Free Republic Recipe Thread (Merry Christmas)

FreeRepublic Cooks | Dec 22, 2012 | libertarian27

[libertarian27]

Welcome to the FReeper Recipe Thread.

Looking for something new to make or made something new that came out great? Please share a 'tried-and-true' recipe or three- for fellow FReepers to add to their 'go-to' Recipe Stack of Family Favorites!

Here's the place to share and explore your latest and greatest favorite recipe.

Merry Christmas

[libertarian27]

“It is now Christmas, and not a cup of drink must pass without a carol; the beasts, fowl, and fish come to a general execution, and the corn is ground to dust for the bakehouse and the pastry: cards and dice purge many a purse.....now, good cheer, and welcome, and God be with you.”

~Nicholas Breton, English poet (1555-1626)~

National Date Nut Bread Day- December 22

National Pfeffernuesse Day- December 23

National Egg Nog Day- December 24

National Pumpkin Pie Day- December 25

National Candy Cane Day- December 26

National Fruit Cake Day- December 27

National Chocolate Candy Day- December 28

[libertarian27]

~Recipe Thread Ping~

[libertarian27]

~Recipe Thread Ping~

[Badabing Badablonde]

Love these threads!

[libertarian27]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2966892/posts?page=51#51

Recap of the last thread’s recipes:

Appetizers & Sandwiches _ Post#` 23 _ Bacon Wrapped Olives
Appetizers & Sandwiches _ Post#` 46 _ Easy Chili Cheese Tomatoes
Appetizers & Sandwiches _ Post#` 47 _ Zucchini Oven Chips

Beef _ Post#` 18 _ Slow Cooker Beef and Tomatoes
Beef _ Post#` 31 _ Shepherd’s Pie

Drink _ Post#` 21 _ Limoncello
Drink _ Post#` 29 _ Krupnikas (Boilo)

Pasta _ Post#` 13 _ Shrimp macaroni Salad
Pasta _ Post#` 49 _ Spaghetti Bake

Pies _ Post#` 8 _ Betty Jean’s Chocolate Pie

Pork _ Post#` 26 _ Pulled Pork Butt

Soups/Stews/Chilis _ Post#` 24 _ Chicken, Sausage, Oyster and Shrimp Gumbo

Vegetables _ Post#` 16 _ Boston Baked Beans
Vegetables _ Post#` 22 _ Tomato and Bell Pepper Salad
Vegetables _ Post#` 50 _ Crockpot Peas

[nuconvert]

Here’s a book suggestion:

Piece of Cake - one bowl, no-fuss, from-scratch cakes
by Camilla V. Saulsbury

This is a 285 page, spiral bound book with color photos.

[virgil283]

I can't cook but I can make this : Shrimp Gumbo . This is easy, fast and good on a cold day..

{ note to French chefs and purists don't jump me because this isn't authentic Cajun— I'm just making something to eat here...OK?}

Roux : equal amounts of fat and flour cooked over low heat, stirring constantly, until it is brown. Heat 4 tsp. [2 tsp bacon fat and 2 tsp. olive oil] of oil in a large pot.
Add 2 Tbs flour stir until light brown.
Add chopped onion, Bell pepper and celery, cook until onion is starting to turn clear.
Pour in 1 can of Chicken and Rice soup and one can of water.
Salt, pepper,onion powder, garlic powder, dash of wostershire sauce, dash of hot sauce.
Add chopped okra.
Simmer one hour, add water if it needs, then turn heat up and add shrimp.
In about 3 minutes if shrimp is done serve over rice with garlic toast or hush puppies.

[FrdmLvr]

Who are you kidding? If you can make a good roux, YOU can cook! Thanks for the recipe, and Merry Christmas to you!

[Cowgirl of Justice]

I make a simple appetizer every year that gets rave reviews. It is a seafood stuffed mushroom which calls for three ingredients.

Fresh mushrooms- cleaned and de-stemmed
Kajun Krab dip (found at Kroger’s in the seafood dept near the sushi)
White American cheese (the one in the plastic individual wrapper or you could use maybe parmesan cheese)

Use teaspoon to fill each cap and place on greased baking sheet. Place a small piece of cheese on top of each- enought to cover the seafood dip. Bake at 350 degrees for about fifteen minutes or until the mushrooms are baked through.

I am not a fan of ‘redneck cooking’ (combining precooked or premade items and presenting it as a culinary masterpiece) but these get rave reviews from EVERYONE.

