The recipes and suggestions on this website can be used for Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years. On Easter look for Peace Plants instead of Poinsettias. Use reds, greens, or golds to make your holiday meals festive looking. Search local Dollar stores, Kmart, and Walmart for faux potted Poinsettias, ivy garland, and red, green, or gold battery-operated candles to decorate your home and table. Pay attention to all the details. That is what will make your holiday festivities and meals so special. Have soft holiday music playing, a video fireplace DVD displayed on your tv screen, linen tablecloth and napkins, your best dinnerware and silverware, and the candles turned on, with some holiday potpourri fragrancing your home for extra holiday ambience. Brewing a pot of Spiced Indian Chai makes a wonderful holiday fragrance for the home that you can serve to your guests upon arriving along with your appetizers you can quickly make and Petit Fours, or Baklava you can buy from www.Figis.com or www.HickoryFarms.com.
www.CelestialSeasonings.com sells Spiced Indian Chai teabags. Their Original Spiced Indian Chai teabags seem to smell the most fragrant. Be sure to check out all of Torani and DaVinci Syrups, both sugar-free and regular, at www.amazon.com so you can create non-alcoholic mocktails for the holidays.
Use beautiful potted faux Poinsettias and inexpensive crystal vases filled with colorful ornaments, tiny balls, or flat glass marbles as decorations or centerpieces. Check out Home Depot's and Lowe's holiday sections to find some beautiful potted plants and decorations. Reflect light with mirrors placed side-by-side on one entire wall. This makes any small room look larger. Even the smallest apartments can be made quite cozy. Serve a special flavored Holiday Coffee with your dessert. Your personal attention to all the little details can make this holiday season very special for everyone who has the privilege of being in your home for the holidays. A faux pine Christmas tree can be made to smell like a real pine tree by simply soaking a cotton pad or ball in Pine Sol or Essential Pine Oil and inserting it somewhere it cannot be easily seen inside the base of the tree, (always keeping it away from any lights.) You will need to resoak the pad a few times in Pine Sol or Essential Pine Oil to keep it smelling like a pine tree throughout the Holiday Season. You can keep a fully decorated small faux Christmas tree ready to use by simply setting a small one inside a 13-gallon white garbage bag and securing it closed at the top of the tree and keeping it on a shelf in a closet. Silk Poinsettia Plants can be done that same way. I do my Christmas decorations each year using a small decorated Christmas tree and one large silk Poinsettia, and both of them look great after using them stored like that for many years. I keep Himalayan Salt Lamps and use them and battery-operated candles all year round for ambience. They make such a wonderful relaxing difference in the atmosphere. You will find many tips, suggestions for gifts, and recipes on this website which are free for everyone to use and enjoy, and many other click-on links to find things that can make entertaining so much easier. Part of the fun is NOT having to do so much work, but getting as much done beforehand as possible, so you can enjoy the festivities as much as your guests. Even if you are totally alone in life, you will still want to celebrate Thanksgiving for all the blessings God has given you, and Christmas, celebrating the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Any senior citizen whose income is below the poverty level, might be able to apply for LIHEAP (Low-Income-Heating-Energy-Assistance-Program) twice each year if they are at least age 65 and live alone or both people are at least age 65. It is a twice-a-year program designed to help poor people who are the head of a household to heat their homes, apartments, or duplexes in the colder months and in the hotter months to cool your home. You will need to do research online to see if that program is available in your state. If you qualify, you can get free grants available to them sent to your electric or gas company to be applied automatically to your electric or gas bills, or whatever heating company you use. This could mean the difference between being cold and staying warm in the winter months, or cool in the hotter months, so give it a try if it's available in your area.
Jenny-O Brand sells a smaller frozen turkey breast that you roast in your own oven. It comes already cleaned and marinated in a sealed oven-roasting bag that takes about three hours to cook from the frozen state. It has a pack of gravy to which you only need to add water and cook it on your stovetop in a pan, stirring until thickened. I cooked one removed from the oven roasting bag in my crockpot overnight in a quart of chicken broth. The turkey breast weighed about three pounds, which would feed four people nicely. It was tender and juicy.
HOLIDAY DRESSING
Bake a large skillet of buttermilk self-rising white cornbread. You can find a recipe for cornbread on my Southern Recipes website. The click-on link is on this page. After your cornbread is done, break it completely up, and store in a Hefty Freezer bag until you need it. Do this a couple days ahead. You can store it in the refrigerator or the freezer. On the day you want to make your dressing, take out the cornbread and place it in a large bowl, add 1 beaten large egg, 4 chopped boiled eggs, 1 Tbsp. celery seeds, 1 cup finely diced onions, 2 Tbsp. sage, salt and pepper to suit your tastes, and enough chicken broth to wet it all. Pour this mixture into a large rectangular butter sprayed baking dish, and bake it at 350 degrees for half an hour.
