1. food and drink
2. desserts and baking

H O L I D A Y
C O O K I N G
W
hen my family visited Cape
Girardeau this summer, I hit
all of them up for recipes, knowing
the Heartland Holiday Cookbook
was right around the corner. The
chutney and cranberry apple casserole recipes are courtesy of my
older sister Deb (She'll be glad that
I pointed out that she's older!
These may be the last recipes she'll
ever give me!!!)
DEB’S
Cranberry
Chutney
12 ounces fresh cranberries
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1 onion, chopped fine
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Combine cranberries, vinegar &
sugar in medium saucepan and
bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add remaining
ingredients and simmer an additional 20 to 25 minutes until it
thickens. Serve cold with turkey,
pork, game or venison. Good on
sandwiches, too.
I N
DEB’S
T H E
H E A R T L A N D
Cranberry Apple
Casserole
3 cups chopped apples
2 cups fresh cranberries
2 tablespoons flour
3/4 cup sugar
TOPPING:
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup melted butter
3 packages of instant oatmeal cereal,
apples and cinnamon flavor
3/4 cup copped pecans
Combine apples, cranberries and
2 tablespoons flour, tossing to coat
fruit. Add sugar and mix well.
Place in 2-quart casserole. In
another bowl, combine topping
ingredients and spoon over the
fruit. Bake uncovered at 350° for
45 minutes. Garnish with pecan
halves and cranberries. Serve hot
or cold. A "must have" for
Thanksgiving and Christmas at our
house...great on ice cream, too.
N
ow for a recipe from my sister
Colleen. She owns a daycare
outside of Boston so she's always
on the move. This recipe is quick,
easy and really good. She makes it
for me every time I visit Boston.
In fairness, it should be noted that
Colleen is younger than me--but
not by much.
COLLEEN’S
Smothered
Enchiladas
SERVES 8
2 pounds ground beef
1 package mild taco
seasoning mix
1 4.5-ounce
can chopped
green chilies,
divided
2 10.75-ounce cans
cream of chicken
soup
1 16-ounce container sour
cream
8 8-inch flour tortillas
2 cups shredded Cheddar
cheese
Garnishes: salsa, sour
cream, green onion
curls and chopped
fresh cilantro
MY FATHER OFFERED NOTHING BUT HIS GOOD LOOKS TO THE COOKBOOK. THIS PICTURE WAS TAKEN WHEN MY FAMILY CAME TO SOUTHEAST
MISSOURI IN JULY. WE HAD A BLAST. I WISH EVERYONE LIVED CLOSER.
I'VE INCLUDED TWO PICTURES OF MY SONS GRIFFIN AND COOPER BECAUSE;
A) I'M OFTEN ASKED ABOUT THEM AND; B) THEY'RE THE BEST THINGS
I'VE EVER "COOKED UP!" HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM MY FAMILY TO YOURS.
1
2 0 0 7
Brown ground beef in a large
skillet, stirring until it crumbles
and is no longer pink; drain. Stir in
taco seasoning mix and half
of the chopped green
chilies; set aside. Stir
together remaining
green chilies, soup,
and sour cream.
Pour half of the
soup mixture into a
lightly greased
9-inch x 13-inch
baking dish. Spoon
beef mixture evenly
down centers of tortillas; roll up. Place,
seam sides down, over
soup mixture in baking
dish; top evenly with remaining soup mixture and cheese.
Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or
until thoroughly heated. Garnish,
if desired.
T
he next recipes are from my
mother. In all the years I've
worked at KFVS and submitted
recipes to this cookbook, I've never
included one from my dear mother.
Why, you ask? Well, my mother
doesn't enjoy cooking as much as
others in our family. Her idea of a
good time is playing 18 holes, not
laboring in the kitchen. However,
that being said, she is a good cook.
She doesn't think she is, but if you
tasted her spaghetti and meatballs,
her meatloaf or brisket (that's an
inside joke!) you'd say my mom
does a pretty good job of whipping
up a meal. More importantly, she's
a wonderful mother with a big
heart and a lot of fun to be with.
How much does she love me?
Every summer she comes to town,
she hosts a garage sale for me!
Which only confirms what I've
long suspected: I'm her favorite
daughter.
MOM’S
Oyster Cracker
Snacks
3/4 cup oil
1 1/2 - 2 teaspoons dill
weed
1 dry package Hidden Valley Ranch
dressing
1 16-ounce package oyster crackers
Mix oil, dill, dressing in plastic
zip-type bag then add crackers and
zip. Mix, shake well, let stand at
least an hour and serve.
MOM’S
Popcorn
snack
3 quarts popcorn popped,
unsalted
3 cups Rice Chex
1 cup walnuts
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 package taco seasoning
1/4 cup brown sugar
Mix popcorn, cereal and nuts
together. Melt butter and drizzle
over the mixture. Combine taco
seasoning and brown sugar. Mix
with the popcorn. Stir well. Put in
an ungreased dish and bake for l0
minutes at 350°, stirring once.
MOM’S
Tortillas
Pinwheels
1 3.25-ounce jar bacon bits
1 8-ounce container sour cream
1 dry package Ranch dressing
1 tablespoon chopped green onion
1 package cooked and drained spinach
Chopped walnuts to taste
8 8-inch flour tortillas
Mix all the ingredients
together and spread on
tortillas. Roll up
jelly-roll style and
chill for at least
an hour. Cut
tortilla rolls
into l/4" pinwheels and
serve
cold.
H O L I D A Y
C O O K I N G
I N
T H E
H E A R T L A N D
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3
LUCKY BLACK-EYED PEAS
Happy New Year
Peas
T
raditional New Year foods are
also thought to bring luck.
Many parts of the U.S. celebrate
by consuming black-eyed peas.
Black-eyed peas are thought to
bring wealth because they look like
coins. They also swell while cooking which is considered a sure sign
of prosperity. These legumes are
typically accompanied by either
hog jowls or ham. The hog, and
thus its meat, is considered lucky
because it symbolizes prosperity.
G
ood and good for you! Even if
you’re not a big fan of squash,
I think you will like this recipe.
Low in calories but loaded with
flavor.
Stuffed Squash
SERVES 8 TO 10
4-5 medium yellow squash
3 cups Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned
Stuffing, cooked according to package
directions
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
4 medium mushrooms, finely chopped
Sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack
cheeses, shredded
Wash squash and cut in half,
length-wise. Bring water to a boil
in a large Dutch oven and drop in
the squash, cooking for approximately 5 minutes. Remove squash
and cool. When the squash are
cool enough to handle, scoop out
the pulp and discard, leaving a 1/4inch shell. Mix the stuffing with
the onion and mushrooms, then put
the mixture into the squash shells.
Bake at 350° until heated through,
approximately 15 minutes.
Sprinkle the tops of the squash
with the cheese and return to the
oven to melt.
I
f you want to satisfy that “sweet
tooth”, this treat goes great with
a cup of coffee or glass of milk!
Home Made
Snickers Bars
1 11.5-ounce package milk chocolate
morsels
Black-Eyed Pea
Loaf
oats and cornmeal are cooked and
have absorbed all the liquid. The
consistency should be that of a
very thick mush. Stir in salt and
pepper to taste and press the mixture firmly in the pan. Let the loaf
cool; chill thoroughly in refrigerator.
1 pound dried black-eyed peas
1 pound link sausage
1 small onion, chopped
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup prepared barbecue sauce
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1 teaspoon curry powder
2 cups cooked black-eyed peas, drained
1/3 cup raw rolled oats
1/2 cup yellow corn meal
2 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
Rinse, prepare, soak and cook
peas in about 3 cups water, following directions on the package.
Drain and reserve half of the cooking liquid. In a skillet over medium
heat, brown sausage and onions;
drain off excess fat. Place peas in a
3-quart casserole; add sausage and
onions. Stir in reserved liquid,
brown sugar, mustard, salt, and
barbecue sauce. Bake at 300° for 1
to 1 1/2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a
9-inch loaf pan. In a large skillet,
heat the oil over medium-low heat
and add the onion and chopped
bell pepper; sauté until the onion is
tender and golden, about 5 minutes. Add the curry powder and
cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes
longer. Add the black-eyed peas,
rolled oats, cornmeal, and broth;
stir well. Turn the black-eyed pea
mixture into the prepared loaf pan;
bake for 45 minutes, or until the
1 pound frozen black eyed peas
1 cup chicken broth
2 ribs celery, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch (6 to 8) green onions, thinly sliced
6 ounces diced ham
1/8 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon Creole seasoning
Combine all ingredients in slow
cooker. Cover and cook on low for
6 to 8 hours.
Bring peas to a boil in the ham
broth and boil for 2 minutes. Let
soak for 1 hour and then simmer
peas gently in broth until almost
done. Add ham and rice and cook,
covered, until rice is done; about
25 minutes. Season to taste.
a large heavy skillet over medium
high heat. Add shrimp and sauté
until they turn pink and are cooked
through, about 3 minutes. Stir in
lime juice and remove skillet from
the heat. This makes 2 main dish
servings or 6 appetizer servings.
2 tablespoons Crisco shortening
30 Kraft caramels
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons water
1 cup coarsely chopped peanuts
Fill the bottom of a double boiler with water. Place chocolate
chips and Crisco in the top. Heat
and stir until the chocolate chips
are melted. Pour 1/2 of the mixture
into a foil lined 8-inch square pan.
Refrigerate until firm, about 15
minutes. Leave remaining mixture
on low in double boiler.
Microwave caramels, butter and
water. Stir until caramels melt and
mixture is smooth. Stir in chopped
peanuts. Pour over chocolate mixture when it is firm. Refrigerate
until tacky, about 15 minutes. Top
with remaining melted chocolate
when firm. Spread evenly to cover
caramel/nut filling. Refrigerate
until all is firm about 1 hour.
B
eing a true Southerner, I know
that I am supposed to eat
black-eyed peas on New Year’s
Day for good luck throughout the
year. Although I am not a fan of
them, in this recipe I can eat them
easily and know that I am ready
for whatever the new year brings
my way!!
New Year’s
Hoppin’ John
1 cup dry black-eyed peas
4 1/2 cups ham broth
1 cup ham, cooked and chopped
1 cup rice, uncooked
Salt and pepper to taste
A
Southern classic! It sounds like
an unusual combination but
the two distinct tastes really blend
nicely. We recently served this dish
at our daughter’s wedding reception and it was a big hit.
Shrimp & Grits
2 1/2 cups canned low-sodium chicken
broth
4 tablespoons butter, divided
3/4 cup quick cooking grits
3 tablespoons cream cheese
2 tablespoons half and half
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1 pound uncooked medium shrimp,
peeled and de-veined
2 tablespoons lime juice
Combine broth and 1 tablespoon
butter in a medium saucepan and
bring to a boil. Stir in grits.
Reduce heat, cover and simmer 5
minutes, stirring occasionally. Mix
cream cheese and half and half
into grits; cover and simmer mixture until almost all liquid has
been absorbed and the grits are
tender while stirring frequently — about 7 minutes. Stir
in green onions and
remove mixture from
heat. Melt
remaining
butter in
Crock-pot Black
Eyed Peas and
Ham
AS
A MAIN DISH
Spoon grits onto the center of a
plate and place shrimp on top;
drizzle with some of the lime butter from the skillet.
AS AN
APPETIZER
Spoon grits into a
martini glass and
drizzle with
lime butter.
Arrange
shrimp
around the
rim of the
glass.
4
H O L I D A Y
C O O K I N G
I N
T H E
H E A R T L A N D
CHUCK’S
Q
uick and easy to make and
everybody, especially kids,
loves it!
I
f you’re like me, you enjoy
being in the kitchen, you just
don’t cook there. SO if you can
step in and make something nice
for the holiday it makes for
good conversation, success or
failure.
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground sausage
1 bottle pizza sauce
Your choice of pizza toppings
1 8-ounce bag shredded mozzarella
cheese
1 can crescent rolls
Garlic powder and oregano, optional
1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground
cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground
nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
8 cups thinly sliced
peeled granny
delicious apples
1 15-ounce package refrigerated pie
crust (2 crusts)
1/2 cup raisins or blackberries are great
too
THE CREATIVE SERVICES TEAM FROM
THE TOP MOVING CLOCKWISE IS
CHUCK VOSS, KRISTEN BEAVER, ROBERT FLOYD, JAMIE PHENIX
& ADAM SPARKS.
KRISTEN’S
Fresh South of
the Border Bean
Dip
A
Mama Beaver specialty that’s
healthy too!
3 cans black beans
1 can shoe peg corn
1 small red onion chopped
1 1/2 tablespoon cumin
1 large chopped tomato
Juice from 1 fresh lime
2 tablespoons chopped jalapeños,
optional
Mix everything together and
serve with chips!
APPLES ANYONE?
R e d D e l i c i o u s: Red or striped, sweet,
mellow taste.
G o l d e n D e l i c i o u s : Yellow color, tangy,
sweet, juicy.
M c I n t o s h : Mixed red & green coloring.
Tart, tender and juicy.
R o m e B e a u t y : Red and red-striped skin.
Medium-tart to sweet taste.
G r a n n y S m i t h : Green coloring,
moderately tart and very firm.
JAMIE’S
Upside Down
Pizza
Holiday Apple
Pie
In large bowl, mix sugar, flour,
cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Be
generous with your portions, it’s a
holiday. Prepare apples. Keep them
in water and lemon juice until
ready to go into the shell. Line pie
plate with shell. I like ceramic
dishes, glass is fine too. If you did
it without tearing the shell, reward
yourself with a small drink. I’m
having vodka. Heat oven to 425°.
Add half the sliced apples, and
raisins if you’d like. Mix in some
of the sugar and flour mixture. Add
the rest of the apples and sugar and
flour mixture. Some people like to
mix them all in a bowl, then add
the whole thing to the dish. I’m
too messy.
Trim overhanging edge of pastry 1/2-inch from rim of plate.
Unfold top pastry over filling; trim
overhanging edge 1/2-inch from
rim of plate. Smash top and bottom
together, pressing on rim to seal;
flute as desired. I enjoy the fluting.
Do something creative with the top
to let the steam escape. I like bird
tracks. Cover edge with 3-inch
strip of foil to prevent excessive
browning. Bake 40 to 50 minutes
or until crust is brown and juice
begins to bubble through slits in
crust, removing foil for last 15
minutes of baking. Another drink
is appropriate as you take a
victory lap.
2 0 0 7
J o n a t h a n : Red stripes to yellow or deep
red to purple in areas. Semi-tart flavor.
Y o r k I m p e r i a l : Slightly tart. Deep red
skin with green stripes.
S t a y m a n : Mildly tart, deep purplish-red,
sometimes russetted hue.
N e w t o w n P i p p i n : Firm, mildly tart
apple.
W i n e s a p : Deep, purplish-red, tangy, juicy,
wine-like flavor.
ADAM’S
Soft, Three
Ingredient
Peanut Butter
Cookies
his is probably the simplest
recipe out there, but that’s why
T
I love it. Feel free to modify it by
adding cashews, chocolate, 1/2
teaspoon of vanilla, granola or
M&M’s. I originally started making these as a cheap homemade
energy bar. They are packable and
taste great three hours into a fourhour hike or ride. They are so easy
that the kids can help too. I use
creamy peanut butter but some
folks like to mix it 50/50 creamy,
crunchy. It’s all good! This recipe
makes 5 or 10.
1 egg
1 cup sugar
1 cup peanut butter
Combine all ingredients until
mixed. Roll mixture into 1 or 2inch balls. Place on ungreased
cookie sheet or stone and flatten each ball with a fork .
Bake at 350° for 8 to 10
minutes. Cool for 5 to 7
minutes then place
on wire rack.
Heat oven to 375°. Apply nonstick cooking spray to a 9-inch x
13-inch baking pan or casserole
dish. Brown ground beef and
sausage at medium heat. Drain
meat after cooking. In a mixing
bowl, combine cooked ground beef
and sausage with pizza sauce.
Spread meat and sauce mixture
into an even layer in the baking
pan or casserole dish. Add your
choice of pizza toppings as a second layer. Cover the pizza toppings
with a layer of mozzarella cheese.
Open and unroll the crescent
rolls. Tear the rolls into four
equally sized squares (two rolls
equal one square). Place the four
squares on top of the cheese.
Stretch the crescent rolls out far
enough to cover the top of pizza,
then pinch the edges of the four
squares together to form a crust. If
desired, sprinkle the crust with garlic powder and a pinch of oregano.
