[libertarian27]

Happy Thanksgiving to All

Besides the BIG Food Holiday this Thursday, here are some other food holidays for the week:

National Fast Food Day -November 16

National Baklava Day - Homemade Bread Day -November 17

National Vichyssoise Day -November 18

Carbonated Beverage with Caffeine Day -November 19

National Peanut Butter Fudge Day - Noveau Beaujolais Day -November 20

Gingerbread Day -November 21

National Cashew Day -November 22

[libertarian27]

Ping to the Weekly Recipe Thread

Recap of last week’s recipes:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/3092115/posts?page=25#25
Post# 22 ~Beef~ Swedish Meatballs
Post# 11 ~Breads, Muffins & Cereals~ Scotch Shortbread
Post# 13 ~Breads, Muffins & Cereals~ No-Knead Sweet Potato Dinner Rolls
Post# 21 ~Breads, Muffins & Cereals~ Princess Heatherflower Cranberry Bread
Post# 07 ~Cakes & Cupcakes~ Triangle Cake
Post# 09 ~Candy, Fudge & Truffles~ Chocolate Squares
Post# 05 ~Pasta~ Redneck Spaghetti Dogs
Post# 17 ~Pies & Pastry~ Mini Brie & Apple Quiche
Post# 17 ~Pies & Pastry~ Puffs Primavera
Post# 17 ~Pies & Pastry~ Onion Potato Tartlets
Post# 06 ~Soups, Stews & Chili~ California Chili
Post# 16 ~Vegetables~ German Green Beans
from the Nov 16th thread

[Liz]

CUCUMBER COLLINS
I love libations w/ a buzz and a health kick.
This is from the pricey Ruth's Chris Steak House.
These temples of gastronomy charge $15-20 for cocktails.

INGREDIENTS 1 1/2 parts Vodka, 1/3 part l/juice, 1/3 part simple syrup, 3 parts soda water, 2 parts cuke juice or 6 large chunks.

‭METHOD muddle 6 peeled/diced lge cuke chunks. Combine in ice-filled cocktail shaker w/ vodka, simple syrup. Shake well.

Strain into collins or highball glass filled w/ crushed ice. Top w/ soda water. Add cucumber wheels.

SERVE garnished w/ long strip cuke peel.

[paint_your_wagon]

Turkey Sausage Stew:

This is very fast, easy, tasty, and filling!

1 20 oz package of Sweet (basil) Italian Turkey Sausage
1 can of Progresso Minestrone Soup
1 can (15 oz) of Kidney Beans
1 can (14.5 oz) of diced tomatoes

Remove the casing from the sausages and cook in a skillet. Open all of the cans and heat in a saucepan. Add the cooked sausage to the soup mixture. Serve as is in bowls or serve over cooked rice.

[ken5050]

You're gonna really enjoy this one...

A few weeks ago, I asked if anyone had some recipes for holiday themed appetizers..I received several, and tried a few..all were great.

KittenClaws provided an easy, simple, yet delicious recipe for chicken or turkey wrapped in bacon. Before baking, they're rolled in a mixture of 2 parts brown sugar, 1 part chili powder. I had a small chicken breast in the freezer, so I tried a test batch, and they were superb. Nice crunch, carmelization from the sugar, and just a touch of heat from the chili powder. Really, really, good, and I heartily commend it to you all.

So last week, we're having this dinner at my parish..for about 100. I do most of the cooking..but I have lots of help. I decided to make this as one of the appetizers...they're easy to prepare..gives the "little old church ladies" something to do, and they could make them the day before, and keep them in the fridge..just pop them in the oven when people started arriving..

So, the night of the dinner, I'm busy at the stove, and the first batch of appetizers gets served, and all of a sudden people start coughing, wheezing...spitting it out, and complaining that it is really, REALLY H-O-T. I tasted one, and almost gagged..Seems that one of the ladies used CAYENNE instead of chili powder...

To paraphrase The Gipper, "Taste, but verify..."

[Bulwinkle]

Lunch on a cold day, add horseradish and mustard to baked beans and it will warm you right up

[bgill]

Don’t get stressed cooking that turkey dinner.

Monday:

Buy frozen turkey and let thaw in fridge.

Wednesday:

bake the pie
bake the cornbread for the dressing
prep dough for the rolls

Thursday:

7 AM - Prep the turkey and put it in the oven. Sit and relax.

10:30 AM - Prep the side dishes.

11-11:30 AM - Remove turkey from oven. Put side dishes into oven.

Noon - eat.

