Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients:

12 eggs beaten
1 pound ground sausage
2 cups milk
3/4 teaspspoon dry mustard
salt and pepper to taste
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 cup cheddar cheese
8-10 slices of bread

Evening Before:

Cut bread into squares to cover the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13 pan.  Whisk the eggs, dry mustard and 11/2 cup of the milk, salt and pepper together.  Spread ground sausage over bread and pour in egg mixture.   Top with shredded cheese and refrigerate overnight.

Next Day:

Mix soup and 1/2 cup milk together and spread over top of casserole to seal the contents.  If desired, add extra grated cheese before baking.

Bake at 325 F for 1 1/2 hours.

Homemade Irish Cream

1 cup irish whiskey
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cups of half 'n half
splash of coconut flavoring
2 T of Hershey's chocolate syrup

Mix the whiskey and condensed milk. 
Add remaining ingredients and refrigerate for up to one month

Spiniach Pomegranate Salad

Time: 30 minutes. Both pomegranate juice and seeds go into this salad.

Yield: Serves 6

Ingredients

• 3/4  cup  unsweetened pomegranate juice
• 1  tablespoon  fresh lemon juice
• 2  teaspoons  roasted hazelnut oil or extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2  teaspoon  kosher salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  minced fresh thyme leaves
• 1/8  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 5  ounces  spinach leaves (about 2 lightly packed qts.)
• 3/4  cup  finely shredded radicchio (from 1 head)
• 1/2  cup  pomegranate seeds*
• 1/2  cup  coarsely chopped toasted hazelnuts
• 1  large firm-ripe Bartlett pear

Preparation

1. In a small saucepan, boil pomegranate juice until reduced to 1/4 cup, 5 to 6 minutes. Let cool. Whisk in lemon juice, oil, salt, thyme, and pepper.

2. In a salad bowl, gently mix spinach, radicchio, pomegranate seeds, and hazelnuts with dressing. Divide among 6 plates.

3. Quarter pear and core. Thinly slice crosswise, then stack slices and cut in matchsticks. Arrange pear on salads.

*Splatter-free seeding: Cut a pomegranate into chunks. Put chunks in a bowl of water, and, working under water, use your hands to break seeds free from pith.

Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 124 (56% from fat)

Protein: 2.2g

Fat: 7.7g (sat 0.6)

Carbohydrate: 13g

Fiber: 2.3g

Sodium: 118mg

Cholesterol: 0.0mg

Brittle Reciipes to Research

http://www.recipegoldmine.com/candybrit/candybrit.html

Layered Peppermint Crunch Bark

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Ingredients:

17 oz good quality white chocolate (Lindt or Bakers)
6 oz candy canes, crushed
7 oz  bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate chopped (or chocolate chips)
6 T whipping cream
3/4 tsp peppermint extract

Directions:

Turn large baking sheet bottom side up and cover with foil.  Mark off a 12 x 9 rectangle on foil

Place 2/3 of white chocolate in microwave to melt.

Pour melted white chocolate onto the foil rectangle.  Use icing spatula to fill rectanagle - sprinkle with 1/4 cup crushed peppermint candy.

Chill at least 15 minutes until set.

Stir bitter chocolate, cream and peppermint extract in heavy saucepan over medium heat until melted and smooth.  Cook 5 minutes.

Pour melted bitter chocolate mixture in long lines over white chocolate rectangle and spread in even layer. 

Refrigerate until cold and firm.  - About 25 minutes

Melt remaining white chocolate and pour over firm bittersweet layer, spreading quickly to cover the dark chocolate layer.  Immediately sprinkle with remaining crushed peppermint pushing into white chocolate layer.

Chill just until firm

To cut, slide bark onto cutting board and trim edges straight.  Cut bark crosswise into 2" wide strips and then into rectangle sections  Cut rectangle sections in half to form triangles. 

Chill in air tight containers.

Makes 40 pieces.

Grandma's Spritz Cookies

Make with cold ingredients and bake immediately.  DO NOT refrigerate before baking, or dough will press well.

4 cups butter
1 1/3 cup confectioners sugar
6 egg yolks
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp almond extract
4 + cups sifted flour

Push through cookie press onto cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 5-6 minutes.  DO NOT GREASE pans and wipe with a paper towel between baking.

We made two batches in 2010, and it made just the right amount of cookies using the flower shape disk.

Gingerbread Snowflakes

This recipe makes a large amount of cookies - we double it for special occasions like Christmas.