Bake for 15 minutes in preheated oven. Take out and enjoy!
H O L I D A Y
C O O K I N G
I N
ice cream freezer. If you have an
electric freezer, you can make this
in the garage and keep the noise
down in the house. If you have a
crank-type like we used to have, it’s
a great chance to let the kids help!
ROBERT’S
Holiday HomeMade Ice Cream
Y
ou can always tell when the
holidays arrive; the turkey, the
stuffing, the hams.....the homemade ice cream? You bet! There’s
nothing that gives you a nice touch
on top of pies or by itself than a
bowl of home-made ice cream.
This traditional delight makes me
long for summers on my
Grandma’s pond when it’s too cold
outside to enjoy it. Maybe your
family would enjoy something different. Try some of my Mom’s
home-made ice cream! You can
thank me later.
This recipe makes about 4
quarts. Adjust to the size of your
4 eggs beaten
1 3/4 cups of sugar (sweetener may be
substituted for your diabetic family
members, but you may want to lessen
the amount- keep in mind that
sweetener will cause the ice cream to
freeze much harder! Get a strong spoon!)
3 tablespoons vanilla (REAL vanilla may
be reduced to 2 tablespoons due to
strength. Experiment!)
Mix those ingredients together
THOROUGHLY! You may heat
them if you have issues with eggs
not being cooked. I’ve never had
a problem with them in the mix asis, but, I’m a country boy. Add 3
pints of heavy whipping cream and
mix evenly.
Pour in your ice cream freezer
container and top off with milk to
the FILL LINE ONLY! If you go
over the line, you may damage the
top of the container! Use whole
milk for full richness, 2% or skim
if you’re a sad, calorie-conscious
Ebeneezer Scrooge! If you want
some super-creamy ice cream, try
goat’s milk! It’s so rich you won’t
believe it! MMMMM…I’m
hungry already!
T H E
H E A R T L A N D
If you’re new to the home-made
ice cream world, here’s how it
works--- add crushed ice outside
the container and add a layer of
rock salt. Add some water to set
the chill and repeat to the top of
the container. There will be a hole
on the outside of the freezer to
allow excess water to pour out. If
2 0 0 7
5
you slant it slightly into the
sink, it will go nicely. Add ice
every 15 minute with more rock
salt as needed. Your freezer will
stop automatically if it’s an electric. Manual? It will get very hard
to turn. It’s a great excuse to
sample—just to make sure it’s
done, of course!
HOW ‘BOUT SOME CAKE
WITH THAT ICE CREAM?
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts, if desired
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1 3/4 cups very hot water
Hot Fudge
Sundae Cake
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons baking cocoa
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Heat oven to 350º. Mix flour,
granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons
cocoa, baking powder and salt in
ungreased 9-inch x 9-inch square
pan. Mix in milk, oil and vanilla
with fork until smooth. Stir in nuts.
Spread evenly throughout pan.
Sprinkle brown sugar and 1/4 cup
cocoa over batter. Pour water over
batter. Bake about 40 minutes or
until top is dry. Spoon warm cake
into dessert dishes. Top with ice
cream. Spoon sauce from pan onto
each serving.
6
H O L I D A Y
C O O K I N G
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H E A R T L A N D
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THINGS YOU’VE NEVER DONE WITH POTATOES!
P
otato chips, hash browns, tater tots, mashed potatoes, baked potatoes,
french fries- these are just a few of the typical potato favorites.
Potatoes are prepared in many ways: skin-on or peeled, whole or cut up, with
seasonings or without. The only requirement involves cooking to break down
the starch. Most potato dishes are served hot, but some are first cooked then
served cold, notably potato salad and potato chips/crisps.
T
he following potato recipes are anything but typical. From a flavorful
dressing to candy and fudge, when your ready to try something you’ve
never tried before, we have the potato recipes for you!
Country Potato
Dressing
1 large onion, chopped
3/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup turkey or chicken broth
8 slices day-old white bread, crusts
removed and cubed
3 cups mashed potatoes
1 egg, beaten
11/2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
In a small skillet, sauté onion
and celery in butter until tender.
Remove from the heat; stir in
broth. In a large bowl, combine
bread cubes, potatoes, egg and seasonings. Stir in onion mixture.
Transfer to a greased 2-quart baking dish. Cover and bake at 325°
for 50 to 60 minutes or until a
meat thermometer reads 160°.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Potato Fudge
Cake
2 cups sugar
2/3 cup butter
4 eggs, separated
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
2/3 cup cocoa
3 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup milk
1 cup mashed potatoes
1 cup chopped nuts
Cream sugar and butter. Add
egg yolks. Sift dry ingredients
together and add alternately with
milk. Add potatoes, and stir in
nuts. Gently fold in stiffly beaten
egg whites. Bake at 350° until
firm.
Chocolate Potato
Cake
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup butter
1 3/4 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup mashed potatoes
1 cup buttermilk
Melt chocolate with the vanilla,
cool slightly. Sift together the
flour, baking powder, soda, salt
and cinnamon. Cream the butter
and sugar and beat in the eggs one
by one. Add the chocolate and
mashed potatoes. Beat in the dry
ingredients alternatively with the
buttermilk. Pour into a greased 9inch x 13-inch pan and bake in a
preheated 350° oven for approximately 40 minutes (or bake in 2
round 9-inch pans for 30 to 35
minutes.) Cool before frosting.
Frosting
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pound confectioners sugar
Dash of salt
1/2 cup softened butter
Hot milk
Chopped walnuts
Melt chocolate and vanilla; let
cool slightly. Cream the sugar, salt
and butter. Add just enough hot
milk to make a spreadable consistency. Beat in the melted chocolate. Spread on the cake and sprinkle with chopped nuts.
Mashed Potato
Candy
1 medium potato
1 pound powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 pound coconut
1 giant Hershey Bar
Cook potato and mash fine. Add
sugar and vanilla, stir in coconut.
Spread in a flat pan Melt Hershey
bar and spread on top.
Irish Potato
Candy
1 tablespoon mashed potatoes
21/4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 12-ounce jar peanut butter
Placed mashed potatoes in a
mixer bowl. Add confectioners'
sugar one cup at a time, beating
well after each addition. Spread
into greased 10-inch x 15-inch pan.
Spread peanut butter over top. Roll
as for a jelly roll. Cut into slices.
Mashed Potato
Haystacks
3/4 cup mashed potatoes, cold
4 cups confectioner's sugar
4 cups coconut, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 squares baking chocolate (sweet
or semisweet)
Mix potatoes and
confectioner’s sugar. Stir
in coconut, vanilla and salt. Blend
well. Form mixture into cones
1-inch high. Allow to stand uncovered for 20 minutes. Meanwhile,
melt chocolate in microwave or
double boiler. Dip base of each
cone in melted chocolate. Place on
waxed paper until chocolate hardens. Yield 100 haystacks.
Mashed Potato
Fudge
1/2 cup cooked potatoes, mashed
2 tablespoons soft butter or margarine
1 pound confectioners' sugar
3 squares cooking chocolate, softened
and melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
Dash of salt
Put mashed potatoes into a mixing bowl. Add soft butter and mix.
Add confectioner’s sugar, mix
well. Add vanilla to melted chocolate, and then add salt to the
mashed potato mix. Chill. Coconut
may be added. Cut into bars or
squares.
H O L I D A Y
C O O K I N G
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T H E
H E A R T L A N D
LAUREN AND HER SISTER: BROOKE,
BROTHER-IN-LAW: JON, MOM: JANA,
NANA: OPAL AND HUSBAND: BRIAN
y recipes are from my mom,
M
my younger sister, Brooke,
and Aunt Kaye. In my opinion,
not only are the holiday
meals great, but when
you’re entertaining, it’s
nice to have things
set aside for morning brunch as
well. Since all of
my family lives in
Central and
Northeast
Missouri where I
grew up, my husband and I travel to
celebrate the holidays with them. My
side of the family usually
celebrates Christmas the
weekend before, so that way, we
can spend the whole weekend with
one another. It’s nice not to have to
rush here and there trying to
squeeze in time with both sides of
our family. This weekend arrangement works out perfectly. That
said, we need recipes for a weekend of entertaining, including
overnight stays. Below you’ll find
some good side dishes as well as
fun and different brunch items.
Hope this helps you complete your
holiday entertaining.
LAUREN’S
Slow-Cooked
Apples
8 baking apples
1 cup raisins
1 cup pecans
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup water
Wash and core the apples. Pare
the top third of each apple.
Combine raisins, pecans and sugar.
Fill apples with the mixture and
place them in a slow cooker.
Sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg, then dot each with butter.
Add water to bottom of cooker.
Cover and cook on low for 8
hours. You can try a high setting
for 4 hours, but check on them
often.
LAUREN’S
Grape Salad
1 8-ounce package cream cheese
1 8-ounce container sour cream
1/2 cup sugar
1 pound white grapes
1 pound red grapes
Pecans and brown sugar for decoration
Cream together cream cheese,
sour cream and regular sugar.
7
2 0 0 7
AUNT KAYE'S
Favorite
Fruit
Salad
SERVES 6
G
reat for a holiday
brunch, too!
Add
grapes.
Sprinkle pecans and brown sugar
on top for decoration. Not only
tastes great, but looks great, too!
LAUREN’S
Brunch Egg
Bake
MOM’S
Chocolate Trifle
SERVES 8 TO 10
1 package chocolate fudge cake mix
1 package instant chocolate pudding mix
1/2 cup strong coffee
1 12-ounce container cool whip
6 Heath bars, crushed
Bake cake according to package
directions. Cool. Prepare pudding
according to package directions;
set aside. Crumble cake; reserve
1/2 cup. Place half of the remaining cake crumbs on the bottom of
a 4 1/2-quart or 5-quart trifle dish
or decorative glass clear bowl.
Layer with half of the coffee, half
of the pudding, half of the whipped
topping and half of the crushed
candy bars. Repeat the layers
again in the same order and top
with remaining crushed candy bars
and cake crumbs. Refrigerate 4 to
5 hours before serving.
usually put this on large platter
starting with covering it with
Icream
cheese then layering the rest
of the ingredients.
MOM’S
Pizza Dip
1 8-ounce package cream cheese
1 12-ounce jar chili sauce
1 green pepper, diced
1 small red onion chopped
1 small container black olives, sliced
1 package shredded Mozzarella cheese
Mix all ingredients and serve
with King Size Fritos.
SERVES 12
G
reat to prepare beforehand
and pop in the oven when your
holiday guests stay the night.
Good for breakfast.
3 cups (12 ounces)shredded cheddar
cheese
3 cups (12 ounces) shredded part skim
mozzarella cheese
1 4.5 ounce jar sliced mushrooms,
drained
1/2 cup chopped red peppers
1/3 cup of green onions
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups diced fully cooked ham
1/2 cup flour
1 3/4 cup milk
8 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Combine the cheeses; place 3
cups in an ungreased 9-inch x 13inch baking dish and set aside. In a
large skillet, saute the mushrooms,
red pepper and onions in butter
until tender; drain. Spoon into baking dish. Sprinkle with ham and
remaining cheeses. In a large bowl
whisk flour and milk until smooth;
stir in the eggs, parsley, salt, basil,
and pepper until blended. Slowly
pour over cheeses. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 35 to 40
minutes or until knife comes
out clear. Let stand for 10
minutes before cutting.
1 11-ounce can Mandarin oranges,
drained
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup mini marshmallows
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup unsweetened pineapple tidbits,
drained
2 tablespoons walnuts, chopped
1 tablespoon brown sugar
In small bowl combine the first
five ingredients. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Just before serving
sprinkle with walnuts and brown
sugar.
BROOKE'S
Pasta Salad
B
rooke is my younger and only
sister.
1 16-ounce box colored pasta, cooked
2 cups raw vegetables of choice, I use
cauliflower or carrots
Mix together and add dressing
DRESSING:
1 14-ounce can Eagle Brand
milk
2 cups mayonnaise
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup vinegar
Mix
together and
pour over
pasta and
vegetables.
8
H O L I D A Y
C O O K I N G
I N
T H E
H E A R T L A N D
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI HOSPITAL
2 0 0 7
RAINA’S HEALTHY RECIPES
heat; stir in chocolate chips until
smooth. Stir in marshmallow
crème, pecans, prunes and
vanilla. Pour into prepared
pan and refrigerate until
firm, about 1 hour.
Lift fudge out of pan
and remove foil. Cut into
1-inch squares
Nutrition Facts: One piece = 79
calories, 3 gm fat, 14 gm carbohydrate, trace fiber
Low Calorie
Pumpkin Pie
SERVES 8
2 tablespoons of reduced calorie
margarine
2 whole eggs
1 12 ounce can evaporated skim milk
1 15 ounce can pumpkin
1/2 cup Low Fat Bisquick baking mix
3/4 cup Splenda
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Mix all ingredients together and
pour into greased 8-inch or 9-inch
pie plate. Bake at 350 degrees for
50-55 minutes.
Nutrition Information: 130 calories, Fat grams: 4.5, Carbohydrate
grams: 15, Protein grams: 6,
Sodium mg: 190
Prune Fudge
MAKES 64 PIECES
2 1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup evaporated skim milk
2 tablespoons Smart Balance
non-hydrogenated margarine
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 7 ounce jar marshmallow cream
2 1/2 ounces pureed prunes (baby food)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
chopped pecans, optional
Line an 8 inch square pan with
foil and coat the foil with nonstick
cooking spray; set aside. In a
heavy saucepan over medium heat,
bring sugar, milk and butter to a
boil stirring constantly. Cook and
stir for 5 minutes. Remove from
Mashed Sweet
Potatoes
SERVES 8
T
his food is low in Cholesterol,
and very low in Sodium. It is
also a good source of Vitamin C,
Potassium, Manganese and Beta
Carotene
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon sugar
2/3 cup 1% fat buttermilk
31/3 tablespoon Canola oil
Preheat oven to 450 °.
In medium bowl, combine flour,
baking powder, baking soda, salt
and sugar.
In small bowl, stir together buttermilk and all of the oil. Pour over
flour mixture and stir until wellmixed.
On lightly floured surface,
knead dough gently for 10-12
strokes. Roll or pat dough to 3/4inch thickness. Cut with 2-inch
biscuit or cookie cutter, dipping
cutter in flour between cuts.
Transfer biscuits to an
ungreased baking sheet.
Bake for 12 minutes or until
golden brown. Serve warm.
6 medium sweet potatoes
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons orange juice
1/4 cup toasted chopped pecans
Peel the sweet potatoes and cut
into large chunks. Put them in a
pan with enough water to cover.
Bring them to a boil. Reduce heat
and boil, covered, about 25 minutes or until very tender. Drain,
transfer potatoes to a large mixing
bowl.
Add the maple syrup, butter and
orange juice to the potatoes.
Partially mash with a hand masher.
Using an electric hand mixer, beat
potatoes until light and fluffy.
Transfer to a serving dish.
Sprinkle with toasted pecans.
Homestyle
Biscuits
SERVES 15
T
his food is low in Saturated
Fat, and very low in
Cholesterol.
2 cups flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
Green Bean
Casserole
SERVES 4
T
his food is low in Cholesterol.
It is also a good source of
Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin
C, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Folate,
Iron, Potassium and Copper, and a
very good source of Vitamin K and
Manganese.
2 cans no salt added green beans,
drained
1 can Healthy Request Campbell’s Cream
of Mushroom Soup
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup corn flake crumbs
Preheat oven 350 °.
Layer 1 can of green beans in the
casserole dish. Spread 1/2 can of
soup on top of the green beans,
and sprinkle with pepper.
Layer the other can of green
beans on the soup, followed
by the remaining 1/2 can soup
and sprinkle with pepper. Top
with crumbled corn flakes.
Bake 25 minutes.
Serving Size: 1/2 cup each
CUT THE SALT
To cut back on sodium for this
recipe you can cut down by either
purchasing no salt added green
beans, salt added green beans and
rinsing them, or use one can of no
salt added and one regular can of
green beans for this recipe.
If you miss the onion flavor in the
green beans you can add 1/4 cup
chopped onion or 1 1/2 tablespoons dried onion flakes before
adding the corn flake crumbs.
“Unfried”
Chicken
SERVES 6
T
his food is a good source of
Vitamin B6 and Phosphorus,
and a very good source of Protein,
Niacin and Selenium.
1 cup coarsely crushed corn flakes
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon Ms. Dash or other salt free
herbs/spices
1 egg white
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Preheat oven to 400 °.
