Festive Appetizer Spread

This is one of my favorite things to bring to a party.  It's a little unexpected, full of flavor and is always gone by the end.  Plus the batch makes a lot so I have enough to take to several parties with very little notice.  I love spontaneous parties.  Fresh cranberries are top on my list of things to have around from Thanksgiving to New Year's.  Throw them in your freezer and they'll last forever, okay not forever, but a very long time.  You can find fresh cranberries in the produce section of your grocery store in bags.  I also don't add the almonds into the mixture, but sprinkle them on top when I serve it.  Otherwise they get mushy in the leftovers.  I hope you love this! (And Kelsi, I hope this is the cranberry recipe you were asking for.)

Festive Appetizer Spread

Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Yield: 3 cups

Ingredients:

1 c. water
1 c. sugar
1 package (12 oz.) fresh or frozen cranberries
½ c. apricot preserves
2 T. lemon juice
1/3 c. slivered almonds, toasted
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese (for each cup of spread)
Assorted Crackers (I recommend Wheatables, Ritz, or Wheat Thins)
Directions: In a saucepan over medium heat, bring water and sugar to a boil without stirring; boil for 5 minutes.  Add cranberries; cook until berries pop and sauce is thickened, about 10 minutes.  Remove from the heat.  Cut apricots in the preserves into small pieces; add to the cranberry mixture.  Stir in lemon juice.  Cool.  Add almonds.  Spoon over cream cheese; serve with crackers.  Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

(This photo came from tasteofhome.com.  This looks much better when I make it so when I make this next I'll replace the photo. It doesn't happen very often that my food looks prettier than the magazines.)

Pumpkin Pancakes with Hot Cider Syrup

So I was picking up my kids today from a friends' house on Monday and while admiring her freshly baked pumpkin pies she informed me that yesterday was the official start of pumpkin season.  Apparently, in her house, pumpkin season lasts until the new year.  As her husband added, “Pumpkin pie is too good to only eat on Thanksgiving.”  I couldn't agree more.  So in order to celebrate the beginning of pumpkin season here is a different twist on pancakes.  My mom started making these sometime when I was in college.  They fill the kitchen with the yummy aromas of fall.  The idea of them makes me fill warm and cozy.  Take note that the syrup needs to cook for 20-25 minutes and then stand for 30 minutes before serving.  Maybe my friends can add these to their pumpkin recipe collection!

Pumpkin Pancakes with Hot Cider Syrup

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: Syrup – 20-25 minutes plus 30 minute standing time -Pancakes about 5 minutes per batch
Yield: 15 pancakes (1 cup syrup)

Ingredients:

SYRUP:
¾ c. apple cider or juice
½ c. corn syrup
½ t. lemon juice
½ c. packed brown sugar
2 T. butter or margarine
1/8 t. each cinnamon and nutmeg

PANCAKES:

1 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
½ t. cinnamon
1 c. milk
2 T. vegetable oil
1 T. sugar
½ t. salt
2 eggs, separated
½ c. canned pumpkin
Directions: Combine the syrup ingredients.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.  Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes, or until slightly thickened.  Let stand for 30 minutes before 30 minutes before serving.  For pancakes, combine the dry ingredients in a bowl.  In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks, milk, pumpkin and oil.  Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.  In a mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form; fold into batter.  Pour batter by ¼ cupfuls onto a hot greased griddle.  Turn when bubbles form on top of pancakes.  Cook until second side is golden brown.  Serve with syrup.  

Roasted Garlic and Tomato Spread

The holidays are coming.  I am sorry to have to say it, but it's true.  I love the holidays, I really do, but they sneak up on me so quickly and then before I know it they're gone again and I am left with a sad empty feeling.  Of course that empty feeling is not hunger pain.  No indeed.  We are well fed through the holidays.  I do look forward to the parties and goodies.  My favorite of all – a cheeseball and crackers.  Such simple bliss.  But we can't eat cheeseballs all season long, so I found this recipe earlier this year.  I love appetizers of all kinds and this one is no exception.  I love the smell of roasting garlic.    This is so easy to make, although it takes time to roast the tomatoes and garlic.  It went over really well to the gathering I took it to.  I kept seeing people go back for more.  I barely got a taste of it but what I tasted, I liked.  If you want to cut down on the cost you could make your own chive and onion cream cheese by simply whipping a 8 oz. Package of cream cheese with some dried chives and minced onion.  You'll have to figure out the proportions that are good for you.  I hope you all like it!

Roasted Garlic and Tomato Spread

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Roasting Time: 30-35 minutes
Family Friendliness: I am not sure if any of my kids ate this, there were a lot of other things to eat.  But I can't imagine they would turn their noses up at it.  Let me know if your kids like it.