Adapted from Soft Gingerbread cookies   by Margaret Curry

1 ½ cup Butter

1 Cup Sugar

1 Cup packed brown sugar

2 Eggs

½ cup molasses (full flavor type)

2 tsp. Vanilla extract

5 cups flour

1 Tbsp. ground ginger

2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. ground cloves

Cream butter and sugars

Add eggs, one at a time beating well after each addition

Stir in molasses and vanilla, mix well.

Combine dry ingredients, gradually add to creamed mixture.

Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Roll and cut with snowflake cutter and place 2 inches apart onto un-greased cookie sheets.

Bake at 325 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until cookies spring back when touched lightly.  Remove to rakes to cool.

DO NOT OVERBAKE!

Pipe frosting (royal icing) on cooled cookies and sprinkle immediately with fine sanding sugar.  Try sugar in the raw for a natural look!

Hooray for Grandmas Turtles!

A long-term Christmas staple in our family...

Cookie Ingredients:
8 squares of unsweetened baking chocolate bar
2 cups butter
8 beaten eggs
3 cups sugar
4 cups flour
4 teaspoons of vanilla

Cookie Instructions:
Melt chocolate in butter.  Add eggs and sugar and vanilla.  Fold in flour.  Drop by teaspoon full on greased waffle iron.  Bake less than 1 minute.  Take off with fork and frost.

Frosting Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups sugar
6 Tablespoons margarine
6 Tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Frosting Instructions:
Bring to a rolling boil and cook for 30 seconds.   Remove from heat and add 1/2 cup chocolate chips and vanilla.  When slightly cooled, and thickened, frost turtles and top each one with a pecan.

Seven Layer Magic Cookie Bars

Prep Time:  10 minutes
Servings:     Makes 24 to 36 bars

Ingredients:


1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 (14 oz) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk (not evaporated milk)
1 cup (6 oz) butterscotch flavored chips
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)


Instructions:


1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees, (325 degrees for glass dish).  In 13x9-inch baking pan, melt butter in oven.


2.  Sprinkle crumbs over butter; pour condensed milk evenly on top of crums.  Top with remaining ingredients in order listed; press down firmly with fork.


3.  Bake 25 minutes of until lightly browned.  Cool.  Chill if desired.  Cut into bars.  Sotre covered at room temperature.

Tip:  For perfectly cut cookie bars, line entire pan (including sides) with a sheet of aluminum foil first.  After bars are cooled, lift up edges of foil to remove from pan. Cut into individual squares.  Lift off of foil.

Homemade Almond Roca

Making this recipe always takes me back to my childhood.  My friend's mother made this every year for Christmas and my oh my, is it ever yummy!  Thanks Mrs. Tacke!

Ingredients:

1 lb real butter
2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
6 tablespoons water
1 cup finely chopped almonds
1 (11 1/2 ounce) bag milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions:

In a large soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat.

While the butter is melting, chop up almonds and brown them lightly in a frying pan.

As soon as the butter is melted, add corn syrup, water and sugar, and cook over medium heat until temperature reaches a hard crack (290 degrees), and becomes the color of a brown paper bag, stirring frequently.

Once the candy reaches this tempurature and color, remove from the heat and mix in all of the chopped, toasted almonds. Leave approximately 1 teaspoon for sprinkling over the top, as well as any flakes that have resulted from chopping. Once the nuts are thorougly mixed in, spread the candy out onto a cookie sheet with edges. Spread it out as thick or as thin as you like, the candy will be good no matter what.

Open the bag of chocolate chips, and with a spoonula, spread them over the top of the still-warm candy until all the candy is colored with cocolate. Sprinkle remaining almonds and flakes over the top and allow candy to cool completely. If covered carefully with hand towels, roca may be placed into the refridgerator to speed cooling. Make sure, though, as it is cooling, that it is not in a very moist spot, or the candy's texture may alter. Once it is cool, you may break it into pieces as small or as large as you like.

Steve (and Tyler's) Horseradish Crusted Prime Rib

This yummy dish has been a two-time star of our Christmas dinners.  It's a great, simple recipe - just be careful with the salt.  It's an important ingredient, but could easily overpower the meat if overdone!

Ingredients:

• 1 (3-rib) prime rib beef roast, about 6 pounds
• 4 red onions, halved
• 4 carrots, cut in chunks
• 4 parsnips, cut in chunks
• 2 heads garlic, halved

Horseradish and Salt Crust:

• 1/2 cup prepared horseradish
• 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped
• 1/2 cup kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Put the onions, carrots, parsnips, and garlic into the bottom of a large roasting pan. Place the roast, rib side down, on top of the vegetables.