In shallow dish, combine cereal,
flour, and spices.
Beat egg white with 1 tablespoon water in a shallow bowl.
Dip chicken breasts in egg white
mixture, then in cereal mixture.
Place chicken on baking sheet;
spray with cooking spray
Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until
chicken is golden brown and
cooked through.
Two Great Recipes from Higdon Furniture
A Great Recipe for Decorating Your Home
e start with all the
ideas and desires
of our customer...
W
Then we add a dash of new ideas
with one of our designers...
Mix in the greatest selection of
styles, colors and finishes in the four
state area to create the
“Perfect Room” every time.
Higdon Furniture is the
perfect recipe for turning
a house into a home!
Superb Fudge Pie
1/2 c. butter (1 stick)
4 eggs
3 Tbsp. white Karo syrup
1/4 tsp. salt
6 Tbsp. Cocoa
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 (9-in.) pie shell
Melt butter and mix with cocoa. In mixing bowl, beat eggs until light.
Beat syrup, sugar, salt and vanilla into eggs. Then add slightly cooled chocolate
mixture. Mix thoroughly and pour into pie shell. Bake at 350° for 25 to 30
minutes, or until top is crusty and filling is set but still somewhat soft inside.
Do not overbake.
Pie should shake like custard so it will not be too stiff when cool. This may
be served plain, but is best served with a topping of vanilla ice cream.
NEW HIGDON FURNITURE STORE!
3930 COLEMAN CROSSING CIRCLE
Monday
10AM - 7PM
Behind
Outback
Steakhouse
COLEMAN
CROSSING
CIRCLE
E
COLEMAN RD
INTERSTATE 24
3930 Coleman Crossing Circle Paducah, KY
442-7596
Tues. through Sat.
10AM-6PM
Sunday
1PM - 5PM
10
H O L I D A Y
hese recipes come from my
T
mother-in-law, Dionna
Meadows, better known as Nana.
We head to her house in Benton,
Kentucky for Christmas each year.
Instead of a big, sit down
meal…the Meadows clan enjoys
sandwiches, plenty of chips and
dip….and the family favorites listed below. Nana serves the easy
boil custard in a white bowl
shaped like a duck, so it’s called
“Duck”, not custard. It took me a
couple holidays to figure that one
out, but now my daughter, Maddie,
joins my step-kids Travis and
Taylor in emptying the duck every
Christmas!
DIONNA’S
BroccoliCauliflower
Salad
1 bunch broccoli
1 bunch cauliflower
2 small boxes of raisins
1 package sunflower seeds
4-5 green onions, optional
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
6-7 pieces crisp bacon
Cut broccoli and cauliflower
into bite-size pieces. Add raisins,
sunflower seeds and green onions.
C O O K I N G
I N
Then mix together mayonnaise,
sugar and vinegar. Add to salad
and toss. Refrigerate. When
ready to serve, add the pieces of
bacon.
DIONNA’S
Easy Boiled
Custard from
“Cooking with
Curtis”
1 3/4 box of French vanilla instant
pudding
4 cups milk
1/2 sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 8-ounce Cool Whip
Mix French vanilla instant pudding, milk, sugar, vanilla and Cool
Whip. Chill.
DIONNA’S
Crunchy-Top
Sweet Potato
Souffle
3 cups mashed sweet potatoes
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
T H E
H E A R T L A N D
1/3 stick margarine, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup sugar
Mix together all ingredients and
beat until fluffy. Pour into a
greased 9-inch x 13-inch baking
dish.
TOPPING:
1/3 cup margarine
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 cup chopped pecans
Sprinkle topping mixture over
sweet potato mixture and bake at
350° for 35 minutes. (Longer if
deep dish is used)
DIONNA’S
Banana Pudding
2 cups milk
1 cup sugar plus 6 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons flour
3 eggs, yolk and whites separated
1/4 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 stick butter
1 box vanilla
wafers
2 bananas,
sliced
2 0 0 7
Mix milk, 1 cup sugar, flour and
egg yolks. Cook until mixed well
and slightly thickened. Add vanilla
and butter after the pudding is
cooked. In 2-quart baking dish,
alternate layers of vanilla wafers,
bananas and pudding mix. Top
with meringue. Mix meringue by
combining 3 egg whites with
remaining 6 tablespoons of
sugar. Beat egg whites,
then gradually add
sugar, continue beating until fluffy and
place on the layers.
To finish off the
dessert, place
under broiler
until the
meringue is
light
brown.
Serve.
GRANDMA VI’S
Rockford Potatoes
M
y mother-in-law, Sandy, makes this recipe around the holidays. I,
along with everyone else, absolutely LOVE it. It’s pretty easy…
and is sure to make everyone happy around the dinner table
1 2-pound package frozen
hash brown potatoes
1/2 cup melted butter
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 pint sour cream
3/4 cup chopped onion,
optional
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
TOPPING:
2 cups crushed corn flakes
1/2 cup melted butter
SYDNEY AND HER GRANDMA SANDY
Grease
9-inch x 13-inch
baking dish. Mix
ingredients and
put in baking
dish. Mix topping
of cornflakes and
melted butter,
then pour on top
of potato mixture.
Bake uncovered at
250° for 2.5 hours
or 350° for
1.5 hours.
SYDNEY AND MOM
H O L I D A Y
C O O K I N G
I N
T H E
H E A R T L A N D
13
2 0 0 7
THREE-A-DAYTM THE DAIRY WAY PARTY DIPS
Combine cream cheese, sour
cream and oregano in bowl, stir
until smooth. Spread evenly in a
9-inch pie plate. Top with pizza
sauce, mozzarella and parmesan
cheese. Top with peppers and
onions. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
Serve with whole wheat breadsticks
or crackers.
Southwestern
Taco Dip
Recipe created by 3-A-Day™ of Dairy
Makes 10 servings (3/4 cup per serving)
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 16-ounce can spicy fat-free refried
beans
1 8-ounce container plain fat-free or lowfat yogurt
1/3 cup chunky medium salsa
1 cup finely chopped iceberg lettuce
1 cup shredded reduced-fat Mozzarella
cheese
1 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar
cheese
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
1/3 cup sliced green onion, including tops
2 tablespoons chopped black olives
COUSIN BECKY'S
Apple Crumb Pie
M
y husband's first cousin,
Becky Reid, made this pie at
my grandfather-in-law, Rolly's,
91st birthday party in
October...and everyone just went
crazy over it. There won't be any
leftovers!!
6 cups thinly sliced Granny Smith apple,
peeled
1 tablespoon lemon juice, optional
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour plus 2 tablespoons
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup raisins, optional
1/2 cup walnuts, optional
1 9-inch pie shell
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons butter
Preheat oven to 375°. Place
sliced apples in a large bowl.
Sprinkle with lemon juice if
desired. In a small bowl, mix
Stir chili
powder into beans
and spread evenly onto a
clear pie dish. Spread yogurt over
the bean dip, then spread the salsa
over the yogurt, leaving a narrow
border around each layer’s edge.
Scatter lettuce over yogurt mixture.
Sprinkle Mozzarella and Cheddar
cheese over lettuce and top with
tomato, green onion and olives.
6 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 cup pizza sauce
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 cup diced red peppers
1/4 cup sliced green onions
Cheese Ball
T
his is to die for and is
absolutely PERFECT for
munching before Christmas dinner.
1 8-ounce package cream cheese
8 ounces shredded colby cheese
1 5-ounce jar Old English cheese spread
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Chipotle pepper sauce
2 8-ounce containers low-fat plain
yogurt
1/2 cup thick and chunky salsa
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
Assorted cut vegetables or corn chips
CRYSTAL’S FAMILY
INCLUDING HER
AUNT BARBARA
SERVES 10
Recipe created by 3 A Day of Dairy
AUNT BARBARA’S
SERVES 5
Recipe created by 3-A-Day™ of Dairy
Combine first four
ingredients in medium
bowl; mix until blended
and refrigerate. Add
shredded cheese.
Serve with assorted cut vegetables or
corn chips.
Hot Pizza Dip
together white sugar, 2 tablespoons
flour, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Sprinkle mixture over apples. Toss
until apples are evenly coated. Stir
in raisins and walnuts if desired.
Spoon mixture into pastry shell. In
a small bowl mix together 1/2 cup
flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter or margarine until mixture is
crumbly. Sprinkle mixture over pie
filling. Cover top loosely with aluminum foil. Bake in preheated
oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil
and bake an additional 25 to 30
minutes, until top is golden brown.
Cool on a wire rack.
Chipotle Pepper
Dip
1/2 teaspoon
onion powder
Pecan Pieces
Blend ingredients in a food
processor. Shape
into a ball and chill.
Cover with pecan
pieces before serving.
CHEESY TIP
Try cheddar or longhorn cheese
instead.
FOR MORE
ZIP
Use 1 teaspoon each of
garlic and onion
powder.
14
H O L I D A Y
C O O K I N G
I N
T H E
H E A R T L A N D
2 0 0 7
MEATBALL MANIA!
Millions Of
Meatballs
Drain pineapple tidbits, reserving
syrup. In medium saucepan, combine brown sugar and cornstarch.
Blend in reserved syrup, water,
cider vinegar and soy sauce. Cook
and stir over low heat until thick
and bubbly. Carefully stir in meatballs, water chestnuts, green pepper strips and pineapple. Heat to
boiling. Serve over hot cooked
rice.
1 12-ounce can tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups dry bread crumbs
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup green pepper, finely chopped
1 teaspoons salt, optional
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
1/8 teaspoon dried marjoram, crushed
4 pounds ground beef
In a large mixing bowl, combine
first eight ingredients. Add ground
beef and mix well. Shape into
meatballs (use a small cookie
scoop if available) and place on
boiler pan so grease can drain
while cooking. Bake uncovered in
350° oven for 30 minutes. Divide
into meal-sized portions. To prevent from freezing into a solid
meatball-mass, freeze individually
on cookie sheets and then place in
freezer bags. Label and freeze.
Thaw completely and reheat with
your choice of sauces.
WHAT IS
MAJORAM
Marjoram is the dried leaves and
floral parts of the herb Origanium
hortensis. Most scientists consider
Marjoram to be a species of
Oregano. The light grayish-green
leaves of Marjoram have a sweeter
and more delicate flavor than
Oregano.
MAJORAM
USES
Marjoram may be used in
sausages, lamb, beef, pork, chicken, fish, tomato dishes, stuffings,
breads, salad dressings, and chowders. Marjoram is used in Italian,
French, North African, Middle
Eastern, and American cuisines
and spice blends such as bouquet
garni, fines herbes, and sausage
and pickle blends.
Chili-Day
Meatballs
SERVES 5
T
his recipe sounds a little
strange (chili sauce and grape
jelly?), but it tastes like burgundy
sauce (only without the wine)
1 12-ounce jar chili sauce
1 11-ounce jar grape jelly
Catalina
Meatballs
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cube beef bouillon dissolved in 1/2 cup
water
1 family meal-sized portion of freezer
meatballs
Whisk together chili sauce,
grape jelly, lemon juice and bouillon, breaking up all clumps.
Simmer on low heat until sauce
starts to thicken. Add freezer meatballs; cook in sauce until meatballs
are fully thawed and heated
through. Serve over hot cooked
noodles or rice.
Meatball
Sandwiches
1 family meal-sized portion of freezer
meatballs (approximately 4-5 meatballs
per person)
2 cups prepared spaghetti sauce
6 hot dog buns (or hoagie rolls)
6 thin slices mozzarella cheese
Thaw meatballs and spaghetti
sauce (if using frozen). Place both
in medium saucepan. Heat until
warmed through. Place meatballs
into warmed buns. Ladle small
amount of spaghetti sauce onto
each sandwich; place mozzarella
slice onto each sandwich.
Tomato-Sauced
Meatballs
SERVES 5
1 10.75-ounce can condensed tomato
soup
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 family meal-sized portion of freezer
meatballs
Mix together soup, water and
Worcestershire sauce. Place meatballs in a medium sized saucepan;
pour soup mixture over meatballs.
Simmer until meatballs are heated
through. Serve over hot cooked rice.
Meatball
Stroganoff
SERVES 5
1 10.75-ounce can condensed cream of
mushroom soup
1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
1 cup mushrooms, sliced and cooked in
butter until soft
1 family meal-sized portion of freezer
meatballs
In medium saucepan, mix
together mushroom soup and sour
cream. Gently stir in mushrooms
and meatballs. Simmer until meatballs are heated through. Serve
over hot cooked rice or over egg
noodles tossed with melted butter
and chopped parsley.
Sweet-N-Sour
Meatballs
SERVES 5
1 14-ounce can pineapple tidbits or
chunks, undrained
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 teaspoon soy sauce (or more to taste)
1 family meal-sized portion of freezer
meatballs
1 5-ounce can water chestnuts, drained
and thinly sliced
1 green pepper, cut in
strips
SERVES 5
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 family meal-sized portion of freezer
meatballs
1 bottle Catalina salad dressing
In a medium skillet, sauté onion
slices in olive oil until softened.
Add frozen meatballs. Pour dressing over meatballs. Cover skillet
and cook over low heat until dressing caramelizes on meatballs and
onion, and the meatballs are fully
thawed and heated through. Serve
over rice.
Burger Bites
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1/4 cup grape jelly
1 family meal-sized portion of freezer
meatballs
1 8-ounce can pineapple chunks, drained
1 large red pepper, cut into cubes
Mix barbecue sauce and jelly in
large skillet. Cook and stir on
medium heat 2 minutes or until
jelly melts. Add meatballs to skillet; cook 10 minutes or until heated through. Skewer each meatball
alternately on long wooden skewer
or toothpick with pineapple chunk
and red pepper.
GREAT
SUBSTITUTIONS
Substitute seasonal fresh vegetables for the red pepper.
Substitute fresh
pineapple chunks
for the canned
pineapple.
H O L I D A Y
SWEET
TOOTH?
Texas Bon Bons
2 pounds powdered sugar
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed
milk
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 cups finely chopped pecans
1 3.5-ounce can flaked coconut, optional
1 cup chocolate chips
1 ounce paraffin wax
Mix all ingredients except
chocolate chips and paraffin wax
in large mixing bowl, using hands,
if necessary. Shape into small
balls. Let set about 1 hour. Melt
chocolate chips and paraffin wax
in double boiler. Dip candies in
chocolate mixture using round
toothpicks. Drain on wax paper.
Yellow Fudge
3 cups sugar
1 cup + 1 tablespoon evaporated milk
1/2 cup real butter (no substitutes)
1 cup light corn syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 cup nuts
Mix first 4 ingredients in large
heavy saucepan using large wooden spoon. Cook to soft ball stage
about 1 hour. Take off heat and
beat until cool. Add vanilla and
nuts. Place in 9-inch x 13-inch
pan.
Caramel Apple
Bars
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cup shortening
4 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
4 1/2 cups coarsely chopped peeled tart
apples (3 medium)
1 14-ounce bag caramels
Heat oven to 400º. Mix brown
sugar, butter and shortening in
large bowl. Stir in 1 3/4 cups flour,
the oats, salt and baking soda.
Reserve 2 cups oat mixture; press
remaining oat mixture in
ungreased rectangular pan,
9-inch x 13-inch. Toss apples and
3 tablespoons flour; spread over
mixture in pan. Heat caramels
over low heat, stirring occasionally, until melted; pour evenly over
apples. Sprinkle with reserved oat
mixture; press lightly. Bake 25 to
30 minutes or until topping is
golden brown and apples are tender. For 36 bars, cut into 6 rows
by 6 rows while warm. Store covered in refrigerator.
C O O K I N G
I N
T
wo days after Christmas 2007,
I will turn 28, but during the
holidays I will always be a little
girl! I think that's because our
family traditions bring out the kid
in me...and my entire family!
Every Christmas Eve, we read The
Polar Express. Sometimes my
mother reads the story to my
cousin Travis and me. Travis is
also in his twenties! Then, I open
at least one gift....always new pajamas! I look forward to guessing
which package holds my new pj's
every year.
But every year on Christmas
morning, there's a mystery to be
solved....The Present Christmas
Forgot. My grandma, Wanda
Brantley, starts her shopping
early, and each year after all the
gifts are unwrapped she usually
discovers one gift from herself
missing....never opened by the
lucky family member. After making
sure it wasn't given to the wrong
person, or hidden under piles of
paper, she must go back through
the house ... checking every hiding
spot... until she finds the missing
gift. It's always exciting to see who
will receive The Present Christmas
Forgot! (I always hope it's me!!)
