Pimento Cheese Crisps

I found this recipe over the summer and made them for a party.  Then in December, my church used the same recipe for our big Christmas party, and I realized how great these would be for the holidays!  They are similar to the cheese straw recipe I posted 3 years ago, but spicier and easier to make (since you don't have to squeeze the dough through a cookie press).  I've made them several times now, and they always turn out great!

Picture from:  The Runaway Spoon

Pimento Cheese Crisps
(from The Runaway Spoon)
Ingredients:
1 (4-ounce) jar diced pimentos
8 ounces sharp cheddar
½ cup (1 stick) cold butter
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon sweet paprika
Dash of cayenne pepper
A generous pinch of salt
A few grinds black pepper
½ cup chopped pecans

Directions:
Rinse and drain the pimentos and place them on paper towels. Pat them dry and then leave them for 10 – 15 minutes to air dry.

Grate the cheese and the cold butter together in a food processor. Switch from the grating blade to the metal blade, then add the flour, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne salt and pepper. Process until the dough just begins to come together and looks moist and grainy. Add the pecans and process until the dough begins to pull away from the sides and form a ball. Add the pimentos and pulse a few times until the dough is a ball.

Dump the dough onto a piece of waxed paper, scrapping out all the pimento pieces from the bowl. Knead the dough a few times just to incorporate and distribute the pimento pieces. Cut two more lengths of waxed paper, divide the dough into two portions and place each portion on one waxed paper length. Form each onto a log and roll tightly, pressing in to form a nice solid log. Twist the ends like a candy wrapper. Refrigerate the logs for at least an hour before baking, but you can refrigerate them for two days or freeze them for 3 months.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350° and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove the rolls from the fridge and slice into medium-thick wafers, about 1/4 inch each. Place on the baking sheet with a little room to spread and bake until golden around the edges and firm on the top, about 10 – 12 minutes. Cool on the pans for a few minutes, then remove to wire racks to cool.
Makes about 3 dozen

Beef Tenderloin with Shallot Sauce

My in-laws made this wonderful Southern Living dish for Christmas dinner.  It was a big hit with the whole family!  This would make a great meal anytime you're entertaining for a large crowd - it serves 16!

Beef Tenderloin with Shallot Sauce
Ingredients:
1 pound shallots, peeled and halved lengthwise
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1 (8-pound) beef tenderloin, trimmed (see note)
1/4 cup olive oil
3 cups beef broth
1 cup dry Marsala wine
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Garnish: fresh thyme

Directions:
Toss shallots and 2 tablespoons oil in a bowl; stir in 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.  Set aside. 

Stir together 1 tablespoon salt and next 4 ingredients.  Rub tenderloin with 1/4 cup olive oil; sprinkle seasonings over top and sides of tenderloin, pressing gently with fingers.  Place tenderloin in a large lightly greased roasting pan; arrange shallots around tenderloin. 

Bake, uncovered, at 500 degrees for 25 minutes.  Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees and bake 15 to 20 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of tenderloin registers 145 degrees (medium-rare) or 160 degrees (medium). 

Meanwhile, stir together beef broth and Marsala in a large skillet.  Bring to a boil; boil 8 minutes or until liquid is reduced to 2 cups. 

Remove tenderloin to a serving platter, and cover with aluminum foil; reserve shallots and drippings in pan.  Add broth reduction to pan, and place over medium heat on cook top, stirring to loosen particle from bottom of pan. 

Whisk together flour and water until smooth; stir into sauce in roasting pan.  Cook over medium heat 3 minutes, or until sauce is slightly thickened, stirring constantly.  Add butter, stirring just until melted.  Stir in 1/4 teaspoon pepper.  Thinly slice tenderloin and serve with sauce.  Garnish if desired.

Note:  Find beef tenderloin sealed in plastic in the meat section of your super market.  Once you trim the tenderloin, you should yield about 6 pounds of meat.  To save time, ask your butcher to trim it for you.

Douglas Fir Sparkletini

I usually try recipes before I post them on my blog, but I wasn't sure if I'd get the chance to try this one this week - and I wanted to post it before New Years Eve.  It looks great and would be wonderful for any Christmas or New Years celebrations.  If you try it, let me know how it is!