Ingredients:

2 whole garlic bulbs (not cloves, bulbs)
3 t. olive oil, divided
3 plum tomatoes, quartered
1 carton (8 oz.) spreadable chive and onion cream cheese
¼ t. Italian seasoning
¼ t. salt
Directions:Remove papery outer skin from garlic (do not peel or separate cloves).  Cut tops off of garlic bulbs; brush each with ½ t. oil.  Wrap each bulb in heavy-duty foil.  Place garlic and tomatoes in a foil-lined 9-inch square baking pan.  Brush tomatoes with remaining oil.  Bake at 425° for 30-35 minutes or until garlic is softened.  Cool, for 10-15 minutes; squeeze garlic into a small bowl.  Drain any liquid from tomatoes; chop and add to garlic.  Stir in the cream cheese, Italian seasoning and salt.  Serve with your favorite crackers and/or snack breads. 

 (This recipe is originally from a Taste of Home magazine, photo from www.tasteofhome.com)

Steak 'N' Bake

I know that I am strange in some of my food preferences, for example, I do not like the broiled coconut frosting that usually goes on German chocolate cake, even though I love most everything caramel like.   Another one of my peculiar preferences is that when it comes to meat and potatoes, I will fill my plate with potatoes and take very little meat.  However, I have gradually come to appreciate meat on it's own merits as the availability of different cuts of meat, besides roasts and ground beef, has increased in the last few years.  One of the many advantages to living in the country is the number of people with cows and their inability to eat an entire one by themselves.  So my husband and I have for the last couple of years purchased half a cow.  Sounds bizarre, but there it is.  It has presented me with the challenge of looking in my freezer for what cuts of meat I have on hand and then finding a recipe that will utilize said meat.  I never even tasted a steak until I started dating my husband when I was 20, steak for 12 children and 2 parents gets a bit pricey, and so I couldn't just run to Mom's recipe book and find the best way to cook a sirloin.  So in that recipe quest, coupled with the fact that my garden was overflowing with spinach this spring and again in the fall, I found this recipe that fits my potato to meat ratio perfectly.  A little meat, a lot of potato (especially a good size Idaho potato).  Plus, the presentation looks fantastic.  You can grill this or broil it, if you are one of the unfortunate that has been snowed on already.    My husband and I still have not grown to love blue cheese dressing so I substituted with creamy Italian, which was very tasty.  II recommend baking your potatoes in the oven, I always seem to overdo them in the microwave.  If you insist on using the microwave just check on them occasionally, they will cook through a bit more after they are done cooking so keep that in mind.  I hope you like it!

Steak 'N' Bake

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time:  16-25 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Family Friendliness: My children thought it a bit weird to put their meat on their potatoes, so they ate it all separate and go figure my children LOVE spinach.  You could leave the spinach off for the picky eaters.   

Ingredients:

4 medium potatoes
12 to 16 oz. Boneless beef sirloin steak, cut 1 inch thick
2 c. fresh baby spinach
¾ c. bottled blue cheese salad dressing
1 small red onion, cut into thin wedges
Directions: Wash potatoes; pierce with a fork.  Arrange potatoes on a microwave-safe plate in spoke formation, leaving 1 inch between each potato.  Microwave, uncovered, on 100% power (HIGH) for 14-18 minutes or until tender.  (Or bake potatoes in a 425° oven for 40 to 60 minutes.  Let stand 5 minutes.)
Meanwhile, preheat broiler.  Trim fat from steak.  Place meat on the unheated rack of a broiler pan.  Broil 3-4 inches from the heat for 16-18 minutes for medium rare (145°) or 19-21 minutes for medium (160°), turning once halfway through broiling.  Transfer meat to a cutting board; let stand 5 minutes.  OR, to grill, prepare steak as above.  For a charcoal grill, grill on rack of uncovered grill directly over medium coals 18-22 minutes for medium (160°), turning once.  (For a gas grill, preheat grill.  Reduce heat to medium.  Place meat on grill rack over heat.  Cover; grill as above.
To serve, roll each potato gently under your hand.  Cut an “x” in top of potato.  Press in and up on ends of potato.  Cut steak into bite-size strips.  Top potatoes with beef strips and spinach; drizzle with dressing.  Top with onion wedges.

(This recipe is from Better Homes and Gardens 2007 edition of Annual Recipes cookbook, the photo is from bhg.com)

Apple Cider Beef Stew

So this is one of my favorite foods of all time.  My mother started making this when I was in high school and it was so good to come home to the aroma of this stew.  The mixture of cider and thyme is heavenly.  My son says this is his favorite stew so that's high praise indeed.  It does take awhile to cook so you have to start early, but then, hey, dinner is practically done by 4 pm.  I think you're going to like it.  If you don't have cider, just use apple juice.  I've started having to double this recipe, except I don't double the meat and it works out great.  Enjoy!

Cider Beef Stew

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours

Yield: 4 servings
Family Friendliness: The boy loves it, the girls like to pick the veggies out, so I am good. 

