*4th of July/Memorial Day/Labor Day - Strawberries
By: Mary Babilya
-Strawberries
-Melting Chocolate - White
-Sprinkles - Blue
Melt Chocolate and dip strawberries 2/3 of the way, then dip into blue sprinkles 1/3 of the way. It makes them red white and blue and everyone seemed to love them!
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*Thanksgiving - Sweet Potato Casserole
By: Anne Sykes Brooks
Ingredients
3 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup evaporated milk
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Directions
Mix together sweet potatoes, white sugar, 1/2 cup butter or margarine, milk, eggs, and vanilla. Spread into a greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
Mix together 1/3 cup melted butter or margarine, pecans, brown sugar, and flour. Spoon on top of sweet potato mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 to 30 minutes.
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*Thanksgiving - My favorite thanksgiving guilty pleasure (Yams)
By: Melissa Rascio
1 stick butter
4 or 5 large fresh yams or sweet potatoes
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon OR 1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp. freshly grated ginger root
1/2 tsp. sea salt
2 to 2 1/2 cups mini marshmallows (optional)
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Peel yams or sweet potatoes (either may be used). Cut into 1 inch cubes or wedges.
Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish generously.
Arrange yams in baking dish.
In a saucepan, melt butter, and stir sugar until dissolved over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup water and spices.
Bring to a boil, add maple syrup; reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes. Pour butter mixture over the yams, turning them over to coat well. Cover the yams tightly with aluminum foil and bake on center rack in oven, basting the potatoes with the butter syrup once or twice during the baking for about 45 minutes or until fork tender.
Cooks Note: If adding mini-marshmallows, spread them evenly over the top of the potatoes at this time, and broil for 5-10 minutes or until lightly browned, otherwise proceed with next step.
When the potatoes are done, remove foil. Bake on the upper third of the oven at 475°F until the syrup has thickened and the potatoes are just beginning to caramelize (about 20 minutes - but watch carefully and do not allow them to burn; if they are browning too quickly reduce oven temperature).
Baste with additional butter before serving.
Variation: Use honey or Karo syrup instead of the maple syrup; add 1/4 cup frozen orange concentrate. Omit cinnamon; use vanilla.
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*Thanksgiving - Raisin StoveTop Stuffing
By: Toni Mullin
I know this is really simple, but I use the Chicken Flavor Stove Top Stuffing and add raisins to it. Gives it a little something extra. My husband loves it
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*Thanksgiving - Chris' famous yams!
By Chris Rolleri
5 scrubbed yams (about 2 1/2 lbs.)
2 c. water
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp. freshly grated ginger root
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
Instructions
Boil 2 c. water in the bottom of a steamer set. Put yams in the steamer, place over the boiling water and cover.
Steam yams for 30 minutes, or until a fork easily pierces the yams.
Remove the yams from the steamer and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Melt butter over medium-low heat in a saucepan. Add brown sugar and stir until dissolved.
Add ginger and simmer 1 minute.
Add lemon juice and remove from heat.
Butter a deep, 7-by-11-inch baking dish.
Peel yams and slice in half lengthwise.
Put yams flat-side down in the baking dish. Pour butter and brown sugar mixture over the yams.
Bake yams for 15 minutes. Serve.
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*Halloween - Hot Dog Mummies
By Jessica Vanderhoff
Ingredients
1 11-ounce can of refrigerator breadsticks
1 12-pack of hot dogs
Yellow mustard
Instructions
1.For each mummy, separate one breadstick from the roll and use kitchen shears or a knife to slice it in half lengthwise to create two thinner strips.
2.Wrap one strip at a time snugly around the hot dog. Depending on the size of the hot dog, you may not need all of both strips. Leave about 1/2 inch of hot dog exposed for the face area and continue wrapping the top of the hot dog.
3.Bake the mummies on a cookie sheet at 350º for 15 to 18 minutes or until the breadstick wrapping is golden brown.
