Appetizer Kabobs

Ingredients:
(8 Servings)

1 container fresh mushrooms

1  green pepper, large chops

1  red pepper, large chops

4 chicken cutlets, cubed

1 red onion, large chops

1 tsp. of Dijon mustard, soy sauce and oil. Preferably canola.

               

Directions: 

Soak skewers in water so they will not burn.

Clean mushrooms with damp towel. 

Alternate mushrooms, peppers and onions.

In bowl combine mustard and soy sauce with oil.

Coat kebobs with mixture and place on hot grill. 

Turning 3 times to cook all 4 sides.

Chocolate Pudding Dessert

Who doesn't love chocolate pudding! If you need an inexpensive dessert that you need to fancy up, try this one. Sometimes just changing up the way you present dessert can make it go from ordinary to extraordinary.

Ingredients:

2 boxes of chocolate pudding mix. (You can use instant, but I prefer the cooking kind for this)

4 cups of milk as indicated on box

1 can of squeeze whipped cream

1 box of Goobers candy (movie theatre box size)

Directions:

First make the pudding according to the directions on the box. Once cooked and cooled a bit, pour into 6 tall glasses and refrigerate for 4 hours. When you are ready for dessert, remove from refrigerator. Take Goobers and place in Ziploc bag. With back of pot or rolling pin, break up the Goobers into small pieces. Sprinkle top of the pudding with the Goobers, give a nice squirt of whipped cream and then sprinkle a few Goobers again on top. Your guests will give you a standing ovation and love you for the yummy dessert.

Turkey Chili

Ingredients:

Olive oil cooking spray

1 medium onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1-2 tablespoons chili powder

2 15-ounce cans tomato sauce

2-3 cups turkey, diced

2 15-ounce cans red kidney beans

1-2 chipotle chilies, finely diced

Salt and pepper for seasoning

Directions:

Garnish: Grated cheddar cheese and sliced green onions. Lightly oil a large saucepan with cooking spray. Heat for a few minutes over medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic and chili powder. Cook while stirring for about 5 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and bring to a boil. Add the turkey, kidney beans, and chipotle chilies. Heat through and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with grated cheddar cheese and green onions.

Healthy Strawberry Pancakes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 tbs rolled oats (or 4 and omit muesli)
2 tbs toasted or Swiss muesli (toasted gives more flavor)
1 overripe banana, mashed well – provides natural sugar sweetness and good fats
1/2 lightly beaten egg
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup low fat milk
1 tsp vanilla/fruity essence
1/2 cup mixed dried fruit and nuts, chopped finely
Optional**Add into dry ingredients = orange/citrus fruit zest

Directions:

1. Mix together dry ingredients and zest if using in a large bowl excluding add-ins

2. Mix together all wet ingredients including mashed banana
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour wet ingredients into it
Stir to combine and form a batter (if too dry, add a touch more milk)
Stir in add-ins

3. Let sit for 10 minutes in batter bowl

4. Heat a frying pan on medium high and sizzle some butter on it
Once hot, pour 1/4 cup on top of butter and cook for approximately 30 seconds-1 minute

5. Once golden brown, it is done!

6. Serve with your favorite fruit coulis recipe

7. Enjoy being guilt free – if you do want to make a sweet batter, more than welcome to decrease milk to 1/2 cup and 2 tbs, add in 2 tbs melted butter/peanut butter/Nutella and add in some sugar or chocolate flakes etc – your choice

  Recipe Submitted by

Choc Chip Uru

Go Bake Yourself

 www.gobakeyourself.wordpress.com

Merry Christmas!

The Gourmet Mom

White Christmas

Ingredients:

1 oz. Amaretto

1 oz. Vodka

1 oz. heavy cream

Directions:

Mix all ingredients with ice in a shaker. Pour into a chilled cocktail glass.

Option: Garnish with nutmeg or cinnamon.

Mistletoe Martini

Ingredients:

3/4 oz. lemon juice

4 ice cubes

3 tsp. sugar

3 oz. chilled cranberry herbal tea

2 oz. orange juice

2 oz. vodka

1 maraschino cherry

Directions:

Place ice cubes in martini shaker and add all the ingredients. Close the shaker and shake. Strain into two martini glasses. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.

Holiday Eggnog Pie

Ingredients:

Crumb Crust

1 1/2 C. graham cracker crust

1/4 C. sugar

1/4 C. chopped almonds

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 C. butter, melted

Combine crust ingredients in a small bowl. Press the mixture on bottom and sides of a buttered 10-inch pie pan.

