Christmas Eve Gingerbread Cookies

"Don't Eat Santa's Cookies"

Ingredients:

2 1/2 C. All Purpose Flour

1/2 C. Granulated Sugar

1/2  C. Butter, softened

1/2 C. Molasses

1 Egg

1 1/2 tsp ground Cinnamon

1 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp ground Ginger

1/2 tsp ground Cloves

1/2 tsp ground Nutmeg

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Salt

Step 1:

In a bowl add dry ingredients and whisk to combine.  In mixer bowl, mix butter, molasses, egg.  Add dry ingredients on slow speed until well mixed.  Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.

Step 2:

Preheat oven to 350.  On a lightly floured surface, working with half of the dough at a time, roll 1/8 inch thick.  With floured cookie cutters, cut dough into shapes.  Place cookies 1/2 inch apart on a parchment lined cookie sheet.  Bake 8 minutes or until lightly browned.  Transfer cookies to racks to cool completely.

Makes approx. 2 dozen 

Recipe from Readers Digest Canada

Best Chocolate Chip Cookies.....for reals! By, The Idea Room

1 1/2 C unsalted Butter (at room temp)
1 1/2 C light Brown Sugar
1/2 C Sugar
2 Eggs
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
4 C Flour
2 (3.4 oz) pkgs of Instant Vanilla Pudding mix
2 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Salt
2-4 C Mini Chocolate Chips (according to your chocolate needs)

Instructions

1. Cream together butter and sugars until smooth
2.  Add in eggs and beat well
3. Add the rest of the ingredients one by one and mix well.
4. Fold in chocolate chips
5. Scoop into balls on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
6. Bake in 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes

Meatloaf from Changeable Table

*I always double the meatloaf ingredients

Meatloaf:

1 pound ground beef (a little extra - up to 1-1/2 lbs works just fine if you are trying to make it serve more people)

1-1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped bell pepper (I used red)

1 egg, lightly beaten

8 oz canned diced tomatoes with juice (use up to the full can if using more meat)

1/2 cup quick cooking oats

Glaze:  (I usually triple this, and keep some aside for dipping)

1/3 cup ketchup

2 Tbs brown sugar

1 Tbs prepared mustard

Directions:

Crumble ground beef in large bowl.

Add all other ingredients, and mix lightly with hands.

If doubling, Form loosely into 2 loaf shapes on rimmed baking/cookie sheet.  Mixture will be very moist.

Combine glaze ingredients and spoon over top, spreading to cover evenly.  

Bake at 375° for one hour, or until juices run clear.

Spread with additional glaze if necessary.

Slice and serve.

Thanksgiving Favorites

Cranberry Salsa and Cream Cheese Dip -- from Our Best Bites

12 oz. bag Fresh Cranberries, washed
2   Jalapeños, minced (adjust to taste)
1/2 C  Green Onions, roughly chopped
1/4 C  Cilantro, roughly chopped
1/2 TBS  Lime Juice
1/4 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/2 C Sugar (more to taste if desired)
2- 8oz. pkgs  Cream Cheese,  room temp.

Place cranberries, jalapenos, green onions and cilantro in a food processor and process until fine.  Transfer mixture into a bowl and stir in lime juice, salt, and sugar.  Chill in fridge for about 2 hours or more.  To serve, spread cream cheese evenly in a pie plate or other shallow serving dish.  Spread salsa on top and serve with crackers.  

* One recipe makes enough for 2 blocks of cream cheese.  Usually serve 1 block at a time, and save the extra for another night.


JerriAnn's Yam and Apples

5 medium Yam, Cooked and Peeled, slice 1" thick
5 medium Apples (Granny Smith and Gala) peeled and sliced 1" thick
1/4 -1/2 C. Fresh Cranberries

2 C Water
1 C Sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
3 TBSP Cornstarch
1 stick Butter

Cook Yams, peel and slice 1" thick. Peel apples and slice 1/2" thick.  Layer apples and yams in 9x13 pan.  Sprinkle Cranberries over top. Make sauce by boiling water, sugar, salt, cinnamon, cornstarch and butter together.  After boiling sauce, Pour over yams and apples. Cover and Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.


Spiced Cranberry Sauce --from Our Best Bites

12 oz bag Fresh Cranberries
1 C Water
1 pinch Ground Cloves
1 stick Cinnamon
1 C Orange Juice
1 C Sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degree

Wash Cranberries and place in a 9x13 baking dish.  Add water, cloves, cinnamon stick, orange juice and sprinkle sugar over top of ingredients. Bake 1 hour.

Remove from oven, remove cinnamon stick,  and allow to cool.  Mash with potato masher, until desired consistency.



