats can certainly be added. Whether you want boneless chicken, strips of beef or shrimp, you can add them to this recipe quite simply. Chow mein is a very versatile recipe and you can even substitute or add veggies if you prefer.

This recipe makes about 8 side dish servings.

Ingredients

•    1 – 14 oz package of chow mein noodles
•    1 tablespoon soy sauce soy sauce
•    3 tablespoons fish sauce
•    1/2 tbsp sesame oil
•    2 tablespoons vegetable oil
•    1 julienned carrot
•    1 teaspoon crushed ginger
•    1 teaspoon crushed garlic
•    1 cup coarsely chopped bean sprouts

Preparation

Start by preparing the noodles, according to the package directions. Rinse and set aside.

While the noodles are cooking, you can prepare your sauce. Combine the soy sauce, fish sauce and sesame oil in a bowl and set aside.

In a wok or large skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the julienned carrots, ginger and garlic and sauté until the carrots have softened.

Now add the cooked noodles, the sauce that you set aside. Stir until heated through. Add the bean sprouts and cook for a few minutes more.

Corn Casserole

noreply@blogger.com (juanamaria) — Sun, 04 Nov 2012 14:57:00 +0000

Ingredients:

1 box corn muffin mix
3 eggs
1 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 (15.25 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (14.75 ounce) can cream-style corn

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour muffin mix into a large mixing bowl. Add eggs and milk. Blend until muffin mix is just moistened. Add butter, salt and pepper and mix well. Fold in both cans of corn. Grease a 2-quart casserole dish. Pour corn mixture into casserole. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes or until knife comes out clean when inserted in the center of casserole.

Peck of Pickled Pumpkin

noreply@blogger.com (juanamaria) — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 22:38:00 +0000

Ingredients:

4 pounds peeled and diced pumpkin
5 cups white sugar
5 cups distilled white vinegar
4 cinnamon sticks
15 whole cloves

Instructions:

You'll need a large and deep bowl to put the pumpkin in. On the stove mix the sugar, vinegar, cinnamon sticks and cloves. Bring to boil and boil for about 5 minutes. Pour the hot mixture over the pumpkin in the large bowl. Cover. Set aside overnight (or at least 8 hours). Strain the liquid in a saucepan. Boil for 5 minutes. Remove the cinnamon sticks and cloves. But, you can leave some bits for decoration purposes. They do look very nice! Put the pumpkin back in the liquid and boil for 5 more minutes or until the pumpkin becomes transparent. Once cool divide into sterile canning jars.

Pumpkin Sloppy Joes

noreply@blogger.com (juanamaria) — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 22:42:00 +0000

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef (or turkey)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
8 ounces tomato sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
1 cup canned pumpkin
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 hamburger buns, split
American cheese slices

Instructions:

Brown ground beef (or turkey) and drain off fat. Add garlic and onion and cook until tender. Stir in pumpkin, tomato sauce, brown sugar, mustard, chili powder and salt. Bring up to boiling point. Reduce heat simmer for 10 -15 minutes. Spoon mixture onto buns and top with cheese, place under broiler for a few minutes to melt the cheese watching so it doesn't burn. Optionally you can cut the cheese slices into jack-o-lantern face shapes before topping and melting then serve without a bun top.

Sweet Potato Pie

noreply@blogger.com (juanamaria) — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 22:34:00 +0000

Sausage and Cabbage One Dish Dinner

noreply@blogger.com (juanamaria) — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 13:52:00 +0000

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, chopped
2 teaspoon fresh minced garlic
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon dried red chili pepper flakes
1 1/2 lb kielbasa, cut into about 1/2-inch slices
6 cups chopped green cabbage
3/4 cup canned chicken broth
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Shredded parmesan cheese
Cooked egg noodles

Instructions:

Cook the sausage in a large skillet until browned on both sides. In the same skillet melt the butter and sauté onion, garlic, bell pepper and chili flakes over medium-low heat. Return sausage to the skillet and add in the chopped cabbage and broth. Cook stirring for about 20-25 minutes or until cabbage is tender. In a large pasta bowl, toss with parmesan cheese and hot cooked noodles. Season to taste using salt and pepper.

After Trick-or-Treating Pumpkin Bars

noreply@blogger.com (juanamaria) — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 06:01:00 +0000

Ingredients:

4 eggs
1 2/3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 (15 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

ICING:
1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon milk

Instructions:

Get out the big mixing bowl and beat together eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin. Combine the dry ingredients, flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Gradually add this to the pumpkin mixture and beat together well. Pour your mixture into an ungreased jellyroll pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 27 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool before frosting.

Recommended Frosting:

Beat together cream cheese, sugar, butter and vanilla. Add just enough milk to help get a nice spreading consistency. You can add a few drops of orange or green food coloring to make them even more trick-or-treat like!

Walking into Spider webs Brownies

noreply@blogger.com (juanamaria) — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 07:00:00 +0000

Ingredients:

4 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
3/4 cup butter or margarine
2 cups sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 (7 ounce) jar marshmallow creme
1 (1 ounce) square semisweet chocolate

Instructions:

Stir unsweetened chocolate and butter over low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and beat in the sugar while still hot. Let it cool off for about ten minutes then add eggs and vanilla, blending well. Next you'll gradually stir in the flour and nuts. Pour into a 13 x 9 inch baking pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes, or until toothpick stuck in the middle comes out clean. As soon as you take the brownies out of the oven drop spoonfuls of marshmallow creme on top! Spread it out evenly like frosting a cake. Time to make some webs. You can grab a premade squeezable tube of decorator chocolate if you have a shop nearby that sells cake decorating supplies. If not, you can make one up yourself.
Melt semisweet chocolate and pour into a Ziploc bag. Snip a tiny corner at an angle and use the bag like a decorating bag to drizzle web designs over the brownies.

