Christmas Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients:

1 pound chorizo sausage (beef or pork)
½ large onion finely chopped
½ red bell pepper finely chopped
5 cloves garlic minced
8 ounces Pepper Jack cheese shredded
8 ounces cheddar cheese shredded
4 green onions finely sliced
¼ cup cilantro finely chopped
2 jalapeno peppers seeded, deveined, and finely chopped
12 large eggs
3 cups half-and-half
½ teaspoon hot sauce
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
9 corn tortillas quartered
Toppings: Pico de gallo, sour cream, and avocado or guacamole

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Directions:

In a large skillet, brown chorizo with onions, bell peppers, and garlic until chorizo is cooked through. Remove from heat, and set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine cheeses, cilantro, green onions, and jalapenos. Stir until combined. Set aside.

Butter a 9"x13" baking dish.
Spread one third of the tortilla pieces into the bottom of the dish (12 pieces). Then spoon one third of the chorizo mixture and one third of the cheese mixture on top. Repeat layers twice more, ending with the cheese layer.

In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, half & half, hot sauce, and black pepper until fully combined and a little bit bubbly. Set aside.

Pour egg mixture on top.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
Bake at 350° for 60-90 minutes, until golden brown. You can test done-ness the same way you would with a cake. Simply insert a fork, and if it comes out clean it's ready.
Let set for 10 minutes before serving. 

Serve with fresh pico de gallo, sour cream, and avocado.

Roasted Squash with Goat Cheese and Poached Cranberries

Ingrdients:

1 butternut squash, sliced crosswise into 6 rounds
1 tablespoon olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cup fresh cranberries
½ cup pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 (4-ounce) log goat cheese, at room temperature
¼ cup heavy cream
⅓ cup roasted and salted pepitas (nuts)

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Directions:

Preheat oven to 425°

Toss together squash and oil on a rimmed baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper.

Roast, turning once, until golden brown and tender, 25 to 30 minutes.

Combine cranberries, maple syrup, orange juice, and rosemary in a medium saucepan. Simmer over medium heat until cranberries begin to pop, 10 to 12 minutes.

Stir together goat cheese and heavy cream in a bowl until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve squash topped with cheese mixture, cranberries, and pepitas.

Sugar Cookie Icing

Ingredients:

½ cup butter softened, room temperature, salted or unsalted
3 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract 1 teaspoon if using traditional vanilla
3 tablespoons heavy cream substitute half and half or milk

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Directions:

In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, whip butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar. Add vanilla and heavy cream and mix until smooth.

Allow cookies to cool 10 minutes and ice while warm, or allow them to cool and melt your icing in the microwave for 30 seconds.

Using a measuring cup, pour icing on each cookie individually and using a cake spatula, smooth your icing before moving onto the next cookie or dip cookies in a bowl of warm icing.

Place the frosted cookies on parchment paper. Immediately add sprinkles if desired.

Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup shortening
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg at room temperature
2 tablespoons milk (whole, lowfat, skim)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

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Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer, cream the shortening and sugar together for 1 to 2 minutes or until well combined. Mix in the egg, milk, and vanilla extract until fully combined, making sure to stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Add the dry ingredients and mix until fully combined. The mixture will be a little crumbly at first but it will come together as you continue mixing it. Once the dough comes together, use your hands to form it into a ball.

Divide the dough in half. Lightly flour a piece of parchment paper, add half of the dough, top with another piece of parchment paper, and roll the dough out ¼-inch thick between both pieces of parchment paper. Repeat with the other half of the dough between two separate pieces of parchment paper. This dough doesn't require any dough chilling, but if you prefer colder dough so that it's easier to work with you can place both pieces of rolled out dough between the parchment paper on a baking sheet and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes.

Peel off the top layer of parchment paper. Cut the cookie dough into shapes and place them onto the prepared baking sheets. Leave a little room between each one. If needed, flour a thin spatula and use that to transfer the cut out cookies to the baking sheet. Re-roll any scrap pieces of dough between the parchment paper and continue cutting out shapes.

Bake 9 to 12 minutes or until the tops of the cookies are set the bottom edges are lightly browned.

Kris Kringle Krinkles

Ingredients:

1 cup Butter (softened)
1 ½ cups Granulated Sugar
2 Eggs
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 teaspoon Peppermint Extract (or Almond, Lemon or Mint)
½ teaspoons Baking Soda
3 cups all-purpose Flour
Powdered Sugar

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Directions:

Cream the butter and sugar until completely combined.
Add eggs, vanilla and peppermint extract and mix until the dough is fluffy.
Add Baking Soda.
Mix in the flour, a third at a time.
Split into two portions and color one red and one green.
Refrigerate the dough for 2 hours.
Roll dough into balls.
Place the cookie dough ball in a bowl or plate of powdered sugar and roll the cookie dough ball in the powdered sugar until it is covered.

Bake at 350 degrees for 9-10 minutes.

Roast a whole Turkey

How to cook the turkey at Thanksgiving

A 20 pound unstuffed turkey takes 2 hours in the roaster.

The math works out to 6 minutes per pound. Adjust accordingly.

Check with meat thermometer. 180 in leg. 170 in breast.

USDA says turkey is done at 165. Remove from the oven at 160 and let it sit until it is 165.

Salt the cavity before you add: a sliced apple and sliced onion
Slice a cube of butter and shove the pats under the turkey skin.