4.Remove the mummies from the oven and cool them for 5 minutes. Add yellow mustard eyes just before serving. Makes 12 mummies.
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*Halloween - Cheesy Corn For kids
By Jessica Vanderhoff
1. Heat the oven to 450º.
2. Cut two small round prebaked pizza crusts into wedges that resemble the shape of candy corn. Top each wedge with rows of white, orange, and yellowish cheeses, as shown.
3. Bake the wedges on a cookie sheet for 8 to 10 minutes, then let them cool for 5 minutes before serving. Makes 16 to 20
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*Fall Season/Halloween/Thanksgiving - Pumpkin Soup
By Chris Rolleri
1 small pumpkin
1/2 lb. peeled and chopped turnips
1/2 c. heavy cream
6 tbsp. butter
1 large parsnip
salt
1 med. onion
6 c. reduced-sodium chicken broth
pepper
Cut the pumpkin in half. Scoop out and discard the fiber and seeds.
Cut the pumpkin into large pieces.
Peel the pumpkin pieces with a vegetable peeler, and trim any remaining fiber so that all you have left is pumpkin flesh.
Cut the flesh into 1-inch pieces.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute, stirring often, until softened.
Add pumpkin, turnips, parsnip and chicken broth to saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat.
Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer one hour.
Remove soup from heat and cool about 15 minutes.
Strain the vegetables from the soup and put in a food processor fitted with a metal chopping blade. Add 1 1/2 c. broth and process until smooth.
Add the rest of the broth and process again. (If your food processor isn't big enough, do this in batches.)
Rinse the saucepan and put the pureed soup in it. Stir in the cream and cook over medium heat, stirring, until heated through.
Season to taste with salt and pepper
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*Fall Season/Thanksgiving - Pumpkin Bread
By Jessica Vanderhoff
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
3 cups sugar
3 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
1 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1 (16 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin
Directions
1.In a mixing bowl, dream butter and sugar. Add eggs; mix well. Combine dry ingredients; stir into creamed mixture just until moistened. Stir in pumpkin. Pour into two greased 9-in. x 5-in. x 3-in. loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour or until bread tests done.
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*Fall/Thanksgiving -Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
By Chris Rolleri
Put on sheet tray spread them out salt them and bake at 350 for 10 to 15 min then cool and enjoy.
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*Fall.Thanksgiving - Pumpkin Pancakes
by Jess Vanderhoff
Ingredients
HOT CIDER SYRUP:
3/4 cup apple cider or apple juice
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
PANCAKES:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 eggs, separated
1 cup milk
1/2 cup cooked or canned pumpkin
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Directions
1.In a saucepan, combine the syrup ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes or until slightly thickened. Let stand for 30 minutes before serving.
2.For pancakes, combine the dry ingredients in a bowl. In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks, milk, pumpkin and oil. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. In a mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form; fold into batter.
3.Pour batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto a hot greased griddle. Turn when bubbles form on top of pancakes. Cook until second side is golden brown. Serve with the syrup.
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Sausage Apple Cranberry Stuffing
by Jess Vanderhoff
1 1/2 cups cubed whole wheat bread
3 3/4 cups cubed white bread
1 pound ground turkey sausage
1 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped celery
2 1/2 teaspoons dried sage
1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 Golden Delicious apple, cored and chopped
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
1 cooked turkey liver, finely chopped
3/4 cup turkey stock
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Directions
1.Preheat oven to 350 degree F (175 degree C). Spread the white and whole wheat bread cubes in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes in the preheated oven, or until evenly toasted. Transfer toasted bread cubes to a large bowl.
2.In a large skillet, cook the sausage and onions over medium heat, stirring and breaking up the lumps until evenly browned. Add the celery, sage, rosemary, and thyme; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes to blend flavors.
3.Pour sausage mixture over bread in bowl. Mix in chopped apples, dried cranberries, parsley, and liver. Drizzle with turkey stock and melted butter, and mix lightly. Spoon into turkey to loosely fill.