Food is also a tradition, hope
you enjoy some of the recipes that
my family does.
HOLLY’S
Corn Pudding
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 cups milk
6 eggs, slightly beaten
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 1-pound bags frozen whole kernel corn,
thawed
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley or
2 tablespoon parsley flakes
3/4 cup plain bread crumbs
3 tablespoons butter or margarine,
melted
T H E
H E A R T L A N D
1/2 cup butter over medium heat.
Add onion; cook 3 to 4 minutes,
stirring frequently, until tender. Stir
in flour, salt and pepper until well
blended. Stir in milk. Cook 4 to 5
minutes, stirring constantly, until
thickened. Gradually stir in eggs
and cheese. Stir in corn and parsley. Pour into baking dish. In small
bowl, mix bread crumbs and 3
tablespoons melted butter; sprinkle
over corn mixture. Bake uncovered
55 to 65 minutes, or until mixture
is set and knife inserted in center
comes out clean. Let stand 5 to 10
minutes before serving.
HOLLY'S
Super Creamy
Peanut Butter
Fudge
3 cups sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
1 tablespoon butter
Pinch of salt
1/4 tablespoon vanilla
2 cups peanut butter
2 0 0 7
package milk chocolate pieces
1 7-ounce jar marshmallow creme
1 cup chopped nuts, optional
1 teaspoon vanilla
15
Combine sugar, butter and milk
in heavy 2 to 3-quart saucepan.
Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring
constantly. Continue boiling 5 minutes over medium heat or until
candy thermometer reaches 234°,
stirring constantly to prevent
scorching. Remove from heat. Stir
in chocolate pieces until melted.
Add marshmallow creme, nuts and
vanilla. Beat until well blended.
Pour into a greased
9-inch x 13-inch pan.
Tip: you can also put aluminum
foil in the pan instead. Cool at
room temperature. Cut into
squares.
*Nuts are optional. Also good with
semi-sweet chocolate chips.
In a large saucepan, combine the
sugar, milk and butter. Cook over
medium heat for about ten minutes. Turn off the heat, and add the
rest of the ingredients. Stir until
the mixture starts to harden.
Spread on a buttered cookie sheet
or in a foil lined pan. Refrigerate
for at least fifteen minutes...or until
set.
HOLLY’S
Milk Chocolate
Fantasy Fudge
3 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter
1 5-ounce can
evaporated milk
1 12-ounce
Heat oven to 350°. Spray a
9-inch x 13-inch glass baking dish
or 3-quart casserole with cooking
spray. In 4-quart Dutch oven, melt
WHAT IS A BON BON?
In Europe, the simplest form of bonbon is
essentially sugar coated almonds. In the
modern era the use of almonds as a center has declined, and a bonbon can be
any confection with a fondant center,
often with fruit or nuts, covered in fondant or chocolate, or any other confection consisting of a sweet center covered
by a loose sugar or flavored coating.
Bonbon is also the French and German
word for candy.
Dessert Bonbons
A bonbon is also the brand name for an
American sweet, consisting of a small ball
of ice cream, roughly the size of a cherry,
coated in chocolate. Sold in cardboard
buckets, they are rarely seen today.
Bonbons can also be more like truffles,
with some type of filling inside. Bonbons
are owned by the Hershey company.
16
H O L I D A Y
C O O K I N G
EASY WAYS TO SPICE
UP CAKE MIXES!
I N
Punch Bowl
Cake
SERVES 20 TO 24
Three-Fruit
Dump Cake
SERVES 6 TO 8
1 21-ounce can apple pie filling
1 15.25-ounce can sliced pears, drained
1 15.25-ounce can sliced peaches,
drained
1 9-ounce package yellow cake mix
1/4 cup butter, cut into 1/8-inch pieces
In a large bowl, combine the pie
filling, pears and peaches; spoon
into a greased 8-inch square baking dish. Sprinkle with cake mix;
dot with butter. Bake at 350° for
45 to 50 minutes or until golden
brown. Serve warm.
1 18.25-ounce package white cake mix
3-1/2 cups cold milk
2 3.4-ounces packages instant vanilla
pudding mix
1 20-ounce can crushed pineapple,
drained
1-1/2 cups flaked coconut
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1 8-ounce frozen whipped topping, thawed
Bake cake according to package
directions, using a greased
9-inch x 13-inch baking pan. Cool
cake completely on a wire rack. In
a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mixes for 2 minutes. Let
stand 2 minutes or until soft-set.
Fold in pineapple; cover and
refrigerate. Fold coconut and nuts
into whipped topping. To assemble, cut the cake into 1-inch cubes;
place half in a 5-quart punch bowl.
Top with half of the pudding mixture and half of the whipped topping mixture. Repeat layers. Cover
and refrigerate until serving.
T H E
H E A R T L A N D
BETTY EMERSON’S
Pineapple Cake
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda, sifted
2 large eggs beaten
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
1 cup chopped pecans
1 20-ounce can crushed pineapple in
heavy syrup, do not drain!
Mix all ingredients well by
hand. Bake in a 9-inch x 13-inch
pan ungreased for 35 minutes at
350°.
While cake bakes, mix frosting
and put on cake 10 minutes after
it comes out of the oven.
2 0 0 7
Cream Cheese
Frosting
1 stick margarine softened
1 8-ounce package cream cheese
1 3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans
Beat all ingredients
with mixer until well
blended and then
enjoy!
H O L I D A Y
C O O K I N G
I N
T H E
H E A R T L A N D
17
2 0 0 7
SERVING UP SUPER SIDE DISHES
H
ere are several side dishes
sure to please. Not only are
they delicious, but they are packed
with vegetables as well.
T
his vegetable-filled strata
employs bread, cheese, milk,
pumpkin and eggs to create a
moist and delicious casserole you
can cut into squares or wedges and
serve with a platter of fresh fruit
for a smashing brunch!
Italian Pumpkin
Strata
SERVES 12
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound sweet Italian sausage
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 cloves garlic
1 1-pound loaf Italian bread, cut into 1
1/2 inch cubes
W
hen I think eggplant parmesan, I think comfort food. My
family and I were lucky enough to
enjoy fresh eggplant and tomatoes
from my dad's garden this summer,
so when I cook up this dish in the
winter months, it'll bring back
memories of the summer and help
drive away the chill.
CJ’S
Eggplant
Parmesan
2 large eggplants, sliced into 1/4 inch
slices
Olive oil
3 tablespoons dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound fresh or canned tomatoes,
chopped
4 large cloves garlic, minced
6 ounces mozzarella cheese, grated
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Sprinkle the eggplant slices with
salt, and leave on paper towels. Pat
the moisture dry about twenty minutes later, and dip the eggplant
slices in olive oil. Sprinkle
oregano, salt and pepper on top.
Heat a pan with olive oil and lightly brown eggplant slices on both
sides.
When the eggplant is done, preheat oven to 400°. Lightly grease a
casserole dish with olive oil.
Spread tomatoes at bottom and
add a layer of the eggplant slices.
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 12-ounce cans evaporated milk
1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease 9inch x 13-inch baking pan. Heat
vegetable oil in large skillet over
medium-high heat. Add sausage,
onion, bell peppers and garlic.
Cook, Stirring to break up sausage,
for 7 to 10 minutes or until
sausage is no longer pink; drain.
Combine bread cubes, cheese and
sausage mixture in large bowl.
Beat evaporated milk, pumpkin,
eggs, salt, pepper, oregano, basil
and marjoram in medium bowl.
Pour over bread mixture, pressing
bread into milk mixture. Pour into
prepared baking pan. Bake for 30
to 35 minutes or until set. Serve
warm.
Top with a light layer of tomatoes. Sprinkle with some of the
minced garlic and a little more
oregano. Top with some of the
mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
Continue the process, ending with
Parmesan cheese on top. Cover
with foil and bake for about 30
minutes or until hot and bubbly.
Uncover and bake an additional 5
minutes if more browning is
desired. Serve immediately or let
cool to room temperature.
I
f you feel ambitious, you could
add pieces of coconut flesh as
you saute the mix. It adds a wonderful exotic flavor to this recipe,
and my parents almost always
serve it that way. You could also
toss the entire mixture in a food
processor, with the olive oil, and
then serve it with crackers.
CJ’S
Sauteed Chick
Peas
1/2 cup olive oil
1 onion, minced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 16-ounce can garbanzo peas
Salt and pepper
Crushed red pepper
Parsley and cilantro sprigs
Heat the olive oil in a pan, and
brown the onions and garlic. Drain
garbanzo peas, and add to pan.
Eggplant Chili
Jackets
SERVES 4
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 red chili, roughly chopped
2 large eggplants, cubed
2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 cup red wine
1 14-ounce can chopped plum tomatoes
1 14-ounce can cannelloni beans, drained
Sea salt and ground black pepper
4 potatoes, baked
Heat the oil in a pan and cook the
onion, garlic, and chili for 2 minutes over
a moderate heat. Add the eggplant and
rosemary and continue to cook for a further 5 minutes until beginning to soften.
Pour in the wine and bring to a boil. Add
the tomatoes and beans, season to taste,
then cover and cook for 25 minutes and
stirring from time to time. Divide between
Add spices. Serve warm after
about five minutes of cooking.
Garnish with parsley and cilantro.
I
found this recipe online, and it's
essentially geared towards low
carb dieters. But I think it could
appeal to just about anyone.
Happy Holidays!
Raspberry
Vanilla Cream
2 cups frozen raspberries
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/4 cup sugar free raspberry syrup (such
as Da Vinci)
2 cups ricotta cheese
1/2 cup Splenda or sugar
Blend raspberries and liquid
until smooth. Add ricotta and
sweetener and blend. Refrigerate
until ready to serve.
I
grew up drinking smoothies,
and enjoy them all year
around. It's the perfect snack, or
dessert depending on what time of
day it is! My sisters sometimes
add silken tofu to their
smoothies to thicken it up a
little, and I throw in all
varieties of frozen
fruit.
hot, buttered baked potatoes and serve
straight away.
Sweet Potato
Puffs
SERVES 8
2 pounds sweet potatoes, cooked -mashed
1/3 cup orange juice
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup chopped pecans
In a bowl, combine mashed
sweet potatoes with orange juice,
egg, peel, and nutmeg. Mix well.
Spray a baking sheet with nonstick
cooking spray. Spoon potato mixture onto baking sheet in 8
mounds. Sprinkle the mounds with
the chopped pecans. Bake in a
375° oven for about 30 minutes, or
until hot in the center.
Pineapple
Raspberry Soy
Smoothie
3 cups soy milk
1/2 cup frozen pineapple
1/2 cup frozen raspberries
1/2 cup Splenda or sugar
Pineapple slice or cherries
Blend all ingredients
together. Garnish with
pineapple slice or
cherries.
18
H O L I D A Y
Chestnut
Stuffed Goose
With Applesauce
1 goose (about 9 pounds)
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
3/4 pound of chestnuts
1/2 loaf of French bread, soaked in milk
1/2 pound chicken livers
3/4 cup diced cooked ham
1 truffle grated
3 tablespoons truffle juice
3 tablespoons Madeira wine
1 petit Suisse
APPLESAUCE:
3 1/2 pound apples peeled and
quartered
2/3 cup of water
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
4 tablespoons butter
Remove goose liver and set
aside. Rinse goose under cold running water and pat dry. Season
cavity well with salt and pepper;
set aside. Make a cross on each
chestnut with tip of sharp knife.
Place chestnuts in saucepan with
cold salted water. Cook over moderate heat 30 minutes. Drain chestnuts, cool slightly, and remove
shells and skins. Squeeze milk
from bread and place bread and
chestnuts in bowl, mash well.
Preheat oven to 400°. Coarsely
chop goose liver and chicken livers
and add to bowl. Add ham, grated
truffle, truffle juice, Madeira wine,
petite Suisse, salt and pepper and
mix well. Place stuffing in goose
right before cooking, not before
hand. Truss goose and place on
rack in roasting pan. Roast 2 to 2
1/2 hours or until juices run clear
when thigh is pricked with skewer. Increase oven temperature to 425°. Salt skin
and roast until skin is
well browned and
crisp. Prepare
applesauce while
goose is cooking.
C O O K I N G
I N
T H E
Place apples in saucepan, add 2/3
cup of water, salt and nutmeg.
Cover and cook over low heat 30
minutes or until apples are very
soft. Add butter and stir until melted. Carve goose and place on
plates, pass apple sauce separately.
Christmas Ice
Pudding
SERVES 4 TO 6 ADULTS
1 cup roughly chopped dried fruit of your
choice
1/4 cup of light or dark rum
1 1/4 cups light cream
5 egg yolks, slightly beaten
2/3 cup superfine sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened chestnut puree
1 4-ounces unsweetened baking
chocolate
1 1/4 cups of heavy cream, whipped
Soak the mixed fruits in the
rum. In a saucepan heat the light
cream over medium heat to near
boiling point, then pour it onto the
egg yolks mixed with sugar and
return this custard to pan.
Stir over low heat until custard
thickens, but do not allow it to
boil; you may find this easier to do
in a double boiler. When the custard has thickened, add the chestnut puree and the chocolate, and
stir well until they have dissolved
and the custard is quite smooth.
Remove the pan from the heat,
taste the custard for sweetness and
let it cool. Mix in the rum-soaked
fruits and finally fold in the
whipped cream. Line a 1-quart
pudding basin with plastic. Pour in
the mixture, wrap the basin in foil
and freeze the pudding. Remove
the pudding about one hour before
serving it. Unwrap the pudding and
place it in the refrigerator until you
are ready to eat it.
H E A R T L A N D
2 0 0 7
WHAT IS MADEIRA WINE?
Madeira is a fortified wine made in the Madeira Islands
of Portugal, which is prized equally for drinking and
cooking; the latter use including the dessert plum in madeira.
Madeira was an important wine in the history of the United
States of America. No wine quality grapes could be grown
among the thirteen colonies so imports were needed with a
great focus on Madeira (usually imported by the “pipe” a casket between 110-120 gallons).
One of the major events on the road to revolution in
which Madeira played a key role was the British seizure
of John Hancock’s sloop the Liberty on May 9, 1768.
Hancock's boat was seized after he had unloaded a cargo
of 25 pipes (3,150 gallons) of Madeira and a dispute over
import duties arose. The seizure of the Liberty caused riots to
erupt among the people of Boston.
Madeira was also a favorite of Thomas Jefferson, and it was
used to toast the Declaration of Independence. George
Washington and Benjamin Franklin are also said to have
appreciated the qualities of Madeira. Chief Justice John
Marshall was also known to appreciate Madeira, as were
his cohorts on the U.S. Supreme Court at the time.
TRUFFLE TRAIL
Truffles are difficult to find
and very expensive as a
result! In 1994, black
truffles sold for $350
to $500 a pound. In
the United States,
edible truffles are
collected in the
forests of
Oregon and
Washington. In
Europe, most
truffles are
collected in
France and
Italy.
Truffle hunters
in Italy and
France use pigs
and mixed-breed
dogs to sniff out
truffles. Dogs are preferred to pigs because
pigs love to eat truffles. Notice the
staff held by the truffle hunter in the picture with the pig. The hunter uses
the staff to force the pig to back off, once the pig has
located a truffle.
WHAT ARE
TRUFFLES?
Any of a group of underground fungi, certain of
which are highly valued as edible delicacies; in
particular, the species Tuber melanosporum, generally found growing under oak trees. It is native
to the Périgord region of France but is cultivated
in other areas as well. It is rounded, blackishbrown, externally covered with warts, and has
blackish flesh.
DIEBOLD ORCHARDS
CONTEST WINNERS
FIRST PLACE
AMBER KUEHN
JACKSON, MISSOURI
Frozen Fruit
Salad
SERVES 8
1 8-ounce package fat-free cream cheese
1 cup fat-free sour cream
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch salt
5 cups assorted fresh, frozen, or canned
fruit (drained crushed pineapple,
sliced strawberries, blueberries, rasp
berries, cherries, chopped peaches,
kiwi, mandarin oranges etc.)
Lettuce leaves as garnish
Beat cream cheese, sour cream,
sugar, lemon rind, vanilla and salt
in large bowl until smooth. Mix in
fruit. Spread in 7-inch x 11-inch
baking dish and freeze until firm,
8 hours or overnight. Let stand at
room temperature until softened
enough to cut, 10 to 15 minutes.
Cut into squares and serve on lettuce-lined plates.