[ViLaLuz]

We’ve already started our Thanksgiving/Christmas baking... Thank goodness for freezers. This weekend is cut sugar cookies, with the kids on decorating duty... So I wanted to share my favorite hard cookie glaze recipe:

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/simple-cookie-glaze-recipe

[pugmama]

I make this ever year due to popular request.

Pecan Pie Cheesecake

1 store bought 1 lb pecan pie ( I used Trader Joe’s store bought pie). I did not weigh it.
2cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup sugar( add less to taste)
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
3 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
2 large eggs
2/3 cup sour cream
1/2 cup half and half (I used whipping cream)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup powdered sugar(I used less due to sweetness of the pie)
2 T. flour
20 pecan halves

Preheat oven to 325F.
Cut pecan pie into 10 pieces. I just used the insides of the pie-left off crust and top hang of the crust.
Stir together graham cracker crumbs and next 3 ingredients; press mixture onto bottom and 11/2 inches up sides of a 10 inch spring form pan.
Arrange 10 pecan pie wedges in a spoke design in prepared pan, placing 1 cut side of each wedge on graham crust with narrow end towards center of pan.
Beat cream cheese until smooth; add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition.
Add sour cream, half-and-half, and vanilla; beat until blended. Fold in powdered sugar and flour. Carefully pour cream cheese mixture evenly around and over pecan pie wedges in pan, making sure wedges remain in place. Arrange pecan halves evenly around edge and center.
Bake at 325F for 50 minutes. Turn off oven, and let cheesecake stand in oven 1 hour.
Remove to a wire rack, and let cool completely. Chill at least 8 hours or overnight before serving.

I bought candied pecans from Trader Joes and added them on the top of the cheesecake after it was baked.
I also got some store bought caramel sauce, heated it and put in a plastic squeeze top container. I did a design on the top of the cake with this warm sauce and anchored the pecans with this sauce.

[EmilyGeiger]

Could you add me to ping list?

[Irenic]

I tried this lemon pound cake recipe today— it is fantastic!

h ttp://pamsmidwestkitchenkorner.blogspot.com/2011/10/best-lemon-pound-cake-im-telling-you.html

I split the batter pouring into 2 loaf pans. I glazed one and not the other. I love tart foods but my husband isn’t as fond of tart stuff, so I left one plain. Both are terrific! I believe this would gift well like pumpkin and banana bread.

[Jean S]

I’ve made this a couple of times and everyone likes it:

No-Bake Pumpkin Pie
Serves 8

Graham Cracker Crust

5 ounces graham crackers (9 whole crackers), broken into large pieces
2 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and warm

Pumpkin Pie Filling

3 tablespoons cold orange juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons gelatin (from one package)
1 cup cold heavy cream (divided)
2/3 cup (4 ¾ ounces) sugar (divided)
¾ teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
3 large egg yolks
1 (15-ounce) can plain pumkin puree (1 ¾ cups)

1. For the crust: Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Pulse crackers and sugar in food processor until evenly and finely ground, about 15 2-second pulses (you should have 1 cup crumbs). Add warm butter in steady stream through feed tube whil pulsing until crumbs are evenly moistened and resemble damp sand. Transfer crumbs to 9-inch pie plate and spread evenly over bottom and sides. Wipe out food processor bowl and reserve. Using flat-bottomed rameking or dry measuring cup, press and smooth crumbs into pie plate. Bake until fragrant and browned around edges, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack.

3. For the Filling: Stir orange juice and vanilla together in medium bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over orange juice mixture and set aside to thicken, about 5 minutes.

4. Combine ½ cup heavy cream, 1/3 cup sugar, salt and spices in small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat until bubbles form at edges; remove from heat. Whisk remaining 1/3 cup sugar and yolks together in medium bowl until pale and slightly thickened. Slowly pour hot cream into yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Return mixture to pan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly and scraping bottom of pot with heatproof spatula, until custard is thickened and registers 175 to 180 degrees on instant-read thermometer, about 2 minutes. (When properly cooked, custard should form slight ridge on tip of spatula when bottom of pan is scraped and spatula is lifted.) Immediately pour custard over gelatin mixture and stir until smooth and gelatin has completely dissolved.

5. Puree pumkin in food processor until smooth, 10 to 15 seconds. With machine running, add remaining ½ cup heavy cream through feed tube in steady stream. Scrape sides of bowl and process for additional 10 to 15 seconds. Add pumpkin mixture to custard mixture and stir until completely smooth. Transfer filling to cooled crust. Chill pie, uncovered, until filling is just set, about 3 hours. Cover pie with plastic wrap and continue to chill until fully set, at least 6 hours and up to 24 hours. Cut pie into wedges and serve.