Photo from Foodista

Douglas Fir Sparkletini
Recipe from Foodista.com
Ingredients:
1 1/2 ounces Douglas Fir–Infused Gin (recipe follows)
3/4 ounce white cranberry juice
3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
3/4 ounce simple syrup
Splash of brut Champagne or dry sparkling wine
1 5- to 6-inch sprig fresh-picked Douglas fir branch, rinsed

Directions:

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Measure in the infused gin, cranberry and lemon juices, and simple syrup. Cap and shake vigorously. Strain into a martini glass and top with a splash of Champagne. Garnish with a fir sprig and float a cranberry in the drink.

Douglas Fir–Infused Gin (Makes enough for about 16 drinks) Put the fir branch into the gin bottle, cap, and let sit 24 hours. (Do not let it infuse for more than 24 hours.) Remove the branch and discard. The infused gin can be stored at room temperature for up to one year.

Balsamic Vinegar Reduction - from Jeff

Jeff made a wonderful balsamic vinegar reduction last year for a Christmas party, and I thought it would make a great last-minute Christmas recipe since it only requires a few ingredients.  I've always loved balsamic vinegar, but I'm not sure that I'd had a reduction before.  The consistency is  more like a syrup.  He used it as a topping for slices of brie - it was amazing! 

Balsamic Vinegar Reduction
Ingredients:
1 bottle of balsamic vinegar (the better the vinegar, the better the reduction)
Powdered sugar to taste

Directions:
Heat the vinegar in a sauce pan on high.  As soon as it starts to boil, turn down the heat to medium.  Stir and watch closely as the vinegar cooks (some recipes say to whisk the entire time it cooks).  It should cook down to 1/3 of its original size and become much thicker.  Be careful that you don't burn the vinegar on the bottom of the pan!  Once it gets to the right size/consistency, add a little powdered sugar to taste.  Jeff says that you may want to stop cooking it just before you think it's actually thick enough as it will continue to firm as it cools (if it firms too much, reheat it for a minute and add a small bit of water).

The reduction can be served on fruit, caprese salads (tomato/mozzarella/basil), or on cheeses.  If served with cheese, it would be easiest to serve the reduction in something that pours easily (think creamer or gravy boat) next to your block of brie or other cheese.  If you prepour the reduction, it may get too sticky.

French Onion Soup

Several years ago my mom gave me the Williams-Sonoma French cookbook.  The front cover has an amazing picture of French Onion Soup.  I have been a HUGE fan of French Onion Soup for as long as I can remember!  If it's on the menu, I'm probably going to order it!  Since I've been on Christmas break this week, I decided to finally try making the soup recipe from the cookbook.  I am so pleased with how it turned out!  I will definitely be making this again.  The dark broth and rich texture make this is a perfect soup to serve at fancy Christmas brunch or dinner. 

Two-Onion Soup Gratinee
(Serves 8)
Ingredients:
3 tbsp olive oil
4 large red onions, thinly sliced
4 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
1/4 tsp. sugar
7 cups (56 fl oz) beef stock
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup dry white wine
12 slices baguette, each 1/4 inch thick
1/4 tsp. dried thyme leaves
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3/4 cup (3oz) shredded Gruyere cheese
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions:
In a large, nonaluminum Dutch oven or saucepan over medium heat, heat the olive oil.  Add the red and yellow onions and saute until wilted, about 15 minutes.  Add the sugar and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the onions are richly colored and caramelized, 30-45 minutes longer.  (If the onions start to brown too quickly toward the beginning of the caramelizing process, you may need to reduce the heat slightly.) 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Add the stock, garlic, bay leaf, and wine to the pan.  Cover partially and simmer until the flavors are well blended, about 30 minutes. 

Meanwhile, toast the baguette slices: arrange the slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until golden, watching carefully to prevent burning, 5-7 minutes.

Add the thyme to the soup and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Discard the bay leaf.