If this sounds like too much dressing for your family meal, just put half of it into another covered freezer baking dish without baking it, and save it for another meal. It can also be put into individual ramekins and baked or frozen for baking later.
HOLIDAY GRAVY
Separate the fat from the gravy. You can discard the oily part but save the brown gravy part into another container. Take these fat-free drippings leftover from your roasted meat and place them in a skillet, with 3 Tbsp. flour and 3 Tbsp. butter. Mix with a whisk to smooth it all out so there are no lumps. After one minute, add enough chicken broth to make it as thick or thin as you want your gravy to be while stirring and cooking for another four minutes over medium heat. Serve it warm in a lovely clear glass or white porcelain gravy boat with a ladle. If you don't own a gravy boat, use a small pitcher or glass measuring cup to hold the gravy.
Open a can of gelled Cranberry Sauce, slice it in a dish with a lid and keep it in the refrigerator to chill until served.
QUICK AND EASY THANKSGIVING CASSEROLE MEAL
Buy a box of Stovetop Sage Cornbread Dressing Mix and prepare it according to box directions. When done, add to it: 1 can undiluted Cream of Chicken Soup and 1 large pouch of cooked chicken breast chunks. Mix to combine everything. Spread evenly into a clear glass butter-sprayed casserole dish. Place in your microwave on high for 4 minutes or until set in center and sides begin to pull away from the dish. Serve the casserole hot with side dishes of Idahoan Instant buttery mashed potatoes and a jar of GV Chicken gravy heated; 1 can GV Italian-cut green beans and a large jar of drained GV sliced mushrooms mixed together and heated through in your microwave on high for 3 minutes then topped with GV crispy Fried Onions; a dish of fresh tomato slices; a can of chilled gelled cranberry sauce sliced; warm large butter croissants; Sweet Luzianne Iced Tea with True Lemon Powder, and a purchased Sweet Potato Pie topped with GV canned whipped cream for dessert.
NUTLOAF
This is a delicious vegetarian alternative entre recipe to the traditional turkey and dressing.
1 Tbsp. onion powder
1 tsp. celery seeds
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 can drained, sliced carrots
1 package Uncle Ben's 90 Seconds Brown and Wild Rice, microwaved
2 cups any chopped nuts you prefer
3 cups quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup instant mashed potato flakes, for moisture
1 tsp. dried sage
1 tsp. dried parsley
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
6 beaten eggs in 1/2 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to suit your tastes
Mix everything together in your food processor until smooth, then pour into a butter-sprayed loaf pan. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes to one hour. Nutloaf can also be baked in smaller individual butter-sprayed loaf pans or ramekins for 35 minutes. Serve sliced or whole and topped with a mixture of light brown sugar, ketchup, and mustard mixed until smooth to suit your tastes. Spices can be changed in the Nutloaf to suit your own taste preferences. Sliced cold leftovers makes good vegetarian sandwiches.
HOLIDAY CRANBERRY SAUCE
Empty one can gelled Cranberry Sauce into a lidded pot. Add 1 cup dried cranberries, 1/2 cup dried, diced Fuji apples, 1 tsp. orange zest, 2 Tbsp. Grenadine syrup, the juice squeezed from one Navel orange, 1 tsp. Tajin Fruit Seasoning, 1 individual container of drained Mandarin orange segments, 1/2 cup Splenda, and 1/2 cup dried cherries. Stir well occasionally to mix everything, and cook over medium/low heat until sauce is thickened, approximately 30 minutes. Serve as a condiment with your turkey or roast beef.
HOLIDAY PIZZA
Use green or red large flour tortillas as your pizza base. Use a sharp knife to cut around a heavy can of food to cut out the hole in the center so the base looks like a round wreath. Butter spray one side of the tortillas and place them on a baking sheet, sprayed side down. Spread some basil pesto onto the top side of the tortillas. Add slices of tomatoes over the pesto. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese over the top. Bake at 450 degrees for eight minutes. Remove from oven with silicone oven mitts to a round platter. Show off your creation to your guests. Use kitchen scissors to slice each pizza and serve.
Digourno makes a delicious frozen 8-inch round personal Hand Tossed Four Cheeses Pizza that tastes as good as any cheese pizza I have ever eaten. Place it on a plate and microwave it for 4 minutes. It gives you 8 small wedges of Four Cheeses Pizza. Add your favorite chilled soft drink to have a quick meal.