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Sweet Potato Casserole
by Jess Vanderhoff
4 1/2 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup milk
1 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup butter
1 cup chopped pecans
Directions
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2.In a large bowl, mix together mashed sweet potatoes, 1/2 cup butter, milk, sugar, vanilla extract, and eggs. Spread sweet potato mixture into the prepared baking dish. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar and flour. Cut in 1/3 cup butter until mixture is crumbly, then stir in pecans. Sprinkle pecan mixture over the sweet potatoes.
3.Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.
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Turkey Pumpkin Enchiladas
by Jess Vanderhoff
cooking spray
4 cups chopped cooked turkey
1 (15 ounce) can refried beans
1 (29 ounce) can pure pumpkin puree
1/4 cup taco seasoning mix
1 (29 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, or more to taste
2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
8 (10 inch) whole wheat tortillas
1 (8 ounce) package shredded Cheddar cheese
Directions
1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2.Mix the cooked turkey, refried beans, pumpkin puree, and taco seasoning in a bowl. Pour tomato sauce into a blender, and add chipotle pepper and chicken bouillon granules; blend until smooth, about 30 seconds.
3.Lay a tortilla out onto a work surface, and generously spoon turkey filling in a line down the middle of the tortilla. Fold a top and bottom flap of the tortilla towards the middle, and fold the sides inward to enclose the filling. Lay the enchilada, seam side down, into the baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling. Pour the sauce over the filled tortillas, and sprinkle with Cheddar cheese.
4.Bake in the preheated oven until the cheese has melted and the sauce is bubbling, 35 to 45 minutes.
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Night Before Christmas Coffee Cake
by Lauren Elizabeth
Ingredients
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
... 2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup warm milk
1 package yeast (2 teaspoons bulk yeast) dissolved in 3 tablespoons warm water
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Topping:
1 tablespoon cinnamon
4 tablespoons melted butter or margarine
1/2 cup nuts or maraschino cherries, candied red or green cherries
2/3 cup sugar
Directions
1.
Cream together sugar and butter.
2.
Add eggs, milk, yeast (with warm water), flour, salt and vanilla.
3.
Beat all of these ingredients together.
4.
Then set dough aside, covered with a damp cloth, and let it rise, until double in size.
5.
When your coffee cake dough has risen to double the size (this may take about 2 hours) put it in a 9x13" greased pan and spread with topping.
6.
Now place in a cold oven and leave it in there overnight to rise.
7.
The next morning turn oven to 350 degrees and bake for 1/2 hour.
8.
Take out and serve warm.
Topping:
1.
Combine sugar, cinnamon, melted butter and nuts (you can use maraschino cherries or candied red and green cherries if you don't like nuts).
This makes a large coffee cake or you can put the dough in two round pans instead.
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Sausage, Apple and Cranberry Stuffing
by Jess Vanderhoff
1 1/2 cups cubed whole wheat bread
3 3/4 cups cubed white bread
1 pound ground turkey sausage
1 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped celery
2 1/2 teaspoons dried sage
1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 Golden Delicious apple, cored and chopped
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
1 cooked turkey liver, finely chopped
3/4 cup turkey stock
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Directions
1.Preheat oven to 350 degree F . Spread the white and whole wheat bread cubes in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes in the preheated oven, or until evenly toasted. Transfer toasted bread cubes to a large bowl.
2.In a large skillet, cook the sausage and onions over medium heat, stirring and breaking up the lumps until evenly browned. Add the celery, sage, rosemary, and thyme; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes to blend flavors.
3.Pour sausage mixture over bread in bowl. Mix in chopped apples, dried cranberries, parsley, and liver. Drizzle with turkey stock and melted butter, and mix lightly. Spoon into turkey to loosely fill.