To serve, preheat the broiler.  Ladle the soup into individual ovenproof soup bowls.  Place 2 or 3 baguette slices on top of each serving and sprinkle evenly with the cheese.  Place the soup bowls on a baking sheet and slide under the broiler about 4 inches from the heat source.  Broil until the cheese is bubbly and lightly browned, 3-4 minutes.  Sprinkle a little parsley over each soup bowl and serve at once.

Guacamole Bruschetta

I know this may not be a traditional Christmas recipe, but the green and red can make it work!  This is one of my new favorite recipes, and I think it's perfect for any time of the year.  I made this a few weeks ago for a party.  The main problem I had was finding good tomatoes this time of year.  I really couldn't find any that looked great, so I substituted the fresh tomatoes with sundried tomatoes instead.  They still turned out great!

Photo from justataste.com

Guacamole Bruschetta

Yield: 12-15 servings
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 6 min

Ingredients:
½ loaf French bread
1 clove garlic
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 tomatoes, medium chopped
2 avocados, medium chopped
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
¼ cup chopped cilantro
2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
Slice the French bread on the diagonal into ½" rounds and place on a baking sheet.
Toast the sliced bread in the oven for 3 minutes, then flip each piece over and toast an additional 3 minutes.
Remove the toasted bread from the oven and immediately rub with the clove of garlic (it works best to first cut a small tip off the garlic clove so that the oils will seep out).
Brush the tops of the garlic-rubbed toasts with olive oil and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the chopped tomatoes, avocado, onion, cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper. Mix together gently making sure the avocado is well coated in the lime juice.
Spoon a portion of the mixture onto each of the garlic toasts and serve.

From: Justataste.com

Sun-dried Tomato and Spinach Torta

This is a recipe from my church's annual Christmas Countdown event.  This year's food was just as good as always!  I really liked this appetizer, and the colors make it perfect for Christmas.

Sun-dried Tomato and Spinach Torta
(from Southern Lady Magazine)
Ingredients:
4 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1 cup toasted pine nuts
1 (3-ounce) jar prepared pesto
Garnish: chopped sun-dried tomatoes

Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, feta cheese, and garlic powder. Beat
at medium speed with an electric mixer until well combined. Divide cream cheese mixture in half.
Combine one-half cheese mixture and spinach; set aside. combine other half with sun-dried tomatoes.
Line an 8 inch cake pan with plastic wrap. Spread spinach mixture in bottom of pan. Top with sun-dried
tomato mixture; refrigerate for 1 hour.
Invert onto serving dish and remove from pan. Carefully remove plastic wrap. Cover sides of torta with
pine nuts. Spread pesto on top of torta. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish with sundried
tomatoes. Serve with crackers.

Caramelized Onion, Mushroom & Gruyere Tartlets

I made this amazing appetizer for a party a few weeks ago.  These tartlets were a big hit!  They take a little bit of time but aren't too difficult to make.  The flavor is so great - I wish I had some right now!

Photo from browneyedbaker.com

Caramelized Onion, Mushroom & Gruyere Tartlets
Yield: 16 3-inch tartlets
Prep Time: 1 hour
Bake Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
16 ounces white button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, chopped
½ teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and pepper, to taste
¼ cup white wine (can substitute chicken or vegetable broth)
2 sheets puff pastry (thawed according to directions on package)
1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese (can substitute any variety of Swiss cheese)
1 egg + 1 tablespoon water, beaten together (for the egg wash)
Handful of parsley, chopped

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Heat the olive oil in a wide, heavy-bottomed pan over medium-low heat and add the onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to caramelize, about 20 minutes.
3. Add the butter to the pan. Once melted, add the mushrooms and saute, stirring occasionally, until they are completely soft and all of the liquid evaporates, about 20 minutes.
4. Add the garlic and the thyme and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Add the wine, scraping the bottom of the pan to pull up all of the browned bits, and cook until all of the liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat.
6. Unfold the thawed sheets of puff pastry and cut out circles from the dough, placing them evenly spaced on the baking sheets. Using a very sharp knife, make four small scores around the perimeter of the dough, about ¼ to ½-inch from the edge.
7. Top the rounds of puff pastry with a small spoonful of the onion and mushroom mixture, trying to keep the filling within the score marks. Top with the shredded Gruyere cheese. Brush the edges of the dough rounds with the egg wash.
8. Bake until the pastry is golden brown, about 15 to 25 minutes. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