AMBROSIA FRUIT SALAD
Add any fresh fruits that you want in your fruit salad, such as flaked coconut, papayas, pineapple chunks, kiwi, bananas, apples, seedless orange segments, seedless red and green grapes, red and green cherries, golden raisins, mini-marshmallows, or pecans or any nuts you prefer. Place everything in a large clear trifle bowl or individual trifle dishes, covered with plastic wrap, and chilled until time to serve. If you want a fruit salad dressing, just use an individual container of Yoplait Lemon Burst, Key Lime, or Orange Cream Yogurt mixed with a little bit of coconut milk to thin it out, if needed. To keep any of your fresh fruit, like apples or bananas from turning brown, dip each piece in lemon, orange, or lime juice before adding to the fruit salad. At Da Vinci Gourmet Syrups you can buy Passionfruit Syrup as well as many other flavors. Add equal parts of it and heavy cream to make an absolutely delicious fruit salad dressing. Whisk together until it is as thick as you want it. On my Miscellaneous Recipes website you can find different recipes for salad dressings. Da Vinci Spice Syrup makes a good addition to spice cakes, and Da Vinci Spicy Ginger Syrup makes a good addition to gingerbread recipes or to make cheaper gingerale taste much more expensive if you enjoy a bolder flavor. Their syrups make excellent mocktails to serve during holidays. I have one website just containing free Mocktail Recipes that you can browse and use.
VIDALIA ONION AND GEORGIA PEACH SALSA
For each person at your dinner, use one individual container Chi-Chi's Salsa. Add one finely diced Vidalia sweet onion. You can purchase Vidalia Onion Relish at Amazon.com, Walmart.com, or www.Striplings.com. If you want your salsa chunky, you can also add a drained 4 oz. cup of diced peaches to it per person eating. Mix well. Keep in a lidded container chilled in your refrigerator until time to serve. No cooking is necessary. This goes well with turkey, or almost any other entre, or you can use it as a dip to serve with either scoop Fritos or round Tostitos. Once you try this recipe, it just might become a favorite you choose to use.
HOMEMADE TOSTITOS OR FRITOS
Buy a package of corn tortillas. Fold them in half, cut them with kitchen scissors, then cut them in strips the size you want them, and fry them in small batches in hot vegetable oil, stirring them with a slotted spoon to make sure both sides get cooked evenly. They cook very quickly, so watch them carefully so they do not burn. Drain them on white paper towels, and season them while warm. Store in a large Hefty Freezer bag. This way you can control the salt or other seasonings you want to put on them.
Mission brand also makes large bags of tortilla strips you can purchase on walmart.com and have delivered to your home to eat and enjoy.
CHEESE BALL OR CHEESE LOG
Place two softened 8 oz. bricks of Philadelphia Cream Cheese in a bowl. Add 1 cup finely grated mozzarella cheese, 1 tsp. garlic powder, 1 tsp. onion powder, 1 Tbsp. dillweed, and 1/2 cup each of finely diced red and green bell peppers. Mix well. Form mixture into a ball or a log shape, and wrap it in a sheet of long plastic wrap. You can use the plastic wrap to help shape the ball or log into the proper shape. Refrigerate it in the plastic wrap overnight. It is then ready to serve with round or club crackers and a jar of Braswell's Hot Pepper Jelly to go on top. If you want, you can roll the ball or log in any crushed nuts you prefer, but that is your option. Absolutely delicious, and makes a great gift idea. Everyone loves this, and it's really quick and easy to make.
QUICK AND EASY HOT PEPPER JELLY
Use a jar of purchased apple jelly, and add 1 tsp. cayenne pepper flakes, mixing well. You can add more or less cayenne to suit how hot you want to make the jelly. If you like, you can also add some red cayenne pepper powder, which will make the pepper jelly even hotter over a period of hours. For red or green color, just add a few drops of food coloring gel to it and mix well. You can also add some finely minced red or green bell peppers or jalapeno peppers, if you like.
Braswell brand makes a red and a green pepper jelly that you can purchase online at Amazon.com or Walmart.com that goes great with cream cheese spread on crackers that you prefer.
CHEESE TRUFFLES
16 oz. Cream Cheese, softened
8 oz. shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 tsp. dillweed
1 tsp. chili powder
Assorted Crackers
Mix the cream cheese, shredded cheese, garlic powder and cayenne pepper until well blended. Divide in separate bowls in fourths. Add the roasted red peppers to one fourth, the green onions to one fourth, the dillweed to one fourth, and chili powder to the last fourth. Mix each quarter until well blended. Cover and chill for 3 hours. Shape cheese mixtures into 1-inch balls using a melon baller. Roll your truffles in either finely chopped nuts, finely shredded Cheddar Cheese, paprika, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dillweed, Emeril's Essence, chili powder, taco seasoning, or chopped fresh parsley. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
To Make A Festive Holiday Wreath:
Alternately arrange different flavored cheese truffles in a large circle on a platter to resemble a holiday wreath. Create a decorative bow out of green onion strips or raffia. Use to garnish the wreath.
