Holiday Ideas

With the holiday season upon us, I know that everyone has different dishes that they traditionally prepare. I would like to see submissions that invite the other readers into you home for your holiday meal ideas.

If you do not feel you have any traditions, try something new and share how it goes. The possibilities are endless.

A dinner Idea.. YUM

Begin with a bed of rice, top with fajita seasoned meat and vegetables
(a mix of chicken, beef and shrimp with peppers and onions),
next top with white cheese dip and a spoon of avocado stuff or sliced avocados.
A side of re-fried beans topped with chopped onions and grated cheddar
and warm chips around the sides of the plate.
Salsa or red sauce for dipping on the side too.
Add a small side of finely chopped lettuce,
a few diced onions and diced tomatoes
- maybe even a little hot pepper diced -
and some Catalina dressing.

Another One

Here is a very fun recipe my cousin Nowenda sent. Try it and let me know what your kids think.

Hotdog Sundaes...

yah it sounds gross but they are good and verrrrrrrrrrrrrry filling.
the recipe is really simple...

you take a hot dog, whatever kind you prefer and slit them lengthwise almost all the way through.(this is the banana)..
then you make mashed potatoes... i use instant... fill the hotdog with potatoes and make sure it is piled up good (this is the ice cream)..
now on top make a little valley and put a little butter if you wish..
then on top of that place a slice of cheese ( i usually fold a slice in half) and place over top of potatoes and butter..
now bake in the oven at 350 degrees for about 20-25 min. or until cheese on top is melted... nummy .

More Recipes

Here are some recipes from My Mother-in-law, Debbie

Fancy Green Beans -

Canned French Cut Green Beans
Chopped up Red Bell Pepper
Chopped up Mushrooms

Heat on top of the stove with 1/2 the juices from the beans and allow the flavors to blend.
Makes a pretty presentation and goes great with lemon peppered chicken to complete a low cholesterol meal.


Lemon Pepper Chicken -

skinless boneless chicken breast - or choose to be economical - purchase regular chicken breast, skin and debone them yourself.

Brush with olive oil on all sides and shake on the lemon pepper spice - McCormicks' is a good brand.

Place on a broiling pan in a 400 degree oven until done.

Serve with fancy green beans and a salad - watch the dressing - use a vinegrette. Luke likes it with cranberry sauce - but he likes everything with cranberry sauce.

Both of these recipes are so very basic that I'm sure every cookbook has at least one version.


Stroganoff -

Wide Egg Noodles
Hamburger
Cream of Mushroom Soup
Onion
Brown Gravy Mix
Sour Cream

Cook the Noodles according to the package
Brown and Drain the Hamburger
Chop the onion and saute' with hamburger
Add Cream of Mushroom Soup - do not add water
Allow to mix and brown slightly
Mix Brown Gravy Mix according to package and add to meat
Drain Noodles
Add Meat Mixture to Noodles
Mix well
Add Sour Cream to Noodles and Meat
Mix well
Serve with fresh rolls and salad or all by itself.
From: Melba Hackworth Carter
Don't tell them it has sour cream in it and they will never know.


My favorite Snack

BBQ Potatoe Chips
Large Curd Cottage Cheese

Use the cottage cheese as a dip - Yum!

Peach Crisp

Here ya go, Gen!

Fruit Crisp (from Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook)

5 cups sliced, peeled cooking apples, pears, peaches, or apricots (for my family I use 2- 15.25 oz. cans of sliced peaches)
2 to 4 tablespoons granulated sugar (I don't use this for canned peaches--they're plenty sweet)
1/2 cup regular rolled oats (I always have quick cooking oats and use those)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup butter or margarine


FOR FILLING:
Place fruit in a 2-quart square baking dish. Stir in sugar (for peaches I like to add a little cinnamon instead).

FOR TOPPING:
In medium bowl combine the oats, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Cut in butter till mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle topping over filling. (I use this topping on pies too. We really like it on apple pie and I just tried it on a cherry pie--YUM!)

Bake in a 375 degree over for 30 to 35 minutes or until fruit is tender and topping is golden.

Makes 6 servings.

Recipes

Here are a couple very yummy recipes I did at Thanksgiving and Today For Christmas.

The first one is from Weight Watchers. YEAH and It is very very good.

Green Beans with Mushrooms and Crisp Onion Crumbs
side dishes

POINTS® Value: 2
Servings: 8
Preparation Time: 15 min
Cooking Time: 15 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

A fresh-tasting, flavorful replacement for fattening green bean casserole. Our version's just as tasty and of course, healthier, too.

Ingredients
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
3/4 cup(s) dried bread crumbs, panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
2 Tbsp dehydrated onion flakes, minced
3/4 tsp table salt, divided
2 spray(s) cooking spray
1 1/2 pound(s) uncooked string beans, fresh, trimmed, cut in half
1 pound(s) button mushrooms, thinly sliced

Instructions
To make crumb topping, in a large, deep, nonstick skillet, over medium-low heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter; add bread crumbs, onion flakes and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Increase heat to medium and cook, stirring often, until lightly toasted, about 3 minutes. Remove from skillet and set aside; carefully wipe skillet clean.

Coat skillet with cooking spray; place over high heat. Add string beans and mushrooms; sauté until lightly golden and tender, about 6 minutes.

Add green beans, remaining tablespoon of butter and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to skillet; toss over low heat until butter is melted and mixture is heated through. Transfer to a serving platter; sprinkle with crumbs. Yields about 1 cup of vegetables and 2 tablespoons of crumbs per serving.

(Our Changes to this recipe were : We used Italian Bread crumb and no onion cause we ran out:-)Fresh onion may be good in this recipe )

Here is the Second one. The Kids really likes this one and So did Bro Dustin Hays :-)
I got this one from Familyfun.com

Pilgrim Pies

Ingredients

PUMPKIN COOKIES
2 eggs
2 cups light brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
3 cups flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

FILLING/CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 to 5 cups confectioners' sugar

Instructions
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Beat the eggs, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl until smooth. Stir in the pumpkin. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, pumpkin spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture a half cup at a time, blending each time until smooth.

Drop a heaping tablespoon of batter onto an ungreased cookie sheet, using a moist finger or the back of a spoon to slightly flatten each mound. Bake the cookies for 12 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Meanwhile, make the frosting. Beat together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract in a bowl until light and fluffy. Mix in the confectioners' sugar a half cup at a time, until the frosting is spreadable.

To assemble the pies, turn half of the cookies bottom side up and spread a generous amount of cream cheese frosting on each one. Top them with the remaining cookies (turned right side up). Makes 10 to 14 Pilgrim Pies.



Hope you enjoy
Cathy

I would just like to say that I would appreciate Sis. Emily's peach Cobbler.

~genesis