SECOND PLACE
KATHY THOMPSON
PATTON, MISSOURI
Holiday Wreath
2 cups marshmallows
1 stick of butter
Green food color
4 cups corn flakes
Red hots
Melt butter and marshmallows
on stove top. Add green food coloring to make it look the color of a
wreath. Mix in corn flakes. Place
in a well greased bunt pan. Turn
upside down after it sits about 5
minutes. Garnish with red hots for
the berries.
THIRD PLACE
LINDA SUEDEKUM
CAPE GIRARDEAU, MISSOURI
Pumpkin/Pecan
Pie
3 eggs, slightly beaten
2 cups of fresh pumpkin or 1 15-ounce
can pumpkin
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup pecans, chopped
Mix all ingredients except
pecans and pour into unbaked pie
shell. Sprinkle with pecans. Bake
for 50 to 55 minutes or until a
knife inserted in the center comes
out clean. Can serve with whipped
cream. Refrigerate the leftovers (if
any) after 2 hours.
HONORABLE MENTION
MARY SWAN
STONEFORT, ILLINOIS
Mint Dip with
Brownies
1 package fudge brownie mix (8-inch
square pan size)
3/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons creme de menthe
Prepare and bake brownies according
to package directions. Cool completely on
a wire rack. Meanwhile, in a small bowl,
combine the sour cream, brown sugar
and creme de menthe; cover and refrigerate until serving. Cut brownies into 1inch diamonds. Serve with dip. Makes 1
dozen brownies and 3/4 cup dip.
A Dickens of a Gift
Free Health Screenings
at Our Holiday Health Extravaganza
Saturday, Dec. 1
9 a.m. to noon
Western
Baptist
Hospital
Atrium of
Doctors Office
Building 2
Free Health Screenings Include:
? Carotid Screening
(NEW THIS YEAR)
? Blood Pressure
? Cholesterol/Blood Sugar
? Height and Weight
? EKG Rhythm Strips
? Posture
? Respiratory Checks
? Massage Therapy
? Plus, you’ll receive a
Baptist Family Fitness
One-Day Pass
From carolers to gingerbread, enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of a Dickens-era Christmas.
Get free health screenings, refreshments and giveaways.
Please park in the parking garage for easiest access.
Fasting for screenings is not necessary, and no advance registration is required.
For more information, phone Baptist Health Line at (270) 575-2918.
Treating you well.
westernbaptist.com
H O L I D A Y
C O O K I N G
I N
T H E
SHIRLENE HECHT
PROJECT DIRECTOR
TJ SMITH
NEWS GRAPHIC DESIGNER
s editor of this book, I go
through lots of recipes each
A
year, preparing for the magazine.
I
There are so many that sound
great, but with the three kids, it
seems to get harder and harder to find the time to cook.
Thank goodness for Taste of
Home’s recipe offerings like Simple and
Delicious. This little
gem is one of their borrowed
ideas.
Garlic Bread
Pizza
1 11.25-ounce package frozen garlic
bread, thawed
1/2 cup pizza sauce
13.5-ounce package sliced pepperoni
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Place the garlic bread in a foillined 10-inch x 15-inch baking
pan. Spread with pizza sauce; top
with pepperoni and cheese. Broil 3
to 4 inches from the heat for 4 to 6
minutes or until cheese is melted.
CRUST
IDEAS
USE TEXAS TOAST, ENGLISH MUFFINS,
BAGELS OR BISCUITS AS THE CRUST
W
hen it gets this easy, the kids
even pitch in to help. Here’s
another quick way to do pizza.
Pineapple Ham
Pizzas
MAKES 4 PIZZAS
2 English muffins, split and toasted
2 tablespoons barbecue sauce
2 ounces sliced deli ham, cut into strips
1 4-ounce snack-size cup pineapple tid
bits, well drained
2 slices Swiss cheese, quartered
Place English muffins cut side
up on a broiler pan. Spread with
barbecue sauce; top with ham,
pineapple and cheese. Broil 4 to 6
inches from the heat for 2 to 3
minutes or until cheese is melted.
SHIRLENE & HER
ABC’S: AMANDA,
BENJAMIN &
CHRISTOPHER
have been
blessed to have
both sets of my
grandparents
for as long
as I have.
Not many
people my
age can say that. As far
back as I can remember,
my Grandpa, Dean
Smith, has always made lots of
goodies for Christmas gettogethers. I always enjoyed the
goodies. I couldn’t wait for him
to make a batch of his Chocolate
Caramels or better yet, his
Peanut Brittle. Both always turned
out perfect. This year, I thought it
would be nice to share his recipes
with the Heartland. Just don’t tell
him I let you in on the family
secrets!
M
y daughter, Amanda, has
even started to search the
cookbooks/magazines for ideas.
Here’s the latest one she tried,
though we improvised because we
didn’t have pepper Jack cheese.
Grilled Ham 'n'
Jack Cheese
SERVES 4
4 tablespoons butter, softened
8 slices Texas toast
4 slices sharp cheddar cheese
16 thin slices deli ham
4 slices red onion, optional
4 tablespoons ranch salad dressing
4 slices pepper Jack cheese
Butter one side of each slice of
Texas toast. On the unbuttered
sides of four slices, layer cheddar
cheese, half of the ham, onion if
desired and remaining ham; spread
with ranch dressing. Top with pepper Jack cheese and remaining
toast, buttered side up. On a hot
griddle, cook sandwiches for 3 to 4
minutes or until bottoms of sandwiches are browned. Carefully
turn; cook 2 minutes longer or
until cheese is melted.
RAW SPANISH PEANUTS
The most flavorful peanut is the round jumbo Spanish peanut. it was usually grown in
Texas and was considered the best. Now it is grown in over 16 states. Spanish peanuts
are known for their full rich taste. The raw Spanish peanut is popular with peanut brittle
candy
H E A R T L A N D
TJ’S
GRANDPA DEAN
GRANDPA DEAN’S
Chocolate
Covered
Caramels
IMPORTANT
NOTE
You will need a candy
thermometer for this recipe
1 cup butter or margarine
1 pound brown sugar, (2 1/4 cups)
Dash of salt
1 cup light corn syrup
1 15-ounce can sweetened
condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 package chocolate almond bark
Melt butter in a 3-quart
saucepan. Add sugar and salt; stir
thoroughly. Stir in corn syrup and
mix well. Gradually add milk,
stirring constantly. Cook and
stir over medium heat to firm
ball stage (245°) approximately 12 to 15 minutes.
Remove from heat.
Stir in vanilla.
Pour into a buttered
2 0 0 7
23
9-inch x13-inch pan.
Allow to cool and then cut into
squares whatever size you wish.
Melt chocolate almond bark. Dip
cooled caramel squares in the
chocolate and then place on wax
paper and allow squares to completely dry.
GRANDPA DEAN’S
Peanut Brittle
IMPORTANT
NOTE
You will need a candy
thermometer for this recipe
2 cups sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup water
2 cups raw Spanish peanuts
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon baking soda
Heat and stir sugar, syrup and
water in a 3-quart saucepan until
sugar dissolves. Cook over medium heat to soft ball stage (234°).
Add peanuts and salt. Cook to
hard crack stage (305°), stirring
often. Remove from heat.
Quickly stir in butter and baking
soda. Pour at once onto a well
buttered cookie sheet (roughly a
15.5-inch x 10.5-inch x 1-inch
pan), spreading with a spatula. If
desired, cool slightly and pull with
forks to stretch to make the brittle
thinner. Break up when completely cooled.
24
H O L I D A Y
C O O K I N G
I N
T H E
H E A R T L A N D
apple, onion, cinnamon, salt and
KIM GERLACH
pepper over the chops. Sprinkle
TRAFFIC ASSISTANT
brown sugar over the apple mixture. Pour apple juice in and cover
ast year, our church had a
with crock-pot lid.
‘tasting festival.’ Everyone
Cook on medimade their favorite desserts,
um for 4 1/2
those attending got to taste
hours or high
whatever they wanted and all
for 3 1/2
the recipes were compiled into a
hours.
cookbook. Some of my new
favorite recipes have come from
CHERYL &
that cookbook. I can’t wait till this
HER MOM
year’s festival! The following
recipe is one of my favorites. This
is a really pretty dessert recipe that
tastes as good as it looks!
L
KIM WITH HER HUSBAND, TERRY & THEIR
TWO BOYS, TYLER &
TRAVIS.
I
got this recipe from a co-worker
of my husband. It has become
one of our family favorites and is
especially good with vanilla ice
cream!
JIM’S
Apple Dumplings
4 large apples (Granny Smith)
2 packages crescent rolls
2 sticks margarine or butter
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 12-ounce can Mountain Dew
Peel and core apples and cut
them into quarters. Take crescent
roll dough and cover each individual apple slice (should be sixteen
slices of apple). Place dough covered apples in 9-inch x 13-inch
greased baking dish. In sauce pan,
melt margarine, add cinnamon and
sugar. Stir and pour over apple
dumplings. Pour 1 can mountain
dew over dumplings. Bake at 350°
for 45 minutes.
CRUNCHY
TIP
Top with chopped
pecans for a
crunchy
variety.
Strawberry
Chocolate Chip
Torte
KIM LIKENS
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
1 tube refrigerated chocolate chip
cookie dough
1 8-ounce package cream
cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 carton strawberries,
washed and stems removed
1 Hershey’s bar of chocolate
In a square or
round cake pan press
cookie dough and bake
according to package directions. Let cool. Mix cream
cheese, sugar and vanilla with
mixer until smooth. Spread over
cookie. Cut tops off of strawberries and stand points up on cheese
mixture. Place candy bar in a
Ziploc bag and put in microwave
for 30 second intervals until melted. Cut corner of bag and drizzle
over strawberries. Chill before
serving.
his recipe is from my
dear friend, Missy
T
Adams. She made this dip and I
CHERYL DIETRICH
MARKETING/G&A ASSISTANT
think I ate most of it. It is so easy
to make. As soon as we finish the
dip, I turn around and make more.
We have yet to get tired of it. I
hope you enjoy!
P
air this easy crock-pot recipe
with some baked sweet potatoes and a salad and you have a
fast, delicious meal.
Crock-Pot Pork
Chops
2 pounds bone-in pork chops
1 large Granny Smith apple,
chopped with skin on
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Salt & Pepper to taste
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup apple juice.
Place the uncooked
pork chops in
crock-pot.
Spread
diced
KIM & HER FAMILY
Chicken Wing
Cheese Dip
2 13-ounce cans chicken breast
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese
1 cup ranch dressing
3/4 cup wing sauce
1 1/2 cups shredded multi-cheese
Shred the cubed chicken in a
skillet. Add all remaining ingredients to the skillet. Mix well. Cook
until the mixture is melted. Then
place in a crockpot to serve at a
gathering. It is GREAT reheated.
DIPPER
IDEAS
Want dippers beyond chips? Try
1/4-inch-thick jicama slices, bell
pepper pieces or zucchini slices.
2 0 0 7
KAREN WADE
LOCAL SALES MANAGER
T
his always
goes over
big at family
gatherings and
there is never
any left to take
back home. The
little Tostitos
scoops work best.
Seven-Layer
Bean Dip
1 16-ounce can refried beans
1 package taco seasoning mix
1 8-ounce package cream
cheese, softened
1 4.5-ounce can chopped green chilies
1 cup salsa
2 cups shredded lettuce
2 cups shredded Cheddar or
Mexican cheese blend
1 2.25-ounce can sliced ripe
olives, drained
1 medium tomato,
diced (3/4 cup)
Tortilla chips, if desired
In medium bowl, stir
together refried beans and taco
seasoning mix. Spread mixture
on large platter. In another
medium bowl, stir together
cream cheese and chilies.
Carefully spread over bean
mixture. Top with salsa, lettuce, cheese, olives and tomato. Refrigerate until serving
time. Serve with tortilla chips.
WHAT IS
JICAMA
Jicama, a legume, is grown for the large
tuberous roots which can be eaten raw or
cooked and are used as a source of
starch. The jicama plant is a vine which
grows to a length of 20 feet or more. The
roots are light brown in color, and may
weigh up to 50 pounds. Most of those on
the market will weigh between three to five
pounds.
Jicamas are actually perennials and produce their large roots after several years
of growth. They are commonly found in
frost free regions. In Texas, seed can be
planted in the early spring and small
tubers harvested before the first killing
frost of the winter.
Jicamas are offered in Texas supermarkets
but are more popular in South Texas. Most
of those on the market are imported from
Mexico and South America.
Selection - Jicamas are suitable for consumption at any stage of growth (size).
Look for well formed tubers that appear
fresh and are free of cracks and bruises.
H O L I D A Y
C O O K I N G
I N
DEREK DICKERSON
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
om prepares this dish on
Christmas Eve and puts it in
the oven Christmas morning. Of
course, the first thing we do
Christmas morning is open presents, but then we eat Mom's
brunch casserole!
tional cranberry sauce.
MOM'S
DEREK, HEATHER &
ELLIE,
17 MONTHS
Brunch
Casserole
6 slices buttered bread, crust removed
1 pound ground sausage
6 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
1 pint half and half
5 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard
HEATHER’S
Cranberry
Salad
Boil cranberries, sugar and
water until cranberries are tender
and pop. Dissolve gelatin in boiling water and add to cranberry
mixture. Cool and ad celery,
apples, and pecans. Pour into mold
or dish and chill until set. Tip:
Double recipe for 9-inch x 13inch dish.
G
rowing up, my Mom made this
recipe every fall, sometime
shortly before Halloween. I
remember coming home from
school and grabbing a handful to
munch on as an after-school snack.
It’s a traditional recipe that I associate with the change of the season.
HEATHER’S
Caramel Corn
8 quarts popped corn
1 cup raw peanuts
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup margarine
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Combine popcorn with
peanuts in a large baking pan.
Combine brown sugar, margarine, salt, corn syrup and
vanilla in a saucepan. Bring to a
boil, and boil for 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and add baking soda. Mix with popcorn and
peanuts, and bake at 250° for 1
hour, stirring every 15 minutes.
Allow to cool, and store in an airtight container.
H E A R T L A N D
M
his dish is always a hit at
T
Thanksgiving dinner. It’s a
tasty alternative to the tradi-
1 pound cranberries
2 cups sugar
1 cup water
2 small packages cherry
or strawberry gelatin
1 cup boiling water
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped apples
1 cup chopped pecans
T H E
CHRISTY HENDRICKS
WEB PRODUCER
M
y Aunt Mary's cheese ball is
a staple at our family
Christmas get-together. We
always nibble on it while we're fixing the rest of the meal and waiting for family to arrive.
AUNT MARY'S
2
2
1
1
1
3
Cheese Ball
5ounce jars old English cheese
8-ounce packages cream cheese
5-ounce jar Roka blue cheese
tablespoon minced onion
teaspoon minced garlic
tablespoons chopped Jalapeño
peppers
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 box Ritz crackers
Mix all the ingredients together
except the pecans and crackers
and form into a ball. You can make
one large or two small balls. Roll
the ball in the chopped pecans.
Use more or less Jalapeño peppers
according to taste. Grab those
crackers and start dipping!
In a 9-inch x 4-inch dish, lay
the buttered bread on the bottom.
Sprinkle the sausage, then cheese.
Mix the remaining ingredients and
beat with a whisk or mixer in a
bowl. Pour over the other ingredients. Refrigerate overnight, or
freeze for later. Bake at 350° for
30 minutes.
T
his recipe may have a lot of
ingredients, but it's so simple
even my brother has made it! (His
idea of cooking is milk and cereal.)
It's great for potluck suppers anytime of the year.
Hearty Baked
Beans
1/2 pound ground beef, browned and
drained
1/2 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 medium onion, sautéed
1 can pork & beans
1 can baby butter beans, drained
1 can red beans (not kidney beans),
drained
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
1/4 cup Kraft hickory smoked BBQ sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon mustard
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon molasses or dark corn
syrup (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all the ingredients and bake at 350° for
45 to 50 minutes.
CHRISTY & HER MOM
25
2 0 0 7
RICK KATT
ENGINEER
y aunt in St. Louis,
Marianna
M
Steffens, makes the
best stuffed mushrooms. She makes
them for when
Mom, Rod, my
brother and I visit
at Christmas.
Stuffed
Mushrooms
2 packages fresh mushrooms
1 8-ounce package cream cheese
1/2 pound bacon, fried and
crumbled
Remove stems from mushrooms. Cut up stems and set aside.
Warm cream cheese in microwave
for a few seconds to make it very
soft. Mix with bacon. Stuff the
mushroom tops with the mixture.