[virgil283]

FrdmLvr——I can’t take credit. I really can’t cook but I can watch Alton Brown and follow his instructions......psssst (wispering) He says start the roux in a cast iron skillet, stir until lightly brown then put the skillet in the oven at 250F. Every 15 min. stir and in 45 min. it will be coffee color brown. Yeah it works....(don’t tell anyone its our secret)

[Caipirabob]

I use whip cream for roux. If calories were sin we’d burn...

[csmusaret]

Roux,roux,roux your boat
gently down the stream
Merrily merrily, merrily
you forgot the sour cream

[FrdmLvr]

Found this on Pinterest, thought it looked delicious and super-easy to make. I’m making it this weekend to take for Christmas. It’s from Trisha Yearwood’s cookbook.

Crock-Pot chocolate candy

“My cousin Donna Paulk is a great cook. She kindly gave us several great recipes for this collection, including chicken soup, macaroni and cheese, beignets, and this candy. I love this kind of recipe: The candies look so pretty and appear really hard to make. People will think you’re a genius cook — which is almost embarrassing, considering how easy they are to make. Just layer everything in the cooker and wait!”

2 lbs (36 oz) salted dry-roasted peanuts

4 oz (4 squares) German’s sweet chocolate

1 12-oz package semisweet chocolate chips (about 2 cups)

2½ lbs white almond bark

1. Put the peanuts in the bottom of a 4-quart slow-cooker. Layer the chocolate over the peanuts, beginning with the sweet chocolate, followed by the chocolate chips, and then the almond bark. Set the temperature on low and cook for 3 hours. Do not stir the mixture.

2. After 3 hours, stir the mixture with a wooden spoon until smooth. Drop the candy into cupcake pan liners, using about 2 tablespoons per liner. Allow the candy to cool completely before removing the cupcake liners. Makes 30 to 40 pieces.

Read more: Recipes from Trisha Yearwood - Crock-Pot Chocolate Candy - Redbook

[hoagy62]

Beleve it or not, I found this recipe a couple weeks ago while cleaning out under one of my kitchen drawers. It was on a 3x5 card and it wasn’t in my handwriting, so I am assuming it came from a previous and unknown occupant of our house. I tried it out and they are VERY good!

Santa Surprise Cookies

2 sticks butter, softened
1 cup creamy peanut butter ( I use Adams)
I cup brown sugar
1 cup regular sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

1 bag Snickers Miniatures (not Fun Size. If you can’t find Minis, take a Fun Size, cut it in half, and use 1/2 per cookie.)

Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and set aside.
Mix the butter, sugars, and peanut butter on medium until they are light and fluffy. Add the vanilla, then the eggs one at a time until completely blended. Gradually add the flour mixture until completely mixed. Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.

Preheat oven to 325.

Unwrap the candy bars (duh.). Take about a tablespoon of the chilled dough and flatten it out to about 1/8 inch. Place a candy bar in the center and gently fold the dough around the bar. Once it’s sealed inside, place it on a cookie sheet. (I coat mine with cooking spray. You can do that or use parchment paper.) I put no mare than 12 at a time on the pan. Bake at 325 for 10-12 minutes. When they’re done, let sit for about 3-4 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack.

The recipe also called for a chocolate drizzle over the top (done by melting a bunch of Dove chocolates in a double boiler), but I skipped that and they were fantastic anyway.

[hoagy62]

Roux,roux,roux your boat
gently down the stream
Merrily merrily, merrily
you forgot the sour cream

That was bad, dude. Really, really bad.

[csmusaret]

Never minf FrdmLvr, we don’t need sour cream, we have hoagy.

[csmusaret]

d

[momtothree]

I am going to try this recipe.. thanks, Hoagy62! I wanted one or two more “new” Christmas cookie ideas and you filled the bill. One question... you wrote to fold the dough around the mini. Does the cookie look more round or somewhat square before placing it in the oven?

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

A quick roux is possible, without burning all the hair off your hand and arm, if you can obtain a silicon cooking gauntlet. It is slightly longer than a typical padded cooking glove, and is ideal for making a quick roux over high heat.

Cooking oil smoke points:

http://www.goodeatsfanpage.com/collectedinfo/oilsmokepoints.htm

[Daffynition]

Help!

I made the recipe for *No Fail Fudge* from on the jar of Marshmallow-Fluff. What could go wrong, eh? It did! LOL

It didn't set properly...we're eating it with a spoon. I plan want to make another batch to use as hostess gifts.

Any suggestions? This is the recipe I used