[sockmonkey]

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[Stand Watch Listen]

Some more appetizers...

SPINACH PUFF PINWHEELS

INGREDIENTS:
-- 2 (8 ounce) packages refrigerated crescent rolls
-- 1 (7 ounce) package garlic herb cheese spread (or any other flavor you prefer!)
-- 1(10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Split crescent dough in half along center perforation. Flatten one rectangle, sealing perforations, Spread with ¼ of the cheese spread and sprinkle with spinach.
3. Starting with long side, roll dough up, rolling back and forth several times to seal edges. Cut into ¾ inch slices (about 15 slices per roll). Arrange the slices one inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Continue making the crescent roll ups until all of the ingredients are used.
4. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until lightly browned. Serve immediately or keep warm on a warming tray.

PICKLE ROLL-UPS

INGREDIENTS:
-- Eight corned beef slices
-- 4 oz cream cheese
-- 4 medium-sized dill pickles
DIRECTIONS:
1.Lay four stacks of two corned beef slices on a cutting board or cutting mat. Top each with a 1 oz layer of cream cheese and a medium-sized dill pickle.
2. Roll the corned beef slices around the pickles. The cream cheese will act as the delicious glue that holds everything together
3. Cut each pickle roll into four equal slices and serve on a plate

OREO CREAM CHEESE COOKIES

INGREDIENTS:
-- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
-- 6 oz cream cheese, room temperature
-- 2 cups granulated sugar
-- 2 tsp vanilla
-- 2 cups all purpose flour
-- 1 cup mini dark chocolate chips
-- 2 cups Oreo crumbles
DIRECTIONS:
1. pre heat oven to 375’, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper (because a greased sheet causes cookies to spread too much)
2. In a bowl, use mixer on medium speed…cream together butter and cream cheeseuntil thoroughly combined
3. add sugar and vanilla, mix well
4. add flour one cup at a time and mix on low just until combined,… Stir in chocolate chips with a rubber spatula
5. Pour Oreo crumbles into a bowl, Scoop dough out and roll into 1.5 in balls, then roll in cookie crumbes thoroughly. Be sure to cover the dough balls well in crumbs as this holds cookie together while baking.
6. Space cookies about 2 in apart on sheet. Bake on center rack, about 13-14 minutes and allow to cool on sheet a few minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely

CINNAMON SUGAR PRETZELS

INGREDIENTS:
-- 1 (16 oz) bag pretzel twists
-- ⅔ cup vegetable oil
-- ½ cup sugar
-- 2 tsp cinnamon
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Pour pretzels into a roasting pan. In a medium sized bolw,mix together vegetable oil, cinnamon and sugar. Pour over pretzels and stir to coat. Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes,removing twice to stir.

GRAPE POPPERZ

INGREDIENTS:
-- 48 fresh large grapes (OR..with cherries, strawberries…any type of fruit you make into a ball)
-- Vanilla Greek yogurt(or other desired yogurt flavor)
-- 1 cup chopped pecans (may substitute with any nuts)
-- toothpicks
DIRECTIONS:
1. Wash grapes and pat completely dry. spear each grape with a toothpick.
2. Holding the end of toothpick, dip each grape in the vanilla Greek yogurt, allowing excess coating to drip off.
3. Immediately dip the end of the coated grape into the chopped pecans…place on wax paper to dry

CREAM CHEESE PENGUINS

INGREDIENTS:
-- 18 jumbo black olives, pitted
-- 18 small black olives
-- 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
-- 1 long carrot
-- 1 small diameter salami OR pepperoni roll (approx size diameter of carrot) DIRECTIONS:
1. Cut a wedge from top to bottom, lengthwise, into the side of each jumbo olive. Carefully insert about 1 teaspoon of cream cheese into each olive. Slice the carrot into eighteen 1/4 inch thick rounds; cut a small notch out of each carrot slice to form feet. Cut a notch out of pepperoni slice to match carrot. Save the cut out carrot piece and press into center of small olive to form the beak. Cut a small slit into each olive before inserting the beak. Can insert ‘beak’ vertical or horizontal
2. Set a big olive, large hole side down, onto a pepperoni/carrot slice. Then, set a small olive onto the large olive, adjusting so that the beak, cream cheese chest and notch in the pepperoni/carrot slice line up. Secure with a toothpick.
3. Cut roasted per pepper into narrow slices for wrap around scarfs
Hint: place ‘penguins’ randomly around cheese/veggie trays…will be talk of gathering

[kalee]

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