Slow Cooker Cranberry Orange Relish-- from Lion House  

2 C Sugar
1 C Orange Juice
1 tsp grated Orange Zest
4 C. fresh. Cranberries

Combine Sugar, Orange Juice, and Orange Zest in slow cooker, stir until sugar is dissolved.  Stir in the cranberries.  Cover and cook on low setting for 6-8 hours.  Mash with potato masher.  Put in bowl, cover  and refrigerate several hours or overnight.  (the longer this relish sits, the better it is).
Makes 12 servings, 1/4 C. each.



Make Ahead Turkey Gravy-- from Add A Pinch

1/2 C Salted Butter,  cut into cubes
1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
1/2 C Flour
3 C Turkey Stock or pan drippings

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and slowly whisk in flour.  Cook until the flour is fully incorporated into the butter and is a nut brown color.  Whisking constantly, slowly pouring turkey stock and cook until thickened.

Remove from heat and serve immediately or cool, pour into an airtight container, and refrigerate up to one week.  If serving from made-ahead gravy, reheat in a medium saucepan until warm throughout.    If the gravy is too thick, add more stock until it reached desired consistency.

Old-Fashioned Bread and Celery Dressing-- from Palatablepastime.com

• Servings: 4-6
• Time: 80min
• Difficulty: easy

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces dry bread cubes (Sourdough & French Bread)
• 2 cups diced celery
• 2 cups chopped onions
• 2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage  OR 3/4 - 1 tsp dried sage
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary OR 3/4 - 1 tsp dried rosemary
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme OR 3/4 - 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 8 tablespoons butter
• 2 1/2 cups turkey broth or 2 1/2 cups chicken broth

Method:

1. Saute the onions, celery. herbs, salt and pepper in butter until soft.
2. Combine with the bread cubes by tossing lightly, adding enough broth to make it wet but not too soggy,  and place in an oblong baking pan.
3. Cover with foil and bake at 325F. for 45 minutes.
4. Uncover and bake 15 minutes more.

Easy Banana Cream Pie--

1 Nilla Pie Crust (6 oz.) 

1 med Banana, Ripe

2 1/2 C Cold Milk

2 pkgs (4serving size each).  Vanilla Instant Pudding mix

2 C Cool Whip, thawed, divided

Place banana slices on bottom of crust

Pour milk into a large bowl.  Add pudding mixes.  Beat with wire whisk 2 minutes or until well blended. gently stir in 1 C of the Cool Whip, with wire whisk.  Spoon pudding mixture into crust.  

Refrigerate 4 hours, or until set.  Top with remaining Cool Whip.  Garnish with sliced bananas.  Store leftover pie in refrigerator.

Impossible Pumpkin Pie

3/4 C Sugar

1/2 C Bisquick

2 Eggs

16 oz can Pumpkin

2 Tbs melted Butter

2 tsp Vanilla

2 1/2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

1 Can Evaporated Milk

Heat oven to 350.  Lightly grease glass pie pan.  Mix all ingredients 1 minute in blender.  Pour in pan & bake 45-50 minutes until knife comes out clean from center of pie.

  

Sunday Crockpot Mashed Potatoes

Link to Changeable Table's Crockpot Potatoes:

23_Sunday_Crockpot_Mashed_Potatoes.html

Clarion Italian Loaf Sandwiches

Italian Loaf Bread (Walmart Bakery- order criss cross cut)
12-16oz meat per loaf  (Turkey from Costco)
Muenster Cheese
Iceberg Lettuce
Roma Tomatoes
Banana Peppers
Red Onion
Dill Spread


Dill Spread:
2 C Mayo
2 C Sour Cream
2 TBS Dill Weed
2 TBS Dried Parsley
1 TBS Celery Salt

*Can assemble sandwiches up to 3 hours ahead of time-wrap tight in saran wrap
*7 sandwiches per loaf

Jennie's Granola

Jennie Isaac’s Granola

3 C. Old Fashioned Rolled Oats

1 C. Chopped Pecans

1 C. Unsweetened Coconut Flakes

½ C. Honey

1/4 C . Brown Sugar

¼ C. Coconut Oil

¾ tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Vanilla

1 tsp. Cinnamon

1 C Raisins or Craisins

In a big bowl combine oats, pecans, coconut flakes and salt.  In a saucepan combine on low heat, coconut oil, honey, brown sugar, vanilla and cinnamon, just until melted. *Do Not overheat!  Pour over oat mixture and then spread on a rimmed cookie sheet.  Bake at 250 degrees until mixture is light golden brown (approx. 40 min)  Stir every 15 minutes.  Transfer granola to a bowl and add raisins.  Mix well and stir occasionally as it cools.  Store in an airtight container in the fridge.