Christmas Dinner Menu-2012

This is our planned menu…we are expecting at least 20 for dinner…

Appetizers–served in the afternoon with Knudsen Sparkling Juices

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Bruschetta

Gouda Cheese

Dinner in the Evening:

Soup, Salad,  and Bread:

Potato Soup

Green Salad

French Bread

Main Course:

Cross-rib Beef Roast

with mushroom sauce

Herbed Spatchcocked Turkey

Rice Pilaf

Cooked Green Vegetable

Raw Vegetables

Dessert:

Lemon Meringue Pie

Blueberry Pie

Carob-Pecan Pie

Chocolate Beet Cake

with 

Ice Cream or Whip Cream

Coffee

Tea

What is on your menu plan?

Chocolate Christmas Pretzels

Each year the granddaughters come over and we play with Ghiradelli Chocolate and Christmas pretzels from Sam's Club!

Donning aprons.

It all started when the oldest granddaughter was about 2 years old. She wasn't old enough to handle decorating "Christmas" cookies. But she was able to drop the Christmas shaped pretzels into the chocolate.

Removing broken pretzels.

Dipping pretzels.

The oldest "cook."

The littlest "cook."

Simply melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler. When melted remove the top to a kitchen towel. This will soak up any moisture and be heat protecting and keeping. Let the little ones drop the pretzels into the chocolate. Grandma can fish each pretzel out with a fork and lay it on some wax paper.

Finished pretzels.

Someone playing in the chocolate, again.

The girls also like to sprinkle the wet chocolate covered pretzels with sprinkles or with some white chocolate. Let dry. Then bag.

Putting pretzels into fancy bags.

Store in air tight container in freezer for long periods of time. It helps to keep them from immediately disappearing!

Linked with: Raising Homemakers

Canned Pumpkin

I enjoy using  pumpkins to decorate my kitchen in the fall. I simply set them around in out-of-the-way corners on the floor. Maybe with a decorative gourd or two.

After Thanksgiving I process them. The easiest way I've found is to cut the pumpkin in half.
Remove the stem and seeds. A spoon with a sharp edge helps to scoop the seeds out-like an ice cream scoop or large serving spoon.

I then place the halves upside down (skin side up) on silicone sheets on my cookie pans.
Bake at 350°F for about 1 hour. This will depend on the size of pumpkin halves and how full you have your oven. Bake until a fork easily goes through the skin.

Now using a large spoon or ice cream scoop, scoop the flesh out of the skins. This should be easy to do.

Put the pumpkin flesh in a large pot to heat. If your pumpkin is not juicy add a couple tablespoons of water. Once you pot of pumpkin is hot it is ready to fill your canning jars. Can in a Pressure Canner.

A quart jar will make a nice large pumpkin pie.

Sugar Cookies–"Cut-out Cookies"

This is the best sugar cookie recipe I have ever tried. 

The recipe is about 95-100 years old!

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup shortening, (half butter, half lard or shortening)
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
Flour to thicken (approximately 3 3/4 cups) (dough should be slightly sticky)

Mix well, cover and place in refrigerator until chilled at least 4 hours. Roll out on floured board. Cut. Place on cookie sheet. Bake in slow oven 275-350°F. (I use between 325° and 340° for 12 minutes.) Time will depend some on size of cookie. Temperature on how hot your oven runs. Makes about 60 cookies.

I do not roll these out thin; it is probably between 1/8" and 1/4". They will puff some when baking. I bake until the bottoms are golden-brown and they no longer look moist on top. The edges are just tu

Chocolate Sourdough Cookies

This a cakelike cookie. It is good frosted with a chocolate glaze too.

Oven 350°F

Mix together:
1 1/2 cups flour
2 Tbsp baking cocoa
1/2 tsp each baking powder and baking soda
1/8 tsp salt

In larger bowl mix:
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup coconut oil
2 eggs
3/4 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sourdough starter
 
1/2 cup chopped nuts, optional

Stir in flour mixture to wet mixture. Add nuts if desired.

Drop by teaspoonfuls 2" apart on greased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until bottoms are just lightly browned. Cool slightly on pan, then remove to rack to finish cooling. Frost if desired.