Make easy delicious Almond Nougat and other easy candies to enjoy at home during the holidays or give as gifts at my EASY CANDY CREAM RECIPES website.
Make adorable edible Santa hats for Christmas appetizers by threading onto toothpicks: a mini marshmallow for the pom pom, a strawberry with the pointed end sliced smoothly at the pom pom area to fit snugly up to the mini marshmallow, and a slice of banana the same size as the base of the large end of the strawberry sliced smoothly for both so they fit together snugly. Dip each banana slice in lemon or lime crystals to keep them from turning dark before you thread it onto the toothpicks.
CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES
Use a 6 oz. bar of sweet chocolate and a 6 oz. bar of dark chocolate, mincing both bars very fine and place in a glass bowl. You could also use a 12 oz. pkg. of premium chocolate chips instead of the chocolate bars. Heat 1/2 cup heavy cream just to boiling. Remove from heat. Pour it over the chocolate and whisk until shiny and smooth. Add 1 Tbsp. any extract you like (vanilla, rum, raspberry, cherry, strawberry, pineapple, coconut) and 1 Tbsp. brewed coffee, and stir until smooth. Cover and chill for one hour. If you plan on using different extracts, reduce the amount of extract accordingly so the flavor won't be overwhelming when the truffles are eaten. You can always add more but not less, so be sparing with the extracts that are strong. Using a melon baller, scoop out balls of the chocolate. Roll each ball in either powdered sugar, powdered cocoa, various crushed nuts, jimmies, or candy sprinkles. Keep chilled until time to serve.
FAUX CHAMPAGNE
This tastes just as good as the alcoholic version, and with it you will not have a hangover or headache the next morning. Remember, alcohol is a toxin to the body.
4 cups chilled Club Soda
4 cups chilled ginger ale
3 cups chilled white grape juice
Mix together in a crystal pitcher. Chill and serve in champagne flutes. To make Faux Pink Champagne just add 1/4 cup grenadine syrup to the above recipe.
Make Sparkling Grape Juice by mixing chilled Club Soda and Welch's 100% Concord Grape Juice, or red or white grape juice to suit your taste.
FESTIVE FUDGE WREATH
Melt a large bag chocolate chips with 1 can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk and stir until smooth. Add 1 cup chopped nuts. Drain 1 jar each red cherries and green cherries. Lay them out on white paper towels to absorb any moisture. Spray your pan with butter spray. Using a round pan any size you want, place a glass in the middle of the pan to create the hole part in your candy wreath, then pour the chocolate mixture in the pan. Arrange the red and green cherries to resemble holly berries all over the top. Chill to harden. Unmold and place on a round platter to serve.
A springform cake pan works well for this recipe.
SPINACH DIP
Use 2 bricks softened Neuchatel Cream Cheese and just enough milk to be able to stir it until smooth and creamy. You can use a blender to do this. Add garlic powder and onion powder to suit your tastes. Add a pinch of ground nutmeg and stir to combine. Microwave ten ounces chopped frozen spinach for five minutes in the microwave on high, then squeeze out any water. Add it to the dip, and mix well. Serve with saltine crackers. Keep stored in a lidded container in the refrigerator.
SALSA APPETIZERS
Using a bag of Scoop Tostitos, add a spoonful of Lay's Chunky Salsa to each scoop, then place a couple pitted black olives on each one, and place them on a platter. Serve immediately to your guests. Nothing whets the appetite like salsa and chips.
FESTIVE FINGER SANDWICHES
Soften cream cheese tinted red or green with food coloring paste or gels, then add any ingredients you like for a festive holiday spread for finger sandwich fillings. Suggestions might be: drained crushed pineapple and chopped pecans or pistachios; guacamole dip; chopped red or green fruits; pimento cheese; roasted and chopped red or green bell peppers; sun-dried tomatoes; chopped basil or spinach; pesto dip; diced tomatoes; red onions diced; sliced cucumbers or zucchini; salsa. Remove the crusts off each sandwich, then slice each sandwich into three finger lengths. Allow six finger lengths per guest with at least four varieties of sandwich fillings.
HOLIDAY SOUP
This is my version of a thickened Wonton Soup, and it's absolutely delicious! Because of the colors, it makes a wonderful holiday soup to serve. You could use low-sodium chicken broth instead of beef broth if you want. Do NOT use any extra salt in this recipe, as the seasonings, soy sauce, and broth makes it plenty salty.