Bake at 350° until light brown. If
desired, broil the mushrooms
another 5 minutes for a dark brown top.
y mom, Marie Katt, is quite a
good cook as well. Her date
M
rolls are delicious.
MARIE’S
Date Rolls
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup melted butter
2 eggs, slightly beaten
3/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped dates
1 cup chopped nuts
Powdered sugar
Cream sugar, butter and
eggs. Add flour, baking
powder, salt, dates and
nuts. Pour into a 7inch x 11.5-inch
dish. Bake at
350° for 15 to
20 minutes.
Cut in narrow bars
and coat
with
powdered
sugar.
26
H O L I D A Y
C O O K I N G
I N
T H E
H E A R T L A N D
DONNA BIRK
BUSINESS OFFICE COORDINATOR
S
ometimes the holiday’s sneak up
on us and time runs out. Here
are some ideas for a quick last
minute holiday treat. My granddaughter, Haylee, loves to help me,
even sneaks a few kisses when I’m
not “looking.”
DONNA &
GRANDDAUGHTER,
HAYLEE
y sister makes this fudge for
our Dad every year at
M
Christmas. Sometimes he’s generous and shares.
DAD’S
Fudge
3/4 cup butter (no substitute)
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed
milk
1/4 cup evaporated milk
2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 12-ounce package semi-sweet
chocolate chips
1 12-ounce package milk chocolate chips
1 10-ounce package peanut butter chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 7-ounce jar marshmallow cream
1 cup pecan pieces
Melt butter in large pan over
low heat. Add sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk,
vanilla and almond extract. Stir
well. Add all chips and stir until
blended. When chips are melted,
add marshmallow crème and
stir. Remove from heat
add pecan pieces.
Pour fudge into
buttered 9-inch x
13-inch pan. Let
cool – Cut into
pieces.
Pretzel Rings
They are really easy. Line a
cookie sheet with foil. Place rows
(and rows, and rows) of ring pretzels on the foil. Place an
unwrapped Hershey Kiss in the
center of each one. Place in preheated 300° oven for 2 to 2.5 minutes. The kisses won't look melted.
Press center of kiss down into
pretzel with an M & M (chocolate
will fill ring) Place in fridge for 5
minutes.
GIFT IDEA
2 0 0 7
BRIAN HEISSERER
NEWS PHOTOJOURNALIST
a bachelor, I can’t really
Imyam
cook, but here are two things
mom makes really well.
MOM’S
Orange Slice
Candy
1 14-ounce can Eagle Brand milk
2 cups coconut
15 orange candy slices
1 cup chopped pecans
1 package vanilla wafers
Mix all ingredients. Sprinkle
powdered sugar onto 12-inch
square of waxed paper. Divide
the dough into three parts. Roll
each third into a 9-inch bar. Roll
the bars in the powdered sugar
until well coated. Wrap each roll
in more waxed paper and tie
both ends. Refrigerate at least
one day. Cut in 1/2-inch
slices to serve.
WHAT ARE
ORANGE SLICES?
Sugar coated jelly candy
with an orange flavor.
MOM’S
Holiday Salad
2 pounds green grapes
2 pounds red grapes
1 8-ounce container sour cream
1 8-ounce package cream cheese,
softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Mix all ingredients together
and pour into a clear glass bowl.
TOPPING
TIP
Combine one cup of brown
sugar with one cup of
crushed pecans. Sprinkle on
top of the salad. Best if
refrigerated for at least 3 to
4 hours to allow the topping to get a little
crusty.
BRIAN & HIS MOM.
TIE THIS POEM TO A
CHOCOLATE CANDY BAR OF
CHOICE WITH RIBBON:
Dashing from the malls
With groceries yet to buy,
Lessons, work and housecleaning,
Life’s so crazy! Why?
Bells on our telephone ring,
The machine will take the call,
We have not time for family or friends,
It drives us up the wall.
How are you? How’s your life?
We really want to know.
Hope you’re ready for Christmas,
Now maybe it will snow.
A day or two ago,
We thought we’d make a treat,
For all our special friendsA Christmas gift to eat.
Our intentions were top notch,
But our schedules would not budge,
Hence, here’s this year’s edition
Of homemade
Christmas Fudge…
Orange
Slice Cake
1 cup butter or margarine
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon soda
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/4 cups flaked coconut
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 pound chopped dates
1 pound chopped orange slice candies
2 cups chopped pecans
1 cup fresh orange juice
2 cups confectioners' sugar
Cream butter or margarine
and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, one at a time, and beat
well after each addition.
Dissolve soda in buttermilk and
add to creamed mixture. Add
flaked coconut and set aside.
Place flour in large bowl and add
dates, orange slice candy, and
nuts. Stir to coat all pieces well.
Add flour mixture and coconut
creamed mixture. Dough will be
very stiff and easier to mix with
hands. Put dough in a greased
and floured 9-inch x 13-inch
cake pan. Bake at 250° for 2 to 3
hours. Combine orange juice and
confectioners' sugar and pour
over hot cake. Let the orange
slice cake stand in the pan
overnight.
H O L I D A Y
C O O K I N G
I N
T H E
H E A R T L A N D
RHONDA WESSEL
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
2 0 0 7
27
SOUP’S ON!
Green Turkey
Chili
RHONDA AND
HER HUSBAND,
CHRIS AND THEIR
16 YEAR OLD SON,
BRENT AND 14 YEAR OLD
DAUGHTER, EMMA.
O
ur family hosts an
open-house during the holidays for our family and friends as
a way of showing them how much
they mean to us! This is our 20th
year for the celebration that has
turned into truly a huge party!
This recipe is from Red Lobster
and takes a little time to make but
does not last very long when
served!
Lobster and
Crab Stuffed
Mushrooms
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons minced celery
1 tablespoon minced onion
1 tablespoon red bell pepper
2 pounds mushrooms
1 cup oyster crackers, crushed
6 ounces cooked lobster meat, chopped
1/4 pound cooked fresh crab meat,
picked over and shredded
1/4 cup shredded white cheddar cheese
1 large egg
2 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
2/3 cup shredded white cheddar cheese
Heat oven to 400°. Melt butter
in skillet over medium heat.
Add minced celery, minced onion
and red bell pepper. Cook 2 minutes, until tender; cool. Remove
stems from mushrooms; finely
chop half the stems (about 3/4
cup). Reserve remaining stems for
another use. Combine celery mixture, chopped stems, oyster crackers, cooked lobster meat, cooked
fresh crab meat; 1/4 cup shredded
white Cheddar cheese, egg, water,
Old Bay Seasoning, garlic powder,
salt and pepper in bowl. Grease
two large jelly-roll pans. Brush
caps with 3 tablespoons olive oil.
Sprinkle caps with salt. Stuff caps
with lobster-crab mixture. Arrange
caps in prepared pans. Divide and
top with 2/3 cup shredded white
Cheddar cheese. Bake 12 minutes,
until lightly browned. Makes about
50 mushrooms.
T
his is another favorite at our
open house but because it is so
easy, I make it often throughout the
year. It can be made early and just
pop in the oven or microwave.
Baked Spinach
Artichoke Dip
1 10-ounce package frozen creamed
spinach, thawed
1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained
and chopped
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 teaspoon white ground pepper
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Preheat oven to 350°. In a medium bowl, combine spinach, artichoke hearts, 1/2 cup Parmesan
cheese, mozzarella cheese, white
pepper and lemon juice. Mix well,
and spoon mixture into a 1-quart
baking dish. Top with remaining
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Bake for
15 to 20 minutes, or until hot and
bubbly.
T
his is a classic recipe and perfect on a cold, wintry day! It’s
a recipe borrowed from the Blue
Owl restaurant in Kimmswick,
Missouri
Baked Potato
Soup
2/3 cup butter or margarine
2/3 cup flour
6 cups milk, room temperature is good so
it does not take so long to heat through
4 large red potatoes, baked cooled,
cubed with skin on
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 green onions, chopped
12 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 3/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 heaping tablespoon chicken base
1 8-ounce carton sour cream
Melt butter in heavy pan over
low heat. Add flour, stirring until
smooth. Cook 1 minute, stirring
constantly. Gradually add milk.
Cook over medium heat, stirring
constantly, until mixture is thick
and bubbly. Add potato cubes, salt,
pepper, green onions, crumbled
bacon, cheddar cheese and chicken
base. Cook until thoroughly heated. Stir in sour cream. Add extra
milk, if necessary, for desired
thickness. Garnish with additional
bacon and cheese, if desired.
C
an you say “easy?”
Clam Chowder
1/2 large onion, chopped
1/2 stick butter
2 cans New England style clam chowder
3 cans cream of potato soup
1 can minced clams, rinsed
1 quart half and half
Sauté onion and butter until tender. Mix with New England style
clam chowder, cream of potato
soup, minced clams, rinsed and
half and half. Bake at 200° for 4
hours (no lid). Gets rich, thick
and creamy!
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups turkey, cooked and shredded
3 tablespoons cumin
3 teaspoons oregano
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
2 cans chopped green chiles, drained
2 cups chicken broth
3 cups corn
2 cans white beans, mashed & drained
Chopped fresh cilantro
Sauté onion and garlic in olive
oil until clear and tender. Add in
turkey, spices and chilies and sauté
until well mixed, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add chicken broth, corn and
beans to pan. Bring to a boil.
Simmer uncovered for 1 hour. Mix
with cilantro when serving. Top
with cheese and sour cream if
desired.
Crock Pot
Turkey and
Dumplings
3 cups chopped cooked turkey
2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup onion, finely diced
2 cups water
2 chicken bouillon cubes
2 10-ounce packages refrigerated biscuits
Combine all ingredients, except
biscuits, in a crock pot. Cover and
cook on low for 5 to 6 hours. At 40
minutes before serving, turn crock
pot on high. Tear or cut biscuit
dough into 1-inch pieces. Add
to your crock pot; stirring
gently. Cover and cook
on high for an additional 30 minutes
or until biscuits
are fluffed up
and cooked
through.
28
H O L I D A Y
C O O K I N G
I N
T H E
H E A R T L A N D
2 0 0 7
ARE YOU A PUMPKIN EATER?
Pumpkin Apple
Cheesecake
SERVES 12-17
CRUST:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup pecans, chopped
1/4 cup margarine or butter, melted
FILLING:
3 8-ounce packages cream cheese,
softened
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup pumpkin, canned
1 cup applesauce
3 eggs
2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Heat oven to 350º. In small
bowl, combine crust ingredients;
press firmly in bottom of 9-inch
springform pan. Refrigerate. In
large bowl, beat cream cheese until
light and fluffy. Gradually add
brown sugar; beat well. Add pumpkin and applesauce; blend well.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating
well after each addition. Add
pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon;
beat until smooth. Pour into prepared crust. Place shallow pan half
full of water on lower oven rack.
Place cheesecake on middle
oven rack. Bake at 350º for 1 hour
or until set. Cool in pan 5 minutes; remove sides of pan. Cool
completely. Refrigerate several
hours or overnight. Serve with
whipped cream.
Pumpkin Soup
1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon margarine
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups pumpkin
3/4 cup green onions, white part,
chopped
Bay leaf
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
Sauté onions
and margarine in
Dutch oven. Add
next 6 ingredients
and cook uncovered
15 minutes. Remove
bay leaf. Puree. Return to
pot. Add milk, sugar, salt and
pepper. Cook another 5 minutes.
Do not boil.
Pumpkin Gooey
Buttercake Bars
CAKE:
1 18.25-ounce package yellow cake mix
1 egg
8 tablespoons butter, melted
FILLING:
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 15-ounce can pumpkin
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 tablespoons butter, melted
1 16-ounce box powdered sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
Preheat oven to 350°. To make
the cake: Combine all of the ingredients and mix well with an electric mixer. Pat the mixture into the
bottom of a lightly greased 9-inch
x 13-inch baking pan. Prepare filling. In a large bowl, beat the cream
cheese and pumpkin until smooth.
Add the eggs, vanilla and butter
then beat together. Next, add the
powdered sugar, cinnamon and
nutmeg then mix well. Spread
pumpkin mixture over cake batter
and bake for 40 to 50 minutes.
Make sure not to overbake as the
center should be a little gooey.
Serve with fresh whipped cream.
H O L I D A Y
T
his is a fun, easy and surprisingly good salad recipe. I
made this for a quick Sunday afternoon dinner and got some questioning looks (especially while
crushing the chips in a somewhat
therapeutic manner)….but when
they tasted it there were rave
reviews all around. Although the
recipe officially calls for chilicheese flavor corn chips, I used
regular corn chips for a milder
taste, though I did add a dash
of southwestern seasoning.
As a final note, be aware
that the crushed chips
will soak up the
moisture in the
C O O K I N G
I N
T H E
H E A R T L A N D
BRIAN’S
Crunchy Corn
Chip Salad
SERVES 8
Mix together all the ingredients except the chips, and chill.
Stir in the crushed corn chips
just before serving.
29
In large mixing bowl beat
together sugar, oil, pumpkin and
eggs for one minute at medium
speed. Stir in the rest of the
ingredients and pour into a 9inch x 13-inch lightly greased
pan. Bake at 350° about 25
minutes or until a wooden
toothpick inserted in center
comes out clean.
Cool completely.
salad and lose their crunchiness. This is why you don’t
want to add the chips until just
before serving. The leftovers
will still taste great but won’t
be as fun and crunchy.
2 15-ounce cans whole kernel corn,
drained
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 cup mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
1 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
1 10.5 ounce bag chili-cheese corn
chips, coarsely crushed
2 0 0 7
O
ne of my favorite things
about this time of year is
the special treats from the
kitchen that we don’t have all
year long. I hope you like
this one. Come to think of it,
maybe you’ll like it enough to
enjoy it all year.
BOB’S
Pumpkin Bars
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup oil
1 16-ounce can pumpkin
4 eggs beaten
2 cups Bisquick
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins
3/4 cup pecans,
optional
FROSTING:
1 3-ounce package cream cheese
1/3 cup margarine, softened
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar
Mix first 4
ingredients, add
sugar and beat
until smooth.
Spread over
bars.
H O L I D A Y
C O O K I N G
I N
and onion mixture, chopped apple,
chopped pecans, apple juice and
beaten eggs. Spoon dressing into
prepared casserole dish.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the
preheated oven, or until heated
through, and lightly browned on
1 (9x9 inch) pan cornbread, cooled and
top.
crumbled
1 (8 ounce) package herb-seasoned dry
bread stuffing mix
JEFF’S
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (or
2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes)
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
(This is a great recipe to use if you
3/4 cup butter
have lots of left-overs from the
1 cup chopped celery
holidays)
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cups chopped apples
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 cups apple juice
2 cups sliced button mushrooms
3 eggs, beaten
1 medium carrot, coarsely grated
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Preheat oven to 350
4 cups low-sodium chicken
degrees. Butter a 3
broth
quart casserole dish.
3 cups mashed
Melt the butter in a
potatoes
heavy saucepan,
2 cups chopped
and saute the celery
cooked turkey
and onion for 8 to
Salt and freshly
10 minutes. or until
ground black
tender.
pepper, to taste
In a large bowl,
combine the cornbread, stuffing mix,
SWEET MELAINA.
parsley, ginger, and
salt. Mix in the celery
JEFF’S
Apple Pecan
Cornbread
Dressing
Mashed Potato
and Turkey Soup
T H E
H E A R T L A N D
In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add the
onion, mushrooms, carrot, and
thyme and saute until the onion is
just translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the broth and mashed
potatoes. Stir until potatoes are
mostly dissolved and broth is
smooth.
Add the turkey and bring to a
simmer. Reduce heat to mediumlow and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 10
minutes. Season to taste with salt
and pepper.
JEFF’S
Easy, Festive
Chocolate
Holiday Pretzels
(This is a great activity to do with
kids.)
1 bag checkerboard or windowpaneshaped pretzels (can use tiny twists)
1 bag holiday M&Ms plain chocolate
candies (red and green for Christmas,
black and orange for Halloween etc.)
1 bag Hershey's Hugs chocolates
1 bag Hershey's Chocolate
Kisses
Preheat oven to 170
degrees. Place individual pretzels on
waxed paper-lined
cookie sheets
31
2 0 0 7
Unwrap Hugs, place one on
each pretzel, repeat for an entire
cookie sheet. DO ONLY ONE
TYPE OF CANDY PER SHEET,
as the Hugs melt much quicker
than the Kisses. Repeat using the
Hershey's Kisses. Place cookie
sheet/s in the preheated oven, bake
for 4 minutes for the sheet of pretzels and HUGS, 5 to 6 minutes for
the pretzels and KISSES.