Filling

1 envelope unflavored gelatine

1/4 C. cold water

1/3 C. sugar

2 T. cornstarch

1/8 tsp. salt

2 C. canned eggnog

1 1/2 (1 oz.) squares unsweetened chocolate, melted

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 T. rum

1 C. whipping cream, whipped

Directions:

Sprinkle gelatine over water to soften. Mix sugar, cornstarch and salt in top of a double boiler. Gradually stir in eggnog. Cook over hot, not boiling, water, stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in softened gelatine until dissolved. Divide filling in half. Add melted chocolate and vanilla extract to one half. Set aside. Allow remaining half to cool; then fold in rum and whipped cream. Pour the rum-flavored mixture into the pie shell. Let set in refrigerator. Pour chocolate mixture on top. Chill at least 6 hours or overnight. Several hours before serving, make topping.

Topping

1/4 C. confectioners' sugar

1 to 4 T. rum

1 C. whipping cream, whipped

Chocolate curls (optional)

Fold sugar and rum into whipped cream. Pipe onto top of pie with a pastry tube or swirl on top. Sprinkle with chocolate curls, if desired. Chill before serving.

Holiday Rice Bread

Ingredients:

1 1/2 C. orange juice

2 C. granulated sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. grated orange peel

1/2 C. butter or margarine, melted

3 1/2 C. all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 C. cooked and cooled rice

Glaze

3/4 C. chopped pecans

1/2 C. confectioners' sugar

1/2 tsp. orange zest

3 T. orange juice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease and four two 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pans. Combine orange juice, sugar, eggs, orange peel and butter or margarine. In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add orange juice mixture to dry ingredients and mix well. Fold in rice and pecans. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 5 minutes, then turn out to cool. Combine sugar, juice and zest. Drizzle over loaves when cool.

Candy Cane Cocktail

Ingredients:

1-1/2 oz. vodka

1 tsp. peppermint schnapps

Directions:

Mix all ingredients with ice in a shaker. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Garnish with a small candy cane.

Caesar Chicken Salad Boats

Ingredients:
1 ½ pounds chicken, cubed
1 tablespoon Wildtree Natural Grapeseed Oil
1 bag Wildtree’s Classic Caesar Dressing Mix
½ cup light mayo
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
20 medium sized romaine lettuce leaves

Directions:
Heat the Grape seed Oil in a nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add the cubed chicken and sauté until completely cooked through. Meanwhile combine the Caesar Dressing Mix, mayo, and mustard. Add the cooked chicken and fold together the ingredients so the chicken becomes coated in the mixture. Cool completely in the fridge. Before serving divide the chicken salad among the lettuce leaves. (Place the chicken salad in the lettuce so that the leaf resembles a boat.)

 *Recipe Picture from Wildtree Website

Reader Submitted Recipe

Mairead Matula

Wildtree

www.mywildtree.com/mairead

Kahlúa Christmas Cake

Ingredients:

1 box pudding recipe devil’s food cake mix

3/4 C. water

1/3 C. vegetable oil

1/2 C. sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

3 large eggs

3/4 C. strong black coffee

2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 C. bourbon

1/2 C. Kahlúa

Directions:

Mix cake ingredients and beat 3 minutes. Pour into a greased Bundt pan and bake at 350ºF for 50 minutes. Let cool, then ice.

Icing

1/3 C. evaporated milk

1/2 stick butter

1 C. sugar

1 1/2 C. chocolate chips

In saucepan, beat evaporated milk, butter and sugar. Boil 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add chocolate chips. Ice cake immediately. Decorate top with candied cherries and pecans.

Hot Russian Christmas

Ingredients: 

1 oz.  Vodka

1 oz.  Kahlua

1 oz. eggnog

2/3 cup hot chocolate

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a mug, stir and serve. You can drizzle chocolate syrup, whip cream, of shavings of chocolate on top.

To serve cold combine all ingredients in shaker over ice and pour in glass. If you would like to make in larger amounts, combine in pitcher and serve.

Spiked Hot Chocolate

Ingredients:

2 cups heated low fat milk
2 tablespoons Wildtree Chocolate Lover’s Syrup
4 ounces Kahlua
Whipped cream, optional

Directions:
Stir the Chocolate Syrup and Kahlua into the warm milk. Divide among two glasses. Top with whipped cream if desired.

*Recipe Picture from Wildtree Website

Reader Submitted Recipe

Mairead Matula

Wildtree

www.mywildtree.com/mairead

Christmas Ornament Cookies

Ingredients:

1 3/4 C. flour

1/4 C. cornstarch

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 C. butter, softened

1 C. sugar

1 large egg

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

Mix in a bowl the flour, cornstarch and baking powder. Cream in a separate bowl the butter, sugar, egg and vanilla. Stir flour mixture into the remaining creamed ingredients gradually, until blended. Cover and chill 15 minutes or longer. Roll dough on floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness and cut with Christmas-shape cookie cutters. Place on greased cookie sheets and decorate with sprinkles (or icing could be used, after baking). Pierce a small hole through each cookie, toward the top center portion (use a barbecue skewer). Bake at 350ºF  for 8 minutes. Cookies are still pale-colored when finished, not browned. Cool on a cookie sheet.

