Christmas Dinner '09

Nothing exciting this year as I've been sick and am still trying to catch-up on the day-to-day since Scott got home!

ham (from Costco)

potato wedges

Julie's homemade rolls

red & green finger jello

spinach salad

california cuties (the oranges)

apple pie

lemon berry tartlets

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 tsp grated lemon peel

1 cup cool whip, thawed

6 mini graham cracker pie crusts (buy or make your own)

1/2 cup blueberry preserves or reduction

Whisk milk, lemon juice, and lemon peel until blended and mixture begins to thicken. Fold in cool whip. Divide evenly between pie crusts. Press down center with spoon (about 1" deep). Refrigerate for 2 hours, or until firm. Fill with heaping tablespoon of blueberries.

I got this from a magazine, but cannot remember which one! If you know, please let me know so I can give credit where credit is due!

blueberry muffins

Pioneer Woman featured a blueberry muffin recipe on her cooking site. The following is my version - adapted to make my family smile from ear to ear!

3 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

pinch of salt

dash of cinnamon

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

1 heaping cup sour cream

2 cups fresh blueberries

1 cap-full of vanilla extract

Brown sugar (to top)

• In a large bowl mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
• In another bowl whisk sugar, oil, vanilla, egg, and sour cream. Add dry ingredients and stir until moistened.
• Add blueberries to mixture and stir a few more times.
• Butter muffin tins (skip the liners, trust me on this) and add mixture. Sprinkle with brown sugar.
• Bake 20-25 minutes @ 385. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

pizza casserole

radiatore or rotini pasta (cooked)

ground sausage

chopped onions

sliced bell peppers

black olives

spaghetti sauce

mozzarella cheese

combine and bake 350 for 30 minutes

Ally's Homemade Granola

This honestly is the best granola you'll ever have. Trust me on this!

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1 1/2 cups lightly packed light brown sugar

6 cups quick cooking or old fashioned rolled oats

2 cups chopped walnuts (I use almonds)

1 cup toasted wheat germ

1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

1 cup raisins

1 cup sweetened dried cranberries or cherries

Place oven racks in two center positions. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 2 jellyroll pans with vegetable spray. Set aside.

In 1-quart microwave-safe bowl, combine oil, syrup and brown sugar. Microwave, uncovered, on high power 3 minutes or until sugar starts to melt. Remove from microwave and whisk until any lumps disappear.

In 3-quart or larger bowl, combine oats, walnuts, wheat germ and coconut. Toss to mix well. Pour syrup mixture over oat mixture and stir until well mixed. Spread evenly onto jellyroll pans. Place one pan on each rack in preheated oven.

Bake 10 minutes. Remove pans, stir granola and return pans to oven, rotating to opposite racks. Bake 8 to 10 minutes more, taking care not to overbrown. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature in pans. Sprinkle half the raisins and half the dried cranberries over each pan, then stir to mix well. Store in airtight containers. Makes about 14 cups.

cheesy potato soup

This recipe is quick and easy, and makes great leftovers!

4 large russet potatoes (peeled & cubed in bite-size pieces)

1/2 - 1 cup finely chopped celery

1/4 cup finely minced yellow onion (not dried)

1/4 - 1/2 cup shredded carrot

4 cups chicken stock/broth (or equivalent using boullion)

2 tsp salt

1 - 2 tsp black pepper

1 Tbsp + 1 tsp white vinegar

4 Tbsp flour

3 cups milk

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

12 oz bacon, cut in small pieces & fried

Toppings: green onions, shredded cheese, sour cream, etc.

1. Combine potatoes, celery, onions, and carrots with chicken stock, salt, pepper, and vinegar in large pot over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then turn down heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.

2. In medium mixing bowl whisk flour and milk.

3. Remove pot from heat and add flour and milk mixture. Put the pot back on the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5 to 8 minutes or until soup has thickened.

4. Add cheddar cheese to the soup and simmer until melted. The potatoes should be tender and starting to fall apart. If not, keep cooking until the soup thickens to your liking.

~Enjoy!~

oatmeal cranberry white chocolate chunk cookies

from Ocean Spray

INGREDIENTS:

2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 6-ounce package Ocean Spray® Craisins® Original Dried Cranberries
2/3 cup white chocolate chunks or chips

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter or margarine and sugar together in a medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, mixing well. Combine oats, flour, baking soda and salt in a separate mixing bowl. Add to butter mixture in several additions, mixing well after each addition. Stir in dried cranberries and white chocolate chunks.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack.

Makes approximately 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

slow cooker beef stew

2 lbs cubed beef stew meat

1 cup chopped onion (about 1 large onion)

1 Tbsp minced garlic

2 (12 oz) jars beef gravy

1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce

1 lb small potatoes, halved

1 1/2 cups baby carrots

2 cups green beans (or peas, but we don't do peas here)

*Season meat with salt & pepper. Brown meat in skillet (w/ oil); transfer to slow cooker. Stir remaining ingredients into slow cooker. Cover, cook on high 4 1/2 hours, or low for 9 hours.

applesauce

2 1/2 to 3 1/2 lbs apples per quart (I used 40 apples for 6 quarts)

water

sugar (optional)

cinnamon (optional)

Rinse apples. Core, peel, and quarter apples (I used the apple peeler/corer/slicer). Cook apples until soft in a large saucepot with just enough water to prevent apples from sticking/burning. Puree using food processor. Return apple pulp to saucepot. Add sugar and cinnamon to taste - if desired. Bring applesauce to a boil (212*), stirring to prevent burning. Ladle sauce into quart jars, leaving 1/2" headspace. Put on lids and rings. Process for 20 minutes.

from Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving

Tips from a 1st-timer...

Work in small batches when cooking apples.

Have all of your tools ready (aka: plan ahead!)

Clean your kitchen counters before you start.

Let your kids help!

Horrible idea:

Filling a humongous pot with the apples...they burn & don't cook evenly, no matter how much you stand there and stir.

Better idea:

Take half of the apples out, & cook half at a time. Problem? Still too hard to keep from burning, thinking it's the pot's problem, not mine.

Best idea!

Use a 5.5 quart pot that is coated on the inside, working in small batches. No burn, no stick, all apples cooked quickly and evenly.

apple pie filling

Combine in 5.5 quart pot and heat to a boil, stirring often...

• 10 cups water
• 5 cups sugar
• 1 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg

Fill-up quart jars with peeled/cored/sliced apples, packing tightly (I use the apple peeler-corer-slicer, but some people prefer to do it by hand). Fill jars with liquidy sauce. Add hot lids and rings, process using steam canner for 20 minutes.

Yield: 8 quarts (although I only made 6, with some leftover sauce, probably didn't stuff the apples tight enough!)

from Julie