If you cannot find the Gnocchi in your local store, you can order it online at Vigo Alessi.com. Vigo Gnocchi makes an excellent ready-made substitute for dumplings in any recipe. They come vacuum-sealed and dried in a colorful red and yellow package. You would normally cook them in boiling water or broth, and when they are done, they float to the top of the pot in five minutes. Afterwards, you can add any type of sauce you want to them. I make chicken and dumplings out of them with a can of undiluted Cream of Chicken Soup added after they are cooked in boiling water then drained. Or you can add butter, heavy cream, and flour and make a cream sauce for them. Pesto can be added for more sauces. Or use a jarred marinara sauce for another variety.
1 package Gnocchi
2 cans beef broth, low sodium
1 can Campbell's Golden Mushroom Soup
1 jar sliced mushrooms, drained
2 Tbsp. Vidalia Onion Relish
1 jar diced Pimentos, drained
1 Tbsp. dried minced chives
1/2 cup frozen Green Peas
1/2 cup dried minced onions
1 cube Knorr cilantro seasoning
1 cube Knorr onion seasoning
1 cube Knorr garlic seasoning
1/2 tsp. True Lime Seasoning
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
Empty the beef broth into a pot. Put the Knorr Seasonings cubes in it. (Find these Knorr seasoning cubes in the ethnic foods section of grocery stores. They come in chipotle as well.) Add the Gnocchi, stirring well, and bring it to a boil for five minutes. When all the Gnocchi float to the top, add the remaining ingredients, mixing well and often, with a large spoon. Cook for another ten minutes on low heat, stirring often so it doesn't stick to the bottom of your pot. The Golden Mushroom Soup will make it nice and thick. Serve.
HOLIDAY PUDDINGS
Make some almond milk by putting 1 cup blanched almonds in your blender on high with 3 cups water. Blend for one minute. Strain the milk through a fine-meshed strainer to remove all the pulverized almonds. Push with a spoon to make sure the leftover almonds are as dry as possible. Add some cherry juice (how much depends upon your taste preferences) to make a cherry almond milk, and some agave nectar to sweeten it. Serve a glass of this chilled almond milk with the following pudding: In your food processor, mix the dried pulverized almonds from the milk you just made with one large brick of Philadelphia Cream Cheese, and 1 small, well-drained jar of red cherries until smooth. Place pudding mixture into individual dessert dishes and chill until time to be served.
Use Pistachio pudding mix and make according to directions on box. Pour into individual dessert dishes and just before serving it, top with canned whipped cream and red or green maraschino cherries. Chill the pudding covered with plastic wrap or a lid until time to serve.
Use individual ramekins and fill one side with green pudding and the other half with red pudding. You can use vanilla pudding tinted red or green with food coloring gel or paste. Chill until time to serve. Just before serving, top with canned whipped cream around the edges, and garnish with red or green cherries.
CINNAMON-CHERRY-ALMOND BISCOTTI BALLS
In a large bowl place 2-1/2 cups self-rising flour, 1 cup Splenda, 1 Tbsp. cinnamon, 1/2 cup cherry juice, 1/2 cup almond coffee syrup, 1/2 cup chopped cherries, 1/2 stick butter, 1 egg, and 1/2 cup chopped almond slivers. Mix well. If the dough is too stiff just add more cherry juice or almond syrup. You need a stiff dough. Form small balls. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet, and bake in a pre-heated oven at 350 degrees for ten minutes. You can tell when they are ready because they will feel light but you don't want them to brown, just be done inside. Roll each ball in powdered sugar. Serve with a cup of coffee or hot tea. These make excellent gifts.
HOLIDAY BISCOTTI
1/2 cup any chopped nuts
1/2 cup any candied or dried fruit
1/2 cup any chocolate chips
1 stick butter
1 cup Splenda or sugar
2 eggs
2-1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 Tbsp. any pure extract
Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs. Add fruit, nuts, and chips to the flour, and toss to coat them so they won't sink when mixed. When smooth, add any extract and stir well.
Divide dough in half and shape each half into a log, about 2X14 inches. On a butter- sprayed baking sheet, bake logs at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes.
Cool for 5 minutes. With a serrated knife, slice each log into 1/2-inch thick slices on the diagonal.
Lay the slices flat, then bake for an additional 8 minutes on each side. Store at room temperature in a lidded container. These go great with flavored coffees.
FESTIVE HOLIDAY PARFAITS
Make holiday parfaits by layering red and green puddings in parfait glasses. You can tint vanilla pudding with a few drops of food coloring gel. Top with whipped heavy cream and red and green cherries. Chill until time to serve.