From: Brown Eyed Baker

Baked Brie Bites

Photo from: Plain Chicken

I finally had some time to try some new recipes recently!  This is one of my favorites - not only is it really tasty, but it's also REALLY easy!!  I found it on pinterest, and it was originally posted on Plain Chicken.  It's easy to throw together right before you have people over because it doesn't take much prep work.  This is a great way to serve cheese because you don't need a knife or crackers.  And, since it's sweet, you could definitely serve it as a mini-dessert!

Baked Brie Bites (from Plain Chicken)
Ingredients:
mini phyllo tarts (from the freezer section)
Ile de France brie, cubed
brown sugar
chopped pecans
honey

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.
Place a cube of brie in each phyllo tart. Sprinkle each tart with approximately 1/2 tsp brown sugar. Top with approximately 1/2 tsp chopped pecans and a dollop of honey. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until brie is melted. (use more or less of each ingredient according to your preference)

Pomegranate Hummus - from Gretchen



Photo from: Ask in Your Face

 Like the last two years, I'd like to devote all of the posts in December to recipes that are particularly great during the Christmas season.  Gretchen was gracious enough to share this recipe from her husband's aunt.  It's a festive way of serving hummus.  You can find many hummus recipes on the internet or buy it from your local store.  Gretchen mixes her hummus with a can of chick peas and cumin.  Once it's mixed, she tops it with the arils of one fresh pomegranate.  Sometimes, you can find the arils at the grocery store.  But, if not, you can pick them out of a pomegranate.  This video gives great instruction on how to easily get the arils out of a pomegranate.  This dish makes a beautiful presentation for holiday parties.  Gretchen serves her hummus with pita chips from a local Greek restaurant, but these can be purchased at the grocery store as well.

*Christmas Recipes from 2010 or 2009.

Quail

Well-cooked birds always make for great entrees in traditional holiday feasts.  We were recently invited to a dinner at a friend's house where grilled quail was served.  It was delicious!  He told us that he got the recipe from the Field and Stream website.  When Kent and I talked about it later, he remembered several other friends talking about a great quail recipe they had found on the Garden and Gun website.  I wanted to share both of these recipes with you before Christmas!  My Dad always sends us home with quail that he shoots when he goes hunting.  I can't wait to try one of these recipes in the next few weeks!

"The Perfect Grilled Quail" - from Field and Stream
(They got this recipe from Chris and Idie Hastings of Hot and Hot Fish Club in Birmingham)
Ingredients:
6 6-ounce semi-boneless whole quail*
1/4 cup olive oil
1 small garlic clove, smashed and peeled
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh sage, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh parsley, chopped
kosher salt
black pepper

Directions:
Clip and discard the last two segments of both wing tips on the quail. Rinse the quail under cold running water and pat dry. Place the quail in a large glass bowl with the olive oil, garlic, thyme, sage, and parsley. Toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hour or up to overnight.

Preheat the grill to medium-high heat (350-400 degrees) Remove quail from the refrigerator and marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Remove the quail from the marinade and season both sides with salt and pepper. Place quail on the grill and cook for 5 to 6 minutes on each side or until golden brown and cook through (like most small birds, you do NOT want to overcook). Remove the quail from the grill and set aside to keep warm until ready to serve.