Immediately upon removing from
the oven, place one M&M on top
of each piece. Place cookie
sheet in freezer for 8 to 10
minutes, to allow the
chocolate to re-set.
H O L I D A Y
C O O K I N G
I N
T H E
H E A R T L A N D
2 0 0 7
33
LOVE THOSE LEFTOVERS!
Cheese Turkey
Quesadillas
SERVES 8
1 pound turkey, cooked and shredded
1 can Southwest style Pepper Jack soup
1/4 cup water
8 flour tortillas, warmed
Chunky salsa
Preheat oven to 425°. Mix
turkey, soup and water in nonstick
skillet until heated through. Stir
often. Spoon about 1/3 cup turkey
mixture on half of each tortilla,
leaving 1/2 inch edge. Moisten
edge with water. Fold over and
seal. Place on 2 baking sheets.
Bake 5 minutes or until hot. Cut
into wedges and serve with salsa.
Turkey and Wild
Rice Bake
SERVES 6
1 6-ounces package wild and white rice
mix
2-1/3 cups water
1 4-ounce can mushrooms, drained
1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts,
quartered
1 2-ounce jar pimientos chopped and
drained
2 cups cooked turkey, cubed
1 cup Swiss cheese shredded
In a 2-quart casserole, combine
rice with mix seasoning packet and
water. Stir in mushrooms, artichoke hearts, pimientos and turkey.
Cover with foil and bake 1 hour
and 15 minutes or until liquid is
absorbed. Top with cheese. Bake at
350°, uncovered, 5 to 10 minutes
or until cheese is melted and golden brown.
Turkey
Parmesan
1/2 cup onion,finely chopped
1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
1/2 cup mushrooms, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup margarine or butter
1/2 cups flour
4 cups milk (if using skim, use
slightly less)
4 cups cooked turkey, diced
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
2 tablespoons dry white wine
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
5 drops hot sauce
Pinch red pepper
Sauté onion, celery, mushroom
and garlic in margarine until tender. Blend in flour and cook for
one minute stirring constantly.
Gradually add milk until smooth.
Cook over medium heat, stirring
constantly until thickened and bubbly. Add rest of ingredients and
cook until thoroughly heated about
30 minutes. Serve over rice.
Vegetable Ham
Quiche
SERVES 4
1 egg, beaten
3 cups frozen shredded hash brown
potatoes, thawed
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
FILLING:
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced zucchini
1 small sweet red pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup diced fully cooked ham
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
3/4 cup shredded Colby-Monterey Jack
cheese
In a large bowl, combine the
egg, hash browns and Parmesan
cheese. Press onto the bottom and
up the sides of a greased 9-inch pie
plate. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes
or until crust is set and edges begin
to brown. Meanwhile, in a large
skillet, saute zucchini and red pepper in butter for 5 minutes. Stir in
the ham, basil, salt and pepper.
Remove from the heat; cool slightly. In a large bowl, beat eggs and
milk; add zucchini mixture. Stir in
cheese. Pour into crust. Bake for
15 to 20 minutes or until set. Let
stand for 5 minutes before cutting.
Leftover Turkey
and Mashed
Potato Bake
3 cups hot mashed potatoes
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 can fried onions, divided
1 1/2 cups shredded, cooked turkey
1 10-ounce package frozen mixed peas
and carrots
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
Combine potatoes, 1/2 cup
cheese, and 1/2 cup fried onions.
Spoon into a greased 1 1/2-quart
casserole dish. Spread across bottom and up sides of dish. Combine
next 7 ingredients. Pour into potato
shell. Bake uncovered at 375° for
30 minutes. Top with remaining
cheese and onions. Bake for additional 5 to 10 minutes. Let stand
10 to 15 minutes before serving.
Cream of
Mashed Potato
Soup
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 cups mashed potatoes
2 cups skim milk, warmed
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1/8 teaspoon dill seed
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
2-3 dashes hot sauce (like Tabasco)
1/4 teaspoon Liquid Smoke
GARNISH:
1 green onion, chopped
1/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped
Spray a nonstick pot with a little
nonstick spray and sauté the onion,
carrot, and celery until the onion is
slightly soft about 3 to 5 minutes.
Add mashed potatoes. Stir in the
warm milk (warm the milk in the
microwave for 5 minutes). Add the
peas and seasonings. Simmer for
20 to 30 minutes. Adjust seasoning
to taste, ladle into bowls, garnish
with chopped green onions and red
bell pepper, and serve.
Sherried Sweet
Potatoes Recipes
4 cups cooked mashed sweet potatoes
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup dry sherry
1/2 cup milk
Combine all ingredients and
beat with a mixer until fluffy. Turn
into a buttered 1.5-quart casserole
and bake at 375° for 45 minutes.
34
H O L I D A Y
C O O K I N G
I N
T H E
H E A R T L A N D
2 0 0 7
Tasty, Slow-Cooked
Holiday Comfort
Holidays are about spending time with your friends
and loved ones. If you're hosting a get-together this
holiday season, you'll want great-tasting dishes that'll
allow you to spend time with your visitors, instead of
tying you to the kitchen. For recipes that have slowcooked comfort but don't take a lot of your time, try
these and you'll be sure to have a holiday packed
with...
Cranberry Pork
Roast
4 TO 6 SERVINGS
4 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and cut
into 1-inch chunks
1 (3-pound) boneless center-cut pork loin
roast, rolled and tied
1 (16-ounce) can whole-berry cranberry
sauce
1 (5.5-ounce) can apricot nectar
1 cup pearl onions
1/2 cup coarsely chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Place the potatoes in a 3-1/2-quart
(or larger) slow cooker then place
the roast over the potatoes.
In a large bowl, combine the
remaining ingredients; mix well
and pour over the roast. Cover and
cook on LOW setting 5 to 6 hours.
Remove the roast to a cutting
board and thinly slice. Serve with
the potatoes and sauce.
MR. FOOD’S
1/3 cup water
8 lasagna noodles, uncooked
1 (8-ounce) package sliced fresh
mushrooms
3 cups (12 ounces) shredded mozzarella
cheese
Cook beef, sausage, and onion in a
large skillet over medium-high
heat, stirring until the meat crumbles and is no longer pink; drain.
Stir together ricotta and next 3
ingredients in a small bowl. In a
separate bowl, combine pasta
sauce and water.
Arrange 4 uncooked noodles in a
lightly greased 5- to 6-quart slow
cooker, breaking noodles as necessary to fit in slow cooker. Spoon
half the meat mixture over noodles; top with half the sauce mixture and half the mushrooms.
Spread ricotta mixture over mushrooms, and sprinkle with 1-1/2
cups mozzarella cheese. Layer
remaining noodles, beef mixture,
sauce, mushrooms, and mozzarella
cheese.
Cover and cook on LOW setting 4
hours or until noodles are done.
Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Slow-Cooker
Lasagna
Stir together cider, 1/3 cup caramel
topping, and 1 teaspoon apple pie
spice in a 3-1/2-quart slow cooker.
Cover and cook on LOW setting 4
hours.
1 (64-ounce) container apple cider
1/3 cup caramel topping
1-1/2 teaspoons apple pie spice, divided
Fresh whipped cream
Additional caramel topping
Pour cider through a fine wiremesh strainer; discard spice. Ladle
into individual mugs, and dollop
with whipped cream. Sprinkle with
remaining 1/2 teaspoon apple pie
spice, and drizzle with additional
caramel topping.
7 CUPS
BE SLOW N’ SAFE
Here are some easy ways to keep your food and your
kitchen safe while cookin' slow:
Fill your slow cooker at least half full but no more than two-thirds
full. This helps keep the temperature of the food even.
Defrost any frozen foods before cooking a dish that includes meat,
poultry, or seafood. This ensures that the contents of the crock reach a
safe temperature quickly.
Unless browning meat first, always cook raw meat and poultry dishes
on HIGH setting for the first hour to speed up the time it takes to get
to a safe temperature. Then you can reduce the heat to the LOW
setting for the duration of the cooking time, if you'd like.
OXMOOR HOUSE
6 TO 8 SERVINGS
1 pound ground round
1/2 pound hot Italian sausage, casings
removed
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 (26-ounce) jar tomato-and-basil pasta
sauce
MR. FOOD’S
Spiced Caramel
Apple Cider
‘
MR. FOOD’S
© 2007 Ginsburg Enterprises Incorporated. MR. FOOD, OOH IT'S SO GOOD!! and the
Mr. Food likeness are trademarks of Ginsburg Enterprises Incorporated. All rights reserved.
MR. FOOD’S
Puffy
Spoonbread
C O O K I N G
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup thick-and-chunky salsa
I N
10 SERVINGS
4 cups milk
1 cup white cornmeal
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons butter
4 large eggs, well beaten
In a 4-1/2-quart or larger slow
cooker, combine all the ingredients
except the salsa; mix well. Cover
and cook on HIGH setting 5 to
5 1/2 hours, or on LOW setting
8 to 9 hours, until the beef is tender.
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Heat
milk in a saucepan over medium
heat until milk bubbles around
edges of pan (do not boil).
Just before serving, stir in the
salsa; cook 2 to 3 minutes, until
heated through.
Gradually add cornmeal, stirring
constantly with a wire whisk. Add
salt and butter. Cook, stirring constantly, 10 to 12 minutes or until
butter melts and mixture is very
thick.
Gradually stir about one-fourth of
hot mixture into eggs; add to
remaining hot mixture, stirring
constantly. Spoon mixture into a
lightly greased 2-quart baking dish
or soufflé dish. Bake, uncovered,
at 325°F. for 1 hour or until golden. Let stand 5 minutes before
serving. Serve with additional
butter.
MR. FOOD’S
Slow-Cooked
Chili
5 TO 6 SERVINGS
2 pounds boneless beef chuck or round,
cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 (15-1/2-ounce) cans black beans,
drained and rinsed
1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes with
green chilies
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
— Serving suggestions —
Top off each bowl of chili with any
or all of these: shredded Cheddar
cheese, diced onion, and a dollop
of sour cream.
MR. FOOD’S
Chocolate- and
PeppermintCoated Pretzels
80 PIECES (ABOUT 4-1/2 POUNDS)
1 (16-ounce) package pretzel nuggets
2 (16-ounce) packages chocolateflavored bark candy coating, coarsely
chopped
2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate
chips
1 (4-ounce) square semisweet baking
chocolate, broken into pieces
1 (16-ounce) package hard peppermint
candies, finely crushed and divided
(about 1-1/2 cups)
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
Combine first 4 ingredients in a
6-quart slow cooker.
T H E
H E A R T L A N D
35
2 0 0 7
Cover and cook on LOW setting
2 hours. Stir chocolate mixture;
add 1 cup crushed peppermint candies and the peppermint extract,
stirring well to coat.
um bowl. Cut in butter with
a pastry blender or 2 forks until
crumbly; add sour cream, stirring
until dry ingredients are moistened
and a soft dough forms.
Drop pretzel mixture by heaping
tablespoonfuls onto wax paper.
Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup
crushed peppermint candies evenly
on pieces before they set. Let stand
until firm. Store in an airtight container.
Pour hot blueberry filling into a
5-quart round slow cooker.
Carefully drop dough in 6 large
spoonfuls on top of filling.
NOTE: The slow cooker is ideal
for candy making. It keeps chocolate at a constant temperature, so
no reheating is necessary to get an
even coating.
MR. FOOD’S
Blueberries 'n'
Dumplings
6 SERVINGS
1-1/4 cups sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
2 (16-ounce) packages frozen blueberries
1-1/2 cups biscuit mix
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons butter
1 (8-ounce) container sour cream
Cover and cook on LOW setting
3 hours or until dumplings are
golden (see Tips).
—Slow-Cookin' Tips—
Remove slow-cooker lid carefully
to prevent condensation from dripping onto dumplings and making
them soggy.
Some slow cookers have hot spots.
To ensure that the dumplings
become an even color, carefully
rotate the insert a half turn about
halfway through cooking – but
don't remove the lid.
Stir together first 3 ingredients in a
3-quart saucepan until blended.
Stir in blueberries. Cook, stirring
constantly, over medium heat until
sugar dissolves. Increase heat to
medium-high, and bring mixture to
a boil, stirring often. Cook about 5
minutes or until thickened, stirring
often.
OXMOOR HOUSE
H O L I D A Y
Meanwhile, combine biscuit mix
and 2 tablespoons sugar in a medi-
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Start a dish in the morning, and enjoy the rest of the day off. With this cookbook, Mr. Food helps
you make meals that taste like you fussed over them…without any fuss! These slow-cooked winners
will have your family and friends loving the
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36
S
H O L I D A Y
ince getting married and having
a family of our own--my wife,
Darah, and I have started our own
Christmas tradition. We spend
each Christmas day at my wife's
parents. After our sons, Cade and
Evan, open their presents we have
a big ole' fashion country breakfast. It includes your traditional
bacon, eggs, biscuits and gravy.
Over the past few years we have
added a breakfast casserole to the
meal and i-t is delicious.
(Remember this dish must be
refrigerated over night.)
I hope you enjoy the recipe and
most of all enjoy your Holiday traditions with your family and loved
ones.
C O O K I N G
I N
TODD’S
Breakfast
Casserole
6 eggs
1 cup half and half
2 tablespoons green onions, chopped
Salt and pepper
Butter (for greasing pan)
6 slices of Texas Toast (or bread of
choice)
1 pound of spicy pork sausage, cooked
and drained of fat
1 cup of grated Cheddar Cheese
T H E
H E A R T L A N D
2 0 0 7
In a small bowl, beat the eggs
until they loosen up. Add the half
and half and green onions. Mix
well, season with salt and pepper
and set aside. Butter a 10-inch by
12-inch baking pan. Line the pan
with the bread, cutting and
rearrange to fit your pan. You can
also cut the bread into cubes if you
prefer. Sprinkle the bread with the
cooked sausage and cheese. Pour
the egg mixture over the entire
pan. Cover and refrigerate
overnight. Preheat oven to 350°.
Cook covered for 25 to 30
minutes or until the
egg mixture is set.
FOR THE MUFFIN MAN
Apple
Cinnamon
Walnut Muffins
1 1/2 cups all-purpose baking mix
2 1/4 cups bran flakes, divided
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons firmly packed
brown sugar, divided
3/4 cup chopped walnuts, divided
1/2 cup cinnamon-flavored applesauce
3/4 cup fat free milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
Preheat oven to 400°. Combine
baking mix, 2 cups of the cereal,
1/4 cup of the brown sugar and
1/2 cup of the walnuts in large
bowl. Add applesauce, milk and
egg; stir just until dry ingredients
are moistened. Spoon batter evenly
into paper-lined medium muffin
pan, filling each cup 3/4 full.
Combine remaining 1/4 cup cereal,
1/4 cup walnuts and 2 tablespoon
brown sugar. Sprinkle over batter.
Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until
wooden pick inserted in centers
comes out clean. Serve warm or
cooled.
MAKE AHEAD
Prepare, bake and cool muffins as
directed. Place in resealable freezerweight plastic bag; freeze up to 2
months. To reheat, microwave frozen
muffin on high 30 to 45 seconds or
until heated through.
H O L I D A Y
C O O K I N G
I N
COOKIE CORNER
Choose a Cookie
Dough
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
In a large mixing bowl beat the
shortening and butter with an electric mixer on medium to high
speed for 30 minutes. Add brown
sugar, granulated sugar and baking
soda. Beat until fluffy. Add eggs
and vanilla; beat until combined.
Beat or stir in flour. Use immediately or cover and chill for up to
24 hours. (Or wrap dough in freezer wrap and freeze for up to 6
months. Thaw overnight in refrigerator before baking. Drop dough
by slightly rounded tablespoons 2inch apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375° for 10 to 12
minutes or until edges are light
brown. Cool cookies on a wire
rack.
Fruit Oatmeal Rounds:
Substitute 1 cup rolled oats for 1 cup of
the flour. Stir 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon into the flour mixture. Stir 6 ounce
package dried fruit bits into the dough.
Double Chocolate
Delights:
Substitute 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
powder for 1/2 cup of the flour. Stir 12
ounce package (2 cups) semisweet
chocolate pieces into the cookie dough.
Peanut Butter Buddies:
Add 1/2 cup peanut butter with the eggs
and vanilla. Stir 2 cups peanut butter flavored pieces into the dough.