Make quick and easy elegant desserts by crumbling or crushing your favorite cookies in plastic bags and keeping them on hand to use to layer canned whipped cream and crushed cookies in parfait glasses or individual clear trifle dishes until full. Fruit layers can be added, if desired. Top with more canned whipped cream and a large maraschino cherry. You won't believe how delicious these are until you try them.
FESTIVE HOLIDAY TRIFLE
Make a festive holiday trifle by layering cubed poundcake brushed with green Creme de Menthe or red Grenadine syrups, tinted red and green puddings, red and green cherries, and whipped heavy cream tinted red or green. Use a clear glass trifle bowl. Chill until time to serve.
FESTIVE MASHED POTATOES
Any white vegetable (potatoes, cauliflower florets, parsnips, button mushrooms, water chestnuts) can be tinted to make it festive for any occasion. Just make your mashed potatoes as usual except while beating them with a mixer add a few drops of food coloring to make them any color you want. To make sure there are no lumps, use a potato ricer to mash them.
A tip for mashed potatoes is to use heated milk and butter when whipping them instead of cold milk and butter.
This would make a good Faux Peruvian Blue Mashed Potatoes recipe by adding some red and blue food coloring drops.
How about Twice Baked Cheese Potatoes? Bake potatoes in the oven, one per guest. Slice them in half, lengthwise, when done. Hollow out the insides into a bowl leaving the skins intact. Proceed to mash the potatoes with heated milk, butter, salt, pepper, real bacon bits, and finely grated cheese. Spoon or pipe this mixture back into the potato skin halves. Place them on a baking sheet. Sprinkle tops with more grated cheese. Bake at 350 degrees until the cheese has melted and browned slightly. Serve warm.
MASHED GINGERED CARROTS
I created this recipe when I needed something orange for a holiday meal, but didn't want to use mashed sweet potatoes since I was serving Sweet Potato Pie for dessert. It turned out very delicious and quick to fix.
I opened three cans of drained sliced carrots and pureed them in my food processor until smooth. I put them in the food processor one drained can at a time so there wouldn't be any lumps. After I pureed them completely smooth, I added 1 Tbsp. minced fresh gingerroot that comes in a tube in the produce section of your supermarket, and mixed this with 1 stick melted butter. I covered it with plastic wrap and kept it in the refrigerator until the next day. All I had to do was warm it up in the microwave and serve. It tasted so good that I decided it would make an excellent substitute for mashed potatoes with almost any entre.
MASHED SWEET POTATOES
Use canned drained sweet potatoes that are cooked already. Mash them until smooth. Add any seasonings you enjoy, like 1/2 to 1 tsp. cinnamon, sugar or Splenda to suit taste, or melted butter to suit taste.
Bruce's brand canned Sweet Potatoes tastes great and makes a canned Candied Yams in Kettle Syrup that already has the spices added to it. Just mash them with a fork, and use them in your recipes. Walmart.com and Amazon.com sells Bruce's brand online.
SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE
3 cups canned or cooked sweet potatoes
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 stick butter
1 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup mini-marshmallows
Mix all together and pour into a buttered casserole dish.
Mix together the following ingredients and sprinkle over the top of casserole before baking:
TOPPING:
Mix ingredients and sprinkle evenly over the top of the casserole before baking.
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup quick oats
1 cup chopped nuts
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
1 stick butter
Bake at 350 degrees for 35 min. Serve hot.
ROASTED SWEET POTATOES AND PINEAPPLE CHUNKS
1 package Roasted Sweet Potatoes
1 can pineapple chunks
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 stick butter
Use a large covered skillet and medium heat. Place all ingredients in the skillet that you have butter sprayed so nothing sticks. Cook until the potatoes are tender and candied. Serve.
SQUASH CASSEROLE
2 lbs. yellow summer squash, washed and cut
1 cup shredded cheese
1 large chopped onion
1 cup crushed Total cereal or cracker crumbs
1 egg, well beaten
1/2 stick butter
2 Tbsp. cooked turkey bacon bits
1/4 cup milk
Cook squash until tender, then drain off water. Mash the squash. Add all
ingredients except the shredded cheese, mixing thoroughly. Pour into a casserole dish
and bake at 350 degrees for 30 min. During the last 10 min. of baking time, add
the shredded cheese sprinkled evenly over the top. Serve hot.
Zucchini could be substituted for the squash or use both added for variety.
GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE
Empty two drained cans of whole green beans into a bowl. Mix in one can of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup, 1 Tbsp. True Lemon Pepper Seasoning, 1/2 cup almond slivers, and one small jar of drained sliced mushrooms. Pour this mixture into a butter-sprayed casserole dish. Top with French's Onion Rings that come in a can. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Grated or shredded cheese of your choice can be added to the casserole or to the top, if desired.