* Field and Stream note:  We cooked our birds bone-in, which Hastings says makes the meat even more flavorful. Add a minute or two to cook time. As you may have surmised, the dinner was excellent. In fact, I’ll take quail over any game bird.
--------------------------------------

Braised Quail with Leeks, Dates, and Cider - from Garden and Gun

by Chef Hugh Acheson
Ingredients:
4 quail, gutted and cleaned
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 squash-ball-size yellow onions, peeled and halved
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 medium leeks, whites and pale greens only, cleaned and diced to ½ inch (about 2 cups)
½ cup pitted and chopped Medjool dates (about 6 dates)
Bouquet garni of thyme, parsley, and bay leaf (4 sprigs each fresh thyme and flat-leaf parsley, and 1 fresh bay leaf, tied together with kitchen twine)
1 cup hard apple cider
1 cup chicken stock

Preparation:
Rinse quail under cool running water, dry on paper towels, and season liberally with salt and pepper. Stuff half an onion into the body cavity of each bird, and truss it by tying together the drumsticks with kitchen twine. In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil to just below smoking. Gently add all the quail, and crisp on each breast side, about 2 minutes per side, and then brown the back as well. Remove the quail from the pot and set aside.

Using the same pot, lower heat to medium, add the leeks, and cook until the leeks begin to soften (stirring frequently), about 5 minutes. Add the chopped dates, the bouquet garni, and the cider. Cook the cider down for about 3 minutes, and add the chicken stock and the quail. Let the liquid come almost to a boil, cover, and turn the heat down so the cooking liquid is barely simmering, cooking until quail are done, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove quail and reduce cooking liquid until slightly thickened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Spoon liquid over the quail before serving.

Big Soft Ginger Cookies - from Sally and Dory

Sally used to make these cookies in college, and my friend, Dory, in Birmingham makes some that are very similar.  Kent loves when I make these cookies because the whole house smells good!  Cooking these is definitely a good way to get your house smelling like Christmas!

Big Soft Ginger Cookies
Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup margarine, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
1/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons white sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Sift together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.  Set aside.  In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in the egg, then stir in the water and molasses.  Gradually stir the sifted ingredients into the molasses mixture.  Shape dough into walnut-sized balls, and roll them in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar.  Place the cookies two inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet, and flatten slightly.  Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.

Spicy Crackers - from Sarah L.

Sarah brought these crackers to a party recently, and they were so good!  They made the perfect appetizer.  They would be great for the holidays or any time of year - and they are super quick.  You probably have most of the ingredients in your pantry already.  Some of the guys mentioned these would be great with raw or baked oysters, also.  These crackers looked great on the table.  We definitely devoured them!

Spicy Crackers
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups canola oil
1 ranch dressing seasoning packet
2 tbs garlic powder
1 tbs crushed red pepper seasoning
1 box saltines

Directions:
Mix the first 4 ingredients.  Then pour the mixture over a whole box of saltine crackers in a big zip lock bag and mix it around to coat the crackers. They are better the next day.

Oreo Balls - from Julie B.

I saw this recipe on Julie's blog and had to share it!  Kent and I are definitely planning to try these soon.  Julie says, "Be warned you cannot eat just one!"


Picture from Julie's blog - don't these look AMAZING?!

 Oreo Balls
Ingredients:
1 package of Oreos
1 (8 oz.) package of cream cheese (softened)
1 package of white chocolate chips
1 small package of milk chocolate chips

Directions:
Crush the Oreos until they are finely powdered. I put mine in the chopper or food processor.

Mix the cookie crumbs with the softened cream cheese. Form into the desired size balls. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes to allow for hardening.

Melt the white chocolate in the microwave just until it gets melted.

Dip the Oreo balls into the white chocolate to cover. Place on a sheet of waxed paper on a cookie sheet.

Melt small amount of milk chocolate chips and drizzle on top. I use a ziploc bag and cut a tiny hole in the corner to drizzle.

Refrigerate. Once they harden you can package them into containers, but it is best to keep them refrigerated.

Chocolate Bark Recipe - from Katie N's blog

Last year, I posted a peppermint bark recipe that I love - and it's SUPER easy!  My friend, Katie, posted a fun chocolate bark recipe on her blog this week with great step-by-step pictures and directions.  Check out her recipe at Katie Bird Calling.  It looks delicious and so professional!

Praline Pecans - from Dory

I have always LOVED praline pecans.  Dory gave us this recipe last year at Covenant's Christmas Countdown.  She says to use a candy thermometer to make sure the candy reaches the right temperature or it won't turn out right.