Chocolate Candy Cookies:
Stir 2 cups candy coated milk chocolate
pieces (M&M's) into the dough.
Malted Milk Treats:
Substitute 1/4 cup instant malted milk
powder for 1/4 cup of the flour. Stir 1 1/2
cups chopped malted milk balls into the
cookie dough.
Macadamia Mania:
Stir 2 cups coarsely chopped white baking
bar and 3 1/2 ounce jar macadamia nuts,
coarsely chopped, into the dough.
Super Chunk Chippers:
Stir 1 cup coarsely chopped semisweet
chocolate, 1 cup coarsely chopped milk
chocolate and 1 cup chopped pecans into
the dough. Drop dough from a 1/4 cup
measure 4 inches apart onto a cookie
sheet. Flatten cookies slightly with a
spoon. Bake 13 to 15 minutes or until
edges are light brown.
Bakeless Dream
Cookies
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup milk
1 stick margarine
3 cups quick oatmeal
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup chopped nuts, optional
Place sugar, cocoa, milk and
oleo in sauce pan. Bring to a
boil and boil for a minute.
Remove from heat and add
peanut butter and nuts (if wanted). Blend well, stir in oatmeal
and vanilla. Drop by teaspoon
on waxed paper. Let stand until
cool and real firm.
Chocolate
Sundae Cookies
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1 egg
1/4 cup Maraschino cherry juice
2 tablespoons milk
2 ounces melted unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup chopped cherries
1 bag large marshmallows
Mix together flour, baking
soda, and salt, set aside. With
your mixer, mix brown sugar
and shortening, blend in egg.
Beat well and then stir in 1/2 of
the dry ingredients. Add
Maraschino juice and milk.
Then stir in the rest of dry
ingredients and mix well. Now,
blend in melted unsweetened
chocolate, chopped cherries and
chopped walnuts. Drop by
spoonfuls on an ungreased
cookie sheet. Bake at 350° for
12 to 15 minutes. While they
are baking cut large marshmallows in half. Place the cut side
of the marshmallow down on
hot cookies when they come out
of the oven, so they will stick.
Let them cool and then frost
with your favorite chocolate
frosting, and put a nut on top.
T H E
H E A R T L A N D
G
rowing up in Ohio,
“Buckeyes” are a staple at
holiday gatherings. Buckeyes,
“the candy,” are peanut butter
balls dipped into chocolate.
Buckeyes, “the real thing,” are
nuts that grow on the Buckeye
tree (the official tree of Ohio). If
you do not have the time to roll
the peanut butter into balls and
dip them in the chocolate, this is
an easy alternative. My wife
found this recipe on a jar of
peanut butter.
CHAD’S
Crunchy
“Buckeye” Bars
1 16-ounce jar crunchy peanut butter
3 3/4 cups Splenda (or powdered
sugar)
1/2 cup butter, melted (unsalted real
butter works best)
3 cups corn flakes
1 16-ounce package chocolate chips
In a mixing bowl blend peanut
butter and sugar. Add melted
butter and blend. Mix in cereal
and spread evenly in 9-inch x
13-inch pan. In a separate
saucepan or double boiler over
low heat, melt chocolate chips.
Spread melted chocolate evenly
over peanut butter mixture.
Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Cut into squares
CHAD’S
Low Carb
Apple Sage
Thanksgiving
Stuffing
1/2 stick butter
1/2 onion, chopped
1 apple, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, sliced
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
6 slices Atkins low-carb sliced bread
1 egg
Water to moisten
Melt butter in saute pan; add
onion, apple, celery and cinnamon. Cut bread into cubes and
place in bowl. Add cooked
ingredients, egg and water
enough to moisten. Mix all
ingredients with "hands". Press
into buttered 2-quart casserole
pan or turkey. Bake casserole at 350° for about 25
minutes.
2 0 0 7
CHAD’S
37
Almond
Cookies
2 cups almond flour
1/2 cup artificial sweetener
1 stick unsalted butter,softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
Preheat oven to 300°. Combine
all ingredients. Form dough into
walnut-sized balls and place onto
greased cookie sheet. Bake for 5
minutes. Press down lightly with
fork, then continue to bake for
another 15 minutes. Let cool.
FLOUR POWER
What is Almond Flour?
What is Almond Meal?
Almond flour and meal are both just
ground up almonds. Almond flour is most
often made with blanched almonds (no
skin), whereas almond meal can be made
either with whole or blanched almonds. In
either case, the consistency is more like
corn meal than wheat flour. I find that for
the most part they can be used interchangeably.
What is Almond
Flour/Meal Good For?
Almond flour is good in "quick bread" type
recipes, like muffins, nut breads, and pancakes. (see recipes below) It's not good
for things that require a real dough, and
you can't knead it. Usually, more eggs are
required when baking with almond meal,
to provide more structure. Almond meal
can also be used in breading fish, but
care must be taken not to burn it.
Can I Make My Own
Almond Flour?
Yes, you can make it in a
blender or food processor, though care must
be taken not to go
too far, or you will
have almond butter! Use fairly
small
amounts,
and pulse
until it's
meal.
38
H O L I D A Y
C O O K I N G
I N
T H E
H E A R T L A N D
FUN FOOD FOR KIDS!
(SAFETY FIRST: ADULTS MUST HELP)
Alphabet
Cookies
T
his special vanilla dough handles like modeling clay, but it
also makes delicious cookies. Use
this activity to strengthen children’s alphabet skills, to make
place cards for children’s birthday
parties, or just to make a delicious
treat.
4 1/2 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups butter
3 hard-boiled egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
3 raw egg yolks
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Colored sugar or chocolate chips, optional
Preheat your oven to 300°.
Measure the flour into a large
bowl. Cut the butter into small
pieces and add them to the flour.
Have your child mix the flour and
butter with his/her hands until the
mixture forms fine crumbs. In a
separate bowl, mash the hardboiled egg yolks with the sugar.
Stir this mixture into the flour mixture. In a separate bowl, blend the
raw egg yolks with the vanilla. Stir
this mixture into the flour mixture
with a fork. Have your child press
the mixture into a firm ball. Cover
and refrigerate it if you plan to
shape and bake it later. Otherwise,
work with it at room temperature.
Roll out the dough. Cut 3 or 4-inch
strips and have your grandchild
roll them with his hands to make
ropes. Shape the ropes into the letters of your children’s name.
Flatten them slightly so they are
about 1/4-inch thick. If you like,
decorate them with colored sugar
or chocolate chips. Bake the letters
on a baking sheet for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven when
cookies are just starting to brown
on the bottom. Cool cookies on the
baking sheet for 2-3 minutes, then
remove to a rack. Be sure to let the
cookies cool completely before
allowing your grandchild to handle
them.
Sugar Cookie
Bouquet
1 cup margarine
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons milk
2 teaspoons light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
Food coloring in holiday colors
Popsicle sticks
Plastic wrap or plastic sandwich bags
Florist’s foam or Styrofoam
Decorated terra cotta pot
Cellophane and ribbon, optional
Preheat your oven to 350°.
Combine the margarine and sugar
in a large bowl. Beat in the eggs
one at a time, then add the vanilla.
Add the flour, baking powder, and
salt. Stir until the mixture is well
blended. Roll the dough into 2inch balls. Place the balls on a baking sheet. Press down on each ball
slightly, and insert a popsicle stick
into the top of each one. Leave
space between the cookies, as they
will spread during baking. Bake
the cookies 8 to 10 minutes or
until they’re golden brown. Let
them cool. In a small bowl, stir
together the powdered sugar and
milk until smooth. Beat in the corn
syrup and almond extract until the
frosting is smooth and glossy. If
it’s too thick, stir in more corn
syrup. Divide the frosting into separate bowls. Add a different food
coloring to each and mix well.
Have your child dip the cookies in
frosting or paint it on with a new
paintbrush. Let the frosting dry on
the cookie. Wrap each cookie individually with plastic wrap. Insert
florist’s foam into the pot. Gently
push the cookie pops into the
foam. If you like, wrap the cookie
bouquet with cellophane and a ribbon.
Graham Cracker
Gift Box
(FOR KIDS OVER 3 YEARS OLD)
Graham crackers
Cardboard milk carton
Ornamental frosting
Edible decorations (gumdrops, raisins,
chocolate chips, and cereal)
Cut off the top of a cardboard
milk carton so what’s left is the
same height as a graham cracker.
Use the frosting to stick graham
crackers to the sides of the milk
carton. Remember to cover the
frosting with a damp cloth when
you’re not using it. Have your
child use additional frosting and
edible decorations to decorate the
gift box. When the frosting is dry,
place wrapped candies or a small
gift inside.
.
W
ith the release of Disney’s
Ratatouille this year, a recipe
for it seemed appropriate to introduce kids to a new taste.
Chicken
Ratatouille
2 0 0 7
B R O W N I E S : Combine the contents
of the jar with 1 teaspoon vanilla,
3/4 cup vegetable oil, and 4 eggs.
Beat until just mixed. Pour into a
greased 9-inch by 13-inch pan.
Bake at 350ºF for 25 to 30 minutes.” Attach the tag to the jar.
Alphabet
Crackers
SERVES 4
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 small eggplant, cubed
2 small zucchini, sliced
1 onion, sliced
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
1 green pepper, sliced
1 large tomato, cubed
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella
cheese
Sauté chicken in oil about 2
minutes per side. Add eggplant,
zucchini, onion, mushrooms and
green pepper. Cook 10 minutes.
Add tomato and remaining ingredients except cheese and simmer 3 to
5 minutes more. Arrange chicken
on top of vegetables and sprinkle
cheese over chicken. Cook 1 more
minute until cheese melts. Serve
over barley.
Sand Art
Brownie Gift Mix
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1-quart canning jar with lid
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
Child's blunt-tip safety scissors
Fabric (choose seasonal fabric if giving a
holiday gift)
Ribbon
Pen
Decorative tag
Mix the flour with the salt in a
small bowl. Help your child layer
the ingredients in the jar, beginning with the flour/salt mixture,
continuing in order, and ending
with the white chocolate chips.
(You may not need as many chips
if there’s little room left in the jar.)
Screw on the lid. Cut a circle of
fabric about 4 inches wider than
the diameter of the jar. Tie the fabric circle around the lid with ribbon. Write the following directions
on a decorative tag: “Sand Art
Spread (such as peanut butter, jam,
honey, cheese)
Crackers
Alphabet cereal
Smear spread on the crackers.
Help an older preschooler spell his
name or a simple sentence like "I
love you" by sticking alphabet
cereal onto the crackers. A younger
child may enjoy simply sticking
the letters onto the crackers in no
particular order. Let your child eat
his creations.
Crazy Critter
Bagel
Sandwiches
K
ids will love making these single-serve pizzas. You set out
all the toppings, and they let their
imaginations run wild while creating critter designs from the toppings
1 cup pizza sauce
8 bagels, split
2 cups shredded mozzarella or
Cheddar cheese
Assorted Toppings
Sliced pepperoni
Canadian-style bacon
Sliced mushrooms
Sliced ripe olives
Chopped zucchini
Chopped bell pepper
Heat oven to 425°. Spread 1
tablespoon pizza sauce over each
bagel half. Sprinkle each with 1
tablespoon of the cheese. Arrange
toppings on sandwiches to look
like desired critters. Sprinkle with
remaining cheese. Place on
ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 5 to
10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
40
H O L I D A Y
C O O K I N G
I N
T H E
H E A R T L A N D
2 0 0 7
THREE-A-DAYTM THE DAIRY WAY
Cook steak about 6 minutes on each
side (for medium) or until desired.
Allow steak to rest 5 minutes
before cutting into thin slices.
Warm pita halves in toaster. Into
each pita half, spoon 1/4 of the
yogurt dressing, mixed salad
greens, Blue cheese, onion, steak
and tomato. Spoon additional yogurt
dressing over top.
Baked
Mozzarella Sticks
SERVES 6
Recipe created by 3-A-Day™ of Dairy
1 12-ounce package reduced-fat
Mozzarella string cheese
1 egg
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
8 tablespoons panko (Japanese) bread
crumbs
1/2 cup prepared marinara sauce,
warmed (optional)
Position rack in upper third of
oven and preheat oven to 350°.
Line a baking sheet with foil and
spray lightly with cooking spray.
Remove cheese from packaging
and set aside. In a small bowl,
whisk egg until foamy. In small
non-stick skillet, mix Italian seasoning with bread crumbs and
place over medium heat. Cook
and stir bread crumbs until lightly
browned, about 5 minutes. Dip one
piece of string cheese in egg until
coated and then into toasted bread
crumbs, coating completely. Redip
the string cheese in egg and again
into the bread crumbs, if desired.
Place on baking sheet. Repeat
with remaining string cheese and
place on baking sheet 1 1/2 inches
apart. Spray string cheese lightly
with cooking spray. Bake 5 to 6
minutes or until heated through.
Sirloin Pita
Salad
Sandwich
With Herbed
Yogurt Dressing
SERVES 4
Recipe created by 3-A-Day™ of Dairy
FOR THE DRESSING:
2 8-ounce containers fat-free plain yogurt
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced parsley
1 tablespoon minced chive
1 teaspoon dried oregano
FOR THE SANDWICH:
1/2 pound sirloin or rib-eye steak,
trimmed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
4 4 inch whole wheat pita bread rounds,
cut in half-moons
2 1/2 cups mixed salad greens (such as
arugula, radicchio and baby spinach
leaves)
2/3 crumbled Blue cheese
1/2 small red onion, sliced and separated
into rings
8 cherry tomatoes, halved
Spoon yogurt into a medium
bowl and stir in garlic, parsley,
chive and oregano until well
blended; set aside. Rub both sides
of steak with salt and pepper. Heat
a medium, non-stick skillet over
medium-high heat.
White Bean
Chowder With
Milk
SERVES 6
Recipe created by 3-A-Day™ of Dairy
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 15-ounce cans white cannelloni or
Great Northern beans, drained
1 4-ounce can diced green chilies
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1/2 cup grated carrot
1/4 cup diced celery
1 cup low–sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt, optional
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 cups fat-free or low-fat milk
1 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar
cheese
4 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
(optional)
In a large saucepan, stir together
oil, onion and garlic over medium
heat until onion is softened, about
5 minutes. Add 1 can of beans and
mash into onion mixture with a
potato masher or a slotted spoon
(mixture will be chunky). Stir in
second can of beans, green chilies,
corn, carrot, celery, chicken broth,
cumin, chili powder and salt, if
desired; bring mixture to a simmer. Blend cornstarch into milk
and stir into chowder; bring slowly to a boil, stirring frequently.
Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes, or until corn and celery are
tender and mixture thickens. Stir
in the cheese just until melted.
Serve in individual bowls and top
with fresh chopped cilantro.
Scrambled Egg
And Mozzarella
Breakfast Pizza
SERVES 2
Recipe created by 3-A-Day™ of Dairy
1 whole wheat English muffin
2 mushrooms, sliced
2 green onions, finely chopped
4 tablespoons diced green or red bell
pepper
1/2 cup egg substitute
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Dash of oregano or Italian seasoning
4 teaspoons pizza sauce
1/2 cup shredded low-moisture,
part-skim Mozzarella cheese
Preheat oven to 350°. Split
English muffin in half and toast;
set aside. Heat a small non-stick
skillet over medium heat. Add
mushrooms, green onions and bell
pepper. Cook, stirring continuously for 2 minutes, or until vegetables are softened. Stir egg substitute, pepper and oregano into vegetable mixture. Cook, stirring continuously until egg substitute is set,
about 2 minutes. Spread 2 teaspoons of pizza sauce onto each
English muffin half. Spoon a
quarter of the egg mixture over
pizza sauce and top with a quarter
of the cheese. Spoon the remaining egg mixture and cheese evenly
on top of the muffins. Place the
muffins on a baking sheet and bake
for 5 minutes, or until cheese is
melted.
CREDITS
“Holiday Cooking in the Heartland” is a
publication of KFVS12
© 2007 by KFVS12. All rights reserved.
For more information, contact Shirlene Hecht
at P.O. Box 100, Cape Girardeau, MO
63702-0100 or call (573) 335-1212.
Vice President/General Manager Mike Smythe
General Sales Manager . . . . . . Joe Trepasso
Local Sales Manager . . . . . . . . . Karen Wade
Director of Marketing . . . . . . . . Paul Keener
Project Director/Editor. . . . . . Shirlene Hecht