SWEET POTATO PIE
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
In a bowl, beat together with an electric mixer, 3 eggs, 1 large can drained and mashed sweet potatoes, 2 Tbsp. butter, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup milk, 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract, and 1 tsp. cinnamon. Pour smooth mixture into an unbaked pie crust. Bake for 45 min. or until set. Cool and serve with whipped cream on top of each slice. This can be made ahead and frozen. Just be sure to wrap it well in both plastic wrap and aluminum foil, so it doesn't get freezer-burned.
You could also use canned mashed pumpkin instead of sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie spice instead of cinnamon.
SWEET POTATO CHIFFON PIE
Use a pre-made graham cracker crust. In a bowl, empty one can sweet potatoes that have been drained. Mash them until smooth. Add 2 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 cup chopped pecans, and 1/2 cup Splenda. Mix well to combine. Fold in 16 oz. of whipped heavy cream until well blended. Pour mixture into the pie shell, decorate the top with praline pecan halves, and refrigerate until time to serve, or at least four hours.
Praline Pecan Halves can be easily made by placing one stick butter in a skillet and adding two cups light brown sugar, stirring well until dissolved over medium heat. When the mixture is smooth and has cooked for approximately five minutes, add a pound of shelled pecan halves, and stir well to make sure all of them are coated thoroughly. Pour them onto a butter sprayed cookie sheet, and let them cool. Break any apart that might be stuck together. When cool, store them in a large plastic zippered bag. These keep well for a long time.
This same recipe could also be served as a Sweet Potato Mousse by omitting the graham cracker pie crust and serving it in individual ramekins or dishes.
Another version of this recipe is called Sweet Potato and Pineapple Whips. You just add a can of crushed pineapple that has been drained, and serve it in a dessert dish with crumbled Gingersnap Cookies or Praline Pecans on top as a garnish. Pineapple and sweet potatoes are a winning combination.
PUMPKIN PIE
1 Tbsp. flour
3/4 cup Splenda brown sugar, packed
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. allspice
15 oz. can pureed pumpkin
12 oz. can evaporated nonfat milk
1/2 cup Egg Beaters egg whites
1 ready-made graham cracker crust
13 oz. can whipped cream, for topping each slice when served
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine flour, Splenda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice in a bowl. Add pumpkin, evaporated milk, and Egg Beaters. Mix until well blended and smooth. Pour mixture into the crust. Bake for 1 hour. Add GV canned Whipped Cream to each slice, just before serving.
For people who are on a gluten-free diet, you can use cooked corn, potatoes, sweet potatoes, or rice as your side dishes.
PUMPKIN NUT CUPCAKES
2-1/4 cups Bisquick Mix
2 large eggs
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup cooked mashed pumpkin
1 cup Splenda
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped Pepitas
Mix all ingredients. Pour batter into butter sprayed or paper muffin cups in a dozen regular sized muffins pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Frost with orange tinted cream cheese frosting. For garnishes, add a small candy pumpkin to the center of each cupcake after frosting.
For muffins, omit the frosting and candy garnish.
PUMPKIN MOUSSE
2 cups cooked mashed pumpkin
1 Tbsp. vanilla
1 cup light brown sugar
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1-1/2 cups whipped heavy cream
In a bowl mix the pumpkin, sugar, spice, and vanilla well to combine. Fold in the whipped heavy cream. Divide the mixture between individual dessert ramekins, then chill until time to serve. Just before serving, you can add canned whipped cream to the top of each ramekin, if desired for a garnish.
MUG FRUITCAKE
In a large 16 oz. mug or a quart-sized bowl, put 3 Tablespoons of Angelfood Cake Mix, 1/2 teaspoon each of powdered cinnamon and powdered ginger, and mix well. Add 3 Tablespoonsful of Glazed Mixed Peel, 2 Tbsp. sweet carob baking chips, 1 Tbsp. chopped pecans, 1 Tbsp. chopped walnuts, and 1 Tbsp. chopped black walnuts, mixing well to make sure everything is covered with the mix. Then add 3 Tablespoons of either Orange Juice, Pineapple Juice, or water, and mix well. Put the mug or bowl in the microwave on high for 2 minutes, or until the top is firm and not wet and the sides are beginning to pull away from the mug. When done, I top mine with some Smucker's Sugar-Free Caramel Sauce, Toasted Coconut, and more chopped nuts, but it is your choice if you add toppings or not. God inspired me to create this recipe so I can make Fruitcake year-round quickly now. It is delicious! Nuts.com sells most of the ingredients.