Praline Pecans
Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon rum extract
3 cups pecan halves

Directions:
In a heavy saucepan, combine the sugars, water, honey, and cinnamon.  Bring to a boil over medium heat; do not stir.  Cook over medium heat until a candy thermometer reads 240 degrees (soft-ball stage).  Remove from heat; add extracts.  Cool to lukewarm without stirring.

Beat with a mixer for 2-3 minutes or until creamy.  Stir in pecans until coated.  Turn onto waxed paper (mixture will be sticky); separate large clumps.  Cool for several hours or until dry and sugary.  Store in an airtight container. 

Yield: 3 cups

Sweet Potato Casserole

One last Holiday recipe - just in time! Merry Christmas!

Sweet Potato Casserole
Ingredients:
3 cups of mashed, cooked sweet potatoes
1 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of melted butter
2 eggs, well-beaten
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1/3 cup of milk

Method:
Combine ingredients and mix well. Spoon into a greased 2 quart casserole. Cover with topping and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

Topping -
Ingredients:
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1/4 cup of plain flour
2 1/2 tablespoons of butter
1/2 cup of chopped pecans

Method:
Mix all ingredients well. Sprinkle on potatoes just before baking.

Bread Pudding

Kent and his family have been making bread pudding for their Christmas dessert for years. This particular recipe is their favorite. And I have to say - it is so amazing!!

Bread Pudding

Ingredients:

8 large day-old croissants, torn into small pieces

4 cups of milk

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 cups of sugar

1 cups of pecans, toasted

1 1/2 tablespoons of vanilla

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Method:

Place the bread in a lightly greased 13 by 9 inch pan. Pour the milk over the bread and let it stand for 10 minutes. Using your hands, blend the mixture well. Stir the eggs and the next five ingredients into the bread mixture. Bake at 325 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until firm. Serve with custard sauce. (Yields 15 servings)

Custard Sauce

Ingredients:

1 cup of sugar

1/2 cup of butter or margarine

1/2 cup of half and half

2 tablespoons of whiskey or 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Method:

Bring the first three ingredients to a boil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Cool, stir in whiskey. (Yields 1 1/2 cups)

Pork Roast with Jezebel Sauce

This is one of my favorite things that Kent makes. It has a great spicy sauce to put on the roast and always reminds me of Christmas time. If you need a main dish for a Holiday party, this works really well. It's very easy to double. It can also work well as an appetizer if you cut the pork into small medallions.

Pork Roast
Ingredients:
6 tablespoons hot sauce
6 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons garlic salt
2 tablespoons pepper
1 (3- to 4-pound) boneless pork loin

Garnishes: paprika, fresh parsley sprigs, cracked black pepper

Method:
Stir together hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce; set aside.
Combine garlic salt and pepper.
Place pork in a lightly greased roasting pan. Brush all sides of pork loin with sauce mixture; sprinkle with garlic salt mixture.
Bake at 325° for 2 hours or until a meat thermometer inserted in thickest portion registers 160°, shielding with aluminum foil the last 30 minutes. Let stand, covered, 15 minutes. Cut into slices. Serve with Jezebel Sauce; garnish if desired.

Jezebel Sauce
Ingredients:
1 (18-ounce) jar apple jelly
1 (18-ounce) jar apricot-pineapple preserves
1/4 cup dry mustard
2 tablespoons pepper
3 tablespoons prepared horseradish

Method:
Stir together all ingredients; serve with pork.

(This recipe comes from Southern Living.)

Peppermint Bark

This is super easy to make - but really good. It's great to give as Christmas presents to coworkers and makes a great snack for Christmas parties. If anyone has any other Christmas candy or food ideas, please let me know!

Peppermint Bark
Ingredients:
Candy Canes (red and green or red and white)
2 pounds White Chocolate (baking squares can be found on the baking aisle)
1/2 tsp. Peppermint extract

Method:
Place the candy canes in a plastic bag and break into tiny pieces - I use a hammer for this! You should have about a cup of candy pieces. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler. Once chocolate is melted, mix in extract and candy canes. Then pour onto a cookie sheet lined with wax paper - a cookie sheet with sides works best. Refrigerate for about an hour. Break into pieces and serve.