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Turkey Breast with Apple and Raisin Stuffing
by Jess Vanderhoff
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup raisins
1 (6 ounce) package low sodium stuffing mix (such as Stove Top® Lower Sodium Chicken Flavor)
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
1 apple - peeled, cored and chopped
1 (6 pound) whole bone-in turkey breast with skin
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
Directions
1.Place the water, butter, and raisins into a saucepan; bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, stir in the stuffing mix, cover, and let stand until the stuffing mixture absorbs the liquid, about 5 minutes. Stir 1 tablespoon of poultry seasoning and the apple lightly into the stuffing. Allow the stuffing mixture to cool.
2.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F . Place a rack into a roasting pan.
3.Carefully remove the turkey breast skin in one piece without tearing the skin, and set aside. Bone the turkey breast (see notes) keeping the meat in one piece but removing the strip of cartilage and gristle between the two breast halves, if necessary. Pull the two tenderloin sections outward from the main part of the breast, keeping them attached, to expand the boneless piece of turkey into a roughly square-shaped piece of meat. Sprinkle the inside of the breast with salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon of poultry seasoning.
4.Spread the stuffing mixture all over the inside of the breast meat piece, and firmly roll the stuffed breast into a compact roll. Spread the reserved turkey skin out, and place the stuffed roll in the middle of the skin. Pull and roll the skin over the stuffed meat, and tie the stuffed roll together with cooking twine. Place the roll onto the roasting rack with the seam side down.
5.Roast the stuffed breast in the preheated oven until the skin is golden brown, the meat is no longer pink inside, and the temperature of the roll, measured at the thickest part, reads 170 degrees F , 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Allow the roast to stand covered with a tent of aluminum foil for at least 10 minutes before removing the twine for slicing.
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Apple Sausage Pecan Stuffing
by Geri Judy
The following recipe is based on a 22LB turkey...
1 bag seasoned Stuffing cubes
Low Sodium Swansons Chicken Broth
2 Gala apples-peeled, cored and diced
2c. Crushed Pecans-toasted
1lb ground sausage with sage
1 stick butter
Brown sausage with stick of butter, once almost done toss in apples and sautee about 5 minutes. Pour bag of seasoned cubes into large mixing bowl, add meat and apple mixture. Toss well. Begin adding Chicken broth just until moistened, lastly add in the toasted pecans. Place in greased baking dish and bake for 1 hour at 350.
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Stuffing
by Rachael Sawyer
Depending on size of bird....
1/2 a stick of butter in sauteed pan or you can use Canola oil for healthier route.
2 stalks celery chopped
1 whole onion chopped.
saute in pan
add salt pepper
and poultry seasoning, if you do not have poultry seasoning you can use some sage
I use wheat bread my mother uses white but break up about 5 loaves of bread in a bowl about one inch square pieces or so, then add the celery and onion mixture and mix together with your hands and add a little bit of chicken to bind stuffing together a little more...add a little more poultry seasoning.and salt.and pepper to taste then.stuff your bird and once your bird is done you can spoon the stuffing out and.serve. It is absolutely delicious.
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Christmas Shrimp Tree
by Jess Vanderhoff
1 bunch beet greens
1 slice process American cheese
1 pound cooked medium shrimp with tails intact
1 (14.25 ounce) can baby corn, drained
1 (6 ounce) can whole black olives, drained
1 (5 ounce) jar pimiento-stuffed green olives, drained
1 (4 ounce) can jalapeno pepper slices
Directions
1.Wrap a 9 inch tall Styrofoam cone with aluminum foil, covering completely. Use toothpicks to attach beet greens, with the undersides facing outward, to the cone. Cut off the exposed pieces of toothpick with strong scissors. Place the slice of cheese on a dry serving plate. Set the cone onto the cheese to anchor.
2.Use frilly toothpicks to attach shrimp, baby corn, black olives, green olives and jalapeno slices to the cone to look like decorations. Scatter any leftover vegetables around the base of the tree. Serve with your choice of colorful purchased dipping sauces, like cocktail sauce, remoulade sauce, or guacamole.
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