Ingredients:

3 T. flour
1 t. salt
½ t. pepper
1 pound beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 T. cooking oil
1 c. apple cider
½ c. water
1 T. vinegar
½ t. dried thyme
2 large carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 celery rib, cutinto 1-inch pieces
1 large potato, peeled and cubed
1 medium onion, sliced
Directions:  In a bowl or bag, combine flour, salt and pepper; add beef and toss to coat.  In a large saucepan, brown beef in oil.  Add cider, water, vinegar and thyme; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour and 45 minutes or until the meat is tender.  Add carrots, celery, potato and onion; return to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 45 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  Yield: 4 servings.

Biscuits Supreme

I have a request, my first one!  These are just a basic biscuit, nothing exciting but it's a must in your recipe collection.  I make these several times in a month.  I love how quickly they go together, how quickly they cook and how quickly they get eaten.  A little honey butter smeared in the middle of these tender biscuits makes them even yummier.  My husband doesn't believe in using anything but butter on his bread because anything else masks the flavor of the bread, so you may enjoy it that way.  We use these for breakfast sandwiches (just cut a little bigger), as a side to casseroles and stews and just about anything else I want.  I found by chance that if you let them rest for a few minutes after cutting them out and before cooking them that they come out softer.  Remember,  this is a quick bread so don't play with the dough and get as many cuttings out of the first rollout as possible.  Enjoy!
Keep a look out for another recipe called Cathead Biscuits in the near future, I haven't tried them yet, but I think I'll like them.

Biscuits Supreme
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10-12 minutes
Yield: 10 biscuits
Family Friendliness: We all love biscuits!

Directions:
1. Stir together 2 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 2 teaspoons sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.  Cut in 1/2 c. butter, margarine, or shortening till mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Make a well in center.  Add 2/3 c. milk all at once, stir till moistened.

2. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface.  Quickly knead dough by gently folding and pressing dough 10 -12 strokes or till nearly smooth.  Pat or lightly roll dough to 1/2" thickness.  Cut dough with a floured 2-1/2 inch biscuit cutter. 

3.  Place biscuits 1 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet.  Bake in a 450 degree oven for 10-12 minutes or till golden.  Remove biscuits from baking sheet and serve hot.      


(This recipe is originally found in the Better Homes and Gardens Red Plaid Cookbook, 70 year celebration edition, 2000)

Burritos El Grande

Well, it's November already.  The beginning of the end of the year.   It seems that after Halloween there's a rush to January and I've never been able to slow it down as hard as I try.  I love this time of year and wish that it would go slower or that there would be less to do so I could enjoy it more.  So in light of the fact that I know that dinner time will be rushed I will try and add some quick recipes. 

This is one of those.  I found this recipe last year and I think that it's one of my husband's favorites, although he says he doesn't have favorites.  These burritos go together rather quickly.  I like to avoid the dinnertime rush and wash and cut lettuce, shred cheese, etc. in the early afternoon while my little one is taking a nap and I only have one kid hanging on my legs.  The rice portion makes a WHOLE lot.  And I usually end up throwing away a lot, but I haven't figured out how to make less.  Maybe I'm supposed to put more on the burrito, but oh well.  We don't use really big tortillas, just the soft taco size, because it seems to be a better portion size for me and the kiddos, my husband just eats two instead of only one.  I hardly ever buy the "specialty" blends of cheese, I just use cheddar or Monterey Jack, otherwise this gets to be too expensive.  I serve them with a fruit sald, or just fresh fruit and tortilla chips if I have any laying around.   Let me know if you like them!  I found that they had a lighter version if you're interested in cutting down on fat, calories and all the good things in life...just kidding, here's the link.
http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/burritos-el-grande-made-113694.aspx

Burritos El Grande
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time:  10 minutes
Yields: 6 (using 10-inch tortillas) burritos, much more if you use smaller tortillas
Family Friendliness: My kids don't really eat tacos or burritos, they eat the tortillas plain and eat all the fillings seperately.  So they still eat it, I guess, sort of.  They don't starve anyway.

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1 jar (16 oz.) salsa (I use my home canned salsa, yum)
1 green pepper, chopped (I sometimes omit this and it still tastes good)
1 c. instant white rice, uncooked
1 can refried beans, warmed
6 flour tortillas (10 inch)
1-1/2 c. Mexican blend shredded cheese
1-1/2 c. shredded lettuce
2 tomatoes, chopped (my salsa is extra chunky so this is always a necessary ingredient)
1/3 c. sour cream
Directions: Brown meat in large skillet on medium heat; drain.  Add salsa and peppers; mix well.  Bring to a boil.  Stir in rice, cover.  Simmer on low heat 5 minutes.  Spread beans down centers of tortillas; top with meat mixture, cheese, lettuce and tomatoes.  Fold in opposite sides of each tortilla, then roll up burrito style.  Serve with sour cream. 

(This recipe and photo originally came from www.kraftrecipes.com )