SPICY HOLIDAY POTPOURRI
Use your crockpot to make a fragrant batch of spicy holiday drinks that smells like a holiday potpourri. To a large crockpot of hot water add 6 Celestial Seasonings Indian Spice Original teabags, and 6 Constant Comment teabags, or 1 teabag per 8 oz. water. Keep it stirred and simmering on high and your home will smell absolutely wonderful all day long. You can ladle it into mugs for your guests to drink as they arrive. Add more hot water and teabags as needed. The discarded teabags will make your garbage can smell nice.
PARTY SUGGESTIONS FOR NEW YEAR'S EVE:
On my main recipes index, you can find all kinds of free recipes divided into categories where you can find beverages, appetizers, desserts, fondues, vegetables, and entrees, and just about any recipe you could want to have a lovely party. I even have a website that has nothing but alcohol-free Mocktail recipes. Be sure to check them out. With any party, the whole idea is for you to have as much fun as your friends. People will remember your parties when you pay special attention to all the details, and make it a fun time for everyone. My Faux Champagne recipe will let everyone make a special midnight toast without having to worry about designated drivers or DUI accidents, and with Mocktails, no one has to worry about someone at your party getting drunk or creating scenes from inebriation. I have a website for Tea Parties with recipes for Finger Sandwiches which would also work for any party. Serving bite-sized finger foods is always welcome by guests at any type party.
MENU SUGGESTIONS FOR NEW YEAR'S DAY:
Tradition says for good luck and prosperity for the coming New Year, you should eat black eyed peas or at least some type of beans, some type of cooked greens, and some type of cooked meat on New Year's Day. I recommend canned GV Black Eyed Peas, using frozen Pictsweet brand turnips and greens cooked and seasoned with some vegetable oil, salt, black pepper, and hot sauce (or you can use frozen collard greens or chopped frozen spinach with minced garlic and butter,) or have some of your leftover roast beef from Christmas, then make a skillet of cornbread, and have sliced sweet onions, and sweet tea with lemon and plenty of ice cubes. Serve diced tropical fruits or diced pineapple for dessert since they help to digest your meal. You can also buy various greens in cans already cooked for even more convenience. Local bakeries might sell ready-made cornbread muffins for New Year's. The addition of hot sauce, minced garlic, garlic powder or onion powder will always make any kind of cooked greens taste better. You might want to try pulverized dried culinary lavender in greens also for a different taste. Sliced sweet onions are just a raw side dish that Southerners always have with any type of cooked beans or greens. Any dessert you prefer would be fine. Any drink would be fine as well. Southerners just seem to drink a lot of sweet iced tea with lemon with any of their meals. Use seven teabags for a half-gallon tea or twelve teabags for a gallon of tea. Use a cup of Splenda or sugar for either, stirring well to dissolve the sugar in the hot water. Bring cold water to a boil, steeping the teabags for ten minutes, then adding the sugar because sugar will not dissolve properly in cold water, removing the teabags and discarding them, then adding the infusion to your container of cold water. Add plenty of ice cubes to your glasses and a slice of lemon, and keep refilling them with more ice and sweet tea as needed. That is a true sign of good service and Southern hospitality when your sweet tea glasses are refilled with more tea or ice without having to ask.
Happy Holidays and Blessings of God to all of you!
GIFT IDEAS:
Instead of wrapping your gifts in paper that will just create more garbage, use those colorful solid red or solid dark green canvas bags that you can give your gifts in, and the bags can be used for grocery shopping later. They are not expensive, and will hold a lot of groceries. Amazon.com sells them in a large variety of colors, but red or green are great for all holidays or special occasions.
Since mug cakes and mug meals are all so popular now, make copies of my free website, 34 Free Angelfood Mug Cake Recipes, and put it in a binder or folder to give to someone who lives alone so they can make quick delicious desserts. Or put the ingredients bought from Nuts.com for my Fruitcake Mug and have them ship them to someone who will enjoy making Fruitcake in just a couple minutes. That recipe is one that is absolutely delicious year round.
If you know someone who has lost their job, fill a bag with shelf-stable foods, and give it as a gift to that family or person, so they can still enjoy the holidays.
With the economy being like it is worldwide, these type gifts let people know you are thinking of them and their needs, and love them on any day of the year. After all, the true Spirit of Christmas should be shown all year round.
Print copies of my Free Faux Meat Recipes and Frugal Recipes and put them in a folder to give to anyone you know who is having a hard time financially.
Online stores sell individually wrapped slices of Claxton Fruitcake that go great in gift baskets. You get twenty slices shipped to your home for around twenty dollars. It is delicious! You can freeze it to enjoy all year round. Try a slice with a hot cup of Masala Chai. You never knew fruitcake could taste so good! You can buy 32 oz. bags of Original Oregon Chai Powder and make it in your own home with your own filtered water heated one large mug at a time.
34 Free Angelfood Mug Cakes Recipes