Pumpkin Cake

Oven 350°F

Cream together 1/3 cup softened butter and 2/3 cup honey

Mix in 3 eggs, 1 cup canned pumpkin, 1/2 cup applesauce and 2 tsp vanilla

In separate bowl mix together:
3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
3 tsp cinnamon
3 tsp allspice
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Mix dry ingredients into liquid ingredients. Pour into buttered 9" x 13"x 2" baking pan.

Bake for about 25-35 minutes until tests done with toothpick or cake tester.

Cool on rack. Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting.

Chopped pecans would be yummy in this cake too.

Recipe adapted from Sue Gregg's Eating Better Dessert Cookbook

Vanilla Ricotta Pie

This is nice for breakfast or brunch. Plan to make it ahead as it needs to cool and then sit in the refrigerator at least overnight. Plan to double it for 12 to 14 servings and cook it in a large spring-form pan.

Oven 350°F

Crust:

Mix in medium bowl:
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
2 Tbsp sugar
Cut in 1/4 cup cold unsalted butter

Mix together in a measuring cup with spout:
1 slightly beaten egg
2 Tbsp whole milk
1/4 tsp vanilla

Stir into flour mixture. Work dough into a smooth ball. Roll out to about 1/8" thick between two sheets of wax paper or parchment paper. Fit into a small spring-form pan or a 8"-9" layer cake pan. Place in refrigerator to chill while mixing filling.

Filling:

With electric mixer or egg beater mix until smooth and creamy:
3 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 lb ricotta cheese-if using whey ricotta I add about 1 Tbsp cream also
1 Tbsp vanilla

Ladle filling into pan. Bake for almost 60 minutes. (If doubling it will take about 10 minutes longer.) Filling should be firm on the edges and pliant in the center. Completely cool on rack at room temperature. Center of pie will sink slightly. Refrigerate at least 8 hours before serving. Serves 6-8.

Using your Kitchen-Aid to make Applesauce

If you have the fruit/vegetable strainer attachment for your Kitchen-Aid mixer it is a breeze to make delicious applesauce.

All you need for ingredients are apples-I like to use a variety for better flavor and water!

1. Wash your apples in a produce wash if you think they have any sprays or contamination. If they are just dirty/dusty wash in warm water with a bit of soap. Rinse well

2. Chop apples in quarters. Remove stems. If apples are very large, cut in smaller pieces. They must fit through the shoot on the strainer.

3. In a large pan with a tight lid, put enough water to just about cover the bottom. Fill with your apples. Bring to a boil. It takes about 10-20 minutes depending on the apple type. The apples will get soft and puffy. Dump this pan in a large bowl and start your next pan.

4. I let my apples cool a bit before processing through the fruit/vegetable strainer. The strainer will remove all the peel, seeds and hard bits. This is great for your compost pile. Have a bucket at the end of the strainer to catch the refuse. The applesauce will slide down from the strainer and you will need a bowl underneath to catch it.

5. Put applesauce on stove to get hot again if you are going to can it. If freezing go ahead and put into your containers.

6. Fill clean hot jars with hot applesauce and place hot lids on. Process for your altitude.

Quick, Easy, Elegant Strawberries

Would you like a bite?

Wash some strawberries, shake off water, put in bowl.

Fill another small bowl with a bit of sugar–we used powdered sugar.

Get out some pretty napkins and enjoy!

Poppers (Snakebites take-off)

We have enjoyed "Snakebites" at a certain steak restaurant. This is a take-off from a regular popper recipe and the "Snakebites." I used mozzarella cheese because it softens nicely when warmed/cooked and lets the jalapeño flavor come through. These were a big hit with the guys.


Half and seed at least two large jalapeños. Then dice in pieces about 1/8" by 3/8".

3 oz. softened cream cheese
About 2-3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (Or use a cheese of your preference. Hard cheeses will not be as soft.) Use a coarse shred, not fine.

Centers bagged  frozen, waiting to be rolled and fried.

Mix cream cheese and shredded cheese together. Then add in diced jalapeño.
Roll cheese mixture in walnut-size balls. Place on plate or tray. Then place in freezer for about 1 hour.

Heat oil to 350°F
Roll each cheese ball in milk, flour, let dry a bit. Re-roll in milk and then bread crumbs.
Fry until lightly browned. Drain on brown paper or paper towels.