Miss Debbies Cranberry Delight Spread

Sis Debbie brought this one last Thanksgiving and it was a HIT!  Gotta try it!

• 1 8oz package cream cheese, softened
• 2 Tbsp frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed slightly
• zest of 1 orange
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup chopped dried orange flavored cranberries

In a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, orange juice, orange zest and cinnamon on medium until fluffy.  Stir in cranberries and pecans.  Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving (preferably over night).  Serve with crackers or graham cracker snack sticks – YUMMY!!!

Mom’s Carrot Cake

Trust me on this one . . . anything that starts with “Mom” is the bomb!   My mom should have opened her own bakery – we would be ka-BLILLIONAIRS by now!!!

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp cinnamon

Sift together all these ingredients and set aside.

• 2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cup vegetable oil, (canola is preferred)
• 4 eggs

Beat all these ingredients well, and slowly add flour mixture.  Add the remaining ingredient.

• 3 cups grated carrots
• 2 cups chopped pecans (or walnuts)

Pour batter into 2 round cake pans, greased and floured.  Bake at 375 – 400 degree’s for 35  – 40 minutes.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 1 8oz cream cheese, soft
• 3/4 box powder sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 stick butter

Cream butter and cream cheese, then add sugar and vanilla and beat well.

Note:  Let cakes cool before frosting and make sure to get some of that cream cheesiness in the middle layer too!  The less sugar used the better, apparently this recipe is a ‘consistancy’ sort of thing.  You want it thick enough to spread without pulling the cake apart while doing so.

No Kidding – this is a YUM, YUM, YUMMY!!!!

Mom’s famous Egg Nog

• 1 gallon whole milk (skim will make a much lower calorie version)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 6 eggs, separated
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 Tbsp rum flavoring

Combine all but 1/2 cup of milk, 1/4 cup sugar, condensed milk, salt and nutmeg and heat on stove top just to boiling (but don’t let it boil), stirring constantly.  Beat eggs yokes and add to 1/2 cup milk, and then add to hot milk mixture SLOWLY – (this will keep your eggs from turning into scrambled egg nog), cook 1 – 2 minutes on medium heat and then add the vanilla and rum.  Beat egg whites and slowly add 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tsp vanilla.  Fold egg into egg nog mixture.  Sprinkle with nutmeg. Chill and serve hot or cold (I like it cold with a couple shots of kamora).

CHEERS! and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

Squash Casserole

• 2 lbs cooked yellow neck squash
• 1 chopped onion
• 1 grated carrot
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 8oz sour cream
• 1 small can water chestnuts
• 2 tsp pimento
• 1 small package Pepperidge Farm cornmeal dressing mix (or Stove Top)
• 1 stick melted butter

Mix cooked squash, onion, carrot, soup, sour cream, water chestnuts and pimento.  Set aside.  Mix the dressing with melted butter and place in casserole dish.  Then add vegetable mixture.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Recipe donated by Sister Mary Stella Davis, O.S.B.  Thank you Sister – this sounds wonderful and I think I may have to try it for a holiday side dish!

Apple and Sweet Potatoes

• 1 large can sweet potatoes, drained
• 1 can apple pie filling
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Place sweet potatoes in casserole dish.  Combine apple pie filling, honey, lemon juice and cinnamon, mix well and pour over potatoes.  Cover and bake at 425 degrees for 20 – 30 minutes.

Recipe donated by Jane Hogstyn.  Thanks Jane!, sounds YUMMY!

Yellow Squash and Apples

• 2 lbs yellow squash
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/8 cup butter
• 2 – 3 unpeeled cooking apples, sliced (or you can even use winter pears)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
• salt to taste

Cube peeled squash and add to onions and saute’ in butter.  Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost tender.  Add fruit, sugar, salt and cinnamon.  Cook until tender and then stir in walnuts.  Serve hot.

Recipe donated by Shirley Hogestyn, thanks Shirley – can’t wait to try this one!

Hot Crab Dip

Got this one in my email today and even though I haven’t tried it yet, it looked to good not to add here:

 Crab cakes deconstructed and topped with cornbread.  By Aïda Mollenkamp

• 6 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons Creole mustard
• 1 tablespoon horseradish cream
• 2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
• 1/4 cup minced celery
• 1/4 cup minced onion
• Tabasco sauce, to taste
• 1 pound fresh crabmeat
• 1 cup coarsely crumbled cornbread

1. Heat the oven to 400°F and arrange a rack in middle. Place mayonnaise, mustard, horseradish cream, Old Bay, celery, and onion in a small bowl and mix until well combined. Season with salt and Tabasco sauce, add crab, and mix until well incorporated.
2. Place crab mixture in a 3-cup ovenproof dish and top with crumbled cornbread. Bake in the oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately with toasts or celery sticks.

Call it deconstructed crab cakes if you will, but the addition of cornbread makes it much more than that.

What to buy: Creole mustard has a great heat and works well in this recipe. Substitute Dijon mustard if you can’t find it.  Horseradish cream is sometimes labeled “horseradish cream style” or “prepared horseradish.”

Game plan: The crab mix can be made up to a day ahead of time (just leave out the salt until you are ready to bake it).  This recipe was featured in our Thanksgiving Southern-Style

Plus this is a really cool site and even gives beverage pairing with this tasty little appetizer.

Mexican Corn Bread

• 3 Tbsp baking powder
• 1 cup yellow corn meal
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 small can cream corn
• 2 jalapeno peppers (or small can green chili’s)
• 1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

Mix all ingredients, except cheese and pour into lightly greased 12″ pan.  Top with cheese and bake 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Recipe submitted by John Holmes – Thanks John!