Verified on Thanksgiving day 2022 at Stephanie's

Bourbon Balls

Ingredients:

¼ cup (½ stick) butter, at room temperature
1 package (16 oz) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 cup finely chopped toasted pecans - to toast a bit of olive oil and put into 350 oven for about 7 minutes, checking often.
2 Tablespoons Pure Vanilla Extract
¼ cup bourbon
3 packaqges (4 oz) dark chocolate baking chocolate (I used chips and they melt when you are eating)
36 pecan halves, (½ c)

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Directions:

Blend butter and sugar until the consistency of cornmeal.  Stir in pecans, vanilla and bourbon.  Using 1/2 tbsp (¼ oz scoop) scoop out balls.  Place on parchment paper lined tray.

Freeze 15 minutes or until firm.  Roll into smooth balls.  Store in freezer until ready to dip in chocolate

Melt chocolate as directed on pkg.  Remove 12 balls from freezer.  Using a toothpick or fork, dip each ball into melted chocolate then immediately top with pecan 1/2.  Place on parchment paper lined tray.  Freeze 5 minutes or until chocolate is firm.  Repeat dipping with remaining balls.  Store in airtight container in the refrigerator.

Serve balls at room temp.  (I like them colder)

Persimmon Cookies

2 cups sugar

1 cup shortening

2 eggs, slightly beaten

2 cups persimmon pulp

4 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons nutmeg

2 teaspoons cloves

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups raisins or chocolate chips

1 cup walnuts - optional

Beat sugar and shortening together. Add eggs, vanilla, then persimmon pulp.  Add dry ingredients: spices, then add soda, powder, salt, and flour. Add raisins and walnuts. Bake at 375 for 12-15 minutes on a greased pan

Apple Crisp

Filling:
5 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, chopped small
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Topping:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into pieces
1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans

For the Filling:
Mix all the ingredients together. Place into 7 to 8-ounce ramekins.

For topping:
Mix the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in large bowl. Blend the butter into the mixture until it forms pea size lumps. Stir in pecans and sprinkle over filling.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bake crisps for 35 to 40 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

I didn't use the pecans but they would be good, or any nuts.

Pimento Cheese spread

Ingredients:
1 package cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar.. I used extra sharp..
3/4 cup grated Monterey Jack
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 to 3 tablespoons pimentos, smashed (but, if you remember, I didn't have (or couldn't find) a small jar of Pimentos the day I made it, so I bought a jar of roasted peppers and chopped them up... I think it added to the flavor of the finished product greatly. )
1 teaspoon grated onion
Cracked black pepper, and a bit of salt to taste... (Remember: Cheddar is very salty the sharper it gets, so you may not need any more added salt..)

Directions:
Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth and fluffy. Add all of the remaining ingredients and beat until well blended.

Notes: Not only great on crackers and a sandwich, but VERY good stuffed in celery too.
Makes 2 cups
2283 calories for the entire recipe
71 calories per tablespoon

I Love My Pear Salad

Ingredients:

1- 15 oz pear halves
1- 3 oz pkg lemon jello
1- 8 oz pkg cream cheese
1/2 c chopped pecans
2 cups cool whip (thawed)

Instructions:
Drain pears and reserve 1 c syrup (if needed add water to equal 1 c)
In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine syrup and gelatin.  Bring to a boil and stir until gelatin is dissolved.  Remove from heat and chill until partially set.

In a lage bowl, blend the cheese and pears until smooth.  Add gelatin mixture, pecans and whipped topping.  blend until smooth.  Pour into mold or leave in bowl. chill for 3 hours until firm.

Thanksgiving, 2013

Fantasy Fudge

Ingredients:
3/4 cup butter
3 cups sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 pkg (12oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow creme
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:
Grease 9x9 pan

Mix butter, sugar & milk in heavy pan, bring to full rolling boil stirring constantly. Continue boil 5 minutes stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Remove from heat

Gradually stir in chips and marshmallow cream until melted.

Add vanilla and walnuts. Mix well.

Pour into prepared pan and let cool at room temperature.

Cut into squares and store in Christmas tin.

Candied Walnuts

1c brown sugar

1/2c sugar

1/2c sour milk (1t vinegar with canned milk)

2T karo Syrup

1qt. nuts (walnuts)

1t vanilla

Combine sugars, milk & syrup.  Cook on low heat until sugar dissolves,  cook to 246 degrees (soft ball).  Remove, add vanilla & nuts.   Spread on Cookie sheet lined with waxed paper until hardens.  Store in airtight container.

From my Grandma Mckean.  My favorite that I remember from holidays at her house.

Christmas Meatballs

Ingredients:
2 eggs

1 envelope onion soup mix

1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1/4 cup chopped, dried cranberries

2 Tablespoons fresh minced parsley

1 1/2 lbs ground beef

Sauce

1 can whole berry cranberry sauce

3/4 cup ketchup

1/2 cup beef broth

3 Tablespoons brown sugar

3 Tablespoons chopped onion

2 teaspoons cider vinegar

Directions:

Combine eggs, soup mix, crumbs, cranberries & parsley.  Crumble beef over mixture and mix well.  Shape into 1 inch balls and put place 12-14 balls in the microwave on high for 3-4 minutes until no longer pink.  Drain and repeat with rest of mixture.

Combine sauce ingredients and microwave on high 3-4 minutes until hot through.  Stir in meatballs. Cover and cook on high for 1-2 minutes.  Remove to crock pot to keep warm until serving.  

Thanks to Annie's mom

Egg Nog

6 eggs - seperated
1/2 c sugar
2 c bourbon
1 c rum
2 c half & half (1pint)
2 qts. milk

Beat yolks and sugar, slowly add bourbon, add rum, half & half, milk.  Fold in beated egg whites.  Nutmeg to taste.  Make day ahead, chill.

Thanks to a drunk couple in Albertsons, Christmas 1984.