In a small bowl mash together the horseradish, garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt, pepper, and olive oil to make a paste. Smear the paste generously over the entire roast and drizzle with some extra oil.

Roast for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours or approximately 20 minutes per pound for medium-rare. Check the internal temperature of the roast in several places with an instant-read thermometer, it should register 125 degrees F. for medium rare.

Remove the beef to a carving board, cover it with foil, and allow it to rest for 20 minutes. Note: the internal temperature of the meat will continue to rise about 10 degrees. Remove the vegetables and set aside. Pour the pan juices into a fat separator and set aside to allow the fat and beef juices to separate. Use the juices to serve with the meat.

Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges with Smoked Chile Cream

My cousin served this amazing side dish from bon appetit' at Thanksgiving... Yumm-O!

6 to 8 servings

• PREP: 30 minutes
• TOTAL: 50 minutes

Recipe by Diane Rossen Worthington

Photograph by Hans Gissinger

November 2010

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped green onion tops (dark green parts), divided
• 2 teaspoons chipotle hot pepper sauce
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 3 pounds medium red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams), scrubbed, cut lengthwise into 3/4-inch-wide wedges with skin
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

• The Technique: Wedges

  It's ridiculously simple: Cut the potatoes into wedges, toss with olive oil and ground cumin, then roast. Since there's more surface area exposed in the oven when the sweet potatoes are cut into wedges, the result is the ideal ratio of crisp to creamy.

Preparation

• Whisk sour cream, 1 tablespoon green onion tops, chipotle hot sauce, and lime juice in small bowl. Cover and chill. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.
• Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 425°F. Combine sweet potato wedges, oil, and cumin in large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Arrange potato wedges, cut side down, on 2 rimmed baking sheets. Roast until tender and browned in spots, about 20 minutes, reversing pans halfway through roasting. DO AHEAD Can be made 4 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Rewarm in 425°F oven until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Place potato wedges on large platter. Drizzle smoked chile cream over. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons green onion tops and serve.

• Nutritional Information

  8 servings, 1 serving contains:
  Calories (kcal) 223.4
  % Calories from Fat 29.3
  Fat (g) 7.3
  Saturated Fat (g) 2.0
  Cholesterol (mg) 6.7
  Carbohydrates (g) 36.0
  Dietary Fiber (g) 5.9
  Total Sugars (g) 14.8
  Net Carbs (g) 30.2
  Protein (g) 3.8
  Sodium (mg) 97.3

Seafood Gratin

I'm assuming that this dish is rich beyond comprehension, but I think it might go nicely with our Christmas Day prime rib...

From Barefoot Contessa...

Ingredients:

For the sauce:

• 2 cups seafood stock or clam juice
• 2 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup plus 6 tablespoons good white wine, such as Chablis, divided
• 6 tablespoons tomato puree
• 1 teaspoon saffron threads
• 16 ounces raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, and cut in half crosswise
• 16 ounces raw halibut, cut into1-inch chunks
• 16 ounces cooked lobster meat, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 14 Tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 6 cups julienned leeks, white and light green parts (2 large)
• 3 cups julienned carrots (3 carrots)
• 2 cups panko (Japanese dried bread crumbs)
• 2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 4 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon leaves
• 2 tablespoon minced garlic (2 cloves)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. 

For the sauce:

Combine the stock, cream, 1 cup of the wine, the tomato puree, and saffron in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and add the shrimp. After 3 minutes, use a slotted spoon to remove the shrimp to a bowl. Add the halibut to the stock for 3 minutes, until just cooked through, and remove to the same bowl. Add the cooked lobster to the bowl.


Continue to cook the sauce until reduced by half, about 12 minutes. Mash 1 tablespoon of the butter together with the flour. Whisk the butter mixture into the sauce along with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.Simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Set aside. 


Melt 6 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saute pan. Add the leeks and carrots and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, until softened.  Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of wine, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, until tender. Set aside.


Combine the panko, Parmesan, parsley, tarragon, and garlic. Melt the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter and mix it into the crumbs until they're moistened.

Strew the vegetables on top of each dish. Pour the sauce equally over the seafood and vegetables and spoon the crumbs evenly on top. In a 14 by 9 1/4-inch oval gratin dish, bake for 20 minutes - until the top is browned and the sauce is bubbly. Serve hot.