Store in an airtight tin for 2 to 3 weeks. Use yarn or wire ornament hangers to hang cookies on your Christmas tree. They are best if eaten and replenished daily.

Holiday Punch

Ingredients:

4 cups cranberry juice (you can use light)

1 bottle sparkling cider

1 liter ginger ale (regular or diet)

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, about 2 lemons

12 ounces vodka

1 orange, sliced

Directions:

In a large bowl, over ice combine all of the liquid ingredients. Float the orange slices on top, for garnish and serve. Cranberries for garnish.

Sticky Buns

Ingredients:

2 loaves frozen bread, thawed

2 C. brown sugar

1 large box instant vanilla pudding

1/2 C. butter, softened

1 tsp. cinnamon

Nuts (optional)

Directions:

Tear 1 loaf thawed bread into irregular pieces and place in a buttered 13 x 9-inch pan. Sprinkle the mixture of brown sugar, pudding and cinnamon over the brad pieces. Tear up the second loaf of thawed bread and layer on top. Cover with a wet towel and let rise about 4 hours. Bake at 350ºF for 30 minutes. Turn upside down immediately. Nuts and raisins may be added with the brown sugar layer.

Cider Braised Berkshire Ham

Ingredients
• 2 sprigs rosemary leaves, roughly chopped
• 2 sprigs sage, roughly chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• Pinch crushed red pepper
• Salt
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Pork Fresh Ham
• 2 large onions, sliced
• 1 bundle thyme, tied with string
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 quarts apple cider

 Directions
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• In a food processor, combine the chopped herbs with the garlic, crushed red pepper, a generous pinch of salt and enough olive oil to make a paste. Brush the paste on the outside of the pork roast.
• Toss the onions with olive oil, and salt, and place in the bottom of a roasting pan. Add the thyme, bay leaves and 2/3 of the cider. Place the pork on top of the onions and place in the preheated oven. Roast the pork at 425 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes or until the pork has developed a lovely brown crust. Check the pork, stir the onions and cider if they are starting to burn. Add more cider when the level starts to go down.
• Lower the oven to 375 degrees F and roast 1-2 hours or until an instant-read thermometer reads 150 degrees F. If the crust on the pork starts to get too dark, cover it with foil.
• Let the pork rest for at least 15 minutes before carving. When ready to carve remove the pork from the bone and cut the leg into thin slices. Serve with the onions braised in cider.

Reader Submitted Recipe

Marina Backes

Circle B Ranch 

 www.circlebranchpork.com

Baked Chicken Breast with Fresh Basil

Ingredients:

10 boneless skinless chicken breast (about 2 1/2 lbs.)

3/4 cup low-fat yogurt

1/2 chopped fresh basil

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 cup bread crumbs

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Arrange chicken in single layer in baking dish. Combine yogurt, basil and cornstarch; mix well and spread over chicken. Combine bread crumbs with Parmesan and sprinkle over chicken. (If making in advance, cover and refrigerate for up to 6 hours.)

Bake chicken in 375 degrees oven for 30 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink inside.

Pumpkin cream pie

Ingredients:
FOR THE GINGERSNAP CRUST:
• 1 1/4 cups ground gingersnaps (from about 25 cookies)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• Salt
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
FOR THE PUMPKIN CREAM FILLING:
1. 2 cups whole milk
2. 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3. 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4. 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
5. Pinch of ground cloves
6. 1/2 cup sugar
7. Pinch of Salt
8. 4 large egg yolks
9. 1/4 cup cornstarch
10. 1 1/4 cups solid-pack pumpkin (from one 15-ounce can)
11. 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
12. 1 1/4 cups heavy cream, whisked to medium peaks

DIRECTIONS:
Make the gingersnap crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine gingersnaps, sugar, and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Stir in melted butter. Press
mixture into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch metal pie dish. Refrigerate until set, about 15 minutes. Bake until crust is golden brown, about 15 minutes.
Let cool.
Make the pumpkin cream filling: Bring milk, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, 1/4 cup sugar, and a pinch of salt to a simmer in a medium saucepan
over medium heat.
Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks with cornstarch and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a medium bowl.
Gradually whisk about 1/2 cup milk mixture into yolk mixture. Gradually whisk in remaining milk mixture. Return entire mixture to saucepan. Cook over
medium heat, whisking constantly, until bubbling in center, about 2 minutes.. Remove from heat. Immediately whisk in pumpkin. Whisk in butter.
Strain filling through a fine sieve into a clean bowl. Pour into gingersnap crust, smoothing the top with an offset spatula. Refrigerate until set, at least 4
hours. When ready to serve, top with whipped cream, and garnish with nutmeg..

Reader Submitted Recipe

THE MADLOVE COOKING

Joe Arvin

www.madlovecooking.tv