Stuffed Mini Pumpkins

noreply@blogger.com (juanamaria) — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 13:56:00 +0000

Ingredients:

4 miniature pumpkins
1/4 cup raisins, plumped
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup minced onion
1 cup cooked rice
1/2 cup slivered almonds or pine nuts
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 slightly beaten egg

Instructions:

Place whole pumpkins in a baking pan; pour water to about 1 inch deep in the pan to surround the pumpkins for cooking. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 - 45 minutes until a knife slices into the pumpkin gently. Allow pumpkins to cool. Cut across the top to make a lid, just like it was a mini jack-o-lantern. Scoop the seeds and stringy goop out and discard. Scrape the fleshy part out and put on the cutting board. Chop the flesh. Cover raisins with water and bring to boiling point, cover and let sit until ready to use. Sauté the onions in butter. Combine with pumpkin flesh, rice, almonds, raisins, cinnamon and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Add the beaten egg to hold it all together. Now you're ready to fill up your pumpkin shells! Fill so that the filling is sticking up out above the top of shells, big heaping spoonfuls. Top each with it's lid and bake filled shells at 350 degrees F for 30 to 45 minutes. On both baking occasions be mindful of the stems getting to close to the heat source.

Cranberry Pumpkin Bread

noreply@blogger.com (juanamaria) — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 13:44:00 +0000

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs (beaten)
1 cups brown sugar
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup fresh or dried cranberries

Directions:

In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, sugar, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Mix well. In a separate bowl, combine pumpkin, eggs and oil. Mix well. Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture and stir well. Fold in the cranberries. Transfer mixture to two lightly greased loaf pans. Bake in a preheated oven at 350F for approximately 45 to 55 minutes or until golden and baked through. Cool for 5 minutes in pan before removing to wire rack to cool completely.

Rum Balls

noreply@blogger.com (juanamaria) — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 11:48:00 +0000

A favorite holiday treat!

Ingredients:

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons corn syrup
1/2 cup rum
2 1/2 cups crushed vanilla wafers
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1/3 cup confectioners sugar

Instructions:

Melt chocolate chips in a microwave safe dish. Heat for 1 minute to start off stir well, then heat in 30 second intervals, stirring in between and continue until smooth. Blend in sugar, corn syrup and rum. Mix in the crushed wafers and nuts and stir until those are evenly spread out through the mixture. Cover dish and refrigerate until it seems firm enough to shape. Roll into bite sized balls between the palms of your hands. Then roll the balls in powdered sugar. If you like more nuts you can roll them in a mixture of chopped nuts and sugar. Store in a sealed container for about a week to get the best flavor before eating and handing out these goodies.

Pumpkin & Goblins Punch

noreply@blogger.com (juanamaria) — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 07:00:00 +0000

Ingredients:

1 (12-ounce) can frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 (1-liter) bottles of ginger ale
1 package orange sherbet

Directions:

In a punch bowl combine condensed milk and orange juice concentrate. Add ginger ale and mix well. Right before serving top with scoops of orange sherbet and serve.

Any Time Party Mix

noreply@blogger.com (juanamaria) — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 11:46:00 +0000

This is also really good for halloween and fall football parties. The nice part about it is you can make this without getting the kitchen overheated or it leaves the oven free for making other things.

Ingredients:

4 cups Wheat Chex® cereal
4 cups Cheerios® cereal
3 cups pretzel sticks
1 (12 ounce) can salted peanuts
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

Instructions:

Get out the crock pot! Mix up the cereals, pretzels and peanuts and put in the crock pot. Combine butter, parmesan cheese and salts. Drizzle over the dry mixture and toss for coating. Put the lid on and cook on low for 3 - 4 hours. Stir at least once each hour to avoid burning.

Cornbread Stuffing

noreply@blogger.com (juanamaria) — Sun, 21 Oct 2012 14:01:00 +0000

Ingredients:
½ stick of butter
1 cup diced celery
2 cups diced onions
2 cups water
1 16 oz can of corn, drained
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
2 chicken flavored bouillons
6 cups crumbled cornbread
½ cup chopped pecans
Dash of black pepper

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 2 ½ quart baking dish and set aside.

Melt the butter in large skillet over low heat. Add onion and celery and cook for approximately 5 minutes or until tender. Add water, corn, bouillon, paprika, oregano and pepper. Mix well and then add the cornbread and chopped pecans. Stir through the chopped parsley and spoon mixture into baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for approximately 30 minutes.

Mummy Dogs

noreply@blogger.com (juanamaria) — Sun, 21 Oct 2012 11:45:00 +0000

Ingredients:

6 hot dogs
1 package ready to bake pastry
Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Wrap each hot dog in a pastry sheet and lightly brush with melted butter. Sprinkle parmesan cheese over top. Place "mummy dogs" on a lightly greased baking tray and bake at 350F for approximately 15 minutes or until golden and baked through. Top with "blood" (ketchup) and serve.

Hot Witch's Cider

noreply@blogger.com (juanamaria) — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 11:44:00 +0000

Ingredients:

1 gallon apple cider
1 (16 ounce) can frozen orange juice concentrate
2 cinnamon sticks
2 cloves

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan. Simmer over low heat for approximately 15 minutes. Transfer to punch bowl and serve.